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0950 Hours. Castle of Friendship. Battle for Ponyville.

==Lance corporal Jackie Krosst=

Violent ringing penetrates the veil of darkness that clouded my consciousness. That irritable head-splitting ringing means that i'm not sleeping... 'Why am i being dragged? Who's... Dragging me?'

[i']Somethings digging into my back... What happened to me? Why am i so muttled... Who's slapping the side of my face? Stop it... "S-sst-op it..." Whats with all the yelling? Are those...Gunshots?'

'Whats this warm feeling... its so relaxing... Its... Almost like i'm lying down in the sun...'

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...

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'Wai- OH GOD! THAT PAIN! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS PAIN! ARRRGH! MY STOMACH!'

...

'Wheres the pain gone?...'

'ke- u~p... Wa~ke~ U~p~' 'Whats that voice in my head..'.

'Wa~ke U~p!' 'But i don't want to wake up...The warmth of the darkness...its so comforting...-

'OW! Who just slapped me?!'

'Why does it sound like i'm surrounded by gunfire? What's going on?!'

My colourless black realm suddenly materialized into vivid colour that blinded me... 'The scene... it feels familiar...but i cant remember...'

I Find myself standing in the large foyer of a castle... Everyone else appears locked in the thralls of battle. but theres no sound... just silence... My thoughts are the only thing i can hear in this strange environment...

'Why is everyone inside a castle of crystal? Its beautiful... But why is there a Sentinel backed up into the broken doorway? What is everyone shooting at?' Turning on the spot, my gasp echoes throughout the entire soundless void that i'm in...

'Why are there so many people injured? Why are there so many dead?' I feel the warmth of my tears streaming down the sides of my face as i stand there on shaking legs, my hand clenched over my mouth in shock... Tucked away in the corner of the foyer. Row after Row of bodies lined along the back wall, stained sheets keep their identity's hidden from the world... but without a doubt their dead...

Pivoting on the spot silently crying to myself, i see Ponies of various breeds rushing about around the many humans in the foyer. Pegasai flying ammunition to the firing line that was shooting over the sentinels engine deck, along with first aid supplies such as bandages and antiseptic. Unicorns moving the broken bloodied bodies of my fallen fellow humans... Earth ponies dragging stretchers and fallen debris around and about the massive room... 'Wait... Why are there Howitzers in here?!'.

Three 25 pounder howitzers sit in the corner. Their tan and olive green gun-shields riddled with silver dents and holes. Mist Cougar and Wallaroo Field Engineers work as fast as they can servicing the damaged guns with their field tools. Each squads designated welder walks quickly down the line of five guns spot welding two steel 'I' beams to the bottom and top of each guns shield. As they finish each gun a unicorn slides two thick sheets of crystal in place over the front of the gun-shields, either side of the cannon barrel.

Its then that i hear sound other than my own... Two distorted voices are currently yelling at each-other, as they drag someone towards the gap in the barricade over the doors to another room. My curiosity gets the better of me as i follow the three to the door, catching up i freeze in my tracks and look on in both confusion, fear, and shock... Their dragging...Me.

My grey uniform with red trimming is shredded around my belly area... The front of my shirt and pants are stained a dark rusty red colour... My blood trails as they continue man-handling my un-moving body through the partially open doors.

I find my self muttering. "A-... Am... I-..."

I Jump in surprise when a voice addresses me from behind. Turning on the spot i see a nightmarish dark-blue blob of shadow like smoke, in the rough shape of a horse or pony similar to my height. Deep, flaming turquoise balls of light roughly where the eyes should sit, leave trails of misty light when they move.

As it approaches i back pedal, step for step, terrified. I find myself tripping over a severed limb that was yet to be picked up, upon doing this the shadow stops and looks to the dismembered leg, i cant make out an expression, but the monster tilts it head to an angle, seemingly either surprised or confused.

The voice reaches me, only this time instead of being normal. It sounds demonic... like one of those cliche voices you hear from a ghost movie... As it speaks its eyes glow with a brighter intensity.

"Ḋ̬̟͙̟̫̐͜o͆ͬͣ͠͏̦͚n̝̞͚͎̭̳͂̂̅̒̇̅͐̚t͕̭̖̥͉ͤ͂́ ̴̡̛̫͕͉͔̣̯̹̗͑ͮ͆́̏̈b̝̺̪͓̬̖̀̋ͩͩͧ͗̏́̚ȅ̴̡͇̣̯̒͐̅͋̅͂ ̔̍̔̃ͯ̿͋ͦ͏̤͎ś̫̟̖̥͍̦̽̀͐ͧ̈̂͂͞͝c̛̤̘̫͈̳͍̤̾̆̓̄͞ͅả̧͈̘̳̹͚̳̺̲̊ͫ͒͆͐r̛̥̗̘̥̓̈́̉̕͠ĕ͖͉̥͍͛̏ͯ͢ͅd̔͑̋ͮ̆̏ͩͧ͏͓.̸̙̤̞̾̊͂ͬ.̦̭̫̃ͤ̍̒͗͒́.̽ͩͩ͆ͤ̆͞͞͏̰̠̝̤ ̡̪̭̦̟̬̥̑̾Į̼͕̜̻͔ͮͮͥͣ͝ ͕̜̃̚m̡̼̮̠̥̬̮̩͔̱̈̃ͦ͡e̸̮̗̐̃̔ȧ̵̱͍͖̭͍̣̻̭̍̆̀́̓͘ͅn͋ͦͧ͏̜̮̜̯̘̯͝ ̩̈̉͗ͦ̎͂͋͋͞y̸̨͔̅͑̐̈o̳̬̝͖̘̣͔̟ͩų̸͎̥ͧͪͨ̂͢ ͚͛ͬ̀n͂̏̏̑ͩ̊ͨͩ͏̷̪͔̼̥̣o̡̧̲̩͚̥̲̖̻̥͆́ ̷̴̤̥͌̐h̨͉̗͇͈̻̩̏ͩͩ͐̀ͮa̝̹̲̪̜͎̟ͭ̎͒̿͒ͭͪ̀͢r̵̴͎͑ͫ͜ͅm̧̢̯̦̪̔̈́̃ͭ̑̌ͅ.̸̗̗̞͈͓͕̘̬ͩ͛͒̓.̴̘͔̱̙̱͖ͯ͆͡͞ . "

"G-Go AWAY!" I Stutter in panic. "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Tilting its head once more in confusion, the figure advances slowly...

"W͖̭̤̹͕͔ͮ̈́̉̕ͅh̶̸̦̺̜̲̹̪̤ͬ͗̔̐̄ͩ́a̢͈̤̘̙͙̯̍̿ͅt͔̱͚͉̩͈̦̄ͥ́̆ͩ̈́̋̚ ̢͖͖̘̮̱̭͙ͨͣ͗͋̈̈ͮ̃ͪ́̕a̙̰͋̚͜r̡̥̬̰̙͙̪͒̐̾̕e̵̼̱̹͍ͣ͂̾͑ͣͧ͌̒ͮ ̢͚̖̼̝̋́ͫ͌̎̈͢y̢͚̖̯͕̺̾̇̐̇ͯͫ̓͌͑́o̢̝͇̪͓̮ͪͯͭ̏͡u͕̘͙͓̼̲̹̻͚ͤ̐͗̽̂͛͐͟?̧̈̏͒̑̆̀҉̳̼̟͚̺̞͓̱ͅ.̼̬̻̃̊̇.̴̛͈͕͓̫̐ͬ̒.ͮ͌ͨ҉̱̖̯̻̕͜ ̛͍̩̓ͣ͂̈̒ͮͬ͟͡W̰̻̝͙̙ͩ́̊̉ͯͥ͋͡ḧ̷̫͚͋̀͝oͨ̊̆̑̓̅̽̍̀҉̫̣̤̱͍͍ ͓̼͉͉̤̯̯̓͆̅́å̜̦͈͍͕̭͐ͯ̈́ͅr̷̳̙̗͖͑̽̒̓̒̄̑̚ͅe̶̹͑̽͂ͭ͌̒͑ͥ̚ ̯͍̑ͪ͂ͬͬͨ͆̌̃͢y̡ͨͣ̒ͪ̿͏̥̖̣̯͙͙͕͠o̽̋̈́̏̊̒̓҉̲̜͖̠͉͢͠ų̸̰͚̥̓̿ͧ͂ͪ?̐̇̿ͧ̎̂̚҉̯̩͙͞ ."

The voice asks, but in my state i find myself incapable of answering her question. Instead i just keep backing up. Until my back hits the wall on the opposite end of the foyer.

With nowhere to go, i curl up in a ball against the wall trying to protect myself as i scream. "GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" At my pleas the creature of darkness freezes mid stride. Before its eyes blow bright enough to drown out all the colour in the room. I bury my head into my little armadillo ball position against the wall. Waiting for the end... but instead, i feel the warmth of a soft touch against the back of my shoulder. After recovering from my Stiffness i slowly uncurl myself and look up.

Standing over me is a pony. Her midnight blue coat has a brilliant sheen to it. And her mane blows on an ethereal breeze. Her Turquoise eyes look down to me with the warm love that a mother has for her child. As she sits down next to me she speaks.

"So, your the shadow entity that I've seen lurking around the foyer. I thought it looked human in shape... But, Why are you in this realm?" She asks with curiosity.

I Just lye on my side there stunned, before sitting up with my back against the wall, holding my legs to my chest with my arms. And managing to finally stutter out. "What do you mean 'Entity? And i don.t know why i'm here... i just watched two people drag my body into that room..." I replied whilst pointing to the doors.

The pony sits there with a troubled thoughtful look on her face, before she rises to her feet. "Come, We shall see whats become of you." She gestures towards the door with a nod in its direction.

Taking her hoof, she helps me up, and together we walk over the door. On the way dozens of both Humans and Ponies come and go through it. Though most of the humans leaving the room are wrapped in bandages and loading their weapons or are being carried by either ponies or their fellow comrades into the corner opposite the improvised morgue.

I Stopped. "Whats going on? Why can only you see me? Am i-... Dead?" The pony stops, then turns to face me from where she stood in the doorway.

"Your in a rather interesting impasse. Your neither as of current... Your body isn't fully dead, yet, your consciousness has left it... Its rather strange... Even i, in all my millennia, have never seen such an event occur..."

"W-wha- Does that even mean?! Are you trying to tell me your immortal? And i'm now a- Ghost?" I Stutter in a mix of fear and panic.

"Well, Your not a ghost. as your body isn't dead yet. But your soul has become detached somehow... And your not the only one... All around us i see dozens of humans... but i also see, Others... They bear your species shape, but their made of shadow, and have green flames as eyes. They bear similar characteristics as timber-wolves and other magical constructs in this sense... its quite strange..." She replies whilst looking off into space, evidently thinking. But she shakes her head to clear her thoughts before once again motioning for me to follow.

As i enter the room i'm greeted by the sight of a casualty clearing station, doctors and medics from all walks of life are rushing from patient to patient administering medicinal aid and magic to help those whom have been injured. The beautiful floor of the room has almost disappeared under various blood smears as used medical supplies. Unicorns are in a constant struggle to clean the messes left by both doctor and patient.

"This is... Terrible..." I Said with a hand over my mouth in shock. "Why are we doing this to ourselves..." The Strange pony turns to me and replies with.

"It appears that your people are standing up to try and defend us... However the odds of success are abysmal as of current. We don't want to kill anyone... but I'm afraid they don't share that sentiment... Our enemy fights with a savage near primal, Feral even, brutality that our lands haven't seen in years from an army..."

"Is there any way we can stop this from continuing..." I find myself asking.

"Theres only two options so far. Either kill our enemy, which isn't an option anymore than a last resort. Or, Pray for human reinforcements from your peoples 'Coalition', Either way... The outlook for our future, and the futures of Everypony in this castle are bleak at best..."

Muffled voices echo their way into the space we currently share...

"DOC! MEDIC! HURRY!"

"COMEON! WE'RE LOOSING HER!"

Two Wallaroo medics and three unicorns in white uniforms rush over, but after a short bout trying to stem the massive blood loss they all looked to each-other knowing a loosing battle was in their midst's. The unicorns lit their horns as my body was surrounded in a yellow aura, the same warm feeling from previous envelopes my body and i suddenly feel more relaxed...

Turning my head to look at the only being who can see me i stare for a few seconds before asking her a question, my defeated tone of voice instantly grabbing her attention from the scene before her.

"I'm done for... Aren't i?" The dark-blue pony closes her eyes and flares her horn. After a few moments her horn stops glowing and her teal eyes look into mine, her sadness evident by the glassy pain that reflects through them. Closing her eyes she nods her head.

Looking back to my motionless body, i lye in a pool of my own blood, everyone surrounding me just closes their eyes and looks away from me. In the back of the group i can see Princess Cadence crying... She moves past everyone and wraps her hooves around my expired mortality. She sits there next to me, just, crying into my shoulder...

One of the mist cougars whom dragged me into the room placed her hand on Cadences back.

"Don't worry. We'll see to it personally that shes given a memorial, so that none shall forget her loss..." Cadence raises her head from my bodies shoulder, and looks back to the woman in grey uniform.

"If Jackie hadn't- -sob- done what she- did... I'd be the one dead..." The princess of love returns to her distressed embrace of my shoulder.

The woman once again speaks with her voice full of pain. "I know... It takes an extreme amount of courage, bravery, and care for those around oneself to throw yourself onto a grenade. Her sacrifice saved not only you. But us... And the hope you shall give to your people..."

"I'm Princess Luna... I'm afraid that i must thank you for your sacrifice... You saved Cadence... But couldn't save yourself in the process, You eternally have our dept, and i'm afraid that i couldn't ask any more of you... But, Princess Twilight sparkle has been trying to solve the problem of the 'Possessions' that are causing your people to fight each-other... Your, circumstances could aid her in that analysis. That is if you wish it... I'm not going to force you to do anything after what you've done." I look into her Teal eyes, they seem to intend into her pure soul for years... After thinking over it for a few seconds i simply nod my agreement to her.

"Then please. Follow me Jackie..." Luna begins to walk up a spiral staircase thats hidden in the corner of the Library. After two minutes our ascent is finished, and i'm still suffering from shell-shock...

'Am i really dead? Is this a dream... or rather, a nightmare...' 'What happens to me now? Do i pass on? Or am i doomed to roam this world in constant limbo...'

As we finally reach the top of the stairs Luna turns to face me. "Don't worry. We wont allow you to be stuck in limbo, No creature deserves a fate of aimless wandering, to be stuck in between two dimensions and be invisible to those around you... that's tragic." 'Ah. I forgot she could hear my thoughts... Thats rather-'

"Pervasive?" She replies with a smile.

"You could say that." I found myself replying.

We continued down a narrow hallway. All he rare windows that provided light had their glass blown out. Most certainly due to the various bombing runs against the castle.

Luna stops at a narrow but fairly tall doorway. Using her magic, the doors slide open sideways. the sound of grinding stone fills the hallway, like some archaic dungeon door from a video-game.

The room was evidently a former Loft that was converted into a private lab and study. No windows can be seen anywhere, the only dim orange and blue light in the cavernous room is that of the hundreds of glowing gems.

The lavender coloured pony i see looks up in surprise, and greets the princess, but evidently cant see me, as she immediately turns back to the mountain of books that are stacked on the table around her.

"I'm starting to feel like a third wheel..." I groan in degeneracy.

With a giggle Luna walks over to Twilight before addressing her...

After a fairly brief discussion Twilight's head shoots up from the three books sprawled out in-front of her as she scans the room, looking for me. After a lavender bubble spreads from her horn and around the room, her dully glowing lavender eyes lock onto me after a brief look around the dark gem lit room.