//------------------------------//
// 1007 pt 1 
// Story: EaW: From Front to Front - The Great War 
// by Warpony72 
//------------------------------//

Sent March 21, 1007

Dear Cyril,

First, let me express condolences for the death of your Emperor. I only heard the news after I'd just gotten off the boat in Manehattan. Your homeland and mine haven’t had the best of relations in history, but I understand Grover V did his best with a bad plate, and genuinely cared for his subjects.  I’m sure you’re devastated.

On a brighter note, Equestria is such a marvelous place.  I’ve never seen a land so bright and lit up. I’ve only seen Manehattan and the countryside, but so far it's unlike anything back in Griffonia.  I’m writing this on the train, but I’ll be sure to send it once I stop at the end. Should give me a day or two to get it written up.

I keep thinking about our conversation before we said goodbye, in Rottendedam. I know it was literally the only thing we said to each other, but it still sticks in my head regardless. I find that, despite having just met you a week or so ago, I miss you already. Strange, isn’t it?

Wishing you well,

-Paige





Sent April 16th, 1007

Paige,

Thanks for your words. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to feel about the Emperor’s death. He’s such a distant figure on the throne, sometimes it's hard to relate. The whole Empire mourns, however.

The Empire’s in chaos right now. The Regency Council is doing their best to hold things together, but from what I hear Griffenheim’s become a political shit pile.  The Archon and the Duchess of Strawberry are having it out, and apparently they’re giving high-level commoners the vote alongside nobles in the palace. Things must be more desperate than even I thought.  Every griff's trying to take what they can, sometimes I wonder if anyone’s trying to save it. Sunstriker Clan broke ranks with us as soon as word of the Emperor's death got out. Let’s hope those traitors are the last.

I’ve been assigned to the ‘Synovial’ division, a panzer testing unit. It's strange to jump from infantry tactics to panzer, much more technical. They’re running us on these new prototypes, something called an ‘LI-1’. Not too sure how it differs from the old Airbenders I see parked in the yards here, but from what I hear it's supposed to be the end result of study with the Changelings. I will say, it's nice to be inside of something instead of trekking across muddy fields.  They’re talking about big changes to come. I don’t know how I feel about that.

Some news of your home, in case you were wondering and the newspapers out there hadn’t updated you yet. Chancellor River Swirl won your election. I wouldn’t even have known if I hadn’t been watching the papers.  You kind of opened my eyes to the wider world, and now I’m not sure I can go back from that now.

I think back on our talk too. Rottendedam was just a few weeks ago, but I miss you too.  Writing this feels like the only thing left that’s normal these days.

I remembered something you said last time while I was out on the town.  I’m sending a few fliers from the university of Griffenheim in this envelope, stuff about a lecture on theoretical enchantments. I know it's not the newspapers you were all about, but I hope some of the more intellectual terms would give you a challenge to learn. Maybe not.

I’ll write again when I can.

-Cyril





Sent May 9th, 1007

Dear Cyril,

Thank you so much for the fliers. It's fascinating to read about the university’s curriculum in a different language. Herzlandisch was always a challenge for me, so you’ve provided me with plenty of entertainment.  Though, I’m afraid I already know most of what they have to offer me.

I’m settled in to the university. It's a wounderous place, full of bright minds. I don’t know what I expected, but I’m surrounded by prodigies who are even younger than I am. I’m suddenly so nervous. Classes are supposed to start soon, and then I can get a measure of myself, I suppose. I've been studying like mad in the meantime. The library is plenty well-stocked with far more advanced technical tomes and scrolls than I had imagined.

I found out something fascinating while I was here. Apparently there's a healthy population of batponies in Equestria, though you’d probably know them better as thestrals. There haven’t been thestrals in the Riverlands since, well, ever.  Or at least, it's not well covered. My roommate Gloaming Bright is one, but she’s not eager to open up. I think she’s a bit defensive. There’s not many other thestrals here, if any.  I want to say I understand her situation, given I’m the only Riverpony here I know of, but somehow I think it's not the same.

It's interesting what you’re describing. I’m not much into mechanical engineering myself, but I do know Changelings have some of the best technical knowledge in the world. That’s going to be some top quality machinery you’re in, if it had their input.  Are you sure you’re allowed to talk about military hardware like that?

Its later. I started this letter earlier, but I stopped for a while. I knew I'd miss home, but I didn't think it would be this bad already. I haven’t even heard from my parents yet. Or my other friends. Just you so far.

Thank you, Cyril.

Sincerely,

-Paige





Sent May 28th, 1007

Paige,

I’ve heard about thestrals before, but they were always stories, just a legend about creatures of the night come to snatch bad chicks from their beds.  I had no idea they were real.  That’s a little unnerving.  If half the tales about them are true, you need to watch yourself.  I have no idea why Equestria would let such creatures into their academies.  Just watch yourself around them.

The tension is getting worse over here. As well as our problems at home, Longsword just broke into a civil war a few weeks back. You probably read about it in the news. Could be that’s why mail from your home is having trouble getting through.  Still, can’t say no one saw it coming. Only so long you can push creatures around, ponies or griffons, before somecreature snaps.

I’ll tell you what I’ve read up on from the Riverlands.  Apparently, after the coup Lake City installed some Prince.  So much for democracy.  I don’t know much about the underlying history there aside from what public school taught me, and that was still a bit lacking.  Apparently there’s some other tensions going on in the east, so much so that the Order of Hellquill actually starting building a grand fortification project, something called the ‘Ostwall’.  I don’t know much aside from what I’ve been briefed, and that didn’t tell us too much either.  You’re average Imperial grunt isn’t very smart.  A lot of us can’t even read.  Most of us enlisted either out of family pride or because there aren’t many options outside of the elite merchant and scholar families.  It's just kind of our fate.

One more thing, you probably haven’t heard but the Reformistan has been suppressed in the east.  Apparently, they stopped being very popular in the Griffkrieg Basin.  Most of us are saying good riddance.  They have a bad rap here too, rest assured.  A few of them came west from the fighting in Longsword and the purges in Hellquill.  From what I heard, they were shot.

On that subject, I got a letter from my uncle.  Apparently, the MfÖS saw me as a risk and were about to bring me in for questioning before he intervened.  So I’m sorry if I have to be a bit more vague in the future.  But I can tell you one thing; whatever is happening in Griffenheim, in the Imperial palace, its seems like High Kommand is getting ready for something serious.  That prototype I mentioned we were field testing before?  We’re getting more of them, a lot more.  Our training regime has gotten more serious.  We’re trained on all stations, but Sergeant Hellseig seems to think I have a thing for the 3.7 cm, which is a delight to fire on the range.  We’re getting issued new arms out of the reserves, and I’m seeing more recruits coming out of the Crona training camps than were even in my cycle.  More and more planes are flying overhead, and they’ve even got this new light bomber called a ‘Griefvogel’.  The Luftstreitkräfte have to be happy about that, I imagine.  Imperial Guard training was intense, but it seems they’re overhauling our combat capabilities something fierce.  Someone knows something, and the more I’m seeing a buildup, the more worried I get.

Stay safe, okay?

-Cyril





Sent June 22nd, 1007

Dear Cyril,

A bit more cheer before I go into the grim news.  Yesterday was a festival known as the Summer Sun Celebration.  I didn’t know much about it, but I got a recommendation to go into Canterlot from one of my classmates, so I stretched my wings for a bit.  You’d love the countryside, I think.  Nothing but green forests and small towns as far as the eye could see.  Reminds me of home.  Gloaming didn’t come with, which I suppose makes sense as a creature of the night not wanting to celebrate the sun.  Still, she seems like she could really use some cheer.  She’s into her studies harder than I am.

Canterlot is about the prettiest place you’ve ever seen, and I’m not talking grand or large or anything like that.  Griffenheim has size on this place, but Canterlot is gorgeous.  That’s not a word I use often either.  The whole city is made of white walls and boulevards, ornamental lightposts and archways, gardens and fountains.  Its seems as if this city was built from the ground up to be as beautiful as possible, even the manufacturing plants which have their smokestacks piped underground to keep the sky as blue as possible.  From an architectural standpoint, it had to have been done by magic.  No other method comes out this clean.

The ponies had the place decorated from roof to street, every building.  Strings of lights, sun lamps, pictures of the sunrise.  A local school apparently had every colt and filly draw pictures of Celestia and they had all of these all over the place.  Carnival games, shows, fireworks.  It went all night, and I honestly lost track of the time until morning.  Now I warn you to keep an open mind about this next part.  They gathered us all in front of the castle, where Princess Celestia actually put on a demonstration of raising the sun.  I know what you’re going to say, but it's a proven fact that she has command over the sun, not Boreas.  She’s not my ruler either, but the evidence has shown that if she is unable to, the sun doesn’t move without her.  I didn’t stick around long after sunrise anyways, since I had a flight back, but I heard the celebration went on the rest of the day as well.  I’m all for a late-nighter every once in a while, but I had too much to get back to.

I heard of another affair up north called the Crystal Fair.  I was told its a lot like the Summer Sun Celebration, but in the Crystal Empire. While it sounds like fun, I was too late to buy tickets to that one. Besides, my studies are already keeping me busy.  Perhaps I'll read about it when it happens. Bound to be a newspaper article about it if it's such a big deal.

Okay, now the grim news.  The story about Longsword hit the papers the other day.  Good riddance indeed.  The Reformistan are monsters.  I’m actually relieved even the Empire thinks so.  The attitude about the fight back here is concern for the ponies, but I’m worried about the implications.  Its sounds like East Griffonia is heading for a bad time.  I don’t know if you still hear about Prywhen these days, I’m certain that’s old news.  But before I left, there was a lot of ponies worried about what the end of that fight would mean for the region.

I had heard about the Princely Restoration in Jezerograd.  Grand Prince Heavenly Snow is the name of the latest legitimate heir to the throne.  It’s honestly just a bunch of military minds who want to use a figurehead monarch to fix their problems.  Lake City was never a very straight democracy, and this just proves it.  Not that that’s a real issue.  Half of the Riverlands are monarchies of some kind.  I’m just concerned what else they’re going to pull in the name of past glory.

You mentioned your uncle in your last letter, but I’ve never heard you talk much about your parents.  What’s the rest of your family like?  I told you about my parents, but I didn’t mention my brother Brook Runner.  He’s a businessstallion working in Coltovac, with a position in the shipping industry.  I say ‘businessstallion’ but he sees himself as a bit of a river pirate, even though he’s not a criminal.  That I know of, anyway.

I think you’ve gotten the wrong idea about thestrals.  Gloaming’s the only one I’ve spent a lot of time around, and she doesn’t seem anything like the old stories.  She eats fruit, not blood, she doesn’t terrify anyone.  Honestly, she really gets picked on herself, just for being a thestral.  Maybe the world’s been a bit too hard on them.  Gloaming certainly just wants to be left alone.  I’ll do some reading on this, I feel like we may only have half the story here.

You asked me to stay safe, but from what it sounds like you’re in a lot more danger than I am out here.  There’s all kinds of outcomes I can think of for that and none of them are good.  Whatever happens with you needing to keep quiet, I understand.  I just hope you don’t get into something that’s too much to handle.  I’d hate to lose my penpal after we’ve just gotten started.

Sincerely,

-Paige





Sent July 16th, 1007

Dear Paige,

I’ll ignore the religious debate you just brought up, since I know that’s not what you’re getting at and I’m not a very fervent temple goer anyway.

All these festivals and fairs in Canterlot.  It sounds like Fastnacht, which is essentially like the Summer Sun Festival except with less sun-raising demigods and more drinking.  The high point is Rosenmontag, where a grand parade is put on to drive evil spirits out of the home with merriment.  You just missed it in Rottendedam.  A shame too.  Feathisians love Fastnacht, especially Weiberfastnacht.  The Thursday before Fastnacht, we set out a grand feast for the community, and eat our fill to prepare for the festival.  I missed the last one myself, not all of us got the opportunity to go home for the holidays.  We had some good beer to make up for it, though.  Canterlot sounds unreal.  Like, literally unreal.  No industrialized society can make a city look that nice.  It all turns into ugly towers and city blocks, no matter how hard they try.  Suppose that’s the benefit of Pegasi weather control and unicorn magic.

My family is a bit of a hard subject.  My father was a soldier in the Reichsarmee, military police.  He inherited a lot of the chaos and disorder in the Empire left over from the Kemerskai Meuterei.  One day, he was shot during a riot in Romau, and my mother was left with me and my younger sister, Sophie.  My mother did her best, but there was only so much a millworker could do to feed two chicks.  I enlisted as soon as I could, so now there’s more money and fewer beaks to fill at home.  But my mother didn’t agree.  She didn’t want me to be swallowed up by the same chaos that took my father.  Uncle August promised her he’d watch out for me.  He’s the one who got me into the panzerwaffe, so he’s holding true to his word.

Your brother sounds like a smuggler, Paige.  I’m not even joking here, you need to ask him.  I’ll bet you twenty bits.

I’m not saying I’m absolutely right about thestrals.  Not saying I'm wrong either. Most of what I know is from old legends.  But you seem to be interacting with them more than I ever will.  I just want to point out that reputations come from somewhere.  Be careful around them, that’s all.

I don’t know if its war.  I just know that things are getting bad out here.  Word from Longsword is getting worse, and I hear plenty of officers are grumbling about intervention.  I looked into Prywhen like you asked, and it's not much better either.  Refugees are travelling hundreds of miles to get nowhere, really.  I also found out that there’s been a hold order on all mail coming west, given the state of things.  No safe route, apparently.  So if you still haven’t heard from your family, I am sorry.  With all the violence in the east, postal lines are all messed up.

I got my claws on a newspaper about the Riverlands Hoofball Cup.  I’m not sure if you’re into that sport, but I decided to send it west.  I also bought a book for you called Of Things That Never Happened.  I didn’t read it myself, a lot of the words are too advanced for me.  But I thought you might like it, and it's another way to practice your Herzlandisch, so I got you a copy.

I can’t imagine what it’s like at that school.  The only time I’ve been to a university was to visit Uncle August and that time I stopped by Griffenheim University.  It's so far beyond me- (the next part is scratched out with several lines)

Equestria sounds like a nice place.  I don’t know if I’ll ever see a land like that.  It just seems like Griffonia is doomed to war and chaos and grim circumstance.  I want to come visit next time I can, but with training ongoing right now, I don’t know if I’ll ever get the leave for it.

This next part I’m writing from my panzer, Ludmilla.  Testing is ongoing.  They’re drilling us as much as they are testing the tanks.  Now we’ve got artillery panzers, flakpanzers, panzerjager.  They’ve turned this into a major training and development field.  New stuff at home too.  They’ve done an overhaul of industrial production in Griffenheim, and Sophie says they changed teachers at her school.  She’s a lot more into her classes now.  My mother is happy, and so am I.  Maybe the Empire’s not going to war.  Maybe we’re just taking precautions.  The Emperor’s death threw a lot of us for a loop.  Maybe that’s what it took for things to change.  A huge crisis. The Regency Council’s definitely trying, for all the issues they’re apparently having.  The newspapers aren’t divulging much, but the military rumor machine is running full tilt.

We’ve been saying how much we miss each other. If I can score some leave when you’re on break, where would you want to meet? I don’t know that I can afford a boat trip to Equestria on a zoldat’s salary, but I can get back to Rottendedam. How about it? First chance we get, beer and pretzels back by the harbor?  I’ll buy.

Yours,

-Cyril





Sent August 14th, 1007

Dear Cyril,

I am so sorry this took so long to send! Your letter didn’t get to me until the beginning of the month, and then I got so bogged down with my classes. It took me forever to write you a response.

I loved the book. It's a little thin on plot, and the author seems like he’s putting too much of himself into the character sometimes, but the internal turmoil and dialogue were stellar. You really should give it a try, it's not as bad as you think. Though, given its about a Republican agent, I think your superiors might frown on that.  So I got you the newest Daring Do book! ‘Daring Do and the Forbidden City of Clouds’. I’m a big fan of the series, and I didn’t know if you read it. Sorry it's not in Herzlandisch. I don’t know if they published it in anything but Equestrian yet.

I finally heard back from my family. I was so worried about them when you told me about the mail holdup, I sprang for a dragon to send a notice. Imagine my surprise when I got a reply the next day! They’re fine, thank Gods, just worried since they had learned their mail wasn’t getting through. News of the wars out there has the while Riverlands on alert. Apparently Prince Heavenly Snow has been making a lot of firebrand speeches against griffons, socialists, socialist griffons, you get the picture.  He’s apparently not willing to let ancient history go, and Lake City is behind him on that.  The context is a bit much to get into here, but I recommend you check it out in a library if you can get to one. If you’re interested.

Gloaming’s finally started opening up.  We have Advanced History of Arcana class together, so we’ve been study buddies a little bit. According to her, thestrals have been suffering the same sort of distrust you’ve been having, through stories and their strange appearances. It's actually really heart-breaking, but a lot of thestrals live in the jungles and hinterlands. Ponies don’t like them, and she’s had to deal with that her whole life.  I’m not going to call you close-minded, but I’d really appreciate it if you try to look at this with a bit more open perspective. I started looking into it, and I found a charity group that’s trying to raise thestral awareness. I’m thinking of joining up. This is the same kind of issue ponies in East Griffonia are facing, and I know plenty of those who were personally affected by that kind of mistreatment.

It's nice to hear more about your family. I’m sorry about your father, and my heart goes out to your mother and sister. It sounds like your family has been through quite a bit.  I hope you’re not going to war either. With everything that's happening, the last thing Griffonia needs is more chaos, and I don’t want you in the line of fire.

Rottendedam sounds great. I know you said you don’t know when you’ll next get leave, but let’s hope it’ll be around my holiday break. I have most of December and part of January off. I know it seems like a ways off, but I’ll be taking my midterms before then, so the pressure will be off me and that’ll hopefully be enough time for things to calm down back east, enough you can get out to Feathisia.

Now it just seems like forever to wait. A few months turned into an eternity.

Sincerely,

-Paige

PS. And I apparently owe you twenty bits. Please find enclosed.





Sent Sept 8, 1007

Dear Paige,

I always feel like my letters are packed full of more bad news than yours ever are. I hope this doesn’t continue being a trend, not that I’m wishing any misfortune on you.

It's my turn to apologize for taking so long. We were out on maneuvers in Hellheim, practicing battle tactics with infantry and panzers combined. A Changeling actually gave us a lecture on revolutionary panzer strategy and combat lessons. Made me feel like I was learning something worthwhile at last.

I heard, and so will you soon. The Prywhen fight is over. The communists won. I understand that doesn’t carry the same sense of dread for you as it does for me, but it could really still be a problem. Word is the Empire might blast through Blackrock to intervene. Then again, there’s no movement south. They haven’t pulled any of us out of training.

I’ve been sorted into a new unit. We’re not Imperial Guard anymore. From the briefing we received from Field Marshal Bronzetail, we’re regular Reichsarmee now, us and a bunch of divisions. I’m getting transferred out of the Synovial division and into the 3rd Panzer Division. Apparently the Regency Council made the decision after the Archon insisted on a reorganization of Imperial forces. This is big. Those panzers I mentioned before (let’s not give the censor a reason to start cutting) are much better than we thought. We’re riding in better versions now, and we know what we're doing. Sergeant Hellseig has me permanently assigned on the gun. The battalion are my circle of friends now, and Ludmilla the 2nd is our trusted chariot. It's a unique bond, almost like family.

I’m not labeling all thestrals as bad or anything. I just haven’t had much reason to trust-(the rest of the sentence is scratched out).

I’m just gonna drop it. You have your reasons, and I’m okay with that, honest.

I’m trying to read the book, but it's slow going. I’m not so good with Equestrian. I have to find the words that are close enough in Herzlandisch, and then look over the whole sentence again. By the time of this letter, I haven’t even finished the first chapter. Its a bit frustrating, but I'm keeping at it.

More units, more gear. Word is, we’ll be getting AA guns supporting us. No neighboring army has a decent air force until you get to Aquileia. Which means these are meant to kill Knights. That thought always leaves a bad taste in my beak.

End of the year is a ways off. Lucky me, that’s when High Kommand gets charitable with leave. Rottendedam it is then. Once we get a day, I'll wait for you in the harbor. Then I'll take you out for dinner like I should have six months ago.  Can’t wait.

No, seriously. I’m sick of waiting.

-Cyril