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My dreams recently have been peaceful, but I suspect Nightmare Moon and Luna have been watching over my sleeping mind from a safe distance. My nights have been pleasant and I have consistently awoken feeling relatively refreshed, but my dreams have not been lucid. And after last time...maybe that is for the best.

For the sake of my safety, I bunked with Ember last night while Seaspray and three of his men watched from the roof of her cottage. She always has me feeling safe. Although I doubt she needs to put as much effort into keeping her men away from me as she thinks she does. After last time, I swear her subordinates will not even go near me. They tend to go in the other direction whenever they happen to see me. When considering what she will likely do to them if they ever raise a fist to me again, they are probably not taking chances after that. A warning from the Dragon Lord is not to be ignored.

I rose from my bed and sat up in the dim morning light peeking through the shades. And a big part of me wanted to go right back to bed, but I resisted. My eyes lazily wandered until I gazed upon the slumbering Dragon Lord at my side. And it was then that I noticed something was wrapped around my left hand. Ember had taken hold during the night and would not let go. Her breathing was soft and quiet, her long jaws channeling her snoring in a manner that prevented anything that might keep me awake at night.

My fingers tightened their grasp around the smooth cool scales of Ember's hand. She has been...a wonderful source of solace for me lately. While even she has difficulty soothing me during the hours of the day, it is a very different story in the earliest and latest hours. Ever since that night... Whenever we are alone and together with each other in the confines of her home... It is magical. No matter how bad a day I have, she always has me feeling at peace by the end during that last hour before bedtime. Like everything leading up to that point does not matter. The way she holds me... Kisses me and whispers to me... I am so in love with her. When will I ever be able to tell her?

Not much longer passed before Ember's snoring began to fade and her scarlet eyes lazily opened. But once our eyes met, she beamed at me with a soft smile. "Good morning... Someone woke up happy."

"I guess I did. What about you?" I asked in return as I beheld the awakening form of the beautiful blue dragoness beside me. The love in those eyes... I knew that my love for her was matched only by hers for me. It is just such a shame that we cannot easily admit it to each other.

"I'm in a good mood. But I know how to make it better." Ember said slyly before she rolled towards me enough to grab my arm with her other hand. With one gentle tug, she pulled me right down atop her while chuckling sweetly. I rested upon Ember with her hand caressing my face as a big giddy smile spread across my lips. Such love in those eyes... And I knew what she wanted. "Please?"

"Anything for you, Ember." I whispered to her before our lips met. And our arms held each other while we savored that embrace. I felt Ember's wings wrap themselves around me even with our eyes closed. For just a minute, nothing else mattered. All that mattered was the Dragon Lord in my arms.

I was soon in the shower for a short while to freshen myself up for the day. Not much later, I strode into the front of the cottage in just my boxers with a towel draped over my shoulders. Ember was in the process of preparing breakfast. Pancakes, fried eggs, and even peanut butter with slices of bananas on toast. She has really taken to cooking lately just to see what new concoctions she can come up with. For as much as dragons love a crunchy gem, Ember really has grown to love the variety of proper cuisine.

The novice dragon chef glanced over her shoulder at me while she was flipping pancakes and cast me a warm smile. As if she was very proud of me observing her working on her next morning masterpiece. I have grown more comfortable being around Ember while all but naked. The sheer quiet joy we feel together whenever we are alone in that cottage, especially during the morning hours when we start our day... It is almost like we are a married couple who have settled into family life. I wanted to walk right up behind Ember and embrace her. But I really should not. Certainly not when she had her cooking to keep track of.

I took the time to set the table for us and prepare some cold drinks. I even turned on the phonograph on the other side of the cottage to start playing some music to set the mood for a pleasant meal. And right when I finished with that, Ember brought over her culinary creations. I liked what I was seeing. She even brought over fresh berries to go on the pancakes. "Looks great, Ember... You just keep getting better."

"What can I say? There's a certain fun to be had in cooking. You just don't get these kinds of flavor profiles with gemstones." Ember replied with a big grin on her lips. Once we took a seat, she took a bite of the pancakes after topping one with syrup, berries, and a quick spray of whipped cream. "Mmmm... Good food, good music, and good company. You people of Equestria really know how to live."

It has been very admirable with how quickly and willing Ember has embraced some proper modern culture since our first encounter. The noblest dragon in all the land, for certain. I observed her for just a moment. So sophisticated with how she dined, fingers delicately using her utensils, savoring bite after bite of her food, and enjoying her beverage sip by sip. Beautiful, powerful, yet eloquent as well. Ember truly is the best her people have to offer. And my protracted stare did not go undetected for long as Ember soon smirked at me knowingly. "What's with that listening gaze? I'm not really saying much over here, but I know that look. What're you doing when there's not much to listen to, looking at me like that?"

Yeah, she knew my habits by then. Ember is well aware of how I tend to just go quiet and listen to what is happening around me whenever I enjoy a meal with friends. But there was no one else there at the time. For once, I was not focusing on what I was hearing, but rather what I was seeing. "Oh, I'm just...liking what I'm seeing. Liking what you are doing. You're wonderful, Ember. Truly wonderful. Not at all a beast."

Ember held the back of a single finger to her chin while still clutching a fork between her fingers. That narrow loving stare she was giving me oozed with appreciation. "Kind of you to say, James. If I'm able to pick up on new tricks so quickly, I'll bet all those boulderheads will learn fast too once they learn to love what Equestria has to offer."

"I hope so. With how your people have always been at rock bottom, the only way to go is up. And I bet they'll rise fast." I replied while really starting to enjoy the results of Ember's cooking. I especially liked how she added diced spinach to the eggs before frying them. "You... Smolder... And Spike back home... I'm sure your people are loaded with untapped potential that's just waiting to be unlocked with the right incentive."

"You know, I bet you're right! I can't wait to see how things change once I finally convince them all to open our borders to foreign trade and all that it brings..." Ember replied excitedly with such a look of optimism in her eyes. For once, she had some very nice things to say about her people. She was hopeful for the future. But her tone then softened as her eyes narrowed once again with such an endearing gaze. "But what about you? When this war ends... What then?"

Such hope in those scarlet eyes... And in the tone of her beautiful voice. My eyes wandered for a moment as I contemplated my response. "I'll...go home. Be with my family again. Catch up on lost time with my wife and daughter and all the friends I haven't seen since leaving home... I'll...live my life the way I've been doing since I first arrived in Equestria."

Her tone still filled with calm hope, Ember then asked, "What about me? What...about us?"

My eyes widened as I understood what she was inquiring. I love her. And she loves me. We both know this. It is mutual. And I considered my words carefully. "I don't know... But I hope it won't be the last time we see each other."

"It won't be the last time. Not after all that's happened so far. I can't let you go like that... Not now." Ember spoke with conviction in her tone. Her eyes showed great concern, but she still smiled at me all the same. "We'll figure something out. We have to. I refuse to just let you go and never see you again by now. You mean the world to me. I can't just write you outta my life after saying that, right?"

"Ember... Come here." I said before paradoxically standing up and going over to her instead. She set her utensils down and held her arms out to me even as she remained seated. I held that beautiful creature and whispered to her, "We'll make this work... You know I don't want to lose you either."

"We will. We have to. You don't know what you've done for me. It can't just end with the war. There's so much I want to do once we secure peace." She whispered to me before we gazed into each other's eyes. She continued to smile hopefully and spoke with her fingers tracing along my jaw, "I've only known you during wartime. Once this is over, I want to get to know you during peacetime. I want to see the real you. The artist hiding under that armor."

"I hope you won't be too disappointed. I know my way with a sword, but I don't normally get in trouble most of the time." I replied while also shuddering at the sheer intimacy of those delicate fingers sliding along my jawline in a way that few had ever done. Seeing the love in those eyes, I whispered words that only thinly veiled my heart's desires. "There's so much I want to do with you... So much I want to say to you."

"Patience, my friend. The time will come when the time is right." Ember said wisely. I think she knows... The things we have done together. The pleasure we have shared. That is not something a dragon does with just anyone. I think she has officially marked me as a potential mate, but it is too soon to say for certain. And I have more pressing matters to focus on.

We enjoyed our breakfast together and soon had to get ready to face the day. But while I noticed Ember finished off the rest of her pancakes, I got a glimpse of her pearly white fangs. And that was when something hit me that made me wonder why I had not asked sooner. "Say, Ember... When was the last time you brushed your teeth?"

She stopped chewing and just stared at me for a few seconds before gulping down what she had. "Brush my teeth? Um...never? Am I supposed to?"

This was a problem. I knew for certain that dragon teeth are extremely resistant to physical erosion if they can crush diamonds without trouble, but I strongly doubted they were immune to chemical erosion brought on by exposure to sugars. If Ember was to become accustomed to dining of proper cuisine, she would need to learn some new routines. "Actually, yes. I know diamonds and other gemstones are something that won't dull your teeth, but if you're going to eat real food, you need to learn how to prevent tooth decay. And there's no quick or easy fix for rotting teeth."

Those scarlet eyes went wide in such a manner that Ember looked like she had suddenly realized that she had eaten poison. "You mean eating this stuff will ruin my teeth?!"

"No! Not the stuff that's low on sugar, at least." I replied while seeing I had a lot of explaining to do. At least I tried. "Basically sugars have a corrosive effect on teeth. They become acidic. Drinking water will nullify the acidic properties of it, but you should still brush your teeth at least once a day if you want to maintain your teeth in the long run. Dental procedures to fix damaged teeth...usually aren't pleasant. And no one wants a toothache."

"In that case... Mind if you show me how it's done?" Ember asked with genuine curiosity. Now that her plate was empty, it was a good time for it. I guided her to the bathroom and over to the sink. A pair of toothbrushes were set up on it. Nightmare Moon had been using one, but it had not been touched in weeks by then. "Oh, I was wondering what these were for. I brush my teeth with these?"

"Yes, but not by itself. You need to top it with toothpaste first." I replied before demonstrating. Once I had spread a dollop of toothpaste across the brush fibers, I wet it down in the sink. "Get it wet...and then start brushing."

This was one step I did not need to instruct Ember on. Once she started scratching the brush around her fangs, she took to it very quickly. "Mm! Tastes minty!"

"Yeah, toothpaste is supposed to taste good since it goes in your mouth." I said with a chuckle. Ember went to work in brushing her teeth for the first time. And she was thorough about it. I expected her to stop after thirty seconds, but she did not stop until nearly three minutes later. Mouth too full of accumulated saliva and minty suds, Ember looked up at me in silence for the next step. "Now you just need to give your mouth a good rinse with water."

Ember did just that and filled the only cup in the bathroom with water before dumping it into her waiting maw. She noisily swished it around in her mouth before tilting her head back and gulping everything down. She then sighed shrilly and said, "Wow, my mouth does feel a lot cleaner now. I can get used to this."

"Um... You're not supposed to actually drink the stuff... But seeing as how your stomach is basically an incinerator, I'm sure you'll be fine." I replied while almost laughing at how Ember's first instinct in putting anything that belongs in her mouth was to just swallow it in the end. Although I then reached for a bottle of mouthwash. "If you want to be really thorough, gargle some of this too. But just a little. It goes the extra mile in cleaning your teeth and is even good for your gums and tongue."

Ember did just that. She poured a little down her long maw and started swishing the contents around in her mouth again. Her scarlet eyes started to go wide while she stood there with arms cross, probably since she was starting to feel the bite of the alcohol in it. After a full minute, she predictably gulped it down and let out a gasp. "Woo, it got a little intense there. Is it supposed to burn like that?"

"That just means the disinfecting properties are working. How do you feel?" I asked with some concern as I wondered if drinking all that stuff really would not harm her. It would at least counteract the sulfuric scent of her breath for a while, if nothing else.

"I feel...pretty good, really. Mouth feels fresh and clean and...urp." Ember let out a quiet belch as the contents of her stomach were probably not reacting all that agreeably with her. But she was quick to comment on the aftertaste. "Wow, that tastes nice on the way back up. That's another perk of doing this. And I should do it once a day?"

I nodded while glad this session went as well as it did. It was good to see Ember pick up a new beneficial habit. "At least. If all you've been eating is rocks, dirt, gemstones, or anything you don't really cook, you probably don't have to worry about it. But if you cook and eat anything, you should clean your teeth at least once a day."

With that task taken care of, I went to the bedroom to get dressed while Ember returned to the kitchen to handle the dishes. And once I had clothed myself and returned to the front of the house, I found Ember suiting herself up in her armor. She had only gotten as far as her armlets before I showed up. She paused while making sure her gilded armlets were on firmly, eyes looking over at me. "I'll be just a few minutes."

"No rush... Oh, you need a hand with that?" I asked when Ember fetched her breastplate and the leather bodysuit it was riveted to. It looked like it was meant to wrap around in in one direction with the rest being secured under one side of the breastplate.

"Actually, sure. I always have the hardest time getting my wings through this thing." Ember replied while I stepped over. It did take a bit of work. There was a horizontal gap on the backside of the bodysuit that could let her wings slide through, but it still took a fair bit of wiggling to get them through. Once that was done, Ember was able to handle the rest herself. She affixed her pauldrons over her shoulders and slid that spiked sleeve over her tail. But when she reached for her sabatons, she paused in realization. "Oops, almost forgot the socks."

I almost forgot about those too. Ember went to the windowsill that was right next to the corner where she piled her gear and snatched a pair of white socks off it. Made by Rarity herself. I then asked, "Those really help with the friction, huh?"

"I'll never know how I went this long without them. Then again, I've never worn my sabatons so often or for this long." She replied while sliding the white sleeves over her feet. Once her sabatons were on, one could not even tell they were there in the first place. "I don't suppose ponies wear these much, do they?"

"Not really. They don't need them for their hooves. Whenever I see ponies wearing socks, it's more for fashion than anything else." I explained even as Ember fetched her helmet. By then, it was hard for me to see her as a fearsome warrior in that armor when we were in a safe and comfortable location.

Once Ember had her helmet covering her face, she took her spear in hand and began to inspect the shaft. I could still remember the cracking sound it made when she gripped that thick pike shaft too hard. Was it still fit for the battlefield? Ember must have had the same thought since she began to inspect the shaft. The spearhead was still polished and sharp. As for the shaft, Ember lightly bent it and tapped along the wooden pole to check for any weakness. "I still can't believe how well this wood stuff weathers wear and tear. I'm sure a stone shaft would've chipped or cracked in a few places by now."

"Most spear shafts aren't that thick to begin with. You'd need to be pretty strong to wield something with that much extra mass so easily." I replied while still amused over how the entire thing was a pike cut short. Only someone with Ember's might could handle that as easily as a lighter spear. Satisfied with her observations, Ember set her spear down on its pommel before looking over at me with only her scarlet eyes visible through her helmet. I then asked, "You ready?"

"Yeah. We'll probably march soon anyway." She retorted softly before waiting by the door for me. Once I stood before the door too, I hesitated. Our time together in that cozy little haven had ended once again and we would be thrust back out into the ordeal at hand. And I found myself dreading it. Ember was quick to notice my apprehension and took hold of my hand. When I looked down at her, she looked up at me. "I'll be right here with you. We'll get through this. There's lots we still have to look forward to once this is all over, right?"

"Yeah... Let's just get this over with." I mumbled before finally stepping outside. Ember's men were nowhere to be seen and a quick glance over my shoulder revealed Seaspray positioned at one corner of the front side of the cottage's roof and Sky Beak at the other. They both waved in greeting while I waved back. With Ember by my side, we made our way through the encampment to return to the command center.

I said nothing during the trek and Ember did not pester me for conversation. The air was alive with activity as the militia prepared to depart. And no one even once gave me any funny looks. I suspect Ember's presence alone was enough of a deterrent. Having the fully armored and armed Dragon Lord essentially serving as my escort must have been intimidating. I suspected word got around after what her subordinates tried to pull. If Ember was with me, it would be suicidal to make a move on me.

We passed by Rain Shine's hut just to the side of the command center. Every time we stop for the night, she always weaves a domed hut of fresh wood that always looks the same. Ember turned her spear around and tapped the pommel on the wall while we stood near the long leaves that served as a door in the same manner a tent's entrance would. "Rain, it's almost time to head out. You coming?"

"I shall be prepared before long. Please give me just a little more time." I heard our friend's beautiful voice speak from within. With her emergence insured, I headed into the command center while Ember waited patiently outside. Once indoors, I immediately turned my attention to the radar station in the corner. Nothing unusual was being displayed upon the crystal display panels. We were out of danger. For now.

As fate would have it, I happened to stumble into the command center during a conversation. Orbash and Sunflare were standing before Nightmare Moon, who was fully clad in her blue suit of barding. It was an interesting juxtaposition to see one of the princesses of Equestria fully armored for the battlefield while the much more powerful king and queen of Equestria were entirely bare. I suppose it made sense due to them having insisted on not getting directly involved in battlefield situations, but it was still tricky to process.

"I cannot shake the feeling that it will not take much longer for us to cross paths with the next wave of the emperor's minions. We have traveled so far and drawn so much closer... I cannot help but dread what may come next." Nightmare Moon spoke with her armored form only adding to her concern. Seeing so much plate armor covering one of the royal sisters carried a sense of tension in the air. Especially with her being indoors at the time.

Orbash nodded while his usual jovial spirit had been subdued by the matters at hand. "Yes, logic would denote that less distance would mean less time between encounters. And the longer it takes... The more men the emperor will have amassed. But it has not been that long, yes...?"

"Have faith in our people, Orbash. They have vastly outmatched the opposition on many fronts so far. The only advantage the emperor possesses is limitless resources and sheer numbers. And that has repeatedly not been enough to slow our people down." Sunflare explained with her pragmatism shining through in a beneficial way. She really is the realist of the royal couple and her unfiltered observations of our success so far helped remind me just how well off we were at the time. If only the situation were as simple as simply besting the enemy at every battle...

Nightmare Moon nodded, but her tone remained grim. "Yes, we have been fortunate on that front. But even now, we are still uncertain of how exactly we will even close the portal that threatens to unleash Earth upon Equestria. I know what is at stake, Mother. And that worries..."

"What did I say about addressing me with that term?" Sunflare spoke coldly while Nightmare Moon recoiled in horror at that tone. The queen's eyes glared fiercely at the Princess of Dreams, as if ready to unleash scorching divine judgement upon her. Orbash remained silent and could only look on with such a gaze of unhappiness in his gentle blue eyes. "I will respect your title of Princess of Dreams, Nightmare Moon. But do not forget you are not and never will be my child. You are a demon and a product of an unknown great evil that just happened to embrace the goodness that was passed onto you by my daughter of the night. Everything about you that Equestria adores is not your own. You are Luna's shadow and that is what you will always be."

This... I understood the rationale behind Sunflare's bitterness towards Nightmare Moon, but this... For just an instant, any fear I had for Sunflare was replaced by frustration. With everything that had happened, to see her being this cruel to the one who was the first to come to my side after I departed my home to face this invasion... Had Orbash not suddenly gotten between us, I am not certain what I would have done. The king inconspicuously stepped between Sunflare and I before I could approach more than two steps before shaking his head at me. He knew I was upset and even he did not approve of his wife's attitude towards his youngest daughter.

Nightmare Moon bowed her head subserviently while Sunflare finally made her way out of the command center. All eyes in that common area were upon the queen and princess as they surely were unsettled by the severity of Sunflare's declaration. And Orbash was quick to come to his daughter's side with his face gently nudging hers into rising. "Give her time... I know she will come around."

"How long must I wait, Father?" Nightmare Moon began to speak as I noticed her voice was beginning to waver. Sunflare was harsh enough during their first encounter, but what had just been said oozed with a bitter venom. All but in tears, she nearly yelled at her father. "What if she is right?! What if everything about me is borrowed?! Perhaps I am merely a demon in the body of a mare! Am I truly nothing but a shadow of..."

"Silence!" Orbash declared startlingly boldly before lifting his hoof very suddenly to his daughter's chin. His usual jovial presence had been replaced with a most commanding and imposing atmosphere. He stood firm before her, eyes scowling at her as the king within him spoke. "Listen well, child. Whatever you are, wherever you came from, whatever it was that gave you life. It means nothing! You are Nightmare Moon. The Princess of Dreams, sister of Celestia and Luna. Princesses of the Dawn and Night. They reign over the sun and moon. You, the realm of dreams the night instills upon our slumbering people. And you are loved, my child. You will always be worthy of the crown that has been placed upon your head. And I will hear no more of this talk of demons and evil! For you are a mare, not a monster!"

The common area was deathly silent as we stood there to observe the moon king's decree. For just that moment, Orbash was frightening. The kindly, gentle, and even joking king of Equestria became as imposing as the fiery sun queen herself. Frozen stiff with eyes wide as her father scolded her, Nightmare Moon spoke softly while her father's shimmering hoof held her head from below. "Thank you, Father... I...needed that."

King and princess lowered their heads so that their horns crossed. And at that moment, a modest applause filled the air. Anyone who was present clapped their hooves together in response to the moon king's firm yet kind words. What a wonderful father... Probably the best Equestria has ever seen. Even I lightly clapped my hands together to see that amazing stallion just doing such a good deed for a dear friend of mine. He then whispered much more softly to her, "Please... Bear with your mother for now. The time will come when she embraces you."

Once father and daughter released each other, Orbash turned to me. With a soft smile, he spoke, "Thank you for always being good to my daughter, James. She needs someone like you."

"I'm trying, your majesty. And...thank you for accepting her as she is." I replied while I stepped beside her. With nothing else needing to be said, the king departed. And I was quick to put an arm around my beautiful and powerful friend. "You've always been a real mare to me."

"I know... I know... Just...when it comes to family, it's very different. To be rejected by her... By my mother... She struck me down that morning. That spear of light piercing my body... I knew it was hers. I knew she...wanted me gone." Nightmare Moon muttered with an unsteady voice. A spear of light... That... The one that caused her to fall from the air. When she was about to cast a most fiendish spell after having run me through on her horn. I had wondered about that... A white narrow beam of light directly from the sun peeking over the eastern horizon. Had Sunflare saved me that night? Was that really her doing? Regardless of my thoughts, Nightmare Moon growled under her breath. "Just you wait, Mother... You will see I am no demon."

I knew it would be unwise to be around her for much longer after that. We all had our inner battles to fight alone. While Nightmare Moon departed, I went upstairs to my room to fetch my armor and weapons. Ocellus and Smolder were there waiting and knew I would not be able to stay long. The dragoness and Changeling eyed me in concern while I could barely manage a greeting. Smolder spoke first and asked, "How were things at Ember's place last night?"

"She kept me safe. And she kept me in good spirits. She's a good host." I replied while allowing my armor's liquid mass to crawl over me to harden into a sturdy shell. I fetched helmet and took it in hand, but hesitated in putting it on my head. I looked at the two of my roommates while they sat on my bed. Neither of them looked happy. And neither was I. My feet carried me a step closer to them before I kneeled before my bed. "Come here. I need this."

"Great minds think alike." Smolder retorted while she and Ocellus all too willingly put their arms around me even as my arms held them. They would be safe there. But they were still young. Being kept in the command center most of the time was not good for them. But I could not send them back to Ponyville. Smolder then whispered while slipping a kiss onto my cheek, "How much longer do you think this war has left?"

"By now? I'd estimate...two weeks at most." I muttered as it suddenly hit me just how long it had been since I left home. How many weeks? Had a full month gone by? By now, everyone around me must be eager to go home. I know I am. I miss the cozy architecture of Ponyville and its thatched roofs. The modern living standards I once took for granted. The more I thought about how much I longed for life back there, the more I realized just how unfitting the role of a warrior is for someone like me. "Can't wait to get home... I miss Ponyville."

"I wish I could miss it...but I haven't seen it yet." Ocellus added before giggling in the obvious reveal. Smolder just smirked at her in amusement. The little Changeling then said, "But that means... With how long it's been since you've been home, it'll be like we're all visiting for the first time, right?"

"There's a weird kind of logic to that..." I retorted as I found myself cracking a smile. I could recall how surreal it was to walk into Ponyville for the first time. While probably not so surreal to an Equestrian native like Ocellus, actually visiting a town not at all like the hive she once called home would be quite the culture shock. But I soon felt her hoof very lightly tap my cheek. And when I turned to glance at her...

Her lips were upon mine. But only for a few seconds. And in that very brief connection, I felt something flowing into me. It could only be one thing. And Smolder was quick to notice as well. "Whoa, you sure that's safe? Don't forget what happened last time. He can't handle too much love right now."

"I know! But I thought...maybe just a little? Did I give you too much?" Ocellus asked with her blank pale blue eyes gazing at me from mere inches away. It was a lovely gesture, to be sure. But there was no denying my emotional state at the time has been...less receptive towards such affection lately.

I closed my eyes and tried to think. I felt some of that warm happiness in me, but not enough to really clash with the existential dread I have been suffering from lately. Just enough to avoid clashing with it and sending my emotional state into a very distraught flux. I let out a sigh and said, "Yeah, I think that was a very safe amount. Thank you, love bug."

This time, Ocellus gleefully touched her snout to my cheek. Not for a kiss, but a simple display of affection. "I'll always be your little love bug, right?"

"Ocellus... Come here, sweetheart." I said before cheekily grabbing her into a cradling embrace. She squeaked in surprise, but relaxed immediately while I cradled the little mare in my arms. She curled her limbs up as best she could while just gazing sweetly up at me. With one armored hand, I caressed my fingers along her understand while she giggled shrilly. I suppose that tiny dose of love was doing wonders for me. "Who's the best love bug in the world?"

This question was too much for the timid little thing. She squealed like a mouse while covering her face with her hooves. Smolder then leaned over to us and said, "I think she knows who it is."

I could not stay long, but those two little ladies had already done just enough to help me get ready for the day. One by one, I shared a kiss with each of them once it was time for me to head out. "Thank you, girls. You really do a lot to help keep me sane."

"I hope so... Be careful out there, all right? We...don't want to go home without you." Ocellus muttered with some unease in her voice. She and Smolder placed one last kiss upon my cheeks while whispering sweet words of reassurance to me before I fetched the rest of my gear and headed down the stairs. A glance over at the radar station showed no signs of enemy movement. The situation was clear for now. And once I stepped outside, I found Ember and Rain Shine waiting while fully armed and armored. Both of them gazed at me forlornly, neither of them really wanting to be there anymore. We were more than ready to just get this mess over with. "Ready to head out?"

"Yes... Let us stay beside you. I sense you are still...rattled by recent events." Rain Shine whispered before stepping forward and nudging my armored head against my own. Even then, that spiritual connection between man and kirin was there. I felt more at ease in her presence than I would have at any other time. Although it was not perfect. Her loving presence was not quite enough to soothe my heart entirely.

Ember stepped forward with spear in hand, face concealed behind her helmet. She then asked, "He's had it really rough lately... Can I ask you to just do anything you can to keep his spirits up?"

"Of course, my friend. We are in this together." Rain Shine said with her serene smile on display. She and Ember bowed to each other in unison while I observed. I raised my eyebrows in intrigue, seeing how the chieftain of the Grove of Silence and the Dragon Lord had become actually quite dear friends in recent days. The dragons of the east and west were more than just allies.

We all gathered outside the eastern walls with the rest of the militia amassing into formations. The encampment behind us was collapsed back into its carrying case with only the most vital bits of field infrastructure remaining to be carried along on wheels. And as we began to march, Ember's left hand took hold of my right. When I glanced down at her, I am certain she was smiling up at me. "We've got this. I know we do."

"What'd I ever do without you, Ember?" I replied while Rain Shine even giggled in amusement as she observed from my left. I think she knew. If she could sense emotional states, she could most likely detect some wonderful chemistry between Ember and I. It was definitely one of the better starts to my day recently.

The familiar rumbling of the earth caused by thousands of hooves could be felt through my sabatons as we marched. I have found that routine to be a strange source of comfort. Surrounded by likeminded comrades on the battlefield... Strength and safety in numbers. At that moment, there was peace amongst the storm.

A couple of hours passed before I suspected my companions were starting to become hungry. It was around lunchtime. And Ember eventually passed me her spear. "Can you hold this for a minute? I'll be right back."

"Um... Sure?" I muttered while doing what she asked. Once her spear was in my right hand, Ember took to the air and swooped over to one of the food carts over yonder. I then asked, "Grabbing a bite?"

"I would assume so. I hope she brings us something. I could use a snack as well." Rain Shine replied while watching our friend do...something over there. A few minutes later, she came flying back over. But instead of carrying little paper bowels or plates, she had taken the practical choice of ordering something on sticks. And she had even brought one for each of us. "Ooh, that looks scrumptious. What did you bring?"

"Some sort of street corn. They say it's simple to make and really popular down south in the tropics." Ember replied before chomping down one in a single bite. It still cracks me up how a dragon can munch up a full ear of corn without trouble, cob and all. "Mm! They weren't kidding! This is much better than just having the corn by itself! Here, try it."

I passed Ember's spear back to her while she passed Rain Shine and I our snacks. It really was a cob of boiled corn on a stick that was coated in mayonnaise and spices. For as simple such a dish was, it was simply delicious too. And Ember was courteous enough to serve as our garbage disposal by crunching down what was left of the cob once we were done. Rain Shine and I stared while Ember noisily chomped on the two almost completely bare cobs before looking at us through her helmet. "What? Isn't it convenient to have someone around who's happy to handle any spare waste?"

"Ember, you're a riot sometimes." I said while failing to suppress a snicker. Although it was then that I ended up walking right into something. A pair of long stalks had sprung up ahead of me and reached out to connect in front of my face. Unable to duck around it in time, I walked right through it only for a cluster of flowers and vines to wrap around my helmet while providing a mask of fresh leaves and colorful flowers. "Rain? Is this your doing?"

"A little something to instill pleasant thoughts." The kirin chieftain explained in brief while showing a knowing smile. It was not the first time she had done such a thing. And I was reminded of how I was being provided with the freshest oxygen possible. But there was another reason for it this time.

"Aromatherapy..." I muttered as it dawned on me why the mask of vines and flowers was so fragrant. It was to literally soothe me with therapeutic properties. Whether or not it would prove effective, I did appreciate the sentiment.

I eventually looked up and watched our pegasus scouts surveying far ahead from a higher altitude. The radar crystals had been collected and returned to the command center by then, so we would have to rely on our own eyes to survey the landscape ahead for enemy movement. And something was not right. Before long, they swooped down over to where the royal sisters were marching together. And before much longer, Ember spoke up. "Why are we stopping?"

The entire militia's march was coming to a halt. A signal had been sent out. And if we were stopping only into the mid afternoon... It was because something was in the way. I grasped my sword hand into a fist as I dreaded what was coming. "Looks like it's time."

"I sense it... Many are approaching from the east. They will be here in due time." Rain Shine added as she most likely was listening in through the earth itself and the flora that was growing upon it out to the east. She appeared unnerved while listening with an ear to the ground. "Empty... Just like last time. This...feels wrong..."

"If you don't think you can handle this, you can sit this out. We'll find a way to carry on without you." Ember declared firmly, yet with a soft tone in her voice. Rain Shine had yet to actually face the emperor's Hollows in battle. With how in tune she and other kirin are with natural energies, the sheer uncanny nature of these artificial soldiers must have been an assault on her senses. If she could not stay composed on the battlefield, she would only become a liability. Which is a shame because I genuinely felt more at ease in her presence.

Rain Shine shook her head and cast a most focused scowl at the two of us. "No. I will not retreat. I did not arm myself and venture out here just to stand at the sidelines. I will assist you in ending this invasion. I will not falter now."

"It's great to have you with us, Rain." I replied while even finding myself smiling at her. I looked around as we all waited for directives. Proper formations is important. I still remember how effective our pikemen were in the previous proper engagement. And now we were even more prepared along with improved safeguards for our aerial units. Pegasi, griffons, and dragons. Protection from enemy arrows as well as our own needed to be considered and I do recall that conversation I had with Sunburst regarding it. Our aerial units were practically untouchable to indirect methods of attacks.

I noticed Seaspray standing tall above our comrades and waving for me to approach him over yonder. As the three of us approached, I even saw our bard setting up her audio equipment to serenade the battle with a fitting ballad to hype us all up. There was no denying how even she contributed to the last battle as even I was practically rocking along with that song. Music is so easy to underestimate as a muse. I began to wonder what tune she would play for this one.

My shield-sisters followed before we found ourselves gathered around Twilight Sparkle. And before we could reach them, I noticed Gilda once again flying away from the command center while probably holding one of our sensor crystal in her hands. It was time to survey the enemy before they would arrive.

"Good to have you with us, Sir James. It's best that you and Lady Ember are present for this." Seaspray said in greeting while I took note of our higher officers gathered around Twilight Sparkle. The three royal sisters were present, as were their parents. But I knew that Orbash and Sunflare would not be doing the work for us this time. This was a war we had to fight fair and square without anything that could be interpreted as divine intervention. Seaspray then turned to Twilight and asked, "She won't be long, yes?"

"I doubt it. Gilda didn't keep us waiting long last time." Twilight replied while fetching the same circular crystal from last time out from under her cloak. Minutes later, the purple crystal began to shine before a beam of magic light shot up a short distance and created a dome of visual displays in 360 degrees around us. "There we go. And the display is clear. Now we just need to wait."

Gilda soon returned after that sensor crystal was deployed. And then we waited. Some of our officers helped guide of infantrymen into formation with our pikemen taking up the vanguard. They were invaluable last time in controlling the flow of the enemy and allowing our other infantrymen to pass through gaps in formation. Between that, our archers, and our mages guarding our vanguard with flanking barrages, there was no easy way to get through. Remembering how well the battle flowed last time soothed my concerns. We had many advantages. At least until I remembered what exactly was at stake. Perhaps these enemy armies were not simply trying to win this war with battlefield conflicts. Perhaps they were only stalling for time...

Time passed and the enemy army began to come into view on that dome of images. These walls of human facsimiles stained shades of purple. And like before, the vanguard was lethally armed with the ideal anti-armor spear. Awl pikes. I breathed sharply through my teeth as I muttered, "Those again... Need to take out the vanguard before they can reach the first line of defense."

"I will see to that. I shall direct our mages to target the vanguard heavily until none remain." Luna declared while soothing my concerns. As lethal as those would be to even an armored pony that was low to the ground, it would not be a concern if they were wiped out before they could even reach us. But that still left the rest of the army to contend with. When considering how formations tend to work, we did not have to worry about not being able to see past the walls of Hollows that began to walk over the sensor crystal. Those at the front lines were heavy infantry that were coated in full plate armor. Everything behind the front lines were slightly less heavily armed with less consistent pieces of plate armor. And there were still some carrying not weapons, but capture devices. Chains and shackles. Nets and staves with hooks to trip and pin prey. Luna's eyes narrowed, a scowl of disgust settling onto her armored face as the presence of these tools conveyed the emperor's motives. "Still carrying means of capturing us alive like we are stray beasts to domesticate..."

Celestia then turned to her parents while they watched warily. "Mother. Father. Will you not be assisting us in this battle?"

The king and queen glanced at each other in silence. I remembered what was said. The only reason they obliterated the enemy army last time was to send a message to the emperor. But it looked like the enemy Hollows were more or less the same as last time. Perhaps the emperor knew the king and queen well enough to know that they would not directly involve themselves on the front lines again. After a brief moment of wordless conversation, Sunflare spoke. "Only as emergency support as we see fit. We will decide when and if we should get involved."

"Thank you, Mother. I hope we won't disappoint you." The Princess of the Dawn said to her parents with a hopeful smile on her lips. But then Sunflare and Nightmare Moon shared a brief glance. There was a noticeable tension between them. And I feared it was a bad sign.

Orbash then turned to Seaspray and asked an important question. "I trust you and your men have added explosive arrows to your arsenal?"

The archery master pointed to his backside. A pair of quivers were on his back instead of just two and the fletchings of one bundle were stained a bright orange. "That we have! All of our unicorn archers shall be using explosive arrows from here on out, but my men and I have access to traditional arrows as well. I only trust those with the eyes of an eagle to wield standard arrows against armored targets. And we have extensively trained our recruits to maximize splash damage while avoiding being a danger to our ground troops."

Explosive rounds... I was hoping none of those would fall anywhere near me, but I was sure the battle was about to become much noisier than the last one. At least there was no chance of them raining down on our comrades if used properly. I continued to watch and listen, although much of what was discussed went over my head. I was out of sorts after all that had happened. And I was no officer. Just a cog in the war machine who only occasionally provided suggestions on strategies when needed.

Someone must have noticed my mind was elsewhere. Because I soon felt a hand grasp my own. A glance to my right revealed Ember looking at me from behind her helmet. I spoke quietly while hoping my words would be drowned out by the conversation happening beside us. "I'm glad you're with me."

Ember's grasp around my fingers only tightened, but she said nothing. I suspect she was worried now that things would not go quite how it did last time. I recall how she and I partnered with Trixie, who bewitched a never-ending supply of Hollows into being our bodyguards. But now there would only be three of us. Myself, the Dragon Lord, and a mistress of powerful earth and floral magic. Would Rain Shine really be able to provide us with the necessary crowd control that only Trixie could have provided?

I turned my gaze to my beautiful companion. And she turned hers to mine. She could see I was troubled and rested her horn against the brow of my helmet, eyes mere inches from mine. Like Ember, she tried to be discreet with only a whisper from her lips. "I know that I will have much work to do, but rest assured. I will be fine. For every blade of grass upon the plains are my eyes and ears. We will get through this, my dear."

"Thank you... Please don't die on me out here. It's hard enough knowing I'm keeping this whole mess going by just staying alive." I muttered as I did all I could to keep those awful thoughts out of my head. The enemy was before us. This was no time for angst. If it was my fault that these Hollows would soon be descending upon us, then it was my responsibility to destroy as many as I could.

The sound of a sword being drawn reached my ears along with the subtle din of magic being channeled. Nightmare Moon, body clad in a full suit of pale blue barding, held her longsword ready in her levitation spell. The conversation beside her fell silent as she glared east with an unusual firmness in her eyes. "Let them come."

Everything was as ready as it could be. The field HQ had been set back up behind us. Formations were set. Our pikemen had their long sturdy weapons held vertically against their barding and were ready to be lowered into place. We even had a rough estimate of the enemy numbers. Around fifty-thousand. We were outnumbered ten to one. But I knew by then sheer numbers was the only advantage our enemy held. We had many force multipliers tipping the scales in our favor. Anti-arrow defenses for both aerial units and ground troops, battlemages and archers raining down destruction from far away, and heavily armored infantry too low to the ground for human opponents to tangle with effectively without the use of polearms. But not my unit. Not them.

Rain Shine and Ember stood beside me as we waited behind the pikemen. My eyes fell upon each of them. They stood taller than the rest. Not too dissimilar to human stature. Rain Shine especially stood eye-to-eye with me and our enemies. And her face was fully exposed despite her helmet. All it would take is one stab of a sword or a swing of an axe or mace into her face and she would be gone. I whispered my fears to her, "Please mind your face. You're exposed at this height. They'll hit you easily."

"I am aware. And I will defend myself accordingly." The brave kirin chieftain said softly while glancing aside at me. She then whispered, "You are who I fear for most. You will take care, yes?"

"I'll be fine. They need me alive anyway." I said with a glimmer of hope in my heart. Eyes were forward. I needed to focus on the battle at hand. Hard to upset over my connections to the emperor if now was the opportunity to lay waste to his tools.

Ember glanced up at me as the minutes went by. The calm before the storm was unbearable. Where the previous proper battle was preceded by an eager tension that was a product of unknown variables we had yet to test, this battle had an air of dread hanging over it now that we knew exactly what was at stake. The Dragon Lord then asked while my mind swam with fearful thoughts, "What exactly will we do to get things started?"

Rain Shine also looked at me in curiosity. She was not present during the previous battle and Ember had been late to the party. I explained quietly, "The mages will target the vanguard and wipe them out. As soon as the parabolic blasts start dropping on them, we charge. The pikemen will charge before holding the line. The rest of us will slip between and around them while our archers prevent any flanking attacks. Stay close and maintain a circle formation if possible. Use any tricks you can think of for crowd control."

"You can leave defensive measures to me. I have no blind spots so long as the blades of grass around us speak to me." Rain Shine declared with steadfast conviction. And I believed her. Ember then slid a hand under her jaw to check that her helmet's modifications would allow her to open her jaw unhindered for a flame breath attack if needed. We were a trinity on the battlefield and hopefully would need no one else.

After some time, I could see it. Movement on the horizon. The plains ahead were not entirely flat. There was a gentle hill ahead that resulted in the enemy army being able to hide behind it for longer than if it was entirely level out there. I initially feared that this would be a disadvantage for us until I suddenly had an amusing epiphany. Having the high ground is normally an advantage unless you are on too high of an elevation. Our equine infantry would be even harder to ward off from below if they were on an even lower elevation than before. Their quadruped stances would make them a more stable target than our enemies. Truly, it is amusing how human warriors would likely struggle against a pony warrior.

Minutes went by. That wavering edge of movement over the hill started to reach ever higher. Our defenses were in place. My companions and I readied our weapons. We would have to wait for the mages to make the first move and it was entirely on Luna when to strike. Ember then muttered under her helmet as that eerie silence filled the air with the faint tremor of countless armored boots vibrating through the ground under us. "It's go time."

"I have steeled myself. My blade is ready. I will not be disappointing you today, my friends." Rain Shine said firmly with the Viper Edge floating beside her in her levitation spell's wavering grasp. She bore a focused scowl, but her gaze softened just enough upon glancing at me. "Together."

"Yeah... Thanks for being here, ladies." I replied while tightening my grasp on the Celestial Sword's hilt. Ember and Rain Shine made all the difference. Whatever doubts my allies may have had about me by then, I knew I could always count on these seasoned and ancient women of battle to give me the support I needed. And at that moment... Above us. Like fireworks being launched skyward without bursting. The mages made the first move even as our lone bard cranked her audio systems to set the stage. "Here we go."

The approaching Hollows did not even respond to the approaching magical bombardment from above. As if they were blind to aerial strikes. Or perhaps the emperor knew that it was futile and commanded his minions to continue marching. Regardless, the first wave of magical mortars struck hard with explosive bursts of many hues of color that were joined by clouds of purple mist. The vanguard was being annihilated. It was time to charge.

Thunderous hooves all around me quaked the earth as my companions rushed ahead at my sides. We needed to stay focused. We thoroughly dominated the enemy last time. History would repeat. We had advantages the emperor had no counter for. The pikemen held their sturdy spears ready with their side handles gripped firmly in their jaws. More and more plumes of purple filled the air as even fiery explosions filled the enemy lines ahead. Our archers were at working testing their new explosive arrows and they were proving devastating. And just when I noticed a slight pause as the archers likely drew more arrows and considered their next targets, Ember shouted in delight as her twelve draconic subordinates swooped low over the enemy while unleashing a coordinated wave of scorching dragon fire over the enemy before gaining altitude for another run. We hit them first and we hit them hard. Seeing such a flawless and devastating first strike was more than enough to fire me up and convince me that everything was going to turn out fine. "Yeah... We got this!"

Our pikemen finally ran into enough resistance to slow their advance with too many Hollows bunching together. Their progress halted, the line was drawn and they would be standing their ground. Our infantry around us began to pour through gaps between the pikemen and even came from under the wall of pikes to attack the enemy from the cover of those wooden shafts. They went straight for the legs as the Hollows hopelessly tried to hold off this first wave. That barding combined with being too low to the ground to attack efficiently once again proved frightfully effective. But my companions and I would have to find another means to get around our pikemen. And so I said, "We're going over!"

"You take to the air! I have my ways!" Rain Shine called back while Ember and I readied our wings. With a single great flap, we propelled ourselves through the air with a lofty jump to carry ourselves ahead and into the thick of the enemy horde. At such an elevation, I was briefly given a glimpse of our mages and archers work. To see those explosions of magic and hot fire destroying and scattering our enemies like that was such a thrill. But then I glanced to my left. And I was stunned to see even when Ember and I took to the air, Rain Shine never left my side.

The kirin chieftain had once again used the earth and its fruit to her advantage. With springy and sturdy leaves summoned under her hooves, she catapulted herself forward for an impressive lap with the ground she had been standing on having been thrust upward like a springboard. Staying in formation, the three of us descended upon the next wave of Hollows. I brought my sword down and cleaved one fully in two while Ember angled her spear to have it plunge right into the throat of a Hollow as she came down. Rain Shine did not even bother using her blade. She crashed right down into one unlucky minion and crushed it under her armored hooves with her full weight behind her. But now that we were in the thick of the enemy horde, we would have to act quick before the enemy could swarm us. And Rain Shine followed through on her promise.

With a quick flexing of her magical might, a wall of thick roots burst out of ground around us to create a circular wall. The Hollows immediately tried to hack away through our defenses, but not even a carpenter's axe would fell such thick roots quickly. And there was just enough space between each root for our weapons. Knowing the enemy would surely prioritize on hacking through this obstacle, I took the opportunity to stab my sword forward to skewer any I could reach.

Ember and Rain Shine stood at my back while we all directed our attention in a trinity of direction. Stabbing and jabbing between the roots while my companions used the extra length their weapons provided to stay out of reach in case a Hollow might try to reach them with a sword. I had little to fear from them, so I was able to get a bit more reckless. With what a distraction that circular wall of wood was providing, we were taking a lot of heat off of our allies at the front lines.

During a brief moment of thought, I suddenly had an idea. I was more than safe within that circle of roots and the enemy archers could not hope to rain arrows down on us without catching their comrades in the crossfire. I had a moment to try adding a little flash and flair to my contributions. After making certain I was facing east, I raised the Celestial Sword until it was pointing over the wall before me. "Let's see if I can hit them from here."

I began to focus the solar magic in my right gauntlet in a manner that channeled it through my sword. With the long white blade starting to ignite with white flames, I adjusted my focus to try and project my magical output through the sword instead of merely into it. And once I had channeled enough into it, I fired it right out through the sword's tip. A scattering flurry of white sparks shot through the air before raining down upon the distant enemy. Although small, each spark of solar magic exploded fiercely in a manner that put them on the same level of our archer's explosive arrows. I began to fire off a few more volleys into the distant rows of Hollows as I wondered if I could find a way to coerce those scattering flares into converging onto a single spot.

After several more minutes of providing a diversion, a burst of magical explosions filled the enemy ranks not far ahead of us. Ember then called out, "Are they thinning the enemy out for us to advance more easily?!"

"They are in disarray for the moment! I'm going to lower the walls! Then we charge!" Rain Shine called out to us as fewer Hollows stood beyond the wall of roots. And the instant the roots suddenly retracted into the ground, Rain Shine took additional defensive measures. A wall of narrow and sturdy thorns suddenly shot up around us to finish off any remaining Hollows that might be too close. "Now! Quickly!"

The three of us charged ahead as a large gap in the enemy forces had opened up before us. A row of Hollows began to amass to block our advancement, but Ember was quick to swoop forward with a flap of her wings. "I got this!"

The Dragon Lord came to a sliding stop before letting out a roar as a stream of hot pink flames exploded from her exposed maw. She swept her head from one side to the other as she swept up the entire row in her natural dragon fire. The Hollows all ignited and soon collapsed into plumes of more purple mist that faded in the wind. Only faint trails of pink embers flickered along the trampled grass with the rest fading out with nothing to sustain them. More Hollows began to rush forward, swords and axe ready in one hand and shields in the other. Ember then called out, "Defenses up, Rain!"

"They shall not pass!" The kirin warrior called out before we all came to a stop near each other. Once again, another circular wall of thick roots shot up around us with just enough space between each for repelling stabs. Although Rain Shine was not quite done as I noticed her glaive beginning to be coated in flames of blue and red. "Let me thin them out a bit!"

The Viper Edge began to bend in ways it should not be able to as those flames engulfed it. The fiery serpent reawakened, it parted its jaws before shooting up above and diving into the rows of Hollows surrounding us. Walls of spirit fire shot up around our defenses as that fiery serpent rushed around the perimeter and through anything that got in its way. That fire may have gotten the attention of our dragon squadron since they too passed by while scorching the enemy with another wave of fire from above. The Viper Edge then returned to its wielder's side and shed its fiery aura. Straight and sharp, Rain Shine took her glaive back into her levitating grasp and readied herself with edge pointing forward. "Another few dozen down, yes?"

"You ladies are really rocking today, keep it going!" I replied while feeling genuinely thrilled. Things were going well At least for a moment longer. Once the flames faded, more Hollows rushed forward to hack away at the roots to get to us. But I hesitated after a few stabs when I noticed a change in the sounds around us. Not the chopping of swords with the heavy chops of axes. More like...a crushing splintering sound. And I saw it through the gaps. The swordsmen among the Hollows had swapped out for Hollows that carried more brutal weapons. Maces. Heavy crushing metal clubs that were trying to smash their way through our defenses. And they would prove much more adept for the task than a sword. "Rain! We've got maces! Keep those roots strong!"

"I see them!" She called out while digging her glaive's blade into one such soldier. Ember tried ease up the strain on our defenses by performing a great leap into the air with the use of her wings and unleashing a brief flash of her flame breath onto the enemy below. But it could only do so much. The crushing crashes and the flying splinters in the air only became louder and more severe as time went by. I could actually see the upper sections of the roots being whittled away. The enemy would soon be able to have much greater reach with their weapons and would force us to have our backs to each other just to stay out of reach.

Rain Shine was quick to notice our defenses being broken down before us no matter how many Hollows we slew. But this resulted in a new pattern. When our defenses looked like they would soon be ruined, Rain Shine would summon another wall of thorns around us to create a safe gap in the enemy forces so that we could advance more while dismissing the ruined roots. But after another brief advancement, I noticed something come down hard. Like massive bolt of blue lightning. Ember noticed as well once countless Hollows were sent flying from the impact point and asked, "Is that Nightmare Moon?!"

It was. The heavily armored Princess of Dreams had thrown herself into the thick of battle. A reckless move for all but the most powerful of warriors. Just as the enemy began to descend upon her, she summoned a lethal field of magic ice spikes that skewered dozens of Hollows in rapid succession. With a powerful blast of lightning fro her horn to clear a path ahead, she charged ahead with longsword drawn. She was heading for that hill on the horizon... A high point. Perhaps the general was there? Would taking it out hinder the enemy army further? Rain Shine was quick to notice how many were around our powerful ally and asked, "Should we be worried?!"

"Normally, I'd say yes... But I think she knows what she's doing!" I replied as I saw Nightmare Moon disappear into that sea of purple. With how smoothly this battle had been going, I was convinced she would be just fine. As long as her armor held up and she did not get careless, the enemy stood no chance against her. If anything, she stood a better chance alone on the battlefield than Celestia thanks to the defensive capabilities of her ice magic.

"She's got this. I've seen what she can do. If she can scare off the entire dragon lands with her power, she can handle small fries like these!" Ember said while letting out an elated laugh at that memory. I found myself smirking at the thought too. I could only hope she would get out of there and retreat to safer ground once she was done.

I kept an eye on the sky. I remembered what happened the last time things got too heated. If some hotshot would break formation for a misguided chance at glory, it would be happening very soon. I watched our aerial units as they watched from above. One soon dove into the fray and rose back up while wrapped in a spherical time-twisting barrier with someone wrapped in their limbs. Someone just got hurt, but that barrier would buy them more time to have the wound treated. I was not worried. Sunburst and his colleagues had worked themselves ragged to try and increase the odds of the wounded surviving even the most grievous injuries.

No one got reckless. I did not see anyone perform a stunt like what Lightning Dust did last time. Nor was I alerted to anyone breaking formation that would need to be chased down before they got themselves killed. We would not be having anything like that happening again. Now we could focus on the conflict at hand without the risk of some fool sabotaging our efforts.

Fifteen minutes. That was how much longer we carried on before something changed. Twice more my shield-sisters and I advanced. But before long, the assaults on our defenses stopped. I thought we had simply slain any Hollows that were around us. But instead, they all began to step back. And Rain Shine was the first to sense something was amiss. "Things are getting quiet out here... The enemy has stopped moving."

We all started peeking through the gaps in our wooden defenses. The Hollows beyond had retreated slightly to the east, but remained in formation to form walls of armored infantry. Even their archers had ceased firing. Ember scowled from behind her helmet as she growled, "They're not surrendering... Looks more like they're just waiting."

"They can't... Are they actually trying to negotiate with us?" I asked in confusion. The Hollows had no will of their own. They did not back down out of fear. The master had called them back to stand down. With the danger having passed for the moment, Rain Shine dismissed the wall of roots around us. Behind us stood our allies. Rows of armored ponies standing ready, our pikemen having advanced to serve as a ready wall of spears for when the enemy reengaged in their hostilities. The battlefield had fallen silent for the moment. Even our bard had silenced her instruments.

My eyes scanned the east. I suspected we had only thinned out the enemy ranks by 20% at the time at most. It was quiet. That army of Hollows stood ominously before us. If the emperor was going to say something to us, he would have by then. Why call off the charge, but stay silent?

As I pondered this, something dawned on me. I looked back at our allies. And someone was not there. Only one of us had advanced farther than my shield-sisters and I. Right into the heart of the enemy army. I turned to Rain Shine and asked, "Where's Nightmare Moon?"

Rain Shine's eyes went wide in alarm. She then faced east and closed her eyes, the runes on her horn glowing brightly. And we waited. Ember and I watched with bated breath, a nameless dread building in my heart. And the words that followed... "The hill... Not moving..."

My head snapped to my right as I frantically scanned the horizon on the sea of Hollows. I could make out that gentle rise to signify the presence of a hill. If a commanding officer was going to stake out a spot to issue commands to an army, that was the place to do it. Had Nightmare Moon reached the general? I could not see anything out there that was not purple. But one Hollow stood taller than the rest. And its comrades in the immediate vicinity even appeared to bow in order to allow it to stand taller. It raised its arm high. And in all that purple... I saw it. A hint of pale blue. A helmet.

Just like that... A fire began to burn in my gut. They did not... They did not just... My breath caught in my throat as I saw that helmet being held high like a trophy. Displaying to all of us whose life they had claimed. It was not possible... I did not want to believe... Nightmare Moon had been...

Fury. A growing fury was rapidly building in my heart as I contemplated what I was seeing. She was the first to follow me. The only one I had out there on the Empty Plains when I desperately needed someone to turn to. The one who followed me through my darkest moments in this war. And now... She was the first to fall.

My right hand quivered. Magic channeling through the blade as the Celestial Sword ignited in white fire. And beside me... Ember gazed up at me. One word escaped her lips. "Gray...?"

My eyes were focused upon that helmet being held high. My destination was set. Heart ablaze with a rage I suspected I have only felt once before, I charged ahead with the swiftest sprint my enchanted sabatons would allow. The front row of Hollows reacted to my approach and stepped forward with shields raised to ward me off. But I was not interested in any minor obstacles. I needed to get to her!

I threw myself over the first line of defense with a flap of my wings. And upon dropping down, I cleaved my flaming sword through the first Hollow before me. Ignited, it was reduced to purple mist almost instantly. I was furious, yet focused. Everything was a blur, yet clear. And as the Hollows began to swarm around me, I cleaved through so many over and over with wide repelling sweeps of my unstoppable sword while being mindful enough to keep my shield ready. There was only one thought on my mind. One objective. If anything before me was stained shades of purple, stood as tall as me, and walked on two legs, it died!

In my fury, I was a maelstrom of destruction. The Hollows tried in futility to restrain me. Doing their best to surround me. But none could get close. Not with every wide sweep of my sword obliterating any that came close. But even in my haze of rage, I felt something through the ground. And a growing roar in the air. During the briefest lull in my assault, I glanced west. And I saw I was not the only one eager for revenge.

My allies were charging with a battle cry, thunderous hooves galloping along as they too were surely just as enraged over the loss of their Princess of Dreams. The air became thick with purple fog as they charged headlong into the rows of distracted Hollows. In trying it intimidate the ponies of Equestria, the emperor had made the fatal mistake of only infuriating them. They descended upon the enemy army like a pack of armored wolves.

But even in that mad rush, there was still coordination to be had. A flurry of explosions, both magical and fiery, rained down ahead of me. In my bloodlust, I saw that there was a certain meaning in the manner in which they fell. A path was being formed. Long and narrow, a row of Hollows were being blown apart ahead of me to forge a path up the hill with that shade of green along the ground contrasting harshly with the waves of purple around it. Seeing this, I charged.

More and more explosive arrows and magical mortars fell ahead of me to keep my path clear. And even if the few odd Hollows did try to step into my path, I cleaved through them without losing my stride. A more focused defense began to amass ahead of me as the Hollows tried so very hard to swarm me, but attacks from above were not the only ones to fear. In an instant, an attack came from below. A thicket of narrow thorns burst from below to skewer the obstructing Hollows from below before quickly retracting as I charged over the gently disturbed earth. One last wall of Hollows tried to stop me as they amassed ahead, but I was close enough by then. With one great winged leap, I hurled myself over them and landed squarely upon the top of the hill. And upon landing... There it stood. One hulking Hollow clad in full plate armor and shrouded in a familiar cool aura. A longsword in one hand and Nightmare Moon's helmet in the other. And behind it... There she lay.

For just a moment, the chaos of the battle around me failed to reach my ears as I beheld my fallen friend. The Princess of Dream lay motionless upon her side. Head bare and barding dented and battered. Several plates of her armor had been torn free to reveal her bare body. A bold crimson stained her black body wherever she was exposed. And the most telltale sign of life... Her ethereal mane and tail. They were hauntingly still and draped across the grass. Her longsword was equally ruined, blade snapped in two as it lay useless beside her.

Sorrow, wrath, and shock began to merge together in a horrible miasma of emotions I have no experience with. I cast my gaze towards the general before me, the eye slits in its helmet filled with a ghostly glow as phantom eyes gazed upon me. The emperor was in direct control and had apparently directed the rest of his minions to leave us alone. This had become a very personal encounter.

I was only barely able to resist charging recklessly at the emperor's puppet, but even that did not last for long. The general dropped the battered helmet to the ground. And in one swift move, stomped it under its boot. The tough metal shell bent significantly inward. This was too much... To not only murder her, but to also go so far as to brazenly disrespect her...

Not a word was spoken between us. Words were meaningless. All that mattered to me now was making this creature die. And so I charged. The general took hold of its enchanted longsword in each hand and clashed heavily with my powerful fiery swings. That anti-magic veil protected its sword from damage as fiery sparks flew with each clash of our blades. I tried muscling through with a shove from my shield, but the general was able to use a hand to wrestle with the protective sheet of metal affixed to my left arm. I was punished with a firm strike to my helmet from the sword's pommel, snapping me out of my wrath just enough to think a little more logically in spite of the fury in my heart.

The duel was so simple and so brief that I hardly remember much about it. I just wanted to reach her... And so I did. Fed up with this last wall of resistance, I removed the emperor's toy the only way I could. I detached the Lunar Shield with levitation magic and launched it at the general as hard as I could. It struck hard, catching the general squarely in the torso as it was carried away on the shield sheer bulk and out of sight to the east. It fell somewhere out there in the ocean of Hollows, but would not be getting back to me so easily. And even with the enemy soldiers around us continuing to ignore me, I was finally granted a moment of respite upon the hilltop.

I kneeled before Nightmare Moon as the fury in my heart gave way to an encroaching sorrow. The haze of rage faded just enough for clarity to fill my thoughts. I stabbed my sword into the ground beside me to free my hands, hot tears building at the edge of my vision. I wanted to believe that she had only been wounded. But now... She lay before me... And such horrible memories resurfaced as I remembered the last time I thought I had failed to save her.

Oh so gently, I cradled her lifeless head in my armored hands. No signs of life at all, her body ravaged by hammers and blades. I remembered her words from mere weeks ago... When she was the first and only one to come to my side as I marched off to face this invasion. "You said we'd return home together... That we live and die together..."

My heart wept. And the finality of what I was seeing was truly dawning on me. I thought for certain that the war would go swimmingly for us with all of the precautions we had taken. But now I was seeing the reality of war. This beautiful creature, who only wanted to be loved by her people, now lifeless in my hands. Tears flowed freely down my face as I spoke in futility. Spoke words that would never be heard. "I tried so hard to save you... I wanted you to live and be happy... Why this?! What was it all for?!"

The fury in my heart began to boil once more. There was something that needed to be done. Channeling my rage, I set Nightmare Moon's head upon the ground and rose to my feet. Fists clenched, both gauntlets on my arms were coated by a growing and fiercely billowing set of golden and blue auras. I turned my gaze to the sky, tears cascading down my cheeks as I held my arms out to my sides. Feeling... Grasping... Every last one of them... "You...better be watching... Because you're next!"

Focusing as hard as I could, I lifted. And all around me, thousands of Hollows rose skyward. Every last one of them. With a magical feat I doubt I could ever replicate in a clear state of mind, I lifted every last surviving Hollow high above the battlefield. A purple cloud that shielded the plains from the sun. Now helpless high above, I held out just my left hand towards them. Just to hold them. And in my right hand, I reached back while channeling my right gauntlet's mighty solar magic.

Over and over, I thrust my right hand forward with new orbs of solar magic being launched skyward into the helpless wall of Hollows floating high above. And with every orb that collided with that cloud, a bright blast of celestial fire caused that wall of Hollows to diminish. Completely helpless as I threw all of my rage at them. And my allies could only watch. I did not care who could see me. This needed to be done.

As I reached back one more time with perhaps only a tenth of the Hollow army remaining, I happened to notice Nightmare Moon still lying still at my feet. And seeing her again... Something broke in me. I raised my right hand towards the lingering Hollows and just yelled. A flurry of rapid-fire solar magic projectiles began to fly from my hand. And as the seconds went by, the cloud began to disappear. Even when there was no longer even the slightest trace of purple in the sky, I continued to fire for just a few seconds more. Through the tears, I was not even really trying to destroy anything. Just lashing out. And as the flurry of fiery bolts became fewer and more tepid... The rage faded. There was nothing left to direct my fury towards. Only an overwhelming sensation of sorrow and loss remained in my heart.

I tried to stay composed. Shakily dropped to my knees. But I could not. I brought my armored hands to my face and wailed to the sky. Screaming in ways I did not think I ever could. Hunching over the fallen body of the beautiful Princess of Dreams, I collapsed by her side. Whimpering pathetically, I reached out and pulled her against me. In just that moment, nothing else mattered. The war. The people who might be able to see me. Everything. Nothing...mattered at all. I cradled the corpse of my dear friend against me, mourning in the only way I could.

What felt like a small eternity passed as I lied there upon my side. But a sound did start to break the silence. Metallic clanking... The clattering of plate armor and heavy boots... Boots... Not hooves? No... that veil...

Panic suddenly filled my senses as my sorrow was dulled for just a moment. I hastily started to climb to my feet as I cast my tearful gaze to the east. The general... The only one left. The only one of the Hollows my magic could not take hold of. It was charging right up the hill, still shrouded in that veil, and was coming right for me!

My allies were still so far away and probably could not even see the general from that side of the hill. I desperately reached for the Celestial Sword and rose to my feet. But by then, the fire was gone. I was thoroughly drained, physically and emotionally. Before I could even attempt to mount a meaningful defense, the general lashed out with no weapon in hand. Its powerful fingers grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off the ground with inhuman strength. I could not breathe... I was being strangled?!

I heard panicked shouts from the west as my allies hurried to reach me while I could only gaze into the two glowing beacons set into the general's featureless face behind the helmet. Exhausted and panicking, I desperately tried to pull or push myself free. But the general was like a stone statue. I took hold of its arm and tried channeling my lightning and fire magic into it to burn myself free. But the veil held. In spite of all of my power and everything my armor bestowed upon me, it was all meaningless in the emperor's grasp. My head began to become light, desperate for air. And through the sheer hopelessness of the situation, I heard the emperor's voice speak. A single word and command. "Sleep."

My resistance faltered. My hands slipped from my captor's arm. What was going to happen to me if my allies did not reach us in time? Was I to be captured somehow? But just when I was starting to slip into unawareness... The general released me.

I dropped to my knees, gasping for breath and clutching at my throat. I could breathe. But why would... And then I glanced up. The general twitched as I saw what could only be a long and very narrow spire of magic ice impaling it from below, the tip of the spike having burst out of its throat. It was magic, but it was still solid. It had mass. And it was just enough to bypass the anti-magic veil that enshrouded the general. A fatal blow having been struck, the general soon faded into a scattering cloud of purple mist with the ice spike also dissolving into frigid fog. And there... Before me with head raised... Nightmare Moon. Alive and awake, magic surging around her horn as she remained where she had fallen.

Tears renewed flooded my eyes as I became overwhelmed. I crawled forward without a word and cradled the Princess of Dreams in my arms. I lost her... I genuinely thought I had lost her. But she endured and saved me once again. Her voice spoke softly, very much in pain. "Do not weep, my friend... They will not crush me so easily..."

Ever so carefully, she rose to her feet. Only once standing did I truly see how the enemy had ravaged her. Another plate of metal slid free from her ruined barding and clattered to the ground. I still could not find the will to speak. Just seeing her alive... Ravaged, but alive... It was enough to silence me in relief and awe. She continued to speak boldly. Almost as if proud of herself for surviving such harrowing conditions. "Do not forget... I am the Princess of Dreams. A lowly foot soldier... Such fodder could...never hope to..."

She barely made ten steps. I watched in horror as she just...collapsed. Fell onto her side in a clattering heap. Nightmare Moon was... And she knew it. "Am I...dying...?"

Her wounds were too great. We were going to lose her. Dread taking hold of me, I turned west and called out over the plains. "Medic! We need a medic!"

Our aerial evacuation units would not be enough. She was too ravaged to move recklessly. Moments later, our men reached us with a stretcher ready. Ever so carefully, they moved the fallen Princess of Dreams atop it before hoisting it to the shoulders for four mighty stallions. And as they retreated, I followed with fear in my heart.

There was no fanfare over this victory. No cheers over the battlefield. Indeed, Nightmare Moon and her carriers were swarmed by tearful and panicked infantry. So many voiced pleading for the safe passage of their princess. And it only reinforced what I had hoped would happen all those months ago... The people of Equestria were fearful of losing their dark princess. If there was any doubts that Nightmare Moon was still feared by Equestria, those doubts faded as I saw her people openly mourning that they may very well lose her. But the worst was yet to come as four familiar figures approached. And a panicked voice called out. "Sister!"

Celestia and Luna... They rushed to their sister's side. Such panic in those eyes. But one rushed forward before them all. Orbash called out as he and his family neared the newest addition to the royal family. "Medics! Wait, please!"

They halted and I minded my distance. The moon king cast his gaze over the Princess of Dreams while Sunflare also drew near. While Orbash began to look more and more horrified as he beheld what the enemy had done to his child, Sunflare maintained a face that may as well have been made out of stone. But it appeared...forced. As if struggling to try appearing composed and aloof. But not the rest of her family. Celestia and Luna all but burst into tears as Nightmare Moon could not even bring herself to speak. Orbash choked as he asked, "By the moon... Why did you have to be so brave, my child?! Was this necessary?!"

"They...tore the safeguard from my armor... It never deployed... Too many... They swarmed me..." The Princess of Dreams managed to speak as her strength began to leave her. Such a harrowing thought. That sheer numbers could overwhelm even one of the mightiest mares in the world.

"Stay with us, sister! This isn't the end! It can't be!" Luna pleaded as she touched her horn to that of Nightmare Moon. The two night sisters, one bleeding and one weeping. "It can't end like this! Not now! Listen! They weep for you! Our people dread to lose you!"

Celestia, barely maintaining a shred of composure, spoke through her tears as she faced the ones carrying her sister. "Do everything you can... Please... She's suffered enough already."

Such a burning guilt filled my heart. I knew this war was my fault... And now it had nearly cost us all Nightmare Moon. I could not bring myself to follow as they continued on. But before much longer, Sunflare finally spoke. "A moment, gentlemen."

All eyes fell upon the fiery sun queen as she strode towards the black sheep of the royal family. Nightmare Moon's carriers dared not defy her. And I had no idea what to expect. Fearful of what the queen intended to do, I drew near regardless of my thoughts. Her family watched with bated breath while Nightmare Moon could only gazed up at the mother who had rejected her. But when Sunflare's six horns became coated with her billowing scarlet magic aura, she spoke firmly yet softly. "Be still, child."

That aura became a brilliant white as she lowered her long central horn to Nightmare Moon. Not solar magic... But not fire. Was it...light? And then I saw it. The blood spilling from the many wounds on Nightmare Moon's body. It stopped. And the wounds... They did not quite close, but the flow of blood almost stopped entirely. Sunflare then lifted her head with a noticeable tenderness in her eyes. "I have done what I can. I leave the rest to you, gentlemen."

"Mother...?" Nightmare Moon asked uneasily as if in utter disbelief. Even I could barely comprehend that the sun queen had partially healed one she all but despised.

Instead of responding with disdain or disgust, Sunflare only barely managed the faintest smile. "We will speak later, child. For now, rest."

I could only watch as they all marched away, the carriers trotting along at a quickened pace to hurry the fallen Princess of Dreams to the infirmary. But I remained rooted to the spot. I could not bring myself to follow just yet. I stood upon the battlefield, millions of blades of grass having been trampled by countless hooves and armored boots, as everyone else headed west to return to our encampment to rest after another successful battle. But not without cost. We nearly lost someone that day. Someone dear. And all because...I was there...

My thoughts went back to that fateful night at least a year ago. I clenched my fists in frustration. I tried so hard to save her that night when the rest of the world wanted to see Nightmare Moon put out of her misery. I wanted to believe she was not the monster the scriptures had claimed she was. Someone who had been dealt a bad hand and just wanted to be loved. She watched over me that night when I took shelter in the castle ruins. And twice over, I nearly lost her. It was a trial like no other, but I succeeded in seeing her survive and even find her place upon the throne with her sisters.

And now I had nearly lost her a third time. And I was largely to blame. There was no convincing me otherwise. I brought a hand to my face in shame. She had been the first to follow me. Was there for me when I needed her most. And now she had nearly been slaughtered upon the battlefield.

Still reeling and sore from the sheer emotional duress I had gone through, I turned my gaze back to the east. And towards the hill where Nightmare Moon had nearly met her end. My sword and shield were still there, as was her helmet and own ruined weapon. But before anything else could happen, I heard the faintest rattling of plate armor behind me. I turned west and found Ember standing before me with spear in hand. She then spoke from behind her helmet, "Planning on running again?"

I wanted to. I really wanted to just disappear and never be seen again. Not after nearly robbing Equestria of one of their beloved sovereigns. But I knew Ember would pursue me if I did. I just shook my head and said, "I forgot something... I'll be along shortly."

Ember's scarlet eyes said enough. She knew I was upset and what I had just gone through. With some reluctance, she turned and began to return to field HQ. I marched across the plains and back up to the hilltop, eyes falling upon Nightmare Moon's ruined scraps of armor and longsword. I saw her there. She looked genuinely dead. I felt like a piece of my soul had died with her when cradling her corpse in my arms. And even when she proved to have survived, she was still on the verge of death. And I hated myself for it.

I could not bring myself to even so much as touch Nightmare Moon's equipment. All I could do was round up my sword and shield. Once the Lunar Shield was back on my left arm and the Celestial Sword was tucked in its scabbard, I bitterly scanned the horizon to the east. We had come so far, but the Heaven's Pillar was still out of sight. As much as I knew I was responsible for what just happened, there was someone else I was feeling a growing sense of contempt for. "You just made this very personal, old fool..."

Angry thoughts filled my head as I marched back to the west. Angry and even murderous thoughts. I wanted to strangle that decayed husk of a fool hiding to the east. And once I reached the gates to the camp, I found Ember waiting just outside with spear in hand, waiting for my return. Rain Shine stood by her side. Ember began to step towards me, but the insightful kirin intervened. "Leave him. He is filled...with such terrible thoughts right now. Let the embers cool first."

I barely even passed them a glance. I was just so...upset. Not just angry. Not just sad. Just...such a wretched miasma of unpleasantness. But the first thing I did was make my way to the infirmary. It was easier to spot than usual now that droves and droves of militiamen stood gathered around. They were holding a vigil for the Princess of Dreams. And standing at the front of the pack was the royal family themselves.

I could not... There was no way I could bring myself to even approach the crowd. They knew why Nightmare Moon had nearly been slain. My allies had tolerated my presence thus far after it was revealed the emperor is sustaining himself through me. But now that my presence had literally resulted in Nightmare Moon nearly perishing on the battlefield... There was no way they would forgive me for it. Heart heavy with a complex mixture of guilt and dread, I walked away. All I could do was return to the command center.

Once indoors, I slumped into a seat in the common area. It was quiet. All but empty. Although the guard stationed at the radar station had some kind words to say. No doubt due to being unaware of hat exactly transpired out there. "Well done out there, sir. Sounds like there were no casualties again. Keep this up and we'll be home in time for Nightmare Night."

"Uh huh.." I muttered while limply waving a hand in his direction. I took my helmet off and set it upon the table before me. My eyes fell upon the white twin dove shape of the Element of Humanity. Although I still remember Ember mentioning the color gray just before I charged... I suppose the falcon in me did bare its talons at that time.

I was in such a funk at the time that I had forgotten there was someone waiting for me up in my dorm. With helmet in hand, I finally shambled up the stairs. And upon stepping inside my room... A voice. "Hey, you're back. Looked like there was another big fight today. Everything all right out... Uh... James?"

Without a word, I turned my head to gaze upon the forms of Smolder and Ocellus. And they could tell something was very wrong. Ocellus especially gazed with eyes wide, hooves rising to her mouth. "Oh no... Your heart is... Did something happen?"

I could not even look at them. I just stood halfway through the doorway with my head bowed. "Someone got hurt. Because of me."

"But it's not your fault... You know that, right?" Smolder said as she started to approach, but I just turned away. She then reached out to me and asked, "Is there... Come on, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Smolder... I think we should leave. He's... His heart feels so distant right now. It's hiding. We need to wait for it to come out again. And they'll probably ask us to take care of our duties soon anyway since we've stopped." Ocellus spoke softly with an almost uncharacteristic show of insight. When I looked at the little Changeling, her ears drooped. She wanted to help and I hated knowing there was nothing they could do for me. All I could do was nod in confirmation. With extreme reluctance, Smolder made her way out the door with Ocellus right behind her.

Now alone, I shed my armor and sat on the side of my bed. Alone under a dreary sky that would surely bring rain in the coming days. There are no words to describe the grief and isolation I was feeling as I sat there with eyes gazing at the floor. I felt so hopeless, yet so angry. Once again, my eyes trailed off and fell upon the hilt of the Celestial Sword jutting up behind the Lunar Shield. The urge was there and it was stronger than before. And I knew they would not miss me. Not after this. Equestria would be relieved to be rid of humanity forever by now. The emperor had reminded this world of why Equestria was better off without it.

But just before I could find the will to stand up and retrieve my sword for one last use, the door started to open. And my nihilistic thoughts were immediately distracted by the sight of someone I was not expecting to see. Sky Beak stood in the doorway. And seeing the only man in Equestria I could call my father instantly instilled me with a sense of vulnerability. Not a word was spoken before he hurried to my side with his hoof kicking the door closed behind him. And once in his arms, I wept. Whimpered pathetically in the shielding embrace of my papa bird.

"I know, my boy... I know... I saw it. I saw everything." Sky Beak whispered to me in the sweetest and most fatherly tone I had ever heard out of him. Like comforting a small child, which I might as well have been with how fragile my emotions were at the time. "Nightmare Moon's family doesn't blame you. They know it's not your fault."

I clung to him, my tears sinking into his coat of cushioning feathers. The presence of friends was not what I needed at the time. What I needed was the comforting reassurance of a father. A role Sky Beak was happy to fulfill. His hand tapped its fingers on my back just below the neck, whispering to me still. "I'm here for you, my boy. We all are. My comrades and I will continue to keep watch over you outside these walls."

That reminder filled me with dreadful resignation. It was one thing for Ember's subordinates to set their sights on me. Dragons are pragmatic like that. But now I had to wonder... And I needed to know. "Do they... Do they hate me?"

I think he knew who I was referring to. I was not referring to any of my closest friends or even those directly affiliated with Nightmare Moon. I meant my fellow infantrymen. The common man. And Sky Beak's hesitation told me all I needed to know. It was at that moment I knew a certain resentment was growing in our ranks. The emperor and I may as well be the same entity if he is essentially a parasite sustaining itself through me. And we both share the blame in Nightmare Moon's near assassination.

My heart sank even further as I leaned more weakly into my father's arms. But he tightened his grasp around me. "My comrades and I will keep you safe... I trust that when this is all over, everyone will let bygones be bygones. They'll know this isn't your fault if you stay by them to the end. I believe in them... They know to put the war effort first. I hope..."

I finally had to ask a very important question. Without raising my eyes to him, I asked quietly, "Do you think this is all my fault...? Do you think I'm endangering you? And your family?"

Sky Beak inhaled deeply before he provided a response. "No... Goodness, no. I wish there was something I could do for you... And...I hate being this helpless when my kids are in such a bad place... I'm sorry, James... I should be a better father for you, but there's not much I can do in the grand scheme of things. I wish I could just make this all go away."

"Thanks, papa bird..." I muttered in quiet adoration. Just the sound of hearing him offer an apology was strangely soothing. It was not something I would have ever heard out of my father back home. And it only reminded me of why I adore Sky Beak. My heart just a little more at ease than it was a while ago, I hugged him tightly. "You're a great dad... Thank you..."

"I'm here for you, my boy... We all are." He whispered to me before we just sat there and held each other for a while longer. We had nothing to really converse about. For the moment. Something did end up catching his eye when he looked over my shoulder. "Say... Those two pillows... Are those the contents of that package you got recently?"

I looked to my left and saw what he meant. The two newest additions to my bedspread. "Yeah, those... Terramar and Silverstream stuffed those themselves. They molted recently and put their feathers to good use."

"Did they now?" Sky Beak replied with an amused tone in his voice. He took the two pillows in hand and inhaled deeply through his nostrils with them pressed to his face. "Oh yes, that's theirs all right... That subtle scent. I miss them..."

"I'm sure they miss you too... Them and Ocean." I muttered while remembering my time on Capricorn Island. The times spent with that wonderful family. I miss that place so much... I even miss the silly shenanigans of the Wabush and Woodech clans. That was a day worth writing home about...

"I know they miss you bad. We really need to plan some sort of reunion." Sky Beak replied while I leaned into his embrace again. After another minute of silent feathery cuddles, I felt something grasping my hair. Sky Beak had begun to preen me with his beak being used like a hairstyling device. "Whenever Terramar had a bad day, I would do this for him. Always calmed him right down."

"You do what you have to, papa bird..." I muttered as I allowed the closest thing to a father I had style my hair. It was strangely enjoyable and I think I almost dozed off for a nap. I even caught myself and had to force myself awake. "Now I see why Terramar enjoyed this. It works a little too well."

"Doesn't it?! If you want, I could put you to sleep for a nap." Sky Beak replied as I was left very tempted to take him up on his offer. And so I nodded. He gently pushed me back onto my bed, my head nestled between the pillows created by his own children, and started to preen me yet again. And even then, I could start to hear the faint pattering of a light rainstorm just outside my window. A dreary yet soothing atmosphere. "I'll see to it you get woken up in two hours. Sound about right?"

"Yeah... Thanks, papa bird..." I muttered as I left myself to his fatherly caresses. A nap was exactly what I probably needed. And sleep I did.

When I signed up for this war weeks ago, I never expected to see anything like this. Every engagement we have had with the enemy with the enemy so far has gone by without a hitch. But today... Today, they nearly claimed Nightmare Moon on the battlefield. Nightmare Moon!

For the longest time, I thought the princesses of Equestria were true paragons of power and magical might. For one of them to be nearly slain in battle by lowly foot soldiers... Is this what war truly is? Have we all truly been so naive?

Yes... Yes we have. Equestria as a whole has always been naive about war. And I see why now. It is just not in our nature. Why would anypony want this? Where is the satisfaction to be had in bloody battle? What is the cost and is it worth it? Thank the stars that Nightmare Moon is going to live...

This war has not been all dread and gloom. At least not until today. I never once even dreamed that we would have met the true king and queen of Equestria, let alone during this war. It never even occurred to me that Princess Celestia even had parents, but I guess everyone has an origin.

Queen Sunflare is very imposing. Bright and fiery as the sun itself. And terrifying. Very terrifying. I cannot believe she as that ready to kill James if it meant ending the war right away! At least she is not entirely unreasonable. But King Orbash... Oh my gosh, I have never seen a stallion so handsome! So radiant and glorious... And so kind too! And funny! He actually knows how to tell a joke! He must have been very popular with the mares back when he was a bachelor. And I have seen how he so easily keeps Queen Sunflare in line. They really are good for each other. No wonder they have been married for so long.

I am still in awe at the sheer power the king and queen possess. They obliterated an entire enemy army. Just to send a message to the emperor. But they have insisted to not directly intervene unless absolutely necessary. I can see why. Power that great... It is best to not rely on it too much. Just like the Elements of Harmony, now that I think about it...

The Elements of Harmony... Would they even help us at this point? We would need to bring Fluttershy out here to complete the set, but... If what I heard was true, they were already used on the emperor eons ago and they still did not put an end to him. They probably will not work now either. And we would have to get close to the Heaven's Pillar. The risk is too high... He would throw everything at us just to prevent their use... I suppose even the Elements of Harmony have their shortcomings.

I brought this up to my friends during dinner in one of the mess halls. It was just the five of us. And seeing four of my five closest gal pals reminded me of how one was missing. I let out a sigh as I finally mentioned, "Just us, huh? I miss Fluttershy... It's been so long already."

"Yeah, I miss her too. It's just not the same without the quiet one with us to balance the gang out." Rainbow Dash replied while also looking very wistful. She has known Fluttershy longer than the rest of us and they contrast each other more than anypony else.

Pinkie Pie mirrored this thought and said, "Me too! She always has such a sweet quiet vibe going on to balance us all out! It's so noisy when she's not here... Hey! Maybe we should do something about that! We should send an invite out to her and have her come out and spend a day with us!"

While I did understand the sentiment, it was not unusual for Pinkie Pie to occasionally miss the point. And in a dramatic sense. Rarity spoke next as she recoiled in shock. "Pinkie Pie! Surely you're not serious! This is the last place Fluttershy has any business in being!"

Applejack was quick to speak up too. "Don't ya remember that she's got a filly ta feed?! And somepony like Fluttershy's got no business bein' on a battlefield. I wouldn't wanna see her out here because I don't wanna know what this kinda situation would do ta her."

"Oooooh, right... Almost forgot why she stayed behind. And this is no place for little Gladesong either, so we can't ask her to bring the little cutie along." Pinkie Pie mumbled humbly. She knows our friend well. And she has experience with very young foals. She knows a newborn like Gladesong needs her mother often.

"Yeah... Especially after today." Rainbow Dash said, her head turning to look east. "I can't believe that really happened. Nightmare Moon almost..."

"Don't jinx her now, darling. You heard the medics. She's going to be just fine. I heard they even moved her to the command center a little while ago since her condition has become that stable." Rarity added while sipping from a glass of sparkling wine.

Applejack then said, "But ya can't deny that was a might close out there. And poor James... I've never seen him snap like that. What do ya have ta do to a man ta make him charge right into the bad guys like that on his own?"

I was at the rear lines with the rest of our battlemages, so I did not have the best view. But from what I did see... The fury I saw from James that day... The only time where it was worse was with Discord. But that was terrifying. To see him single-handedly raise the remaining army of Hollows into the air and just pick them off like that... It is frightening imagining what the power his armor contains can do when the wearer decides to stop fighting fair. But I knew why. We all did. Because we were there where it all started. "Do you all remember? The night she returned?"

Nopony said anything for a moment. But Pinkie Pie responded first while looking so dour and unhappy at the memory. "Yeah... I remember, Twilight. James was the only one who believed in her. He tried so hard to win her over and..."

"The guy took a horn right through him for me... Just...that was a bad night. Thought I was gonna lose him. Oh man, what a mess that was..." Rainbow Dash groaned while holding her face in her hooves. She caught up to them first after they took their fight out of the throne room ruins. "What is it with those two? You don't think she got that reckless because of him, do you?"

Rarity chugged the rest of her wine and gingerly set her glass down. And with such a focused gaze in her eyes. "If my mare's intuition is correct... Yes. Yes, I do believe there is something very powerful happening between those two. Our dear James would not have reacted so strongly at the possibility of Nightmare Moon's demise on the battlefield had there not been."

This got our attention. And I suspected I knew why. Rarity knows James in ways that we do not. Because they are in love. James and Fluttershy recently expressed an interest in a polyamorous relationship due to just how much love he has to share and how much integrity he has in growing to love more than one. Rarity was the first. She and James are so wonderfully in love. And I think that lets her read him better than most. I then asked, "Exactly what do you think is happening between James and Nightmare Moon?"

"Simple, darlings. It is love. And a very powerful one." Rarity replied like a detective looking over stacks of evidence. She looked and sounded so sure of herself while sliding her hoof around the rim of her glass. "Did you see the passion between them that night? When she tried so hard to coerce him to join her side? And the fury when he rejected her in the end? And how she was the first to rush to his side when he departed to face this invasion? I am absolutely sure of it, darlings. Those two are very much in love."

Applejack interjected as she said, "I ain't gonna dispute that, but... I'll be honest. I'm not convinced James really knows for sure yet. I've seen them together, but they never came across like...somethin' that special was goin' on between 'em."

I had a theory that I was quick to share. Thank goodness the mess hall was a little too noisy for anypony else to hear us. This was a very sensitive topic to discuss. "She's the Mare in the Moon, girls. The Princess of Dreams. Any kind of relationship with somepony like her would be...complicated. And I think James knows this."

"That's so sad... I hope things work out between them. I mean have you seen how those two are around each other?" Pinkie Pie muttered before trying to smile a little. "They are good for each other, right?"

"They've gotta be. I mean did you see what she did to Discord when he first showed up and he tried to get a little closer to James? She gave that guy one good zap! She's gotta be crazy about him to be that protective!" Rainbow Dash laughed while I too giggled at the memory. It was satisfying to see anypony actually land such a good hit on Discord. Especially when it was Nightmare Moon.

Rarity sighed while gazing into her glass almost like a mirror. "Oh, I concur. What a story behind those two. A knight in shining armor, journeying into a dark forest with sword and shield at his sides. Ascending a tower to face a dark and misunderstood princess of the shadows. But not at all to slay her. To save her! And through trial and tribulations, he succeeds! And the romance that blooms between them... Oh, such a tale would be worthy of its own novel adaptation, darlings! Inspiring, even!"

As one of James' beloveds, I could see how trusting Rarity was of her lover's supposed love for the Princess of Dreams. Another mare for his family? And a new friend for her? Whatever the future has for those two, I hope it works out. Because they really are good for each other from what I have seen. But even as we chatted happily for during a brief show of levity, the mention of James' name did awaken a certain melancholy in my heart. "He really has been one of the best on the battlefield, hasn't he? It's a shame we can't do more with him."

For just a moment, nopony said anything. Pinkie Pie lowered her face to the table and groaned. "Yeah... I miss being back in Ponyville. Just doing stuff with all you girls. And with him. It's just not the same without Fluttershy, but...it's also really not the same when he's...so far away even when he's right there."

"I would say you're crazy, but...I think I get what you mean." Rainbow Dash added before also just looking up at the ceiling. Probably thinking about better days. "We're all in this together, but...it feels like he's really distant when he's on the front lines. Like we can't get anywhere close to him except when we're chilling in the mess hall like this."

Applejack let out a rather frustrated snort, her hoof reaching for her head instinctively to adjust her missing hat. "I gotta say that it really chives my taters sometimes when we just can't keep up with our pardner durin' a crisis. We're all supposed ta be in this together, so why can't we do what he can?"

Rarity was quick to try in calming the situation, although I did understand Applejack's concerns. "We all have our duties to fulfill in this war, dear. We're all cogs in a machine, just like he is. Try not to overthink it."

"And I'm pretty sure even James doesn't like this whole war thing! Just because he knows how to fight doesn't mean he likes it! I know him and he's never been a fighter!" Pinkie Pie then spoke up before throwing her head back and letting out such a sincere groan. "Uuuuugh, nopony wants to even be out here! I just wanna go home and put together a big victory party just for us! That'll make us all happy, right? What better way to get things back to normal than having that be the first thing that happens when we get back to Ponyville?"

"Considering that's how you start anyone's first day in Ponyville? Yeah, I'd say that'd just about hit the spot!" Rainbow Dash laughed while we all too got a chuckle. Because that is exactly what Pinkie Pie does when someone knew shows up in town. She did it to me, she did it to James, and she probably did it for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy too. I am not so sure about Rarity and Applejack though. I think they were there before she was.

Dinner went by well enough and we were all soon back to chatting things up like old times. But it still felt like somepony was missing. And there was. We had gone too long without Fluttershy's company. And just when we were almost done with dinner, Rarity brought up a question none of us wanted to discuss. "Ladies, I have to wonder... Now that we know what the enemy is striving for... What do you suppose Earth is like?"

I then replied, "From what I've heard from James and when I've spoken with Lyra back home, it sounds like he doesn't have much good to say about it. He doesn't even like talking about it anymore and asked her to not approach him about the subject."

Rainbow Dash spoke next. "That sounds like what I saw. He just about fainted when he stuck his head through the portal to where he came from. He even collapsed right in front of Gilda and I when we got back to the command center. Whatever he thinks will happen if we lose this war, it can't be good."

If what I have heard is of any indication... We might not even live long enough to see the full ramifications of the enemy's victory. It would likely take generations for Earth's influence to fully set into our world. But I doubt there will be any way for it to ever be phased out if it reaches that point. For Equestria to irrevocably become another Earth... It horrifies me in a way I cannot easily describe and is not something I would wish upon the world I love.

It is getting late now and the R&D lab is shutting down for the night. Sunburst was kind enough to allow me to use the typewriter in here to type down my thoughts. I was wondering when would be a good time to do so and the aftermath of this most recent battle provided me with the incentive to do just that. Thank goodness Nightmare Moon is going to make it, but I cannot imagine her setting foot on the battlefield again before the war is over. Not in her condition. Will our infantry be fine without her fighting be their side?

I have a creeping suspicion that the war will not be going on for much longer. For the opposition to get desperate enough that it ended up incapacitating one of our battlefield commander does not bode well. Things will only get worse before things get better. I just hope James can hang in there. This is not weighing on anyone's mind more than his and I hate that there is not anything more I can do for him. All I can do is support him from afar.

Time for bed. May fortune favor us all in this War of Preservation. At least that is what I have decided to call it.

By the time I awoke, the sun was well on its way to setting for the night. And Sky Beak was still by my side. And I was a bit amused to see that he was reading a stack of papers he likely found in my dresser. When he noticed me looking at him, he cast me a proud smile. "I see my boy has a gift with literature."

"Reading my journals while I was out?" I asked while finding myself in slightly better spirits now that I had awoken from a nap I genuinely needed. I just hope he had not read anything that contained heavier content. We had enough on our minds already.

"I needed something to pass the time. And these are impressively written. You know your way with words, my boy." Sky Beak replied as he set the stack of paper aside in a neat pile. Although he then said something that I did not expect. "I should mention that while you were out, it sounded like... From what I heard from the door, I think Nightmare Moon was brought in. I'm guessing her condition has stabilized by now."

This hit me like a shock as I promptly sat up in bed. She was right downstairs? "She... I need to see her then."

"Yes, I thought you might. I should be reporting back to Admiral Seaspray myself." Sky Beak said before he started to rise from the bed and took that stack of paper with him. He then looked over at me while placing it back in the drawer and frowned somberly. "If you need me for anything, you just come find me. I'm here for you, James."

"Thanks... Love you, papa bird." I muttered as we shared one last hug before he saw himself out. I took the time to steady my nerves and fetch my shoes. I knew that of all people, Nightmare Moon was the last person around who would ever be upset with me over that battle. And now that she was safe and sound in the command center, it was much safer to approach her. I began to carefully make my way down the stairs, hoping for the best.

Hardly anyone batted me an eye once I was in the common area. I walked quietly down the hall that led to the officer quarters and stood outside the door to Nightmare Moon's room. And through that door, I heard a conversation happening with Nightmare Moon speaking clearly. "Mother, I can still walk. I will be..."

"I forbid it. It was almost nothing short of a miracle that you survived the enemy swarming you the way they did. If you even try to engage the enemy on the battlefield again in this condition, you will most certainly perish. And there is only so much my magic can mend. Is that the what you wish to subject your people to?" The unmistakable authoritative tone of Sunflare spoke abruptly. The tone was firm, but almost filled with concern. There was no bitterness or spite. The fact that they were alone together was a good sign. Had the queen finally started to thaw towards her illegitimate daughter?

Nightmare Moon hesitated in providing a response. "Then what would you have me do?"

Sunflare's response was even softer than before. "I would have you live to see the end of this war. And to return to your kingdom alive. You proved yourself to me today. Placing your men before yourself... I must commend that. And seeing you ravaged... It struck a blow to my heart I did not expect..."

"If I may speak out of turn for a moment..." Nightmare Moon spoke at the first lull in her mother's words. "What am I to you...? Speak the truth, Mother. I must know."

There was a moment of silence. For Sunflare to not reprimand Nightmare Moon for directly referring to her as her mother should have been a good sign, but that palpable silence filled me with unease. But when Sunflare did speak... "You...are the daughter I never knew I had... The child I thought I could not love... And I am relieved to see I was wrong. Rest, my child. Leave the remainder of the war effort to those who can still fight."

"I... I...shall. Thank you, Mother." Nightmare Moon said with a barely audible tone from beyond the door. I found myself smiling. There was a silver lining after all. At least some good did come out of that dreadful afternoon. But then I took a silent step back as it sounded like that visit between mother and daughter was wrapping up. And when the door opened, there she stood. Sunflare stepped out into the hall and looked right at me. I stood there in fear, all but certain she would blame me for her daughter's plight. But she showed no rage and spoke no words. All she did was motion her head towards the door as if to beckon me to enter. The sun queen then continued down the hall while I stepped inside and locked the door behind me.

There she was... Nightmare Moon was lying in her bed while I noticed the room had been extensively rearranged to accommodate various medical equipment. If she was considered as having gotten through the worst of what happened, I did not want to imagine how severe her needs would be if Sunflare had not healed what she could. She was hooked up to an IV drip, bandages lining her sable body. Seeing her like that... It reawakened the horror I felt when I saw her lying lifelessly upon the plains. I reached out to her as my throat clenched with grief. But she only smiled weakly at me and said, "Welcome... Are you well?"

"Oh god, I... I thought I lost you out there..." I muttered before slumping to my knees and holding her in my arms. And for just a moment, I wept. I thought I had lost her. Then I thought I was about to lose her. And now I knew my dear Nightmare Moon was going to live. The sheer wave of grief combined with utter relief was too much to handle as I sobbed lightly into her.

I felt her wing drape itself over me, her wings having been spared from harm. "Shhh... Do not blame yourself, my dear. This was my choice, not yours. I made the decision to challenge the general directly to sow discord among the enemy. I was reckless... I underestimated the power of sheer numbers. But I will live, so do not weep for me."

"Was that really the only reason...? Why'd you do this?" I asked while not entirely convinced Nightmare Moon was being honest with me. There had to be another reason. It was not like her to be that reckless in such a dire situation.

Nightmare Moon lowered her head as she found difficulty in looking at me. Her horn, still fully intact, cast a veil around the entire room. To silence any sound that may get through the walls. What was about to be said was for my ears only. "If the situation becomes desperate enough, my mother will destroy you. And I won't let that happen... I sought to take drastic measures to tip the scales even further into our favor and...sorely underestimated the emperor's ability to adapt to a change in battlefield situations."

"You did this for me... Why exactly?" I asked almost on instinct, too distraught to really process any deeper reason than just the fact that she was the first friend to follow me into the fray. And I should have seen what was coming.

Once more, Nightmare Moon hesitated in speaking for a moment. "I resigned myself to never speak of this to you... I told myself it was for the best to let it stay buried. But now that the prospect of one of us not returning home alive is a very real possibility... I have decided. I shall not take these words to the grave. You...must know."

I reached for her hoof and took hold. Our eyes met, those beautiful yet unnatural eyes filled with such longing. Her tone was soft and almost sorrowful. "If only things were different... If only time had taken us down another path... I would have crowned you as my king. I would have been wed to you as your queen. And I would have spent every day with you trying to make you as happy as possible... For the night you returned to me... The night you saved me... I have...been so dearly in love with you... My guiding light. And I would give anything to be yours if I could."

Such powerful words. And I could only stare unblinkingly at her. No wonder she wanted these words to not be heard by anyone else. And yet... I did not flinch. And Nightmare Moon noticed this. "You...are not surprised?"

I bowed my head. I pondered these words as well as my own thoughts. "I think...in the back of my mind, I always knew... And...I think...it was the same with me... As for why I never admitted that to myself... I don't know... Maybe there was something holding me back... Telling me it would be best not to..."

"My love... You mean to say...we have always been drawn to each other?" She asked with a glimmer of awe in her voice. Nightmare Moon's eyes gazed at mine while I did the same towards her.

"Yeah... I think I always did... I do love you... I just didn't know it. Didn't know if I should say it... Or if I should even pursue it..." I muttered in shame for having hidden those thoughts in feelings from myself for so long. But now that I knew... Now that I was aware that my innermost thoughts about the wonderful Princess of Dreams, I had to wonder why I had never considered it. Did she always feel too far beyond me? Someone I could never have? I suppose even now I still have much to learn about the workings of my own heart. "But...thank you for telling me. When this is all over... We should discuss this further. I think the others will actually be thrilled if you join..."

"No. No, hear me well, my love. Please... Do listen." Nightmare Moon suddenly spoke with a brief air of urgency in her voice. And I was left confused over why she would interrupt. I lifted my head to gaze upon her while she did the same. And she continued to speak. "I am well aware of how your heart has...developed over the past couple of years. I am very aware of how you and Fluttershy have expanded your family to welcome in those who love you just as profoundly as she does. Those you adore as much as you cherish her. Even the beautiful Queen Novo and my sister... I know more about how Celestia desires you. How she loves you. How she so dearly wishes to crown you as her king. How she...hopes that you may sire her an heir in due time..."

I nodded in understanding. It was hardly surprising that someone like her could be so insightful over the workings of my heart. Especially if she could observe my dreams without my knowing. How many times have my dreams been fueled by the love in my heart? But then... The hope in her eyes faded as her gaze lowered. "I know you and I would be very happy together if given the chance. But...not like this... I know you have the means to love me as much as you love them, but...I...cannot."

It did not compute to me... I could not comprehend what she was telling me. I loved her. She loved me. Was that not enough? "You...can't? But...I swear I won't love you any less than them... Why?"

Such a bitter smile spread across her lips. One that hurt to see as her words reached me. "I know you would, my love... I know... But...it would be a lie if I said I would be happy...being just one among many. Perhaps it is a result of me being a Nightmare. Perhaps I am just too inherently selfish. But I... I can't. I can't trust myself to be yours if I can't have you only to myself..."

At the very least, I had to appreciate her honesty. It was an important admission to make. And yet...it hurt. I knew I would love her. I knew we would be happy together. And yet...Nightmare Moon's heart was entirely incompatible with the growing web of love my heart was being weaved in. I loved her. She loved me. And it would never be. "Is there no way to...make this work?"

"Forgive me... I wish there was. But mark my words, if I did allow myself to join them, it would only be a matter of time before I would...do something we would all regret. I am...selfish, James. Selfish in the one way I wish I was not. I cannot be yours... And you cannot be mine. Not without something going wrong eventually." She somberly confessed to me. And it hurt. Just when I thought I had gained something wonderful... Something precious... Just when I believed that awful trial out on the battlefield had given me something to cherish forever, it was now forever out of my reach. I said nothing and bowed my head. A single tear fell from each eye as I felt a very unique kind of sting in my heart. But Nightmare Moon still had more to say. "But...that does not change what is in my heart. Even if we cannot be together... My heart will never stop yearning for you. Know this now. No matter what waits down the river of life, I will never cease loving you. You are my guiding light... My world. My everything. Do you understand me?"

Such powerful sincerity in her words. And they comforted me just enough. I reached out and pulled myself forward along her, embracing my believed Princess of Dreams. Perhaps I knew all along... Perhaps I knew that it would have never worked if I said I loved her. A feeling in my gut. I accepted that it could never be... And I still wept. "I believe you... I love you... Always..."

"Your words honor me, my beloved... Let us pretend this never happened. Let no one know." She whispered to me before our eyes met. And then... Our lips met. Just that once. A kiss filled with a profound bittersweet feeling. And only when that kiss ended did the veil of silencing light fade from the walls and ceiling. Nightmare Moon then spoke with the faintest whisper, "I will remain here for the remainder of the war. I...wish I could be out there with you. But...Mother is right. I would only...break your heart. I die for nothing. But promise me... Promise me you will survive without my aid. So we may return home together as we vowed so many days ago."

"That's a promise." I whispered just as quietly, my hand upon her hoof. With extreme reluctance, I departed. In grief and in relief. Such a complicated situation I am finding myself in. I love her... I just wish she could be mine.

I took a seat at the main table in the common area. Too distraught to feel even remotely hungry as I detected the aroma of dinner being prepared. The only solace I had was the knowledge Nightmare Moon was going to be just fine in the long run. But my heart would not be convinced I was entirely blameless in her very close brush with death. And neither would my allies, I was certain of this.

Shining Armor eventually approached me and I was relieved to see no bitterness in his eyes. Seeing my allies gradually growing to resent me was one thing, but those I consider my friends turning on me was a nightmare I was hoping would never come true. The captain of the guard then said, "Say, James? I got word from the crew of the Zephyrus. Apparently they're expecting you? And they docked just a little while ago too."

"Zephyrus... Celaeno and her crew?" I asked while trying to think of why they were inviting me to come over. And then I remembered what Celaeno said to me right before they departed last time. "Oh, wait... She did say they wanted me to have dinner with the crew next time they docked..."

"Whatever the case, I asked Ember and Rain Shine to escort you. I...don't think it's a good idea for you to travel alone out there right now." Shining Armor added while also looking like he had heard some things he did not want to tell me. I suspect he wanted to shoo me to someplace more secluded for my own good. Goodness knows what he heard from his own men...

"Thanks, I'll do that. I could use some time somewhere quiet." I replied before taking one last look around from where I was sitting. Observing the quiet of the command center. My eyes looked down the hall leading to the officer quarters and knew that Nightmare Moon was still there while being closely monitored. I did not even want to think about all that happened. Feeling her nearly lifeless in my arms... And now understanding my feelings for her while knowing I could never truly have her. Too uncomfortable where I was, I made my way outside.

It turns out I departed at a good time. Ember and Rain Shine were right outside the door. In full armor, no less. With weapons at their side, they both cast gazes of concern at me. I then asked, "To the Zephyrus, right?"

"That's what we were told. You ready?" Ember replied while I could only nod. We then set out across the encampment with the sun sinking over the western horizon. Along the way, Ember glanced over to Rain Shine to my right. "Rain. You can sense hostility, right? Anyone we need to worry about?"

"Nothing yet..." Rain Shine muttered while she appeared very distracted. Or just very focused. But as the minutes went by, she readied her glaive and angled it near her in a manner that showed she was ready to lash out at a threat. "There is...much bitterness around us. Resentment... They will mind their distance if they are wise."

Like I did not have enough to be upset about already. If Rain Shine could sense that, then there was no denying it. My own comrades were beginning to want me gone. And maybe they would get their wish.

The Zephyrus was in plain sight even from the command center. as it floated above the docks to the northwest. A few other cargo ships floated nearby, but I did not see the Alabaster. I had to wonder when I would next be seeing Novo. I needed her...

The docks were quiet now that it was getting dark. It would be best to wait for any further cargo removal until sunrise. And once I was guided up the gangplank to the deck, we found someone waiting for us. Celaeno herself stood before us with arms crossed, that greeting smile on her beak fading before she could even get out a proper greeting. I have no idea how she was able to read me so well, but it may have been her captain's intuition. She took a step towards me and asked, "You look like you've see some serious hell... What happened while we were gone?"

"A battle happened this afternoon. It got rough and he really needs some TLC." Ember spoke up while keeping any darker details to herself. She then looked at me and said, "You'll be safe here, right?"

"I wouldn't mess with this crew. They're professionals by now." I replied while also recalling Celaeno's statement about harpies making for exceptionally gifted swordfighters. They were not a ragtag gang of adventurers anymore. They were properly trained and employed in the royal guard's aerial corps.

Rain Shine then stepped forward with such a profound gaze of worry in her eyes. "Captain... He is in a very delicate state right now. Please see to it that he is soothed during his visit."

"Yeah, I had a feeling things are getting bad out here... No worries. We'll give our mate here a good time tonight." Celaeno said before bidding my escorts farewell. She waited patiently while I saw them both off with a gentle embrace. Only when I turned to face Celaeno after watching the two of them descend the gangplank did she speak. "Anyway, welcome aboard. Lix Spittle's already started on dinner, so let's get you down to the galley."

I followed without a word while Celaeno hobbled along on her peg leg. Seeing her crippled like that and being reminded of what I promised to do for her made me at least a little relieved that at least I was not responsible for her current condition. But as we descended below deck and ended up in the main hall, Celaeno looked back at me. "I know you're not the chattiest guy I know, but even this is too quiet for you. What happened out there today?"

Knowing how heavy the topic was and not wanting to damage her appetite, I responded as wisely as I could. "Let's wait until we're at the dinner table."

"Right, I bet it's at least an interesting story. Save it for the crew." Celaeno replied with a noticeable smile on her beak. She led me down the hall as I remembered that the hall itself served as the dining room the first time I ever set foot aboard the Zephyrus. Now that the old girl had received a desperately needed overhaul, the place had been tidied up with a proper galley ready at the front of the bow. With how most airships seem to universally have the galley located there, I suspected it was a safety feature done for the sake of a head-on collision. If an airship were to ram something that resulted in the hull giving in, it would be best have as few compartments damaged as possible and a large empty room like a galley would be an ideal scapegoat.

Upon entering the galley, I found the entirety of Celaeno's crew present. I could even see Lix Spittle working in the kitchen nearby. And the smell in the air... That unmistakable aroma of curry. I suppose it would be best to prioritize preparing foods that could be collectively contained in a single pot. The more to feed, the simpler the dish should be. Mullet and Boyle appeared to be chatting each other up while Squabble was...doing his own thing as usual. Celaeno hung her hat up on a coat rack nearby while Mullet was the first to greet me with that deep and rather suave voice. "Well, looks like dogmeat's still hanging in there."

I was too drained to really muster a response. I could only nod. Boyle noticed my lethargic behavior and started to make his way to the table. "Hey, it sounds like you worked up a real appetite out there today. And nothing fills you up like curry. Good thing Lix's gotten so good at making it."

We all took our seats at the table with Celaeno sitting right across from me. Mullet and Boyle sat at my sides while Squabble sat beside his captain. Probably so she could better keep an eye on him. And then Lix Spittle emerged from the kitchen with plenty of rice and a pot of that curry. In spite of my mood, my mouth started to water as the chef of the Zephyrus rolled that food cart our way. "Good that you made it, sweetie! I promise this isn't like that gruel I served up the first time! What did you say? You won't anything you can't digest?"

"Yeah, that's how it went..." I muttered as I recalled that ridiculous and frankly amusing scenario I found myself in when they snatched me off that train only so long ago. Now that Lix Spittle had access to more supplies and a proper cookbook that I provided her with, she was really making the most of her talents. We all spread a pile of rice on our plates and topped it off with a layer of hot curry. I was hoping it was more on the mild side.

On top of having to wait for it to cool, my mood was preventing me from starting on my dinner. I did not even really pay any mind to the conversations happening around me. It got to the point that Mullet gave me a nudge with his elbow and asked, "What's the matter, dogmeat? Lix's goopier cooking still not good enough for you?"

Having been pressed for conversation, I sighed with a hand holding up my head. I turned my gaze down to the table as I said, "I certainly feel like a sack of dogmeat right now..."

That response caused an immediate shift in the mood. The entire crew, Squabble aside, turned their gazes to me. And much to my surprise, Mullet dropped the entire facetious facade and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Hey... If you got something you need to say, you can tell us. Come on, mate. We're all part of the crew here."

"There was another battle today, right? But those have been going pretty smoothly from what I've heard. Only a handful of mild injuries at worst. What happened during this one? Just knock the wind out of you?" Celaeno asked while she was probably the only one there who had a grasp of what happened that day.

With another sigh, I could not bring myself to look at anyone there. "Someone got hurt today... Nightmare Moon almost didn't make it."

Just like that, the entire room went silent. Except for Squabble munching on his dinner. He was off in his own little world, but I was not going to hold that against him. I knew he was not entirely right in the head. Boyle then asked softly, "She's...gonna make it though, right?"

"She's through the worst of it, yeah... We'll be OK... But...I still held her in my arms out there... Thought I lost her..." I muttered with my gaze sinking further. I all but shut down as that memory came back to me. Oblivious to the battle raging around me, tears flowing heavily as I beheld was I was so certain was her corpse.

"Blow me down, that's messed up..." Mullet muttered while he patted his hand on my back. No one else really had anything to say, but Mullet still found the will to speak. "Don't go blaming yourself, mate."

I had to say it. They needed to know. I lifted my gaze and looked around at my hosts and asked, "Do you even know why this war is happening?"

I expected them to appear confused. It was not common knowledge on who the emperor is or why he is still alive. But the response I got was not expected. The harpies around me appeared...uncomfortable. As if there was something they did not want to tell me. At last, it was Lix Spittle who carefully spoke next. "Word's been...getting around. Lots of rumors getting pass around lately."

"Like how the enemy is the only human left in this world from a long time ago. And that he's...keeping himself going somehow..." Boyle added while having a hard time looking at me. And yet, I was not exactly surprised. Something that earthshaking being declared right in front of the entire militia by the queen of Equestria herself would inevitably find its way to the ears of anyone who directly interacted with them.

Celaeno set her elbows on the table and rested her head atop her interwoven fingers. She looked right at me and said softly, "It's not your fault. It never was."

"So you know... Whatever the rumors you've heard, they're all probably true." I muttered as I felt such overwhelming guilt. I was relieved that they did not blame me, but still... How could I not feel at fault?

Mullet then interjected in a manner I did not expect. He smacked his hands down on the table and said, "In that case, how about we pay the emperor a visit tonight? What say you, captain? I say we fly right on over with our mate here and knock that whole tower down. We've got the cannons for it."

"You know, that's not a bad idea. If that tower out there is that old, it's gotta be really brittle by now. A few cannonballs to the base and I bet it'll topple right over. Problem solved, war over. How about it, James? You ready to fly?" Celaeno asked now that the crew was starting to get fired up. And while it was reassuring that the crew of the Zephyrus wanted to put an end to this on my behalf, it was jarring to hear them suggest an approach so brazen when they did not know the whole situation.

I had to say something before they could do anything that may jeopardize the situation at hand. "Whoa, hold on! It's not that simple! There's something going on at the Heaven's Pillar that raw manpower can't deal with! You take out the entire tower and we might not be able to fix the problem!"

Mullet laughed at my sudden vigorous response and said, "Hey, I wasn't really serious about it! Kind of..."

Now that a sudden burst of levity had forced me to shrug off some of my grief, Celaeno then spoke to me. "Hey, you know we're rooting for you. Don't go blaming yourself. We certainly don't. Come on, I called you up here to have a good time with friends. Eat up. You've gotta keep your strength up after such a hard fight."

I did want to enjoy myself. I really did. But the memories of that day still weighed heavily on me. Celaeno provided the invite. Lix Spittle provided the food. Now Boyle and Mullet were starting to pitch in to lift my spirits. Boyle reached for a bottle of tequila on the table and pushed a glass towards me. "Maybe you just need a little liquid courage. How about a shot of the good stuff?"

I almost agreed. But then I remembered what happened the last time I had a few too many drinks on an empty stomach. "Um... Not sure if I should. Last time I had a few shots, I...started bawling and I don't want to make myself a problem for you guys tonight."

Lix Spittle glanced my way while she also downed a shot of rum. "You did? I heard you're a happy drunk. How many did you have?"

"Three shots of brandy. And yes, I am. But alcohol also...weakens your inhibitions. And I've been under a lot of duress." I explained while still feeling awful that I put Novo through that last time. I could barely even remember that fit I threw or what was said during it.

"Three? In that case, one should do you just fine. Drink up, James. You've earned it." Boyle replied before pouring me a full shot of that tequila. I too decided that one would not be enough to make my tears flow and downed it in one gulp. And I hated it. As much as i want to like tequila, it is one of my least favorite liquors. Boyle then asked, "Good stuff, right?"

In an attempt to be witty while reeling from that bite, I replied, "I've heard that alcohol came from the heavens. Except for tequila, they say that came from the devil."

That got the crew laughing in an uproar. And I found myself cringing over how that attempt at humor did not fit with my mood at all. Mullet was quick to notice and tried to do his part. "Hey, I know exactly what'll lift your spirits, mate. Lemme call them over."

Before I could inquire over what he meant, Mullet let out a whistle that was not too loud. One that started out shrill before lowering in pitch. And a few seconds later, something came flying in through the open doorway. Two tiny winged creatures fluttered our way and perched upon his upraised hand. Mullet then glanced at me with a smirk on his beak. "You remember our little hooters? Because I bet they remember you."

The two little pygmy owls that were kept as pets alongside a pair of titmice and boobies. The two tiny owls gazed at me with their big round eyes. I just had to reach out to them. And all too trustingly, they hopped onto my hand. They turned and rotated their heads, eyeing me curiously. And they blinked joyously as I caressed their little round heads. "Hello again, little guys... You are cute. You're always the cutest."

"A little cute therapy? Good move, Mullet." Celaeno replied with a proud tone in her voice. They finally got me. I was actually starting to feel better. And once I started dining on that curry, I was feeling worlds better. It was exactly the kind of company and camaraderie that I needed after such an awful afternoon.

The two tiny pygmy owls perched atop my head while I dined. And I almost forgot they were up there. I had little to say, almost hoping no one would hit me up for a conversation while I just enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere and conversations happening around me. And that curry. That was some good eating. Lix Spittle really does know her craft.

Right as dinner was wrapping up, Boyle brought up a point I almost forgot about. "Hey, James. Since word's gotten around that the emperor is...you know... He's still ticking because of you, right? Doesn't that mean if you kicked the bucket, he'd go down with you?"

Almost everyone in the galley cast Boyle a very accusatory glare. As if they were all offended that he would even hint at the possibility of me dying to end the war. But I decided to be honest with him. "Yeah, you wouldn't be the first to notice that. Ember's men almost got to me once recently to put a stop to the war right then and there, but she saw to it they won't be trying that again if they know what's good for them."

"They what?!" Celaeno all but shouted as she smacked her palms into the table while leaning closer towards me. She then declared, "If that's the case, then we can't have you leaving after dark. You're staying right up here tonight until morning. Boys, secure every entrance to the upper deck. We want no intruders tonight."

"Aye, captain. We'll get right on it." Mullet replied before he, Boyle, and even Squabble made their way out into the hall. Lix Spittle set about clearing the table after we had finished every drop of curry. It really filled me up and I was sure I would sleep well that night.

I watched Celaeno's crew leave the galley while I had no time to get a word out. I then asked, "Um... They weren't expecting me to stay away from the command center tonight. What if someone comes knocking?"

"If anyone boards the Zephyrus politely, we'll just let them know you won't be leaving until morning." Celaeno explained while looking more than happy to have me stay the night. It would certainly be a first for me to remain aboard the good ship Zephyrus until sunrise. She then pointed over my head and said, "Anyway, how about you put the little hooters to bed first?"

"The... Oh, I forgot you guys were even up there!" I retorted in amusement before lifting my hand to the top of my head. I felt four tiny clawed feet wrap around my fingers before lowering my hand to see my passengers. The two little pygmy owls watched patiently as I started to carry them out of the room. "I'll be right back."

The first room on the left served as the aviary. And I was quick to notice the two titmice being caged while the two boobies cackled in greeting at me. I could not help asking, "Where did they even find you two anyway?"

I softly bid farewell to the two pygmy owls while returning them to their cage. I then made my way back to the galley as I found Celaeno rising from the table. If I was staying aboard the Zephyrus for the night, I needed a place to stay. "So, captain... Where will I be bunking?"

Before Celaeno could even respond, I noticed the rest of her crew peeking in from the doorway. They must have just fished up setting things up for the night. And they were...snickering giddily while eyeing me. What was up with those stares? Were they in on a joke? Even Squabble was showing an abnormal level of lucidity at the time. And then I found out why as Celaeno provided a response. "Where else? You're bunking with me. The captain's quarters are just about the most secure location on the ship."

"Sure is! Snug as a bug on a rug. Or a maiden's bosom." Mullet added as they all giggled and snickered incoherently. And I quickly saw why.

I was probably more taken aback by what they were suggesting than I should have been, but I still ended up snapping at them. Maybe it was the tequila loosening me up just enough. "Hey, I won't be shagging your captain!"

Even Celaeno had to suppress a laugh and grabbed my wrist before leading me along. "Anyway! You've had a long day and need your sleep, right? Come on. We're turning in. That goes for the rest of you too. As soon as the sun's up, we've got cargo to unload."

"Aye, captain. Pleasant dreams. And especially you, ya lucky skydog." Boyle retorted while they all burst into more tittering laughter. I could only cringe to myself while Celaeno led me along with a surprisingly straight face.

"Don't mind the boys. They're just having fun." Celaeno said with a surprisingly laconic tone. She must have been used to it, being the alpha female of the Zephyrus and all. And her chambers were just as easy on the eyes as I remembered from the last time. She then pointed off to the left and said, "How about you wash up first? You smell like you need it. And just toss your clothes out the door and I'll see to it the crew has it clean by morning."

"You do laundry up here? OK, sure." I retorted as I wanted to get washed up right away. I did what Celaeno requested and dropped almost all of my attire out the door once inside. I kept my boxers just so I would have something to wear to bed. The bathroom was about as compact as I would expect on and airship, but I loved the polished wooden interior. The fan in the ceiling was strong enough to provide enough ventilation for all the moisture that would soon fill the room. Although the shampoo I found in the shower stall amused me when I found that it was specifically designed for feathers. "Heh. Birds."

My shower for the night went by smoothing and I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around my waist after trying to conserve water so Celaeno had some left to bathe with. I saw no sign of my clothes, which left me assuming that they were being laundered at that moment. Celaeno was seated at the table in the middle of the room and took one long at me after removing the two circular earrings from her long earlike feathers. I saw a slight frown form on her beak before she said, "Looks like I was right making you part of the crew. You've got your own scars just like us."

It took me a moment to suddenly realize what she was seeing. I took one glance at the scar on my waist and said, "For the record, I'm not even sure where that came from."

"From the looks of it, I'd say a manticore got a hold of you. Glad to see you made it just fine." Celaeno replied before rising to her feet. "Anyway, make yourself comfortable. I'll try not to be too long."

"Sure thing, captain." I replied before noticing an even more noticeable frown form on her beak. Was something on her mind? I quickly got out of her way and watched her enter the bathroom with the door locking behind her.

I took the time to just wander around Celaeno's room and admire the decor. And I eventually heard the shower go quiet before the roar of a hairdryer filled the bathroom. If my experiences with Novo was of any indication, avian creatures require a hairdryer to insure they become dry enough after a shower. But when the door to the bathroom opened, I recoiled in shock to see no sign of a towel covering Celaeno's bare body. "Captain! You...uh...forgot something!"

"Forgot what? Or do you just have an aversion to feathers? Do you really think I'm trying to get kinky with you?" Celaeno asked while not seeing any issue with her total nudity. And I quickly saw why. That rather fluffy layer of yellowish feathers did an excellent job of covering anything too scandalous. She stood there with her arms crossed, smirking curiously at me. With such an encompassing layer of feathers on them, it was easy to see why harpies are not particularly modest. "Did what the boys say get to you?"

"I guess I'm a little too genre savvy for my own good sometimes... Sorry, I wasn't sure what to expect. I've never seen a harpy in the nude before." I replied while feeling silly over my overreaction. I took the opportunity to scan Celaeno's body now that there was nothing covering it. It really did look like an impressive fusion of bird and woman, her torso being distinctly feminine while lacking any overtly feminine features. Her hips did protrude back just a little to provide a base for the long green tail feathers that hung behind her. "This is...quite a learning experience, really."

"Hey, the more you know." She retorted before walking around the room to dim the lights. All that remained was the glow of an oil lamp beside the bed and the pale glow of the moon faintly peeking through the very wide window at the edge of the stern and the curtains hanging over it. She then asked, "What side do you prefer?"

"When sharing a bed, I prefer being on my partner's left." I replied as I sat on the appropriate side of the bed after pulling the covers down. I took a moment to savor an instant of peace in the dim glow of the lantern on Celaeno's side. I heard a few clicks and looked back to see Celaeno removing her peg leg of solid emerald and setting it by the oil lamp amid its nightstand. Seeing her looking so bare with that stump below the right knee serving as a reminder of the amputation she experienced triggered a dull pain in my heart. For just a moment, Celaeno looked so fragile in the dark. "You OK, captain?"

Celaeno looked to her left and cast such a gaze of disappointment at me. "James... Come on. I'm out of uniform. I hung up my hat. I even set aside my prosthetic. And now your in bed with me. Right now, I'm not the captain of the Zephyrus. I'm your friend."

I fell silent with a certain regret forming in my heart. Why was it so much harder for me to look past the captain's title than it was to look past a crown? What was it about her that left me feeling a certain need to maintain a degree of subordination around her? She then fully turned to me on the bed as that soft warm glow was cast beautifully over her as she asked, "I know I consider you a part of my crew, but that's only in name. You're not my subordinate. And I'm not your superior. So please... At least here, I want you to only see the hen under the hat."

"I'm sorry, Celaeno... I really am. There's some things I just can't explain and this is one of them. I don't know why it's difficult for me to separate the woman from the title in your case." I explained in earnest. It hurt to see my words having disappointed someone I consider a very good friend. Unsure if there was anything I could say to help the situation, I lied down upon the bed and cast my gaze at the ceiling.

Celaeno rested on her side while looking right at me. And she was close. She placed her hand upon my bare chest and dragged her dull talon across it in a way that set my nerves alight. And I found her smiling at me. "Hey, I know you've been through a lot lately. And we're at war. Everyone's all business out here. But could I at least ask you to try? Ease yourself into it?"

"Even when your crew's around?" I asked in caution while taking note of her rapidly calming demeanor.

"Even when the crew's around. I'm their captain, but I'm not yours. You're a good friend and I still owe you." Celaeno cooed while inching a little closer as she draped her feathery arm across me. And that felt exquisite. "Can you do that for me?"

"I'll try, Celaeno. I just wish we had a more ideal time to hang out." I retorted before feeling her beak touch itself to my cheek. Not exactly a kiss. Just a nudge. And so I asked, "Hey, I got quite enough down payment last time. Unless that was just the tequila talking."

That got a good chuckle out of her. "Hey, just because I was a little buzzed doesn't mean I didn't know what I was doing. You deserved that."

Now that I had more of an understanding of where Celaeno's kind hailed from, I felt it was a good time to ask. "Are your people generally this affectionate?"

"Sure we are. I guess it's just in the nature of birds to be sociable and affectionate. Although I guess that's why griffons aren't so much, what with birds of prey preferring to go with the whole lone wolf routine." Celaeno replied while let out a yawn. As the light in the room dimmed further, Celaeno whispered to me in the shadows. "I'm keeping you up too late already. But I'm right here if you need anything. You're safe aboard the good ship Zephyrus."

"And I really appreciate that, Celaeno. Sweet dreams..." With another yawn, I closed my eyes. And thankfully, I dreamed well in her presence.

When morning came, I felt something pressing against me. And upon opening my eyes, I froze. A thick layer of delightfully soft feathers was pressed up against my right side. Celaeno was fast asleep. And she was clinging to me in an embrace.

This was not at all how I expected to start my day. Held in the clutches of a soft fluffy bird woman with half a leg missing. I was about to try calling her by her title, but I resisted that urge. "Uh... Celaeno?"

With a little more prodding, I got her to start waking up. And she only smirk at me slyly once our eyes met. "Well, good morning. Sleep well?"

"As much as I like all this soft cushioning... Is this proper?" I asked while still wrapped up in her arms.

Celaeno snorted and rolled her eyes at my minor objections. She then pushed herself up to her side of the bed and said, "I swear you are just about the most timid man I've ever had aboard my ship. I guess the bedroom is where are that sweetness really comes out, huh?"

I decided to answer as bluntly as I could. "I guess I'm just not used to...being so close to older women in this setting."

I knew by then that Celaeno was on the verge of turning 40. Unless she already had her birthday by then. But instead of being offended, she held her head high and laughed. "Ha! Don't go thinking I'm turning into an old crone. I'm far from being over the hill. We harpies are very long lived. It's not uncommon for us to reach the triple digits. Did anyone tell you that?"

"Unless I happened to forget... Considering the long lifespans of tropical birds, I can see why." I replied while Celaeno took the time to attach her peg leg again. Although now that I was awake and was sure the militia would not be marching today, I had some free time on hand. And so I asked, "Before I have the chance to forget... Do you happen to have a spare typewriter around here? Yesterday was something that's worth writing about."

Celaeno nodded while she looked back at me. "That we do. I'll show you to it after breakfast. Until then, just make yourself comfortable. I don't want you leaving the ship until all the cargo's been unloaded."

And now I am currently sitting down in the ship's hold. The typewriter is kept well out of the way in a very cozy location. I suppose it is kept in a spot where the clicking of the keys will not disturb anyone at night. And it keeps distractions out for anyone who uses it.

Even now... Everything that happened yesterday. I can still barely believe it. Such a heavy day... I do not want to even think about it right now. I want to set this aside and just take a day to spend with my thoughts. No pondering. No brooding. Just let me rest a while.

Is the end in sight? Please tell me that this war is almost over. It cannot get any worse now... Can it?