Chapter 17

Day 13

“Done!”

“That’s what you said last time.” Matt sat up off of the pile of hay he had been sleeping on.

“Somebody didn’t attach the pistons properly last time,” Bill retorted, his eyes lingering on Matt’s oblivious face. “Fill Lucky up, and let’s see if this apple shit works. I want to hear her purr again!”

Matt shook his head and laughed.

“I love this tank!” Bill hissed. He popped his knuckles threateningly, but quickly went back to admiring the Sherman. “Me and her have been through so much together.”

Matt shrugged and began filling the tank with an entire barrel of the fuel. The Germans, who had been waiting patiently by the Tiger, gathered around the Sherman, and waited anxiously for Matt to finish. When the barrel was empty Jeff emerged from the Apple family’s house where he had been eating breakfast.

“This shit better work,” Bill said as he heaved himself into the driving compartment of the tank. The Virginian disappeared into the vehicle until only the top of his head showed through the hatch. “Gotta get the motor all moist first. All fuel supply valves are open right?”

“Yep,” Matt grinned widely.

“Good. Get back there and start cranking.”

There was a series of clicks and groans before a loud whining-grunting noise filled the air. Several seconds later, Lucky sputtered to life and growled happily.

“Hell yeah!” Matt cheered.

Frederic crossed his arms and smiled triumphantly as he smiled at his Tiger. “Ze Panzer shall hunt again!”

Bill watched the oil pressure climb, and waited for it to reach forty. The others stood impatiently, and they felt a tinge of disappointment when Bill shut the motor down and silently climbed out. But that feeling disappeared when they saw the gleeful expression on his face.

“Let’s suit up and go for a spin,” Bill said, barely able to hold in his excitement. “Shall we?”

Zachariah always wanted a promotion. To command his own men in battle, and make a name for himself. Being a fisherman’s son from Michigan was not going to get him that. But being placed in command of the First Corps’ five artillery regiments was not what he had in mind.

Zeus watch as all two-hundred and fifty brand new 32-pounder guns of the first corps and the one-thousand seven-hundred and fifty ponies crewing them prepared their first volley at the hill designated as their target. The mound was half a mile away, and its peak was even to their position. To someone familiar with artillery, it was an easy target. Too bad Zeus’ troops were anything but.

The three-hundred or more ponies of the First Regiment were the nearest to him. Only the best thirty gun crews would be chosen for the mission. A mission they might not return from.

“Seven ponies to each gun,” Zeus muttered to himself absentmindedly. “Fifty guns per regiment, five regiments-”

“What sir?” Zeus’ second in command, a unicorn by the name of Stand Strong, looked up at the human. Confusion on his face.

“Nothing.”

A thunderous series of booms started down the line as each gun fired one by one, and marked the shell’s impact on the hill. Many hit their mark but nearly half soared over the hill or landed short at its base. When the volley ended Zeus sighed.

“You couldn’t hit the broadside of a battleship!” He screamed. “Let alone a hill! Try again until all of you score a hit! If even one gun crew hasn’t pulled that off, then nobody gets lunch! Another volley, take aim and gun one, fire when ready!”

Zeus’ voice was unable to reach the furthest battery, so Stand Strong relayed the information by magically increasing his words. The human’s ears were starting to hurt from the continuous loud noises. As the guns started to fire again, he ignored the painful sounds and focused his attention on the ponies firing and the explosions of dirt on the hill. The guns were halfway finished with their salvo when a familiar sound caught his attention. Zeus turned slowly and stared in a mixed reaction of disbelief and joy at the steel monster lumbering towards him. The growl of its engine bringing a smile to his face.

As the tank pulled up alongside Zeus, Matt popped his head out of the turret.

“It’s alive!” The loader cheered over the roar of the guns.

“I never thought I would miss that sound,” Zeus said as he patted the shamrock painted on the behemoth's side.

The engine stopped, followed shortly by the last of the cannons firing at the hill. Bill and Jeff emerged from their positions, climbed out and sat on Lucky’ sides. Bill wore a look on his face that reminded Zeus of a child who had found a lost toy. Captain Stand Strong stared open mouthed at the tank.

“Lovely, isn't she pony?” Bill smirked at Zeus’ second in command.

“More like terrifying.” Stand Strong gulped down a lump in his throat.

Bill smiled at the pony’s obvious fear.

“Where are the Germans?” Zeus asked.

“They got their monster running, but it broke down barely a mile away from the Apple’s house.” Matt laughed. “They are working on it. They’ll be here shortly.”

Zeus chuckled, then turned his attention to Jeff. “Fishy, did you send the blueprints of both tanks guns and shells to those factories that you have developing weapons?”

Jeff nodded, “ I also let them make blueprints of the engines last time we were up there. But I doubt they will make headway anytime soon.”

Zeus nodded passively. “Tell Twilight Sparkle to start making more of that fuel. But ask her to try and make it more... pure. Lucky smells less like a tool of war and more like my mother’s kitchen. Though I could use an apple pie right now. And a shave.”

“Did somepony say apple pie?”

Applejack and her five friends trotted up and admired the tank.

“I see that the liquid worked,” Twilight stated. “I’ll get to work on making more immediately.”

“Good,” Zeus nodded. “Get some other unicorns to help you. These babies drink faster than Bill does on a Saturday. I'm happy to see you girls have forgiven us.”

“Bill is still not forgiven." Twilight eyed Bill why shrugged back. "Should I get started making the fuel now?”

“Not yet,” Matt started to drop back down into the hatch. Zeus jumped up onto the tank and followed him in. Matt’s voice echoed out of the metal hull. “We want to show you what this baby can do!”

The engine was started and the turret swung into action. Everypony, including the members of the artillery regiments, watched the steel monster take aim at a clump of boulders.

“I love this part of the job,” Zeus grinned widely.

“Gun loaded and ready to fire!” Matt opened the hatch and looked at the target. He imitated Ian in his best Irish accent. “Send a lightning bolt down upon those vile rocks Zeus. Send them to Hell!”

“How did you girls even get in here?”

Ian stared at the three fillies, who glared defiantly back. Far away, the sound of cannons could be heard. Behind him, a crane was lowering one of the heavy iron plates into place on a rail coach. Around him, ponies were working diligently on multiple tasks. Either building new rail lines to accommodate the continuous influx of trains and soldiers, creating small field factories and workshops, sorting tools and equipment, or building Patton’s war train.

“We want'a help,” Applebloom looked at Ian with large, sad eyes.

“We feel so useless!” Sweetie Belle continued. An equally heart wrenching look on her face.

“Yeah! What they said!” Scootaloo finished their plead.

“Go home.” Ian crossed his arms and glared at them. The distant sound of guns came to an end.

“Make us!” Scootaloo challenged.

The human shrugged. “Okay.”

In one fluid action, Ian stooped down and scooped the fillies into his arms. They shrieked in surprise and tried to struggle against his strong grip but to no avail. The Lieutenant limped over to a crate and dropped them in before nailing it closed.

“Let us out you big meanie!” Sweetie Belle screamed.

“Don't make me have Rainbow Dash beat you up!” Scootaloo pounded hopelessly on the crate sides.

“You girls are so cute,” Ian muttered. "My girl back home would adore you."

Ian ignored their enraged yells and motioned for one of his unicorn soldiers to come over to him.

“Take this box full of lil’ nippers to the Apple family’s orchard.”

“Yes sir,” he replied sharply, then magically lifted the box and toted it away. All the while the angry screams of the three fillies pierced his ears. He was about to go back to directing the train’s construction when a lone gun fired in the distance. He initially ignored it as nothing more than the artillery regiments training, but recognition quickly formed in his mind.

“Holy Mary!” Ian exclaimed as he darted in the direction of the military camp across town. Ponies jumped in surprise and darted out of his way. “Thats a 76 firing! Lucky lives!”

“And that is how you kill a pile of rocks,” Rainbow Dash said flatly, though an impressed smile spread across her lips.

All around the tank, ponies were rubbing their ears, trying desperately to get the sharp ringing to go away. The engine shut down with a loud gurgle, and the humans emerged.

“Right on time!” Matt exclaimed as he pointed at a figure quickly hobbling up to them. “Hiya mother! The apple stuff works!”

“I noticed that Shelly,” Ian stated dully as he patted the side of the tank. “I’m happy to see her up and running, but I do not approve of you wasting the few shots we have left. How many rounds do we have left for the cannon anyway?”

“Uh.” Matt dropped back into the turret. Seconds later he emerged. “Thirty-seven!”

“That many?” Ian cocked his head in surprise. “How did we use up eighteen of the shells already?”

“You did fire a few vell placed shots at us.” Frederic walked up behind Ian and looked at the Sherman. A disappointed shadow on his face.

“Hey Freddy! Is the Tiger still not working yet?” Matt grinned slyly at the German who glared back.

“Ve got him vorking, but the two barrels of fuel ve received vas... inadequate.”

“Ha!” Matt covered his mouth to stifle the rest of the laugh.

Frederic stared murderously at the American. “Where are you from Matthew Novak?”

“California! Why do you ask?”

“Just like your General.” Frederic rubbed the end on his clean shaven chin.

Matt beamed. “Yep!”

“And yet you are an idiot.”

The smile disappeared from Matt’s face. “What?”

“But I can understand the reasoning behind your lack of intelligence,” Frederic continued. “My wife and I took an, uh, holiday to California and, though ze scenery looked lovely, many of the people vere lacking in their minds.”

“I'm offended!”

“Frederic,” Ian smiled. “I like you more and more. But please, quit insulting my men. You can find idiots anywhere you go.”

“True. Very vell.”

“From now on men, no more wasting ammunition. I don’t think the ponies will be making a breakthrough anytime soon with the two shells we sent for them to study. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir!”

Ian patted the tank one more time before turning to leave.

“Have fun building the choo-choo train Mother!” Matt called after the Lieutenant.

“Shelly,” Ian called back. “Clean the tank. It’s extremely filthy.”

Matt looked at the mud encrusted vehicle. “Fuck.”

“Back to work then.” Zeus turned and faced the artillery regiments. “Another volley! First Battery, fire when ready!”

As the cannons opened up once again, Zeus looked up at the sun lingering directly over them. His eyes fell back onto the hill and watched as a few rounds missed.

“Today is going to be a long day.”

Applejack watched Jeff write in his journal as the sun dropped below the horizon. The six friends and the humans, save for Ian who was still working on the train, sat in the Apple family's living room. Everybody was silent except for Matt who would occasionally spark up a conversation that would slowly die out and start again.

One of the topics Matt talked about had opened Pinkie Pies curiosity about Bill's change of mood and how he became the mean man that he was now. But not wanting to dive straight into the question, she decided to work her way towards the answer.

"So Matt," she pipped up. Starting with the kindest of the bunch was her plan. "What is your story? Actually I want to hear all of your stories!"

"Stories?" Matt asked.

"You know." Pinkie rolled her eyes and smiled. "Families, friends. Where did you live and what did you do?"

Zeus shrugged. "That is going to be a fucked up story for some of us. Are you sure you want to hear them?"

"Yep!" Pinkie nodded her head violently.

"Okay then. Matt you begin."

The ponies settled down and waited for the secret lives of the humans to be revealed to them. Bill glared at Pinkie, and the pony had a strange feeling that he knew what she was trying to do.

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Sorry it took so long!