"Ha! I can't believe it took them an entire company to catch you!" Bronze laughs. Marble had finished retelling the events from the past couple of days.

"I guess that shows who's training was better." Marble remarks. "So, what have you been up to since the last time I saw you?" Bronze shifts in his spot slightly.

"Well, after the war, I stayed with the military. They kept me in Manehatten at first. A few years later, I got stationed in Fillydelphia, where I met my wife. Stayed there about a year before being transferred here to Canterlot. Now we're expecting our first foal. So nothing much." Bronze shrugs.

"Congratulations, that sounds nice."

"It's not the same." Marble gives him a confused look." Our gear it not the same. Too clunky, I miss our old gear and uniforms."

"Yeah, those don't look too comfortable to be wearing all day, everyday." They continued to talk and catch up until evening. A guard came and brought Marble his dinner and Bronze headed off to the barrack mess hall. As the sun dipped down and the moon rose, Sleep overtook him.

We were all scrambling for what little cover was provided for us, as mortar rained from the sky.

"GET TO COVER!" Lt. Thunder shouts over the explosions." FIND A FOX HOLE AND STAY THERE!"

I run, trying to find cover, when suddenly; I'm pulled down into a hole. I look and see that Timber pulled me in.

"I got you Marble!" He yells. I peek my head up just enough to see the entire jungle become a hellhole. I don't think there was a spot that wasn't shelled. I don't know why, but the sights of the explosions, and the deafening boom captivated me. It reminds me of the firework festival in Manehatten every year. The sights and sounds of the forest gave me a sense of standing along the coastline with my family watching the fireworks. As I was smiling and reminiscing on the past, Timber was shaking uncontrollably, muttering how "This is it."

Finally after about 10 minutes, the shelling stopped and the heads of the fellow soldiers emerged from their craters. A series of All Clears echoe down the line. "Stay in your trenches!" Lt. Thunder yells. As he's checks everypony and their cover, another barrage starts. This one is different. No longer did I see it as fireworks from when I was a colt. This time I was terrified. I peak out and see Lt. Thunder crawling towards Bright Mac's and Onxys trench. He's about three yards away when an explosion rips through their crater.

"NOO! MAC! ONXY," My cries were drowned out by the mortars. Timber suddenly wraps me into a hug while starring down in front of us. I follow his eyes to a smoking mortar shell.

"It's... it's a dud." He mutters. Looking back to the lieutenant. I catch a glimpse of him. He was starring forward at the smoking crater that used to be his friends.

Princess Celestia waited patiently for, Marble in the interrogation room. Humming softly to herself, she contemplated whether she should follow through with this, or not. 'Is it really that necessary?' She says to herself. Before she has a chance to back down, the door opens and Marble is led inside. She quickly straightens her posture, before greeting him. Once he's seated, she gets a good look at him. He look disheveled and exhausted, like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Good morning, Marble." She says warmly Marble grumbles a response

"Morning." He glances around the room, before settling his gaze on her." What's this about, I thought we were done yesterday?"

"Are you ok? You look like you haven't slept a week."

"Can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I'm back in the jungle."

Celestia gives him a quick glance before continuing."Anyway, the reason I summoned you back is because My sister and I have a proposition for you."

Marble crosses his forelegs." What kind of proposition?"

"A chance for you to start over. I want you to rebuild and train the Solar Berets. If you accept this your time in the dungeon will be shortened and you will begin training the recruits." Marble sat in silence, taking in what she said." Think about it this way Marble. Your one of the only ones here in Canterlot that has experience. You said it yourself "if my guards were trained like the Solar Berets they would have caught you.". If you accept, not only is your sentence shorter, but you shall have a job waiting for you. This is your chance to turn your life around."

Marble looks up at Princess Celestia. Releasing a built up breath, Marble gives his answer." Ok, I'll do it."

Weeks went by, as the lives in Ponyville went on as Pinkie tried to become friends with a new resident named Cranky Doodle. The events of Marble slowly became a distant memory. Now, Twilight and her friends were on their way to Canterlot. Pinkie insisted that they all go the see Marble for a party.

"Twilight, I'm surprised your not reading that book you brought with you, since y'know your an egghead." Rainbow remarks.

"Well, I don't think it would be very polite to be reading through his journal."

"His journal? Just think of all the crazy adventures that must be in it! It could even rival Daring Do!" She says jumping in the air.

"No Rainbow. Your not re- hey!" Twilight is cut off as Rainbow Dash snatches the book from her grasp. Flipping through to a random page she braces herself for the exciting story

September 15, 3813
Today we moved up the western trail to aid the ponies from Penguin Company. It was a humid day, being that it rained all night and morning. After probably 4 hours of marching through the jungle, we reached their position. I didn't know what to expect when we got there. I guess, a company of mostly pegasi would naturally take cover in the trees; while the few unicorns and earth ponies took to making fox holes. Getting settled in, we were introduced to the ponies of Bat.

"So that's Nicknack, Windy, and Cavedirt." One of the pegasi introduced.

"Cavedirt?" Starboard asked.

"Don't ask me. One day during basic he just told all of he wanted to be called that."

"Hey." Colbalt jumps in." If your company is mostly pegasi, why is your company named Penguin?

"Oh that's easy. Cause we got ponies like Pondscum over there." A blue and grey pegasus looks over with a frown before responding.

"Seriously, I crash in a muddy pond one time in basic and now I'm stuck with that name!"......

"Rainbow Dash! Give me his journal back!" Twilight yells, but was drowned out from Rainbow and Pinkie's laughing

"Wait, wait one more!" She laughs.

December 23, 3814
We were give a weeks leave for Hearth's Warming. We weren't allowed to go back to Equestria, but we were pulled off the line. Today we were walking through the market of Eaglecrest. Starboard, Mac, and myself were discussing our plans after the war.

"I'm telling you guy, after this war, we all go to Las Pegasus and celebrate." Starboard says.

"Yeah, and we can all take your airship." I laugh.

"Hey, just you wait. Once we get out of here. I'm going to get my airship."

I was about to open my mouth, when a young griffin carrying a small box approached us.

"Bit." He says. "Bit f-for Hearths Warming." We brush him off and continue along, but he kept following us.

"Starboard, I'm gonna get us a couple drinks over there." I said motioning to a small stand." See if you can get rid of him."

I had just gotten our drinks when a deafening explosion rips through the market. Looking for the source, I find Mac pulling me to it. Looking over at him, he had blood all over his face and uniform. His mouth was moving but, I can't hear anything he's saying, just a constant ringing in my ears . We push our way through the crowd as they escape danger. Breaking through, I see the griffin smoldering, completely unrecognizable. Starboard wasn't much betters. My hearing returned, and I could hear him screaming for help. Me and Mac tried the hold him together, but both of his front legs were missing.

"I WANNA GO HOME!" He yelled. "I WANNA GO HOME MARBLE!"

"Marble, where's his legs?" Mac cries. Tears were streaming down Mac's face as the realization set in. There was nothing we could do for him.

"Ok maybe one story was enough." Rainbow says shoving the book back to Twilight.

"That one was simply dreadful." A mortified Rarity remarks." Why would you read that one out loud, darling."

"Poor Marble." Fluttershy mumbles.

"Oh look we're here!" Pinkie suddenly shouts drawing their attention to Canterlot.

Author's Note

Interesting fact- the name Cave Dirt was a nickname one of my dad's friend gave himself in college.

Might kill off one of the mane 6. Thoughts on that or who it should be. that was a joke