She Was A Hero
This can’t be happening.
“Ma’am she was a hero.”
No.
Windy Whistles stood in her doorway as the Four Star General; Spitfire stood next to a large box, talking to her. Spitfire’s eyes were averted as she removed her glasses. They were red, from a constant rubbing and watery from the tears within. Her voice was cracking, as though she was forcing her words. “...She was a damn good soldier ma’am. If not for her none of us would be here.”
No! This is one of her pranks! It has to be!
Behind Spitfire stood four Pegasi, all dressed in their combat fatigues and standing at attention; Rainbow’s squadmates. Lightning Dust held the standard bearing the Everfree Flag, unable to stop the tears coursing down her muzzle. Beside her stood Soarin, looking as though he had lost his best friend. Fleetfoot stared ahead, looking like she had checked out. Next to her, standing as if determined to stay as rigid as possible was her wingmate. And in between all five was the box.
Emblazoned with the renown image of Captain Dash’s Cutiemark, the black box was just large enough to hold a full-grown Pegasus. Any moment now, she’ll open that lid and go “gotcha mom!”...Right?
“I- I’m supposed to give you this.”
Spitfire passed the small envelope bearing the Celestial Seal of the Sun on it, to Rainbow’s mother. “Please take care, ma’am.”
Turning swiftly about-face, Spitfire couldn’t contain her tears any longer. Her voice broke utterly as she issued the order. “WONDER...Bolts m-move out!”
Turning away from her, the group of Pegasi flew off. Rainbow’s mother gave the box one last look before turning to go back in the house. She didn’t want to believe, no she refused to believe her daughter was dead. She slowly walked into the kitchen, her hoofsteps feeling heavier than normal, as she glanced at the calendar on the wall. A big red circle denoted the date: December 14th, AC 435. The day Rainbow’s tour was scheduled to end; today.
On the table stood an unopened bottle of AC 425 Apple Brandy with a small ‘Welcome Home Mommy’ note on it, scribbled on it as though in crayon by a young foal. This is all a joke. She’ll trot through my door- Reaching for the bottle, she stared at it. Any moment. Any- Her head hit the table as tears rolled down her muzzle. Moment.
She stared bleary-eyed at the envelope that lay in her hoof. Her eyes grew wide, she hadn’t noticed it before; on the back was a single word: Mom.
Sitting upright she hastily wiped the tears from her eyes with her hoof and tore open the envelope. From within she pulled a small wallet-sized picture of Rainbow Dash in her officer’s attire sitting in a chair, her rifle nearby and a small baby Pegasus sitting on her knee. Windy smiled bitterly at the image for a moment before pulling out the folded parchment that also resided in the envelope. She took a moment to examine it.
It was sloppily written, and the grammar was all over the place. Definitely my daughter’s hoofwriting. Lighting a nearby candle, she began to read out loud the last words her daughter had to say to her:
“Hey mom,
If you are reading this, I probably won’t be keeping my promise to take you and my daughter to Apple Acre’s on your birthday. I won’t be able to see her first hoofsteps or hear her first words. Right now we are surrounded, the doors are barricaded and I’m scared. My unit is all that’s left. We were ambushed and now we are waiting, as those bastards claw at the timbers in the door. Waiting to die.
I’m not scared of death; no I forfeited my own well-being the moment I signed up to defend Equestria. I’m scared of what will happen if we fail. I’m terrified of my daughter living life through the eyes of those masks. I can’t bear it!
Freedom is never free. You told me that, remember? I still remember growing up while you were in the service. I always feared the worst when you were deployed, but you always came home. Now it’s my turn, Mom. I guess I just drew the short straw.
If it means a world where my daughter can grow up healthy and happy, then I will gladly pay that cost. Currently though, it looks like none of us will see our family again.
By Tartarus’s Hellfire, I don’t even know if you’ll ever read this. I can’t let it end this way. My squad will make it home, even if I don’t. I guess this is goodbye mom. I can hear Celestia calling my tab. It’s finally my turn to pay the bill.
- Rainbow”
Down the hallway, the sounds of squealing and crying could be heard. Slowly Windy rose from her chair, the tear-stained letter falling from her grasp. She couldn’t believe it. Her daughter was gone. She made her way down the hallway, past pictures of a young, teenage Rainbow at her prom, and a young Rainbow caught stealing cookies from the kitchen. The cries got louder as she approached the guest bedroom; where a crib had been set up.
Reaching down into the crib with tears in her eyes, Windy gently scooped up the tiny Pegasus foal. The poor thing was squealing for her mommy to feed her. “There, there, Grandma’s got you. Let’s get you a nice bottle, Sweetheart.”
Rainbow had ended up a single mother, shortly after she had gotten married. Both Rainbow Dash and her husband had been active duty. Shortly after deployment, he had been killed in action during a dogfight with an enemy Dragon. Windy, a war veteran herself, had offered to watch her foal while Rainbow finished her tour. Today, her tour would’ve ended today. No, no. She’ll be home any moment.
Sitting in her rocking chair, she gently pressed the rubber stopper of the baby bottle to the tiny babe’s lips. Her mind was racing with thoughts of justifying why she was so late. She was obviously delayed, maybe she stopped to pick up some dinner. It was all a prank, but as she watched the sun being lowered, her heart finally broke. She’s gone, isn’t she?
The sun sank beneath the cloudy horizon just as a loud knocking was heard. *KNOCK KNOCK* Shaken from her thoughts, Windy looked up as the baby, having been awakened from the knocking, began to cry. “Shhh, shhh. Oh, who could that be?”
Gently rocking the babe in her hooves as she made her way to the door, Windy called out. “Who is it?”
A soft voice answered her from the other side of the door. “Ma’am, I...I could really use somepony to talk to.”
Windy recognized that voice. It was Lightning Dust, Rainbow’s wingmate. That voice though, the tone, she recognized that too. Serving in the service, she had witnessed so many of her friends; her squadmates, lose their lives. That was the voice of somepony who had lost more than her best friend. Slowly and carefully cradling her granddaughter; whom was contently suckling on her bottle of milk, Windy opened the door. “Come in. I was about to brew some coffee, would you like a cup?”
***
As the coffee steamed nearby, the two mares sat at the kitchen table; two freshly poured mugs between them. Lightning Dust was about to take a sip as she glanced at the tiny foal on Windy’s lap; giggling and tapping it’s hoof on the table. “Cute kid.”
Windy nodded. “Yeah, it’s Rainbow’s. Meet little Thunder Crash.”
Lightning Dust sputtered as she heard the name, spraying her coffee across the tabletop. “W-What?”
Wiping a tear from her eyes, Windy gave a half-hearted chuckle. “Y-Yeah, odd name isn’t it? She told me during basic training of her recruits she met a young upstart with unstoppable ambition. ‘The fire in her eyes’, she told me, ‘I want my daughter to have that drive.”
Lightning Dust stared at the infant; now snuggling into her Grandma’s chest. Blushing slightly, she asked Windy. “D-did she...Did she ever tell you that Pegasus’s name?”
“No...No, she never did.”
Windy took a slow sip of her coffee. She was grateful to have any kind of distraction from what lay outside her door. Her voice shook slightly as she set down the mug and closed her eyes. “So, Miss Dust, were you and my daughter close?”
“She was everything to me, ma’am.”
Windy gave a short chuckle after a moment, reaching for her mug yet again. “I won’t pry, I’m a service mare myself, I understand. I was once young myself.”
Lightning Dust stared at her open-mouthed in shock as a slow blush appeared on her cheeks. She began to stammer. “Oh-oh-Oh Sw-sweet Celestia. No it-it wasn’t like that!”
Windy cocked an eyebrow and took a sip. “Oh?”
“She was my inspiration to go further, ma’am.”
The retired Commander seemed intrigued. The look in her eyes seemed to be far away for a moment. Smiling for just a moment, she inquired further. “Do tell.”
“It was five years ago, ma’am, when I first met her. I was a brash upstart; thought I was some hot shit. Oh I was so fast, I could outfly any pony. That’s what I bragged. No pony alive could beat me.”
Lightning Dust gave a smirk as she took another sip, glancing at the kid. “Captain Dash had decided to oversee the new recruits perform drills that morning, and she overheard my braggart claims.”
Windy snorted and gently rocked the foal, placing her bottle in her mouth. “I bet that went over well.”
Shaking her head with a slight wince, Lightning Dust continued. “About as well as you would expect, ma’am. She was not happy at my attitude, proceeding to rip me a new one. Oh, but you know how recruits can be-”
As she placed the empty bottle on the table, Windy began to give the little babe pats on her back. As the little one gave a slight *urp*, she nodded at Lightning Dust. “You doubled down didn’t you?”
Placing her wings over her muzzle in embarrassment, Lightning Dust confessed. “Much to my immediate regret ma’am.”
Windy laughed loudly. “Oh there is nothing like a ‘tales from my time as a recruit’ moment. You’ll have to tell me all about what my daughter did. First however, would you like some more coffee dear?”
Lightning Dust held up her hooves. “No, no thank you, I don’t drink...Coffee I mean...Often.”
By this time, Windy had made her way to the coffee pot, her back to Lightning Dust as cradling the foal she responded. “How many have you had?”
“M-Ma’am?”
Windy lowered the foal, giggling, into the empty kitchen sink basin; handing her a magically infused baby toy to play with. Every time the toy went near the foals mouth; it grew larger, so it would no longer fit. The baby happily tried anyway. Pouring coffee into a fresh mug, Wendy answered Lightning Dust’s question. “Apple Whiskey dear, how many have you had?”
“Ma’am I haven’t...I mean it’s a workday tomorrow and-”
An outburst from Windy cut off Lightning. “We’ve been over this many times! I am not your CO. Rainbow Dash just tell me how much you’ve had and we can-”
The mug of hot coffee crashed to the floor as she whirled around, her voice dying as she saw Lightning Dust. Windy realized what she just said and began stammering. “I-I’m sorry I-”
Lightning Dust shook her head, a wan smile playing on her lips. “Don’t be sorry. I know it hurts, I’ve had several weeks to come to grips with it and it still hurts. You’re her mom, Celestia only knows what pain you are feeling right now. Let it out. I won’t tell a soul.”
It seemed to be the validation Windy needed. Her eyes watered for just a split second before the tears gushed down her face. Lightning Dust felt sick watching those tears, she knew there was nothing she could do to stop them. How can I- That’s when she remembered. “Ma’am? Captain Dash didn’t want this.”
Lightning Dust’s voice was soft as she spoke to the distraught mare as Windy stared at her; tears flowing down. She explained how earlier after the burial of another unfortunate, Rainbow Dash had pulled her to the side and spoke to her at a nearby bar, after downing half a flagon of Apple Whiskey. “She said, if ever you have to attend my funeral kid, promise me you’ll only cry if you lose a challenge here at this bar that same night.”
The tears of Windy stopped as she wiped a hoof across her eyes. She looked a bit shocked before a crooked smile appeared on her muzzle. “Y-Yeah, that sounds like Rainbow.”
A twinkle appeared in her eyes as she gave a hollowed, almost manic laugh. “You know what? Let’s do it! Stay here for a moment.”
***
An hour later, Lightning Dust stood side-by-side with Windy Whistles; dressed head to hooves in her former BDU’s. Lightning Dust was in awe; thirty years had passed and still it looked so natural on Windy. The camouflage pattern had since been discontinued and replaced with a new one as was the way of the Army of Equestria. The uniform had two holes in the side and the knee of her left hindleg had scorch marks. There was a fire in the old mare’s eyes. She spoke in a strangely bittersweet tone. “I gave birth to Rainbow Dash in these. Amidst the falling mortars and dragon’s fire. Right there on the front lines, my little Army brat came into this world.”
Pausing to wipe away a tear in her right eye with a hoof, Windy continued; a smile of a roguish nature appearing on her muzzle. “I guess it’s only fitting that I wear them to honor her leaving it as well. And at the place I met her father as well, what are the odds?”
She turned her eyes up to look at the sign: Berry’s Heart. Inside rambunctious shouts and the sound of music could be heard. “That crazy mare finally bought this old bar, eh? Well Miss Dust, let’s go.”
***
Berry Punch stood behind the bar, lazily cleaning a glass in her hooves heaving a huge sigh. Another boring night. One of her eyes was covered with an eyepatch; the result of shrapnel spray from a nearby mortar. Her single eye surveyed a nearby scuffle, and she scoffed. They call that a punch nowadays? Pansies. Celestia knows Sergeant hit harder than that. Just then one of them fell against a table, and Berry narrowed her eye. Calling out to the rough housers she spoke with a grizzled grating voice that carried. “You break my stuff and I break your spines, soldiers! Knock it off!”
As the patrons immediately stopped and issued a quick apology, Berry Punch rolled her solitary eye. Spineless and green, the Sergeant would have had a field day with this bunch. Just then a new voice reached Berry’s ears. “First Class Private Strawberry, straighten that stance, stop slouching and get me a pint, soldier!”
“Sir, yes Sir!”
Lightning Dust watched as the grizzled war veteran immediately stiffened and saluted with a perfect pose as though without thought. Windy, however, began to laugh at the sight. “A-ha-At-Heehee-Ease, Strawberry.”
Berry Punch blinked as she lowered her salute, her withered eye trained on the combat fatigues of Windy. “Sarge, is that really you?”
“You’re looking great, Strawberry.”
Berry’s cheeks took on a bright blush at the old nickname. “It’s just Berry Punch now, Sir.”
Windy shook her head, giggling still. “Oh, no, you don’t. You’ll always be Little Strawberry playing riflemare on the frontlines with the big mares, to me. “
“Little Strawberry?”
Lightning Dust’s voice was one of intrigue. Windy grinned and nodded, gesturing at the profusely blushing bartender. “The youngest and probably the ballsiest of my unit; I give you First Class Private Berry ‘Strawberry’ Punch. Don’t let that nickname fool you, that mare right there charged a dragon and won, single-hoofed; immediately after her eye was taken by some wayward shrapnel. One of the most perilous creatures I ever had the honor of leading.”
Now beet-red, Berry stammered out. “W-what’s your poison, Sarge?”
Reaching down to open the flap on the front of her uniform, Windy withdrew a thick coin within her teeth. The coin was solid gold, inlaid with silver. On it the images of five ponies could be seen. The words ‘We Serve Equestria’ were engraved into it. Berry eyed it for a second and a mischievous grin appeared on her face as she asked her. “What’s the occasion?”
As she calmly took the coin in her hoof, Windy spoke softly. “My daughter was a hero, Berry.”
A faraway look appeared in Berry’s eye. Her response was surprisingly gentle. “Just like her father, huh? Then let’s celebrate Windy. And give her spirit a proper send off.”
With that she slowly lowered her hoof below the counter. “Ready when you are.”
Windy took a deep breath and roared aloud. “I AM INITIATING A COIN CHECK!”
As these words left her mouth, Windy rapped the bar with the coin. This was swiftly followed by Berry and Lightning Dust presenting theirs. Silence fell over the crowd as everypony in the bar scrambled to grab their own coins and the clattering of coins being presented could be heard. After fifteen seconds, Windy nodded at Berry. “Count ‘em.”
The trained eye of Berry quickly determined who had presented, and who had not. She began to chuckle. “We got two, sir.”
As Berry continued laughing, Windy turned to see who didn’t have their challenge coin presented. As she saw them, approach the bar, she too began to laugh. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were sighing and approaching the bar. Mr. Cake spoke roughly. “Two rounds on us, Berry. Who was crazy enough to issue-”
“Anytime, anywhere soldier.”
As Mr. Cake’s eyes fell on a grinning, ear-to-ear Windy, both him and Mrs. Cake stood at attention and saluted. “Sir!”
Windy nodded as she raised the flagon passed to her. “At ease.”
It didn’t take long for Berry Punch amidst raucous cheers, to pass out the free rounds to the patrons of the bar. The bar was lively until Mrs. Cake asked Windy. “What’s the occasion, Windy?”
There were slight tears in the Pegasus’s eyes as she replied. “My daughter had too much Bow in her, Chiffon.”
Instantly, the bar fell silent. Bow Hothoof; Rainbow Dash’s father had been a hoofsoldier. He was legendarily known as the Hero who disregarded his own safety to pull his team to safety; as his own body was riddled with dark magic, bullets and scorched by dragon fire. Once they were pulled one-by-one to safety, he died; standing in place with a smile on his face. Thanks to his efforts, the incapacitated team members got to see the sunrise that dawn.
And then it happened. Staring out into the crowd of mournful faces, Lightning Dust shook her head and called out. “No! We shouldn’t be sad about her passing! At least not right now. She gave her life, so that others in this world could have a chance. She wouldn’t want tears, not here, not now. We should raise a toast, not pity, for a warrior who gave her all. Please raise your drinks! Shout her name to the rafters! There will be time for tears later!”
Windy stood there stunned as she recalled twenty years ago, in the same spot, when she had given a similar speech. She had toasted her husband, with her tiny foal; Rainbow Dash wrapped in a bundle on her back. Now she stared as Lightning Dust, with Rainbow’s child bundled on her back; snoozing peacefully, did the same. Some things never change.
Raising her flagon, the mother of Captain Rainbow Dash, laughed. “Here, here! To my daughter, her heroism shouldn’t be forgotten. To the one we lost and the one who gave it all so we could smile! What say you, Soldiers?”
The reaction was unanimous, as one the crowd of war-forged ponies; of all branches and districts, of all ranks and experiences raised their flagons to the sky. “HUU-RAH!”
Windy Whistles felt a grateful smile appear on her face. It was sad; her daughter had given her life for her country. It was horrible; no parent wants to have to bury their child. Still, she smiled. Even amidst the pain in her heart, her friends were there to support her. The family who had her back in any fight. The new generation who had forged their own bonds. All present were supporting her in her time of need
Brothers, Sisters, Mothers and Fathers; the military never forgets their own. There would be time for tears later; the burial of her daughter, but for now she drank and laughed in honor of her daughter; whose sacrifice made it so others could smile through the coming dawn.
***
In the war-torn world of Equestria, where battles and wars had raged for as long as any pony could remember, Captain Rainbow "Danger" Dash of the Equestrian Wonderbolts was but one of many casualties. She wouldn’t be the last either. Over time, others would enlist and fall in the line of duty.
She would never know her name would be passed down for generations and whispered about when times were hardest. Whenever a young soldiers needed strength in the darkest times, she was but one of many names that would be mentioned.
She fought for her country and died for other pony's freedom; her deeds inspiring those to come and never forgotten by those that were.
You see, that is what it truly means to be a hero.