Due to many requests and the fact that nobody has adopted this story I have posted the RD of Chapter 37 along with all of my notes, how they appear, on the story. To those who wanted closure for this adventure this is the best I can offer. Keep in mind Ch 37 is in early stage RD and would have most likely changed. Enjoy.

RD Chapter 37

Day 60

The pegasus recruiter stared up at the ceiling, boredom pulling his mind into memories of home. Nopony had signed up to join the lancers for a good week. Perhaps, he occasionally thought, there were no more civilians available for the army. His assistant had already fallen asleep and was sprawled out on a pile of clean uniforms, fresh from Rarity’s textiles plant. The recruiter found his eyelids growing heavy.

“Just a five minute nap,” he sighed. “Cap’ won’t care. Probably won’t even notice.”

His eyes just closed when the door suddenly opened, letting cold into the room. He shot up and put a professional face on, expecting to see his commander walk in. At first he couldn’t see anything through the glare from the sunlit snow but even when his eyes adjusted he still had trouble seeing the pegasi mare until she closed the door behind her.

“Can I help you, miss?” He asked, looking her over.

Her cropped mane and coat were a brilliant white, no color except for her dark magenta eyes staring nervously at him.

“Uh, yeah,” she said walking up to his desk. “I’m here to join the lancers.”

A wide smile spread across the recruiter’s face. “You are in luck. We are in need of new lancers. Here, have a seat.”

He opened a drawer and retrieved papers and a pen. He pushed them over to the mare.

“Fill this out, and we will go from there.”

She quickly finished the papers and gave them back and he read through it.

“Miss Frosty Streaks from Las Pegasus?” He flipped through the papers. “I was starting to think no one was left to join the fight.”

The mare chuckled. “I was working in the factories one day and the urge to do more for Equestria came over me. So, here I am!”

“Well, it’s good to have you on board.” The recruiter turned and slapped his assistant who shot up and looked at the others with a confused and tired expression.

“Hello!” He exclaimed cheerfully. “A new recruit, sir?”

“Yes, private. Could you get her a uniform?”

“Uh-hu.” The assistant measured up Frost Streaks with his eyes then grabbed a folded white and dark blue/purple uniform with the golden word ‘RECRUIT’ stitched into the back. “Here ya go. It should be your size.”

“Thank you,” she said taking the uniform.

The recruiter stood and stuck out his hoof. “Welcome to the Lancers, Recruit Streaks.”

Frosty Streaks shook his hoof as the recruit continued. “You will report to Sergeant Glass Sky at the lancer training camp at 0700 tomorrow for training and your future assignment. Understand?”

“Yep,” she replied.

“You're in the military now, Recruit,” the recruiter shot sternly. “It’s ‘yes sir’ from now on.”

“Yes, sir!” the mare replied quickly with a sharp salute.

“Good,” he replied with a return salute. “Dismissed!”

Frosty Streaks saluted again and hurried out of the building.

“I have never seen a pony with such a white coat and mane before!” the assistant stated, putting the uniforms back into a makeshift bed. “I wasn’t the only one who thought she looked pretty, right.”

“I have no comment on that, private,” the recruiter looked over her papers. “I was worried for a moment that she was a bad changeling disguise.”

The assistant laid down and wiggled around to get comfortable. “Why didn’t you get a unicorn to test her then?”

“Did you notice how nervous she was?” The recruiter put the papers into a file and leaned back into his chair. “Changelings don’t feel fear unless they are being killed or their queen is in danger. Even then, it's just self preservation than true nervousness.”

“I didn’t know that.” The assistant raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “How did you figure that out?”

“Personal experience.”

The assistant sat up. “Oh, do tell, sir. I want to hear a story!”

“Not now,” the recruiter closed his eyes. “I’m taking a nap.”

*

The revolver flashed, sending six, rapid, reports bouncing around the hills outside the city. The pings of the bullets hitting the steel plate across the way notified the two men standing alone in the valley that the shots were on target.

Patton flipped open the cylinder and started to reload it, a wide smiled splayed across his face.

“Would you like a go, General?” He said to the grey man next to him.

Lee shook his head. “Not today, Patton. I’m inclined to just watch and enjoy the first sun filled day that we have to relax on. But I do have to say, you are quite talented in marksmanship.”

Patton grinned widely as he finished reloading and held out the Smith and Wesson .357, handle first, to Lee. “Thank you but I insist, sir. I don’t let just anyone handle my prized possessions.”

Lee took the gun and looked it over. “It always strikes me how fine and colorful your weapons are. Appropriate for an individual like you. Very well, I shall try my hand, since you insist.”

“Don’t be hard on yourself if you miss, General,” Patton joked.

The older man raised the gun and fired six, slow and deliberate shots. Each one hitting the target and sending the ping of metal on metal singing through the snowy countryside.

Lee handed the gun back to Patton. “I may not be a fast gun like you, Patton. But I don’t believe I missed.”

“Nice shooting, sir.” Patton started to reload again. “I think we need to get you a gun. Something powerful, yet elegant. Perhaps a 45 like mine?”

Lee smiled but shook his head. “I thank you for the offer, but it is not necessary. Our design and production teams have enough on their plates without an order for a revolver distracting them.”

Patton shrugged and nodded. “Very well. At least you have your sword for defense.”

He raised his gun to fire again but five ponies in new uniforms crested a hill over to their left and approached the two humans.

“Ah,” Patton stated as he lowered his gun. “An audience.”

Lee turned to look at the ponies too as Paton waved them over. The ponies continued to approach before stopping several meters away from the humans.

“Hello,” Patton said cheerfully. “Come for the show?”

The ponies stared back at them but remained unmoving. An uneasy pit formed in Patton’s gut and he turned towards Lee.

“Shall we go down to the target and see how my shots have been landing?”

Lee nodded and they began walking towards the steel plate. Patton glanced back at the ponies who were now following them from a distance.

“You’re a quiet group,” he said with a chuckle. “What regiment are you from?”

“The 38th,” a pony replied in a flat tone.

“On leave, I see.”

The ponies remained silent. They reached the steel target and stopped and pretended to look at the bullet marks.

“Stay right here, ponies.” Patton and Lee stepped behind the 6 foot steel plate. “We are going to see if the rods holding up the target are stable.”

They ducked down and Patton drew his second revolver as Lee drew his sword.

“Alright,” Patton called out. “I’m going to give all of you 5 seconds to run. When I look out there and I don’t see you bastards turning tail I am going to blow your brains out regardless if you are ponies or not. You hear?”

Silence was the only response. Patton began to count down in his head and when he had reached three the General stood up early and aimed. The ponies had not started to run but instead had fanned out and pointed their green, glowing, horns towards the human’s cover. Patton fired the moment he aimed his gun and sent a bullet through the head of the center pony. Blue/green blood splattered across the snow. Patton ducked back down as green flashes of magic flashed over the steel filling the air with a hot sizzling sound.

“Missed me you ugly shits!” Patton jeered. “You should have run!”

Lee shook his head. “I see you are enjoying this more than someone in our position should.”

“I live for moments like this,” the younger man laughed. “Plus, that kraut got some action with these changeling cockroaches and I felt left out.”

Patton leaned out from the side of the cover and fired two more shots. The first missed but the second went through the changelings chest. More green bolts sped past.

“Hmm,” Patton grunted. “They were quicker on the draw that time. Here, put my helmet onto your sword.”

Lee took the helmet and stuck it over the top followed instantaneously by two magic bolts that missed and one that hit, knocking it into the snow. During the distraction Patton had leaned out again and shot a third changeling.

“It’s like a shooting gallery.” Patton switched his revolvers to the opposite hands. “Would you like to take a shot, sir?”

“You seem to have this under control and I don’t want to impede your fun.” Lee replied with a slow shake of his head.

“You're missing out,” Patton said as he stood to take another shot.

This time a magic bolt hit him in the upper part of his chest, sending the General tumbling backwards to collapse unmoving in the shallow snow. Lee stared at the younger man, a grey eyebrow raised in surprise.

“Still having fun, General Patton?” Lee stated flatly.

Patton sat up and felt his chest for any damage but other than a slight soreness in his ribs there was no other injuries. Not even his jacket had been affected in any way. Patton pulled an elaborate gold necklace set with a single amethyst from under his shirt and peered at it.

“It does work,” he chuckled.

Lee pulled his own necklace from under his uniform. “Indeed it appears that way. Sit back, my friend, I believe it is my turn to eliminate this threat.”

“Go ahead,” Patton leaned against the steel plate. “Carefull, those bolts can still knock the wind out of you.”

Lee stood and stepped out from behind their cover and was instantaneously met with a pair of magic bolts from the remaining two changelings. Both hit him on his left arm the he was using to protect his chest. Lee stumbled backwards, recovered, then stood to his full height and pointed his sword at the nearest changeling.

“You are defeated,” he challenged in a strong voice and the changelings glanced at each other and backed a short distance away. “I demand your surrender.”

One of the changelings hissed. “Only one can demand anything from us and she demands your death!”

The changeling rushed Lee, its horn lowered to spear the human. Lee’s stepped to the side at the last moment as he used the changelings momentum against itself. His sword slid through the changelings shoulders and into his heart. Lee let go of his sword to prevent himself from being dragged down as his opponent slid to a stop next to General Patton who had stepped out from behind the cover.

Patton put his battered helmet on, pulled the sword from the corps and stepped up to Lee.

“It seems you lost this, sir,” the younger man joked a he handed the sword to Lee.

The older man just nodded before they both pointed their weapons at the last changeling. This final enemy stared at them with the wide pony eyes of her disguise at the two tall humans standing before her. She then looked at the bodies of her comrades bleeding into the snow.

“They are all dead!” she screamed and her disguise vanished in a green flash. Both men glanced at each other in surprise. “You creatures killed them all! You-you humans killed my sisters!”

“To be honest,” Patton replied sharply. “You were trying to kill us first.”

“Mother,” the changeling cried. “Mother! We failed you!”

She suddenly went silent and turned her face to the sky. Her light blue eyes widened and her ears twitched as if listening to an unhearable voice.

“Mother, I am sorry,” she gasped before letting out one final scream and collapsed heavily into the snow.

Both humans remained unmoving in confused surprise with their weapons still pointed at the changeling. When she didn’t move again they lowered them and approached the body.

“Dead,” Patton muttered, nudging her with his boot. “Just died on its own.”

Lee remained silent, a his mind deep in thought behind his eyes. Patton holstered his revolvers and looked around the valley.

“I think I have had enough fun today,” he said. “Let’s head back.”

*

Cea sat back and listened to the two humans give their account of the events that morning to Princess Luna. It sounded a little embellished and exaggerated to her but the one wearing the helmet insisted that everything was true.

Luna had finished hearing the story and chewed her lip in worried thought. “You think they targeted you for more than the fact that you were alone and an easy target?”

“‘Easy target’ is a subjective view, your highness,” Patton chuckled. “But yes, It seemed that we were the goal of their mission.”

“What makes you think that?”

Patton stood up straight. “They wait this long to do anything since their last action and the moment that we decide to leave the safety of the HQ they attack us.”

Luna nodded her head. “That is true. But what could they gain from assassinating you instead of the safer and more effective sabotage on our supplies and facilities? Do you think they know how important you are to the survival of Equestria?”

“Many of your new weapons and strategies are influenced by me,” Patton replied. “They may have caught word of this from multiple sources.”

“Perhaps,” Luna said slowly. “Well, what is important is that you two are unharmed. My medallions worked like I promised they would.”

“I thank you again for them, Princess,” Lee bowed. “We might have not survived if it wasn’t for their protection.”

Patton looked over at Cea who was balancing a silver platter on her head. “It appears the next person who needs to speak with you has become bored with our talk. We shall leave you now so you can get to your next line of business. I need to clean my guns and rest.”

Luna bowed and the humans bowed back then turned on their heels and left the room. Cea had quickly set the platter back onto the table when Patton mentioned her and she sat sheepishly on the chair, waiting for Luna to call her over. The Princess motioned for her to approach.

“I take it you have finished preparations for your ship.”

Cea nodded. “Yep. The Cheerful Tuna is ready to set sail. Just wanted to let you know and to see if there was any word on enemy actions in the area before I left.”

“Cheerful Tuna?”

“The name of my trusty little ship,” Cea beamed.

Luna shook her head. “As for enemy activity around the island, I have a few reports over the past couple days. Sails were seen to the North on the horizon yesterday heading West so they won’t be an issue. There was also reports of smoke in the same area. A reconnaissance arship was also seen but our lancers engaged it causing it to crash into the ocean. However, a sloop did engaged and dueled one of our gun batteries last night on the South end of the island and it fled East after two of our airships drove it away. It might be a threat if it continued on its reported course. Other than that, nothing has been reported.”

Cea pondered over the information and Luna watched her quietly.

“The armored cruiser that was spotted five days ago several miles from the harbor has not been seen since, if that is what is worrying you.”

Cea shook her head. “A cruiser doesn’t scare me. I can outrun them easily. It's what can catch me is what has me worried. You said that the sloop dueled a gun battery?”

Luna nodded and Cea continued, “that means the captain had faith in his firepower. I don’t want to find out what kind of ordnance she’s packing.”

“I wouldn’t worry. The report said there was limited damage. Probably the enemy testing our new defences. Didn’t you equip your ship with new guns, some armor and you refurbished your boilers, correct? I think you will be fine should you cross paths with this sloop.”

“I think so too.”

“If you are ready to leave you have my clearance and blessing,” Luna said with a smile. “I wish you luck.”

Cea bowed. “Thank you, your highness. But the sea doesn’t care if you're lucky or not.”

“Ready to head out, captain?” Stalwart Banner asked as Cea came aboard her ship.

Cea nodded. “Are you? I know you Royal Guards aren't use to maritime activity.”

“Luna assigned me to be your advisor,” Banner shot back as a slight smile crept on the edges of his mouth. “If Luna says I am ready then I am.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cea waved her hoof dismissively before yelling out to her crew. “Alright everypony, we are departing so step to! You know what your jobs are so no slacking!”

She trotted up the quarterdeck and stood next to the helmspony as the ship was untied. The funnel between the sloop’s fore and main-mast belched black smoke that drifted into the chilly air.

Cea took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m happy that the weather is warming. Less storms, usually.”

The helmspony nodded as Stalwart Banner stepped up beside them.

“So, what’s your first course of action?” he asked.

Cea continued to watch her crew move about the deck and rigging, “first action is to get out of the harbor.”

The royal guard gave the young mare a unamused look and she glanced sidelong at him.

“What? It’s the first action on the list.”

The stallion turned his attention to watch the artillery ponies operating the guns at the harbor entrance wave at The Cheerful Tuna as she motored by. He waved back along with some of the crew. Then they slipped out of the safety of the harbor and into the ocean.

“This may be the biggest adventure of eather of our lives, Banner.” Cea said to the stallion. “The enemy thinks they own this ocean with their big ships. What they don’t know is that the ocean is her own master and I am good friends with that vengeful spirit.”

“Good friends?” Banner furrowed his brow. “How did you manage that?”

A wide smile spread across her face and Banner wondered if she was slightly insane.

“I’m her friend because she hasn’t killed me yet. That simple. If she wants you dead, you had better hope you are on land and far away from her vengeance.”

Banner took an uneasy breath. “You're making me wish that someone else was chosen for this position.”

“Oh, you don’t mean that!” Cea raised her hoof to her chest and feigned being hurt. Then she edged closer to him. “You never know, Mr. Banner, we might become lovers before the end.”

The mare broke out into a wild laugh as Banner stared at her with a shocked look.

“You're too young for me,” he retorted. “And probably not sane.”

Cea pursed her lips into a pout. “Aww, you’re not that old. Also, I might be insane or just a sailor with an unusual outlook on life.”

The stallion let out a sigh mixed with a growl.

“And my outlook on life tells me there is a strong, handsome, stallion on my ship who isn’t a subordinate and that just gets me all heated up and my juices flowing. You know what I mean, Mr. Banner?”

“That’s it, I’m heading to the front!” the stallion huffed and began to stomp away. “This voyage just started and I’m already thinking about jumping overboard. We’ve barely left the harbor!”

Cea watched him storm away, a crooked smile on her lips.

“Foamy,” she said to the helmspony while watching the Royal Guard work his way to the other end of the ship. “Follow the westerly wind for now to reach open ocean as fast as we can. Open sails and full steam.”

Foamy, an old stallion with a grey coat nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

They had stayed silent the entire evening. Listening to the creaking of the ship and the rushing of the waves. Stalwart Banner had gone below deck with a spout of sea sickness and Cea had watched the island disappear, deep in thought, until it became a grey smudge on the horizon. The sight of land had finally disappeared completely and the afternoon sun shone warmly through the rigging when a call rang from the lookout upon the mainmast.

“Smoke on the horizon!” Cea looked up at the young stallion in the crowsnest. “Ahead and on the starboard side!”

Many of the crew rushed to the starboard railing and peered into the glare. Cea, using magic, yanked a spyglass from a crewmember and scanned the horizon. The mare scrunched up her face in disappointment.

“I see nothing,” she grunted before looking back up at the lookout. “Gull, you better not be leading me on.”

“Over there, ma’am!” Gull replied while pointing his hoof. “To the South-East.”

Cea followed it and strained her eyes to see. A grey haze lingered on the horizon.

“Keep me updated.” Cea gave the spyglass back to the crewmate then called back to Foamy. “Agle against the wind, and get us some distance from whatever is over there. I don’t what to be followed.”

“What do you think it is, ma’am?”

“Don’t know,” Cea huffed. “But it’s throwing up a lot of smoke. Makes me think she’s seen us and is pouring on steam for the chase.”

Cea took one more glance at the helmspony then proceeded to go and find Banner. She found him leaned up against one of The Cheerful Tuna’s new breech loading heavy guns, slightly aft of the low forecastle, moaning and holding his stomach. She took a moment to admire the cannon before rousing him. The gun, a 4 incher, was one of the six weapons equipped onto the ship’s top deck. In all The Cheerful Tuna had six guns split between both sides of the ship. Also on both sides on the gun deck were two antiquated cannons, the Tuna’s only original guns.

“Feeling well, Mr. Banner?” She asked with a hint of humor.

The stallion let out a loud groan. “I was chosen for this mission because I piloted the smaller Royal yacht for Celestia’s summer trips on Saddle Lake before the war. That hardly compares to this!”

Cea shook her head. “Well, I have some good news, bad news and some very good news.”

“Lay it on me,” Banner replied as he sat up and looked the mare in the eyes.

“The good news is that we are making incredible speed,” Cea smiled. “Those new boilers are more powerful than I thought.”

“Bad news?”

The mare sighed. “Smoke was spotted to the South. We don’t know if we have been spotted but she might be following us.”

“Will they catch us?” Banner asked and Cea was pleasantly surprised to hear no shock or fear in his voice.

“Until I know what kind of ship it is I cannot say.” Cea replied as she helped Banner clamber to his hooves. “But only a special kind of ship can catch us and beat us. I’m not worried.”

Banner took a deep breath to fight the queezyness returning to his body. “Is that the very good news?”

Cea shrugged, “it’s good news, but not the very good news.”

The stallion raised an eyebrow, “what is it?”

“That you still look handsome even while sicker than a dog.”

Banner rolled his eyes as Cea turned and headed back to the aftcastle, laughing the entire time. The stallion slowly followed after her on shaky legs.

“Gull say’s they’re gaining on us,” Foamy stated as the two ponies approached. “He still can’t make out the ship type but he can now faintly see the vessel itself. It has sails.”

“It’s the sloop that Luna warned me about,” Cea said matter of factly. “I know it.”

Even Banner could faintly see the smoke on the horizon that was now to the direct aft of the ship. “What’s the plan, Captain?”

“We will lose her tonight,” she replied. “It’s a new moon and hopefully it will be too dark for our actions to be noted. Tomorrow we will return to our course.”

When the sun sank below the waves, Cea ordered all lights to be extinguished and the fires in the boilers to be stifled. When Banner heard that they were now only under wind power he sought out the captain in her cabin and confronted her. No lanterns or candles lit the room, only starlight revealed the mare from her position behind the table.

“How can I help you?” Cea asked as he entered. She didn’t look up from the charts on her table.

“I thought you were trying to outrun the other ship,” Banner said in a flat tone.

Cea magically lifted a pen and wrote something down. “Before the sun set the ship was clearly gaining on us. I’m not trying to outrun her now. Only to shake her off our scent.”

Banner opened his mouth to ask another question but Cea continued.

“I don’t want to risk the glow from the smokestacks giving us away.”

The stallion snapped his mouth shut. “Makes sense.”

“Who’s the captain here?” Cea mocked.

Banner’s eyes squinted into a scowl. “Don't patronize me.”

“Just be assured that I know what I'm doing.”

Banner looked at the mare shrewdly, eyes glinting in the dim light. Though her face was obscured by shadows banner knew she was staring back with a wide smile.

“I hope so,” he said before turning and leaving.

Day 61

A grey wall of westerly clouds marched along the horizon, threatening storms. But Cea’s eyes looked East, towards the rising sun and more importantly, the ship closing the distance.

“She must have seen us cut our lights and guessed what we were doing.” Cea raised a spyglass to her eye and peered silently at the ship.

“So, what’s your plan?” Banner shot.

“Foamy, keep a starboard broadside on them! Boilers three-fourths steam! Load guns!”

Cea gave the spyglass to Banner as the order was passed down from one officer to another into the bowels of the ship. Moments later black smoke belched from the stack and the sloop lurched forward against the morning breeze. Pegasi clung to the sailless mast as the Cheerful Tuna gained speed.

“She’s running up her flags, ma’am!” a pony called from the forecastle.

Cea peered back through the spyglass as a green flag with a red unicorn set in the middle was lifted over the approaching ship.

“She’s signaling for us to stop,” the signal-pony called from the bow.

“I know that ship,” Cea exclaimed in a voice full of conflicting emotions. “Foamy, keep a broadside on her but cut steam to one-fourths. Run out my flag and signal compliance.”

“What are you doing?” Banner hissed as Cea’s orders were carried out. “Are they friends?”

The ship was now close enough for Banner to see the crew and was surprised to see ponies staring across the water back at him.

“So they are friends then?”

Cea smiled at him. “You’d be wrong. But they are not enemies either.”

Banner stared at her, agast. “Then who are they?”

The mare didn’t reply as she leaned against the starboard rail and waited for the other vessel to pull alongside. It wasn’t long until she was in hailing range.

“What brings you to these waters?” Cea called to the ship, now only 50 yards away.

A male’s voice answered, “Heared that the Cheerful Tuna was working for the crown and I wanted to see for myself.”

“It is true,” Cea called back. “Tell me, who does the Red Snapper work for?”

“The highest payer, of course. Like always’ Cea,” the speaker could now be seen clearly on the forecastle of the ship, a red unicorn stallion. “Times have not changed, my dear. Stop helping the losing side, it’s bad business.”

“Traitors!” Banner challenged.

A laugh went up from the Red Snapper’s crew.

“How can we be traitors if we held no allegiance in the first place?” the stallion replied. “Come now Cea, throw that fool overboard and come with me.”

Banner looked worriedly at the mare. Cea’s face was a mess of emotions and the stallion started to believe that she might actually throw him over. After a moment though she looked up, a strange glint in her eyes.

“I’m not like you!” She screamed and Banner stepped back in shock. “I was never like you and I should have never come with you into this life because now I have no choice but to do this! Open fire!”

Banner could see the other ship’s crew scramble for hopeless cover as the Cheerful Tuna’s the starboard 4 inch guns and the little cannon opened up. The Red Snapper was ripped apart by the new high explosive shells in one salvo. A massive explosion suddenly erupted as the powder magazine was hit, breaking the ship in half. The shockwave shook the ship while debris and broken bodies were thrown high into the sky. Cea watched unmoving as the burning wreck slipped under the waves along with its crew. When all that remained was a few planks of wood and motionless bodies on the surface did Cea turn and walk away.

“Continue course, Foamy,” she said in a solemn voice.

Banner followed after her. “Who was that? A friend? An old lover?”

Cea stopped and looked Banner into his eyes. The stallion was taken aback to see tears. The mare shook her head slowly and choked out pained words.

“He was my father.”

Banner stopped and stared at her in shock as she disappeared below deck. He looked around at the crew who looked back, seemingly just as shaken over what had just happened. He glanced back at the column of smoke now behind them then followed her bellow.

“I use to love him,” Cea said when Banner entered her cabin. She sat behind her desk, busy retrieving something from a drawer. “Father and daughter smugglers, running the sea. Such a wonderful life.”

“What happen?” Banner sat across from her.

Cea pulled a bottle out of the drawer and set it down between them. “He became less like a smuggler and more like a pirate. He lost all honor and he lost my love.”

The mare motioned for Banner to take the bottle as she retrieved another one. “He stole these for me from a zebra trade brig when I was young. He said we would drink these together if I ever got married. So much for that.”

Cea suddenly erupted into uncontrollable tears and hid her face in her hooves. Banner remained silent.

“I killed him,” Cea eventually said with a sniffle. “Didn’t even give him a chance. I wonder if I broke his heart before I... before he died.”

She popped open the bottle and took a swig. “I’m sorry dad.”

Banner did likewise and raised his bottle. “To your father.”

Cea raised her’s and smiled sadly at him. “To my father.”

They both took a long drink before setting the bottles back down.

“Well, he’s dead now,” she huffed. “One parent down. I wonder if my mother would want to see me.”

“Who’s your mother?”

Cea shrugged. “Some middle aged mare from Canterlot. You wouldn’t know her.”

“I think she would like to see you,” Banner replied. “Maybe you will.”

“Maybe,” the mare took another long gulp of rum. “Come on, don’t waste it. Drink up!”

The stallion picked his bottle back up and drank. He let out a cough before speaking. “This stuff is strong.”

“Rum is happiness!” Cea cheered before knocking her head back and drinking more.

*

Notes and Plot Points on BaGaP

First Brigade, First Corps, Army of Western Equestria: Charger Brigade
Comprised of the 3rd, 7th and 12th Canterlot Infantry and the 1st Cloudsdale Lancers. After the 12th Canterlot is almost completely destroyed and absorbed into the 7th the 24th and 19th Ponyville join the Brigade. First commander was General Oakleaf, second commander was General Sprinter, third commander position was empty for a while until General Chainmail took command, fourth and final commander is Big Mac. Real world inspiration, the Iron Brigade of the West and the Irish Brigade.

Army of Western Equestria
Commander: General Shining Armor
Beginning strength: 2 Small Corps
Ending Strength: 10 Corps

Army of Eastern Equestria
Commander: General Stone Tower
Beginning Strength: 3 Corps
Ending Strength: 7 Corps

24th Ponyville: Rose’s Regiment. She takes over the regiment, quickly becoming the Colonel. Real world inspiration, 24th MI, Iron Brigade of the West.

19th Ponyville: Big Mac’s Regiment. He is made the Colonel immediately after training. Real world inspiration, 19th IN, Iron Brigade of the West.

Not to self: God damn it Altoid! Spell it Gryphon!

Lieutenant: Ian Collins
Specialist: Zachariah Marshal
Private: Matthew Novak
Sergeant: Bill Harper
Private: Jeff Fisher

Frederic Herman
Felix Bandt: Gunner
Udo “Something”: Loader
Benjamin Kuefer: Driver
Martin Fuhrmann: Radio

Naval notes:
Fortress: Luna's Flagship
The Keep: Celestia’s old flagship
The Castle
The Barbican
The Bastion: Turbulent Water’s flagship.
The Cheerful Tuna: Cea’s ship.

Timeline:

-Winter Arrives and life on the island and mainland becomes hard.

-Starvation lingers in the future.

-A fire breaks out at a black powder storehouse.

-Changeling spies and saboteurs. Oh no!

-The Charger brigade is assigned to security around the city.

-Apple Bloom goes back to the city and stays with her friends.

-The rescue of the Equestrian underground by Celestia, Flo and others.

-Flo learns who Celestia is but promises to keep it a secret.

-Celestia runs into Blandire again but the Alicorn does nothing to stop her.

-Rescue of the Underground and the love between Flo and Cobalt continues.

-Note to self, should I focus more on this love story?

-Winter starts to take its toll and preparation grind to a halt as survival becomes priority.

-Frederic finally wakes from his coma.

-Riots start due to lack of food and the Charger brigade fights rioters and AWOL soldiers.

-Big Mac's first test as a leader.

-The blockade runners are led by a young mare named Clairvoyance or more commonly named Cea. She is daughter of Flo.

-Rise of the Crystal Empire under Sombra and the uneasy Alliance starts to form.

-Celesta and the underground try to contact Sombra and bring an alliance.

-It’s much like the relationship between the Allies and Russia during WWII.

-Winter raid on the Island by changelings.

-Assassination attempts on Patton, the Americans and the Germans.

-More Patton and Lee being badass.
- Changelings try to kidnap the 6. It is unsuccessful.

-The winter starts to end and with it comes a new sense of hope.

-The enemy starts its air raids with airships and shore raids with its more powerful navy.

-The Naval and Airship battles for control over the sea around the island.

-The tactical genius of our ponies and friends make up for a lack in numbers.

-The battle is a success and the island is no longer at threat of invasion.

-Air raids are starting to slow as well.

-New war machines are developed by both sides.

-Tanks, Steel Ships and modernized weaponry.

-Dash decides to join the lancers.

-Lee comes to the conclusion that he needs to return home and is sent back to the American Civil War.

-The war for Saddle Arabia and other free nation of the desert.

-Operation torch and Northern Africa style warfare! Equestrian and enemy tanks used for first time in combat.

-The New regiments in the Charger brigade, now a partially mechanised force, prove themselves.

-Blackscales the Dragon, who is leading the enemy army in the Saddle Arabian desert is killed by a massed artillery and magic attack.

-The humans also experience their first loss and one of the German crew is killed, probably Martin, during a tank battle.

-The Germans are upset by this but none more than Felix who blames Patton and the Americans.

-The first real victory at last and new allies join the cause.

-Like zebra’s and stuff.

-We also learn where Zecora has been this whole time.

-Winter returns again.

-Preparing for the final push.

-The CMC, still under the age limit but due to a lack of “pony power”, are allowed to join the reserves, and gain their cutie marks and a tank.

-The War in the North turns bloody as the Crystal Empire strikes into Equestria.

-It’s like the battle of Kursk but with ponies.

-The naval and air battles to cut off Equestria from the allies of Blandire.

-Mostly a success. Only a few lanes remain open to the Dark Alicorn Lord.

-Preparing for the land invasion of Equestria then the invasion into Equestria.

-One army invades from the West through the San Palomino Desert the other from Horseshoe bay.

-I like maps, maps maps maps. MAPS!

-The San Palomino invasion heads north to Canterlot the Horseshoe bay invasion heads south to cut off the last true line of reinforcements and supplies to Blandire.

-A hard and bloody land war to retake Equestria is fought.

-Story focuses on Shining armor.

-Story also focuses on Big Mac, Rose and the Charger Brigade. Also the CMC.

-Focus switches back to Patton, the humans, and the SIX as the armies of the East, West and Sombra’s “Ruby” Legions.

-Ruby Legion is like the Red Army. I’m clever!

-Blandire learns of the locations of the 6 and sends out a team to capture them.

-During the siege of Canterlot Blandire sends out his best soldiers.
-All but Twilight are taken.

-Twilight leads a rescue mission with Patton, the Americans, Germans and a select few including the CMC to save her friends well ahead of the main Equestrian force.

-They team up with Celestia (who they don’t know to be Celestia) the underground and devise a plan.

-Attack and rescue in canterlot.

-Twilight, humans and underground attack the castle and try to find her friends.

-The ensuing battle leads to many deaths of our beloved characters. Still thinking of who I should kill off.

-Bill dies saving Matt, Frederic and the CMC. Felix dies in a blaze of glory with Ben, Udo, Cobalt (much to the distraught of Flo) while holding the first door that leads to the hall where Blandire is waiting.

-Zeus is maimed horribly and is dragged to momentary safety by Matt and Ian. The three humans set themselves up outside the door to the room where Blandire waits. Their last stand is a tear jerking moment and I’m starting to cry just thinking about it. The others carry on to confront Blandire.

-The sweet tears of my readers! Mwahahaha! Oh God, I’m crying too!

-Blandires plan is finally revealed.

-Tricking Twilight into entering a spell circle with her friends he enacts a trap.

-The souls of the Alicorns trapped within them are released.

-Blandire is reunited with his family, his goal all along, and people but they are horrified by his actions. They turn against him and Blandire is alowed to be destroyed by our heroes.

-Note to self. Don’t forget to make the ending cool.

-Instead they give their powers, albeit only a fraction of the old power of the elements, to the 6.

-The war’s end.

-The 6 becomes the queens of Equestria. They are now the embodiment of Alicorn power although the souls have now departed.

-Celestia is released from her “prison” by the spirit of her father who sees past the form and the no longer possessed foal is adopted by Flo.

-Without a body the spirit of Celestia gives her final goodbyes and departs.

-Luna sends Patton and Frederic home but says they might be called back if Equestria needs them. She then departs herself to become a wanderer.

-The Tanks Lucky and The Black Wolf are put into the Equestrian War Museum.

-Meanwhile Sombra and the Crystal Empire reveal themselves to be a new threat and the 6 are left to deal with the inevitable war with their new nation, but they are now brave and fear no war.

-Future story idea? Cold war theme. IDK

-Patton and Frederic return to france and the story is wrapped up. Frederic is heartbroken at the loss of his crew and is willingly taken prisoner by the Americans.

-Last part of the story shall be Frederic, reunited with his family, visiting Patton’s grave after the war.

This story is still up for adoption. -The Minty Freshness, Altoid