//------------------------------// // Closure // Story: Where Night Meets Day // by _Medicshy //------------------------------// CRACK-BANG! The Equestrian Royal Army jumped to attention as the plains reverberated, a bright flash giving the only direction of the attack. Somepony slumped over, blood flowing freely from the hole in his head. Half of the army rushed the opposing ground force, mostly colliding into the half of the army screaming in terror and running away as months of training went out the window. Newsprint ran to the side, readying his spear as he narrowly avoided being trampled by his own friends and trying to make sense of the chaos that had descended. The enemy was in just as much disarray, with ground forces falling back while rebel pegasi charged forward, unloading their firearms into the armored sea. Spears and bolts of magic shot back, some missing, a small few managing to clip their target, and one sending a rebel crashing into the ground at Sandstorm's hooves, smoke rising from the fallen soldier's mouth frozen in a horrible scream. News was there in an instant, gently pushing the only pegasus in his squad to regain his senses and get ready to defend himself. Sandstorm had been a loser during all of the training, it was true, as he was a coward only there due to the draft. From even that first day when all of the ponies stood in boot camp he was shaking in his shoes. News had taken Sand under his wing, making sure nopony picked too hard on the lone pegasus. He'd already seen too much of that back home with his younger sister, and whether or not Sand liked it, he was going to have to fight. And that was never a truer a thought than it was now, thrust into their first combat mission on what was supposed to be routine patrol. Newsprint aimed his spear skyward, warding off a rebel flying much too close, and there he caught a glimpse of the entire problem. Miles above them, shining in the moonlight, Cloudsdale floated as though nothing was wrong. And yet, even with the pegasi dive bombing him, News was sure there were at least triple that number up above. Doing what, nopony knew, but it little mattered now that projectiles were in the air. Sandstorm cowered at News' side, his spear discarded on the ground as he tried to make himself a smaller target. However, he was in the middle of a battlefield, and a small target was exactly the thing that fell underhoof without a second thought. He was pulled up by his neck, watching in terror as his spear splintered in two, an ally trampling right through where he'd been. Before he could do more than yelp he was spun around, his grainy yellow eyes being made to look directly into Newsprint's emerald ones as the armored earth pony began to yell. “Sand, stick with me! You can do this!” The beige pegasus nodded, placed down onto his hooves just in time for News to spin around, nicking the rear leg of one of the flyers. They both looked at the jumbled brawl around them, hardly able to hear anything over the sound of battle. Somewhere in the distance two mares were yelling out orders, but they might as well have been silently mouthing songs for all the good it was doing. Sand naturally began to back away, curling defensively into a nearby rock to wait out the fight, and for once, News fully agreed. They were both useless in this fight, and while the army pushing forward meant they couldn't push back, if they hid they might survive long enough to do something useful. Pulling Sand around the rock into a small overhang they could both cram into, that's just what they did, waiting for the battle to make some sort of sense. Minutes passed with nothing but the constant sounds of fighting, only punctuated once when Sandstorm broke down and whimpered, his entire body shaking in the tight space. News was as well, as much from fear as from adrenaline, though he kept his head... at least until one thought entered it. “Sand... Buddy, there's something I need you to do for me.” Sand's eyes were red as he looked at News, tears streaming down his cheeks. “What?!” he exclaimed, unable to control his voice for the iron grip fear had on his heart. News let it pass, his own voice wavering as he spoke. “Back at the barracks, in the slats of my bed under the mattress, there's a letter. If I ever don't make it back, I need you to send it for me.” This time the response was fitting. “What?!” “In the slats of my bed back at the barracks-” Sand grabbed his shoulders. “I'm gonna die long before you! I'm not even gonna make it through this!” News grabbed Sand's shoulders in return, shaking him forcefully. “We're both going to make it out of here, okay? Neither of us are dying out here. But if, someday, I do, I want you to promise me you'll send that letter, got it? As my best friend, promise me!” Sand's eyes widened and he swallowed hard, his shaking calming to the twitches and jitters of nerves. “Got it! I'll do it.” News nodded. “Good! Now let's-” The sound of a thousand infernos smashing through stone cut off any thoughts or plans as immediately both hiding ponies looked out of their hole. The darkness was awash in a golden blaze, the sounds of battle replaced purely with the sounds of panic as another hellish noise signaled another unknown impact. Newsprint scrambled from the hole, safety the only concern in his mind. Both sides were scattering, the army zigzagging across the burning ground while the rebels flew under the guard and guidance of their superiors. Those first two impacts, leaving trails of flame and massive craters, were just the start as one glimpse into the sky showed dozens of orbs of fire raining on the battlefield like meteors. High above, one such orb streaked through the Cloudiseum, turning the ancient monument to mist and pulling it that much closer to the ground. Just as another fireball impacted the earth, the trumpets sounded, a clear retreat being called for the army. News held out his hoof, pulling Sand free from the outcropping. “Move move move!” was all he yelled, smacking Sand on the flank as both of them followed the trumpet's call. Impacts came faster and faster, the sounds of the injured and the fallen surrounding the pair as they ran alongside their brethren. Lungs strained as hooves pounded the dirt, bounding this way and that to avoid newly formed craters or the dirt and blood kicked up from unlucky strikes. Far in the distance there was a safe zone forming, the unicorns banding together to create a shield against the burning rain, but every step only seemed to make their goal more impossible to reach. In the glow of the fires around them and the rushing throng of moving bodies, neither Sand nor News noticed the increased light sailing through the air until it slammed down right in front of them, sending them both sprawling into the dirt as burning grass fluttered down around them. Sand stumbled to his feet, staring at the hole before them. “Torchwood just... she was there and just...” He didn't notice the growing light around him. He couldn't hear the roaring flames above, nor the hooves pounding behind him. He was shoved forward, spinning off balance before two hooves planted themselves in his chest, denting the armor as he sailed backwards through the air. He saw News' face looking back, happy, but with a deep sadness in his eyes. He saw the blinding reflection off of his squad mate's armor. He held out a hoof, refusing to look up as he finally felt the scorching heat, then the searing pain lancing through his right ear. It seemed like an eternity as he flew through the air, helpless as the deadly meteor neither of them should have escaped dropped a hair's breadth in front of his nose, skirted past his hooves, and swallowed his best friend whole. He was thrown by the terrible impact and blinded by the flash, but still he could see Newsprint's eyes wishing it could be any other way. He was the last one to see that compassionate face, to feel the love for another pony, even in a field of war... Sandstorm only just got his vision back as he tumbled to a stop, looking up at the remains of Cloudsdale burning in the sky, the clouds melting away as the buildings rained down, just as deadly as the last remnants of the fire barrage. His ear stung, his chest ached, and his back felt bruised and battered as he was grabbed and dragged beneath the glowing dome of the unicorn's shield, but none of that registered to his shocked mind. A little innocence had left the world tonight, vanishing in a puff of smoke... He wished that it was painless. He wished it had been him. Roseluck gently blew the steam off of the top of her tea, setting her cup down beneath the flickering light of the single candle she had lit in the dining room. She always appreciated the mood a dim lighting could set, but that wasn’t the reason for the saucer quickly being dirtied with melted wax. No, the dim light was purely functional tonight, as a young guest lay sleeping on her couch a room over who she didn't wish to disturb. It wasn't often that she had guests, and even less common that they surprised her so wonderfully. The entire house slept, and yet, it was more alive than it had been in years. The children were home. Not the same ones, no, but Rose wasn't feeling too picky. Now all they needed was their father... Rose sipped her tea, her eyes glancing at the other reason for her late night refreshment. Laying on the table, unopened, were two letters. One was old and worn, the dirt on the envelope suggesting it had been traveling for years to reach this point. The other was new and fresh, barely folded and sealed before it had arrived. Both had come in the hooves of the polite young unicorn that currently rested a room away, and both had no address, just instructions that they were to be given to her. Rose toyed with the idea of leaving them unopened, fearing some sort of bad news that would put a damper on this otherwise joyous occasion. Well, as joyous as you got these days, considering Wind and Steam's tales of betrayal and Flora's ice-stricken heart, but a day to be celebrated nonetheless. Should the letters contain something worrisome, Rose would head to bed on a sour note, and the whole day might seem just that much bleaker. On the other hoof, curiosity had nagged her from the moment she had received them, and Steam's description of the kind stranger that had helped them through so many dangers caused wild fantasies and wishes to come unbidden to Rose's mind. She had fought herself to leave them until now, the hope of news they might contain filling her near to bursting. If she left them there, did she really think she'd get to sleep at all? In the end, for the sake of her sleep schedule and to honor the pony who had taken them on that final leg of their journey, Rose decided to open the letters, starting with the newer one. A quick tug released the glue without the need for a letter opener, and moments later, after another mouthful of warm, soothing tea had passed her throat, she unfolded the paper and began to read. Dearest Rose, I cannot begin to pen my apologies for all I have put you through, and years of trying will not be nearly enough penance to begin. I know you will have questions, and I know no answer I could give could possibly answer them all. But I promise things will be made clear sooner than you expect, and I will explain everything I can to the best of my abilities and accept whatever outcome this all leads us too. It doesn't begin to repay the damages I owe you, but I deliver you these gifts. Wind Key, safe, and quite possibly happier than she has ever been, and her good friend Steam Cloud, a pony to be admired for all she has been through. Ask her about her mother, I believe you will be amazed at what you hear. My second gift is the letter accompanying this one. It has traveled further than it should have, and it should have been in your hooves long ago, but its journey is finally at an end. It pains me to delay, even one more moment, knowing how close we are this very night, but we both must prepare. We do not have much time. Ink Well Rose's heart wasn't sure what to do as she read the page. As happy as those words made her, she had always known that they were under the same moon and sun, separated only by whatever machinations he had in his head. She'd had seven years to think about it. Seven long, gnawing, heavy years to truly contemplate the biggest promise he ever broke, and she was still too fragile to think he couldn't break another. Her heart had skipped a beat, and that told her quite a lot, but a few gifts were no replacement for actions left undone. She might have the stallion's word, but until it came from the horse's mouth, it was nothing more than ink and paper. Putting Ink Well's letter aside, she reached for the other envelope, eyebrow arching as she found the back unsealed. Wondering if it had never been sealed or if somepony else had read it before her, she lifted out the paper within. Her eyes widened the second she saw the words, in a writing she never thought she'd see again. To my loving mother, If you are reading this, then the worst has happened and I was, unfortunately, taken in the line of duty. Hopefully this letter never reaches you, but since you're reading this, I guess it's too late for that. Instead, I hope this finds you well and helps you through this trying time. I've only just finished training at the time of writing this, and already these few months have made me miss you and my sisters so much it hurts. I may not be crying myself to sleep like some of my squad mates, but that doesn't mean I am immune to the sorrow. Just once I wish Dot would curl up next to me on the cot like she always did on my bed at home. Wishful thinking, but it's better than the thoughts that drive me to write this. Whatever happened to make you get this letter, I don't want you or anypony else to start slinging blame around. It'd be easy to fault the Princess, or the nation, or the draft or the enemy or any of the other possible causes. But I won't die fighting for my Princess or my nation or honor or anything like that. The reason I chose to fight, to come out here and do all of this, was because I loved you. I know that may not sound comforting, and I don't wish for you to begin blaming yourselves for my passing either, but know that in the end, I fought for you. I wanted to know that you wouldn't be harassed just because of something dad did, but more than that, if anything I did, even dying, ended this war one day sooner, I wanted to know I did everything I could so that my friends and family could be happy. I tried my best with the newspapers in town, but in this case, I fear the sword may actually be mightier than the pen, at least for now. Tell Flora and Windy that I love them and always will, and that I miss them just as much as they miss me. Tell yourself that, too, every time you are saddened by getting this letter. And even tell dad, if he ever gets back, that I love him. I know I didn't sound like I did when I left, but think I finally understand why he made the choice he did... Goodbye, mom. May the wind be ever beneath your wings and your spirit soar to paradise. I'll be waiting for you all there. Your son, now and forever, Newsprint Tears dripped down Rose's cheeks, plipping lightly in her tea as she looked at the letter in disbelief. She hadn't gotten a body for the funeral, hadn't gotten ashes... her son had simply vanished after one of his routine letters home. And now, after all these years, to have this... Rose folded the letter away, got up, slowly walked to the small memorial for him in the corner, and gently leaned the letter against the helmet given to her in his honor. As she returned to her tea, seeing the new memorial in the flickering candlelight, she somehow found a way to smile. Another tear dropped into her tea cup, but she paid it no mind, sipping from the cup anyway. Finally, after all these years, the memorial was complete. It truly was a day to celebrate.