//------------------------------//
//  Judged and be held Accountable. 
// Story: Joy of hidden Love and the Wrath of Lust. 
// by FoxofRarity 
//------------------------------//

  		

Joy of hidden Love and the Wrath of Lust.

By. FoxofRarity

Chapter. 52


Disclaimer- Arthur's note at end and the Native tongue Gold Sky speaks is a real tongue so it will be revealed in the note. My Little Pony Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. 


“Ow, ow, ow, it hurts, hurts ow, it hurts ow, my insides are hurting!” Rainbow groaned along with rolling on the ground while covering her abdominal area. “No more! Please no more!! Luna use your magic to save me! You love me so save me! Oooow!”  At least her body is clear of accumulated wastes so all that remains is the feeling of her intestines in overdrive. But she will rather have that feeling then to have her bottom itch like crazy which no longer does anymore thanks to Luna using a magic spell to solve that problem. 

Luna dropped flat on the ground. “Ooh never felt so bad in life, stay still Rainbow I’m going to put a body relaxing spell on you.” Luna’s horn glowed and a beam of magic stopped Rainbow’s pain. 

Rainbow let out a tired sigh. “Luna, do you think we went too far with the ink prank?” 

Luna rested her hoof on Rainbow’s rather sore belly. “I don’t think so Rainbow. Celli isn’t one to do much payback. Besides the laxative prank is the oldest form of payback in the book Rainbow. Got any ideas for our next prank for Celli?”

Rainbow quick shook her head while her eyes got wide. “I-I-I, don’t want to think up of anymore pranks! What if Princess Celestia is reading my mind right now!” 

Luna laughed and calmed Rainbow Dash down by rubbing her belly. “Celli is not reading your mind Rainbow so don’t worry, now got any ideas?” 

Rainbow Dash zipped her mouth shut. 

Luna sighed but continued rubbing Rainbow’s belly. “Fine. I’ll just tickle you instead.” 

“Hahahahahahaha…!!” Rainbow laughed until. “OH Ooooooooow!” The pain came back because Luna accidently took back the spell. 

“Sorry about that Rainbow!” Luna casted the spell again. “There the pain should be permanently gone. You want to take a nap with me on a nice cloud?” 

“Sure!! Race you to that nice puffy cloud right there.” Rainbow zoomed off after the last word left her mouth. 

Luna smiled. “I’ll race you my way.”  *Poof* “Beat you Rainbow!”  Luna lied down and lifted up her wing. 

Rainbow’s ears dropped while her face made a pouty expression. “You’re lucky I wasn’t born a Unicorn because I’ll be beating you in teleportation.” 

“But you’re better off as a Pegasus Rainbow and I love you better like that now come here already. My wing is getting tired.” 

Rainbow went under Luna’s wing and gently rubbed her head against Luna’s neck. “You know how to match my awesomeness.”

“Well you are very unique Rainbow and I cherish the unique.” Luna nuzzled Rainbow Dash on the head. “Love you Rainbow” Luna fell asleep. 

Rainbow placed her head down but her mind thought of Luna’s words. “You cherish me because I’m unique…just like Rarity.” Rainbow quickly smiled to herself. “Love you Luna.” And fell asleep.  

*First snore.* 

Luna’s eyes quickly opened. “What was that!?”

***

“Octavia, what will you say if during the ultrasound you find out you’re having twins?” Cadance asked. 

Octavia looked at the cerise mare with a funny expression. “I don’t know, but if they’re twins I hope they’re colts!”  *Squee!*

“Two sons Octavia?” Celli said with a smile. 

“Yes two sons. Me and my sons, oh it will be wonderful days for the three of us. Maybe one of them will be a Pegasus and I can have Rainbow Dash or the pink Pegasus with blond bangs teach him how to fly and my other son will be an Earth pony like me his mother. Oh the possibilities they are so mind blowing, somepony catch me!” Octavia pretended to faint the way Rarity does.  

“I got you don’t worry.” Cadance’s magic surrounded Octavia. 

“So if they are twin colts what are you going to name them?” Celestia asked. 

“Of course one of them will be named Gold Sky and the other will be named Flowing Octave.” Octavia held her head high to tell both Princesses that she is happy with the names she has picked for her twin sons; that is if she has twin sons. 

Cadance asked another question. “And what if you have twin daughters instead?” 

Octavia nearly stopped walking and went into deep thought. “I…I haven’t really thought about that. I haven’t thought about that possibility if I have a daughter…” 

“Daughters.” Celesita corrected. 

“Daughters. One of them will be named Sylvia and the other will be named…” Octavia paused. “I don’t know but look we’re here at the hospital!” 

Celestia shrugged off Octavia’s unprepared response because she’s confident Octavia will be having a son.

Cadance went to the front desk to make her request for Nurse Redheart. 

Dr. WholookslikeCarameleventhoughhe’saUnicorn came into Nurse Redheart’s office. “Hello Nurse Redheart, Princess Cadance requests your presence.” 

Nurse Redheart dropped her pen. “Did you say Princess Cadance??”

“Yes.” 

“What is she doing here in Canterlot? Doesn’t the Crystal Empire have their own hospital??”

The doctor shrugged. “I don’t know but I got Princess Cadance to sign my stethoscope, awesome!!” 

The white mare laughed with the doctor. “Well I’m on my way.” So the nurse quickly checked if her cap is on correctly. “Wonder for what reason Princess Cadance will come all the way here to see me, sure I have most experience in the medical field and I did find a way to have white blood cells attack prions since there is barely or if any treatment against those little protein punks. Anyway back to the topic at hoof, maybe Princess Cadance wants somepony of high experience.”  

Nurse Redheart walked into a waiting room. “Oh.” 

“Redheart!” Octavia went up to the nurse and gave her a hug. “It’s good to see you.”

“Likewise Octavia.” Redheart turned her attention to Cadance and Celestia. “Your majesties, it’s an honor to be in your presence.” 

“The honor is ours Nurse Redheart.” Celestia gave the nurse a nod of respect. 

Cadance turned to Octavia. “Ahem.” 

“Oh yes, Nurse Redheart I am wondering if I can have an ultrasound.” 

A small tingle went down Redheart’s spinal cord. “Well I guess she finally found out that she’s pregnant. No point in thinking about before.”  Consequently something needs to be asked first. “Octavia, don’t you think it’s too soon to have an ultrasound?”  

“My belly is already starting to bulge.” 

A look of perplexity wanted to form on Redheart’s face but she turned to Princess Celestia who has the answers to anything. 

“I will fill you in during the procedure.” Celesia said telepathically. 

Redheart led the trio to an examination room. “Octavia please lie down on that bed and hold on while I get the equipment.” She left and came back. “All right Octavia let me just put you in a semi-fowlers position. Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance will you please take a seat.”

The Princesses complied. 

Nurse Redheart noticed the forming bulge. “Impossible for baby to have rapid development. I’ve never seen this before and I hope Octavia won’t give birth prematurely.” 

After having the quick thought Redheart stopped momentarily to smile at Octavia. “Are you ready Octavia?” 

The gray mare nodded, she didn’t have the strength to say yes. In her mind is just the great feeling to see the life growing inside her womb which is perhaps the safest place in the entire earth, a new life growing inside, her flesh & blood, and many memories waiting to be made. For in the mind of a expecting mother she will be  focused on one thing. The little beating heart which signifies the continuation of a developing beginning. 

“Turning on the machine, now Octavia let me apply some petroleum jelly on the transducer. Okay I’m going to put the transducer on your belly it may be kind of cold at first but you will forget about it because your curiosity will be growing with every passing second.” 

“Ish! It’s cold.” Octavia exclaimed.

Resheart moved the transducer to the umbilical area of Octavia’s belly. “Look at the screen Octavia.”

“I’m looking.” She replied. 

“Whatever you do don’t blink.”  Nurse Redheart slowly moved the transducer to the left. 

Octavia gasped and her eyes widened! “I-I-I see him! There he is!!” Octavia pointed at the screen. “Look his head!” 

“Incredible.” Cadance said out loud to the image of the developing child. 

“Hmm, can’t tell if it’s a colt or filly? Oh well at least Octavia is in a complete state of joy right now and nothing will ruin that.” Celestia thought in her mind. 

The whites of the beautiful grayish purple eyes became pink to seeing the head move in the screen. Can tears show the happiness inside of Octavia? No, they can’t and neither will the smile on her face. Joy in this phenomenal event cannot be expressed in smiles, acts, or words; of course those will see such acts will interpret those acts as joy but a mother’s joy is expressed in her own way. Her heart will treasure this moment from today and for the rest of her endless days, a thought shows more than a smile just like a memory lasts longer than a word. For in the heart the powerful Love is born and within months the child is born to be raised with that powerful Love. Octavia’s heart is beating slow but strong while the heart of the child has yet to be heard. 

“Are there twins?” Cadance asked. 

“Hmmmm.” Nurse Redheart moved the transducer across Octavia’s belly. 

“Are there twin colts?” Octavia asked with earnest curiosity. 

Nurse Redheart looked intently at the screen with sharp weather eyes, the fading and clarifying of the occurring image gave Nurse Redheart the words she needs to answer Octavia’s and Cadance’s question.  “You won’t be having twins Octavia just one beautiful healthy baby…oh dear!!” 

“What is it!!?”  Octavia’s heartbeat sped up to the dire urgency in Redheart’s voice and so did the heartbeats of Celestia and Cadance. 

Redheart placed a hoof on Octavia’s shoulder. “I am so sorry for alarming you Octavia! I’m so sorry! There is nothing wrong with your child; I just forgot to turn on the sound. Please forgive me for alarming you.” 

*Sigh of relief and vanquishing of built tension.*

“It’s alright Nurse Redheart.”  Octavia said after her sigh of relief.

Nurse Redheart placed the transducer on its holding dock and switched on the sound. “Sorry.” She mouthed to Octavia. 

“Okay applying some more petroleum jelly to the transducer and here we go once more with sound that is.” Redheart placed the transducer on the umbilical area. “If everypony will please stay quiet.” 

Octavia’s sharp hearing got sharper then the finest razor blade. *Ba-dum.* 

‘”I hear it!” Octavia shook in bliss. *Ba-dum.” Soon a rapid little heartbeat can be heard from the speakers.  Octavia began to make sounds as she tried fruitlessly to find words. “I hear it, there it is! His little mighty heartbeat! You hear it Celli, it’s his heartbeat!” No words can be made to represent her joy but her heart recorded the little heartbeat and stored it. What can be more sublime then closing one’s eyes to hear the heartbeat of a developing life in their mind. For Octavia, this memory will never be surpassed by any music she can create. 

“If only he was here. But I know he will never let this happen.” Celestia thought. 
Celestia got up from her chair to smile at Octavia. “I am forever happy for you Octavia, may you be blessed with the eternal joys of motherhood.” 

Cadance too got up and smiled at Octavia. “Congratulations Octavia, may your Love for your son show you the bliss of this new stage for you.” 

Nurse Redheart who is already smiling spoke her words. “Your child will be blessed to be held with your Love and guided by it.” 

Receiving these blessings helped Octavia remind herself how lucky she is. 
“Is my child a colt?” 

Nurse Redheart looked back at the screen with sharp weather eyes again. “I can’t really tell Octavia, I can’t tell if your child is a filly or a colt or a Pegasus or a Unicorn. All that I can tell is that your child is healthy and has excellent development.” 

“Oh…” Octavia's smile shrunk but it did not go away because all that mattered is her child’s well being in her womb. “Uh when do you think I should come back for another ultrasound so I can know the gender of my child?” 

Redheart glanced at Celestia who nodded at her in return. “I say three months Octavia also I will be right back with pictures of your child. Celestia will you please come with me so you can power the printer with your magic.” 

The Princess of the Sun followed Nurse Redheart out of the examination room while Cadance and Octavia began to happily chatter. 

In the hallway. 
“Your majesty, didn’t you say you will fill me in during the procedure.” 

Celestia pointed to forehead to inform Nurse Redheart they will be communicated telepathically.

“Octavia’s child will be born immortal like his father.” 

Redheart tilted her head. “So the child is a colt. Wow I didn’t know you knew the gender already.” 

Celestia shook her head. “I don’t know the child’s gender, I’m just saying it’s a colt because that is what Octavia truly desires.” Celestia cleared her throat though it’s unnecessary. “In the Laws of Immortals, the gender of immortal offspring will not be revealed until birth and their development is rapid in the womb, so instead of the normal eleven months that mortal offspring go through, the immortal offspring will develop at five and a half. Also what I’m going to tell you will test your control of emotions.” 

Redheart took the three photos and walked with Celestia. “Tell me.” 

“Octavia already has a name for her child if it’s a colt but does not have a name if the child is a filly. I don’t know if she only has her mind set on a son and just a son alone, what I worry is what if she has a filly instead. Her dreams for a son will be shattered; she will see her daughter in a different light but because she saw Gold Sky’s final memories of a daughter. Octavia will rebuild her dream to fit her daughter into it. Hmm, I always thought Mothers desired daughters and Fathers desired sons.” 

“Times change your majesty, fathers are now bonding deeply with their daughters and mothers are bonding even more with their sons. Just like you and Gold Sky when you took him under your wing. Say by the way, did Gold Sky ever tell you if he wanted a son or daughter?”  Redheart asked.

Celestia sighed remorsefully. “He wanted neither. His last memories were lies so Octavia can think of him with the thought that he wanted to be a father.” 

Redheart nearly gasped. “So this child is.” Stopped so Celestia can finish the sentence for her.

“Unexpected, that I know, but also a blessing for Octavia who will be a mother and I know you sense the power of her maternal instinct Redheart, it’s very powerful.” 

“For a son.” Redheart said without emotion. 

“Remember Redheart, Octavia’s child is the the last piece of Gold Sky she’ll have so she will see him in her child, daughter or son. Have hope Redheart because like you said, time changes and time will change Octavia.” 

Redheart’s ear perked up with reassurance. “As always you have the answers.” 

Celestia grinned. “You give me too much credit sometimes.” 

Octavia and Cadance stopped chattering when Celli and Nurse Redheart came in. 

“Here you go Octavia, three pictures of your healthy developing child.” 

Octavia looked at the first picture with a warm smile. “I guess I can give one to Rarity and the other I can put it in a baby book for my son.” 

“That’s a nice idea Octavia, OH!! I just got an excellent idea!”  Cadance rubbed her hooves together while having a sly grin.

Celestia got nervous. “I don’t like the face you’re making Cadance.” 

“Me too, if I can add my opinion here.” Nurse Redheart said.

Cadance down played the expressed worries by making her horn glow and having little hearts revolve around it.

*Zip* Celestia and Redheart got quiet along with being very still. 

“That’s much better. What I’m going to do Octavia is just place some love in your child. That is if you want me to.” 

Octavia did not think about Cadance’s request. “I’ll be most honored to have to you place love into my son’s heart.” Octavia passed a hoof over her belly as a sign of gratitude. 

Cadance’s horn shined brightly. The true motive for this intention is not to put love into Octavia’s child but tell this child that its father is alive and well. Cadance wants to tell Octavia that Gold Sky is alive and she wants to tell Celli and Redheart too but to do so will result in Luna finding out, henceforth, will lead to a sad ending again. Luna will personally apprehend Gold Sky and take him to the Royal court so he can be tried for his accusation, Luna will hold to her duties even it means killing her best friend a second time even though she knows he’s innocent. 

Luna didn’t want Gold Sky to be known as a rapist so that is why she lied to the Royal Court in order to maintain his dignity. Still duty comes before her love for Rainbow Dash and Delta Scorch her son and Friendship despite making some exceptions in her duty for Rainbow and Delta Scorch. 

The magic from Cadance’s horn produced a glowing heart that passed through the protective placenta and went into the child’s mind. “Memories of your living father will show you how lucky you will be, oh child of Octavia when he comes back.”

“There all done Octavia! Your child will be the most loving pony in all of Equestria.” Cadance wings flapped happily for a few seconds. 

“Thank you Cadance!” 

Celestia cleared her throat loudly. “I think it’s time for us to head back to the palace Octavia.” 

Octavia got up from the bed and hugged Redheart to thank her for the ultrasound procedure, Redheart told Octavia she will come to the palace tomorrow to check Octavia’s health and maybe give her a diet plan. 

“Good bye Octavia.” Redheart waved good bye with a smile and when she turned around that smile got replaced with a frown. “Pray Octavia’s maternal instinct will stay powerful if she has a daughter.”  

In the hallway Octavia remembered something she wanted to ask Redheart something. “Celli, Cadance, can you two please wait here for a minute or two? I forgot to ask Nurse Redheart a question.” 

“Sure.” Cadance answered for the both of them.

Octavia walked in the examination room while Nurse Redheart is cleaning the petroleum jelly off the transducer. 

“Oh Octavia do you have a question you forgot to ask?” 

“Yes and no. Redheart I want to ask you a personal question, that is if you don’t mind.” 

Redheart placed the transducer back in its slot next to the screen and pointed to the door. “Please close the door.” 

After Octavia closed the door she got in front of Redheart’s field of view. “Redheart, do you remember telling me about your adoptive parents.”

Redheart nodded.          

“When your adoptive mother divorced your father and left you, your sister, and your father of course, did you ever see her again?” 

“No… I never saw her again, I asked my father why and he said that she didn’t want anything to with us. She practically abandoned us and you know what I thought when he told me that?” Redheart will be showing a side of her that she never shows to anyone. “I don’t need her; I have my father who loves me and my sister very much. That mare is never fit to be mother not with me or anypony else in the future. Now centuries later I have my ability to sense a mare’s maternal instinct, yours is strong just like Celli’s. And I trust you with what I just told you. Mothers and Fathers…*Sigh* In this blind one sided world, where’s there’s a bad father there’s always going to be a bad mother just around the corner but most of society fails to see this and most of the time they turn a blind eye to the bad mothers and just maim stallions with a label tattooed on their backs for the rest of their lives.”  

Octavia never thought Redheart will be shining in this light and she never thought Redheart will speak such a true reflection of this society that is shadowing Canterlot. “I won’t tell anypony Redheart and thank you for just telling me straight about your mother.” Octavia went and hugged Redheart. “I will be waiting for you tomorrow. Bye.” 

Redheart waved good bye. “Farewell future mother.” 

***
As the three immortals headed back to the palace. Celestia connected to Cadance’s mind. 

“What kind of love spell did you cast on Octavia’s son?” 

“A simple love spell Tia, why the sudden curiosity?” Cadance wondered. 

“For what reason will you place a love spell on an unborn colt?” 

“How are you certain that it’s a colt? I understand that Octavia wants a son but what can make you share in her desire…oh, you had a son and you hope the same for Octavia. The wonderful relationship between mother and son.” Cadance made that you know I’m right face again. 

Celestia’s left ear dropped while the right ear stayed up. “A little bit of that is part of my sharing with Octavia’s desire but more importantly is Gold Sky’s blood and endangered race. The Chero are at the doorstep of complete extinction and as of right now there is only one Son of Earth left. Hmm, if I remember correctly the name of the last Son is Iron Cloud.”   

“Of course.” Cadance’s voice almost sound aggravated along with a touch of near sarcasm.  “A son will guarantee a ray of hope for the Chero while a daughter lessens that hope…” Celestia countered Cadance by interrupting her.

“Do not use that tone of voice to me. I do not make the laws in the continuation of bloodlines Cadance, father did and I do not have a bias if that is what you’re going to try to apply next. I just don’t want to see the end of a magnificent race like the Chero, the Children of Earth whose bodies and souls turn into silver dust when they die. Wouldn’t you desire the same for your subjects the Crystal ponies if they were near extinction?”

Cadance sees that she cannot argue against Tia’s infinite wisdom. “I too will desire the same for my subjects…you always know how to silence me. I’m sorry for my tone of voice and I’m sorry for forgetting your maternal instinct for Gold Sky. I’m just a bit unnerved by Octavia’s deep desire for a son that she might not love her daughter as much as if she had a son.”

“Everypony is entitled to their own desires Cadance. We have no right to be unnerved by them nor should we allow ourselves to be.” 

Cadance grinned. “Curse your wisdom Tia.”

Celestia simply smiled in response.  

The trio made it back to the palace, Celestia told Octavia that she should put the picture of the ultra sound in a picture frame.  At seeing the gray mare trot away Celestia continued with the telepathic conversation. 

“You want to join me, Octavia, Luna, and Rainbow Dash for lunch? I can bring Shining Armor if you want?” Celestia asked. 

“Sure why not. I miss having lunch with you and Luna, oh remember the good old days in which the three of us lived under the same roof. Hehe, I loved it when you will come and brush my hair while Luna will be putting eyeliner on me.” 

“Times change Cadance.” 

*Sigh* “Yes, yes, I know that Tia. Hey since we’re using telepathy call Luna to get over here.” 

Celestia called Luna and Rainbow Dash. 

Rainbow Dash yawned while getting up. Luna on the other hand or hoof didn’t get to nap a single minute thanks to Rainbow’s loud snoring. “I should have gone to deep sleep immediately before being awakened by Rainbow’s snoring. Now I can see why Scootaloo gets weird dreams about Rainbow’s snoring.” Luna thought.  

“I’ll meet you in the palace Luna.” Rainbow Dash jumped off the cloud and dashed towards the palace. “I wonder where Octy is? Well just gotta find her.”

The awesome cyan pegasus trotted about each corridor flashing a grin to every Royal Guard, gave a salute to a Elite Commando guard, hoof bumping maids, and batting her eyelashes to servants for laughs. “Oh she could be in her room. Dang I feel not so awesome right now.” 

In the guest room, Octavia placed the photo of her ultrasound inside a picture frame. “Look at you my son, growing so wonderfully, I wonder if you can hear me when I practice on my cello? Well maybe you will hear me when I tell you the story about turkey mare, a bedtime story your daddy likes to tell to Sweetie Belle. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms my son for it will just be you and me. Mother and son, just like me and my father. I will raise you just like my father raised me, with love, love, and more love. Oh my little Gold Sky if you are a Unicorn, Pegasus, or Earth Pony, I will always be a proud mother just like your daddy will be very proud of you.” She passed a hoof over the glass.  

“There she is.” Rainbow Dash stood at the door of the room. *Knock-Knock*

“Huh? Rainbow Dash! How are you feeling after drinking that chocolate milkshake?” Octavia placed the picture frame down.

Rainbow slouched. “Eh, I’m feeling well thanks to a spell from Luna. Man I never felt so bad in my life; I thought my intestines were just going to gorge out of my belly and run all over the whole place. Any way enough about me let’s talk about you, where did you and Princess Celestia go?”

Octavia happily smiled at the cyan Pegasus. “It wasn’t just me and Celli, Cadance came along too, Rainbow. I went to have an ultrasound.” 

Rainbow went to full attention mode. “You had an ultrasound!?”

“Mm-mhm, look I got a photo of my son.” Octavia showed Rainbow Dash the photo. 

“Oh my gosh! Is that your son!?” Rainbow took hold of the photo so she can study it closely.

“Yes it’s my dear son in my womb.”  Octavia sat down on the bed and Rainbow fell down on the bed with big, big pupils. 

“He’s so beautiful and so adorable. Is he a Pegasus?” Rainbow asked. 

Octavia’s ears dropped. “Oh…forgot to ask Nurse Redheart about that, oops.”  She did but just said that so Rainbow won't ask that question again. 

Rainbow Dash handed the photo back to Octavia. “Ah it’s alright Octy, I just can’t believe how your son looks.” Rainbow noticed something in the photo. “Hey is he smiling?” 

“What??” Octavia grabbed the photo and looked at it intently. “Where is his smile? I don’t see it.” 

Rainbow broke into laughter. 

Octavia meanwhile couldn’t understand why Rainbow Dash is laughing the heck out of herself. “Why are you laughing?? How can you see his…oh.” Octavia finally got it. “Nice prank Rainbow.”

Rainbow got up and laid a hoof on Octavia’s shoulder. “Thanks Octy, of course getting back to seriousness, I’m happy you’re going to be a mommy…hey can I touch your belly! I’ve always wondered how the bellies of pregnant mares feel like.”  

Octy smiled once more at Rainbow Dash. “Sure just hand me that pillow so I can rest my head on it.” 

“Yeah got it.” Rainbow placed a memory foam pillow for Octavia to rest her head on as she lies down. 

“Go ahead Rainbow but just be careful, don’t poke so hard.” Octavia had a touch of nervousness to her voice given the fact that Rainbow isn’t known to practice in the art of nicety. 

Rainbow studied the belly first, it has a bulge and it’s shiny. Not a trait she expected on a belly but Octavia is a unique mare so maybe that shiny does fit her; it’s almost how one will say, beyond definition, to describe the beauty of the belly along with the mother who with eyes of love looks at it and tenderly rubs it.  “I can’t…” Rainbow finds this too overwhelming for her, it’s basically a new life developing before her very eyes and she finds herself unworthy to touch the belly. 

Octavia reassured Rainbow Dash that it’s alright and no harm will to the child if she touches her belly. 

Rainbow Dash with Tank’s pace laid a hoof on Octy’s belly. “Gold Sky right?” 

Octy nodded. 

Rainbow’s soft spot took over. “Hey little Gold Sky, it’s me super awesome Rainbow Dash a very good friend of your daddy. I hope you can hear me because well, I’m just happy to see you so well in your ultrasound; also if you’re a Pegasus I can teach you everything I know plus your mommy will teach you how to play the cello too little Gold Sky.” Rainbow moved her hoof in circular motion. “You are special, I’m sure your mommy beat me to saying those words but I’ll say them again anyway.” 

The words that Rainbow spoke touched Octavia, Rainbow Dash is the reason she married the most wonderful stallion in the world and Octavia owes Rainbow for that. Decision. One decision led to a lovely outcome for if Rainbow hadn’t made that decision then she’ll be living a different life. It is as Celli said. The future is always unknown and it can be anything through your decisions.  
  “I will be so happy to say these words.” 

“Rainbow.” Octavia said softly. 

“Yes Octy.” 

Octavia paused to smile. “You will be more than a teacher to my son.” She placed her hoof over Rainbow’s hoof. “You will be his aunt, family, friend, and teacher of course.”

Rainbow fought back tears, oh this is so amazing to even attempt comprehension. “Thank you…Octavia, oh my Luna, thank you Octavia.” Rainbow let the tears flow from her eyes. 

Octavia took Rainbow into her arms and Rainbow hugged Octavia back. 

From the entrance Cadance watched. “Everything is going fine for Octavia. A son, new family, is there anything else that can make things better.” There is. “Gold Sky, you’re out there with a beating heart. If you return to Equestria be prepared to face trails, I will try my best to help you even though you fear me but I will give you a book that can help you find a way out of your pending death. Question is, will you take another scar and will you let Love change what you are and let Octavia be something else. But all that matters is your child will be born and will be beautiful. I long to see you…my brother.”  Cadance sensed Celestia reappear with Shining Armor. “Perfect! Shiny is here!!”  Cadance left to meet her husband. 

Octavia let go of Rainbow Dash but saw that Rainbow still hasn’t let go of her. “This must be something that Rainbow never expected in her life; well she’s with Luna so that makes her immortal like me so she’ll get to spend a lot of time with Gold Sky and make him the best flyer like herself. If he’s a Pegasus though.” 

“Rainbow.” Octavia voiced quietly. 

Rainbow did not hear Octy’s soft words; she is too busy thinking about the future. She’s going to be an aunt, friend, family, and teacher to Gold Sky thanks to Octavia. “We are getting close. Me and Octy, close and now we’re family.”  Rainbow rubbed her head on Octy’s shoulder. 

“This is going to take awhile but I got all the time in the world. Rainbow Dash is family and I am honored to have her. Thank you Rainbow for accepting my invitation to be a part of my family.” 

Octavia wrapped her arms around Rainbow Dash with a feeling of gratitude. 

***
“Shiny Armor! My dearest Love!” Cadance wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck and gave him a big kiss. 

Shining Armor smiled to his wife’s greeting. “Hello my Cadance.” 

Celli saw that, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor all here for lunch except for two mares. “Where’s Octavia and Rainbow Dash?” 

Luna scanned the room. “Rainbow was with me moments ago she said she’ll be here.”

Cadance looked up from her seat next to Shining Armor. “Both of them are bonding.” 

Luna’s wings shot up in dire alarm. “What do you mean they’re bonding!?” 

“Oh you got to be kidding me.” Cadance said to herself. 

“Octavia and Rainbow Dash are bonding in a sisterly way and it will be proper if they’re left alone.” Cadance said while pouring some grape juice for Shining Armor. 

Luna’s wings folding back to her body and calmed down. “Well in that case, let’s eat.” 

Celestia in her chair, asked everypony to wait before eating. “Everybody let’s take a moment to absorb this nice lunch as we are living a past moment  we shared when we all lived under this ageless roof of this magnificent palace.” 

Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor smiled at Celestia’s idea. 

After a few seconds of absorbing this moment the three immortals and half immortal broke bread and began to eat. 

In Octavia’s room. 
“Rainbow.” Octavia called out softly. 

“Octy.” Rainbow finally responded to Octavia’s calling. 

“I’m glad you accepted my invitation Rainbow and I see you’re very happy about it.”

“Of course I’m happy Octy. Who wouldn’t be happy like me at this very moment.” Rainbow finally released Octy from her loving hold.  “Plus I think I can say I’m sorry for hugging you too much.” 

Octy waved a hoof in the air. “Don’t be sorry Rainbow Dash I don’t mind at all besides you weren’t just hugging me you were also hugging Gold Sky too.”

“Huh, I didn’t think of that, hehehe, any who we should go down and find everypony else. I think they were going to do something.” Rainbow gently helped Octavia off the bed. 

“Well let’s go see what they’re doing.”

Both mares trotted to the dining room. 

Cadance’s magic had her spoon mid way inside her mouth but from sensing something she placed her spoon down on her plate and chuckled. “Luna, Octavia and Rainbow Dash are here.” 

The Princess of the Moon looked intently at Rainbow Dash trotting besides Octavia. 

“Octavia, please come sit next to me.” Celestia pointed at the chair next to her and had a maid bring Octavia’s food. 
The cyan pegasus apologized for being late. Luna reassured Rainbow that it’s okay and to just stuff her pie hole with food…Rainbow obliged without much thought or question because the food is yummy.

Now the count is four Immortals, one half immortal, and a Mortal all enjoying lunch like one big happy family.  

***

Twilight closed the front door of the Carousel Boutique. “Well where ever those two went it has to be very far away and Gold Sky broke the sound barrier. Wonder if he and Rainbow Dash will race each other?” Twilight realized she’s thinking stupid thoughts. “Ugh, don’t think about that what I should be thinking is the moment Gold Sky frees Rarity with his telepathy and she tells him what I’ve done to her.” Twilight felt an uneasy tingle jog across her spine. “Will he become the Razor to come after me? Because he did not become the Razor when I attacked Octavia but for Rarity will he turn into that monster to protect her, because Celli said he will become furious if somepony hurts Rarity. But the real question is, will I be able to fight such feral ferocity of the Razor, he moved with incredible speed, use his wings in close quarter combat, and his tissue regeneration healed him almost immediately. I may have his blood inside of me but it doesn’t heal me as fast.” Another uneasy tingle jogged down her spine. “Rarity…she became very strong. If she and the Razor come against me there will be slim chance that I can handle both of them.” The Black Rose in its foul mind reminded Twilight of something. “However, I am strong in magic and physical strength and the Razor only relied on his strength alone. So that may give me an advantage. As for Rarity I know what moves she’ll use in combat.” 

Next thing Twilight knew is Discord literary dropping down from the sky. “Twilight! I need your help!!?” 

Twilight almost became repulsed by Discord’s presence.  “Discord what do you want!” Twilight’s horn began to glow, after all she is stronger than Discord now and she can easily make him disappear into thin air. 

“Oh nice to see you too Twily.” 

Twilight’s horn glowed brightly. “How dare you call me that! You have no right to use that name Discord now tell me what you want or I will seal you inside a ball of hardened amber for a day!” 

Discord rolled his eyes at the adorable lavender Unicorn. “Pfft like you can outmatch me without your cute little Elements of Harmony.”

Twilight fired a tiny bolt of magic, not a charged one but just a regular one that is point zero, zero, zero one percent of her magical power at Discords arm. 

“Ow!” Discord rubbed his arm. “That hurts…” *Ting* “Wait that actually hurts.” Now Discord sees that Twilight can carry out her threat with relative ease. “Twilight, Fluttershy needs your help, she is extremely sad and I don’t want to see her cry because it might make me cry!” 

Twilight sighed. “If I refuse to help Fluttershy then Discord will think that I don’t care about Fluttershy and he will try reading my mind to see why. I can’t let that happen but at the same time I can use Fluttershy’s sad emotional state to chain her down and keep her away from me. Fluttershy will never love me again.” 

“All right Discord, take me to Fluttershy.” Twilight felt Discord lay a hand on her head and heard the snap of his fingers. 

*No poof sound* 

“Hurry Twilight! Help Fluttershy!” 

Twilight stopped her hoof from taking a step. “Now hold on Discord you’re her friend too so why can’t you help her?” 

Discord grunted in annoyance. “Damn it mare, I’m a draconequus not some bookworm who thinks she can be a shrink simply by putting on eyeglasses, putting her hair in a ball, and having a notebook with quill. Also you know her better than I do!” 

Discord plainly has a point there. 

Twilight went inside Fluttershy’s cottage with a glum look on her lips but with a twinkle of malice in her eyes something of which Discord failed to notice thanks to the growing size of his heart for Fluttershy. 

So as the door closes a new one opens…telepathically, in Fluttershy’s mind.

***
Clinging tight to Gold Sky’s neck, Rarity exhaled, seeing a big cloud of her breath trail behind for a few seconds before it evaporated completely. The both of them are on the tops of the great mountains of the dragon’s back which is far, far away from Equestria or to be more precise, home.

“I can’t believe it took me seeing the memory in order to believe Gold Sky when he told me the first time that he was Gilda’s father. It explains why he’s so skilled in taking care of children, including Sweetie Belle and her friends. How come it never occurred to think that he was a father when I saw it all the time in his eyes whenever he tucked in Sweetie Belle and when he foal sited Scootaloo.  Octavia must have no knowledge about Gilda and must have found it odd to see Gilda at her wedding especially when Gold Sky and Gilda danced for a bit.” Rarity adjusted the wool scarf to keep herself warm and laid her head on the back of brother’s neck. “Thank goodness the snow has cooled down his red hot horseshoes but burning hooves won’t slow down Gold Sky. Please Gold Sky don’t make me kill you…I can’t kill you, I love you, Sweetie Belle, and Octavia love you. Is your regret so powerful that you allow yourself to be killed once more but by me!? Please protect your daughter, please protect Gilda! Please Gold Sky protect her because I will not kill you!”

“Rarity hang on we have reached the end of the dragon’s back, we will be diving down to the lush jungles of the regents of earth.” Gold Sky felt Rarity’s touch on the back of his neck, her warm cheek is so soft like her great love for him. 

“Forgive me sister for making you promise something you know you can’t keep but you will. Not because I love you and this time fully ready for death but because a lady must always keep a promise.”  Gold Sky jumped off the end of the dragon’s back and began freefalling to the hands of the earth who will never allow harm to come to one of her last sons, yet Gold Sky still spreads out his wings to create drag.

“Oof!” Rarity grunted to the semi-hard landing on the grassy ground. 

“Ahugh!!!” Gold Sky roared. 

*Boom!* 

***
Late morning.
General Mao accompanied by Isao and fifty assassins landed in the camp that has been defiled by the soldiers of the Republic. 

All around Mao is smoke still rising from the ground with the smell of freshness, while in the air and ground are vultures indulging in gluttony even after a midnight snack. On the spearheads of Republic weapons are the heads of dead regulars and on high pikes going in through the rear and coming out of the mouth are dead assassins with their red capes folding under them. 

“That female Marine leader left Mao a clear message, his end is near and she is waiting for him.” Isao thought. 

The fifty assassins took the capes of their dead brethren for when an assassin dies their capes must be burned in order to pay tribute to the number of victims he has and sadly for the victims he cannot obtain any more. 

Mao snorted. “I will have the head of that griffon! But before I kill him I will cut off his tongue so he can’t beg for mercy as I castrate him with the dullest blade I can find, then I shall slice off his wings and burn them in front of him, cut off every finger, gorge out his left eye, and finally I shall smile at him as I slice him open!!” His declaration sounds so rage fueled and gloriously convincing to the brainwashed fascists and for the assassins just an incompetent rant. 
“Let leave this place!” 

Isao watched Mao with the fifty assassins fly into the air he on the other hand stayed for a few more seconds to give the dead regulars some respect. “I don’t think you can castrate that female Marine leader. They’re inside not out.” And with that thought Isao flew back to the remaining camp to check on the mother and son. 

In Isao’s new tent the son sat by his mother’s side holding her hand hoping she will wake up soon, for his innocent mind no matter how hard it tries can’t block the creation of thoughts that shows him a tomorrow of which his mother will be absent from. “Wake up mommy.” 

Isao walked into the tent, his eyes noticed the look on the boy’s face. His sympathy for the boy rose because how can a young griffon like him lose his dear mother at such an early period in life and grow into a griffon who has a large emotional scar. Quietly or with trained quietness Isao came to stand by the boy. 

“She’s alright if that is what you’re wondering boy.” Isao said in a flat manner to the young griffon. 

“I have a name.” Said the son. 

“Then please if you’ll be so kind, enlighten me.” 

“My name is Percival.” 

Isao nodded. “Such an honorable name for a griffon like you who shows bravery by not shedding any tears for his mother.” 

Percival turned to Isao with a look of young anger. “She’s my mommy and I love her very much!!”  

Isao smirked. “I know that Percival, but what I mean is that many griffons your age will be crying without end at this very instant while you hang on to hope thinking that your love for your mother will wake her up. You lost one parent already so that’s why you grasp hope so tightly with your claws because let me guess you cried for your father and thought that the more you cry for him he’ll come back.” 

Percival’s eyes widened to Isao’s pinpoint accuracy.  

“She’s not dead Percival.” Isao reassured. 

“H-how can you be so sure!” 

Isao scoffed at the young griffon. “Did you already forget what I am, I can tell when somebody is completely dead and when somebody is playing dead. Look Percival your mother just passed out from fright, now hand me that cup of water and let me show you.” 

Percival handed the cup of water to Isao who dipped his finger into it and placed the hanging drop over the mother’s face. “Just watch Percival.” Gravity pulled the drop down causing it to land on the mother’s forehead.

Within the matter of seconds the mother began to stir causing Percival’s eyes to light up with joy. 

“Ooooh.” Groaned the mother. “What happened??” 

“Mommy!!”  Percival jumped onto his mother and hugged her tight. “I almost thought you died mommy.” Now Percival began to cry tears of joy. 

The mother rubbed her son’s cheek to quiet the expressiveness of his past fears. “There, there my son all is well now. I’m here with you and that’s all that matters, remember, what did I always tell you.” 

“When we see the angel of death we tell it not today and not tomorrow until I tell you, you can get me.” Chanted Percival. 

Isao tilted his head at hearing this. “Hmm pretty clever way to spit on the angel’s face.” 

After the mother kissed Percival on the cheek she turned her focus to Isao. “What happened? All I remember were just many explosions before I passed out.” 

“We were attacked by Marines of the Griffon Republic or should I say massacred by the cruel weapon of surprise.” Isao ended there to see the eyes of the mother glow with hope something he knew will happen.  “I almost got killed but I still managed along with some fellow troops to save you and your son. The rest of my forces under my command got slaughtered by the female leader of the Marines.”

The mother looks like she wants to say something but is refraining thyself from doing so. 

“You know you want to say it uhmmm.” Isao moved his right hand in a circular motion. “I know your son’s name but I don’t know your name.” 

“My name is Esther, Mr. Isao and thank goodness for the Republic victory.” The glow in Esther’s eyes dimmed a bit out of uncertainty. 

“Victory in their attack may lead to the ultimate victory in this war, I say this because I can smell it however that smell can also be the smell of fascist victory. Mao still has superior numbers, reserves, and my assassin brethren. Nonetheless, the Republic has strength, reason, and families. A male will fight till the death to protect the ones he loves the most which is why the Republic is admirable, so that is why I have such sincerity for Fascists and Republic. The unstoppable meets the unmovable and the scales only have one change to tip and once they tip…the Republic falls or the Fascists are wiped out. A quantum gamble for both sides and I, well, either benefit with a payment of gold that will never ease me of my wife’s death or will live as a prisoner in a free society that will punish me or set me free after they punish me.”  Isao patted Percival on the head and smiled at Esther. “Whichever way the scales tip, both of you will be safe. You have my word if you dare to trust the word of an assassin who has honor.” 

Esther and Percival got off of the bed and from out of nowhere the both of them took Isao into an embrace. 
“If victory comes to the Republic I will do anything I can to make sure you are unharmed and free.” 

Isao nearly gasped to mother’s claim. “You…you, will do that for me? The enemy.” 

“You are not my enemy Isao; you saved me and my son. You are just a Griffon who is living by his honor and still has so much to experience in life. You don’t have to be an assassin anymore Isao you can change. Be something different, your life is at a crossword now. You have to choose at the end of this war to stay an assassin or depart from this passed down tradition.” Esther is speaking wise words to an honorable killer. “Your life is still young Isao. What did Amiée want for you, Isao, what does she want for you before breathing her last breath.”  

Isao sniffled. “Don’t please…please.” 

Esther continued without hesitation. “She wants you to live free from this duty that you unfortunately inherited from your father.” 

Isao closed his eyes and whimpered. “Esther…please.”  

“I can help you live a different life. You may be what your father wanted for you but you are nothing like him. I can help you Isao but only if you allow me to.” The mother tightened her embrace. 

Isao deeply sighed. “Thank you, Esther but this war is not over and what can you do that’ll help me change when I spelt so much blood.” 

Esther pulled her head. “A new path…me and my son can help you. Everyone deserves a second chance, question is, are you willing to take this second chance.”

Isao looked into Esther’s kind eyes and looked down at Percival with arms wrapped around his waist. “Like a family?” 

Esther smiled. “Yes. A second chance will give you that.” 

Isao wrapped his right arm around Esther and his left arm rested itself on Percival’s back.  
“Thank you again Esther.” 

The surviving assassin from Isao’s former camp came in. At seeing the supreme leader in the middle of a touching moment with his slaves the assassin stood by to wait until leader is done. 

Percival noticed the assassin. “Mr. Isao there is somebody here to see you.”

Isao got free from the embraces and turned around to look at his fellow assassin. “Dominic, is there anything you wish to report to me.” 

Dominic held his hand out. “These are yours sir, I got them when we ran out of the tent.” He gave Isao a silver eagle insignia and Connor’s dog tags.  “Bye sir.” 

Isao felt cold at looking at the dog tags. “I made a promise to kill his sons.”  

“Is there something wrong Isao?” A female’s ability to read physical emotions is amazing. 

“I told Esther that I only fight soldiers, not mothers and children. The wife of this Marine I slain will protect her daughter and sons, how can I overlook that part of my code while I thought of his sons desiring retribution!  Oh my Great Spirit, Esther is right…this what Amiée wants for me, a new path to walk down until my end comes.” Isao showed Esther the dog tags and silver eagle. 

“What are those?” Percival asked. 

“My trophies that were a part of my old ways.” Isao’s tilted his hand and the two objects slid off. “I hope you can help me Esther.” 

“I will help you Isao and you will navigate this new path.” 

***

Gilda opened her eyes to continue the day that she began by nourishing the soil of the Republic with fascist blood, after the attack ended and after she left Mao a clear message she returned back to the Western front, commanded her Marines to get shut eye and she herself fell asleep to dream away from reality.  “It is long done and the order should be here by now. The Marines shall don black, the Army shall don gold, the Airborne shall don gray, and the Rangers shall don dark green. Ooh time to get up.” Gilda got up from her cot and went outside her tent. 

“Hmm where is the tailor?” 

“Colonel Gilda.” Corporal Bashier saluted Gilda as he stood up straight before her. “The tailor has arrived with the massive order you placed before Operation Overlord or Neptune and says that the President has approved of your request so the tailor also done the orders for Army, Airborne, and Rangers.” 

Gilda grinned to the news Bashier delivered. “Come with me Marine.” 

“Yes sir.”

Colonel Gilda and Bashier approached the convoy of the tailor; while curious awaken Marines gathered around to see what the tailor has for them. 

“Colonel *yawn* Gilda, it took me, entire workforce, every roll of fabric, and all the night to fulfill your order along with those for the Army…*yawn* Airborne, and Rangers. So I’ll have the honor to present you with your black cape.” The tailor held up a black cape so all the curious Marines can have their curiosity answered. 

“Please hand me one.” After being handed one she gave it to Bashier so he can put it on and show all the Marines. 

All the gathered Marines oohed and ahhed at seeing how Bashier looks more intimidating with the black cape along with some wind to add to that effect. 

“Marines! All of you grab a cape and put it on, our time to strike the enemy shall come soon and when that time comes the first thing the enemy will see will be our black capes. The last thing they shall see is our faces as they die.” Gilda donned her cape and everybody else followed suit. 

Sergeant Rienne still asleep hugged his second pillow as he sees the dismembered bodies of the enemy lie all around him. Their faces are frozen in time, surprised, to the fact they’re being attacked and killed without even knowing. Large beads of sweat run down from Rienne’s brow. The arrows killed those dead fascists again but the frozen faces do not react to the arrows and some reek of the tarish after smell of Hellenes fire. Killing the enemy is easy, just stab move on to the next one and stab again. But remembering is hard; because most don’t want to remember the shocked gasps the enemy does when they die or the look in their eyes as life leaves them little by little. Rienne hugged his pillow tighter when he saw an assassin stab himself to escape the pain after Colonel Gilda chopped off his wings and right arm. The horrors of war are inflicting his mind with the dark side of the truth…there’s always more horror than glory.  

Bashier came in holding a black cape. “Hey Sarge rise and shine it’s almost time for breakfast.” He noticed that Rienne is still asleep. “C’mon Sarge wake up, I’m not going through all that trouble again to save you a bunch of those crispy tater tots.” Bashier knows that talking about food will wake up Rienne but Rienne is still asleep. “Got to shake him awake.” So he placed the black cape on his bed and approached Rienne. The instant he shook Rienne, the faces of the dead fascists disappeared with a bright flash of white. 

“AHH!” Rienne yelled. 

“Rienne are you okay!?” 

The sergeant collected himself with deep breaths. “I’m okay Bashier. Hey what’s that on the cot?” 

Bashier threw the folded up black cape at Rienne. “Pretty cool eh. Colonel Gilda had these made for all us. I guess she wants this to be some kind of a shock & awe thing, anyway put it on I want to see how you look in it. I bet you look like some anorexic griffon. Hahaha.” 

Rienne shot Bashier a confident smile. “We’ll see about that.” He picked up his blanket. “Uh tell you what how about you go on to the mess tent so you can start eating already and I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.” 

Bashier’s picked up something so out of Rienne’s character. “Are you sure??” 

“Yeah I’m sure Corporal, now as your Sergeant I order you to start eating now!” 

“Hehe, aye, aye sir.” Bashier saluted and went to the mess tent. 

Rienne sighed in relief seeing that he’s now alone in the tent thus allowing him to completely uncover himself and his cot. “Can’t believe this.” He got off from his cot to see that he urinated himself in his sleep. “I have to take this to the wash griffon and I hope he doesn’t ask why I wet the sheets.” 

Gilda ate in her tent, away from all the Marines under her command. Eating breakfast isn’t the same without Jun-Park and she’s now filled with extreme determination to end the enemy once and for all after seeing that Operation Neptune ended with a fine note. She plans to stage a two pronged attack on the enemy’s flanks, she’ll attack the right and Oliver will attack the left while the Airborne is divided into two groups to bomb the enemy to prevent them from escaping. “Almost done and then I can find Gold Sky and hug him like I never seen him I ages.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin before giving out a set of orders. 
“Scouts I have a reconnaissance mission for you.” 

“Where do want us to scout sir.” Asked a scout.

“I need you to scout the second enemy camp. I know that after suffering a huge loss they will attempt to strike back hard.” 

The scouts saluted. “We will go and scout the enemy.”  

Gilda thanked the scouts before they flew off. “Back to eating and then I will sharpen my weapons…where did I put that soda?” 

In the Army front. 

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver sat down with coffee in hand with other soldiers listening in to Hsin tell a story about his times with Connor. 
“For days or weeks Conner went on and on about some girl he liked very much, like seriously I can repeat every word he said about like oh Sasha well I think her name was Sasha or was it Keisha? Anyway he’ll say, oh every time I look into Sasha’s or Keesha’s eyes the earth stands still allowing me and time to focus on you.” Hsin made a yucky face. “Imagine having to listen that day in, day out, every frakken day! Oh my damn goodness I wanted to strangle him and pretend to be him so mom won’t realize he’s dead because mom never quite figured out who’s who.  But Connor is my twin brother; he’s the heart in things while I’m the mind, sooooo in great desperation to put an end of his puppy love mannerisms about Sasha or Keesha I took matters into my own hands. I spied on Connor to see which griffon is Sasha or Keesha, and I found out that he enrolled in modern art class in order to be near her…I almost want to kick myself in the frakken face when I saw him in an art class. He hates painting and he hates the smell of paint! But at least I got all the information I needed. So before he had the chance to gather up his paintbrushes I lied to him that the art session is cancelled because the instructor was caught ranting at how he can just make a modern art masterpiece by just spitting paint on a board and the students are little ungrateful punks for appreciating modern art when they can take literati painting instead.” Hsin paused to laugh. “Connor believed me and went fishing with dad instead. Hehe, I grabbed his paintbrushes and went to the art class so I can do him the biggest favor in his life. I flirted like there was no tomorrow with Sasha or Keesha in order to secure a date for Connor, after some nice smooth moves, right words, extraordinary gestures and a sloppy painting I got a date for Connor, pays to be a twin. Zip me do, I told Connor what I did and he nearly had myocardial infarction.” 

“What’s a myocardial infarction?” Asked a soldier. 

“I don’t know you tell me anyway, Connor began chewing me out for imitating him and for doing this behind his back but I was c’mon man how can you be mad at me? I just did you a huge favor that you are so shy in doing so yourself…we ended up wrestling and I body slammed him on his bed causing the frame to break for a sixth time, displeasing mom and dad because both of them will have to make another one.” Hsin laughed again while covering his eyes. “Whew ok, ok, Connor agreed to go on a date with Sasha or Keesha, he warned me if all went sour he’ll hogtie me and throw me into a pen full of pigs.” Hsin cheerfulness in his voice wore out after the last word, his smile turned serious, and his eyes shifted away from the listening crowd. 

“The date was a success, Connor officially got his first girlfriend, Sasha or Keesha sure was very affectionate to the point that both of them enjoyed grooming each other, their relationship progressed from crushes, young love, and finally Love. I did my best to make sure Sasha or Keesha wouldn’t confuse me for Connor and Connor for me. We never pranked her with that trick only identical twins can perform and she appreciated that very much. They both got married after two years.” Hsin passed his hand down his face sighing deeply as he did. “I became an uncle to two boys and one girl. Dang did they always get confused with me and Connor whenever I visited them…we were always very close me and my brother. Taking on the world and never looking back.” The archer looked around as his eyes blinked rapidly in order to keep emotion in check. “I loved him very much and we swore to always protect each other no matter what. Frak, I couldn’t protect him. I couldn’t protect him! But what I fear the most, that when I go visit my nephews and niece, one of them, one of them, will call me daddy either by mistake or intentionally. Kind of sad when you can feel a piece of your heart die and you can’t do anything about it but just take it.”  Hsin grabbed his coffee. “But at least with Operation Overlord I am much closer to avenging Connor and much closer to closing the hole inside of me.” 

Oliver was about to say something but a messenger came by to tell him that tailor has arrived with the golden capes he’s been informed about earlier. Quickly Oliver went to get a cape for him and Hsin. “Well Hsin if you plan to finish your act of vengeance for your brother then do it looking good, here. Put it on as for the rest of you get your capes and put them on. We have our orders from the President himself to wear these capes.” 

All the soldiers left to get their capes. Oliver instead went up to Hsin; his big heart knows what to do. “You want a hug soldier?” 

Hsin placed his hand on Oliver’s shoulder, comfort can come from unexpected sources and even if he has been trained not as a soldier but as a male to suppress emotion he will ignore that training and just express his emotions as a true male will do. “Yes sir.” 

Oliver embraced Hsin. 
Hsin felt like crying for Connor but getting a hug is enough for one day. “Sir…thank you.” 

Oliver patted Hsin’s back. “You’re welcome Hsin, you’re welcome.” 

***
In the Capital. 

General Sherman, Vice President Kate Martinez, and Secretary of Defense Nathanial Lafayette came into the President’s office at his request. 
“Mr. President what can I do for you.” Said General Sherman. 

The president who has his back turned to them because he’s facing east through a window behind his desk.   “Call me by my name Sherman, we are at war, we all bleed the same color of blood, and we can die.” 

“Sorry about that Mr…err Ronald.” Sherman also refrained from saluting. 

Ronald turned around to face the three griffons. “Please sit.” 

Kate, Sherman, and Lafayette looked around the large office. “Ronald there are no couches for us to sit on.” Kate pointed out. 

“What!?” Ronald finally noticed the missing couches. “Hell! Damn congress took the couches again, *sigh* well who wants my chair?” 

The three griffons shook their heads. 

“All right then…we need to commence evacuation of every citizen to the stronghold of Tyre right now. That is upmost priority as of this very hour.” Ronald laid out in a wary voice. 

“Why Ronald? Operation Overlord has decimated the enemy camp completely. Their morale should be at its lowest and in my opinion instead of channeling our resources to evacuating the citizens we should be channeling our resources for another attack on the enemy.” Lafayette explained, he thinks the president is doing this because the enemy might break through the Army and Marines and get to the capital which is defended by the Rangers plus archers.

Ronald shook his hand. “Kate do you feel that bad feeling?” 

Sherman and Lafayette turned to look at Kate who stood in between them. 
“What bad feeling Ronald?” 

Ronald almost gasped in disbelief. “You’re a female! Aren’t you suppose to have that all sensing intuition whenever there’s something bad coming! Ahh c’mon, thanks a lot Kate...are sure you don’t feel it? *Sigh* No, no, don’t answer just forget that I asked.” Ronald turned his back to them again. “Do any of you know why I got elected to be president?” 

“I didn’t vote for you.” Sherman said. “What? He asked.”

Ronald snorted a giggled. “I didn’t make promises, I simply told the citizens as it is. Why lie to the griffons who will look up to me for leadership especially now in a time of war on the last year of my last term. I didn’t sugarcoat the fact that I supported an enlargement of our military during a time of peace, we had a huge surplus in money and I saw that we should some of that money on our military while the rest is used for agriculture and upgrading our infrastructure. Of course I know that you Sherman laughed at me at my inaugural speech when I said we should always be on our guard no matter what and now I guess I was right. I’m afraid that…that the enemy can somehow overwhelm Oliver, Gilda, and Hamilton. I’m afraid that the end of the Republic will be the fault of me, Ronald Madison who beefed up our military which still fell to the fascists. I will not hide while the citizens are being killed; we need to get them to the stronghold of Tyre right now! And then once they’re all safe I can join them.”Ronald faced the three griffons. “The enemy is coming in full force, I can feel it. They have been humiliated by Operation Overlord and they will they do anything to regain their pride. Mao will throw all his chips into one massive attack. We are outnumbered ten to one…if the enemy gets through the Army and Marines then all we have left is the Airborne and Rangers.” The seriousness in his voice convinced everyone. “We will abandon the Capital if the enemy comes here and will wait until they are in the Capital then if Congress approves we will order Protocol 1138.” 

Everyone got quiet; Ronald looked at Sherman, Kate, and Lafayette waiting to hear  their objections on the planned necessity of destroying the Capital along with the enemy inside. 

Instead Lafayette just vomited his breakfast. 

“UGH WHAT THE HELL SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HELL!!!!”  Kate screamed. “IT GOT ON ME!!” 

Ronald threw a towel at Kate so she can clean herself up. “Well not the reaction I expected but still a reaction.” 

“Ronald!! If we destroy the Capital we destroy the Republic!!!” Sherman said dramatically. 

“The Republic is not the buildings of the Capital. The Republic is the citizens who are the only reason this Republic has freedom and those same citizens are the ones fighting to protect that freedom. If the citizens die then the Republic dies. I’m just a figure head and I can be replaced by Kate but the citizens cannot.” More spoken sense from the president. 

Lafayette agreed with the president and suggested they should commence evacuations immediately. 

“Fine!” Both Sherman and Kate said at the same time. 

“If this is what you want Ronald so be it!” Sherman stormed out of the office furious that Ronald will be willing to destroy the Capital if it means killing the enemy too but what really angers Sherman is Ronald’s lack of faith in Oliver and Gilda, both have been giving the enemy hell in every battle because hell is not a place…Oliver and Gilda are hell.

Kate agreed with Ronald too and left the office to take another shower thanks to Lafayette.

Ronald asked Lafayette to clean up his mess. Once done, Sec Def left Ronald alone in his office. “Sometimes I think I like to see myself as somebody who will have a kill or two before going out unless I just have my kills…but in the end if I die then I will die in the place of my citizens because they have lost so many sons, fathers , and husbands.” 


***
“Oof!” Rarity grunted to another semi-hard landing but she’d rather have a bunch of semi-hard landings than to run through a hot desert again. 
“I wonder how far is the Griffon Republic?” Rarity rubbed her cheek on the back of Gold Sky’s neck in order to get him to run faster. Little does she know the little affectionate act she’s doing which to her is just affection is in reality the same thing Gilda will do to Gold Sky when she was on his back.
Gilda always had her arms wrapped around Gold Sky’s neck. She wanted him to know how much she loves him and how she enjoys being with her daddy. 

At feeling this Gold Sky’s normal beating heart went cold causing him to speak out loud in his native tongue. “Iyōkipi akiciktuŋja mihi mitawa cúŋkši.” Even with making that plea Gold Sky still needed more guidance and so he called upon his creator. “Até, eģ i maní ci hecetu ocąnkú?” 

“You are my son, but are you prepared to confront Gilda for what you have done.”  Yahshua asked. 

“Ha até.” Gold Sky replied. 

“Good my son.” 

“Pilámayaye até.” Gold Sky said.

“Rarity.” He called out. 

“Hmm.” She expected him to continue speaking in his native tongue.

“I’ve seen her grow before my eyes. From when I found her minutes after she hatched until her journey half way through adolescence when I couldn’t handle the nightmares anymore and when I became afraid that I’ll turn into the Razor and harm my daughter. Please Rarity, treat her with kindness, invite her with open arms and forget the past. The reason she acted that way is the lack of a father…don’t hold that against her, hold it against me and me alone.” 

Rarity assured her brother that she will see Gilda with open eyes and an open heart because she knows that the lack of paternal nurture created a hostile prideful nature in Gilda. “Gold Sky I hope…” Rarity stopped, she used that insulting word again but not intentionally. “Protect her make sure she doesn’t die.” 

“I will do what I can if I’m not too late.” 

Gold Sky’s answer did little to reassure her much; his voice has no credibility and does not have that loving touch to it. She knows that he is full of doubt because if he failed Gilda once then he can fail Gilda again, losing not only Gilda but his life as well. “Gold Sky, what is the Razor?” 

Gold Sky began slowing down. “The Razor is a monster, whose sole purpose is to protect and maim anybody it considers a threat. It’s resides inside me ready to be unleashed if I give it purpose. But I can’t give it purpose.”

“Why?”

“I am Love Rarity and the Razor is anger and with anger comes hate. I am free of hate or immune of it if that gives you a better understanding but when I become the Razor hate accompanies anger because without hate how can the Razor be emotionless and free of restraint? As the Razor I spelt innocent blood, blood that I tried washing off by attempting suicide many times Rarity, innocent children of the Rouge clan, baby dragons, and Royal Guards. I will show you Rarity if I have the chance.”  

Rarity got serious. “You will have the chance Gold Sky! Enough with the doubt! You are displeasing me and I know you Gold Sky, you never have doubt in you so why are you acting so helpless for who Gilda is your daughter!!?” 

Gold Sky slowed down some more. “I almost became the Razor and I almost harmed Gilda.” Gold Sky sighed. “Rarity, my sister you know me very well. Tell me what can I do if I harmed Gilda, what can I do if I harmed my daughter! Tell me!” 

Rarity didn’t know what to say. “The nightmares you said earlier they’re the reason you became the Razor…oh my goodness, I finally understand now!! You became afraid that you couldn’t fight back the Razor if it came back and you can’t live with your spiritual creation of being the physical manifestation of Love if you harmed Gilda; Your daughter, your heart, your Love, and your transition into fatherhood. So you left her behind to protect her but to you that decision is still the wrong one and that’s why you have no children! You see yourself as being unworthy of being a father aga…” Rarity remembered Octavia. 

“Wow.” Gold Sky almost stopped completely to Rarity deciphering his reasons and connecting everything behind him and the Razor. 

“When should I tell him about Octavia being pregnant? If I tell him right now it will distract him from protecting Gilda, I-I-I will have to stab his heart. NOOOOOOOO!”  

Rarity wrapped her arms around Gold Sky’s neck so she can hang on tight. “He must protect his daughter; he must be here for his son when Octavia gives birth!!!” 

“GOLD SKY!” Rarity yelled.  “PUNCH IT!!” 

Gold Sky understood what Rarity wants so he complied and roared once more. 

Rarity on the other hand or hoof dropped her ears at seeing the mach cone form so her ears won’t be ringing.

***
Mao and Isao flew to the top of a high cloud to see the vastness of their entire Fascist army. “Look at my glory Isao. So many troops that not even I can count plus the reserves and your assassins which I find very deadly like you of course.” Mao’s tone sounded prideful but his face showed disappointment. “You disappoint me Isao.” 

Isao made a surprised expression to Mao. “Sir wh-what do you mean?” 

Mao growled softly at his personal assassin. “You have grown soft and that is very disturbing to me. You let yourself be defeated by that slave of yours and her son, so you won’t be accompanying me into the final glorious assault on the Republic instead you will be staying here. I’ll still pay you for your loyal service to me but I will have you put to pasture with your slaves so you can live as a soft griffon that once had the, ahem, honor, of being an assassin.”  

That sounds good to Isao. “Mao has too much respect for me to even consider having me killed. Well at least the female Marine leader will kill him.” 

Isao patted Mao on the shoulder. “Very well sir, your wish is my command and you won’t mind if I transfer command of my assassins over to you and this means the end of my contract.”

Mao smiled smugly at Isao. “I will appreciate that very much Isao and thank you for contributing to my victory.” Mao took out a lighter. “Yes this means the end of your contract too so I’ll just be burning it.”  The blue torch flame ignited the document.

“Hey is that a Xippo lighter?” Isao asked. 

“No it’s a Ranson lighter.”

Isao made a disgusted face. “Are you kidding me!? Why will you use such a cheap lighter!? Couldn’t you use a Xippo instead? You know quality over quantity.”

Mao looked at his lighter. “But Xippo bought Ranson.”  

“Still makes no difference Mao anyway, if you’ll excuse me I got something to do.” And with that Isao flew away from the cloud knowing he only has three if not two hours before Mao launches his massive attack. 

Dominic came by and stand next to Mao. “Sir, do you want me to spy on him?” He asked since he is now under Mao’s command. 

“No. Go prepare the other assassins for the attack.” 

“Yes sir.” Dominic left to get the assassins ready. 

In his tent Isao took off his armor and red cape. “Esther, Percival please stay here. I have to deliver something to somebody very important.” Isao grabbed Shaw’s colonel insignia and Connor’s dog tags. 

“Where are you going?” Percival asked. 

Isao smiled at Percival. “I just need to say hello to somebody and I’ll be back. Kapeesh.” 

“Kaposh.” Percival responded. 

Isao ruffled up the young griffon’s hair. “Almost forgot a spear and white cloth. See ya.” 

In the Western Front. 
Gilda walked about through the camp watching every Marine chat, stand guard, sharpen their weapons, and write letters to home. Her deep thought process got interrupted by a shout from the lookout. 

“Sir! Griffon incoming sir!!” 

Gilda quickly peered through her spy glass to see this incoming griffon. “He has no armor but he’s carrying a spear with a white cloth tied to it. Must be a defector.” 

“Should I alert everyone sir?” Asked the lookout. 

“No, I will deal with this myself. But if you must, alert everyone just in case if things go south. ” 

“Yes sir!” Replied the lookout. 

Colonel Gilda got two swords and her shield; she flew out to meet with this griffon that comes from the direction of the destroyed enemy camp. “That’s close enough whoever you are.” 

Isao planted the spear with the white cloth on the ground. “This is the first time I ever make contact with this fearsome female Marine leader, I will try to make this quick or she might decide to kill me. Hmm, she’s a Colonel like Colonel Shaw.” 

“As you can see Marine Colonel of the Republic I come under the good word of the white flag.” Isao stated calmly. 

Gilda looked at Isao. “Tell me who you are.” 

“I am Isao honorable leader of the griffon assassins and second in command of General Mao’s forces.” Isao hopes that Gilda will not attack him since she looks ready. “As you can also see I come completely unarmed and alone.”

Gilda’s anger erupted! The leader of the griffon assassins is in front of her she wants to kill Isao for killing Jun-Park but she can’t, Isao is under the protection of the white flag. “Isao…you dare to say you have honor. What do you want; tell me before I just ignore the white flag and kill you right here!” 

Isao’s heart rate went up. “You don’t believe me that I am honorable I understand Colonel but can I at least know your name oh fearsome Marine.” 

“Gilda!” She coldly snarled. 

“Colonel Gilda, I am deeply afraid of you. I’ve seen you kill two of my best assassins even after they stabbed you multiple times…”

“I can heal!” Gilda drew her sword and made a deep long cut on her left arm.

Isao’s eyes widened at the wound healing before his eyes. “You can’t die! Please Colonel Gilda I don’t want to fight you!” 

Gilda suddenly laughed something of which she hasn’t done for quite a while. “Coward, so you came here thinking that I will show you mercy because you’re afraid of me? A female, heh, I don’t know what’s more embarrassing, me killing you the leader of the assassins or the leader of the assassins being afraid of a female.”  

“I don’t expect mercy from you Colonel Gilda but I expect an understanding between us.” 

“An understanding of what?” Gilda let her sword slip through her grip a gesture she thinks Isao will see that he has her curiosity. 

From the camp the lookout wonders what Gilda is discussing with that griffon.

“An understanding that I will no longer be an assassin, I seen enough and to show you that what I say is true. I will give you two objects I once considered my trophies.”  Isao cautiously approached Gilda with a stretched arm. 
Gilda glared at Isao as he came closer. 

Isao dropped the colonel insignia and dog tags into Gilda’s hand. “This is the insignia of Colonel Shaw and the dog tags of Connor.”

Gilda’s anger did not rise; she sees that this enemy griffon truly is an honorable one and he has no desire to fight anymore. 
“What the sudden change of heart Isao.” 

Isao took hold of his spear with the white cloth. “I found two reasons for me to change and I can sense the end of this war. Mao is going to attack the Republic with everything he has left under his command. This is it Colonel Gilda, the end for the Republic or the Fascists but as for me I will not be a part of it, I am going to be walking a new path.” Isao bowed his head before Colonel Gilda. “You are going to have Mao’s head Colonel Gilda but I don’t know if you will live after you do that mighty act.” 

Gilda scoffed with a smile. “Oh I’ll be alive all right when this war comes to an end.” 

Isao was about to jump up and fly away but curiosity stopped his wings from flapping. “Colonel Gilda what made you join the Marines?” 

“I wanted to be a part of something, to belong and be different. So I saw the Marines will give me all of that and look where I am and you Isao you might as well tell me your reason for joining Mao’s fascist army if you’re so honorable.” 

“I couldn’t bear to be by my dying wife’s side. She died of cancer and not of old age so that’s why I’m still here while she is not.” Isao ended there. 

Gilda saw that both of them have one thing in common and not are a threat to each other, for the time being but at least she can see that Isao lost the will to fight. “If I see you again Isao, I’ll kill you.”

Now Isao’s right hand began to shake. 

“In the battlefield of course. Now tell me how big Mao’s army is?”

Isao sighed in relief conforming to Gilda that he is truly scared of her. “I cannot say specific numbers because it is beyond count like a cloud of locusts. Mao has combined his army with the reserves plus he is also throwing in my assassins too which also adds to his numbers, he plans to attack Oliver first, knowing even though Oliver and his troops are skilled, they will be overwhelmed by the numbers. He anticipates you will be rushing to attack him in order to protect the Capital so he will leave half forces behind and wait to engage you with his half. So during the engagement the second half of his forces will sandwich you from behind blocking any forms of escape and destroying you. Which leaves the Capital ripe for the taking.”  

“This sounds too good to be true Isao, you are telling me every frakken detail of Mao’s plan! How can I know that you are not lying to me!?” Gilda reached for her other sword. 

“You can believe me or not but just have some faith. Besides don’t you have family? Like a husband, son, daughter, mother or father?”

Gilda’s hand moved away from the sword and she let her shield fall to the ground signaling Isao she has no intentions to attack or fight but just listen. “I have a mother who adopted me and pony who I love as a father…maybe I can say he wants me to see him like that. I miss him and since this war started I thought more and more of him.”

“So who will you cling to for comfort as you fight the scars of war? Your mother or this pony whom you see as your father?” Isao asked. 

“I…I don’t know. My mother raised me but I felt like she was doing so like she was getting to know me every day. She didn’t know what I liked, how I was in my baby days, and even about me but those little things ended when she told me that I was adopted.”

“Curiosity. Common and normal in griffons who have been adopted, have you asked your mother who your father was?” 

Gilda nodded. 

“But your mother doesn’t know who he is.” 

Gilda nodded again.

Isao started to feel a light connection to Gilda. “Look don’t take what I’m going to say as advice because it’s not. Go to the pony whom you see as a father for comfort because mothers can help you emotionally in certain feelings and fathers can help you emotionally in certain feelings too.” Isao cleared his throat and hopes Gilda won’t get offended by what he’ll say next. “Gilda since the beginning of time war has always been a male’s arena no matter how everyone sees it. It’s not myth or reality, it is simply biology and social views too. Males are built are for war, well not all males and they may not be fit for war but that’s only a few, females are not built for war but there are a few who are like you. I mean look at you, you’re bigger than the rest, muscular, have such unnatural control over your emotions like most males, and fight with a will to end things once they’re started. So I guess you and the other females who are built for war and have a will to fight are exceptions to the arena, but of course when the war ends and are you are left behind with the scars please go to the father first. The father has a better understanding of what you have been through and he will comfort you. The mother may not have such an understanding it but from what I know the father has the best understanding, why else do most soldiers talk about war with their fathers when they return.” 

“Frak me.” Gilda is plain damn speechless. 

“What??” Isao is surprised to hear that because she’s cursing herself. 

“I hate to admit but I guess you’re right ever since I started to feel that my mother is getting distant from me don’t know why but you’re right. Frak, I just want to curse you but I’ve been overpowered by your words…I guess when you told me about Mao’s plans you’re not lying and I won’t be seeing you in the battlefield…are you done with your diplomacy Isao?” 

Isao nodded. “If we ever meet again Colonel Gilda, I will be a different griffon walking a new path. It’s been an honor to talk to you and an honor to bow my head in respect to you. Farewell Colonel Gilda oh and nice cape by the way it goes well with you and the troops under your command.” He grabbed the spear and flew away. 

Gilda picked up her sword and shield. She went back to her camp to get her weapons for the coming battle. 

“Sir who was that griffon?” Asked the lookout at seeing Colonel Gilda arrive. 

“Just a griffon who gave the Republic an eye for a trap. Geoghegan come here please!!” 

The only surviving Marine of Colonel Shaw’s company answered Gilda’s call. “Sir!” 

“Geoghegan you are our fastest scout I need you to quickly scout the enemy since the other scouts haven’t arrived yet. Tell me in a rough estimate the enemy’s numbers and how far they are from LT Colonel Oliver. Now fly Marine fly!” 

“Yes sir!” Geoghegan flew off with such a speed that Gilda wanted to compare him to Rainbow Dash. 

Gilda gave her weapons to a nearby marine, she speed walked to her tent to look at a geographical map of the landscape from Oliver’s front and to the Capital. “Nothing but hill country but beyond Oliver’s front is flat ground, also since Isao said Mao’s army is beyond count I can only assume that Mao is mad for last night’s assault so that means this is a battle that will decide the fate of the Republic…” Gilda felt her whole body going cold when she realized the potential cost of this deciding battle. “Oh my Great Spirit, many soldiers will die in this battle, no don’t think about that, I can get Oliver to fall back so he can unite with the entire 501st and lead the fascists into the hills where the 101st can bombard them and the artillery too but what if I can’t make it to Oliver in time and what if Geoghegan is captured. Damn it!  I can do this, I and Oliver can route the enemy, and I won’t lose anymore sons, father, and husbands!” The more Gilda tried to reassure herself the more her right hand shook. “War is a male’s arena and I’m in the middle of it, I risked all of my troops and exposed the Western front in order to fulfill an act of vengeance and in the end I ended up killing innocent citizens.” Gilda’s right hand turned into a tight fist shaking while her own claws buried themselves into her palm making her blood drip onto the map. “I can’t lie to myself. I will lose many Marines! I will lose many Marines! SONS, FATHERS, AND HUSBANDS WILL DIE IN THIS BATTLE! Oliver will lose many soldiers…I will kill Mao, his assassins, and every little pawn under his false command!”  Gilda opened up her right hand and watched her palm heal before her eyes. “This is it, my life will end here in victory or defeat, either way at least I can watch over Gold Sky and Rainbow Dash. Because as a soldier my duty is to protect and fight no matter what!”  

The determined Gilda studied the map, memorized the coordinates that she’ll signal to the artillery, picked what orders to yell, and finally where to take her last stand. She went to her storage chest and collected six MK II battle knifes, four swords of which two will be on her waist one on her back and the last one in the shield sheath. Got her spear, bronze armor, wrist guards in case she engages in hand to hand combat, helmet, and the two pictures for good luck not that it’ll do her any good but it’s better than nothing.  As she walked out of her tent her black cape flew around her making her feel grand for a few seconds. “MARINES! FRONT AND CENTER!!” Gilda coughed because she has never shouted that loud in her life. 

All of the Marines of the 501st Marine core stood before her. 

Gilda took a deep breath; her words will inspire or discourage every Marine here. “If only you were here Jun.”  

“Marines, I have received news from a little birdie telling me that Mao plans to launch an all out attack on us so he can finish us once and for all. The coward has finally shows us his true colors, he is afraid because he knows we can defeat him and his army of inbred castrated fools!”

“OORAH!” The Marines yelled. 

“We will be vastly outnumbered but did that hinder our ability to gain victories? No it did not instead it only gave us more motivation to kill the enemy. Still oh Marines in this battle we will be beyond vastly outnumbered this time even when we join Oliver and his troops.”  

“By how much sir?” Asked a Marine.

Gilda waited two seconds. “Ten to one.” 

All the Marines looked at each other with expression of no emotion, they are not alarmed but nor are they extremely confident this time. 

Gilda continued. “This is final battle where all the pieces on the board will make their move and many…” Gilda stopped; she can’t say the next words.  


“Say it sir.” Sergeant Rienne voiced from the front. “Say the words sir.” 

“I-I can’t.” Gilda lost her bravery to speak out and fill her Marines with powerful glory. 

“Say it!” Rienne voiced louder. 

*Deep breath.* “Many of you will die in this final battle…this battle will be fought to the last soldier…maybe I will die too. Your wives, your children, and your mothers will be feeling that cold feeling just like I am right now. I’m sorry for telling you this, for-forgive Marines. Forgive me.” 

“For what sir?” All the Marines said in total unison. 

“Huh?” 

“Sir you have led us with valor into every battle and never have you cowered in the face of fear, you have protected many of us and seeing your hesitation to say those words shows us how you care about us. We don’t care about the enemy’s numbers all we care about is protecting our families, freedom, Republic, and having the honor to be under your command.” 

Gilda slowly smiled. “We will win this battle Marines because you have guaranteed it. Oorah!” 

“OORAH!” 

“Now we just wait for Geoghegan or the other scouts to arrive then we shall move to join with Oliver’s forces.”  Gilda got off the podium and walked through the Marines so she can inspect them as she passes them, she knows that in this battle she will be leading the Marines to death ground, a strategy that can be both sharp and dull but as a cunning general once said. 
Put the army in the face of death where there is no escape and they will not flee or be afraid. There is nothing they cannot achieve.  

“Until I order them to fall back  to get them away from the artillery bombardment.” 

***
In the Army front. 

Oliver felt something different in the air. “It doesn’t feel right.” So he looked up at the massive zeppelin landing craft and did some hand signals. 

A spotter on the bridge looked to the captain. “Sir we have been asked by LT Colonel Oliver to scout ahead four klicks.” 

“Aye in that case we shall scout ahead.” The captain pushed the throttle forward making the massive zeppelin move forward. 

As the zeppelin crossed the second klick the captain asked all of the spotters aboard the craft to keep their eyes open for enemy movement down below. 

On the ground an assassin saw the massive craft approaching. “Assassins get ready to disable that bloody whale in the sky oh and get the steel nets.” The assassins flew up with the nets. 

“Sir! Enemy spotted and coming up fast. Oh no they have steel nets!” 

The captain shouted into a communication pipe. “Commander Hamilton the enemy is approaching!” 

“Roger that captain.” Hamilton replied. 

“Airborne get ready to engage the enemy!” Hamilton opened the underbelly door and flew out with every Airborne troop. “Frak looks like they’re assassins! Kill some win some.” 
The Airborne engaged the assassins. Red capes fell to the ground and so did gray capes too. 
“Die damn it!” Hamilton plunged his sword into an assassin and took out another one that tried to attack him from behind. “No!” 

An assassin managed to throw a steel net onto one of the starboard engines causing the propeller to jam and the engine to explode into flames. 
Malusi engaged an assassin, with great skill in grappling he took the steel net from the assassin, dropped it to the ground and grabbed the assassin and threw him into the spinning propeller creating a red mist. 

Another assassin disabled an engine on the port side of the zeppelin. Hamilton felt the impact of a sword on his back, thankfully his armor protected him allowing him to spin with sword in hand and slit the assassin’s throat. Another engine exploded. 

The captain is struggling to keep the zeppelin a set direction  but almost fell to the floor at feeling the shockwave of another engine exploding. “No, not good.” 

Down below Mao watched the battle ensue and the zeppelin losing direction. “Perfect! Troops move out!” The entire fascist army marched forward. 

The Captain pushed the second throttle forward to full power to keep the zeppelin in a set direction. “C’mon stay set! Stay set! AHH!” There goes another engine. “Damn, huh!? The enemy is moving down below oh sweet son of a wrench that killed his mama and his papa by killing them with his birth! The enemy is moving in! Hamilton is busy fighting the enemy in the air and can’t bomb…” A temporary solution presented itself to the captain. “All of you get all the high explosive charges you can and fall back to Colonel Oliver’s camp also tell Hamilton to fall back the camp too.” 

“Sir what about you?” Asked a crewmember.

“Don’t worry about me right now just get the high explosive charges and leave behind the Hellenes fire charges. Now do as you’re told now!” 

The crewmember went with the other crewmembers to collect the high explosive charges but instead of flying out he went to the bridge only catch the captain pass his hand over a picture of his son and wife. “Sir let’s go!” 

“No. I still have to set the last course this ship will ever fly. Setting course Alpha and Omega, beginning to end 1138.” 

The crewmember almost dropped the explosive charges. “Sir you can’t! You will di…” 

“GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!” Roared the captain. 

The crewmember saluted the captain. 

“It’s been an honor being your captain now go and don’t forget to tell Hamilton to fall back so all of you will be out of the blast radius.”  

The crewmember flew out. “Hamilton fallback! Fallback! Captain has set Alpha and Omega beginning to end 1138 course!” 

“Collision! Fallback to Oliver! Fallback to Oliver!” Hamilton, the Airborne and the crewmembers holding the high explosive charges flew away from the battle. 

“Republic cowards flying away from battle and the zeppelin coming down!” Mao cackled manically. 

The captain got his necklace that has a key; he placed the key in a lock and turned it to the right. He then flipped six switches up so it can open a transparent flap over a big red button. 
“Full hydrogen release…” He looked at the photo of his wife and son taped to the wheel. “Oh my son, I love you so much. My dear wife, please live without me.” The captain took hold of the wheel and began diving towards the enemy front lines “Well if she goes down I go down and I will take some with me.”  The captain turned a smaller wheel on his left making the remaining engines point downwards so the zeppelin can go down.

“SIR THE ZEPPELIN IS HEADING THIS WAY!” Dominic screamed. “Getting you out of here!” He grabbed Mao forcibly and took him to the back of the lines. 

The fascist army scrambled to get out of the crashing zeppelin’s way. “OOAH!” Groaned the captain at hitting the ground. Soon the fire alarms in the armory where the Hellenes fire charges are held went on telling the captain he has to do one last thing. The captain’s hand went over the red button but before pressing it time slowed down and he took one last look at his wife and son. A tear ran down his cheek. “Forgive me.” He closed his eyes, held his breath, and pressed the red button causing all the hydrogen to be released and touch the fire.  

A massive explosion of fire shot up high and wide. Thousands of fascist troops instantly vaporized to the heat leaving nothing but ash behind and thousands more got burned by Hellenes fire raining down upon them.

“What the hell was that!?” Oliver inquired to the sight of a mushroom cloud rising into the sky. 

“The enemy is coming! The enemy is coming!!” Hamilton, the Airborne, and the crewmembers made it to the Army front.

“They finally come. How many Hamilton?” 

Hamilton panted for some needed air. “Countless Oliver countless!” 

Mao yelled in anger at seeing he lost many troops to the zeppelin explosion and many more cowering as they burn to the Hellenes fire. Dominic had the assassins regroup. “Sir, we lost many troops and more are wounded sir should we delay the attack so we can get the wounded back to the camp?” 

“No, we will continue marching on! This is when we strike and win! Keep marching forward!” Mao yelled. 

“Yes sir.” Dominic saluted.

The fascist army resumed marching forward trampling piles of ash and ignoring the cries of the burned up wounded regulars. 

Oliver hovered in the sky and looked through a pair of binoculars. “Oh damnation.” He dropped back down to the ground seeing everything in his mind flash before his very eyes. “If everything I know and stand for boils down to this moment then I’ll be damned to tremble in my armor and cape.” 

Oliver thought of his wife and ordered battle formations.
***

The sharp eyes of the lookout picked up a trail of condensation heading his way. “Here comes Geoghegan.” The lookout said to himself. “Uh oh! GEOGHEGAN IS COMING!!! CLEAR A PATH I REPEAT CLEAR A PATH!!” 

All of the Marines scattered out of Geoghegan’s way because for being the fastest scout he has the worst landings that are accompanied with a long sliding on the ground.  Gilda nevertheless stood still in her place in front of Geoghegan’s landing. 
Geoghegan landed and is sliding at a great velocity. All of the Marines intently watched Gilda stay practically still. “Is she crazy!?”  
“I can’t help but watch with glee and curiosity!” 
“He’s gonna slide into her.” 
“Whatever it is, Geoghegan must have important information.”

Geoghegan stopped just inches away from Gilda with a nervous grin and Gilda in return gave him a warm smile. “Report please.” 

The last Marine of Colonel Shaw’s company took a deep breath. “Sir the scouts you sent earlier were killed.” 

“Frak!” Gilda cursed. 

“The enemy has amassed to unimaginable numbers a-and making their way to Colonel Oliver’s camp! The fascists took down the massive zeppelin landing craft and the assassins are with them too!” 

Gilda passed a hand through her hair. “Marines all Marines, the enemy is coming…! Let’s go kill them!” 

“OORAH!” 

Gilda got her helmet on but before flying out she turned to Geoghegan. “You’re not going into battle Marine.” 

“What!? Sir why are you ordering me to stay!?”  

“Because you are the last of Shaw’s company and you are also the fastest flyer in the entire Republic so I need you to go and warn the Republic. Go!” 

Geoghegan sighed at Gilda with angry eyes but he obeyed and dashed to the Republic. 

Colonel Gilda hovered above. “Marines we must make haste!” 

“Yes sir!” 
Gilda and the thousands of the griffons in the 501st Marine Corp followed, creating the loud sound of a jet engine. 

***
Oliver’s gold cape flowed while behind him in battle formation is the entire Grand Army of the Republic. All of them can see the dust clouds heading towards them, soon their ears picked up the sound of the enemy's marching, and then their eyes can now see the countless enemy. Oliver spat on the ground and turned around to look at his soldiers, some of which are trembling while others have total fear in their eyes. 

“Soldiers of the Republic look at the enemy! Do you know why they are coming in great numbers!? They are afraid of us! They know they can’t defeat us so what does the enemy do? Come in more numbers so we can kill more of them! We may be outnumbered ten to one and maybe have the assassins with them! But we have our integrity, our families, future, and free will to fight these belligerent cowards who don’t have a free will to think on their own. Let’s give them something to think about! Let’s give them death while we get victory!!!” 

The Grand Army of the Republic banged their shields and let out a mighty battle cry.

“IF WE’RE GOING TO DIE THEN LET’S MAKE SURE THEY DIE WITH US! CHARGE!!!” 

General Mao smiled at seeing the Grand Army of the Republic heading his way. “Perfect. Dominic you and the assassins will engage the enemy now so you can cut down their numbers.” 

“Yes sir.” Dominic and the assassin flew ahead of the fascist army to engage Oliver. 

Oliver’s eyebrows went up at seeing many griffons with red capes heading his way. 
“Grea…” A black streak zoomed past him. “Incredible…Colonel Gilda!” 

The soldiers of the Grand Army noticed many griffons in black capes zooming past them causing more inspiration to fill their integrity and free will. 

Oliver smirked to the sight of Gilda and Marines going ahead of him. “Almost forgot that the Marines always go in first.” 

*Deep long breath.* “For Jun, for the sons, fathers, and husbands of the Republic.” 

“REMEMBER COLONEL SHAW AND THE BRAVE EIGHTY!”  
Gilda threw her spear at an assassin and went on to engage two more, the black capes clashed with the assassins while the rest joined the Grand Army in their gallant charge. Oliver and his gold capes engaged the superior numbered fascist army. But little did the leaders of the Gold and Black capes realize…Mao only sent half of his forces to fight them and a sent a battalion or two with some assassins to the Capital.

  Meanwhile in the skies above the Griffon Republic...
Strong gale force winds made the clouds in the sky join in single file to create a path so an Alicorn in a white cloak and with a white mare on his back, can run to the opportunity for redemption for a decision he made long ago and go into the same war once again. 

Gold Sky ordered the wind to calm down, he continued running down the path that has an end up ahead. Rarity started to tell Gold Sky to stop running but he did not listen instead he kept going but faster this time and with a serious expression on his face. Rarity closed her eyes; Gold Sky jumped off the path and shot out his wings taking the both of them into the air.  

Rarity opened her eyes. “Oh Gold Sky I forgot you had wings.” 

Gold Sky looked down at the Republic remembering everything he did there. His memories of Gilda flashed before him. Gilda as a baby stood in her crib smiling at him as he looked at her while planting daffodils in a garden. Gilda as an infant sleeping on his chest every night because she loved listening to the sound of his heartbeat and it soothed her every time she listened to it. Gilda as a child drawing a picture of him with the words, I love my daddy underneath, which warmed Gold Sky’s heart every time he looked at it. Gold Sky always stroked Gilda’s face when she felt afraid while on his face is a soft comforting smile. Throughout the years of his fatherhood, he has faced some derision from the Griffons of the Republic who didn’t like the fact that’s he a single father and raising Gilda which they solely see as a mother’s duty, but yet they couldn’t disrespect him too much since he helped them fight the fascist rebels. Gold Sky remembered Gilda’s first day of school…she bawled nonstop because she didn’t want to be away from daddy. Gold Sky and Gilda’s teacher tried their best to assure Gilda that she will only be away from Gold Sky for a few hours and that he’ll be waiting outside for her when school ends. But Gilda didn’t want to let go of Gold Sky, so Gold Sky stayed with Gilda for the whole school day; he sat in the back of the classroom smiling at her whenever she turned around to see if daddy is there. Eventually he ended up home schooling Gilda teaching her math plus some English lessons Celestia taught him. When Gilda entered the first day of her adolescence stage in life Gold Sky didn’t want to believe it…midway through he took Gilda to her new home, kissed her one last time on the head and ignored the pleadings from his beating heart as he walked into the darkness of the night for Gilda’s protection from himself.

“We’re finally here Rarity. The Griffon Republic.” 

Rarity looked down at the Capital. “My, it looks very nice. Are we going to land there?” 

“No I have to find Gilda first Rarity so please stay focused on the task at hoof.” Gold Sky also looked down and spotted a large group of griffons heading towards the Republic. “Uh oh, it looks like some fascists are heading to the Capital.” 

“Are you going to help the Capital?” Rarity asked with some slight intensity.

“I won’t help the Capital. I need to find Gilda and besides the soldiers of the Republic are hard to kill.” Gold Sky concentrated so he can find Gilda’s scent. 

Major Mendeleev got his helmet on. “Evacuations. Are they still going?” 

“Yes sir.” Answered Jenkins. 

The Rangers formed by Mendeleev ready to protect the Capital and have their glory on the battlefield. 

Before giving a command to the Ranger’s, Mendeleev turned to the leader of the archers. “If any of your arrows hit me I will tear open your body and strangle you with your frakken guts is that clear.” 

The leader of the Archers nodded.

“Good. Now fire at will and please have good aim. Rangers don’t leave a single fascist alive! Forward!”  Mendeleev and the Rangers flew out to fight the fascist battalion. 

In the midst of the battle outside the Capital walls two assassins sneaked in to the Capital to kill the President Ronald Madison.  

Gilda banged her shield into the face of an assassin, she quickly blocked a saber and she killed that assassin with a fast thrust to the center of the chest. She took a quick pause to look around seeing what leading the marines to death ground has done to them. “Unreal. They are fighting like they’ve gone into a complete berserk state. AH!!”  An assassin stabbed Gilda in the back. “Damn it I’m going to kill you for that!” Gilda grabbed the assassin’s hand and pulled the assassin over her. “Son of a wretch!” She threw him to the ground and sank her claws into his neck. 

Oliver threw his shield at a pawn which then ricocheted off the pawn and went into an assassin stopping him from killing a marine. “Dannnnng talk about a double whammy.” Oliver reached down for a spear. He spun it above his head and then swung it down onto a fascist coming towards him. Oliver did a back flip to avoid a charging assassin. “Nice try assassin but I remember all your moves and attacks.” Oliver without even having to turn around to face his enemy spun his spear so the spearhead can stab the assassin. All around Oliver many fascists got taken out by him. “I hope Hsin is giving the enemy hell.” 

In the Capital. 
The two assassins killed some bodyguards of the president. “The president should be right here in this room since it has his seal.” Said the first assassin as he grabbed the doorknob. 

“Good. I want to stab him in the ear!” Said the second. 

Hearing this, the first assassin stopped himself from turning the knob. “Stab him in the ear? What the frak is wrong with you? Seriously, are you that psychotic!?” 

“Uhhhh are we not going to kill him??”  

“Well yeah of course we’re going to kill him but that doesn’t mean you have to go all psycho on me.” 

The second assassin rolled his eyes. “Fine I’ll stab him in the eyes instead. How does that sound!?”  

The first assassin nodded his head in approval. “That sounds much better.”  

Ronald heard the door open and close. “You finally came…can you please make it quick and clean.” 

“No.” Said the second assassin. 

Ronald sighed. “All right, come and get me then.” 

***

“Gold Sky, have you found Gilda yet?” Rarity asked while she sees the tremendous battle below. 

“I can’t find her scent! It’s mixed with the smell of blood, bodily wastes, sweat, and adrenaline. Hey look! It’s Brigadier General Sherman, I’m going down.” Gold Sky banked so he can land at Sherman’s forward operating base. 

Rarity’s hair went up! “What!? Are we going to land in the middle of this battle? Gold Sky we can’t. Look I understand you’re here for Gilda but I can’t fight in a battle.” Rarity begged. 

“Don’t worry sister you will not be fighting, you will be with Sherman.” 

At the forward operating base Sherman took two pain killers before looking at the battle ensure. “Please don’t let the fascist numbers overwhelm Oliver and Gilda, please don’t overwhelm them.” 

One of Sherman’s soldiers noticed a large figure in what looks like a white cloak heading their way. “Sir get down. There’s something heading our way.” 

Sherman looked to the direction the soldier pointed at. “Damn…huh?” The cloak figure softly landed before him. 

“Sherman.” Gold Sky greeted. 

General Sherman nearly fainted at seeing Gold Sky. “It can’t be you!?” 

“It's me Sherman.” Gold Sky stopped and decided to cut to the chase. “Sherman I’m here to help…”  Sherman butted in. 

“You have nice armor Gold Sky and who’s that on your back?” 

Gold Sky asked Rarity to get off. “She’s my sister Sherman, now can you please tell me where I can find Gilda!” 

Sherman didn't hear the first part of Gold Sky's but got the where's Gilda part so he pointed to the ensuing battle. “She’s in the battle.” 

Gold Sky pushed his hood up to conceal his face from the enemy. “Rarity, stay here with Sherman it’s now my time to fight.”

“What?” Rarity gasped because now she will be seeing who Gold Sky truly is. 

“Rarity, stay here with Sherman it’s now my time to fight.”

“What?” Rarity said again. 

“Rarity, stay here with Sherman it’s now my time to fight.”

“What?” 

“Rarity, stay here, ok I already said it three times already. Sherman, don’t worry about me. Jump.” 
*Poof*

“Well I’ll be damned.” Sherman said as he gently touched the scar over his cervical nerves. 

“Why?” Pondered Rarity. 

“Because the last time he was here both of us fought together in the fascist rebel headquarters.” 


Oliver lifted up his spear to block an enemy’s sword but the sword sliced through the wooden shaft and he got kicked, causing him to fall down to the ground.  Oliver looked up at his enemy without thinking about Valerie because thinking about her one last time won’t save him from this and it will make his death at the hands of his enemy very bitter. 

“So long Colonel Republic scum!” The assassin raised his long sword high above his head and swung it down. 

*Tssh!* A bolt of magic took the long sword out of the assassin’s hands. 

“What the hell!” The assassin gasped in bewilderment. He then looked to the left to see a cloaked figure heading his way. 

Gold Sky with extreme speed punched the assassin with the extended blade in his silver horseshoe. 

“Ugh!” Some of the assassin’s blood got on Oliver’s face.  “Huh!? Are you a pony!?” 

Gold Sky helped Oliver get back up on his feet. “Where’s Gilda?” He asked.

Oliver wiped the blood off his face. “I-I don’t know.”

Gold Sky grunted. “Dang it.” 

“But thank you for saving me pony.”  Oliver gave the pony a nod of respect. 

“You’re welcome.” Gold Sky dashed away, killing pawns with his horseshoe blades in order to get them out of his way and to help Republic soldiers. “Where is she?” Gold Sky asked.

Gilda used her right wrist guard to hit a pawn in the face, she attempted to follow up with a jab but the pawn recovered and gave her a strong jab of his own causing Gilda’s vision to get blurred. 

“Gotcha!” The pawn buried his sword into Gilda’s belly.

Gilda groaned to the pain inside her body. “Kill him!” She grabbed the pawn’s wrist to prevent him from getting distance from her, Gilda then quickly snatched a MK II battle knife from her waist. “No I got you!” She stabbed him in the superior vena cava causing blood to spray all over face. She backed away from the pawn with the sword still in her belly and stepped on a shield causing her to slip and fall. 

A nearby pawn spotted the downed marine and made his way to finish off the marine who has a sword in its belly. 
“Why in my eyes!” Gilda wiped the blood from her eyes just in time to see the pawn coming towards her, she raised her shield to block his attack but luckily Hsin saved her by shooting an arrow at the pawn. 

“Sir are you alri, oh frak you got a sword in your stomach!!” 

“Don’t worry about me…” Gilda became distracted by seeing four pawns gang up on a marine and stab him multiple times, her eyes turned to a soldier of the Grand Army being decapitated by an assassin from behind, eyes shifted to a downed marine trying his best to stop the sword of an assassin from stabbing him only to have his hand sliced off by a pawn and then get stabbed by both the pawn and assassin. “NOO!” Gilda remembered that griffon got a white feather in front of his son and daughter by a female griffon who called him a coward for not fighting in the war. Gilda punched that insensitive heartless female after she gave Jun’s possessions to Lyca and today at this moment she sees that father of two get killed.  Gilda grabbed the handle of the sword and yanked it out without making any form of facial expression. 

Hsin almost freaked out. “Sir you’ll bleed to death!” 

“No I won’t. Watch.” The wound healed before Hsin’s eyes. 

“Wow!” Hsin nearly dropped his bow but got told by Gilda to fall back and to tell the others. 

“Yes sir!” Hsin immediately began spreading the order. 

“Augh!” Gold Sky got struck by an assassin. 

Watching with a spyglass from the F.O.B Rarity saw her brother get hit. “Gold Sky!” 

Sherman who is also watching reassured her that Gold Sky can dish it. 

Gold Sky pushed back the assassin and stood on his hind legs while flapping his wings like Scootaloo so he can stay upright since he remembered mother telling him that by doing that he can stay upright because the propulsion produced by the rapid flapping wings keeps him balanced. He quickly swung his hoof at the assassin only to be caught by the assassin’s hand. The assassin swung back at Gold Sky only to have his fist caught by Gold Sky’s hoof so he head butted Gold Sky which proved to be an unforgivable mistake. Gold Sky shot the assassin an angry face and head butted the assassin sending the griffon flying back three yards. “Jump!” 
*Poof* Gold Sky appeared directly in front of the assassin. “Your end comes assassin.” Gold Sky fired a bolt of magic into the griffon’s face. 

From the corner of his left eye he saw an enemy griffon sprinting towards him. “Táte!!” A strong wind struck the griffon, causing him to fall down on his back. 
*Poof* Gold Sky reappeared over the griffon and with great power struck the griffon in the chest shattering the rib cage along crushing the heart to a fine pulp. 

“See what did I tell you.” Sherman gave Rarity soft pat on her shoulder. 

Rarity sighed in relief. 

“That’s it!” Gold Sky’s horn glowed, his magic opened up the side compartments in his armor making his weapons shoot out half way. “Let the enemy face the wrath of the Chero once more but I won’t show mercy this time.” Tomahawk in his right hoof. Knife with the blade pointed down in his left hoof. He buried the tomahawk into the stomach of a pawn then plunged the knife into the neck of the pawn. 
Gold Sky jumped back to avoid a sword swipe from another pawn. “The head.”  Gold Sky lunged forward stabbing the pawn in the chest with the knife and hacked the head with the tomahawk. 

Rarity watching Gold Sky, felt fear run through her beautiful body. “This is who he is.” 

***
In the Capital, Vice President Martinez asked Geoghegan to get Ronald out of the presidential office. Casually Geoghegan walked to the office, he made a quick left but nearly slipped on something. “Holy frak! Blood!” Geoghegan followed the trail that led him to the body of Ronald’s head of security.   “Mr. President!!” Geoghegan ran into the presidential office. He opened the door only to see the back of an assassin and hear the sound of a knife penetrating flesh. “NO, MR. PRESIDENT!!” Geoghegan screamed. 

The assassin fell down allowing Geoghegan to see the president still standing with the assassin’s stiletto knife in hand plus another assassin dead with his tongue sticking out sitting on the president’s chair. 

Geoghegan couldn’t believe what he just saw. 

Ronald threw the knife to the ground and chuckled. “Wretch! You don’t kill Ronald Madison. Ronald Madison kills you! Yeah!” 

“Mr. President h-h-how!!!?” 

Ronald regained his composure. 
“Just between you and me Marine. I used to be an assassin until I faked my death so I can be free and live my life helping others.” 

Geoghegan took off his helmet. “You were an assassin! Why didn’t you tell the Republic or anybody for that matter!”

Ronald popped his neck. “Seriously son, who will want to vote for a former assassin because if I said that then I would have lost to that silver tongue liar who promises safety by stripping away rights one by one under the guise of security.” 

“Wow, Mr. President for a former assassin you sure hold the values of a free society to heart.”   

“Yeah it’s kind of funny when I think about it because when I was an assassin I only killed sixty eight targets…” Ronald turned to look at the two dead assassins. “Make that seventy. Please don’t tell anyone Geoghegan, if you do it will ruin everything and the Republic will lose faith in me.” 

Geoghegan nodded yes. “You won’t k-kill me will you?”  

Ronald headed for the door. “I won’t answer that question Marine…but I stopped shedding blood a long time ago until now eh but these two don’t count because it was self-defense. Now let’s go check go on the progress of the citizens evac to the stronghold of Tyre.”  


***
Corporal Bashier rolled about in the ground with a rather skilled big pawn who sure can take a lot of punishment.  “I should have picked on somebody my own size for once.” Bashier thought after hitting the pawn who is three time his weight and one foot higher in height. 

The pawn threw Bashier off of him. 

“Ow…damn lost my helmet and hit my head on the ground.” Bashier did a low groan. 

The big pawn raised his spear to stab Bashier. 

The Corporal rolled his eyes like he goes through this every bloody day. “Aw man, this is so going to hurt.” 

*Plish!* A tomahawk said hello to the big pawn by getting stuck in the forehead and gravity gave the pawn a light touch by making the pawn fall on Bashier. 

“Ooof! Damn…he’s heavy!” Bashier tried to get out of the dead pawn’s dead weight but he can’t. “I hope I won’t be stuck under here, hey why is he glowing??”  The body floated up giving Bashier a near once in a lifetime shock, next thing he knew is seeing a pony in white cloak get the tomahawk from the pawn’s forehead. 

“You alright?” Asked the cloaked pony while extending a hoof. 

“Yeah I’m fine.” Bashier pushed the hoof away and helped himself up. 

“Whatever.” Gold Sky sniffed the air again to find Gilda’s scent but like before it proved futile because if he wishes to find Gilda in the in this mixture of scents he’ll have to meditate so he can filter each scent one by one until he locks on to the he’s looking for, however, given the circumstance, meditation will be a bad idea.  Gold Sky got back to fighting the fascists griffons while all around him the griffons of the Republic saw him as an ally who came from out of nowhere but at least is giving the enemy hell while keeping the blood off the white cloak. 

Gilda swung her last sword into an enemy’s sword with great force breaking the blade of her sword and that of the pawn’s, sending sharp pieces of metal into the pawn’s face. Gilda finished him off by slamming the edge of her shield into his face. “Take a quick look.”  She paused to look around at the battle. Her golden eyes watched a soldier of the Grand Army slam his shield into an assassin then with the edge stuck another assassin and as his sword journeyed down his gold cape followed the sword before it covered the dead pawn. “Wow he sure can fight the assassins with great beauty.” Next to the glorious soldier of the Grand Army a marine broke the shaft of his spear by stabbing a pawn and then used the shaft of his broken spear stab another pawn. Busy looking at the soldiers, an assassin charged at Gilda only to intercepted by a soldier of the Grand Army and get beaten to death. “Thanks soldier.” Gilda said at noticing what just happened. 

Dominic kneed Staff Sergeant Ramirez in the stomach and threw the marine away from him. “It’s that all you got marine? Because I have faced much greater challenges than you.” He taunted. 

Ramirez did some quick breaths. “Not quite.” He charged at Dominic, delivering a powerful right that Dominic ducked. Fast though, Ramirez moved his left hand down block a right from Dominic. With a door opened for him, Ramirez swung his elbow into Dominic’s head and followed up by hitting Dominic with the palm of his left hand making Dominic stagger back. 

“Damn I spoke too sooooooo…FRAK!!”  Dominic saw the one thing he and some veteran assassins fear the most. 

“Huh?” Ramirez wanted to move in and kill Dominic but his attention got taken by seeing Rienne get tackled by two pawns.  “Rienne!” He went to the marine’s aid. 

“It can’t be!” Dominic looked into the magenta eyes of the pony in silver armor.  

Gold Sky snorted out his breath, he dashed towards Dominic who just had enough milliseconds to grab a sword and dagger to block the tomahawk. 

“Silver Wind! What are you doing here in the Griffon Republic!?” Dominic asked while he struggles with all his strength to keep the tomahawk from coming down. 

Gold Sky lessened the output of his strength to hearing the name of his birth father. “What?” 

What Gold Sky forgot…
Silver Wind, the once legendary guard of Celestia was known as the assassin killer. All by himself that Pegasus who once wore golden armor before switching to silver killed eleven assassins, he even took on two at the same time to protect Sylva. Oddly though, little did anypony know except for Celestia, Silver Wind was always the Razor but unlike his son, he had complete control over it. 

“Silver Wind, please I’m begging you this isn’t your fight! Please spare me!” Dominc pleaded. 

“I am not Silver Wind you stupid assassin!”  Gold Sky pushed Dominic back. He decided to attack again with the tomahawk knowing that it will be blocked but at least Dominic will keep on talking. 

“What!? But you’re wearing his sliver armor! Ugah!!” He got head butted by Gold Sky. 

“Silver Wing is a Pegasus. I am an Alicorn!” Gold Sky dropped his weapons and stopped flapping his wings and spread them out to their full span to show Dominic his beauty and race. “You failed to notice the horn didn’t you.” 

Dominic nodded. “If you’re not Silver Wind then who are you??” 

“I am Gold Sky, the one and only son of Silver Wind.”

Dominic’s eyes widened. “No, no, not the son!”  To face a son of either their past victims or hunter is worst thing any assassin can experience. 

Gold Sky’s wings went back to flapping rapidly allowing him stay upright. “I will end you and I will end what I started here.” The knife and tomahawk got back in Gold Sky’s grip. 

“And just so you know, I will kill Mao once and for all this time.” 

“Wha…” With one swift stoke the knife and tomahawk sliced through Dominic. “Ga, ga…” 

Gold Sky softly tapped Dominic’s forehead causing the assassin to fall apart in four pieces. 

Rarity’s ears dropped at seeingyhe  assassin get sliced to pieces. “Gold Sky, how can you be so brutal.”  

Mao punched a nearby pawn at witnessing Dominic’s death. “Prepare the archers!!” 

“But sir many of our troops are still fighting the Republic forces!” An adviser for Mao exclaimed. 

“I don’t care! I still got many troops here to spare, we can’t have victory without having some troops die for the fascist cause!” Mao ordered the second half of his forces to get ready to march forward. 

F.O.B 
General Sherman saw many troops falling back. “Why are you falling back!?” He asked the nearest soldier. 

“Colonel Gilda ordered us to sir, hey who’s that pony next to you?” 

“What why…? Pony! Forget about the nice beautiful eye catching mesmerizing flawless pony!” Sherman yelled. “Why did Colonel Gilda order you to fall back!” 

“I-I don’t know sir, she just did.” 

“Frak! Well in that case I better not waste a ill given opportunity. Rally up so we can carry out a solid offense!” 

While Sherman explained his orders to the Soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic and 501st Marine Corp, Rarity kept on watching her brother kill fascist after fascist with no hesitation and with flowing grace. She decided to focus the vision of the spyglass while taking her attention off of Gold Sky to look beyond the battlefield. “Hey uhhhhh…” She almost forgot Sherman’s name. “Oh Brigadier General Sherman!” 

Suddenly everybody got dead quiet and turned to look at her.
“What did you just call me?” General Sherman asked. 

“Well Gold Sky called you Brigadier General Sherman before he landed.” Rarity said while pointing at the battlefield. 

Some soldiers giggled among themselves. “Ooooh she just called him a one star, hehehe.”  

“How can he call me a Brigadier General when I got five stars on my shoulder! I’m going to oh, oh yeah I almost forgot about that. I was Brigadier General when we fought the fascist rebels fifty seven years ago.” Sherman giggled at this simple misunderstanding. “Now for what did you call me?” 

“Look! I think there are more uh bad griffons heading to the battle.” 

Sherman looked too, a expression of complete disdain formed in his already angered face. “Damn it! Mao only sent half of his forces forward! Hamilton grab some charges…” Rarity stopped Sherman in midsentence when she noticed with her sharp eye to detail enemy archers preparing to fire.  “NO! NO! NO!” Sherman’s skin went completely pale. “Son of a wretch is going to kill his own troops!” 

Bashier found himself next to Ramirez. “There’s too many of these little frakers to choose from.” 

Ramirez took his sword out of a pawn’s now dead body. “Yeah but plenty to choose from at least.” 
Suddenly within a blink of an eye a pawn with a dagger stabbed Ramirez two inches above his diaphragm. “Ohaugh!”  Ramirez dropped his sword and fell to his knees covering his wound with his right hand.  

“Ramirez!” Bashier took out the pawn. “Staff Sarge are you gravely hurt!?” 

“No, son wretch went through my chain mail knocking the air out me…oh man take me to Delta point, need to see medic.” Ramirez began to wheeze every other breath. He had to stick two fingers in his wound so he can plug it up but it will not be enough because his left lung has been punctured. 

Bashier got Ramirez on his back and flew off to Delta point. 

Mao asked his adviser if all the archers are ready to fire.

“Yes sir all archers are ready to fire at your command.” 

“Good. Fire.” Mao ordered. 

“Archers fire!” Yelled the adviser and then watched the sky fill with thousands of arrows whistling in air before coming down on friend and foe. 

Gilda’s eyes picked up the arrows in the sky. “ARROWS INCOMING !!!TAKE COVER, TAKE COVER!!! ARROWS INCOMING!!!! TAKE COVER!!” Gilda got under her shield. 

The soldiers of the Republic pushed pawns and assassins away to take cover under their bronze shields and others used the fascists or their bodies for cover. Some didn’t have time…

Gold Sky sheltered Rienne and a soldier of the Grand Army under his wings while he lowered his head. 

The arrows came down killing both fascist and Republic soldiers. 

Gilda got back up to survey the battlefield. Before her are many dead Marines and Soldiers of the Grand Army. Gilda’s words came back to her mind.

Sons, Fathers, and Husbands will die in this battle.

Her right hand began to shake uncontrollably, fear has engulfed every inch of her body. She fell to the ground whimpering and trembling. How can she lead so many soldiers to their deaths while she freezes up.  

Gold Sky asked Rienne and the other soldier to quickly pull the arrows out of his wings and neck.  “Thanks you two, DON’T TOUCH THERE!!”  He stopped Rienne from getting an arrow from his flank.

“No. Thank you, thank you, pony for sheltering us under your wings.” The soldier of the Republic gave Gold Sky a nod to thank him. 

A marine came by Gilda. “Sir what are your orders!” He asked frantically.

“I-I-I-I-I…death, can’t! Ca-can’t…fall back Delta point, or-order you to fall back now.” Gilda muttered. 

The marine ignored the order so he can aid Colonel Gilda “Sir! We need you! Please we need you!!” The marine shook Gilda. “We need you sir!!” 

Mao ordered an archer to kill that marine comforting the marine on the ground. 

“Sir we gahahagaha!” 

“Got him in the windpipe.” The archer said to Mao. 

Gilda gasped at seeing the dying marine look into her eyes and grab her hand while making gargling noises which she knows are his last words. 

Two more marines came to Gilda’s aid and they too ignored Gilda’s order. So the two marines suffered the same fate and looked at Gilda before being taken by the white light. 

Gilda closed her eyes cursing herself for freezing up causing three marines to die in front of her. Three males unintentionally gave up their lives to protect her when she has nothing to lose; they sadly listened to their instinct to protect her…not because she’s their Colonel, not because they disobeyed her command, but because she’s a female. Gilda reopened her eyes regaining her bravery through the blood of the three marines whom through her own doing died. 

Mao watched the downed marine get back up. “That must be the marine leader!” He said after seeing the colonel insignia on the helmet.

Gilda took a deep breath. “FALL BACK TO DELTA POINT!! FALL BACK TO DELTA POINT!!! GET THE WOUNDED NOW!! FALL BACK!!” 

Every Republic soldier retreated to Delta point carrying the wounded on their backs. 

Gold Sky’s ears heard that order. “GILDA!!”  

Gilda turned west. “More approaching.” She then looked east, raised her hand and made a request with hand signals. 

The spotter for the artillery got the request. “You better not be there Colonel.” 
“Hurry load incendiary rounds! Prepare to fire at Alpha through Bravo coordinates five, eight, two, one, six! Counting down from fifth-teen, fourteen, thirteen…” 

Gold Sky pushed his way through the retreating Republic troops. “Please be there, please, please, please be there!!”     

Gilda jumped up into the air to fly away from the coming artillery strike. 

But Mao had a different idea.  “Archer aim at the wing, incapacitate him so you can bring him to me alive!”  

“With pleasure sir.” The archer aimed his arrow at Gilda’s left wing. 

*Tssh!* Gilda screamed in extreme pain as she hit the ground. 

“Three, two, one…FIRE!!”  
The artillery fired. 

Mao’s adviser stayed quiet about the coming artillery. “It won’t matter.” 

Gilda hears the whistling of the artillery about to come down on her and the approaching enemy.  “This is it…I knew I will die here in the battlefield. Heh, at least I will die a fast painless death.” 

“JUMP!” 
*Poof*  
Gold Sky appeared in front of Gilda. 

Instantly he took Gilda into his arms and wrapped his wings around her. Shielding her with his body. “You’re safe Gilda close your eyes and just be safe.” 

Gilda pressed her head against the chest of this being who has her in his arms along with reassuring her with a fatherly voice and she closed her eyes. 

The incendiary rounds exploded behind Gold Sky. The flames attacked the second half of Mao’s army and attacked Gold Sky who kept the flames away from Gilda but did not keep the flames from taking his silk cloak.

Mao squeezed his spyglass, shattering it to pieces. “FRAKKEN COWARDS!!” 

Gilda opened her eyes when she can no longer hear the flames scream their heartless fury. 

Gold Sky released Gilda from his hold. “Gil-Gilda…” His dearest daughter is in front of him but for now he must overlook that, the Republic needs to saved first before he can take Gilda into his arms for good.  

Rarity’s legs gave out. “Thank you. Oh my Celestia thank you.” Free from the promise.

Gilda looked at the being who protected her from the flames. “A pony!”  She can see ash blow away from his body, his armor glowing red hot, and not single burn on his body. 

“Gilda.” 

That fatherly voice. “Go-Gold Sky! Is that y-y-you.”  But he looks different then when she last saw him.

“Yes it’s me.”

Gilda looked for the right words to say at this very moment. “How come the flames didn’t kill you!?” An impulsive question took the place of the right words.

“I am Chero Gilda and as a Son of Earth, I cannot be harmed by earth, air, water, and fire but we must get to Delta point.” He placed a hoof on Gilda’s shoulder and teleported. 

Mao’s adviser stayed quiet about the pony protecting the marine leader. “The troops will keep marching forward and they still will outnumber the Republic forces.”

Gold Sky and Gilda reappeared at Delta point in front of the remaining Republic forces. Rarity ran up to Gold Sky. “Here I brought a spare cloak with me just in case.” 

Gold Sky donned the white silk cloak. “Thank you Rarity.” 

“Hey who’s that pony next to Colonel Gilda!!?” Shouted a marine. 

Sherman calmed everybody down. “Soldiers this is Gold Sky a great ally of the Republic, I had the honor to fight alongside him fifty seven years ago when the Republic attacked the headquarters of the fascist rebels. He is our ally so all of you will treat him with respect, honor, and love, uh, brotherly love.” 

“Yes sir!” Replied all the troops. 

“Okay!” Sherman exclaimed loudly at getting back to the topic at hand. “Hamilton buy us some more time so I can rally up the soldier’s spirits!”

“Yes sir!” Hamilton and the 101st Airborne flew to provide more time for Sherman. 

“All right troops this where we shall make our last stand and Colonel Gilda will finish the rest. Colonel.”  

Now all the troops turned to Colonel Gilda. 
Gilda’s body went cold with fear again, now all the troops plus Oliver who’s looking at her with those wide eyes wait for her to give them the strength they need to finish this battle. 

“I…” Fear can prevent words from being spoken. “I…huh?” She felt Gold Sky lay a hoof on her shoulder. 

“Colonel Gilda, I will fight by your side from now and till the end no matter what.” Gold Sky’s horn glowed to seal his oath to Gilda. 

Gilda got a hold of herself. “Thanks…dad.” She finally gets to say that word to Gold Sky even if it’s in her mind. 
*Deep breath.*  

“Soldiers! The final act of our devotion that we inherited from Colonel Shaw and the Brave Eighty is finally here! The enemy is coming to end us with their massive puny numbers thinking that they can overwhelm us and take all of us away from our families, nation, and freedom. Well they already tried that and we saw them kill their own troops out of desperation so that means they’re afraid. But are we afraid!?” 

“NO SIR!” 

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

“NO SIR!” The troops banged their shields with their swords and spears. 

“This is where the enemy! Not us! The enemy makes their last stand! Think of your sons, daughters, wives, and mothers! Think of them! THINK OF THEM! We are fighting for them and for them alone! I WILL LEAD YOU INTO THIS LAST BATTLE AND WE WILL FLY OUT WITH VICTORY! VICTORY!” 

“VICTORY!” Shouted the soldiers. 

“Not as good as my speech fifty seven years ago but it will lift up the spirits of the troops.” 
Sherman thought to himself. 

“FOR OUR SONS!!” Gilda roared. 

“OUR SONS!” 

“FOR OUR DAUGTHTERS!” 

“OUR DAUGTHTERS!”

“FOR OUR WIVES!” 

“OUR WIVES!” 

“FOR OUR MOTHERS!”

“OUR MOTHERS!!” 

“THE TREE OF THIS REPUBLIC SHALL BE NOURISHED WITH THE BLOOD OF OUR ENEMIES! FORWARD TO VICTORY!!!” Gilda jumped up and flew towards the enemy. 

The Grand Army of the Republic and 501st Marine Corp yelled as they flew behind her. 

Gold Sky looked at Rarity. “I will protect her Rarity.”  

“I know Gold Sky. I know.” 

Gold Sky sped up to the front so he can be next to Gilda. “Showing valiant bravery while concealing her fear. She still has that trait, to be afraid but have the ability to hide it.” 

Gilda turned her head to look at Gold Sky. “I’m so lucky to have him with me; he gave me the strength I need. Me and dad flying into battle, oh I think this is the first time this ever happens in history.” 

“Gilda.” Gold Sky said softly. 

“Yes.” 

“Please stay close to me.” 

This touched Gilda’s heart completely. “I will.” 

Oliver joined up with Gilda and Gold Sky. “Colonel Gilda. Gold Sky.” 

“Colonel Oliver.” Gilda Greeted. 

“Colonel Gilda.” Commander Hamilton swooped in from above to join the three. 

“Commander Hamilton.” Gilda Greeted. 

Behind Oliver, Hamilton, Gilda, and Gold Sky. Are the brave griffons in their black, gold, and gray capes. In front of them are gold, gray, black, capes plus white cloak. 

Mao peered through a second spyglass. “Republic forces making a last valiant charge. Hahahaha! Archers fire!” 

“Aw man I hate arrows!” Hamilton squealed at seeing the incoming arrows. “I forgot my wing armor!” 

“Damn it.” Oliver said quietly.

Suddenly Gold Sky got in front of them. “Don’t worry.” 

“Don’t worry!? Seriously is that all he can say in a terrible moment like this!” Hamilton griped. 

“TÁTE!” Gold Sky screamed causing powerful gusts of wind to take the arrows out of the sky and throw them to the ground. 

“Well, uhmm, I’ll take back what I said earlier.” Admitted Hamilton. 

“They’re still coming sir.” Mao’s adviser said. 

“FIRE!!” Mao ordered the archers to fire again at the approaching Republic forces. 

“TÁTE!”  This time Gold Sky did not intend for the arrows to kill the lifeless ground, he had the wind carry the arrows back to the enemy and return them with high velocity.

“Will I be damned!” The adviser voiced. “The Republic brought forth their ultimate weapon…” Mao finished up the sentence.

“Magic! Where the frak did they get magic!!?” Mao looked to see if his adviser has anything to say about magic. “Huh!?”

The adviser is gone. 

“Where did he go!?” 

“Don’t know sir. I turned back so I can sneeze and when I looked back he was gone.” Said a trumpeter. 

“Great that coward deserted is.” Mao watched his troops moving onward to meet the Republic forces.

Gilda blinked slowly and exhaled confidently. 
Oliver sighed and thought of Valerie. 
Hamilton spun his sword and with a smile popped his neck. 
Gold Sky cleared his mind to keep the Razor at bay or all is lost. 

Republic and Fascist troops clash again but this time the Republic sliced through the fascists like a hot knife through butter. 

Gold Sky wrapped his left arm around a pawn’s neck and with his right horseshoe that has the blade extended slit the throat. His perception made him grab his knife; with great earnestly he threw the knife at an assassin that tried to attack Gilda from behind getting him right in cervical area causing immediate paralysis from the neck down. 

Oliver threw his spear at an assassin. “Need another spear.” Luckily a pawn came at him allowing Oliver to grab the spear, slam his shield into the pawn’s head, and go on his extreme skilled offensive so he can be back to his wife and make his apology. 

“AHWA!!” Gilda literally sliced a pawn in half with one fast stroke, she blocked two swords of a pawn who not only attacked her with immeasurable power but got his swords stuck on her shield.   
“Great!” The pawn grabbed her by the neck with both hands. 

“I’m going to choke the life out of you Republic scum!” The pawn threw off Gilda’s helmet allowing Mao to finally see the face of this marine leader who attacked his second camp. 

“A FEMALE LEADS THE MARINES!! All this time Isao has been held back by this female who is about to die, oh…” Mao still turned his head to talk to his long gone adviser. “Forgot he’s gone. Damn adviser!” 

The pawn began to choke Gilda while he looks at her with cold happiness. “This will be slow and sadly painless.”

Gilda struggled to free herself but nothing she can do is of any use. 

*Tssh!* A bolt of magic disintegrated the head of the pawn. 

“Gilda! Are you hurt!” Gold Sky hovered in front of Gilda while his nose bleeds. 

Gilda gasped for some air. “I’m alright thanks for saving me.” She went back into battle before Gold Sky had the chance to say anything. 

Hamilton buried his sword into a pawn who instantly fell down to the ground taking the sword with him. “Damn! Hey I need a weapon!” He shouted hoping somebody will have a sword, spear, or at least a dagger to spare. 

“Here!” Gold Sky got his tomahawk. “Catch.” He threw it at Hamilton. 

“Thank yo, AAAAAAAAAHH!” The tomahawk in Hamilton’s hand felt like it weighed a hundred tons causing him to fall to the ground and land on a pawn’s body cushioning his fall. “Whoa how can that pony wield this weapon! Grawh! My hand is stuck under this thing!” 

*Poof* Gold Sky reappeared next to Hamilton. “Sorry about that. Only I and others of my blood can wield it. Forgot.” He took the tomahawk out of Hamilton’s hand.  “Here I found a sword for you.” After giving the sword to Hamilton Gold Sky flew back to fight by Gilda’s side. 

While the scales of victory or defeat are tilting side to side and the unstoppable tries to stay unstoppable along with the immovable tries to stay immoveable.  General Sherman lowered his binoculars and passed a hand down his worried face. Rarity noticed this of course, so she decided to take a moment away from looking at the bloodshed to ask him what’s wrong. 
“Sherman, is there something wrong?” 

“She talks to me like I’m a equal to her and not somebody of high honor or rank. How refreshing.”  Sherman saw Rarity as a little piece of his conscious he reflect upon out loud rather in silence. 

“Look at the battle…either I forgot or I didn’t catch your name.” 

“Rarity.” 

Sherman slightly grinned. “A name of a beauty, I may be a griffion but even to me you are very, very beautiful and please don’t tell my wife she gets jealous real fast.” *Ahem* “Look at the battle Rarity but look a few degrees down.” 

Rarity did as she is told by Sherman. “I see enemy griffons falling to the ground.” 

“Are you sure Rarity? Are there any griffons wearing capes falling down.” 

“I see griffons with black, gold, and gra…oh.” Rarity understands why Sherman asked her to tell her what she sees. 

Sherman knew his cue. “Even if we’re killing the enemy we are still losing sons, fathers, and husbands. This battle is the battle that will decide everything. Rarity I know that where you come from there is no such thing as war and that makes me envious.” 

“Why?” Rarity asked. 

“A good nation does anything to avoid war. Intentionally or unintentionally and before you ask how the unintentionally even exists I want you to look at yourself. Because you ponies are so adorable and cute that how can you be hated by anybody. And going back to my main grievance, a good nation does anything to avoid war. War is not glorious despite what others will tell you. I have been through war, I’ve seen what it does to griffons, it shatters them, breaks them, scar them, take away their friends, and in the end for most males…turns them into shells of whom they used to be. But of course that is what I and I mean I went through, others experience war through their own point of views. Some are amazingly immune to the horrors of war and they are very special, I mean how! How can they not be scarred by the screams and blood of the enemy or brothers. Nevertheless they see war as glorious and they are right through their own interpretation.”

“Sooo.” Rarity cooed. “Is war bad or good?” She asked. 

“Ask me that question again Rarity but pick better words.” 

“Is war glorious or horrifying?” 

“It’s both. Both because war can only be described by those who’ve fought in war. Anybody who endorses or denounces war but has not been in it has no right to do such things; I as a veteran denounce war because I can still see the faces of my fallen brothers, I sometimes cry for no reason when I’m alone, and I have this scar on my neck that stabs me constantly so I have to take painkillers. On the other side of the coin was an old colleague who praised war, I remember him with a big smile as we dived down to attack the headquarters of the fascist rebels. He killed the most fascist rebels and he enjoys telling others about that battle. I watched him over the years with beady eyes and never has he ever shown any signs of scars, guess there are very few who are immune to the horrors of war. Oh and before you ask why the Republic is in war is war came to us. Say have you heard of a book called All quiet in the Western Front?” 

Rarity thought for a few seconds while behind her in the battle Hsin is stabbing a pawn multiple times in the face with an arrow and Rienne gaining the upper hoof err hand in a hand to hand bout with an assassin. “I don’t think I have? What is it about?” 

“It is written by a veteran who had fought in the Great Dividing war six hundred and forty two years ago when the Republic was caught in a civil war. Anyway in this book it tells of how many bright young males with wonderful futures are deceived by cowardly leaders who tell them to fight in the war is the greatest thing any male can do and to do so will only experience glory. Well the protagonist in the book slowly sees how wrong those cowards were and one by one he loses his friends, loses his connection to the normality of normal living away from the battlefield, and finally when his last friend dies he sees his life as something he can care less about or even worry, death is far from glory and horror is the closest thing to living. For in the end he looks at the black charred battlefield as a part of his soul.” Sherman thought to end with an important note to Rarity. “Have you heard of the saying that in war mothers are always the first to weep for their sons and nobody can console them.” 

“No.” Rarity never heard that phrase because war has never come to Equestria. 

Sherman did a scoff mixed with chuckle. “Mothers cry for the loss of their hearts living outside their bodies but the fathers feel the most guilt. They feel the most guilt because they had the chance to stop their sons from going into war and stop them from returning with scars or returning in a coffin with a folded flag. The father feels guilt through reason in thinking that the son fought in the war to please him and that racks the father with pain in accusing himself for not telling his son that he’ll always be proud of him. The father had the chance to stop the son but the father does not so the father pays for that decision with the loss of his son and guilt.” 

Rarity thought about her words she told Gold Sky when she described war, it was not in her place and she have asked Gold Sky what he thinks about war and what he has been through. “What happens if the Republic…” Rarity stopped. 

“It ends. Children will die, males will be put to the sword, and the females will desire death for what will come to them. I am relieved that Gold Sky is here to help us. Thank you Rarity…are you his wife?” 

“No I am his sister.”  

“Oh well uhm.” Sherman carefully picked his words. “Both of you look nothing alike other then the white colors of your coats but Gold Sky also has chocolate brown on his coat.” 

Rarity grinned while behind her in the battle Gilda rips out a trachea of a pawn with her claws and Gold Sky crushes the head of a pawn between his hooves. “I invited him into my family and he joyfully accepted. We are very close but more importantly we are now family by blood and not just by word.” 

Sherman placed a hand on Rarity’s shoulder. “He’s lucky to have you.” 

Rarity nodded at him while basking him with the beauty of her azure eyes. 

*Clang!* Bashier stopped an enemy sword with his wrist guard, the hydrostatic shock from the impact broke his left wrist but he managed to maim his adversary by slashing one eye. Bashier felt the pain from his broken wrist causing tears to hang in his eyes. “Sorry!”  Bashier retreated from the battle by flying to the medical tent.


Gilda panted, battle fatigue is getting to her now in the worse of all worse moments. “Gold Sky!” 

The Alicorn kneed a pawn in stomach before stabbing the pawn in the heart. “What is it Gilda!” 

“I’m getting tired; I don’t think I can continue fighting.” The sword in her hand felt heavy and her shield prevents her from picking up her left arm. 

Gold Sky’s magic took the shield off. “Gilda you cannot stop! If you stop now the enemy will prevail!” 

Gilda closed her eyes to take a deep breath. “You’re right da, AH, Gold Sky.” 

On the ground below the battle Mao saw his troops running away from the battle. “No! Get back into battle you frakken cowards!” 
But the retreating troops ignored Mao and continued running away but the wind pushed them to the ground, crushing them, and breaking every bone in their bodies.

Mao threw down his spyglass. “I will have to take matters into my own hands.” He flew up to join the battle. “I’m going to kill that female!” 

Gilda forced her right arm to thrust her sword into the stomach of her enemy. “Never felt this tired before.” 

“There she is!” Mao grabbed the his sword that’s slung on his back 

Gold Sky sensed a threat heading towards Gilda he dashed to catch it before it attacks her but instead he got attacked by three pawns that each stabbed him in the belly something of which gives him no pain but a weird feeling. “For once I’m glad I committed seppuku.”  

Gilda almost screamed at seeing Gold Sky get stabbed by the three pawns. “Gold Sky!!” 

“DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME!” Gold Sky’s magenta eyes focused on an old enemy. “GILDA BEHIND YOU!!” 

“Huh, whoa!” Gilda’s reflexes barely had enough time to react. 

The impact of Mao’s sword caused sparks to fly. “You have been a thorn in my side for too long!” 

Gilda grunted while she slowly pushed his sword back. “Who the hell are you!?” 

Mao pushed back down. “I am the mighty General of the Fascist army! I am Mao and I am going to kill you!!”  He threw a mighty punch striking Gilda square in the face sending her flying in the air. 

Gilda shook her head so she wouldn’t faze out of consciousness. “Ow. Where’s dad, no he told me not to worry about him especially now when I’m fighting the leader of the fascists!!” Her hand passed through her waist belt. “Yes, my canteen!” She ripped the cap off and drank all of the much needed water in one huge gulp. Gilda felt most of her energy come back to her, she does not know if it’s the water doing this or just in her head that for the moment is making her body forget it’s tired but either way she can fight Mao without holding back. 

Gold Sky took out the outer two pawns with his horseshoe blades while for the center one he grabbed him and head butted him shattering the skull. “Have to get Mao!” He declared in his mind. Sadly despite his declaration a pawn belayed his intention by attacking from behind and plunging a dagger into his carotid artery causing his sparkling blood to gush out. 

“Got you pony!” Laughed the pawn. 

“NO YOU DON’T!” Gold Sky jerked his head back hitting the pawn while with magic removed the dagger plus the three swords in belly, the wounds as Lauren said healed before his mind can create a thought.  He spun around to face the pawn. “Your end comes now!” Gold Sky’s left hoof blade sliced the head off the pawn. Suddenly he realized something. “Must keep the Razor at bay, if I let my anger at the enemy for attacking Gilda get the best of me then I will end up killing the fascists, Republic forces, and her.” He looked in all directions to find her until many pawns attacked him by grabbing his wings, head, front legs, hind legs, body, and tail. 

Mao hovered in front of Gilda spinning his sword in his hand. “Had enough fighting you female! I am appalled for the fact that I won’t be having you in my bed but I’ll be having your head as my trophy!” 

Gilda threw down her sword. “Bring it!” She raised her fists. 

“Ah hand to hand fighting, you regretfully trekked into my domain!” Mao threw his sword at a marine that tried to attack him. “Took him out now time to take you down. 

Mao charged towards Gilda swinging his left fist at her. Gilda blocked his swing with her right forearm and quickly blocked his right with her left forearm, using this quick creation of time Gilda rammed the palm of her right hand into the side of Mao’s face connected with a elbow swing which is closely followed with a blow from the same right elbow then she struck him with a right back hand and ending with a strong left hook.  

Mao spat out some blood. “Impressive but is that all you got! Heh, you hit like a girl.” 

“Frak you!” Gilda lunged forward and delivered a hearty uppercut which Mao avoided by turning his body to the side. His tail wrapped itself around Gilda’s neck tilted her body downward allowing him to hit Gilda in the back of her head by swinging down both fists, with great speed he grabbed her head and buried his knee into her face. He tilted her back up, punched her in the stomach, gave her a rather mean left hook that’s accompanied with a aggressive right hook, unwrapped his tail from around her neck, and kicked her in the chest. 

Gilda groaned but Gold Sky’s blood killed the pain. 

“You can take a hit female but I wonder for how long.” Sneered Mao. 

“Oh I can take a hit Mao better than you now shut up and fight me because you’re boring me to death!” 

Mao charged to engage the female who for too long killed his near countless pawns. Gilda raised her forearms to kill the leader who has killed many sons of the Republic and killed Jun-Park.

“Hurry get him!” Yelled the pawn who has his arms wrapped tightly around Gold Sky’s neck, more fascist buggers came to hold down the Alicorn, he tried to move his wings to no anvil. Some of them began stabbing Gold Sky’s neck. A useless move for the pawns because every time they took the knife out the wound will heal instantly. 

“Can’t get free!” Gold Sky said in his mind. 

Within the piled attack of the pawns, one of them laid their hand on Gold Sky’s flank…big mistake. 

The cold fearful feeling struck Gold Sky making him shake with that feeling of being hurt and scarred from the inside his mind and body. “Stop! You are here for her! Don’t let that freeze you when she needs you the most! Gilda needs me, Gilda needs me! NEEDS ME!!”  

Grayish purple streams of magic flashed across his horn, sparkling blood flowed out his nostrils, and the wind wrapped itself around Gold Sky creating a barrier that’s ready to be unleashed. “Gilda!!” Images of his daughter flashed before his eyes. More of his magic went to his horn allowing for once in his renewed life complete control of his vast magic that only Alicorns plus Twilight can have. “GET…OFF…OF…MEEEEEE!!!!!” His horn stopped glowing…suddenly a bright flash unleashed the wind surrounding him pushing the pawns away from him and his magic shot out of his horn killing every pawn that he pushed away. 

Gold Sky breathed rapidly. He passed a hoof over his nose. “Not a lot of blood…ahgh!” He started to gag. “What’s wrong with me, oh dear!” Gold Sky vomited a lot of his sparkling blood. “Oooooh, ow, ow, ow…my insides are burning!” This is how his body responds to such surprising heavy use of his magic. “Never will I do that again. OH!” 
For Her.
Mao’s slashed his claws across Gilda’s face and grabbed her by the neck; his right hand held a dagger pointed towards her face only to be caught by the wrist. 

“Nice try Mao.” Gilda’s slashed face healed before Mao’s eyes. 

“Impossible!! You’re immortal!” 

.“Another lame insult Mao!” Gilda tried to push the dagger away, consequently her hand to hand combat with Mao made her battle fatigue return with a vengeance.  

Mao remembered a legend he read. “To kill an immortal like you I will have to stab the heart!” He pushed his dagger forward with little resistance from Gilda.

“YOU’RE MINE!!” Roared a cloaked pony. 

“Wha…oof!!” 

Gold Sky tackled Mao getting him away from Gilda. Both of them impacted the ground causing a cloud of dust to conceal them from the raging battle. 

“Colonel Gilda, are you okay!?” Oliver asked. 

Gilda panted a few more times. “I need some more water I’m almost exhausted.” 

Oliver gave Gilda his canteen so she can drink. 

From the huge cloud of dust Mao got thrown out a considerable distance landing hard on the ground. “Where did this thing come from?” 

In the cloud of dust a pair of glowing grayish purple eyes looked at him. “Remember me Mao!” Gold Sky yelled while coming out of the dust causing his eyes to stop glowing.

Mao’s jaw dropped. “Pony with the horn and wings!” 

Gold Sky stopped ten feet away from Mao. “You! I will have no remorse in killing!” 

Mao grabbed a nearby spear from the ground and threw it at the pony with the horn and wings. “WHAT! He’s gone!” 

*Poof* Gold Sky reappeared in front of Mao giving the griffon a strong right hook. “You think I can overlook what you have done here!” Gold Sky attacked Mao with a powerful gust of wind causing Mao to go flying back again. 

Mao recovered faster than he expected but with desperation he grabbed a sword and a broken off spearhead. “Why are you here pony! What have I done to you that you will come and pick a quarrel with me.” 

Gold Sky waved his right hoof at the dust making the wind take it away. “You have abused the mercy I have shown you fifty seven years ago.” Gold Sky snorted giving Mao a taunt. 

Mao flew forward and attacked Gold Sky with a thrust from the broken off spearhead in his left hand. Gold Sky dodged the attack prompting Mao to attack with an upward vertical sword swipe only to see Gold Sky dodge that attack too. Angered by this Mao keep pressing his relentless offensive while Gold Sky simply avoided and blocked with his horseshoe blades Mao’s sword and spearhead. Gold Sky sees that Mao is not worthy of his tomahawk and knife but worthy of the thin line that lies between the Loving Alicorn and the Razor. 

*Cling* 
Mao’s sword is being held back by Gold Sky’s left hoofshoe blade and a grayish purple aura is keeping his spearhead from moving forward.  “I will defeat you for striking me! The mighty leader of the Fascists army!” 

“No you won’t.” Gold Sky responding before giving Mao a powerful head butt. “I spared your life because you lied to me! You have no sons! No wife! No form of sincerity!” He took away the sword and spearhead. “I spared your life!” He punched Mao in face. “I listened to your pleas for mercy and saw the tears in your eyes.” Magic levitated Mao allowing Gold Sky to hit the fascist leader with his wings. “I disobeyed Sherman’s order to kill every fascist rebel because I obeyed the mercy for you in my heart!”  Gold Sky took hold of Mao and threw him twenty five feet away from him. “And now you come and attack the Republic!” 

Mao got back up only to be met with a hit from the pony with a horn and wings making him fall back down. 

“You think you can take over the Republic with your vast numbers when you can’t even defeat me! You know Mao because of the choice I made the blood of the Republic soldiers are now on my hooves!! I basically killed fathers, husbands, and sons. I’M A WIDOW MAKER! I MADE CHILDREN FATHERLESS!” Gold Sky picked up Mao, buried his right knee in Mao’s stomach, right uppercut, and ended with a powerful left jab. 

Mao yelped in pain. 

“But do you know what is the worst mistake you committed besides lying to me, abusing my mercy, bringing war to the peaceful Republic, and having so much dangerous pride…”  Gold Sky spoke while standing over the griffon. 

“Wha-what?” Mao asked.

“You attacked my daughter, the griffon whom I raised from the minute I found her and the griffon who leads the Republic forces!” 

Mao’s eyes focused away from the pony and went into thought about this pony’s daughter. *Gasp* “That female marine is your daughter!?” 

Gold Sky nodded. “I raised her, I love her with all my heart and I’m here to make sure that she lives.” Gold Sky got close to Mao. “By killing you!” 

Mao sees that he’s fighting a father, guaranteeing one outcome for him. Death. A father’s wrath is sometimes much worse than the scorn of a female. “Please…!” No more pride, no more desire for victory but only the desire to live. “Please pony! Please let me live and I will never come back ever again!” 

“I believed you once Mao but I will not make the same mistake.” 

Hearing this Mao grabbed his hidden dagger. “THEN DIE PONY!” He lunged at Gold Sky with the dagger in hand. “UGH!” Only to be stopped by magic. 

*Slish!* Gold Sky sliced off the hand holding the dagger. 

The fascist leader looked at the stump left behind, shaking with uncontrollable fear he screamed in pain. 

The physical manifestation of Love continued with his punishment as he treads on the thin line. 

From above Gilda watched Gold Sky destroy Mao, this didn’t give her a sense of ease or happiness but rather a sense of shock. To Gilda’s point of view, a father is supposed to be loving, kind, far from actions of violence, all knowing, affectionate, and always there for her. She applies all of these traits to Gold Sky. “That can’t be him…no…that isn’t dad! Gold Sky isn’t brutal! He’s, he’s loving! Gold Sky please stop fighting!”  She came to regret having that feeling at having dad fly along side with her into battle. 
.
Mao started to crawl from Gold Sky crying in pain. “Please I’m begging you, spare me and I will never return.” 

But Gold Sky ignored Mao’s plea, his magic brought the begging griffon back to him. “I.” He gave Mao a strong right. “Will not.” Another strong right “Let you.” Another strong right. “Live.” 

Mao with the help of magic got levitated high above Gold Sky who stood on his hind legs with his arms pointed up with both horseshoe blades extended. Gold Sky looked up at Mao with a serious ending expression. “You know Mao, I don’t hate you or hate any of your blind followers. I love all of you but I will not make the same mistake again.” The magic holding the griffon ceased. 

“This is how Mao ends.” Gilda said while Hsin, Oliver, and Rienne cover her as she watches Mao fall to his end.  

“AHUGH!” Mao cried. One blade is deep in his chest the other is deep in his abdominal area. 

Gold Sky took a deep breath…he turned his head and looked straight at Rarity. 

“Do what you must to protect her.” Even Rarity knows that unorthodox brutality is justifiable in the most certain situations.

“Thank you for your blessing sister.” 
Gold Sky moved his arms in opposite direction.

Hsin for no reason looked down to see the pony rip Mao into two pieces. “Oh frak! That’s awesome!” 

Gold Sky roared when he completely ripped Mao apart feeling the warm blood and organs fall upon him staining his cloak and dousing his silver armor with the blood he should have spilt fifty seven years ago. “So warm and yet so…satisfying.”  Gold Sky whispered as one drop of Mao’s blood runs down his brow. 

“He did it.” Rarity sighed in relief.

“Just one thing left to do.”  Gold Sky stayed standing on his hind legs. “Tell the enemy they have lost.” 

“MAO IS DEAD! Oh. GENERAL MAO IS DEAD!! GENERAL MAO IS DEAD!” 

Once the words were heard by every pawn one singular thought ran through their heads. They all turned around and ran away. 

“Don’t let them get away! Chase the enemy and kill them all!” Gilda ordered.  

Gold Sky helped with that order. “Táte.” The wind stopped the pawns from retreating. The Republic forces moved in for the enemy has been handed to them. 

Oliver landed next to Gold Sky. “Hi, is it alright if I stand by you?” 

“I don’t mind at all Colonel Oliver.” 

“Thank you and please don’t think of me as a coward for sitting this last piece of the battle out, I already killed too much and I just don’t want to...kill anymore.” Oliver took off his helmet to allow his sweat to be dried by the warm wind. 

Gold Sky laid a hoof on Oliver’s shoulder. “You are not a coward Oliver. You’re just tired and you just want to go home. I understand, after all this isn’t the first time I fight the fascists but this is also the last time we fight them. It’s over.” 

Oliver smiled at the Alicorn. “Answer me this Gold Sky why did you come to this battle?” 

Gold Sky sighed. “You will find out soon and you will be rather…amused in a…daunting manner. But I will answer one half of your question I came here to kill Mao and kill him I did.” 

“You’re one heck a pony Gold Sky. You look so adorable and incapable of killing. Yet you’re standing by me covered in Mao’s blood. Scary.” Oliver patted Gold Sky on shoulder. “Say what are you? A Pegasus or Unicorn?” 

“I’m an Alicorn, Oliver. I am a trinity of the three pony races. Earth pony, Unicorn, and Pegasus, just like my mother.” 

Oliver got curious about Gold Sky’s mother. “So your mother is like you an uh Alicorn?” 

“Yes.” 

“Dang sure is cool to be born just like her with a fancy horn and nice wings. Talk about a one in million chance of looking just like your mother through her physical appearance.” Oliver complemented with a friendly giggle while in front of him and Gold Sky is the Republic forces slaughtering the fascist army. 

Gold Sky rubbed the back of his head. “She isn’t my biological mother she’s my adoptive mother and…” *sigh* Will this griffon believe him when he talks about his divine creation. “I was created by Yahshua, the Son of the Great Spirit but created indirectly in which I was born through my biological mother who soon died of disease before my young eyes. My mother who is an Alicorn adopted me and raised me as her own flesh and blood, she gave every one of her morals and values…I will kill to protect the ones I love.” 

*Ting* In Oliver’s mind of course. 
“So you’re a divine creation…you must be the Republic’s Guardian Angel!”


Gold Sky thought of Lauren when Oliver called him an Angel.“Guardian Angel? But I don’t have red hair.” 

“What?” Oliver tilted his head. “Red hair?” 

“Oh hehe oops. I was thinking about the Archangel, she has beautiful red hair.” 

“Whoa so you also know the hair color of the Archangel! Well I’ll be! You are the Republic’s guardian angel!” Oliver said in awe. 

Gold Sky scoffed. “Yeah, you’re going to tell everybody that I’m the Republic’s guardian Angel then all of them will start loving me yes, yes, yes but that will change soon.” 

“Change? I mean why will we change if you came to help us again and you are divinely created.” Oliver asked. 

“Time will tell my friend only time will tell.” 

Hamilton with a shield and holding a mini charge got behind his shield after throwing the charge at a pawn. “Ho, ho! Epic!” His shield is covered by red mist. 

Gilda who has her MK II knives went into the enchantment of battle once more now that end is here and the scales has tipped to the side of the Griffon Republic. 

“NOOO!” Yelled a pawn at feeling Gilda’s knife rip open his belly. 

*Clang* Hsin’s skillet smashed a pawn’s skull and his sword went inside a pawn’s heart. 

From the Forward Operating Base, Sherman held his breath for a long as he could. The fascists are being killed one by one and only they are falling to ground unlike earlier. 
“Please let this be a sign for the end of this war! Please!!” 

Rarity clearly heard Sherman’s plea for the end of this battle she on the other hoof is rather at ease seeing that Gold Sky is not fighting anymore despite being covered in blood. 

The blood covering the spearheads came off to the force of the Republic soldiers pulling them out of the enemy and thrusts it into another. The sharpness of the every sword’s edge got duller with every piece of flesh they slice off along with cutting through bone that happen to be in the way.  A spear came out the back of a pawn and the blood flew off. A sword journeyed up in a vertical path making blood fly out onto a soldier of the Grand Army giving him little ew moment and a MK II knife got thrown into the chest of pawn.

Hsin snatched a spear out of the hands of a marine next to him. “I need this thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” The marine pouted. 

The last pawn of the once numerous fascist army unknowingly got locked on by Hsin. “Right about…there!” Hsin threw the spear. 

“Going…! Going…! YES!!” Hsin officially ended the war… “For you Connor. You have been avenged my dearest brother.” 

“Oh thank you Great Spirit ahhhhhhh.” Sherman collapsed to the ground feeling so much relief enter him. “It’s over, over, ooooooover.” 

Rarity came by. “What’s over?” 

Sherman looked at Rartty and smiled lazily at her. “The war, it’s over. The Republic lives and peace can come again.” He spread himself all over the ground basking in the sunlight that is now so pleasing. 

“It’s done Oliver.” Gold Sky said while walking away from the griffon. 

Oliver spoke the first word in his mind. “Valerie.” 

“Huh?” Gold Sky stopped and turned around. “My name is Gold Sky not Valerie, Oliver.” 

Oliver realized the occurring situation. “Oh!? Sorry about that. Valerie is the name of my wife and I just thought about her.” 

Hearing this made Gold Sky think about Octavia. “That’s good Oliver. You have a wife, something that kept you going throughout this war. A luxury I may or may not have. Can’t believe I’m letting doubt hit me again despite being reassured by the Archangel herself.”  Gold Sky resumed walking.  

In the air, Gilda dropped her now heavy weapons. She’s panted like a dog but still managed to stay hovering in the air absorbing the end of this war. “Mao is dead, the assassins are dead, the pawns are dead, and I’m alive…and dad is right there waiting for me.” She glided down to the ground landing a few yards away from the Alicorn.  

The troops of the Republic also landed, all of them are happy and still none of them are doing any kind of celebrating. Why? Well they just need a stimulus and a stimulus they are going to get. 

Gilda with a speedy gait went to Gold Sky and just wrapped her arms around him giving him the biggest hug she ever given to anybody. 

Now at seeing this all of the troops cheered, shaking the ground beneath them. 

“Gold Sky.” Gilda whispered into his ear even though the cheers are loud enough to drown out her soft voice. 

“Yes Gilda.” Now Gold Sky can finally hold his daughter in his arms. 

“Thank you.” 

Gold Sky took in this moment. “You’re welcome.” 

During the long five minutes which Gilda and Gold Sky hugged, Oliver had word spread that Gold Sky who is divinely created may be the guardian angel of the Republic making every soldier think much more of the pony. 

The hug between the pony and griffon ended. Gilda looked at all her brothers. 
“Soldier of the Republic, the war is finally over, for good, forever!  Thank you, all of you my brothers for fighting by my side and allowing me to fight by yours. We all know the sacrifices committed by our fallen brothers, their devotion will not be forgotten nor will yours too. Let us pick up our fallen brothers so they rest as they land in the Heavenly Paradise. Lets us go home our brothers and relish in the freedom, peace, and prosperity we all fought for.” 

The soldiers cheered one more time. “Thank you Colonel Gilda for your Valor. Thank you Colonel Oliver for you Leadership. Thank you Commander Hamilton for your Bravery.” They saluted for the three of them.

The soldiers of the Republic along with Gold Sky’s help picked up their fallen brothers. General Sherman and Rarity joined them; Sherman ordered all them to fly back to the Capital to let them know the war is over. Gold Sky keeled down so Rarity can get on his back while they fly back. But Rarity moved the cloak so she won't be touching it. 

***                              

“Hey give me that flaming arrow!” Ordered Major Mendeleev. 

“Sure here you go sir.” Jenkins handed Mendeleev the arrow that’s on fire.

The Major stopped pressing the deep wound on the side of his body. “Jenkins why are you not talking me out of this?” 

“Oh be quiet you cry baby. Give me that.” He took flaming arrow from Mendeleev’s hands. “Ready sir?” 

“No.” 

“Good.” Jenkins cauterized the deep wound. 

“FRAAAAAAAAK!” Mendeleev yelled. “DAMN MEDIC SAID IT WOUNDN’T HURT THAT MUCH! WHERE IS HE!” 

“Medic is dead sir. The enemy sliced him to pieces, remember.” Jenkins said while touching another part of Mendeleev’s deep wound. 

“Damn I almost forgot about that.” Mendeleev bolted his mouth shut while he smells his burning flesh. 

On the walls President Madison is in fully body armor along with Geoghegan who has a spear at head. 
“Did Kate get out of the Capital?” 

“Yes, Mr. President, she joined the rest of the citizens and should in the Stronghold of Tyre by now.” Geoghegan said. 

“Good. If the citizens lose this president then they got a new one to lead them.” 

“Just with not too much estrogen I hope!” Geoghegan joked. 

“Ha! Good one.” 

Jenkins threw the flaming arrow away. “There you go sir, your wound is fully burned closed.” 

Major Mendeleev got back up. “How many Rangers and archers left?” 

“We only got forty seven Rangers left and three fourths of our archers left.” Jenkins replied. 

“Damn. Get back on the wall and we shall wait.” 

So all of the remaining Rangers got back on the wall. Mendeleev got pretty amazed at seeing President Ronald Madison fully armored with two swords on his back, he asked why is the President is here with them. Geoghegan filled in Mendeleev with the details by telling that Ronald killed two assassins that tried to kill him and chose to stay behind to protect the evacuating citizens. Mendeleev looked at Ronald, what he sees is a true leader of the citizens who will give his life up for them like a father will do for his children.

“Hey I see something coming five klicks out.” Geoghegan said while he looks through a high magnification telescope. 

“Klicks??” Madison asked. 

“Kilometers Mr. President.” Geoghegan said to the wondering president. 

“Oh…wait! Kilometers! The Republic uses customary not that annoying metric system! Ah forget it, miles, klicks whatever, let me guess you weigh one hundred and forty two kilos.” 

“How do you know that!!!?” Geoghegan gasped!

“What?”
“What?” Geoghegan repeated to keep Ronald from asking again.

“What do you see Geoghegan ?”  Mendeleev asked from down below.  

“Ok now they’re four klicks out…” *Gasp* “Many griffons heading our way!” 

Ronald Madison stomped the ground. “They got through Oliver, Gilda, and Hamilton! No, all of those sons…”

“And daughter.” Geoghegan injected. 

Ronald slapped him in the back of the head.  “Shut up. You demean our brothers, Shaw and his company by making an emphasis on Colonel Gilda despite her accomplishments and not sharing in my grief for our brothers who died in the battlefield!” 

Geoghegan swallowed his pooled saliva. “Sorry Mr. President.”

Madison rolled his eyes at Geoghegan. “Anyway, may our fallen brothers wake up in the Heavenly Paradise. How far are they!” 

The Marine peered through the telescope. “Three kilometers sir, I-I mean Mr. President.” 

Ronald sighed deeply. “I will soon be joining the Sons of the Republic soon in the Heavenly Paradise but all that matters to me is the citizens making it to Tyre. I came to the Republic for a new beginning, the Republic accepted me as their President, now I will die for the Republic. Just like her sons died for her.”  

“Ahem. Mendeleev, Rangers and Archers do all of you have one fight left in ya!” 

“Yes Mr. President!” They all yelled while Mendeleev’s cheering got cut short because when his chest expanded the wound stung him with pain.  
“Ow.” 

“Cry baby.” Jenkins friendly teased. 

“How about you get sliced in the side for a change.” Mendeleev shot back. 

“Soldiers of the Republic it is my honor to fight by your side! And whatever happens, concentrate on killing the enemy and don’t, I mean don’t give a damn about me! Is that clear!” Ronald yelled with authority. 

“Yes Mr. President!” The soldiers shouted. 

But Ronald was not convinced. “Repeat what I said!” 

“We won’t give a damn about you!” Shouted the soldiers. 

“Good.” Ronald grabbed both swords on his back. “How far is the enemy Geoghegan.” 

“One klick Mr. President.” 

Every Ranger turned their head to look at their brave President ready with weapons in hand. The Archers reached for an arrow from their quivers ready to pull back the strings in order to shoot death at the coming enemy. 

Geoghegan peered once more through the telescope. *Gasp* “EVERYBODY HOLD!!”  He grabbed the President and forced him to look through the telescope.

Ronald dropped his swords. “Soldiers…th-th-the war, war, war…” No words couldn’t come out of his mouth even though he tried to tell the Sons of the Republic the war is over and the coming Griffons are not the enemy but the Grand Army, Marines, and Airborne. “Geoghegan pluck a feather from my wing.” 

“Mr. President?” 

“Just do it!” He demanded.  *Pluck* “Ow!” With the little pain infliction Ronald gained the distraction he needed from his little temporary inability. “The war is over…The war is over! The Republic won! We won! Our brothers are coming back from the battlefield! It’s over! Over!!” 

“Catch me somebody.” Mendeleev passed out luckily the leader of the archers caught him. 

Sherman and all the troops landed along with their fallen brothers on their backs. Sherman greeted the President and shook Geoghegan’s hand. The soldiers from the battlefield hugged the Rangers and Archers, sharing smiles and words of happiness. Ronald looked at Gilda and gave her a nod of respect but did not shake her hand. 

He knows that if he does the general public will find out and what will the public do…forget or turn their attention from the fallen Sons of the Republic and focus on Gilda solely because she’s a female while the males of Republic will be overlooked. 

Gilda understands this full and well. 

Oliver elbowed Sherman making the five star remember something. “Oh! Ronald there is an old friend of the Republic you have to meet.” 

“Well please do me the honor of showing me this old friend.” 

Sherman nodded with a grin. “Gold Sky please come here.” 

Gold Sky asked Rarity to stay put and look pretty for Griffons who most are looking at her with admiration. He came to Sherman’s call. 

“Ronald this is Gold Sky, I fought alongside him fifty seven years ago when the fascists were only rebels.”  

Ronald extended his hand to Gold Sky. 

Gold Sky on the other hand or hoof noticed something different about the President of the Republic. “Abraham Washington? You look younger and different.” 

Sherman gasped before chuckling nervously. “Hehehehehe, Gold Sky, Abraham Washington retired after serving one term so he can be with his family. This sharp looking fellow here is President Ronald Madison.” 

“Oh. Sorry about that Mr. President.” He shook the President’s hand. “It’s been a long time since I been here in the Republic.” 

Ronald’s eyes studied the blood covered pony. “Well for being the Republic’s Guardian Angel I’m sure you don’t visit often.” 

“Wha…” Gold Sky tried to speak so he can ask why Ronald will call him that.

“Something the soldiers decided to call you and me too. On behalf of the Republic and everybody here thank you for coming to our aid again.” 

“Humph you call me that now but that will change in a few hours.” 

Gold Sky left Sherman and Ronald so they can talk about the Memorial for the fallen brothers and hand pick griffons who will be singing the hymn to honor the Sons of the Republic who've died. 

“Rarity.”

“Huh oh Gold Sky is everything alright?” She asked. 

“Yeah for now, look do you know a spell that can take the blood off my cloak? I want to take a shower before the memorial starts.”

Rarity’s horn glowed and removed the blood from his cloak leaving it whiter than white. 

Gilda came by Gold Sky. “I heard you want to take a shower I can take you and Rarity to the barracks so you can wash up.” She flapped her wings to tell Gold Sky they’ll be flying. 

“C’mon Rarity.” Again he kneeled so she can climb onto his back.

“First take off the cloak so I can hold it while we fly to the shower room. I want to wash it thoroughly so the smell of battle won’t be there.” Rarity took the cloak after Gold Sky took it off which after having the cloak float in front of her she climbed on his back. 

Gilda grinned at Gold Sky. “All right lets go.” She jabbed Gold Sky on the shoulder as a sign she sees him as an old pal, well to his point of view. 
***

In Ronald’s office, Vice President Kate came in to join Sec Def Lafayette and General Sherman. 
“All right now that everybody is here let’s talk about the care for our brave soldiers.” Ronald started off. 

“Yes Ronald is right, the question is can we provide the care for our soldiers in an adequate manner.” Sherman voiced. 

“Hold on.” Kate screeched. “How many troops did we lose?” 

Sherman sighed. “We lost two thirds of our entire military and that is with the Airborne, Grand Army, Marines, and Rangers combined.” After saying that it got quiet until Ronald cleared his throat to remind Lafayette of something. 

Sec Def took out a long list of names. “These are the names of Psychologists, Psychiatrists, therapists, and councilors that will be treating our soldiers for their post traumatic stress disorder. We have to do everything we can to make sure these brave sons can come back to the lives they lived before the war came. We owe them everything so they deserve the best.” 

“Aye, I like the sound of that.” Kate said while nodding her head. “But I have to bring up the big fish here…how will all of this be paid for?” 

General Sherman placed his hand behind his head. “The Republic still has a surplus in its coffers…” Ronald interrupted him. 

“Ah, ah, ah. I took care of that with every one of those blokes, all of them will be treating our soldiers at no cost.” 

Kate, Sherman, and Lafayette all looked at Ronald. “How did you do that?” The trio asked in unison. 

“I just reminding these blokes what they owe our soldiers plus some strong words.” 

“Strong words?” 

Ronald scratched the table leaving behind deep carvings. “Yes strong words, one of those shrinks tried their stuff on me so she can talk me into excluding her from all of this but with some more strong words I opened her mind to what she owes these soldiers and how she does not have the right to demand payment.” 

“Uhh…” Kate squeaked. “Isn’t that that a bit of a power abuse Ronald?” 

The president scoffed to this. Sure he lied a bit by saying he used strong words when he actually used threats and brute force to make all of them comply. But he deeply cares about the troops and knows about the dangers of PTSD when left untreated along with the cost of treatment that many soldiers cannot afford and the views of society when it comes to emotions in males who end up refusing treatment so they will not be seen as weak. “No it is not an abuse of power when we’re doing this for the soldiers!” 

“Uh oh.” Lafayette knows that when Ronald ends with a sharp edge in a sentence a speech will follow. 

“Those soldiers gave every ounce of their lives to protect this Republic, families, and freedom! And you’re telling me that I’m abusing my power when I want them to get the best treatment they rightfully deserve!? We owe them our lives! The Republic owes her sons everything! Tell me Kate will you have gone and fight to protect this Republic!” 

“I-I…” Kate stammered. 

“Exactly! So next time you tell me I’m abusing my power in trying to help our soldiers how about you tell them that they should pay for their treatment in their faces! We cannot turn our backs them, they experienced terrible things and have emotional scars in their minds. Other nations turned their backs on their troops and what happens to them. Divorce, depression, anxiety, stress, shell shock, and sadly…suicide. We will not do that to our troops, no we won’t, and if you all think that I’m abusing my power then go ahead and think that but I’m doing it for the soldiers and for them alone.”

The three saw that Ronald’s abuse of power was in the best intentions for the soldiers. 

“I’m sorry Ronald I guess your abuse of power is acceptable for the soldiers. I support your treatment plan full heartily and what about Congress do they support your treatment plan?” 

“Yes all of Congress supported the treatment plan and I didn’t even need to tell them what I told all of you right now.” Ronald is telling the truth when he said that, some of Congress members have their sons in the military and most of those some lost their sons.

Kate apologized again. 

General Sherman voiced his support for the plan and so did Sec Def. 

Ronald smiled. “Good tomorrow we start treating the soldiers, today we remember our fallen brothers. Are the griffons who will be singing in the choir selected already?” 

“Yes Ronald.” Kate answered. 

“Perfect, we’ll commence the remembrance for the fallen soldiers in a few hours so our troops can rest a bit and spend time with their families.”  

“Sounds like an excellent plan Ronald.” Said Sherman. 

***
In the Capital all of the citizens have returned home from the Stronghold of Tyre. In a house a little griffon looks out the window, she wonders again when daddy will be coming home and she will ignore mommy if she tells her for the fifth time that supper is ready. 
Outside, a Soldier of the Grand Army of the Republic lands in front of the house in his armor and golden cape. The little griffon gasped in immeasurable joy. “DADDY!” She barged out of the house. “DADDY!!” 

The father took off his helmet and extended his arms. “SWEETHEART!”  His daughter flew into his arms hugging her daddy with every bit of strength she has.  

“Daddy I missed you much.” The happiness in the daughter’s voice cracked. 

The father with tears in his eyes kissed his daughter many times on the head. “I missed you too sweetheart. I love you very much! Very, very, very much!” He squeezed his daughter with his arms but not too much. His wife came out and she saw her husband hugging their daughter. She gasped in total awe at seeing him! 

“My love!” She wrapped her arms around him. “You’re here!” She began to cry tears of joy for the safe return of her husband. 

The soldier kissed his wife and rubbed his head against hers. “Of course I’m here, you two are my reason for not dying in the battlefield, and I love you, both of you!” 

The family cried together and the family rejoiced together. 
*
A young griffon sat on cushion in front of the door, he wonders when daddy will be coming and he also wonders if mommy will stop telling him to get away from the door. 
“Huh?” He heard the doorknob turning slowly. His eyes widened with sheer anticipation to who can be opening the door. 
The door slowly swung open and a griffon in a gray cape came in. “M-my son.” He said with total love in his voice. 

“DADDY!!” The son yelled as he dashed forward tackling his father and bringing him to the ground. “DADDY!” He hugged his father and smiled the biggest smile he can create. 

“What’s all the damn noise?” The mother demanded at hearing the loud crash, so she came down to see if her son is causing some unneeded ruckus. *GASP!* 

Her husband smiled at her, he waved his hand at her so she can join them in this happy reunion and join them she did. No words needed to be said because Husband, Wife, and Son are all united together again and never again will anything separate them. 
*
A griffon in a black cape grabbed the doorknob on the front door. Here he is, back home and back with his dearest family. The griffon opened the door and went in. At first the house looked empty also adding to that thought is nothing to be heard. Until the sound of footsteps got picked up by his ears. 

A male griffon came to see who came inside. 
“Dad.” The soldier said affectionately. 

The father dropped his coffee mug. “Son! Oh my Great Spirit! Come here!” He took his son into a tight embrace. “Honey, get over here!”  His wife came to them. 

“What’s wron…” There he is before her eyes, her son. “My son!!” 

“MOM!” He went and hugged his mother tight. “Missed you and dad so much!” 

“We missed you too my son! For days we couldn’t sleep but now here you are safe and sound. I love you my dear son.” The three of them hugged and after that they sat down to eat something of which they all missed and now can have again. 

*
Perched on a tree in a meadow a griffon looked at her wedding band thinking about her husband and thanked everyday in which does not feel that cold feeling in her chest like others have.  Suddenly she felt the tree shake and saw some leaves fall down. She looked around to see who made the tree shake; at looking to her left she sees a griffon in a dark green cape smiling at her with a tear on his cheek.      
Her husband. 

“Lovey beak!” The wife breathed out while touching her husband’s face to see if it’s really him and not an illusion. 

“Lovely dove.” The husband told his wife to let her know that this is real and he is by her in the flesh and bone. 

The wife laid her hands on her husband’s cheek and with slow but tender grace kissed him. 

** 
Throughout the Capital families got reunited thanks to the return of Fathers, Husbands, and Sons. But amidst these joyous occasions there are some, no, many who do not experience any happy reunifications.   

Sitting in a chair on a porch a griffon looks at a letter her father wrote to her and a picture of her with him. She looked up to see a soldier be greeted by his two sons and when his daughter came to him he took her into his arms while his daughter wrapped her arms around his neck and happily smiling. 

The griffon looks at the daughter with animosity; she wants go and beat that happy daughter so the unfair happiness can end!! The mother of the sad angry griffon came to get her to come inside. But the sad griffon slapped her mother’s loving touch away. The mother knows why her daughter is angry so she tried her comforting motherly wisdom. “Sweetie, please come inside you shouldn’t be out here…” 

“Look at her mom. Being so happy and smiling like she got the greatest gift in the world while I’m here, still…why.”

“He died for you! I know it’s hard accepting that but you can’t stay sad forever.” 

The sad griffon turned to look into her mother’s eyes. “I wish that little griffon is my position and I’m in her position. Why did daddy have to go and hers didn’t!? It’s no fair!” Her eyes started to turn pink. “It’s not fa-fair! N-not fair!” 

“Sweetie.” The mother said softy as she moves in to wrap her arms around the sad griffon. 

“Daddy why did you have to die…I want you to come back…daddy…” She began to cry in her mother’s arms.
**
A young griffon sat in his swing set in the backyard of his house, on his lap is an undone model of a catapult that he and his daddy were making but didn’t get done because his daddy had to leave to fight a war. His young but saddened mind went to a memory that changed from short term to long term memory. 

“Be careful son, don’t apply too much glue on the there or the base will get stuck to the table.” The father handed his son another piece of the model catapult. “Just can’t wait to try this out!” 

“Me too daddy! Oh am I putting this piece in the right place?” 

“Yes you are my son.” The father patted his son’s head. “Son, did you know what we’re doing right now is something that I used to do a lot with my dad.” 

“Making models?” Asked the young griffon. 

“Yes, I enjoyed making models with my dad. In fact we made so many that they filled a whole room! So my son I’m happy that you’re like me when I was your age. Making models with daddy.” He ruffled up his son’s hair and smiled at him with loving eyes. 

The mother of the young griffon came out to check on her son sitting alone on the swing. “My son.” 

“Why did daddy have to go away and never come back!” The son tearfully asked. 

“I’m sorry my son but daddy will never be coming back even though he promised he will.” 

“But daddy always keeps his promises!” 

The mother looked away while covering her mouth to suppress a cry. “I know my son but this promise he sadly broke.” She grabbed her son and hugged him tight to ease his cries for daddy.
**
A mother still cried for her son who’s lying still in a coffin, she touched her son’s hand but at feeling it she didn’t feel soft flesh instead she felt flesh that is hard as rock and cold as ice. She remembered kissing her son on the forehead for the last time before he went into the massive zeppelin landing craft. Even at hearing that the war is over and victory is of the Republic why would she care if she does not have her son with her. 
Her heart is in grave pain…
But standing in the shadows is the father…
With Guilt looming over his shoulders. 
The father cried for his son too, his heart is in pain but unlike the mother he feels responsible for the death of his son. He had the chance to talk his son out of carrying on the intention to join the military and instead put his amazing mathematical skills to use in architecture but the father didn’t express any form of doubt in his son’s decision even though in the back of his mind he felt something tell him to ask his son to be something different instead of a soldier. “It’s all my fault.” He went and placed a hand on his grieving wife’s shoulder. “Forgive me my son, please forgive me.” 
**
Lying down on a queen size bed a female griffon looks at the empty side plus the pillow that hasn’t been used for quite a while. She received the letter telling her that her husband has died in the battlefield even after the medic tried everything he could to save him. 

The widow looked at her wedding band that her husband given to her thirty two years ago. 
All alone in this world and to make things worse tomorrow is their thirty third anniversary and she already bought him a new wedding band of white gold. But now she can only look at that wedding band as a symbol of a now gone love that she cannot get back. 

Wife no more.
A widow. 

**
In war the first victims are the always the soldiers and the second victims are the families of the soldiers but the ones who are harmed the most in those families are the children. 

Ronald didn’t take that into account but yet how can he think about that when the military of the Republic lost two thirds of its soldiers and he has no family of his own.

***

“Well here we are at the shower room sorry that it so long to get here Gold Sky, it’s been a long time since I been here.” Gilda grabbed a towel and threw at Gold Sky. 

“Thanks Gilda now all I got to do is just take off my armor.” His horn glowed to take off the armor. 
Gilda decided to help Gold Sky so she lifted up one of his hind legs to take off the shiny silver horseshoe.

“HUH!” Gasped the Alicorn at feeling this sudden intrusion of his space. 

Gilda heard the frightened gasp. “Sorry about that Gold Sky, I wanted to help you take off your armor.”

“Ohuhhhh, it’s cool Gilda.” He responded quickly to keep Rarity from getting worried because of the tone of his voice. 
“It’s only Gilda your daughter she won’t hurt you! She won’t hurt you!”

“All righty then.” Gilda lifted up the other hind leg and took off the second silver horseshoe.

With the silver armor on a bench Gold Sky went into the warm shower. Gilda passed a moist cloth to Rarity. “Hey can you please help me clean his armor. It has dirt, blood, and this clear liquid on it.” 

Rarity at first got a little unnerved by the blood on Gold Sky’s helmet but Gilda grabbed it first giving her a reason to do a little sigh of relief. “Sure I’ll be more than happy to.” 

In the warm shower Gold Sky thought about of how all of the soldiers of the Republic thinks he’s the Republic’s Guardian Angel.  “Até, eģ i?” He asked Yashua 

“If they think that you’re their Guardian Angel will that stop you from telling them about disobeying Sherman’s order fifty-seven years ago?”  

“Hiyá até.” 

“Good my son and after you sing her that song she will remember everything from your Love to her happy childhood.” 

Gold Sky sighed, he’s alone here in the shower with his daughter and sister just a few yards away from him. They will stand by him even when the other griffons turn their backs on him and demand his blood to be shed. Nevertheless he figures some griffons will defend him though that will not prolong his welcome in the Republic. 
“I will hear that song, see their shock, get their punishment, tell Gilda everything after I sing to her.”

The warm shower ended when the water started getting cold. “Gilda, when will the Republic be holding the remembrance for the fallen soldiers?”

“What is that?” Rarity asked. 

“It’s a memorial for the griffons that have died in this war Rarity.” Gold Sky answered. 

“Oh.” Rarity’s ears dropped when she realized that many griffons of the Republic have died and she barely thought of that. 

Gilda placed Gold Sky’s helmet on her head, she wanted to voice some annoyance that it didn’t fit her. Luckily the helmet adjusted itself to her head taking that thought away. “Pretty cool helmet it must be his magic that allowed his helmet to fit me.” 

“Gilda.” Gold Sky tapped her on the shoulder. 

“What, huh? Ah I think in a few hours.” Gilda finally got around to answering his question. 

“Thank you Gilda. Hmm.” His eyes spotted somebody coming in. “General Sherman.” 

The general nodded. “Gold Sky, Rarity and Colonel Gilda, I can’t believe I’ll find the three of you in here of all places.”

“Well here we are sir.” 

“Now don’t salute me Colonel I’m not wearing my five stars anyway getting to the main reason. I’m here to tell Gold Sky something I've been meaning to tell him for some time.” 

Gold Sky looked at Rarity. “Lay it to me Sherman.” 

“Excellent. Gold Sky ever since fighting by your side fifty seven years ago and seeing you fight today, I see you as a son I never had.” Sherman came close to Gold Sky. “If only you were.” 

Gilda and Rarity looked at each other will soft smiles thinking that Gold Sky must be honored to hear those words. 

But Gold Sky did not feel honored by those words rather he felt offended. “Sherman.” His voice lost its loving touch; in fact it sounded more like a growl. “Do you love your four daughters?” But within that growl is a calmness that always prevalent before a storm. 

Sherman just answered and didn’t think about why Gold Sky will ask him this. “Yes I do Gold Sky.” 

“Then why will you tell me such a thing if you’re already blessed with children. Please Sherman enlighten me.” 

“Wha, uhhh, well I just uhmm…” While the Griffon searches for the words his mind gets touched by telepathy for the first time. 

“Typical.” Gold Sky noted. 

Sherman stopped to address the sudden mention of that word. “What?”

“You were disappointed after your first daughter hatched but you still loved her very much and after being disappointed three more times you decided to hang on to that little…” Gold Sky does not like using this certain word but since it does not pertain to him he’ll use it. “Hope. Shame on you Sherman. You have children, your flesh and blood but sadly you still desire a son. What is it that makes you so clingy to that shameful hope Sherman? If you want a son why don’t you adopt one then. Wait, wait, Sherman don’t answer that. You want a son of your own flesh and blood but after four daughters enough is enough.” 

Sherman looked at Gold Sky with a coy expression. “Why is it wrong for me to want a son, Gold Sky.”

“There is nothing wrong with desiring a son Sherman but desiring a son while holding your new born daughter is wrong.” Gold Sky sat down on a bench and patted the spot next to him so Sherman can sit close by even though he doesn’t want Sherman to be close to him but Gilda and Rarity are nearby. “However I’m a bit intrigued. Why do you see me as a son?” 

“You are like me. When the Fascist Rebels launched an attack, you came and fought with me without even asking if I needed your help but you still fought. You saved my hide more times than I can count, never disobeyed a order, fight with a style I cannot understand nor can anybody else, and when I looked into your teal, err, I mean Pink eyes all I see is a unbreakable will. You have all the traits that I want in a son.” Sherman turned to look at Rarity and nodded at her. 

“How come you didn’t see any of the griffons under your command as sons?” Gold Sky asked. 

“You fought with ferocity for one minute while the next minute you are caring and nurturing also a trait I want in a son.” 

“How quant Sherman, but my eyes are magenta not pink, sure magenta and pink are similar but not the same. Now let me tell you our complete differences. You are against war while I even though I’m a pacifist see it as a way to a means of an end. You have hope, while to me hope is a lie created for children to give them something to look forward to. You want a son, a desire to be a father to a son…” Gold Sky abruptly stopped in midsentence due to an interruption from Sherman. 

“How about you Gold Sky? Do you want a son or daughter? Please don’t be a hypocrite.”  

“Sherman do you think that I am worthy of being a father.” Gold Sky got up from the bench, spreading out his wings and taking the knife out of its armor compartment. “Let me tell you something that will make you want to make an attempt on my life but first let me ask you a hard question.” 

Sherman nodded while he looks at the floating knife. 

“If you had to save the Republic and given two options will you pick to sacrifice all of your soldiers or sacrifice one just one of your daughters.” 

“Daughter.” Sherman answered as soon as Gold Sky finished asking him the question. 

Gold Sky scanned Sherman’s mind. “Fast answered and true. You will kill one to save thousands…I killed thousands of innocent lives to save one.” He stopped to look at Rarity with serious eyes. She took this as a sign that he will be telling a secret he’s kept. “I killed one thousand four hundred and twelve innocent.” *Long exhale* “One thousand four hundred and twelve innocent children to save the life of one. The name of that one was Ruby a griffon. I killed innocent children to save her from the wrath of the Chieftain of the United Zebra Clans. Imagine having to hear the children call out to their mothers and fathers so they can save them from me, feeling their blood splash on me, and then seeing their eyes look at you with eyes that yell betrayal. I killed those innocent children to save the life of one. So answer me again Sherman will you have kill Ruby instead of killing those innocent children.”

Sherman nodded. 

“I tell myself constantly that I should have let Ruby die instead of killing the children. I loved them all even though I didn’t know many of them and I also loved Ruby. But I loved Ruby even more than I loved the children…both of us were very close.” Gold Sky placed the knife back in its compartment. “Like brother and sister close. So Sherman am I worthy of being a father?” 

“No.” 

“Thank you for your truthfulness Sherman. Next time you let that hope enter your mind how about you go tell all of your daughters how disappointed you were when they hatched and still wish for a son. Do that please or you can let go of that hope. Because you are the most important male figure in your daughters’ lives and they look up to you as their protector, source of guidance, and kind nurturer. Enjoy your four blessings Sherman.” 

Sherman got up from the bench feeling light headed. “Humph, I fought for them and I basically spit on their faces every time I think about what life will be if I had a son. Thanks Gold Sky and I’ll be leaving to check on the preparations for the remembrance.” He left the shower room, at arriving to the hallway he began to weep quietly. Guilt for having the hope for a son struck him with punishment. 

“Gold Sky killed innocent children that can’t be true oh he’s telling the truth I can see it in his eyes. That’s why…” *Big ting in Rarity’s mind* “WAIT! Then how is Octavia pregnant then!”  This took away from letting fear from Gold Sky confessing to killing children consume her. “First I must wait until he reconnects with Gilda before asking questions.”  

Gilda cautiously went up to Gold Sky. “Were you bluffing about killing one thousand four hundred and twelve innocent children plus feeling not worthy to be a father?” 

Gold Sky placed a hoof on Gilda’s cheek. The same way he did when he comforted her with his love.  

Gilda wanted to smile at feeling this kind affection from the pony she sees as her dad but found herself suppressing that smile so the situation won’t get awkward. 

“Later Gilda.” 

**Four hours later**

Gilda, Rarity, and Gold Sky all stood together among crowds of griffons who watched eighty griffons march with eighty folded flags, in the front is Geoghegan who holds the flag that has Colonel Shaw’s insignia. The eighty griffons represent the Brave Eighty who died in order to prevent the enemy from having the element of surprise. Ronald bowed his head to give his respect to the marching griffons. 

Hsin wiped away his tears. “Connor my brother may you know that even if you’re in the heavenly paradise I love you very much.” Hsin fell down to his knees crying for his brother and next to him a fellow soldier gently pats his back. 

The conductor for the choir raised his baton he waited for the signal from Ronald. 

Griffons holding flag covered coffins are approaching informing Ronald to signal the conductor. 

“First time I heard this song I cried second time I might cry again.” Gold Sky whispered to Gilda. 

“Don’t worry Gold Sky I’m here for you.” Gilda softly patted the side of his neck. 

The conductor swung the baton in the air and the choir began to sing. 

“To fallen soldiers let us sing,
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing.
Our broken brothers let us bring 
To the Mansions of the Lord. 
No more weeping, no more fight.
No prayers pleading through the night.
Just Divine embrace, eternal light,
In the Mansions of the Lord. 
Where no mothers cry and no children weep.
We shall stand and guard though the angels sleep.
Oh through the ages safely keep, the Mansions of the Lord.” 

Gilda saluted her fallen brothers “Good bye Jun.” She blinked her tears away and said three more names. “Good bye Enoch, Keyshawn, and Hans.” The names of the three Marines who died while trying to help a frozen Gilda. 

Rarity watched with wide eyes, so many flags marching down and many griffons mourning. Never has she seen the end results of war so this is a whole new experience for her. Out of the comforting shelter of the utopia Equestria and in the war scarred Griffon Republic. 

Gold Sky who meanwhile feels safe being in between Gilda and Rarity released his telepathy so he can hear every thought of the mourning griffons. Every child wants their father back. Every wife wants her husband. Every mother and father wants their son back. And who is the main reason for those fathers, husbands, and sons being taken…Gold Sky. He spared Mao’s life fifty seven years ago when Mao begged him for mercy by saying he had a wife and son. His mind screamed at him to obey Sherman’s order to kill every fascist rebel but his heart whispered to him to show mercy, so Gold Sky allowed Mao to live by going into exile. 

“I let Mao live, giving him a chance to raise another army to attack the Republic. I’m just like him, taking away innocent lives. No I took those innocent lives to protect Ruby but they were innocent children whose only fault was being children of the Rouge clan. The blood these fallen griffons are on my hooves just as much it’s on Mao’s. Odd that they consider me their Guardian Angel when I mostly share a resemblance to the angel of death.”  Gold Sky remembered the dark trait he inherited from his birth father. “I did not kill the one thousand four and eleven children the Razor did but I killed the first child. I and the Razor are not the same but we share the same body. I am Love he is not. He is anger I am not.”  He listened to more occurring thoughts of the mourning griffons. “Doesn’t matter. I am responsible for the Razor killing those innocent children just as I am responsible for these fallen griffons. I am not their guardian angel, I am their curse and I am Gilda’s father. I failed her but dad said that there’s a chance that she’ll forgive me.” 


The choir came into great silence therefore making all of the citizens turn to President Ronald Madison who stands behind a podium. “Citizens of this mourning Republic let us bow our heads and honor the fallen sons of the Republic for they have given their lives not for the Republic, not for me, not for this soil but for all of you. Fathers, husbands, and Sons loved by all of you and they loved you so much…” One griffon listening to Ronald’s speech became lost in an event she experienced earlier with the speechwriter. 

Ronald will not mention Gilda at all in his speech. He is not sexist but knows that society will belittle the extraordinary sacrifices of the sons of the Republic and turn their attention to Gilda who after all did fight with great power but she does not want admiration if it means that her fallen brothers will be overlooked.  But he didn’t have anything to do with Gilda’s exclusion from the speech when he was too busy helping organize the remembrance. 

*One hour and a half earlier*
Gilda asked Gold Sky and Rarity to wait in the lobby while she goes to get a peek at the speech that Ronald will be reading from during the remembrance. 

The speechwriter gave Gilda the speech. 
“What the heck is this?” 

“Did I misspell something?” Asked the speechwriter.  

“No you nailed perfect grammar and no misspellings. But the point is why do you have five paragraphs about me and not even half a paragraph about the soldiers who died in this war!” 

“Well look Colonel Gilda. You’re the only female in the entire military, you’re high rank, males obey anything you say, and you led the Republic to victory. That’s something that should be the main focus in this speech.” 

Gilda’s jaw almost dropped. “So you want to glorify me by ignoring the soldiers who died for their families, Republic, fre-freedom and uhhh you!” 

The speechwriter pointed to the little measly paragraph. “I didn’t ignore them I mention them right there.” She sounded so calm and lukewarm when telling Gilda this. 

“What! You don’t honor them! They suffered in their last moments; they died thinking of the futures they will not be a part of. I am not the reason for victory! Why didn’t you write about Colonel Shaw and his brave company! If it weren’t for them who knows where all of us will be at right now. Also Oliver is the one who fought the most in this war, he, he’s the one will the led the charge to victory not me! Wait a minute your glorifying me just because I’m a female! That’s why isn’t it!?” She didn’t catch it the first time but caught it in her own words. A tad off but she still caught it. 

The speechwriter nodded and shook her head. “You’re an incredible griffon Gilda. You are inspiration for all females in the Republic.” 

Gilda controlled her anger left over from the war. “When I joined the 501st Marine Corp it was publicized all over the press so why now do you call me an inspiration instead when I first joined!” 

“Uhhhhh.” The speechwriter got cornered by Gilda’s question.  

Suddenly a griffon came in surprising the both of them. “Oh sorry mom I didn’t know you haaaa…” She stopped talking when seeing Gilda who punched her in the face yesterday.

Gilda’s eyes widened. “YOU! You’re that little thoughtless wretch who gave that father of two a white feather!” 

“Hey don’t you call my daughter that!” The speechwriter yelled. 

“SHUT UP! You’re daughter has the audacity to call a father of two a coward while she herself is one! How dare you give him that white feather! He died before my very eyes! HE DIED BEFORE MY VERY EYES!” Gilda roared in the speechwriter’s face. “I fought in this war but I did not die so you have no right to even mention me in this speech and if I am an inspiration then why hasn’t your daughter joined the Grand Army of the Republic, the 501st Marine Corp or the 101st Airborne huh! You know a little birdie once told me that war has always been a male’s arena not by social views or words but by biology. I and some other females may be exceptions to that but you know what I froze in combat.” 

The speechwriter gasped. 

“Because of me three marines died. I froze and they died trying to snap me out of my fear, three griffons. They could have been fathers, husbands, or sons but they died and I know it’s my fault and you disgrace not only those three but Jun-Park who died in my arms and all of my brothers who have died in this war. You don’t care about them you’re just a coward who will use me as an inspiration for females so they can join the military while you and your daughter don’t. You belittle the fallen soldiers and sad part is…this society will let you belittle our fallen soldiers. I’m a female so what, males fought and males died, I lived but they did not.” Gilda began to shake. “I let emotion get the best of me so I can carry out an act of vengeance. The Republic became exposed to invasion if the enemy were to have launched a night attack they will would have a clear shot to the capital, I placed the families of the entire 501st Marine Corp at mercy’s hands, I-I wanted revenge and in war you cannot allow emotion to drive you and I did just that. I know with all my heart that Oliver, Hamilton, and Sherman will never do that because they control their emotions. I will not let you put me over the fallen soldiers of the Republic; you have no right to do so just like your daughter has no right to give white feathers to males who were not fighting in this war. Those males who were not fighting are not cowards they were only worried about being away from their families. Instead why didn’t you give white feathers to the sons of those wealthy cowards who wanted to negotiate with the enemy and preached about glory in fighting the enemy but oh yeah they are your biggest contributors so you will do anything not to insult them. You bloody hypocrites, you will call griffons cowards while you defend true cowards.”  

“I am not a hypocrite.” The speechwriter responded. 

“A true hypocrite always says they’re not a hypocrite. You take your freedom for granted and I will punch you if you keep on writing anything about me and I’ll punch your daughter again if I need to so you can get the picture.” Gilda warned. 

“And what if I keep on writing hmm. What are you going to do about it.” The speechwriter puffed her chest before Gilda. 

Gilda flared her claws at the speechwriter. “In that case if you wish to be like that then I will become your inspiration to stop and trust me I will be a very unlikeable inspiration.” 

The speechwriter and her daughter looked at each other with mad expression so they decided to go on the defensive. “You’re lying!” 

Gilda placed a claw on the speechwriter’s temple, pressed, and moved her claw down making a long cut that has blood slowly oozing out. “I’ll be taking that speech.” She ripped it to pieces. “Now write a new one that honors the fallen sons of this Republic is that clear.” 

The speechwriter gave in. “I will write one and you will not be mentioned one bit.” 

The daughter of the speechwriter gasped. “Mom you can’t just be bullied by this female…AH!” 

Gilda slapped her. “Be quiet please. Just because I’m a female does not me that I deserve anything or attention. Our fallen soldiers deserve everything, I do not.” She turned to the door and left. 

*Present time*

Gilda sniffled, she tried hard to keep the tears in so Gold Sky will not see her cry but after hearing Jun-Park’s plea, hearing the cries of follow soldiers as they die, being attacked by eyes filled with complete hatred, and seeing things that can no longer be ignored no matter how hard she tries to ignore them. She just started crying, the scars as Vice President Kate called them finally touched her spirit while outside her body something physical and reassuring touches her. “Huh?”  Gold Sky has covered her with his wing and brought her close to him.  Gilda didn’t say anything while looking at his warm loving eyes she just appreciated Gold Sky doing this to her and with the passing seconds felt her instinct of being drawn to him grow even more.  “Gold Sky.” She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes so she can weep quietly for all of her fallen brothers. 

Ronald’s voice came back to Gilda’s ears. “…This war, this dreadful war came to us and we gave this war our response. We gave it our devout unification, turning the impossible odds stacked against us into possible odds. United we stood against the enemy and United we mourn for our dearest fallen soldiers who gave the enemy every ounce of their power to protect all of you. To mourning widows, these words may not provide any or at all comfort but your husbands will forever be honored and the Republic thanks you. To the mourning children, your fathers laid down their lives for you so you can have the brightest future they want for you. Your fathers will always love you and smile at you from the heavenly paradise. To the mourning mothers and fathers, your sons fought with every moral you have given them, they turned the mother’s love into their strength and turned the father’s guidance into their bravery. Yours sons will be remembered forever and the Republic thanks you. We shall live on thanks to these soldiers may we never, never forget what they have done for all of us! For this Republic of the Griffons, by the Griffons, and for the Griffons shall not perish from the Earth.”

All of the citizens bowed their heads and each one in their hearts thanked the brave soldiers of the Republic for protecting all of them. 

Malusi passed his hand through his son’s hair. Bashier grabbed his wife’s hand and held it tight. Ramirez leaned on his wife so he will not put a lot of effort on his good lung. Rienne hugged his father. Hamilton got under his wife’s wing so he can be close to her. Sherman looked at his four daughters and he let go of that damning hope. Oliver quietly spoke to his dear Valerie telling her he has something to tell her and then he kissed her on the cheek. Mendeleev gently moved his wife’s hand away from the wound on his side. Gilda looked up at Gold Sky thanking him in her mind for having him under his wing and silently called him dad again. 

Ronald has finished his speech. “Citizen of the Republic we did not fight alone in this war.”

“Finally.”  Gold Sky said in his mind. 

Ronald cleared his throat. “Fifty seven years when the Republic got attacked by these fascists a pony came to help us and now that same pony came again to help us. Some soldiers call him a guardian angel; he protected two of the Republic sons by shielding them with his own wings from enemy arrows. He could be an angel or he could be the greatest ally of the Republic. Whatever he is he has my thanks and I think he come up here so all of you can see him.” 

Gilda and Rarity gave Gold Sky proud smiles while giving him some hearty pushes. 

Gold Sky gave Gilda his helmet, asked Rarity if his bangs are not messed up to which she said they’re not. He still has his silver armor on along with his white cloak. 

The Alicorn made his way to the podium, the eyes of children looked at him with awe; the other griffons eyed him whispering to one another that this pony looks very young and his black hair flies in the air. “They look at me now with wonder but in a few minutes all of them will look at me with unimaginable anger.” 

Ronald, Kate, Lafayette, Sherman, and some members of Congress smiled at him. “Right this way please.” Ronald directed Gold Sky to the podium. “Please tell us a few words. The Citizens of the Republic deserve to know their ally or guardian angel.”   

“Only Lauren is the Guardian Angel.” Nonetheless Gold Sky stood behind the podium looking at the great multitude of griffons both young and old. He looked to their faces thinking that some of them knows what’s going to say. 

This minute or three minute long silence made Ronald uncomfortable. “Uhm say something will you.”  

Gold Sky looked up into the blue skies to take a deep breath but ended up holding his breath. Hovering above is Lauren. “Say what you need to say Gold Sky.”

*Long breath* He looked at Rarity then to Gilda, time to tell another secret.
“Oh dear Citizens of the Republic all of you should come up and spit on my face for I tell you from all of my heart how sorry I am for your loss and I will not attempt to say any words to provide you with comfort because I can’t.” He paused, no more stalling the coming truth. “You call me your guardian angel and your greatest ally but I tell you that I am neither. For the guardian angel part I am more like the angel of death. For the greatest ally part…I am your unintentional enemy.”

Every griffon looked at each other asking why he’ll be saying these things.

“Fifty seven years ago General Sherman gave the order to kill every fascist rebel before carrying out the attack. Well I killed many and I came upon the leader, Mao. He knew his end was coming so he begged me to spare his life saying that he had a son and wife. I raised my weapon to kill him but he continued begging this time crying asking me to spare him, I started to feel sorry for him. I lowered my weapon and I spared his life. Now fifty seven years later he comes back with an army and takes away fathers, husbands, and sons.” 

Ronald gasped, Sherman is shocked, the citizens lost all forms of comprehension, and Gilda can’t believe what Gold Sky just said.  

“I killed your fathers. Your husbands. Your sons. But still I did not know war will come, I listened to my heart and look what happened. I’m sorry for what I did even though my apology is a useless gesture and I take full and upmost responsibility for my decision fifty seven years ago. I am the reason for this war and the reason for all of your losses.” Gold Sky needs to add more effect to his words. So he pointed to a child who clings to her mother. “Because of me your father is no longer with you.” He pointed to a female griffon wearing black shawl. “Because of me your husband is no longer with you.” He pointed to mother and father. “Because of me your son is no longer with you.” 

Ronald got up to grab Gold Sky so he can pull him away from the podium. “Don’t touch me Mr. President.”   Ronald nearly freaked out to this first telepathic encounter. 

“Go-Gold Sky is this true!?” Ronald asked. 

“Yes. Every word I said is true if you don’t believe me I can show you by using my telepathy.” 

“No…this can’t be true. It can’t, it just can’t. It can’t!” Sherman fell to his knees.

“It is Sherman. I’m sorry but it’s time you know the truth.” Gold Sky went back to the podium. “Nevertheless, I took responsibility by killing Mao myself and relishing his warm blood.” 

Gilda looked at Rarity with a face of sadness. “Rarity! I’m scared what’ll happen to him!” 

Rarity made her lovely voice into a mature guiding one. “Don’t be afraid Gilda I’m sure nothing bad will happen to him.” 

From the silent multitude the voice of the single mother who lost her only son shouted out a thought that’s going through the heads of fifty seven percent of the mourning griffons. “KILL HIM!!” 

Gilda nearly screamed in total fear at hearing that demand. “No!” 

“KILL HIM!” The single mother roared again. “HIS BLOOD FOR MY SON’S BLOOD!” 

Ronald found himself in a tight place. “I-I…” 

Gold Sky came up to him. “Listen to your citizens.” 

“KILL HIM!” Roared a mourning daughter. 

Sherman came up to Ronald. “We can’t kill him!” 
“Wh-why?” Ronald asked. 

“He was created by the Divine and look!” Sherman pointed at the scar over Gold Sky’s heart. “It’s said that to kill an immortal the heart must be stabbed but for Gold Sky it didn’t work! So we can’t kill him!” 

Gold Sky tilted his head. “Almost forgot about that scar.” 

"So wait a minute back up. You’re saying that this pony is divinely created and cannot be killed!?”  Asked an old member of congress who has a hard time keeping up with things. 

“Yes.” Sherman answered. 

“Well I’ll be damned. This is going to be interesting.” The member of congress rubbed his hands together while waiting to see where this will go.

Kate joined in but she took Ronald, Sherman and the few members of congress some distance away from Gold Sky. “Remember what Colonel Gilda said. She sees this Gold Sky as a father figure.” 

Ronald slowly understood what Kate is implying. 

“If we kill him, this will shatter Gilda and from the anger she has leftover from the war along with loyalty from many of the 501st Marine Corp she can stage a coup d'etat against me and Ronald. There has to be another way.” Kate suggested. 

“KILL HIM!” Roared a furious mother.

“Did you not hear what Sherman just said Kate!? Gold Sky cannot be killed! Ronald turned around to look at the pony whose white cloak flows with the wind. “I know what to do.” So he went to the podium. “Citizens of the Republic I am shocked just as much as you are but your demand for his life cannot be met. He is divinely created and cannot be killed by stabbing the heart…oh.” Ronald felt himself being lifted away by magic. 

Gold Sky got in front of the citizens; he decided to go along with Sherman’s unknowing discovery. “You cannot have my life but as the mother said you can have my blood.” With his magic he picked up the single mother. “You can have as much as you want. The question is what punishment will shed the most blood.” 

Rarity took Gilda into her arms to keep her under some control. 

The furious single mother sees that this pony cannot be killed but he can suffer. 

Meanwhile the old member of congress elbowed Sherman. “Hey I bet she’s going to demand that pony to be flogged with the cat o’ nine tails that has the razor sharp hooks.” 

Sherman scoffed at the old member of congress. “Don’t be such a cynic.” 

“Just saying you know.” The old member laughed. 

The single mother finally knows what to say. “Flog that pony!” 

Sherman looked at the smiling old member of congress with a look of complete disbelief. 

Soon more children joined in. “FLOG THE PONY! FLOG THE PONY!” 

Ronald Madison got overwhelmed by the yells, he does not know what to do and he sees that some griffons are not demanding for the blood of this pony but he searched for Gilda hoping she is in a state of shock instead of in a state of fury. He does not want to be a victim of a coup which he does not know why he’s even thinking that but thanks to Kate he’s thinking it now. “Well at least that beyond beautiful white pony has Gilda in her arms therefore keeping her down. Phew.” 

“FLOG THE PONY! FLOG THE PONY! FLOG THE PONY!” Now the roars of the multitude sound United as one despite the exception of some griffons who are staying quiet because to them by hearing that the pony took responsibility by killing Mao they will not join in the roars. 

Gold Sky’s telepathy went into Madison’s mind again. “Listen to the mother Mr. President give her what she wants and after your citizens have my blood they can move on and heal. After I do something I’ll leave the Republic and never come back. Ever.”

Ronald snorted, first time he meets an ally and now he has to flog the ally. “Citizens of the Republic your demands will be meet, jus-just how many lashes do you want for this pony?” 

“TWO HUNDRED!” The single mother roared. “AH!” Gold Sky placed her back down on the ground surprising her in the process. 

“Then two hundred lashes it is.” Ronald turned back around to make eye contact with the pony. 

“I have one last request…I want Gilda to be my punisher. Please don’t question my request but honor it.” 

The president nodded. “Please follow me.” Ronald led Gold Sky to a tall wooden pole. 

From a distance Gilda and Rarity watched Gold Sky stand by the pole all around them is the multitude of citizens waiting for the blood of the pony to be shed. Suddenly Ronald approached Gilda with the cat o’ nine tails and gave it to her. 

“What!” Gilda screeched at having the whip put in her right hand. “ME!?” 

“He requested for you Gilda. To him it’s better to have you punish him then to have somebody else.” Ronald left Gilda in manner that says that he said what he wanted to say and does not want to listen to whatever Gilda wants to say.

Rarity knew her brother will do something like this, she figures he wants to be flogged by Gilda because he left her behind and deserves to be punished like this for being weak and a coward. “Gilda please do it.” 

Gilda sighed. “Fine.” She might as well get this over with. 

Two marines came to take off Gold Sky’s cloak and silver armor but at getting within an arms length his horn glowed stopping the both of them from touching him. 

“I got it.” Gilda removed Gold Sky’s cloak. “Please point your wings up so I can off your armor.” She can’t bear to look into his magenta eyes while she removes the silver body armor. 

“He looks like a prince or something with only the horseshoes on.” Rarity thought her mind while she compares him to Princess Celestia. “He just needs that crest around his neck.” 

“Please stand on your hind legs and place your arms on the pole.” Gilda tied his arms to the pole. She got some distance from Gold Sky looking at his bare back, the cat o’ nine tails is in her right hand is making soft clicking sounds because the razor sharps hooks cling against the ground. 

“I can’t do this to dad. I can’t!” Her emotions for him went out of control in her mind. “He’ll bleed to death.” But if she does not do this the Citizens will call her a traitor and perhaps carry out mob punishment, tearing him to pieces. “But he wants me to do it. Fine dad if this is what you want then I least it will be I and not anybody else.”  

“She can’t do it.” Kate whispered to Ronald. 
“She will do it.” Ronald whispered back.
“She can’t.” 
“She will.”
“She can’t.”
Ronald sighed. “You know what; I bet you one hundred dollyenros that she will.” 
Kate shook Ronald’s hand. “Hello one hundred dollyenros.” 

Gilda swallowed her saliva. “I have to do this.” 

“Do it Gilda. Don’t worry about me.” 

Gilda held her breath. “AHHHH!” She swung the cat o’ nine tails with all of her strength. 

The razor sharps hooks grasped the flesh of Gold Sky’s back, the citizens cheered even though they did not hear the pony cry out in pain. Gilda wanted to cry at seeing what she has done to Gold Sky; sadly she can’t allow emotion to get the best of her. There are still one hundred and ninety nine lashes to go. She yanked the hooks out of Gold Sky’s back ripping out flesh along with sparkling blood splattering all over the ground plus on some citizens. But something caused the cheers to die. His back instantly healed before their eyes. 

“Holy frakken son a female pony or whatever they call female ponies!” Kate exclaimed in amazement. 

Ronald on the other had something else running through his mind. “You know what’s holy frakken cool Kate? One hundred dollyenros! Epic! Oh and the pony healing too of course.” 

Kate rolled her eyes. “Here you go.” And paid up.

Gilda gave Gold Sky his second lash making more his sparkling blood to fly splatter all over the ground causing a curious child to touch it while his mother told him not to but ended up joining him to satisfy her curiosity in this pony’s odd blood. Gilda sees that Gold Sky will heal after every lash meaning that she will not kill him. More importantly the citizens are getting their fill of Gold Sky’s blood. 
*One hundred and eighty one lashes later*

“After so much flesh is being ripped off of him he does not scream out in pain or even shows it in his face. He’s so calm.” Rarity dotted down in her mind. 

On the ground, puddles of Gold Sky’s blood is making every citizen smile in delight, hell even the children relish this, he deserves it of course and since they can’t have the life of this divinely created pony then at least they can have his sparkling blood. 

“Last one.” Gilda gave Gold Sky his last lashing. “I’m done.” She dropped the blood covered cat o’ nine tails on the ground. 

“Citizens of the Republic!” Ronald hovered in the air getting all of their attention. “It is done. The pony has paid in his blood.” 

The citizens acknowledged their President’s words and went home each with severe disrespect to this pony. 

Rarity came up to hug Gold Sky. “No need to ask you if you’re okay.” 

“I’m fine, lost some my blood but I’m fine. Gilda.” He focused his attention on Gilda who stood still looking at him with a expression that she can’t be forgiven of a great sin. 

“Gilda.” Gold Sky said softly. 

Gilda sniffed. “I’m sorry!”

Gold Sky came to Gilda. “Gilda.” He said in such a loving voice. 

“I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t want to flog you! I’m sorry!” Her eyes got pink but tears did not form.” 

“Hey it’s alright. No need to feel bad for spilled blood. It’s okay.” 

Gilda shook her head. “Hey you want to come to my place so you can rest? Because nobody here will give you shelter not even the inn.” 

“Yes of course Gilda. Thank you for your hospitality. C’mon Rarity.” 

“Don’t forget your cloak and armor Gold Sky.” Rarity’s magic held all of the items. 

Gold Sky thanked her while getting his armor on. Leaving his cloak for Rarity to hold. 

Evening came to the Republic bring a close to this to day before ushering a new one tomorrow. 

“Here we are.” Gilda looked at her home. *happy sigh* “It’s good to be back.”  

The three of them went inside, Gilda wondered where her mother is. After some investigating she found a note saying that her mother is at a medical center and won’t be back until tomorrow. Well that is what the expected discharge date specifies. After putting the note down, she helped Gold Sky take off his armor showed Rarity where she’ll be sleeping and showed Gold Sky where he’ll be sleeping too. “Sweet dreams Gold Sky.” After a quick hug, Gilda departed to her room and closed the door behind her. 

“My this bed is bigger than my bed! Also has an old smell to it but its softness makes up for that.” Rarity complimented before falling asleep. 

“Oh Rarity.” Gold Sky came and kissed her on the cheek goodnight. “I love you sister.” 

Gilda lied down on her long missed comfy bed. “I’m home. Safe, alive and with dad. I’m home.” The golden eyes closed. After a uncertain amount of minutes passed voices screamed in her head.  “No.” Gilda moaned in her sleep. 

Faces of her fallen brothers flashed before her but so did the faces of the enemy flash before her too. All of these faces spun around her taking her down a dark hole. “Lyca! G-Gilda! Colonel! Please save me. My wife! I can’t die. Forgive me my dear children! NOO! This light. My end is here isn’t it.” The voices of her dying brothers causes her to sob. 

After many delays she finally cries again but not to rid herself of the weight on her shoulders. She cries due to the scars that have been inflicted into her mind. 

Gold Sky came into Gilda’s room at hearing her cries. “Gilda cries.” 

Gold Sky softly tapped Gilda’s shoulder to wake her up. “Gilda it’s okay.” 

The griffon wiped her tears away. 

“Are you okay Gilda?” 

“No…” Gilda cried.

“What’s wrong?” 

Gilda opened her mouth to speak…she ended up breaking down before Gold Sky. 

The Alicorn got closer to Gilda. 

“I need him.” Gilda will be asking him for his comforting fatherly touch again like he given her when she broke her wing. “Gold Sky…I need you please.” 

Gold Sky’s heart got cold to hearing Gilda’s plea. “I’m here.” He joined Gilda in her bed, before he had the chance to think Gilda had her head well against his chest. He wrapped his arms and wings around her. “Shh, shh, shh, shh, I’m here Gilda. It’s okay, the war is finally over. I am never going to leave you. Not now…not again.” He lovingly kissed her on the head and he takes in her scent. “I won’t leave you Gilda, I will always be here and I shall love you will all of my heart.” 

Gilda’s right ear picked up the sound of Gold Sky’s heartbeat making the pain of her scars go away. “Da…da-dad. Thank you.” She fell asleep in the protection of the pony she calls dad and loves him as her dad.

“What!?”  Gold Sky didn’t believe what Gilda just said…nevertheless, his profession as a psychologist made him believe in something else 
“You call me dad because you see as a father figure…but I am not your father figure I am your father who failed you. My precious daughter Gilda, I love you very much and tomorrow I will sing you, releasing the memories I have suppressed in your mind. For it’s far beyond the stars.”    

Gold Sky kissed Gilda on the head again and fell asleep. 

Father and Daughter are reunited. 

But Forgiveness will decide if they stay United…
Or not. 

Still as of this very moment, Gold Sky has his daughter safe in his arms and wings for his Love for her will is.
Infinite.


---

The language of Gold Sky's Native tongue is Sioux. 

Chapter 53- Akiciktuŋja mihi mitawa Cúŋkši. Chaining of the Juggernaut. 

My dearest Readers I will be taking a respite from this story so I can write Chapter 8 for Octavia and the Alicorn's Peace plus if any of you are interested to some more of Nurse Redheart's history then I suggest you read this chapter. (A Mother's Love, Octavia's forming Friendship with the Moon, and the bonding between Rarity & Spike.)

Also I will tell you in the next chapter why I choose the names for most of the Griffon characters.