Author's Note

*AHEM* Light gore warning. Avert your eyes if your squeamish.

Chapter 19 - We'll Protect you Prin-...cess? OH, SWEET CELESTIA WHAT IS GOING ON!?

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

0700 Hours. Castle of Friendship.

Three Alicorns one of pink, one of white, the other of lavender. Sit on the crystal balcony of the Castle of Friendship, as they both watch Celestia raise the sun... Safety at this point, is but an ideal wish.

"It's really happening isn't it?" Twilight asks her friend, sadness clinging to her voice.

"I'm afraid so... But the evacuations are almost complete. I just hope that the Guard has managed to reach and evacuate the other towns in the area..." Cadence replies.

"Its entirely my fault... Luna knew that this could happen but i kept postponing the date to send an envoy to negotiate rendering aid. Then the captain attacked the humans, and instead of sending aid to them, i feared for the lives of those who'd transport it... The only reason they're attacking us is because we let them build the fallacy that we're monsters out to eliminate them. We should of acted sooner..." Celestia says with regret evident as she watches her sun hang in the sky.

Gabby walks out onto the balcony and joins the three princesses. "I never get used to how beautiful this view is..."

The three look to the grey griffon before looking back to the spectacle before them, smiling in the relief from their stressful, dire situation. No matter how brief said relief was, it was a gift.

"This may be Somepony's last chance to see it... I understand that the humans are scared to death of us, and we've reacted terribly to their plight... But to overthrow their current leadership and start a civil war between themselves to attack Ponies indiscriminately... I knew it could get bad but... Not this bad, this fast..." Twilight mumbled to nopony in particular.

"YOUR HIGHNESS'S!" Everyone on the outdoor area turns around to the doorway to the balcony, Luke slides to a halt in the doorway. "You all need to come inside immedi-" His body locks up. He stands on the spot petrified, staring into Celestia's sun.

All on the balcony turned to look at the sun, all except Celestia have to raise a limb over their eyes to avoid blinding themselves. They all see nothing that would warrant this reaction.

"Whats got you spooked Luke?" Gabby asks as she flies over to him. Gabby's question breaks the human out of his trance. he bolts over to the three princesses and pulls Cadence and Celestia by their chest pieces and pushing Twilight towards the door. Eventually everyone gets the message and begins walking off the balcony.

"RUN! DON'T WALK! RUN! GET INSIDE AND HIDE UNDER SOMETHING SOLID!" He yells in desperation, causing all to pick up their pace as they begin to dart down the stairs. Gabby hovers off to the side of the stairs and looks back to the sun one last time before heading inside. Only, the suns grown many black spots.

"What are those? The sun doesn't have spots..." shes yelled at by Luke once more.

"Get under cover!" The lithe Australian stops, leaning over the stairs railing he yells with as much volume as possible. "EVERYONE GET UNDER SOLID COVER! AIR RAID INC-"

((Dont watch the video its for background immersion. Start video at 13 seconds and let it finish by itself. NOTE: you may need to play the video multiple times if you wish...))

His voice is drowned out by a cacophony of banshee like wails and screams that send all the ponies in the castle into a frenzy, hiding under tables and other furniture, standing under the thick crystalline door frames and arches, Any and all cover available is used, except for a handful who either stand on the spot petrified, or duck low and hide their heads under their hooves at the barrage of sound.

Every few seconds the screams of both aircraft and terrified ponies are drowned out by a loud explosion that causes the floor to lightly shake. In several instances the explosions are muffled and the sounds of nearby buildings caving in on themselves is heard for a second before the next scream or wail dominates everyone's hearing.

On two occasions the attacking aircraft targeted the castle itself. The wails and howls of Jericho trumpets drilled into the heads of every living creature in the castle, making everyone's ears ring. Shortly after the wails would die down an explosion would rock the castle, sending books flying off their shelves, and causing the chandeliers to bounce and dance on their chains. Dowsing all below in liquid wax.

Wail after wail, the ten minute long assault continued for what felt like an eternity. And by Mist Cougar standards, was an eternity for their doctrine of mobile warfare. The Stuka' pilots would only drop one bomb on each pass in an attempt at delivering the maximum destruction they could with their limited payloads. With each pass they aimed for the thatch roofs of the many buildings in Ponyville. Their improvised fragmentation bombs plowing through the structures roof before exploding inside on the level beneath. The sudden force of the weaponized 50mm, 75mm, 88mm, 150mm and 380mm compressed air cylinders exploding inside the medieval structures blew out windows, blasted the roofs off, and often even removed the level they exploded in off the structure entirely. But often enough whole structures just caved in on-top of themselves like houses of cards.

In their blood boiling hatred for the creatures below them, the Cougars wanted to put the fear of god into the animals whom mercilessly slaughtered their friends and family... And that they did... Run. After run. After run. On and on. Below the cloud of forty seven aircraft, several smoke plumes began rising into the heavens, as rubble from the exploding structures around town knocked over oil lamps and blew still smoldering coals from the fireplaces and stoves of the various homes and businesses around the wreckage of the town.

One particularly over zealous JU-88 pilot nearly crashed into the Castle of Friendship, in order to aim his bombs at one of the many windows that once held beautiful stained glass windows. His right wingtip only barely managing to miss colliding with the central spire.

Eighteen of the twenty two bombs he carpet bombed the castle with missed the windows exploding harmlessly outside on the castles crystalline structure, the hailstorm of shrapnel the bombs had been coated with shredded the gardens below to a post-apocalyptic scene that would give any avid gardener PTSD. Two 75mm bombs however, found their target.

From under the Cedar desk she and Cadence shared, The Princess of night watched in horror. As two silver cylinders, close in appearance to those she'd seen whilst dream walking. Whistle as they glide through the windows, over the heads of the ponies in the library door frame, and disappear out of sight, followed almost immediately by an explosive pop that caused her hearing to cease for a minute and her vision to temporarily blur, she attempted to stand only to immediately fall back onto her belly, her senses performing cartwheels.

Once her hearing returned to her. The absence of the Stuka's war-cries made her think she was still absent of her hearing, until the sobs and cries of pain from her petrified subjects, whom took refuge in the castle reached her.

Eliza climbed out form under an overturned bookshelf only to have near a dozen spears be pointed into her face. Celestia was furious. "CEASE this at ONCE!" She yelled to her guard, her hearing still damaged.

All the spears dispersed from Eliza's presence as she was enveloped in a golden aura and placed back on her feet next to Celestia. Whom brushed glass fragments off of her shoulders with an outstretched wing.

"Thanks" Eliza said with a grateful smile, which Celestia returned.

"Its not your fault. These events are out of your control. and even then, i wouldn't blame you, although i certainly cant agree this is a good thing. One might say, we had this coming..." She said with grievance.

Medics dashed past the two as they ran to a screaming mare trying to get attention in the library's doorway. once she turned and ran ahead of the medics everyone noticed the bloody hoof-prints she left and she ran.

Eliza sprinted across the room to the door, nearly tripping several times over debris but always managing to recover. upon skidding to a stop, she gasps cant look away, the scene shes confronted with is like that of a horror movie.

In the corner of the foyer, a small group of civilians were shaking like leaves, several still trapped under the shredded mutilated bodies of the guards whom saw the bombs hurtling through the castle and just managed to shield them. Over half the foyer was painted red, and bits of pony clung to every surface, vertical or not.

The fact that the carpet on the stairs was reduced to a rats-nest of shredded, tangled strands and the stairs themselves had huge chips missing out of them indicated the bombs impact point. Various foreign debris such as nuts, bolts, shredded ration cans, even green and brown bottle glass littered the rooms floor.

"W-We're nothing... but S-sadistic monsters..." Eliza stutters as she fell to her hands and knees in the doorway. Eliza had collapsed into a pile of shattered glass, but was in too much mental shock to feel the pain from the dozens of cuts she just gained. Luna picked the distressed woman up in her magic and sat her back down on a clean patch of flooring, before using her magic to numb any pain that she may have been, but wasn't feeling.

'I Cant heal her, not until every bit of glass is removed...' The teary eyed princess thought to herself.

Several Civilians had to be slapped or shook out of screaming fits but all the wounds to the surviving ponies appeared to only be mental. Not like that was any better however...

Most of the Guards soon recovered from the affects of the the raid, and had begun moving civilians to the remaining un-destroyed wagons outside.

They're pace increased when Luke moved from guard to guard, quietly informing them that the raiding party will be back in about half an hour with full bomb loads to support the incoming infantry and tanks.

The rumbling growl of near one hundred engines filled the room, causing several ponies to return to their screaming fits, yelling out about 'how they've come back to kill us'

Luke ascended the stairs and was greeted by the sight of a moving field, almost one hundred tanks were rolling through the fields between The Everfree and the smoking smoldering ruins of the town. Much to his disgust... He saw a dozen tanks from his team in amongst the incoming wall of armour. Three skink Anti-air Shermans, Two Kangaroo infantry carriers. And eight Sentinel tanks, each of the latter being the newest vehicles purchased by the team. their armaments ranging from two Maxim machine guns and either an seventeen pounder Anti-tank cannon or a twenty-five pounder Howitzer.

The sound of marching filled the air. Before long a column of infantry could be seen marching quad-file through the cluttered streets. Officers on horseback barking orders ferally down to their troops, whom only yelled back their responses with equally as much rage. Rather alarmingly they numbered that of a battalion, and all the troops in Mist Cougar uniforms where singing 'Marschiert in Feindesland'. Which was consequentially rapidly depleting the morale of the troops from the various other teams marching in formation with them...

The seen resembled that of the March scene in 'Fury'

((Watch if you want to hear the marching and lyrics... You really dont have to though. I just added this for those whom are curious or wanted to hear what the scene sounded like))

And that's a terrifying prospect. If they've gone that fanatical for revenge, we're all screwed...

Luke stands on the stairs looking out through the narrow window down into the streets below as they turned into flowing rivers of revenge crazed infantry. 'Is this what my grandfather felt like in the battle of Hürtgen Forest?... I'm fucking terrified...' Luke noticed that at some point whilst viewing the spectacle his legs had begun threatening to buckle and his hands were shaking.

Twilight noticed Luke shrink back slowly from the window before resting his back against the wall it sat in, and slowly slide down the wall looking defeated. walking up to his side she noticed the terrified look plastered over his face. She rears up on her hind legs before looking out of the window. 'Oh...No... There's no way we can even hope to last five minutes against this many... we're all doomed...'

Luke was bought out of his trance when Twilight's leg brushed up against his shoulder. Looking to his right he finds himself eye level with her cutie-mark. His eyes wander up to her face. For some reason he cant narrow down. Either the look of fear shes currently wearing, or the tears welling up in the edges of her eyes, or her shaking in fear, either or all of these factors combined makes something inside himself click. His hand reaching over and retrieving his Garand from the floor, he pulls the action back before pushing a full clip of ammunition into his rifle.

Twilight's ear twitches at the distinct sound of the weapons mechanism being messed with. "What are you doing? Your not going to fight them are you?! You cant win!" She exclaims in disbelief.

"I We have no choice. Our loyalty lies with Johnna, and your all innocent. Its out Obligation to follow Johnna's last orders. Which consist of act as Mediators, with is Johnna speak for 'keep them alive and out of trouble whilst negotiating with them, your responsibility mate.'" With his clip in the rifle he presses it down with his thumb, causing the action to cycle forward. quickly removing his hand from the operating rod. With a loud metallic 'clak' He rises to his feet with his weapon across his chest. "Enemy troops at the gates mates. Our job to protect them, or at least provide enough resistance to let them escape." The man says with a grin. Eliza hears this and begins to stand on her shaking legs. picking up her Owens gun, she wobbles over to the group of humans forming up in the Foyer.

All the ponies watching this just look on in shock that the humans would still attempt a resistance whilst being outnumbered so hopelessly. Luke hugs Eliza whilst pecking her on the cheek, causing the woman to recover slightly from her mental staggering. "STOP!" Twilight yells from the library doors into the Foyer. Grimacing at the mess the 'improvised' weapons left. "You'll all DIE if you fight them! You can't possibly beat all those soldiers! DOESN'T YOUR LIVES MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU!" She yells with a surprising amount of concern for all parties, the library falls completely silent, as every-pony watched on in shock.

"Of course we don't want to die! But if we don't at least delay them, We're all going to die! Every last one of us! At worst if we fail the same thing will still happen, but theres still a chance that we may have reinforcements! So we're going to fight. Even if its in-vain!"

"How... How can you still find resolve in knowing that your throwing your lives down?" Twilight asked in tears. The humans response made Twilight cringe.

"Better to die fighting, beit for your own life, or others. Then to die cowering in a corner pleading for non-existent mercy."

With that the humans began to drag Crystal furniture from the library into the foyer. Readying themselves for a fight to the last bullet.

During all of this the guards-ponies had just finished carrying the last of their wounded and fallen comrades and civilians though the doors, before slamming them shut and pushing as much as possible up against the door.

Eliza had set up her radio in the library so that the ponies could hear if any reinforcements were coming. the guards had half blocked the door way into their final stronghold with crystal book shelves. We're currently hiding behind our improvised crystal barricades in the foyer checking out final ammo count one last time. 'I don't think paint rounds are going to do much... especially when they have actual bullets... Oh well. Triple tap each it is then...' Eliza thinks to herself with an unusual calm considering the situation... 'Why is it that cliche of 'when ever you know your gonna die you feel so calm?' actually true?'

==Lukes perspective=

The sound of Caterpillar tracks ceases for two minutes before a shadow appears under the doors. Everyone aims down their iron sights in anticipation.

...

...

...

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The loud thumps against the door echoes around the foyer, several gasps could be heard from the library to our backs. I give one last hug to my sweetheart before leaving the cover of our makeshift defensive-line... as i inch towards the door, aiming down my Garand's sights, the sounds of hooves on the floor behind me causing me to cease my cautious advance before turning around. My eyes lock with those of the princesses. "Your highness's! Get to cover immediately! This is no place for you! Your people need yo-" My angered rant was cut off rather quickly by that of Luna's motherly tone.

"I don't know how royalty works were your from Luke. But my sister and I have lead our subjects into battles of hopeless odds before. And besides, our Ability's are not to be underestimated." Luna finished by smiling warmly.

I let out a few stutters, but soon gave up, understanding that arguing with Royalty, was as productive as arguing with children. You give them advice, and tell them not to touch the stove, and they go and do it anyway behind your back anyway. Just get behind the barricade! My friends will need protection more than i will."

"Why's that? your the one answering the door? The same door with hundreds of armed soldiers on the other side..." Luna asks in confusion.

"Because when i answer it i'm more than likely going to just get shot in the face by a sniper." My blunt monotone made Twilight look squeamish. To be honest though... at this point i was fairly certain that wasn't too hard...

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

I turn to face the door, inhaling deeply, I yell "Cant you see the porch light isn't on?! We aint' got no candy for you children! So FUCKOFF!"

For about half a minute after my comment, that had the princesses looking at me in confusion, All i heard was a C.O Arguing with someone else on the other side of the door. Then, My heart fell through my stomach and butterflies of fear flew through me. The sound that caused this? A low pitched mechanical whine, followed shortly afterwards by the grinding of gears. Without even speaking I grab Celestia and Luna by their breastplates, since they were the two princesses who stayed by my side. Twilight having moved back into the Library to protect the civilians. And Cadence behind the barricades with half of the guards.

Pulling Both princesses off their hooves i drag/fall to the right pulling them with me. As we all hit the floor, The doors explode into table sized chunks that collapse into the foyer.

As we all look up, we find much to our surprise that we are not currently smothered under enemy forces. In fact, the foyer is still empty. A voice echos through the now doorless front entrance. "Surrender now, and you shall live!"

I Turn back to the doorway from the floor. "Fuckoff ya bastard! I know your gonna kill us all!" My words are met with nothing but silence...

A Squad of eight soldiers from my team walks casually through the door like they own the place... Upon seeing me prone on the floor, my rifle aimed at their necks. they freeze before raising their hands. 'Whilst the armour stops your from being injured. it still hurts like hell and leaves you breathless when your hit in the neck...'

I Stood up from the floor, without taking my rifle off their squad leader. "Turn round, slow, and form a wall at the entrance. MOVE!" Nodding the forms about face in the direction they just came, and slowly walk with their hands in the air back to the door.

The princesses and I walk to the entrance being them, using them as shields from the abundance of pissed off riflemen aiming at us. The C.O whom appeared to be in charge of this detachment stepped in front of the infantry. I then noticed a Kingtiger 10.5 parked behind the infantry.

And a tan coloured Sentinel 17 pounder with brown and green splotches parked behind and off-center to that as well.

(( This is the Sentinel 17 pounder for ye' who be curious))

My, My, My. Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh Dear... He repeats in a mocking tone. So THIS!-" He gestures not only to I and the princesses, but the visible defensive line of humans and ponies, and the library fort further behind that. "- Is the 'Legendary' Resistance of Johnna whom had my troops pissing their pants!" He turns to face his battalion. "P A T H E T I C" He yells back to them with enough force that he almost doubled over in his yell.

Turning back to us he looks into my eyes with his glare. "Step aside. We have a job to do here!" Returning his glare i stare back into his corrupted soul, but something about his eyes keeps putting me off. His pupils appear to have a green outline with a faint orange glow to them. The shade of the ruined trees around us highlighted that little fact.

Celestia had begun silently muttering something to herself when we all noticed his eyes. But his voice snapped us all back to reality.

"Then, Y O U D I E!" He yelled back with a near primal rage. Raising his right hand above his head, he throws a pointing gesture towards us, all the while wearing a sadistic toothy grin. With a mechanical whine the Kingtigers turret begins to swing to its left, whilst the muzzle of its 105MM cannon lowers down to our level. With the grind of gears the turret slows its traverse and stops with the gun aiming at us.

A Sergeant in my teams camouflage practically leaps forward alongside the Commanding Officer. "SIR! Have you lost your collective Marbles?! My Men are infr-" He's cut off as the C.O Draws his pistol and shoots him in the stomach. The officer collapses to his knees gripping his abdomen. This scene causes all the troops in Wallaroo's colours behind them to look on in shock, before they all begin to surge forward to help their wounded officer.

The C.O in Mist Cougar grey raises his pistol to their advance, pointing to each of them. "BACK! Everybody back in formation I Say! Or I'll shoot you all like dogs!" Everyone stands there mortified at the scene before them. The officers actions had Luna and Celestia repulsed. Even the Commander of the Sentinel tank at the end of the street opened his positions hatch and half climbed out of his tank, looking through his binoculars in disbelief.

With a loud burst of static from the library. The Radio crackled to life. The familiar voice of Emily cuts through the noise, causing all the soldiers in the street to lock up and look to each-other in disbelief.

"To all Forces! This message is directed at you!-"

"Wait.. what?"

"how is this possible? Wasn't she supposed to have been assassinated by the horses special forces?"

"Thats what i heard..."

"I Now understand that not all of you are acting on the will to harm others with fowl intent... But instead, act upon the fallacy's of this rebellions leader. Staff Sergeant Nikoli Markoran, Code name: Big Bear. As you can tell! Your team leaders still live! And i'm afraid i have shocking news. Our lives were put into jeopardy. The rebellion opened fire upon us with live rounds. Both I And Johnna sustained gunshot wounds. The legendary Jamargy sisters fates as of current are unknown, however they were wounded severely during the short resistance we were able to put up against the rebels, and are feared dead-" All the soldiers in the street looked shocked at the news. and several had begun to glare daggers into the back of the C.O's head.

"By proceeding with your actions. You are all Endangering the lives of Innocent beings. Mothers, their children. Fathers. Brothers. Sisters. And their sons and daughters. The young and Old are in danger by your actions! You threaten their lives, livelihood and right to freedom and equal rights by proceeding with this act of immeasurable violence against a civilization that has not seen war on over a millennia!"

An angered Mist Cougar Corporal yells into his friends radio backpack."THEY KILLED OUR PEOPLE FIRST! WE'VE DONE NOTHING TO THEM! BUT THEY'VE DONE PLENTY TO US! THEY GET WHATS COMIN'! THEY CHOSE THEIR SIDE!"

Several of the civilian ponies inside the library were crying to themselves as they made their preparations and accepted their possible but seemingly assured fates.

Emily's partially distorted voice returns after a short silence. "I Fear that we, your leaders are to blame for this series of events as well... You've all placed your trust in us, and we withheld information from you. The attack against us. Was not an act ordered by the Equestrians leaders. Nor its people! The massacre of our people was carried out by an over cautious glory seeking captain, his troops were forced by cultural pressure to obey the orders of their captain, however over two thirds of the aggressors force realized that the captain was acting on that of his own agenda, and abandoned his command, returning to their barracks to face punishment for abandoning their posts..." Everyone looked to each-other in a confused state of shock, and disorder began rapidly becoming evident in their ranks.

Glaring at the scene before him, the C.O Climbs on top of the Kingtiger before sticking his head through the open hatch of the radioman position in the tanks hull.

"The 'Tan Tabbies' Posted a report before the Rebellion started, They witnessed the Equines leaders perform a public punishment of all the survivors that returned from the failed attack on the Mist Cougars. All survivors were publicly stripped of their rank, shamed, Then taken into custody and marched to their capital in chains. As Prisoners.

Befo͘re͡ ̷t͟h͢ȩ Cou̡p̢-de-tat͘ s͜tart̴ed, J͢o͠hnn͝á, Di̶m̢it́r̶i ̵aǹd ͘I ̛wer̵e i̵ǹ ̴the mid́dle o̴f ͢a͢ r̶a͡d̸io̷ c̸al̨l wit͠h th͞e̢ Éq̢u͟i̶n̕eş lȩade̵rs. ͢Th̸e͠y͞ co̧ņta̢cte͜d u̧s͟, A͝p͠o̸l͠o̶giz҉ed.͟ ̀ac͜c͡epte҉d ręs̸p̧o̷ǹsibility for̡ ͟all̴o͜w̶in͞g t̶h͜e̸ir̢ guar̵d̢s ̢to͟ fly҉ ̧of̷f ̧the h́a͞ǹdle̷, ͡the͜n ̴wi͡s͝he̛d ̷t̀o̡ sign͟ of͠f́i͜c̕ia̷l d͜o̴c̛um̕en̴t͘s t̡ha͏t ͠pr͏ot̶ec͢t́ o͞ur̛ spe̷c̀i͟ès̸ fr̛o̢m ̕a͡ny͜ fur̸th҉ęr su͡ch̀ v̡iơl͢e̸n͟ce ̴a̴gai͝n͟şt u͢s͜.̢ ̴T͞HE̸Y͝. ̨N̨ĘV̡E̡Ŗ.̀ ̕WA̧ŅT͞ED.̵ ̢V͢IOĹENCE! So̕, ͏A̶re w̕ę g҉oing͜ tó b̀rut̛all͜y m̢u͝r͢de͞r ͟th̶e͜ir͏ ̀i̴nn̶o̴cèn̷t̨ ̴b̕ecause̶ ͠o͘f̵ ̛th͝e̶ act͘i̷o̧nś ̸o͢f͘ a ̕f͜ew? ͝A҉re̷ ́yo̵u ͜wi̶ll҉i҉ng tơ ̀s͢ta͞in͢ ̛yo͟u͢r̡ ̧h̕ánd͟s͜ ̢w͜i҉t̛h t̸he bl͠o͢o̡d͠ ͘of ̷t͜h͏e ̧inn͜oce͠n͠t?̴ ̛B̶eca̡u͜se ́i̢f y҉o̧u̵ ́are, t̨he̵n s̸adl͞y,҉ y͜ou̶r no̵ ̵d͞if͠fere͝n̸t̨ tha̛n th̀e ͟R̛óg͘ùe͟ ́C̴a͡p̧t̸ai̸n ẁho͝ ̴comm̢anded̷ ̴t͠h̷e M͜a͜ss͡aćre͠ ͡ag̕ai̡nst͏ ́u̵s"͟ The sudden deterioration in the transmission quality had Twilight yelling over the library door fortifications to the 'foyer line'.

"Whats going on? Whys it getting worse?" She questions. Rabbit responds with.

"Someones trying to jam the signal!" He yells over the developing static.

"T҉̴͜h̴ì͟s is͠͡ ̡C̵apt̸̷a̸i̧͢͟n̴҉͠ ̀͠J́͠ám͢͡es̵͞͞ ͡J̶̀a̵͝͠c̡̀̀k̡sǫ͢n̶͏,̷̧͘ ͡҉͝of͜҉ ͏t̶h̶e̵̶ F̸͜l̸͠ý̴i̢͢n͘͏g̷͜ ̀fo͠҉rt͘҉r̸e̶s̶͠ś̵̡.͢ ̀͠'͠R̴̢̀a̡͢͠t̀͡t̨ą-̴̀t̶á͞t̶͜ ͟͝ta̛͡t̛́ ̕͞͞t̶́͟a̴b̵͡b̧̧i̷͡͡e ҉̶c̴̛͟a͜t̨̕͞'̕.̧͢͞ ͠W̸͘e̷'̨̛r̵̨e̡͝ ̷w͘it҉h̴͜͜ ̡̛͘ỳ̴̀ou̵̴ ̴͡E̶m̨i͏l̛͜y!̸̀͞.

"͞W͏o̡n̸de͏r͢f̵ul!͢ S̷i͟mp̀ly ҉W̡o̧n͠d̷e͏rful͠! You'̶v͢e̡ ąll̶ ma̵d͏e̕ t҉h͜e͜ ̢H͢u̢m̴àņ ̕r̵ąc͠e ͢pr͢oud! At̨ten̢ti̡ơn t͟o̵ a͘ll͝ f̷orce͞s o͝f̵ t̸he ̀C̀oal͠i̴tio͟n҉! ̸Swi҉t̴c͡h́ ͝y̵ơur ̨IF̷F͜ t̷a͠g͢s͞ ̀ov҉e͜r҉ to̵:̷ ͜S͞t͏a̶r, ͠S̴t͟ar,͘ thr͠ee,̸ ͏f͢iv̢e̴ f҉ive,͞ seven̢,͞ o͘ne, st͟ar.͘ A͘nyo̧ne͘ ̶ẁh͘o͢ ̶d̵o͟e̵sn't swi̸t̷ch͞ ͢t͝he҉ir IF͞F̧ ̡ta͏ģ tò t́his fr̕eq͢ue̡n̢c̶y is an̷ ̡e̕nemy̡. Su҉b͜d͜u͢e t͠hem͘ ̨w͝i̕ţhóut cáusin̡g ͠m̵o͢r͡t̀aļ h̴arm̢.̵ ̨In͟ t͏hȩ ͢case͟ of ͟ai̡r̕cr͝af҉t͘. D͢amag̡e then in̨ ͏a ̀ma̴nor w̨hich̡ ͢ca͟u̴se̕s̸ the aircŕaf҉ţ to͠ ͜fo͞ŗc̴e ̶an҉ e͏m҉erg͢ęncy̷ ͡land̡i̛ng̸ o͝r̶ the c͜r͡ew͢ ͏to̶ ̀bai͞l ͟o͝ut. ̀D͞oņ'҉t ̡kil̸l a̢n̶ybod͏y ̷i͘f͏ a̴t͏ ̵al̛l p̢o͘ss͏i͞bl͝e, ̨un҉le̷ss i̸̴̛͜t҉̵́s̕͟ ̷̵̶̧́a̸͜͠ ̵͠l͏̸̨͟à̵͟͞s̶̨̢͠t̵̨͡͏̀ ̴̛͞҉p҉̨́҉ǫ͏̵̢͞ş̸̵̀͞ş̶͝i̸̶̧͢b̨͝l̸͏̢͝è̸̸̷͡ ̸̸͠͡ŕ͘͜͡͝e̴̡s̀̕͞o̷̢̢r̵̢̀҉͢t̴̕͢͝ ́͟͢͡p̧ļ̨͝͏ę͢͜á̕s̀͝͠͠e̡͏͏͞!͟҉͢ ̢͝i̵̕n̡͢ ̷͞͝t̸̢̀͢͢h́́̕͢͜e̛͘͢͜ ̷͟͢͠c̸̕á̷͡s̵̡e̴͘ ̵͠҉̵̛o̴͏̵f͜͟͡ ̧͢͝͠T͝͞a҉͢҉̧n̨͏k̴͏s̵̡̀ ̵͘̕a̕͢͝ǹ҉ḑ̷̧̛ ́҉̡͢ó͢͜t̸͟͡h͘͡e̷̵͘ŗ̷́͟͞ ̵͘͜͡A̸r̵̢m̨͏́͞ǫ̕͏͜ų̨͟͝r̸̡̡̕ȩ̸͠ḑ̶̷͟͞ ̸̡v̀͢҉̕é̷͟͟h̡̕͝ì̢c̢͡l̷͞͡é̴̢̛͢s̛͏,̴̧͢͡ ̵̴͢͜͡D̶́͟i̢̛͜͠s͞͏ąb̢͠҉̧̕l̷͞͠͝í̴̵͝n̸̸ǵ͡͞ ̧͡t̕h̶҉è̕͡m̶̢͝ ҉͏̶V̴̸i̕͘͠a̷̡̧ ̵̛͝͞e̡̨̛͟ń̵̵̡͞ǵ͠ì͞ń̶e̶̵ ͜s̸̨̛h͞҉o҉̨͝͡t̕͏̵ş̴͢ ̷̵̴͝i̴̡̢s҉͝҉͘͝ ͟͟r̡̛̀͢͝è͝c̴͢͠͠o̶̡m͟҉̵̢m̴̴̴͝e̴͟͢͝n͞͠҉̀d̷̀ę̵͏̨d̴͘!̡̛́ ̨̡͝I҉̨̡͜͡ǹ̴̛͠͝f҉̷̷a̡͘͡n̢̧̢͢͜t̸͢͠͠r̷͘͢͢y̧̨̕͢͡ ̧̡͘͝a͢͡r̸͢͞è̶̸͢͜ ̴̡͜t̸̀͘͠o̷̸͢͝͡ ̶̨b̷̡̧͠e̛͟͟ ̵̡́͡͡d̕o̢͞w͏n̕e͝͠d́͢͞ ̶̸̧̀b̵́ý̷̧ ̢̛́ņ̵̶͏̛o̷̵ǹ̸̀ ͝͞ļ͜͝͡è͏͜t̵̡̢̀͘h̴̀͢͡a̛͟͡͞l͡ ̸̛̕҉̕m̶͡҉e̴̷á͜͠͝ń̷̢͟͠s͘͜͟͟,̸̵̛̕͢ ҉̡͟i̵͜f̡͏̵̢́ ͞҉ẁ̧͡o̷̷r̸̸͜ş̡t̸͘͢͝ ̴̧̧̕͡c̨͞ờ̶͘͟m̷̨̛e̸͝͡s̸̡͘ ̵̢t̷̨́o̵̡̕ ́w̸̨͝҉̧ǫ̡͡͞r̶̛s̡̕̕̕e̵̕͡ ̢͠҉a̴ń̵̶̢̡d̀͘͘͠ ̶̴̵̧t̷̛̀͜h҉̶̕͘͝e̶̴̢͠ý̵͘͞ ̨͘p̷̴̀͘͢ǫ̴̡̢̛s̢͘͘͜͟e̵̸͞ ̵̸̢́͝a̷̵̡͏ ͝҉l͏̕̕í̷͡f̧̛҉̨e͏̸͝ ̕t̶̀͡ḩ̸̧͟͡r̷͏̴͘e҉̸à̧͝t҉̷e҉͟͝͏̀ǹ͠i͏͘ņ̷̴͜ǵ̸͢͢ ̢̀͡r̡҉̢̀i̵͢s̶͝k҉͜ ́͘͞͞͠t̸̡ơ̴ ̷̵̨͘e҉̵̴̛i͟͏̡t̷́h͟͝e̵͢͜͡͝r̕͡ ̷̕t̡̕͢ḩ͢҉e̶̢͞ ͡͡n҉a̷͠͞t̷͞i̵̧̕͜͠v̴̡̧͟͟e͜͞s̷̴̵̢ ̕͝o҉͏͢f̡͡ ̢̧͘͢t̸̢̛́h҉̸̷̡̕i̡҉̡̀ś̷͠ ̛̛͘͡͏ẁ̶͞ǫ̶̧͘r̛̀͘͡l̨͝d̢̨͞͠ ̀͏҉͠ò͏r̢͟ ̨̛̀͢y̷̴̸͜͝o̶͜͞͝u̢̡̕̕͡r̵͘͟s̶҉́e̷̕͜͞ļ̡f̸̨̀҉̵ ͏ơ̶̵͢͡r̵̸̢̨ ̡̛͞͞ç̨̕͡͡ò̵͝m̀͏̛ŕ̡́͜à̴̧͜͡d́͜e̸͏ś̴,̸͟͜͝ ҉͘t͝͝h̸̴͞e̶͡n͢͏̢̨ ̴͘ỳ̢ớ̷͡u̷̷͜͞ ̷̨҉͜h̷̛̛̀á̸́v̷̢̀̀͡e҉̷͞͞ ̷҉̨̛p̶͏é̶͡͡r͢͏̷͘̕m̢͘i̶̵͟s̶͢s͏̨i̢̕ò͡҉n̶͏̶͜ ̶̧t̷̷̵͜ớ̶̴͏ ̶͞ş̛h̡͏҉͘ò̢̕o̴̢̧t̡͝ ͘͏t̨̧̛͢͞h̴͢͡e̵̕҉҉m̴͘.̷͞ ̵̧̨̛͝T̨͘͜͠͠ŕ̸͘͞y҉҉̡͡ ҉͢҉̀͟t̵̀͝o̴҉҉͡ ̸҉͢a̴̡i҉͢ḿ̸̡̕ ͏̕f͠͏͟͏ò͢r͝͝ ̕͜n̨͘o̶͠n҉͢ ̵́̕ĺ͞e͢͢t̷͝h̷̡a̧͡l̡͜ ̸͠ą̀͢r̢͞͞ȩ̴͘͟a͟͡͡͡s̴̶̀͠͞ ͟s̴͢͠u̴̷͘c̀h̴̀́̕ ̢̧͜a̴͟͡s̡҉̵ ̢̕l̢̧̕͜͠í̸̛͠m͢͞b̡͟s͘͢͠.҉̵̧ ̢̛͟͜S҉̛҉̧t͠͏a̸n̛͏̕͞͞d̛̀͞ ̛͠b̴̶̢̨͡y̶̧͜͏ ̷͢f̷̵o̸̸҉ŕ̷͠͝҉ ̛͜f̸̸̨̕ừ͝r̡̕t̶͠h̵̡̡͡e͏͏͏r̸̡̕͞ ̴͟͟o̶̸̸͝͡ŕ̡͜͟͏d҉̛e̷͜r̵̨̛҉͟s̛҉͘͘͡!̸̷̧͘ ̨̢͟͜W͘̕͝e̶͘͟͞'̸̀͘͞r̴̡͠͝͡é͠ ̴̡͡s̛͘͜͠e҉̧t̢̧t̕̕í̸͢n̵̶̛͟͝g̡̀͘̕͜ ͡͡ú̧͟p̶͟͏ ̧͘a̛͝͏͞͏ ̶̴̢ç̛͝o͜͞m̧͟͝m̴̡͟͢͞á̶̴̡ń̶͢͢͝d̸́̕͡ ̴̵̸̧͜c̨͢ȩ̶̀͠͡ǹ̛̀͟t̵҉ę̨͜r̨̡̡͜͝ ͏̡͝n̸̛o͏͠w̵̧̛͢ ̡̡͟͝͝t̀ǫ͟͡͞ ͜͏̷͝a̕͢͠d̢͜͢v̛͝i̶̧̢͡ś͟͡e͏͞ ̷͡a̢҉̡͏l̢͢͠l҉́̕҉ ́͜͝f̷̡͢o͠͝ŕ̵c͟͏̡͟e͏̢̀͢͜s̀͜͡!̶̀͟͞"̧̀͠͠

So much static had flooded the transmission by its completion that the last sentences were inaudible, but everyone was now looking to each-other questioningly. Before the C.O's voice yelled through the air once more.

"F E U E R F R E I!" There was a deafening roar, a flash that forced my eyes closed on instinct, then a concussive force against me. But oddly enough, I felt no pain... My death was painless? Then i again, i was hit with a 10.5CM cannon, I'm most likely mist by this point-

I Then felt in immense a heavy weight fall against my side. Looking to my left, i see that Luna had collapsed against me in a cold sweat. her dark-blue fur having changed to a darker shade... 'Wait a moment... Thats not just her. Looking around i noticed that the light around us had dulled down significantly. The sensation of heat against my left side made me turn my head and yell out in shock.

I was staring straight at a 10.5CM 'AP' Round that was protruding part way through Luna's Midnight blue shield. As i began to lift Luna onto my back Celestia used her magic to carry her sister and the three of us retreated back through the door, Luna's shield finally flickered out then shattered into hundreds of thousands of coin sized fragments, the sound of the rain of shield fragments, was comparable to a dump truck dumping a load of broken glass onto the road.

When Celestia and I heard the sounds of over one hundred Enfield .303's chambering a round we all froze, but Eliza raised up from behind the barricade waving her fist and hollering out her approval. "WHOOO! THATS IT MATES! Welcome back to the good guys!"

Pivoting our heads Celestia and I Looked to each-other in confusion before looking behind us. And seeing the C.O Standing there with his hands up whilst looking down the muzzles of every soldier's rifles for the last six rows of the firing line that formed facing the castle's entrance. The Kingtiger began to adjust its aim onto us once again with its lethargic mechanical whine.

The guards ponies abandoned the defensive line and reformed their formation around the front of us. "Don't worry Princeses! We-..'ll Protect... You?" Their declaration was interrupted when they noticed the Elephant sized Sentinel tank begin rotating its turret to the Kingtiger in-front of it. Luna was just starting to come around too as she looked up to me and followed everyone's confused gaze to outside. She managed to look just in time to see the Sentinels turret stop swinging and all the infantry parting like the red sea to get away from the two tanks.

"Whats it-" Her drowsy question was cut off abruptly, by the air shaking sound of a 17 pound AP round tearing the air in-half.

===Normal Perspective==

==BLAMMM==

The round slams into the rear sloped armour, showering the street in sparks. The armour protecting the Tigers engine bay was no match for the round, with a metallic Thud and crunch that made everyone cringe as they continued to hold their ears, trying to shield themselves from the bell/gong like ringing of the hit tank, the sound made their teeth hurt, and they could feel the reverberating sound in the air around them. The Kingtiger rocks forward on its forward suspension, as ink black smoke bellows out from the engine bay, the engine finally splutters, coughs, and gives out.

"OH SWEET CELESTIA! Whats going on?!" Several guards yell to each-other in panic, whilst trying to shield their sensitive ears from the deafening sounds of tank on tank combat, before their leader manages to regain control of his subordinates.

"Put up a shield! Defend the Princesses!" Nodding they all put up their own shield, layering them like multicoloured spaced armour.

The sentinels gunner is heard yelling over the radio in the library. "HIT Over-match! Recommend Ballistic Capped! Load-up!" Another voice yelled over the radio presumably the commander "We're not trying to kill the crew! We've knocked out the tank! Leave them!

However the Heavy tanks turret began to slowly traverse around to its left, its cannon barrel raising to the height of the Sentinel's turret.

"JUST GIVE UP!" Luke yells in disbelief at the Tiger. "Bail out Already! You know your not going to be able to do that!"

"Eliza? What does he mean?" Cadence asks Luke's girlfriend.

"The King tiger has two types of mechanism for turning its turret, hydraulic-electric. And Hand-crank. However, the Hydraulic traverse only works when the engine is running. Luke's in disbelief that the crew are actually going through the trouble of trying to hand turn that things 28 tonne turret instead of just surrendering."

The radio crackled back to life. "Commander! They're not sharing your sentiment! They ARE gonna kill us!" After a few seconds the tank commanders voice yells over the radio.

"Someone disable that tank crew! Or we'll have to put them down! I've got better things to do tonight then die!"

Eliza and Clarkson both vaulted the barricade and reached into their pockets in near synchronization. Cadence's question fell on deaf ears and they both charged outside and sprinted towards the tan painted Tiger.

As they approached, the commander of the Mountain of steel before them climbed from his turret and seized control of the pindall mounted MG-42. At the sound of the locking pin being pulled from the mounting, several Wallaroo riflemen aimed at the commander and began shouting orders he ignored.

Eliza raised her Owens gun and unloaded the entire magazine of paint rounds into the commanders chest and legs, causing him to fall overboard to the ground below, were several Wallaroo's planted their knees into his back before zip tying his wrists together.

The two scale the side of the tank dodging rubble from several critically damaged buildings. As the Kingtiger's six meter long cannon barrel collided with a building across the narrow street, pushing the loose debris out of its way and knocking down what was left of the unstable second story wall.

Clarkson Stopped on the roof of the hull. Whilst Eliza climbed over the gun mantlet and stopped above the commanders hatch. With a nod from each of them they pulled the pins on their paint grenades and flicked the safety lever off. They sat there holding the armed grenades for two seconds 'Cooking' them.

((Cooking a grenade is where one arms the grenade but delays throwing it, this is done sometime so the fuse is greatly reduced by the time it lands, so the enemy cant throw it back. And no, it surprisingly doesn't involve a stove or other cooking utensils...))

Two seconds later Eliza drops hers down the commanders hatch. And Clarkson throws his through the radioman's hatch towards the middle 'Turret compartment'. Each of them yell "F R A G O U T!" on instinct and courtesy to their teammates as they cover their ears.

"G R A N A T A ! R E T T U N G S A-" The crew-members yelled warning is cut off by two loud bangs and paint spraying out of the open turret hatch.

Poking her head down into the hatch Eliza observes the crew groaning in pain as they lay reclined around their compartment stations. "Thank fuck they were wearing their full kit..." she mumbled to herself as she collapses on the roof of the turret giving a thumbs up to the Sentinel's commander. Whom was half out of his hatch.

The commanders voice came over the radio once more. "Gunner! Tank Destroyed. Hold Fire!" Everyone watched with held breath as the turret continued to traverse around, but since the two of their teammates were on top of the turret the terrified gunner of the Sentinel couldn't fire.

The Muzzle of the 105mm cannon is face to face with the Sentinels gun mantlet, only clearing it by a few centimeters. But to the tank crews relief it keeps rotating freely, continuing on its course due to momentum.

Below Clarkson and Eliza several troops began yelling up to them from across the street, when Eliza started listening to them her eyes flew open wide. Turning to her left and looking up, she saw that the cannon barrel was going to knock over the wrecked building leaning over the tank at a precarious angle.

"CLARKIE! GTFO!" She yells and she gets to her knees gritting her teeth in pain from the cuts on her limbs. And slams the commanders hatch shut. They both leap over the side of the vehicle. Eliza had the worst of it, since she jumped from the turret roof. After falling for three meters she yells as the impact with the ground sends excruciating pain shooting through her legs. Clarkson and two more fellow infantry man-handle her away from the tank across the street as the guns muzzle collides with the wrecked building.

With a the foreboding squeak and moan the wood structure that kept the stone balcony and outdoor dining area of the restaurant standing defiantly in the aftermath of the air raid. Finally surrenders to gravity. With a loud crunch the hoof carved wooden supports cave in on themselves, sending the entire balcony and everything on it crashing down onto the tank.

Once the last brick stopped bouncing across the street, yet more groaning from the structure caused the four Australians running or in Eliza's case limping down the street for their lives.

As they all trip over rubble the Whole building leans forward before falling face first atop the Heavy-tank in the left side of the narrow street. The two story structure just piles itself into a mountain of debris atop the tank.

Once the last of the rubble stops moving, the only visible part of the tank is its telephone pole sized cannon barrel sticking out of the rubble, and over the plot of land the building once stood on.

Everyone just stares at the rubble in a stupor. Just as everyone begins cheering, gunshots echo out from the end of the street, followed shortly by the roar of an MG-42 from the other side of town.

The Sergeant, who's being carried by two pony medics. Yells in his stretcher into his hand radio "EVERYONE INSIDE THE CASTLE NOW! DEFEND THE CIVIES!"

A tidal wave of forest camouflaged infantry surges through the gaping hole in the front of the castle the doors once sat in.

The Sentinel 'mountain goats' over the rubble, across the garden courtyard, and backs up at an angle partially into the doorway. To prevent enemy infantry from entering the castle easily, but still allowing friendly forces to shoot over its engine deck. Luna places three door fragments on-top of the Sentinels turret, making in improv bunker slit/window for the commander. For which he tips his hat to her with a warm smile. Earning a smile in return from the princess.

The commander yells out into the Foyer. "Does anyone have paint rounds? All we have is live ammo!