MLP:World War

Chapter 3

MLP:World War

Chapter 3 - Heroes And Guardians

West Equestria. July 4,1942

The rumble of the tanks next to the walking convoy of soldiers echoed through the woods. A single dirt road stretched between the forest as the army moved towards its distant destination. The line of M4 Shermans moved slowly towards their destination and into unfamiliar enemy grounds. All around them were signs of war. 8 made by artillery and and flaming wreckage, All the smoke and debris from the fire rose into the air and covered the area with a light fog. The U.S.M Army made their way to their unclear destination with only one thing between them and liberating Canterlot. A sky city.

"Looks like we just missed a firefight" said as she looked out at the battleground while trotting next to her fellow troops. "That isn't a good sign either" replied Pinkie Pie.

"This means the Germanes aren't far off if we are seeing fresh bodies"

In total, 7 Shermans were moving in union along the road towards their target.

"What's the time"? asked Pinkie Pie to her radio operator. "1400 hours" replied Applebloom. "Good, good, we're making great time" Pinkie said nodding.

"I was told to separate and take the company to scout out the enemy frontlines with a tank battalion" she continued.

"It's a good thing we've gained so much ground since D-Day" she said proudly.

Down the convoy was Rainbow Dash trotting while adjusting her sniper rifle scope.

"Hmm, if i just adjust this a few more notches…" she said to herself.

Fluttershy walked next to her and was staring at the ground. "Hey,you alright soldier?"

Rainbow asked. "Y-yes...I'm fine" Said Fluttershy lying. "Oh,alright then" Rainbow said looking away from her. In her mind flashed the gruesome images of the dead ponies littering the beach with the sand stained with blood. The mare with her organs spattered and lay dying. Fluttershy shook her head of the graphic images and decided to focus on the task ahead. "Does anyone has a cigar or somethin"? asked a soldier in the group. "If I had some, I'd be using em" replied a troop behind him. Private Frank Downie sighed. "Who knew i'd be fightin for my own country" he thought to himself. Downie was born and raised in Manehattan, and had a heavy accent to prove it.

"Ay,get ah load of this" he said nudging his friend next to him. The two stallions looked in front of themselves and watched Pinkie Pie walk. Frank raised his eyebrows and his friend whistled . "It's almost worth all this walking for such a fine view" said his friend snickering. Suddenly someone behind smashed both of their heads together. Hard. "Hey what the buck was that for?" Frank cried

"What do you two idiots think yer doing"? She said with a scowl, "Just walking, geez lady" Said Frank. Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Keep yer eyes up,fellas". "Wouldn't want to miss the enemy now would we"? After another half hour of marching the company was getting tired and Captain Pinkie suggested they stop briefly to rest.

"Wait, what's that noise" said Applejack as she motioned for the troops behind her to be quiet. "Stop the convoy"! yelled Pinkie Pie. Everyone fell silent as the Shermans all stopped to listen. Slowly a soft, but steady noise was heard coming from the treeline up ahead. It then became a loud constant rumbling. A Tank. A Germane Tank. "Over there!" shouted Pinkie as two enemy tanks sprung from the woods. "Panzers!" shouted a soldier in the convoy. "Open Fire"! The M4s were taken by surprise as the crew within the tanks quickly moved their vehicles in an attempt to serpentine. In an instant the first Panzer fired a direct hit on the first Sherman. It blew into an inferno of flames and smoke as it continued moving while burning until it came to a stop off the road. What followed was anything less but complete carnage. The two Panzers opened up a barrage of machine gun fire on the U.S troops as their own tanks began trying to move past the neutralized one.

"Everyone, Take Cover!" said Pinkie as she led the whole company off of the road and into the brush. They scrambled for cover as the abrupt sound of machine-gun fire began and ripped through the bushes and trees. Several soldiers cried out in agony as bullets pierced their bodies as they fell to the ground. On and on nonstop, the machine gun fired at the unit as they fled for any covering they could find. "Somepony take out that machine gun!" cried Pinkie as three soldiers running for cover were mowed down not to far from her. "I'm on it , miss!" yelled Lt. Rainbow Dash cocking her sniper rifle. She leapt over other soldiers and avoided gunfire by taking cover on a fallen tree. She took a deep breath before taking aim through the lens. She lined her crosshairs on a Germane running out from cover and fired. Instantly a bullet entered his chest and left a bloody exit wound. He fell as she took aim at two more Germane troops running across the field. She took them out without hesitation. Next she saw an enemy pull the pin of a grenade behind a tree and prepared to throw it. Rainbow acted fast and shot it out of his hand as it fell behind him and exploded a few seconds later. A sharp and loud explosion went off near her , killing some of her troops. "Look out, mortar rounds incoming!" yelled a stallion. Through the trees she still couldn't see the machine-gunner but swiftly killed the two Germanes firing the mortar. She soon heard the familiar "Chink" of her rifle telling her she was out of ammo. She quickly took out the magazine and slapped another one in before cocking it. A wave of Wermacht soldiers came gliding quickly down the open field as Pinkie ordered her troops to reposition. The first one raised his MP-40 opened automatic fire at the unit, causing four soldiers to be killed as they fled. "I don't think so Krauts"! Applejack said to herself as she leapt from cover before raised her BAR automatic rifle. She opened fire and gunned down all of the Germanes from left to right. Rainbow swiftly downed two more enemy soldiers before locating the machine-gunner. She aimed through her scope slowly until she had the gunner right in her sights. In an instant she pulled the trigger and the bullet struck the stallion in the head and it quickly bursted out the back. Behind the group, a ferocious tank battle continued. The remaining five Shermans fired indiscriminately as the two Panzer III's fired back with accurate precision. The lead Panzer shot again and struck the side of an M4, causing it to suddenly explode and burn. "We gotta do something, we're losing tanks fast"! Yelled Applejack. "Use the M1 Bazooka"! Pinkie screamed. Several soldiers jumped from cover and covered the troop carrying the Rocket Launcher as they rushed to the road. The crew of the second Panzer saw them running and turned their turret towards as they approached. "Look out"! Screamed Applejack. But it was too late. The Panzer opened fire with a machine gun and killed all of the troops. The four Shermans approached the tanks from the side and all fired at once.

The first hit grazed the lead Panzer as the the next three hit directly on it. The tank stopped moving as an explosive fireball erupted inside. Two crewmembers leapt out as they burned alive. An M4 stuck them both down.

The second Panzer III backed away as the crew reloaded. Applejack quickly spotted the Bazooka next to the dead soldier and sprinted to grab it. "Let's go!' she yelled behind her shoulder to Fluttershy. Applejack reached the rocket and took a knee before hoisting it up on her shoulder. "Load it"! She yelled as Fluttershy reached her. Fluttershy saw a rocket in the soldier's pack and quickly picked it up. She opened the bag and picked it up before shoving it into the back of the Bazooka. "Clear"! She shouted as she tapped Applejack's shoulder. Applejack aimed at the Panzer with the iron sights before firing. The rocket sped away from them as it flew across the field and road before striking the tank. Almost instantly.,It exploded into flames as the it came to a complete stop. "Yeah"! Said Applejack said hi-fiving Fluttershy. Pinkie and a dozen other soldiers surrounded the burning tank and lifted up the hatch. "Töte mich jetzt"! screamed a Germane inside. Pinkie pulled the pin on her grenade and tossed it inside before slamming the hatch down. Everyone jumped off as a loud boom went off inside the Panzer. Shouting was heard from the woods as Pinkie looked and saw soldiers leading a captured Germane out of the woods. "This is all that's left of the krauts, Captain Pinkie". "Good", she said. "We may be able to get some information out him". "We aren't supposed to be fighting any Krauts the far west from Cloudsdale Pinkie said. "You did good, Private" Applejack said smiling and patting Fluttershy's shoulder. "Thank you, but i think we wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for Sgt. Rainbow Dash" Fluttershy replied. They both looked at Rainbow as she scouted around off the road for ammo. Medic Redheart looked around and treated anyone's wounds.

"We Lost 17 ponies, Captain" said Spike. "We haven't got much food left either". "This isn't good" stressed Pinkie stroking her chin. "We need to keep marching until nightfall" she spoke. "If we stay here the Krauts will find out where we are and know where we've been coming from".

"Alright,everypony!" yelled Spike. "Pack up and get ready to move out"!

Several soldiers groaned as the unit prepared to move deeper into enemy territory.

Great Ponyland

Biggins Air Field

6 hours earlier….

"You know you don't have to do this, right"? said Shining Armor. (British accent) He looked Up at his sibling, who was preparing to fly off in her Supermarine Spitfire.

"Course not, that would make a coward" Twilight Sparkle said. "What would you have me do?"

Before him stood a sleek, brown and green fighter plane.

The words "Ranger 04" were painted on the side of it.

"I can arrange things, you don't have to fight in Equestria!" he yelled.

Twilight began putting on her flight gloves. "I'd rather take my squadron elsewhere instead of staying here and letting the Jerrys win".

"The Mareicans have their own air force, let them handle this"! Shining said slamming his hoof down.

"Yes, but what they have isn't enough" She replied. "Their going to need some help if the Allies are going take back Equestria"

"The Yanks don't care if they've got your support or not, you could be killed" he said in a serious tone.

Twilight ignored him as she climbed inside of the plane's cockpit and sat down.

"Look, I'm asking you not to go as a brother, not your leader" Shining said.

"Goodbye, Prime Minister" said Captain Twilight as she turned the plane's engine on a began moving forward.

Shining watched her plane take off the runway grimly.

"Biggins Tower 4, I'm taking off" she said as she turned on her radio "This is Cloud Ranger 4, are there any other planes in the air"?.

Twilight rose her plane higher in the sky and leveled it off. "Eeyup, Cloud Ranger 2, coming in behind ya" said a voice.

"Hello, 2nd lieutenant " Twilight said over the radio to the plane beside her.

Lt. Macintosh was from the United States of Mareica. Born in Equestria, he had moved there before the war began. "Big Mac" is what his friends and comrades called him. After Equestria fell to Germaney, he joined the Great Ponyland Air Force because the U.S.M did not want to enter the war yet. He flew as a relief pilot and delivered supplies to ground troops. After Japcky attacked Mareica, Macintosh enlisted in the military and became a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force.

"This is Cloud ranger 9, approaching from your left side" said a mare's voice. (In a lovely british accent)

"I see you 1st Lieutenant Rarity" Twilight said in the radio while looking out her cockpit window.

"Why are you chaps here"? She asked.

"We heard about ya leaving for Equestria and thought ya could use some help" Machintosh said happily.

"We couldn't possibly let you go alone, my dear Captain" Rarity added.

"That's good to hear, shall I lead the flight?" Twilight replied

Before anyone could answer a third voice came over the radio. Another Spitfire came up and glided next to them.

"This is Airmen Gilda, I'm coming with you"!

"Oh no yer not" Macintosh said angrily. "You're not even qualified I bet"!

"Leave the flying to the professionals, Griffon" Rarity said.

"Please, let me come!" Gilda pleaded. "I've got nothing else to do but mope about my people!"

"We know the Soviets are mistreating the Griffons" replied Rarity . "We're going

To fight so we can end this war and stop it"

"Perhaps she can tag along…." said Twilight. "We're going to need all the help we can get"

"I hope ya know how to fly, birdy" said Big Mac chuckling.

"Don't get in our way" Rarity snorted.

The four planes flew up high in formation towards the ocean. They had one destination, Equestria.

Western Equestria

Closer than ever to the sky city.

July 12,1942

The group of marines continued marching through the farmland plains near a remaining Shermans had branched off days ago to handle enemy resistance elsewhere. The group was not far from the rocky climb for the mountain. "Why does it seem to be taking forever to find this city" said Rainbow Dash. "We've been moving out for a week and still have no signs of getting close"

" I don't wanna hear any more of your yappin" growled Pinkie. "We got orders and we're gonna follow em"

"It's so damn hot,that's why" groaned Frank Downie. Fluttershy gasped as she walked beside him. "You said a curse word"!

"Some marine you are" he said laughing to himself.

"Hey,layoff"! "It's because the city is in the sky, ya blockhead" said Applejack.

"Who asked you, hick" said a soldier behind her. Applejack leapt at him and decked him in the face as several other marines tried to pull her off. "Enough"! Screamed Pinkie Pie exploding. "I've had about enough of all you tightwads whining in this hundred degree weather"! "Shut your traps and quit pummeling each other for once!" she finished as her face redden from anger. She smiled again before turning back to walk again. "We've got marching to do, let's go"! shouted Spike.

After another hour, the heat became unbearable and Captain Pinkie ordered the unit to camp out at the foot of the mountain. Applejack helped the soldiers unload gear and seat up tents. "I'm ready for some of those beans and bisquits" said Rainbow Dash to Derpy. Rainbow couldn't help but stare at the severed stumps where Derpy wings used to be. There was no telling what the Germane army did to her awhile back. Derpy didn't speak as she picked at her can of beans. Rainbow decided to get a quick nap in before they had to move out again. She laid back in her tent and closed her eyes. Haunting images of dead ponies lying on the beach flashed in her mind. Applejack sat near her unit's tent and ate while chatting with fellow soldiers. "We're almost there, I'm sure sir!" Pinkie said yelling into Apple Bloom's portable radio. "Cloudsdale isn't much further,trust me" she said assuring her superior "What do you mean by a railgun cannon"!?. Rainbow Dash's eyes shot awake at the sharp sound of a distant plane engine. She immediately heard a stallion holler "Stukas"! Fluttershy rushed into Rainbow's tent. "They've spotted us, let's go"! She shouted. Everything happened so fast, the JU-87 dive bombers flew over the camp out of the blue and opened a deadly barrage of gunfire. Soldier after soldier was struck with bullets as a Stuka flew over the camp and dropped a bomb. It exploded in the middle and sent tents and debris flying. After a couple of more minutes of everypony running and dodging the aerial attack, the Stukas fly off. "Look,their leaving"! yelled a marine. "Yes...suspiciously" said Pinkie.

She knew there was a good reason that the enemy planes didn't stay to finish them off. "Everyone, get the wounded to medbay!" screamed Medic Redheart as she tried to stop the blood gushing from a soldier's wounds. Pinkie Pie turned to say something to the group when a shrill and instant sounds pierced the air. Instantly an artillery shell exploded near the camp. Another one struck the medbay head on, destroying it completely. "Everyone, get down"! "Artillery"! Yelled Spike. Applejack spun around and sprinted towards the medbay rubble as she screamed for her sister. Her eyes began watering as she saw two marines lift her away from the smoldering ruins. She was screaming. Applejack ran up to as her sister screamed in agony as her scorched leg dangled from her body. Applejack cried out as Redheart and another medic pushed her back. "Look at me..look at me...she's gonna be alright"! Redheart shouted at her. The group began pulling back while carrying their wounded as artillery shells continued to hit around them. A shell exploded near Rainbow Dash as Fluttershy pushed her to the ground. The explosion knocked them off their feet as they rolled down a small hill and scraped against bushes. They quickly stood up and joined the fleeing marines from the mountain. "Where the hell is this coming from"!? shouted Applejack, obviously shaken up after seeing her sister. "Cloudsdale" said Pinkie Pie looking back at the shattered campsite. " It's coming from Cloudsdale"

Bonus Scene:

North Sea,1940.

11:19 Pm

On board HMS Effingham.

Great Ponyland Royal Navy

"Private Arthur Bates"! Yelled the commanding officer. Arthur stood at attention and saluted his superior, "Are you done with the task i ordered"? "Sir, yes sir!" said Arthur.

"Alright, we're short in the engine room, go down and help heave some coal" said the officer. "Yes,sir" Bates said walking off. "Then get some sleep, ya hear"? "I will,sir" Bates replied. He left the deck and went down the rusted steel stairs inside the ship. He turned right and before walking down the hall and into the engine room. Not many seamen were awake at this hour, just the watchmen and secondary engine crew. He yawned as he grab a shovel and helped another sailor heave coal into the furnace. After about ten minutes he yawned as his arms began to ache. "Go get some rest, chap" said the stallion next to him. "Ill finish up here". "oh..okay , thanks" said Bates without a second thought. He stretched his arms wide as he walked to the crew quarters. He smiled al little as he thought about the warm bunk waiting for him and all the hard work he'd done today. Maybe father was right, joining the navy has its benefits. No Germanes here, heck no war! The Crew of the Effingham hadn't seen or heard a single enemy ship. As he neared the crew quarters, he heard a commotion up on the deck. All the screaming and shouting snapped him awake as he made out the words "Torpedo". "Oh Bugger " he thought. "No..no..no no" he thought as his eyes widened. Before he could do a single thing, the ship shook violently as a deafening explosion rocked the floor beneath him.

He fell to the floor as he heard stallions screaming. Then, pouring. Instantly he was swept down the hall by a wave of water as he smashed into the wall. The water beneath him rapidly began rising. "Oh god!,please!...god no...no!" Arthur said on his mind as the water reached his neck. "Not like this"! He screamed aloud as he was submerged by the power of the water. His eyes burnt as the salty freezing water stung his entire being. He tried to grab onto something as the water pushed him further down the ship. He hit his leg against the door as he flew into the ship's kitchen. Around him were newly awaken comrades who were struggling like him. He rolled underwater as he fell into the ocean. He didn't know how, but he was totally underwater. His body burned as he tried to swim to the surface of the sea. He barely saw other crewmen squirming in the water around him. He pushed with all his strength until he breached the surface, gasping for air. The cold and dark night were all around him as he watched the cruiser sink before his eyes. "This can't be happening" he thought to himself holding back tears. He saw a lifejacket floating and swam over to lay on it. He watched as sailors drowned and struggled to swim as the ship plummeted into the freezing water. Down below, a Germane U-Boat swam away into the deep, leaving a sunk ship and shaken sailors for dead.

FIN.