Third person...

Luna's head pounded, feeling a thump in her head for every heartbeat. She felt itchy, dirty and could smell a most awful stench lingering in the air. Straw clung to her fur along with the smell of this dark place.

She arose from her resting place, stretching slightly. She has a kink in her neck due to sleeping the way she had been in the pile of straw. She attempted to illuminate the area with a spell but found she could not muster any magic with her horn. Trying again, she found her powers drained completely yet at the same time she didn't feel particularly exhausted. Biting her lower lip, she squinted her eyes and found her way out of the stable she was in.

Blundering her way out of the stable, she was greeted by the sight of a shanty town. Humans walked along the streets in raggedy clothing. Luna shook the straw from her body then looked around. Quickly thinking back, she came to the assumption this must be the man's dream.

Looking around, she called out the man's name only gaining several stares from nearby people. She stumbled around, not understanding what was going on. Stumbling back, she tripped through the doors of a building and landed flat on her back.

A familiar chuckle perked her ears and she turned to be greeted by a somewhat familiar face. She found herself staring up at Derreck, who held his hand down for her to take. “Der-Derreck?” she asked then held a hoof over her mouth as she realized her voice was slightly off. It seemed younger, more peppy and a tad bit squeaky.

“Indeed. Have a nice nap, Luna?” he asked but she didn't answer at first as she looked back to him. He had black boots which rode high. Brown uniform pants wrapped his legs and were buckled by a belt with a most peculiar belt buckle that had a symbol of a hammer and sickle inside a star.

He had a long dark trench coat on that covered a uniform jacket underneath. The most stunning thing she noticed was his somewhat younger appearance. Though his face still had some wrinkles, they weren't as defined as she remembered but most of all his deep scars were no longer present nor was his left eye damaged.

Derreck motioned for her to take his hand. Letting the big man help her up, she heard talking and whispered chatter coming from a table behind him. Looking back to him, she made mention of his different, younger, appearance. Derreck chuckled. “Well, as do you comrade,” he commented and her eyes went slightly wider.

Derreck took gentle hold of her mane and brought it into the mare's view. Unlike her flowing, transparent mane, it was now the opaque light blue mane like she had after being freed of Nightmare Moon. She gasped loudly but was interrupted by Derreck. “Come along, sit, converse,” he offered her a seat as he took his own. Removing his heavy trench coat, he revealed his undercoat, a light brown uniform with a red epaulet on each shoulder. Each epaulet had 'CA' written in golden letters along with a single thick golden stripe.

Another man looked over. “Derreck... you bring a horse to the table?” the man asked but Derreck just waved it off. Luna spoke in.

“We request a shower...” she trailed off as she sniffed herself then cringed from the horrid stench. The men all stared at the fact a horse was talking. Derreck just muttered a few things to them which seemed to set their peace of mind and also made them chuckle. He turned back to address Luna.

“It isn't raining just yet,” he laughed and Luna rose a brow.

“Raining? What does precipitation have to do with washing one's self?” she asked, again getting a round of laughs from everyone except Derreck and another human at the table. She looked for a moment then realized it was Evan, the other human from Equestria. Derreck's voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Well... Luna, I don't believe the residents would be appreciative if you bathed in their wash water,” he chuckled and she rose a brow.

“Wash water? But if it is for washing why can we not use it to bathe?” she asked curiously and Derreck shook his head as the others were left with strange looks on their faces.

“Not bathing water. Wash water for utensils, cups, plates... washing clothes and bed sheets...” he trailed off and she rose a brow.

“Then where is the nearest bathtub so that we may clean ourselves?” she asked. Derreck looked around then shrugged.

“You will get used to the smell. We all do,” he said and she shook her head as she rubbed her temples in confusion.

“We do not understand. Where are we? What happened to the castle?” she asked and another man spoke up.

“Derreck... what kind of mind did Stalin put into this experiment? A castle. Was the mind one of royalty?” the man asked, addressing Luna and the mare immediately spoke up.

“Stalin? Experiment? Where are we? Where is Canterlot?” she asked and the other men were thrown into confusion.

Derreck huddled Luna close so he could speak more privately. “Don't ask questions. You'll only arise suspicion,” he commented and rose back up in his seat. “Comrade Luna... welcome to our humble abide,” he said and another man spoke up with a quip.

“Sorry about your luck,” he chuckled...

There was a knocking at the door to the library to which Spike promptly answered. Two royal guards looked down to the dragon who gulped under their fearsome yet expressionless stare.

One guard spoke up. “We request the presence of Princess Twilight Sparkle,” one guard told the dragon who quickly zipped up to Twilight's room. Lassie lay resting on the couch, reading a most lewd and explicit magazine that was covered by a large novel so that anypony who passed by would mistake her for reading something more foal friendly.

Twilight trotted down with a casual pace and was greeted by the guards bowing down. “Oh... heh-heh, that's not really necessary-” she was promptly cut off by one of the guards.

“Ma'am, Princess Celestia requests your immediate presence at the Canterlot Castle. It involves your student and Princess Luna,” he said, this information perking both Twilight's and Lassie's ears. The latter hopped up and over the couch, rushing up to the door and noticing the air-carriage loaded with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy while Rainbow Dash flew circles above them.

Dash called out. “Come on Twi, this sounds like an emergency!” Pinkie Pie cut in.

“OOOOOoooooOOOH! It sounds so fun! I brought emergency supplies for everyone!” the frilly pink pony commented, pulling a box full of balloons out of nowhere. The rest of the gang just groaned and that's when Twilight took note that despite it being bright and sunny out, the moon was still in the sky.

Lassie spoke up. “What's going on?! What happened to Evan?!” she asked, having heard this had something to do with Twilight's student. The guard disregarded her question.

“This does not concern you,” he mentioned in a deep voice. Lassie was about to speak up as Twilight heaved a saddle bag over her back.

“Just relax Lassie. It's probably nothing. Just wait here and watch the library with Spike, okay,” she said and got a frown from the canine. “It's nothing personal,” she added in but Lassie pointed out to the rest of the group.

“Ohhhh, noooOOOOOooo. Nothing personal. They get to go and they barely know him, but I'm a dog so nooooOOOOOoooo...” Lassie grumbled as she made her way back over to the couch. Twilight sighed sadly and left with the guards, shutting the door behind her.

Lassie lay flat on the couch for a moment, pretending to read her smut magazine as she waited for the carriage to fly away. After several minutes of waiting she hopped back over the couch and called out. “Minions, assemble!” she called out but nothing really happened. “Ahem... hmm... I said... MINIONS! ASSEMBLE!” She called out but still nothing happened.

She laid a paw over her face. “Ugh! For the love of... SPIKE, OWL!” She yelled out and within seconds Spike and Owlowiscious entered the room. “Alright guys listen... something serious has happened-” and she was cut off by Spike.

“Yeah no kidding. The moon is still in the sky and it's nearly noon!” he commented and Lassie groaned with a nod.

“Yes... thank you Mr. Obvious... as I was saying. Something serious has happened to our friend Burdy... and we need to rescue him!” she cheered and the others looked to her with blank expressions. A moment of silence passed before the owl spoke up.

“Who,” it spoke it's only word and Lassie just groaned.

“Come on! This way!” she ordered irritably and the others willingly followed her outside where she stood before Cadence. “Alright, mount up!” the dog ordered but Spike intervened.

“Uhm... shouldn't we ask if we can borrow th-” he was cut off by Lassie.

“Evan could die if we don't rescue him! He might already be dead! The world might be ending!... We have nothing to lose except our friend, now let's boogie!” she ordered. The others didn't need much more persuasion and obliged to the dog's orders.

Lassie hopped into the driver seat and grabbed the keys. Swiping the naughty key, she looked to the instrument panel. “We gotta save 'em Cadence... whatta yah say?” she asked the truck before starting it.

As the diesel engine rumbled and chugged, Lassie smirked. “I thought you'd say that,” she mentioned as she put the truck into drive and pinned the accelerator...

Derreck sat back in his seat as Luna blinked with disbelief. “We have to wake up,” she commented and one of the other men at the table spoke up.

“We are awake Luna, see?” he said, motioning to the surroundings. Luna was about to speak before Derreck pulled her into whisper.

“Just act like you would regularly...” he said sitting back up and brushing off the shoulder of his uniform. He looked to the group and began to introduce them to Luna. “This, is our senior lieutenant: Alexei,” he said, the man waving. “The man next to him is the junior officer: Boris,” he commented and Luna took note about how clean Boris's clothes were compared to the others.

Derreck introduced each man in their group, one by one. “He is Viktor,” he said, pointing to a man next to Burdy before finally introducing the only other person she knew from beforehand. “And this is-” Luna cut Derreck short.

“Evan...” she trailed off, perking the others' attention by the fact she already knew his name. Even Derreck was slightly confused, holding his forehead as if in some form of conflict. Luna looked around, still confused by everything. She had been in other ponies' dreams before but never had it felt like this. Her magic was completely drained and she could no longer replenish it, trapping her in the surreal dream until they awoke.

Evan sat quietly to himself, cleaning a finer looking rifle than the others had. Luna looked curiously, noting the gun looked completely different than the others. His uniform was also slightly different at the belt line as he had larger pouches filled with magazines opposed to the stripper clips the others had for their bolt guns.

Alexei chuckled as he noticed Luna's interest in the different rifle. “Lucky bastard. Got the last rifle in the batch. We're all stuck with these...” he commented, unslinging his Mosin rifle and leaning it against the table.

Evan laid several springs and rods from the rifle on the table as he cleaned it thoroughly. Alexei spoke up again. “But then again... I've never seen a rifle so difficult to take apart,” he made mention.

Luna turned back to Derreck, no longer wanting to be in this dream. “Derreck, please, wake up,” she said, getting a bad feeling in her gut. Derreck just shrugged and passed over a liquor bottle, disregarding what she had said.

“Drink... it will take your mind off things,” he said. Luna swallowed, a headache starting to come around. This was more than what she had bargained for and further wished she had never agreed to do this.

Boris spoke up. “Derreck... you feed the horse vodka?” he asked with a laugh but Derreck just shrugged. “What if you damage Stalin's experiment?” he asked rhetorically, having believed what Derreck told them about Luna being a science experiment of Stalin's and hence the reason a horse could talk, the group having not noticed the horn hidden beneath Luna's frazzled mane nor the wings covered under her uniform.

Derreck just shrugged off the idea, knowing what Luna really was and wanting to keep it a secret. Luna however pushed the liquor back. “We don't drink-” she began but one of the others cut in.

“Of course we do! We all drink!” the soldier cheered drunkenly. Derreck just sighed as he dipped his head into a palm. Looking over to Evan Luna rose a brow.

“Evan, do you know what is happening? Why do we not have our powers?” she asked but Evan remained silent yet acknowledged her speaking to him. She tried to concentrate, to focus herself and regain enough magic to break free from this dream but found it impossible to summon any form of magic.

Leaning over, she whispered to Derreck. “We can't summon any magic,” she whispered and Derreck nodded.

“There is no such thing as magic here,” he spoke then looked around. “If you haven't noticed... we are no longer in Equestria. We are on Earth...”

Luna whined to him, not wanting to be in the smokey tavern any more. Derreck waved to Burdy who quickly assembled his rifle and walked with them out of the rickety building, leaving the others behind. As they walked along the streets, Luna spoke. “Why can you not wake up. Do you not know this is a dream?” she asked and Derreck simply bit his lip.

“I'm not so sure this is a dream as much as it is... a memory of sorts,” he said and Luna asked another question, one Derreck didn't quite have an answer to.

“What memory? What happens?” she asked but the big man didn't answer...

Twilight and the group arrived to the castle and were not only greeted by Celestia but a rather impatient Lassie who was tapping one of her hindlegs as the group arrived. As Twilight and the rest of the group disembarked the carriage, Spike hid behind Lassie a little, fearing he may be scorned by Twilight for having left the library relatively unattended at Lassie's demand.

Celestia greeted the group with a nod, being returned with a bow. Twilight looked to Lassie, who was standing protectively in front of Spike and had Owlowiscious perched on her shoulder like a parrot. “Lassie... Spike... Owlowiscious? But... but who's watching the library?” the young princess asked.

Lassie huffed on a paw then rubbed it against her chest. “Don't worry about that. I got a professional crew on the job as we speak,” she announced proudly. Twilight perked a brow.

“Who?” she asked and Lassie just brushed aside her worry.

“Relax. They're more than capable...”

Meanwhile, at the library...

Sweetie Belle struggled to balance a jug of juice in her hooves as she staggered on her hindlegs in front of the fridge, trying to fit the jug into the middlemost of the tall fridge. Scootaloo looked at the young unicorn with a risen brow. “You know... when Lassie said to organize things... I don't think she meant arrange the fridge in alphabetical order...” she said bemusedly.

Sweetie Belle ignored her for the most part but ended up losing her balance, slipping and sending the jug of juice soaring across the kitchen. Apple Bloom entered the kitchen with a carton of eggs balanced on top of her head, only to be greeted by a splashing jug that doused her mane and knocked the eggs to the floor.

Apple Bloom groaned. “Ugh... Sweetie Belle! Look what yah done!” The younger farmer filly complained but Sweetie Belle just shrugged.

“It wasn't my fault! This fridge is too tall, I can't reach!” she squeaked but Scootaloo interrupted them.

“Don't worry girls, I got this!” she informed them as she tossed a towel over the splattered eggs and spilled juice. The three of them looked at the floor and Apple Bloom groaned.

“Nah, yah gots tah scrub it up with like a mop er somethin',” she told the others and spotted a nearby wash bucket and mop. Grabbing the bucket handle with her teeth, she gave it a tug but ended up tipping it over, splashing dirty mop water onto the floor. “Ughh... heh-heh... ah guess ah tugged it a little too hard,” she chimed in her typical southern accent.

Scootaloo smiled as a light bulb seemed to light up in her mind. “I know where there's some more towels!” she announced and rushed to the washroom, returning soon after with some nice bath towels.

“Uhm, Scoots ah-” Apple Bloom began but the other filly didn't bother listening and tossed the bundle of towels all over the floor. “Think those were bath towels...” Apple Bloom said, somewhat in defeat.

The three fillies looked to the mess on the floor. Scootaloo seemed to have another light bulb go off. “It's alright gals. After we dry up this mess, we'll just wash the towels and nopony will know!” she announced and the three joined in a smile.

“That's brilliant Scootaloo! Ah can't believe ah didn't think a that!” the young farmer pony praised the other. Scootaloo nodded as she rubbed a front hoof against her chest.

“It's alright. There's a reason Lassie put me in charge,” she boasted. Sweetie Belle sighed.

“I'm hungry...” she whined then took notice of the left over apple pie perched high up in the fridge. A smile twitched across her lips as she began to climb the racks in the fridge. Scootaloo was about to pipe up but one of the feeble fridge racks bent and sent the young unicorn crashing down along with most of the fridge's content.

With an even larger mess on their hooves, the three fillies groaned. “Aww man... Lassie's gonna be so mad...” Apple Bloom noted and Sweetie Belle brushed away her statement with an even worse fear.

“Forget Lassie, what about Princess Twilight?!” she squeaked.

Scootaloo clapped as she thought of something else, rushing away and coming back with hoof towels and dousing the mess with them. “There... perfect!” she said. Sweetie Belle groaned.

“Ugh... I'm hungry,” she complained and Apple Bloom nodded.

“Yeah, me too!” she whined but Scootaloo brushed their complaining aside.

“Don't worry about it. Lassie gave me a whole bunch of money so we could order food,” she said, pulling out a pouch of bits that had an assortment of coins. There were a few regular bits, four Luna bits and a Celestia bit. Sweetie Belle chirped.

“Why didn't you tell me earlier. I wouldn't have tried to reach for that pie!” Scootaloo sighed.

“I was going to say something but the fridge fell apart before I could tell you... besides, it's nothing. Nopony outside of us will ever know... we'll just bend that rack back into place later. Come on, let's order pizza!”

Back at the castle...

Lassie thought to herself about how the three fillies were doing but shrugged off the thoughts of doubt as she figured they could handle themselves. Looking back to Twilight, she became cross. “And next time you so much as decide to leave me behind when it concerns Evan...” she trailed off as she gave Twilight a squinty eyed look.

Rarity trotted over to the group, having been summoned by Celestia the night before but having been kept in the dark about the subject of what this was about. “Twilight... girls... Celestia, whatever is this about?” she asked in worry but Celestia didn't immediately answer as she turned to leave.

“Follow me. I'm afraid this may be gravely serious...”

Derreck, Evan and Luna walked along the dirt road of the shanty town. “Well... where exactly are we?” she asked and Derreck smiled.

“Luna... this is Poland,” he informed her.

“So... if this is a memory more than a dream and you know where we are, do you know what happens?” she asked and Derreck shook his head.

“No... this... this dream, it occupies my mind and I remember where we are... who we are... but I do not remember what happens next. It is as though we are living it out again, like we have been sent back in time. I can only remember up to this point,” he stated, the dark night sky glowing across the lands. All the while, Evan kept quiet and to himself while Derreck strolled along with Luna and explained the events prior, everything from the Soviet Union and the great civil war of Russia to the communist leader, Stalin.

They all sat on the outskirts of the town for the longest while, just watching the night sky. After a long while Derreck looked to a stop watch he had in his trench coat's pocket. “Hmm... it's early, perhaps we should...” he trailed off, his ears picking something up. Luna and Burdy sat in silence, the princess speaking up.

“We should what?” she asked but Derreck waved his hand to silence them. “What?” she asked hastily but Derreck instead held a finger to his lips, as to hush them. He tapped one of his ears then pointed to the sky.

“Listen...” he told them. In the far out distance the other two picked up sounds of explosions. They all stood up as hollering in the small town was emitted. Far out in the horizon, the luminous haze of fire and eruptions lit up the night sky near a larger city, shadowy outlines of bomber planes flying overhead.

In moments, Derreck's hearing focused closer to themselves and he pulled his friends to the ground just as a handful of planes rumbled above the town, firing relentlessly upon the population.

Luna's eyes went wide as she witnessed the sights of buildings being blown to smithereens. The sounds of mortars came whistling down, further turning the town into a mass of wreckage and bloodshed. Men, women and children rushed out onto the street, only to be cut down by the onslaught of German bomber planes.

Derreck covered his body atop his friends as an explosion erupted near their position. He quickly scurried to his feet, dragging up his friends as well. “Quickly. We have to find our unit!” he ordered, rushing towards the inferno.

The small group of soldiers stationed at the town flocked into the streets, firing their rifles ineffectively at the overhead planes that were devastating the town. Derreck leapt over some rubble and slid up to the corner of a building wall, looking out to his uniformed comrades down the streets, some of the group from the tavern missing.

“Alexei!” Derreck called out, gaining the senior officer's attention. Derreck waved him over. The man fired again to the sky with his rifle. Firing the old battered rifle as quickly as he could, the lieutenant soon found his rifle void of ammunition. Looking to the sky, he turned to Derreck's position and made a b-line for his comrade.

Luna and Evan huddled closely behind Derreck, the former flinching every time an explosion went off. Debris and soot covered the grounds of the town, smoke rising up into the air. Alexei rushed through the streets, tossing his rifle aside so he could run faster.

Time seemed to slow for Derreck as he waved Alexei over. A lone bomber plane flew in low, machine guns chattering and ripping up the ground. Derreck felt as though he lost his sense of hearing, his surroundings going silent.

The machine guns' shots seemed as though they lined up perfectly towards Alexei, following his footsteps in perfect precision. Derreck's eyes went wide as bullets chewed through his comrade, the senior officer's body sent tumbling along as blood spewed from gaping wounds.

Derreck pulled his body away from the corner, covering Luna and Evan once again as the bomber planes machine guns tore away a slab from the corner of the building, not fully intended for them and just a stray shot.

Derreck immediately stood up and rushed to his lieutenant's side. The man gurgled as death began to overcome him. “Sergeant... serge...” Alexei gasped as he grasped one of the big man's hands. In seconds the man was dead. In a furious anger, Derreck grabbed at the new Tokarev pistol that was holstered at Alexei's side.

Derreck thought to himself. 'You never even got to shoot this...' his thoughts wandered to past memories of Alexei receiving the pistol. His overjoyed look from the honor of receiving the brand new sidearm as a status of his officer rank and to replace his aging revolver.

Derreck pulled back on the slide and let it slam shut as he turned to face another low flying bomber. “For you... Alexei,” Derreck whispered, ready to face his own certain death. Pulling back on the trigger in rapid succession, the pistol let out a snappy report with each shot.

In blind luck, Derreck scored a shot on the pilot of the plane which careened down in a corkscrew motion and collided with the ground over two dozen meters away. However, as the plane plowed into the ground, the bomber's payload was set off and the concussive blast was enough to send the large man hurtling through a nearby building wall. A numbing sensation came over his body, blood drooling down his forehead. His vision blurred as he looked to the streets. His comrades stood no chance against the onslaught of German planes and the mortar shelling.

He looked and saw his longtime comrade Evan leading Luna across the street and to his position. At first he couldn't understand what Luna was saying due to his temporarily deafened hearing. Finally his senses came to and he could hear her distressed voice begging for him to wake up.

Trying to wipe the blood from his face, he only managed to smear it more, further worsening his look. Jamming the pistol that he'd make note to cherish dearly, he rushed back out onto the street and searched for his remaining allies, only to be greeted by the sight of fiery bloodshed.

Dismissing Luna's pleadings for him to wake up, he rushed over to the last known location of his remaining soldiers. Explosions rippled the ground beneath him as he skidded to a halt and leapt into a bombed out crater, Luna and Evan hopping in with him, the former being pulled along by the latter.

Derreck peeked his head up and spotted a lone survivor from the group at the tavern. “Viktor!” Derreck called out, gaining the said man's attention. He waved him over and Viktor first looked to the skies, then to the man in the crater and tossed away his empty rifle as he rushed for the group.

Hopping in with the others, he wept to the senior sergeant. “Sergeant... they're dead... all of them, dead!” he cried and Derreck nodded.

“I know.” Derreck gritted his teeth.

“All of them, even Alexei-” he was cut off by a reacting backhand from Derreck.

“I KNOW! SHUT UP!... Quickly, we must make it to the tavern!” Derreck ordered, Viktor holding his sore cheek.

“The tavern? But why?” Viktor asked in confusion.

“There is a cellar, it will protect us,” he said, scurrying out of the crater and helping the others out as the bomber planes left but the mortar shelling continued. There was no life in the town aside from the group of four who rushed through the streets that erupted with mortar explosions.

Arriving to the nearly demolished tavern, Derreck led the group through the bombed out interior and to a trap door in the back room. He went to open it but found it bound with a lock and chain. Derreck looked to Evan whom still had his SVT-40 rifle and gave him a nod. “BLOW IT OFF!” He yelled over the sounds of the mortar eruptions. The other man didn't need to be told twice and triggered off a single shot that blew away the lock.

Derreck yanked open the trap door and huddled the others down into the cellar room before hopping down himself.

Darkness overwhelmed them, the sounds of explosions shaking the cellar walls. Luna huddled up in a corner, whimpering to herself from the horrid and nerve rattling dream that felt all too real.

Derreck rummaged around in the darkness, using lit matches to find his way. Finally finding what he needed, he lit an old style lamp and positioned it in the middle of the cellar. Luna whispered things, trying to comfort herself.

Viktor sat in one corner with Evan, the two unable to believe their comrades from the unit were dead. Derreck shuffled over to Luna's side and placed his trench coat over her. Luna closed her eyes and tried to remember better times but despite her efforts could not recall more modern times. She could only recall the old times in Equestria, the ones before her banishment.

Time seemed to drag on for eternity but soon she found herself in the darkness of her own dreams, seeing herself play with her sister whilst the two were in their youth. She thought to herself as she dreamt. 'A dream within a dream... is it possible?'

She awoke sometime later to the feel of Derreck stroking his big hands through her smooth mane. He cradled her gently in his arms, letting her rest against him as she slept, her body covered and kept warm under his trench coat.

The lamp had gone out yet light now protruded into the cellar through cracks in the trap door. As Luna awoke, Derreck sat her up then motioned for everyone to be quiet as he drew Alexei's pistol he had retrieved the night before.

Moving to the cellar steps, he readied himself for a possible fight as he pushed open the trap door. Debris that lay atop the door was tossed aside and Derreck hopped up to ground level, only to be greeted by still floating ashes. The tavern was destroyed for the most part, not even the roof remaining.

He called quietly for the others to join him. The group walked along the lonesome streets, a thick layer of ash covering the ground beneath their feet, or in Luna's case, hooves. Derreck looked to the distance. A large cavalry of soldiers moved through the larger city unopposed.

Derreck walked lonesomely to the intersection where Alexei's riddled corpse remained. He knelt down beside the deceased leader and whispered a prayer for him before rummaging through his belt pouches for extra magazines for the pistol, along with the proper holster for it. “Goodbye... my friend,” he said as he stood up and fastened the holster and pistol, along with the magazine pouches, to his own waist.

Luna stumbled over to Derreck in sheer disbelief of the carnage. “Every... everyone's... they're dead... how...” she looked, seeing even the bodies of children laying on the streets. “How could they...” she was struck with utter disbelief.

Viktor arrived with Evan at his side, the former having retrieved another rifle. “Sergeant... what now?” he asked and Derreck looked to the distant city that was overrun with Germans then to the nearby forest in the opposite direction.

“We have to find the front,” he said and Luna perked her ears.

“The front? The front of what?” she asked.

“The war front. We need to link up with our comrades and repel the German swine,” he told the others but Luna interjected.

“We can't... we're not soldiers,” she said, referencing herself but her speech impediment making her use group context rather than singular text.

Viktor looked to her but Derreck spoke first. “We are now all soldiers. There is no exception. The Germans will not care if you are man, woman or child... they will kill you anyway.” He stepped up to Luna. “I know this will be hard for you... but you have to come with me... and most likely... you will have to take a life,” he told her but she instead stepped back.

“We won't... we can't. We don't kill,” she told him but the man simply sighed.

“Then they will kill you,” he told her coldly and turned to Viktor and Evan. “Quickly. To the forest. We will link up with the others...” He trailed off and looked to the gray sky that was filled with smoke. “Wherever they are...”

The group entered the room where both Luna and the big man had been laid across from each other. Twilight was shaking slightly, mostly in fear, as she stepped up to whom she presumed was her student.

Her facial expression became one of shock and hesitance. “This... who is he?” she asked, staring at the solid face of a different looking man. He had more defining check bones, a squarish chin and deep scars on his face. Dark brown hair was tainted with gray at the sides and the only similar resemblance to her student was that of his left eye patch. “It isn't Evan,” Twilight mentioned.

Celestia stepped up and nodded. “He... perhaps it is some sort of side effect of this induced coma they are stuck in. They were found early in the morning when I realized my sister had not lowered the moon and I had sent out guards to search for her... they may have been like this for hours before we found them. It is impossible to know...”

The group looked at comatose duo who lay still, breathing so regularly one may presume they were just napping. Twilight shook her head. “How... how could this happen?” she asked worriedly but Celestia just shook her head.

“We have yet to find out Twilight Sparkle. I am very afraid for both of their well being...”

Derreck lay still. Blood oozed out of multiple gunshot wounds and soaked his bullet riddled trench coat and uniform. Traces of glistening blood trickled down his lips. Other wounded soldiers squirmed in pain, some grasping for their rifles. A handful of German soldiers stepped up over the concrete blockade wall and peppered the group with submachine guns.

Blood spoiled the ground as life itself was ripped from the bodies of the soldiers. The Germans laughed to themselves and continued on. Sounds of gunshots continued in the distance, along with the somewhat common sound of cannon fire from tanks.

A crow fluttered down to pick at the corpses, landing first on Derreck's wounded shoulder. Reaching ever so slowly, the man slowly picked out some crumbs of food from his pocket and fed the bird. Satisfied with its meal, the bird fluttered off in a casual manner, not alerting nearby German soldiers.

Movement among the corpses perked Derreck's attention. “Viktor... Luna,” he said, bringing a finger to his mouth. "Sssh." He rolled over a nearby body and retrieved his rifle, motioning the others to follow him along the blockade wall.

Crawling at a snailish pace, the trio made their way down the street, alongside ruined and burnt out buildings. Screams and crying could be heard in the streets, followed by gunshots. Reaching a corner of an intersection, Derreck leaned his back against the cement blockade wall.

He looked to the others, blood still seeping from his wound though at a slower rate then before. Luna spoke up. “Derreck... you're bleeding!” she gasped but Derreck immediately held his hand over her mouth.

“It will mean nothing if we are found and shot dead,” he whispered. Peeking up and over the cement wall, he spotted a fountain in the middle of the street were more of his deceased comrades lay.

Looking above, he saw massive planes rumbling overhead. “Follow me, quickly, to the fountain in the street.” He crept around to the side of the cement barricade and scurried across the street, followed closely by Luna and Viktor. The trio hopped into the fountain of dead bodies, laying flat and out of view.

Derreck leaned up against the fountain wall and sighed as he set his rifle aside. “I have been shot... many times. My wounded shoulder means I cannot fire a rifle today... Luna, I know you refuse to fight... but today, our lives depend on it... Viktor...” he trailed off and looked to the other Russian man.

Viktor nodded and slipped his remaining four shells of ammunition into his Mosin rifle, having exhausted the rest of his ammunition earlier. Derreck retrieved the Alexei's Tokarev pistol from his holster, having just seven shots left.

“Luna... that rifle has five shots... no more, no less... with each shot, there shall be one kill,” he said but Luna refused not only to kill but to even hold the rifle. “Luna... my comrade... my dearest friend... if you do not help us today than we will never leave this fountain alive,” he told her and she bit her lip, a tear coming to her eye.

Over the past year she had seen enough bloodshed then she had ever saw in Equestria. Now in the streets of Stalingrad, she realized things were much worse when fighting got close as they seemed to do every single day. Each day was not only a physical struggle but a mental one. Each day trying to keep herself sane despite the horrors amassing themselves around her.

Derreck tried shoved the rifle into her hooves but she still refused to take it. “If I could... I would do this for you... but today, I cannot. Today, you will become a soldier. Today... you will take a life in exchange for your own. You must... or we will all di-” he was cut off by mortified screaming.

Derreck, Luna and Viktor dared to peak over the fountain wall to see a woman stagger out onto the streets from a burning building. A child rest in her arms, blood littering his body. Before her sobs of loss could continue, the chatter of submachine guns rattled in the streets and ended her life abruptly.

The trio slumped back into the fountain. Derreck spoke to the other two. “These... are the darkest days of the Nazi occupation of Europe. Everything hangs in the balance of the next few days... perhaps weeks... maybe even months. If we allow the Germans to further advance into our motherland, than all is lost. They will take Russia and all it's natural resources... then move onto the rest of Europe... and then the world...” he trailed off and looked to Luna.

“And today, is no different. Luna, I ask you... I beg you. My friend, help us defend our lands from their treachery.” He held the rifle to her.

“We are... we do not kill. We cannot kill,” she whispered. Derreck thrust the rifle into her hooves, not taking no for an answer. He couldn't, or they'd all be dead. Peaking up over the fountain wall, he pointed to a building that was diagonally across from where they had come from.

In front of the building stood two German soldiers mingled casually despite deadly firefights erupting a mere few hundred yards away in other parts of the city. “Viktor... the one on the right,” he ordered the young soldier who nodded and aligned his sights.

Derreck helped Luna set up her rifle, which she was constantly reluctant hold. “Okay... Luna, the soldier on the left. Place the front blade sight between the notch in the rear sight. Make sure the top of the blade is level to the top of the rear sight...” he trailed off and gave her the basic instruction on how to shoot the rifle. They only needed to dispatch the two soldiers and they could make a b-line for the solid building undetected.

Luna shook her head. “We can't... we cannot kill-” she began but Derreck cut her short.

“It is just a dream! Now do it, or we will die!” Derreck hissed. Viktor looked to him in confusion but quickly pushed the thought aside as he steadied his aim for the kill. Luna choked back a sniffle and wiped a tear from her face. She struggled with the rifle, resting the fore-end on the edge of the fountain wall and putting her right hoof to the trigger guard. Though designed for human fingers, she managed to grip the trigger with her hoof just enough to be able to set the rifle off.

Clenching her eyes shut, she shook her head. “We don't want to...” Luna cried but Derreck put a hand over her mouth.

“You must. It's just a dream, relax!” Derreck hissed, making sure not to arouse the attention of the guards. With Luna's shooting position they were in plain view. “Steady... steady...” Massive planes rumbled overhead. “NOW!” Derreck ordered. Viktor's rifle cracked off, his shot somewhat muffled by the sound of the planes passing overhead and making it sound as though just another shot in the distant fighting.

Viktor's target dropped in a heap while the other flinched and ducked down. Luna sucked back and cringed but didn't fire. “LUNA!” Derreck roared. The guard began to shout and holler, quickly gaining the attention of others.

Viktor racked on the stiff bolt of his rifle and cracked off another shot, clipping the second guard high and in the shoulder. “LUNA!” Derreck roared but she just looked away.

“We cannot kill... Besides, it is just a dream right?” she wept. Gunshots chattered in the streets ahead of them, bullets chipping away at the fountain wall. Pulling Luna down, Derreck hissed a vicious curse.

Viktor quickly fired off two more shots before ducking down. “I'm out!” he shouted and Derreck tossed him Luna's unused rifle. Drawing his own pistol the two men stood up and quickly capped off the remainder of their ammunition in quick succession, dropping seven incoming soldiers.

Dropping back down Derreck cursed to himself as he peeked through a crack in the fountain wall. Over a dozen soldiers poured towards them, weapons chattering. Without even so much as a grenade, they were sitting ducks. Luna wept to herself, crying that she was sorry.

Just as all seemed lost and the Germans we nearly on top of them, a lone figure leapt up to the top of the fountain. A bright muzzle flash erupted from the short barrel along with a sharp chattering. Empty brass spat out the side of the small firearm as the gun cycled through the cylindrical magazine's reserves.

After several short seconds the gun ran dry, the man standing in his place for several seconds, barrel smoking. Derreck coughed, holstering his pistol as he peeked up over the fountain wall. The oppressing soldiers had all but been cut down.

Evan hopped down from his perch, tossing the empty PPsh-41 aside in favor of his loaded SVT-40. Derreck chuckled. “Like an angel's blessing... come, to the building, they will have heard the shots.” Derreck led the group across the body riddled street and into the building.

Evan pulled open Derreck's trench coat, revealing his rather grave injuries. He pushed Evan's hand away with a smirk. “I'll be fine... flesh wounds,” he joked. Luna slumped in a corner, crying to herself in shame. Derreck looked to Evan who was sharing his interchangeable ammunition with Viktor. “You two, secure the hallways...” he ordered. The men left to do as ordered. Derreck turned and walked towards Luna slumping down beside mare.

His breath was raspy, his lungs struggling to keep up with his body's demand for oxygen. Luna began to sputter out an apology but Derreck just waved it off. “Relax... in the end we are all still alive... I should not have asked you to do it,” he sighed. Luna dipped her head into her hooves.

“How much longer will this dream last?” she whispered, already traumatized by the events she had witnessed over the past year. Derreck exhaled deeply.

“I am not sure...”

The others all sat around the comatose pair, waiting for the moment they woke up. Twilight looked to Applejack who didn't really have an affiliation with either of the two. “Applejack... you know you don't really have to stay here. I know you have family matters to attend to and I would never hold it against you-” Twilight began but Applejack cut her short.

AJ shook her head. “Nuh-uhh. Twilight, he's yer student an' ah'm one a yer closest friends. Ah know Braeburn'll understand,” she replied, giving Twilight some peace of mind. Rainbow Dash nodded.

“YEAH! We're not gonna ditch you just cause we barely know the guy!” Dash told her. Fluttershy smiled timidly as she spoke up.

“He may be a little bit... hard headed and sometimes scary, but he's your student,” she said in her soft little voice. Rarity spoke up as well.

“And as your student, that makes him our friend as well... more or less,” she added in. Applejack nodded.

“An' friends look out fer others friends, always!” Most of the group smiled towards Twilight before being interrupted by Pinkie Pie who was hopping around with a set of party balloons.

“Yeah and besides, coming to Canterlot is always...” she trailed off with a deep inhale. “TOTALLY AWESOME!” She screamed out, confetti bursting out of her cannon. A bright smile splayed across her face until she remembered the reason they were here. “Oh... and we're totally all her for Ivan,” she commented and Applejack just groaned, dipping her head into her hooves as Rarity turned to Celestia.

“And we're here for you too princess.” She gave a nod which Celestia returned along with her thanks. With a sigh, she looked to her sister who was in a deep sleep.

“I just hope she can forgive me after this is all through...”

Derreck burst through a building's front doors in the streets of Stalingrad, his submachine gun chattering and moving down several German soldiers. He waved to the others. “This way! Hurry!”

The others rushed through the doorway just as a German Panzer IV turned the corner of the street. Derreck's eyes went wide as he rushed the others through the doors. Ever ominously, the turret cranked towards them. “Up the stairs!” Derreck ordered, rushing up behind the group. The tank cannon fired, the round erupting on the bottom floor and shaking the entire building.

The group fell to their knees as the rickety old staircase collapsed, dropping their bodies back to the ground floor. As their combined weight slammed down, the floorboards gave out as well, dropping them into a basement.

Blood oozed down Derreck's face as he stood up, ears ringing. The others all moaned and groaned, slowly trying to regain their footing. German shouting could be heard above, coming closer to the large hole in the floor.

Derreck loaded a fresh drum magazine into the submachine gun and aimed it at the opening in the floor. Three Germans peered down the hole with rifles drawn but weren't expecting the greeting they got.

Derreck held back on the trigger only briefly, swinging the gun across a horizontal arc. The gun's muzzle flashed brightly in the dark basement, illuminating Derreck's rigid aging facial features. After only a second the gun was silenced as Derreck let off on the trigger. The enemy soldiers all fell down the hole and landed around the big man in clumped heaps.

Viktor and Evan stood to their feet, wiping their face of soot and blood. Derreck rushed to Luna's side, pulling the heavy collapsed debris off her back and heaving her over his shoulder. “Follow me,” Derreck ordered as he led the others out of the basement and through the back doors of the building, leading them into back alleyways. Derreck set Luna down to regain her composure and she followed the group, sticking close.

Skidding to a stop near the exit of the alley, Derreck instead plundered through a back alley door and led the group into another building. Slowing down, he let his submachine gun lead the way.

Going floor to floor, the group finally came to a stop as Derreck spotted a dead body of one of their comrades in arms. His body lay in the center of a bombed out room, most of his head missing and his SVT-40 rifle, fitted with a pu scope, laying by his side. “Stay low and try to keep out of sight,” he ordered as he began to creep into the room of the deceased body.

The walls were for the most part destroyed, likely the work of a tank. As the group entered the room, the hairs on the back of Derreck's neck prickled up. The glint of a far off scope optic flashed. “GET DOWN!” Derreck roared as he jumped into Luna.

The distant gunshot echoed through the streets, a bullet blazing through Derreck's left shoulder but just missing Luna. However, a spew of blood still littered her face. Derreck rolled their bodies out of the sniper's line of fire, Viktor and Evan slipping down to the ground and laying flat on their bellies.

Derreck grasped his shoulder and Luna immediately tried to inspect it. Derreck pinned her to the floor. “Down... stay down!” he grunted. Luna was breathing heavily. Had Derreck not jumped in front of her...

“Why us? It could have been aiming for one of them,” she said in a hushed tone but Derreck didn't answer her.

He shimmied across the floor on his back and kicked the rifle towards Evan. “Use the rifle...” He chuckled and closed his eyes. “It seems I am always unable to use one in these times of need,” he laughed.

Evan took the rifle and tried to rack the bolt but found it jammed shut, the rifle itself having been hit from shrapnel. The scope however was still in operable condition. Evan turned to Derreck who looked to the deceased body. To remove the scope they needed specialized tools, namely a tiny little screwdriver.

Derreck shimmied closer to the body, fearing he may be in the sniper's view at any given point. Reaching the body he began to rummage through the man's pouches. Finding nothing at first, he used his weak arm to reach up to the jacket chest pockets of the dead man. As he did, a gunshot tore through his left tricep, ripping open another gash in his arm.

He grunted in pain and instead dragged the body away and into the corner. Blood oozed down his shot up arm as he pilfered through the body's jacket, finally finding the scope tool set and tossing it to Evan.

The other man quickly removed the scope and slid the scope onto his own rifle which luckily had rails to make scope mounting accessible. Tightening up the scope, Evan leaned up against the bottom of the blown out wall. Viktor looked to Derreck. “Where was he?” he asked.

Derreck shut his eyes and envisioned the events again. “Two hundred meters down the street, left side... fourth story window,” he replied. Evan nodded and crept out of the room with Viktor to find another shooting location, this room having been compromised as a sniper location.

Luna turned back to Derreck and brought up the subject from before. “Why did you chose us?” she asked and Derreck shook his head as he spoke.

“It doesn't matter.”

Evan and Viktor continued up another flight of stairs and into another room on the fifth story. Evan scurried up to the window and peeked down the street. Viktor looked to the silent man as he set up the sniper rifle. “Do you see him?” Viktor asked but the man didn't answer. Instead, he set up the rifle and peered through the scope.

Looking through the magnified optic, he searched for the telltale signs of his enemy, quickly finding it as though he knew exactly where he was.

Gently depressing the trigger, Evan held the rifle tight to make sure it didn't move to much while firing. The rifle boomed, emitting a bright muzzle flash and spitting out the bullet at sonic speeds.

The optic however was off and the bullet chipped into the building far below his point of aim. He dropped to the floor and motioned silently for Viktor to do the same. No sooner had Viktor dropped to the floor, a bullet ripped into the wall where he had been standing just a second before. Evan waved for him to follow and crawled into another room. Thinking back on what had just happened, the man readjusted the scope, having no doubt in his mind that the scope was tuned for the other rifle and not his own, though he'd make the necessary adjustments later.

He dialed the scope in for what he believed would make the killing shot then leveled the rifle sights out to the streets, making sure his barrel wasn't protruding out the window. Doing a once over, the man found his target once more in the same spot he had been prior. Placing the sights on the sniper's midsection, Evan began to gently depress the trigger once again, thinking to himself that his adversary must be a rookie for not having changed his position.

The gun jerked and spat out another bullet, this time striking it's target. Though he aimed for the midsection, the shot was slightly off and struck the enemy's throat.

Derreck leaned his back to the wall as he smiled in unison with Evan, the former muttering to himself. “Perfect.”

Celestia shook her head in shame. “This is all my fault.” The others looked to her in confusion, unsure of what she meant. “My sister has had glimpses of his nightmares. She said they terrified her to the point that she was reluctant to do this,” she said, Rarity picking up in question.

“Do what, your highness?” she asked, asking the question that was no doubt in everypony's thoughts.

“I asked her to tap into his mind, into his dreams and find out the exact reasons for his...” she turned to Twilight. “Particular mental states. She was...” she trailed off, looking to the ceiling as a tear trickled down her cheek. “She wouldn't do it at first. Truth be told, I wasn't sure if she'd do it at all but I told her it was for your sake,” she said as she looked to Twilight. “And now I have yet again failed my sister,” she turned away from them, tears formulating in her eyes and showing her emotions in full.

The others all cuddled up around her, squeezing her into a tight group hug. Twilight spoke the group's mind. “Don't worry princess. We all make mistakes, some worse than others. It's what makes us ponies. Don't worry about this. In the end everything will turn out right, I'm sure of it,” she assured the elder princess.

Celestia looked to her former student. “You... you think so?” she said as she sucked back a sniffle. Twilight nodded. “Promise?” she asked hopefully. Twilight smiled as she began through a set of motions.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly-” at the last moment however, Pinkie Pie interrupted with a scream of joy as she leapt forwards.

“STICK A CUPCAKE IN YOUR EYE!” She squealed with laughter, piling a rather large cupcake, almost a cake, into the elder princess's face. They all stood in horror as Pinkie giggled uncontrollably at the seemingly innocent joke. Quickly realizing that this was not the time for such shenanigans, she went quiet. The regal ruler opened her eyes, most of her face covered in icing.

Celestia blinked and slowly moved her tongue around her lips, licking up what she could before smiling brightly and letting out a playful laugh. At first the others were shocked but soon joined into the laughter.

Derreck did up the buttons on his trench coat that was stitched in many spots where bullet holes used to reside. Standing to his full height he made himself presentable then looked to his equine companion, the sole reason they had been summoned.

He knelt down and tried to brush her mane. Luna stepped back for a moment. “What are you doing?” she asked in confusion, having already done up her mane.

“He cannot be allowed to see your horn... or your wings,” the big man mentioned, looking over her soviet uniform. He began to brush her mane and took notice that the color had been ever changing since the first days in Poland during the Nazi's invasion into Russia. He made no mention of this and finally straightened her mane in such a way that her horn was not visible yet she looked rather presentable.

“Do you know this man?” she asked and he nodded.

“Everyone in the Soviet Union knows of him... maybe even the world,” he replied and she rolled her eyes with a shiver of fear.

“We meant have you ever met him personally?” she asked again and Derreck let out a long exhale as they began to walk down the hallways of the grand building.

“Yes,” he replied but said nothing more. Luna was too curious to be satisfied with such an answer.

“Well... what was he like?” she asked, wanting to know more before she met the man.

“We went hunting together before.” He stopped for a moment and looked to Luna. “He hated hunting...” he trailed off and remembered something gravely important. “Do not look, or make mention of his left arm,” he ordered her and the princess titled her head in curiosity. “His left arm is... he's temperamental about it. If he feels like you are staring at it... we will never leave this building alive,” he told her and Luna gulped.

They stood before the guarded doors of the man's office. The guards opened the doors and let them through. Stepping through the doors, Luna got her first glimpse of the man who had summoned them. Derreck had called him 'Stalin'.

The man looked to her with a squinted look, getting a good visual of her. He stood up, right arm at his side and left hand tucked into his coat. His voluptuous mustache covered most of his lips as he strolled forwards. His hair was slicked back and graying at the sides.

He turned to Derreck and addressed him first. “Ahh... Derreck,” he spoke in a rather charismatic voice. “How is the front these days?” he asked and the big man didn't deter as he spoke.

“A walk in the park, your greatness,” he replied, a little out of style for how he usually addressed people. The man smiled, his pock marked face wrinkling as he did.

“Indeed. And this... this is the horse... it is blue?” he mentioned, asking a question mostly to himself as he inspected every inch of Luna, touching her mane and fur even scratching behind her ear at one point. “I don't recall asking the scientists to create a talking horse... a blue one no less... and you say I ordered it?” he asked Derreck while still looking to Luna.

“Yes sir.” Derreck licked his lips. “The scientist who delivered it told me it was your strict design. As proof of Mother Russia's scientific advances beyond the rest of the world, along with your genius...” Derreck trailed off.

Stalin leaned in close to Luna's face, taking a sniff before leaning back and thinking to himself. “And how is a horse that talks beneficial to the glorious mother land?” he asked, recalling that he had never once asked for such a creature.

“The way the scientist put it... if our horses fight alongside the soldiers, then we can have a definite advantage over the Germans. With a horse's inept senses, they can detect enemy soldiers further away and tell us exactly what's on their mind. Also, with their speed and agility advantage over men and tanks, they can even strike from behind enemy lines before they even know what hit them... that's what the scientist said,” Derreck lied, trying to come up with the best excuse he had on hand.

Stalin stroked his chin, thinking to himself. “No scientist of mine has made mention of such a creature being created...” he trailed off, giving Derreck a squinty eyed look.

Derreck didn't answer and merely shrugged. “I'm not sure, your lordship. I was told the orders had come directly from you for me to accompany this horse into every battle...” Derreck trailed off and Stalin frowned.

“I made no such order!” he snarled and Derreck gulped.

“Only what I was told sir,” he replied.

“Then it was a lie! And this horse... it too is a lie!” he growled, Luna taking a cautious step back. Derreck quickly interjected.

“Sir! If I may!” he quickly spat out, gaining Stalin's attention. “Even if she is a lie-” he was quickly cut off by the stout man who stepped over to the bulky, looming man and looked him dead in the eyes with a fiery glare.

“She?” he asked and Derreck nodded.

“The horse is a mare sir... even if she is a lie... she creates havoc among the German front. Rumors of a talking horse among the ranks of the Red Army who fights alongside the men and women... it shreds the Nazi's moral to ruins by the fact that even their most elite snipers cannot track and eliminate her.” Derreck stood in silence and the man began rubbing his chin again.

“Yes... indeed...” he said, beginning to go into a state of delusion. “I have heard great stories about this... talking horse... the 'Blue Death' they call her,” he mentioned, no such term having actually been used. “Even Hitler himself shakes in his knickers at the very mention of it. How could a country he considers filthy and poor create such a marvelous beauty? What other great fates have we created that he not yet knows about?” he asked, starting to lose his mind.

He turned back to Derreck and Luna, holding his fist high as he spoke. “SHE.. is the pinnacle of Russian might, the ultimate testament to Mother Russia's power... MY power!” he shouted then stepped forwards and stroked Luna's cheek, the mare going stiff with fear of the man's delusional way.

Stalin then turned to Derreck and nodded. “Senior sergeant Parker... if you would please... escort our hero to Berlin... and crush the Third Reich!” Stalin ordered. Derreck gave his nod and began to escort Luna out but just as they were about to leave, Stalin called out for them to stop. “Senior sergeant Parker... the rumors say the horse can talk... yet this whole time I did not hear a single syllable from her,” he said sternly. Derreck nudged Luna who in turn took a reluctant bow.

“Your lordship,” she said with great courtesy, holding back her defiance. Stalin smiled and gave them a wave as they left. Luna groaned but Derreck just ruffled her mane.

“I know you probably hated that... but know it was one of the most courageous things you will ever do,” he told her and she rose a brow. He just smiled. “Trust me...”

She sighed and nuzzled into his side. "Thank you. Thank you for calling us a she rather than an it. It... well, thank you..." she said affectionately.

Twilight looked to her student, or whom she believed to be her student. His facial features had changed so dramatically it seemed implausible for him to look this way despite what she remembered from the day before when he left.

A tear trickled down her face as she placed her cheek to his, wondering just what exactly was going through his mind...

Russian tanks plundered into German territory for the first time, aided by the masses of infantry. Gunshots and explosions ripped through the air. The shouting of soldiers drowned out by their own rifles as they charged towards the enemy encamped in the hills.

Derreck rushed forwards with his submachine gun, the firearm chattering viciously in his hands. Others charged behind him but the only ones he knew personally were that of his original squad.

He moved at a rampant pace, trying vigorously to push his body beyond its limits and reach the German defenses. His facial features we now heavily scarred from battle, wrinkling as he howled in anger. Luna kept her pace behind the others, having never once fired her rifle and having no intention of ever doing so.

In the far out hills, an large flack gun turned towards the advancing tanks and troops. Derreck took notice but it was far too late to react properly. The massive cannon fired, propelling a large explosive shot towards the mass formation.

The shot impacted near Derreck, the explosion not nearly close enough to injure him but the concussive force still enough to send him hurtling to the side, his submachine gun tossed through the air. He landed in a heap while Evan, Viktor and Luna rushed to his side as others rushed by them.

“Derreck!” Luna called, holding his head up in her hooves. The big man groaned, clenching his eyes shut as he wiped soot and dirt from his face. Gunshots and cannons boomed in the background of his impaired hearing. A numb ringing sound echoed in his ears as he stood up with Luna's help. He looked to the flack cannon in the distance that rained down hell on his comrades.

He then turned to the forest not far away to the right side of the cannon. “Quickly, this way. To the forest. Evan, you can use your rifle to pick off the crew of that cannon from the depths of the forest!” he ordered, leading his squad towards the dense mass of trees.

Derreck drew Alexei's pistol, the one he had cherished for so long. They reached the confines of the forest without issue, the mass horde of Soviet soldiers occupying the German's attention for the time being. “Viktor... you lead the way,” he ordered.

Viktor stepped up to the front of the group, leading the way with his rifle that was fitted with a long bayonet. The group found their way towards the side of the forest, now having a clear shot of the artillery crew just a few hundred meters away.

“Viktor, Luna, cover our behind,” Derreck ordered as he pulled out his binoculars. Looking through the magnification lens, he peered over the artillery crew that by now had undoubtedly killed hundreds of men.

Evan knelt down and leaned against a tree trunk, using a low branch to support his rifle as he too peered upon the far off troops through his rifle's scope.

Derreck spoke up. “The radio crew... take out the operator first.” Evan leveled his sights and dialed in the scope for the range. Sighting the tip of the vertical post on the midsection of the radio operator, Evan gently squeezed back on the trigger. The rifle jerked into the man's shoulder, the gun's muzzle flaring violently as a high velocity round was spat down range.

Derreck watched as only a split second later the radio operator slumped over. The commander ducked his head and pointed his pistol in several direction as the cannon crew continued to fire, unaware they were being targeted.

Evan squeezed off a second shot that took the commander off his feet and put him to his final rest. The sounds of his gunshots echoed through the forest but were absorbed into the mass chaos of the battlefield.

Derreck peered through the binoculars and picked out another target. “The coordinator,” he ordered. Seconds later a spurt of blood erupted out the target's backside as Evan put a bullet through his chest.

The men operating the cannon stopped as their fellow crew mate collapsed. Thinking it was the infantry closing in at first, the peeked over the sandbags, only to find the infantry still far off and battling with entrenched front line defense.

Presuming it perhaps to be a stray shot, he called out for another coordinator, only then to realize their radio operator and commander had also been shot. “They're onto us. The one on the far left,” Derreck ordered, his order completed only moments later as Evan's rifle fired and the target dropped like a sack of potatoes.

“Again, the man in the middle,” he ordered. Evan fired again. “The last one!” Derreck shouted, his order again answered by the report of the sniper rifle.

The silent man lifted his head from behind the scope to gaze across the horrendous battlefield. Seconds past when suddenly the scope on his rifle shattered, kinetic force ripping the rifle from his hands as he was kicked back.

Derreck shouted to the others. “SNIPER! THEY'VE SPOTTED US!” He roared. He looked back to the battlefield to search for the threat, only to find a much larger foe posing a threat to their lives. A second artillery cannon was turned their way.

“GET DOW-” Derreck was cut short as the cannon shot struck nearby, knocking down trees and blowing dirt into the air.

German shouting could be heard nearby as gunshots began to sputter in the nearby distance. Men dressed in green camouflage, that was further coated with leaves and brush, charged forwards. Derreck grunted as he stood up and regrouped with his squad. “German elite!” he snarled as he readied his pistol. “This is going to be a vicious fight!”

Evan knocked off what remained of his busted scope from the rifle and began to peck off rapid aimed shots at the incoming soldiers. Derreck turned to Luna. “Get back, behind me!” he ordered, knowing full well she wouldn't want to kill.

Viktor leaned up against a tree and began to pop off shots with his aging bolt rifle. The elite soldiers closed in on the small group, laying down supporting fire with buzzing machine guns and submachine guns as rifle wielding soldiers charged up the sides.

“Watch our flank!” Derreck ordered, snapping off several shots with Alexei's pistol. Viktor yanked the pin on an F1 grenade and hurled it at the flanking soldiers. The eruption was loud while the effects were devastating to the soldiers it killed and maimed.

Evan's rifle continued to fire in rapid succession, each muzzle flash a sign that another soldier was dead. Derreck continued to fire until Alexei's pistol ran dry, the slide locking back. He went to reload but stopped dead in motion as a grenade bounced nearby. He flinched but managed nothing else as he was tossed against a tree trunk from the erupting explosion.

Luna watched in horror as elite soldiers closed in on Viktor whose rifle ran dry. The brave soldier jabbed his bayonet into the gut of a soldier who tumbled forwards and knocked Viktor to his back.

Other soldiers quickly closed the gap and began to ruthlessly kick and beat the downed man. Evan's flank now widely exposed, an elite soldier fired at the man's blindside, clipping him in the lower gut. The bullet tore through him, ripping open a gash in not only his body but his uniform as well.

Evan let out a silent gasp of pain as he fell to his knees then turned and fired three rapid shots that took the flanking soldier off his feet. More soldiers charged him head on. One soldier fired a submachine gun, several shots tearing the man. Rips and tears shredded his uniform as bullets grazed and ripped through his body.

A bullet clipped his left thigh, bringing him to a slouch. Two more shots plowed into his abdomen, one in his lower gut and one up high on the left side of his chest. Another lucky shot clipped his right shoulder, further ripping his uniform.

He clenched his eyes as he gritted his teeth, the rifle firing wildly in one hand and only gaining one random shot on a soldier's gut. More automatic fire shredded the ground near Evan's body, some shots plowing into him and finally knocking him to his back.

Derreck rose up and fired Alexei's pistol once more. Three shots towards Evan's location put two soldiers down. He swung his aim towards Viktor's location and took four of the men off Viktor. He was about to swing his aim back towards Evan's location when a German elite officer plowed into Derreck, taking him by surprise and off his feet.

The elite soldier drove Derreck's back into the ground before beginning to pummel his face with punches. The big man was barely fazed by the blows and rocked his body to one side, flipping their bodies over so he was on top.

The man only needed to throw one punch and the elite officer was dead. But instead of getting back into the fight, Derreck began to crush the officer's head in a fury of punches, turning the dead man's skull into pulp.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled up and he turned, only to see a group of soldiers charging him with MP40 submachine guns. The gun's chattered and chugged, ripping up the ground around him before going in for the kill and riddling his body with a storm of lead.

He was knocked off the dead officer's body as bullets ripped through him, chewing holes in not only his body but his trench coat as well. Derreck thought to himself. 'Aww... bastards...'

He lay in a collapsed heap as the elite soldiers surrounded him, guns pointed in his still living face. They began shouting things in Germans he could barely understand and he merely spot a glob of blood in one of their faces.

Luna whimpered to herself. She had been in fierce battles before during Equestrian conflicts but nothing in her entire life had been as horrendous, vicious, brutal or terrifying as what she had experienced over the course of the past few years during this human war.

She clenched her eyes shut, knowing full well if she didn't do something, her friends would all die. She knew what she had to do...

Her eyes stayed shut as she gritted her teeth, digging down deep. 'Our friends... MY, friends... will die if I don't do this...' she thought to herself, her fur darkening with color along with her mane which started to straighten out. Her horn began to glow despite the lack of magic in the world.

A German soldier leveled the sights of his pistol to Derreck's head, ready to execute him first for being the ranking soldier among the group. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the pistol was coated in a nightly dark blue and yanked from his hands.

The pistol, floating in the air and coated in Luna's magical aura, turned on its former owner. The Germans all gasped as their own weapons were yanked from their hands and tossed away. The leading soldier gulped as the pistol pressed to his forehead and fired, blowing out the back side of his skull.

The rapid firing MG42 was yanked from its perch and laid down a stream of death upon the remaining elite soldiers, bullets shredding the men to pieces. The ones who were spared screamed in absolute horror and fear as they ran off into the forest.

Luna opened her eyes with a gasp, the pistol and machine gun falling from the air as her aura dissapeared. Tears flowed from her eyes as she bared witness to her doing, the death she had caused.

Evan staggered over, blood dripping from his uniform. Viktor stumbled over, severe bruises covering his face and puffing out his cheeks. Derreck crawled over to a tree and lay slumped up against it, blood oozing out of several gunshot wounds.

Viktor gasped at the sight of his comrade and friend. “SERGEANT!” He gasped, rushing over but Derreck held up a hand and pointed to Luna.

“She... is the hero today... she saved all of our lives... you owe her more than you will ever know and not just for saving your lives,” he said, giving his nod to Luna.

Sometime later...

Derreck wrapped up the last of his wounds, walking around like the gunshots barely fazed him. Evan did the same, though his wounds were much less severe than the Sergeant's. Viktor downed a pint of Vodka as he sighed to himself.

The group settled themselves in a small encampment. Radio operators and nurses flocked the area as the tended to their business. Derreck looked to Alexei's pistol then to the far off horizon and setting sun. He whispered prayers to himself, praying for the safety of his friends and saying a small prayer he hoped Alexei could hear.

A Studebaker truck pulled into the makeshift base and began offloading new equipment. Derreck stood up and looked to the equipment being offloaded. He looked to his group who were, other than Luna, mending their wounds. “I need a new rifle,” Derreck told them and made towards the truck. Luna stood up and followed him silently.

Derreck made his way over to the equipment boxes that had been unloaded. Looking around, he took note of which ones were rifles and ammunition and which were medical supplies, radio parts and other miscellaneous items.

He took out a knife and pried open a crate, retrieving a random rifle without looking and simply walking away with a casual pace, Luna following closely behind. As Derreck found himself a more secluded spot, he looked to the rifle, eyes going wide.

Luna stopped as she noticed his gaze. Derreck looked over the rifle and actioned the curved bolt. The rifle had a silky smooth touch to the wood's finish and the bolt actioned smoother than he ever thought it would.

Setting the stock of the rifle into his shoulder, he peered through the 3.5x magnification scope. “I meant to take a regular rifle... instead... I was gifted by this...” He mentioned to Luna. Lowering the sights, he turned to her.

Derreck stood for a moment in silence before noticing a live Trillium flower growing nearby that had been unaffected by the conflict. To Derreck it was a sign of beauty among the battlefield. Something so innocent and unaffected by death yet still filling his heart with warmth. “Trillium...” he trailed off silently, figuring that would be a suitable name. Luna paid his mingling no mind and spoke her mind.

“Today... I... I-” she was cut off as Derreck held a finger to her mouth.

“Today... you saved our lives. Today, you became a soldier...” he trailed off and smiled. “Today, it is 'I'... not 'We',” he commented and she realized what he meant.

“I... uhh... I killed.” She couldn't help but feel strange as those words, that single syllable, that single lettered word, left her mouth so naturally. But unfortunately it wasn't a time to rejoice. She felt inwardly guilty for ending many lives. “How do you... do it?” she asked but the big man just shrugged.

“Always remember... for you, this is just a dream. Something that never happened,” he told her and she looked up to him, a tear in her eye.

“And for you?” she asked but he didn't answer. Feeling so ashamed of herself, she drove herself into him, nestling her head against his chest for comfort as she began to weep. Derreck brushed her mane, stroking it gently as he held her in a hug.

He thought to himself as he held her. 'War... ends lives more than just physically.'

The day became late and the group got ready to retire for the night. The only ones who decided to remain in the private room were Celestia, Twilight and Lassie. Giving their farewells for the night, the others made to their own quarters which Celestia had ordered to be prepared.

Twilight sat watching in silence. Every so often the comatose duo would twitch and squirm, sometimes even doing so much as a kick but then fall back into seemingly peaceful resting. She couldn't help but to wonder worriedly what was happening in their dream realm.

Celestia leaned her head in close to whisper both a prayer and an apology to her sister before laying down on the ground beside her sleeping sister. Twilight looked to the larger princess and spoke. “Celestia... what are you doing?” she asked, wondering why the regal ruler was taking residence on the floor.

“This is all my doing. If it had not been for my persistence, this would have never happened. And now my sister is immobilized, along with your student. If anything, it should be my duty to stay by their side until they wake, no matter what sort of discomfort I am put in,” she told the younger princess boldly.

Lassie curled up by her master's bedside, eyes looking to and fro with a saddened look, a whimpered whine leaving the confines of her mouth. Twilight laid close to Celestia in an attempt to comfort her. “I won't let you do this alone princess. He's my student as well,” said the much younger princess as she hunkered down for the night.

Celestia lay awake for several more hours, even after the others had all fallen asleep. Twilight rolled about in her sleep, even snoring slightly at one point. Celestia smiled as she nuzzled her muzzle affectionately against Twilight's cheek for just a moment before resting her head across her own forelegs. “Thank you Twilight Sparkle... you are a good friend...”

A heavy Russian IS-2 tank rammed through a blockade in the streets of Berlin. On the side of the tank in big white letters read 'Stalin's Sword' for all to see. On the top of the tank's turret resided a heavy .50 caliber Russian machine gun, operated by a middle aged man.

He swung the big gun towards a group of resistance fighters and lit them up, the heavy slugs not only tearing them away, but blowing away their concrete defense. Derreck looked around and spotted a building on the left side of the street, possibly once a deli, now heavily fortified and armed to the teeth with a handful of machine guns.

Derreck peeked back down the turret hatch to his squad, now his tank crew. “The building on the left, fifty meters!” Derreck ordered over the sound of both the tank's rumbling engine and the chaos in the streets.

Viktor brought the tank to a stop as Evan lined up the shot and fired. The 122mm cannon propelled a high explosive round into the building. The explosion tore away at the fortifications and completely annihilated the group of fighters.

Viktor began to drive the tank onwards once again as Luna reloaded the main tank gun. As they came into a town intersection, a crew operating a howitzer field gun took aim upon the group's tank. The 88mm gun fired in their direction but the round simply splashed off the heavy frontal armor of the IS-2 tank.

Derreck swung his heavy machine gun at them and opened up. Even with the gun mounted to the tank turret, the heavy machine gun still rocked and shook in his arms. Massive muzzle flashes erupted out the front of the gun as it spat out death.

The heavy slugs chewed apart the howitzer crew as the tank pressed onwards without even stopping. As they moved through the streets, they met up with another group of Russian tanks. The T34 tanks came to a stop as did Derreck's tank. The lead commander of the T34s opened his hatch and looked to the big man. “Sergeant, you lead the way and we'll follow! Down the street and smash what is left of the Third Reich!” the captain hollered.

Derreck gave a nod, ducked down through the tank hatch and pointed to Viktor which way to go. The younger man nodded and began treading the tank down the street, the group of T34 tanks flanking the heavier battle horse.

As they moved along, several soldiers scampered through the streets, firing uselessly at the tanks with their rifles and submachine guns. With his heavy machine gun at hand, Derreck made mincemeat of the soldiers.

As the tanks plundered through the streets nearly unopposed, the German soldiers ahead rallied together with an armament of anti-tank launchers. As the tanks geared down the streets, the Germans ambushed the armored group.

Anti-tank shots whooshed through the streets, erupting all around the tanks and some even scoring lucky shots. Though once a powerful army, the Nazis had been reduced to a handful of SS stragglers and conscripted recruits who were untrained with such weaponry.

A stray shot landed square in the side of the lead tank commander's T34, erupting the insides into a fiery crimson. All the tanks swiveled their secondary armament of machine guns to the ambushing Germans and lit them up.

Empty brass littered the streets as the surroundings were covered in dead bodies and blood. The captain screamed and hollered in complete agony as he dragged his flaming body out the top hatch of his tank.

Derreck turned to see the commander fall down the sides of his burning tank, squirming and frolicking on the ground as his body burned. Drawing out Alexei's pistol, Derreck racked the brightly shined slide and put a mercy round through the commander's skull. Over the years Derreck had treasured not only his rifle but Alexei's pistol as well, going so far as to even polish it and replace the regular grips with ivory ones, along with having the Soviet symbol engraved into the grips. It was truly one of a kind now.

Turning to the others tanks, he noticed two more were out of commission, leaving him with only a handful. He waved the other tanks on to follow him as he ordered Viktor to push forwards.

Luna watched the violence unfold, however, unlike years ago she had now aged and fully accepted her role as a soldier in the Red Army, namely taking on her title as 'The Blue Death'. Evan fired the massive cannon into a building, breaking apart the structural integrity and bringing the home collapsing down upon the fighting occupants.

As the tank group entered another street, they met up with a group of infantry. Derreck waved for the others to halt and turned to a soldier who rushed up to them. Derreck looked to the corporal and spoke to him. “Where is you commanding officer?” he asked but the man gave him an answer he wasn't fully expecting, yet at the same time one that didn't really surprise him either.

“They're dead sir. I am the ranking soldier,” the corporal replied. Derreck sighed.

“Well... I'm not a sir, corporal, but have your men flank behind our tanks. Keep us covered from anti-tank crews and we'll spearhead the advance towards the Reichstag!” Derreck ordered, being the ranking soldier for the time at hand.

Chaos all over the city ensued. Battalions of Red Army soldiers and tanks flushed the streets of Berlin.

As Derreck led the massive group of tanks and soldiers through the streets, he found himself mostly unopposed. Derreck held up his fist and yelled out for the formation to halt. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled up. He knew from experience to trust his instincts. He didn't know exactly but he knew something was horribly wrong.

Suddenly, without much warning, a secluded gunshot went off. A sniper's shot plowed into Derreck's right shoulder. The man roared in pain as infantry behind the tanks flinched and ducked low.

“The building on the right! Flush that coward out!” Derreck ordered to the infantry. The foot soldiers all converged to the building but no sooner had they done so, a swarm of German soldiers flushed out onto the street, along with a heavy Tiger tank that had been customly outfitted with heavy plates of armor that were welded onto the sides and front.

“TIGER!” Derreck yelled out, pointing towards the fearsome German heavyweight. He pointed to the left side. “Tanks, flank it from the left. Viktor, combat maneuvers!” Derreck shouted over the sounds of erupting gunfire.

Derreck grasped the grips of the DShK heavy machine gun and chugged heavy slugs down range at the German infantry. The shocking recoil made the big man grimace as his shoulder wound flared in pain.

In moments, the ammunition belt was depleted. “Ammo!” Derreck yelled to Luna, who handed him another belt of cartridges for the gun. The Tiger tank swung it's sights to Stalin's Sword and fired. The 88mm shot splashed against the tank and shook it, but still the IS-2 pressed onwards as the T34 tanks flanked around.

Soviet infantry duked it out with the resisting German forces in the floors of the building, the sniper pecking off shots from above. Realizing the threat of the T34 tanks, the Tiger swung it's turret towards the group and fired madly.

An eruption cratered the side of a T34, killing the crew inside and rendering the tank inoperable. Evan lined up a shot and fired, hammering the Tiger in its side armor. However, despite the successful hit the custom plates that had been welded on held up against the high explosive round and the inside crew were protected and unharmed. The group of T34 tanks fired wildly, slamming shot after shot into the heavyweight custom tank.

The German tank fired back, swatting the T34 like flies as it began to retreat. Luna loaded another high explosive shell and hollered to Evan. “SHOOT THE TRACKS!” she ordered him. Evan did as the former princess ordered and fired a high explosive round directly into the enemy tank's tracks. The eruption blew apart the tracks and the cogwheels, immobilizing the beast.

With the tank barely able to move, the relenting pounding of both the T34s and the IS-2 finally took it's toll. Soviet soldiers took the building, taking the sniper alive and tossing him from the roof. Down below, the Tiger tank fumed out a puff of black smoke and became still.

Knowing full well the crew was very well alive, Derreck gave some hand gestures to the soldiers above who in turn tossed flaming bottles of cocktail onto the tank. In seconds the custom tank was engulfed in flames. Soon after, German soldiers emerged from the tank, encased in flames and screaming in pure agony.

Derreck watch briefly in horror as did Luna. The soldiers above cheered with victory. “Luna...” Derreck called and she nodded, not needing to be told. Derreck racked the slide on Alexei's pistol while Luna emerged from a front hatch with a loaded Russian submachine gun.

The duo sprayed down merciful death upon the burning Germans. In seconds it was over and the other soldiers looked to the commanding senior sergeant who spoke. “We do not have time for these games. We have a war to win!” Derreck ordered.

The foot soldiers made their way down to the ground floor and followed the tanks into battle once again. Hours passed by as the group brutally fought their way through the streets of Berlin, linking up with other tank groups and infantry platoons and making their way to the Reichstag.

Derreck led his group, now looking more like a company, right to the the front of the battle. The tanks geared down to a halt as they were faced with the impossible task of crossing a moat that surrounded the massive building.

An older man in finer officer uniform strode over to meet the formation. The man looked around then to Derreck. “Where is your commanding officer?” he demanded and Derreck looked to him.

“It appears... we do not have one. I am the ranking soldier,” he informed the senior officer who looked to the sizable force Derreck had brought to the front. The older man rubbed his chin and turned to see the Riechstag in the not too far out distance.

“The Germans have collapsed the tunnel system below and the water has overflowed into the moat you see before you... cowards. Your tanks cannot cross, you must disembark and go on by foot. Take your formation around to the west side and flank them from there. I'll have my main battalion strike them from the front and gain their attention,” he ordered.

Derreck blinked. “Sir?” he asked, not having a suitable rank to lead such a large force.

“Sergeant, we do not have time for formalities. It could take me days to find a suitable lieutenant to lead your force. You led them here, certainly you can lead them to victory in the Reichstag?” he asked, though rather rhetorically. Derreck nodded.

“Of course.” He disembarked his tank, along with his crew. Derreck had begun to look considerably aged compared to his appearance years ago. His facial features seemed more defined then ever before, along with the now deep facial scars he received from protecting his friends in battle. His trench coat draped nearly down to his knees and fluttered about as he hopped down from the turret of the IS-2 tank.

Viktor and Evan emerged from the tank, also looking far different then before. Though, aside from stressful aging, they did not have deep war scars like Derreck had. Luna emerged last, stepping down, a trench coat darker than even Derreck's concealing most of her body.

Her fur had darkened to the point it was nearly black, and her mane had taken a dark transparent look. Her eyes burned with memories of brutality and death, some of it her own doing. Derreck rallied up the massive force he had assembled and laid down their attack strategy.

He slung his treasured rifle across his back, dubbed 'Trillium', and grabbed a rapid fire submachine gun from a pile of weaponry nearby, prompting Luna and Viktor to do the same. Evan stayed true with his ever aging SVT-40 that he had kept since the beginning of the war.

The group moved to the western flank of the targeted building. Derreck stopped just before giving word to engage the enemy. He stood up on a pile of rubble to address his company. “Men... women... comrades, my friends... I have seen the worst parts of the war... as many of you have undoubtedly seen. I remember, years ago... when the Germans had the audacity to plunder into our glorious mother land and terrorize our fellow comrades... our friends... and our families. They tried to carve up our nation for their own uses. But now! The tables have turned. We have beaten back the fascist dogs, all the way to their last defensible city that now lies in ruins yet they still persist to fight, persist to try and hold us back... persist even in their dying moments to hold onto the glory they never had. Now, finally, it is time to crush what little hope they have left and rise our glorious flag over their city for all to see. The world will know it was the mother land that brought Berlin to it's knees. Now! ONWARD! HOORAH!” He roared, echoed by the chorus of his company.

His soldiers all charged fearlessly into battle, crossing the moat and charging head on into the last defensible lines the Germans had. The sounds of gunfire filled the air, along with the barbaric roars of Soviet soldiers as they bashed through the Germans.

Derreck motioned to his original squad to follow him. A trench lay ahead, guarded by a group of soldiers manning several MG42s that sprayed down death upon incoming soldiers. Luna's face furrowed in anger as she witnessed her fellow men dying before her. Her horn flared up as her anger boiled over. The machine guns were yanked from their former owners and turned on them, shredding the resistance fighters to bloody pieces.

The squad leapt into the trench, Viktor and Luna clearing out the remaining soldiers with their submachine guns as Derreck and Evan set up their rifles and began to pick off soldiers from afar while Derreck's company continued to push forwards.

Evan leveled the iron sights on soldier after soldier, taking them out with a quick and successful shot. Derreck on the other hand used the dark finished Mosin sniper rifle to slowly pick off soldiers at an even further distance, even taking out riflemen perched atop the Reichstag building.

Having completed clearing the trench, Viktor and Luna returned to the sides of Derreck and Evan who continued to dispatch enemy after enemy. “Eighteen,” Derreck commented in competition with the younger man. Evan smirked and gave him the middle finger.

The battle to the south erupted in mass explosions as the senior officer Derreck had met kept true to his word and launched a massive offensive with his battalion. Even more fighting erupted to the north and east but Derreck made no mind of it. He wanted his group to be the first in the building.

Slinging his rifle across his back, he once again retrieved his submachine gun and led his squad forwards. The battle raged on for hours, many men perishing in the conflict. Derreck hunkered down in a small bombed out building with his three friends, looking to them all and smiling. “It has been some time... since the beginning,” he commented and Viktor nodded, recalling when they all first formally met.

All those years ago back in Poland. Viktor spoke up with a faint smile. “It seems as though it was just yesterday,” he said. Derreck fitted the black ushanka on his head and straightened it out.

They had all been through so much and it really showed. Viktor smiled as he looked to the Reichstag building. “When this is all over... drinks are on me,” he said and Derreck laughed as he nudged into him.

“Don't you mean drinks are on the Germans?” he laughed. Luna peered out to the battlefield which was still erupting in close quarters fighting. Sitting back down, she leaned into Derreck, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I just want this all to be over,” she whispered. The others all nodded as they took a moment to rest. Luna rested against Derreck, the sounds of the gun fighting drowned out by his relaxing heartbeat. Nothing else really mattered at this point, just as long as she was close to him. As long as she was with him, she felt safe. Her eyes drifted off as she caught some shut eye.

Viktor and Derreck watched the outside events play out as Evan cleaned his rifle. German fighters and Soviet soldiers exchanged heavy fire with one another. Time passed by before Derreck made note that they should get to it again. Checking his submachine gun and rifle, Derreck looked to the others.

“Well, the war isn't going to end if we just sit around napping.” He stood up, helping Luna to her hooves. The mare looked into his deep dark eyes and smiled as they paused for a moment while making eye contact.

The group moved out, once again joining their comrades in arms as they fought towards an entrance of the the Reichstag building.

Gunshots chattered and drowned out nearly every other sound except that of cannon fire. Bullets whizzed through the air, some hitting their intended targets while others just being stray shots that hit with blind luck. Derreck's assault force began to wean and thin out, the prolonged battle starting to take it's toll.

Just as thoughts of uncertainty began to arise, a new combat force came up from behind. A captain rushed up to speak with Derreck. “Senior Sergeant Parker!” he yelled and Derreck nodded. “Commissar Fedrov ordered me to assist you with the western flank and abide to your orders,” he informed Derreck who cocked a brow. This was highly unheard of but he wasn't going to argue about formalities at a time like this.

“Captain, take your men to the left side of the entrance, I'll take mine to the right. We'll strike together!” Derreck ordered and the captain nodded and whistled to his men.

Derreck regrouped his remaining soldiers and pushed on with his plan. Both groups suffered major causalities advancing to the heavily fortified building but finally were upon the staircase. Derreck looked over to see the captain give him a nod but just as the big man went to nod back, an anti-tank launcher round struck nearby and blew the captain away. Derreck followed the dissipating trail of smoke left from the launcher round and pointed to the window it had come from.

“BLOW AWAY THAT FACIST PIG!” Derreck roared. Viktor grabbed a fallen soldier's anti-tank launcher and fired it. The explosive head erupted near the window and blew out part of the wall, killing the culprit.

Viktor dropped the foreign launcher and once again wielded his Russian PPsH-41. Leading the charge, Viktor rushed forwards, gun rattling in his hands as he cut down several enemy soldiers.

Derreck led his squad up the stairs, falling slightly behind the courageous soldier. Several soldiers stepped out from behind massive pillars and fired towards Viktor with poor accuracy. The Soviet man, aged with heavy combat experience, held the chattering subgun at hip level and fired with sub-par accuracy that was still enough to chop down the enemy soldiers.

Suddenly Viktor's gun went dry. Just as he went to reload the weapon, a veteran elite SS soldier spun out from behind a barricade with a Sturmgewehr 44. With a short burst, he riddle Viktor's body with bullets, blood spurting out the man's back from exit wounds. Viktor gasped, looking in disbelief to the SS soldier.

Derreck's eyes went wide as he witnessed one of his oldest comrades get mowed down. The SS soldier fired another quick burst, all shots connecting. Empty brass spat out the ejection port as muzzle flashes burst from the end of the gun. Another burst...

Viktor gasped in shock as his weapon fell from his hands. Derreck's mind flashed a memory of Alexei, the former leader of the group taking Viktor's place in his flashback. As the SS fired again, it sounded like the plane's machine gun's in Derreck's mind.

Viktor fell to his knees, blood oozing from his chest from several fatal wounds. Holding his PPsH-41 across his chest in his left hand, Derreck drew Alexei's Tokarev pistol with his right, peppering the elite SS soldier with the treasured pistol. The gleaming pistol racked in his big hands, shot after shot driving into the enemy.

As Soviet soldiers charged past, Derreck and the others rushed to Viktor's side as he coughed up blood. “Ser... Sergeant...” he coughed.

“Viktor... relax... try to breathe,” he ordered. Viktor's breath was raspy and he wheezed as he tried to catch his breath, bullets having perforated his lungs.

“Ser... Sergeant... raise the flag... raise the...” he trailed off in his dying words and coughed, blood splattering into Derreck's face. The man went limp in Derreck's arms, who set him down and closed the man's dead eyes in a form of respect. Reaching into the man's coat, Derreck retrieved a journal, hoping it could perhaps lead him to a family he could give the bad news to once the war was done.

With that taken care of, the trio rushed into the building...

'It has been so long since Poland, when we all met. The man known as Derreck has led us through battle after battle. I undoubtedly owe the man my life yet... I am so terrified of him. His very presence is unsettling. I know for a fact his allegiance and loyalties lies with his country and with us yet when he is angry... I swear I can see the purest of evils in his eyes, a deep burning hatred that cannot be doused except by the blood of his enemies. The man refuses to die. I have seen him riddled... hosed down by dozens of bullets at a time yet stand right back up and continue to fight. Perhaps it is his loyalty to his country that keeps him going or perhaps... something else.

The one named Evan... I do not know what to say. In all these years I have never once heard him speak so much as a syllable, not even a grunt. His courage and valor on the battlefield is without question, and he is a deadly shot. He is not as savage as Derreck but I have seen him brutally beat a man to death before, on more than one occasion. Yet, at other times I have seen him share what little food he has with others. He is so soft spoken that I have even seen him share his food with the wild animals in the forests... I cannot understand this man, no matter how hard I think about it. How could someone so vicious in combat just turn around and care for things as simple as wild animals?

Luna... she is so strange. When I first saw her I thought it was a horrible joke. That someone had painted a neighbor's horse blue. But I found out quickly that was not the case. Our leader, Stalin, had created something far beyond our time. Somehow he had managed to make a horse talk, and then decided to put it to war. It was strange though... the horse... Luna, refused to fight, even going so far as to not even hold a rifle for the longest time. In the end though, she ended up saving our lives on many occasions. It becomes even stranger as her fur begins to... change colors as she kills more often, now not even hesitating to pull the trigger of her rifle. However, despite this, she is still kind at heart. I have seen her show mercy to even her most brutal foes. Even so... I can see it in her eyes. She was not meant for this. She feels a traumatizing guilt that resides inside of her and eats away at her soul.

Why must there be war? Why must we be forced to kill each other? It seems that war has a more serious effect on the innocent, the kind, the generous... the loving. It hurts me every time I have to see Luna's eyes, deeply saddened with what she has had to do...'

Derreck and his two remaining friends rushed gallantly into battle alongside their fellow soldiers. Remaining elite guards fought erratically to try and hold back the onslaught but their defenses did not hold long.

Evan rushed forwards, firing rapidly with his SVT-40. As the rifle went dry, he jabbed the bayonet into the chest of an enemy soldier before hunkering down to reload.

Derreck charged up his flank, eliminating enemy soldiers with his rattling subgun. Luna followed in close pursuit, grasping her own chattering instrument of death within her magical aura.

The remaining resistance soldiers had built up makeshift wooden barricades. Derreck waved over to incoming Russian troops. “Blow those barricades to the ground!” He shouted. Several men tossed hand grenades at the makeshift defenses. The explosions chipped away at the structure but at first were not enough to take it down. Another volley of grenades ripped away at the supporting beams and the barricades came crashing down upon the fighting German soldiers.

The trio moved onwards along with another group of soldiers, fighting through corridors, hallways and even a large stage room. Gunfire and screaming echoed in the building, some fighting occurring so close people were fighting hand-to-hand combat. As they moved room to room, the soldiers burned and destroyed whatever Nazi paraphernalia they found.

Derreck, Luna and Evan hunkered down, just a few dozen yards away from their target. The top balcony perch of the Reichstag building. Only a few dozen enemy soldiers remained opposing them.

Derreck waved over some ally soldiers. “We charge them, head on, don't stop!” he ordered. They all nodded. With a roaring cheer, the entire group charged, weapons firing and spitting lead death to their enemies.

Derreck and Luna charged, Evan falling slightly back as he moved at a slower pace to get aimed shots on his enemies. Time seemed to slow for Luna as all the carnage erupted around her. Blood and guts spilled the floors along with spent brass casings. Bright muzzle flashes erupted like shooting stars.

Derreck roared over the sound of his rapid submachine gun that sputtered out death to all those who opposed him. Minutes past and the room went still. Only the sounds of far off fighting inside the building still echoed.

With the major fighting and killing done, Luna dropped her still smoking, empty PPsH-41 to the floor. Exhausted, she took a deep breath. Derreck waved over a man with a flag and handed it to Luna. “To the balcony, for all to see,” he ordered her. She huffed out an exhale.

"Finally..." she whispered, nearly feeling the war coming to a close.

Luna hefted up the Soviet flag and walked it out to the balcony where several enemy soliders lay dead. As she trotted forwards she began to feel tired, the war finally catching up with her. Just as she neared the perch of the Reichstag, an enemy soldier pushed a dead body off himself, having concealed himself under the dead.

He drew a Luger pistol and fired a single shot at Luna that slammed into the broad part of her chest. She gasped and fell to her back, time itself seeming to slow. Derreck roared in absolute anger, reaching a plateau he had never been to before.

His muscles quaked in anger as veins bulged from beneath his skin. The skin along his forearm rippled slightly as he rushed forwards, roaring like a wild beast. The German swung his aim to the charging man but his Luger had jammed. Just as Derreck neared, his wrist bones relocated painfully. A shrew of blood spewed from his hands as jagged bony claws erected from between his knuckles, unsheathing themselves from the confines of his body.

He swung with his right in a wide arc, slicing gashes across the soldier's chest. Starting low, Derreck swung with his left on an upwards diagonal swing, cutting open the man's guts.

With a final thrust, Derreck jabbed both sets of claws into the man's stomach and heaved him up high. Twisting his wrists, he pulled outwards with both hands, slicing the man clean in half, blood dousing his body. The two halves of the soldier's body were tossed off the balcony of the Reichstag building.

Looking back to his gravely injured friend, he rushed over. “Luna...” he whispered and the mare held a hoof to his mouth.

“Sssh... it's alright now... the war is over... this is good, isn't it?” she asked and he nodded slightly.

“One... last thing,” he said as he brought her to her hooves, supporting her weight as he grabbed the flag. Putting it in her hooves, he helped her over the the balcony perch. “The honor... shall be yours,” he told her.

She stumbled a bit but, without using her magic, rammed the Soviet flag home, displaying it for all to see. Luna was about to collapse but Derreck came to her aid, holding her up on her hind legs so she could witness the glory of their victory. A beautiful chorus seemed to play in the background.

Derreck stroked his hands through her ever darkening mane...

Burdy's perspective...

I awoke with a sudden gasp, the dream I just had fading from memory. For several moments I felt a tingling sensation over my body but it soon left. I had no recollection of where I was or how I got here...

Memories of the night before... I looked to my watch to realize it was actually Sunday. My heart sank. “Ahh shit!” I cursed silently, remembering that I was supposed to help AJ with her family matters.

I hopped off the... hospital bed? I was sleeping on a hospital bed! What happened?! I took no note of it as my feet landed only to be followed by a shocked and pained yelp.

“OW! MY TAIL!” Screamed a rather familiar voice.

I stumbled back in shock, everything being too dark to properly see. I ended up knocking over my hospital bed that crashed down rather loudly. I heard several other yelps and before I knew anything more, blindingly bright lights turned on.

I covered my eyes, my damaged eye having not been covered and fogging my perception. I heard a gasp, more like a crying report. “WHAT?! WHAT'S GOING ON?!” Gasped the sound of Luna's voice.

A second, more rejoiced voice pitched in. “SISTER! YOU'RE AWAKE! THANK THE HEAVENS!” I held my left hand over my bad eye and looked around.

“GUH! Twilight, Lassie!” I gasped, having not remembered them being present at the gala. I looked around and noticed I was in a hospital room of sorts. Luna was standing in mortified shock as her sister held her in a loving embrace.

Luna looked around then to me. “Where's Derreck?! Where are we?! How did we get here?!” she cried out and her elder sister tried to settle her.

“Relax my sister. You fell into coma and we brought you here. Everything is alright,” she mentioned but Luna would have none of it, not believing her sister.

“No... where's Derreck. We were in Germany... Berlin, the Reichstag! How did we get here?!” she yelled. Celestia instead gave a nuzzling touch to the panicking mare.

“Relax Luna, it was all just a nightmare. You're safe now,” Celestia assured her sister who still continued to panic and looked to me.

“Evan... where's Derreck, how'd we get here?!” she gasped and I shrugged, not really knowing what she was babbling on about.

“Uhm... ah dunno. I just woke up too,” I said and looked to Lassie. “Sorry for stepping on your tail,” I apologized and Lassie just huffed.

Celestia turned to Twilight and I. “She may need some time to settle. You are all free to go. As I understand Applejack has some... family matters to attend to,” she made mention and the three of us left.

Twilight turned to me as we walked down the hallways. “What happened? I've never seen Luna in such a panic before,” Twilight asked and I just shrugged.

“Ah dunno. Truth be told I'm a little freaked out too... it's Sunday... I thought yesterday was Friday. I was just at the-” Twilight cut me short.

“The two of you were comatose for over twenty-four hours. Where you dreaming at all?” Twilight asked and I thought back on it. Every time I started to remember, it got all hazy. I just shrugged.

“I think so, but I can't remember it all that well,” I replied. She stopped and hopped to her hindlegs, stroking my cheek affectionately. She had a gentle and heartwarming look about her.

"You look better this way," she commented and I rose a brow.

"Why? Did I look different?" I asked in confusion but she didn't answer...

Third person,

Sometime later...

Celestia spoke to her sister. “Luna, believe me when I say it was all just a dream.”

Luna shouted back to her sister. “It can't have been a dream! It isn't possible! I fought... I bled... I killed... it happened and I witnessed it all!” she began to weep. Celestia tried to comfort her sister, also taking note her sister was using singular text as opposed to referring to herself as 'us' or 'we'.

“Luna... I'm sorry for having asked you to do this.” She turned her head away in shame. “But... what about Derreck? What did you learn about him?” she asked, prying into the subject.

“He is a hero. He saved me... many times,” she commented.

Celestia shook her head. “Sister... he is not real. It never happened,” she tried to tell her sister.

Luna gave her a fiery gaze. “HE IS REAL! He saved my life. We fought and bled alongside each other from the very beginning. From Poland, to Stalingrad, to Leningrad, Kursk, Minsk... Seelow Heights and even into Berlin!” she howled, slamming the door in her sister's face before crying into her pillow...