Secrets of a Lunar Princess

by Flammenwerfer

Chapters

2: When Luna is Away
3: Ultimatum
4: An Understanding
5: Bonding and Admission
6: Friends
7: Total War
1: Duty Calls

2: When Luna is Away

Chapter 2

When Luna is Away

Equestrian Central Intelligence Bureau

Lunar Contingency | Mission Directive 1337

Agent: Lunabelle “Luna” Quasar | *Princess*, Captain (Equestrian Special Forces)

Princess Luna,

The last International Trading Summit (known henceforth as ITS) did not end on the happiest of notes. The Empire of Crystallia to our west was rather indignant on natural resource allocation between our borders. As we are sure you remember, the Viceroy of the monarchy of Crystallia demanded that we allow exploration of our lands by foreign companies for crystal mining. Although you, Princess, stated this in more ‘colorful’ words, it was agreed upon by the leadership that Equestria was under no obligation to comply with the ludicrous demand. The matter, apparently, did not die right there.

Intelligence went to work immediately after the ITS. Agents have reported that there is a high probability that a small contingent of Crystallian troops have been ordered to seize a large crystal refinery about two miles within our borders in order to have a negotiating token. This could potentially lead to a larger conflict if left unchecked.

The mission is as follows:

Arrive at the drop point, which is about one mile and a half away from the refinery in question, and silently make your way to the Crystallian border. Scout and use your best judgment to determine if an incursion is planned, which one most likely is. If aggression is clearly planned, infiltrate the border and sabotage the spearhead force. You are authorized to use deadly force only as a means of self-defense and/or achieving mission success.

Field Dir. Monochrome Contrail

Luna read the directive scroll several times to ensure accuracy in her objectives, her eyes moving with perfect precision over each letter, leaving no room for misinterpretation. Satisfied with the proofreading, she nodded to herself and slipped the scroll into a secured pocket on her combat uniform. She was currently in transit in the air to her objective which was about a hundred miles west of Canterlot. Luna knocked on the pilot’s aperture:

“Does thou have a time estimate in regards to our arrival?” Luna asked.

“About ten minutes, Princess. Probably a good time to start getting ready,” the pilot said. Luna nodded in return and went to do just that. She un-holstered her pistol and pulled back the slide. Seeing the red crystal pop into the breech, she released the slide with a resounding ‘click!’ Re-holstering her weapon, Luna pulled her rifle off of her back, wiping it down before adding extra attachments to it. She added a magical aperture sight which rested above the weapon HUD. This sight allowed her, through personal magical manipulation, to distinguish friendly from enemy, and civilian from combatant. It also outlined any weapons in its sight, being able to see if one would be hiding anything. As of now, she turned it off, leaving only a bright teal blue reticle in its place. She attached a suppressor before slinging the rifle on her back again. Lastly, she pulled a gas mask on her face before sliding her helmet back on.

“Thirty seconds, Princess!” the pilot called back. Luna nodded, got to her feet and steadied herself by the chariot door. True to the pilot’s word, the door gently flapped downward and the chariot flew to a smooth halt. Luna softly paced out on the plank-like drop door, looking down at the ground which was several thousand feet below her.

“Thank thee for the ride, Blueleaf,” Luna said over her shoulder.

“Princess?” Blueleaf called back. Luna stopped mid spring to turn her attention towards him, an inquisitive look on her face.

“Be safe, alright?” he said apprehensively with a smile. Luna returned it in full even though he couldn’t see it through her mask, warming her heart knowing that many care about her safety in what she was doing.

“You know I will be,” Luna replied. Blueleaf nodded.

“May the Moon guide you!” he shouted back. Luna nodded once with her traditional grin and took a leap of faith off the chariot door. Her body picked up speed until it was in free-fall but only for a short time, since she was only a few thousand feet off the ground and not tens of thousands of feet. Luna gracefully shifted her body chest down as she dropped, her hands flaring in her magical aura; artificially adding inertia and friction to the surrounding air. After about forty-five seconds, Luna slowed down enough when she was about thirteen feet above the ground, which happened to be an open field. She dissolved her magic and dropped the remaining distance, landing expertly on her feet and hunching down to take the pressure off her knees. She did not move from this position, for several seconds, silently taking in the surrounding sounds as she slowly darted her eyes around her, checking… waiting for something to go wrong. Nothing moved. Just her, the wilderness, and the night. With that, Luna stood up and unclasped her rifle from her back. She took a magazine from a pouch on her uniform and slid it into the magazine receptacle in the stock of the weapon before pulling the charging handle. Ready for battle, Luna took off in a small jog towards the border area.

She breathed (or panted) steadily as she jogged at an even pace, her rifle held low and swinging lightly in perfect synchronization with her movements. These little runs brought back memories of the first time she went on a covert mission like this. Her first time, however, was not on her lonesome. She was tagging along with several other field agents in order to ‘break her in’ and get a feel for the work. She killed her first time that night as well. A soldier held a shotgun to her face after he knocked her down. Magic could not be used since they were inside another country’s borders and magic could be detected if used, as well as its residue. Out of non-lethal options, Luna shot him in the chest three times. The mission was a success, but she cried for three days straight. Nevertheless, she was undeterred. In an increasingly hostile world, Equestria needed help more than ever lest they be thrown into open conflict. One does not forge a powerful and prosperous nation without irritating the others around you… it simply isn’t done.

Luna slowed her pace to a brisk walk, and then to a stop as she crested a hill. She got down on all fours and crawled through the bushes and tall grass, holding her rifle in the crevice of both of her arms. She eventually settled to a stop and peered over the crest, eying the small river this section that separated the two nations.

“Let us see what awaits on the other side, hmm?” Luna thought to herself as she pulled out some binoculars and peered through them. She eyed a few wayward Crystallian Soldier patrols making their rounds. Looking beyond the small band of forest, she saw a few armored personnel carriers and even a tank. Interesting… tanks are not used for mere border patrol. Zooming in more, she found several dozen, about thirty or so troops doing their own thing around the clearing. No mistake of it, something was going on, and Luna was going to make sure it didn’t happen. She then peered around and saw something that could present and potentially large problem.

“Hmph. That’s… not good. It is always something… dammit.”

Dispatching the Crystallian troops as she made her way across the river wouldn’t be the problem. The issue lay with Equestria’s border patrol which, like their counterparts, was made up of sparse patrol teams. If they saw her go through, it would raise enormous suspicion. And it wasn’t like she could just have the EBP cover her entrance into the Empire of Crystallia, as that would be blatant abetting to an incursion into foreign territory… not good. Besides, no one outside the necessary higher-ups was to know that she was here. She’d have to sneak by both border patrols, and if necessary, subdue her own soldiers. That thought made her shudder, but was quelled by the fact that if she wasn’t going through with this mission, those troops would likely be captured or killed when the Crystallians launched their attack.

Luna decided on her entrance point and she slowly made her way down the hill, keeping low and with rifle in hands. She made sure to take note of two Equestrian troops walking perpendicular to her path. They were looking away from her movements through the grass… at least so she thought. Or she hoped.

“Hey… something’s moving in the grass there!” One of the soldiers pointed out. Luna stopped dead and dropped.

Fuck me.

“Man, everything moves in the grass. Need I point out that it’s breezy out?” the other soldier responded in a condescending manner.

“I don’t know… I still think we should check it out.”

It pleases me greatly to see Equestrian military doing their jobs but please, just this once, shit off…

“Oh right, because maybe the Colonel will promote you for finding an illegal rabbit sneaking across our border, or a gopher smuggling carrot contraband into Crystallia,” the other soldier chided. Luna couldn’t help but stifle a giggle. She needed that.

“Whatever man. Something happens, don’t say I didn’t tell you,” the first soldier stated once more before they continued on, harmlessly passing Luna’s camouflaged form. Checking that the coast was clear, she made her way to the river bank. The Crystallian troops had dispersed for the moment, so there was no telling how soon they would return. Strapping her rifle to her back again, she waded into the cool water and submerged herself almost completely, using a very light stroke with her arms and legs to give off as little ripple as possible and using the cover of the natural noise of the river to silently make her way across. She made it to the other river bank and couch-walked up into the small forest perimeter. However, what she saw made her drop immediately.

Almost unseen there was one soldier who was just watching the river, looking bored out of his mind. However, Luna was essentially trapped now. She couldn’t move perpendicular, as that would definitely be noticed, and she couldn’t really just march up to him and punch him in the face. However, she most certainly didn’t have to shoot him… at least she wanted to believe that she didn’t, not yet at least. Fumbling with her equipment, she thanked the stars that she had managed to throw in one of these with her accessories. Luna pulled out a cylindrical, metal canister.

Type-26 Gaseous Anesthetic. Knock-Out Gas.

Luna carefully pulled the pin on it, and let the gas seep out a bit before lightly chucking it onto the grass behind the soldier. Thankfully he didn’t notice the object flying at him due to the shadow of the forest. After about fifteen seconds, Luna noticed that he looked a bit wobbly and before long, he collapsed.

Most Excellent.

Luna continued on, using the trees for cover and, true to her word, letting the bright moonlight guide her towards the forest clearing. Eventually, she made it and peered out of a bush. It was the same sight that she saw when peering through the binoculars, however this time, it appeared that the troops were ready to move. That meant that their operation would be a go, if it wasn’t already. Luna needed to think fast. Remembering her orders, she was not told anything specific, but just to sabotage the advancing force. Luna began to run through quick options. She could destroy the tank and APCs. She had enough magic to summon a couple heavy grade charges. But heavy explosives would undoubtedly alert divisions for miles. She could also place small charges and blow the tracks on the vehicles. Both of those options involved sneaking around a place crawling with troops in order to set a perfectly timed charge, possibly getting shot in the process and having to eliminate all the troops in the area in order to survive.

Or… she could find the commanding officer and eliminate him instead.

With no operations commander, their little plan would fall apart. It was decided. She’d locate a commanding officer, or officers, and kill them directly, unless an opportunity presented itself to make it look like an accident. But now, to find a commanding officer.

At that point, a man flanked by about three other soldiers and wearing an officers cap exited one of the APCs.

Well, that was almost too convenient, Luna thought to herself. Before she acted, it suddenly hit her.

I have no precision weapons!

Luna was feeling trapped because there was no way out of this peacefully. Any path she took would end up in an enormous shoot out. Even if she subdued one of the soldiers, others would immediately see her, or notice their absence.

I guess this is it then. First mission where I’ve blatantly run out of options and needed to go in ‘guns blazing, Luna thought to herself again. At the conclusion of her deliberation, she pulled three grenades from her belt.

For my subjects, and for the safety of Equestria

Luna pulled one pin after the other and sent the grenades flying in random directions of the clearings. Conversation and activity went on as normal for the next few seconds… and then it happened.

BOOM!

Since Luna pulled the pins at relatively the same time, the grenades went off also at relatively the same time, gripping the attention of all the soldiers instantly, a few of which were caught in the blasts. With their attention turned, time slowed down as Luna emerged from her cover, assault rifle in hand. She raised up the weapon, aimed at the officer who had his back turned, and squeezed the trigger. Her suppressed rifle spewed eight rounds, all of which struck the Crystallian officer in the back, sending him to the ground in a cry of anguish. After that action, the other soldiers immediately began searching for the origin of the death of their officer, not taking long for the closest soldiers to turn their attention to Luna.

“HERE! Shoot to ki—” the soldier was cut off as Luna turned her rifle, point blank, onto him, sending him to the ground with five new holes in his torso. Luna caught something in her periphery immediately as she ducked low and avoided the butt of a rifle, aiming high into the attacking soldiers chest as she squeezed her trigger again before side kicking him in the gut, and into the side of an APC in a bloody mess. With pure adrenaline, Luna dashed behind the APC and away from the fire that erupted towards her after she dispatched the two soldiers one after the other, firing the rest of her clip the entire way to cover.

Luna dropped the empty magazine into her hand, being sure to stow it away in her uniform before sliding in another. She couldn’t pull the charging handle as two more soldiers rounded the corner of the APC, guns raised. By pure instinct Luna knocked the barrel of the first rifle away before landing a swift kick in the soldier’s crotch. She then kneed him in the gut, using that opening to yank his rifle out of his hand and turn it on the other soldier, silencing him, before hammer-fisting the first soldier on the back of the neck and into the ground. Luna then stepped on his neck harshly, hearing an audible crack, one that would probably haunt her for the next few days. She yanked back the charging handle on her rifle and checked her surroundings. The moment she peeked out behind cover, the metal sparked right where her face was, indicating a near death experience with a bullet to the head.

Quickly thinking, she had already disposed of five Crystallian troops including the officer, there were still about thirty left. Yes, even if she was a human of the Ali-Cron race and thus immortal, that didn’t mean she was invincible. Ali-Crons couldn’t die, but they could still ‘be killed,’ and Luna was starting the believe that even she couldn’t take on all these enemy troops at once. The only for sure way of survival was if she used magic, but that would immediately incriminate Equestria, regardless of what the Crystallians planned to do. As of right now, Luna decided that she would have to see if she could escape and lose them, since her mission was technically complete.

Luna peeked out again and a bullet struck her shoulder plate, ricocheting away from her. Luna retreated back, only to immediately return, ducked low, and firing her rifle. Another soldier went down with a scream.

“YOU SON OF A BI—” a soldier ran around the other side of the APC screaming, but was silenced when Luna instinctually unsheathed her sword and used the momentum of her arm to fling it at the aggressor, the blade piercing his abdomen all the way through. She ran over to the body and yanked out the blade, sheathing it again before raising her rifle and peppering two more troops that were advancing on her, scoring two headshots on one of them. Another set of troops were converging on her from the right side, as well as more on the left. Luna instantly transferred her rifle to her left hand and yanked the pistol out of its holster with her right. She struggled to keep her rifle steady with the recoil when she had to return fire at a flanking soldier. She turned her attention to the new aggressors and repeatedly pulled the trigger on her sidearm, the first rounds scoring direct hits on the point soldier and sending him down in a screaming mess. Luna was stepping backwards as she was attempting to ward off the enemy when she table-topped over one of the bodies, dropping her now empty assault rifle and falling on her back, nearly knocking the wind out of her. Luna shot her three more times at a soldier that attempted to aim over the APC, missing him and forcing him back into cover, before turning her attention to another one doing the same thing, firing three more times and striking him in the face.

That last action expended all the rounds in her pistol. Not taking any chances with reloading since her coast was clear at the immediate moment, she flipped up on her feet and made a mad dash for the forest periphery back where she came from, getting shot at the entire way. As the Crystallian troops gave chase, they were forced back as Luna dropped flashbang grenades and live grenades in her escape.

Luna was running faster than she ever had, as this had proved to be the potentially most costly mission she went on. She was able to grab her rifle off the ground before she split, reloading it as she was running and clearly hearing footsteps behind her a few hundred feet. She then jumped over a tree stump and crouched down, turning around and aiming back where she was running.

“THIS WAY, LET’S MOVE!”

“GO GO GO!”

“AAAAH!!” one of the soldiers cried out as Luna opened fire on the small group of troops that emerged into her field of vision. Luna made short work of the five of them due to her taking them by surprise, before turning on her heels and splitting once more. Soon she came upon the river and doing a quick check, she found a few Equestrian Soldiers doing their rounds. It would look even more suspicious if they detained the Princess of the Night, running like a bat out of Tartarus out of Crystallia. They would undoubtedly see her as she got closer, but she desired to live more so. With one last ditch attempt, she jumped and landed in the river, immediately casting an invisibility spell. She laid low for a while as the river rushed past her helmet, her eyes and nose above the water.

Soon enough, the remaining Crystallian soldiers emerged from the forest and did a sweep of their border. They weren’t being aggressive in the slightest against the EBP, seeing as they didn’t see anyone emerge from the forest.

“Everything alright over there?!” One of the Equestrian troops shouted out to their Crystallian counterparts, rushing towards the river in case they needed assistance. This got the attention of the other Equestrians in the area. Luna used the opportunity to quietly slip through back into Equestria, any potential magical residue floating away with the river, or staying on Equestrian soil. Once Luna got out of range, completely out of breath and, she was almost afraid to say, scared out of her mind, she dissipated the active camouflage and lightly jogged back to her drop point, where she found another chariot waiting for her. The pilot waved her down and led her inside before taking off. Luna checked the time: two in the morning. She sighed and slumped back in her seat, pushing the brim of her helmet down over her eyes.

“I deduce that the mission was a success, Princess?” the pilot asked, a different one than Blueleaf. Luna just held up her hand.

“I pray thee, please no talking right now… just… silence. I apologize but it’s been a horrid night. But yes, mission complete,” Luna acknowledged.

“Very well, Princess. I’ll have you in Canterlot in about an hour.”

“Actually, can you make a quick stop to Ponyville?” Luna asked.

“Umm… Yes Princess. I’ll divert course,” the pilot responded.

“Thank you. There is someone I would… love to see, and knowing her, she is probably still buried in a book at this hour.”

3: Ultimatum

Chapter 3

Ultimatum

It was almost three in the morning and certain Solar Princess had just woken up from a tense five hour sleep. She had a sense of anxiety plastered on her face, but that tended to always happen when her sister ‘went away.’ Celestia sighed heavily as she stared at the ceiling of her quarters under her covers. Feeling that she wouldn’t get back to sleep for a little while, she decided to flip on the large television that was staring at her from across the room. Perhaps some late-night news would ease her thoughts. Nightlife happenings always tended to be the most interesting in her opinion anyway. With her mind made up, Celestia magically turned on the television.

“This is Late Night News on 24/7 Equestria!” the newscaster’s voice rang out over the introductory credits.

“Good Evening, ladies and gentlemen and thank you for joining us on this particularly beautiful night. I’m Newspress and once again, thank you for watching. Let us get started shall we?”

The angle changed and Newspress turned to face the camera.

“The evening started off a bit less peaceful for our neighbors to the west as the Empire of Crystallia was a bit shaken up a couple hours ago. Copious amounts of gunfire and other signs of conflict were reported on the other side of the border; all is quiet now. According to Crystallian officials, a rogue soldier turned his weapon on his officer and comrades in arms.” Celestia snorted with her eyebrow raised.

“Rogue soldier? Creative, yet politics at its finest.”

“Crystallian Army officials say that the surprise attack left approximately twenty-two soldiers dead, and several others wounded, including a Captain, Two Lieutenants and A Sergeant Major, as well as leaving three vehicles damaged. Preliminary reports stated that those vehicles consisted of Armored Personnel Carriers as well as a Medium Tank, although officials immediately dismissed the proposition of a tank, stating that, according to the Border Militarization Agreement, no heavy armored vehicles are allowed within two miles of the border.” Celestia’s eyes widened.

“Twenty-two?! Oh man… Something must’ve really went awry. At least she’s alive, but I hope she’s alright,” she spoke out loud to no one. She sighed once more before turning off the TV again.

“Either way, crisis averted.” She whispered before drifting off to a quiet slumber once more.

Twilight was currently reading by a dim candle-light in the main room of her tree home. This was the third night in a row in which she’s stayed up well past her point of natural retirement, and it was starting to gradually take its toll on her. However, she simply couldn’t put her book down, especially when it consisted of magical interference in vector fields. Her eyes betrayed her own thoughts as they fought with her consciousness to close shut for the night. However, they shot open completely when there was a soft but firm knock at her door. Twilight didn’t really know for sure who it could have been, considering Rainbow Dash liked to drop in unannounced. She made her way to the door sleepily and unlocked it, peeking outside. She caught a glimpse of the armor-clad Lunar Princess, smiling at her in a tired manner.

“Luna!” Twilight exclaimed in a whisper, ushering her in before closing the door. The two embraced each other tightly, swaying with each other’s natural movements for a short while.

“Studying rather late into the night, as per usual I see,” Luna commented with a light chuckle. It never ceased to amaze her how studious the magic adept really was. They finally released each other.

“You know me, Luna. But enough about that… how did it go tonight?” Luna pursed her lips in thought as to how she could formulate what she wanted to say.

“It went, ‘alright,’” she replied unconvincingly. Twilight picked up on her tone immediately. Over the years the two of them have come to know each other deeply, easily sensing irregularities within the other.

“Alright, what happened?” Twilight asked softly. Luna merely studied her features before sighing in resolution.

“The mission commenced as planned, however it would not remain so in its entirety. I soon found out that I would not be able to complete my objectives without a large loss of life, a high probability of losing my own in the process. Overall, the mission was successful, and another threat has been averted, but still…” Luna explained. Twilight placed a hand on the side of Luna’s arm in a show of comfort. Luna then lifted her eyes to meet the gaze of her great friend.

“It’s okay, Luna. I understand. You’re doing great things for Equestria, I’m sure you’re already convinced of that,” Twilight reasoned. Luna formed the slightest grin on her face… almost unnoticeable.

“Just remember, we all worry about you. I worry about you,” Twilight added in with emphasis, moving her hand up to Luna’s neck. Luna visibly became less tense at the gesture and smiled.

“Do our other friends know of my doings?” Luna asked.

“No. Just me. You told me personally, and I feel that it is you who must tell others if and when necessary. It’s not my place to do so.”

“May I ask you something, Twilight?” Luna asked her with some apprehension. This put off Twilight slightly because Luna was usually not one to succumb to nervousness and fear.

“Anything, Luna.”

“Do you… do you approve of what I’m doing?” she asked meekly. Twilight had to take a couple of seconds herself to formulate a response.

“While the loss of life saddens me, I can understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. I guess in a weird sense it’s you’re ‘own way’ of helping out. But from all the conflicts I’m sure you’ve prevented, it goes a bit beyond that. While I personally would attempt a more diplomatic approach, sometimes I suppose there is no option beyond force,” Twilight mused. Luna felt a bit relieved at that statement.

“Very well,” Luna nodded while checking the time, sparing a few more moments to talk with Twilight. “My apologies that I must cut our meeting extensively short, but I must return to the castle,” Luna informed. Twilight only nodded in understanding.

“Of course. It’s always nice to see you, no matter the length of time.”

“I shall be in touch when I am able,” Luna said as she slowly walked to the door.

“Luna… you know you don’t have to do this alone… right?” Twilight called after her with a more somber tone. Luna only looked back at her with heavy eyes, believing that yes, she did bear the responsibility of her actions, past and future, solely. Luna only nodded in acknowledgement.

“And… Just make sure that this isn’t the last time we see each other,” Twilight added with a slight teasing inflection. Like a few others who knew, she was still worried for her safety. Luna raised her eyebrow as she turned to meet Twilight’s gaze over her shoulder.

“I shall ensure that,” she said with a grin before closing the door after her. Luna sighed somewhat dreamily before walking straight, the chariot resting about a hundred feet in front of Twilight’s front door. She gingerly climbed in and sat herself down, not even bothering sitting properly, and ultimately stretching out on the bench seat, using her helmet as a makeshift pillow.

“Princess? To Canterlot?” the pilot asked softly. Luna nodded in response, not even opening her eyes (a small grin on her face as well).

“Please. And no need to rush. A little nap would be most pleasant right now,” Luna replied, slipping part of her hair over her eyes, ensuring a nice cat nap on her escort back to the castle.

Morning had arrived and Celestia was sitting at the dining table for breakfast. This time was one of the few long moments that she would be able to share with Luna throughout their duties during the day, especially since Luna tended to sleep during Celestia’s reign. Celestia waited somewhat anxiously, because it was habit now to worry that Luna, for some other reasons, might not come to the breakfast table. Fortunately, true to her word, Luna walked in right on time, to which Celestia embraced her tightly.

“Glad you could make it, sis,” Celestia said in a joyful mood.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Luna replied sincerely, albeit extremely exhausted. She still managed to give her older sister a smile. With that, they sat down to some food while making some small talk.

“So, I saw the news last night at around 3 ish,” Celestia brought up. Luna stopped eating to raise her brow at her sister.

“Pray tell. Was anything mentioned?” Luna asked, emphasis on the last word.

“Quite an ordeal so it seems,” Celestia added.

“How did they disguise it this time?” Luna asked curiously.

“Rogue soldier,” Celestia said sounding genuinely unimpressed. Luna couldn’t help but chuckle heartily at that.

“Seriously? A rogue soldier? Not even a ‘foreign agent’ or ‘foreign terrorist?’” Luna asked incredulously. Celestia only smirked a bit. Conversation was pretty dull and drab. She could tell something was bothering her little sister.

“What’s on your mind?” Celestia asked with that knowing tone. Luna once again stopped eating to gaze at Celestia.

“I am not sure what you’re referring to. Nothing is wrong,” Luna replied, going right back to stuffing her face.

“No, I think something is wrong. You look like you’re harboring something that’s weighing you down,” Celestia pressed on.

“Forgive me if I disappoint you, for there is nothing pestering me at the moment,” Luna said resolutely.

“Maybe you’re just emotional today. Or maybe it has to do with the fact that over twenty combatants were killed by this ‘rogue soldier,’” Celestia retorted right back, pulling out that card. Luna’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly, quivering a bit.

“O-over twenty?” Luna asked meekly, confirming what she was fearing. Celestia only nodded. Luna’s thoughts were overwhelmed. Over twenty? I took over twenty lives? Luna continuously thought. She then dropped her fork and just laid her head in her hands, pressing against her temples in an enormous bout of frustration. For Celestia, this was very difficult to see. Everything was slowly starting to catch up to Luna… the gravity of it all at least. She felt terrible that Luna was making herself bear the burden alone.

“I’m going to bed,” Luna said softly, interrupting Celestia’s thought process while she got up from the table and walked to the door.

“Sleep well, Luna,” Celestia called out, but her younger sister didn’t respond as she softly closed the door.

“That does it. I will not sit by and allow my sister to destroy herself. If she is to continue these missions, she shall no longer go alone. She shall not bear the burden on her lonesome…”

A majority of the day had passed, with Luna having nothing accomplished other than sleeping nearly the moment she fell on her bed. It had been nearly fourteen hours since she hit the bed at seven in the morning. Luna awoke from her groggy state and checked the time. 9 PM. Luna shot up in despair.

NINE AT NIGHT!? I FORGOT TO RAISE THE-

Luna’s thoughts were cut short when she looked outside and saw the moon where it should be. She sighed in relief and smiled.

Celestia must have taken it upon herself rather than wake me. I’ll have to thank her later. Especially since I left so abruptly…

Luna continued to muse in her own thoughts, especially since those of the previous night’s endeavors came rushing back. She immediately felt down once more… who wouldn’t? However, she didn’t have time to wallow in them due to there being a knock at her bedroom door.

“Enter,” Luna deadpanned with a sigh, still groggy from just waking up. At the close of her word, Celestia walked in the door and greeted her with a smile, sporting very casual attire, most likely due to her retiring to bed soon.

“Good evening, Luna. Sleep well?” Celestia asked, sitting on the bed next to her and enveloping her in a hug.

“Oh thou hast no idea how much akin to a log I slept… I needed that very much,” Luna said somewhat dreamily, still wishing she could sleep a bit more. Celestia giggled in response. She loved sharing these moments of closeness with her sister. Reminded her that they still were, in fact, human.

“Luna, there’s something I need to tell you…” Celestia began uneasily. Luna turned towards her with a brow raised.

“Oh? Forgive the pun but, pray tell?”

“I know what’s been bothering you Luna… and don’t try to dismiss me. I know I can’t dissuade you from doing what you’ve been doing for almost two years, but I refuse to have you bear your burden alone,” Celestia explained in a heartfelt but stern tone. Luna sighed.

“Celestia, I appreciate your concern and I love you very much, but I still am adamant that you do not accompany me on any of my—”

“I know, which is why you’re taking on a partner that is not me,” Celestia interjected. Luna’s eyes widened.

“Celestia! I told you that I am not taking company with me!”

“Well, now you are if you hope to continue.” Luna’s brow furrowed.

“You would give me an ultimatum and risk the safety of our nation… for this?” Luna asked, becoming somewhat irritated.

“Your missions are covert, only known by select individuals and thus, off the public record. All I have to do is walk down to ECIB, press one button, and delete your file and all of its contents off the mainframe. Like it never. even. Happened. Then, I will bar the ECIB from reissuing an agent status to you, which prevents you from operating in any covert manner by Equestrian Law, and lastly, I will strip you of your rank of Captain in the general armed forces,” Celestia said with a smug grin. She had planned this out perfectly. She could tell, mostly in part due to Luna’s jaw hanging ajar.

“You… would not DARE attempt such a feat!” Luna seethed. Celestia leaned in close so her nose was touching Luna’s.

“Try me.”

Luna hardened her stare at her older sister and they remained this way for a good minute. Then, Luna reluctantly wavered and backed down. Not that she’d defy her sister with force, everyone knows what happened last time she threw a small temper-tantrum in the castle. Many guards on patrol report that they saw the Lunar Princess being flung out of the castle with enormous force before landing in the moat to ‘cool off.’ Luna returned her somewhat softened gaze to Celestia’s.

“Very well. However, this does not mean I shall enjoy it. This will be purely professional in nature. Dost thou have anyone in mind?” Luna deadpanned, clearly in annoyance. Celestia nodded.

“Actually, yes. While you were sleeping I was observing the training of several of our branches which are stationed here in Canterlot. After hours upon hours of meticulous observation, I spotted someone and immediately knew they would be the one for the job. I took the liberty of offering him the position and briefing him on your activities in secrecy. Needless to say, he was quite floored with amazement and as a result of that, accepted the position without hesitation.”

“I see, and who might my new… ‘partner’ be?” Luna asked, not enjoying that word right now.

“An Equestrian Special Forces Corporal named ‘Phaseshift.’ Fair skin and of standard race of humans, so no magic ability on his part. Fairly well built and quick on his feet, a rather sharp analytical mind and excellent cloak-and-dagger mentality. Can hold his own rather well in a fight, as was told to me. Quite the crack-shot with a rifle as well. He’s fiercely loyal, but also rather sarcastic. Nevertheless, he’s a good guy, I made sure of it,” Celestia said. Luna nodded pensively before sighing audibly in annoyance.

“I see. Well, when do I get the pleasure of meeting this fellow?” Luna asked with some disdain. Celestia only grinned.

“Actually, right now! Come on in, Phaseshift!” Celestia called out towards the door, which opened a second later. In walked in the ESF soldier, clad in his uniform sans headgear. He was a bit tall, essentially seeing eye-to-eye perfectly with Luna (in the literal sense), short cut black hair, emerald green eyes, and true to Celestia’s word, he sported a lean muscular build. Although he had some stubble on his face as well as an angular jaw with a cleft chin, he looked considerably younger than Luna could have thought. She expected someone who had a great deal of experience, maybe even with gray hair. Then again, this lad was only a corporal. Phaseshift walked to the two and gave a polite bow.

“Please rise, there is no need for formalities. Phaseshift, as I’m sure you’re aware, this is Princess Luna, your new superior,” Celestia said, introducing the two.

“Charmed,” Luna responded less than enthusiastically and more sarcastically.

“An honor to meet you as well, Princess,” he quipped back lightly. Luna almost formed a grin at the semi-sarcastic retort… almost.

“As you already know, my name is Phaseshift, but feel free to call me Phaze for simplicity. ‘Phaze’ with a ‘z,’” he clarified somewhat optimistically.

“Very well then, I shall refer to you as ‘Phaze with a ‘z,’” Luna said with little emotion, sporting a barely noticeable sardonic grin; not being able to resist the attempt at poking fun at her ‘against-her-will’ subordinate. Phaze recoiled slightly at this.

“My apologies, Princess, but I believe that I—”

“… asked me to refer to thou as ‘Phaze with a ‘z.’ Therefore, I shall refer to you as such,” Luna interjected. With luck, he’d get annoyed of her little by little and quit on his own. She’d only be too happy to turn him loose. Celestia only rolled her eyes. She somewhat knew that this would be an entertaining match-up of partnership.

“Well, I’m going to let you two familiarize yourselves. I’m heading off to bed. Goodnight, Luna!” Celestia said, embracing her sister before walking out the door, leaving the two in Luna’s room together. Luna saw her sister out before turning back to Phaze.

“Very well, I am Luna and you are ‘Phaze with a ‘z.’’ Now that we’re done with the fucking ‘Formality Pleasantries,’ allow me to be very clear on something:” Luna began before dropping her tone rather low. She got closer to Phaze until their gazes were mere inches apart, his face under enormous scrutiny from Luna’s stern, piercing orbs. Phaze never faltered in the slightest.

“As of this current moment. I do not like you. I do not care who you are, where you are from, nor what you have accomplished, for as my subordinate, your previous material accomplishments mean absolute manticore shit to me. The only things that matter to me, are your skills in Cloak-and-Dagger warfare, your ability to handle various weapons and equipment, vehicular and handheld, and ensuring that you do not drag the mission behind. If thou falls behind, I wilst leave thee behind without moment’s hesitation. If thou gets wounded as a result of thy foolishness, I wilst not drag thy ‘sorry ass’ out of harm’s way; do I make myself clear?” Luna finished her rant. Phaze only had a brow raised. If he was honest, yes, the Lunar Princess did intimidate him. Was he intimidated? Yes, definitely. Was he scared? No, not in the slightest.

“Yes, your highness. You have made yourself crystal clear,” he responded in kind.

“Good. Chances are trouble might be brewing to the north. Intelligence will give me the full report but as of right now, we leave for Greifenraum in one week at precisely midnight. Be there or I will leave you behind. Understand?” Luna asked with a less than optimistic attitude.

“Yes, Captain,” he replied still semi-sarcastically, referring to her by her military title rather than her regal one. Luna furrowed her brow slightly.

“Very well. You’re dismissed,” Luna said, waving her hand, well, dismissively. Acknowledging, Phaze stood at attention and saluted properly before starting out of her door. Luna watched him go and only sighed in defeat.

Next Op was going to be a bit different.

4: An Understanding

A/N: Conversation in another language is present in this chapter. However, I've written everything so that the dialogue will be immediately translated, should it be important. Don't worry, you'll see. :)

Chapter 4

An Understanding

Equestrian Central Intelligence Bureau

Lunar Contingency | Mission Directive 1498

Agent: Lunabelle "Luna" Quasar | *Princess*, Captain (Equestrian Special Forces)

Agent: Phaseshift "Phaze" Radian | Corporal (Equestrian Special Forces)

Princess, Corporal,

Equestria's relationship with our neighbors to the north has been fairly peaceful, albeit held onto with a tenuous grasp. That is, we have kept a relative peace because we are one of few nations that could fully stand up to and (possibly even surpass) the military might of Greifenraum. Our no tolerance policy on aggression also has led to a relative calm, albeit not without a few close calls. However, we fear that more aggression might be around the corner. According to our listeners, reports indicate that Greifen military scientists have made an enormous breakthrough. It appears that the Greifens have been able to replicate and successfully test a prototype military grade Magic Dampener. This is concerning news. As one of the only nations whose population is made up significantly in part by magic adepts, as well as the infrastructure being quite interlinked with the force itself, Equestria has a distinct advantage over its neighbors. Naturally, we can negate magic with our own technology, but if the Greifens now possess the capability to do so, this could spell a rather unpredictable diplomatic future including but not limited to the lucrative selling of this technology to other nations, possibly with hostile intent, while Equestria may lose much of its own advantage and influence in intercontinental and international relations. Not to mention the vulnerability on the homefront.

The mission is as follows:

You will infiltrate Greifen airspace via a stealth aircraft. Once at the designated height and drop point, you will drop approximately two miles outside of the town of 'Pferd,' which is about one hundred miles from the Equestrian border. Interception of encrypted transmissions indicates that a convoy will be passing through the main highway outside of the town proper. The convoy, which will most likely be guarded (and thus, armed), will hold the Dampening Technology. We do not have any other reports of what it may look like exactly, so use your best judgment. Once the tech is located, secure it and call for extraction. Unmarked stealth aircraft will be on standby. You are authorized to use deadly force if at all necessary.

Field Dir. Monochrome Contrail

A whole week had passed since Luna met her new subordinate and had not seen him since. Intelligence confirmed to her that the mission was still to proceed as planned. Currently, Luna was waiting by the castle's chariot landing pad where she would be taken to Canterlot military airport. She was equipped, armed, and ready to go. However, the one thing stopping her was her new partner, Phaze. She said to be at the pad by midnight sharp and it was currently 11:59 PM. Figuring he was a no-show, Luna rolled her eyes and started for the open chariot. After all, it wouldn't be her fault if he didn't show up when he was ordered. She was on a strict schedule as of late; Celestia could understand.

"Didn't think I'd leave you hanging, did you, Princess?" a calm voice called out from behind her. Luna turned around and saw Phaze, clad in combat gear and armed as well. He had an optimistic look about him and Luna sensed a little wave of excitement in him. It almost warmed her heart… almost.

"Damn… and here I believed, or hoped, rather, that thou wouldst be a no show," Luna said, her words dripping with sarcasm. Phaze only raised his brow.

"That's readily apparent. However, I do not believe it is wise to get on the bad side of royalty," he replied with sarcasm in return. Luna took his quip to heart. Not what he said, but more of how he said it. By returning her own sarcasm back to her, Luna could easily see that he was not afraid of her, like many others were. Luna mustered a small, determined grin. A small one, mind you.

"Quite. Very well then, let us depart. The sooner we accomplish our task, the sooner we can sleep," Luna said, beckoning him to follow her into the chariot. He nodded as he followed her inside. They took a seat and got comfortable for the short ten minute ride to the airport, facing opposite of each other.

"Hast thou read the information brief?" Luna questioned.

"Several times. I know our mission, we just need to get there now," he replied. Luna nodded.

"Good. I suppose I do not have to hold your hand the entire time then," Luna said, moving her gaze back down to some papers. Alright, at first, Phaze was quite accepting of Luna's sarcasm and degradation. He understood at first. Now, it was actually starting to irritate him. Princess or not, she was genuinely being rude. However, now was not the time to call her out on it. He merely rolled his eyes and kept silent until they arrived at the airport. They disembarked and Luna led him to a much larger aircraft… a plane.

"The Greifens are very technologically advanced. As a result, flying a simple stealth chariot into their airspace would be an immediate ticket to getting shot out of the sky. So, we're using a faster, more agile, and more aptly stealthed aircraft. Remember, we are jumping as well," Luna reminded him as they boarded the large plane. They sat down and buckled themselves in for takeoff, which went rather smoothly. The plane then got to cruising altitude and made haste for Greifenraum.

"We have about two and a half hours until we reach our drop point. Until then, feel free to get comfortable," Luna suggested. Phaze, once again, only nodded and stretched out, laying down on the comfortable bench seats which were lined with cloth cushions, catching a bit of shut-eye before they arrived. Before he completely dozed off though, Luna wanted to check on something:

"Phaseshift?" Luna asked. Phaze tilted his head towards her, acknowledging that she called him.

"How's your Greifen?" she asked. He couldn't hear her completely.

"I'm sorry?" he asked for clarification.

"Können Sie gut Greifen sprechen?"

"Bestimmt nicht," he quipped back. Genuinely for the first time, Luna mustered the tiniest of smiles before turning back to her papers. Phaze felt somewhat accomplished now. With that, he intended to catch a bit of shuteye before they arrived. Luna wrote down a few things before she too succumbed to the grasp of a nap. So far, so good, and Luna was easing her qualms.

The stealth plane passed through Greifen airspace without a hitch and soon, the two of them were roused from their slumber by a pilot over the intercom:

"Five minutes to drop zone!"

The two looked at each other and nodded, readying their equipment. Luna was outfitted with her standard loadout while Phaze had both a full-fledged rifle and an SMG strapped to him. They both added the necessary suppression attachments to their weapons, strapped their helmets and masks on, and were eventually ready to go. As a final touch, Luna casted some magic which suppressed the magic in her hair. It was now just a standard blue and lifeless.

"Thirty seconds to drop! When the green light flashes, it's a go! Good luck down there!"

The two positioned themselves by the now open door on the side of the plane chassis, ready to jump. They secured their parachutes and checked their equipment one more time. Soon the green light flashed brightly with a loud beeping sound and they instantly jumped into the cold night air, thousands and thousands of feet above the ground. The two fell in silence as they passed through the endless sky, plummeting towards the earth; freefalling gracefully. They were able to see the town of Pferd as well. Soon, however, it was time to deploy the parachutes. Luna looked over at Phaze, who only looked back in understanding. They both deployed their parachutes and glided silently through the air, slowly but surely landing in a grassy knoll about two miles outside of Pferd, just where they needed to be. They both hunched down low and were ready to move.

"All is well?" Luna asked, unclasping her assault rifle from her back.

"Peachy," Phaze replied, stuffing a magazine into the center of his long rifle.

"Good. Remember: you fall behind, I leave you behind. Let us move," Luna remarked. The two stood up and began their trek towards Pferd. Not a word was spoken as they quickened their pace to their destination. Luna glanced back over her shoulder to notice that Phaze was casually glancing up at the night sky. While they were in a different nation, Equestria contained the people (namely Celestia and Luna) who were magically proficient enough to manipulate the heavenly bodies for their side of the hemisphere. Either way, Phaze seemed rather pleased at the night sky tonight, despite Luna putting little work into it tonight. She smiled inwardly and they continued onward.

Soon enough, the pair was on the outskirts of Pferd, and all seemed quiet, most likely due to the small population sleeping soundly.

"Well, we've arrived at the town. Now where's the highway?" Phaze spoke softly.

"It should be east of the town proper. Let us pass through the town itself for a quicker route. The main convoy should be passing through in half an hour," Luna said, beckoning him to follow her. He nodded and they moved, entering the town silently. It could be observed that Luna and Phaze had small "cold war" between them, but that was put aside for the time being. Now, it was all business… the business of not getting themselves killed. The two raised their rifles and stacked up against buildings, careful to avoid street lights and any lit windows. The complex sneaking around instilled a slight bit of nervousness in the two of them as they found it becoming a bit stuffy in their face masks, their blue visors fogging up slightly.

The two rounded a corner when Luna held a clenched fist up where Phaze could see it. They stopped immediately. Luna made a hand gesture, signaling for him to take a look. The two were shrouded in shadow, but they could see a few Greifen soldiers entering the town's limits. Their gray uniforms, onyx black helmets, and menacing stares were unmistakable.

"I don't hear any mechanized movement, and I'm pretty sure soldiers aren't quartered in towns…" Phaze thought out loud.

"But of course their presence here is reasonable. They are scouting and securing ahead just in case. The Greifens are never too careful, especially in a militarized society like their own."

"So, what's the best course of action?" Phaze asked.

"They are not alone. There are undoubtedly at least a dozen more that entered elsewhere. They are going to check every bit of the town's shadows and radio in the all clear. We must avoid them until that signal is sent. Then we must subdue them," Luna explained.

"Sounds good, I'll follow your lead."

"Thou art my subordinate, and thus have no choice."

The two remained hidden as the soldiers began to speak to each other. One of them was obviously in a position of power:

"Haben wir unser Befehl: Wir werden dieser Stadt nachsehen. Bewegen wir!"

"Ja!"

"Sicherlich, Feldwebel!"

The two understood that perfectly.

"Alright they're going to inspect the town now. Let's move through the shadows… quietly," Luna whispered. Phaze nodded and the two slipped further into the shadows. Rifles clutched closely to their bodies, the stacked the walls and perfectly moved in silence. Luna would give hand signals when Patrols of soldiers would run by and scan things; often times they would have to make fast but quiet evasive maneuvers. This process continued for a good half an hour… probably even more time than that, they figured. However, at one point they weren't so lucky:

Luna motioned for the two of them to slip into an alleyway when a soldier came around the corner and spotted one of their feet enter the shadows.

"Hey! Stoppen Sie!" the soldier shouted, raising his rifle. It was a stroke of luck that he was alone. Right now, he ordered the mysterious person (he only saw one of the feet enter the shadows) to halt. Luna and Phaze froze on the spot with fear stricken across each other's face. They looked at each other and subtly communicated something.

"Kommen Sie ins Licht, jetzt!" The soldier barked out, demanding that they come into the light. If they escaped, the soldier would definitely raise the alarm. Phaze disappeared back into the shadows and Luna decided to answer back as innocently as possible.

"Bitte! Abschiessen mich nicht!" Luna 'begged' very convincingly for the soldier not to shoot her, removing her helmet and mask in the shadows and only revealing her face to the light. Had the soldier seen her combat clad body that would have caused a few complications. Upon the Greifen soldier seeing the beautiful face of a girl, his stern demeanor calmed down only slightly.

"Es gibt ein Ausgangssperre! Wo gehen Sie?" he asked, informing her harshly that there was a curfew and inquiring where she was headed. He lowered his weapon but Luna was wondering where the hell Phaze was.

"Nur nach hause…" she answered meekly, saying that she was only going home. Right when the soldier was about to respond, a black clad hand emerged from the shadows, covered his mouth, and dragged him into said shadows. The soldier screamed in fright through Phaze's hand before he cracked his neck… not enough to kill him but knock him out good. He came through for Luna, so she couldn't argue that.

"And here I thought you would let me get shot by him…" Luna said sarcastically.

"Have you that little faith in me?" he asked, mock offended.

"Quite possibly," she responded in kind. He only smirked playfully in return. Their little banter was cut short when a voice emanated from the downed soldiers waist: his radio.

"Heinrich, was geht? Ich habe Sie schreien gehört," the voice on the other end of the radio called in, saying that they had heard yelling. Luna and Phaze looked at each other concernedly and Phaze reacted immediately, picking up the radio.

"Ja, alles ist gut. War nur eine Katze," Phaze replied into it, masking his voice as much as possible and saying that it was only a cat.

"Haha arschloch! Sehr gut. Achtgeben Sie, ja?" the other voice replied humorously, telling 'Heinrich' to take care of himself.

"Sicherlich," Phaze said once more before dropping the radio. He and Luna then moved the body deep into the alleyway.

"That ought to buy us some breathing room. Where to?" Phaze asked. Right when Luna was about to answer, another transmission came from the body's radio, one that was calling all units:

"Alle soldaten, Der Statd ist frei. Der Konvoi ist auf ihrem Weg. Umgruppieren sic h im Stadtmitte. Aus."

"That sounded like the leader. Sounds like the convoy is on its way now and they're regrouping at the town square. Let us move to the highway," Luna said. Phaze followed suit as they made haste in the shadows towards the town limits where the highway was located, using the shadows to evade the Greifen patrols. Phaze had to admit that this was quite a bit more demanding yet exciting than standard special forces missions. He was happy with the decision so far, unless they got killed. Then he wouldn't be too pleased.

Soon, the two made it out of the town and waited low near the large highway. Neither Phaze nor Luna said anything to each other for several minutes until Phaze spoke up:

"How guarded do you suspect the equipment is?" he asked.

"Fairly. I suspect a few fire-teams and elite troops along with APCs. Something along those lines would be reasonable," Luna replied back. A low rumbling was heard and they turned their attention up the road. There was a rather large transport truck with about a dozen troops marching on either side of it. What drew Luna's attention more were the two tanks driving in front and in back of the transport.

"… or they could have two medium tanks as well. That complicates things quite a bit," Luna said, deeply concerned with the developments. She had her thinking face on.

"Well, I don't think we will last particularly long against those armored beasts. Got a plan?" Phaze asked. The convoy was about a quarter of a mile up the highway and approaching quickly. Luna was running through scenarios in her head rather quickly before she came up with something solid:

"Lay low until they pass. Maybe we can persuade them to let us commandeer the rear tank. Then we'll have a bit of a chance," Luna formulated. Phaze shrugged.

"Sounds good to me. On your signal…"

The two lay prone deep in the grass outside of the highway. The rumbling became louder and louder until it passed right in front of them, the soldiers scanning lazily around the horizon and barking commands to each other. Soon enough, the rear tank passed and it was time to put their plan in motion.

"Very well, let us move… carefully," Luna said softly. Phaze followed close behind her as they quickly caught up to the rear of the rear tank, using the enormous sound of the armored vehicles to cover their footsteps. The pair walked low behind the tank as Luna flashed some signals to him. He nodded and they proceeded to climb on top of the tank quietly. Luna stealthily climbed to the turret, finding a tank commander lounging out of the entrance. She silently slipped in behind him, slipped a hand over his mouth and contorted his head in an unnatural direction. In all honesty that probably killed him. She then lifted his body out of the hull and let it fall to the ground behind them. With no more obstruction into the tank itself, Luna beckoned Phaze up to the entrance. He climbed up and the two slipped inside, finding the driver and gunner at work with headphones on, communicating to each other. It was a wonder that they didn't hear the commander get dispatched, for Luna had completely forgotten about the other crew. Inside the tank, Luna made a hand signal towards the gunner and Phaze nodded. He made his way over silently and slipped an arm around his neck, cracking it violently before yanking the now lifeless body out of the seat. The driver had noticed this, this time and was about to react when he heard the distinct 'click' of a weapon arming. He turned and saw Luna, face covered by black face mask and reflective blue visor, aiming a pistol right at his face.

"Fahren Sie weiter," Luna calmly ordered him to keep driving. The driver gulped hard in fear and nodded, continuing his calm speed behind the target transport.

"Wenn Sie versuchen jemand zu kontaktieren, werde Ich ihr Gehirn überall verspritzen," Luna said very venomously, warning him that she would 'splatter his brains everywhere' if he attempted to warn anyone else. This made him even more apprehensive and he complied flawlessly, removing his headset for good measure and handing it to Luna.

"Phaze, how doth it look out there?" she asked, pistol still aimed to the back of his head and not taking her eyes off of him.

"They don't know anything is different, so we're in the clear for now. But as you know, we can't stay here forever," Phaze informed. Luna nodded.

"Indeed. We must stop the vehicle though… we can shoot its treads out and deal with the infantry around it. When that is taken care of, we finish off the front tank, get the equipment, and leave with haste."

"Very well then. The gun is armed, so on your signal!" Phaze announced. Luna peered out one more time before reaching over and cracking the neck of the driver, knocking him out. This forced the tank to an immediate stop.

"Do it."

Without any word, Phaze pulled a trigger and the tank's main gun went off, completely obliterating the rear end of the armored transport and dismembering its tracks. It was now immobile. However, the enormous blast got the attention of the other troops and tank, considering many of the other soldiers were maimed by the explosion.

"Der Panzer!" one of the soldier shouted before Phaze activated the tank's coaxial gun, mowing down the other troops in the area in an enormous volume of fire. They didn't stand a chance. From the other side of the immobile transport, the other tank peeked its hull and turret out towards them.

"Target acquired," Phaze announced, the main gun armed.

"Fire!" Luna ordered. Phaze pulled the trigger again and the other Greifen tank exploded in a hail of fire and shrapnel. With that, all immediate threats had been neutralized.

"Let's get out of the tank and retrieve the dampener," Luna said. The two exited the tank and jumped down towards the maimed rear doors, stepping over several bodies and having to move them out of the way. The two then pulled on the rear doors simultaneously, forcing it off of its hinges since it was already damaged. Inside was a wooden box, and only a wooden box. Luna went inside and pried it open with her spade, revealing a large glass object with cylindrical connectors on the outside which were not attached to anything. Inside the glass sphere was some material that was coursing with electrical and anti-magic. Oh yes, they most definitely found the dampener. Once Luna touched it to pick it up, her magic ability went away immediately. This took her by surprise and she dropped the object in the box again, her magic returning to her. When she got close again, her feeling of magical presence went away again. No doubt in her mind, they got what they came for. She picked it up and placed it gingerly in a knapsack on her back.

"Excellent! We found it. Let's get out of here and call for evactuation," Luna stated. Phaze was about to reply when they heard loud shouts coming from behind them. They turned to examine and found a large amount of troops converging on their position from behind them on the highway. The two's eyes widened at the realization that they would be surrounded soon.

"Well, no sense in standing here. Let us move!" Luna shouted and the two made their way back to the tank. Right as they reached it the tank exploded in a ball of fire and shrapnel, forcing them backwards onto the ground. Coming out of their daze, they found mortar team in the hills getting ready to fire at them again.

"Phaze! The forest periphery is naught two miles from here, we must move now! Cut through the southern edge of the town!" Luna yelled and the two made a dash for it. Luna sprinted ahead and ran into the safety of the streets between the buildings. Phaze followed close, firing his weapon behind him to help cover their escape. They then heard other soldiers making their way closer to them.

"Shit! Princess, we forgot about the soldiers already in the town!"

"Very well, we are going to have to fight our way out once more!" Luna commented back, checking her rifle. Due to the urban environment, Phaze swapped out for his submachine gun. He heard footsteps coming behind them.

"Luna, move up ahead, I'll cover our back and catch up!"

"Don't do anything stupid," Luna commented before nodding and jogging up ahead. Phaze turned around and knelt in the shadows, aiming his weapon towards the corner. The first Greifen solder ran out from the cover of the building and Phaze pulled his trigger, mowing down the first solder before a second one came out, him repeating the process. A third soldier attempted to just peek out and return fire, but Phaze shot him in the face.

"Offizier am boden!" a soldier shouted.

"Wir brauchen ein Sanitäter!" another called for a medic.

Phaze decided to take his leave and sprint after Luna, he eventually caught up with her, finding her in a firefight against a few entrenched Greifen troops which were blocking the exit to the town. Luna turned to find him jogging towards her, she almost looked happy to see him… almost. He hunkered down next to her and, with renewed resolve, Luna got out from cover and returned fire with him, striking one of the enemy troops in the helmet.

"We need to break out… now!" Phaze said out loud as he reloaded.

"Do you not think I am aware of that?! Or maybe you did not see the line of troops across from us—"

"Granate!"

Luna was cut off when a stick grenade landed in between the both of them. Luna's eyes widened enormously. With instant thinking, Phaze picked it up and cocked his arm back.

"Nein, Danke!" Phaze shouted before tossing the grenade back at the line. It exploded in a hail of shrapnel, violently dealing with many of the enemy troops, if the screams of agony were anything to go by.

"That should do it! Let's go!" Phaze said to Luna before he sprinted towards the new opening. Luna followed suit. They made it out of the town and were heading towards a hill where the forest periphery was coming up when Luna shouted:

"Phaze! Watch out!"

Phaze turned around before his hearing cut out and he was forcefully flung several feet from his position, landing hard on his back. Dirt and gravel rained down on him, his ears were ringing, and his vision blurred. Soon… it faded into blackness.

After an undetermined amount of time, Phaze came to, his vision still blurred and his ears still ringing. He realized that he ran out in the open once they cleared the blockade from the exit of the town. That was stupid, so Luna probably left him behind. He felt that that was adequate. He almost got the two of them killed by… whatever hit him. However, he felt himself moving and it wasn't by his own volition. As his hearing cleared up and his vision became clearer, he was able to determine that he was being dragged, some scattered gunfire was going off, along with an occasional explosion. He looked up and found Luna dragging him through the grass and dirt. He looked up at her, still in bewilderment from coming to (which he realized that he wasn't knocked out for even two minutes) and she looked at him.

"Did I not tell thee… that I would not drag thy… sorry ass out of danger due to your own… stupidity?" Luna said to him through her pants; obviously she had been moving him for quite some time. She dropped him suddenly to lift her rifle and return fire for a couple seconds before picking his upper torso back up again and continuing to drag him backwards.

"What… What the hell happened?!" Phaze finally asked, getting his senses straight.

"Thou ran out in the open without care and nearly got blown to pieces by a mortar shell. You are lucky that the blast radius only caught thee. Can you move?" Luna asked. Phaze got to his feet fine by his standards but he felt a little dizzy. Once his vertigo subsided he grabbed his weapon and nodded.

"Is the dampener safe?" he asked. Luna patted the knapsack and nodded.

"Indeed. I still cannot cast magic either. Let us continue before the mortar team gets a beat on us. I have a feeling the Greifens may have sent more troops and even scrambled aircraft," Luna said. The two then continued over the hill. Once the hill was crested, the forest periphery would be just after it. Once they crossed said periphery, they could safely call for extraction. However, things tend to not go according to plan.

As soon as they reached the peak of the hill, thus leaving the town behind, they had the misfortune of spying a small group of elite troops scrambling to meet them.

"Looks like we're not out of this yet," Phaze remarked before swapping out for his rifle. Having the advantage of height, the two were able to turn their rifles down towards the small valley, effectively cutting down many of the preliminary advancing troops. However, something caught Luna's attention from behind. Oh yeah, that's right. The town was behind them, which was now crawling with forces who were advancing on them as well.

"Keep them busy to our front!" Luna shouted. This was a bit difficult since there was no cover to be had. Luna turned her rifle the other way and fired down the hill, only for the volume of fire to be returned to her three fold.

"Princess! Help me clear the front, it's our only chance!" he shouted, nearly panicked as bullets and projectiles were whizzing past them and striking the ground before their feet. Yes, that could work. If they could quickly be rid of the Greifen troops in front of them, Luna could call for immediate extraction on the outside of the periphery. Luna nodded and turned away from the larger advancing force from the rear and concentrated fire on the front. The Greifen elites fell quickly with their lack of cover and high ground, the green grass beneath them being stained with their bodies and blood.

"Exfil, this is Luna. We have the device and our almost to our destination, requesting immediate extraction!" Luna screamed into a radio while Phaze mopped up the last troops in front of them.

"Copy that, Princess. We are headed to the designated pickup, ready for immediate takeoff. Over and out."

"Very well! We're all ready, let us—"

"PRINCESS!" Phaze shouted. Luna turned towards their rear, to which she was not paying attention, and found another tank looking right at them.

"AAAAH!"

In the same instant her sense of gravity was completely destroyed as she flew backward through the air, hitting the hill hard and rolling down the hill, landing completely still. She couldn't hear nor see anything through her own vision as it became more cloudy… eventually blacking out with a final moan of pain.

Luna slowly and groggily opened her eyes and raised her hand to her face, which was covered by her mask as well as in dirt and grass. She felt as if she was being moved involuntarily. She looked back saw Phaze dragging her backwards.

"Well, I can safely say that I didn't expect to have to drag your ass to safety," Phaze said as he dragged her limp body into the obscurity of the forest. Her first instinct, as brain function slowly returned to her, was to check the magic dampener. With a stroke of luck, it was safe, save for a tiny scratch on the spherical glass.

"Ugh… My head…" she said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Are you alright? Can you move your legs?"

"Uuy-ayy… yeh!" Luna said, struggling to form a coherent sentence. Phaze kept her covered as she attempted to stabilize herself and get to her feet.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Luna screamed as she put weight on her left leg, she buckled and fell to the ground in agony. Phaze fired several rounds towards the hill, which was starting to be crested by Greifen troops, before turning towards Luna's downed form.

"I… I can't put weight on my left leg! Fuck! This is excruciatingly painful!" Luna cried out, pain clearly evident in her voice as she gripped her upper thigh. Phaze knelt down next to her to assess the damage.

"Damnit… and evacuation will arrive momentarily. If something happens to them, we are the 'fucked.'" Luna remarked. At that moment, Phaze felt he had little choice.

"Forgive me Princess, but this must be done," he stated. Before she could even react, he shoved his arms under her legs and her back, picking her up bridal style. She gasped audibly from the startling sensation of it, as well as the sudden change in weight distribution hurting her leg.

"I'm sorry once again, Princess, but with all due respect… deal with it. We're almost there," he replied back as he bounded through the small patch of forest, carrying the wounded princess while she held onto him for dear life. It sounded like the Greifens made it to the forest as well, for bullets were starting to strike trees next to them and audible commands could be heard. With one final set and jump, Phaze landed outside of the periphery with the Princess still in his harms. True to their word, the large advanced stealth-evac chariot was there waiting for them with two ESF troops standing guard. They urged the two of them in before looking out once more towards the periphery; closing the hatch then and climbing inside. Soon enough, the chariot lifted off and they were airborne, away from combat and headed home. Phaze was able to make out stealth aircraft flying in formation next to the chariot, escorting them back to Canterlot.

He gingerly went to the longest bench and laid Luna down, slowly letting her support herself on the chair. Getting a good look at her now that they were safe with masks off, he was able to see her tear stained cheeks and her face itself: dirty and grimy with sweat, nature, and a few cuts. He helped her remove some of her gear and place it aside. He then reached for her thigh to examine it, but Luna slapped his hand away hard.

"What dost thou think you are doing?" she asked harshly.

"I'm examining your wound. You know, the reason you can't walk?" Phaze said, his ability to tolerate her stubbornness wearing thin.

"I can heal it myself."

"Really now? You can heal it when you can't even cast simple spells due to that magic dampener that's sitting next to you?" he replied irritably .

"Thy sarcastic attitude is not appreciated in the slightest, Phaze," Luna said. That did it for him.

"My sarcastic attitude?! Have you listened to yourself talk for the past several hours? All you have really done for the majority of the time you have spoken to me is treat me like a child and degrade me every step of the way. I can ignore it when we're in battle or just trekking, but not now. Not when you have an injury that needs tending to and no magic is available. So how about you put aside your fucking pride and disdain for me for two fucking minutes and let me help you!" he replied angrily, finally snapping. Luna's eyes widened at his outburst, but more so at the meaning behind it. She hid her eyes behind her hair and lowered her head. She visibly eased up and allowed Phaze to examine her.

Without another word, Phaze removed the plate on her thigh and examined it. There was a laceration about six inches above her kneecap which was still bleeding, albeit not profusely. He prodded it and opened it slightly (much to Luna's dismay, due to the pain) and found a piece of shrapnel embedded inside. He retrieved one of his medical kids and pulled out some gauze, alcohol, tweezers, and a scalpel just in case.

"You have a shrapnel wound and it needs to come out now. This will hurt," he said in a softer tone. Luna didn't reply back, already accepting that statement wordlessly. Phaze cut away at the uniform around the cut and doused the area with alcohol. Luna grunted and almost growled at this measure but it was necessary. Phaze then opened the wound and stuck the tweezers inside of it, catching on to the thick piece of shrapnel. He then slowly pulled it out, but its sharp edges dug into Luna's thigh meat the entire way out, forcing involuntary screams and contortions through her teeth. Finally, the offending object was removed and properly disposed of (by flinging it against the back of the hatch). Phaze irrigated her wound with a little disinfectant and water before using a specialty numbing ointment. Then he began to stitch her up slowly. Luna gazed at his nigh flawless work the entire time. Phaze felt her penetrating stare.

"When I was first inducted into the ESF I wanted to be a field medic. I went through all the training and what not until we got to combat training. They felt me more suitable as a designated marksman as opposed to a medic. The knowledge is still good to have on hand I suppose."

Luna didn't respond as she was still caught up in her thoughts, registering everything he was telling her. He finally finished the stitching job and he wrapped that portion of her thigh with gauze, culminating the entire procedure. He looked up at her, their eyes meeting for a split second before he nodded to her; deciding to retire to the other bench and lay down.

Luna watched him go before her gaze flicked back to her now dressed wound. It already felt infinitely better to her. Still, something was bothering her.

Have I really been that insufferable towards him?

She cast her gaze towards his form, eyes closed and helmet being used as a makeshift pillow. A sense of guilt wracked her features.

In my stubbornness, I let my bitterness and pride get the better of me. He saved me too. Looking back, there really was not a proper way I would have been able to achieve this particular mission alone…

The remainder of the ride went smoothly as they made it back into Equestrian territory. When they arrived at the Chariot landing pad at the palace with barely an hour until the sun was supposed to rise, there were several military officers and ECIB officials there to greet them. When the hatch dropped, Phaze was walking out with Luna using his shoulders to support herself. When they saw that she was wounded, medical staff immediately went on the scene and put her in a wheelchair in order to take her to the infirmary. Before she left though, she gave the dampener to the ECIB officials who scrambled back to the department immediately.

She cast one look towards Phaze, who was seeing her off, before disappearing into the corridors with the medical staff. Phaze sighed once more in exhaustion and was going to retire back to his own quarters, when he got a sight of Celestia. She had apparently come to see them home as well and found her smiling at him from a distance. He wasn't sure, but he thought she had a look of gratitude about her. He couldn't help but smile back and nod respectfully with a light bow before he returned to his ESF quarters for some much deserved rest.

The next day went off without a hitch, especially for Phaze, who slept until about four in the afternoon. He made himself presentable and went to the dining halls to eat a late lunch/early dinner before doing his normal drills and training. Due to his new 'schedule,' his other regiments worked around his time, which was a beautiful thing for him. After several hours of his own routine, he cast his eyes to a clock and found it was nearly seven in the evening once more, the sun starting to dip low in the horizon. Still tired anyway, he thought that he might retire early.

Phaze made his way to his quarters and shut the door. ESF troops were rather few in number and were thus given a bit more entitlement in terms of rooming, especially those who were stationed in Canterlot Castle proper. It wasn't an enormous room, but it was definitely a step up from Army barracks, anyone could agree to that.

As Phaze sat down on his bed, there was a firm knock at his door. He was still tired and not in the mood to see any guests at the moment so he contemplated ignoring it. However, he didn't want to take the chance of blatantly ignoring a superior officer if he was needed. He begrudgingly walked to the door and opened it, surprise gracing his features as he found Princess Luna standing there looking… rather meek.

"Good evening, Phaze," she said softly, finally making eye contact with him.

"To you as well, Princess. Is there something I can help you with?" he asked, still somewhat intrigued that she would pay him a visit.

"Indeed. There is something I must tell thee. May I come in?" she asked. He nodded and she entered. He sat on the bed and beckoned her to make herself comfortable. Luna opted for sitting on the bed also, albeit at a respectable distance away.

"If I may inquire, what's on your mind?" He asked. Luna averted her gaze a bit, her teal blue eyes overflowing with thought. She furrowed her lips a bit before sighing audibly.

"Hear me, Phaze. There's a couple of things I wanted to tell you," she began. She looked to him and he nodded in confirmation.

"First, I wanted to say thank you… for, dragging me and rescuing me back there from nigh certain death… and patching me up," Luna began; she didn't know what else to add to that.

"Might I remind you that it was you who dragged me out of harm's way for my foolishness first. Consider it, returning the favor. And patching you up? Well, I'd be a bad medic if I didn't do my job, especially for my Princess," he said with a happy attitude, mustering a smile for her. She reciprocated before looking depressed again.

"Also, I would like to… apologize. I've been terrible to you. Pushing you around, degrading you, and treating you like a little child when you are clearly capable of holding your own in a fight. In the end, it was me who suffered the worst because of my own actions. You were, and are, an excellent partner to me, you've proved that. I'd like to see you as that and…" she caught her breath and sighed again.

"…maybe even a friend. You have treated me more like one than most others and I've only demonstrated pure wenchery towards you. I humbly ask for… y-your forgiveness…" she completed her heartfelt apology. Phaze, to be completely honest, was deeply moved. He figured it must have taken her an enormous amount of effort to do this.

"Of course I accept, Princess…" he replied sincerely.

"Please… call me Luna, alright?" she asked, finally mustering a nice smile for him, feeling like an enormous weight was lifted off of her shoulders. He nodded in return.

"Very well then, Luna."

"Excellent, and once again, thank you… my friend," she almost struggled to say for some reason, Maybe it was still a bit new to her. He once again, nodded wordlessly.

"Well, I must be off visiting my good friend Twilight again. Until next time, Phaze," she said, getting up and walking to the door. She gave him one more friendly smile.

"Until then, Luna. See you soon," he replied once more. With that, she closed the door, leaving him to his thoughts. He sighed in relief as he laid his head on his pillows.

Well, fighting along-side a friend is infinitely better than fighting along-side a 'superior.'

His final thoughts etched in his brain, Phaze allowed sleep to take him once more, pulling him into a quiet, peaceful, and worry-less slumber.

5: Bonding and Admission

Chapter 5

Bonding and Admission

It is certainly interesting to note how much of a change a little bit of understanding is capable of. This was no different for the Lunar Princess and her new partner, or now, friend, Phaze. It had been a good two weeks since Luna had sincerely apologized to him, swallowing her pride and fully accepting that she was, indeed, in the wrong. With her conscience cleared, a large weight had been lifted off of her shoulders and her overall demeanor had changed considerably, especially her attitude towards him, which happened to be very warm now. Much to the surprise of Phaze, Luna had invited him out several times to have a late night drink with her, her reasoning being that it was "what friends do to fraternize." He wasn't complaining in the slightest, but rather enjoying the newfound company of one of his rulers. Luna herself was finding his company more than pleasant and was quickly cherishing his friendship. Phaze found his current situation rather interesting. If someone had told him that he'd be personally partnering up, and eventually befriending the Princess of the Night, he would have probably had said person reported. Even more so if someone told him that he'd find himself where he was now: North, past the Equestrian border and in a mountainous and lush area of Southern Greifenraum.

Their mission was a long one, however; requiring the two to be gone for two days and three nights. According to shared intelligence from both nations, a group of separatists who were against the alliance held between the Greifen nation and Equestria, and constantly trying to instigate conflict, were stockpiling large amounts of weapons and heavy munitions which were to be launched into Equestria. Greifenraum had explicitly stated, when asked, that they were more than capable of handling the insurgent forces. However, there's what was explicitly said, and what Princess Luna was willing to actually listen to. So, the mobile weapons stockpile needed to be located before it would be undoubtedly seized by advancing Greifen forces, or destroyed by retreating insurgents. They needed a sample of the alleged weapons, as reports indicated a new type of missile delivery system that could have potential consequences for the future.

With that, she and Phaze found themselves deep within a lush, forested area on a mountainside; being their last night 'behind enemy lines.' The not-so-distant sounds of war could be heard as Greifen troops engaged the militant forces and undoubtedly putting them down with utmost prejudice. The two of them were huddled over a small fire for warmth with semi-content expressions on their face. The first two days and two nights were spent tracking the insurgent group as they moved around, while avoiding detection by both belligerents. Finally, their efforts had born fruit (in conjunction with a large stroke of luck) that the insurgents were getting cornered by Greifen forces, which was what the current skirmish was (the one that they were hearing). The mountainous terrain called for a slight reworking of their equipment. Longer range combat possibilities caused for a favor of high accuracy and power over rate of fire; bolt-action rifles fit the criteria nicely. The high potential of facing higher powered weapons called for heavier composite layers under their uniforms, on top of a heavier steel sys-polyalloy helmet. When the two had first suited up, they looked like soldiers out of the First Global Conflict, bringing about much jesting about disregarding of technological advancements.

The two had sat in comfortable silence, readying themselves for when they had to move out and into battle before escaping back into the brush and getting extracted. Phaze was inserting crystalline projectiles into stripper clips while Luna casually adjusted a few things on her rifle. Phaze felt the need to break the silence.

"Hey Luna?" he asked softly, still being wary of his surroundings.

"Hmmm?" she acknowledged back, still concentrating on her weapon.

"You've been a little quiet these past couple of days. Forgive me for asking, but is something the matter?" Phaze asked once again, still retaining his respect for her. Luna looked to him, locking her eyes to his and offering a nice grin.

"I thank thee for thy concern, but it is nothing you need worry about. I have just been… thinking, is all," she replied, her voice much softer towards him recently, before turning back to her rifle.

"About…?" he asked, still careful not to press. Luna chuckled a bit.

"That… shall be a story for another time. I, however, want to get home before we discuss such trivialities."

Luna shoved a stripper clip into the receiver of her rifle before cycling the bolt forward, arming her weapon.

"Come. Let us move out so we can leave and get some sleep. Tomorrow afternoon I have a training exercise for us, but I believe you shall enjoy it thoroughly," she said somewhat eagerly. Phaze stood up and readied his rifle as well, but naturally curiosity got the best of him.

"And just what might that be?" he asked, falling into step beside Luna. She laughed softly under her breath before looking to him.

"One question… how much has ESF taught you in piloting?"

His brain stopped working temporarily as they trudged along, attempting to rationalize what she was saying. He loved to fly, that was apparent, and Luna could only giggle softly as they continued onward.

"I have about… 1500 hours of flight time accrued. Nowhere near the average Equestrian pilot," he finally responded. Luna looked at him incredulously.

"Ah, but Phaze, thou are not an 'average' Equestrian pilot."

The mission was an enormous success, or at least what one could consider such a success in terms of these types of missions. Most of the hostile insurgents were fighting against Greifen troops, so there were few guarding the weapons storage, as every able body was needed. In total, Luna and Phaze only had to inflict ten casualties: seven fatal and three not, combined. Also, neither of them even so much as received a scrape… or even a bruise from operating the bolts on their rifles. They collected two samples of launch-able weapons and were able to scurry out. There were perks that definitely came along with fighting an insurgent force instead of a highly trained army. The two had managed to return safely to Canterlot with more than enough time to catch a good sleep. It was quite a happy sleep for the both of them too. Neither was going to bed angry, irritated, or pissed off at the other anymore. Progress is glorious.

The afternoon sun shone brightly over Canterlot and Phaze was just starting to stir from his sleep. He couldn't get his thoughts straight in his contented bliss due to a forceful knock at his door. He already knew who it was.

"Yes, Luna?" he asked, still in a semi-groggy state and refusing to move in the confines of his comfy bed.

"Phaze! May I enter?" she asked from the outside of the door. Like he had a choice in the matter anyway.

"Naturally. The door is unlocked."

At that instant Luna magically rematerialized on his side of the door, bearing a large tray of something.

"…or just phase through. Who needs doors," he rolled his eyes.

"I am Princess of the Night, I shall do whatever I damn well please. At any rate, I figured I'd find you here. I come bearing luncheon for us before we head off to the airfield. Art thou as excited as I am? I have not flown in ages!" Princess Luna stated in a rather giddy fashion, setting the tray down on the bed. Phaze had noted that she had been taking her 'friend' proclamation quite seriously. Phaze chuckled a bit, mainly because this is a side of the Princess that few would ever see.

"Thank you, by the way. And I guess… It seems surreal because I haven't flown in a while either. I'm proficient but nowhere near an ace," he replied, stuffing his face alongside Luna. Luna nodded as she swallowed her food.

"Right you are. And neither was I. But realize that threats against Equestria come not restricted merely to the ground. As such, we must be ready to meet and repel our adversaries with extreme prejudice on every terrain accordingly."

He nodded in acknowledgement, seeing the point.

"I suppose I see the truth in that. Very well then. I'm assuming our eating will not affect our flying?" He asked curiously. Luna shook her head horizontally.

"Not this time. This particular arrangement of food is filling, but still rather light. Also, we are not performing any mind-blowing maneuvers like the Wonderbolt squadron. Their maneuvers are more suited to entertainment and are quite lacking in the realm of practicality. Thy meal shall thus remain in your stomach unless you perform an error in judgment." Luna replied with a mischievous smirk. Phaze shrugged and accepted it. Soon they both finished their lunch over light conversation. Phaze had to admit, the Princess was good company and that was a gross understatement. She was definitely interesting to talk to.

"Alright, I'm ready when you are. Lead the way."

"Quite! To Canterlot Airfield!" Luna pointed out the door and the two exited to start the real fun.

Canterlot Airfield was as expansive as it was necessary. It was the shelter of over two-hundred and fifty aircraft of all types and an undisclosed amount of aircraft used for secret stealth missions. The skies were clear and it was a beautiful day, the sun's rays radiating off the pristine coat of gradient-blue paint on two EQ-192 interceptor class Fighters. Magically enchanted (and expensive) armor over the hull offered above average protection than was allotted to the average interceptor craft (as well as decreasing drag), and the fact that it was powered by two under-wing Colt-Trotsdem jet engines (using either conventional or magical fuel propulsion) made sure it had the speed necessary to do its implied job. The eight twenty millimeter cannons mounted down in front of the raised cockpit and embedded in the fuselage would shred any craft in range, as well as the six guided missiles that were also stored under the wings. The wings, mid-rear fuselage, and tail were emblazoned with the Lunar emblem for added emphasis. The most advanced aircraft in Equestria's arsenal? Not in the slightest. Rugged, dependable, and deadly? Most definitely.

"Lunar 1 to Control. All systems are reading green lights. On your orders." Luna spoke through the radio communication, her plane on a runway parallel to Phaze's. Her full face flight helmet let none of her face show through, giving an odd sense of anonymity. She looked over to Phaze and they gave each other a thumbs up.

"Copy that Lunar 1. The sky is clear and you're cleared for takeoff. The Equestrian sky is yours. Have a nice flight, Lunar Squad."

One more thumbs up later, the engines on both aircraft fired simultaneously. They picked up speed comfortably, lifted up off the runway, and shot into the sky unabated. The two continued to fly straight for about thirty seconds to reach a comfortable altitude before anyone spoke.

"I remember when I first took a plane up. It is much like driving: I never understood how much of a big deal was made out of it, when in reality it really is not overly difficult," Phaze commented through the radio com. Luna chortled.

"A fair observation. As you can see, flying the plane, after enough practice, is no more difficult than operating a motor vehicle. However, there are more ways to get oneself killed in the air, thus making it more of a 'big deal,'" Luna commented right back before banking the craft to the left. Phaze followed after her. Luna straightened out her plane and allowed Phaze to drift up beside hers in formation before she spoke.

"Take a look…" she commented, motioning with her hands. Phaze looked down to see a stunning sight. Canterlot in all of its glory shone brightly along with Ponyville, the Everfree forest, and a few other landmarks that were easily visible.

"A glorious sight…" he commented in awe. It had been sometime since he had been up in a plane. Luna nodded in return and motioned with her hand to follow.

"Come. Let's get a better view," Luna said and banked to the left and down. She performed a slow barrel roll as she descended at a comfortable level. Phaze followed in turn, mimicking her movements. Luna banked up and straightened out over the castle and another military base close in proximity, allowing him to once again fall into formation. This trend continued: a more glorified version of 'sightseeing' if you will, combined with combat maneuvers. What struck Luna as odd, however, was the fact that there were drones flying in somewhat close proximity to them.

"Alright gentlemen, listen up! Today is a standard anti-aircraft drill. I know today wasn't our scheduled day, but it doesn't look like any air ops were going on so here we are. Are we clear? Drones will be flown into view and you will fire upon them with an array of cannons and auto-cannons." an Equestrian Artillery Officer shouted to a bunch of somewhat experienced troops.

"Sir yes sir!"

"Very good! Look alive, the drones are coming in! Fire at will!"

"Drones… I was not told of there being a flight op today besides our own…" Luna said out loud. Her thoughts were interrupted when one of the drones exploded in a hail of shrapnel. That immediately got both of their attentions.

Don't tell me…

"Luna… am I hallucinating or was that fl—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as the rear of his aircraft exploded violently. Luna banked right sharply as Phaze's plane was inevitably going down. Flak was exploding all around them suddenly.

"PHAZE! CAN YOU HEAR ME? GET OUT!" Luna shouted into the intercom, sincerely hoping that the AA shell didn't kill him. She was somewhat relieved when he responded.

"I can't open the canopy! The stabilization is fucked… the back is completely blown to bits and I can't control her!" Phaze said in a panicked but still level-headed manner. Luna seemed more genuinely scared than he was.

"Lunar 1 to Control! Lunar 2 has been hit by friendly anti-aircraft fire and is going down! I need emergency response teams three miles outside of Ponyville in Ponyville fields Immediately!" Luna shouted out authoritatively, banking her plane to Phaze's rapidly descending one… or what was left of it.

"Lunar 1, did you say 'hit by anti-aircraft fire?'"

"DO NOT QUESTION MY ORDERS! DO AS I HATH COMMANDED OR THOU SHALT BE SHOT FOR TREASON!" Luna screamed into the radio, most likely temporarily deafening the control operator.

"ugh… copy that Lunar 1. They'll be there. Out."

Luna radioed back to Phaze, gaining on his rapidly falling plane.

"Keep as steady as possible! Thou shalt be alright!" Luna shouted back. Pushing the limits of the powerful engines. She was attempting to try and get under his aircraft to stabilize it externally before hitting the ground. It could (and most likely would) spell ruin for both aircraft.

"Don't do anything stupid, Luna! I'm trying to unjam the canopy but any movements and I'll be spinning like a gyroscope!"

"Keep trying! And keep her steady… I'm almost… there!" Luna strained, attempting to correctly line up his craft with hers… So… close…

Luck runs out eventually.

Barely a thousand feet off the ground, Luna overshot his plane, missing it by what seemed was millimeters.

"FUCK!" Luna bellowed as his plane was a mere hundred feet from the ground. The last thing that went through his mind before impact:

Well… this won't be too pleasant

The aircraft impacted the ground, albeit not as harshly as it would have without his efforts at stabilization. It continued to bounce and slide in the fields before it came to a stop.

"PHAZE!" Luna yelled out. No response on the radio. Many emotions were running through the mind of the Lunar Princess, rage being most prominent. She had half a mind to turn back and strafe the Anti-Aircraft Position. The second most prominent was that of extreme fear… fear that she had just lost one of her only close friends. She kept her composure as she circled the crash site, looking for any sign of life. True to the Control Tower's word, emergency crews arrived almost immediately and were scouring the wreckage.

"Lunar 1 to Ground Control. I want a status report immediately!" Luna spoke into the radio.

"Ground Control to Lunar 1, we've opened the canopy of what remains of the aircraft and retrieved Lunar 2. He's alive, but barely. He has serious injuries and needs immediate medical attention. We're taking him to Ponyville hospital with haste, over."

"Copy that. I'm heading back to base. Do. Not. Let. Him. Die. Dost thou understand mine decree?!" Luna replied back impatiently as she banked upward and upside down, straightening out back to the airfield.

"Yes, Lunar 1. We are doing everything humanly possible. We'll send you updates every ten. Out."

Luna relaxed somewhat, but not very much. From that wreck, there was as equally likely chance that Phaze would die as he would survive, even with medical magic. Then again, she didn't know the extent of his injuries and neither did the first responders.

"Luna, this is Celestia. I heard what happened immediately after you radioed Control. I thought you might like to know that the 123rd Anti-Aircraft battery was holding an unauthorized training session which resulted in this accident. I'll personally deal with the commander." Celestia said over the radio.

"Why?! Why must you address this incompetent worm!" Luna said, her composure weakening as the gravity of the situation was slowly weighing down on her.

"Because, Lulu, if you personally dealt with him, you'd probably shoot him… several times. Now, get back to base and head to the Hospital. I'm sure your efforts are best concentrated there for right now," Celestia remarked. Luna only sighed in acceptance and sped towards the airfield, where she landed roughly and nearly jumped out of the plane, ordering immediate transportation to Ponyville.

Luna arrived at the hospital and demanded entrance to wherever Phaze was currently being held. She was informed that he had been in a Magic Operating Room for the past hour and that a doctor would be out to let her know of his status soon enough, citing policy that absolutely no one but physicians were allowed in there. She reluctantly accepted this answer and retired to the waiting room. Before she could even think about anything else, the entrance opened again to reveal Twilight.

"Luna!" she exclaimed. Luna looked up and eagerly accepted the tight embrace of the magic adept.

"I came here as fast as I could when I heard what happened… Celestia told me. How are you?" she asked, taking a seat very close to Luna.

"I… I'm not sure actually. I just…" Luna sighed in defeat as she couldn't come up with the proper wording to accurately describe how she was feeling right now. After all, it had been a rather hectic day and a life was still on the line.

"It's okay, Luna. You don't have to say anything, I just came here to see how you were holding up."

"What exactly dost thou mean?" she asked curiously.

"Well, according to Celestia, it's very apparent that you care a bit more about Phaze than the average person; most likely because you've now been given someone you can see on a regular basis. There's no shame in admitting that," Twilight answered. But of course, Luna's pride was preventing open admission to anything. Her silence, however, told Twilight enough. She only smiled at her and comfortingly grasped her hands. Luna relaxed noticeably even more, letting out a breath that she did not know she was holding.

"I'm sorry I can't stay too long, Luna. But I had to see you and make sure you're alright. I'm sorry about everything that's happened, but I know things will work out for the better. Please give Phaze my well-wishes and I'll keep him in my thoughts," Twilight said after letting Luna rest with her on the chairs for a little while. Luna only nodded with a smile, more than grateful for her visit, before Twilight embraced her tightly once more and took her leave. Luna watched her go and sighed once more, lounging even further in her seat. She thought about everything that had happened not just today, but since they actually met almost a month ago: Their first joint mission where Phaze saved her ass, the time when they accepted each other as friends, their first tipsy conversations in the castle tavern, and everything in between up until today's events. It may not have been much in the grand scheme of things, but to Luna, it meant an enormous amount. He had given her a chance, even though she had been a complete brat to him. Out of it, blossomed a great partnership and a friendship which was just as good.

Luna continued thinking, and she realized more that she did not want to go back. Her work and overall attitude on life in general was enormously better with his induction… and even though Twilight, the unsuspecting recipient of Luna's affection, would always be there for her if she needed someone, it still wouldn't really be the same.

Luna didn't want to go back to the plain "necessities of duty." She didn't want to feel alone again in her endeavors. And in the end, she realized, albeit painfully, that she didn't want to… no… couldn't lose him. It would feel as if she lost Twilight to a horrible accident. Gravity finally caught up with her thoughts and emotions, and Princess Luna, co-leader of Equestria, Captain in the Equestrian Regular Army, and Special Agent in the Equestrian Special Forces and Air Force, did something that she had not done in many, many years:

She wilted her head down and silently wept.

6: Friends

Chapter 6

Friends

Voices. That's all he could make out in his subconscious state: Voices. It goes without saying that he had no idea what they were saying… hell, he had no idea where the hell he even was! Phaze knew he was alive though, that much was certain. However, he was also certain that at this point, his body was not under his control. He felt things being done to him, but he had no idea what. It felt almost… muffled. So here he was, alone with his own thoughts and memories, although the latter was a bit more convoluted. He couldn't recall recent events. The last thing he was certain of remembering was seeing the ground up close from behind the cockpit of an aircraft. Anything after that is a mystery and will have to be filled in when he regained control of all of his senses.

Currently though, he was stationary, most likely in a 'lying down' position, face up of course. He still could hear voices, still muffled, albeit becoming somewhat clear. His eyes wouldn't open, of course, so he'd have to have patience. How long until he was free of his mental prison, however, was still a mystery. Phaze was not currently aware of the state of time. To him, it felt like he was stuck for mere minutes being unconscious. But most likely it had been several hours… or even days! Speaking of which… his black abyss of his mind was slowly becoming brighter. Was this it, was this waking up? Only one way to find out!

Phaze's eyes fluttered before they opened, revealing his irises to the room. It was only lit by a small lamp that was giving off weak light, most likely because it was night time. He was able to turn his head, which was a bit stiff, to the window and noticed that the moon was still somewhat low near the east, indicating that night was merely a couple hours in. Oh yeah… where was he?

Phaze looked around at his surroundings. He was in a room, that much was obvious, and he was lying on a bed, covered from the torso down.

Hospital… gotcha.

Satisfied with his predicament, Phaze decided to test his body out to figure out the extent of the damage. He was able to turn his head and look around just fine, and there was no lingering headache; that was already a good sign. He attempted to curl his fingers… successfully. His hands also responded and his arms followed as well. He threw the covers off of his torso and noticed that his arms had a few scars and healing cuts on them… that were actually almost faded.

Medical Magic is amazing!

Another test: Could he sit up? Phaze placed his upper body weight on his elbows and forced his torso up… he winced in very light pain but it was mainly from stiffness of his muscles, most likely a side effect of healing as well as the medical magic. Nevertheless, he sat himself up and propped his back against the headboard of the hospital bed. He sighed in contentment as he knew that he was lucky to have survived what he deduced was the crashing of his fighter. How bad the crash was would remain to be seen. He shrugged the idea off, just happy to even be alive, and drew his eyes around the darkened room. However, he stopped suddenly when he heard something right next to him; the sound of a sudden intake of breath as well as murmuring. He peered over and found a chair that was placed right next to the bed, and it was inherently occupied.

He looked over the figure and found the Lunar Princess, dressed in casual clothing, sleeping soundly (albeit it looked uncomfortable in the chair), and shifting slightly. This took Phaze by surprise, as he did not expect to see her here at all, especially being the first person that he saw when he came to. He also noticed something interesting: under her eyes appeared to be darker stains…

Was she crying?

As if his thoughts could be read, Luna shifted and murmured once more before her eyes groggily fluttered open, revealing her teal blues to him.

"I hope that you weren't here the entire time I was out…" Phaze said softly, but nevertheless Luna jumped and looked at Phaze with wide eyes. He gave her a weak smile due to being still somewhat tuckered out after the whole ordeal.

"Phaze!" she exclaimed with a whisper as she got up and gently embraced the wounded soldier in a tender but tight hug. This came rather unexpectedly for him as his eyes widened as a result. As he thought about it, Luna had never once made any friendly physical contact towards him, and he didn't seem to mind. Now that she was actually doing it, it took him completely by surprise! He gently returned the embrace as well, the whole ordeal bringing somewhat of a smile to his face. Being in the ESF he forgot what it was really like having a friend come to your aid rather than merely a squadmate.

"My, someone's affectionate towards her friends…" Phaze playfully remarked. Luna didn't break the hug but her hand flared in magic, the result was one of Phaze's healing arms being contracted in a magical vice, forcing him to grunt in pain. Luna only smirked deviously.

"Squander not my affections," she replied softly before releasing the embrace. Phaze couldn't pass up the next opportunity:

"Don't be mad because you care about me…" he quipped once more. He was right. Luna did care about him but her pride wouldn't let her admit that she found solace and softness in friendship with someone else.

"I most certainly do not!"

"That is the greatest lie in Equestrian History! You care about me! The Lunar Princess of the Night cares about a common ESF soldier!" he said gleefully. Luna visibly looked flustered before she turned away to avoid further embarrassment. When that mood died down, he allowed conversation to turn more serious.

"So… how bad was I?" he asked. Luna picked up a clipboard at the end of his bed and read off:

"Thou had… A broken arm, a broken shoulder, collarbone fractured in two, almost three, places… umm… both thy femurs were bruised and you had some internal bleeding from your stomach and liver as well as a collapsed lung. Not to mention the innumerable cuts, bruises, burns, and lacerations that were caused by not only the crash but the impact of the High Explosive Anti-Aircraft shell. By the way: AA shell. Misfire," she stated so nonchalantly before tossing the clipboard to Phaze. He casually looked it over and 'assessed the damage,' nodding with a look of impressment on his face.

"How long was I out?" he asked while setting the papers aside.

"Six days!" Luna said almost too enthusiastically, albeit with a softer tone due to it being nighttime. Phaze's eyes widened.

"Six Days?! What the hell?!"

"Well technically, thou wert unconscious for about five hourse before you started to stir. Had medical staff not kept you sedated, thou would'st likely have perished a most painful death from the sheer overload of pain on your central nervous system. I'm most pleased that that wasn't the case."

"How did you manage that? Just administered anesthetic before I got operated on?" he asked out of curiosity. Luna giggled.

"Funny story, actually. You were finished being operated on but they had not finished taking care of basic cosmetic appearance of your wounds, magically speaking. I was able to be present during that procedure. When you were starting to stir, it was completely unplanned and as such they had no anesthetic available on hand at that particular moment. Instead of someone rushing to get a vial, I personally took the liberty of planting my fist in the side of thy face. That 'did the trick,' I believe is what they say." Luna explained, unable to suppress her giggles. Phaze then felt the right side of his face and found it was indeed a tad bit sore, and upon finding a mirror, it was discolored in a shape of relative size to Luna's fist. The moment he took notice of it Luna doubled over in suppressed laughter.

"So… you actually knocked me out. How long have you wanted to do that?" he asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Luna wiped her eye and turned back to him.

"Longer than you care to know, 'Phaze with a Z.'" Luna replied back with a joking smile. Phaze couldn't help but return it. After a couple moments of comfortable silence, Luna spoke up:

"Well… how are you feeling? Are you up to walking?" Luna asked, sitting on the foot of the bed. Phaze stretched a couple of times before shifting his feet over the side of the bed and planting them on the floor. He then stood up to test the waters. He was a bit sore, but not uncomfortable. Definitely needed to stretch, however. Nevertheless, he actually… felt great! He jumped a bit in place and performed a few odd forms of motion before he looked to Luna and nodded.

"Yeah… I guess I am!" Luna nodded back with a grin.

"Most excellent. Then let us be off," Luna said as she slung a duffel bag over her shoulder. He looked at her with a curious stare, cocking his head.

"To where?" he asked. Luna then threw some clothes at him.

"Out of the hospital and back to Canterlot. The doctors and nurses had already cleared you to leave once you woke up… or I signed you out, rather. Whichever you prefer. Get dressed, for hospital attire suites thee not." Phaze shrugged and stepped into the bathroom, reemerging later dressed in some pants and a plain black long-sleeved shirt.

"Good. Let us leave now," Luna proclaimed, leading the way out of the door. Phaze followed after her as they strode down the halls, passing by the night nurses and doctors. Overall, the floor was rather quiet save for a few audible moments of chatter. Phaze quickly fell into step with Luna as they exited out of the hospital doors, finding an armored chariot waiting for them, flanked by two Lunar Guards. She nodded to the two of them before they all stepped in, the craft taking flight shortly afterwards.

Something seemed odd. Phaze had been in situations with Luna where they would have to fly together in the same craft, or just be in close proximity with each other, and as of recently it never seemed to be a problem (even if they would just relish in comfortable silence). But Phaze could clearly sense… almost taste some tension in the air. Upon looking at what appeared to be a bored-out-of-her-mind Luna, he was reminded of the tear stains that had not been wiped from under her eyes. He started to feel… bad for her, for lack of better words.

"I hope you weren't shedding tears over something as simple as me," he quipped... somewhat. Luna immediately (by way of her own pride, of course) sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Nay! Ummm… just something I had in my eyes… both of them. At the same time. Or my mascara that had not been removed for several days… both scenarios actually!" Luna attempted to reason, but almost half-assed, as if she was just saying it to make herself feel better and not actually convince anyone. Phaze only looked at her with somewhat of a solemn look on his face, subtly telling her that he indeed was not buying her attempted ruse. Luna sighed and looked down to the floor of the craft before meeting her gaze back to his. Her eyes told him everything.

"Luna—"

"I thought you would almost certainly die," Luna interrupted with a somber tone. Clearly she was somewhat affected, which surprised Phaze greatly. Yes, she'd probably be a bit shaken up but she seemed as if she almost lost a best friend or something. He wasn't that close to her… right?

"Yet, here I am," he responded, stretching his arms out a bit for emphasis.

"But there was high probability you would have! The doctors poured as much magic into you as a young Uni-Cron human naturally produces in a year to keep you alive!" Luna raised her voice.

That probably explained why he felt a bit tingly here and there.

"You really do care… don't you?" he asked with the tone that was used friend-to-friend. Luna could only smile in contentedness and sigh.

"Probably a tad more than I should, considering the lack of time we have known each other."

Fair enough… she admitted it. But Phaze had one question that was bothering him in the back of his mind constantly as a result of his suspicions:

"Why?"

Luna remained in silence for a few moments, staring at her free-flowing hair as she attempted to come up with some words.

"Mainly… because thou treatests me as an equal; not someone who is necessarily above you or a 'better person.' You dost not pander to me, nor do thy job with your only goal in mind to 'please a superior,' and most importantly, you not only treat me, but embrace me as your equal. Ultimately it's nice to have someone also see you as a friend or someone who is not awkward to be around, nor afraid of you."

Luna looked up again and smiled at him.

"And for that, I thank you. It may not seem like it at times, but through these short few weeks, you've grown on me, Phaze. But let that not get to your head, lest you believe I'm 'coming on to you,' or something," she said with playful edge of scorn. Phaze was moved, he really was, but he couldn't help but chuckle at that last statement.

"I thank you for your kind words, Luna, I really do. It means a lot coming from you, and you know I more than gladly accept your gesture of friendship. It's nice to know that someone else cares, especially someone like yourself," he replied in turn. Luna couldn't help but smile at that.

"However, about the 'coming on,' comment, even if you were, know that you are an amazingly attractive woman but I'd have to respectfully decline in that given situation."

This peaked Luna's curiosity.

"Oh? Pray tell, hypothetically speaking of course."

"Let's just say that my heart belongs to someone else…" he said with a grin and a nod. Luna grinned back and laid her head in the palm of her hand, eventually taking a leaning stature against the interior hull of the craft.

"Likewise, my dear friend. Likewise."

The two returned to Canterlot and disembarked on the landing pad. The Lunar Princess and ESF soldier shared casual conversation down the hall as they returned to their own quarters, the moon high in the sky and illuminating their path. It was good to be back… that was for sure. Luna promised to see Celestia in the morning as well and deliver the news. Eventually, the two arrived in front of Phaze's door, which was on the way to the Lunar quadrant of the castle.

"Thanks for watching over me, Luna. It really meant a lot," he said with sincerity. Luna only responded by taking him into a hug, which he eagerly returned.

"I would not have it any other way."

"I'll be here if something comes up. If not, I'll probably see you tomorrow anyways," he replied, both of them releasing each other.

"Indeed. I look forward to it. Until then… have thyself an excellent slumber," she commented before turning her body away from him and starting down the hall.

"Night, Luna!" he shouted back before entering his room and collapsing on his bed the moment he got there. He was still pretty tired (even though his body felt rejuvenated) and decided on some more sleep.

As well, Luna was nearly out like a light when she hit the pillow on her bed. She didn't even bother to change into any sleepwear. She had a nice smile on her face and she sighed once more before fully succumbing to the depths of a nice slumber.

The night continued peacefully and the scene was rather serene around Canterlot. That was… until there was an inexplicable but large flash of light in the distance on the horizon which was immediately accompanied by a low (but short) rumble… then another… then two more. Slowly the flashes in the distance fell into no particular rhythm, but the low rumbles and bangs could be heard almost like white noise to the surroundings. It would almost seem ominous, if not soothing… that at least would be the case, had it not been for the sudden eruption of a piercing and bone-chilling sound of the Invasion Siren that started blaring throughout the castle and military grounds.

7: Total War

Chapter 7

Total War

"THIS ISN'T A DRILL! LET'S GO! LET'S GO!" an officer shouted throughout the castle corridor as hundreds of guards and regular troops quickly marched in an orderly fashion towards their armories and rally points. However the piercing siren that was still wailing throughout the castle was taking its small toll on morale as could be seen with many of the concerned and worried faces of many of the soldiers. From outside the walls, jets could be heard flying overhead towards wherever the disturbance was, and in great quantity. The situation was no different in the Lunar Quadrant as guards and soldiers filed out as well. Right before a guard was to awaken Luna, the door flew open (almost off its hinges), revealing a startled and distraught looking Lunar Princess.

"Tia! What the hell is occurring at this moment?!" Luna asked via mental communication.

"I'm not sure right now! I'm still waiting on detailed reports but all I know is that there has been a multi-stage invasion to the north, the north east, east, and north west."

"What do you know right now?!" Luna asked as she made haste to the nearest armory. She'd be sure to locate Phaze as well.

"Border posts were essentially leveled by artillery strikes first. Surrounding forces were able to sound the alarm but had to retreat when a full scale invasion with troops, armor, and air power was present," Celestia answered in a stressed state, clearly attempting to sort things out.

"Have we the forces to combat this threat?"

"We have 1.2 million men and women including reserves ready and willing to fight on all terrain and theaters, but it will mean nothing if we cannot get them rallied and deployed in order to stop whoever is invading in their tracks. I'll coordinate with you as soon as I can but I need to ensure that civilians are evacuated and prepared accordingly for your magic, Luna. GO!"

Luna didn't need to be told twice. She broke into a sprint towards the armory which was helped by other troops giving her a path. She then fell in line as they were distributed uniforms, helmets, and ultimately weapons and ammunition. She didn't care who saw her at that point, which was evident when she quickly stripped down in front of all the other men and women and donned her uniform. Once her helmet was secured and her assault rifle strapped to her back, she set out on the next course of action: Locate Phaze. She did a quick scan of the armory and found him suiting up in a corner, so she met up with him immediately. He perked up when he saw her:

"Luna!"

Many of the guards turned in incredulity at the fact that he didn't address her as "Princess," or any derivation of the regal nomenclature.

"Phaze! Glad I found thee… let us leave, now!" Luna said while literally dragging him along. He righted himself quickly and fell into step right alongside her, dozens of soldiers pouring past them the other way.

"Luna, where are we going? And what's even going on?! No one is saying anything!" he asked trying almost desperately to figure things out. The still blaring alarm was not helping his thought process either.

"We've been invaded, Phaze. By who, I know not yet, as information is still coming in. We need to seek out High Command to deliver battle orders and then you and I are heading to where the heaviest fighting is," Luna stated without looking back at him. Phaze didn't answer as he submitted wordlessly to her plan. Soon enough, the pair found themselves in one of the command rooms of the castle. Luna opened the door to find high ranking officers of the military conversing with one another. Upon her entrance, the military personnel stiffly saluted her, which she returned. The door then closed, sealing out the other noise including the siren that was getting on her nerves. Luna then spoke:

"Gentlemen," Luna began, sitting down and everyone else following suit.

"Who would like to brief me on what we know currently?" she asked softly but sternly. The lanky officer on the left cleared his throat.

"Princess, as Princess Celestia undoubtedly told you, border posts to the north, north west, north east, and east were essentially leveled to hell by artillery. With that, the enemy was able to easily pour into and invade the country. We've deployed what we could in response within only half an hour, but unfortunately that's not going to be enough to rout a full scale offensive. We need more time to rally more forces! We'll have to divvy up what we currently have ready to all fronts to—"

"I disagree," another one of the generals interrupted. "Reinforcing every front right now with what we currently have deployed will merely dilute our efforts and we'll be pushed back, consequently, on all fronts. We need to strategically retreat from one end while halting the offense on another. Stalling the invasion in one area will send the enemy coordination into sheer disarray."

The same general pulled up a virtual map on the circular table with his magic.

"Suppose we pour most of our readied reinforcements to one front. That will create a wall against the enemy lines while the remaining offensive would continue against our own weakened lines, thus creating a pocket of sorts. If timed correctly, we can capitalize on the moments of disarray and start pouring forces into this pocket, reinforcing it so they don't get surrounded, and eventually folding outwards and stalling the invasion. This will create a stagnant line which would most likely evolve into trench warfare if left unchecked, but we need to tackle one hurdle at a time."

The other officers seemed to agree and Luna was deep in thought. Phaze had nothing to offer and was just there as Luna's guest, essentially. Before Luna was about to speak, another officer from one of the corners of the room had received another report. He looked at it and turned back towards the main group:

"This just came in and requires immediate attention. We have identification on the attackers!" he shouted out, eliciting some murmuring amongst the officers. He also had Luna's full attention.

"Very well, but with the power being used against us, I'm most certain it's a bordering nation. Which one might that be?" Luna asked inquisitively, ready to find out to whom she needs to lay down a humiliating defeat against. The Officer read on until his eyes went wide. He then turned his attention to everyone.

"All of them."

Silence. One could hear a pin drop as everyone just stared with pure incredulity.

"And precisely what do you mean by 'All of them?'" Luna asked, getting more irritated by the moment. The officer fumbled with the papers:

"W-well, to the north and north east, troops have reported armored divisions spearheading the assault, emblazoned with the Iron Cross of Greifenraum. Our forces to the east have apparently been engaged with Crystallian heavy infantry, several divisions have turned towards the Crystal Empire as well, and we've taken the liberty of warning Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor. This makes some sense, because as you know, the Crystal Empire and The Empire of Crystallia used to be one, long ago. Troops in the north west were pushed back by an entire field army as well as naval artillery originating from the Empire of Dracon… not to mention air forces from all three nations have penetrated our air space. We're constantly scrambling more aircraft by the minute."

"THE EMPIRE OF DRACON?! They've been the most neutral to us out of all of our bordering nations!" Luna attempted to reason out loud. Phaze was growing more worried by the moment, as surely the rest of them were.

"This is what the report states. Unfortunately, that's all the new information I have, Princess."

Princess Luna thought for a minute before she spoke once more:

"General, where is the heaviest assault taking place, or that needs relief the most?" she asked. They sifted through some reports before another officer spoke up:

"One hundred miles north," he said. Luna completely went livid.

"One Hundred miles?! You mean to tell me that in half an hour, our enemies to the north are less than one hundred miles from our capitol?!" Luna screamed in her amplified voice. The others didn't have an answer for her as they were recovering from her outburst. Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again.

"You all have my permission to use your best judgment in deployments and strategies in order to stop this advance. I have a country and subjects to personally protect."

The Generals saluted her as she stood up and made for the door. She beckoned Phaze to follow her.

"Let us leave, Phaze," she said and he immediately fell into step with her.

"Where are we off to, Luna?"

"The north. Except this time it is not necessary to pull any punches, in a manner of speaking. The Greifens want to throw armor at us, then we shall throw it right back!" Luna stated, picking up her pace as they exited the castle towards a vehicle hangar. Phaze's hearing was cut out partially as a squadron of sixteen planes flew overhead towards the north. He could also make out flickers of light in the distance, most likely from the battles raging. His thoughts were cut short as they entered into the depot, which was housing approximately two hundred armored vehicles of various types. Luna led him to what looked like a decent sized tank-ish thing.

"What exactly is this?" he asked, noting the distinct lack of a rotating turret. Instead it looked like a tank chassis with a giant 270 degree shield and a gun protruding out front.

"As you know, we currently employ five types of armored vehicles: Light, Medium, and Heavy tanks as well as Tank Destroyers and Self Propelled Artillery. Greifen tanks are known for their ungodly amounts of armor, so we need vehicles that can pack a larger punch. This here was taken from an obsolete design of Greifen origin, namely the Panzerjäger line. We simply have taken the design and improved on it."

Phaze was examining the navy/teal camouflaged vehicle of the Canterlot Lunar Contingency. Luna then jumped into it.

"May I introduce you to the Q-105TD. Equipped with a 105 millimeter gun, a V12 Trotsdem engine making it able to achieve speeds of over 40 miles an hour, and also sporting 25 millimeters of armor. The crew is three," Luna said, almost like a saleswoman.

"Three? Then who is our third crewmember?"

"That would be me!" a voice stated excitedly from behind the two. They turned to find an average height female soldier dressed for combat. She was a fair skinned girl who had long teal blue hair that was tied up in a ponytail and deep blue eyes to complement it.

"I'm Private Mystic Glimmer, Equestrian Tank Arm, Canterlot Lunar Contingency, 5th Tank Destroyer's division; Mystic or Myst will do just fine. It's a pleasure to meet you Princess, albeit with less than ideal circumstances. I'll be your driver for tonight… or however long we are together," the slightly bubbly young woman exclaimed with a respectful curtsy to the Princess who politely acknowledged her.

"Rise, Mystic, and likewise."

She turned to Phaze:

"And who might you be?"

"Phazeshift Radian. Equestrian Special Forces, Beta Group. Pleasure to meet you as well," he said, taking her hand in a shake.

"Now that our introductions are out of the way, I suggest we commence the 'rolling out.' Time is currently not infinite," Luna began. She then picked up the talking end of an onboard radio:

"Universal Command: All units are to move north towards Bratestka Valley."

Soon the orders were relayed over the loudspeaker in the entire hangar and crews scrambled to their armor. Radios were checked, crews were prepped, and ammunition was loaded. Phaze and Mystic joined Luna inside the stationary turret of the tank destroyer; Mystic dropping into the driver's seat while Luna took the Commander's position and Phaze took the gun. Luna gave one last look to Phaze and then to Mystic, who acknowledged right back to her.

"Very well. We ride."

The engines of all the vehicles roared to life as lights flickered on and the front doors opened, revealing the outside world to the impressive armored division. With one more nod of confirmation, Mystic stepped on the gas and the tank destroyer led the others out of the hanger, making a sharp turn to the north and setting cruise control at full speed.

Chaos. Pure discordancy is what was plaguing the Equestrian ranks. The initial and surprise artillery strike had completely and utterly leveled the defense posts along the borders and any surviving units were forced into a full scale, almost running retreat. A few divisions had been able to deploy with haste but it was mostly a few thousand infantry supported by some light and medium tanks. They were barely holding out against the Greifen blitzkrieg assault which was being spearheaded by their superior armor. Currently, the paltry (in comparison) defense force had reached the southern side of Brateska Valley, the Greifens on the north end. The valley was not particularly deep or wide, but enough in either parameter to be considered a significant amount of no-man's land. Jets were in constant combat above in the sky, so no advantage in air power was present for either side, but the superior force (in numbers and armaments) of the Greifens would eventually overpower the Equestrians.

Artillery and tank fire was raining down on Equestrian positions, some scoring terrible hits, but they had refused to give any more ground at this point. However, if help didn't come soon they would have little time to withdraw, lest they be destroyed.

"Sergeant! What's the damn holdup?! Did you reach high command?!" a field commander shouted over the deafening explosions of enemy and friendly artillery. He flinched once more when one of their guns received a direct hit and exploded, taking five troops with it.

"Sir! Long range radio died after the message was sent. I'm not sure if they got it or not! We only got short range and it's pretty useless for that!"

"Well then, we hold this valley no matter what! If we have to, we'll—" the Colonel was interrupted when a logistics officer spoke up:

"Sir, we've got an enormous amount of movement heading in our direction from behind us!" he shouted. His troops were falling by the minute, further adding to the decrease in morale.

"GODDAMMIT! I want five tanks diverted to watch our rear, along with seventy infantry!"

"Sir, that won't—"

"IT'S ALL WE'VE GOT, SOLDIER! DO NOT QUESTION MY ORDERS!"

"Yes sir!"

The tank destroyer launched off a small hill and got small amount of air time from the speed it was traveling. The entire division followed suit, the ground rumbling under the combined wall of metal.

"WOOHOO!" Mystic shouted as she floored the engine, pumping her fist into the air. Luna and Phaze couldn't help but chuckle. Her lighthearted attitude was certainly helping to ease the gravity of the situation, even if just by a little bit. The sounds of battle could slowly be heard louder and louder, and they got close enough where they could see tracer rounds shooting as well as jets engaged in ferocious air combat above the valley.

"This is Sergeant Cumulous of the Equestrian Army. Identify yourself!" a short range radio transmission came through. Luna picked up immediately.

"This is Princess Luna, Sergeant! I hath come bearing the gift of relief in the form of weapons, ammunition, and armaments!" Luna shouted back.

"Princess Luna?! You're… Hey guys! It's Princess Luna! We're gonna be alright!" He began to say before speaking to his comrades around him. The sound of sheer joy in his voice almost melted her heart. Luna radioed the rest of the division of armor:

"Spread out along the ridge. I want two tank destroyers covering every four tanks. Universal carriers, get to the infantry and deliver supplies as well as evacuate the wounded and… the dead," she stopped slightly at the last word. As they approached the defenders, the wall of metal complied with the orders and fragmented out along the valley ridge, coming under fire almost immediately. However, they were able to return fire perfectly, and the added morale boost was definitely needed to continue fighting.

"You have no idea how glad we are to see you, Princess!" The Colonel and commanding officer met her as the tank destroyer pulled up.

"Someone must be the one to relieve the troops!"

"Would you care to tell us why exactly we are facing Greifen troops in open warfare?"

"I know not the reason for their attacks, but nevertheless, we are also under attack by two other nations. The Second Global Conflict has inevitably begun. We will discuss later but for now, we have an enemy to stop in their tracks!" Luna spoke loudly. The Colonel nodded and gave orders to his own troops to hold the line with Luna's.

"We need a spotter for enemy armor! Call out anything you may see!" Luna ordered. She then got out of the commander's seat and handed Phaze a large Armor Piercing shell. He took it from her and slid it into the receiver of the large gun, pushing a lever forward. The gun was loaded.

"Fire as the targets are coming in!" Luna ordered. The bolstered Equestrian force got right to work.

"Armored Personnel Carrier, left of largest tree, coordinates at Echo 5 on virtual map!"

"I see them! Mystic, adjust ten degrees left!" Luna ordered. She complied wordlessly as the tracks moved, turning them carefully.

"Target acquired!" Phaze called out, aiming down the gun sight.

"FIRE!"

Phaze pulled the trigger and with an enormous roar, the shell sailed across the valley and landed a bit low. The enemy carrier's track was completely destroyed. Looking through binoculars, the rear hatch had jammed, trapping the infantry inside.

"Hit it again! High Explosive Shell!" Luna said, tossing him the oversized bullet. Phaze ejected the spent cartridge and loaded the next one in.

"Ready to fire!"

"LAUNCH IT!"

Phaze pulled the trigger one more time and the shell flew straight with another deafening roar, combining with the rest of the tanks and tank destroyer's cannons, and went straight through the hull of the carrier, exploding violently from within.

"That takes care of him! Find another target!" Luna shouted. Soon, more explosions could be seen on the opposite ridge as Greifen armor was being taken out one by one with comparatively fewer losses on the Equestrian side. Her thoughts were interrupted when a shell exploded on the ground right next to them, the shrapnel was deflected by the metal shield.

"We're being targeted!" Phaze shouted, getting back up from a ducking position to man the gun.

"I saw the tracer, Princess. Enemy Self Propelled Gun, Secondary Ridge, coordinates at Delta 7!"

"Armor Piercing! Load it while they're reloading!" Luna shouted. Phaze quickly shoved the shell into the gun.

"Target acquired!"

"Fire!"

The shell sailed over once again and the most frightening thing that could be seen through Luna's binoculars happened:

"It bounced off!" Luna shouted.

"They've almost reloaded, gimme another, gimme another!" Phaze shouted frantically.

"HEAT Round! LOAD IT!" Luna shouted. Phaze recycled the loading action and forced the shell inside the gun.

"Shoot the fucker!" Luna ordered frantically. Phaze pulled the trigger and the artillery piece erupted into a hail of flames and exploded shrapnel. Luna let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding. Looking through her binoculars, the Greifen division was making a break for the valley below. Their numbers were now somewhat equal to the Equestrians, but nevertheless they were charging, tank and infantry. Luna lowered the sights from her eyes with a determined scowl. She then looked side to side, seeing the nigh endless phalanx of armor and entrenched troops, not to mention the air battle that was still being waged. They could attempt to snipe off the enemy armor and infantry from the ridge as they advanced into the valley, but once the enemy reached beyond a certain point, friendly weaponry would exhaust their downward angle. She made up her mind as she picked up the radio receiver:

"All artillery units, concentrate fire on enemy SPGs and tanks. Give us a salvo for cover. I want ten Tank Destroyers with the artillery to fire directly into the valley below. The rest of us: all infantry, find your squad and fall into step behind the armor. We are retaking the valley!"

(A/N: Insert Epic Battle Music)

With the order given, the engines roared to life once more as they began the slow trek into the valley. SPGs on both sides erupted with their salvos as both opposing divisions descended into the valley. Shrapnel was being deflected off of the armor shield and many close calls were had with shells and bullets alike. Luna sat un-phased as she cupped her rifle in her hands, Mystic working her driving magic. The tank destroyer next to them took a direct hit to the engine compartment and exploded. Luna couldn't tell if there were survivors or not. Soon enough (although it felt like days), the combined division reached the bottom of the valley and proceeded forward. With direct line of sight to the enemy save for hills, shrubbery, and rocks, Luna handed Phaze a shell before moving the supply next to him:

"Open fire on the enemy at will. I will be attempting to command the force and call out targets, so you must take care of the loading, Phaze."

"Not a problem!" he shouted back, arming the powerful cannon. Mystic slowed the pace down a bit as the ground leveled out, and it was quite the sight (in a very odd sense) of seeing the tracer shells pass hundreds of feet over them, with the aircraft in the atmosphere battling it out. Her thoughts left as suddenly as the entered her head due to the enormous roaring and recoil of the cannon in conjunction. Luna then witnessed a Greifen tank destroyer get blown apart. Luna decided to make herself even more useful by aiming out of the side of the shield at enemy troops that would get too close.

"Myst! Adjust to the right!" Phaze shouted almost desperately as he loaded another shell in to the cannon. Artillery and enemy shells were raining down on the entire valley, including them. Luna had to duck behind the shield to avoid a spray of enemy fire before she turned out again and squeezed her trigger, cutting down another enemy trooper. Looking back, a few of her own troops were using the vehicle for cover; sprinting away towards a large rock when the coast was somewhat clear.

Friendly and enemy forward units had finally clashed; armor was being destroyed, troops were falling by the dozens and the aerial battle was ceasing to end. Luna could barely think with all the organized chaos and warfare around her, which was made worse when the entire vehicle shook once more from a fired shell of the enormous 105. She moved to yell another command into the radio when the ground in front of them got shot up by a high caliber machine gun; the strafing run missed them but the medium tank to the front and right of them wasn't so lucky.

"We're being strafed by enemy aircraft!" Mystic shouted out as she adjusted the vehicle and gave it more gas.

"The 105 really isn't fit for taking on aircraft, and I can't even aim at it. Luna, can any planes be diverted?!" Phaze asked, loading another shell into the cannon. Without answering, Luna picked up the radio again:

"This is Lunar 1 with the 5th division, Lunar Contingency, in Brateska Valley. We are being strafed by an enemy aircraft, requesting air support on the double!" Luna yelled out.

"Negative, Lunar 1. All air support in the area is currently engaged with the enemy air force. We've dispatched a squadron of aces but they won't arrive for an unknown amount of time."

Luna slammed her fist down on the metal console in anger. A strafing run came in again, followed by a rocket which decimated a close formation of Equestrian troops.

"Received, Command. Lunar 1 out."

The Greifen jet picked up thrust again and shot off into the night before turning around once more. With all air support currently engaged, Luna took it upon herself to do something.

The Greifen pilot banked the plane to the left and came in for another run. What he was blissfully unaware of was that Luna was charging her magic in one of her hands. She aimed it at the incoming fighter and felt a subtle linear connection between her hand and the incoming plane. This type of magic on an object the size of a fighter was rather taxing on Luna's magical reserves, but she soldiered on. When she felt adequate power build up, and with a pained/strained yell, she yanked her hand with enormous force (as if fighting unseen resistance) to the left. The plane instantly exploded into a fiery ball before it came crashing into the ground, taking an enemy heavy tank with it.

Luna slumped in the commander's seat to catch her breath and wipe her brow for a few moments.

"Nice work, Luna!" Phaze commented. She offered a tired smile and a nod to him before righting herself and picking up the radio again.

"All units, we've advanced past the middle of the valley! We must break the enemy lines! I want SPG's concentrating fire on the enemy heavy tanks. Tank destroyers, be sure to eliminate the enemy light and medium tanks before they can fit through us! Infantry, keep the enemy troops off of the armor!"

The division immediately responded as if being commanded from above. Luna couldn't be more proud at her personal force. Even though she had nigh supreme command of the military behind Celestia, she still took the liberty of having her own 'unit,' so to speak. Besides, moral in said unit was enormously high… who wouldn't be in high spirits with revered and feared Princess of the Night commanding them?

*KABLAM*

An explosion shook the entire Tank Destroyer and Luna almost fell out of the cabin itself from the blast. Thankfully at first glance all were unharmed. When Myst tried to give the engine some acceleration she was met with a horrible jamming sound.

"The track is destroyed! We're immobilized!" she shouted. Those were words that neither Luna nor Phaze wanted to hear.

"Can we repair it?!" Phaze asked, still attempting to shoot the cannon which was relatively unscathed. Mystic took a quick peek outside of the cabin, only to be met with the clanking of bullets that sounded when it hit the side of the shield where her head was. She quickly ducked back in.

"Negative! If the track was off the tread, we could. It's completely obliterated, including the cogs. This tank destroyer is gone!"

"And so will we if we do not vacate this carcass of a vehicle!" Luna shouted. They did good work in the armor, but now it was time to become infantry once more. No one questioned Luna's judgment as they made sure their helmets were secure and that their rifles were distributed and loaded. Mystic checked her supply like clockwork before they all stacked up on the inside of the shield in the face of coaxial machine-gun fire from enemy tanks. The Equestrian division was gaining the upper hand but it would mean nothing if they were cut down by enemy rounds. After a couple of seconds and a few shells landing close in their proximity, Luna gave the order:

"Out of the vehicle, let us go!" she shouted and bounded over the side of the hull. The others followed and landed gracefully by her side. They immediately broke into a sprint to the nearest cover which was another enormous rock. Bullets trailed them randomly before they moved on to more prime targets.

"The next stop is that hill a bit of distance that way," Luna pointed out.

"We'll need to use the cover of one of the tanks or we'll get cut to pieces," Mystic pointed out.

"There!" Phaze pointed out the closest medium tank that was stationary and firing off toward the enemy lines. Luna nodded and gave the two soldiers the signal to follow her. They stayed low while pushing their legs to the limit. However, the medium tank exploded as an artillery shell scored a direct hit on it, the area damage forcing the trio to the ground. Nevertheless, they continued running toward the now smoldering carcass of what was an Equestrian armored vehicle. Luna could only hope that the soldiers inside were spared a painful death.

The trio could now hear Greifen soldiers yelling to each other, a definite warning that they were in small arms range. Luna was careful to take notice that enemy artillery and tank fire had decreased significantly while their own remained rather constant, a sure sign that the enemy was taking a fair amount of losses in terms of weaponry.

"They're just over that hill! We can use it as a makeshift trench. Let us move!" Luna ordered. The three hoagie ran once more before slowly ascending the small hill. They peeked over the ridge and spotted dozens of enemy troops taking cover behind other hills, small rocks, and tank carcasses. Other Equestrian troops also joined the trio on the ridge and aimed their rifles over.

"Drop them!" Luna shouted before being the first one to open fire. The rest of the entrenched group followed suit and several enemy troops fell in a crumpled heap. They were not defenseless though. The entrenched Greifens returned fire to their full extent of what they were able. An Equestrian soldier right next to Mystic took a bullet right to the clavicle, screaming in pain as he doubled backwards. Myst couldn't take her eyes off the spectacle and for the first time in her life her eyes filled with genuine fear. For most troops, this was their first engagement, and the same could be said for the poor girl. In effect, she knew what she had signed up for, but then again no soldier really does until they experience their 'job description' in full. Her sights returned to the enemy that was shooting back at them, but her hands were not as steady anymore. She aimed down at the head of an exposed enemy soldier but couldn't, for the life of her, pull the trigger. That indecisiveness combined with her being exposed would cost her dearly.

"AAAAHHH!"

"Mystic!"

Phaze witnessed two rounds go through her upper right chest and exit out her back. Luna took notice as soon as Phaze yelled out, only to witness the young girl fall on her back and clutching her wounds, mortally wounded. As luck would have it, a friendly artillery salvo targeted the entrenched enemy infantry and finished a good portion of them off. It was enough of a break for Phaze to rush to Mystic's side.

"Myst…" Phaze said, attempting to gauge her condition: she was bleeding profusely out of both her entrance and exit wounds and her breathing was very rapid and short. The worst for Phaze was her eyes: they shown pure fear once more.

"Someone! Get me a medical kit!" he shouted to the nearby soldiers, who scrambled to find one.

"P-Ph-Phaze…" the wounded girl attempted to breathe out through her painfully short breaths. Her lung was most likely collapsed and/or filling with blood.

"Shhhhh… don't talk, everything's going to be alright!" he cooed. The lull in the battle and the taking of point by other squads allowed Luna to kneel by Phaze's side. She applied pressure to Mystic's wounds with her hands, but watched Phaze out of the corner of her eye very curiously.

"P-Please! H-Help-p me!" she then coughed up blood and spat it out. Copious amounts of tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"GET ME THE FUCKING MEDICAL KIT!" Phaze yelled at the top of his lungs in pure fury. Even Luna was startled.

"Right here, sir!" a Private rushed over with a field surgeon pack. He immediately began to work on her. Luna did what she could and was going to remove the bullet and apply anesthesia magically, but she soon found out that in conjunction with the jet incident as well as trying subconsciously to keep the moon brighter for the troops, she was magically exhausted.

"It h-h-h-hurts! UGH! I don't-t want to d-die!" she was desperately crying out through her short pants. She had already lost an enormous amount of blood despite Phaze's quick and efficient work. His heart was breaking in several places at her words. Another field medic who had come to observe her ran a few diagnostics and attempted to help… but soon he sunk his head and looked to Phaze… the medic wore a solemn look and merely shook his head.

"P-please don't l-l-l-et met die!"

"You're not gonna die! Luna…!" he looked to her as a last resort, for even he was losing her. He had done all he could. Even the magically enhanced bandages weren't stopping the entirety of the bleeding and her lung was almost filled with blood. She was close to choking.

"I cannot, Phaze. I pumped what I could into her of my magic reserves… there's nothing I can do anymore," she said softly and solemnly. Phaze only contorted his face in fury, but not at Luna… more of the fact that another girl was dying right in front of him and he was powerless to stop it. He turned his head back to the dying girl and found her looking even weaker before. She still managed to try and shake her head fervently.

"No… ple-e-ase…"

Phaze could only cup one of her cheeks and offer her comfort. This gesture visibly calmed her as she relaxed into his palm, silently accepting her fate. Luna noticed a small tear forming at the corner of Phaze's eye… putting aside the heart-wrenching display, this was really intriguing to her.

"You did well, soldier," he said softly, giving her a sad smile. She only coughed violently and nodded slowly back, fear still evident in her eyes. He softly stroked her cheek with his thumb and never broke eye contact with her… and she him.

"It's gonna be alright… I'm… I'm sorry…" he softly spoke out. Mystic didn't have the strength to respond anymore. She only weakly grasped his hand in hers… as if saying 'it's okay.' Their eyes never left each other as Mystic breathed in one more light breath… before exhaling one last time. Her eyes still never left his. Phaze gently closed her eyelids with his fingers before gingerly taking her tags off. Luna was still watching him and she could practically taste the emotions running off of him… her heart felt like it was going to implode on itself. Phaze then laid her now peaceful head deep on the ground and stood up.

"RAAAH!" he screamed in frustration as he yanked his helmet off and chucked it to the ground. Luna went and picked it up, handing it back to him.

"Thou and I are going to talk when this is over. But for now, we still have a mission to complete."

Phaze only nodded and secured his helmet in place. The now duo bounded over the hill and was catching up with their advancing troops. The valley had been essentially retaken and the Greifens were pushed back, but reports came in that they were being reinforced and would definitely be back within the hour. Luna relayed the news when something caught both their eyes and ears:

"Hey, check it out guys and gals: We've got a live one!" a soldier said before he kicked his leg, resulting in a large and pained grunt.

"Ach! Nein… bitte!"

"What the fuck do you think? That you can just come in here, kill our men and women, and then beg for mercy?" another soldier said before stomping the wounded Greifen soldier in the side, most likely damaging his kidney.

"Ich… Ich…"

"I say we beat him an inch from death before we shoot him."

Another soldier jammed the butt of his rifle into his face, drawing blood and most likely breaking several teeth.

"I lost too many friends today to show any pity to these filthy cocksuckers. Let's get this over with—"

"BE STILL!" an amplified magical voice sounded out, stunning everyone in the radius, including the offending Equestrian troops.

"P-Princess Luna!"

"What the hell dost thou think you are doing?!" she asked. She was furious.

"Taking care of an enemy combatant?" one of the offending troops asked meekly.

"It appears as if he surrendered to you and yet you still harm him with intent to kill. We have a code for dealing with Prisoners of War. All three of you are stripped one rank and lose three month's pay. If I find out that thou mistreats any surrendered enemy combatants the same way I will personally shoot all of you in your kneecaps and throw thy asses into federal prison. Do I make myself clear?!" she screamed at them. They nodded sheepishly.

"Good. Now get out of my sight and get to the front. I expect to see you all at the head of the advance. Dismissed."

Luna then turned to the badly wounded enemy soldier who was coughing and recovering from the other blows. He looked enormously fearful before Luna put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Es tut mir leid… Es ist die erste zeit ins krieg meines soldaten," Luna said with a soft voice, apologizing for the actions of her troops and explaining that it was their first time in war. The soldier looked enormously surprised that she could speak his language very well and gave her a pained grin and a nod.

"Jetzt, Sie werden in Gewahrsam genommen werden… Sie wissen dies, ja?" she asked him, clarifying that he knew that he would be taken into custody.

"Ja… das ist gut. Alles ist besser als dies. Ich wolle hier nicht sein," he replied, understanding perfectly and being quite content with it. To him, anything was better than where he was and he didn't want to be there in the first place. Luna nodded in understanding.

"Mach ihr keine Sorgen. Wir werden ihr schnell nach hause schicken," she said, telling him not to worry, that they would send him home soon. He relaxed and visibly lightened up at that comment. Luna then patted him once more and stood up, addressing a bunch of soldiers who were attending wounded and dead.

"Take him as a prisoner of war and treat his wounds. Have him evacuated from here. Thy commanding officer will know what to do," Luna ordered. The group of soldiers saluted her before taking him away on a makeshift stretcher. She then exhaled audibly, once again releasing a breath that she didn't know she was holding.

"That was very inspiring to see. For all we know he could have killed several of our own troops, yet you spared him and show him nothing less than kindness… it's really nice to see," Phaze commented, walking up next to her with rifle in hand. Luna was just happy to hear him talking again after the ordeal about twenty minutes ago.

"In war there is one thing worse than death: Losing thy humanity," Luna said before looking over to Phaze. He looked back pensively… thinking about her words and he nodded in perfect agreement. She then put her arms around him and he returned the embrace heartily. Other troops around them were somewhat dumbfounded that the odd duo was sharing a hug… just was rather out of the ordinary, especially for the Lunar Princess.

"I am sorry, Phaze. Truly I am… but you did well. You made her last moments more bearable."

"Could I have saved her if I acted sooner… or did something differently?"

"No. From what I was able to see, her indecisiveness is what killed her. It is very common in younger troops. The wounds were too great to fully heal, and even if you did, her internal bleeding would have taken her life," she explained. Phaze didn't respond and only thought on her words once more.

"Come. The faster we halt the reinforced Greifen army in the area, the faster you and I get to have a chat. Now, let us—"

"Lunar Contingency, do you copy?" a female voice called out in a muffled manner.

Luna quickly answered her in-helmet radio:

"This is Princess Luna, Lunar Contingency. Identify thyself," she said curtly.

"This is Lieutenant Rainbow Dash of Shadowbolt Squadron. It's been a while, Luna!"

Luna perked up immediately:

"Rainbow Dash?!" she eagerly asked in confirmation. At that moment, eight Equestrian jet fighters flew low over the valley and banked off into two separate groups. One of the contrails of the twin-engine fighters was distinctly, but lightly prismatic in color.

"The one and only, Princess! So, I hear you've got some issues on the ground. They've got a nice bit of force concentration due north of the valley. Need some air support?" Dash asked, banking the aircraft right and circling the advancing Equestrians. Luna only looked to Phaze and both of them smiled determinedly.

"One million times yes, Rainbow! We've got an army to halt!"

"Now that's what I like to hear! Did I ever tell you that you were my favorite Princess?" Dashie joked as she straightened out the aircraft and banked upward.

"No, but although that's nice to hear, it shall not land thee a promotion!" Luna quipped right back, looking straight at her plane as if having a conversation with it. Rainbow Dash laughed heartily on the other end of the transmission.

"Damn! I guess I'll actually have to work for it then, won't I! Alrighty then, we're fully armed to the teeth and will passively engage any targets within range that we deem necessary, air or ground, until called upon. We'll be in touch, Luna! Shadow 1, out!"

"Copy that! Lunar 1 over and out!"

Luna then turned to Phaze once more, and both of them reloaded their weapons.

"We hath got some work to finish here."

Up in the sky, Rainbow Dash was eagerly piloting her craft:

"Close up, formation. We've got a division to cover!"

"Copy that, Rainbow!"

"Yes Ma'am!"

"Roger that, forming on your wing!"

The eight aircraft formed up with their own confirmations as they flew towards the enemy army which was moving, but still rather entrenched at the same time. They had to estimate at least 25,000 troops in total with armor and even air support, in which the main air force was still engaging above them.

"Give 'em hell, guys…" Rainbow thought to herself as she looked up to the raging battle in the sky.

"Princess Luna's division is cresting the other side of the valley and is approximately three miles out from the front of the enemy, Lieutenant. What are your orders?" one of the wingmen asked.

"It looks like we've got retreating Greifens making their way back to their larger force. Let's see if we can take care of them first and soften everything up. Prioritize and engage ground targets at will!" Dash ordered.

"You got it! Going after the armor and troops!" the second in command stated as the entire formation broke off into random directions, chasing their targets.

"Alright boys and girls, let's kick some fucking ass!" Rainbow shouted as she adjusted a lock of her hair back into her flight helmet.

"YEEEAAAAH!"

1: Duty Calls

Chapter 1

Duty Calls

All was quiet in the nation of Equestria. The moon had taken the sun’s place high in the sky, beginning the peaceful night and allowing the nation to rejuvenate and start the next day anew. Copious amounts of light permeated the stratosphere, lighting up Equestria’s night in a beautiful display of the cosmos, a gift from Princess Luna to her subjects… the Princess who was leaning on her balcony outside of her quarters at the moment, taking in the fresh air while modestly admiring the work she put into the evening.

It had been several years since she had atoned for her actions as Nightmare Moon… returning as weak, feeble, and having her physical maturity temporarily reversed. That was all wiped away and a distant memory, as the weakness was replaced with and iron fortitude and her muscular atrophy replaced with exquisite tone and definition especially over her legs, back, and arms. Her attire was very casual as of late, currently donning a tank top with some mesh shorts. Her face, however, betrayed her casual mood as she held her ever notorious stoic gaze over her lands, her brilliant teal blue irises scanning the horizon for any signs of trouble. Nevertheless, she was the perfect definition of beautiful, and even then, that word did not do justice.

Those who had had the honor to personally meet the Princess of the Night would know fully well that her hardened gaze was merely a mask… one that convoluted others’ view of her big heart. Over the years, however, Equestrian’s unnatural fear of Luna slowly whittled away and turned into those of curiosity, admiration, mystery, and a few, disdain. However, no matter her subjects’ view of her, they all had one underlying sense of feeling towards her: Respect. Luna was nowhere near as outgoing as Celestia was, who could almost always be seen fraternizing around Canterlot, Ponyville, and other places when she wasn’t busy with Royal Duties, this was true. She also never could amount the social skills that her older sister possessed. But many moments in their nation’s recent past, albeit in small quantities, reminded them all that the Lunar Princess cared deeply for them, and would always be there for them no matter what.

However, the past year and a half were a bit different. Public opinion of the Lunar Princess was waning slightly. She had not made an appearance anywhere in over a year, and there had been no news of her recent developments or projects. Many began to feel that she was slacking off. Others believed that she was taking a hiatus. One thing remained certain: the whereabouts of Princess Luna were largely unknown at any given time. Luna sensed this ire quite largely. After all, imagine if one of your parents was never around? You know you have one… there’s physical evidence that he or she exists… yet you rarely, if at all, catch a glimpse, and even then it’s sparing. It creates a sense of a vacuum. Celestia, however, did not appear concerned in the slightest, so the citizens of Equestria never really acted on their thoughts, trusting their fair Princess of the Sun with her judgment that had guided them to prosperity for generations.

Luna was dragged back to reality when she realized that all was well this evening. She then grinned to herself… something that was rarely seen in publicly released pictures of her, which usually consisted of judging Royal Court with an iron but fair fist (which was greatly respected), or leading a troop of Royal Guards and/or Soldiers on tour. All those pictures showed Luna with a commanding gaze. She had made amends with the public, especially on the notable Nightmare Night when Twilight Sparkle had to help guide her through social interaction along with the other elements. Luna smiled again at that thought.

Luna turned away from the balcony and headed back inside from the comfortable night breeze, much to her dismay and turning to her room’s clock: nine o’clock PM.

In that case, I believe it’s time, Luna thought to herself with a sigh. She shed her tank top and mesh shorts in front of her person-sized mirror, leaving her clad in only a teal support bra and panties. She eyed herself in her mirror, tracing the curvature of her toned (but not overly muscular) abdominal muscles absentmindedly with one of her hands, lightly fingering the small scars and healing cuts that appeared here and there with her ever stoic, yet softening, gaze. A beautiful girl stared back at her, one with a proportionally endowed body that had seen its share of conflict.

Finished examining her body, Luna picked up two cup-like, malleable, metal plates and slid them into the cups of her bra, Luna gasping slightly at the touch of cool metal against bear skin of her breasts. She adjusted her chest until she was satisfied that the plating would do its job. She then opened a large closet next to the mirror and eyed a set of military-esque equipment. She pulled out a set of pants which were covered in a forest-camouflage pattern, but had custom blotches of navy and teal blue sparsely scattered around the uniform. Luna then secured the form fitting top and tucked it into her pants before securing the whole thing with a belt, the uniform holding tight against her frame, but still allowing for comfortable movement. She then removed several conically shaped onyx plates, braces, and secured them to her shins and forearms before securing half plates to her shoulders, buttocks, obliques, and her collar bone. Finally, she pulled out a large piece, her breast plate, and secured it like clockwork; the flag of Equestria high on the right while decals of her cutie mark rested on the butt plates. She stretched and twisted to ensure a good fit, satisfied with the results. It was then that she heard a knock at the door.

“You may enter,” she called out with little emotion. The door opened and in walked her sister, Princess Celestia. Luna turned to see her guest and she smiled with a small gleam in her eyes. It warmed Celestia’s heart, as she never got to see that smile often… more for some reasons than others.

“How art thou, Dear Sister?” Luna asked, reverting back to her more natural speaking manner. She tended to flicker back and forth but one thing remained: she dropped the Royal first person ‘We.’

“I’m well, it’s just been a long day. How about you, Lulu?” she asked in return, sitting on her bed.

“I am well, I suppose… Although I could comprehensibly be in a much lighter mood than now, but I suppose you ‘cannot win them all,’ as they say,” Luna replied, brushing her hair slightly before fishing a helmet out of her closet and setting it on her dresser next to the mirror. Celestia looked upon Luna with a bit of apprehension, not of her, but for her. Luna was always the fighter… the warrior of the family, and sometimes that worried Celestia greatly.

“Is it that time, again?” Celestia asked, already sure of the response.

“Regretfully so, Tia,” Luna replied, pulling small sword out of her dresser and sheathing it to her side. Celestia merely sighed.

“Luna, you don’t have to keep doing this.”

“If I do not, no one else will, and the peace that has blessed Equestria for so long will be jeopardized,” Luna replied in a reasoning manner. Celestia didn’t respond immediately, taking a glance as Luna magically levitated a firearm out of a chest in the closet. It was a pistol, that was certain, and obviously custom designed and upgraded to Luna’s specifications. Luna then produced a suppressor with her magic, levitating it to her hand before twisting it on to the barrel. Lastly, she produced a magazine, filled with crystalline projectiles that were red in hue, signifying a lethal round, and tenderly slid it into the well and carefully releasing the slide, being cautious not to arm the weapon just yet. Luna holstered the pistol on her right thigh.

“Luna, we are strong nation and have been through much. With the help of the Elements, Equestria can pull through any challenge,” Celestia reasoned, curling her regal free flowing hair with one of her fingers.

“I shall not sit on my posterior and watch my subjects possibly die when something may be done preemptively. If my actions mean that Equestria may sleep another month without fear of conflict looming in their minds, then so be it,” Luna replied over her shoulder. Celestia sighed again, not knowing how to argue that.

“I allowed you near supreme command of our forces, why don’t you use them?” Celestia asked. Luna whirled around.

“And hide behind the valor of my subjects while I bark orders that could send our brave soldiers to their deaths?” Luna asked, almost offended.

“Luna…” Celestia tried to reason.

“This is something I must do, for the good of you, myself, the Elements, and all of Equestria. I shall not sit idly as covert and discreet threats are made against us and our subjects,” Luna finished.

“Let me come with you, then,” Celestia said, standing up, taller than Luna.

“No, Tia. I cannot allow that,” Luna responded, holding a hand up in accentuation.

“Why the hell not, Luna? Why must you go alone always?!” Celestia asked, almost desperately. Luna found it ironic that the most iconic ruler of the nation, always strong, motherly, and fair, seemed to get desperate with words.

“Because, less numbers means less of a chance of these missions being compromised, and consequently, less casualties. Secondly, as much as you do not like to admit it, you and you alone are the face of Equestria. When people think of their leader, the see you: the fair, motherly, loving, and beautiful Princess of the Sun. I do not wish for you to take part in what I must do to help keep Equestria safe. The public does not know what my actions are, and frankly I do not wish them to know my actions.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Luna?!” Celestia asked defensively.

“I am not doubting your abilities, for you are so much stronger than me in many ways. However, I am more militarily trained than you… by years and years. You are more outgoing and open with the public, and that’s excellent! But what if they find out that you, their most iconic and most likely favorite ruler have killed? That Princess Celestia has taken the life of another, regardless of if it was for the good of others?” Luna asked. Celestia merely lowered her head in concession. Luna walked up to her and gingerly cupped her face in her palms, having Celestia look at her in the eyes.

“I cannot, and will not allow that. Let the public believe what they want about me right now, but it is my duty as co-ruler of this nation to keep them safe, and it is for the better that they know not of my actions, having it be kept between Equestrian Intelligence, yourself, and me. However, they need someone to watch over them at home, so I know that they are safe under my powerful sister’s watchful eye and magic prowess,” Luna said affectionately, pulling her sister into a hug in which Celestia readily embraced.

“I… I just can’t lose you again, Luna,” Celestia said somberly, her chin buried in Luna’s neck and her cheek resting on the cold shoulder plate, her other cheek against Luna’s.

“I shall be careful; you know that I always am. What always helps me fight on, even when I know that failure is high, is that I have the loving embrace of a sister, and the quiet but subtle admiration of a nation waiting for me when I return… and knowing that both are safe is what makes everything worthwhile,” Luna continued cooing. They broke the hug and Luna walked to her dresser, sliding the helmet onto her head and securely fastening it. She then picked up other equipment: a spade, crystalline lights, and other cylindrical objects that Celestia wasn’t sure what they were, and strapped them to her belt. Finally, Luna reached into her closet once more and flared her magic, levitating and retrieving a small assault rifle to her hands; examining it before strapping it to her back. Luna fastened and secured extra magazines and other spare munitions before turning back to Celestia.

“How long will you be gone?” Celestia asked.

“If all goes well, you should see me tomorrow at breakfast,” Luna said with another grin.

“Very well,” Celestia responded, grinning once more. The two embraced tightly again before Luna departed to her door, Celestia following. There were two Lunar Guards ready to escort the Princess of the Night to a special armored chariot which would take her to her destination.

“Take care of yourself, Lulu,” Celestia said as Luna was walking away, flanked on either side by a guard. Luna turned her head back and grinned cryptically.

“The Night shall guide me, Celestia. Sleep well tonight,” Luna replied.

“I love you.”

“Likewise.”