//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 introductions // Story: Red Winter // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 2: introductions The four children looked at each other, unsure what to say, or what to think. Slowly, Lily started to shake, her head lowered, sniffing. “Mama…Papa…” Her friends did not hesitate to give her a comforting hug. “Shh, it’s gonna be alright, Lily.” “By staying together, we’ll make it through this,” Blau added. None of them could blame her, she hadn’t the experience as they did. The Earth pony looked up with tears in her eyes. “O-Okay…” They all looked at the soldier, which blinked several times then said, “Come with me. Call me Casp.” “I am Dinky, those are my friends Lily, Katja and Blau Streifen.” Dinky introduced herself and her friends, the man nodded. Without a word, they all followed him, a cold wind brushed against them, seeing the yellow/golden color of the trees and also noticed they walked out of an abandoned village. Yet, it was only a short walk until a German camp was visible in the distance, several trenches around it, together with a few trucks, Halftracks and tanks. “There you are. What took you so long?” A new voice asked and the kids saw a man in officer uniform. Rangy and loose-shouldered but clearly an able-bodied man. His hair was closely-cropped but his upper lip boasted a trim, auburn moustache that was just turning silver at the tips (Though that may have been the cold). His grey eyes looked tired but mindful and his nose was tilted in a way that suggested it had been broken once at some uncertain time. He had stubble on his heavy jaw and chin and small bandages around his knuckles. “Well, while on patrol, I found…someone in need,” Casp replied with unease, looking at the children. The officer’s eyes and those of the other soldiers went wide in confusion. “Uhh, do I see that right?” “Yes, you do.” Dinky took the word, earning shocked expressions. “Did the pony just talk?!” The officer exclaimed. “Yes, I did,” Dinky replied calmly. All soldiers expect for Casp stared or looked at each other for a moment. Then the officer broke the silence. “Okay…and I thought the Eastern Front couldn’t get any weirder.” He pointed to a tent. “Why don’t you tell us over hot chocolate?” They nodded with smiles, appreciating it as they could warm themselves up. Still, Dinky and the siblings looked at each other with uncertainty, knowing they couldn’t tell about their previous experience with humans. Lily just nodded, she understood quickly. So, they did only tell about their home and that they did meet humans before as reason why they were so calm around the soldiers. There was a moment of silence before the officer spoke up. “I see…Sounds interesting. But you don’t have to fear anything from me. My name is Alexander. And you know already Casp. He’s a Sergeant, just promoted recently.” Hearing that filled Dinky and her two friends with unease. Karl had told them that Alexander had been a good friend if him, having fallen on the Eastern Front. As they were now here, could they be responsible for his death? “Anyway, you should catch some sleep, I’ll make some warm clothes for you,” Alexander added and they noticed the sun was going down. Had telling about their homes and such taken so long? Still, they felt tired, having bread as dinner before going to bed in the tent on cots, enjoying the warmth of it. Yet, Lily looked at her friends with a slightly scared expression. “Do…do you think our families will look for us? “I am sure they will, Lily. Fletcher looked for us back in Italy and Africa and I have no doubt he will look for us here too.” Dinky gave her an assuring smile. “R-right…” Lily replied and closed her eyes with her friends. Despite her worry, the little filly slept well for the night. In the next morning, they had breakfast as Alexander walked up to them. “Good morning. I hope you like them.” He said and showed them the winter clothes he had made. Caps and coats in four different colors. One in dark grey, the other in greyish-blue, a cream-colored version and a light rose version. “The dark gray is for you, Blau Streifen, the other one for you, Dinky. Katja, you have the cream color and the rose one is for you, Lily.” “Thank you. We appreciate it and they look very well made.” Dinky smiled and the officer returned it. “It’s the least I can do. My mother’s a tailor, so I did learn one thing or two from her, despite my father coming from an officer family.” “And you did well. Mind if you tell us about you, Casp? Dinky asked the Sergeant as he joined them. “Not at all. I am the son of a Finnish ambassador to Germany before the war broke out, and was raised in Berlin. My experience in several languages due to my father was recognized by the Nazis and before I knew it, I was conscripted by them, serving as Interpreter on the Eastern Front. I used to have a girlfriend, but sadly, she and my parents were killed during an Air raid.” Casp lowered his head and Lily gasped slightly. “Oh my…sorry to hear that.” In response, he raised his again, weakly smiling. “It’s okay. I comfort myself that they are in a better place now. I never wanted to be here, but here I am now. I just hope it ends quickly.” Before any of the children could answer, another soldier walked up to them. “Sorry to interrupt but I got a report for you, Kommandant.” “Okay. Excuse us, children.” Alexander said and they nodded as he walked away with Casp, so they continued their meal, yet noticed he had a worried expression as he read the report. “Oh dear...” “What’s wrong?” Casp asked. “The recon troops have come back. We sent out ten. Two returned and one died of his injuries on arrival. It would seem that, perhaps for the first time in years, the Fuhrer's fears are well-founded.” His superior explained with unease. “You mean...it's true? What they're saying about the one leading the Soviets? Why they've pushed forward so suddenly? Killed so many?” Casp asked in disbelief. “It's...it's her, isn't it?" “I'm afraid so.” The officer showed him a picture, but the kids couldn’t see what it was. “Katyusha Kallistrovich. Real name was Katjana Josevna Gruvna before she joined the Soviet Armed Forces. The SS stumbled upon her village in Golenishevya, murdered her entire family and passed her around the regiment. She broke free one day and slaughtered the lot of them. Don't ask me how. She's spent the rest of her life hunting down every German Soldier in Russia. She was promoted to Colonel after her victory at Krasnodar.” Alexander explained with dread in his voice. “Krasnodar? The SS had a frontier force there.” Casp replied a bit surprised. “Used to. When the SS struck out first into Russia, determined to lead the charge, they were commanded by three formidable lieutenants, claiming victories for the Hitler's chosen and brutalizing the residents.” He produced three photos, yet the kids couldn’t see them exactly at this distance. “Ernst Breinnman, a member of the Thule Society, hung on Hitler's every word and declared himself 'Vanquisher of all Slavs'. Hugo Strolle, a dog-lover, took in strays and fed them cripples in a pit below his bunker. And Eidelbert Von Gisstler, nasty piece of work, word was he had a fondness for little Russian girls he'd drug, dress up like dolls and...play with. They weren't popular outside of their organization but they'd camped out and staked their claim so we weren't arguing. They'd held off Timoshenko and gave Zhukov himself a few nasty encounters. The Reichstag was all set to regard them as Guardian Sentinels against the Red foe.” The officer explained with clear disgust in his voice. “So...what happened?” The Sergeant asked cluelessly. “Katyusha Kallistrovich happened!” His NCO exclaimed with fear. “She took command of one of the artillery battalions and had them make some noise to draw the SS out. Breinmann was first. When he heard the Soviets were led by a Fraulein, he must have thought they'd be a pushover. Damn fool led his troops straight into her firing line. He was captured alive, though. Kallistrovich likes...making statements.” He shivered as he finished. “Statements?” Casp did still not understand. “Breinmann claimed to all Germans and Russians that he was invincible. Kallistrovich wanted to prove to the world that he was a liar. She had him tied up on a raft, weighed down with the remains of his retinue, and sent him to the bottom of the icy river. At the banks, she had a tombstone made. It reads “Here Lies The Fool, Colonel Breinmann. Vanquished By The Slavs.” Casp now stared in shock and disbelief for a moment. “...And the rest?” “Strolle was next. Hard and fast as a blizzard, Kallistrovich stormed the base and took him prisoner. Word is she forced him into a knife fight in the pits he kept his dogs. Both of them fought naked if you believe the rumors. To give him credit, the old man fought well apparently. He must have impressed her for her to make sure he was dead before she fed his corpse to the dogs. After which, she used them as target practice...then ate them.” Alexander sounded disgusted and Casp shared his reaction. “Evidently, not a dog-lover. And Von Gisstler?” Alexander shook his head. “You almost feel sorry for the man. When his base fell, Kallistrovich left him in a cell, hanging from chains around his wrists for days. Until one day she asked herself a question; What happens when I take a pair of shears, heat them over a fire until they're glowing red, and use them to feminize and sodomise that man I've got in the cell?” “...Christ...” His fellow soldier could only stare in shock. “Yeah. Broke his limbs and tossed him in the latrines when she was done. Fellow troops found him still alive when the Soviets abandoned the base but there was nothing they could do for him. He died a few nights later of shock and infection, squirming in agony, screaming her name in his last moments. They didn't want to stick around long after that. Got were pushed out of Krasnodar and the Soviets took to calling Kallistrovich the She-Bear. Our fellow troops call her Bloody Katja. Either way, the message is clear. You do not mess with that woman and expect mercy.” Hearing this all reminded Dinky and the siblings what Konrad had told them about her, Lily shivered. “I…I don’t want to imagine what…” “Shh, I am sure Casp and Alexander will make sure it won’t come to that.” Dinky tried to calm her down, although she didn’t want to meet her either. “Then mind if we switch subjects?” Blau asked. “I wonder who owned the lab we found…” He put a hoof to his chin. Dinky also thought for a moment. “I can only imagine it’s from the civil war. Fletcher said Celestia’s forces were only focused in magic but Solomon introduced technology and they controlled the area where Ponyville would be.” “Maybe…it’s the House of Grye?” Lily thought out loud. “Did you hear the stories about them?” She asked slightly trembling and Dinky nodded. “Yes, why do you come up with them? “I don’t know, just popped in but there was a legal construction in the area some time ago, wasn’t it?” Dinky just shrugged with the siblings, a puzzled expression as none of them could remember. “My mum says they're all mad. And dangerous. One of them was sent to prison for life for giving 'cursed candies' to the foals on Nightmare Night. And another tried to summon Discord years ago but something must have gone wrong 'cause he disappeared. Poof! Gone! Nopony ever saw him again.” Lily told with fear in her voice. “Yeah. And my dad tells me there's this mother of their family from years and years and years ago who was so mad she made some spell that put her in a portrait.” Dinky started to gesture frantically. “So-so she's still alive as long as the portrait survives and-and hangs above the main hall so she can keep an eye on all her family no matter how old they get and make sure nothing changes from how she liked it.” The siblings couldn’t help but holding each other, slightly trembling at the story. Suddenly, there was a loud scream, making them all jump up as they startled. “What was that?” Alexander drew his Luger and took a look at where the scream had come from, freezing with Casp in shock as he saw what it was. “W-what’s wrong?” Katja asked scared as she slowly came out with her brother and friends, gasping as she looked at a trench. A group of profoundly unwell soldiers in the trench stared at what was before them. It was three bodies of officers, flayed and strapped to wheels, having landed in the trench, their tags had been drilled into the back of their necks. “Dear God…” Casp muttered shocked at the sight.