Chapter 19

Day 14

Applejack had yet to see a warzone. But she could guess what one looked like from the chaos in her family’s house. The cluttered room was filled with moaning and motionless bodies of both the humans and her friends. If another pony would have walked in they would have thought that a battle worthy of any war had broken out and that the only survivors were Ian, Zeus, Frederic, herself and whoever was rummaging around in the kitchen.

“Dear God,” Ian groaned as he picked up one of the many empty bottles that littered the floor. “Did we drink it all?”

“I think so.” Zeus walked over to Matt who lay motionless in a fetal position. After a swift kick to make sure the loader wasn't dead, to which Matt replied with an angry gurgle, Zeus walked over to the ponies. He shook his head in pity. “Whew, they look fucked up.”

Ian leaned over and softly shook Rainbow Dash. The multicolored pegasi didn’t respond.

“Hey, Rainbow,” Ian whispered. “You're not dead right?”

“Could you stop screaming,” Dash growled without moving, her eyes remaining clamped shut. “It’s making my head split open.”

“I-I feel so awful.” Fluttershy tried to sit up but immediately slumped to the floor. She tried to speak again, but it came out as a pained squeak.

Ian looked around at the ponies and humans and realised that four individuals were missing. Frederic and Applejack noticed their absence as well.

“Where’s Bill?” Ian felt a small surge of panic.

“Fuck,” Zeus sighed.

“Wo ist Udo?” Frederic looked at his men and they just shook their heads or shrugged.

“Girls.” Applejack tried to get a discernible response from her friends. “Do you know where Twilight and Rarity went?”

“Ah saw Bill walk outside this morning with three bottles of wine. Udo was already outside getting sick along with Rarity and Twilight.” They turned to face Jeff who had just entered the room with a mug of coffee. Behind him they could see Pinkie Pie rummaging through the cabinets looking for breakfast.

“Oh, thanks Fishy.” Ian sighed in relief as he exited the house followed by Zeus, Frederic and Applejack.

When they got outside they were surprised to see a mildly drunk Bill chatting to a hungover Udo, Rarity and Twilight as they sat on the wet morning grass. A bottle of wine hung loosely in the Virginian’s hands as he spoke.

“When I was a boy, there was a girl who lived in the town of Richmond,” Bill was saying. “I was sweet on her but she was a city girl originally from New York. She actually was very much like you, er-Rarity, ‘cept less fancy.”

Confusion flashed across Rarity’s face but she continued to listen. Udo looked up at his commander but returned his attention back to Bill. Apparently the American’s life story was interesting and warranted no interruption.

“To get her attention, I would take a piece of chalk and write my name on her fence every morn’. When school started up I was happy to see that she was in my class. When the teacher asked us to stand and introduce ourselves to the class she looked at me with unreadable eyes. After school she walked up to me and ya know what she said?”

“Was it something romantic?” Rarity asked.

“Not really,” Bill chuckled and took a swig from his wine bottle. “She told me that if I ever wrote on her fence again she was going to punch me in the jaw.”

“I bet that relationship died quickly.” Twilight looked up and noticed the other humans and Applejack for the first time. She turned back to Bill. “What happened after that?”

“Well,” Bill laughed softly. “Twelve years later I finally won her heart and I married her.”

“That is so romantic!” Rarity looked at the sky with dreamy eyes.

“I proposed to her by writing on her fence. She said yes... and punched me.” The Virginian rubbed his jaw and grinned widely. He looked up and noticed Ian and the other American’s for the first time. “Hello sir.”

“Good morn’ Bill,” Ian said pleasantly. “Enjoying some casual conversation I see.”

“Yep,” Bill slowly pulled himself to his feet. “But now I am going to get some fuckin' shut eye.”

As Bill walked inside Big Macintosh walked out. The expression on his face confused Applejack.

“What’s wrong Big Mac?” Applejack inquired as the young stallion walked up to them. Unlike the mares, Big Mac had been helping Granny Smith and Apple Bloom take food to the military camps all night. They had arrived home only a couple hours earlier. The three Apple Family members either didn’t notice the mess their house had become or were too tired to care.

“I have come to a decision,” Big Mac said in his trademark, slow accent. “Ah’m joining up with the military.”

Applejack stared at him, expressionless, before replying in a worried tone. “Does- did you tell Granny?”

The stallion nodded and Applejack looked at him with sad eyes.

“When will you be signing up?”

“I already did last night.” He looked towards the distance, through the morning fog, and at the dim campfires of the military camps. “Ah’m headin’ back down there in a few minutes to join one of the new Ponyville regiments they're formin’.”

Applejack thought about everything her brother had said for a few moments. “Did you tell Applebloom what you're planning’ on doing?”

“She is in her room with Granny, both of them are sad to see me go but little Applebloom is bawlin’ her eyes out.” Big Mac looked up towards Applebloom’s window. “I was goin’ to tell ya sooner, but I didn’t want to wake you after your party.”

The two siblings stood in silence, momentarily unable to carry on the conversation. the entire time the onlooking humans and ponies waited with bated breath for the emotions to let loose.

“Well, good luck brother,” Applejack eventually said. She wanted to say more but her emotions choked her. “Please take care of yourself.”

“You too Sis.” Big Mac replied.

After a few more seconds of silence, the dark red stallion slowly turned and walked away. Applejack watched him go until he disappeared down the road, then turned and joined the rest of her family in Applebloom’s bedroom.

“Zeus,” Ian said after both ponies had left. “Wake the others. We have a busy day ahead of us.”

Patton looked over the entirety of his plan once again. He was happy to say this was one of his few retreat strategies but the General still took pride in it. There were four parts to his “strategic withdrawal”, as it was being called now, that both Princesses and their generals had deemed the best course of action.

The first part of the plan, which was being enacted that very morning, was the war train. It’s sole purpose was to strike terror and fear into the enemy and slow them down long enough for the third part of the plan to be enacted successfully. Second part of the plan was of course the evacuation of a large portion of Equestria’s military and supplies, factory equipment and workers, any resources and food they can gather and as many civilians they could save before the enemy pushed them over the sea. The other two parts of the plan were a bit more militaristic that the other two. The last two phases of the plan was to split the now massive, yet still poorly trained, army the ponies had mustered in half.

The first half of the army, General Shining armor’s two better trained Corps, would make up the new Army of Western Equestria. They were to march north then turn east until they reached Rambling Rock Ridge. From there they would be in a position to threaten the enemy’s right flank. This would either bait the enemy into chasing the smaller and more maneuverable pony army or it would cause them to become more cautious and slow as they marched westwards towards Ponyville. The other half, the three barely trained corps under the newly promoted General Stonetower, would act as the primary defensive force for the withdrawal from Equestria. The chances of them seeing action were minimal.

This was the culmination of Patton’s land strategy. His counterpart, the also newly promoted Fleet Admiral Turbulent Waters, had his own plan that went in conjunction with Patton’s though the General didn’t know the details.

‘I probably should speak to him about his plan.’ Patton thought to himself. He had been sitting in the royal dining hall enjoying a cup of coffee and a plate full of pancakes and eggs.

Luna, the only other pony in the hall, looked at him as he left. He gave her a small wave of farewell and walked out of the room. He trudged up the long flight of stairs to the war room in hopes that the other military commanders would be there. He opened the door and was disappointed to see the Flight Admiral of the airship fleets, Windy Wings and her recently promoted niece, Captain Silky Wind. Silky Wind, Patton had learned, was somewhat of a hero during the battle of Appleloosa.

“Hello General,” Windy Wings greeted the human general with a smile. “I would have expected you to be in Ponyville watching your new war train roll away towards victory.”

Patton shook his head. “I wanted to be, but there is too many strategic activities I need to oversee. You wouldn’t happen to know where Admiral Waters is?”

“He left for Baltimare yesterday evening,” the Flight Admiral said. “He insisted on directing the evacuation of the western areas himself.”

“So that is all the navy has planned to do? They are focusing all of their forces on the evacuating the nation?”

“Pretty much. They don’t believe the enemy has a navy of their own so they are dedicating more vessels to evacuation purposes. I‘m doing the same with a large portion of my airships.” Windy Wings noticed the thoughtful look on Patton’s face and she mistook it for worry. “Sir, does this trouble you?”

“Hmm? Oh, no.” Patton walked over to the map of Equestria. “It all seems good. But I can’t help but think that these bastards have a plan, a surprise that they are going to spring on us when we make our first major moves.”

“What makes you think that?”

“A lone army, an army of mercenaries nonetheless, cutting deep into an enemy nation. They don’t have a supply line that we can tell, no nations openly backing them up.” Patton let loose a deep sigh. “A retarded child could figure that it doesn’t feel right.”

“What do you advise we do if there is a surprise waiting for us?” Patton’s uneasiness had now spread to the Flight Admiral, but with greater effect due to her lack of ever being in a war before.

“I would advise you and Turbulent Waters to set aside some of your ships just in case they make a ocean or sky borne attack.” Patton picked up a piece of paper and scribbled down the orders. He then handed it to Captain Silky Wind. “As your first mission as captain, I am entrusting you and the members of your airship with the transport of this letter to Fleet Admiral Turbulent Waters. Understood?”

“Yes sir.” Silky took the letter and looked at it momentarily. “But wouldn’t it get to him faster if we used magic, or even a pegasi courier to send it?”

Patton stared at her for a moment, wrote another letter, retrieved a unicorn guard from outside the room and placed the piece of paper in front of him.

“Send this letter to Fleet Admiral Turbulent Waters please.”

“Yes sir,” the unicorn said and immediately touched his horn to the paper causing it to disappear in a violet flash.

As the guard turned and left the room, Silky Wind looked back at the letter Patton had given her.

“What should I do with this?” She asked.

“I already told you.” Patton sat down and closed his eyes, a sly smile played across his face. “Take that letter to Admiral Waters just in case the first one didn’t arrive. Be off now.”

Both ponies left Patton and he quickly drifted off to sleep in the dim, silent war room. His victory speech already playing through his dreams.

Flower Float had been on a train many times when she and her husband worked as rail delivery ponies before the war. They helped load and unload the heavy packages that the pegasi couldn’t transport by air. The soft clatter of the carriages on the rails and sleepers had a relaxing effect on her. She wasn’t afraid to admit to her close friends, or if she just wanted to embarrass her daughter, that she and her husband had once gotten so relaxed on a train that her child was conceived in the boxcar of one. But the ironclad train that she was in now was nothing like the pre-war ones. With every bump and sway the walls screeched out as if they were in pain.

From her position as the secondary loader of gun number twenty three in carriage four, Flower Float could see the countryside drag by as the hulking war train lumbered towards it’s destination. Her husband stood next to her as the loader of gun twenty two and they watched as the forests turned into grassland, which in turn became the edge of the desert. Then it all disappeared as they entered the tunnel leading up to the High Plateau Cut. It was long past midday at that point. Float didn't know the details of the plan other than the fact that when her officers told her to load the gun, she would. She also know that the moment they exited the tunnel, they would be overlooking the enemy army. The anticipation mixed with the hot, humidity filled carriage made her nauseous.

“Juniper, I don’t feel very good,” she moaned to her husband.

“What?” The stallion leaned closer to her.

“I feel sick!”

“Oh,” Juniper gave her a reassuring smile that the mare could not see in the pitch black darkness. “So do I!”

“I still can’t help but worry, what if we don’t make it?” Float rested her head on the still cool metal of the cannon.

“They say this will be a low risk mission.” Juniper said as he reached out his hoof to search for his wife. He found Float and nuzzled her softly. “We will be fine.”

They stood in silence as the train lurched on. The closer they got to their destination, the more tight the feeling in their stomachs got. After several minutes their commanding officer entered the carriage.

“Five more minutes everypony!”

Floats heart sank, but she tried to make light of the situation. “Five minutes? Wow, time flies when you are scared out of your mind.”

The train became a buzz of excitement and activity. The guns were primed and loaded, officers barked orders, and a few ponies threw up in anxiety. Float was one of them. When she was done releasing her breakfast onto the floor she noticed that the train was slowing down. A sign that they were nearing their destination. Float could also see her husbands face in the very dim sunlight as he looked at her with concern.

“Don’t worry about me,” she waved her hoof around, dismissing her troubles. “Lets just kill these invaders as we can so this war can end and we can see our daughter again.”

Juniper was shocked by his wife’s change in attitude but he nodded in agreement. As the train emerged from the tunnel, the ponies were blinded in the sudden light of the setting sun. When their vision returned they could see the ledge leading down into the canyon pass but nothing more. On top of each carriage though was a lookout box where the artillery commanders could observe the enemy force below. Lieutenant Cinnamon Swirl sat in one of those boxes with a full view of the open canyon below. As a newly promoted member of the 1st Ponyville Artillery Regiment, she was not accustomed to the sight that greeted her eyes. The enemy army lay camped, spread out like a terrible blanket. The pony next to her was Corporal Rangefinder, a veteran of the Second Royal Guard, instantly started to call out distance and elevation statistics to the guns beneath them.

“Anti infantry fire, six thousand yards, angle up two clicks, ten second fuse!” He screamed at the top of his voice.

All along the train similar orders with different variations in yardage and fuse length were being given. The train was barely creeping along now in an effort to give the gunners a stable firing platform. Half a minute later the train was violently rattled by the eruption of fifty 32-pounder cannons. Smoke started to obscure their vision but the guns thundered on. Through all of the noise and smoke they didn’t notice the train screech to a halt. Only when the regimental commander ordered a ceasefire did the ponies in carriage four realise their sudden predicament. The wheels of the first carriage, not designed to take the heavy vibrations of the guns, had slipped off the tracks!

Cinnamon Swirl first looked at the damages wrought by the guns. The enemy camp was up in flames and she could barely make out tiny figures running for what little cover the desert offered. But as her eyes drifted upwards she let out a smoke choked scream. Within the clear blue sky were several dozens of dragons and hundreds of griffons swooping vengefully towards them.

“All guns! All guns, cannister shot-” Rangefinder, trying not to choke on his panic, realised that they hadn’t brought any of the spread shot with them and he quickly changed his command. “Shell shot, short fuse! Aim skywards! Aim towards the sky!”

Moments later another salvo was let loose from the guns and within another moment the sky was filled with innocent looking black puffs of clouds. He felt momentarily reassured as he saw some of the griffins and even a dragon plummet towards the earth. But the hope disappeared as he realised how near the enemy was. There was not enough time to fire another salvo!

Inside the train, Flower Float and Juniper had little view of what was happening. From the small firing port they could barely make out the griffons closing in. But they didn’t give much heed to their nearing foe as they prepared another shell. A shell that they would never get the chance to fire.

The iron wall was suddenly torn by the clawed arm of a dragon as if it were made of tin and it created a wide opening that griffon soldiers poured through. Very few of the ponies were equipped with close ranged weapons and they posed very little threat to their ruthless attackers. As the defenceless ponies were cut down by the vengeful gryphons, Flower looked desperately for her husband. She found him next to his cannon, a wide bleeding wound in his chest. Flower Float knelt next to Juniper, and as the mare wrapped her hooves around him, unsure if he was alive or dead, she felt the cold tip of a spear enter her back.

Hundreds of fears passed through her mind. Fear for herself and her husband. Fear for Equestria, but most of all, she feared for her daughter. But eventually, the only thing that mattered was the cold darkness that quickly overtook her.

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I think we got all of the mistakes, but if you see any please tell me.