The New Lunar Republic: Breaking Point

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Having woken up, a cold sweat having formed all over my body, I was jolted awake by the clattering of a metal pan. Looking to my right, I noticed a surgical platter that had been laden with bags of blood and Plasma was now laying on the floor as several nurses were trying to hold down a patient, who had begun to flail about on the medical bay Floor. His hospital gown was torn and ripped in multiple places, and had some blood on it.

Looking up at the bed, I scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion until I pieced together what’d happened. He began convulsing and the IV cord ripped out of his arm, blood began flowing freely and he began to get scared and tactical at the sight of his precious Sanguine fluids flowing freely from his arm.

Flashbacks to a time that was intensely stressful for him.

A Doctor rushed over, holding a syringe filled with a soft blue liquid. As the nurses held him down, the Doc stuck him with the syringe, injecting the fluids into his blood. Almost instantly, the stallion began to calm down, his shouting for ‘Scotch’ soon fading, replaced with his gentle breathing as he slept in a medically induced sleep. The nurses hefted him up onto the bed again, replacing the Needle in his arm and swapping out the IV bag with a fresh one.

I looked down at myself to see that I had healed greatly, the Nightmare Magic feeding off the residual energy of dreams and using it to heal any and all wounds on my body. I huffed a sigh of relief. I sat up more and wiped the sweat off my face, running that same hand through my mane. “*sighs* I hate when bloodlust takes over… that was some scary shit, even for me…” I muttered to myself. I leaned back and propped my back against the metal head bars of the bed.

Soon, that same doctor walked around the Dividing curtain and saw me sitting there. His smile almost made me sick. It was a forced smile, one that a doctor of his stature doesn’t need, as it didn’t suit his line of work. The Hollowness in his eyes betrayed his body language. He’d seen too much death for his liking.

Then again, 4 years into a bloody and devastating war will do that to anyone…

“Ah, Mr. Silver eyes, Awake I see. Sorry about the commotion, if that stirred your slumber.” He said, his soft southern equestrian accent making itself present. “regardless if Mr. Fallen has woken you, I would’ve had to anyway. It seems your earth pony magic has healed your body substantially, meaning that I can legally give you a clean bill of health. “He said, swapping his smile for a grin. I nodded and proceeded to get up. Holding up a clipboard, he tapped it and said. “however, I need to warn you, about something.” He said. I stopped my rise, looking at the clipboard, and saw a skull. My Skull. Or, a picture of my skull. What do these doctors call them? X-Rays? Yeah, I think it was one, as my skull was milky-ghostly white and a large deformed dot in the center of the skull was what he was pointing at. “I’m afraid you have a Bullet, a 10 millimeter I believe, stuck inside your brain. And I’m afraid we can’t get it out. So I have to warn you…” he explained, his face looking grim.

“Don’t do anything that can potentially shake it or cause the bullet to move. It happens to be right next to a major blood vessel inside your brain, and one wrong movement can send it moving into the direction of the blood vein.” He said, tapping his head with a finger. With a soft nod, I stood up. Unbeknownst to me, I had no gown on. So when I stood up, all that was hidden beneath the sheets was now exposed.  The Doctor looked away, slightly embarrassed.

I just looked at him awkwardly as I yanked the IV cords out of my arm. Years of pain and one regenerated limb in 550 AL caused me to not even wince as the Needle was ripped out of my veins and arm.

I walked over to the basket with my cloths in it and opened it. Instead of the battle dress and harness I was wearing when I blacked out, I instead found my Dress uniform, the Dark Blues matching perfectly with the Whites and Blacks, the bronze and silver medals sparkling softly on top of the Dress Overcoat. A small note was sitting atop the entire set. Reaching for it and opening it, I began to read the note, in full nudity in front of a doctor.

“Dear Silver Eyes,

It seems that due to your crew pushing for this, I am honored to say that your actions during the battle of Crescent Moon Ridge and the Assault on Ponyville, you are being awarded the Blood Knights Cross and will be promoted to Master General 2nd class. Effectively putting you in charge of a full Task force, both on hoof and Track missions. Please be to the ceremony by 2300 hours. (11:00)

Please be on time and meet me near the doors the Grand hall.

~ Princess Luna”

I simple folded the letter shut. The Blood Knights Cross? That was the highest honor that anybody could receive behind the High Lords Crown. A Medal that is made from solid moon Metals, the same hue as Nightmare Moon’s Battle armor. But still, the Blood knights cross, of all things, was an honor in itself.

I quickly put the letter back inside it’s envelope and set it on the bed, before beginning to dress myself in the dress uniform.  The White button up and a pair of underwear, then the dress pants, the all black pants being accentuated by the single white Strip running from hip to just above the hoof. Slipping on some dress shoes after the pants, I smiled as I slipped on the over coat, the battle ribbons gleaming brightly as I pinned the medals to my chest. The dress coat was dark blue and had the chevrons on each arm, alternating in Blue, Black and white.

Smiling, I looked up to find a hat on the coatrack. It was a piece of military hardware that anyone of high rank cannot ever forget. Hats off indoors and hats on outside. Exiting the hospital, I walked across the town, scratching my chin softly as I entered the castle.

Already, there was a massive group of pony’s and a couple griffons who’ve all arrived, wearing their best cloths. A group of soldiers and tankers stood off to the side.

I simply just stood around near the back of the room. Regarding the fact that only me and a couple senior officers were off to the side were wearing dress uniforms, a bunch of soldiers came in wearing the normal uniform with their combat harnesses on and helmets sitting atop their heads normally.  Highest rank there? A Gunnery sergeant was in the midst of the large group of soldiers. I felt so, so, SO out of place.

I Looked down to pull out a pocket watch from my suit’s inside breast pocket. Clicking it open, I looked at the watch face for a couple seconds. It was nighttime when I had made my way over, so I had assumed that it was around 9 at night. How wrong I was. It turned out to be 10:46 at night. I looked up and began to move over to the grand hall doors. Every pony and griffon in the room began to move inside the Grand hall.

soon, I was alone in the empty room, the black and white marble shining still, even after so many hoof-steps walked over it. I Looked down at the Pocket watch and fiddled with it, pressing a hidden mechanism, dropping the hidden door on the lid and revealing to me a picture. Inside the picture stood Three Smiling Stallions, each one wearing a piece of Clothing that matched their personality. The middle one wore a uniform befitting of an earthpony warrior. Red and Black, a small sword strapped to his hip and a small, tattered blue cape hung limply over his right shoulder as an arm was extended to rest on the left stallion’s shoulder. This Stallion was staring out of the photo with a sly grin and a cold, calculating gaze. His dark eyes being betrayed by the damage made to the photo, causing the colors to fade and making his half of the photo appear black and white.

His clothing was that of a tactician or a lawyer. Dressed in rich, extravagant clothing, frilly even, for a unicorn. The next Stallion was Wearing clothing that’d suggest he was built for glory, having a skin-tight fly-suit in the coloration of Rich and Vibrant Blues and Whites, a single white Lightning bolt traveling from the top of the suit to the bottom, White Chevrons on his shoulders suggested he was a Senior Wingman, a Semi-automatic Crossbow resting not only on his back, but a smaller version of the large one being on his hip, along with a Quiver of Blocky shapes, arrows sticking out of the blocks in odd angles.

All three were grinning out of the photo. Smiling. Living.

A Short cough sounded out from behind him, scarring him a little bit as he rushed to hide both the pocket watch and the photo. Upon looking behind him, he found that Princess Luna was standing there, looking at him in concern. “Silver Eyes, I must say, you do make quite the impression, if I do say so myself. But I must ask… Art thou ok? Thou seem to be Plagued by thoughts of sorrow.” She said, her eyes drifting up and down my body. Not in the “I’d like to see you tonight” way, but the more “he looks like he’s in pain and I’d like to know what hurt him” way. Of course, I showed no signs of the battle on my body. Anything visible would’ve roused suspicions, as I’d have a great number of scars covering my body by now.

Nodding softly, I looked to Luna. “O-Of course, my Princess. Just nervous about this ceremony. Two promotions in one week is a little odd…” I replied.

With a curt nod, she sighed, her figure slumping slightly in exhaustion. “those Pea brains in the council have decided to turn you into a Figurehead for the NLR, instead of just letting you be a normal pony. They took the combat reports from your crew and made some Unnoticeable ‘facts’ so that you’d receive the Blood knights Cross. Not to say it’s a bad thing.” She said, waving a hand dismissively at the last comment. “but I would’ve just given you the Knights cross, an honor in itself again, but not to the High pedestal they’ve lied about to get you into this mess. I’ve been working on changing the reports, but anything that’s truth gets changed back into a lie, or a higher lie.” She said, beginning to grin. “besides, I doubt you really waved your bare ass at the Commander as your tank wiped the town of nineteen Heavy tanks and Sixty Seven percent of the Occupying forces.” She said, chuckling softly.

I nodded “Yeah… that’s a total lie. I’d just accept the Knights Cross, instead of this honor I didn’t honestly receive.” I sighed, rubbing the back of my head in frustration. No wonder it was baffling at first, I was lied about and given an honor o should never have gotten in the first place. “regardless, I’ll still accept it, if only to boost the morale of our fighting forces… as much as I don’t want it, they need someone to look up to and follow into battle..” I sighed again, looking at Luna. “like the Spartans at Ponhopoly, all 299 looked up to their leader, Lionidas, to guide them through battle. Minus the falsified information. “ both Luna and I laughed at that, before her eyebrows furrowed. “how doth thou knowest of Lionidas? I had all but thought that history had forgotten about mine good friend.”

I Simply looked at Luna, giving an incredulous look as I held up a small pocket book I kept with me. ‘History’s greatest Tacticians and Fighters vol2’

“ah. So we see. Well, it is great to know that somepony hath remembered the Great and the Terrible.”

I simply nodded and placed the book back inside my left coat pocket. “now, your note said you wanted to discuss something?”

Luna looked at me blankly for a bit, before nodding and smiling. “right, of course! How could I have forgotten. The Ceremony is something quite special and requires a lot of talking, normally. However, I modified it a little so it’d be a lot quicker. All you need to do is stand there and do nothing except look Brave and stoic, or whatever, while I present the medal and get everything done quickly. Ok?”

I simply nodded, replying “yes.” to her. When I looked at my NLR issued watch and saw that it was 11:20. “you’d better get in there, Princess. Only Ten minutes left before ceremony time.” She looked a little scared, before nodding and calming her nerves and disappearing in a flash. From inside the hall, I hear her beginning to give her speech, albeit, a little quicker than I expected. Standing around for a couple minutes, I just idly fiddled with my hands. I played a game of Rock paper scissors by myself.

I won against myself. 6 to 4.

The great doors opened and I scrambled to the center, looking dead ahead. When the doors had opened a considerable amount, I walked inside.

It was silent. Very silent. All eyes were trained on me. I didn’t like it. Too many eyes. All of them matching hundreds… I could’ve sworn I saw a few ponies missing their eyes, and some with maggots crawling around in them.

Great… now of all times…

I continued to walk down the aisle, past Seventy-two rows of chairs, Nineteen of which, were occupied by the soldiers and tankers from outside. Thank Faust they’re eyes hadn’t changed.

By the time I had reached the very end of the line, I turned to face Luna, who stood up there with me, near the podium. Upon the podium, was a box. A Small. Black. Box… That was it? Not to sound like a whiney baby, but… shouldn’t it be, I Dunno… bigger? She lifted the box in her hands and walked over to me.

“ Silver eyes, for thine contribution to the war effort of the New Lunar Republic, We present thee a medal befitting thine honor, thine courage and Thine bravery. Of all the things that have been Done, It is with Great honor that I present to you, the Blood Knights Cross. Before I do, doth thou swear to uphold thine courage and tenacity in the face of thine adversary?” Luna said, holding the box slightly higher than her waist line, beginning to unlatch the box.

With a curt nod, I replied. “I Swear, you highness”

“With Bravery and Loyalty, do you swear to stand beside those whom thou has’t pledged thine allegiance to? To Bleed an even Die for your fellow and Common Ponies?” She said, finally done fiddling with the lock as she looked at me, the small box poised to open.

“I do, your Highness.” Was my reply.

Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba-Boom!

My ears splayed back, focusing on the distant echo of Thunder as Luna Replied. “Then with the honor Bestowed upon me, I officially name thee, the ‘Hero of the Night’!” Luna proclaimed, opening the box and semi-quickly slipped the Medal of a Moon eclipsing the sun, a sword on the front of it bearing my name as she clasped the medal around my neck.

scrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEE- BA-GOOM!

The castle rumbled as multiple explosions slammed into the heavily defended fortress/castle. The very foundation rocking in its place like a cradle for a newborn foal. Multiple support columns, original to the old castle, shook and began to fall. Luna, thank goodness, used her magic to hold the support columns above the civilian and military heads that littered the floor, having been knocked from their flimsy chairs.

“What in Equestria is Going on!?” shouted a military commander, before being knocked to the floor as a brick the size of his head smacked into his lower back, sending him sprawling to the floor. Immediately the Stained Glass windows that stood behind us were no more than rubble and litter as several shells impacted the windows and support beams, vaporizing the glass and some of the ruble from the combined heat of the explosions.

I didn’t have time to think as I saw the massive fires that’d broken out during the first bombardment of our home. Looking out to the massive field that sprawled out behind the castle, I noticed the concussive balls of fire as they fired their shells.

I knew exactly what’d happened. . .

“Damned Solar Empire….”

30 minutes before the shelling of Castle town and Silver’s Award ceremony

“Ugh. These half-tracks are practically worthless for what Celestia Paid for them!” Whined a butter yellow Unicorn, her mane half matted with mud and grass and bugs from the field behind their target. They were within range now, why’d princess Celestia request that their heavy artillery be up front while the lights get Protection from the tree line? Course correction never knew the answer to her Question as she was hushed by her company commander. who, with her hat so trim and perfect on her head, had to reply.

“Because even if ve used ze light Artillary, ze vould become a Carnival game to ze’s loony bastards.” She replied, moving her Blonde mane out of her eyes so she could aim and command properly. “even zen, ze NLR’s T-70 AAHDS’s would turn our LAV’s into swiss cheese, CC.” she grumbled, looking through the peep hole of the heavily armored anti-tank/Anti-air cannons.

In front of her, she saw the tops of the tall grass, and their target. The wall dividing the Loony’s from the outside world. Of course, their wall was heavily defended at the top, but the bottoms…

“But Aryanne, the HAV’s would’a protected them as they moved up behind us. Granted, their turrets are taller, all they’d need to do is duck down to where the shells can’t pen their hulls.” Night light said, her horn illuminating the inside of their half-tracks cab. Her Gun was primed and ready, while Butterscotch had kept her eyes open, keeping watch for anything that might be in front of their tracked vehicle that would impede their progress through the tall grass.

Aryanne groaned. ‘of all ponies, why did I get stuck with the whiners?’ she thought to herself, thunking her head against the breach of the gun, before looking through the peep hole again and picking up the radio that sat behind the Cab of her half-track. “Attention, attention, All Tracked vehicles are to stop vithin twenty yards and vill fire on my mark.” She said, deadpanning as a bunch of shouted answers came through the static-y radio.

Within a Minute, their drive forward was halted as they followed their orders, engaging the parking handle. “good. Good. Danke, my friends, Ve are on the cusp of Beginning the Rise to Celestia’s Grand Empire. Ve Vill show them vat it means to be a Sunny!” she exclaimed through the radio, grinning ear to ear as her 8.8 Flak 37M was loaded and aimed precisely at the castle, hoping that the shell would be the one to end Luna’s Life, and bring joy to the Sun Monarch’s face.

“Prepare to fire in 3…” she smirked, clenching her fist and holding up 3 fingers.

“2…” two fingers.

“1! Fire!!” she yelled, the resounding booms was deafening, but glorious as each tank fired their guns in harmony, the shells streaking across the sky. The Artillary shells smashing into various buildings behind the walls while the Tank Destroyers shot rounds at the wall, destroying the foundation and bringing a large portion of the wall down, revealing a hole for the soldiers who were inside Armored Trucks poured out and rushed the walls as more rounds were fired, the shells screaming across the night sky.

Aryanne looked at her watch, grinning as it read 12:00 at night. “midnight…” she mumbled as she waved her arm downward again to fire the gun. Her crew pulling the trigger and blasted the stained glass windows.

The Symphony of Cannons Firing was simply marvelous, and extremely erotic, in Aryannes Eyes. Her hat was knocked off as a bunch of Snipers who were sitting on separate parts of the wall they’d just fired at began taking pot-shots at any exposed body parts. Aryannes hat not spared from the onslaught of bullets. Quickly grabbing her cap and slapping it on her head, she ducked behind the Ballistics shield that was placed on the massive gun. Multiple Pings were heard as more bullets impacted the metallic shield separating the gun crew from certain death.

Looking through the peep hole again, aryanne saw more than half of the Solar empire soldiers stumbling out into the tall grass, running at the Broken wall. Within a few seconds, a Flare was sent rocketing from the wall, followed by several more, illuminating the fields that held more than eighty tank destroyers and Mobile Artillery. Looking to the left, she noticed the Plan B’s hiding inside the tree line to the West.

A Whole battalion of Panzers were there, the small cannons to the large cannons aimed at the Wall. Celestia had not been overly happy to know that the griffons were supplying both sides of the war, however, she hadn’t turned down their most recent tanks, at the cost of 15,000 bits per tank. The Royal coffers were less than pleased to learn of this cost, but understood, all the same. They, like Her, wanted to win this war and get it over with as fast as possible.

The tanks sat silently, only their frontal armor being exposed to the wall. Aryanne was pleased as her cannon fired at the castle again and again, knowing that the Plan B’s wouldn’t be needed, as this plan went well. So well, in fact, that she knew Celestia would be more than likely giving her a bonus and maybe a promotion. Aryanne liked that thought.

Ka-Tang-Boooom!!

“ Was war das?!” Aryanne shouted in her native tongue, looking around. There, a tank a few yards to her left was in flames, ponies jumping from the wrecked hull of their StuGIII as it was set alight. A few tried to douse the flames by rolling around while others came to their aid with fire extinguishers, only two others not going out quick enough pulled out their Unico-6 shooters and turned the barrels to their own heads and pulled the triggers as they screamed in pain, the fire not going out for several more minutes as their corpses continued to burn.

Aryanne harrumphed. She was angry that someone had managed to puncture the hull of their tanks, the armor having been reinforced enough to withstand most Armor piercing ammo. Looking to the wall, she noticed a soft red laser pointer aimed at another tank, before a flash of light appeared and another StuGIII went up in flames. This time, nopony survived. The top and sides of the crew compartment blew wide, un-shot ammo being sent this way and that as more than enough of the Armor Piercing rounds were fired off from the heat of the tank exploding. The combined fire from the rounds going off ripped a bloody swath through their own foot soldiers.

“Damn… Damn, Damn, DAMNIT!” aryanne screamed. She pointed at the wall. The crew of her Truck nodded and began turning the Artillery piece at the wall. A single red dot appeared in the scope of the gun, only to disappear as the 8.8 centimeter round was fired, the recoil knocking the tracked truck back a few hooves. A second later, the section of wall the sniper was on was destroyed.

Aryanne laughed happily, grinning as she watched the troops begin to pour into the city, more Half-tracks began driving closer and closer to the busted wall, releasing their passengers who in turn, ran at the wall with their guns cocked, locked and ready to slay any who stand against their sun Monarch.

Present Time - - - - > Cpt. Silver Eyes

“ARTILLERY!” somepony shouted behind me, the racking of handguns and sub machine guns was easily recognizable as more and more shells rained down. Princess Luna’s Flare illuminated the Field and showed a massive Battalion of Tanks. Destroyers and Mobile Artillery. All of them firing in unison. Already two of the Tank Destroyers, their low hulls and stout cannons, were turned into burning campfires. One had an engine fire that spilled into the main crew cabin while the second had its ammo rack hit. The Griffon that was sitting on the wall had jumped back off the tower, his wings catching the air as he was sent hurtling backwards, the explosion catching him off guard.

I whipped around as the massive doors were thrown open and revealed some Legionnaires, their armor glinting purple and blue in the fires of the hall as they began shouting for civilians to run to the Bomb shelters and for the Princess to Get to her panic room, Lest she be hit by a sniper. Already, they began making a walking shield around her, their armor sparking as they created a negative magnetic field to send the bullets away from them. Luna followed, a little nervous from all the gun fire around her. Before she left, she lit her horn again and shot out another Flare, this one brighter as it illuminated the destroyed and ruined city as well as the wall, where more than half of the NLR was engaging what seemed like the whole Solar Empire.

I Look at a soldier carrying Two SMG’s, the M463 Collapsible. I yelled to him and held up a hand, he noticed and tossed me the second SMG. I nabbed it from the air and racked the slide, checking the breach for any ammo. Fully loaded, all 32 shots were Armor piercing and were low caliber. You could pierce any form of armor, minus steel and the Kevlar that the Griffons had been experimenting with.

I began to run to the hallway, the only ones left here had left a few seconds ago as I gazed out upon the burning city. The second I Turned to run through the massive doors, a shell came through and slammed into the arch way above the doorway. Barreling through before blowing up in an empty reception hall.

Sighing, I walked back to the Open hole that stood in replacement of the Stained glass windows that had been there no more than a few minutes before. Looking out at the destruction, I groaned. “I’m getting too old for this shit…” I mumbled before jumping out of the window, knowing full well what would happen. I fell 20 Stories, down to the ground below. The stone Ground coming up to meet me faster and faster. Buckling my knees, before cracking them in preparation of what was about to happen.

The ground and my hooves met, the pulse and surge of magic on the bottom pooled into the Stone and turned it into a Spring-like net and sent me flying towards a large grouping of Solar Empire Soldiers. I clicked off the safety on my gun and peppered the ground and surrounding soldiers, aiming for their red broom-heads on their helmets, aiming to miss the Ponies who were running from danger or running into danger with intent to protect all they had. When my clip emptied, I chucked my gun as some random mare who was clotheslined by my gun smacking square into her muzzle and caused her to fall unconscious as I flew a little farther, charging my fist with magic.

my fist became a black vortex or nightmare magic as I slammed into the ground, slamming my fist into the stone and sending a pulse of Magic out, killing a large grouping of ponies who’d so foolishly stood up against me. Granted, the bullets they’d fired stung like hell, but was nothing compared to what moon metal would do to me.

I Stood up and continued to run towards the wall, within 30 meters of the hole, large, Half-armored vehicles stood up from the ash of several burnt down homes, their wheels coming down to sit on the ground as long thin legs folded up into the body of the trucks. On the back of the Trucks were several old-school Maxim guns on a swivel turret.

“Anti Air… son of a bitch.” I grumbled, still running at it as the pony on the back racked the slides and aimed at me, his look being one of fear as I grew closer and closer.

Eventually, I came within 2 meters of the vehicle and jumped on top of it, hoping on top of the cab, before flipping over the stallion as I dropped a small egg. He noticed it and jumped off, shouting ‘GRENADE!’

at the entrance to the small area where homes were burned and ruined, the hole in the wall was massive, the mound of Ruble that sat in between the structures was simply amazing.

Pak!-pak-pak-pak-pak-pak-pak-pak-pak!!

I jumped behind the cover of a ruined Solar Empire Light Assault Vehicle, the door on the back was open and inside was the burned husk of a pony in Solar Empire armor and uniform. Several other ponies were at the wall with me, ducking behind cover and raising their guns up to shoot blindly over and around their cover. When I skidded to a stop next to the ponies, some of them gave a shout of Joy.

“Captain! Faust, took you long enough!” came Snippits Shout. Looking around, I saw him on the other side of the street, ducking behind a small single engine Tractor with an overturned cart behind it, apples littering the ground.

“well sorry, Snippit, but I had a bit of a problem with the FUCKING CASTLE BEING BLOW THE FUCK UP!” I shouted, pointing to the ruined castle, holes littering several areas of the once majestic structure. All I got was the simple “oh” before he looked back at me. “We got multiple sectors locked down tight, but this is still a big problem! I’ve been trying to get these useless fucks on the radio, but the shadowbolts are being shadow Dolts right now and scrambling to find every piece of their gear, rather than douse the fires and get their light support bombs!” he shouted over the din of battle, bullets whizzing by like mosquito’s.

I growled. Useless air support. I looked to my left and saw a pony carrying an Light Model 2 (or LM2 for short) radio on his back. He was frantically trying to get several hundred troops to the hole, but wasn’t succeeding because, either his clearance wasn’t high enough, or the pricks didn’t feel like giving fire support.

I held out my hand and he looked at it, before reluctantly giving me the radio. Lifting the receiver to my ear, I hear static and shouting. I grabbed his antenna and pushed some magic into it and immediately got a better signal.

“Whiskey-Oscar-227, This is Sierra-Echo-118, we need Immediate Air support at grid B-5-2. Repeat, Air support at Grid B-5-2. Over!” I shouted into the phone. A second later, a curt response cut through the din of explosions. “Roger Dodger Sierra Echo, this is your friendly neighborhood air support, India- Hotel 5-5-9, coming in for a strafe run. Hold onto yer asses, colts. S’gunna be loud.”

Nodding, I looked up at the wall. Still, more and more Solar empire soldiers were pouring in, the resistance of the NLR in homes and behind cover being over powered by the enemy. Then… the screams. Not pony in nature, but of a dive bombing plane with the Lunar Trumpets attached under the engines. Looking straight up, I noticed the one and only Iron Head dropping in, guns blazing in the Python-40 Fighter plane.

Of course, it still boggled my mind to see an earth pony flying, even if it was with the help of a metal machine such as that. Regardless, I saw him begin to pull up out of his dive and a small metallic object drop from under his planes wings. It was only then that I heard the whistles. Most ponys in the Air force attached small tin whistles to the guide fins on the backs of any bombs they had been outfitted with. Most just enjoyed the sound, while others thought of them as a fear tactic.

I just found it annoying and waited for the boom.

9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4.. never mind. My counting and timing was off as my thoughts were cut in half by the bomb hitting the hole in the wall, blasting more rubble away while also blasting more than half the solar empire away. I Stood up and grabbed an assault rifle from the air. The metal burning my skin slightly as I held it, before flipping it to hold the grip and put my finger on the trigger, both my guns firing in tandem.

multiple groups of SE soldiers began to re-enter the hole, trying to advance in on us. More than a few soldiers stood up to charge with me. When my second rifle ran empty, I dropped it and attached a bayonet to my recently “borrowed” NLR rifle, Charging with a wave of Soldiers falling in line behind me, the soldiers before us falling to fear and beginning to turn tail and run.

My blade entered the back of a Legate, his scream of pain silenced as my blade was ripped from his back and chased after more prey.

My gun fired as the blade entered the back of some mare Private 2nd class. As she fell, I stood there, atop the ruble of the broken wall. The flames behind me illuminating the field in front of me as the Soldiers of the Night pushed, and pushed hard, against the surging enemy. I drew my sword, the soft ‘sching!’ echoing softly in my mind. I looked at my blade, the mark of nightmare moon still imbed inside the guard, shining softly with an unmistakable glow.

I looked up and could feel my eyes burn softly as I whispered. “back into the war, eh moonlight?”

And everything began to fade to red as inky blackness swelled up in my vision. And soon enough….

I was in hell…