//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: Battle Plans // Story: The Road To Toronto // by Alden MacManx //------------------------------// Ponytown, later that morning… Marian woke up with a shiver and a groan, her abused body resisting waking up, but pressures inside drove her awake, that and pain from her left wing shoulder and leg. She woke to find herself on a large soft mattress, covered by a light blanket. As she struggled to get up, a young pit bull dog at the foot of the bed woke up and yipped at her. She looked at the dog, who looked back before yipping again and running out with all the grace of a puppy. Marian took stock of her surroundings… a bed, a blanket, a lamp (currently off), four walls like an office cubicle, a cast on her left foreleg, a brace around her wing shoulder, and various bandages here and there. While she did hurt, the pain was much less than she remembered it. As she got unsteadily to her feet, the cast making it a challenge, a bright orange pony with a darker orange mane and a shock of copper color mane between the ears, stuck its head into the room, the puppy panting at its forefeet, her tail wagging hard enough to shake her whole back end. “Good morning, Miss Marian. Need a hoof?” Marian started to shake her head before stopping. “Can you show me to the rest room, please?” “Of course. Lean on me if you need to. Vanna, go to Karin and tell her Marian is awake, okay?” the pony told the puppy, who barked and scampered off. Marian found leaning on the pony did help. As he guided her to the toilet, she said, “Thank you for the help. What was your name again? I know I got here, but names and faces are fuzzy.” The pony guided Marian into the toilet area. “I’m Coppertop, junior medic and gardener. I’m also Vanna’s pony. Just ask her. Go on, do what you need to. I’ll wait out here.” “Thank you, Coppertop.” Marian said as she shuffled into position to do her business, Coppertop stepping out of sight of the door. When she was done, she shuffled her way out, Coppertop waiting at the door to help her. “Next, we go to the dining room, where you can have breakfast, and after, you’ll get to meet the rest of the Ponytown citizenry. We brought Doctor Oliver here from Alexandria last night to check you out. He put the cast on you, because Karin wasn’t sure she could do it right. He did say you were a bit of a mess, but medications and a good rest would help a lot.” Coppertop explained. “He was right. I still feel like hell, but the outer circles, not the inner. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll reach Purgatory.” “I’ll take your word for it.” Coppertop said as he led Marian to the dining area. Getting her down on a cushion, he then said, “Just wait here. I’ll send Jenn out with something for you, while I find Dad and Miss Storm.” Marian sprawled on the big cushion happily- the walk around Ponytown took a lot out of her, and she was quite hungry. “Sounds good to me!” she sighed in relief. As she waited, Marian noticed that her cast was not plain white, it had words on it. Mostly get-well wishes, but a couple of statements as well. One she could read (with a bit of effort, seeing as it was upside down to her eyes), read ‘Some things are best admired as an umbrella-stand, not as a body ornament.’, signed with a winged heart. She smiled after she finished reading the statement. For the first time since she woke up as a pony, she felt confident enough to welcome another day, rather than curse it. Jenn came in to the dining area, pushing a cart. “Good morning! Hope you’re up for breakfast!” she called out cheerily. Marian’s nose twitched at the scents. “Oatmeal… toast… scrambled eggs… real coffee?” she said as she tried to read the aromas. “Along with real milk and butter! Scrambled do you?” Jenn asked as she unloaded the cart. “Oh, yes! Those are real eggs, right? Not dried and remade?” “Later, I’ll show you the chicken coop we have out back. Another day, someone will show you the cow pasture.” “It’s a deal.” Marian said as she clumsily gripped the utensils and started eating, letting a forkful of scrambled egg melt in her mouth. Slowly, she ate the first good meal she has had since waking up as a pony months before, enjoying every bite and drink. There was even sugar for her coffee, an undreamed-of luxury to her. So, enraptured by breakfast, Marian did not notice three other ponies join her. The gray unicorn she remembered from the day before. The gray pegasus, greenish blue small pony and white pegasus she did not recall. “Marian, I’m Sudden Storm, the leader of Ponytown. With me are Alex Haggard, Rapid Transit, and Soaring Heart, from Alexandria. What we want from you is all the details you can remember about Attila, his gang, and their intentions.” the gray pegasus said. Marian nodded when she heard Sudden Storm. “Okay, Sudden Storm. I remember your voice from the radio. Attila has been receiving your signal all the way from Detroit.” she started. For the next two hours, she detailed all she could remember about Attila and his gang, from Attila’s dynamic leadership, to Samson’s wanton cruelty, Tinker’s gifts with crafting (as well as his disadvantages) Nebulous Nimbus’ organizational and medical skills, the pegasi inability to fly, everything she could and did observe from her position as a slave, sparing little detail. The quartet doing the questioning took copious notes during the time, their concern over the approaching gang mounting. When Marian showed signs of tiring, Coppertop was asked to bring her to Karin for checking over while the four discussed the impending problem. “For sure, I’m bringing in True Sight to quarterback this situation. She has more experience fighting than I do. However, I can see some ways where we can press our advantages in defense.” Alex said after Marian had left the room. “What advantages do you see?” Sudden Storm asked. “Several. For one, we have pegasi and thestrals, while they cannot fly. Second, they have unicorns who barely have a handle on telekinesis. Three, we know they are coming, and which way they are coming from, so they won’t be able to hide from us. “You will need to maintain surveillance from a distance, and more importantly, keep the cloud cover up. I say that because the cloud cover will be of aid to our pegasi.” “By keeping up observation from clouds as they drift by, and pulling for altitude to head back before drifting out of range.” Soaring Heart said in realization. Sudden Storm nodded in agreement. “Correct, Heart. Now, I have to refine this with True Sight and the others she will pick, but what I propose is what I am thinking of as an alphabet attack.” Alex said. “Whaddaya mean by that, Alex?” Rapid Transit asked, confused by the statement, giving voice not only to his own confusion, but that of the others. “A: we ask them to desist and depart. B: we use your tunnel, Artie, to leave them a package of scatter-thrown flash-bang grenades. If that does not work, the C is for chemical attack, namely tear gas.  As a last resort, we use D, send in the dogs.” Alex said, reluctance to go to the later options plainly evident on her face. “To do that, I’m gonna have to be where I can see them approach so I can deliver the warheads right.” Rapid Transit said. “I know that, Artie, so we’re going to have to find you a ‘duck blind’ to hide in, you and two more, to throw the grenades through your telegate when needed.” “That’s my job, Alex.” Sudden Storm said. “I also know what to do with those I don’t want to keep here. Artie, you have not seen the cow pasture yet, have you?” “When the heck have I had a chance to, Stormy?” “You will this afternoon. I want you to add the cow pasture to your list of destinations. I’m also going to have some tents set up there, for shelter. Today, they are far enough away to use the truck for a load there. “On the day of battle, I’ll want you to gate Jeff, Karin, Rhonda, Tammy, Coppertop and Randy to the pasture. I want them out of danger, just in case we should make a mistake.” “Coppertop won’t be a problem. Randy will be.” Soaring Heart observed, having spent some time with the pegasus colt. “He is going to be my messenger if needed, flying there and back as I call for. I do NOT want any of Attila’s force to have any inkling of where the pasture is. Tinker may be able to do some DF work on our radio signals.” Sudden Storm said. “If we do our jobs right, Stormy, Attila and his bunch won’t have a chance to inkle on Ponytown’s carpets.” Rapid Transit said with a small smile. He was immediately battered by two sets of pegasus wings while Alex merely rolled her eyes at his wordplay. She was used to it. That afternoon, Sudden Storm brought the rest of Ponytown up to speed with her plans, with True Sight and Alex to help elaborate. Everypony was given their parts to play and places to go. True Sight and her detachment will remain out of sight, in a building along Attila’s line of approach, until called upon, or they see an opportunity. Rapid Transit, with Swift Quill, Greg, and Rich, will be in another building with a periscope arrangement to see out at the street, with the others to lob tear gas and flash bangs as needed, Serge and Morgan detailed to go out and raid police stations nearby for weaponry. Randy complained a little about being in the cow pasture team, but when told his job, the little pegasus colt stood tall as he could. “I won’t let you down, Stormy!” he said with pride. “I know you won’t, Randy. That’s why you are in that job,” Sudden Storm said to him, with a smile. “Okay, today, Serge and Morgan go out to get the weapons. Jeff will bring Artie to the pasture, along with some camping gear, to make the place habitable for us. Soaring Heart and I will try to keep a discreet eye on out invaders. The rest of you, just act normally. We want to ease Attila into more confidence than he deserves.” “Right, Stormy.” The group chorused. Searching east of Toronto, Serge and Morgan went to five different police stations, raiding all they could from them. After the fifth stop, they figured they had enough of each, and started heading back. “I may not like the pony, but I’m damn glad Artie’s here. If they decided to wait another week, there might not be a Ponytown to visit.” Morgan said. “Even though he is a damned Jets fan.” “I just don’t like him on general principles,” Serge said as he drove. “Driving up here and offering all the benefits of friendship like he was some sort of savior. That rankles me a lot.” “It may rankle you, and I don’t like him either, but how do you think we would fare against Attila’s gang if they were not here?” Serge thought for over a minute before replying. “To be honest, not very well. We may triumph in the end, but, not without casualties. Having surprise on us would have been a big advantage.” “So, shall we be thankful he is here and accept his, and Alexandria’s help?” “We can be, but I don’t have to like it, and I don’t!” “Neither do I, but at least we will be alive and free to hate his guts, right?” At the cow pasture, Jeff and Artie unloaded the truck of tents, awnings and other gear. As Artie assembled them, Jeff asked the unicorn, “What do you think our chances are?” “To be honest, I don’t know.” Artie said as he staked down a big tent. “I’m not a warrior, never have been, never will be. True Sight is. With her quarterbacking, we stand a better chance than if I was.” “I’m glad you said that, Artie. You’re honest with us.” “I may be honest, but that doesn’t stop me from being worried.” “This refuge here will keep the kids and Karin safe. To be honest, I’ve been wanting to put some sort of shelter up here, anyhow. This just gave us a reason to get it done,” Jeff told the unicorn. “Hey, I’m happy to be able to help. Let me tell you, after what I’ve been through the last six months, I don’t want to see or hear any other ponies suffering like I did. I am not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination. I had to use the tried and true GAH method to survive. This time, it worked. Sometimes, it won’t.” “GAH?” Jeff said, confused for a few seconds before it dawned on him. “Oh, yes… guess and hope.” “Exactly. A whole lot of guessing and a whole lot of hoping, with no one to talk to but my cat and the dogs. The subway tunnel came as a big surprise, and meeting Sara made my life a whole lot better. Finding out about Alexandria was better still. Finding out about you ponies, well…” Artie paused, gathering his thoughts before going on. “I like being alone, but not lonely. To bring ponies together, so we can all help each other, that makes me feel a whole lot better about waking up a unicorn than anything else.” Jeff looked at Artie, seeing something he hadn’t seen before. “You mean it, don’t you? You like bringing ponies together?” “For almost three months, I was lonely. Heartbreakingly lonely. You don’t know how many times I wanted to just jump off a bridge. Sethra and Laddie kept me here long enough for the loneliness to end. “Now, there is a band of barbarians here, coming to take away all you have been built because they either don’t have the skills to build their own empire, or, they just plain don’t want to. I am not about to allow that to happen to my new friends, even if all of them don’t think I am their friend yet.” “You’ve noticed the hostility?” Jeff asked. “Hell, yeah!” Artie exclaimed, getting another tent’s materials laid out. “I ain’t been the easiest to get along with, as a person or a pony. I can get the feelings from all I meet. The kids like me, Quill does, Greg and Jenn do, as does Rhonda. Stormy and the rest, including you, have not made up their minds yet about us. Rich doesn’t like me, Morgan, well, she just has to have the bad luck to be a Sabres fan. Serge thinks I’m the Devil incarnate.  Can you tell him something for me, please?” “What would that be, Artie?” “I’m only HALF the Devil incarnate,” he said, raising a hoof to indicate his horn. “Missing a horn to be a full devil. I know damn well I can be loud, pushy and brash. What many don’t know is why.” “Stormy did say to me that you don’t like to be in groups, especially leading a group.” “Correct. I don’t like to lead. Teaching is fine. Leading is not. I’m so afraid of making a mistake that can get someone hurt, mostly myself. That’s why we suggested we get Alex up here with some better ideas. Think about it… if we were a week later, we would not be dealing with you, but your new lord and master.” “Got that right. Got the area fixed in your mind well enough to gate home and back?” “Got it.” Artie said as he held the big tent upright for Jeff to drive the stakes in. “I’ll do anything to keep my son safe, even though I’m willing to bet he fights better than I do.” Jeff finished driving the stakes down, and Artie tightened the stays. “You have one advantage over him, you know.” “I do. I fight dirty, and in this case, I’m willing to kill, if necessary. I’d rather not, but I know I can if I have to,” Artie said as he tied the last line down, making the tent stand firm. “Let’s get the supplies loaded in here, then get the rest of the tents set up.” Over Ponytown, Soaring Heart and Sudden Storm went on a look about, Stormy showing Heart how to keep the clouds low and how to dart in and out of them, not presenting themselves for very long. “I see some movement on a motorway,” Heart said suddenly. Storm looked in that direction. “I see them, too. Looks like the caravan is approaching. If I were them, I would set up camp in that grassy area near that mall.” “Shall we fly high, then come down and peek through a cloud as it drifts over?” Heart suggested. Storm giggled a little. “You’re reading my mind! Follow me!” She flapped strongly, picking up speed and climbing, Heart not far from her tail. Ten minutes of hard flying, maneuvering to keep clouds between them and the bandit team, had the two resting on a cloud, their heads poking out the bottom. “Okay, the one in the front has to be Attila. The big, black earth pony. He’s carrying a big pack.” Storm observed. “That’s something Marian made a point of saying. Yes, he’s the leader of the band, but he also does his fair share of the work. Two ponies to each wagon, one to smaller carts, and five carrying packs. The two smaller ones are guards, and the top three carrying packs.” “There’s a pony in a wagon up front. That can be the Samson that attacked Marian. He’s not as bad off as she thought.” Storm kept watching the troupe. “He is riding, instead of walking. He’s hurt, but not dead. I’m sure he can still shoot, even laid up.” They watched as Attila led the band onto the grassy area Storm described. “He’s no dunce, for sure. There’s a nice stream for drinking water, and a pool for bathing, if they can stand the cold. They’re gathering under the trees and the unicorns are setting up shelters. Smart dude, but so overconfident.” Storm said as they drifted by. “He’s still going to be a dangerous opponent. We have an idea what he will do, but we don’t know exactly what. Firearms are a good force equalizer.” Heart commented. “So is Artie. Let’s find a good place for him to monitor the approach, and have Serge and Morgan deliver the goods there. This is not going to be pretty. Win or lose, our resources are going to be strained.” Stormy said as they drifted closer to Ponytown. “I hope we will have enough food for all when this is over. Tonight, we’ll talk battle plans with the community. We need to figure out what to do, win OR lose.” Heart could only nod. “True Sight will be a big help. Being a thestral, she can look about at night, getting a report on them.” “Seeing as until she arrived, I have never heard of a thestral, nor mentioned it on air, Attila could not know of them, either.” “Advantage, us.” Regional Park, late that afternoon: “Company, set camp here!” Attila bellowed. The assorted ponies started their setting camp routine, unicorns off-loading carts and the wagons, pegasi and earth ponies setting up shelters, details starting a fire, fetching water and wood, and one detachment looking for a place to raid for edibles. All went smoothly, as Attila had relentlessly trained and driven his band for the past several months. “Ponies, you did well today, making better time than I had hoped. We will camp here for two days, then advance closer to Ponytown before starting our assault four days from now, in the early morning hours!” he shouted to his band. Many of them smiled at his praise, others looked worried about the coming battle. Attila himself set up his own shelter, then put on his rifle harness to get twenty rounds of practice fire in, at different ranges, well away from camp. Samson was offloaded from his cart and made his way to Attila as he was setting up. “I better get some drilling in, too,” he managed to say, his gait still a bit off and his eyes not quite tracking, but doing better than the day before. “Are you sure, Samson? You still look off.” Attila said cautiously. “Damn it, Attila, I’m not going to be a drag on the attack! We’ve been together from the beginning, and I refuse to let you down!” the brown and white earth pony said firmly. “If I’m still off, let’s see just how far, then take actions once we know.” Attila had to smile a little. The two have been friends for a long time, even before they woke up as ponies. “Well said, Samson. Go have Tinker help you on with your harness, then come out here.” “Yes, Attila!” Samson barked before turning and leaving to find Tinker, their inventive unicorn. Attila got his rifle ready in the harness that Tinker had devised to enable him to shoot, sighted in carefully, and fired three rounds from the M-16. Trotting to the target, he saw that he was still off some, the harness not being perfect. “Still, having these to fire is an advantage we have and they do not,” he mused as he looked at the holes in the target planks, well to the right of his aim. Samson made it back, wearing his rifle harness and carrying an ammo pack. Rules were that no one could carry loaded firearms near Attila, and Samson was very scrupulous in following the rules. “Load me, Attila. I need practice.” Attila removed a loaded clip and put it in the rifle. Samson worked the mechanism and loaded the rifle. Attila moved clear, and Samson took his shots before safing the rifle. “Check me, please.” After verifying the safety on, Attila fetched the target. It was clean, bare of marks. “I think you have to aim more to the left. Also, I noticed your flinching with every shot,” he remarked. “I know, Attila. The rounds going off does hurt my ears. Let me try again, please. I will not fail you!” Attila moved the safety, and Samson took three more shots before Attila called a halt and checked the target. Again, the rounds were off to the right, but all three had hit the target. “Good shooting, Samson! Between the two of us, Ponytown will be ours in four more days.” “I will do my part, Attila.” Above, the live fire practice was witnessed by Soaring Heart and Sudden Storm. “Tonight, True Sight will observe them. Maybe hear them. We’ll find out later. For now, let’s head back to Ponytown and make some more plans.” Storm said as they drifted over the camp. “Sounds like a plan to me,” Soaring Heart agreed. At Ponytown, the two ladies arrived to find Artie and Jeff waiting for them, having put together the cow pasture camp. They were loading the truck bed wagon with supplies. “How it looking, love?” Artie asked his wife. “Well, they DO have firearms, and can use them. We still have to scout out your duck blind, and make plans for observing them tonight.” “I wish they would just wise up and go away,” Artie sighed. “But, if they want a fight, let’s show them a fight they are not expecting.” “Playing to our strengths, not theirs.” Jeff said in agreement. “We’re working on it, Jeff. Where’s Marian?” Stormy asked. “She should still be inside. Where can she go with a cast on her leg?” Jeff replied. “I want to talk to her some more, now that we have seen them. Excuse me, but I have more work to do,” Stormy said as she flew inside. “Need a hoof packing, love?” “Why not? Sure, let’s get loaded. Food, water, blankets, tools, toys… make sure we got everything we need.”