Red vs Blue: The Ponyville Chronicles

Moments went by with both the red and blue teams remaining quiet; or rather as quiet as the reds and blues could ever be. However, for Spike and Big Mac their small talk continued on with Twilight Sparkle returning to watching them through her scope. “I’m not tryin’ to say it’s a waste…” Big Mac said, “but we could be usin’ all these tools and such for more useful things… like findin’ other species that we can beat.”

“That’s what I’m saying. This is why the two of us should be in charge. We’re not getting anywhere with—“ But Spike quickly bit his tongue before he could finish that thought.

It was a bad idea to ever speak about the sergeant, Big Mac knew that better then anyone as well as Spike. Just then, a sound of hooves clapping against the grassy knolls that surrounded the base drew both of the soldiers’ attentions to the ground bellow. “Speakin’ of the sergeant…” Big Mac mumbled as the unmistakable blond hair and red armor of their commanding officer came to his sight.

Tipping the cowpony hat dawned upon her head, Sergeant Applejack looked up to her subordinates with a cheerful smile, “What’re you ladies doin’ up there? Get yer’ flanks down here and welcome me!” she called to them.

The two sighed and started their way down the stone ramp that had been built from the roof to the battle field bellow. “Comin’ sis…” Big Mac assured his little sister.

“Now Big Mac, what did I say about callin’ me sis on the field?” Applejack taunted, still looking relatively cheery.

“Sorry, Sarge…” Spike chuckled a little at Big Mac’s slight awkwardness of the response.

“Now that’s better,” Applejack nodded, seeing that her two comrades where standing before her. “Well… bet’cha wonderin’ why I called the two of y’all down, right?”

Spike and Big Mac exchanged confused looks at each other before Spike perked a brow up at Applejack. “I thought you called us down to welcome you?” Spike assumed with Big Mac nodding.

“Naa, that’d be just plain stupid… Any of ya’ wanna guess what news I got for ya’?” Applejack played with them teasingly.

“Uh…” her big brother sighed with a shrug of his hefty orange armored shoulders, “Is it that the war is over and we can all go home?” he asked in a somewhat hopeful tone.

For the first time, Applejack’s expression fell flat into a disapproving frown. “Yeah, Mac. That’s it. War’s over, we won, and yer’ the hero…”

“Hey, I thought you said you never lied?” Spike pointed out.

“Ain’t no lie. Just saying a future statement in the present,” Applejack replied back as her smile returned and returned a look to her brother, “Now I know we’ve been here awhile… ‘bout four years next month. But fer’ once, I got some good news from Command.”

Both Spike and Big Mac looked less then enthusiastic about that. Like Applejack said, they have been here together for around four years with little to no action ever happening except the days when an Ursa would wander across the battlefield. But even then those were so slim they could count them on Spike’s claws. “So, I want you two to fix up the base an’ make up a new bed, ‘cause we’re getting a new couple of hooves around here,” Applejack informed them.

It was Big Mac that was first to react to this news. “A new recruit? Well that ain’t too bad.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Spike pressed hopefully; preying to whatever god there was that would finally give him a female dragon here.

“Ya’ know?” Applejack tapped her chin with some thought, “they di’n’t say… set up for either. I’m personally hopin’ for a pegasus or a unicorn. Those dirty blues over there already own the sky and the fire power, we need ta’ even out,” Applejack frowned for a moment after shooting a dirty look over to the blue base, “Anywho…” looking back, she smiled again, “speakin’ uh’ fire power… Zecora! Bring it in!”

Rolling over one of the hills before red base came a fairly bulky truck with a striped pony working the mechanism in the front to pull it along. Zecora parked it beside Applejack before stripping the straps on her back and dislodging her hooves from the pumps, taking her spot beside her leader. “Ladies, say hello to our new best friend… well, Mac’s since Spike can’t work the controls.”

“Aw man…” Spike grumbled.

“Don’t fret. This thing is outfitted with a mounted machine gun tailor made for a fella’ with fingers. Lucky you Spike,” Spike brightened up before Applejack went back into explaining the vehicle. “This filly comes with all the bells and whistles too. Four inches of armor plating, some kinda’ suspension, and suited fer’ one driver, one gunner, and one passenger. Say hello to the M12-LRV… I call it the Draconequus.”

Everypony eyed the vehicle up and down, marveling at the first real wonder they’ve had in the longest time; leaving Spike off to the side with a ponder about him. “…Why Draconequus?”

Applejack looked back to Spike and sighed, “’Cause M12-LRV is a mouthful and Draconequus is a bit easier to say… Plus it sounds fierce.”

“Yeah… but it seems a bit too small to be fierce, Si—Sarge,” Big Mac added while prodding at one of the control peddles.

Applejack became a little irritated by these comments, evident by her growing scowl. “Fine. What should we call it?”

“I don’t know… how about Bucker?” Big Mac suggested.

“…Mac, yer’ supposed to give it an animal name… not an action,” Applejack pointed out sternly.

“Yeah. I mean. Why not just go all the way and call it the Runner?” Spike added.

Big Mac shook his head, “No. Ya’ see, Bucker works ‘cause of the powerful gun and its strong body.”

“Then wouldn’t a tank be more fitting for that name?”

Applejack agreed with Spike as she gave her brother a smirk, “How about we go even further? Let’s call it the Hammer?”

Both Applejack and Spike began to laugh while Big Mac frowned and Zecora remained blank with silence.

Struggling in the tree they had hidden in to see what the red team was up to, Rainbow Dash tried to snatch the sniper away from Twilight. “Let me see, let me see!” Rainbow Dash whined while Twilight kept her at leg’s distance from her, still looking through the scope.

“Look, I’ll explain it to you. Just be quiet before they notice us!” Twilight snapped in a relative hush. Rainbow Dash agreed and sat back against the tree, waiting for a description. “Alright… let’s see… Uh-huh… Yeah, it looks like they’ve got some kind of truck… Looks serious,” Twilight gently put her sniper down and started to get up, “we better head back and report this.”

“Woah, woah, woah!” Rainbow Dash quickly pushed Twilight back into her position and have her the sniper back. “Car? They have a car? Come on!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and put the sniper back down, giving Rainbow Dash a disappointed side glance. “What are you complaining about? Command is sending us a tank.”

Scoffing, Rainbow Dash put her arms into a fold in front of her aqua armor. “Psh, can’t pick up colts in a car…”

“Oh- What? You know, you just have this amazing ability to just bitch and moan about everything, don’t you?” Twilight snapped, “We’re about to get a tank, a vehicle mechanically superior to any kind of car, and all you can think about is getting colts? What kind of colt are you planning on getting around here?” Rainbow Dash gestured to the red base, particularly Big Mac, only to get a sharp slap on the hoof by Twilight, “That doesn’t count! Besides… I think he’s with that red armor pony. And you know what? What kind of colts are you planning to pick up with a truck like that?”

“…What kind of car is it?” Rainbow asked after some time.

Her patiants getting far too tested, Twilight looked through her scope again. “I have no idea. I’m no vehicle expert…” she grumbled to herself while fixing on the truck, “I can’t put my hoof on it… but if I had to guess, it looks something that packs a strong kick to it.”

“…Like a Bucker?”

“Yeah, that’s it.” Twilight nodded and put her rifle down once more, getting very tired of pressing her cobalt armor to the branch of the tree.

“’Right, ‘right,” Applejack wiped a single tear from her eye and pushed her back up against their new truck back at Red Base, “Unless anypony—Sorry, anyone…” remembering Spike’s species, Applejack corrected herself, “has any objections, we’re stickin’ with the name draconequus. That alright with you, Macintosh?”

“Eeeyup…” her brother answered in defeat.

“Yer’ sure? We could still call it the Tackler.”

“It’s fine…”

“Killer?”

“Really, it’s alright.”

“Crawler?”

“What about Dancer?” Spike joined in.

“Don’t help Spike…” Big Mac warned.

“Slasher!” Applejack shouted out suddenly.

“Come on y’all…” Big Mac moaned painfully, trying his best not to put his hoof to his face.

“Spike, what’s that action that lions do on their meat?”

“Pouncing?”

“Yeah. How ‘bout that, Mac? Pouncer? Kinda has a n ice ring to it.”