• Published 7th Mar 2018
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The Virgin Company (currently editing) - Pone_Heap



The story of a Pegasus lieutenant, his beloved platoon, and their piece of the Centauri-Equestrian War, decades ago.

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Obscurity and Clarity, Chapter 4: Ramping Up

“I’m not sure what to say, everypony…” Spc. Birch looked over the platoon. “I’m gonna miss all of you.”

Zip and 3rd Platoon were all gathered outside a window on the caboose of the next locomotive bound to Canterlot; the lieutenant reached up, patting Spc. Birch's shoulder, its passenger, “And we’ll miss you too… and we’ll try very hard not to hate you for your ‘good fortune’.”

Noting Zip’s smirk, Spc. Birch snorted laughter, “‘Good fortune’, my left nut, sir… I’d much rather stay with all of you. If I’d healed faster…”

Zip shook his head, “Don’t start on that… Shit happens, and you can’t stay here; that’s all there is to it. You’ve been great as a clerk, and we’re thankful. You just need to finish healing up. When I found out where you’d been reassigned, I was pretty proud; we all were… especially with your promotion.”

The new specialist laughed, a little embarrassed at the praise, “It’s not official, yet…”

“You’re a specialist when they say you’re a specialist; the rest is just red tape,” Zip beamed.

Specialist Silver Duster, alongside Zip, piped up, “You’re not far off from my old job… Corps level administration’s a pretty big deal.”

“Thanks, Silver,” Spc. Birch smiled at his colleague; they’d cultivated a pretty good friendship with all the time spent and all the paperwork they’d done together. “And I’ll ‘make life Hell’ for that little ‘slag’ that took your job and had you sent here.”

The platoon laughed, causing Silver to blush; she’d said something loud and very verbal about the “slag” one night when they’d been drinking, “Well, you don’t have to… but if it’s not out of your way, I’d appreciate it.”

More laughter was elicited from the platoon. The locomotive’s horn gave a blow; it was only a couple minutes, now…

Sergeant Amethyst Flare walked up, “There’s something we’d all like you to bring with you. It’d mean a lot to us if you’d take care of it… maybe hang it in your new office.”

As she was hoofing him the framed photograph of Spc. Trip Wire, Silver, Pvt. Orange Blossom, and Pvt. Caramel Crunch, looking fetching at the enlisted military ball, Zip was sure Spc. Birch would break down and cry, but he managed not to.

“Are you sure?” his voice trembled. “It’s really okay for me to take this?”

“Of course!” Zip exclaimed. “Just take care of it; I want to see it again, someday.”

“Me too!” several voices called out.

“Take care, Birch!”

“Do us proud!”

Zip called out to the platoon, “What do you say we send him off proper?!”

52 voices answered affirmative; SSgt. Jacinta Petals remained silent, her face crimson.

The platoon hadn’t known about who might choose the tune, but they were in for a real treat; Zip yelled, “And now… SSgt. Petals will lead us in a little cadence to see off Spc. Birch!”

Murmurs broke out. This was odd.

Zip poked her, “C’mon, Sergeant. You said you would.”

Looking mutinous, she relented, “Oh, fine…”

To peals of laughter and looks of disbelief, she began. At first, she was mortified, but she gave into the fun after a few lines.

----------

He can take a private

(He can take a private)

Drag him out of bed

(Drag him out of bed)

Grab him by the collar

(Grab him by the collar)

And choke him ‘til he's dead

(And choke him ‘til he's dead)

----------

To everypony but Zip, hearing this from Jacinta was staggering. But when something good falls out of the sky and hits you on the head, sometimes you just take it.

Jacinta treated them to the three verses of “S&M Colt” Zip had previously heard.


Walking away from the rail yard, the platoon split up and went about their duties. Sides hurting from laughing and few dry eyes, whether from laughing too hard or from already missing Spc. Birch, they set about their minds to working.

Two weeks after Cpt. Basket Weaver had destroyed the docks and implements, the Equestrian Navy was only a couple hundred miles off the coast. They’d done a good job of stalling the Centauri forces—better than expected—but it would be a matter of days, if that, before they had to flee; it was either flee or face destruction.

Zip felt they’d done Cpt. Basket Weaver proud; they’d moved just over 80% of the supplies they meant to get out of the city, and they’d prepared to evacuate themselves, wagons loaded to move the division south. Hopefully they’d have enough to hold them until meeting with the air force a few hundred miles southeast of Vanhoover. Food, explosives, and other necessities were ready to move with them at a moment’s notice.

It was certainly odd, not seeing rain for three weeks in the autumn. It was still warm, feeling rather spring-like. Most ponies enjoyed the weather; if they were facing doom, at least they’d be comfortable and dry. The afternoon was positively balmy…

Still, not everypony was happy about the strange weather. Pvt. Linseed Oil, whom Zip had barely heard all that much from suddenly became fretful and vocal. The hoofful of soldiers he’d befriended were weirded out, other than Pvt. Blood Sapphire.

“Lieutenant… it’s not good,” the “cadaver nut” lamented. “Looking at the weather almanac from the last 100 years… this has only happened once. It’s too dry. The wind changes… somepony gets careless with a campfire somewhere… and poof!”

Zip tried not to roll his eyes, “Private, there aren’t too many civilians left anywhere nearby; they’ve hopefully evacuated. And the army’s called for a strict ‘no-burn’ policy. Aren’t you worrying too much?”

Zip knew the lack of moisture was of concern; he was just tired of hearing about it. When he’d read Pvt. Linseed Oil was a government botanist, he’d pictured their beloved necrophiliac stuck in a laboratory somewhere, poring over leaf collections, dreaming of cold, stiff fillies. He couldn’t have been more wrong… at least about the lab stuff.

Pvt. Linseed Oil was a forest biologist with a flare for meteorology… he shared his interest in meteorology with his friend, Pvt. Blood Sapphire. The two were like “pony weather-vanes”, noticing changes in the wind before they were evident and getting squirrely before a storm.

Private Blood Sapphire was a rock-nut, which was slightly less disconcerting than his buddy’s hobby. He was ecstatic to be in such a place with such interesting geology. How the geology of the northwestern corner of Equestria was so interesting was lost on Zip, so he’d take his word for it.

Zip hoped to spare command the weirdness of the two, but if it got much drier he’d vouch for their expertise on the matter of the weather. It wouldn’t hurt to be prepared for a fire.

The odd private returned to his grumbling, staring at the ground. Zip noticed his enlisted mares giggling at Pvt. Linseed Oil, their eyes possibly licentious; he amused them with his… passion about stuff and seemed interesting enough. Zip chuckled to himself, wondering how they’d view his eccentricities if they had the big picture of one that could read the platoon members’ files anytime.

“I admit I’m a little worried, too,” Amethyst sighed. “It’s supposed to be sleeting this time of year… that sloppy, cold stuff, you know?”

Zip yawned, so tired was he, “I don’t care all that much… We’re here for a week, and then boom goes the dynamite… literally.”

She cuffed him with a little smile, “And you complain about me being cynical.”

Zip laughed, “Oh, I know.”

“Nothing to do with what we’re talking about, but I need to see you in your office later… just to fill you in on something.”

This wasn’t abnormal; Zip nodded, “Sure. If we can keep to the schedule today, I’ll be in from 18:00 to 21:00… I have some work to finish. Come anytime.”

“Yes, sir. This is where we get off,” Amethyst led her squad—minus Silver—down to Warehouse #1, where their own detail had them, splitting from the group.

Soon the other squads split off, leaving Jacinta, Trip, and Silver with Zip.

Trip voiced what the others were thinking, “I’m gonna miss Birch…”

Zip saw she’d been one of the ponies with the waterworks pumping; she’d become pretty good friends with Spc. Birch as well. Wanting another clerk, he’d picked Trip for the position… part-time, of course. She was still their best mechanic, but her office work was exemplary.

Zip kneaded her shoulder, “It’s okay, Trip… We’ll all miss him. But it’s just the way things turned out. We get to run for our lives, and he has to miss all the fun. Just remember… you could’ve ended up like him; it could be you riding desk duty in Canterlot.”

She sniffled, “That doesn’t help at all, Lieutenant.”

He couldn’t help but chortle at her demeanor, “I wasn’t really trying to, Trip.”

Jacinta and Silver laughed at Trip’s indignation as she tried to get ahold of Zip; he had wings, after all.

Once Trip cooled off a little, they made their way to company headquarters.

With the four of them, they made quick work of a report division wanted. The mares left, and Zip, having eaten a late lunch, passed on evening chow. Without really meaning to, he fell asleep at his desk.


Zip and Jacinta managed to find a couple hours off late one morning, so they put on civilian clothes and galloped out of town for a little while. They’d found a little spot in the woods they liked, so having time, they snaked a few things from the kitchen and decided to have a little… picnic.

Laughing like a couple of simpletons, Zip chased Jacinta through the walking paths. Finally catching her, they tumbled into a patch of grass.

Sharing yet another mutual kiss, far more pleasurable than the first one Jacinta planted on him during their arguable “first date”, the kiss became impassioned, and they gathered up the other.

They were ready: in the forest, they let the mood get the better of them, and they consummated their new relationship. As if melting into the other, they felt it was the rightest thing they’d done all their lives.

Afterwards, they were spent but happy. They lay together looking up at the clouds through a clearing in the trees.

Trying not to fall asleep, they chatted.

“That was your first time too, right?” Jacinta hummed, propping herself up on her elbows, the ghost of a smile crossing her lips.

Zip was embarrassed to admit it, looking away from her beautiful face, “…”

She giggled, “It’s alright… Zip. I think it was just fine… In fact, it was great. It’s not like we don’t have some time to… improve our craft.”

Zip chuckled; he really did feel great, his mind wandering some, “I’m starting to worry about the weather… not as much as Pvt. Oil, but-”

She tossed a few dry leaves into his face, hooting with laughter, “Don’t start on that… I still don’t get that guy.”

And you never may, Zip grinned to himself. Only he, Amethyst, and some ponies higher up knew much of anything about the private.

“It’s just weird, Jacinta… a couple weeks ago we were avoiding this like… well, something to really avoid. I still don’t know how we talked ourselves into this.”

“Oh, Zip, stop it,” Jacinta nuzzled him. “We need to get our hooves on as much happiness as we can. We just have to… not let it get in the way of things.”

Zip scoffed, “You say that like it’s easy… How do we keep this separate from everything else?! You know it’s gonna be impossible…”

“You’re so cute when you worry about stuff,” Jacinta snorfled his neck. “Zip…

He felt a shiver go down his spine; he didn’t know what he liked more… her necking with him or hearing her call him by his name.

Zip enjoyed it, but too much nibbling on his neck drove him nuts; he detached her from her nipping at him, “I love you, Jacinta.”

They kissed again, and the kiss quickly turned hot. Figuring they didn’t have to report for another couple hours, they started on the second round of their woody adventures.


Zip had a big old grin on his face as he woke up. His face was stuck to the documents by a Helluva lot of saliva. Cursing his sloppiness, he quickly sat up, pulling the few sheets of paper from his face. It was obvious he’d been slavering on his own hoof; Hell, he’d been making out with it!

Quickly checking down below, Zip was thankful the dream hadn't been the other kind of wet. Though he rarely beat off, he'd mostly stopped having nocturnal emissions about the time he'd finished high school, but he'd started having them in the last week almost every night. Normally, one might blame stress or a "life-changing event" on this, but his problem had another name.

And that name was Jacinta Petals.

What’s wrong with me? That’s the same dream, like, three days in a row! Zip wiped his mouth on his uniform sleeve. He had Jacinta on the brain, and it was getting in the way of all he did. It wouldn’t be much longer before he could no longer hold back around her… This wasn’t good…

Well, it was still better than his other dreams of late. Ever since the day Cpt. Basket Weaver died, Zip had again started having some pretty heavy nightmares. For whatever reason, he particularly and continually saw A1C. Gizmo, hunched over in what was left of that broom-closet, his body blackened and his flesh sloughing from his bones. More than once, he'd awoken with a gag, swearing he could smell burning hair and flesh deep in his nostrils. More than once he'd awoken, crying.

And on top of that, the arrival of the Equestrian Navy scouts more than a week prior, injured when they ran afoul of the Centauri fleet, had jarred him. Zip hadn't seen such horrific hurts since the Disaster, and assisting the wounded and dying gave him a more visceral, recent horror with which to contend. Being stuck at sea with limited supplies for days on end was a bleak thing, and this was most evident.

He was pulled away from his bemoaning by a familiar, girlish laugh. Looking across his desk, he was mortified to see Amethyst, her chin resting on her hooves, trying very hard not to break down and guffaw.

With a twinkle in her eye, she waggled her eyebrows at him, “Dirty dreams, Lieutenant?”

About as embarrassed as he could ever remember feeling, even around her, he reeled, “Damn it to Hell, Amethyst! Stay out of my head!”

She giggled in her unfitting way, “Oh, I wouldn’t dare do such a thing, Lt. Grumpy… I didn’t have to anyway, sir. Did you know you talk in your sleep?”

“How long have you been eyeballing me?”

Amethyst smirked, face rosy with mirth, “About 20 minutes… I didn’t want to disturb you…”

Shaking his head and deciding to change the direction things were going, Zip wiped sleep from his eyes, “Enough… So, I have… stuff on the brain… Now’s not the time! What is it you wanted to tell me earlier?”

Unhappy he cut off her fun, but recognizing they had more important things to do, she said what she had to, “I’ll fill you in afterwards, but I won’t be around tonight. I received… word from my old outfit. I have a… job to do later.”

Zip, a little bothered by the fact he was unfazed by his sergeant’s goings-on, nodded, “Okay… it won’t be hard to explain away your absence. I’m sorry you’ll miss the party, but that’s just something you have to do. Please be careful, Amethyst.”

Touched by his consideration, she leaned back in the opposite chair, “Thank you, sir, I will be. Just tell them I drew some extra duty… I’m sure I won’t be the ‘only’ one.”

She was right; many ponies, particularly those with special expertise, had been called aside to deal with all sorts of issues division was running into. Just the night before, Trip, Spc. Cocoa Butter, and Pvt. Caramel Crunch spent seven hours doing emergency repairs on a locomotive that broke down upon reaching Port. Thankfully, they managed to get it back on the move only 15 minutes behind schedule, and the cargo was then well on its way to safety.

Amethyst left, leaving Zip to clean up his drool and briefly try to finish his work. He was unable to do so; his dreams of Jacinta had saturated the paper, and it would all have to dry out. Realizing it was only 20:30, Zip knew he could make the party. His platoon had the night off and had secured a couple kegs of ale. They didn’t have to report until 10:00 the next morning, and they were holding platoon drill, anyway, so Zip anticipated a monumentally epic evening the likes of which he’d never seen from his ponies.


The party was crazy. But it was fun, too. Seeing Pvt. Linseed Oil strum a guitar in the corner with all his enlisted mares drooling over him was a sight to behold; he was a stallion of many talents. Pvt. Mercury Rise was hoof-wrestling four stallions at a time and still beating them.

Cpl. Raspberry Jam was certainly putting on a show. Zip had never heard a joke out of the guy, despite Cpt. Stone Rig’s insistence the corporal was so funny, but he seemed more a magician. Cpl. Raspberry Jam had taken to… appearing to be pulling bouquets of flowers from his ass and throwing them at the laughing ponies unfortunate enough to be in aiming-range. How an Earth pony pulled off such a trick, Zip decided to not think about it.

Everypony was having a great time; it was times like this Zip wished he’d imbibe, but he still couldn’t bring himself to drink. Sitting in the corner, he smiled, watching his command… his friends… throwing aside their worries for a night. They’d had so little reason to celebrate, and they still really didn’t… but they needed this.

Unaware of Zip’s ruminations, Jacinta plopped down beside him, “Looks like fun, eh? …Lieutenant? Sir?”

It took a poke of her hoof to get his head out of his ass; he blinked and stared around, “Oh, Jacinta… It’s only you.”

“What do you mean it’s only me?! That’s a damn stupid thing to say to a lady.”

Zip noticed her slurring… Yup, Jacinta was in a playful mood, full of liquor, and grinning like a hyena at him. Great…

She leaned towards him, “I know it isn’t really your thing, but… wanna dance?”

Zip wanted to. He wanted to badly, but it wasn’t something his platoon needed to see. He’d danced with most of the mares in his platoon, so it wasn’t such a big deal… except to him… and probably to the little mare beside him.

“Uh… pass, Jacinta. Let’s just talk.”

She huffed, “Oh, poo… So, you’ll dance the Manehattan with Amethyst but nothing with me?”

He could tell she was at least half-joking and was glad for it; he didn’t need any drama generated, “That was special… You weren’t even awake. I’m surprised she told you about that.”

She gushed, “Oh, she wouldn’t shut up about it, Lieutenant… It really… meant a lot to her.”

He sighed, looking out to his platoon, “I know it did…”

“So where is our beloved 1st Squad leader?” Jacinta looked around exaggeratedly, a goofy look pasted to her face.

“Division had something for her to do… I’m not sure if she’ll make it or not.”

Jacinta hiccuped, “That’s too bad… This might be our last time to enjoy ourselves for quite some time.”

She took a hit off what turned out to be her tenth ale; she’d settle when there wasn’t gin. Zip took a hit off his water; they were holding a kegger, and there was no squash of any variety for him to sample.

For some reason, the staff sergeant suddenly seemed to have a bee in her bonnet, “Fuck this noise, sir… I… wanna get to bed. Would you… walk me back to the barracks?”

“What’s wrong, Jacinta?” Zip was concerned at her angry outburst.

She nosed him from his seat, “Just move!”

He complied, and the two left the otherwise empty warehouse; it was one of many buildings standing empty, their great task going as well as it was.

Looking to his schnockered friend, he didn’t blame her for wanting an escort… The city had become a strange and scary place, with everything becoming largely unoccupied. But occasionally, they’d come across scavenger ponies stealing military or civilian supplies or holing up in abandoned buildings. Zip reasoned Jacinta was nervous about somepony accosting her when she was alone; Zip reasoned to himself he’d be the one protecting any ponies stupid enough to get in Jacinta’s way.

Paddling alongside her direct superior, Jacinta was scheming. She’d been trying to get him alone for a few days… and not in his office. Her thinking wasn’t all that clear, and her method was heavy-hooved, but it had worked.

Her time had come.

“Lieutenant,” she stopped walking, staring at the ground.

Zip hadn’t noticed her halting; he had to turn to face her, “Yes, Jacinta?”

The little mare was shitfaced, but she still blushed in a manner that put her alcohol-flush to shame, “I… know we agreed to concentrate on our job… and to not do anything stupid, but… I can’t help myself anymore…”

Zip felt the now familiar sensation of his blood going cold—while somehow feeling a shock of heat run through him—and the accompanying fuzzy head with the ringing ears. As has been well established, he’d been on pins and needles around Jacinta the last few days. Oblivious to his body stirring up a storm, Jacinta moved a little closer.

“I’ve been thinking… sir, and I think I’m ready to say it…”

Zip decided to stop her, right there, “Jacinta… you’re drunk. Whatever it is you’re gonna say, I don’t think it’s anything you’d say sober… Let’s just get you to your quarters.”

She looked at him, a little hurt, and shook her head, “Would you please just hear me out?”

“You need to turn in… It’s only another block to the barracks, so let’s keep moving.”

Zip began to walk away; he wasn’t expecting Jacinta to comply. He knew there was no walking away from her, but he didn’t know what else to do.

He was dismayed to hear her unsteady voice; he could tell she was close to waterworks. He was even more shaken by the single word that came with it.

Zip…

He halted; in a mixture of ecstasy and genuine horror at hearing her say his name, he replied, “What…?”

Looking back, he felt the erstwhile dry eyes of his friend boring into his as she inched closer, “Zip… I love you.”

Fireworks went off in Zip’s head when he heard that. He was quite staggered, hearing those three little words. He knew it… He’d known for a couple weeks those words were coming at some point. And he was finally faced with his own feelings.

He’d tried and tried and tried and tried and even came close to convincing himself otherwise… but he’d fallen in love for the first time. It was so foreign a thing, he’d been unable to identify it… but there it was.

He wasn’t even sure when it happened. Somewhere between, or among, her kicking his ass as they trained their platoon and her indignation at being made a fool of during their trots and kissing him and their talk at the sweets shop and dreaming about her almost every time he fell asleep and many other things… it had just happened.

He loved Jacinta… and he didn’t know what to do about it. So, he tried to rebuff it, knowing Jacinta wouldn’t remember anything past her last ale. He was still convinced they had to hold back on things, given Hell was practically about to hit their shores.

Hating himself for it, he forced it out, “Now’s not the time, Jacinta… Let’s get you to bed.”

She looked wounded at that, but she remained as steadfast as her inebriation allowed, “Please… no more games. I know you… feel the same way. I may be some ‘sexless little drip’, but I can tell! Please… I wanna hear you say it.”

He so wanted to say it. Why hold back now? Perhaps it was because something about all this bothered him… Maybe it was because she was blackout drunk… Maybe it was just because he was afraid. Whatever was bothering him, he refused to let things escalate more.

“Jacinta… you need to go to bed-”

“I want to kiss you,” she murmured.

He couldn’t help but scoff, “Jacinta-”

She gave him the glare that never failed to send his balls rolling to shelter, “I’m not asking…”

She surprised him, propelling him off the path. She tripped him up and put him to his back in a shrub. Before he could even react, she clumsily went to town on his face.

Desperately trying to get his face free of her hooves holding him and her lips and tongue exploring, he managed, “Jacinta! Cut it out!”

She held him fast and said another thing he’d not been expecting, but rather, longing to hear… as far as his wet dreams went, “Zip… I want you to be my first… more than anything… I want you!”

His jaw must have dropped, because she smiled and pushed it back up so his teeth met.

Giggling at the look of shock on his face, she hoofed his collar, leering hazily at him.

He somehow found the resolve to form words, “Jacinta… we shouldn’t…”

She took on an air somewhere between disbelief and amusement; it took her a moment to form words, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you being this way? I mean… do you really not know what to do when some mare throws herself at you?!”

Zip felt his balls recoil at that; hearing that from Jacinta really took the lead out of his pencil. He was almost tempted to prove her wrong… it wasn’t overly complicated.

But, “That’s enough, Jacinta. Get off.”

Her amusement rose, “Yeah, yeah… you cold fish…”

Then her amusement dropped off as she suddenly threw up to the side of his head. Zip saw it coming and managed to shift away, but it still wound up in his mane.

“Ah, shit!” he spouted as Jacinta collapsed on him.

Within a few seconds, he could hear and feel her breathing steadily; her breath stunk, as if she’d just eaten a bowl of garden slugs. Pinned under her, his back in a shrub, it wasn’t the easiest to regain his hooves.

Staring down at his passed-out staff sergeant, Zip’s thoughts were anything but pleasant.

Great… Just great… Zip frowned. What a night…

He suddenly felt the fur on the back of his neck stand up; somepony was behind him… Three guesses who.

“I take it you’re done with whatever mischief you were put up to, Amethyst,” Zip turned to face his sergeant, a sudden resentment taking him; she looked like she’d fallen into a swamp.

“And it looks like you’ve been up to mischief of your own, Lieutenant,” it was hard to read her; her expression wasn’t giving away much of anything.

But something about her tone really pissed him off; maybe he was tired… maybe he was just frustrated, but he became angry, “I don’t know how long you’ve been standing there, laughing at me, but I’m tired of it. Do you really enjoy simpering over somepony who was ‘shitting in diapers’ when you were some young heart-breaker that much?”

Put off by his conduct, he could see the hurt in her eyes; she backed up, “Lieutenant? What’s wrong?”

Seeing her fall into a demure state, Zip’s annoyance got the better of him, “Do you really enjoy it that much?! Sneaking around like some ghoul, jumping up whenever you catch me at my worst… treating me like a little colt… What’s your damage, Sergeant?”

Covered in who-knows-what after doing who-knows-what, a mare who toppled governments and killed off Equestria’s enemies, foreign and domestic, as if they were termites in the foundation of a house was cowed, “Lieutenant…”

The vulnerability in her face only frustrated him further, “So what’s it gonna be tonight, Amethyst? A virginity jab? Take a poke at my innocence? Ask me for a dance?! What?! What do you want, Amethyst?!”

The corners of her eyes began to leak, “Lieutenant, this isn’t like you… Why don’t-?”

He cut her off, “Are you gonna tell me what you’ve been up to, or not?! If you got nothing to say, then leave me alone!”

At that, she broke down; she fell to her haunches and cried, right in the middle of the park. It was enough to move even the coldest heart, seeing the beautiful mare sob, covered in slop.

Realizing what an asshole he’d been, Zip turned down his dials in a hurry as he went to her. It was easy to see something had her like a cat on a hot tin roof; she wouldn’t have cracked so easily, otherwise. Kneeling just enough to be at her eye-level, he sighed.

“Amethyst… I’m… I’m so sorry… That was… just nasty of me.”

Looking as young as a teenager and as miserable as some poisoned lab animal, she hiccupped, declining to make eye contact with him.

Zip gave an all-in sigh and hauled her to her hooves, “We need to talk, Amethyst… Help me with Jacinta, and we can go sit.”


This scene had played out before, save Amethyst was sober this time. Using her magic, she’d cleaned up Jacinta, Zip’s vomity mane, and her own disheveledness.

With the little staff sergeant’s head resting in her lap, Amethyst stared lovingly down at her friend; she’d calmed down.

“And to think Jacinta used to be such a good girl… behaving herself when she drank,” Amethyst crooned as she stroked Jacinta’s head.

Noting the faraway look in her eyes, Zip tried to press gently, “Amethyst… please tell me what’s wrong.”

She stopped caressing Jacinta’s mane and continued to stare off into space, “You know how you can associate something—anything, really… even the most innocuous things imaginable… with something bad?”

Zip knew the feeling. When he was a colt, his mother had yelled at him for something he couldn’t even remember… Even 15 or 16 years later, every single time he smelled cheese bread baking, his fur stood on end, and he felt a most visceral twinge deep in his gut. It didn’t make sense and didn’t need to… His mother had been baking, and he’d been afraid. The connection existed.

“I sure do, Amethyst…” Zip murmured; he stared straight ahead, having his own trouble making eye-contact with his lovely sergeant.

“I was out in the harbor… setting up a little welcome present for the Centauri Navy—you’ll see it when it happens,” she grinned nastily. “When I got back to shore, I felt something… All it was is that I was wet from being in the water… and it reminded me of my last job before I got shipped out here… the one that I ‘did something my superiors didn’t like’.”

Zip steeled his stomach for something awful, and Amethyst sensed it. He wasn’t even curious… He was dreading it.

“I likely won’t be telling you about it, sir, and I hope I never do… It’s something I plan to take to my grave… and it would take a lot to pull it out,” she sighed shakily, huddling up into herself.

The young lieutenant finally found the resolve to turn to her, “Amethyst… I’m sorry.”

Smiling a little, going back to stroking Jacinta’s mane, she replied, “Oh, you have nothing to be sorry about, sir… You just caught me at a bad time... And I know what a nuisance I can be—and you don’t have to tell me I’m not!”

Zip had tried to interrupt her, but he was convinced to keep his mouth shut and hear her out.

Free of his half-truths, she went on, “I’m… rather fond of you, Lieutenant… But you know that, don’t you? Meeting you really did have me wishing I was a decade, or two, younger… I told Jacinta, recently, what I thought she should do…”

Zip noticed a devious smirk light up her now less miserable face.

She looked coy, nonetheless, “I’m… mortified at what I told her; it was so embarrassing…”

Zip decided he had to say something, “Amethyst… I was upset earlier. I don’t hate when you give me a hard time. We’re… friends and it’s usually hilarious, when I take a chance to look back at it. So, I’m sorry… It’s just creepy… when you seem to show up out of nowhere, so much.”

She leaned just a little towards him, as if she knew something worth knowing, “Well… sometimes I just want to stir the pot, but sometimes I have a better reason. Remember I said all that stuff about Jacinta being a beacon of serenity, or some silly thing like that? The reason I found the two of you tonight was… she’s… afraid… confused… She’s all mixed-up inside. I came looking for her because… I worry about her. She must have gotten pretty desperate… or drunker than usual to do this… maybe both.”

Zip sat there, feeling the abnormally warm night breeze blowing around his mane.

“Zip…”

Hearing his name come from Amethyst surely got his attention, “Yes?”

“She loves you, Lieutenant…”

Zip looked up to the night sky, “I know she does… And she finally said it, to boot.”

“And something tells me… I said those three little words to you at some point, sir…”

Zip floundered, “I, uh…”

She put a hoof to his lips, her shy little smile showing through, “Oh, please don’t answer that… I’d rather not know, really.”

After pausing a moment, she turned her gaze to the sky, “I really don’t know what any of us should be doing, sir… For the last half-decade, I’ve just done what the army told me, and I don’t intend to stop… But when this is over… if we get out of this… if I get out of this… I’m done. This old nag will go finally do some good for the world.”

Zip hadn’t given the future a single thought, really… at least consciously. His dreams were pretty obvious in their meaning: take Jacinta and run…

“‘Take Jacinta and run’…” Amethyst giggled. “Not a bad plan, sir… Nice and simple.”

Zip couldn’t even be angry; he cracked up and had to stifle his laughter, as not to wake Jacinta, “Oh, Amethyst… stay out of my head, please.”

Waiting for his laughing fit to subside, Amethyst wondered, “But what will you do, Lieutenant?”

He was stumped, “Dunno…”

She giggled, “Time’s never on our side, sir… I was born 15 years too early… and the Centauri Navy decides to come knocking when the world of love finally makes sense to Jacinta. You’ve been batting around the idea of ‘seeking happiness when you can’… Sometimes that’s all we can do—grab hold of the happiness you can—especially the good things that have a future to them.”

Zip flopped onto his back, “What are we doing, Amethyst?! It just feels like we’re going in circles… Nothing makes sense, lately…”

“You love her, Lieutenant,” Amethyst prodded him. “That makes sense enough.”

“I still don’t know what to do…”

“You silly, little colt,” Amethyst scolded playfully. “If you really want some advice… get her alone, and tell her how you feel. Just wait for her hangover to go away… maybe let her brush her teeth, too.”

Before Zip could say another thing, Amethyst hoisted Jacinta onto her back, “I’m taking Jacinta back to her room. I’ll see you in the morning, sir.”

Amethyst trotted away, Jacinta snoring on her back.

Zip, alone now, decided to go back to his office; the papers upon which he’d been drooling would be dry enough to finish writing.


The next morning saw the platoon practicing first aid. They’d practiced with swords and light explosives and artillery, but Zip felt it important that each team of each squad had a designated medic and that everypony else would at least have a grasp. A lot of them really hadn’t done a thing outside of logistics since basic training, and it showed.

“Come on, Private, it has to be tighter than that! Use the knots we practiced,” Corporal Lily Hawk was walking around amongst the teams, inspecting their splint-making, one of the many topics she’d been trying to shove down their throats.

Zip and Jacinta sat off to the side. The mare had a fearsome hangover.

“Oh, that sure was dumb of me… 10 beers… I don’t remember past seven… What did I do last night?” she whined.

Zip’s lips were sealed on much of the goings-on, “You just had too much to drink… Amethyst took you to your room… You’d think unicorns would’ve figured a way to cure a hangover.”

Jacinta squinted, “I’m sure there’s such a thing… They must keep it to themselves… I can understand not helping a Pegasus… I’m jealous of you being able to fly. But what about us Earth ponies? What did we do?!”

Zip was glad to see Jacinta’s mediocre sense of humor on deck; if she could joke around, she was probably fine, “You blew chunks like a firehose; that’s what you did. Amethyst had to clean you up.”

“Why are you bringing it up?!” she winced. “It’s not like I booted on you or anything…”

Just managing to stifle a laugh, Zip lay on his back in the grass, putting his hooves behind his head, “Whatever… You’ll feel better later.”

She grumbled, but she knew he was right.

“Lieutenant! SSgt. Petals! Get in on this!” Lily barked. “You said you wanted everypony to be able to pass medical basics.”

Zip chuckled, hauling the reluctant Jacinta from her sprawling out, “Yes, Corporal!”

After finishing their medical training for the day, Zip continued to feel more and more confident as they walked to noontime chow. With the training they’d managed when not working on the evacuation or sleeping, Zip felt they’d soon be good and ready to deal with whatever came up. Laughing with his platoon “doctor”, Zip was simply amazed with what magic could do in medicine.

“Lily, I just don’t see how you expect anypony without magic to tie a surgeon’s knot without using the mouth!”

She could only smile mildly, as was her wont, “You’re the only one that couldn’t do it, sir… maybe you’re all left hooves…”

Amethyst broke in between them, throwing a hoof over both, “Don’t say that Lily! You’ve never seen the Lieutenant dance, apparently!”

“You mean like he did with you?" Lily asked coolly; there wasn’t much that shook the veteran nurse. "And of course I've seen him dance. I mean, I danced with him.”

Zip glared at Amethyst, “Just how many have you told about that, Amethyst?!”

Trip trotted by, beaming, “I know!”

Privates Orange Blossom and Caramel Crunch giggled, “Us too…”

Private Mercury Rise put up a hoof, “Me as well, sir!”

A few other voices raised as well.

Zip shouted, turning red, “Okay, okay, okay! Forget I asked.”

Laughter rang out from his platoon; it was good to hear, even if it was at his expense. Distracted, he failed to see Pvt. Blood Sapphire stop cold in front of him.

Zip’s nose went right into his ass, “Gah! Private! Why’d you stop?!”

The private wasn’t listening; it was plain to see he was agitated. His fur stood on end, and he trembled so badly, the sunglasses he never took of jostled loose and fell to the ground.

“The wind… it’s dropping off.”

The oddness from their second-biggest oddball got some attention, but what he said made no sense; the last few days had seen a steady breeze off the sea, day and night.

Zip was about to prod along the nervous stallion; he was hungry, “Private…”

“Wait, sir!” Pvt. Linseed Oil had appeared beside Zip. “I feel it too… Give it a moment.”

Something about that got the lot of them to stop. And it was true. Within a couple minutes, the steady breeze, keeping the obscenely outnumbered Equestrian Navy out of reach of their enemies, fell off like gangrene. The trees became still.

As if he was faced with some great beast, Pvt. Blood Sapphire had turned towards the direction of the shore; he began to back away, “Oh, shit…”

A little weak in the knees, the private fell to his haunches. Pvt. Linseed Oil knelt beside him, hoofing his shoulder.

“Yeah, brother… this is it…”

Zip, and others, mouthed those words, this is it?

It was it, for a few seconds later, the sirens sounded. And with them, came a voice.

“All personnel report to division headquarters at once! All personnel report to division headquarters at once! All personnel report to division headquarters at once!”

The message continued, and all 54 ponies knew just what had happened. They galloped towards the center of town. Jacinta, wrapped up in a shroud of hangover, saw her vision clear; she joined Zip at the head of the group.

They ran, knowing well enough what they’d soon hear.

Their navy, hindered by the lack of wind pushing them east, had fallen.

Author's Note:

Check out the Appendix for The Virgin Company, updated as the story moves along. Includes character designs and platoon arrangement. Contains spoilers.


I didn't think I'd be able to finish editing and rewriting, but here's a chapter on schedule; I'm unsure what next week holds.

It's finally happened: the strange weather has culminated in a shift of the wind, damning the Equestrian Navy. In days, Port and its soldiers will be under siege.

Next time, the city will be in peril and a couple ponies might finally get a little time alone... alone and both sober.

If you haven't, please take a look at Larkspur Blossom, my first story. Lt. 'Scream is a hero of the main character. And please look at my adventure story, Princess Essenta. A princess goes on a "fool's errand" to prove to her worth, picking up interesting friends along the way.

Thanks for reading, and take care.

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