Author's Note
So, being an older individual, I've heard a lot of music. Including a great deal of old filk music. Occasionally, one of these old tunes grabs onto my brain and won't let go. Which is what happened a few days ago when I ran across an old song redone with new imagery.
Pushing the Speed of Light (Youtube only link)
It demanded to be made into an MLP story and I could not resist the siren call. The story itself is simply a framing device for the song and I hope I have not overly butchered either. This was simply written for my enjoyment, to get the muse off of my back, and to maybe share an old song with you all.
The Guard's Song
In the ten years since the ascension of Twilight Sparkle to alicornhood there had been many changes to Equestria. One of the more obvious changes was the appearance of the Castle of Friendship outside of Ponyville. The large imposing structure was at first only occupied by Twilight Sparkle and her dragon assistant, Spike. But, one day, a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer had lain in ambush for Twilight in the castle itself.
The situation had eventually been resolved peacefully, with Starlight apologizing for her actions. Twilight had taken the rogue unicorn in as the first of what would be many personal students. But the battle that had ensued between the two had carried across timelines, and had nearly destroyed Equestria as we knew it. About a year later, both Twilight and Spike had been kidnapped by changelings right out of the castle itself. It was at that point that Princess Luna had decreed that Princess Twilight had to form her own force of guardponies along the lines of the Solar and Lunar guards. For her own protection as well as that of all Equestria.
Twilight didn’t like the idea of having guards around in her home, but circumstances had shown her the wisdom of Luna’s decree. She needed a guard. Not only to protect her home, but to help in her struggles against Equestria's enemies, who seemed to be legion. Although Twilight and her friends now longer directly wielded the power of the Elements of Harmony, the six of them still seemed to be a magnet for every villain that came along.
To that end Twilight asked her brother, Shining Armor for help, and together they created the initial Twilight Guard. The new guard force was small, but competent. Twilight had several outbuildings built around the Castle of Friendship for her Twilight Guard. Barracks, administration offices, training fields and, thanks to Big MacIntosh, a bar. Twilight had objected at first about the bar, but her brother had overruled her.
“Twily, I know you don’t like the idea,” he had said. “But you are going to lose ponies. Some of them are going to die, even if you do everything right. Your guardponies are going to need a place where they can blow off steam, relax and, occasionally mourn. If they can have a place out of the public eye, so much the better. Trust me on this.”
~~~~~ooooo00000ooooo~~~~~
“Girls, we need to lay in a bunch of hard cider,” said Scootaloo as she entered the bar.
“What happened Scootaloo?” said Applebloom from behind the golden ironwood of the bar. The young adult mare was running things at Big Mac’s bar, The Gloaming Glass, while Mac dealt with some issues on the farm and things were quiet with most of the guard away.
“Sombra got revived by Chrysalis,” said the pegasus. “They tried to invade Stalliongrad but Twilight and the Guard intercepted them outside the city. It was pretty bad.”
“How many did we lose?” asked Sweetie Belle. She was the regular musician at the bar and was close to many of the guard, knowing many of them by name.
“Four,” said Scootaloo. “Steady Hoof, Bright Lance, Cloudy Skies and Stones Throw. Plus about a dozen wounded.”
The other two ponies lowered their heads in respect for the fallen, but it wasn’t the first time the Twilight Guard had lost ponies and despite Twilight’s best efforts, it wouldn’t be the last. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle started making preparations, despite the grief they felt at the loss of ponies they knew. They had friends coming home soon, and they would need help healing.
The next evening the bar was filled to capacity with members of the Twilight Guard, their friends and family. Toasts had been proposed and drunk. Twilight and her close friends had all come in and given speeches praising the fallen four. Twilight wouldn’t stop apologizing to everyone until Rising Oak, the captain of the guard, sat her down and point blank told her to be quiet.
“Princess, they knew the risks and your guard is an all volunteer force. We knew what we were getting into when we signed on,” said Rising Oak to her princess. “We know that you do everything possible to keep us alive, but when it comes down to it. We are expendable, you aren’t.”
“You’re not expendable!” declared Twilight. “None of you are.”
“Princess, our job is to protect you and Equestria,” said Rising Oak. “Sometimes it means some of us don’t come back. We expect it. We’re used to it. Heck, Your Highness, we even sing about it.”
“You sing,” said Twilight disbelievingly. “You sing about about...about dying...for me.”
“It’s kind of our anthem,” said Rising Oak. “It’s part of how we deal with it. Sweetie? Can you do the anthem for the Princess?”
“Sure thing, Ma'am,” said Sweetie Belle. Behind her, Button Mash got out a guitar and after playing a few introductory chords he nodded to Sweetie Belle. Her smooth singing voice slid out over the now silent bar, while Mash's guitar picked out the tune.
Now Equestria has a hundred foes, and we’re fighting for Twilight
And she needs good mares to help strike her blows, we’re fighting for Twilight
And we fight for good, and we’re young and strong
And in her service we can do no wrong
So we signed on board, hearing Tavi’s deep song, we’re fighting for Twilight
We’re fighting for Twilight
And we’ve left behind all of Equestria
To keep them safe from war’s hysteria
Because we’re fighting for Twilight
We’re fighting for Twilight
We’ve got two squads front and we’ve two on track, because we’re fighting for Twilight
We need to cover AJ’s back, we’re fighting for Twilight
Half our squad is gone and our sergeant too
But there’s damn-all that she can do
And we know she’ll cry, but it’s our duty true, we’re fighting for Twilight.
We’re fighting for Twilight.
So you sign back on for another run, of fighting for our Twilight
And you swear to Luna that your fightings done, we’re fighting for Twilight
But then one hitch turns to four or five.
And your wings beat time to Vinyl’s jive.
And only Her Friendship keeps you alive, and we’re fighting for Twilight
We’re fighting for Twilight
Now they’ve spread our fame with the dragon’s flame, and we’re fighting for Twilight.
Left colts behind us to carry our names, we’re fighting for Twilight.
And we watch them fall, and we watch them cry,
As our magics make her enemies fry,
And Celestia is silent when we ask her, “Why?” We’re fighting for Twilight.
We’re fighting for Twilight
Now, the speed of Dash is a law they say, because we’re fighting for Twilight.
Like her, we never could betray, we’re fighting for Twilight.
But we know someday she’s gonna win that race.
And fly us home to live in deserving grace
We’ll stay awhile ‘til we take back our place, and fighting for Twilight
We’re fighting for Twilight.
And we’ve left behind all of Equestria
To keep them safe from war’s hysteria
Because we’re fighting for Twilight
We’re fighting for Twilight
The last words of the song finished echoing through the bar and Rising Oak got down and knelt before her princess. The rest of the guard suddenly mirrored her gesture, chairs squeaking on the floor as the room was suddenly full of kneeling ponies.
"Your Highness," said Rising Oak, her voice full of cider and emotion. "You aren't just a Princess, you are our Princess and we fight for you, because we love you. And we know that you love us."
"Am I still allowed to mourn you?" asked Twilight, eyes shining with proud tears.
"Of course you are," said Rising Oak. "As long as you do it with us." With that, she passed Twilight a mug of Applejack's Special Reserve and together, Twilight and her Guard spent the rest of the night telling tall tales of the fallen and toasting absent friends.
