Today marks the two year anniversary of the second push of King Sombra's army. Today is also the anniversary of the first casualty my family has had suffered because of the war. I guess I should be proud that my cousin is now the rallying cry of thousands, but all I think of is how quiet every pong gets when we see a his poster calling for stallions and mares to defend their home. Heck I bet Braeburn would have loved the attention. He was always a big flirt with the mares. Sweet Celestia, I miss him.

Appleloosa was never the same when the news of his death reached it. Heck I'd bet that he would have killed over a second time if he saw how bad his home's gotten. It's not that they gave up; far from it. It's just like they lost a leg and are trying to run with three hooves instead of four. And it's not just them, even Applejack started to crack under the pressure. She came home the other day and just balled her eyes out. Kept mumbling about a crystal map that was there one moment and gone the next. When I got her to talk about it she said that she was seeing things and not just objects but entire ponies with personalities and the works. She said she talked to a pony, an alicorn for bucks sake, for a good twenty minutes about the war, and then she goes on about how the alicorn just disappeared after she said she would fix it. Maybe the death of aunt and uncle Orange did more damage then I thought. I'll check with one of the shrinks down in the infirmary to see if I can't get her some medicine. It's amazing how effective that stuff is for some of the guards that use it.

Well that's enough writing for today, have to get another shipment to the train station by noon if I want to keep up the quota. Maybe if I can convince Mel he'll be able to take me to Canterlot for my monthly three day rest period. I know AJ's stressed but it wouldn't be the first time I left her alone on the farm. She may be a high class pony but she'll alway be a farmer deep down; she knows the ropes.

Macintosh Harvest Apple
Crystal War: Day 845.

Big Mac re-read his latest entry again before placing the journal in his dresser. With a sigh he looked at the map of Equestria he kept to keep track of the current supply trains and caravans. It wasn't his job but he made sure he knew where the fighting was most of the time. Just in case. There was talk that King Sombra was planning something big, As he studied the map closer he couldn't help but feel lost. He was a farmer after all he may understand that there was a stalemate in the war but for the life of him he couldn't picture what the Damned King could be planning. He shook his head to clear out those thoughts. He was a farmer, his job was to make the food for the soldiers fighting not discuss battle plans. All he knew was that because of him Ponyville was one of the main suppliers of agricultural products. He knew because he had access to the information. Sometimes it pays having your best friend in charge of a supply train.

He looked outside his window towards town before resting his head against the glass. Ponyville was once a nice place to live, fall in love, have children and die... Now The only ponies who inhabit the town are the farmers who work the fields, the food vendors who service everypony left and soldiers who stand guard in case of attack. Even his home, with it's once beautiful rows of trees and lush landscapes was now an instrument of war. Everything that was non essential to the production of goods was removed and replaced with something that increased the production means. If his Granny wasn't shipped off to Canterlot with his youngest sister Apple Bloom and God daughter Diamond Tiara, who knows how much arguing would have happened.

The red stallion turned away from the glass and walked out of his room and down the stairs to his family's living room. His gaze shifted over to the wall full of photos of his family. At least a third were in EUP guard uniforms. He looked down sadly. Of his family, thirty two members were now with his parents. He thought to his twelve cousins who were serving in the guard all over Equestria. Chances were he would never see all of them again.

Exiting the farm house, he made his way over to the main barn where his office was. Once inside his office he grabbed his work clothes and dressed himself in the camo patterned fabric. Before heading over to where his seven carts were located, he gave himself a look over using the mirror he had next to his desk. He grabbed the harness from off the hook near the door and placed it over his head. From there he pulled each cart into position and hooked them to the back of the one in front. He checked and rechecked each cart's connection before hitching himself to the lead cart. He gave himself one more look over before exiting the barn, seven carts in tow.

The trip to his next destination, the smaller of two wool gathering depos, was quick. After a quick talk with the pony in charge, a shy butter yellow pegasus that he had known since he was a colt, he loaded her two carts, told her goodbye and headed over to the train station. As he neared the center of town he noticed more guards than usual were milling about. He shrugged his shoulders before looking at the clock tower. 11:30, More than enough time. When he finally arrived he was met by three guards. The lead one, wearing a silver bar on his front armor plate spoke first. "Early again I see. Alright your workers got here at eleven and unloaded their shipments already. You have your manifest?"

Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup." He pulled out his and his friends. "Got Miss Shy's as well."

The guard gave him a smug smile. "Ya' know Mac keep doing that and ponies might think you have a thing for her."

"Mel ya' know how she is. We've known eachother since she literally fell into the farm. Ah' know she trust's me enough and ah' and tell she wants ta'... If'n things were different, maybe. But now's not the best time to be settling down and try raising a family. Just cause the guard said no to me before don't mean that they won't change their minds now." He replied giving his friend a dead stare.

"Jeez Mac I was only joking." Caramel said as he looked down at the manifests. "Alright everything seems in order. Wait... Is that a barrel of cider?" The smaller stallion asked in disbelief.

Mac just nodded his head. Caramel lost any sense of discipline as he hugged his friend. "Damn it mac! The boys are gonna love this!" the smaller stallion let his bigger friend go and gave him a friendly smile. "So where to this time? Appleloosa? Dodge?"

Big Mac shook his head. "Canterlot. Ah've been itchin' t' see Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara again."

The light brown stallion tilted his head in thought. "It might take a little longer Mac. We're going down the line to get the shipments from Appleloosa and Dodge City before we head back up to Canterlot. A day at most. Ya' sure you just don't want to buy some tickets for the passenger train?"

Mac smiled at his friend. "And miss a chance to talk with a friend? Nope." He grabbed the barrel. " 'Sides ah' heard ya' got some new guards. They might want to taste what they are fighting fer'. "

Caramel shook his head with a chuckle. "Alright, it's not the hard stuff is it? I don't want to explain to the captain why me and my boys were drunk."

Big Mac shook his head. "Nope, the hard stuff is waiting fer' when we win."

"How many barrels so far?" He asked.

Big Mac shrugged. "Ten thousand so far.... ah' think. been awhile since ah' been down there t' count."

"Sweet Celestia Mac! That's almost enough for the entire army!" Mel exclaimed. Big Mac just gave him a coy smirk.

Just then the clock struck noon. Caramel became rigid before turning to his platoon. "Alright boy's we have a new passenger who just gave us a very special gift! Treat him with respect or you'll answer to me or First Sergeant Baritone! Am I clear!"

A chorus of yes sirs followed Caramel's command. Caramel glanced back at Big Macintosh. "Remember, you are a guest. But if any of my boys tells you to do something..."

"Follow without question. Ah' know." Mel smiled at him before stepping into the train. Big Mac looked at the guards who were preparing the crossbow bi-turrets before following his friend. With a harsh lurch forward the train began its journey. Big Mac looked back to his home before closing the sliding door. On the inside the train car Caramel and his guards used he could see a few tables and chairs up near the front along with a small stove top and a ladder to the roof of the car. Near the back with the bunks was a map of Equestra with the current guard movements and possible Crystal army positions. under each bunk were multiple hooflockers holding what Big Mac assumed was the guards personal belongings. Big Mac clinched his jaw and made his way over to one of the tables and placed the barrel of cider on top. Big Mac looked around to the guards who were either sleeping, eating or grabbing a mug of cider. He glanced over to one of the open chairs before taking a seat. With a yawn he closed his eyes and went into a dreamless sleep.

Only the sudden and forceful impact of a stop woke him up hours later. The screams of ponies outside the car told him something was wrong. A massive stone crashing through the cart only confirmed his fears. They were under attack... and he was in the middle of it.

Author's Note

Hello my fellow writers and readers! I'm sorry for the cliffhanger but I'd rather take a pause before an action scene. But I hope you enjoy this chapter. As you can probably tell this will be a Big Mac centered story. Don't you fret. I know where I want to take this story and have ideas for all the characters as well as for the romance section of it. But That said. I myself am a Fluttermac shipper, but due to the story that is going to happen let me give you the choice. Who get's Mac? Fluttershy? Rainbow Dash? Or some other mare? You be the judge.

Now onto the the important part. If you have any ideas and or find any thing that I could improve upon let me know. And if you wish to become a bigger part of the story I could always use a beta reader to help with grammar, story flow and spelling. Thanks! Remember to review! Or don't. You decide.