"You look like you barely slept."
"Guess why."
"Thought you'd think about going to sleep early knowing what was coming today."
"I can't just knock myself to sleep, On'. Not when my head doesn't want me to."
"Nervous about the war?"
"And you aren't? I suppose you've done actual work as a guard before. They never called me though, didn't think they ever would. I was honestly fine running my shop, I shouldn't have signed in hindsight. Too late to run away."
"I feel like you're skipping pieces, Clip."
"Happens when the only sleep I got was a few hours forced by exhaustion and I'm probably on the verge of a mental breakdown."
"Okay. Listen. They'll see you're not doing too well, they'll probably keep you in the back. I'll put in a word for you if I can, too. Don't do anything stupid."
"Like I haven't done enough stupid things in my life already. At least I'd be remembered for something."
"Clip."
"Clip what? Am I wrong? I'm a footnote in ponies' lives at best. They remember me less than the place they meet me in and they don't care about that place in the first place. Has anyone ever thought there was anything noteworthy about a shop? I'm a background character in history."
"You're a very tired stallion is what you are. And you're my friend, and you've got a family too."
"I've got parents that sooner or later will die and now my friend is going to do the same trying to conquer a damn city that's not even in our world."
"I'm not going to die."
"That's what ponies do in war, On'. This isn't a patrol mission in a town where nothing ever happens because a wild animal knocked something over and the mayor is a paranoid freak who sees signs of rebels everywhere. You're going out there to kill and the ponies on the other side are going to do the same, and if you die I'm going to be left with nothing."
"You'll still have your family. And your shop. And your life."
"Nothing that will have me remembered. And let's be honest if you die out there then I'm doing the same, you're a better soldier than me."
"You should have said it sooner that this thing was getting to your head. They would have done something about it."
"Sent me back to being a nobody? At least if I die here my name will end up somewhere. Maybe if we only lose a few I'll even be remembered."
"You're not making any sense."
"I can't even feel the way time moves right now. I'm pretty sure if I drank something I would vomit. I am not doing well and I at least have the decency to recognise that I'm probably spitting nonsense and I am not in a right state of mind. If I do anything even stupider than what I've done in my life so far, please try to stop me. Okay?"
"...Okay."