Chapter 79: International Relations
Part 1: Solemn Anniversary
TIME: 19:35 ERDT/21:35 Greenwich Mean Time
DATE: War Day 730/4 Quartus 1004 C.S., 2nd Anniversary of the Attack on Canterlot
LOCATION: Paris, Prance
Princess Escargot: "..and it is with great reverence that we remember those whom lost their lives on this day, two years ago, and those whom have lost their lives since." She swept her foreleg before the gathered crowd. "We remember those whom have died in the name of freedom, of family, for love, and for each other. We take this day to pay homage to their sacrifice, and remember it, that we never again make the same mistakes. That we never again become so relaxed as to forget what true bravery and sacrifice means. And, of course, that peace has a price. We are not a species that seeks war, conflict, or strife. We seek peace with words and open hearts. We must never forget that, but we also must never forget what too-tranquil a peoples can mean, when those with closed hearts, decide they are superior, and demand we must bow to them, or lose our lives. All of us here. We pledge, solemnly vow, to remain forever on guard, but with our hearts forever open."
There was thundering applause and cheering. Dignitaries from all over NEIGHTO were here. Citizens from every NEIGHTO nation. Honor guards. Soldiers. Sailors. Airponies.
I could feel their emotions running higher than the clouds themselves, with determination, with reverence, and with pride.
Princess Escargot: "As a part of this rememberance, we must also recognize those that have sacrificed much for our people." She nodded to Sacquet. "Colonel en Chef, Phillipe Sacquet.." She motioned for him to come to the podium.
He marched up smartly.
Princess Escargot: "As my most trusted and battle experienced officer, forever at the side of Equestria's General K, serving Prance, and all of NEIGHTO, I hereby promote you to the rank of General de Brigade, and General en Chef of the Foreign Legion." She bestowed on him two five-point stars, replacing the five gold bands on his shoulder board, and a new Kepi, with a red band around the base, and oak leaf clusters on the brim.
General Sacquet: "Mon Princesse.." He bowed, barely able to hold back tears. "..you do me a great honor. I shall continue to serve Prance, and NEIGHTO, demonstrating the courage and conviction of our culture."
There was applause as he put on his new Kepi.
I stepped forward next.
K: "Cosmic Plane, Norfy Loconsole, Lidless Gaze." I gestured them up. "The three of you have served at my side since almost the very beginning of this war. As we advance, and our militaries grow, your expertise has grown. I would not have gotten this far without you. I promote each of you to the rank of Colonel, as advisors on my General's Staff." I personally pinned their new ranks on them as I spoke.
They saluted me in return.
K: "Sargasso Sea." I nodded to her, and she approached. "From your humble beginnings as a deck officer, I've seen you grow, despite personal tragedy. As our navy grows, we need senior officers capable of leading it - and to you, I entrust that honor. I promote you to the rank of Rear Admiral."
I similarly affixed her rank to her soulders, but also took the point of removing her peaked cap, and placing an Equestrian bicorne in its place - Whitecap had one, as had Saletine. It was ceremonial, and not intended to be worn in battle.
K: "And next.. a mare that needs no introduction. Who's courage and bravery have lit us all up with their blinding brightness. Who, despite injury, commanded forces in the field. Whom nearly died liberating Neighpon. Tankette Blinda." I nodded, as she stepped forwards, not expecting this at all. "Commandant Forest Spirit and myself promised you that one day, you would officially be a Division Commander. That day, is today. I promote you to the rank of Brigadier of Marines, Commander of the 2nd Marine Division."
She was tearing up, but her face remained stoic, as I affixed her new rank to her, and wound a red sash around her hip, secured with a General Officer's sword belt, and a Marine Sabre.
I saluted her, as did we all. As with the others, her promotion was cheered.
K: "Finally.. I must recognize someone that is NOT an Officer. No, I must recognize two Stallions that represent the masses, the ponies that make up our armies, navies, marine forces, and air forces. Two enlisted stallions who have proven themselves capable in a hundred different ways, who's bravery and leadership have brought us victory. Stie Sigmask and Ochre Wave."
Ochre was floored.. Sigmask had to help him to the podium. Sigmask knew what was coming - Ochre didn't.
K: "Master Gunnery Sergeant Sigmask, you've served in the Marines since the first time they were used in anger, and demonstrated singular skill at eliminating the enemy, and in leadership of your fellow ponies. For this, I must bestow on you the highest honor of any Enlisted Marine - the rank of Chief Sergeant Major of the Equestrian Marines." I affixed his insignia and stepped back, saluting him. "Ochre Wave. YOU were once branded a coward! YOU were once SHAMED before all of Equestria. And what was your response? To discard your former station as a Navy Officer, and enlist in the Marines, knowing well that you would see combat almost immediately. And in that combat, you proved yourself not only capable, and skilled, but brave. Whatever shame darkened your past.. whatever misdeeds you may have done.. by the power vested in me by our Eternal Princesses of Sun and Moon, I hereby grant you full and complete absolution. May those misdeeds never ride the lips of another pony for all time - and may you be only remembered as a brave, honorable, skilled leader of troops. And with this full absolution, a promotion, to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, so your talent and courage be used to its fullest extent."
As I pinned on his new rank, I could almost feel him shaking. I couldn't blame him - I'd basically wiped his past entirely clean, erasing the Court Martial, as though it never happened. He was no longer a Marine "with a past." He was a Gunnery Sergeant, a leader of Ponies.
Sigmask had to help him back to his seat, he was so moved.
K: "I stand before all of you today.. as K---- the Human. The one that brought you the means to stand up for yourselves. In that time, I've gained dearest friends and beloved family. And as I have said many times, I would gladly throw all of that away if it meant none of you would suffer, and I alone would face the dangers and bear the risk. Two years ago today, that danger was brought to the forefront. In the last two years, we have all lost something so dear to us. For some, it was family. For some, it was their home. For some, it was everything. But, we will not falter, we will not fail, and we will not wilt in the face of avarice. We will prevail." I bowed to all of them respectfully.
The ceremony went on like this for another half hour - thankfully, unlike human officials, ponies don't make a point of long speeches.
It was the dance afterwards that I was looking forwards to. Just me, and.. them. Applejack, Luna, Rarity, and Dusty.. I danced with all of them. Unlike the Grand Galloping Gala, the dances were short, and there were only four of them. Brief, in keeping with the reverence for the day.
Soon enough, we were headed to the guest wing of the Palace.
Norfy: "..and really, I had a wonderful time." He was beaming, with Radio on his arm.
Cosmic: "Mm. Thank you for the chance to get out here like this, K." He beamed, with Kiwi practically dragging him up the stairs.
K: "Hey, no problem, guys." I smiled.
Dusty: "I never thought I'd dance in the Royal Palace in Paris." She hugged my arm. "Heck, I didn't think I'd do any dancing, unless it was on a pole." She blushed. "When you said you had something special planned for me, I didn't think it was THIS!"
Applejack: "Well.. y'all signed on for this. Mah husband'll take ya to th' finest places, an' show y'all a great time. Huh, Rarity?" She shot her a look.
Rarity: "..yes, Marelin was fun.." She wiggled her eyebrows back.
Gaze: "Ah think yer bein' plotted against, suh.." He smirked at me.
Lyra: "Aye. He ain't th' only one." She just scooped him up with Magic Hands and carried him off - Bon-Bon was close behind, with a small satchel.
K: "Really." I just stated.
Forest Spirit: "Indeed, sir." He smirked, moving past me with Redheart. "It's down time. You know what soldiers do with their women when it's down time." He gave me a smirk only he could pull off.
K: "Hm. So, the longer I stand here.." I eyed all four of them.
Luna: "My dear General." She stepped forwards. "We have been without your company for some time." And nuzzled me. "Come, let us.. catch up."
AJ was already pulling me along the ground.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Breakfast Palace
TIME: 07:02 Greenwich Mean Time
DATE: War Day 731/5 Quartus 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Royal Palace, Paris, Prance
A solid night's sleep after a solid night's... work? Well, it was.. entertaining.. to say the least. I had no idea just how casually lesbian, mares in this world really were - most of my couplings had been one-on-one, occasionally a threesome. This? This had been four mares on one me.
I may have legendary sexual stamina for this world, a big fish in a small pond, but that's even a bit outside my range.
Okay, MORE than a bit. I'm just one man!
Everything kinda ached a little. I was draped in ladies. We had.. ehhm.. cemented the bonds of friendship. There'd been enough lust in that room to power a small city.
No details, you sick bastards. You're just going to have to use your one-handed imaginations.
K: "Mm.. who's up?" I was stuck.
Luna was absolutely passed out - I knew her, though, she'd JUST gone to sleep.
Dusty was draped over my stomach. Rarity was to my low left. Applejack to my high right. Luna was.. kinda under me. I was sort of using her as a pillow - she WAS very comfortable.
Dusty cracked an eye open, and slid her head under the covers.
Well, see, I'd wanted t- Yeah, not getting up just yet.
TIME: 07:18 GMT
K: "Okay, Dusty, the oil well is absolutely dry." I said in low tones.
She slid back a bit, allowing me to get out of bed (with some work), and retreat to the bathroom.
I was reminded that this place was definitely made for ponies. Upper class ponies, at that. No shower. So, I filled the tub, found a stool that kinda reached the sides, and washed myself.
It wasn't long before there was another scrubber, scrubbing me.
Rarity: "Give me a chance to work with your hair, darling?" She slid up behind me, using her horn magic to work the scrubber.
K: "It's kinda long.." I kinda felt it up a bit. "..I actually need a trim."
Rarity: "And a shave." She ran the knuckle of her right foreleg over my jaw.
K: "Yeah, sure.." I gave her a small smirk. "..I don't mind being pampered."
Rarity: "Good. This certainly beats where we were at this hour, two years ago." She levitated my razor from my shaving kit, and got the shaving soap ready.
Interestingly enough, I had to have that made for me. It was styled like an old T-Shape replaceable razor stick. They did have razor blades here, but they were fitted into what were essentially box cutters. They did fine for a shave, with a pass over a strop, but they didn't have purpose-made razor handles that would angle the blade properly to one's face.
Rarity, being as beauty conscious as she was, had taken it upon herself to learn how to do this for me. This wasn't the first time. She enjoyed it. This.. this was her "close friend" contribution to our entangled relationship.
Really, if someone reads a lot of Mangas, they could accuse me of having a Harem. In a way, I suppose they'd be right. At the very least, it's a polyamorous relationship between me, Applejack, and Luna. Rarity and Dusty are kinda.. my enforced "side pieces" in a way. Rarity, when I'm off trying to do diplomatic things that require a more gentle touch. Dusty, in combat. And these two only if Applejack is indisposed.
After all, the girls made it very clear that I'm to be escorted by someone that's not only slept with me, but is very emotionally close to me, at all times. Partly to maintain the "closed paddock," and partly because having someone that emotionally close to me, meant someone was looking out for me - that I'd come back alive.
I was, in my heart, dedicated to Applejack. Having the others was.. to me.. something wholly different. I did care for them, but the feel was different.
Rarity very carefully shaved my face. I was a "slow grower" in facial hair, and had shaved well before yesterday's ceremony, so, there wasn't much to shave. Still, she did it. I think, partly, for some "mutual grooming" instinct. She gave the hair on my head a trim up, and brushed it out. I kept it short.
She was very snuggly the whole time, taking every chance to brush against me, be close to me, or press her body to me. If I was to be allowed to enjoy this world after my victory, I knew going to Rarity's for grooming was going to be.. insisted upon.
I let myself, perhaps foolishly, entertain these thoughts as she groomed my hair, made sure it was washed out carefuly, and brushed to perfection.
Clean, I gave her a kiss on the cheek, and went to dress myself.
K: "Thanks, Rarity. That was.. I needed that." I smiled.
Rarity: "Just practicing." She smirked. "One day, I shall have a stallion of my own.. I intend to treat them as a king, and they, me, a queen, darling."
K: "Whomever it is, they'll be very lucky." I got my shirt on, as both Dusty and Applejack came in. "Ladies."
Dusty: "Mmm.. bath time." She slid in to the tub, with Applejack kinda.. ushering her in.
K: "I think I best depart, lest I be tormented." I smirked, and exited the room, boots in hand, and nether-parts thanking me for not forcing them to perform once again.
I got dressed all the way, watching Luna sleep - she was now rolled on her back, legs splayed a bit, sleeping kinda like a human. And snoring. Once I got my gun belt cinched, I went over and rolled her back on her side.
I noticed Rarity had stayed with Applejack and Dusty. No matter - I was literally surrounded by ponies that had some kind of emotional investment in me. So, I just went down stairs to the dining hall.
Escargot: "Mon Marechal!" She was just arriving herself. "Good morning!" She smiled.
K: "Princess." I nodded to her. "I'm the first one up.. well, besides yourself.. and Celestia." Who was entering behind her.
Celestia: "General." She nodded to me. "What plans have you for our next move?"
K: "My next plan is breakfast." I nodded back, and took a seat. "In a general sense, I want to take my staff around Europe and make sure each nation's forces are not only training right, but being properly equipped - Poleland's Hussars were almost entirely armed with the weapons we'd sent them, for example, and I want to be sure we're all on the same logistical page." I shrugged slightly, as servants started bringing in carts with breakfast items on them. "Then, when properly prepared, go after the Rainbow of Light. The girls think it's in the far north, in the ruins of the Empire of Harmony, north of Sven's village."
Celestia: "Seems a good plan." She nodded slightly as she was served. "Coffee for the General." She noted to one of the servants.
K: "Somewhere in there, we're also going after the Rainbow Factory. That's going to require a select force - our best Unicorns, for one.. and I want Sombra, there." I nodded very slightly. "You can understand why."
Celestia: "While not as old as myself or Luna, he is incredibly powerful, and knowledgeable." She nodded her head to the side, and gently tapped the egg that was in its egg cup, in front of her.
K: "Indeed. And I'll probably need Cadence as well. I have.. call it a hunch.. that Love Magic is going to be important." I shrugged very slightly with my right shoulder, now holding my coffee cup, and I took a sip.
Escargot: "I presume you must relieve me of my newest General?" She gave me a small smile.
K: "Yes. I'll want Sacquet with me. Him and Julienne. For the time being, I want the rest of HIS staff seeing to the proper equippage and training of the rest of the Legion. I want them to share their experience." I gestured, as I buttered my toast.
Escargot: "Oui. Of course. I shall ensure they have my royal blessing.. Sacquet showed that my so-called professional officers may be more interested in their profession than being officers, so to speak." She sighed.
K: "It happens. A peace time military force that doesn't actually prepare for war is bound to have problems, especially in a society so dedicated to peace that doing harm even in self-defense gives one pause." I munched my toast, with one of the fried eggs slid on it, making sure to lean over, so the soft yolk didn't dribble everywhere.
Celestia: "Two years.." She frowned a bit.
K: "Mm. And so many lost. That's why we owe it to them to make darn sure that we win, and it sticks. No half measures. Even if it means making some very bloody, very scary choices." I pursed my lips a bit, then resumed eating.
Celestia: "I have every confidence you'll guide us to the right answers - even if they're painful ones." She sighed a bit.
K: "I'll do my best, you know that." I nodded slightly.
Breakfast at a palace.. casual conversation.. but, I was thinking, now. Where to, next? Starlight was here.. and the question about "Spain" still bothered me.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Iberian Hustle
TIME: 09:12 Greenwich Mean Time
DATE: War Day 731/5 Quartus 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Royal Palace, Paris, Prance
I had my uniform on. It was spring, but cool, so, long sleeves and my trench coat. "Spain." It was bothering me that they'd not been a part of the NEIGHTO alliance, nor even bothered to send diplomats. Nothing.
I was so lost in thought, I didn't realize I'd been joined in my quarters.
Pony Lieutenant: "General K?" She paced over and got in my line of sight as I was packing my bag.
K: "Ah, yes, Lieutenant..?" I nodded to her.
Firecracker: "Lieutenant Firecracker Burst, 1st Royal Reconnaisence Company." She bowed slightly. "I've been asked by the Princess to join you."
I looked over as Dusty and AJ were coming in, with Rarity, then nodded to Firecracker.
Rarity: "Welcome, darling!" She came right over and introduced herself. "I'm Rarity Belle, this is Applejack K---, the General's wife, and Dusty Dunes, of the Gendarmes."
Firecracker: "Ma'ams." She nodded back to them.
K: "Good timing. Rarity, what do you know of Spain?" I tied my necktie as I asked.
Rarity: "Ibexeria in general is rather.. interesting. There are two nations, Lusitania and Navarre.." She said, auto-correcting my misnaming.
Interesting divergence from Earth politics.. I made note of this.
Rarity: "..Lusitania is the smaller of the two, while Navarre is larger and more prosperous. Being Ibex, they don't.. often associate with us ponies." She shrugged.
K: "That explains why they aren't part of NEIGHTO." I wagged a finger at her. "I was wondering - Earth's counterpart to Lusitania would be the nation of Portugal, and Navarre would be Spain. When I was looking at maps, I didn't see.. call it the signs of what their effect on the world should have been. There's Mulexico, but that's entirely different - I noticed there's no counterpart to Brazil or any of South America, save Mulexico and Inca.. and I'll be damned if Inca is nowhere near where it ought to be, if this was my Earth." A small gesture, as I made sure to put my shaving kit in my bag. "And in my world - though often ignored - Spain and Portugal made contributions to N-A-T-O, my inspiration for NEIGHTO. Important ones. Besides being an ultimate fall back position in the event of the Earth Soviet Union overruning most of Continental Europe, they had good air bases, decent armies, and respectable arms industries." I sighed. "I think it's important we at least ask them what's up - they could help."
Rarity: "You're right, dear. At the very least, they could assist us with more hooves to fight Tirek with. I'll go get Starlight.." She looked at Dusty, AJ, and Firecracker. "..the six of us can go down there and have a quick look. I know there's a train that runs there. The rest of our friends can get the Command Train and follow us."
AJ: "Sounds fine!" She grinned, and looked at Firecracker. "Best make sure ya got a weapon, sugar cube, an' a full ammo load." She nodded sagely.
Dusty: "I'll get her set up from our supplies, Jackie." She patted Firecracker on the shoulder. "Trust me, this is a fightin' outfit." She smirked.
Firecracker was an interesting one. She was a unicorn who's coat was a shade of turquoise, with fire red-and-orange in her mane, as well as intensely blue eyes. Her mane was filled out and straight, like Twilight's. She had an energy about her.. a determination.
I wanted to see what she could do.
I also noted that Dusty was now calling AJ, "Jackie." Not many ponies could get away with that level of familiarity outside of the other Elements.
A couple hours later, and we were at the central train station in Paris.. and Gorcat had caught up to us.
Gorcat: "And just where do you think you're going? Without me?" He put his claw on my shoulder, and slung his other arm around Applejack, at my side. "I told you before. Life debt." He smirked, and nodded to Firecracker. "Who's this?"
K: "AAck!" I jilted forwards just slightly. "Eh.. Lieutenant Firecracker Burst, 1st Recon." I gestured to her. "Princess Celestia asked her to join the General Staff. Which is just as well - she'll make a fine Recon liasion."
Applejack: "Aw, 'Cat! Y'all worried about us?" She grinned broadly, and patted him on the back.
Dusty: "It'll be nice to have the backup." She turned and nodded to him. "Gorcat."
Gorcat: "Dusty. AJ." He nodded to Firecracker. "Name's Gorcat. General K saved me from Tarjas.. kinda showed me Hidora, too, but.." He smirked between me and Applejack. "..I owe him my life. Before this war started, I was part of a Griffon gang that tried to kill him."
Firecracker: "Huh!" She blinked. "Takes all kinds, I guess."
Rarity: "Indeed. AH! There's Starlight!" She nodded as Starlight came up, dressed in the pony equivalent of a female skirt suit, in burgundy, and cut rather conservative, actually.
Starlight: "Rarity!" She came in for an immediate hug.
K: "Starlight." I nodded to her, then to Firecracker. "This is Lieutenant Firecracker Burst."
Starlight: "Hi, I'm Ambassador Starlight." She nodded a bit.
Firecracker: "Nice to meet you!" She beamed a grin. "You.. ah.. do you have Native blood?" She tilted her head.
Starlight: "Oh? Oh! No, no.. uhm.." She looked at Gorcat, and Dusty. "..I was kinda frozen from eight thousand years ago. K revived me."
Firecracker: "Oh!!" She blinked a couple times, then smiled. "Well, welcome to the future, I guess!"
Starlight: "Thanks!" She smiled back. "So, K. Ibexeria?"
K: "I want to see if we can get an audience with their governments, and negotiate entry into NEIGHTO. We could use the troops, never mind the industrial base." I shrugged slightly. "They're similar enough to Ponies that our weapons should be more or less compatible."
Rarity: "The others will be coming with the Command Train once it's ready." She nodded a bit.
Firecracker: "This is my first time." She gently bit her lower lip.
Starlight: "Well, if my rescue last year was any indication, this should prove interesting." She gestured for us to board the train. "The Ibexian Kingdoms don't really associate much with Ponies. This train takes us to a town NEAR the border, but we'll have to walk the rest of the way."
K: "That'll have to do." I nodded, as we handed over our tickets to the Conductor and took our seats.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Iberian Shuffle
TIME: 14:17 Greenwich Mean Time
DATE: War Day 731/5 Quartus 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Carol, East Pyrenees Department, Prance
We arrived in five hours' time. Given the way things were geographically shaped, this was about right. The small town of Carol was charming on its own, with many local small shops in the center of town selling all kinds of things.
K: "Let's make sure we grab some food for at least three days' walk." I looked to Starlight. "And YOU might want to change into something a bit more fitting."
Starlight: "Indeed." She shrugged a bit. "Really, though, the border is about three more hours' walk from here.."
Gorcat: "We ain't takin' no chances, sister." He smirked, and brushed his beak a bit. "We learned the hard way, that's a bad idea."
Applejack: "Ah'll git her set up, honeybun." She smirked at me, and tugged Starlight away, and Rarity went with her.
Rarity: "Indeed." She nodded to me. "We will return."
Firecracker: "Huh." She nodded. "Well, training for Recon, we generally try to rely on Graze in the field.." She looked at me a moment. "..I don't suppose that's a good idea for you, is it?"
K: "Nah. Humans can't eat grasses like you can." He shrugged slightly. "We better grab some real food."
Firecracker: "Cheese, oats - can you eat oats? And maybe some sausages. Anything else would be too perishable." She got a thoughtful look on her face.
K: "Not bad. That from Recon training?" I tilted my head.
Firecracker: "No, no.. I grew up in the Catskills." She shrugged a bit. "I worked at a resort at one point - in the summer, it was hiking and camping. Winter? Skiing, if there was enough snow."
Dusty: "I'm from Las Pegasus - I'm more at home in the city, or the desert."
Gorcat: "I grew up in the mountains of the Griffon Kingdom." He gestured. "But, we usually hunted when we needed to.."
I led the way through the center of town, and admired all the little things here. Shop stalls selling various items.. a blacksmith.. and several selling food fresh from the farms. I let Dusty and Firecracker pick the vittles. While we had oat rations in our packs, it was very plain eating. Anything to spice it up, would be welcome.
We ended up with several cheese blocks, some dried sausages, and a small basket of dried fruits and vegetables - not something Firecracker was expecting to find, but bought anyway. About then, Rarity, AJ, and Starlight came back, with Starlight now wearing hiking boots on her rear legs, a yellow-and-blue checkered shirt, vest with a thin fluffy collar, and a jacket over it, with her own field pack.
AJ: "Ye'll find this interesin', honeybun - the local hikin' goods store also sells guns 'n ammo." She smirked a bit. "And they's local designs, based on yer works."
K: "I'm actually happy to see that." I nodded.
Firecracker: "Here, ma'am - I got us some extra food." She looked at me. "Why's that?"
K: "Firearms represent the ultimate freedom - any government that can't trust its citizens with the means to overthrow it, isn't a government of the people, it's tyrrany. As someone from my Earth once said, when the Government fears the people, there's freedom. When the people fear the government, that's tyrrany." I gestured a little with my fingers.
AJ: "We best get goin' - hopefully we can make the border 'fore it gets too dark." She nodded.
And off we went, on our little nature stroll. The mountains were interestingly tall and somewhat rugged, but the well-worn hiking paths were a different story. Generations of use had eroded them into the landscape. We got about a kilometer from the border, when they stopped.
TIME: 16:37 Greenwich Mean Time
LOCATION: 1.2km from the Navarre Border, East Pyrenees Department, Prance
K: "You guys weren't kidding when you said there was little contact between the nations.. there's no more hiking paths." I noted, pointing to where the path we were on, hooked back around the hill we were nearly to the crest of, and continued back towards the next Prench town.
Starlight: "Seems we'll be walking in unexplored territory.." She sniffed the air a bit. "At least it's a pleasant day for this."
Dusty: "I'd rather it be a bit warmer." She smirked a bit.
Firecracker: "Me, too." She shrugged, slightly. "Should Gorcat and I take point, General?"
K: "Yes, but keep it fairly tight. If we meet a Navarrian patrol, I want to be able to be in range to communicate with them. I don't want to start a fight." I nodded ahead.
They did, in fact, take point, but stayed no more than 10 meters ahead as we slowly worked our way down the hill, towards the border. The border itself was easy to pick out, as it was clearly marked as the lowest point between two hills, here, and had sharply visible, white stones every 30 to 40 meters.
Starlight: "Interesting that they'd define the border so carefully.." She looked closely at one of the stones. "Border markers, too."
Gorcat: "They don't want ANY confusion about what's theirs, and what ain't." He nodded. "Want me to get some altitude, see if I can spot anyone or anything?"
K: "Sure, go ahead, but pull back about another twenty meters from our rear when you do it - I don't want anyone thinking you're on the wrong side." I nodded a bit.
Gorcat: "You got it." And up he went.
Starlight: "I hope they're at least.. not hostile." She shrugged slightly.
Gorcat: "Nothing up here!" He came back down. "I can see a town about five klicks from here, if we keep heading south-east." He nodded. "No patrols, no Ibex, no ponies." He got a big smirk on his face. "I saw one very plump rabbit, though."
Applejack: "Hesh, you. Be glad Fluttershy weren't around t'hear you say that!" She gently tapped him on the arm.
Gorcat: "And that's why I said it!" He let out a griffonic laugh.
Firecracker: "Hahaha.." She smiled. "..I take it Fluttershy's a friend to the animals, then?"
Starlight: "Indeed she is. And a very gentle pony." She nodded in respect.
K: "Alright.. let's head roughly towards the town.. see if we can pick up a trail or something.." I shrugged. "Maybe, at least, the town leaders won't treat us as hostile invaders."
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Iberian Pop
TIME: 08:26 Iberian Time/09:26 Greenwich Mean Time
DATE: War Day 732/6 Quartus 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Inside a Dungeon, Girul, Navarre
Applejack: "WON'T SEE US AS INVADERS, HUH!?" She was still sore with me.
Starlight: "Look, AJ, I'm sure once someone official comes down to talk to us, we can clear this all up." She sighed.
K: "We should be glad they didn't shoot us on sight." I frowned. "I'd love to know how they got firearms like that."
Indeed, once we got to the village of Girul, the local constabulary had simply ambushed us at the edge of town, armed with assault rifles and an emplaced machine gun.. and taken us prisoner. There was little talking, little of anything, other than ordering us to "Vamos!" into this dungeon.
Applejack hadn't even slept next to me that night - Dusty did, though. AJ was very, very sore at me, over this.
Rarity and Starlight talked about the situation most of the night, and Starlight was convinced she could talk her way out of this - she could speak Navarre (which is basically what I'd call Spanish). As could I. Living in California did have its perks. Gorcat? My loyal pal, he'd made sure to stay between me and their bayonets, his muscles constantly coiled and ready to strike, if I gave the order.
Firecracker grumbled about the situation, but didn't outright complain or call me out. She had slept as close to Gorcat as she could get, though, clearly showing she had no issue with Griffons.
Gorcat: "Come on, now, Jackie. It's too early to start in like that." He grunted. "K apologized. A lot."
Applejack: "Ah still say this were a boneheaded mistake." She frowned.
K: "Oh, I agree. I had no idea they'd do THIS. I thought they'd challenge us at the border, not let us get all the way to town, and then ambush us." I shrugged. "Moreover, I had no idea they'd already designed and built their own indigenous firearms. I thought that'd be something we'd have to teach them." I shook my head, slowly.
Suddenly, outside, I could hear commotion.. then shooting.. some screaming, yelling.. more shooting.. dying. And then.. silence.
Gorcat: "Someone just had a fight, out there. I wonder who won?" He crossed his arms.
K: "Hopefully, someone that likes us!" I grinned, chipperly.
Rarity shot me a look.
After a few minutes, I could hear hooves clomping down the stairs from the first floor, and around the corner, came Ibexian soldiers in much, much different uniforms.. including someone very important in a rather formal uniform and bicorne hat sitting regally between his goat horns.
Duke Condor: "Buen dia, mi amigos!" He slid his soldiers aside, and moved to the center of the antechamber outside of the cells, so we could see him clearly. "Soy el Duque Condor." He bowed to us, each, in turn. "Serias el humano?" He looked at me.
K: "Si, Duque." I bowed to him. "Mariscal-de-campo, del Ejercito Real de Equestria, K---- K---."
Duke Condor: "Excelente! Senor Mariscal.." He looked to my party.
K: "Do you speak Equestrian?" I asked, my limited Spanish running low on adjectives..
Duke Condor: "Si, Senor Mariscal. I do." He said in a very, very refined Navarrian (Spanish) accent.
K: "This is my wife, Applejack." I gestured to her. "Rarity Belle, Firecracker Burst, Gorcat, Starlight, and Dusty Dunes." To each, in turn.
Duke Condor: "Ahh.." He nodded with a big grin, then grew serious, but still, not hostile. "Why do you come?" He tilted his head, swishing his goat horns a bit.
K: "I was hoping to establish diplomatic realtions with Navarre and Lusitania." I nodded slightly to Starlight. "She's an Ambassador of Equestria. Our mission is peaceful."
Duke Condor: *HAHA!* "YOU..?" He seemed jovial at the concept. "..with US!?" He looked at his soldiers. "Han venido buscando alianza con Navarra!"
They all laughed, like I'd just told the funniest joke they'd ever heard in their lives. One even fell over, holding his belly. Truly, this world's purity was not reserved for Ponies exclusively.
Duke Condor: "Senor Mariscal!" He paused, shaking his head. "Our nation is in Civil War!!" He waved his forelegs out, and shook his head. "There IS no single government of Navarre!"
Everyone else laughed a bit more, then the laughter died down, again.
Duke Condor: "Now.. Senors, Senora, and Senoritas.. I think, maybe, you would like to get out of here, yes?" He tilted his head, and nodded back to one of his troops. "Come, I will explain."
One of his soldiers fetched the keys off the wall, and unlocked our dungeon cage. We hadn't been shackled, so, this was fine. I exited first, and extended my hand to Duke Condor.
K: "A pleasure to meet you, sire." I said, addressing him formally.
He looked at my hand a second - having never seen one before, of course - and then put his hoof in it, giving it a grip and a shake.
Duke Condor: "The pleasure is mine, Senor Mariscal. Your Navarese is.. decent." He gave me a small smirk.
K: "Gracias, Duque." I nodded sharply to him. "I learned what - on my Earth - is called Mexican Spanish, to a degree. You'd call it Mulexican Navarese." I shrugged slightly. "It's far more informal in tone and inflection than formal Spanish - Navarese, that is."
Duke Condor: "I had heard you speak'a languages!" He chortled to himself. "This Civil War does not happen in a total vacuum. Come, come, the Herdiets will be back soon enough. We must escape."
Applejack: "Hey, any chance'a us gettin' our stuff back? We'd really 'preciate it, Yer Highness." She said, getting right up next to me - angry or not, she was still my wife.
Duke Condor: "Si, si. It is upstairs. Come, come." He gestured.
We mounted the stairs and found he had another squad of Navarran Ibex troops up here. The uniforms reminded me of the Spanish Guarda Civil, and I surmised that, if this was somehow analogous to the Spanish Civil War (and it certainly seemed as much), they likely WERE Guarda Civil, as almost half the force defected to the Nationalists, of which Royalists were a part.
We gathered our equipment and weapons, but when I grabbed my rifle, I made a show of removing the magazine and racking the bolt to clear the chamber. Both to reassure the Duke that we had peaceful intentions, and to show his troops we meant no harm - I was sure a few of them were rather testy and on-edge about Ponies, of all things, having weapons. Everyone copied me.
K: "Which way?" I nodded to him.
Duke Condor: "Come, this way."
He took the lead of his soldiers, and led the way out of the police building, then led us south, out of town, and we marched in silence for about ten or fifteen minutes, until more of his troops caught up with us, with literal horse-drawn one-pony cargo carts, loaded with supplies. I could tell they'd basically looted the town - there was food, ammunition, weapons, and sundry other useful things. They took no tools or other things one might use to manufacture items, which told me they were looting for an active army that had no immediate need of such things.
TIME: 10:11 IT
LOCATION: Hidden Mountain Redoubt, 7km south of Girul
We arrived at his camp at about ten past ten, and he quickly ushured us inside. After a bit more walking, we came to an Estate house of some kind. It was clear this mountain redoubt was once an active ranch of some sort, and the Estate house belonged to a local Don, or the Alcalde of the region.
We entered the main lobby, which was VERY Spanish in construction and color scheme, and were greeted by a lady about the Count's age, bearing a platter of cheese, wine, and juice.
Duquesa Condor: "Bien dia! Soy la Duquesa Condor.." She nodded to her husband, and they nuzzled when he approached her. "..Bienvenidas mis invitadas."
K: "Gracias, Duquesa. Soy el Mariscal K--- del Equestria Ejercito Real." I placed my hand to my chest, and bowed to her slightly.
I noted that Duke Condor's coat was dark with streaks of grey, whereas hers was a 'technicolor' dark-with-tan. If I remembered my Ibexes right, this defined both of them as Northern Spanish Ibex.
Then, it all came together - I was talking to the Equus equivalent of Duke Conde, leader of the Carlists faction of the Nationalist Front of the Spanish Civil War. While I gave this world credit for having generally nicer, kinder people, I also remembered that Duke Conde was.. not someone you wanted to cross.
Duquesa Condor: "Por qué no dijiste que íbamos a tener invitados?" She asked her husband. I caught.. part of that.
Duke Condor: "Equestrian, please, my dear. They.. do not ALL speak Navarese." He smiled.
Starlight: "Si, Duquesa." She bowed slightly to her. "Mi nombre es Starlight. Embajadora de Su Alteza la Princesa Celestia."
Duquesa Condor: "Ah! Your Navarese is.. interesting." She looked at her a bit. "You sound like my great-grandmother.."
Starlight: "I am from eight thousand years in the past.." She shrugged. "I was rescued by Marshal K." She said, using the transliteration of my rank title.
Duquesa Condor: "Ah! How exciting!" She beamed a grin to her husband. "So, does this mean we will now have help?"
Duke Condor: "Ehh.. we rescued them from the Herdiets.. I do not yet know their intentions, but they mean us no harm, at the least. Please, they must be hungry, mi amore." He nodded to her, and she nodded back.
Duquesa Condor: "I will see you have something proper to eat. Uno momento, por favor." She scooted towards the back of the house, and started commanding Kitchen Staff.
K: "You're a team." I nodded to the Duke.
Duke Condor: "Indeed we are.." He stared at her flanks as she sashayed away. "..and she only grows more beautiful with each passing day."
K: "I know the feeling." I put my arm around Applejack's neck.. she didn't resist, and she did look up at me with those bedroom eyes - I had a feeling, seeing the Duke and Duchess's mutual affection, reminded her.
Duke Condor: "Now, Mariscal K.." He looked at Starlight, then to me. "..I should, I think, describe our situation.. and I think, perhaps, you may understand.. we need your help. It will interest you to know.. just how Tirek is involved." He turned to me, with a very determined curl to his lips.
{End of Chapter 79}
