> Save for the sounds of galloping hooves, the street is mostly quiet.
> As the night stretches out, a blizzard starts to pick up.
> What was once soft flurries falling from the sky has changed into a thick wet snow that falls relentlessly.
> Yet, despite the deteriorating weather a certain Pink Pony continues sprinting down the street.
> She gallops as fast as her legs can take her.
> Quickly dodging obstacles and hopping over any barricade that comes her way.
> Her destination?
> Anywhere but here.
> Her vision is clouded by tears.
> And the only thing she can hear is the heavy thumping of her heart.
> She sprints down the endless rows of skyscrapers, praying to find a familiar face within all this madness.
> After what seems like an eternity of running, Pinkie finally gives in to her body's demands.
 
> She slows to a crawl and eventually stops at the side of the street.
> Her heart pounding, she falls to her knees to catch her breath.
“This is a nightmare. It's just a nightmare. Just a dream” she whispers to herself.
> She tries to console herself, but it's no use.
> The image is already burned deep into her mind.
 
> Pinkie tries to rattle her memories.
> To come up with a reasonable conclusion why she's here.
> But even with senses and wits as keen as her's she can't understand what went wrong.
> One moment she's standing in Equestria, ready to jump headfirst into a magical mirror.
> And the next moment, she awakes alone and lost.
> When she finally gathers her senses she's horrified by her finding.
> She had awaken in a huge ditch, with dozens of rotting human corpses were scattered around everywhere she looked.
> A mass grave.
 
> She holds her head in her hooves.
“J-Just a dream. Just a stupid dream!” she mutters. “Wake up, Pinkie!”
> She tries desperately to expel the thought from her mind.
> But her mind and body get the best of her.
> She takes a few steps forward before collapsing to the ground.
> Nausea strikes and not soon after, she loses her lunch all over the pavement.
> Body and mind broken, she breaks into hysterics.
> Her heavy sobs echo into the night.
 
> [spoiler] Why is this happening to her? [/spoiler]
> [spoiler] What did she do to deserve this? [/spoiler]
 
> The cold wind nips at her exposed skin.
> The snow picks up and creates a blinding wall all around her.
> It's nearly impossible to see in front of herself
> She is nowhere dressed for this weather.
“Wish I packed liked Rarity, for once.” she mutters.
> She chuckles for a soft moment before returning to her senses.
> If she's been thrown out here, that must mean her friends are close behind.
> And if that's the case, there's no way she could just idly sit around with them at risk.
 
> Pinkie gathers what little strength she has.
> She hugs a nearby wall for support and picks herself up.
> The building she leans against is entirely of glass.
> It's cold to the touch.
> Now that she's slowed down a bit, she takes a moment to take in her surrounding.
> She remains in awe of the sheer scale of this city.
> Twilight's description of the human world was nearly spot on.
> Buildings as tall as the sky line the streets for as long as the eye can see.
> But one thing that has truly disturbed Pinkie was the lack of citizens for this city.
> Ever since her arrival, the only humans she's come across were the cold rotting corpses of those in a mass grave.
> Which raises the question.
> Why would there be a mass grave like that in the first place?
> Where are this city's citizens.
 
> Pinkie glances around once more.
> She stares up to the glass building she's leaning on.
> It reads “FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF EMMERIA”
> “Emmeria?” Pinkie asks herself. “Not anyplace I've ever heard of...”
> Pinkie shields her face from the incoming lash of frigid wind.
> She'd freeze like a popsicle soon if she didn't get a move on.
> She whips up her strenght and pushes herself off the wall.
> Slowly getting herself to walk down the road.
> Once step at a time.
> Her hooves are nearly frostbitten, but she manages.
 
> Suddenly, Pinkie feels a soft energy flow through her.
> It's a soothing feeling.
> But not something completely unfamiliar to the Earth Pony.
> She looks back at the glass building, and catches a reflection of herself against it's glass wall.
> That's when she notices it.
> Her element of Harmony.
> It's glowing.
> Glowing just ever so softly.
> “W-What?” she whispers.
> She raises a hoof to touch it.
> And the moment she does, it springs to life.
> A bright pink aura engulfs her body.
> It's an excellent feeling as pure magical energy flows through her body.
> She can feel her mind and body rejuvenated.
> The Element necklace around Pinkie's neck glows a bright white light before shooting out a burst of magical energy into the sky.
> It erupts to the sky with a familiar popping sound similar to when a unicorn casts
 
> It sears through the air with a soft whistling sound.
> Her heart has settled and isn't pounding in her ears anymore. Giving her a sense of hearing again.
> Pinkie focuses her hearing.
> Small gunshots echo in the far distance.
> Explosions and jet roars echo overhead.
> And the cold winter wind tears through the city whistling through the abandoned buildings.
> But if she focused her hearing far enough, she heard the sounds of the magic flare tearing through the sky.
> It flies straight down the road before being lost in the white of the blizzard.
> She focuses her hearing.
> And she hears another small 'pop' and whistling.
 
> Then, suddenly, an orange looking flare erupts from the white of the blizzard.
> It shoots straight up into the sky before falling towards Pinkie Pie.
> She shuts her eyes and braces herself for impact.
> The orange flare hits Pinkie Pie and engulfs in a rich orange aura, for just a moment.
 
> And in that instant. Her mind and senses are flooded.
> Her mind is just for a moment, taken back to the smooth rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres
> Memories of her time in Ponyville flood back to her.
> And hear ears are filled with a familiar voice.
> “Applejack!?” Pinkie Pie shouts
> Without hesitation she bolts in the direction the magic bolt came from.
> As she sprints down the street, she hears Applejack's familiar voice.
> Her voice is incomprehensible at this point, but Pinkie Pie is sure of it's owner.
> Tears fill Pinkie's eyes as she's sparked with hope once more.
 
> She charges forward the road.
> A small trail of hoofprints catch Pinkie's eyes.
> they don't belong to any human.
> That's for sure.
> Pinkie sprints even faster.
> “Applejaaack!” she shouts.
 
> She nears the end of the street and turns a corner into a small square.
> In the middle of it all is a giant crash site.
> A tremendous wreckage sits in the middle of the square.
> The smell of black smoke and gas fills Pinkie's nostrils.
> She coughs a bit before shouting into the air.
> “Applejaack!?” Pinkie shouts.
> Not long after a familiar voice called back. “Pinkie Pie!?”
 
> Pinkie runs to the sound of her friends voice.
> She turns and runs around the metal crash site and heads to the other side.
> Where she hears another voice.
> A male voice. Wails in pain.
> His voice is coarse and unforgiving.
 
> She was quickly going to wrap her friend in a warm embrace, but Pinkie's urge soon melted away.
> The first thing to come into Pinkie's sight is the color red.
> Blood. Everywhere.
> A thick red trail leads from the crash site all the way to where Applejack is standing.
> She's hunched over a human.
> His clothes in tatters and is face covered in blood.
> “A-Applejack? W-What's going on?” Pinkie asks, as she slowly trots to the two
 
> “Pinkie!” Applejack shouts. “H-He needs help. He's hurt bad Pinkie!”
> The man on the ground shouts in pain and writhes around as Applejack applies pressure to his wound.
> Almost as if he's proving her point for her.
> Applejack applies more pressure on the wound, and more blood seeps out from around her hoofs.
> She looks up from the screaming man to a confused and lost Pinkie Pie.
> “Pinkie! I- I don't know what to do!”
 
 
---
 
 
> You pop the clutch and pull out of the military base.
> The APC's engine whirrs in a soft hum as you travel along the city's streets.
> Inside, the APC is lit with a warm red light.
> All sorts of lights and switches are strewn throughout the cabin.
> You feel a cold nip run against your skin as you speed down the road.
“Hmph.” you mumble. Flicking a switch to turn the heater on to full blast.
> Toasty.
 
> The APC quietly hums along the militarized zone.
> Passing by several units and squads posted about.
> You keep your window rolled and offer a humble greeting as you pass them all.
> Some grunts offer a formal salute, while most simply pass you by with a friendly wave.
> The blizzard picks up, and makes it difficult to see, but you manage to navigate the zone just fine.
> You've been stationed in this town long enough to know its in's and out's.
> With a flick of a switch you turn on the radio receiver and switch it to your platoon's channel.
> It's flooded with a mix of formal and informal chatter.
> And from the sounds of it, everything is going smoothly on their end.
 
> The APC nears a small checkpoint at the road.
> Small sentry towers and sandbag forts have been erected at the side of the road.
> You flick the high beams a few times to catch their attention.
> As you approach, a pair of floodlights get shined in your direction.
> A man wielding a machine gun stands in the middle of the road, and points for you to pull over.
 
> His expression is one of abject boredom.
> It's to be expected from these sentry posts.
> You remember when you had to slave countless hours behind a sentry post.
> It truly was maddening.
> He pulls up to the side of the vehicle and peers in your window.
> His expression instantly changes as he recognizes you face.
> “Ah! Artyom!” he announces. “Long time, no see!  Eh?”
> He exchanges a warm handshake and gives an “OK” gesture over to the other soldiers in the sentry post.
> The man behind the flood light switches his attention elsewhere and removes the blinding light.
> You casually wave to the man in the floodlight as he does back.
> “So where you off too, Artyom?” the ground soldier asks.
“Gah. Command's got me mounting a 'search and rescue' of sorts.”
> “Search and rescue?” the man asks, holding his chin in puzzlement.  “Is this about that shot up fighter that fell just a few clicks from here?”
“Yeah.”
> “Shouldn't that be the air force's concern? I mean don't they usually mount those kind of operations? Especially considering it's outside our A.O?”
“I suppose. But orders are orders, I just do what I'm told. I don't get paid to argue otherwise.”
> “Hah.” he chuckles. “Can't argue with you there.”
> He scratches the back of his for a moment before turning back to you.
> “You've got anyone else in there with you?” he asks, peering inside.
“Nope.” you declare. “I'm running solo.”
> “Need some company?” the man gingerly asks, eager to get out of his sentry post. “I'm pretty good with this thing.” the mas states, gesturing at the rifle in his hands.
“I don't think I'll run into any trouble along the way. I should be all set.”
> You point over to the duffel bag full of weapons in the passenger seat.
> “Confident? Aren't you?”
“Always.”
> You both share a hearty laugh.
 
“Hey,” you quickly ask. “You wouldn't happen to know the location of the crash site, would you? My intel is fuzzy at best.”
> The man quickly regains his composure and points to a high rising stack of smoke along the horizon.
> “We saw him get hit by a missile.” he says pointing to the sky. “He fumbled a bit before crashing in that direction. Those Emmerian bastards are good pilots, I'll give them that.”
“Did he get out?” you quickly ask.
> The soldier nods his head.
> “I didn't see him eject. And by the looks of the missile hit? He's probably a goner.”
“That explains why they aren't mounting a full search party then.”
> The man solemnly smirk and nods his head in agreement
“I didn't think I'd be playing coroner for the night.”
> “Well, I didn't think I'd have to be drafted in a war!” the solider laughs.
> He smacks the side of your APC before signaling to open the gate.
> “Just be careful out there. I hear the rebels are mounting a big attack of sorts. So keep an eye out.”
“Will do.”
> You both give each other a slight nod before heading your way.
 
> As you exit the occupied zone, it becomes apparent on heavy the war has taken it's toll on the city.
> You turn the corner onto an empty street.
> High rise building stretch for miles on end.
> Many of them are weak at the foundation, and are beginning to collapse on themselves.
> Empty store fronts line the sidewalks, all of which have long been looted and deserted.
> The street is covered by a thick blanket of snow.
> It hasn't been plowed in months.
> Within in, various footprints trace to and fro.
> None of them relatively fresh.
> They probably belong to stragglers who still live amongst the city ruins.
 
> You slowly drive down the street.
> Your travels have taken you far and abroad.
> And you've been here before.
> Long ago, before the war, you visited this nation during your studies.
> Back then, before the war, you walked these streets as a simple tourist. Eager to take in as much as the local culture as you could.
> This street was once lively.
> Hundreds of people would line this street. Each one of them traveling to and fro the small shops that lined the road.
> It was a busy, but lively place.
> One that you became very fond of in your travels.
> But now?
> It's dead.
> Quiet literally a shell of what it once was.
> What bothers you the most is to think that all a result of your military occupation.
> A deep feeling of shame wells in your gut.
> You rub your temple, and drive faster down the road.