Emerald, you just won against Mayor Mare!” April (my assistant) told me.
“Fantastic!” I uttered with pure joy. “I already have a speech prepared”. It was most likely my traditional views and firm voice that one over the people. Mayor Mare was meek and lenient. She couldn’t keep up with current events. Later that day we celebrated with a massive, marvelous party Pinkie Pie had thrown for me and my supporters. The party was concluded with a toast and a lot of goodbyes to everypony. I couldn’t believe I actually made it! My optimistic thoughts about the future of Ponyville kept me up that night.
“Sir, Celestia requires your presence at once in Twilight’s castle.” “My first day on the job and Celestia already needs me?” I joke around. April snickered and I left my office. I was whistling a catchy familiar tune on my way there. As I entered I was breathless for a moment from all the shiny and exquisite décor. I had never been in the princess’s castle before. I arrived in a large circular room where everypony else was. In the middle was a podium area where all the princesses where with the exception of Cadence and Shining Armor. To my surprise there were many other mayors and leaders. “Whatever this is, it looks serious”. I thought to myself, and then Celestia spoke. “Good, everypony is here, take a seat.” Celestia said in her usual formal tone.
“There’s a new threat to Ponyville and other cities in the country.” “Twilight observed a new form of government while on her latest expedition.” She spoke with a grave tone and lowered her head as Twilight Sparkle began to speak.
“Yes, that’s correct.” “This government is tyrannical and oppressive, as I saw in that small village.” “This new idea is spreading at a dangerous rate.”
“How did it spread anyway, I thought it was an obscure village?” I asked.
“She got away- Suddenly the ponies were in outrage. How could she let this happen?
“Quiet everypony!” She demanded. Everypony began to quiet down. “She wrote a book called “Communism and You” and spread her ideology around various parts of the country.” “Everypony is required to build up their military.” “We don’t know how big this situation is going to get, but we must be prepared.” “Remember our ultimate goal is to stop the spread of this so-called communism.” She dismissed the leaders and gave us some extra information in the form of a document. It was titled “Communism and what we know”. In it detailed what seemed like a horrible and gruesome system. Not only was it bad for people, it was also bad for economy. I knew what position I was going to take. I’m going to join the anti-communist coalition!
I released the book Celestia gave me to the public. It seemed like an instant that people hated communism. It seemed to drive fear in their minds. Ponies were calling it the “Glimmer Scare”, because of communism’s founder Starlight Glimmer and their fear of her and her way of life. Mostly, ponies in my town were voicing their hatred of the system. The ones who didn’t I suspected to be communist radicals in hiding, but I didn’t have proof. My ponies were united for our leaders Celestia and Luna, and anyone who wasn’t was going to be punished.
I was fading in and out of sleep. Finally I awoke when a rock hit my window almost smashing it. There were protesters right outside my house! “The voice of communism shall rise!” They kept shouting in unison. “This is absurd! I suggest you all dismiss yourselves before---. A fire spread from what it looked to come from the center of the crowd. I looked all around when I saw a mysterious Pegasus figure fly off. Whoever it was must’ve dropped a Molotov I thought to myself. Meanwhile, the group dissipated and was harassed by the whole town. This is the perfect time to start a militia. The people are angry and united. Now is the time.
After a couple days, things died down, and I took this as an opportunity. I gathered everypony and began to speak. “We live in pressing times everypony. Keep in mind this is a war of culture, and it’s our way of life versus theirs. Look at the griffin homelands. They’re now recovering from a failed communist regime. Communism is proven not to work. As your mayor, I know you’re looking to me for answers. Here’s my war strategy, we win, and they lose”. The ponies began roaring. “Now, I’m not done yet. To further expand our military capabilities in case of war I’m going to need men. I will lead you into battle, and to victory! Tomorrow meet me at the recruiting stations to protect our way of life!” It was the very first time in Ponyville history that a mayor became a general.
That very next day I raised my own flag above Ponyville. It had Celestia and Luna on it and below it said “Join or die”. I waited at the recruiting station and it did not take long for ponies to line up. Ponyville didn’t have a military before, but now it had a large force to take on any threat. The population was 150 in Ponyville and we managed to get 100 troops enlisted! The others were fillies and those that were thought to be communist sympathizers. I decided to call us the Ponyville Minuteponies, for we could be called to defend the homeland at any minute. Ponyville had an army and I was going to lead them.
Ever since the militia was formed the communists in the town were awfully quiet. The next week was almost too quiet. Security was at an all-time high in the town. I made sure communist sympathizers were watched, and I soon learned that they were planning a coup. Under other circumstances I would have them jailed, but I must show that this is serious. I had them interrogated. "Did you get all the information I wanted soldier?" I inquired. "We didn't even need to interrogated them, we have physical evidence." "What are we to do with them now?" he asked. "Well, I must send a message to these radicals and to other communists." "Have them executed by the unicorn firing squad." "Oh, and make it a public execution." I added. "Will do General."
It was about an hour later and a large group of everyday ponies gathered to witness the execution. It was the first execution in Ponyville had in over 100 years. The radicals were crying and begging to be let go. You could seee the tears through the thin sack over their heads. Unfortunately for them, the ponies would have none of it. "Five...Four....Three...Two...One...Fire!" I yelled. Within a second their lives were over, and the ponies erupted in cheer. It might've been considered cruel, but these are difficult times were you're either with us or against us. That was the mentality that was adopted by everypony. The ponies went home and me to the barracks.
When I arrived back a soldier approached me. “General, we have information on the radicals.” “Yes, out with it.” I replied hastily. “The radicals and Appleloosan goverment officials were exchanging letters, they planned to overthrow you and the princess, and install a communist regime !” I was outraged. It's like they went to go to war! I thought. “This cannot be ignored!” “I will not stand for this!” I shouted. “Sir, we have a ready army, and Appleloosa is no bigger than Ponyville.” The soldier stated. “Yes, but first I must speak with Twilight about this matter.” “Thank you soldier, Dismissed!”
Later that day I went to Twilights Castle. “Twilight, I must speak with you at once.” I said with an urgent tone. “What is it?” “I need your approval, for tomorrow I plan to march on Appleloosa.” “Who made you leader of Ponyville?” Twilight snapped. “With all due respect princess, the radicals planned to have us overthrown and made a deal with Appleloosa to do so, not to mention I’m the general of the Ponyville Minuteponies.” “Yes I’m sorry; you are the elected mayor after all.” “This whole situation has got me on edge.” “Gather your forces and do what you must.” She said in an apologetic and somewhat tired manner. She dismissed me rather quickly. I figured she hadn’t been coping with this well, but I had more important things to worry about. I recalled the information to the militia. They were excited to have their first battle. “Drink and be merry, for tomorrow we march!” I yelled. With that I retreated to slumber, for tomorrow was the first battle, and I could not disappoint them.
“Thank Celestia I didn’t drink as much as everypony else last night.” I said to myself. I saw everypony getting up and said “Drink coffee, and we will march soon.” I had an overview of the army as our barracks were on a hill and my personal barrack was higher placed than the others. As I was looking over the army I saw two pegasi, and had them called to my barrack. “Yes, general.” One replied. The other seemed shy. “You have wings, therefore you can carry out missions our earth ponies can’t.” “Can you provide air coverage during our march on Appleloosa?” “I will also provide you with special TNT, All you do is press the button on top, and throw it to create an explosion.”
“Awesome! That sounds awesome!” The cyan Pegasus replied again. “You, what are your thoughts?” I inquired to the yellow Pegasus who hadn’t said a thing.
“No uh, General Sir, I uh don’t think I uh can Sir” She said almost inaudibly. “Well, why not?” I asked. “She’s shy Sir, there must be some other place for her.” “I heard you work with animals, is that so?” “Um, yes Sir, I do.” “You can be a nurse, we need one, and ponies can’t be too different from creatures, eh?” I joked. “You see, Nurse Redheart is taking care of the folks back home.” I added. She nodded to my proposal with a nervous manner, which made me a little uncomfortable. “What are you names?” I asked. “I’m Rainbow Dash, and this is my friend Fluttershy.” “Good to meet you ponies, don’t disappoint, and to liberty!” “To liberty!” They shouted. I dismissed them and prepared to march. “Everypony we’re going to surprise the commies by going straight through Everfree forest and then to Appleloosa.” “They’ll have expected us to go around Everfree forest.” Everypony had mixed reactions, but agreed with me in the end.
The march had everypony in a good mood. We sung old pony hymms like "Equestria the Beautiful" and " The Canterlot Post". For the last couple minutes of the march we said "To liberty" in unison. That had become the Minuteponies saying now. Our soldiers wanted liberty for all and by Celestia we were going to do it.
Here we were. It took about forty-five minutes to march to the Everfree forest. We were taking a break before heading inside. It was almost tranquil. Ponies laughing and eating. The morale was high, and that gave me hope for victory. If we could win perhaps Celestia and Luna will invest in our town militarily. The mood turned silent when a pagasus approached hastily from the sky. The cyan Pegasus from earlier raced towards me. “General! I just saw from the air that Appleloosan forces are marching into the Everfree forest as well, there had to be at least eighty troops!” “Damn! Well, get into position above our troops.” She flew above us as I addressed the soldiers. “Now is the time to prove our strength, we will not be broken!” I divided the army among race. The earth ponies were equipped with TNT, the unicorns with firearms, and lastly the pegasi with TNT as well. Everypony was in position, the 60 earth ponies in the center of this huge field, the 38 unicorns on the right and 2 pegasi, one in the air and the other a field medic. I couldn't have asked for a better battlefield, there was enough trees for cover, but not enough to get in the way. Suddenly, the marching of the enemy forces became louder and louder. I was in the center with the earth ponies. “Get ready.” Firearms were cocked and TNT ready. It was almost as if we had a drummer pony, for our heartbeats were becoming faster and faster. The enemy forces were in sight. “Aim.” I whispered. With the Appleloosan forces in rage I yelled “Fire at will!” It became a chaotic scene within seconds, blood and body parts flying everywhere. The enemys march was halted abruptly by the explosives and firearms. It did not take long for the surviviors of the first attack to take cover. I, myself hid behind a tree, and I saw a good portion of our soldiers absolutely losing their minds. I threw another TNT right at a pony that didn’t see me. I was horrified for only a second, for I knew it had to be done. I could only see. My hearing was gone ever since the first couple seconds of the battle. There had to be loads of casualties by now. A group of unicorns nearby shot almost a third of the enemy forces. It was looking in our favor, plus Rainbow Dash was unrivaled in the air. As my hearing slowly regianed the battlefield seemed to get quieter and quieter until it was completely silent. Through the gun powder smoke I could see some enemy ponies retreating. “No prisoners, no mercy.” I yelled. The remaining unicorns fired on the last handful of retreating soldiers. It was victory, but at a price. After walking around and seeing all the bloodshed I concluded that around 30 of our own ponies had died. Most horrifying of all, I saw that yellow pony from this morning tending to a soldier who was bleeding out. She cried and cried the more he bled out. He died after a couple minutes. She was crying over the part that was bleeding, his chest. I was a truly horrible sight. I trotted towards her and said “Did you know this colt?” “I can’t save him, I can’t save him.” She kept repeating. She looked at me with bulging eyes. I patted her on the back and stood her up. “I know it’s hard, but it’s over.” I told her with a glum voice. She didn’t say a word and I walked with her all the way back to camp. She never uttered a word and kept those same horror-struck eyes. I'd be suprised if she didn't get some mental trauma from all this. We didn’t march this time. Everypony walked slowly with their heads down. It was a depressing scene. We went glorious and came back mentally defeated. We had won, but at the price of our own ponies dying. I think that’s something many of the ponies in the militia still had to grasp. We were a small town, and to even have a single pony die would be tragic. However, thirty ponies was a crushing blow to morale. I knew it had to be done, but I also understood the grief of the ponies today. As we walked back into the town the ponies at home cheered us on, but we still walked with our heads down. I told my soldiers to go home and we’ll meet back in a couple days. I figured by then they’ll have enough time to weep and mourn.
Twilight called me to her castle late in the night. “Were you defeated?” She asked. “No, we won, but my soldiers couldn’t handle the mental part of it.” “We did suffer casualties, but it was a victory.” “We suffered thirty casualties while they suffered 80.” “Thank Celestia, I thought we lost by the looks of the morale.” “They were decimated, but unfortunately couldn’t push for Appleloosa.” I said. She began to speak with a grave tone “This has gotten larger than any of us have anticipated.” “You won’t believe who went with the communists.” “Who did it?” I inquired. “Well, the Crystal Empire is now a military communist government.” “It can’t be.” Immediately my faced turned to a mixture of worry and horror. “They’ll be our biggest enemy, and frankly I don’t know if we can do it.” “That’s where I need you.” “You have put together a formidable army, which I’m grateful for, but we need everypony dedicated to the war effort.” “I’ll be willing to do anything princess.” I said. “Tomorrow we gather everyone and dedicate this city to the war effort, it’s our only choice. “We’ll discuss more tomorrow General.”
