...

Strawberry opened her eyes.

Sun...

Shining brightly.

...

She stood up, the heat of the sand prompting her to do so faster. She rose up and looked around herself...

Spring Song and Muffin Hearth played volleyball over a makeshift net, with a hail Mary from the mare allowing her to slide just under the ball before it landed, before kicking it up in the air, and then striking it down with all her might. The sheer strength scared Spring Song, who found himself jumping out of the way and allowing the ball to fall on his side. Cheering, Muffin Hearth raised her hooves into the ground, and took a victory lap as she ran into the water, and jumped in.

Garaway took to the grill, having propped it up a bit farther from the fiery game of volleyball. For himself he operated it to sate his omnivorous tendencies, but he knew that his pony friends wouldn't process the meat, so he made sure to separate the sausages and greens. While one talon held a bottle of cider, the other held the spatula that his digits gave him perfect operation of.

And finally, Sky Salt and Oak Root enjoyed their time at a bar stand, with an umbrella propped directly above to prevent the sun from falling on the refrigerated drinks, while the commander was happily mixing.

"..." Strawberry sighed in relief. It was all a dream. That's good...

...

She needed time to collect her thoughts. She must have been so tired the last few weeks that she couldn't even remember when they got to the beach. They were due for vacation, that much she knew. But she perhaps couldn't believe that she finally got the rest. And after such a nightmare, she truly felt like she had a bit of a kick in the head.

"Look who's awake." Smiled Sky Salt, standing aside. "I hope you're ready 'cause Lieutenant's about to show us whether those margaritas he's been hyping us up for are the real deal, or he's been bullshittin' us just to motivate us through the winter."

"They're the real deal as long as you don't drink it like a dumb teen and chug the things." The older stallion chuckled. "But yeah, they're ready. Grab a seat, Straw."

Strawberry nodded slightly and made her way over to the bar. She sat herself on the stool, gazing over the bar. She chuckled, noticing that whoever stocked it, seemed to have done it intentionally to house the drinks that the squad enjoyed the most. Gin for Sky Salt, Tequila for Oak, Cider for Garaway, Rum for Spring Song...and cherry juice for Muffin Hearth.

Strawberry frowned however. Why wasn't her drink here? She liked whiskey - from Kiria, to be exact. Yet there was none to be seen here. Did she just forget to bring it up?

...

While Oak mixed the drinks, Strawberry looked around at their environment. The beach was quiet - the only sounds being the wild volleyball game between Muffin and Spring, the sizzling of Garaway's grill, the sloshing of Oak's drinks...

And the breeze.

...Oddly, it felt as if the waves weren't making much of a noise. She looked up at the sky.

The hot sun glared upon them, with only the slightest cover of clouds. However, there was another portion of sky. She wasn't sure why, but she felt as if one direction could be considered as ... "behind".

And that area, which she believed to be far behind them, was full of thick clouds. As if underneath that part of the skies it was...winter time.

...

Strawberry blankly looked down at the sand below.

...

"Sir..." Strawberry raised her head. "...Where are we...?"

"..." Sky Salt chuckled softly, taking a sip of his drink.

The commander sighed softly. He continued making the drink, ignoring her question. This...was not a good sign for Strawberry. She leaned in, getting closer to Oak.

"Hey, commander, come on...I-I think I got heat stroke or something, j-just tell me where--"

Oak set down the glass on the table. There it was - a finished margarita, almost glowing with how well it was put together and mixed. She looked at the drink, and gazed into it. The older stallion softly sighed, and parted his lips to speak.

"...Sunny Shores." He said.

...

"Wait, I-I don't get it..." Strawberry sat still as she stared at the glass. That name...Why...Why did it sound familiar? She first heard it when...when...

"Wait..." Strawberry swallowed nervously, getting off of the stool and backing up. "Wait, hold on...N-No, wait...We...Weren't we on the border and...Didn't--"

"...Strawberry, relax. Have a margarita..." Oak whispered, but the mare felt her alarm intensify.

"No...Y-Yeah, yeah, that's it...We...We were holding back against..."

Despite the sweltering heat, she felt her blood freeze - even if there was no blood to be frozen.

"VRPONSKO!" She cried out suddenly - her shrill scream able to catch the attention of the other squad mates on the beach. All heads turned to her - except for Oak's and Sky Salt's, who looked away with an expression of...guilt.

Oak shuddered at the fact he had to speak. "Strawberry, relax...Just dri-"

"What happened!?" She cried out, pounding a hoof on the bar counter. "I'm not going crazy! It wasn't a dream! We...We were there! We were fighting off those griffon fuckers! We...I-...I-Is this what shellshock is!? I'm just having flashbacks, r-right? I'm...I'm just remembering things, right, commander?" She said, her attempt to smile looking more like a wavering line. "I-I mean, it...it's gotta be that, I...It..."

"Strawberry, listen..." Softly whispered Sky Salt.

"But why can't I remember what happened in the end?" Strawberry whimpered. "I've got memory loss, r-right? Is that what happened? Because...I-If...If it's not that...Then...Then this place..."

"..." Oak looked at Strawberry with a deep frown. It was his mistake - for she saw his expression. It made her think harder. Too hard.

She whispered to herself - the words she heard on the evening before the declaration of war. "...Sunny Shores...The beach that...you don't know when you visit it..."

"..."

"This...This place is..."

"Strawberry." Oak softly said, and slid the glass closer to her. "...Come on. Have a margarita..."

...

She took the slightest sip.

It tasted heavenly.

...

"..." She hadn't realized the moment that the squad began to approach and surround her. Only when she saw the shimmering reflection of their manes and Garaway's feathers did she see that apart from Oak at the bar counter, all were now standing behind her in a half circle. Each of them gave her a look - one that was a mix of sadness, and yet a sense of pride...and warmth.

...

Strawberry turned to Oak. "...Did...We do well...Sir?"

"..." He was finally able to smile. "Better than I could have ever asked. But...You shouldn't be asking this question. Not yet."

"Wait, what?"

Sky Salt chuckled, putting a hoof on her shoulder, prompting her to slowly turn around. When she did, he continued speaking. "I mean, after all - you shouldn't be asking for feedback 'till the job's done."

Strawberry felt like a deer in headlights. What did any of this mean?

Garaway's talon suddenly went in to ruffle her mane. "Besides, you're the one who's got someone waiting on ya back home, y'know. There's nothing scarier than a pissed off dad when you don't come home on time, and a sibling to hype him on."

The pink mare shook her head - first slowly, then faster. She was so confused - so lost. "But I'm...I'm here...Where do I go? I'm...I'm gonna be here. With you! Right, guys?...G-Guys?"

Spring Song softly smiled at her. "Strawberry, look at the bar. They haven't stocked any of the stuff you enjoy drinking. What do you think that means?"

"But..." Strawberry tried to speak past a rapidly drying throat. "No...No, guys, wait--"

"I'm happy..." Sniffled Muffin Hearth, rubbing her eyes. "That...At-least you were able to make it through okay, dear. I'm not--...wasn't the worst medic in River's history in the end, ,after all..."

"Muffin, don't...say...that..." Strawberry shook softly, her jaw jittering in a reflexive attempt not to break down. Like a child without any options, she turned to Oak. "Lieutenant...Oak...P-please! I...I can't leave you, guys! Don't do this to me!"

"Well now..." Garaway grinned, coming closer to her and wrapping one talon around her shoulder. "The Strawberry I know would say something like..." He coughed to put on his best mare imitation. "You guys are real sentimental. Stop crying and pass the cigarettes." He laughed, using his talon to flick her on the muzzle. "C'mon - you know we wanna hear you cuss us out just one last time, short-fuse."

"No!" Strawberry cried out, suddenly burying her face in Garaway's chest. "I didn't mean any of it! Guys, I...I'm sorry! I acted like such a bitch...B-But it wasn't...I...Didn't...mean..."

Muffin Hearth came in from behind to hug her, her warmness enveloping the little mare. Despite this heat, she didn't feel a single drop of sweat. "There, there, dear...We know. We always discussed how despite your gruff exterior, you always were one of the kindest ponies we've known. I remember how you used to pick up the heaviest backpacks so that someone else wouldn't have to..."

Garaway chuckled, wrapping his talons around Strawberry to hug her from the front. "Or how ya punched another squad's lieutenant for talking smack about me for bein' a griffon. Oak was pissed about all the formal bullshit he had to go through to avoid you bein' court martialed, but the whole time I remember he muttered something about blessing you, cause he wanted to do it himself."

"Or..." Chuckled Spring Song as he gently hugged them all from the side. "The fact that you stood by my medical tent for a whole week after the training accident, and nearly beat a medic up for trying to weasel out of using painkillers on me."

"Matter of fact..." Sky Salt chuckled softly. "We became friends because of you. We really got to talking through discussing you. How we used to speak about that fiery mare who always got in trouble for our sakes..."

"..." Strawberry was at a loss for words, only able to stay there, hug...and gently shake.

Sky Salt smiled. "We're proud to have been with you, Strawberry. Dying is something writers just love to compare to coldness and nothingness. But y'know...At-least knowing that in the final moments of our lives we got the chance to hang out with you..." He sipped his drink, the whole time staring at the warm sun above. "I can't call this cold at all. You've really given us some warmth, Strawberry."

"And now..." Oak smiled warmly at her. "I want you to go home with this warmth within your heart. No matter how much you hate the world or what happens, you've got friends and family. If those alicorns westwards preach it and made a religion out of it, I suppose nothing stops you from considering it a philosophy. Remember that there's always someone for you...And knowing that just like this, the roads may diverge..."

He leaned over to put his hoof on her mane, and gently pet it.

His smile was now proud. "...I just want you to learn how to capture this warmth and cherish it. The lives of those you care about can't be taken for granted. But that's good - because at-least those experiences have more meaning and more value. When you go home, Strawberry...Hug your sis and dad for me. Okay?"

She had to take a moment to wipe the tears off her face, like a child. "...S-..." She sniffled. "Sir...Yes..." Sob. "...Sir..."

He smiled at her, and leaned back to the bar counter. "Now...You know you're not that badly banged up down there, right? Hurry up and drink - we wanna have one last one with you before we're gonna have to wait a long time for ya."

The mare gazed at him, and nodded. Her hoof went in to wrap itself around the glass.

"Yeah, honestly..." Garaway chuckled, raising his bottle. "You're lucky those birdbrained bastards can't zero artillery for shit - you were a few meters away from becoming a..."

"You're a bastard." Spring sighed, anticipating what the griffon was going to say.

"A Strawberry smoothie!"

"You motherfucker!" Strawberry began to laugh past the tears. This prompted Garaway to cheer, raising his glass into the air.

"Hell yes!" He cried out. "That's the Strawberry I know! Now come on, drink up!"

With the glasses raised, the squad all drank - and finally, they embraced the pink mare. She allowed their warmth to envelop her. She could feel, even with closed eyes, who was who.

She whispered. "...Spring Song. Sky Salt. Garaway. Muffin Hearth...Oak Root." She softly said. "...Thank you."

The warmth began to fade - and coldness overtook her.