The End has Begun

by Bronycommander

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Perspective: Peter

We were en route to Cherbourg in the evening. Twilight spoke to me again. “Lieutenant, I allowed myself to share the connection with my friends, and the citizens of Ponyville.”

“I would turn it off right now, as we are about to enter hell.”

“What do you mean?”

I saw Cherbourg in the distance. It was burning. “Cherbourg’s getting ripped apart down there!” Tom couldn’t believe it. “But we evacuated the civilians. Yet we lost contact with the security team. They may be in the safe room.”

“If they’re alive, we’ll find them!” I tightened the grip on my gun.

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“We found out, that the 26^th Assault Battalion of the Spetznaz joined the Forgotten Army. For their own safety, the CMC was moved here, but it is under attack by them. The Russians call themselves Ultranationalists now.”

It looked like hell. Eurofighters bombed enemies and they returned fire with IFVs.

“Broadsword, Locksmith, hook up.” The pilot told us.

As I and Tom rappelled down, the Gadfly was hit by a Cockroach IFV. “IFV! We're hit! We're hit!”

The Gadfly swung wildly out of control. “LOOK OUT!!!” Tom screamed but luckily we managed to swing from our ropes into a room of the compound. Einstein went down.

“Central, we are going down!”

“Einstein, come back. Einstein, do you Roger? Central, Einstein is gone.” Stunned, I saw how the Gadfly crashed. Tom and I were the only survivors.

A Wolf entered the room we were in. Tom sneaked up and snapped his neck, and attempted to pull the AK-74 from the corpse. He killed 2 more soldiers passing the room with it. Then he threw it to me as I had lost my MP12.

“Move out!”

“Central, I got eyes on Broadsword and Locksmith.” Markus reported. “You got Ultranationalists all over the north wing, Tom.”

We moved to a floor. “Get your heads down!” Emerald shot inside the building, killing many Ultranationalists soldiers.

“Come on, move up!” a civilian crossed our way and held his hands in surrender. “Out of the way, go! Markus, northeast corner.”

“On the way.” In the next room, we killed some Wolves as Markus reported in. “We're breaching the roof.” He and a regular soldier rappelled down from a window from the roof, and cleared the room with us.

“The whole damn building's overrun!”

“Dispatch is next floor down.” Tom replied to Markus.

“You think they’re survived this attack?”

“I hope so!” Tom cared for them as much as I did.

We heard an Ultranationalist outside the building. He gave orders in Russian.

“Markus, what's he saying?” Tom asked.

“Kill the civilians. Spare no one.”

“Please, save them!” Derpy cried.

“That’s’ why we here.”

“Get down!” Tom fired at hostiles that tried to execute unarmed civilians. We saved them all by killing the enemy soldiers before they could execute them.

“Broadsword, this is central, anyone who doesn't get out soon isn't going to. The Ultranationalists have overwhelmed the entire north wing.”

“Roger that central, moving on.”

”Safe room is just ahead.” I pointed to the door.

We entered a room with stairs. I got to cover behind a wall as more hostiles moved in. A bad guy threw a Molotov cocktail from a window high up to the ground.

But that didn’t stop us from moving. “The safe room is down there.”

“Clear!” Markus killed the last soldier. The door to the safe room was destroyed.

“Safe room's been breached.”

“So where are they, Peter?”

“They might have fallen back to the safe room... They may still be alive. They have to be! Let's move, on me.”

AK ready, I kicked the door to the war room down and killed every Russian inside before they could react.

“The safe room's on the other side of the war room. RPG!” Tom pointed at a soldier but I took him down before he was able to shoot.

“Clear!” Markus reported. “Central, sitrep, over!”

“Broadsword, Spetznaz have taken over the south, you are cut off.”

“Damn.”

“Roger that, central.” Tom acknowledged.

“You better hurry if you want an evac.”

“Let’s go.” I took the lead

I kicked a door down that leaded to a damaged hallway. “They should be in one of these rooms.” I said.

“Peter, take the door at the far end of the hallway. Markus, on me.”

As I entered the room, a Wolf ambushed me. He rammed his bayonet into my side and I let out a cry of pain. Clenching my teeth, I fell to the ground. The soldier tried to stab me, but I evaded every stab he made. Then Pablo stabbed him from behind.

“Thanks. Are they alright?”

“Si.” He was exhausted and breathed heavily. The foals were behind a desk. They were shaking, eyes closed. Pablo patched me up.

“Just a flesh wound.” I putted my hand on Apple Bloom, causing her to flinch. Her nose was bleeding.

When she realized she wasn’t in danger, she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me. The others did the same. They weren’t crying but were more scared than ever.

“Peter? Did you come to safe us?” Her voice was quiet.

“Yes, Apple Bloom. You all will make it out of here alive. Let’s move.”

A small explosion shook the building. “Peter? Are they still alive?”

“Yes Tom, we’re moving out.”

We moved outside to meet up with Markus and Tom. “There they are! Central, where’s our pick up?!”

“Broadsword, be advised, Army forces are engaged in heavy fighting west of your location. Push through to rally point Delta, 2 klicks north on the sea.”

“We'll make it, you just be there!”

“Surrender at once and your lives will be spared! I am sure you will make right choice given the circumstances! Drop your weapons and surrender at once! You will not be harmed if you surrender! Surrender and make it easy on yourselves!” a Russian said on a loudspeaker as we moved to downtown. Wounded soldiers were treated by medics.

“We're gonna need some close air support for this. Peter, grab that radio.” Tom pointed to a soldier who took cover behind a wall.

“Emerald, this is One-One-Five; we need immediate air support in Downtown!” he shouted into the radio.

“One-One-Five, we do not have clearance in Downtown. Everyone’s in hell, son.”

“Damn, screw you!”

I stretched my hand after the radio. “Pull it together, and give me that radio!”

“What are you, Enforcer Corps?”

“Just give me the radio.”

"Good luck with that crap.”

He gave me the radio. “Emerald this is Locksmith. Priority one ordinance on my command.”

“Affirmative, Locksmith. Let us know when you need us.”

I marked a six story building. “Coordinates confirmed. Contact at the six story building.” Emerald destroyed the building. “We have confirmed kills at zero, area secure.”

We entered the streets, supported by a VBCI. I told the kids to stay in cover, until I said it was clear. Emerald destroyed any building where the enemy took cover.

After two blocks, the VBCI was destroyed by a tank. “APC's down! There's a damn tank out there!” Markus took cover from the tank.

“Emerald, we have enemy armor at Viktor, Zulu, Seven Foxtrot!”

“Affirmative Locksmith, standby for strafing run.”

The Gunships came from behind us. “Locksmith, we're coming in hot!” Emerald destroyed the tank, so we could move forward. “Tank destroyed, Locksmith, you are clear to proceed.”

“The LZ's half a klick away, end of the street.” Tom took a soldier down.

Then there was an explosion and a scream behind me. Turning around, I saw something which terrified me to the bone. Dinky was hit by it; her right hind leg was covered in blood and splinters. She screamed in pain, clutching her leg.

“Oh no.” I muttered and ran to her. It looked pretty bad. She was lucky that is wasn’t blown off.

“My leg! It’s hurts!” She cried in shock, tears running down.

“It's not bad, okay? It's not bad.” I tried to calm her down. She was so in shock, that she didn’t hear the voices of her friends.

For Christ’s sake, gave them a break!

“Let me take a look.” I removed the splinters, slowed her blood loss and bandaged it. “You’re going to be alright.” I said to her in a calming tone. “You're alright!” She screamed in pain as I putted my hands on her leg and she muttered over and over again if she would be ever able to walk again.

Her voice was a mix of pain, shock, fear and crying just like when Joe in Band of brothers cried for his helmet when he was hit by artillery and… I better spare you with that.

Emerald went to attack a building but an IFV fired at them.

“Damn…evasive action! Broadsword, we are under heavy fire! Locksmith, the grid is hot, Emerald is pulling out. Take down that anti air and we will return support, over.”

“Understood, Emerald.” I carried Dinky in my arms. She looked at her hoof in shock, unable to process it.

“I see it. Cockroach BTR, end of the street.” Markus pointed it out.

“Sir, we can use this building to flank them.”

“Good idea, Pablo.” Tom tried to open the door.

“We got a tank!” Markus called out as a T-100 rolled in. “Off the street!”

The tank fired, sending a car flying towards us, but we got in just before it hit us.

“Peter, we gotta take out that BTR. Markus, keep these kids safe.”

“Got it.” He took Dinky from me and patted her. “Don’t worry Dinky, it’s not so bad. Your leg will be healed in no time.”

“Yeah, Dinky. As you said before, together we can make it through this!” her friends cheered her up and she calmed down.

“You’re right, we will.”

Upstairs, we surprised the Russians and cleared the first floor, but the floor collapsed.

“Still in one piece, my friend?” Tom asked.

“I'm good.”

Outside, Ultranationalists were about to execute woman and children but we saved them, killing all enemies before they could pull the triggger. The kids cried and it reminded me too much of Otto and the CMC. Almost there. You will make it out of here alive.

The Cockroach was right next to a wall, ignoring us. I putted C4 on it and detonated it. A Missile that was fired from it destroyed a wall that leaded to the rally point.

The T-100 was about to retreat but Emerald destroyed the tank before he could do so.

We got to the rally point and a Gadfly landed. “There's our ride.” Tom was happy that we made it.

I wasn’t sure. “I'm not so sure…”

“Get the wounded and civilians first. More birds on their way, sit tight. Broadsword, air support is offline while we evacuate the wounded and civilians.” Wounded soldiers and the civilians we saved got on board. “Thank you.” a woman said to us.

The Gadfly took off before the foals were able got on board.

“Looks like we got to wait. Everyone load up, I want this LZ secure! Peter, lay mines around the perimeter.” I obeyed Tom's command and laid mines.

Then I manned the mounted MG on sandbags. The foals got also behind it. Pablo took cover with some regular soldiers behind a stone wall next to us.

Smoke was popped and the Russians entered the area. I fired at them, mowing them down. Some of them stepped on mines. The kids covered their ears and eyes.

After a hard fight, they retreated. “They're pulling back!” Pablo shouted.

“They are not retreating, they are regrouping!” Markus reloaded, ready for the next wave.

“Central, we have civilians with us, we need evac at once!”

“Broadsword, hold your position, evac is on its way.”

“Who else is left? Anyone?” Pablo looked to his comrades. Of 20 men, half of them were dead.

“European soldiers, your aggression towards Soviet Russia will not go unpunished! Instead of returning to your families, you will die here.”

“Here they come again.” Pablo was very nervous and constantly looked directly back at me with a horrified expression.

“There are more of them, always more.” Scootaloo whimpered.

“We’re not getting out of this one!” Apple Bloom panicked.

“This is it, this is it!” a soldier accepted his fate.

“There’s blood everywhere!” another soldier shouted in horror.

This time they attacked harder. We tried to hold them off as we made our final stand.

The regular soldiers took heavy casualties. “They’re just keep killing us, KILLING US!”

Pablo looked at the kids in guilty. “I’m so sorry, so very sorry!” His guilt-ridden face twisting into a snarl of grim determination, Pablo spun round, rifle pointing straight at the oncoming Soviets.

There was a bang, almost faint in the ears of the foals watching, ringing on their drums.

Time seemed to slow down completely as Pablo fell backwards, his face betraying little more than mild alarm.

The ringing stopped.

Then, with an awful squelching sound, the back of his head flew away from the front in a shower of viscera, spraying the ground with blood, bone fragments and brain matter. Sweetie Belle shrieked, her front-hooves frantically rubbing at her eyes to wipe away the spatter of dead flesh from her face while Scootaloo desperately tried to fly forwards to help their lifeless friend, screaming his name again and again.

Apple bloom just stared, horrified, her forelegs flung out to her side, shielding her two friends from Pablo's lamentable fate.

"I'm so sorry, girls...I'm so sorry, Pablo" she whispered, her quivering voice drowned out by the screams and gunfire "Ma...Pa...I'll see you soon"

“This is Galileo, inbound to extraction.”

“Evacuate men; Battlegroup 1 will take from here.”

“Affirmative.”

A Gadfly hovered behind us and opened the ramp. I provided covering fire as my friends and comrades got in. Then I abandoned the MG and jumped onboard.

The Gadfly headed for Equestria I guess, as the pilot flew around Cherbourg and headed for Germany. But we didn’t came far, as a missile was launched at us. “Incoming! Incoming!”

We were hit and Galileo spun to the ground. “Mayday, mayday, this is Galileo we’re going down!”

Before we crashed, I clenched the kids protectively. Then everything went black.

“Galileo, this is central, do you copy? Over. Galileo, this is central, how copy? Over.”

I woke up shell-shocked in the wreckage. The kids were fine. Outside, my men and comrades were fighting enemies. I looked at my hands, which had sustained major injuries, bloodly cuts. My gloves were torn and my watch was damaged and no longer functioning. The kids had like me cuts on their body’s and watched in horror.

Markus handed me an E3000. “Take this and stay down!” A stray bullet hit him in the back of his head killing him instantly. Blood sprayed from his head as he fell to the side to the ground.

“Markus’s down!” Tom said as he checked his ammo. “Last mag!” I cocked and loaded my E3000 and began taking out targets from inside the wreckage. I fired at every enemy I saw until my weapon was empty.

“Peter! Last mag! Make it count!” He threw me another mag. But there were too many Russians. Tom was hit in the left shoulder, falling on his back, still allive and I was out of ammo.

Eventually we were overrun. The soldiers closed in and looked at the foals. They were terrified, trembling, Apple Bloom would struggle but she was still in shock from Pablo's bloody death.

“Show mercy! Let us leave here alive! Have a heart! Please! We didn't do anything! We can't hurt you! Please, please don't kill us!” Sweetie Belle begged, not wanting to die, Scoots held her protectively.

Dinky's horn light up as she tried to cast a defensive spell, a Wolf hit her with the butt of his rifle, knocking her back.

This seemed to tore Apple Bloom out of her shock, her expression became one of rage. "Hurt mah friends and you're mess with me!" She lunged at the soldier who hit her with a swift pistol whip, knocking her back too.

"It takes more than that to take out a Spetznaz." He taunted not impressed.

"Wait!" Dinky yelled as his comrades raised their weapons.

They were knocked out and brought into a Locust.

“Colonel, we have them.”

“Good. Remember, no survivors.”

“Da Colonel.”

Tom attempted to reach for his sidearm but a Wolf putted his boot on his arm, causing him to groan in pain.

I tried to hit the soldier who was approching me with my fist but he hit me with the butt of his rifle, knocking me down.

Closing my eyes, I accepted my failure, waiting for the bullet that would end my life.

Time went slow, my heartbeat ringed in my ears, as the sound of Unicorn magic echoed in my ears, a magic bolt hit them and they were knocked out. One of them fired his weapon as he collapsed in my direction but a magic shield protected me. It was Sergeant Arrow. Luna's Guards arrived and secured the area. “Lieutenant! You’re alright! You gonna be fine!” Ash Mark helped me out before my vision went black again.

Author's Note:

At least they tried. This chapter was based on the mission The Defector from Call of Duty Black ops and the end sequence of the mission of their own record from Cod Modern Warfare 2.

Comments

[Purple Patch]

“Kill the civilians. Spare no one.”

'He said kill them all...OH GOD HE SAID KILL THEM ALL!

“Please, save them!” Derpy cried.

Ah come on, Derpy, you can take 'em!

“Show mercy! Let us leave here alive! Have a heart!”

Okay, here's something.
It would help if we knew which of them was pleading.
It would help develop and differentiate if they respond in different ways. Sweetie Belle might break down crying, Scootaloo might try to drag them to safety and Applebloom might threw herself at her attackers.
If they're all going to do the same thing, it lessens their impact on the story.
It could also help develop their scenes if they disagree on how to approach their situation.
Seriously, be very careful about having them beg for mercy. You need to be certain if it's necessary.
I know they're foals but in story-telling, no matter the scenario, no matter the character, there's always the line between meek, nervous and apprehensive, which is sympathetic, or just plain cowardly, which isn't sympathetic.
They haven't crossed the line but it still needs a bit more impact.
Seeing as they've just watched a friend of theirs killed, one or two of them might react with anger rather than fear.
It wouldn't do them much good but the fact they're trying to fight back builds a lot of character.

[Bronycommander]

8327637
Well,they pleaded in unsion, and are still in Shock From Pablo's Death. And as they have Seen that rouge Russians, they're Scared to Death, fearing for their lives.

[Purple Patch]

8327682
I realise that but still, differentiation is important.

[Bronycommander]

8328974
I know, when i imaged myself in their Situation, i coudn't Think of a different reaction

[Purple Patch]

8328986
Well, consider what I suggested.
Applebloom's rage could take hold of her, and the fact that she's desperately trying to avenge Pablo could really make us sympathise with her.
If they're in shock, I doubt they'd really register the Russians attacking them.
I think Sweetie would just cry out for her sister or parents and Scootaloo would try pulling her safety.
Really show that the horror has seeped in.

[Bronycommander]

8328999
Yeah. For scoots, they're Trapped in the Wreck, having no where to go. She could hold sweetie Belle protectivly