Where the moon becomes brighter

Chapter 6: Repercussions of hindsight.

Charon walked towards Chaser, who was standing on the theater balcony, leaning over the balustrade listening to a pony playing the cello below for the spectators. The theater was located in the capital of Chaser's Empire, another continent entirely; of the three Terrans that arrived to this world, the three of them were Emperors, such was the difference between both worlds that a simple Terran with a bit of economical and military knowledge could become the leader of an entire nation easily enough.

"Isn't that pony's music beautiful? Bowstring's his name, I've been listening to him for years now..." He said as he paid attention to the dark-blue unicorn with a fitting light-blue mane playing below. "It is fortunate that you were able to come, Charon." Chaser spoke without emotion at all.

"How do you know my name?" He asked as he walked next to Chaser, also leaning on the balustrade.

"Don't you remember, Charon? Tell me, don't you remember killing an entire family, but sparing the boy who cowered in a corner?"

Charon stood in silence, he had forgotten about such an event but now remembered, the boy who he spared back in Terra from the massacre, the one who witnessed the death of his entire family, stood right next to him.

"I...Do..."

"Looks like that wasn't unimportant enough to be considered just a simple Tuesday, then. You killed them...You left none alive, just me...But you didn't do anything afterwards, you didn't steal anything...You didn't destroy anything in my home...You looked at me, staring into my soul, 'You have nothing to do with this.' you said in a calm tone...Why...?" Chaser asked, the sound of the cello playing was the only thing heard for a few moments.

"They...They were mafia." Answered Charon in a quick way, he knew that the Terran next to him had seen his family massacred in front of him, the kind of anger generated by such event would ignore all reasoning.

"Mafia..." Chaser calmly spoke. "Please, do go on..."

Charon was surprised, to say the least, he had expected Chaser to ignore his explanation and demonize him, but he was actually interested in listening.

"Your family worked for a man called 'Executor', I don't know his true name, but he was the head of a mafia responsible for..." Charon rose his head and took a deep breath before continuing. "...Responsible for the destruction of...Everything..."

"Everything?"

"Everything...They killed off my friends...Every single one of them...They tried to hunt me down, so I decided to take actions against them. I couldn't win, that was a suicide campaign...But that was a sacrifice willingly paid. I spent countless nights hunting them down, your family being one of my last few targets before I was struck by some sort of blinding light from the skies. I couldn't kill Executor back in Terra, but I managed to do so in this new world..."

"That makes sense now that I've heard your story...Is this 'Executor' the one we both fought against?"

"Indeed he was. He's also the reason this world sunk into industrialization times. We were supposed to leave it like it was, now it has been tainted by Terran hands..."

"You seem to know a lot about this world." Chaser was oblivious that this world was in fact a TV show from Terra.

"I do, and let's leave it like that. But, I'm surprised you listened to me, I was almost certain you'd be angry enough to ignore me."

"Charon..." He sighed. "We are driven by vengeance, that's a fact, but we don't let that fury become something that controls every action we make, right? It's the same for you in this case, you wanted to kill the entire mafia even if it meant throwing your life away, but you spared me since I didn't have anything to do with them...I was angry at you, of course, but I searched for you wanting answers, not your death..."

"You searched for me?"

"After you killed my family and left me in confusion I began looking for you, didn't you know in the time we were in Terra?"

"I haven't heard anything about someone looking for me, maybe because I was too busy escaping death. Tell me, what did you do after that...event?"

"After that, I had nothing else in life. You were the only thing I had left, your reasons for leaving me in that state, I mean...Ironically, I became just like you since I had no money to live, and the only friends I had were those my family introduced me to, the fact that you killed them showed that they were also mafia. I slept on the streets relying on no one, hearing rumors about you and your whereabouts, I realized that you were killing mafia members back in Terra, so I decided to... Pay a visit to one of them, getting the information out of them, but that method of interrogation also made me their enemy, but I wasn't bothered in the slightest. We both fought against a common enemy for different purposes, you wanted to exterminate them all, I wanted to know where you were...But then the blinding light you spoke about struck me when I was heading for the head of the organization, 'Executor' as you call him. I was transported to this world, where ponies...Could talk and live in an organized society; I became their leader because it seemed that their knowledge was medieval, I helped them with modern ways until I created this Empire, 'Kaiserreich'...For the first few years I tried to return to Terra but gave up after the 3rd year, when I realized that there was no way to return, but a few years later I started hearing rumors...Rumors about another Terran with a longcoat and a green hat, his face covered by a scarf and sunglasses, fighting a war against some sort of 'Corruption'; I realized it was you after a while, I sent spies to know what happened there at all times, to know how you were doing. You won the war at last, but not a month later the second Great Pony War broke out for you against this 'Executor', the responsible for what happened to you, so I decided to help you by declaring war on him. One of my generals spotted another Terran commanding your forces, but I remembered that 'Discord', the one you fought against in the first Great Pony War, turned Princess Celestia and Princess Luna into Terrans...Time later you stormed the capital of Executor's Empire with your forces and killed him, then our eyes met when you saw me outside the city with an entire army. And so, event after event led us to our meeting here."

"So...We've completed the objectives that kept us alive..."

"Depressing, isn't it? At least we can still live for the millions of ponies we take care of..."

"There will finally be peace, after two Great Pony Wars."

Silence engulfed the theater, the pony below had stopped playing the cello and prepared to play once again.

"I'll declare war on you in a year."

"...What?" Charon asked in utter confusion, he had expected peace from Chaser, not war. "Wait, haven't we understood each other? Am I the reason behind this?"

Chaser slowly shook his head before speaking once again. "This isn't about vengeance, Charon...I want to unify the world under a single banner, it's not greed...It's about making sure that there aren't two sides to fight each-other anymore, I seek peace with this."

"Why can't both our nations exist? We have no reasons to fight each-other!"

"Whenever there are two or more forces, war is imminent...Remember back in Terra, Charon? Remember World War 1, World War 2, the Cold war...It goes back to ancient times too, the most prominent example being the Roman Empire...This world isn't an exception to this rule, Luna turned into Nightmare Moon to overthrow Celestia's rule millenia ago, remember? They were sisters, they grew up together, but that didn't stop them from becoming enemies. Do you understand what I'm trying to accomplish with this?"

Charon stood in silence as Chaser's words sank in, everything he had said was the undeniable truth.

"So...That may happen anywhere...Now that I think of it, it makes more sense than before..." Charon's cynicism couldn't predict this turn of events. "We'll be engulfed in a third Great Pony War now...Considering that we both hold an entire continent and half of the former Empire of Executor, this will be the worst blood bath of our time...What will happen once this is over?"

"We both are good leaders, we both care for our people, it doesn't matter who wins here...What matters is that someone must win, this world must be under a single banner to avoid further conflict, there can be only one force in this world. Listen, I'm not an evil man, you have a year to prepare before I begin; gather your forces, tell your generals and alert your people, only the best leader will win this conflict..." Chaser kept silent for a few seconds before continuing. "Enough about these depressing matters...I can guess you still have a few questions, and I'd be happy to answer them."

Charon stood in silence for a moment, trying to get the thoughts about the war out of his mind until he remembered several things he didn't know about. "Indeed I do. Why do you look like a Nazi? Uhh no offense..."

"And none taken. Why do I look like a Nazi, you say...Tell me, are you a Soviet?" Chaser answered with another question.

"Well, no but I was interested in Russian history..."

"There's your answer then, I too was interested in history, but German history, not Russian. I don't share a Nazi's ideologies, nor do I seek a 'Master race' or 'Purity', I'm just a man who seeks peace and acceptance between people through any means necessary. You have to admit, though, if it wasn't for the Nazi idea imprinted in everyone's mind, this uniform would look extremely well."

"I'd have to agree with that, but is there a reason behind your gas mask?"

"This gas mask..." Chaser slowly took off his helmet, then he began unstrapping his gas mask and carefully removed it, revealing a dark crimson red head with no facial hair whatsoever, not even eyebrows. The skin was utterly burned beyond recognition, it even had several cuts, Chaser looked at Charon with his brown eyes.

"What...What happened to you?"

"Remember how I said the mafia was also my enemy back in Terra? When I was assaulting one of their offices they closed every single exit and trapped me inside the building, then they set it on fire with me inside...My entire body was burned, there wasn't a single spot intact...I managed to escape death by jumping off a window, the cuts in my head showing it; it was a miracle it was raining outside, I found a pool of water on the street so I threw myself towards it, I escaped incineration that way."

"Those burn marks...You've been struck by the lightning more than 2 decades ago, yet it's as if those burns were barely a year ago..."

"My skin returns to such state every time I'm injured, It won't regenerate past that point. I drank from a purple liquid when I was in this state, this 'Discord' you fought against in the first Great Pony War told me that regeneration only works up to the state the one who drank from the fountain has at that point, not its maximum health capacity; strangely enough, it also affects any kind of clothes being worn..."

"Wait, you're immortal?" Charon kept silent before realizing he had a far more important question to ask. "Discord talked to you?!"

"Yes, I'm immortal, and yes, Discord talked to me. He said something about giving me immortality without any negative effects in exchange of me returning the favor by fighting for his side in a war, I assume it was the Great Pony War you fought."

"You were going to fight for him?"

"Of course, but take into consideration that I did not know of his intentions yet. The fact that he never asked me to return the favor means you and your allies have defeated him, am I correct in this theory?"

"You are. But if Discord had called for your help back then..." Charon suddenly shook his head to get the thoughts out of his mind. "Anyways, I believe you answered all my questions."

"Glad to be of help, Charon. Now go, tell your people of what's about to come..." Chaser spoke as he strapped his gas mask back and arranged his dark grey helmet.

"Hey Charon, how did the meeting go?" Asked Concord with curiosity once Charon arrived at Executor's castle again. The castle had been left as it was just after the assault, walls crumbling, the main door destroyed, the only different thing was Executor's remains that were removed.

"War will break out again." Charon answered, walking towards the radio equipment recently transported to the top floor next to the throne.

"What?! That'd be the third Great Pony War in less than ten years! Why?!"

Charon stopped before reaching the radio equipment, and began staring at the void above. "Chaser wants to unify this entire world under a single banner...And he has all the reasons in the world to do so, everything he had told me has been the undeniable truth...Listen, I'll explain the details later, we only have a single year to prepare for the third global conflict that's yet to come." He began walking once again and turned on the equipment, he then began tinkering with the controls and started testing it. "Atticus, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

"Begin the mobilization of every single soldier in the Imperium of Patria, mobilize the reserves and begin the organization; send reinforcements to this continent and fortify the northern coast of the Imperium."

"...At once, sir." Atticus' voice showed confusion, but he obeyed the words of the Terran who spoke, experience had taught Atticus that whatever Charon says should be obeyed, for his decisions proved to be critical in past events.

"Whoever wins this war...Will rule this entire world..."

"25th and 48th infantry Divisions stand in the frontline, the artillery brigades behind them will support the defence once the attack arrives, 13th Division is being held in reserve in case of anything not going as expected. How goes the rest of the frontline?" Plannified Charon in a trench dugout, his hands were firmly placed on the map as he leaned forward.

"16th and 17th divisions to the south-west are in place, and so are the ones to the north. Everything's organized and ready, every soldier is expecting an attack." Answered his lieutenant.

"Good. Luna, you'll--" He was interrupted by a message arriving through the radio, then several more were heard.

"25th Division engaging hostiles, out."

"28th Division taking heavy casualties, we're outnumbered, requesting support, over."

"Copy that, 13th Division will be sent, out." After answering, Charon signaled his lieutenant with his head to send the troops.

"37th Division here, enemy spotted, engaging, out."

"4th Division beginning the defence, out."

"34th Division reporting, we've spotted several unknown machines moving towards our position, out."

Charon scratched his head upon hearing the last message. "34th Division, describe one of the machines, over."

"It's covered in steel and has some sort of tube sticking out of the top pointing towards us. They fired, it seems they throw some sort of explosive at an incredible speed, over."

"Copy that, out." Charon began worrying at the description.

"15th Division engaging hostiles, strange machines spotted, out."

"2nd Division here, we're being pushed back by steel machinery on tracks, out."

"7th Division retreating! They are massacring us with their machines!"

The messages that arrived became more and more desperate as minutes passed, from simple information to cries of help.

"What's going on..." Charon began asking, irritated.

"Incoming!!" A scream was heard from outside in the trench. Charon, Luna and Concord were startled by the sudden gunshots but once they recovered they ran outside.

"Unknown machines...Let's see what these things..." He said as he looked over the trench wall into no-pony's land, only to see several machines belonging to Chaser's Empire driving full speed towards them leading the charge, their figure darkened by the smoke. "...What the..." Once they drove out of the smoke Charon narrowed his eyes and stared at the machinery that charged towards the trench, his eyes widened once he found out what kind of machines they were. "P...Panzers..."

"What?" Asked Concord, he could barely hear Charon's whisper.

"Panzers VI Tiger, they were used by Germany in WW2...And we don't have any tanks...Dammit! I could have introduced tanks in the year of preparation!!" While Charon ranted a Panzer drove over the trench to the back-line, grazing his head with the bottom of the chasis; he re-arranged his hat and looked at the battlefield, noticing that there weren't as many tanks as he expected, maybe five at most. "Luna, stay with the ponies and take care of the infantry! Concord, you'll help me disable those tanks!"

"Got it!" Answered Luna.

"You want to disable a steel coffin on wheels!?" Yelled Concord as they both climbed over the trench towards the rear of the Imperial formation where the tanks broke through the lines.

Both immortals ran through the bullets that flew in the battlefield and the artillery shells that fell from the skies until they reached the first 'Tiger I', Charon took out Luna's rapier and rammed it into one of the tracks, preventing it from moving. The tank's hatch opened and a pony quickly got out to find out what happened, but Charon took the opportunity and knocked the pony unconscious and threw him out of the way, he then climbed the tank and got inside, taking care of the other 4 ponies that manned the machine.

"Concord, get inside!" Charon yelled from the hatch.

Concord jumped inside only to be greeted by four unconscious ponies and enough controls to drive anyone insane. "What do we do now?!"

"As if I'd know! Wait, didn't you say you could read minds back in Kunatanah?"

"Yes but only of the corrupted."

"Can't you steal thoughts? I thought Discord did that to find out the Mane 6's weaknesses."

"Never hurts to try..." Concord remarked as he placed his hand over one of the unconscious ponies. The hand lit up and the pony's knowledge was transferred to Concord, he now possessed the pony's knowledge. "Charon, you'll be the reloader, I'll man the main gun!"

"What?! The Hell do I do?!"

"Get these ponies out of the tank, then you'll replace the shells once I fire them!"

"Uhhh...Alright!"

The four unconscious ponies were removed from the tank, and Charon placed himself on the reloader's seat.

"Ok, I'm set!" Charon said as he held a shell in his hands.

The hijacked tank moved the turret and fired towards another of the machines wrecking havoc in the battlefield, completely destroying its main gun. Charon began reloading the main gun and Concord gave a joyful yell at the event.

"Flame 2, what the HELL are you doing?!" The commander of the tank group talked through the radio.

"Charon, looks like they still don't know we are in control of this thing."

"And the confusion shall remain... Oh hey I found a HEAT round!" Concord smiled at Charon's finding and signaled him to load it with his head.

The tank's turret moved once again and aimed towards yet another tank and fired, the round had impacted in the fuel tank of the objective and the explosive charge managed to make the tank explode.

"Another one for the Imperium! Hahaa!" Yelled Concord. The heat of battle had taken its toll on the Draconequus already, long time ago he was rather serious about pretty much everything, even the silliest of things, but now he was turning into the opposite. "Only one left!"

"Uhhh...Concord..."

"Yes?"

"We're out of shells..."

Silence engulfed the tank as they tried to come up with another way to deal with the remaining tank, until the tank they were in shook violently, they were hit by a shell coming from the remaining machine as it realized they were the enemy.

"Concord, can you transfer knowledge?!"

"I don't know!"

"Try it anyways! What's the worst that could happen, mental destabilization?!"

Concord placed his hand over Charon's hat, it lit up and the knowledge from the other ponies' minds were transferred to Charon.

"Agh! My head...I'm never studying tanks again..." Charon said as he held his head in pain.

"You alright? We still need a plan!"

"We'll ram the tank, that's the only option. I'll drive, you tell me where!"

Concord changed from the gunner's seat to the commander's and Charon changed from the loader's to the driver's, the tank began moving avoiding yet another hit from the enemy tank. They circled it avoiding the shots, until they managed to line up the tracks to the objective and began moving at full speed; they received a shot to the main turret, destroying the gun but it was for nothing, for they didn't even need it anyways. The hijacked tank rammed the other tank hard enough to push it into a trench, disabling it; at this sight the entire enemy force began retreating, seeing as their main advantage was lost.

"Get out of there already, we won." Said Luna as she opened the tank's hatch. "These things...Let me guess, they're Terran, right?"

"If it's made for war, it's Terran." Answered Charon as he got out. "We must fall back..."

"We don't have anything to fight those things." Continued Concord. "This continent is done for, it's fortunate that tanks can't swim or defeat would be imminent."

Chaser's blitzkrieg was devastating and merciless, it raged on for several years until they were pushed back to the coasts and were forced to leave this continent. Charon took notice of these events and began preparing his own plans back in Cabalderio.

Several ponies stood in the open field with Charon among them, looking at a silhouette moving in the distance. Charon took out his radio and began talking to it.

"Report."

"Engine tests successful, maximum speed attained. Prototype T-34 is ready for armament testing."

"Begin at once."

The silhouette stopped moving, and after a few seconds fired towards an area out of sight.

"Objective destroyed, optimal range reached, no unexpected events happened."

"Copy that."

Charon began staring at the silhouette and started thinking of what's yet to come. Inside his head, only his thoughts were heard. 'Chaser, you brought German tanks into the war, I was stupid not to think about introducing that kind of technology...It's time for the Red Army to bring its power to this world now, and let's not forget who won WW2...