9/15/97…

1535 Hours…

Open Waters…

POV: 1stLt. Samuel J. Stone

Being part of the Marines is a rather tough job you know? Especially when you see how your job was done years ago, by the same men that you might see as old if you weren’t in the situation i’m in. Maybe before you were even born. And have it done right in front of your eyes was even, stranger.

Ever since we meet up with John and his ship. I always had this strange feeling, that I shouldn’t be around them. It was a gut feeling but still, it was there. I didn’t feel safe around them, like if I get too close to them, I might rip a hole in time and space.

All though the other marines on my ship have done exactly that, and got close to Johns marines, I might just be the one that goes and kills us all. But I digress, besides, I need to learn were working toward the same cause. We may have different back stories on the wars we fought, but, were all human here.

Thinking about all this stuff, I find myself walking around on the top deck of the Yarnell. I was sort of just pacing but not at the same time, I was walking up and down the length of the ship. The whole time keeping an eye on the heavy cruiser across from me.

The waves from our ship and his ship made it look like there were more waves than normal as we steamed on. Nearing the front of my ship I kept looking over the side and noticed something on the bow of John’s boat.

“What the hell is that?” I mutter to myself trying to get a better picture of what that out of place lump on the top deck was. It was yellow, and pink, it could have been on of the ponies, but it looked to weird.

“God dammit, I can’t see, wait…” The realization of what it was struck me. It was one of the ponies, and I had good reason to believe it was Fluttershy. But, she wasn’t alone. John was there. The captain. But faster than I had initially saw them, I quickly turned around, and looked the other way, a blush appearing on my cheeks, ‘Damn it.’

“They weren’t, no, were they?” I began a little conversation with myself filled with small talk, “Ah fuck it… I don’t care, his life not mine.” I was about to turn around and head back to the other end of the ship, when a sailor stopped me with his hand. I look at him, directly in his eyes, his face was white, his pupils were smaller than normal, and his mouth was wide agape.
“Uh, mate… ya’ll right?” I say, trying to get his attention, he seemed to be looking over my shoulder, towards the front of the ship. His hand rises up from his side and goes above my head. Then touches the top of me. At first I was a little spooked, but as I felt his hand turn, I turned with it,slowly turning around to look behind me.

I shouldn’t have done that.

POV: Captain John…

I’m not one for making out in public, you know, kissing passionately on a bench under a tree somewhere in a park or something like that. I was never one really for that kind of crap. If I ever do make out with someone that I love, I’d do it in private. But, I guess I could let this one time slide. I mean she was already on top of me, pushing me down onto the floorboards of the ship's deck. Her beautiful eyes staring into mine,eyelids turned downwards giving me a look of pure want.

But, just as fate were to find me in the most awkward positions, it came in the form of a miracle. Fluttershy was closing in closer to me, her lips growing closer and closer to mine as I wish I could meet her halfway, if I wasn’t pinned down like I was. Until her pupils darted up for a fraction of a second, looked behind me, then looked back to me.

Then, her eyes became extra small as her eyelids shot open and her bottom jaw nearly hit mine. She looked back up again and this time stayed up, looking at whatever was behind me.

“J-john, you m-might want to see this.” Saying that she stood off of me still keeping both eyes facing, whatever it was that was behind me. ‘Oh god what is it.’ I thought as I began to roll over onto my stomach. Boots could be heard behind me as I got up to my knee. They walked past as one stopped and held out a hand for me. I looked at it and grabbed hold while pulling myself up. I lifted my head up to see dozens of sailors, marines, engineers, and communication workers, all of which were looking directly in front of the ship.

I walked forward passing them as my eyes caught what was on the horizon.

“My god, it’s… it’s…” came a stuttering sailor pointing to the point of reference in front of us.

“It’s her.” I say gripping the chain railing while sticking my head out further than normal. My eyes focusing on the giant grey mass just off the bow. A voice came on over the loudspeakers, and it said something that I thought I would never hear, ever.

“Ship ahoy, just off the front of the bow!!! It’s her!!!” Buzzed the bridge. And just like that, just as it clicked off, the whole ship began moving as more shipmates came out to the bow to look at our prize. I backed off while still keeping an eye on the object. I kept moving until I was nearly right next to Fluttershy again. My heart began racing as I could hardly control myself with the amount of emotions rushing through my veins, and adrenaline running through my blood. I hear the trotting of multiple groups of hoof steps. I turn around to find the whole set of ponies standing behind me.

“John, is that, it?” Came the princess, her eyes looking behind me at the grey ship that loomed in the distance, the rest of the girls looked to. Of course I didn’t hear her I was still over ecstatic that we were even able to locate her. My expression said it all.

“John? Is that, Missouri?” Came a small yet lovable voice below me. And upon hearing her voice, my head quickly shifted to her, nearly scaring the crap out of her. My head twitched as my hands slowly raised up and came in contact with the sides of my head. They suddenly made a quick thumbs up as my smile grew ten times as big.

And just as if on cue, the whole lot of Soldiers behind me began cheering out loud and prowd. I turned around after putting my hands down and joined the sailors and cheered myself.

“Captain, if I may ask that you hold your celebration for now, and come back down to earth, we still have to catch her.” Came the princess behind me. Snapping out of my ecstatic state I turn around and look to the royals who stand before me.

“Right, we need to secure the Missouri before she leave our sight,” I turn around and whistle for the Sailors to stop cheering, which they did, “Marines get ready, We have a boat to catch.” and like that they ran back into the ship with a quick salute.

“John, this is Charlie… Do you read me?” Came a fuzzy sounding voice, that seemed to come out of no where. I look down to my bulging pocket and reach into find one of those hand held radios Charlie gave me. I pull it out and push the button so he could hear my voice.

“Copy Charlie, I read you loud and clear, you may send your traffic, over.” A second or two went by until he came back.

“Good, glad to see that thing still works. Listen up, I’m going to pull up alongside your boat and allow you access to my main deck, get your finest Marines ready, we gonna board the sonofabitch.” My face became white for a second and my heart skipped a beat due to the swearing remembering there were ponies near by. But when I didn’t hear any remarks come from the lot, I came back.

“Rodger your last, my Marines are already getting prepped, i'll see you in a bit, over and out.” I turned off the radio and looked to the group of mixed faces. I just so happen to catch a glimpse of Pinkie Pie, she was nearly shaking with excitement. I knew what she wanted. So I put on a smile and walked a little closer to her.

“Not now Pinkie, maybe later.” I said softly to the pink party pony. Her ears flopped down a bit in confusion, but soon shot back up after she knew what I saw talking about.

“Okie Dokie Loki!!! I’ll get it ready!” And upon saying that, her body was replaced by a cloud of dust that faintly resembled her outline. Every other pony looked at me in confusion, including Luna.

“What? She wanted to celebrate.” Then came a crowd of exaggerated reactions. I just smiled and laughed.

“John,” Came Celestia, “I hope I can trust you with stopping that runaway ship of disaster, before it’s too late, I am surprised to find the ship un harmed in any way, or is not in enemy hands. Please for the sake of Equestria, will you please stop that ship.” I shook my head.

“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, you can have complete confidence in me. I will stop the ship, and I will get it under my arm, and I will control faster than you can say, well, anything. Thats not the point, please, just trust me, ill have the ship under control within the next hour or two.” I gave a salute and the bowed.

“Thank you John, your title as captain serves you well in this field, your soldiers under your command, are lucky to have you as their leader.” Princess Luna said with her head still hanging low.

“Thank you.” I said in return, and then nothing more. I walked off leaving the group to stare at the ship in the distance.