Letters from the Homefront

The engine of the airship rumbled through the metal interior, ratting its way up through Shining Armor’s bones. He was sitting on the metal bench on the exterior of the airship’s undercarriage, his eyes casting around the rest of the carriage. To his right was his immediate CO, Captain Spectral Glow, who was leaning back in his seat, his eyes shut. The Captain was a silvery blue unicorn, taller and wider than some earth ponies, with bone white hair and the cutie mark of a yellow silhouette of a pony. He, like, Shining Armor, was dressed in the standard green battle uniform of the Equestrian Army; on his shoulders were the golden bars that designated him as a captain, on either sleeve was a facsimile of the Equestrian flag--blue, purple, and green horizontal stripes with three white six-pointed stars in a row in the middle--and the name “GLOW” was sewn onto his right breast.

Looking around, Shining beheld that the carriage contained a sea of olive green. Ponies of all races, shapes, and sizes were packed into the seats that ran in four rows up the entire length of the minimally decorated interior. Some were napping; some were talking with their neighbors, a few of them playing cards, a few faces shining with laughter; and still others simply sat still, staring out blankly or looking around. Shining could see his own feelings reflected in his eyes; doubt, confusion, fear.

He glanced down the row opposite. Sitting side by side were two unicorns from his unit. Private Silver Ghost was a tall, silver stallion with blue eyes and the cutie mark of a semi-transparent skull on a black background; his friend and partner, Dawntail, was grass green with sunshine yellow hair, green eyes, and the cutie mark of a shooting star. Both ponies made eye contact with him for a moment, then turned away, returning to their private conversation. Dawntail made a comment that Shining didn’t hear, and Ghost laughed.

Frowning, Shining Armor looked down at the letter in front of him that he had spent the last hour composing.

Dear Cadance,

I’m writing this from an airship headed north to Vanhoover. Our battalion is to join up with the local Army depot and set up a defensive line along the border. We received those orders from Princess Luna herself late last night; every available troop is headed up to Vanhoover, Manehattan, and Fillydelphia to hold the line and make sure the Crystal Empire soldiers don’t pose a threat.

Some of the ponies are so excited, getting a taste of action. They’re all laughing about how they’re gonna chase the Crystal ponies back to Couer with their tails between their legs.

Personally, I’m terrified. No matter what happens, if this goes badly, ponies are going to get hurt on both sides, including innocent ponies that live in these cities.

“There they are,” Captain Glow said beside him, turning to look out the window. Shining looked up from the letter to see for himself, as did everypony in the carriage with access to one of the portholes.

Beneath them was the sprawling city of Vanhoover, a sea of concrete, glass, and steel. Vanhoover’s famous Manticore’s Gate Bridge stretched across Maple Leaf Bay; nearby was the distinctive geometric sphere of the Magic Dome.

To the north of the city lay a broad expanse of meadows and plains, lush green grass. A set of train tracks ran through the flat expanse. A few miles north, there was a sign next to the train tracks depicting a spire made of crystalline blue and a small heart. Though he could not read the words from this high up, Shining knew that they read “Now Entering the Crystal Empire” in blue script, both in Equish and in Crystalline.

Not far from the tracks was a small clearing with clean, orderly rows of white tents, several smaller ones for enlisted ponies and a couple larger ones for officers. Scattered amidst the tents were armored vehicles: tanks, personnel carriers, technical trucks, field ambulances, even a few single-pony attack airplanes lined up next to a catapult truck. A line of mortars and pony-drawn cannons stood in a proud row to the south of the encampment, pointing inwards towards the camp. Farther to the north, Shining could just make out the white of the Frozen North’s territory. Just behind their airship was another, this one carrying supplies and the rest of their personnel.

Turning to sit back in his seat, Shining read the rest of his letter.

I joined the Army because I wanted to help our allies. Instead, I’m being sent to the border and there’s a very good chance that I’ll end up fighting our own allies. If they even are our allies anymore. If Princess Luna thinks something like this is necessary, things must be bad up in the Crystal Empire.

I’m sorry, I don’t mean to worry you. I know you’re still hurting over your mom’s death. I’m really sorry about that. I never got a chance to say this to her, but I really did love her. And I know she wouldn’t have wanted this.

I never met Sombra, but you always talked about him with respect. You told me he was smart and witty, and he knew how to get ponies on his side and get them energized. I remember you telling me about that groundbreaking ceremony for a new school; he gave that amazing speech and stayed with the workers all day. I just built up this image of the guy in my head, and now I can’t understand at all why he’d be threatening a war with us.

I feel like I’m trapped in a nightmare and I can’t wake up. I just want this to be over.

Please write back soon. I just want to be sure that you’re okay. It’ll be one less thing weighing on my mind.

Give my love to mom, dad, Twilight, and Spike.

I love you,

Shining Armor.

“Attention: we will be landing in five minutes,” a voice said over the PA.

“Get ready, ponies!” Captain Glow barked. “Final check on your gear, make sure it’s in order. Dog those cards, private!”

At his command, there was a flurry of activity up and down the seats as soldiers checked their duty belts, ensured their weapons safeties were on, and put away their cards and letters.

Tucking the letter into his shirt, Shining checked under his left shoulder. His Colt M1912 was still tucked safely in its holster where it belonged; the hoofstrap attached to the right of the handle. He checked the rest of his duty belt. Knife, first aid kit, canteen, emergency rations, extra magazines, flares...all present and accounted for. At his hooves was his flak jacket, which he donned with the aid of his magic. The ensemble of magically strengthened ballistic nylon was hot and heavy. The frag grenades strapped to the grenade belt jingled in a strange, displeasing music. He then strapped on the helmet. Already his sweat was clinging to the webbed interior. He nervously adjusted the dynamo-powered flashlight strapped to the exterior.

“We’ll be landing in Fort Hackney, and from there, we’ll be coordinating with Colonel Ironsides to form a defensive line along the border,” Captain Glow stated, adjusting the chin strap of his helmet. “I want you all on alert. We’re at our most vulnerable while we’re disembarking. Be on watch for any signs of an impending attack. Clear?”

“Sir, yes, sir!” the entire company barked back in one voice. Shining barely heard his own voice amidst the chorus, and wondered if it even counted.

He looked down the line towards a dark blue pegasus with wavy aquamarine hair and blue-green eyes. He had a cutie mark of an incoming wave against a cloudy white background. His First Sergeant, Waterwind, made eye contact with him and held up a hoof in a gesture of solidarity.

Shining Armor nodded back. With a thump, the airship landed and the door began to hiss open. Taking a deep breath, Shining Armor stood up, one hoof clutching at the letter beneath his uniform.

Time to do your duty, soldier.