Chapters The Sand and a New Beginning.
The meeting
The war that had waged for years had taken it toll on the landscape as the mint green stallion walked down the road towing a cart filled with his effects, that was on the border of the once changeling territory. The border was scared much like he was. His coat fought back the nipping cold of the early winter winds that the Pegasus would have moved in. War had thrown everything out of sync and now a year later after the conflict ended with Queen Chrysalis retreating and fleeing as equestrian troops, griffon troops had stormed the city. It was terrible, he had done many things in his career in his time of service but nothing more horrible then the fall of the changeling capital.
He carried the souls of the dead on his shoulders. After the end of the conflict he was released for medical reasons. He was moving to ponyville to start anew as the only he could, a farmhand. Walking in silence the first snow began to fall. Looking up showed that there was a scar along his jaw. His white mane was dirty and long unkempt for a previous solider. He walked for the last few hours and came upon the town of Trottingham. Walking into town the citizens were as upbeat as they could be for a population who was close to the fighting. A blanket of bitter memories seemed to be wherever he went. The conflict took its toll on the whole of Equestria and Griffonia, many young mares, stallions, and griffons left for the front and never returned of if they did it was in a box with the condolences of the princesses.
He stopped in-front of an inn and walked in asking for a room. He was able to put his things in the shack located out behind the inn and walked up the stairs to his room forgoing food. he didn't even take off the coat as he collapsed onto the bed and passed out.
-4 years ago-
Standing on top of a cloud with a contingent of the 136th pegasus dive bomber squadron they looked down to see the changeling lines advancing as the earth ponies began their assault on the advancing horde. He looked to his left and nodded to his griffon counterpart who gave a quick nod back. Standing he spread his wings and double checked his claws that were outfitted for him. The pegasus all copied him as he opened his wings and shouted a battle cry as he down down from the clouds.
"FOR EQUESTRIA!" He shouted and his call was answered by a rallying cry of his ponies as they dive bombed the enemy. Magic missiles arched through the sky as the unicorns began the launch the artillery. Blues, pinks, greens, and all different kinds of colors began to bombard the enemy ranks but they pressed hard. He was first into the fray landing onto of a changeling breaking its neck with his momentum. He began to combat the enemy, he was so sure of himself hundreds of hours fighting mock battles and training for this...combat against an aggressor. The squadron followed suit with the griffon contingent.
The first battle between the two armies was liberating and terrifying. Finally he got to taste combat but now he was in the thick of it he was mortified. Looking around at the carnage was enough to make a stallion wet himself. Fighting with all of his worth then a horn sounded and like a black tide the sky darkened with hundreds of changelings now bearing down from the air.
"TAKE TO THE SKY!" he ordered as he lifted off the ground many of his unit did to. Aerial combat was brutal. Crashing into a changeling he began his fighting by next cutting the wing of one then kicking another, he fought like a cornered timber wolf. He turned at the call of his name.
"SHIELD" he turned and a green blast changeling was heading straight for him.
-present day-
"AHRRR."Shield awoke startled as sweat had soaked him he rubbed his head and got himself a glass of water. Finished it he looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He was older than he was then, not just in body but in mind. Shield paid the innkeeper for some breakfast and ate quickly so he could resume his trek to ponyville. After gathering his things and making sure nothing was missing he walked on the road.
Halfway between getting there he heard a scream making him stop and unbuckle his hitch running in the direction of the distress. he found a female changeling running from a pack of timber wolves. He saw she was protecting something as she was being chased her wings were damaged and was badly wounded. He stopped and paused for a moment. "What was a changeling doing here?" he wondered then more importantly he asked himself "Should i help." Her cry out for help made him snap into action as his body seemed to react disregarding the dilemma within his own mind.
The wolves cornered her and she was bleeding heavily as she kicked at the creatures. Quickly he maneuvered behind them and dispatched them by jumping onto them and snapped their wooden rib cages then crushing their heads for good measure. He now stood over her. The Changelings tears running down her face as she looked up at him and he down at her, there was an unsaid knowledge passed between them she was going to die. Turning away she choked out.
"Wait.." her voice had a slight echo to it like all of them did. Turning to her she revealed what she was protecting. it was a changeling...or was it a filly he couldn't tell he had seen changeling offspring and this was not one. His heart sank as he looked upon the child. A hybrid a creature created from the paring of a changeling and a stallion.
"Her name is Butter Bun..." she said gasping for air then smiled despite herself.
"She is a hybrid?" he said hoping to be wrong. But was proven right as the female changeling nodded.
"Her Father died in the conflict.... and I was left with her. " she in hail sharply coughing up blood as she touched the face of Butter Bun.
"Please take her..." she asked her blue eyes pleading. If only she knew what he had done. he had slayed children in their cribs as ordered when they took the changeling city and here now when he was about to start a new life...this female changeling.
"I am sorry i." but his word fell on deaf ears. she had died her eyes glazed over looking into the abyss. Shield stood up and turned walking away.
The cries of a child echoed in the dark forest making him stop. He walked back slowly to the child in her dead mother's arms. Picking her up he looked now at her. her coat was black as night, her mane was not leather like changelings were if anything she resembled more a pony then a changeling. She stopped crying and looked up at him showing eyes that were a deep blue same as her mothers. Shield looked to the sky once again then to the body of the changeling.
Placing the last rock on the grave he looked down at Butter Bun. He had burned enough time here he would have to walk fast if he was going to make it to see his contact in ponyville and get situated. Butter bun now hung off of his neck as he carried the cart going toward ponyville.
"Well Butter Bun it is nice to meet you I am Dancing Shield."
A start of a new beginning
Shield walked over the crest of a hill and saw the small town of ponyville. Butter Bun had been very quiet the entire time which he was glad for since he had nothing to calm a disgruntled filly. When he looked at her again and guessed she was a little more than a year old just near the tail end of the war did the father probably come back home. Putting it out of his mind he refused to try and piece together the reason this filly existed.
The snow was now a good foot deep and pulling the cart was becoming increasingly difficult but by what he was told his friend said if ever he needed a fresh start just come and he would provide it. He had sent a letter to him hoping he would get it before he arrived. He was told the mail here was sketchy at times. Arriving into town not many ponies were outside most choose to stay indoors. He walked through town with much difficulty until he saw a sign pointing in the direction of the farm he was headed to.
The Apple farm was covered in a thick blanket of snow as he walked under the arch going towards the home. It looked inviting enough with its rustic feel and homely allure. Arriving at his destination he unhitched himself and knocked on the door with his hoof. The door opened and he looked down slightly at an orange mare with freckles and a long yellow mane.
"Uuuh Hello there friend, can i help you?" she asked slightly turning her head unsure of the new pony.
"Is this the residence of Mackintosh?" he asked
"Yea Big Mac lives here." she said kind of stepping back.
"Hey Big Mac. There is somepony here for ya." she said getting his attention. Big Mac walked out from behind the wall. His scar along his neck and another over his eye, and looked at Shield and his face brightened.
"Shield is that you?" his voice hadn't change still the deep farm pony he had come to know.
"It is good to see you Big Mac." he said smiling his current predicament.
"Who is this Big Mac?" the orange mare asked. Big Mac invited him into the home and stepping into the home gave him a warm
rush of air that began to warm his face from the cold.
"Shield is a friend what served with me." Big Mac explained but didn't go into detail.
"Shield this here is my sister." Big Mac introduced.
"Oh Apple Jack right? You always talked about your two sisters the other one was Apple Bloom right?" Shield said as be began to take off his coat. That was when Butter Bun started to cry. Big Mac walked closer to get a look and saw the filly.
"Shield i never knew you to be a dad." he said raising his eyebrow.
"I am not her real father. he said but looked to Big Mac that explained he would tell him later. He turned to the coat rack and placed it on it then turned toward Big Mac showing his left side of his body, it had a long scar and no wing. Apple Jack looked at this and was shocked a one winged Pegasus. Shield looked at her to see her staring at his nub at where his wing once was. He wasn't the most cruel of stallions but he hated when people stared, he was just as capable as any other pony.
"Care to take a picture?" he said annoyed. Apple Jack looked at his face and shook her head slightly.
"I am sorry i didn mean to gawk." she apologized as he removed the filly from around his neck.
"Do you happen to have baby supplies?" he asked Big Mac.
"Yuup." he said going to the kitchen and rummaging around then came back with a bottle.
"I don't know if we have any formula its probably out of date. Apple Bloom is no baby anymore." he said chuckling Shield began to rock Butter Bun causing her to look sleepy again and he was glad for it. The door opened again letting in the cold air and a cream coated with a red man young mare walked in with an old green coated mare.
"Big Mac were home. why is there a cart..." Apple Bloom began to ask and stopped seeing Shield then her eyes went to his handicap then to the baby he held.
"Apple Bloom, Granny this is Shield." Big Mac introduced. Granny Smith walked over to him and squinted at him, then her eyes went wide and placed her hoof over his shoulder.
"Well welcome to Apple Acres sonny. Who's this we have here." she said looking at Butter Bun.
"Her name is Butter Bun." he said
"OOooh she is cute." she said smiling up at him
"It will be good to have another pair of hooves for bucking season. You sure you can keep up with Big Mac and Apple Jack. Buckin
is hard work." she pointed out.
"I will work hard for you to earn my keep." he said solidly. Big Mac walked beside him and placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"Let me show you where we'll be keepin ya." Big Mac said walking just ahead of him leading him to a shed out back. Openeing the door he took it in. The one room was simple with a wood stove to fight back the heat as well as cook on. A cot on the other side of the room as well as a single table with two chairs. It wasn't much but it was enough.
"Thanks Big Mac I owe you." he said putting Butter Bun down on the cot.
"Dont worry about it, you have saved me more than a hoof full of times Shield...if not for a few times i would not be here with my family." His voice caught in his throat as his composure seemed to collapse.
"It is hard. Shield how do you cope, with what we did what we endured." Big Mac asked sitting down as Shield had began to make a fire.
"Mac you and I have survived the war but we will be fighting it for a long time." a shadows seemed to go over Shields facial features. Big Mac nodded.
"I cant talk to my family about it, i cant. They would be horrified at what i was ordered to do y'know. Apple Jack asks me and i dont have the heart to tell em." he said hie eyes brimming with tears. The stresses of conflict would ravage the mind as well as the body, many of his friends who survived the war ended up taking their own lives not being able to live on with what they had done and seen. Shield walked over to his friend and placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"All we can do is atone for what we have done by living and hoping that we will make something worth while." He said. Big Mac wiped his eyes and nodded. Shield sat across from him now and looked to him looking to change the subject.
"The filly i brought with me is...part changeling." Big Mac seemed to loose some of his red luster as his blood drained from his face.
"H-How? we..." Shield held up his hoof stopping him.
"I know but this filly is a hybrid of a changeling and a stallion...i save the mother before she succumbed to her injuries." he leaned back and stretched out his one wing.
"Never mind how but what drove you to take it!" Big Mac seemed frantic.
"My past." he said simply looking out of the window at the snow.
"Saving one will not absolve you or i of the." Big Mac began but Shield looked at him making him go quiet.
"I will never think myself absolved of anything. Big Mac if maybe i can look after her and raise her i might find some peace in myself. I think you know how i feel, living such a normal life makes me remember more then i care to." He sighed. Big Mac stood up and approached the filly making Shield stand ready to defend. Big Mac looked down at the black filly who opened up her eyes and looked up at him and reached up giggling as she smiled. Big Mac put his nose against the stomach of the filly making her giggle and grab a hold of his muzzle.
"I feel like this is suppose to be wrong... but it is simply right." he looked back at him.
"Shield..." he looked for the words.
"You can be an uncle." Shield chuckled putting his arm on his shoulder.
"Maybe this can be a new beginning for both of us." Big Mac said almost to himself but Shield nodded.
"That's what i hope as well my friend."
Winter months
The first week he spent getting things for Butter Bun. He was given a tour of the farm by Big Mac the second day. Big Mac was an amazing solider and to see him in this setting was odd to say the least. Shield awoke early and picked up Butter Bun who had also awoken. She reached up to him with a smile. he picked her up then put a pot on the fire place and began to boil water to warm up the milf for her. The extra duties of being a father made thinking of the past just that much easier to forget. Finishing the bottle and wrapped her up and let her hang around his neck again as she nursed the bottle.
He put his coat on then opened the door to his warm shed, cold air rushed to greet him making his breath crystallize as he began to breath. He looked at Butter Bun and she seemed fine. He stepped out to go about doing the morning chores, feeding chickens and sheep. As Shield Fed the pigs a voice startled him.
"You sure are an early riser almost all the mornin chores are done. Apple Jack will be happy." Apple Bloom said to him making him turn around calming down.
"I have to make my way some how." he said covering Butter Buns face again from the cold. Apple Bloom looked to him and shook her head and smiled.
"Well come on in Apple Jack and Granny have made breakfast." She said. Shield put the feed down and followed her to the main apple home. Following her inside he wiped his hooves and closed the door behind him. Apple Jack was setting the table for five as he walked into the kitchen taking a seat. Big Mac walked down the stairs and took a seat beside him.
"Well mornin you." Granny smiled and placed a apple pancake in front of him.
"Thank you." he offered as the rest of the family sat down.
"What are you doin today Apple Jack." Granny Smith asked.
"Twilight asked me to help with something i don know what." she said
"Oh that's nice just make sure to feed the animals." she said reminding her.
"Oh don't worry granny Shield already did them." Apple Bloom said. Granny looked to him
"Well aint chea a hard worker." she said smiling.
"I do want i can he said simply." he said simply taking a bite of his pancake.
"How did you meet Big Mac again?" she asked. Both Apple Jack and Apple Bloom looked at Granny who was oblivious. Granny's memory was sketchy at times he had come to see. But this was a question that they wanted to know and he could understand really. He looked to Big Mac and they came to a slight understanding. Even when he knew him in the 68th he wasn't good at explaining how he felt. Shield could see that they knew nothing of the Macintosh he knew. Readjusting the now wide awake Butter Bun who began to play with his mane. He smiled despite himself, then pushed his plate back.
"We will have to go back about 3 years ago at the beginning of the second year of the changeling conflict." he explained
-3 years ago-
Waking up Shield moaned drawing the attention of the nurse.
"Where am I." his voice cracked.
"You are at the combat hospital." she explained. Then the conflict flashed before his eyes once again. He closed his eyes as a new wave of pain.
"Whats the damage doc?" he asked. The nurse looked uncomfortable as she summoned up her answer.
"You received heavy damage to your left wing and it was irreparable as well as you received a large cut down your left side, your to be bed ridden for a few weeks doctors orders." she said. Dancing Shields world felt that it fell away from him. His one thing that allowed him to be who he was had been ripped away from him. Her speech seemed to filter to background noise as his terrible reality seemed to crash in on him. His contentiousness began to go black as he passed out.
Waking again he was depressed and did not wish to do anything. His way of life was over never again would he feel the wind whip past his ears or feel the touch of a cloud under his hooves. The next three weeks he was up and walking around in rehab working hard to get back into shape. His balance was off and now the scar healing on his left made it hard to move. After he was able to move around with minimal pain he approached his doctor in his office.
“Doctor I would like to be transferred to the front with the earth ponies and unicorns. His doctor looked at him understanding his plight but didn't wish to send another pony out to fight so quickly.
“I can get you a safer job in the intelligence branch.” he said trying to sway him. Shield could understand him and even thank the fact he wish to keep him safe but his place was in the thick of it.
“Thank you Doc but i have made up my mind. All I need is your signature and approval.” he explained. His doctor looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“You have my signature but not my approval. I am not happy with your choice but i will approve it.” he said putting his signature and slamming a stamp of approval on his file.
“Don't die. I put too much time into you.” he ordered. Shield nodded and chuckled.
“Ill try and keep myself in better shape.” Shield agreed.
Shield was taken by cart arriving at a FOB (Forward Operating Base) just outside of Trottingham that was under changeling control. As he arrived he was greeted by a armored stallion earth pony who's damaged and scorched battle armor betrayed his part played in battle.
“Are you the pegasus Shield Dancer?” he asked.
“I am Shield Dancer yes.” he said.
“I am Bolder Bash, Good to have ya follow me I’ll show you to the barracks.” he said motioning him to follow. Shield followed him with his things slung over his back to the tent that was set up.
“Find your cot and acquaint yourself with your fellow soldiers. I read your file I know how you lost your wing, I don't know why you want join the front but I'm glad to have your skills added to the squad.” he said placing a comforting hoof on his shoulder. Shield watched him leave and turned to the tent, the sounds of other ponies talking and joking. He pushed the tent flap aside and walked in drawing attention for everypony there.
He nodded to them getting respectful nods from them back. Finding a cot he placed his things removing his pegasus armor he placed it on his cot and placed his effects into a locker.
“Hi and welcome to the 68th.” a deep voice Stallion said. Shield turned and came to meet the owner of the voice.
“Names Big Macintosh, the guys call me Big Mac or Mac for short.” Big Mac said.
“Shield Dancer.” he said raising his hoof in greeting. Big Mac shook his hoof.
“Looks like you took quite a licking.” he said chuckling. Shield looked at him and chuckled opening his wing then closing it.
“Yea changeling bombardment can be damaging even when flying.” he said with a hint of sadness. Big Mac nodded and then a siren began to go off and Big Mac’s fun demeanor changed to a hardened soldier.
“Were planned to take back Trottingham.” he said quickly putting on his armor. Shield followed suit. Already he was going into battle and his adrenalin was kicking in as he put his helmet on then put his sword against his body then quickly put on his flight claws. The feel of the steel against his hooves brought back his anger at what they had taken from him. They all would be instrumental to taking back Trottingham because the fire in his eyes showed nothing but the thrill of the battle ahead. Stepping out from the tent he jogged after Big Mac then slowed down as he stood beside him then looked up as the first snowflake fell upon his armored helmet.
"It seems that the winter is here..." he said, Big mac looked up as well.
"I wonder what Apple Jack, Granny and Apple Bloom are doin." he wondered.
"Ask them when you get back." Shield said hitting him in the shoulder. Big Mac looked at him and smiled.
"Yuup."
