“Oh! Look at our son! A highschool graduate!” my mom exclaims while she takes pictures. Just like mom to take picture right after I come off the stage.
“That’s right, honey! Oh, son we’re so proud of you! You didn’t just graduate, you graduated as the captain of the lacrosse and hoofball team, and with straight A’s!” My dad pats me on the back, as he praises me.
“Come on dad, it’s no big deal! You know more than anyone I owe my grades to you.” I reply, trying to shake off some of the compliments.
“Still, it’s quite a feat!”
“I do so agree, Sunji. You really are something special.” a feminine voice cuts in.
I turn around to see Rarity, “Thanks babe,” I pull the white mare into a kiss, “That means a lot coming from you.”
“So, my beloved gem, what do you have planned for your profession? Y’know I could always use an extra hand at the Boutique my daddy is opening up for me.” Rarity asks.
“I was hoping to get a job on a farm. Something that’ll keep me in shape, not to mention give me a sense of a hard days work.”
“Well, Mr. Farmer, don’t expect to kiss me then!” Rarity playfully responds.
“Only time will tell, babe. I’m still young, y’know; I can do anything I want to be honest.”
Three days later
“Hmph, Equestria at war… What the hell are the Princess’s thinking? As if we don’t have enough to worry about already.” Dad mumbles.
“Don’t worry about it, Dad. Things will blow over soon. I bet we’ve already walked into Griffonia and punched their leader in the face.” I nervously add. "At least, I hope something like that's happened..."
“You and me both, son…” Dad replies, burying himself deeper in the paper.
One week later
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“I’ll get it!” Mom merrily yells.
I hear the door open, and a rough voice cuts in, “Hello ma’am, I’m with the Royal Department of War; I regret to inform you that your son, Sunjinhan has been drafted for service. Here is his draft card; he needs to show up by the end of the week to enlist. Have a good day.”
I walk up to my mom, who has fallen to her knees; her soft sobs barely audible. “M-Mom… Don’t tell me I heard that right…” my nerves shrink, and my eyes go wide.
Mom doesn’t move or make an effort to keep her tears in; before sits my own mother, broken beyond repair. A draft...Just a week ago war was declared; this...this can’t be good...
“I feared this would happen.” My old man says as he walks up to us. “Gods be damned… Rose, please honey, I know how hard thi-”
“NO! No, they can’t take him! Th-There must be some way to avoid this…” Mom says as she rises to her hooves; and trying to wipe her tears, but to no success.
I look over to my father, his face is pale and looks as if his whole life has been taken away from him. “Y-You know th-that there is nothing we can do, Rose…” His voice trembles; something I’ve never heard, nor ever want to again.
Even Dad is breaking down… I never knew war had this much power… “Mom...Dad…” I try to muster up something reassuring to say, but can’t; my own fear consuming me. After a few minutes, I finally think of something to say, “You guys know that if they didn’t need me, they wouldn’t call...I-It’s for the good of Equestria, who are we to say no.”
My mom says nothing, but hands me the draft card; she looks at the ground, and slowly makes her way past us, and up the stairs. “Son, you should go out and say your ‘goodbyes’ to everyone. I’ll take care of your mother.” Dad reassures me.
_______________________________________________________________________
Well...I don’t have many friends, despite being atheltic… I guess Rarity and then see if Mac got drafted too. I stand up from the bench I was resting on, and start walking towards Rarity’s house. What the fuck am I going to tell her? Hey, I just got drafted, looks like our relationship is fucked. Well, see ya!... Yeah, that’s not going to fly; at least, not for her. Not for the one I love. I owe it to her to tell her thou-
“Owee…” a feminine voice exclaims.
“Oh shit, I’m so sorry… Cheerilee?” I ask, examining the pink haired mare in front of me.
“It’s all good, Sunji,” she flashes a bright smile as she rises to her feet, “If I may ask, what has your head in the clouds?”
“I-I got drafted…” I feel my shoulders slump, and the very thought of it makes me sick to my stomach. I look at Cheerilee, who’s happy smile has turned into a dark frown.
“Oh...my, I’m so sorry… Wh-When do you ship off?” Cheerilee asks in a downtrodden voice.
“End of the week.” I coldly reply.
“That soon… Please be careful, remember you have people here who care about you…” the violet mare pleads, a blush forming on her dark cheeks.
“Y-Yeah, you got it...” I absent mindedly reply.
“I’m serious Sunji, be careful! I wouldn’t want to see you hurt or worse. I really like yo-,” Cheerilee quickly covers her mouth, and slowly backs up, “Uh if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go...um…go get eggs!”
I wave goodbye to Cheerilee before I watch her run off in the opposite direction of the market. Well, that was unexpected...I wonder what would have happened if I had met her before Rarity… “What the fuck am I thinking? Come on Sunjinhan, you’re in a happy relationship...or were...kinda still are…” I mumble to myself, trailing off as I wonder what will happen. Once again, I set off for Rarity’s; at this point, it is right around the corner, no more than four minutes away. I wonder if she’s heard yet...
_____________________________________________________________________________
Knock Knock Knock
“Rarity, it’s Sunji; I gotta talk to you!” I shout upwards at Rarity’s window.
“Just a sec, darling.” Rarity happily replies. Within seconds, I hear footsteps coming down stairs, and approaching the door. The door swings open, “What is it that you want to talk about? I’m guessing it’s quite important, seeing as how you have to say it in person.”
“Rarity…” I pull the white mare into a hug, “You’re going to want to sit down for this, babe.”
Rarity nods, and takes my hand; she leads me to her room, and closes the door. “So, what is it that you are wanting to say?”
“Babe, you know how Equestria is at war?” I ask, trying my best to not to let my tears out.
“Mmm, I do think I read an article about it, why? I heard we should have this one in the bag.” Rarity replies, going back to work on a dress.
“I’m not so sure we have as big a handle on this war as the media says we do…” I solemnly state.
“What ever do you mean, darling?” Rarity asks, not taking her eyes off her project for a second.
“R-Rarity,” A tear trickles down my face, “Come over here.”
She complies, and sits down next to me, “Dear, what’s the matter? Is...Is that a tear?”
I take her hands in mine, “Rarity, I’m,uh, I'm going to be gone for a while…”
“What’s going on, dear? Did you pick up a job outside of Ponyville?” she asks hopefully, her hands grasp mine harder, and I can see she’s already connected the dots.
“Rarity...I-I got my draft card today…” I look her in the eyes as I confirm her thoughts.
“No...No, this just can’t be… W-We just went to war a week ago, and there’s already a draft? No… Sunjinhan, you cannot go! Th-They can’t have you! You’re mine, and mine alone to cherish and love!” Rarity breaks down completely , and buries her face in my shoulder. I calmly rub her back, trying to calm her down, “Sunji, you can’t...You just can’t! I need you here… Your family needs you here…”
“I know...But Equestria needs me out there. I don’t want to go, Rarity. To tell you the truth, I’m scared. Dammit, I’m not a killer!...” Woah, where did that come from?
Rarity stares at me with pleading eyes; a look that can make even the toughest stallion crack, “Of course you aren’t, darling. You’re the sweetest soul I’ve ever known! They.. The Princesses I mean, what are they thinking...Yo-you're just colts!”
I look down at the sobbing mare, and plant a kiss on her forehead, right below her horn. “I’m going to miss you… I’ll write to you every chance I get… And Rarity?” I ask.
“Y-Yes darling?” She wipes her tears, and looks up at me.
“Please, please stay mine until I come back. Please give me a reason to come back alive.” I plead.
“Now that’s just silly, why wouldn't I stay yours? I told you, I love you forever and always.” Rarity softly says, pulling me into another embrace.
“I love you too… Geez, how’d a guy like me end up with a mare as great as you…” I ask, lifting her chin up and planting my lips on hers.
______________________________________________________________________
I exit the townhouse, and wave to Rarity; one down, one to go. Damn, I hope Mac dodged this bullet; they literally need him at Sweet Apple Acres, I know AJ can’t do all his work on her own… I ponder, as I start my long walk out to the Apple family farm. Little 'Bloom is barely four years old... Granny isn't much of a help in the fields these days...
The walk out to the Acres is quiet and calm; the sun is starting to set, and it will be dark by the time I get back home. Just one more turn and… Here we are; Sweet Apple Acres, my employer for the past three years. I look at the fields of apples, rows of vegetables, and at the numerous sheds surrounding the farmhouse. I slowly walk up to the door, and yell through the screen, “Mac, y’in there?”.
“...Hold on a second, be right there.” A masculine voice yells. Seconds later, and Mac appears at the door. “Well, Ah’ll be, Sunjinhan! Ah ain’t seen ya since last year. Ah heard y’all graduated with some pretty good grades and what not.”
“Yessir, I sure did. Straight A’s and captain of both the hoofball and lacrosse teams.” I reply proudly. “But... that isn’t what brings me here. Mac, no point in beating around the bushes; I got drafted today. I came over to se-”
“To see if I got drafted too.,” Mac stepped out onto the porch, and closed the door to the house. “Yeah, Ah got mine yesterday. Keep it down, I already dealt with Granny n’ Applejack; Ah can’t imagine what would happen if ‘Bloom heard ya.” the burly red stallion explains, “Ah don’t know if Ah should show up or not. Mah cousin in Appleloosa said Ah could stay there for a spell while this war dies down. Sunny, ya know me; I don’t run from mucha anything...But this war… We ain’t gunna win it. We’ve already lost five thousand to the enemy, while we’ve only got six hundred confirmed kills…”
“Mac, I know it’s a hard thing to swallow; I’m going. Got no choice in it. But the sooner we go in, the sooner we get out. Just, go with your gut man.” I try to reassure Mac.
“Ah want to go and protect mah country; that ain’t it. It’s that I got mah family to take care of. AJ is still too damn thick skulled, ‘Bloom needs a father figure, and Granny needs all sortsa help. Business has been slow too, so we can’t afford to hire no one to take mah spot here. I need ta live for ‘em. Ah want to watch mah sisters grow up, specially ‘Bloom; Ah want to be there when she gets her cutie mark, and when the first stallion she loves hurts her; so Ah can beat his ass fer hurtin’ her. Just... there’s so much that Ah want to see, so much left that Ah wanna do...” Mac explains, tears running down both his cheeks.
I pat him on the back, “Mac, go with your gut; go to Appleloosa; your family needs you more than Equestria...”
“Ah...Ah don’t know. They’ll find me if Ah run. No matter how hard Ah try, Ah just know Ah’ll get caught and sent off anyway.” Mac says as he wipes tears from his eyes.
“Listen, tomorrow I’m headin’ into town to get my paperwork filled out; if you want to go with me, or at all, you know my number. If I don’t answer just leave a message. Shit, just meet me down at the Lunar Cafe after you get done working. Y’all still work from 5 to 2? Worse comes to worse, we’ll just have a cup of coffee for the final time before I ship out.” I ask.
“Yeah, everything is the same. Ah’ll aim to be down there at three in the afternoon, that good with ya?” Mac asks.
“Yup. Sounds like a plan, man.” I reply, and get up from sitting on the porch stairs. “It’s getting dark; I gotta head home. It’s been good talking Mac, I’ll...I'll see ya tomorrow.” I start walking away, and wave to Mac as I leave the farm. For the last time, I look up at the setting sun; admiring the serenity of the endless fields of apples. I'm going to miss this place...
