Memories Of The Flask

by WindigogoGadget

Tear Stained Texts [End]

The search had turned up empty. Again.

Again and again, it would always turn out to be the same story, showed up a little too late, or just in time for the glassy residue the shades left behind on death to still be around. There were some that were saved, but the number was pathetic in comparison to the amount that had been confirmed as destroyed or marked off as unaccounted for. A few were considered missing in action, judging by some letters that she had only glanced at when they reached her, but she wasn't going to hold out hope for them.

This time it was an important fragment that had apparently gone mad sometime within the thousand years after the extermination of anything and everything relating to the darkness if the messages about 'beautiful green eyes' scrawled on the wall was of any indication. It also seemed like they were gone.

Her changelings had been spared only because the disguises were working as intended, beyond that, anything unfortunate enough to be in a town suspected of housing the darkness was burned indiscriminately. Though a vast majority of the food colonies had been either destroyed or abandoned in the process, such fate had befallen Our Town some odd five-hundred years ago. Discovering the fragments of the fallout of successful genocide for a thousand years had taken a steep toll on her, and her opinion of ponies.

Chrysalis stared at the mural on the stone wall. The chalky white material lead her to believe this cave was made of gypsum, or more accurately her passenger fed that knowledge directly into her thoughtstream.

"Stop that." She hissed. He snorted at her. Moving on from the interruption, the mural was quite literally of green eyes. Green eyes everywhere. The detail of them, the slit pupils, the detailed muscles of the iris, were almost reminiscent of hers in some capacity. The green was quite off, not at all close to a changeling, or even acid green color. It was an distinctively soft forest green, possibly olive drab gradient instead. The words scrawled on the roof and floor were scrambled and segmented, and she cared too little about the ramblings of a maddened shade to read what was etched into the soft stone, washed away by time if the moisture in the air was of an indication.

"I understand you have a variety of knowledge, but please, stop spoon-feeding me it. You've had a thousand years to finally get over that habit."

She stepped in something thin and wet, like paper. A ruined shadow puppet, the wooden poles that supported it were broken. Turning it over she saw that the various royal purple hues that layered over each other had melded into one lumpy mass, which tore apart relatively easily. Pride, or perhaps Loyalty, had either escaped his fortified safe house and transcended or abandoned his physical container, died in captivity, or had been killed by Celestia or Luna.

She never understood why they had always written down something. Without fail, each and every hideout she had found always had some marker or symbol hidden away somewhere that pointed to it, and always a note left behind. At least she could actually read the notes, the previously unknown grammar rules of the shades had made it incomprehensible to the average changeling some thousand years ago, but having the one who could read and write it fluently in her head made it significantly easier. But sooner or later, any modern pony could read what they had written on the walls. She'd noticed how the common pony tongue had evolved, become increasingly similar to read.

Chrysalis cut a tablet of stone out of the wall, removing the most intact copy of the poem, and sent it away somewhere in green flames. "You'll have to make do without him." She said to nobody in the cave. Another bit of writing to add to the pile. She could read the message for the both of them later in the relative safety of the hive. Right now she had a cave to collapse. If the sisters hadn't found this place before, she'd prefer to leave it in ruins to erase the evidence of their existence.

---

Hello brother.
I'm writing you a letter again.

Hello Brother,
all is good as usual, all is well. The sun is shining, the Mountains Are foggy. I'm with my friend, Samya. He had a minor scratch. AlL is gOod. All is well.

---

Whether or not there's wars brewing, when the sun rises over the horizon, there's a day ahead that's full of work to do. We never say goodbye to anyone, we don't need anybody's tears. We go into the night, into the rain, into the snow, there's almost always something more we need to do.

Reconnaissance Battalion, guess I'm working with the fields, we rarely get bored with our work. Every day we search again and fight again.

But hey there little angel, don't you go worrying on about me, I'll survive to send another letter just for you.

We've seen the ponies, how bloodthirsty- can't believe we tried to be friends. Their commanders give them orders and medals, but I know that I've earned mine working recon for the race that we both call friends.

So listen closely, don't you worry, I'm built strong just like we wanted, and I'll survive to send another message just for you.

...But sometimes it happens suddenly, a friend you've known leaves forever in a moment just like the wind. But I can't judge, I know the wars, just like we've read of, are to blame. Though I know you hoped for kindness, I think its time we both admit, that there are things that just never change, and conflict seems to always be a constant where we go.

Their commanders give them orders and medals, but I've earned mine, working recon with the changelings I call friends. Out there is another horizon, another day with work to do, be it snowing, be it raining, be it night, in our work there's never a dull moment on the fields.

When all of this is over, when its time to head back home, I know that we'll all be waiting, sitting around a friendly table. We might remember those who've passed, friends we made- and lost along the way, we'll toast a drink to fallen friends.

---

Wolves are howling and the void barks. My heart beats until it just hurts. Blood is throbbing like a bird in my veins. Faith, hope and love, I can feel it all now. The rage of a thousand hooves marching west.

...And our flag flying high.

The sun shines dazzlingly across the dark sky. Everything's in place but somethings not right. Celestia's star burns in the sky above us. I fear when none except for her can help us, in the dark coming night.
Night has come and it brings a storm with. Her rain is sad and its wind is a joker. We hide in our tents, we don't have her stars to gaze at. There's a strange sorrow seizing us, like a faithful old friend.

Some try to drink and walk, and we'll try to sing and dance. But nothing we do chases the glumness away, it's stuck with us for now.

…A star burns in the sky above us. No one but her to help us as we descend into the dark, dark, night.

---

Hello Sister dearest, how are you?

The roads to home must be snowed in by now. I can see stars falling from Luna's sky. Last night the pony bastards hit our caravan, our mechanic has died, and he won't be coming back. It just makes me want to curse this bloody fight. Saturday is coming. We'll clean up and forget this war. It smells of iron and nobody is sleeping, it was a difficult fight and three of us didn't make it, it makes me want to cry. The three of us aren't going to make it, why can't I cry?

I'm with my friend Starlight, I bet she'll make it out alive, they built her tough. I know you don't like them, but I have a favor that I'd like to ask. Please take them far from here, a death like this is undeserved.

Again, sister, I'm giving you my warmest regards. But lately, we haven't been getting letters back, so I hope after all this finds
you in good health. If Alyosha's still around, just lie. Don't tell him where we are. If he asks just lie, and tell him we're fine.

---

Today at the hideout we had an odd case, a grey-haired foal came in, he asked to be taken in with us and nobody could understand why. The oldest shade among us could only say: "Equus' in flames, its hell on earth. Just where are you running to, kid? What calls you to our battle? You've not yet been, but you came back home. Singed but still alive, so what is it that keeps you from peace?"

For a moment the kid just stood, and then turned away to hide his tears. He said these words, in that sentence I can't really repeat. "I have seen death, and I have seen war. I came back home alive, but there is nopony waiting for me here. My beloved is ashes now, and I'm all alone in this world, but over there I'll find friends who've seen the same. In my dreams, I see fear and Tartarus, and hear the firing of cannons, but over there I'd have friends by my side. A friend to help me, rescue me, and extend a hoof of friendship. 'Equestria's in flames, it's Tartarus', where am I running to? And what calls me to battle? I've not yet been but came back home. I'm empty but I'm still alive, so what is it that keeps you from peace?"

We've all seen death, we've read of wars. But we've not yet reached home alive, but we know nobody is waiting for us out there. Our cherished things have all been burned, and truly we're all alone in this world, but over there our friend's bunkers are being stormed.

---

Farewell brother, we won't be seeing each other now. I still have to serve and you've gone home. I'm off to the north, and you the skies. God grant you're still alive. Don't worry I won't look for arrows in vain- I know you're not a coward, I was just saying. Maybe next time shake my hand when we say farewell? And sing a song, I know you're a master.
On the fields of Equus, three birds fly away. The last pony grants a final hug, so goodbye Alyosha. Again fire rains behind the
mountain. Never again, will we see you again.

Again the changeling crews leave into the night.
Again we remember songs of your life we left behind. Ponies are losing their fighters here again, just like we lost our friends out there.

On the fields of Equus, three pegasi fly away. The last friend behind grants a final hug, so goodbye Alyosha. Again fire rains behind the mountain. Never again, will I see you again.

Look, brother, I beg you to take care of your heart, It will replace your orders and medals. All of those hopes and dreams we made together. And if we get together, we'll remember all of ours.

What a pity for those guys, what a pity.

Again fire rains behind the mountain. Never again, will we see you again, so goodbye Alyosha. Nevermore, nevermore will we see each other again.

---

There's a light flashing in the dark. We are all waiting here in silence. We still hear your voice, painfully familiar. We're warming up some tea, today was a long day. We took the hill, the pony whines away.

In the heat and dust and without water we went to the mountain through the green zone, and going up we ran into the royals. Bang, the spells blew up. A brother fell, and another explosion. Hope in our hearts, sword in a hand, the command "To battle!" Bang, another bomb blew up, a brother felled, and another explosion. Hate in our hearts, blade in our claws, the command repeats, "To battle!"

It seems we're children nevermore, now dogs of war. The voice says "Forward sons!" "We've been through fire and water, praise and trumpets." The wagon rattled, steel whipped. Everything is alien here, even the woods, but we crawled forward, gritting our teeth in pain.

The wagon rattled, steel whipped. Everything is alien here, even the woods, but we trudged forward, gritting our teeth in anger. We'd love to be home for an hour now, to hear again the voices of family. To stay another hour, in safety. Snowy peaks lie now in the distance, the wasteland ridge is covered with dust, and through it lies home, my road. A light now flickers in the dark, together we sit in silence. We warmed some tea, today was a hard day. We still hear your voice, painfully familiar. We took the hill, the pony whines away.

---

The bells are ringing again, again we leave to battle in the night. When will my demobilization come? When will I see our home again? When will I forget how those homes burned?

Here they're shooting at us, like never before, there is war. Behind the mountain pass, in a remote gorge, they're shooting again. Three of them are laying the rocks, dead, and maybe tomorrow that same fate awaits me, I hope it does. Just like we learned before, there is war.
And in the morning they'll find the bodies among the stones, and everyone will go silent, blaming themselves for the death we could never hope to stop. And everyone will know that night, when trouble struck. But again at night we'll try the mountains again. Again we come back with one more left behind.

I'll drink to those guys, who gave their lives for others. Who won't see their mothers from their soot coffins. For those guys left to lay on the ground.

---

I'm cutting the connection, I'm writing you this letter about the fact that I can't watch- I can't listen to this shit anymore, about the fact I don't have the strength anymore, about the fact I almost started drinking but didn't forget my purpose. About the fact the hive called, wanted me to get up; to get dressed and go, or rather run but I told them to screw off- said I was tired and slept nothing that night and I couldn't escape if I tried.

I'm here waiting for an answer. There is no hope. Summer will be over soon.

Seems we were lucky with the weather, it's been raining for four days even though on the link they said it'd be hot in the shade but in the shadow where I am it's dry and warm so far but I fear for later. I've seen the days go by, we eat one day and drink three, and in general we try to keep this façade of living though it's raining outside. The last music crystal has broken so I'm sitting here in silence which I'm quite happy about.

I'm still here waiting for an answer. There is no hope now. Winter will be over soon. This is how it ends then.

Outside there's been construction from the ponies that are working and the restaurant that was once around the corner has been burned for the fifth year, but there's a table remaining, and on the table is a jar and in the jar, there's a tulip- its my final memoir. And so I know then that the years will go by and life will pass with the marching of time and for the hundredth time, the bread will fall buttered side down straight into hell, but I'd like to believe that maybe one day, maybe one night, maybe there'll be an hour when we'll finally be lucky.

I'm stuck knowing the answer. There is no more hope now. Summer will be over soon. This is how it ends then.

---

From these once friendly heavenly mountains, we descend back to the earth from these charred steps, through the salvos of slander and lies we are leaving, done running, done hiding. So farewell dear mountains, only you know what we were in those distant lands, only you know it's not up to a one-sided judge or a smartass bureaucrat.

So goodbye then Equestria, and your damned shadowy world of ghosts, it seems that there will be no good memories of you, and our commander is still mired in mournful sadness. We are leaving, we're running. So farewell mountains, only you know of our suffering and of our glory. How will you Equestria atone for the tears of your mothers?

All of us once believed in you, you know? But we'll never go back. Knowing how many of us perished in his long campaign for knowledge, knowing it was never finished but how many more fell in your campaign for friendly blood. We're leaving, done hiding, done dying.

With my brothers I'll share a bottle, split by three, so few of us survived the rapid battalions and by the third toast the wind of the slopes will have died down with our hope. We swear it, we're leaving, done dying, done running.

So farewell dear mountains, our only witness. Only you know what we had and what we gave, only you saw how we lived among your citizens. Only we know judgement doesn't fall to devils hiding in the light, parading as saints and goddesses!

Our biographies stand written in half a dozen lines, maybe someday someone else will study them when they're in vogue, but today Equus doesn't submit to science. We're leaving Equus, we're leaving Equestria, we're fleeing.
Farewell dear mountains of my world, only you truly know who we were in these distant lands. Farewell mountains of Equus, our only witness, only you've seen the price that was paid to the 'enemy' here, the enemy never finished off. Only you know how many friends we did leave behind, but now we flee, but now we leave Equus.
We're leaving. Don't come searching.