It had been a few days and David was being released from the hospital. Standing in the lobby was Twilight with nurse Redheart waiting for him, as they waited, nurse Redheart talked about her experience with him, “He’s quite strange you know and awfully polite, he would apologise for taking the bed sometimes.”

“Well, that’s good to know.” Twilight said.

“There's another thing, his fever may have broken, but I don’t think he’s been sleeping.” Redheart replied.

Looking to nurse Redheart, then David walking down the corridor wearing the same clothes he arrived in she spoke, “Maybe his kind don’t need as much sleep as us, but I’ve still got a lot more questions that need answering.”

Leaving the hospital, David noticed how nice everything looked, the grass was green, the trees were full and the houses of this village looked like they had never see a war, looking around he’d forgotten how things were supposed to be even now he couldn’t remember how his home looked, all he could remember was the cratered poisoned land of France.

Arriving back at the library he saw it was made inside a giant tree, but after spending two days in a hospital filled with colourful ponies some of which used magic, a library inside a tree wasn’t the strangest of sight. Walking over to Twilight’s home he saw many ponies, each one of them as colourful as the last, but there was another thing he noticed apart from the lack of clothes, each and every one was staring at him. Entering the house, Twilight rushed in front of him wanting to show him around her house.

The ground floor was just a library with a door against the back wall leading to the kitchen. Taking him up stairs she showed him what looked to be a living room where he saw all of his things piled up against the wall next to the fireplace. Showing him a different room she said “...And this is the bathroom, take as long as you need.” Closing the door behind him she left him to clean himself. She didn’t want to be rude but he hadn’t washed in at least two days.

Taking off his clothes, he got into the warm water of the bath. It had been too long since he’d had a wash, to say it was relaxing was an understatement, three years of flooded trench’s mud, blood, rats and lice. A warm bath was as close to heaven as a man could be.

Minutes turned to hours as Twilight waited for him, but as the hours passed her eyes were drawn back to the book that started it all, sitting on top of the pile of bags was his diary, picking it up she heard a noise come from the bathroom. Looking down to it she wondered what wealth of knowledge was hidden inside its pages and in that moment she decided to take fate into her own hands, using her magic she copied his diary scratches and all quickly hiding it among the hundreds of other books around the room.

Coming out of the bathroom, she saw David, the rough hair on his face completely gone being replaced by smooth pale skin. Giving him a slightly annoyed look, she spoke in a snarky tone. “You sure took your time.”

Barely looking at her as he replied in a relaxed tone, “You won’t believe how good that felt, I can’t even remember the last time I had a warm bath. Now, back to work, don’t suppose you have any maps?”

With a smile Twilight led him down stairs to the big roundtable in the centre of the room. As David walked past his bags he grabbed the magazine on top of them taking it down the stairs with him. Arriving at the table he saw multiple sheets of paper, looking at them he saw they were all maps of the same region some more close and detailed than others and some more distant showing surrounding countries, looking at the maps he heard Twilight speak in a cheery voice, “There you are, maps of Equestria! Unfortunately the north hasn’t been explored since the loss of the Crystal Empire and other regions like the Badlands are to harsh to be mapped out, the zebra home land on the other hand haven’t been explored to much not for a lack of trying, but because zebra culture is rather weary of outsiders. We do know quite a bit about the griffin empire only because they are a neighbouring nation that are willing to trade, but I’ll try to find a few older maps and rumour of other regions.”

Opening up the magazine he flipped to the back where the map was, placing it on the table on top of the other maps leaning against the table, his head hung low as he looked down to the maps beneath him. “This can’t be right. There’s no way this can possibly be right.” He said with a low tone.

Looking at his map and hers, she couldn’t see what he was talking about so she asked “What’s wrong?”

His tone remained the same as he explained, “This can’t be right, these maps don’t correspond to mine in any way that shouldn’t be possible.”

Looking to all the unknown regions beyond Equestria’s borders, she spoke her voice soft and calm, “Why can’t that be possible? There are many parts of the world still unknown to us, can't you be from a far off land?”

Sliding his map across the table to her he spoke his voice as still as night, “There are no unknown lands. All corners of the map have been filled in already, this land shouldn’t exist, I should be right here in France.”

Twilight's eyes widened as she heard that, finding it hard to believe his world had been completely explored, looking to the point he had his finger on she spoke in an unsure tone, “Maybe you're from another realm like the one Discord lives in?”

Closing his eyes he dropped his head speaking in a sombre tone, “That sounds like a lot of biblical nonsense…”

Looking at him with a confused expression she spoke seeking answers, “Biblical what?”

His hands slowly fell from the edge of the table holding no strength as he stood up right “Heaven, Hell, God, the Devil, just a load of old hogwash people use to believe.” It was clear as day that he once held belief, but now that belief has become another casualty of the great war like many others.

Twilight felt sorry for him not only was he alone in their world burned from a war she couldn’t even imagine, but he had lost something he had once held close to his heart.

1

After a few minutes of looking over all the maps they packed them away. Twilight refused his help wanting to keep her papers in order, leaving Twilight alone with her things David left walking upstairs to his things. Arriving at his things he crouched down to his bags finding his diary on top of them, picking it up, he opened it finding the worn photos still tucked into the back. There were two photos, one was of his mother and father. They were both dressed well, his father wearing a suit while his mother wore a long dress. They looked happy as they held each other, his father’s hands holding his mother’s as they looked into the camera, his father was to the left of the photo and his mother was to the right, behind them was father’s black piano and beside his mother was her easel with a painting of open country slightly blurred from the photo.

The second photo was the one he treasured most. It was a photo of him and his brother before they joined the front, that was the last time they were all together, they all wore the same uniform since the only difference between them was their hats and helmets. To the left of the photo was Gordon smiling with a baby faced grin standing a tad shorter than him wearing a steel helmet, next was him hunched down slightly with his arms around his brothers beside him. He looked different. It may only have been three years but he did look different, full of hope sporting a mustache he always thought it made him look more like the officer he would become, to his right was John, standing about the same height as David as well as wearing the same rifleman’s hat. Beside John was Jack standing slightly shorter than them wearing the same steel helmet as Gordon. Jack was smiling proudly waving at the camera, cigarette in hand as his right hand hugged John’s back.

Hearing a distant scream, David slammed his diary closed dropping it into the pile of bags as he pulled his bayonet out from his bags, quickly standing up he grabbed his rifle walking down the front door, he saw Twilight looking out the window with a look of pure dread on her face. Fastening his bayonet to the end of his rifle he kicked open the door raising his rifle to the outside world, running towards them he saw a red haired yellow furred child, behind her is a timber wolf in close pursuit. Looking down his rifle he lined up his shot, but the child blocked his line of sight on the wooden wolf, lowering his rifle down to his hip he sprinted forward charging towards them.

Seeing the strange creature run at her with what looked to be a spear pointed at her, Applebloom felt scared like the walls were closing around her, but as the spear wielding creature came into reach he ran past her. Turning her head as he moved past her he plunged his bayonet into the timber wolf’s wooden hide. Piecing the bark of its chest all 15 inches of steel halted its advance, dragging the skewered wolf down to the ground, its bark splintering under its wound. Once grounded David pulled his bayonet out from its chest before plunging it into its head killing the beast stone dead, the green glow leaving its eyes as its wooden structure collapsed in on itself.

Pulling the steel out of the wooden pile, he heard growls and the clattering of wood quickly approaching, seeing the second wolf charging him, its jaw hanging open revealing a green saliva that matched the sickly green glow in its eye. Dropping to a knee he raised his rifle firing at the wolf. The bullet tore through its wooden body with ease shattering its jaw and the side of its chest into splinters, falling to the ground it skidded across the earth a couple of feet flailing its legs as it laid there, unable to move. Marching over to it David loaded a new round into its chamber, metal grinding against metal as he did, stopping at its head he didn’t break his aim on it before firing another round into its head obliterating its wooden skull.

Running to Twilight, Applebloom spoke in a panicked frenzy, “Twilight! Scootaloo and Sweetie belle are trapped in the Everfree we knew we shouldn’t have gone but we wanted to get our cutie marks, please their were Timber Wolves”

Leaning down, Twilight put a hand on Applebloom’s shoulder speaking in a serious but reassuring voice. “Applebloom, calm down, where are they?”

Taking in a breath, Applebloom spoke her voice slower and calmer than before, but this time tears began to fill her eyes, “Their in the Everfree passed the poison joke trail hiding in a tree, please Twilight save them, theirs surrounded by Timber Wolves.”

Twilight’s face dropped as she spoke “Applebloom, go find Applejack and tell her what’s going on, we’ll meet her at the poison joke okay.”

Nodding, Applebloom ran off home as David marched back into the library marching past Twilight, following him into the house she saw him coming back down stairs, his holster on his belt over his jacket but under the many bags webbed over him. Marching back down stairs, he headed towards the door grabbing his hat on the way out, Twilight followed him seeing him awaiting her almost standing at attention like a royal guard awaiting his commander to lead him to battle.

2

Arriving at the edge of the Everfree they saw the trail leading down into it’s dark secluded heart, following the trail they saw the low blue glow of poison joke looking down to them. Twilight spoke before David could walk into them, “See those blue flowers over there? That’s poison joke, their pollen has a nasty magic that can make you pretty sick, we best wait here for the others.”

As if on queue Applejack arrived running over from behind them speaking in an exhausted tone, “Twi, so good your here, Applebloom told me everything, poor thing was scared half to death.”

Applejack’s face dropped as she saw the poison joke knowing too well the consequence of poison joke poisoning, she would happily risk it, but if she shrank again she would be no help to the fillies. “Is that poison joke?”

“Yes, it looks like we’ll have to go around.” Twilight said.

A look of dread washed over Applejack’s face as she spoke, “How long do you think that’ll take?”

Looking to her left and right she saw the horrid blue hue spanning not continuously, but enough to make her hate her answer, “An hour, maybe more, maybe less.”

“Twi, that's no good, we have to get going now.” Applejack said, full of worry.

As they racked their brains for ideas they saw David walk out into the blue flowers, Twilight's eyes turned into pin heads as she screamed, “David don’t!”

Stopping several meters into the blue meadow crushing the deadly flowers underneath him he turned to face them, hearing his raspy breath they saw a strange brown mask over his face, large glass circles over his eyes with a long pipe leading down to a black box in his bag at his side. Advancing through the blue field he left the ponies behind him following the blue trail until he passed the flowers border, taking his mask off he put it back in his bag a safe distance away from the flowers.

Eventually the trail disappeared into the forest becoming no more than another bit of land, marching forward with his rifle in his hands before him he struggled to keep his footing, almost slipping several times before slipping, falling to his knees.

Standing up he saw the churned up land before him the smell of smoke and death in the air, continuing to march over no man’s land he struggled to keep his footing the iron studs doing as much as they could to keep him steady. Walking over the rotting remains of men unable to tell friend from foe their uniforms drenched with as much mud as the trenches themselves, hearing a noise to his left he turned his hands ready for combat but upon turning he was slammed to the ground, mud lopping as he thrashed about. Above him the grey suited enemy held him down his hand over his rifle pressing it into his throat crushing the very life out of him, the man above him looked crazed burns cracks across his face a savage snarl and roar coming through his clenched teeth. Gasping for air David tried to lift his rifle off him only for it to be slammed back down against his throat again and again they struggled in the mud, looking around for anyone anything he grabbed a chunk of debris slamming it into the Jerry’s helm. Rolling over on top of the man he pushed the man down raising his broken brick up he hit the scarred man again and again, after several more strikes the man stopped moving stumbling back David dropped the bloody brick his right hand shaking again.

Looking up to the man he saw a wooden wolf, its head caved in by a green coated rock by David’s side, struggling to stand, David held in his stomach knowing full well the German wasn’t real, but the feeling was to him, he had just killed a man like a savage. Collecting his things, he struggled to stand continuing deeper into the forest on unsteady feet, a few hours passed as he moved through the forest, his stomach easing with each step.

Hearing a high pitch scream that cut through the air like a whistle he moved on towards it, in the distance he saw two fillies in a tree as three timber wolves jumped up clawing at the tree tearing up its bark. Dropping to a knee David lined up his shot watching how the wolves moved as they jumped up against the tree, waiting for the right time he took his shot hitting the wolf in the back as its claws dug into the tree. Stopping their assault on the tree they looked to the thunderous bang that came from David’s rifle, within a second he had readied his next round firing at the green eyed beast staring at him.

The last wolf ran off into the woods unable to understand what was happening but intelligent enough to understand it was alone, moving forward to the tree he kept his rifle ready, pointing at the closer of the two downed wolves giving it a firm kick before moving to the next. Seeing that both of the wolves were dead he called up to the tree. “It's okay, they’re nothing more than fancy firewood now.”

Dropping down the two fillies looked scared one was orange with a light purple mane and tail with two small feather wings coming out of her back, the other was white unicorn with a mix of pink and purple in her main and tail, he wasn’t sure if they were more scared of him or the wolves. Kneeling down he spoke, his voice was soft and reassuring as he tried to calm them down. “It’s okay, I’m not going to harm you, your friends sent me, they shouldn’t be too far behind.”

Looking up to him Sweetie Belle spoke her voice carrying a nervous undertone, “Are… are you David?”

Looking somewhat surprised, David answered her, “How do you know my name?”

Seeming more relaxed Sweetie Belle replied in a calmed tone, “My sister told me about you, she said you were a soldier.”

Standing up he gave them a small smile, “That’s right, now let's get you two home.”

The walk back was slow and uneventful, but after an hour of walking David started to notice something overhead, stopping David sensed something was stalking them, but before he could do anything Rainbow Dash landed before them getting a loud high pitch scream from Scootaloo, “Rainbow Dash!”

Running over Scootaloo hugged Rainbow Dash, getting a happy smile from her, “Hey there squirt, you alright?”

Breaking the hug Scootaloo spoke trying to sound tough, “Yeah you know me, no timber wolf can take on this pegasus.”

“Atta girl!” Rainbow dash said roughing up Scootaloo’s mane.

Barely recognising the blue pegasus David spoke, taking Rainbow by surprise “How did you know we were out here.”

Looking over to him she replied in a prideful tone, “Applebloom told me you lot were out here fighting timber wolves, can’t exactly let my honorary sister have all the fun can I? Come on, I saw Twilight and AJ this way!”

After ten or so minutes they heard noises close by. Stopping they hoped it was the others, but this was the everfree. It could easily be another timber wolf, taking the lead David aimed his rifle toward the noises ready to fire at the first sign of hostility. Bursting through the bushes Twilight and Applejack appeared, lowering his rifle he softened his stance as Rainbow spoke in a snarky playful tone, “What took you so long?”

Placing her hands on her knees Twilight panted as she spoke looking up to David, “We had to go around Celestia knows how much poison joke, while someone decides to go straight through it, despite my warnings.”

“Time was of the essence, I had a way through so I took it.” David said in a straight tone.

Sweetie bell rushed over to Applejack almost hugging her legs, “Where’s Applebloom is she okay?”

Crouching down, Applejack smiles, “She’s alright, she’s back at the farm.”

Seeing the relief in her eyes Applejack smiled, it was nice that her sister had such good friends even while still in danger they thought about her safety, looking down to the cracked watch on his left wrist he spoke in a commanding voice, “As much as I can appreciate a loving reunion we are still in hostile territory.”

Straightening herself up Twilight agreed, “He’s right girls this is the Everfree, Celestia knows what is still out here.”

After an hour of walking it was getting too dark to continue, stopping between the trees David unfastened his bags dropping them by a tree with his rifle, fixing the steel head of his trenching tool onto the wooden pole hidden in the mists of his bags. Digging into the ground he felt the eyes of the ponies watch him as he filled the hole with sticks and scraps of cloth off his leg bindings, Applejack spoke in a strange tone, “You alright there sugarcube?”

Not looking up he replied “Yeah, making camp.”

After a few minutes they were all huddled around the fire as David rummaged through his bags pulling out an assortment of items, putting a collapsible pan over the fire he threw in the content of several brown boxes. After a while he was stirring a dried vegetable broth thickened by the smashed up biscuit in it, if he had any other source he could have given it a bit more flavour, but he used the last a few weeks ago back in the trenches. Handing the pan over to the two filly’s he spoke, “There you go, that should keep you warm after you're done, pass it over to the others.”

As they thanked him, Rainbow spoke in a playful tone, “Don’t suppose you’ve got a bottle of cider in those bags.”

Laughing to herself Rainbow Dash didn’t expect him to throw a bottle at her, quickly catching it she looked in shock at the large glass bottle, “It might not be cider, but it does the job.” David said.

Opening the bottle she took a sniff, her nose wincing to its strength speaking in a slightly disgusted voice, “What, is this?”

His answer was plain and simple, just like the drink, “Rum.”

Taking a shot Rainbow Dash struggled to keep it in, coughing slightly to its burn as she handed it to Applejack, smirking to Rainbow’s reaction Applejack took a swig trying desperately to hold in the cough as she throw the sealed bottle back to David, who took a larger swig not showing any sign of coughing to the burn. Leaning against a nearby tree David dropped the rum into the pile of bags beside him with a loud clunk as he took out a cigarette and match box from his jacket, lighting the cigarette he took a drag, blowing out a fine cloud of smoke like a warm breath in the cold.

Taking the cigarette out of his mouth he moved his rifle to his lap looking over to the ponies as he spoke, “Go on get some sleep, you lot probably need it more than me, don’t worry I’ll take first watch.”

Laying down the ponies tried to get some sleep, afraid of what was out there among the dark forest... Waking up Twilight saw the fire was still burning illuminating their little camp site. Looking around she saw Rainbow asleep on her side facing the fire while Applejack laid on her back her hat covering her face, looking over to the fillies she saw they were sitting up right against a log sitting next to each other with a brown jacket blanketing them. Standing up she saw David standing at attention with his rifle in hands while his back leaned against the tree behind him, his jacket was gone revealing the blueish grey shirt and suspenders that were hidden underneath. Rubbing her groggy eyes Twilight spoke, “What time is it?”

Looking down to his cracked watch he answered “ten to six.”

In her tired state she spoke with a little shock to how long he had been up, he looked rough, his eyes looked old with how tired they were, like a single night had taken decades away from him, “Have you been up all night?”

Still looking out into the brightening forest he spoke his voice slow and weak, “Yeah, I’ll get some sleep when we get back, should probably wake them up soon.”

Author's Note

Next chapter luna will appear and the real story can begin.