//------------------------------// // First March // Story: Of a German and American soldier in Equestria // by redspark //------------------------------// Chapter 13 First March Davis surveyed the large expanse of terrain in front of him. He then looked at a map on his hands either to see something on it or make an annotation. He looked at a small cliff not far away and then proceeded to make another annotation. He was standing on a large plain with a some lonely trees around, leaving a lot of empty space to see all around. Green grass covered the earth as far as the eyes could see. The evening sun stood over it, the trees leaving large shadows as it slowly descended. In the distance, the faint silhouette of a forest could be seen. Davis adjusted his cap and looked around. He was alone, having gone on some scouting on his own to see the terrain around where he was going to place the camp. The troops had arrived some three hours ago at the Las Pegasus train station to be greeted by cheerful civilians, shouting their support, hanging huge equestrian banners all around the city and throwing flowers at the passing troops. Davis had remembered the moment when the Allied forces had freed Paris from the Germans; it had been something like that, only merrier in some way. After the army finally left the city, Davis had begun a march towards the position he had picked for the camp: a large barren hill some kilometers away from the city from which he could see all the surrounding area easily and that gave him a really good position. Now he was looking around for a place to make the defensive fortifications. So far he had spotted a couple of hills he had seen that could do as a good position for that, only that they didn't seem to convince him enough. He had a list of things the position needed to have, starting from the altitude. It needed to be on high ground. Next was the geography around it. How good could the surrounding area be seen? How difficult would it be for the enemy to reach it and for his supplies as well. Then as well, he needed more than one position should the need to fall back arise. He sighed as he placed a mark on another suitable position. He knew he needed to begin building them as soon as possible, yet he was not sure of some of the positions he had found. He was about to walk off again when he heard hoofsteps approaching. He looked towards the direction where the sound was coming. He smiled when he recognized who it was. "Golden Flame, I thought you were busy with your team," he said. The bright yellow Pegasus nodded. "Yes, I was. But you know how the lads are, fast and efficient." He looked at the map. "What are you doing out here?" Davis passed him the map. "I'm looking for defensive positions to build fortifications. We have just seven days for the changelings to reach us, and I want to be prepared with the best that I can do." Golden Flame nodded. "I think it's a bright idea. I can see here you are making a line of defensive fortifications every kilometer or so," the Pegasus said. Davis nodded. "Yes. I'm planning on making fifteen of them, each one a mile of distance between each other," he said. "So far I've a seen only seven good positions, the others are... well enough yet not good enough." Golden Flame scratched his neck. "Well, maybe I could see one easier from the sky. If you want, of course," he said. Davis looked at him. "That is a brilliant idea. Please do that, I'll be down here looking for some myself. When you find one come and tell me." The captain saluted smiling. "Aye, captain!" he said in a perfect imitation of a sailor. Davis laughed and Golden Flame took flight, looking for the position. Davis looked back onto his map. *** *** *** Golden Flame looked around. He extended his wings as he got more altitude. He saw a warm air current and used it to get it easier. He smiled as he felt the air under his wings and as he saw the ground below. He had been on the ground for far too long now, at least a week without a proper flight, only short ones and to carry out orders or letters. This was the thing, flying freely without anypony to tell you anything. This was how flying was supposed to be done, out in the freedom of the sky and not secluded to the camps. He looked around for the perfect position for Davis. He knew what the general was looking for, and soon he had spotted three places. It had just been ten minutes, and he thought it would he too rushed. Maybe he could simply fly and have a time for himself? He smiled as he took more altitude. Soon his thoughts were drifting to the war. He felt unsure whenever he thought of what lay ahead, yet he knew there was no other way. War was inevitable, and he would soon have to fight for his life as much as for Equestria. Then his thoughts turned to his ponies. His team was well trained and knew perfectly what was expected of them. He had become friends with all of them, their ranks not dividing them in any way. For that reason he had been criticized multiple times. Many officers said he was making his rank look like it hold no importance. They said that he needed to put up a barrier between him and his men, at least to let them know he was the officer in charge. Too much trust ended up in disaster. Oh, how wrong they were. He knew the way the other officers thought, and he was sure it was effective; yet he knew that he was not necessarily superior than them, more like he was responsible for his team. He treated them as brothers, and they treated him that way in return. Even then, he knew that they knew he was in charge, though they didn’t see him as a superior, but more like a friend. He knew they'd obey any order he gave them, and that him being friends with them was in no way going to affect that. He looked at the soon, finally returning back from his thoughts to the real world. He then realized he had been in the air for an hour. "Oh!" he exclaimed. Soon he was going down towards Davis. He could see the tiny dark dot on the ground, which soon grew as he approached. He landed in front of him. "Ah, Golden Flame. You found anything yet?" Davis asked. Golden Flame nodded. Davis passed him the map. "Here..." Golden Flame said, placing a dot on one of the positions. "Here and here..." he said, doing the same with those. Davis looked at it. "Perfect. I supposed that is all. I have ten positions in total. Ten positions are good for today. Maybe tomorrow I look for others after I order the preparation of the ones we already found," Davis said. "Perfect sir," Golden Flame said. Davis looked at the sky. "I think we should get going. It's a three hour walk back to camp and we only have one hour of light," Davis said. The pony captain nodded. "I can't agree more, sir..." *** *** *** "How long until we reach position for camp, Ace," SilverInk said. Ace looked at a map. "We are already here, Silver." The two generals stopped and looked around. It had been five long hours of walking nonstop to reach the position SilverInk had decided for the camp, and walking that distance with three thousand soldiers wasn't easy. Ace looked back and saw the long column of ponies behind them. "We make camp here!" he shouted. Everypony began unpacking their tents and preparing the camp that was to be their main position against the changeling's attack. Same as with Davis' force, SilverInk had transported his troops by train until they reached the Appleloosa station. From there they had needed to walk for a total of four hours before reaching the town of Green Lake. There they had rested for two hours. The town's inhabitants seemed overwhelmed by the number of ponies beside their town, but relieved and happy because they now felt safe. Apparently the changelings had been making night raids at cottages and ponies that left the town for a walk or other things like that. In all, they had been very inviting, if not a little protective of their town. They had seemed very troubled as the three hundred officers looked around, entering at the bar and buying things. Soon they had left the town took on their last walk, to which they had finally finished. SilverInk looked around. "Davis chose a good position, didn't he?" Louis said to no one in general. SilverInk looked at him. "Yes, I must admit he did..." the General said. Louis smiled. Ace chuckled. "But now we don't have time to talk, we need to prepare everything. Ace, make sure the defenses begin to be built. Ace nodded and walked away. "Louis, go to inspect the tents and see how they are doing. I want all the tents finished in less than an hour." Louis nodded and walked away, leaving SilverInk alone. The red Pegasus sighed. "Now to think..." he muttered to himself. He sat down on the dirt, taking out his maps from his saddle. *** *** *** Louis looked around as he inspected the erection of tents. The troops were being fast on their job, which was something Louis was thankful for. He didn't need to do much, except for a couple of this with one that had trouble with his tent, but only like three times had he found those. Most seemed to know what they were doing. He had also sent a team to arm up the generals' tents. He soon found himself making his own tent beside where they were making Ace's. He took it out of his back and began. As he did, he got lost in his thoughts *** *** *** "Louis..." He heard from behind. "Huh?" He asked. He saw a captain Pegasus behind him. "Commander, general SilverInk and general Ace are asking for your presence," he said. Louis nodded. He had already finished the tent and was sitting outside, cleaning his rifle. He stood up and placed his rifle on his back. He then made sure he had his pistol on the holster. "Okay, thanks for letting me know," he told the captain. The Pegasus saluted, to which Louis answered. He walked to Silver's tent. "...can't rely on Davis's plans completely!" He heard from the inside. He stopped in front of the tent's entrance. "But he knew what he was doing, Silver. We need to rely on them, at least a little," he heard Ace say. "That's what you think, but have you ever seen him in action?" Silence. "I thought so. We can't be sure he knew what he was doing. All we have from him is his word, and I don't trust that hairless ape on any way." Louis stormed inside the after hearing that. "What did you say?" he asked SilverInk venomously. The Pegasus General looked in surprised at him. Ace looked between them. "What gives you right to get inside my tent like that?!" SilverInk said. Louis groaned angrily. "What give YOU the right to call him that?!" Louis shouted. He wasn't sure why he was defending the American, but for some reason he felt pissed. SilverInk laughed maniacally before looking at him angrily. "I can call anypony however want, ape!" he shouted to Louis. Louis shouted as he jumped at Silver. The Pegasus seemed shocked, but waited for him to reach him. Soon, the two were engaged in trying to hit the other. "Stop!" Ace shouted. Both looked at him. "You are acting like foals! I can't believe it." He walked to them. "You are supposed to be the leader of this campaign, and you a military advisor, yet here you are, engaged in a foal's fight." Louis blushed in shame, but Silver simply looked away. Both stood up. "Louis, please leave the tent. I'll need to write a letter to the princess about this," Ace said. Louis nodded and walked outside. "Yes, go ape!" Louis stopped for a second, then got out of the tent. "And I'll write about you as well." Ace walked out of the tent as well. Silver stood still. He turned and looked at the maps, then he shouted and kicked the table, sending it down to the ground. "I am in no way like that hairless ape Davis! He can't be a general, he can't be!" He shouted at top of his lungs before sitting down. This needed to change. He couldn't allow that alien to remain in power, and he was determined to do whatever it took... Anything... *** *** *** Louis entered his tent and sat down on a chair. He covered his face with his hands as a couple of tears began to flow from his eyes. Why must he be the one that was taken out of his world? He had not missed anything of his world, at least not until that moment. That moment he realized he was probably stuck there forever. He would never get to see his girlfriend again, nor his mother, nor his young brother... He looked around his tent. This wasn't earth, this wasn't where he belonged, yet he didn't knew how to return. He didn't even knew how he had arrived at Equestrian on the first place! He began to let his feelings out in form of tears. Soon he was weeping silently, his face covered by his hands. Soon he had run out of tears. He slowly looked up at the tents roof, then at his rifle which he had thrown as he entered his tent. Surprisingly, his rifle was his most precious object at the moment. He slowly picked it up and examined it. He looked through his bags for ammo, then he stood up and walked out of his tent. It was already night, still the camp was busy as preparations were being made. He walked to the back of the camp with a lantern he had from his bag, one of the posesiones he had brought with him from earth. He walked to a safe distance from the camp, then proceeded to load his gun. He aimed for a tree and then pulled the trigger. The familiar sound of the exploding bullet inside the rifle rang inside his ears as well as the push the weapon gave. He smiled as he saw he had hit his mark. He proceeded to load again and then shoot once more. Soon he had began a steady rhythm of loading and firing, until he had fired thirty times. He stopped. "That surely woke up half the camp," came a voice from behind Louis. "It woke me up, at least." Louis looked back and saw general Ace. He chuckled. "Well Ace, soon you'll be more relieved to hear this sound, especially when it is used against our enemies..." He loaded it once more, then looked at Ace. "They'll regret the moment they set hoof on Equestria, I swear it..." He fired, the bullet hitting its mark once more. Yes, Louis was ready for them. "Let them come..."