SGM. Clare, the peak:

I rushed up with Shining Armor to the peak. The others were waiting just like Shining had said. I looked to Danko who had his AN-94 slung around his back and had a new little toy, more like a big toy.

“Nice gun” I commented and Danko looked to me with a sly smile. “I know. Isn’t she beautiful? I shall call her Betty… no-no, I shall call her Black Betty. Like fourth wife, she was bitch” Danko said as he held a Browning M2 .50 caliber. It was impossibly heavy but then again he was a big guy and if I could dead lift 500 lbs. then he should be able to carry around the one hundred pound gun like it was just another assault rifle.

I looked over to Derpy and Moon Crater. “Ready?” I asked and they nodded. “Right, CHARGE!” I yelled and we all lept up and charged over the hill top. The peak dipped down into a scrap yard of some sort, zebras scurried about and shot at us with old firearms. Mostly comprising of AK47s and RPKs but there were a few German weapons like MG42s and Type99 Light machineguns among the midst.

Bullets kicked up dirt all around our feet and several ponies were caught by lead rounds and fell to the ground as blood spurted from their wounds. A mortar crew had taken it upon themselves to fire at us and mortar shells erupted all around us. “Get to cover!” I yelled and we all lept for cover except Danko who stopped and began to fire the massive machinegun.

The gun let out a low chugging sound as it spat out the .50 caliber slugs that would devastate anything short of an armoured personnel carrier. I peeked out from around the corner of a beat up old truck that I had taken cover behind.

Zebras that were struck by the colossal round were simply ripped apart. A zebra scurried about and Danko shot him several times, it was like the zebra was filled with explosives and simply splattered everywhere. Another zebra ran to cover but a lone round slammed him in the side and ripped his body in half.

A group of three zebras charged us head on. Black Betty, or that’s what Danko called her, chugged out more lead death and the zebras were pulled off their hooves and thrown back as their bodies were ripped apart. One of the zebras chest’s ripped open like a giant cannon ball had just blew him open.

Danko stopped firing then swore to himself as he scurried over to us. “I need to reload… maybe I need a drink of vodka first” he chuckled and I looked over to him as he reloaded. He looked back up to me. “What?! You didn’t think I was serious, I wouldn’t drink on the job… unless it was long one” he replied than slammed the top of the gun shut and cocked the charging bolt.

He went to step out from the cover of the vehicle but the buzzing of an MG42 rang out and bullets sparked off the metal of the truck. Danko swore to himself and ducked back behind the truck. “Shit… we’re pinned down… okay now’s time for vodka” he said as he pulled out a flask and opened it. It stank of very strong homemade Russian vodka. “Shit Danko… what do you put in that stuff” Angel Eyes asked disgustedly.

“Potatoes” Danko replied as he wailed back a large chug of vodka. “Hey take it easy on that stuff. We still have a mission to do” Shining said and Danko looked to him as he took the flask away from his mouth. “Don’t worry. It was only little sip” Danko said as he put away the flask. He mouthed his tongue around inside his mouth to savour the taste, of what I could only imagine, of the horrid vodka.

Mortar shells began to land closer to us. “Fuck, they’re homing in on us. HARRY!” Shining yelled but Harry was nowhere to be seen. “Look sir” said one of the pony soldiers and we watched as Harry single handily, and very stupidly, charged the machineguns head on, screaming like a wild stallion.

He stopped and fired his M16 from the hip, amazingly he cut down the machine gunners and stopped their reign of terror. “Well I’ll be… Harry’s a goddamn hero” Shining muttered as Harry waved for us to come over. Suddenly his helmet pinged of his head as a lone round splattered his head. “Fuck… spoke too soon. Well regardless, we’re fucked until we get that radio” Shining muttered and looked over the cover of the truck.

“We have to get the radio to call in the flyboys… alright lay down a supressing fire and I’ll go get the radio” Shining ordered but I grabbed him by the shoulder and shook my head. “No sir, I’m going with you. We’ll lay down smoke cover and then we’ll go together” I said and turned back to look to Moon Crater and Derpy. “You guys got any smoke grenades left?” I asked but Danko tapped me on the shoulder and I turned back around.

He pointed out to the clearing where Shining Armor galloped towards the radio. “That fucker is gonna get himself killed” I cursed. “Supressing fire!” I yelled and we all lept up and fired at the zebras that tried to shoot down Shining Armor. Bullets kicked up dirt around Shining’s hooves as he raced forwards.

“Hey stupid zebras, have some of Black Betty’s cooking. You’re on the menu” Danko yelled out as he fired the massive M2 Browning machinegun. Zebras in the thick brush had no cover against the mighty machinegun and were simply torn apart as it shredded them.

A group of three zebras charged up and Angel Eyes pivoted around the truck and quickly blasted the trio with the under attachment shotgun. They were kicked off their hooves as the wall of 12 gauge buckshot collided with them.

Moon Crater peeked over the truck and emptied his M14 Juggernaut into a large thicket filled with a group of zebras. Shining slid behind a steel wall and grabbed Harry’s body.

“Yes… he made it” I told the group and we all ducked back behind the truck. I looked to Danko and he held out his hand for a bro handshake. We slapped our hands together and a loud clap echoed. We held our hands together and began to have an air born arm wrestle. I was a lot stronger than I thought myself to be and we actually ended up stalemating each other.

“Hey would you two knock it off” Angel Eyes said but we paid him no mind as we tried to best one another. Angel Eyes slammed his arm between us and ruined our arm wrestle. We both looked over to him with curiosity and he pointed over to Shining Armor. Shining was under heavy fire as he pulled the radio off the back of Harry’s body and inspected the radio. He looked to us and nodded as he dialed in the radio and called for air support. I could see his face turn red as he began to argue with the radio, or well the radio operator on the other side.

Mortars began to land way to close for comfort. I pointed over to a little ditch gulley. “Take cover over there” I ordered and we all rushed over to the new cover, Danko gave us covering fire with his M2.

We lept into the trenches. “I don’t want to die here in this shithole” Moon Crater said fearfully as the zebra machineguns lit up again, pinning us under their constant supressing fire. “Shining is probably doing no better” I muttered as I shuffled my body up and took a quick glance. I ducked back down before the machine gunners could get a bead on me.

“I don’t want to die here man… I don’t want to die” Moon Crater said. Danko cursed to himself. “I’m running low on ammo… and vodka” he replied as he wailed back the remainder of his vodka then put the flask away. I looked back to Shining Armor as he placed the radio on his back and charged towards us. Suddenly a lone round put a hole in his hindleg and he fell to the ground with a scream of pain. He managed to crawl behind a steel wall as bullets kicked up dirt all around him.

I looked to the others with weary eyes, technically I was in charge right now. “You’re not gonna die… no one else is gonna die. I’m gonna go pick up Shining Armor and we’re gonna get the air force to bombard this area” I assured them. They gave me weary looks. “Trust me” I said as I recklessly jumped up and out of the ditch then raced towards Shining Armor. Danko hopped up and began to lay down a supressing fire with the M2. The others lept up as well and fired their rifles at the zebras to try to cover me as I raced towards Shining.

I darted through scrap metal piles and slid behind the steel wall Shining had taken cover behind. Bullets pinged off the wall that protected us for the time being. “What’s the skinny?” I asked and Shining grimaced in pain. “I can’t walk… leave me” he said but I shook my head. “No chance, what did the flyboys say?” I asked but he groaned in pain.

“They said they couldn’t afford to send some aircraft, only evac choppers but that isn’t scheduled for another few hours” he replied as he held his leg in pain. I grabbed the radio and dialed it in.

“Hello? Hey is anyone there?” I asked frantically. “Clare?” asked a familiar voice. “Thank goddess. Dash, get the Wonderbolts… get some aircraft and I need you to bomb… Alpha Lima 6-0-4-3-0” I told her. There was a moment’s silence. “What!?” she replied hesitantly.

“Dash please, if you don’t then Shining, myself and a few others are going to die” I replied. There was another silence. “Okay, Alpha Lima 6-0-4-3-0 right? Okay, we’ll be there lickety split” she replied.

I hung up the radio. “Just leave me… they’ll be here soon and I won’t be able to make it” Shining replied but I shook my head. “Go… if you try to take me we won’t make it” he ordered. “You’re a father, you can’t go saying things like that” I told him and he leaned back in pain. “And you’re going to be a father too… you have to go” Shining ordered. “I’m not leaving you here, I couldn’t live with myself knowing I left you behind” I told him. “We won’t make it” he replied. “I’m gonna get you outta here, even if I have to carry you on my back” I said as I pulled off the radio from his back. I lifted Shining onto my shoulders and began to quickly rush forwards, as fast as I could with Shining weighing me down.

Danko lept out from behind cover and began firing at zebras as they shot at me. Bullets kicked up dirt all around my feet but luckily missed me by mere inches. Suddenly a mortar shell landed nearby and erupted. The explosion knocked me to the ground but I landed on my left knee and quickly pushed myself back up.

Zebras screamed in native tongue and suddenly I felt a very sharp pain in my left leg as a lone bullet punched through it. I yelped in pain and fell forwards, my leg jolting in pain. Shining’s body tumbled off my shoulder and zebras charged at us. I held my Thompson in one hand, firing it at any zebras that came towards us. Zebras were caught by the hail of lead and were ravaged by the Thompson.

The magazine ran dry and I cursed to myself as I tossed it away. More zebras charged towards us but luckily Moon Crater had a bead on them. 7.62x51mm rounds ripped through the air and put multiple holes in the zebras who charged at us.

But even with our friends giving us supporting fire, zebras still flowed forwards like a swarm of locust.

“Goddammit Clare, just leave me… I won’t blame you for leaving me… Luna needs you” Shining said and I looked to him. “Cadence and your two foals need you” I told him. “You have… a better chance than me” he replied painfully. “No one else is gonna die Shining… no one else is dying” I muttered.

“Every man that serves in the military has to make sacrifices. He knows that when he joins. He will fight and die for the man… or pony, next to him. And if he can’t sacrifice things for his fellow soldiers than he isn’t cut out to be a soldier” I told him as I staggered to my feet and tossed Shining onto my shoulders.

I began to stagger forwards. Zebras charged out and fired at me. Dirt was kicked up beside my feet and bullets sparked off of scrap metal. Danko got to a better vantage point just as a Type 99 machinegun lit up and a stray bullet clipped my side.

I fell to my knees but staggered back up. Danko quickly aimed at the machine gunner and lit him up with Black Betty. The zebra’s body was ripped apart from the massive .50 caliber rounds.

I could feel my left leg burn where I had been shot as I staggered along. A zebra fired at me with an AK47 and caught me in the lower side with a stray bullet. I grimaced in pain and tried to continue forwards but staggered a little too much on my left leg and fell to the ground.

Zebras charged up at us but I quickly unholstered both my Desert Eagles and opened fire. The mighty handguns boomed as they spat out large caliber pistol rounds. Zebras who were hit by the bullets were kicked back with large holes in their chests’.

I ejected the magazines and loaded new ones then continued to fire. I was almost empty when I placed both the pistols back in their holsters then staggered back to my feet. I hadn’t enough strength to heave Shining over my shoulders so I simply held him in my arms like a newborn baby and rushed forwards.

Danko and Angel Eyes looked to see I was in trouble. They both lept up and rushed passed me, firing their weapons from the hip and taking out several zebras as they charged forwards.

Another shot slammed through my upper left shoulder area, splattering blood out the front of my chest, I gritted my teeth in pain as I finally reached a ditch and lept in.

Our bodies crashed into the trench and I heard Danko and Angel Eyes order for everyone to fall back. I looked as zebras charged out of the bushes like wildfire, they brought their rifles up to fire but suddenly they just seemed to be struck by a wall of powerful lead.

Their bodies were torn apart and a loud buzzing was heard overhead. Empty brass from door mounted Gatling guns littered the ground. I looked up to see Rainbow Dash give Shining and I a salute. Generally pegasus could fly easily but when combat flights were necessary, even pegasus used helicopters.

Zebras were splattered where they stood and soon a missile barrage from jet fighters bombarded the area. The explosions were magnificent. I could feel my blood soaking my clothes now and I smiled faintly to myself.

Captain Shining Armor:

I smiled and let out a painful laugh. “We did it… we fucking did… I can’t believe we made it” I said through pained laughs.

“Clare we did it…” I trailed off as I looked over to Clare with a smile but my smile soon turned dire as I looked to him. He was looking down upon his chest which had multiple wounds that were bleeding profusely. He leaned his head back and let out a deep sigh.

I groaned in pain as I sat myself up and leaned over to look at his wounds. “Oh shit Clare” I said as I grabbed his under shirt and tried to apply pressure to his wounds.

Clare looked up to me with his deep brown eyes and coughed violently. Blood came up in his cough. “MEDIC!” I yelled out and pointed to the chopper and tried to wave Rainbow Dash down but they didn’t notice me.

“I NEED A MEDIC!” I yelled then looked back to Clare. “You’re going to be fine, just relax” I told him but he chuckled painfully. “You idiot… I know I’m dying… and besides… I’m already relaxed” he said through erratic breathing. He grabbed me by the collar of the shirt and looked into my eyes with his beautiful brown eyes. “Shining… I’m sorry… for breaking your nose” he told me as he brought up his hand. It was shaking, his body was entering shock from all the blood lose.

“Come on Clare… don’t be like this… you’re going to make it out of here alive” I told him as I held onto his hand with my hoof. He curled his fingers around my hoof and held it tightly. He coughed violently as his hand began to shake more.

“Tell Luna... I’m sorry for… not saying goodbye… and that I…I… I love her” he said, his breathing was very fast and very erratic. “Luna… I love… I love… I love you…” he trailed off then his breathing finally came to a stop. My hooves were covered in his blood and I began to cry as he passed away. His eyes seemed to stare blankly into the sky above.

“I got the last of them Clar…” Moon Crater trailed off. His smile turned into a look of pure saddened shock. Derpy looked over and cried out as she rushed over to my side, she brought her hoof forwards but then stopped just inches short of touching Clare’s body.

Several tears trickled down her face and she stood up then sadly trotted over to Moon Crater’s side and cried into his chest. Danko rushed up along with Owens and Angel Eyes and they too turned from happy smiles to saddened looks.

Suddenly there was chattering gunfire then silence. We looked over to see a group of Spetsnaz and Joint Task Force Two members rush over the hill. They shot down any zebras still foolish enough to stand in their way.

I turned back to Clare. He was dead now and the world felt so much more lonely and empty without him here.

Later that day,

Third person, Canterlot castle, 4:34pm:

The helicopter landed and Shining Armor hopped off the helicopter in crutches. Cadence rushed to his side but he stopped her as he turned back to see the lone body bag with Clare’s body get lifted out of the chopper.

Luna and her sister Celestia stepped out to the helipad to greet the guards. Luna stepped forwards with a small smile but as she saw the body bag her small smile turned into a look of worry.

Shining Armor had elected himself to be the one to break the bad news to her. He walked up and put a hoof on her shoulder then told her the story, more like the tragedy. Luna gasped and fell to her knees as tears flowed from her eyes

Author's Notes:

Well there's the tragedy of war... (Deep sigh) I need some really depressing music... (Snaps) got depressing music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3khH9ih2XJg