Dawn Service in Canterlot

by Silver_Skies24

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Luna, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Wonderbolts, Alternate Universe
Length: 1563

We stand there in Canterlot, waiting for dawn. As the sun rises we pay our respects to the fallen. The ones who gave harmony to Equestria.

It's dark as we stand there. A few quiet murmurs can be heard as we wait. As the sun slowly rises the murmurs stop, and we look skyward.
Today is Remembrance Day. A day to remember the ponies who lost their lives fighting for Equestria, and gave us the harmony we live in today.

Published 2016-07-20 05:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-20 05:20:01 UTC

Early Morning

It was dark as we all stood here at the memorial. All of Canterlot’s Royal Guards, both Princesses, the Wonderbolts and many of Canterlot’s citizens. There were a few quiet murmurs passing through the crowd as we waited for the ceremony to start.

I was standing beside my older brother, Sky Blade, among the other guards. He was quite a bit taller than me and I only stood to his shoulder. He was wearing his armour, the golden platemail of Princess Celestia’s guard. On his chest plate, beside the star on the left side, was his rank, Sergeant, and below that badge was the house guard pin. His medal was pinned to the right side of his chest plate, its silver metal standing out against the armour. Blade had taken off his helmet and placed it beside his front hooves out of respect for the fallen.

I looked up at him. He wore the guard face with his chest slightly puffed out. His stance was strong and proud, but held respect. I looked away from him and scanned the other guards around us. They all stood like him, strong and proud but respectful. I looked down and my chest. Pinned to the left side of my light purple sweater, beside my lightning bolt necklace, were two medals of my grandpa’s. He had sadly passed away about ten years before I was born. I looked back up and puffed my chest out slightly, moving into the same stance as the others.

I looked up at the stage. The Princesses were standing there side by side, their ethereal manes softly waving. As Princess Celestia’s and Princess Luna’s horns lit up with their golden and blue magic’s, the band started to play a soft soothing tone. Everypony went quiet and looked up to the stage. Both Princesses leapt into the air and got into the position to raise or lower the sun and moon. The two alicorns did the breathtaking performance of raising or lowering the sun and moon. I watched with awe, my eyes twinkling in the light.

The Princesses soon landed and stepped off to the side. A pale orange earth pony stallion walked up to the microphone.

“Morning everypony. Before we start the ceremony I would like to ask the guards to come to their post.” he said.

Five Canterlot guards that had stood at the front of the guards marched towards the memorial. There was two unicorns, two earth ponies and a pegasus. Only one of the guards, a unicorn, wasn’t wearing the golden armour. He was wearing the purple armour of a captain. All of them were holding spears. Four of the five guards stood to attention in front of the memorial. The fifth guard was the Captain of the Canterlot Guard, Shining Armour. The Captain marched over to where the Princesses were standing, he too then stood to attention.

The orange stallion nodded to the captain who nodded in return.

“Thank you all for coming to this year’s Dawn Service,” said the stallion “Today we are here to remember and pay our respects for the fallen. The ponies who lost their lives fighting for the harmony we live in today.”

“May we keep this harmony that they fought so hard for, so their hard work doesn’t go to waste,” spoke the orange pony “Please join us in two minutes silence.”

The sound of guards stiffening to attention was heard. Beside me my brother stood to attention. I stole a quick look at him before copying his stance. The crowd made no noise, the only sounds were the medals occasionally hitting armour and a gentle breeze. I felt my mane and tail gently wave in the breeze as it picked up slightly, swirling around everypony.

“Thank you everypony,” the speaker spoke up after two minutes “We all know of the stories from the battle that was fifty years ago today. The hardships and pain so many families went through. Harmony comes at a price, a price paid by many.”

“May we now continue with the traditional remembrance ceremony!” Said the speaker with a bit louder voice.

At this sentence everypony looked to the sky. Ponies with wings spread them and pointed their wings skyward. If their wings had feathers they were pointed skyward too. Unicorns and the princess’ horns lit up with magic, that they let flow gently around themselves. The Wonderbolts took to the sky. The element handlers made fire and lightning and gathered water. They let the three elements swirl harmlessly around each other with the help of the wind made by the rest of the Wonderbolts. Some of the magic also swirled with the elements. Earth ponies then grabbed a Harmonic, a six petaled soft blue flower, each and threw them into the air. I watched with wonder and twinkling eyes, as the elements and magic swirled together with the flowers. It was so beautiful to watch, I had only been to a Dawn Service once before, so it was even more amazing. Everypony held this for five minutes before the speaker spoke up again.

“Thank you everypony for joining in with the ceremony.” He said.

The unicorns and princesses stopped their magic flow, and the ponies with wings folded them. The Wonderbolts gave their wings one hard pump in sync to make the elements combine and explode in a light show, the flowers flying in all directions. They then landed and folded their wings, standing in the same position as before.

“Princess Celestia will now give the remembrance speech.” said the orange pony as he dropped into a bow.

Everypony dropped into a bow as the Princess walked to the microphone.

“Thank you everypony, you may rise,” The princess’ soothing voice carried over us as we rose “I want to thank all of you for getting up this early and coming. It means a lot to me that you all care enough to pay your respects. Today is special as it is Remembrance Day. Today may we all wear a Harmonic over our hearts. This flower is special to Remembrance Day as it grew over the middle of the battle field. This flower will always hold a special place. May we forever gather on this day to remember.”

Celestia bowed her head, then returned to her place beside her sister and the Captain. My eyes were wide as I listened, my tail giving a flick. Blade felt the movement and glanced at me quickly before looking back to the stage. The orange stallion returned to the microphone.

“Thank you Princess,” he said “That now concludes this year’s Remembrance Day Dawn Service. Thank you all for coming and I hope we see you all next year.”

Nopony made a move as the Captain of the Guards, gave the call for them to go to attention. The Guards did as instructed and waited as the Captain left the Princesses sides and moved in front of them. He made a small signal with his hoof before turning around, towards the castle.
He led his guards in a march towards the castle. The Guards fell into formations behind their Captain, moving in perfect sync. They marched back the way they came, and as the sounds of hoof guards striking the ground faded, ponies started to move about. Some went to the memorial to pay further respects while others to go home. The Princesses took a few steps back and waited for a few guards to escort them back to the castle. I stayed standing beside my brother, but now in a more relaxed pose. He turned and looked down at me.

“Silvey, you ready to head back to the castle?” Sky Blade asked “They are serving breakfast for all the guards in the officer’s room.”

“Yeah, I’m ready Blade,” I answered as I looked up at him “Lead the way.”

Blade nodded, he picked his helmet up with his left wing and tucked it underneath. He motioned with his right wing for me to follow him, and I did so. The Dawn Service was amazing and something I would remember. I know I will be coming back and doing the same thing next year.

Author's Note

*Looks at “A Cloudsdale Dawn Service.”* Nope. *Throws over shoulder over dramatically, making the papers fly everywhere*. That’s terrible writing.
This is rewritten version of “A Cloudsdale Dawn Service”, my first MLP story. It’s been changed up heaps and is more fitted into the MLP world. I love this one so much better then ACDS and I am very proud of it. I think ACDS was a terrible story, feedback is on my side there too.
I don’t own any of the cannon characters that were said in this story. The two OC’s mentioned, Silver Skies and Sky Blade, belong to me.

Finally! I have finished this one-shot. It only took 4 months.
I would like to give a big thank you to my two editors Witching Hour and Galaxy Swirl. These two where a massive help and my writing wouldn't be as good without them.

This is a Harmonic.

I hope you all enjoyed! :twilightsmile:

Edit: Sunday 31st of July
100 Views! :pinkiegasp: I didn't even think I would get 20 views! Thank you so much to everyone that has read this story. It means a lot. :twilightsmile: