//------------------------------// // Side Chapter 1; letters to home // Story: The War of 1002 // by Fireheart 1945 //------------------------------// Letter one, day 1 of army training, September 2nd, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar) Dear Mom and Dad, No doubt you'll have a hard time believing what I'm about to tell you. Heck, I even have trouble accepting it. You can call off the police, if you have them looking for me, they'll do you no good. As for where I am, well... you know that show that... You know what, screw it. I'm in Equestria. Yeah, that's right, I'm in a magical land full of talking ponies and bright colors. Yeah, you probably think I'm crazy. Like I said, sometimes I wonder. But my senses are telling me I'm really here, and the human body is more reliable than any machine. I know you are wondering why I'm not home yet. It's... complicated. The ponies' leader, Princess Celestia herself, summoned me here; apparently she's been looking inside my mind, trying to gather knowledge of things military. Their under threat from some shape-shifting monsters called Changelings, and the Griffon kingdom to the north is stirring. They... asked me to help them. Call me stupid, call me a fool, but you weren't there, you didn't see their faces, how desperate they were. I couldn't refuse with eternal guilt taking hold in my heart. So I accepted. Hey, at least your son is now a Colonel, higher than you thought I'd ever rise, eh, Dad? I'm technically grown up now, able to make my own choices. I'm trying to train and lead an army, and it probably woon't be easy, but I have the confidence - for now - that I can get the job done. And to be frank, we're all gonna be haeding into danger eventually, and there's now guarantee we'll come back alive. God willing, we might get this whole mess over with quickly, and I'll be home. If not... if not, then I'm here for the long haul. I love you, and give my love and hopes to baby Jonathan. Sincerely, with the greatest of love, Your son, James. P.S. If you still doubt I'm telling you the truth, just remember the way this letter reached you; that should erase all doubts. Letter 2, day 10 of army training, September 12th, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar) Dear Mom and Dad, Been busy trying to mold the farmers, artisans, and whatnot into an army. It's been... difficult, certainly much harder than I ever expected. With books, innovation, and whatever I can make up on the fly, I've been hard at work guiding these people - for they have the intelligence and capacity of people, regardless of the difference in body structure - making them better in the field of learning which they must now either acquire, or face conquest, subjugation, and maybe even extermination. I wouldn't wish that on any American, or any good human overall. I love the principles of liberty and free enterpise on which our own proud nation was founded, and it would be a betrayal of those great ideals to fail or quit now. Hoping for the best, With love, your son, James. Letter 3, day fifteen of army training, September 17th, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar) Dear Mom and Dad, Feeling pretty down. This ain't going particularly well. Some of the poor rascals don't know the basics or the outcomes that war produces; they are completely ignorant - or perhaps are refusing to acknowledge - that war means fighting, and fighting means killing. One earth pony dropped a cannonball on my foot the other day, and I had to go to the medical tent to get it fixed. Felt pretty upset when that happened, although I forgave the poor grunt for doing it. It feels pretty bad with all the failures I've been throguh, but there is one bright light in a dark sky; my new buddy, Bright Star. He's an earth pony stallion, with a yellow coat, purple mane, and bright yellow hooves. You'd like him. He's helped me with some of the training, and he's given me confidence when I began to lose it. I wish you guys could meet him. Come to that, I wish you could come here, but with a war brewing on the horizon, that might not be a good idea in any case. I have other friends I've made, and they've helped me settle in and make the most of the situation. When everything else fails, it's nice to know there are others who are giving you their best wishes. With love, James. Letter 4, day 24th of army training, September 26th, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar) Dear Mom and Dad, Things are finally starting to look up. Some Royal Guards, Equestria's best, have come down to begin the training, and for the record I am very please with that. They have the discipline and skill needed, and drilling them is easier than trying to train newbies to the fray. They react faster and more skillfully than the recruits, and I couldn't be happier with how they're filling out. I'm starting to feel like maybe I can do this after all. With love, James. Letter 5, day 30th of army training, October 2nd, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar) Dear Mom and Dad, Maybe I really am doing it. even some of the new guys are getting with the program enough for me to start feeling really confident again. Things have started to really stabilize; I don't have to go personally to every drill or session any more, and I can spend more of my time thinking and forming plans, like I prefer to do. Oh, and something kinda dunny happened today. A purple pegasus (one of those with wings) flew up and placed a board on the chimney of one of the barracks, and ended up smoking out like five other ponies. They weren't too happy with that, and me and few guards had to break it up. Wouldn't you believe it, he was still laughing his ass off even after the beating, pardon the French (who we are decended from, happily enough). He probably won't be able to keep that up for long; I gave him quite the punishment. I personally find his little joke funny, but as an officer I have to see this as unacceptable behavior; he could have killed someone, even if that wasn't what he was going for. At any rate, I'm going to have lunch in a while, and I can't wait. I'm starving (not literally). With the best love I can give, James.