//------------------------------// // I Join The War // Story: Warfare // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// June 21, 1421 E.F Well, here I am. Fresh out of training and ready for the jump into hell as my Sargent says. I got my armor and my spear, and I’ve had my four months in boot camp. Usually, it is supposed to be eight months to a year, but with the war going on for four years now, they had to crunch the time. Didn't make it any less painful though. My parents were proud of me for volunteering to fight the enemy at our border. I could have been forced into the draft, but I marched onward towards the recruitment desk on Pansy Park and signed up. My sister was the only one who didn’t want me to go, and her teary eyes almost stopped me but the thought of some human having her way with her just sickened me. We hear rumors all the time about how the human’s rape and devour any ponies they come across. How they burn them alive or turn them into glue like they do with their horses here in this world. When I learned how they made glue it made me barf my lunch out twice. This was a sick world we came into, and I was always behind the conversion debate. Sadly, the humans are stubborn monkeys, I’ll give them that. Oh, right. This journal. Well, my fellow private, Thundershot, suggested I write in one about my time in the war. When we win he says it might make it into some future war movie or something like that one he saw in America. Something about a Civil War about slavery which disgusted me. Just another reason why these ungrateful humans should accept that their nature and behaviors are just immortal. I honestly never liked them, despite Princess Twilight telling us they had to be pitied for their actions. They didn’t know the magic of friendship nor the grace of our Princesses and their leadership. I’ve read their history, and I was shocked by how much war and suffering they've relieved onto themselves. I was even surprised that this race even managed to live this long. Still, I held out some hope they weren't as bad as they were made out to be. That was until we got to seem some of them up close during a field trip in high school a few years before the war started. They were loud, crude, and a bit obnoxious. It was clear that a good number of them didn't like us and accused us of trying to force them to change when they didn't want to do anything against their will. Personally, if I had been one of them? I would have drunk the potion in one gulp. I did see a few good ones who talked to us and treated us like normal. I have heard of good humans which gives me hope that this race can be saved by making them into ponies like us rather then exterminating them like some of the more extreme ponies I know. Yet, the one thing I always took away from that trip was just how bad their cities were. There was such poverty, waste, and it was clear that money mattered more in this society over things like charity and goodwill. However, the thing that I really hated was the air. It smells like a used toilet combined with something that died recently. The pollution was that bad, even after using the new green energy that Equestria helped them find it was still more profitable to use fossil fuels rather than magic and clean energy. That really sealed the deal for me, and I only hoped the conversion process would just hurry up and clean this planet up. Sadly, that didn’t happen and we’re at war. It’s been about nearly four years now, heading into its fifth year and things are at a stalemate. It’s a surprise to me since Equestria has never lost a war nor has it ever been defeated by evil, but to go this long? I guess the humans and their technology is better than we thought. Of course, maybe it has to do with the traitors helping them. I’m ashamed as a Pegasus to know that the former Element of Kindness choose the enemy over her own kind. She was my sister’s biggest hero growing up and it broke her heart when the news came over to Cloudsdale. It only got worse as other ponies soon joined ‘The Resistance’ as it was called which was being led by Lyra Heartstrings. Apparently, she used to be a friend of Princess Twilight and even lived in Ponyville, go figure. Still, regardless of who is with us or against us, I have faith that Equestria will rise through this like always. We’ve survived invasions from the Changelings we can survive whatever the humans throw at us. Anyway, I gotta go now, my platoon is having a celebration for our graduation and I want to get in some cider shots! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 23, 1421 E.F Dear Journal (because there is no way I am calling this a ‘diary’), there’s been some good news! The attack on St. Petersburg in Russia was a success with the president and most of his cabinet either dead or turned into newfoals. It’s been our most successful attack yet, lead by Princess Luna herself! From what we heard, it was a night raid and there is nothing that can beat the Princess of the Night when she’s in the cover of darkness! There were some causalities, but nothing like the Battle of New York. That was a disaster that all Equestria mourned and hopefully we’ll never have another day like that again. From what I heard, Princess Luna personally killed the president by teleporting into his plane and unleashing a magical explosion that tore it apart. Wish I had been to see that old monkey’s face before he went to the great beyond. Of course, we still have no time for celebration. The battles at Guam and Indonesia are taking a turn for the worse and we might be sent out to reinforce them. It would be my first big battle and I’m nervous as hay. Still, knowing that we had such a huge win has made us newbies feel a lot more confident. Hopefully, the princesses will watch over us. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 24, 1421 E.F Dear Journal, not much going on. We have no orders yet so we're just doing drills and kitchen duty. Got a card game going on in the barracks. Think I might join in. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 25, 1421 E.F Some newfoals came over to the base today to sing some songs to inspire us. Mostly I think for the regiments heading out to Guam and Indonesia. I'm not one of them, which is both a relief and a disappointment. I mean I signed to serve my country and my princesses, but I'm in no rush to get killed. Thundershot seems to be the most interested in going to war out of all of us. He really doesn't like the humans, says they're being selfish idiots for having this chance to achive perfect unity. I agree with him too. I still find it hard to believe that the humans wouldn't trade their lives for the paradice we have here in Equestria. Thanks to the barrier, they can't enter or they'll be killed so the war hasn't really effected us here as it has for them. But lately, I've been hearing things. For some reason the barrier has stopped spreading and there are rumors that the humans and traitors have developed a secret weapon that can cancel magic. Or it could be Discord messing with things again, my guess is the latter. He's been sabotaging things here in Equestria, along with any resistance members who are causing chaos in the cities and towns. Nothing too serious, but more and more seem to be joining them which is a surprise to me. I'm sure they'll see the error of their ways soon. However, Lightheart got some bad news. His sister was finally confirmed KIA in the Seoul attack. Apparently, the two nations finally decided to put their differences aside and work together with the US, Japanese, and part of the remaining Chinese forces to defeat our forces in a surprise attack when the army teleported into the city. Her body was finally found after three days in the rubble from the humans. Poor guy wept for two hours and swears he’ll kill all the humans for his sister’s death. While I hate the humans, I don’t think we should kill them all. The just need to become ponies like those newfoals I mentioned earlier. They’re nice, sweet, and know that they’re better off being ponies then humans. Heck, it’s better than how they’re treated in some of the human countries where they are killed. They say its “mercy” but to me its just “murder”. Thundershot and I have decided to hold a vigil for Lightheart’s sister. I’ll even send a message to my dad seeing if he can mention her in his mass. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 29, 1421 E.F Dear Journal, not a lot going on, but things will be soon. Turns out the Princesses are sending a full force into some holy city called Jerusalem which is supposed to be the home of three of human’s faiths, but as far as I care it’s just a city of heresy. Unlike the human’s false gods, our gods are real and have guided us with their wisdom and love for nearly 1500 years. We won’t be part of the invading force, but we’ll be its back up. Princess Celestia believes that by doing heavy damage to it we can show them their gods aren’t going to be there to save them, and that by submitting to our way of friendship and harmony can they hope to find the salvation they seek. Wow, I’m starting to sound like dad. Having a preacher for a father can have that effect on you. I do miss hearing the choir, especially the song “Blessed Be Us”. I missed it so much I started humming it and a few of my fellow mates joined in including Thundershot. I’ve never read the human religious books, my dad would kill me if I did, but a few of us have heard of what they teach. A lot of them sound nice, but then I hear the part about how its forbidden to sleep with those of your own gender and I just tune out. Our goddess doesn’t find it a sin to sleep with those we love. Sure, you can legally get married in the human’s lands if your ‘gay’ (a term they use to describe those who sleep with their own gender, although I also heard is means happy too), but its still a debated thing among them if its good or bad. Hay, they even stone them to death in some lands. Barbarians. Thinking about it makes me miss my ex-special somepony, Dalewind, but he told me he couldn’t handle a long-distance relationship, so we broke it off. Shame too, he was cute as a button. Not that I don’t have my own handsome stallions in my unit, but fraternization is not allowed so sucks for me. Seriously, Thundershot has a flank I'd like so show my 'spear' if you know what I mean. But yeah, the invasion. My unit is going to be in the reinforcements, so here is hoping that I don’t die in my first battle… wow I hope I didn’t jinx myself. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 1, 1421 E.F Tomorrow is the big day! First battle! Princesses please watch over me and let me bring glory to Equestria. Let's show these humans how we ponies fight! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 2, 1421 E.F By Celestia’s mane everything’s gone BUBAR! The moment we get in from the teleportation spell we’re getting bombed with rockets from the east! A good portion of us are already dead and I’m only lucky by the grace of the sisters! Raincloud and Lightheart are dead, Celestia rest their souls, and we lost the Sarge, Luna take him into his rest. This battle is a disaster! Even Princess Luna is having problems with Princess Twilight assisting her! How is that even possible?! Apparently, those three religions I talked about last time? They’re teaming up against us! I thought they all hated each other or something?! Whoever is behind intelligence needs to be hanged because we’re getting killed out here! I haven’t even gotten a chance to fight! Rumors are going around that those anti-magic technology stuff we’ve been hearing about is true! Soldiers are talking about how their magic armor and weapons just stop working and some unicorns are even finding it hard to lift anything with their horns! I hope Princess Twilight and Princess Luna have a plan because if not… well I guess it was nice knowing you journal! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 4, 1421 E.F Good news. I’m still alive. Bad news? We’re retreating. The new technology is real. It’s capable of neglecting magic! How in the world is that even possible?! Not even Discord can do that, I think? For now, its being called the “Magic Killer” until we get a real name for it. Quite frankly, I wish they picked something less sinister sounding. The shelling is still going on and I almost bought the farm last night. I went out for the latrine when a shell hit the area about three yards away from me. Didn’t need the latrine after that. More members of my platoon are dead from the shelling too. I’ve seen their bodies and… goddesses, you can’t even fix that with magic. I’ve seen a lot of death, too much of it, in fact. I mean, I knew I was going to see it but… nothing really prepares you for the real thing. We can’t even given them a proper send off. We just burn the bodies even if they aren’t pegasi which is angering some of the earth ponies and unicorns since it goes against their burial traditions. Of course when it was learned that it was Princess Twilight’s order they quickly shut up. Some of them wanted the princesses to say a prayer to guide the souls to Elysium, but they said Celestia or Cadence would do it from Equestria and they needed to focus on the battle ahead. It’s good to know we have our goddesses with us, but I’m surprised we’re losing this badly despite two alicorns fighting by our side. Rumors are saying even they are affected by the Magic Killer, but that’s silly. The alicorns are goddesses, no monkey technology is going to affect them. Thundershot says I should get some sleep since I look like I’m about to crash. I feel like it too. Hopefully we can get out of here with our tails still attached to our rumps. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 5, 1421 E.F We’re back in Equestrian soil, but I feel horrible inside. My first battle and it was a loss. A big one. Over half the force is dead, and some were forced to be left behind. I hate to think of what the humans are doing to those poor soldiers. It’s a sin to kill yourself, but I think Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would forgive us if it meant avoiding whatever fate the humans have for us. They say they rape and eat ponies or worse turn them into glue. How can the traitors even stand to be with the humans with what they do to us!? Their own kind! May they all rot in Tartarus together and get bucked! A lot of the stallions and mares I trained with are gone. Lightheart. Graywind. Skip Wish. Bouncy Bun. Lemon Curl. I only hope you are all happy in Elysium. I promise we’ll win this war for you guys. I need some sleep, hopefully I won’t have nightmares of the humans trying to eat me. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 10, 1421 E.F I… I haven’t written in a long time… about five days I think… that’s because. I can’t… I can’t believe it. Even now, despite it being four days old… the news makes no sense and is just to horrible to think about let alone write it… but I have too… Princess Luna is dead. As in dead dead… not coming back dead. She sacrificed herself so that we could retreat. I don’t know how the humans did it but they did it… they killed a goddess. Our goddess. I don’t know what to do. What to pray for. What to say or ask. I’m at a loss. She’s been alive for nearly a millennia and half and suddenly, she’s dead?! That’s not possible! YOU CAN’T KILL A GODDESS! How does a goddess die?! Where does she go?! Can she be resurrected, or will she come back to life?! I’ve been reading my Lexicon of Harmony for the past four days and nothing is being told about anything on the goddess’s dying. Not even the pages of “The Reckoning Days” have this. The Princesses can’t die! The Reckoning Days state that they would lead the armies of Elysium against the forces of Tartarus and end the reign of evil forever! And now one of them is dead?! Some say that Princess Luna is only pretending to be dead. Others are rushing to the nearby churches to pray or ask guidance from the priests. A few are even daring to say this means that the sisters are not goddess, but I refuse to believe that! The humans… are they demons? Or do they have divine intervention? Maybe that’s it. One of the human gods did something to Luna and made it so she got killed! It was their holy land after all! It has to be that because I can’t think of any other explanation! I… I wish dad was here. When I’ve had my crisis of fate when grandma died, he was there for me… I really wish he was here. I wish I was home. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon