The Emperor Preserves

by Centurion Pike-Wall

12~Honored are the Dead

Author's Note:

Imperial thought of the Day: Glory in death is life Eternal.

A few days later, Anton once again stepped out of the forest and shielded his eyes from the somehow brighter sun. This time, he was wearing his full uniform, save for the armor. He shifted slightly, the Jump Suit chafing against the fur that covered his twisted body.

As he continued to walk, the bare fur not covered by his jumpsuit and the brim of his field cap was suddenly no longer coated by the sun. As opposed to the heat beating on him like a drum, he was now greeted by a faint coolness mostly blocked by the fabric of the jumpsuit. Looking up, he saw clouds shifting rapidly to cover the sun and the area over Sweet Apple Acres. He squinted slightly, picking out small, multi-colored shapes moving among them like bees on a field of flowers.

He approached the farmhouse, noting a larger amount of ponies standing outside in the yard. They were all clad in dark dresses or dark suits, making his tan jumpsuit and field cap stand out. He stopped by the entrance, looking down at the uniform before stealing a glance at the jumpsuit, debating whether or not he should just leave. This gathering was to honor the dead, and while that was always important, it was for a Xeno...

"Um, are you here for the funeral?", a voice said, drawing his attention up. He was greeted for a sight he hadn't expected: another creature like him.

Well, not exactly. Like nearly every other "Pony" he had come into contact with, this one had a wildly inconsistent coloration. As opposed to his tan and brown, she was colored white and purple, her hair styled in a weird sort of wavy way. With these factors, along with the rather fancy dress and simple way she held herself, he was somewhat reminded of one of the daughters from the various noble houses of Elysia.

"Y-yes", Anton said, before straightening up and clearing his throat. She only reminded him of one of the members of those noble houses; she was a Xeno, and could no way be affiliated with one of the rulers of his homeworld. "Yes, I am."

"Well, um... What are you wearing?", she asked.

Anton once again looked at his jumpsuit, before shrugging. "I felt I had to wear something."

"Well, couldn't you find something more... fitting?", she asked. "I mean, it has a certain utilitarian charm to it, but it hardly seems appropriate to this kind of event."

Anton snorted. "I don't have anything else. Or, would you rather I show up in my undershirt and trousers?"

She opened up her mouth to reply, only to be cut off by someone else calling out, "Rarity!" Both of them turned towards the house, watching as Applejack made their way over to them. Like the one like him, Rarity, she was wearing a black dress, albeit simpler and with her looking a bit less comfortable in it. Her hair had been done in a braid, and though she wore a smile, he could tell she was still disheartened.

Rarity said, "Hello, darling. I'm sorry that my parents couldn't attend, but they are attending to my younger sister."

"O-oh, it's fine. I'm just glad you could come", Applejack said, pulling Rarity into a hug.

Rarity returned it, holding her close. Anton stood off to the side, shuffling uncomfortably. Applejack seemed to notice, pulling away from the hug after about a minute. "Uh, Rarity. This is Aquila. He's the one who helped us when... Well, ya know. Aquila, this is one 'a my best friends, Rarity."

Rarity turned back to him, sizing him up like the Drill Sergeants back on Elysia. "Charmed."

"Likewise", Anton said.

"W-well", Applejack said. "Come on. T-the whole..." She didn't need to finish; they both knew what she was referring to. Rarity gave some last look at Anton, before the both of them followed them into the farm.

+++++~+++++

Anton sat awkwardly in one of the prepared seats. Applejack had somewhat insisted that he sit in one of the front rows with her immediate family and a few other relatives. He could practically feel the eyes of a decent number of attendees on him. Still, he sat up and kept his eyes straight ahead as if he were in the briefing room of the Lex Talionis.

Still, that didn't stop him from taking in a few of the others who had come to attend the funeral. He knew all of the ones he had come into contact with before. The older green 'mare', who he had been introduced to as Granny Smith, was sitting a few chairs down, held lowered so that it was almost touching her chest. Big Mac was next to her, one hoof wrapped around her shoulder. He had his other hoof wrapped around what he assumed was a child held in his lap. Said child, colored a dark yellow with red hair, was looking around in minor confusion, likely not knowing anything about what was going on.

The vast majority of them, however, he had no idea of who they were. A pair of ponies, one blue and pink while the other was two shades of yellow, sat in the row behind him, the former of the pair bawling her eyes out. Another pony, light beige with a greying pink mane sat across a gap in the lines of chairs, sniffling. Most of the crowd was made up of what he assumed to be relatives. From what he could see, they had similar tattoos which were based on Apples, implying some form of familial connection. Some cultural aspect of these Xenos, perhaps?

As he looked ahead, he squinted. If he wasn't mistaken, he thought he saw one of the Xenos standing among a few of the trees in the orchard beyond where they were. He blinked, but seemed to have lost sight of them, if they were even there. He shrugged, thinking it was merely nothing as he heard a series of whispers starting to quiet down the muted conversations around him.

Silence reigned over the crowd, while many turned back to behind them. Anton stayed looking ahead, despite spotting Rarity giving him a dirty look out of the corner of his eye. After a few seconds, six males walked into view, carrying a wooden casket above them. Only one of them recognized: Bright Mac, who carried the casket easily despite his obvious limp.

The four of them set the casket down in front of a large hole, before stepping off to the side. Bright Mac limped over to a wreath next to the grave, stopping next to it. "Thank y'all for comin'. Ah, ah honestly don't really know what ah'm supposed ta say that y'all don't already know. I-it's just..." He stopped, tears running down his face like a river. "Ah'm sorry. Ah, ah just... All of ya can come say goodbye. Ah, ah need a bit."

Bright Mac limped off to the side of the coffin, with Granny Smith following him. Meanwhile, the ponies around him all stood, forming a line into the aisle next to him. He waited, sitting stock still and taking breaths. They were her family, as well as originally her kind; if they deserved anything besides destruction, then they deserved that.

Finally, the line stopped growing, and Anton stood. He slipped in behind a mare with green hair, soon walking to the front of the line. The others had returned to their seats, leaving Anton alone standing next to the coffin. He pressed a hoof to the top of the closed coffin, reciting a prayer: "The flesh of your body is a reminder of your own mortality. Transcend the flesh and know immortality. May the Emperor watch over you." He returned to his seat and sat down, even as eyes watched him sit down.

Comments

[Josiador]

It's only a matter of time until ponies start asking questions. Where did he come from? Why does he live in the Everfree forest? Why does he wear those strange clothes? Where did he get those strange tools? Who is this "Emperor" he keeps mentioning?

[Spc jacko]

10904921
Those are good questions. But what I want to know is, who was in the trees and what shenanigans is about to happen.

[Josiador]

10904932
There are a few possibilities. It could be an OC, someone we haven't met before. It could also be someone we have, Zecora maybe. Heck, maybe even Fluttershy! My first thought was that mysterious watcher pony from the comics, for some reason. It's a high possibility that it's someone from Aquilla's home galaxy, watching him, which would lead to all kinds of trouble depending on what faction they're a part of.

[Bandit1990]

10904921
Considering how little he seems to care about blending in, I don't really see him not answering any of those questions. Heck, all that high-tech gear would actually lend credence to "I'm from space."

Aquilla (Anton): Makes incredulous/derisive comment about something any native would know.
Pony: "What planet are you from?"
Aquila (Anton): "Elysia" Walks away
Pony: ........
Pony: "Wait, What?!"

[paladinwolf]

i.pinimg.com/originals/99/e2/d9/99e2d9c6d85056ecf6b3cff246b8c12e.jpg

Anton's has just begun...

[sykko]

10904932
My first thoughts would be Celestia coming to check out the accounts of the strange pony that helped some of her subjects and is living near her old home, a brief manifestation of Luna, or Big E projecting a piece his consciousness to watch over that world.

[FridayPie]

10915978
Which would be Ponish(Greek?) for Edem