To The Lives That's Left Behind
Author's Note
I might add to this story, as I felt I could've done more. but hopefully you folks like what's posted. but if anyone has any ideas on where they think this story could go, feel free to make your own fics about this story.
To The Lives That's Left Behind
It started as any other day in Equestria. Ponies rose with the sun, had their morning meals, and were already beginning their daily routines. And this is no different for the royal sisters of Canterlot, however, the daily routine that the ponies are used to…will be changed forever.
As it was approach noon, something unusual happened. Above the city of Canterlot, a large gapping portal just manifested into existence, and thundering storm clouds began sifting through it. but then all of a sudden, something else came flying out of the portal above the city, it appeared to be some kind of large grey, metal bird-like creature, or thing…with its wings set ablaze as it soars through the sky, before crashing in the fields outside of Ponyville. and when the creature crashed into the fields, a massive fiery explosion could be seen all the way from the castle, which initially got Celestia’s and Luna’s attention and had a platoon of ponies to venture out, and secure the area.
“Sister what do you think it was?” Luna asked worriedly as she looks upon the large pillar of smoke rising into the air, as brilliant red flames continued to burn, as a red dot on a green canvas.
“I don’t know…” Celestia said as she looks skyward, and watched the portal collapse on itself. Dispersing the storm clouds that were spewing from it. “But whatever it is, it can’t be anything good.” Just then the solar princess saw a wisp of smoke travel her way, which polymorphed into a scroll. Taking the scroll in her hand the princess began to read it.
Dear Princess, Celestia.
I’m sorry to interrupt you while your working, but something came crashing into the fields east of Ponyville. the initial explosion has caused the towns ponies to panic, but my friends and I are trying to calm them down. If you manage to read this message please send help.
Your faithful student~
Twilight Sparkle.
After reading the message Celestia and Luna gathered up another platoon of guards, and they all made teleported to Ponyville, where citizens were indeed having a rather spectacular mass panic. The princesses order the guards to help and try to calm the towns ponies down, which seemed to be going by rather well, that is until a series of minor explosions from the fire sounded causing more of a panic. Another explosion sounded off in the distance, sounding like thunder bellowing and a volcano erupting. Accompanying the horrid sound, metal shards and fragments came raining down from the sky, thankfully no pony was hurt by them, but the princess commanded the guards to double check for any injured.
“Celestia!” the day princess turned and saw Twilight running towards her, along with her friends, and Spike. A fearful look on her face as she makes her way over to the alicorn.
“Twilight!” the princess says worriedly as she allows the unicorn to jump into her arms, holding her tightly as a protective mother. “Are you alright? Has any pony been injured?” Celestia questioned as she stroked Twilight’s head.
“No princess.” Applejack said as she tilted her stetson up to look at the alicorn. “As far as we know, folk are just scared out of their blooming minds, and don’t know what’s going.”
“What is going on?” Pinkie Pie asked the princess as she lets Twilight go.
“Something came flying out of a portal above the castle, but as to what it is, we are unsure.” Luna says to the element bearers. “And while the guards try to keep the populace at ease, we should venture to the crash site, and see what has come to Equestria.”
Agreeing with Luna’s statement, the group then made their way out of Ponyville, and follow where the pillar of smoke was emitting to locate the source of the fire. And after several minutes the princesses, and the element bearers found the platoon of guards that were initially sent to check out the site, but they were all just standing there on a hill, barely moving. And when the group reached the top of the hill…they all saw what the guards were gawking at. Celestia, Luna, the platoon of guards and the Bearers to the Elements, were looking upon a sight so dreadful, none could even imagine it to be real.
At the center of the explosion, where flames still burn and smoke continue to pollute the sky, large chunks of metal and destroyed chairs scattered about the fields…while bodies laid in various states of gore and horror. Some of these bodies were ripped and severed in half, entrails coating the ground with blood staining either green grass or burnt blades of greenery. Other bodies either had their limbs or heads violently removed from their bodies, with the severed limbs from the various bodies being in their own states of gore. Then there were the bodies that were set ablaze, their charred husks only fueling the fires and increasing the volume of smoke in the area, while a foul smell of roasted flesh filled the air.
Many of the guards finally broke their statuesque state and dropped to their knees, along with Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie—whose mane and tail have flatten and straighten—as the other ponies developed horrified expressions on their faces. Tears of anguish and dread began to flow from the ponies eyes, as they continued to just stare at the sight, but Celestia managed to recover from the shock and spoke aloud.
“T-there...there might be some s-survivors." Celestia turned to face her guards. "Spread out and look for any surviving creatures, and alert us if you find any!” the guards, as well as Luna and the six mares were snapped out of their stupor.
“You heard the princess, search for survivors ponies!” the head guard of the platoon said, kicking the others into action.
“Yes ma’am!” the seven guards ran, flew, or teleported down the hill, with Celestia and the others following behind and joining in the search.
As the searching begins, Celestia noted the features of the creatures that were more, intact than others. They shared the same bodily structure as ponies do, but the legs were not like those of an equine, and their heads had no muzzle, long ears, or any other features that a pony had.
Looking around a large metal chunk that’s embedded into the ground, with a series of chairs and other pieces of metal and other mechanical workings, Fluttershy searched for any survivors. But every corner she turns on, she only finds dismembered bodies in such gruesome states, that she was close to just buckling under the grisly deaths and just cry her eyes out. However the mares resolve was emboldened as she heard something…gasping breathing! Quickening her search the butterscotch mare followed her ears, listening for the staggered breathing, until she found the source. Pinned under a large section of the thing that crashed into the fields, a small creature, the same age as the Crusaders was gasping for air while chocking out cries of pain.
“Oh no!” Fluttershy cried as she swooped over to the small creature, dropping to her knees as she tries to figure out what to do. “D-don’t worry, everything w-will be f-fine.”
The little creature could only cry tears and blood from its bloodshot eyes, as it looked at her. the mare couldn’t take the sight any longer, as seeing such a small frail creature in such pain. Fluttershy carefully lifted the upper body of the creature, and held it in her lap. Where she felt the little thing held her so tightly, as if seeking comfort.
“There, there, don’t worry everything is…going to…” As she spoke the pegasus noticed that the creatures hold on her was weakening, and that its cries of pain were waning. Panic started to take over the mare as she tries to keep the small creature awake. “No! no, no, no, no hang in there! We—I—T-there has to b-be…” with nothing coming to mind the pegasus began crying out as loud as she could.
“SOMEPONY, ANYPONY, PLEASE COME QUICKLY!”
Fluttershy cried out for any kind of help, hoping that one of her friends, the guards or the princess would find her quickly. but her pleas ceased as the little creature in her lap went still. The mare looked down at the creature, and saw that it was limp…still like a doll just laying on the floor, while pain and suffering was still plastered on its little round face. Tears began to fill the poor mares eyes, before they started rolling down her cheeks as she curls in on herself, still holding the dead creature in her arms. Muttering how sorry she was to not being able to help it.
Elsewhere among the wreckage Applejack and two guards searched for survivors, but every time they come across one that looked to be alive they were meet with a body that was just twitching, or falling from a higher place of the machine. Their body nosily crunching as they drop, or sizzle as they fall into a small fire. During their search Applejack came across something that chilled her to the bone. Skewered on a metal spike, a creature that appeared no older than her, was tightly holding a smaller creature. Even in death, this creature tried to protect a younger one…but failed to do so in the end. Removing her Stetson Applejack placed it over heart and gave a silent prayer.
Rainbow Dash was looking around the wreckage by herself, but after only a few minutes of seeing the dismembered or burnt bodies, the pegasus couldn’t take the smell of death anymore. And had to fly off to a nearby cloud for fresh air. As she sits there on the cloud, the pegasus could see the guards and her friends, along with the princesses through the gaps of the craft, and the smoke and fire. Once her nerves were clear, and she felt that she was ready to rummage through the various bodies, she slid off the cloud and flew back down to continue the search.
In another part of the crash site, Pinkie Pie was slowly walking around, not really looking for survivors. The poor joyful party pony was just looking at all the dead bodies. Bodies that could’ve been alive, enjoying parties, and maybe even being friends…but this happened instead.
“Why…” Pinkie Pie said as she just wonders around aimlessly. “Why did this happen?” the party pony said as she continued searching, during which she came across an obviously elderly couple, holding onto each other even as their bodies were gored by a large metal sheet, cutting them in half. The pink mare dropped to her knees as she begins to ball her eyes out.
On the other side of the site, near where the fields transition into the White Tail Woods, Luna and a few other guards were still searching through the debris looking for any survivors. But they just keep coming across more, and more corpses. They were starting to loose hope that there was any survivors to be found, as the destruction of the craft looked to severe for anything to even live through it.
“Princess Luna!” the midnight alicorn and her guards ears perked up as they heard Rarity’s voice. “I found a survivor!”
The princess and her posse ran to where the fashionista’s voice came from, and upon leaving the wreckage, the group came upon the forest boundary. Where Rarity sat on the floor, her designer dress ripped up showing her long legs, as the dress was wrapped around the severed limbs of the barely conscious creature held in her arms. Blood oozing from the makeshift bandages, and soaking the unicorns lap, as she holds the creature’s head to her chest as she tries to comfort it.
“Guard!” Luna said to a unicorn stallion, who stood at attention. “Head back to Canterlot, and bring the best doctor the castle has, now!”
“Yes your highness!”
With that the guard teleported in a flash of his green magic. while the ponies waited for the guard to return with a doctor, Luna ordered the other guards to continue the search, who saluted her before heading back to the wreckage. As for Luna, she sat down next to Rarity, and began using first aide medical magic to keep the creature stable. While the night princess and the bearer of Generosity try to keep the creature alive.
“Princess…” Twilight said as she and Celestia search on the far side of the crash. “I don’t think there’s any pony alive.”
The unicorn said with sadness lacing her words. She’s never seen so much death and destruction in her life, so seeing all these bodies were greatly waying on her, and the stench of death, burnt flesh and smoke was starting to make her cough and gag. Celestia was also starting to feel the weight of the air, feeling it weigh down her body as her eyes scan over every corpse they pass by.
“…perhaps your right.” Celestia says with despair in her voice. “We should prop—”
“Princess!” the alicorn was cut off as a pegasus guard came flying towards her and Twilight. “We found one! We found a survivor!”
“Takes us to it!”
The guard did as she was told, and lead the two mares to where the survivor was. And in no time the three ponies found two other guards, near what looked like a wall with a door tilting out of the ground, where a pile of bodies sat. Celestia and Twilight trotted up to the pile of bodies…where they saw a female creature, blood covering her face…and a crying baby in her arms. The alicorn knelt down to try and comfort the female creature, but before she could say anything the creature spoke, it's dialect unknown and its voice weak.
“…U-ula…ula ke—kefa…” the creature slowly stretched her arms out, as if offering her baby to Celestia. The alicorn carefully took the baby in her arms, bringing it to her ample bust. After taking the babe into her arms, Celestia, and the other ponies saw the hole in the creatures chest, blood oozing out like a small fountaine.
“Ula kefa…gila toooo…” the creature's voice went silent as the ponies say her go limp, as the last bit of her life faded away. joining the other fallen creatures.
“Princess, what should we do now?” one of the guards asked as he looked at the alicorn, who was hushing the baby creature in her arms.
“One of you head back to town, and round up the guards left to take care of populace—” one of the two pegasi nodded and flew off to get the needed backup.
“As for the rest of us, continue the search. There might still be more survivors here.”
The other two guards nodded and continued to search. While the alicorn uses her magic to remove any blood from the infant, as she uses her wings to cover the babe, before both she and Twilight left the bodies to a more clearer area, so the baby did not choke on the smoke or feel the effects of the fire still burning away around them.
~~~~~
Several hours have gone by and when the fires of the wreckage have finally died down, and the smoke from the fire has been dealt with, the ponies have scoured the area for any more survivors. But out of the seven hundred passengers from the unknown craft, only two survivors have been found, the baby and the injured one. During the rest of the evening, a large force of guards from Canterlot came to the site, and began to remove the remains of the destroyed aircraft. While other guards gathered the bodies, and laid them out neatly on floor, before the guards began digging graves in a secluded area where only the princesses, and the element bearers know of.
As the sun began to set over the horizon, the last of the graves was occupied with a coffin, before being filled back up with dirt. Back at Canterlot castle, standing on a balcony looking at the spot where six hundred ninety-eight graves now stood, was Luna in a fresh dress before she heads off for night court. In the room sitting in a chair by the fire place, Celestia was in a night gown still holding the baby creature, allowing it to nurse from her own breast. With a little help of a spell to give the baby what it needs.
From the balcony Luna could see what looks like little blips of light slowly lightning up one, by one. With a little spell to enhance her eyes, Luna could now see what is going on, and what she was seeing brought a small smile to her muzzle. The midnight alicorn watches as each member of the element bearers perform a generous act for each grave. Pinkie Pie was placing a single cupcake on each tomb, Fluttershy was lighting a single candle, Rarity left a small gem, while Applejack places a fresh apple by the other gifts. As for Rainbow Dash, she seems to be holding a jar filled with something like a liquid rainbow, before she dips her hand in it and sprinkles sparkling dust over the grave. And finally there was Twilight, who seems to be saying something, speaking to all of the graves instead of just one.
‘Such selfless young mares they are.’ Luna thinks to herself as she disables the spell on her eyes.
But even as the younger mares perform this service to the deceased creatures, Luna’s smile quickly fell into a frown as she thinks about the events of the day.
“I still can’t believe how many innocent creatures died today sister.” Luna bemoans as she steps away from the balcony and enters her sisters room, and makes her way to her sister and the infant.
“And that the only survivors of such an event was that male creature, and this poor little one.” Luna says as she gently pets the baby’s head.
“I know what you mean sister, but at least we have reassurance that not all of them were lost.” Celestia says as she looks down at the infant as it peacefully rest and nurses. “How is the injured male, Luna?” the midnight alicorns stands at attention as she speaks.
“The doctors said he was lucky to survive the incident, and be able to live. But because he’s lost his left arm and leg, it will be difficult for him to even function probably.” Luna says with a sigh. “He’ll probably be stuck in bed, or bound to a wheel chair for the rest of his life, and would probably need a personal nurse to insure that he’s taken care of.” Celestia’s face devolves into a slight frown.
“Is he still unconscious?” the alicorn asked her sister, to which Luna nodded in response.
“The doctor says he probably won’t wake up any time soon.” Celestia gives a dreary sigh as she leans back into the chair.
“…and when he awakes he will undoubtedly want answers, but…” the alicorn looked down to the infant as it removes itself from Celestia’s breast before giving a big yawn, then nuzzling into the soft fur and bosom of the alicorn. “If this little ones mother was of any indication, their language is unlike any that we’ve heard. So communication with him would be impossible.”
“I’ve already thought of that sister.” Luna said as she stood in front of the fireplace. “While the creature sleeps, I will try and delve into his mind, there I might be able to learn the language of his people, and teach you and the medical staff.”
“Are you sure about this Luna?” Celestia questioned with worry evident in her voice. “Delving into the minds of ponies is one thing…but into other creatures, especially those of an unknown race…”
“I know.” Luna said as she turns to face her sister.
“It will be difficult, if not impossible. But if it can help us with the creatures recovery, we will need to know what he is saying. Also…” Luna once again looked at the sleeping infant in Celestia’s grasp. “He should be able to help us in raising the little one probably.” Celestia looked at the infant and her frown faltered a bit.
“That would be helpful.” Celestia admitted. “And would be helpful for the little one to have a member of its kind to teach it their ways.”
“And help us understand them, as we learn to try and help them in life.” Luna said to Celestia’s claim.
The clock in the room started to chime, nearing eleven o’clock. Luna bid her sister a good night, and gave the baby a gentle kiss on the forehead, before leaving the room to head off to night court. Now alone in her room the alabaster alicorn gazed at the fireplace, the fire making her see the burnt bodies of those creatures that have passed on. Looking away from the fireplace, the alicorn rises to her hooves and walks to her bed and prepares to go to sleep.
As she approaches the bed, her horn ignites with magic which began folding a spare blanket, and piling a few pillows to make a make-shift cradle. Carefully putting the baby down in the pillowy cradle, Celestia lays down next to it, and uses a wing to cover it and a hand to hold it securely.
“Hopefully, things will turn out better for you, and the other creature from here on out.” Celestia mutters as her hand brushes the head of fuzz of the baby, before sleep takes hold of her.
