Menace of Maretonia

“Campion,” the familiar voice of his mother came to him, Campion turned and saw that the voice was from a shimmering form amongst the background of the Crystal Mountains.

“Hello mother,” Campion said in greeting, feeling a jolt of happiness quiver through his body it had been many years since he had last seen his mother, and he wondered if this was a hallucination brought on by lack of sleep. His mother gave only a sad smile in return.

“Campion,” she said in an understanding but still noticeable reprimand “what happened to you? You were once so generous and kind, and now I wonder where the colt was who used to leap into my arms when he’d come home from school, or who would read to me as I knitted him a new pair of socks?”

“Things change mother,” Campion said sighing, remembering that he was asleep, asleep in his office in General Winter Gust’s headquarters building.

“No,” she said into his thoughts “this is not a dream. I was given permission to come to see you one last time. To let you know everything is alright with us.”

“But mother,” Campion asked, his voice quivering slightly “why did you have to leave us? We needed you…I needed you.”

“What I did was selfish and wrong Campion,” she said, her expression sending a mixture of sadness, anxiety, and depression his way “I was only thinking of myself, and for that, I truly am sorry. I set in motion a chain of events which can’t be stopped unless you decide to stop it. Remember that we love you my son. No matter what happens in the near future, we will always love you. But now, my time has come, and I must leave…”

A memory stirred, him at his fathers funeral, and then by his mother’s bedside as she slowly faded away from depression, and Campion pleading with her not to go.

“Campion,” she said “my brave Campion, I can’t go on much longer. Look after your brothers and sisters for me, it’s time to grow up.”

From then on Campion had begun a selfless career to provide food for his family, how much would things have changed if his mother was still there?

“I can’t do much for you while I am here,” she said “but always remember that I love you, and that I am sorry for my part in what is to come.”

“What do you mean?”

“And now,” she said “good bye my son. You will yet face many more difficulties and challenges, but you will find new friends to help you, and though you helped start this war, in the end, I know you’ll do what’s right.”

“Mother,” Campion called out to her receding form.

“Then that’s it,” he said with a heavy sigh “they’re gone forever.”

“Never completely,” he seemed to hear his mothers faded voice “and we will never be very far away.”

Then he woke up. Biting back sudden tears and a wave of depression which enveloped him like a thick dark cloud, he stood up, and then from behind him, the door slid open. Campion instantly whirled around, horn poised to cast a spell at the intruder, but it was only Lieutenant Candle Bright.

She looked him curiously “Is everything alright sir?” she asked.

He then also turned his back and walked with his aide Major Wild Ace towards the mayors office, they sat down and saw Fluttershy and Applejack walk past. Wild Ace and Campion were too busy in engaged in their conversation to notice that they were being overheard by Fluttershy and Applejack who stopped and listened “We used to have visitors from Equestria all the time before the war,” Campion said as he adjusted his tail and uniform before sitting down comfortably in the shade of a tree “we always avoided the subject of Equestrian and Maretonian relations out of courtesy and politeness. I mean, I don't understand, I don’t now, I mean…they fight so well…”

Then after sighing he looked at Wild Ace and asked “I don’t now Ace,” he said “what do you think of Equestrians?”

“Well,” he said “if you mean the country? Not a bit. You see General, you cannot judge a country. Any pony who judges a group by a few is an idiot. I’ve seen terrible things done by only a few ponies and the rest just want to be left alone. You take ponies, one at a time.”

“For me,” Campion said “there was never any separation between the two. I mean, you look in their eye, and there was a pony. As, if there, was some inner magic inside them deeper than we could ever understand. What is their worth? What is there to value? It’s infinite. Every life is precious.”

“General sir,” Wild Ace said “you’re an amazing leader. But I see a chasm of difference between you and me. Yet I admire you and I would follow you through Hell Gates and back. You’re an idealist. You see sir, there is no deep magic. Many a pony here no better than a dead cow, believe me. Every life is precious? What I’m fighting for is the right to prove I’m a better pony than many of them. Where have you seen this deeper magic General? Where have you charted this beautiful thing? Nothing in this life is equal or has equal chance than the birds of the sky. There is many a pony who is better and worse than me. But I don’t think that ideals or country have anything to do with it. What matter’s General, is justice. Which is why I’m here. I’ll get what my family deserves, and not what others deserve. I’m Wild Ace! And I damn, all royalty. There’s only one nobility, and that, is in the mind. And that’s why we’ve got to win this war.”

PONYVILLE

General Campion trotted over to the headquarters building, which used to be the Mayor’s office in Ponyville when he was surprised to see General Winter Gust there. Without saying a word, General Campion followed behind Winter Gust who asked him “How are you Campion?”

“I’m fine sir,” he said curtly nodding “brigade is pretty shot up though.”

“We’ll get that taken care of. We know what you did this morning,” General Winter Gust said “that was some brilliant tactics you used today. We heard that General Wild Knight was killed, we’re sending his body back home to his folks in Maretonia. I think they’d appreciate some words from you.”

“I’ll send them a note sir,” Campion said nodding.

“He was a soldier,” General Winter Gust said “and a good friend. The three of us, Shining Armor, Wild Knight and myself served together. We’ve stayed close for a long time. Wonder how Shining Armor’s doing.”

“I heard he was in command of the defenses here,” General Campion said “under Celestia.”

General Winter Gust stopped suddenly and eyed him, but said nothing for a while. Then he said “Just across the valley then. I’d like to see him again, but not here not like this.”

Campion merely nodded in agreement. Then Winter Gust said “Anyway, you come with me, I’ll be giving a briefing to the rest of the officers in the Headquarters. We have something pretty big planned which will be happening soon. But you tell your colts to rest up awhile.

Later when they were back at headquarters, surrounded by other officers, Winter Gust addressed his men “Well gentle ponies, I hope to the gods that this is good ground. Is this good ground generals? The place to have an army?”

“Very good ground sir,” Campion said “very good ground.”

“I hope so,” Winter Gust said “because we’re going to have a fight again here soon. Generals, this is what’s going to happen. General Campion, if I may have a look at the terrain?”

“Yes sir,” Campion said and had his aides pull up a map for Winter Gust and the other officers, who soon crowded a little closer as soon as it was laid out. General Winter Gust then began his briefing “Generals,” he said “as you are no undoubtedly aware, our lines are stretched out in a reverse half moon. Since our campaign started we have struck successfully up from the west, thanks to our successful amphibious operations at Van Hoover, and from the southwest up through Los Pegasus, moving northward towards Canterlot and Manehattan. But right where we are here, our line is in the shape of a shepherds cane. If we follow the river from the southern delta at Los Pegasus up towards Ponyville, it curves around to the right and follows the Unicorn Range and behind that is the Smokey Mountains until they reach the borders of the Crystal Empire. Our fortified lines successfully have occupied all of that territory and we have maintained that. However, we are too close to Canterlot for Celestia to really not give us any thought. I believe that she will try to have a river crossing through the Everfree Forest, since that is where our defenses are weakest. General?”

General Campion then spoke “Thank you sir. General Winter Gust has ordered elements of the Fifth Corps and the Second to move further north in a diversionary attack towards the Galloping Gorge. If this is successful, we may be able to divert more forces away from Celestia’s center and they can then drive south towards Canterlot. The Fourth and First Corps will likewise strike out from Los Pegasus. The effort gentle ponies is to move as much of her forces as possible away from her center. However, we know that she won’t fall for our bait, and will keep most of her forces in her center. But, your mission is to make her as nervous as possible and make her attack us on this ground.”

General Winter Gust continued “We will do everything we can to harass her. If she moves and attacks us here, or tries to attack us on our flanks, she will get restless. Shining Armor might see it, but she might over rule him regardless. If they move against our flanks, Generals, it is your responsible to keep the high ground from falling into enemy hooves. If that is done, it will convince her that our weakest point is in the center and she will attack us there.”

“Sir,” General Hammer Hoof asked “What do we do if Celestia sends a force larger than either of the two corps defending the flanks and actually succeeds  in breaking through?”

“We will pull back from the mountains into the cities,” General Winter Gust said “and from there we will continue to hold the line until General Campion can move his forces in a surgical strike into Canterlot. We don’t anticipate her doing this, but if she does, we’ll move to Canterlot before she can do any real damage. Anymore questions?”

There were none and Winter Gust said “Good, good day gentle ponies, and good hunting.” With that he saluted and they in turn saluted him.