The Earth-Pony Revolution (An Equestrian History Story)

by Quartez

The Siege of Stalliongrad

Chapter Eight: "The Siege of Stalliongrad"

"Retreat" was the word Iron Fist had used and this time there was no question whether or not he was using it correctly; he had given simple instructions: anything that could provide weapons or food or shelter to the invading Crystal Empire army was to be destroyed.

Their houses, their food stores, their weapon plants all had to be be burned to the ground (the Ponyburo Building had been spared) they were allowed to take only that which could be carried or loaded onto their personal carts.

Apple Scruff had been forced to give up his cart to the army so all he could take with him was an album of family photos.

Luckily, Big Bad John had managed to take all Silver Tongue's old books and Silver Tongue himself had been allowed to keep his cart so all of his books (which were still quite a rarity in the UBBR) were safe.

Once everything had been destroyed and the carts loaded up, they marched, their hooves cutting through the snow which seemed to get worse every single day.

Apple Scruff tried not to cry, it was hard, his flank ached from his war-wound, he was cold (he had no clothes to wear) and he was tired, they had marched for hours, but worse then any of that, the home he had lived in all his life, the one his parents and grandparents had passed down to him was gone.

He had set it aflame himself and watched it burn in front of his eyes, he forced himself to go on; watching the inspiring sight of Big Bad John, he wasn't trying not to cry like a little colt, he was determined; probably thinking to himself: "If Golden Eyes' says it, it must be right" or "I must work harder".

Apple Scruff forced himself on trying to keep up the sing-a-long they had started to distract themselves, it was the song about the mare who's husband had gone to war :

Oh, her song! The song of a fillies' true love;

to her dear one: travel with the sun!

To the one who Katyusha loves so,

send her greetings to me, one-by-one.

They continued on, the Ponyburo were at the front, being pulled in an ornate and large cart, Apple Scruff had seen them before, they had thick fur cloaks and hats that covered their faces, even scarves, these articles of clothing couldn't have been designed by Lustre as she hadn't been allowed to make clothes in a while; first she had to turn her attention to the Weather Factory, then she had been forced to hand over her stock of fabric which was apparently being used for army purposes (whatever they may be).

She was just ahead, looking as bad as Apple Scruff felt, she was openly sobbing, but still pulling forward with the cart that had all her possessions in it.

The Ponyburo were the only ones allowed to ride in a cart (except for the fillies and colts), everypony else who was old enough, had been told to trot and, if possible, pull a cart themselves, this maximised cart-space for the transport of supplies and military equipment.

But Apple Scruff didn't mind, they probably needed a quiet, warm, large cart so they could think and plan out the strategy.

Let me know that she is true and faithful,

let me hear the love song that she sends,

tell me as I defend our home that grateful,

true Katyusha, your love will defend.

There were no rails to take, they had blown them up to stop the Crystal Empire's army from using them, they marched towards the bridge across the Hayseed Swamp, this journey would have normally taken a much shorter time, but the snow was thicker now, they were weighed down by their supplies and they were tired and hungry, they had not rested since the speech.

Once they crossed the bridge, they would destroy it too; their destination was Stalliongrad, once they were there, then they would be ready for Sombra's army, who would be too worn out from the trip to offer much resistance.

Apple trees and pear trees a-flower,

river mist was rising all around,

young Katyusha went strolling by the hour,

on the steep banks o' the rocky ground.

young Katyusha was went strolling by the hour,

on the steep banks o' the rocky ground.

The days passed in Stalliongrad, the Ponyburo set up shop inside a building which nopony else was allowed to enter; everypony else had to find a place and make it their own, all food was shared, in this situation nopony wanted to see others have to suffer.

Iron Fist would only leave the Ponyburo to "inspect the troops", he made a number of ponies knock out the windows of their houses, he said that this well give them "a better shot at the enemy" and the buildings quickly became bitter cold.

The cold was getting worse, it was colder now then the Frozen North where the Crystal Empire was located, Iron Fist was exited about this development, he claimed that the invading army wouldn't be ready for such a cold climate, they'd be weak and helpless when they arrived.

Everybody was worried about fighting the pegasi again, but their fears were quelled, King Sombra had almost no pegasi left, he had lost them after a failed invasion of Equestria; naturally, all the insults and implications and hatred directed at Celestia and Luna had dried up, as far as the Ponyburo were concerned the royal sisters were loyal and great allies of the UBBR.

Apple Scruff had barely any chance to speak to the Ponyburo, the only chance came when a mare and her colt came to see the building where Apple Scruff was ordered to spend most of his day in anticipation of an invasion, he was supposed to stand at the broken window, the cold gnawing at his face, ready to attack if Sombra's army came.

The little colt was very exited to see real army ponies at work and asked if he could see the view from the window and pretend to be a soldier, so his mother put him on her back and stood at the window and he stared out of it.

At that moment Iron Fist stormed in and demanded to know why a "civilian" was standing at Apple Scruff's post:

"I just wanted to see what it wa' like to be in tha' army, mister" pleaded the youngster.

To which Iron Fist just snapped: "Get out! Apple Scruff, actual soldier, get back there!"

Apple Scruff did it without question. After Iron Fist had left he wondered if he should have told him off for being so rude or asked if somepony else could take his place; because he was cold. Or indeed, what Iron Fist would say if he raised the possibility, but it was too late for that.

The day came. Iron Fist had heard reports that a crystal pony had been seen in Stalliongrad, the soldiers were at their positions and then, they waited.

It took only a moment for the first group of crystal ponies to be seen and at once, spears rained down upon them, they shattered like glass.

Apple Scruff couldn't see any of this from his position, he was too far back, but he could hear it, the screams, the crashes, the death, he began to shake.

Apple Scruff's first kill (and no matter what he tried to tell himself, it was a kill) occurred six hours into the battle; a battalion of unicorns was marching towards the building where he was stationed, and then he felt it.

He was back.

It was the Battle of Ukreign all over again, his war-wound throbbed.

The nightmare came back in full-force; he remembered the terror at seeing the pegasus army swoop down on him, the horror at seeing Berry Tongue dead.

He attacked.

He threw his spears as fast as he could, propelled by mania, he didn't care if he missed or not, he had to stop them.

He had to stop them before he saw death again, if they didn't die, somepony else would, maybe him.

He was screaming, there was screaming everywhere, not just stallions and mares but fillies and colts, death was everywhere, dust rained from the buildings as the blasts from the unicorn's horns hit them.

He was brought back to reality by a flash from one of the unicorn's horns, it was heading to his building.

Time stopped, all he could see was a still image of the unicorn, a blast from it's horn halfway towards him.

His mind was empty.

Then he recognised those ponies, they were Sombra's army.

He was Apple Scruff.

They were at war.

And then time resumed as he saw the flash from his right side, he looked over as the stallion fell, he couldn't have been very old (he looked younger then Apple Scruff) he hit the floor and Apple Scruff ran over.

"NO! GET-UP! IT ISN'T OVER AND WE'LL DIE! ALL OF US!"

there was another flash, Apple Scruff turned around, the other soldier was dead.

He was alone.

"NO! DON'T! COME ON, I NEVER SAID A WORD TO YOU BEFORE YOU WERE DEAD! I DIDN'T KNOW YOU! WE COULD HAVE BEEN FRIENDS! PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!"

He fell to the ground, cowering, he had to get away from the window. The window was death.

He shook and started to cry, "n,n,no......I won't die.....I don't..I don't want to...be..here."

There was a crash, it was the roof, he opened his eyes, there was a pegasus there, it was the one with the rainbow mane and tail, the one who he had hit at the battle of Ukrein, now, more then ever, he could remember it.

"Get up, soldier!" the pegasus exclaimed.

"NO!" Apple Scruff screamed "THEY'LL KILL ME!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" said the pegasus proudly, "Speed Racer's the name, you guys did good, but we'll take it from here."

He forced Apple Scruff to his hooves and made him look out of the window, the crystal ponies were running, being chased all the way by pegasi and unicorns and Earth ponies alike, Equestria's army.

Apple Scruff would never forget it, ever; it was all true, Celestia and Luna were their allies, the Equestrian army had come at the eleventh hour to save them.