TCB: The Ones You Love

by AegisExemplar

Alternate Ending: The Pale Mare Plays No Favorites

It had been a lovely funeral, if there could be such a thing. Her friends in the weather team had cleared the clouds for miles around, not taking the chance that even a single rogue cloud dare cast a shadow to block Celestia’s glorious sun.

Most of Snaffleton had shown, as they could. Their native son, their star citizen, had lost his wife in foalbirth, an extremely rare occurrence in pony society. The foal had, happily, survived. Her husband, a Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard, however, had a large part of himself die with his mate.

He hadn’t shown for the funeral, and nopony could blame him. They had been so very close, none could look at the two without smiling when they had done their rounds about town.

They had been planning to wed, of course, but when she and he had found they were expecting, they delayed their plans so as to save their bits.

His father stood by the graveside, having delivered the eulogy. His son was, at least, fit enough to take care of the older stallion’s first grandfoal. He’d only known his daughter-in-law a precious few months, and only a few less than he’d known his son had even been his son. However, he found himself loving both deeply. But now, she was gone.

The yellow earth pony teen, somewhere between daughter and sister to the couple, had been unable to stop crying through the whole ceremony. Finally, she had left with his son’s other two sisters, to live with them until his son had recovered as best he could.

The russet pegasus stallion took one last look at the lonely gravestone. His son, an earth pony, had been fated to outlive his pegasus bride, should his dangerous job not kill him first, but to have lost her so soon, like this... there were no words. He spread his wings and sprang into the air, leaving the graveside empty.

It wasn’t long after that a large burgundy earth pony stallion strode to the graveside, pushing a plain black foal carriage. He stared down, eyes as red as his coat.

“Why?” came the simple, inevitable question. He stepped away from the carriage, sitting beside the gravestone. “We were finally beginning our lives... why did this happen? Luna, Celestia, whoever... Why? Why her?” The tears began flowing again.

He stood, growing angry. “We waited nine years. Nine years! We were going to marry, and have foals! We switched the order, but then... then...” he sobbed. “Why did you have to take her!? WHY!?” screamed the normally unflappable stallion. He turned and yelled wordlessly as he bucked the gravestone, breaking it clean from its base. The foal began crying.

“Oh... oh no... Fireball, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” He collapsed to the ground and, with his strength alone, he replaced the stone it had taken four other earth ponies to put into place. He sobbed, standing, and went to the carriage. He lifted the crying foal so gently, placing her against his shoulder as he matched every tear. Soon, the young one calmed, though the older couldn’t.

Aegis placed his precious, final remaining piece of Fireball back into the carriage and pushed it back towards his home in Snaffleton. There was nothing more to say, nothing more to do. He began to fill with a feeling of just... emptiness.

Fate was cruel. But he’d be damned if he’d let their foal learn that.

Author's Note:

This is more than just an alternate ending... this was originally the entire story, and written before the entirety of the previous three chapters. I'd been regretting the choice of Fireball for Aegis' mate, and I was ready to kill her off. However, due to encouragement and no small amount of begging from friends in the IRC, I spared Fireball. So, for now, anyway, Aegis still has his Fireball, and Peony her Mother.

Comments

[Cloudhammer]

Oh god, my feels. You done killed them

[djthomp]

[Ocean Breeze]

I will post my most appropriate .gif.

i.imgur.com/WIkYC.gif

[Da Bunnana King]

;-;

[Jaysteeny]

You forgot to mention the death threats.

[AegisExemplar]

1946805

Oh yeah, those too.

Sheesh, some ponies are either crazy-attached to Fireball, or just couldn't abide to see Aegis unhappy.

[Westphalian_Musketeer]

D'awww, yeah, I'm liking your works. I like reading the occasional slice-of-life heartwarming stories in TCB. It's something that hasn't been done enough.