//------------------------------// // Memories: Part Two // Story: The Love Of A Soldier // by Shysoldier94 //------------------------------// It was the day the replacements arrived. After they checked in with Regimental Headquarters, I was ordered to meet ‘em outside our company’s area. I stood there, watching them as they approached. Three out of the four appeared to be nervous. Hell, from the report I received from my CO, two out of the four were nineteen, the others eighteen. I’d be nervous two. Except for the one, he looked as if he’d been training his whole life to be here and the only thing I was trying to do was get out of this hell hole. I whistled to gain their attention. “Over here boys.” They hustled over to my front, dropped their packs and saluted. “Afternoon Sergeant!” They said in unison. “At ease. I’m Sergeant First Class Shy. Welcome to Dog Company. I’m not the one who usually does these introductions; Captain Hawk is down at Regiment handling paperwork so I’ve been ordered to do it for him. You’ve probably seen him.” “Yes Sergeant.” They replied. “Well, I’m gonna keep this short. Welcome to Camp Starry Night. Nothing much here but Regiment, our sleeping quarters and the rifle range, at least in my view. Anyways, I think you’ll get a better introduction from your squad leaders.” I walked to the first one on my left. “Name?” “Private Skipps.” “Alright Private Skipps. You’re assigned to Sergeant Bow’s squad, first tent straight ahead.” “Roger, Sergeant.” He picked up his pack. “Name?” “Private Fezz.” I handed him and Corporal Comet their squad information and headed to meet their squads. “Last one. Name?” “Private First Class Trigger.” He replied. His voice was deep for his size and age. “Hmm, looks like you’re assigned to my platoon.” I studied him for a moment. His height reached my throat. “How old are you Private?” “Eighteen, Sergeant” “Eighteen? Damn. You must’ve shipped out right after AIT.” “Yes, Sergeant. Received my orders upon completion.” I smiled. “You know, I like you Private. I can tell you’re gonna be one hell of a soldier.” He smiled back. “Thank you, Sergeant.” “Come on, I’ll show you around.” After the initial introduction, I let Private Trigger loose to meet the others in the squad. He fit right in. Almost everyone in the squad immediately accepted him even though he was a replacement, which they seldom ever done. A few weeks had passed since the replacements arrived. Our company had a few patrols in the course of those couple weeks. A few small arms firefights were encountered but we received no casualties. I remember coming back from a patrol and both he and I had security duty at the base entrance. We openly talked about home. “So Private, you never told me where you got your name.” I said to him. He chuckled. “Well, back at Basic during the shooting course, the Drill Sergeants seemed to be impressed with my rapid single shot fire and accuracy that they started me Trigger. Funny thing is, it is my actual name.” “What do they call you back home?” “Firefoot. Back home, before I enlisted, I was training to be a firefighter in Manehattan. So while we were training in live fire exercises, I would always step in small patches of fire. So then they started calling me Firefoot.” I smiled and looked at the ground. I couldn’t help but start thinking of home. “So what about you, Sar’nt? Why do they call you Shy?” He asked, shaking me out of my thoughts. I sighed. “Well, it’s my real name. I took after my wife’s last name when we got married. I honestly hate my family line. It’s just filled with a bunch of drug users and criminals. So I was always on my own since I was very little. I never really had a family until I met my wife.” “What’s her name?” “Fluttershy. I met her when I was visiting a friend in Canterlot. I was already enlisted and a Staff Sergeant then. We talked for a little bit and ended up having dinner together the next day. She was such a shy mare. But after that, we really hit it off and got married ten months later. A year later we received news that we were going to expect our first foal and five months after that, I was deployed. I was pissed that I had to miss her birth, but, what can you do. These are the sacrifices you have to make when you sign those papers. But, she’s about six months old now. I can’t wait to meet her.” I sighed. “What does your wife look like?” He asked. I unclipped my helmet, reached in and handed the photo of Fluttershy and showed it to Trigger. His expression was expected. He whistled. “She’s gorgeous.” He handed the photo back. “She’s got one hell of a beautiful voice too. While she was pregnant, I would be outside taking care of the garden and lawn and suddenly hear her humming. I’d look in the window and see her rubbing her belly and singing to our unborn daughter. I just thought it was the cutest thing.” He smiled. “I hope to have that.” I reached in again and pulled out the second photo. “And this is my little filly, Violet.” I handed it to him. He studied it and finally said with a smile, “She’s beautiful, Sergeant.” He patted my shoulder. “She’s even got your eyes.” I chuckled. “You got a mare back home, Private?” “I do, but I’m not sure if it’s going to work out.” “Why’s that?” I asked. “Well with me being a soldier and gone all the time, it’s really tough on her. I mean I love her and everything but I feel guilty that I can’t see her as much as I want to. I got to see her after AIT but a few days later I shipped out here.” “Let me tell you this: if she’s worth it and she loves you, you can make it work. Being with a soldier is not easy but it’s definitely worth it in the end. If she sticks with you through thick and thin, she’s a keeper.” “Yeah.” He replied, almost in a whisper. “Can I tell you something?” “Of course.” “To be honest Sergeant, while I was growing up, my father left my mother and my two little sisters and I. So I never really knew what it was like to have a father. I was always the ‘Stallion of the House’. But you, I don’t wanna sound cheesy or anything, and I know we’ve only knew each other for a short time, but, you seem like a father to me. And I just wanna thank you for giving me a chance to understand and feel what it’s like.” I was taken by surprised. I never knew that he felt that way until now. But I did feel compassion for him. He was young and in the reserves just like everyone else here. I thought of an idea. “How about when we get out of here, you come visit me in my town of Ponyville and I’ll introduce you to my family. And if you’d like, you can be a part of it.” He smiled. “I’d like that.” Just then, Captain Hawk came through to our post. “You two are relieved. Get some shut-eye.” “Yes sir.” We said. The next few weeks we had our routine patrols a few miles outside Camp Starry Night. No initial contact with rebel forces. We had two weeks left in our deployment before we were sent back home. We had one last mission. At 0900, all NCOs in Dog company were ordered to report to Company CP for briefing. Captain Hawk was up front along with Lieutenant Oakley. “Here’s the situation: the 32nd Royal Airborne troops need us to secure a village twelve miles west of here so they can use it as a foothold for their next operation. Problem is, it’s rumored that the village occupants are housing insurgents. The numbers of them, we don’t know but let’s not take any chances. Keep your soldiers in order and keep your eyes open. Any questions?” “I’m not saying that there will be, but if there is, what are the rules of engagement?” A Sergeant of second squad asked. “Weapons tight. We don’t need any civilians getting hit in the crossfire.” “Is it just our company going on this mission, Sir?” Another asked. He shook his head. “Able company will be assisting us in this operation and will be taking the North and West side of the village while we secure the East and South sides. Any other questions?” No one else spoke. “Dismissed. Gear up; we’re out in fifteen.” Lt. Oakley said. As I got my platoon geared up, I noticed Private Trigger, fully geared, nervously clicking the carabiner attached to his Kevlar. “You okay, Private?” I asked. “Yes, Ser’nt. Just a little nervous… in a good way.” “Have you ever shot your weapon at anypony before?” “No, Sergeant.” “Me neither. Let’s hope we never have to.” I said as I laid my hoof on his shoulder Our Company was rolled out at 0930 and headed the twelve miles west toward the village. About a mile and a half out from the village, we were ordered off the vehicles and hoof it the rest of the way. On both sides of the road were irrigation ditches. Small buildings were scattered along the road in front. “Fan out! Watch those buildings. If we run into trouble, use the Humvees for cover.” Lieutenant Oakley said. As we passed the first few buildings, I started to feel nervous. Something didn’t feel right. After a few minutes, Captain Hawk held up his hoof and motioned for us to get low. Suddenly, the sound of a rocket being fired was heard. “RPG!” The rocket hit the side of a Humvee as a few more were being fired. “RPGs! Take cover!” I yelled at the top of my lungs and screamed for my platoon to take cover in the irrigation ditch to our right. Once there, I realized quickly that it was a bad area. After a few more of the Humvees were hit, small arms fire was heard in all directions. I ducked my head down as a few rounds flew passed my ears. “Shit! Corporal Pepper!” I called. “Get your machine gun over here!” He ducked low as he made his way next to me. The screams for medics were heard to my right as members of Dog Company were being hit with enemy fire. “Building! One o’clock, machine gun in the window. Smoke ‘em!” “Roger, Ser’nt!” He set up his gun on the ditch in front of me and began firing. “Talbert! Jumper, Skipper, Clover! Let’s get into war, grab some cover behind that overturned Humvee and put some fire on these sons ‘a bitches!” “Sergeant, we gotta get out of here! We’re too exposed!” Trigger yelled. I popped my head up to see an infantry carrier with a heavy machine turret. I turned and pointed at five others. “All of you get up to that machine gun! Go! Everyone else cover them!” I raised my rifle and began firing at the enemy visible a few hundred yards out. Suddenly, the five that were headed to the carrier were shot down with a heavy machine gun, limbs torn off as the rounds ripped through their bodies. Pink and dark red mist spraying from their bodies as rounds made their way through. “Medic!” Just then, a sharp, burning pain feeling aroused in my right shoulder. I looked down and noticed a small flow of blood flowing from a hole in my combat uniform. “Shit I’m hit!” I yelled. Trigger turned and grabbed his aid pack and applied pressure with gauze on the wound. “Did it go through?” He yelled over the gunfire. “I don’t know!” I replied. The burning intensified. Trigger looked behind my shoulder. “No sign on exit wound. Let me patch you up!” I shook my head. “There’s no time! Grab some cover and lay down some cover fire!” “Roger, Ser’nt!” He replied. “I need a radio!” I screamed. The radio pony crouched down next to me and began firing. “Captain Hawk, this is Sergeant Shy do you copy, over?” “Sergeant Shy I’m a little busy right now.” “We need some help over here, we’re pinned down!” “Well we’re fucked up pretty bad over here! Half of the goddamn company is wiped out!” There was a loud impact as the radio pony fell limp. A bullet hole through his head. I grabbed for the radio again. “Overlord this is Chalk-Four! Do you copy?” “Go ahead, Chalk-Four.” “Overlord we need air support, danger close!” “Uh roger that. Where is your current position?” “Eleven miles west of Camp Starry Night!” There was a pause. “How copy, over?” “Copy-all, Chalk-Four. Pop smoke, we’re sending gunships in your area to you, ETA two minutes.” “Roger that!” I laid the radio piece down and turned to my platoon. “Two minutes! Air support will be here in two minutes!” Those two minutes were hell. And that’s just an understatement. Within those two minutes I lost four more men and ten more were wounded. The gunships arrived, sending small rockets and bombs over the insurgent’s area across the road. The buildings that were once there were now reduced to rubble. All firing had ceased. Within fifteen minutes into the firefight, close to half of Dog Company was wiped out. Slowly, my platoon emerged out of the ditch and headed for cover by the Humvees, not sure if there were any more of them. “Sergeant Shy, do you copy, over?” Captain Hawk called over the radio. “Go ahead, Captain.” “I’ve called in for evac.” He sighed. “We’ve been hit pretty bad.” “Half of my platoon is gone.” I said softly. “Roger that. Stay put, we’re coming to you. Hawk Out.” “Copy.” I replied. I stood up and noticed Private Trigger standing beside a burning Humvee, his helmet on the ground next to him. I walked up to him and touched his shoulder. “You okay, Private?” I asked, almost whispered. He shook his head. “How could I be? I just watched my friends die, ripped apart in front of my eyes.” I tried to say something but I knew that there was nothing that I could say that could ease his or anyone else’s pain. I put my hoof on his shoulder again and turned back and to the overturned Humvee behind me . After a few steps, four loud pops of a rifle snapped trough the air. I ducked and turned around. My heart dropped when I saw Trigger drop down. “Sniper!” A soldier yelled. “He’s out there in the open!” Another one shouted. I ducked down low as members of my platoon fired their rounds at the sniper. Rounds hissed aboved. I crawled up next to him as fast as I could. He looked pale. I ripped off his vest and noticed four clean holes through his chest. Streams of blood began to flow. “No, no, no, no! Medic! Medic!” I screamed on the top of my lungs. “Pepper! Somepony get a fucking medic over here! Private Trigger’s hit!” I reached into my aid kit and grabbed the wrappings and held them over the wounds. Three other soldiers came to aid. “S-S-Sergeant, h-how bad is it?” He asked through shaky breaths. “You’re gonna be okay, Trig. We’re gonna get you outta here and get you back home.” Pepper said. “Put some pressure on it!” The others were telling each other. As they did, Trigger made a wheezy coughing sound. Blood began to flow from his mouth. “Move! Move, gimme some room!” A medic arrived and quickly, assessing his wounds. “Sergeant Shy…..there… there is a note in my pack back at camp along with a picture. S-Send it to my Ma... And you tell my marefriend that I did my job and that I fought…. and that I fought hard.” Tears were forming in his eyes. “Listen to me! You’re gonna send it yourself do you hear me? You’re gonna go back home to your Ma, your marefriend and you’re gonna get married to her and you’re gonna have a family.” He coughed again as more pressure was added in high hopes the bleeding will stop. “I can’t, I can’t.” “Yes you can! Just hang in there, Private. The Evac’s coming.” I assured him. “I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die.” “Private, You’re not gonna die. Do you hear me?” The medic handed me a syrette. I looked up at him. I knew that giving him the morphine would lower his heart rate too far. It would certainly kill him faster. “Sergeant, give it to him.” The medic said with a stern voice. I had no choice. I bit off of cap, inserted the tiny needle into his thigh and injected the morphine. A few seconds later, Trigger calmed down; the medicine taking a quick affect. Trigger looked up and searched for me. “I’m here, Trig.” I held lay him on my lap and held on to his hoof. “Tell my parents I love them. Tell my mare Phoenix that I love her and that I’ll always be…” He stopped. As I held on to him, I felt him slip away. Tears fell down my face. “Trigger? Trigger? Trigger!” Tears fell down Thunder’s face. Fluttershy held her hooves over her mouth as tears formed in her own eyes. Oh…my poor Thunder. She thought. She never thought that he had been subjected to anything like this. Thunder took a long and shaky breath. “Captain Hawk and the others in my platoon had to pull me away so the medics could load his body onto the med-evac trucks.” “What of the note he asked you to send?” Twilight asked. “I did what he told me to do. I sent them. I added my own note to each of the letters, one to his mother and one to his marefriend.” Thunder replied. The room was silent. Twilight and Fluttershy had wondered if he had seen things out there but not to this degree. “There was just… nothing I could do… nothing that the medics could do. I was told later that one of the rounds penetrated a main artery in his chest.” The muscles in Thunder’s shoulders and back tensed. He pounded onto the floor and squeezed his eyes shut to prevent the tears from flowing. But it was to no use. “By Celestia, he was just a kid! He was eighteen years old; he had his whole life ahead of him! And just like that? Taken away?!” He shouted. He attempted to stand but his legs gave out underneath him as he continued to make blows to the floor. “You and your soldiers did everything that you could. There was nothing you could do.” Twilight said. “Nothing I could do? I tried to stop the bleeding, the stallions that was left in my platoon tried! I held him in my arms as he faded away! That should have been me! It should have been…me…” Thunder stopped hitting the floor and collapsed onto his side, his hooves covering his face as he wept. Both mares rushed over and stayed by his side. After several minutes, Thunder sniffed and tried to compose himself, sitting on his hind quarters and wiping his eyes. Twilight was the first to speak. “Now Thunder, I can never understand, nor ever will understand the things you’ve been through out there. But together, we can help you overcome this. But, are you willing to let us help you?” Thunder nodded. Fluttershy wrapped her wing around him gently and held on to his hoof. Her grip was firm yet gentle. “It will be a long process. Do you understand that?” He nodded. “I want to be able to overcome this and I don’t want to be a wreck anymore. I don’t want this to ruin my family.” He turned to face Fluttershy, who rubbed tears from her eyes. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “You have a very loving family and I don’t believe you will ever have that chance to ruin it. Fluttershy is strong and so are you.” A slight smile shone on Thunder’s face. He turned to face Twilight. Tears were still in his eyes which sparkled in the light as he turned. “What do we have to do?” He asked. “Well as I said before, it’s going to be a very long process but it all depends on how well you do it. The support of friends and family are a great means of recovery. Even a family pet such as a dog can help.” Thunder lightly chuckled. “Shy’s always wanted a puppy. I think that can work.” Fluttershy smiled and leaned into his shoulder. “Your love is strong for one another. And your friends are here for you, Thunder.” Twilight added. “Thanks, Twilight. This means a lot.” ******** As seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, Thunder continued to talk about his experiences about his deployment. Throughout, there was an abundance of tears as Thunder rhapsodized of the soldiers he lost and also an abundance of smiles as he raved about the silly shenanigans his platoon members got themselves into on their breaks after long patrols. Thunder endlessly emphasized how much Trigger meant to him. He was aware of the fact that he did not know him for that long, but to him, it seemed like he knew him his whole life. He made a major impact on his life and he was eternally grateful for having the chance to know and forever remember him. He felt especially guilty when Trigger admitted to him that Thunder was like a father to him which made the feeling of losing him even worse. They continued to talk throughout the evening until late at night. It was around midnight when they decided it was time to go home. Fluttershy thanked Flash for watching Violet as they headed for the door. “I want to thank you again Twilight for this. You don’t know how much this means to me.” Thunder said sincerely. “It’s what friends are for. “ She began. “No matter what it is, we’ll always be there for you, Thunder.” Thunder wrapped his hooves around her. “Thank you.” He whispered. They said their goodbyes and began heading home. As they neared the gate to the cottage, Thunder stood still. Fluttershy turned around and took notice. “You okay, sweetie?” “Yeah, I just… I feel like this tremendous amount of weight has just been lifted off of my shoulders. I kept all this bottled inside of me and whenever I had too much and couldn’t take any more, I just resorted to alcohol to cope with these feelings. I know that this is gonna take a long time and that I’m still going to have these flashbacks of the events throughout the rest of my life, but, I don’t know. I’m really thankful to have the chance to make things right again.” Fluttershy kissed him. “You’ll always have somepony here for you.” Thunder sighed. “Yeah. But let’s head on home. Some much needed rest is in order.” Fluttershy nodded. They walked up to the path to the cottage and walked inside. Fluttershy put Violet to bed and went downstairs to a half asleep Thunder lying on the couch. She lightly nudged him to come up to bed. He complied. Fluttershy was ahead of him. As they ascended the stairs, Thunder lightly patted his wife’s hindquarters. She turned around with a seductive look and raced into the bedroom. Thunder jumped on to the bed on top of Fluttershy and began peppering her with deep, loving kisses. As they did, Thunder allowed his belly to lower onto hers, feeling the warmth of her body flow through his. As the heat from the kisses intensified, Fluttershy began to slowly slide her hoof down lower just above Thunder’s hips. He quickly took notice. “Ah, not tonight. I just used the last of my energy just to jump on top of you.” Thunder chuckled. “Aww you’re no fun.” Fluttershy teased. Thunder kissed her. “I love you, Shy.” “I love you too.” She responded. As Thunder closed his eyes, Fluttershy lightly touched the area on his right shoulder. How did I not notice this before? She thought to herself. She shook off the thought and closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.