Chapter 20

It was late. The moon was high in the sky and most of the other ponies had stopped waiting and gone off to get some sleep. They were going to need it. Tomorrow would prove to be busy as the army split into parts and began whatever mission it was given. Rose didn’t know what the army was supposed to do. Only those higher up in command had that information. But honestly, she didn’t care. All that mattered was the return of the war train from its mission.

Day 15

Rose didn’t remember falling asleep, but she was sharply awaken by the familiar smell of cigarette smoke, warning her that one of the humans were near. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see the human called Zeus standing over her, a cigarette hanging loosely in his lips. Behind him, in the dim morning sunlight, she could see the ponies of the Army of Eastern Equestria forming into columns and preparing to move out. Her hopeful eyes lingered momentarily on the train station but quickly became filled with anxiety when she didn’t see the train.

“Why are you laying here and not getting prepared to move out?”

Rose looked back up at Zeus. “What?”

“What regiment are you in?”

“The 24th Ponyville Volunteers." She didn't know how to talk to a human that also outranked her. "I was in the 4th Ponyville but they redesignated it the 24th.”

“Ah, your Corps isn’t leaving yet.” Zeus finished his cigarette, coughed and continued. “But that doesn’t give you the excuse to sit around.”

“Oh, I’m sorry sir. I was just waiting for the train to return last night and I guess I fell asleep.” Rose stood. “Has there been any news?”

Zeus shook his head sadly. “No. Was there someone on that train that you knew personally?”

Rose nodded. “My parents.”

Zeus nodded his head thoughtfully. He had been around people who had lost someone dear to them many times. Though he hated to admit that he was terrible at consolidation. When no words of comfort came to his mind he spoke. “Well, you better get back to camp and get yourself ready to move out.”

“Yes sir,” Rose half heartedly replied as she ambled away.

“This world’s starting to become less like the happy-colorful place that it was when we got here.” Matt said as he walked up to his comrade.

Zeus turned to the Californian and nodded. “And it’s going to get worse.”

“Yeah,”Matt sighed. “Just imagine how the Old Man is going to react when he hears that his plan failed.”

“Yep.”

They stood in silence and watched the last of the trains carrying Shining Armor’s two Corps rumble away. Matt shook his head and looked up at the sky.

“At least this place still isn’t as bad as Europe,” he chuckled.

Zeus didn’t respond and the loader looked at his friend, curious as to what grabbed his friend’s attention. Matt followed where he was looking and saw the very distant, tell-tale column of smoke that warned of a nearing train.

“Heh,” Matt chuckled as he elbowed Zeus. “Maybe we don’t have anything to fear after all.”

Zeus continued to look at the approaching train. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

Patton hadn't been as excited as he was now since he first stepped foot on the shores of France and unleashed his soldiers upon the Germans. He hummed a bouncy tune as he pushed open the war hall just as the sun rose completely over the mountains. But after a swift glance at the ponies faces he instantly knew something was wrong.

“Tell me what happened,” He demanded. “And I swear, if you beat around the bush or sugar coat it, I’ll be far angrier than if you just layed it all out.”

“The train hasn't returned yet,” Flight Admiral Windy Wings replied sharply. “We believe it was taken by the enemy.”

“Are you sure about this?” Patton’s good mood had completely left.

Windy Wings nodded to another officer. The lower ranking pony revealed a sack from a wooden box and brought it over to Patton. As the general took it into his hands Windy Wings continued.

“This was magically sent to us last night. With it was a letter saying ‘We are upon your threshold and we will soon be knocking at your door.’”

Patton finished unraveling the sack and let out a deep growl of a sigh. He placed the decapitated pony head onto the table and fell into deep thought.

“This is, or was, Corporal Rangefinder. One of the officers aboard your train.” Admiral Windy said sadly. “I, as do many others here including both Princesses, believe that the train has been overwhelmed and taken by the enemy along with the ponies on-board. We have yet to inform the rest of the military at Ponyville. We fear it will greatly hurt morale.”

Patton remained quiet and thoughtful until his face abruptly became full of shock. “Quick, bring me a piece of paper! We need to inform the rest of the military post-haste!”

“Why? What is wrong?” The Flight Admiral flew over next the Patton as he took a small piece of parchment and hastily scribbled information. The other ponies moved in closer, puzzled with the general’s sudden switch in behavior.

“If the enemy overtook the train,” He turned to her, a dark and foreboding look on his face. “Then they can drive it back to where it came from.”

“I don’t like this.”

Zeus glared at the war train as it ground to a halt in the ponyville station. The battered and beat up machine slowly became quiet. Ponies started to gather around, excited that their friends had finally returned and many wondered at the terrible shape the train was in. Many called to the other ponies inside and anxiously awaited for a response but the train remained silent.

“I don’t like this at all.”

The door opened in one of the cars and a lone pony stepped out. He wore dull grey armor and he looked over the crowd of ponies with unreadable eyes. Eventually he spoke in a harsh voice.

“Ponies of Equestria, I bring you your judgement!”

The other carriage doors burst open and a wide assortment of frightening creatures rushed out. The two humans had yet to personally see a griffin or minotaur but they instantly recognized them from the reports and Earth’s own mythology. As the enemy indiscriminately cut down fleeing ponies Zeus grabbed Matt’s shoulder and pulled him into the nearby ticket building. They crouched down behind a counter and Zeus looked the Californian in the eye.

“Find Ian and the others.” He tried his best to ignore the screams of the ponies outside. “Bring the tanks and our guns. Don’t stop running until you get back to the Apple Family’s house.”

“What the fuck are you gonna do man? And don’t say ‘I am going to distract them’ so I can escape. You know that never works. I’ve seen it in the movies! The guy always gets killed!”

“Just shut the fuck up Shelly and run when I tell you.” Zeus lightly shook Matt in an effort to get him to focus. “Got it?”

Matt nodded violently and prepared to stand. Zeus crawled across the building’s floor, peered out of the grimy window that faced ponyville and waited for a group of minotaurs to pass. Through the town he could see ponies fleeing for their lives.

“Go now!” He ordered. “I’ll be right behind you!”

Matt nodded once and rushed out of the door. Zeus waited a few moments and followed. The enemy soldiers had mostly passed them up and were focusing on the slaughter of the helpless ponies. Zeus felt his rage growing as each one fell to the monsters’ weapons and claws. Then the thunder of the wartrain’s guns started and shells screamed over their heads towards the far side of town and the military camp.

“Fuck-this-fucking-shit!” Matt screamed as a nearby house exploded as they entered the town.

They took cover inside an alleyway alongside three cowering ponies.

“It’s a good thing their aim is bad.” Zeus hissed. He looked around the corner and groaned. “Alright, we need to cross the next two roads, but they are filled with enemy soldiers.”

“Fahuck.” Matt slammed the back of his head against a crate in frustration.

“But if we run now they probably won't notice us.”

Matt momentarily looked at Zeus with an expression that screamed ‘What? We aren't hiding here?’ but he eventually nodded. “I’m not dead yet, so, what the hell.”

Zeus turned to the three terrified ponies. “Are you coming too?”

They quickly shook their heads and laid down even lower into the dirt.

“Fine, we’ll come back for you.” Zeus pulled a slightly reluctant Matt closer to the alleyways edge. “Alright, you ready?”

Matt nodded then croaked, “yep.”

“Good.” They both looked across the road to the next alleyway. Beyond that they could barely make out the edge of town and the road that lead to the Apple Orchard. “Once we start running, I’m not gonna stop.” He took a deep breath, preparing himself, then said, “Alright, here goes nothing. Three, two, one, go!”

Both humans darted from cover and sprinted across the street with Matt in the lead. Seconds later they reached the other alley, continued through it and into the adjacent road. There was only one more alleyway for them to go through before they reached the road leading to the Apple’s house. Zeus had now passed Matt as they ran into the last corridor.

“Run you dumbass!” Zeus called back to his comrade as two more shells screamed overhead.

The burst out into the open field and made for the dirt road. As Matt emerged from the alley a fleeing pony darted from a nearby house and collided with the Californian’s legs. He tumbled forward and his scream of surprise mixed with the pony’s as they fell to the ground in a tangled heap.

“Please don’t kill me!” cried the young-sounding mare.

“I’m not!” Matt replied. His fear was starting to wear off.

The mare cracked open her eyes and looked instantly relieved. But she instantly became terrified again as a pair of minotaurs charged up to them.

“Move aside calf!” the lead minotaur ordered at Matt. “This kill is mine!”

“Oh fuck!” Matt squeaked as the monster lifted the pony off of him by her mane.

Her ear piercing screams amused the minotaur as he wrapped a massive hand around her ribs and started to squeeze. There was the sound of ribs cracking before something made him stop. Zeus had realised that Matt was no longer behind him, stopped running and now was charging the minotaur with a combat knife in his hand.

“What are you doing young calf?” The minotaure looked curiously at Zeus and dropped the motionless pony. “Wait, you're not even a minotaur!”

He reached behind him and tried to bring his battle axe to bear, but it was too late. Zeus leaped over both Matt and the pony and planted his knife firmly into the monster's heart. The minotaur reeled backwards with the blade still in his chest and collapsed to the ground in front of his companion. The other minotaur looked down at Zeus and growled.

“Matt,” Zeus said without taking his eyes off the monster. “Take the pony and get out of here.”

The younger human was too afraid to say anything as he quickly, yet still softly, lifted the pony and rushed away. He took one quick glance back just as the minotaur reached Zeus and started to lift the human up by his shirt. Zeus was a full foot shorter than the monster and greatly lacking the massive quantity of muscle. Matt had no urge to see his friend die so he turned away and ran with tears forming in his eyes.

“You look like the bastard child of a minotaur and an ape.” The minotaur glared into Zeus’ eyes. “I’m going to enjoy ripping you apart, ape child. Before I kill you though I will thank you. The bull you defeated was my captain and now I have inherited his position, power and wealth. My name is Stone Knuckles, and I will be the one to take your life.”

Stone Knuckles hurdled Zeus into the wall of the nearest house. The human felt his right shoulder pop violently out of place and he let out a sharp hiss of pain. He pushed himself up with his good arm, popped his shoulder back in place and looked back at the minotaur just as the monsters fist slammed into the side of his head. Zeus collapsed heavily to the ground, the scent of the dirt and grass helped to distract him from the pain.

‘Well this is a bullshit way to die.’ he thought to himself. ‘Beat to death by a mythical creature. Who could have guessed?’

Stone Knuckles kicked Zeus onto his back and pressed his hoof down heavily upon the human’s chest. Zeus felt his ribs popping as he tried to push back against the minotaur’s strong leg with his weakened arms. He suddenly felt something pop in the left side of his chest and it became nearly impossible for him to breathe. The minotaure apparently realized that he was close to killing the human and he lifted his hoof off of Zeus. The taste of blood filled the human’s mouth and his hearing was starting to fade.

“Don’t go to the spirit realm just yet ape.” Stone Knuckles chuckled. “I’m not done with you.”

Through his blurry vision, Zeus could see the minotaur looming over him with a cruel looking knife in his hands.

“I’m going to cut out your still beating heart and wear it on my belt.”

Stone Knuckles raised the knife in preparation for the final blow when his chest suddenly exploded open, followed by the single report of a machinegun.

‘Thank God for Ma Deuce,’ Zeus pleasantly thought

Zeus watched with wonder as the minotaur collapsed revealing the blurry shape of the Sherman on a distant hill behind him. A figure leaped out of the tank and rushed toward Zeus just as the gunner lost consciousness.

Ian limped up next to his friend’s motionless body and knelt next to him. He felt Zeus’ pulse and turned to the group of armed ponies following the tank.

“He’s still alive! Get a fuckin’ medic!”

The tank drove up next to the two humans and Matt climbed out of the turret.

“Is he going to be okay sir?” the Californian asked in a terrified tone.

“Not if I don’t get a fucking medic right now!” Ian stood. “Shelly, keep an eye on Zeus.”

The Lieutenant rushed away leaving Matt with the gunner. Jeff and Bill climbed out and joined the Californian.

“God damnit.” Bill muttered. “Is he still breathing?”

Matt put his ear over Zeus’ nose. “Barely.”

Ian returned followed by two ponies with red cross cutie marks and hats.

“Help him and don’t let him die. He is a priority patient and that’s an order.”

“Yes sir,” they chimed, but at the same time they looked regretfully at the dead and wounded ponies scattered on the edge of the town.

As the ponies carried the dying human away, Ian turned to the rest of the crew. “Men, mount up. Were going to kill all of these God forsaken sons-of-bitches.”

General Stonetower tried desperately to rally his recruits. But to no avail. His poorly trained or untrained troops had no will to fight well trained and terrifying gryphons and minotaurs.

“I have three Corps that outnumber the enemy fifteen to one and they might as well be a bunch of foals,” he complained to his officers. “If I can't slow the enemy’s advance, the entire army, my Corps and the several hundred-thousand new recruits, will be routed and scattered!”

“Sir, Chainmail was able to rally his brigade by the lake,” an officer stated.

“Has he been attacked?”

“No sir.”

“That is probably why his soldiers aren't routing yet.” Stonetower looked at a map. “Send Speartip and Scimitar's brigades to reinforce him. That is our left flank.”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright,” Stonetower looked at the map again. “We have set our left. Now we need to form a center and right. And what in Tartarus is growling?”

The officers looked towards the distant edge of town where a large metallic beast was sitting idle.

“Is that the human’s tank?” an officer asked.

There was a sudden explosion as the tank fired into a two story house sheltering gryphon archers, blowing the downstairs walls out and causing the building to collapse.

“Sir?” the same officer whispered. “Could that be our center?”

Ian’s arms hurt, he had been firing the tanks .50 cal from his commander's hatch non stop at every enemy soldier that came into his line of sight. The Lieutenant wasn’t keeping track, but he guessed that more than twenty had brand new holes in them or missing limbs due to his actions. Nearly every gun on the tank, from Matt’s coaxial and Jeff’s hull mounted .30, was blazing. The main gun, the 76mm, was the only one not continuously firing due to Matt having both loader and gunner jobs. But occasionally it would turn its threatening mouth towards a house or fleeing mass of enemies and release violent destruction upon their foes.

They pursued the remaining enemy forces to the station before they came under fire from the train’s guns. Ian ducked down into the turret as shells exploded around them.

“Oh, thank God!” Bill cheered over the headsets. “No direct hits.”

“Pull back behind the town hall!” Ian ordered.

The tank backed up and took cover behind the largest building in Ponyville. The enemy continued to fire on their location but the building did its job.

“Where the hell are those useless, fucking Germans?” Bill hollered.

“Be patient Americans.” Frederic’s voice said over the radio. “Ve are coming up behind you now.”

“Am I the only one who is uncomfortable with a Tiger coming up behind us?” Bill asked uneasily.

Ian peered out of the Sherman as the Black Wolf trudged by. The ground shook as the massive vehicle passed them and Ian had to hold himself steady. Frederic smiled and waved mockingly at the Americans before sliding into the turret of his own tank.

“Cocky bastard,” Ian grumbled.

The Tiger rumbled into the open and immediately took a hit from the enemy cannons. The shell bounced happily off and exploded in the air.

“Ah, Ziemlich Feuerwerk!” Felix said happily as the turret spun and faced the train. “Zeit für mehr!”

“Come out from hiding Americans,” Frederic radioed in a gleeful tone. “Unless you vant to miss the fireworks!”

“Move forward a little,” Ian said to Bill.

The Sherman rounded the corner and the train came into view just as the Tiger took a few more harmless hits from the enemy guns. It raised its threatening maw of a gun, paused momentarily as the griffins and minotaurs scrambled for cover, then fired. The 8.8cm shell tore through the train and hit a store of powder in one of the cars. A series of violent explosions shook the town as the train, along with the station was turned into a mass of fire, smoke and rubble.

“And now, ve kill the rest.” Frederic laughed.

Matt peered out of the hatch and noticed a wounded pony in dull-grey armor slinking away.

“I think we should capture a few, for interrogation.” Matt said to Ian as he pointed at the pony.

The Lieutenant nodded as he pulled a knife out of his boot. “Right ‘Interrogation’”

As Ian prepared to climb out of the tank a letter suddenly appeared before his face. He grabbed it and tore it open.

“Lieutenant Collins,” Ian read aloud. “We believe the enemy has captured the war train and will be using it to attack Ponyville. Prepare the defences immediately. Signed, General George S. Patton.”

Bill, sighed, “God damn it. This better not be the start of a long line of FUBAR moments.”

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Intense chapter.