Rainbow Dash had finally joined the Wonderbolts, her dream having come true thanks to hard work and determination. She was walking through the halls of the Wonderbolts academy, almost jumping with joy, seeing all of the old posters hung on the walls commemorating all of the best of the Wonderbolts flyers. But as she was about to pass the last one she stopped for what she saw, wasn't a pegasus, it was an earth pony with a saddle strapped to his back and what looked like a cloth, held by strings coming from it, as she got closer to read the caption, it said.
'In Memory of Of the first flying earth pony Captain Light Hooves, inventor of the Parachute and leader of those who saved Equestria from harm during the Griffon War of 1939 A.B. Born 1920 A.B. Died 2007 A.B. May he rest in the Elysium Fields.'
"Strange I've never heard of Light Hooves or these so called Paratroopers" Rainbow said aloud to herself. "I'll have to ask Soarin or Spitfire about him." As she turned to walk away she found both of the ponies she was looking for staring at her, with their eyes huge and jaws slack.
"What?" Soarin said in disbelief. "You know almost all of the Wonderbolts history, how do you not know about Captain light Hooves or the 101st airborne infantry of the Wonderbolts?"
"I've never even heard of it before, it's not even brought up in the books I've read" Rainbow said hoping to learn more about the 101st.
"Well" Spitfire started, "well the war was a long time ago, but it should be in every history book...you don't read those do you?"
"Not.. really- Rainbow said sheepishly.
"Ughhh" Spitfire groaned, "well there isn't much to tell there is only about ten left of the original 101st and after the war they were disbanded, at our next show we were going to pay homage to them and have them sing the song they marched to and that a few total guards still use for training. That is if you're up for singing with some old Wonderbolts" Spitfire finished, smirking.
"Of course I am," Rainbow Dash said as she looked excitedly between Soarin and Spitfire. "When exactly will it be?" She asked enthusiastically.
"In a month's time in Canterlot, in front of the Princesses, royal guard and the families of the remaining 101st" Soarin said as he smiled knowing Dash would get her friends involved. "Just have your friend Twilight ask her brother about an old paratroopers marching song, he should know the one" he finished smirking.
"Of course" Rainbow Dash said. "I'll get ready and I'll see if my friends want to join" she finished as she took wing to Ponyville.
"Why didn't you just tell her the name of the song?" Spitfire asked, looking at Soarin with a knowing look.
"Because" he started, "if she knew it was called Blood on the Risers she'd get suspicious, she probably won't even ask Shining Armor at all and just bring her friends in blind" he finished.
"Hopefully not," Spitfire said, watching Dash fade into the distance.
(One Month Later: Canterlot, 3rd Person)
"Come on girls, we need to be there early," Rainbow said excitedly. She didn't get any information from Shining Armor on the song that was going to be sung.
"We're going as fast as our Hooves can carry us Rainbow, besides the show doesn't start for another two hours." Applejack said glaring at Rainbow Dash. "I know you're excited to meet old Wonderbolts, but you have to remember there from a time of war before the piece rained, they probably don't even want to sing" she said exasperated.
"Come on this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet earth ponies that actually flew, how many times can you say you meet an earth pony that flew like a pegasus." She said completely forgetting about hour air balloons.
"A lot of times actually" Rarity said sarcastically as they arrived at the arena where the Wonderbolts show was being held. The six friends walked through the doors leading to the private box of the Princesses, mostly because Twilight was a princess. That and the Princesses asked them to join them in their box two days before the show.
"Alright you girls stay here, I gotta meet up with the other Wonderbolts." Rainbow said flying off for the Wonderbolts locker room.
"Rainbow Dash seems excited" a voice said from behind the five friends left in the box. When they turned around they were met with the sight of Princess Cadence, Luna and Celestia, as the five friends went to bow Celestia cut them off.
"Please my faithful student and friends, how many times must I tell you, you don't have to bow to me?" she said in her motherly tone.
"Yes, we have told thee many times we are friends and Twilight is our equal" Luna said.
"Sorry Celestia and Luna," Twilight said as she looked to Cadence. "Where's Shining Armor?" She asked.
"Oh he's with the guard that's going to be singing with the last of the 101st" she said, seeming nervous.
"Oh don't worry Cadence, I'm sure he'll do fine," Celestia said. "Besides, it's not like they're going to sing...that song" she finished nervously.
"Actually sister" Luna started, with a nervous look. "They are singing Blood on the Risers."
"Who would name a song such a dastardly thing" Rarity said looking much paler than her white coat of fur should.
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As I stood in front of the mirror in the colt's room, I stared at my reflection, and staring back was an old greying, red stallion. I was wearing my old paratrooper uniform, with the few medals I was awarded by Celestia, after the war ended.
"Sergeant Wheat Shadowmaker, You ready?" Asked my old flying partner, a lighter and greyer sky blue pegasus, who's cutie mark was of a bayonet over a strap.
"Yeah, give me a sec Sharp Glider" I said turning back to the mirror. I decided it was time to join the last of my squad mates, of the 8‚400 of us that made up the 101st at the beginning of the war, only ten of us were left. As I walked out of the Colts room I was met with the other right surviving members.
A brown earth pony named Feather Light, and his acqua brother Stone Weight. A yellow pegasus with a grey mane, Shock Drop, next to him was the third pegasus of our group, Fine Aim. Then next to Stone Weight were the last two earth ponies of our group Anvil Shute and Silk Connector and lastly the final two pegasus of our the 101st. Twin brothers Flint Cloud and Folly Steel. We were what was left and today, we were going to regale the new guard and Wonderbolts the song of the paratroopers, I let a smile graze my muzzle as I looked at my men knowing just us ten would be able to carry the song well.
"Alright men" I started as I walked in front of them. "Today is a wonderful occasion, we get to once more sing our song. Not only in front of newer guards who know nothing of war, but also what the Wonderbolts have become." I continued drawing a breath, "we know what the song means and so does the Princess, so let's get out there and wow us a crowd."
I lead my small band of soldiers through the corridors and to the door to the arena. As we passed through me and my men noticed that the Wonderbolts were standing away from the guards, almost as if there was a silent rivalry between them. We continued to walk until we were standing about ten feet in front of them, I turned to my men and nodded smiling. It was time to begin as Flint and Feather stepped forward and started the song.
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I was standing with the Wonderbolts away from the guard, there had been a rift between them and us for as long as I could remember. I saw Shining Armor standing in front of the guard as he looked at me standing in front of the Wonderbolts as we awaited the 101st.
"Well Spitfire, you're ragtag team of misfits ready to sing in front of real flyers?" He asked sarcastically.
"Of course they are, is your group of cowards ready to sing with real heros and fighters?" I asked back, seeing him furrowed his brows he opened his mouth wready with retort of his own, when the doors at the other side of the arena opened. We both our respective groups turned towards the doors and our jaws went slack as the ten stallions left of the 101st stepped through, walking in almost in synch with each other, what was really mind boggling was that the earth ponies and pegasus walked together as a group, no one had ever heard of a military or guard group of pegasus and earth ponies getting along.
We watched as they stopped ten feet from us and talked amongst themselves. When finally the lead stallion, a greying red earth pony nodded and a greying maroon pegasus and a brown earth pony stepped forward. We knew it was ready to begin, but none of us were told which song we were singing, only that it was an old song and it used to be used for marching, then without warning the song began.
"He was just a rookie trooper and he surely shook with fright" the pegasus started.
"He checked off his equipment and made sure his pack was tight," the earth pony continued.
"He had to sit and listen to those awful engines roar" they sang together.
"You ain't gonna jump no more" the group sang together as well as the chorus.
"Gory gory what a hell of a way to die, gory gory what a hell of a way to die, gory gory what a hell of a way to die, and he ain't gonna jump no more."
"Is everypony happy?' cried the sergeant looking up" the red earth pony sang.
"Our hero feebly answered yes and then the stood him up" a sky blue pegasus sang
"He jumped into the icy blast, his static line unhooked" they sang together as once more all ten stallions sang in unison.
"And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory gory what a hell of a way to die, gory gory what a hell of a way to die, gory gory what a hell of a way to die. And he ain't gonna jump no more."
These ten men had everyone's attention and the silence was insufferable as they continued their song.
"He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock" sang a pegasus that looked just like the first.
"He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful drop" sang an acqua earth pony.
"The silk from his reserves spilled out and wrapped around his legs" they sang together.
"And he ain't gonna jump no more" all ten sang again together in perfect harmony. "Gory gory what a hell of a way to die, gory gory what a hell of a way to die, gory gory what a hell of a way to die, and he ain't gonna jump no more."
"The risers swung around his neck, connecters crocked his dome" the yellow pegasus sang.
"Suspension lines were tied in knots around his skinny bones" the brown earth pony sang.
The canopy became his shroud, he hurtled to the ground" they sang together.
"And he ain't gonna jump no more" the group sang together again continuing the chorus. By now the ten men in front of us had the attention of the entire arena, I looked over at Shining and he looked at me as we eyes the reaction of our respective charges. To say they were shocked was an understatement, everypony's jaw was almost on the ground and most of them were green. We were brought back to the present and our attention was once more focused on the ten soldiers standing in front of us as their song continued.
"The days he lived and loved and laughed kept running through his mind" the last earth pony sang.
"He taught about the mare back home, the one he left behind" the final pegasus sang.
"He thought about the medics and he wondered what they'd find" the sang together. As once more the entire group sang the last verse and the chorus and all of us waited with baited breath for a happy ending in the song.
"The ambulance was on the spot, the Jeep's were running wild" the sky blue pegasus sang again.
"The medics jumped and screamed with glea, rolled up their sleeves and smiled" the first earth pony again.
"For it had been a week or more since last a chute had failed, and he ain't gonna jump no more" they sang together. As once more the chorus started, I turned and looked at Rainbow Dash as she stepped up beside me looking more sick than the rest. Her wings were dropping as she looked from me to the soldiers and I did as well as the song continued.
"He hit the ground, the sound was 'SPLAT' his blood went spurting high," the red earth pony sang in a deep voice.
"His comrades, they were heard to say 'A Hell Of A Way To Die'" the yellow pegasus sang.
"He lay there rolling round in the welter of his gore, and he ain't gonna jump no more" the my sang together as the rest of the stallions joined in once more for the chorus. Only this time it was half the speed and more somber, all of us both guard and wonderbolt looked to each other and then the stallions that we're singing for us. And we realized this was more than a song, this was their life during the war.
"There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon his chute" they all sang together slowly and somberly. "Intestines were a dangling from his paratrooper suit" they continued as the song caused the hairs of all those in the stadium to stand on end. "He was a mess they picked him up and poured him from his boots, and he ain't gonna jump no more" they sang as the chorus came it was just as slow and somber as the last verse. I looked to my flyers and saw not one dry eye, and as I looked to the guard I saw the same thing.
The stallions in front of us finished their song, if it was quiet before it wasn't now. The arena erupted with cheers and hooves were heard stamping from the highest possible seat. The ten stallions just stood at attention and saluted, I looked to Shining and knew there was only one thing we could do, every guard and wonderbolt stood at attention and saluted back, letting the ten stallions know that the sacrifice of not just them but everypony from the war, would never be forgotten.