Twilight, Soldier of War

In the remains of a library, Twilight pressed the torn pages into the man’s chest, trying desperately to stop the blood that flowed forth. With one hand keeping pressure on the wound, Twilight reached out and grabbed a nearby book and flipped it open before ripping a few pages out. Never before did she think she would tear a page from a book; years before the idea would be absurd, but now she just hope it was enough to stop the bleeding. She place the new sheets over the already redden pages.

She could feel the man’s unblinking eyes on her, eyes that had all but given up and were just waiting for her to do the same. She couldn’t bring herself to look into them as she continued to work.

“There’s nothing more we can do for him,” a voice from the shadows called out. “Put him out of his misery.”

“We can still save him! We just need to stop the bleeding!” Twilight’s voice cracked as she yelled.

“Twil…ight…” The man whispered faintly as a bead of blood ran from his mouth.

Reluctantly Twilight turned her gaze to his face. His mouth open and closed, as rasps of air escaped when he tried to speak. Slowly Twilight lowered her ear over his mouth, “It’s time to go home.”

***

Twilight sat up in bed breathing heavily. She shivered slightly as the memory of the nightmare still clung to her. A small movement caught her eye, so she rolled from the bed landing on the opposite side; her feet spaced out and her arms raised to her chest. She could feel the flow of magic already pouring into her right arm. Twilight stared across the room at a small yellow and pink creature, it looked at her with a face straight from the uncanny valley. It shrank back, somehow making itself look smaller, but it was so familiar. Twilight tilted her head to one side and then the other, doing her best impression of a confused dog; it was on the tip of her tongue.

“Twi-Twilight,” a gentle voice stammered out.

The voice was quiet and soft but it was enough to break through the fog that clouded Twilight's mind, “Fluttershy?” Twilight lowered her stance, and stepped around the bed.

“Um…how do you feel?” Fluttershy asked. Her voice held more confidence, but her rustling wings still showed her nervousness.

“I feel fine, my legs are a little sore, but I suspect that has to do more with the bed being too short. Speaking of,” Twilight said. As her mind began down a new line of thought. “Why am I still a human? I was sure that once I returned to Equestria I’d be a pony again, but I guess I should be happy I got back at all.” Twilight stretched her arms over her head until a satisfying pop could be heard. She took a half step to Fluttershy only to stop when the small Pegasus winced away. “Fluttershy are you ok?”

It was quiet for a moment before Fluttershy spoke up “Well, you see…I, um, heard from Rainbow Dash that you attacked her and Applejack, and a few guards.”

Twilight spoke with a deadpan expression “Funny, I don’t remember.” she shrugged. “Guess it was uneventful.”

“Uneventful! How could you say that those are your friends you’re speaking about.”

Twilight let out a long sigh. “Look most of yesterday is a blur, so I don’t really remember what I did, but judging by the fact you said I ‘attack them’ and not ‘killed them’ I’m guessing they’re ok. Are they ok?”

“Oh yes, just a few scratches.”

“See, Uneventful.”

Fluttershy’s mouth hung open, but she quickly replaced it with an awkward smile, as she tried to give Twilight her best comforting presence.

Twilight was glad to know her friends were ok. Her friends. Could she really call them her friends after all this time? She shook her head brushing away that train of thought she knew was ridiculous, but she had lost many nights of sleep over it.

Fluttershy was unsure what to say next. Several times she would try to speak but stopped has her courage waned at the last minute.

Twilight, quickly growing tired of the awkward moment, spotted her belongings near the writing desk at the far wall. She side stepped past Fluttershy and walked over to the desk. As she examined her gear she ran over her mental checklist of everything she had on her.

Armor, all pieces accounted for.
Pistol with full Magazine, check.
Plasma Rifle, only 50 charges left in the power cell, check.
One box of Nutrient Bars, check.
One Sealed metal box, check.

Twilight opened the sealed white box to reveal four tubs of bluish liquid and an injection gun. If she only took half dose from now on she would likely stretch it out for the next month, but after that. She closed the box and placed it within one of her inner jumpsuit pockets.

“Spike made sure to gather all your things for you,” Fluttershy said.

“What do you mean ‘gathered my things’?” Twilight asked, looking over her shoulder.

“Well you kind of... left your things lying everywhere.”

Twilight haft laugh to herself. “Of course I did, was there anything else I did I should know about?”

“Not that I know of, but you would need to ask the others about that.”

Twilight nodded stepping back over to the bed and set down “You mentioned Spike, I take it he still living here in Ponyville?” Fluttershy nodded. “I half expected him to have run off with some dragoness by now.”

“Oh no” Fluttershy giggled “Spike has been so very helpful in the court, managing many of the appointments and seeing to the guests.”

“Wait, Spike is living in Ponyville and working in Canterlot; the daily commute has got to be a pain in the ass.”

“No, Spike doesn’t work in the Canterlot court he works in the Friendship Court.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean Friendship Court?”

“Um…Well you see,” Fluttershy began before being cut off by the low growling of Twilight’s stomach drawing their attention.

“Oh my, I guess you must be hungry.”

“Maybe a little.”

“Why don’t we go get some food with the others and we can explain what the court is about,” Twilight nodded she rose and walked over to the desk and grabbed her armor.

Fluttershy watched for a moment as Twilight put each piece on, each new piece interlocking with the one before it with a ‘click.’

“Why are you wearing that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Twilight left her helmet sitting on the desk as she looked over to Fluttershy. “I don’t go anywhere without my armor. I’ve seen too many killed from just ‘getting air.”

Fluttershy eyes grew wide until she realized she was staring. “I-If that’s what you think is best.”

***

“Darling, it’s not that I don’t think we should celebrate Twilight’s return, but why must the banner read that?" Rarity said, waving a hoof at an overhead banner that read: ‘Welcome Back Twilight Sparkle; Sorry We Thought You Were Dead!’

The audience hall one of the larger rooms in the castle and was remodeled after the throne room at Canterlot, while only being half the size. A blue carpet with a white border ran from the entrance to the small double thrones that set atop a small flight of steps. For the past hour Pinky Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Spike had set up rolls of tables with different kinds of treats. From triple chocolate cake, a tower of donuts, and a rainbow of cupcakes; there was even a table with three different kinds of punch.

“Because silly,” Pinkie Pie said, placing a tray of chocolate covered cupcakes on a nearby table. “There wasn’t enough room to add ‘Super Party Extravaganza of the Month’

“That’s not quite what I meant.”

“Oh relax, Rarity, and just enjoy the party, besides,” Rainbow Dash said. As she leisurely flitted around the room on her back, a feat she did to both relax as well as show off her flying skills. “Twilight is back and that’s all that matters.”

“So, Pinkie, don't ya think this is a lot of food for just the seven of us,” asked Applejack.

“Well you see,” Pinkie Pie said as she took in a large breath of air. “There are just so many parties that Twilight has missed out on, so at first I thought we could have a party every day, but then that wouldn’t leave time to throw parties for other ponies. Then I was thinking we could just have an extra-large party for Twilight’s next few birthdays, but that’s so far away, so I thought why not just have one super party!”

“I guess that makes sense”

The door to the hall open with a loud groan, drawing the attention of everypony. A yellow pegasus entered with Twilight following behind. Twilight’s eyes waved over the sea of food, making her remember just how hungry she was, before falling to the group that gathered in front of her. All of them wore an uneasy smile, except for Pinkie Pie who smiled from ear to ear.

They all seemed the same as Twilight remembered, like they had been taken straight from the image in her mind. It was strange that after all this time so little had changed. Rainbow Dash stood out from the others in her wonderbolts outfit. Twilight assumed that meant she had finely made it into the Wonderbolts, that or she was just playing dress up.

Rarity looked as fabulous as she remembered, and could still make the simple purple scarf she wore look good.

Applejack still wore that old stetson, or was this a new one? Twilight gave a shrug and moved on.

Pinkie Pie was still Pinkie Pie, Twilight doubted much would change that mare. And Fluttershy, obviously, still had her shy moments, but despite that she still gave off an aura of confidence, at least more than she ever had.

Twilight looked at the last member of the group gathered and simply stared as she tried to puzzle out who this young dragon was; the gears clicked in place a moment later. “Spike!” At the sound of his name Spike ran up and wrapped his arms around Twilight’s waist.

“Twilight!” The dragon cried. Twilight padded the top of his head giving him a warm smile.

“I’ve missed you, Spike.” Twilight looked up at the others. “I’ve missed all of you. The thought of seeing everyone again is one of the things that helped me get through the last ten years.”

The silence in the room was deafening as everypony’s expression when from one of joy to one of concern. “What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

"Did you say ten years?" Rarity asked, hoping Twilight had just misspoke, but those hopes were quickly dashed when Twilight slowly nodded.

There was a pause before Applejack stepped forwards “Sugarcube there’s somethin’ you should know.”

“Only three years.” After Twilight managed to peel Spike off, she joined the others at a nearby table. “I suppose I should be happy. It could have been a lot worse; Rolland did say this could happen.”

“Who’s Rolland?” Fluttershy asked.

“He’s was the one who helped me get back home.”

“Twilight where have you been!” Rainbow cried, throwing her hooves in the air.

Twilight ran a hand through her hair, trying to decide on the best way to answer that question. Judging by Rainbows reaction she was going to want immediate answers, and Twilight knew that the others, while they may not have spoken up, wanted answers just as badly. So that only left the short version.

“After I went through the Crystal Mirror I found myself in a land called Osana, and I was how you see me now; I’m what they call a human. For two years prior to my arrival Osana was at war with a neighboring country: the Ryssdal Commonwealth. Shortly after my arrival, I stumbled into a battle between the two sides, and almost got myself killed. I was saved by the Osanen forces, unfortunately, my only way back was destroyed in the resulting battle. Not long after that I chose to join the Osanen military to save as many lives as I could.”

Twilight brought her eyes up from her hands, Rainbow Dash’s mouth left ajar in an unsaid question.

“You were a soldier?” Rainbow asked, Twilight just nodded “But why, you hate fighting?”

“Ten million.”

Twilight’s stern tone through Rainbow off guard “I don’t understand?”

“Before I joined that was the number of civilian casualties. The Commonwealth forces were deliberately targeting civilians, as a way to force Osana to surrender and every day that number rose.”

Fluttershy’s ears were laid back her hooves covered her mouth; Twilight could faintly hear her whispering “Horrible.”

Twilight let out a sigh, “Perhaps I should tell you the long version.”

“There’s no need for you to press yourself,” Rarity said.

Twilight waved her off. “I may as well tell you, besides it’s not like it matters much anymore.” Twilight leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as her mind organized the events of the last ten years.

***

Three Months After Arrival

The warehouse was a bustle with activity, the capital had finally sent the next batch of supplies: food, medicine, and the reason Twilight was currently sneaking around behind metallic crates, the newest plasma rifles. Twilight looked around the crates; the workers all seem preoccupied with moving gravity lifts full of supplies stacked several meters high. She moved back into her tucked away corner and over to a container she had painstakingly dug out and popped the latch to open the container. A roll of black metallic rifles greeted her eyes; she ran a hand over them letting a finger glide along the length of the rifle before moving on to the next, smiling as she did.

She pulled out the first one and was amazed at how light it was; it was half the weight and size of the model she was issued. It was a rounded design with no extended barrel, and a built in scope. There was an empty slot for the power cell just forward of the trigger, she placed the butt of the rifle to her shoulder and looked threw the scope.

“You know, you can get court-martialed for that.”

Twilight jumped nearly dropping the gun. She turn to the familiar voice to be greeted by Davis’s soft smile and clear green eyes. Davis was her squad’s medic. Like her he wore the MK-2 Recon Exoskeleton Armor, unlike the more heavily armored MK-9 Battle Exoskeleton Armor the other members of the squad wore. The Recon Armor was lighter and design for speed over protection.

“I was just having a quick look,” Twilight defended.

Davis crossed his arms, “We’re still using three generation old Exo armor, so I really doubt we will be getting the latest guns anytime soon.”

Twilight thrust the gun out in front of her. “But look at it! We need this, I need this!”

“Twilight.”

Twilight let out a defeated sigh. She did an about-face and placed the rifle back with the others before latching the container closed.

“Come on, the Commander sent me to find you. We’re departing in an hour and he wants to go over our next mission.”

Twilight nodded and followed after. She maneuvered around the workers who carried the fresh supplies to the holding areas, doing her best not to trip on the numerous power cords that lay strewn about on the ground. “What’s going on over there?” She asked, motioning to a crowd that had gathered around a large monitor.

“Monthly casualty report,” Davis said. “A rather depressing read. We should hurry, I’m sure their already waiting for us.”

They head down a corridor leaving the warehouse behind. “Any idea what our assignment’s going to be?” Twilight asked.

“From what I hear, search and rescue.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“In a ghost filled city.”

Twilight’s head snapped to Davis. “Are you talking about the City of Sorrows?”

Davis laughed, “Not scared of ghosts are you?”

“Of course not, I’m not scared of some foa—I mean kid stories,” Twilight said, trying to correct herself.

“Then this should be easy,” Davis said sweeping his arms wide. “After all, what could possibly go wrong!”