Equestrian Civil War: Letters of a Brother

October 1, 2016

Dear Red Wine,

Brother, I haven't been able to find a good place for a vineyard,but thats not why I'm writing to you.As you may already know hostilities between ponies all over Equestria has increased immensely about who should rule over the land.Well I got word from a pal in Las Pegasus that Luna has formed her own republic, the New Luna Republic. Things look like they're heading for the worst and if it comes down to war....I'm going to enlist.I know, I know that Celestia has ruled over us for over a thousand years but I have to fight for what I feel is right.Now I don't want you going and enlisting with the Solar Empire,you have a filly and a company to keep care of and I don't want her to loose her father.

Speaking of which how is little Grape Seed? Has she gotten her cutie mark yet? I haven't seen or heard about her since you sent me to Baltimare to find fields for a second vineyard. She used to me so cute when she would play in the fields.... You need to promise me whatever happens you need to protect her, I would hate for her to get caught up in this you know.

Sometimes I think this is for the best, us being separated I mean.We both know we have a temper and one of us would have probably snapped by now. I'm going to miss you and the vineyard,hopefully you'll be far enough north so the war won't come to your doorstep.

I'm sending the deed to my portion of the vineyard to you so you can have complete control, and I'm sending two thousand bits.Hopefully this will help,stay safe brother and I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely, Grape Vines

October 13, 2016

Dear Red Wine,

Well I did it, got a uniform and everything. I'm going to start training tomorrow so I might not wright as often as I would like. I enlisted with two other ponies who seem pretty nice. Autumn Rain, a pegasus mare that has a great personality, she reminds me of her you know, she seems really nice. The other one is a big earth pony buck named Sea Breaker, he's about a big as me. He owns a cargo ship at the docks here. He reminds me a bit like you, he has your personality. Hopefully I will be paired with these two once we're put into squads

.

I haven't heard from you yet not sure to take that as good or bad, but whatever the case I hope your gonna do what I said and stay out of the war. I'll right to you as soon as possible big brother.

Sincerely, Grape Vines

October 27, 2016

Dear Red Wine,

I have got to tell you the bunks in the barracks are as hard as rock, but it doesn't really matter because me and my squad mates are usually to tired after training to care. Speaking of squad mates I got paired with Sea Breaker and Autumn Rain! Autumn Rain is our scout, while Sea Breaker is our close-quarters specialist. I'm just a riflemen, oh and we got paired with three unicorn bucks. Two of 'em are our sharpshooters while the other is a spotter. They tend to keep to themselves whenever we aren't training, they're a strange lot.

I've gotten to talk to Sea Breaker a bit and it turns he has two colts back home, I hope nothing bad happens to him he's a good stallion. Forest Rain was in cloud control before she enlisted, she has the nicest laugh I've ever heard, but anyways we aren't going to know which one of us is gonna lead the squad until we all complete basic training. I bet twenty bits it's gonna be Sea Breaker, we always seem to fall under his command during the drills maybe its because he used to run a ship. In other news we've been told to expect to be sent out to Apple Loosa in a couple months.

I got your letter, I appreciate that you understand but I can't turn back now I've come to far. Maybe when this is all over we can meet up at Dad's field and climb that big oak tree, like when we did when we were colts.Tell Grape Seed her uncle misses her will ya?

Sincerely, Grape Vines

November 16, 2016

Happy Early Birthday!

I'm sorry I haven't been able to write to you lately, things have been getting a bit hectic at the base. There have been reports of Solar Empire forces moving towards the border of Apple Loosa, I don't know if they're preparing to attack or not. If they are then my squad and I are going to see some actual fighting before the year is over. Truck loads of new recruits have been coming in all week so it's been a bit crowded lately, but it isn't to bad.

We're almost half way done with our training, which is one of the main reasons why I couldn't write you tomorrow on your birthday. The squad is heading out to the nearby mountains to complete our survival training. We have to make it through one week in the mountain separated to pass, I don't know why they chose the mountains for training since we're going to be deployed to Apple Loosa, but I hope we all make it. I'm sending you Dad's barding, keep it safe for me will ya?

Grape Vines

November 25, 2016

Dear Brother,

Well we all passed unscathed through our survival test. It wasn't to hard if you didn't mind sleeping in a snow covered tent and digging through a layer of snow to find something to eat,but that's the good news. It turns out the Solar Empire kept reinforcing their borders and semms to be planning to attack, so the NLR is forced to reinforce Apple Loosa. This is it, no more fooling around. Autumn Rain is worried about all of us, I think she doesn't even think of herself when it comes done to things. I worry 'bout her... I don't want to see her hurt but I know there is a chance she will with things heating up along the border. I'm going to tell you now brother that I might send Autumn Rain up to you and Grape Seed if things get to brutal.  I know that the both of ya probably don't want to but brother I need you to do this one favor for me, keep her safe if I do need to send her. I care about her to much to let this war take her.

How is the vineyard? I bet things are getting a bit harder for ya since the Solar Empire has been trying to close the trade routes through Equestria, I hope my bits did some good though. We all just need to hold in there brother and we will all get through this trust me.

Grape Vines

P.S. How is Grape Seed doing?