> A war to close to home
>  by Bronycommander
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1 Something new on the Western Front
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1: Something new on the Western Front


You are not expected to survive. That’s what I learned after seeing so many die on the battlefield. Yet I have survived so far.

So many of us thought this war would be our rite of passage, our great adventure. Let me tell you, it was no adventure. Instead of adventure, we found fear, and in war the only true equalizer is death.

New killing machines, like the tank, changed the shape of the war overnight.

They push-we push. Every once in a while, we push hard enough that the light breaks through the clouds-so the world beyond the war glimmers-just out of reach.

The war is the world and the world is the war. But behind every gunsight is a human being. I’m one of those people.

The jaded and the naive. The honorable and the criminal. The bound-for-legend and the lost-to-history. The knights of the sky, the ghosts in the desert, and the rats of the mud.

This is my story.



Vosges, France. Spring 1917

My name is Herbert Baumer. I’m 22 years old. Volunteering straight from the school benches when I was 19, I, my classmates and my brother were enthusiastic, young and patriotic.

I’m the medic of the squad. I and my brother were born on a farm. I developed an interest for medicine when I was a child and became a medic. I use a Gewehr 98 with a bayonet as attachment and a Mauser C96 as sidearm. My brother, Holger, the Scout of the squad, has also a Gewehr 98 but with a scope and uses a Pistol 08 also known as “Luger” as sidearm. He’s likes to watch birds with his scope.

Then we have Fritz Krause, our support gunner, uses the Bergmann Model 1915 n.A. MG and a Kolibri, which is strange to me, as he’s the one who likes heavy weaponry, but he’s ability to carry a ammo crate when running low on ammo makes him a valued ally, like me with my Bandage Pouches, Medical Crate and my Medical Syringe with an adrenaline injection to revive critically wounded soldiers.

And last but not least our squad leader Manfred Bergmann. He uses the Carbine vision of the C96 and a Luger as sidearm. He used to be a cook before the war.

It was raining. I liked rain unlike my brother who hated it when it rained.
I was leaning against the cold wall of the trench, as I had a flashback.



“It is my duty…my honor… to prepare you for the part you must play in this Great War. Our homeland needs men with a strong will. It is my duty to prepare you for your duty for your Kaiser, for your fatherland. For your god.” Our teacher stood up.
“Germany is the nation of progress. The nation of culture. The nation of science, the nation of ideas. The nation of Beethoven…Schiller…of Goethe.” My brother was watching a bird outside.
“Baumer. Holger. What are you doing?”

“Drawing a bird, sir. A Yellowhammer.” The teacher inspected the drawing.
“Very good.” He got back to his desk.
“You have all passed your examination and as you know, graduated. The time for class is over; the time for duty has begun! Dismissed.”
Outside we were talking about joining the army.
“For duty, you will enlist, all of you, the entire class!” I did a quick salute.
“Of course!”
“Absolutely!”
For Kaiser and Vaterland!”
Together we were singing Die Wacht am Rhein.
We were trained by Bergmann himself and respected him. While he blocked every attack with a bayonet in training, I surprised him by faking a bayonet charge, then hit him with the butt of my rifle. He wasn’t angry but surprised and impressed by it.
Before we got onboard the troop train, mother told me, “Look after your little brother, Herbert.”
“I will, mother.”

During the years, of the 20 in the class who enlisted, 14 died, 2 went missing, 1 is in a madhouse, making me, my brother and our friend the only ones left.

Despite this, there were also good memories on the front, like the Christmas truce in 1914.

To be honest with you, I never had survived this long without my brother. He gave me cover while I recovered wounded soldiers and he never missed so far.

After this war is over, I want to be a vet or a pediatrician as I love children and I liked our cat, Tiger, back home. Apart from cats, I love ponies, especially the foals, as they are so cute!

My brother is like me when it comes to foals and children. Fritz wants to be a fashion designer after the war and designed some of our gas masks.

I never left a comrade behind and I got respected for that by many. I saw the enemy Mark IV in action, a destructive weapon, but Fritz had Anti-Tank Grenades for this. Also, I heard that we had tanks ourselves, called A7V Sturmpanzerwagen but they were still in production as Bergmann told me. I don’t think they will affect this war in our favor. 

“Hey, comrade! You look good!” my brother brought me out of my thought.

“Thanks. Anything new on the front?”

“All quiet on the Western Front. The Brits must’ve been sitting down for tea and crumpets instead of attacking us. Even with my scope, I can’t see a single Tommy out in the no man’s land or the trenches.” He shook himself. “Does that rain ever stop?”

I laughed. “I don’t think so.”

Fritz joined us. “Thats annoying. Attack, retreat, defend, repeat. We should have built a wall through all of Europe, then we had saved this all!” he complained.

“If those bastards didn’t steal the work, I wouldn’t have to join the army!”

“You’re really the most depressed man I know,” Holger said to him.

“Sorry, it’s just really annoying! We need something exciting or new!”

“I agree. But at least it is quite quiet today.”

I chuckled at my brother’s comment. “Father always said you were a positive thinker!”

“Enjoy the war while you can, Herbert, the peace will be hell. Remember what mother used to say: ‘Make Earth your heaven.’”

“If this is heaven little brother, then we best stay away from hell.”

“Hey boys, how’s it going?” Bergmann joined us too as we had our talk.

“Very good. Hey, what’s that?” Fritz pointed to something in the distance. It was at the end of the trench, between our line and No Man’s land. My bother looked through is scope, and I saw how his mouth was open in shook.

“Nein, it can’t be. Sir, take a look at this.” He gave his rifle to Bergmann.

He also couldn’t believe what he saw. “Herbert, this looks like a job for you.” He gave it to me. Even I couldn’t believe it.

A filly with green eyes, pink mane which looked redder to me and brown coat was caught in barbed wire. It tried to get free but ended up hurting itself more in the process.

“Sir?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice. Get it to safety.”

I nodded and climbed out, covered by my brother and Fritz.

Either the Tommy’s didn’t care or didn’t saw it as no Brit came for it.

As I came closer, I saw that the filly’s left hind leg was caught in the wire and was bleeding. The wire was…. impaled in her leg! Poor foal. The leg was bleeding pretty badly but it wasn’t so bad. It would take some time to heal.

“P-please don’t hurt me.” It cried in panic. Wait a minute. Ponies can’t talk. Either the shelling caused me to imagine things or it’s driving me crazy or…

Someone patted me on the shoulder. Turned around, my sidearm drawn, it was a British Medic. He also couldn’t believe it what he saw but said to the foal,” You’re hurt, we can help you.” I could understand him as I had learned English.

Together we freed the foal. The Tommy said comforting words to the foal while I bandaged it. After that was done, I was about to ask who should take it as he waved his hand. “Take care if it Fritz, I’m actually the only one who has compassion for it.”

He went back while I carried the foal back to my trench.

“Thank you.” The foal said in German to me. 

“It’s my job.”

I give her my canteen and the filly (I believe it was female) took a sip.

“Nice work, buddy. We make a good team!” my brother exclaimed.

“Cute, but what does a filly like you here?” Bergmann asked as if he would know that it can speak.

“I don’t know. I only remember that my sister tried to protect me from some bad ponies, one a unicorn, then a spell of it that hit me and then… an explosion that woke me up. In panic, I started to run and got caught in that wire. My name is Babs Seed by the way.”

Fritz, Bergmann and Holger couldn’t believe that Babs just talked. “My name is Herbert Baumer, this is my brother Holger, our friend Fritz Krause and our officer Manfred Bergmann.” I introduced us.

Before Babs could reply, Fritz commented, “That’s something new on the Western Front.”

> Chapter 2 Playing in the mud
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2: Playing in the mud


As soon as Fritz said that, Babs broke down in tears, realizing that she was far away from home.

“Sister…”

I hugged and patted her. “Shh, I’m here for you.” She calmed down and looked into my blue eyes.

“Thanks. My sister is the only one left for me. My parents died after I was born in an accident.”

“Sorry to hear that. Do you want to tell us more about you?” I felt guilty, as it could make her sadder.

She smiled weakly, before she blows her mane out of her eyes. Cute.

“Well, I was born in Manehattan, a metropolitan city in Equestria. I have a big sister named Sunflower. I’m a member of the Apple family, large family of Earth pony farmers, who own apple farms all over Equestria. Apart from Earth ponies, there are Pegasus ponies and Unicorn ponies in Equestria. The pair of scissors with apple-shaped bottom is my Cutie Mark. It shows my special talent.

My cousin Apple Bloom introduced me to her club, the Cutie Mark Crusaders who helping other ponies to get their Cutie Mark.
Before I got my Cutie Mark, I was very shy and meek and to avoid being bullied, I acted mean and aggressively to Apple Bloom and her friends. But I changed and forgive them after they tried to get revenge and aborted it. I visit them regularly. You’re soldiers, right?”

I scratched my back. “Well, yes. My brother I and were born on a farm in Munich.” My brother waved with a smile at her which she returned. He also had blue eyes like me but had black hair instead of brown. Fritz had blond hair and green eyes, Bergmann brown eyes with matching hair.

"Bergmann used to be a cook before the war, and Fritz was a Fashion designer.”

“W-war? The last war in Equestria was 1000 years ago. That’s terrible.” She trembled.

“Yeah it is.” I told her without going to deep into it what the Great War was, where she was and which year it was.

“So, you never had such a great War?”

“Yes, Babs. My brother and I are using the Gewehr 98, standard issue rifle in the German Army. It has a 5-round internal magazine and is a bolt-action rifle, meaning that I have to bolt it after each shot. Slow rate of fire but it packs a punch. This,” I pointed to my holster, “is the Mauser C96. It also an internal magazine but has a 10 Round magazine. I use it as we did not have enough quantities if our standard sidearm, the Pistol 08 known as ‘Luger.’ The Luger is used by my brother and it has a magazine of 8 rounds, unlike the C96, the mag can be changed. Bergmann uses also a Luger as sidearm and the carbine version of the C96 as primary weapon, featuring an extended barrel and a shoulder stock.

Fritz is our support gunner and uses the MG15 n.A. It’s a Machine Gun. It has a mag of 100 rounds but can overheat if fired too long. His task is to suppress the enemy and to give covering fire, which is no problem. As side arm, he uses the Kolibri, the smallest pistol ever made. Has a mag of 8 rounds.”

Fritz showed it to her to prove it. “Wow. It is so tiny.” She said as he had to hold it with the thumb and forefinger.

“I know, they accidently gave me it. It’s difficult to handle and reload but I’m used to it.”

“Is that a… ditch we’re in?” Babs looked around.

“It’s a trench. Armies clashed, Calvary owned the battlefield but one device changed warfare... The machine gun... It effectively ended the Calvary and there supremacy on the battlefield. Planes rule the sky, artillery rain hell on us and in the end, we only could dig down, eventually the trenches were created and now every day we fight pre yard of bloody mud. Gas attacks and charges are a daily occurrence.... And this is our heaven until one side wins.”

“That sounds horrible. But it must be annoying.” She lowered her ears.

“It is.” Fritz confirmed. 

It seemed the Tommy’s were asleep, so I showed her the trench. She didn’t mind walking in the mud, actually she enjoyed it and jumped into the mud puddles like she would in the rain. She could walk with her injured hind leg but rather slowly. The other soldiers shook their heads but as she greeted them, they showed compassion for her.

Suddenly, I heard a whistle. “Here they come!” The enemy was attacking.

“I don’t want to die!” Seed exclaimed scared.

I picked her up and carried her to the bunker next to the sickbay. “Please don’t leave!” She was scared.

“Sorry, but my comrades need me. I will be back as soon as it’s over.”

As I left for the frontline, I heard her cry, “Wait! Please, I don’t want to be alone!” I heard that she was crying and I’d comfort her, but holding this trench was the key to her safety.

My rifle cocked, I joined my brother who already fired on the hostile soldiers.

When they came closer, I fired too. I felt remorse as I’m a medic whose task was to save lives not to end them. But sometimes, the only way to save a life, is to take a life. I learned that in this war.

Even if Fritz managed to mow them down, it were too many.

They stormed our trench and were struggled in brutal close combats.

One Tommy jumped into the trench but I killed him with my bayonet. Right into the chest.

Another one charged at me with his bayonet from my left but I blocked it and did a counterattack with my Shovel. It was both, a useful tool and weapon, better than a knife in my opinion.

They retreated. Smoke was popped. What now?

“Something big is coming.” Bergmann said as he heard a noise.

It sounded like an engine. Oh, no.

My fear was real as a Mark IV came out of the smoke. The tank was accompanied by infantry.

We fired at the infantry and killed them all but the tank fired, knocking me and Fritz down. I grabbed one of his Anti-Tank Grenades and waited until he came closer.

The canon missed us but the shellshock from it was incredible.

Closer…Closer…Now! I threw it just as the Mark IV was a few meters from the trench away. The grenade landed on top of the rear of the tank where the engine I believed.

The tank exploded. Phew! That was a close one.

“Nicely done! Now let’s-wait, Message coming in!” A Carrier Pigeon landed next to Bergmann.

“New orders from High Command! The attack is postponed to tomorrow. Get some rest, men.”

I wasted no time to get back to Babs.

The bunker and the sickbay had both not a scratch. The foal however was crying, hooves over her ears, eyes closed, tears running down.
Even if the bunker and sickbay were at the end of the trench, far away from the frontline, it could be heard very loudly.

“Babs? It’s over.” She looked up and hugged me tightly.

“I…was afraid…that you…were…going to…die.” She sobbed.

“I’m still in one piece, my dear. Are you hungry?” I asked as her stomach growled.

“Yeah, I could eat something.”

I took a sip from my canteen and gave her some bread and zwieback. She enjoyed it clearly. Even if the food supply was bad thanks to the Turnip Winter and the British Naval blockade, we still had enough here.

Then we both looked into the beautiful sunset until Babs let out a yawn.

“You should get some sleep. It was an exhausting day for you.”

“Yeah, I should.” She fell asleep and I gently carried her to the cots at the sickbay. We had no wounded at the moment, and I slept almost always here to treat wounded.

My brother joined me. He smiled. “She’s so cute when she’s asleep.”

“You got that right. I hope her friends and family finds her soon. I don’t want her to be victim of artillery or gas.”

“Brother, you have my word, I protect her with my life, and let me tell you, all men in this trench have closed her into their hearts and will fight for her. You should get some sleep, you earned it after you destroyed that tank. I take the night guard. Goodnight.”

“Night, brother.” I putted the safety of my rifle and sidearm on, so that they accidently go off and hurt Babs and putted them on the table next to me.

Babs hugged me in her sleep and I couldn’t help myself but put my arm around her.

She really looked like an angel as her belly raised and lowered gently.

I hope and pray that the Brits won’t shell us tonight. She suffered already enough. And I don’t want that’s she ends like the recruit I once met. He was just 16 and suffered a mental breakdown in the night after they shelled us the entire night, not letting us sleep. I was glad that they gave us the new Stahlhelm instead of the Pickelhaube. Not only it was more comfortable in sleep, but also Babs couldn’t accidently get hurt by the tip.

But I promise you Babs Seed, I will protect you from all harm with my life. I fell asleep with a smile at the cute sleeping filly.

> Chapter 3 Gas!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 3: Gas!


I woke up in the morning, feeling the warmth of Babs against my body.

Curled up, smiling and giggling in her sleep.

I gently got up not to wake her, collected my gear and joined the others.

Soldiers were shaving, playing cards, chatting and so on. Just because we’re at war and at the frontline, doesn’t mean we could go on with our daily life. I had no beard and liked to be clean shaved.

“Morning, brother. Slept well?” Holger asked me while watching birds.

“Yes. Bab’s still asleep. Any reports?”

“No. Nothing to report at all. The Night was quiet and the Brits haven’t started another attack, nor did our attack order come.”

“Uh-huh. I check on Babs, see if she’s still asleep.” I pointed with my thump to the sickbay.

Just when I got back, she awoke with a cute yawn. “Good morning Babs, slept well?”

“Yeah, I did. You?”

“Me too. Let’s get breakfast, shall we?” She got of the cot but let out a small cry of pain. “Don’t put too much pressure on it or it could get worse.”

“I won't.” She limped so a carried her. I had bread with cheese, she bread with jam. Fritz came with a measuring tape and measured her. I knew why he did that, better safe then sorry.

Bab’s spent the morning with cutting hairs of my comrades. Guess that’s her special talent, as my comrades said she did a pretty good job at it, causing her to blush.

Fritz came back with a custom made gasmask for her.

“For me?” She asked confused yet joyful at her “gift.”

“Yeah, safety first.” He said a little bit ashamed but I helped her to put it on.

It fitted perfectly. “Thanks.” Her voice was distorted by it.

A soldier with one equipped entered the trench. “Gas, Gas! Gas, Gas!” he shouted.

We all equipped our Gas masks. Gas. The most feared the most obscene weapon of all. We remember the awful sights in the hospital. The Gas patients, who suffocated and coughed their lungs out.

Better to take your chances in the open, rather in the trenches and low places, where the gas can stay down low.

I helped Babs out of the trench. Mustard Gas. While not overtly lethal, the gas is severely debilitating, causing severe blisters, chemical burns, temporary blindness due to eyelid swelling, and internal bleeding if inhaled. I have seen it before.

The new recruits gave us more trouble than they are worth. They get killed simply, because they’re inexperienced. They know nothing. So they die like flies.

We waited. I heard Bab’s breath through the mask.

After a while, the gas was mostly gone, so we took our masks off.

Then something happened which terrified me to the bone.

Babs did the same mistake as the recruit did some time ago. Her mask fell into a Crater and she instinctively jumped after it to get it, exposed to the still existing gas cloud.

“No!” My brother and I yelled but it was too late.

She coughed violently. Holger and I putted our masks back on and got her out of the Crater.

Another Medic arrived to bring her to the sickbay. “I take care of her, you have my word, comrade.”

As she was taken away, Bergmann slammed his Carbine into the mud. “A Child. Just a Child.”

I wanted to be here for her, but I couldn’t as the Kaiser himself visited the front.

Holger and I were pretty nervous and excited as the Preußischer Präsentiermarsch played.







We greeted him by shouting three times, “Hurrah!”
A car escorted by Calvary and motorcycles drove by.

Kaiser Wilhelm got out and our officer of the battalion introduced us.

Then, he walked to me. “Soldier Herbert Baumer.” He gave me the Iron Cross, then walked to my brother. “Soldier Holger Baumer.” He got an Iron Cross too.

“Hauptmann Bergmann.” He also got rewarded with an Iron Cross. The last one was Fritz. “Soldier Krause.”

Then he gave us a moral speech.

“Officers, non-commissioned officers, enlisted men. The men, who have received decorations this day, have largely fulfilled their duty in serving our glorious county. Germany expects every one of you to follow their example. You all have done your duty in serving Germany. You have shown the world our strength. You have filled our enemies with fear. With God’s help, you are winning a glorious victory for the father land!”

We all were proud and had respect for the Kaiser and our commanders.

While my buddies helped out at the front of the trench, I headed for the sickbay to look after Babs.

What I saw broke my heart.

She was laying on one of the cots, still coughing but not as violently as when she inhaled the gas. She was temporarily blind, as she had a bandage covering her eyes, tears coming down.

“Babs?” I sat down next to her.

Even blind, she knew where I was and wrapped her arms around me tightly.

“Shh…” I comforted her.

“…I don’t want to be blind… I’ll need to be lead everywhere! Helped with everything! I have my life yet ahead of me!” She coughed.

I patted her mane. “Don’t worry, it’s only temporarily. Let’s get you to a safer place.”

I picked her up, her arms still wrapped around me, and carried her to a truck.

My brother and comrades were with us.

The truck joined a convoy of other trucks loaded with soldiers. Babs had rested her head against my shoulder.

We were entering a town, as I heard a whistle. “Look out! Vorsicht, Jungs! Artillerie!”

Soldiers scrambled to find cover, while I held Babs tightly who trembled and was holding her ears.

An explosion hit the truck, hurling me and Babs out of the truck.

She was unharmed, but my right leg was hurt.

Holger and Fritz jumped from the destroyed truck and dragged me and Babs, who I held tightly to cover, while Bergmann carried another soldier.

The poor filly was trembling in fear, trying to block out the screams and explosions.

“Stay down, Stay down!” Bergmann had his hands behind his head.

After a building was destroyed, it ended, and an Ambulance was driving by.

Holger, Fritz and Bergmann carried me, Babs and the soldier to it and medics got us on board. I grunted in pain.

“Brother. Take care.” He gave me a handshake.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that nobody asks questions about her.” Bergmann had a lot of connections.

I patted the child during the entire ride, until we reached a train.

Before we got onboard, the medic who took care of her, gave her some chocolate.

“Thanks.” She said to him with a smile.

“No need. Get well soon!” He tipped his helmet.

As the train started to move, the foal rested again her, head on my shoulder and fell asleep.

I watched the beautiful landscape outside. Has it been so long since I was at home? I wonder how my parents will receive me and Babs.

> Chapter 4 Recovery and on leave
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 4: Recovery and on leave


We were both lucky. Directly from the train into an evangelical hospital attended by nuns. Those were known for their good treatment and good food, just like the Catholic hospitals.

While I slept well, Babs had difficulty sleeping. She and I had a room for ourselves.

Bergmann had kept his word. Regularly, Nuns and the doctor looked after us.

“Herbert, how does the hospital look like?” She asked before coughing.

“Like every other hospital. White beds, white walls and a cross on the wall as this is an evangelical hospital. Do you have a Religion in Equestria?”

She smiled. “Not directly. We pray too but our prayers go to Princess Celestia not god. While she’s the Ruler, president, or whatever you want to call her, she’s a god in some way. She raises the sun, unlike here, where the sun lowers on her own.” Again she coughed. “History class payed off after all.” She added with a smile. Despite this, I pray she survives. I will never forgive myself if she dies a slow and painful death.

I made a quiet prayer.

Oh Lord, I hope this prayer reaches you. Let Babs survive this. She yet has her life ahead of her. I pray she gets well soon. Thank you that we get treated well. Amen. Even though I am Evangelical, I did the catholic cross. Out of Respect.

The last time I was in the church was… 1914 shortly before the war started.

My father is a farmer, my mother a nurse but both were Evangelical.

A week passed. As I had only a leg injury, I recovered well, but was worried about Babs as she was still coughing.

Right now, I took a walk outside in the backyard of the hospital. I had to use a cane.

“You are doing so well, Herbert. Soon, we will have to throw away the cane.” The nun that accompanied me said.

I had other thoughts however.

“Sister.”

“Yes?”

“I’m worried about my friend.”

“I think she is making a very good recovery. Today, she should be able to see again.”

“Thank you, sister.”

I walked back to our room. As I entered, I saw how the doctor removed the bandage.

“How many fingers am I holding up?” He asked holding 3 fingers up.

“3.” She replied.

Her eyes were still operational.

“Correct. Herbert, I heard you’re on leave. Have a nice trip home.”

“I will, doc. Ready to see my home?”

“Of course!” She exclaimed full of happiness.

We took the next train to Munich.

The town was busy as always. Everyone who saw thought it was a costume and commented how cute it was.

“Reminds me of Ponyville.” Babs enjoyed the tour as I showed her the town and the sights.

Then, I walked home with her. “Reminds me of Apple Bloom’s home,” Babs commented as she saw the farm in the distance.

It was brick red. Next to it was the house we lived in. I knocked on the door. Mother opened it. She had black hair and brown eyes.

“Herbert? Is that you?” She asked surprised.

“Yes. I’m on leave for 14 days.” She hugged me.

“We missed you, How’s your brother?”

“Doing well. Where’s father?”

"In the living room, reading the newspaper. Come in.” 

“I have also a guest with me.” I stepped aside to reveal Babs. She was nervous.

“You brought a filly with you? Why?”

“I found her caught in barbed wire.” Mother looked at Babs with a sad expression.

“Oh you poor foal. Don’t worry, we have plenty of room for you on the farm.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Baumer.”

Mother was shocked. “Did she just talk?!”

“Yes? Can I tell you this inside?” I scratched my back.

Mother nodded. Father had black hair and green eyes.

“My son! So nice to see you again! How’s the front?” He hugged me too.

“No, all quiet. May I introduce Babs Seed to you?”

I told him how I found her, where she came from and such. He also had sympathy for her.

“Your poor child. You can stay here as long as you like. Herbert, we’re proud of you. Not only because you got the Iron Cross from our Kaiser, but also because you helped her.”

“Thanks, father. Should I show you our house, Babs?”

“Yes.”

I showed her our house. We had horses in our stable before the war, but now we had none as they were all needed in the war. I don’t think we will see them ever again. But now we have Babs.

After our tour, Babs offered to help out on the farm. She did everything with greatest pleasure. As reward, I tickled her until she was lying on the ground, trying to catch her breath.

In the evening, we had dinner and I brought her into the guest bed. She let out a yawn. “It sounds silly, but you’re like a father for me.”

“I know, Babs. Goodnight.”

“Night, Daddy.” She drifted off to sleep.

For some reason she was like a daughter for me.

Mother and father stood in the doorway and smiled. “You make a good father for her, Herbert. We just know it.” Mother said with proud in her voice.

I went into my own bed. Much better and comfortable then the cots on the front

Stay safe, brother. I don’t want to lose you. I thought before closing my eyes, allowing sleep to take over.



I woke up in the middle of the night as someone tugged me. Babs was trembling. “I had a nightmare, can I sleep with you?”

“Of course.” I helped her into my bed and she fell asleep with a sigh.

I slept well. Babs was not in the bed anymore. Before I could get up, I heard how she trotted in with a breakfast board with a glass of juice and bread.

“Good morning, I made you breakfast.” She putted it down. It was delicious.

“Delicious.” 

Babs blushed. “Glad to hear it.”

I decided to take a walk and switched to my blue suit and bonnet. “Why don’t you wear your uniform?” 

“It just more comfortable this way, father.” I putted my cap on and looked into the mirror.

“Can I come with you?” Babs asked me with hope.

“Of course.”

I knew a beer garden not far from here. On the way to it, I bought Babs a pretzel at a bakery which she enjoyed.

At the beer garden, I ordered a beer for me and lemonade for Babs. The Waiter was an old friend of my father, I could trust him. Plus everyone believed me that she was my daughter in her costume. I was nice to get a break from the war. No gas, no artillery. Enjoying the silence, I let out a sigh.

Then I visited my old teacher.

“Herbert! I see you earned the Iron Cross! I’m proud of you. Proud of the entire class!”

“I’m afraid, there is no class anymore. Fritz, Holger and I are the only ones left of the class.”

The teacher showed sorrow. “I’m sorry to hear that. Repay them with service. They died for their fatherland. Fight for your daughter, for Germany!” He gave me a wink.

“Bergmann told me.” We were interrupted by a cry for help.

Some boys surrounded her. “Watch where you going!”

“I told already, I’m sorry!” She replied scared as one boy was about to punch her but I blocked it and shoved him away. Yep, training and all the close-combat in the trenches pays off today!

“Leave her alone!” I defended her. The boys had no time to react as my former teacher already called the police.

“Are you hurt?” I helped her up.

“No, I’m fine.”

We said goodbye and went home.

In the evening after Dinner, I helped my parents in the kitchen while Babs was in the living room. What I saw melted my heart.

She was asleep on the floor with a drawn picture in her hoofs.

On it was her sister. She had also green eyes, a pink coat and a blond mane. As her name suggested, her Cutie Mark was a Sunflower. Under her was written, “I miss you.”

Touched by that, mother hung the picture up, while I carried her into bed.

I couldn’t help but give her a kiss on the forehead. “Goodnight, my little Babs.”



14 days passed in a blink of an eye and I had to return to the Front.

Babs said goodbye and hugged me while I stroked her mane. “Be careful.”

“I will, Babs.” I got onboard the train as the train whistle sounded and the Steam locomotive started to move.



Perspective: Babs Seed

Here he goes. Back to the front. I hope he survives. I could stay with his parents.

I was about to go as someone said, “Look who we got here!” I knew that voice. It was the boy that tried to punch me two weeks ago.
“Get her! You won’t get out away this time!” I had other plans however and bucked one boy as hard as I could.

He stumbled, which gave me time to run.

I came into what looked to be a Freight depot. One wagon was open.

I jumped in, closed the door and held my breath as I heard them running by.

Phew! Now let-

The train started to move. Oh no! Where is this train heading?

I inspected the cargo. Ammo and medical supplies. The Front. Can get this any worse?



Perspective: Herbert

After getting off the train, a truck brought me and other recruits to the rally point at Freight deport.

Bergmann, Holger and Fritz greeted me. “Brother, you’re back!"

“Yeah, I’m back.”

“We’re so glad to see you.”

“Glad to see you too, Fritz.”

“They’re getting younger and younger,” Bergmann commented as she saw the new recruits. No older than 16.

As we walked past the freight wagons, I heard crying. It came out of one of the wagons.

My comrades took notice of it too. We opened the wagon and saw Babs crying.

“Babs? What are you doing here?”

She looked up with tear filled eyes and jumped towards me for a tight hug.

“Shh…calm down. What are you doing here?” I wiped a tear out of her eye.

“After you left, the boys you that tried to hurt me found me. I tried to lose them and hid myself in this wagon, not knowing that heading for the Front.” She explained.

“This is bad. I heard the Brits want to launch a massive attack today.” Bergmann was worried about her safety.

She, Holger and I said the same sentence. “I got a bad feeling about this.”

> Chapter 5 Massive attack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 5: Massive attack


“Don’t worry guys, we got reinforced with captured Mark IVs. And also, we have the honor to test some prototypes of the A7V.” As Bergmann said that, some Mark IVs and A7Vs drove past us.

“That’s the A7V? Looks like a converted locomotive to me. With the driver cabin, it really reminded me of a locomotive.

“They got the idea from it as far as I know.”

“Interesting.” Babs looked at the tanks with great interest.

An A7V suddenly stopped abruptly and smoke came out of the engine room.

“Driver! The Engine is overheating!”

“You got to be kidding me! That’s the third time this week!”

“Looks like this one is out of action for a while. Let’s prepare for the attack,” Holger said and we all nodded.

Babs helped out as best as she could and got my comrade some haircuts.

Barbed wire, MG’s, FK 96s against tanks and some QF 1 AAs against planes.

We were prepared for an attack but was it enough? We would see.

I would send Babs home, but all means of transportation were gone by now.

Worried about her safety, I told her to go to the bunkers once it would begin. I hope she would survive this attack. While we expected it for today, there was none.

Instead, they shelled us the entire night while we were inside the bunkers and trenches.

While we were used to it, Babs whimpered and covered her ears.

All soldiers looked sad at her.

“it’s okay, Babs. Their idea is to soften us up about before their offensive. They want that we don’t get sleep so we’re too tired to fight back when they attack.” I hugged her.

“I-I had a nightmare where exactly this happed and some guy with a tank on his back with a hose attached to it stood before me, saying it was nothing personal before…”

She buried her head into my chest. “When does that stop?”

“Soon. Soon.” I patted her back and rocked back and forth with her. I will also never forgive myself if she gets traumatized.

My attempts to comfort her seemed to work, as she slowly fell asleep.

At least, they don’t gas us.



She slept until noon. “Morning, Babs.”

“Morning.” She replied before someone shouted, 

“Enemy spotted!”

Wasting no time, I carried her to the bunker near the sickbay. “Stay safe.” She said and I saw her making the catholic cross as I left.

That attack was different from any I ever had experienced before.

Tanks, MANY tanks with infantry attacked our position.

We stood our ground and fired at them with everything we got.

The explosion and the canon fire was deafening but we all were used to it. An A7V destroyed an enemy tank, while a field gun destroyed another tank.

“Flame trooper!” a soldier shouted. I had fought them before. Their weak point was the fuel container on their back.

Holger managed to hit the Flame trooper.

A small jet of flame came out of the container. Then the trooper screamed it pain, as he was engulfed flames. The container exploded in a massive fireball, killing every British soldier that was near him. Not a pleasant death.

Our tanks were pushing back the British advance. “Keep on shooting your rifles; we got them running for real! Come on, follow me, we’re taking objective Apples!” Bergmann ordered, going in for the kill.

Taking a look over my shoulder, the bunker was still intact.

Running for battle, Enemy is attacking us, Yeah, They know we the baddest, this battle is almost over.

Unfortunately, our tanks got disabled but managed to take all MGs out.

We captured objective Apples, but suddenly as the Tommy’s retreated, I heard footsteps out of the smoke.

Holger fired, only to hear that the bullet ricocheted off.

Out of the smoke came a Tommy, outfitted thick armor plating and an MG08/15!

“Yeah, it’s the Juggernaut, Fritz!” He fired his MG, causing us to scramble for cover.

“Does nobody have a grenade?!” a soldier screamed.

I had an idea. It was dangerous but could work.

Seeing a FK 96 at the other side of the objective, I started to make a run for it while my comrades distracted the Sentry.

As I reached it, I dragged it so that it faced the sentry and fired.

One shot, one kill. “Yeah, it’s the field gun, Sentry!” I exclaimed at my kill.

“Ok, that’s over. Prepare for a counterattack.” Bergmann ordered.

Putting a new charger clip in, I prepared for a counterattack. A truck with reinforcements drove by. Babs was also along the soldiers, wearing saddlebags with supplies.

“Even if I don’t like to be on the front, got to help you out somehow.” She smiled.

If she’s just bringing supplies, she should be out of danger.

“Incoming!”

Me and my big mouth. I quickly got her into the trench in the back where she should be safe, then got out to fight.

My comrades had already taken out most of the infantry, so I shot 3 soldiers that were left and reloaded one bullet at a time.

The next wave arrived. Just when I was about to pull the trigger I heard Babs screaming. A Tommy held her at gunpoint. In rage, I charged at him with a scream and stabbed him into the heart while knocking him to the ground.

Babs had her eyes closed. She flinched as I touched her.

She realized it was me and just said, “It’s too much...” She didn’t notice that I killed the soldier.

“It will be over soon.”

This time, my rifle jammed, so I switched to my sidearm and fired.

As the last hostile was down, I reloaded, again by one bullet at a time.

I don’t know why but I liked it to reload that way. It was… exhilarating. So different from simply changed a clip or putting in a new charger clip. Also, I felt tension while doing it. Unknown to us, the Brits managed to send a message to their artillery.



“Sir, new fire mission.” A soldier gave his officer the message.

FIRE MISSION, URGENT! NEED SUPPORT! GRIND 317241 ELE60

“Grind 3 6 4 2”

Soldiers loaded the Artillery guns. “Fire!”



I was fighting off more Tommy’s, as I got hit from behind by a British soldier with a Shovel. Before he could kill me, someone shouted, “Artillery! Get down!” The soldier was distracted and we both got knocked out.



I slowly regained consciousness after some time. The battle was seemingly over. Dead bodies of both sides were scattered around me.
Picked up and fixing my rifle, I spotted a lone British soldier.

We both pointed our rifles at each other until we realized the pointlessness in adding ourselves to the high body count of the battle. Also, I recognized the soldier.

It was the British Medic that helped me freeing Babs.

“No! Babs!” I jumped into the trench where she was, the Medic close behind me.

Checking her pulse, she was still breathing, knocked out. “My little Babs, I thought I had lost you.”

She awoke by my words. “H-Herbert? Herbert!” She hugged me tightly.

“It appears we are the only survivors. We should move,” The Medic suggested.

“Yeah we should. How’s your name? Mine’s Herbert and she is Babs Seed.”

“My name is Tommy. Tommy Edward.” He said as I checked the bodies for my comrades, but none of them was among them. That gave me hope that they survived.

“There, that Mark IV is still intact. Maybe we can use it to get back to our lines. My brother showed me once how they work,” Tommy explained.

The crew was killed by the artillery as they appeared to make emergency repairs from the outside but we fixed it.

I started the engine. It started but died right away. Tommy knew the problem.

“Fuel line’s backing up!” He tried to fix it. “Give us a break, give us a break. Come on. Come on. Stop. Stop, stop!” He fixed it. “It stopped.”
I tried to start it again. Nothing.

“I’ve done everything right. Everything!” Tommy pushed me away and tried to start the tank. Again, nothing.
“My whole sodding life! All I’ve done is live my life by the manual. By the Manual!” He exclaimed and punched the tank.
“What’s wrong with you, you stupid, you stupid bloody machine!” He kicked it.

“Now, come on. Pull yourself together and work with me here.” He tried it again but it didn’t work.

Babs also got angry by it. “For Celestia’s sake! I thought you were built to like a bucking good fight!” She bucked the tank in anger.

“Come on!” Tommy started it and it worked!
We all laughed. “Hey Babs! He likes it when you say that, girl!” I commented with a smile. 

I never thought I would see a tank from the inside, let alone drive in one.

Babs smiled as she enjoyed the ride. Tommy started to sing. Babs and I sang too.







We were driving along the abandoned road until it was evening and the beautiful sunset ruled the sky.

The Mark IV stopped abruptly. “What’s wrong?” Babs asked.

“Great. Sparkplugs are broken. Guess we have to walk.”

I could hear the sounds of battle in the distance and an Airship was about us.

Suddenly, the Zeppelin exploded. “AIRSHIP COMMING DOWN!! It comes down right above us! Run!”

I grabbed Babs and started to run as the burning Airship came closer to the ground.

The shockwave was so great it threw me to the ground and a piece of rubble knocked me instantly out. 

> Chapter 6 No man's land
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 6: No man’s land


I awoke with a gasp and panted heavily. When I got up; thought I had died and gone to hell. Houses were destroyed and burning. I was in the middle of a burning skeletal wreckage. It had buried everything.

Still panting, I looked around trying to remember what happened. It was night.

The airship coming down… the explosion… Babs!

She was nowhere to be seen. I doubt I would find her in this rubble field or the skeletal wreckage. Checked myself, I was apart from some few bruises and scratches unharmed.

I had lost my weapons but a dead crew member of the airship was lying next to me, a C96 carbine in his hand. I took it and started to move from the crash side.

Just when I got 10 meters from it, someone coughed behind me.

Turning around it was Tommy, his left leg was bleeding and his uniform was dirty just like mine.

“Tommy! You’re alive!”

“Yeah, got some Bandage Pouches?” I nodded and gave him one.

He drew his sidearm, a Webley-Fosbery Self-Cocking Automatic Revolver, also known as Auto Revolver. In my spare time on the front, I studied enemy weapons in case I had to use them.

“Where’s Babs?” he asked, looking around.

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m concerned.” I replied.

“Hey look,” Tommy pointed to something on the ground. Bloody Hoof steps!

“It appears that she got disoriented or a concussion and walked away. I hope we find her before it’s too late.”

We moved to a farm as the hoof steps leaded us there. I saw the back of the British trenches were in front of us. I’m just gonna say, I’ve had plenty of practice moving quietly. To get the cookie jar, to avoid trouble – you don’t need the details.

Anyway, I headed east towards the German front, quiet as a cat.

Between me and the German Front were British trenches, British Guns. Oh, and half the population of London, all spoiling for a fight.

It was quiet unlike the last night. 

Our lucky day. The Brits must’ve been sitting down for tea and crumpets instead of shelling us. Still. I had to get through to our side of the line before those guns started up again.

Some soldiers guarded the back at camp fires but they all had their backs turned so it was easy to sneak past them.

Tommy sat down at the sickbay where the artillery was. It was empty. Only now, I noticed that they built their trenches the same way we did. “You can stay here, you will be treated fairly.” He offered.

“Thanks but I’m not resting until I found her.”

“Okay, but be careful, the front is guarded by Americans of the 69th Infantry Regiment.”

“I will.” Dang it. Why the Harlem Hellfighters? An infantry regiment of the U.S. Army National Guard comprised of African Americans that were known for their toughness and the fact that they never lost a trench, foot of ground, or a man through capture to the enemy. We gave them this nickname. Holger saw it firsthand. I could still remember when we talked about them.



“What news?” I asked him.

“About the Harlem Hell Fighters.”

“Are they in our sector?" I asked surprised and a little bit scared.

“No.”

“Thank God.” I was relieved.

“Command is trying to downplay what is happening, but I have a friend who works in headquarters, and he says there is real concern about one of our lines crumbling because of them.”

“You know they have never lost a trench or a meter of their lines-ever! I hear they never allow themselves to be captured. They fight to the death.” I explained to him what I heard about them.

“I saw it firsthand. I was on a nighttime raid and we suddenly found ourselves right onto of one of their positions.”

“Christ.” I couldn’t believe it.



And now I have to. Now I came to another sickbay where a Doughboy was sleeping, and another was blocking the way smoking, standing next to the alarm.

I killed him from behind with my Shovel and disabled the alarm by letting the air out of the tank. Better safe than sorry. The siren died quietly, the sleeping soldier was not waking up.

Those trenches were packed full of the King’s and US President’s finest. But hopefully, most of them would be looking for trouble coming other way. Hopefully.

The American and British had almost the same mood as we had in the trenches.

“My feet are ice-cold. The Germans are the only ones to blame!” One of them complained.

“I don’t care! Do you understand?! I don’t CARE! Got it?!” Another yelled at him.

Just like back in our trenches, expect we blamed the French people for it.

I moved crouched through the trenches and came closer to the front, confirmed by the bullets that hit or flew over the trenches and the behavior of the soldiers.

Some were aiming at the enemy front ready to shoot, some were leaning against the wall for cover, while others were using helmets as sniper decoy, only to see that the decoy got shot instantly.

I saw that Bab’s blood trail leaded into no man’s land. If she managed to get back to German lines, I tip my helmet at her.

The dozen British machine guns at my back kinda encouraged me to keep my head down. No Man’s land was a maze of barbed wire, dead bodies, and debris.

I was frozen and couldn’t move as I heard the sounds of war and horror.







In the autumn of 1914, both sides of the Western Front lost the opportunity of flanking each other. The force of modern weaponry, such as machine gun and field artillery, made it a suicidal venture to reside on open ground, thus completing the phase of mobile warfare. The soldiers disappeared in the safety of trenches and dugouts.

Heavy grenades tore the earth between the trenches, while soldiers hurried across the country in the hope of a breakthrough that belonged to no one. Forests were shot in pieces, poison gas killed fauna and flora, and heavy rains filled millions of shells with water and turned northern France into a huge swamp. It was truly a death zone - created by man with the help of modern warfare.

I had entered no man’s land before, but that was during the day and a truce to retrieve dead and wounded, but never in the night. But I had to find her – so I went into that hell. It was my only choice.

Someone tipped me on my shoulder, causing me to flinch.

It was Tommy. “What are you doing here?”

“I changed my mind. I won’t let her died out here. We saved her once in no man’s land and we can do it again.”

We moved in crouched to avoid being shot. I still couldn’t believe that I went in there.

“Hey, what’s that?” Tommy pointed to something in the distance. I couldn’t see what is was exactly but the blood trail leaded here, so we walked to it.

“Babs!” I exclaimed but she showed no reaction. The foal was bleeding from her gut to chest and appeared to be collapsed on her back against a burning tree.

No pulse! “No, No, no! Don’t die on us!” Tommy stopped her bleeding and bandaged it. I got my syringe out and stabbed her with the adrenaline injection.

She gasped for air and panted heavily. “I saw a white light and gates!”

“That was a close one.” Tommy let out a sigh of relief.

“Babs! We’re in no man’s land, we need to go. Now.”

She tried to get up but the pain was too much, so I gently picked her up. Still she grunted in pain.

Tommy went back to his own trench, only to get hit by a bullet in the head. A quick and merciful death, I made mentally the catholic cross.

Babs Seed hadn’t noticed it as she was shocked by all the dead bodies around her and threw up. “Sorry.”

“None taken.”

She was stable and alive but she could only make a full recovery at our sickbay and the shot wouldn’t hold forever. I didn’t have much time to get her back alive.

The Americans aren’t really known for giving up. “Voices. Doughboy raiding party.”

A raiding party on my left side who didn’t notice us tried to get behind our lines but got killed by an MG. Also, a German raiding party tried the same on my right side but got also killed.

The German Front was insight, but like the Doughboys, they had spotlights.

“We have to avoid those spotlights. MG’s are trained on ‘em. They’ll shoot at anything.” Babs nodded scared, shocked by no man’s land.

I went to cover to avoid the lights, waited until they passed, then moved to the next cover.

“Lights… your boys will think… we’re Brits…” Babs managed to say, trembling in fear.

As we come closer I heard a voice. “It’s one of ours! Cease fire, get a medic!”

A soldier waved at us to get in.

Inside our trench, two medics took Babs gently from me to treat her.

I looked into the sky, realizing through what kind of danger and hell we both just went.

“He carried that child through no-man’s land? This guy’s a damn hero!” A soldier exclaimed.

I’m really a Hero?
> Chapter 7 To live and let live
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7: to live and let live


I was lying on my cot, still trying to process what happened.

Babs was making a good recovery. Still, were my brother and friends still alive?

I didn’t know but I was glad that she was. The Foal was sleeping, her chest gently rising and lowering curled up next to me.

Looking at the beautiful full moon, I fell asleep with a relieved sigh.

In the morning, I woke up when I heard a voice.

“He carried her through no man’s land at night? He’s a hero for sure!”

Still sleepy, my eyes opened and I couldn’t believe it. My brother was still alive!

Holding my excitement in control, not to wake Babs, I got up and hugged him tightly.

“I thought I had lost you!”

“Me  too, brother. It is true that you crossed no man’s land?”

“Yeah. What happened to you?” I asked as he had a scar on his left cheek.

“A splitter had hit me. Fritz, Bergmann and I got disoriented and got back to friendly lines without knowing it.” He explained as they joined us.

“It’s nice to see to see you again. Tell us, how did you do that?” Fritz asked.

“It’s a long story.” I told them what happened after the artillery fire, how I met Tommy, the Mark IV, the airship crash, and how I ended up in no-man’s land.

“Sounds like you have been through hell. Here, I got a rifle for you.” Bergmann gave a new Gewehr 98.

I kept the C96 Carbine I found as sidearm. The day was quiet.

Babs woke up in the morning. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” We replied all. I saw in her eyes that she would not forget what happened the night before.

“H-Herbert…what h-happened t-to T-tommy?” She asked stuttering as if she knew what happened to him.

“I’m sorry, Babs. He joined me to get you to safety but as we reached you, a bullet hit him. He didn’t get up. I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry…”

Her pupils went small and I could swear, I saw lighting in her eyes as she realized that he died.

She collapsed crying. “No…NO! No! WAAAHH TOMMY!” I hugged her to comfort her about her loss. OUR loss.

“Shh…We’re here for you…” I had to rock back and forth to calm her down. It took some time.

“W-was it q-quick?” she sobbed.

“Quick and painless. But remember: He will always be alive in your heart.” I pointed to her chest. She let out a weak smile.

“You’re right.” Then Bergmann had an idea. He took his helmet off and putted it on her head.

She giggled. I picked her up and gave her a piggy back ride but stayed low to avoid being hit by a sniper. When a sniper would see her, I doubt that he would pull the trigger.

While it became late, she yawned and fell asleep. A young recruit watched her for me as I took part of a nighttime raid with Holger, Fritz and some other soldiers.

Instead of trenches, we had order to secure a nearby town that was suspected to be held by enemy forces.

It was raining and quiet. A thunderstorm.

We moved carefully. Fritz was our leader and gave a sign to stop. I looked around and saw a house to our right in the distance.

As Fritz moved forward, I spotted an enemy support gunner with a Lewis Gun in the window.

I stretched my right arm out and yelled, “Wait!”

But it was too late. Everything went in slow-motion. As he looked back at me, the MG gunner fired and bullets perforated Fritz.

We dived to cover behind a stone wall. “Fritz!” Holger was about to leave his cover but I pulled him back. “Fritz?”

“Father gave you a good brain, now use it!” I made a sign for a captured Mark IV and an A7V to move in. before going back into cover as bullets flew past me.

The A7V aimed his 57mm gun at the house and fired. It collapsed from the shot.

Then we moved in to capture the town. It was a complete success.

“Fritz… he was the only friend we had left of your class…” Holger couldn’t believe that he was gone.

“But we still have Babs and Bergmann.” I tried to cheer him up.

“You’re right, brother. Let’s go check on her.”

We moved back to our line, it was still night when we arrived.

“We captured the town but we lost Fritz.” I reported to Bergmann.

“Fritz? Goddamnit. He was one of the best support gunners we ever had.” While not showing it, I could see that even Bergmann was affected by his death.

Despite the rain, Babs stayed asleep but whimpered. “Tommy! NO!” She awoke with a gasp, cold sweat on her face. Instantly, she hugged me, crying in my chest.

I patted her back. “It’s my fault that he died!” She blamed herself for his death.

“Sweetie…it wasn’t your fault.”

Again, it took some time for her to calm down. It pained me.

She cried herself to sleep. I gently placed her back into the cot.

“Let me tell you something Herbert, I will defend her until my last breath and bullet if I have too.” Holger had her close to his heart like me, Bergmann and the others.



The Morning came. Holger and I were in a crater far away from our line as a flame trooper closed in, covered by an MG position.

Holger got out of it. Moved closer to the still out of range flame trooper and went prone to fire. He managed to kill the flame trooper but as he got up, he got hit by the MG and fell into another crater.

I sprinted to the crater and jumped into it. Removing his helmet, I saw that blood was running down his head. “No! No!” I yelled in disbelief and started to cry.

It became anger. “God! Oh God, god. God, god!” I slammed his helmet several times into the mud before letting out a sob. As the MG fired again, I took it out with an Anti-tank grenade.

A stick grenade with several explosive heads taped together made a decent bang and were also very effective against buildings and infantry.

Back at our line, Babs walked to me as I talked to the body of my brother who got prepared to be sent home.

“It won’t be easy telling mother; she always told me to look after you, brother.”

She hugged me tightly to comfort me. She was depressed like me but still she helped out as well as she could by carrying medical supplies.

After my brother’s death, I gathered food with Bergmann and Babs.

“At least, it was quick and painless for him.”

“Yes, but it won’t be easy for mother and father.”

“How old was he, Herbert?” Babs asked.

“20. So young and full of enthusiasm and adventure.” I smiled, remembering when we we’re kids what adventures we had.

“The Americans got fresh troops, too many tanks, guns, there is no way of winning. We would need a miracle for that,” Bergmann realized that the war was lost.

Out of nowhere, a whistle. Instinctively, I clenched Babs protectively while diving into a ditch for cover.
We were unharmed but Bergmann’s left leg was bleeding. No sharpel but bleeding pretty badly.

Babs got a bandage out of her saddle bag and I took care of his wound by putting pressure on it and a bandage on it.

The sickbay wasn’t far away, so I carried him to it. He grunted in pain, while Babs talked to him to distract him, to keep the pain away. She talked with him about what a good cook he was and he replied that he was about to open a restaurant before the war.

As we reached the sickbay, another medic took Bergmann from me only to say, “You might spare yourself. He’s stone-dead.”

Babs took my canteen. “No. He’s still alive. I talked with him 10 minutes ago.”

“Take a sip.” She held the canteen with her right hoof and gently putted his head up with her other hoof.

His dead body fell on his back and she looked at her left hoof. It was covered in blood and she looked at it in shock. But not because of the blood but because he was dead.

“He was talking…10 minutes ago…We were talking…” As she said that, I noticed that my hands were also covered in blood. From carrying him.

We both looked at each, realizing that we were the only ones left now.

I washed the blood of my hands and her hoof before we had a hug.

She started to sing.

“Pack up your troubles in your old kit-back and smile, smile, smile. While you’ve a Lucifer to light your, smile, boys, that’s the style. What’s the use of worrying?”

She sang it with a very sad and depressed voice.

One day all this will be over. The war to end all wars as they called it will be won – by one side or the other. The guns will rust. Grass will grow, and there’ll be nothing left of any of this.

The land will heal itself as everything does in the end. We’ll be long gone by then – but maybe not forgotten.

History only remembers one in a thousand of us, then the future will be filled with stories of who we were and what we did.

How we lived, how we fought and how we died.

When this is all over and the war is won, they will remember us. Remember me.

But until that day comes, I will stand, I will look death into the eye, and I will fight! For her, to protect her.

While Babs hugged me, she stopped singing and asked, “Who decides such things?” 
> Chapter 8 All Quiet on the Western Front.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 8: All Quiet on the Western Front


After Bergmann’s death, I took his position as mentor and squad leader for the younger recruits.

Babs acted as my right hand, never leaving my side.

The death of my brother and friends affected her as much as I was. 

This day would be different. We expected an attack from the Harlem Hellfighters and let me tell you, they hit hard.

We were prepared for their attack with MGs and Field guns but we would have great losses when the attack would begin.

Except for Babs, I had nothing to lose anymore, so I didn’t care if I would die.

I expected to die every day on the battlefield, but with the time, you get used to it and it becomes routine.

While the new recruits were inexperienced, with their enthusiasm, they managed to kill many enemies, I gave them that.

I just wanted it to end. We were losing too many already.

I would be already in a madhouse wasn’t it for her. She is what still drives me.

Back home, things weren’t go so well. Father died of cancer and Mother…she suffered a nervous breakdown after she was told that Holger died and got send into a hospital, only to never recover from it.

We all left for war as boys, never to return as men.

If you ask me, this upcoming battle is a suicide mission.

Babs whimpered. “You miss your family, don’t you?”

“Yes, Herbert. I don’t want to die. Sister’s heart couldn’t take it if I return to her in a body bag.”

“I will protect you, Babs. And together, we can make it through everything.” I gave her a smile and ruffled her mane. 

She returned it. “You’re right. We both have not come this far, to die now!”

“I got an idea. To guarantee your safety, what about being our runner?”

“B-but this is one of the most dangerous jobs here!” She exclaimed scared.

“For runners on the front yes, but we need a runner for our Rear Command, so you should be safe.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

“You know I would never send you into things too dangerous for you. Also I would never demand from you to do tasks I couldn’t do myself.”

“You are correct. But I don’t want that you die either. You’re the only one left for me.” She feared for my safety and cared for me.

“I survived situations I never thought I would survive.” I patted her and she blows her mane out of her eyes.

High command would never put us into situations that were impossible. Only difficult but not impossible. I know I called this a suicide mission but maybe I overestimated it.

Yet, the Hellfighters were known for being aggressive when attacking but not merciless.

If they take prisoners and they would spare Babs, I’m sure of that.

While I checked the recruits, I heard how Babs made a prayer that she and I would survive. Instead of God, she used Celestia.

“The Hellfighters! They’re here!” A recruit shouted as smoke was popped.

Babs got into the bunker and I lined up, ready to shoot.

As the Americans advanced, we mowed many of them down, yet they reached our trench and engaged us in brutal close-combats. Some of them used a Trench Gun. 

A shotgun, deadly at close range like in trenches, thanks to the spread. Many of us protested it’s use, but I had to admit it did a pretty good job.

I killed many with my Shovel and bayonet until we defeated the first wave. Only light losses.

“Don’t let your guard down! They will come again!”

They attacked harder this time. We defeated them again but this time we had heavy losses.

“Jesus Christ! That was a second wave…They’re just throwing themselves at us! Babs! Tell Rear Command that we need reinforcements!”

“Right away!”



Perspective: Babs Seed

Vaulting over a fence, I ran as fast as I could to Rear Command.

It was in a house safe behind the frontline. Running past a half destroyed buildings and through a crater, I saw the German flag on the building in the distance.

It was quiet. Too quiet. “Wait…where is everyone?” I asked myself as nobody was here.

I got in the house to investigate it. I saw a note nailed or better said stabbed to the wall with a knife.

I took it off and read it.

“For those who didn’t hear it from a runner, the central position is lost. Artillery fire ordered to cover retreat. Shelling the objective and outlying positions.”

“Oh no, Herbert!” I have to warn him!

I started to run back as fast as I could. Why would they do something like that? Shelling their own soldiers to cover a retreat? Why and who would order something so terrible? 

Halfway to it, I saw Artillery explosions near Herbert’s position. One explosion was close to me, causing my ears to ring as a house collapsed.
Artillery already? They gonna kill their own soldiers!

Despite this, I reached the position.

Herbert was the only one left, firing a FK96 at a Mark IV and destroyed it.

“Once again, Recon has only done half their job, you have to do everything herself.” He complained. “Where are my reinforcements?” He ask me as I reached him.

“There are no reinforcements! Full scale retreat, their gonna shell everything to cover it! We have to go!” I yelled out of breath, from running.

“Too late!” He yelled as artillery rained down, knocking us out and throwing us into a crater.


 
My ears were ringing and I vision was blurry as I regained consciousness. Looking around, I saw Herbert standing but stunned. Another soldier that had survived also stood up.

As my ears stopped ringing, I heard the engine of a tank and a Mark IV came closer. The soldier was about to use an Anti-tank grenade but was killed by it.

Herbert just stood protectively in front of me and closed his eyes, waiting for the shot.

But it never came. Instead, the hatch opened and a young man looking like Tommy got out. 

“You’re the one who helped my little brother, right?” He asked Herbert who nodded.

“My name is Timmy. Come onboard.” He waved friendly at us to get in.

I tried to get up but a sharp pain kept me from doing so. Looking down at my right hind leg, I was shocked. It wasn’t blown off but covered in blood and splinters. 

My eyes teared up and I screamed in pain. “My leg! It’s hurts!” 

“Don’t worry, I get you fixed up in no time! It's not bad, okay? It's not bad. Let me take a look.” He tried to calm me down even if it looked very bad.

It hurt even more as Herbert slowed the blood loss, removed the splinters and bandaged it. 

The shock took fully over and I muttered over and over again if I could walk again. My voice was a mix of pain, shock, fear and crying.

I feared that amputation as the only option. I was so in shock that I didn’t noticed how Timmy took my hoof and spoke in a calming tone, “You’re alright.” 

After Herbert was done, he gently picked me up and carried me into the tank.

Apart from Timmy, two other crewmembers were in the tank but they were wearing medieval styled masks so I couldn’t see their faces or emotions. They looked scary.

“Alright lads, next stop…” He started to cough.

“Sir?” the driver asked worried.

“Driver. Get moving.”

“Oh no, don’t you go thinking you can to drop dead on us now.” The other crew member said to him.

“I’m fine boys. Come on.”

Suddenly, there was on explosion and the tank stopped. “Anti-tank mine! We lost a track!” the driver shouted.

“Herbert! Get out now!” Timmy ordered. 

As we got out, an anti-tank grenade knocked him off his feet and we fell to the ground.

German soldiers charged on the tank, either not caring or noticing us.

The crew tried their best to defend itself but it were too many.

I smelled gas. I could see that gasoline fumes were leaking from the fuel line.

“Sorry,” Timmy said. I wondered why he said that until I saw what he had planned.

He lit a match, igniting the fumes inside the tank, sacrificing himself and his crew as the blaze burned the assaulting German troops to death. 

We both stared in shock before I asked still in shock, “What do we now, Herbert?”

“We walk.” He carried me along the abandoned road until I heard engines in the distance.

“What’s that?” I asked as Herbert used Binoculars to see what it was.

“British convoy! Into the grass!” He went prone as several tanks and trucks moved past us. I held my breath and my heart raced as a Mark IV drove VERY close past us, followed by infantry.

Herbert put a hand on my shoulder to calm me down as I trembled in fear. Relaxing, I gave him a smile. About two minutes which were like hours to me, they had passed. 

After they passed, we moved on and I fell sleep in his arms.



For some reason, I heard a familiar voice.

“Babs? Little sister, please wake up.”

Slowly opening my eyes, I found myself in a hospital room on a bed, surrounded by my sister, the CMC, and Princess Celestia and Luna.

“Sis?”

“Yes, it’s me.” She had tears of joy in her eyes.

“Sis!” We both hugged each other with tears of joy.

“Hey, what about your favorite cousin?”

“How could I forget you, Apple Bloom?” I hugged her too.

“How did you found me?” I asked everypony.

“Well my dear sister, Unicorn magic leaves a trail to every object that gets teleported. After the bad ponies got arrested, we used it to search for you but it took some time. Now, what happened to you?” She pointed to my still bandaged leg.

I started to tremble. “W-well, I-I found myself in a...” I couldn’t bring myself to say it and buried my head into Sunflower’s chest.

Luna walked up to me. “My dear subject, you don’t have to say it.” Her horn glowed and touched my head.

Everypony was surrounded by her blue aura and they saw my experiences like a movie.

“My poor sister!” She hugged my tightly. “Don’t worry, you’re safe now. I’m just so glad that I didn’t lose you too.”

The word “lose” reminded me of something. “What about Herbert?! What happened to him?!” I asked panicking.

“It appears we teleported you back out of his arms. But don’t worry, we will thank him.” Princess Celestia and Luna vanished in a teleportation spell but not before picking up a piece of paper. What have they planned?



Perspective: Herbert.

Fate is REALLY not good on me. A couple of minutes ago, she was curled up in my arms, sleeping, then out of nowhere, an aura surrounded her and she vanished! Why does my fate have to be so bad? 

I was sitting on the grass still trying to process what happened. She must be home and reunited with her sister, family and friends. Must be the only explanation.

A white light blinded me. As it stopped, two tall ponies with wings and horns stood in front of me! That must be Princess Celestia and Luna.

“Greetings, Sergeant Herbert, I assume? There’s no need to bow,” Celestia said.

“We wanted to thank you for keeping one of our young subjects’ safe. We and her family are very grateful and will never forget what you have done to her."

"But unfortunately, you can’t go with her as having a human in Equestria would bring our country out of balance. But you are allowed to keep your memories and keep contact with her. Just write on his scroll and tap it twice with your pen or whatever you use to write. It will be sent to Babs or her sister depending who is Available.” Luna gave it to me. 

“And I must thank her. She kept me alive in situations where I would have lost my mind without her.” I thanked them before they got back to Equestria. 

Thank you, Babs. Thank you for everything. I thought, walking along the road, humming the British song. 



October 1918

One year later, I used the newly deployed MP18. Also we got a new weapon. The Tankgewehr, a rifle capable of destroying tanks. However, the soldiers had problems how to use it, as one soldier yelled at another once, “You have an Anti-Tank rifle. Over there is a tank. FIGURE IT OUT!!"

Right now, I was again in a trench writing to Babs.

It is on. We wait for the end. We wait for peace. Dear Babs, as you know, you and I are the only ones left. Holger died at 20, Fritz at 21, Bergmann at 30, Tommy 18, his brother 19. They never got older. And here I am, still. You and I are the only ones left.  How I miss you.

After finishing writing, I send it and checked the recruits. As I walked through the trench, I spotted a bird. I adopted my brother's hobby to watch them but I also drew them. 

As I tried to sketch it, the bird flew away. I stood up, looking where it went, then a shot and a quick pain before everything went black. 


German High Command Communique:
October 11, 1918.
“All Quiet on the Western Front.”


> Chapter 9 A new life...isn't it?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 9: A new life…isn’t it?


I died. I accepted it. Finally, I can be reunited with my brother and friends in a better place.

Instead of a white light, I remained in a void of darkness, unable to move. Out of nowhere I heard a voice. 

“Wake up, please.” It sounded familiar but I couldn’t figure out to who it belonged to.

I was numb and blinded by a white light as I slowly tried to opening my eyes.

Slowly, feeling returned to my body, as I heard another voice.

“Get up, soldier. That’s an order.” It was ordering yet polite and friendly.

“You still owe me a game of cards, comrade.” A third male voice.

“Come on, Herbert, wake up. I can’t wait to see you again.” A female child voice said to me.

The light started to become less intense, groaning, my eyes started to open.

“Come on, friend, you can do it.” This voice had a British accent.

As my vision came back, I saw 8 colored figures in front of me, too blurred to recognize them. They had a vague familiarity about them, just like the voices.

The light vanished slowly, as my eyes were slightly open. Much better.

“He’s coming to!” the child voice exclaimed happy. 

As my vision finally became clear, I was met with the foal I had saved one year ago on the front.

Babs smiled warmly and was very happy, seeing that I was fully awoken.

“Herbert, we’re glad to see you’re finally woken up.”

She pointed to her sister, Princess Celestia, and 5 other ponies I didn’t know.

Looking around, I found myself in what appeared to be Bab’s and her sister’s house.

While I was happy to see her too, I still shock my head in disbelief. “Okay, now my brain is playing a joke on me.” I muttered and rubbed my head but felt no arm but fur.

I realized that I had no longer a hand. Instead, I was stunned to see a grey colored hoof.

Looking at my other hand, my mouth wide open as it was also a grey hoof. I continued to look over my body and came to the realization that I was a pony. An earth pony with grey coat, blue eyes and brown mane and tail.

My Cutie Mark was a red cross on the flag of Imperial Germany.

“This can’t be…” I muttered in disbelief.

“This is reality, brother.” The pony with also grey coat and blue eyes said to me. This pony had a black mane and tail. Wait, did it call me brother?

“Brother?” I asked confused.

“Yes it’s me Herbert, Holger.” The pony had the same voice as my brother. Instead of a red cross, he had a bird over the flag as Cutie Mark.

Next two him were two ponies with also grey coat. The first had a blond mane and tail and green eyes. The Cutie Mark showed a sewing machine under the German Flag. The other pony had brown eyes with matching hair. The Cutie Mark showed a Cooking cap under the flag.

That must be Fritz and Bergmann. But what happened?

Princess Celestia walked over to me and putted her wing on me.

“This is very confusing to you but let me explain.” 

“I’m dead and in heaven?”

“Dead yes, in heaven…not directly. You could see this as your heaven or better said as a second chance.” She explained.

“Did god send me here?” I asked and the Princess shook her head. 

“No, I did.” She smiled.

“But why?” I was confused more than ever in my life before.

“Based on the letters you wrote her, I saw how much you missed her I could also tell that you would most likely not survive the war. So I casted a spell that would send your spirit here. Once it arrived, you became a pony.” She explained.

“And how got my brother and friends here?”

“Simple. As we were as close as you were as nobody else, we got send here instead of heaven. The magic in her, spread to us,” Holger explained and hugged me with tears of joy, I returned also with tears, happy to see him again.

“Isn’t that cute, Timmy?” One of the two other ponies said. This pony had a brown coat but the same eye and mane color as me. His Cutie Mark was also a red cross but with the British Flag. The other one had also a brown coat with the same eye and Mane color as my brother. His Cutie Mark showed a carriage on the flag. Tommy and Timmy are also here.

“So, Herbert, I would love it if you’re my daddy.” Babs hugged me.

“How could I refuse?”

I got up and could walk on all fours without problem and could grab things also like I had still hands. It felt so naturally. Must be the magic.

“Yes, the magic allows you to walk on all fours without problems and to grab things," Celestia explained.

“I will always be grateful for taking care of my sister. Now Mr. Baumer, go out and enjoy your new life.” Sunflower smiled.

“Of course I will.” I replied as Babs climbed on my back. She started to sing the British song happy with a wide smile as I trotted out. My brother and friends followed me and sang too.

Mother said that I should make Earth my heaven. And I did, in a way I never thought would be possible. 



One month later.

I enjoyed every minute of my new life. I lived with my brother on Bab’s farm. We loved to work on it, we didn’t mind getting dirty. The only thing I hated was crawling through the mud in the war. I really hated that.

I visited regularly Ponyville with her. I worked in the hospital with Tommy. Holger was a Mailpony, a good colleague of the Mailpony, Derpy Hooves and watched birds as hobby still.

Bergmann opened a Restaurant in Manehattan and helped in the Sugarcube Corner out if needed.

Fritz became a fashion designer, working together with Rarity, the big sister of CMC Member Sweetie Belle, who is also a fashion designer.

Timmy became a taxi driver in Manehattan.

I worked on the field with Sunflower and Holger as Babs returned from school.

“Daddy, Uncle, Sister, I’m home!” She exclaimed.

“Welcome home, my dear. How was school?”

“Great, Daddy! I'll eat something then meet with my crusaders!” She exclaimed happily.

As she left, we watched her until she was out of sight. I enjoyed my new life and I always will.

And that’s my story. A squad of young men who risked their lives to save to save another, and in doing so, found they were saved themselves.

Things get mixed up in wartime though and you’ll probably hear other versions.

A Medic who went insane by the war, trying to save a filly that only existed in his mind, who killed a buddy after reaching no man’s land. Then fought, talked and murdered his way across the Western Front, only to believe he resurrected from the dead by being born into a pony after landing into the madhouse.

But don’t listen to any of that. What you heard from me is the truth. I would tell you if it wasn’t.

“Would I?"