Equestria 2150

“So this has been confirmed?” Luna asked, galloping down the path toward the communications building of the Lunar Army home base.

“It has been, ma’am, several times. It’s Celestia alright. She wants to talk about peace.” Razgriz answered, trying his best to keep up with Luna.

“How is this possible? She hated me when she banished me, and I hate her!”

Razgriz fell silent, not wanting to remind her of his own thoughts on the matter. They arrived at the radio shack, and Luna burst through the doors, forcing them off their hinges.

“Everypony out of the room, I need the radio.” Luna said calmly, to Razgriz’s surprise. This order was well obliged by everypony save Razgriz, he was expecting to be allowed to stay.

“I said everypony, Razgriz. That includes you as well.”

Razgriz was shocked. This was the first contact with the Solar Empire, and Razgriz wanted to be a part of it. “Ma’am, permission to stay and listen, at least? It would help me to know what is going on politically.”

“No! We said we wanted to be alone for this!” Luna yelled in her Canterlot voice, turning to face Razgriz as she did. The only time he’d heard that voice before was her time as Nightmare Moon, but that was not Luna, that was a beast. Something that had been dormant inside her had tried to emerge.

Razgriz left the radio shack in silence, heading off to his barracks to get some sleep after the first bit of real combat he had faced. The same nightmare happened again, his senses filled with nothing but the powdery, warm snow falling around him.

Again he saw the figure in front of him. Razgriz stood motionless, unable to help the burned pony in front of him.

“Help me.”

-

Pop, popop, popop was the sound coming from Razgriz’s gun at the firing range. It was mostly a gun sighting range, but it was vacant at this time of night, giving Razgriz all the targets in the world. Using magic to levitate the gun, he fired shot after shot into the straw.

Through each puff of smoke that burst in front of him, he saw the figure from his dreams again, right where his target was. Pop, popop, popop. Again he would fire his gun, but he couldn’t get the image out of his head.

Razgriz gritted his teeth, switching to automatic and holding the trigger at the target, seeing the figure. It would not go away under the hellfire Razgriz had sent toward it. He drew his knife in his teeth, dropping his gun and running head on through the range at his target. At full gallop by now, Razgriz took flight, flying straight at his target. Wings beating furiously, he grabbed the target with his magic, tossing it in the air. Following it, he then proceeded to hack the straw pony into nothing but grass, cloth and rope.

“Whoa! What’s on your mind, man? You seem stressed out.” came a voice yelling out from the first firing position. It was Jelly Bean, looking at Razgriz with wide eyes. Behind him were some of the ponies in Alpha Battalion.

Razgriz flew back toward them, holstering the knife he still had in his mouth. He landed in front of Jelly bean and was silent for several very long seconds. Some of the Alpha Battalion ponies shuffled, all eager to find out why their commander and general was slicing up gun-range targets with a knife.

Looking back at his battalion, Razgriz snapped, “Well? Shouldn’t you all be asleep right now?”

He got a general mumbling of discomfort and disobedience. Razgriz lit his horn, making a sort of growl to reinforce his order to go back to bed. Without another word the Alpha Battalion shuffled off.

Razgriz briskly trotted off in the opposite direction of his battalion, not wanting to confront them at the moment. Jelly Bean trailed behind the red colt.

“So, I’ll ask again, what’s on your mind?” Jelly Bean pried.

Razgriz stopped trotting, and did not look back at Jelly Bean. “I thought I made it clear I don’t want to talk about it.” He said, through gritted teeth.

“Is it possible to even get a hint at it?”

“No. I don't want to talk about it.” Razgriz said coldly.

“Okay, okay. I’m just worried for you. Your battalion is worried for you. Ever since the battle you've been acting so… distant, and we don’t like it.”

“Look. I will deal with these problems on my own. In the meantime, I’m getting ready for my next mission.”

“Next mission? There was no attack planned for tomorrow.”

“It’s just for me, Jelly Bean. All I can tell you is it’ll take me about a week.”

“Okay… Well, how will we know if you have completed your mission?”

“You’ll just know.”

Jelly Bean cocked his head to the side. “And if you don’t?”

Razgriz turned around to face his friend, and paused for several long seconds.

“Then Equestria is doomed.”