It was the day before thanksgiving, and Mise, Octavia, Vinyl, and Artemis were eating at Sugarcube Corner discussing the plans for the next day and Mise’s trip Ireland

“So, what are we doing tomorrow as far as who’s doing the cooking, what’s being served, and more importantly how are we getting there.” Mise asked

“my mom is doing the cooking, I don’t really know what’s being served, and it’s not that far from here so I would imagine we’ll just drive.” Artemis said

“Well, works for me, and octy, were still going to your family’s place for Christmas, right?” Mise asked

“Yes, but I should warn you my parents and siblings can be quite, how do I put this, particular, so don’t be surprised if they start questioning you or prodding.” Octavia replied

“It’s true, when I first met them I thought they were from the FBI or something.” Artemis said

As Mise heard this, he began to flash back to his hometown in Ireland, and the tragedy that ripped his family apart, one that caused him to stray down a path that would eventually lead him to Canterlot.

“Mise… Mise… Mise!? Are you ok, we just called you name like three times, you were just staring into space.” Vinyl said snapping Mise back into reality

“Huh, what, oh sorry, just thinking about something, it’s nothing, really.” Mise said trying to cover his tracks

“O...kay, well anyway, now that we got that part of the discussion out of the way, let talk about Mise’s upcoming trip to Ireland.” Octavia said

“What about it? I already told you why I’m going, you heard Jameson ask me.” Missed replied

“yes, but I feel as though the is another reason as to why you’re going, I would imagine the celebrations are only 2-3 days long, but you’re going for a whole week, why?” Octavia asked.

“I rather not talk about, it’s actually quite personal, and before you ask, no I’m not cheating you, I wouldn’t travel half way around world for something so stupid.” Mise answered

“Well, in that case I won’t push it, just don’t do anything stupid or regrettable.” Octavia replied

“Thank you and I promise I won’t do anything like that, not anymore, there’s only one thing I regret…” Mise said, whispering the last part.

“What was that Mise?” Octavia asked

“Nothing, I’m just thinking out loud. Anyway we start heading home to get ready for tomorrow and I still have to prepare for dinner tonight.” Mise getting up to pay the bill

“Is it me, or he acting rather suspicious lately?” Vinyl said

“Yeah, ever since he got invited to Ireland he’s been acting weird.” Artemis said.

“I say we find out what’s going on with him, come you two were going to get to the bottom of what up” Vinyl said

“ok all set, let’s go” Mise said as he came back and helped Octavia out of her seat

The four friends piled into Mise’s tank and drove off

“Mise you can just drop me, octy, and Vinyl off at their place, I have some things I need to do over there.” Artemis said

“Fine by me, I’ll be over in an hour or two; I have to some things to take care of myself at my place.” Mise said as he parked the tank in front of Octavia and Vinyl’s house.

Vinyl, Artemis, and Octavia got out of the tank. Mise then drove off down the street to his house. Blissfully unaware that he was being followed and spied upon.

Mise then got out of his tank and went inside his house and into his room.

The walls were adorned with posters and pictures depicting the spirit of Irish rebellion, the book shelves filled with books on everything from cooking to science to world history and everything in between.

Mise walked through ‘study’, as he called it, to an ordinary black case standing upright in the corner. Mise picked it up and opened it to reveal a mandolin. He took the mandolin and made his way out to his tank.

Unbeknownst to him Artemis, Octavia, and Vinyl were hiding just out of sight waiting for him to come back out.

“What’s taking him so long; my legs are starting to hurt from crouching in these bushes.” Vinyl complained

“Sshh, there he is.” Artemis said as Mise walked out with his mandolin.

“What’s he doing with a mandolin?” Octavia whispered

“I don’t know, lets watch and see what he does.” Vinyl said.

Mise then climbed on top of his tank and sat on the hatch. He then looked to the sky and began to speak

“it’s been a while since I done this, but I just hope I haven’t lost my touch, I know you used to always love it when ironsides would play the
mandolin for you guys. Rest in peace, my siblings. Here goes nothing” Mise said with tears starting to form in his eyes

Mise began to strum away at the mandolin, he soon began to sing a song that clearly was close his heart.

“It was Sunday bloody Sunday; when they shot the people there. The cries of fourteen martyrs, Filled the brave Derry air.
They tried to blame the Provos. You must blame it on the Brits. Not a soldier boy was bleeding .When they nailed the coffin lids!

Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day! Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday was the day!

It was Sunday bloody Sunday, when the paras they went wild. They were shooting indiscriminately, at man woman and child.
Father Daly waved his hanky, he tried to anoint the dead, but the soldiers kept on firing, kept on shooting evil lead

Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day! Sunday bloody Sunday , Bloody Sunday was the day!

You say we are a majority, but you know that's a lie. You're really a minority in this, the Emerald Isle
Did you care about majorities in Fermanagh and Tyrone. You took them from the people and kept them for the crown

Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day! Sunday bloody Sunday,
Bloody Sunday was the day!

You English, Brits and Scotties sent to colonize the North. You wave your bloody union jack for all that its worth
You´re living here in Ireland, sure Ireland is your home. It´s Ireland for the Irish, not for London nor for Rome

Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day! Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day!

You governments of Great Britain you should apologize, for the way you treated Ireland, for you cover up in lies
Your invasions wars and famines. Killed millions in the land .When a peaceful united country is all that we demand

Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day! Sunday bloody Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the day!”

Mise had now finished the song and put down the mandolin and looked up to the sky once more and spoke but this time with tears rolling down his face

“I’m so sorry, I…I…I’m a horrible brother, why I couldn’t have been there for you, I should have brought you home when I was supposed to, and because of me, you both dead and I’m alive, living with the guilt of that day.” Mise said as he broke down in tears.

Octavia, Vinyl, and Artemis, were now crying as well. Octavia was the first to break her secrecy as she ran over to Mise who was now kneeling on the ground

“Mise!” Octavia shouted as she ran over to her boyfriend’s side.

“Octy? W…What are you doing here?” Mise said trying to compose himself.

“Mise, I heard you’re song you were singing, what happened to you, and what happened to your siblings?” Octavia asked visibly shaken by what she had just heard

Vinyl and Artemis decided to stand off to the side let Mise and Octavia have their moment.

“it all started back when I was a young maybe 6-7 years old, I don’t remember exactly, anyway, I was still living in Ireland with my parents and my two younger siblings.

One day my parents left us home alone and told us that they’d be back later that day and that if we wanted I could take them to the park but I had to be home by 3pm.

I decide to take my parents up on their offer and we went to the park. It was almost time for us to head home, and as we were getting ready to leave a group of people started to gather in the street, being little we thought I was like a party or something fun, so we went over there, not caring about the time.

I now know it was protest and what happened next changed my life forever. One moment were making our way to the front of the crowd and next thing I remember are hearing loud bangs and screams.

I later found out after I woke in the hospital that the military was called in and they opened fire on the crowd and my two siblings were killed in the cross fire.

My parent concluded that the protests and turmoil there wasn’t safe so they fled here and the rest is history” Mise said as he tried to hold back his tears.

Octavia was trying to do the same until she and Mise both broke down into tears

“Oh Mise, I’m sorry that happened to you, I…I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like for you.” Octavia said behind her tears.

Just then as Mise and Octavia got up off the ground Vinyl and Artemis came running over after hearing what Mise had confessed and started hugging the pair

“Mise, if you think for even a second that that was your fault your crazy, that was just a horrible set of circumstances played on a group of kids.” Vinyl said

“Yeah, it’s not your fault that you mistook a protest for a party or something, for crying out loud you were just kids.” Artemis added and they broke the group hug

“Thank you all for your support, I really needed to get that out of my system, and you’re right I can’t blame myself for what happened that day.” Mise said as he wiped away his tears.

After the four friends gave Mise their condolences they made their way over to Octavia and Vinyl’s house for dinner and to get ready for the next day

Author's Notes:

FYI this is the song that Mise was singing. song starts at 0:54, but watch from beginning shows important information

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeK2PWqyGLQ

his story about his siblings is loosely based off the tragedy of the "Bloody Sunday massacre" in Derry, Ireland in 1972