Chapter 50: Questions and Answers
Part 1: Farewell Party
TIME: 09:00 Equestria Royal Standard Time
DATE: War Day 496/15 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Ponyville, Equestria
The next Expedition was in the offing. We had all our supplies and strategy prepared, we had our team selected. We had our goals in mind - investigate Paradise Estates, and hopefully, find Coltonville. We had to. Tirek getting his hands on what amounted to late 20th century technology in near whole, would be devastating.
However.. not yet.
Today was Octavia's birthday. We had an early party for her at the Cafe, and had already opened presents and things. Scratch was playing some Chillhop at the moment, and I was in the middle of giving Octavia my present.
K: "Spike managed to manually etch all the classical music on my phone, on to records, for you." I nodded. "I've already reviewed them to make sure they're as accurate as possible." I shrugged. "So, this is from both of us."
Spike: "Happy Birthday, Octavia." He beamed and handed her a stack of 45rpm records.
Octavia: "Thank you. Both of you." She hugged Spike first.
K: "The expedition leaves soon." I shrugged. "I didn't want to miss this, though." I put a hand behind her head. "You were the first one injured. And the first one to show us what courage means, returning to service, fighting.."
Octavia: "K.." She tilted her head.
K: "You're a really, really, really good friend, Octavia." I hugged her tightly.
Twilight: "No kidding!" She hugged as well. "I mean.. you've always been there for us."
Sacquet: "Oui, Madame.." He held out his uninjured hoof. "..may I have zis dance?"
Octavia: "O-oh! Colonel.."
Sacquet: "Phillipe, please." He bowed slightly.
Octavia: "Of course, Phillipe!" She beamed.
Oh... I know those blushes.
Applejack: "Mm.. kids in luv.." *Tongue click*
Fluttershy: "She's five years older than you. And Sacquet is seven years older." She corrected.
Applejack: "HESH!" She smiled and stuffed a cupcake in Fluttershy's mouth. "Y'all owe me still, fer mountin' mah stallion.." She gave Fluttershy bedroom eyes.
Fluttershy blushed HARD. When did my dear Applejack become such a freak? Oh, wait, that's my fault, huh?
Dr. Whooves: "K!"
Saved by the Doc! I toddled over.
K: "What's up, doc?" Oh, yes I did.
He stuck a carrot (where'd he get that?) in my mouth. Then patted me on the arm, handing me a cup of punch.
Dr. Whooves: "I'm eager to hear what you uncover." He shrugged. "I arrived here perhaps a year before you did. So.. all I know are legends."
Time Twister: "Mmm." He sipped some tea. "And it's such a rich history. Something I'd love to run down, with your help."
K: "Deciding to get out of the Club more, TT?" I tilted my head at him.
Time Twister: "TT? Hmm.. I like it." He fixed his bow tie.
K: "Makes a good nickname." I shugged.
Time Twister: "I suppose.. yes." He looked between me and Dr. Whooves. "I liked having Companions. I suppose I miss them."
K: "Careful, TT." I smirked. *Carrot kronch*
Time Twister: "And who says anyone can hear us?" He gave a coy smirk.
Indeed, with the party going on around us, no one was paying us direct attention.
K: "Nice trick." I getured with my carrot.
Time Twister: "Psychology. Actually, I had a reason to be here." He gestured. "To.. speak to you. It's about that interference we discussed." He shrugged. "It's not us."
K: "I see. Well, that knocks down one theory. When we run out, I suppose, we'll be in trouble."
Time Twister: "Do you think you will?" He tilted his head a bit, towards me.
K: "I don't know. There's too many base and feathered strands of theories to really say anything at this point, and no real hard information to go on." I shrugged.
Time Twister: "Mm.. I think you'll get your answers in good time." He snatched up a cupcake and rejoined the pary.
K: "He's good, too." I nodded. "Reminds me of Daniel Craig versus Pierce Brosnan." I looked at Dr. Whooves. "He's new, he's not as comfortable, but.. he has a few tricks that he can surprise you with, if you don't pay attention."
Dr. Whooves: "More of a Dalton fan, myself." He smirked.
K: "Tease." I wiggled my eyebrows at him.
Octavia: "Can I have everyone's attention?"
She moved to the center of the cafe.
Octavia: "Scratch, my cello, please?"
Scratch: "One sec." She trotted over to the corner and grabbed her cello case, bringing it back to the birthday girl. "Here y'are, Tavi."
Octavia: "I want to thank everyone for coming. You are all my dearest friends." She looked at Commodore Iris. "New." Then to Scratch. "And old." Then back to the crowd. "You've made me happy. Since over a year ago, when we started losing friends, I've been able to see whom my friends truly are. Today, we celebrate my life. But, every day, we should celebrate our own as well." She looked at me. "Now, today, some of our freinds are going off to answer mysteries about our past. Some of them may not come back. I want us all to send them off with happy thoughts, and inner warmth." She looked to Sacquet. "Phillipe, the sparkly, please."
Sacquet rolled in - with help from Gorton and La Selle - several large barrels.
Sacquet: "These are non-alcoholic sparkling fruit drinks, which my family makes. As we well know, guns and alcohol do not mix. But! We would not be friends if we did not toast each other, non?" A smirk.
He popped open a barrel, coached one bottle in his injured arm, drew his saber, and sabered the bottle - that is, he ran the saber's blade along the seam, and popped the tip of the bottle off. He filled Octavia's cup first.
Once everyoe had one, we raised our glasses to Octavia.
Octavia: "A birthday toast - to our friends. All of us. I can't express in words the love I feel for each of you."
K: "To us!"
Gorcat: "TO US!"
Dex: "To us, dudes and dudettes."
Glasses clinked, and we had ourselves a (fake) drink. Octavia played a melody that I swore I'd heard before, but couldn't place. She got a standing ovation for it. That's when Pinkie rolled out the cake. It was the Manehattan Amphitheatre in Central Park, done in cake. A mini sugar figurine of Octavia was in the middle of the stage, with a little sugar figurine orchestra. Along the sides were painted in sugar, some of the things she'd done.
Pinkie: "Happy birthday, Tavi!" She hugged her. "HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY-
The Crowd, Joining in: "TODAY'S YOUR SPECIAL DAY! IT'S YOUR HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO PLAY! HEY! IT'S YOUR HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TODAY'S A SPECIAL DAY! FOR YOUR HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND WE'RE ALL HERE TO SAY! HEY! ALL YOUR SPECIAL WISHES, YOU WILL HAVE TODAY! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALL YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE TODAY! HEYYYYY!"
There was thunderous applause. Octavia was crying tears of joy, hugging Scratch and Sacquet. Finally, she blew out her candles.
Octavia: "If I could have one wish today.. it's that you will all come home safe." She smiled at us.
The party went on longer than expected. Oh, well. We hadn't had a good party in ages, so.. no matter. The expedition can start the next day. And, really, it did turn in to a going-away party.
Heck, I wasn't even the one that took her home that night! That was Phillipe Sacquet..!
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Departure
TIME: 09:00 Equestria Royal Standard Time
DATE: War Day 497/16 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Ponyville, Equestria
Assembled and at the ready was the entire Ponyville Militia Company, the Paddock County Militia, 3rd Battalion Equestria Royal Army, 1st Marine Battalion, 1st Crystal Kinngdom Aero Marine Battalion, Sacquet's Legion, and the 1st Royal Rangers..
Dex: "Lotta backup, General-Dude." He nodded, sagely.
K: "I can't be sure what I'm going to find. The 1st Marines are scheduled to ship out for Neighpon when the Steel Fleet is ready." I nodded to Sacquet. "Have a good night?"
Sacquet: "Oui-yes." He cleared his throat. "Sergeant Octavia is very charming.."
Dex: "Dude. We're asking if you got some." He grinned at him.
Sacquet: "NON! We're not married." A short sniff. "Perhaps that changes. Perhaps it does not. Either way, we spent the whole night, talking, until we fell asleep."
Scratch: "Yeah, no kidding. BOR-RING!" She lifted her shades and winked at him. "If I was still on the market, I'd've put you in the stables!" Which is dirty Pony slang for 'I would have cut a notch in my bed post.'
Dex... turned DEEP RED... and I noticed it.
K: "Y'tell me you two..." I wagged fingers between them.
Scratch: "Oh, yeah! He's awesome!" She threw a foreleg around him. "Guess ya k'n say we make sweet music together, huh?"
Dex: "Y-Yeah.. hah.." Oh, that cracked his Dudeical Persona HARD.
K: "I'm glad.. I'm glad. No offense, Vy, but I've fucked enough of Applejack's friends." I shrugged. "Not that I wouldn't."
Scratch: "Yeah! Right? I betcha it'd be wild, though." She actually flicked her tail at me!
Applejack: "Aw, hell naw.." She came right up behind Scratch and gave her a push. "..not without me ya ain't!" She then looked at Dex. "Yeah, you can come, too."
K: "HONEY!" I was.. honestly shocked.
Dex looked ready to faint.. I could tell, he thought Applejack was something to look at, or he wouldn't've cared.
Applejack: "Aw..." She got up on her hind legs and stopped me, kissing me. "Yew dun spoilt me, honeybun. I gotten used to git'n some on the regular.. started some adventures, too." She looked at Scratch, and Dex, who were both a bit shocked, and tail-flicked BOTH of them.
Sacquet: "Mon Dieu!" He laughed. "Marechal, your wife is VERY adventurous.." He gave me a very French/Prench wink of bro-ship.
K: "I got lucky, I suppose. My wife is now a country-fried sex freak. I suppose it helps that she has irregular Estrus and I'm not genetically compatible." I shrugged. "Hey, at least we have our fun." I gave her a kiss, now. "Come on, team's waiting."
Scratch: "Yeah." Once Applejack slid down, she pulled me in with her fetlock and kissed me. It had no lust to it, it was very much a tomboyish friendly thing. "For luck."
K: "Mm.. tastes.. like wubs?" I couldn't place the taste, but it had a flavor to it that I wasn't familiar with. I gave Dex a bro-hoof. "Be ready to back me up, brah." And a one-arm bro-hug.
Dex: "Aww! Always, General-Dude!" He was.. probably a bit more humiliated than he let on, but we had a comradeship there that we couldn't deny.
Whether that might extend to an orgy? Ehhh.. I was leaning towards not. It's one of those things that would probably define our couples' friendly relationship, though - constant sexual teasing and maybe some dares, with zero actual sex acts outside of our respective relationships, though.
I got over to the Assembly Area, and checked in with Katrina. She was dressed properly - cargo pants, A-Frame with a button-down uniform shirt over it, and a custom cargo vest designed to hold spell components. Jade's vest was similar, but designed to hold gems for her Gem Magic. Kat didn't carry a long gun, but she had one of the Canidan C-1 Pistols on her. Jade did, too, but hers was in a crossdraw holster.
K: "Everyone ready?" I asked, as I looked them over.
Katrina: "I really wish I remembered more of the past. Maybe I'll get my memory jogged when I get around some of the ruins?" She shrugged.
Jade: "Maybe." She shrugged.
Gorcat: "Mm." He had sunglasses on, now, hefting and looking at the Abrams he was carrying. "Wonder if it's going to be a fight?"
Rarity: "With our luck? Yes, it will." She nodded.
Ambrosia: "Guaranteed." She paced up with Thunderer, her personalized Chaffee shotgun. "But, I'm ready."
Dr. Allcome: "Ah.. and I'll finally get to see all these places!" He grinned.
K: "We've a lot of work ahead of us. Pinkie, Doc, Sweetheart - are we set with the gear?"
Pinkie: "Of course! We have everything we need."
K: "Iris - air drops pre-positioned?"
Iris: "The first three airdrops have already been made. Supplies for the next four are ready." She nodded.
K: "Forest Spirit. Are the new rocket launchers ready?" I nodded to him.
Forest Spirit: "The Funston RPG's are prepared.. Tankette and I will be carrying them, along with DMR Bradleys." He nodded.
The DMR Bradleys had 64mm more barrel, and an optic on them that didn't require magic. The new Funston RPG was an update of the Walker, based on the RVP rocket launcher the Herdiets had. It had a range of 300 meters - the rocket motor would burn for a total distance of 150 meters exactly. It fired at a velocity of 150 meters-per-second. So besides a boosting charge to get it going, it had a one-second burn time. If fired at a ballistic arc, with good wind, it could be used as shoulder-fired artillery.
Redheart: "You BETTER come back to me.." She leaned in for a smooch. "..you have foals to raise."
K: "Okay, okay, time for goodbyes. Where's my little girls?" I got into a catcher's stance and ended up with Starlight and Florale hugging me almost instantly.
Florale: "Please.. come back, papa. I.." She sniffled.
Starlight: "Daddy'll be back! He might get hurt, but he always comes back!" She hugged me, then her sister.
Mac: "Dun worry, brother. I'll watch'em." He chuckled.
We said our goodbyes to our loved ones, and with that, we were off.
TIME: 14:47 ERST
DATE: War Day 499/18 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCTION: Chowsin Ridge Battle Area
A day and a half later, and we were right back where we were almost a full year ago (War Day 182). I could see that the soldiers that came out clean up the place did a fine job. There was a memorial graveyard at the very base of the ridge, with both Equestrian and Kiangese dead in it.
I could still see where we'd dug our defenses, and walked over to the smoothed-over blockhouse foundation. The logs were still there, stained with blood, though faded.
Fluttershy: "We lost so much, here." She said, sadly.
Pinkie: "Yeah." Her hair remained poofy, though.
Dr. Allcome: "One of my many nightmares." He said, pacing over to me. "We got so close, then we lost so much." He shook his head.
Dash: "Nightmares for sure. I still have nightmares of being shot out of the sky.. falling.. falling.." She hugged Gilda.
K: "Yeah." I traced a dent in one of the logs, where my head had impacted. And Sunshine would have been right over there.. "Tragic."
Twilight: "K.. do humans have memorials like this?" She paced over to me.
K: "We remember a lot of our pivotal battles with graveyards, memorial plaques, sometimes full preservation.. depends. Some battlefields are forgotten, unmarked, or considered too minor to note. But, we do remember. Our veterans remember every fight they had.. even if we never put up a marker for them."
Dr. Allcome: "And the battlefield was thoroughly investigated, yes?" He asked.
K: "Yeah. The final report was exactly what we experienced. They didn't find anything odd, here, and didn't venture any further than the second hill." I nodded in the distance. "120 meters." I started walking, no matter how much something wanted me to stay there.
Havoc: "I can feel them, you know. The dead. They're still here." He paced up next to me. "Ghosts. Spirits. You name it. They're still here."
K: "You serious?" I asked, in a serious tone.
Havoc: "As serious as I can be. I think.. they want all the veterans that fought here, to return here. This ground.. I'm betting.. was cursed." He sniffed at it.
I held up my fist for All Stop.
K: "I'm not ignoring that." I said, pointing in Havoc's general direction, and not actually looking at anyone. "Twilight."
Twilight: "On it." She started slowly pacing around the field, her horn glowing a bit.
Katrina: "Let's see if I can help, too." She held her hands out, and levitated a crystal wrapped in silver from one of her pouches, which she more or less used to Scry the area.
Jade: "Mmm.. Quartz." She pulled out a chunk of it, and used it like a monocle.
I walked to the edge of the last battle area, and sat on the log we'd knocked Pinkie out next to.
Dr. Allcome: "You're serious!" He nodded, but without sarcasm.
K: "Doc, I've learned over the last three years that magic and science go hand-in-hand, here. Both are legitimate concerns, and I'd be a damned fool to think otherwise, or ignore magic's part in this world." I nodded, sagely, looking straight ahead.
Webley: "You're.. having a vision, aren't you?" She walked up next to me.
K: "I am." I stared straight ahead. "I'm seeing the battle played out all over again. And I can't tell if it's my imagination, a curse, or the dead actually talking to me." I was, too, I just didn't announce it. "Good call."
Webley: "I don't just get flashes of the Internet, you know. My more acute talent is seeing when people are stuck in a trance or flashback or something like that. I can tell when they're.. seeing things they shouldn't, don't need to, or others can't." She nodded to me, and put a hoof on my shoulder.
Dr. Allcome: "K, I really think you should
WaR dAY:: 182
TiMe: DeAtH
LoCaTiOn: TARTARUS
K: "DIG IN! DIG IN! THEY'RE COMING AGAIN!" I pointed with my Patton, the stock bent and folded in half.
Sgt. Quarter Staff: "GENERAL! THERE'S TOO MANY!" He tried to run.
K: "NO! DON'T FALL BACK! WE CAN'T FALL BACK!" I grabbed him and threw him back in the trench. "REINFORCEMENTS ARE COMING! WE JUST HAVE TO HOLD ON!"
Pvt. Landon Stakes: "CHARLIE'S IN THE BUCKIN' TREES, MAN!"
K: "GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!" I demanded.
Ahead of us, another Kiangese tank approached. Damn.. so many machine guns.
K: "I NEED THAT RPG UP HERE, NOW! BASE OF FIRE, RIGHT FLANK! LEFT FLANK, PREPARE TO ADVANCE!"
Cpl. Lunu Berry: "YES, SIR! BRING IT YOU ASS FREAKS!" She charged up to the edge of the trench, flopped down, and aimed. "ROUND OUT!"
*PFWACHOOOOF!!* *KABLAMMAO!*
Pvt. Foster Fees: "WE GOT THAT ONE!"
Cpl. Gretchen Gelder: "GENERAL! EQUINE WAVE ATTACK!"
K: "FIX BAYONEEEEEEEETS!" I drew my sword out.
Pvt. Lees Herrin: "BAYONEEETS!"
K: "CHARGE BAYONEEEETS!" I pointed my sword forwards.
Sgt. Quarter Staff: "STAND READY! STAND READY!"
K: "COMPANY.. CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!"
I dove headlong into the fray, the red sky and black clouds with their lightining and dry, hot wind in my face.. the Kiangese were attacking in FORCE. At least a full battalion, maybe more.
We slammed into them like a great wave, driving a wedge through a tsunami of tan uniforms, our steel clashing with theirs. We had to beat them back. We had to hold on just a little longer. I hacked and chopped at them, but they were too fast! Too tough. They dodged me, keeping just out of my reach. Finally, I pivoted and caught one unawares!
K: "BETTER DEAD THAN RED, YOU ASS BASTARD! DIEEE!!" I brought my saber down, and-
*POW!*
I saw stars.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Grave
TIME: 15:56 ERST
DATE: War Day 499/18 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: 500m from Paradise Estates
I woke up with my face sore and numb, and Forest Spirit standing over me.
K: "Ugh.. Commandant.. report on casualties.." I rubbed my head. "How many of those red bastards did we get?!"
Dr. Allcome: "I think he's still delusional."
Norfy: "No, he's not, he's just confused. K! Wake up! You were in a full trance!" He paced over and shook my shoulders.
K: "WHA-! Ah! Ahhh.. my head!" I rubbed it. NOW it REALLY hurt!
Norfy: "You started going crazy, K." He looked very worried. "For no reason. Then you started spouting gibberish. Orders, but they made no sense. Then you drew your sword and came after us.. you almost got Forest Spirit, but.." He looked over.
Applejack: "Yew alright, honeybun?" She hugged me.
K: "This is domestic abuse. I want an annullment." I said, totally deadpan.
Pinkie: "He's fine." She looked right at me, and even SHE looked concerned. "Now, at least. That.. was a joke." She jammed a large cream-filled Bismark in my mouth. "Medicine."
Indeed, I felt a lot calmer after I finished it.
Katrina: "There's a curse, here, alright. This is definitely Somnambula's doing. She's cursed this ground to cause disharmony, but.. the spell is incomplete. It only affects those that were here, but it was INTENDED to draw anyone in, and make them fight the battle until they died, then trap their souls here." She looked at me. "You're lucky your wife cold-cocked you.. with your weakness to magic, it might've drained your soul from your body while you were still alive!"
Forest Spirit: "Alright, Kat, how do we fix it?" He looked at me. "I'm in charge until he's recovered!"
I just nodded in agreement, and let Applejack take my weapons.
Katrina: "First of all, drag him at least 100 meters away from the old blockhouse, back towards the castle. Next, Jade, I need your help with this..."
Applejack: "I'll tend ta mah stallion.." She grabbed my shirt in her teeth, hauled me up over her back (I'm much larger than her, remember?), and started walking away. "Fluttershy! Come gimme a hand, 'case he needs some'n ta knock him out."
Fluttershy: "I-I'm coming. I don't want to be here, either.." She was right behind us.
I just let myself be carried off. Applejack set me down by the side of the road, at a tiny clearing in the grass.
Fluttershy: "Are you alright?" She put a hoof to the side of my face. "I think you bruised him."
Applejack: "Well, it's not lahk I had much'a choice.. either that're Forest Spirit'd be lookin' t'sell all'a his hats!" She said, exasperated.
I was just numb, now. I laid down on the cool grass and just stared at the sky.
K: "I could see them. Talk to them." I said. "They're stuck in the battle, only it's ten.. a hundred.. a thousand times worse." I rolled my head. "They needed me."
Applejack laid down on top of me and held me tightly. Fluttershy got up under my head, and started humming gently.
I.. I could feel something pulling at me. It wasn't so bad, now, but.. something was there.
Dusty: C> "WE NEED THE ELEMENTS! NOW!"
K: "Girls!" I got up (with difficulty) and took my sword from my pack that AJ had removed from me, handing her her Tiara as Fluttershy got hers out.
Applejack: "Yew gonna be okay, hun?"
K: "Yeah."
And we ran over. As we started moving, I could see a great swirling black cloud over the former battelfield.. and something coming down from it. It looked like a giant spectre or.. something that just screamed into my head 'this is death.'
K: "SITREP!" I demanded, forcing myself to pay attention.
Forest Spirit: "Jade and Katrina found the source of the Curse. The second they tried to break it, THAT thing appeared!" He pointed at it.
Norfy: "NO GOOD! FALL BACK!" His ice shots passed harmlessly through it.
Cosmic: "I'm not having any effect, either!" His was non-elemental.
Gaze: "BOOKIN' HELL, LADS! ERREYONE GIT BACK!" He didn't even try.
The Spectre kept trying to grab people up. Fortunately, everyone on the expedition were all expert fighters with loads of combat experience. It wasn't able to even touch them. That didn't stop it from throwing trees at us, though!
K: "ELEMENTS OF HARMONY, ON ME!" I demanded.
Pinkie: "Right, come on.." *AAAH!*
PINKIE GOT HIT BY A TREE!
K: "GET IN FORMATION!" I ordered the others as myself, Toola, Norfy, and Gorcat ran over to her. "GIVE ME A HAND!"
Gorcat: "Damn TREE! This is why we NEST IN YOU!" He grunted.
Pinkie: "Ahh! HEY! It's not bad, I'm just.. STUCK!" She was wiggling an arm under the tree. "TOOLA!"
Toola: "What?!" She got over to Pinkie's outstretched arm.
Pinkie: "HERE! YOU HAVE TO DO THIS!" She handed Toola her crown.
Toola: "Wh-what?! NO! I'm-"
Pinkie: "Toola! There's no time! TRUST YOUSELF TO SAVE YOUR FRIENDS!"
K: "Toola, come ON!" I pulled at her. "The rest of you, free Pinkie!"
Toola: "I'm.. I'm not the Element of Laughter - Pinkie is!" She stammered, exasperated.
K: "Right now, she says YOU ARE." I stopped before her a moment, and looked down. "I know you are. Deep down, I know you have the laugher within you." I put a hand to the side of her face. "You stayed in good spirits all throughout the occupation, you found the joy to keep going after we were imprisoned by Trixie, you found happiness with us.. Toola, you have that magic within you.." I nodded. "I know you do. Believe in yourself."
Toola: "Rig-DUCK!" She pulled me down as a tree limb flew overhead. "COME ON! Before it kills someone!"
We got into position..
Twilight: "TOOLA!?" She was shocked.
K: "FOCUS!" I held the sword before me. "FIRE IT TO MY SWORD!"
Twilight: "Alright.. READY.. NOW!"
I could feel the Rainbow erupt behind them.. I held the sword aloft, and instantly could feel myself catch it. Every blast from the Elemental Tiaras is different.. they respond to the user's feelings, fears, and current situation. I took hold of this beam, and I could feel oncemore who I needed to call on.
K: "CADENCE, GIVE ME STRENGTH!" I felt the Love instantly. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE! BUT YOU WON'T STOP US! WE LOVE THEM, WE LOVE EACH OTHER! YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM!" I glanced back. "GILDA! THROW ME!"
Before I knew it, Gilda grabbed me by my belt and shirt and heaved me at the gigantic spectre. I assumed a sword-front, swan-dive like position, feeling the Tiaras propelling me, and when I impacted the creature, I could see nothing but crystalline prismatic light, as the magic punched THROUGH him like a glass wall. The spectre of death shattered, as I flew through it. I could SEE the SOULS of the DEAD as I did so!
K: "GO! GO, SOLDIERS, GO! GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT!" I demanded my former troops.
The spirits broke free of their bonds, and followed me through the tunnel I was shattering through this dark cloud of a creature. When I got to the other side, the sun was out. And the souls.. dissepated away.
Problem?
I'm now easily a thousand feet in the air, and I just ran out of magic rocket fuel.
I fell like a rock.
K: "OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"
*FUMPF!*
Gilda: "Gotcha!" She held me close as she zoomed me to the ground.
K: "That.. that was..." I was jelly, and I just sat down. "Thanks, Gilda."
Gilda: "You owe me one." She got right into my ear and whispered something I won't repeat.
I suddenly had an erection. Which Twilight immediately killed.
Twilight: "I don't understand! The Tiaras shouldn't respond to anyone else..." She immediately went into Science Mode.
Applejack: "Aw, who cares, Twi? Come on! We jes' beat that creature! An' with Toola's help!"
Toola: "I did it?" *Laughter* "I DID IT!" She hugged Rarity.
Pinkie: "Ahh! Much better!" She pulled out a cake from nowhere. "Didn't even hurt my cake!"
Twilight: "Pinkie..."
Pinkie: "Yesh Twiwight?" She was eating the cake.
Twilight: "You.. how.." She paced over.
Pinkie: "It's nothing!"
Twilight: "Nothing." She looked right at her. "How did Toola do that?!"
Pinkie: "Mmhf." She swallowed. "Aw, come on, Twilight! You're the magic whiz! I don't know, just, something told me she could do it!"
Toola: "I still can't believe I did that." She beamed.
Rarity: "It matters not, my dear. She did it, and saved us all." She nodded.
Dr. Allcome: "No injuries, K." He patted my back a moment. "Unless your shorts are a casualty."
K: "Oh, the doctor with the SNARK!" I smirked. "No, I've faced more terrifying deaths before." Yeah, Tirek.
Dusty: "Your gear, sir." She nodded.
K: "Alright.. well.. that's enough of that!" I shrugged. "Form up. Let's see what's beyond those hills."
It was a mystery to them, why Toola was able to do that. To them. I knew a truth that I couldn't admit to.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Beyond Known Land (2nd Battle of Paradise Estates)
TIME: 16:44 ERST
DATE: War Day 499/18 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: 350m from the edge of Paradise Estates
After picking ourselves up, we headed for those hills again. Once we were atop the second hill, I could clearly see that the trees in the forest had a cut in them - something was definitely here, interfering with tree growth.
K: "I have a feeling The Nursery isn't far from here, either." I stated. "Geography was never set in stone, in the cartoon, so, I can really only guess on the general area." I looked back a moment. "Before you ask, no, I didn't go into The Nursery when I went back into the past."
Katrina: "I.. feel like I should remember something, but I'm drawing a blank." She sook her head, and took position next to me. "Are you alright?"
K: "I'm fine." *Sigh* "Drained, but fine."
Dusty: "Sir." She motioned me over, having taken a scouting position with Havoc and Bella.
I approached, and I saw exactly what I didn't want to see. A camp. With troops. Kiangese Troops!
K: "Red bastards." I looked back at Cosmic. "Hey, we got Red Ants. Call it in." I looked back at the camp. "Prepare to get fucked."
Cosmic: C> "This is Alpha, this is Alpha, to Crystal Six-One. How copy?"
Iris: C> "Crystal Six-One Actual, five by five."
Cosmic: C> "Red Ants at the Picnic Entrance, Crystal Six-One. Over."
Iris: C> "Roger that, Alpha. ETA thirty five minutes. Will bring bug spray. Crystal Actual, Out."
Cosmic: "They're coming." He nodded.
K: "Good. Time for a little revenge." I smirked. "Lyra, Rarity, set up good positions. The rest of you, dig in. If they come this way, I want a slaughter." I got over behind a fallen tree that was partly burnt.
Gorcat: "I hear donkey is good eating.." He smirked.
Havoc: "Tastes great roasted with some herbs and spices." He snickered along with Bella.
Katrina: "Mmm.. might try some." She started drawing Sigils in the ground.
TIME: 16:17 ERST
I could see the XY's coming over the ridge at speed. The encampment of Kiangese were suddenly very active, but they had little time to react. The 2nd and 4th Bomber Squadrons from Cloudsdale were on them instantly. I could see Pegasi swooping down, and dropping ordnance. In the distance, Superb fired off a broadside of 76mm guns. They landed intentionally a bit short of the camp. Three of the five shells were smoke screens.
K: "Radio." I had the mic handed to me. C> "Crystal Alpha Actual, this is Alpha Actual. Good hunting."
Sombra: C> "Thank you, my friend! Crystal Alpha, out!"
The Aero Marines rapelled down into the woods about 100 meters from the encampment. They were close enough that the XY's started hosing down the camp with their 11mm machine guns.
Paratroopers were next. 1st Airborne Battalion. They came in to the right flank. I grinned, watching them LEAD THEMSELVES. I didn't have to babysit, any more.
In short order, I saw a Kiangese tank get disabled by a Funston, another get hit from an air strike, and a third disabled by sniper fire to the vision blocks, then a demo charge tossed on to it by a Pegasus, and the tank blew up.
The enemy soldiers were starting to scatter, as cohesion was lost. The Paratroopers charged from the right, as the Aero Marines charged from the center, the Aero Marines stopping to lay down machine guns and rocket launchers. The Paratroopers did not, they simply charged, with bayonets fixed.
In a few seconds, the Paratroopers and half the Aero Marines had breached the enemy's outer defensive perimeter, Gavin grenades fired into machine gun nests, blowing Wild Asses out of them and scattering body parts.
Three Paratroopers and two Aero Marines charged the Blockhouse, with the Marines sniping the gun slits. A Paratrooper fired a Gavin grenade into the vision slit, and it exploded into smoke, driving the defenders out the back, coughing and wheezing.
They were set upon by Paratroopers with knives and bayonets, mercilessly shanked, stabbed, and sliced. My Army was learning the Magic of Warfare, and the ability of brutality.. part of me hated it, another part of me was like a proud papa watching his kids get tough enough to deal with the neighborhood bully.
A group made a break for the road, leading to us.
K: "RACK'EM UP!" I disengaged my safety, and aimed.
Ten of them came charging up the hill.. seven still had their weapons, three did not.
K: "TAKE'EM!"
I fired at the lead one, and caught him in the neck. In moments, the other nine, shocked at watching their friend get shot, were put in the dirt as well.
K: "HOLD!" I went back to watching the fight.
But, it was pretty much over. The Kiangese that were left, were coming out with their hooves up, begging for mercy. The shooting had almost stopped, too. Superb was close, now, and dropped her Air Anchor.
Webley: "That's my ponies!" She made a 'yes' pump with her hooves, and grabbed the Mic. C> "Eagle One, this is Ex-Eagle Three One. Good job, troops."
Capt. Spike Drops: C> "Roger that, Captain."
K: "Just had to, didn't you?"
Webley: "I am a Paratrooper." She shrugged.
K: "Come on, let's join up with them." I stood, and started marching. C> "Alpha Actual to all callsigns, Blue Team approaching from the South. Check fire."
Sombra: C> "Crystal Alpha - Roger. Come ahead."
And we did. Once I got down there, I realized what a slaughter this really was. Only one Paratrooper and two Aero Marines injured, none killed. Twenty Kiangese captured. Three tanks destroyed. Over a hundred Kiangese dead.
And right there, in the woods, just off the path, I could see the ruins of Paradise Estates.
And crates upon crates of stolen artifacts.
K: "These bastards were LOOTING the place!" I exclaimed. "Someone speak Kiang?!"
SSGT. Coconut Cream: "I do, sir." She stepped forwards. "What do you want to know?"
K: "Find out which one of them has rank, and bring them here along with a random Prisoner." I pointed to a log. "Bring that here and up-end it like a seat. Get me some rope."
Sombra: "Ohh.. someone's planning something VERY dark indeed." He chuckled.
K: "Yep. Come here, I'm using you as a threat. Kat? Need you, too." Time to get INVENTIVE.
Katrina: "Certainly, darling. What can I do for you?" She paced over and nodded to Sombra.
K: "Sombra over here is going to pretend to eat one of their souls in horrific fashion. Can you whip up a spell that'll make the supposed victim go spastic, then pass out?"
Katrina: "OOooo! Trickery! I like this. Yes, yes, dear, give me a few minutes." She whipped out some supplies.
Sombra: "And I, dear friend?" He tilted his head.
K: "Get scary-looking. Use some Black Smog to imitate sucking out his soul." I nodded to him.
Sombra: "Oo.. easily done! One moment.." He puffed himself up, slicked his mane back some, dusted off his armor, and set his eyes glowing red.
K: "Show time." I nodded as Coco brought over the prisoners. I could tell right away one of them was a Company-grade officer. "Sit him down." I pointed. "Make the other one kneel." I knew, for ponies, that would be a massive stress position.
Coco: "Certainly, General." She nodded and did as I asked.
I got right up on the Officer.
K: "Happen to speak Equestrian?" I whispered into his ear, loud enough for Coco to translate in the other ear.
Officer: *Insulted Kiangese.*
Coco: "He say he would not dirty his tongue suchly."
K: "Fine. Tell him I demand to know what he's doing here in violation of our Treaty, and if he doesn't tell me everything, I'm going to have Dark Emperor Sombra suck out everyone's souls.." I looked at Sombra. "..and tell him I'm about to demonstrate." I felt Kat tap my right hip. "Sombra. His soul is yours."
Coco translated, and suddenly, Sombra's Black Smog appeared. He even added the sound effect of a dark chorous to accompany it. Suddenly, the second prisoner started going spastic, spasming all over the place, his muscles twitching and thrashing, his mouth agape, foaming, a look of horror on his face.. then, he collapsed, as it looked like the Smog was being inhaled by Sombra.
K: "Get this trash out of here."
Coco translated, and Dusty and Toola dragged the "corpse" away.
K: "Tell him I'll let Sombra turn him into his Dark Puppet if he doesn't tell me everything this instant."
Coco translated.
Officer: *Panicking Kiangese, rapid fire*
Coco: "He's spilling his guts, sir."
K: "Write it all down. All of it." I nodded. "Then bring it to me." I went over to XY-3102. "SPARKY! LUGGY!" I stepped over and embraced them both.
Sparky: "Oh! Suh! I-uh.."
Lugnut: "I'm so pleased to see-Urk!"
I released them, and smiled broadly.
K: "You helped save my life. I never got a chance to thank you. I felt you when I called Cadence's power a month ago." I just gave them huge grins. "You'll both always have a friend in me. I just.. wanted you to know that."
Sparky: "Oh, uh, suh.."
Lugnut: "We don't know what to say, sir!"
K: "Start by calling me K." I grinned.
While we humiliated the Kiangese this time around, it troubled me that they'd reinvaded like this.. I needed to know why. What they were after. All of it.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Detour
TIME: 17:07 ERST
DATE: War Day 499/18 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Paradise Estates, Equestria
K: "..and there's absolutely no question this is Equestrian teritory." I nodded to Iris.
Iris Emerald: "None, sir. There's a small logging community about three kilometers north-north west of here. The Unoccupied Zone clearly starts a hundred and seven kilometers to the north and east."
K: "That's the stretch of land east of the Crystal Kingdom, over the Unbottom Mountains." I nodded. "It's a small strip, if I recall.."
The Kiangese People's Repubic was, primarily, separated from Equestria and what humans would call Europe, by ocean, and stretched around towards Neighpon, with Cowrea branching off from it. There was, however, a small strip of land that connected them. To the west, lay Canida, the Crystal Kingdom, and the Herdiet Union.
What Humans would call The Middle East and Africa were across the southern ocean. Tirek's lands, as near as we could figure, were somewhere south east of Equestria, over the ocean.
This entire stretch of what was technically the greater Everfree Forest corresponded (more or less) to the Adirondack State Park. That was roughly 25,000 square kilometers of - to these Ponies - poorly or largely unexplored territory.
Remember - this is technically the eq uivalent of New York state that I'm in, and the geographic features are vastly different.
Iris: "Indeed, sir. They're clearly invading."
Coco: "I have their intel, General." She nodded, handing me a notepad.
K: "According to this, he's only.. Comrade Two Platoons First Among Equals?"
Coco: "I'm extremely well versed in Kiangese, General. I assure you the translation is accurate." She nodded.
K: "North Korea on Earth had a similar rank system during the Korean War.. long before I was born, but they didn't use formal ranks. It was Comrade this or that - like Comrade Squad Leader or Comrade Company Leader." I nodded to her. "That would roughly make him a Lieutenant. But, if he's a GOOD little commie, he won't admit to being any kind of management." I shrugged.
Coco: "Either way, sir, he said that Comrade Division Chairman Keng Wan ordered his battalion over the border with instructions to loot everything here and bring it back. They also had orders to kidnap any Equestrians they found, for labor. Something in there about us being decadent capitalits and other propaganda." She shrugged.
K: "REALLY, now?" I sniffed. "Bring them. Iris, get the Air Squadron ready for battle. We're taking a short detour." I nodded. "SPIKE!"
Spike: "Right here, K." He had a Morgan of his own, and a 'youth-stocked' Sagebrush shotgun.
I wrote a letter to Luna, Celestia, and Cadence, calling for the NEIGHTO alliance to be put on alert, explaining that the Kiangese had violated the peace treaty, and that I demanded a Kiangese representative meet me at the border within 48 hours. I attached the soldier's testimony.
He burnt off the message, and a response came within minutes. It seemed it was a Royal Beauty Day, and Princess Margaret and Princess Escargot were both there.. and both agreed.
K: "We have Casus Belli." I nodded to Iris.
Iris: "Sombra and I will follow you.." She looked at him.
Sombra: "To yon gates of Tartarus itself, my friend!" He put a hoof on my shoulder.
K: "How did I get such good friends?"
Pinkie: "DUHHH! Friendship is magic, K! And that's YOUR magic! You make friends, GOOD friends, and we back each other up, and we protect each other.." She hugged me.
K: "Okay." I nodded. "Let's go."
We loaded up all the Kiangese dead and their battle flags, along with the prisoners (blindfolded with legit leather blinders and things - these ARE still horses, of course) into Superb and Swiftsure.. and headed for the border.
TIME: 21:37 ERST
DATE: War Day 500/29 Octavius 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Northern edge of Everfree Forest, near the disputed border region, aboard HMCAS Superb
Iris: "Border Station, dead ahead." She murred. "So close to Equestria.." She looked at the bridge crew. "Battle stations! Pegasi to Takeoff Deck! Prepare for Air-to-Ground!"
K: "Yeup.. this is going to be 'fun.'" I frowned.
We got somewhat close to the border station, and I transferred to XY-3102. Sombra was aboard with a platoon of Aero Marines.
K: "Alright, friend. Get ready. Show of force." I nodded. "But be ready in case they DO start something."
Sombra: "Of course. Though, I must say, these Steppe plains offer little cover or concealment. I do not think the enemy has much in the way of force, here." He nodded.
K: "Look." I pointed to some rocks. "Those are fake. Bet there's a tank in there, or a sniper's position, or a machine gun nest." I nodded. "The rocks and trees around here are likely all camouflaged positions."
Sombra: "You think?"
K: "It's what I'd do." I nodded.
Sombra: "Then, I am certain of it." He sniffed, and hefted his Abrams.
K: "Pilot, set us down right by the border post." I nodded.
Air Lieutenant Cosmo Rubinelle: "Aye, sir."
Once we set down, I let the Aero Marines disembark before me and set up positions on Sombra's instructions. The other XY's did the same. Sombra and I then approached the border outpost with Coconut Cream as an interpreter.
K: "They seem agitated." I shrugged.
Coco: "They're demanding we remove ourselves from Kiganese territory.." She looked at me.
K: "Right." I nodded. C> "Rarity, take the fat one's hat off, but don't hurt him."
Rairty: C> "Of course, darling."
Two seconds later, the fat one's hat flew off.. then a second later we heard the gunshot. They both stared wide-eyed, and got behind the border post.
Coco: "They're scared, sir. One of them just got on the radio.. he's calling for his Battalion Leader." She listened in, carefully. "Hm. Response Team is on the way."
K: "Riiight.." I nodded slowly. "Be about.. thirty minutes." I shrugged. "These guys are mooks, anyway. They have no idea they're doing something wrong." I shrugged. "I don't want them harmed unless we have no choice."
Coco: "Really, sir?" She tilted her head at me. "After what they've done-"
K: "I don't want to provoke another war. Besides, the best way to defeat an enemy is a popular uprising. If I make the masses think I'm the least-harsh of two masters, they might be willing to listen to me. You can disrespect the Elites all you want, but you should let the lowest ranked ones of society see your kindness and charity. Or, at least, spare them your wrath unless you have no choice." I shrugged.
Sombra: "You are truly a sound-minded warrior.." He bowed his head to me in friendly respect. "This is why I yielded to you. It would have been tragic to the world, your mind be wasted on a duel of miscommunications." He shook his head.
K: "Mhm. Now.." I pointed at three Marines. "Disable them nonfatally! I need that radio!"
Sombra: "Oh, worry yourselves not, my Marines! I've got this one."
He summoned up a black cloud, vanished into it, infiltrated the border post building.. and without a sound, I heard two bodies drop to the floor. A moment later, he came back, and deposited them at my feet, bound up.
Sombra: "Remember, friend, magic." He nodded with a dark smirk.
K: "Awesome." I went for the radio with Coco. "Alright, raise their Battalion Leader."
Coco: "Yes, General." She fiddled with the radio, and got their signal. "What shall I say, sir?"
K: "Inform the Comrade Battalion Leader that the human, General-Field Marshal K of Equestria, and Lord General Sombra of the Crystal -Empire- demand to speak to a government representative regarding Kianga's invasion of Equestria. Emphasize that I want to talk, but am prepared for military action. And point out that this border post is within what should be a neutral zone." I instructed.
Coco: "Yes, sir. Relaying." She nodded and spoke.
After a few minutes, we had our answer.
Coco: "Comrade Battatlion 'Leader' says that he will be here in thirty minutes." She shrugged. "Nothing further."
K: "Sombra, have Superb and Swiftsure pre-target those concealed positions I pointed out. Have the XY's fall back, and deploy the rest of the Paratroopers and Aero Marines. We have 20 minutes to dig in." I nodded.
Sombra: "Of course.." Off he went.
Coco: "You think it'll be a shooting match, sir?" She looked over at me. "That was my first ever action.."
K: "Almost guarantee it, unless I play this really smooth. I'll try, but they might not be in the mood for talking. You have to realize, we're about to make them.. Lose Face. Disgrace themselves with their dishonorable actions. The Kiangese, like the Chinese in my world, are obsessed with Saving Face. They'd rather die than be humiliated - unfortuntely, they don't care what happens to the mooks caught in the crossfire, no matter WHAT their rank structure might suggest!" I snorted. "You'll have to stay with me, I'm afraid.." I looked over at her. "..if I spoke Chinese, I wouldn't even ask. Realize this - they'll shoot me and you first." I shrugged.
Coco: "Thank you, sir. But I'm Airborne. I jump prepared to fight, I jump prepared to die." She narrowed her eyes a bit. "And take as many of them with me on my way to Tartarus as I can."
K: "..I like you. I want you on the Expedition of Discovery, now, if we don't get ourselves killed, here."
Coco: "I'm honored, sir." She nodded a tad.
K: "Well, without Prince Sunshine, I don't have a Kiangese translator." I shrugged. "Besides, I really, really like your attitude." I grinned, looking through the binoculars that were on the desk, at the rolling plains in the distance. "I can see dust clouds already. I'd give them.. fifteen minutes, at most." I nodded, and lowered them. "When they get here, sling your rifle over your back, and realize you won't be able to get to it immediately once the shooting starts. If you survive the opening salvo, use your Morgan until we can get to good cover. You want to be shooting back, not fumbling for a weapon."
Coco: "Understood, sir." She did just that, and made sure the snap on her Morgan holster was half undone.
I stood there, waiting, knowing what was likely to come. Once again, my expedition was derailed. But, for how long this time?
{End of Chapter 50}
