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>The war had been waging for several years now
>With it came all the horrors and atrocities on both sides
>It had started shortly after the portals opened
>Portals to the fantasy land of "Equestria" inhabited by brightly coloured talking ponies as well as mythical creatures such as dragons and griffons
>Believing them to be a total pushover, various companies along with private militaries had gone through the portals, forced the ponies out of their homes and started harvesting their natural resources and setting up factories on their land
>The Equestrians had struck back with a vengeance, and soon enough small skirmishes and land grabs had escalated into total war between the two worlds
>Sure, humanity had a staggering numerical advantage as well as far more advanced technology and ordnance
>But as they had soon found out, no materials on earth were resistant to magic
>The stronger unicorns were able to conjure magic blasts that punched clean through tanks
>Then the ponies began to reverse engineer human technology, creating their own vehicles and adapting bullets and bombs to use magic rather than gunpowder and explosives
>Now both sides had mass conscription and desperate struggles waged as they had armies on either side of the portals
>The war had dragged on to a stalemate with the front lines in a deadlock and each side unable to gain significant ground or get an advantage over the other
>In order to keep up with the constant material demands brought about by the war, both sides had also resorted to slavery
>Most factories were majority pony workers overseen by a few human bosses
>Same in the mines and construction
>There were also ponies kept as domestic slaves, primarily by rich families
>Like most people your age, you had been conscripted into the army shortly after conscription was introduced
>You had been fighting on the Equestrian front where some of the fiercest fighting had taken place
>After only a few months of your deployment you were already one of the most experienced soldiers on the line, even though you still felt kinda green
>The average life expectancy on the Equestrian front was not long at all
>In your sixth month, you had been on a convoy sent to reinforce the Ponyville sector
>Command was planning a large offensive and forces were being built up all along it
>The town was nothing special in itself, however it provided direct line of sight on Canterlot- the nation's capital
>Taking it would allow human forces to fire more accurately on it, try and bombard them into submission
>Seeing this, the ponies had fortified the fuck out of the town, turning it into a giant fortress
>There were extensive trench networks and bunkers going from the forests outside of town to within the town itself
>The forest touching the town had been cut down to give a clear perimeter, effectively turning all the area surrounding the town into a killing zone once humans reached it
>It was certain that taking Ponyville would cost horrendous casualties and was likely to be one of the bloodiest battles of the war so far
>Thankfully though, you yourself never got to experience this battle
>The convoy you had been on was ambushed and you were severely injured
>You had been dismissed from the army since the extent of your injuries meant that you would never be fit to serve again
>Your right leg had been blown off (now replaced with a prosthetic) and you had partial vision loss in your right eye
>You remembered the events of the ambush vividly, the events permanently branded onto your mind
>You had been peering through your binoculars out of the top hatch of your armoured transport watching the road ahead
>You glimpsed a mint green unicorn stood in the road
>She looked up at the convoy with a startled expression, then bolted into the bushes
>You had been so focused on the bushes where she had disappeared that you forgot about the actual road itself
>There was a deafening boom as the lead vehicle was disintegrated in a ball of flame as it hit an IED
>Yours being the second vehicle came screeching to a halt as you were violently jerked about in the turret and a cacophony of small arms fire erupted from all around
>Suddenly a rocket hit the side of your vehicle and a fiery plume erupted from inside of it
>You could feel the heat on your lower body that was still inside, and immediately started pulling yourself out through the hatch
>You noticed the rest of the crew that had survived the detonation trying to bail
>A couple of them were on fire, flailing and screaming as they flung themselves from the wreck, their flesh being consumed by the flames
>The ones that seemed relatively intact were immediately cut down by a hail of gunfire and magic blasts
>As you began to drag yourself over the side of the vehicle you felt your right leg hit a snag
>Your boot was stuck on something and you couldn't get it free
>You began to panic as you were laid there completely exposed on the top of the vehicle whilst bullets pinged off all around
>A flash of movement in the bushes next to your fiery wreck caught your eye
>Looking down you saw the same mint green unicorn mare staring up at you
>She looked panicked still, glancing left and right
>You both knew that she was going to kill you
>She had to 
>The mare squeezed her eyes shut as you saw the energy building up in her horn
>The inaccuracy caused by her reluctance to bear witness to what she was about to do caused her shot to go stray
>Rather than exploding your head like you expected the blast went higher, slicing clean through the leg that was caught in the turret
>The rest of your body tumbled to the ground and you saw your leg limply dangling from where it was stuck
>The final thing you saw was the mint green mare
>She stared in horror at the severed leg, then at you, and then threw up and broke down crying
>Then you blacked out

>That had been about six months ago
>In that time you had been brought back to earth, fixed up, given a prosthetic leg and discharged from the army
>Oh, and the Ponyville offensive had gone horribly, with journalists comparing it to the Battle of the Somme in 1916
>Your house was in the countryside with only one neighbour relatively close to you
>He was also a war vet like yourself, discharged for medical reasons
>Severe PTSD after almost his entire platoon was wiped out in the Ponyville offensive
>Poor guy lost everyone he knew
>You checked in on him a few times a week to make sure he was coping, keep him company, clean his house
>That sort of shit
>As you were walking back to his house one day you heard a loud bang
>You knew the sound clearly
>Gunshot
>You broke into a sprint but you already knew what had happened
>Kicking the door open you braced yourself for what you were about to see
>He had done it in the kitchen, sat at the table
>His brains were sprayed across the back of the room, his head and neck leaning backwards over the chair
>A cigarette was crushed into an ash tray with smoke still rising from it
>You sat in the front room and called the police, trying not to look back into the kitchen
>When they arrived they gave you a few questions about what had happened before they let you go
>Once home you turned on the TV and tried to forget about it
>The news was showing footage of fighters engaging a dragon over some city or another
>As early evening came there was a knock at your door
>Opening it, two officers greeted you with a rather blunt statement
>"Since he had no next of kin, some of your neighbour's possessions will be left to you if you want them, including this:"
>The two officers parted to reveal a short green mare with a matching green mane with a white stripe through it
>You knew her
>Time stood still as you both looked into each others' eyes
>Your breath caught and your heart seemed to be beating a million times per minute
>As you both stood and stared the officers silently left
>One less problem for them to deal with
>The pony began to tremble violently as tiny squeaks left her throat
>"No....no....nononono..."
>She shook her head spasmodically as tears began streaming down her face
>"Y-you're dead, I k-k-killed you... YOU'RE DEAD!" she screamed as she crumpled to the floor and buried her face in her hooves unable to look at you
>She was trembling like a leaf and wailing pathetically
>You yourself were shaking slightly
>This was the mare who had blown your leg off
>She had tried to kill you
>And apparently she had been living next door all this time
>Yet looking at her now, all you felt was pity
>It was evident just from glancing at her that she had been horrifically beaten and tortured, with the majority of her surface being bruises, welts, cuts and the odd burn mark
>Furthermore she was emaciated and clearly starving
>You wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even the pony who tried to kill you
>Sighing, you picked her up and carried her inside
>Her entire body tensed up harder than a rock at your touch but she didn't try to fight you
>Be that from exhaustion, fear or resignation to her fate you didn't know, but you shut the door behind yourself and set her down on the couch
>As soon as you put her down, the pony curled up as far away from you as she possibly could, wrapping her tail around herself
>She was white as a ghost despite her fur being green, and her amber eyes conveyed absolute terror
>"I-I killed you. I saw you die" was all she kept mumbling, more to herself than speaking to you
"Hey, calm down. Can you tell me your name?"
>The mare stopped mumbling as she tried to process your question
>"L-L-L..." The pony stuttered
>Then she threw up on the floor
>It was only a small puddle, probably due to the fact that she hadn't eaten properly in a while
>As soon as she finished retching she stared at it in disbelief, then screamed in terror and bolted down the hall
>She ran straight into your bedroom, slamming the door behind her
>You got up to follow her but doubted there was any comfort you could bring her since she seemed to be absolutely terrified of you
>You paused at the door rather than barging in and you could hear heart rending sobs coming from the other side
>No need to traumatise her further you decided
>Better to leave her alone until she calmed down
>You decided to make her some food though since she was obviously starving
>Rationing was in full effect, but thankfully ponies were vegetarian and you grew a lot of your own produce
>You decided to keep it simple and mashed up some potatoes with boiled vegetables and a tall glass of water
>Even cut her a slice of some home made cake
>Approaching the door you could still hear sniffles coming from the other side, though not as bad as earlier
>As quickly and quietly as you could you cracked the door open and slipped her meal inside, then shut it again
"Some food if you're hungry" 
>You called out gently
"Water too, just leave it outside when you're done"
>With that, you went back to the living room to clean up her mess
>Your mind was racing as you scrubbed
>Right now in your bedroom was the pony who had blown your leg off in an attempt to kill you
>So many memories of your time on the front came flooding back
>All the pain and hardships you had suffered
>You didn't blame her for it though
>It's just war, kill or be killed
>Can't hold a grudge against her for doing her duty and defending her world
>You would have done the same
>If anything you felt worse for her than you ever did for yourself
>You didn't even know your neighbour had a pony slave, so evidently she had been locked up or out of sight most of the time
>She had been captured, tortured and starved
>At least you had been allowed to recover when you were brought off the front
>She just went from one hell straight into another
>After you finished cleaning, you decided to just go straight to bed
>Your mind was too busy to get anything productive done, but you knew that you weren't going to get much sleep
>You went to grab some spare blankets from the closet, and noticed that the pony had deposited her dirty plates and cutlery outside the door
>You carried them back to the kitchen and gave them a quick clean before you bedded down on the couch for the night
>For hours you laid in the darkness wide awake
>You could hear the perpetual rumble in the distance of cities being bombed
>Your home wasn't at risk since it was in the middle of nowhere, but on your occasional run into the city you had witnessed the devastation first hand
>Rubble everywhere blocking the roads and all the windows shattered
>Homeless people caked in dust sitting on pavements with those blank stares
>And the bodies of those caught in the blasts lined up under tarpaulins
>Several times throughout the night you heard the pony screaming
>She obviously suffered from night terrors and you could hear her thrashing and screaming her lungs out
>It took all of your strength not to wake her up and comfort her, but you knew it would do more harm than good
>Her screams and wails chilled you to the bone and prevented any thoughts of sleep
>Usually you just felt numb seeing all of the victims, be they injured or suffering from psychological damage
>Even with your own neighbour, you just tried not to think about it too much or it wore away at your own mind
>The fact that it was now a pony you could hear screaming made you think though
>It was humanising in a way, made you appreciate more that they are people too rather than them just being "the enemy"
>She probably had a family back in Equestria that she had left behind
>Lost friends and loved ones in the fighting and bombing
>Experienced the same hardships on the front that you did
>Its not like they were feral animals
>You sighed as you relaxed into the darkness

Be Lyra
>You had gone from the frying pan, into the fire and now straight into the furnace of Tartarus itself
>Your old master had been brutal, that's for sure
>You had been broken by constant torture and rape until you thought life couldn't get any worse and you were going to die
>Then he shot himself, and you were taken straight to.... him
>The one you had shot, who you were certain you had killed
>You had nightmares about him every time you were allowed to sleep
>And now he was here in the flesh to haunt you
>He was going to punish you with a fury so bloodthirsty and vengeful your old master would be like a cuddly teddy bear
>To make matters worse, the first thing you had done was throw up on his carpet
>You could already feel the whip flaying your skin as you imagined the wrath he was going to bring down upon you
>Consumed by fear you had fled to the furthest room you could find, a bedroom, and hidden under the bed
>You knew running was futile, that it would make your punishment even worse, but your body had taken on a mind of its own
>You had read about slaves who ran away having their front legs cut off, or their hooves so badly crushed that attempting to walk on them was agony and knew that a similar punishment was in store
>Then the strangest thing had happened
>The door cracked open and as you lay there paralysed with fear, the human had set a plate of food down on the floor and simply left, saying something that you didn't really hear
>It was a test
>He was trying to bait you out so he could punish you
>Bad slaves didn't get food, nevermind such a generous helping as this
>This was a human sized portion
>You waited a few more minutes, your gaze fixed on the steaming plate of food
>Your stomach gave a violent grumble making you curl up in pain
>Eventually the need for food became strong enough to overpower the fear of punishment
>The punishment was inevitable, you might as well take it on a full stomach
>In a flash you had snatched the plate and glass and devoured the contents before your master could come and catch you in the act and part you with the rest of your meal
>Once you had finished and no one had burst in to beat you, your confusion grew
>Your ears twitched listening for movement, but you heard none
>As quietly as you could you crept out from under the bed, pushed the door open and slipped the plates out through the crack, then quickly closed it again and darted back under the bed
>You stayed there for what felt like hours on edge, waiting for him to come
>The bruises all over your legs ached from laying on the floor, but you didn't dare leave the safety of the bed
>Eventually though your body gave out
>It had been a long, stressful and confusing day and you could no longer cope
>You fell into a fitful sleep of nightmares and terrors

Be Anon again
>You could hear birds chirping and sunlight peeking through the cracks in the curtains
>Must be morning already
>It was 7am so you decided to get your ass up
>Heading to the kitchen you fried some eggs, slapped them on toast and made some baked beans
>You could have gone for the full monty but you weren't that hungry and didn't want to waste food in times like these
>You made another portion for your guest/slave once you had eaten and carried it to your room
>Again you pushed your door open a crack and set the food down for her, then left
>Not even five minutes later you heard the door open again as the dirty crockery was left outside
>You cleaned it in the sink before heading back to your room
>Time to try and talk to her
>You knocked on the door and immediately heard shuffling from inside the room
"Hey, mind if I come in?"
>She gave no response so you entered anyways
>It took a second to spot her until you glimpsed her huddled underneath the bed
>Her wide, terrified eyes stared up at you as she shivered
>You decided to play it safe, not wanting to scare her further, so you stayed at the opposite end of the room
"Mind if we talk for a bit?"
>Again. no response
"Alright I'll take that as a 'yes'. So, what's your name?"
>It took a few seconds for her to work her mouth, but finally she managed to squeak out a few words
>"P-private Heartstrings, service number..."
>You cut her off
"Come on, I meant your real name"
>She looked startled and quickly corrected herself
>"L-L-Lyra. Lyra Heartstrings, master"
>Guess she had been conditioned into calling people master
"Alright Lyra, that's a beautiful name. I'm Anon, and you don't need to call me master"
>She looked at you dumbly, but didn't dare speak
"So, let's address the elephant in the room shall we"
>She looked around startled, which would have made you laugh if it weren't for what you were about to say
"You shot my leg off"
>It wasn't an accusation, just a statement, and something that needed addressing and putting to rest before you could both move on
>Immediately all of the colour drained from her face and she started crying
>"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry" She started rambling
>She threw herself to your feet bawling and begging
>"Please don't kill meeeeee!"
>She wailed into your feet, clutching your ankles before realising that one of them was not made out of flesh and bone
>She recoiled and covered her face with her hooves
>"I didn't want to do it, I had to, I had no choice..." She rambled
>You knelt down to her level and hushed her quietly
>She looked up at you with large, tear filled amber eyes as she spoke softly
>"I know you hate me and you want your payback but please don't k-kill me. You can beat me and use me but I don't want to die. Please master" She begged
>Sure you had taken lives before but that was just war, it wasn't as if you wanted to kill them or took any pleasure from it
>And you had never had a pony at your feet begging for her life
>You stared at her in stunned silence, not really knowing how to respond
>Taking your silence as refusal, Lyra began to cry much harder
>"Please make it quick then" She begged as she pressed her face into the carpet
>You thought you could feel your heart physically break as you looked at her
>Your voice trembled as you finally managed to speak
"I-I'm not going to kill you Lyra. Please stop begging, I'm not going to kill you"
>You couldn't bare to hear another creature begging for their life at your feet
>Memories of the front flashed across your mind
>The nights where you could hear the wounded and dying still laying in the battlefield calling for help, for God, for their mothers
>It felt like a weight upon your soul
>Finally her grovelling stopped and became sniffling
>"Th- thank you master. I'm so sorry I..."
"Please don't be sorry. Not for me. It's just one of those things that happens in war, I don't blame you. No hard feelings right?"
>You said with a small smile
>She looked at you in utter disbelief
>"B-but I killed you... your leg" She muttered
"Like I said, shit happens. And I'm not dead so quit saying you killed me"
>She looked at you as if she didn't believe you, but chose not to argue further
>"I see your face every time I close my eyes. In my nightmares I see you falling from that burning vehicle as I kill you" She said in that tiny voice as tears rolled down her cheeks
>"The guilt I felt at taking another life... it never went away"
>You reached out to touch her as she sobbed
>She jerked away in fear but gradually relaxed as she allowed you to stroke her mane
>You realised that it was greasy and filled with dirt, the white stripe in her mane being closer to a piss yellow now that you saw it up close
"I'm sorry Lyra"
>You found yourself apologising to her, though you didn't really know what for
>Her trauma? The war? Her slavery and horrific abuse?
>None of it was your fault but you still felt sorry for her
"I wish this never happened to you"
>You didn't know if she heard you or not she was crying that hard, but you continued to try and comfort her
"And please don't feel bad about what you did to me"
>You waited for her to calm down before you spoke again
>You wanted to hold her but were still cautious, though you kept your hand on her mane
"Come on Lyra"
>You said as she stopped crying
"Lets get you cleaned up"
>You lead her to the bathroom in the hall
>Sure your bedroom had an en-suite but this pony needed a thorough scrub down and soak in the bath
>You started to fill the tub as Lyra stood there awkwardly
>She seemed to be constantly on edge, afraid to touch anything
>You showed her where everything was- soap, towels, shampoo etc
>She nodded obediently but didn't seem to be taking in any of the information
>Oh well, you were sure she'd be able to figure it out, it was just a bath after all
>You shut off the tap as the tub was just over half full
"Alrighty, I'll leave you to it then"
>You closed the door behind you and left to go do... stuff
>Yeah you didn't do much in your free time
>Mostly just watched the news, looked after your neighbour and had the odd walk into the city
>You used to play a lot of computer games before your conscription but that mostly depressed you now that your old gaming buddies were either deployed or dead
>You resorted to pacing around your house in your boredom, just waiting for Lyra to finish in the bath

Be Lyra (Non Greentext speech is still Anon)
>You had woken up to a fresh cooked breakfast placed inside the door 
>Another full meal that you had done nothing to earn
>Every sense you had screamed that it was a trap, but like last night you quickly snatched it and wolfed it down
>Again there was no negative repercussion for your actions and you were able to place the plates outside of the door and retreat under the bed before your master came back
>When he returned he finally entered the room, said he wanted to "talk" to you
>You knew that punishment was finally upon you
>But true enough to his word he had stood at a distance and simply spoke to you
>Even complemented your name
>But then he had brought up the fact that you had dismembered him
>You knew it was too good to be true
>He had lulled you into a false sense of security just to make breaking, torturing and killing you all the more painful
>Nothing to do now but beg for your life since torture was inevitable
>He stood in silence as you begged, no doubt judging you and sneering at how weak and pathetic you were
>Oh Celestia he was gonna kill you, and you could bet it would be slow and painful
>How did your life come to this?
"I'm not going to kill you Lyra"
>His words carved through your reality like a knife
>He... wasn't going to kill you?
"And please don't be sorry, not for me."
>How could you not be sorry? You had taken his limb
>You poured your heart out to your master, confessing your remorse
>The nightmares and hallucinations of him that ate at your mind, preventing any real sleep in the short times that you were allowed it
>Most nights your old master would wake you up with a boot to the stomach for screaming him awake and kick the shit out of you until he decided to go back to bed
>You felt a hand touch your mane and jerked away, expecting to be hit
>But instead the hand began to gently caress and stroke you
>It was strangely relaxing, and you began to gradually calm under its careful touch
"Come on Lyra, lets get you cleaned up"
>Your master spoke softly and gently
>Not like every other human who had only shouted and spoken cruelly
>You followed him to the bathroom and watched as he pointed various things out 
>He was speaking, but your mind was elsewhere
>You had rarely been cleaned since you were captured and taken to this world, and even then it was freezing water from a hose to get the outer layer of dirt off and 'pretty you up' so that you could be used
>So he wanted you to be that sort of slave
>You hung your head in shame as your master left the room and you climbed up into the bath
>At least it was better than being beaten constantly, but maybe that was yet to come
>You stared into the water, seeing the ribbons of black, brown and crimson seeping from your fur as the dirt soaked out
>You looked at your body, only now fully realising how filthy, ragged and starved you looked
>You looked abhorrent, there were corpses on the battlefields prettier than you
>No wonder your master wouldn't fuck you yet
>Tears began to drip as you stared down at yourself, consumed by self loathing and pity
>And soon enough you were sobbing as the water you were slumped in turned a murky brown

>Whilst pacing your house you happened to walk past the bathroom where Lyra was bathing
>You heard the sound of... sobbing coming from inside
>Cautiously you entered the room, not like she would be indecent since ponies don't wear clothes
>Stepping inside you saw her slumped over in the bath
>She was startled by your entrance and rushed to gain her composure and look like she was trying to clean herself
>"S-sorry master! I know I'm taking too long"
>You crouched down next to the tub, noting that the water was already a brownish colour
"I heard you crying. What's wrong?"
>It's nothing master, I'm sorry. Please don't hit me!"
>You weren't about to hit her, didn't know why you would, but you pressed your question
"Come on, what's up? You can tell me"
>She looked away from you and sniffled, scrunching her muzzle up
>"I- I'm a complete mess" She started
>"I'm filthy and bruised and all my cuts are infected. I can't even look at myself"
"Aww shit, let me take a look at you"
>Guess you were gonna have to bathe her after all
>First thing's first, you needed to refill the tub with clean water
>You lifted her out and draped a towel over her to keep her warm
>As the bath refilled you started looking through the medicine cabinet
>You found some bandages, antiseptic and a razor
>Some of the cuts you would have to shave some of the fur back a bit to treat it properly
>Her eyes widened at the razor but she didn't say anything
>When the bath was refilled, Lyra climbed back in
>You helped her shampoo her mane and tail and wash her back
>As you ran your hand through her mane you hit a hard bump and stopped
>Lyra winced and drew in a sharp breath at your touch, making you recoil
>That's right, she was a unicorn, somehow you had pushed that to the back of your mind
>Must've had her horn broken off at some point, probably when she was captured
"Sorry, I'll be more careful" You muttered
>You saw tears in the corners of her eyes but she was trying not to cry
>As you continued to scrub her you noticed welts all over her legs and backside
>If you had to guess they were whip marks, but you weren't about to ask
>They were concentrated around her cutie mark, almost obscuring it with scars and welts so you couldn't really tell what it was meant to be
>The guys on the front used to joke calling them tramp stamps and slag tags, but you knew they were deeply personal and special to the ponies
>There was also the odd burnt patch of skin on her legs
>You grabbed the shower head and began to rinse the soapy suds off her body
>It was a little awkward but you'd done worse stuff
>Rinsing her tail, you also noticed that there was scarring on her mare parts, much to your horror
>You rinsed it as quickly as you could, trying to be gentle and not touch it
>Finally she seemed to be sufficiently clean so you pulled the plug out and lifted her out of the bath again
>You helped her towel off, though somewhat tentatively in case you hit another sore spot
>Now for the hard part
>You had to clean and patch those wounds
>Most of them were pretty easy, just a matter of rubbing some anti-septic on and bandaging the larger and weeping cuts
>The anti-septic cream clearly stung a lot as evidenced by Lyra's winces and occasional hiss of air through her teeth
>You couldn't find any special cream for the burns, but you figured some moisturiser would at least ease the discomfort
>Once you were done patching most of the surface wounds you moved on to the harder ones
>Most notably there was a large split in her head running down from the stump of her horn
>You were gonna have to shave some of her hair back to properly get at it so you could actually see what you were doing
>You grabbed a pair of scissors and the razor and lifted them to her head
>A sharp squeak of fear came from the pony's mouth as she started pleading
>"No master, please! Please don't!" she begged as she started trembling
>She had her eyes clenched shut as if she was bracing for pain, her face contorted in fear
"What?... Oh! Oh shit!"
>You took the sharp objects away from her head
"I'm sorry Lyra. I just need to shave your mane back a bit to get at this cut. I promise I'll be gentle, I don't want to hurt you. Just stay still for me"
>She obeyed though she was still shaking slightly which made it tricky
>Thankfully you managed to do it without nicking her skin
>The gash was pretty nasty but it didn't seem like there was any damage to her skull- she would have been in a lot more pain if that were the case
"Alright Lyra this is gonna suck, you're just gonna have to grit you're teeth and bare it ok?"
>She gave you the slightest of nods before you continued
>You tried to be gentle but there was no avoiding the inevitable
>Lyra let out a little scream as you rubbed the anti-septic in, muffled as she pressed her face into your chest
>You rubbed it in as quick as possible so you didn't drag out her pain
>You were done rather quickly though it felt much longer with Lyra crying into your chest
>Fortunately her mane fell so that it mostly covered the shaved patch
>Honestly you could hardly tell unless you were looking for it
>You lifted her chin up so you could look her in those beautiful sad eyes
"Hey, you're OK. It's over now"
>"M-my mane" She mumbled back
>It was strange how much she cared about her appearance to say she had spent months filthy and bruised
>It made you smile slightly
"You look great Lyra, you can't even tell it's been shaved"
>You caught the sceptical look in her eyes as she sniffled softly
"Here, take a look for yourself"
>You lifted Lyra up so she could look into the mirror
>She looked genuinely astonished at her own appearance
>She must have gotten used to being cut, bruised and filthy
>Now she was a whole lot cleaner, and as you held her you noticed how soft her fur and mane was now that it wasn't matted with dirt and grease
>She ran her hooves through her mane around the patch you had shaved
"Looks a lot better huh?"
>"Y-yes master" She replied though with a sad tone still in her voice
>Still at it with the 'master' crap
>You figured it was too drilled in for her to just drop it, besides she didn't seem to trust you at all yet
>You sat her down and began to put away the medical equipment
>You noticed Lyra leave the bathroom
>You didn't know where she was going but there weren't many places she could go, no need to pester her
>Once you were done you gathered the damp towels and chucked them in the washing machine
>Then you heard Lyra calling from down the hall
>"I-I'm ready master!"
>Ready for what?
>The call came from your bedroom so you headed inside
"What the fuck?" You exclaimed as you stepped through the door
>Lyra was bent over the bed with her tail raised and her... privates exposed
>She didn't look at you, her face pressed into the covers
"What the fuck are you doing?"
>"I- I'm ready for you to use me master"
"Use you? What the hell gave you that idea?"
>Lyra looked up at you, bewilderment etched onto her face
>"Y-you cleaned me. You made me pretty for you so you can use me. That's the only reason why a slave needs to be cleaned"
>She explained it to you like it was basic, like even a 5 year old would understand it
>How fucked up must she be to expect rape after every bath or shower
"Lyra, I'm not going to 'use' you. That's sick"
>Her confusion only seemed to grow as she stared at you
>"I don't understand master. Why did you clean me?"
"What? I cleaned you so you could be clean and your cuts aren't all infected. You want to be clean right?"
>You couldn't believe that she couldn't grasp the concept
>Surely she'd had at least a shower since her capture without being raped
>"B-but I haven't earned it. You cleaned me and fed me and I've done nothing in return for you"
>She looked down sadly
>"I don't deserve all this"
"Of course you deserve it, that's just basic decency. Look at me Lyra"
>She looked back up at you with those sad confused eyes as you spoke to her gently
"You're safe here. I'm not going to beat you, rape you or in any way hurt you for anything. I know you're used to being treated like shit but under this roof we are equals. I've seen enough suffering in my life to ever inflict more of it"
>She struggled to work her mouth, too dumbstruck to speak
>Tears filled her eyes and she was shaking so much you could feel the bed vibrating
>"Y-you're messing with me master" She said simply
>You could tell she wanted so badly to believe you, but life had made her so mistrustful of humans that she simply couldn't
>You wrapped her in a hug as she once again pressed her face into your chest and began bawling
"I'm not messing with you Lyra, I mean every word of it. Please believe me"
>Tears were soaking through your shirt as she cried, and you just held her and stroked her mane
>The inner turmoil between her instinct to distrust and the overwhelming desire to believe you was tearing her apart
>"No you don't mean it! All humans do is hurt and destroy and kill! You're all monsters!"
>You could tell she didn't fully believe what she was saying
>What with her face pressed into you and her hooves wrapped around your torso so tightly it almost hurt
>But she wouldn't let herself believe you
>"We did nothing to you. Nothing at all and you came and bombed us and killed us and turned us into slaves!"
>You weren't personally responsible for the war but her words still evoked a strong feeling of guilt
>You had killed ponies, each one had a family, friends, dreams...
>You'd seen war crimes and atrocities too
>Innocent pony civilians killed just for the hell of it
>Homes burned down just to drive the inhabitants out
>And rape was the most common of all
>The leaders didn't even give a shit, most of them even did it themselves
>You hadn't personally partaken, but what had you done to stop it?
>Memories flashed through your mind at her accusations, evoking feelings you thought buried in the past
>You began to cry as well as the feelings overwhelmed you
>Your chest felt tight and your tears fell onto Lyra's head as you cried
>Noting this she looked up at you with an uncertain gaze
>"Master?"
>You gave a heavy sob as you closed your eyes
"I never wanted any of this. I didn't want to be a killer... a monster. I was still in university when I got drafted"
>"M-master I didn't mean..."
"I'm sorry!" 
>You gasped as you hugged her tightly
>You held each other for a while as you both cried
>You had managed to keep these thoughts at bay after you were discharged
>But now the consequences of your actions were staring you in the face and the guilt was crippling
>You also felt the loss the war had brought on you, the men you had seen die and friends lost in other units
>Your parents had both died in the bombing whilst you were deployed
>It all came to you in a flood as you cried out your anguish into her mane
>This pony who was supposed to be your enemy, who you were supposed to feel righteous hatred towards, you now held for comfort
>How anyone could want to harm such small innocent creatures was beyond you
>She didn't deserve to be tortured and raped, but was had made monsters of us all and this was commonplace
>You hated the war and you hated humanity for starting it and stooping to such barbarity
>It made you feel sick
>If you had known your neighbour was the one inflicting this you would probably have put a bullet in him yourself
>At some point whilst you were crying, Lyra fell asleep in your arms
>You tucked her into bed and decided it was time to pull yourself together

>She slept more peacefully this time, though she still twitched like she was having nightmares
>She wasn't thrashing around screaming this time though
>You went into the kitchen to make lunch for when she woke up from her nap
>Just sandwiches and some fruit, but it was something
>Figuring she wasn't completely petrified of you any more you decided that she could eat at the table rather than hidden in your room
>As you turned around to set the plate down you heard hooves clopping on the kitchen tiles and saw Lyra cautiously walking in
>"I'm sorry I fell asleep master, please don't be mad at me for it" She muttered, looking at the ground
"You can sleep whenever you want Lyra, you need the rest. I made you some lunch though"
>You gestured to the plates on the table
>"I-I'm allowed to sit at the table?" She asked
"Sure, hop on up"
>You pulled the chair out for her to emphasise your point
>She slowly climbed up, glancing at you repeatedly to make sure it was ok, and you took the seat opposite her
>"Is this all for me?" She asked, looking at the sandwiches and fruit
"Dig in, I'm not hungry so I didn't make anything for myself"
>She ate quickly as you would expect from someone so underfed, but you were still able to talk to her whilst she ate
"So, reckon you can stop with this master stuff yet?"
>She stopped chewing and looked you straight in the eyes
>"You really meant it? I don't have to call you master and you won't b-beat me for it?"
"I meant it, I'm not your master and i never will be. I don't want to be associated with slavery in any way if I can help it, my ownership of you is just a technicality."
>She cocked her head and looked up at you as if weighing you up, still trying to figure out if it was a trick or not
>"Ok... Anon. I won't call you master any more"
>You smiled as she said your name
>Partly to reassure her and also because it meant you were making progress with her and she trusted you a little more
"There's something else I wanted to ask too"
>You started as another question popped into your head
"You like all the food I've been giving you? I don't really know what ponies eat other than they're vegetarian"
>"It's great m- Anon. This is the best I've eaten in months, years! Army rations weren't very appetising..."
>Well that much was obvious, but you wanted to make her something nice if you could
"Well what's your favourite food then? I'll try grab you some stuff next time I go into town"
>She looked shocked at your question, but began to list off foods regardless as you rushed to get a pen and paper
>It was nice to see her thinking up stuff she enjoyed rather than all the things that made her miserable
>It felt like a glimpse of what might have been her old self showing through
>"I'd be happy to make it all if you'll let me. I used to be a good cook"
"Course you can make it Lyra, I'll go get the stuff we need at the weekend"
>She visibly brightened up at being able to cook
>Clearly it was good to give her things to look forwards to, even if it was something so seemingly small and insignificant
>Once she had finished up with lunch and you cleaned the plates, you decided that it was time to give her a proper tour of the house
>There wasn't much to look at but you showed her the facilities as well as how to use everything
>Human domestic technology was still massively advanced compared to the ponies, even though they had been rapidly catching up in other areas such as industrial and military advancements
>She was amazed by basic things such as washing machines that just did all the work for you
>You didn't show her the computer yet because you knew it would fascinate her and you couldn't be arsed teaching her how to work it
>You figured she'd be worse than old people, plus you had no idea how she was supposed to work it with her hooves
>You did show her the TV though which immediately became her favourite
>The fact that live HD pictures could be shown just sort of blew her mind
>She flicked through channels until she landed on the news
>There was 24/7 coverage of events on the Earth front and occasionally on the Equestrian front, but comms between worlds was tricky
>Currently the picture showed Equestrian bombers levelling a town
>Lyra's mouth was agape
>"Th-those are military targets they're bombing right mas- Anon?" 
>You had a good laugh at her naivety
"They don't discriminate. Military, civilian, industry... If its human it gets a bomb"
>She watched in horror as the camera, perched on a hill somewhere, panned down to show the havoc the bombs were wreaking on a mostly civilian district
>"They said it was you bombing us..." She muttered
"It happens both ways, we bomb you, you bomb us, try and blast the other side into submission though it never works. Been that way since world war two"
>She looked up at you with a shocked expression
>"You've been to war with other worlds?"
>Again you chuckled
"No Lyra, all our wars except for this one have been different human nations fighting each other. This is the first war fought against a different world"
>"Have there been a lot of wars?"
>If only she knew
"All human history is is wars, it's just what we do- what we've always done"
>Lyra's brow furrowed in confusion
>"But war is horrible. You said it yourself, nobody likes it. So... why?"
>Well there it was, the eternal question which no one could really answer
>"Fuck if I know Lyra, guess it's just human nature"
>"Haven't you ever tried diplomacy?"
"Yeah.. we're pretty shit at it. Often it's too easy and too tempting to use force. Why compromise when you can just take it all?"
>She opened and closed her mouth a few times like she wanted to say something but didn't know how to phrase it, but in the end just closed her mouth and stayed quiet
>She still had the look of confusion though, like she was deep in thought
>You were thinking yourself
>It was interesting to see how the other side perceived the war
>Lyra- and you expected most other ponies- were still very naive about the nature of warfare and the reality of the atrocities committed by both sides
>You wondered if she even knew that the ponies back home were using human slaves
>Probably not since they were kept out of sight, being worked to death in the gemstone mines and building railroads through the "Everfree Forest" which was home to some extremely lethal wildlife
>The ponies also didn't seem to be the sort to be able to withstand the mental pressure of war- the fighting, bombing and general life on the front
>Lyra had broken down crying after she shot you
>But equally you had seen acts of heroism and suicidal bravery performed by these ponies
>They would have been inspiring if it weren't for the fact that such acts had killed many of your friends
>You both sat and watched the TV for a few hours
>Many times it was extremely awkward
>Reports of human successes on the front greatly saddened Lyra
>Many times she remarked "I knew somepony that lived there"
>Equally when there were reports of human losses and Equestrian success, Lyra would perk up and sometimes cheer, and occasionally you would mutter "Damn I knew someone serving there"
>Every time you would look at each other, then look away awkwardly or try and give some sort of an apology
>You noticed that Lyra would always revert back to calling you master when she was scared or thought she'd done something wrong
>It was like watching a football game where you were both supporting different teams, only success was measured in the loss of friends
>Eventually the news got too depressing so you flicked the TV off
>It had cut to interviews with soldiers clearing bodies at some FOB in Equestria
>From the looks of it the FOB was getting the shit kicked out of it and was barely holding
>And Lyra thought she recognised one of the bodies being thrown into one of the mass graves
>As soon as she began to cry you flicked the TV off and tried to comfort her
>She calmed down relatively quickly compared to other episodes
>The war had dragged on so long that people were more numb to the loss
>Sure it was still felt, but when everything around you was death and destruction it was less scathing
>It just sort of blends in with the other shit
"Come on Lyra"
>You said as you helped her to her hooves
"Lets go make something for dinner"
>She followed you into the kitchen, still a little sniffly
>You began to grab ingredients from the cupboards and fridge, placing them all on the counter
>By the time you were done almost all the food you had was on the worktops
"Alright Lyra, what can you make with all this?"
>She looked at the food, then at you
>"H-how much am I allowed to use?"
"As much as you want, use anything, make anything, it's all up to you. I'll help you where you need me"
>You had figured since she enjoyed cooking you would ask her to cook most of the meals from now on, make her the chef
>You wouldn't force her or demand it, but you were a pretty shite cook and it would probably be better for both of you if she took over
>Plus putting her in charge and being there to help her seemed like a good way to build trust and help her come to grasp the whole "no longer a slave" thing
>Once she had selected what she needed you put the rest back as she set to work
>She was tentative at first, reluctant to ask you to do things and always checking she was allowed to use stuff
>Soon though she began to realise more that you were genuine and were granting her some proper freedom
>Eventually she was casually directing you around as the both of you chatted like friends and cracked some banter
>She didn't even call you master once
>It was probably the first time in a long time that both of you had wide genuine smiles and truly felt happy
>It seemed like more of her true self was showing, and the more you saw of it the more you grew fond of her
>Eventually you had made a large vegetable stew with rice and a fruit salad for after
>Sure it had cleared out the majority of what you had in stock, but it was worth it to make her happy for a while
>Plus you had made so much that you could freeze some to last a few meals
>That evening you dug into the best meal you had eaten since you started living by yourself
>How she made a fairly basic stew taste that good was a mystery
>You didn't even mind potentially having to turn vegetarian if she cooked like that
"Holy shit Lyra, this is the best thing I've had in years!"
>She blushed and looked away at your remark
"I can't wait to see what you can do with a fully stocked kitchen"
>Her blush deepened at your complements, and honestly it was the most adorable thing you had ever seen
>A mint green pony with her cheeks a deep crimson looking away and smiling bashfully to herself
>"My old master wouldn't let me cook for him. Said I'd try to poison him"
"would you have tried to poison him?"
>She looked at you with a startled expression, sensing that it was some sort of trap
>"N-n-no master! I would never try to poison anyone, I don't even know what is poisonous to humans!"
"Aww, come on, an asshole like that? I would have tried to poison him"
>Her expression became one of confusion, one which you were becoming used to
>"Y-you would? I thought he was your friend, I used to hear you come over sometimes and you seemed really nice to him, though he always kept me locked up when you came"
"Hah, if I knew what he was doing to you there I would have killed him a while ago"
>That wordless look of confusion stayed on her face as she seemed to be weighing you up again
>You thought to yourself as you finished up with the meal
>It was amazing the change you could already see in her
>If you focused her mind away from sore spots and things that made her sad such as the war and her past you could keep her relatively happy and stable
>She was already a huge step up from being terrified at the mere fact you were alive, though you could tell she was still very scared and nervous of you, waiting for you to flip 
>You believed that with the right care and help you could get her back to her old self
>Well, maybe not quite
>No one is ever the same after experiencing horrors like she had, but maybe she could be somewhere similar to how she was. Happy at least
>Once you had both finished you gathered the plates and chucked them in the sink
>"Don't you want me to wash them?" Lyra asked
"Sod it I'll do it tomorrow, lets watch a movie"
>You had to explain to her what a movie was first, but it wasn't hard for her to understand
>You knew you couldn't put anything too dramatic on, and probably not something all about humans
>Clearly it was time for Disney Pixar's 'Finding Nemo', which for some reason you had on DVD
>Lyra seemed to greatly enjoy the film, becoming emotionally invested in the story and characters which was shown by her expression and over the top reactions whenever something happened
>It was like watching a small child watch it, and it brought you a feeling of wholesome happiness
>She was so engrossed in the film that she didn't seem to notice or mind when you began to idly stroke her mane
>Soon enough she was cuddled up to you on the sofa, her head leaning on your chest and your arm wrapped around her
>You didn't care about the movie and just focused on the soft warm pony cuddles you were receiving
>You scratched behind her ear and felt her relax so much she seemed to melt into you
>You were also relaxed- probably the most you had been since the war started- the sole focus on your mind being to scratch Lyra's ears
>Lyra let out a yawn as you gently stroked her, and you absentmindedly noticed that the movie was coming to the end
>The end credits began to roll though neither of you moved, content to just lay there
>You continued to massage her head until you heard gentle snores coming from her
>You looked down and smiled to yourself
>She looked adorable, and didn't seem to be having any nightmares if her gentle smile and soft snoring was any indication
>Not wanting to wake her or leave the warm comfort of her body, you decided to just fall asleep laid there underneath her
>You could explain it in the morning if she thought it was weird
>Conveniently the TV remote and blanket from last night were both under the arm of the sofa where your head was rested, so you were able to flick the TV off and cover the both of you up without really moving
>Normally you were restless in bed and would toss and turn until you either fell asleep or morning came
>Not tonight though
>With the comfortable warmth of Lyra cuddling you and the overwhelming urge not to wake her up by moving, you fell asleep within minutes

>You woke with a start
>You swear you felt something move against your body
>Looking down, realisation hit you like a truck as relief flooded through your body and you relaxed back down
>You totally forgot Lyra had fallen asleep on top of you
>She was adorably nuzzling your chest in her sleep and you gave yourself a few minutes to enjoy it
>Checking your watch you noticed that it was 11 AM already
>Holy shit you had slept in, you had stuff to do today
>Looking back down at Lyra, you saw that she was sleeping on top of your leg
>That would be a killer case of pins and needles if your leg wasn't prosthetic
>You were going to have to wake her up, though it would be one of the hardest things you would ever have to do
>You tried to wake her gently and grudgingly reached your hand down and began to scratch her ear
"Time to get up Lyra"
>She let out a soft moan at your touch and nuzzled your chest harder, though didn't wake up
>You grabbed her shoulders and began to shake her slightly
"Wake up sleepy head, we got shit to do"
>She scrunched her muzzle in annoyance and buried her face into you
>She mumbled something into you, though it was hard to decipher what she said
>Sounded something like "5 more minutes.." and then a name beginning with B
>Bourbon?
>Your name was Anon though 
>And Anon had shit to do
"Lyra. Wake up!"
>You shook her harder, speaking more forcefully
>Suddenly her eyes shot open and she looked up at you
>She screamed and leaped off onto the floor, then curled up and began cowering
>"I'm sorry master, I know I was screaming again, I can't help it!"
>She kept flinching, as if expecting an impact that never came
>Slowly she cracked an eye open and peeked up at you
"You weren't screaming Lyra"
>"B-but I always scream in my sleep. My master used to beat me until I woke up because it made him really angry"
"I know you do Lyra, I heard you on the first night. But not this time though, you slept like a baby and I think I did as well"
>She stared at you, confusion and hope mixed into one on her face
>"I- I didn't scream?"
"Nope, and from the sound of it you were having nice dreams. Kept nuzzling my chest and you called me Bourbon or something"
>"...Oh" She almost whispered, her voice seeming to catch in her throat as her eyes looked far away and sad
>OK, adding Bourbon or whatever it is to the mental list of things not to bring up
>Time to quickly change the subject before she was taken away by painful memories
"OK, lets go get some breakfast. We've got stuff to do today Lyra"
>"What sort of stuff Anon?"
"I'll tell you over breakfast"
>The pair of you just had cereal for breakfast, no time to cook a proper meal
>Whilst you were eating you laid out the plan for the day
"We've got garden work to do Lyra. I figured since you're still recuperating your strength I'll do the strenuous work. If it's OK with you I'd like it if you could pick the vegetables, water them and do some weeding"
>She was giving you that look as if you were an idiot again
>"I'll do anything you tell me to m- Anon"
>The response wasn't exactly what you hoped for, but you took it as acceptance and didn't raise an issue out of it
>"What will you be doing whilst I work?"
"I've got a lot of grass needs cutting, some fences need repairing and some wood to chop"
>Aside from the plants you grew for food, you hadn't really touched any of your land since you got home from the war
>The first few months it was because you were still going through treatment and physiotherapy
>After that it was just laziness on your part
>However you decided that now would be a good time- keep both you and your companion busy, plus the weather was nice
>Once you were finished eating you lead Lyra outside to show her what needed doing
>Though the building itself was small the land around it was vast, but you didn't own most of it any more
>It used to belong to your parents and you inherited it after they were killed in a bomb blast whilst visiting friends in the city
>Most of the land had been given over to the local farmer who could better use it to produce more food for the war effort
>You were still left with the main decorative garden, a decent sized field which you grew stuff in and a small orchard that had about 20 trees growing mostly apples and plums
>You lead Lyra out to the field and showed her what all of the plants were and how much you wanted picking/ digging up
>She seemed to know what she was doing well enough, so you ran the hose pipe over to her and two sacks, one for veg and one for plant waste
>You then set about doing your own chores
>It took you around an hour and a half to fix up the fences but by the time you were done they were sturdy enough, though it looked a little shoddy
>Next you had to mow all the grass, so you went to get the ride-on lawn mower from the shed
>You checked on Lyra on the way, and as you stuck your head over the fence you saw her sat in some shade, her mouth moving as if she was chewing
>The half eaten carrot in her hooves was a dead giveaway
"Caught you red handed... er, hooved"
>Lyra jumped out of her skin as you started chuckling, choking on her mouthful and spluttering as she desperately tried to apologise
>Her face was bright red as she kept coughing, and you just stood there in hysterics
>Eventually you came to your senses and crouched down next to her, patting her on the back as you brought the hose pipe to her mouth
>Once death by carrot was avoided you laughed again
"That was like catching a kid with their hand in the cookie jar, you looked like you shit yourself!"
>She looked ashamed and refused to look you in the eyes
"Aww come on, I thought it was pretty good..."
>She let out a sniffle
>"I'm sorry I'm such a bad slave master. You've been nothing but god to me and I repay you by stealing food. I don't deserve a master as good as you"
>Time to comfort the crying pone again
>You wrapped your arm around her and sighed
"Lyra if you're hungry just tell me, or help yourself I don't mind. Look-"
>You gestured to the growing plants
"There's plenty more still in the ground, it doesn't matter"
>To illustrate your point you ripped another one from the earth, cleaned it with the hose and offered it to her
>Her eyes boggled
>She still found it hard to decide if you were fucking with her or not
>Gingerly she took it from your hand, and her eyes locked with yours as she slowly chomped down on it
>You ruffled her hair and smiled as you stood back up
"Come on, I've got something you might enjoy"
>You took her to the shed, unveiling your large ride-on lawn mower
>OK granted that is a bit of an anti-climax, but you always thought they were cool as shit
>You perched your ass upon it and started it up with a roar, causing Lyra to jump back in fear
>You motioned to her that it was OK, and as she stepped closer you lifted her up and sat her on your knee
>She wriggled about in confusion and surprise, but quickly relaxed and sat in your lap
>As it started to go she looked up at you
>"What does it do Anon?" She shouted
"It cuts grass!"
>Her expression was strange
>It seemed to say "Are you serious, that's it?" and "Wait that's actually pretty neat" at the same time
>For once you found mowing the grass strangely relaxing, probably because of the cute pony in your lap looking around curiously
>Usually you fucking hated it, having to rake up all the grass, not to mention the fact that it gets fucking everywhere
>Once you were finished Lyra spoke again
>"You humans sure like to over-complicate everything. I would never have dreamed of a big growling machine like that just to cut grass before all this"
"Yeah but you guys don't need to invent shit when you can just magic your problems away, cheaters"
>She gave a sad smile
>"Well, not any more I guess"
>Aw shit, you never really considered the full impact being dehorned would have
>Guess it would be like missing a limb, or even several from how much they could do with it
>Noticing the concerned look on your face, Lyra spoke again
>"It's OK Anon, I'm used to it by now"

>The day passed by fairly quickly, you chopped wood whilst Lyra brought the veg inside and made something for dinner
>By the time it was ready the sun was getting low, casting a beautiful orange sunset over the fields with the city silhouetted in the distance
>You decided to eat sat on a small hill just behind your house so you could watch the sun set together
>You talked as you ate, and for once Lyra seemed to be leading the conversation
>"I love watching the sun set, it makes me think of home, of Celestia"
"She's your leader right?"
>She gave you the "You're a fucking retard" look
>She might be too polite to ever say it, but her opinions of you were betrayed by her facial expressions
>"She's more than just our leader Anon! She's the immortal princess of the sun who rules over Equestria with her sister Luna, the princess of the moon. They both raise the sun and moon every day and night!"
"Wait, doesn't that make them technically Goddesses or something?"
>She giggled at that
>"In a way I guess, if you want to think off it like that"
>You scratched your head in disbelief
"No wonder we're getting fucked so hard by this war. Don't know how anyone's supposed to compete with literal Goddesses"
>You both stayed there on the hill for hours, Lyra telling you all about the different princesses and their royal duties whilst you tried to explain the physical impossibilities of raising the sun and moon
>What do ponies care for physics though?
>The mere fact that a path between your worlds to wage a war exists is a scientific mystery
>The sun had completely set, and on the wind you thought you heard the distant wail of air raid sirens
>As you watched, the first flashes of explosions began to light up the sky
>Tracers from anti-aircraft guns zipped through the night in fruitless attempts to shoot down the Equestrian bombers obliterating the city below
>A sombre quiet rested between you, only broken by the rumble of bombs and cry of the sirens
>A sharp chill ran down your spine, and finally you both got up and went back inside
>Very few words were said between the two of you that night after that
>You tucked Lyra into your bed and went back to sleep on the couch again
>Lyra screamed a lot again that night, and your heart felt heavy as you eventually drifted off to sleep

>It was finally the weekend which you had been looking forward to, but you felt like shit
>You'd had a fitful sleep, being woken frequently by Lyra's screaming and your own nightmares
>You felt groggy as you groaned and dragged yourself off the couch
>After a quick cup of coffee you went to get a shower and hopefully wake yourself up a bit
>The shower was in the en-suite in your bedroom where Lyra was sleeping, so you pulled the door open carefully to check if she was awake
>She was curled up on the bed, but the twitch of her ears showed she was awake
>Slowly she lifted her head up and turned to look at you through bleary eyes
>There were large bags under her eyes, a result from the restless night
"I'm gonna get a shower. Get some more sleep if you want, or go make yourself some breakfast"
>Her head flopped back down on the pillow as you shambled into the small bathroom
>Your shower was brief but served its purpose, and you felt a little more human once you were finished
>Lyra was still curled up in bed when you stepped out so you went to the kitchen to go make breakfast
>You figured it might perk her up a bit to have breakfast in bed so you set some cereal, toast and juice on a tray and carried it in for her
>She looked up at you quizzically as you set it all down on the night stand next to her head
>"You made me breakfast... in bed?"
"Yeah, you look like you need it. You still up for going into town later on?"
>She instantly brightened up at that
>"Today? It's the weekend already?"
>"Sure is, I'll take that as a 'yes' then" You chuckled
>The two of you made some idle chatter whilst she ate
>You noticed that her eating pace had slowed down considerably already
>She no longer demolished everything in the blink of an eye, instead taking time to savour the meal and actually taste it
>You hoped that was a sign her body was beginning to recover from starvation, and that she trusted you not to take food away as a form of punishment
>After she had eaten she too got a shower though you didn't need to help her this time in cleaning herself
>Her various wounds and injuries seemed to be healing well enough, but there was nothing you could do to get rid of the scars
>Or bring back her horn
>They would be a constant reminder of her suffering
>You got your stuff ready to go out whilst you waited for her, mainly just your wallet and some bags
>Lyra didn't take long in the shower and when she finished she seemed more than eager to go
>Clearly the fatigue of the morning had worn off and things were once again looking up to be a decent day again
>You slammed the door shut and locked it behind you and saw Lyra already setting off without you

Be Lyra
>During your enslavement time had escaped you
>You didn't know the date or how long you had actually been here, only how long it felt like
>An eternity
>That's why it came as a surprise when Anon said it was the weekend already
>Instantly the haze of your nightmares and sleep deprivation had dissipated and you now hummed a happy tune as you and Anon walked together
>Being outside always lifted your spirits, now more than ever
>Your other master had kept you locked up all day- literally
>You were kept in one room which was always locked when you were left alone in it, and quite often chained to the radiator
>Being outside felt like proper freedom, even though you were still technically a slave
>Anon was nice though, not like your other master
>He didn't even feel like a master- he didn't beat you or say mean things to you, didn't even get you to do chores except the cooking, and that's only because you wanted to do it
>In all aspects he seemed more like a... friend?
>Maybe not quite yet, but he certainly wasn't an enemy
>The walk into the city took almost 2 hours and went down a forested hillside from Anon's house until it gradually flattened out and the buildings became more densely packed
>The city was intimidating and nothing like you had in Equestria
>The buildings were tall and imposing and the dull stone and concrete contrasted with the glaring adverts that seemed to be plastered to every available surface
>There was a lot of bomb damage, and most buildings had their windows boarded up making the place feel even more claustrophobic
>It was as if humans built their cities to be deliberately oppressive and uncomfortable
>Regardless, there was still a lot of activity on the streets and the vendors who's stores were too badly damaged simply set up stalls in the streets
>You remembered the first time you had experienced a bombing raid first hoof back in Equestria
>The utter disbelief that anyone could be so monstrous as to just carpet bomb civilians
>most of the ponies were paralysed by fear, just staring up at the bombers as they blotted out the sun and rained death on the world below them
>The destruction of the first raid had been catastrophic and Celestia only knows how you survived
>You were found after the raid huddled in a corner in a puddle of your own piss, shaking and babbling incoherently
>your stomach turned at the memories but you pushed them away
>You weren't going to let your past ruin your day
>You spent a great deal of time buying groceries with Anon, getting to select everything you wanted
>It was strange for a human to be asking what you wanted and felt a little unnerving even though you welcomed it
>Anon was the only person so far who had treated you like a pony rather than a piece of shit
>Even the random passers by on the street scowled down at you, cold hatred and despise in their eyes
>To these people you were the monster, you were the ones bombing them every night
>They had every right to hate you
>You stopped at a more or less intact bakery for a late lunch at around 2pm to get a bite to eat, though your rest was brief
>You had to finish shopping and walk all the way back home in time for dinner which gave very little time to break
>Once the grocery shopping was completed, Anon took you into a different store
>"A pet store? You don't have any pets"
"Figured they'd have some better products for your mane and stuff in here, can't have you using half a bottle of my shampoo every time you jump in the shower"
>Still, a pet store
>That was more than a little demeaning, but there was no such thing as a free pony in human land you guessed except for in the war zones
>It didn't take long to find some decent shampoo, though from Anon's wince at the price tag it cost rather an extortionate amount
>He still forked out for it though
>As you left the store you noticed another man follow you outside, his glare focused on you
>This wasn't really out of the ordinary, you had been enduring glares and condemning looks all day from random people
>This man however decided to make a confrontation of it as he walked up and spat on you in disgust
>"Fucking animals!" He spat
>Anon spun round to see what was going on
"Hey what gives? Don't spit on her!"
>"That thing belongs on a leash, better yet down the mines!"
"She can handle herself, she knows how to behave- she's not a fucking wild beast you know?!"
>The man sneered at Anon, his self righteousness dripping from every word he said
>"That's exactly what it is! A wild animal, the fucking enemy! There's a war going on you know?!"
>Anon looked gobsmacked, ripping his trouser leg up and gesturing at the prosthetic leg beneath
>His face was a mask of shock and rage
"You see this? I was fighting on the Equestrian front watching my friends die whilst you were... what? Cowering here letting young men die to protect your freedom? Look at her- what's she going to do to anyone? She's half starved and not even half your height. Don't you dare talk to me about who the enemy is!"
>A brief moment of doubt flickered across the man's face before he steeled his resolve and retorted again
>"Then don't act surprised when she stabs you in the back, or cuts your throat whilst you sleep"
>In a flash Anon was on him, seeing red and screaming bloody murder as he drove his fist into his face 
>You'd never actually seen Anon angry, and now he was downright psychotic on your behalf
>You never expected a human would fight to protect a pony, much less yourself. But here Anon was beating some guy's face into a bloody pulp because he spat on you
>You barely even noticed the wailing in the air as the sirens started up
>"Anon! Anon!" You yelled, pulling at his sleeve with your teeth and trying to drag his attention away from the pummelling he was unleashing
>He turned around to look at you, still glaring daggers and holding the man by his neck
"What?"
>"The sirens!"
>Surprise dawned on his face as he immediately began trying to scramble to his feet
>You helped him up as the man he had been beating ran for his life
"Shit, I think the shelter is this way, come on!"
>You both took off in a sprint, noticing that most others had already fled whilst Anon was busy
>"I thought they only bombed at night!" You gasped between breaths as you panted
"Pegasus dive bombers!" He shouted back
"They ride on clouds until it takes them over a city, then they swoop down and unleash hell. Almost impossible to detect until it's too late and equally as hard to catch or shoot down"
>The two of you rounded a corner as you neared the shelter, only for your faces to droop immediately
>The street was packed with people trying to get in, the fact that the raid was in the day meaning that there were hundreds more people in the city who now needed shelter
>If they really were Pegasus dive bombers you wouldn't have time to get in, you had mere minutes at the best
>The shaking of explosions was already beginning, startlingly close
>You felt an overwhelming feeling of despair as you began to quake in fear
>You had survived a bombing before, and only a miracle saw you through
>You wouldn't be that lucky twice
>And to be killed by your own side, in bombing which you believed wasn't happening, there was some bitter irony in that
>You heard your name being called in a distant voice, somewhere far away, but your body refused to move to acknowledge it
>This was how you died, on an alien world, a slave, ripped apart by one of your own bombs
>At least you got to meet Anon before you died
>You liked him, he was the only human who was ever nice to you- nicer than a lot of ponies in fact- and he was going to die here too
>You didn't want him to die, not like this. He didn't deserve it
"Lets fucking move!"
>Reality came crashing back as Anon scooped you up in his arms and began sprinting for his life- both of your lives
>"W-where are we going?" You screamed, your voice trembling
"I don't know, anywhere but here!"
>You looked over Anon's shoulder as he ran, the world behind him disappearing in fire and smoke
>"Oh sweet Celestia..." You whispered in horror under your breath
>"They're almost on top of us!"
>As you stared, your mouth agape, a single bomb plummeted straight into the remnants of the people who were still struggling to get into the shelter
>Your heart seemed to stop as they were vaporised, reduced to paste in the blink of an eye
>Then, swooping through the plume of smoke you spotted another Pegasus, a bomb grasped between his hooves
>He was headed straight for you
>You didn't even notice as you wet yourself, your piss streaking down the front of Anon's shirt
>The momentary distraction caused Anon to stumble and trip over a crack as you both went sprawling on the tarmac, just as the Pegasus dropped his payload
>The bomb went hurtling past you, detonating some way down the street and showering both of you with rubble and dust
>You struggled to your hooves, expecting Anon to do the same but he wasn't moving
>"Oh Celestia, oh fuck!" You shouted as white hot terror burned in your mind
>His head was bleeding where a chunk of rubble had landed on him, knocking him out cold, though the ride and fall of his breathing meant he was still alive
>With all your strength you hooked your front hooves under his armpits and bit your teeth into his collar and dragged for all you were worth
>You screamed in anguish and panic as you dragged him into a side alley, havoc raining from the skies all around you
>Your muscles bulged, burning in agony but you refused to leave him out here to die, just as he had refused to leave you behind outside of the shelter even though he easily could have
>Probably should have, you slowed him down and made him trip
>His blood was on your hooves if he died, as you had once thought it was
>Celestia herself must have been watching over you for as you glanced backwards over your shoulder you noticed an overturned dumpster laying on its side
>As quickly as you could you dragged Anon inside, tucking his legs in and climbing in after him
>Your body then completely gave out and you clung to his unconscious body for dear life, crying into his piss soaked shirt as debris clanged off the side of your shelter and explosions tore through the air
>Thankfully Pegasi can't carry many bombs, especially not large ones, so the raid was relatively short
>Soon enough the only sound that could be heard was your own crying as you begged Anon to wake up

Be Anon
>As consciousness returned the first thing you felt was the immense pain in the back of your head
>The next thing was Lyra's soft crying, and you could feel her pressed into you
>You opened your eyes but the world was still black
>Were you blind?
>A surge of panic flowed through you at the notion but you were quick to squash it down
>You could not let yourself be overwhelmed by fear now
>You groaned as you shifted your body into a sitting position
"Lyra? Where are you? I can't see"
>"Oh, let me fix that" Came the reply, and you heard a shuffling
>Then a crack of blinding light appeared and you were forced to squint against it
>You crawled through the gap the light was coming from and found yourself in a dusty rubble filled side street
>You had been sheltering in a dumpster
>Gross, but good thinking on Lyra's part
>You were then tackled back down to the ground as a furry ball impacted your midsection
>Lyra was on top of you crying and nuzzling you violently
>"I thought we were both gonna die. I thought I was gonna lose you..."
>Your hands were shaking as you ran them through her dusty mane, shock finally beginning to settle in
>You let out a shaky breath as you struggled to your feet, still clutching Lyra like a child as she cried into your neck
"Come on, lets get home"
>You walked at a trudging pace, your body too weak and battered and your mind too frayed to muster any strength
>Most of what you bought had been lost in the carnage, though you were lucky enough to find one of your bags in the street which contained some groceries and the shampoo you had bought for Lyra
>You walked with the bag in one hand and Lyra in the other, watching as people emerged from their shelters to behold the desolation
>Most just looked around in weary bewilderment, though some still had the wits to glare you and Lyra down as you passed them by
>You didn't have the energy to care at this point, you just wanted to get home and collapse
>The journey home seemed to be painfully slow, but at least Lyra found the strength to walk on her own hooves and didn't need to be carried all the way
>It was growing dark by the time you made it home and there was a cold chill in the air
>Pushing the front door open you made your way straight to the living room and simply collapsed face down on the couch
>Lyra climbed up next to you and you rolled over to accommodate her, wrapping your arms around her body as she tucked her head under your chin
>You let out a collective sigh of exhaustion, no words being spoken between you for a long time
>You were both lost in thought, far away stares in your eyes as you both lay there perfectly still and your ragged breathing the only noise to be heard
>After what seemed like an eternity you broke the silence
"You saved my life... again"
>"Again? When was the first time?"
>Lyra rolled over, tilting her head up to fix you with her large amber stare
"The first time- if you hadn't shot my leg off I would have died on that burning vehicle, either from burning or being picked off whilst I struggled. Feels weird thanking someone for that, but I've thought about it a lot and you saved my life"
>She looked away from you
>"I- I never thought about it that way, I only thought about how horribly I maimed you"
>Her gaze once again met yours
>"You saved my life too Anon, if you hadn't picked me up and carried me I would have stayed stood there until a bomb took me"
"I'm just surprised you were strong enough to repay the favour and drag me into cover. For a small pony you sure pack some strength"
>You hugged her tight to your chest, simply savouring the fact that you were both still alive
>For a few hours you simply remained there locked in an embrace until the distant rumble of renewed bombing began and interrupted the moment
>At least your distance from the city offered you respite, though the noise was still unnerving
>You stood up and walked to the window, watching in grim silence the hell you had narrowly escaped from
>Fires raged and explosions flashed, illuminating the crumbling buildings briefly against the black night
>As you surveyed the scene a flash of movement caught your eye, close in the field outside your house
>The hairs on the back of your neck rose, adrenaline immediately coursing through your veins and washing away the fatigue
>Someone or something was out there
>You didn't know what it was but a gut instinct told you it was danger
>A thief? A wild animal?
>There wasn't really anything larger than a fox around here, and even they were few and far between
>"Anon? What's wrong?"
"Someone's out there, stay here"
>You rushed to the kitchen, unlocking a safe which you hoped you would never have to open again
>In it was your old service pistol along with a box of ammo and a couple of magazines which you quickly loaded as you readied the firearm
>You also grabbed a flashlight as you made your way back towards the door to confront whatever stalked outside your house
>You strode out into the darkness, casting the light over the fields to try and spot whatever it was
"Come out, I've got a gun!" You yelled
>You'd had a few burglars up here before and usually the threat of being shot was enough to deter them, in fact a warning shot was the most you ever needed to convince them to go away
>Your threat proved ineffective though as no one came forth
>You started to doubt yourself as you swept the beam around the property
>Maybe you had been seeing things, you'd had a stressful day and hallucinations weren't unheard of after such situations
>You noticed Lyra's concerned face watching you from a gap in the curtains, making sure you were alright
>You were about ready to call it quits and head back inside as you felt your adrenaline surge running out and exhaustion returning
>Then a sharp crack caused you to whirl in place and hit the deck
>There was no mistaking the sound of a gunshot, and your arm reflexively raised in the direction it had come from as you fired a few rounds
>Two more shots flew over your head in response, your assailant evidently blind firing over their cover
>You fired back and saw a shape dart out from behind a hedge and back into cover behind another
>You too shifted position, and as you moved a bullet whizzed past your ear whilst another impacted your prosthetic leg with a loud cracking noise
>The impact caused you to stumble, but as you fell you dumped the rest of the mag towards the bush the attacker was hidden behind
>A rather unexpectedly feminine squeal of pain met your ears as you landed with a thud
>The gunshots ceased and you heard a muffled crying and whimpering coming from their position
>You loaded a fresh mag and cast your flashlight towards the bush as you cautiously made your way towards it
>What the light illuminated caused you to gasp in surprise
>It wasn't some trigger happy thief that has attacked you
>It was a young Pegasus mare, who now sat coughing up her own blood as it pooled around her
>There was a messy hole in her chest and one through her front leg which she clutched to herself
>She was trying to shield herself from you with wings that were tattered and bloody as she cried weakly
>"Just kill me already, get it over with!"
>Shit, you weren't prepared for this
>You scooped her up in your arms despite the pain it caused her and charged back towards your house
>You kicked the door open and sprinted to the kitchen, throwing everything off of the table and laying the pony down on it
"Lyra get in here!"
>Your voice cracked as you yelled for Lyra, panic starting to consume you as your hands began trembling
>You threw open the medicine cupboard, throwing everything out and scattering it on the counter
"Why couldn't you have just put the fucking gun down? This didn't have to happen!"
>You shouted at the wounded pony on the table as you ransacked the cupboard, unable to control your emotions
>"Anon! What's going on?!" Lyra screamed as she came bursting into the room
>"O- oh Celestia..." She breathed, seeing the pony bleeding out on the table
>She was visibly fighting the urge to be sick as she looked between you and the Pegasus
"Get her talking Lyra, we need to keep her focused!"
>Your commands seemed to snap her back to attention as she moved next to the Pegasus, face to face with her
>"W-what's your name?" She asked in a tiny wavering voice
>The Pegasus ignored her, screaming at you instead
>"Just kill me already, get it over with! That's all you do isn't it?"
"I never wanted to hurt you! You shot at me!"
>You yelled in a desperate plea as you turned back to her
>All you had was bandages and basic dressings to patch the wounds and some tweezers to try remove the bullet
>It would take a miracle to save her
>The bullet in her leg had gone all the way through so you moved to examine her chest wound, but immediately her legs began flailing as she tried to fight you off
>"No! Get your filthy monkey paws off me you monster!"
>You looked at her in confusion and desperation
"Why won't you let me help you? You want to live don't you?"
>"What so you can make me your slave as soon as I can walk again? So you can beat me and rape me every day like you do with her?"
>She threw a hoof out to gesture at Lyra
>"I'd rather die than waste away the rest of my days as a slave!"
>You and Lyra both looked at each other, both silently urging the other to do something
>This pony wasn't going to trust you no matter what you said and you were at a loss at what to do
>"I- I'm not a slave" Lyra squeaked out in a tiny voice
>The Pegasus winced in pain as she turned to look at her
>"Pffft so what? You voluntarily came here to live with a monster, get beaten, raped and whatever the fuck else he wants to do with you?"
>"He doesn't beat me or rape me, or any of those other horrible things. He's not like that"
>"So what are all those scars from? Where's your horn?"
>Lyra winced at the painful reminder, bringing a hoof up to her head and gently touching the stump
>"I used to be a slave, up until a few days ago. My old master... he tortured me for months, maybe even a year. I don't even know how long I've been here!"
>She stopped to gather her thoughts, taking a deep ragged breath as sobs threatened to wrack her body
>"But then Anon came and cleaned me and fed me, he- he saved me from that hell! He lets me do whatever I want and never asks for anything in return- he even fought another human to protect me!"
>You noticed the Pegasus' expression soften at the way Lyra spoke, glancing between the both of you and looking for any hint of a lie
>"Please..." Lyra begged, tears in her eyes
>"Please let him help you. We've seen enough death already, please..."
>The pony turned back to face you and her expression stiffened
>"Fine, but I'm out of here the second I can walk. I still don't trust any of you monkey people not to put me in chains as soon as I let my guard down"
>You breathed a sigh of relief and hoped she hadn't lost too much blood during the little argument
>Before you got back to the operation you remembered something that might help
"Here, drink this"
>You passed her a bottle of neat vodka off the counter, mostly full
>She looked at it dubiously, swilling the clear liquid around
"It'll taste like shit but it'll help a bit with the pain. Trust me this is gonna suck"
>The mare took a small sip before her face scrunched up in disgust and she began coughing 
>"It burns my throat" She spluttered
"Yeah it does that"
>You replied, taking the bottle and having a long swig yourself to try and calm your shaking hands
"Try and drink some, it'll help"
>You handed the bottle back before picking the tweezers up again
>She looked at you as she choked some more down, her expression queasy and uncertain
>A mix of the alcohol she was trying to drink and anticipation of the inevitable pain
"No time like the present" You sighed
"Try keep her distracted Lyra. Give her your hoof, talk to her"
>She gave you a small nod, extending her hoof out to the Pegasus as your attention returned to the bullet hole in her chest
>The fur around it was wet and matted with blood, almost her entire chest was red by now
>The bleeding seemed to have slowed down though which you assumed was a good thing
>"What's your name?" Lyra asked
>"S- Sun Striker AAAAAAHH!" She screamed as you inserted the tweezers
>You had seen light glinting off metal inside the wound and moved to grab it before it was submerged in blood again
>The Pegasus was crushing Lyra's hoof in a vice like grip as her body tensed in agony
>You could feel the tweezers knocking and scraping against something solid and with some effort you managed to grab it
>The bullet seemed to be lodged and you grimaced as each little tug caused her to writhe and cry out in excruciating pain
>Finally it came free, but as you pulled it free a massive gush of blood spurted out of her chest
>She gave an ear splitting shriek of horror as she watched her own blood fountain out of herself, her eyes boggling
>You rushed to slap your hands over the hole and put some pressure on the wound as blood seeped out between your fingers
"Lyra! Bandages!" 
>You shouted forcefully, unable to control the volume of your voice in your panic
>"I- I don't want to die, please don't let me die..." The Pegasus begged as you began to cover the wound
"I won't, I won't..." You mumbled as you wound bandages around her torso
>You could see blood seeping through it already but you kept on bandaging
>If you had to guess you'd gone through a vein, but you didn't have the medical skills to be sure or even really do anything about it
>You weren't a medic or a doctor or even a vet, and you were way out of your depth
>Finally you got the bandages applied, both on her chest and her leg that you had shot, though the leg wasn't too bad
>You couldn't see any blood coming through the surface of the bandages yet and hoped that meant the bleeding was stopping
>You gave a long exhale of exhaustion and relief, slumping down in your chair and wiping your brow which streaked blood across your forehead
>"W- will I be ok?" The mare asked in a frail shaky voice
>You wanted to tell her yes. You wanted her to be OK and make a full recovery but honestly if she survived the night it would be a miracle
"I don't know, I did everything I could"
>She sniffled in response, but kept it together enough to not break down into a full fit of tears
>You had to admit this mare was strong even though she looked small and younger than your average fighting pony, certainly younger than Lyra
>That was probably the only thing giving her a chance for survival
>"My parents warned me about this, they told me not to go..." She whimpered
>Lyra was by her side holding her hoof and stroking her mane as she cried softly
>"My sister- she was enslaved at the beginning of the war. A special team rescued her, but when she got home she was... broken"
>She looked you in your eyes, staring into your soul as her next words cut like knives
>Pony eyes were so wide and expressive, and in them you saw sorrow and regret like no other
>The regret one can only feel when they reach the end of their life, only to realise their death was a waste
>"They pulled her wings off, made her fight other ponies for sport and when she wasn't fighting she was getting beaten mercilessly and raped to 'toughen her up'. Whenever we tried to talk to her or touch her she would flinch and try and move away..."
>You sat and listened to her unable to move, rage, sadness and pity all boiling together inside you making you feel sick
>"I was so angry when I thought about what you people did. She was so broken and fucked up that i almost wished she'd died, just so she wouldn't have to live like this"
>Lyra was also crying openly, her sobbing seeming to complement the sad tale being told
>"I went and I joined the Pegasus Fighting Corps, got transferred to the bomber wings later. All I wanted to do was kill the monsters who dared hurt my sister. I lied to the officer about my age to get in I was that desperate. My parents begged me not to go, told me I was gonna die or even worse wind up like my sister, but I didn't listen"
>Sun Striker heaved a heavy breath as she finished her story
>By now there were a few tears streaking down your face too
>"The last time I saw my parents... my mom couldn't even speak she was crying that hard. All my dad could say was 'We love you Sunny', before he started crying too and the officer came and took me away. I- I tore them apart and I'm never gonna see them again"
>She whispered the last words as if she couldn't quite bring herself to believe it before breaking down into quiet sobs
>You thought you could feel your heart physically breaking as you looked at her
>The crushing guilt you felt at being the one who put the bullet in her, the one who took her away from her parents and sister, it was unbearable
"I'm so sorry Sun Striker, I didn't want to hurt you, I never wanted any of this..."
>She turned to you, her expression gentle and sad as she sniffled
>"I- It's my own fault really, I shot at you first and you were only defending yourself. For the record I think you're a good person..."
"Anon"
>She looked up at the ceiling with a far away expression as if pondering something
>"Anon..." She whispered, then let out a long breath
>Her features seemed to relax and she looked peaceful
>Oh shit!
>"Anon!" Lyra screamed
>"Anon do something!"
>You leaped to your feet, grabbing Sun Striker by her shoulders and shaking her
>"Come on Sun Striker don't die!"
>Her head flopped around as you shook her, her lifeless eyes glazed over and distant
>"Celestia no, please no..." You heard Lyra begging
>"Not again!"
>There was nothing you could do, CPR, mouth to mouth, there was no point
>Sun Striker had simply lost too much blood and died, bled to death on your kitchen table
"She- She's dead Lyra"
>You said plainly as you crumpled to the floor, your back leaning against the table leg
"She lost too much blood, there's nothing I can do"
>Lyra let out a wail of despair as she threw her front hooves around you and buried her face in your chest
>A few tears rolled down your cheeks to land on her head, but mostly you just felt numb
>After everything the day had thrown at you your nerves were fried and your spirit crushed, and you simply sat and held Lyra as she screamed and cried her sorrow into you
>Eventually Lyra cried herself to sleep, but the crushing weight of your guilt made sleep impossible for yourself
>You carried her off to your bed before making your way outside, back into the darkness
>The night air chilled your skin, making you shiver as you opened the shed and grabbed a spade
>You walked to the edge of the hill your home was on where the terrain began to slope steeply and began digging
>The exhaustion from the day was replaced only with a hollow numbness, you felt empty
>You fell into a steady rhythm as you dug 
>It felt mechanical, like you were a machine
>Your mind was very much alive however
>Thoughts of Sun Striker consumed you, the parents you had taken her away from, her broken sister who's mind was damaged beyond repair by your species
>They wouldn't even know she was dead since you were the only one who knew and you had no way of telling them
>She would forever be listed as MIA in the Equestrian records, her family living in false hope that she would one day return to them
>Each day that passed their hope would be crushed a little more until they died never knowing if their daughter was alive or dead
>You had robbed them not only of their daughter but their closure too
>Tears flowed freely down your face and into the dirt as you dug though you didn't really notice
>By the time you were finished digging your hands were blistered and sore, but you had a deep rectangular hole cut out of the earth
>You stuck the spade into the ground and headed back inside
>You walked towards the kitchen, each step feeling heavier and slower than the last until you were stood at the door
>You had to go in there and see her again, bear witness to what you had done, the pain and suffering you had wrought upon another creature
>Slowly you pushed the door open and as you stepped inside your breath caught and you froze
>Her body still lay lifeless on the table but somehow your mind had managed to erase the memory of just how much blood there was
>The table she lay on was completely red, the blood pooled so thickly that it was still wet
>Much of it had dripped onto the floor forming crimson puddles around the table that were slowly beginning to dry
>The blood that had spurted from the hole in her chest had gone everywhere, and there were small patches of drying blood on almost every surface that appeared almost black as they crusted over
>It's coppery scent tainted the air, making you gag as you stepped closer to Sun Striker's corpse
>You'd seen your fair share of blood and gore, especially in the hospital tents, but here in your own kitchen with someone you had shot the horror seemed much more gripping
>You looked down at the dead Pegasus
>She'd died with her eyes closed and her face looked calm and peaceful, as if she'd simply gone to sleep
>Honestly if you had to look into her eyes you thought your mind would simply snap
>You reached out cautiously to touch her, your hand flinching as if the contact would electrocute you
>You slowly lay your hand on her shoulder and realised her corpse was already going cold
>You let out a heavy ragged sigh, almost a sob, as you took one last long look as Sun Striker's body
>You wanted to commit every feature to memory, make sure that at least someone remembered her aside from her family
>You wondered if she ever expected such a messy tragic end when she joined up, or if she expected to bleed out her last with a human trying to save her
>You wondered if she would have stayed with you if she'd survived, maybe you could have become friends and waited out the war together, helped her get home to her family
>So much that could have been, so much potential now ripped away by your hand
>Eventually you managed to tear your eyes away from her, that one act seeming to require all of your strength
>You then lifted her body up, as gently as you could like you were cradling a newborn baby
>As you lifted something slipped out from underneath one of her tattered wings landing in a dry patch where she had been laid
>You lifted Sun Striker onto your shoulder before you grabbed the small piece of paper to examine it
>Turning it over you let out a short sob and almost fell to your knees at what you saw
>It was a simple family photo with Sun Striker stood at the front with who you assumed to be her sister with her parents stood behind them
>It must have been taken before the war broke out since her sister was not the wreck that had been described, instead mimicking Sun Striker's broad grin and hugging her
>Both parents wore the proudest smiles you had ever seen on their faces, staring more at their kids than the photographer
>Your hand trembled like a leaf as you slid the photo into your pocket and carried Sun Striker outside
>The crude grave you had dug was still there, a shallow hole on an alien world which was to be her eternal resting place
>She deserved so much better but you couldn't provide it
>You gently laid her down into the pit before grabbing the spade to bury her
>It felt appropriate to say a few words before she was gone forever, but none would come
>You stood and stared at her for a few minutes, your mind going blank
"I'm sorry Sun Striker"
>That was all you could bring yourself to say before you filled the hole in
>When you were finished you smoothed the dirt and headed back inside
>You would make a gravestone at some pint, lay some flowers or something even though it would never wash the guilt from your conscience
>You made your way to the kitchen which now seemed eerie and empty without Sun Striker laid on the table
>Her blood still decorated every surface though
>lacking the energy to clean it all up, you simply grabbed the bottle of vodka that was still on the table and slouched to the floor, ready to drink the pain away

Be Lyra
>Awoken violently by the nightmares that plague your sleep you sat bolt upright in bed
>You thought you could hear a noise coming from down the corridor
>Your ears perked and you could make out the sound of gentle sobbing
>Quietly you climbed out of Anon's bed and walked towards the sound which was coming from the kitchen
>You steeled your nerves before opening the door, remembering full well that there was a dead pony on the table along with copious amounts of her blood everywhere
>You took a deep breath and pushed the door open
>Two things immediately became apparent- Sun Striker's body was gone and Anon was crumpled on the floor sobbing brokenly
>He didn't notice you enter, which allowed you to take in the sight a little while longer as you approached him
>Anon was in a bad shape, stained with blood, dirt and sweat and reeking of death
>The vodka bottle that he had offered to Sun Striker now lay empty beside him and in his hands was clasped a small scrap of paper
>"Anon..." You whispered as you got close to him
>His body stiffened and he looked up at you with red unfocused eyes
>He looked... scared?
>Almost as if he wanted to run away from you and hide
>"Anon it's me"
>He trembled as he opened his mouth to speak
"Y- you hate me..."
>You couldn't really tell if that was a statement or a question, but either way it was a notion you wanted to dispel
>"No I-"
"I killed her Lyra! I shot a huge fucking hole in her chest and she bled to death! I'm a fucking monster!"
>You were speechless at his sudden outburst, taking a short step back in surprise
>Anon seemed to notice your fear, and just like that his anger evaporated as he slumped down even further into the puddle of Sun Striker's blood that he was laid in
>He covered his face with one hand as if he couldn't bear to look at you and his other arm outstretched, offering you the scrap of paper
"Look at what I've done Lyra, what I've destroyed. I'm a fucking monster..." He muttered
>You turned it over and took it in your hoof to inspect it
>You let out a short gasp at the family photo, recognising Sun Striker straight away and seeing her parents beaming down at her
>Your gasp became a sob as tears began to fall down your cheeks
>Then you looked back up at Anon who seemed like a broken shell of himself
>You did the only thing you could think to do and wrapped him in a tight hug
>He tried to fight you and push you off, but in his exhausted state the most he could do was lightly claw at your fur
>"It wasn't your fault Anon" You whispered into his ear as you embraced him
>"Don't say that, don't fucking say that..."
>He hissed between clenched teeth
>"It wasn't your fault, you didn't mean to kill her, you tried to save her"
"I put two fucking bullets in her" He sobbed
>You held him as he cried, and by now he too was clinging on to you tightly, like a crying foal you thought
>"You were only trying to protect yourself Anon, protect me. Nopony can blame you for that, I don't think even Sun Striker took it too personally"
"I just... I can't believe I killed her..." He wept
>He let out some more choking sobs as he held you, and you could practically feel his whole body trembling
>You held him until he began to calm down, his crying becoming ragged breathing with the odd hiccup and whimper
>You wanted to stay there comforting him for a while longer but there was an important question nagging at you 
>"A- Anon..." You said gently
>"Where's Sun Striker?"
>Your voice quavered as you asked the question, you were dreading the answer
>Anon clung to you a little tighter, composing himself to speak
"I buried her... I- In the garden, by the ridge..."
>He heaved a heavy sigh before he spoke
"I- I figured it was the only decent spot- the way the sun catches it when it rises in the morning- I wanted her to be able to see it every day. Maybe she'll think of her home, her family. Maybe one day the war will end and our worlds can make peace a- and her parents can come and see her and get their closure"
>His words were mumbled and somewhat slurred by the alcohol, but you could feel the emotion and the hurt in his voice as tears streamed down his cheeks
"A- and you can go home too..." he whispered
>That caught you off guard
>You hadn't given much thought to what you'd do when the war ended
>You always just sort of assumed you'd die on this planet before it ceased
>But if the war ended, would you go home if you could?
>What would even remain of your home?
>Already most of it was in ruins and most of the close friends or family you knew were dead
>And what about Anon? Could you simply abandon him?
>Looking at him now, a bloody broken mess on the floor, your mind was made up
>He'd dragged you out of the depths of desperation and misery and you would repay him in kind
>"Come on Anon" You cooed gently
>"On your feet, lets get you cleaned up OK?"
>He gave you a tiny nod of acceptance and you pushed yourself under his arm so he could use you as a support to get up
>Your muscles strained under his weight as he leaned on you heavily, but slowly he climbed to his feet
>He was swaying and shaking quite worryingly as he stood there, once again assaulted by the sight of the bloodbath that was his kitchen
>Your slight tug at his sleeve was enough to pull his mind away and you lead him through his house to the en-suite shower in his room
>You would prefer it if he had a bath, but drunk people and baths don't mix too good
>As you entered the small bathroom Anon managed to catch his reflection in the mirror
>He stopped, staring in disbelief at himself
>Even his inebriated swaying was barely perceptible
>He brought his hands to his face, feeling the crusted blood mixed with grime and sweat, his jaw slack
>He looked completely shell shocked, something which both of you had seen plenty of, and you gave another tug at his sleeve to bring him back to reality
>"Anon, we need to get your clothes off"
>He gave a weak nod, hearing but not seeming to listen as he still stood there zoned out
>"Come on" You said gently, giving him a firmer tug that brought him down into a sitting position on the floor
>With great effort you managed to tug his clothes off, and you found yourself really wishing you still had your magic
>How can belt buckles possibly be so complex and tricky to undo?
>What happens when they are busting for the toilet?
>Your cheeks flushed a little at seeing Anon in the nude, but your mind was too focused on the task of getting him cleaned to allow any room for embarrassment
>Besides, you had seen a human's junk before, just under vastly different circumstances
>You chucked his ruined clothes into a pile in the corner before turning the water on
>You waited until the temperature was right and then ushered Anon into the shower
>He was too plastered to stay standing for very long, and instead sat hunched over whilst you cleaned him off with the shower head clenched in your mouth
>There wasn't much room in the shower, and it was rather awkward having to climb over and around him which wasn't helped by his lack of cooperation
>The water ran a reddish-brown colour as it cascaded over his body and through his matted hair, washing the horrors of the day from his body
>You grimaced as the filthy water in the basin began lapping at your hooves and seeping into your fur, but pressed on regardless
>Anon was once again sobbing as he watched Sun Striker's blood run from his body and gurgle down the drain, and you watched his back heave and shudder in his hunched over position
>You remembered when you were first brought to Anon's home and he had bathed you in much the same way
>How you had stared appalled at the water as the blood and dirt from your body had soaked out, reminding you of all the suffering you had been through
>How much it hurt seeing how much of a state you were in, how disgusting and wretched you had become
>You understood how he felt now, but more so you understood the compassion he had felt when he took you in
>To see another creature so degraded and repulsed with themself was painful to witness
>He barely acknowledged your touch as you moved him around to clean him, simply lost in his own mind as his thoughts consumed him
>You took the bottle of shampoo and began to massage some into his scalp with your hooves, noticing the lather discolour as it cleansed more of the dirt matting his hair
>You also used some scented body wash, scrubbing gently at his skin to make sure you cleaned him thoroughly
>Anon still sat there like a sack of potatoes, sniffling and occasionally mumbling to himself
>You began to rinse him down again, washing the soap off his body and also noticing that the water running into the basin was finally clear rather than brown
>When all the soap was washed from him you decided it was time to get him dried up and of to bed so you shut off the water
>"Lets dry you up Anon" You said gently as you lifted his head up with a hoof
>His eyes focused as they looked into yours, and he actually seemed to gain some clarity and awareness
"O- Ok Lyra, th- thankyou"
>Then his eyes darted away from your gaze again, and he was back to looking at the ground
>You laid out a dry towel on the floor for him to sit on and then draped one around him
>Drying him properly was tricky, but thankfully humans aren't covered in fur like ponies are so it could have been worse
>Again you discarded the towel in the pile in the corner and went to fetch Anon some clean boxers to wear to bed
>To your surprise he managed to put them on himself, though he did put them on backwards
>You then lead Anon to his bed, tucking him in like a mother would with her foal, then decided to curl up next to him after you turned off the light 
>You were sure you'd both be glad for the company tonight, even if the feeling was unspoken
>You snuggled up to him, laying your head on his chest and listening to his quiet breathing and his steady heart beat
>Focusing on him made it easier to push the bad thoughts away that were sure to overwhelm you if you were left alone
>You laid there for a while although sleep never came, and you were pretty sure Anon was awake too
>This was confirmed a moment later when he broke the silence with a question that made your blood run cold and your stomach lurch
"Lyra, who's BonBon?"
>Memories crashed through your mind as your body went rigid and your heart seemed to stop
>"H- how do you know that name?" You stuttered as you tried to formulate a response
"You mumble her name in your sleep. I thought it was like Bourbon at first but the more I listened the more I could make out the name. Who's Bonbon Lyra?"
>"She..."
>You pictured her smiling face, her cream coloured coat and purple and pink mane
>"She's..."
>The image of her tattered corpse hunched over in the street flashed through your mind and you physically reeled back
>"...was my m-m- marefriend" You finally choked out
"W-what happened to her?" Anon whispered
>You remembered it perfectly, the events branded into your memory and certain to haunt you until you died
--------------------------------------------------------
>"We can't just leave her there Lyra, she's gonna bleed out!"
>"If we go out there we'll be as dead as she is!"
>You peeped out from behind the crumbling wall to where Summer Rain Lay
>She'd taken a hit crossing the street and now lay moaning and writhing in pain as she clutched the bloody wound with shaking hooves
>She might survive if you could get to her right now and stabilise the wound...
>As you sat trying to decide the best course of action Summer Rain managed to lift her head up and lock eyes with you
>Her face was going pale and you knew time was running short
>"Lyra, Bonbon, help me..." She pleaded
>Your jaw hung open as you tried to speak
>You wanted to reassure her, tell her to stay down and stay still whilst you went to get reinforcements but her desperate stare had you paralysed
>"Buck this I'm not leaving her here!" Bonbon cried as she suddenly charged past you
>"Bonnie!" You screamed, reaching your hoof out in a futile attempt to stop her
>Bonbon closed the distance rapidly, somehow making it to the fallen pony without taking any incoming fire
>She crouched down next to Summer Rain, checking her over and offering some reassuring words as she began to hook her hooves under her shoulders
>"I got her Lyra, It's alr-"
>Her voice was drowned out as a hail of machine gun fire ripped Summer Rain to pieces, shredding Bonbon's front legs as it raked over her
>"Bonbon!" You shrieked in horror
>You stepped out into the street ready to charge over to her
>She had just enough time to turn her face towards you, giving you one last mortified gaze before her head exploded, her beautiful face and wide blue eyes disintegrating as her brains turned to mist
>The world seemed to come screeching to a halt as her headless body stayed propped up for a second, then flopped into the pool of blood and dirt next to Summer Rain
>Your eyes bulged and your breathing stopped as your mind refused to process the scene before it
>You could feel the shot ringing in your ears, echoing through your soul as you watched the blood leak from her decapitated corpse
>A small whimper escaped your throat which escalated into a piercing wail of despair as you turned tail and fled from the nightmare
>You ran as fast as your legs could carry you, as if you could run fast enough you could escape reality and the memory of what you just saw
>You galloped through ruined buildings, bunkers and rubble strewn streets, back through your own lines screaming like a madmare
>Eventually you collapsed into a gibbering wreck on the ground, the vision of Bonbons head exploding playing endlessly through your mind as the gunshot still echoed in your ears
>You stayed that way crying and screaming until a couple of stallions found you and dragged you off back to the area's headquarters bunker
----------------------------------------
>"I miss her so much Anon! She was always so kind and sweet, she was always smarter and braver than me. It should have been me that died instead of her, she didn't deserve to die Anon!"
"Don't say that"
>You lifted your heads from the sheets to look at Anon
>You were both crying heavily, and there was a waver in his slurred voice
"Don't ever wish you were dead Lyra, I- I don't know what I'd do if I lost you..."
>You stared speechless at him as tears rolled down your cheeks, then crushed him in a massive hug and nuzzled into his neck
>He returned the gesture, putting his arms around you and resting his head against yours
"I'm so glad you're alive" He whispered, burying his face in your mane
>You stayed locked in the embrace as exhaustion took you both and you drifted off into the dream world
----------------------------------------------------------------------
>You woke up gently, something soft and warm pressed against you and you snuggled against it
>"Look's like somepony's finally awake"
>Your eyes flittered open to see Bonbon staring back into them smiling at you
>"I just had the strangest dream..." You muttered before leaning forward and giving her a soft kiss
>You took a while to savour the moment before Bonbon broke the kiss, rolling away from you
>"Come on Lyra, Anon's downstairs making breakfast"
>You smiled before rolling out of bed yourself, now eager to get downstairs
>Anon had been living with you since he appeared in your world and had become one of your best friends
>He didn't know how he got to Equestria, but said he had escaped a horrible war that was being waged on it, though rarely talked about it
>Walking into the kitchen he smiled at you as he set the table
"Morning Lyra, Bonbon"
>You greeted him back as you sat at the table, seeing fruit, toast, cereal and a pot of tea all laid out for you
>You made some small talk as you ate, laying out plans for the day
>You and Bonnie both had the week off, and you wanted to take Anon to see the sights of Canterlot
>He was very excited about this, having only seen the city clinging to the side of the mountain from Ponyville
>As you chatted you felt a slight rumble in the earth and heard shouting from outside in the street
>The others at the table had clearly noticed it too, both wearing concerned faces
>"Hold on, I'm gonna go check what's happening out there" You said, walking over to the window
>"Probably just the elements getting up to no good again" Bonbon joked, prompting a chuckle from you and Anon
>Your smile turned into a gasp of shock as you peeked out of the window
"What is it Lyra?" Anon called from the table
>You saw fire raining from the skies, buildings exploding with rubble flying around like confetti as ponies ran around in a blind panic
>You thought you could see a familiar pony- Sun Striker you think her name was- lying face down in the street as blood pooled around her
>One of the ponies outside noticed you staring horrified out of the window and ran up to you
>"Lyra I don't know what's happening! We have to leave!" She screamed
>You realised it was your old friend Summer Rain, a moment before a huge explosion detonated just outside and she disappeared as you were blinded by a cloud of smoke
>You were left reeling by the explosion, losing your bearings and collapsing to the floor as your vision spun
>When you finally managed to sit up and open your eyes properly, all you could see was smoke and dust swirling in the air
>The windows were blown out and one of the floors and the wall at the back of the house had collapsed in
>Suddenly the figure of Bonbon plunged at you out of the smoke, grabbing at your chest
>Her front legs were tattered and bloody and her fur was caked with dust
>"Lyra... help me" She pleaded before her head exploded into pink mist
>You stared petrified at her headless body, before noticing the tall figures creeping about in the smoke
>With a scream of rage and anguish you let off a volley of magic blasts into the haze of dust, feeling some small satisfaction as one of the figures fell beneath you
>Your satisfaction immediately turned to ice cold terror as you looked down at it, realising at once that you had hit Anon
>His leg was missing, blood gushing from the blasted stump, and his clothing was torn and burnt
"Lyra... why?" He asked, the look of betrayal in his eyes staring daggers into your heart
>You didn't even have time to say sorry and beg for forgiveness before the others were on you, pinning you down to the ground and wrapping you in chains, shackling your hooves
>"Anon, Bonbon... no!" You wept as you were dragged through the rubble struggling and screaming, before being thrown into the back of an armoured vehicle
>You shook violently in the back of the vehicle, both from the trauma you had experienced and from the vehicle bouncing over rubble and bodies as it took you away from your home, your friends, dragging you away into the clutches of slavery
>There were other ponies in the back, all decorated in dirt, blood and bruises, their expressions hollow 
>The shaking was jarring, rattling your bones and bouncing your head around
>"Lyra!"
>You thought you could hear a voice calling you
>"Lyra!
"Lyra! Wake up!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Be Anon
>Sleep had been difficult with the events of the evening, but eventually it had found you
>Sleep had been brief however as Lyra's tossing and turning and occasional cries woke you up
>You had a brutal hangover and still felt emotionally unstable, but the evident nightmare Lyra was having was enough to partially take your mind off it
>You tried holding her and stroking her, trying to calm her down so that you didn't have to wake her up, but she grew more and more restless
>You sighed to yourself in resignation, realising that you were going to have to wake her up
>You shook her gently and began to call her name but she began thrashing about, crying out for Bonbon and surprisingly yourself
>Then abruptly you felt a growing warmth on your leg as Lyra continued whimpering, and it took a few moments for your brain to actually figure out what it was
"Aw shit, come on Lyra" You muttered
>You began to shake her harder, raising your voice as you tried desperately to wake her up
"Lyra! Lyra wake up!"
>Suddenly her eyes shot open though her pupils were pinpricks, and she began to shriek in terror as she frantically tried to kick away from you
>"I don't wanna be a slave again! I want Bonbon back!" She screamed, still trapped in her waking nightmare
"Calm down Lyra it's me Anon, you're safe!"
>She continued to resist for a while as her world slowly gained clarity and she could make sense of the situation
>"A-Anon? You're... you're ok?"
"I'm fine Lyra, it's alright, you were just having a nightmare"
>You gave her some time to calm down as she was still shaken up and breathing heavily before you spoke again
"Listen Lyra, we're gonna have to get up and change the sheets and clean you up a bit. You uhhh.... wt the bed a little"
>Her cheeks immediately flushed a deep crimson and her lips quivered before she burst into tears
>You threw your arms around her and pulled her in tight, letting her cry into you
>You could sympathise with her embarrassment and shame
>Some of the guys that came back traumatised from the fighting had bed wetting problems, and you yourself had gone through a short phase of it
"You don't need to be ashamed Lyra, it happens to loads of people, even me. We just need to clean you up and change the sheets"
>"I'm worthless... worthless and pathetic" She sniffled into you
"It's not pathetic, after last night I'm surprised that I didn't piss myself"
>She took a deep shaky breath and continued
>"Its true, I don't mean anything, I'm not worth anything. I should be a slave right now but here I am living off your kindness giving nothing in return. How long until you get bored of me, decide you don't have enough to pay for me? What then?"
"If... if its worth anything, you mean the world to me Lyra.I meant what I said last night; even though I was drunk I still remember it. I don't know what I'd do anymore without you- helping me, keeping me company- if you weren't there last night I would have lost it... I- I think I would have just shot myself right there in the kitchen after seeing that photo"
>She shook her head that was still pressed against you, not wanting to believe your words
>"No Anon, don't say that. You're strong a- and kind, you were fine before I came here. You didn't need saving from enslavement, you're not dependant on the kindness of another purely to survive"
>You sighed, trying to figure out how to express your feelings and thoughts which you had kept suppressed for a long time
"Lyra... there's a lot of shit in my head.The things I've seen, thing's I've done in that war that will be with me forever- seeing my friends fall, having to kill other sapient beings, losing my leg- all of it I just pushed to the back of my mind. Since I was discharged I've just sorta been going through the motions, but I could always feel that dam of repressed thoughts threatening to burst. I think last night it did just that. I fucking lost it... and without you here I don't know what I would have done."
>Lyra was looking up at you as you finished
>Those beautiful amber eyes seemed to be peering straight into your soul, seeing you in a new light and judging you
>You felt strangely small staring into her eyes, like with most other ponies that you had seen up close. 
>Their eyes held a natural innocence and wonder, but through the endless violence and bloodshed they also betrayed the pain inside
>The mental scars of the war, the concealed mourning and loss, the hopelessness in the eyes of slaves as they were dragged away by their masters
>You felt guilt too, her eyes seeming to reflect back at you the hurt that you yourself had inflicted on other ponies- Sun Striker to name one, as well as countless others that you had killed or injured whilst you were fighting
>But through all that you saw admiration, compassion and even hope though she often tried to suppress it
"I think we were meant to find each other Lyra. I'm not really a believer in destiny, but I think fortune put us together for a reason. We've both saved each other's lives multiple times, confided in each other, given blood sweat and tears and we've barely known each other a week. I think as long as we have each other life will get better- we will get better, no matter how shit things seem now. Then one day we might not both be fucked up emotional trainwrecks and we can be truly happy again"
>Lyra's crying had stopped but her grip on you had only strengthened as she tried to hug the life out of you
>She didn't say anything but the hug was more than enough for you to know that your words had sunk in and you'd said what she needed to hear
>You let the hug go on for a while, cuddling back into her and stroking her mane before you forced yourself to break it up
"Come on Lyra, lets get cleaned up and then we can get back to bed for a bit. We're gonna have a long day cleaning the kitchen later and I'd rather put that off as long as possible"
>Lyra nodded in agreement, peeling herself away from you and heading off to the bathroom
>Her face was still red as a cherry as she saw the mess under the sheets and she hung her head, but thankfully didn't break down again
>You were only wearing boxers and they had avoided being soaked but you still needed a shower as some had gone down your leg
>Whilst you waited for Lyra you stripped the bed covers, throwing them straight into the washing machine and replacing them with fresh ones
>She was finished by the time you were done so you took a quick dip yourself before rejoining her in bed
>It was 9am already but you were both still exhausted and you wanted to spend at least a few more hours in bed 
>"You should have let me change the sheets Anon" Lyra said as you climbed back in next to her
"What for?"
>"I'm the one that soiled them, and you've let me sleep here all week. I should be the one to clean my own mess up, especially gross stuff like that..."
>You chuckled and ruffled her mane, making her scrunch her face up adorably
"Its really no big deal Lyra, I've got a whole awful mess in the kitchen to clean up later and to say this pales in comparison is a pretty massive understatement. Besides, the quicker the sheets get changed the quicker we can get back into bed"
>Your lighthearted tone seemed to work at easing her mind, and she wore a little half smile as she cuddled up to you again
>You pulled her in tight and put your arms around her, idly combing your fingers through her fur as you held her
>You're pretty sure neither of you actually slept, your minds now too active and the threat of nightmares looming over you, but laying there together was comfy and you thought you could feel some happiness creeping back into your heart after so much grief and trauma
>You stayed in bed for several hours, just laying there cuddling each other and letting your minds rest
>Lyra honestly felt like a fluffy hot water bottle, one that let out little adorable squeaks when you squeezed her, and it took every ounce of your strength to let her go and get out of bed
"I'm gonna go start cleaning the kitchen. You can stay in bed if you want, you don't need to help me with this if you don't want to"
>You would have certainly appreciated the help but you weren't going to force her to help clean another pony's blood that was stained all over your kitchen
>"Of course I'm gonna help Anon, I can't let you do that alone. A problem shared is a problem halved right? And the quicker we get this done the quicker we can try and get back to some sort of a normal life"
>She gave you a sincere smile as she got up from the bed and you chuckled
"You must be an optimist if you think we're gonna be able to have a normal life. Alright, lets get cleaning then, we've got a long day ahead"
>Before starting on the kitchen you went and got some buckets and sponges from the shed, filling them with hot soapy water
>The kitchen was as much of a hellscape as you remembered and you didn't really know where to begin
>Lyra clearly mirrored this sentiment as she was stood in the middle of the room looking rather lost, staring at the blood that was pooled around the table and spattered over some of the worktops and walls
>You decided that you would tackle the stains on the walls and cupboards since they were too high up for Lyra to reach, whilst she started work on the table and lower down stains on the furniture
>Mopping the floor was obviously left for last and by then water had mixed with the dried blood, turning the floor into a slippery mess
>The whole ordeal lasted all afternoon and into the evening, and you were both exhausted by the time you were finished
>You'd barely spoken to each other all day, the mood being way too sombre for any discussion or chit chat to feel appropriate
>Neither of you had eaten properly all day either
>You had tried having some lunch but found yourselves unable to stomach it, throwing up what little you did eat
>The coppery stench in the air and the immense waves of emotion crashing through you made you feel nauseous all day, making the task of cleaning gruellingly painful and dragged out
>You also had to clean up the blood and dirt that had been tracked through the hallway and the crimson stained clothes that had been left in the corner of the bathroom
>You were about to throw them in the wash but then stopped and put them in the bin
"Not like I'm ever actually gonna wear those again" You muttered to yourself
>Even if by some miracle the blood actually came out of them, the memories that clung to them would never be washed away
>You still felt like utter shit, the guilt weighing inside you felt impossibly heavy, but you'd kept yourself together for most of the day
>You'd both had the odd little breakdown, but nothing compared to last night
>Finding the picture of Sun Striker and her family had set you both off again, but as you recovered you set it to the side and carried on
>Next time you felt brave enough to go back into town you were gonna get it framed and buy some stuff to decorate her grave
>For the time being it was just a patch of overturned soil in the middle of the grass without a proper gravestone or anything, and she deserved better
>You were going to make sure that she was honoured and remembered as long as you were still alive
>You also noticed another reminder that she had left- the bullet that you thought had glanced off your prosthetic was actually flattened and embedded into it
>It proved impossible to pry it off when you tried, so you decided just to leave it there as a reminder
>A testament to her fighting spirit or something
>Who knows, a poet could probably make it sound better
>You certainly got lucky though, if that leg were real or she'd hit the other one it would have probably put you out of action
>Then you'd be dead, Sun Striker would have fled and probably gotten captured, and Lyra would probably have wound up back in slavery with the trauma of your death on top of that
>Knowing what they were like they were likely to pin your death on Lyra, use it as an excuse to beat her harder and give her the shittest jobs and most abusive owners going
>At least that thought alleviated some of the guilt you felt
>You were protecting yourself and your friend who was dependant on you, and you knew she wouldn't survive another ordeal like she had already gone through again
>When you were done the kitchen and hallways felt impossibly clean, like the strange sanitary feel of a hospital
>Sure it was cleaner than it had been in years, but it just felt... wrong
>You both showered off again after cleaning the house and eventually found yourselves crashed on the couch
>Your appetite seemed to have come back slightly and you decided to try to eat again, hoping you would be able to keep it down this time
>You really wished you could just order a pizza or something like you used to be able to, but most fast food places had either closed or charged extortionate prices, and delivery was out of the question since everyone was trying to conserve fuel
>Instead you found some of the stew that Lyra had made earlier in the week which you had frozen and simply heated it in a pan and served it with some bread
>You ate sat on the couch watching another Disney movie and even found a blanket to throw over you both
>Eventually you wound up snuggled up to each other again, with Lyra laying on your chest and you laying flat on the couch beneath her
>Out of the corner of your eye you noticed that she seemed to be watching you more than the movie, but you chose not to meet her gaze or comment on it
>You knew it would just become awkward and you didn't want to ruin the moment, you didn't really know what to say to her anyways
>It did prompt you to think more about your relationship however
>Maybe she had feelings for you, like 'more than just friends' feelings
>She was certainly giving off the signs- her constant staring at you currently and your frequent cuddles and falling asleep together- and it seemed possible, if not likely that she liked you
>This caused even more questions though
>Did you have feelings for her? You'd never really thought about her in this way before and it felt weird
>Ok maybe you did have feelings, but the whole 'being another species and also a violently abused former slave' thing made you feel extremely conflicted
>What if it was just some strange manifestation of Stockholm Syndrome, falling in love with the first human to not treat her like a living piece of shit
>If that were the case it would be morally wrong to have a relationship like that, you'd be taking advantage of her
>Then another fairly trivial but still conflicting thought pushed its way into the front of your mind
>Wasn't Lyra a lesbian or something? She had a girlfriend... marefriend, whatever called Bonbon
>As your mind worked itself into a frenzy you idly glanced down and noticed that she had fallen asleep on you, a peaceful smile on her lips as she snored softly
>Your heart fluttered at the sight, that special heartwarming feeling you always get when another living being falls asleep on you
>As gently as you could you reached for the TV remote to flick it off and tucked the blanket back over you both, being careful not to rouse the adorable ball of minty fluff on your chest
>Seeing her curled up like that pushed all those confusing and conflicting thoughts out of your head and you slowly brushed your fingers through her silky mane you you drifted off to sleep
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>You awoke with a start, sitting upright and rubbing the sleep out of your eyes
>You must've drifted off, and from the time your watch showed you'd been asleep for at least ten minutes
>Thank god the Sergeant hadn't come to check on your post yet, sleeping on sentry duty could get you in some serious shit
>You briefly scanned the forest in front of you, making sure nothing seemed out of the ordinary
>Nothing stood out to you, and you didn't want your stare to linger too long- the longer you looked into the dark forest the more your mind played tricks on you, thinking you could see skulking figures or faces staring back at you
>The paranoia could drive people insane
>You fucking hated this deployment with a passion, stuck at some FOB guarding one of the only routes through the Everfree, just sitting around waiting to get shot at
>You'd compare it to some of the fighting in Vietnam if you had to describe it
>Certainly seemed about as pointless
>And it wasn't only Equestrian attacks you had to worry about; the forest's wildlife was extremely hostile and several men from your company had already been killed by manticores and timberwolves
You sighed as you stared out into the blackness before a sudden tap against your helmet made you jump out of your skin
>You spun around trying to ready your weapon, coming face to face with Sergeant Bowers who was chuckling heartily at your expense
>"Take it nothing's going on over here then" He laughed
>"At least try and stay somewhat alert though" He added in a more serious tone
"S-Sir" You breathed, still trying to calm your racing heart
>You turned your attention back to the forest, grumbling to yourself as you heard his footsteps shuffling away
>He shouldn't have snuck up on you like that, everyone was jumpy just from being under constant threat of danger, nevermind the guys like you sitting out here in the dark
"W-wait a minute Sir" You said with a hint of apprehension in your voice as you noticed a small flicker of light deep within the forest
"Do you see that?"
>He walked up behind you and craned his neck over your shoulder, looking at where you were gesturing
>"Looks like the glow of a unic-"
>His voice was cut off as the world was plunged into chaos, bright multicoloured flashes of light searing your eyes forcing you to cover them and hit the deck
>As you came to your senses you could hear panicked screams as gunfire and magic blasts ripped through the air turning the black night into a deadly laser show
>You pulled yourself out of the dirt, and as you looked around you saw that ponies were already inside the perimeter intermingled with your own and the scene had descended into a bloody melee as desperate hand-to-hoof combat was waged
"Where the fuck did they come from?" You screamed as you let off a few sharp bursts at whatever targets you could pick out
>As if to answer your question another half a dozen ponies appeared a short distance away from you in a flash of light and you struggled to bring your rifle to bear in time 
"Fucking teleporting? Really?!"
>You still hadn't come to grips with the magical abilities these tiny horses possessed, they seemed to just bend reality and physics to their will
>Right now they were teleporting themselves straight inside the perimeter, conveniently avoiding the barbed wire and trip mines that were supposed to keep your position secure
>Your gun clicked empty as you dropped the few that had just appeared, and you fixed your bayonet as you loaded another mag
>You noticed Sergeant Bowers firing his sidearm rather than wasting time reloading his rifle, killing another two ponies who were charging you
>Suddenly the entire area was illuminated a bright green as a flare shot up into the sky, showing clearly the utter havok the base had descended into
>You felt a rhythmic rumble in the ground as you tried to make sense of the scene
>Wait a minute...
>You snapped your body around, squeezing the trigger of your rifle before you'd even brought it up properly, letting off the entire mag in full auto at the oncoming stampede of multicoloured equines
>In the midst of the confusion the bulk of their forces had charged the perimeter, and you were now facing a tidal wave of bloodthirsty ponies
>You slammed the next magazine in, cocking the gun and firing again as panic overwhelmed you
>You and the Sergeant were quite literally fighting back to back now against a horde that was getting ever closer
>They were mere feet from your sandbag parapet when your gun clicked dry
>Your blood froze to ice as you looked down at the firearm that had betrayed you, then back up as a pony flung itself over the barricade at you
>You clenched your eyes shut, pointing the barrel of the gun upwards and bracing for impact
>A heavy weight crashed into you accompanied by the sickening sound of a bayonet tearing through flesh as a hot fluid sprayed all over you
>There was a pained gurgle and you looked up straight into the eyes of the pony who had landed upon you
>A pair of stunned, golden eyes locked with your own as life left them, the pony's vaguely minty smelling breath rasping out as it coughed blood all over your face
>"A-Anon?" It choked out before going completely limp
>Recognition dawned on you before your senses were drowned in overwhelming grief and panic
"L-L-Lyra?!"
>Her dead eyes stared back into your own, questioning you, accusing you
"N-no! Lyra! Lyra!"
>You tried to crawl out from under her lifeless body and push her off but you were pinned, helplessly struggling as her blood soaked into your clothes and pooled around you
>The world seemed to slip away, growing darker at the edges as if you were blacking out whilst you struggled to free yourself from underneath the corpse until your vision failed completely
------------------------------------------------------------
>Your eyes shot open as you attempted to sit upright, but there was a weight keeping you pinned down
>You began to panic- you knew you'd just woken up from a nightmare so why were you still unable to get up?
>You looked down and your heart skipped a beat as you saw Lyra laid upon you, eyes closed
"L-Lyra?? Wake up, please!"
>You shouted and shook her violently, the nightmare you'd just had becoming reality in front of your very eyes
"Lyra please!" You begged, your voice cracking as tears began to well in your eyes
>Groggily she began to stir, her ears twitching and muzzle scrunching up as she opened her bleary eyes
>"Buuuh...huh...wha? She mumbled in a daze
>Relief washed over you like a waterfall as you stopped shaking her and embraced her in a tight hug instead
"Oh thank god you're OK" You sighed into her mane
>"Anon? wha-what's going on?" She asked, completely perplexed at what was going on but returning the hug anyways
>You held her until your heart rate came back down and your breathing was normal before speaking
"I- I had a nightmare, one I've had a few times before..." You admitted
"But this time you were in it and I... I killed you Lyra. Your body fell on me and pinned me down and when I woke up with you laying on me like that I just freaked out. I thought you were actually dead"
>Lyra lay her head down underneath your chin, lightly stroking your chest with her forehoof in a comforting manner as she looked up at you with those beautiful amber eyes
>"Its ok Anon, I'm fine. Nothing bad's gonna happen to me when you're around, and I know you'd never hurt me"
>You smiled and relaxed a little more, scratching Lyra behind her ear and causing her to hum happily
"Well it looks like we won't be getting back to sleep after that one, I'm sorry for waking you up so violently"
>You both got up off the couch, stretching your tired muscles and popping several joints
>Lyra went off into the kitchen to make breakfast but you weren't really hungry yet so you decided instead to go out into the garden and watch the sun rise
>You grabbed a patio chair, carrying it onto the lawn next to Sun Striker's grave
>You'd always loved watching the sun rise especially from your home's position overlooking the city,even though you were usually too lazy to get up and watch it
>This spot in particular caught the sun really well which was why you'd chosen to bury her here
>You stared at the horizon whilst random thoughts bounced around your head, watching as the sun rose
>"Wow it really is beautiful over here" Came a sudden voice from at your side, making you jump in surprise
>Lyra let out a giggle as you tried to regain your composure and make it look like you hadn't just nearly shit yourself
>"I can see why you chose to bury her here"
"It's gonna look a lot more beautiful once its decorated properly. I want to get a proper gravestone and a border put in, and some bright flowers to go on it"
>"I think she'd like that Anon, that sounds really nice" Lyra replied, resting her hoof on your leg in what seemed like a comforting gesture
>The pair of you watched wordlessly as the sun rose, the comfortable quiet only broken by the chirping of birds and the whispering of the wind
>A gentle warmth embraced you as the sun rose higher in the sky, soothing your mind and feeling refreshingly calming after the hectic few days you'd had
>You stayed there for a while longer enjoying the peace until a grumble from your stomach alerted you that it was time for food
>You slowly got up and stretched again before heading back into the kitchen with Lyra following close behind
>You grabbed a simple bowl of cereal for breakfast and sat down at the table
>The memories of what the kitchen looked like and the lingering anti-septic scent curbed your appetite significantly, so you didn't think you'd be eating large meals for a while
>As you ate you both talked about plans for the next few days, or lack thereof
>You and Lyra were both absolutely exhausted from the bombing and Sun Striker happening immediately after each other, so you agreed to take a few days rest
>At the weekend you would brave the trek back into town to pick up the stuff you wanted to decorate the grave as well as other groceries and essentials that needed stocking up
>It was great the amount of input Lyra gave to the planning and shopping list you made up, it almost felt like you were becoming family with less of the respectful politeness and reluctance to ask for things that had been going on previously
>She was using her own initiative a lot more and you seemed to finally be truly comfortable with each other which eased your stress a lot considering you lived together
>Except for the fact that she kept pestering you to buy sweets and chocolate and got all pouty when you refused, but her gleeful smile when you finally relented and added them to the list somewhat compensated for the cost
>The rest of the day seemed to go by pretty quickly, the two of you spending most of it lounging around in the garden and watching movies on the couch when it got dark
>The next few days were spent in pretty much the same way and you got to know each other a lot better since you finally had the time to just sit and chat, and you felt comfortable enough in each others company
>Sleeping together had also become routine, both of you agreeing that it was comfier and you couldn't sleep on the couch forever
>You spoke a lot about what your worlds were like before the war and interesting stories you had to tell, and also more about yourselves in general
>Obviously many of the memories were bittersweet- happy but tinged with sadness by the fact that the people or ponies in them were dead or the places razed to ruin
>Lyra in particular seemed to have most of her fondest memories with Bon Bon, she'd always get carried away with herself giggling and laughing as she told the stories until she reached the end, and a sad frown would appear on her face
>Her world seemed amazing before the war hit, everyone seeming to have their own wacky cartoonish adventures and shenanigans
>It seemed like a fantast- there was always a happy end and no one ever got seriously hurt, let alone killed
>It was tragic that her entire world had been robbed of its innocence, even when the dust of war settled its bitter taste would be impossible to ever get rid of and Equestria would be permanently damaged
>For your world wars were just business as usual, sure it was tragic and bloody but mankind was used to it, Equestria apparently hadn't fought a proper war in hundreds of years and never on this scale
>You told Lyra about your world too and your past life, though there wasn't really that much to say about yourself
>You'd had a fairly standard boring life before the war, you were studying history at college and working part time before you got drafted into the army, and that's about all there was to it
>You didn't have any cool adventures to compare to Lyra's, it's just not really how life worked on Earth
>People couldn't just miss work to go around the globe chasing some far out fantasy or idea they had, and the superviallains in your world didn't tend to be the sort that 6 random blokes could sort out with the power of friendship
>She seemed a little put out by that, but then began excitedly babbling about how she could show you round Equestria and Ponyville once the war was over and she could go back home
>It took her a few minutes of rambling before she realised that most of these places were bombed out ruins, and once again that sad frown came onto her face
>It hurt you to see her optimism being crushed, you could tell it was her nature to be bright and happy all the time and you wished you could have gotten to know each other before the war tainted everything
>You put your arm around her to make her feel better
"Lets not get ahead of ourselves" You said, trying to cheer her up again
"Lets focus on what we can do here and now that makes us happy, rather than the uncertainties of the future"
>She looked up at you with sad, watery eyes as she sniffled softly
>"Do you think this war will ever end?"
>You gave a little half smile at her question
"Of course it will Lyra, wars can't last forever. It might not be a happy end, in fact I think it will be quite the opposite, but it will end and over time the scars will slowly heal"
>She sniffled again as she kept her gaze fixed with yours
>"Do you think I'll ever get to go back to Equestria?"
>This question was a lot trickier, and you scratched the back of your head and sighed
"I honestly don't know Lyra, we could try smuggle you through a portal but I don't think either of us wants to be that close to an active warzone again. When the war ends then... maybe, but I really don't know"
>This time she looked down and pawed the sofa shyly with a hoof
>"If... if I could, would you... would you come with me?" she asked with a quick glance up at you
"I- I..." You stuttered, taken off guard by her question
>You'd never be able to lead a normal life if you went to Equestria with her; the locals would hate you, you'd probably have no rights and be treated like shit and have to act like Lyra's slave out in public
>It was also an alien world so unfamiliar and untamed compared to your own, with different society, customs and technology
>Then again, Lyra was sitting in exactly the same boat back here in your world and she seemed to be getting on alright
>You couldn't actually picture leaving Lyra at all anymore, you just always assumed you'd be living together on Earth like you were now
>You sighed, but gave her a smile
>The answer was obvious
"Of course I'd go with you Lyra, I'll always be with you"
>She looked up at you again, her eyes happy though streaming with tears before she pulled you into a tight hug and nuzzled your neck
>"I- I love you Anon" She whispered as she squeezed you with all her might
>Your mind froze and your heart seemed to stop at those words, but your tongue functioned all on its own
"I love you too Lyra" You breathed
"I love you with all my heart, you're the world to me"
She leaned back from you staring deep into your eyes, her expression a mix of adoration, excitement and pure joy, before she slowly leaned in planting her lips on yours in a soft, tender kiss
>All at once your senses came crashing back to you, your heart thundering like a drum and your breathing coming in rapid breaths through your nose as you closed your eyes and leaned into the kiss
>Doubts swam in your mind about whether this was right or not, about whether Lyra was in a fit state of mind to truly know if she loved you, but you squashed them down and locked them away 
>She was a grown adult and knew her own mind better than you did and you certainly felt the same way about her, you'd just been trying to suppress these feelings 
>You squeezed her tightly as she moaned softly into the kiss, and you lost yourself in her soft embrace
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>You woke up wrapped in a comfortable warm fuzziness that you'd grown used to the past few days
>You smiled and gave Lyra a small squeeze, content to just lay there with her for a while longer
>Your movements caused her to stir however, and suddenly you were locked in a death grip as her hooves latched onto you and your neck was viciously nuzzled
"Ly- Lyra!" You gasped as you felt your ribs beginning to crack
>Her eyes fluttered open to look at you, a happy innocent smile adorning her face as she crushed the life out of you
"Can't... breathe" You spluttered
>She looked down, only now realising that her hug was a little 'overenthusiastic'
>"Oh.. Sorry" She said with a sheepish smile as she let go of you
>You took a few deep gulps of air as Lyra held you a lot more gently, then leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the lips
>Not satisfied with this Lyra climbed on top of you, pinning you down and pressing her lips firmly against yours in a deeper more passionate kiss, until once again you were left gasping for breath
>You began to contemplate how your life even came to the point where you were laid in bed making out with a mint green mare, and a former slave at that, when she finally released you
>"Are we still going into town today?" She asked excitedly
>She was relentless this morning, you wondered what happened to the quieter, more reserved Lyra Heartstrings as you tried to catch your breath
"If you're still up for it"
>"Sure am!" She chirped as she jumped up to the window and threw the curtains open
>"It's a nice day too, no clouds!" She said merrily, oblivious to the fact that your retinas were being seared by the sudden light
"Thank God for that" You mumbled as you rubbed your eyes
>Still, what she'd said had gone through to you
>No clouds meant that you weren't going to be surprise Pegasus bombed again which helped alleviate some of the apprehension and anxiety you were feeling about going into town again
>Mustering your strength you sat up and swung your legs out of bed, stretching your arms and back and yawning
>Lyra who was half way into the bathroom turned her head, stealing a look at your shirtless form, her cheeks reddening slightly
>You just managed to lock eyes with her as you finished your yawn before she rushed into the bathroom and slammed the door
"Caught you staring" You chuckled
>There was no response as the sound of running water started, so you turned to grab breakfast whilst you waited for the flustered pony
>By the time you were done Lyra had finished in the shower and came trotting into the kitchen with her mane and tail bunched up in towels
>"Shower's free" She smiled as you went to take your own turn whilst she got herself breakfast
>You had a quick shower and a shave before heading back into your bedroom wrapped in a towel to grab some fresh clothes
>As you walked in you found Lyra sat on the floor in front of your wardrobe mirror trying to brush her mane
>Her neck was twisted at an awkward angle as she tried to brush the back of her head with the brush clenched in her teeth
>You let out a small snicker as you moved past her to grab a shirt and trousers and some fresh underwear
"Having a little trouble there?"
>She growled through the brush in her mouth as she tried to work a knot out
>"I don't get how earth ponies do this every day!" She exclaimed, spitting the brush out in frustration
>"I miss my horn! I want my magic back! My life was so much easier when I could just levitate stuff and not have to use my mouth or these clumsy hooves"
>You sighed and sat down next to her as you finished getting changed; you hadn't meant to strike a nerve
"I'm sorry, I didn't think about it that way" You said as you wrapped an arm around her
>She sighed and leaned against you and you saw her looking at the stump where her horn used to be in the mirror, a sad frown on her face
"I uuuuuh... I can help you if you want. Y'know, brush your mane for you?"
>"Oh.. I couldn't ask you to do that for me" She muttered as her cheeks took on a rose tint and she looked away from you
>You chuckled and gave her a light squeeze on the shoulder, finding her embarrassment adorable
"C'mon, I don't mind, in fact I think I'd rather enjoy it"
>She glanced up, looking at your reflection in the mirror for a split second to see if you were being serious or not before looking back down at the floor again
>"A- Alright, if you're sure you don't mind..."
>You smiled as you repositioned yourself so that you were sat behind her, taking the brush in one hand and giving the other an experimental run through her mane
>There were quite a few knots and tangles that made you wince as you snagged them, expecting her to complain or tell you to stop, but she carried on sitting there patiently
"How have you been brushing it before now anyways?" You mused as you began to brush it properly
>"Well, it usually takes me a long time and a lot of effort, there's a certain knack to holding a brush without magic that I haven't quite gotten"
"I can tell, didn't take you for a contortionist before now"
>You gave her a sly smile as you met her gaze in the mirror, to which she gave an angry huff and glared at you as her cheeks glowed red again
>You continued brushing her mane in relative silence after that, deciding to focus on your task and relent on the teasing for a bit
>You brushed as carefully as you could, making sure not to tug the brush too much if it hit any snags, and taking extra precaution not to hit the stump of her horn
>before long the brush was gliding smoothly through her silky mane which was now free of any knots or clumps, and Lyra was sat with her eyes closed humming a happy tune to herself
>You let her enjoy herself for a little while longer before setting the brush down and running your fingers through her mane a few times, giving her ears a little rub as you did so
"All done"
>You gave her a squeeze from behind before she scooched closer to the mirror to admire your work
>"This is the smoothest its been in years!" She exclaimed, spinning around and tackling you in a hug, then firmly planting a kiss on your lips
>Her previous embarrassment at having you brush her mane had totally dissipated and was now overcome with joy after seeing the outcome
>Her happiness made you grin too, and you took it from her reaction that you would be doing this a lot more in the future
>Not that you minded in the slightest, you'd found the experience extremely relaxing and therapeutic, and it only helped the two of you bond even more
>As if reading your mind, Lyra released you from the kiss and looked down at you with a cocky expression
>"Wanna brush my tail too?"
"I'd love to"
>She then climbed off your chest and up onto the bed, sitting down and swishing her tail down over the edge so that you could brush it easier
>You quickly fell back into your brushing rhythm again as Lyra began humming another happy tune, and you could feel your mind relaxing as you focused on the simple repetitive task
>All too soon her tail was brushed out to the same silky standard as her mane, and you gave her a gentle pat on the rump as you stood up and stretched your legs
>You both admired her appearance, her entire being seeming more lively and radiant as she bubbled with happiness
>"I'd almost forgotten what my mane and tail look like when they're brushed properly, I've just been used to looking dishevelled for so long. I feel like I'm about to go on a date..."
"Yeah you look alright I guess... OW!" You yelled as she slugged you hard in your non-prosthetic leg
"Alright fine, you look gorgeous"
>You gave your sore leg a rub, thinking about what she'd said
>You couldn't really take her out on a date, though you wished you could
>For one you didn't know any restaurants that allowed ponies inside, and secondly you didn't actually know if your relationship was even legal, and you'd rather not find out the hard way
>Maybe you could set up some sort of romantic date night here in the house, cook her a nice meal and get some candles and flowers or something
>It'd probably be really corny and awkward, but hopefully she'd appreciate the gesture
>You mind was brought back to reality as Lyra spoke again
>"Guess we'd better get ready to go into town now"
"Oh... yeah"
>You rubbed the back of your neck bashfully, the entire day's plan having slipped your mind whilst you brushed her
>You finished getting ready, putting on a jacket and grabbing your keys, wallet and some bags before leaving your house with Lyra leading the way
>You had to move at a jog to keep pace with her as she pranced down the road happily, humming another merry tune
>You'd become slightly out of shape since your leg was blown off, not unfit by any means but you were panting slightly as you ran after her
>Despite the exertion you had a massive grin plastered on your face, finding Lyra's cheer infectious
>Every day that passed she seemed more like her true self, how you imagine she was before the war took everything from her
>The country roads that snaked down the hillside from your house to the town were peaceful, being rarely travelled except by farmers and the few people who lived around here
>As you came closer to the town and there were more people about her energy and excitement became more subdued, not wanting to draw unneeded attention to herself, though she still had a spring in her step as she walked closer to you, leaning against your side a little
>As always your equine companion attracted glares and suspicious looks from passersby
>It made you somewhat anxious, not wanting another confrontation, however Lyra didn't seem to be letting it get to her
>Your first order of business was to go order a gravestone engraving from the local funeralcare service, after which you were just getting standard groceries and essentials 
>The funeralcare place was just on the outskirts of the town centre so the area had avoided some of the harshest of the bombing, though there was still noticeable damage to many of the buildings
>Your mood was a little more sombre as you entered the place, reality taking a firmer grip of your mind
>The guy at the desk, some guy probably in his lat 40s wearing a suit, looked worn out and fairly depressed
>As he looked up at you he gave a quick glance at Lyra beside you and his features seemed to contort into a glare for a split second before returning to his previous ragged stare
>"What can I do for ya?" He sighed
>You told him of your need for a gravestone, and he showed you an available selection on his computer screen
>You settled for a fairly simple one made of white granite, nothing extravagant or over the top but still modestly impressive
>"And what'll be the engraving on that?" The man said as he input the information on the computer
>You'd decided to keep it short and sweet, you couldn't really make any grand statement about her since you didn't know her properly, but you hoped it would do her justice
"Here lies Sun Striker-"
>"Sun Striker!?" The man cut you off
>"This for a special slave or something?" He sneered, and you saw him glance down at Lyra again, the disgust on his face more apparent
>You felt anger beginning to boil within you, but tried to quell it to avoid causing another scene
"She was not a slave"
>You said through clenched teeth
>"Slave, pet, sex toy, same fucking thing" He laughed, his voice dripping with hostility
>You balled your fists and took an aggressive step towards him, ready to give him a piece of your mind, but Lyra's concerned stare halted you
>She was clearly scared of another fight starting and you didn't want to put her in harm's way by causing trouble
>You sighed as you felt your rage subside, it wasn't worth getting so worked up over
"Look, are you gonna do the engraving or not? It's a waste of both of our times to argue about this"
>The man opened his mouth to reply, but then stopped and seemed to consider his words more carefully
>He appeared to visibly deflate as he slumped into his chair and ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long drawn out sigh
>"Yeah don't worry I'll do it. Sorry for snapping at you, I just get a lot of people come in here that've lost loved ones to these fuckers. It builds up in ya y'know?"
>You could appreciate where the guy was coming from, having to deal with grieving families and widows every day sounded like a rough job
"it's alright, I get it. Bet business is booming for you right now eh?"
>He gave a quick snort at your dark joke, sitting back up in his desk
>"Yeah, anyways what was it you wanted engraving on the stone?"
"Here lies Sun Striker, may her spirit remain free and unbroken"
>He typed it into the computer, telling you that it would be ready in a few days
>You'd have to use your truck to come pick it up since it was too heavy to carry, which meant spending a bunch on fuel since shortages had driven the price up, though it was still cheaper than delivery
>You paid for the gravestone and left the place quickly, not wanting to be trapped in that depressing atmosphere any longer
>When you came out, Lyra's cheer seemed to come back a bit as she smiled up at you
>"I'm glad you didn't hit him"
>You smiled down at her bashfully and patted her on the head
"I don't go around thumping every person I speak to y'know?"
>"Still, that last guy..." She giggled and then trailed off
"That last guy was just being a dick and trying to start shit, the dude in there who deals with grief and loss every day has more of a reason to be pissed, I get where he's coming from"
>Lyra looked thoughtful for a while as you set off walking again to go pick up groceries and a picture frame
>After a few minutes of silence you decided to speak up as something was clearly troubling her
"What's up Lyra? You've been frowning at the floor for a while now"
>It was a few seconds before she actually spoke, her brow was furrowed and her face scrunched up like she was really thinking about what she was going to say
>"I just... I never thought about the way humans truly felt about the war much until now. I always sort of assumed that you were an exception and that everyone else supported the war and hated ponies. I never really considered the fact that humans mourn and grieve the same way we do and that the soldiers who die are all someone's child or dad or special someone and will be missed just like we miss our loved ones..."
>She looked up at you seeming on the verge of tears but keeping herself together in public
>"That man in there... the war seemed to be eating him alive and he never even had to fight, and then I realised how many other humans must feel the same way. I feel horrible for thinking that your people didn't care or weren't affected much by it"
"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it, it's only natural to think that way"
>She looked up at you with a confused expression that begged you to elaborate
"It's normal to demonise your enemy, make them out to be monsters that don't feel, don't know love or compassion or feel grief and loss. If you didn't you wouldn't be able to kill them, and once you're done killing them it would make it really fucking hard to live with yourself after. It doesn't make you a bad pony or person, it's a normal coping mechanism."
>"I've just never shown such little compassion for another living species before..."
"I don't really think there's too much compassion going around anywhere in the world right now to be honest Lyra. I don't think I'd feel too much compassion towards another species that appeared on my world one day and immediately started a war with us."
>Your attempt to cheer her up was shitty, you didn't really know what you could say to make her feel better, it was just one of those things that gets better with time
>By this point your shopping was pretty much done as you had been walking and talking the whole way and you didn't have that much to get, so you decided to get Lyra a little treat to pep her up a bit
>There was a bakery open selling fresh sweet pastries that were priced remarkably reasonably, so you grabbed a few to eat on your way home
>You wandered back through the streets happily munching on your treat and glanced down to see how Lyra was enjoying hers
>To your confusion she hadn't even touched it yet, it was still in the paper bag clenched in her teeth
>Then you facepalmed at your own stupidity
>How was she supposed to walk and eat it at the same time? She used all her legs for walking and couldn't do magic with a broken horn
"Here, I got an idea" You said as you stopped and bent down
>She let out a surprised squeak as you grabbed her and hoisted her up onto your shoulders
>"W-what are you doing Anon?"
"This way you can eat whilst we move" You chuckled as she squirmed about on your shoulders
>"I could've just saved it 'til we got home, you don't have to carry me!"
"Hey come on you're getting a free piggy-back, quit complaining. Plus are you telling me that you wouldn't rather eat it whilst it's hot and fresh?"
>Her response was some undecipherable grumbling, something along the lines of people watching and being super embarrassed, but the sounds of chewing and crumbs falling down the back of your neck a few minutes later told you she accepted her fate
>You were getting a lot of odd looks from people as you walked by with the mint green unicorn perched on your shoulders eating her pastry
>Some stared in bewilderment and confusion, others glared her down angrily, muttering things under their breath
>Neither of you gave a shit though, let them think what they want
>"So this is what the weather's like up here" Lyra joked, and you could picture the goofy grin she had on her face
"I'm not even gonna give that one a pity laugh Lyra, try harder" You replied, thankful that she couldn't see your own smile betraying what you'd just told her
>"Aww c'mon Anon" She huffed
"I'm serious, that joke was lame, try another one"
>The rest of the journey home was spent with the both of you cracking some of the worst jokes and puns you could think of
>You barely even realised until you reached your front door that Lyra was still on your shoulders; you'd given her a piggy back all the way home
>It wasn't like she was heavy- she weighed about the same as a child and you were used to carrying a bergan and other gear- you just expected her to protest and get down at some point
>You unlocked the door and then bent down so that she could hop off you, then followed her inside
>It was early evening already so you both set about making dinner straight away, chatting to each other as you did so
>After eating you spent the rest of the evening in the same way you spent most others- you stuck a movie on and then laid down on the couch with Lyra curled up on top of you
>As per usual she was fast asleep by the end of the film so you carried her off to bed and tucked yourself in next to her
>Your dreams had been getting a lot more pleasant since you started sleeping together, the feeling of a warm body pressed against your own seeming to calm your subconscious
>Nightmares were less frequent for both of you, and even when you did have them it was a lot better having someone there to calm you down again and lull you back to sleep
>You squeezed her close to you and pressed your face into her mane, smiling as you drifted off
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--3 days later--
>You'd finally got the message that the gravestone was engraved and ready to collect so you got up a little earlier to get ready
>You wanted to pick some other stuff up as well for something special you had planned later on, so you made up some bullshit excuse to keep Lyra at home
>Told her that there was too much housework and gardening that needed doing, which to be fair there was some as you'd spent the last few days being lazy and doing bugger all
>So here you were, trying to drive your shitty old truck without crashing it, cursing and swearing all the way into town
>You'd had it for ages, it used to be your dad's for ages until he was killed so it was pretty old, but still reliable nonetheless
>You just couldn't drive for shit since losing your leg
>You'd learnt again after getting your prosthetic but never really drove it since fuel prices were through the roof and most places were within walking distance
>It mostly just sat around gathering dust except for odd errands like this where you were picking up heavy shit or going long distance
>Thankfully the roads were quiet so you didn't hit anyone as you lurched and swerved all over the place, though you did have a couple of near misses and scraped a wall once
>Your bones were feeling a little rattled as you pulled up outside the funeralcare place, but the truck was still thankfully intact
>You strolled inside and immediately spotted the old guy slouched at his desk, looking depressed as ever
>He recognised you as you walked in and seemed to perk up a bit, if only to appear a little more professional
>Hard to forget the only guy who dared walk in not only with a pony, but also to buy a gravestone for one
>He welcomed you and asked you to wait in the room for a minute as he went to get another coworker from the back who would help you lift the heavy stone into the back of your truck
>A short while later he came out with a much younger looking man, probably mid 20s by your guess
>He shook your hand and then you both went to go lift the gravestone, making some small talk along the way
>"You got some nerve ordering one of these for a pony you know?"
>His tone wasn't hostile, slightly amused if anything, and he wasn't exactly wrong in what he was saying
"Yeah I probably do, still, they're sapient and have similar customs to us, I respect the dead of both sides"
>He gave you a quick look of doubt but didn't push you any further on it, so you decided to ask him a question of your own
"So how come you haven't been drafted? You definitely look the right age and build"
>"Asthma" He sighed
>"I run more than 200 metres and I can hardly breathe... my buddies got drafted though, almost everyone I grew up with is out there fighting. Few of them have died too"
"I'm s-"
>"don't be sorry dude," He cut you off
>"Everybody's lost someone, and it helps no one to walk around being sorry about everything"
>You gave him a nod of respect as you finished loading the cumbersome object into the back of your truck, then shook his hand and thanked him before he departed
>It made a refreshing change to meet someone who hadn't let grief and bitterness about the war consume them, who still thought clearly and positively
>You strapped the stone down and then left the truck parked there as you walked further into town to pick up the rest of what you wanted
>You deliberately hadn't mentioned anything to Lyra about it because you wanted it to be a surprise, but you were planning on a romantic meal for the two of you at home
>It sounded cheesy and you were half convinced that she would laugh at you for it, but it wasn't as if you could take her out anywhere and you hoped she would appreciate the gesture
>You'd been stuck thinking for ages about what food to make for the meal, what she liked and disliked and what would even pass as a romantic meal
>It wasn't as if you could just make pizza and chips, much as you might be tempted to
>You didn't even know if any sort of food was considered romantic in pony culture; didn't they eat flowers and stuff sometimes?
>In the end you went for Italian, that seemed to always work for people and it was one of your personal favourites
>You'd settled on a pasta dish, sort of a vegetarian ravioli stuffed with spinach and cheese with a tomato sauce
>Serve that with some garlic bread and a pavlova for dessert and you had a bloody good meal hopefully
>You strolled about town gathering the ingredients you needed, as well as some candles and flowers to help set the mood a little better, or maybe to eat if flowers were actually a part of pony cuisine
>Everything about this felt like some teenager's shitty attempt at a first date, but honestly you had no other ideas
>You were bad at romance as it was, and all of your ideas consisted of going out to some place which obviously wasn't a possibility, so you were making the best with what you had
>Honestly you felt really nervous about the whole thing, though at least she couldn't run out on you whilst she pretended to go to the bathroom or something
>Still, it would make it really awkward living with her if you fucked it up and made an arse out of yourself
>You smacked your head and mentally scolded yourself for letting such silly thoughts run around in your mind
>Lyra was far too sweet to do anything bitchy or inconsiderate; you were sure she'd enjoy it as long as you didn't burn it or anything dumb like that, and the romantic atmosphere would make a change to the usual which flicked between depression and goofing off
>You finished buying the last of the items you needed and left the store, ready to get back in your truck and get back home
>As you stepped out you noticed that the street was oddly clear and your stomach turned slightly as panic began to well
>Alarm bells were going off in your head as you scanned the roofs and the windows, expecting gunfire and explosions to come from anywhere
>Your fears were abated swiftly however as you noticed military personnel clearing the streets to make way for a convoy that was rolling through, civilians filtering off down side streets to get out of their way
>You stood to the side and watched as they rolled past, a few looked on with curiosity but most just got out of the way, eager to carry on with their day
>Convoys came through pretty regularly, it wasn't a special occasion or anything, just military gear getting transported from A to B
>You did notice that the soldiers looked a little more pissed off than usual though- stern faces, some of them shouting at civilians to stay back; two of them were having a massive argument in the front of their vehicle
>You wondered what was making their day so sour- it's not like they were fresh off the front if they were running convoys and they weren't heavily armed so obviously they weren't heading into a war zone
>Most of the vehicles were standard troop transport trucks with a couple of Humvees as lead and rear
>Another thing about this that struck you as odd; all the transports were covered with their flaps down, not even the odd guy having a smoke out of the back
>in this weather you wouldn't even expect them to have covers on, much less all the flaps tightly shut
>You watched on with your brow furrowed slightly as the line of vehicles made its way past you
>As the last transport rolled past you thought you could hear muffled shouting from inside it and turned your head just as the rear flap burst open
>You saw a soldier in the back being overpowered by a couple of ponies, his buddy on the opposite bench looking like he'd already had his throat slit
>One of them jumped out into the street, making a mad dash for freedom
>You winced as you heard his leg crunch as he landed, the limb twisting at a sickening angle
>A couple more ponies jumped out after him, these landing safer, who then tried to drag their fallen friend off
>By now the other guy in the back was dead too and the rear vehicle had slammed to a halt as infantry dismounted to apprehend the escaping ponies
>No one had opened fire yet as there were still some civilians in the street, but most had the good sense to flee or take cover by now
>You yourself were crouched in the doorway of the store watching the scene unfold with morbid curiosity, unable to tear your eyes away
>About 6 ponies in total had jumped out of the back, two of them dragging the one that had broken his leg whilst the others bolted in random directions
>By now the street was clear enough for the soldiers to open fire, and immediately the .50 cal on the rear Humvee opened up with a deafening roar that sounded like rolling thunder
>As you watched, the ponies dragging their friend were ripped to bloody chunks, pieces of their bodies literally flying off as the heavy machine gun disintegrated them at point blank range
>Two of the fleeing ponies split into different alleys as bullets cracked off the walls around them, but from what you saw neither of them got hit
>Each one was being pursued by a fireteam, cursing and swearing as their bullets seemed to hit everything except the small equines they were trying to gun down
>As they vanished your attention was brought back to one mare who thought she could outsmart the soldiers by sprinting underneath the halted convoy, darting between the massive wheels and using them as cover
>A couple of gung-ho grunts opened up on her regardless, blowing out the tyres of a few of their own vehicles as they let loose
>As she dived out to dip into an alley she seemed to fall and a spray of blood erupted from her side, splattering the wall next to her
>She'd caught a round right in the cutie mark and her back legs gave out, seemingly paralysed
>She looked down at the wound, then looked around in desperation before a volley of rifle fire put several more holes in her, ending her suffering once and for all
>"Woooo got the bitch!" You heard one of the soldiers shouting as they all regrouped to take stock of the situation
>You saw their commander dismount from his vehicle, looking royally pissed off as he started barking orders to the rest of the men
>His ass was definitely in for a thorough chewing out from the higher-ups later, and you certainly didn't envy him
>The two dead soldiers were dragged from the back of the transport, and you noticed that several ponies were still huddled inside, either too scared or physically unable to flee
>The commander broke off his bollocking as he strode over to the vehicle, leaning into the back with malice in his eyes
>"I warned you fuckers!" He screamed as he chucked a grenade into the back before jumping down and taking cover behind another vehicle
>There were muffled shrieks of fear and confusion and you saw the fabric bulge as ponies tried to claw their way through it
>Then there was a sudden boom, followed by silence as smoke drifted out through the gaps in the fabric
>You fought the urge to be sick as he climbed into the back again and there were several gunshots as he finished the job off
>Unable to witness any more, you quickly darted down a side street so that you could get around the convoy and get home
>You hurried back to your truck, your mind completely focused on getting home; back to Lyra and away from this cursed town
>The streets were relatively clear now, most people having hurried off or hidden inside after the cacophony of gunshots
>Your driving became even more reckless due to the adrenaline still coursing through your body and you lurched and bounced in your seat as you bombed it down the deserted roads
>As you drove you thought you could hear something bouncing around in the back- probably didn't strap the stone down hard enough
>You forced yourself to slow down and focus, not wanting to damage the item that had brought you on this journey in the first place
>The drive was brief, and it was mid afternoon when you arrived back at your rural home
>As you climbed out of your truck you spotted Lyra in the small orchard a short way away and waved at her
>She gave you a smile and a short wave back before returning to what she was doing- trying to buck apples off the trees or pick them off the low hanging branches
>She was struggling quite a bit, so being the helpful guy you were you stood and watched her for a while with an amused expression, finding her attempts pretty cute to watch
>After a couple of minutes watching her you headed inside to make yourself some lunch
>Your mood had been lifted somewhat by seeing Lyra, though the memory of what you saw in town still gnawed at your mind
>Nevertheless you hummed a happy tune as you put the groceries away and made yourself some cheese and salad sandwiches to eat
>It was past lunch time, so you assumed Lyra had eaten already and didn't bother to make her anything
>You sat in the living room as you ate, waiting for Lyra to finish up and come inside so she could help you lift the gravestone out of the truck
>If she still hadn't come in by the time you'd eaten you'd go out and lend her a hand
>You were just finishing your sandwiches when you heard a faint rumble coming from outside
>You turned your head towards the window in confusion- sounded like engine noises
>Multiple large vehicles, not just cars
>You walked to the front door, confusion and anticipation growing within you
>As you opened the door your stomach knotted as you saw a squad of soldiers dismounting from a couple of Humvees that had pulled up on the road outside
>They spread out along your property as the squad leader- probably just a 2nd Lieutenant- approached you
>You glanced around nervously as he strode towards you, wondering where the fuck Lyra was
>You couldn't see her in the orchard, nor any of the fields around it, and she hadn't come back into the house
>You began to sweat nervously
>"Afternoon sir" The officer began as he came close
>"We've tracked an escaped pony to this area, and we have reason to believe it might be on your property. I'd like to request that you stay inside whilst my men and I search the area"
>Fuck, if they found Lyra she's dead, you knew for sure they weren't gonna care which pony they found as long as they got one, in fact even if she was with you they'd probably just shoot her and pay you the money back later
>Private ownership of ponies had dubious legality even though it was common, the rules surrounding it were mostly unwritten so there really was nothing to stop them from just killing her and leaving
"Th-that won't be necessary sir" You stuttered as you tried to convince him to leave
"I've been outside most of the day and haven't seen one, plus if there is one I can deal with it myself, I have a gun in the cabinet back there"
>Your attempt was pretty pathetic and the officer refused to accept it
>"Sorry sir but we have solid intel that a pony is hiding in the vicinity, its probably scared and extremely dangerous, and it's crucial that it is found and dealt with as soon as possible"
"Alright fine... just don't go damaging my property ok?"
>You said that last bit in the hopes that they wouldn't go in guns blazing at anything that looked suspicious, throwing grenades all over the place
>It might give Lyra a bit more of a chance to evade them and survive
>"Very good sir, we'll try to be quick and rest assured the army will pay for any damage caused. Now please stay inside whilst we search the area"
>With that he turned around and walked back to his men as you hurriedly slammed the door and began to have a mental breakdown
>What the fuck were you going to do?
>Lyra was out there being hunted like an animal whilst you were stuck inside
>You could go out and try to find her first but if the soldiers saw you they'd probably escort you back inside and keep you guarded, probably with some uncomfortable questioning and rough handling to go along with it
>You couldn't fight them either, that'd just wind up with you dead or in jail
>There was really no option other than to sit and wait, and hope that by some miracle Lyra managed to evade the patrol
>Your hands trembled and you felt dizzy and nauseous as you ran around the house checking out of every window to glimpse what was going on, or to see if Lyra had managed to sneak back to the house
>Your heart managed to sink even further and dread overwhelmed you as you saw a helicopter floating over the area, the droning hum of its blades boring into your mind
>You collapsed to the floor and wept openly, seeing no possible way that she could make it out alive now
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Be Lyra
>You'd seen the human military vehicles coming up the road whilst you were in the orchard, but much too late to run back to the house without being seen
>Why were they here?
>Were they coming to take you away from Anon? To take you away and force you to work in the mines or the factories to support the war effort?
>Whatever their reason for being here, your gut told you that there would be serious trouble if they found you
>Without any further hesitation you turned and bolted in the opposite direction
>You didn't know where you were going, you hadn't really had the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas fully and panic rose as you realised that you didn't know any good hiding places that weren't in the house or its immediate vicinity
>Regardless you carried on galloping, wanting to put as much distance between them and yourself as possible
>You reached the end of Anon's land quickly- he didn't own much, and soon you were in fields of wheat that belonged to one of the farmers of the surrounding area
>Your breath was ragged as you ran for your life
>The wheat was thick, snagging at you and slowing you down, but thankfully you were fleeing downhill now
>As you approached the edge of the field your ears flicked and turned towards some strange new noise that was filling the air
>You looked up and instantly your legs turned to jelly as you saw one of those human flying contraptions
>You'd seen them before, and terror surged through your mind as you remembered them raining missiles and bullets the size of your horn, disintegrating whatever they hit
>The flying machine was heading right for you, obviously seeing the trail you'd left through the wheat field and following you
>You let out a shrill squeal of terror as you scrabbled over the stone wall at the end of the field, just waiting for the sudden roar of its gun or whoosh of a missile that heralded your doom
>As you flopped down on the other side you noticed the terrain got steeper, heading down into a forested valley
>A faint hope blossomed in your heart, knowing that if you made it there you could hide from the flying death machine, and then it would be just a matter of evading the soldiers on the ground
>Still a difficult task, but at least your problem would be halved
>You galloped for all you were worth, the blood pounding in your ears as your hooves thundered across the ground
>You were nearing your limit, exhaustion threatening to overcome you, and you knew that you were only running on pure adrenaline now
>Still you pressed on, and finally you made it to the treeline as the angry drone of the machine flew past overhead
>You were rewarded with an extra burst of adrenaline for your accomplishment, allowing you to push further on into the forest
>You slowed your pace to a fast trot now that you were alone, trying to get some of your breath back 
>Your lungs burned and your breath came in out in ragged pants, making it hard to focus
>You scanned your surroundings looking for somewhere to hide- a hollow tree, thick shrubs, anything you could conceal yourself in so that your bright aquamarine coat couldn't be seen from afar
>Your searching became more frantic, finding nothing that could easily conceal you on the steep forested slope into the valley
>Your fur stood on end as you began to hear distant voices, and you let out a small "eep" of terror as you set off galloping at full speed again
>You were so focused on putting distance between yourself and the voices that you didn't notice the sudden small cliff that you were heading towards until the last second
>Your hooves skidded and clawed for purchase as you tried to stop, but your momentum kept carrying you forwards
>Just as you began to drop over the edge you felt a tremble in the earth, and for a moment you were totally weightless, your stomach leaping into your mouth as the dirt ridge collapsed
>Your shrill scream was muffled somewhat by the sound of earth and rocks crashing down around you and branches snapping as you plummeted
>You flailed your limbs around in panic, trying to grab onto anything solid, though finding nothing to stop your fall
>Suddenly your body collided with the ground, belly first, and the air was slammed out of your lungs
>Your rear left leg twisted painfully, and you gasped and wheezed as pain exploded through your mind, unable to scream after being winded
>You kept gasping, desperately needing air in your burning lungs, but each time you took a breath your mouth was filled with dirt and debris, making you splutter even more
>Cold terror was all that you felt as the cliff kept collapsing around you, dirt piling over your prone form, burying you alive
>You were completely covered, a single eye and half of your muzzle the only parts of you left protruding from the earth
>You blinked your eye rapidly, trying to clear the dirt that was in it, and forced yourself to slow your breathing so that you stopped sucking dirt into your nostrils
>You struggled slightly, each movement sending jolts of pain through your battered body and twisted leg, the earth burying your moans of pain and flooding your mouth with more soil
>Your eyes began to water as you started to cry, the sheer hopelessness of your situation setting in
>Buried alive, barely able to see or breathe and with a group of soldiers closing in on you
>They must have heard your scream of surprise and fright, and the sound of the ground collapsing on top of that
>To confirm this, you heard the muffled rhythmic thump of boots hitting the ground and careless snapping of twigs as one of them came to check the area out
>"Hey, over here!" You heard him shout, the disembodied voice sounding almost as if it was underwater because of the dirt covering your ears
>This was it, your fate was sealed
>This was where you met your end
>You couldn't think of Equestria, your family or friends, not even Bonbon or Anon, the horrifying fear you felt drowning out your ability to think of anything
>All you could do was screw your eyes shut and wait for the inevitable as multiple sets of boots converged on your location
>"It definitely came through here, keep your eyes peeled guys"
>The voices were much louder now
>Your heart felt like it was pounding out of your chest, so loud you felt they'd be able to hear it, or feel the ground trembling as it slammed against your rib cage
>Time moved agonisingly slowly as the boots shuffled around, almost as if they wanted to prolong your misery and drag out your suffering as much as they could
>You almost felt like trying to raise your head out of the ground and shout them over, beg for them to get it over with
>You felt like you were going to explode from the sheer amount of tension
>"Ha! There it is!"
>The sudden shout made your heart stop and your breath hitch 
>Oh Celestia you weren't ready, you didn't want to die, not like this
>The boots converged together, and though your eyes were screwed shut tight you knew they were all looking at you, buried and unable to flee
>"What should we do with her sir?"
>There was a brief moment of silence as they considered your fate
>.........
>"Shoot the bitch, she's given us enough hassle as it is. Command won't give a shit whether she's live or dead"
>"Aye sir!"
>There was a shuffling as everyone got out of the way, giving your executioner a clear shot
>You kept your eyes screwed shut, unable to witness your fate or look upon the face of your executioner
>"Off to pony hell with you bitch!"
>....
*BANG*
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