"Stop squirming dear...ponies will start wondering what's going on over here..."

"I wish you had told me I was going to be wearing a fucking dress to this place!"

"Well of course you were going to be wearing one, Athena! This is the fanciest place in the city! You think I'd let you just waltz in here looking like some pony from off the street? They'd kick us the hell out for Celestia's sake!"

"That's not my problem! I hate wearing these stupid fucking things!"

Our conversation was held through hissed whispers just barely audible over the background noise of the Chez-Parez, a classical jazz quartet performing gently over the general din of the restaurant patrons enjoying their meals. We had barely made our reservation, much to the annoyance of the maître d' who eyed us with disdain in his pompous tuxedo and top hat. Mom was dressed in a graceful royal blue gown with small sapphires sewn along the hem and forming the shape of a peacock across her rump with emerald feathers and ruby eyes. It was a Rarity original that had been a gift for the Grand Galloping Gala over fifty years ago, something mom had kept and preserved carefully over many years only breaking it out for the most prestigious of occasions. I meanwhile sat uncomfortably in a spare gown she owned that was a light baby blue lightly embedded with sapphires and emeralds that complimented my mane colors well enough but left me feeling like I was in a straightjacket. It was tight around the chest, the hem was easy to trip on and all I could think as I wore it was 'what would happen if a fight broke out right now?' Needless to say...I was miserable being out of armor, especially around strangers. Not even my tail gun was of much comfort as I couldn't reach it with my hooves or mouth and fumbling for it with magic would be difficult with it hidden under so much fabric. I was as good as naked and I didn't like it.

"Athena Minuette Crete, I swear to fuck if you get us kicked out of here I will beat your ass so hard you won't walk straight for a week!" She hissed under her breath, giving me a swift kick under the table. "Sit. STILL."

With a sad whimper I relented and gave up, sitting back in my chair perfectly still in case she gave another stinging kick to my leg. After a few moments she gave a small smile and a nod of approval before picking up her menu and disappearing behind it with a small glass of wine floating beside her in her golden magic. I meanwhile sat there stewing in silence while feeling horribly out of place amongst a crowd of finely dressed snobby rich fucks. If I thought I felt out of place on the open street, it had nothing on this place. With nothing to do, I grabbed my own menu and started to browse before I realized half of it wasn't even English but Mareseillian. I didn't recognize anything on offer and the small sub-text explaining what went into each meal only left me more confused as to what in the fresh hell I was going to be eating. Mom meanwhile sipped away happily at her wine and settled back in her chair looking content and at home amongst all these blue bloods.

"Mom...I don't understand a single fucking word on this thing..." I finally relented, letting my menu flop forward and onto the table unceremoniously.

"Don't you remember your Mareseillian lessons?" She asked, peeking over the edge of her menu.

"Mom, that was like ten-plus years ago and I almost failed that class in high school. Only reason I even took it was because they required a foreign language class to graduate and it sounded a lot better than learning Greifenländer."

She sighed and shook her head in mild exasperation before pointing to something called 'Ratatouille and replied, "Just ask for this darling...its just thinly sliced eggplant, zucchini, onion, tomatoes and peppers in an herbal savory sauce. Fairly simple dish, you should enjoy that well enough I should hope."

"Rat...ratata...how the fuck do you pronounce this shit?"

"Oh for the love of...I'll just order for you darling..."

At that, I felt some stress lifted off my shoulders knowing I wouldn't have to talk to the waiter or have to pronounce ratty tatty patootie whatever and watch his snobby ass face curdle in disgust at my lack of culture. I sat back in my dainty highbacked chair and glanced around idly as we waited patiently for his high class ass to show back up, all the while feeling the growing pain of hunger clawing up my belly. The 'appetizers' were nothing more than a plate of four, I repeat four garlic and cheese stuffed mushrooms which didn't even hit the bottom of my stomach before they were digested leaving me feeling even more hungry than before. I absolutely despised this place...with every fiber of my being I wished to be anywhere else, even back in the trenches fighting for my life. Being my first time to this gaudy white marble prison of a restaurant, I had no set expectations about what the experience would be like but...even my most dismal projections hadn't accounted for just how fucking boring it would be waiting thirty minutes between visits from our waiter. I knew if I started doing anything to try and alleviate my boredom, mom would instantly kick me again and I would be both bored and in pain. Civilian life was just so unbearably dull...

When the jackass finally decided to stop by our table again after forty minutes of staring into hungry space, I averted my eyes while mom did all the work ordering our meals. His gold feathered quill glided over his pristine white notepad, commenting on our 'fine selections this evening' before he disappeared again to fuck knows where. Mom seemed pleased with everything and poured herself a fresh glass to sip on while I silently begged for anything interesting to happen to break up the monotony. Compared to the boredom experienced on important meeting days on the Front waiting around behind the front lines for it to begin, this eclipsed it and then some. Could almost feel my brain melting out of my ears at the lack of stimulation and as much as I had a soft spot for jazz, the quartet in the corner was far too laid back for my taste.

"So...does it always take a fucking hour to order the main course?" I asked after I got sick of staring at the patterns in the lace tablecloth. "Or is that just a rich person thing that happens at all these sorta places?"

"Oh hush..." She sighed, setting down her glass and rubbing her eyes. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

"You can take me to another gun store." I suggested hopefully. "I know I can mind my manners there."

"Darling, this meal is costing mummy almost a hundred-grand so the least you can do is at least try and appreciate this rare treat..."

"Treat? You call this place a 'treat'...?" I retorted, earning myself another kick. "Ow! Fucking stop, goddamnit!"

Her eyes flashed with an anger I hadn't seen in many a year and I cowered as she huffed, "Outside. NOW."

We stood in unison and I followed her outside the grand hall to the white marble balcony overlooking Manehatten from our place on the top floor of an upper class apartment bloc. The sun was nearing the horizon in the distance and fragrant flowers in dangling flowerpots hung from the awning tickled my nose softly in the evening breeze. She went silently over to the banister, looking out over the city and leaned up against it with a heavy sigh.

"Athena darling...whatever in the world am I to do with you...?"

I stood in silence for a moment wondering if this was a trick question or a rhetorical one before I replied, "Um...love and adore me like I deserve?"

She gave a short laugh and turned to face me, the anger from earlier tempered somewhat in her eyes.

"You know what I mean. You're a grown ass mare, Athena. Act like it would you?"

"Look...I appreciate the shit out of you and I can appreciate the occasion bu-"

"Obviously you can't or we wouldn't be out here having a discussion about your behavior now would we? I thought you had grown out of this sort of thing already...this is like that dinner we had with the Paisleys all over again..."

"Oh common, this is nowhere near as bad as that...we haven't been kicked out yet and Daisy isn't around to egg me on. And for the record, she's the one who knocked that urn of ashes over, not me."

"It doesn't matter, the point is you should know better than this Athena. You weren't born in a barn like some member of the Apple Family, you know how to behave in formal settings. I shouldn't have to remind you about this."

"Look mom...I'm just gonna come out and say it: this place sucks. I absolutely hate it."

"Oh I am very well aware of that young lady..." She groaned, leaning back against the banister and rubbing her eyes. "This was a bad idea...we should have just stayed in bed and ordered takeout or something..."

"Heh...see, now that is an idea I could get behind. Would have saved us having to rush our fun to get here on time and we could actually eat some real fucking food, not this dainty bullshit they call food. I'm starving mom! And this place wouldn't know good portion sizes if it went up and bit 'em in the ass!"

"That's just fine dining darling, all these sorts of places are like that."

"And that's my problem? I don't care if it was cooked on Celestia's flaming ass by the gods themselves, I just want to be full, damnit! Do these ponies have stomachs the size of grapes or something??"

"Is there a problem here, Madams?"

I turned to see one of the restaurant staff eying us suspiciously in his pompous tux and opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind when mom said, "Nothing at all, sir. We were just having a private discussion."

"Ma'am, guests are not allowed in this area as it is closed pending an exclusive formal party for Prince Blueblood and his entourage. I will have to ask you to return to your seats immediately."

We looked around seeing no tables, staff or really any sign that a party was to take place here and I replied, "Doesn't look like it to me. And the doors were wide open with no signs stating this area was closed off so how were we supposed to know, huh?"

"I must insist you return to your seats. This area has been deemed off limits to commoners as per his Highness' personal request."

I turned, looked at mom who was likewise bristling at this bullshit, and growled, "Commoners huh? Is that what you people think of anyone who isn't one of your precious fancy pants assholes? Huh??"

"I do not have to answer you. I will be calling security now to have you removed from the premises post-haste."

"No need." Mom snorted, scooping up her purse from off the balcony and yanking me by the arm towards the exit. "We were just leaving anyway. Come along darling."

I knew better than to say anything while she was in such a huff and instead put my focus towards trying not to trip over myself and my unruly dress at the furious pace she had set. It had been many years since I had seen her so frazzled and irate and for a second time in only a few hours I felt like a little filly again though while the last one had been exquisite...this brought back some bad memories. She was never one to raise her voice without need but there had been more than a few times where my fuck-ups had warranted such volume to try and get some point across my thick ass skull. There were always a few every couple years...I never claimed to have been a perfect daughter. We exited the large marble prison and waited for the line of high-end carriage drivers to reach us to give us a complimentary ride home; the least such an expensive fucking experience could give in return for such a shitty, overpriced experience. As we waited near the graceful curb, sitting on the rim of an elaborate golden fountain in the shape of a stylized sun disc, she took a few moments to compose herself and touch up her makeup in the mirror of her small pocket kit.

"Well...this is most certainly not how I imagined the night going..." She sighed after fixing her mascara. "That was quite the performance, young lady."

"I...I'm sorry, mom..." I stuttered, still feeling about two-foot seven and eight years old.

With another, heavier sigh she looked up from her hooves and replied, "I know darling...I don't know, Athena. I was just hoping...for once...you could try to be a bit more...posh than normal."

"O-oh...?" I asked inquisitively, standing on the curb holding our spot so she could rest. "What do you mean...?"

"Well...not for nothing dear but...you and I are not quite the same style of mare. Were you this age when I was still back in college living a bit more freely than I am now well, then perhaps I could handle the fast paced world you live in now. Truth be told...I'm outdated. I've been around longer than I care to admit and things have changed a lot...and I'm just not the same mare I was back then."

"What are you saying...?"

"What I'm saying is...I have garnered a taste for the finer things in life. With the kind of free-time I find myself with nowadays, I have been using more of my money to dip my hooves into upper-class society. That isn't to say I am some fancy pants wannabe, far from it. But...I do enjoy finally being able to live in such a way that I can enjoy my hard earned money. I've done my part and carved out a piece of this world for myself with the skill of my own hooves. Now, while I enjoy dental work as I ever have, I have earned a break and a pampered retirement. Long story short darling...I was hoping that you would be willing to settle down enough to try and enjoy what true hard work can buy you. But...you are just a little stinker, just like you were as a filly. Fancy stuff was never really on your radar of things you had any attention for...I'm not sure why I expected anything different from you as an adult. But...in the end, I can accept that."

It took some effort to look her in the eye but when I did I couldn't help but ask, "Are...are you sure...?"

"I love you, Athena. Like nopony in this world ever could...rain or shine, thick or thin...you are my little girl and I love you just the way you are. I shouldn't expect you to change when I raised you to act for yourself how you see fit. Would be hypocritical of me to even attempt something so blatantly contradictory."

"Heh...yeah, that is what you taught me. To be my own mare and not be someone else's idea for who I should be. I've never forgotten that...if anything, it's the best piece of advice you ever gave me. Despite what's going on, I don't think I could be happier than where I am right now and it's all thanks to you showing me how to take life for myself."

"Oh please...you can't put the burden for all your success on me dear." She laughed softly, getting to her hooves as the majestic silver and gold coach pulled up pulled by a quartet of tuxedoed stallions. "I only showed you the door, you are the one who threw herself headfirst through it, hell or high water."

We climbed aboard using a graceful silver step ladder they extended from the base of the open door and sat back in the deliciously soft and cozy red velvet seats as they swung the door shut giving us some much appreciated privacy. The velvet and stained wood paneled interior was warmly lit by ornate oil lamps in the corners and a small chandelier dangling in the center of the roof while the windows were hung with satin curtains. The moment she spied the bottle of sparkling wine chilling in an ice bucket to the side, mom lashed her golden magic around the bottle and yanked it into her waiting hooves. I was in no position to argue and wasn't in the mood to tempt fate anymore than I already had so far.

"Not a fan of this bubbly shit but it's better than nothing and momma needs a drink after tonight...the hell is this...? Ottavia Sinfonia No. 9? Eh...always loved your music Tavi but couldn't you have just gone with a regular white? Yeesh..."

With no ceremony she tore the cork out of the bottle and received a face full of explosive foam, soaking her face and lap while also dripping somewhat from the ceiling. Instead of hurling the bottle and shrieking in anger over the metaphorical slap in the face like I would have done, she calmly sighed from the depths of her lungs and began chugging like a champ. I was too stunned by the event to even laugh let alone judge her for wanting to forget the last few hours. All I could think of was her Red Berryl pipe chilling on the nightstand at home and the wonderfully sweet flavor of bliss that was guaranteed to make the bad things of the night fade away. It was something I knew I was going to get cravings for as soon as I returned to the Front. There was a high likelihood I could find people who illegally had it shipped to them as drugs of all sorts proliferated anywhere there were bored, stressed out soldiers but...it would be a first for me and I wouldn't know where to even begin.

"You...doin' alright there, mom?" I asked as she took another long swing of the dripping bottle, the air heavy with the scent of sickly sweet alcohol.

"Been better..." She admitted, brushing her sodden mane out of her face. "But...least Tavi has good taste in grapes. This is definitely a top-quality Mareseillian Chardonnay variety. Mmmm...you know this actually has a really exquisite white oak and peach aftertaste! I take back what I said earlier, Tavi. I think I could learn to like this given a couple months."

I laughed softly, unsure of what else to say and let her do her thing while I stared out the carriage window at the brightly lit city passing by us. I didn't know how I felt...a mixture of shame, anger, annoyance, pride and a half dozen other mixed emotions that left me more worn out and confused than anything. I certainly felt bad for being such a stubborn little shit and ruining her night in high society but...she was also right in saying that fancy shit had never really been something I cared for. While I had a feminine side, I was just more inclined towards the tomboy way of life as it brought me infinitely more enjoyment than anything else. Toy swords and guns over dolls and dress-up, mud wrestling and exploring the woods over tea parties and makeovers; in all reality I probably would have made for a better colt than a filly. Still...I could have at least tried more than I had to just make it through a few hours of discomfort and annoyance for her sake. I was quite honestly lucky she was taking everything as coolly as she had. Had I been younger and pulled this kind of stunt back in the day, I could kiss my un-grounded ass goodbye for a few months at least.

When we had pulled up to the curb outside her apartment, the door was swung open and the step ladder dropped by one of the drivers. His nostrils flared the moment he opened the door and his eyes bulged a bit in their sockets but he said nothing as he assisted us down to the sidewalk and bid us a good evening. After slipping back into his harness, they were away down the busy street more than likely talking about how much of a mess of the alcohol mom had made. She stood beside me, still looking sober despite smelling far from it, and followed me inside her apartment lobby after dumping the empty bottle in the public trash bin under a lamppost. Being late in the evening as it was, there was only one mare at the front desk who casually waved to mom as we passed before looking back down at her terminal. As the elevator doors closed I could clearly see the reflection of a digital card game on her glasses which gave me some amusement to alleviate the weight in my gut.

We made it into her apartment without any incident and the moment the door had closed she was already starting to lazily tug off her dress and jewelry, tossing them wherever as she made her way towards the bathroom. Feeling bad about the night, I took it upon myself to pick up after her for once and followed behind gathering up her discarded finery. While I set them in as respectful a pile as I could for such a fine gift, she busied herself with starting up the rowboat tub and putting on an old Blue Suede vinyl. It was no Connemara folk music but it certainly brought some pangs of nostalgia to the heart remembering those nights spent dancing till we dropped to her funky beats.

"Lot of memories with this album..." I said after taking a seat beside her leaning against the sink.

"Mhm..." She hummed back, staring off into space before pulling out her pipe and a small bag of Berryl buds. "What say ye to sailing down memory lane a bit more?"

I took the fanciful cigar lighter she used with a giddy grin and held it lit for her to drag off, replying, "Aye, aye cap'n!"

The day to return to the Front came all too soon. Sunday was over in the blink of an eye and we spent all of it in each other's arms at her apartment watching TV, discussing the future and enjoying another couple romps in her wonderfully soft bed. Before I even knew it, Monday had dawned on us and I was standing anxiously in Four-Star station awaiting the train South. The station was as packed and chaotic as the day I had arrived with hundreds of ponies going about their personal business without a care in the world while I dreaded every passing second. Trollies of luggage rolled past, pushed by Four-Star employees in their emerald and gold uniforms while their rich owners strutted ahead of them with their noses held high. TVs and papercolts hawked the latest depressing news from the corners and atop old wooden crates demanding your attention, all the while sporting big fake smiles like everything was ok. Amidst the noise and commotion...I felt isolated. To the point I could have passed for an island in the sea of chaos around me.

Of course, I had mom nearby which was a wonderful boon to have in the moment. No open seat for a M.O.M employee to take and drag me into his political scheming, just a worried mother anxiously awaiting the inevitable with her only child. We sat together in a melancholy silence as the minutes ticked by and the train pulled into the station, smoke billowing everywhere making eyes water and nostrils flare at the noxious fumes of the coal burning engine. Judging by her expression as we sat there, she too was feeling the same thing...sadness and regret.

"Well...it's time..." I whimpered softly, grabbing my duffle bag from the floor and getting to my hooves with great reluctance.

She stood with me and held me close for a solid minute, a soft stream of tears trickling down her cheeks and soaking into the shoulder and lapels of my dress uniform. I clung to her as tightly as I could without squashing the life out of her and tried my best to take as many mental snapshots of the moment as I could. We both knew it would be a long time until I would be permitted to see her again...

"B-be brave, Athena." She whispered in my ear, the tremble in her voice undeniable despite her best efforts. "I'm...I'm proud of you. For everything you and the others are doing down there...Celestia knows what would happen if you weren't there to help hold back the Empire."

"I...I'll do my best, mom." I whispered back, looking at her in her beautiful blue eyes and putting on my best brave face despite the turmoil of emotions engaging in civil war in my breast. "The...the next few months are going to be tough. There's a lot going on down there that is too frightening to talk about and...you don't need to know about. I promise mom...I will make it through this. We will see each other again."

She held me at arms length, taking a moment to straighten out some of the pins on my uniform and straightening my tie before nodding and replying, "I'll hold you to that. Now...you better get going, Athena. Or...or I'm afraid I won't be able to let go."

I pulled away with the emotional trauma equivalent to ripping off the world's largest bandage and nodded, giving her a salute before picking up my bag and turning away to approach the train. As I approached the line waiting to board those ahead of me were polite enough to push me to the front of the line with the usual thanks for my service and murmurs of respect for the uniform. Once it came time to board I made my way to the first seat I could find with a window facing the station so I could have one last mental snapshot to take with me. She stood there on the platform, smiling and waving but with mascara streaking from her eyes and a faint quiver in her lips. I waved back, mental camera snapping so many frames it should have exploded then and there, and with a lurch the train disembarked from the station. She vanished behind a wall of pillars before the tracks lead us out onto the raised platform that loomed over the cramped streets below clogged with cars and buggies alike.

Manehatten slipped by before my eyes but I barely saw it. Skyscrapers flitted past in a blur and all I saw was her face...an accurate facsimile of how I felt inside. Forcing a smile and trying to appear brave but in reality screaming just beneath the surface and in dire need of emotional security. It hurt so much to leave her...not only because of just how much closer we had grown from this trip but just how lonely I knew she was. She had outlived a few of her old friends from PonyVille already and those she had made in the industry had seemingly all but forgotten about her after her retirement. While she had a few mares from her Manehatten clinic to go on lunch dates with, they weren't close enough friends to provide the kind of daily social interaction I knew she craved. Being around her seemed to take a load off her shoulders and put a pep back into her step but it wasn't something that could last. Having Hucks and I around would mean the world to her and make her twilight years much more bearable but there was no way in hell it was going to happen. At least...not in the foreseeable future with everything that awaited me down South.

And on that train of thought...what did await me down there...? I had essentially resisted arrest, as unfounded as it was, and would surely face the General's wrath as soon as I touched the sands of the Badlands. Would I be blacklisted? He already suspected me far more than I was comfortable with...I could only hope that Operation: Downsize was enough reason to keep me around a little longer. In the back of my mind I knew that I had already signed my own name to his blacklist and it was only a matter of time before I ended up fighting in the Empire itself. Didn't take much for anyone to get sent there these days...could be serving alongside somepony one day and the next hear they were transferred to the Zulu Campaign never to be seen again. It was a death sentence no matter how they tried to spin it. The casualty rates in the Empire were such that one in every three soldiers died within the first month of their tour to the unbridled rage of the Empire defending its territory. The path to Mombässali was clawed out inch by inch from the hooves of the Great Chief and paid for with more lives than seemed necessary. Even with the aid of the Greifenländer and their gigantic Gryphons and mechanized vehicles progress was excruciatingly slow already four years past the initial estimates for victory.

"Please...just make sure Hucks and mom stay safe..." I mumbled to the air, not sure if it was a prayer or just a vain attempt at prodding Fate to throw me a bone.

Stop after stop went by without notice. Military checkpoints and regularly scheduled stops alike went by without incident and I kept my paperwork out and ready, giving it readily to those who came aboard to inspect them. Word about my resisted arrest did not seem to have spread and I was grateful I had scared the living shit out of that M.O.M Unicorn enough to ensure my return South went uncontested. Officers took one look at my uniform and green booklet with the EAF insignia emblazoned in gold on the cover and moved on without a word. Not even a suspicious look out of the corner of their eyes as they passed, just business as usual. It would have been pleasant if it hadn't been for the rush of panic that flooded my body every time the conductor hit the brakes and memories of three days ago filled my thoughts. I had brushed with M.O.M on multiple occasions like anypony else born in the last two decades but this was the first time I had felt actual terror about having to interact with them. Their power was almost unchecked and in the grand scheme of things I feared that they would only grow more bold in their efforts to root out any and all semblance of resistance to their edicts and mandates. With Celestia in seclusion and Luna showing no signs of taking more leadership to herself...it was unlikely things would get any better. In fact...without even trying I knew that they would only get worse, just like everything else in the world.

After several hours the train finally pulled up to the end of the line just North of the Front just as the sun was beginning to sag behind the Ember Mountains. There had been a Company's worth of GA soldiers taking leave in Appleloosa so the remaining twenty miles of track were filled with obnoxiously loud talking, laughing and jeering. Exiting the train at the station was a blessing as I was able to escape the cramped seating on the passenger car and make my way through a packed crowd of about 200 or so soldiers down to the main camp. The air was heavy with heat and the Valley ahead of me shimmered in the desert haze, plumes of noxious black smoke billowing from the warzone taking place several miles further South. It was kinda pointless to worry about the members of Alpha's safety in the time I had been gone, we always came home at the end of the day and just because I was gone for a few days didn't mean anything would change that.

The camp was as busy and chaotic as always with carts of supplies going to and fro followed closely behind by Platoons lead by their commanding Sergeants. The air was alive and well with noise and barked orders with rows and rows of plain green canvas tents marking the resting place of every mare and stallion present. Artillery roared from the Eastern branch of the Ember Mountains high above and above groups of armored Pegusi flittered around going about their assigned tasks. To top it all off, none of the T-51 clad Shocktroopers standing guard by HQ made a move to apprehend me as I meandered past and everything felt more or less as normal as it ever had in all my years fighting in the area. That was...except for the group of towering Gryphons that stood around chatting nearby one of the flattened dirt runways that were springing up all over the camp.

Gryphons were a rare sight in Equestria to begin with seeing as their homeland had a Front of its own to worry about as part of the greater Zulu Campaign but it didn't take much to spot the telltale signs. The most obvious was their use of custom-fit Power Armor, the largest models ever produced, and the stylized avian skull painted in white on each of their helmets dangling from hooks on their sides. The Plague Birds were here to stay on the Southern Front after months away serving in the East and I felt a mixture of relief and apprehension at their presence. While I had seen them at the awards ceremony a few weeks prior, it was never said they were here for anything more than the ceremony with their technically assigned CO before being shipped back East. They were like Alpha, a Squad that just refused to die no matter how impossible the calculated odds of success for the mission were but unlike Alpha, they had even more of a reputation. While we were rarely sent on so-called 'suicide missions' due to our value, the Plague Birds were the undisputed suicide veterans of the War with more successful missions under their belts than any other Squad on the books. If there was a thorn in the side of Command that couldn't be cut out with the surgical precision of the Desert Rangers then the Plague Birds were the hammer of doom that would obliterate it entirely. If they were all recalled to the South...well, that could only mean one thing. There was another suicide mission in the works and Command's Fell Hammer was being called in to solve the problem, whatever it happened to be.

"I'm tellin' ya guys, I swear these ponies keep getting shorter and shorter. Is it just me? Please tell me it's not just me who thinks that. I can't be the only one who thinks that, right?"

"I dunno, they seem as short as they always have been, Muller. Don't forget you're wearing the T-57 now...you're a full head taller than Peter."

"Not really that hard to pull off for such a shorty."

"Hey, Garand? Go fuck yourself would ya?"

"I'd ask you to but you'd have a hard time even mounting me ya shorty!"

I stood several feet from the five of them, each growing steadily in size over the other like a Kyevshen Nesting Doll but all breaking the six-foot mark and then some. I knew them only by reputation so it was rather brave of me to get so close to them without prior introductions. It was rather fascinating to see them finally up close and see for myself that they weren't all just cookie-cutter Gryphons wearing matching armor like all the other Steel Rangers you saw around the Front. The shortest of the group also appeared to be the newest as his armor was barebones T-51 with the only distinguishing features being the skull decal on his helmet and an abundance of leather and canvas bandoliers across his breastplate and waist. He was still a fairly handsome guy for a bird with light sky blue feathers and golden yellow eyes above a similarly yellow beak. The reason for all the bandoliers was obvious once I spotted the long Greifenländer marksmare rifle slung across his back, a scoped and suppressed G3 with mixed wooden and composite furnishings.

Next up at only a few inches taller than him was a beautifully white Gryphon female with a black beak and piercing violet eyes similar to my own and seemed to be the only girl in the Squad. She was wearing what could only be described as a 'lite' variant of the T-51 with slimmed out proportions; a continuation of the Ministry of War's production of both heavy powered armor and semi-powered armor to fit different units' needs. Hers was the first to feature any actual decals aside from the Squad's symbol being covered in the Ministry of Peace's iconic Pink Cross indicating she was the designated combat medic for the group and a collection of runes around her bracers and shoulders painted in violet. And if that weren't enough proof, she was also laden down with bag after bag of M.O.P branded medical supplies dangling from every available surface of her armor. Hidden amongst all the medical accessories was another Greifenländer weapon, a compact submachine gun of some sort with a long stick mag that also seemed to double as a foregrip which was a peculiar design but a rather intuitive one at that.

The next male in line was perhaps the most interesting of the bunch, a flat faced Owl Gryphon with large, strikingly dark eyes and dark charcoal grey plumage lightly touched with hints of rusty brown feathers mixed in just under his small, curved black beak. Like the female, he too wore a semi-powered T-51 but it was mostly obscured by a desert camo ghillie suit that even from where I stood made him melt into his surroundings via some enchantment placed upon it. Upon his helmet across the forehead rested an external optics unit which, coupled with a long foreign-made bolt action rifle covered in fanciful Far Eastern symbols, solidified his role as another marksmare of the group. Although taking into account his ghillie suit, he was probably used to going solo and providing overwatch for the Squad. Alongside his foreign rifle was a short sword of similar shape and design to the much longer sword owned by Zecuro except the jewel in the pommel was a bizarre dark amethyst with a bright sapphire blue core. Almost as if one gem had grown over and around another...

At around the seven foot mark was guy number four, a royal blue Gryphon with a long, pointy golden beak and vibrant orange-yellow eyes. His T-51 was much tankier than the others before him as one of the fully-powered suits with extra bits of Celestium Steel bolted onto the chest, neck and shoulders for added defense. Shotshell bandoliers crisscrossed his body strapped onto every available surface while his entire right leg was adorned with massive speedloaders meant for the decidedly old fashioned revolver in a holster strapped across his chest. On his left leg in a leather quickdraw holster lay a massive sawed-off 1987 shotgun, yet another old timey firearm that seemed a little out of place on a modern battlefield. A Kyevshen combat machete sat in a sheath on his right shoulder, its size making it a sword by pony standards and I could only guess that he was a Trench Runner. Only those with a death wish pursued the profession of barreling through the trenches at full speed with nothing but close quarters weapons meant to exact maximum damage at near point-blank range. Crimson Dragoons plied in this trade freely to great effect but this guy...he would put the fear of Death into anypony's heart once the pain train got going.

And finally, towering above the rest at what could only be ten-something feet tall, was a rusty red brute of a Gryphon with cherry red eyes and a dark brown beak. His armor was particularly striking having a simpler design than the others but making up for the blandness by being broad, thick and heavy enough that he visibly sank somewhat in the red earth beneath him; essentially what could only be called a Super-Heavy variant I had never seen before. His paldrons simply cupped the joint but their length down the upper arms almost made rebraces unnecessary and served as rests for the two enormous weapons built into his armor like pony versions of the Heavy Power Armor. One was a belt-fed 30mm autocannon while the other was a tri-barreled .50 Big Mac minigun; a menace to society and the real powerhouse of the Squad. Tally marks covered every inch of bare Celestium plate, even the massive ammo drums across his lower back. Truly they were a sight to behold and as much as I didn't want to be caught staring...I couldn't help but stare at the five of them and marvel at their size and armor, each of them a head-plus taller than anyone on my own team and then some.

"Hey, lookie here Muller! This one ain't as short as the rest!"

I was roused from my awed examination of the five when the white female peeked around their fellows and looked right at me, pointing an armored talon in my direction. They all turned as one to look at me and it took all my nerve not to be cowed by five enormous murder birds all gawking at me. Their expressions were a mixed bag to say the least ranging from apathy to outright amusement. I was quite tall for a pony but even the shortest of them still had several inches over me making me the smallest doll in the Nesting set. My curiosity was leading me into murky waters as usual...

"Well I'll be damned, I thought you were joking Erika! I mean, she's still small fry but at least she's got some length to them pony legs." Said the dark blue one, eying me hoof to horn with a critical eye.

"Can still squash her so I don't see what's so special about a few extra inches. A shorty's still a shorty." Replied the enormous red guy, shaking his head and clearly unimpressed.

"She's got a fuckin' name ya know..." I replied with a loud sigh, hoping my rank pins were visible enough to earn a little respect.

"Oh! Oh! Don't tell me..." Said the dark blue one again, tapping his beak with his talons in thought. "Grey Mist? No, no...Fog Hoof! Oh fuck it...you guys all have such dumb sounding names, it's hard to remember all of them or take them any bit seriously. Is this a warzone or a petting zoo?"

"Athena Crete." I replied with a bit of a growl directly at him. "Lieutenant Colonel Athena Crete, Captain Fuck Face."

"Oho ho! Watch it, Garand! This little mare's got snark and rank!" The white one named Erika responded, punching Garand in the shoulder with a loud metallic clang of metal on metal.

"Oh pleaseeee..." He scoffed, giving me a half-hearted, mocking salute. "She might be above me in rank here but she doesn't command us. Dunno what unit you're from little lady but we don't take orders from ponies. We're the exclusive property of the Greifenländer and only take orders from the König himself. So unless you're a fuckin' Gryphon King and got a dick between those skinny legs, I don't have to take any shit of yours."

I bristled under the surface but I could tell he was looking for a fight and the last thing I needed with Command's ire was to be caught in a brawl with a shitbeaked Gryphon with a stick up his ass.

"Whatever you say, shithead..." I grunted, looking over all of them with my best unimpressed expression just to piss him off. "So...Plague Birds huh? Alpha Squad and I have heard a lot about ya. I'll believe the stories once I see it for myself."

"Alpha Squad? What, you mean from the Desert Ranger Corps?" The owl-faced Gryphon asked in a thick Greifenländer accent, cocking an eyebrow before his face filled with understanding after seemingly looking at the insignia of the Corps Dragon on my shoulder. "Ahh...well at least there's something respectable about you."

"She's puny and annoying, can I kick her already?" Muller the brute asked, looking down at his compatriots eagerly.

"Reign it in, Muller..." Garand sighed, pushing himself and the others away to brush past me. "Let's blow this joint...seen enough little shitheads for the day."

"And I've seen enough loudmouth pigeons for one day!" I yelled back over my shoulder, noticing the Owl Gryph had lagged behind the group and was walking back towards me. "What, looking for a verbal tussle? Bring it, flat face."

He raised a hand in peace and laughed nervously, "N-nein...I apologize for Garand's behavior, Colonel. We recognize your rank and, unlike the rest of mein team, I know of your reputation. Or...should I say that of your Squads'."

It was my turn to cock an eyebrow and look at him curiously.

"Oh really...? Forgive me if I'm a bit dubious after what just happened."

"I insist it is the truth!" He said firmly, his large dark eyes staring intently at me and I noticed his dark grey feathers were speckled with tiny grey spots. "From one sniper to another, you have mein respect."

"Um...thanks? I guess?" I laughed hesitantly, wondering when the snide comment was coming.

"Bitte!" He smiled, his tone remaining light. "I do hope to witness more Veteran Rangers in combat. Much can be gathered from studying the techniques of others."

"Heh...so I can see." I replied, nodding to the bizarre rifle and sword at his side and back hidden amongst the desert ghillie of his armor. "You certainly don't use normal weapons, even those from Greifenländer like some of your fellows."

"Ja...I know." He chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his feathered head. "Hakai and Ehrenbrecher are far removed from this Continent but I assure you they are worthy weapons of no inferior quality to those found here."

"E-excuse me...?" I asked in confusion as to the names he had just said. "Haki and what now?"

He retrieved his odd rifle from his back and presented it to me saying, "This is Hakai, a finely made rifle from the far-off Kyoto Isles known locally as an Arisaka. The name translates as, 'Vernichtung'. Eh...I mean, 'Destruction', heh. Pardon me."

It was a rather plain looking, if very long, bolt-action rifle in terms of basic design with a straight pull bolt system and internal magazine that had the telltale grooves for the use of stripper clips. To the left side of the action was an attached scope with an extra long main tube but a slim objective bell and an odd T-shaped reticle zeroed in at 300 meters. With elevation ranged out to a jaw-dropping 1,400, the elevation bar canted slightly to the left to adjust for the offset mounting of the scope. Around the butt was a padded leather cheek rest with a built-in bandolier for ten rounds of ammo that was somewhat smaller in size than the .30-06 used in M1 battle rifles; the leather tooled with a fanciful long-bodied dragon motif. The wood furnishings itself were a dark red rosewood with a beautiful long grain pattern and I noticed that the buttstock was formed from two separate pieces of wood increasing the overall strength and a testament to fine crafting.

"Hmm...an...interesting rifle to be sure." I hummed as I turned the weapon over in my magic and held the scope to my eye peering up at the clouds. "Not something I would use personally but if she gets you through the day alive then by all means it's a fine weapon. Are all Kyotian weapons this...plain? You have nice accessories on this, don't get me wrong but...I dunno, take them away and this is a pretty basic rifle. Equestria moved on from this sorta thing a few decades ago."

"For the most part...yes, I suppose they are." He replied, taking the rifle back and slinging it back over his armor. "They were still growing accustomed to firearms when I visited which was only a few years ago. This I purchased from a reputable supplier of weapons while in their capital however, the engravings and leather bandolier I crafted meinself. They are still rather fond of their history and value the ownership of swords as a personal weapon."

He then drew forth his short sword which looked similar and yet nothing like the weapon that Zecuro had briefly shown me. It possessed a single cutting edge a little over two-feet in length along a curved blade with a thick spine and a gently curved tip. The metal itself was made of a flowing, wavy pattern of varying shades of steel that was mesmerizing to look at while along the edge, ending just between it and the spine, was a noticeably lighter colored wavy pattern. Etched into the lower half of the flat sides of the blade were a set of simple, blocky, straight-lined runes similar to those I spied on Erika's armor but I failed to recognize. The crossguard was again an odd, large metal disc formed of interconnected knots of braided steel and the leather wrap hilt was just large enough to fit in one of his hands. And of course, capping it off at the bottom was a simple brass pommel encasing that odd purple and blue stone I had noticed earlier. What I didn't notice earlier about it was the soft, cold glow emanating from it...

"Is this...one of those Elemental Gems I've been hearing about?" I asked, thinking back at the dark red stone set in Zecuro's weapon and wondering if it too had one as well.

"Why...yes it is." He responded with a bit of surprise. "I did not know those were common knowledge now."

"Hardly!" I laughed, looking up with him and feeling a bit of warmth toward him as he just seemed like any soldier passionate about his personal weapons. "They only tell people over a certain rank just to keep them a secret from the grunts and even then, only really to Unicorns like me. I didn't know they could be embedded in weapons like this. I was told they only work in the Rings of Power the Ministry of Arcane Science has been producing."

"Heavens no! The Miyako discovered how to mount Gems to almost any weapon and imbue them with their power so that anyone may use them to enhance their combat prowess. Were you trained in their use, being a Unicorn yourself?"

"Not a chance...I've never been good with my horn outside of lifting guns and shooting them at people. Maybe some decent work with a combat knife but no...I don't do the whole abracadabra bullshit like Combat Sorcerers. Well...more like I can't... So...what kind of Gem is this? I've never seen or heard of anything like it!"

"Ah...well...that is hard to say." He said sheepishly, shuffling his paws behind him. "You see, as part of my...training there, I was tasked with forging mein own sword in order to...what is the term...'graduate' if you would. All Gryphons are trained from birth in the art of forging and mechanics so this was hardly a challenge even using their foreign techniques. No...the trouble came from obtaining the Gem itself."

I glanced over the blade with its pristine craftsmanship and cocked an eyebrow but let him continue. I was legitimately curious and I was fine with a longer explanation. At least it was something interesting to listen to unlike the court marshal I was wholly expecting to come knocking on my door now that I was back on duty.

"You see...this is no ordinary Gem. At its core lies a Moonstone and not the variety you may have come across in clandestine jewelry markets. No...this is a Gem that channels Lunar Magics of all forms, including those cast by your Princess Luna if in perhaps a reduced form. What makes this Gem particularly special is that what is known as a Dark Gem has grown over and around the Moonstone; by what machinations I cannot say...perhaps darkness attracts other things that are of a similar inclination no matter the origins."

"Heh...getting a little heavy there for me...uh, Peter is it?" I asked, a little embarrassed I didn't quite know his name.

"Ja, das is mein name!" He laughed, pointing a thumb at himself. "Forgive me...to be simplistic, it is two Gems in one that work in harmony with one another allowing for the casting of two branches of magic that are...shall we say, beneficial to one of my skillset. I was informed by the Hōsekishō upon purchase that Dark Gems are of Zebrican origin and have an unsavory reputation. However...while normally such a thing would be dangerous as it gives off a corrupting aura, the presence of a Moonstone within it appears to have tamed it. Truly a priceless item..."

My head was starting to reel with the veritable arcane mumbo jumbo that always went over my head like it did in college and EastPoint so I tried to change gears to something that might be a bit more digestable. I didn't even want to question how a Gryphon could use magic, let alone Elemental Gems, with my limited understanding of the art. I was already in over my head with this guy as it was.

"So...what did you have to do to obtain this...Gem thing?" I asked, trying not to come across as condescending or something. "You said something about purchasing it from a...I don't even wanna try to pronounce whatever it is you said."

"Ah, the Hōsekishō, or 'Jeweler' as one might say in English." He laughed, taking back his blade and sheathing it at his side with a practiced ease that scared me. "He insisted I engage him in an honorable duel of blades. Fortunately behind his shop was an open space for us to engage the other and I learned then not to underestimate any Miyako citizen be they old or young..."

He gestured to a faint gash across his beak and a scar under his left eye and continued, "To be brief...it was a hard-earned victory. But...as a foreigner in their lands, he respected mein performance and permitted me buy this peculiar Gem as a parting gift prior to having to leave the Isles and return to the König and his court. By the grace of Midna I am able to use it and bring mein King glory from the shadows as is mein calling."

"Huh...that is an...interesting story!" I replied, putting on my best smile despite having gotten lost about three minutes ago. "I saw a Crimson Dragon a few weeks back with a sword kinda similar to that so it's nice to finally know it's a Kyotian sword...except that one was a lot longer with a big old hilt."

"Oh? That is very curious indeed! I wonder if perhaps it is a nagamaki based upon the description you gave. They are quite long hilted and serve as an odd 'micro polearm' of sorts. Heh...I can see this term means nothing to you."

I nodded with a sheepish laugh, completely in the dark what the fuck a nagamaki was or looked like. Maybe if I could get him to see it...no, that was a stupid idea. Was already dangerously stupid to be seeing Zecuro as it was instead of killing him like Command certainly would want. Or turning him in to let them have their way with him but...I just couldn't do that to him. I just...knew he was being honest. It takes far too much guts to kill your own fellow soldiers to defend a friend you had in second grade...

"Yeahhhh...I've yet to even leave the Continent so someplace like the Kyoto Isles might as well be on the moon for as close as I've been to it. But thanks for sharing with me! I like seeing new weapons and this answered a question I've had for a few weeks now."

"It was a pleasure, Colonel Crete!" He replied with a formal bow and then a salute. "I am sorry to talk your ear off, I am sure you are a busy mare."

"Not yet, heh..." I laughed again, looking past him towards HQ nervously. "I only just got back here from being on leave seeing my mother in Manehatten. Without a doubt I will be sent back into the fight before the night's old."

"Is that so? Well do not let me hold you back, Colonel. Forgive me for holding you back."

"Oh please...after those three days of bliss, I'm not exactly eager to be back here...but, I'm sure your Squad is gonna come looking for you and I'm not looking forward to running into that...Garand fucker anytime soon. Talk about a stick up your ass..."

"Ah...yes. He is a good Captain. Abrasive to those he doesn't respect but a good Captain to us all. We would not all be here were it not for his leadership so I cannot help but have respect for him in turn."

"I'll take your word for it..." I sighed. "Alright, well...I hope to run into you again sometime! You Plague Birds are notorious so it's nice to say I have met one of you personally and weren't pummeled for it."

He gave another salute and started walking away before turning and asking, "Are we really so feared?"

"I mean, I've heard stories from other Squads that you guys tend to rough up anyone who ain't a Gryphon soooo, yeah. Dunno if it's true or not but you guys didn't get the name Plague Birds for nothing."

"Indeed so..." He mumbled, turning back around but saying over his shoulder, "Well...not all of us are given to random fighting. I do hope we meet again, Colonel. Perhaps on the field of battle I can witness your skills behind a scope for meinself!"

I nodded to his retreating back and sighed again, looking around at the Camp and just feeling...lost. I didn't feel like I belonged anymore, not with General Olive taking the law into his own hooves and trying to detain me on bullshit, non-existent charges. I dropped my duffle bag in the dirt and dug into it for my PipBuck, strapping it to my leg and fishing out the EarBloom device so I could access the radio function. I needed to talk to the Colonel before anything else happened and it had to be away from HQ, far away. If the General was gonna make a second attempt, I wanted the Colonel on my side and in the know about what had happened.

"Alpha Six-Nine to Requisitions. Come in, Dodge..." I mumbled into the mic built into my PipBuck.

"This is Requisitions, who is this? I've got a mountain of paperwork and this is a busy channel so make it fast whoever you are alright...?"

"Dodge, it's Athena. Is Colonel Horn on station?"

"Oh hey, Crete! Good to see you're back in town. Good vaycay with your mom?"

"Yes but I don't have time to talk about it, Dodge. Is the Colonel in or not??"

"Sheesh, girl! Alright, alright...yeah, he should be around here. Why?"

"I need a big favor of you...can you run a message by him? It's urgent."

"Can't you just come and ask his secretary like everypony else has to? Why make me the message boy?"

"Because..." I sighed long and hard into the mic trying to come up with the right words to say as I knew the line was going to be tapped. "Just...please, Dodge. I can't say why and you'd rather not know why so please...just do me a solid. Tell him to contact me directly when he has a chance. I have some stuff to tell him and it has to be ASAP."

"Huh...well, least it's easy to remember I guess." He mumbled back. "Alright...fine. Guess I owe you something for the Warrant so can we call us even after this?"

"Dodge, we were already even before this so I'll owe you something for this, alright? Now, would you please pass the fucking message along? Make up whatever excuse you need to to get in and see him."

"Alright, alright...sheesh...I'll make sure he gets it ASAP little lady. No need to get your tail in a knot..."

"Thanks, Dodge...trust me, I'll tell you about what's going on sometime but not right now. I need this done or you might not even get the chance to cash in."

"...That bad huh? Got it. You can count on me, Crete! Warrant Officer Dodge, out!"

I sighed in some relief knowing he was a stallion of his word and had taken the hint from my frantic tone of voice. For all I knew, the General was listening to every word I said and was sending out his goons to look for me...I had to vanish. My armor was back in my tent but it was risky to try and retrieve my kit in the event the tent was being watched. Even if it was...having the extra protection was a lot more preferable to being as good as naked in a dress uniform. It would at least calm the panic in my heart somewhat knowing I was safe from intermediate cartridges and even the General wouldn't dare fire live rounds in Camp, not without everyone knowing he was deranged and mad with power.

Without another thought I rushed into the maze of tents, stripping off my uniform and stuffing it unceremoniously into my duffle bag. It wasn't a lot to blend in but at least it made me less recognizable amongst other PT clothed soldiers milling about their tents. I got plenty of weird looks and angry shouts in my direction as I nimbly navigated my way down towards my tent which was a quarter mile down the Valley amidst the other Desert Ranger tents belonging to Veterans and inducted Rangers alike. There was no signs of pursuit or even that anyone even cared that I was back but I wasn't going to let that lull me into a false sense of security. Until I heard from the Colonel and knew my position was secure, I was going to hide in the trenches and not come out. Not until I knew it was safe for me to do so...he had tried to take me once and I wouldn't put it past the fat little fuck to try it again, especially now he had his precious Shocktroopers to call on. Out of the frying pan and into the fire...oh Gods what was I going to do...?

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirty-Five: A Queen and Her Bounty Estimated time remaining: 11 Hours, 2 Minutes