Broken Wings

Hello there, Lt. Voss here. First off, I want to thank you all for reading Broken Wings. It means a whole ton to me, and I am immensely happy to see it received with such positive welcome. Seeing this story end has literally been painful for me. I had grown to love the story, its characters, and its purpose that doing what I had to do to end it tore me up inside. It really did.

Secondly, I want to thank those in my life that both inspired this story and helped me through everything. Special thanks to:

• Kendra and Elsa, my case workers, for being there for me when I needed them.

• Dr. Brown, my psychiatrist, for getting me the help I needed.

• lilinuyasha, a writer here on fimfiction, and all his Facebook friends for stopping me from killing myself.

• Micah, a friend of mine on Steam, who also kept me from doing bad things to myself.

• Seth Jones, for pushing me out of the way of the car. R.I.P., Seth.

• Michael Anderson, for giving me a shoulder to cry girly tears on (and like, 3 manly ones).

• You readers, for loving this story, giving me incentive to continue writing it. Without you, this story would have no end in sight.

• My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and Lauren Faust, for giving me a show I would watch just to keep myself alive.

Thank you.

Luna shifted through the burnt rubble and debris, looking for anything that might have survived the fire of Will's home. Remembering, not for the first time that day, that her son and her husband, Bill the Oracle, were dead sent shivers down her spine and more tears to her eyes. She had assistance from Celestia, and together they combed the wreckage. Even Twilight chose to help.

Moving upstairs, what was left of it, Luna, Celestia, and Twilight began their second search. Almost immediately, they found a box, lying on its side, on the floor. It appeared to be made of metal, as some parts of it were still shiny, though the rest was scorched black and burnt. The sisters stooped to open it, and found several papers inside. They did not expect the papers to contain what they did.

The first was a formal document, written in letterhead. At the top of the sheet, the document was clearly marked with large letters, "Will's Will." A ghost of a smile touched Luna's lips; she always thought her son's humour was rather simple. Reading through it, she found several articles describing what the ponies should do should Will be found dead. Included were articles as follows:

• Will be buried beside Big McIntosh at the Sweet Apple Acres' cemetery.

• All of Will's possessions be given to Fluttershy and their foals.

• In the event that article II could not be completed, requisition the Royal Sisters of Equestria to take possession of indicated items until article II could be completed, indefinitely, if need be.

Luna's tears stained the paper, and she gave it to Celestia, who gave it a quick skim and began her crying as well. When the two could pick up another document without ruining the lettering, Luna did so. The second paper was almost completely blank except for three blocks of text in the center, with a single line after that. Somewhat separated from the "main" text was what appeared to be an acknowledgement. The text read:

Today a strange thing happened

I thought my life would end

But I had a helpful friend

Who had advice to lend.

Today was a stressful one

My thoughts were of a gun

But I gave the advice a run

And now the day is won.

I have survived the day

Bad thoughts are pushed away

There is not much more to say

But I have survived the day.

And I owe it all to you.

Written below the poem was a thank you from Will, with his easily identifiable chicken scratch cursive.

"Thank you, Luna, for stopping me. I really appreciate it; it showed me that there is still another day to live, another dawn to see."

• Will

Special thanks to lilinuyasha. This poem I wrote the day after he stopped me from committing suicide. It is dedicated to him. Thank you, friend.

Luna could do no more to restrain her tears. Celestia barely snatched the poem from her sister before she ruined the lettering and destroyed it. Not that she fared much better; Celestia too flooded the room with her own droplets. She set the paper aside and hugged her sister. The two sat there, embracing and sobbing, for several minutes. Finally, Luna gained the courage to pick up the third and final paper in the box. She read aloud:

"Whoever receives this, know that you are only able to see this because... because I am no longer here. First of all, I want to thank those who have impacted my life for the better. Special gratitude, I show to:

• First Lieutenant (Staff Sergeant was crossed out) Mason Valeral, for being my best friend.

• Richard Loring, for forging my first sword.

• Corporal Steve Davis for being there for me. (Written in a different hand, the line continues) I'm sorry, Mary, for losing him.

• Applejack, for being honest and forgiving, teaching me that I could forgive others who have wronged me.

• Nurse Redheart, for healing Fluttershy.

• Twilight Sparkle, for reminding me that I should be considerate towards others' feelings."

At the mention of her part, Twilight tears up. She had hated Will since the moment he told her he and Fluttershy were in love. But now... now, Twilight could not find it in her heart to keep hating him. Even past all the amnesty, Will found it in his to forgive Twilight and thank her. Twilight simply could not keep the fires burning, and a tear rolled down her cheek. But the list went on.

"- Mister Cake, for defending me.

• Pinkie Pie, for cheering me up.

• Rainbow Dash, for keeping my spirits high.

• Ambassadors Nolan DeFieres and Johnathan Lyle, for reminding me to be bold and seek friendship everywhere.

• Princess Celestia, who was an aunt to me, the only one I had. R.I.P. (R.I.P. was crossed out, replaced with:) You taught me that being compassionate rewarded me greatly.

• Princess Luna, my mother. You taught me how to forge, understand Equestrian literature and art, and so much more. You revealed to me that you were my mother and that I had not murdered my parents, and for that I am eternally grateful. I just wish I could be around to be with you forever. Know this, though: Though I am gone, I will continue to be with you in spirit. The gentle breeze that passes your cheek will be my soul. The whispers in sleep and in wake will be me, soothing you and calming you. It's the least I can do.

• And finally, Fluttershy, my wife. My time with you has been wonderful. You have taught me so much about kindness and friendship, and what it means to be a husband. I hope that I have served you to the best of my ability, and that I will be in your heart forever. I just wish that I had more to say for you, my love, but words cannot describe or explain how I feel about you. The least it, I Love You."

Luna slowly set down the paper, and whispered so softly that Celestia and Twilight strained to hear, "Ego amare etiam, Will."

Ending Song:

"To those who are Lost," by Jeremy Soule, made for the Company of Heroes(tm) soundtrack "Songs from the Front."

End Song