The last human war

What do you know about A-10 Thunderbolt II, a.k.a “warthog”?

An engineer would’ve said that It’s a ground attack aircraft with a build-in GAU-8 Avenger cannon.
A soldier would’ve said that it’s an indestructible son of a bitch that can turn any surface into deadlands without even breaking a sweat.
A critic would’ve said that it’s an obsolete and ugly plane that should be removed from the US Air Force and replaced with a modern aircraft.

But no matter what anyone says, surprising durability, acceptable speed and weapon that could rip to shreds anything but a tank were still there.

The pilot was going on the cruising speed towards Manhattan. Core island of NYC was in quarantine, locked by military personnel. Just an hour ago, it was fully surrounded, and evacuation has begun.

Army also set up anti-air and anti-missile protection and launched several UAVs for scouting. All in all, it was nigh-impossible to get in or get out the island, if you’re not authorized.

“Eagle’s nest, this is Lone Eagle, approaching New York Stock Exchange, ETA’s 1 minute.”

“Copy that, Lone Eagle. Any signs of aliens?”

“Negative. There’s no… wait a second. Eagle’s nest, I detected one of the aliens. Orders?”

“Fry that bastard.”

“Roger that, preparing to engage.”

==============

Honey Bun grinned as she saw a plane approaching. She was sure that sooner or later humans will fight back. Will use their military power. Those low-life scum of the world, even by human standards.

How low can a race fall down? They glorify and train murderers and consider it as a good thing? And who’s crazy now?

Besides, they couldn’t do anything. Ponies were vastly superior in every sense and aspect. Human weapon couldn’t even pierce a pony’s skin. What could they do…

Honey Bun was pinned down to the ground by the sudden barrage of lead, coming from above. It was nothing like any weapons she encountered before. These metal projectiles were larger, heavier and much more powerful in kinetic energy sense. Celestia merciful, the pain they caused…

If Honey Bun were a human, she’d have screamed. But she’d have also died within a second.
Luckily, she was a pony. Although now she wasn’t sure if it’s enough.

Her skin was stripped down immediately, as if it never existed. Projectiles were ripping her less durable muscles apart and leaving deep wounds in more durable ones.

“I’m going to die… I’m going to die...” She muttered.
But she knew that, no matter what she just have no right to let Princess Celestia down. It’d go against everything Honey Bun standed for.

The thought about her ruler was like an adrenaline shot for the earth pony. She gathered all the energy, all the power she’s got left and jumped so high, that she ended up flying on the plane, holding tight so she won’t fall down.

The pilot looked up just to see a bloody figure of something that only distantly reminded him of an alien he attacked. Streams of blood were running down the cockpit, falling on the distant ground.

Honey Bun barely held herself together, almost losing consciousness from blood loss and pain.
She used her hindlegs and one of her forelegs to prevent herself from falling, while the other foreleg was free.

The earth pony started to smash the glass which separated her from the pilot. Her foreleg leaved bloody stains on the glass, that became more shattered with every punch.

Finally, Honey Bun was able to get to the pilot. She grabbed him by his throat, pulled out of cockpit and… fainted.

All three objects started to fall down: the aircraft without a pilot, the unconsciousness pony and said pilot. He had a parachute, though, so he used it. But not for long.

Other ponies finally arrived. They caught both Honey Bun and the pilot, killing the latter instantly.

“Honey Bun!”

“Oh, Celestia, just look at her...”

“How was that even possible?”

“We need to help her!”

Some time later, the earth pony woke up. She was laying in one of the bed in an abandoned apartment. Her friend were standing next to her.

“How are you feeling, dear? You were pretty messed up when we brought you here.”

Honey Bun looked at herself. Her muscles regenerated fully, and her skin was regenerating too, although at slower rate.

“Looks like… we underestimated humans’ abilities...” She said, cringing from pain.

“How do you mean? Are you saying...”

“It was a flying machine. Fast… very fast. And it had...”

The other ponies looked at their leader in disbelief, as she was breathing deeply, trying to calm herself down.

“It had a gun I’ve never seen before… All those gun we’ve encountered so far… are nothing, compared to this. It was ripping me apart like a wet tissue paper. Pain was… unimaginable...”

One of the ponies walked closer to her and put a hoof on her shoulder.

“And then… At some moment, I was able to gather everything I had and finally destroy that machine. I threw the pilot out of its core and then I passed out. You know the rest.”

Honey Bun sighed convulsively, then looked at the others. They were shocked when they saw her eyes, filled with tears.

“I was scared… for the first time in my life I was scared.”

Her friends immediately gave her a group hug, trying to comfort their crying leader.

“Shh… it’s okay, dear. You did good today. You were able to destroy it and now you’re around friend, getting better. No need to cry. We’re all here for you...”

Honey Bun calmed down somewhat and said quietly:

“How many things like this one do humans have? What if they have more than just one machine?”

“More? I really doubt that. It was probably just a single project that costed so much time, efforts and resources to finish, so humans didn’t produce any other things like this. All they’ve got left now their handguns that won’t do any harm to us.”

Honey Bun smiled gratefully.

“I hope you’re right, my friend. I hope you’re right...”

==============

Corporal James Phillips was a good example of self-made man, military version. Raised in a poor family by his divorced mother, he learned a lot about poverty. His childhood was filled with constant fights with the other kids, pickpocketing and other petty criminal activity.

He spent teenage years with his friend, who was a member of one of many gangs that flourished in his neighborhood. But no matter how tempting a life of a gang member seemed to him, he never tried to join. As if there was some sort of a line, that will make you lose yourself once you cross it.

Instead, James strived for the only opportunity in life he had left. The U.S Army.
A high-school graduation was a rare sight in his neighborhood, but he pulled through somehow.

Later the day when he received the papers, some of his acquaintance told him that his friend was found shot dead in the park. While James grieved for him, this event made his decision even more adamant. He didn’t want to end up like this.

He enlisted in army as soon as he turned 17.

James showed himself as a talented and determined soldier and was recommended to the 75th Ranger Regiment.

After demanding physical and psychological trainings, after failing and repeating the cycle, he has finally earned the right to call himself a Ranger.

Now, his squad was ordered to patrol Manhattan and also investigate, why did the A-10 Thunderbolt stop responding.

When they reached the crossroad between Broadway and Wall Street, they witnessed something that was too much even for Rangers.

Street lights with people on them, hanged with their own intestines that were pulled out of their bellies, cut open.

Some of the newbies threw up right there, the others had stronger stomachs, but it was difficult to hold their dinners inside.
They didn’t know that they’ve been watched ever since they landed on the island.

==============

Honey Bun and her friends attacked fast and without warning. They jumped off the buildings right to the squad of soldiers.

The latter, to their credit, didn’t panic and tried to shoot their enemies, but 5,56 rounds didn’t have enough kinetic energy to do any damage.

One by one, soldiers were killed, either being ripped apart, smashed to the ground, or hanged with their own guts as those cadavers on the street lights.

All, but James. He was captured alive, once Honey Bun made him faint.

“Why did you insist that we take him, Honey?” Daisy asked, carrying the tied up soldier on her back.

Her friend didn’t respond for a while, as if she didn’t know what to say. But it wasn’t the case.
“We need to interrogate him.”

All ponies stopped and looked at Honey Bun as if they’ve never seen her.
“Interrogate a human?! What’s gotten into you?!”

She sighed.
“I know, I know. But trust me -- so far, it’s the best option. We need more information about their abilities and technologies.”

“Honey Bun, I don’t think it’s-” Daisy was silenced by the earth pony’s hoof.

“If you were me, when I was writhing in unspeakable pain under the metal barrage, you’d have done the same thing.”

Honey Bun looked at the others, waiting for them to say anything. But nopony dared to break the silence.

With a nod, the earth pony led them to one of the abandoned hospital, justifiable thinking that there will be a lot of instruments to make a human talk if he’s too stubborn.