Over There

by Paintbrush235


Chapter 4: Brief Misunderstandings

The three mares ran towards their respective filly in utmost joy. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both snatched up Scootaloo and Applebloom. However when Rarity went to hug Sweetie Belle off of the back of a stallion with large glasses, she was stopped by the same stallion as he held up his hoof.

“I’m sorry ma’am.” Doc said. “But this child has a broken leg and should not be moved.”

Rarity gasped at this statement and did so once again when her eyes fell upon the bandaged leg of her little sister’s leg. Her look of shock soon turned into a glare as she turned back towards the strange stallions. “Who did this?!? Did you all do this?!?”

Doc took a step back and the rest of marine ponies eyes widened at this accusation. “What?” Doc replied. “Of course we didn’…”

“Just who are you guys anyway?!?!” Rainbow Dash interrupted, “And just what are you doing around here huh?!?”

“And why do ya’ll have our little sisters with ya?!?” Applejack shouted.

All three mares began launching accusations and harsh questions at the marines, so much that the intimidated stallions (as everypony knows there is nothing more frightening than a mare’s fury) couldn’t get a single word in.

“Stop!!”

All the yelling ceased when the three fillies unified shouts rose above the storm.

“It wasn’t their fault!” Applebloom cried.

“Yeah! We were writing a list of different things to do to get our cutie marks.” Scootaloo chimed in.

“And when I tried to give it to Scootaloo, the wind blew it away and we chased after it into the Everfree Forest.” Sweetie Belle whined.

All three older sisters gasped in shock. “We’ve told ya’ll before ta never go in there alone!” Applejack scolded.

“We know.” Applebloom replied. “By the time we realized we were in the forest we were completely lost.”

The three fillies went on to explain how timberwolves had chased them, how they caused Sweetie Belle to break her leg, and finally how the stallions had come out of nowhere and blasted away the timberwolves to pieces with their sticks, or as the fillies called them, “boom sticks”.

All the while, the three sisterly mares began to feel guilty for making unwarranted accusations towards the clearly brave stallions. Rarity felt especially sorry for yelling at the stallion that Sweetie Belle referred to as “Doc”, when she told of how Doc treated her broken leg.

“Please accept my sincerest apologies for yelling at you kind sir.” She said. “It was highly unladylike of me when all you did was try to help our sisters.”

Doc bowed his head at the mare. “No apology is needed ma’am.” He reassured “I can understand your concern for your sister.”

Rarity fluttered her eyelashes and blush slightly at the stallions gentlecolty manners. As she did, she saw that Twilight had come up to the group while they had been talking.

“May I ask who you all are?” She asked, staring curiously at the clothed stallions.

A chestnut earth pony with a black mane and red stripes on the sleeves of his forelegs stepped forward.

“My name is Nathan Blackburn.” He said. “Gunnery Sergeant of B Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, United States Marine Corps. These me.. uh, stallions are from my squad.”

Twilight took in the appearance of the 12 stallions and the information that the stallion had given her with intrigue. “So, are you all soldiers?” She asked further.

“Soldiers?” On of the stallions with a black mustache said, sounding a bit offended. “Didn’t you hear her lady? We’re Marines!”

“Rainbow Dash’s face went back to showing anger in reaction to this stallion yelling at her friend.

“Hey buddy!” Don’t you yell at my friend!” she cried. “And besides, if you guys are soldiers, she outranks you all because she’s a princess!

At this revelation, all the marines immediately perked up. All this time they were in the presence of the possible leader of the nation they had landed in. They then did something that caught all the ponies, especially Twilight off guard.

“Atten-hut!!!”

Each stallion suddenly straightened up as stiff as a statue. The stallion called Nathan Blackburn brought his right hoof up to his head in a salute. “Our apologies your majesty.” He said firmly. “We did not realize we were in the presence of royalty.”

Twilight, who had not expected to be saluted in such a profoundly respectful manner, was at a loss for words. “Uh…I…uh…..” she stammered.

Rainbow Dash however recognized the gesture from her time in the Wonderbolts Reserve training. She also knew the proper response a superior, in this case Twilight, was supposed to use to acknowledge such a salute. She quickly flew over to her alicorn friend and whispered the response into her ear.

“Oh..okay.” Twilight whispered back. She then turned back to the stallions and cleared her throat. “Um…as you were.”

Immediately the stallions posture relaxed and Blackburn brought his hoof back down. The one called Doc stepped forward and dipped his head in respect to the Princess of Friendship.

“Your Majesty.” He spoke calmly and steadily and Twilight could see a bright spark of kindness and concern in his eyes. “My name is Timothy Hawkins and I am these stallions’ doctor in a way. I must stress that we get Sweetie Belle here to a hospital for proper treatment.”

Twilight nodded, then turned around to Nurse Redheart, who had been among the ponies called for the search parties. Immediately the medical mare in turn beckoned two ponies with a stretcher who trotted up to Doc and helped gently place the white wounded unicorn filly onto the stretcher. Once she was secure, the two ponies lifted the stretcher up and made off for the hospital with Nurse Redheart trailing behind.

Twilight meanwhile had turned her focus back on the stallion named “Blackburn” who had named himself the leader of the group of “marines”.

“Now that we have all that taken care of and have all calmed down, I have some questions for you gentlecolts.

Buckman and O’Brien snickered when the purple mare said “gentlecolts”. A disapproving glare from Doc silenced them both.

“So if you all would be so kind as to follow me back to my place so we can speak privately.” Twilight finished.”

“Of course your majesty.” Blackburn nodded. “Just lead the way.”