//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: An Apple at War // by spartan523 //------------------------------// Big Macintosh began to open his eyes only to be met with a blinding white light amplifying the pain in his head he closed his eyes in a effort to ease the pain in his head. "Doctor he's awake again" "He's bound to have a major head ache quick get me some pain reliever" Macintosh could make out voices around him so he decided to try and open his eye's again. Fighting through the pain he finally managed to open his eyes and this time was met with the blurry out line of a figure who was trying to talk to him. "Private Macintosh can you hear me?" the blurry figure said Mac nodded his head which caused his head ache to worsen he let out a moan from the pain. "Hang on I'm giving you some medicine that should ease your head ache" Mac didn't bother to try and argue at that point all he wanted was the pain in his head to stop. Gradually the pain in his head went away until it vanished completely. Mac's vision finally cleared and he could make out the doctor in front of him. "Where am I?" Mac asked looking around realizing that he was in a hospital room before focusing back on the doctor "And who are you?" "Forgive me where are my manners my name is Doctor Stable and you are at Canterlot Medical Center you've been in and out of consciousness for three days now" "Three days!" Mac said in astonishment "Yes" the Doctor Stable said bluntly Mac couldn't believe it he had been knocked out for three whole days before waking up in Canterlot which raised another question "How the did I end up here in Canterlot?" "You don't remember?" Mac shook his head "Eenope" "I shouldn't be surprised" The doctor said looking at his clip board "Aside from suffering 3rd degree burns across 80% of your body it's not to surprising that you have some amnesia." "3rd degree burns? What the hell happen to me?" Mac asked looking down at the burn scars across his arms and chest The doctor flipped a page on the clip board "You were hit by a white phosphorus grenade it sent a lot of burning shards of phosphorus which burned worse when your comrades poured water on you. The only way they could help you was to cut as much out of you as they could. Don't you remember any of this?" Mac tried to remember anything he could "The last thing I remember was sitting in a Humvee talking to my friend Paladin..." That's when the memories came screaming back to him. 3 days earlier "Every one to their vehicles now!" Captain Silver Star yelled. Mac grabbed his rifle and took off to his squad's MRAP which was parked by the camps gate ready to go. Each MRAP held a team 10 men. "1st platoon check in!" Captain Silver Star called over the radio as the convoy started off the radio began to fill with each team's leader checking in "Alpha team checking in" "Bravo team checking in" "Charlie team checking in" "Delta team checking in" "Echo team checking in" Mac was part of Charlie team which consisted of a team leader (Staff Sergeant Ace), a medic (Corporal Hooves), a radio operator (Corporal Trails), a machine gunner (Lance Corporal Baritone), a demolitions expert (Specialist Steamer), and 5 riflemen (Private Rich, Private Bushel, Private Slice, Paladin, and Big Mac). "Alright everybody listen up the 4th armored was escorting a VIP through the Everfree on their way to Canterlot when they were ambushed. It's our job to save what's left of the 4th and get the VIP back to Canterlot." Sergeant Ace told the team from the passenger seat of the MRAP "The Everfree? I thought we had 6 battalions there?" Caramel asked "We did but Blue Blood pulled everyone except the 4th engineers back to Manehatten." "What happen to the 4th?" "We lost contact with them 2 days ago but didn't think nothing of it, because their last message said that they were having problems with their communications and would have to go dark to fix it." "Are they sending anyone to check on them?" "Not till after we complete our current objective." Damn Mac thought to himself. He had went through basic with a few of them and he hoped they were alright. Mac began to hear gunfire and explosions from outside the MRAP. Then Steamer began shooting from the machine gun nest which was on top of the MRAP. "All units form a circle around the survivors!" the Captain called over the radio. Trails who was driving the MRAP put it into a tight turn as he moved them in front of the hand full of survivors. "Alright Charlie team move! Move! Move!" Ace yelled opening the MRAPS door. Mac followed the team out of the MRAP that's when he saw her; she was tall with long dark almost black hair that seemed to shimmer like it held stars within it. "MAC MOVE!" Paladin yelled grabbing Mac snapping him back to reality. "C'mon the Captain wants us to move the wounded into the MRAPS!" Mac laid his rifle down so he could pick up one of the wounded men but as he did he noticed that the soldier was missing his left arm it took all he could to keep from vomiting. Mac carried the him to the MRAP handing him to Hooves who was waiting inside with his med kit at the ready. Mac and Paladin continued their work which felt like took hours once they had loaded the last man they grabbed their rifles to join the rest of their team when Mac heard the Captain say "Princess all of the wounded are loaded on board as you requested and are ready to leave and now you need to leave with them!" "Captain I will not leave until all of our soldiers are evacuated!" she replied "Princess Luna the 5th is on their way once they arrive we'll get everyone out now you need to go!" The Princess finally gave in making her way to one of the MRAPS the Captain then turned to seem Mac and Paladin who had heard the whole conversation standing there. "You two go with her make sure she get's to Canterlot!" "Yes Sir!" they both replied getting in the MRAP the princess had just got into. Mac looked at the driver and yelled "GO!" Without questioning the order he slammed on the gas pedal taking off down the road that lead out of the Everfree. Mac could smell blood and looking back behind him he saw several men lying on the MRAP's floor the medic was doing his best but there was to many for just one man to attend to. So the Princess asked him what she could do to help the medic pointed toward one of the wounded men and said "Grab that can of biofoam and plug his wound" he looked at Paladin "You come here and help me stabilize this one" finally he turned to Mac "Try and stop his bleeding use the hot sticks if you need to" he said pointing to a box on the wall. Mac Kneeled down beside the wounded man, Mac realized that the wounded soldier was just a boy about the same age as himself. The boy looked up at him saying “Please don’t let me die!” he pleaded to Mac tears in his eyes “Please don’t let me die!” he repeated. Mac swallowed the lump in his throat “I ain’t gonna let you die” Mac said before he began to work on the boys missing leg. Mac could remember basic first aid; the first thing he needed to do was to stop the bleeding. He took the sling from his rifle and tightened it around what was left of the boy’s leg but the blood kept running out. “Damn!” Mac said reaching for the hot sticks on the wall. He glanced back at the boy whose breathing was slowing and his eyes were beginning to close “Hey stay awake bud, c’mon talk to me. What’s yer name?” Mac asked trying to keep him awake. “Daring… my name’s Daring Doo.” He said to Mac who was begging the hot sticks to hurry and heat up enough to cauterize the wound. “Where ya from Daring?” Mac asked “Appaloosa” he whispered looking up at Mac the boy said "I can't feel my legs Doc, my body's getting warm to. I don't think I'm gonna make it." "Don't say that Daring I promise you ain't gonna-" "Doc I know I'm dying! So please do me a favor will you?" Daring said cutting Mac off mid sentence. "What do ya need son?" Mac asked laying the hot sticks down "Will you stay with me while I pray? Please?" he said taking a rosary from his pocket "Of course..." Mac said taking the boys hand. "Dear God thank you for the life you have given me. I pray that my sacrifice and those of others do not go in vain. I pray you watch over my family and keep them safe from harm. Watch over people like Mr. Macintosh who risked his life to save mine and the Princess. In your name we pray Amen." Daring looked at Mac and whispered "It was a honor to know you Mr. Macintosh..." Then he closed his eye's and died. Mac held the boys hand and watched as he passed away. Then remembering what the priest said when his Pa passed away he spoke the words "Though your spirit may leave this mortal form you shall for ever stay in the hearts of those you have met until we to join you in the great beyond. May you rest in peace. In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti." Mac felt a hand on his shoulder "Princess he was to young to die" “They always are, but you should not blame yourself for this.” She said to Mac “I promised him I wouldn’t let him die, but I failed him. I have always kept my promises until now.” Luna took his arm and said “Macintosh it was not your fault, his wound was too great there was nothing anyone could have done to save him.” “Maybe but I feel like I could have done more for him.” Mac said looking at Luna who looked back at him with eye's that shined like the stars. Then the rocket hit. Mac slowly began to sit up only to Luna laying on his chest. He started to panic thinking she may have been hurt "Princess are you ok?" he asked Luna began to stir "Uh huh" she said before realizing she was laying on Mac's chest "Are you alright?" "Eeyup" Mac replied before turning his attention to the sound of the wounded which began to fill the rolled over MRAP. He saw Paladin beginning to get up Mac called to him "Hey Paladin you alright?" Paladin replied "Ya I think I am what about Princess Luna?" "I'm fine" she said getting off of Mac. They began to hear gunfire coming from outside the MRAP; Mac looked over at Paladin "Paladin we have to get out there and hold those guys off until the 5th reach us." "Alright! Doc get on the radio and call the battalion tell them we need immediate aid!" Paladin said before climbing out the machine gun nest. Mac started to follow but felt something tug his arm "I'm coming with you" Luna said "I'm sorry Princess but you need to stay here where it's safe, I can't lose you." Mac told her before following Paladin out into the battle. There were three MRAPs in their convoy but the MRAP Mac had been in was the only one that was not engulfed in flames. Mac quickly realized that he and Paladin were the only soldiers besides the wounded in their MRAP still alive. They set up positions along the convoy using the MRAPs as cover they were heavily out numbered and were in a very desperate situation Mac hoped that the rest of the battalion would show up soon other wise they would all be killed. "Mac here they come!" Paladin yelled before firing his rifle. Mac brought his rifle to his shoulder and pulled the trigger sending the bullet into one of the Minoan soldiers. Mac began to take one Minoan after the other making sure to save his ammo he only put one round into each one's chest his aim being perfect as bodies of Minoans began to pile. The Minoans retreated a little ways for they had not been expecting such heavy resistance from such a destroyed convoy. Mac used this time to check on Luna and the wounded; he stuck his head inside but was met with Luna coming outside. "Princess you should stay inside until the battalion arrives" Mac told her blocking her way out. "Macintosh I have been trained in case I was to enter combat I can handle myself perfectly well. Besides while there is a break in the fight I have a question which must be answered." She said gently pushing her way past Mac. "What question is that?" "Earlier when you said I needed to stay inside you said and I quote I can't lose you I what did you mean by that?" she asked raising a eyebrow Mac blushed remembering what he had said to her as he left the MRAP. He knew the reason why he said it but if he told her she would surely laugh and mock him. "I uh-" "Mac we have incoming!" Paladin yelled Mac quickly moved back to his position bringing his rifle to his shoulder and began to shoot the advancing Minoans. Mac noticed someone lay down beside him and also began to shoot he glanced over and saw that it was Luna firing the rifle. "Princess you shouldn't be here!" Mac said to her "Macintosh shut up and keep firing!" she yelled back at him Mac decided that now was not the time to argue with her so he went back to firing at the enemy. They were holding them off until suddenly the ground began to shake as a tank began moving towards them. Mac grabbed Luna and moved her away from the MRAP just before it exploded killing the wounded and the medic who were still inside. Mac and Luna jumped into a creek bed behind them and were quickly joined by Paladin who had lost his helmet during the battle "Mac the battalion's 10 minutes out I think we can hold this position until then" Paladin said as the shooting suddenly stopped and the sound of the tank began to fade. They waited for a few minutes before Paladin spoke again "I think they're retreating" he said standing up only to be met with a bullet to the head. Mac watched in horror as his bestfriend's head exploded from the impact spraying Mac in blood. Mac and Luna were frozen in place starring at the growing pool of blood that was forming around what was left of Paladin's head. Then Mac saw the grenade as it landed a few feet away from them, he reacted instantly tackling Luna to the ground shielding her with his body. He heard the explosion then the world went black. Present Mac regained his focus after recalling the past events then his eyes grew wide "Doc is Luna ok?" before Doctor Stables could respond the door opened and Princess Luna walked in. "It's good to see you awake Private Macintosh." She said walking to his bed side. "Doctor will you please excuse us for a few moments there is something I must speak to Mr. Macintosh about." "Of course your majesty" the doctor said closing the door as he left. Mac looked at Luna who had pulled a seat up beside his bed "Princess before we start discussin what you wanted to discuss I have to ask something if it's alright." Luna took Mac's burned hand "Yes Mr. Macintosh it was really me who visited you while you were here in the hospital." Though Mac couldn't remember that he woke up a few times in the hospital he did remember that he did dream of Luna and he knew the stories about how she could visit dreams but he had thought it might have just been him. Now that Luna had confirmed that it was really her he turned a dark shade of red recalling what had transpired in the dreams. Luna smiled "And I promise you that what all I said to you was true and I do hope that what you said was also true." "Eeyup." Mac said shocked at the relization of what had just been reviled to him. "So uh what did ya want to talk about?" Mac asked Luna sighed "Mac the war is not going well for us... not only must we deal with the Minoans but we must also deal with the threat of the Changling Empire as well. There is a special group of super soldiers that Princess Celestia and I have used since the war against King Sombra they are called LANCERS. They are genetically modiefied soldiers who for centuries have protected Equestria and now they are being called upon again." "What does that got to do with me?" Mac asked "I'm here to talk to you about joining this group of soldiers." "Princess I would gladly serve as one except in the condition i'm in I don't think I'd be to well off in the group." Mac said gesturing at the burn marks on his body.