The War of 1002

by Fireheart 1945


Chapter 64; Parade

James thoroughly enjoyed getting clean again; he'd known mostly dirt and grit since going off to fight, and it was great to feel all of it washed away... at least, on the surface. There were wounds and scars - dirt, if one would will - that could not be cleansed away so easily, not by mere men.

Shaking his head in an effort to clear those thoughts away, he got dressed and headed for his room. All the while, he went over the war so far in his head.

We had God's blessing, to be sure. We were able to survive, and even when we lost, we put the hurt on the enemy. He felt part of himself shiver as he went over a report that had reached him just prior to the shower. According to that one, Queen Chrysalis almost got her way with Ponyville; if we hadn't knocked her over, the town would have disappeared in a storm of fire. The only place that got hit scorched was a plain to the north of the town, and no one died, thank God.

He reprimanded himself mentally. I can't assume that the griffons are going to be easy meat for our slaughter, or that they won't have something equally desperate and devastating. I've made that mistake way too often. We have to be alert, and do our part to end this war before they can pull out something like that. I don't know what power they could wield that could cause the kind of damage that Chrysalis' spell would have, but then again, I didn't know the Queen could do what she died, either.

He turned, reaching the room he'd been assigned to. Well, a good night's rest ought to do me some good. I'll ponder more on the problem in the morning.

He reached for the door and began to pull it open, but his ear caught the sound of hoofsteps approaching; heavy ones, too. James turned his head to the left, where the noise was coming from.

"Mind if I join you for a few minutes, James?" Luna asked softly as she came closer.

"I don't mind. It's your castle, after all."

Luna chuckled politely. "It your room for the night, and you are a most welcome guest, therefore you have the option to accept or to refuse."

"Hmm." With that, James pulled the door open, and both of them walked through. James sat down on the bed, while Luna remained standing.

"I'm glad to see that you're well," Luna began. "I hope the past few months haven't been too hard on you, or on our armies."

"They haven't exactly been a lark," James answered. "But most of us have survived, thankfully. Hopefully the war ends soon."

Luna sighed. "We've tried sending back prisoners of war to request peace, but they were arrested for treason when they reached their own lines. We'll have to defeat them with military force, for their king gives us no choice and refuses sound reasoning, even when we have the advantage over him in every way."

"Dictators tend to ignore reasoning," James replied. "Some back home have done things not only costly regarding life, but also utterly ridiculous and senseless."

Luna snorted in mild amusement, but became serious again very quickly. "If only they left their foolishness at home. How many more thousands will die before this war ends?"

"A few, at least, that's the sad truth of it. We'll try to head straight for their capital and end the war as soon as possible, but it's going to be a slog through those forests. I'd suggest burning the woods down, but I doubt that would meet with your approval."

"No, it would not. Fluttershy would never forgive you if you did that."

"I know. The only thing I could suggest is just going around them with our excess troops and seize as much land as we can, all the while flanking them out. I'm going to try that when I get back there."

Luna nodded. "Very good." She turned her head to look out the window for a moment, deep in thought. Finally, she said, "Thank you for letting me borrow your book; it made me realize that I really am loved, even if people in this world aren't so caring."

James nodded. "I'm glad it's helped you."

"I suppose you'll be wanting it back now..."

"You can keep it. I might want it back at the end of the war, but you can definitely keep it until then. If I die, you may keep it forever."

"Don't say that!" Luna gasped loudly. "I don't want any more of my friends to perish in this war!"

"It's a possibility. I'm not saying I'm going to die, but I can't know. I'm just saying if..."

"An 'if' that I find most despairing. Many of my Guards have laid down their lives in this conflict, and I hate to think that more will."

James ran his fingers through Luna's mane. "I'm sorry." For a moment, neither of them said a word.

Suddenly, James felt a yawn coming. In spite of his efforts to block it, he was unable to suppress it. The sound jerked Luna out of her reverie. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I forgot how tired you were. I shall depart now and allow you to get some sleep."

Although part of him wanted the Princess to stay, James knew she was right. "Alright. Thank you for visiting."

"T'was no trouble." Luna turned to leave, but stopped just short of the door.

"What is it?"

"Do you... do you really think that I can be forgiven for almost unleashing eternal night upon the world... twice?" she asked, eyes closed and facing the doorway.

Whatever James had been expecting to hear, this wasn't it. He was quiet for a few moments while he recovered. "Well, do you believe in Christ as God's Son and Savior?"

"Yes," she replied, turning her head sideways to look at him.

"And do you believe he died to save you from your sins?"

"Yes!"

"Then you are saved. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not okay to do bad things, and never will be, but as long as you believe wholeheartedly, you're eternally saved, even if you have struggles in this life. We all do, on that last one. I definitely do, and will, given everything that's happened since the start of this war." James sighed, remembering the battles. "I think most of us will have scars from this conflict, but given enough time and effort, we'll be able to rebuild."

"Hopefully, tonight, you'll be able to sleep soundly. I've practiced, and I've found ways to help even in the dreams of soldiers. I promise you, I'll try to protect you from nightmares."

"Thank you."

Luna used her magic to open the door. "Good night," they both said, at almost the same time. Luna smiled slightly, walked through the door, and shut it quietly.

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James awoke to the sun's rays streaming through his window. He groaned, then sat up and stretched before getting dressed. Naturally, the only thing he had to wear was his uniform, or at least, that was the only thing he actually wanted to wear that he considered respectable. His only other clothes were the ones in which he had come to Equestria in; it wasn't that he didn't like those, but he liked the uniform better. Besides, the uniform was fairly comfortable, and he liked wearing it.

He felt his stomach growl; it didn't care which set of clothes he wore, so long as it got food, and soon. Alright, fine. I'll go to the dining hall and get something. Just be quiet and let me do this already.

He finished, walked through the door and closed it, and made his way to the dining hall. He passed a number of Guards as he went, but none of them challenged him.

They may act like walking statues, but they've got feelings just like everyone else, he thought. They just don't display them on duty.

He walked into the dining hall to find that Celestia was already seated, eating a small piece of banana bread. She nodded when he saw him. "Good morning," she said warmly. "Would you please sit down and have breakfast with us?"

"Us?" James repeated. "What, is someone else coming?"

"Indeed. My sister and Shining Armor will be arriving at any moment, along with a guest. My nephew might also be coming, though I'm not certain."

"Well, bring them on," James said, sitting down in a chair not far from her. "I'm all for company right now." He reached out for a bun, picked up a butter knife, tore the bun in half and buttered both halves of it before chewing the delicious concoction down.

He managed to butter and eat another bun before Shining came through the door. "I see the party's started already," he said in an amused sort of way.

"Hardly a party," James replied, reaching for a third bun. "No cake, for one thing."

"Sorry," Celestia said, sounding - and looking - as though she meant it. "My chefs had trouble getting enough eggs and flour to make anything more this morning. The war is eating up a lot of our supplies, no pun intended, as available food must be brought to the soldiers and sailors doing the fighting, and Trottingham and it's surrounding area need a lot of attention, since the griffons went to the expedient of stealing most of the food that wasn't tied down, and even most of that which was. Although the ponies there are able to eat normally again, the farming community in the region have fallen disastrously behind in crop yields due to the conflict, and thus we must continue sending food there."

"Hopefully, we can get our kingdom back up to snuff after we've won the war," Shining said, in a determined tone of voice.

"We will. Unfortunately, there will be many who will be unable to enjoy it." Celestia sighed. "If only their king would face up to reality... But that's unlikely to happen, and we must deal with the situation as is." She turned to James. "What ideas do you have to that effect?"

"Hmmm." James thought carefully for a minute. "I think we can afford to split off numerous four-hundred strong groups from the army, intended to take the war to the enemy. As raiders, their concerns will be pillaging railroads in particular, as well as destroying military supplies and factories and manufactories responsible for the creation of military materials. They won't be intended to take or hold territory; that will be up to the army. But they'll make their presence felt. Enough of that, and maybe we won't have to take their capital to win, because the political pressure - internal political pressure, to be precise - will be upon them to quit."

"An interesting concept," Celestia answered. "Anything else?"

"Re-purpose any airships we have to be military craft. Use them to bomb enemy positions before a battle, to keep an eye on their positions and movements, and-"

"Oh, honestly, there's better uses for giant balloons than such mundane purposes."

James froze. No... It can't be...

There was a burst of white light and black, and before them, on top of the table, stood Discord.

James had his sword halfway out of it's sheath before he noticed Celestia looking at him and shaking her head. Puzzled, he nonetheless sheathed his sword and sat back down. "Um, Princess.... is there any reason why Discord is no longer stone and is waltzing around unopposed?"

"Oh, that's right," Celestia said, bringing a hoof to the side of her head. "I was going to send you a letter about this, but I was busy dealing with something else and I forgot entirely. I'm sorry, James. That was an oversight on my part."

"That's fine. But..."

"Oh, you're so dull," Discord interrupted, pretending to gag. "I still remember when this country was run in such a way that it was actually fun to live in!"

"Fun, perhaps, for you," Celestia said, still calmly. "Hardly so for the ponies who had to undergo that 'fun'. I'm hoping you've moved past that."

"What? I've been reformed, my dear Princess, as you well know," the dragonequus said, bowing. "How could you think I would return to my former ways... most of the time," he added in an undertone."

James leaned back in his seat. To be honest, he didn't know what to make of the self-made lord of chaos. He felt like he was sitting not far from a bomb that could go off whenever it wanted... and keep exploding over and over again, like the theoretical Carolinian bombs H.G. Wells had loved to describe. On the other hand, Celestia hadn't managed to rule a country for over a thousand years by being stupid. She wasn't one to trust without reason, and that helped calm, though not entirely eliminate, his fears. He allowed himself to relax slightly, though his left hand - under the table, where no one else could see - still rested on the pommel of his sword. Just a reassuring habit, of course.

"Come on, don't you have anything to say?" Discord said, still looking at James with amusement. "Or do you soldiers only have strategy and tactics to think about?"

"We have a lot to think about," Shining replied, a hint, or more than a hint, of anger in his voice. "Like the guys who aren't coming back."

This was the first thing that even made their new guest lose his smile even momentarily. "I admit, I don't like that ponies are dying," he said, "and I hope this conflict ends. There's a reason I'm not in it; I've made a personal vow never to use my powers to kill or maim anypony."

"That doesn't mean he's done absolutely nothing," Celestia said. "He's helped with designing and implementing magical defenses for Canterlot, which would help keep the city safe if the enemy managed to get through. It's unlikely now, but even so, it's a contribution that's helped calm the citizenry. Most are invisible, and would only be visible during an enemy attack, which is why you haven't seen them."

"Ugh, blue all over," Discord went on, looking at James' uniform. "Couldn't bother imagining some other color to go with that blue? Perhaps some orange or red in such and such a place, and some white there, and some black - can hardly forget black - with a sport of green, violet, and indigo in whatever space remained. Or, better yet, wear hats on your feet and shoes on your heads, with candy canes and foam swords instead of those beastly guns and spears you soldiers carry with you everywhere. That way, everyone could have enjoy themselves, and best of all, nobody would end up dead!"

James was quick to check his uniform; nothing had changed.

"Suspicious type, aren't we? Well, perhaps I should ask your new companion what he thinks about my design changes."

"Hmm?" Before James could ask what he meant by that, he heard his own voice speaking to his right;

"Yeah, these colors are great. Wonderful idea, Discord! Go you!"

James turned to see a large, multi-colored conglomerate of cloth giving Discord what appeared to be a thumbs up. It had every color Discord had just mentioned, with a few more added in.

I really don't like being made fun of... Remember, don't rise to it, just sit here...

"Discord, I'm pleased that you're using your powers playfully rather than in an evil manner," Celestia said, "but I think the curtains would appreciate being back in their usual places."

"Oh, you're no fun anymore, Celly," Discord said, looking disappointed. "It's not like they get much exercise anyway. But as you say..." He snapped his fingers; the curtains, which had made up James' doppelganger changed back into pure purple and flew back to where they'd been originally. "I remember when you were so much more fun to play with."

Celestia's face didn't change. "I was young then, and I wasn't in charge of an entire country, with the masses to look out for. And the fact that you refused to cease your initial activities, even though the majority were begging you to stop, was a massive turn-off."

"Ugh. Ponies. Don't ask them how to play; they always come up with something boring. Well, I'm off to see Pinkie Pie; maybe she'll be in the mood for some chaos." And with that, the dragonequus vanished.

"That went better than I expected," Celestia commented. "As I was would have said in my letter, James, I decided, after much thinking and after intense internal - and external - debate, I set out to rehabilitate Discord, hoping to give him some friends to interact with, as well as bringing his chaos magic over to our side."

"I hope the population doesn't consider him-"

"He's not a god; you know that, or so I've heard. And he does admit that, when you manage to talk to him privately." Celestia sipped some of her tea before continuing. "Chaos magic is, as you might expect, quite different from the normal magic; so fundamentally different, in fact, that it took him over thirty years to master his control over them. Even now, as he himself admits, sometimes something he does surprises even him... not that there's much that does. It's not inherently more powerful than... conventional magic, I suppose we'll call it, it's just so different that those without powers over it - like most beings on this world - will come face to face with it and think it god-like." She took a bite of an apple and swallowed it. "All facts considered, I believed, and still believe, that the risk is worth the reward in this case."

"Like trying to defuse a nuclear bomb, and wondering if its the blue or red wire that will set it off or deactivate it."

"I didn't intend to let this experiment go forward without safeguards. The Bearers have the elements to stop him if he causes any nonsense. Even so, I don't think, at least at this stage, that they'll be needed. Fluttershy has managed to befriend him, and hopefully that relationship will be the doorway that will allow for further trust to build." Celestia snorted in an amused sort of way as she sipped again. "I do hope he keeps that mischievous side that defines him; all I want is for that mischief to be kept from turning back into villainy. He was right; there was a time when I liked to pull practical jokes, and have some of the more amusing sort of fun that he loves so much. My responsibilities, though, and the love of my people took, still take, and will always take, precedence over enjoyment."

"Hmmm. I guess I'll let that whole problem slide, then. Not that I have a choice." James took his hand off his sword, and sighed quietly. "To return to our original subject, airships and tanks should be deployed, with upgraded versions reaching the front as fast as possible."

"I agree," Shining was quick to say. "More tanks and artillery, though I'm not sure how effective airships would be in a military situation. We could use pegasi for the aforementioned tasks."

James grunted in disagreement, but didn't reply. It was true, and the airships would be vulnerable to any griffons that took to the air. However, they could carry more armament than a pegasus could, and deliver their ordinance with much more... dramatic results. "Terrifying the enemy - short, of course, of using atrocities to do so - can bring about victory in itself, and having a fleet of airships bomb their front lines would definitely inflict fear upon them."

"The airships aren't a bad idea," Celestia concluded, "but I'm afraid they won't do much good. The griffons have developed their own cannons designed purely for killing anything in the air. As a result, we've lost numerous pegasi during the recent forest campaign."

"The weapons are funneling even those with wings to the ground," James muttered. "I guess you both have a point, though not one I'm pleased to note in this case."

"I understand. Anything else you could think off?"

"Ah, yes. Tightening the blockade. I hear they've resorted to trying to run the blockade in order to sell goods for money and war materials."

"Indeed. Ironclad warships have just started coming off our docks."

"Ironclads?" James repeated, surprised. "First I've heard of that."

"They're experimental at this stage. We have a version of the two-turreted ironclad you have in your books, as well as a second type, designed to ram enemy ships, though it does have cannons on its sides, in case such a tactic isn't ideal. We don't have more than two of each launched at the moment, though, and they're undergoing trials. Saddle Arabia will be responsible for maintaining the blockade for awhile yet."

"Hmm."

"On a more positive note, our zebra allies, as well as Saddle Arabian troops, have caught up with our forces, adding to the number of soldiers fighting on the griffon front."

"A significant advantage," Shining observed. "And it will be a powerful proof to the enemy that they're pariahs in the eyes of the world."

"Of course, I hope to be sure that our allies will be determined in their efforts to fight," James replied. "I intend no insult toward them, but I have no experience with their fighting capabilities, or their will to win."

"I would not worry about that if I were you," Celestia answered. "The zebras have a history of fighting bravely, and as for the SA troops, they're loyal to their allies and will fight to the end, whether bitter or not. I'm confident of their ability to help end this war in a victory."

"Good," James said.

"Now, I think we should discuss just how to proceed with the parade..."

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James watched as the preparations were made. Plans for the march were deliberately designed to get the troops to the train station, so they could embark to the eastern front. Thanks fully, instead of just one, overcrowded train, there would be multiple ones, one setting out before the next, to take the soldiers were they needed to go.

The roads the troops would march on were being designated as such currently. At 1 P.M., the parad would start. Changeligns would disguise themselves and march along with the rest of the forces involved. The army would march with all its equipment; artillery and limbers would go with them as a further demonstration of Equestrian military might, along with a few tanks that had come off the factories.

Those last had stirred James' attention. They were different from the ones that had helped recapture Trottingham; they were smaller, with two crewponies instead of a whole squad. They were of a radically different design; they were similar to FT-17s, but still had large wheels with thin treads, as did the current models fighting on the front lines, with more emphasis on the engine. The new tank had been nicknamed, "The Gallop," due to the fact that is was more than twice as fast as the "Barrel," with a 17 MPH top speed. James approved. These tanks were designed to pursue a fleeing enemy, or to raid behind enemy lines. They didn't have a very strong energy shield, and the solitary gun they carried was smaller than those in the "Barrel" model. However, James intended to throw them into battle after the outcome had been decided. They weren't there to necessarily break through front lines, though they could aid in that capacity if they needed to.

Of course, the preparations caught the eyes of the many ponies going about their business. Curious glances and the gaze of many were everywhere. Most of them would know by now what was going to happen, naturally; the morning papers had announced it. But that didn't stop them from stopping and staring.

James folded his arms contentedly. The city was peaceful. When they weren't watching the parade being prepared, they were eating breakfasts, trading with merchants, and going into stores and businesses to work and purchase items.

Peace and prosperity. Somewhat in short supply in the east right now.

"Excuse us, General, could we please have a moment?"

"Ugh," James groaned under his breath. He knew that kind of voice; a reporter. And, judging by the number of hooves he heard clip-clopping on the street, there were a few of them. He sighed quietly, and turned around. "Yes? What can I do for you," he asked, trying to remain polite and patient.

A red mare with a quill and papers sticking out of a pair of saddlebags was running toward him, with a pegasus stallion hovering in the air holding a camera a foot or two above her and to her left, with two other earth ponies, who also appeared to be stallions, on yellow, on her right, and the other black, on her left, approaching with her. The mare stopped several feet in front of James, as did her companions. "General," she said, reaching out her right front hoof, which he took. "I am Quick Quill, reporter for the Canterlot Times. Mind if I have a word?" she asked, withdrawing her hoof.

"I suppose," James said, deliberately adding a warning tone in his voice.

From her nod, he knew she'd taken his meaning. "I don't intend to accuse you, General. Others might, but I'm just here to ask a few questions for our readers. So," she said, reaching into her bag and taking out a piece of paper, "What are your views on the current conflict? What reasons do you believe Equestria has for fighting?"

"Well," he said, as she reached back into her bag - with her head this time - and came back with a pencil in her mouth, "Equestria was attacked, and mobilized to defend itself. That's one of the most basic reasons for fighting a war, and entirely justified."

"Reasons - for - fighting - a - war," he heard, or something like it, from her mouth as she wrote the words. "And what do you say to those who call for an end to the fighting?"

"That would be plausible, if the enemy showed any interest in ending the conflict that they started. Unfortunately, their king has no intention of calling for peace. As one member of the public said some time ago, he's the type who'd gladly burn down the world, so long as he could rule the ashes. He refused to negotiate, so after we repelled their invasion, we invaded them in hopes of bringing the war to a swift, or at least, swifter, conclusion."

Quick Quill finished writing that down. "What about those who say that the blood shed in this conflict is too high a price to pay?"

What about those who accuse you and the other commanders of wasting the lives of their sons? was what she really meant, though, to her credit, she hadn't phrased it like that. He let the air go out through his nose, trying to think of a good answer. "What about the future that would come if Equestria didn't take up arms to protect itself, and to remove two dictators from power?" he answered. "If Equestria had just sat there and died, this nation would now have become a battleground between Chrysalis and King Raneiro, with only war and oppression to look forward to. The price of freedom isn't cheap, but the price of tyranny is really too high a price to live with. If the readers believe that it would have been better to sit down and let themselves be conquered, then I must raise an objection."

"Raise - an - objection. Very good. And how about the current campaign in the griffon wilderness?"

James lifted a hand. "I cannot and will not speak of army plans in public." Especially when I'm not sure of them myself, he added mentally. "However, I can say that we are looking for, and working towards, a resolution of that admittedly costly fighting, which is just as hard on the enemy as it is on us."

"Hmm. Last question. There has been a sizable minority that have been concerned that giving a... foreigner command of Equestrian troops was risky as best. Any answer you would care to give them?"

People don't like that you're different - in numerous ways - and are blaming you personally for the loss of lives in the war up to date. Your reaction? James felt a strong undercurrent of frustration course through his spine, along with a hint of sorrow. Didn't these people know that he was trying to bring as many of his soldiers home as he possibly could, and that their loss hit him hard as well?

A look of anger must have shown on his face, as the reporter backed up nervously a couple steps. Realizing this, he made and effort to control himself and bring a neutral expression on his face, grunting noncommittally as he did so. "They would be at odds with the Equestrian ideal of harmony," he said curtly. "Ideals espoused by their Princesses. The nation needs unity in this time, not division."

"Thank you for your time," Quick Quill said when she'd finished writing. "I apologize if those questions, or some of them, were difficult to answer. The editor wanted to hear the story, or some of it, from the other side, shall we say."

"If you want a story on the other side, go to the griffons," James suggested.

That startled a laugh out of the party. "My, a comedian as well as a general," Quick Quill said, recovering. "Again, thank you for your time." She motioned to the pegasus. "Paparazzi, take a picture."

"Hey, now wait a-"

Poof!

"Ah, my eyes!" James brought his hands to his eyes, a measure much too late to keep from being flashed by the camera.

"Nice one. back to the paper, boys." Without any further ado, Quick Quill and her companions turned and crossed the street.

James rubbed his eyes, still trying to get the image from the flash to go away. Not the worst interview ever, he remarked to himself. I would still have rather skipped it, though. He sighed. Reporters gave you a choice; either answer their questions - and possibly be blasted - or don't answer... and definitely get blasted. Overall, it hadn't been the excruciating torment he'd expected, but it wasn't something he would have said yes to twice.

Oh well. Back to overseeing the parade's preparations...

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Bright Star felt a strong feeling inside as he marched through the streets with his unit; thousand of ponies of all shapes, sizes, and stripes of life were cheering and throwing flowers. He chomped a couple out of midair; they weren't all that bad, and he was a little hungry for a good snack.

The crowd was quite enthralled by the sight of the army marching down their streets. Pegasi hovered above, taking pictures and throwing flowers and wreaths. Earth ponies and unicorns, though ground bound, were no less enthusiastic. Unicorns levitated flowers down to soldiers, with roses being caught in multiple mouths. The amount of hoof stomping was almost deafening; in fact, Bright was sure the sidewalk might well suffer some significant damage by the time the parade was over.

Some in the crowd were quite keen on getting close to the soldiers; police had a full time job keeping the crowd from interfering with the army. Bright could swear he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

The unit behind them seemed especially happy. Bright sniffed. Makes sense; they're Changelings. They're getting the most out of this parade. No harm appeared to come to anypony in the crowd, though; obviously, whatever emotional energy the disguised Changelings were taking, it wasn't enough for anyone to notice. In any case, the Changeling contingent wasn't causing any trouble, and they were composing themselves well. He supposed they'd come through alright, assuming none of them gave the game away. They'd had orders from their commanders to maintain their disguises, out of fear that the crowd would be hostile or fearful. The word had gone out in the news already that most Changeling hives and their Queens were eager for a peaceful existence with Equestria, of course, but no one in the governments involved were sure how the ordinary pony would react to undisguised Changelings, so the order stood.

"Bright... Bright!"

Wait... that sounds like...

A yellow earth pony, of a hue not far from Bright's own, burst out of the crowd and embraced him; Bright dropped his gun (which was unloaded) as the mare hugged him.

"Ugh... little sis... you're crushing me..."

"Hey!" a police officer shouted.

"Bright Heart, I thought you were conscripted," Bright managed to say as the smaller but very strong mare released him.

"Oh, I was," she answered. "But my CO gave me permission to view the parade."

Bright noticed that she wore a blue uniform much like his own.

"Alright, you," the officer from before said, approaching. "Get back in the crowd, and we might overlook this little incident."

"Sorry, copper," Bright Heart replied. "My brother's a bit more important than your regulations."

"Kid sister," Bright said, as the officer turned to him.

"Be that as it may, this counts as a disturbance of the peace," the officer said. "I'll give you one more chance..."

"Sis, just go," Bright said, picking up his gun. "We'll meet at the train station."

"But..."

"Go," Bright said. "I love you, little sister, but please, don't go to jail on my account. We'll meet later, I promise."

Bright Heart pouted, then sighed. "Alright. But I'm going to see you there, even if I do get arrested then." She turned around and slowly headed back toward the crowd. "Be there," she said, over her shoulder.

"I will," he promised.

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James watched as the first couple regiments approached the station and the temporary podium that had been set up. He found himself smiling slightly in spite of all the worries he'd have to deal with later on. This army was a well-oiled machine - perhaps not as well disciplined as armies back home, but highly motivated and in possession of high morale. That, as far as James was concerned, was more important than discipline; what use was discipline if soldiers were too demoralized to fight? The will to fight was higher on his list of priorities, and this army fit the bill.

As the regiments came in front of the podium, they stopped, as was planned.

James heard Celestia's hooves clip-clop on the wood as she stepped up to begin her speech. He wasn't sure whether to wince or to smile. I seriously hope this isn't boring.

"Soldiers, and all citizens of Equestria," the Princess began. "Words cannot describe how proud, for the lack of a better word, I am of your efforts over the past eleven month. You've put up with hardship with little complaint, and your productiveness has given us victory in this conflict over Queen Chrysalis. All that remains is to push on the griffons, and continue, regretful though the necessity is, to advance until the fight is won."

There was a fair amount of applause and hoof-stomping in response.

"As you can see, our army remains strong, and continues to expand. Our allies have come into the war, and the pressure increases on our foe to give up his foolish fight. I believe that the might displayed in this parade will be sufficient to persuade any doubters in our ability to win the conflict."

"Victory! Victory!" the soldiers shouted.

"I hereby make a public demand, addressed to the King Raniero; a plea to surrender and spare thousands of lives that will be lost on both sides in a futile defense. I promise mercy on him and his nation if only he would give up this destructive and foolish war."

"Victory! Victory!"

"In the case that the griffon king refuses to give in, our armies will continue their march, until the threat is no more and our land knows peace once again. Our victory in this war is inevitable at this point, and we shall not be denied it!"

"Victory! Victory!"

"I commend you all, and my thanks for your participation in the festivities today, as well as the war effort."

More cheering met this statement. There was one final shout of, "Victory! Victory!" before the soldiers turned and marched into the station.

"I suppose that speech wasn't all that bad," James said.

"'Wasn't all that bad?'" Shining said, from Celestia's other side. "The crowd was eating out of her hooves!"

"I admit, I'm glad it's over," Celestia said. "I do hope that my subjects (James shivered slightly) have gotten the message; that we will not be defeated at this stage of the conflict."

"What will you do with this massive army when the war's over?" James asked.

"I'm still thinking it over," the Princess said. "But I think we'll maintain an official army, along with the Royal Guard. I'll also set in place protocols designed for a fast and efficient mobilization. Most of the troops you see here will be demobilized, but a hard core of them will remain as professional soldiers."

"I see. I'm glad that this army isn't just going to be disbanded when the war's over."

"I would prefer that I could do such a thing," Celestia replied. "But this conflict has proven to me how necessary a military is. We'll also have a navy with similar principles in mind that I've outlined for the army."

"Very good," James answered, turning to her. "While the thousand year or so reign of peace you established was impressive, it is by no means infallible. War is part of being people; when its not nation against nation, it's person against person, people against disease, a struggle with depression, and, most importantly, the good and restrained side of our natures against the evil, sinful and indulgent. Sooner or later, a war between nations would be inevitable. To cast aside what we've learned in this war would be foolish."

"Do you really believe that war is so inevitable?" Celestia asked, turning her head to face him with both eyes.

"In this life, yes. That's why a having a multitude of arms at the ready and planning for the eventuality of conflict are essential for a nation that desires its independence. Magic, or what you call magic, is not sufficient to keep a nation protected and enemies at bay. Sometimes, the availability of arms can prevent a war and make both sides think twice before deciding anything rash." James looked away for a moment, toward the soldiers boarding the train. "And I certainly hope that our armaments and numbers will help bring this particular war to an end as soon as possible."

"As do I," Celestia replied.

"And I," Shining agreed.

James kept staring at the embarking soldiers. Many would likely not come back. But for the sake of a free and secure Equestria, they would march, and he would be more than glad to lead them... preferably to victory.