Third person:

Clare awoke from the annoying beeping of his watch. He quickly turned off the watch and quietly slid out from underneath Luna. “I’m sorry Luna, but I have to go” Clare said as he gave a gentle kiss to her forehead then a very slow and gentle kiss to her mouth. She stirred a bit but never awoke. Clare couldn’t bear to wake her because he knew that saying goodbye would be very difficult and saddening and that he had a time schedule to follow. ‘Should have set the alarm for three’ he thought to himself. He felt bad for not waking her and saying goodbye but he couldn’t bring himself to wake her.

He walked out of the room and quietly closed the door behind him. He walked through the hallways quickly, not wearing a single garment of clothing and made his way to the change room. There he opened his change locker and pulled out his duster coat, the Stetson hat, his trousers and all his other clothing that he usually wore when protecting Luna. He slipped his iconic S&W 500 into his chest holster and the newly acquired Desert Eagle .50 AE into a hip holster.

He slipped on the clothes then quickly made his way to the armoury. The armoury receptionist wasn’t there and Clare helped himself. He got the battle harnesses he required and found a crate possessing a brand new Thompson M1928. He cracked open the crate and slung it across his back. The great think about this armoury was they cleaned the guns before putting them up for the taking.

He grabbed several loaded drum magazines along with thirty round stick magazines and placed them in the chest harness magazine holders. Clare grabbed another Desert Eagle and some extra magazines and put it in the second hip holster. He was about to leave when he remembered that he hadn’t found The Apache’s body on Hill 959. He looked back to a Model 70, .300 Winchester Magnum.

He walked over and grabbed the bolt action rifle along with some ammo. He had begun to weight himself down but he figured better safe than sorry. He unslung the Thompson and held it in one hand, the sling dangling about as he left the armoury and proceeded towards the exit of the castle.

In Luna’s royal bedroom, Luna awoke as she realized Clare’s body was no longer next to hers. She quickly lept up and rushed out to the balcony stairway then flew down to the doorway of the entrance. She rushed out onto the streets of Canterlot but Clare was nowhere to be seen. A lone tear trickled down her face as she watched the dark lone streets of Canterlot. The streets gave off a cold feeling.

Clare arrived at the military base where he stood by the helipad alone. Soon Shining Armor and the others arrived. “I couldn’t say goodbye… I left without waking her” Shining muttered to himself and Clare nodded. “Yeah me too” he said as a helicopter descended onto the helipad. Several others followed it to other helipads.

“We’re flying over to the forward firing base then we’ll be dropped into the valley” Shining called over the sounds of the propellers. The group embarked the helicopters and they departed for the forward base of operations.

SGM. Clare, forward firing base:

I stood with Shining Armor as the General briefed us. “You’ll then take you company and move them deeper into the valley and up this hill where their command base is. Good luck gentlecolts” he said and we both gave him a salute.

“Sir, what about the human forces?” I asked and he looked to me. “They’re being dropped on the opposite side of the valley to take this position here” he said and pointed to a larger hill, almost a mountain by the elevation readings on the map. I gave him a nod than both Shining and I left the office.

We walked through the grass that needed to be cut and approached the barbed wire fence. I pulled out two fat Cuban cigars and lit them, handing one to Shining and kept one for myself. We sat there for about an hour and smoked the cigars together.

“You know I don’t smoke” Shining said as he puffed on the cigar. “Yeah and neither do I” I said sarcastically. “It’s going to be hell in there” Shining muttered and I nodded. He looked down to see both my Thompson and my Model 70. “Two guns?” he asked and I nodded. “Need one for close quarters and one for long range” I informed him. He looked at his M16 which was fitted with an ACOG scope.

“You know, these M16s are pretty good” he commented and I frowned. “Nah, they’re plastic. Feels like a BB gun. I think I’ll stick with my Thompson” I told him and he chuckled. “Think we’ll get close enough to use that?” he asked and I looked to him with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t know sir, you tell me” I chuckled, he knew as well as I did that there was going to be cases where the zebras were going to be literally breathing down our throats.

“I’m just saying they’re good is all” Shining replied and I chuckled as I took one last large puff on the cigar then tossed it to the ground and stomped it out. “Come time I need one sir, there’ll be plenty lying on the ground” I said and he nodded as he too put out his cigar. “Well… I guess we should do what we came here to do” he muttered and we walked over to the helipad where the helicopters were just starting up.

I could see fear in a lot of ponies’ eyes. “Platoon! Mount up!” I yelled over the sound of the rotor engines. I was in charge of the platoon that used to be under Daffodil’s command, they hadn’t found a replacement but that didn’t bother me. I could easily command the platoon.

We all embarked on the helicopters and they began to depart for the deep Everfree valley. Several ponies gave silent prayers and I looked around to the frightened faces of several ponies in the helicopter I rode in.

The helicopters all thundered over the valley treetops, their rotors gave out a low rumbling as we passed overhead. I heard my helicopter pilot talk into the radio. “Four miles out and dropping into the depths of the valley” he called out.

The helicopters dipped into a narrow valley and continued on overhead. The scenery was beautiful and if it wasn’t for the war than I’d feel at peace. “Sir…” a young private asked and I looked back to him. Sweat was pouring down his face and he was shaking in fear. “We’re all scarred the first time… just try not to think about it” I told him. He nodded then I turned back to watch the scenery.

The helicopters entered a large field and began to set down. I stepped out of the helicopter before it fully landed and I was the first to set foot on the battlefield.