Aftermath

I never really thought I'd be in such a position like this, to be honest. Stuck standing guard over Twilights casket. I sighed as I watched ponies walking up to pay their respects. Starlight, Trixie, a drunk Moondancer. After the first hour, faces started blending together. I vaguely remember a green unicorn hugging the casket and getting removed carefully by a cream colored earth pony with blue candies on her flanks. After everypony left the viewing, I was finally able to head home. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by a blonde haired Pegasus jumping on me.

"Hey Derpy", I spoke.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash", the mare in question grinned eagerly. Standing behind her was her two daughters, Dinky and Amethyst Star.

Rolling her eyes, Amethyst walked up and pried her mom off me. "Let her take her uniform off, she just got home".

Derpy nodded and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry".

"It's fine", I replied. "Long day".

I walked into me and Derpys room and started to take my helmet off, tossing it on the bed. Next came my chest plate. I smiled sadly down at it and pressed my hoof against the star cutie mark emblazoned on the front, next to the words captain on the front.

I was still super surprised when Twilight asked me to be the captain of her personal guard. There certainly had to be more qualified ponies than me but I didn't complain and jumped at the offer.

"You want me? As your captain?" I repeated in surprise.

Twilight nodded eagerly, "I can't think of anypony better. You're brave, would be great at training other guards. Need i continue?"

"I don't know Twilight, seems like a lot of work"

"Well it is. Unless of course you're not up for the challenge", Twilight remarked walking to her bookshelf.

"Woah now, i never said that. I never back down from a challenge", I leaped up and said.

Twilight only grinned.

I was still standing there when I noticed something holding onto me. Glancing down, there was Dinky, grinning up at me with wide eyes.

"Hi!"

"Hey squirt", I said affectionately, tussling her mane.

"Mommy sent me to get you for dinner"

"Thanks kid", I said smiling. "How long was I standing here?"

"Oh about an hour", the little unicorn replied. "Me and Sparkler were placing bets on how much longer you'd be standing here before you fell over. I guess I owe her five bits now".

Wow, an hour. Didn't notice that. Me and Dinky started walking to the dinning room. Derpy and Amethyst were already there waiting. On the table sat my favorite food: Lasagna. I guess the two other grown ups knew I had a rough day and wanted to surprise me. It worked, I'll admit.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Derpy asked as we sat down.

Tomorrow? What was she even talking about? Then it hit me. I completely forgot I was pulling guard duty at the arena entrance. I was kinda surprised at how fast the Guards found all those responsible for the crime. It only took them two weeks. Granted, they probably used force to get confessions but no matter. I knew all my friends would be there, minus Rarity. She just disappeared after the viewing. Something about going home.

I nodded. "Yeah I'm ready".

"Do I get to come? Do you two have a date?" Dinky started popping off questions at only the speed she could do.

"Absolutely not". Derpy said firmly. "You're too young for where we are going. Sparkler is gonna stay here with you and watch over you till we get back".

The mare in question rolled her eyes. "Seriously mom, I wanna be called Amethyst now. Sparkler was a childhood nickname".

Derpy smiled and apologized. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting".

Amethyst smiled and hugged her mom. "I know, it's okay".

We ate the rest of dinner in silence and all fell asleep in our beds.

Waking up early, I started putting my armor one again. Chest plate, helmet and the nightstick on the side of my armor.

Derpy somehow snuck up behind me and hugged me. "Purple really does match your eyes". She said smirking.

I rolled my eyes. "I suppose so. It is a pretty nice color".

Leaving Dinky behind was an ordeal. She grabbed onto us and hugged us for eternity it felt. She hugged even stronger than her mom, and that was saying something. Amethyst somehow freed us and we waved goodbye.

As soon as we got to the guard station, I could already tell it was a whole mess. Derpy went to go be with Octavia and Vinyl in the stands while I worked my through the crowd of guards. A flash of brown caught my eye and I immediately recognized the pony. I narrowed my eyes and looked at the nearest guard.

"Flash! Grab that pony". I pointed my hoof at the one in question.

Flash flew over and shoved the pony to the ground and stood with a hoof on his back. "Don't move". He growled out.

I flew over and joined him. "Bring him into the guard station. We're gonna have a conversation".
Flash nodded and we both dragged him to the station as the crowd of people cleared a path. Finally getting inside, I shut the door and turned around looking at the pony.

"You have balls, I'll give you that Caramel". I started to walk to him. "Coming here, after what happened in Ponyville. Yes, I know what you said about Twilight. You were banned from coming here. You knew this, I had White Lightning and Raindrops deliver the letter personally to you. And yet you still showed up".

He shakily got to his hooves and looked at me. I continued talking. "Why exactly are you here?"

"To watch, is all", he replied.

At that moment the door opened and Flash flew back in, carrying two saddlebags. "He dropped these. Inside is spray paint and a banner that says and I quote, 'Fuck Twilight Sparkle'".

I nodded my thanks and turned around, smiling.
"Flash, lock the door".

"Yes ma'am", he nodded and locked it.

As soon as he did so, I swung a hoof at Caramels face. He gave a cry and fell over.

"That was for Twilight", I snarled.
I kicked him in the side, being able to release all the anger I didn't know I had inside me.

"You can't do this", Caramel whimpered. "It's illegal, I'm in your custody and you're assaulting me. You'll get arrested, just like the guards in Ponyville will".

I gave a humorless laugh. "Wanna know what the guards said? They all said they never saw you until that day and you were already injured".

He widened his eyes. "There was a crowd of ponies there. They will tell the truth".

I leaned in close and grinned, "That's the best part. They all corroborated what the guards said. Roseluck, Lily and Daisy said you accidentally fell into their roses and that's how you got all the scratches. Cheerilee said you broke a leg by having a bookcase falling on it after you offered to help move it. Redheart said she helped fix it up at your house. Lyra said you got a black eye by running into her house. All of Ponyville loved Twilight. Nopony will believe you"

"Uh, boss", a voice spoke up. I glanced up and saw White Lightning accompanied by Raindrops. "We love the show, don't get us wrong", Raindrops piped in, "but there's a pony watching the window". She pointed a hoof and sure enough, there was a blue unicorn with an hourglass cutie mark watching.

Fuck, I thought. "Flash close the blinds and get her". I ordered.

Flash closed the curtain and smiled. "That's Minuette, she was a friend of Twilights growing up. I trust her, she won't say anything".

I nodded and looked back at the other Guards in the room. "Lock Caramel up in the cell, we'll let him out after the executions are over". Raindrops and White Lightning nodded and grabbed Caramel and flew him to cell. When her partner opened the door, Raindrops shoved Caramel inside and glared at him, smiling coldly.

White Lightning locked the cell and turned around and nodded at me.

"Let's get a move on. We got some evil ponies to put down". I moved to the door and flew out, accompanied by my four fellow guards.

The day finally ended and I got to be alone in my thoughts while I showered. Thinking about all me and the other mane six accomplished. In a way, I was honored to have been a part of it all. Not the investigations or anything, but being a part of mane six. Knowing Twilight. Saving Equestria multiple times. It was without a doubt, the best thing I've ever done with my life. I looked over at Derpy sleeping peacefully, then to my left and gently straightened a photo of all of us and Twilight on my nightstand.

"Night Twilight", I said before passing out.

A purple cloud formed next to her bed and took the form of a pony. It smiled down at her.

"Goodnight Rainbow", Twilight said before disappearing just as quick as she had appeared.