Private's Log, Page 7.
The declaration of war took most of us by surprise.
We expected the diplomats and princesses to come back from their diplomatic mission with some good news that they found a peaceful solution to a very controversial topic. Many of the guards made bets on what'll be the exchange. Some bet on a huge amount of bits, others on giving up control of the Southern Luna Sea in return for the territory of Eastern Lands.
Instead of a joyful celebration, we got an awful declaration.
Turns out that there was no middle ground nor any exchange. The meeting was a waste of time and money, as our now newly enemies prepared their armies for war. So did Equestria.
Us guards were gathered up, placed in our legions and setup for the long march to war. High morale and national pride running through our veins, the Royal Guards were ready to do their duties and were ready to die for their crowns and homeland.
Although I am proud to be among my fellow brothers and sisters in the 8th Canterlotian Legion, I still had some great worries about this. After all, we aren't up against the unorganised Canine Confederation or the wicked Changeling Kingdom. No, far from it.
We're at war with the Sapien Imperium, the homeland of the race infamously known as Humanity.
Private's Log, Page 9.
We've arrived at the Eastern Lands, now resting in one of the three military bases on the outskirts of our nation's borders.
Even in my tent, I can tell that the Imperial Legions are already on the other side of the Eastern Lands, receiving orders from their Legates and their scouts crawling all over the place. Some of the Thestrals are saying that we could maybe run into one of the Imperium's best assassins; The Steelshiv. I heard rumours about them, they say the Steelshivs are only summoned by the human emperor and when somepony is targeted by them, there is no escape from them.
But on a more lighter note, I can't believe what our military bases are called. It's so stupid and sounds like the General's filly named them. Where I am right now is actually called Sword-point. Sword-point? See what I mean? And that's not the best part, the other two are called Axe-point and Mace-Point! Seriously?! I mean a mace doesn't have points, it's a blunt weapon, who in Equestria thought that was good for a military base name?!
Regardless of the names, Sword-point is the central base in the Eastern Lands, which I can only guess would probably be the most besieged place in this war, knowing how the humans's battle tactics will go, they'll try and takeover our perimeter before heading to the other bases.
Nevertheless, I say bring it! Can't wait to service my country and come back home a war hero. My little brother is gonna be overjoy when he sees his big sister bring him one of those human knights's longswords he wanted to see with his own eyes.
After I blunt it so that it doesn't cut him that is.
Private's Log, Page 13
It has been three days since my last Log and already things have gotten pretty bad.
Half of the 8th Canterlotian Legion were ordered to meet up with the other legions at the rendezvous point whilst the other half stayed to guard Sword-point. I was selected to stay at camp, much to my dismay and protest.
At first I was jealous that some of my friends were about to head off and be the first guards to battle against the imperial knights, getting all the glory and spoils and what have you.
As I stood watch at our base's gate and when things were really quiet, I could hear the battle far in the distance. I could even see the smoke before it died down thanks to the cold northern wind.
When the remnants of the half legion returned to base, did my jealousy turned to horror and shock.
Before the battle, there was four hundred guards that were sent from Sword-point to join the larger army, some of them were veterans of the Carine-Equine War. There was only around two hundred that made it back. Some on hooves, others in wagons.
I and the other guards helped the injured to the medics to mend them with their healing magic. I asked them what happened, I only got small details on what'd happened or simply one sentence from some.
From what I've gathered, our army met the imperial legions head on at White Crane Savanna and they were outnumbered fourteen to one. They surrounded my country-ponies with long spears before sending a bombardment of arrows and even boulders from their trebuchets. Our forces couldn't break through the vanguard line and were slaughtered in minutes before the commander called for the retreat. From one of the guards that had his horn cut off puts it; 'It was an organised execution'.
Tartarus! I knew the humans are brutal in their wars but I thought that was about their close combat, not their spears and arrows that apparently made a stream of steel and blocked out the sun. But I swear we will avange our fallen guards! I'll make them pay for this! When the next call to action comes, I'll make sure I'll take out every single human I see on the battlefield!
This I swear in Celestia's Mane and my forefathers's names! They will pay!
Private's Log, Page 19
I told you I would avenge my fallen guards, I told you!
When the call came out that HQ was making a division to not only infiltrate enemy positions as well as orders from human Legates. But also to ambush human patrols and interrogate any survivors for information, I became the first guard to volunteer for the job.
Four days of absolute chaos would do that for any guard in this damned land! Four days I was ordered to keep watch of Sword-Point and four days my friends went off to fight against those hairless apes, some of them didn't return and I wasn't there to help them! So far we've lost every battle against those imperialist bastards and I wasn't there to stop them!
So yes! I volunteered! I volunteer to join this division! I didn't signup to join the Royal Guard just to sit on my flank! I came to fight! To fight beside my friends, to defend my kingdom, for our crowns and homeland!
I was moved to Axe-Point Base, down south from Sword-Point where I met a dozen guards that had similar thoughts like mine. Some were Equestrian ponies, others were the Thestrals and our allies; the Griffons. It was good to see that the Equestrian-Griffinstonian Alliance wasn't forgotten and them feather-beaks coming into this war.
We were trained by an old mare named Ivy Petunia, messy green mane and smoky grey coat Earth Pony that taught us stuff like how to be sneaky and how to do infiltration professionally. We were trained for only two days because apparently the Sapien Imperium just got reinforcements from their vassals kingdoms of Wroushetha. Now I don't know where Wroushetha is within the Imperium, but I do know why our training was cut short when we went on our first mission. Wroushetha is homed to the Wroushethaic mace dualists -the same mace dualists during the Northern Snow Campaign against the Caine Confederation- and with an army of them helping the Imperium, we need every able pony to push them back.
But for the first time since we've arrived in the Eastern Lands, we got a moment of victory. Our first order was to take out a human patrol in the Scattered Magnolia Woodland, two hundred miles away from Axe-Point Base. We were order to spare one human guardsman so that we can gain any useful information from said guardsman about what the humans's next plan of action would be.
So we prepared an ambush and waited for the patrol. There were only a dozen of us, but the spies reported that there was only six guardsmen on the patrol. When they arrived, oh did we give them a taste of Equestrian steel as we attacked them in multiple directions. They stood their ground and even took out some of us, but we were the victors today. I'm proud to say that I was the one that got the most kill out of everypony in the division.
We killed all but one, as we were ordered to do. Either though we slaughtered his guardsmen, their captain was the hardest to take down, being the one carry a large shield and swinging his axe like a pro. But he finally got knocked out by a Griffon name Boreas, fell on the ground with a satisfying thud.
After taking care of the patrol and knocking out their captain, we had to drag him all the way to one of our outposts near the woodland. As of right now, I and the division will remain in this outpost till further orders. So, that means we're gonna play interrogators onto the human to get some info out of him. Sadly, Ivy Petunia told us that using force against the human won't do anything to get the guardsman to talk, saying that humans in the Imperial Legions were beaten merciless during their training so that they won't break easily when stuff like this happens to them. As much I want to break the ape's jaw in half, I understood with what Ivy's saying. Humans are tough bastards in general, so I doubt they won't be any different when in chains.
So it's gonna take a lot of effort to make him spill the beans.
Also, I've just noticed that this has been the longest Log I've ever written in my journal so far. Guess I got too carried away. Oh who cares? We've won this day! In your faces, Imperium! Hope it hurts!
Private's Log, Page 20
I don't like this human one bit.
We began to interrogate the guardsman to get him to talk in the, you know, the cliché good guard and bad guard thing. Personally, I thought it was dumb, but I volunteered for the role of bad guard because it was easier and more fun than trying to be the ape's friend. We're keeping him in the basement, tied down on a chair with one of us keeping watch of him in case he does something stupid.
I and Ivy started slowly with the interrogation, knowing full well that humans are not known for being good prisoners of war. Ivy tried to be polite with him, trying to at least get to know one another. She spoke softly and gently, yet the human remained quiet as if she wasn't there. But when Ivy asked for his name, his head shot up, like he just woke up from a nightmare. Nearly made me draw my sword in defence.
After that...Moment, the human told us his name. His name is Gadreel Ariuk Temeluch -Strange name, I know- and he is a captain of the 22nd Runeguard Company in the Mokloh Legion. How he said that though was like he was made to say that, like he was programmed to say his name and rank to anypony he talks to. It kinda creeped me out.
But after that, he went back to being stubborn as we bombarded him with questions. Every question was answered with either stone silence or repeating his name and rank. Ivy was being too nice to this ape, trying to talk to him as if he was our friend. Doesn't she not know that this 'friend' has probably murdered hundreds of us, for Celestia's sake when we captured him he killed two of our own people and yet she acted like it wasn't his fault.
So I dropped the whole bad guard thing and just went to his face and ordered him to tell us what his people are planning next or else we won't give him food or water. And do you know what he did next? Well guess what?
He laughed.
He laughed like crazy, rocking back and forth in his chair in laughter! Laughing things like 'a child is playing tough?' and 'Ponies are so cute when they act like humans'. Oh did I want to break his jaw right there and make him shut up! Ivy, who stepped in between us, order me to calm down and to leave. I called her an traitorous dirt bitch, how could she just take the side of that ape?!
So I left the basement, slamming the door behind me with my rear hooves. This blasted interrogation is getting us nowhere, just wasting time, we should be attacking more patrols and taking the fight to their bases!
I just get memories of my friends, my country-poines, those brave and friendly faces...Gone. They had so much hope in their eyes, so much pride in their flags and so much love for their princesses.
And now they're gone, killed like animals to a Imperial's sword and here I am playing host to one of my friends's murderer.
Private's Log, Page 23
We're preparing for an attack from the humans who got our location.
All because of Gadreel's smirking face.
It turns out, after three days of interrogating, Gadreel 'broke' and gave us some info on the enemies's next plan. However it wasn't about the next siege on one of our bases or armies, but on our outposts. In his own words he said; "The woodland will swim in Equestrian Blood and Grey Rubbles"
That was followed by Boreas informing us that a large task force of Imperial knights and Wroushethaic mace dualists is heading our way. Worse still was that Gadreel said that they're coming for payback for taking out his men. I used my rear legs to kick him right in his chest, making him fall onto the ground winded.
We're right now putting up our defensives with barred doors and placing tables in front of them. I'm in charge of guarding the front line with Boreas and a unicorn name Silver Dare. It's night and with no information on where the humans are we'r
Dear sweet Celestia help me.
We're taken prisoners by the human bastards and now are held in one of their prisons on the other side of the Eastern Lands. I didn't even finish my last Log, it was that quick!
I managed to sneak my journal into my cell, so far the humans haven't found out about it.
I have to make this short as I don't know how long the human warden will come around to make sure we're not doing anything.
To our outpost, the humans attacked us from multiple sides, catching Ivy, Boreas, Silver and I off guard completely. Those mace dualists fought like Timberwolves, cutting through our defensives like butter.
Boreas, Silver and the rest, they're all dead. Only me, Ivy and two other ponies were left alive. I saw that Ivy was taking into some kind of torture room or something I don't know as everything was all written in Sapianic. I hope she's alright.
That bucking bastard Gadreel lives, he was the one that threw me into this forsaken pit of a cell. He told me that I'll become a obeying pet as he said something about the warden's 'Equestrian tastes'.
I feel I'm running out of time right now, hopefully I can write more tomorrow. If anypony finds this journal;
Don't let my death go in vain, please.
This place, this evil place, it's breaking every international laws you can name.
The warden are not giving us proper foods, forcing us to eat their disgusting prison food that we can't eat without feeling sick. Stuffed Vinegar Oysters, everyday and every night and it's driving us mad with content illnesses and blackouts. I don't know what day it is as no human medic has come to check on us. The only humans who comes to visit is either the warden, the cleaners who comes to clean out sick and that bastard Gadreel who gloats at us constantly.
No sign of Ivy, not ever since she was taking into that room. I fear for the worse, if this is how humans keep their prisoners and treat them like nothing, then I can't imagine what it must be like for Ivy.
There's some parts of them that hopes that she passed away, for this is torture and I am now starting to believe that I won't be able to see Equestria again nor my family. I can't even remember if I said goodbye to them or tell how much I loved them.
All I can remember is coming to the Eastern Lands, capturing Gadreel and rotting in this cell just waiting to be either freed or....Or perished by my insanity or treatment.
Sweet Celestia, we're not prisoners held by humans....We're prisoners held by demons.
Ivy is alive, but barely. She was thrown into a cell in front of mine, beaten, scarred and bleeding. The warden chuckled to himself as he spoke something in his native language. After he left, I called to Ivy, trying my best to help her. I know I'm behind bar, but I couldn't just stay quiet as I tried my best to reach to her. The effort was in vain.
From what I could from within Ivy's cell and parts of her that wasn't clocked in shadows was her mane was shaved off, replaced with lashes and cuts one might find from a whip. Her black eyes showed nothing but pain, shock and horror, most likely surviving from the brutal torture and interrogation at the hands of humans.
I called her, trying to ask happened, what they did to her. I know it was too soon and bad on my part, but fearing death in this place coming more closer to reality, I had to ask. All I got from her was frightening tales and horrid deeds committed on her in the name of the Imperium. Some so bad, I do not wish to write down.
I fear the worse for us. My friends that have fallen in battle, I'm starting to see their deaths as a blessing compare to this horror. I pray to Celestia that none gets caught by these demons from the Imperium and suffer the same fate as we are.
Any glimmer of hope and recuse, I feel has been snuffed out like candle which has left us in the dark. Waiting for death to come for us.
Conah'hayyel, little Equestrian. I am Warden Mizasar Vohamanah, the one that keeps you safe and make sure you do not rebel against this land's true rulers.
It has come to my attention that ever since your capture, you do not fall asleep like the rest of your gullible and weak species. Why you fight against the Sapien Imperium is beyond logical and reason, perhaps the Divines made your kind stupid and fragile to remind you your place in this world.
I also know about your little friend that has recently join you in cell eight, like the traditional markings we gave her? Oh how she screamed in pain as our inquisitors made her bark like a mutt and gave us all the information we need to crush your little armies in the Eastern Lands and claim it as the rightfully territories of the Imperium!
But, as we both know you will die along with your remnant horses in the cells, I thought it would be ever so kind as to tell you all what's gonna happen soon. Spoilers, it won't end well for your forces.
The Emperor himself has sent forth his most loyal army to crush your forces with the Will of the Divines; The Grim Fury of Khurgronn!
The ground trembled as an army of 210,000 marched forward as if a single being. A constant drumming of synchronised steps, the thundering sound alone was enough to put fear into even the bravest of souls. Up close it was the sound of heavy armour clashing together which overpowers all other sounds. The creaking of wood of the ballistae and siege engines could be heard only faintly and the growls and grunts of the war animals are all but drowned out completely. The knights were silent, no noise came out from one of the knights. The knights needed to take their minds off of what's ahead, I guess silence was the best way to do so. The entire army was as one, as if they all share a single mind with a single purpose, which is to crush your Royal Guards of the Kingdom of Equestria. The front was led by eager charge units armed with pikes. They were followed by shields and swords, who in turn are followed by elite mace dualists and battle raptors. The ranks were filled with many other regiments, including mercenaries and vassal soldiers, including various charging units, many elite units, several defensive units and stealth units.
Do you see now, horse? Do you see why we are always feared and respected throughout this world and within our Imperium? Do you see that all your guards that has and will enter the Eastern Lands will die in vain and pain?! This is the Will of the Divines, unlike your false ones that has sent you to your death and doom!
So sleep, little horse. For within the weeks to come, the sound of blades will break the air as we destroy Sword-Point, Axe-Point and Mace-Point Base with fury and honour unlike anything your kind will ever see! The War for the East is over, victory to the Sapien Imperium is absolute!
So sleep, little horse. Dream your last Dream.
P.S. Now that I know you have family, I will do you the honour of letting you know that I will send them your head. I know your little brother will love it. Also, I guess you know one of the things we did to your Ivy and soon that little thing will happen to you. After all, I do love the taste of Equestrians.
Not today, you ape from Tartarus!
I, along with Ivy, are out of the prisons and are taking refuge within the forest known as the Emperor's Wilderness, about four miles from the human fortress Tharnham Citadel and thirteen hundred kilometres east from Sword-Point.
Only us two survived throughout the diabolical torture. The others...They didn't make it, left to rot in their cells. We didn't have anytime to burry them and give them their honourable passing. I just thank our luckily stars that we made it out alive and with our sanity not broken.
How we made it out was something even I cannot believe. I'm still thinking that I must of died in that place and this is my way of going to the afterlife with Ivy.
But how we got out was mainly thanks to a human.
Yeah, I know. A defector within the Legions.
A human by the name of Oltiriar Nadrylian, a captain in the Thez'dak Legion came into the prisons under the cover of night. Waking us up ever quietly, almost like a father waking up his foals to get them up for school. He had the keys and told us to get out of here before that warden returns. At first me and Ivy didn't believe him, but the moment he unlocked our doors and threw the keys at me, we started to trust him. As Ivy went to check on the others, I felt like I needed to know why he was helping us, why he is putting his life on the line for a bunch of ponies he was fighting against.
I couldn't remember most of what he was saying but I understood one thing. Surprisingly, our two nations's origins are not so different, just with alternative ways of unifying our two people to make said nations. Like our pony tribes, his people were in different kingdoms that fought each other through many wars, normally for resources and territories. That was until their soon to be Emperors and their Imperium invaded and conquered untold amount of kingdoms under their banner. Oltiriar's kingdom; Vouzagia, fell to the Imperium and unified them under their banner, which made unification of the human race absolute. So many cultures under one regime has sparked many rebellions and I guess they aren't so unified as Equestria. Oltiriar didn't want war, but he was called in to fight for the Imperium and their Imperial Emperor.
With our freedom given and our human ally holding back the warden from spotting us, Ivy and I are planning to head back to Sword-Point and all the way back to Manehatten to warn them about that army coming towards them. If we don't, thousands of lives will be lost and war will be over.
As soon as the sunrise come, we will move and won't stop till we arrive at Sword-Point. I just hope we're faster than the Grim Fury of Khurgronn. I don't know how long we were locked up, but I will be dammed if that army come to Sword-Point and kill off all my remaining friends and enter Equestrian soil without a fight.
I just hope we can, mainly because I don't want any of them to fall victim to the same treatment I and Ivy faced.
Because none of them will never escape, or make out alive.
It's over, everything.
A whole two weeks of walking day and night to Sword-Point was in vain.
The base was destroyed, the smoke of war still raging within the ruins. So many bodies of my country-ponies, our allies and humans were scattered everywhere the eye can see.
Me and Ivy didn't bother in checking for survivers, I doubt anypony survived the siege and if they did, mostly they were killed off the aftermath.
So we continued our journey to Equestria and to the City of Manehatten to see what has become of it. Our fears and our doubts clouded our thoughts and made us so scared of the outcome that we thought we shouldn't go there. But we had to, we must know.
When we arrived at Summit Hillside -which overlook the city- we saw carnage and mayhem running throughout Manehatten.
The city was littered with wounded fighters, gore and bodies. Red, brown and black were the new colors of what was once a bustling city, which has now become the stage of a devastating war. The air which would normally be vibrant with the sound of work, trade and craftsmanship was now merely a canvas for the stench of death and the cries of the dying, something no survivor will ever forget. Two armies fought each other for supremacy, but the victor is obvious. The dead of the losing side laid in large groups across the city and the faces of the Royal Guards were grim with gloom and anguish, but they forced themselves to fight nonetheless. We knew victory was becoming more and more likely for the Grim Fury of Khurgronn as they fought with new found strength. Some had succumbed to bloodlust and were frantically killing any enemy in sight, while others seemed to be fairly unaffected by the terrors around them. The toll on both nature and soldiers is monstrous. It'll likely take decades before this city will have recovered. It's clear debris, metal and gore have taken the place of gardens, shops and parks.
Manehatten...Was lost.
After the siege was finished, the humans just left it, like it wasn't worthy of their time. They headed back to the borders of the Eastern Lands, which allow me and Ivy to head down to the city to see who has survived or what remained of this once booming city.
All we found was a remnant of Royal guards and some inhabitants that was caught in the crossfire. Pure terror and pain was in their eyes or their shouts of woes. I have never seen my people this destroyed in all my life.
The guards took me and Ivy to the city hall that was the headquarters of the army stationed here. We found our General and to our surprise, the Princesses.
Princess Celestia and Luna watched in dread and sadness at how many ponies have died for this war and for this city. The Royal Army had their flanks kicked to oblivion and are trying to clean their wounds whilst their enemies plans the next assault.
No pony said a word, but we all had it in mind. We cannot allow another city besieged like this again, so we all know what we must do;
We had to surrender the war to the Sapien Imperium.
~~Private's Log, Page 115~~
Dear Journal.
Today it is the fourth year since the Treaty of Canterlot was signed between the Kingdom of Equestria and the Sapien Imperium and to be honest, it still feels like to me it just ended a week ago.
Since the end of the War for the East, I had retired from the Royal Guards and left to help Ivy in her pottery business. We have a little shop in the town of Appaloosa called Ivy & Twirl's Potters, which is getting a good flow of bits in our pockets.
However, just because we are not in the army or on the front lines of wars, that doesn't mean we are living peacefully and quietly.
Ivy is still having those night terrors again, screaming things like 'they're here' or 'Imperial Knights incoming'. The doctors gave her medicines to help her relax and also keep her mind at ease. But I know for a fact that nothing will help my best friend get over her nightmares and schizophrenia, much to my pain and sorrow.
Although I can't say that I don't have any inner demons within me. Every night, I always keep my sword near me as if I was still in one of the tents at Sword-Point. My dreams normally contains images of my first night at Sword-Point, Gadreel's laughter as he stands upon a hill of fallen country-ponies or Oltiriar holding back that Warden for us to escape. Every time I hear any sudden loud noise, I instantly head for or take cover, thinking it was an attack from the Imperial Legions. To say I am quite jumpy is greatly understatement, I got a nickname from the locals; Jumpy Twirl. If only they knew or seen why I have become so jumpy, then that nickname might just change.
Well, me and Ivy visited doctor Growth to see if there was anything else that might help Ivy's schizophrenia. One of the things Growth said was maybe visiting the place where the mental illness began and try and face it, maybe it will help ease the mind and might drop the illness down a bit. Easier said than done, at first Ivy refused to ever set hoof in that place again so long as she lives. But with some good words, she painfully agreed to head there.
We knew it wouldn't be difficult, as the treaty allows any veteran to visit the Eastern Lands without needing to go through the boring border check which the Imperium loves so much.
Although we crossed the borders with some humans looking at us with either hate or merely tolerating our presence. We booked a carriage and headed to where Axe-Point Base is, as it was where me and Ivy met and also where all the names of the fallen was written on what we thought would be a large memorial wall.
When we got there, it was nothing like we thought.
Somehow, which even as I'm writing fills me with agony and rage, that bastard Gadreel had a stature built in his honour, saying that this 'Emperor's Loyal Champion' was the reason why the humans won the war. You mean torturing my best friend?! Breaking dozens if not hundreds of international laws of War?! Making me eat those disgusting stuffed vinegar oysters that almost poisoned me to death?! And yet, all his war crimes are not getting any justice?! So future generations of humans and ponies alike will know him as a 'mighty' and 'honourable' warrior of the Imperium?!
Justice is blind, blind and bias.
But, we did see the names of our fallen country-ponies and lost friends. Ivy found her special somepony's name, who died at the Battle for Sword-Point. I found several names of my friends, some dying at Sword-Points, others at numerous battlefields and sieges.
However, I found one friend's name I thought would never be on this memorial. A friend I own my life too, who saved me from death. This friend's name was all on its own, no other names was near it nor under or above it.
Label in the column of Neban'sthyr. Which mean in Sapienic; 'Traitor'.
Was our saviour:
Oltiriar Nadrylian.
His name was the one that made me fall on the wet solid and wept like a new born foal along with Ivy. We wept not only because he was a human who saved us or didn't see us as enemies. But because his death could of been avoided if he didn't disobey his orders and hold off any human that wanted us dead. We barely knew him, but from little of memory I had of him four years ago, we knew he was gentle, innocent and above all else; The most friendliest human the Imperium will ever have.
But even his own people wouldn't forgive him and in the near future, all will just remember him as a traitor in the war, not the human he truly was.
After we mourned our friends, we left the Eastern Lands for good. I don't know if Ivy's schizophrenia died down after that, but she hasn't had a night terror for awhile now. As for I, well I guess I found a bit of peace. Mainly thanks to Oltiriar, as his action showed the hardy or Jumpy Twirl that even in war, you will always find a friendly face on the opposite side. That not all humans thinks the same way or hold pride and loyalty to their Emperor and Imperium like Gadreel.
It's funny, I guess Oltiriar showed me and Ivy the true meaning of the word Humanity. Going out of your ways to help somepony you barely even known nor knowing their names. I guess within the Imperium, you have humans like Gadreel and Oltiriar.
And I know one day, me and Ivy will meet Oltiriar again in some celestial place. When we do...I'm buying the first round of Apple Ciders.
Dear Twirl,
I might take your word on that.
O.N.