In Memoriam
by Mugen Kagemaru
Pre-read by RK-Striker-JK-5
Inspired by "The Curse Of Longevity" by MisterAibo
and the observations of both Patriot Day and Memorial Day in the United States Of America.
[h-t-t-p] :/ / misteraibo [d-o-t] deviant art [d-o-t] com / art / Curse-of-Longevity-228243107
(Why does this site hate links so much? -MK)
Celestia set the final candle next to the photo of dear Lavender Aurora. This was the second-most recent of the subjects on her wall, passing away just a few years before Celestia had taken Suns-
No, don't think about that right now.
Such a wonderful, creative mare Lavender had been. In fact, her granddaughter Amethyst Star recently moved to Ponyville, just a month or so after Luna's return.
And then she thought of Luna, and that fateful day. Celestia sighed, looking over all the pictures and photos on her wall. It wasn't like her to get so down in the dumps, but all the same, it was not as if she could not feel regret. She regretted what she had done on that fateful day over a thousand years ago. She regretted the loss of her parents, and the choices she had been forced to make as a result.
It was then that Celestia decided to write a letter. One she would likely never send, but one that needed to be written, lest the words, and the feelings behind them, threaten to tear her mind asunder. Fetching pen and paper, gazing at her wall and the candles she had laid out, she thought of Twilight Sparkle and began to write.
My most faithful and beloved student Twilight Sparkle,
As you know, I am over a thousand years old.
What you likely don't know is for how long I ruled with my sister before she's succumbed to her anger.
Let's just say it was a while.
I have taught so many disciples before you, and every so often I light a candle to remember each of them by, which can be so difficult at times, because every single one of them took a piece of my heart to their graves with them.
It's just so hard, knowing that one day; I'll miss you just as much as I do them.
Someday, when you're an old wise mare like Granny Smith, you will probably know a small fraction of what I feel even now, as I write this. Perhaps you already do, from all those you have already lost over the years.
There is nothing I could say that could soothe the pain of loss, for indeed, if such words existed, my loving parents would have taught them to Luna and Dre-
-to Luna and myself when we were children.
All I can say is that you should cherish what you have while you have it, for when it is gone, nothing you gain afterward can ever replace it.
Your teacher and student alike,
Princess Celestia Lauren Solaris
Co-Ruler of the Principality of Equestria
Embodiment of the Daylight Sun
Celestia looked over the letter she had finished. Save the single mistake she had made, it would have been fit for sending whenever she chose. Perhaps she will rewrite it later, just without the little bit that had slipped out before she had caught herself.
Someone knocked at the door. It was the typical seven-beat rhythm used when knocking at a door.
Match in a gas tank! Boom, boom!
He had arrived. He was even on time, and too conveniently at that. After a few seconds, she answered.
"Enter." Heaven condemn her, did her voice just crack?
The door opened, just a crack, far enough for a head to peek in at her.
It was a young, fair-skinned human man, appearing as if he had recently come of age. His brown hair cascaded off behind his head like some waterfall as his pointed ears twitched. And then his eyes, a solemn blue, with slits for pupils, softened as the rest of him entered.[1]
It was then that Celestia noticed that her guest was not wearing his usual black longcoat, shirt and pants, but a black formal suit, with a bow tie. He had even foregone the gloves he normally wore.
"Ah, Mugen," [2] Celestia said nervously. "Forgive me, I was thinking. Is it time already?"
The young man, Mugen, nodded solemnly. He had been planning his own observation of Remembrance Day and had invited Celestia and Luna to join him. For now, having come to fetch Celestia, he took the liberty of looking around her room.
"I see you're also remembering people," he said. "Prior disciples, I take it? You did mention having the idea not long after That Day."
That day, he had said. The day they first met, and the day Luna had been lost...
"Oops," he chuckled. "Sent you off down Memory Lane again, didn't I? Quite all right, really, even I do it from time to time!"
"Even you?" Celestia asked. "Where, then, do you put all your focus on work or socializing? I would have thought that one such as you would be too busy with the present to remember the past, let alone those who have passed on ahead of you."
"For a time, that was the case," he replied with a grim chuckle. "It took a great war to teach me what it was to lose something very important."
He opened the door all the way out.
"Well?" he asked. "Shall we head out?"
In a recently completed section of Canterlot was what looked like a large goblet, in front of which was an altar on which a single lit torch rested. Between them were some stairs leading to the rim of the goblet.
Along the goblet's side, just under the rim, was an inscription.
IN GEDENKEN AN DIE TOTEN
ODER VERLORENEN
(In Memory Of The Dead And The Lost)
The altar bore an inscription too, on both long sides of its rectangular shape.
FÜR DEN DER SICH
AN SIE ERINNERT
(For The One Who Remembers Them)
Already standing at the altar was Princess Luna, having raised the Moon an hour before, and was passing the time by adding the stars to the night sky. She had expected her friend to delay. Both he and her sister had it in common that they both had a lot of painful memories as a result for living long lives. Of course, Luna had her share, but, unlike her sister, she was more adept at coping. She had to, so she could do her job better.
"Luna Zacherle Starlight," said a voice behind her. "Why does it not surprise me that you're all alone out here? I told you we were going to be a few minutes."
Turning, she saw her friend Mugen arrive, with Celestia in tow.
"Not my fault you take so much time reminiscing," she replied, smiling with a raised eyebrow. "I actually expected you to take longer, if you must know. What's with the bow-tie, anyway?"
"Hey!" Mugen protested. "F- er, buck you! Bow-ties are cool!"
The three shared a laugh.
"All the same, though, thanks for coming, both of you," Mugen said. "You've no idea what it means to me that you've joined me here tonight. I was going to ask Pinkie and Fluttershy to come too, but they had their own plans, it seems."
Celestia and Luna each nodded. Mugen nodded back, and approached the altar. Taking the torch, he climbed the stairs to stand above the goblet. Staring into the depths he nodded again, and drew an "X" in the air with the torch flame, which opened up into a four-leaf infinity flower. Within each leaf was an eye, with slits for pupils. This was Mugen's personal symbol, as it appeared on the back of his left hand.
Mugen raised his free hand, and slowly thrust it forward. The blazing symbol flew forward into the goblet, which was immediately filled with a large fire, burning bright in the shadows of the night. He nearly turned to leave, but then his thoughts turned to all the people he had commissioned the goblet and the altar for.
His friends, family, and comrades-in-arms, who had died or sacrificed what life was to them, and in some cases even more than that. He had forgotten how many of them there were, only knowing that their number was vast, and each of them had meant something to him. And so it was that, his free hand so clenched it had drawn blood, and tears flowing down his face, that his otherwise calm expression spoke with a cracked voice.
"I really miss you guys..."
Celestia and Luna heard this, and they hung their heads, weeping for their own lost and departed. For how can one contain their own tears, when another's are running?
Dedicated to:
John W. "Bill" Griffin, Sr. *19XX - 1996*
Mary E. Griffin (née Dilts) *193X - 2001*
James R. Cutler *1937 - 2011*
Melissa C. Helms *19XX - 2012*
Tyler S. (Brother of Rowanoak23) *XXXX - XXXX*
and their surviving loved ones
who will never forget them, no matter how long they live.
[David] said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me, and the child may live.' But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
-2 Samuel 12:22-23 (NRSV)
~~~ R.I.P. ~~~
Our beloved Serge
~~ Died age 7 ~~
~ Nobody can take ~
anything away from him.
~Nor can anyone give~
~~anything to him.~~
What came from the sea
has returned to the sea.
-Inscription at the Alternate Cape Howl, Chrono Cross
The following notes correspond to things in the story that my pre-reader, the honorable RK-Striker-JK-5, initially raised, but also that I had satisfactorily explained to him.
[1] His pointed ears and slitted pupils. Signs of him being... different... from what you would expect. I would love to explain it, but it involves information that I feel has no real place in this particular story. If I ever write for this universe of mine again, and I hope I do, then I will hopefully be able to explain his, ah, different-ness... in all the detail I can. Unlike the thing below, I feel I must keep this information to myself until such time that I can cover it in this universe of mine.
[2] His name. Yes, it's the same as my username. No, it's not a coincidence, and no, it's not what you think, either. It has to do with the character's meta history, which, like his unusual physical traits, I feel is best explained elsewhere. If it's that important to you, send me a PM and I'll be more than happy to explain.