Menace of Maretonia

"Welcome Colonel Campion," Princess Celestia said "please have a seat."

Campion sat politely and looked at the Princess. She eyed him with warmth and friendliness "How are things between Maretonia and Equestria?"

"I'm afraid that you know all too well Princess," He said "it's not something that brings warmth to my heart, but you've known the facts long before I did."

"Indeed," she said taking a sip of tea before offering him some. He politely declined and she continued "This, General Winter Gust, do you know anything about him?"

"I know that he is a survivor ma'am," he said "I also know that he has led the revolt against the Duke and Duchess of Maretonia. I also know that he is the one responsible for bringing order and prosperity to Maretonia."

"Do you admire him?"

"I don't know ma'am," he said "but may I ask what this meeting is about?"

"Campion," she said courtly "you have lived in Equestria a long time. You have even graduated with honors from our military academy here. You have done well and we appreciate your work and efforts in trying to establish peace between Maretonia and Equestria."

"Thank you my lady," he said bowing his head.

"However," she said "I am here to offer you a promotion."

"A promotion ma'am?"

"I'm offering you the position as Commander in Chief of the Equestrian Royal Guard to fight against General Winter Gust and this new Maretonian military."

Campion paused, he had guessed in the coming week before he was invited to Canterlot to discuss with Princess Celestia about certain matters which were important to the state, but he didn't realize this would be the case. Campion looked at her square in the eyes "I can assume that this army will be used to launch a premptive strike against Maretonia, in a hope to bring an end to the war before it even starts?"

"We were thinking something like that," she said "but we hope it never comes to something so drastic."

"Princess," Campion said after a pause "my home, is in Maretonia. Yes I have lived here for many years, and I have had the gratitude of any who had lived under your benevolence and leadership. But I came to Equestria because my family was starving and I was the eldest of six foals. My father had died of starvation and disease, and my mother died of depression shortly after. I would not have ever joined the military, had there been another way for me to provide food for my family. If you invade the Maretonians to the West, they'll have no other option but to retaliate against you, and if I lead this army, they will be retaliating against me too."

"Well," she said trying to tread lightly over this subject "I'm sure that it won't ever come to war between our two countries. After all we have long been friends and allies. Perhaps, war can be avoided."

Campion sighed, he knew that this day would come. He stood up and said "Princess, you may not know but I have received word from the Maretonian government that they have met today to discuss this very issue. Now, you may know and understand more than all of them put together, but I regret to say that your decision to hastily call to arms and raise an army has not helped matters much. It has only made things worse."

"I hope you have had the time to think things over Campion," Princess Celestia said "this is a perfect opportunity for you to give back everything that was given to you."

"What was given to me my lady?" Campion asked "I'd never thought I'd live to see the day when those who gave me so much, would seek to take away something which didn't rightfully belong to them. That a leader who I thought was the greatest in the world, would stoop so low as to raise an army to oppress another country with whom she had no right in doing so. No Princess Celestia, I can not lead it. My heart will not allow me to do it."

"I hope you know what you are doing."

"Ma'am," he said "I have never taken my career lightly, nor have made any decision lightly. But I have no greater duty, than to my family, my friends, and to Maretonia."

With that, he saluted her, she nodded, and he abruptly left the room.

It was early afternoon, just after one o’clock, the uniform was pressed and Colonel Campion stepped out of the vehicle and into the bright sunshine. It had been ten years since he’d been in Maretonia last, ten long, and hard years. He had left his family to provide for them by joining the Maretonian military, during which time, he had risen from the rank of a lowly lieutenant to a captain. By this time, he was appointed by the Duke of Maretonia, to act as a liaison officer to the Royal Guard of Equestria. While there, he graduated from the Canterlot Military Academy, and was away from home, when the Duke of Maretonia was overthrown in a military coup. Now, he harkened the call which General Winter Gust, the leader of the new Maretonian government, had urged when he pleaded for all true Maretonians to return to their home. He had to admit, that what the general had done to the place was a stark contrast to what he remembered. The capitol city of Maretropolis bustled in fervent activity, as Pegasi darted two and fro at reckless speeds but in orderly lines in the sky, forming a neat but somewhat chaotic cityscape.

One of the many things the general had done, was also reorient the entire social structure of Maretonia. Whereas before it used to be a hodgepodge of ponies, struggling to model themselves after Equestria, by being egalitarian and individualistic but drastically failing to do so, this new Maretonia represented the very essence of order and stability. Pegasi, regardless of their cutie mark, were forced into more of a logistical role, their cutie marks helping identify the perfect position they would fit in within that role. Earth ponies, were more employed as workers in industry, using their natural strength as an asset for the whole. The unicorns on the other hoof, were the new upper and noble classes. Campion didn’t necessarily agree with this new status quo, but he had to admit, that compared to the decrepit and derelict buildings he had left all those years ago, this new Maretropolis, was a staggering reminder of what could be accomplished when one set their mind to it. Huge buildings of neoclassical and baroque style architecture represented the monuments of all those who had gone before. The housing, which before was, haphazard and misshapen, was reorganized according to pre-approved templates and full of color. They were no higher than six stories high and had large windows, they were also made from what Campion deduced as local stone, and though they were densely built, it was rather refreshing. The streets were packed with people and very lively, with mothers ushering children into and out of shops and teenagers lounging with their friends and lovers on the wide marble steps.

He approached a rather large building, which had four solid marble statues of unicorns in various poses, they were named as King Bullion, Starswirl the Bearded, oddly enough Nightmare Moon and King Sombra. Campion eyed the statue of King Sombra with interest, he wasn’t portrayed as the green eyed evil denizen he is made out to be in Equestria, but rather, a young noble, possibly how he would have looked before he became evil. Nightmare Moon on the other hand, was regal to the point of arrogance with her eyes seeming to follow him wherever he went with obvious disdain. The doors he then came to were solid oak with silver studs, on either side were two unicorns in silver armor who stood at attention, saluted him, and opened the door as he walked passed. Campion nodded as he saluted back out of respect, and he came to a wide pillared atrium. In the center was a fountain of pure silver, the water trickling and bubbling out of the mouth of three ponies, the Earth pony lowest down, then a Pegasi in the middle, with a unicorn at the top. He eyed it, and snorted, he had always been critical the over use of symbolism, particularly with a group which already used too much symbolism in their propaganda.

He walked to and waited outside another pair of wide double doors on the second floor. He was soon ushered in by an Earth pony attendee, and there in an office off blue suede, maple wood and velour stood General Winter Gust. He was slightly taller than Campion, white compared to Campion’s dark brown, with piercing bright blue eyes and a platinum blonde mane. He was rather handsome as far as unicorns go, all of the mares oohed and aahed whenever he trotted by, but he paid them no mind. He was a pony of laser sharp focus towards one goal and one goal only, the expansion and glory of Maretonia. Without looking in Campion’s direction, he greeted him “Ah,” he said with a flick of his tail “Campion, come join me by the window here will you?”

Campion did as he was asked, and stood beside the General, Campion noticed the bulging knotted muscles in his legs and chest, his greying mane was also very clearly visible in the afternoon light. Campion turned his head slowly to match the view of the General, before him lay all of Maretropolis, the bustling city even more insect like in its colonial rigidness. Pegasi darting to and fro like hornets delivering packages and couriering messages from one place to another. The Earth ponies, wheeling carts and using hammers and other tools to repair streets and lampposts. General Winter Gust sighed “Campion,” he said looking away from the chaotic cityscape “look at it will you? Take it all in. Soak in it, swim in it, be smothered by it. This is your future, our future. The future of all those who will but bend the knee to Maretonia.”

Campion had to begrudgingly admit, that it was grand in its chaos. The rising marble colonnades gleaming in the warm sun, the smiles on the faces of those below. He didn’t speak, since he wasn’t given permission to, and waited until General Winter Gust continued, he didn’t have to wait very long.

“Alas,” General Winter Gust said turning to face the sun again “war is coming my friend. Do you know why I summoned you here?”

“Not entirely sir,” Colonel Campion said “no. I was under the impression that we are currently at peace with Equestria.”

“For the moment yes,” Winter Gust said his eyes not missing a single detail, the bright glint of a Pegasi’s gold cutie mark, the confident strut of an Earth pony worker. Winter Gust continued “we are about to start a war my friend. The past wrongs of Equestria have gone too unchecked. Remember how they murdered your father, and your mother?”

“With all due respect General, Equestria had nothing to do with that sir,” Campion said stiffly meeting that gaze unblinking “my father died of starvation and my mother of depression. It was circumstantial nothing more.”

“Nothing more?” Winter Gust raised an eyebrow “what if I told you that the Equestrians had recently made an alliance with Yakyakistan? What if I told you that Princess Celestia herself, is now mustering an army to destroy everything that was just rebuilt? What if I told you, that thus far, everything you know about Equestria has been a lie?

“It’s not my place to question sir,” Campion said “I know my duty regardless of the moral stand point.”

Winter Gust sighed and walked over to his desk “Campion,” he said resting a hoof on it “I need you. Maretonia needs you. I know that you have strong ties with Equestria. I know that you may have…a conflict of interest with regards to this war. But no matter what happens I need your assured loyalty in these next coming years…do I have even that?”

Campion stood at attention, clacked his heels together, and saluted “Until my dying breath General!”

`“Maretonia and Equestria view each other in completely different lights,” General Winter Gust said in a different transmission “where Equestria sees freedom, I only see tyranny. We are fighting for a better cause Campion, we are fighting for past wrongs which Equestria has done to us, when we needed their help most. They view us as a dictatorship, but society cannot thrive unless rule of law, order, and stability are created. Look at what we have built Campion. You and I have created a society where all have a purpose, all have a function, all are equal. Equestria allows for freedom of thought as do we, but they way they go about it creates chaos, whereas we create order. Life cannot exist without order and we see this in all things, in plants, in the formation of continents, and the creation of storms. And a storm is coming to Equestria Campion. Operation Winter Fury will be the beginning of a new age on this planet. I hope I can trust you with this next task. Equestrian spies have stolen the plans to one of our most prized weapons, the M422 battle harness, I call it the War Dragon. It will grant our forces more speed and maneuverability than any average Pegasus in Equestria. It will grant us mobility and the means to even counter Princess Celestia. Get it back, recapture the base and destroy all Equestrian forces in the area to make sure that they never steal anything from us ever again.”

Winter Gust turned and saluted back. He gave Campion a nod of dismissal and Campion started walking toward the door. Winter Gust added something almost casually “Oh and by the way,” he said nonchalantly “you will be a subordinate under General Firestorm. He’s adamant but beef headed. I want you to be a temperament to his hot headedness. You will follow orders from him from the time being, good luck Colonel.”

With that, Campion strode out the door and back into the bright sunshine.

“Colonel Campion,” General Firestorm said over a secure transmission to General Campion’s computer screen “I order you to command a special forces unit and attack the Crystal Empire. Your target, is to eliminate all border guard outposts in sector seven.”

Then he grimaced in pain as a burst of magic was seen. Colonel Campion winced inwardly, when before him, after casually nudging the body of Firestorm aside, General Winter Gust himself, sat down.

“Good day Colonel,” he said in his deep calm voice “I have been very impressed with you lately.”

Campion stood even straighter, here was General Winter Gust, of whom he had seen so much of. Seldom, in this new Maretonia, did citizens actually get to see their enigmatic leader. Winter Gust smiled “You can relax General, at least in my presence. Our forces have been weakened again on the Yakyakistan border and one of our bases is under attack. I need you to reinforce this base, lead a counterattack, and remove all Yak presence from this region. It will go along way in staging our,” he glanced at General Firestorm’s body “future campaigns against the Crystal Empire and then Equestria.”