Chapter 4: So I take it you’re not busy if your here.

There was another thud against the strange cracks in the wall. More bullets flew out of an enraged Russian who seemed to stand there for an eternity.

"Увидимся в аду!" He yelled at the confused, angry or dead soldiers.

"2 minutes!" Specks yelled.

"FUUUUCK!" Dead eye yelled drilling holes through more distant solders.

"Amber, help me get Snake away form...."

Another hard thud was heard. It boomed and the cracks widened. A recognisable voice could be heard, but violated everyone else's sense of perception.

Impossible. If she was on the other side, why isn't she being shot? Or falling? There's nothing out there but open sky. Specks wondered.

"Luna! When I break through, you use your magic to pull them across."

"Yes sister ready when you are."

Snake had a feeling about what was going on. Evac? Celestia must be saving us!

"Guys get over near the wall, get ready to get out."

"Are you crazy!?" Abbiegale and Specks screamed, but of course they followed orders.

"Trust me on this. Sunny's coming. HAHAHA that bitch is finally pulling her own weight!"

He heard another boom on the wall, followed by a very pissed of growl.

"One minute!" Specks yelled, perched on in the corner shooting at the only way in or out. The group took shots whenever they could. Ursa was the last to join the group.

"Vwat happens now?"

"We wait...CUTTING IT CLOSE CELESTIA!" He glared towards the window shortly afterwards. He could see the trail of the missile approaching. "Throw all your grenades down the hall!" Shuffling amongst the discharged bullet casings he managed to throw a flash bang with his better arm, which unfortunately had a hole in it.

Back in Equestria, the Alicorns were slowly breaking the mirror, Celestia landing mighty bucks and Luna using her magic to expand the cracks.

"CUTTING IT CLOSE CELESTIA!"

"Hold on one more!" Get ready Luna." She instructed the princess of the night.

She paced to the bed and her hind legs, backed up with immense speed and made contact.

SMASH

Time slowed as shards of glass and debris swapped worlds. The dusty old walls belonging to earth flew about Celestia's royal chambers, breaking the bed, wardrobe, shutting the safe and even drilling through the closed double doors. Celestia and Luna were blessed with being at the right positions at the right time. On the other side; razors flew past the unguarded backs of the squad. The mirror fragments glistened as they saw one human lose a slither of blood. The giant reached up to cradle his bleeding hearing appendage, only to find his missing ear on his lap. He picked it up and  tried to squash it back into place.

"Now pull Luna!"

The indigo unicorn' eyes glowed a white colour as her horn strained to pick them up. The missile was getting closer, not stopping for anything. Focused and built for a kamikaze mission. He had his target, he had no mercy.

Snake turned to see the pair of princesses trying to reach for them, horns a glow. Their magic couldn't reach past the invisible barrier bonding both realms of existence.

"Everybody get to Celestia. Go!" Everybody rushed. Snake stayed to pull others through: Specks, the twins, Ursa and Dead eye. It was his turn when the missile hit, and Luna was right by the entrance. The entire squad was flung against the opposite wall of Celestia's room. The blast caused smoke to fill the room as has Snakes body tackled the younger sister to the ground. The fire and flames erupted over him, scolding his exposed elbows.

The wall holding the Mirror started to rumble and began collapse in on itself. The portal grabbed and tore pieces of the wall until there was nothing else left. When the entire wall was demolished the passage imploded. The remaining rubble fell unceremoniously.

There was more smoke and coughs. The wall had led way to another room; it seemed to serve as a stationary cupboard for the cleaning staff. How fitting.

Celestia got to her hooves. Groggily she looked around at the ordeal behind them. 5 humans were discarded where ever the portal was pleased to throw them. Specks made his way through her portrait near the balcony, Dead eye was sat, legs spread apart, back against the wardrobe, The twins were on both sides of the rock that now occupies the bed, Ursa was lying outside the room, still clutching his right ear. All passed out, but what worried Celestia the most was that Luna was missing.

"Luna?" She searched frantically.

"Down here Sister." a small squeak was heard under rubble and a hand.

"LUNA!" Celestia immediately lifted the rubble up, and tossed them into the cleaning closet, with her magic.

"Snake." she saw that on top of her sister, spreading out to maximise coverage, was Snake. Bruised and beaten; bleeding and breathing. He kept all of the wall remains off her but he couldn't stop his blood from leaking into her coat.

"He saved me, we need to help them." She gazed at what was left of the human. A slow oozing or rose from his bandaged eye, a badly torn front of his suit revealed a bruised left chest, a small hole in his right shoulder displayed a dark sanguine ditch. Luna could only describe his slowly breathing body as Broken.

"Yes, we must take him to the infirmary." She collected the bodies and when they were together, Ursa mumbled something in Russian, before there was a blinding light.

The bitter scent of aesthetic camped inside his nose. Twitching and flinching against a warm breath by his bare uninjured arm, slowly inhaling and exhaling to the more pulsating chirps of the heart monitor. The mind returned to his body gradually as Snake awoke from the fatigue induced slumber. From his good, and only, eye he could squint at faint shapes. A white blob with a moving blur made of 'cool winter' colours, 3 square fuzzy shapes past his feet on the other side. He tilted his head and gritted his teeth against the pain as he screwed his head to the other side. His new blind spot held a blue wall. He closed his eye, embraced the pain a little while longer before opening them again. His vision focused; he could see the aqua blue curtain in more detail, the shadows between the folds, and the highlights on the hills. He scanned back to the sight opposite his bare feet. 3 more beds containing Specks, Abbiegale, and Dead eye by the window currently closed. They were stripped down to vests and pants. From the heart beat monitors he could tell they were all stable.

The final sight came back to the blob resting next to him. She had her mane slowly flowing, the colours of candy pink, ice blue, moss green and a faint sliver of deep river blue framed the tired Alicorn. She wore her tiara behind the horn and on the brink of her ethereal mane. Her single eye was closed, as she quietly slept near him. From her cushioned seat she rested her head on the bed, just before his arm. A hoof was just out of reach for his hand.

He tried to move his hand. Just a little bit, just a nudge, to wake her up. He had something he wanted to say. After a slight tap, and another and another strained prod, she eventually returned. Fluttering a bit, the pink iris was seen underneath a half open eye. It eventually tracked to the source of the prod, leading to her eye shooting open and switching to focus on his sly grin.

“So I take it you’re not busy if your here." He stated.

Celestia shot up and smiled. She leaned over and hugged him. He was scared to say the least. The monitor spiked and revealed his suppressed shock.

"I'll take that as: you had a lot of time then." He concluded she had waited for him, for what must have seemed like months.

"Too much time Snake." She chuckled. It was good to hear him again. His warm chest contained a strong pulse, which the monitor did no justice to represent. To say that was his heart beat was to say blowing a raspberry was equal to thunder. She looked back at him almost tearing up. “You’re an idiot for not running!"

"Well I had to make sure you and your world was safe." He crossed his arms, one freshly bandaged, the other bare of uniform. "A gentleman always walks a lady home ma'am."

"I thought you said being a gentle man isn't always a good thing?" she said, still holding a tear but smirking.

"I also said how we choose to exercise it. It was a good thing I did." He said smirking in reply. She hugged him one last time.

"Just...don't do it again, and tell me everything next time. No more lies."

" I'm sorry, but I'd do it a hundred times over." He brought enough strength to hug back, weaving his hand through her mane. He could feel the hairs, but they were like liquid, they were possessed and all move in unison unless disturbed. She accepted the massage as it came.

"I know you would. I'm glad you don't have to any more than the once anymore." she retracted from the patient and he stored that last statement in his mind for a later date. This was not the time or place, they were happy to be alive. The best missions were when none of the good guys died after nearly dying.

What does she mean 'more than the once any more'? He was going to ask but he realised he had more pressing matters involving his international squad, or the lack of two people from said squad.

"Wait, where's Ursa and Amber?"

"Here."

The curtain opened to reveal Ursa pulling it in one hand and stethoscope in the other. Amber was lowering her vest as she looked over. "We were worried about you. Been in this room for about 3 days. Everybody else has gotten up. Ursa here was actually a doctor before he became a medic."

"I know. I read his profile. Good Job Sergi danil." He gave a salute, lifting his hand from Celestia's mane.

"Thank you, comrade. It was how you say 'touch and go'. If you did not get medical help soon eye would be infected. Your eye is still not going to be healed I'm afraid. Cuts around eye will scar, but rest should heal. Pony magic is useful."

When he finished Snake turned to Celestia.

"Pony magic eh Sunny?"

She grinned and arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, I used my healing magic to do my best to repair the damage. I'm afraid I had limited results, I can only heal what I know about your physiology. Only the surface wounds and a few bruises I am afraid." She smiled at him before focusing on his eyes "I do hope you don't spread that ridiculous nickname around."

"Well thank you for your help, you two may have saved my life. Oh and I can't promise that ma'am." He grinned back.

Celestia was too happy to even care. He was alive, after hundred years, 299 deaths and hours of sobbing, he had been saved.

"Wait. Have we even left this room?" he asked Ursa.

"No, Princess Celestia does not wish us to be focus of other ponies."

"Good move. We're Spec ops anyway. My you’re a little miracle worker aren't you?" He said turning his head to the Diarch.

She stood up and smiled warmly at the compliment.

"I try."

Snake noticed something different. She appeared more slender, more toned, had a whiter coat and moved more delicately.

"Princes...you look different." Snake eyed suspiciously.

"Oh well... your world does change a pony." she responded, slightly panicky at first before returning to her calm composure.

"I see. It is a far better improvement my dear. You’re definitely slimmer and have a shinier coat. My, my. What an improvement indeed." He said smiling. She blushed and he leant back satisfied that his compliment had taken effect. Amber arched an eyebrow and smiled to Ursa. He returned the same gesture.

"Why...thank you Snake." She blinked and beamed before grinning evilly. "So I was giant back that night?"

His eye shot open, and then he remembered what he said. "In proportion to our ponies."

Satisfied she left the bed side and headed to the exit.  "Now that you are all awake I can introduce you to my sister. Then we can move on to my trusted ponies, before reaching the general population." She gave Snake one last tear filled smile before leaving.

The doors opened and she made her way out down the empty corridor. Ursa and Amber could see a smaller familiar Alicorn heading towards them. After conversing with Celestia she sped up and trotted her way towards the infirmary. Celestia seemed to have a merry skip in her step too.

"Heads up Snake you have a fan. For the record you’re a shit spec ops solder. Apparently your name is going around the entire castle."

"Da, we suspect it is because you dropped knife with your name on." he handed Snake a branded blade, his first knife. Remembered for his first 'justice' kill; Abdul Immazan, terrorist. He made sure he knew who Snake was and why he was the one who had to die. He was one responsible for his mother and sister's death. He had his nickname on one side professionally inscribed. Used in close quarters with his pistol, the serrated blade had never failed him. His old squad called it his fang, which he later scratched on along with a tally chart.

"Ah thanks."

"Da Night Pony has been eager to meet you. Almost like sister."

"Greeting Ursa Major, how art thou?" A young voice chirped. On the first day Ursa could not translate her at all. Day two he finally got used to some archaic English. It was still a slow process to solve her slightly foreign words.

"Fine, Princess of night. How are you feeling?"

The princess was slightly perplexed. "Why does thou ask? Do we look ill?"

"No, it's just a phrase he learned. It can mean are you healthy? Or how are you?" Amber explained.

"Oh yes, forgive us, we forget this is not your native tongue. Yes we are fine Ursa Major, thank you. How art thou Amber?"

"I am Fine princess Luna, thank you. Before you ask yes he is awake. You can go see him now." She smiled and trotted around eyes closed. "Be gentle!"

Snake looked at her with a small smile as she treated herself to a peek with a small flash of teal.

"You know...I won't disappear if you open your eyes." He chuckled.

She giggled. "We were just not prepared. We have visited because we have wished to thank thou multiple times for different noble purposes; alas you were always asleep from your ordeal."

"Just catching up on my beauty sleep." he chuckled.

She giggled again. "Thou would still laugh after all thou hath been through? Even with his body broken he still rescued my sister from the wicked. Thou hath my eternal favour. More so thou did save us from the fire and rubble, truly an amazing creature of action."

“My body may be broken, but the human spirit is unstoppable, just look at my friends." He moved his hand around pointing out the resting and the awake. "I take it you are Celestia's sister. She spoke highly of you, I am glad I got you two back together."

"True, you performed a well-planned assault and survived a gruesome accident. We are aware of your commitment to our sister’s return. We thank thou, for thou hath no idea what it means to us that she is safe." Luna winced as she recalled his memory of the grave yard.

"I wouldn't want you to find out the other alternative." He said morbidly under his breath.

She inspected the damage; the bandage around his shoulder, wrapped arm and covered eye. "How is the eye? If thou does not mind answering."

Snake sighed. "Not good I'm afraid. It's gone. But I'm human I'll survive with a grin on my face, it's what we do."

"Yes I am aware, although your antics are often quite serious if need be." She straightened up, and walked over to the seat bedside the one her sister occupied. The seat was plush unlike the wooden one next to it, which was hers. "She did not leave you, you know. My sister was determined to stay by thou's side. Even when raising the sun, she would use that window over yonder." she pointed to the window next to the resting Dead Eye. "Know this Snake. She was truly sorry for not rescuing thou first. You have no idea how long she felt guilty for."

"Nor do I want to. It must have felt like an eternity to her." Luna desperately wanted to tell him the hidden secret. He had a right to know that he had died nearly 300 times in her world. "She made the right choice in the end." He pointed to the plushy. "Take a seat, nopony will tell." She smiled and sat in her sister's plushy. "So I guess it's true about raising the sun. I still won't believe it till I see it."

"Thou could wait till we raise the moon soon. That will certainly prove the truth in her words." Snake snorted to her disbelief.

"Yeah, of course. One gets the sun the other gets the moon."

She grinned. "Just wait and see. Thou will be most surprised."

In the royal canteen, the cook was making Celestia's favourite treat:  cakes. Not just any cakes, but mixed cakes that offer sweet variety with each slice. Such as: chocolate, sponge, lemon, butter, Battenberg and more in one cylindrical form. Each slice was so that royalty did not get bored.  Celestia decided to make a quick visit.

"Good evening, Golden Veiner. I have come to make a request about future deserts on my plates."

"Oh. Good evening your majesty." She quickly bowed, and looked up from the floor. "Whatever you desire your highness."

"I wish for you to decrease the number of cakes you bring to me."

She looked up a bit confused. "Reduce ma'am?"

Celestia was tempted to ask her if she was thinking about her flank size, but digressed.

"Yes. Oh and could you please add a bowl of mixed salad. Thank you, good bye." She walked out with a beaming grin.

"What's got her in a good mood?" She looked at the new finished cake, then to the meal section of the kitchen. She eyed the vegetables and returned back to the cake. "Must be a crazy, weird new trend.... like mixed cakes."

Celestia made sure nopony was looking. When she was certain about being alone, she posed in a mirror in one of the rooms.  It is a far better improvement my dear You’re definitely slimmer and have a shinier coat .My, my what an improvement indeed.

"Well he certainly did have an eye for detail in the forest. He definitely could not be wrong about me. I guess I can keep this figure....even if I have to sacrifice the love of my life" She chuckled.

"And that is how the Nightmare Night celebration ended, it was most successful. I have so many plans for next year." Luna had spent the evening explaining so many crazy things. Ursa and Amber smiled as Snake gave the same response as the rest once did, Disbelief.  Nightmare moon, discord, nightmare night and the elements of harmony became the topics to ruin his understanding of the world. His world anyway, so here he figured it was the norm. Well, not the whole chocolate rain part. He hated chocolate.

“I could imagine. So tell me, you are meant to be the sneakiest pony around, correct?"

She pondered for a moment. "Yes, we believe so. Why doth thou ask?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

"Just thought I'd give you a heads up that me and my friends are going to steal that title."

She grinned "Truly you cannot believe such a thing. It would be foalish to try and beat the princess of the night. I am aware of your skills but you do not have the agility or stealth to pull of any... “She stopped dead in her tracks as Snake had her tiara hanging on his index finger.

"You were saying... Princess of the night?" He grinned handing back the royal crown.

"That was not fair; we were not expecting such an act." She said repositioning the crown.

Snake sniggered and looked at Amber who looked amused. "Is that not the definition of stealth?"

They laughed eventually Luna stopped looking angry and joined in.

"Hey how about this." he brought his knife out. "If you can take this without me noticing, then you gain a point. If I take that tiara of your lovely mane then I get a point. First to 10 points wins."

She considered the proposal, smirked and held out a hoof. "We accept your challenge; we also assume the prize is the title of the master of the night and shadow?"

"And one request, can't back out now."

"We were about to inform thou the same." She took note of how his fingers slowly wrapped around the horseshoe. She felt a bit snobbish, given that Celestia was not wearing any at the time she met. She was tempted to remove them and start again but the verbal contract had been sealed.

"We shall leave..." He had her tiara again.

"That’s one for the human and zero for the equine." He handed her back the black tiara which she levitated back into place.

"Very well, thou hath won this round." She pulled herself out of the plushy." We will see thou later when we wish to perform our nightly ritual. Your friend Dead eye will support Celestia's claim of raising the sun. Farewell."

"Good bye, my fare mare." She smiled at the compliment.

When she left she closed the door; she tried to keep Snake in her view between the closing passages. After it shut Amber piped up.

"You’re a flirty bastard! I bet you’re a proper man-whore when you’re off duty." She chuckled.

"No, I just know how to please a woman, or mare in this case."

"You’re going to get yourself into trouble with that you know."

"Is broken hearted princess ever helpful?" Ursa asked.

"Look I won't play to close to the heart strings, why would you even think a pony would go for a human?"

"She did spend the whole time by your bed ONLY."

"Da, she made Luna to get food, and only went to that window to do her sun rising magic."

"Not you guys too." He face palmed, unfortunately it was with his sore arm. He hissed and they chuckled.

"Well done numb nuts, it's true she does raise the sun."  He ignored the comment. He looked towards the rest of the squad who were sleeping.

"What have you guys done whilst you were stuck here?" He asked. They both shrugged.

"Sleep, eat, drink, talk, eat, heal and sleep." This came from the Russian and it actually counted as a perfect sentence. He pointed to his ear. It had a black dotted line at the base that appeared to reach around. "Will fully heal in 4 days with pony magic, is quite useful. Best part is that this is sewing thread."

"Wow you’re good, I'm glad it's you who patched me up doc. Thank you again."

"не стоит благодарности" he gave a wave of his hand.

"I suppose I should get some shut eye. Wake me when the others get up." Snake rolled over and closed his eyes but had one last question. From his side he asked. "By the way, how long before I can take these off?"

"Soon. Tomorrow, if not next day morning."

"Thanks Ursa. Get ready were doing equipment check when I get up. See you soon. Oh and one more thing..."

They turned to face the back of his wrapped head.

"We are not staying; we all have missions to do back home. Perhaps we can get Celestia's to help our world; if not then we still leave. We have each promised to serve our homeland and so we shall."

"But wait this place is perfect. We can remain safe here..."

"What of Dead Eyes wife? What about Specks’ little brother? How about you tell them they can't be seen again. They will believe we died and suffer for the rest of their lives, whilst we live here. Get a fucking grip. Don't get blinded. Earth needs us, as soon as we can, we're out ‘a here." He turned to face them looking stern with a look of pure authority,

"We will return home. That's the new mission. Are we clear?" He stressed.

There was a silence. Then Amber and Ursa grunted in agreement.

"Good, now don't forget to wake me." Resting in his bed, on his good side, it took about ten minutes before he drifted off into a sleep.

Amber turned to Ursa who was readying more medical supplies. Her thoughts weighed heavily on the last command, it made sense to stay. Heck it was crazy to leave. Yet could she leave her sworn duty? Fail to serve her country? She and Amber had saved hundreds of lives gaining intelligence on weapon shipments and planed attacks. They did swear to protect their country after they dropped the ball with one mission. They failed to collect Intel on an attack on a capital, an attack that killed those close to Snake. This was not to be thought over in the space of a minute. For now she needed a distraction.  

"So, is there a Mrs Ursa Major?"

He turned and arched an eyebrow. "No, vwhy do you ask?"

"What do you think of Abbiegale?"

Celestia was nibbling on some steamed carrot wrapped in lettuce, her tea cup hovering nearby for liquid refreshment, as she wrote a letter to her best student, Twilight Sparkle. She brought the quill to her lips, which she mistook for lettuce and bit on the ink end. After rinsing her tongue out, she returned to her desk. Needless to say, the cake was gone. She looked over at the crumbs and bit her lip. Thankfully more salad brought her back on track.

What followed was the quill scrawling across scrolls parchment. The letters communicated calculated thought as she invited her student and friends over to meet her guests.

Dear Twilight Sparkle

I have known you have had an interest into my disappearance 100 years ago and now maybe the time to explain it to you. You see I was in terrible danger from strange creatures seeking to invade this world. They were not evil but scared, their planet was dying. I was rescued by creatures of the same species, and now they are here to stay.

Permanently it seems.

They showed me that they are not all evil; one was half blinded and almost killed twice trying to save me. I would like you and the elements of harmony to meet them, and aid me in bringing them into our society. These ones have so much to show us, they have a lot of technology they are willing to part with, and Twilight they’re more advanced than you could possibly imagine. I have a feeling that one of them will become an instant favourite of yours. He too is intellectual and highly inquisitive about our world.

They have so many stories and ideas. Please hurry, it is late so I shall send a chariot for you at midday tomorrow.

From your mentor,

                            Princess Celestia. Next Chapter: Chapter 5: A midnight stroll Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 33 Minutes