A clap of thunder erupted through the morning air, its cacophonous sound drowning out the crashing of waves against the nearby cliffs. Wind swept through the city of Maritime Bay, tossing leaves, garbage, and debris through the abandoned streets. Window shutters clanked against the walls as the howling storm passed overhead. No Pegasi were in the air dispersing the tempest, for it was above the shield of invisibility. No foals played in the streets, the grey atmosphere dampening their energy. The only ponies out and about were the farmers outside the city walls... and one lavender Alicorn.

Twilight Sparkle plodded through the streets, her eyes downcast and her head hung. Her ears were flattened against her head, and tears were dribbling down her face. A grey sheen seemed to overlay her once pristine coat, and some of her feathers were out of place.

Twilight sniffled but continued on. She didn't really have a destination in mind; her tired and emotional state making it impossible to think of one. She didn't want to go back to her little residence, she didn't want to go and watch the guards train, and she certainly didn't want to see Dean.

The thought of the Human brought more tears to her eyes, forcing her to stop and rub them with her leg. It was all so unfair. He was mere inches from her, their lips practically touching! She had seen in his eyes that he had wanted the kiss, the way his features had relaxed, and how his smile grew. Nopony had cared for what they were about to do, and it had seemed that Dean hadn't either.

So why had he left her?

Was it because he thought she was taking advantage of him? Was he simply not ready?

'Maybe it's because you are a pony.'

She let out a quiet whimper at the thought. Interspecies relationships were common on Equis. Heck, Spike trying to woo Rarity was a good enough example! But Dean was different. He came from a world of Humans, and nothing else. She remembered him saying that many of the species on Equis were a figment of his people's imagination. Twilight realised that the Orith were the only sapient beings Humanity has ever encountered. Maybe that's why he had refused the kiss, because she was different? It was possible, but something was missing. A piece of information was on the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't seem to recall what it was. Something Dean had told her, back in the cave, was relevant to the situation she was in.

With a sigh, Twilight eventually found herself near the training ground once again. She didn't really want to be here, but there was one other person that she needed to talk to. Someone who wouldn't judge her, someone who cared for her like no other.

"Company, double time!"

Thunder rumbled in the sky, but Twilight's focus was on the large, unicorn stallion trotting in front of a troop of guards. The clanking of armour and in time hoofsteps created a static rhythm on the path towards the mess hall. Twilight's ear twitched as she sat on her haunches and waited patiently.

Eventually, Shining saw her little sister sitting off to the side and steered the guards towards her. The group clattered to a halt some ten feet away before bringing their right for hooves' together against the opposite leg.

"Company, right hoof, salute!"

Armour clanked once more as every single guard in the formation brought their right leg to their forehead, including Shining. Twilight's eyes gazed over the assembled guards, a blank look upon her muzzle. After a moment, she giggled and smiled.

"At ease!" She chirped. Every single guard dropped the salute, but remained in position. She watched with interest as Shining turned to face the company.

"Continue on to the mess hall. You get a thirty minute break, and then we are back on the field. Those squad tactics you performed were sloppy at best, and if we are going to win this war, then you'd better perfect it! Dismissed!" Shining barked out the last order, and the group promptly did an about face. A lead pony began calling out steps, and before Twilight knew it, they were gone.

Shining turned and faced his little sister, a light smile touching his features. Thunder rumbled far above, and Twilight shivered slightly.

"Walk with me." Twilight nearly stumbled as her brother began walking back down the path and towards the cliff. His long strides gave her little time to catch up. After a few seconds, she found a gait that matched her brothers and followed in step with him. Grey clouds rushed by overhead, and Twilight could see rain clouds developing in the distance.

"So, what's on your mind, sis?" Shining's question nearly went over her head as her attention was focused on the stormy sky. Twilight gave a good shake of her head before smiling sheepishly.

"Well... nothing much, just thought I'd pop by and see my BBBFF!" She cringed at the sound of her own voice, which didn't sound believable in the slightest. A quick glance at Shining Armour was all she needed to confirm he didn't believe her either.

"You're a terrible liar, Twi. You can tell me what's wrong, I won't judge." The two came to an old picnic table under a tree. The clifface sat not a hundred metres from them. Should she go and stand on the edge, she would see the white capped waves thundering across the rock face.

Twilight looked out across the bay. The peninsula was a mere shadow through the raging storm, which was growing ever closer. A water-spout was forming off in the distance, its funnel swirling in a mesmerising pattern. Twilight had to admit, It was a beautiful view.

She looked away from the gathering storm and looked down at her hooves, contemplating what she was going to say next. Should she tell Shining about what happened on the dance floor? He was known for being quite protective, and she didn't want him doing anything rash.

"W-well, you see... I was at the p-party last night.... and I was dancing with Dean..." She ruffled her wings and her ears flicked. She could feel her brother's gaze on her. "A-and we... we were... about to kiss..." Twilight glanced at her brother and cringed. He had a goofy smile across his face, and his eyebrow was raised. He likely thought that everything was going to be positive, that she was going to tell him that she had a new coltfriend. Twilight took a deep breath and sighed deeply. "B-but we didn't. S-something happened, a-and he l-left me on the d-dance floor."

She heard her brother's intake of air beside her and looked up at him. Her ears folded back against her head and her eyes went wide.

"Wait, before you get mad, I don't think he meant it in an insulting way!" Twilight waved her hooves in front of her, as if she was warding away an attack. Shining was now scowling, but otherwise stayed silent. She took this as a cue to continue.

"He was drunk out of his mind, and I don't think he was thinking clearly. Where he's from, there are only Humans, so it might have seemed alien and wrong to kiss something from another species." Twilights looked out across the bay; the rain had grown closer. Shining took the moment of silence to speak up.

"It still doesn't make it right. He knows you are intelligent and capable of thought. But I don't think it's our physical attributes that are scaring him." Shining grimaced as Twilight's eyes locked onto his.

"Y-you don't? What could be then? Tell me, please!" Twilight's lip trembled. She had thought of every possibility, every reason why he wouldn't accept her. Some of her speculations were reasonable, while others were preposterous and unrealistic. She had gone over plenty of scenarios in her head as to why he might not like her... so what did Shining know that she didn't?

"Twily, you have to remember that if Dean came from another world, then he also likely had a life there. He had a duty to uphold, and his race was on the verge of annihilation. He told me that once he is done here, then he is heading home, and finishing his war."

Twilight's eyes brimmed with tears, and her lips trembled. Her ears were flat against her head as her eyes closed. Did he really not care for her like she thought he did? Was all his affection for show? Did he only rescue her in order to get closer to going home... to leaving her? It wasn't safe in this world, with or without the Dark Elves in power. What if they came back? What if they took Equestria again, and he wasn't there to save her? What if--

"Twily?"

Twilight felt a hoof on her back, and she immediately leaned against her brother's barrel. Small droplets of rain began to fall throughout the park, but the tree above them provided some shelter. Thunder suddenly boomed, and both ponies felt it in their bones.

"I know what you are feeling sis', and I know it's difficult. But I also believe that you are overthinking this." Twilight looked up at her brother. His eyes were filled with wisdom, and he seemed to grow taller before her eyes. In his pupils, he held kindness and understanding.

"H-how so?" her voice was meek, and she felt like a child. Was it so hard to just get some semblance of normalcy in the crazy, dark world?

She just wanted to be at home, in the tree house. Dean would be there with her, and her friends would have been visiting. Spike would make hot cocoa, and all the ones she'd lost would still be there. The vision suddenly clouded over, and every single pony present vanished... except for Dean. The powerful, deadly, and kind Human that had dragged her back from the brink of insanity. The one who had kept her company and protected her from harm. The one who was fighting for her people's freedom.

"Since meeting the Sergeant, I could see that he cared for you. Deeply. When we were talking the other day, he told me that he would protect you with his life if need be. When you were taken by prince Trignar, he followed after them in order to get you back. He believes you are one of his greatest friends! Dean isn't leaving because he wants to, he's leaving because he needs to. That doesn't make you worthless in his eyes. If anything, I think it means that he is going to complete his mission, whatever the cost, in order for you and all of us to live in peace. Only then will he go home in order to fight for peace once more."

Twilight's mane swayed gently in the wind. Her tears had stopped flowing, and a look of understanding showed in her eyes. Shining turned back to look out to the Lunar sea, but the rain was getting too thick to see the ocean. Rain was starting to break through the tree canopy above, and both ponies visibly shivered.

"I think it's about time we headed inside somewhere warm. Would you like to stay with me, or are you going to head to your room?" Twilight looked to the side and thought for a moment.

"I need to find Dean and talk to him first. I don't know if he remembers the party all that well, but I want to make sure there are no negative feelings." She heard Shining's intake of breath and looked up again.

"You'd better hurry then, he's supposed to leave for Stalliongrad in one hour."

For a moment, Twilight's heart nearly stopped dead. The storm disappeared altogether, and the only noise that could be heard within her mind was a dull ringing.

"WHAT!" Her shriek caused a guard several hundred feet away to fall down the steps to the mess hall in a disgruntled heap. The blast from her voice seemed to cause the leaves and branches on the trees to bend unnaturally. Shining's horn was lit, and his ears were surrounded in a purple glow. His only true reaction was a subtle smirk.

"He's at the armoury, getting his squad geared up. They are leaving this soon.... because..." Shining looked around and blinked owlishly. Twilight was already gone.

With a shrug, Shining hopped off his seat on the bench and began cantering towards the mess hall. Wind or rain, lightning or snow, his guards had work to do. If they got the hang of these new tactics that Dean had presented, then they would have a new and significant advantage over the battlefield.

*****

Dean stood a few metres away from his squad mates, his rifle laying disassembled before him. The air was damp, but the components of the SCAR remained safe under the shingled overhang above him. Beside him, a large tactical bag lay full of MRE's, tactical gear, extra armour, and extra ammo. His helmet sat on the table beside his rifle as well as the tacpad. The helmet sported a white and black colour pattern, and he was currently fiddling with the tac-pad settings in order to reorganise the camouflage of his exosuit. Certain positions on the body armour were able to mould into certain shades, but not full on colours. The basics were black, grey, and white. Having a pattern like forest green, or U.N blue required a prefabricated component that attached to the armour. His previous exo-suit had a built in forest camo component, but it was deconstructed when the new suit was made. Dean would have to fabricate a new one when he returned from the mission.

Stalliongrad was going to be interesting. The city itself lay past the targeted encampment, far enough away to be secluded from whatever slavery was going on, but close enough should reinforcements be needed. With the current war being waged in the Gryphon Empire, necessities such as reinforcements were scarce in the outer cities. Stalliongrad was an easy target, and it just so happened that a major general in the Dark Elven ranks was visiting.

Dean tapped another icon on the tac-pad, and it emitted a beep before returning to the main screen. He groaned in frustration and tossed the device onto the table. He barely heard the hoof steps approaching before it was too late.

"Technology not working for 'ya?" Dean groaned a second time, but louder, and hung his head.

"Don't even start Stormfly, it's bad enough that we will be travelling in this weather. I don't need you on my ass as well!" He pulled a stool from under the bench and sat down. Grabbing a nearby cloth, he picked up the muzzle of his gun and began cleaning. The silencer being attached had left the inside of the muzzle quite dirty, and it was taking quite a bit of effort to clean it out.

"Not sure what a Donkey has to do with this, but your word is law boss. Just know that magic is always an alternative!" Stormfly danced away as Dean reached a hand out and swatted in her general direction. He felt nothing but air, but his ears could very well hear the snorts and giggles coming from the various squaddies.

"Har-har, yuck it up. Won't be so funny when it's my advanced technology saving you assholes on the battlefield." Dean kept cleaning, but upon not hearing any retorts or comments, he turned to find out what was causing the sudden silence. A strange buzzing, like a stuka dive bomber, began to fill the air. Dean's eyes widened.

He had just enough time to stand and brace before a purple fur ball slammed into his torso. He was ready this time, and only moved back a step to soften his attackers impact. He couldn't help but let a smile grace his lips as his arms wrapped the fuzzy pony in a hug. He heard a very feminine giggle and chuckled in response.

Glancing over at his squad, he noticed that many, if not all of them were trying to contain their laughter. Dean felt Twilight nuzzle his chest before his face turned into a scowl.

"Salute your princess, pronto!" This order was met with six stomps of the right hoof followed by a ridgid salute. Every pony present had a stone cold face and hardly any movement of the body. Dean was impressed, but he had more important matters to attend to.

"How are you, Princess?" He smiled as her large eyes found his. She was so adorable when she looked up at him, her muzzle buried in his chest while her gaze seemed to pierce through him. Her bangs fell down in front of her right eye, causing it to close slightly. Twilight gave a huff, vainly trying to remove the offending hair, but failed. Her one good eye looked at Dean pleadingly.

Dean chuckled and reached up before wiping the stray hairs away. He heard her give a happy 'eep', causing him to snicker and pat her on the back. He slowly placed her on the ground and took a step back, the smile never leaving his face.

"At ease."

The squad gave a collective sigh of relief as they were finally allowed to lower their hooves. Dean caught Stormfly giving him a half glare and only smirked in her direction. She rolled her eyes before trotting over to Cobalt. Dean looked down, only to find his friend had seemingly disappeared. He promptly turned around, only to find the Lavender pony sitting in his seat. Dean sighed and pulled another stool out from under the table before fixing it next to Twilight.

Taking a seat, he began his equipment inspection anew.

"So... I heard you are leaving soon?" Dean stopped, glanced at the Alicorn beside him, then continued on with his work.

"We are, yes. We are going to show the Dark Elves that the resistance means business; that we aren't to be taken lightly. Plus, the more ponies we add to the ranks, the better chance we have of winning this war. We leave in ten minutes!"

A series of "aye" and "yes sirs" echoed across the armoury. Gear was being loaded up, and final checks were being made. Dean was nearly done with his rifle, having cleaned the last part. All that remained was assembly.

"Dean, when you get back, I was hoping you would come and see me? There is something I need to tell you, but it requires a lot of time that we don't have right now." Twilight's tail curled around her, and she began stroking it with her hoof. Dean frowned, recognizing the anxious movements she was portraying.

"Is something wrong? I can have the company wait if it's that important." Dean gently placed the half finished gun on the table and fully turned to face the little pony before him. He could see something in her eyes, something familiar.

"N-no, it's not all that important, but I do need to tell you at some point. Just be careful, okay?" She looked up at him with teary eyes. Dean's heart seemed to break at the sight, and he quickly, but gently grabbed Twilight's forelegs in his hands. The rain seemed to quiet down, just for a moment, and Dean took the opportunity to speak.

"When you were taken by the Dark Elves and nearly raped, I came looking for you. When I went to Ravenford, and saved all those ponies, I came back to you. There is no need to be afraid, for if I am still alive, you will be safe. I swear, on my life, that I will come back alive and find you. We will have the chat you were hoping for, and we will be close enough together that nothing bad can happen. You have my word."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if sealing a binding contract, and Twilight's mouth was open in shock. This shock was replaced by a warm and pleasant smile. Before Dean knew it, he was being wrapped in another hug. No snickers came from the squad, and the rain seemed to pick back up, drowning out any noise. Dean returned the embrace, but only for a second. As the two pulled away, their eyes locked.

"I will come back. I promise."

Dean rose from his seat, attached the final component to his rifle, and hefted his supplies bag. He gave Twilight one last smile before marching towards the assembled squad.

"Alright. We have a long trek ahead of us, and the weather is not in our favour. Anyone who wishes to back out now may do so without reprimand. If this is the case, then I will find a more willing soldier."

Everypony was silent, the only noise being the rain cascading down from the heavens. A flash of lighting lit the sky, and Dean sneered. His hand found the slide and he proceeded to chamber his weapon. A metallic click told everyone present that everything was ready.

"Very well. Let's kill some point-eared bastards!"

The ponies assembled let out a cheer before filing forward. Dean took point and the group began their march out of the city. Twilight looked up and lit her horn.

A flash of purple and a loud crack later, and Twilight was standing on the ramparts of the fort. She stood on her back legs, her front ones resting on the barrier. She watched, through the rain, as Dean and his squad marched past houses and through the empty streets, but something was bugging her.

Twilight shuffled nervously, her eyes beginning to scan left and right. A guard several metres away was side-eyeing her, and she could feel eyes on her back from below. Turning around, Twilight turned her back on the fleeting form of the Demon in metal. But as she did so, a flash of green caught her eye. She scanned through the fort, but the flash did not reappear. The stares from the guard were getting on her nerves now, and her tail swished in nervousness. She was being watched, and she didn't know why. Something was off, but she couldn't tell what.

'I just need some sleep.'

Twilight yawned and lit her horn once more. As she made to teleport, her eyes met the guards, and for the briefest of moments, his eyes flashed green. A moment later, and she was back in her room. She stood still for several seconds, confused and scared. Twilight yawned once more, and imagined it was a trick of the light.

But as she moved to sleep, a feeling of dread washed over her...