PONIES IN ARMS-2. NUCLEAR WINTER

DATE- CLASSIFIED
TIME- IRRELEVANT

We marched our way around the bombing range and it had taken all night and we came to a clearing in a field, this would do nicely.

I sent one of my Pegasus ponies into the air to check the sky above to see whether or not we could be seen from the air. We were safe "OK EVERY PONY WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE DAY OFF YOU ALL DESERVE IT AND SEEING AS WE ARE SAFE FROM ANY AIR SIGHT OR ANY LAND ASSAULT. THE GAURD SHIFTS WILL ONLY BE 2 HOURS AND BE SPLIT BETWEEN 2 PONIES" We quickly got our camp put up and every pony set to work doing different things. Ruby and Harmony were already in a hammock they had made from a wagon cover. The 2 fillies were swinging in the wind and giggling. I went to the nearby stream where several ponies were either fishing or bathing. In no time there was plenty of fish to be eaten by every pony and we all had a decent meal.

The day went on really slow to be honest and that was perfectly fine with every pony. It was our first real day off other than our time in Bitter Creek. Looking over a hill I saw in the distance a building. "That’s the Shattered Hoof Saloon" I heard Kill Shot tell me. “If you want we could give the ponies the time fully off to enjoy some free time” I thought about this and looked around at the camp. "COMPANY, ATTENTION!!" the camp suddenly snapped to full and immediate attention. Every pony looked at me in wide eyed shock I just smiled and told them all that guard duty was now limited to those who had the urge to take it and that the camp was dismissed to enjoy the day and to all be back at 2300. There was a loud roar from the camp followed by a stampede of ponies.

I looked at Kill Shot with a grin on my face; he just chuckled and followed me into the bar. The place was actually quite a nice bar and there were signs posted throughout the place stating the fact that N.L.R ponies were not welcome and would be shot on sight.

Kill Shot was already gathering information on the movements of the N.L.R and looking for recruits for our force. Kill Shot was talking to a rather large and scary looking pony and brought him over to my table. "NICE TO MEET YALL IM CAPTAIN GREY HOOF OF THE N.C.E" "N.C.E what does that stand for?" I asked. "WHY THE NEW CELESTIAN EMPIRE MY FRIEND" Grey Hoof told me. I didn’t quite get this, but it was soon made bitterly clear. There was a message playing over a small radio.

*ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS OF THE EQUESTRIAN MILITARY*

ALL UNITS THAT REMAIN OF THE EQNG HAVE ALL BEEN ORDERD DISBANDED. BY ORDER OF PRINCESS LUNA ALL UNITS ARE TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO SHATTERD HOOF RIDGE FOR A NEW ASSIGNMENT. REPEAT, ALL UNITS OF THE EQNG HAVE BEEN ORDERD DISBANDED.

I was in utter shock and disbelief at this. The message replayed itself over and over. "THE N.L.R HAS TAKEN OVER ALMOST EVERY TOWN AND CITY IN EQUESTRIA AND THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF THE OLD CELESTIAN GOVERNMENT ARE SLOWLY BEING DISMANTLED. ITS BEGINING TO LOOK AS THOUGH ALL OF EQUESTRIA IS NOW IN STORE FOR A MAJOR CIVIL WAR AND WE ARE ALL NOW CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. GET READY IT’S SOON GOING TO GET NASTY IN EQUESTRIA" Grey Hoof told me. "NOW I HAVE A TASK FOR YOU AND YOUR UNIT. THERE IS A PRISON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT. I KNOW SEVERAL OF THE PONIES IN THERE AND TO BE HONEST I WANT THEM OUT. IT WOULD BE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE AND ANYTHING YOU HAPPEN TO FIND WILL BE ALL YOURS. BESIDES YOU’RE NOW A MERCENARY GROUP AND YOU WILL NEED A WAY TO NOW SURVIVE” I couldn’t believe what I was going to say next, but I actually agreed with Grey Hoof. He told me that the prison was barely guarded, but not by the N.L.R. Instead it belonged to the state and was of no interest to the N.L.R.

I looked at Kill Shot and he nodded at me "I’LL GET THE GROUP READY. GREY HOOF HAS A GREAT AND VALID POINT WE WOULD HAVE AN ACTUAL PLACE TO CALL A SOMEWHAT HOME AND IT WOULD BE A GREAT DEFENCEABLE POSITION." "I,, I HAD’NT THOUGHT OF THAT THERE KILL SHOT. THAT IS A REALY VALID POINT AND WE REALLY CAN USE A PLACE TO CALL A SOMEWHAT HOME”

Needless to say every pony was drunk and in no condition to pull off such a raid. I however was able to get them all back to the camp and to sleep. I along with Harmony and Ruby were the only ponies on guard that night. The 2 of them had not been at the bar but instead spent the whole day relaxing in the hammock they had made. The night went on forever and got quite boring to be honest. I had wanted to enjoy some fun with the 2 filly’s but had to be on watch seeing as the entire camp was passed out drunk. Ruby and Harmony were both on separate sides of the camp gently moving along the edges of the camp.

Morning came slow and lazily and no pony felt all that great. Coffee was being made and every pony was slowly waking up. It was about noon by the time every pony felt even the slightest bit of sober. I told every pony about what Grey Hoof had told me the night before; they all looked at me in shock and disbelief. The camp erupted in a conglomeration of whining and complaints. "OK EVERY PONY LOOK WE NEVER ASKED FOR THIS BUT WE ALL MUST DEAL WITH THE CARDS WE ARE DELT IN LIFE. I REALLY THINK IT’S A GOOD IDEA. THINK ABOUT IT OUR VERY OWN PLACE TO CALL A BASE OF OPERATIONS AND BESIDES IT HAS A CHOWHALL” At that thought every pony came to agreement.