Sunny Shores - That's Where I Wanna Beby MokomaChaptersSunny Shores......Where I Wanna Be.Warm BreezeCold DraftDarkSunny Shores...The forests of the River Republic were gorgeous in the summer. Warm godrays of sunshine poured through the green canopy, forming streaks of radiant light. Birds would sing their tunes, and the trees would gently sway to the cool breeze. A still tranquility, a peaceful radiance. Warmth, light, and the kindness of the sun. It was a reminder of nature's cherish - its message of love and kindness. However, there was no sun to be seen. No warmth to be felt. Tonight, it was a cold, cold winter night, with howling winds and chills that penetrated to the very bone. In the small outpost, the platoon 30 creatures-strong made the best of what they could with the horrid weather. Its primary squad, consisting of six soldiers, huddled together around a campfire. They did so in relaxation. They were after all an auxiliary unit meant for border defense operations, in a stretch of area that had no strategic advantage to the hypothetical enemy. Even if war was to be declared, they had a likely chance of never seeing action even then. The pink mare, Strawberry, grinned. She folded her hooves and legs, much to the anxiety of Spring Song, who anxiously looked at her in fear she'd burn her legs by bringing them too close to the fire. Strawberry gave the others a smug look. Their conversation was in full swing, one that discussed a very banal but understandable topic with the circumstances in mind. What was the best beach in the world? She scoffed, being the first to answer the question. "The only beaches that work are the Meridiennes. Local pirates and mercs are setting up, so now you can get whatever you want whenever y'want." "Hedonist." Frowned Sky Salt. "Of course you'd only enjoy a beach if you had blow and hookers surrounding you." "Guilty as charged, bitch!" Strawberry giggled. She reached over to their griffon squadmate, and took his talon into her hooves, much to his surprise and confusion. She would then close his digits one by one, and present the middle claw to Sky Salt. Sky Salt gave her a disappointed scoff. "The Meridiennes don't even have the best beaches. If you want good beaches, you should go to the Bakaran republic." "Idiot." Strawberry barked. "Beaches are supposed to be warm. Waaaarm, dumass. How's your ass gonna enjoy ice-cold waters? Besides, you should be having a blast considering how damn cold it is right now." "Cold water is good for the skin." Salt huffed. "And the beach during stormy weather is really beautiful." "Have any of you been to Equestria?" Muffin Hearth smiled softly, taking the relaxation time to better organize her corpsmare-issued medical equipment. "There's really nice beaches in East Equestria! Juuuust the right temperature!" "But that means..." Garaway, the griffon who pulled his talon away from Strawberry, faked an activated gag reflex. He did a really convincing job emulating it. "That means going to Equestria..." "What? You're a tourism expert now?" Strawberry laughed. "Do Griffons got any decent beaches?" Garaway folded his talons. "Wingbardy ain't bad! Sure the beaches are more about cliffs and rocks than sand, but shit, you're always a few kilometers from the nearest vineyard, so that's a plus." Salt spat out a piece of plastic as he opened a packet of coffee with his mouth, not wanting to sleep just yet. "And you're always less than a meter from the nearest fascist. Bend over once and suddenly you're carrying a goose steppin' bambino fascista." Garaway shrugged. "You're definitely a little dense, because we hung Beakolini upside down a year ago. By this logic, the Griffon Republic is still democratic, and Aquileia is an aristocracy where everyone's a pansy noble." "Spring Song?" Strawberry rose a suspicious brow at him. "You're the master of having either the shittiest, or the best opinion. What's it gonna be this time? Call it." "Shitty opinion." Laughed the stallion softly. "I don't like beaches." The light-pink mare sighed, her head turning to the older stallion who sat with them - Oak Root. "You know, how about we settle this once and for all and ask a guy who probably stormed every beach on this stupidass planet." She said, lips forming into a grin. "Lieutenant~? What's the best beach in the world?" "..." The older stallion did not smile - despite his eyes seeming full of memories. He stoked the fire idly, and a moment of silence passed. Muffin Hearth frowned, wondering if recent explosions had damaged his hearing... Until finally, the answer came. The older stallion's eyes took themselves off of the fire. "Sunny Shores." "..." "Eeeeeeeeh~?" The pink mare looked at him with a foxy smile, one that went out of its way to show how ridiculous she found the answer. "What is that? By the sounds of it, it sounds like it's Equestrian. Who the hell calls their beach "Sunny Shores"? It'd be like calling Blackrock "Bandit Mountains"." "...Calling Greneclyf "Changeling Islands"." Salt commented. "...Bull Coasts for Asterion?" Spring proposed. The lieutenant scoffed slightly. "You lot have an imagination. No, Sunny Shores is just a really nice beach. A good place to drink a few margaritas, play some volleyball...Even if you only get to do it for a little short while. And I do mean - a little." Strawberry dropped her sarcastic and rude look, instead folding her hooves and curiously turning her head. "Ooookay. So, what's so good about "Sunny Shores"?" "Sunny Shores is just that." The commander shrugged. "A very nice place where you can be with those you cherish." "And..." Garaway leaned in. "Where is it...?" "...Dunno." The lieutenant flatly said, prompting Strawberry to laugh. "Hah! You were totally there when you were blackout drunk, right? Y'know I know for a fact some officers go a little south to get shitfaced in Kasa before coming back! I bet that's what you're talking about!" "I wasn't drunk at all." He simply told Strawberry. "I can only tell you this much, though. One day, I'm going there again. I dunno when - but I will. That I'm sure of." "..." "Ooookay." Strawberry chuckled softly. "Well, this debate has been anti-enlightening. Iiii'm gonna go catch some Z's...We're not on night watch duty, right?" "Nope, that's for Charlie squad tonight. Sleep soundly." The Lieutenant smiled. ...Where I Wanna Be."WAKE UP! EVERYONE WAKE UP! WAKE UP! FUCK! GET THE HELL UP RIGHT NOW!" "W-What's going on!?" "The radio! Tune the radio to the military channels!" "No, no no no...Not like this!" "Why!? Why now!?" Strawberry ran past the confusion - still in a state of undress as her half-naked form ran outside into the snowy camp. Not that for a pony it mattered to be partially undressed, but it was certainly unwise in this cold. A stallion ran into her, and with strength, she shoved him aside to walk towards her commander. "Hey! Fuck's goin' on!?" Her comrades, the same who gathered around the campfire the night before, stood around the radio. Their faces crestfallen, and devoid of hope. The words that repeated themselves in a monotonous manner had delivered chills - and froze the blood more than the snowy weather itself ever could. It merely repeated what happened, when it happened, and what will happen. ... "Hellquill is invading...?" Cursed Strawberry. "Why the hell...!?" "..." Sky Salt sighed, loading bullets into his scoped rifle. "When Hellquill ended up with Edler von Wingenberg, we should've seen it coming. When he took Deponya, it was the first omen, but we thought since they left the coalition they weren't our problem...but the fact he's going for us..." "Shh, shut it." Whispered Garaway. He pointed with a claw at the commander, who put the microphone of a long range radio to his mouth. It was hard to hear him over the sound of panicking soldiers and yelling, and the hoofsteps that thundered through the outpost. However, in the end, Oak put away the radio...And stood up. He came close to the team. "We have a problem." "No shit?" Strawberry grunted. "You don't say this is a problem, we're being invaded!" Oak shot her a stern look, silencing her. He then continued. "A nearby battalion is five hours away from here...We need to stay still and not poke our heads out. However...The enemy is headed bearing 80 from Point Amber..." "That's..." Sky Salt put a hoof to his chin. "Barely missing us, I suppose..." He said, looking at the map. "You don't get it. Hold on...." Oak shook his head, and whistled. Immediately, all of the other ponies quieted down, understanding that they had to listen to their commander. "Okay. Everyone, listen up." The commander said with a raised voice. "Things are grim. There's a hostile enemy group approximately 300 strong heading a little past our way. It seems that the enemy is bent on poking holes through our borders. These fuckers are genocidal, so they don't care about any tactical or strategic advantage if it means reaching the nearest town and killing anything non-Griffon within it." The ponies looked at one another uncomfortably. Garaway caught a few glances his way, and this immediately stung him. He scowled. "Don't look at me, my dad was a partigiano. "Fuck fascism and ethnocide" is my family creed, you know." The commander coughed, and continued. "Our outpost is not only hidden, but decently defended. We have good positions, and we can easily have any pegasi remove the mine warning signs around the perimeter to increase the odds. We also have the appropriate camouflage and our elevated position will be of no interest to the advancing army." "..." "But..." The stallion sighed. "We have determined that the enemy group is headed to Vrponsko." "..." Of course. Vrponsko... The small town that just happened to be where this platoon of thirty was picked from. Their friends. Their neighbors. Their families... Their lives and their memories... In the crosshairs. The surrounding of the table was now echoing with gasps, mutters, and whispers. "Oooh...Fuck..." Spring Song blankly looked at the ground. "Shit...Shit...SHIT..." Sky Salt clutched the edges of the table as hard as he could. "...No...P-Please, not like this. Not like this...Oh gods, please not like this..." Gasped Muffin Hearth, ever-so-slowly sinking to the ground as she began to pray, despite never having done so in years. Garaway opted for silence. He cared very much, but if he had the ability to express it, he feared he'd make the others lose their cool. He wasn't raised there - but the ponies who took him in were still there, an elderly couple who by now were perhaps sipping tea, unaware of what was happening since they lived on the outskirts and never bothered to get a radio. "Hey, come on..." Strawberry gulped. "Commander, get that intel re-checked! Vrponsko is just...I-It's just well...To them, it's just a middle-of-nowhere d-dump, r-right? I...They can't have a reason to--" Sky Salt hissed at her. "Vrponsko isn't a dump! Take your words back, bi--" "I wish she was right." The commander sternly interrupted. "The enemy should have disregarded it. The enemy shouldn't care. It has nothing to offer them. Any supplies they could take from it won't even provide them for long. No. They're there for one thing, and you all know exactly what it is." "..." After the gasping, muttering, and crying...Silence came. The commander was able to speak again - knowing all thirty would listen. "Soldiers, command has stated that we are to wait for the arrival of a friendly brigade that has detached from 5th Border Division. They will be able to cut the enemy from going deeper in - but their arrival will occur in four hours. Hellquill troops however, from their current position, will be able to reach Vrponsko in two." "...I..." Spring Song swallowed. "I...I see where this is...g-going..." "..." The commander nodded. "We have trucks. Those unwilling, please leave right now taking the south-eastern road and link with the brigade. Those who will remain are going to join us on a diversion. We're going to set up a fake defensive line to trick the enemy that our numbers are greater than they really are. We'll make them think our 30 is a 100 - at the very least. This will redirect them and stop their advance." "But what stops them demolishing us from a distance?" Asked Garaway. Sky Salt began to nod. He understood. "No...They can't..Our position is concealed and our elevation makes artillery and heavy weaponry hard to work with. But more importantly, the enemy may not be carrying any artillery bigger than 80-mil-mortars. They know they're heading for a small town. What fortifications are you expecting to see there? They're not gonna bring any heavy equipment - at worst I can imagine armored carriers or light tanks, but that's it. They need to get here light and fast, and be able to retreat after they razed everything. Two hours to get to the village, one and a half to raze and loot it, and as they start leaving, the reinforcements are half an hour behind them. They expect a clean crime..." ... "So we'll be able to harass them for as long as we live." Garaway nodded. "Exactly..." Salt said. "...So for that matter..." The commander looked the thirty soldiers in the eyes. "Whoever's leaving, embark on the trucks immediately." ... ... ... He smiled. "I'm proud of all of you. Then let's get ready. We need to remove the mine warnings and prepare our defensive positions - dig entrenchments, and start propping up fake defensive features to make them think we have a bigger outpost than we really do. Move it!" As the ponies and the one griffon scrambled off, running as fast as their wings and legs could take them. *** Sky Salt approached Strawberry, who was searching through the tools to find the appropriate means to help set up the defenses. "I thought your ass would haul your ass on that truck." "...Fuck you." Strawberry scoffed, heading to pick up a spade. "I'm not a coward. Why should I go?" "Maybe you should." Salt grunted, pushing her out of sight behind one of the tents. Strawberry gasped, immediately taking her knife out of her chest-pocket and holding it in her mouth as she pressed it to Salt. Immediately, the unicorn stallion used his magic to hold it in place. "...Unlike the rest of us, you got a reason." He hissed. "..." Strawberry spat the knife out with a stare of contempt. "...Pray tell, asshole." "...You're the only one who's gonna ruin someone's life if you die." "..." She froze in place, staring blankly downwards. "Garaway feels like he owes his life to the old couple anyway. Spring was disowned. Hearth lost who she had. Oak outlived them. I never had any." Salt said. "But you...You'd break someone's life if you lost yours. You're different." "Then why are you even here defending Vrponsko!?" She shouted back. "..." Sky Salt smiled. "We all have an eternal debt to this town for being there in our hearts. And if not then, it's the right thing to do, even if I have nopony there for us." ... He passed by her, and whispered into her ear. "Your dad and sister don't need to see a family member return in a body bag. Once was enough." "..." With that, Sky Salt walked away. *** As the unicorn began to dig the defensive position, he found himself wiping the sweat off his brow. They had a bit less than an hour and a half to build it all. He planted his spade in the ground, to allow himself a break of only two minutes sharp. By the time he crouched down to catch his breath...He looked at his spade, to see another plant itself into the same soil, and join it. His eyes slowly trailed up to the red hoof that held it. Strawberry looked down at him with a stone-hard, stern gaze. "I don't need to see an entire village getting carried out in them either, Sky Salt. Not even once." Warm Breeze... Strawberry opened her eyes. Sun... Shining brightly. ... She stood up, the heat of the sand prompting her to do so faster. She rose up and looked around herself... Spring Song and Muffin Hearth played volleyball over a makeshift net, with a hail Mary from the mare allowing her to slide just under the ball before it landed, before kicking it up in the air, and then striking it down with all her might. The sheer strength scared Spring Song, who found himself jumping out of the way and allowing the ball to fall on his side. Cheering, Muffin Hearth raised her hooves into the ground, and took a victory lap as she ran into the water, and jumped in. Garaway took to the grill, having propped it up a bit farther from the fiery game of volleyball. For himself he operated it to sate his omnivorous tendencies, but he knew that his pony friends wouldn't process the meat, so he made sure to separate the sausages and greens. While one talon held a bottle of cider, the other held the spatula that his digits gave him perfect operation of. And finally, Sky Salt and Oak Root enjoyed their time at a bar stand, with an umbrella propped directly above to prevent the sun from falling on the refrigerated drinks, while the commander was happily mixing. "..." Strawberry sighed in relief. It was all a dream. That's good... ... She needed time to collect her thoughts. She must have been so tired the last few weeks that she couldn't even remember when they got to the beach. They were due for vacation, that much she knew. But she perhaps couldn't believe that she finally got the rest. And after such a nightmare, she truly felt like she had a bit of a kick in the head. "Look who's awake." Smiled Sky Salt, standing aside. "I hope you're ready 'cause Lieutenant's about to show us whether those margaritas he's been hyping us up for are the real deal, or he's been bullshittin' us just to motivate us through the winter." "They're the real deal as long as you don't drink it like a dumb teen and chug the things." The older stallion chuckled. "But yeah, they're ready. Grab a seat, Straw." Strawberry nodded slightly and made her way over to the bar. She sat herself on the stool, gazing over the bar. She chuckled, noticing that whoever stocked it, seemed to have done it intentionally to house the drinks that the squad enjoyed the most. Gin for Sky Salt, Tequila for Oak, Cider for Garaway, Rum for Spring Song...and cherry juice for Muffin Hearth. Strawberry frowned however. Why wasn't her drink here? She liked whiskey - from Kiria, to be exact. Yet there was none to be seen here. Did she just forget to bring it up? ... While Oak mixed the drinks, Strawberry looked around at their environment. The beach was quiet - the only sounds being the wild volleyball game between Muffin and Spring, the sizzling of Garaway's grill, the sloshing of Oak's drinks... And the breeze. ...Oddly, it felt as if the waves weren't making much of a noise. She looked up at the sky. The hot sun glared upon them, with only the slightest cover of clouds. However, there was another portion of sky. She wasn't sure why, but she felt as if one direction could be considered as ... "behind". And that area, which she believed to be far behind them, was full of thick clouds. As if underneath that part of the skies it was...winter time. ... Strawberry blankly looked down at the sand below. ... "Sir..." Strawberry raised her head. "...Where are we...?" "..." Sky Salt chuckled softly, taking a sip of his drink. The commander sighed softly. He continued making the drink, ignoring her question. This...was not a good sign for Strawberry. She leaned in, getting closer to Oak. "Hey, commander, come on...I-I think I got heat stroke or something, j-just tell me where--" Oak set down the glass on the table. There it was - a finished margarita, almost glowing with how well it was put together and mixed. She looked at the drink, and gazed into it. The older stallion softly sighed, and parted his lips to speak. "...Sunny Shores." He said. ... "Wait, I-I don't get it..." Strawberry sat still as she stared at the glass. That name...Why...Why did it sound familiar? She first heard it when...when... "Wait..." Strawberry swallowed nervously, getting off of the stool and backing up. "Wait, hold on...N-No, wait...We...Weren't we on the border and...Didn't--" "...Strawberry, relax. Have a margarita..." Oak whispered, but the mare felt her alarm intensify. "No...Y-Yeah, yeah, that's it...We...We were holding back against..." Despite the sweltering heat, she felt her blood freeze - even if there was no blood to be frozen. "VRPONSKO!" She cried out suddenly - her shrill scream able to catch the attention of the other squad mates on the beach. All heads turned to her - except for Oak's and Sky Salt's, who looked away with an expression of...guilt. Oak shuddered at the fact he had to speak. "Strawberry, relax...Just dri-" "What happened!?" She cried out, pounding a hoof on the bar counter. "I'm not going crazy! It wasn't a dream! We...We were there! We were fighting off those griffon fuckers! We...I-...I-Is this what shellshock is!? I'm just having flashbacks, r-right? I'm...I'm just remembering things, right, commander?" She said, her attempt to smile looking more like a wavering line. "I-I mean, it...it's gotta be that, I...It..." "Strawberry, listen..." Softly whispered Sky Salt. "But why can't I remember what happened in the end?" Strawberry whimpered. "I've got memory loss, r-right? Is that what happened? Because...I-If...If it's not that...Then...Then this place..." "..." Oak looked at Strawberry with a deep frown. It was his mistake - for she saw his expression. It made her think harder. Too hard. She whispered to herself - the words she heard on the evening before the declaration of war. "...Sunny Shores...The beach that...you don't know when you visit it..." "..." "This...This place is..." "Strawberry." Oak softly said, and slid the glass closer to her. "...Come on. Have a margarita..." ... She took the slightest sip. It tasted heavenly. ... "..." She hadn't realized the moment that the squad began to approach and surround her. Only when she saw the shimmering reflection of their manes and Garaway's feathers did she see that apart from Oak at the bar counter, all were now standing behind her in a half circle. Each of them gave her a look - one that was a mix of sadness, and yet a sense of pride...and warmth. ... Strawberry turned to Oak. "...Did...We do well...Sir?" "..." He was finally able to smile. "Better than I could have ever asked. But...You shouldn't be asking this question. Not yet." "Wait, what?" Sky Salt chuckled, putting a hoof on her shoulder, prompting her to slowly turn around. When she did, he continued speaking. "I mean, after all - you shouldn't be asking for feedback 'till the job's done." Strawberry felt like a deer in headlights. What did any of this mean? Garaway's talon suddenly went in to ruffle her mane. "Besides, you're the one who's got someone waiting on ya back home, y'know. There's nothing scarier than a pissed off dad when you don't come home on time, and a sibling to hype him on." The pink mare shook her head - first slowly, then faster. She was so confused - so lost. "But I'm...I'm here...Where do I go? I'm...I'm gonna be here. With you! Right, guys?...G-Guys?" Spring Song softly smiled at her. "Strawberry, look at the bar. They haven't stocked any of the stuff you enjoy drinking. What do you think that means?" "But..." Strawberry tried to speak past a rapidly drying throat. "No...No, guys, wait--" "I'm happy..." Sniffled Muffin Hearth, rubbing her eyes. "That...At-least you were able to make it through okay, dear. I'm not--...wasn't the worst medic in River's history in the end, ,after all..." "Muffin, don't...say...that..." Strawberry shook softly, her jaw jittering in a reflexive attempt not to break down. Like a child without any options, she turned to Oak. "Lieutenant...Oak...P-please! I...I can't leave you, guys! Don't do this to me!" "Well now..." Garaway grinned, coming closer to her and wrapping one talon around her shoulder. "The Strawberry I know would say something like..." He coughed to put on his best mare imitation. "You guys are real sentimental. Stop crying and pass the cigarettes." He laughed, using his talon to flick her on the muzzle. "C'mon - you know we wanna hear you cuss us out just one last time, short-fuse." "No!" Strawberry cried out, suddenly burying her face in Garaway's chest. "I didn't mean any of it! Guys, I...I'm sorry! I acted like such a bitch...B-But it wasn't...I...Didn't...mean..." Muffin Hearth came in from behind to hug her, her warmness enveloping the little mare. Despite this heat, she didn't feel a single drop of sweat. "There, there, dear...We know. We always discussed how despite your gruff exterior, you always were one of the kindest ponies we've known. I remember how you used to pick up the heaviest backpacks so that someone else wouldn't have to..." Garaway chuckled, wrapping his talons around Strawberry to hug her from the front. "Or how ya punched another squad's lieutenant for talking smack about me for bein' a griffon. Oak was pissed about all the formal bullshit he had to go through to avoid you bein' court martialed, but the whole time I remember he muttered something about blessing you, cause he wanted to do it himself." "Or..." Chuckled Spring Song as he gently hugged them all from the side. "The fact that you stood by my medical tent for a whole week after the training accident, and nearly beat a medic up for trying to weasel out of using painkillers on me." "Matter of fact..." Sky Salt chuckled softly. "We became friends because of you. We really got to talking through discussing you. How we used to speak about that fiery mare who always got in trouble for our sakes..." "..." Strawberry was at a loss for words, only able to stay there, hug...and gently shake. Sky Salt smiled. "We're proud to have been with you, Strawberry. Dying is something writers just love to compare to coldness and nothingness. But y'know...At-least knowing that in the final moments of our lives we got the chance to hang out with you..." He sipped his drink, the whole time staring at the warm sun above. "I can't call this cold at all. You've really given us some warmth, Strawberry." "And now..." Oak smiled warmly at her. "I want you to go home with this warmth within your heart. No matter how much you hate the world or what happens, you've got friends and family. If those alicorns westwards preach it and made a religion out of it, I suppose nothing stops you from considering it a philosophy. Remember that there's always someone for you...And knowing that just like this, the roads may diverge..." He leaned over to put his hoof on her mane, and gently pet it. His smile was now proud. "...I just want you to learn how to capture this warmth and cherish it. The lives of those you care about can't be taken for granted. But that's good - because at-least those experiences have more meaning and more value. When you go home, Strawberry...Hug your sis and dad for me. Okay?" She had to take a moment to wipe the tears off her face, like a child. "...S-..." She sniffled. "Sir...Yes..." Sob. "...Sir..." He smiled at her, and leaned back to the bar counter. "Now...You know you're not that badly banged up down there, right? Hurry up and drink - we wanna have one last one with you before we're gonna have to wait a long time for ya." The mare gazed at him, and nodded. Her hoof went in to wrap itself around the glass. "Yeah, honestly..." Garaway chuckled, raising his bottle. "You're lucky those birdbrained bastards can't zero artillery for shit - you were a few meters away from becoming a..." "You're a bastard." Spring sighed, anticipating what the griffon was going to say. "A Strawberry smoothie!" "You motherfucker!" Strawberry began to laugh past the tears. This prompted Garaway to cheer, raising his glass into the air. "Hell yes!" He cried out. "That's the Strawberry I know! Now come on, drink up!" With the glasses raised, the squad all drank - and finally, they embraced the pink mare. She allowed their warmth to envelop her. She could feel, even with closed eyes, who was who. She whispered. "...Spring Song. Sky Salt. Garaway. Muffin Hearth...Oak Root." She softly said. "...Thank you." The warmth began to fade - and coldness overtook her. Cold Draft"Here!" Cried out the mare. "We've got a live one! I have a pulse! Get the fucking tools here now before she bleeds out, we need to remove the debris and amputate the leg!" It was so cold that Strawberry felt numb. "Hey, it's okay..." The blue mare wearing a medic's helmet leaned in, putting her hoof on her cheek. "It's okay baby...Just hang on...Please, just hang on. Okay? Please hang on. I found a photo in your jacket. Little green filly and a red stallion...Please think about them right now, okay? O-Our hospital is right in Vrponsko, they'll be able to visit you immediately. Just please, hang on..." She said, gently stroking Strawberry's cheek, before turning to shout at the other River soldiers. "MORONS, I needed those tools here YESTERDAY! Start cutting the damn wood pinning her other hoof down, NOW! And get me morphine, stat!" It was so cold that Strawberry felt weak... And yet, Strawberry was able to reach a hoof forward. Not at the mare - who was now focused on taking out a bonesaw. But at the little patch of open clouds that revealed the sun - shining upon her if not but a brief moment. She whispered weakly, forcing a sad smile past her bloodied lips. "...Y-You guys are...real...sentimental..." It was so cold that Strawberry felt frozen to the bone. But as long as she remembered Sunny Shores... The warmth in her heart would never fade away. DarkShe hyperventilated. She ran as fast as her hooves could take her. Explosions rang left and right. Gunshots too. They retreated to their third defensive line. They had one more before their fight would come to the heart of the outpost. How many had they taken out? How many had they stopped? All she knew was that they were able to distract the enemy - and now the matter was to keep their attention. She saw a corpse in their trenches. She didn't dare look. She didn't dare imagine the possibility that it was one of her friends. She wouldn't accept it. She just kept running. She had to reach their storage area. She needed ammo to kill more - and if she didn't, then she and her friends would be killed. And whatever would happen to her family would be worse. Much worse. She ran back closer to the outpost, needing to retrieve her ammunition. Death surrounded her, and so did blood. She breathed heavily, not thinking. She couldn't think. If she thought, she'd begin to register what was happening. She couldn't let it happen. As she ran past a wooden two-meter-tall watchtower, an explosion rocked the ground around her, and threw her forwards. She heard the structure collapse around her, and the sound of rattling wood overtook her ears. She felt darkness overtake her. It was all dark. Then, it was warm.
Sunny Shores...The forests of the River Republic were gorgeous in the summer. Warm godrays of sunshine poured through the green canopy, forming streaks of radiant light. Birds would sing their tunes, and the trees would gently sway to the cool breeze. A still tranquility, a peaceful radiance. Warmth, light, and the kindness of the sun. It was a reminder of nature's cherish - its message of love and kindness. However, there was no sun to be seen. No warmth to be felt. Tonight, it was a cold, cold winter night, with howling winds and chills that penetrated to the very bone. In the small outpost, the platoon 30 creatures-strong made the best of what they could with the horrid weather. Its primary squad, consisting of six soldiers, huddled together around a campfire. They did so in relaxation. They were after all an auxiliary unit meant for border defense operations, in a stretch of area that had no strategic advantage to the hypothetical enemy. Even if war was to be declared, they had a likely chance of never seeing action even then. The pink mare, Strawberry, grinned. She folded her hooves and legs, much to the anxiety of Spring Song, who anxiously looked at her in fear she'd burn her legs by bringing them too close to the fire. Strawberry gave the others a smug look. Their conversation was in full swing, one that discussed a very banal but understandable topic with the circumstances in mind. What was the best beach in the world? She scoffed, being the first to answer the question. "The only beaches that work are the Meridiennes. Local pirates and mercs are setting up, so now you can get whatever you want whenever y'want." "Hedonist." Frowned Sky Salt. "Of course you'd only enjoy a beach if you had blow and hookers surrounding you." "Guilty as charged, bitch!" Strawberry giggled. She reached over to their griffon squadmate, and took his talon into her hooves, much to his surprise and confusion. She would then close his digits one by one, and present the middle claw to Sky Salt. Sky Salt gave her a disappointed scoff. "The Meridiennes don't even have the best beaches. If you want good beaches, you should go to the Bakaran republic." "Idiot." Strawberry barked. "Beaches are supposed to be warm. Waaaarm, dumass. How's your ass gonna enjoy ice-cold waters? Besides, you should be having a blast considering how damn cold it is right now." "Cold water is good for the skin." Salt huffed. "And the beach during stormy weather is really beautiful." "Have any of you been to Equestria?" Muffin Hearth smiled softly, taking the relaxation time to better organize her corpsmare-issued medical equipment. "There's really nice beaches in East Equestria! Juuuust the right temperature!" "But that means..." Garaway, the griffon who pulled his talon away from Strawberry, faked an activated gag reflex. He did a really convincing job emulating it. "That means going to Equestria..." "What? You're a tourism expert now?" Strawberry laughed. "Do Griffons got any decent beaches?" Garaway folded his talons. "Wingbardy ain't bad! Sure the beaches are more about cliffs and rocks than sand, but shit, you're always a few kilometers from the nearest vineyard, so that's a plus." Salt spat out a piece of plastic as he opened a packet of coffee with his mouth, not wanting to sleep just yet. "And you're always less than a meter from the nearest fascist. Bend over once and suddenly you're carrying a goose steppin' bambino fascista." Garaway shrugged. "You're definitely a little dense, because we hung Beakolini upside down a year ago. By this logic, the Griffon Republic is still democratic, and Aquileia is an aristocracy where everyone's a pansy noble." "Spring Song?" Strawberry rose a suspicious brow at him. "You're the master of having either the shittiest, or the best opinion. What's it gonna be this time? Call it." "Shitty opinion." Laughed the stallion softly. "I don't like beaches." The light-pink mare sighed, her head turning to the older stallion who sat with them - Oak Root. "You know, how about we settle this once and for all and ask a guy who probably stormed every beach on this stupidass planet." She said, lips forming into a grin. "Lieutenant~? What's the best beach in the world?" "..." The older stallion did not smile - despite his eyes seeming full of memories. He stoked the fire idly, and a moment of silence passed. Muffin Hearth frowned, wondering if recent explosions had damaged his hearing... Until finally, the answer came. The older stallion's eyes took themselves off of the fire. "Sunny Shores." "..." "Eeeeeeeeh~?" The pink mare looked at him with a foxy smile, one that went out of its way to show how ridiculous she found the answer. "What is that? By the sounds of it, it sounds like it's Equestrian. Who the hell calls their beach "Sunny Shores"? It'd be like calling Blackrock "Bandit Mountains"." "...Calling Greneclyf "Changeling Islands"." Salt commented. "...Bull Coasts for Asterion?" Spring proposed. The lieutenant scoffed slightly. "You lot have an imagination. No, Sunny Shores is just a really nice beach. A good place to drink a few margaritas, play some volleyball...Even if you only get to do it for a little short while. And I do mean - a little." Strawberry dropped her sarcastic and rude look, instead folding her hooves and curiously turning her head. "Ooookay. So, what's so good about "Sunny Shores"?" "Sunny Shores is just that." The commander shrugged. "A very nice place where you can be with those you cherish." "And..." Garaway leaned in. "Where is it...?" "...Dunno." The lieutenant flatly said, prompting Strawberry to laugh. "Hah! You were totally there when you were blackout drunk, right? Y'know I know for a fact some officers go a little south to get shitfaced in Kasa before coming back! I bet that's what you're talking about!" "I wasn't drunk at all." He simply told Strawberry. "I can only tell you this much, though. One day, I'm going there again. I dunno when - but I will. That I'm sure of." "..." "Ooookay." Strawberry chuckled softly. "Well, this debate has been anti-enlightening. Iiii'm gonna go catch some Z's...We're not on night watch duty, right?" "Nope, that's for Charlie squad tonight. Sleep soundly." The Lieutenant smiled.
...Where I Wanna Be."WAKE UP! EVERYONE WAKE UP! WAKE UP! FUCK! GET THE HELL UP RIGHT NOW!" "W-What's going on!?" "The radio! Tune the radio to the military channels!" "No, no no no...Not like this!" "Why!? Why now!?" Strawberry ran past the confusion - still in a state of undress as her half-naked form ran outside into the snowy camp. Not that for a pony it mattered to be partially undressed, but it was certainly unwise in this cold. A stallion ran into her, and with strength, she shoved him aside to walk towards her commander. "Hey! Fuck's goin' on!?" Her comrades, the same who gathered around the campfire the night before, stood around the radio. Their faces crestfallen, and devoid of hope. The words that repeated themselves in a monotonous manner had delivered chills - and froze the blood more than the snowy weather itself ever could. It merely repeated what happened, when it happened, and what will happen. ... "Hellquill is invading...?" Cursed Strawberry. "Why the hell...!?" "..." Sky Salt sighed, loading bullets into his scoped rifle. "When Hellquill ended up with Edler von Wingenberg, we should've seen it coming. When he took Deponya, it was the first omen, but we thought since they left the coalition they weren't our problem...but the fact he's going for us..." "Shh, shut it." Whispered Garaway. He pointed with a claw at the commander, who put the microphone of a long range radio to his mouth. It was hard to hear him over the sound of panicking soldiers and yelling, and the hoofsteps that thundered through the outpost. However, in the end, Oak put away the radio...And stood up. He came close to the team. "We have a problem." "No shit?" Strawberry grunted. "You don't say this is a problem, we're being invaded!" Oak shot her a stern look, silencing her. He then continued. "A nearby battalion is five hours away from here...We need to stay still and not poke our heads out. However...The enemy is headed bearing 80 from Point Amber..." "That's..." Sky Salt put a hoof to his chin. "Barely missing us, I suppose..." He said, looking at the map. "You don't get it. Hold on...." Oak shook his head, and whistled. Immediately, all of the other ponies quieted down, understanding that they had to listen to their commander. "Okay. Everyone, listen up." The commander said with a raised voice. "Things are grim. There's a hostile enemy group approximately 300 strong heading a little past our way. It seems that the enemy is bent on poking holes through our borders. These fuckers are genocidal, so they don't care about any tactical or strategic advantage if it means reaching the nearest town and killing anything non-Griffon within it." The ponies looked at one another uncomfortably. Garaway caught a few glances his way, and this immediately stung him. He scowled. "Don't look at me, my dad was a partigiano. "Fuck fascism and ethnocide" is my family creed, you know." The commander coughed, and continued. "Our outpost is not only hidden, but decently defended. We have good positions, and we can easily have any pegasi remove the mine warning signs around the perimeter to increase the odds. We also have the appropriate camouflage and our elevated position will be of no interest to the advancing army." "..." "But..." The stallion sighed. "We have determined that the enemy group is headed to Vrponsko." "..." Of course. Vrponsko... The small town that just happened to be where this platoon of thirty was picked from. Their friends. Their neighbors. Their families... Their lives and their memories... In the crosshairs. The surrounding of the table was now echoing with gasps, mutters, and whispers. "Oooh...Fuck..." Spring Song blankly looked at the ground. "Shit...Shit...SHIT..." Sky Salt clutched the edges of the table as hard as he could. "...No...P-Please, not like this. Not like this...Oh gods, please not like this..." Gasped Muffin Hearth, ever-so-slowly sinking to the ground as she began to pray, despite never having done so in years. Garaway opted for silence. He cared very much, but if he had the ability to express it, he feared he'd make the others lose their cool. He wasn't raised there - but the ponies who took him in were still there, an elderly couple who by now were perhaps sipping tea, unaware of what was happening since they lived on the outskirts and never bothered to get a radio. "Hey, come on..." Strawberry gulped. "Commander, get that intel re-checked! Vrponsko is just...I-It's just well...To them, it's just a middle-of-nowhere d-dump, r-right? I...They can't have a reason to--" Sky Salt hissed at her. "Vrponsko isn't a dump! Take your words back, bi--" "I wish she was right." The commander sternly interrupted. "The enemy should have disregarded it. The enemy shouldn't care. It has nothing to offer them. Any supplies they could take from it won't even provide them for long. No. They're there for one thing, and you all know exactly what it is." "..." After the gasping, muttering, and crying...Silence came. The commander was able to speak again - knowing all thirty would listen. "Soldiers, command has stated that we are to wait for the arrival of a friendly brigade that has detached from 5th Border Division. They will be able to cut the enemy from going deeper in - but their arrival will occur in four hours. Hellquill troops however, from their current position, will be able to reach Vrponsko in two." "...I..." Spring Song swallowed. "I...I see where this is...g-going..." "..." The commander nodded. "We have trucks. Those unwilling, please leave right now taking the south-eastern road and link with the brigade. Those who will remain are going to join us on a diversion. We're going to set up a fake defensive line to trick the enemy that our numbers are greater than they really are. We'll make them think our 30 is a 100 - at the very least. This will redirect them and stop their advance." "But what stops them demolishing us from a distance?" Asked Garaway. Sky Salt began to nod. He understood. "No...They can't..Our position is concealed and our elevation makes artillery and heavy weaponry hard to work with. But more importantly, the enemy may not be carrying any artillery bigger than 80-mil-mortars. They know they're heading for a small town. What fortifications are you expecting to see there? They're not gonna bring any heavy equipment - at worst I can imagine armored carriers or light tanks, but that's it. They need to get here light and fast, and be able to retreat after they razed everything. Two hours to get to the village, one and a half to raze and loot it, and as they start leaving, the reinforcements are half an hour behind them. They expect a clean crime..." ... "So we'll be able to harass them for as long as we live." Garaway nodded. "Exactly..." Salt said. "...So for that matter..." The commander looked the thirty soldiers in the eyes. "Whoever's leaving, embark on the trucks immediately." ... ... ... He smiled. "I'm proud of all of you. Then let's get ready. We need to remove the mine warnings and prepare our defensive positions - dig entrenchments, and start propping up fake defensive features to make them think we have a bigger outpost than we really do. Move it!" As the ponies and the one griffon scrambled off, running as fast as their wings and legs could take them. *** Sky Salt approached Strawberry, who was searching through the tools to find the appropriate means to help set up the defenses. "I thought your ass would haul your ass on that truck." "...Fuck you." Strawberry scoffed, heading to pick up a spade. "I'm not a coward. Why should I go?" "Maybe you should." Salt grunted, pushing her out of sight behind one of the tents. Strawberry gasped, immediately taking her knife out of her chest-pocket and holding it in her mouth as she pressed it to Salt. Immediately, the unicorn stallion used his magic to hold it in place. "...Unlike the rest of us, you got a reason." He hissed. "..." Strawberry spat the knife out with a stare of contempt. "...Pray tell, asshole." "...You're the only one who's gonna ruin someone's life if you die." "..." She froze in place, staring blankly downwards. "Garaway feels like he owes his life to the old couple anyway. Spring was disowned. Hearth lost who she had. Oak outlived them. I never had any." Salt said. "But you...You'd break someone's life if you lost yours. You're different." "Then why are you even here defending Vrponsko!?" She shouted back. "..." Sky Salt smiled. "We all have an eternal debt to this town for being there in our hearts. And if not then, it's the right thing to do, even if I have nopony there for us." ... He passed by her, and whispered into her ear. "Your dad and sister don't need to see a family member return in a body bag. Once was enough." "..." With that, Sky Salt walked away. *** As the unicorn began to dig the defensive position, he found himself wiping the sweat off his brow. They had a bit less than an hour and a half to build it all. He planted his spade in the ground, to allow himself a break of only two minutes sharp. By the time he crouched down to catch his breath...He looked at his spade, to see another plant itself into the same soil, and join it. His eyes slowly trailed up to the red hoof that held it. Strawberry looked down at him with a stone-hard, stern gaze. "I don't need to see an entire village getting carried out in them either, Sky Salt. Not even once."
Warm Breeze... Strawberry opened her eyes. Sun... Shining brightly. ... She stood up, the heat of the sand prompting her to do so faster. She rose up and looked around herself... Spring Song and Muffin Hearth played volleyball over a makeshift net, with a hail Mary from the mare allowing her to slide just under the ball before it landed, before kicking it up in the air, and then striking it down with all her might. The sheer strength scared Spring Song, who found himself jumping out of the way and allowing the ball to fall on his side. Cheering, Muffin Hearth raised her hooves into the ground, and took a victory lap as she ran into the water, and jumped in. Garaway took to the grill, having propped it up a bit farther from the fiery game of volleyball. For himself he operated it to sate his omnivorous tendencies, but he knew that his pony friends wouldn't process the meat, so he made sure to separate the sausages and greens. While one talon held a bottle of cider, the other held the spatula that his digits gave him perfect operation of. And finally, Sky Salt and Oak Root enjoyed their time at a bar stand, with an umbrella propped directly above to prevent the sun from falling on the refrigerated drinks, while the commander was happily mixing. "..." Strawberry sighed in relief. It was all a dream. That's good... ... She needed time to collect her thoughts. She must have been so tired the last few weeks that she couldn't even remember when they got to the beach. They were due for vacation, that much she knew. But she perhaps couldn't believe that she finally got the rest. And after such a nightmare, she truly felt like she had a bit of a kick in the head. "Look who's awake." Smiled Sky Salt, standing aside. "I hope you're ready 'cause Lieutenant's about to show us whether those margaritas he's been hyping us up for are the real deal, or he's been bullshittin' us just to motivate us through the winter." "They're the real deal as long as you don't drink it like a dumb teen and chug the things." The older stallion chuckled. "But yeah, they're ready. Grab a seat, Straw." Strawberry nodded slightly and made her way over to the bar. She sat herself on the stool, gazing over the bar. She chuckled, noticing that whoever stocked it, seemed to have done it intentionally to house the drinks that the squad enjoyed the most. Gin for Sky Salt, Tequila for Oak, Cider for Garaway, Rum for Spring Song...and cherry juice for Muffin Hearth. Strawberry frowned however. Why wasn't her drink here? She liked whiskey - from Kiria, to be exact. Yet there was none to be seen here. Did she just forget to bring it up? ... While Oak mixed the drinks, Strawberry looked around at their environment. The beach was quiet - the only sounds being the wild volleyball game between Muffin and Spring, the sizzling of Garaway's grill, the sloshing of Oak's drinks... And the breeze. ...Oddly, it felt as if the waves weren't making much of a noise. She looked up at the sky. The hot sun glared upon them, with only the slightest cover of clouds. However, there was another portion of sky. She wasn't sure why, but she felt as if one direction could be considered as ... "behind". And that area, which she believed to be far behind them, was full of thick clouds. As if underneath that part of the skies it was...winter time. ... Strawberry blankly looked down at the sand below. ... "Sir..." Strawberry raised her head. "...Where are we...?" "..." Sky Salt chuckled softly, taking a sip of his drink. The commander sighed softly. He continued making the drink, ignoring her question. This...was not a good sign for Strawberry. She leaned in, getting closer to Oak. "Hey, commander, come on...I-I think I got heat stroke or something, j-just tell me where--" Oak set down the glass on the table. There it was - a finished margarita, almost glowing with how well it was put together and mixed. She looked at the drink, and gazed into it. The older stallion softly sighed, and parted his lips to speak. "...Sunny Shores." He said. ... "Wait, I-I don't get it..." Strawberry sat still as she stared at the glass. That name...Why...Why did it sound familiar? She first heard it when...when... "Wait..." Strawberry swallowed nervously, getting off of the stool and backing up. "Wait, hold on...N-No, wait...We...Weren't we on the border and...Didn't--" "...Strawberry, relax. Have a margarita..." Oak whispered, but the mare felt her alarm intensify. "No...Y-Yeah, yeah, that's it...We...We were holding back against..." Despite the sweltering heat, she felt her blood freeze - even if there was no blood to be frozen. "VRPONSKO!" She cried out suddenly - her shrill scream able to catch the attention of the other squad mates on the beach. All heads turned to her - except for Oak's and Sky Salt's, who looked away with an expression of...guilt. Oak shuddered at the fact he had to speak. "Strawberry, relax...Just dri-" "What happened!?" She cried out, pounding a hoof on the bar counter. "I'm not going crazy! It wasn't a dream! We...We were there! We were fighting off those griffon fuckers! We...I-...I-Is this what shellshock is!? I'm just having flashbacks, r-right? I'm...I'm just remembering things, right, commander?" She said, her attempt to smile looking more like a wavering line. "I-I mean, it...it's gotta be that, I...It..." "Strawberry, listen..." Softly whispered Sky Salt. "But why can't I remember what happened in the end?" Strawberry whimpered. "I've got memory loss, r-right? Is that what happened? Because...I-If...If it's not that...Then...Then this place..." "..." Oak looked at Strawberry with a deep frown. It was his mistake - for she saw his expression. It made her think harder. Too hard. She whispered to herself - the words she heard on the evening before the declaration of war. "...Sunny Shores...The beach that...you don't know when you visit it..." "..." "This...This place is..." "Strawberry." Oak softly said, and slid the glass closer to her. "...Come on. Have a margarita..." ... She took the slightest sip. It tasted heavenly. ... "..." She hadn't realized the moment that the squad began to approach and surround her. Only when she saw the shimmering reflection of their manes and Garaway's feathers did she see that apart from Oak at the bar counter, all were now standing behind her in a half circle. Each of them gave her a look - one that was a mix of sadness, and yet a sense of pride...and warmth. ... Strawberry turned to Oak. "...Did...We do well...Sir?" "..." He was finally able to smile. "Better than I could have ever asked. But...You shouldn't be asking this question. Not yet." "Wait, what?" Sky Salt chuckled, putting a hoof on her shoulder, prompting her to slowly turn around. When she did, he continued speaking. "I mean, after all - you shouldn't be asking for feedback 'till the job's done." Strawberry felt like a deer in headlights. What did any of this mean? Garaway's talon suddenly went in to ruffle her mane. "Besides, you're the one who's got someone waiting on ya back home, y'know. There's nothing scarier than a pissed off dad when you don't come home on time, and a sibling to hype him on." The pink mare shook her head - first slowly, then faster. She was so confused - so lost. "But I'm...I'm here...Where do I go? I'm...I'm gonna be here. With you! Right, guys?...G-Guys?" Spring Song softly smiled at her. "Strawberry, look at the bar. They haven't stocked any of the stuff you enjoy drinking. What do you think that means?" "But..." Strawberry tried to speak past a rapidly drying throat. "No...No, guys, wait--" "I'm happy..." Sniffled Muffin Hearth, rubbing her eyes. "That...At-least you were able to make it through okay, dear. I'm not--...wasn't the worst medic in River's history in the end, ,after all..." "Muffin, don't...say...that..." Strawberry shook softly, her jaw jittering in a reflexive attempt not to break down. Like a child without any options, she turned to Oak. "Lieutenant...Oak...P-please! I...I can't leave you, guys! Don't do this to me!" "Well now..." Garaway grinned, coming closer to her and wrapping one talon around her shoulder. "The Strawberry I know would say something like..." He coughed to put on his best mare imitation. "You guys are real sentimental. Stop crying and pass the cigarettes." He laughed, using his talon to flick her on the muzzle. "C'mon - you know we wanna hear you cuss us out just one last time, short-fuse." "No!" Strawberry cried out, suddenly burying her face in Garaway's chest. "I didn't mean any of it! Guys, I...I'm sorry! I acted like such a bitch...B-But it wasn't...I...Didn't...mean..." Muffin Hearth came in from behind to hug her, her warmness enveloping the little mare. Despite this heat, she didn't feel a single drop of sweat. "There, there, dear...We know. We always discussed how despite your gruff exterior, you always were one of the kindest ponies we've known. I remember how you used to pick up the heaviest backpacks so that someone else wouldn't have to..." Garaway chuckled, wrapping his talons around Strawberry to hug her from the front. "Or how ya punched another squad's lieutenant for talking smack about me for bein' a griffon. Oak was pissed about all the formal bullshit he had to go through to avoid you bein' court martialed, but the whole time I remember he muttered something about blessing you, cause he wanted to do it himself." "Or..." Chuckled Spring Song as he gently hugged them all from the side. "The fact that you stood by my medical tent for a whole week after the training accident, and nearly beat a medic up for trying to weasel out of using painkillers on me." "Matter of fact..." Sky Salt chuckled softly. "We became friends because of you. We really got to talking through discussing you. How we used to speak about that fiery mare who always got in trouble for our sakes..." "..." Strawberry was at a loss for words, only able to stay there, hug...and gently shake. Sky Salt smiled. "We're proud to have been with you, Strawberry. Dying is something writers just love to compare to coldness and nothingness. But y'know...At-least knowing that in the final moments of our lives we got the chance to hang out with you..." He sipped his drink, the whole time staring at the warm sun above. "I can't call this cold at all. You've really given us some warmth, Strawberry." "And now..." Oak smiled warmly at her. "I want you to go home with this warmth within your heart. No matter how much you hate the world or what happens, you've got friends and family. If those alicorns westwards preach it and made a religion out of it, I suppose nothing stops you from considering it a philosophy. Remember that there's always someone for you...And knowing that just like this, the roads may diverge..." He leaned over to put his hoof on her mane, and gently pet it. His smile was now proud. "...I just want you to learn how to capture this warmth and cherish it. The lives of those you care about can't be taken for granted. But that's good - because at-least those experiences have more meaning and more value. When you go home, Strawberry...Hug your sis and dad for me. Okay?" She had to take a moment to wipe the tears off her face, like a child. "...S-..." She sniffled. "Sir...Yes..." Sob. "...Sir..." He smiled at her, and leaned back to the bar counter. "Now...You know you're not that badly banged up down there, right? Hurry up and drink - we wanna have one last one with you before we're gonna have to wait a long time for ya." The mare gazed at him, and nodded. Her hoof went in to wrap itself around the glass. "Yeah, honestly..." Garaway chuckled, raising his bottle. "You're lucky those birdbrained bastards can't zero artillery for shit - you were a few meters away from becoming a..." "You're a bastard." Spring sighed, anticipating what the griffon was going to say. "A Strawberry smoothie!" "You motherfucker!" Strawberry began to laugh past the tears. This prompted Garaway to cheer, raising his glass into the air. "Hell yes!" He cried out. "That's the Strawberry I know! Now come on, drink up!" With the glasses raised, the squad all drank - and finally, they embraced the pink mare. She allowed their warmth to envelop her. She could feel, even with closed eyes, who was who. She whispered. "...Spring Song. Sky Salt. Garaway. Muffin Hearth...Oak Root." She softly said. "...Thank you." The warmth began to fade - and coldness overtook her.
Cold Draft"Here!" Cried out the mare. "We've got a live one! I have a pulse! Get the fucking tools here now before she bleeds out, we need to remove the debris and amputate the leg!" It was so cold that Strawberry felt numb. "Hey, it's okay..." The blue mare wearing a medic's helmet leaned in, putting her hoof on her cheek. "It's okay baby...Just hang on...Please, just hang on. Okay? Please hang on. I found a photo in your jacket. Little green filly and a red stallion...Please think about them right now, okay? O-Our hospital is right in Vrponsko, they'll be able to visit you immediately. Just please, hang on..." She said, gently stroking Strawberry's cheek, before turning to shout at the other River soldiers. "MORONS, I needed those tools here YESTERDAY! Start cutting the damn wood pinning her other hoof down, NOW! And get me morphine, stat!" It was so cold that Strawberry felt weak... And yet, Strawberry was able to reach a hoof forward. Not at the mare - who was now focused on taking out a bonesaw. But at the little patch of open clouds that revealed the sun - shining upon her if not but a brief moment. She whispered weakly, forcing a sad smile past her bloodied lips. "...Y-You guys are...real...sentimental..." It was so cold that Strawberry felt frozen to the bone. But as long as she remembered Sunny Shores... The warmth in her heart would never fade away.
DarkShe hyperventilated. She ran as fast as her hooves could take her. Explosions rang left and right. Gunshots too. They retreated to their third defensive line. They had one more before their fight would come to the heart of the outpost. How many had they taken out? How many had they stopped? All she knew was that they were able to distract the enemy - and now the matter was to keep their attention. She saw a corpse in their trenches. She didn't dare look. She didn't dare imagine the possibility that it was one of her friends. She wouldn't accept it. She just kept running. She had to reach their storage area. She needed ammo to kill more - and if she didn't, then she and her friends would be killed. And whatever would happen to her family would be worse. Much worse. She ran back closer to the outpost, needing to retrieve her ammunition. Death surrounded her, and so did blood. She breathed heavily, not thinking. She couldn't think. If she thought, she'd begin to register what was happening. She couldn't let it happen. As she ran past a wooden two-meter-tall watchtower, an explosion rocked the ground around her, and threw her forwards. She heard the structure collapse around her, and the sound of rattling wood overtook her ears. She felt darkness overtake her. It was all dark. Then, it was warm.
