The Lunar Chalice

by Spirals95

Chapter 45 - Hero's Garden

Chapter 45

The following three days were a whirlwind of events. Princess Luna’s chalice had finally been returned to the vault in Canterlot castle, to be kept under close watch and studied only by those truly trustworthy. Twilight Sparkle and her companions returned to a rebuilding Crystal Empire, having secured new friends in the north. They were mortified by the amount of damage the city had sustained, and were all too happy to watch Green Commander lead the golems out of the town and back for the Valley of Shadows, where they would keep watch over the castle in case the Shadow Ponies ever returned to their original home. Most of the downed units were able to be fixed, except for the Red one, whose wreckage was sealed underground in a chamber Sharp and mayor Gaveler had built… just in case.

By day two, Techorse returned to his home and laboratory, spending most of the time repairing PAL’s extensive damage. Spike reunited with Twilight, still being hounded by visitors from the Crystal Empire, and wishing he could get a little privacy even after a second round of heroism that helped saved the empire. Flaming Ivory and Shadow Breeze stayed together in a nearby apartment, trying medications in hopes of restoring Shadow’s hearing damage. While Ponyville and the other distant townships in Equestria talked endlessly about the day-long war in the northeast, the princesses held an emergency meeting where the duke and duchess of Stargazer’s peak, along with Honey Bear and Cedar, met with representatives from all corners of Equestria. Together, they made a plan by request of Cadance to begin an expedition to find the Shadow Pony nation, hoping to make amends for what the Crystal Empire had done to them.

That evening, just as Luna did her required duty concerning the moon’s orbit, her sister caught her attention with a gentle brush of her wing. Her solemn expression and knowing look was all Luna needed to know what was coming the following day. Many of those who had participated in the week’s horrors found a blue letter with a black wax seal in the shape of a rose keeping it shut. Princess Luna could sense each one being opened, and the pain and suffering being brought out from each reading. But her sister wrapped her in a warm embrace that kept her from placing blame on herself. It was going to be hard enough facing tomorrow…

---

Hero’s Garden in Canterlot was a perfect picture of serenity by design. It was a private meadow, just a field of open ground with grass cut to a perfect height and a quiet brook that ran at the western edge. Beautiful cherry blossom trees flanked the estate, dropping their petals on the ground dozens at a time in the breeze. A memorial founded by Princess Celestia eons ago when the royal guard was first created, it rarely saw a new resident… a testament to Equestria’s security and love of life.

Rather than rows, the occupants were laid in a large circle, so that no stone could be hidden behind another. Each monument faced the center of the garden, where a large flat polished slab of stone carved with the Equestrian flag sat. By tradition, the newcomer’s container was to be placed upon this circle, before he would be carried exactly 40 hoofsteps to their final home, a symbol of the maximum number of years any guard could serve before receiving a full retirement.

Today, the garden was filled with lines of chairs, occupied by many ponies dressed in black. A casket draped with the Equestrian flag sat on top of the stone circle, a portrait of who would have been inside placed in front, half buried in flowers.

Midnight Blaze, sitting in the front row with his mother veiled in black and unable to stop herself from sobbing, put a hoof around her shoulder and refused to take his eyes off the box. There wasn’t a body inside, as he knew… but it wouldn’t change the feelings his mom and brother had.

Midnight looked at the small colt, tears running down his cheeks, whispering, “Poor Twinken, he didn’t even get to say goodbye...”

To the right of him, Techorse and his other friends sat with Spike, PAL, Twilight, and all her friends. Midnight thanked Techorse and the others for coming in his mind, hoping it would ease the grief on their faces. Behind them, many other guests were in attendance, some from the Crystal Empire, many from Canterlot who had known Ignitus and wanted to be there. Guards stood at attention along the sides of the assembly, standing in stony silence. A small brass section waited patiently for the service to begin.

The three princesses and Shining Armor appeared from the column cut from between the two sets of chairs, walking barrel to barrel up to the casket. Each of the princesses wore a black dress that kept off the ground as they walked, and none of them permitted their manes to wave in the air. A microphone was set up on a stand to capture their words, and Princess Celestia approached it.

She began with a regal yet depressed tone, “Family, friends… those who call Equestria home, and those who do not...”

“Today we honor a former Captain of the Guard, a hero to Equestria, a stallion who brought justice for the suffering, and deliverance for the Crystal Empire...”

The crying from the attendees was audible to Celestia, who couldn’t stop her own tears from hitting the grass below.

“Ignitus… Enflame.”

Luna took her turn, “We must honor our former Captain Ignitus, for he chose Equestria and her allies over himself. After pondering upon his sacrifice for all of us… he will be granted the highest honor I am permitted to award...”

She took a short breath and continued,

“Ignitus Enflame is hereby posthumously awarded The Equestrian Medal of Harmony.”

The Princess of the Moon produced a purple box, opening it gently and removing the contents. It was a bright medal built from pure silver in the shape of a curious six-branched tree inside a gem-encrusted ring, held upon a purple and white ribbon as thick as a belt. Luna used her magic to drape the medal around Ignitus’ portrait, and it hung below it perfectly. Ignitus had never fully left the military forces despite leaving his post as captain to become the guard’s forensic investigator, and because of that, he was the first investigator to receive the nation’s highest honor.

Every guard present saluted at once, including Shining Armor, who held it as long as his stallions did.

“As the princess of the Crystal Empire,” said Cadance, taking her turn, “I cannot express how thankful we are as a nation for what Ignitus did. Many lives were saved, many families were reunited, and we are at last rid of the shadow that haunted our land. My door is open to Ignitus’s family, my palace is their home, and I will call them my friends forever.“

For what seemed like hours, ponies came up and talked about Ignitus, what he meant to them, and how they were going to remember him fondly. Arbiter did not have much to say, but he shed tears, an unusual act for him. Shining Armor expressed his respect and honor for Ignitus, but Midnight could see the guilt in his eyes from how often he liked to hate on his father. Some former colleagues and close friends also attended, signing a song that they had preformed with Ignitus when they were younger as part of their drama club in school.

Eventually, Celestia stepped up again to the microphone, “Midnight Blaze, please come tell us what you have to say.”

Midnight had nearly forgotten in the maelstrom of emotional energy around him that he had agreed to speak at his father’s funeral. Getting up and walking to the microphone, he pondered carefully what he was going to say. But once he was in front of the microphone, standing in the heat of the sun, he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

“I love my father,” he said softly, looking at the ground, “there were days when I thought he didn’t care about me… or wanted me to give up my dreams in exchange for his. But now I can see that all along, dad just wanted me to grow up into a strong stallion that could protect Equestria with the same passion, he had. But I have faith that someday I’ll fall in love with this nation the way he did. I’m going to miss you, d… dad.”

The unicorn broke down, bitter tears rolling down his cheeks. Techorse and Flaming Ivory helped get the unicorn back to his mother, patting him on the back and remaining silent. Six chosen stallions, friends of Ignitus led by Arbiter, moved into position, and picked up the casket with silence. Magic was never to be used to complete a ceremony such as this, and every guest stood up and flanked the path to Ignitus’s memorial, right behind the legions of royal guards. As the brass section began to play their hymn, every soldier present saluted, the pallbearers coming forward.

Faerie Tail stood next to the grave with her two children at her side holding her tight, emotions swirling in her head as the carriers took each of the forty steps. Her husband’s monument, selected by Celestia herself, was a tall obelisk standing behind the stone crypt left, its door wide open. It of which was carved with an image of Ignitus’s cutie mark, the flaming shield and sword, along with his name written underneath and an epitaph fitting his personality.

Ignitus Enflame. Father of two. Husband of one. Hero to all.

Midnight watched as they lowered the empty box into the stone burial vault, unable to think about anything else other than their final exchange.

His brother was crying bitterly, unable to deal with the situation. His mother was looking into the ground, but didn’t make so much as a sound. Twinken grabbed his legs and buried his face into them, Midnight instinctively held him close in an act of brotherly love. The casket reached the bottom of the well, and the keepers of the garden moved forward for the heavy marble covering left to the side of the vault. In that moment, Midnight Blaze felt something of a warm hoof on his shoulder. A happy feeling like everything would be all right permeated him, and the grieving stallion looked back to see who was there.

No one.

The music was finished by the brass players... and then the grave was sealed shut while the family watched. Yet for some reason… Midnight was able to smile.

---

Of course, the reception was just as large as the service was. Dozens of tables were piled with food and drink to be consumed out of emotion, and everyone present was catching up if they weren't stuffing their face. Midnight had asked Princess Luna to provide a private room for himself, his friends, and his family so that they could be away from the noise. It was a small but cozy room, a lounge in the building meant to house the caretakers of the garden. For the high level of honor they held in serving the lost heroes, they were given extensive luxuries, and this lounge was no exception. Faerie Tail and Twinken sat together on a beautiful luxury couch made from velvet and gold, while Techorse, Flaming, and Shadow were seated around a central table carved from polished blue granite. Midnight took a seat across from them, and cleared his throat for a conversation.

“I wanted to thank you all for coming to the funeral, guys,” he told his friends, “it means a lot to me, and my mother. You supported me, even when I was lost to the darkness. I Just wanted you to hear that again...”

“Midnight, we’ll be here for you whenever you need us,” Shadow Breeze answered, “just let me know, and I’ll be there.”

“And I appreciate it, Shadow,” continued his friend.

His eyes moved over to Flaming Ivory, who let out a groan, “Oh man, I live off of gigs, Midnight. I can’t be as dependable as the other guys. All I did this whole time was give you garbage...”

“It’s all right, you’re not trying to be mean, Flaming,” assured the unicorn, “and you’re not less dependable. You should be proud of yourself for saving me.“

“Each of you should be proud,” Faerie Tail interrupted, throwing her dark veil aside boldly, “you saved my son’s life… you brought him home to me in one piece! Most of all, he’s finally happy.”

Midnight turned around, “Mom… I wasn’t happy because...”

She grabbed her son and held him tight, “I know, but… your father changed, Midnight. At the very end, he changed! He showed love to us in ways we hadn’t seen in years.”

Accepting the truth, Midnight leaned into the hug until she was ready to let go of him.

“Each of you have my blessing, young stallions,” she said to his friends, gaining some smiles in return.

“Mom, Midnight,” called Twinken from behind them to get attention, “what are we going to do?”

Midnight remembered his father’s calling to be the leader from that point on.

“I know what we’re going to do,” he answered, “we’re going to move. We need to be a family again.”

“Doesn’t that mean you’ll have to close your shop?” Techorse asked.

He nodded, “It does, but I’ve got different priorities in life now. I’ll reopen the shop out of our new home.”

“I’ll help you move!” Flaming Ivory beamed, “Do you know where you’re going?”

Midnight gave Techorse a wink, “I know just the place… if Techorse can help me secure some real estate.”

"I know what you're thinking, and it's a great choice!” the inventor answered with a smile.

The unicorn moved to open the door, “Glad to hear. That being said… I need to be alone with my mother and brother for a while.”

“Sure Midnight,” Techorse said, “let’s get out, guys.”

Obeying the order, the three friends left the family alone in the luxury room. Techorse gave one last look back into the room at his friend, and smiled before shutting the door. Midnight then looked at his two family members with a content expression on his face.

“So we’re going to move away?” his little brother asked, still drying tears from his eyes, "I don't know, Midnight..."

"Everything is going to turn out. I promise. We’ll be surrounded by friends, and you’ll find plenty of new friends at school,” Midnight answered, “there will even be a place for mom to tell stories.”

“Where are we going, sweetheart?” Faerie Tail asked.

When he told them there was an initial level of confusion, but after thinking it over… they agreed with his choice. Twinken seemed especially happy that his big brother had a plan to take care of their future.

“I’m happy you know what to do, but can we go get some food now?” Twinken asked, “I’m hungry...”

Midnight laughed, “Of course we can!”

Faerie Tail watched as her two stallions left the building side by side. She took a moment to whisper to herself, sweet tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Thank you for our marriage... and our lovely sons, Ignitus. Rest easy now, my sweet husband.”

Comments

[IlandMina]

Wow, such a tragedy of Midnight losing his father.