The Shadows of War

To: Mister Steel Wing, Corporal (Dschg.)

From: Office of Veterans Affairs (Forwarded from Office of Intelligence, Army)

Re: Request for Information, Orange Blaze

Mister Steel Wing,

We regret to inform you that at this time, we must deny your request for information regarding the whereabouts of one Staff Sergeant Orange Blaze. Her current location and status are classified Top Secret under Royal Order 2365.21, Denial of Information Act of 937ALB.

We understand that you two were close, and that this time of year is a hard time to be denied information about friends or loved ones. However, providing this information would constitute a breach of national security. Please do not send further requests for information. We have received and reviewed all [11] Requests, and any further will constitute harassment of government officials.

We here know that you served your country proudly, and well, but Staff Sergeant Orange Blaze is still in active service, and on a mission. However, if you wish, you may send letters to her to the address provided below, and we will forward them to her whenever possible. Be aware that letters will be screened before being forwarded.

Sincerely yours,

Paper Work, Office of Equestrian Intelligence.

I sighed, setting the letter down. Over the past two weeks since Hearth Warming Eve, Dash and I had agreed that I should try to get into contact with her, and I had sent a letter every day like Pinkie Pie had suggested. We were still cleaning up after my birthday party... I had turned Twenty yesterday, and Rainbow Dash had congratulated me on making it. Her humor, while in poor taste, was understandable, as a few weeks ago I was so messed up that I could not have hoped to make it on my own. My face in that paper back then was a reminder that the whole town knew that a crazy veteran had tried to pull a jumper. Still, today was to be a bit packed.

First, I had a most curious offer: Golden Bits had requested that I apply at the bank as a security guard or consultant, and although I had insisted that I was only a soldier, she said that my background as a sniper meant that I knew how to size up a situation, and that all I really had to do was look over bank plans she sent to me, and isolate security breaches. That meant I had the awesome resposibility of looking at secret plans for banks that had not been constructed and make sure that nopony could break in. I could look at guard plans, floor plans, electrical plans, all sorts of things. Rainbow had flipped her lid at that, congratulating me on that offer.

The amazing thing was the money. Golden Bits had started with an opening offer of twenty thousand bits a year for my exclusive services put on retainer, and an additional five thousand per plan I consulted on, as well as a standing day job at the local bank branch if I so wanted as a guard shift manager. She had evidently politely declined to keep paying the police department to keep her bank secured by them, and had decided to hire some gunpony freelancers. My first job as a consultant would, if I accepted, be to check them out and make sure they were legitimate.

Secondly, I needed to go to the police station firing range with Rainbow Dash so that I could teach her how to shoot. But that brought another issue... I needed to talk to Applejack. Applebloom had spoken to me about wishing to shoot, and to be honest... I wanted to teach her. The look in her eyes told me she was going to learn one way or another, and better a... well, not to toot my own horn, but better a professional do it than she learn bad habits from someone else. Still, even with how reasonable Applejack could be, and Big Mac being a gentle giant, it was NOT a conversation I was looking forward to.

I also needed to go and visit the hospital to get a refill on my medications, but that could wait till tomorrow if need be. Those meds were important, and despite my distaste at needing them, it beat drowning in alcohol and jumping out a window. I had friends who took care of me, it would be selfish of me to lose the progress I had made. It was a mission to me, my personal war.

Across the breakfast table from me, Rainbow Dash was fiddling with the Luger. I had yet to make sure she knew to handle it safely, and as such, I made sure the bullets were under lock and key. MY key. I had seen people smarter than her blow legs or fingers or arms off with dumb weapon practices. When she noticed me looking, she looked back at me. “What? Something funny here?”

Blinking, I forced a smile. “Naw, its fine. You just keep playing with that, you're gonna wear it out before you get a chance to use it. Hey, I DO need to get going... are you sure I can be out on my own? I don’t want to get in trouble with Silver Star again.” And I don’t want to get you dragged away from work... not on my behalf. Again” I thought, but I kept that to myself. No need to bring it up.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding. “Should be fine. Just head down to the bank when it opens, and do your best. You SURE you're ready for a job? I mean, you can take your time easing into things. Remember what Doctor Turner said? Take it easy.”

I snorted. “Actually, he told me to do what I think I needed to, he just sounded a bit uncertain I could do it. I charged into enemy fire several times, I think I can handle at least an interview. It is just a consulting job where I get to look at paper all the time, and maybe a job where I sit in a corner all day watching the floor of the bank. I think the worst I will get is a migraine” I said, rolling my eyes.

She sighed, putting the Luger down carefully, and looking across the counter at me dead on, her eyes meaning that she was serious. “I know you are a bit tired of just hanging around all day but... Dammit, I don’t know. I don’t want you to get hurt anymore. You did plenty already, you were in the war! You should just take it easy, pick up a hobby or something. You don’t NEED to do this.”

For once, I opened my mouth but didn’t reply offhand. She was right... my veterans checks were doing enough to pay for the food I consumed and more than enough on the side that I COULD move out to a cheap flat on my own where I legally allowed to. As it was, it had furnished my bed with a new blanket and gotten me two new sets of decent clothing, one of which I was wearing now. I could take it easy, and... why shouldn't I?

You don’t want to sit around. Blaze clearly isn’t... dammit, you have done plenty of sitting around already. You can't hide from life forever, and you sure cant hide behind Rainbows wings. Like your Drill Sergeant would have said, get out there and make something of yourself.

With that thought in mind, I got up. “I have an interview to get to... but thanks for your concern. I do want this job, Dash. I think you have been taking care of me long enough. If I don’t do SOMETHING, I'm gonna go stir crazy in here. What is it now, a month or so? Time Turner said I am doing great, well ahead of whatever schedule he had put out for me. He said I am progressing faster than most patients, and that whatever friendship you guys have given me has helped. But I can't rely on that forever. I want to DO something, not just wait for things to happen. And I am tired of people thinking of me as the crazy ex soldier. I would prefer them to think of me as the crazy bank guard.”

She shrugged, and sighed. “Whatever you gotta do. Hey, good luck with it, not that you'll need it. You got this in the bag” she said, although her smile looked forced to me. Still, I headed out, pulling my jacket on to protect against the bitter cold. It would be another month or two before Winter Wrap Up, and with any luck, they might do it a week or two early. I REALLY didn’t like the cold.

The walk to the bank was not terribly long, and although I got a few sideways glances, I arrived exactly one quarter of an hour early, or as I considered it, right on time. ALWAYS arrive early. The bank was closed, it would not open for another two hours, but my interview was scheduled to begin as soon as the interviewer got here, whoever that was. Miss Bits had taken an interest in me, but she had not yet told me who would be checking me out.

Finally, the Tram pulled up in the road, and off of it came three figures: Two mares, each dressed in a harsh business suit, and one stallion who was... at first glance, he was in a suit of his own, but I could make out faint shapes under his jacket, the details grabbing my eyes. There was undoubtedly a sidearm tucked into his jacket, probably a snub-nose revolver from how small it was, or a single shot holdout. Regardless, I found myself standing up straighter, not quite at attention as they approached. One of the mares looked at me, and made a “hmm” noise, before going to the door and unlocking it. The other mare, a drab brown with a black mane, smiled at me. “Mister Wing?” she asked, her voice sounding like she smoked far too much. The smell of tobacco hung around her... I knew soldiers that smoked three packs a day and didn’t smell THAT bad. She was saturated.

Forcing a smile, I nodded, and held out a hand. She started to reach for it, but then hesitated. My heart leaped to my throat, and a look down confirmed the worst: It was trembling like a leaf in a gale. Or a breeze, it wasn’t that bad this morning. Still, it would be a major inconvenience if I was required to do a sidearms test. Did they do those at an interview?

A wave of panic flooded over me, and I forced my smile, heart pounding. “S-sorry ma'am. Just a bit nervous... Doctor Turner says that it isn’t anything serious.”

She looked hesitant, but a stern look from the stallion and she took my trembling hand, shaking it firmly and beckoning me to follow them inside. As we walked, I could see that the minor damage to the inside had been cleaned up, and she started speaking. “My name is Pen Stroke. I am to interview you today. I am given to understand that you stopped a robbery here just before Hearth Warming Eve?”

I nodded, my cheeks coloring a bit. It was a bit embarrassing, I had only done the decent thing. I guess people like inflating stories, the current rumor was that an elite team of Royal Commandos had stormed in, guns blazing, to kill and/or arrest nearly fifty heavily armed gunponies that were dead set on destroying a bank that was really a secret meeting place for all four princesses. Of course, that was only a rumor.

As we went to her office, the stallion parted ways with us and remained behind at the front desk. She led me inside, where she took a seat and pulled out a typewriter, feeding in paper and then looking up. “Feel free to take a seat... and you're not in the military any more, Mister Wing. You don’t have to stand at attention” she said, smiling in a more friendly manner.

Flushing even more red, I forced myself to relax, let my shoulders droop a bit, and to unclench my hands. The shaking seemed to have stopped for a while, but knowing my luck, it would show up at the worst possible moment later. Still, I remained standing for the time being. It was easier to think while standing up. As I stood there, she looked through a few papers, and on the back of one I recognized the Equestrian Royal Army stamp, and from the color of the paper, it was probably my discharge papers.

Finally, she looked up. “Alright. It says here you were a sniper attached to an infantry rifle platoon throughout the war. Most of your service record is... spotty, to say the least, but it seems that you are highly skilled at combat. Is this fair to says?” she asked, looking up at me.

I nodded. “Yes Ma'am. I was trained for long range combat, but I am not really supposed to talk about some of what I did. Everything in that report is all that matters though, I guess.” I was a bit conflicted, as I KNEW that some of what I did was a bit classified, even they were some of the worst kept secrets in the military.

She nodded again, and sat back. “Alright, you are being evaluated for the position of a security consultant. The company would like to pay a retainer to keep your services exclusive to us, and that means that you will have to sign non disclosure agreements, and sign confidentiality reports. You pass our criminal background check, even with the... incidents listed by the Ponyville Police Department. Miss Bits already put a note in here to disregard any reports other than felonies listed by Silver Star, and you don’t have any of those. Is there anything you do not understand here?” she asked, pushing a few forms across the table.

I looked at them. The first was an NDA, and the second was something that more or less stated that I was required to protect their secrets and not tell people of the weaknesses I found in bank security. Everything seemed straightforward, and I shook my head. “I think I understand everything, Miss Stroke. So what about the Security Guard position Miss Bits mentioned?”

As I signed, she shook her head. “We still need to look into that, but we will be sending you profiles of the guards we intend to hire should you be taken on for this job. Okay, you signed here and here... that looks good” she said, peering at the paperwork I had just signed. Finally, she took them back, peeled off the carbon copy underneath, and put it in a separate folder, looking at the clock. “Alright, we will be opening soon... I think that is everything. You are currently staying with Miss Dash, is that correct?”

I nodded, and she continued. “You should hear back from us within the next week or so. I wouldn’t worry, you are a shoe-in for this job. Miss Bits was very pleased with how you handled the situation, and apparently your eye for detail should come in handy here. So for now, let me offer you an early welcome aboard” she said, smiling. Reaching out, she took my hand firmly and shook it once more as my heart settled down. I had done something right! All by myself!

I was still beaming as I walked out the front doors of the bank (Having also made a withdrawal from my account to get myself some lunch or what have you during the day) and waited on the sidewalk for the tram to come by. The day was clear out, but thick snow still covered everything, lending the world a quiet, clean air. Ponies tended to stay at home, being with families... At that, my heart twinged. I should visit mom... I left so suddenly... I thought. That darkened my mood a bit as I climbed on the tram and showed my military ID.

The ride out to the edge of town was going to take a while, as the tram made a circle of the outer edge of the city, and it was heading three quarters of the way around to get to the exit to Sweet Apple Acres. As I sat on the mana-powered vehicle, a very elderly stallion looked up from a faded photograph at me. I don’t know what sparked it, but he looked at his watch, and then made a motion for me to come over. I was a bit taken aback, but after a moments hesitation, I moved up a seat next to him. He smiled at me, and put the photo into his pocket. As I went over, I couldn’t help but think he was oddly familiar, but I had no idea where I had seen him before.

“Whats your name, young fellow?” he asked, squinting through thick glasses. His voice was surprisingly strong for a stallion of his age, although his arms were a bit frail. He had to be past eighty, but there was something about his eyes... though slightly dulled by cataracts, they held a fierce alertness. He was, I noted, a unicorn.

“Erm... Steel Wing, sir. Can I do something for you?” I asked, trying to be polite. To be honest, I didn’t really want to talk, my stomach was churning at the thought of the earful I was about to get from two thirds of the Apple Family, and the squeals of excitement from the youngest should I succeed. Still, it usually didn’t cost anything to be polite, and could gain quite a bit.

He leaned back and shook his head. “No, I don’t think anyone can do anything for me anymore. I'm just down here to visit my wife's tombstone once more... probably going to join her sometime this month. Waiting for a heart attack any day, nothing any medicine can stop. Lifetime of abuse and some issues with chemicals.” he said, giving a wan smile. THAT comment sure got my attention.

“Ah... Sorry sir... I know it must be a bit hard...” I said lamely, not sure what to do in this circumstance. Pull it together!” my brain screamed. Try not to mess this one up. What can you do to comfort him? Probably NOT what Rainbow would do...

To my surprise, my dilemma was resolved when he leaned back and gave a hearty chuckle. “No, not really. But you know what WAS hard? Coming back home after the Dog Wars. Don’t worry about not remembering... before your time, laddie. Hard coming back after seeing all the killin' and the violence, isn’t it?” he said, eyes twinkling.

Finally, I realized what it was that I saw in him. The shoulders, how he held his head slightly cocked, something we never stopped doing after hefting heavy rifles all day, the slouch in his spine from standing up at attention too often... and the wear and tear on his body. A scar on his arm... These thousand tiny details told me that this stallion was a war veteran, a survivor of the last bloody conflict. There had been no draft, but when Brayzill had requested help agains the Diamond Kingdom, Celestia had offered rewards for anyone who would sign up for the army. A small war, it had only lasted four months for our involvement, but had seen over twenty thousand casualties. The biggest problem down there had been that the Diamond Dogs had created a new kind of weapon (For its time), chemical based weapons like Mustard Gas and some other nasty things, like Chlorine Gas and Mana Burn. Our war had been just over six months, and several million dead due to bullets and only a small amount of chemical attacks, none of them near where I had fought. Still, the look in his eyes was that of...resignation. A stallion who knew his fate, had accepted it, and calmly awaited it. I had seen it in the eyes of every mare and stallion on the boat with me heading towards a beach that was built like a fortress.

After a few minutes, I simply nodded at him. “It... it is hard. But it is easier when you make a few friends, and they support you. How did you... get back?” I asked, looking at him.

He sighed. “I got married to the love of my life. She took me in, she helped me get past my shell shock, and in the end, even though I couldn't summon a shred of magical energy since a gas attack, she married me. I had nothing to give, but that was okay for her. Us soldiers have something nopony else ever will. We appreciate all the little things that civillians take for granted. Each day we wake up is a blessing, and waking up next to someone you love is even better. Whoever you get together with... they will see that. They will see that all you want is the little things. A job, a house, a warm bed. That's enough for me... and I'll wager that is enough for you too lad.”

I sat back. In less than twenty minutes, this old stallion had imparted a bit of wisdom on me I doubted I would forget anytime soon. THAT is what Rainbow saw in me? It was true... I wanted this job, not for the money but for the sake of having it. The house over my head... I was grateful for it. My friends... I would never take them for granted. It was true. Being so close to death so often for so long... it really gave a new perspective on things. Still, soon enough the tram stopped on the road leading out to Sweet Apple Acres, and I got up. Looking out to make sure it was my stop, I looked back. “Thanks for-” I started, only to see something curious.

The stallion was gone. All that was in his place was an old faded photograph, showing a unicorn stallion in an old fashioned uniform with his arm around a pegasus mare, both supporting a small blue Pegasus filly that was strangely familiar. I recognized all three of them and a smile touched my lips even as others looked at me oddly. The back of the photo read “Steel Horn and Ivory Wing, daughter Blue Cross. Taken 923ALB.”

Sometimes you didn’t need to know what happened for it to be important. Probably best not to mention this to Doctor Turner, though. I tucked the photo into my pocket and left the tram, still smiling, feeling contentment in my heart.

No no NO! Fer the last time, there's no way, no how that yer gonna get it inta Applebloom's head that shootin' is a good idea! Thats what she gots Big Mac and me for!”

I winced. This was going approximately according to prediction. The moment I had broached the subject of learning to shoot, Applejack, the only one here at the moment, had gone big sisterly on her little sister and had her arms crossed. Big Mac was taking Applebloom to a Crusader meeting, whatever that was, but should be back soonish with her. “I understand, Applejack. But Rainbow Dash agreed with me that it would be a good thing to learn, and if she doesn’t learn from someone who knows how to shoot... I have seen people a lot smarter than her lose important bits due to stupid mistakes! I know you don’t like guns, but if it weren't for them, I... I don’t even want to think what would have happened with the Timberwolves!”

THAT stopped her short, and she opened and closed her mouth several times before just shaking her head. “Ah know you mean right by it, but... Applebloom nearly got drafted, ya know. Her and Scootaloo both. Apples ain’t meant to go out there and be winnin wars...”

I scowled, crossing my arms. The hike here had not been easy on my weakened body, and I was a bit crossed at how stubborn she was. This was a family affair, but I HAD to make her see reason on this. “Except your cousin, Bad Apple. He is the one that taught ME to shoot... sort of. But he taught us all about proper rifle practices when not in combat.”

Once again, she was lost for words before the door behind us slammed open and Applebloom came in, followed by Big Macintosh. At the sight of me, Applebloom's eyes ligt up, but the fire in Applejacks eyes extinguished hers and she quietly headed for the kitchen while Big Mac looked between us. At his raised eyebrows, Applejack said “Wing here things he oughta teach Applebloom how ta shoot. Can you believe that? Is there ONE good reason why Applebloom should get ta handlein guns?” she said, exasperated at my calm logic.

The room went silent for a moment, then Big Mac set down a barell and nodded. “Eeyup. Ah sure cant be here forever, and you cant either. She gotta take care of herself sometime, and Steel Wing here's the only one offerin ta teach. Thats unless ya wanna ask Silver Star, and ah don’t like that fellow one bit.”

Finally, Applejack threw up her arms and stormed off. “FINE! Yall just go out there and knock yerselves out playin with them deathsticks! Don’t come cryin ta me when Applebloom gets inta a bad spot with em!”

When the door slammed behind her, I turned to Big Mac, who just sat down in his chair, pulling off his boots. I stood there awkwardly, until I stated sheepishly “Sorry... I don’t mean to be causing disruption, but I do think Applebloom should learn to shoot. I'm gonna be teaching Rainbow, since I got her a Luger of her very own, and... well, with all the nasty things in the woods...” I said, but he cut me off by shaking his head.

“She needs ta learn, but not right now. Ah gotta get this sorted out with AJ, and Applebloom don’t need to be workin on somethin new right now. She gots her studies to focus on. Ah know you care, and ya only wanna do right by her, but just keep those thoughts to yerself for now, alright?” he said, looking at me with serious eyes. Finally, I nodded, feeling a bit down. What had started with hope had been dashed, but for now, I needed to let it go. Pushing a point with him would be useless.

The walk back to Ponyville was not all that bad today, as even with nearly a foot and a half of snow the sun shining on me both lifted my spirits and the temperature. It was nowhere near as bad as the negative thirty in Gryphany, and I could see drops of water on the end of icicles, signifying that it was getting near to the end of winter. I sighed and ruffled my numb wings, wishing that I could feel the cold air through the feathers. It really wasn’t fair. Then again, that was SOP for my life.

Finally, I got back to Rainbow's house. The front door was locked, but the spare key she had given me solved that problem. Glancing over, I saw the clock read 1400. Between my traveling and walking and arguing, I had missed lunch altogether, although I still felt a bit queasy from my nerves. The incident on the bus... that bothered me a bit, but mostly it was a source of comfort. Always nice to know a loved one is watching over you. Sometimes I woke up, shaking of the fragment of a dream, and thought that it was nice to have someone to talk to. That was silly, as it was hard to hold a conversation in your sleep.

Rainbow would be home soon, an early day off according to her, but as a manager I would bet bits to banana bread she had scheduled her day off on her own. She used to be the weather manager at the Cloudsdale Weather Factory, if what I half remembered was true, so it made sense she would have traded for at least an equal position here. What was she doing right now? Probably making sure to schedule a rainy day on the harvest parade next fall... the thought brought a chuckle to mind. She was a prankster, but usually in harmless fun.

One Lettuce and Tomato sandwich later, I was sitting in front of the Television, watching while someone did a gag reel on Princess Celestia, the mare playacting as her waving cardboard wings around and spouting how she was best princess. Personally, I favored Luna, as the night was calm and gentle. At night, it was harder for enemies to spot you, and it was easier to sleep. Ponies like me were meant to rest and find peace in dreams, and she must care quite a bit as my nightmares had all but stopped. Thank the Dark Princess for small miracles.

As I was watching Princess Fakelestia do her third cartwheel to a laugh track, the door clicked and opened, and Rainbow Dash came in, popping her neck. “Wing, you here?” she called, hanging up her company coat on the coatrack, and walking into the living room.

“I'm here” I replied, looking back at her. Though her face was a bit tired, her eyes were bright and focused. “Ready to get going?” I asked, smiling and pointing at the Luger on the counter, rigth where she had set it this morning.

Her eyes lit up again at that, and I swallowed a lump. Though I knew we were not going into combat or a whole war, gunfire still made me... tense. At the least. Just the THOUGHT of it was... NO! Focus. This is for the mare that has taken you in, taken care of you, put up with your issues, and spoon fed you life itself. Get a grip, you charged a beach once without flinching. Okay, SOME flinching... Now get ready to-

“-Go? Hello? Equestria to Major Tomato? Anyone home?”

A tap on my forehead startled me out of my thoughts, and I smiled. “Sorry. Got lost in thought” I said, rubbing my forehead, and looking up at her. She had a zipped up case, presumably holding the Luger I had given her, and she was grinning at me like an idiot. Her smile went ear to ear as she said “Lets go! This is gonna be so awesome!”, face lighting up like hearth warming eve all over again. I could not resist her charms, so finally we were on our way.

We got a few strange looks, me carrying a very long box, and her a small cloth case, both of them clearly meant for firearms (Indeed, mine was marked “Special Applications Rifle, Mark I, Anti-Personnel/Anti Material” and emblazoned with the “Royal Army of Equestria” symbol. In a twist of irony, they had kept my helmet, but let me keep my rifle. The reasoning I had been given was that this rifle was being phased out of service, but another soldier may need the helmet. At least I was allowed to keep my boots. Nobody would want THOSE again.

I knew it was going to happen, but we finally got off of the tram next to Ponyville Police Academy and Central Station. Office of over two hundred police officers to patrol a city that had, at last count seventy thousand ponies, they were always stretched to their limit. That did not stop a familiar pony with a silver six sided star for a  destiny mark and another with a shiny brown button on his arm from approaching, scowling at us, hands a bit too close to their sidearms for my comfort.

“Miss Dash... Mister Wing. I need to ask you to stop there. Carrying of firearms on Government property is illegal for civilians under Federal Code twenty three twenty three point eleven, statute of reasonable limitations on civilian self defense. What the HAY do you two think you are doing here with guns? Wing, I thought you would know better” said Silver Star, scowling at us. At least they both knew better than to flat out arrest us, as Rainbow Dash was one of the former elements of harmony.

Rainbow, for the first time since I met her, seemed a bit nervous. “Hey Wing.... you said we could use the range here...”

Silver Star grinned. “'Fraid not, Miss Dash. If you take two more steps, you are on federal property with firearms, and that is a felony. Two years MINIMUM. How about you two turn around and go- why the HAY are you smiling?” he demanded, looking at me.

I stepped forward twice, holding up my wallet with my ID. Oh Celestia, I had been waiting for this!

“Under Federal Law, Regulations regarding Veterans and Militia, Code Twenty Three Twenty Three point Seventeen, those who have served a full tour in the Royal Infantry or Royal Marines Infantry are entitled to carry firearms onto government property as long as they are accompanied by current active duty or reserve personell. That regulation was made after the Minotaur invasion so that ex-soldiers could enter ranges and practice, with the noted example being police shooting ranges, so that we can keep up our combat skill in case we are called back to duty.”

He turned red, then a shade of purple similar to Princess Sparkles. “You... Dammit, where is your military escort then?” he demanded. I looked at Rainbow Dash, who looked at me, confused, and then her eyes brightened. “Oh! Second Lieutenant Rainbow Dash, Reserveist in the Equestrian Air Force, Performance and Demonstration batallion, Reserve Wonderbolt! Ha!” she crowed, pulling out her own identification, and passing it over. A moment later, a much larger stallion walked over.

“Something wrong, Captain? You don’t want MORE demotions do you?” he said, as Silver Star ground his teeth in frustration. Every once in a while, everything just went my way. This was one of those whiles. After a moment, the larger stallion took our Identifications, looked at them, and handed them back. “Firing range seven, clean up your brass. Get going, you two” he said. Silver Star's protests were cut off as we headed towards the building, following the signs to the range in question while Rainbow walked next to me.

Finally, I turned to her as we entered the small range and asked “Second Lieutenant? You are a commissioned officer?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. They said it was not for combat, but a... what was it? Professional Comission? The same kind they give surgeons and math guys for research or something? I don’t have any clue. I never had people to boss around, that's for sure. Say, does that mean you get to call me ma'am?” she said teasingly.

I shook my head. “Not a chance. I got out, remember? You try giving me an order, and I will show you a cool hand gesture I picked up my second day of boot. So do you get a salary?”

She nodded. “About two hundred bits a month.... not much, but sometimes I get to go and show off for Canterlot nobles. I got to kick a cloud over one of them once... Prince Blueblood. Rarity made me promise, and after how he treated her, I wasn't gonna say no. So... what do we do now?” she asked , pulling out the Luger and examining it.

I cleared my throat. “Okay, some rules. I am teaching you how to handle a firearm, despite the fact I am probably going to not sleep well tonight. I don’t mind, everyone should know how to defend themselves, and guns ARE starting to get more popular. The first rule is that you treat every gun as if it is loaded. Even if you can see the bolt open or the chamber clear, or you know it is empty, or you can see that the damn thing is half melted, assume it is loaded and treat it as such. Got it?”

She opened her mouth as if to make a smart remark, but then her eyes moved down to my hands and she nodded. “Got it...” she said, a bit quietly.

“Second rule: Do everything I say, when I say it, no questions. If I tell you to something, it means it needs to be done. If I say we are done for the day, we are done, and if I say that you need to drop the gun, you drop it instantly. Got it?”

She nodded again, and I kept going. “Third rule... assume everyone around you who is holding a gun is an idiot who does not know the rules. If the muzzle of their gun is aimed at you, move. And then punch them in the face for being an idiot. The next one is the most important to remember.”

She looked down at the Luger and then carefully set it on the firing bench, looking a bit more somber. As it was, I could not have hit the broadside of a barn right now, and my heart was pounding. My throat felt dry, and I coughed once, before looking down and back up at her.

“When you fire a round... it is gone. You can never take it back, and even you cannot outrun the consequences of that shot. When you shoot someone or something... a piece of lead weighing a few ounces will leave faster than even our eyes can follow, and it WILL ruin something's day. Never shoot if you have not identified a target, never fire over a hill, never fire if you do not know what is beyond your target. Dash... Trust me on this. If you ever shoot someone by accident... you wont ever forgive yourself. I know.”

It was quiet, other than shots from other ranges in other buildings, before she asked “Did you accidently shoot someone?”

I nodded. “Squadmate, Orange Blaze. I wasn’t watching where my gun was pointing in close quarters and... I hit her in the leg. I took her right to be in the last battle away... I needed her badly. Listen, Dash, guns are not bad things. People are bad. No gun has ever killed a person, but even without guns, people will find a way to kill each other. Just learn how to handle a gun right, and be smart, and nothing bad will ever happen. Now, what are the rules?”

She looked startled at the pop quiz after my sobering remarks, but then thought. “Treat every gun like it is loaded, do what you say, assume everyone else is an idiot, and make sure you always know what your shot is gonna do.”

I nodded. “I got the same lecture my... third? Second day? Early on in boot. Alright, I got you about four boxes of ammo for that, so we have a couple of hundred rounds to burn through today. Let's see if we cannot get you to sharpshooter.”

Finally, we were starting. I showed her how to load the gun properly, check to make sure nothing was jammed, and then pulled out a set of earplugs, putting them in and making sure she did the same. After that, I said (a bit loudly) “Just take a few shots down range to get a feel for the gun! It is gonna kick up a bit, like if you cupped your hands and someone punched it! Don’t worry though, its a tiny thing! Point it downrange at the target and just pull the triger a couple of times, but wait between shots! Fire when I give the order!”

She nodded, and she looked a bit nervous. Despite her seeming to like guns, it was clear she had never handled one. Evidently, firearms certification was not a part of Wonderbolt training. She took a stance, and I reached down and nudged her leg a bit. Moving it back until I was satisfied that she was not going to fall over when she flinched, I stood up. “Fire!”

I saw her jerk the trigger twice, and then she made the mistake I was waiting for. She closed her eyes as her finger tightened, and I yelled “Stop! Finger off the trigger!”

She gulped but complied, and looked at me. “What? Did I do something wrong?”

I nodded. “You closed your eyes. I know that it's a loud noise and flash, but please, for the love of all that is royal and holy, keep your eyes open. You will not hit your target if you do so with your eyes closed. Also, squeeze the trigger slowly, don’t jerk it or you will throw off your aim. Other than that, two clean misses.” I smiled, looking down range. One shot had hit the dirt below the circle target, the other had plinked off the pole, a shot that would be amazing if were not a total lotto. She snorted.

“Sure, how about YOU do better when the target is that small!” she said. The fire of competition was in her eyes, but I shook my head.

“Another time... okay, here... mind if I correct your stance?” I asked, before coughing again. There was quite a bit of dust or smoke in here... the air was pretty dry.

She grinned. “Correct what you need to. That's an order” she said, and I demonstrated the gesture I had learned. She guffawed at my extended digit, before I moved in and looked at her. Her stance was actually pretty good... shoulders squared, not slumped, legs apart a bit... curvy rump, level with her shoulder blades... toned arms holding the gun... I felt a hot flush in my cheeks.

Rainbow was quite a looker, but I had a job to do here. Besides, I was her roomie... I moved in behind her, and looked her over, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. For reasons I could not comprehend, even after hours spent in the company of nude females in communal showers and changing rooms, and a total lack of libido since getting back, I realized that Rainbow Dash was REALLY good looking with that gun, and my cheeks burned a bit.

“Um... am I good? Hey, you just gonna keep staring?” she said, and I started a bit. A second later, I moved behind her and stood on my toes a bit to look over her shoulder.

“Y-yeah, thats fine. The rear sights can be adjusted, but I made sure they are in line. Keep the front site centered between the rear ones, and the tops level, then bring that point in line with your target. Your target is the center of the circles, the Bull's Eye. So named after General Ram Bull, the only minotaur to serve as an advisor to Princess Celestia in a time of war, and who could hit a small target at long range with an old musket. Bit long winded but his stuff is still in our learning books.”

Rainbow nodded, and looked down the barrel of the gun. Noticing her breath, I leaned in, saying “Here, breathe slowly. In, out, in... hold, and fire. In, out, in, hold, and fire. Keep aligned, and fire when I-” I said, before she fired.

Instantly, my heart stopped as I stumbled back, the unexpected shot startling me. Reaching out, I tried to catch myself, but ended up grabbing Rainbow's shoulder. Not enough to support me, the grip only served to off balance her, and the gun fell from her hands onto the ground. A second later my world rotated oddly as I went stumbling over the ammo box, Rainbow caught me, and we both went to the ground rolling.

When we stopped, I was on top of her looking down, and she was looking up into my eyes. It was like something out of those movies we saw in the big tents, only my heart was pounding from fear rather than anything else, and my eyes were still wide.

Finally, she broke into a grin. “Oops! Hehe... sorry?”

It was an accident... accidents happen. Like what happened to Orange Blaze. THAT sure was a GREAT accident wasn’t it? You KNEW this was a mistake, Wing you idiot! NOPONY should use guns, and you least of all nowadays, yet you take her here, teach her to fight, and soon she's gonna go off to the next war and you will lose your friend, and be right back in your bottles. And trying to fly again. Steel Wing, you are an idiotic maggog and you should have died in the mud with the rest of them.

She looked like she was going to say something before I got up, feeling numb inside, and grabbed the Luger off the ground, ejecting the magazine and pulling back the slide, emptying the chamber. Checking it was open and clear, I closed it up and placed it back in the bag. Trying to form words, I eventually got out “W-we... we're done here today. Lets go home.”

Turning around with the bag over my shoulders, she nodded as I coughed again. I felt a headache coming on, and all I could think of as I looked at her was how PERFECT she was, and how she was the last person in Equestria I wanted to lose right now.

Rainbow looked devastated, but my heart still beat hard. The shock of the surprise round had rattled me, and the magazine of ammo I was tucking into the bag rattled just as hard. I didn’t speak a word until we got home, where I drank a glass of water and went to bed, ignoring her troubled gaze. I didn’t want to talk to anypony right now... but I did need to write a couple of letters. Letters were easy, because when you got a reply, you could ignore it for a  while. You could wait to open it.

Dear Mom,

I know I haven't written to you since Hearth Warming Eve, but things have been a bit busy around here. Living with Rainbow Dash has been... difficult, sometimes. Moreso for her than for me, I think. At times, she is loveing and caring. Time Turner says I shouldnt hide anything from you in my letters, but... it is hard for me to admit sometimes I wake up, and I cant stop crying like I did when I was a little colt, but she holds me and I feel a bit safer. Quite a bit of the time she reminds me of Orange Blaze, but unlike Blaze, she's here for me now. I can't believe Orange Blaze is still in the army... we both promised we would get out and never go back, but I got back and she is still out there. I think I might want to re-enlist. They can't turn me away, not right now, not with a war still going on in Neighpan. It was a lot easier in really, and at least then my dreams would be no worse than being awake. I hate sleeping now, I hate it so much.

Tell Azure Skies I said hi, and thanks for taking care of you while I was gone. I do miss you, and I promise I will come visit when things are cooled down, but I can't do anything right now. I guess I know a bit now why dad was always so intense when he was home... he may have only been National Guard, but he was still a soldier, just like me. And Grandpa. I guess blood runs in our family, but I really wish at the same time I had never been picked. I feel all jumbled up and you always know what to say. What should I do? Should I go back in? Please write back soon... I need your help mom.

With Love,

Steel Wing

I leaned back. Was it too much? I didn’t know. My thoughts were a jumble, and my chest felt hot and cold. Leaning over and coughing a couple of more times, I tried to shake off my headache as I set pen to paper again and started writing.

From: Corporal Steel Wing (Dschg.)

To: Office of Intelligence, Army.

Re: Letter to Ssgt. Oragne Blaze.

Dear Orange Blaze,

I guess you never came back home, did you? I don’t mean to be rude, and I know you can't talk about what you are doing, but WHY? For the love of all that is holy and right, why the HAY did you stay in? I've been worried sick wondering where you are, and I found out this morning that you are overseas again, or in some hole in the ground doing stuff for the Office of Intelligence. I don’t know how much of this letter will be covered in black ink, but... I wish you would come home. I found a new friend, Rainbow Dash, but I wish you had been here when I got back. I also hope you can forgive me for shooting you...

I still have nightmares, or at least I did up until this week. Sometimes now they are not all that bad, but other times they are really bad. I see you sometimes, but usually it is that beach. Do you dream of the beach too? Or Saint Feathersburg? How can you go back in after that?

Stay safe out there, and... just come home again someday. I lost enough of my friends... WE lost enough of OUR friends, I can't lose you too. Your dad and family need you. I hope you had a happy Hearth Warming Eve, and I hope New Year's is okay as well.

Your friend,

Steel Wing