Chapter 27

Day 25

The sun didn’t rise the second morning after Celestia’s capture. Luna stared silently out of the wide window of her room at the rapidly growing city that spread into the island countryside. They were her responsibility now and the weight of each life dragged down on her shoulders. The princess took a deep breath before raising the sun herself, an action she had only done a few times before.

She turned and faced the humans and Elements of Harmony that had been waiting patiently for her to address them. Patton sat at his own desk, busily going through papers but occasionally he would glance up and watch with a critical eye. They stood perfectly still except for Matt who nervously rocked back and forth on his heels and Zeus who leaned heavily on a pair of crutches.

“We have assignments for you,” Luna said slowly. “We are at war and we need everypony assisting. Twilight, I am putting you in charge of the research and development department.”

Twilight, watching the sun that Luna had raised claw its way up the horizon, didn’t respond. Her eyes were glazed over and it looked like she had been crying recently.

“Twilight? Did you hear me?”

The lavender pony snapped back to reality and nodded her head slowly. “Yes princess.”

Luna smiled sadly at Twilight before directing her attention to the others. “Pinkie Pie, you are being put in charge of the morale department. There are none better suited to lifting the spirits of the soldiers and exiles. Just be careful to not let it bring down your own spirits in the process.”

“You can count on me, princess!”

“Rarity, you are assisting production management. You have a history in that, though this will be with tools of war and not dresses.”

“Understood, your highness.” The fashion pony had none of the flamboyant expression in her voice.

“Fluttershy, you will be assisting the medical department. Also, there are quite a few foals who are orphaned or have parents that are too busy with the war effort and need attention. I want you to make sure they are cared for.”

“Yes, princess.” The yellow pegasus gave a nervous sigh. She too seemed to be sinking into despair.

“Applejack, you are heading the produce and agricultural resources department. There is land being set forth in the southern end of the island for farming.”

“Ah won’t let you down, ma’am.” Applejack sounded strong and optimistic but underneath was pain.

“Rainbow Dash,” Luna gave the multi-colored mare a stern look. “I have no assignment for you other than if your friends need your help, be there for them.”

“Will do, princess.” Dash seemed slightly let down due to the Princess not having a specialised mission for her.

Luna gave a small smile before moving her attention once again. “General Patton, you may address your men now.”
The General nodded and made his way to stand before the other humans. He looked over a piece of paper before speaking in a direct manner.

“Most of you will be helping the ponies directly. Lieutenant Collins, you will be working alongside me, as usual. Corporal Marshall, I see that you're healing quite quickly. Pony magic is proving quite useful yet again. You will be assisting Rarity in her job seeing as that you are not completely healed and from what your commanding officer has told me, you had a part time job at a factory in Detroit. Private Novack, you're working with the pink one for the time being.” Patton went quiet as he looked through the papers once again. “Fisher, you will be working with Twilight Sparkle, since it appears you are more intelligent than you let on. Sergeant Harper, you will be maintaining the tank for a while. Is all of this understood?”

The Americans gave a quick and uniform salute. Patton returned it then glared at the Germans.

“Do what you usually do. Help if you want to but I have no control over you.”

“It wouldn’t do any good if ve didn’t assist.” Frederic replied. “I vill divide my men and put them to vork. Perhaps in one of the factories after they are built.”

“Thank you,” Patton replied as he gave him a quick salute that Frederic returned. Patton turned to face Luna. “That’s all Princess, anything else you want to say?”

The tall pony thought for a moment. The despair and sadness filling the room was tearing her apart. Luna wanted to say something uplifting. “Only that we find ourselves in dark times but if we don’t give up hope we will pull through.”
Matt and Pinkie seemed to be the only ones to take the advice to heart and they smiled widely. The others just gave a slight nod or no reaction at all.

“You may go now,” Luna said quietly.

“Everyone except Lieutenant Collins are dismissed,” Patton said before returning to his desk.

The others quickly and silently filed out. When they had gone Ian approached Patton.

“What is going on sir? Has anything changed?”

The General continued to sit and dwell over his papers but her replied slowly. “As far as we know, nothing has changed except what is already bad going for worse. Half of our army is stranded on the mainland, half of our navy disappeared and a letter just arrived this morning that Shining Armor and his soldiers are surrounded and already the crew of an airship were executed before them in an attempt to force a surrender.”

The sound of Luna sending a letter in a puff of smoke distracted Ian momentarily. He then leaned in closer to Patton. “This is reminding me a little too much with the events in our world. We are stranded on an island miles away from a mainland controlled by hostile occupying forces. Just like how we were on England.”

“I too have noticed the similarities.” The other human nodded his head but otherwise continued to read.

“But the similarities end there,” the lieutenant sighed as he pulled up a chair and sat across from Patton. “We don’t have any allies.”

“We are hoping to change that.” Luna stated. She looked up from her own paperwork and stared sadly at the humans. “Blandire says he has gained the allegiance of every nation but in truth he has only those who he deemed useful. The main zebra nations and the large country of Saddle Arabia still remain neutral. But I have reason to believe that our enemy is going to make a move on them sooner or later.”

“Saddle Arabia?” Ian muttered to himself, slightly amused. “Are those the only nations that we can get on our side?”

“For now, yes.”

The younger human sat quietly for a moment. “How are we going to do that? Nobody will want to help an exiled army stuck on an island.”

Luna gave the first genuine smile of the day. “By showing them that we are not as weak as it might appear.”

“I proposed sending an expedition to these nations with prototypes for new pony weapons based off of human ones.” Patton quickly pulled several copies of blueprints and set them before Ian who picked them up and flipped through the pages. “Combustion engines, firearms, modern artillery, heavy warships and armored vehicles. We make an expeditionary force, kind of like America’s old Great White Fleet, and send it to them to appreciate.”

The blueprints were unlike anything Ian had seen back in the real world. “Did you design some of these, sir?”

Paton gave a dismissive shrug and then smiled. “Yes. I have always been a slight artist and designer by heart. Did you know I designed the 1913 cavalry sabre?”

“Did not know that, sir.”

The General went silent for a second. “Speaking of sabres. I have noticed the dominance of melee combat in this world and in case you and your men ever find yourselves in a tight spot I think issuing you each your own sabres would be beneficial.”

“I think I agree, sir.”

“Very good,” Patton beamed. His attitude had made a complete turn around. “Perhaps I can finally get to see my swords in actual combat!”

The door was suddenly thrown open and Flight Admiral Windy Wings rushed in. An expression of pure anguish etched across her face as tears streamed down her eyes.

“Princess Luna! I demand that I take my fleet immediately to Van Hoover and attack the enemy. Please!”

The Princess took a slow breath, noticing the tears steaming down the Admiral’s face. She had sent the pony a letter detailing the recent events, not only because her daughter had been a casualty but because she was a senior officer who needed to know what was happening.

“I am sorry, but we are unable to enact any large engagements at this time. Your fleet must be reserved until we can find out what happened to Turbulent Waters.” Luna said calmly as sorrow and rage filled the Admiral’s eyes.

Windy Wings shook in a wave of emotions. “They killed my daughter! My little filly! They killed her in cold blood! All I ask is a chance to avenge her and prevent her death from being in vain!”

“I am sorry, Admiral.”

The pony, remained motionless before giving in to the hopelessness that was building inside of her. She collapsed to the floor and wept openly, occasionally saying her daughter’s name through the tears. Admiral Windy Wings was lifted off the floor by one of Luna’s bat-winged guards and helped out of the room.

Ian looked as Patton with a questioning and confused expression. The General sadly shook his head and returned to his paperwork. They sat quietly for little more than an hour with Ian slipping in and out of a uneasy sleep. Eventually the Lieutenant was about to stand and do something more productive when Patton suddenly spoke again, but this time closer to a whisper.

“How are your men?”

Ian was surprised. Patton had never asked that question the entire time they were here. Preferring instead to take his own information from what he saw in person of the other tankers feelings and attitudes.

“Well, currently the only thing that they are complaining about the most is the fact that we ran out of cigarettes. As for the Germans? I have no idea what they are thinking but they to want cigarettes.” Ian gave a chuckle but quickly went back to a serious demeanor. He looked over at Luna then back at Patton. “They are getting tired of all of this. Helping the ponies is no longer first, or even tenth, on their list of priorities.”

The General sighed. “Will this develop into a problem?”

“As long as they keep following orders and don’t try anything along mutiny we shall be fine. But sir, if they do act up I will do nothing to reprimand them, sir. I too am no longer feeling the need to risk ourselves for what is quickly turning into a lost cause.” Patton nodded as Ian continued. “Sir, I want to know. Is there a chance at all for us to make it out of this?”

“There is always a chance,” the older human replied. “But as we stand right now it will not be remotely easy. But like the war back home, we need to make our own advantages to replace the shortcomings we are plagued with. When, and we will do that, victory is all but assured.”

Ian didn’t seem completely satisfied with the answer but he nodded in agreement anyway. Patton continued. “Also, if the problem of cigarettes is bringing your men’s morale so low then we need to see if tobacco grows on this island.”

The Lieutenant gave a genuine smile. “Sounds like a good idea to me sir, Bill and Zachariah were about to tear Matt’s head off when he bore the bad news.”

Patton waved a bat-winged pony over to him. “Can you round up a detail to hunt for some tobacco?”
Luna looked up at the humans with a confused expression but said nothing. The bat-winged guard pondered over this order for a moment.

“Tobacco? It’s just a weed. Why is it necessary for the war?”

“It can be turned into morale boosting items.” Patton replied with a crooked grin. “I like a good cigar from time to time. Very relaxing.”

“I knew zebra’s used it in potions but I didn’t know there was other uses for it.” The bat-pony shrugged. “I will round up a squad to hunt some down.”

Patton smiled and gave the pony a quick salute before returning his attention to Ian. “There, problem number one resolved. We can have Applejack set aside a field for tobacco. What’s next on the list?”
Ian was about to answer when another pony entered the room.

“Princess Luna.” The Stallion bowed. “Did you authorise the mobilisation of the air fleet?”

Luna shot out of her seat and looked out of the window. The large majority of the airships had disappeared from their moorings on the hills north and west of the city. Far in the distance several dozen specs were heading back to the mainland.

“Muster as many warships as you can.” The Princess ordered. “It is too late to stop her but we can still assist her. We are enacting the rescue mission early.”

“Yes your highness.” The soldier hurried away.

Luna sighed heavily and looked at one of her bat-winged guards, a mare with a scar down the left of her face and over one of her yellow eyes.. “Night Cloud, retrieve the Elements of Harmony. General Patton gather the other humans. I desperately need to talk to an old friend. He always knew what to do.”

The artillery duel had carried on all morning and into the falling hours of the evening. Every gun in the Equestrian army fired from their hidden positions in the city and the enemy returned theirs from behind the hills and within the forests. Above the city lingered airships that bombarded any supposed position of Equestrian soldiers. Buildings burned, rubble filled the streets and ponies darted between the structures without stopping to bother with the wounded or dead.

Shining Armor leaped over a recently collapsed wall with a stallion still screaming for help underneath. He dove through a doorway into an already burning building just as a dozen artillery shells landed in the street behind him. The General turned and looked for his two officers that had been following behind him. Only one ran out of the cloud of dust and smoke to join him.

“What do we do sir?” the wild eyed officer screamed. Blood ran down his horrified face. “Battery C isn’t here! They must have moved the guns to a safer location!”

Shining looked around, he highly doubted a safe location even existed. “Follow me. We are heading back to HQ.”

The moment he stepped outside a colonel in a different building noticed him and tried desperately to get the Generals attention. Shining Armor quickly noticed the pony and ran towards him.

“Hello sir,” the colonel greeted in a fake cheerful mood. “Out for a evening stroll, are we?”

Three artillery shells landed nearby forcing Shining to wait until the thunder of their explosions to end before giving a reply.

“I’m trying to find Battery C of the 1st Corps. Do you know where they are?”

“Oh, yeah I know where they are. They are right in there.” The colonel pointed his hoof out of a window and at a building completely engulfed in fire. “Some idiot put the caissons too close to the guns and they were hit. The place went up like a firework. Only two guns and a dozen ponies made it out. No caissons though, so the guns are useless and nopony wants to move them through the streets in this barrage.”

Shining Armor let this sink in. “What about the other batteries? I have been sending couriers all over the city but very few have returned.”

“Probably holed up somewhere, that is what I would be doing if my job was to run around through this... madness.”

“Sir, the artillery is silent.” Shining's officer chimed up.

They listened and for the most part there was silence. Occasionally a single gun would fire but it was suddenly the quietest it had been all day.

“Better take this time to regroup our forces,” Shining said as the three ponies cautiously moved towards the doorway. “There might be an attack. “

“Either that sir,” the officer stated. “Or it’s just too dark for effective fire.”

The sun had indeed disappeared below the ocean horizon. Shining could finally allow himself time to relax, even just for a moment.

“Still, regroup and bolster the defenses,” the General said and without hesitation ran out into the rapidly growing darkness.

The only light Shining had to guide him was from the fires swallowing up the city. Despite the brightness from the flames it was still difficult to navigate the ruins and rubble-filled streets. All through the city he encountered regiments reforming and setting defensive positions. They were battered and shell shocked but seemed to have taken minimal casualties.

The colors of the First Brigade appeared to his left in the smouldering ruins of a stone building. The soldiers were hurriedly taking the ruble and turning their position into a makeshift fort. Standing on a collapsed pillar was Brigadier General Sprinter giving encouraging cheers to his troops.

“Sprinter!” Shining called as he approached his old classmate. “How goes it?”

The lower ranking pony saluted. “It goes quite well sir. After that nerve wracking bombardment the troops are spoiling for a fight!”

The 1st Brigade momentarily stopped what they were doing and gave a quick cheer before going back to work.

“Very good, very good.” Shining stood next to his friend and surveyed the city. “Be prepared for a night attack, or raiding parties at least.”

“We will be.”

“I am going to head to the HQ. Hopefully tonight will be quiet. Keep yourself out of trouble, Sprinter.”

“Easier said than done sir.”

Shining gave his friend a quick salute before hurrying away. Upon returning to the HQ, Shing took a moment to rest, hoping that the night would stay quiet. Occasionally he would be awakened by a courier bringing him information about the status of the brigades but no fighting could be heard. Soon the couriers stopped coming and Shining Armor could drift into a deeper sleep. Eventually the real world meant nothing and dreams of his wife filled his mind.

Day 26

The sun hadn’t even crept over the mountains when the enemy resumed their artillery barrage. The ponies’ guns quickly returned fire and the military version of a screaming contest resumed. Shining Armor shot out of bed and ran to the bank vault that was now the designated war room. His officers were already hurrying about preparing information for him.

“Sir,” a lieutenant said as he ran up to the General and saluted. “Scouts report enemy troops massing along the road entering east to the city. 2nd Corps says it is too spread out guarding the roads and the 1st is tied up defending from an attack from the woods.”

“Speaking of the woods, sir,” another officer ran up to Shining, “enemy activity is evident in the wilderness to the north and south. The only flank that remains open is the ocean to our rear.”

Shining thought to himself for a moment before replying. “Tell them to start pulling back into the city. I want them to meet very little opposition. Once in the city they will start breaking up into smaller columns and we will strike them with hit and run tactics. Understood?”

“Yes sir!”

The officer hurried away as more artillery landed nearby, shaking the bank. Shining let out a deep breath.

“So, another battle is on the way. I just hope they don’t wipe the city off the map first.”

The sun woke Celestia up, an event that hadn’t happened in more than a thousand years. Ever since she was a child. It was supposed to be the other way around. She was the one to wake the sun.

Memories came flooding back and Celestia closed her eyes, wishing them away but she knew the events of the previous days were all too real. The Princess sat up and looked around. She had slept on a ornate bed in a bedroom with happy paintings and a mirror decorating the pink and lavender walls. Her image reflecting back at her from the mirror caught Celestia’s eye.

A dark yellow filly stared back, her mane the colors of the sunset. The eyes though were unsettling. The left one was the filly’s original bright-yellow but the other was Celestia’s pale -magenta.

“Why didn’t he just kill me?” Celestia whispered to the reflection. She knew the answer. “He just wants me to witness the fall of everything I have worked so hard to create. He want’s me to feel helpless, like he did.”

‘Who are you?’

Celestia’s heart stopped when the voice echoed through her head. She replied hesitantly. ‘My name is Celestia, who are you?’

‘I-I don’t remember.”

Her voice was like a whisper at the end of a long hall. Celestia noticed the fear in her voice. ‘Everything is going to be fine.’

The filly didn’t respond but Celestia could still feel her presence, like a slight pressure on the back of her consciousness. The door to the bedroom slowly creaked open and a light green mare peered in.

“Good morning little one.” She said in a happy voice. “Would you like some breakfast?”

Celestia shook her head. “That is nice of you, ma’am, but I must be going. I have important matters to attend to.”

“Important matters?” The mare chuckled. “What important matters could a little filly have? Though, I will admit you do have a very formal speech for your age.”

“Matters that I am not at liberty to tell you about.”

The mare looked over Celestia. “What’s your name?”

“Call me... Dawn.”

The mare nodded. “Well then Dawn, my name is Flo Joy and I too have important matters to attend to. You can stay in your room or you can get something from the kitchen but curfew is still in effect so nopony is allowed outside. I have guest in the living room so please don’t bother us.”

Celestia nodded. It pained her to be treated as a child but if her life had taught her one thing it was patience. Flo Joy quickly left and after a few minutes Celestia followed her out. Despite her urge to do something more important, she made her way to the kitchen. As she opened the pantry, voices caught her attention.

“Sorry about that, I had to check on a guest of mine.” Flo Joy said. “What were you saying?”

A stallion’s voice spoke. “They are moving supplies from Manehattan by rail. If we want to strike back in the most efficient way, that would be it.”

Another stallion added, “I agree, though It would be better to destroy the bridges. It would take far longer to repair them.”

Celestia quietly peered into the room where five unicorns were sitting. Flo and two stallions sat on a couch looking over a map set on the coffee table and in the far corner two mares had a hushed conversation that the Princess couldn't hear.

“How do you propose we destroy the bridges though?” Flo replied. “I like the idea and all but I don’t think any of us know enough magic to destroy a single bridge. Even if we work together.”

“Explosives maybe?” the first stallion shrugged. “Steal some black powder and blow them up?”

Flo shook her head. “Too risky. I think we should stick with just tearing up the rails.”

One of the stallions looked up and noticed Celestia hiding by the door. “Flo, I didn't know you had a daughter.”

All the ponies in the room looked up and stared at Celestia. The two mares in the corner though quickly went back to their conversation.

“I don’t have a daughter,” the green mare stated. “A griffin dropped this filly off in the street and I saved her. Quite a talkative little thing, very well spoken for her age.”

“Come over here and sit,” the second stallion said as he patted the cushion next to him. “You look like you have been through a lot. My name is Cobalt Steam.”

“I’m Dawn.” Celestia replied as she cautiously walked further into the room. The Princess didn’t understand why she felt so timid and afraid. She was in a filly’s body but did that mean her emotions and mind were restricted too? Or was the fear not even her own but the mind of the filly trapped with her?

“Should we really let her hear our plans?” the other stallion interjected.

“She’s only an filly.” Cobalt replied. “What harm can she do?”

“Fine, she can stay.” The stallion sent a sharp smile at Celestia. “I’m Tipple Top by the way.”

“Hello,” Celesia gave a slight bow. “I am Dawn.”

“Those two mares chortling in the corner are the Mist Twins. Morning Mist is the orange one and Ocean Mist is the blue one.”

The two mares looked up once again, waved in unison then returned to their conversation. What their purpose here was, Celestia couldn't tell.

“I have some books if you want to read them.” Flo said, pointing at a small bookshelf. “You can read right?”

“Yes, I can read.” Celestia could tell that it was less of an suggestion and more of an demand. The princess walked over to the shelf, picked a random book and sat down but intended to listen to their conversation.

“So where were we,” Flo began again.

“Black powder,” Cobalt replied.

“Oh, yes. Perhaps we can get Shadow into the nearby Minotaur camp where he can get the explosives.”

“I don’t trust that bat winged creep.” Tipple shook his head in defiance. “I never trusted any of those... things. Hiding in the mountain caves like blood drinking monsters of the night. The only pony they listen to is Princess Luna.”

“You know perfectly well that they don’t drink blood and they are quite nice.” Cobalt shot back. “If you remember, I spent time with them during my younger more adventurous years.”

Flo chuckled. “Oh, so that is where the rumor arose that you have a family in the Midnight Mountains. They are bat-ponies!”

“Shut it and lets get back to work.” Cobalt’s face was slightly red. “I trust Shadow and you guys should too.”

“Fine-fine.” Tipple raised his hooves, surrendering the argument. “We will find a way for our batty friend to sneak in and steal the explosives. Is our informant still prepared to help us or is she going to wimp out?”

“She is perfectly ready to help us,” Flo assured him. “I will arrange for her assistance.”

“Is our ability to magically send letters still unmolested or are long range spells being restricted?” Celestia chimed up. She needed to know if she could send a letter to her sister.

The others seemed surprised over her question. Tipple Top spoke, “The city is on magical lockdown. No letters going in or out. If you want to send a letter you have to sneak past the ever increasing garrison and find a unicorn with the proper skills to send one. Why kid, you need to contact your parents?”

Celestia opened her mouth to reply but another pony threw open the front door and ran into the room.

“Did you hear the news,” she screamed. An expression of absolute horror and despair etched across her face. “Celestia has been executed!”

Silence and fear wrapped around the others as they sat in silence, dwelling in disbelief over what they had just heard.

The pony continued. “Equestria is doomed! There is no hope anymore! There is nothing anyone can do to save us now that our beloved princess is dead and the other has ran away!”

Celestia gritted her teeth in rage, but remained silent. She wanted to yell at the unknown pony for her hopeless words but instead she left them to their silence and returned to the room she had awoken in. She lay on her bed, dwelling over the events. Slowly, her mind wandered deeper and deeper into the past, reaching the age before Equestria and before her sins that led up to the war had even been committed. Celestia closed her eyes and fell into a pained sleep as the memories came flooding back, forming a dream she did not want to be in.