“Atennnnnnnshuhn!”

Everypony in the room dropped what they were doing and bolted upwards, myself included. My partner, Supercell, cursed. We had upturned the poker table and the game on it.

“We have received word that the Royal Sisters have mobilized the Guard.”

We all looked around in confusion. I was the first to speak.

“Sir, what for?” Captain Birch shook his head.

“Sergeant Pick, we, well, I, don't have that information available.”

“Surely, there is a reason! We would not be called into action without it!”

“Something about the Crystal Empire. That's enough from you Sergeant.”

I decided to shut my mouth, and let anypony else speak, but none did.

I glanced at Supercell, who was still dumbfounded. As a former weatherpony from Cloudsdale, he wasn't exactly well versed in foreign affairs.

“Any questions?” Nopony moved.

“Good, gather your gear and head to the train station. We will report to Camp Everfree to be organized into regiments. Dismissed.”

Captain Birch went off, and I released a breath I did not know I was holding in. My partner turned to me.

“Pick, what's the Crystal Empire?”

In a sincere way, I answered.

“Well, it's an empire, made with crystals.”

The answer seemed to satisfy Supercell. I liked him, he was loyal and tough, his “partner in crime,” but he wasn't all that bright. I had a reputation in the Guard. A usually easy going earth pony with a quick wit, but a stallion who wasn't afraid to crack the whip.

All officers and NCO’s were being briefed on the situation.

“Gentlecolts, here is our situation. The Crystal Empire has been taken over by King Sombra. He has overthrown local government, enslaved the ponies of the Empire, and, as intelligence suggest, raised an army.”

The room went cold. A pin could have been dropped and everypony would have heard.

“So, under the direction of the two Sisters, half of the Royal Guard will be organized into regiments and sent north. The majority of the ponies will be sent into the 4th, 9th, 11th, and 14th Regiments of Hoof. The fastest will join the 1st Royal Dragoons. The best pegasi will be transferred to the 13th and 20th Air Squadrons. And lastly, those with an aptitude for artillery will join 1 Royal Artillery, Batteries C and D.”

This was happening. This was really happening.

In Camp Everfree, we received our assignments. My section was part of the 9th Regiment of Hoof. We were taught advanced formations, and more importantly, how to kill. I watched with interest as we were taught the weak points of armor, and how to dislodge a spear. Three days passed. Then early in the fourth morning, we were woken up.

“Attention! You have one hour to eat breakfast. Then, we march north.”

Everypony started scrambling about, getting pots over fires and cooking their breakfast. I had a Dutch oven over the fire within minutes. My section of ten gathered around.

“Alright colts, we had better make this quick.” One by one they lined up and I served my “special stew.” What it actually was was anything I could get my hooves on thrown into a pot. Either way, they never complained and they needed the energy.

“Sarge?” One of my ponies, Oatmeal Raisin, viewed me as a surrogate father for reasons beyond me.

“What do you need, Oat?”

“Sir, I'm terrified.” I ruffled his mane.

“Of what? We have not even begun the march north, and when we get there, there is no way they will bring down a sturdy earth pony like yourself.”

He obviously forced a smile.

“Whatever you say, sir.”

I smiled my self and patted his cheek.

“Good, now go eat up. You got a long day ahead on your hooves.”

Oat turned tail and went to get more stew. The colt had a foal like innocence with him. It would be a shame when battle would take it away.

The drums started their long roll, calling everypony to attention. I kicked some dirt into the fire, putting it out. The Dutch Oven would go with the wagons. We falled in.

“Forward, march!”

And just like that, we started to move out.

I have never seen so much dust in my life. It was everywhere, coating everything. I sneezed, temporarily shaking it from my armor. The 9th was towards the back of the column, so all the units in front were kicking up a lot of dust. Captain Birch strode by.

“Is this not the life, Captain?” He glared in my direction.

“Shut it, Sergeant.” I chuckled.

“Yes sir!”

Hours passed, and we entered a more mountainous part of Equestria. An area which I knew well. Every hill, knoll, hollow, boulder, house, I had seen before. I was home.

We marched on until we entered a town, Rust. It was a run down mining town, but it was all very familiar. There our column was ordered to halt for the night. I couldn't stop smiling as we broke formation and rested on the road. As soon as I could, I galloped over to one of the homes, more of shack really, that had a blue star in the window.

Containing the smile, I knocked on the door. An old, gray mare answered.

“Hi Mom, I’m home.” Tears in her eyes, my mother embraced me.

“Only for the night.”

“W-w-what brought you to this area?”

Setting my helmet down, I explained our mission. Fear was quite obvious in her eyes.

“What would your father say if you told him that?”

“It doesn't matter because he is not here.” It was the wrong thing to say. She looked at the mantle and started crying again. I wrapped her in a tight hug. Four years ago, my father died in a mining accident. Mother was never the same. I looked for something to change the subject.

“So, where is everypony?” She smoothed out her skirt.

“Your sister is asleep, and your brother is at the store.” I nodded and crept into one of the two bedrooms. My baby sister lay there, sleeping peacefully. Gently, I picked her up. I felt her tiny hooves tighten around my neck.

“Hi sweetie,” I whispered. She goooed and snuggled up in my neck. That is, before she hit armor. She began to cry. I shushed her and then handed her to Mother. I sat down at the table in my normal spot by habit. The chair groaned under the weight of my armor and myself.

“Would you like some tea?” I nodded and she poured it into a mug. The brew was strong and harsh, just the way I liked it. After draining the cup, I stood.

“I should probably get back to the regiment before they report me missing.” I hugged Mother with my sister in between.

“Stay safe,” she whispered.

“I will. Should I fall, I will get to see Father again.” I broke the embrace and grabbed my helmet. Heading out the door, I ran into my brother, Axe, in the street. And by ran into him, he smashed into my armor.

“Hey! Watch where you- Pick!” I nearly strangled my brother.

“Hey Axe! I'm here for the night. So what have you been up to?”

Axe had been working in the mine, which is what nearly everypony around here did. As he caught me up in the happenings of Rust, he pulled out a cigarette and began to smoke it. I scowled.

“Whatcha doing there?”

“Smokin’, why?”

“That stuff will destroy your lungs." He laughed.

“I'm a coal miner, my lungs aren't worth their weight in shit!”

Unfortunately, I knew that was true.

I hugged him goodbye, he told me to be safe. Brother things.

Reporting back to the regiment, I found out that I was going to be declared AWOL in an hour. After having a good chuckle about that, I settled in for sleep.

The morning came, and mist dominated the area. Getting called to attention, we marched off. I felt robbed. Just as soon as I reconnected with my family, the army was taking that away. In silence, I fell in step and marched on with my head held low.

Hours later, we were out of the hills but it started to get colder the further we got. I shivered as a cold gust of wind rattled through my armor.

“Sergeant!” One of my ponies, Dawn Rider, was looking for me.

“Yeah, what do you want!”

“I can't feel my hoof.”

That caught my attention. Winter in Rust could be bad, so I know frostbite when I heard it.

I turned around and propped up Dawn Rider.

“There isn't much I can do on the march.”

Falling out of formation, I reached Captain Birch.

“Sir, Dawn Rider has frostbite.” He shook his head.

“Take him back to the wagons. They are treating frostbite victims there.”

Galloping back to Dawn, I hoisted him on my back. Struggling under our combined weight, I stumbled over to the nearest wagon. It was filled with ponies. I pushed him in and went back to my section.

After a long march, we arrived in sight of the Crystal Empire. Our army settled on a ridge. I dug a fire pit, and lit it up. We could see the campfires of our enemy. I settled into an uneasy sleep under the light of our fire.

Author's Note

And so begins a three part story of Equestria's doomed attempt to retake the Crystal Empire.