The War of 1002

by Fireheart 1945

Side Chapter 2; more letters

October 3rd, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar)

Dear Mom and Dad,

The worst has happened. A force of shape-shifting pony like insectile creatures called Changelings have invaded Equestria's northwestern border. They're intent on revenge for their defeat this past spring in the capital city, Canterlot, and no doubt they'll be ruthless in the vengeance they hope to dish out.

I've formed a force of four hundred to use delaying tactics, prick at the enemy, bleed him (or her, in this case) white... if they can even bleed white, that is. We had to head north, on a train. We got ambushed when a squad of those black, renegade bugs pushed some trash on the rails. No one died, no one except the Changelings, that is, but one of our guys was gored in the chest. He's hurt bad. I sure hope the hospital in Appleloosa can do something for him. He's lost so much blood already.

I'm not all that sure I can do this, but when we got to the town, I couldn't bear to see the desperate faces, and I knew innocents would probably die if I don't do the job I was summoned here to do.

I'll do everything short of allying with evil to get back home again.

Love you all very much,

James.

October 6th, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar)

Dear Mom and Dad,

I've seen what war is today; we met the enemy in battle, and by God Almighty we destroyed the enemy's vanguard. Our guys have counted over eight hundred of them dead on the field, most due to the firepower of our cannons, the rest from crossbow bolts and close combat.

The news ain't all good; we lost 23 wounded, some so badly I fear they'll die all too soon. Worst of all, we lost seventeen dead. I know it was my orders and the way I deployed my boys that lead to them dying. I knew war was about death and dying, but I didn't know it was anything like this.

Those seventeen... one of them was a poor pony, couldn't have been nineteen, who I caught shivering in the trenches just before things started off. He was... God, he was a kid. I tried to make him feel better about the whole mess, and it worked... but it cost him his life. Ii feel personally responsible for all the deaths that occured in this battle, but never more than when I remember that pony's poor, scared face; I know, deep down, I will never forget it.

I... I'm... sorry. I know you didn't want me to do anything particularly dangerous in life, but... I can't just back out now. I... I just can't. I'm so sorry.

Love, with all my heart,

James.

October 10th, 2012 (1002 Equestrian calendar)

Dear Mom and Dad,

We managed to pull a rabbit out of our hats again. We met the enemy and we sent them running. They lost hundreds in an attack while trying to cross the river. Our casualties were light again, but we lost eleven pegasi, the winged ponies. They did their job; they brought clouds into position to blast the enemy with lightning, and they pulled it off... but dammit, the cost, the cost.

One of those wounded was my friend Silver Lining; a rough, tough, fire-eating, loyal Scottish accented warrior. He got hit in the side; poor rascal got a Changeling horn in his side. He's gonna live, but this incident pushes the fact that I'm sending my boys, my friends, for crying out loud, into danger, into death's all too welcoming arms into my mind. I can't shake it.

We drew back from the river; they knew where we were; their attack afterward destroyed empty trenches and laid waste to ground we had abandoned barely thirty minutes before. Oddly enough, we were laughing; they were fools to think we'd stay there, and they wasted energy they could have been using against us.

I hope we can end this war soon. I grow ever more nervous.

Love,

James.

Comments

[AlsoSprachOdin]

Another OC story not marked with the blue pony profile. God dammit.

[the_sane_maniac]

Fuck me. This story is bloody genius. Only thing that bothers me is the religious part but I can deal with it. After all "in the trenches, no one is a atheist" ~someone, somewhere, sometime

[Saacsa]

1922480 Unless that person is George Carlin XD

[The Atlantean]

Wait... Appleloosa is SOUTH of Ponyville, not NORTH

We had to head north, on a train.

This is a small continuity error, please fix it. My inner Grammar Nazi is crawling upside my skin.

[Gotland]

Killing someone never gets easier, you just need to find to deal with it.
Also:
War, war never changes -Fallout 4

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

1922480
Historically, some of the best generals were Bible Thumpers. Stonewall Jackson, for instance.