Equestria Divided: Faceless Legion

by ArthurGabriel

Chapter 8: The Skirmish

The night continued with every pony on guard. They had their hoof cannons and bombs at the ready. Tin, Arthur, and a few others tried planning things out incase helped didn't come. No matter what they planned, they always managed to come back to abandoning the train and traveling on foot. There was the constant sound of swishing above them, as if wings were being flapped. One of the sergeants said that they sent all the Pegasai Auxiliary to Fillydelphia.

"Hand me that double barrel Tin." Tin handed him the double barreled cannon. Arthur slowly peeked his head out, "I don't see anything..." He ducked back in and walked out the car. Tin urged him back inside as he climbed in top of the roof. He lit the fuse and continued watch. The flapping continued and the fog cleared out in front of him. A pegasus landed, "point that in the other direction you fool!" A mare trotted up as she situated her wings. Her name was Jade: she was a light red pegasus with a teal colored mane, with bright, yellow eyes. "Oh. My bad..." Arthur chuckled lightly as he snuffed out the fuse. "Well Jade, what did the upper brass have to say about out situation?" Arthur asked as she sighed as she removed her helmet, "not good. Let's get inside."

They went back inside and she informed them of what they sent. She debriefed them that they are to hold tight at all costs. Even Supreme Commaner Applejack ordered it. "Fuck what she says man!" "Hey. Keep your tone man. That's the last thing we-" "Fuck you too man! I'm gettin' off this tin box whether you like it or not!" He stripped himself of his gear.

As a young mare tried fetching him, Tin stopped her. "Forget...he won't make it out...I'll give it ten." Several minutes later, a scream was heard. "Told ya, now pay up." Several ponies dug into their pockets and started handing Tin various items, most of them were bits, or meal rations.

Arthur and Jade started the third watch. "So...Tin tells me you have a daughter back in NP?"

"Yup," Arthur said as he holstered his rifle. Jade then asked "may I ask how old she is?"

"She's three," Arthur replied as he continued keeping watch. "I also heard she's ah-" Arthur interrupted Jade. "Yeah. Unicorn. Her mothers side."

"Sorry to hear about what happened to her," Jade said as she readied her small cannon. "Well...at least she died peacefully. And happily too."

"So, how did you sign into this," Arthur asked.

"Family tradition, actually."

"Cool."

"How bout you Artie?" Arthur, looked like she struggled with it, but finally came with a answer, "bargaining chip."

"Bargaining-ohhh, never mind," Jade said slowly realizing the rumor about him were true. "Its cool. Some conversation is better then none, right?" Jade lightly chuckled. They spent the entire night keeping watch. They weren't bothered by it. Morning came and off in the distance he saw several pegasai approaching.

He sighed with relief and looked into his spyglass, "well, at least they got here like-" he stopped in mid sentence as he stared at their direction. "What is it Artie?" Arthur slowly reached for her hoof, "get...in the car, slowly."

"What is it?" Just as she asked, a pegasus swooped down. Arthur jerked Jade and they braced the roof top. All Arthur saw was a female Pegasus, and wings that glistened in the morning light. The mare giggled maniacally and the two went inside with great speed.

"Its Stormwing!" Jade shouted, "bastards must've been the one who destroyed the tracks!" Arthur punched Tin in the arm, "I warned you not to send the entire Auxiliary out, foal head!" Tin merely glared at Arthur, "doesn't matter now. Alert the troops! And ready arms!" His ordered echoed throughout the various cars.

"Well Tin, at least were inside right?" With Arthur trying to sound optimistic as they readied their arms. "That's, not always a good thing Artie." "What do you mean Tin?" Arthur asked Tin as he was reading a sniper cannon.

As he loaded a round, "have you ever stomped on a can of food?" "Well, in a hurry once...why?" "Kinda imagine that, except with ponies as the food substitute."

"Stormwing doesn't have siege weapons like that though...don't they?" Another commander looked over, hearing their conversation. "You ever seen a Keythong." Arthur seemed a bit puzzled by that word. "Its like a griffon, only without wings," as the commander continued Arthur zoned out. He quickly realized that he'd encounter one back at his village.

Arthur then said, "I've...I've seen one of those. It tried to eat me and my daughter." The commander in question was rather surprised. "And you survived? Damn. Then that means it was just playing with you. Your lucky to survive, I watch my mate get mauled by-"

Tin interrupted him, "enough of that Greenshift! Last thing I need is my Spymaster shakin' up by your story telling!"

Arthur merely pulled his spyglass, "see anything Artie?!" Watching him looking out. "Well...I don't see them, or anything. Perhaps someone should go out and look." The other commanders all eyed each other, then eyed to Tin and quickly shifted to Artie.

"Oh no. Your not-" Tin paused and quickly realized that they wanted to send Artie out. "He's a greenhorn guys, he hasn't even gotten his hoofs dirty ye-"

Another sergeant cut him off, "well its about damn time he's gotten them dirty! No pony should call themselves a ranger if they haven't even gotten their hoofs dirty! Send him out Tin!"

"I can't-" Tin tried pleading. But his plea fell on death ears. "I'm ordering you, Sergeant Commander Castel to send Sergeant Spymaster Lights, out now!"

Tin's hoofs were tied. "Sorry Artie...orders are, orders." Arthur was nervous, lightly shaking a bit.

Tin then said, "at least you got the double barrel cannon Artie. That's gotta count for something right. You can always double tap," trying to reassure him a bit. Arthur, lightly shrugged, holding the double barreled rifle. "Go on. You can do it."

Arthur took a deep breath, cocked the hammers back and cautiously trotted out.