So far things had gone pretty smooth. We were three songs in and the ponies had pulled out all the stops. First, when the curtains opened, was a lone trumpet in a small band. Three Pegasus mares in wonderbolt dress uniforms stood center stage around a single mic. It took me all of three notes to pick up what this was; a favorite of my grandfather, I remember him playing it quite a bit as a young boy.

I was pretty sure one of the three mares was named High Winds, I only knew that because Dash had introduced me to her yesterday before Jackie and I headed to bed. The beat was good and they were on key the whole time. With a huge smile, I headed out on stage as the song ended, holding my note card.

Waiting for the applause to die down I leaned into the mic. “Well, that was a big surprise; I remember listening to that song as a little boy. That was Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrew Sisters. Sung for us all tonight by...”

I glanced at the card and chuckled out loud. “The Wondersisters, and the cover band,” I gestured to the twenty or so other ponies on stage, “The Human Experience.” Again I started to chuckle, how could I not?

Glancing to the card again I reached up to adjust my Stetson. “That song came out in a dark time of human history, a great war.” I glanced up and noted the thousands there, many leaning forward listening, ears up.

“Humans being what we are, wanted music that uplifted us, music that gave us a reason to forget the war for a moment. This song was one of the bigger of that era. So, again, as they leave the stage everyone, giv…”

I was cut off when a loud voice yelled, “Everypony!”

Twilight! I should have known, I almost facepalmed as the crowd started to laugh and applaud at the same time. I glanced up at purple dork, to see her stick her tongue out at me.

---

The next song had been one from the late 50’s. I was quite surprised to see the crystal pony, a stallion, absolutely killing it on an electric guitar as he led a small band into Johnny B. Good.

The stallion’s name had turned out to be Opal Gleam, and his band was called ‘The Two Tones’. Odd that, I think there was a band in the 80’s called that back on earth.

Ponies had pushed back the first two rows of chairs in the amphitheater and created an impromptu dance pit after the first song. I had peeked out from the side stage to see ten or twelve couples dancing to the beat, including Captain Cross and his wife, each with one of their foals on their back. That is exactly why I wanted to do this, to see people, or rather ponies, enjoying themselves.

---

The next song up had brought us a rather portly older stallion with flowing hair who I swear to god sounded just like Elvis! So much so, he had, along with a band, done quite a good job of singing in the old rocker’s style. I knew him only because I had reviewed the show recently again and knew his name was Gladmane.

While I was never really an Elvis fan myself. Hearing him and the band go at it was a treat. I walked out on stage after he and his band were done taking bows and I gestured. “That was Gladmane and the Second Chances, bringing you a song from 1957. A singer who took the world by storm, named Elvis Presly topped many of the music charts with this exact song. Called, oddly enough, Jailhouse Rock”

Now was my first song, we had agreed I would not tell any of the audience before, so I looked at my cards. Not even the princesses knew what songs I had chosen to play, only the select ponies that played in the band, and backup, knew for sure.

“Next act will be up in about five minutes, so if you all wish to stretch your legs, or get some refreshments, now would be a good time.” Turning, I stepped behind the curtain once more.

---

Walking out to the soft applause of the crowd, I worked hard to keep fear down. I mean hell, no pressure; I was about to sing in front of more ponies and creatures than I had ever before.

Behind me in the soft light, many of the orchestra had set up. A few ponies were new, one such was the mint and gold unicorn sitting at the Steel Guitar in that odd way she sat. I really had to give Lyra credit, she picked up one of the most difficult string instruments to play, like she was born to play it, in under two months.

Up on a grand piano sat another pony I had not expected when we first started to practice. Vinyl Scratch sat with a long coat on, tails almost to the floor, and she’d even had her mane done in a very formal style. Standing at her side with her Cello, was her girlfriend… marefriend, whatever: Octavia.

I sat down at a bench that was set up for me at center stage and nudged the mic closer with my foot. My old Guitar in my lap, I used my other foot to hook a mic stand over near the strings.

As the applause died down I exhaled and pushed a smile to my face.

“Tonight is about sharing, but it is also about honoring the sacrifice the guard gives every day. My first song of the evening comes to us from a gentleman named Toby Keith, it is called… American Soldier. “

I glanced back and gave a nod, the conductor lifted his wand. The strings started in soft and light before a few notes were played out by Vinyl on the keys of her Piano. I lifted my guitar up, and plucked off the cords as the words left my throat.

I'm just trying to be a father
Raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother
Everything to everyone
Up and at 'em bright and early
I'm all business in my suit
Yeah, I'm dressed up for success
From my head down to my boots

I could see every single face looking up at me. Every set of ears lifted high so as not to miss a single thing. However, there were other things going on, I saw a few of the guard sitting closer to the stage look over at mares or stallions at their side and back up at me.

An electric guitar started in, and then the soulful sound of Lyra on the steel. Adding in that set of cords is what really brought the soul to country music.

I don't do it for the money
There's bills that I can't pay
I don't do it for the glory
I just do it anyway
Providing for our future's my responsibility
Yeah, I'm real good under pressure
Being all that I can be

Now the drums came in, as soft as the rest of the orchestra had joined in part by part so far. I myself was lost to the moment now, eyes closed as I just sung. No heartsong, but it didn’t matter to me. I may be a Ranger, but I am proud I know how to sing and play this beat up old Gibson in my hands.

And I can't call in sick on Mondays
When the weekends been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays
And sometimes all night long
You can bet that I stand ready
When the wolf growls at the door
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady
Hey I'm true down to the core

The rest of the orchestra came in now, missing only one group I knew had a roll coming up. I looked up and out past the lights of the stage to see the crowd. I could see many of the Guard and their special others with a leg or claws around each other as they listened. I could see up in the grand box, Cadence had her baby in her legs and Shining Armor had his leg up around both of them.

And I will always do my duty
No matter what the price
I've counted up the cost
I know the sacrifice
Oh, and I don't want to die for you
But if dyin's asked of me
I'll bear that cross with honor
'Cause freedom don't come free

The tempo kicked up hard, and I had to match my singing to it. A bit more push to my voice, a bit more effort, but it was worth it to me. My thoughts focused on the words, but someplace deep inside I knew an Equestrian flag flew behind me, with a small tribute to America next to it. My new home, and my old home… both deserved my best.

I'm an American soldier, an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy
I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the front lines
sleep in peace tonight
American soldier, I'm an American soldier

The repries kicked in, a few of the band behind me cranking up into the chorus. By the sounds of it they were really into it too. The gryphon and pony on the electric guitars were strumming it out right on note, and saying nothing of Lyra’s quality was amazing for sure. Well, here comes the big part, I smiled because I loved how this part sounded.

yeah, an American soldier, an American

And in they came, Big brass bells rung out loud and clear. The team of earth ponies on them sounding them right on cue and adding that heart thumping soulful tone.

Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy
I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the front lines
so sleep in peace tonight
American soldier, I'm an American

Many of the instruments dropped out, and I picked back up with the strings of my old acoustic. However, one new thing joined in; a snare drum, tapping out the almost haunting ‘ratta tatt tatt’ that soldiers had marched to for untold ages.

an American
an American soldier

One by one we dropped out, until it was only Vinyl and that lone snare drum. Then Vinyl played her last cord, leaving one Lunar Thestral pony with one light on her. She had been chosen for the impact of the moment. Standing in her Guard uniform, Left eye missing with a patch over it, snapping that drum roll out with sticks held in her leather like wings.

You see, I wanted ponies to understand. I wanted them to get why I picked this song. I felt many ponies didn’t understand just how much the guard sacrifices for them. Was it heavy handed, perhaps, but it got the point across.

As she ended her part, the applause crashed into us like a wave. I smiled out at the crowd making a ruckus, but it was one group near the back yelling the loudest. I could see even with the glare of the stage lights, their uniforms matched the one worn by the lone thestral drummer.

I finally calmed folks and gestured for her to come forward.

“Everyo…” I paused and pointed at the royal box with a finger. “Everypony” lowering my finger.

“First, I would like to thank everypony and birdy,” again reading from my cards, “from the Canterlot Philharmonic for playing, including our guests. On the Piano, DJ Pon3, and on the Steel Guitar for the night, Lyra Heartstrings of the ponyville classics orchestra.”

More applause kicked in, I lifted the hand not holding my old guitar.

“I would also like to introduce Lance Corporal Dusky Fireball, our drummer tonight.”

As I introduced her, that small group near the back went nuts! Hoots, howls, cat calls, all the things you would expect of fellow soldiers. I noted her blushing hard as she walked down because I gestured to her. I continued, “Feel free to say something Lance Corporal on your way by.”

She laid her ears back then let out a hoot and called out over the mic. “Twenty First Lunar Recon!” getting an even louder reaction from what I took to be her squad, and a slightly softer yet still enthusiastic reaction from many of the other guard in the crowd.

You see, I knew why she was missing that eye. She had lost it tracking the rats who had escaped the prison. Doing her job, at the bidding of the Rangers. I was more than proud and happy to let her and her squad have their moment in the sun, so to speak.

“Ok, while the stage crew gets set up for the next band, I am told it will take ten to fifteen minutes; so feel free to do as you want, as long as I don’t get called to break you up!”

Yea, this was actually going like I had hoped it would.

Author's Notes:

Dusky Fireball was used with the permission of her creator SockPuppet

She is not cannon to his story, and is alternate world in this story. You can find her cannon story here. The Ponies in the Caves