Of a German and American soldier in Equestria

by redspark

Firearms

Chapter 22
"Firearms"

"Alright lads! Move faster; by the moment you get to your assigned stations, the changelings would have killed you already!" Shouted an officer overviewing training on the new recruits. All around rain fell splattering against the ground, big dark rain clouds covered the sky as far as the eye can see. The capital of Canterlot was invisible within the heavy blanket of storm clouds. The fresh trainees were laying against the dirt with barbed wire above their heads and their commanding officer barking out how by now they would be dead should they be in a battle.

Finally, one of the ponies finished the course and immediately collapsed panting. He was a unicorn that had a light brown coat and a tree cutie mark. His main and tail were light gray but both were currently covered in mud. He was taking slow breaths trying to calm himself down from the hard exercise. He began to rise slowly when the officer arrived to his side.

"What are you doing soldier!" he shouted. The brown pony immediately stood up.

"I... I was..."

The officer interrupted. "Speak clearly to me, soldier! Don't hesitate!"

The pony took a firm stance. "I was resting sir!" That earned a nasty laugh from the officer.

"You were resting?" he mimicked in a mocking voice. "You won't be able to rest once the battle starts! Now don't let me see you like that a..."

"You always say when the battle starts, sir," he said daringly. The officer looked surprised. "But it hasn't. I don't see the point in you shouting and making us all go all around and get wet out here in the rain, as you also make us feel like idiots all the time!" Slowly ponies around gathered to see what was going on.

The officer seemed shocked at the private's response, and slowly started looking very angry. "You..." He took a step forward. "You can't speak to an officer that way! You'll learn not to do that. Go to the cabins and stay there. You won't eat or drink unless I say so." He saw around. "And all of you! Back to work!" He turned and returned to check on the rest of the recruits.

The pony was still trying to recover from his ire, and was slowly catching up to what he had done.

"I'm and idiot..." he whispered as he began to walk towards the cabins.

He was leaving the training grounds when he felt something touch his back. He stopped and turned, only to open his mouth in surprise.

"G-general..." he said. He immediately took a saluting posture. "General, sir!"

Davis chuckled. After the tail of his and Louis' victories had reached the troops on main camp and equestrian in general, they were seen a a hope for them in winning the war. Many ponies now talked about the big giant generals that had taken out the entire changeling army by themselves, or with powers unknown to them. He laughed at that, but it also worried him. He wanted the troops to be recognized as well.

At main camp, the troops were much better informed and gossip wasn't but actual information passed from soldier to soldier. Now every soldier knew and Davis was surprised by how well they treated him now.

Also, many ponies before seemed to care much when he spoke to them; now, they seemed to feel like if they were talking to a celebrity.

"At ease soldier," he said. The pony seemed unsure, but he relaxed. Davis looked at him. "I saw you talk to your officer." The pony seemed to stiffen up and pale slightly. Davis almost laughed since he had been expecting that same reaction. Ponies were very predictable after you got to know many of them. "Don't worry," he said, "I won't do anything." He turned follow me, I want to show you something." He started to walk. The pony took some time before starting to walk. He still seemed hesitant, but followed obediently.

Davis moved around the camp easily. He now knew it by heart, where everyplace was and he had started to find out he knew the assigned babies for teams and units. That surprised him, but he tried to keep it to himself. Probably something he was doing without thinking.

He finally reached the edge of the camp. He turned and saw the soldier was still following.

"Over here," he said. The pony nodded and followed. Davis took him away until the camp was behind a hill. The sounds were still heard, but a little muffled. The rain had stopped falling a few minutes earlier and the night sky was slowly clearing out. Davis stopped and turned to the pony. "You probably don't like being shouted at, do you?" The unicorn looked away. "You can be honest with me. I also despised my officers back when I was training. Those where very nasty guys." The pony looked interested. "So, you don't like it."

"No sir... I-I don't."

Davis grinned. "Don't hesitate when talking. It's not good, and I've seen that leads to hesitation in battle."

The pony stood straight. "No sir, I do not."

Davis smiled. "Very well." He sat moved his hand to the side and unbuckled his holster. Inside he had his gun. "You should know that it's a way you'll toughen up. You should try not to mind that and instead use the officer's shouts to help you push yourself to your limits." He retrieved his gun from the holster and looked to a lonely tree. He aimed and shot hitting the tree in the middle. He had been practicing on that same spot and he now found that aiming was much easier than it had been before. He almost thought he could be a sniper if he wanted to.

The pony almost jumped as he heard the shot, obviously not expecting the explosive sound. Davis looked at him.

"You surely have heard or seen my weapons." The pony nodded. "This is one of them." He looked at it. Davis extended his hand with the gun towards the pony. "You can try it if you want." The pony opened wide his eyes.

"S-sir...?" He corrected himself and looked decided. "Yes sir!" Davis passed it to him, the unicorn taking it with his magic. Davis walked to his side.

"Use your magic to point it," he said, using his own hands to guide the telekinetic power. "Pull the trigger when you feel you are ready. Try to hit the tree."

The pony gulped and aimed, closing one eye as he tried to aim well. Davis saw as the gun started to shake a little. "Don't hesitate. Remember," Davis said. The pony closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The gun stopped shaking. He opened an eye again and this time kept his magic stable. Davis saw as the trigger clicked and was followed by the explosion of the shot. There was a rebounding sound as the bullet bounced, not hitting anything. The pony looked to the tree.

"I didn't hit anything!" he said. Davis nodded.

"Take another shot."

The pony did the same process and when he clicked, nothing happened.

"Wha... What happened?" he asked confused. Davis moved and took the gun.

"You need to push this," he said ---- the gun. "Or else it won't fire." The pony looked curiously as he passed the gun again.

"Alright... I'll hit it this time..." He aimed again, this time taking a little more time. Again, the trigger and a rebounding shot. "I swear I was going to hit it this time!" he exclaimed. Davis laughed.

"It takes practice." He took the gun and placed it back in the holster. "Go and clean yourself. I'll send a messenger to you tomorrow to give you instructions of relocation." That earned a surprised look. "What's your name?"

The pony opened and closed his mouth. "Hmm... Err, Brown Wood sir. Relocation?" he asked.

"I'll send you a messenger tomorrow with all the details. I'll let you know though, I'm looking for ponies that can wield this gun..." he said patting the holster. "Good night." He turned and left.

The pony saw the general leave.

"What just happened?" he asked out loud.

*** *** ***

Davis walked all the way to the smith's forge. Tempered Steel was inside, made obvious by the sound of banging hammers filled the american's ears. He entered the forge and saw the smithy working with a red hot metal. The pony stopped what he was doing and looked at him.

"General, what brings you here so late?" he asked. Davis smiled.

"I just returned from getting a new recruit for the firearms project. Hopefully I'll have two dozen ready to be trained." He grinned. "We still need the guns, though."

Steel smiled. "I have the prototype ready to be tested! I based it off from the rifle..." he stopped. "I remember you said no firearms before. After I received your letter with instructions of making the prototype and the blueprints... I couldn't help but wonder why?"

Davis stopped smiling as he heard what Steel was saying. "I... don't know. Change of mind I suppose." Tempered Steel grinned.

"I don't think so." The smithy walked over to a table and took a curious linking rifle. Davis noticed the trigger was wider, supposedly to help ponies use it easier. "I know something made you change your mind."

Davis sighed. "You read me, I'm afraid." He walked and took the rifle from the smithy. "I saw ponies die, Tempered Steel. I'm afraid I didn't have in mind of the situation when I said I didn't wanted to. And as you see, I'm arming only a little unit. Two dozens of ponies should be enough to give us advantage in the upcoming battles."

Tempered Steel nodded. "I understand. Logic choice after seeing that." He passed him a bullet. "These are the bullets I made for this rifles. They are bigger than the ones you use for your own so that they are more easy to move, and as you see the rifles are also wider. I don't doubt even an earth pony could use it if he knows how to stand on two legs."

Davis nodded. "And you have any for unicorns? As I see they have no use for a trigger even with their magic and all. It's very easy to fire when one has telekinesis on their side." He gave him back the gun and picked the bullet. "Also we should find a way to make one special for Pegasus units. They need to fly and keep their speed and agility. I'm afraid this ones are heavy and would slow them down."

Tempered Steel smiled. "I had already thought of that. I have plans on one for Pegasi, and for unicorns..." He stopped and walked to another table covered in a piece of cloth. "I thought this one was better for a surprise." He pulled the cloth and revealed a longer rifle. This one had a longer barrel, much thinner than the other one. It had a trigger, but when Davis picked it up he found it hard to press. It felt weird on his hands, but it was exaggeratedly light.

"Why is it so light, and what with the trigger?" he asked,

Tempered Steel nodded. "I knew you were going to ask that." He took the rifle from him. "You noticed its lighter. I did it to try and cause less strain to the unicorn caster that wields it. The less he needs to concentrate on carrying it with telekinesis, the easier it'll be to aim." He looked at the trigger. "A unicorn can push any type of thing, just like the trigger on your own weapons. What many don't know, and I know thanks to a friend in the Canterlot magic center, is that there are shapes and patterns that are easier to push with magic than others." He looked at the barrel. "The barrel is thinner and longer because I didn't needed to make it so firm. I know you said it could have a risk of explosion, but with a little touch of magic from myself I managed to make it more resistant without risking it of braking."

Davis looked curious. "Magic? I thought you didn't knew any, you're not a unicorn."

"You forget what I do, Davis. I know how to work with metal, even if what I do isn't that really magic," Tempered Steel said.

Davis chuckled. "Right."

Tempered Steel placed the gun back on the table. "Here I have the Pegasi blueprints. I'm afraid that I need a little more material and real magic for this ones, but I will get them done in, say, a month." Davis blinked in surprise.

"A month? We don't have that much time!" he said worried. "The changelings would have attacked again by then, in case we haven't already begun an invasion!"

Tempered Steel grinned. "Calm yourself general. I'm working as fast as I can, but you're asking me to make you things that I never even dreamt of before meeting you. This is new stuff for me.. Heck! New stuff for equestria!" He had the blueprints in his hooves and slowly unrolled them. "I'm trying out new waters, Davis. You must remember that."

Davis nodded. "Yeah, sorry. I'll leave you to it then." Davis turned. Tempered Steel stopped him.

"I assure you it'll be what you want sir, don't worry. I only need time." He gave him the unrolled blueprint. Davis picked it up and looked at it. He sighed and nodded as he passed him back the blueprints.

"I suppose I'll wait then, but be fast. The royals and such want to stop the war with a treaty, which means I have only so much time to move our forces from defensive to offensive. I want to have our firearm units ready by then."

Tempered Steel nodded, "I'll try sir, you have my word."

Davis nodded as he slowly walked out of the forge and into the night.

Author's Note:

New chapter! Hope you guys like it. I know some didn't wanted firearms... But you'll see were this will lead to.

Comments

[Darth Redbeard]

talk about a rough boot camp.

[grievousrommel]

Shame Louis didn't come with the buzzsaw. Then I can break out crazy psychotic pinkie.

[Silver Page]

Does anyone else find it ironic that in the last chapter, Louis, a Nazi soldier, is making "they are evil" claims about the Changelings? Will Davis call him out on it?

Also, just saw Fury. One of the best WW2 movies in a longtime, and the only one that focuses on tanks.

[Fading Soul]

GUNS!!!

[redspark]

5469100 Eeyep

[redspark]

5467919 Fury hasn't been released in my country yet

[Silver Page]

5472045
If / when you can, go see it. I'd gush, but that would be giving away spoilers. If you like WW2 movies, you like tanks, you like war movies in general, you even like Brad Pitt movies, this is a must see. If it doesn't win an Oscar or something, I may throw bricks.

[redspark]

5472357 I found about the movie a while ago because of a game called world of tanks. Pretty cool game, have you heard of it?

[Silver Page]

5472513
I have, but I don't play it. Mostly because i have other games I need to finish.

[redspark]

5478577 than you

[Killerokie]

Guns are good. For these guys though, mortars would also be a huge help.

[redspark]

5492942 mortars are pretty useful, yeah

[FinalFan]

Nitpicks:

I'm and idiot

an

After the tail of his and Louis' victories had reached the troops on main camp and equestrian in general, they were seen a a hope for them in winning the war.

tale
troops in the main camp and Equestria in general
seen as a

Those where very nasty guys

were

I didn't wanted to.

didn't want

Two dozens of ponies

I would say "two dozen ponies", but this might be a dialect thing, and for example sound fine to a British reader. I don't know.

Logic choice after seeing that.

Logical

bullets I made for this rifles.

these

special for Pegasus units.

pegasus

I'm afraid this ones are heavy

these

I have plans on one for Pegasi

pegasi

You noticed its lighter.

it's

I didn't needed to make it

didn't need

without risking it of braking

without risk of it breaking,
or
without risking it breaking
(I prefer the first one)

you didn't knew any, you're not a unicorn.

didn't know any;

the Pegasi blueprints

is "Pegasi" the name of the rifle he is making for pegasi? If it's just referring to the ponies, stop capitalizing it!

New stuff for equestria!

Equestria