//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Old Friends Off To War // by Teal //------------------------------// July 1 10:45 AM Applejack was first met by the sight of long lines of injured ponies, dragging their tired and sore legs along the dirt road as they searched for the nearest medical tent. Glancing to the side of the road and onto the large medical tent, she could see that both doctors and nurses were busy with their tasks, as large amounts of ponies in need filled the tent and piled up all around it. Bloodied, maimed, and in desperate need of help, they let out cries and moans of pains as the medical staff did their best to wait. Outside and far away from the tent, a pile of unmoving lifeless bodies were stacked under a large three, while able bodied ponies carried more and more of them from the tent. Watching the devastating sight with knowing yet devastated eyes, Applejack pulled off her hat and held it to her chest, her staff doing the same. She had seen such devastating sights before and no matter how many times her eyes and mind have seen tem, she knew that her heart would never get used to the image of gore and death. She had seen many battlefields before, seen the injuries and death that came with it. It always moved her and made her feel anguish. So much suffering came from this war and it seemed to never end. Would there ever be an end to such endless death and pain? Already thousands upon thousands of ponies have died for their own causes and still the meaning of their deaths seem to be nowhere in sight. Ponies kept on dying everyday, while their families, friends, and fellow soldiers suffered. So much pain has been inflicted to the armies of both sides and they don’t seem to have an end in sight. How long would this go on for? Would it all be worth it in the end? This war must end. She thought to herself, as she placed her hat back onto her head. One way or another, we must find a way to end it. And soon. Moving away from the devastating sight and continuing down the road, Applejack soon spotted a group of officers atop a nearby hill and quickly gestured her staff to follow her towards them. Approaching the hill, she could hear curses being thrown by the highest ranking officer in the group, as she gazed through a pair of binoculars and grunted. “Damn it, what is taking her so long?” Spitfire shouted to her staff, as she brought down her binoculars. “Didn’t I tell Lightning Dusk to attack as soon as possible?” “Having trouble here, General?” Applejack interjected as she stood behind her. Surprised and shocked by the sudden intrusion of the Army’s commander, Spitfire immediately jumped up before turning to face Applejack. Giving a hasty and nervous salute, Spitfire stared at her commander with a look of concern and fear. “General Applejack!” Spitfire managed to get out. “General Spitfire.” Applejack calmly said, eyeing the pegasus as she returned the salute slowly. Then, moving forwards towards the flame colored pony, she turned her gaze away from her and towards the direction where she was looking only moments earlier. “So…seems like you have a battle in your hooves.” “Yes…” Spitfire said slowly. “…yes, we do, mam. Things didn’t go according to plan and we sadly encountered strong resistance at Ponyville.” “What kind of resistance, General?” Applejack asked. “Probably something tough, with all the trouble you’re havin.” “Well…” Spitfire began, embarrassed to answer at first. “…it seems to be militia, mam.” “Militia?” Applejack inquired, not turning her head towards Spitfire as she lifted her binoculars at Ponyville at the distance. Inspecting the enemy lines at the outskirts of the town, Applejack knew immediately that the enemy wasn’t what Spitfire reported them to be. Due to the bright rays of the sun, she can see bright flashes of reflection from thousands of rushing figures as they took up position on a formidable looking ridge. Focusing on one group of these figures, Applejack quickly saw a flag held high by one of them and immediately identified the markings on it. “General, I ain’t sure if your eyes are working properly, but that sure ain’t militia over there.” “What do you mean, General?” Spitfire asked, her faced full of confusion. “I have observed them all morning, General, and I am sure in my heart that they are militia.” “Then you best have your eyes checked after this battle, because I know for a fact that ain’t miltia.” Before Applejack could continue, Time Turner, who had been giving the enemy lines an inspection of his own, hastily brought down his binoculars and exclaimed: “By the stars, General, you’re right! Those over there are crystal ponies!” Shaking his head, he gave Applejack a bewildered look. “Those ponies there aren’t miltia…that right there is the Equestrian Volunteer Army!” “What?” Spitfire cried out in shock, desperately grabbing her binoculars to take a look for herself. Ah, the old Crystal Corps… Applejack though knowingly. Shining Armor must be there then too. Yup, that’s the Volunteer Army alright. She was quite shocked to actually see them here. She had hoped that they would still have been entrenched at Rambling Rock Ridge, looking at the wrong direction, while they outflanked them. Yet clearly she was wrong. They were here now, the army she wished to avoid was here. Right in front of her, defending a good position atop a ridge was the Volunteer Army. She knew them well, they had been her foe for a long time, and she knew they could fight. A tough time was ahead of her. Frustrated by this misfortune, Applejack gazed at the distant silhouettes of the enemy and wondered how they knew she was heading here. Was there a spy among them? Did the enemy scouts spot them? Trying to hold back an angered growl, she also felt frustrated at Rainbow Dash’s lack of reports. If the cavalry commander had kept contact and did her job of screening and scouting ahead of the army, then Applejack would have known long ago that the enemy was here and would have avoided the unnecessary battle Spitfire managed to bring herself and the army into. But in the end, she knew that she can’t change what has happened. What was done is done. All they can do now is make the best of what they had. We defeated them before… She thought. …we can defeat them again. So, acting immediately with her infamous quick thinking and reaction, she glanced at Spitfire and began calmly giving her orders. “General…” Applejack said. “…I want you to send a courier and cancel your planned assault. Send one now and send one fast, there is no need to waste anymore lives assaulting those well-fortified positions of the enemy. We’ll need to regroup and consolidate your command while we wait for the rest of Big Mac’s corps to come up and reinforce us here.” “Yes, mam.” Spitfire said, quickly saluting before turning to an aide to send an order to quickly cancel her division’s attack. Turning to Time Turner, she felt the exhilaration of battle flow through her veins knowing that whether she liked it or not she had a battle upon her. She always had this feeling, this rush like sensation. It always fueled her during battle and she believed that it helped her make all the good decisions even in the hottest fight. But she hid the feeling of rush from him, knowing that she must look calm as to not overexcite any of her subordinates. So keeping a humble look, she gazed at him with a straight face and said: “Captain, I want you to send somepony to inform Big Mac to march here with all haste.” Looking towards the enemy positions, she studied it once again with her binoculars before continuing with her orders. “Be sure to inform General Macintosh that his troops should be ready for battle once they arrive here. The enemy may be strong in numbers and in a good position, but from what I can tell they aren’t here in full force. Their lines are still thin and their regiments spread out. From my observations, I reckon they have around a corps of troops there between us and Ponyville.” Nodding to herself and now absentmindedly thinking out loud than giving orders, Applejack continued and said: “That means we still have time. If we managed to get Big Mac’s 1st Corps here in time, then we can attack their positions with a massed concentrated assault and push their thin lines out of the ridge. But its all a matter of time. It’s a race against time… We need to get Big Mac here before the rest of the enemy’s corps arrives to reinforce their lines.” Looking once more back at Time Turner, she gave him a simple nod. “Tell General Macintosh to move here with haste and be ready for battle. That is all, Captain, now find a courier to send the message.” “Yes, mam.” Time Turner said before rushing off. “General Spitfire.” Applejack said, as she moved back towards the yellow pegasus and her staff. “Have your cannons bombard the enemy position to keep it nice and hot for them. We can’t have them too comfortable in their positions now, can we? The rest of Big Mac’s corps should be coming soon to reinforce you and once that happens we will launch another assault, you think your troops are up to the job?” Spitfire nodded eagerly, a certain fire in her eyes. “Yes, mam.” She said. “We may have been battered, but my command still has a lot of fight in them. We can fight, General. We can fight and make the enemy feel that they’re in tartarus.” “Good.” Applejack said with a nod. “I place a lot of trust in you. Now, carry out your orders, General, and keep the enemy under a constant barrage. More guns will support you once the rest of the army is here.” “Yes, mam.” Turning towards the enemy lines to study their positions once more, Applejack couldn’t help but gaze at the distant buildings of Ponyville which lay behind the enemy. That was home. It was home to her and to some of the ponies present here in the army. Oh, how great it was to live there, before the war. She has always wanted to go back, she had longed to step once more in the familiar soil of Ponyville. But she didn’t expect it this way, no, nothing like this. Now she had to fight at the place she once called home. July 1 11:35 AM General Shining Armor trotted along the line, his staff trailing behind him, carrying his well-recognized banner up high, as he inspected his troops while they held the crucial ridgelines that covered the road that led to Ponyville. Standing tall and proud, wearing his iconic Royal Guard armor, Shining Armor neither flinching or ducked as artillery shell fell and landed all around him. Like a brave leader he just kept on moving along the line, inspiring his men and doing his best to keep morale high as his force was placed under a heavy bombardment. This is good ground. He managed to think, ignoring all the explosion around him. My corps would be in defendable positions that would kick the flanks of any Rebel assault. Since he arrived, Shining Armor had done nothing but position and prepare his corps for an enemy attack. Placing his 1st Division on the ridge east of the road, with a majority of his artillery supporting them and covering the large open field the separated them from the Rebels, Shining Armor had a strong position that would form the backbone of his defense. By now, as he patrolled their line, he could see that division was already firmly entrenched, with its veteran regiments working on experience and creating makeshift defensive positions by pilling rocks and creating small mounds of dirt to give them any kind of protection from enemy fire. Good against bullets… Shining Armor thought, as he watched many of the ponies huddle under this low wall they created. …but barely any use against artillery. To the east of them, and holding the left flank of his line, was the 2nd Division, which centered their defense on Diamond Hill. From his position on the ridge, Shining Armor gave a quick glance towards that area to see the flags of the 2nd Division’s regiments flying high on the hill as they held their strong position there. On the far right flank, far off into the North-West from the ridge he was on, was the 3rd Division, moving up from Ponyville and into the apple orchard. In charge of covering the right flank, and bridge the line from there with the rest of the corps, the 3rd Division, under Major General Gleaming Diamond, held the crucial, and vulnerable right of the line. Having inspected it the moment he arrived, Shining Armor knew that the area was a vulnerable one. With the apple orchard being a hilly piece of land, with sporadic elevations here and there, and with trees covering every square feet, it would be hard for any soldier to be able to see any enemy approaching him from a distance. Although the trees provided good cover from artillery, its disadvantage seemed to equal its advantage. Meanwhile, the field between, west of the road to Ponyville, was a piece of land that connected the apple orchard with the rest of the line on the ridge, was an equally vulnerable area. With barely any cover which left the area exposed, Shining Armor knew that any regiment placed there would be vulnerable to artillery and assault. He had to watch that side well, he knew. He must have a constant eye at the area and have forces ready to reinforce it. Because of the dangerous position of that ide of the line, Shining Armor had placed the 4th Division in reserve behind the 3rd, ready to support it in case something wrong happened. There, the 4th can reinforce the 3rd if things get too hot, while still being near enough to reinforce the other parts of his defensive line if things didn’t go too well in others parts of his defense. Turning his attention to the right, and looking pass the shells that were falling and exploding all around him, Shining Armor took a moment to raise his binoculars and observe the movement of the 3rd Division. Having been placed as the second to the last division in the marching column, the 3rd was a bit late in getting to their positions. But as he watched as their brigades move up and take positions on the open field and march into the apple orchard, he knew that they would soon be in place and fortified in less than an hour. Satisfied at what he saw and bringing down his binoculars to gaze from one side of his line and then to the other, Shining Armor gave a confident smile and nodded to himself. Although many parts of his lines were still thin and needing more regiments to cover some of the gaps, he was sure that the line here was strong enough to hold off any assault from the enemy. At least until the rest of the army arrives. He thought to himself. The II Corps was the corps that was supposedly behind him and if everything went according to plan, then they would be arriving in the next hour or so. Knowing Twilight, her little sister would most likely have pushed the corps to move in schedule. Despite her lack of experience, Shining Armor believed that Twilight was doing well as the army’s new commander. Although still uneasy at some points and still feeling her way through her new position, Twilight’s organizational skills and knowledge of battle was greatly helping her out in becoming a good commander. Although her appointment as commander of the Volunteer Army was sudden and out of the blue, Shining Armor didn’t argue with Princess Celestia’s decision, and not because Twilight was related to him. He knew Twilight, and he knew her well. She was not only his sister, but also a hero. And many times before she had helped save Equestria from monsters and disasters, she had led her friends into success in order to conquer Equestria’s greatest enemies. And now, as she held her new command, he knew that she can do it again. He had the same faith as Celesita had with her. Already, Shining Armor saw that Twilight was doing good as the army’s commander. Her quick thinking and fast decision of shifting the army to Ponyville was a decision that he and many other officers praised. Quick action and reaction, that’s what this army needed, they said. Because of this act, he had arrived just in time to reinforce Soarin. And because of this act, the rest of the army would be moving in soon too. All he had to do is just hold a little while till they came. And if Soarin can hold off the Rebels with one brigade, then he was sure he can do the same with his corps. But he also knew that there was a limit to his capabilities. With his strength, he could, at most, fend off at least a corps assault or anything a bit more than that. But anything more and overwhelming than that would be a problem for him. Aside from that there was also a certain problem that kept on bothering him ever since he placed his units into the line. Despite having the 3rd Division covering his right flank, he still lacked enough soldiers to cover the entirety of his right. That meant that far beyond Sweet Apple Acres, to the west of the town, there was a large piece of open ground where the enemy can outflank and outmaneuver them. With so many apple trees in the area of his far right, he doubted if the regiments assigned to guard that sector would be able to see any movement heading towards it, let alone fight off an assault coming from there. That is why he was glad to keep the 4th Division in reserve, in case any breakthrough there happens. If an enemy assault did come due to a large swinging attack from the west of the town, then the 4th would be ready to move up there and counterattack. He knew that his tension would have been eased if he had placed the 4th Division west of Ponyville in order to cover this large gap, but he felt apprehensive in doing this. Because if he did it, then he would be depriving the rest of the line of possible reserves in order to cover any breaches made by the enemy. No, he couldn’t do it, he must leave that area exposed and unprotected for now. At least the Rebels aren’t showing any interest in that area…at least not yet. Snapping out of his thoughts as a shell landed nearby, he watched as it exploded and managed to sprinkle pieces of its metal casing to two nearby bodyguards who stood between him and the exploding shell’s path. Knocking them both down, they left their mark on the two ponies as the heated bits ripped through their skin and sliced through veins and vital organs. One of them ponies, hit in vital vein of the neck, was killed immediately. But the other, who was pierced all over the chest, was wrapped into a world of pain as he lay there screaming and squirming on the ground. Screaming in pain and crying out in high screams that barely anypony could understand, the pony tried to desperately grab for his chest as blood poured out of the wounds. Not knowing what to do, he panicked and panicked, touching the wound even more as it gave him more pain. The blood pouring out of him covered the grass and was painting it red, as shocked ponies stared at the gruesome sight. “Well?” Shining Armor said calmly, gazing at the familiar sight of a bloodied wounded pony. “Is somepony going tohelp the damn poor fellow?” “Yes, sir, right away, sir!” A member of his staff said, snapping out from the shock and immediately rushing towards the injured pony and calling for a surgeon to assist. Staring once more at the wounded pony, Shining Armor muttered a short prayer before moving on. The others would take care of him now, there was nothing he could do but hope that the pony would recover. Even then, would that pony truly recover from what he has been through? How many ponies had he seen suffer like this before? How many have he seen fall down and be in agony up close? Hundreds? Thousands? Looking back, the terrible butchery at the battle of Baltimore was still fresh in his mind and he knew that it had left a forever lasting scar within him. Scenes of dead and wounded ponies covering a field flashed before his eyes, as the cries and desperate calls for help and an end to the suffering seemed to enter his ears again. He could see them clearly as if they were happening now. It was terrible, just terrible. He wanted to forget, but how can he? All the blood, all the guts, all the death, they were forever with him. He could remember that one pony, the one calling out to him for help. He can see the life fading from his eyes as he approached him, only staring and unable to help him. The poor pony had been hit in the got by a shell, ripping him nearly in two, yet he still had enough consciousness to call out to him and forever haunt him. It was just terrible. I hope I won’t have to suffer that badly if I’m ever hit. Shining Armor thought to himself, wishing for a nice clean hit or being knocked out of consciousness if faith ever frowned upon him. He had so much suffering like this before and feared the day that it might happen to him. Celestia watch over me… He thought as he moved on towards a nearby regiment. “How are your ponies holding up, Colonel?” Shining Armor called out, as he approached the line held by 2nd Crystal Empire Volunteers, their silver crystal silk uniforms showing taters and dirt that removed the reflective qualities of crystal and marked them as a veteran regiment. “Doing well, General, doing well.” Their colonel called back. “They’d had worst bombardments before, I can assure you that, sir. If this is the best the Rebels can give, then let then come!” “That’s the spirit!” Shining Armor chuckled through the sounds of explosions. “Keep up the good work, Colonel, and send my regards to your ponies.” “Don’t worry, General, we hear you and we’re with you!” A call came from the line of the 2nd and soon a loud cheer erupted as they cheered him on while he trotted along their line. Their spirit never dies, he thought to himself. The 2nd Volunteers had fought since the start of the conflict and many of the men [resent were old hooves. Yet, despite all the hardship and sorrows, the blood spilled and the comrades lost, they still had this optimistic air around them, and high confidence towards him. Shining Armor smiled and nodded respectfully to their praises, before trotting along the rest of the line. They respected him just as much as he respected them. They were like friends to him, but it was something more than that. They were brothers. Brothers in arms. They were soldiers just like him. They have fought, killed, and sacrificed themselves for him and the cause and in return he has led them and made the promise to get them all back to their homes once the war was done. But he knew that he will never ever fulfill that promise. He will never be able to bring them all home. Many of them will end up buried in the fields they have fought. It hurt him to think of that, it hurt him deep and hard. But as an officer and commander, he must learn to always push away that hurt and never let it affect him. Sure, he must learn to understand his men and be one with them. But he must remember the borders created by the ranks they bear and never grow too attached with them. As a commander he would have to make decisions that would play with these ponies lives and if he let himself be too attached then he would might fail to make fatal decisions that would costs lives but win battles. It was a tiring system and one that made him feel down and dead inside. But as he looked at the ponies in his charge, he knew that he must keep strong for them as their faith lies in him making the right decisions. Best not to fail them now. Just as he was about to reach the next regiment, Shining Armor noticed a pony approaching him from the distance. Evading falling shells and going as quickly as he could, the pony, which he soon recognized as Brigadier General Flash Sentry, a commander of one of the 1st Division, make his way quickly, before stopping with a salute right in front of him. “General.” He said, his voice tired as he panted for air. “General Sentry, what news do you have for me?” Shining Armor inquired, curious as to what important matter he may hold. “The enemy is forming for an attack, sir, I saw it myself. They’re massing their forces on our right-“ He said, pointing a hoof towards its direction. “-and look like they have at least two divisions. They seemed to be preparing for an attack on the apple orchard and are gathering their forces on its outskirts. Its going to be a powerful thrust, sir, I can already tell.” “Very well.” Shining Armor nodded, before glancing to a nearby aide. “Sergeant Phoenix, go to General Diamond and tell her that I send my regards and that I wish to inform her that an attack against her position on the apple orchard is imminent. Tell her that around two divisions would be coming her way and that she must hold her ground and not falter. Remind her that as for now, the only support that I can give her is fire from the artillery on this here ridge and for the most part she is on her own nd must rely on her own resources.” Shining Armor knew that, because of all the trees and uneven ground around the apple orchard, General Diamond and the 3rd Division would be unable to see any upcoming assault until it was practically on top of them. So it would do them good if he sent her any information of any imminent attack so that she would be able to prepare her defense appropriately. “Yes, sir, I will tell her, General.” With that Sergeant Phoenix galloped away and moved as fast as he can. Watching the sergeant gallop away, Shining Armor then turned his attention to where the enemy was gathering. Staring at the faint sight of their forces and keeping his eyes glued on them, he shook his head before turning away. “Well, everypony, it has begun. It’s time to fight our old friends again." July 1 11:50 AM “I would rather have us fight in any other place but here.” Applejack muttered from under her breath, soft enough so that most of the ponies around her could not here. “Eyup.” Big Macintosh replied, having heard the faint remark. Trotting beside her along the line, they moved pass the busy ponies around them and listened to what the other had to say. Looking around him, Big Macintosh watched as the ponies around him began to rally into formation and shift from their marching columns into lines of battle, gathering before their battle flags as officers and sergeants urged them to move forward. It was the familiar sight of battle, and Big Macintosh felt at home with it. Three years of fighting and commanding had made him accustomed to such order and movement and in here he found himself in his element. He had never thought that from a simple life of farming he would end up changing professions to soldiering, but the transition came so sudden and hard that he can scarcely remember a life not in the field of battle. The sound of orders being called out, of bugles being sounded, the thunder of marching hooves, and the shattering rattle of musket fire. They all felt natural to him and here he acted as natural and true as he can. As commander of the Republican Army’s 1st Corps, Big Macintosh played a crucial role in the army. Commanding one of the three corps in the army, he and the ponies under him where one of the main striking force of the army. And with twenty thousand ponies under his command, he had the biggest unit out of the three. If only he had all of them present here in this field right now. Having rushed to the front after news of the battle got to him, Big Macintosh and his staff arrived just as his 2nd Division was forming up south of Ponyville. The rest of his command, his two other divisions, were still marching northwards from the Ghastly Gorge-Ponyville road and would take another hour before they would be on the line. But how he wished they were here now. With only one enemy corps on the line on the ridges and surrounding areas south-west of Ponyville, Big Macintosh would have easily have run them over if he had his complete corps with him. With Republican corps being bigger than their counterparts in the Kingdom, the enemy would have been outgunned and outnumbered. But sadly that was not the case. Right now, they were the ones outnumbered and outgunned. But knowing his sister, he knew that that wouldn’t stop her from taking the initiative. “I’ve been waiting for three long years for us to go home, but I never imagined it would happen this way.” Applejack sighed under her breath, as they moved away from the forming regiments and crested up a small hill that gave them a good view of the old apple orchard they once called home. Gazing out and towards the rolling land, he could see the proud tall apple trees that they once tended. The beautiful green tops and strong hard trunks of the proud trees made him smile a bit as he stared, as it reminded him of things that used to be. Those were simpler times, carefree moments and easy going. It was so long ago, so long. Standing here and looking, it almost felt like he could remember the feeling. Almost. It was hard to fully accept the old ways now. So much war, so much hardship and devastation had changed him and her inside. Sure, there was still a faint flame of the old life that will always remain, but now this life they were in was the one in control and would seem to always be in control of their lives and actions from the moment they started till the end. Looking at the apple orchard with him and staring intently, Applejack gave a loud curse and stomped her hoof on the ground. “Darn it!” She remarked. “I really wish we were fighting somewhere else but here. That’s out home out there, where we were and raised. It ain’t right for a pony to fight in the place where they live! It’s downright insulting! And they’re mocking us even more by placing their regiments all over the place that we tilled and built!” “Eyup.” Big Macintosh said plainly, but his voice contained much sadness. Turning his head to look at his sister, he could clearly see that she was feeling the same too, as a single tear rolled down from her eye, only to be quickly wiped away as the commanding general of the Republican Army quickly regained their composure. “This should be a war crime.” She said, shaking her head as she vented out the last spurts of her anger. “Forcing a pony to fight for their own home…and ruining it in its process of being freed.” Big Macintosh just solemnly nodded his head in agreement. “Darn it-“ She cursed once more. “-what must be done, must be done.” Gazing out towards the apple orchard once more, she gave it one last good look before shaking her head in frustration and turning towards her brother. “Are your two divisions ready?” Turning his head to see he already formed divisions, he gave her a quick nod. “Good.” She replied. “Then I want you to move forward and push the enemy away from that orchard. The terrain is bad and you’ll be having some rough fighting, but I want you to strike hard and hit them where it hurts, just like how you always do. That there is their right flank and once that’s turned then their whole line caves in. Your two divisions should be enough to handle this and do the job of securing the orchard and pushing forward from there. From what our scouts tell me, they only have a couple of brigades over there and maybe a battery of artillery. I wish I can give you more information about the enemy and their whereabouts, but with Rainbow Dash out there doing Faust knows what, I’m without my eyes and practically blind to what is in front of me.” Big Macintosh gave a firm nod of understand, looking at her and knowing that she was depending on him. Looking back, she gazed at her brothers eyes and tried to hold back the emotions that were raging inside her and demanding to break free. Sighing and looking down, she then placed a hoof on his shoulder as she looked up and once again gave him the neutral face of a commander. “Listen, Big Mac, I want you to do your best to get the job done. I know that orchard over there is our home, but I don’t want that getting in the way of our duty. We’ll hurt the old place, but it’s a necessary thing to do if we want victory, understand?” “Eyup.” He said, another firm nod. “Let nothing stop you, alright?” She reminded him. “Win this fight for all of us.” “Yes, mam.” He said with his deep voice, as he swung his hooves wide to give her a salute. Saluting back, she smiled. “Make it feel like Tartarus for them.” And with that, Big Macintosh nodded and politely moved his way down the small hill and towards his two divisions, where his staff and divisional commanders were waiting for him. Staring at the small group and keeping and watching them stand still as he watched him back, he studied his tried and tested veteran commanders and felt that he had the right officers to do the job. General Spitfire, although messing up in the morning’s earlier fighting, was still a good commander and once guided could do a great job. Meanwhile, General Cranky Doodle Donkey was a hotheaded short tempered donkey who, despite his attitude and love for profanity, was a tenacious fighter who homed in his frustrations and turned them into success. “Orders, sir?” General Spitfire asked, as they all gave him a salute. “We move forward.” He simply said. “We hit them hard with all we got and overrun them.” Glancing and pointing towards the apple orchard, he continued: “They’ll have a couple or brigades over there and a battery of artillery but we can easily deal with that. Spitfire, your division would be on the left, General Cranky, you’ll be on the right with your 2nd Division. Let’s give them the usual hard fighting and they’ll sure to break. I want us to advance quick and move along the orchard, you hear? Once we push them back, we regroup at the barn, the red barn. From there, we move inwards along their line and push them off of the ridge. Understood?” “Yes, sir.” They all said, almost all in unison. “Good.” Big Macintosh said. “Any questions?” “Just one, sir.” Cranky said, as he gave him a slight look of concern. “How about those batteries on the ridge? They’ll have a good view of me and my division as I move up and I’m sure they’ll fire upon our exposed right once we cross the orchard.” “Can’t do much about it, really.” Big Macintosh admitted, to the disappointment of the donkey. “But I’ll send word to General Applejack to have artillery bombard them to keep them pinned nd prevent them from firing.” “Yes, sir, me and my command would greatly appreciate that.” Cranky said, thankful. “Any more questions?” Everyone just shook their head. “Good. Now go to your commands, and have them moving as soon as I give the order.” With that, the two generals and their staff all galloped away, eagerly heading back to take charge of their divisions. Turning his head to glance at the apple orchard once more. That was their home and soon the hooves of his two divisions will be trampling over that ground.