Braveheart: The Untold Stories

The next day, I woke up slowly. After a week of night shifts and dealing with haunted robots out to kill me because I looked like the purple pony, I really didn't want to get up today. I tried lifting my head off the pillow, but my muscles gave out and I flopped back down. The only thing I could do was roll over onto my back. I squinted my eyes to try and dim the daylight shining through the window. Every muscle felt sore. Despite this, I managed to sit up and get out of bed. I walked over to my calender to check the date. I groaned when I saw what day it was. It was Hearts and Hooves day, the holiday I hated the most. Sure, it was a time to be with your special somepony, but mine was killed. So that on its own gave me a reason to hate today. I decided to stay indoors for the day. Bar my door, close the blinds, and make other ponies think I wasn't home. I quickly did so throughout the house, and I slept through the rest of the day.

I woke up around twilight. The sun had set, the moon had risen, and Hearts and Hooves Day was over. Thank Celestia. Feeling rather refreshed, I got out of bed and unlocked my door. I opened up the blinds and opened a window to let some air in. The cool night air poured into the house, presenting a relaxing feeling to me. As I looked outside, something urged me to go to Ponyville. I opened the door and walked outside. Taking flight, I kept a slow speed. Didn't need to hurry. I passed a Pegasus on my way to Ponyville. She gave me a smile and waved. I waved back, noticing the scar on her right eye. She had a mechanical left front leg, a pink mane and tail, and two different colored eyes. Her left was red and her right was blue. Her coat was a light purple and she had blue scales across her chest. Her hooves were instead paws. I wondered who this Pegasus was, and why she had a much different appearance than most ponies. I decided this was something best left for another day and kept going toward Ponyville.

As I reached the small town, the crickets were silent. The entire town was quiet. Quiet as if it were deserted. A cold wind blew past, causing me to shiver. This cold silence was unnatural in this area of Equestria. I continued walking toward the far outskirts of Ponyville. The darkness was unsettling. The cold air nipped at my face. My coat kept my body relatively warm, but the air made its way to my core anyway. As I walked, I saw a faint white ghost of a pony in the air. Barely noticeable. Just a very faint mist. I didn't know where it was going, but I followed it anyway. A dense fog surrounded me as I followed the ghost. I tried to see where I was going, but it was hopeless. I took each step carefully, trying not to trip or fall. The ghost finally stopped and sat down. I approached it, and it faded. I looked where the ghost's gaze was, and the fog dissipated, revealing a familiar stone. I dropped to the ground. In front of me was Sunset Shimmer's gravestone. The same one I carved during her burial. I closed my eyes and hung my head, mourning over my lost wife. I was too lost in thought, I didn't notice a the feeling of a hoof being placed on my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, they were wet with tears. I looked up to see Fluttershy sitting next to me, her hoof over my shoulder.

“You miss her, don't you?” she quietly asked. I nodded.

“I...I murdered him,” I stammered. “Slaughtered him like an animal. Like a sick animal. After what he did...” I couldn't bear to think of it. I started to cry. Fluttershy came around and wrapped her hooves around me. I cried onto her shoulder for a good while, and she just let me do it. Fluttershy had always been the wiser one of the Mane 6, and I knew this. She would listen to you talk for hours if need be. She understood your problems and your troubles, and she always tried to find the best way to help with them.

“It's OK,” she whispered. “It's OK.”

“No it's not,” I sobbed. “It's not OK. I let my guard down. I could have saved her.”

“Braveheart, look at me,” Fluttershy said. I looked up at her with wet eyes. She wiped them dry. “There was nothing you could have done,” she said. “Sombra was vicious and unforgiving. He would make your life living hell if he could. But even when he took the pony you truly cared for, you're still here, protecting Equestria. Sunset would want you to stay strong to that. Celestia gave you that responsibility, and Sunset would no doubt see you through it.” I nodded. Fluttershy smiled and patted me on the back.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” she promised. I nodded and she took off for home. I looked back to the gravestone, and noticed something. Lying at the base of the stone was a small bracelet. It was a gold band with a purple gem in the center. I hadn't noticed it there before. I picked it up and looked at it. The gem was glowing with a faint purple light. The gem had a familiar presence to it, but I couldn't quite make out what it was. I put my mechanical hoof to the gravestone saying a mental goodbye, and flew home. I had to figure out what was up with this bracelet, and why it felt so familiar.

As I landed back in Canterlot in front of my house, my door was left ajar. And I had shut and locked it up when I left. I walked inside, shut the door, and pulled out my gun. I crept around the house, looking for any other sign of intrusion. Oddly enough, I found none. I sheathed my gun and walked upstairs. I laid down in my bed and got some sleep.