Dark clouds filled the skies over Ponyville, casting a gloomy atmosphere over the normally joyous town. Normally, such a day like today would result in gloomy ponies meandering about, as well as numerous complaints to the town’s Weather Committee and requests for sunny days in return.
Not today, though. No one was really wishing for bright and sunny weather on this particular day.
At the castle of Ponyville’s resident princess, Princess Twilight Sparkle was personally overseeing the preparations for that day’s services, having offered her more than spacious castle as the venue this time in lieu of holding it in the Town Hall like years prior.
“Let’s see…” Twilight muttered to herself, her clipboard floating in front of her. “Factoring in Ponyville’s population, and accounting for extra due to ponies visiting from out of town, that should leave us more than enough seats for everypony.” As she checked ‘seating’ off her list, she looked up to watch several pegasi hanging flower wreaths and banners. “Careful with that!” she shouted at one pegasus as he harshly handled one such wreath. “Those lilies are very delicate!”
“Sorry!” The pony shouted back as he more carefully maneuvered the wreath into place. Shaking her head, Twilight continued her inspection, the click clacking of metal against the crystal flooring echoing behind her.
In a rare departure from her usual attire, Twilight was dressed in her full regalia for today. Being the Princess of Friendship, Twilight liked ponies to see her in a more casual and approachable light, which was difficult at times when she was wearing anything more than her crown. Despite that, along with her crown she was also wearing a simple peytral around her neck and ornate horseshoes on her hooves, all of which were adorned with a jewelled star matching her cutie mark. Unlike the ones she’d worn during her coronation, however, both the peytral and shoes had been forged out of a tarnished silver rather than gold, given them a more subdued appearance.
The final addition to the ensemble was a red poppy, delicately woven into her mane next to her ear.
As Twilight walked through the castle lobby, she checked more and more off her list. “Pinkie and Applejack are taking care of the food, Fluttershy’s assisting with the music and Starlight’s making sure all the equipment is set-up and working properly, which leaves—“
“My, I like what you’ve done with the place.”
Twilight narrowly avoided dropping her clipboard, a smile breaking out across her face as she barrelled down the room to hug the pony who had just arrived, the older mare needing to brace herself to avoid being knocked off her hooves. “Mom! You’re here!”
Twilight Velvet chuckled at her daughter’s enthusiastic greeting. “Of course, dear. You didn’t think I was going to miss a chance to visit my daughter?”
“No, but…” Twilight paused when she noticed that her mother was alone, her mirth disappearing as she frowned. “Dad’s still coming… right?”
Smiling, Velvet patted her daughter on the head. “Don’t you worry, dear. Even if I have to ride back to Canterlot myself and drag him back by his ear, I’ll make sure your father won’t miss the service.”
“I know, it’s just…” Twilight turned her head as she thought back to years before, her ears drooping at one memory in particular. “I still remember the time we had to go and get him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dad so miserable…”
“That was a hard year for your father, Twilight.” Velvet reassured her, putting on her most comforting smile. “Visiting him then was just the last straw was all. He’ll be fine, don’t you worry.”
“You’re darn right he’ll be fine!”
Both mares jumped as the loud, boisterous voice filled the room, almost making a pegasus mare drop the banner she was carrying. The squeak of wheels followed soon after as Cadance helped push an elderly unicorn mare in a wheelchair into the lobby. Though the mare’s light blue coat and orange mane were faded with age, there was no denying she hadn’t lost her spunk. “I raised that boy to be made of much sterner stuff than that!”
“Cadance! Grandma!” Running up to them, Twilight forgoed their usual song and dance to give Cadance a hug, though she was a bit more careful as she gave her Grandma a hug next.
Velvet walked up to the elder pony, giving a short bow. “It’s great to see you again, Stellar Horizon.”
The look on Horizon’s face made it clear that if she had been carrying a walking stick, she would've used it to whack her daughter-in-law in the head. “Now, how many time to do I have to go telling you before you get it right?! You’ve been married to my boy how many years?”
“Thirty-two years.”
“That right there proves my point! None of this “Stellar Horizon” horseapples! I’m your mother-in-law, so the least you could do is call me ‘Mother’ or “Grandma’ like our little princess here.” At “little princess’, she ruffled her granddaughter’s mane like she had when Twilight was just a filly.
Twilight blushed, groaning as she tried to brush her mane back into shape. “Grandma—“
“Now don’t you go sassing me too, young lady! You all laughed at me when I said you were destined to be a princess. Well, who’s laughing now?” Giving a hearty laugh, she went right back to ruffling Twilight’s mane, Cadance desperately trying to hold in her laughter as she watched. “You’ll always be my little princess, and ain’t anypony gonna tell me otherwise, you got that?””
Twilight groaned, knowing that arguing with her was pointless. “Yes, Grandma…”
“Don’t worry, Twilight,” Cadance finally said once she’d gotten her laughter under control, “You’re father’s not alone this year. They’ll be here in time for the service, trust me.”
***
“You didn’t have to come with me, son,” Night Light said, dressed in a freshly ironed tuxedo and carrying a bouquet of flowers in his magic. “I can handle myself just fine.”
Walking beside his father, Shining Armor was wearing his dress uniform, the same one he had worn to his wedding. “I know, but I wanted to come along anyway. It’s been so long, I thought we could go and visit him together.”
Night Light smirked, looking at his son with a knowing glint in his eyes. “Oh, and I’m sure Cadance had nothing to do with this decision then?”
Shining Armor avoided looking his father in the eye, nervously chuckling as his hoofsteps quickened. “We should hurry up. Don’t want to keep him waiting, right?”
Night Light wasn’t fooled in the slightest, but decided not to say anything, following closely behind his son, their hooves clicking against the stone flooring.
Since space above ground in Canterlot was often a premium commodity, the Canterlot Catacombs had been a necessity when it came to memorializing the dearly departed, stretching for miles into the mountain and immortalizing the remains of ponies ever since the city’s construction. Unlike the crystal caverns that had been deserted and forgotten centuries ago, the catacombs were publically accessible to anyone, but most ponies avoided it due to the grisly and depressing nature of the place.
After several minutes of traversing the stone hallways, the pair arrived at their family crypt, a place Night Light had visited numerous times in the past. Passing rows of plaques commemorating their ancestors for generations, the two stopped before one in particular, surprised to find a vase of fresh flowers already placed there, a small bundle of incense wafting the scent of lilacs into the air.
“Looks like someone’s already been here.” Shining Armor remarked. “But who could have—“
“Bet you anything it was your grandma,” Night Light answered, chuckling. “Mom never could forget his favourite flowers.”
“Grandma?” Shining Armor replied, unable to hide the disbelief in his voice. “But how could she—“
“Now, don’t go counting her out just yet. I don’t doubt she could still take you on and come out feisty for more!” Instead of laughing though, the smile slipped from Night Light’s face as he gazed at the plaque before them. “To this day I’ve only met one pony who could succeed in reining her in…”
The Catacombs were well taken care of, ponies coming by on a regular basis to maintain and clean the graves. Thus, the words printed on the plaque were clear as day, though even if they had been obscured by dust, Night Light would have still been able to read it from memory alone.
Here lies Captain Comet Tail,
Loving husband, father, grandfather and soldier to the end.
May he find peace in Elysium among the Warriors of Legend.
“Hey, Dad…” Night Light choked out as he laid the bouquet of flowers before the grave. “It’s been a while, huh?”
Shining Armor stood back, watching his father carefully but avoiding interrupting him. To Night Light, he might as well have not even been there.
“Been an odd year, but what year doesn’t have its ups and downs, huh?” Night Light laughed, but it was devoid of any mirth. “I still remember how many times you told me to be brave, that I had to be ready to brace myself for the moment life decided to buck me in the head, but you never had to raise two rambunctious kids did you? Nope, just me and Mom was more than enough to keep me in line.
“Speaking of which, one of them got talked into keeping an eye on me today, so looks like today’s your lucky day.” Glancing over his shoulder, Night Light gestured to his son, who walked up next to him without a word. “Well, don’t just stand there! Aren’t you going to say something?”
As much as wanted to, standing before the grave seemed to suddenly make his throat dry up. Coughing into his hoof, he finally managed to say, “Hey, Grandpa… I… it’s me, Shining Armor. I don’t know if you remember me, I was just a colt the last time I saw you.”
Silence followed as Shining struggled to think of what to say. “I… I just want to thank you, grandpa. It was because of you that I wanted to join the Royal Guard so much. I still remember all the times I would run around the house, swinging my foam sword around while dressed in cardboard armor… probably gave Mom a few early grey hairs.“
Unable to stop himself, Shining Armor continued. “When I told Mom and Dad that I wanted to enlist… Mom was less than pleased. I know now that she was terrified of anything happening to me, but Dad…” Looking over, he smiled at his father, who smiled back as he turned back to the plaque. “Dad supported me from the very start. He knew that this was what I really wanted to do, and for that I can’t thank him enough. I spent every day in the Guard trying to live up to your legacy, I just wish you were here to see it.”
Reaching over, Night Light patted his son on the back. “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve more than lived up his legacy, and I just know both of us couldn’t be prouder of you.”
Pulling away with a sigh, Night Light faced the grave once more. “Sorry, Dad, but we can’t stay long. There’s a service in Ponyville we’ve got to get to, held by none other than your granddaughter, Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Night Light chuckled again. “Yeah, turns out Mom was right all along. I wish you could see her… I just know you’d be so proud of her.” Reaching out, he put his hoof against the plaque, tears beginning to drip down his face. “I wish you were still here… I miss you… Dad…”
Concerned, Shining put a hoof on his Dad’s shoulder. “Dad…”
“I’m… fine, son,” Night Light struggled to say, tears still streaking down his face. “Just let your old man cry for a minute, ok?”
Nodding his head, Shining removed his hoof and stepped back to give Night Light some space. For several moments, the sounds of choked sobs filled the cavern. Eventually, the tears began to slow, Night Light wiping his eyes with his foreleg.
“Well… so long… Dad.” With that, he turned and walked away, Shining Armor following close behind as they exited the crypt.
The next few minutes were spent in total silence as they made their way back towards the entrance. Eventually, Shining Armor couldn’t take it anymore. “Dad, are you going to be—“
“Now, don’t you start worrying about me!” Night Light replied over his shoulder without missing a step. “What you should be worried about is hurrying up if we’re going to catch the next train out of Canterlot in time. Twilight’ll have a fit if we’re late.”
“Right…” As they walked further along, Shining Armor realized something. “Wait… do you mean Mom or Twiley?”
Night Light stopped, turning to flash his son a big, toothy grin. “Yes.”
***
The services that day were a solemn affair, as was to be expected. The castle lobby was utterly packed, with many of those in attendance either wearing or in the company of a pony wearing a military dress uniform.
For the first part of the service, ponies wandered about, helping themselves to the refreshments that had been supplied while getting a chance to chat with their fellow attendees. Among the flower covered banisters and wreaths of lilies and poppies hung around the room, a wall had been set up for attending ponies to hang photos of those they had lost in the line of duty, as well as to offer mementos to those who had passed on.
Once everyone had arrived and been seated, the service officially began, showcasing a heartwrenching musical tribute honouring all those who had fallen in the service of Equestria. After that, the next few hours were spent by ponies coming up one after the other to the front and retelling stories and cherished memories of their loved ones. Some walked away feeling lighter, like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders, while others had to be assisted back to their seats, their grief too much for them to bare alone. Yet, no matter how a pony came away from it, they were treated with the exact same level of respect.
Finally, it was Night Light’s chance, calmly getting up from his seat and walking up the aisle towards the front. As he stood behind the podium that had been set up for this very purpose, his eyes wandered across the sea of faces before him, all of them staring at him with sympathy and sadness in their eyes. Taking a deep breath, Night Light began.
“For as long as I can remember, my father was the one pony I admired more than anyone else. He was the kind of stallion who garnered respect wherever he went, not just because of his physical strength, but also because of the strength of his heart. For the longest time, I dreamt of becoming a member of the Royal Guard just like him, to live up to his legacy and prove how much he meant to me.
“And yet… it became clear early on that that wasn’t going to happen. Most of my time was spent either with my nose in a book or with my head in the clouds, in-between making up plans so I could sneak out late at night to watch the stars. Somehow, I managed to keep up my late night adventures for almost two weeks without getting caught. But get caught I eventually did.
“It was just like any other night at first. I was watching the stars, marking out constellations on pieces of paper I’d brought with me, when I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat behind me. I turned around to find my Dad staring at me, frowning at me in a way that made it clear I was in trouble. I wanted nothing more than to sink into the shingles of the roof, afraid of how mad he must have been and how much of a disappointment I was. And, indeed, Dad was mad at me that night.”
“He was mad that I was up so late. Minutes later, the two of us were sitting side by side on the roof, Dad pointing out stars and constellation that I hadn’t even heard of yet. That night, I knew that no matter what road I took in life, he would be there to support me along the way.” Smiling at the memory, he chuckled as he added, “I was grounded for a month after that, but whenever he was home, he would always find time to spend a night sitting up with me on the roof, watching the stars for hours. Those nights were the happiest moments I spent with my Dad.”
However, what happiness he could find quickly vanished as he recounted what happened that fateful day. “I’ll never forget the day I got the news. I was coming home from work, wanting nothing more to grab something quick to eat before crawling into bed. Yet, the moment I walked in the door, I heard something coming from the living room. I found my wife sitting on the couch, a letter tightly clutched in her hooves and tears running down her face.
“When I asked her what was wrong, she didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to, just passed me the letter to read. All it took was for me to read the top line for it all to make sense, though it did nothing to stop the feeling of the world crumbling around me as I read, ‘We regret to inform you that Commander Comet Tail has passed away in the line of duty…’
“I spent the rest of that night on that couch, holding my wife as we cried into each other’s shoulders until we ran out of tears to shed.” Wiping a stray tear away, Night Light took another deep breath to compose himself before continuing. “For days after, I didn’t know how to feel, just wandered through life like a ghost just going through the motions.
“Then, one day, I received a letter in the mail.” Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, Night Light pulled out a worn piece of paper, the edges beginning to fray and the paper yellowing with age. “I’d like to read that letter out to all you today.” When no one objected, he carefully unfolded the letter, the creases worn after having been folded countless times over the years, yet the ink still looked as fresh as the day it had been printed. Clearing his throat, Night Light began to read.
“To Night Light,
“You may not know who I am, but I’m one of the ponies who served under your father’s unit. His death has hit all of us hard, especially those of us who owe are lives to your father.
“Before I met Commander Comet Tail, I was just another hotheaded, fly-colt wannabe who though he was invincible. When I enlisted, I remember thinking to myself, ‘This’ll be a snap! Once they see me in action, they’ll practically be begging to make me Captain!’
“Boy, was I wrong. By the end of the first day alone, I was beaten, bruised and a hat’s throw away from giving up and throwing in the towel, a sentiment loudly shared by my Drill Sergeants, who all saw me for the failure I really was.
“But when everypony had already given up on me, one pony didn’t. I still don’t know how, but your father saw something in me that day that nopony else could, going as far as to offer to train me personally. Day in and day out, he pushed me harder than I ever thought possible, refusing to give up on me no matter how much I whined and complained. Little by little, I started making progress, until the day I finally graduated the academy, the same day I became a member of your father’s unit.
“The next few years I spent in his unit I will cherish until the end of my days. Every member of that unit were closer than brothers, and Commander Comet Tail was a father to his men in every way, but I had the honor of knowing him as my best friends. Those days felt like they could have lasted forever.
“But then came that fateful day. The reports later classified it as an accident, but all I remember is a bright flash of light and a burning sensation across my entire body. When next I came to, I was buried up to my neck in burning rubble, burned so badly that I couldn’t even feel the flames anymore.
“I want to say I faced death with dignity, but I didn’t, screaming and hollering like a foal, desperately begging somepony to find me as death loomed closer and closer. And then, just as I had lost all hope, I felt someone pull me out of the rubble and haul me onto their back. Right before I passed out, I remember hearing them say, clear as day, ‘You’re going to be alright, Kid.’
“Only the Commander ever called me ‘Kid’.
“When I finally regained consciousness, I was in a medical tent, wrapped head to toe in bandages to hide the burns covering my body. Through the pain, I managed to ask a nurse where Commander Comet Tail was, so I could thank him properly for saving my life. No pain in this world can compare to what I felt the moment I learned that of the hooffull of casualties that night, Commander Comet Tail had been one of them, running back and forth to save as many ponies as he could.
“In that moment, I felt like I had lost everything. I was horribly scarred by burns into something that could scare young foals on Nightmare Night, those same injuries ensuring that I could never serve again and, to top it all off, I had lost my best friend in the world. I felt like an empty shell, with nothing more to live for.
“And yet, there was still something for me to live for, something I realized the day my fillyfriend of three years came running into the tent. When she caught sight of me, I feared that was the end, that she’d be so horrified by the disfigured monster I had become that she would run screaming from the tent any second. So, you can imagine my surprise when her reaction was to run towards me, tears of relief in her eyes as she stood by my bedside. In that moment, I was able to understand what your father had done.
“He hadn’t lost his life that day, but given it to his men so that they may live another day. I was still alive because the Commander hadn’t hesitated to risk his life to pull my sorry hide from the burning rubble, yet all I could think to do was wallow in my own self-pity. He was probably looking down at me right then, ashamed that I was squandering the life he had given in such a way.
“Right then and there, I swore that I would do everything I could to live up to the gift he had so selflessly given me. So, on that day, bed bound and dressed up like something out of a horror story, I asked my fillyfriend to marry me. She said yes.
“I know I have a long and painful road ahead of me, but I refuse to give up. Commander Comet Tail never gave up, so I’ll work my hardest to make everyday a day he can be proud of me. I can’t imagine how you’re taking the news, but I just want you to know that your father was a shining example of a true Royal Guard, embodying true loyalty to the very end. To the ponies he served under and to the many he saved, his memory and spirit shall never be forgotten.
Signed, former Lieutenant Slip Stream.”
Silence filled the halls as Night Light finished, wordlessly folding the letter back up and tucking it back in his pocket. “I’ve received many such letters over the years, all of them giving their heartfelt thanks to my father for his sacrifice. It’s these letters, along with the support of my friends and family that has helped me the most through my father’s death, to the point I can get up today and talk about how much of a great stallion my father was.
“Finally, if there’s one thing I can take solace in…” Once more Night Light’s eyes wandered over the crowd, coming to rest on his family. His mother, his beloved Velvet, Cadance and, most of all, Twilight and Shining Armor, “… it’s that my Dad got to see his grandfoals one last time before the end. He knew, just by looking at them, that they were destined for great things and he couldn’t have been more right.”
The sound of light clapping followed Night Light as he stepped away from the podium. Before he could make it back to his seat though, he was met by his family, who quickly embraced him from all sides. Surrounded by his loved ones, Night Light could hold back his tears no longer, clamping his eyes shut as tears dripped down his face.
“That was beautiful, Dad,” Twilight said as she hugged her father.
“You did your father proud, son,” Stellar Horizon commended, “I just know if he were here today, he’d tell you how proud he is of you.”
“I know, Mom… “ Despite the tears running down his face, Night Light’s voice still contained a shred of joy. “I know…”
