No one thought war would come to Equestria. No one thought that the return of Princess Luna would bring said war. No one thought that the Lunar Republic would be so mighty, so willing to fight for their Princess. Everyone thought that Celestia's army would make quick work of the revolutionary forces.But they were stronger than we thought.
~~~~~~~
For as long as Steel could remember, his family had worked in the fields, breaking their backs under the hot sun. His father had worked for forty-five years on this farm, plowing the dusty fields. Working the ground, planting, harvesting, reaping the fruits of his family's labor. He was eleven, helping his father plow, when a question came to his young mind. Princess Luna had returned, he reasoned, so he innocently asked his father if Luna was going to be the princess now. His father looked down upon his young colt, his face dusted with dirt, his eyes squinted, and his voice soft.
"Hopefully."
His father's answer puzzled him until he was eighteen, when he went to enlist for Celestia's guard. He stood proud, he was taller than the others, and more heavily built. But when the recruiter said he couldn't join, he wished to know why. The recruiter told him he didn't have the 'right blood line for the job'. That was the day he learned what it truly was like to 'live' as an earth pony in Equestria.
He was more than qualified to be in her royal guard, but because he was a farmcolt he couldn't join. He then realized that his type was seen only as 'good laborers, nothing more.' The family over the hill from his were farming rocks. A punishment, he later learned from his father, for holding back grain from "Her Majesty." The more he learned, the more he hated Celestia.
But his sister, Golden Sea, was a young unicorn who loved Celestia. She praised her for all the good that she has done. She went to the same school as "the Great" Princess Twilight Sparkle. She went as the "Canterlot Queen" during Nightmare Night more than once.
Steel didn't know what his sister saw in Celestia. Especially after the death oftheir mother. She died in a fire when they were young. A fire that was started by a drunk guard.
The death of their mother weighed heavy on their father, and it split them apart: Steel blaming the death of their mother on the Royal Guard, Gold joining the Solar Intelligence Corps, on a mission to find who started the fire. The final blow to the relationship between him and his sister was the uprising of Princess Luna.
Steel was more than willing to join Luna and her cause, hoping to change things in Equestria, to break the racisim that prevented him and many others from service, dooming them to forever to hard labor. But his sister saw Luna's rising up as all but an act of war against the millennium of peace that Celestia wrought on the land.
Evidently so did Celestia, for six weeks after Luna's undeclared civil war began, she had several nobles who were Luna's political allies executed under the pretense of "Plotting to make an attempt on the life of a Princess." Three days later, Celestia declared war on her sister. Starting the biggest war on Equestrian soil since the war against Sombra.
Luna quickly mobilized her royal guard and a division of lunar soldiers to stall the Solar forces. The first battle was bloody. Taking place far north of Dodge City, it began with a tense standoff, neither side acting immediately. As if it were a game and one side was waiting for the other to just leave. Then a single rifle shot rang out, killing a Solar officer. War had truly begun.
It wasn't long after the Lunar force found out about the Solar light armor, Panzer 1's and 2's. The fast tanks tore through the Lunar infantry, who didn't have a way to combat the armor.
Luna saw the importance of armored divisions after her infantry were beaten time and time again at the hands of light tanks. And she soon was importing light tanks from other countries, most of which were obsolete compared to the armor Celestia had.
Steel saw one of those light tanks take out whole companies of Lunar infantry soon after he joined the first Nightmare division. Boot Camp was rushed, only a few weeks to learn the inner workings of a tank. After boot camp he foundhimself the gunner of a Bt-7 named Little Pop, commanded by a unicorn whose name was Lumber Jack.
Summer. Whitetail Woods
"What the hell!" Thunder yelled as he threw down his cards to the floor. "I swear, if you're a shark I am gonna castrate you." He glared at Steel, who was smiling, raking in his winnings. They had been playing poker for an hour now and Thunder only won one round, and that was because Steel wasn't paying attention to the game when a couple of nurses walked by.
"Hell, I didn't know ya sucked at shotgun so badly, or Ah would've asked ya to play sooner! " Steel laughed. The angry one and a half winged pegasus who was sitting across from him on the back of their Bt-7 gave him a glare.
Steel was bigger than the dirt brown pegasus, by two heads. Steel was taller than most of the young colts in his company. Steel was also more well-built, his coat was gray with a mane and tail that were like that of a zebra, but instead of black and white, his hair was red and black.
Lumber Jack was approaching the tank when Thunder lost again and lunged at the big earth pony. Steel dodged to the side, causing Thunder to fall off the deck of the tank.
"What the hell, Thunder!? I thought I told you not to play poker, you suck at it like a tick on a mules ass!"
Thunder scoffed at the unicorn.
"Ya, and what kind of good news you got." Thunder picked himself up and dusted himself off.
"We're to move out tomorrow tonight, make sure there is plenty of ammo and fuel. Last thing we need is to run out of gas in the middle of fucking nowhere."
"Where we headed?" Steel asked, still sitting on the tank.
"Ponyville."
Steel stood up, donning his helmet.
"Well hell, we gonna kick the sun shine in the balls today?"
"You can kick Celestia herself in the balls, hell, you can kick the whole damn solar army in their collective balls, so long as you are in that damn gunners seat by the time we move out."
Thunder laughed, unlatching one of the two fuel drums on the deck of their tank.
"You think she has the arrangement?"
"Ya, and she'll probably fuck you if you weren't so damn ugly." He said as Thunder rolled the barrel on to Steels back.
"The whole damn Solar army is her arrangement, and she gonna fuck all of us if you two idiots don't hurry up." He replied as he climbed up on to the front of their tank.
Thunder glanced at their commander.
"Who put a hair up your ass?"
"I don't know, you wanna get it out?" Lumber Jack said as he shook his ass at Thunder.
~~~~
Steel leaned on a barrel as the supply sergeant filled it up. He was deep in thought, staring off in the direction of Ponyville. The front-line, suddenly, memories flooded back into his mind of his first time on this field of mud, white steel, optical fibers, and crimson blood.
He shook his head, trying to snap back to reality and looked at the supply sergeant.
"You ever been to Ponyville?"
The sergeant shook his head, "No, I have not been there."
"Damn small town, heard you can see Canterlot from there."
"Get your bare flank out of the way!", someone behind Steel yelled. He spun about, ready to knock somepony's head off. He smiled when he realized who it was.
Hope Shield, a twenty-seven year old earth pony. A friend of Steels from basics, and the hull gunner for a B1 bis. Hope dropped the crates of .75mm ammo he'd been carrying.
"Why, isn't it good 'ol Hope? How ya still alive? Sure as hell thought you'd be dead or Solar banner dye by now."
Hope walked over to the gas tank, a friendly smirk on his face.
"Ol Biscuit kept me alive. That hunk of junk is still good for something. Though I wish that .75 was somewhere else."
Steel laughed, "Gotta play the hand you were dealt. How's ol' red doing?"
"Crimson? Doing well. Got awarded with the crescent cross by Luna herself."
Steel cocked an eyebrow, "You're shitting me. Luna, Princess Luna, gave the ol' coot the crescent cross? What'd he do?"
"For holding off a solar infantry for two hours by his lonesome.
"Sounds like fun..."
Steel was interrupted by the supply sergeant, "Would you two please bullshit somewhere else? I got other tanks to fill."
"Sorry," Steel nodded as he hoisted the barrel onto his back and paused.
"What the hell? Why is it so damn light?"He rolled it a little on the ground to hear its contents swish around, "Damn thing ain't even full! What the hell you try'n to do?"
"Just following orders. Gotta ration it, so make it last," replied the supply sergeant.
"And what if we run out mid-engagement?", Steel said walking up to the NCO.
"Don't know, don't care. That's your problem."
The two stared at each other.
Steel turned from supply sergeant. Hoisting the barrel back onto his back, and walking away, with Hope following behind him.
"Dumbass sergeant always skimps out on me."
"Don't worry, he skimps out on everypony."
Steel stared at the ground. Then a smile creeped across his face. He looked to Hope. Hope looked back.
"What now?"
"You know where 'Ironclad' is?"
Ironclad was the Regimental commander'sT-35. A tank with five turrets and eleven crew members. It was an infantry scythe. Though when it came to fighting other tanks, it was a piece of shit.
"Where it always is, next to HQ."
"Good, cause I am gonna pick Stix's ear."
The two walked to HQ, which was in the middle of camp, reminiscing all the while. Telling jokes and stories about past missions and the mission to come. The assault on Ponyville, an assault that would go all the way down to Dodge Junction. A victory in these places would be one of many nails in the coffin of the Solar Empire. The war was still quite young and already the Lunar Republic was showing sights of winning.
They approached a large tent that covered half of the monstrous tank beneath it. Under the tent, the crew worked hard to fix the carburetor and several track links. Standing atop the front right machine gun turret was the Regimental commanding officer Broken Sticks, Stix for short. He was an average height earth pony who was a dark oak color. He was staring down the turret hatch , shouting to somepony inside.
"Of course this thing shits out now. Ricochet, hows those links looking?"
Steel stopped in front of the tank and set down the barrel, saluting, "Sir! May I have a bit of your time?"
Stix looked down to the tall gray earth pony and his shorter companion.
" What the hell you two doing here? You're supposed to be getting ready for presentation, dammit!"
Steel gave Hope a questioning look. Hope shrugged back.
"Presentation sir? For what?"
Stix gave Steel an annoyed look, "Damn it! Didn't your commanders tell you? Princess Luna is coming down from White Rock Castle to see her troops before battle."
Hope turned to Steel, "Oh shit! Steel I got to get to Crimson. See ya," Hope turned a trotted away.
Stix looked toward Steel, who was still standing to the side of him.
"What the hell don't you understand, get moving!"
"But sir..." Steel protested.
"I have too much on my plate as it is. I don't wanna hear what ever if was. Now go!"
"Yes sir!", Steel saluted, trotting off back to 'Little pop'. He slowed as he got out of view of his commanding officer.
"Princess Luna is coming to visit her troops. Well I be damned," He chuckled to him self, "wondering if she is as pretty in real life as she is on the posters."
~~~~
Map Room in Canterlot Palice
Luetient InkWell of the 2nd Solar Storm Armored division looked at the circle of generals huddled around a table in the center of the room. He had been listening to them plan for an hour or so. Trying to find the best way to attack Dogde City.
All the big brass were here. General Live Wire of the 3rd royal infantry division, wareing a short butter nut colored coat. Commander Soaring of the 12th Pegasie division in a sky blue short coat that resembled the wounder Colts fliet sewt. General Fall Houser of the 2nd Solar Storm Division wearing the same dark gery and sliver long coat that Ink Well was wearing. And the biggest brass of them all, Supreme General Lighting Storm sporting a short golden tan and solar red coat. All of them wearing a ban on their fore leg bearing the Solar crest
The tall, white unicorn didn't see why he had to be present. Other than to have a wider scope of the plan he would be carrying out. He would rather be in his Panther sending lunar soldiers to their grave.
He sighed to himself. Oh well, this would help him send more six feet below or other wise.
Somepony called his name. He looked up to see how had adressed him. It was General Fall Houser.
"Do you thing this will work luetinet? You have more field experience with Lunar tactics." The older stallion asked. General Storm also looked his way.
Ink Well nodded his head.
"Yes, should work. Though, knowing the Lunars they would try and attack at night, I suggest we..." Storm interrupted him, giving him a distasteful looked.
"He ask if you thought it would work Luetinet, not for your advice."
Ink Well swallowed his smart remark and nodded.
"Yes, it will work."
General Live Wire banged his hoof on the table.
"Damn it! I need more support if my men are to make the objective!"
Fall Houser looked to Live Wire.
"Your men will have plenty of suport. The 2nd Solar Storm is the best armored division in her majesty's army."
"And what of enemy armor? They'll chew my infantry up!" Fall Houser scoffed at Wire's remark.
"We have the best tank Germanigh can supply. We can handle any tin cans the Lunars throw at us. Isn't that right luetinet?"
Again Ink Well was the center of attention.
"Yes, our tanks are superior to that of Lunar armor. Your men will need not to worry about it."
Live Wire looked to At Commander Soaring.
"I assume you will be providing air cover?"
Soaring nodded his head.
"Yes, four companies of Pegasie and four companies of dive bombers."
Just then two heavy set guards walked in, both holding spears and MP- 40s.
Storm walk of to them, ready to chew some ass.
"What in the sweet hell do you two thi..." He trailed off when he saw who was walking in behind them.
Princess Celestia walked in elegantly. Holding her head up high. A stern looked on face. Her main flowing and regalia shining. As beautiful as ever.
Ink Well instantly shot his right hoof forward in a salute. The other son the room doing so as well. Other than General Storm, who inclined his head to her.
"Princess Celestia. It what do we own the honour of being in your presences?"
Celestia smiled at him.
"No need to flater me Storm. Just here to see how the plane is going." She walked up to the table, servaying the map apon it. Seeming to study it for a while.
Ink Well Stood straight. Keeping his face forward. But glancing at the princess. His Princess, the one most soldiers fought for in her honour. For her ideal Equestria, a peaceful Equestria. Though her thousand years of peace had ended do to Luna, a peace the can never be restored. He fought to bring her wreath apon lunar soldiers, the seek his revenge on them.
Celestia spoke, to no pony in geranal.
"Will this be a nuff to insure a victory?" Still looking at the map.
Storm nodded his head.
"Yes your majesty. A victory will be insured. The Lunars are weak. They will fall once the attack starts."
"And what of the defence of Ponyville?" She said, looking around the room.
"Pineville is well defened. They will have a hard time trying to take it." Wire said. Celestia forowed her brows, looking him in the eyes.
"I don't want them to have any chance of taking it General! I need them to be thrown back to the desilent caves they can from! Do you under stand?" She asked angrily.
"Your majesty, they will be...." she cut him off with a wave of her wing.
"I want the defense's doubled! Can you do that General?"
Wire swallowed hard.
"Yes."
"Then do so. Storm I aspect to have Dogde takened and then Appleloosa in five days, is that clear?"
Storm smiled.
"I'll have them in four."
Celestia smiled, nodding her head.
"Good, this is to take place emditly. Fall Houser, how fast can the tigers get here."
"Perduction is slow. I aspect to have 25 in the attack, counting the one's Germanigh has supplyed to my division."
"That will do. Do you all understand your orders?"
"YES YOUR HIGHNESS!" All three Generals said at once.
"Good, then your are dismissed. I need to talk to General Storm alone." She said nodding to the door.
Ink Well waited for the Generals to leave be for following behind them out the door. The two guards were behind him, shouting the door and taking post.
Ink Well cot up to General Fall Houser, who was lighting a cigarette.
"I presume you understand what to do?" He asked Ink Well, taking a puff of his cigarette.
"Yes, sir."
"Gather your men, you leave at sun set"
"Will do sir." And with that the two split off in different ways.
Ink Well had informed his company comanders about the upcoming attack and let it tricky down the ranks. He come bearly hold in his excitement as he made his way to his Panther, Equestria's Vengeance.
He hopped up on the deck and in to the commanders hatch. His crew were all ready waiting for him. It felt good to be back in his tank, back in control.
He put in his head set and throat Mic. Clicking the speech button, he gave the command.
"Start your engains."
And with that, he started the gears of war. Gears that can't be stopped.
Author's Note
Well chapter one is out. Chapters two and three well be out soon. Hope I did good. And I am in need of an editor. Leave a comment.
Luna stared nervously out of the carage window as the surrounding forest went by. Never had she thought things would come to this. She thought Celestia would be understanding about her sister's actions. But instead saw them as a decraltion of war? Why? Why was Celestia so hateful? Though, the more Luna thought about it, the more it made sense. Celestia was never quite the same after she saw what she could be. She had become cruel to those who did her wrong. Luna curst Starlight. Her action may have fixed things at the time, but they lead to this. An all out civil war.
Luna sighed. Now her subjects were dieing, for her, for her cause. She had pledged to protect them when she returned from her banishment. And now they were willingly giving there lives for her.
Had Celestia been that blind about things in her absence? Had she ruled so unjustly that they would be willing to revolt against her? Sure,Luna had played a part in it. Giving them hopes of a new Equestrian nation. But so many ponies were joining her army, more than she thought would join. There's no turning back for this. This will go down in history as Equestria's greatest conflict. And there would be no true victor.
A soft voice broke her from her thoughs. It was Inferno.
"We're almost there Princess."
"What do I say? Inferno? I'am sinding them off to die. What do I tell them? 'Thank you for giving your life to my cause'?" She looked him in the eye.
"I know it's hard Luna, but they need to see you before battle."
"Why!?" She siad, rising her voice.
"To rise their morel, to give them hope, to remind them what they are fighting for. Luna, you are the most powerful weapon we have. As long as they know you care about them anuff to visit them be for their baptism, they will fight for a cause, for a risen to live."
Luna looked back out small window.
"Oh."
"Are you inspired or do I have to keep talking bullshit?" He cocked his eye brow.
Luna smiled. He always had a way of cheering her up in darkest of times.
"No need for further inspiration Inferno, thanks."
She was glad her bodyguard/head General was also her dearest firend. The large dark grey stallion had been her firend sence they were mere foals. He was the only one she would trust her life with.
"Good, cause we're here." Inferno said looking out the window in his side.
Luna watched as they entered the outer part of the camp.
Soldiers looked up from their varied tasks as the armored carage pulled by equally armored team rolled past them.
Tanks lined the outer egd. The dirty faced crews in black jump suites saluted as it rolled by.
"Inferno, have them stop the carage. I wish to walk the rest of the way."
"But Luna! It's t...." He tried to protest against it but she looked him in the eyes.
"Please." She said softly. He nodded and told the driver to stop. When the carage came to a halt she got out. Quickly Followed by Inferno, who winced from the sudden brightness outside. Putting on his dark sun glasses he cot up with Luna who was making her way to the center of camp.
Luna looked forward keeping her head held up, but every now and then would glace at the young soldiers who were watching her. Most of them stopped what they were doing to watch her walk by, both in awe and shock to see the Princess walking amungest them. Some even saluted as she went by. Weather to get or Inferno see didn't know.
She noticed a large tank at the edge of a large gathering area in the middle of camp. Soldiers stood atop it's lager mass to get a better view, on it side it bore her moon.
As they stated to wade through the crowd Inferno got in front of her. Using his larger build to shove ponies out if his way to make a path for Luna to walk though.
A older looking stallion noticed Luna and walked towards her.
"Princess Luna! Thank God you..." Inferno, seeing someone coming at the Princess, stepped in front of the stallion. Using his massive wing as a shield to stop the stranger before he could potentially harm Luna.
"What do you think your doing?" Inferno ask the stallion. Luna glared at Inferno.
"Inferno, it's ok. Drop your wing." He did as he was asked. Folding his wing back to his side. But still eyeing the stallion.
"I am Captain Broken Sticks, I command this regiment your highness. General Brick Wall has already arrived."
Luna looked to a small stage, a stand had been set up as a place for her to speak. Nothing fancy, just a simple wooden frame with a Lunar banner draped over it. She would say a few words about the courage of her soliders, how honored she was that they would fight for her and the importance of the up coming battle.
"Very well then, we musent keep General Brick Wall waiting."
The captain stepped out of the way to let her and Inferno on to the stage. As she climbed the small stares she saw Brick Wall sitting down looking over a piece of paper. He looked up and saluted.
"Princess Luna, I was beginning to worry about you." He said, getting up from his seat.
"No need to worry General, I'am here now."
"Ya, I see now I had on reason to worry." Brick Wall inclined his head to Inferno. "How you doing you old stallion?"
Inferno chuckled.
"Better than you are."
Brick Wall smiled.
"I bet you are." He then looked to Luna.
"Well, you ready to get this show on the road?"
She nodded, looking to both of them.
"Yes, I suppose we should start. I assume I am to start of with a inspirational speech and let you two go over tactical matters."
"Ya, that seems to be all." Inferno said, taking a seat by the stare case.
Brick Wall took his seat and waved for somepony to test the mic.
Luna closed her eyes, looking back to the Equestria she remembered. She had mentioned to Celestia about going back to the those laws. Back to that way of life. We're every pony of all species worked togethe helping each other, but Celestia ignored her, saying that it was time for a new Equestria.
Indeed It is she thought. Her sister had tricked her in to declaring war, killing her subjects for no reason other than to say Luna started this all.
She opened her eyes, hearing her name called. She walked up to the podium. Looking out the the sea of Black and Gray uniforms. Her soldiers, faithful and willing to fight.
Celestia may have started this war, but Luna had every intention to end it.
She cleared her throat, all eyes on her.
" Soldiers of the Lunar Republic, i thank you."
