Pretty Pond flipped through her spellbook and did her best to learn more about the subtleties of magic. In war, even the slightest edge could end up saving someone’s life. It had been a few hours after the megahorn incident when the supply truck returned from Swordsson. A griffon jumped out of the driver’s seat and hurried around the back to begin offloading it. This was odd, as the truck was supposed to resupply them only once per week. Pond just sat and watched in silence as the griffon rushed over to them with excitement.
“Comrades! We’ve got new gear for you all! Special delivery today! And have you heard the news from Equus?”
That was interesting. Way out here in the middle of Griffonia, news from the other side of the world didn’t come through very often. Swift Bolt walked right past Pond and spoke up “Slow down there, griff, what’s going on here?”
“The Changelings have invaded the Kingdom of Olenia!”
That got everyone’s attention.
“That’s… damn… that’s worrying, but you mentioned something about gear?”
It was another awkward moment for everyone eavesdropping on their conversation, but it was understandable for the indifference on display by Swift Bolt. Equus was so far off, it may as well be on the moon itself, and Olenia was especially distant from everyone’s concerns.
The griffon then led Swift Bolt back to the rear-end of the truck and a few other soldiers followed. Pond glanced to her right and saw Oskar scanning across the river with his binoculars again.
Now was her chance.
She got up and trotted over to the stern knight-captain while everyone was focused on the truck. “Oskar… what do your avian eyes see?”
“Beakstadt on the horizon… far on the horizon… my hometown.”
Pond’s heart sank. “I’m terribly sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll be marching through its streets soon enough.”
Pond couldn’t help but spread a very wide smirk across her face. Oskar was not a comedian by any stretch of the imagination, but he had his own kind of comedy, the kind that only a griffon knight could muster. Oskar noticed Pond’s facial expression and allowed himself only the softest of smiles.
“Listen, Oskar, I really shouldn’t be asking you about this, but Swift Bolt told me about your story. I’m just a curious and nosy little pony, but I really wanted to ask… why?”
Oskar’s smile and enthusiasm vanished almost instantly. He put down his binoculars and turned to face Pretty Pond with a neutral expression on his face.
“You want to know why I left the Reformisten? Hmmm. Well, I suppose I can tell you why in a word: Vaideva. I used to think that it was impossible that ponies and griffons could ever truly live together in peace, especially out here on the frontier. I’m assuming Swift Bolt told you a little about the fact that I was slated to be executed before being visited by Golden Morning? It’s true…”
Pond and Oskar both saw that the other pegasi and griffons were approaching from the truck, and Oskar patted Pond on the shoulder before finishing in a hurry.
“The short story is that I believe that Golden Morning is on a mission from the gods themselves. He certainly has the willpower to convince me that a better world is possible; not only possible, but that it’s worth fighting for it. I never would have believed it from anyone else.”
Pond took Oskar’s words to heart. She didn’t really know the Vaideva herself at all outside of propaganda. The testimony from Oskar, short as it was, filled Pretty Pond with hope in the cause she had committed herself to fighting for. Suddenly, her head was filled with a romantic and handsome image of a young and strapping stallion leading his people into battle like the kings and chieftains of old.
Before she could daydream more about the idealized image of Golden Morning, Pond was interrupted when Radiant Flash walked right up to her.
“Hey Pond, what are you thinking about?”
“Oh! Hi Flash! I was just thinking about uhhh… the Revolution… and the war to come against the Reformisten. How are you?”
Pond was struggling to hide her surprise and her anxiety. Truth be told, she really liked Radiant Flash, but it was poor form for a mare to be daydreaming about a stallion that wasn’t the one in her immediate interest. Flash smirked at her, and that made her anxiety get worse.
“Well, Pond, have you seen what they brought in for us on that truck back there? Enchanted armor for our knights, first-aid kits for you, new guns for everyone! Word has it, we’re going to test these things very soon!”
Pond’s interest was piqued. She knew that the second truck in two days was odd, but the arrival of new equipment was what really spelled things out for her. She walked with Flash over to the small pillbox that acted as an impromptu bedding area for the ISO soldiers here. There were several creatures gathered around, handing out new and interesting pieces of equipment. Swift Bolt was among them when he saw Pretty Pond and Radiant Flash walk over.
“Pond, new medicine kit for you to supplement your magic. Catch!”
He tossed over a slingbag which Pond caught in her hooves. Before she had a minute or two to figure out what exactly she had been handed, Flash was right in front of her with a submachine gun, as well as a dumb smile on his face that always made him look so handsome.
“Tommy guns! I already got one when I was busted out of prison, this one is yours!”
He handed the SMG to Pond like he was handing over a bouquet of flowers and asking for her hoof in marriage.
“Alright everyone, listen close…” Swift Bolt spoke up as more creatures in their squad were milling about, sorting through their new weapons and armor, “The war against Hellquill is coming up sooner than we expected, and high command needs a probe across the river.”
There was an instant murmur amongst the assembled ISO commandos, especially the pegasi. Pond didn’t understand why, but the griffons of the Rosewood Order were mostly silent about the revelation. Griffons were always more grim and more stern about these types of things, but these knights especially stood out from other griffs like those in the Violet Guard.
“That’s where the ISO comes in. We’re going on a night raid tonight! Pond, I need you to come with us. Griffs and Pegasi, get your shit together and prepare for action after sundown. We’re staying up extra late tonight!”
“Will knight-captain Oskar be joining us?” One Pegasus named Smoky… Smoky something? (Pretty Pond couldn’t remember his name. She was always more of a face person, and never a name person).
“No… he will not… as well as a few others who will stay behind and man these posts. Radiant Flash, Scarlet Beetle, Oskar, Mythic Vision, von Teufel, and Erik.”
Well then, Pond figured she better get her magics ready, as well as figure out what exactly she just got promoted to, the squad medic? She sifted through her new sling, and found all sorts of basic medical utensils. Supposedly, these were to supplement her magic, but she couldn’t help but feel like these were more of an improvement on her limited healing powers.
Shortly after figuring out how to work with her new kit, she was bumped from behind by, of course, Radiant Flash.
“Looks like I’m staying here this time, and you’re the one going over. I really hate that I can’t be there to watch over you, but I think a few of the other pegasi stallions will do my job for me!”
“Flash, you were always a goofball. I promise I’ll make it back in one piece. I’m just a support soldier anyways. That’s all that us mages get to do anymore these days…”
“Just get through this raid, promise? I love you, Pond.”
“Flash! Not in front of everyone! And.. I’ve always loved you…”