The EK

by Magi Tail Welkin

Big Guns

The Major looked at the urgent message from Captain Sentry.

Princess Twilight Sparkle has been admitted to Ponyville General in preparation of labour. Will, be at her side. Defer to Lt. White Heart until further notice.

White Heart, the newest transfer from the other Guards, a Day Guard from the Blues and Royals Dragoon Infantry. Princess Celestia decided with the requirements of raising three alicorn foals, Twilight and Flash would need relieving of duties.

Mayor Mare retained her responsibilities of governing Ponyville, as would the other civil leaders of the surrounding villages, but the Everfree Guard needed proper leadership.

However, the position could not be given to any existing members. Dauntless Doo’s various overly strict procedures gave him the designation of inflexible, while Chrome Blade seemed more suited to the ranks. Reverend Farthing could not be permitted leadership. And the less said about Burk and Burke the better.

As such, a trusted lieutenant trained in all forms of combat got transferred. Dragoons could serve as both armoured cavalry and light infantry. And White Heart, himself like Flash a veteran of the Troubles on the Gallop Islands of the Griffish Isles, and indeed, served under Flash as a sergeant in one of the fiercest battles, seemed the perfect candidate.

Major Fields only met the Unicorn guards-pony once up to then, so he couldn’t gauge White Heart’s chances. For now, he just continued reading the letter. This time one from the new lieutenant.

Royal Navy investigation concludes firework munitions safe to use, when ALL safety measures are adhered. Included strong condemnation toward Bluenose and his actions. Have ordered one 13-pounder quick-firing field gun for artillery use. Until facilities are built, the weapon shall be kept in Kimblewick Hall. Reserves allowed practice training; proper firing is forbidden. Possible future expansion of artillery shall be reviewed.

The Major would have understood the severity of those word if he knew what a 13-pounder field gun looked like.

A knock came from the door. Fields put the letter down. “Come in,”

The door opened, and Porter walked in, followed by a few Earth Ponies in uniforms consisting of beige coats and black peaked caps with the name ‘Pickford.’

Pickford’s Removal and Storage were a national firm of carriers, earliest records put the company’s founding to one Vehement Protector of Pickford, some village south of Trottingham, three centuries ago.

“A delivery of some kind, sir. I can’t quite understand it myself,” his magic held a clipboard aloof, the contents of which he read out, “It says, ‘A note from you, a call from us, a date is fixed, no worry or fuss. A Pickford cart, a gentle giant. The work is done for a satisfied client.’”

The Major did have a feeling what this, bizarre situational use of a rhyming poem, referred too, but the Zecora-like manner of the delivery sheet, and the language used, confused him. “A gentle giant?”

“Yes,” Porter said, tapping the board, “that’s what it says right here.”

The leader of the Pickford ponies, a rather short and high pitch voiced fellow groaned. “Look, just sign for it! I can’t hang about. We’ve got six more deliveries to make today,”

The Major nodded to Porter. “Can I just enquire what I’m signing for?”

“It’s got it on the chitty,” the lead Pickford said. “One Ordnance QF 13-pounder,”

“I thought so. The lieutenant messaged me just now about it.”

“Major!” Cold Steel yelled as he and Lucky Clover rushed in via the side door to the Stable Hall’s office. The old soldier continued, “There’s a beautiful firing piece out in the yard,” Clover nodded. “There’s a dirty great gun outside,”

“I know,” Major Fields said sighing the document, and he explained about White Heart’s order. “Quite why Pickford’s is doing the delivery I don’t know. Surely a detachment of the guards should have escorted it here,”

The Pickford leader took the clipboard back. “Short notice, and we say we’ll carry anything. Company legend says old Vehement was into arms trafficking during the Griffish Civil War,” he looked over the paperwork. “Seems in order,” he turned to his colleague, “Right lads, back to the cart,” the Home Guard members followed them out into the yard.

A long-barrelled machine with a pair of large metal cartwheels sat in the yard.

The Major’s mouth opened with a grin as he approached. “I say! Porter, look at this!”

Porter blinked at it. “Oh, yes. Rather a big one, isn’t it?”

“By Celestia. If Chrysalis comes near us, we’ll blow her sky-high! I wonder how it works?”

“I have no idea, sir. Steel? Have you any idea on how to handle these things?”

“No, sergeant. We never had a firing piece like that in Saddle Arabia. We had Rapid Fire heavy crossbows,” he began to directly address the Major, currently examining the controls of the Ordnance like Time Turner with his latest invention, “That was invented by a pony named Rapid Fire, you see, sir…”

Fields sighed and stood up, giving Steel the attention, he wanted when talking about his extensive military service. “We used to form a square with the Rapid Fire in the middle. When the Desert Ponies come curdling up with their blood cries, we used to duck down last minute, up came the crossbow. A pony would crank the thing, could shoot fifteen arrows in less than two minutes, the best archers could only do eleven, mind you, they’d be more accurate. You had to duck down quick; otherwise, you got the top of your helmet knocked off. Hence the expression, sir. Get your head down!”

“Yes, all right, Steel,” Fields said annoyed.

“Excuse me,” they all turned to see the lead Pickford waiting with a book on his back. “If you’re finished wasting time, I found this in the back of the cart. I think it’s the instruction manual,”

“Oh, splendid! Thank you very much,” took the book, put it to the ground and read the cover. “13-pounder QF Mark V, Mark 5 sorry, on Mark 1 mounting. Now,” he turned the page. “Yes, it’ll all here. ‘The gun crew consists of GL, SS, Trainer, Breach-worker and two loaders…’”

“Permission to speak, sir?” Steel asked. “It’d like to volunteer to be GL, SS, Trainer, Breach-worker and two loaders.”

“Yes, thank you, Steel,” the Major replied, unimpressed. “That’s the entire crew!”

“Perhaps,” Porter suggested, “they explain it all in a later chapter,”

“Yes, well I’ll read on. ‘Position for close-up,’”

“Oh,” Steel said. “Close-up, that reminds me of a sketch we did for troop morale back in the day. It was this comedy drill scene, you see. The drill sergeant came up and ordered ‘Close-up!’ so we all lifted our clothes up,”

Lucky Clover, presently leaning against one wheel, snorted. “I bet that was hilarious,”

Fields rolled his eyes. “Let’s concentrate the matter in hoof, gentle-colts,” he returned to the book. “‘Number one, the Gun Layer…’ ah, GL you see, Gun Layer. ‘Number one, the Gun Layer sits at the elevating wheel, on the left,’” taking a glance at the schematics provided and comparing them to the controls, the Major saw the wheel with handle in front of the seat to the left. Fields pointed to it, “That’s there,”

“Permission to speak, sir?”

“Permission denied, Steel. You were going to volunteer to sit at the elevating wheel on the left? Correct?” slightly deflated Steel nodded. “Yes, Major.”

“I personally feel that Number One Section of the Home Guard has done more than its fair share of frontline action these past eighteen months. Other members of the platoon should be given the spotlight as it were. Would you agree, Porter?”

“I really have no opinion on the matter, sir,” Fields cleared his throat and shut the book. “Put this in the library, would you, Porter?” he looked to Steel and Clover. “You two are dismissed for the day. I need to report the delivery and my recommendations to Lieutenant Heart.”

Clover, Porter and Steel saluted and walked away. Major Fields began to move off, then stopped, he looked back at the gun. “We should’ve moved it to a safe place,” groaning the Major hitched the weapon to the second set of wheels, harnessed himself and struggled to pull the over three hundred-kilogram gun into the Stable Hall.

---

Spike showed the Major through the castle to the new adjutant office White Heart set up.

In the past couple of months, Spike regressed to his original size, but retained his wings. Something about a relapse of the magics Twilight unleashed in her magical entrance exam.

Indeed, readjustments were happening around town. Pinkie’s parents came visiting Sweet Apple Aches to discuss something important with Big Mac, something about a stone. A few days later, the farmer and Miss Cheerilee broke off their causal relationship, and a Miss Sugar Belle became a frequent visitor. Prince Blueblood and Snowy unfortunately needed to return to Canterlot, but thankfully, he managed to take Aura on as his apprentice.

The dragon assistant knocked on the door.

“Come in, nearly finished,” Spike opened the door and announced, “Major Green Fields to see you, White,”

“Thanks,” came the simple reply. Lieutenant White Heart occupied himself with press-ups beside his desk. A unicorn with a slightly off-white coat, ending at his black hooves somewhat shaggily, and a two-tone mane of golden and dull blonde.

The Major suppressed a suspicious hum, as both his unruly mane and fetlocks must break uniform regulation. Still, he did make a commissioned officer’s post, so someone must have passed him through despite straddling the line on some minor rules. Though in the back of his head, Fields wondered about the principles and setting a precedent.

White Heart stood up and picked up a towel with his magic. “Begin reporting, Major,”

“The 13-pounder has arrived at the Hall, sir. For training proposes, I recommend a younger detachment of the Reserves,”

“Agreed. Anything else?”

“No, sir. Though I feel we should also train the crew on handling maintenance, we can’t keep relying on Doctor Time Turner.”

“Suppose not. As for crew, who’d you recommend? Nine are required,”

“Nine? The manual only told us six?”

“Hold something back for emergencies,”

“I see. Well, off the top of my head. For Earth Ponies, Ernie, Amaranthine, Blue Bonnet, Crest Crown and Felix. From the Unicorns, Bright Bulb and Cold Front would do. As for Pegasi, I’d say Spearhead for one, he certainly has guard experience, it might be good to put him in charge, and Dust Devil. They would all fit.”

“Three are mares.”

“We’ve allowed mares in the Home Guard from the beginning. Zecora and Vigil were founding members, then after the Mare’s Section was disbanded hopefuls joined and put the numbers up to thirty. There have been mares in the Royal Guard proper, during the Grand Galloping Gala I spoke with Fleur de Lis,”

“Very well. Begin practise training. Shall review efforts later. Need to speak with Fluttershy this afternoon,” Fields nodded and returned to Kimblewick.

---

A few days later Major Fields assembled the nine chosen.

For some reason, Screaming Lord Sutch came visiting and decided to watch.

Bright Bulb, a relative of the inventor and business-pony Bright Light, volunteered to be the maintenance pony on the gun.

Ernie, the largest of the bunch, due to his love of pancakes, he in fact run a shop selling them, competing with a very distant cousin of Pinkie Pie’s, a fez wear pizza provider, asked to be the Gun Layer, as sitting down would be suitable for him. It took a bit of a struggle to get his legs over and him seated, the Major ended up with his left foreleg stuck underneath Ernie’s flank and the seat.

Sutch snorted. “Now you’ve got him in there I should leave him for the duration,”

Fields ignored this and began reading the manual from where he left off, with Spearhead as his second-in-command, given the rank of corporal, locking over his shoulder. The brown Earth Pony artist may have retired from the Royal Guard, but he like lifestyle, so he joined the Reserves during the expansion.

“Right,” Fields began, “now, ‘Number two, the Breach-worker sits on the right in line with the breach,” seemingly referring to the pole running down the back to pivot the weapon. Felix volunteered and began to sit down, before Amaranthine stopped him, so she could move a handle out of the way of his behind.

“‘Number three, the Louder stands to the rear of number one,’ that Ernie,”

Spearhead looked to Blue Bonnet. “Care to be the Loader, Blue?”

Blue nodded and walked up behind Ernie. The Major turned a page. “‘Number four, the Trainer sit at the trailing wheel to the right.”

“Dusty?” Spearhead asked. The Pegasus mare nodded and took her seat.

“‘Number five, the Loader stands at the rear of three,’”

Crest Crown didn’t need ordering, he asked, “Shall I get a shell?”

“Yes,” Spearhead said. “Get one of the practice shells,” the Major glanced at him, “We’ve only got practice shells, why do you need to specify? Besides, practice or not, any shell should be treated with care,” he returned to the book, “‘SS at the sights,’ now I wonder what SS stands for?”

“Well, Major,” Spearhead said, speaking out loud, “Sight Superintendent, do you think?”

“Possibly. I’ll see if there’s a glossary in this later. Sight Superintendent will work for now,”

“Cold Front, that’ll be you. All clear so far?”

While every-pony else nodded or spoke in agreement, Ernie glanced back. “It’s not very luxurious, sir,”

The Major rolled his eyes. “It’s not supposed to be, Ernie, this is for the battlefield,” he returned to the manual. “Now, ‘Action. Clear away obstructions to the loading of the gun.’”

Sutch scoffed. “You’d better get Ernie out of the way for a start,”

Fields looked at him. “I’ll be speaking with Miss Applejack about your behaviour. ‘Once clear, open the breach,’”

“Felix,” Spearhead ordered. “Opened the breach,”

“Right, sir, right, sir,” Felix put his hoof to the handle and tugged. However, the breach door refused to open. “It’s stuck, sir.”

“Give him a hoof, Blue,” Blue tried to pull at it, but the breach remained stubbornly in place. Felix glanced back. “It’s all gummed up sir,”

“Let me have a look,” Spearhead said, he reached in and tried. But the breach door wouldn’t opened.

“Sorry,” Sutch said, walking up, the comedian pulled down a latch and opened the breach. “You had the safety catch on,” he then walked away, muttering, “Luna, if this lot goes to war then God help us all…”

Silently the gun crew watched with silent fury and indignation.

Major Fields glared. “Always some know-it-all ready to interfere, isn’t there?”

Blue Bonnet added, “It’s our gun,” and Felix nodded. “He’s a troublemaker, sir.”

Spearhead shook his head. “If he expected us to know how this weapon works first time, then he’s got some very high standards. This entire session is to get acquainted with the thing,”

“All right,” the Major said, opening to book once more. “Let’s get carry on. ‘Breach-worker reports, ‘Bore clear,’”

“That’s you, Felix,”

“Right, sir,” he peered inside. “Bore clear,” Felix said, in a chant-like tone, which he repeated two more times. Spear tapped him on the shoulder. “All right, Felix, just once is enough, and in your normal way of talking.”

Fields shook his head and read out again, “‘The Loader places the shell within the bore, and says ‘Gun loaded,’ to the Breach-worker,”

Crest passed the practice shell to Blue, who then crouched down and pushed the round into the breach. When he stood up, he announced, “Gun loaded to the Breach-worker,”

“No, Blue,” Spearhead clarified, “Just, ‘Gun loaded,’” Blue then shrugged. “Just gun loaded,” both Spear and the Major’s glare told him to stop playing about.

Shaking his head, the Major returned to the manual. “It says, ‘The loader must take extreme caution to ensure his or her hooves are out the breach, when the Breach-worker works the breach,’” Blue presented his foreleg hooves to Spearhead for inspection. Spearhead examined them for any damage. “Good,” he said, and Blue returned to his position.

“‘As soon as his hooves are clear he calls to the Breach-worker…’” Fields paused, despondently. “The corner of the page is torn out,” Field turned to the page to check. Blue then glanced to him. “Why do I say that, sir?”

“Say what?”

“The corner of the page is torn away?”

“I mean this part of the page is missing,” Field said, fuming at Blue’s stupidity.

“In that case,” Spearhead said, a little despondently, “we’ll never find out what Blue calls.”

Amaranthine suggested, “How about this?” and then in a chant-like manner similar to Felix’s mistake earlier said, “Hooves away!”

Major Field looked at her unimpressed. “This is a field gun, Amaranthine, not Ben Gun,”

Crest Crown then spoke up, “If Blue doesn’t get his hooves out of the way maybe he should say ‘Ouch!’” Field glared at him. “We’ve already had Sutch provide a satirical commentary, we’d don’t need you starting another one. Now we want something brief and to the point,”

“How about,” Spearhead began, “Toe walls out?”

“Yes,” the Major said. “Very good, Toe walls out will do for now. Say that, Bonnet,”

“Toe walls out!”

“Good. ‘Breach-worker closes the breach.’ Close the breach…” the slam of the shutting metal interrupted the Major’s order to Felix. The Pegasus then stood up and looked at Fields. “Shut up, sir!” the Major blinked. “What did you say?”

“Shut up, sir. The breach is shut up.” Fields groaned. “There’s nothing in the manual about say that,” he said, tapping the page.

“Well,” Felix said, a little embarrassed, “I thought it was rather military.”

Spearhead shook his head. “Speaking as a former military stallion, I thought it was quite rude.”

Ernie glanced behind to the Major. “How about, once more into the breach?”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous!” Fields snapped, before he returned to the book. “Now, ‘On the order, Fire, the Gun Layer pulls his lanyard,’ that’s you Ernie,” the pancake cook proceeded to pull at the piece of string running under his right epaulette. The Major groaned and pointed the thicker string attached to the barrel. “That one, there,”

“Oh,” Ernie said, unsure. “You mean you want me to make it, go off, sir?”

“Yes. Felix watch out for the kick,” Ernie glanced back. “You want me to kick him too, sir?”

“The recoil from the gun,” he decided to carry on. “So, now, we all know how the weapon works,” he ignored the confused glances, but acknowledged the silence, “Splendid. So, we’ll have a little practice,”

“That’s all very well, Major,” Amaranthine said. “But what exactly are we aiming at?”

“Ah,” the Major looked up and out at the fields and roads. He pointed to something in the distance. “See that train in the distance. That is an enemy supply train. You lay on that, I’ll just work out the range and inclination,” Fields took the book and walked ahead of the weapon. He unfolded a page and studied it, comparing his position to the train. “Range, say, seven-hundred yards, angle of inclination, two-point-five degree,”

Felix glanced to Ernie, “Ern? Do you have the inclination?”

“No, I’m perfectly fine at the moment,”

Spearhead smiled and shook his head. “No, Ernie,” he pointed to a dial, beside the pancake maker. “Look at that dial and make sure it says two-point-five,”

Meanwhile, the Major looked at the other page. “From here the weapon should be facing at eleven o’clock, turn it left that way,” the Major held out his foreleg. “Ready? Aim for the target and fire!”

Felix called from behind, “I wonder do that if I were you, sir?”

“Why?” Fields turned around, only to end up staring down the barrel. Quickly and scurried to the side and glared at the gun crew.

---

A week later, Lieutenant Heart asked the gun crew to bring the 13-pounder into the park for a public demonstration, using blanks.

Cold Steel, with Time Turner’s help, made a camouflage cover to try and make it look more like a bush. As the rest of the platoon put the cover over and weighed it down with sandbags, Spearhead did not look happy.

The town dignitaries came to watch. Rarity with Midnight and Applejack and Sutch included.

Spearhead saluted the Major. “Permission to carry on, sir?”

Sutch glanced to Midnight. “Carry on, is just about the right for this,”

Spearhead assembled the gun crew. Before start he glanced to the Major, “I think for this we should remove the net,”

“I don’t think that’s very good thinking, Spear,” Fields said. “The whole point of it is camouflage. What’s the point of hiding it, when the enemy aren’t here to see it, and then revealing it when they will? We get the gun operational, then whip the net off at the last moment to bombard the enemy with deadly fire.”

“Its just the detachment has never trained with it on. I am the leader of this section, I’ve been training with them, I know what they are and aren’t capable of.”

Fields sighed. “Oh, very well, section, Corporal. You give the command,”

“Thank you, Major. Take the cover off,” the platoon scrambled to comply, sandbags were thrown in a chain. Caramel and Lucky lifted the net off showing the townsfolk the polished metals and crisp, spotless paintwork.

Spearhead stood forward looked for an open space among crowd and barked the orders. “Enemy encampment to the right! Range five-hundred yards. Action!”

Sutch turned to Midnight. “The enemy camp will be range ten yards by the time they’re read,” Applejack give the Buckminster a kick.

While the Pearly Prince joked the nine ponies rushed to their places. Felix took the safety catch off and opened the breach. “Bore clear,” he called as Crest rushed up with one of the twenty-five blank shells. Quickly he gave it to Blue, who in turn pushed it up the bore. “Gun loaded. Toe walls out!”

Cold Front using her provided map looked at the sights. “One-point-two o’clock. Inclination two degrees,” Dusty and Crest adjusted the position. Cold singled them to stop. “Ready, Corporal,” she called.

“Fi…”

“Wait!” someone shouted.

Spike flapped down to the ground with a scroll.

White Heart and Major Field looked at him annoyed. The lieutenant asked, “What is the meaning of this?”

“I’ve got new from the hospital,” he cleared his throat. “Prince Twilight Sparkle has given birth to three healthy Alicorn colts. With weights of eight pounds and ten ounces, seven pounds and twelve ounces and seven pounds and nine ounces.”

Squeals and cheers pervaded through the crowd. Rarity hugged Applejack, before proceeding to shake her, acting like an excited Pinkie Pie. “We must go the hospital at once!” before Midnight, Sutch or Applejack could say anything, Rarity dragged the farm pony with her. Spike followed taking flight, getting joined by Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

The Major smiled. “That’s splendid news,” he turned to White Heart. “May we turn his demonstration into a twenty-one-gun salute in honour of the royal birth, sir?”

“An excellent suggestion, Major,”

“You know what to do, Spearhead.”

“Yes, sir,” Spearhead saluted. “Gun ready? Fire!”

The boom of fire and sparkles wowed the crowd. Quickly the gun crew set up for the next round.

---

While nursing the bruise on his foreleg, Flash glanced to the window and counted the shots.

On the bed, Twilight, tried, teary-eyed but triumphant, gazed lovely at the three wrapped up bundles at her side. The three fouls rested peacefully, unaware of the booms from the outside world.

“Such good boys,” Twilight mumbled. She kissed the new Crown Prince of Everfree on his horn, making the colt yawn adorably. His muzzle resembled Flash’s through with a coat with mixed Twilight’s purple with the middling blue of her father’s, Night Light. A small tuff of a mane, with both purple and blue fluffed his head, like Shining Armour’s mane. “Even Shine,”

The middle boy looked like a copy of Flash, expect for a darker orange coat and a purple streak to his mane. “Solar Sentry,”

Finally, the youngest of the trio. Almost a male version of Twilight, if not for the orange stripe to his name instead of the purple. “Praiseworthy,” named for one of the seventy disciples of Silver Light.

Twilight looked at her three sons. What would the future hold for them?

With a smile on her face, the Princess of Friendship went to sleep.

Author's Note:

Sorry that I've not been active with chapters.

Once again, I've been focused elsewhere. On other writing projects and job hunting.

Also, the end of the show sort of dis-motivated me to continue with writing for MLP. I still read and watch fan related stuff, but I've lost interest in writing story for this particular franchise. Especially with the contradictions I made. So I decided to fix some of those to align with show better.

I'll keep this on hiatus, however do not expect any further updates.

Comments

[Godslittleprincess]

I wonder if we're ever going to get any Dad Sentry chapters now that Flash is a father.