This chapter is the set up for the epic events that will take place next chapter. It will also be a much longer chapter and less all over the place. Please tell me if you find any mistakes. -Altoid

Chapter 12

Panic rippled through the crowd of ponies like a stone falling into water. A few ponies rushed to help the fallen soldier but most started to scream and talk amongst themselves in a terrified fervor.

“Everypony stay calm!” Celestia called out. “Panic will only make things worse!”

The crowd calmed but the fear still radiated from them like the sun. Patton, eager to get into action, leaned over to Celestia.

“Permission to mobilise my men in conjunction with your war effort, ma’am?” He asked.

“Permission granted.” Celestia replied. “Luna, assist the General and supply him with anything he needs. I will handle things here and deal with the political part.”

“Yes sister,” Luna turned to the General but he was already walking away followed by the other humans. She rushed to catch up with them with Shining Armor, Twilight and her friends in tow.

“Try to keep up, Princess,” Patton called back to her. They entered the palace and Patton continued. “Here is the plan men, and ponies. I want Bill, Zachariah, and Matthew to go back to Ponyville and find some way to get those tanks active. Ian you are with me. Jefferson, you are my jack of all trades. You will be going wherever I tell you to go and right now I want you to go to Ponyville and help find a way to get the tanks running but don’t stay there for more than two days before coming back here. Frederic and the Germans, you can stay here with me or help my men with the tanks.”

“I vill go and help vis the Panzers,” Frederic replied.

“Very good,” Patton nodded in agreement. “Between getting an army trained and battle worthy and getting the tanks going, I also want to borrow a train factory or two and a foundry-metalworking shop.”

“What for?” Luna asked.

“You need your own tanks.” Patton smiled. “And proper weapons.”

“Preferably things that go boom,” Matt chimed.

“Was it really that easy?”

Penitent Razor worked his way through the carnage as he made his way through the smoldering ruins that were once Appleloosa and looked around at the destruction and death that surrounded him. Bodies filled the streets, nearly all of them ponies, and the only standing building was the town hall. When the attack had started most of the civilians had fled but the Royal Guards in their glittering armor had stood strong, and died swiftly. Now the dead and wounded were food for the carnivorous members of his army and the prisoners, fresh slaves.

His army had decimated everything. As he entered the town hall he witnessed several gryphons tearing apart the corpse of a pony and he quickened his pace. Razor passed a cage and a small hoof reached out and touched him. He looked down and saw the horrified face of a dark-yellow filly staring up at him.

“My-my m-mommy,” she squeaked, flashing a terrified look at the gryphons and their meal.

Realisation hit him like a cold wave and he felt sorry for the foal. The emotion he had struggled so long to eradicate suddenly emerged. He opened the cage and magically lifted her out. She squirmed and cried as he carried her into the building.

“I will keep you safe little one,” he said softly.

‘I have plans for you.’

Day Four

Jeff stood by the window in the Apple family’s house, silently watching the other humans as they worked on the tanks. Beside him, Twilight and Applejack discussed ways to power the machines. Twilight argued that a magically self sustaining drive would work but it would be difficult to make one strong enough. Applejack believed that a steam engine was the best route to go but making one small enough would also be a challenge. They were the two of the six pony friends that were assigned to be his assistants in understanding pony technology and science. The others would be staying in Ponyville to help the other humans.

“But it is currently impossible, with the motor technology we possess now, to fit a steam engine in the smaller tank,” Twilight was saying. “We might be able to install one in the big tank, but not the small one.”

“And enchanting’ the motors to run off of magic alone will not be enough to power them,” Applejack shot back. "Once you get outside the-what did you call it? The magic drive threshold? Once you get to a certain engine size the magic ceases to be self sustaining and unable to power the motor."

The Texan had been watching them argue for a good thirty minutes before giving his opinion.

“Ah don’t know much about magic powered engines, or magic in general, but is there a way to combine the two? Make a magic-powered-steam-motor or somethin’?”

Twilight thought for a few moments. “Instead of real fire, use magic fire to power a compact steam engine. It would not need fuel other than water to keep the pressure up. The magic would only have to heat the water, leaving the steam to do the rest. The magic drive threshold would not become over taxed.”

“Could ya make a blueprint?” Jeff asked.

“I'll try, but without ponies whose talents are building motors helping us I am afraid our blueprint won't be very good,” Twilight replied, biting her lip. “Come with me to my library and we will work on it.”

They walked outside as the others finished remove the engine from the Sherman. The gasoline motor was now spread out on the grass in nearly a hundred pieces and Bill looked at it sadly.

“Poor Lucky,” he sighed. “Having your heart torn out must feel awful.”

“It’s a tank, Billy,” Matt laughed. “It can’t feel.”

Bill picked up his newly returned and repaired grease gun then pointed it threateningly at the loader.

“Lucky has more feelings than you will ever have!” He growled as Matt raised his hands in fear.

“Calm down Bill!” Zeus hissed. “You can shoot him later.”

Bill lowered his gun and Matt looked at Zeus nervously. “He can shoot me later?”

Zeus smiled then turned his attention back to the tanks. “Pack up the parts into boxes with each part labeled. Pinkie Pie, you got the labels done right?”

“Yep!”

“Bill will help you put them with the parts they go with.” Zeus absent mindedly picked up a pipe and looked at it.

Bill stared at Pinkie distastefully. “Do I have to work with the pink one?”

“Yes,” Zeus replied, still looking at the pipe.

“We're going to Ponyville,” Twilight explained. “To develop blueprints for the tank engines.”

“Alright,” Zeus put down the pipe. “I'll try to get you the specifications of both engines as soon as we can.”

“Sounds good,” Applejack remark kindly. “The sooner the better.”

The Jeff and his two pony companions headed towards Ponyville. When they had walked out of earshot Matt turned to Zeus.

“Am I the only one who is confused as to why the two rednecks are part of the science squad?”

“Jeff is a very intelligent person,” Zeus wiped his oily hands on a towel. “And that Applejack-pony seems to be very good at putting together machines and stuff. They are more qualified for the job than you and me are. Especially you.”

“What about Bill?” Matt asked, motioning to the Virginian. “He's good with mechanics.”

“If you haven't noticed,” Zeus rolled his eyes. “Bill doesn't like ponies.”

“He seems to be getting along with-” Matt was cut off by an outburst from Bill.

“No! God damnit! That is a piston, that is a fuel line and that is the carburetor! God damn pony!”

Zeus shook his head as Matt started laughing. Pinkie looked hurt but she continued to help, her smile only wavering for a moment.

“So what do you think Old Blood and Guts has planned?” Matt asked.

Zeus walked towards the Tiger where the Germans were working on removing the engine and Matt followed.

“Don’t know what the Old Man has planned.” Zeus answered as he lit his cigarette then handed one to Frederic.

“Just seems kind of desperate.” Matt leaned against the German tank. “The situation the ponies find themselves in feels hopeless. Ya know?”

Zeus nodded. “But nothing has stopped the Old Man yet.”

The maps laid out on the factory table initially confused Patton but as he memorised each and every hill, valley, forest and stream he quickly formed a plan. The air smelled of hot metal and oil. Around him stood Ian, Luna, Shining Armor and the heads of train, metalworking, airship and firework factories. Firework companies were also in charge of making the gunpowder for the Royal Army. The building he had chosen as the base of his operations was a transportation factory in Detrot called Steel and Stern, Train and Airship Company. The humans had found it strange and quite humorous at the similarities in the names of pony cities and human ones.

A letter had been sent to luna from Twilight explaining that her, Applejack and Jeff were on their way with the blueprints of two new engine prototypes. If the new engines worked they would be the most powerful motors ever built in Equestria. Jeff had also talked about building advanced artillery called dahlgren guns. But by then, it might be too late.

“What are you thinking General?” Luna asked.

Patton rubbed the stubble on his chin, wanting to shave badly. He eventually answered, “We need to slow them down.”

“How?”

He remained silent, dwelling over the maps and papers in front of him. He pointed at a long ridge that ran across the Equestrian Desert.

“That would be a nice place,” he said absentmindedly.

“To set up a line of defence?” Shining asked.

Patton shook his head. “To stop them long enough to give us a chance.”

“He doesn't like defensive strategies,” Ian whispered to Luna.

“But we don’t have an offensive force,” Shining stated. "At least for another month if you don't care for quality. We have nothing to attack them with."

“And that is where you are wrong,” Patton smiled, a crafty glint in his eyes.