The battle raged on for what felt like forever. Over the course of it, I found myself backed into a proverbial corner several times thanks to the fact that I needed to hold back. None of us wanted to cause any lasting or traumatic injuries to our enemies, but if our hooves were forced, we’d have no choice.
For me, it was a sense of pride that I wanted to keep about myself. I didn’t wish to stoop to their level. These weren’t just faceless, generic soldiers. These zebs were people with their own lives, families, friends. If we did the same to them, then we’d be no better. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely was not going to allow this regime to continue as it currently stood. But if there was a way to get them to see the error of their methods...then we could get somewhere.
“BEHIND YOU!” one of my allies shouted.
My ear flicked in response to the warning. I performed a sweep kick to trip my attacker and followed up with a bit of magic to force them away. “Too close…” I muttered.
Being in the field...twas a neat feeling. Most of my time was spent behind the desk or investigating a scene or two. Here? I was most certainly out of my element. I could have sworn that I already pulled a muscle or two and had used more than my daily average of magic from my horn.
That’s when Zecora quickly pulled me to the side, and away from the battle behind some bushes.
“Wh--ma’am! We just started!” I chided her for such a decision, “What are you thinking by--hrrk!”
All the sudden, she forced the tip of a glass bottle into my mouth. “Shhh. There is very little time to think. I can sense that you are tired, so hurry up and drink,” she commanded and peeked out of the bushes to observe the chaos that ensued.
I trusted her, so I didn’t see any problem with a brew she had for me. I quickly downed the bottle, and felt my stamina return. The aches of battle slowly dissipated along with the strain that I felt from using my magic in such strenuous ways.
“...Blimey, ma’am. I didn’t expect that you would pick up on something like that so soon,” I replied with a smile as I stood up, “I appreciate it, but now we have to get back out there.”
Zecora turned to face me with a rather authoritative tone. “No. Your brother is in captivity. Leave the rest to my friends and me.”
Was she thick? How was I supposed to do something like that? Leave them...preposterous!
“What are you talking about?” I questioned, “I can’t just leave you all here. This is our fight!”
“You must!” Zecora had finally snapped, and pushed me against a nearby tree, “This is something you have to do for your brother! And I will not allow you to ruin the chance to save him from the clutches of these disgusting zebras!” She huffed, with a few puffs of steam that exited her nostrils. But the biggest takeaway?
None of that rhymed at all.
“...I...Zecora?” I gently pushed her off of me, and looked her in the eyes. “Is there something you want to get off your chest?” I needed to know. I wasn’t going to allow a friend--a fellow squadmate no less--trip themselves up over emotion in the heat of battle.
The zebra lady sighed, and rubbed a hoof against her forehead. “...I apologize, Flash Drive. I have a lot on my mind. I too, lost those close to me when I was a foal. It was due to my insatiable desire for research that I couldn’t control.” She looked away from me for a second, and soon locked eyes with me once more. “I don’t want you to end up the same way. So I want you to focus on your brother today.”
Started to make sense, it did. Zecora really knew how to spin a situation around to where it could benefit everypony. Not just herself. And for that, she had my utmost respect.
The more I thought about it, she also had a point. If I could bust Neon out of captivity, then he and I could lay waste to the remaining forces and take this home with Farasi governing this new land. It’d be perfect.
So, out of respect for her and her advice, I heeded Zecora’s words. “...I just might do that.” However, I wasn’t going to let her off so easily. This was still a battle for the safety of all halfbreeds. “On one condition.”
“Oh really? What could it be?” she asked.
I used a bit of my own magic to push her towards the battlefield. “Get out there, and stow your fears. Be there for the rest of your comrades, and don’t you dare allow yourself to lose hope.”
“Well that’s more than reasonable,” she replied with one last look behind herself to me, “I’ll do my best if you will.”
By the time she finished that sentence, I had already started on my way. I used the bushes and the other nearby vegetation to my advantage to sneak around towards the town hall.
Unfortunately...my plan was cut short by a certain zebra mare.
“There you are,” Kwaade dropped out of a nearby tree to greet me. “I should have known you would go back on your word and try to save your brother by using the battle as a distraction. But no more...now it’s time. You will properly pay for the storm that you have brought upon my homeland with your life.”
Despite her threats, I did my best to be reasonable. “Listen...ma’am. There’s no need for that. If we must fight, let it be to determine who is stronger. Not who deserves to live.”
Unfortunately, she didn’t accept my words. An oddly blue aura started to swirl around her body. “...Enough. ENOUGH! No more words...just fight.”
To say that this made me feel uneasy would be the understatement of the century.