Chapter 16

Day Eleven

The sunlight slowly trickled into the room. The days were longer due to the efforts of Celestia, and though the sun had risen nearly an hour ago it was only two in the morning. The line of sunlight edged across the table, slowing illuminating the three motionless figures standing around it.

Patton chewed the end of a pencil, his blood shot and tired eyes looked over the maps and papers as Luna and Celestia watched from across the table, equally tired looking. The General remained still for a few more minutes before reaching forward very slowly with the pencil. Both princesses leaned anxiously towards the map to see what he was going to write. Patton marked an X on the paper and leaned back.

“There,” he said groggily but his voice still held his authoritative air.

The princesses looked at where the mark was positioned. Luna raised an eyebrow and flattened her ears in confusion as Celestia chuckled, fully understanding what Patton had planned. The X covered a train track that emerged from the side of a plateau, followed the edge of a cliff then after two miles disappeared back into the mountain tunnels.

“The High Plateau Cut?” Luna asked.

“What I can tell from this map, the rail overlooks the area where the desert ends and the Equestrian Grasslands begin.” He replied with a triumphant smile. “It’s another perfect opportunity to slow the bastards down.”

“So we build a fortification on the cliff and plateau?” Luna still looked confused. “But we don’t have the pony-power to build any fortifications.”

“Why build something you already have,” Patton stated, a sly glint in his red eyes. “As the enemy army marches slowly along we fire down upon them from that rise using our new guns.”

“But how are we going to transport cannon rapidly to the top of the cliff, deploy it, fire, then make our escape before the enemy griffins and dragons overwhelm the defences?” Luna was starting to think the lack of sleep was getting to the General’s head.

Patton raised his hand and pulled it down a few times all the while making a familiar sound. “Choo-choo!”

“That would still take too long to unload the guns and soldiers, deploy, then attack and retreat.”

“Not if you turn the train into a mobile fortress,” Patton crossed his arms and puffed out his chest. The proud look on his face momentarily wiping the weariness from his features. “Drive up there with the cannons sticking out of the side like the guns on a steam driven Man-of-War and as the iron beast chugs along, send as many ‘broadsides’ into the enemy sons-of-bitches below! Then disappear back into the mountains as the bastards lick their wounds. It might buy us an extra day... two if we are very luck.”

“I like it,” Celestia smiled. “Lets get to work. I want this ready to go as soon as possible.”

“Turning a train into a mobile fortress could be a good discipline exercise for the new recruits,” Patton stated. “Last time I checked, three-fourths of our engines are down by ponyville along with most of our new guns. I think it would be best to put my boy Ian in charge of it.”

“Very well,” Celestia nodded. “Lets get to work.”

The day was ending when the plans were fully set and finalised. Celestia had sent the plans away and insisted that they get some rest. They had parted their ways and though the General was extremely tired he decided instead to have a walk around Canterlot to reflect on the past few days and what the future might hold.

He now sat at a small café table reading the local newspaper and drinking his third helping of the largest cups of coffee they had.

“I-is there any-anything else I, uh, can get you?” The waitress stuttered nervously.

Patton scooted the empty cup towards her but remained silently transfixed on the newspaper. She hastily took it and shortly returned with a fresh cup. Still not looking at her, Patton pulled a coin from his pocket and placed it gently on the table in front of her. The pony took it and slipped away.

When he was alone Patton huffed. “What I wouldnt give to have the pony media back in America.”

“Why is that?”

Patton continued to read the paper. “It’s about time you came over and talked to me instead of just watching from the doorway.”

He looked up at Celestia as the Princess twitched her ears in surprise.

The General continued. “I’ve came here almost every day since I arrived in this city. That waitress has grown used to me and when I noticed her acting all skittish I knew somebody, er- sompony important was in the room. I guessed it was you because Luna loves getting her sleep and Cadance doesn’t inspire the same sense of awe in the population.”

“You are very observant,” Celestia said as she sat down. Her guards situated themselves around the room. “So have you met Cadance yet?”

“Met her? No.” The human took a deep sip from his coffee. “But I have seen her walking around town and the ponies act like she is one of them. ISn't she married to that one guy? Shining?”

Celestia nodded. “Yes she is. I am very happy for both her and Shining.”

“From what I hear, their wedding was something short of an invasion,” Patton smiled.

“You could call it that.”

“So what brings you here? Keeping your eye on me?” The General laughed.

Celestia gave a half hearted smile, then became serious. “I just wanted to have a serious conversation. I asked you the other day if you thought we could win this war. Your answer was not very straight forward.”

“I told you that you might have to lose it all in order to win it all.” Patton drank the last of his coffee and stood. Celestia followed suit.

“I thought about your words and I don’t like what they could mean.” The Princess said as she walked along Patton’s side down the Canterlot streets. Her guards followed them closely.

Patton smiled. “At the time I was just saying it to sound philosophical. But as the enemy nears I am starting to feel that as our only option. Since you brought it up, now might as well be a good time as any to talk about it.”

“I’m extremely reluctant to abandon my subjects and run to the safety of some far away land,” Celestia stated strongly.

“There is a difference in abandoning them and ensuring that you will be able to save and defend them in the future,” Patton rubbed his recently shaven face. “Plus, you will not be in some faraway land hiding like a coward. There is a large island off the coast that you could pull your forces back to and prepare for a real counter offensive.”

“I'm still hesitant to hoof over my little ponies as slaves to the enemy. Or worse, as food. But I do understand why it might be a necessity.”

“You and your sister have been through war before. You know how a decision can lead to the suffering and deaths of hundreds or thousands, but that decision could also save millions,” Patton glanced back at the guards following them and was shocked to see two lumbering figures closing from behind. “And you also know what it feels like to have someone attempt to take your life.”

“So you noticed them too.” Celestia stated in a quieter voice. “You would think that they would send something more subtle to attack me instead of minotaurs.”

“I think we should head down this alleyway to prevent us from making a mess in public and to keep civilian casualties down.” Patton motioned toward the narrow street that cut between two tall buildings.

“Agreed,” Celestia, Patton and the seven royal guards moved down the alley. She turned to the lead guard. “Keep on alert.”

“Yes your majesty,” he replied quietly.

The group came to an abrupt halt. Two more minotaurs stood at the opposite end of the alleyway, blocking their path. The pair that was following stepped up behind them, preventing any retreat.

“There is no sense running or fighting Sun Princess,” one of the minotaurs in front of them growled. “Submit and prepare to die. We are Kith Kul, the elite sect of warrior-assassins from the grand kingdom of Labyrin. There is no hope for you and we will soon be feasting on your immortal flesh.”

Celestia reeled back slightly from her assailant’s words. “Labyrin Kith Kul? Why is the Bull King's personal warriors fighting for an army of mercenaries?”

“Your question shall not be answered,” the minotaurs started to walk towards them. “Now join your sister, the Moon Princess, in Tartarus.”

“Princess Luna!” One of the guards cried.

“My sister can handle herself,” Celestia hissed.

Patton fiddled with his holstered guns. “Why don’t you just use your sunshine magic to kill these bastards?”

“Do you see the amulets they wear?” Celestia motioned towards the neares minotaur. “Those negate the effects of most magic. Even if I engulfed them in a ball of fire they would not be harmed.”

“Stand back your highness,” the lead guard exclaimed valiantly. “We will protect you!”

“I have a better idea,” Patton stated as he stepped forward. “I want to see if these man-cows can best me.”

The lead minotaur seemed to notice the General for the first time. “What is this? A hornless, minotaur calf wished to challenge us and call us cows?”

“I’m not a hornless dairy cow like you,” Patton laughed as dark smile spread across his face. “I’m the son of a bitch that is going to kill you.”

The minotaurs stood in shock for a moment before letting out a chorus of terrifying bellows. They lowered their horns and pulled short swords from the belts on their sides. As they charged at him, no longer paying any heed to the Princess and her guard, Patton drew his Ivory handled .357 magnum in one fluid motion. Four rapid bangs echoed through the alleyway and two of the minotaurs slid to the ground, two bullet holes in each of their skulls.

“He killed our leader!” Screamed one of the minotaurs from behind them. “Kill him!”

Patton spun on his heels and dispatched one of the Kith Kul with the last two shots of the magnum before pulling his .45 from its holster and ending the fourth minotaur with another two bullets to the head. He was about to re-holster it when three more minotaurs jumped down from the roofs above and tried to pounce on Patton. The General dropped to a knee and killed two of the massive beasts, but quickly found himself out of rounds as the last monster loomed over him.

Patton looked up at the minotaur’s raised sword and smiled as the blade slammed into his helmet and glanced painfully off. Patton collapsed backwards in a red colored daze as the minotaur fell forwards over him. The General noticed the amulet dangling in front of his face and he reached out and yanked it from his neck.

“Kill the fucking cow-faced-son-of-a-bitch!” Patton hollered. “I got his fucking, magical necklace!”

Celestia dropped her horn and aimed it at the two figures now struggling in the street. Her horn gowed bright yellow and a fine beam of light shot towards the Kul. It promptly turned the minotaur's head into a fine cloud of ash. The beast collapsed and pinned Patton’s legs to the ground under his dead weight.

“That was fun,” Patton huffed as Celestia’s guards helped pull the body off of him. “But let's not do that again for a while.”

“Come,” Celestia pointed past the growing crowd of curious and terrified ponies, towards the palace above them. “My sister could be in trouble!”

Despite being sore from the fight, Patton hurried with the Princess through the city, into the palace and towards Luna’s room. A lone guard stood outside her door with no sign that anything was wrong evident on his face.However, he did look confused as to why Celestia was standing in front of him with seven armed guards and a weary, yet pissed off looking human.

There was a sudden crash from inside the room and the door blew open. The body of a minotaur sailed through the opening.

“Thou shall now rot within Tartarus henceforth and forever!”

“Told you my sister could handle it,” Celestia chuckled. “She doesn’t use light based magic. She is a little... darker.”

Patton’s eyes grew slightly wider as Luna stepped out of her room. She had transformed into a more terrifying version of herself with a swirling dark-violet mane and hate filled, glowing, catlike eyes. She breathed heavily, like a caged animal hungering to escape, before relaxing and turning back into her usual self.

“They interrupted my sleep!” The younger Princess sighed loudly. “Oh, and they tried to kill me!”

“I can tell what her priorities are,” Patton muttered.

“The Kith Kul are helping the enemy,” Celestia stated as she looked around the room. “This means that we are no longer facing just the rabble of mercenaries. Nations are starting to turn against us.”

“I don’t understand how allies can become enemies within a single year!” Luna groaned. “There must be some other power working here. Something else, a hidden hoof or hand is moving the pieces outside of our view.”

“Many things are outside our view now sister,” Celestia sighed. “I think it is time that I gave a decision on your idea, General Patton.”

“Which one?” He asked tiredly.

“The retreat and form our strength plan,” the elder Princess replied. The lack of sleep was getting to all of them now. “We should set that in motion as soon as possible.”

“Agreed,” he slowly stood up and looked at the map and stared at the island off the coast of Equestria. “What is that island for anyway?”

Celestia looked at the map silently for a few moments before replying. “Long ago, during the Great Strife and the Alicorn-Discord War, that island was where the Great Fortress of the Sky and the Stellar Monks, the wisest of all alicorns, lived. All magic was known to them, even the spell that brought you here. They died along with nearly all of my race but the ruins of their fortress still stand.”

“Then it’s a perfect place,” Patton beamed. “Lets set this in motion now, shall we!”

Celestia nodded then turned to her sister. “Send a letter to Twilight Sparkle for me, telling her to come here. She needs to be informed. Also, send letters to our commanders. If the enemy was so bold as to try and take our lives, what is stopping them from making attempts on, lets say, the recently promoted General Shining Armor?”

“Letters will be sent immediately sister,” Luna replied.

“I'll let you ladies handle the plans for now,” Patton said with a wide yawn. “I need my sleep and my guns need to be cleaned. They got a little blood on them.”

He was about to walk away but stopped. He removed his helmet and placed it on the table. “Oh, can someone fix my helmet? There’s a dent in it now and one of the stars are missing. Thank you.”

Celestia smiled and touched her horn to the helmet and a dull flash of light filled the room. Patton picked up his gleaming helmet and chuckled.

“We will try to find the missing star or make you a new one,” Celestia said.

“Sounds good and thank you,” the General replied, still admiring his repaired headgear. “I’ll never get used to this magic stuff.”

Without waiting for an answer, he ambled away to his sleeping chambers. Already anticipating the feel of the soft bed. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day and Patton wanted to be in his prime.

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A nice long chapter full of Patton. I told you that I was going to reward those who are patient. If you see any mistakes please tell me.