The sun shone down from a clear blue sky, the morning calm and near silent. Even as Cpt. Sparkle made her was towards Town Hall, she saw that ponies were already starting to head for the assembly. Many wore Poppies in their manes, or tucked behind an ear. Most nodded to her as she passed. Passing Sugarcube Corner she saw Mr. Cake and several other ponies sitting around an outside table, two were in their Marine Uniforms, they were sharing stories remembering their absent friends. Passing along her way she saw Cheerilee walking back into town from Cemetery Hill, the former Guard smiled briefly as Twilight before heading on her way.
At the Town Hall she found Mayor Mare, and Granny Smith already at the stage deep in a discussion for the day. Her friend Applejack was setting up a refreshment cart off to the side, shockingly her wife was helping her, the normally brash pegasus was still bandaged, her movements sluggish. She looked up at wife and gave a lopsided smile as she nuzzled into her neck. A soft kiss later they went back to work, the worry never leaving the pregnant farm mares eyes.
She glanced around and found Rarity not far off rearranging the flowers for the ceremony. Her eyes tracing over the vase she nearly stumbled. Each bore a name, a pony that had lived in Ponyville, or served in it. Each one gone to the Fields. Her eyes fell on the two newest vases and she felt tears well in her eyes. Those two, those valiant idiots, the two stallions who’d stood against a being that had dueled two Alicorns, two of the last Equestrians to die on her wedding day. Twilight felt herself collapse into a pony’s chest tears streaming down her cheeks.
In a small room Redheart sat watching the morning sun, she sighed softly the screams she’d heard on the docks echoing in her head. She shuddered and stood wiping her eyes as the memories flooded over her, a black hoof clinging to hers staining her white coat with green blood, begging in that alien tongue for its mother. She remembered all the dead lined up inside that vast warehouse. A lone Thestral moving down the rows saying prayers for Pony and Changling alike. Standing she glanced at the business card on her stand, maybe she did need to talk to somepony about what she’d seen.
Another Mare sat on her roof laughing and gesturing wildly as she recounted the story of her co-pilot earning her nickname. The pink mare laughed wildly gestured an airship buzzing the tower. The ponies with her all laughing and nodding raising another beer to their lost wingmates.
Unnoticed to any a yellow mare, her dress blues nicely pressed stood in the shadows of the trees watching Rainbow with a sad look in her eyes. She shook her fiery mane and remembered the promise she’d made to Captain Firefly, buck of a lot of good she was doing following it. Every year she found herself in this tiny town, watching the same mare. Worried she’d done wrong by the closest thing she had to a daughter. With a sigh the Wonderbolt took wing flying away low unseen over the fields, just like every year.
Many miles away north a yellow pegasus walked along with her strange companion at her side. The chaotic creature watched her looking around at the multitude of ponies making the same pilgrimage they were. Many hours ago they’d left the last train station and headed out on hoof for the Barrier Peaks, though Discord knew exactly where they were headed, after all he’d been there before. Every so often his companion would stop and dust off a nearly forgotten shrine clearing weeds and placing a flower from the bundle she carried, a short prayer for the fallen later and they continued on. Soon Hephaestus reared itself into view, the path hacked, blasted, and cut into the sides of the mountains, a pony made highway into the Griffin Lands beyond. When they’d first come here he hadn’t understood what this place represented, he still struggled with the idea of a being simply ending. Still Fluttershy lead him on up the gentle incline. Even here she stopped, if one of the many shrines to the fallen was untended she stopped, read its name, cleaned it, left an offering and prayer, and then continued on. Soon the pair reached their goal. A simple shrine bearing the name Posey. Reaching into her saddlebags Fluttershy withdrew the black case, opening it she set it on the Shrine and closed her eyes. In the noon sun light glinted off the Silver Star.
At Canterlot Docks a pink mare made her way up the gantry to HMS Megan a group of smiling old seaponies waiting for her. As Pinkie reached the deck the held out the battered old cap to her. She smiled at them accepting it and placing it on her head. She hugged each in turn as they headed towards the card table. Once there they’d tell old war stories to the glorious dead. Tales of the fighting ponies who’d crewed the bravest ship to sail the skies. Tales of her Grandma the best cannonier to ever live.
On a the highest point in Canterlot, on a patch of ground that was never without light from one of the Celestial bodies two mares knelt before a simple tomb. All symbols of authority left behind them they whispered ancient prayers to those this tomb represented. Flanking them two Guards stood silent, rankless, ever watchful. They ensured the Unknown were never without Honor, or company, the ponies that had given everything, and lost even their names were never forgotten.
On the streets below a group of foals recounted the stories of the bat winged ponies that’d swooped down to save their city. They remember the mare who’d held their orphanage steps even as the enemy made a final push. One from across town told of the group that had helped save Canterlot General, another from the Compound outside the city recounted those that had fallen from the sky with their Princess. How the Lady of the Night had made her now famous offer to them, how some of those ponies had given their lives holding her family's gates.
In a small alley not far away a stray colored stallion leaning into the pale blue. His stetson in his hooves as he looked on where his cousin had died. The older stallion nuzzled his hair and asked him about her. The frontiers pony simply gave a sad smile.
