The War

20 March, 6YH

I should have been planting then. At the very least, I should have been in Ponyville. There I was, though, just outside Baltimare, heading a company of those metal monsters that Celestia had tucked away in secret “just in case.” One hell of a “case” that was. Heck, those things would have probably made great plowing machines if they weren’t spittin’ magic shells at ponies and running through buildings. I’m Applejack, and honestly, I wish I hadn’t agreed to be a general.

Don’t get me wrong, I know the war couldn’t have been won without me. I’d help Twilight and my friends no matter what. It’s just that now I got dreams I’ll never get rid of and memories that have to sit right next to the ones of my wedding, my foals, and the rest of my damn life.

Probably wouldn’t have agreed to this if one of them bombs didn’t wreck my leg back then. It’s mostly healed now, but it still hurts if I’m on it for too long. Plus, I got a bunch of small scars all over from where flyin’ wood and glass cut me. Wouldn’t want anypony thinking some coward-ass attack is enough to put an Apple down for good, though, so I held onto my hat and went into the fray with the rest of my gals.

My first major mission was re-taking Baltimare by land from the west. Griffonstone was none too happy ‘bout war happening so close to them, so we had their navy coming in from the east into Horseshoe Bay. Ruby Crown was the mare who claimed the city as “hers” back when the war started. Silver Crown’s baby sister—the girl was young, younger than me, but about ten times as fierce. She’d throw her forces at us even when she knew they’d have no chance of winning—and the fuckin’ idiots would listen. Dying was part of the message, part of the cause. For them, half the time winning was optional. In the first few months, though, that recklessness helped ‘em take Baltimare and kept us away up until my campaign. Turns out you can do a lot when you’re told lies like Ruby drilled into them. Those crazy ponies did a number on my forces with every attack, even if they didn’t kill anyone. My soldiers had their heads on a swivel and jumped at every sound, wondering if more of them suicide bombers would be running out of the trees or diving on us. That’s how they’d do it—scatter us with a surprise then rush in and pick off anypony they could before we got reorganized. Shit, I’m glad me and my officers were the ones in charge. I don’t think any other ponies would have been able to keep this army together.

That day in late March my artillery divisions were tearin’ Baltimare’s Old Quarter a new one. Shame we had to level it, but Ruby Crown’s forces were dug in like moles on my orchards, and they weren’t comin’ out until we smoked ‘em out. It was the first time we were taking the fight right to the enemy, and my ponies were a grab-bag of emotions.

“Finally, we’re gonna take those Crownies out. I’ve already had enough of this war,” One of my captains, an earth pony stallion named Shady Oak, spoke over his tank’s magic transceiver.

“I was done day one,” his loader and lieutenant, Ginger Beer, responded, “I wouldn’t even be here if my neighborhood wasn’t infested with ‘em.”

“Yet here you are, miss ‘youngest lieutenant in Celestia’s East in 200 years’.”

“Yeah, youngest lieutenant and my job is shoving my hoof in a tube. Can we get my street back today, please?”

“I don’t know how you all are so calm. I’m scared shitless over here,” Sergeant Flywheel, a pegasus who was a mechanic before the war, called from the driver’s seat of his tank, “I haven’t slept since I shot that Crowny hiding in the bushes two nights ago.”

“Hey, Flywheel, if you’re gonna run over anyone make sure they’re on the enemy’s side, yeah?” Shady Oak laughed. Runnin’ over ponies. Laughin’ about it. Un-fuckin’-thinkable I’d be with ponies like that a few months ago. Even more unthinkable that I wouldn’t say nothin’ about it—but I didn’t.

The last round of shelling stopped right about when their conversation did, which meant it was time for me to take the reins.

“All right, y’all, there’s our opening. Heads on a swivel, ‘cause anypony left in the Old Quarter is gonna be waiting to ambush us. Gunners on your coaxials for close range. Roll out!” I pounded the top of my tank’s turret to signal my crew to start moving to the road. We rolled in a column into Baltimare with groups of infantry between each tank. The artillery did a damn good job, ‘cause most of the time rolling toward downtown was quiet, save for the rumbling of engines, stepping of hooves, and the occasional pop of a soldier’s rifle when they found a Crowny hiding in the rubble.

“We’re coming up to the Old Center, General Applejack. Should we just push on through and hope for the best?” Shady Oak asked.

“Hope don’t save surrounded ponies, Captain. Put the tanks in a fan and get some soldiers searching the buildings. All other soldiers on rest and ready.”

“Aye, General.” My company began sweeping the Old Center, an area of Baltimare that was considered downtown before the first skyscraper went up closer to Horseshoe Bay. It was a ring of buildings surrounding a statue of Celestia, which had been demolished by Ruby Crown. Even after the city got all modern, the Old Center kept being a place full of ponies, shops, and homes. If I had come here instead of Manehattan as a filly, I might’ve never come back to the farm.

It took my soldiers about three hours to finish their sweep of the buildings. Thankfully, nothing interesting happened until the end so we at least got some rest in. Even I lowered my hat for a spell and leaned against my tank’s tracks. Shady Oak woke me up,

“General Applejack, we’re about done clearing the buildings. We found some civilians, though. Looks like a family caught in the fight,” he said. The family was taken to the base of the destroyed statue, being watched by many of my troops. It was a stallion, a mare, and their little filly.

“I told him we had to leave months ago. A lot of ponies in the Old Quarter were against Celestia since way before the attack in Canterlot. When talk of her and the other Princesses ‘finally going down’ started happening, I knew things were about to get bad, but my husband insisted it was just talk and didn’t want to put our daughter through something like moving out of fear,” the mare explained when I asked how they were caught in all this.

“It’s true,” Ginger Beer nodded, “Half the patrons of my family’s bar were pretty hardcore anti-Princess. Thank Celestia I was on vacation in Canterlot when everything went down. When I saw the castle that night, I signed right up.” The couple’s filly ruffled her little feathers. I thought she was just nervous but couldn’t help but notice she moved right when Ginger Beer made her off-hoof comment about her vacation. I caught her gaze and she darted her eyes away.

“No need to be shy, little one. We’re here to help,” I smiled, bending down to meet her height.

“You’re General Applejack, right? We’re so glad it’s somepony like you who came through to save us,” the stallion spoke up.

“Happy to be here, partner,” I tilted my hat, “but y’know, I’m a tad bit curious about somethin’.” I tapped the back of my hat twice, a secret signal I taught to my captains and their crews that told them to get back to their tanks. The family tensed up when all the soldiers guarding them left my side.

“For one, your daughter got awful fidgety when Celestia was mentioned. I know the battlefield ain’t exactly a calming place for a filly, but I usually see relief when one of the Princesses comes up. Secondly, there’s no way any civilian pony would know I’m a general.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” the stallion stuttered, “Anypony would expect Equestria’s greatest heroes to lead the Royal armies, especially with all the defectors…”

“Right, right, the defectors. Boy, our top brass was sure put in a scramble when we lost a bunch of officers to the other side. That, by the way, is something your average civilian shouldn’t know,” I said. The stallion took a cautious step back. I’d found them out. “Someone like one of the Crown family might know, though. Ain’t that right… Ruby?”

Ruby Crown’s face soured right quick, and she pulled out a pistol from under her dress with her magic. I dove and tackled the filly as Ruby shot at me. The stallion pulled a rifle out of his saddle bag and began firing at my soldiers but was turned to paste when a slug from my tank’s machine gun hit him. At the same time, a bunch of hidden Crownies popped out of hiding in buildings and potholes covered by rubble around the Old Center and began attacking us from all sides. All that caution and we were still caught in an ambush.

“Ginger, where you at?” I called over my radio after ducking into cover with the filly, “Get this little one out of this battle, now!”

“I didn’t get to the tank in time. I’m behind an overturned cart by the bakery! I see you!” Ginger responded. I saw a hoof wave.

I turned to the filly, “You see that cart over there, sugarcube? My friend’s gonna take you in one of our tanks where you’ll be safe, you got it?” The filly stared at me with wide eyes and nodded. “On my signal… go!” The filly dashed off to Ginger Beer, who emerged with two other soldiers and made a break for their tank. One was killed on the way, but she, the driver, and the filly managed to reach the tank.

“Now for you, ya plum crazy mare,” I grunted to myself. Ruby Crown had also retreated to cover. I could hear her screamin’ orders as well as the same damn assurances we’ve been hearing her soldiers yell at us since this campaign began. “Glory,” my applebuckin’ ass. Peeking over the short wall I was using as cover, I saw Ruby Crown just a few meters away from me. Judging by how engrossed she was in keeping herself alive, she didn’t notice that I was so close. Once a couple of her soldiers rushed away from her into battle, I made my move. I jumped over the wall and made a beeline for Ruby Crown. I slammed into her and pinned her forehooves behind her back, binding them with a length of rope I carried in my saddlebag.

“Gotcha!” I said.

“Argh! Dammit! When did you—” Ruby’s hissin’ at me was interrupted by the building above us being blasted and raining down bricks on us. Only after that did I notice my radio was crackling.

“—Equestrians clear the area! Battleship shells inbound! Repeat, all Equestrians in the Old Center clear the area! Griffon battleship shells inbound!” The Griffonstone Navy must have just come in range as we rolled into the Old Center. I told myself I was gonna both hug and punch the stuffing out of whoever called in the strike, but while we were being rained on wasn’t the time.

“Tanks, get movin’ to downtown! Infantry form up on the armor! Don’t get hit by flyin’ rocks!” I called over my radio. I started to run toward my own tank with Ruby tied up on my back, but saw that it was just a burning wreck. It must have been destroyed in the ambush. “Flywheel! You got room for two extra?”

“Everypony but me and my driver are gone, so yeah, it’s pretty spacious in here! Flag’s up, we’re the lead tank!” Shady called back. The Equestrian flag rose from a hatch on the tank in the front of the formation heading out of the square. I made a break for it and tossed Ruby up top, her shriekin’ bloody murder the entire time.

I hopped up on the slowly moving tank. “Pull her in, Flywheel!”

“What the fuck—you captured her?” Flywheel said. A laser flew over my head, nearly grazing my hat.

“Do what I say before I hog-tie you, too!” I yelled. He growled more of his disdain but pulled Ruby Crown into the tank. I followed after. I grabbed the tank’s radio, which was stronger than the one in my pack, to call to the griffons. “This is General Applejack. Y’all nearly flattened us, too, but we’re clear now. Pound them Crownies into dust! Meet you at the harbor.” I stared in Ruby Crown’s eyes as I called for the destruction of her followers. She had stopped struggling, but I could still feel her rage boring into me from her eyes. As the last of my tanks and soldiers exited the Old Center the shelling from the Griffonstone Navy got heavier. Not that there was much left of it in the first place, but there wouldn’t be an Old Center by the time they were done.

It took an hour before the ringing of the battle got out of my ears. As we neared downtown we enjoyed relative quiet. Ruby had stopped complaining, sitting in the tank just staring at me and the back of Flywheel’s head as we planned our next move. The tank’s radio crackled to life.

“General, it’s lieutenant Ginger. Permission to speak freely?”

“You know I ain’t big on formalities. Shoot,” I responded.

“Why’d you have us take the kid? She was with the Crownies.”

“She’d be part of the dust if we left her in the Old Center. Little ones ain’t gotta suffer just ‘cause of the grown ponies around ‘em making bad decisions.”

“I agree,” Ruby Crown spoke up suddenly. Her voice was strangely calm, a far cry from the loud protests she was making when I captured her. It terrified me. Our eyes locked and we had a silent conversation.

“Lieutenant, search the filly.” The radio was silent for a moment.

“AJ, she’s rigged.”

“Let me talk to her,” I said. There was a rustling sound as the transceiver changed hooves.

“Babygirl, you gotta listen to me. Everything they’ve been tellin’ you is a lie. I don’t know if you know me, but I’m Applejack, and any of the ponies around you right now are gonna tell you that every word out of my mouth is the truth. Equestria is a great place. It’s your home. It’s been amazing for a longer time than even the oldest of ponies have been alive. All the bad things happening now, all the hurtin’, it’s ‘cause Ruby Crown and the ponies around her are mighty upset, and they’re takin’ it out on Princess Celestia and her friends in the worst possible way.” I paused to give her a chance to respond.

“But why are you killing each other? If Celestia and the Princesses are so good, no one would get mad at them, right?” she asked.

I sighed, “I… I really don’t know, sugarcube. Even grown ponies don’t know everything. I promise you, though, you take those straps off and you’re gonna be happy. You’re gonna grow up and see the world and maybe have some fillies of your own one day. How ‘bout it, huh?” I waited for an answer. I could hear the rumbling of the tanks’ engines, the sound of soldiers’ hooves, and the static of the radio, but it might as well have been dead silent. A smile creeped across Ruby Crown’s face.

“Princess Luna took my friend away one night. I get to be with her again if I fight for Ruby. She’s my best friend in the whole world.”
“Ginger, open up the hatch—”
“For a new Equestria.” Shady Oak’s tank exploded, killing him, Ginger Beer, the crew and several soldiers around it. Ruby Crown cackled, as if to accentuate the explosion. She wasn’t worth responding to.
“What’s happening? Another ambush?” Another tank’s commander called over the radio.
“No, it was… the kid was a bomb, everypony. I…I’m sorry I missed it. ID the dead and let’s keep moving.”

Eventually, we reached the harbor at Horseshoe Bay, where small Griffon warships had docked. We exchanged details of our battles, and I presented Ruby Crown.

“I’m surprised she was so close to the front lines,” The Griffon general, Gallant, said, observing the bound Ruby Crown escorted by a couple of my soldiers.

“I reckon my artillery caught her by surprise and she stayed put while the tanks rolled in. It was enough time to set up that sneaky ambush, though. Call myself preparing for it but they still got us.”

“You’re alive, though, and you won in the end. Savor your victories, General Applejack.”

“I’d rather not. She used a damn filly to get one last swipe at us.”

“Ah, yes, I heard. Tragic, that.” Gallant’s aloofness irked me something fierce, but the bulk of my anger was elsewhere. “What do you want to do with her?” he asked.

“I’m gonna flip a coin,” I said. An actual coin wasn’t what I had in mind, though. I grabbed a pistol from my saddlebag and went over to Ruby Crown.

She scoffed as she saw me approaching, “So this is how Celestia’s ‘general’ operates. You’ll kill a pony while she’s tied up? While she can’t fight back? How honest. How harmonious.”

I pulled back the hammer, “You get one chance to come out of this alive, Ruby. You’ll be in a cell for the rest of your natural born days, but you’ll be alive. Now I’m gonna ask you a question, and your answer will decide whether go under in Equestria…” I pointed to the water, “Or just off its coast.”

“What, you want troop movements? The locations of the other Crown family members? Whatever you want, you won’t get it. My loss is—”

“Was she yours?” I asked sternly. She stayed silent. “The filly. It was only for a moment, but I saw a piece of her cutie mark. Looked an awful lot like a crown.” Ruby stared at me more. I couldn’t even read her eyes.

“She shows just how easy it is to lull the naïve. She’s not the only foal to—”

“Was. She. Yours,” I repeated myself.

Ruby’s face contorted into a scowl, “Are you going to kill me if I say yes?”

“I’m gonna kill you if you lie to me,” I told her. She glared at me, those red eyes of hers unblinking.

“If only you knew. If only—” My pistol’s bullet stopped her sentence short. Flywheel watched it all unfold. He stared between Ruby Crown’s lifeless body and me. He joined my stride beside me as I walked away. Other soldiers moved in to store her body.

“Wow, Applejack. That was… brutal. If I can speak freely: I’ve seen you fight, but I’ve never seen you… kill.”

“Neither have I,” I said flatly.

“But you didn’t hesitate, not even for a second. I thought with you being the Element of Honesty you’d at least think about it.”

“I did think about it. I’ve been thinkin’ about it since before this campaign, Sarge. Bein’ honest isn’t the same as bein’ right. Least not in this case.” I waited for Flywheel to say something, but he stayed quiet. “I made a choice to be honest with myself. It wasn’t right and it won’t be right for the rest of my life, but it was honestly what I wanted to do.” There was a bit more silence before Flywheel spoke up.

“So, Ruby Crown. Was she lying?” he asked.

“I have no idea.”