I stood on the train station platform, other recruits with me as we awaited the train to bring us to the training camps in Canterlot and Baltimare. We would have been training in Stalliongrad and Manehatten, but they were too close to the front to risk potential personnel and equipment to the Griffons. But because I'm Airborne, I'm being sent to the colony of Caneighdia, specifically Haliflanks, to learn how to effectively leap out of a plane, then cause panic and hysteria behind enemy lines with no hope of reinforcements. I let a smile cross my lips. This was going to be enjoyable.

The train pulled up to the station, the recruits and I climbed aboard the train. When inside, I took a seat near the back of my car, knowing I would be one of the last soldiers off the train. As ponies filed onto the train, bound for different destination, one mare stood out to me. She was dark purple with a dark green mane and green eyes. She noticed me, smiled and walked over and sat next to me. "Hi!" She said as she plopped down next to me. "I'm Grapevine. What's your name?"

I looked at the mare and responded. "Half-Crescent, what unit are you a part of?" I thought over the question in my head, if she was in the same place as me, she would say '10th Rifles out of Sydneigh, what about you?' I looked back over to her, seeing that she was waiting for me expectantly. I realized that that was her actual answer. Surprised I looked over to her. "But, you're an earth pony, why are you being sent to join the 10th?"

She shrugged. "Went to the recruiting office, looking to become a field medic, then they ask me to join something called 'the Airborne' and I replied 'Why not?." I let a chuckle escape my lips from the similarities of our circumstances. She looked back to me. "So, how did you join the airborne?"

"I was offered when I joined up. Same as you." She gave me a look. "What? It's true! They saw I served in the Royal Guard Reserves and must have figured that I had some semblance of training, so I could help during training, a sort of mini drill Sergeant I guess. Anyway, we got a lot of time to kill, what did you do before you joined up?"

Grapevine smiled. "Well, I was a nursing student and I was about to get some actual practice in a hospital out in Fillydelphia, when I heard about the invasion I signed up the next day. So I figured I could use my knowledge as a nurse to become a field medic, you know the rest. How about you?"

I also gave a smile before i started my story. "Ever since I was younger, I wanted to join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria, but my father was killed when he went overseas during the early years of the Diamond Civil War, he was part of the famous Lost Battalion but was killed during their breakout. I was in the Reserves at the time but my parents didn't want me to head be deployed, losing both me and my father would have broken my mother so I stayed and helped my mother with my younger sister. When the war began, I was drafted and they offered me a spot in the Airborne."

The train started with a jolt and began to chug towards Baltimare, so that the ground troopers could train while we went overseas to train in secret. It was a little exciting, turning to my new friend, I said. "We got a long way to go before we reach our destination. Let's get some sleep. Trust me, you'll want to be well rested during boot camp!"

I was shaken awake by Grapevine. "Wake up, the train stopped, and the officers are ushering everpony out." We stood up and gathered our bags before being pushed out into the evening sun. We stood in a field in the middle of nowhere. Three planes sat in front of us, parked in the field with three officers standing in front of them. As we moved closer, I noticed the officers were a Colonel and two Captains. The Colonel was Golden Oak, which surprised me at first, but it made sense when I really thought about it.

"Attention!" Golden Oak yelled, shutting up everypony in attendance. "You are the first members of the 10th Airborne. You are going to turn this war around, or I'll have failed in my job given by Celestia herself. No pressure." There where a few chuckles at that. "These Planes," The Colonel continued. "Are C47 transport planes, they have been designed for the purpose of carrying your sorry asses from base to battlefields, to drop you down and to raise hell. The first test of the airborne..." He flashed a grin at all of us. "Is to jump out of these planes."

The Earth ponies and Unicorns looked nervous at this concept, but us Pegasi fluffed our wings in anticipation. "Alright Airborne! Load up!" We all dashed forward towards the planes, being herded by the Captains into three equal portions. I was in a group of around 30 ponies as we climbed aboard the plane.

As we all took seats inside, one of the Captains closed the door behind us. He turned to look at us. "I am Captain Spearhead and I will be your commanding officer for the next few months. The Colonel and Captain Girder will take another handful of recruits and train them. You are now 3rd platoon of Alpha Company. The other two planes are 1st and 2nd platoon. From here on out, the ponies you see next to you are the ones you'll be fighting and bleeding beside for the next few months. I suggest you get to know each other." The plane's engine started up and we are all slightly jostled as we started to move across the field. Captain Spearhead started to walk to all the earth ponies and unicorns, handing them large backpacks. "These." He motioned to the bag. "Are parachutes for all you non-winged members. When the altimeter hits the green zone, pull the cord and pray to Celestia you'll land alright."

We spent the next few hours talking among ourselves and having the Captain explain what exactly we would be learning in the next few months over winter to prepare ourselves for our first mission and handing us helmets with a single lightning bolt on the side. I sat there in silence till I felt somepony tapping my helmet. I looked over to see a Tan Pegasus stallion with bright blue eyes. "Hi!" he cheerily said. "I'm Scotch, who are you?"

I smiled back at him. "Half-Crescent, and this is Grapevine." I motioned over to her, she gave a wave. "Do you know anypony else in the Platoon?"

Scotch nodded. "That's Sparky." He gestured to a blue pegasus stallion with gold eyes. "That's Hazel." True to her name, Hazel was a hazel mare with hazel eyes, unfortunate genetics. "And last but not least, Amber, she's a Royal guard sent to, as she says, babysit us." Amber, unlike Haze's fortunate name, was a green mare with a light brown mane sticking out slightly from her helmet, I noticed the three chevrons on her upper arm.

"Wait... She's a Sergeant?" I finally took time to notice the other Chevrons on ponies arms. Sparky, Hazel, Scotch, and Grapevine all had the single chevron of a Private, while I had the dual chevrons of a Corporal. There was an earth pony in front of us who had the single bar of a Lieutenant painted on his helmet.

"Excuse me," I said to the Lieutenant, he looked over to me. "Are you the LT in charge of our platoon?"

The stallion smiled, "I sure am! Lieutenant Railspike at your service, spent a few months on the Griffon front, but after my Division was nearly wiped out, we got sent to other units instead of reinforced, a couple of other ponies in my Company are stationed on the Zebra front, but most were placed back up north. But here's to hoping I can keep all you rookies in one piece!"

I was about to respond, but the inside of the plane was bathed in a red light. Captain Spearhead started to call out again. "RED LIGHT! EVERYPONY UP!" We all stood up, one long alternating row of thirty ponies. "Now, the red light means that we are nearing the landing zone, and you all need to stand up and make sure your kit is secure, we'll run drills on doing that so when we head for the real deal, you'll be up and out in seconds." Suddenly the red was replaced with green. "Now when the green light is on." The Captain continued. "You are to charge forward and leap out of the plane and glide, or in case of Unicorns and Earth ponies, use your parachute, to reach the ground safely. Officers are the first out, followed by each individual soldier. There are no set squads, as early tests showed that Airborne forces would be spread farther and farther apart depending on the size of the operation. So when you land, find your most senior ranking officer and regroup before attempting to take your objectives." Spearhead stood next to the open door of the plane. "OK WE'RE OVER THE DROP ZONE! MOVE MOVE MOVE!"

The line started to move forward as the platoon leapt out of the plane, myself being around the middle. When I reached the door, I looked down, seeing around eight other pegasi, with three cloth circles indicating the others. We were over a large field, so when we landed, I assumed at least, we could easily find each other. "HESITATE AND THE FLIGHT OFFICER WILL SHOVE YOU OUT!" I had little time to react as i was shoved out of the plane, hurtling toward the ground at a fast pace. I let my wings flare open, starting to glide towards the ground. I could see the others waiting on the ground, one Unicorn fiddling with his parachute harness. I got closer and closer to the ground before I finally touched down with enough force to send myself tumbling to the ground.

I heard a few ponies laughing as I saw a pair of boots made their presence known in front of my face. "Hear let me help you up." Said a fairly familiar voice. I looked up to see Scotch standing above me, his hand outstretched. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up to my feet. I glanced around the field, seeing Hazel and Amber land, before Grapevine hit the ground with an 'Eep' and knocked the other two mares off their feet. We sat around, picking up those who had a harder landing and waiting for the Captain to give us further orders. At one point, a mare landed in the clearing, looking around confused.

I walked up to her. "Hey there! Don't recognize you from our plane... Did you have Captain Spearhead explain everything to you?"

She shook her head. "No, Captain Girder was on my plane..."

With that, Captain Spearhead landed next to us, looking at the mare and giving a small smile. "You're off course little missy." She blushed in embarrassment. "No shame, this is an important lesson to learn. NEVER will the whole unit land where intended. But, whoever you meet, no matter what Division, Company, Platoon or Rank, you need to complete your objectives. Everyone in the Airborne is your squad. Your greatest strength, is also your greatest weakness. Over the Winter, we will turn each and everyone of you into an elite and terrifying force, before we move onto our first mission. Alright Airborne, let's move OUT!" Spearhead Started to jog in a seemingly random direction, we all started to follow and we made our way through a forest into what we assumed was our basecamp. Wooden barracks and hangers for equipment, along with guard towers to keep unwanted ponies out. Captain Spearhead turned to look at us. "Alright rookies, this is Camp Haliflanks, about 30 minutes by Halftrack to the city itself. Here we'll turn you from a bunch of good for nothing ponies, into the finest fighting force Equestria has ever seen. Get to the Barracks and find a bunk, training starts tomorrow."

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long but, i have no excuse as to why it took so long, but hopefully this will start gathering steam as time goes on. Till next time.

CanadianPony OUT!