//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Legendary Tale of Thianna // by The Gunny //------------------------------// Thianna watched the sunset over Equestria, she knew that soon it would cease to be beautiful and instead only be a memory of what it was once. Thianna brushed her long platinum hair out of her eyes and placed her rifle on the floor of the watch tower. “Thianna? I need to speak with you.” A gruff voice called out, Thianna scampered down the ladder of the watch tower to see her Commander. “I want you to make sure none of those damned Equines make it through tonight!” he shouted at her, she just saluted and nodded before he walked off to chew someone else out. She climbed back into the tower and sighed as the sun began to disappear. Secretly she wanted the war to end peacefully and she frowned when yet another flight of bombers began to pound the enemy city of canterlot. She thought of how much culture had been destroyed already. “Are we really that savage?” she asked herself, as the sound of falling bombs and screaming filled the air. A switch in Thianna’s head seemed to flick on as several more screams were drowned out by the blasts. She had been thinking and even planning this moment for a month now and before she did anything she took a picture of her father from her pocket. “It has to stop, I know you wouldn’t be proud of me for this but damn it it has to stop. I’m sorry.” she said as she flung the picture to the ground and grabbed her rifle, when the sun finally set and darkness fell across the land she made her move. Being carful to dodge the squeaking rungs in the ladder she made her descent as stealthily as a ninja in a sound proofed room. Several guards stood at attention around the front gate as she approached one stepped forward. “A little late for a walk isn’t it?” He asked, Thianna nodded and pulled out her ID badge which had been forged to look like an engineers. “The barbed wire came undone again, I just need to fix it.” She said nervously as the guard eyed her ID. Finally he handed it back and nodded to the other guards who promptly opened the gate and let Thianna walk out. Once outside she looked for her comrades Arthur and and James “Arthur? Jimmy?” she called out in a whisper, two loud clicks caught her attention. the clicks of firing pins. She spun around with a kick and whacked James in the head sending him backwards. “Easy there! Its just us!” Arthur said in a hushed shout, he helped the fallen soldier on the ground get to his feet. “Lets go before we get seen!” “Are you sure you want to do this?” James asked, Thianna nodded. “Okay then I’m with you.” “Its too late to back down now, I’m with you too. Besides not like the food here is any good.” Arthur added, he chuckled at his joke though no one else did. “Lets go then...” Thianna said “Arthur can you handle our six o clock?” “Right, like I don’t already do that.” Arthur said snickering. “Perv.” James said in a hushed whisper as the group of three soldiers made there way through the empty battlefield. “Oh like you don’t do it as well.” “Is there something I should know?” Thianna said in an annoyed voice “What? You are one of the only females in this god forsaken place. Cut us a little slack.” Arthur said chuckling. “I just watch her back not her ass.” James pointed out, Thianna turned and glared at both of them. “SHUT UP ABOUT MY ASS!” She shouted, immediately she covered her mouth but it was too late. A spot light flicked on and settled its white unforgiving gaze on the group. “Oops” “This is what happens when you can’t take a compliment.” Arthur said sighing. “ATTENTION DEFECTORS! LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND SURRENDER!” A booming voice shouted over a loud microphone. “FAK YOU BITCH!” Arthur shouted before bolting. “RUN AWAAAAAAY!” “SEIZE THEM!” The voice shouted. “THIANNA, I BLAME YOU!” Arthur bellowed out as they ran. “Its your fault ogling her ass!” James shouted as machine guns began to hit the ground around them. “It’s your fault for lying!” Arthur said cackling. “SHUT UP ABOUT MY ASS ALREADY!” Thianna shouted in a voice that would make a mother's scolding seem like pillow talk. “Fine!... You have amazing breasts!” Arthur said laughing out loud. “IF WE SURVIVE THIS I’LL KILL YOU!” Thianna shouted. Arthur simply laughed even harder. “SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!” James retorted “James you have no balls! Live a little!” Arthur shouted. “WE ARENT GOING TO LIVE VERY LONG IF WE DON’T MAKE IT TO THE TREES!” Thianna shouted as a bullet nearly took off her head. “Then why are we arguing?! Let’s move!” Arthur shouted as he bolted past them and went straight into the trees. “I HATE IT WHEN HE DOES THAT!” James shouted, he slid under a branch with Thianna close behind. The soldiers chasing them stopped at the tree line. “What took you two so long?” Arthur whispered smiling widely. “Where did they go?” A soldier asked. “I don’t know rook but if they’re in there they won’t live long. Call it in..” Another said. “Ooooh... You idiot.” Arthur said slowly in a quiet and deep tone. “You hear something?” the first soldier asked. “SHUT UP And KEEP MOVING!” the other shouted, the flashlights that they were using slowly faded “Keep calm and keep shooting bullets!” Arthur whispered. “Shut it Arthur.” James groaned “Oh live a little.” Arthur said rolling his eyes. “We can’t stay here for long, they may be assholes but they’re right in saying we are dead if we stay in one spot.” Thianna said still whispering “Right, Arthur and I will scout ahead.” James said, Thianna nodded and the two disappeared into the brush. She looked over her rifle, it was a sniper rifle with variable zoom and a bipod. It was scratched but it was okay, Thianna was snapped from her thoughts as the sound of paws crunching leaves filled her ears. A white Wolf appeared infront of her from the brush as if it was part of the bushes itself. It just stared at Thianna for a moment before walking over and showing its teeth, Thianna found herself up against a tree and in the dark of the night it was even more terrifying. “Wolfie....Please come back....” A timid voice said, a yellow pegasus emerged from the bushes behind the wolf. “Oh what is it you’ve found there? is that a-” The sound of a firing pin being drawn back stopped the pegasus in mid sentence. “I just want to go home....don’t make me hurt you or this animal.” Thianna said slightly intimidated by the snarling wolf. She saw in the moonlight its muzzle was covered in red. “What are you even doing so close to a human base?” “GET HER!” James shouted from a tree, he caught even the wolf off guard as he leapt on top of the wolf and Arthur grabbed the pegasus. “STOP!” Thianna shouted, James nd Arthur looked at her with stunned expressions. “she may be able to get us to safety.” “What about this wolf?” James asked, Thianna nodded and he released the hound which was quick to flip over and growl at its new most hated human. The Yellow Pegasus squirmed free but was kept from flying as a gloved hand grabbed her tail. “Ah ah aaahh” “Let me go mister? Please? I have to tend to my other animals” The pegasus pleaded, the wheels in Thianna’s head started to turn and she looked at the wolf. “Fluttershy?” She asked it as if it understood, surprisingly it nodded keeping its gaze fixed on james. Fluttershy looked at Thianna and stopped trying to fly away. “I recognise her from the briefing. Look at her ID mark, butterflies-” She was interupted as a rainbow maned pegasus crashed into her Stomach. “GET AWAY FROM HER YOU FOUL HUMANS!” Another voice shouted, a white unicorn leapt on top of Arthur. “Fluttershy are you okay?” “We are trying to defect, stop trying to kill us!” James shouted as a purple aura surrounded him. He felt the radiation meter in his pocket begin to vibrate at dangerous levels, this was no ordinary bubble of energy. “GAH! SHIT HIS STINGS!” “Be quiet human!” a slightly regal voice shouted, everyone turned to see its owner. A Lavender Alicorn whose horn glowed brightly. James spat his next words with such venom that it made a king cobra jealous. “FUCK! YOU! BITCH!” He shouted, Thianna managed to stagger to her feet and pulled her side arm from its holster. Artur riggled free and did the same. “Looks like we got ourselves a mexican standoff.” Arthur said as he and thianna glared at the alicorn and leveled their weapons on its head. “Release him!” “Why? so you can rape and pillage! Celestia has told me all about you HUMAN!” THe lavender alicorn shouted, Thianna closed her eyes. “Lord make me quick and accurate....” She said as she concentrated her entire brain on one target. when she opened her eyes time seemed to slow down as the barrel of her gun traveled from the alicorns temple and instead towards her leg. She fired and as if by some miracle there was a pained moan as a fresh wound appeared on the Alicorns hip and James came clattering to the ground. “NOW CAN WE PLEASE SPEAK”