Hero of War

by Teal

Chapter 2: Reminiscing

The smell of alcohol was evident in the air as the sound of cups clanging and voices chatting echoed in the large room. Grinning as she nursed her drink, Rainbow Dash glanced towards the ponies who joined her at the table, listening in as the laughed.

“You, going to college…” Lightning Dust exclaimed in laughter as she slammed her mug on the table. “…yeah right, that’s a good one! What kind of college would accept a feather brain like you?”

Not faced by the taunt and keeping a smile on his face, Thunderlane took a sip of his mug before shaking his head. “I’m serious, I’m really going to college one this is over.”

“Oh, yeah?” Cloud Chaser piped up. “And what course are you taking? Stabbing 101 or AB Sneaking? Let’s admit it, those are the only thing’s you’re good at, Thunderlane.”

“Hey, I’m good at other stuff too!” Thunderlane defended. “I can do Science, Equestrian History, and Celestia knows that I’m better in Math than you. Isn’t that right, Captain?”

“It’s true, Thunderlane is one smart egghead.” Rainbow Dash said nodding. “If it weren’t for the fact that he’s such a klutz all the time, I would have sent him to the officer’s candidate school.” Letting out a chuckle, she then took a gulp of her drink before shaking her head. Thunderlane was smart, she knew that, but he tended to be careless at times, careless to the point that it deprived him of a possible promotion.

“Ha-ha-ha, very funny, Captain.” Thunderlane said, rolling his eyes. “You three just wait, once this war is over and once I graduate college with a degree in Engineering, then we’ll see whose laughing.”

“Nah, I think it still will be us laughing.” Cloud Chaser said. “You might be better in Math but that doesn’t mean you’re great at it. You know, I think the only reason you want to go to college is because you want to be the star of the college’s hoofball team.”

“You know, with all this contradiction you’re giving, I’m starting to think that you’re just jealous that I have plans once I leave the army, while you don’t.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I do have plans once I leave the army.” Cloud Chaser informed him.

“Yeah, well what is it?”

“Well if you must know, I plan on returning back to the Weather Patrol, once this is over, and apply for the position of a team leader. With a nice record here, I’m sure they would be honored to have a pegasi such as myself in their ranks. With all the experience I got…” She boasted.

“….I won’t be surprised if they make me the head of the entire Weather Patrol instead of just a team leader.”

Rainbow Dash smiled as she listened to Cloud Chaser, knowing how much that mare missed the Weather Patrol. Before Rainbow Dash recruited her to join the force, Cloud Chaser had be an excellent and proud member of Cloudsdale’s Weather Patrol. Swift and observant, she had been one of the best Weather ponies that ever flew. But when her talents were needed elsewhere, she quickly resigned her job and accepted Rainbow Dash’s offer as a recruit for the Special Air Action Corps, to her sister’s disdain.

“Boring!” Lightning Dust said before taking a long gulp from her mug. “Once this war is over, I’m sending an application for the Wonderbolts! With a nice service record and many praise worthy actions, getting a transfer there wouldn’t be difficult for me. In fact, it wouldn’t be difficult for any of us. If any of you decide to trash those plans of your and do something more reasonable and exciting, then just tell me, so we can apply for the Wonderbolts together.”

Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash took a sip of her drink and took in the flavor.

When she was younger, she had always wanted to be a Wonderbolt, the famous aerobatic team that shone with pride and prestige. But now, she doubted it if she still wanted to be a member of that team. Years of disappointment have told her that it wasn’t her place to be there, it wasn’t a place for ponies like her. Her only place was in the shadows, not in the limelight.

“How about you, Captain?” Thunderlane asked. “What do you plan on doing once this war is over?”

Putting down her mug, she gazed at the eyes locked on her and gave a small shrug

“I never actually though about what I’m going to do yet.” She admitted. “This war has just been going for so long that I never actually thought
that I would see the end of it.”

“Aw, come on, Captain, you don’t really mean that, right?” Lightning Dust asked.

“Sorry, to burst your bubble, but I don’t really have plans yet.” Rainbow Dash said, as she placed a hoof under her chin and gave a pause to think. “Although, giving it a thought right now, I think I’m going to take a long, and I mean a really long, vacation once this is over.”

Thunderlane gave a chuckle as he heard this, shaking his head as he laughed. “Isn’t that funny? The three of us are going to work hard once this war is over, while the Captain over here is going on vacation.”

“Hey, it sound like a good plan to me.” Lightning Dust said with a shrug.

Smiling, Rainbow Dash nodded her head, knowing that it was indeed a good plan. Maybe she will push through with it if this war ends. They had been fighting for years now, with no sign of it ending, but if it did end, a long rest definitely sounded nice. To go home and relax, to do things they weren’t able to do now.

“Well, here’s to the end of the war!” She said, raising her mug. Following this, the Thunderlane, Lightning Dust, and Cloud Chaser raised their mugs to meet hers.

“To the end of the war!” They repeated.

To the end of the war…

Sitting alone by her table, Rainbow Dash stared at her mug, gazing at it yet making now move to drink it contents. Well, the war is over and none of us ever followed through with our plans… She thought gravely.

Lifting the mug up and quickly drained its contents, she let the alcohol flow down her throat and waited for it to run down her system. Sighing, she shook her head as she shoved the mug next to five other mugs that lay empty on top of her table.

Groaning as she sat there, she raised her hoof and called for another mug. The drink hasn’t taken its effects on her yet and she grew more agitated with each passing moment that it didn’t.

Alcohol had helped her suit her pain away, bringing her at ease in both body and mind by subduing her into a drunken state. With clouded memories that were to fuzzy to hurt or worry over, it made her time easier as it helped her get over the curse that kept on plaguing her.

Blurring her thoughts and making it harder to comprehend, it allowed her to have an easier time, wiping out her memories for a time and numbing down the pains of a headache. Although she knew these effects were temporary, she didn’t care nor complain. If it gave her solace for even just a short time, then it was good enough for her.

But right now, as she sat there and received her sixth mug, she felt annoyed knowing that it hadn’t done its wondrous effects yet. Usually the third or fourth cup would do the job, but now as she drank her sixth, she could still remember the memories.

She was drunk, she was sure of that. She already had a hard time lifting the mug up to her mouth without spilling her drink. Yet despite being drunk, the memories lingered, as if they have found a way to bypass her only defense against them.

Does life have to take this away from me too? She thought. To take away my only relief from the pain?

In her frustration, she slammed her hoof hard on the wooden table, making a loud banging noise that seemed to have attracted the attention of everpony in the room. Despite it still being early in the day, there were quite a few ponies present and the tavern. And now, as they sat there with her, their eyes gazed at Rainbow Dash, wondering who this drunk and seemingly angry stranger was.

But she didn’t care about their stares or their thought. She ignored them totally as she muttered in anger, gulping every few seconds on her mug. But no matter how many times she drank, she could never get herself to the point where she can forget.

Once she realized that this was a fruitless effort, she made a reach for her rucksack and pulled out a hoof-full of bits, tossing them on the table as she left. She didn’t know if that was enough to pay for her drinks, or too much, but she didn’t care. Right now, all she wanted to do is get out of here and rest. Maybe once she slept the effects of the alcohol would take in.

Making her way to the door, she was halfway through the room when she heard a voice call out to her. Lousily moving her head to meet it, she fixed her eyes on an orange earth pony mare, who sat only a couple of feet from where she stood. By the way she stared and the stacks of mugs on this pony, Rainbow Dash knew that this pony was just as drunk as her.

“You’re that pegasus fella, aren’t yah…?” She said surly, as she stood up and did her best to trot towards Rainbow Dash without tipping over.

“The one that ended the war…right?”

Great... Rainbow Dash thought. The last thing she wanted right now was a fan ogling over her, especially right now. The Mayor had promised her that nopony here in town would disturb her during her stay, but she guess she couldn’t speak for everypony. Maybe this pony was that one admirer who really longed to meet her or maybe she was just a passerby who just so happened to come across her.

“Listen, I’m not really up to signing autographs right now.” Rainbow Dash said as she tried to shoo the earth pony away. “Ask me again tomorrow and I might, might, sign you…sign whatever you want me to sign.”

She had no time for this. She was too tired and drunk to want to linger any further here.

“So you are that mare…” The Earth pony said as she quickened her pace so that she could get closer to Rainbow Dash. “I knew I recognize that face anywhere, I’ve seen enough posters to recognize that face.”

“Alright it is me.” Rainbow Dash said, already annoyed that this conversation was lasting longer than she wanted. “Are you happy now?”

“Yes.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t know why, but there was something to that smile the disturb her. Giving the mare puzzled look, she stared at her with both caution and defensiveness. Something was wrong and she knew it all too well. Like sensing an ambush before it happened, she could sense that something was about to stir.

Too bad for her, she noticed it only a couple of seconds too late.

She blamed it on her drunkenness. If she weren’t drunk, she would have just left the room without a care about the mare calling her. But instead, she made the foolish decision of lingering and entertaining her. Now she paid the price as the mare rushed her and pushed her hard onto the floor.

“What the buck was that for?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she looked up at the mare staring down at her.

“That was for my brother.” The earth pony said in a firm voice. “And if I were yah, I would suggest that you stay down so we can make this quick and better for everypony.”

It was clear that this pony was drunk and out of her mind, but that still didn’t mean she can pick on Rainbow Dash without getting any reprisal. Quickly, Rainbow Dash shuffled her hooves and did her best to get up, ignoring the fact that she too was completely drunk.

“Listen, mam, I think you got the wrong mare.” Rainbow Dash said as she shakily got back up. “I have no clue you are and I’m pretty sure that I have done nothing wrong to you and your…uhh..brother.”

She had no clue what this mare was so sore about, but if she wanted to fight, then she had a fight. Rainbow Dash had fought the toughest ponies the Crystal Empire had to offer and surely a simple earth pony like her stood no chance. She had pledge never to do anymore fighting in her life if possible, but since she was forced she knew she had too.

Staring at the mare, she gave her an agrivated look as she prepared herself for the imminent fight.

But what happened next came to her so quickly that she failed to see what hit her.

“Yes you have.” The mare said turning immediately and prepping her hind legs.

With one powerful blow that came with greater force than she thought possible, the mare bucked her directly on the face, flinging her nearly across the room as Rainbow Dash fell on top of a table.

She swore that the impact against the wood broke the table in half, but she was unable to confirm that as her vision began to go blurry. Trying her best to keep her eyes open, she watched as the orange mare trotted towards her, determination in her eyes.

Sighing, she closed her eyes as she gave one final thought about the situation.

So this is how I’ll go… To die in a tavern fight… She thought, a part of her finding it a little bit funny, as she had no clue why this fight even started in the first place. She really had no clue who that mare was and why she was angry at her. But whether she knew the fact or not, the end result was the same. She had lost this fight and this was her end.

Well, if this is the end, maybe it isn’t such a bad thing after all. At least I’ll finally get to be with them…

Comments

[The Bricklayer]

Ouch, that memory... Hit me where it hurts in the feelings department. Still, guess it was needed for more background context. And who is this mysterious pony? A random drink or something more...?

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

7422053

And who is this mysterious pony? A random drunk or something more...?

(I think you meant random DRUNK there, but anyway.)

Anyway, as to the mysterious pony.........
Lessee.........

an orange earth pony mare

“That was for my brother.”

Dash is in Ponyville.

Now, just WHO do we know who lives in Ponyville, has a brother and is an orange earth pony mare?

Hmmmmm..............

[The Bricklayer]

7422094 Yikes, just figured it out. But how would Big Mac be involved with Sombra? Spy, maybe? And as for that mistake you pointed out, DAMN YOU TABLET AUTO CORRECT!

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

7422104
Hmmm, as to that, I dunno.

Especially since, in the episode itself, it showed him working at the farm alongside AJ.
Hmmmmm, the plot thickens...............

Yeah, Auto-Correct IS the pits, isn't it? roundstable.com/forums/images/smilies/applejargh.gif

[StormyVenture]

Well, that was a mean cliffhanger. Poor Dash, she just can't catch a break.

7422094
I concur. Said pony is also regrettable stupid about family and has questionable foresight, considering the likely consequences for murder or beating someone half to death.

Staring at the mare, she gave her an agrivated look as she prepared herself for the imminent fight.

*aggravated

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

7422420 Thanks.

And this is true, sadly. AJ is just so laser-focused on family sometimes that she forgets everything else.

What happened between her and Dash in this chapter being a very clear case in point.