[EaW]Hell of Stalliongrad

“Dark magic, huh?” the mare asked, Victor, heard the sound of paper, “I don’t see that in the reports, tell me more.” The incident the Victor got into was highly classified. The high command was afraid that the soldiers would lose their moral if the rumor will spread. So, whoever was that mare in front of Victor, even she wouldn’t get access to that information.

“I am just some shitty lieutenant,” Victor spoke, “They wouldn’t give me even a bit of data about that. So, call the Minister Shiny Spear and ask her yourself.” He encountered with Shiny Spear only two times, once in 990 in Canterlot, once in the Defense Department a week or two ago. Victor hoped that he would seat someday with her at one table. Well, dreams come true. He just didn’t expect a few hoof punches from her into Victor’s snout and psychological pressure. She’s a bitch. Almost got him into the electric chair.

“Very interesting,” the voice said, “I am quite disappointed in her now, to hide such information from me, perhaps she should go as Hard Hoof did.” What did she mean? Is it really in her power? Who the fuck was she?

“It was a political association, this mare controlled the supplies coming into the city, for civilians, some for the army. Communists probably tried to talk with her, but when she refused, they killed her. Unfortunate.” Victor said, he had seen the picture of that mare on the wall in the City Hall, so he knew that it was her. Military tried to keep it down, but Victor would tell the citizens about the actions of Steel Stallion then. Maybe it would get the army some trust then. “It allowed us to control the supplies. As I know Ray became ahead of it because of his injury. The Stallion got nothing from it, only gave us more control over the city.”

“You sure about that, lieutenant?” the mare said, sometimes Victor didn’t want to accept the fact about what Ray has been doing. Victor only sighed as an answer. “I know how it is to be disappointed in somepony close to you. So much time can pass, but you still trying to understand why they have done it, isn’t it like that lieutenant?” She was right, as always. What could Victor do, to stop Ray? Only aim better in his head, nothing else. Instead, he shot his leg, and he still stood up and walked towards what he believed was right. He is still a coward though. And that is what Victor tried to comprehend, that Ray was nopony else but a coward, who decided to leave everything behind for some elusive goal he had. At least he believed in it, and he believed that it was right, that is something Victor couldn’t blame him for. For his faith.

“It wasn’t in my power to stop Ray. Whatever he has done, he still was my friend once.” Victor thought that he shouldn’t have said that, the mare might understand it wrong.

“Did you put friendship over your duty to Equestria?” the mare asked. Victor didn’t know what to say. What he knew for sure, is that this pony had enough power to destroy his whole career and maybe put him on the trial for treason. The mare sighed, “A lot of ponies, they do not understand what they are fighting for, what they believe in, what is Harmony at all. I know, lieutenant, you might be disagreeing with me. But I think Harmony is when everypony stands together. When they know that they have friends, who will support them, and when they can forgive them and continue to live knowing that they have a friend on the other side of the river. Ponies can be so different, but it doesn’t stop them from being friends. You can have one, two, five, dozens of friends, doesn’t matter. In Equestria you always have them. You don’t even have to look for them. You find each other. That is how Equestria stands, lieutenant. And if you would stop Ray from doing what he considers right, then what kind of friend would you be?”

“I wanted to stop him from doing the wrong choice,” Victor said. Ray didn’t know what he was doing, he just walked full of dreams towards the beast, that he and Victor were supposed to beat, but instead Ray decided to join him.

“You wanted to stop him from what has been wrong for you. What you don’t agree with and hate.” The mare said, “He had different views and it annoys you.”

Victor sighed, he shamefully looked down. “I simply didn’t want to lose him too,” he said and lifted his head and through force looked through the light, hoping that he caught the mare’s eyes, “It was hard. He completely broke me when he turned his tail on me. Even the loss of Rose hasn’t affected me as much,” Victor took his eyes away from light and closed them letting them rest, “I guess, it was a day when I started to call myself a soldier. Came through hell, lost a platoon, was betrayed by a pony whom I called a friend once, now I bitterly have to call him my enemy. What should I do after that, huh? I am left only to take a rifle back into my hooves and charge into someponies as I have been told to do. Then realizing what waste was all of that sacrifices and loses, because of damn Celestia.”

“There is too much anger inside of you, lieutenant,” the mare said, “I see that it all heaped up over the years of your life, and you are too afraid to let it all out. You don’t know what may happen. That’s why you are afraid to make a family, to find new friends, that’s why you abuse drinks and smoke. I understand I had that period of life, long time ago, I’ve lost a close pony to me, I was angry, I was ready to burst myself inside out. But I got over it.” She was right, in some sense. Victor didn’t want to admit it, but she spoke the truth. She saw him inside out, “You are angry that we lost Princessyn…”

“We didn’t lose,” Victor interrupted the mare, “We were forced to retreat.” He was annoyed, he didn’t lose, he has done everything for victory, but it slipped from him on the last day of the war.

“Right, but so many little ponies were slain, because of your spirit for victory,” the mare continued, “We would come out victorious, I did not doubt our army, our principles, and harmony. Was it really worth it? You said it yourself lieutenant, it wasn’t harmony, it was chaos. This war was one big pile of chaos.” Victor indeed had said it, but the existence of the region that is ruled by the idea of avenging Equestria right next to Equestrian borders, that wouldn’t be good for Harmony either, “You know the story of Wendigos, don’t you, lieutenant? Every foal knows it. It may sound like a fairy tale at first, but it was total trueness. A historical fact I would say! Think about that story and compare it with what you wanted to achieve in Princessyn. It all would end up with chaos and there would be no talk of harmony in Equestria after that.” The mare finished.

“If we are going to free any rebellious subject,” Victor said, “How we will be able to hold the nation together?”

“Equestria is standing more than a millennium by now, and it is gonna be standing for two just in a five years,” the mare said, nopony knew how long Equestria really exists, anything before Discord wars is unknown, only Celestia herself is a witness to anything before that, “Would you still question the Harmony?”

“I would question it only if I see a better way for Equestria,” Victor said, he wasn’t a fan of Harmony and Celestia, but it was the best way so far.

“But isn’t it what lieutenant Wheat has done?” the mare asked, Victor thoughtfully looked at his whiskey glass held in his left wing and spin it around its axis making the liquid jump around inside, “He chose the way, he saw there what he considers the best.”

“I’ve never said that I blame him for what he believes in,” Victor said.

“These are feelings inside of you.” the mare said and sighed, “Anyways, lieutenant, I’m glad that you are ready to wipe off your hooves for Equestria. You see it as something more than just a political system, you see it as your liability, every little pony in Equestria is your liability.” Victor didn’t know what she was talking about. Was it really who he was? Or is it some kind of brainwash? He would stand strong to his ideals and principals, and nopony can force him their own.

Victor took another sip from the glass, waved his tail and thought about the words of the mare. She seemed like a true follower of harmony. The only thing in common between him and her was the loyalty to Equestria, and how they have seen it. Equestria is not only a country, but it should also be an idea. The idea of a united pony nation. And harmony suits the best for the role of gathering the ponies together. And when everypony in the world is living under one flag, except of the Riverland of course, Harmony has played its role successfully, and now it is time for a stronger system, that holds not only the government together, but every individual pony in Equestria. The political system that may sustain from the enemies of ponies surrounding them, like changelings and those traitors communists.

But the only thing that Victor has been asked for so far, is to be loyal to Celestia. He was sworn to serve her and spread the idea of Harmony. And he will do it till his last drop of blood. Until he will see the better way.

“You may continue, please.” The mare said.

I know that I’ve should have gone for a hospital as it was the nearest medical facility, but I didn’t trust civilian doctors. They all were controlled by Stallion, if the target survived, it could’ve been poisoned right in the ward while it was sleeping. It was easy to hide too, everyday somepony dies in the hospital. And the base was too far away, I was afraid that Ray is downplaying himself. The hit was powerful, he was lucky to talk after that. He needed a combat medic, one of my squads was right in the pub at the time.

Lucky Lake’s squad had 6 ponies, all are just the rookies, but with potential. They are from Acornage altogether, and as I know, they were the only ones from that region in the whole company. So, they always hang out with each other only. Anyways, as a lieutenant, I had to gain the trust of everypony not only in my platoon but in the whole company. There was an incident when soldiers deliberately killed their officer with a frag grenade thrown into his window in Tall Tales some years ago. After that, every officer started to be afraid of their own soldiers.

I trust my platoon. They follow my orders and respect them. Unlike other lieutenants and even Ray, I do not make them do some immoral shit unless I am ordered to. Two months ago, we had to go to Kanzan, a city east of Princessyn. Oh, Celestia save us from the shit our company had done there. The shop windows were broken and robbed, thirty-five civilian casualties and two soldiers were dead too. Some dickhead on the truck wrecked into the statue of Windy Gallop, a famous athlete from that area, it fell and smashed them inside. I’ve also heard of raping and filly sexual abuse. Bastards, all of them. Nopony in this army has at least some kind of honor. I’ve always felt like the most reasonable pony in the whole Equestrian army, Celestia damn it.

As I drove the car to the center of the town, the streets started to be more alive. There weren’t any broken streetlights, the Pegasus patrols were seen flying above us, and also some other military transport showed. The life seemed more peaceful here, at least no overpowered unicorns are running around and absorbing the life energy of mares with dark magic. I needed to report it as soon as I get to the nearest telephone. I planned to do it in a pub, and also find Sanitary Spell, she was a combat medic, and she had to help Ray.

The roads in the Princessyn never was the best, some of them are still from the first cars times. So, I was always running over the bumps and holes, and I was driving fast, at least ninety k’s per hour, they felt hard. “Ouch!” the Ray exclaimed after another hole in the road, “That’s why I never give you the wheel.”

“I call shotgun since my foalhood,” I meant that I always sit in the front passenger seat, and usually not driving, its either Ray or my platoon serg, “You live?”

“I live,” Ray answered, I felt the struggle he was saying it with, “Might not see for a while though, can’t open my eye. Argh, it hurts like hell.”

“Yeah, it looked bad enough,” I said and stopped before the turn to the right, the destination point had to be in less than a block, “Sweet Celestia, it hit you hard, how the hell are you still talking?”

“I have some secrets of my own,” Ray said and quietly groaned, “Like a barrier you know.”

“Yeah, right, magic,” I said. Unicorn is a powerful soldier if you train him right. But the unicorn never should be too powerful, otherwise, he will become unstable and only Celestia will be able to stop that beast. It happened a few times already before they started to test unicorns in 650s ALB.

“Perhaps didn’t charge it enough,” Ray said, “I thought that it will be enough for both of us.”

“You have barriered me too?” I asked you cannot feel a magical barrier around you unless something hits it.

“All along,” Ray said and sighted, I looked into the mirror and seen him trying to get up from the lying to the sitting pose.

“Even when you were...” I asked and was interrupted by Ray.

“Even when I was fucked in the snout.” He said. I didn’t know that he used half of his only defense on me, perhaps if he gave it fully for himself, he wouldn’t be like that now. Even though it didn’t help me, he would have needed that more. I felt respect for him, and a warm feeling of friendship inside.

At this moment we already drove to the pub. A few soldiers were seen standing outside and smoking. I drove right to the entrance. “Here,” I said.

“Wonderful,” Ray said and opened the door on the right of him to get out. I quickly ran out of the car and wanted to help him, but as soon as he stepped his hoof on the ground, he fell, and couldn’t even stand.

I wouldn’t be able to carry him inside by myself, so I’ve thought of asking the other soldiers to help. They were already looking at us, thinking that Ray is drunk as fuck already and laughing at him.

I started to move towards them. Walking with a quick temp until I accidentally slipped on the ice. I almost fell but caught myself with wings in the air and quickly spin around stabilizing myself in the air. I’ve heard laughing from behind, it was the same soldier group laughing at me. I started to lose my temper already and wanted to give those idiots a lesson.

“Perhaps you want to help me get Lieutenant Ray inside of the building, privates.” I said, they haven’t even saluted me and still had those grins, it annoyed me.

“Why would we want to do it? We don’t even know who you are?” one of them said. He wasn’t tall and looked skinny with light gray mane and a white body. I didn’t see their squad leader in the group, all were private rank.

“Did you lose your place soldier or a sight maybe?” I said and turned a little to the right showing my stripes on the black coat, “You are speaking to an officer, lieutenant Victory Key,” I said trying to keep myself as calm as possible, “And I command you to help me get the wounded officer inside of the building right fucking now.”

“I’m sorry for your friend, lieutenant,” another mare said making a mocking voice on my rank, “I’ve heard the liver disease is an untreatable wound.”

“Yeah he looks like he had a real combat night, look, he can’t even lift his snout.” A pegasus mare said and followed with a laugh from everypony. I started to get angry. I took out my last cigar and held it in my wing.

“You have a fire, private?” I said and stretched out the wing towards her. She only confusingly looked at me and went to the pocket for something.

“Sure, sir,” she said and took out a gaslight, “Here, enjoy.”

“Thanks,” I said and put my cigar into the mouth, put the tip over the fire and breathed the smoked in. Then I’ve quickly grabbed her hoof and took out the cigar from my lips with a wing.

“Hey!” she said and got a cigar burn there from me, she dropped the light and groaned, the others only watched with wide-open eyes and mouth, that their cigarettes couldn’t hold there, one of them tried to stop me but was intercepted by his comrade before he got to me. I held the cigar for five seconds squeezing it in and took it away, letting her leg go leaving there a nice round reddish burn on her pink skin. The mare moved back, she was scared, and it was enough for me, “What the hell!” She said loudly, “I’m gonna tell serg about it!”

“Next time be more respectful towards an officer, soldier. I’ve wasted enough time already,” I said, put my cigar back into the teeth and pointed at two earth stallions standing in front of me, “You two, with me,” I said, they didn’t say anything but still went after me so I led them towards Ray, he was still lying in front of the car.

“Go fuck yourself!” The same mare shouted to me from the behind.

“Feather, it’s enough.” White stallion said trying to settle down the pink pegasus. She just turned around and waved her blue tail at me. She held her hoof with the cigar burn up and was showing it to her friends. Soft and impudent soldier. Celestia, please prevent those coming to my platoon. It is such a struggle to show those privates their place in the command chain, at the very bottom, not any higher.

Two ponies without my orders lifted Ray making him groan, “Careful, now after me.” I said to them and held a big dark wood door of the pub for them to enter like a fucking doorman in the Manehatten hotel.

We walked into the room of descent for a pub size which was lighted with electricity, it was loud, half of the tables were taking by ponies in the military uniform, another half was empty. It was mostly army green uniform, but I’ve noticed two groups from Airforce with blue jackets on them.

I quickly found a corner table under the window and pointed there with my hoof. The two stallions nodded and carefully placed Ray there. After that I let them go, without saying anything. They willingly went outside and joined back their group. I haven’t seen them before. Perhaps they were a new squad of rookies who weren’t familiar with army principals and how the ranking system works. The mare was speaking with Las Pegasus accent, and she acted like half of the ponies in that city, cocky.

“Hey Vic,” Ray said without opening his eyes, “Get me a mug of cider.”

“I will, but first I need to find a doc for you,” I said and started to look around to find Sanitary Spell.

“Oh, c’ mon Vic, it can wait,” Ray said, “I want cider! Everypony wants cider, bring me cider!” Ray started to be capricious and knock the table with his hooves acting like a foal. I only sighed and shook my head continuing looking for Sanitary Spell. I couldn’t see her anywhere, but luckily, I’ve seen Dust Pusher from the same squad as she is. He was standing up and looked like he was talking a toast. I supposed that the rest of the Lucky Lake’s squad is at that table.

“…let’s drink, good fellas, for the new princess Mi Amore…” Dust Pusher was interrupted by Lucky Lake who noticed me coming. She immediately stood up and saluted to me, others followed her, Dust Pusher turned around too. There was Violet Ember, Arctic Gust, and Steam Bolt, but no sight of Sanitary Spell.

“Lieutenant Key!” Lucky Lake happily greeted me and put her hoof down, “We started to get worried already, that you won’t come.” She said and noticed blood on my shirt and snout. She gave me a puzzled expression. “Or should we worry?”

“I’ve been almost as much from not coming today,” I said and showed the small space between two of my feathers, “There is some shit that happened on the way here.”

“Well sir, we are glad that you are alive,” Arctic Gust said and scratched back of his blue head, “You want a drink?” He said and offered a cider from his mug.

“No Gust,” I refused, “It would be better if you tell me where the Sanitary Spell is?” I asked and smoked a cigar.

“Sir, she went into the ladies room.” Dust Pusher said and pointed towards the toilets, I didn’t look that direction.

“Fuck,” I said with annoyance, “How long ago? I would use her help.”

“Just now, right before you showed up.” Lucky Lake said, “Are you feeling good?”

“I am fine, can’t say that about Lieutenant Wheat.” I growled and looked in the direction of the restrooms in a hope that I’ll see her there, “Tell her to come at the table under the window there,” I pointed to Ray’s table, “There is an officer who could’ve used her help. That’s an order.” I said, Lucky Lake saluted to me again and I went to the barman stand to ask for a telephone.

The barman showed me the way into the room behind the stand and let me make a call. While I’ve been talking to Major and explaining to him what happened and where it happened, I’ve watched two mares come to Ray, one yellow earth and one lime unicorn. That was Lucky Lake and Sanitary Spell. I wasn’t sure if Ray fell unconscious again or he was just leaning back with his eyes closed.

Major seemed to be unusually calm and listened to me carefully, “Understood Key, I’ll transfer that straight where it needs to be heard.” Major said and hung up. I guessed that nothing more was required from me anymore.

I saw that Sanitary Spell didn’t lose time and started to examine Ray’s wound. Her bag with the red cross on a white square was lying on the table, opened, with bandages and few bubbles with some liquid carefully placed near. Looking at Ray’s face he was full of pain, even though Sanitary Spell haven’t touched him yet.

“Sir!” Sanitary Spell jumped and saluted me when I got closer to the table, Lucky Lake did the same.

I saluted back, she put her hoof down, and continued to look at Ray’s eye, “What do you think?” I asked her and smoked the cigar, “Will he live?” On the light, Ray seemed worse. The round burn around his right eye stood out on his red fur. It was hard to tell where his eyelids were.

“He will live alright, sir,” Sanitary Spell said, “Third-degree burn will leave him a scar.”

“I surely can live with that,” Ray said and opened his left eye, “Just like my grandpa. He has this huge scar under his nose, well he pulled his face on the pitchfork. And he was also drunk then.” He said sarcastically making Sanitary smile, but she tried to remain calm and professional.

“I’m afraid he requires a surgical intervention to open his eye,” Sanitary Spell said, “But looking at the type of magic blast hit him…”

“I didn’t tell you about the magic,” I interrupted her and looked and Lucky Lake, she gave me an innocent face like she doesn’t know what we are talking about, “Did he tell you?”

“Oh sir, it is easy, see those curls coming from the sides of the burn,” Sanitary Spell said and pointed at Ray’s eye, I came closer and leaned forward to see better, there were indeed some curls going from the edges of the wound, like it was spiral, it was hard to notice generally looking at it, “That is a Lorehoof spell. It goes with incredible speed and spins around, that’s where the spiral comes from.” Sanitary Spell explained, Lorehoof was a unicorn-physician in 820’s ALB, I’ve been a little fan of him while I studied in the college ten years ago, it was so long ago, “Lorehoof spell requires a lot of time for charging but goes deep into the organic tissues. Looking at Lieutenant Wheat, I’m surprised that he acts so casually after the shot came right into his snout.” It was clear that Ray was just underplaying. He was in total pain then, “Even though the blast got him on the side of his face, it didn’t go all the way to the brain. Perhaps his assaulter wasn’t strong enough for that kind of spell or something slowed it down before it hit him.”

“Yeah, he has charged the barrier,” I said and sat next to Ray on the couch under the window. That disrespectful group of ponies outside had been gone somewhere. Lucky Lake was standing and listening to Sanitary Spell as carefully as I did.

“Well, perhaps he charged it too bad,” Sanitary Spell said and looked at me for an answer, I only snorted. If Ray wouldn’t waste his magic on protecting me, he would still be standing on his hoofs. I was still grateful to him as a friend. “I’m not sure about his eye, looking on the radius of the burn, it might be melted.” She continued.

“So, I won’t see,” Ray asked.

“Unless you can alloy it again,” I said sarcastically, “But you are still not sure, right?” I asked Sanitary Spell.

“I cannot check it in any way, sir,” she said, “In the best scenario, his eye was left undamaged and his barrier took enough power of the spell, in the worst, well you know, sir, the left is the only one he is left with.” Sanitary said and turned to her medical bag, “All I can do now is bandage it and stop any bleeding he has. Sir?”

“Yeah do it,” I said, “Good job.” Sanitary Spell gave a small smile and started to slowly bandage the burn around Ray’s head.

“Sir!” Sanitary looked at me and jumped again, “Are you hurt? Can I look?” She asked and tried to examine my neck where there was some blood left on my fur from that pony I stabbed. I tried to wave away her hoofs and she looks at me with misunderstanding.

“That’s not mine San,” I said putting her hoof down from my neck, “I’m as good as Celestia on the Gala.”

“Oh,” Sanitary said, “Good, I’ll get back to Lieutenant” She got bandages with her magic and started to wrap it around Ray’s right side of his head. She went from his black messy mane around his ear covering his eye. She did it ten or so times.

“It was a hell of a mess you got in there, sir,” Lucky Lake said, “What was it all about?”

“Fucking Stallion’s men,” I said, “Had somepony to assassinate. Me and lieutenant Wheat were just driving by.” And it was worthless in the end and cost Ray an eye.

“They were good though,” Ray said, “If it was the Lorehoof shit they used, it must be well-trained unicorns.” He groaned again after Sanitary Spell tightened the bandage, “Celestia!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry sir!” Sanitary said guilty and quickly got away from Ray. He nodded to her and straightened himself up and touched the bandage with his hoof.

“Argh, I guess I’ll have to go left-sided now.” There were left-sided and right-sided unicorns, it doesn’t affect much of everyday life, but in the army, it is crucial to know how to hold a weapon for a unicorn. It will be hard for Ray to swap, he is not a dynamic pony. History books say that the greatest of magicians were left-sided, like the Star Swirl the Bearded, Princess of the Night, Lorehoof, Einstable, even the Celestia herself. Most of them are dead by now though.

“Whoever those ponies are, they are no more of our concern,” I said and took the cigar out of my teeth, “Major Force will know what to do with that crap, I’m sure that the department is already at the place examining the bodies.” I was expecting that they will come to me or Ray afterward, but they didn’t. We just sent them reports and that was enough for them, I guess.

“Shit, sir,” Lucky Lake said, “I couldn’t even think of ponies like that just walking around and killing other ponies right in the center of the city. De-facto Martial Law was already crazy enough for me.” She said and shook her head.

“Major was right,” I said, Sanitary Spell has already finished with Ray and sat next to him, Lucky Lake took a chair and sat on the opposite side of the table, “The city goes into the hell day by day.”

“That’s the first time I see you agreeing with him,” Ray said.

“Major Force is a respectable officer,” I said, “He had done some shit in Tall Tales, yes, and still doing it now, but his straps didn’t come from nowhere. It is only his stupid racism to slavponians.” I said and sighed.

“Vic, you always think that everypony around hates you only for your nationality.” Ray said and took off his overcoat, Sanitary helped him with that and carefully levitated it to the nearest hanger.

“But that’s true!” I exclaimed, “Why am I not a captain yet, say me that? I was supposed to be one more than a year ago.”

“I think there are other reasons for that,” Ray said, “It is all high command and politicians, they don’t care about you, especially what genetics do you have. Look around, do you see anypony hating you here?” Ray said and nodded at Lucky and Sanitary.

“Yeah sir, there are ponies who don’t even know about your nationality.” Lucky Lake said and gave me a grin.

“Lieutenant also has a great reputation as an officer.” Sanitary said to Lucky.

“Nah, I wouldn’t say that,” she said and saw my puzzled face looking at her, “Or maybe San is right, you know, you always gotta respect your officer.”

I sighed and looked at the bar once again “You guys want a drink?” I asked.

“Oh yeah!” Ray said and tried to stand up, but fell and groaned, Sanitary Spell caught on him.

“Please, sir, you should let yourself rest a little,” She said, “Your head was hit hard, walking is not recommended.”

“Yes, right,” Ray replied, “Hey Vic, bring me a mug of apple cider! You know what, bring everypony at this table a round, I cover.” He said and waved a hoof on everypony from me on his left to Lucky Lake and Sanitary Spell on his right. “Here.” He said and levitated to me four golden Bits, he put them right into the pocket of my coat.

I laughed and put my cigar back into the teeth, it has been burned halfway already. I turned around and went to the barman, on the way there my cap levitated back to the table, I didn’t mind as I knew that it was Ray. I ordered four mugs of cider. The green unicorn nodded and took four gold Bits with Celestia’s head that I put on the stand. He quickly filled up glasses and put them on the tray. I took it with my wings and walked back. The cider foam leaked over the edges and dripped on the wood tray.

When Ray saw me, he happily yelled and whipped away one of the mugs for himself with magic before I was even half-way to the group. Two mares were sitting smiling over Ray’s actions. It was easy to see how confident and boldly Lucky Lake was sitting compared decently sitting Sanitary Spell. Ray already got a sip off his mug when I only got to the table and put the tray down.

When everypony took a cup I said, “What are we going to drink for, comrades?”

“Oh, there is a lot, sir,” Lucky Lake said, “New Princess?” I didn’t feel like it, too much politics that are going on somewhere there, in Canterlot. Cadenza had nothing to do with us.

“Or that you have survived!” Sanitary said, “I can’t… I mean, we can’t afford losing an officer this times.” She said and saw Lucky’s grin at her, she immediately blushed and shamefully squeezed.

“Or to my eye, that I might never use again.” Ray said, “Isn’t it the loss of the day?”

“The fortune took your eye in exchange for your life, you should be grateful.” I said to Ray.

“Basically, the same what San has said,” Lucky Lake said and pointed at Sanitary. She only nodded and smiled, “Let’s drink to Sergeant Leap!” Lucky exclaimed. Magic Leap was a fine soldier, it is very unfortunate what has happened to him.

“You know, Lucky, you’re maybe right,” I said, and took my mug with my right wing and took out my cigar from the mouth with my left wing, “We should drink to Leap, as we should drink to everypony who has given their life already following orders of ponies like me. And everypony who will go further. I’m not sure what’s going on in this city, but it’s not gonna end well, and we will have to go through hell in the future. Altogether, me, Ray, San, Lucky and everypony in Celestia damn it Equestrian Army we will walk out of this hell carrying the Alicorn Banner, the banner of harmony and stability, that we have to bring and sustain. We are fucking soldiers, aren’t we?” I said and lifted my mug up.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Ray said, “Said well Vic, too pessimistic but well enough.”

“Oh, shut up,” I said to Ray, “It was the greatest toast I’ve ever made.”

“Then you need to train it.” He said and lifted his half-full mug with magic.

“Let’s drink already!” Lucky Lake tried to stop our talk and lifted her mug. Sanitary Spell did the same thing.

“To victory!” I said and we have clinked the mugs.