Blood, everywhere. It pooled in the desert sand, saturating the ground until it could hold no more of the liquid. Men, women, and children lay in the final throes of death, some moaning, some screaming for their parents or loved ones, some merely silent, accepting their deaths. Smoke rose from a the town center as the smoking craters cooled. A squad of soldiers looked over the gruesome scene, the remains of a village that the enemy had decided was committing treason against their cause, and therefore should no longer exist. Medics rushed to give first aid to those who could be saved, but in the end it was almost hopeless. When the plea for help had come, David's unit had been called. They had deployed as fast as they could, but they were minutes too late. It was into this that Luna walked. Dream David felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned, but instead of his friend PFC Ryan, he saw the pony woman who had visited him a week ago.

"I had no idea...." Luna said softly, the dream frozen like a paused movie.

"War is hell, Luna, and one does not forget hell." David said sadly. he motioned to the carnage around him, "This is why I became the best warrior I could, because I made myself a promise that this would never happen again, at least not on my watch. " he sighed. I can never save them. No matter how many times I dream, I can never let it go. I am retired now, even though I kept my body in the best shape possible, age and time have degraded my body past the point of where it is useful for more than basic duty."

Luna had no words, she could only draw him into a hug as he began to shake softly, tears running down his face. Slowly the dream around them began to dissolve, shifting until they were in David's bedroom. David opened his eyes, but instead of waking up in bed alone like he usually did after a nightmare, he found the princess who had been walking his dreams laying next to him, still locked in a hug with him.

If anyone had looked in at the moment, they would have seen a very odd sight. A dark blue horse-humanoid hugging this rather large, intimidating looking old man. Once in a blue moon might be one way of describing the sight.

"You.... you are real?" He asked, not really knowing what else to say aside from 'WHAT THE FUCK.' And that would not be polite, especially going off of his intel, all of which told him she was a princess.

"Silly stallion, of course I am!" she was interested in how this human, who was so strong, maintained his strength even at such an old age. She booped him on the nose. Her soft, fur-covered hand surprised him.

"Why are you here?" he asked, trying to resist the urge to pull the pistol out from under his pillow.

She sat up and looked down at him, smiling at the battle-weary face. "I have come to teach you about Equestria, a place where you can come once you die, and live with me. I need a warrior such as yourself to whip the royal guards into shape, they have been lacking, and frankly, we need someone with experience in actual warfare."

"My days of fighting are over. I have seen enough bloodshed for my lifetime." David said, sighing. After his war days, he had turned to studying, and learning ancient crafts to try and keep his mind out of the war. A futile effort. Now that he had retired, he did not even have his teaching work to keep him going. His entire life had been war, from the beginning, dealing with bullies, and his parents constant bickering. Then She came into his life. she showed him that love was real. She had given his life meaning, something to come home to every time after deployment, but nothing can last forever. Death had taken her to a place far beyond the mortal coil while he had been deployed halfway across the world. A single tear rolled down his cheek. " I missed being at my wife's side when she passed." He sobbed, burying his face in his hands, "I should have been there, I should have been by her side, but I chose my country over her. That was the day I decided to retire from war altogether."

Luna looked at the soldier laying next to him, and she felt her heart being torn in half. She had not expected this. Having seen some of the things he had done in his dreams, she though he was a hard tank of a man. This caring side was something that caught her blindsided. He looked up, tears running down his face, looking at his bedside table, where the picture of a beautiful woman next to a much younger David sat. David was dressed up in his full dress uniform, and she was wearing a bridal gown.

Luna looked to where he was looking, and her eyes widened. There was nothing she could say, no amount of words could help. In the photo he looked so proud, so happy standing there next to his blushing bride. She reached out, and just held him.

David smiled, seemingly thankful for the comfort as he slowly turned away to look out at the midnight sky. "Can I get you something to drink?" His voice was husky, avoiding crying.

Luna smiled. "Yes please. I shall have water." She watched as the old man slowly got up, and wandered down, her ears perked, she could hear the water running. She stood up from the bed and walked over to a rough hewn dresser, staring at the shadow box on top of it. Inside was a medal on the end of a purple ribbon, mixed among others, but what caught her eyes was the well worn set of dog tags, curled around a simple combat knife. Squinting she could make out the letters of KA-BAR on the sheath. but aside from that, there were no other nods to his full past in the military. She started a bit when he walked back in, his step as silent as it had ever been. He extended a glass of crystalline water to her, in his own hands a glass of... cider, she detected the sweet scent of apples, but not that of alcohol. He looked at her, there in the moonlight for a few solid minutes.

"So. Why me. If you have seen my dreams you should know why I am not cut out for this." He looks at this odd horse who has walked, and talked into his life.

"Because someone asked me to give you a second chance, Someone who in their final dreams called out to any who would hear." Luna could not bring herself to speak the name, but she saw the spark in the man's eyes, that hidden fire that had gone out so long ago.

"Then tell me what I must do"

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long, I have been dealing with a lot lately. Anyways, if you like this story great!