The Atlantic Ocean was something that Eugene had never expected to see as an Onorussian Naval Officer, he had been convinced that he would serve exclusively in the North and South Luna Seas. However, now that the war at sea was over the distinguished captain and his submarine had been reassigned to Operation: Big Ben. His submarine was part of a pod of patrol subs that would accompany the carrier group and scout ahead for signs of activity ahead of the assault force.

There was no sugar coating it, the Onorussians were landing on the British Isles. Eugene didn’t have any reservations about it, years of serving with the Onorussian military had taught him that some measures had to be taken that were morally questionable for the good of Onorus. After all, that was the official motto of the republic. ‘Onorus prima! Onorus in Gloria!’ Which translated to ‘Onorus First! Onorus in Glory!’. Those that couldn’t handle that reality were either naive, stupid, or a mixture of the two.

As the man stood atop the conning tower of his submarine he felt the salty spray of the water against his bearded face. Eugene’s hands rested on the railing, the gold of his wedding band and class ring glinting in the sun, in the distance he could see the shore line of Britain. So far neither his submarine or any of the other scout packs had encountered signs of life in the form of naval activity of any kind. Of course, the subs had far better range than Onorussian scout fighters, so air contact had yet to be determined. It was for that reason that he was running on the surface, no naval activity mean no need for hiding and allowed for better fuel economy.

Eugene looked to the sky as his sub cut through the water on its way towards the British coastline, in the faint distance, just over the sound of the ocean. He could make out a sound he hadn’t heard before, the captain looked around the conning tower before settling his gaze at his other watch officer. The two of them seemed to have noticed the same noise, both of them turning their eyes skyward. It sounded like jet engines, getting much closer, and the pitch was far too high for it to be a Phantom or Thunder Chief. Eugene didn’t like the idea of being exposed on the surface, but his orders were to make contact with any native inhabitants… Reluctantly he withheld the order to dive.

“Captain… It’s too low to be a civilian aircraft.” The Watch Officer said as the two of them focused their attention on a bank of clouds in the distance. “No howl… Not a Vulcan.” Eugene nodded cautiously, rubbing his beard as he continued watching the heavens. “Flight plan didn’t indicate any of our planes would be out this way, not even the AWACS.”

“Which leaves one conclusion…” Eugene muttered before walking to the hatch that lead down into the bridge, he cleared his throat. “Ahead flank!” There was a call of confirmation from below and the submarine began cutting even faster through the foam and spray. “That aircraft isn’t one of ours. Give the order to be ready to dive at a moment’s notice, I will remain here and keep an eye out.” The Watch Officer nodded and climbed down into the hatch, leaving Eugene on his own.

The engines flew closer and closer, Eugene could feel his heart beating faster in his chest as he picked up his binoculars and looked to the clouds. The breeze against his PEA Coat was blunted by the wool, giving him more attention to focus on the source of the sound. It was with sudden speed that the source appeared, a fast moving jet with British markings on the wings. Eugene lowered the binoculars, watching the jet zoom overhead. The captain narrowed his eyes as the aircraft turned and circled around, it was at that point that he realized it was a Harrier. More importantly, he could identify it as a Sea Harrier with Naval Markings.

The jump jet began to slow, and Eugene could see it angling itself into a VTOL configuration. The pilot moved the hovering aircraft closer to the submarine that was steaming towards the coast at blistering speed, the pilot looking in surprise at the design. An old German U-Boat had no business existing, and yet it was right there in front of him. However, the pilot noted the purple-ish blue flag with an elongated silver hexagon painted on the conning tower. As he radioed in the strange sighting he saw the lone man on the tower hurry down into the sub, the submarine began to dive beneath the waves with urgent speed.

It was at that point that the Jump Jet Pilot became aware of five radar contacts coming from the Western Atlantic, as well as numerous surface contacts. From the looks of things, there was an entire fleet of ships out there, making their way towards the British coast. The pilot was curious, certainly, but he had only been out on a routine patrol. He hadn’t expected to encounter an unknown submarine, or dozens of ships and jet fighters.

”Attention Unidentified Aircraft! This is the ONV Independance. Identify yourself.” An authoritative woman’s voice announced over the radio. The pilot of the jump jet didn’t feel like finding out just who was on the horizon, but as he switched back into regular flight mode he spotted five fast moving specks emerging from a cloud. Five F4 Phantoms turned towards his aircraft, though no alarms signaled that they had locked onto him. The planes quickly formed up on either side of the jump jet, giving the pilot a chance to see the silver elongated hexagon painted on their tails and wings.

The pilot of the harrier looked around his aircraft for a place he could possibly escape, the five F4s had cut off pretty much every avenue of retreat. On the Ocean below there were more signs of activity, the ships finally began to become visible. A massive fleet of warships, all of them bearing the flag that the pilot had seen on the submarine. From carriers to destroyers to even a couple battleships, and what was more, the pilot could see the ships coming about while some began to lower what looked like landing craft into the water. There could be no mistake about it, someone was landing on the shores of Great Britain, but the pilot knew that it would not happen uncontested. Already the alarm was being sounded among the British Militias and Army units along the coast, whoever was landing would be in for a helluva fight.

Onboard one of the landing craft below, Colonel Hinkman and his men were waiting with baited breath for the chance to storm the beaches. They were loaded in their armored humvees, ready to roll ashore as soon as the front gate dropped. Tanks and other vehicles were loaded in various other landing craft, every soldier knew they were charging into unknown territory, as recon flights had proved to be inconclusive about the strength of other opposing forces. They reached the beaches without incident, the gates dropped, and the landings began. Hinkman gave the signal to his driver to roll out, the humvee’s engine rumbled as it roared to life and pushed the vehicle down the ramp and onto the sandy shores of England. A brand new chapter in the glorious history of the Republic had begun.

[♠]

Dominic sat in his arm chair, the morning light washing over the city of Canterlot, bags under his bloodshot, exhausted eyes. Another night had gone by, another night of watching the lights of distant cars and trains in the streets and distant hills. The man’s eyes briefly flicked to the revolver resting in his hand on the armrest. Salty tear stains remained on his cheeks, as usual, another night of silent contemplation. Luna and Maria were no more than five feet away, and yet he had never felt more alone in his life. The Republic was certain to stand, the people were happy, technology was booming. Dominic had a lot to be proud of, a lot to be happy about, but that didn’t seem to matter… He still felt miserable.

He knew it wasn’t rational, there was no logic to the soul crushing depression that weighed on his shoulders every day of his miserable life. It was a little genetic curse he had inherited from his father, as he had found out after numerous sessions with Em. Clinical Depression, of all the things that he couldn’t beat, it was ironic that it was his own sick brain. What was more, it was likely he had passed it on to his own son as well, that was the real kicker. His son was so happy and naive, and Dominic knew he would eventually grow up to be just as miserable and depressed as his father. The man sighed and stood from his seat, walking to his bedside table and tucking his revolver back into the drawer. Wordlessly he climbed onto the bed, laying down between Luna and Maria, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep.

Of course, it didn’t fool Luna for a second. The mare opened her eyes almost immediately and stared at Dominic, noting how he seemed to curl up on himself, as if closing himself off from the entire world. It was behavior she hadn’t seen since Dominic had first appeared in Equestria, the emotional wall it had taken so long to dismantle was gradually going back up. His back was to her, she could see the slow rise and fall of his chest occasionally be interrupted by him fidgeting. Luna quietly extended her wing over her husband, the man froze as the warm feathery blanket made contact. He wore only a t-shirt and boxers, and unlike Luna and Maria, hadn’t gotten under the covers. Now that the wing was there, he felt a bit safer, but he also knew that Luna was aware he was very much awake.

“Dominic…” Luna said quietly, the man quietly rolled over to look at her. She felt a pang of strong emotion run through her as she saw the bloodshot eyes that stared back at her. “You know you can’t keep going on like this…”

“I know…” Dominic mumbled as he curled up a bit more under Luna’s wing. “I’m trying, Luna. I really am, but…” The alicorn leaned over and nuzzled her husband’s cheek, afterwards she pulled back and looked back into his tired eyes.

“I want you to rest and meditate today.” Luna said in her stern but loving tone, Dominic began to shake his head. “I will handle things when it comes to the landings on Terra, you are in no condition to take up that burden today.” Dominic was about to protest, but stopped himself and instead moved to put himself under the covers. Luna meanwhile climbed out of the bed and levitated both her crown and regalia to her body, one addition to her regalia since the founding of the Republic was a red sash that she wore around her barrel.

The mare walked to her mirror and straightened her crown, it always seemed to lean to one side or the other unless she took express care to adjust it in the morning. Dominic watched her from the bed before he closed his eyes and rolled back over, it didn’t take him long to fall back to sleep. It was just as restless as ever, he didn’t dream or even think, he was just dead to the world. During his period of rest Maria woke and went about her own business, but Dominic remained right where his head had hit the pillow. Morning light gradually turned to midday sun, and it was only when a ray of light hit Dominic’s face that the man opened his eyes and looked around.

As expected, the room was completely empty. Dominic tiredly rolled out of the bed and stood up, rubbing his tired eyes as he went about his daily routine, starting with the bathroom and a shower and ending with him putting on his clothes. Dominic decided to forgo his uniform and instead donned one of the training robes he kept in his closet, the smooth fabric against his skin felt quite nice, he had almost forgotten what it felt like to wear comfortable clothes. The man tightened the belt of his robe and made his way to the door, quietly he stepped out into the hallway and nodded to the guards outside his door.

The man made his way through the halls, past doorways and down winding stair cases, until finally he had somehow ended up in the gardens. In the winter it was still beautiful, Luna had had trees from earth planted near her greenhouse. Cherry blossoms were her favorite, and Dominic could understand why, even in winter they were lovely marvels to look at. Dominic stared at them for a couple minutes before making his way to the greenhouse, once inside it was like he had entered an entirely different world. The cold of winter was replaced by the comfortable warmth of the greenhouse, plants of varrying types were strewn about, and as usual the sound of running water near Luna’s Koi pond was soothing. Wooden training swords were set on a rack near the wall, but Dominic didn’t pay them any mind. He approached the center of the room, at the edge of the pond, and sat down on the floor.

Wordlessly he adjusted his position until he was good and proper, Dominic stared at the pond in quiet thought. He saw the fish swimming around at their own pace, the white and orange stripes on their bodies reflecting softly in the light. Dominic felt a ghost of a smile dance on his face for a moment or two, remembering the times that he, Maria, and Luna had all shared in the quaint little green house. The man closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, he adjusted his hands and focussed on the sound of running water and only that sound. His breath slowed down, the weight on his shoulders seemed to lift. Sitting there in that quiet untouched room, it felt as if a great fog had been blown away, every thought was crisp and clear, it moved with the speed of lightening. It was something he had never experienced before, flashes of things and faces he had never seen in his life.

In a flash of light, Dominic felt as if he had been transported countless millions of miles. Surrounded by a white empty void, he had only experienced such a sensation when he joined his dreams with Luna. The feel of the robe against his skin was so odd, so strange, so different from what he was used to. In the great void, Dominic felt more at peace than he ever had in his life, as if every problem had solved itself, as if he was safe and sound somewhere far far away. The man felt himself standing, rather than sitting, he began to walk in a random direction. A sense of uncertainty filled his heart, but it was quickly suppressed by the white void. Dominic walked, time seemed to drag on, and he wasn’t even sure he was going anywhere.

Then, the void was completely replaced by a massive field of tall green grass, cherry blossoms floated on the wind like snow. In the distance, shrouded in mist and covered with moss, was a massive stone structure. The air was humid, the sky was overcast, and a soft breeze blew across Dominic’s cheek. The man felt drawn to the structure, something about it called out to his very soul, wrapping gently around his heart and guiding it forward. Dominic approached the massive structure, it was in disrepair, but Dominic could see familiar tattered banners staked in the ground. They were Ancient Changeling Flags, he could tell by the colors and age. Dominic ascended the steps of the large structure, which now appeared to be some sort of temple, his heart still guided by that odd sensation in his chest.

He stopped after passing the first pillars, the sensation had vanished, leaving him uncertain once more. From within the structure came the sound of numerous footsteps, but they all came to a halt. Three sets set themselves apart, Dominic watched the inside of the dark Changeling Temple cautiously, until three figures emerged. Dominic recognized only one of them, and he was surprised at just who it was.

“F-Father…?” He said in shock, his father was standing on the right in full battle dress. The others were similar, on the far left was a soldier wearing armor of a Roman Centurion, and in the center was a young man who looked like he had stepped out of a World War One movie. Dominic stared at the three of them, all three of them stared back at him. Out of nowhere the warrior on the left drew his sword and wordlessly charged forward, Dominic ducked to the side and caught the man with his shoulder. He used his momentum to help lift the Centurion, with a loud shout he slammed him to the ground.

Dominic’s eyes snapped open, he was still sitting in the greenhouse in front of the pond, the sound of running water was all that he could hear. The man sighed softly and closed his eyes once more, hoping to plunge himself back into meditation.

[♠]

Jack grunted quietly as he took several steps down the hallway, his treatment had gone along far better than they had planned and he was finally ready to go home. He was dressed in his uniform, he limped along with a cane made of hickory and topped with the silver head of an eagle. Tig was standing right beside him as he slowly made his way to the front door, while his doctors followed behind with annoyed expressions. They were pushing an empty wheelchair, one that had been intended for the stubborn colonel, but of course he refused to use it. He was determined to walk out of the hospital on his own two feet.

Word was spreading that the famed ‘Ace of Spades’ was leaving, Jack noticed more than a few members of the the hospital staff were beginning to line the halls, as well as more wounded troops. Ahead of him he could see the door to the outside, the bright sunlight was shining through the glass and bathing the floor in a warm glow. Jack looked to his fellow wounded warriors, they were all watching with surprise and respect as the Colonel soldiered on. He was short a finger and a couple toes, his skin was badly scarred, and he occasionally wheezed, but he was going home. It gave a lot of the wounded hope that they too would be going home, and Jack could see that in their eyes.

He held his head high, gaining a look of determination as he approached the front desk, the nurses there had already filled out his paperwork for him and were waiting for him when he arrived. Jack leaned against the desk and picked up a pen, silently he put pen to paper and signed his name. It was a firm and steady pen stroke, and once he had finished he turned to the door and once again began to walk. The man stopped at the door and quietly reached out his hand, missing his pinkie finger, and pushed the door open. The sound of the city outside greeted his ears as he hobbled out of the hospital, looking over his shoulder for a brief moment at the others. Tig held the door for him as he walked further from the hospital, she gave a brief thanks to the doctor before going to join the man.

“So nice to be out of there…” Jack said in his raspy voice, a slight smile gracing his lips. Tig nodded and smiled as well, looking at the buildings around them. He had been transfered to Ponyville General for the last bit of his treatment, and it was nice to see the old stomping ground was just as he remembered it. “How’s about we go get some lunch?” Tig was surprised by that, looking at the man with a raised eyebrow.

“Are you sure? I would’ve thought you’d want to head home and rest.” Tig responded, Jack just shook his head and walked to the sidewalk and watching a couple of the taxis going by.

“Three months of eating hospital food and shitty mint jello just came to an end, I need a cheeseburger, and I need it now.” Jack said with a slight smirk, Tig could see the spark of life had returned to his eyes. The mare smiled and nodded.

“Alright, ya big lug. With bacon?” Tig asked, Jack shook his head and looked at her.

“Nah, no more pork for me… I made a couple promises to a certain fellow upstairs, I intend to keep them.” Jack said as he held out his hand to hail a cab while leaning against his cane, Tig supposed she could understand his reasoning. He hadn’t been the most devout Jew before his accident, and considering his rather speedy recovery, she supposed it could be considered an act of divine intervention. It didn’t take long for a cab to pull over, Tig stepped forward and opened the door for Jack, allowing him the time he needed to limp over and climb into the back. Tig climbed in after him and closed the door.

“Where to, bud?” Asked the man behind the wheel of the cab, he looked back and did a double take at the numerous scars that lined Jack’s face.

“Big Bubba’s Bar and Grill on Spur Street.” Jack said as he adjusted his can and removed his peaked cap, the driver nodded and began the fare. His double take hadn’t gone unnoticed by Jack or Tig, Jack supposed that was something else he’d have to get to used to. It was unusually quiet for a cab ride, but Jack was thankful for it. He didn’t think he could stand any more small talk or questions about how he was doing. The day was shaping up to be one of mixed emotions, he was happy to be going home, but couldn’t help feeling upset at how differently people looked at him after his crash. At least Tig didn’t view him differently, at least, as far as he could tell. Just another testament to how much she cared about him, and just another reason that he loved her so much.

It was likely he would be getting his newest orders soon, he had declined a discharge, as the possibility of him being able to fly again was still on the table. He would only need the cane for the next couple months of rehabilitation, then he could get back into the pilot’s seat. Of course, it was likely the Air Force had other plans. He could end up in charge of an air base sitting behind a desk, though he hoped that if anything he would be able to train pilots. First things first though, he needed to get himself something to eat. The man sighed softly and continued watching the buildings going by, Jack could only hope the day would get better.

[♠]

Chrysalis sipped her tea quietly as she looked out over the city of Metamo, the capital of the Changeling Autonomous Region. Traditional changeling architecture was spread out in all directions, and the flags of the Changeling Kingdom flew beside the banners of the Onorussian republic. Her place of residence was a palace that had been constructed in very similar fashion to those of the Ancient Japanese, and currently she was resting on a balcony on the second floor. The coast in the distance still bore the scars of the Axis War, destroyed Caribou ships were still beached, having yet to be dismantled or repurposed.

It had been a difficult day for the Queen, she had been forced to deal with a couple other Changeling hives that had yet to fully accept integration into Onorus. All in all, things had worked out for the best though. Now she was enjoying a chance to have some tea and close her eyes in thought, her mind began to drift towards her daughter. Mizu had grown into her body very well over the ten years it had been since the Changeling-American war, already there were plenty of changelings and ponies alike that wished to be her suitor. Oddly enough, her daughter had turned all of them down, and Chrysalis had an idea about why that was.

Her daughter was a bit of a romantic, and she had long carried a torch for the head of the Onorussian weapons development program, a thestral named Fortress Wall. The Queen could only hope that Mizu would move on sooner or later, as Chrysalis knew that ruling alone was a very lonely and unfulfilling prospect. The mare adjusted her mane as she sipped more of her tea, looking at the snow covered city out ahead of her while her steamy breath was carried away on the breeze. The calm of it all prompted a smile on the Queen’s face, it was as if she were staring out at a beautiful postcard. Of course, that peace was not to last, as she soon sensed a presence approaching. The emotions were that of a human, she could tell because they felt dulled and muffled.

The door to the balcony slid open, prompting the Queen to look over with a raised eyebrow. There was indeed a man standing there, dressed in the armor of the Queen’s guard, which was very similar to those of the samurai. The man bowed briefly before approaching, holding a scroll in his hand.

“Your highness. This has come for you from Canterlot.” The guard said as he offered the paper to Chrysalis, the mare set her tea down and took the scroll. She unfurled the scroll and chuckled softly as she recognized the rather abysmal handwriting that could only come from the desk of the Imperator. Her eyes ran over the letter quietly, and as they did, she felt a bit of an odd sensation in the back of her throat. The message spoke of an experience while in meditation, the Imperator had witnessed a great Changeling temple, inside it sounded as though there hundreds or thousands of people were waiting in the wings, but only three came forward… Among them was the Imperator’s father.

“Contact my daughter at once, please inform her to come here.” Chrysalis said, the guard gave another nod and walked away. The Queen looked back to the letter, reading over it again and again. Her tea began to go cold in the chilly air, but Chrysalis was far more interested in the letter than the tea. It took Mizu only fifteen minutes to arrive, but Chrysalis was certain she had read the letter a dozen times over. The young Changeling Heir stepped out onto the balcony with her mother, appearing rather nervous, normally her mother came to get her directly.

“Mother.” Mizu said as she approached Chrysalis’ side, the Queen looked over at her and lowered the letter. “The guard said it was quite urgent, is something wrong? Have the hives rebelled?”

“No… Nothing so urgent.” Chrysalis said quietly, the wind picking up in speed. “In your time of meditation, have you experienced a vision of an ancient temple…” Mizu paused for a moment, appearing rather nervous. After several seconds of hesitation the heir nodded her head.

“Yes, mother. A week ago… You were there, as were two other queens I didn’t recognize. We were… Playing that human game. Mojang, I think.” Mizu admitted, Chrysalis stood from her seat and approached her daughter. “W-Why? Is it a bad omen?”

“No, my child.” Chrysalis said softly, approaching the edge of the balcony and leaning against the railing. “It means that you must go on a journey, to the place where all life springs from.” Mizu raised an eyebrow and followed her mother’s lead, moving to the edge of the balcony. “This world is unique, unlike Terra, we know that those who created our planet are still watching over us. When all life began eons ago, it was in one valley far to the south, a place where the species and cultures of our world once lived in harmony.” Chrysalis looked to her daughter. “It was there we constructed our first temples and honed our ability to change shape. It is said that at one point we were so in tune with our abilities that we could become inanimate objects or even create shapes at random…”

“What does this have to do with my vision, mother?” Mizu asked with a bit of uncertainty in her voice, wondering why she had never been told of this place. Chrysalis sighed and adjusted her mane, the wind once again blowing a bit of it into her eyes.

“As Queens, we have access to all of the hivemind… And for those who are worthy, we can access the memories and even minds of those that have long since passed.” Chrysalis looked over to Mizu and smiled softly. “The creators of this world tell us we are worthy by way of a vision, in which we meet the first Queen, her Heir, and our mother… What is done in this vision varies, from what my mother told me. I was never worthy of such a vision.”

“I… I…” Mizu looked very overwhelmed. “T-Then how did you know I had had one? Surely there must have been some sign.” Chrysalis shook her head and gestured to the letter resting next to her seat and her tea. “A letter? The gods sent you a letter?”

“The Imperator sent me a letter, asking for my guidance.” Chrysalis said as she looked back to Mizu. “He too has had a vision, though it has varied from ours. In his vision, he met his father and the first in his family line, as well as a third that could not be the firsts heir… The first in his family challenged him to combat.” The Queen watched as snowflakes began to fall from the sky, dancing about in the cold winter air. “These visions indicate that a great journey must be undertook, a journey to the source of all life.” Chrysalis looked over to Mizu, her eyes tearing up as she leaned down and gave her daughter a hug. “You have surpassed me, my child… You and the Imperator must undergo this journey together, when you return… You will succeed me.”

“B-But… But mother… I… I’m not ready!” Mizu said nervously, Chrysalis eased off of her embrace and looked her daughter in the eyes.

“You will be…” The Queen said softly. “You must go and prepare, I will send word of what must be done to the Imperator… With any luck you will be able to leave tomorrow.” Mizu hesitated for several moments, but Chrysalis was still her mother, and so she reluctantly complied. Chrysalis watched her daughter leave before her horn glowed with energy, she levitated a pen and paper from her nearby paper and began composing a letter in response to the Imperator, she only hoped that he would take the news as well as Mizu had...

Author's Notes:

Sorry about the delay, I've been still trying to get my stuff back on track, but I'm getting better, so that's good...

Anyway, here's your clip of the day, happy holidays.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZWlZFfAnIM