I saw Commander Firestorm in the distance flying back with a platoon of ponies. I knew I was dead, but I was taking the bitch with me.
I started leveling my sidearm just as she was getting into range but was stopped by a familiar voice behind me.
"Daylight! You don't have to do this alone," I looked to see Easy Glider being followed by a group of ponies I had saved, "WE GOT THIS!"
They formed a fence around the hut and all leveled their own side arms.
Firestorm knew better than to be the first to open fire. We were stationary targets, true, but we had the cover, and it's not easy to shoot while flying. Not to mention just how many of her own troops she would be killing.
She landed in front of us, "I see you got a little help," she scoffed, "it's no use, I have the entire Wonderbolts behind me. Just give up."
"Never," I said. I was about to draw on her again when another familiar voice came from above.
"What in my name is going on here?" Celestia asked.
"Now you're in for it," Fire Storm said before turning to the princess, "This insubordinate refuses to leave this hut for his hearing. He's been sneaking off and brewing potions in direct defiance of Wonderbolt protocol."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Celestia said, Fire Storm just smirked, for a second that is, "This pony has been single hooved-ly keeping your troops alive and you want to stop him! I know exactly what he's been up to. A few of my personal guards are among his patients. I would think you would want to encourage this. In fact, I hereby strip you of your own title, Firestorm. There is no room in any of my units for such backward thinking. Go straight to the compound and grab your things. You are no longer welcome there. Count yourself lucky I'm not having you banished from Equestria." Celestia was actually starting to yell, "and if any of you following her disagree with me feel free to collect your own items and never come back!"
I was stunned. I never thought I warranted such a rescue. Celestia landed in front of me.
"I have never known such loyalty, we have much to discuss," she said, "I am glad your friend Easy Glider sent a messenger to alert me."
"You wanna talk about loyalty?" I looked at Easy Glider, "I'd have a hard time not mentioning my best friend."
-
I had just dismissed my first class, I was feeling optimistic about them. Especially Sculptured Stone I knew I could count on him to take the values of my practice to places I couldn't reach.
He was so helpful and kind. I had an idea for him.
Celestia had told me of artifacts that could be used to harness powerful magic. She felt they would be needed to end the conflict but it took a special group to activate them.
She thought I would be a good 'element of loyalty'. I just had to find five others, each with their own attribute. I already knew who would be my 'element of laughter'.
I had to come up with a different name though, 'elements of harmony' sounded so juvenile. I wanted something that sounded like we kept ponies safe. So neither side feared us or laughed at us.
There was a quick tap on the classroom door before it swung open. It was Feather Touch, she had her usual wide smile but this time I could tell it was different. She was positively glowing.
"Hey, honey," She said, "how did your first class go?"
"Great," I said, "I'm a better teacher than I thought. Kinda worried about Easy Glider though."
"He'll be fine," she assured me, "and I have news that will make you glad your not on the front line anymore." Her smile seemed to grow. I had a feeling I knew.
"Are you..." I started to ask but she couldn't wait.
"I'm pregnant!" she said, "If it's a boy I want to name it after you. I thought I'd let you pick if it's a girl. I'd rather not go with my own. I want to change mine to Feather Dreamer when we get married, but I don't think it's fitting for a foal."
"What about Sweet Dreams," I said, "in honor of my dreams of making Equestria peaceful again."
"I love it!" she said, "For a guy that's always so serious, you have a great imagination. I love you so much." She leaned over the desk and kissed me. Next thing I knew she was jumping over it. I didn't mind if you know what I mean.
-
Sweet Dreams was now four years old, we decided to raise her in the hut I now officially owned. It was a little close to the action, but it was in a secluded area and Celestia had cast a protection spell that automatically banished anyone who came around looking for trouble, so it was pretty much the safest place in Equestria.
I had just put her to bed in the bedroom we had added and was looking over my books. I had to find some way to come up with a strategy. So far the only strategy books I could find were just on how to take as much of the enemy out as possible. There was nothing about negotiating peace.
I had already tried talking to them. It didn't end well.
I needed help from somepony who had seen the end of a war, or at least learned about it somewhere.
But who? I just ruled out every pony in Equestria.
I opened my copy of the first book I published and felt the compulsion to turn to a page in the middle. That's when I was hit by another daydream.
---
I saw strange creatures with odd-looking weaponry that didn't even strap to their leg. Instead, their forelegs were tipped with odd appendages that seemed to be able to grasp much more effectively than a hoof. I was fascinated.
They were shooting at each other. Cannons fired in the distance, and bombs were falling all over, but they barely flinched. They worked as a team, not just in pairs. They all seemed to have each other's backs.
My attention was brought to a creature planting a flag as the other side ran away. I knew better than to think this was the end of a war, but in all my years I had never seen a battle won while the other side could still fight.
The losing side likely had some plan to regroup before the next battle. They had a plan to end the war. So did the winning side. The question was who's plan was better.
I knew this was the people I was looking for.
-
The scene switched to a tall one of these creatures wearing a tall black hat. He was introduced as President Abraham Lincoln. He was giving a speech about a country founded on values of all men being created equal, saying that they themselves were in the midst of a civil war. He was honoring the fallen and dreaming of a future in which the battle was won.
His speech ended saying, "This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this Earth."
---
"Earth," I said aloud as I woke up.
"What's that Honey?" asked Feather Dreamer.
"I have to find a way to get to Earth," I answered, "That's where the help I need is."
"How are you going to get there?" she asked, "I've never heard of that place."
"I don't know yet," I answered looking at the page I had turned to in 'Advanced Spellcraft for the Elite Potion Maker' and read the title 'opening a portal to another dimension', "I have an idea though."
-
I was flying through an unfamiliar woods, silently celebrating the fact that my potion worked. All I had to do to get back was drink a return potion. It only worked for the one sent through, so I had to devise another method to bring the help once I found it.
The portal itself was no big deal, but setting the destination took years of study and simply reversing it would be like putting your friends address in a GPS backward expecting directions home.
I didn't have much time. In my research, I learned that time moves a lot faster in Equestria than in this dimension, and I left Feather with Sweet.
I flew over a few of the creatures who were messing with three odd machines that were chained together. I didn't know how to approach them so I just kept going until I saw a stream to sit by and think up a plan. I already knew I sucked at planning, but I couldn't just fly up to them and say hello.
Just as I was having that thought I heard a twig snap. I looked up ready to spring into action but I was blinded by a strange flash that seemed to come out of nowhere. I thought I was under attack until I saw one of the creatures starting to run.
I couldn't let him get away, this was my chance. I tackled him to the ground.
"Please," I said, "you have to hear me out. My land is under attack and I need somepony who knows about war."
He stopped fighting and looked me in the eye, "Did you just talk?" he asked.
"Look who's talking now," I said, "This is weird for me too, but I really need your help, I need one of you to come back to my world with me and help put an end to the bloodshed."
"I can't exactly be gone for months," he said, "even if I could help."
"I know you can help," I said, "any creature like you is going to know a lot more about war than anypony back home. The nice thing is you won't have to be gone more than a few days. Time in Equestria runs twenty times faster, you can be there for months, and still come back here a few days later."
"Really?" he asked, "I guess I may as well, I'm probably dreaming anyway. I'll do it. My names Jeremy Blade by the way."
"That's a weird name," I said, "mine is Daylight Dreamer. All I need is a sample of your hair and I can pull you into Equestria. I thought I'd go for midnight here. Since I assume humans sleep. So that would be a good time for you to sneak away."
"Good idea," he said, "I better get back or their gonna worry about me. See you tonight." He pulled out a couple of his really short hairs and I held out an envelope for him to put them in.
I was overjoyed that I had found help so fast. I only had to leave Feather and Sweet alone for a couple days. I was also glad it had been close to nightfall when I arrived on earth, I could summon him in just a few days.
-
Things were finally falling into place. Jeremy and his friends had come up with a sort of unorthodox plan that took a good three months, but it succeeded.
It was time to send them back. What was left of my team could take care of things from there?
I waited at the edge of the field where Apple Seed once dreamed of planting an orchard. I saw Jordan on his way to pick me up. I could have flown to the meeting spot, but I wanted one last ride in that crazy contraption of his before there were no humans around to drive it and it only seemed fitting to wait with Apple Seed and Jerry.
I pulled on a chain around my neck until my hoof found a music note pendant. I held it out to look at it as I heard Jordan get closer. The gang was getting together one last time. If not in body, at least in spirit.
He pulled up and opened the door for me, "you ready?" he asked.
"As I'll ever be," I said, "I'm sorry about Jerry."
He sighed loudly, "It couldn't be helped, I know you tried. It's not like you didn't lose friends of your own."
"Let's just do this," I said, "before I think too hard about the fact that I'm about to lose two more friends."
"Hey," he said, "you came up with this part of the plan, you know your gonna see us. You won't remember us, but we will know who you are. I may be the odd one out, I may not live near Jeremy on earth, but I WILL be in touch, and he IS going to tell me when you're born. I'll be around."
"That's reassuring," I said.
We made our way to an oak tree that was to be our meeting point. It was already the biggest tree around, if it lived another 500 years somepony could hollow it out and turn it into a library complete with a loft bedroom.
Celestia, Jeremy, Feather, Sculptured Stone, and Kizzy were all waiting. Along with the spouses and foals.
Sculptured Stone was next to his wife Soft Magic. They met when they made up half of my first potions class. Neither expected to find another unicorn. Now a third, only three years old, and by the name of Rubble Stonesmith sat between them.
Kizzy had yet to bear a child but her parents had sent a suitor named Xavier that she was falling for.
Drum Beat and Apple Seed had been survived by their families. Golden Meadows was there with a ten-year-old Apple Tart, and Treble Clef had brought Sweet Symphony who was only four.
Sweet Dreams looked at me from her mother's side and gave me her mother's enormous smile. She was only seven years old and was already making her old man proud.
I looked to Celestia as I approached the group.
"I have already given Jeremy all the necessary instruction to use the crystal," Celestia said, "You will not feel time pass until you are born again, but you know better than anypony that you have plenty of time before you must enter it. I am hoping you make it to old age if only so I can make sure you get a chance to rest. Everything should be ready. You simply have to open the portal."
"Before I do, I'd like to say a few words," I said, everypony stood at attention. Just then, another pony landed in the group.
"Easy Glider!" I greeted my friend, "I thought you couldn't make it."
"With everything these guys did," he said, "with everything you've done. I was not going to miss this, you may have made a lot of new friends, but our friendship has endured the test of time. I had to be with you as you sent your new friends away." He stood straight up and saluted, "It is an honor to be your friend, Lead Medic Dreamer."
"Thank you," I said saluting back, "It is an honor to be your friend, Commander Glider." I turned back to the crowd and cleared my throat. "I just want to thank each and every one of you. I never thought we would be here today. If it weren't for the friendship of all of you, and of those who couldn't make it, Equestria would not have a shred of hope left. I know you all see me as the pony that made it all happen, but I really didn't. I just got the right group of friends together. You made it happen. We may have to say goodbye to a couple of you, but I know that Equestria will live on to brighter days. This nation shall not perish from this world."
"I could not have said it better myself," Celestia said, "Now, it is time."
"Alright," I said. I drew a circle in the dirt and poured a potion into it. a light blue aura began to swirl into the air until it was about six feet high, "The portal is ready."
Jeremy and Jordan looked at each other.
"You remember the story?" Jeremy asked itching his face.
"We managed to get the Jeep out and all decided to take it for a test run," Jordan answered, "We got out to get a view of the terrain on the edge of the cliff near the civilian campgrounds, the parking brake failed causing the Jeep to fall off a cliff with Jerry inside. The cliff we're talking about has a fast moving stream at the bottom. They were swept away and we were stuck miles from the base. We started walking back to our own jeeps but tried to take a short cut and got lost in the woods without a compass."
"Perfect," Jeremy said, "We better git. We have a lot of explaining to do. It's not gonna be easy to explain how a couple soldiers got lost, but its a big woods. We'll manage."
"Yea," Jordan said itching his own face, "I know we had to look scruffy to be convincing, but I can't wait to shave."
They walked up to the portal and Jordan went first.
Before leaving Jeremy turned to me, "I can't wait to meet you all over again." He stepped into the portal before I could say a word.