• Published 1st Mar 2015
  • 5,198 Views, 160 Comments

Over There - Paintbrush235



World war 1 US marines and soldiers in Equestria

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Chapter 9: The Party

With the awkward start behind them, Blackburn's squad, minus Allan who despite his reassurances, had been taken by Doc over to a chair in the corner to fully calm down, began to mingle with Twilight and her friends. The tension in the room that had occurred due to Allan's shell shock slowly faded away. Blackburn was just explaining the whole situation to Twilight and Fluttershy in the best way that he could.

"So you see." He said. "Allan suffers from something we call 'shell shock'."

"Shell shock?" Twilight said confused.

"That doesn't sound very nice." Fluttershy said timidly.

Blackburn sighed sadly. "Believe me ma'am it isn't nice. You see people like Allan, they aren't wounded physically so to speak. They are wounded in the mind. It's like part of their brain had been altered and can't be changed back." He looked back at the nervous private sitting in the corner, sipping a glass of punch slowly while Pinkie Pie continued to apologize. "Allan is pretty lucky. Some guys just go blank. They aren't there anymore at all. Just gone. And there is no real way to help them."

Twilight looked towards Allan with a pitying expression. Fluttershy gasped and tears came to her eyes. The three ponies stood in silence for a few moments, before Twilight's eyes suddenly lit up in the manner they did when an idea came to her mind.

"I think there may be a way to help Allan." She said excitedly.

Blackburn raised an eyebrow. "What would that be Miss Twilight?"

"My brother, Shining Armor, is an Captain in the Royal Guard." Twilight explained. "He has been on deployment before and has met other guardsponies who have displayed similar symptoms like the ones Allan displayed." She gestured to the nervous marine. "He is one of the heads of a group that helps them cope with such things. The Wounded Heroes Foundation. I think they could help Allan out. If that's okay with you all that is?"

Blackburn looked at Doc. "What do you think Doc?" He asked.

Doc shrugged in response. "I don't see any reason not to at least try. Anything is better than just letting Allan get worse and worse. If this group could help him in any way, I say we go for it." He then turned to look at Twilight. "Though I think it would be a good idea if Allan met with your brother before anything was firmly established. What did you say his name was?"

"Shining Armor." Twilight replied. "Prince Captain Shining Armor of the 1st Royal Guard Regiment."

"Would that be possible if Allan could meet him first?"

"Of course. I can arrange it."

Blackburn nodded. "Alright then. We'll talk to Allan about it, and if he is okay with it, we'll set up a meeting." He paused for a moment, before looking back at Twilight. "You said that your brother is a captain?" He asked.

"Yes. He's a Prince officially now, but he still maintains his duties as a Captain with the Crystal Guard Regiments." Twilight replied.

"Has he ever seen combat?" Blackburn asked.

Twilight looked down at her hooves and sighed. "He won't tell me about what happened on his deployments."

Doc nodded. "I wouldn't take it too hard ma'am." He said kindly. "You probably wouldn't understand if he told you anyway."

Twilight nodded. "I guess so. But I at least want to try."

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Meanwhile, the rest of Blackburn's squad were busy enjoying themselves and the hospitality of Twilight and her friends. Buckman was standing by a table, looking around as he sipped from a small glass of lemonade. He never was much for parties or anything of that nature. When the regiment had found leave time behind the lines, he always just went to the local bars and had a few drinks. It seemed to be that that was going to be the situation here until.....

"Howdy there mister!"

Buckman turned to his left and found himself looking into the face of one of the mares hosting the party. He recognized her as Applejack by her blonde mane, large green eyes, freckled face, and of course, her large stetson she wore upon her head. The way all these features came together, Buckman had to admit she was cute.

"Hello Miss Applejack." He nodded in reply. "How are y'all doin'?"

"Doin' just fine, Mister Buckman was it?"

"Yes ma'am. Pierre Gustave Buckman." The corporal replied. "But you can just call me Pierre if'n you want to."

Applejack giggled. "Alrighty then Pierre. Y'all can just call me Applejack then."

"Alright then Applejack." Buckman smiled. "Now tell me, are you a southern girl? Cause I can plainly here the familiar twang of someone from Dixieland."

Applejack giggled again. "Well, ah reckon ah ain't ever heard of 'Dixieland', but yup', Ah'm a southern mare through an' through." She then raised an eyebrow curiously. "Why do ya ask?"

Buckman smiled. "Ah'm a souther boy myself." He answered. "Born and raised on a farm in the great state of Louisiana."

Applejack's ears perked up. "Y'all are a farmer?" Buckman nodded. "Well shoot." Applejack extended her hoof. "It sure is a pleasure to meet somepony with an appreciation fer the soil. What kind of farm did you live on? What were your crops?"

Buckman looked down at his hooves. "Well, it wasn't much. At least it weren't like what y'all have on your farm." He said modestly "We grew tobacco, as much as we could, which again wasn't much." Applejack suddenly saw a look depression appear on the young pony's face. "Are y'all alright sugarcube?"

Buckman's eyes snapped back up. "Oh um yes Miss Applejack. Ahm fine." Applejack could tell that Buckman wasn't telling the truth. He wasn't fine. But she could see that whatever it was, it wasn't something she should press. Luckily for her, at that moment Rainbow Dash came up to them along with another marine pony. Applejack recognized the red maned stallion as O'brien.

"Hey AJ!" Rainbow Dash said excitedly. "O'brien here said that he could beat me at a race."

Applejack looked at the marine in surprise. "Y'all challenged Rainbow here to a race?" When O'Brien nodded in reply, Applejack just stood there with a stunned expression on her face. At first she wanted to warn the poor stallion what he was getting into, but she was stopped when O'Brien held up his hoof to hush her.

"Before you say I'm a fool, I challenged Rainbow Dash to a foot race. Or I should say, a 'hoof' race." He chuckled to himself at the expression. "That means she can't use her wings at any point in the race."

Applejack was still suspicious, remembering the incident in the running of the leaves. She looked at her rainbow maned friend, who was grinning confidently, with scrutiny. "And you are gonna keep your word on that Rainbow?"

"Applejack!" Rainbow Dash said in a tone that implied she was offended. "Who do you think I am? I am always a mare of my word."

Applejack was still suspicious, but she could see no sign of dishonesty from her pegasus friend, so she simply shrugged. "Alrighty then. If'n ya think you can beat her, go ahead and try. Ah won't stop y'all."

"Thanks Applejack." O'Brien smiled. He and Rainbow Dash went back over to where they had been earlier and continued to smooth out the details of their upcoming race.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie continued to talk with a still shaky Allan. Much to her friends surprise though, she was talking as calmly and quietly as she could so she wouldn't startle the marine. "Are you liking the party so far Ally Wally?"

Allan couldn't help but smile at the pink mare. He appreciated that she was showing concern for his happiness. Back on the front, a lot of other soldiers had simply called him a coward or insane whenever he went into his panic attacks. They had been getting better with the help of Doc and his other friends, but he was still prone to them when encountering loud noises.

"I-I am en-enjoying th-the p-party P-Pinkie P-Pie." He stammered. "Th-thank you f-for doing th-this for us."

Pinkie Pie beamed at the thanks from the young stallion. She had really felt bad when she had seen that her surprise party cannon had scared him nearly half to death. She now knew that she needed to be gentler with him than she was with her other friends. Even now she was taking mental notes on Allan's personality so she could be better prepared for any future parties she may throw him.

"Ooooh. I am soooo happy that you are. I was really worried that I had ruined everything after I scared you at the beginning."

"L-like I said, i-its o-k-kay." Allan stuttered.

"I'm glad it is cuz I like you all a lot!" Pinkie Pie smiled even wider. "You're all new friends and I love to see my friends smile!" She then reached over and brought Allan into a gentle hug. Normally she would've nearly squeezed the life out of the recipient of one of her special hugs, but she decided the a much gentler one would be better for Allan.

Allan flinched at first at the touch, but when his head made contact with the pink mare's chest and began to hear the steady rhythm of her heart, which he could immediately tell had the best of intentions for him, he relaxed and returned the hug.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Your welcome Ally." Came the soft reply.

While this was happening, it was all being watched by Twilight, Fluttershy, Blackburn and Doc. The two mares sighed happily as they watched their friend do what she did best; make ponies happy. Meanwhile the two marines were standing with their mouths hanging open in shock. No one had ever been able to calm down Allan like that before, not even themselves. It was Doc who finally broke the silence.

"Maybe it would be a good idea that Miss Pie accompany Allan if decides to go through with the visit?"

Fluttershy smiled in reply. "I think that sounds great." She paused and looked down at her hooves before continuing. "Um mister um..."

"Hawkins ma'am. Timothy Hawkins."

Fluttershy blushed slightly. "Right um well. I was um wondering if you want to come over to my cottage some time soon and talk about medicine? But um if thats okay with um that is."

Doc smiled warmly. This mare was so shy he couldn't feel but feel warm when he was around her. "I would love to ma'am. And please, call me Timothy."

Fluttershy finally looked up from her hooves. Her face was red as a tomato but she had one of the happiest smiles she ever wore on that same face. "Then um, you can just call me Fluttershy."

Author's Note:

hello everypony!

Wow :pinkiegasp: It has been a long huh? Big major reason for that is I just started school last month.

But have no fear :pinkie happy: for the story is not dead! This chapter is meant to set up the future plot lines. Hope you all like it. We will begin to learn a lot more about characters like Buckman, O'Brien, Doc, Blackburn and Allan in the future. We will also see more of other characters in the future as well, won't tell who though :scoot angel: !

Again I hope you all enjoy! :twilightsmile: