Waking up in that cozy little dormitory was of a different experience than doing so in that appropriately furnished bedroom in the cottage that I had been calling home for the better half of two weeks. I almost did not entirely realize where I was at first. In some ways, I felt incredibly down as I remembered exactly what was going on and filled with a sense of dread that comes with finding yourself in a situation that makes you wonder if you made a mistake. However, I did peek past the blinds of the window just to my right and was reminded that I was no longer alone on the Empty Plains.

I could see ponies going about their business as they walked along the paths between rows of tents with some pegasi even flying over them. I had to remind myself that the situation was not as bleak as when we started out. Finally, things were looking up. Equestria's people had mobilized to meet the emperor's forces. They more than likely did not fully comprehend the gravity of the situation and I would not expect them to either. War is not in the nature of Equestria or its people. They probably saw this as some big competition. Well, whatever helps them maintain morale...

No one came knocking at my door while I went into the bathroom to take a refreshing shower. The stall was very cramped, but still gave me enough room to do what I needed to wash up. It is a good thing that I am not claustrophobic. Once back out into my dorm, I found a dresser nearby and was surprised to find some familiar attire packed into it. They were all clothes I had worn previously. I even found my pair of shoes next to it. Someone must have had the foresight to raid my wardrobe at home to bring along some extra clothes for me. It felt good to be back into clothing more suited for a civilian than a warrior. Although no sooner had I dressed myself up in a pair of pants and a polo shirt did I hear a knock at the door. It was still locked, so whoever was out there could not come barging in. Regardless, I called out to it. "Yes...?"

There was another knock. Was there a reason they were staying silent? Deciding that I had nothing to fear now that I was surrounded by friendly faces in the literal middle of the encampment, I went to the door and opened it. And I was greeted by a most pleasant sight. "Well, good morning, my dear. Do you have a few minutes?"

Rarity had come knocking. And I was all too happy to see her. She promptly stepped into my room and locked the door behind her before she pushed me to the bed and bounded up onto me. "Oooh, I have been waiting days for this, my love. Kiss me, my prince!"

"With pleasure." I spoke before embracing that wonderful mare as our lips found their way to each other. The soft touch of her lips. The moist caresses of her tongue. Oh my goodness, how I missed my beloved Rarity. That one kiss... It did wonders for my mood. Something so simple, yet preciously familiar. With a gasp, our kiss ended while my hand caressed her beautiful face. "God, I didn't realize how much I missed you..."

"Oh, you have no idea how much I've been longing for this, my love. Day after day, wondering if we would ever make it in time. How I've longed for you embrace, my sweet prince." She cooed to me as we shared many more little kisses. She then brought a kiss to my chin while continuing to gaze down at me. "I know you miss Fluttershy, darling. I do so wish she could be here with us now. But she can't just leave little Gladesong alone now, can she? So to compensate, I will just have to be pulling double duty for her and I until we get home. But you don't mind that at all, do you?"

"Oh, not at all. I get why she can't be here. Gladesong needs her more than I do." I said softly before tenderly caressing her beautiful indigo curls. "But truly... Thank you for being here, my love..."

"There is nowhere else I would rather be, my darling husband." She whispered to me before helping me sit up so I could put my arms around her. I leaned against the corner as she snuggled up into my arms. "I love you... And I always will..."

"Love you too, my lady." I whispered back while placing a kiss upon her horn. I knew she would never be able to walk with me down the aisle, but it did not matter. As far as she, I, and Fluttershy were concerned, she was already my bride. Just another member of our family and no one could tell us otherwise. And for the next several minutes, we did little more than embrace and kiss. Two lovers finally catching up on lost time. How I missed that wonderful woman... Although as we held each other, I did try to make some small talk with her. "Has the transition been easy for you?"

Rarity let out a long yawn as if I had reminded her of some lingering fatigue. "Well, it certainly felt good to get a full night's sleep. There was little time for rest during the entire trek out here. Quite frankly, I could do with a nap later. Although my quarters are a little...drab. It's a good thing Twilight and I brought a few necessities from home to make our place a bit more livable."

"You're bunking with Twilight?" I asked while not entirely surprised. To help conserve space, the militia was likely having each tent hold two occupants. I just hope they had enough foresight to pair each tent up with militiamen who would get along with each other.

"Mmhm, she and I were paired up. And Applejack is bunking with Rainbow Dash. And Pinkie Pie with Maud Pie. And so on." Rarity explained while resting her head against my chest. She seemed like she could dose off for a nap at any time. "Mmmm... I miss the feeling of you holding me, my love... Do you think you might decide to take a nap today? If yes, may I join you?"

"Actually, that sounds really good... It's been a tiring trek out here and I could use a little more rest if I can help it." I replied while still wanting to get up and out of the house for a while. Just to get used to this new temporary status quo in this modest village.

"Perhaps around noon? After lunch?" She asked while trying to not get too comfortable. I just nodded while Rarity began to stand up and stretch. Reacting on instinct, I caressed her beautifully curved flank as she lifted her hips high like a flexing cat. This caress did not escape her notice as her rump quivered at my touch. "Ooohoohoohoo, does my prince see something he likes?"

"You always did have a lovely figure, m'lady." I retorted in a teasing fashion while continuing to slide my hand over the contours of her flank.

"Mmmmm, then perhaps we will have to catch up on something else when we have some downtime out here." She cooed before bringing her lips to mine for another kiss before gazing deep into my eyes with a knowing smirk. "I have been lusting for you so hard, my love. Let us fix that sometime soon."

"Music to my ears, my love." I hissed to her before sharing another kiss with my beloved. Although it was around then that I decided that I should probably get out of there before I could be dragged into bed for another hour. "Anyway... Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Not yet, actually... I just could not resist the opportunity to make your first morning with us a special one." She said with a smile before once again giving me a sweet kiss upon the lips. "We really should start our morning with a full stomach. I had best find the nearest mess hall and see what they're offering. Probably not haut cuisine, but I am sure they'll keep us well fed regardless."

"Well, a great conqueror once said that an army moves on its belly. It would be unwise to not keep us satisfied with decent cooking." I replied while also hopeful that the food being provided for us would be passable at least. Rarity then hopped down from the bed while I fetched my pair of shoes. I would rather not wear my armor if I could help it. I have spent the vast majority of my waking hours the past ten days or so clad in that clanking suit of enchanted metal. "I better not keep you any longer. Wouldn't want anyone to come up here wondering what you might be up to."

"Oh, yes. You're most certainly right. Our little secret, no?" Rarity replied while flashing me a wink. "I will see you later, darling. Do be safe."

"You too, m'lady. Take care." I replied before she trotted down the stairs past the door. Now alone, I stretched while looking around at the cozy confines of my dormitory and the wood panels lining the walls and floor. With nothing else to do, I left the room and headed down the narrow stairwell. Time to see what was happening and how the militia was going to prepare themselves for the coming challenges ahead. They got spectacularly lucky with that first skirmish, but we had plenty of reason to believe the emperor would not use the same tactics twice.

I walked slowly down the stairs now that I was dressed in cozy and familiar attire. I could hear some activity in the command center's main room. I peeked around the corner and saw a number of royal guardsmen installing some sort of bluish glass panels up on the wall in the corner while another was sipping from a cup of coffee as he seemed to be receiving a message from a Morse code device. I felt like I would just get in the way, so I stayed along the wall while walking along the perimeter of the room. I barely paid any mind to the words the guards exchanged. I was far too out of my element to even begin to put together exactly what was going on. However, I soon noticed a smell in the air and turned to my left. I was greeted by a pleasant sight as Celestia stood before me with an impressive stack of decorated pancakes floating between us. "Join me for breakfast, James?"

"Ooh, yes please." I retorted before following the Princess of the Dawn into her private chambers. It was fairly modest like my own, but was a bit more spacious and even had a table for the two of us to sit at. I saw no sign of her usual regalia upon her, likely a result of her deeming them to not be necessary during the rigors of warfare. I was almost expecting there to be some extra breakfast staples waiting for me, but no. That stack of pancakes was all that was available. Not that I was not grateful for Celestia going out of her way to cook up something so special herself.

"Did you sleep well last night, my sunshine?" Celestia asked as she provided for us a set of cutlery. She seemed calm and optimistic. I was not really in the mood for talk myself as I was more interested in starting my day with some good food in my belly. All I did was nod while taking that first bite. So delicious. And I made my approval known with a happy growl of sorts. This got a chuckle out of her as she said, "I'll take that as a yes. And I'm so relieved to see that smile on your face."

Celestia began to help herself to the stack of pancakes. It was much too big for either of us to finish on our own anyway. There were no words between us for a while, but I eventually felt a long feather trace itself along my thigh. I suddenly looked over at Celestia, who looked back at me with a knowing smile. "I just want you to know. Even out here, I don't want you to forget. I love you, my king. And I'm here for you."

"I really appreciate that, Celestia." I said softly while placing a hand down over the long feather that rested upon my leg. So soft, yet stiff. I then looked over again at the beautiful princess I had come to fall in love with. As much as I enjoyed being able to just relax alone and on my own terms the previous night, I was not in a hurry to let her out of my sight. "If it's all right... Tonight, may I join you in bed?"

"I was about to suggest the same thing, dear. Of course you can share my bed with me." She replied with a quiet smile. By then, we could wait no longer. We rose from our seats and stepped around the table before we embraced. For a moment, there were no words. Just the two of us being held in our arms and wings. As the moments went by, Celestia whispered to me. "Again, I'm...sorry for not coming with you at the first opportunity. I won't return home without you. I swear it."

"Thank you, love... I'm glad to have you here." I whispered sincerely to the beautiful creature in my arms. I still felt tired, but more on an emotional level. I was in no condition for any sorts of strenuous activity. Hopefully, I could go through the whole day just to relax.

We soon returned to our seats and resumed feasting on our breakfast. But as we started on the last pancake at the bottom of the stack, I had to voice a concern. "Um... Considering the situation... Will we be having any issues with feeding everyone?"

"I admit that the meals will be meager for today. Fortunately, we've already established a supply line and will be receiving more essentials and supplies today along with more volunteers. Things will be looking up soon." Celestia replied while sounding confident about the whole situation. I was wondering how things would work with how far away we were from civilization, but then I remembered that airships exist in Equestria. Those could be used to carry a lot of cargo on top of being able to traverse many miles in a day.

I let out a sigh once only strips of syrup and dots of whipped cream were left on the plate. "Fantastic... Just like the last time. Is there anything you need from me this morning?"

"Not just yet. We're still getting the command center set up. Once everything is in place, I'll send for you. We'll be needing your input on a few things, as promised." Celestia replied before taking up the plate in her magical grasp. "As for right now, take it easy and make yourself at home. Today is more about preparation and orientation than anything else."

"Sounds good. I'll...uh...just be getting outta everyone's way for now." I said while Celestia placed a passing kiss upon my cheek. "I better get outside now. Take care of yourself, Celestia."

Not wanting to get in the way, I stepped out of the command center and was greeted by the rows of tents likely used as housing for the troops. Tents for as far as the eye could see. How was I supposed to even navigate the encampment? At least the command center stood much taller and could be seen from anywhere in the place. At least I would not get too lost.

I passed by many ponies just going about their business, most being out of uniform. I think only those who were actual members of the royal guard were consistently clad in their gilded armor. Most barely paid me any mind, but some passed me a hearty greeting. Most likely because they had heard of me on their way out there. And to think that those who were there were not even the full force. More would be coming. I was feeling rather conflicted about the whole scenario. Confident, yet uneasy. I really felt like I did not belong there.

I was lucky to find that maps had been placed at certain points around the encampment to help everyone find their way. And as I stopped to examine one, I was impressed by the sheer size of the place. It would not surprise me if the encampment was around the same general size as Ponyville itself. As if it was a mobile village. Mess halls and latrines were placed round multiple spots. I was especially surprised to see that even bathhouses were provided for the sake of hygiene. Airship docks had been set up right at the western corners of the encampment, though I saw nothing in the sky when I glanced west. I suppose the first wave of flying transports had not yet arrived. There was one spot on the map I was about to take a closer look at, but I was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice to my left. "Oh, James! Good morning! Got a second?"

I turned and found none other than Twilight Sparkle trotting my way. She was without her battlemage garb, so she likely was not expecting to do any drills yet. "Eh? Oh, hey there, Twi. What's up?"

"I'm glad I found you. I just found something that's just...so awesome and I'm sure you wanna see it!" She replied rather excitedly. Knowing her, I was sure she had found a library somewhere nearby. At least until I noticed that I had not seen anything on the map that could have hinted at one. "Come on, it's actually really cool! I wasn't expecting them to have something like this!"

"As long as it's not a library, sure. Lead on." I retorted before I began to follow my friend through the camp. I had nothing better to do at the time, so I might as well acquaint myself with my surroundings.

"No, it's nothing like that. Trust me, it's something we've never seen before." Twilight insisted as she led on. On the horizon soon stood a very large tent that was much longer than it was wide. And I could hear...something going on inside it as we drew near. It had a low ceiling, but was still tall enough for me to enter without having to duck. Twilight smiled giddily at me as she said, "OK, ready to have your mind blown?"

"I have no idea what to expect, but sure?" I mused before Twilight pushed through the entrance's flaps. But as I pushed my way in, I was greeted by a most unexpected sight spread out before me. "Whoa... Hey, this is... Wow, what haven't they thought of?"

Lining the sides of the tent while allowing a type of hallway down the middle were multiple chambers boxed in with the use of magic barriers. And in each and every one of them were unicorns who seemed to be testing out types of magic spells. One tested a projectile blast against a gemstone that was affixed to a pole, another was conjuring up pillars or cubes to serve as obstacles against a thrown spear, and so on and so forth. It was too much variety for me to describe with just one visit, but I quickly put together exactly what this place was. "A magic R&D lab... Heh, I'd expect no less from Equestria."

"I know, right?! I can't wait to get started here!" Twilight exclaimed with genuine excitement. She was definitely in her element in such an environment. And when considering her long history of studying the art, she would surely be of aid in coming up with useful spells to give our mages an edge in the coming clashes. But she then led me down the hall of barriers while I glanced left and right at the volunteers experimenting with various types of magic. "Come on! I'll introduce you to the lead researcher."

I could see a table at the center of the half where the two rows of controlled environments were split in half to serve as an office of sorts for the main researchers. Shelves were set around a table where a few more unicorns dressed in lab coats seemed to be discussing some results. But among the more professionally dressed personnel was someone who...really did not look like he belonged there. That stallion... Was he one of Shining Armor's Ogres & Oubliette buddies? Because he certainly looked the part.

I could not make heads or tails of what they were talking about as Twilight and I came within earshot. While I have developed enough of a grasp on magic to know how use it with my armor's gauntlets, it is not something I can even begin to explain. Regardless, Twilight spoke up once we drew near. "Sunburst! I've got someone I want you to meet!"

"Huh? Oh, excuse me." The one unicorn stallion who did not look like he belonged there said before stepping away from his colleagues. I raised an eyebrow as I started to get the idea that he was... No... There was no way someone dressed up like a complete nerd could possibly be the... "Hey there, Sta... I mean Twilight! And... Oh, hey! Are you the guy? The one we kept hearing about? The one who set out with Princess Nightmare Moon to face the enemy?"

This guy... He did not look like a proper researcher at all. Where the others were decked out in white lab coats, this guy was draped in what seemed to be a toy wizard's cape. Complete with a dark aquatic blue finish and studded with lighter colored stars. His mane was of a fiery orange while his coat was a golden orange. A patch of white was emblazoned down the middle of his face and all four of his legs had equally white 'socks' coating them up to his legs. And resting upon his nose were a large pair of spectacles. I cocked my head to one side and asked, "You're...in charge of research here?"

"Is it the cape? Yeah, I get a lot of questions about that. I just wear it because it makes me feel smart." He replied while not showing much shame over his taste in attire. "But yeah, I'm the head researcher here. I was so lucky that I got the job. Anyway, I'm Sunburst. And you're...who again?"

"James. Good to meet you." I said nonchalantly while still not entirely certain of what to think of this guy. He really did not look like a professional, but if he had been selected by the royal sisters themselves to serve as the lead researcher in magic R&D, then there must have been much more to him than what was readily apparent. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt for the moment and asked, "So...um... They put you in charge? How'd that happen?"

Twilight stepped past him to have a word with the other researchers. Being Celestia's personal pupil must have given her a strong presence among them. As she excused herself, Sunburst proceeded to at least partially explain himself to me. "Well, I'm not much good at actually using most kinds of magic... But when it comes to actually understanding how magic works, I'm really good at it. Out of everypony else who applied, I came out on top in the exams."

"You're no good at using magic...but your understanding of how it works is far greater than most?" I replied while trying to understand this. Considering how magic as a whole must be Equestria's equivalent of rocket science, I could see why it is so hard to wrap one's head around. But if this guy could understand it so easily... "Well, I see how you got the job. Just...uh...don't try to explain how any of that stuff works to me. My mind isn't...uh...geared towards grasping the workings of magic."

"Hey, it's fine. Most don't even know where to begin on the stuff. But it was lucky that they hired me. I was in a...bad place until recently. Being no good at actually using magic won't get you far in the best gifted unicorn schools, you know?" He replied while grinning a bit sheepishly.

"Wait... You a college dropout?" I asked while starting to see where he was coming from.

"Yeah... I was enrolled since I showed promise as a colt, but... Not being able to do magic well didn't do me any favors... I flunked. Hard. And I was stuck with some pretty severe debt." He replied while probably looking back on some bad memories. But Sunburst began to smile as he said, "But then this war broke out. And I enlisted since I had nothing better to do. And now... Well, things are going well! The princesses even agreed to clear my debt if I do well enough. If all goes well, I'll be set for life with the all the accolades I need!"

"Wow... Lucky opportunity. I hope it goes well for you. And I hope you don't let us down." I replied while starting to see that his position must not have been a mistake. Eccentric as he seemed, I was willing to trust Sunburst.

"Yeah, me too. I don't wanna see anyone go home in a body bag, so I'll be doing... Huh? Oh hey, what's up?" Sunburst said before being distracted by Twilight approaching us with a scroll floating before her. She had even done up her mane into a ponytail, which happened to make her look even more scholarly than usual.

"This formula here looks really promising. You mind if I step into one of the labs and try it out?" Twilight asked as she showed him whatever was written on it.

"Sure! There's a vacant one right over there." Sunburst said while pointing to the far end of the tent. Twilight then trotted away to it, but Sunburst never took his eyes off of her. "Twilight Sparkle, right? She a friend of yours?"

"Very good friend. I've known her since the day I came to Ponyville." I replied while glad to see that Twilight was sincerely enjoying her role as a mage. "She being helpful around here?"

"Oh yeah, she's probably one of our best mages. The only one who really matches her in performance is Sunset Shimmer. They're both trying hard and are really impressive. Although I don't think they've met yet..." Her replied before looking back at Twilight as she stepped into one of the empty spots while a barrier sprang up to block the entrance. "Although I swear when I heard her name, I could've sworn they said something else. It's funny. You know how synonyms are, right?"

"Synonyms...? Oh, right. Like how 'twilight' means the same thing as 'dusk'? Yeah, those can be a bit of a mind bender." I replied while finding the similarities rather amusing. The naming conventions of Equestria can probably make for some amusing mix-ups when it comes to similar names using different words with identical meanings.

Sunburst let out a chuckle at the notion. "Yeah, they are. I swore I thought she was someone I knew from a long time ago. At least until I took a good look at her."

"An old friend of yours?" I asked while not realizing the shock of what I was about to hear. In hindsight, I should have seen it coming, but it had been so long since that night...

"Yeah, somepony I haven't seen since leaving home when I enrolled in school at Canterlot. And it's funny that I thought Twilight Sparkle was her at first." Sunburst said before looking back at Twilight over yonder. "Different words, but same meaning. I guess Twilight Sparkle really is just another way of saying Starlight Glimmer."

It took me a second, but that name... My blood chilled as those words rolled around in my head. That name... No... Not that name. Starlight Glimmer. He surely could not mean...THAT Starlight Glimmer? I desperately tried to save face in front of Sunburst to avoid giving away any hints that I may have known that name. I was not permitted to speak of her anyway. "Starlight Glimmer, huh? You...uh...knew someone by that name?"

"Uh huh. Haven't seen her since I left home. Almost forgot all about her until I heard Twilight's name. Seriously, the colors in her mane and coat even remind me of her." Sunburst explained as he looked back at me. "I wonder what Starlight's up to these days... Probably still flying kites. She was always good at that."

"You don't say?" I muttered while starting to feel myself sweat in response to the rising anxiety in me. There was no way I would be able to hide my feelings for long. This was something that needed to be brought to Nightmare Moon's attention immediately. I had almost forgotten those last words... The friend who left her... Of all places to find him! "Say, I just remembered I needed to speak to Nightmare Moon about something and I really shouldn't keep her waiting. Can I get back to you later?"

"Oh, sure! Really shouldn't keep her royal highness waiting. You have a good one, James!" Sunburst replied before I hastily made my way out of the R&D lab. As soon as I was out of the tent, I wheezed with an anxious sigh. I was not expecting to hear that name again. Certainly not there.

"Not good... Not good... Oh man, this is a problem..." I muttered to myself as memories of that dreadful scene flashed through my mind. Starlight Glimmer. I watched her die. That wretched and hopelessly deluded maverick who could have brought ruin to Equestria had she escaped from Nightmare Moon that night. Great pains were taken to insure her memory and blighted ideology would be forgotten by the world, but now there was someone who still knew that name...

I marched along at a brisk pace. Where could I find Nightmare Moon? I had not seen her all morning. Where even was she? As I looked to the horizon and saw the command center jutting up out of the very middle of the encampment, I suddenly had an idea. Instead of wasting precious time searching for her, I would just call her to my side like before. With a glimmer of relief in my mind, I hurried back to the command center as quickly as I could without trying to give anyone I passed a reason to suspect something was wrong.

I made no attempt to interact with anyone upon stepping inside and immediately made my way up to my private quarters. I found the Lunar Shield exactly where I had left it in my room. There was a surefire way to get Nightmare Moon's attention. I reached down and tapped my fist firmly upon the Lunar Shield's front several times. Luna would likely detect it as well, but probably would think little of it. But Nightmare Moon would be familiar with the pattern by then. She would surely get the hint if I did it enough times. I tapped away on the shield five times over in a series of knocks and waited. Eventually, I heard the distant sound of the command center's front door opening. And that was followed by the sound of hooves coming up the stairs to my door. I looked towards it as the door opened before I saw the familiar face of Nightmare Moon peek in. "Hm? Ah, James. Did you...happen to call for me?"

"Yeah, I was hoping you would notice that." I replied as the Princess of Dreams stepped into my room. "Sorry to call you like this. It's urgent."

"Really now? Well then, let's hear it." She said before standing in my presence with a very curious gaze in her eyes. "What troubles you?"

"Oh, there's nothing exactly wrong. It's just that... How do I say this..." I muttered as I tried to be as discreet as possible. Just in case someone was within earshot. I was not allowed to openly speak that name. "Let's just say it's... Um... A little something about the...glimmering of the starlight."

"Glimmering? Starli..." Nightmare Moon muttered before her eyes went wide in horror. The magic of her horn flared up before the door to my room shut as the lock on the knob clicked. A veil of shimmering magic light coated the walls, floor, and ceiling for a few seconds. The drapes over the few windows of the room were drawn closed. With a most intense gaze, she spoke sternly. "What did you hear about that wretch? Where did you hear her name?"

"Sunburst." I replied briefly. "He knows that name. And he knew her when they were just kids."

"He told you that? Wait... It's coming back to me... Her final words..." Nightmare Moon muttered in contemplation before she froze with a look of chilling realization in her eyes. "You do not suppose... Could he be..."

"Yeah... That friend who left her as a kid? I'm convinced that it was him." I replied while still shaken by the sheer stroke of foul luck that could bring a remnant of her past into this mess.

"So it would seem... What are the odds?" Nightmare Moon mumbled before she turned her gaze to me with her unwavering attention. "What did he tell you?"

"Um... Well... From what he said, he almost completely forgot about her until he saw Twilight and heard her name. Their physical similarities and the fact that their names are synonyms for each other reminded him of her. He doesn't seem particularly hung up about her, but... Well... I still felt you had to know."

Nightmare Moon nodded in silence while still looking very unsettled by being reminded of that dark night. I then asked, "What should we do?"

"We will do the only thing we can." The Princess of Dreams said coolly. "Carry on as if nothing ever happened. Do not approach him about her. Do not entertain his words if he ever brings her up again. Do not rekindle his memories of her. Let that wretch's memory die with him."

"I...guess that's the best we could hope for, huh?" I said softly while understanding there was not a whole lot we could do about Sunburst's knowledge of Starlight Glimmer without taking drastic measures. Although that did get me thinking... "But what if others start talking about her with him?"

Her eyes narrowed. "If it comes to that, inform me immediately. I will see to it myself that her name is remembered by no one."

"I hope that won't involve bloodshed..." I muttered while dearly hoping Sunburst would not be harmed if it came to that. He was lucky to have no knowledge of what his old friend became and that he moved on without dwelling on her. And he certainly deserved to be happy. But as the topic began to reach its conclusion, I noticed a look of unease in Nightmare Moon's eyes. Her mind was elsewhere. "You OK...?"

"I know what I had to do... But still, when that name surfaces... I still feel doubts..." She mumbled before closing her eyes. "I believed what you said that night, my dear... I know that I made the correct decision, but... It is not my duty to bring harm to my people... She had to die, but still..."

I stepped forward and held the beautiful nightmare in my arms. I knew what was going through her mind. "No... Don't doubt yourself. I saw what happened. I heard what was said. You did everything you could to reason with her. You explained the reality of the situation she did not understand, but she refused to accept it. You made the right choice. It was her or you and your men. And if she managed to get away..."

We both went silent. Now that my memories of that deranged lunatic had resurfaced, I began to ask myself questions. If she ended up getting her way, just how severely would Equestria be twisted by her groundless ideology? Would Equestria...even be Equestria anymore? I knew how much I loved this world by then. I took up the sword and went to war for its sake. But would Starlight Glimmer have become just as great a threat to it as the Forgotten Emperor himself? The notion of one of Equestria's own citizens becoming that diabolical... It horrified me. I did not even want to try to comprehend what this world would become had she been allowed to live. "You did the right thing. And doing the right thing isn't always doing the nicest thing... You made the right choice for everyone. Thank you... Really. Thank you for saving Equestria from her."

For a moment, Nightmare Moon remained silent. Although I soon felt her wing drape itself over me. "I did... I did save this world from a budding cataclysm, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise." I said softly, yet firmly. I saw the madness in her eyes. The delusion in her words. There was no reasoning with that mare. As painful as it was to watch, her death was necessary for the sake of Equestria by that point. "I get that it was hard for you... But you did what was best for your people. Trust me when I say that Equestria would be worse off had you not."

"And I do trust you... Thank you, my dear. I suppose even I need words of encouragement at times." She replied with a light chuckle. I then felt Nightmare Moon place a kiss upon my cheek. "Thank you. Truly. Although..."

I noticed her gaze look elsewhere. I turned to look as well and saw that Nightmare Moon's gaze had fallen upon the typewriter in my room. She and I shared a gaze, her eyes all but glaring at me. I nodded readily and said, "Yeah, I know. I'll keep any mention of her separate from the rest of the entry and hide them."

"Very good. Now, I think we've been here long enough. We have things to tend to, do we not?" Nightmare Moon replied with a comforted smile. With a flash of her horn's magic aura, the invisible veil encasing my room glowed brightly before collapsing in a shower of fading glittering particles. "I must be on my way. I need to discuss some things with Celestia. Why don't you make your way over to one of the mess halls for a drink?"

"Sounds good... A bit early for lunch, but a drink sounds nice. I'll see you around." I replied before placing a kiss upon her cheek. For a moment longer, we embraced and nuzzled each other before Nightmare Moon finally departed first. I stood there as my thoughts drifted from Starlight Glimmer to the Princess of Dreams. Now that so many familiar faces were round me, things had returned somewhat to normal. But still... The trek out here with no one but her by my side...

I tried hard to distract myself from the feelings in my heart. Something just felt...wrong about imagining her in such a way. We should not be more than that. Something in my gut was telling me that. She had always stood by my side as a stalwart friend and companion. And I could see that was what she wanted. Or was it...?

Pushing those thoughts out of my mind, I hurried out of the command center so as to not get in the way. I found another map outside and followed its directions to reach the nearest mess hall. Much to my surprise, it was a lot more...comfortable than I expected. Modest and simple, but having the look and feel of the setup you might see at an outdoor event. A very large tent with a low ceiling and kitchens on wheels that brought to mind food carts. A tasty aroma was in the air, convincing me that the cooking here was of a delightful quality and nothing like prison gruel. While it seemed the breakfast rush had largely passed, there were still quite a few ponies seated around the tables for a meal or even just a chat while sharing a drink. Some were even just reading some newspaper while sipping some coffee.

I found a number of tall and circular tables set around the place as well. Well, tall by pony standards. I took a seat to just relax for a bit, but was approached by a pegasus stallion in an apron who dropped off a menu before flying off. I suppose I could approach one of the carts to place an order, but it seemed a few waiters were around to take orders from those who would rather not wait in line. Or to help speed things along if the lines were getting too long. A quick glance at the menu revealed that the quality of the items looked along the same level of quality one might find from the café in Ponyville. Not to bland, but not too fancy. Although there were some quantity restrictions. One entree, one side dish, and one drink per visit. I was not exactly surprised. There was plenty of reason to ration food supplies for the troops.

Having already had breakfast, I started to browse the drinks. I was surprised to see that bottles of hard cider were available, although the single bottle restrictions would prevent anyone from getting close to being drunk. But as I scanned the menu in my hands, I noticed and felt someone take a seat across from me in the other chair at the table. I expected a greeting, but heard nothing. So I waited. And I waited. And after maybe twenty seconds, I finally got curious enough to set down my menu and see who was there. And when I did... "Um..."

I really was not expecting who I found sitting right across the table from me with an arm resting across it. Looking at me was a familiar unicorn mare with a bright white coat and wild mane of hues of blue while wearing a pair of iridescent sunglasses with round lenses that completely hid her eyes. The very same DJ from yesterday's first skirmish. With a smile on her face, she and I shared a silent stare for a moment before she finally broke the silence. "S'up?"

"Uh... Just grabbing some refreshments. What's up with you, DJ?" I asked while not being even remotely familiar with her at all. I have seen her around on occasion and I know she is a Ponyville native, but she and I have never had the chance to really get to know each other. She always had such a funky vibe to her that I found difficult to approach anyway. Too wild for me tastes. But now that she was sitting right across from me, I felt obligated to stick around and hear what she had to say.

"Oh, I thought I'd come on over and see what's going on with the big man who took down the biggest punk from yesterday. You really know how to handle yourself out there. That thing never landed a real blow on you. Although it was funny how you decided to just get a cheap shot in at the last second." The DJ said to me while cracking an amused smirk at the memory. "Anyway, I have a name. Vinyl Scratch. And you're James? I've seen you around town now and then. When did you even show up in Ponyville? Two years ago by now?"

"Yeah, about that long ago. And you... You're the bard, right? You keep pumping out tunes on your rig to keep the fighters going?" I asked while remembering that crazy spectacle from yesterday. "And that bass cannon... You still planning on using that?"

Vinyl Scratch hesitated at first while not entirely sure at first of how to answer that. "Ehhhhh... Only as a last resort. I don't wanna have to break out the tools and reset the subwoofers every time I fire that thing. Breaks the flow of the tunes, you know? Heh, Tavi said she'd strangle me in my sleep if I ever tried setting that off in the house."

That was a name I was not familiar with. "Tavi? Um... She you're roommate?"

"Yeah, but that's not her actual name. Octavia. You've probably seen her, especially if you've ever been to the Grand Galloping Gala. She's always there to play the cello. And she's really good at it." She explained as that description brought a familiar mare to mind.

"The cello... Oh, her! But I thought she's from Canterlot. She's from Ponyville?" I asked while remembering that gorgeous and sophisticated mare I always see performing there during the gala. But I could not imagine someone who looked like a Canterlot native setting up shop in Ponyville.

"Yeah, you'd think that, wouldn't you? Nope, she's always been a Ponyville mare. It's just that most of her lines of work take her up the mountain, so she spends a lot of time there." The DJ replied right as the server came back over to our table. Before I could even start to consider what to drink, Vinyl Scratch beat me to the punch. "The big man and I will have a bottle of cider each. Ice cold."

The server made no objections and took her request at face value. I did not complain. I was not hungry and a cold bottle of cider sounded really good at the time. But as I thought about Octavia and observed the very wild disk jockey before me, I raised an eyebrow at the very notion of them sharing a house. "Um... Wait a second. You? And a classical cello player? As housemates?"

The irony was not lost on her. Vinyl Scratch snickered loudly as she said, "I know, right? Total odd couple. But we make it work. And you'd be surprised how well some cello tunes compliments a bit of dubstep."

Sounded to me like the two of them find harmony over music and probably have a few jam sessions every now and then. "Well, I never would've guessed you two would be living together. Or that she even lived in Ponyville."

"Well, if you wanna hit her up for a chat, you can find her around. I might be the bard on the battlefield, but she's the bard for after-hours. You can find her with her usual posse playing it up around some of the mess halls." Vinyl Scratch explained while surprising me with the thought that such a musician would actually be present. Then again, music must not be underestimated as a muse. Although she then said, "By the way... I hope you don't mind, but when everypony was starting to mobilize, I took a little look at one of those little electronics to see if I could offload any tunes from them. Just to see if you had anything on it that would really rock on a battlefield."

"Wait... You messed around with my tech from back home?" I asked while suddenly alarmed at a total stranger messing around with fragile belongings of mine that I could never hope to get repaired if anything happened to them.

"Whoa, easy. I take good care of my electronics and I'm especially careful with any that aren't mine." The DJ replied while holding up her hooves before me. "But yeah, I checked out that...green one. Really wide with a big wide screen. Found a lot of good tunes on it. Figured out how to jury rig it so I could hook it up to my rig and copy everything on it. Maybe you'll recognize something I play somewhere down the line."

"That sounds like...my Playstation Portable. And I could've sworn those tunes you were playing yesterday sounded familiar..." I muttered right before our bottles of cold cider were dropped off. I took a swig and appreciated the rustic bite of strong apple liquor. "Good choice for a drink... I needed this."

"Anytime. You've had it rough out here for a while, right?" Vinyl Scratch retorted before using the levitation spell to bring her bottle to her lips for a swig. "Good stuff. Anyway, you just taking it easy for today? I'm not even really sure what's going on lately now that we've finally caught up."

"I think everyone's going to be taking a week or two in order to revise tactics. Maybe reevaluate their armor and weapons. I don't think anyone really fully grasps what they're getting themselves into out here." I explained while taking another swig of my bottle of cider.

It was only then that the smile faded from the DJ's lips. She set her bottle down despite it only being half empty. "War sucks, right?"

"Like you would not believe. I just hope that everyone goes home no different than they are now when this is all over." I said softly while my eyes scanned the rest of the mess hall around us. Everyone there... They had no idea what they were in for. All the training and preparation in the world could not ready them for the horrors of war. All I could do was hope that fortune would be on our side at the end of the day.

Vinyl Scratch said nothing for a while longer as we enjoyed our drinks. Once the bottles were empty, I looked at her in surprise as she removed her sunglasses and looked at me with vibrant magenta eyes. "Hey. We only just got started. Don't go getting mopey now. We knocked them all for a loop the first time and nopony got seriously roughed up. If that's not a good sign, I dunno what is."

I could not help cracking a faint smile at her words of encouragement. Maybe I really was worrying too much at the time. Even though war is something that has no place in Equestria, this world has resources at its disposal that even the emperor most likely does not. I had to just try and stay optimistic. I had already seen the magic R&D lab. That alone would greatly benefit us in the long run. "Yeah... Yeah, I know. I need to have faith in everyone. We can do this."

"We sure can." She replied before placing her sunglasses back on her face. "Anyway, good talking to you. I'm gonna get back and sample some more of those sweet tunes I offloaded from your stuff. I wanna get a feel for what does and doesn't work for a serious fight scene."

"I'll leave you to it. Have a good one, DJ." I said in parting while Vinyl Scratch trotted away. With nothing else to do for the moment, I stood up from my chair and made my way out of the mess hall. What else was there to see?

As soon as I turned west, I stood still with my eyes directed to the horizon. I could see them approaching. Airships. No doubt the first contact made with the supply line. Still remembering the wonderment I felt when I entered Canterlot's airship docks for the first time, I made a beeline across the encampment to get a closer look.

Several airships were on the horizon, but only a few had room for setting down inside the encampment. The rest had to set down outside the walls, but were under constant supervision by the guards positioned along the walls. I was sure they would expand the docks inside the camp when time would permit it. But as I drew near, I noticed one airship standing out from the rest as it came in to dock. "Huh... That one sure looks festive."

The rigid gas sack that held the airship aloft was adorned with many large colorful feather attachments that strongly brought to mind the extravagant attire of a samba dancer. But only over the aft half of the device. At the front, I could swear that the bulbous protrusion made of polished wood brought to mind a sturdy bird's beak. Like that of...a parrot. I then directed my eyes at the airship itself, finding its simple wooden design to be vaguely familiar. "Hold on... Is that...them?"

I finally stepped over to the docks and looked up as I minded my distance. Members of the royal guard consisting of unicorns and pegasi were directing the airships to land with red and white flags held aloft in their wings and levitation spells. With heavy thuds, the first airship dropped sandbags to serve as anchors before the gangplank started to be lowered. I watched with arms crossed, surveying the scene before me as someone stepped into view at the top of the gangplank. And she did not take long to spot me. "Ahoy! James! That you?!"

"You can't be serious..." I muttered as I beheld a familiar sight that I had not seen in some time. Clad in her armored coat and with her fetching wide hat on her head, I found myself beholding none other than Captain Celaeno aboard the Zephyrus. I raised my hand to wave at her, not expecting to see that skyfaring harpy at all. "Ahoy, captain! Fancy seeing you here!"

Her response was shocking, yet not entirely unexpected. She jumped from the gangplank and rappelled down one of the ropes attached to one of the sandbags serving as a ballast. All to get down to the ground faster than using the gangplank. Upon reaching the ground, she approached me at a leisurely pace. I expected her to run, but was reminded that her peg leg prevented such a gait. "I've heard crazy things about you lately. Is it true? You? You were the first to head out and deal with this invasion?"

"Yeah, that was me. I had to do something." I replied as Celaeno started to laugh. "Um... What? This isn't exactly a laughing matter."

"Oh, it's not that! It's just... I never would've guessed that guy we snatched off a train for a ransom is some freelancing knight in league with the royal guard or something like that. I've heard! You're something special, right?!" Celaeno replied rather loudly as she looked pretty excited over what she must have heard about me by then. "You having connections to the royal family is one thing, but this?!"

I started to blush a bit from that level of praise. I really was not used to it, regardless of how warranted it was. "I... I'm just trying to protect the world I love. Nothing more. I'm not in this for glory or fame."

Celaeno came to a stop before me as she became much quieter. A few seconds later, she reached out and patted me on the shoulder. "Hey, it's fine. You never gave me the feeling that you're some sorta showboat. You're a sweet guy. I'm just saying that I'm really impressed that you're more than what we first scoped you out to be."

"Thanks, captain." I replied while remembering that she more or less considered me a member of her crew by then. I looked up at the ship as I noticed Boyle carrying a crate over his shoulder and down the gangplank. "So... Is this... Is that your old ship? Looks like she's in much better shape than last time."

"Yep, good old Zephyrus hasn't looked this good in years. They only just finished repairs this week and we couldn't wait to get back in the sky on something familiar. I mean the other airships they've rented out to us were nice and all, but nothing beats an old favorite like this beauty." Celaeno explained while looking up at the quite frankly impressive airship before us. "This new job is going well too. Still a bit too early for trusting us with scouting, but this supply running business is working well enough. Probably for the best too since everyone out here needs every able airship possible to get the goods to them."

"Glad to hear it, captain. I was hoping this would turn out well for you." I said while feeling genuinely happy for her and the crew. They really were in dire straits last time I saw them, so it did my heart good to see how radically their situation had increased now that they had found a steady source of employment that plays to their strengths.

"Yeah, it really did. The regiment took some getting used to, but it was worth it. We're better fed. Better supplied..." The harpy captain beside me said before taping her fingers on a sword hilt at her side. "And better armed."

My eyes fell upon the weapon at her side. The curved form of a sword's scabbard could be seen with the exposed hilt adorned with a shiny brass knuckle guard. The unmistakable form of a saber. "Can I see that?"

"Help yourself, matey." She replied before turning to me so I could better reach for it. I then grasped the hilt and drew the blade from its scabbard. Unlike the heavily worn and chipped sword I had seen the first time she and I crossed paths, Celaeno's saber was clearly brand new with no signs of tarnish. A beautiful polished steel blade greeted my eyes before I performed a few light swings. It really felt like something designed almost for human use, which was fitting since Celaeno was more or less around my height. "Haven't seen a beauty of a blade like this in years. Can't wait to get a chance to try it out."

"It really is a beauty, huh? I like it. Here's hoping it serves you well." I replied before sliding it back into its scabbard while Celaeno held it steady for me.

"Oh, they've outfitted us with all sorts of good gear. Even gave us mandatory training to make sure we could defend ourselves if we're ever boarded. I barely needed any, but now the rest of my mates can swing with the best of them." Celaeno laughed before leaning in close to whisper to me. "Just don't go picking a fight with old Squabble. He's...uh...weird in how he deals with anyone who messes with him."

"I'll take your word for it, captain." I retorted before looking up to see another airship coming in for a landing. But unlike the rest, this one looked...fancy. Much too fancy for a proper cargo ship. The size was even closer to that of a private yacht than an actual ship. The colors of pastel purple hues with bright yellow stabilizer fins definitely looked like something out of Canterlot. The gas sack the ship hung from had a distinct fish look to it and was engraved with more purple hued patterns that did bring to mind a happy face on the fish. "This one...looks a bit out of place here..."

"Huh? Oh, you mean the Lavender Spirit?" Celaeno asked before she too saw it beginning to dock. She then cast me a smirk and said, "Come to think of it... Maybe you should go say hello. I think the captain of that one is an old friend of yours. I need to check in and make sure all the right cargo gets unloaded anyway."

"Someone I know? Uh... OK then. Let's catch up over a bottle of cider sometime." I replied while now very curious over the purpose of the yacht before me showing up.

"Will do. Smooth sailing, James." Celaeno spoke as she began to make her way back over to the Zephyrus. I then made my over to the...Lavender Spirit? Yeah, that was the name. Instead of a gangplank being lowered from the deck, the guards had to bring over one on wheels. It probably was not designed to be boarded from the ground in the first place.

"So then... The Lavender Spirit, huh?" I muttered to myself as I stepped towards it. But barely twenty paces later, I noticed someone step up to the gangplank. And I recognized that dapper unicorn stallion sporting a monocle on his eye anywhere. "Wait... Fancy Pants? Here?"

After observing him for a moment, he too looked my way before bringing a hoof to his brow to keep out the sun. He was looking right at me. As soon as he recognized me, that proper stallion called out to me. "Ah, Master James! Good to see you!"

He promptly trotted down the gangplank and over to me while I too stepped forward to greet him. "Such a tumultuous chain of events lately! I was not entirely sure whether or not I could believe it until I saw all this! Is it really true? Equestria at war?"

"Yeah, more or less. Some old enemy of ours was sticking around out here in the middle of nowhere and has decided to launch an invasion." I explained while trying to not give away too much sensitive information. "But... What're you doing out here? And isn't this our own private yacht?"

"Why, she most certainly is! The Lavender Spirit is a fine feast for the eyes, is she not? And the Lavender Spirit could not be more suited for delivering fine spirits to those who need them." He explained before I looked up the gangplank to see crewmen using levitation magic to carry down wooden crates. And as they passed by, I could hear the faint jingling of glass bottles shifting around inside them. Bottles...of wine? Maybe cider or ale?

"You're...transporting drinks?" I asked while not entirely certain of what Fancy Pants could hope for by volunteering his own yacht for use during the war effort.

"Of course! Only fine spirits to help keep our stallions and mares spirits high during this trying time. I admit that the Lavender Spirit is a bit lacking in terms of cargo capacity, but she is a gentler ride than most other commercial vessels. That makes her more ideal for the transportation of more fragile cargo." Fancy Pants explained before he took a moment to polish the lens of his monocle with a handkerchief. "Quite frankly, there has been a surprising outpouring of support from the Canterlot elite back home. Why, even Prince Blueblood has thrown his hat into the ring along with his very deep pockets."

"Wait... Really? Old Blueballs is helping fund the war effort?" I asked while genuinely surprised that such a lout could be generous enough to help his homeland. I suppose a global crisis really can bring out the best in people.

Fancy Pants nodded readily while looking just as surprised as I did. "Yes! I was quite surprised too! Of course, I have no intention of approaching him on the matter, but I have confirmed that he has put quite a bit of funding into the war effort. Quite frankly, there are those all over Equestria pitching in to provide aid. It's starting off as a trickle, but I am certain it will be gaining steam before long."

"Huh... Never knew he had it in him." I muttered while legitimately impressed with how Equestria was beginning to mobilize to help support this ragtag army of volunteers in the coming clashes with the emperor's minions. I still had my worries, but I was beginning to grasp that the odds were not as much against us as I initially believed.

"Although I must ask..." Fancy Pants said while he adjusted his monocle. "What exactly are we all up against out here? From my understanding, the Empty Plains have been nothing but open wilderness for ages with no signs of civilization. Who or what could possibly have been dwelling out here for so long, waiting to launch an invasion?"

I went silent for a moment. It was not surprising that most would have no real knowledge of the exact identity of the enemy we were facing. But what could I actually tell him? The implications carried by the fact that our enemy was humanity's leader of a long forgotten generation did not go unnoticed by me. For once, knowing that I was human made me uneasy. Trying to distance myself from any potential association with the emperor, I responded the best I could. "I'm not...really at liberty to discuss that."

Fancy Pants looked up at me in contemplative silence. I expected him to wonder if I was hiding anything. Instead, he calmly replied, "I see... It's of that nature, hm? Very well then. I suppose it is not my place to ask."

My assumption was that he believed that this entire mess was of a clandestine nature and probably should be openly discussed with the public for the time being. And when considering the sordid history of humanity's final days in Equestria, that might be for the best. At least for the foreseeable future. "Yeah... More or less. I admit I did not exactly tell anyone when I set out alone. Spur of the moment decision."

"Hasty, aren't we? It's good to see that our people managed to catch up to you before long." Fancy Pants retorted before glancing over his shoulder. "Hm? Oh, they mistook my own personal wine cabinet for part of the cargo? Excuse me, Master James. Let us catch up some other time. Gentlemen, please! That is not part of the shipment!"

I found myself cracking a smirk as Fancy Pants trotted off to save his wine. But before I could even think on it any further, I heard a voice in my head. It was that of Celestia. "James? Could you report to the command center? We have need of you."

"Huh? Oh sure, I'll be right there." I replied before the voice in my head went silent. No doubt a long range telepathy spell. I made my way through the camp while keeping my eyes on the taller wooden housing t the very center of it all. Upon stepping inside, I found that there was significantly less activity than before. It seemed that all the preparations had been complete. My eyes were drawn to a corner of the main room that had faintly glowing crystal panels that definitely brought to mind a type of map display. The beginnings of a radar station?

"Oh, there you are. Everything all right out there?" Celestia asked as she stepped my way while clad in her regalia. I was surprised that she brought it along, though admittedly it would not take much time to don or remove them. It would not do to wear her armor at all times.

"Yeah, mostly. I'm still getting the hang of the place's layout. Although I am really impressed with what I've seen so far." I replied as I stepped forward for a brief hug. "So, whatcha need me for?"

"I was just hoping to get your input on a few things, as promised. You've seen combat in quite a few imaginative situations, so I'm convinced your word could carry some weight to it." Celestia explained before looking to her left. "Estoc. If you please?"

"Yes, your highness." A familiar voice said before I saw a black unicorn stallion I recognized as he stepped forward while clad in full armor. "Hey there, James. Good to see you're holding up well out here after so long."

"Good to see you too, Estoc." I replied as Shining Armor's second in command stood before us with sword at his side in its scabbard. I then looked to Celestia and asked, "So, what's first?"

Celestia began to step around Estoc while he remained rooted in place. "All of the equipment we have at the moment is all standard issue straight from the royal guard. Take a good look at his armor. Do you think it is ready for the battlefield?"

"Hmmm..." I mumbled while I began to step around Estoc. I saw why they wanted my input on this. As someone who understands the strengths of plate armor, I knew how important it is to have proper protection in a fight. I was unsure if the armor worn by city guards would be enough for frontline soldiers, but I did find myself quite impressed with the central section of armor worn along the torso. From the front and the side, there were no real exploitable weak spots. And the ponies are low enough to the ground that their exposed undersides would be impossible to target aside from a potential lucky kick.

My initial optimism faded when I stepped behind Estoc. While the sides of his flanks were protected by the armor plating, I saw that the very rear of his armor had a glaring blind spot. The backside of his flanks were entirely exposed, leaving him very vulnerable to a piercing strike from behind. I brought a hand to my chin as I saw that there were some problems with this lighter armor meant only for sporadic service in the cities and towns of Equestria. As I pondered this, I suddenly had a burst of inspiration on how to test this current armor model. "Estoc. Mind if I see your sword for a moment?"

"My sword? Uh... Sure?" He replied before drawing his long and narrow rapier from its scabbard. I took it in hand by the hilt and began to circle him. Since I was mostly the same height as our enemies, I was ideal for testing exactly how they would act out an attack on a much smaller foe. I performed very slow and gentle swings with it, bringing the needlelike blade to his armor to try and see how a swing might effect the gilded plating. Estoc did let out a quiet grunt of unease when I lightly touched the tip of his sword to his rump to see what kind of angle a weapon could come in from to cause harm to his exposed backside. A swing would be unlikely to strike his rump effectively, but a stab from a longer sword or spear would surely hit with devastating effect. I also found another opening. While the helmet of a royal guard provides respectable protection to the back and sides of the neck, the front was completely exposed. One good stab from the front would pierce the poor guy's throat. The only way to compensate would be to keep his head bowed at all times, but that would not always be feasible. It also did not help that his ears were completely exposed and could be easily struck by a glancing blow that would otherwise be harmless to the rest of his armored head. I did find that I could not get enough leverage or a good angle for a low sweeping slash to his legs, so the lack of armor down there was not much of a cause for concern and even a stab would be an unreliable option. The general lack of size for a pony would prove to be an advantage against their much taller humanlike enemies. Even so, my analysis was complete and I did not like what I was seeing. "We done?"

"Yeah, I think we've got a problem." I muttered while Estoc took his sword and returned it to his scabbard. "The armor's current design holds up for the most part, but there are some glaring issues. The front of the neck is completely exposed, as is the backside of the flanks. Weapons designed for stabbing like spears would absolutely wreck you guys. Ears are dangerously exposed too. I can't recommend this model of armor for use on a battlefield."

"Hmmm... Yes, I see where you're coming from on this..." Celestia said with a profound frown as she too started closely examining the armored form of Estoc. "Then...what recommendations do you have?"

"Um... Wait, can I see your armor?" I asked as I remembered that she showed up wearing a full suit of barding just yesterday. Celestia just gave me a gaze of confusion before summoning her armor in a flash of magic light. In an instant, her regalia had been swapped out with the impressive suit of gilded armor she had been wearing upon catching up to me yesterday. And once again, I was impressed with just how respectfully crafted it was. Instead of being just armor, it was a full suit of barding identical to that of Nightmare Moon's aside from the color. I stepped around her while sliding my hand over the plating. "Yeah, this is more like it. Try using this armor as a template for how to make adjusts to the armor everyone else is wearing. And... Oh right, Maud Pie also has a custom suit of armor that's not too far off from this one, so compare to hers for the sake of scaling."

"We'll definitely take that into consideration. Thank you, James." Celestia replied while Estoc was dismissed. As she sent her armor away in another flash of light, Celestia then said, "We've also begun testing with our weapons to see how well they would hold up against this new brand of enemy. We may have to increase the general size of our weaponry to match theirs."

"Not a bad idea. You could be in trouble if the reach of your equipment is inferior to theirs." I replied while bringing my hand to my chin with my other hand holding up my arm at the elbow. Was there anything else I should bring up while I was there?

I tried thinking back to that first clash yesterday. How unprepared our enemies were for a proper resistance, and how...disorganized this ragtag militia was. If they used the exact same tactics as last time, there was no doubt in my mind that there would be significant casualties in the next encounter. They needed to refine their tactics and divide up our personnel into more specialized units aside from just base infantry. "Before I forget... Something else that I should probably bring up."

Celesta tilted her head to one side in curiosity as I turned to face her. "Thinking back to yesterday... Everyone was amazingly disorganized. Nothing but infantry out there. Earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and everything between. They all served the same role with little diversity. I strongly advise you start considering training them and dividing them up for more specialized roles."

"Yes, that was admittedly a shortcoming we faced in our haste to reach you in time. We barely had time to train the volunteers, so we were most fortunate that our enemies were even more ill-prepared than we were." Celestia retorted with a bit of an uneasy grin on her face. "I will definitely discuss this with my sisters and the chain of command in the royal guard. Anything to give us an edge."

"There's one other thing... Though this is more of a request than anything." I added while starting to wonder what would happen if the enemy were to launch a vicious offensive upon us. How many...would die? "I... Now that I've seen the magic R&D lab here... If you can... I would deeply appreciate it if you also prioritize a means to help keep our men alive out there. I don't...want to see anyone go home in a body bag when this is all over."

Celestia went silent. She gazed at me with an equally ponderous stare. Eventually, she quietly nodded. "I shall. That is a very good point to bring up. I would...dread to see anyone lose their lives out here. I will see to it that the survival of our people is of the highest priority in this conflict."

"Thank you... Let's try to get through this with as few casualties as possible." I retorted while having hope that the researchers in the R&D lab would be able to develop something to increase the odds of survival. I had my worries, but with the gift of magic on our side... Well, who could say?

Celestia glanced around at our surroundings as members of the royal guard were putting on the finishing touches around the main room of the command center. Once again, I felt like I was just going to get in the way before long. "If that's all you need from me, I should probably step outside for a while."

"Oh, don't be that way, James. This place also serves as your home away from home for the time being. Although I do believe that is all I wished to discuss with you for now..." Celestia replied before she was approached by Shining Armor. He whispered something to her before going on his way. Celestia then turned to me and said, "Well, it should be lunchtime soon. Why not go find a bite to eat? Maybe even catch up on lost time with your friends? The five of them were very concerned about you on our way out here."

"Yeah, good idea. Some lunch before a nap sounds pretty good right now. I'll check back in later. Have a good one." I retorted before seeing myself out of the command center. I was in slightly better spirits by then. Hopefully with every passing day, the situation would improve for us. And here I was dreading the concept of Equestria's people having to go to war. It may not be in their nature, but they seem to be adapting fairly quickly as it is. Although I fear that part of the reason why is because they might be seeing this as a big game instead of a matter of life and death... Hopefully they will not be disappointed by the end of all this.

Knowing it was still a bit early to grab a meal, I decided to at least try to track down a few of my closest friends. I was quick to frown upon remembering that Fluttershy would not be present, but I understood why. Best to keep her away from the battlefield anyway. I scanned the distance ahead of me as I saw pegasi fluttering over the rows of tents to save time. No sign of Rainbow Dash. Where was she anyway?

I finally found one of who I was looking for as I rounded a corner. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were out of uniform and were just chatting with each other. Although Rainbow Dash was quick to notice my approach and waved at me. "Hey there, James! Finding your way around all right?"

"Meh, I'm getting there. Still a lot of this place I haven't seen yet. You girls OK?" I asked while feeling a sense of familiarity wash over me as I felt their comforting presence. I had almost forgotten how much I had missed them.

"Yep! We're pretty oki doki loki right now! Nothing new yet." Pinkie Pie replied before bounding up to me for a hug. I almost did not catch her in time and staggered under her weight. "Mmm, I missed this!"

"And I forgot how heavy you earth ponies are! Gah, too much muscle!" I groaned while Pinkie Pie helped ease the strain on my arms by clinging to me instead of letting herself hanging in my arms. Rainbow Dash got a good laugh out of the scene before I finally sat down. Pinkie Pie did not let go and even ended up pushing me right onto my back. Her grip was firm and encompassing, but I did not mind. I stroked the back of her head with my hand and said, "But it's hard not to be happy to see you. Missed you too, Pinkie."

My giddy friend nuzzled her cheek against mine before hopping off of me so I could get to my feet. "I brought a bunch of goodies from home for you! They might be a bit old, but I think I can still spruce them up for you."

"Sweet. I haven't had much of a chance to indulge my sweet tooth out here." I replied while finding myself craving a few chocolate drops. "Anyway, I was wondering if you girls would like to grab some lunch since it won't be long before noon."

"Sounds good to me! You want us to round up the rest of the gang? Well, everypony except for Fluttershy, that is." Rainbow Dash replied as her wings spread open. "There's a mess hall right over there. Sound good?"

Before I could even get a reply out, a completely new voice spoke up from behind me. And it dripped with a condescending tone of irritation. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me..."

Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open, as did Pinkie Pie's. My brash friend tilted to one side to look past me and immediately scowled bitterly. "No way... Just the last person in the world I wanted to see..."

"Uh huh... Really, what is she doing out here?" Pinkie Pie added as they both glared past me with a very knowing shared frown.

I turned with my nerves hardening in response to the borderline hostile tone I had heard. It did not sound familiar. And I quickly saw why. Stepping around the corner of the rows of tents was a griffon hen. Her feline body bore the look of a lioness, sleek with golden brown fur and a long tuft of darker fur at the tip of her tail. Her impressive set of wings also matched her tail tip's darker hue. Her head bore the look of an eagle, plumage white as snow with a few long feathers resembling bangs transitioning into a light orchid hue towards the tips. Even around her golden eyes were stylish patches resembling balls of flames that must have been very ambitious eyeshadow of the same orchid hue. Everything about this griffon would have been oozing a type of tough girl charm were it not for her tone of voice and glare of irritation. Her eyes wandered from me and focused on the two mares behind me as her gaze narrowed. "Dash. I should've been able to spot you among all those other dweebs with that rainbow do of yours."

She knew my friend's name. And yet... Somewhere in the back of my mind... Had I heard of this griffon before? Just as I was beginning to try and dig through the back catalog of memories I had amassed over the past two years, Rainbow Dash provided a very bitter response. "You're the last person I know who would have any interest in fighting the good fight, Gilda. Why are you even out here?!"

Gilda..... Gilda! Yes, that name! I had only heard about her a few times from Rainbow Dash, but that name immediately resonated with me. I glanced down at the griffon before us, a sudden chill flowing through me as I came to realize I was standing before an old friend of Rainbow Dash. One who parted ways with her on very bad terms some time before I arrived in Equestria. And what little I had heard about her by then was never in a positive light. And I could see why. Every word that came out of that beak was coated in disdain. "I signed up for this because I was bored! Sounded like there would be a lot of action out here. And there was. That was a pretty good rumble yesterday. Did you see the way I gutted their throats open? Would've been better if they weren't full of purple gas or whatever..."

Violent type. Just hearing such a casual recollection of what would have been a gruesomely bloody murder under any other circumstances took me aback. I was definitely not used to that kind of rhetoric. Even Ember was never so upfront about discussing acts of brutality. I immediately felt the urge to keep my distance from this feline bird of prey. Not that I escaped her gaze. "You... I was expecting bulging muscles on a body that looks like it was chiseled out of granite. Everybody wouldn't stop wondering about you. I thought this crazy warrior who ran off at the first sign of trouble to face those losers would've been some kind of giant. But you...?!"

"G... Don't even..." Rainbow Dash muttered behind me while sounding like she was trying very hard to keep her temper in check. I too was choosing to stay silent as I cast an icy glare at this trash-talking griffon. Although I was feeling a gradually rising urge to grab her by the head and yank on her feathers to shut her up. Any words Rainbow Dash fell on deaf ears as Gilda continued to roast me for failing to live up to her quite frank ridiculous expectations for a moment longer. At least until Rainbow Dash finally stepped past me and spoke firmly. "G."

That one syllable was enough to shut Gilda right up. The griffon went silent as I noticed her eyes open just a bit wider. Upon looking down, I saw why. The coldest most piercing gaze I had ever seen on Rainbow Dash's face. Without blinking once, my friend spoke with a voice that carried a very uncharacteristic monotone. "One more word about him and you're gonna have to find a new beak."

That was not an empty threat. Not with a tone like that in Rainbow's voice. She would smash Gilda's beak to pieces, which would surely be a death sentence for a bird. And Gilda did not test that warning. Without blinking once, she turned away while her eyes remained fixated on us for as long as they could before she stepped behind the tents she had approached from and disappeared from view. I almost expected Gilda to step back into view, but she never did. Rainbow Dash then let out a long sigh of relief as she said, "Oh man, I really wasn't expecting to see her again... Why here?!"

"Yeah, what is that grumpy griffon even doing here?! I thought she left for good after last time!" Pinkie Pie added while trotting over to us. "Did she hurt your feelings, James? She always was a mean one."

"I'm just annoyed right now. Although I can't remember ever meeting someone in Equestria who was that needlessly...hostile." I grumbled while now in a very bitter mood. I really wanted to get to the mess hall and grab a satisfying meal to push that bitterness away. I then looked down at Rainbow Dash and said, "I see why you've never had anything nice to say about her..."

"You think you know someone until they meet your other friends..." Rainbow Dash growled in frustration, more than likely thinking back to good memories that had likely been sullied by whatever happened the last time the two of them crossed paths. She then looked up at me with an apologetic frown as she added, "Sorry if I...scared you right there. No one disses you around me like that and gets away with it."

"It's cool. Love you too, Rainbow." I replied while caressing her mane. She let out a long, yet relaxed sigh as she pushed her head into my touch. "Thanks for standing up for me there."

"Love you too, big guy." She replied while flashing me a whimsical wink. "Anyway, how about you head over to he mess hall...um...right over there and grab us a table? Pinkie and I will go round up the other girls."

"Sounds good. I'll see you all there." I retorted while the two of them trotted off. It would be nice to sit down and have a pleasant meal with all my friends. I forgot the last time we did that at the café in town.

Upon arriving, I found that the mess hall was significantly more packed than earlier now that a proper lunch rush had started. Lines had formed in front of the food carts for those who would rather take their meals back to their tents while many of the tables were filled up by those who would rather sit down and socialize during a meal. With that low ceiling provided by the tent set up over the area, it sounded like a crowded indoor cafeteria with a familiar clamor of dozens of conversations mixing together. Another welcome taste of normalcy out on the Empty Plains. Thank goodness there were several mess halls set around the camp.

I took a seat at a large picnic table made of white plastic and pulled up a stool. Menus had been preemptively left out on it, so I grabbed one and held it up before me to decide on my order ahead of time. But barely two minutes went by before I felt and held someone take a seat right across from me. But when I lowered my menu to take a look at them... "Yo."

Gilda... She was seated right across from me with a cool look in her eyes. Arm resting on the table to help her lean forward. Her bitter words still fresh in my memory, all I could do was give her a silent scowl. I calmly set my menu down without a word and stood up to find a different table. I was not in the mood for whatever she had to say.

"Hey... Hey! Get back here! I just wanna talk!" I heard her yell over the clamor filling the air after a few steps away from the table. I reluctantly came to a stop and looked back. The griffon hen tapped a finger on the table while casting me an annoyed glare. "Seriously. Sit down. I wanna talk."

My gut was telling me to leave her alone, but the fact that she was being civil enough to just request a conversation was a bit of a shift from how she was not even twenty minutes earlier. With a sigh and a roll of my eyes, I relented and returned to my seat with Gilda seated across from me. With a bitter scowl on my face, I made my point clear. "Whaddya want?"

"I said I wanted to talk. That's it." Gilda replied while still keeping up that tough girl facade. She would almost seem pretty cool if it was not for her caustic attitude. I only stared in wariness while wondering if I had walked into a trap. Seeing that I was not going to speak first, Gilda took the first step. "Look... I'm not stupid. I saw what you did yesterday. You messed up that last one really good. That was awesome. Not gonna lie about that, you really knew what you were doing."

I continued to remain silent. Yes, many saw me put down that commander drone in the first scuffle. I was quite the center of attention at the time. Gilda then surprised me with that scowl starting to fade from her beak. "I'll say... I was impressed. I actually thought for a minute that you were everything I had heard about. A totally awesome dude who can take on anything."

Again, I remained silent. This moderate praise felt completely empty after what she said to me mere minutes earlier. And she was quick to notice. "You mad at me...? Yeah, don't blame you. You really don't look so impressive up close like this. But now that I'm thinking back to yesterday..."

I started to reach for the edge of the table to use as leverage to stand up. I was not convinced Gilda was there to deliver an apology. Her eyes darted to my hand before glancing back at me. "Hey, I said to stay. I'm not gonna snap at you. I've got something I wanna ask."

With some hesitation, I released my grasp and remained seated. Gilda averted her gaze for a minute while looking more confused than anything. "It's just... I'm getting a lot of mixed messages from you. I really don't know what to think of you by now. Yesterday, you were totally radical in how you took out that last one. But right now, you look like a total dweeb. You don't look like someone I can picture in the royal guard."

"Ask me if I care." I coldly grumbled. I could not care less about what she saw in my outward appearance. I stopped putting much value on that aspect of myself a long time ago. I had more important things to concern myself with.

My response caught Gilda by surprise. Her eyes opened wider while I stared at her with an unflinching scowl of disdain. I did not know what she was getting at, but she was at least being mostly civil for the moment. With a long sigh, Gilda ran her fingers through the feathers on her head and asked, "What I'm trying to say is... What're you even doing out here? You're not the kinda guy who's always looking for action. I can see that. Why were you the first guy to head out?"

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. To separate my bitterness towards her from the drive that kept me going for the past two weeks or so. "Because I love this world. That's all there is to it."

"That's it...?" Gilda muttered as if she was having difficulty grasping where I was coming from. "But...that's all there is to it? You're not doing this for the thrill of it? Or for glory? Or to get your name in the history books?"

"Of course not. I don't take pleasure in conflict." I started to speak now that I had a good opportunity to get my thoughts out. "I don't even want to be here right now. I don't want to take up the sword. The only reason I'm out here is because something is coming that could ruin Equestria and everything I love about it. And so because I love this world and everything it stands for...I set out to try and stop it."

"That's all you needed to find that spark, huh?" Gilda replied while truly not able to understand where I was coming from. "You love this world enough to fight for it?"

I decided to take the opportunity to deliver a bit of a sting in retaliation for the needless reaction she had to me at first encounter. "I suppose one would not understand if they've never known what it's like to value someone else."

Gilda's eyes narrowly, but she remained silent. She looked elsewhere, her gaze distant and aloof. But at the same time, she looked pained. And then she spoke. "I did. Once."

This caught my ear. Gilda did not seem like the person who would have enough tact and care to cherish someone else. She had a distinctly loner vibe to her. Or did she? And what she said next reminded me of who she was. "You know her. Rainbow Dash."

"Yeah... I heard." I replied while recalling that they had been friends at one point. But not anymore. Although I knew Rainbow no longer had anything nice to say about her, I was left wondering how they ever ended up being friends in the first place. "How long have you known her?"

Gilda hesitated as her eye glanced at me out of the corner. She seemed to debate an answer in her head for a moment before suddenly passing me a rather...graphic threat. "You tell anyone what I say next and I'll gouge your eyes out."

"You pull that off and Nightmare Moon will have your head on a pike." I retorted without a shred of hesitation. That rebuttal immediately caused Gilda to recoil at the thought. I then said with total sincerity, "Threats are not necessary with me. If you don't want me to tell anyone, I won't."

"OK... OK, good enough..." Gilda mumbled while getting herself comfortable again, her eyes looking elsewhere at nothing at all. "We went...way back. All the way to...ugh...Junior Speedsters Flight Camp."

Something about that title did not roll off the tongue well. I raised an eyebrow in befuddlement, but remained silent otherwise. Although Gilda did notice the change in my face's expression. She even started to smirk in amusement. "Yeah, I know. Pretty lame title, right? But that's where it all started. I...uh...wasn't the best flier when I first got there. Among other things."

While I had no desire to speak, Gilda had captivated me with her unique brand of sincerity. She was quick to comment on my silence. "Uh... You always this quiet?"

"Only when I'm not comfortable." I replied with a bit of a monotone to my voice. While my opinion of Gilda had softened just slightly, I still was not exactly trusting of her at the time. Her reputation by that point on top of our first encounter had taught me to be wary of this griffon.

"Guess that's my fault, huh...?" Gilda muttered while for just a second, I thought I saw a glimmer of an apologetic gaze in her eye. "Anyway... Rainbow Dash was quick to stand up for me and...we really hit it off. I got better at flying really fast with her cheering me on. She's inspiring, you know? And she never gives up on her friends. And...well... I guess I wanted to be like her."

She had such a look of longing in those eyes. And those were easily the kindest words I had heard out of Gilda thus far. She leaned harder on the table with her head propped up on an upturned hand. She was not looking at anything in particular. If anything, I suspect all she was seeing were those precious memories playing out before her like an illusory veil. "I toughened up. Walked the walk. Talked the talk. We were each other's wingman. Even when she moved away from Cloudsdale, we stayed in touch. And I finally decided to stop by for the first time after she got her own place."

"What went wrong that day?" I finally asked as I saw that the topic was shifting to the fateful day I had been told about on rare occasions. Now that I was seeing the one who had antagonized my friends back before I even knew them, I could get he whole story from the other side.

What came next was entirely unexpected. Gilda removed her hand from her head and set it back on the table while once again just looking at nothing. For maybe a good ten seconds, she said nothing. And when she did finally speak, it was not the answer I was anticipating. "I dunno... I've thought about it a lot and... I dunno... I was just being me. The way I always was when it was just me and Rainbow back in the day. I was just being like her. So...why wasn't she like that anymore?"

I tried putting the pieces together in my head. Gilda had wanted to be like someone as inspiring as Rainbow Dash back in their days as children. But Rainbow Dash was no longer entirely the way Gilda remembered her by the time they reunited in Ponyville? This got me thinking... And by cross-examining her words with my own earliest memories of Rainbow Dash, I came to a conclusion. "It sounds like for all of her own good qualities, Rainbow wasn't the best person back then. She changed, but you didn't."

"Wha... Hang on, Rainbow Dash was the coolest filly around back then. Don't you start dissing the Rainbow Dash I remember. Those were good days for me and I ain't having someone raining on those memories." Gilda said with a defiant growl while sounding more annoyed than hostile.

I let out a long sigh as I looked at her from across the table. "Look. I've known her a while too. And I can say that Rainbow Dash has been a mean little witch at times in the past. Not so much anymore, thankfully. She's mellowed out and developed some restraint, but she's still Rainbow Dash."

Gilda stared right at me while silently processing my words. She looked conflicted and could not find any words. Taking advantage of her silence, I continued to speak. "To me, it sounds like you emulated her negative traits a little too hard. Rainbow Dash is loyal to her friends, you're right about that. But I've heard some ugly stories about her ego. Especially with that 'Running of the Leaves' event from a few years back. Loyalty doesn't necessarily make someone a good person. I had a friend a few years back who had another friend who was extremely loyal, but was a loathsome person regardless. I'm kind of glad that Rainbow Dash had ironed out some of her rough patches by the time I met her. I don't think I would think as highly of her right now if she didn't."

The griffon before me stared unblinkingly into my eyes without budging. I was almost expecting her to lash out by this point. I would not put it past her. I started to reach for a menu now that I suspected this conversation was starting to wind down. "She changed. It sounds like you didn't."

With a long sigh, Gilda set her head down on the table with a look of brooding frustration in her eyes. She said nothing, but I think she was pretty upset with herself. With my compassion getting the better of me, I opened the menu to browse again while continuing to speak o her. "What've you been up to since that day in Ponyville?"

"Just... I've..." Gilda muttered as she began to sound utterly depressed. "It's...been hard. Knowing she's...not in my life anymore. I've been...kinda aimless. Big part of why I signed up for this. It would give me something exciting to do. Shake me up a bit."

I peeked over the menu at her and saw that Gilda had not budged from where she was. Head resting on the table. Eyes directed at nothing in particular. She looked amazingly vulnerable. I was surprised she would drop her guard like that after putting up such a tough girl facade. I tried thinking back to bits and pieces of information I had picked up on Gilda over the months. Try and figure something out without prying for information she probably was not willing to divulge to me. And so I asked, "Did you love her?"

A particularly loud sigh escaped her beak as my words hit a weak spot. "Yeah... I... I was falling for her pretty hard for a while. But she didn't seem to get he hint or show the same interest. I tried...throwing hints here and there, but... I never got the chance to tell her... Don't think I ever will now."

As I suspected. If those kinds of magazines Rainbow Dash told me about were anything to go by, Gilda was trying to get a certain point across. Even if it fell on deaf ears. And I knew why. I lowered the menu a bit before debating whether or not I should reveal Rainbow Dash's sexual orientation to a former friend. But since Gilda insisted that I not discuss this conversation with anyone, I assumed that she was equally bound to a vow of silence. "Hate to break it to you, but...she doesn't really swing that way. She's not a lesbian. While she is bisexual, she has a much stronger preference for stallions than mares."

"She... Really...?" Gilda asked as her eyes lit up with a minor look of shock. She then let out a harsh sigh of disappointment. "Oh... I... I guess I should've known... That sucks... Wait..."

I froze as I noticed a harsher tone in that last word. Gilda started to push herself up as she looked at me with a much more demanding gaze than before. "How did you get that info in the first place? What did you do to make her...uh..."

Gilda's eyes went wide as her gaze settled on something else. After a few seconds, I realized where they were looking. My hand. And the wedding ring upon it. She then pointed at me and asked, "Whoa, seriously? You and Rainbow Dash tied the knot? You and her...?!"

"What?! No, no, it's not like that! We're not married!" I suddenly yelped at the sheer awkwardness of her coming to the wrong conclusion. "I married Fluttershy! Rainbow Dash is a good friend!"

Gilda stared in frozen silence as I suddenly realized that I had abandoned my reservations by raising my voice. My emotions had come out despite being on guard. Her beak became crooked with an awkward grin before she burst out laughing as the clamor of the mess hall kept our voices from spreading too far. "So much for the silent type! I was wondering if that monotone was natural for you."

I cracked an irritated scowl. I did not want to loosen up around someone who had some bad blood with my close circle of friends. Although Gilda began to scratch at her cheek as eyes wandered in thought. "So... Uh... Fluttershy's your mare, huh? Who's that again? Someone I saw?"

"She's a light yellow with long flowing pink hair in her mane and tail. Very demure and sweet and has a love of animals. Very soft voice." I explained while at least trying to maintain a degree of emotional distance.

"Huh... Kinda sounds familiar... Where have I..." Gilda muttered before she suddenly went stiff. Eyes were wide open in horrifying realization. And she was starting to visibly sweat. Profusely. What was she thinking?

"She's...your wife? That one?" Gilda muttered while I only nodded in silent confusion. What was she so panicked about? She then brought her hands together while leaning towards me with that panicked look in her eyes. "Look. If anyone mentions anything that might've happened with her the last time I was in town, lemme just say right now that I'm sorry. Legitimately genuinely sorry. All right? We cool?"

"Ummmm.... Not sure where you're coming from with this, but OK then?" I retorted while having no idea what to think of this very sudden and unexplained apology. Fluttershy never really talked about Gilda at all with me. In fact, I do not recall her ever mentioning that name. Although I then asked, "But...you really did have the hots for Rainbow Dash?"

Gilda let out a sigh as that frightened look in her eyes faded while she relaxed. She got comfortable in her seat again before she said, "Yeah, I was... Kinda not so much anymore, especially now that I know that wouldn't have worked out at all."

"I feel for you. I know what it's like to desire someone you can never have." I muttered while thinking back to some of my earliest crushes and the uncomfortable awkward nature of them all. "But really, Rainbow Dash doesn't admire mares quite as much as you do. She's probably not interested in lesbians."

Upon hearing that, Gilda suddenly shot me a glance as if she was not entirely sure if she had been offended. "Excuse me?"

"Um... Did I say something weird?" I asked while not sure what was with that stare. Did I have a slip of the tongue?

Gilda then began to smirk at me as if she suddenly found something funny about what I said. "Oh wait, I get it. It's because of that stereotype where all tough independent females munch more carpet than a busted vacuum cleaner. Right? Is that it?"

Where did that come from? There was just something about the way she worded that and the delivery that caused me to bust out into delirious giggling. "Whahahahat?! Who even says it like that?!"

The griffon hen before me held a fist to the underside of her beak while snickering loudly too for a moment. "Well, I'm not. I get why you thought otherwise, but I'm no lesbian. I'm squarely in the middle. I swing both ways, all right?"

"Right, right, got it." I retorted as I composed myself. But it was right around then that I found I was actually kind of enjoying myself talking to this griffon who I had heard nothing but bad things about. Especially after such a sour first impression once we finally crossed paths. Realizing this, I clammed up once more to try and assume some emotional distance from her again while I opened up the menu before me again.

"Hey, come on, I liked you more when you're not so stoic." Gilda spoke up once it became clear I was not trying to open up to her. I suspect it was only then that Gilda realized why I was keeping an emotional distance between us since her gaze wandered for a moment before she let out a sigh of defeat. "OK... Look... What I said back there? I take it all back, all right? You've gotta be tough to get this far out here pretty much by yourself."

"Even though I look like a dweeb?" I asked coolly while glancing over the menu at her. It was only then that I asked, "What even is a dweeb?"

Gilda backed down upon for a moment. Her gaze turned downward as a bitter frown settled onto her beak. She glanced around without really turning her head as if desperately looking for an answer before finally speaking with a low monotone of her own. "Never...really...thought about it..."

With nothing more to say and with the conversation having abruptly ended, I went back to browsing the menu while holding it up in front of myself in a way to completely block my view of Gilda. But right when I was starting to consider an appetizer, two of her fingers curled over the top of the menu and pulled it down to reveal her face. I could tell she was not happy. And so I asked, "What?"

"I gotta go. But I wanna talk again later. If you need someone to talk to, you come find me. You're...cool." She said rather softly before spreading her impressively large wings and flying far across the noisy mess hall before I saw her take a seat at a smaller and taller table that had an electric green pegasus mare with a windswept orange mane seated at it. They seemed to know each other since they started to converse, but I could not hope to hear them through the clamor of the mess hall and its many patrons.

"That was abrupt..." I muttered to myself before going back to looking over my menu. I tried to push Gilda out of my mind as I was left entirely uncertain of what to even think of her. Definitely much more complex a woman than I initially had expected. But barely thirty seconds later, I discovered why she had taken off so suddenly. Someone sat down across from me at the table. Someone I was actually happy to see. "Hm? Hey, Twi! On break from the lab?"

"Yeah, there's just so much to see and try out over there! Sunburst really knows what he's doing. I'm confident I could decipher the workings of these spells on my own, but he speeds things along in ways I didn't even know were possible!" Twilight Sparkle replied as she set down a notebook that likely held some magic schematics for her to study during some downtime. I quickly deduced that Gilda had noticed Twilight approaching from a great distance and excused herself to avoid causing a scene with someone who likely saw her that fateful day. "Looks like I'm early too. Pinkie Pie told me to meet up with her and the other girls here."

"I doubt they'll be much longer." I replied as a server finally stopped by to drop off a glass of water for each of us. But it was around this point hat I suddenly recalled what happened the last she and I were alone. Even if it was detached from the realm of reality. That dream... That freakish dream fueled by too much gin. A smirk spread across my lips as I finally found the opportunity I needed to get some answers. "Say, you got a minute?"

"Sure! What's up?" Twilight replied while using a levitation spell to bring her glass to her lips.

"Tell me if any of this sounds familiar." I began to speak while her face twisted further and further into an increasingly uneasy gaze with every word I proceeded to say. "Dual flamethrowers. Indestructible titanium exoskeleton. And motion-activated diamond dart launchers."

As soon as I finished saying that, I had to close my eyes as Twilight suddenly spewed her drink at me from across the table. She coughed and wheezed to catch her breath before shouting at me, "Where did you hear that?! How do you know?! That was... Oh my gosh, was that actually you there?! That was you who saw... And you who read..."

"Yeah... Yeah, that was really me. I wanted to see a friend and Nightmare Moon let me into your dreaming mind and... Well... Did I show up at a bad time?" I asked while trying very hard not to laugh as I shook the water from my face. I had her cornered. What prompted such a freaky dream like that? "Something about downing half a bottle of gin that night? Did something happen? Were you upset?"

"No, I wasn't afraid or anything. But now that the war effort was really getting started and we were preparing to set off for the Empty Plains, I was really antsy that night and had a few shots to relax." Twilight replied while I could only smirk at her. Just a few? I knew that is not what she told me. And she quickly noticed that too. "All right, half a bottle! And I forgot to use ice!"

"You sure like your gin, huh?!" I said with a hearty laugh as I thought back to how absurd everything that happened in that dream was. While it was freaky at the time, it is really hilarious in hindsight. I then smirked at her and said, "You know I'm gonna tell Shining Armor about this, right? And you think I should let Big Macintosh know what a great sub he'd be for him?"

"NO! Please, you can't!" Twilight shrieked while the only reason no one around us was batting her an eye was because of the clamor in the air drowning her out. "You've seen how he is when it comes to our parents! Especially Mom! I don't want him to think there might be something wrong with me and that I think about that stuff whenever I'm sober!"

I cast my friend a cockeyed stare as I asked, "Is there anything wrong with you?"

"Nothing that I haven't learned to cope with by now." Twilight replied rather sincerely before her eyes glanced around several times. "Mostly. But really, please don't give him reason to doubt me. Shining Armor was lucky that he didn't inherit any of our parents' psychological issues. And that makes it hard for him to deal with them. Especially our mother. I mean you've seen her. And I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with her. So...please. Don't tell him? It's not like I can control what I dream about, especially when drunk."

"Yeah, that's a good point. I can't hold you responsible for whatever your dreaming mind cooks up. I bet his mind goes weird places too whenever he passes out drunk. Especially since it doesn't take much for him to get there." I replied while understanding where she was coming from. And this brought back some weird memories from not too long ago about that guy. "Sheesh, I don't think it even took him that much to get him wasted enough to don one of Rarity's belly dancing ensembles at my bachelor party."

"He what?! Whoa, hold on! This is new! What happened?! I gotta hear this!" Twilight asked with intense amusement in her eyes as she leaned forward with hooves held together.

"Well, you didn't hear this from me, but after maybe one shot, he dressed up in that stuff and tried to give me a...lap dance... And I jumped over the back of the couch and stood on the counter in the corner of his kitchen while holding him off with a salad fork." I explained while Twilight sounded like she was about to fall off her seat with how hard she was laughing. "And then Fancy Pants took him out back and tried to drown him in the fountain. That snapped him out of it."

"Ohohoho my gosh... Shiny, what did you drink that night?" Twilight asked with a wheeze as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Hoooo, I needed that. Wish I could've seen that."

"Trust me. No you didn't." I retorted with a crooked grimace on my lips. But I barely had time to say anything else as I noticed a pack of familiar mares approaching. "Oh, good timing. They're here."

"Hope we didn't keep you waiting, darlings!" Rarity called out as she trotted our way with the rest of our closest friends right behind her. I almost expected to see Fluttershy among them, but was quickly reminded of why she was not there. Instead, I was quite surprised to see Maud Pie with them. But instead of wearing her stone armor or even just being out of uniform, she was wearing that frock that I almost never saw her without during her first visit to Ponyville. I assume that she is too self-conscious to be without some clothing that covers her entire body.

"Heya, Maud. Good to see you." I said while welcoming over my friend as my friends took their places along the table. Rarity sat herself to my left, but Maud sat herself down just to my right. She flashed me a calm smile in response to my greeting while Rarity placed a kiss upon my cheek. "You all getting along just fine out here today?"

"Eh, we're gettin' there. I don't mind roughin' it a bit out here, but I'm already missin' my routine back on the farm. Granny Smith had ta bring in some hired help ta make up for me and Big Mac not bein' there." Applejack replied as she reached up to adjust her hat. Except it was not there. I suppose bringing it along would not have benefited her since she would not be able to use it with a helmet. "Heh, almost forgot... And now I'm missin' my old hat. These helmets just ain't the same."

"You get used to them." I retorted after having long since gotten used to wearing a helmet whenever I don my armor. Pretty soon, the server came back to drop off more glasses of water for everyone as well as extra menus. And then everyone burst into conversation while I ended up just listening more than I talked. Fluttershy's absence aside, it really was like a return to normalcy with all my friends gathered around for lunch. And even then, it is generally uncommon for us to all get together for a midday meal.

I soon found that I was not the only one who was mostly listening in. I saw Maud was staying quiet next to me with that usual deadpan stare set into her face. Finding it almost amusing how we did not have nearly as much to say as our friends, I leaned over to her and asked, "You more of the listening type too?"

"Yeah, mostly. It's fun to listen though." She replied quietly before reaching into her frock's pocket and pulling out a familiar little pebble. It took me a moment to remember what that was.

"Oh hey, you brought Boulder?" I asked before setting my finger down on the little pebble and rolling it around. Even though it was just a lifeless rock, I saw no harm in humoring Maud on it.

"He likes it when you do that." Maud said while glancing over at me. I took what she said at face value and kept rolling the pebble around in a circular motion. While convinced Boulder was just a lifeless pebble, I liked to imagine the little guy was enjoying it. At least I thought that was Boulder at first. Upon closer inspection, I found that the pebble before me did not match what I remembered. I seem to recall Boulder having a distinct oval shape while this other pebble was less defined in form. Was it some other rock Maud picked up somewhere?

The server eventually came by and we all placed our orders before my friends all went back to conversing with each other. Although we did discover that Rainbow Dash had been preemptively placed on a blacklist for alcoholic beverages when she tried to place an order for a bottle of cider. No doubt because of her infamously low limit for the stuff. After our orders were placed, I tried to get back into a conversation with Maud. "Say, uh... Is serving out here going to be a problem with your studies?"

"I don't think so. I sent word to the academy, so they'll probably give me some leeway by putting things on hold. It wouldn't be fair to penalize students for protecting their home." Maud explained while I recalled that she was still enrolled with her geology studies being a major part of her life at the time. "I should be set the graduate after next trimester."

"That's great news. Congrats." I replied as I pushed the supposedly nameless pebble back over to her. Even if she did not express it like her sisters might, I knew Maud was passionate about her field of expertise.

"I'll need to figure out where to move once that's over." Maud added before looking my way as a slight smile forced upon her lips. "And I'm thinking Ponyville."

My eyes opened a bit wider before I glanced at her. Moving to Ponyville? "You... Really? You're gonna be our neighbor?"

"I haven't completely decided on it yet, but I like where Ponyville is. The geography is pretty varied, so I would have a lot of variety for my studies. And besides that, I'd be able to stay close to my favorite sister." Maud explained while continuing to show that very subdued smile. "Just don't tell Pinkie. I'd rather tell her myself at the right time when I can."

"Gotcha. And it'll be nice to have you close to home, Maud." I replied while smiling right back at her. Perhaps it was too soon to fully process the thought of having such a good friend move to the town I call home, but knowing Maud would be living among us... It was a good feeling.

I wish I could say more about what happened during that lunch break, but as enjoyable as it was, there was not much of anything worth writing home about. We had some laughs and the food was filing despite the limitations in quantity. Although my gaze did trail off to the table in the distance that Gilda was seated at. She and her dining partner seemed to be getting along well enough and no one at my table even noticed them. That was for the best anyway when considering the bad blood between them. Once lunch was finished and we all stood up for the table, I made a beeline for the command center. As promised, I was eager for a nap.

No one bothered me when I returned and I made my way right upstairs to my private chambers. It was quiet and the sun high in the sky just past noon. I went to the few windows of my room and made sure to keep the blinds shut to keep out the light as a quiet and cozy atmosphere descended upon it. But I was not alone for much longer. As soon as I got my shoes off, there was a light tapping on the door before I saw it open inward a bit. And a familiar set of beautiful azure eyes peeked in. "Am I too late, darling?"

"No, you're just in time." I replied before taking a moment to let out a yawn before leaning backwards to stretch. Rarity had arrived as promised. And I was pleasantly surprised to see what she had brought along once she locked the door behind her. "Hm? You brought a quilt?"

Draped over my beloved's back was a mostly white quilt that bore the beautiful blue diamonds that compose her cutie mark. The beautiful mare smiled with a wink as she said, "Mmhm. No one ever wants to tuck themselves into bed for a midday nap, so I brought this along for a little light comfort."

I liked the idea. Without bothering to pull down my bed's covers, I relaxed upon my bed with my head upon the pillow. Rarity then bounded up upon it to join me before using some levitation to unfurl her quilt and drape it over us once she was tucked between me and the window to my right. She let out a yawn and sigh before looking at me while I gazed back at her. Such a lovely smile. "I've missed this... Comfortable, dear?"

"I don't think I've ever been not comfortable with you, m'lady." I whispered to her before placing a kiss upon her lips. "Thank you for being here with me."

"There is nowhere I would rather be, my love." She whispered back before returning that precious kiss. I felt her snuggle up to me some more before closing those beautiful eyes. "Sweet dreams, dear. Please stay here with me if you awaken first..."

"I will... Sweet dreams, love." I retorted before closing my eyes as I felt myself relax all too easily under the comforting weight of the quilt and in the presence of my beloved Rarity. Mere minutes later, sleep took me right as Rarity began to let out some quiet snoring.

I think we had been out for roughly three hours by the time I was roused from my slumber. I was the first to awaken and lazily turned my head to look at the beautiful mare with her head resting next to mine. Still deep in sleep, she did not respond when I placed a kiss upon her cheek. For that moment, even so far from civilization, things felt normal. Maybe because she was there with me, that wonderful woman.

Feeling more rested and at ease, I felt inspired to sit myself down nearby and do something that was also frequently part of my usual routine. I sat myself down at this typewriter and began to work on this entry. The tapping of keys and the sounds of the device doing its job must have been just enough to rouse Rarity since I soon felt a pair of hooves hook themselves over my shoulders before I froze with the feeling of lips upon the back of my neck. "Can't keep yourself away from the keys, my lovely novelist?"

"Well, an artist has a muse to satisfy, m'lady." I replied while trying to not react too strongly to her affections. But she did not relent as her lips continued to place kiss after kiss along the back of my neck. "Rarity, please... Isn't it a bit early for this?"

"Oh, I know it is. That nap did wonders, but I'm still feeling quite drained from the trek out here. Maybe in a few days. But mark my words, I will see to it that we catch up on lost time, my love." She cooed to me with that elegant voice. "I am your mare, after all. And a mare has...certain duties to fulfill for her stallion. As does he as well."

"I look forward to it, my dear. I hope I won't disappoint." I whispered back to her as I found myself completely distracted from my typing. I could not focus on anything other than her.

"You never do, my love." She whispered to me before placing a kiss upon my ear. Only then did Rarity release her grip on me and stepped towards the door. "I will see myself out. I'd like to work on my sword dance before dinner. You will come find us, yes?"

"Count on it. Take care, dear." I said softly while my beloved excused herself from the room. For the next hour or so, I focused on just typing down more and more of what happened today before I finally drained myself of the drive to type and took a break. I put my shoes back on and may my way out of the room and down the stairs. I wanted to try and figure out more of the encampment's layout before the day was done.

Upon entering the command chamber's main room, I was greeted by a most unexpected sight. A familiar yellow pegasus with a fiery orange windswept mane was speaking to Luna. None other than the captain of the Wonderbolts herself. The Princess of the Night nodded while bringing her wrist to her chin, eyes glancing at me by accident as she muttered, "That is a very good point, captain... It would be wise to... Oh? Ah, James. You've been in your chambers for a few hours. Is all well?"

"Yeah, was just taking a nap. And getting some writing done. You know it's been a long and exhausting journey out here..." I replied while still not entirely against the idea of going right back to sleep. Rarity did leave her quilt behind as if to make sure it would be there for her next visit. Although my eyes then fell upon the guest. "Spitfire...?"

"Long time no see, James. Heard you were the first to answer the call to whatever that was yesterday." The Wonderbolt captain replied while being out of uniform. "Wow... I remember the night I first taught you those pointers just last year. Now look at you. The militia's very own VIP. I never would've guessed you come this far this fast."

"Trust me, I'm only here entirely due to circumstance. I never asked for this." I replied while not making any attempt to hide how much I did not even want to be out here at that time.

"Hey, none of us asked for this. I just wanna make sure our fillies and colts make it home in one piece. Speaking of that..." She said with a more somber gaze before turning to Luna again. "How about it, your highness? Sound like a good idea?"

"Am I missing something here? Did I show up too late?" I asked while thinking I had just missed out on an important conversation.

Luna looked my way and asked with a smile, "Do you remember that topic you discussed with Celestia earlier? About establishing some variety among our personnel?"

All I did was nod. I could not forget how disorganized they were during that first clash yesterday. Luna then continued as she said, "Spitfire here made a very similar suggestion. that all available aerial personnel be assigned to emergency evacuation roles for wounded fighters out in the field."

My eyes opened a bit wider at that thought. "Huh? Wait... You mean... If someone takes a good hit... A pegasus or some other flier while dive in, grab them, and fly them back to HQ to get patched up?"

"Yeah, pretty much! I mean that's just the gist of it. There's bound to be more steps to it than that, but that's pretty much my idea on paper." Spitfire replied while delighted that I knew exactly where she was coming from. She then looked back and forth at both of us as that smile became more somber. "I've never lost a wingman. And I'd hate to see anypony go home in a body bag. Anything to make sure they live long enough to see the end of the war and get home to their families."

Spitfire seemed to be quite fixated on the survival of her allies. I am all but certain that kind of concern is a requirement for her position in the Wonderbolts. Luna shared this concern as she spoke with a nod. "Your concerns are shared, captain. My sisters and I have discussed with matter with the chain of command and we have come to an agreement. Survival of our troops is our highest priority. We have forwarded this decision to the R&D lab and they are devising new spells and magical artifacts geared toward this purpose. Our blacksmiths are even revising their armor designs for such a unit of aerial personnel. If we can get through this without a single fatality... Well, quite frankly, that is wishful thinking. But if we can... Nothing would make us happier."

Deep in my heart, I felt a sense of relief. My greatest fear in this war were the horrors that would come from watching Equestria's people die so far from home over something they could not and should not fully understand. But those fears were shrinking now that I saw just how highly they were placing the survival of their people on their list of priorities. And with magic at their disposal... Anything was possible. I could only nod in silent approval. Maybe... Just maybe this war will end on a high note I never thought possible.

"Same here... Anyway, I'm gonna talk this over with the rest of the Wonderbolts out here. Let's discuss the training this evening, your highness." Spitfire said before facing me and providing a salute. "James! Let's catch up over a bottle of cider sometime! I'll see you around."

"Will do, captain. See you around." I replied before watching as she trotted out he door before taking flight as the door closed. I then looked down at Luna and rested my hand on her mane. "I...really appreciate what you're doing for everyone out here. I'd hate to see anyone go home as a corpse."

"We are simply fulfilling our duty, my friend. Our people's lives are our highest priority." Luna replied while glancing up at me. "They do not possess the kind of power your armor bestows upon you, so we must resort to more mundane means of enhancing their means of survival. Until we are absolutely certain they are properly prepared, we will not budge from this spot. We will not advance until we are ready."

"I know you won't let them down. Not after what I've seen today." I said with some confidence in my heart. The more I saw, the more convinced I was that things would turn out fine. "Anyway, I'm gonna take a look around some more to figure out where everything is. I haven't even seen half of the encampment yet."

"You do that. I shall be here if you need me." She replied before approaching what I was assuming was that radar grid I saw them setting up earlier. Not wanting to get in the way, I saw myself out.

I wandered quite aimlessly for a while with the sun hanging lower in the western sky. It must have only been the early afternoon back in Ponyville, but it was definitely past 4 PM in the current time zone. And I could hear the distant call of wild cicadas out in the fields. The kind you hear and know that summer's end was approaching. I scowled to myself. I never was fond of autumn since its arrival brings with it an air of melancholy along with the dropping temperatures. I could only hope we would all be back home before the weather could get too problematic. And heaven forbid that this war get dragged out into winter...

Before long, I came to a stop and thought I noticed something on the air. Smoke? From a kiln? No... I glanced around and scanned the horizon and saw that something looked off about one corner of the encampment. And I was fortunate enough to find another map set up in a corner of a row of tents. As it turned out, that corner of the entire camp was reserved for the blacksmiths that were tasked with forging and maintaining the armor and weapons of the militia. Knowing that I had no business there, I turned and made my way down towards the other corner of the camp.

As I wandered, I thought I noticed something pass overhead at surprising speed. And sure enough, someone familiar came swooping back to me. "Hey, James! You just kinda disappeared for a while! You napping?"

"Yeah, I really needed one. And Rarity joined me while providing a comfy quilt." I replied while not at all surprised to find Rainbow Dash landing before me. I suppose there was not much for her to do at the time and she was just looking for conversation. And probably to catch up on lost time after almost two weeks apart.

"Seriously?! You should've invited me! You know I can always go for a nap!" She retorted with a look of annoyance in her eyes. That look quickly faded before she let out a chuckle. "Heheh, funny thing. I passed out for a nap on my cot right after lunch too. So no biggie."

I felt then was a good time to ask her about what was probably going to be happening with her and the rest of the fliers serving in the militia. "Say, has Spitfire spoken to you yet? She talked to me and brought up something about...a specialized role for all aerial servicemen?"

"Huh? She did? News to me. I haven't seen her all day... Wait! A specialized role?!" Rainbow Dash asked as a gleam of inspiration sparked in her eyes. "Then maybe... Sweet! The captain of the Wonderbolts herself is gonna be watching out for us! You see, James?! This just might be my big chance to show her that I'm Wonderbolt material!"

"Hey, slow down there! This war isn't about glory or trying to prove yourself!" I spoke up upon seeing that Rainbow Dash's infamous ego was starting to flair up. I reached out and placed my hand on her head to get her attention. "This isn't about you, all right? Please, do not let your ego convince you to do something stupid out here. You break formation or defy orders from a more experienced and knowledgeable commanding officer and you'll be putting your comrades at risk. Don't put your ambitions first out here. I'm begging you, Rainbow. Keep your ego in check."

I was expecting some groans of protest or she to playfully talk back to me. Instead, I was surprised to see Rainbow Dash go silent. And her gaze wandered while her face ended up being turned to the ground. "You... Huh... I guess when you put it like that... Man, it was crazy yesterday. I got such a thrill, but... A few of them almost caught me in a net..."

"Please... I know what a hot shot you are. But please, don't put yourself first out here. This isn't about Rainbow Dash's big chance to wow the members of the Wonderbolts. This is about Equestria trying to put an end to an incoming invasion. Just...do what you have to, all right? Nothing more. I'm terrified of what might happen if anyone gets captured out here." I explained while hoping to convince her to keep her ambitions on the backburner. Whatever her goals were, it would have to wait until we were back home.

Rainbow Dash quickly nodded before looking up at me with a much more cautious smile. "You know, I probably wouldn't be listening to you so much if it was still two years ago... Thanks for being a good influence on me, big guy. I'll take what you said to heart."

"And thanks for being inspiring to me too, Rainbow. I'd hate to see something go wrong out here with you or anyone...else...?" I replied before I was distracted by a particularly unusual shadow passing nearby. I took my hand off of my friend and turned around to keep an eye on it. The shadow showed wings of some sort and was moving in circles. I finally looked up to see what might be casting it and scanned the sky. "Wait..."

"Huh? Whoa... Does that look like what I think it does?" Rainbow Dash muttered as she too craned her neck to look straight up. "Is that...a dragon?"

"That...looks like trouble..." I muttered as I felt a new tension settle over us. There was the unmistakable form of a dragon with wings spread wide circling the camp from high above us. It did not seem to be one of those gargantuan and long dragons, and yet still looked very high up due to how I could only make out its silhouette and nothing else. And after leaving the dragon lands on less than ideal terms... Was it looking for me?

"I don't like the way that guy is circling us... Almost like he's scoping us out." Rainbow Dash said warily while showing no signs of being eager to approach the skyward dragon. She no doubt had some degree of experience with them.

"He might be here looking for me..." I muttered while very glad I was not in armor. That enchanted metal shell was the only thing those dragons had ever seen me in. Maybe I would not be noticed. "I blundered right into the dragon lands at least a week ago. And I don't think I was welcome there by the time I left."

"You what?!" Rainbow Dash yelped before turning her attention to me. "I didn't know we were that close to it! Are they seriously holed up nearby?"

"Probably not anywhere close to where we are now... But that does beg the question about why a dragon is out here so far from home." I mused as I became worried that the dragon might swoop right down and start to raze the camp. Thankfully, this was not the case. After a few more circles of flying overhead, the dragon finally broke away and flew west. We kept our eyes on it until it had vanished from sight. "I don't think that dragon was here for the sake of curiosity..."

"Yeah... Circling something like a hawk... That ain't something you just do." Rainbow grumbled before she turned to me. "You think anyone else saw that?"

Before I could even provide a response, there was a flash of magic light beside us. Followed by a familiar and bold voice. "We most certainly did. I had some of our mages on standby right when the vagabond glided overhead."

Nightmare Moon stood before us while having quite a uneasy scowl on her face. I felt the need to ask, "What did you make of it?"

"A scout, no doubt. More than likely in response to the presence of such a sizeable force passing near the northern borders of the dragon lands recently." The Princess of Dreams explained while her mind surely must have been thinking of our prior excursion into the dragon lands. She then turned her gaze towards Rainbow Dash and politely yet firmly said, "May I ask you to leave us for now?"

"Sure thing. Let's grab a bite in a while, James." Rainbow replied before taking to the air and flying off. She did not even try to object in the face of such an inflection in Nightmare Moon's voice. I suspected that she chose to not reveal too much about what happened back then to just anyone.

I looked at Nightmare Moon while she looked back at me. I then quietly asked with an unknown sensation of anxiety in my heart, "You think he might've been looking for me? That Ember sent that scout?"

"As the Dragon Lord, I strongly doubt any scouts would be sent out without a direct order from her. As for whether or not they had been looking for you..." Nightmare Moon replied as her gaze softened. "Do not be so uneasy, James. Ember does not hate you. I am certain of this."

"I know that's what you say. And I remember that dream she and I shared, but...it still feels like she and I shouldn't cross paths again." I retorted quietly while still remembering the chilling bite in her words when she ordered me to leave. I did not say anything that was not true. I was only speaking of what was obvious before us, yet she still bitterly commanded me to leave her dominion. No matter how amicable we were together in her dreaming mind, I cannot say for certain that Ember would be as pleased to see me in person in the real world.

"I am not so convinced..." Nightmare Moon spoke with gentleness in her voice while those beautiful eyes gazed at me in concern. "She begged you to not leave her side. The Dragon Lord herself. On her knees. Took hold of your hand. And pleaded for you to stay. Did she not?"

I could not forget that dream. A product of frustration and insecurities known only to Ember at that time. I remained silent. It was difficult to refute that. Even so, the Princess of Dreams continued to speak softly. "I am not so certain such a display of weakness would be shown exclusively in the realm of dreams. Even so, now is not the time to casually seek out the Dragon Lord for a simply conversation. You are right in that anything regarding the dragon lands and those residing in it are barely a secondary concern. We have much more pressing matters to focus on."

All I did was nod. I still felt a sting of guilt over having done or said something to upset someone I was just starting to consider a friend, but a part of me still found itself longing for the Dragon Lord. Ember is not a bad person. Far from it. She just might be the finest dragon in all the land. But I still was no longer welcome in her home. And that hurt. Probably more than it should have. "Yeah... We've got our own problems to deal with for now..."

"To be safe, I will inform the sentries along the perimeter to be watching for activity in the sky. If the dragons do decide to make a move towards us for whatever reason, we can't let them get in the first strike. Excuse me for now. We will speak another time." Nightmare Moon spoke as she spread her sable wings and took to the air, the graceful princess soaring west towards the edge of the camp. Now alone once more, I decided to wander south for the sake of exploration.

I came to a most unexpected location. Large tents that had small wooden buildings serving as offices. The signs set around the perimeter gave away the nature of the place. The infirmary. I knew I would not have any business in such a place and it would probably be best to not step inside unless I really needed to be there. But outside one smaller tent, I found a sign that did not have any words on it. Just a stylized potion flask. With those swirling black patterned against a wooden board... It brought something to mind. And I could notice a faintly familiar scent leaking out. Where did I know that from?

With curiosity getting the better of me, I pushed through the entrance and was greeted by a rather familiar setting. Rows of exotic ingredients stacked everywhere. Large and narrow masks of a tribal nature positioned around the lab for the sake of decor. And in the middle, a large cauldron brewing a bubbling orange brew. Only one name came to mind as I recognized this setup. And as she stepped into view to pour the dried remains of an exotic plant into the brew, I spoke out. "Zecora!"

The zebra herbalist quickly set aside what was in her mouth and turned to look at me with her eyes lighting up, her deep and powerful voice speaking in rhyme as she always does. "Ah, so good to see you after all this time, dear friend! My services were requested with my knowledge of herbs for they did send."

From the look of things, the princesses had caught wind of Zecora's mastery of archaic and traditional remedies that would surely be of aid to the medical teams in the militia. Who knows how potent the more obscure concoctions Zecora can whip up are when compared to modern medicine. Although before I could say anything else, I was quick to notice the irony of the situation when thinking back to how we first met. And those old stories that her people had told around the campfires for generations. "It's... It's good to see you out here. It's just that... Those old stories your people used to say. The ones about the humans of Equestria and how they betrayed their allies..."

Zecora said nothing at first as her gaze darkened just slightly. I lost my smile as I came to realize that dark fable she spoke of ended up carrying far more truth than anyone could have predicted. "They were right... Everything they said. Those stories were true... And the one who started the whole thing... He's still out there. I don't know if you saw the battle yesterday, but..."

My zebra friend shook her head as she stepped around the cauldron towards me. "Save your breath. The I know enough of what has occurred on these plains of emptiness. Shades of human sin still linger and wish to complete what they started due to their inner temptress. Though tales of yore speak ill of those who came before, you do not share the vices that meant the exodus of mankind forevermore."

"Yeah... Yeah, I don't... It's just...so surreal seeing you out here with everyone... Especially with...how things went between us at first. I don't blame your people for keeping those stories from fading from memory. That kind of betrayal should never be completely forgotten..." I retorted while letting my eyes scan her current abode. She had brought quite a bit of her belongings along for the sake of her work as well as for some semblance of a familiar living space. "Did you...bring everything you have?"

"I brought as much as I could. My entire stockpile. I will likely need as much as I can in the coming trials. They were wise to seek out my knowledge of salves and ancient cures. Equestria knows that they must not take chances if victory is to be secured." Zecora explained with her unfailing rhyming. She then took a moment to stir the brew in her cauldron with a ladle in her mouth while continuing to speak through her teeth. "But now that you are here, what can I do to instill in you cheer?"

"Oh, I don't really need anything. I was just wandering around to acquaint myself with the layout of the camp. But it's good to see you. If I need anything, I'll be sure to stop by." I replied while certain that Zecora was quite busy. As the only herbalist of her kind there, she would surely have her hooves full. With a kind farewell, I saw myself out and made continued to explore.

During my wandering, I noticed an airship or two coming in from the west. Judging by the designs and the liberal use of armor plating along the hull, I suspected that they were bringing in more volunteers But I barely had time to think about it before stumbling across a mess hall that looked like it was not getting much business at the time. A good time to get in and grab a seat and a bite before the dinner rush started. Seeing that the sun was getting quite low in the sky over the western horizon, I decided now was as good a time as any to get some dinner.

Upon stepping in, I was surprised to see that my entire group of friends from lunch had already secured a table. Pinkie Pie waved me down from across the place with her natural pink coloration making her stand out. But just as I started to step their way, I was blindsided as someone suddenly grabbed my wrist! "There you are! Come grab some grub with your shipmates!"

"Wha... Captain?!" I yelped as I found Celaeno having grabbed me and was pulling me over to a table that had her entire crew seated at it. They gave me a hearty and noisy greeting like a bunch of old friends, even though we had only really met once before. "Uh... Good to see you all in high spirits, but I've already... Hey!"

Next thing I knew, someone had grabbed me around my other arm and started pulling me in the other direction. None other than Rainbow Dash called out as she pulled me along, "Hey, this is our friend! And we've got a lotta lost time to catch up on!"

"And he's the newest member of the crew! Hands off!" Celaeno crowed before I found myself locked in a game of tug-of-war between the two of them, each yanking on my arm. I soon just gave a very dry stare at nothing in particular as I wondered how I got myself stuck in this mess. Celaeno's crew cheered and whooped her on with Squabble letting out a loud squawk while my friends nearby just looked on in exasperated bemusement at the spectacle.

Finally, Twilight came trotting over and calmly spoke up. "Rainbow... Let it go for now. They know him."

"Come on, Twi! You OK with these birdbrains snatching him away?!" Rainbow barked in protest while I just stood there while patiently waiting for one side to let up. "Hey, girls! Gimme a hoof with this!"

"Maties! Be ready to jump in! I'm gonna need more leverage!" Celaeno called out as her entire crew looked ready to jump up to add some more pull to their side.

Not wanting this situation to get anymore ridiculous, I spoke up while pulling free from both of them! "Hey! Enough! Rainbow, I already spent lunch with you. Lemme spend a meal with these guys. We know each other."

"Seriously?" My confused friend asked while looking at the five harpies behind me. "Where'd you even find these bird brains anyway?"

"Oh, I didn't find them. They found me. Snatched me right off a train about a month ago." I explained while still thinking back to that special kind of weird day. Still hard to imagine that really happened. Celaeno even smirked with her arms crossed, as if feeling pretty proud of herself for pulling off a type of kidnapping on a moving vehicle.

Twilight rolled her eyes while Rainbow Dash started to snicker. "Wait a minute... You mean... That day? When Twilight tried to drag you up to Canterlot to be her wingman? Boy, did you luck out."

She then flew over to Celaeno and leaned towards her as if trying to pass on a secret. "You have no idea what a big favor you did for this guy. Twilight's folks are nuts!"

"Seriously now? Does this mean I don't owe you anything for scoring us this lucky break, mate?" Celaeno asked while I only cast her a glare of annoyance. She then burst into a laughter before patting me on my back. "Oh come on, you think I'd do that?! Bailing you out of a bad evening doesn't compare to what you did for us. I still owe you. I won't forget about that."

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, you guys stretching your land legs for the night?" I asked while starting to approach their table while Twilight and Rainbow Dash returned to theirs. I could only hope the rest of my friends would not mind too much.

"Sure are. They're still unloading old Zephyrus and doing inventory, so we decided to just stay out of their way for now and grab a bite that isn't Lix Spittle's cooking for once." Celaeno replied before guiding me to a seat. "Not that there's anything wrong with her cooking anymore. You should stop by and see the goodies she's whipping up these days."

"I just might do that." I said before sitting down while Celaeno joined me at my side with Mullet to my left.

"So, we've all dropped anchor. Been hearing some crazy things about you, dogmeat." Mullet said in that smooth deep voice of his. The rest of the crew gave me a hearty greeting, being all too happy to see me. They certainly looked like they were in better spirits than last time.

Although I was not too keen on that nickname Mullet kept referring to me by. Not that I found it particularly demeaning, but I knew he knows my name. But the gears in my head started turning once the server came our way. The choices were a bit limited by that time of the day, but I knew supplies would improve soon. But when he turned to me to take my order, I felt a smirk spread across my lips. "I'll have the spit roast."

"Come again?" The server asked with pencil floating beside his horn. Mullet's one eye opened wider than usual as he suddenly recognized that term.

"I mean this guy. Medium well, please." I replied before pointing my thumb at the bird brute beside me. Celaeno brought a hand to her beak and wheezed loudly in suppressed laughter while the rest of her crew started to give me some funny looks. Except for Mullet. His eyes were looking everywhere but at me.

"What the flying feather is wrong with you tonight?" Mullet asked quietly while looking understandably disturbed. I only called him that once before, but now that term carried with it a much more messed up connotation.

The server just stared in silence while the rest of the crew did the same. After a moment of silence, he started to jot something down. "I'm not certain we are allowed to serve up our airship crew as entrees, but I will see what we can do."

"I'm kidding. I'll have the fried rice and egg rolls." I retorted as I felt it was time to drop the act. The server then trotted away while Mullet silently looked at me out of the corner of his eye. I smirked at him and said, "Watch yourself. We humans have a very diverse palate."

"Captain. I want this scallywag stripped of all manner of blades when he's around me." Mullet quietly yet uneasily demanded while Celaeno could only laugh. I just sat there with a satisfied smirk, amused that I had turned the tables on him.

Boyle was in the process of attaching a type of eating device to his prosthetic stump that looked like a brass fork before he looked over at me and asked, "So then... Looks like you've been busy out on the eastern front. You and that scary princess being the first to come out here?"

"Yeah, we were the first to answer the call. Really wasn't expecting everyone else to show up right when they did." I replied while taking a sip from my glass of water. "And it's good to see you guys are doing much... Huh?"

I paused as we looked over yonder. It turned out that a quartet of musicians were performing on a wooden platform to keep their instruments off the grass. I recognized them immediately. They were the same four that perform at the Grand Galloping Gala every year. They must have been hired to serve as bards and minstrels for the troops when off the battlefield. And that soft classical music was certainly fitting for some downtime. I was quick to notice the cello player and thought back to my conversation with Vinyl Scratch that day. "Oh... Octavia..."

"Well, lucky us! Dinner and a show!" Lix Spittle squawked with her scratchy voice. She then looked over at me and leaned on the table. "You should stop by our place if you can't find a table next time we're docked. I've been trying all sorts of recipes from that cookbook. No more birdseed slop for us! Well... Except for Squabble. He still loves that stuff."

"Sounds like a plan. I'd be more than willing to try anything that I can actually digest." I replied while still remembering that unsightly goo they tried to serve me the first time. But I then noticed Mullet stand up and approach the musicians over yonder. "Hey, where's the spit roast going?"

"You'll see. I get what he's up to." Celaeno replied as we watched. Mullet went to what seemed to be a number of instrument cases set up near the stage and removed a violin from one. He pulled up a stool with a book of sheet music in hand and studied it for a moment as he sat down. Once the current song wrapped up, he leaned over to the other musicians and whispered something to them while pointing to something in the book. Apparently having decided on a song, the five of them started to play with Mullet gingerly tucking the violin under his chin and deftly running its bow along the string. Now the gentle hum of a violin joined the other four instruments. Celaeno then smiled at me and said, "Pretty good, right?"

"Yeah... Never knew he had it in him." I replied while rather impressed with Mullet's unexpected display of sophistication. "Do you all play an instrument?"

"Sure do! You've got Boyle on guitar, me on the xylophone, and Squabble on drums!" Lix Spittle replied while Squabble suddenly tapped on the table with his brass beak. "No, not now! We'd gotta get you your padded beak for that!"

After a couple more songs from the band, our orders arrived and Mullet made his way back over to feast. The crew of faux pirates were rather noisy, but I listened patiently. They were in a great mood and gave off a different presence than I felt the last time I was in the holds of their airship. I made a mental note to stop by and see how the Zephyrus looked on the inside now that she was all fixed up.

Once we had finished our meal, I was treated to another spectacle. The entire crew went over to the stage and convinced the rest of the musicians to take a break. When they stepped off the stage, I was greeted to an unexpected sight. Despite what I was told, Squabble sat himself down at the piano with hands and beak ready while Lix Spittle looked ready to improvise on the harp. Mullet took up the violin again while Boyle pulled out a guitar while a attaching a guitar pick to his prosthetic base. And lastly, Celaeno stood ready with a flute in hand. And boy, did that quintet of wild harpies put on a good show. There was even applause between songs.

I felt it would be rude to leave too soon, so I went over to the table where my friends were seated to just watch and listen. Rarity spoke up first and said, "I do not know where you found that gaggle of harpies, but they really know their way around music."

"Yeah, I never knew they had it in them." I replied as my eyes fell upon Celaeno. She looked so serene as she piped away on that flute. She must have been having a good time.

As the minutes went by, I had to entertain the six of them with answers to who those harpies were and how I met them. From how I had been stuffed in a sack and snatched off a moving train to going from being a hostage to a welcomed guest at the dinner table to holding on for dear life when they cut the airship's gas sack free for a rapid freefall into Canterlot Castle's courtyard. Even Maud, silent as she was, raised an eyebrow quite high at that last one. And I ended up repeating a certain line more than once. "I swear I'm not making this up."

We must have really lost track of time since the lighting in the area became less natural and more the source of lanterns hanging from above. Night was coming in quicker than expected. And it was right around then that there was an announcement over a loudspeaker that the mess halls would be closing in half an hour. If anyone wanted something to snack on back in their quarters, this would be their last chance.

The band, both the ponies and the harpies, started to put their instruments away as most of the patrons hanging around the place started to clear out and turn in for the night. I assumed that a curfew would be in affect soon and that loitering anywhere would not be permitted. Applejack let out a long yawn before looking at us and saying, "Well, I had a fine day catchin' up with y'all, but I reckon I should probably get ready ta turn in for the night. Y'all wanna meet up again tomorrow?"

"Mmmhm, it was so nice just getting back to normal with everypony again! Now I know I'll sleep well tonight." Pinkie Pie said while looking more exhausted than I had seen out of her in quite some time. That long trek across the Empty Plains must have taken a lot out of her and it would take more than one day of rest to fully recharge. She then looked over at Maud and asked, "Ready to turn in too, Maud? I could use some of your poetry tonight."

"I've got plenty of new ones." Maud said before glancing at me. I saw a tiny smile form on her lips as she said, "I recorded another cassette of them for you, James. You want to listen to it?"

"You did?! Yes, I'd be happy to!" I replied while thinking back to the last one she gave me. I still periodically listen to it, especially when I am trying to take a nap. Just so relaxing despite the simple nature of the poetry.

One by one, we got up from the table to head back to our private quarters. But before we got far, Celaeno stepped over to us. "So, time to drop anchor for the night? You all know there's a curfew starting at 10 PM, right?"

"There is? Yeah, I guess I shouldn't be surprised." I replied while noticing the rest of her crew making their way out of the mess hall and into the night. They had a long walk to get back to their airship. "Well, it was good catching up with you and the crew, captain. I'll be seeing you around, right?"

"Count on it. We'll be heading out in a couple of days. Garbage duty and all that. The trash has to get taken out somehow, right?" Celaeno replied while rolling her eyes. I have to admit it was a laughable thought to imagine the Zephyrus being basically used as a trash barge, although it was nice to know that the militia were handling their waste responsibly. But before I could think about it much longer, she patted me on the shoulder. "Anyway, better let you get back to your rounds. Smooth sailing, matey."

"Will do, captain. Have a good one." I retorted as Celaeno stepped past me and after her crew. But it was then that I noticed my friends were giving Celaeno some funny looks. "What?"

Applejack was the first to make the obvious observation. "That bird's got a whole leg of solid emerald... Are they all pirates?"

"Pirates in name only! They're just a bunch of overenthusiastic pirate cosplayers who like to do some treasure hunting on the side. They talk a tough game, but they're harmless." I replied while remembering just how badly they fooled me at first.

"They're just really into the those old folktales, huh? Aren't those pirate stories just to spook the kids? I could swear they were just fiction out of something like the Daring Do series!" Rainbow Dash added while definitely not buying the whole pirate gig those harpies were going for.

Rarity was quick to provide some input as well. "They certainly dress the part. Quite a motley crew. Although I must say their captain has an impeccable sense of fashion. I'm adoring that plated coat and that hat."

"I think them not being assigned uniforms is to remain inconspicuous among the royal guard. I seem to recall them being signed up for scouting missions in poorly charted territories... After they pass a few tests, at least." I explained before finding myself letting out a yawn. It was getting late and it has been a long couple of weeks. "Anyway... You girls ready to call it a night?"

"Yeah, good idea... I'm pooped! Ready for bed, Maud?" Pinkie Pie asked while turning to her sister only to see that she had completely nodded off while standing. Not a terribly impressive feat for an equine. A few taps on Maud's head got her to wake up while she groggily nodded. "Uh huh, we better get you to bed. Anyway, see you all in the morning!"

One by one, we all parted ways to get back to our quarters for the evening. Although once I stepped into the quiet command center, I found Luna enjoying a bowl of ice cream. "Huh? We have dessert?"

"Oh? Ah, good evening, James." Luna replied before glancing at the ice cream on the table by her. "Oh, this? Did you not know? The command center has its own kitchen. If you desire a meal, you could just inform our chefs."

I felt rather silly that I had spent all my time eating out in the camp with its mess halls. Although I did appreciate the company it brought me. "It does? I'll... Uh... I'll keep that in mind. Dunno how I didn't connect the dots with breakfast this morning..."

"If you wish, I can put in an order for you if you desire something sweet this evening. Perhaps some cake? An ice cream cone?" Luna asked while levitating another spoonful of the sweet treat to her lips.

By then, my appetite was completely sated by then. Either that, or my lack of appetite was compounded by my fatigue. I just wanted to rest a while before bed. "Maybe another time. I just wanna chill. See you in the morning, Luna."

"Very well then. Goodnight, James." Luna said in farewell as I made my way up the narrow stairwell nearby to my room. I immediately kicked off my shoes and sat myself down at my typewriter to jot down more of today's events. This went on for a short while before I took a break and fetched myself some tea from downstairs. When I came back up, I looked out the window that was beside my bed. Only the faint glow of the moon was shining in. But the light being cast over my bed... It looked like something was in the way. Was someone right outside?

Setting aside my cup of tea to cool for a bit, I crawled onto my bed and parted the curtains. Much to my surprise, someone was right outside my window just off to the side on the roof. The roof itself had a very gentle slope to it and had enough space for me to sit on it without keeping my legs close to me. Upon opening the window and sticking my head out, I found Twilight Sparkle seated there while apparently just stargazing. "Twi...?"

"Huh? Oh! Um... Hey there, James. Is this your room?" Twilight asked while looking like she really did not expect to find me on the other side of that window.

I decided to go ahead and join her. I carefully crawled out the window and took a seat by her. "Yeah, this is where I'm staying. What brings you up here? Isn't there a curfew in affect?"

"Yeah, there is. It's just... I'm not really in anypony's way up here. And... Well, Shining Armor put in a good word for me with the guards. They know me. They know I won't cause any trouble. And I'll be going right to bed after I'm done up here." Twilight explained before gazing up at the beautifully dark sky with countless stars lining it. "Such a nice night..."

"It is... Amazing how dark it gets out here so far from civilization." I added while still seeing just how blackened the area around us was. The encampment rectified this by having lanterns set up at every intersection along the rows of tents and near the maps. Before long, I found Twilight leaning into my embrace as I put an arm around her. She still had her mane done up in a ponytail from her time at the lab. I then placed a kiss on her head as I whispered, "Missed you, Twi..."

"Missed you too, James..." She whispered back to me. But after a minute or so longer of silent stargazing, Twilight spoke to me. "James... I'm not sure if I've told you this yet, but I just want you to know... I know. We all know."

"About what?" I asked while unsure of where she was coming from. Did she mean about why I left when I did to face the invasion? I already confessed to that yesterday.

What I did not expect was what came next. "We know about you and Fluttershy. And Rarity."

My blood ran cold. Whether or not I was doing something wrong, the knowledge that my closest circle of friends had discovered my unorthodox relationship with those two wonderful mares without my knowledge was shocking. Twilight must have detected my anxiety since she then said with a quiet chuckle, "No, no no, there's nothing wrong. Fluttershy and Rarity told us themselves. Just in case...one of us wouldn't come back. We know. And it's OK. We get that's just how your heart works. Fluttershy and Rarity were very forward in defending you and trying to make sure we understood what you were doing was not out of greed or lust. Although...Rainbow Dash was kind of frustrated at first."

"Ah, OK then... Yeah, please don't think less of me about that. I get it's not normal, but it's all out of love." I replied quietly as I felt hat anxiety fade. That was a close call.

"We know. And we understand. And we've taken a vow of silence about it. Nopony will hear of it from us." Twilight explained as she snuggled up against me. But she then muttered, "Although it does make me wonder... Isn't it kind of funny how you and I have been sometimes...but we never went more than that?"

I went silent in thought. She was right... She and I have...occasionally been something more. I do love Twilight. The embraces and kisses we occasionally partake in. There is a certain romance between us. And yet...we indulge in it so rarely. And it was only then that I started to think about it. "We... Huh... Yeah... We...don't do that stuff very often..."

Twilight let out a long sigh as she said, "I still remember back then... How I adored how analytical you could be... And how it hurt when I found out you and Fluttershy had entered a relationship... And then...when you started to experiment a bit when we kissed... But it was so rare. And it never went more than that... Have you ever wondered why?"

"Did something change along the way?" I asked quietly while not really feeling in danger of losing something important. Whatever was going through Twilight's mind at the time was more than likely mutual with whatever was in my heart.

"I think so... I didn't know you that well back then... I fell for you hard... And...I do love you, but..." Twilight then looked up at me as she spoke quietly, "I don't think I...love you quite like that, if that makes sense."

I closed my eyes for a moment. Was it disappointment I was feeling? Resignation? Acceptance? I was not upset. There was a very dull sting in my heart, but I was not bothered too much. "I... I think I've felt that too. I do love you too, but... More than friends, but less than lovers..."

Twilight closed her eyes again as I saw a smile form on her lips. "Right... I think... What I adore most about you is...I understand you. And you understand me. Maybe that's why we're as close as we are...but not closer. Maybe we're too alike... But...that's all right, isn't it?"

"Yeah... Yeah, that's OK." I said with a sigh of acceptance. I then kissed her on the horn before pulling her into a firm embrace. "Whatever things are like between us now... That's fine."

"Mmhm... And I wouldn't change it for the world." Twilight muttered as I felt her place a kiss upon my chest. "Love you, James."

"Love you too, Twi." I mumbled as the two of us began to stargaze once more. For the next twenty minutes or so, we sat there together. It was not until Twilight started to go a bit limp in my embrace that I knew it was time to say goodnight. "Hey.. Maybe you should get to bed. I don't want anyone catching you napping on the roof."

"Heh... I probably should... Thanks for joining me tonight, James. It was good to get hat off my chest." Twilight mumbled with a groggy smile. A few seconds later, her horn was coated by her billowing magic aura before she vanished in a flash of light. I then looked down and saw her looking back up at me from the ground. "Have a good night, James!"

"You too, Twi!" I called out before watching her trot off for her tent where Rarity was likely fast asleep by then. I then crawled back into my dormitory and closed the window behind me. But barely five minutes later right after I removed the teabag from my cup did I hear someone tapping on the window. "Huh? Did she forget something?"

I went to my bed and parted the curtains again to peek outside. But when I did... "What the..."

Again, there was tapping on the window. And the person standing right outside it was not at all who I was expecting to see. "Yo. You still up?"

Of all the... Why was Gilda knocking on my window at that hour? And while curfew was in effect? I scowled in confusion over what the griffon hen could want and pried my window open. "What do you want?"

"Can't sleep, so I'm looking for a place to jam for a bit." She replied before I noticed she had a guitar case beside her. "Don't wanna wake up my roomie and I can't just do it outside."

"And you came to me?" I asked while still unsure of what to think of this person. My views of Gilda by then were extremely conflicted, so I was trying to maintain a completely neutral stance on her.

Gilda's beak showed a crooked look of uncertainty. As if she was at a loss for words. If she got caught out of her tent with no real reason for doing so, she could end up in trouble. With a roll of my eyes, I relented and decided to show her some mercy. "OK, get in here. Just keep it down. I'm not sure how effective the sound insulation is in this place."

"Cool. Thanks." She retorted before crawling in through the window and dragging the guitar case in after her. I closed the window once she pulled up a spare chair into he corner of the room with it being the only other thing to sit on. Gilda said nothing as she propped the case up in the corner and opened it to reveal a polished wooden acoustic guitar inside.

This caught my attention. I almost expected an electric guitar, but this hinted at a bit of sophistication on Gilda's part. Not what I would expect from her. As I returned to my seat at the typewriter, I asked, "You play guitar?"

"Yeah. I mean I prefer the electric guitar, but nothing beats acoustic when you just wanna chill." Gilda explained as she sat herself down while taking the guitar in hand. She had one leg crossed over the other and would have almost looked human if her legs did not have an extra joint halfway down past the knee. Instead of playing right away, she took the time to start priming the strings by adjusting the knobs at the top.

I was starting to wonder where she even got that. Did she steal it from somewhere? "I really hope you didn't swipe that from someone..."

"Whoa, don't go thinking I'd try that here. They've got these things here for recreational use. I'm just borrowing it for a while." Gilda replied while not looking like she expected such an accusation.

I took her word at face value and went back to typing away. Although I will admit Gilda's very presence was distracting. Unable to get more than a paragraph down, I looked back at her as another question came into my mind. "Who was that you had lunch with today? That green mare..."

"Her? That's my roomie. Lightning Dust. She's pretty chill, but kinda awesome in the air too. Reminds me way too much of Dash back in our days with the Junior Speedsters, so we hit it off pretty well."

"That doesn't sound like a good thing..." I muttered as I thought back to what I had heard about Rainbow Dash and even how she just was right around the time I first met her. And she was likely much worse as a filly. To think there was a mare in the militia who retained the worst aspects of Rainbow Dash during her most rebellious days... Not a pretty thought. But maybe I was thinking too hard about it.

Instead of sharing my temptations to disregard such a thought as taking such a claim too literally, Gilda became still and silent. Her eyes looked elsewhere with a hand still gripping the knobs atop the guitar. "You know what? You...might be onto something there..."

I raised an eyebrow at this unexpected display of contemplation. Gilda then muttered almost grimly, "Maybe I'm thinking too hard about his, but... I dunno. Sometimes she's a bit...too aloof, if that makes any sense. Just a weird feeling I sometimes get from her. Maybe it's a bad sign. Maybe it's nothing. But I don't got a good feeling about it..."

"If she pulls anything that's not OK, you should probably report it." I retorted before turning my attention to my typewriter. I heard Gilda mumble something in slight agreement before the familiar strumming of guitar strings filled the air. I looked back over at her and saw Gilda calmly and even serenely playing along with no sheet music to read off of. Must have been a tune she personally cooked up in her head.

The melody that filled the air as it bounced off the walls around us and turned my dormitory into an echo chamber was not angry or moody as one might expect from someone with such a poor reputation like Gilda. It really was a relaxing tune as if she was trying to vocalize a desire to settle in for the night an get to sleep. I could not focus on writing at all as long as she was serenading me with that song. She was just too good to ignore.

I turned in my seat and focused my attention entirely on the performing griffon hen before me. She almost looked like she was in a good mood as she played, though she was much too focused on her instrument. I would not know what it is like. I have never held any significant musical aptitude. But that only made me appreciate her skill all the more. She looked so serene. I would even say she almost looked beautiful in such a musical element. Or at least I would say that if I had a more positive disposition towards her. Even though her performance was tempting me to warm up to her, I knew to keep an emotional distance for the moment.

Gilda's performance eventually came to an end and she only then realized that I had been watching the entire time. Her eyes glanced left and right almost out of embarrassment before she asked, "Uh... What? You want an encore?"

"If you'd like. You're pretty good." I retorted sincerely. But as I looked at the guitar, a memory from last winter came to mind. "Did you and Rainbow have jam sessions together back in the day?"

She started to strum along quietly while sounding like she was testing the strings instead of playing a song. "Yeah, all the time. We'd sometimes get together in the cafeteria and play. What, she still jamming today?"

"Not sure, but she tried playing for my wife and I at her place not too long ago." I replied as an amused smirk started to spread across my lips as that spectacle returned to the forefront of my mind. "She didn't notice she had the volume maxed out and blew her walls out."

Gilda immediately lost her focus and brought a hand to her beak to suppress a laugh. "Oooooh man... Really, Dash? Some things never change..."

I failed to suppress a snicker of my own as I recalled that memory. Although as Gilda went back to strumming away on the guitar, I felt the need to ask. "Why did you come knocking at my window and not someplace else?"

Once more, Gilda went quiet as her eyes wandered. I thought I was not going to get a response and started to turn to my typewriter. But as I did, she suddenly spoke softly. "Because you... I kinda get the feeling you're what I might be more like if I didn't obsess over being like Dash back then..."

I had no idea what to even say to that. I just stared at her in uncertainty as she started to explain. "I told you what I was like then. And I'm getting some of those vibes from you. Quiet. Kinda shy. But...you're not shy enough. And...something else..."

When she went quiet for a moment, I went back to type on the typewriter beside me. But out of the corner in my eye, I noticed her set the guitar aside. And while not exactly in a lunge, she rather quickly dropped to the floor and approached me with unexpected speed. Her hand reached out for my face, but I managed to reach up and snatch her by the wrist. We froze, my eyes glaring at her while she looked at me in some slight surprise with her hand restrained. But much to my surprise, she smirked at me. "Yeah... Just like that. You're not weak. You're tough when you need to be."

"Huh... Yeah, guess I am." I muttered as I let her go while Gilda backed over to the guitar. I watched as she started to pack it up and closed the case it was stored in. "You going to bed now?"

"Yeah, I think I got everything outta my system. Thanks for giving me a place to jam for a bit." She replied with a happier tone than before. I watched as she lugged the guitar case over to my bed to use my window to leave. "You come talk to me anytime if you need something. Cool?"

"Yeah, sure." I retorted with my defenses lowered just a bit. Just as she lifted my window open, I decided to at least see her off. "Have a good one."

Gilda looked over at me without a word, but I soon noticed a genuine smile spread across her beak. "You too, man."

Before anything else could happen, she crawled through the window and dragged the guitar case after her. She was already gone by the time I went over to close the window. Finally deciding I had been up late enough, I gulped down my tea and made my way into the bathroom for a hot shower before bed.

I was most pleased to be back in that cozy bathrobe once I was out of the shower. It was very thoughtful of Rarity to pack that when they set home from home. But once I was all washed up and letting my hair dry while sitting in the chair in the corner of my bedroom to just relax for a moment, I heard a voice in my head. A very familiar voice. "James? Did you just get out of the shower a little bit ago?"

"Celestia? Uh... Yeah, I just dried off and am chilling for a bit to let the rest of me dry before I get in bed. What's up?" I asked as I rose to my feet. She was likely communicating with magic telepathy from just downstairs.

"Good. Just be still for a moment." She replied before I found myself coated in a familiar golden yellow aura. I had a hunch of what was coming and remained still. Sure enough, a second pass before I found myself in a slightly more spacious chamber. It was outfitted with some wooden furniture that had a more expensive look than those in my chambers. And when I turned around, there she was. My beloved Celestia relaxing on a more spacious bed than my own at the end of the room. She was already under the covers, body devoid of golden regalia, and tapping her hoof on the bare sheets beside her. "Come to bed, dear. I missed you."

I could not say no to the mare I could call my queen. I disrobed and hung my bathrobe on a nearby chair and sat down on the bed in just my boxers. I rested my hand upon her hoof, taking a moment to savor this solitary reunion with the beautiful Princess of the Dawn. Our eyes met as I let out a sigh of relaxation. I did not realize just how much I had missed her until we were truly isolated and alone together after a long two weeks or so at night. There is just something about spending those late hours alone with your beloved that makes a bad day all better. "I missed you too, my queen."

Celestia grinned in utter delight as she giggled quietly. That title tickled her heart as she used her grand white wing to pull me closer for an embrace. I put my arms around her as I felt the covers drape themselves over me with the two of us tucked in together. She then whispered into my ear, "How were things today?"

"I have to say...I'm feeling a lot more confident about how things are going now. You've convinced me that you're taking this whole thing seriously and are planning accordingly." I whispered back to her as I placed a kiss upon her jaw. "Thank you for being here... It feels like everything's gonna be OK after all."

"Just have faith, my love. We don't intend to just give Equestria up like that. War may not be in our nature, but with magic on our side, I'm sure we will improvise a way to victory." My beautiful queen cooed to me as the only source of light, a simple oil lamp, began to dim from across the room. She then brought her lips to mine as she gazed into my eyes and whispered, "Let us rest now. Tomorrow is just another step in preparing for the rest of what lies ahead. Sweetest dreams, my king."

"Sounds good. Goodnight, my queen." I whispered back to her as darkness settled over us. With her wing still draped over me, I soon joined dear Celestia is restless slumber.

Morning came as I rose from my sleep with no interruption as the morning sun shone through the only window in the room. The muffled sound of activity in the command center could be faintly heard through the walls. But as I started to turn over and pull myself up, I was suddenly pulled back down before finding a pair of lips upon my own as I closed my eyes for a delightful loving kiss from the gorgeous mare beside me. I soon gazed up at her as she cooed to me. "Good morning, my king. Sleep well?"

"Like a rock... I'm really glad you called me down here last night." I said while reaching up and caressing her beautiful face while her glorious billowing mane wavered in the air. We just stayed there for a few minutes more, holding and caressing and kissing each other. Like a pair of newlyweds who had just woken up for the first day of their honeymoon. Although I did eventually have to bring up the morning routine. "We should probably get ready. There's more work to do, right?"

"Oh yes, there is. Now that we've laid some new groundwork, we can really get started. I'll send you right back up so you can freshen up and get dressed. And while you're at it, I'll go ahead and start on breakfast." She replied while casting me a whimsical little wink towards the end. Once I stood up and draped my bathrobe over myself, Celestia prepared a teleportation spell with her long horn coated by that golden aura. "See you in a little bit, my dear."

Seconds later, I found myself back up in my chambers. I took the time to take a quick morning shower and promptly dressed myself before heading back downstairs for some breakfast with the royal sisters. This time, she made enough pancakes for all four of us. And we were all quite impressed with them. After that, I came back upstairs and sat myself down at the typewriter to finish up this entry.

Yesterday was a day of many concerns and unexpected encounters, but today has started on a more optimistic note for me. It feels less like we are stumbling around in the dark and are drawing out a proper map. I can only imagine what today will bring.

I think that will do it for now. Time to take a look around and see what is developing along with anything I can assist in.

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