Black Feather

by Recon777

11 - A Military Perspective

Sergeant A.Pone stood at the forest’s edge, his hooves planted firmly on the well-worn trail, the unofficial line that marked Ponyville’s polite nod to the wild beyond. Tradition ran deep here, if rumor was to be believed. Every year, the “Running of the Leaves” sent a horde of excited ponies tearing into Whitetail Woods, ditching the familiar streets of home for a day in the sticks.

Local legends say that folks for generations had come through this place to get their nature fix. Be it seeking solace or yanking at nostalgia, they strolled under these wooden giants and basked in memories that tasted like childhood. Kids liked to make it their hangout spot, with curious noses and wide eyes, though A.Pone had shooed away a fair share of ’em this morning already. Apparently, the sniper scare a few days back couldn’t even squash their adventurous spirits.

All this hustle today was a far cry from the woods’s usual gig as a kiddie playground. As he tightened his rifle strap, A.Pone’s gaze swept over the ragtag platoon that had assembled. Eighteen of ’em, tight as family but none the wiser. Their mission? Well, it was classified, strictly need-to-know, and right now, only the lieutenant and Princess Luna herself knew what was cooking. A.Pone didn’t care, at least if you’d ask him. But truth was, this smelt weird. Weren’t no zeebs that direction. Front lines were south, not west toward the swamps and ocean. Still, Command said go, so off they went.

Nerves buzzed through the troops like an electric current. They were waiting on a specialist group to show up, the final piece of this head-scratcher of an operation. Soldiers all around exchanged looks, silent question marks passing between them, ’cause none of ’em knew what was about to go down, for good or bad.

The mission, well, it was a big ol’ elephant in the room, alright. They were about to march their way west through the thick woods, straight into the heart of who-knows-what, with the grand goal of hitting the bayou by sundown. That’s where the lieutenant would spill the beans on what this all was really about, probably with an audience of hungry mosquitos. A.Pone glanced over to the party piece of the operation—three trusty supply wagons, packed with guns and medical gear, enough to supply over a hundred grunts, all hooked up and ready to be dragged through mud and misery.

Then, in the midst of all the chatter and sporadic laughter among the platoon, his trained eye caught wind of trouble brewing. And he wasn’t the only one, either. Corporal Brawn, a solid lump of muscle and vigilance, stomped forward with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, intercepting a trio of unfamiliar faces that were heading their way. “Halt!” he bellowed, like the herald of doomsday. “This path’s off-limits. Military business, folks.”

A.Pone kept a close eye on the corporal’s negotiation with the strangers, his worry growing by the second. These folks didn’t seem to be getting the memo that it was high time for an about-face and a brisk exit. Corporal Brawn appeared to be in a tough spot, struggling to make his case. Then, a snippet of their conversation reached his ears: “Wait right here.”

The corporal hustled back, clicking his hooves together in a crisp salute. “Sir. Some heavily armed civilians just showed up outside the camp,” he reported, his urgency clear as day. “They’re packing machine guns! I’m scratching my head here, Sarge. And one of ’em, believe it or not, is an alicorn!”

“Civilians?! Is this a joke?” A.Pone asked, his disbelief ringing through. “I reckon I’ll go have a heart-to-heart with ’em myself.” He pivoted toward the corporal, a steely determination in his eyes. “Keep the fort steady for two minutes,” he commanded, his voice unwavering.

Sergeant A.Pone approached the trio, sizing them up with a veteran’s discerning eye. It wouldn’t be the first time some well-intentioned but suicidal youngsters had bought some guns and decided to ‘help out’. But then he’d have to shoo them away.

“Nightmare Night ain’t for a few months yet, kids,” he barked, the corner of his mouth quirking up in an unmistakable grin of half-serious wry humor.

“Hi,” the pegasus stallion chirped, an unabashed grin stretching across his face.

“Hi. Enlighten me, son, what part of ‘the path is closed’ were you all having trouble with?” A.Pone’s voice carried the weight of a hundred disappointed school teachers.

“We’re here for the mission,” the black mare with a pair of unsettling eyes replied, her tone laced with a mysterious edge.

“The mission…” A.Pone echoed slowly, skepticism oozing from each word.

“You are expecting us, right?” the mare pressed, her piercing gaze locking onto his.

“I’m expecting specialists,” he retorted, the arch of an eyebrow emphasizing his point. “Not you kids.” He glanced up and down the black alicorn-looking pony. “And whatever you are. I ain’t never seen anyone transfigure themselves to make ’em look big and scary. You ain’t a changeling, are ya?”

The pegasus mare dressed like a Meadowbrook Hospital field medic suddenly coughed.

A voice, like a timely lifeline, called out from behind him. “Sergeant!” It was his lieutenant, accompanied by the telltale clatter of determined hoofsteps. She was a no-nonsense mare that had, only two days ago, been assigned to lead the platoon. He hoped that her reputation was more than just talk. If even half of the stories he'd heard about her were true, they were in for a solid run. And, well, she wasn’t half bad on the eyes either.

“Sergeant. These are the specialists the princess sent. This is Nyx,” the lieutenant declared.

A.Pone reflexively straightened upon Princess Luna being mentioned. He cast a sidelong glance to his superior officer, then back at the alicorn, his gruff demeanor returning. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Please, show them around. I’ll be with you all shortly.” She offered the directive and trotted away, leaving A.Pone to size up this peculiar trio before him in a new, if unexpected, light.

“Yes, Ma’am,” the sergeant declared with a salute, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “So what’s your story? Do I have to call you Princess?”

“Please, don’t,” the black mare—Nyx said, shaking her head. “And we don’t have time for me to tell my story. Unless you want to hear about how I tried to take over the world when I was a child. We’re just here to escort your platoon to the bayou and look out for zebras.”

A.Pone stared at the mare in silence for a moment, his grizzled features masking his thoughts before he finally gave in to laughter. “You’re a firecracker, kid. I like your style. Name’s Sergeant A.Pone, twenty-first platoon, Lunar division. And what do they call you?” He motioned toward the two pegasi flanking Nyx, his gaze scrutinizing their presence.

“Rumble, sir,” the grey stallion stated, straightening up. “Weapons and tactics.”

“Well, well, well,” A.Pone’s tone turned impressed, his eye catching the distinctive gear Rumble wore. “If what you’ve got there is the real deal, you’ve got yourself a mark-five lancer frame. This pile of struts, straps, and magical servos will turn any cloud-hopper into a flying death machine. Almost a proper soldier.”

Rumble’s eyes widened, but he remained speechless, earning a friendly slap on the shoulder from A.Pone.

“Where on Celestia’s green world did you snag that contraption?” A.Pone inquired.

“It was a gift, sir,” Rumble declared, proudly. “Just this week, from Princess Luna.”

A.Pone let out a low whistle. “Well, son, ain’t that a sweet deal. I’m still waiting on my personal gift from Her Highness, but a stallion can dream.” He winked at Rumble, prompting a stunned silence once more.

“Now, you, the quiet one,” A.Pone grumbled at the pegasus mare standing beside Nyx, his steely gaze zeroing in.

“I’m Flitter. Medical and covert ops,” she answered.

At first glance, she appeared to be just an everyday slender pegasus who had accidentally wandered into a potentially dangerous situation. No fancy gadgets or tactical gear, just the attire of a standard medical pony.

“And what makes you a covert ops specialist?” A.Pone inquired, his scrutiny locking onto her.

Flitter met A.Pone’s gaze squarely and countered with a wry smile. “One moment, I’ll help you understand.” With that, she casually shed her field medic outfit and saddlebags, letting them fall to the ground. Before A.Pone could even wrap his head around what was happening, a sheet of magical green fire enveloped her body as quick as flash paper, consuming her coat and mane, leaving nothing but vanishing smoke-like remnants.

When the blinding light finally receded and A.Pone’s vision adjusted, a jaw-dropping sight awaited him. Right before his eyes stood a perfect mirror image of himself, down to the last detail. Even his sergeant’s uniform was faithfully replicated, at least at first glance. Only a thorough inspection would reveal that the very hair of her coat had precisely copied the look of his outfit to complete the illusion.

“Corporal Brawn! Who said you could stand at-ease?!” the pony in A.Pone’s form bellowed with a voice that could rattle windows.

A.Pone glanced over his shoulder and watched as Corporal Brawn snapped to attention, his wide-eyed confusion at the sight of his commanding officer’s double clear as day. With another flash, the transformation reversed, returning Flitter to her original appearance. As she donned her field medic outfit once more, Rumble struggled to hold back a chuckle. A.Pone himself couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement.

“Okay, never mind,” he conceded. “Always the quiet ones… So you’re a changeling, then.”

“That’s right,” Flitter confirmed, her smile exuding confidence.

“Impressive. I’ve never met one before,” A.Pone admitted before gathering himself. “You’re obviously on our side,” he half-questioned. “Just remember, no feedin’. My ponies ain’t your personal buffet.”

“Don't have to worry about that, sir. Me and Nyx keep her well-fed,” Rumble was quick to point out.

Nyx's cheeks reddened a little and she looked away.

“Active feeding is strictly forbidden,” Flitter added. “Most people don’t know, but changelings have been looking after ponies for millennia, right in plain sight.”

A.Pone wasn’t sure how to respond to that revelation, so he settled for a grumble under his breath and left it at that. He couldn’t shake the memories of what went down in Canterlot all those years ago, and the idea of a potential infiltrator among the platoon didn’t sit well with him, even if she was a pretty little thing in her pony guise. He glanced back at Corporal Brawn. “At ease, you knucklehead.”

A noise akin to a balloon popping mixed with the telltale fwoop of a unicorn’s spell, jolted half the grunts into reaching for their weapons before A.Pone could swing around to see what was happening.

“Now what?” he grumbled to himself.

Standing nearby, a lilac-colored unicorn mare, barely out of her teens, sported the most extravagant scout's barding A.Pone had ever seen. As the remnants of magical stardust dissipated around her, he couldn't ignore the unmistakable Lunar Division insignia on her uniform. Yet, despite the official markings, she appeared even younger than the trio he'd just met.

Teleporters...

“Oh, good! I didn’t miss you!” the unicorn chimed with eager delight as she rushed forward to greet the black alicorn and her entourage. The other three stared at her with expressions of surprise, their disbelief practically tangible.

“Dinky, where did you get that barding?” the alicorn asked.

“I could ask the same of you, my dear friend. That armor is utterly splendid!”

“This isn’t a fashion show, ladies,” A.Pone interrupted. “Name and rank, soldier. Or do we have another civilian here?”

“This is Dinky,” Nyx answered.

“I’m with them,” the unicorn pointed at Nyx.

“Figures. Let me guess, you’ll be our teleporter? It’s a rare skill.”

“Princess Luna herself assigned me to the team,” the unicorn declared. “I shall gladly contribute to the best of my abilities.”

“More like coerced,” Nyx commented sourly. “I’m still not entirely happy about how that went.”

“Well, I volunteered then,” Dinky countered.

“She had your barding waiting for you,” Nyx pointed out.

“I get it, I get it,” A.Pone bellowed. “The princess wants you here, so you’re here. That’s good enough for me. Now fall in line, I’ll introduce you to our lieutenant.”

---

Nyx's pulse quickened with each step as Sergeant A.Pone guided her and her friends toward the commanding officer of the platoon. Prior to today, their only encounters with the military had been limited to occasional invitations to participate in SkyGuard war games. Rumble’s brother Thunderlane's unit sometimes pulled some strings to fit them in. However, those were mere training exercises, far from the gravity of actual combat. Starting today, this would be the real deal. Nyx just hoped it wasn’t all a huge mistake.

They arrived at a supply wagon, where the lieutenant was engrossed in discussion with the platoon's unicorn. Before they approached her, the sergeant offered a single piece of advice. “I will ask that you fully respect the lieutenant’s orders. We have a mission to do, and if you haven’t been trained… Well, I don’t expect much trouble, but just watch yourselves. We’re going in where zeebs have been spotted.”

They cut through the bustling troops, who were each preoccupied with their own tasks. Most were chattering or doing gear checks, each carrying their light infantry weapons on body harnesses. A.Pone’s voice cut through the noise.

“This is Lieutenant Daisycutter,” A.Pone introduced to Nyx with a salute. “She’s in charge of this operation.”

The lieutenant was a middle-aged earth pony mare, her coat a rich, golden-cream buckskin hue, with a black mane and tail that matched the lower sections of her legs. Nyx hadn't crossed paths with many buckskin ponies, but she knew they were often seen as striking. Clad in forest-camouflage military attire, she was clearly prepared for business, her demeanor radiating a sense of seriousness.

“Good to finally meet you, Nyx,” the lieutenant greeted, her sharp gaze fixed on the alicorn. “You’ve already crossed paths with our sergeant, I see. Any questions before we hit the trail?”

“It’s good to meet you too,” Nyx answered. “The sergeant mentioned you’re Lunar Division?”

“That’s correct,” the lieutenant affirmed. “As special forces, we answer directly to the princess. It streamlines the chain of command, much more efficient than the R.E.A.”

“Oooh, special forces!” Rumble chimed in, his excitement evident.

“You clear on your orders?” she asked.

“Luna said you’d be filling us in once we got here,” Nyx confirmed. “As far as I know, we’re going in to make sure the locals in the bayou don’t fall prey to Arkadian forces.”

The lieutenant nodded. “Specifically, you’re tasked with escorting the platoon, sticking with us through Whitetail Woods and beyond. You’ll be the eye in the sky, watching out for Arkadian troops while we hoof it on the ground. Once we reach the settlements, you’ll get your own mission, per the princess’s directive. But remember, the platoon’s mission is priority.”

“And what is the platoon’s mission?” Nyx asked.

“To follow orders,” Daisycutter stated, bluntly. “Full briefing once we hit the first settlement.”

“A mystery! You’ll enjoy that,” Rumble teased playfully, nudging her shoulder with his own.

Nyx surveyed the troops around her. “I see. So we’re the air support? You don’t have any pegasi?”

“Negative. Pegasi are in short supply lately, and this mission leans more toward earth ponies. Windy Scarlet here is our requisite unicorn and ‘bag of tricks’. She’s under my direct command for this op, and the other fifteen earth ponies follow the sergeant’s lead.”

Nyx turned her gaze toward the unicorn, nodding in acknowledgment, then refocused on the lieutenant. “What should we do if we find zebras then? I mean while scouting ahead.”

“If they don’t spot you, don’t engage,” she advised. “Report back to me with what you find. If they get the drop on you, handle the immediate threat as needed. Word on the street is, you’ve handled worse.”

“Wait, you’ve heard of us and what we’ve done?”

The lieutenant met Nyx’s eyes squarely. “I know you saved a colt from three zebras in Ponyville last week with no help.”

Nyx’s gaze dropped for a moment before returning to meet the lieutenant’s. “Things didn’t exactly go as planned that day,” she admitted.

“From where I stand, Nyx, they couldn’t possibly have gone any better. You’re a valuable addition to our crew. Now, I heard we’re getting a teleporter?”

Dinky stepped forward, saluting enthusiastically. “How can I be of service, Ma’am?”

The lieutenant cracked a smile. “I’d like to know your range. How many jumps from here to, let’s say, Canterlot? And how many jumps can you safely pull off in a day? I’m aware it drains a lot of energy. To be frank, I was expecting someone more experienced, considering we’re heading deep into the wilderness.”

“Would you care for a Manehattan bagel?” Dinky inquired with her peculiar charm. “I can have one for you in two minutes, but that’s only because the finest shop tends to have rather lengthy queues at this hour.” The unicorn offered a confident smile, having made her point. Nyx could see that she was eager, but she still held a lingering doubt that any of this was a good idea. If Dinky got herself hurt, Nyx doubted she could forgive herself.

The lieutenant returned the smile. “I see. In that case, could you do us a favor and jump ahead to one of the settlements in the bayou? Let them know we’ll be on our way shortly.”

Dinky’s expression fell. “I’m afraid it doesn’t quite work like that, Ma’am. My teleportation is restricted to locations I've previously visited. Alas, I've never set hoof in the bayou.”

The lieutenant nodded solemnly. “Alright then, we’ll make do. Do you have any other tricks I should know about?”

“I’m afraid not,” Dinky admitted.

The lieutenant glanced at the platoon’s unicorn in response. “Looks like your job’s safe, Windy.”

Windy, meanwhile, was staring at Dinky, blinking, her jaw slack in what might have been awe.

Some nearby chatter drifted in from some of the troops who had gathered around the newcomers. “Damn, finally some nice-looking mares in this platoon,” one of them commented. Nyx caught A.Pone rolling his eyes, though he kept silent.

Another piped up nearby. “Hey Sarge, if the alicorn’s joining the team, does that mean we don’t have to fight anymore and can just let her do all the work?”

“You secure that mouth, soldier!” A.Pone growled. “Though I accept your volunteering for latrine duty.”

“Thanks a lot, Sarge,” came the humbled reply.

Nyx felt only a slight jolt at the sergeant's gruff response, recognizing it as a part of the military's customary demeanor. This brought a curious thought to her mind. A.Pone had used what seemed to be the lieutenant's callsign, rather than her real name. Her inquisitiveness got the better of her, and she couldn't resist asking, “So... Daisycutter?”

Daisy patted her on the shoulder. “That’s a long story I’ll tell you once we’ve got some time to spare. For now, we’re burning daylight and need to get moving.”

Comments

[Bronycommander]

nicely done! Heh, you could joke that Dinky is always on time, eh?

[SummerGem]

And so the mission begins. Two bits says that it will go sideways in a few chapters.

[Recon777]

11724645
You'd win that bet.

[Totally Not A Pony]

A. Pone, hm. I take it that Red Shirt was indisposed?

[Recon777]

11733143
https://alienanthology.fandom.com/wiki/Apone

[Totally Not A Pony]

11734172
Hmmmm...yeah, I think I stand by my question.

[Recon777]

11734488
Sorry, I don't really understand your question.
Thought you were wondering why I picked that name.

[Totally Not A Pony]

11734490
And here I thought Star Trek and its assorted memes had been around for long enough by now. Very well, let me point you straight at the trope and maybe you’ll see why I kind of immediately latched onto A. Pone as a likely example.

[Recon777]

11734506
Oh I know what a "red shirt" is... Generic guy who gets killed on a mission. I just never imagined someone would connect that with my sergeant, whose style is pretty much that of Apone from Aliens.

[Totally Not A Pony]

11734545
Yes, well, I’ve in turn never actually watched Aliens (and might not have remembered that particular character’s name off the top of my head even if I had), so it’s probably no surprise that the same character came across as...just “A Pony” with the last letter swapped out.

Now it’s not the good Gunnery Sergeant’s fault that his last name makes for an incredibly bland pun once “ponified”, but that right there started me on the mental train towards “yeah, this guy is either a changeling with incredibly lame cover or else expendable”, and that the summary you linked makes him sound rather like a classic red shirt in turn then didn’t exactly help dispel that. Will be interesting to see whether or not his pony equivalent makes it out of Nyx’s first mission alive.

[Recon777]

11734770
I see. Well, I highly recommend you watch Aliens, as it's a brilliant movie.

Honestly, the character has that name purely because of his style and characteristics. Fans of the film love the character and will understand the parallel here. But there isn't more to it than that. Enjoy!

Oh, and as for the pun, well... this is Fimfiction. It's par for the course. I picked the character to imitate first and only after the fact noticed the name essentially begs to be 'ponified'. I'm not a fan of puns myself, but the fandom here tends to like them. I guarantee it won't be in the non-MLP rewrite.