Chapter 2: Snow Fall
Personal Journal of Pasque Sermon. Date…I’ll fill that part in when I have time.

Snow in Canterlot. How about that.

It’s not even winter, but Luna thought a small sprinkle of snow would be a nice touch for the funeral procession through Ministry Walk. Nothing that spectacular will be held here. Apple Bloom asked for a quiet, simple service. It is what her brother would want she said.

It’s only been a few days since Shattered Hoof and now everyone knows his name.

A few years back, Big Macintosh was just your normal applebucker. Didn’t talk much, pretty laidback, and was champion at turkey calling until Pinkie Pie somehow upstaged him. Then, as soon as war, came he signed up like every other willing pony to defend Equestria against the zebras. Got his own squad and everything, became popular here in Ponyville and places like Hoofington.

And just ten days ago, he gave his life to protect Celestia, and now he’s Equestria’s greatest hero since Clover the Clever.

May Celestia’s light shine upon his soul, and may Luna’s moonlight guide him to his resting place.

I was surprised when Apple Bloom came to my door three days ago. To say she was inconsolable would be an understatement, but when she was done with her tears, she asked if I would lead a memorial service for her brother here in Ponyville. Of course, I said yes. How could I not? She had lost her brother. The Apple Family have always been a tightly-knitted group, and I can only imagine the loss Applejack and Apple Bloom are feeling. Grief is a terrible thing indeed. It leaves you hollow and empty, wanting to just crawl into a ball and disappear into nothingness.

I know that from experience. A lot of people have. Big Macintosh wasn’t the first soldier from Ponyville to die, and he likely won’t be the last.

So, here I am, jotting my thoughts down just minutes before I am to deliver the memorial service. Luna will be attending herself. What an honour it would be to meet her. However, there are a number of protocols and security measures that have been planned out by the Ministries for the ceremony, so I might not even be able to speak to her. I’ve had Pinkie Pie snooping around the entirety of the chapel for any possible cameras, bombs, misplaced Parasprites, and “bad vibes” as she put it. She even produced an old hat I recall Father Incense lost a few years ago. Where did she find that?

Oh, and she muttered something about the chapel’s spire needing an inspection. I’ll have to check it myself. Maybe it is slightly loose.

I glanced out the window a few minutes ago. The sky is a dull grey. It looks like we’ll be getting a little rain today. The pegasi could’ve cleared the clouds, but maybe someone didn’t want them too. There was no discussion on the weather conditions for the service. I glimpsed guests filing in. I’ll have to attend to them very shortly.

It was decided that this would be a private ceremony, small and dignified. The one in Canterlot was quite the spectacle according to the radio and papers. The snow fall was a nice touch. A march down the Ministry Walk, a ceremony nearby. Just about every major figure in government attended, and also figures of business, media, and the armed forces. Then, Big Macintosh was buried in Canterlot. Not in Ponyville. Who made that call? Ponyville was his home. It was where his family were, or at least they used to be. Sweet Apple Acres sits over the hills from Ponyville, and considering their folk founded our home, it would make more sense to bury one of their own here.

Big Macintosh is no doubt a hero. He gave his life to protect Princess Celestia. But, I can’t help but wonder if he has been turned into a martyr. He was just a simple, humble soul and now has been immortalised as the stallion who saved our princess. There have been talks that the war will go to a new tier. More soldiers are signing up every day in Big Macintosh’s name. Everyone is praising him as our greatest war hero. He deserves the praise. Not many common soldiers get this kind of praise and respect. This type of attention and bravado are given to the high-ranking generals for their commands and orders. But Big Macintosh took a stand and died protecting another pony. If it had been the other way around, had Celestia died, then he would’ve been turned into a pariah. A failure. A shameful excuse for a soldier. That sort of thing.

But I wonder if Applejack or Apple Bloom actually wanted him to be buried in Canterlot. Maybe someone in the princess’ council suggested it to emphasize the importance of the event, and overruled the sisters, even though Applejack is technically one of the seven more influential ponies in Equestria. Using it as an excuse to up the ante on the war effort. Obviously it worked since the Ministry of Image had Big Macintosh on every front page and poster just days after he gave his life. Yet again, I have to say I commend Big Macintosh for his bravery and sacrifice, but using his death to further instigate more bloodshed is just…immoral.

Come now, come now. It should be a time of remembrance and peace. Not writing down such depressing ideas. I represent the faith ponies have in Luna and Celestia. Faith is all that some folk have left. Faith the princesses. Faith in the Ministries. Faith in each other. Not everypony adjusted to wartime so well. When you live in a time of a thousand long peace, and then suddenly Celestia is gone, replaced by her sister, and you are being told zebras are evil, superstitious, bloodthirsty monsters who can put you into a trance, someone is bound to take it hard. Very hard.

Change is a difficult thing to get used to. A lot of familiar faces who are now in high ranking positions used to live right here in Ponyville. All being thrown into positions of power in such a short time. Must’ve been difficult for them. Our country did change what literally feels over night. A complete overhaul to our society, infrastructure, media, culture. You name it. Zebras became second-class citizens and many were forced to uproot and move somewhere else. Even our own resident zebra has been scarcely seen.

I’ve become a bit of a councillor, though giving advice and guidance has always felt like a rudimentary part of my job, though it has only expanded more since the war began. Grieving parents, siblings, friends, coltfriends and marefriends. Ponies who just need to get things off their chests. Soldiers or civilians suffering from WTSD. I’ve heard some pretty disturbing and upsetting tales of the battlefield. None that I will ever put to paper. And I’ve been told secrets and knowledge that must never be spoken. Not even if Luna herself demanded the truth. I’ll take the things that have been told to my grave. Unless somepony decides to use a memory spell to start poking around my head...that would pose a problem.

A few days ago, Twinkleshine asked me what my perfect world would be. I told her that my perfect world would be a peaceful one, like it was not too long ago. Where Big Macintosh was still alive. Where those poor children in Littlehorn were still alive. Where ponies and zebras live together in harmony. Twinkleshine’s response: “Nice dream.”

Harmony. That’s what we’re missing from our society today. Where did our value of friendship and harmony go?

Perhaps, just for today, one small town in Equestria will find it again. Ponyville has always been a close community. The Apples founded this town, and I suspect that everypony will be here to say goodbye to one of our own.

…

Author's Note

Fallout Equestria was created by Kkat so all credit for this story's universe goes to him. A bit of a short one, but I wanted this to be something of this length, namely a journal entry. This chapter evolved from a random thought about wanting to write a chapter about Big Macintosh's funeral. It was originally gonna be set in Canterlot, but I thought it would more interesting having the focus from the p.o.v. of someone from Ponyville, namely it's resident vicar/reverend. The character does take some inspiration from Priest of Project Horizons. I originally planned on writing out the funeral's progression and looked up details on military funerals, but scrapped the idea in favour of something more softer.