'Dear Applejack,
It's been nearly two years since I left Ponyville for this war and now we're coming home in a few days, but not how you picture it. The fighting been fierce for the past few months up near Manehatten, and unfortunately we've been forced to retreat. The New Lunar Republicans sure know how to fight, especially at night. Luckily, most of us are safe here in Neighburg...' Big Mac stopped writing and looked up. Most of the battalion was asleep except for William, who was sitting on the ridge facing south. He then went back to writing.
' Though I can't say much about Will here. You see, we've come across something awful..."
[Earlier that day...]
Smoke lined the sky as Fourth Company advanced cautiously through the town square. With rifles at the ready, which was difficult to maneuver with as it was, they slowly made it to the south end. A sudden movement further down the street and a Lunar soldier jumped out and fired. The bullet barely missed Big Mac's face, but skinned under his right eye. He returned fire and the soldier collapsed into the street.
"Nice shot." Pip replied. He had now grow into his new field jacket and was able to fire his Colt 98k without falling over. Newsprint also grew up and was now a corporal.
"We should at least bury him." Mr. Cake replied. This was coming from a guy who baked for a living and never shot a gun in his life until Manehatten. He was defending a fellow baker's home. The others simply nodded and approached the dead pony. He was a young stallion at best, his darken uniform jacket torn and tattered, his mane a mess under the large country hat of his. His firearm was outdated by nearly twenty years, yet it was still as effective as the Colts.
"I know him, he was one of the orchard folks back in Appleloosa, thought I can't remember the name." Braeburn noticed the dead pony's face.
"Then we'll take him to a nearby orchard." Mac said. He looked around. They were missing someone. "Where's Will?"
William traveled down a dirt road, a familiar road until he stopped just before the rail fence and a mailbox. The name 'Hooves' was barely visible from age and weather, but it was still there as if a memory. He looked past the box and saw a brown two story farmhouse and matching barn, along with a barren field where wheat and hay once grew.
"Will!" Where are ya?" a voice shouted, just up the road. Braeburn soon caught up, along with Mac as the others were trying to keep up with their fast pace. William didn't notice them and walked down towards the house. The porch was scattered with empty crates and cider barrels, with broken glass at the bases.
"Will, you ok?" Braeburn asked. He soon entered the house. The interior was wrecked, as if a tornado roared through the entire house, broken railings, broken furniture and garbage everywhere. He then looked up the stairs and went up.
"Willie? You even there?"
"Braeburn, go and gather up some firewood." Mac laid a hoof on his cousin.
"Why?" He asked. Mac simply glared at him. Braeburn simply nodded and went back outside.
"What's wrong with Will?" Newsprint asked.
"Let's get some firewood and set up camp on the other side of the ridge there." Braeburn point to a northern ridge on the other side of the road. Without question, the group soon went off the property towards the ridge.
Big Mac went upstairs to the far end of the hall, where he saw a shadow. With a Lugermorph pistol at the ready, he quickly turned to corner and aimed down the sights. It was William, in front of a large bed made for two. He was just sitting there, but he could tell tears were forming at the base. As he approached the bed, he couldn't believe his eyes. Resting on the bed were two skeletal remains of two ponies, flies buzzing above a third, a young filly by the look of her. A sign lingered around her neck saying 'A Royal pain in the flank'. Royal was short for ponies who followed Princess Celestia or the 'Tyrant' by the Lunars.
"Friend of yours?" Mac asked.
"Sister." William finally broke his mediation, small tear drops hitting the floor.
"So this is your home?"
"Was. I left two years ago when a Lunar raid attacked town, stealing anything they could cart off with. The Royal Garrison didn't warn every pony on the outskirts, and they came here." William explained everything to Mac...
'He told me everything about that night, which leads me to worry about all of you on Sweet Apple Acres, and all of Ponyville. He then asked me to do one thing for him...'
"What's that?" William dropped the pistol's barrel towards his head. "Are you crazy?! This isn't going to solve your problems."
"I have nothing left now. My parents are dead, my home is gone, and now my sister." Tears flowed down his cheeks. His eyes were watery and red, his breaths short and rapid. "Just do it!" He shouted.
"I can't! I won't !!"
"Would you do the same if you lost Applejack or even Applebloom? What about Sweet Apple Acres?!" William shouted in anger and misery. Mac paused. "You still have your friends, your family. You still have a life. Mine is gone, everything I've loved is gone. Don't think of this as guilt, but as a favor. Please...please." William choked and closed his eyes, the tears blinding him. Mac was sweating, the barrel shaking and finally he closed his eyes and turned away.
The lantern in Big Mac's tent flicker as a small tear drop landed on the letter. Unable to continue writing, he simply blew out the light and went to sleep. On the ridge was a single fence post from the farm railing with a helmet placed upon, the rifle leaning by. A small wooden piece laid down below it, with words carved: 'Here lies Cpl. William Hooves, A fine soldier and a good friend 1876'
--
The train pulled into Ponyville station, dark clouds being moved into position by the local pegasi. Marching orders had ordered any close fighting forces to Ponyville to prevent a potential invasion by a large Lunar Republican force nearly three times the size of the Battalion. The grenadiers disembarked the train, greeted by a few ponies, including Mrs. Cake and Applejack. The moment was silent as they embraced their loved ones.
"Lawrence, is it always this difficult?" Mac asked.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Mac simply stared at him, then knew what he was talking about. "It's always difficult Macintosh, no matter how bright they may be. I honestly can tell you how many sleepiness nights I've had since the start of this war, back in '64. There've been times that I even considered the thought of ending it all myself, but there's always something keeping me from doing it."
"What's that?" Mac asked. Lawrence looked to Sketch, helping the wounded onto the train.
"I've lost a brother already, and Sketch is all I have left, along with memories of times before the war." Lawrence replied. Mac soon noticed his sister near the far end, helping Sketch.
"Is is possible to get them out of here?"
"My sister's a stubborn pony. I don't think she'll leave without a fight." Mac chuckled.
"Then Take Fourth Company of to Sweet Apple Acres and build up defenses there. We'll use it as a command post, if we be permitted."
"Not at all. As long as we can keep them safe."
After a few hours, the Company was dug in at Sweet Apple. Palisades erected on the road would prevent the enemy from advancing onto town. Barricades made out of crates, barrels and sandbags lined around the main buildings and offering protection for the troops. Big Mac emerged from the main house.
"Well. They've agreed to stay safe in the apple cellar, but if things get out of hoof, they'll make a dash for Everfree Forest, despite Granny's condition." Mac replied.
"Sir! We got movement coming from the south!" Newsprint shouted, looking through a pair of binoculars settled on a nearby barrel.
"That's at least a full battalion of Lunars heading for town. Probably a scouting party." Sketch looked through his.
"We got at least seven companies; our three and four from 2nd Battalion. I wish we could get a detachment of Royal Guards to help hold, but I doubt they will arrive in time." Lawrence said. Then something hit his mind. "Wait, a scouting party isn't that large... Pick your targets!" He shouted. The company rushed to the barricades, their rifles aimed and ready for the order. The lunars suddenly changed direction and rushed towards them, their old-dated rifles bouncing at each trot.
"Fire!" The barricade bursted into a wall of powder as the line fired. Almost immediately, ten or so collapsed onto the ground, forcing the rest of the lunars to return fire. Bullets ricocheted off the barricades, the company taking cover behind them. The next group got up and fired; another ten fell. As the fighting continued, Sketch took a sudden look through his binoculars.
"Lawrence! We got another Battalion coming from the south!" True enough, another Lunar Battalion was making their way through the field, where their fellow comrades were now taking cover behind railed fences along the road and hugging the ground.
"Pick them off!" Lawrence shouted, taking a shot at the enemy, then taking cover. "I need a runner to warn the defenses. Tell them that we've encountered the forward guard at Sweet Apple Acres and we are currently engaged."
"I'll go sir!" Pip volunteered.
"Another Battalion coming!" Sketch shouted.
"Get going then, Newsprint, go with him as well." Newsprint saluted and the two pintos rushed off. The First Battle for Ponyville had begun.
--
"General Lancer, I have a report from our troops in Ponyville." A royal guard approached his commanding officer. The Imperial Ministry building in Canterlot was the heart of all military activity throughout Equestria. Maps laid everywhere they could be placed, dozens of staff maneuvering little wooden models of infantry, Calvary and artillery, along with pegasi supports; another new branch to the military. General Lancer was overlooking a large map of Ponyville with the surrounding areas which included Sweet Apple Acres. His scar on his face was his memento from the Griffon Wars years before as he turned to the approaching guard. Without saying anything, he took the report using his magic and after a few seconds, discarded the note.
"The enemy has brought up another five battalions and have entrenched themselves to the west and north of town, and we've only managed to hold them off for only a day." He said with a tone of anger.
"We've only have two battalions there, plus the local militia of at least twenty-five or so. The only Royal regiment close enough is about three days out." One officer replied.
"But we have ten regiments here, and they can be in Ponyville within two hours." Another officer argued.
"We can't risk weakening the defenses here in Canterlot, if they now have at least a regiment at Ponyville. It's obviously a trap to lure our troops away, then they can march into the city and threaten her majesty." A third stated. As the officers continued to bicker and fight, Lancer simply watched.
'In my day, we would have reinforced our fellow soldiers. But these Coltgrenadiers aren't soldiers. They are mere pawns in the Royal Army, unlike the Guard Corps.' He thought. "Gentle colts." He finally spoke. The officers turned to their commander in chief. "We will see if they withstand this attack, and if they can't , we'll send reinforcements."
"How many?"
"One battalion, no more."
"Might I intervene sir?" One of the officers said. "Surely we could send at least a regiment, to reinforce the eastern flank to prevent a pocket."
"I know you care for your grenadiers, Haybrun, but you are as old as me, thus we can't go to their aid. Besides, the protection of Canterlot takes priority over a small town such as Ponyville."
"Yet you saw great importance in Manehatten, and Baltimare. Now they fly the Lunar banner and what did you do? You only withdrew to this fortress city which the enemy will crack with ease." Haybrun continued.
"You best be careful old stallion, that almost sounds like treason." The guard replied.
"I've fought long and hard alongside you during the Griffon Wars, and saved your flank when you were a private in the Crusades against the Dogs. I've fought for our country, what have you fought for since then?" He said to the officers around him. No one said a word. He turned back to Lancer. "You maybe my commanding officer now, but experience surpasses nobility and rank. With or without your approval, I will lead a regiment to the aid of my fellow ponies. Good day sir." Haybrun saluted and started off. Lancer simply stood as he watched the only pony he would call a friend leave the room, then turned back to the map. On the city name were two blue wooden infantry tabs; each representing a battalion, surrounded by seven similar red tabs.
'If he is right, then I'm afraid we've made the biggest mistake in our entire careers.' He thought to himself.