Warfareby Rated PonystarChaptersI Join The WarI Fight At Sri LankaI Rejoin The FightI Continue To Get ReadyI Remember What I Fight ForI Am In HellI Recover In PonyvilleI Am Done RunningI See The EndI Join The WarJune 21, 1421 E.F Well, here I am. Fresh out of training and ready for the jump into hell as my Sargent says. I got my armor and my spear, and I’ve had my four months in boot camp. Usually, it is supposed to be eight months to a year, but with the war going on for four years now, they had to crunch the time. Didn't make it any less painful though. My parents were proud of me for volunteering to fight the enemy at our border. I could have been forced into the draft, but I marched onward towards the recruitment desk on Pansy Park and signed up. My sister was the only one who didn’t want me to go, and her teary eyes almost stopped me but the thought of some human having her way with her just sickened me. We hear rumors all the time about how the human’s rape and devour any ponies they come across. How they burn them alive or turn them into glue like they do with their horses here in this world. When I learned how they made glue it made me barf my lunch out twice. This was a sick world we came into, and I was always behind the conversion debate. Sadly, the humans are stubborn monkeys, I’ll give them that. Oh, right. This journal. Well, my fellow private, Thundershot, suggested I write in one about my time in the war. When we win he says it might make it into some future war movie or something like that one he saw in America. Something about a Civil War about slavery which disgusted me. Just another reason why these ungrateful humans should accept that their nature and behaviors are just immortal. I honestly never liked them, despite Princess Twilight telling us they had to be pitied for their actions. They didn’t know the magic of friendship nor the grace of our Princesses and their leadership. I’ve read their history, and I was shocked by how much war and suffering they've relieved onto themselves. I was even surprised that this race even managed to live this long. Still, I held out some hope they weren't as bad as they were made out to be. That was until we got to seem some of them up close during a field trip in high school a few years before the war started. They were loud, crude, and a bit obnoxious. It was clear that a good number of them didn't like us and accused us of trying to force them to change when they didn't want to do anything against their will. Personally, if I had been one of them? I would have drunk the potion in one gulp. I did see a few good ones who talked to us and treated us like normal. I have heard of good humans which gives me hope that this race can be saved by making them into ponies like us rather then exterminating them like some of the more extreme ponies I know. Yet, the one thing I always took away from that trip was just how bad their cities were. There was such poverty, waste, and it was clear that money mattered more in this society over things like charity and goodwill. However, the thing that I really hated was the air. It smells like a used toilet combined with something that died recently. The pollution was that bad, even after using the new green energy that Equestria helped them find it was still more profitable to use fossil fuels rather than magic and clean energy. That really sealed the deal for me, and I only hoped the conversion process would just hurry up and clean this planet up. Sadly, that didn’t happen and we’re at war. It’s been about nearly four years now, heading into its fifth year and things are at a stalemate. It’s a surprise to me since Equestria has never lost a war nor has it ever been defeated by evil, but to go this long? I guess the humans and their technology is better than we thought. Of course, maybe it has to do with the traitors helping them. I’m ashamed as a Pegasus to know that the former Element of Kindness choose the enemy over her own kind. She was my sister’s biggest hero growing up and it broke her heart when the news came over to Cloudsdale. It only got worse as other ponies soon joined ‘The Resistance’ as it was called which was being led by Lyra Heartstrings. Apparently, she used to be a friend of Princess Twilight and even lived in Ponyville, go figure. Still, regardless of who is with us or against us, I have faith that Equestria will rise through this like always. We’ve survived invasions from the Changelings we can survive whatever the humans throw at us. Anyway, I gotta go now, my platoon is having a celebration for our graduation and I want to get in some cider shots! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 23, 1421 E.F Dear Journal (because there is no way I am calling this a ‘diary’), there’s been some good news! The attack on St. Petersburg in Russia was a success with the president and most of his cabinet either dead or turned into newfoals. It’s been our most successful attack yet, lead by Princess Luna herself! From what we heard, it was a night raid and there is nothing that can beat the Princess of the Night when she’s in the cover of darkness! There were some causalities, but nothing like the Battle of New York. That was a disaster that all Equestria mourned and hopefully we’ll never have another day like that again. From what I heard, Princess Luna personally killed the president by teleporting into his plane and unleashing a magical explosion that tore it apart. Wish I had been to see that old monkey’s face before he went to the great beyond. Of course, we still have no time for celebration. The battles at Guam and Indonesia are taking a turn for the worse and we might be sent out to reinforce them. It would be my first big battle and I’m nervous as hay. Still, knowing that we had such a huge win has made us newbies feel a lot more confident. Hopefully, the princesses will watch over us. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 24, 1421 E.F Dear Journal, not much going on. We have no orders yet so we're just doing drills and kitchen duty. Got a card game going on in the barracks. Think I might join in. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 25, 1421 E.F Some newfoals came over to the base today to sing some songs to inspire us. Mostly I think for the regiments heading out to Guam and Indonesia. I'm not one of them, which is both a relief and a disappointment. I mean I signed to serve my country and my princesses, but I'm in no rush to get killed. Thundershot seems to be the most interested in going to war out of all of us. He really doesn't like the humans, says they're being selfish idiots for having this chance to achive perfect unity. I agree with him too. I still find it hard to believe that the humans wouldn't trade their lives for the paradice we have here in Equestria. Thanks to the barrier, they can't enter or they'll be killed so the war hasn't really effected us here as it has for them. But lately, I've been hearing things. For some reason the barrier has stopped spreading and there are rumors that the humans and traitors have developed a secret weapon that can cancel magic. Or it could be Discord messing with things again, my guess is the latter. He's been sabotaging things here in Equestria, along with any resistance members who are causing chaos in the cities and towns. Nothing too serious, but more and more seem to be joining them which is a surprise to me. I'm sure they'll see the error of their ways soon. However, Lightheart got some bad news. His sister was finally confirmed KIA in the Seoul attack. Apparently, the two nations finally decided to put their differences aside and work together with the US, Japanese, and part of the remaining Chinese forces to defeat our forces in a surprise attack when the army teleported into the city. Her body was finally found after three days in the rubble from the humans. Poor guy wept for two hours and swears he’ll kill all the humans for his sister’s death. While I hate the humans, I don’t think we should kill them all. The just need to become ponies like those newfoals I mentioned earlier. They’re nice, sweet, and know that they’re better off being ponies then humans. Heck, it’s better than how they’re treated in some of the human countries where they are killed. They say its “mercy” but to me its just “murder”. Thundershot and I have decided to hold a vigil for Lightheart’s sister. I’ll even send a message to my dad seeing if he can mention her in his mass. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 29, 1421 E.F Dear Journal, not a lot going on, but things will be soon. Turns out the Princesses are sending a full force into some holy city called Jerusalem which is supposed to be the home of three of human’s faiths, but as far as I care it’s just a city of heresy. Unlike the human’s false gods, our gods are real and have guided us with their wisdom and love for nearly 1500 years. We won’t be part of the invading force, but we’ll be its back up. Princess Celestia believes that by doing heavy damage to it we can show them their gods aren’t going to be there to save them, and that by submitting to our way of friendship and harmony can they hope to find the salvation they seek. Wow, I’m starting to sound like dad. Having a preacher for a father can have that effect on you. I do miss hearing the choir, especially the song “Blessed Be Us”. I missed it so much I started humming it and a few of my fellow mates joined in including Thundershot. I’ve never read the human religious books, my dad would kill me if I did, but a few of us have heard of what they teach. A lot of them sound nice, but then I hear the part about how its forbidden to sleep with those of your own gender and I just tune out. Our goddess doesn’t find it a sin to sleep with those we love. Sure, you can legally get married in the human’s lands if your ‘gay’ (a term they use to describe those who sleep with their own gender, although I also heard is means happy too), but its still a debated thing among them if its good or bad. Hay, they even stone them to death in some lands. Barbarians. Thinking about it makes me miss my ex-special somepony, Dalewind, but he told me he couldn’t handle a long-distance relationship, so we broke it off. Shame too, he was cute as a button. Not that I don’t have my own handsome stallions in my unit, but fraternization is not allowed so sucks for me. Seriously, Thundershot has a flank I'd like so show my 'spear' if you know what I mean. But yeah, the invasion. My unit is going to be in the reinforcements, so here is hoping that I don’t die in my first battle… wow I hope I didn’t jinx myself. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 1, 1421 E.F Tomorrow is the big day! First battle! Princesses please watch over me and let me bring glory to Equestria. Let's show these humans how we ponies fight! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 2, 1421 E.F By Celestia’s mane everything’s gone BUBAR! The moment we get in from the teleportation spell we’re getting bombed with rockets from the east! A good portion of us are already dead and I’m only lucky by the grace of the sisters! Raincloud and Lightheart are dead, Celestia rest their souls, and we lost the Sarge, Luna take him into his rest. This battle is a disaster! Even Princess Luna is having problems with Princess Twilight assisting her! How is that even possible?! Apparently, those three religions I talked about last time? They’re teaming up against us! I thought they all hated each other or something?! Whoever is behind intelligence needs to be hanged because we’re getting killed out here! I haven’t even gotten a chance to fight! Rumors are going around that those anti-magic technology stuff we’ve been hearing about is true! Soldiers are talking about how their magic armor and weapons just stop working and some unicorns are even finding it hard to lift anything with their horns! I hope Princess Twilight and Princess Luna have a plan because if not… well I guess it was nice knowing you journal! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 4, 1421 E.F Good news. I’m still alive. Bad news? We’re retreating. The new technology is real. It’s capable of neglecting magic! How in the world is that even possible?! Not even Discord can do that, I think? For now, its being called the “Magic Killer” until we get a real name for it. Quite frankly, I wish they picked something less sinister sounding. The shelling is still going on and I almost bought the farm last night. I went out for the latrine when a shell hit the area about three yards away from me. Didn’t need the latrine after that. More members of my platoon are dead from the shelling too. I’ve seen their bodies and… goddesses, you can’t even fix that with magic. I’ve seen a lot of death, too much of it, in fact. I mean, I knew I was going to see it but… nothing really prepares you for the real thing. We can’t even given them a proper send off. We just burn the bodies even if they aren’t pegasi which is angering some of the earth ponies and unicorns since it goes against their burial traditions. Of course when it was learned that it was Princess Twilight’s order they quickly shut up. Some of them wanted the princesses to say a prayer to guide the souls to Elysium, but they said Celestia or Cadence would do it from Equestria and they needed to focus on the battle ahead. It’s good to know we have our goddesses with us, but I’m surprised we’re losing this badly despite two alicorns fighting by our side. Rumors are saying even they are affected by the Magic Killer, but that’s silly. The alicorns are goddesses, no monkey technology is going to affect them. Thundershot says I should get some sleep since I look like I’m about to crash. I feel like it too. Hopefully we can get out of here with our tails still attached to our rumps. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 5, 1421 E.F We’re back in Equestrian soil, but I feel horrible inside. My first battle and it was a loss. A big one. Over half the force is dead, and some were forced to be left behind. I hate to think of what the humans are doing to those poor soldiers. It’s a sin to kill yourself, but I think Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would forgive us if it meant avoiding whatever fate the humans have for us. They say they rape and eat ponies or worse turn them into glue. How can the traitors even stand to be with the humans with what they do to us!? Their own kind! May they all rot in Tartarus together and get bucked! A lot of the stallions and mares I trained with are gone. Lightheart. Graywind. Skip Wish. Bouncy Bun. Lemon Curl. I only hope you are all happy in Elysium. I promise we’ll win this war for you guys. I need some sleep, hopefully I won’t have nightmares of the humans trying to eat me. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 10, 1421 E.F I… I haven’t written in a long time… about five days I think… that’s because. I can’t… I can’t believe it. Even now, despite it being four days old… the news makes no sense and is just to horrible to think about let alone write it… but I have too… Princess Luna is dead. As in dead dead… not coming back dead. She sacrificed herself so that we could retreat. I don’t know how the humans did it but they did it… they killed a goddess. Our goddess. I don’t know what to do. What to pray for. What to say or ask. I’m at a loss. She’s been alive for nearly a millennia and half and suddenly, she’s dead?! That’s not possible! YOU CAN’T KILL A GODDESS! How does a goddess die?! Where does she go?! Can she be resurrected, or will she come back to life?! I’ve been reading my Lexicon of Harmony for the past four days and nothing is being told about anything on the goddess’s dying. Not even the pages of “The Reckoning Days” have this. The Princesses can’t die! The Reckoning Days state that they would lead the armies of Elysium against the forces of Tartarus and end the reign of evil forever! And now one of them is dead?! Some say that Princess Luna is only pretending to be dead. Others are rushing to the nearby churches to pray or ask guidance from the priests. A few are even daring to say this means that the sisters are not goddess, but I refuse to believe that! The humans… are they demons? Or do they have divine intervention? Maybe that’s it. One of the human gods did something to Luna and made it so she got killed! It was their holy land after all! It has to be that because I can’t think of any other explanation! I… I wish dad was here. When I’ve had my crisis of fate when grandma died, he was there for me… I really wish he was here. I wish I was home. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Please help out at the TV Tropes Page I Fight At Sri LankaDecember 14, 1421 E.F I’m sorry I haven’t been able to write for a while. I honestly had forgotten I had this thing ever since Princess Luna’s… death. It’s still hard to believe she’s gone, for all of us in the unit. I can still remember the long ten-minute silence we had on the day of her funeral. I wasn’t there in Canterlot, but every soldier in the army was required to do so at a specific moment in time. It was the longest ten minutes of my life as tears dripped down my cheek in mourning. Our beloved Princess of the Moon had been shed of her mortal form and returned to Elysium to watch over us. That was what was being said anyway. Some had stated they lost their faith, but they were just weak in it. Our Princess may be gone, but she still lives and will return one day. I am sure of it. But besides the death of Princess Luna, it’s just been… well, I remember a quote from a human book that said, “War is Hell”. The humans may not get much right, but they sure got that one on the dot. Ever since Princess Luna’s death, the human armies of the world had been fighting to retake their lands and we’ve been assaulted at every front from east to west. Their new Thalmann Generators, or Magic Killers as some still call them, have been hurting our armies to the point where we’re being retrained to fight without our magic. The barrier is being slowly destroyed each day with more and more of Equestria’s colonized lands being open for attack. We’re forced to abandon the newfoals that live here. Some are reported being herded up and taken away. Others are just killed on the spot. Poor creatures. They converted to escape humanity and now their former humans were killing them out of fear and ignorance. Currently, I am stationed Sri Lanka, an island just south of India which the humans have managed to retake. We were put here in case our forces fell and we’re to hold the enemy back as best as we can. Now, after months of waiting, they arrived about a few weeks ago, but it’s not looking good. It’s not just us though. A lot of lands are under attack such as our territories in China, the Philippines, South Africa, and more. Over here, we’re giving the humans as much fight as we can give by using the trees to our advantage for sneak attacks and night assaults. However, they just firebomb us back and send in their troops to deal with us. I didn’t think war was going to be this brutal. They never said it was this bad in training. They don’t train you to deal with all the chaos, smells, and confusion. How one minute your flying, then running, fighting, and flying again all in minutes. They don’t tell you how to deal with all the blood, lost limbs, and cries for mothers and fathers to help them. The sobbing of scared ponies in fetal positions or running away in terror. The agonizing yells of the dying and fallen who are beyond saving. The bodies piled up before they are sent off to be cleaned and returned home in a pine box. And the waste… they don’t tell you about the waste that comes out of the dead bodies. There are days when I just can’t eat much. We’re currently doing our best to hold the Northern Central Province while waiting for reinforcements from home. Home. This is the longest I’ve ever been home and soon it's going to be Hearths Warming Eve. I won’t be able to attend Midnight Mass or sing this year. I won’t be able to taste my mother’s warm pudding or exchange gifts with my sister. I wish this war never happened. I wish I was at home. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 15, 1421 E.F I almost died again today. I’ve had a few close calls in this war, but I’ve managed to make it each time. A bullet nearly got me in the face if it wasn’t for the fact that I flew right at the last moment and narrowly avoided getting my halo and harp. I made sure to thank all the goddesses from Celestia to Flurry Heart for surviving. Other than that, it was another charge from the humans and another retreat for us. I managed to kill three this time. One with my spear and the other two with my sword. I hate to say it, but I wish we had weapons like the humans have. They don’t need to get too close to kill us one by one. The humans were like angels of death, and their guns were their scythes. I can still remember my first kill. It wasn’t that long after we arrived in Sri Lanka. I speared a human in the throat as he looked at me with wide eyes. His hand holding the spear by reflex before I pulled it out. I stared at him with my mouth open as he fell to his side, clutching the wound in vain to stop his blood from spilling out. From the moment he fell, to the moment he breathed his last, I felt horrified by what I had done. I felt sorry for the human I had killed. Did he have a family? Children? A good life? I threw up and felt tears come down as I sat there sobbing despite a battle going on around me. If it wasn’t for Thundershot getting me back on all fours I might have been killed that day. His face haunted me-and still does sometimes-but then I remember this is the enemy. These are the monsters who will kill, rape, and destroy my home and my fellow ponies. No matter how much it may sicken me, I must continue to fight for their sake. It’s still not the worst kill I’ve ever had. The worst was a few days later. Some higher ranking officers decided it was a good idea to use the potions as weapons to turn the humans into ponies like us. Usually, they’re only used for the raid attacks in human lands, but with Equestria now on the defensive things have changed. I only managed to successfully hit a human once with it. I watched as his body slowly began to change into a pony. Normally, the process is done in the Conversion Bureau with other medical equipment and unicorns to make the process safer. Without that… I can see why humans fear it. The sound of bones conjuring and changing shape. The flesh being moved around from the inside as organs are pushed and squeezed. The face-melting and reforming with the skull changing shape. Hair growing out of every pour of the body. Their eyes growing as blood seeps out from the pain. I didn’t get a chance to see it finish as the human took his pistol with his only non-changing hand and shot himself in the face. He killed himself rather than change. And for that one moment, I couldn’t blame him. From what I heard this is a common practice. Most shoot themselves as soon as they are hit with the potion. Others have poison pills in their mouths. A few of the more extreme ones blow themselves up to take their enemies with them. While I can understand just how painful it can be, do these humans prefer dying than becoming one of us? I can understand if it was without the proper procedure. I do… but still… I guess I just don’t understand it. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 17, 1421 E.F I got a letter from home today, something which made me feel happy despite having lost another five miles to the humans. The good news is my family is okay. Mom and Dad are well and while my sister has a small cold, she’s getting better. They’re all praying for me back home as well as the others who decided to join or were enlisted by the draft. Thankfully my sister still has two more years before she’s at the age. I don’t think she can even handle half the stuff I’ve seen since I became a soldier. The church is doing well, but these days it's more funerals than anything. Soldiers from home return in boxes or urns for families to mourn before they are given the final rest in the winds. I sometimes fear that it will be my fate and that I’ll return home in a box for my family to mourn. But there is no greater glory then to die for the sake of others according to the teachings. For he or she that lays their life for another soul, will be eternally reward in Elysium where they will feel no pain and know only eternal harmony. If my destiny is to die for the sake of Equestria, then so be it. Other than that, they sent me a box of cookies for the holidays. I shared them with my comrades as we all had a small cookie party. Turns out a lot of us got them from our families. I wish we had some milk though. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 19, 1421 E.F Damn it! You can’t do anything without fearing a shot from out of nowhere! We had to deal with a sniper the past two days that’s had everypony on edge! It all started when one of the recruits, Private Windchime, had his head explode and his brains splattered all over the ground. Everypony ducked for cover but five others got shot. Three were killed on impact. One died later in the medical tent and the other looks like he’s going to make it but he’s going to be three-legged now. We still didn’t even get the bastard. He fled before our scouts could get him. Ugh, I hope the higher-ups have a plan because I can’t stand this place anymore! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 20, 1421 E.F Well, we’re moving out, but not far. Eastern Province has fallen with barely any survivors and the humans are moving on to Uva Province. If that falls, they have a clear shot at the Southern Province where our marine bases are located. We’ve been ordered to give up our position, but we’re leaving traps along the way while a few of us are volunteering to stay behind and make sure they go off. There is a good chance none of them are going to come back and they know it, but they are willing to die for Equestria. I remember our commander ordering us to salute them like we were saying farewell to them for the last time. My hope is that when we win this war all the lives that were lost for the greater good will be remembered. Thankfully, nopony I know is being left behind. Then again, the only one I keep close to is Thundershot. Most of those I trained with are dead, too injured to fight anymore, or were transferred to another unit. Because of this, Thundershot and I are close. The two of us are not only bunkmates from training, but we always have patrol and fight together. I’ve saved his sorry cute butt more than once, but he’s saved mine at least twice as much. On our way to our new HQ, we flew side by side together and talked about what we would do if we managed to survive the war. I told him I want to settle down with some colt and maybe adopt a few foals before starting my own church like my father. Chances are they’re going to be a lot of orphans after the war. Thundershot said he’s going to take all his money and blow it on a month-long vacation in Las Pegasus. Ha! I’d said I joined him if we win. If. That’s what I said and Thunderlot looked at me like I was mental. He then stared at my eyes with the most serious look I had ever seen from him. Thundershot told me we were going to win. He’s that confident we’ll beat the humans and I found myself believe it too as he went on about our advantages such as our friendship, harmony, princesses, and magic. When I pointed out the Thalmann Generators, he stated that they’ll find a way around them. After all, Princess Twilight was one of the most brilliant ponies of our era, so she was bound to find a way to defend ourselves against the magic killers. Maybe we will. No, I think we will. Thundershot is right, we gotta keep hope up. This war is far from over! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 22,, 1421 E.F Just arrived at our base. A lot of troops around here. Command is expecting a battle in the next few days. Ugh, and on Hearths Warming Eve too. I guess I won’t be writing in my journal for awhile until this is all over. Hopefully, I’ll survive and write in this again. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 26, 1421 E.F Hey journal, I’m sleeping next to a cute handsome stallion who gave me quite a ride last night. I swear Thundershot is a name that means what it does. Haha. Well, Happy Hearths Warming Eve. The humans haven’t attacked us since we got here, but we’ve been on alert. However, the scouts learned last night that the humans weren’t making plans to attack us. I guess it's because this the Christmas holiday for them. I find it strange that our holidays are so similar, but I guess it was just easier for the newfoals to adjust quicker. Anyway, when it was reported that the humans had no plans to attack us, the commanders decided to give us the okay to have our own celebration. It was a big morale booster too. For the first time in so long we were able to relax and let our manes down. There was singing and dancing. Laughter instead of the dying cries of the fallen. A few of us started exchanging stories about our lives outside the war and what we wanted to do after it. There was a priest who held a small mass for us, where we prayed to the goddesses for victory, peace, and to welcome those we lost. The Captain then surprised us all and started playing the fiddle which led to us having a hoedown. I danced with Thundershot a lot, even did a slow dance with him, before we headed over someplace private to talk. He then showed me a bottle of wine his mother sent him last month he was saving for a special occasion and figured this would be it. The two of us toasted to our friendship, to Equestria, and our comrades as we began to drink the bottle while watching the moon above. Thundershot’s face glowed well in it. I guess that’s why I decided to kiss him because he looked so perfect under it. He was surprised at first, but not too surprised before he kissed me back and soon we were all over each other. We decided to use my bed and before we knew it the two of us were taking off our clothes and getting… frisky with each other. I asked him what we were going to be after this. Special someponies? Friends with benefits? In the end, we decided this would be a one-night stand. This was a war still. We could die any day. But for now? All that mattered was two stallions who needed to blow off some steam and by Luna’s Wings did he blow. Sorry, he just woke up and kissed me good morning. Again, we agreed to keep this as just a one-night stand, but it was a stand that we both needed he said before leaving. Now, I gotta go. I gotta pee from all that wine I had, and I’m scheduled for a seven-hour watch shift today. Which is fine by me because I don’t think my sore rump can sit on anything right now. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 28, 1421 E.F The humans have started making their push, but so far they haven’t charged at us yet. They’re just firing shells and rockets at us while their bombers bomb the mountains. However, they seem to be not up to their usual zealotry of blowing stuff up. These mountains and forests can protect us enough, along with some shield spells, but it’s only a matter of time before they manage to come at us with infantry. The mountains make it hard for vehicles to attack us, so that’s a plus. I think they’re also holding back because we’ve made a base at one of their religious temples: Muthiyansomething. I don’t know I can’t say or write it right. It’s not one of the religions that… killed Princess Luna back in Jerusalem. I don’t know what this faith is about. Something about a human who got enlightened or something. It’s a heathen religion anyway so it doesn’t matter. Normally, such things get destroyed when Equestria takes over a new land due to the barrier so we can put up proper temples to the princesses. For some reason, this one was kept around. Maybe somepony liked the structure or something. Princess Twilight I heard tends to do that to popular structures the humans made. It was why she kept the Sidney Opera House, but I also heard she destroyed some big wall in China because it was built on the backs of slaves. But there is some good news! Me, Thunderlot, and a few others are going to be promoted soon. I don’t know what rank and for what reason (Private Jewel Crest thinks it’s because we’ve survived this long), but I guess that’s something to celebrate. One has to always find the good in something, right? -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 9th, 1422 E.F Happy New Year. Okay, a very late new year. One that I’m glad to be alive to see. If you’re wondering why I haven’t written in so long, it’s very simple. I got shot. Right in the lower area of my waist. Thankfully, my armor managed to absorb most of the damage, but it still felt like I got hit by a minotaur’s horn right near my liver. I thought for sure I had died when I woke up a hospital, but no, I was still alive and kicking. They couldn’t treat me at the base, so I was sent to New Zealand with a few others for medical treatment. I’m better now, and I’m still good for duty when I’m released, but damn is it good to be away from the battlefield. I’m sleeping in a nice bed, no sound of gunshots or artillery, nor am I getting bad food. Granted hospital food isn’t that great either, but it’s a step up from military rations. Shi Lanka, however, was lost. We couldn’t hold it. Just as soon as I was sent away for treatment, the US and Japanese Airforce arrived and started bombing the entire island. An emergency teleport was used at the cost of many unicorns who had to use their life energy to mass teleport so many of the army back to our base in the south where a retreat was ordered. Thankfully, Thundershot and a few others I know are okay, but there were still a lot of losses. Word has it that the humans managed to find a way to use the Thalmann Generators with their missile arsenal to seriously damage the barrier. I don’t know how damaged it is, but now it’s no longer showing up on places like southern Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Everypony is worried that we’re going to get attacked now by some missile or bombing run, but the humans don’t have the strength to do that. Even if they tried, they would have to get through our defenses. After the invasion of the Changelings years ago at the Royal Wedding of Princes Shining Armor (Rest his soul), and Princess Cadence defense of our borders was put into maximum overdrive. It even become more important when we came to Earth. Other areas aren’t doing too well either. Africa is now fully back in human hands as well as most of upper Asia, but we’re still holding strong in the Philippines and Guam. There is talk that the Crystal Empire almost has its Crystal Cannon ready for use again after Discord sabotaged it. Maybe it can turn a few armies into a bunch of craters like it did with those holy cities it destroyed a few months ago. But the best news I heard is that my family is going to be visiting me in a few days! I can’t believe it! I guess there is an upside to being shot at! Gotta stop writing. Time to take my pills again. Ugh. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 11th, 1422 E.F The… The Crystal Empire… It’s gone… It’s all gone… -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note I've mentioned this before in previous stories, but I forgot for this one. You are free to write your own stories that take place in the NegotationsVerse. If you need information about the timeline and stuff, feel free to ask. Please help out at the TV Tropes Page I Rejoin The FightJanuary 18th, 1422 E.F We never should have come here. Things were fine when we were back in our world. We had the most advanced and prosperous nation in the world. We were protected from all the dangers that we could handle. None of the other nations dared to challenge us because of our rulers turning the sun and moon for us all to live. This planet isn’t worth saving from itself and humanity certainly doesn’t deserve to be saved. They are evil. Pure evil. It’s been a week since Equestria’s greatest disaster happened. An act so unspeakable that even now I still can’t believe it happened. Equestria knew about the dangerous and insane weapons known as Nuclear Missiles. A weapon so powerful it could destroy cities and kill millions. There was even a point in their history when they build so many that if they launched them against each other it would have been the end of their kind. Maybe they should have fired them all so we wouldn’t have had to deal with them. While the threat of them was always in thought, we believed the shield barrier would protect us. With it now all but gone Equestria is now open to attack. Or should I say… they already attacked. We only knew that it was a missile from the Middle-East, but not the country. Everypony’s guessing it was retaliation for the attacks on their holy cities. After all, it was the Crystal Cannon that destroyed Rome and Mecca so it makes sense they would destroy the civilization that created it. I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news. The entire Crystal Empire was gone. At least four million ponies wiped out into oblivion. Princess Cadence and Princess Flurry Heart among them. Another two of our goddesses dead. The Crystal Heart should have protected them all, but I guess the blast of the force was too much. I have no more tears to shed and no prayers to give anymore. Three of our goddesses are dead. Are these the end times? Is humanity the great evil we must face in our darkest hour before the forces of good come to save us? Or am I just lying to myself because the opposite answers would destroy me on the inside? I don’t know what to believe in anymore except for one thing: Humanity must be destroyed. Four million ponies. Most of them just civilians. Wiped out. An entire chunk of our land completely poisoned by their sick science with nature all but ruined. The few survivors we have left can barely fill a full town from what I hear. I keep asking when my parents are coming, but I’m always told its too dangerous. Equestria is on full emergency alert with Princess Celestia ordering all soldiers to return from the human lands to Equestria. Burn and destroy everything so they cannot use it. Even the newfoals are being abandoned. I hear some of the soldiers on our side are killing them in anger. Claiming that they can never be like us even if they were former humans. Honestly, it sounds like they’re just looking for something to blame. I just want to get back into the action. Get back to the war. Because if the rumors are correct then with the shield down there is only one thing coming. Invasion. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 23rd, 1422 E.F I’m finally free from the hospital. My platoon is being sent to San Prancisco, one of the areas the military believes will be invaded along with other coastal areas on both ends. I’m on my way there through train (my wings are still healing) as I see many heading to the city looking nervous. Most of them are fresh recruits for the defense. Because of the situation, the enlistment is now fully into effect with charges being given to those who refuse the call. All pegasi are being trained to prepare for aerial bombardment in fear of future nuclear weapons or missile attacks. Unicorns are being prepared shielding spells to protect the towns and cities. Earth Ponies are making shelters for the citizens. Never had Equestria faced such impending doom like this. The entire nation was being turned into a fortress with the princesses doing everything they can to find a way to escape this hell of a planet. I don’t see how. The Elements of Harmony were what brought us here and with Fluttershy the Traitor not on our side it's hard to see how they plan on bringing us home. If a way can be found so be it, but until then our focus is to protect Equestria. Everypony knows it’s only a matter of time before humanity comes to invade us as we invaded them, but it’s going to take time. Until then we must prepare for the worst. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 24th, 1422 E.F I arrived at San Prancisco this morning and my platoon was there to greet me. I saw a lot of new faces. All fresh new soldiers who were doing their best to be brave, but I could tell they were scared by the looks in their eyes. Thundershot was there and he was the one I was glad to see the most, but something’s changed in him. His eyes were always filled with optimism and excitement, even at the worst of times. Now it looks like they’ve dimmed quite a bit. I guess even the happiest go lucky of us can’t stay such a way after what’s happened. When I arrived, I finally got that promotion I was getting. Now I’m a Corporal, but honestly, that doesn’t mean much to me. The only reason I’ve gotten it is because I’ve survived this long into the war while a lot of other good ponies died. I’ll do my best to honor them with this new rank but save for the increased pay and a few more responsibilities I doubt it's going to amount to much. One of the things I noticed was how much of a fortress we were making the city and the beach. Every citizen was being evacuated for the inner lands with houses being made into sleeping bunks for soldiers or officers. The main important buildings like City Hall have been made into the main HQ. Bunkers are being made with sandbags and protective spells everywhere. We’re even setting up rune traps in case the enemy gets this far. I don’t know what the plan is but every city along the coast is going to be made into a fortress to prepare for the invasion. We’re all pitching in to help with the building, but every squad is getting a specific mission and new training for the war. Something about a new tactic Princess Twilight wants us to employ. I guess I’ll find out in the morning. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 25th, 1422 E.F Of all the things I expected to be our new tactic, this wasn’t what I was expecting. We’re being trained to fight with guns. Guns. As in the very weapons that humanity is using. Not only that but artillery, rockets, mines, explosives, and more. Rumor has it that ponies back inland are being trained in modified versions of tanks and battleships. We’re even hearing that the airships are being revamped with Pegasi testing out experimental sky armor. Princess Twilight had been trying to turn human technology usable for ponies. Most ponies hated human technology because of how misused it’s been despite it being much more advanced than our own save for anything powered by magic. She’s been wanting to use human technology in the war for a long time, but Princess Celestia had refused it time and time again. Which isn’t a surprise. Everypony knows that Princess Celestia hated human technology, claiming it had been the downfall of the societies since the industrial era. Even when they created something good for medicine or energy it was later always used for war or misuse. Especially with how much it hurt the planet they lived on. I guess with how things are going the Princess decided to go against her morals for the sake of the war. Especially since most of our tactics are now useless thanks to the generators. If there is one thing you can say about humanity, they knew how to kill things with their tech. Hopefully, we’ll learn it fast enough to counterattack with it back at them. Of course, it's going to take time. Factories were working around the clock to equip the whole army, but it would take two months just to get half of our troops here supplied. For now, we’re just learning how to properly hold and aim with wooden carved versions. I took some crossbow training so it has helped a bit, but from what I know the guns will carry a big kick when you fire at them. Our tactics have also changed. We’re focusing solely on defense and holding out against an invasion force that will do everything it can to destroy our defense. Bomb us. Charge us. Burn us. You name it. We’re forced to dodge against non-lethal magic blasts from above while ducking properly under cover. My platoon is tasked to no longer charge with our spears but to aim at a distance and fire before moving to a new location and fire again. We’re to hit them and run over and over while taking cover fire. Should the beach fall, we’re to head back to the city and do the same thing again. Fight them off block by block until they retreat. They didn’t say anything about retreat or what our orders were should the city fall. It’s made others question if this was to be a “Last Stand” scenario in which we fight to the last. Many fear that. I’m not afraid. While my faith is in confusion, my loyalty is not. Equestria must not fall into the filthy monkeys. If this is the end of days, then let us show these demons that we are the ponies of righteousness and will avenge those who have fallen. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 6th, 1422 E.F It’s been hard adjusting to this new scenario, but I’m holding out. The days are pretty much the same. You’re either helping build up the defenses or training in the new tactics. We don’t have a lot of time for relaxation either, so most are just sleeping in their free time. Currently, we’re building up new barriers and walls along the streets leading to the beaches. The tall buildings will serve as nests for future gunners and snipers to rain down gunfire on the invading monkeys. Normally, magic would be used to help us, but with the generators taking down all the magic they can we need to do it the old fashion way. Some of the unicorns complain about this, but the earth ponies are doing this with no problem. Begin a Pegasus, most of my days are spend bringing stuff to others with my wings doing all the work. Thundershot and I spend our free time talking about the war. He’s never really left my sight since I got back, maybe because he thought I was dead for days until he heard I was well. We got a few Crystal Ponies with us as well. They’re the hardest workers of us all. The Princesses declared that due to the situation of the Crystal Empire, all Crystal Ponies are free to not fight and take refuge in Canterlot, but there aren’t many left. Worse, a good number of them have some radiation sickness that is affecting them. Some are even dying slowly. The ones with us state they lost everything and have nothing to live for. They want to avenge their fellow Crystal Ponies. If this is the end of the kind, then they will let it end in a reign of vengeance. A lot of ponies here respect them for risking it all with us including me. My folks finally sent a letter. It was brief, but they were glad I was okay and to come home whenever I could. I doubt it will be soon, but hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see them. Even if it might be for the last time. I’ve got no illusions that I’m going to survive this war. Chances are I’m going to die, but I’m going to die as a true pony that serves his country until the end. Even if we cannot defeat the humans, we will not let them take our home. This is the nation that last lasted nearly 1500 years. We’re not going down now or ever. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 9th, 1422 E.F Thundershot and I made love again last night. Even though we agreed our last one was a one night stand only, I guess the stress of everything just made us say “buck it” and before I knew it he was riding me all night. If there is one damn good thing about being here its that I have a good friend… and I might be falling for him. He’s been with me since the beginning, seen what I’ve seen. I got my flank saved by him and he’s saved mine. When I was at the hospital all I could think about were two things. My family and him. Damnit, I’m falling for him, aren’t I? What is it that Private Button Mash once said? Love can bloom even on the battlefield? Said he heard it from a game when he was growing up and that the war was making him think about a mare he knew back home. He wanted to survive and confess to her when he got back. Shame he died on Sri Lanka from infection caused by a shrapnel wound from what Thundershot told me. Thundershot. Just even writing his name is making me feel like a school teen again looking at his first crush. But what’s not to like about him? He’s optimistic, even in these hard times, he’s handsome, kind, and protects those he befriends. He’ll take a bullet for you and take the shooter down with him. It also helps his package is just… damn. Should I act on my feelings? Francization technically isn’t allowed. Yet with the chance of us not making it out alive would it not be better to have at least died with somepony you loved? Maybe I should wait a while and think more about it. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 11th, 1422 E.F The humans have finally sent a message to Equestria. They were demanding that we give unconditional surrender to them for the so-called ‘crimes’ we have done against their kind. They were demanding that Princess Celestia be handed over, relinquish her power and godhood, and tried for war crimes. That we pay in reparations for the damages we have caused. They warned that if they did not, they would come and being nothing but destruction with them until we agree to surrender or if we were all dead. Princess Celestia sent a clear message: “Equestria Stands Now And Forever More.” I am not against the war ending, but the conditions were unthinkable. Surrender? Sacrifice our Princess? Pay for damages? No. We will not. We tried to save humanity from themselves. We tried to make them see the error of their ways and give them an alternate solution. We offered a better life and path for them and they refused. They were blind to their faults always looking to blame others for their problems instead of themselves. Princess Celestia gave them a chance to be saved but they prefer being damned. So, damn them all I say. Them and their so-called “terms”. Equestria stands now and forever. That is the slogan we all say now as we work with vigor. The humans may be coming. But we will be ready. And we will win. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Shorter then the rest but we're building up. And yes I did just kill off Button Mash. Sorry! I Continue To Get ReadyFebruary 14th, 1422 E.F Another set of deserters were captured. The brass has started to allow public hangings to scare others into not deserting. I feel sorry for the poor lads, forced to hang there as the crows feed on their remains, but I try to push it back with my focus on the job. I’m starting to get the hang of these guns they’ve been giving us. I managed to at least hit half the targets this time at the course. Thundershot still doesn’t like the idea we’re using guns and, honestly, I can’t blame him. It’s just a remind of how powerful the humans are with their weapons of death. I can’t recall another race that was as violent, bloodthirsty, and war driven as humanity. Not even the dragons and griffins were this bad. I wonder what it would look like if the humans were to fight the dragon or griffin race? Too bad we’ll never know since the few who did come with us to this world are all dead save for Princess Twilight’s assistant. I wonder what the other races would think if they saw us like this. Probably take advantage and strike at us too in order to get whatever land or resources they could get their claws on. I mean, let’s face it, which of the other races back in our world was decent? The griffins were lazy, rude, and selfish. Dragons always destroyed everything they couldn’t own with their greedy ways. Diamond Dogs were smelly barbarians who kidnapped ponies to be their slaves to dig their minds for gems (what do they do with them anyway?). Minotaurs were just loud and almost as greedy as the dragons. Yaks were uncultured and just smashed everything in anger. Changelings? Well, that’s one race that deserves to be mistreated in my mind. Nothing good comes from an evil creature that sucks the love out of a living being. Maybe the zebras, goats, donkey’s, and breezies were okay, but they still didn’t have a civilization like ours did. To me, it’s just further proof that our way of life was just superior is all. Well, until we met the humans. I just hope we either find a way out of this mess or hold them off long enough to find a way to protect ourselves. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 16th, 1422 E.F Damnit, me and Thundershot can’t keep doing this. We made love again because…well honestly, I just wanted to buck him. Damnit, I’m falling for that cute pony and I’m trying not to. There is a good chance either of us or both of us are going to die when the human’s come and I don’t want either of us to go through such a loss if either of us live! Still, he’s the only one whose left in my original group. The one who has been closest to me and knows me inside and out. I wish my dad was here. He’d give me advice, but he’s got his own problems. Worship of the princesses isn’t doing well back home. Many are outright declaring the princesses not to be gods while others are believing this is the end times. One side thinks that the princesses have deceived us and lead us to our doom, others are saying that the dead will return in glorious heavily forces to defeat the humans if we hold to our faith. Personally, I don’t know what to believe in anymore. Maybe I just don’t care. I don’t think the princesses are coming back from the dead. I still think they are powerful beings, enough to be gods, our gods, but the humans are something else. Maybe something bigger is happening in this universe that we can’t understand? Maybe the human’s god or their gods are just better at creating a more battle-hardened race. Many of the humans are religious, but they also declare that there are no gods. I guess they don’t have the same answers as we do. Regardless if the Princesses are divine or not, I still believe in Equestria. I believe in what we stand for: Friendship, Love, and Harmony. Perhaps…perhaps in these darkest of times I shouldn’t be afraid of loving Thundershot. Maybe what I need…what we each need is each other. Even if this is to the be the last few months alive…maybe we can make the most out of it. I’ll tell him tonight. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 17th, 1422 E.F Guess what? He told me first. He said he loved me. I said I loved him. You can guess what happened next. Celestia that flank… Whatever happens now? I don’t care. It’s just me and my special somepony today and that’s all I care about. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 21th, 1422 E.F We just performed our first proper city-wide drills for the human invasion. Things were sloppy, of course, but we still have time. From what little info we can get, the humans are still amassing their attack, but the bombing and missile raids are still happening. Dozens of cities and towns are damaged or beyond repair with lives lost in the thousands. Thundershot and I are keeping it slow with our relationship, but we sneak in a kiss every now and then. I’ve seen a few other soldiers get very close to each other too, so it makes me feel better knowing we aren’t the only ones. I think I’ve finally gotten used to the rifle. Some of us are naturals with these. There’s this one earth pony named Steel Sweep who can snipe a can of beans from 45 yards. Says he wants to take out a human head for everyone solider he lost in his squad. Another good shooter is this pony named Sandbar. He’s a bit of an air head, but he’s good enough to get a hundred percent with his rifle. I hate to be any human in his path. The tanks and other heavy gear are coming next week. I wonder what its going to look like. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 28th, 1422 E.F I’m starting to think that there is some higher power that hates us. The tanks and vehicles are here, but guess what? They’re based on the designs of the US military from some big world war in the 1940’s! That’s about a hundred years ago! How the hay are we going to hold of an army of an entire race of billions with weapons that were obsoleted a century ago?! I did some digging and it turns out that while Equestria may have the means to produce these objects as fast as possible, we don’t have the technology to make anything more advanced. Some of the metals we don’t have in Equestria but were in the human territory we once occupied. Not to mention that there are computers, smaller bits of advance tech, and other components we just don’t have the means to reproduce due to a lack of knowledge or technological means to create. Magic can only get so far apparently. I’ve seen tanks on the battlefield that shoot out lasers as if they were unicorn horns! Those things can destroy bunkers in a single blast. This is our answer to them?! General Hayfield says that technology and weapons don’t always win the battle, but bravery, valor, and tactics can. Easy for him to say. He’s going to be safe underground while we grunts end up getting our flanks filled with holes! Maybe I’m being pessimistic, or maybe I’m just seeing the writing on the wall. I don’t know. I just need a heavy drink. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 1st, 1422 E.F Princess Twilight Sparkle was here with the Wonderbolts to do an inspection of the place. See how the defenses were doing and what plans to make when the invasion hits. Apparently, she’s doing it at every defense point and we’re second on her list of visits. I have to say, she’s been doing well ever since she took over for Grand Commander Prince Shining Armor after his death. That stallion was a true leader and military genius. It’s a shame a sniper got him in the Battle of New York City. We could use him right about now, but Princess Twilight has done her best in place of her brother. I didn’t get a chance to see her since I was on guard duty for the ammunition storage. I kinda wish I did. Regardless of the debate if our princesses were goddesses or not, they were still our leaders, the ones who were the best and represented everything Equestria was about. She did give a speech as well as her fellow Element of Harmony, Rainbow Dash. I’ve always admired her for being so loyal not only to her friends, but to Equestria as well. I’ve seen her fly in the shows back home and it was some of the best days of my life. I even have a signed Wonderbolts flag back home in my bed. Home. Wow, I miss it. I keep hoping they’ll grant us some time to see our families before the big invasion. Word is that Princess Celestia is considering it to remind us all what we are fighting for. Our friends. Our families. Our home. I don’t think we’ll ever make Earth the utopia it could have been. Free from war, hate, violence, fear, and greed. The humans have made it clear they wish to live that kind of sinful life and die with it. So be it. They take their cruel world and choke on it. When we stop this invasion and prove we can still stand strong, maybe the humans will just leave us alone. Let us rebuild and be at peace while we try to find a way home and leave them to destroy themselves. It’s all I can hope for. I can’t think of the idea of Equestria being taken over by the humans. Turning their sick monkey paws on our sacred land. No, I’ll die defending it before I see that happen. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 3rd, 1422 E.F I…heard something that has disturbed me. A few of the soldiers, ponies I didn’t know, were talking about how much they missed the Newfoals. I thought it was because of how nice and kind they were, but instead they were talking about how much they missed bucking them in bed. Apparently, the Newfoals never said no the idea of mating. No force needed. They said okay and the pony who asked do them just like that. They didn’t make a sound, didn’t react to it, they just took it. Some of them thought it was creepy, others thought it was the easiest piece of flank they had ever gotten. I don’t understand. Why did the Newfoals just agree to it? Didn’t they worry about getting pregnant or a mare pregnant? Mating season is a huge problem, even during the war, since ponies go coo-coo when the heat starts acting up. In fact, mating season starts in two weeks and already mares and stallions are giving each other the eye. Is nopony takin the pills to ward off the effects? Then again, I guess I shouldn’t talk. Thundershot and I pretty much bang twice a week these days. Still, now that I think about it, I’ve never heard the Newfoals every say the word “no” before. You say something and they just do it. No questions asked. You ask them for a favor, and they do it. Apparently, that even extended to sleeping with random ponies. Just what is up with that? -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 6th, 1422 E.F Nothing new to report. Some bug is spreading around the place, causing ponies to get diarrhea. Ugh, how much manure am I going to see before this war ends? I just hope I don’t get it. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 7th, 1422 E.F Spoke too soon. BBBUUUUUUCCCCKKKKK!!!! -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 25th, 1422 E.F Okay, so those were the worst two weeks of my life. Half of it was spent in bed and half of it was pooping or throwing up in my bedpan. I think I must have lost six pounds of body fat from losing my bowels before they finally cleared me from the hospital. Thundershot got the bug a week after I got it and he’s still being treated for it. I would go back and support him, but we’re under orders no to go into the hospital unless were sick or dying to prevent it from spreading. At least a fourth of the army is sick with this bug and drills are being called off save for squad ones. I’m technically not even working anymore as I have to wait three more days before I can start training again, but I have to drink plenty of water which is making me still go to the bathroom. Again, they never tell you how much, and I’ll use a human word this time, shit to deal with in the army. I think I’m just going to lie down and pray this passes over. Maybe if the humans attack, we can make a wall out of shit and cause them to retreat? -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 27th, 1422 E.F So, the bug is still around, Thundershot is still sick, but there is good news. Those rumors of us visiting our families is true! In fact, I’m cleared to see mine sometime next month! Unfortunately, Thundershot won’t be able to join me since he’s not cleared for another two months. I was hoping the family could see him and all, but then again, knowing my mother, she’d be begging me and Thunder to get married right then and there. You know, I haven’t thought about the future should I survive this war. If we beat back the humans, the hope is that they’ll leave us alone and not nuke us again. Apparently, there even humans who didn’t agree with what they did so maybe we don’t have to worry about it again? If Thundershot and I do managed to survive this war, I guess I can picture a life with him. We could live somewhere nice and quiet while finding new jobs to support us. Dad could marry us and maybe we’d adopt a foal or two. There are a lot of orphans out there now. They’re going to need new homes. Maybe two colts? The race doesn’t matter to me. Of course, Thundershot and I have talked about our odds. There is a chance we’re both going to die. While it does scare me a bit, I’d rather be dead then in the hands of the humans. Just the thought of them having their way with me and Thundershot is too much of a nightmare to think about. Already we swore a pack to end each other’s life if it turned out that we were going to be captured and many other soldiers were planning the same thing. The holy book tells us that upon death, our souls are judged by the princesses in their sleep and from there we are sent to the paradise of Elysium or the eternal damnation of Tartarus. Of course, I’m in no rush to get angel wings, but knowing that I got a place in paradice makes the idea of dying a bit easier. Some soldiers, sadly, are so broken they wish to embrace the sweet peaceful embrace of death. Most of them have lost everything to this war, including the few Crystal Ponies left defending beside us. They don’t even care if there is nothing after death, they just want to take out as many humans as they can before closing their eyes forever. I never thought I’d think this much about death. What has this war turned me into? Turned us into? I just hope when the war ends, we stop thinking about death and about life once more. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 29th, 1422 E.F Thundershot is still sick, but he sends his love to me. I’m back to drilling, but thankfully I haven’t lost my skills on the guns. I’m now cleared to carry one around. They must be careful due to how many of us have already died because of these accursed weapons. Some accidently shoot themselves or others when using them. Others just use them to end their own lives, unable to deal with all that’. An earth pony, her name was Spirit Stomp, used to always eat next to me in the mess hall. A few days ago, she stole one of the pistols and used it to shoot herself in the face. It’s said to be a sin to commit suicide as I mentioned once in a journal a long time ago, but I just hope the princesses have mercy for us all. Because the humans and this war is having none for any of us. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 2nd, 1422 E.F I’m finally going home. I got my papers and bags and everything. Thundershot kissed me goodbye before I made me to the train station. All while whispering that he would miss me. I’ll miss him too. His smile. His eyes. Just the way he always flicked his tail and winked at me. The way he got inside me and made me feel warm and soft. Loving me as if each night was our last. But I’m going to see my family for the first time in what seems like forever. Hopefully, I’ll be able to smile again while I am there. Tears are in my eyes as I spot Cloudsdale in the distance and feel relaxed. I was finally home. And I was going to enjoy it. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Invasion won't be happening for at least another 2 or 3 chapters. As always, Please help out at the TV Tropes Page I Remember What I Fight ForApril 4th, 1422 E.F I technically got home two days ago, but I was so excited to be back and tired from the journey that I’ve held back from writing for a few days. Being back in Cloudsdale isn’t what I thought it was going to be. I knew the war had changed so much, but I didn’t expect it to change like this. Most of the homes are being boarded up or have been abandoned by others seeking refuge in places like Ponyville and Canterlot. Families I knew in my neighborhood are completely gone. Businesses have closed down as well with many unable to support themselves due to war effort and high taxes to keep it going. Soldiers are patrolling the entire streets with checkpoints and there is a curfew now. The worst are the faces I see. Expressions of utter despair and fear as ponies look into the sky every so often in fear of seeing an attack. Wreaths are put on display over the lawns of those who have died in battle or from the human’s air raids with the photos of those who died. Some of them I recognized. Like Sports Rush, who always wanted to be a professional racer. Bam Bam, who loved making thunder effects at the Weather Factory. Surprise, who was one of the most joyful ponies I ever met in my life. All of them are gone to their eternal rest with their ashes flying forever in the air. Yet for all the depressing scenes that lay before me it was all overcome by the joy of seeing my family again. My sister couldn’t stop crying as she nearly tackled me off the cloud we lived in. To be honest, I couldn’t either. There were times when I thought I was never going to see her again, but holding her made me thankful to the alicorns that I was alive so far. My parents were next. My mother was amazed by how muscled I was. If there was one thing the war prevents its getting fat. She was quick to rush me in while asking me what I wanted to eat as my father just smiled and hugged me, whispering how proud he was of me. I could only smile back and hug him. That evening we ate as we laughed about anything that wasn’t about the war. It was just for that one night we felt like a normal family again without any fear of the humans. I missed it so much that I even cried a few times, but my family thankfully didn’t say anything and just let me let it out before we had dessert. That evening, my father and I went to the roof to have a hard drink. We didn’t say much, but then I told him my doubts and my fears of losing my faith. That was when Dad told me something I never thought I’d hear from him. The Princesses were not gods. I was shocked. My father ran a church. He worshiped the Princesses for years. All his life. He turned to me and said it was a bitter realization, but he said that there was no point in denying what was real in front of us. If the Princesses were gods they wouldn’t have died. They would have protected us better. No, it was clear they were mortal like the rest of us with god-like powers. I asked him if this meant that there were no gods, but he said he didn’t believe that. He still believed that there was something out there. Some being or power that was guiding everything around us in some unknown way. Maybe it played a huge role in our lives or maybe it didn’t. Maybe it was one of the human gods or the ancient gods' ponies prayed too. Regardless, he still had faith something was out there and the one thing he believed in most was Equestria. A nation of friendship. Harmony. Unity. And Love. That was why he still had the church opened despite denying his former worship. Because in the darkest of times like these ponies needed faith. Even if they didn’t believe, they needed it. Because that small bit of faith can lead to hope. A hope that we’ll all come out of this alive. And so I no longer pray to the princesses. I still love them. I still follow them because they are our rulers, but I no longer see them as our gods. I don’t know if there is a god or not, but frankly I don’t care. I believe in Equestria. I believe in my father. I believe in us. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 5th, 1422 E.F Despite now accepting the fact that the princesses were not gods, I still went to my father’s service at church. Mostly because I missed it. The prayers. The literature. The singing. I felt more at peace there then I had in nearly a year. Afterward, I went out with my sister to the graveyard to pay our respects to those I know who died. Pegasi are cremated after their funerals and their ashes either preserved by their families or scattered into the wind. Unlike graveyards down below, ours just are clouds shaped in the cutie mark of the deceased. After giving my prayers, I met with someone unexpected. My ex-coltfriend, Dalewind. He was there as well to give his prayers. We chatted over coffee while my sister left us for us to catch up. I could tell Dalewind missed me, even tried to hold my hoof a few times, but I told him I was with somepony else now which made him give me a sad smile. After saying our goodbyes, I went back home. I also decided to tell my family about Thundershot and I. They were happy to hear that I had someone special back in the military, with Dad promising to marry us after the war. I miss Thundershot so much. I wish he was with me to visit my family. If there is anything I want if I survive this war it's to be with him. There wasn’t much else done today. I just stayed home and played games with my family. Maybe I’ll dream of Thundershot tonight. Hopefully nothing that will wet my sheets. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 7th, 1422 E.F I finally got asked about the war. It was kind of unavoidable due to what’s happened. There was an attempt to assassinate Princess Celestia yesterday. Not by a human but by one of her own generals in the army. Apparently, he blamed her for everything and that Equestria was doomed unless they surrendered. He killed himself before he could be captured. To have one of Princess Celestia’s own generals betray her like that...I honestly don’t know what to think. I finally got asked if the war was that bad. I answered it was as bad as it could be. Before I knew it, I was telling them everything. Jerusalem. India. Sri Lanka. The dead. The wounded. The screams. The bombings. The guns. How you made a friend one day before saying farewell to their coffin. The endless nightmares in your sleep as you see the faces of your allies and enemies haunting you while dragging you into the abyss. The fact that you know you could day at any moment. The amount of hate you see in a human’s eyes as they try to shoot you down. The days you think about just ending it all just to have it all silenced. I.. I can’t write anymore. I just can’t. *** April 9th, 1422 E.F I’m going back to the front lines. My vacation got shortened because it's believed that the invasion is just a month away. A month. A single month before the battle of our lives begins. A month before our fate is decided. Will Equestria survive or not. I think of my family. Of my sister smiling and promising me to come home. I won’t fail them. I cannot fail them. Equestria must survive. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 11th, 1422 E.F The first thing I did was check up on Thundershot. He was recovered from his bug and we proceed to have sex the first chance we got. Heavens, I missed his touch. Come morning, I had to get back into training. We’ve managed to improve our weapons skills in the brief time I was gone. The tanks and artillery were being used to effect and our drills were preparing us for anything. Morale is also boosted thanks to the fact that the Wonderbolts themselves are going to be fighting with us. Captain Spitfire. Lt. Soarin. Lt. Rainbow Dash. Corporal Scootaloo and many others. They were heroes in this war and they were going to be fighting beside us. The Wonderbolt fan in me is geeking out at the prospect. I even saw them during our training schedule. They moved like a single unit against the wooden made replicas of the human ships. They were so fast it was almost impossible to see them. I believe they could even dodge gunfire if possible. The humans won’t know what’s going to hit them when they come to our shores. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 14th, 1422 E.F Preparations are still being done. We’re now going over drills in what to do should the enemy take the beach. We were given orders to hold the city to the last pony with plans to regroup at key locations should the worst happen. I actually managed to meet Corporal Scootaloo of the Wonderbolts during a break. She’s pretty cool. One of the youngest to ever make it to the Wonderbolts. She grew up idolizing Rainbow Dash and wanted to be just like her except she was born with tiny wings due to a problem at her birth. Thankfully, she was able to get an operation that gave her new wings to achieve her dream of flying beside her mentor. I asked what Rainbow Dash was like and Scootaloo must have talked for about thirty minutes about how awesome Rainbow Dash was. If it wasn’t for the fact she was already engaged to her friend Apple Bloom, I’d believe she was in love with her. To my surprise, she actually said she liked humans. She thought they were cool with their gadgets and entertainment. She even made a few friends on their social media sites before she was forced to cancel it due to the war. I pointed out all the problems with humanity, but she said she’d seen similar things in Equestria as well. She saw horrible ponies who had done bad things growing up in her adventures with her friends or heard about from Rainbow Dash. Regardless of her feelings, she was still loyal to Equestria, and if that meant she had to kill humans to protect us then so be it. I guess I never thought of seeing a pony actually like humans but still willing to fight them. I always thought it was loyalty to your kind or being a traitor like that accursed Lyra Heartstrings. Were there humans who thought the same as us? Well, it doesn’t matter. The humans are coming here to destroy us and we’re going to give them everything we got. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 17th, 1422 E.F Still, nothing going on to write about. It’s just drilling and preparing. I think that’s all any of us can do now. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 19th, 1422 E.F Testing. Testing. One. Two. Three. Huh, this spell works. So, yeah. One of the unicorns in our group taught us a spell on how we could mentally write in our journals without physically writing it. It was a spell the Royal Guard once used in past wars to write their journal entries during battles so they could be recorded for... damnit Thundershot stop feeling my butt. Wow, he was right. It really can read your thoughts. Hmm, I’m going to have to practice with this outside of my journal. Don’t want it recording me when I’m doing something embarrassing. Crap, I’m going to be late for shooting practice. How do I shut the sp- *** April 21st, 1422 E.F So I’m using the spell now as I stand in front of a speech being given by Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts. My journal is in my armor and I plan on keeping it there during the invasion so it can get my thoughts. Although I hope I don’t die or something and it records something embarrassing as my final words. I should be paying attention to the speech, but I believe I have to do this. We’re going to be on full alert soon due to the invasion mostly coming in the next few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, it's a good speech, but when she said something about remembering what we’re fighting for. I figured it was a good time to write this as I watch to remember what I am fighting for. This way, should the worst happen, my words can be known to Equestria and my family should I fall. First, I am fighting for them. My family. I am fighting so that they can live again in peace with my sister smiling in the sun without the fear of war or bloodshed. I fight for them so that we can be a united family again without the bitterness of the hated humans tearing us apart. Second, I am fighting for Thundershot and the future I want with him. I want us to get married and have a good long life while raising our own children together. I was us to find a place to settle, a nice and quiet place to recover from the war while giving our children the future they deserve. Third, I am fighting for Equestria. It’s the greatest nation ever made. Once three tribes of ponies hated each other but came together with friendship to bring the magic of friendship to all three races. We become the most powerful, wisest, and greatest civilization that has shown that we cannot be defeated. Time and time again our way of life was threatened and we will win this time again. We will not let the humans defeat us. Fourth, I am fighting for justice. Justice for all the ponies who have suffered or died at the hands of these humans. These creatures who know nothing but war, death, and greed. I both piety and hate them, but I know we will defeat them. We’re the good guys. We’re fighting for peace and justice. They will face judgment for their crimes. And finally, I am fighting for myself. Now more than ever is the time I show that I am a true patriot of Equestria. It matters not if the Alicorns are gods or not. It matters not that I will live or die in these coming days. I am going to go out there and fight for the fallen, for the innocent, for the virtuous, and for the future. Bring it Humanity! We’re ready! -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Invasion will either begin next chapter or the chapter afterwards. I am still seeing if more can be added to this. Please contribute to the NegotiationsVerse TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse I Am In HellMay 7th, 1422 E.F Is this thing working? Yup, I’m seeing my words appear as I think on the page. So the spell is working again. Well, this is it. The day we’ve been both dreading and anticipating. I’m currently flying to my post right now and getting into position. Everypony is armed and ready. It’s time. The invasion is coming soon. One of the Wonderbolts scouted out in the ocean and spotted something big heading this way yesterday. Once the call went out, we all got up fully armed and ready. For the past few weeks we’ve done nothing but practice, drill, and pray that we were ready for whatever it was that was going to come our way. I’m now practically able to hit a shot at 130 yards with my rifle so I feel ready to take a few human heads when they land. Thundershot gets his machine gun ready while I aim down the beach. We’re about just at the border of the beach and the city, a new location for us that the General decided to change. Hay, there have been a lot of changes. We’re to be there to cover our fellow troops should we need to retreat further into the city to fall back for our next defense point. There are so many of them that I forget how many, but I’m thinking of just running to cover the first sign of the signal hits. It's amazing how different the beach is now compared to what it was months ago. It’s going to take a lot of ships and firepower for those humans to land. Not only do we have proper machine gun nests and artillery ready to fire, but we finally managed to get the ships in. Our new proud navy stands ready to charge forth against the invaders with its new ships made similar in the design of the US Navy’s famous ships. Granted, it's a few decades behind version but what matters is the spirit of the crew not the vessel. Or at least that’s what one of the sailors told me at the bar we were at last week. The entire beach and city is deadly quiet to the point where I can hear my sweat dripping down my neck and onto the ground. A thick fog has most of the ocean covered so we can’t see that well, but the Wonderbolts are already planning to fix that with some weather maneuvers. A few ponies near me are praying to the princesses. I kinda want to join in, but I’m holding my tongue. Still getting used to my new beliefs and all. Seeing the Princesses as not goddesses is kinda weird, but I still believe in them. They represent everything about Equestria that’s great. Their kind hearts. Wisdom. And courage even in the face of overwhelming odds. Ewww. Some of the others are throwing up. I guess the intensity is getting to them. I know it’s bothering me. Alright, close your eyes, Halberd. Think about what you are fighting for. Think about your family. The princesses. And all the soldiers you knew since this war started. I open my eyes and gaze over to Thundershot who's giving me a smirk and a wink. Just like that I feel my courage return thanks to that cute smile. Gritting my teeth, I huff with my heart ready for action. It’s time to show these humans who really know how to fight. Out of the top of my eye, I spot the Wonderbolts flying above, preparing to clear the fog. I can spot the rainbow colors of Rainbow Dash flying by as some soldiers cheer for them. With a whirlwind like maneuver the Wonderbolts start clearing the fog and I can see...see. ... ...Oh my Equestria...oh my Equestria! WHAT THE ACTUAL BUCK?! I feel my gun slip out of my hooves and I’m sure I’m not the only one. The silence of the beach is no longer one of tension but of utter fear. I’m shaking my head from left to right just to make sure I am really seeing this, but I cannot deny it. The ships...there are so many ships! So big and so long that they could fit a stadium! Legions of them are lined up in rows upon rows that seem endless. Stretching out so far they have to be beyond the gaze of the city. Each of them dark and black like knights of the old days coming to raid upon a village. And they’re floating. Floating above the water! Heading right at us with incredible speeds! Where did the humans-GAH! My ears! What were those booms! I swear my ears are pounding against my skull! What caused the-Holy Celesita?! Explosions are everywhere! The beach is being torn up from all directions! Those booms must have been the ships cannons but they’re so far away1 How is that possible?! I feel my mouth drop as my ears pick up the sounds of panic screams and dying cries of my fellow soldiers. Each explosion only brings more cries to the growing number of yells and howls. Sand is shooting into the air by forty feet I think, but that’s not the only thing I’m seeing. Are those limbs?! Oh goddess, they are! Heads and arms and tails and entire torso! Oh heaven, I’m going to be sick! The entire beach is...it’s covered in blood...so much blood you can drown in it. I think some are! Our hills, bunkers, and defense lines are getting smashed into pieces! It’s like a dragon burning down a wooden home! We tested those things against our very own guns! How is this possible?! Soldiers are running or flying around in panic for cover as they are obliterated in mass and I don’t know what to do. I’m seeing our Navy sally forth, but I don’t know if they can reach the ships in time and-WHAT?! I...I don’t know what I just saw! What am I seeing?! The ships are already on fire and exploding?! Did the humans ship hit them all ready?! What the hay happened?! Someone is crying out that they see something in the water. I don’t see anything...wait! There I see it and...is it a sea monster?! No...No it’s another ship! It’s a bunch of ships coming out of the water! Submarines! The humans call them submarines! Just as black as their floating companions, only much shorter and bulkier. Yet, just as deadly as I see them opening their hulls as smoke rises from them. Rockets. They’re firing rockets that come down upon the rest of our ships. I can’t help but look and I wish I didn’t. Our beautiful navy...it's all ruined. Not a single ship has managed to fire back and already they’re crippled beyond repair. We haven’t even fired a single shot and already they’ve destroyed a good portion of our defenses. Was everything for nothing?!. I can see machine gun fire being shot from the sides of the submarines into the air as the various Pegasi divisions and Wonderbolts come under fire. It’s not just mists of red I see on the ground I see them in the air as well. I’m looking at this mare pegasus above me. White as snow with a yellow mane holding a rocket launcher. The bullets go right through her body like paper and she falls down. She falls. Falls. I can see her blood trailing above her corpse. Like a dead bird she falls flat on her face five feet from my cover position. Her body is smoking as the flesh burns from wounds I’ve only ever seen in flame like rounds. This is hotter though. I’ve heard rumors, but to see it first hand. Plasma rounds. Real live plasma rounds. I see dozens of other pegasi who fall dead like flying fish piling up around us. It’s only been at most twenty minutes and already our starting defenses are done for. Celestia. What evil has been unleashed on us? I only now realize that Thundershot is shouting at me to move. I can hear the retreat whistle and it sounds like the horn of Elysium to me. Never before have I ever felt happier to hear a retreat call. Wait, no, that’s not the whistle. That’s something else...it’s...oh no. I know that sound. I feel fear crawl over me as I hear that sound. The numerous times I had to look up and take for cover while trying to survive the jungles of Sri Lanka. I look up and I feel my heart sink into my chest. Bombers. Planes. So many they cover the entire sky. I shout air raid and to take cover AND GAAAAAH! PAIN! PAIN!!!!!! MY BACK! OH GODDESSES MY BACK IS ON FIRE! BUCK! BUCK! STOP IT! STOP THIS! MOMMY! MOMMY! STOP! STOP! PLEASE STOP IT! THE PAIN! THE PAIN! THUNDERSHOT HELP ME! Am I dying?! Oh, Princess I am dying aren’t I?! I don’t want to die! I REALLY DON’T! I JUST WANT TO GO HOME! OH GODDESS! I’m crying, I’m crying and I am just shaking without end! It hurts so much! I’m...I’m being picked up...who...can’t tell!Can’t stop screaming! IT HURTS IT FUCKING HURTS! More sounds of aircraft! More death! Death is here! Death has come! The humans are here to kill us all! Oh, Equestria we’re all going to die! We’re going to die! Bombs are falling everywhere! Everything is torn to pieces! Fire and death! Death everywhere! Even the sky's on fire! Is this the end of the world?! Or am I in Tartarus already?! I hear my name. I hear my name! Who is calling for me?! Princess Luna?! Princess Cadence?! Th...Thundeshot...Thundershot! He has me! He tells me to hold on. He tells me it will be okay. How can it be okay?! We’re all going to die! I...I can’t...I... ... ... ... ... ... ... Pain... Where... ...I don’t... ... ... ... ...voices...Thundershot... ...what is going... ... ... ...I’m...I’m alive? Wait...no I’m dead...all I see is darkness...no wait, I am alive. I can feel my back still hurting, but not as bad as before...oh goddess the pain. But I’m alive. By the grace of whatever powers there are I am alive. I feel like I’m half dead though. My eyes are so heavy. My back is killing me as well as my flank.Water...I need water! Somepony must have heard me because I feel a cooling drink go down my lips. Finally, my eyes are opening...a nurse...unicorn...white with pink mane...she tells me to sleep...sleep...sounds good... *** May 7th, 1422 E.F I’m writing normally again. The spell went off when I went unconscious a second time. It’s been...two days since the invasion started. Two days...and everything has gone to the crapper. The humans have taken over half the city already, but we’re fighting to keep every territory we have with what forces we have remaining. A good number of them were killed in the early strikes. The humans didn’t even start landing and putting their troops out until the second day. From what I hear they’re wearing armor that is heavy, durable, and can somehow use shields. Magic shields. Fucking traitors must have helped them create it. Create the tools that kill their own people. Damn them. Damn Lyra Heartstrings and her rebels. That’s not all. The humans are wielding guns that are firing lasers like that of a unicorn horn. Some are so powerful they vaporize your entire body until your ashes. I haven’t seen any of this since I’ve been stuck recovering from my...injuries... ...I’m wingless. My wings are...gone...they had to take them off to save my life..I’m crippled. A pegasi without wings... I remember crying for hours when they told me. For a pegasus to lose their wings... I...I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I think I’m done writing... -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** May 8th, 1422 E.F More wounded are being brought in, but thankfully Thundershot isn’t among them. Not that I know if he is alive or not. I asked about him, but the nurse said he had to be sent back out to defend the city. I don’t know if my special somebody is alive or not, but deep down I know he is. I just wish he was with me right now or at least I was there fighting by his side. Still, I worry more and more with each hour. It seems pointless to hold this city, especially when the humans keep showing up with more ways to kill us. They got flying machines, drones I think, flying around with mini-machine guns and shooting at us from above before retreating. We’ve lost numerous high ranking officers to the point that ponies are being promoted like baby rabbits being born. They got grenades that can stick to the surface of whatever they hit. Even ponies. One pony swore he saw his commander get one in the crotch before it exploded and took five other guys with him. What a way to go am I right? The worst has to be the tanks. The tanks fire lasers even bigger than the human’s normal guns while also shooting flaming plasma. Entire streets are melting from the heat to the point where you can smell it from here. Word is spreading that we’re going to retreat soon, but we need something to cover us as we retreat. I don’t know what but... One sec. One of the nurses wants to tell me something. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** Thundershot’s dead. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** Buck the date. Buck this war. buck humanity. BUCKYOUBUCKYOUBUCKYOUBUCKYOU! *** Thundershot’s dead. I...I can’t... *** We’re leaving the city. Rainbow Dash had survived. The only Wonderbolt to do so. Did a Sonic Rainboom and gave us enough time to leave via Emergency Teleportation. Everypony is hailing her as a hero, but there are no heroes in war except for the dead. Like Thundershot. Why? Why couldn't we have died together? *** I’m in Ponyville with hundreds of thousands of others. All from other cities. Every one of them has fallen. Some surrendered without a fight. Some fought to the end. Some were wiped out completely. They’re coming. Humanity is coming and surrounding us at all sides. I’ve lost my wings. I’ve lost Thundershot. I won’t lose my home. I refuse. I’d rather die. I’ll kill them. I’ll bucking kill them all. Even if I die I’ll take them all with me. Their cities will burn. Their woman will suffer. Their children butchered. I will see them enslaved, mutilated, and suffer every sin their race deserves since they first learned to crawl. I will tear down their gods and statues. Every bit of their history, culture, and civilization I will see wiped from the face of the earth. I will send them to the fires of whatever hell exists before I piss on their ashes. I will never surrender to them. They took him away from me. My Thundershot. My love. They took my wings away. The very essence of being a pegasus. I will not let them take my home. I will not let them take Equestria because its all I have left. I’ll kill them all. We will kill them all. Or we all die as one. We will never surrender. -Halberd Wings I Recover In PonyvilleJune 2nd, 1422 E.F I realized I haven’t written in this for a while now, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been doing everything I could with physical therapy to get me back into fighting order so I can kill the humans. Equestria knows they need every soldier they can get now. The past month has been nothing but a demoralizing day by day process of learning which battles were lost, which towns were obliterated or occupied, how big were the number of dead, and how closer the armies were getting to us. There have been very few victories and those only happen because Princess Celestia or Twilight was there. Everypony is afraid that the war is over and that we’re all going to die. That the humans will destroy us like they did to the non-ponies when they fled Equestria. I remember the announcement from Celestia herself about how the human navy sunk all their ships and exterminated them. Humanity is a cruel monster that cares nothing about itself and just wants to take everything they can with their greedy hands. They already ruined this world with their actions. We cannot let them ruin Equestria. I keep telling them to let me fight, but they say I’m not ready. That I haven’t adjusted to not having wings anymore or the other injuries might cause serious harm to my body. I don’t care if I don’t have wings anymore! I’ll rip their faces off with my teeth if I have to! They’ve taken everything from me. My comrades. My princesses. My lover. They’ve taken my home and my family. Clousdale surrendered to humanity just two weeks ago and I still can’t believe it. The home of some of our greatest heroes, warriors and generals of renown, and it surrendered without a fight. It’s not the only one to do so, but it hurts knowing my home betrayed us. I don’t even know if my family is even alive. Did they get executed for fun? Did they rape my sister or mother before tossing their bodies in some factory to use them as glue? Did they burn our church down because it didn’t worship their heathen gods? I don’t know, but I can’t let it get to me except to fuel me into getting better. My family might be dead, but I can’t worry about that. This war is bigger than them. I’ve seen the strength and evil of these invaders and I know that unless we stop them then everything is lost. Death would be better than such a fate. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 4th, 1422 E.F Rumors are going around about how the ponies captured or being held control over by humanity are being treated well. Some are suggesting that maybe the humans will be merciful if they are captured. I can’t believe what I am here, but these are civilians who don’t know what we are really fighting against. I’ve seen the way they wage war. The brutality and outright horrible things. They claim to have made some rules of war a long time ago at a place called Geneva, but it's a load of manure. There are no rules to war. Just killing and surviving. Millions are dead because of them, both soldiers and civilians. How can we just expect mercy from these monkeys? I went out to walk around Ponyville for a bit. I’m not well enough to fight, but I can travel around at least. It’s...tough getting used to the feeling of not being able to fly. Like a part of you is gone forever. I see the looks that some ponies give me, but I hate it. I hate being pitied. Some look at me as a hero, but I’m just some unlucky wingless pegasus who managed to avoid getting killed while better ponies died. Why am I even alive? Why didn’t I die with Thundershot? I don’t care if there is an afterlife or not anymore. I feel dead already inside. I don’t even have a home or a family to go home to now. The only thing keeping me going is the need to protect my country from these bastards. If I didn’t have that... The town has seen better days. I can say that much. I used to grow up hearing about how great Ponyville was from the Crystal Tower of Friendship to Sweet Apple Acres owned by the Element of Honesty. A place of happiness and importance. It’s barely got a smile to its name. A large memorial is always updating on the souls of ponies who have died in this war. The economy has ruined many businesses and the houses are being prepped for any future bombings. I even hear that the farmers are suffering with their fields being nationalized so that the food can feed the army. It just feels like utter depression made whole in my mind. I wonder what it's like for all the other places in Equestria that are still standing? -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 8th, 1422 E.F I’m still getting this news, but it sounds big. There was some kind of incident in Canterlot last night. What I’m hearing doesn’t make sense, but it sounds like members of the Royal Guard and Army were fighting each other last night. Apparently, there was infighting like a coup or revolt. There are rumors going around that Princess Celestia is dead or nearly died. Others are saying she faked her death before striking back. Some say it's the Resistance led by Lyra Heartstrings. Others say it's Discord again. There are also rumors of humans arriving in Canterlot and trying to assasinate Princess Celestia. It had happened nearly a few times before the war. Back when humanity allowed the Convention Bureaus to save them from the barrier’s growth. The truth is nopony knows what is going on and that’s scaring everyone. Including me. It’s got everypony up in arms at the moment. Civilians are forced into their homes with orders to not come out or they’ll be punished. Soldiers are on every street while everypony is waiting for news about what happened in Canterlot. I will write more when I find out more. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 11th, 1422 E.F We finally have the full information on what happened. It turns out that one of the military generals, General Valkyrie, had staged a coup attempt with members from the Royal Guard and Military to seize control of Canterlot and order a negotiation with the human armies. Cowards and traitors a lot of them! Princess Celestia was poisoned, but her alicorn biology managed to save her so she made it look like she had died in hopes of getting the conspirators to appear. When they stormed the castle in an attempt to seize it, she and the rest of the loyal forces managed to stop them with Spike the Dragon arriving with other forces as reinforcements. Most of the traitors died in the battle, but the remaining ones were straight up executed. Their heads decorate a pike on the walls of the palace. A better fate than they deserve if you ask me. According to one soldier who was there, General Valkyrie accused Princess Celestia of dooming the entire Pony race with her actions and that there was no hope of winning the war. She did what she did to save what was left. How dare she accuse the Princess of such a thing! We came here to save humanity from ourselves if there is anyone to blame for all this chaos it's them! Not the princess! They say her last action before Celestia personally killed her was to spit in her face. I wish I could have killed her personally. The only reason we are even alive and have a chance of winning this war is because of the Princesses. They are the only reason we can even fight and hold off humanity. What is happening to Equestria where she is tearing herself apart in false accusations while the true enemy lies on our doorstep? All it did was lead to more ponies ending up dead and hindering the war effort. At least Princess Celestia is okay. She is fine and that’s what matters. If we were to lose our remaining princesses then there really would be no hope left. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 12th, 1422 E.F I met one of them today. Sweetie Belle. One of Scootaloo’s friends. I remember her talking about her...before the invasion and I recognized her description. She was surprised to know that I knew her friend, but nonetheless wanted to know what had happened to her at the battle. I was surprised Rainbow Dash didn’t tell her what happened, but apparently Dash didn’t like talking about what happened. Not that I blame her, I still can’t fully talk about it myself. I told her of the brief moment of time we spent together. It wasn’t much but I could tell in her eyes that she wanted to know every detail of her friend’s final moments. She then asked how did the battle go...or more accurately how did she die. I didn’t know what to say, but she begged me to tell her no matter how gruesome it was. In the end, I told her how the Wonderbolts were all killed one by one. Their remains now buried at sea for eternity. She sobbed for a while and held me as I comforted her. I told her I lost somepony too. How I lost Thundershot. Sweetie Belle told me she just wanted the war to be over. She didn’t care about who won or lost anymore, just for all the dying to stop. Normally, I would say something about how we needed to win, but I felt like that wouldn’t be right so I didn’t say anything. Maybe I can understand why some ponies think this way, but I feel like they can’t see the bigger picture. Let’s say, by some miracle, humanity doesn’t wipe us out or enslave us. What will we do? Have to adhere to their laws? Their rules? Will our culture, religion, and society have to change because they hold power over us? What will we lose becoming more like them? No, it would not be Equestria anymore. It would be a puppet state or would fall into the same trap as these humans have done. Their entire history is nothing of conquest, enslavement, death, and corruption. I do not want to see Equestria follow the same fate. She thanked me before leaving, saying it was something that she and her friend Apple Bloom wanted to know for a long time. I remembered that Apple Bloom was Scootaloo’s fiance and asked how she was, but Sweetie Belle whispered I didn’t want to know. Maybe it's best I didn’t. As I saw her walk away I wondered more and more what our future as a species and as a nation was going to be. Is there a way to save our home? We’ve done it in the past before, but can we pull it off again with the armies of humanity coming closer and closer with each day? How many lives must be lost before we can turn the tide? If we can turn the tide. The thought that this is the end has crossed my mind more than once, but I can’t believe it. Because then everything would have been for nothing and I refuse to let that happen. Even if it means losing my life. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 19th, 1422 E.F I heard rumors going around that more and more soldiers are surrendering. It’s gotten to the point that half of Equestria is now under human rule. Worse, there are talks about them planning some kind of major strike. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like it. I’ll see if I can find out some more. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Short chapter, but we're getting closer to the end. 2 or 3 more chapters left. Please contribute to the NegotiationsVerse TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse I Am Done RunningJune 24th, 1422 E.F I...I don’t know how to write what has just happened. I don’t even know why I am writing this here and now. All of it happened so fast and soon... Maybe because it's all I can think of doing after going through what I can only describe as a tragic nightmare made manifest. One moment I was sleeping in my bed at the hospital. The next, I found myself thrown to the floor by the force of an explosion. The glass on my windows shattered as I heard screaming and panic. The first thing I wondered is if I’m back on the battlefield, but then I see doctors and nurses trying to get patients out or checking upon them. More explosions can be heard both far and near. The feeling of their impact is close to the point where the very ground starts to shake. Having been through so many bombing raids in the past, I knew already how we were being attacked, but I needed to know just how screwed we were. To my horror, it wasn’t only the hospital. The entire town of Ponyville was being bombed by the humans. I rushed outside to see how many bombers there were, but the sky was too dark to see. Plus, the smoke was too thick from the fires spreading across the entire town and beyond its borders. The Sweet Apple Acres farm was like a sea of embers and destruction as its once prideful apple trees lit up like candles. From a distance, I could see Princess Twilight’s castle crumble into shattered crystals as I prayed the princess made it out alive. Even the rivers nearby looked to be sparked and burning like the fires of Tartarus. All of this happened while the sounds of Ponyville's citizens, panicking in terror, could be heard in all directions. At first, I thought about flying up to better look at the enemy and their numbers. Then I remembered I didn’t have wings anymore and felt utterly useless. Looking back on it now, such an action would have been suicide to do so even if I did have my wings. Besides, what countermeasures did we have to deal with a bombing raid? Ponyville wasn't even thought to be a prime target for an attack! Princess Twilight’s voice soon echoed across the entire landscape with what had to be a spell. She ordered everypony to evacuate the town and make for the train station to retreat to Canterlot. My first thought wasn’t to run for evacuation but to instead help out those at the hospital. There were so many ponies injured and sick who were unable to leave on their own. How could I leave them behind when I was better off than most of them despite my loss of wings? I don’t remember who I helped or how many, but I just did it without thinking. I listened to whatever the doctors told me to do while praying a bomb didn’t blow up the hospital while we were all inside of it. It soon became clear that we couldn’t save all the patients. There just weren’t enough helpers, and some of the staff members had already run off in fear. Bastards. They had a duty to their patients and their fellow workers, but they left them to die out of concern for their own lives. Thankfully, I didn't have the challenging responsibility of choosing who was to be saved and who had to be left behind. I pity those who had to do so. I can’t help but wonder the feelings of those we left behind and what they thought in their final moments. Feeling betrayed and left to die like that? Such a thing should be unthinkable to an Equestria's citizen, but everything has changed because of the war, huh? Leaving the hospital proved to be just as dangerous. All of Ponyville was in flames. Even now, off in the distance while riding the train, I can see the fires still burning. All those ponies...burning in their homes...their guts spilled out into the streets. Nopony was safe from the bombs that fell from above. It just happened so fast. Why did the humans target Ponyville? It holds no strategic value in a militaristic sense. Was this a means to break our spirit and attack us culturally? It was the home of our great heroes and the iconic location for many recent events. It was a town looked upon with pride for embracing the lessons of friendship that was part of our nation’s heritage and ways. Or maybe humans are just sick and twisted flankholes. It’s a miracle the train was able to escape, but that’s thanks to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Her shielding spell protected so many, but not all of us. So many are just dead or had to be left behind to save what could be saved. I can hear families crying for their loved ones just outside my passenger room, including foals trying to find their moms and dads. I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I just hope that there is a plan. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 25th, 1422 E.F It’s been a full 24 hours since the bombing, and I haven’t been able to sleep. I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again after what happened last night. After arriving in Canterlot, we were all put in a refugee section. It was already filled to the brim of ponies from all over Equestria. Some of them were giving us glaring or fearful eyes. I've never seen so many cold and despairing eyes before. Not long after I arrived, they picked all soldiers from the train, including myself, to be given new orders save for those too critically wounded. I was quickly told that I’ll report to a new captain and her unit consisting of Canterlot soldiers and new recruits starting tomorrow. I was so confused by this because, as far as I knew back then, my commanding officers were still alive along with the rest of my division. While I had been sent to Ponyville to recover, they were all sent to fight the invading forces near Dodge City. Only there isn’t a Dodge City anymore. There was a bombing there as well, except the humans in that raid killed everyone. My entire division was gone. If I'm being honest, I barely knew anyone else there that was alive save for a few faces. Thundershot was the only friend I had left, and with him already dead... Buck. Am I cursed to lose everypony I know in my life? I later learned that the bombing runs were everywhere in Equestria. A massive attack from the air has crippled the war effort and ruined cities beyond even the most basic repairs. Even here in Canterlot, I notice that entire sections are destroyed or closed off. Apparently, they were hit with some kind of strange chemical attack that I later learned was called White Phosphorus. It burned the skins off its victims while others choked to death as the fumes burned inside their lungs. Rumors are going around that Princess Twilight’s parents were also killed this way. Still, then again, there are dozens of stories going around. Rumors of entire armies being wiped out or surrendering. Cities from across the nation are submitting or being captured by human troops. Most of the generals and higher staff are either dead, captured, or have committed suicide. There are even rumors that the Elements of Laughter and Generosity, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, are dead. That last one I...I sadly found out to be true just moments before writing this. Somepony, who was there, told me that they saw Sugarcube Corner blew up with everyone inside. Another pony told me they saw the bodies of Rarity and Sweetie Belle while running away. Two of our greatest heroes are gone. One is a traitor, and only three remaining. Sweetie Belle. I only talked to her once, but she was a good pony, and I can’t help but weep for her. I hope she and Scootaloo are together again if there is an afterlife after death. It honestly feels like I don’t know anything anymore. Like...are we even going to survive this? The only city that seem to still be left standing are Canterlot, but how soon until they come? How many of us are already dead or enslaved to humanity? What hope is there left with so much loss? The Equestrian army is all but destroyed save for what remains in Canterlot. The only remaining force still active in fighting outside of Canterlot with a sizable army is Lt. Colonel Blazehoof, who is fighting his way towards Canterlot from the north. All others are too small to make an impact. This means...Canterlot is on her own. I remember reading about these events in history when the Equestrian Army fought against the predator invaders in its past wars. How the last of our enemies refused to surrender. They fought to the last with their backs against the wall in a desperate attempt to survive. The last stand. And now it was our turn. I swore that I would fight to the end and not live in a world where humans rule us. I guess it's time to test that resolve, huh? -Halberd Wings *** June 26th, 1422 E.F Some refugees from Clousdale have arrived. They couldn't stand the surrender of Cloudsdale so they all left for here. I still can't believe that my home city has given up to the monkeys. The home of so many great heroes and achievers in our history, including the military. The prideful home city of the Wonderbolts and its legacy. All of it is dead to me. To surrender without a fight. To give up without a single shot. It’s a disgrace to every pegasus hero we ever had, from Commander Hurricane to Rainbow Dash. All that’s left standing is Canterlot, who shall make its final stand in the coming days. Everypony who can wield a weapon is being recruited save for foals. There isn’t any training or proper lessons on how to fight. They just get a weapon, armor if they’re lucky, and are told to prepare themselves to die for the sake of Equestria. Equestria. A utopia that once had the cleanest weather, safest homes, and happiest citizens. A land that was perfect with strong leaders, a philosophy of love and friendship, and a government system where everyone had the means given to them for what they needed. Now it was all ruined by the evil that is humanity. Their greed, hatred, and ignorance have destroyed something so pure that should we even come out of this alive, it will take centuries to fix. The only thing standing before them and total victory are us, the few still willing to fight, and Princess Celestia, who is protecting us all with her shield spell. Some of the more veteran soldiers say they haven’t seen a shield this strong since Prince Shining Armor’s during his royal wedding. This is the moment of truth—the final battle of good vs. evil. And I know that I am not going to survive this. Deep in my heart, I know my fate is sealed, and I am done running. I will die here, but I will die a true stallion of Equestria. To do anything else is a disgrace. -Halberd Wings *** June 27th, 1422 E.F I finally met my new commanding officer: Captain Hope Diamond. Of all the commanding officers I’ve been under, I’ve never met somepony like her. She is one of the few who are still smiling and urging us to never give up. Perhaps it has to do with her name or cutie mark, a golden smiling sun upon a diamond-encrusted shield. Maybe her talent is giving hope to those of us in the darkest of times. I can’t think of a darker time than now. Since I’m an established soldier, she’s given me some troops to command as a unit. Honestly, I was just a corporal, but it looks like I’m going up in the world. The ponies under me look to me for guidance and some kind of protector. Most of them have never killed or hurt anything in their life, and one of them is only fifteen years old. I do what I can to teach them how to use a spear and a sword, but it's clear that they’re lacking any fighting ability. Well, they’re going to have to train quickly. We don't have any more access to the guns or tanks or any other human-based weapons and equipment. All the factories for those were in the other cities. What little there is are now in the hands of specific guards and units. Since Canterlot consists of many levels, we’re charged with guarding one of the gates leading from the third to the fourth. Our job is to prevent any human soldiers from entering, should they breach the gate, but I wonder how long we can even last? Regardless, this is the duty I am given, and if it means that I must die standing, so be it. I keep wondering what’s happened to my family: my father, mother, and sister. My father told me that should the worst happen, he planned on all three of them dying together. He wouldn’t let my mother or my sister be raped and brutally murdered by those damn monkeys. It’s funny, I should be in tears or in sorrow, but I’m not. Maybe it's because I’m glad they know peace and no more war. Or perhaps after all the losses I’ve suffered since the fighting, I’ve just become so numb. Who knows? -Halberd Wings *** July 3rd, 1422 E.F Been a while since I wrote in this, but guess what? I’m not dead yet. Not that casualties aren’t happening. The humans have been shelling us for the past three days. Every few hours they attack with missiles and artillery to break the shield, but by Princess Celestia’s willpower, she continues to hold firm and protect us. While this happens, I can see the entire human army surrounding us on all sides. There are some hoping that Lt. Colonel Blazehoof and his army can help us, but word has it that we lost contact with them two days ago. We don’t know if they are dead or alive or surrendered. Everypony is on edge, and things just get worse and worse each day. Food and water are scarce, and fights or riots break out every so often to the point where the guards are forced to use lethal force to get everyone to stop. When the citizens aren’t rioting, starving, or weeping, they’re killing themselves. Some just jump off high buildings. Others take whatever weapons they have and end their lives that way. One of the mares under my command, Twist, said she saw the corpses of a pony she knew from Ponyville named Silver Spoon with a vial of poison in her hoof. Twist said that, even though she was once a bully, she didn't deserve such a fate. One or two of the ponies in my command have already slit their own throats. We don’t even bury the bodies; we just burn them without a service or anything. It would be worse if a disease was to break out now. Some ponies are talking about how this is the end that the humans will kill us all. A few think we should surrender or try to escape. Then there are those like Captain Hope Diamond who refuse to give up. I’m not giving up as well. Giving up means that my friends, my comrades, my...lover, died for nothing. I’ll never give up, nor will Equestria do so. Harmony in life or Harmony in death. Nothing in between. -Halberd Wings Author's Note Sorry for the long delay in updating. November was a bitch of a busy time. But anyway, 2 more chapters to go. Please contribute to the NegotiationsVerse TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse I See The EndJuly 4th, 1422 E.F I wonder what this journal will be read as when all this is over. Will it be read by a pony or a human? I guess it doesn't matter at this point because it's hard to imagine what kind of a future awaits this world when this war is over. If we survive and drive the humans, it would take a miracle to save what's left of Equestria from all the death and ruin that has come upon it. The once green fields and meadows are grey without life, and the decay of dead bodies are rotting in the dirt. The farms are picked clean and ravaged by war and hunger. The skies are no longer blue but dark with smoke as an eclipse that never seems to end—a world without sunshine and starlight. A grim and bitter future for us all, even if we were to survive. Our once beautiful and peaceful home is but a memory. I can't even remember what it used to be like before the war anymore. For a brief moment, I wonder if all of this could have been avoided. Could we have just kept our borders shut and never once moved from them as humanity slowly rotted? Just keep ourselves safe and happy in our utopia while they slowly destroyed themselves over time. Humanity is a doomed species that has wasted whatever potential granted to them long ago. Even if they win, they are only delaying the evitable. They'll go back to killing each other or raping this planet until there are no resources left and die a slow death. They consume and spread like a virus destroying its host, and once the host dies it will eat itself to death. For such a horrible, disgusting, and sinful species to survive and bring us down to such a level? Frankly, I think there really are no gods in the universe. No kind and loving God would let such a race exist nor let us, who lived our lives through harmony and friendship, suffer like this. It's just wrong that we have to suffer and lose so much to these monkeys. It's wrong that I have lost so much. -Halberd Wings *** July 5th, 1422 E.F A number of Canterlot's population has fled. One army division silently took over one of the north's entrance gates and opened it for citizens to retreat. I don't know how many have left, but they put it around the thousand range before loyal soldiers retook the gate. The ones who did it surrendered without a fight, but they were let go and sent to follow those who fled by Princess Celestia's order. I thought for sure that she would have them executed, but I guess even the princess is tired of all the deaths that have taken place. It amazes me that she still has the willpower to hold firm by doing all she can to prepare for humanity's next attack while protecting us with the city-wide shield. Rumors are spreading that her ponies' hope and prayers are keeping her going. Others say that the spirits of the other Alicorns from the afterlife are giving her their power from Elysium. The old me might have believed that, but the current me just snorts upon hearing such things. Prayers don't do anything. They never did for me. My father once told me that faith is all the remains when everything is lost. So what happens when you have no faith? Only anger, bitterness, and a desire to kill humans until none are left in this world. Captain Hope Diamond calls for more drills to be done in preparation for any sort of human attack. I guess it's back to training for me. -Halberd Wings *** July 7th, 1422 E.F Everyone in the city is depressed, and I cannot blame them. We have finally gotten word about Lt. Colonel Blazehoof, and it is as we feared. He's dead. Shot in the back during an ambush in their attempts to sneak into Canterlot's borders. His second-in-command has decided to surrender to the humans and sent a letter to Princess Celestia urging her to do the same thing. From what I hear, Princess Celestia lashed out violently and ordered everyone to leave but Princess Twilight Sparkle, her assistant Spike, and a few other generals. However, she didn't put any silence spells on the walls and doors so everypony could hear her screaming in despair. They say she cried and cursed all of humanity for taking everything that she loved. Everypony dear to her, such as her sister, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and many of her subjects. That those who surrendered without fighting humanity broke their vow against Equestria's citizens and betrayed her to the very core. Princess Twilight Sparkle tried to calm her down. Still, even she declared that Twilight and her friends failed in their duty as Equestria's Saviors due to Fluttershy's betrayal and their inability to use the Elements. I heard she later apologized for this, but I think that was too far. After shouting for so long, they say she finally collapsed and began to sob for hours. It must have been around the time I saw the shield fading in or around mid-morning. It seems that Princess Celestia has finally been unable to hold back her feelings, and I cannot blame her. Just how much pain and suffering must she have been going through throughout this entire war? She was one of the greatest rulers and ponies in history, and all that she has done was now ruined by these monsters who dare defy her gift to make them ponies What happened next has everyone on edge. The generals asked if Equestria was going to surrender or if we were going to fight to our last breath. Princess Celestia gave no answer and only said they would not yield for now. Many are questioning what we should do now. Most of us, such as myself, believe that dying in battle is better than surrendering. Surrendering to humanity means that everything we did was in vain. That all those I fought with...and Thundershot...all of them would have died for nothing. I know what fate awaits us. Rape. Death. Suffering. Enslavement. The humans do this to all their enemies. No, I'd rather die fighting like a true son of Equestria than bend the knee to these bastards. Because that's all I have left in this world. -Halberd Wings *** July 8th, 1422 E.F He bucking appeared—that damn spirit of chaos. Today Discord arrived on behalf of humanity and the resistance to end the war peacefully with the complete surrender of Equestria. Naturally, everyone tried to attack and kill him, but that proved futile as he snapped his figures and turned all our weapons into balloons. When Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight arrived, it looked like there was going to be a big battle, but Discord vowed he had come in peace and even wore some kind of hippie outfit. Personally, I wished he had just been vaporized to dust right then and there. Instead, the Princesses allowed him inside. I do not know what was shared between them, only that Discord left, and Princess Celestia announced that they would not be surrendering. Good. I bet that damn spirit loves humanity too, because they are just as twisted and sick as he is. -Halberd Wings *** July 12th, 1422 E.F It's gone. The shield is gone. It disappeared yesterday after another barrage of missile fire, only this time, when it faded, the missiles came through and destroyed a section of the city. We had to spend hours putting out the fire and rescuing what few ponies we could. The entire city went into an utter panic as everyone began fearing that the humans would invade any second now that the shield was gone. After helping with the fire, Captain Hope Diamond rushed us to our positions to prepare for anything, but the humans never came much to our surprise. There was no attempt to stop the rioting and looting. The guards and army were all needed at every border to prepare for the clash against the human military. I could hear the sounds of screaming and panic throughout the entire night as I stood still with my weapon in hoof, my heart pounding every second as I waited for even a single shot. Instead, there was nothing. Eventually, I guess even the civilians must have realized it since there were no more attacks that day nor throughout the night. However, that didn't stop us all from worrying. It meant that something had to have happened to Princess Celestia with the shield gone. Everyone feared the worst, from her being dead to abandoning us all to our fate. I actually found myself praying that she was alive. She had been our protector and rock for this entire war, including this painful ordeal we are going through now. To lose her would mean everything was truly lost. In the end, she was not dead, but she was unconscious. I do not know why, but I pray that she wakes up soon. Without the shield, we're defenseless, and nothing will stop the humans from coming in their massive hordes. Nothing. -Halberd Wings *** July 15th, 1422 E.F It's been three days since Princess Celestia fell unconscious. Princess Twilight officially gave a full and honest report to us all yesterday. Princess Celestia was in a coma. The pressure of holding the shield against constant assault, combined with fatigue, was finally too much for her, even with her alicorn powers. She fell after her horn was broken in a burst of magic. The horn will heal over time, but the princess is so far in a deep sleep that nothing will awaken her. She might not even wake up again. Three goddesses dead. One in a coma. And all that remained was Princess Twilight, who was now in command of us all. We were ordered to keep things in check and to not make any moves, but every one of us knows what's coming. The humans are right there. Miles away, prepared to attack us with everything they have and wipe us out. I have survived so many times in this war from attacks and incidents that should have died a long time ago. Now I feel that my luck has run out, and I will not leave this city alive. Captain Hope Diamond assures us to still not give up and trust that Princess Twilight has a plan. Apparently, she was there watching Twilight Sparkle in Ponyville throughout all her life and admired her for being a brave, strong, and smart leader who never gave up in the darkest of times from Nightmare Moon to Tirek. I don't know how Princess Twilight will save us, but it will be quite a miracle to pull off if she can do so. What has me worried is why hasn't the human army attacked us in our moment of weakness? They have enough firepower to level this entire mountain and wipe us out. So why haven't they? What are they doing? -Halberd Wings *** July 17th, 1422 E.F It's finally here. The last stand. The final battle. Humanity sent a letter to Princess Twilight stating that in 24 hours, the army would march into Canterlot and would not stop until they had completely taken it over. At long last, I can finally fight these humans to the last breath. If this is to be our end, let it be such an end that they remember it for the rest of their miserable days. Let the pride of Equestria sing one last time in the streets of our ancestors as pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies unite one more time to show this wretched world what real harmony is. We will take ten for every one of us that is wiped out. We shall make them fight for every inch of our city. Our nation will live on in honor and in spirit, knowing that we dared to stand up once again to evil and held our values with pride. I am going to be coming soon to you Thundershot. If there is indeed an afterlife. I have no regrets. I have lived my life as faithful to the teachings of Equestria as possible. I have fought with everything that I had. I can picture our glorious last stand as we show these humans that they might have beaten us, but they have never defeated us. Captain Diamond Hope has been rallying the troops with speeches like this, and we are all finding ourselves ready for tomorrow. Every soldier is prepared for battle. Even citizens are joining in to prepare for the last stand. I find myself nodding and shaking hooves or hugging those around me as I know that we will see our last sunrise tomorrow. I actually can remember seeing the Equestrian sun rising by Princess Celestia's power. It was always so beautiful to see in Cloudsdale. This will probably be my last journal entry. I intend to go to battle with it. It's been there since the beginning, and I will have it be with me to the end. It was an honor writing in this to tell my story. I hope that somehow it can be heard. But now it's time for one last battle. One last stand for Equestria. For the 139th Arial Spear Regiment! For the Princesses! For Harmony and Friendship! For Thundershot! FOR EQUESTRIA! -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** I...I cannot...my tears cannot stop...betrayal...utter betrayal... Princess Twilight...has surrendered to humanity... Equestira has surrendered. To humanity. The war is over. It's all over. *** July 19th, 1422 E.F I only dare to write the date so that future generations will know of this great betrayal from that bucking BITCH TWILIGHT SPARKLE! Surrendered. We surrendered! Canterlot is now occupied with humans! Humans in our sacred capital! For the first time in our history, a foreign nation and race have taken over our holy land. I remember it all so easily. We were getting ready to take our spot when orders came for all soldiers to stand down and throw their weapons away. Princess Twilight had agreed to terms of surrender. I was shocked. I think I had a heart attack. I almost wished I had. Because it was that moment, my world was finally done for. Everything was over. All that we had struggled to keep sacred was gone. Twilight Sparkle, our greatest hero, had betrayed us all by surrendering to those monkeys! I wanted the messenger to say that this was a prank. A joke or anything! But he turned away and walked as if there was nothing else to say. We all stood there, my fellow comrades, as we tried to come to terms with what just happened. Our civilization, our nation, which has stood for nearly a thousand years, has come to an end. I have witnessed the end of my home's sovereignty to a race of monsters. Captain Hope Diamond took out her sword and just slit her own throat right then and there, as did a few others. To my shame, I was still too shocked to do anything and just struggled to process what had happened. I remember screaming, crying, and just kicking something or someone before blacking out. How could she do this?! To us?! To her nation?! To her ponies?! The ones she was sworn to protect?! What was she thinking when she surrendered us to humanity?! Did she not know what fate awaits us?! Of our children?! We'll be slaughtered! Raped! Enslaved and treated like animals?! WHAT DID EVERYTHING WE GO THROUGH FOR THE LAST BUCKING FIVE YEARS WAS WORTH IN THE END NOW?! NOTHING! BUCKING NOTHING! I LOST MY HOME! MY FRIENDS! FAMILY! THE LOVE OF MY LIFE! AND NOW I'M SUPPOSED TO MAKE FUCKING PEACE WITH THE HUMANS WHO CAUSED ALL OF THIS SUFFERING?! We should have died like real ponies! Real Equestrians! We should have gone down as a nation that refused to give up...but now...now we are nothing but a defeated and broken country. A land that no longer exists. Our culture. Our laws. Our values. Our faith. Our home. Everything is gone now. The humans have won and they have taken everything from us. And now we were to place our fate in their hands. I felt the last of my strength die inside of me as I saw human soldiers and vehicles march through the streets of Canterlot. They stood with pride and walked in formation as we all stared in silence, hatred, and tears. They looked so proud, so happy, and so content to know that they had triumphed over us. I saw mothers crying with their children as soldiers threw away their weapons and armor in disgust and anger. Ponies are killing themselves even more now in their homes because there is nothing left. We've lost everything. Even our pride. I look above the castle, and I see not the flag of my once pride and beautiful home, but the UN's flag soaring above. And I feel nothing but utter despair. -Halberd Wings *** July 21th, 1422 E.F This shall be my last journal entry, for I will no longer be alive when I finish writing this. I have thought about it long and hard the past few days, and I have decided to end my life. I have nothing left in this world. This world is no longer my world but a nightmare unbearable to live in. I was once just a pony in Equestria who did everything right in life. I went to church to pray to the goddesses to watch over my family and me every day. I listened to the teachings of harmony to live as good of a citizen as I possibly could. I honored my princesses and heroes, who are now dead or betrayed or missing. I fought for what was right and just in this world. I fought for a future of my kind. I fell in love with a pony I lost and yet still fought in his honor and memory. And it was all for nothing. My life was worth nothing in the end. The Prin-no, she doesn't deserve that title. The bitch will negotiate a peace treaty with humanity in a few days to bring relief back to your nation and rebuild it. Some ponies are hopeful that we can focus on starting anew with the war over. Fools. Our home is dead. It's gone. There is nothing left for us anymore. We're better off all dying than living as a defeated and subjected race to the humans. Whatever future they are building, I will not be part of it. If I was a pegasus, the idea of hanging myself might seem stupid, but I am wingless. I doubt anything can stop me at this point. I wonder if it's wrong to want to die so bad, but at this point, I don't care. I cannot go on anymore. I look back at this journal and see how far I have fallen from that hopeful youth who believed we could defeat this evil. How ignorant was I to the cruel fate that was to be given to me? Some ponies talked about a hopeful future with humanity. That maybe with the war over, things will get better. I will never believe that. I will never be part of any world with them. I curse humanity and all the traitors to the ends of time, including Twilight Sparkle, who has shattered what was left us as a nation. This the end. I am going to die now, and I...I admit I am a bit scared. But nevertheless, I will push forward. One last charge into the darkness, and forever will I sleep once more. Sleep as a true son of Equestria. Farewell. -Halberd Wings, A True Son of Equestria. *** Spike put the book down and sighed heavily as he rubbed his eyes from all the reading he did. He looked up at the student in front of him, Shadow Wings, who nervously rubbed his hooves. When his student told him that he had a journal from his ancestor who fought in the war and wanted to show it to his teacher, Spike wasn't prepared for the sure intensity behind it. He had never heard of Halberd Wings, but the events were as accurate as they come. He remembered so much of it that it was like seeing a picture in his head. "Professor Spike?" Shadow Wings addressed, getting his attention. "Everything okay?" "Yes, Shadow. I'm sorry," Spike said as he closed the journal and got up from his desk. "I was just surprised by how vivid and raw it was." "I felt the same when I read it," Shadow Wings said with a heavy sigh. "If only my really great uncle knew that his family survived. That his sister had a family after the war. And if he just lived long enough to learn what Celestia really did..." "I doubt that it would have changed anything," Spike said, shaking his head. "Even after the truth came out, there were a lot of ponies who either refused to believe it or didn't care. Most of them were part of the Freedom Fighters." "You think Halberd would have joined them if he learned of them?" Shadow asked, tilting his head. "Maybe, but who knows," Spike said, picking up the book and looking at it with sympathy. If anything, he felt sorry for the writer of this book. He was but another victim of Celestia's manipulation and lies while becoming more hateful as the war dragged on. His hatred breaking him piece by piece until there was nothing left. No, it was clear that Halberd Wings would never have adjusted to the new world after the war. The loss and suffering he had endured had broken him, and death was all but a welcome gift at that point. "You know, he was wrong," Shadow Wings said, getting up from his seat as his wings flapped. "The future we ponies and humans have created is better than we could have ever dreamed. I wouldn't trade it for anything." "Hmm, it's just too bad we had to lose so much to see it," Spike said with a sad smile before handing the book back to Shadow Wings. "Much as I enjoyed reading it, Shadow, I think it's best if you keep it in the family. To showcase to your own children just how the war was like and how misguided Equestria was at the time." "Okay," Shadow Wings said as he took the book back. "Well, I guess I better get back to my dorm. By the way, Professor, I hear you and your fiancé finally picked a wedding date?" "Yeah, Rebecca wants to get married in the spring just like her mother," Spike said, blushing as he rubbed the back of his head. "I wanted to get married in the summer, but it's the bride's day after all." "Well, I hope me and Claire can one day get married after we finish school," Shadow said before taking flight and heading towards the door. "See you on Monday!" Spike nodded before turning to the window, where he saw the city's bright lights around him. Yeah, a better future. One that cost us so much. And one that should never be forgotten. Author's Note Well, there we go folks, the last chapter of warfare and the last story of the NegotationsVerse. I have to admit, I'm surprised by how successful this series was when I started with the first fic, but now that its over I had a lot of fun writing it. Now, just because I'm done writing stories in the NegotationsVerse doesn't mean doesn't mean I won't allow other writers to write their own stories in this universe. As I have said before, people are more then free to write their own stories in the NegotationsVerse and I've purposely left a lot open for people to try different ideas. I'm even happy to provided info on things people are confused by. Once again, thank you for reading this series. Please help out at the TV Tropes Page at: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsverse Have a nice day
I Join The WarJune 21, 1421 E.F Well, here I am. Fresh out of training and ready for the jump into hell as my Sargent says. I got my armor and my spear, and I’ve had my four months in boot camp. Usually, it is supposed to be eight months to a year, but with the war going on for four years now, they had to crunch the time. Didn't make it any less painful though. My parents were proud of me for volunteering to fight the enemy at our border. I could have been forced into the draft, but I marched onward towards the recruitment desk on Pansy Park and signed up. My sister was the only one who didn’t want me to go, and her teary eyes almost stopped me but the thought of some human having her way with her just sickened me. We hear rumors all the time about how the human’s rape and devour any ponies they come across. How they burn them alive or turn them into glue like they do with their horses here in this world. When I learned how they made glue it made me barf my lunch out twice. This was a sick world we came into, and I was always behind the conversion debate. Sadly, the humans are stubborn monkeys, I’ll give them that. Oh, right. This journal. Well, my fellow private, Thundershot, suggested I write in one about my time in the war. When we win he says it might make it into some future war movie or something like that one he saw in America. Something about a Civil War about slavery which disgusted me. Just another reason why these ungrateful humans should accept that their nature and behaviors are just immortal. I honestly never liked them, despite Princess Twilight telling us they had to be pitied for their actions. They didn’t know the magic of friendship nor the grace of our Princesses and their leadership. I’ve read their history, and I was shocked by how much war and suffering they've relieved onto themselves. I was even surprised that this race even managed to live this long. Still, I held out some hope they weren't as bad as they were made out to be. That was until we got to seem some of them up close during a field trip in high school a few years before the war started. They were loud, crude, and a bit obnoxious. It was clear that a good number of them didn't like us and accused us of trying to force them to change when they didn't want to do anything against their will. Personally, if I had been one of them? I would have drunk the potion in one gulp. I did see a few good ones who talked to us and treated us like normal. I have heard of good humans which gives me hope that this race can be saved by making them into ponies like us rather then exterminating them like some of the more extreme ponies I know. Yet, the one thing I always took away from that trip was just how bad their cities were. There was such poverty, waste, and it was clear that money mattered more in this society over things like charity and goodwill. However, the thing that I really hated was the air. It smells like a used toilet combined with something that died recently. The pollution was that bad, even after using the new green energy that Equestria helped them find it was still more profitable to use fossil fuels rather than magic and clean energy. That really sealed the deal for me, and I only hoped the conversion process would just hurry up and clean this planet up. Sadly, that didn’t happen and we’re at war. It’s been about nearly four years now, heading into its fifth year and things are at a stalemate. It’s a surprise to me since Equestria has never lost a war nor has it ever been defeated by evil, but to go this long? I guess the humans and their technology is better than we thought. Of course, maybe it has to do with the traitors helping them. I’m ashamed as a Pegasus to know that the former Element of Kindness choose the enemy over her own kind. She was my sister’s biggest hero growing up and it broke her heart when the news came over to Cloudsdale. It only got worse as other ponies soon joined ‘The Resistance’ as it was called which was being led by Lyra Heartstrings. Apparently, she used to be a friend of Princess Twilight and even lived in Ponyville, go figure. Still, regardless of who is with us or against us, I have faith that Equestria will rise through this like always. We’ve survived invasions from the Changelings we can survive whatever the humans throw at us. Anyway, I gotta go now, my platoon is having a celebration for our graduation and I want to get in some cider shots! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 23, 1421 E.F Dear Journal (because there is no way I am calling this a ‘diary’), there’s been some good news! The attack on St. Petersburg in Russia was a success with the president and most of his cabinet either dead or turned into newfoals. It’s been our most successful attack yet, lead by Princess Luna herself! From what we heard, it was a night raid and there is nothing that can beat the Princess of the Night when she’s in the cover of darkness! There were some causalities, but nothing like the Battle of New York. That was a disaster that all Equestria mourned and hopefully we’ll never have another day like that again. From what I heard, Princess Luna personally killed the president by teleporting into his plane and unleashing a magical explosion that tore it apart. Wish I had been to see that old monkey’s face before he went to the great beyond. Of course, we still have no time for celebration. The battles at Guam and Indonesia are taking a turn for the worse and we might be sent out to reinforce them. It would be my first big battle and I’m nervous as hay. Still, knowing that we had such a huge win has made us newbies feel a lot more confident. Hopefully, the princesses will watch over us. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 24, 1421 E.F Dear Journal, not much going on. We have no orders yet so we're just doing drills and kitchen duty. Got a card game going on in the barracks. Think I might join in. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 25, 1421 E.F Some newfoals came over to the base today to sing some songs to inspire us. Mostly I think for the regiments heading out to Guam and Indonesia. I'm not one of them, which is both a relief and a disappointment. I mean I signed to serve my country and my princesses, but I'm in no rush to get killed. Thundershot seems to be the most interested in going to war out of all of us. He really doesn't like the humans, says they're being selfish idiots for having this chance to achive perfect unity. I agree with him too. I still find it hard to believe that the humans wouldn't trade their lives for the paradice we have here in Equestria. Thanks to the barrier, they can't enter or they'll be killed so the war hasn't really effected us here as it has for them. But lately, I've been hearing things. For some reason the barrier has stopped spreading and there are rumors that the humans and traitors have developed a secret weapon that can cancel magic. Or it could be Discord messing with things again, my guess is the latter. He's been sabotaging things here in Equestria, along with any resistance members who are causing chaos in the cities and towns. Nothing too serious, but more and more seem to be joining them which is a surprise to me. I'm sure they'll see the error of their ways soon. However, Lightheart got some bad news. His sister was finally confirmed KIA in the Seoul attack. Apparently, the two nations finally decided to put their differences aside and work together with the US, Japanese, and part of the remaining Chinese forces to defeat our forces in a surprise attack when the army teleported into the city. Her body was finally found after three days in the rubble from the humans. Poor guy wept for two hours and swears he’ll kill all the humans for his sister’s death. While I hate the humans, I don’t think we should kill them all. The just need to become ponies like those newfoals I mentioned earlier. They’re nice, sweet, and know that they’re better off being ponies then humans. Heck, it’s better than how they’re treated in some of the human countries where they are killed. They say its “mercy” but to me its just “murder”. Thundershot and I have decided to hold a vigil for Lightheart’s sister. I’ll even send a message to my dad seeing if he can mention her in his mass. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 29, 1421 E.F Dear Journal, not a lot going on, but things will be soon. Turns out the Princesses are sending a full force into some holy city called Jerusalem which is supposed to be the home of three of human’s faiths, but as far as I care it’s just a city of heresy. Unlike the human’s false gods, our gods are real and have guided us with their wisdom and love for nearly 1500 years. We won’t be part of the invading force, but we’ll be its back up. Princess Celestia believes that by doing heavy damage to it we can show them their gods aren’t going to be there to save them, and that by submitting to our way of friendship and harmony can they hope to find the salvation they seek. Wow, I’m starting to sound like dad. Having a preacher for a father can have that effect on you. I do miss hearing the choir, especially the song “Blessed Be Us”. I missed it so much I started humming it and a few of my fellow mates joined in including Thundershot. I’ve never read the human religious books, my dad would kill me if I did, but a few of us have heard of what they teach. A lot of them sound nice, but then I hear the part about how its forbidden to sleep with those of your own gender and I just tune out. Our goddess doesn’t find it a sin to sleep with those we love. Sure, you can legally get married in the human’s lands if your ‘gay’ (a term they use to describe those who sleep with their own gender, although I also heard is means happy too), but its still a debated thing among them if its good or bad. Hay, they even stone them to death in some lands. Barbarians. Thinking about it makes me miss my ex-special somepony, Dalewind, but he told me he couldn’t handle a long-distance relationship, so we broke it off. Shame too, he was cute as a button. Not that I don’t have my own handsome stallions in my unit, but fraternization is not allowed so sucks for me. Seriously, Thundershot has a flank I'd like so show my 'spear' if you know what I mean. But yeah, the invasion. My unit is going to be in the reinforcements, so here is hoping that I don’t die in my first battle… wow I hope I didn’t jinx myself. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 1, 1421 E.F Tomorrow is the big day! First battle! Princesses please watch over me and let me bring glory to Equestria. Let's show these humans how we ponies fight! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 2, 1421 E.F By Celestia’s mane everything’s gone BUBAR! The moment we get in from the teleportation spell we’re getting bombed with rockets from the east! A good portion of us are already dead and I’m only lucky by the grace of the sisters! Raincloud and Lightheart are dead, Celestia rest their souls, and we lost the Sarge, Luna take him into his rest. This battle is a disaster! Even Princess Luna is having problems with Princess Twilight assisting her! How is that even possible?! Apparently, those three religions I talked about last time? They’re teaming up against us! I thought they all hated each other or something?! Whoever is behind intelligence needs to be hanged because we’re getting killed out here! I haven’t even gotten a chance to fight! Rumors are going around that those anti-magic technology stuff we’ve been hearing about is true! Soldiers are talking about how their magic armor and weapons just stop working and some unicorns are even finding it hard to lift anything with their horns! I hope Princess Twilight and Princess Luna have a plan because if not… well I guess it was nice knowing you journal! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 4, 1421 E.F Good news. I’m still alive. Bad news? We’re retreating. The new technology is real. It’s capable of neglecting magic! How in the world is that even possible?! Not even Discord can do that, I think? For now, its being called the “Magic Killer” until we get a real name for it. Quite frankly, I wish they picked something less sinister sounding. The shelling is still going on and I almost bought the farm last night. I went out for the latrine when a shell hit the area about three yards away from me. Didn’t need the latrine after that. More members of my platoon are dead from the shelling too. I’ve seen their bodies and… goddesses, you can’t even fix that with magic. I’ve seen a lot of death, too much of it, in fact. I mean, I knew I was going to see it but… nothing really prepares you for the real thing. We can’t even given them a proper send off. We just burn the bodies even if they aren’t pegasi which is angering some of the earth ponies and unicorns since it goes against their burial traditions. Of course when it was learned that it was Princess Twilight’s order they quickly shut up. Some of them wanted the princesses to say a prayer to guide the souls to Elysium, but they said Celestia or Cadence would do it from Equestria and they needed to focus on the battle ahead. It’s good to know we have our goddesses with us, but I’m surprised we’re losing this badly despite two alicorns fighting by our side. Rumors are saying even they are affected by the Magic Killer, but that’s silly. The alicorns are goddesses, no monkey technology is going to affect them. Thundershot says I should get some sleep since I look like I’m about to crash. I feel like it too. Hopefully we can get out of here with our tails still attached to our rumps. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 5, 1421 E.F We’re back in Equestrian soil, but I feel horrible inside. My first battle and it was a loss. A big one. Over half the force is dead, and some were forced to be left behind. I hate to think of what the humans are doing to those poor soldiers. It’s a sin to kill yourself, but I think Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would forgive us if it meant avoiding whatever fate the humans have for us. They say they rape and eat ponies or worse turn them into glue. How can the traitors even stand to be with the humans with what they do to us!? Their own kind! May they all rot in Tartarus together and get bucked! A lot of the stallions and mares I trained with are gone. Lightheart. Graywind. Skip Wish. Bouncy Bun. Lemon Curl. I only hope you are all happy in Elysium. I promise we’ll win this war for you guys. I need some sleep, hopefully I won’t have nightmares of the humans trying to eat me. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** August 10, 1421 E.F I… I haven’t written in a long time… about five days I think… that’s because. I can’t… I can’t believe it. Even now, despite it being four days old… the news makes no sense and is just to horrible to think about let alone write it… but I have too… Princess Luna is dead. As in dead dead… not coming back dead. She sacrificed herself so that we could retreat. I don’t know how the humans did it but they did it… they killed a goddess. Our goddess. I don’t know what to do. What to pray for. What to say or ask. I’m at a loss. She’s been alive for nearly a millennia and half and suddenly, she’s dead?! That’s not possible! YOU CAN’T KILL A GODDESS! How does a goddess die?! Where does she go?! Can she be resurrected, or will she come back to life?! I’ve been reading my Lexicon of Harmony for the past four days and nothing is being told about anything on the goddess’s dying. Not even the pages of “The Reckoning Days” have this. The Princesses can’t die! The Reckoning Days state that they would lead the armies of Elysium against the forces of Tartarus and end the reign of evil forever! And now one of them is dead?! Some say that Princess Luna is only pretending to be dead. Others are rushing to the nearby churches to pray or ask guidance from the priests. A few are even daring to say this means that the sisters are not goddess, but I refuse to believe that! The humans… are they demons? Or do they have divine intervention? Maybe that’s it. One of the human gods did something to Luna and made it so she got killed! It was their holy land after all! It has to be that because I can’t think of any other explanation! I… I wish dad was here. When I’ve had my crisis of fate when grandma died, he was there for me… I really wish he was here. I wish I was home. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Please help out at the TV Tropes Page
I Fight At Sri LankaDecember 14, 1421 E.F I’m sorry I haven’t been able to write for a while. I honestly had forgotten I had this thing ever since Princess Luna’s… death. It’s still hard to believe she’s gone, for all of us in the unit. I can still remember the long ten-minute silence we had on the day of her funeral. I wasn’t there in Canterlot, but every soldier in the army was required to do so at a specific moment in time. It was the longest ten minutes of my life as tears dripped down my cheek in mourning. Our beloved Princess of the Moon had been shed of her mortal form and returned to Elysium to watch over us. That was what was being said anyway. Some had stated they lost their faith, but they were just weak in it. Our Princess may be gone, but she still lives and will return one day. I am sure of it. But besides the death of Princess Luna, it’s just been… well, I remember a quote from a human book that said, “War is Hell”. The humans may not get much right, but they sure got that one on the dot. Ever since Princess Luna’s death, the human armies of the world had been fighting to retake their lands and we’ve been assaulted at every front from east to west. Their new Thalmann Generators, or Magic Killers as some still call them, have been hurting our armies to the point where we’re being retrained to fight without our magic. The barrier is being slowly destroyed each day with more and more of Equestria’s colonized lands being open for attack. We’re forced to abandon the newfoals that live here. Some are reported being herded up and taken away. Others are just killed on the spot. Poor creatures. They converted to escape humanity and now their former humans were killing them out of fear and ignorance. Currently, I am stationed Sri Lanka, an island just south of India which the humans have managed to retake. We were put here in case our forces fell and we’re to hold the enemy back as best as we can. Now, after months of waiting, they arrived about a few weeks ago, but it’s not looking good. It’s not just us though. A lot of lands are under attack such as our territories in China, the Philippines, South Africa, and more. Over here, we’re giving the humans as much fight as we can give by using the trees to our advantage for sneak attacks and night assaults. However, they just firebomb us back and send in their troops to deal with us. I didn’t think war was going to be this brutal. They never said it was this bad in training. They don’t train you to deal with all the chaos, smells, and confusion. How one minute your flying, then running, fighting, and flying again all in minutes. They don’t tell you how to deal with all the blood, lost limbs, and cries for mothers and fathers to help them. The sobbing of scared ponies in fetal positions or running away in terror. The agonizing yells of the dying and fallen who are beyond saving. The bodies piled up before they are sent off to be cleaned and returned home in a pine box. And the waste… they don’t tell you about the waste that comes out of the dead bodies. There are days when I just can’t eat much. We’re currently doing our best to hold the Northern Central Province while waiting for reinforcements from home. Home. This is the longest I’ve ever been home and soon it's going to be Hearths Warming Eve. I won’t be able to attend Midnight Mass or sing this year. I won’t be able to taste my mother’s warm pudding or exchange gifts with my sister. I wish this war never happened. I wish I was at home. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 15, 1421 E.F I almost died again today. I’ve had a few close calls in this war, but I’ve managed to make it each time. A bullet nearly got me in the face if it wasn’t for the fact that I flew right at the last moment and narrowly avoided getting my halo and harp. I made sure to thank all the goddesses from Celestia to Flurry Heart for surviving. Other than that, it was another charge from the humans and another retreat for us. I managed to kill three this time. One with my spear and the other two with my sword. I hate to say it, but I wish we had weapons like the humans have. They don’t need to get too close to kill us one by one. The humans were like angels of death, and their guns were their scythes. I can still remember my first kill. It wasn’t that long after we arrived in Sri Lanka. I speared a human in the throat as he looked at me with wide eyes. His hand holding the spear by reflex before I pulled it out. I stared at him with my mouth open as he fell to his side, clutching the wound in vain to stop his blood from spilling out. From the moment he fell, to the moment he breathed his last, I felt horrified by what I had done. I felt sorry for the human I had killed. Did he have a family? Children? A good life? I threw up and felt tears come down as I sat there sobbing despite a battle going on around me. If it wasn’t for Thundershot getting me back on all fours I might have been killed that day. His face haunted me-and still does sometimes-but then I remember this is the enemy. These are the monsters who will kill, rape, and destroy my home and my fellow ponies. No matter how much it may sicken me, I must continue to fight for their sake. It’s still not the worst kill I’ve ever had. The worst was a few days later. Some higher ranking officers decided it was a good idea to use the potions as weapons to turn the humans into ponies like us. Usually, they’re only used for the raid attacks in human lands, but with Equestria now on the defensive things have changed. I only managed to successfully hit a human once with it. I watched as his body slowly began to change into a pony. Normally, the process is done in the Conversion Bureau with other medical equipment and unicorns to make the process safer. Without that… I can see why humans fear it. The sound of bones conjuring and changing shape. The flesh being moved around from the inside as organs are pushed and squeezed. The face-melting and reforming with the skull changing shape. Hair growing out of every pour of the body. Their eyes growing as blood seeps out from the pain. I didn’t get a chance to see it finish as the human took his pistol with his only non-changing hand and shot himself in the face. He killed himself rather than change. And for that one moment, I couldn’t blame him. From what I heard this is a common practice. Most shoot themselves as soon as they are hit with the potion. Others have poison pills in their mouths. A few of the more extreme ones blow themselves up to take their enemies with them. While I can understand just how painful it can be, do these humans prefer dying than becoming one of us? I can understand if it was without the proper procedure. I do… but still… I guess I just don’t understand it. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 17, 1421 E.F I got a letter from home today, something which made me feel happy despite having lost another five miles to the humans. The good news is my family is okay. Mom and Dad are well and while my sister has a small cold, she’s getting better. They’re all praying for me back home as well as the others who decided to join or were enlisted by the draft. Thankfully my sister still has two more years before she’s at the age. I don’t think she can even handle half the stuff I’ve seen since I became a soldier. The church is doing well, but these days it's more funerals than anything. Soldiers from home return in boxes or urns for families to mourn before they are given the final rest in the winds. I sometimes fear that it will be my fate and that I’ll return home in a box for my family to mourn. But there is no greater glory then to die for the sake of others according to the teachings. For he or she that lays their life for another soul, will be eternally reward in Elysium where they will feel no pain and know only eternal harmony. If my destiny is to die for the sake of Equestria, then so be it. Other than that, they sent me a box of cookies for the holidays. I shared them with my comrades as we all had a small cookie party. Turns out a lot of us got them from our families. I wish we had some milk though. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 19, 1421 E.F Damn it! You can’t do anything without fearing a shot from out of nowhere! We had to deal with a sniper the past two days that’s had everypony on edge! It all started when one of the recruits, Private Windchime, had his head explode and his brains splattered all over the ground. Everypony ducked for cover but five others got shot. Three were killed on impact. One died later in the medical tent and the other looks like he’s going to make it but he’s going to be three-legged now. We still didn’t even get the bastard. He fled before our scouts could get him. Ugh, I hope the higher-ups have a plan because I can’t stand this place anymore! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 20, 1421 E.F Well, we’re moving out, but not far. Eastern Province has fallen with barely any survivors and the humans are moving on to Uva Province. If that falls, they have a clear shot at the Southern Province where our marine bases are located. We’ve been ordered to give up our position, but we’re leaving traps along the way while a few of us are volunteering to stay behind and make sure they go off. There is a good chance none of them are going to come back and they know it, but they are willing to die for Equestria. I remember our commander ordering us to salute them like we were saying farewell to them for the last time. My hope is that when we win this war all the lives that were lost for the greater good will be remembered. Thankfully, nopony I know is being left behind. Then again, the only one I keep close to is Thundershot. Most of those I trained with are dead, too injured to fight anymore, or were transferred to another unit. Because of this, Thundershot and I are close. The two of us are not only bunkmates from training, but we always have patrol and fight together. I’ve saved his sorry cute butt more than once, but he’s saved mine at least twice as much. On our way to our new HQ, we flew side by side together and talked about what we would do if we managed to survive the war. I told him I want to settle down with some colt and maybe adopt a few foals before starting my own church like my father. Chances are they’re going to be a lot of orphans after the war. Thundershot said he’s going to take all his money and blow it on a month-long vacation in Las Pegasus. Ha! I’d said I joined him if we win. If. That’s what I said and Thunderlot looked at me like I was mental. He then stared at my eyes with the most serious look I had ever seen from him. Thundershot told me we were going to win. He’s that confident we’ll beat the humans and I found myself believe it too as he went on about our advantages such as our friendship, harmony, princesses, and magic. When I pointed out the Thalmann Generators, he stated that they’ll find a way around them. After all, Princess Twilight was one of the most brilliant ponies of our era, so she was bound to find a way to defend ourselves against the magic killers. Maybe we will. No, I think we will. Thundershot is right, we gotta keep hope up. This war is far from over! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 22,, 1421 E.F Just arrived at our base. A lot of troops around here. Command is expecting a battle in the next few days. Ugh, and on Hearths Warming Eve too. I guess I won’t be writing in my journal for awhile until this is all over. Hopefully, I’ll survive and write in this again. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 26, 1421 E.F Hey journal, I’m sleeping next to a cute handsome stallion who gave me quite a ride last night. I swear Thundershot is a name that means what it does. Haha. Well, Happy Hearths Warming Eve. The humans haven’t attacked us since we got here, but we’ve been on alert. However, the scouts learned last night that the humans weren’t making plans to attack us. I guess it's because this the Christmas holiday for them. I find it strange that our holidays are so similar, but I guess it was just easier for the newfoals to adjust quicker. Anyway, when it was reported that the humans had no plans to attack us, the commanders decided to give us the okay to have our own celebration. It was a big morale booster too. For the first time in so long we were able to relax and let our manes down. There was singing and dancing. Laughter instead of the dying cries of the fallen. A few of us started exchanging stories about our lives outside the war and what we wanted to do after it. There was a priest who held a small mass for us, where we prayed to the goddesses for victory, peace, and to welcome those we lost. The Captain then surprised us all and started playing the fiddle which led to us having a hoedown. I danced with Thundershot a lot, even did a slow dance with him, before we headed over someplace private to talk. He then showed me a bottle of wine his mother sent him last month he was saving for a special occasion and figured this would be it. The two of us toasted to our friendship, to Equestria, and our comrades as we began to drink the bottle while watching the moon above. Thundershot’s face glowed well in it. I guess that’s why I decided to kiss him because he looked so perfect under it. He was surprised at first, but not too surprised before he kissed me back and soon we were all over each other. We decided to use my bed and before we knew it the two of us were taking off our clothes and getting… frisky with each other. I asked him what we were going to be after this. Special someponies? Friends with benefits? In the end, we decided this would be a one-night stand. This was a war still. We could die any day. But for now? All that mattered was two stallions who needed to blow off some steam and by Luna’s Wings did he blow. Sorry, he just woke up and kissed me good morning. Again, we agreed to keep this as just a one-night stand, but it was a stand that we both needed he said before leaving. Now, I gotta go. I gotta pee from all that wine I had, and I’m scheduled for a seven-hour watch shift today. Which is fine by me because I don’t think my sore rump can sit on anything right now. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 28, 1421 E.F The humans have started making their push, but so far they haven’t charged at us yet. They’re just firing shells and rockets at us while their bombers bomb the mountains. However, they seem to be not up to their usual zealotry of blowing stuff up. These mountains and forests can protect us enough, along with some shield spells, but it’s only a matter of time before they manage to come at us with infantry. The mountains make it hard for vehicles to attack us, so that’s a plus. I think they’re also holding back because we’ve made a base at one of their religious temples: Muthiyansomething. I don’t know I can’t say or write it right. It’s not one of the religions that… killed Princess Luna back in Jerusalem. I don’t know what this faith is about. Something about a human who got enlightened or something. It’s a heathen religion anyway so it doesn’t matter. Normally, such things get destroyed when Equestria takes over a new land due to the barrier so we can put up proper temples to the princesses. For some reason, this one was kept around. Maybe somepony liked the structure or something. Princess Twilight I heard tends to do that to popular structures the humans made. It was why she kept the Sidney Opera House, but I also heard she destroyed some big wall in China because it was built on the backs of slaves. But there is some good news! Me, Thunderlot, and a few others are going to be promoted soon. I don’t know what rank and for what reason (Private Jewel Crest thinks it’s because we’ve survived this long), but I guess that’s something to celebrate. One has to always find the good in something, right? -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 9th, 1422 E.F Happy New Year. Okay, a very late new year. One that I’m glad to be alive to see. If you’re wondering why I haven’t written in so long, it’s very simple. I got shot. Right in the lower area of my waist. Thankfully, my armor managed to absorb most of the damage, but it still felt like I got hit by a minotaur’s horn right near my liver. I thought for sure I had died when I woke up a hospital, but no, I was still alive and kicking. They couldn’t treat me at the base, so I was sent to New Zealand with a few others for medical treatment. I’m better now, and I’m still good for duty when I’m released, but damn is it good to be away from the battlefield. I’m sleeping in a nice bed, no sound of gunshots or artillery, nor am I getting bad food. Granted hospital food isn’t that great either, but it’s a step up from military rations. Shi Lanka, however, was lost. We couldn’t hold it. Just as soon as I was sent away for treatment, the US and Japanese Airforce arrived and started bombing the entire island. An emergency teleport was used at the cost of many unicorns who had to use their life energy to mass teleport so many of the army back to our base in the south where a retreat was ordered. Thankfully, Thundershot and a few others I know are okay, but there were still a lot of losses. Word has it that the humans managed to find a way to use the Thalmann Generators with their missile arsenal to seriously damage the barrier. I don’t know how damaged it is, but now it’s no longer showing up on places like southern Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Everypony is worried that we’re going to get attacked now by some missile or bombing run, but the humans don’t have the strength to do that. Even if they tried, they would have to get through our defenses. After the invasion of the Changelings years ago at the Royal Wedding of Princes Shining Armor (Rest his soul), and Princess Cadence defense of our borders was put into maximum overdrive. It even become more important when we came to Earth. Other areas aren’t doing too well either. Africa is now fully back in human hands as well as most of upper Asia, but we’re still holding strong in the Philippines and Guam. There is talk that the Crystal Empire almost has its Crystal Cannon ready for use again after Discord sabotaged it. Maybe it can turn a few armies into a bunch of craters like it did with those holy cities it destroyed a few months ago. But the best news I heard is that my family is going to be visiting me in a few days! I can’t believe it! I guess there is an upside to being shot at! Gotta stop writing. Time to take my pills again. Ugh. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 11th, 1422 E.F The… The Crystal Empire… It’s gone… It’s all gone… -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note I've mentioned this before in previous stories, but I forgot for this one. You are free to write your own stories that take place in the NegotationsVerse. If you need information about the timeline and stuff, feel free to ask. Please help out at the TV Tropes Page
I Rejoin The FightJanuary 18th, 1422 E.F We never should have come here. Things were fine when we were back in our world. We had the most advanced and prosperous nation in the world. We were protected from all the dangers that we could handle. None of the other nations dared to challenge us because of our rulers turning the sun and moon for us all to live. This planet isn’t worth saving from itself and humanity certainly doesn’t deserve to be saved. They are evil. Pure evil. It’s been a week since Equestria’s greatest disaster happened. An act so unspeakable that even now I still can’t believe it happened. Equestria knew about the dangerous and insane weapons known as Nuclear Missiles. A weapon so powerful it could destroy cities and kill millions. There was even a point in their history when they build so many that if they launched them against each other it would have been the end of their kind. Maybe they should have fired them all so we wouldn’t have had to deal with them. While the threat of them was always in thought, we believed the shield barrier would protect us. With it now all but gone Equestria is now open to attack. Or should I say… they already attacked. We only knew that it was a missile from the Middle-East, but not the country. Everypony’s guessing it was retaliation for the attacks on their holy cities. After all, it was the Crystal Cannon that destroyed Rome and Mecca so it makes sense they would destroy the civilization that created it. I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news. The entire Crystal Empire was gone. At least four million ponies wiped out into oblivion. Princess Cadence and Princess Flurry Heart among them. Another two of our goddesses dead. The Crystal Heart should have protected them all, but I guess the blast of the force was too much. I have no more tears to shed and no prayers to give anymore. Three of our goddesses are dead. Are these the end times? Is humanity the great evil we must face in our darkest hour before the forces of good come to save us? Or am I just lying to myself because the opposite answers would destroy me on the inside? I don’t know what to believe in anymore except for one thing: Humanity must be destroyed. Four million ponies. Most of them just civilians. Wiped out. An entire chunk of our land completely poisoned by their sick science with nature all but ruined. The few survivors we have left can barely fill a full town from what I hear. I keep asking when my parents are coming, but I’m always told its too dangerous. Equestria is on full emergency alert with Princess Celestia ordering all soldiers to return from the human lands to Equestria. Burn and destroy everything so they cannot use it. Even the newfoals are being abandoned. I hear some of the soldiers on our side are killing them in anger. Claiming that they can never be like us even if they were former humans. Honestly, it sounds like they’re just looking for something to blame. I just want to get back into the action. Get back to the war. Because if the rumors are correct then with the shield down there is only one thing coming. Invasion. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 23rd, 1422 E.F I’m finally free from the hospital. My platoon is being sent to San Prancisco, one of the areas the military believes will be invaded along with other coastal areas on both ends. I’m on my way there through train (my wings are still healing) as I see many heading to the city looking nervous. Most of them are fresh recruits for the defense. Because of the situation, the enlistment is now fully into effect with charges being given to those who refuse the call. All pegasi are being trained to prepare for aerial bombardment in fear of future nuclear weapons or missile attacks. Unicorns are being prepared shielding spells to protect the towns and cities. Earth Ponies are making shelters for the citizens. Never had Equestria faced such impending doom like this. The entire nation was being turned into a fortress with the princesses doing everything they can to find a way to escape this hell of a planet. I don’t see how. The Elements of Harmony were what brought us here and with Fluttershy the Traitor not on our side it's hard to see how they plan on bringing us home. If a way can be found so be it, but until then our focus is to protect Equestria. Everypony knows it’s only a matter of time before humanity comes to invade us as we invaded them, but it’s going to take time. Until then we must prepare for the worst. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 24th, 1422 E.F I arrived at San Prancisco this morning and my platoon was there to greet me. I saw a lot of new faces. All fresh new soldiers who were doing their best to be brave, but I could tell they were scared by the looks in their eyes. Thundershot was there and he was the one I was glad to see the most, but something’s changed in him. His eyes were always filled with optimism and excitement, even at the worst of times. Now it looks like they’ve dimmed quite a bit. I guess even the happiest go lucky of us can’t stay such a way after what’s happened. When I arrived, I finally got that promotion I was getting. Now I’m a Corporal, but honestly, that doesn’t mean much to me. The only reason I’ve gotten it is because I’ve survived this long into the war while a lot of other good ponies died. I’ll do my best to honor them with this new rank but save for the increased pay and a few more responsibilities I doubt it's going to amount to much. One of the things I noticed was how much of a fortress we were making the city and the beach. Every citizen was being evacuated for the inner lands with houses being made into sleeping bunks for soldiers or officers. The main important buildings like City Hall have been made into the main HQ. Bunkers are being made with sandbags and protective spells everywhere. We’re even setting up rune traps in case the enemy gets this far. I don’t know what the plan is but every city along the coast is going to be made into a fortress to prepare for the invasion. We’re all pitching in to help with the building, but every squad is getting a specific mission and new training for the war. Something about a new tactic Princess Twilight wants us to employ. I guess I’ll find out in the morning. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 25th, 1422 E.F Of all the things I expected to be our new tactic, this wasn’t what I was expecting. We’re being trained to fight with guns. Guns. As in the very weapons that humanity is using. Not only that but artillery, rockets, mines, explosives, and more. Rumor has it that ponies back inland are being trained in modified versions of tanks and battleships. We’re even hearing that the airships are being revamped with Pegasi testing out experimental sky armor. Princess Twilight had been trying to turn human technology usable for ponies. Most ponies hated human technology because of how misused it’s been despite it being much more advanced than our own save for anything powered by magic. She’s been wanting to use human technology in the war for a long time, but Princess Celestia had refused it time and time again. Which isn’t a surprise. Everypony knows that Princess Celestia hated human technology, claiming it had been the downfall of the societies since the industrial era. Even when they created something good for medicine or energy it was later always used for war or misuse. Especially with how much it hurt the planet they lived on. I guess with how things are going the Princess decided to go against her morals for the sake of the war. Especially since most of our tactics are now useless thanks to the generators. If there is one thing you can say about humanity, they knew how to kill things with their tech. Hopefully, we’ll learn it fast enough to counterattack with it back at them. Of course, it's going to take time. Factories were working around the clock to equip the whole army, but it would take two months just to get half of our troops here supplied. For now, we’re just learning how to properly hold and aim with wooden carved versions. I took some crossbow training so it has helped a bit, but from what I know the guns will carry a big kick when you fire at them. Our tactics have also changed. We’re focusing solely on defense and holding out against an invasion force that will do everything it can to destroy our defense. Bomb us. Charge us. Burn us. You name it. We’re forced to dodge against non-lethal magic blasts from above while ducking properly under cover. My platoon is tasked to no longer charge with our spears but to aim at a distance and fire before moving to a new location and fire again. We’re to hit them and run over and over while taking cover fire. Should the beach fall, we’re to head back to the city and do the same thing again. Fight them off block by block until they retreat. They didn’t say anything about retreat or what our orders were should the city fall. It’s made others question if this was to be a “Last Stand” scenario in which we fight to the last. Many fear that. I’m not afraid. While my faith is in confusion, my loyalty is not. Equestria must not fall into the filthy monkeys. If this is the end of days, then let us show these demons that we are the ponies of righteousness and will avenge those who have fallen. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 6th, 1422 E.F It’s been hard adjusting to this new scenario, but I’m holding out. The days are pretty much the same. You’re either helping build up the defenses or training in the new tactics. We don’t have a lot of time for relaxation either, so most are just sleeping in their free time. Currently, we’re building up new barriers and walls along the streets leading to the beaches. The tall buildings will serve as nests for future gunners and snipers to rain down gunfire on the invading monkeys. Normally, magic would be used to help us, but with the generators taking down all the magic they can we need to do it the old fashion way. Some of the unicorns complain about this, but the earth ponies are doing this with no problem. Begin a Pegasus, most of my days are spend bringing stuff to others with my wings doing all the work. Thundershot and I spend our free time talking about the war. He’s never really left my sight since I got back, maybe because he thought I was dead for days until he heard I was well. We got a few Crystal Ponies with us as well. They’re the hardest workers of us all. The Princesses declared that due to the situation of the Crystal Empire, all Crystal Ponies are free to not fight and take refuge in Canterlot, but there aren’t many left. Worse, a good number of them have some radiation sickness that is affecting them. Some are even dying slowly. The ones with us state they lost everything and have nothing to live for. They want to avenge their fellow Crystal Ponies. If this is the end of the kind, then they will let it end in a reign of vengeance. A lot of ponies here respect them for risking it all with us including me. My folks finally sent a letter. It was brief, but they were glad I was okay and to come home whenever I could. I doubt it will be soon, but hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see them. Even if it might be for the last time. I’ve got no illusions that I’m going to survive this war. Chances are I’m going to die, but I’m going to die as a true pony that serves his country until the end. Even if we cannot defeat the humans, we will not let them take our home. This is the nation that last lasted nearly 1500 years. We’re not going down now or ever. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 9th, 1422 E.F Thundershot and I made love again last night. Even though we agreed our last one was a one night stand only, I guess the stress of everything just made us say “buck it” and before I knew it he was riding me all night. If there is one damn good thing about being here its that I have a good friend… and I might be falling for him. He’s been with me since the beginning, seen what I’ve seen. I got my flank saved by him and he’s saved mine. When I was at the hospital all I could think about were two things. My family and him. Damnit, I’m falling for him, aren’t I? What is it that Private Button Mash once said? Love can bloom even on the battlefield? Said he heard it from a game when he was growing up and that the war was making him think about a mare he knew back home. He wanted to survive and confess to her when he got back. Shame he died on Sri Lanka from infection caused by a shrapnel wound from what Thundershot told me. Thundershot. Just even writing his name is making me feel like a school teen again looking at his first crush. But what’s not to like about him? He’s optimistic, even in these hard times, he’s handsome, kind, and protects those he befriends. He’ll take a bullet for you and take the shooter down with him. It also helps his package is just… damn. Should I act on my feelings? Francization technically isn’t allowed. Yet with the chance of us not making it out alive would it not be better to have at least died with somepony you loved? Maybe I should wait a while and think more about it. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 11th, 1422 E.F The humans have finally sent a message to Equestria. They were demanding that we give unconditional surrender to them for the so-called ‘crimes’ we have done against their kind. They were demanding that Princess Celestia be handed over, relinquish her power and godhood, and tried for war crimes. That we pay in reparations for the damages we have caused. They warned that if they did not, they would come and being nothing but destruction with them until we agree to surrender or if we were all dead. Princess Celestia sent a clear message: “Equestria Stands Now And Forever More.” I am not against the war ending, but the conditions were unthinkable. Surrender? Sacrifice our Princess? Pay for damages? No. We will not. We tried to save humanity from themselves. We tried to make them see the error of their ways and give them an alternate solution. We offered a better life and path for them and they refused. They were blind to their faults always looking to blame others for their problems instead of themselves. Princess Celestia gave them a chance to be saved but they prefer being damned. So, damn them all I say. Them and their so-called “terms”. Equestria stands now and forever. That is the slogan we all say now as we work with vigor. The humans may be coming. But we will be ready. And we will win. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Shorter then the rest but we're building up. And yes I did just kill off Button Mash. Sorry!
I Continue To Get ReadyFebruary 14th, 1422 E.F Another set of deserters were captured. The brass has started to allow public hangings to scare others into not deserting. I feel sorry for the poor lads, forced to hang there as the crows feed on their remains, but I try to push it back with my focus on the job. I’m starting to get the hang of these guns they’ve been giving us. I managed to at least hit half the targets this time at the course. Thundershot still doesn’t like the idea we’re using guns and, honestly, I can’t blame him. It’s just a remind of how powerful the humans are with their weapons of death. I can’t recall another race that was as violent, bloodthirsty, and war driven as humanity. Not even the dragons and griffins were this bad. I wonder what it would look like if the humans were to fight the dragon or griffin race? Too bad we’ll never know since the few who did come with us to this world are all dead save for Princess Twilight’s assistant. I wonder what the other races would think if they saw us like this. Probably take advantage and strike at us too in order to get whatever land or resources they could get their claws on. I mean, let’s face it, which of the other races back in our world was decent? The griffins were lazy, rude, and selfish. Dragons always destroyed everything they couldn’t own with their greedy ways. Diamond Dogs were smelly barbarians who kidnapped ponies to be their slaves to dig their minds for gems (what do they do with them anyway?). Minotaurs were just loud and almost as greedy as the dragons. Yaks were uncultured and just smashed everything in anger. Changelings? Well, that’s one race that deserves to be mistreated in my mind. Nothing good comes from an evil creature that sucks the love out of a living being. Maybe the zebras, goats, donkey’s, and breezies were okay, but they still didn’t have a civilization like ours did. To me, it’s just further proof that our way of life was just superior is all. Well, until we met the humans. I just hope we either find a way out of this mess or hold them off long enough to find a way to protect ourselves. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 16th, 1422 E.F Damnit, me and Thundershot can’t keep doing this. We made love again because…well honestly, I just wanted to buck him. Damnit, I’m falling for that cute pony and I’m trying not to. There is a good chance either of us or both of us are going to die when the human’s come and I don’t want either of us to go through such a loss if either of us live! Still, he’s the only one whose left in my original group. The one who has been closest to me and knows me inside and out. I wish my dad was here. He’d give me advice, but he’s got his own problems. Worship of the princesses isn’t doing well back home. Many are outright declaring the princesses not to be gods while others are believing this is the end times. One side thinks that the princesses have deceived us and lead us to our doom, others are saying that the dead will return in glorious heavily forces to defeat the humans if we hold to our faith. Personally, I don’t know what to believe in anymore. Maybe I just don’t care. I don’t think the princesses are coming back from the dead. I still think they are powerful beings, enough to be gods, our gods, but the humans are something else. Maybe something bigger is happening in this universe that we can’t understand? Maybe the human’s god or their gods are just better at creating a more battle-hardened race. Many of the humans are religious, but they also declare that there are no gods. I guess they don’t have the same answers as we do. Regardless if the Princesses are divine or not, I still believe in Equestria. I believe in what we stand for: Friendship, Love, and Harmony. Perhaps…perhaps in these darkest of times I shouldn’t be afraid of loving Thundershot. Maybe what I need…what we each need is each other. Even if this is to the be the last few months alive…maybe we can make the most out of it. I’ll tell him tonight. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 17th, 1422 E.F Guess what? He told me first. He said he loved me. I said I loved him. You can guess what happened next. Celestia that flank… Whatever happens now? I don’t care. It’s just me and my special somepony today and that’s all I care about. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 21th, 1422 E.F We just performed our first proper city-wide drills for the human invasion. Things were sloppy, of course, but we still have time. From what little info we can get, the humans are still amassing their attack, but the bombing and missile raids are still happening. Dozens of cities and towns are damaged or beyond repair with lives lost in the thousands. Thundershot and I are keeping it slow with our relationship, but we sneak in a kiss every now and then. I’ve seen a few other soldiers get very close to each other too, so it makes me feel better knowing we aren’t the only ones. I think I’ve finally gotten used to the rifle. Some of us are naturals with these. There’s this one earth pony named Steel Sweep who can snipe a can of beans from 45 yards. Says he wants to take out a human head for everyone solider he lost in his squad. Another good shooter is this pony named Sandbar. He’s a bit of an air head, but he’s good enough to get a hundred percent with his rifle. I hate to be any human in his path. The tanks and other heavy gear are coming next week. I wonder what its going to look like. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** February 28th, 1422 E.F I’m starting to think that there is some higher power that hates us. The tanks and vehicles are here, but guess what? They’re based on the designs of the US military from some big world war in the 1940’s! That’s about a hundred years ago! How the hay are we going to hold of an army of an entire race of billions with weapons that were obsoleted a century ago?! I did some digging and it turns out that while Equestria may have the means to produce these objects as fast as possible, we don’t have the technology to make anything more advanced. Some of the metals we don’t have in Equestria but were in the human territory we once occupied. Not to mention that there are computers, smaller bits of advance tech, and other components we just don’t have the means to reproduce due to a lack of knowledge or technological means to create. Magic can only get so far apparently. I’ve seen tanks on the battlefield that shoot out lasers as if they were unicorn horns! Those things can destroy bunkers in a single blast. This is our answer to them?! General Hayfield says that technology and weapons don’t always win the battle, but bravery, valor, and tactics can. Easy for him to say. He’s going to be safe underground while we grunts end up getting our flanks filled with holes! Maybe I’m being pessimistic, or maybe I’m just seeing the writing on the wall. I don’t know. I just need a heavy drink. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 1st, 1422 E.F Princess Twilight Sparkle was here with the Wonderbolts to do an inspection of the place. See how the defenses were doing and what plans to make when the invasion hits. Apparently, she’s doing it at every defense point and we’re second on her list of visits. I have to say, she’s been doing well ever since she took over for Grand Commander Prince Shining Armor after his death. That stallion was a true leader and military genius. It’s a shame a sniper got him in the Battle of New York City. We could use him right about now, but Princess Twilight has done her best in place of her brother. I didn’t get a chance to see her since I was on guard duty for the ammunition storage. I kinda wish I did. Regardless of the debate if our princesses were goddesses or not, they were still our leaders, the ones who were the best and represented everything Equestria was about. She did give a speech as well as her fellow Element of Harmony, Rainbow Dash. I’ve always admired her for being so loyal not only to her friends, but to Equestria as well. I’ve seen her fly in the shows back home and it was some of the best days of my life. I even have a signed Wonderbolts flag back home in my bed. Home. Wow, I miss it. I keep hoping they’ll grant us some time to see our families before the big invasion. Word is that Princess Celestia is considering it to remind us all what we are fighting for. Our friends. Our families. Our home. I don’t think we’ll ever make Earth the utopia it could have been. Free from war, hate, violence, fear, and greed. The humans have made it clear they wish to live that kind of sinful life and die with it. So be it. They take their cruel world and choke on it. When we stop this invasion and prove we can still stand strong, maybe the humans will just leave us alone. Let us rebuild and be at peace while we try to find a way home and leave them to destroy themselves. It’s all I can hope for. I can’t think of the idea of Equestria being taken over by the humans. Turning their sick monkey paws on our sacred land. No, I’ll die defending it before I see that happen. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 3rd, 1422 E.F I…heard something that has disturbed me. A few of the soldiers, ponies I didn’t know, were talking about how much they missed the Newfoals. I thought it was because of how nice and kind they were, but instead they were talking about how much they missed bucking them in bed. Apparently, the Newfoals never said no the idea of mating. No force needed. They said okay and the pony who asked do them just like that. They didn’t make a sound, didn’t react to it, they just took it. Some of them thought it was creepy, others thought it was the easiest piece of flank they had ever gotten. I don’t understand. Why did the Newfoals just agree to it? Didn’t they worry about getting pregnant or a mare pregnant? Mating season is a huge problem, even during the war, since ponies go coo-coo when the heat starts acting up. In fact, mating season starts in two weeks and already mares and stallions are giving each other the eye. Is nopony takin the pills to ward off the effects? Then again, I guess I shouldn’t talk. Thundershot and I pretty much bang twice a week these days. Still, now that I think about it, I’ve never heard the Newfoals every say the word “no” before. You say something and they just do it. No questions asked. You ask them for a favor, and they do it. Apparently, that even extended to sleeping with random ponies. Just what is up with that? -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 6th, 1422 E.F Nothing new to report. Some bug is spreading around the place, causing ponies to get diarrhea. Ugh, how much manure am I going to see before this war ends? I just hope I don’t get it. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 7th, 1422 E.F Spoke too soon. BBBUUUUUUCCCCKKKKK!!!! -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 25th, 1422 E.F Okay, so those were the worst two weeks of my life. Half of it was spent in bed and half of it was pooping or throwing up in my bedpan. I think I must have lost six pounds of body fat from losing my bowels before they finally cleared me from the hospital. Thundershot got the bug a week after I got it and he’s still being treated for it. I would go back and support him, but we’re under orders no to go into the hospital unless were sick or dying to prevent it from spreading. At least a fourth of the army is sick with this bug and drills are being called off save for squad ones. I’m technically not even working anymore as I have to wait three more days before I can start training again, but I have to drink plenty of water which is making me still go to the bathroom. Again, they never tell you how much, and I’ll use a human word this time, shit to deal with in the army. I think I’m just going to lie down and pray this passes over. Maybe if the humans attack, we can make a wall out of shit and cause them to retreat? -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 27th, 1422 E.F So, the bug is still around, Thundershot is still sick, but there is good news. Those rumors of us visiting our families is true! In fact, I’m cleared to see mine sometime next month! Unfortunately, Thundershot won’t be able to join me since he’s not cleared for another two months. I was hoping the family could see him and all, but then again, knowing my mother, she’d be begging me and Thunder to get married right then and there. You know, I haven’t thought about the future should I survive this war. If we beat back the humans, the hope is that they’ll leave us alone and not nuke us again. Apparently, there even humans who didn’t agree with what they did so maybe we don’t have to worry about it again? If Thundershot and I do managed to survive this war, I guess I can picture a life with him. We could live somewhere nice and quiet while finding new jobs to support us. Dad could marry us and maybe we’d adopt a foal or two. There are a lot of orphans out there now. They’re going to need new homes. Maybe two colts? The race doesn’t matter to me. Of course, Thundershot and I have talked about our odds. There is a chance we’re both going to die. While it does scare me a bit, I’d rather be dead then in the hands of the humans. Just the thought of them having their way with me and Thundershot is too much of a nightmare to think about. Already we swore a pack to end each other’s life if it turned out that we were going to be captured and many other soldiers were planning the same thing. The holy book tells us that upon death, our souls are judged by the princesses in their sleep and from there we are sent to the paradise of Elysium or the eternal damnation of Tartarus. Of course, I’m in no rush to get angel wings, but knowing that I got a place in paradice makes the idea of dying a bit easier. Some soldiers, sadly, are so broken they wish to embrace the sweet peaceful embrace of death. Most of them have lost everything to this war, including the few Crystal Ponies left defending beside us. They don’t even care if there is nothing after death, they just want to take out as many humans as they can before closing their eyes forever. I never thought I’d think this much about death. What has this war turned me into? Turned us into? I just hope when the war ends, we stop thinking about death and about life once more. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** March 29th, 1422 E.F Thundershot is still sick, but he sends his love to me. I’m back to drilling, but thankfully I haven’t lost my skills on the guns. I’m now cleared to carry one around. They must be careful due to how many of us have already died because of these accursed weapons. Some accidently shoot themselves or others when using them. Others just use them to end their own lives, unable to deal with all that’. An earth pony, her name was Spirit Stomp, used to always eat next to me in the mess hall. A few days ago, she stole one of the pistols and used it to shoot herself in the face. It’s said to be a sin to commit suicide as I mentioned once in a journal a long time ago, but I just hope the princesses have mercy for us all. Because the humans and this war is having none for any of us. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 2nd, 1422 E.F I’m finally going home. I got my papers and bags and everything. Thundershot kissed me goodbye before I made me to the train station. All while whispering that he would miss me. I’ll miss him too. His smile. His eyes. Just the way he always flicked his tail and winked at me. The way he got inside me and made me feel warm and soft. Loving me as if each night was our last. But I’m going to see my family for the first time in what seems like forever. Hopefully, I’ll be able to smile again while I am there. Tears are in my eyes as I spot Cloudsdale in the distance and feel relaxed. I was finally home. And I was going to enjoy it. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Invasion won't be happening for at least another 2 or 3 chapters. As always, Please help out at the TV Tropes Page
I Remember What I Fight ForApril 4th, 1422 E.F I technically got home two days ago, but I was so excited to be back and tired from the journey that I’ve held back from writing for a few days. Being back in Cloudsdale isn’t what I thought it was going to be. I knew the war had changed so much, but I didn’t expect it to change like this. Most of the homes are being boarded up or have been abandoned by others seeking refuge in places like Ponyville and Canterlot. Families I knew in my neighborhood are completely gone. Businesses have closed down as well with many unable to support themselves due to war effort and high taxes to keep it going. Soldiers are patrolling the entire streets with checkpoints and there is a curfew now. The worst are the faces I see. Expressions of utter despair and fear as ponies look into the sky every so often in fear of seeing an attack. Wreaths are put on display over the lawns of those who have died in battle or from the human’s air raids with the photos of those who died. Some of them I recognized. Like Sports Rush, who always wanted to be a professional racer. Bam Bam, who loved making thunder effects at the Weather Factory. Surprise, who was one of the most joyful ponies I ever met in my life. All of them are gone to their eternal rest with their ashes flying forever in the air. Yet for all the depressing scenes that lay before me it was all overcome by the joy of seeing my family again. My sister couldn’t stop crying as she nearly tackled me off the cloud we lived in. To be honest, I couldn’t either. There were times when I thought I was never going to see her again, but holding her made me thankful to the alicorns that I was alive so far. My parents were next. My mother was amazed by how muscled I was. If there was one thing the war prevents its getting fat. She was quick to rush me in while asking me what I wanted to eat as my father just smiled and hugged me, whispering how proud he was of me. I could only smile back and hug him. That evening we ate as we laughed about anything that wasn’t about the war. It was just for that one night we felt like a normal family again without any fear of the humans. I missed it so much that I even cried a few times, but my family thankfully didn’t say anything and just let me let it out before we had dessert. That evening, my father and I went to the roof to have a hard drink. We didn’t say much, but then I told him my doubts and my fears of losing my faith. That was when Dad told me something I never thought I’d hear from him. The Princesses were not gods. I was shocked. My father ran a church. He worshiped the Princesses for years. All his life. He turned to me and said it was a bitter realization, but he said that there was no point in denying what was real in front of us. If the Princesses were gods they wouldn’t have died. They would have protected us better. No, it was clear they were mortal like the rest of us with god-like powers. I asked him if this meant that there were no gods, but he said he didn’t believe that. He still believed that there was something out there. Some being or power that was guiding everything around us in some unknown way. Maybe it played a huge role in our lives or maybe it didn’t. Maybe it was one of the human gods or the ancient gods' ponies prayed too. Regardless, he still had faith something was out there and the one thing he believed in most was Equestria. A nation of friendship. Harmony. Unity. And Love. That was why he still had the church opened despite denying his former worship. Because in the darkest of times like these ponies needed faith. Even if they didn’t believe, they needed it. Because that small bit of faith can lead to hope. A hope that we’ll all come out of this alive. And so I no longer pray to the princesses. I still love them. I still follow them because they are our rulers, but I no longer see them as our gods. I don’t know if there is a god or not, but frankly I don’t care. I believe in Equestria. I believe in my father. I believe in us. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 5th, 1422 E.F Despite now accepting the fact that the princesses were not gods, I still went to my father’s service at church. Mostly because I missed it. The prayers. The literature. The singing. I felt more at peace there then I had in nearly a year. Afterward, I went out with my sister to the graveyard to pay our respects to those I know who died. Pegasi are cremated after their funerals and their ashes either preserved by their families or scattered into the wind. Unlike graveyards down below, ours just are clouds shaped in the cutie mark of the deceased. After giving my prayers, I met with someone unexpected. My ex-coltfriend, Dalewind. He was there as well to give his prayers. We chatted over coffee while my sister left us for us to catch up. I could tell Dalewind missed me, even tried to hold my hoof a few times, but I told him I was with somepony else now which made him give me a sad smile. After saying our goodbyes, I went back home. I also decided to tell my family about Thundershot and I. They were happy to hear that I had someone special back in the military, with Dad promising to marry us after the war. I miss Thundershot so much. I wish he was with me to visit my family. If there is anything I want if I survive this war it's to be with him. There wasn’t much else done today. I just stayed home and played games with my family. Maybe I’ll dream of Thundershot tonight. Hopefully nothing that will wet my sheets. Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 7th, 1422 E.F I finally got asked about the war. It was kind of unavoidable due to what’s happened. There was an attempt to assassinate Princess Celestia yesterday. Not by a human but by one of her own generals in the army. Apparently, he blamed her for everything and that Equestria was doomed unless they surrendered. He killed himself before he could be captured. To have one of Princess Celestia’s own generals betray her like that...I honestly don’t know what to think. I finally got asked if the war was that bad. I answered it was as bad as it could be. Before I knew it, I was telling them everything. Jerusalem. India. Sri Lanka. The dead. The wounded. The screams. The bombings. The guns. How you made a friend one day before saying farewell to their coffin. The endless nightmares in your sleep as you see the faces of your allies and enemies haunting you while dragging you into the abyss. The fact that you know you could day at any moment. The amount of hate you see in a human’s eyes as they try to shoot you down. The days you think about just ending it all just to have it all silenced. I.. I can’t write anymore. I just can’t. *** April 9th, 1422 E.F I’m going back to the front lines. My vacation got shortened because it's believed that the invasion is just a month away. A month. A single month before the battle of our lives begins. A month before our fate is decided. Will Equestria survive or not. I think of my family. Of my sister smiling and promising me to come home. I won’t fail them. I cannot fail them. Equestria must survive. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 11th, 1422 E.F The first thing I did was check up on Thundershot. He was recovered from his bug and we proceed to have sex the first chance we got. Heavens, I missed his touch. Come morning, I had to get back into training. We’ve managed to improve our weapons skills in the brief time I was gone. The tanks and artillery were being used to effect and our drills were preparing us for anything. Morale is also boosted thanks to the fact that the Wonderbolts themselves are going to be fighting with us. Captain Spitfire. Lt. Soarin. Lt. Rainbow Dash. Corporal Scootaloo and many others. They were heroes in this war and they were going to be fighting beside us. The Wonderbolt fan in me is geeking out at the prospect. I even saw them during our training schedule. They moved like a single unit against the wooden made replicas of the human ships. They were so fast it was almost impossible to see them. I believe they could even dodge gunfire if possible. The humans won’t know what’s going to hit them when they come to our shores. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 14th, 1422 E.F Preparations are still being done. We’re now going over drills in what to do should the enemy take the beach. We were given orders to hold the city to the last pony with plans to regroup at key locations should the worst happen. I actually managed to meet Corporal Scootaloo of the Wonderbolts during a break. She’s pretty cool. One of the youngest to ever make it to the Wonderbolts. She grew up idolizing Rainbow Dash and wanted to be just like her except she was born with tiny wings due to a problem at her birth. Thankfully, she was able to get an operation that gave her new wings to achieve her dream of flying beside her mentor. I asked what Rainbow Dash was like and Scootaloo must have talked for about thirty minutes about how awesome Rainbow Dash was. If it wasn’t for the fact she was already engaged to her friend Apple Bloom, I’d believe she was in love with her. To my surprise, she actually said she liked humans. She thought they were cool with their gadgets and entertainment. She even made a few friends on their social media sites before she was forced to cancel it due to the war. I pointed out all the problems with humanity, but she said she’d seen similar things in Equestria as well. She saw horrible ponies who had done bad things growing up in her adventures with her friends or heard about from Rainbow Dash. Regardless of her feelings, she was still loyal to Equestria, and if that meant she had to kill humans to protect us then so be it. I guess I never thought of seeing a pony actually like humans but still willing to fight them. I always thought it was loyalty to your kind or being a traitor like that accursed Lyra Heartstrings. Were there humans who thought the same as us? Well, it doesn’t matter. The humans are coming here to destroy us and we’re going to give them everything we got. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 17th, 1422 E.F Still, nothing going on to write about. It’s just drilling and preparing. I think that’s all any of us can do now. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** April 19th, 1422 E.F Testing. Testing. One. Two. Three. Huh, this spell works. So, yeah. One of the unicorns in our group taught us a spell on how we could mentally write in our journals without physically writing it. It was a spell the Royal Guard once used in past wars to write their journal entries during battles so they could be recorded for... damnit Thundershot stop feeling my butt. Wow, he was right. It really can read your thoughts. Hmm, I’m going to have to practice with this outside of my journal. Don’t want it recording me when I’m doing something embarrassing. Crap, I’m going to be late for shooting practice. How do I shut the sp- *** April 21st, 1422 E.F So I’m using the spell now as I stand in front of a speech being given by Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts. My journal is in my armor and I plan on keeping it there during the invasion so it can get my thoughts. Although I hope I don’t die or something and it records something embarrassing as my final words. I should be paying attention to the speech, but I believe I have to do this. We’re going to be on full alert soon due to the invasion mostly coming in the next few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, it's a good speech, but when she said something about remembering what we’re fighting for. I figured it was a good time to write this as I watch to remember what I am fighting for. This way, should the worst happen, my words can be known to Equestria and my family should I fall. First, I am fighting for them. My family. I am fighting so that they can live again in peace with my sister smiling in the sun without the fear of war or bloodshed. I fight for them so that we can be a united family again without the bitterness of the hated humans tearing us apart. Second, I am fighting for Thundershot and the future I want with him. I want us to get married and have a good long life while raising our own children together. I was us to find a place to settle, a nice and quiet place to recover from the war while giving our children the future they deserve. Third, I am fighting for Equestria. It’s the greatest nation ever made. Once three tribes of ponies hated each other but came together with friendship to bring the magic of friendship to all three races. We become the most powerful, wisest, and greatest civilization that has shown that we cannot be defeated. Time and time again our way of life was threatened and we will win this time again. We will not let the humans defeat us. Fourth, I am fighting for justice. Justice for all the ponies who have suffered or died at the hands of these humans. These creatures who know nothing but war, death, and greed. I both piety and hate them, but I know we will defeat them. We’re the good guys. We’re fighting for peace and justice. They will face judgment for their crimes. And finally, I am fighting for myself. Now more than ever is the time I show that I am a true patriot of Equestria. It matters not if the Alicorns are gods or not. It matters not that I will live or die in these coming days. I am going to go out there and fight for the fallen, for the innocent, for the virtuous, and for the future. Bring it Humanity! We’re ready! -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Invasion will either begin next chapter or the chapter afterwards. I am still seeing if more can be added to this. Please contribute to the NegotiationsVerse TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse
I Am In HellMay 7th, 1422 E.F Is this thing working? Yup, I’m seeing my words appear as I think on the page. So the spell is working again. Well, this is it. The day we’ve been both dreading and anticipating. I’m currently flying to my post right now and getting into position. Everypony is armed and ready. It’s time. The invasion is coming soon. One of the Wonderbolts scouted out in the ocean and spotted something big heading this way yesterday. Once the call went out, we all got up fully armed and ready. For the past few weeks we’ve done nothing but practice, drill, and pray that we were ready for whatever it was that was going to come our way. I’m now practically able to hit a shot at 130 yards with my rifle so I feel ready to take a few human heads when they land. Thundershot gets his machine gun ready while I aim down the beach. We’re about just at the border of the beach and the city, a new location for us that the General decided to change. Hay, there have been a lot of changes. We’re to be there to cover our fellow troops should we need to retreat further into the city to fall back for our next defense point. There are so many of them that I forget how many, but I’m thinking of just running to cover the first sign of the signal hits. It's amazing how different the beach is now compared to what it was months ago. It’s going to take a lot of ships and firepower for those humans to land. Not only do we have proper machine gun nests and artillery ready to fire, but we finally managed to get the ships in. Our new proud navy stands ready to charge forth against the invaders with its new ships made similar in the design of the US Navy’s famous ships. Granted, it's a few decades behind version but what matters is the spirit of the crew not the vessel. Or at least that’s what one of the sailors told me at the bar we were at last week. The entire beach and city is deadly quiet to the point where I can hear my sweat dripping down my neck and onto the ground. A thick fog has most of the ocean covered so we can’t see that well, but the Wonderbolts are already planning to fix that with some weather maneuvers. A few ponies near me are praying to the princesses. I kinda want to join in, but I’m holding my tongue. Still getting used to my new beliefs and all. Seeing the Princesses as not goddesses is kinda weird, but I still believe in them. They represent everything about Equestria that’s great. Their kind hearts. Wisdom. And courage even in the face of overwhelming odds. Ewww. Some of the others are throwing up. I guess the intensity is getting to them. I know it’s bothering me. Alright, close your eyes, Halberd. Think about what you are fighting for. Think about your family. The princesses. And all the soldiers you knew since this war started. I open my eyes and gaze over to Thundershot who's giving me a smirk and a wink. Just like that I feel my courage return thanks to that cute smile. Gritting my teeth, I huff with my heart ready for action. It’s time to show these humans who really know how to fight. Out of the top of my eye, I spot the Wonderbolts flying above, preparing to clear the fog. I can spot the rainbow colors of Rainbow Dash flying by as some soldiers cheer for them. With a whirlwind like maneuver the Wonderbolts start clearing the fog and I can see...see. ... ...Oh my Equestria...oh my Equestria! WHAT THE ACTUAL BUCK?! I feel my gun slip out of my hooves and I’m sure I’m not the only one. The silence of the beach is no longer one of tension but of utter fear. I’m shaking my head from left to right just to make sure I am really seeing this, but I cannot deny it. The ships...there are so many ships! So big and so long that they could fit a stadium! Legions of them are lined up in rows upon rows that seem endless. Stretching out so far they have to be beyond the gaze of the city. Each of them dark and black like knights of the old days coming to raid upon a village. And they’re floating. Floating above the water! Heading right at us with incredible speeds! Where did the humans-GAH! My ears! What were those booms! I swear my ears are pounding against my skull! What caused the-Holy Celesita?! Explosions are everywhere! The beach is being torn up from all directions! Those booms must have been the ships cannons but they’re so far away1 How is that possible?! I feel my mouth drop as my ears pick up the sounds of panic screams and dying cries of my fellow soldiers. Each explosion only brings more cries to the growing number of yells and howls. Sand is shooting into the air by forty feet I think, but that’s not the only thing I’m seeing. Are those limbs?! Oh goddess, they are! Heads and arms and tails and entire torso! Oh heaven, I’m going to be sick! The entire beach is...it’s covered in blood...so much blood you can drown in it. I think some are! Our hills, bunkers, and defense lines are getting smashed into pieces! It’s like a dragon burning down a wooden home! We tested those things against our very own guns! How is this possible?! Soldiers are running or flying around in panic for cover as they are obliterated in mass and I don’t know what to do. I’m seeing our Navy sally forth, but I don’t know if they can reach the ships in time and-WHAT?! I...I don’t know what I just saw! What am I seeing?! The ships are already on fire and exploding?! Did the humans ship hit them all ready?! What the hay happened?! Someone is crying out that they see something in the water. I don’t see anything...wait! There I see it and...is it a sea monster?! No...No it’s another ship! It’s a bunch of ships coming out of the water! Submarines! The humans call them submarines! Just as black as their floating companions, only much shorter and bulkier. Yet, just as deadly as I see them opening their hulls as smoke rises from them. Rockets. They’re firing rockets that come down upon the rest of our ships. I can’t help but look and I wish I didn’t. Our beautiful navy...it's all ruined. Not a single ship has managed to fire back and already they’re crippled beyond repair. We haven’t even fired a single shot and already they’ve destroyed a good portion of our defenses. Was everything for nothing?!. I can see machine gun fire being shot from the sides of the submarines into the air as the various Pegasi divisions and Wonderbolts come under fire. It’s not just mists of red I see on the ground I see them in the air as well. I’m looking at this mare pegasus above me. White as snow with a yellow mane holding a rocket launcher. The bullets go right through her body like paper and she falls down. She falls. Falls. I can see her blood trailing above her corpse. Like a dead bird she falls flat on her face five feet from my cover position. Her body is smoking as the flesh burns from wounds I’ve only ever seen in flame like rounds. This is hotter though. I’ve heard rumors, but to see it first hand. Plasma rounds. Real live plasma rounds. I see dozens of other pegasi who fall dead like flying fish piling up around us. It’s only been at most twenty minutes and already our starting defenses are done for. Celestia. What evil has been unleashed on us? I only now realize that Thundershot is shouting at me to move. I can hear the retreat whistle and it sounds like the horn of Elysium to me. Never before have I ever felt happier to hear a retreat call. Wait, no, that’s not the whistle. That’s something else...it’s...oh no. I know that sound. I feel fear crawl over me as I hear that sound. The numerous times I had to look up and take for cover while trying to survive the jungles of Sri Lanka. I look up and I feel my heart sink into my chest. Bombers. Planes. So many they cover the entire sky. I shout air raid and to take cover AND GAAAAAH! PAIN! PAIN!!!!!! MY BACK! OH GODDESSES MY BACK IS ON FIRE! BUCK! BUCK! STOP IT! STOP THIS! MOMMY! MOMMY! STOP! STOP! PLEASE STOP IT! THE PAIN! THE PAIN! THUNDERSHOT HELP ME! Am I dying?! Oh, Princess I am dying aren’t I?! I don’t want to die! I REALLY DON’T! I JUST WANT TO GO HOME! OH GODDESS! I’m crying, I’m crying and I am just shaking without end! It hurts so much! I’m...I’m being picked up...who...can’t tell!Can’t stop screaming! IT HURTS IT FUCKING HURTS! More sounds of aircraft! More death! Death is here! Death has come! The humans are here to kill us all! Oh, Equestria we’re all going to die! We’re going to die! Bombs are falling everywhere! Everything is torn to pieces! Fire and death! Death everywhere! Even the sky's on fire! Is this the end of the world?! Or am I in Tartarus already?! I hear my name. I hear my name! Who is calling for me?! Princess Luna?! Princess Cadence?! Th...Thundeshot...Thundershot! He has me! He tells me to hold on. He tells me it will be okay. How can it be okay?! We’re all going to die! I...I can’t...I... ... ... ... ... ... ... Pain... Where... ...I don’t... ... ... ... ...voices...Thundershot... ...what is going... ... ... ...I’m...I’m alive? Wait...no I’m dead...all I see is darkness...no wait, I am alive. I can feel my back still hurting, but not as bad as before...oh goddess the pain. But I’m alive. By the grace of whatever powers there are I am alive. I feel like I’m half dead though. My eyes are so heavy. My back is killing me as well as my flank.Water...I need water! Somepony must have heard me because I feel a cooling drink go down my lips. Finally, my eyes are opening...a nurse...unicorn...white with pink mane...she tells me to sleep...sleep...sounds good... *** May 7th, 1422 E.F I’m writing normally again. The spell went off when I went unconscious a second time. It’s been...two days since the invasion started. Two days...and everything has gone to the crapper. The humans have taken over half the city already, but we’re fighting to keep every territory we have with what forces we have remaining. A good number of them were killed in the early strikes. The humans didn’t even start landing and putting their troops out until the second day. From what I hear they’re wearing armor that is heavy, durable, and can somehow use shields. Magic shields. Fucking traitors must have helped them create it. Create the tools that kill their own people. Damn them. Damn Lyra Heartstrings and her rebels. That’s not all. The humans are wielding guns that are firing lasers like that of a unicorn horn. Some are so powerful they vaporize your entire body until your ashes. I haven’t seen any of this since I’ve been stuck recovering from my...injuries... ...I’m wingless. My wings are...gone...they had to take them off to save my life..I’m crippled. A pegasi without wings... I remember crying for hours when they told me. For a pegasus to lose their wings... I...I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I think I’m done writing... -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** May 8th, 1422 E.F More wounded are being brought in, but thankfully Thundershot isn’t among them. Not that I know if he is alive or not. I asked about him, but the nurse said he had to be sent back out to defend the city. I don’t know if my special somebody is alive or not, but deep down I know he is. I just wish he was with me right now or at least I was there fighting by his side. Still, I worry more and more with each hour. It seems pointless to hold this city, especially when the humans keep showing up with more ways to kill us. They got flying machines, drones I think, flying around with mini-machine guns and shooting at us from above before retreating. We’ve lost numerous high ranking officers to the point that ponies are being promoted like baby rabbits being born. They got grenades that can stick to the surface of whatever they hit. Even ponies. One pony swore he saw his commander get one in the crotch before it exploded and took five other guys with him. What a way to go am I right? The worst has to be the tanks. The tanks fire lasers even bigger than the human’s normal guns while also shooting flaming plasma. Entire streets are melting from the heat to the point where you can smell it from here. Word is spreading that we’re going to retreat soon, but we need something to cover us as we retreat. I don’t know what but... One sec. One of the nurses wants to tell me something. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** Thundershot’s dead. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** Buck the date. Buck this war. buck humanity. BUCKYOUBUCKYOUBUCKYOUBUCKYOU! *** Thundershot’s dead. I...I can’t... *** We’re leaving the city. Rainbow Dash had survived. The only Wonderbolt to do so. Did a Sonic Rainboom and gave us enough time to leave via Emergency Teleportation. Everypony is hailing her as a hero, but there are no heroes in war except for the dead. Like Thundershot. Why? Why couldn't we have died together? *** I’m in Ponyville with hundreds of thousands of others. All from other cities. Every one of them has fallen. Some surrendered without a fight. Some fought to the end. Some were wiped out completely. They’re coming. Humanity is coming and surrounding us at all sides. I’ve lost my wings. I’ve lost Thundershot. I won’t lose my home. I refuse. I’d rather die. I’ll kill them. I’ll bucking kill them all. Even if I die I’ll take them all with me. Their cities will burn. Their woman will suffer. Their children butchered. I will see them enslaved, mutilated, and suffer every sin their race deserves since they first learned to crawl. I will tear down their gods and statues. Every bit of their history, culture, and civilization I will see wiped from the face of the earth. I will send them to the fires of whatever hell exists before I piss on their ashes. I will never surrender to them. They took him away from me. My Thundershot. My love. They took my wings away. The very essence of being a pegasus. I will not let them take my home. I will not let them take Equestria because its all I have left. I’ll kill them all. We will kill them all. Or we all die as one. We will never surrender. -Halberd Wings
I Recover In PonyvilleJune 2nd, 1422 E.F I realized I haven’t written in this for a while now, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been doing everything I could with physical therapy to get me back into fighting order so I can kill the humans. Equestria knows they need every soldier they can get now. The past month has been nothing but a demoralizing day by day process of learning which battles were lost, which towns were obliterated or occupied, how big were the number of dead, and how closer the armies were getting to us. There have been very few victories and those only happen because Princess Celestia or Twilight was there. Everypony is afraid that the war is over and that we’re all going to die. That the humans will destroy us like they did to the non-ponies when they fled Equestria. I remember the announcement from Celestia herself about how the human navy sunk all their ships and exterminated them. Humanity is a cruel monster that cares nothing about itself and just wants to take everything they can with their greedy hands. They already ruined this world with their actions. We cannot let them ruin Equestria. I keep telling them to let me fight, but they say I’m not ready. That I haven’t adjusted to not having wings anymore or the other injuries might cause serious harm to my body. I don’t care if I don’t have wings anymore! I’ll rip their faces off with my teeth if I have to! They’ve taken everything from me. My comrades. My princesses. My lover. They’ve taken my home and my family. Clousdale surrendered to humanity just two weeks ago and I still can’t believe it. The home of some of our greatest heroes, warriors and generals of renown, and it surrendered without a fight. It’s not the only one to do so, but it hurts knowing my home betrayed us. I don’t even know if my family is even alive. Did they get executed for fun? Did they rape my sister or mother before tossing their bodies in some factory to use them as glue? Did they burn our church down because it didn’t worship their heathen gods? I don’t know, but I can’t let it get to me except to fuel me into getting better. My family might be dead, but I can’t worry about that. This war is bigger than them. I’ve seen the strength and evil of these invaders and I know that unless we stop them then everything is lost. Death would be better than such a fate. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 4th, 1422 E.F Rumors are going around about how the ponies captured or being held control over by humanity are being treated well. Some are suggesting that maybe the humans will be merciful if they are captured. I can’t believe what I am here, but these are civilians who don’t know what we are really fighting against. I’ve seen the way they wage war. The brutality and outright horrible things. They claim to have made some rules of war a long time ago at a place called Geneva, but it's a load of manure. There are no rules to war. Just killing and surviving. Millions are dead because of them, both soldiers and civilians. How can we just expect mercy from these monkeys? I went out to walk around Ponyville for a bit. I’m not well enough to fight, but I can travel around at least. It’s...tough getting used to the feeling of not being able to fly. Like a part of you is gone forever. I see the looks that some ponies give me, but I hate it. I hate being pitied. Some look at me as a hero, but I’m just some unlucky wingless pegasus who managed to avoid getting killed while better ponies died. Why am I even alive? Why didn’t I die with Thundershot? I don’t care if there is an afterlife or not anymore. I feel dead already inside. I don’t even have a home or a family to go home to now. The only thing keeping me going is the need to protect my country from these bastards. If I didn’t have that... The town has seen better days. I can say that much. I used to grow up hearing about how great Ponyville was from the Crystal Tower of Friendship to Sweet Apple Acres owned by the Element of Honesty. A place of happiness and importance. It’s barely got a smile to its name. A large memorial is always updating on the souls of ponies who have died in this war. The economy has ruined many businesses and the houses are being prepped for any future bombings. I even hear that the farmers are suffering with their fields being nationalized so that the food can feed the army. It just feels like utter depression made whole in my mind. I wonder what it's like for all the other places in Equestria that are still standing? -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 8th, 1422 E.F I’m still getting this news, but it sounds big. There was some kind of incident in Canterlot last night. What I’m hearing doesn’t make sense, but it sounds like members of the Royal Guard and Army were fighting each other last night. Apparently, there was infighting like a coup or revolt. There are rumors going around that Princess Celestia is dead or nearly died. Others are saying she faked her death before striking back. Some say it's the Resistance led by Lyra Heartstrings. Others say it's Discord again. There are also rumors of humans arriving in Canterlot and trying to assasinate Princess Celestia. It had happened nearly a few times before the war. Back when humanity allowed the Convention Bureaus to save them from the barrier’s growth. The truth is nopony knows what is going on and that’s scaring everyone. Including me. It’s got everypony up in arms at the moment. Civilians are forced into their homes with orders to not come out or they’ll be punished. Soldiers are on every street while everypony is waiting for news about what happened in Canterlot. I will write more when I find out more. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 11th, 1422 E.F We finally have the full information on what happened. It turns out that one of the military generals, General Valkyrie, had staged a coup attempt with members from the Royal Guard and Military to seize control of Canterlot and order a negotiation with the human armies. Cowards and traitors a lot of them! Princess Celestia was poisoned, but her alicorn biology managed to save her so she made it look like she had died in hopes of getting the conspirators to appear. When they stormed the castle in an attempt to seize it, she and the rest of the loyal forces managed to stop them with Spike the Dragon arriving with other forces as reinforcements. Most of the traitors died in the battle, but the remaining ones were straight up executed. Their heads decorate a pike on the walls of the palace. A better fate than they deserve if you ask me. According to one soldier who was there, General Valkyrie accused Princess Celestia of dooming the entire Pony race with her actions and that there was no hope of winning the war. She did what she did to save what was left. How dare she accuse the Princess of such a thing! We came here to save humanity from ourselves if there is anyone to blame for all this chaos it's them! Not the princess! They say her last action before Celestia personally killed her was to spit in her face. I wish I could have killed her personally. The only reason we are even alive and have a chance of winning this war is because of the Princesses. They are the only reason we can even fight and hold off humanity. What is happening to Equestria where she is tearing herself apart in false accusations while the true enemy lies on our doorstep? All it did was lead to more ponies ending up dead and hindering the war effort. At least Princess Celestia is okay. She is fine and that’s what matters. If we were to lose our remaining princesses then there really would be no hope left. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 12th, 1422 E.F I met one of them today. Sweetie Belle. One of Scootaloo’s friends. I remember her talking about her...before the invasion and I recognized her description. She was surprised to know that I knew her friend, but nonetheless wanted to know what had happened to her at the battle. I was surprised Rainbow Dash didn’t tell her what happened, but apparently Dash didn’t like talking about what happened. Not that I blame her, I still can’t fully talk about it myself. I told her of the brief moment of time we spent together. It wasn’t much but I could tell in her eyes that she wanted to know every detail of her friend’s final moments. She then asked how did the battle go...or more accurately how did she die. I didn’t know what to say, but she begged me to tell her no matter how gruesome it was. In the end, I told her how the Wonderbolts were all killed one by one. Their remains now buried at sea for eternity. She sobbed for a while and held me as I comforted her. I told her I lost somepony too. How I lost Thundershot. Sweetie Belle told me she just wanted the war to be over. She didn’t care about who won or lost anymore, just for all the dying to stop. Normally, I would say something about how we needed to win, but I felt like that wouldn’t be right so I didn’t say anything. Maybe I can understand why some ponies think this way, but I feel like they can’t see the bigger picture. Let’s say, by some miracle, humanity doesn’t wipe us out or enslave us. What will we do? Have to adhere to their laws? Their rules? Will our culture, religion, and society have to change because they hold power over us? What will we lose becoming more like them? No, it would not be Equestria anymore. It would be a puppet state or would fall into the same trap as these humans have done. Their entire history is nothing of conquest, enslavement, death, and corruption. I do not want to see Equestria follow the same fate. She thanked me before leaving, saying it was something that she and her friend Apple Bloom wanted to know for a long time. I remembered that Apple Bloom was Scootaloo’s fiance and asked how she was, but Sweetie Belle whispered I didn’t want to know. Maybe it's best I didn’t. As I saw her walk away I wondered more and more what our future as a species and as a nation was going to be. Is there a way to save our home? We’ve done it in the past before, but can we pull it off again with the armies of humanity coming closer and closer with each day? How many lives must be lost before we can turn the tide? If we can turn the tide. The thought that this is the end has crossed my mind more than once, but I can’t believe it. Because then everything would have been for nothing and I refuse to let that happen. Even if it means losing my life. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 19th, 1422 E.F I heard rumors going around that more and more soldiers are surrendering. It’s gotten to the point that half of Equestria is now under human rule. Worse, there are talks about them planning some kind of major strike. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like it. I’ll see if I can find out some more. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon Author's Note Short chapter, but we're getting closer to the end. 2 or 3 more chapters left. Please contribute to the NegotiationsVerse TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse
I Am Done RunningJune 24th, 1422 E.F I...I don’t know how to write what has just happened. I don’t even know why I am writing this here and now. All of it happened so fast and soon... Maybe because it's all I can think of doing after going through what I can only describe as a tragic nightmare made manifest. One moment I was sleeping in my bed at the hospital. The next, I found myself thrown to the floor by the force of an explosion. The glass on my windows shattered as I heard screaming and panic. The first thing I wondered is if I’m back on the battlefield, but then I see doctors and nurses trying to get patients out or checking upon them. More explosions can be heard both far and near. The feeling of their impact is close to the point where the very ground starts to shake. Having been through so many bombing raids in the past, I knew already how we were being attacked, but I needed to know just how screwed we were. To my horror, it wasn’t only the hospital. The entire town of Ponyville was being bombed by the humans. I rushed outside to see how many bombers there were, but the sky was too dark to see. Plus, the smoke was too thick from the fires spreading across the entire town and beyond its borders. The Sweet Apple Acres farm was like a sea of embers and destruction as its once prideful apple trees lit up like candles. From a distance, I could see Princess Twilight’s castle crumble into shattered crystals as I prayed the princess made it out alive. Even the rivers nearby looked to be sparked and burning like the fires of Tartarus. All of this happened while the sounds of Ponyville's citizens, panicking in terror, could be heard in all directions. At first, I thought about flying up to better look at the enemy and their numbers. Then I remembered I didn’t have wings anymore and felt utterly useless. Looking back on it now, such an action would have been suicide to do so even if I did have my wings. Besides, what countermeasures did we have to deal with a bombing raid? Ponyville wasn't even thought to be a prime target for an attack! Princess Twilight’s voice soon echoed across the entire landscape with what had to be a spell. She ordered everypony to evacuate the town and make for the train station to retreat to Canterlot. My first thought wasn’t to run for evacuation but to instead help out those at the hospital. There were so many ponies injured and sick who were unable to leave on their own. How could I leave them behind when I was better off than most of them despite my loss of wings? I don’t remember who I helped or how many, but I just did it without thinking. I listened to whatever the doctors told me to do while praying a bomb didn’t blow up the hospital while we were all inside of it. It soon became clear that we couldn’t save all the patients. There just weren’t enough helpers, and some of the staff members had already run off in fear. Bastards. They had a duty to their patients and their fellow workers, but they left them to die out of concern for their own lives. Thankfully, I didn't have the challenging responsibility of choosing who was to be saved and who had to be left behind. I pity those who had to do so. I can’t help but wonder the feelings of those we left behind and what they thought in their final moments. Feeling betrayed and left to die like that? Such a thing should be unthinkable to an Equestria's citizen, but everything has changed because of the war, huh? Leaving the hospital proved to be just as dangerous. All of Ponyville was in flames. Even now, off in the distance while riding the train, I can see the fires still burning. All those ponies...burning in their homes...their guts spilled out into the streets. Nopony was safe from the bombs that fell from above. It just happened so fast. Why did the humans target Ponyville? It holds no strategic value in a militaristic sense. Was this a means to break our spirit and attack us culturally? It was the home of our great heroes and the iconic location for many recent events. It was a town looked upon with pride for embracing the lessons of friendship that was part of our nation’s heritage and ways. Or maybe humans are just sick and twisted flankholes. It’s a miracle the train was able to escape, but that’s thanks to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Her shielding spell protected so many, but not all of us. So many are just dead or had to be left behind to save what could be saved. I can hear families crying for their loved ones just outside my passenger room, including foals trying to find their moms and dads. I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I just hope that there is a plan. -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 25th, 1422 E.F It’s been a full 24 hours since the bombing, and I haven’t been able to sleep. I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again after what happened last night. After arriving in Canterlot, we were all put in a refugee section. It was already filled to the brim of ponies from all over Equestria. Some of them were giving us glaring or fearful eyes. I've never seen so many cold and despairing eyes before. Not long after I arrived, they picked all soldiers from the train, including myself, to be given new orders save for those too critically wounded. I was quickly told that I’ll report to a new captain and her unit consisting of Canterlot soldiers and new recruits starting tomorrow. I was so confused by this because, as far as I knew back then, my commanding officers were still alive along with the rest of my division. While I had been sent to Ponyville to recover, they were all sent to fight the invading forces near Dodge City. Only there isn’t a Dodge City anymore. There was a bombing there as well, except the humans in that raid killed everyone. My entire division was gone. If I'm being honest, I barely knew anyone else there that was alive save for a few faces. Thundershot was the only friend I had left, and with him already dead... Buck. Am I cursed to lose everypony I know in my life? I later learned that the bombing runs were everywhere in Equestria. A massive attack from the air has crippled the war effort and ruined cities beyond even the most basic repairs. Even here in Canterlot, I notice that entire sections are destroyed or closed off. Apparently, they were hit with some kind of strange chemical attack that I later learned was called White Phosphorus. It burned the skins off its victims while others choked to death as the fumes burned inside their lungs. Rumors are going around that Princess Twilight’s parents were also killed this way. Still, then again, there are dozens of stories going around. Rumors of entire armies being wiped out or surrendering. Cities from across the nation are submitting or being captured by human troops. Most of the generals and higher staff are either dead, captured, or have committed suicide. There are even rumors that the Elements of Laughter and Generosity, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, are dead. That last one I...I sadly found out to be true just moments before writing this. Somepony, who was there, told me that they saw Sugarcube Corner blew up with everyone inside. Another pony told me they saw the bodies of Rarity and Sweetie Belle while running away. Two of our greatest heroes are gone. One is a traitor, and only three remaining. Sweetie Belle. I only talked to her once, but she was a good pony, and I can’t help but weep for her. I hope she and Scootaloo are together again if there is an afterlife after death. It honestly feels like I don’t know anything anymore. Like...are we even going to survive this? The only city that seem to still be left standing are Canterlot, but how soon until they come? How many of us are already dead or enslaved to humanity? What hope is there left with so much loss? The Equestrian army is all but destroyed save for what remains in Canterlot. The only remaining force still active in fighting outside of Canterlot with a sizable army is Lt. Colonel Blazehoof, who is fighting his way towards Canterlot from the north. All others are too small to make an impact. This means...Canterlot is on her own. I remember reading about these events in history when the Equestrian Army fought against the predator invaders in its past wars. How the last of our enemies refused to surrender. They fought to the last with their backs against the wall in a desperate attempt to survive. The last stand. And now it was our turn. I swore that I would fight to the end and not live in a world where humans rule us. I guess it's time to test that resolve, huh? -Halberd Wings *** June 26th, 1422 E.F Some refugees from Clousdale have arrived. They couldn't stand the surrender of Cloudsdale so they all left for here. I still can't believe that my home city has given up to the monkeys. The home of so many great heroes and achievers in our history, including the military. The prideful home city of the Wonderbolts and its legacy. All of it is dead to me. To surrender without a fight. To give up without a single shot. It’s a disgrace to every pegasus hero we ever had, from Commander Hurricane to Rainbow Dash. All that’s left standing is Canterlot, who shall make its final stand in the coming days. Everypony who can wield a weapon is being recruited save for foals. There isn’t any training or proper lessons on how to fight. They just get a weapon, armor if they’re lucky, and are told to prepare themselves to die for the sake of Equestria. Equestria. A utopia that once had the cleanest weather, safest homes, and happiest citizens. A land that was perfect with strong leaders, a philosophy of love and friendship, and a government system where everyone had the means given to them for what they needed. Now it was all ruined by the evil that is humanity. Their greed, hatred, and ignorance have destroyed something so pure that should we even come out of this alive, it will take centuries to fix. The only thing standing before them and total victory are us, the few still willing to fight, and Princess Celestia, who is protecting us all with her shield spell. Some of the more veteran soldiers say they haven’t seen a shield this strong since Prince Shining Armor’s during his royal wedding. This is the moment of truth—the final battle of good vs. evil. And I know that I am not going to survive this. Deep in my heart, I know my fate is sealed, and I am done running. I will die here, but I will die a true stallion of Equestria. To do anything else is a disgrace. -Halberd Wings *** June 27th, 1422 E.F I finally met my new commanding officer: Captain Hope Diamond. Of all the commanding officers I’ve been under, I’ve never met somepony like her. She is one of the few who are still smiling and urging us to never give up. Perhaps it has to do with her name or cutie mark, a golden smiling sun upon a diamond-encrusted shield. Maybe her talent is giving hope to those of us in the darkest of times. I can’t think of a darker time than now. Since I’m an established soldier, she’s given me some troops to command as a unit. Honestly, I was just a corporal, but it looks like I’m going up in the world. The ponies under me look to me for guidance and some kind of protector. Most of them have never killed or hurt anything in their life, and one of them is only fifteen years old. I do what I can to teach them how to use a spear and a sword, but it's clear that they’re lacking any fighting ability. Well, they’re going to have to train quickly. We don't have any more access to the guns or tanks or any other human-based weapons and equipment. All the factories for those were in the other cities. What little there is are now in the hands of specific guards and units. Since Canterlot consists of many levels, we’re charged with guarding one of the gates leading from the third to the fourth. Our job is to prevent any human soldiers from entering, should they breach the gate, but I wonder how long we can even last? Regardless, this is the duty I am given, and if it means that I must die standing, so be it. I keep wondering what’s happened to my family: my father, mother, and sister. My father told me that should the worst happen, he planned on all three of them dying together. He wouldn’t let my mother or my sister be raped and brutally murdered by those damn monkeys. It’s funny, I should be in tears or in sorrow, but I’m not. Maybe it's because I’m glad they know peace and no more war. Or perhaps after all the losses I’ve suffered since the fighting, I’ve just become so numb. Who knows? -Halberd Wings *** July 3rd, 1422 E.F Been a while since I wrote in this, but guess what? I’m not dead yet. Not that casualties aren’t happening. The humans have been shelling us for the past three days. Every few hours they attack with missiles and artillery to break the shield, but by Princess Celestia’s willpower, she continues to hold firm and protect us. While this happens, I can see the entire human army surrounding us on all sides. There are some hoping that Lt. Colonel Blazehoof and his army can help us, but word has it that we lost contact with them two days ago. We don’t know if they are dead or alive or surrendered. Everypony is on edge, and things just get worse and worse each day. Food and water are scarce, and fights or riots break out every so often to the point where the guards are forced to use lethal force to get everyone to stop. When the citizens aren’t rioting, starving, or weeping, they’re killing themselves. Some just jump off high buildings. Others take whatever weapons they have and end their lives that way. One of the mares under my command, Twist, said she saw the corpses of a pony she knew from Ponyville named Silver Spoon with a vial of poison in her hoof. Twist said that, even though she was once a bully, she didn't deserve such a fate. One or two of the ponies in my command have already slit their own throats. We don’t even bury the bodies; we just burn them without a service or anything. It would be worse if a disease was to break out now. Some ponies are talking about how this is the end that the humans will kill us all. A few think we should surrender or try to escape. Then there are those like Captain Hope Diamond who refuse to give up. I’m not giving up as well. Giving up means that my friends, my comrades, my...lover, died for nothing. I’ll never give up, nor will Equestria do so. Harmony in life or Harmony in death. Nothing in between. -Halberd Wings Author's Note Sorry for the long delay in updating. November was a bitch of a busy time. But anyway, 2 more chapters to go. Please contribute to the NegotiationsVerse TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse
I See The EndJuly 4th, 1422 E.F I wonder what this journal will be read as when all this is over. Will it be read by a pony or a human? I guess it doesn't matter at this point because it's hard to imagine what kind of a future awaits this world when this war is over. If we survive and drive the humans, it would take a miracle to save what's left of Equestria from all the death and ruin that has come upon it. The once green fields and meadows are grey without life, and the decay of dead bodies are rotting in the dirt. The farms are picked clean and ravaged by war and hunger. The skies are no longer blue but dark with smoke as an eclipse that never seems to end—a world without sunshine and starlight. A grim and bitter future for us all, even if we were to survive. Our once beautiful and peaceful home is but a memory. I can't even remember what it used to be like before the war anymore. For a brief moment, I wonder if all of this could have been avoided. Could we have just kept our borders shut and never once moved from them as humanity slowly rotted? Just keep ourselves safe and happy in our utopia while they slowly destroyed themselves over time. Humanity is a doomed species that has wasted whatever potential granted to them long ago. Even if they win, they are only delaying the evitable. They'll go back to killing each other or raping this planet until there are no resources left and die a slow death. They consume and spread like a virus destroying its host, and once the host dies it will eat itself to death. For such a horrible, disgusting, and sinful species to survive and bring us down to such a level? Frankly, I think there really are no gods in the universe. No kind and loving God would let such a race exist nor let us, who lived our lives through harmony and friendship, suffer like this. It's just wrong that we have to suffer and lose so much to these monkeys. It's wrong that I have lost so much. -Halberd Wings *** July 5th, 1422 E.F A number of Canterlot's population has fled. One army division silently took over one of the north's entrance gates and opened it for citizens to retreat. I don't know how many have left, but they put it around the thousand range before loyal soldiers retook the gate. The ones who did it surrendered without a fight, but they were let go and sent to follow those who fled by Princess Celestia's order. I thought for sure that she would have them executed, but I guess even the princess is tired of all the deaths that have taken place. It amazes me that she still has the willpower to hold firm by doing all she can to prepare for humanity's next attack while protecting us with the city-wide shield. Rumors are spreading that her ponies' hope and prayers are keeping her going. Others say that the spirits of the other Alicorns from the afterlife are giving her their power from Elysium. The old me might have believed that, but the current me just snorts upon hearing such things. Prayers don't do anything. They never did for me. My father once told me that faith is all the remains when everything is lost. So what happens when you have no faith? Only anger, bitterness, and a desire to kill humans until none are left in this world. Captain Hope Diamond calls for more drills to be done in preparation for any sort of human attack. I guess it's back to training for me. -Halberd Wings *** July 7th, 1422 E.F Everyone in the city is depressed, and I cannot blame them. We have finally gotten word about Lt. Colonel Blazehoof, and it is as we feared. He's dead. Shot in the back during an ambush in their attempts to sneak into Canterlot's borders. His second-in-command has decided to surrender to the humans and sent a letter to Princess Celestia urging her to do the same thing. From what I hear, Princess Celestia lashed out violently and ordered everyone to leave but Princess Twilight Sparkle, her assistant Spike, and a few other generals. However, she didn't put any silence spells on the walls and doors so everypony could hear her screaming in despair. They say she cried and cursed all of humanity for taking everything that she loved. Everypony dear to her, such as her sister, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and many of her subjects. That those who surrendered without fighting humanity broke their vow against Equestria's citizens and betrayed her to the very core. Princess Twilight Sparkle tried to calm her down. Still, even she declared that Twilight and her friends failed in their duty as Equestria's Saviors due to Fluttershy's betrayal and their inability to use the Elements. I heard she later apologized for this, but I think that was too far. After shouting for so long, they say she finally collapsed and began to sob for hours. It must have been around the time I saw the shield fading in or around mid-morning. It seems that Princess Celestia has finally been unable to hold back her feelings, and I cannot blame her. Just how much pain and suffering must she have been going through throughout this entire war? She was one of the greatest rulers and ponies in history, and all that she has done was now ruined by these monsters who dare defy her gift to make them ponies What happened next has everyone on edge. The generals asked if Equestria was going to surrender or if we were going to fight to our last breath. Princess Celestia gave no answer and only said they would not yield for now. Many are questioning what we should do now. Most of us, such as myself, believe that dying in battle is better than surrendering. Surrendering to humanity means that everything we did was in vain. That all those I fought with...and Thundershot...all of them would have died for nothing. I know what fate awaits us. Rape. Death. Suffering. Enslavement. The humans do this to all their enemies. No, I'd rather die fighting like a true son of Equestria than bend the knee to these bastards. Because that's all I have left in this world. -Halberd Wings *** July 8th, 1422 E.F He bucking appeared—that damn spirit of chaos. Today Discord arrived on behalf of humanity and the resistance to end the war peacefully with the complete surrender of Equestria. Naturally, everyone tried to attack and kill him, but that proved futile as he snapped his figures and turned all our weapons into balloons. When Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight arrived, it looked like there was going to be a big battle, but Discord vowed he had come in peace and even wore some kind of hippie outfit. Personally, I wished he had just been vaporized to dust right then and there. Instead, the Princesses allowed him inside. I do not know what was shared between them, only that Discord left, and Princess Celestia announced that they would not be surrendering. Good. I bet that damn spirit loves humanity too, because they are just as twisted and sick as he is. -Halberd Wings *** July 12th, 1422 E.F It's gone. The shield is gone. It disappeared yesterday after another barrage of missile fire, only this time, when it faded, the missiles came through and destroyed a section of the city. We had to spend hours putting out the fire and rescuing what few ponies we could. The entire city went into an utter panic as everyone began fearing that the humans would invade any second now that the shield was gone. After helping with the fire, Captain Hope Diamond rushed us to our positions to prepare for anything, but the humans never came much to our surprise. There was no attempt to stop the rioting and looting. The guards and army were all needed at every border to prepare for the clash against the human military. I could hear the sounds of screaming and panic throughout the entire night as I stood still with my weapon in hoof, my heart pounding every second as I waited for even a single shot. Instead, there was nothing. Eventually, I guess even the civilians must have realized it since there were no more attacks that day nor throughout the night. However, that didn't stop us all from worrying. It meant that something had to have happened to Princess Celestia with the shield gone. Everyone feared the worst, from her being dead to abandoning us all to our fate. I actually found myself praying that she was alive. She had been our protector and rock for this entire war, including this painful ordeal we are going through now. To lose her would mean everything was truly lost. In the end, she was not dead, but she was unconscious. I do not know why, but I pray that she wakes up soon. Without the shield, we're defenseless, and nothing will stop the humans from coming in their massive hordes. Nothing. -Halberd Wings *** July 15th, 1422 E.F It's been three days since Princess Celestia fell unconscious. Princess Twilight officially gave a full and honest report to us all yesterday. Princess Celestia was in a coma. The pressure of holding the shield against constant assault, combined with fatigue, was finally too much for her, even with her alicorn powers. She fell after her horn was broken in a burst of magic. The horn will heal over time, but the princess is so far in a deep sleep that nothing will awaken her. She might not even wake up again. Three goddesses dead. One in a coma. And all that remained was Princess Twilight, who was now in command of us all. We were ordered to keep things in check and to not make any moves, but every one of us knows what's coming. The humans are right there. Miles away, prepared to attack us with everything they have and wipe us out. I have survived so many times in this war from attacks and incidents that should have died a long time ago. Now I feel that my luck has run out, and I will not leave this city alive. Captain Hope Diamond assures us to still not give up and trust that Princess Twilight has a plan. Apparently, she was there watching Twilight Sparkle in Ponyville throughout all her life and admired her for being a brave, strong, and smart leader who never gave up in the darkest of times from Nightmare Moon to Tirek. I don't know how Princess Twilight will save us, but it will be quite a miracle to pull off if she can do so. What has me worried is why hasn't the human army attacked us in our moment of weakness? They have enough firepower to level this entire mountain and wipe us out. So why haven't they? What are they doing? -Halberd Wings *** July 17th, 1422 E.F It's finally here. The last stand. The final battle. Humanity sent a letter to Princess Twilight stating that in 24 hours, the army would march into Canterlot and would not stop until they had completely taken it over. At long last, I can finally fight these humans to the last breath. If this is to be our end, let it be such an end that they remember it for the rest of their miserable days. Let the pride of Equestria sing one last time in the streets of our ancestors as pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies unite one more time to show this wretched world what real harmony is. We will take ten for every one of us that is wiped out. We shall make them fight for every inch of our city. Our nation will live on in honor and in spirit, knowing that we dared to stand up once again to evil and held our values with pride. I am going to be coming soon to you Thundershot. If there is indeed an afterlife. I have no regrets. I have lived my life as faithful to the teachings of Equestria as possible. I have fought with everything that I had. I can picture our glorious last stand as we show these humans that they might have beaten us, but they have never defeated us. Captain Diamond Hope has been rallying the troops with speeches like this, and we are all finding ourselves ready for tomorrow. Every soldier is prepared for battle. Even citizens are joining in to prepare for the last stand. I find myself nodding and shaking hooves or hugging those around me as I know that we will see our last sunrise tomorrow. I actually can remember seeing the Equestrian sun rising by Princess Celestia's power. It was always so beautiful to see in Cloudsdale. This will probably be my last journal entry. I intend to go to battle with it. It's been there since the beginning, and I will have it be with me to the end. It was an honor writing in this to tell my story. I hope that somehow it can be heard. But now it's time for one last battle. One last stand for Equestria. For the 139th Arial Spear Regiment! For the Princesses! For Harmony and Friendship! For Thundershot! FOR EQUESTRIA! -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** I...I cannot...my tears cannot stop...betrayal...utter betrayal... Princess Twilight...has surrendered to humanity... Equestira has surrendered. To humanity. The war is over. It's all over. *** July 19th, 1422 E.F I only dare to write the date so that future generations will know of this great betrayal from that bucking BITCH TWILIGHT SPARKLE! Surrendered. We surrendered! Canterlot is now occupied with humans! Humans in our sacred capital! For the first time in our history, a foreign nation and race have taken over our holy land. I remember it all so easily. We were getting ready to take our spot when orders came for all soldiers to stand down and throw their weapons away. Princess Twilight had agreed to terms of surrender. I was shocked. I think I had a heart attack. I almost wished I had. Because it was that moment, my world was finally done for. Everything was over. All that we had struggled to keep sacred was gone. Twilight Sparkle, our greatest hero, had betrayed us all by surrendering to those monkeys! I wanted the messenger to say that this was a prank. A joke or anything! But he turned away and walked as if there was nothing else to say. We all stood there, my fellow comrades, as we tried to come to terms with what just happened. Our civilization, our nation, which has stood for nearly a thousand years, has come to an end. I have witnessed the end of my home's sovereignty to a race of monsters. Captain Hope Diamond took out her sword and just slit her own throat right then and there, as did a few others. To my shame, I was still too shocked to do anything and just struggled to process what had happened. I remember screaming, crying, and just kicking something or someone before blacking out. How could she do this?! To us?! To her nation?! To her ponies?! The ones she was sworn to protect?! What was she thinking when she surrendered us to humanity?! Did she not know what fate awaits us?! Of our children?! We'll be slaughtered! Raped! Enslaved and treated like animals?! WHAT DID EVERYTHING WE GO THROUGH FOR THE LAST BUCKING FIVE YEARS WAS WORTH IN THE END NOW?! NOTHING! BUCKING NOTHING! I LOST MY HOME! MY FRIENDS! FAMILY! THE LOVE OF MY LIFE! AND NOW I'M SUPPOSED TO MAKE FUCKING PEACE WITH THE HUMANS WHO CAUSED ALL OF THIS SUFFERING?! We should have died like real ponies! Real Equestrians! We should have gone down as a nation that refused to give up...but now...now we are nothing but a defeated and broken country. A land that no longer exists. Our culture. Our laws. Our values. Our faith. Our home. Everything is gone now. The humans have won and they have taken everything from us. And now we were to place our fate in their hands. I felt the last of my strength die inside of me as I saw human soldiers and vehicles march through the streets of Canterlot. They stood with pride and walked in formation as we all stared in silence, hatred, and tears. They looked so proud, so happy, and so content to know that they had triumphed over us. I saw mothers crying with their children as soldiers threw away their weapons and armor in disgust and anger. Ponies are killing themselves even more now in their homes because there is nothing left. We've lost everything. Even our pride. I look above the castle, and I see not the flag of my once pride and beautiful home, but the UN's flag soaring above. And I feel nothing but utter despair. -Halberd Wings *** July 21th, 1422 E.F This shall be my last journal entry, for I will no longer be alive when I finish writing this. I have thought about it long and hard the past few days, and I have decided to end my life. I have nothing left in this world. This world is no longer my world but a nightmare unbearable to live in. I was once just a pony in Equestria who did everything right in life. I went to church to pray to the goddesses to watch over my family and me every day. I listened to the teachings of harmony to live as good of a citizen as I possibly could. I honored my princesses and heroes, who are now dead or betrayed or missing. I fought for what was right and just in this world. I fought for a future of my kind. I fell in love with a pony I lost and yet still fought in his honor and memory. And it was all for nothing. My life was worth nothing in the end. The Prin-no, she doesn't deserve that title. The bitch will negotiate a peace treaty with humanity in a few days to bring relief back to your nation and rebuild it. Some ponies are hopeful that we can focus on starting anew with the war over. Fools. Our home is dead. It's gone. There is nothing left for us anymore. We're better off all dying than living as a defeated and subjected race to the humans. Whatever future they are building, I will not be part of it. If I was a pegasus, the idea of hanging myself might seem stupid, but I am wingless. I doubt anything can stop me at this point. I wonder if it's wrong to want to die so bad, but at this point, I don't care. I cannot go on anymore. I look back at this journal and see how far I have fallen from that hopeful youth who believed we could defeat this evil. How ignorant was I to the cruel fate that was to be given to me? Some ponies talked about a hopeful future with humanity. That maybe with the war over, things will get better. I will never believe that. I will never be part of any world with them. I curse humanity and all the traitors to the ends of time, including Twilight Sparkle, who has shattered what was left us as a nation. This the end. I am going to die now, and I...I admit I am a bit scared. But nevertheless, I will push forward. One last charge into the darkness, and forever will I sleep once more. Sleep as a true son of Equestria. Farewell. -Halberd Wings, A True Son of Equestria. *** Spike put the book down and sighed heavily as he rubbed his eyes from all the reading he did. He looked up at the student in front of him, Shadow Wings, who nervously rubbed his hooves. When his student told him that he had a journal from his ancestor who fought in the war and wanted to show it to his teacher, Spike wasn't prepared for the sure intensity behind it. He had never heard of Halberd Wings, but the events were as accurate as they come. He remembered so much of it that it was like seeing a picture in his head. "Professor Spike?" Shadow Wings addressed, getting his attention. "Everything okay?" "Yes, Shadow. I'm sorry," Spike said as he closed the journal and got up from his desk. "I was just surprised by how vivid and raw it was." "I felt the same when I read it," Shadow Wings said with a heavy sigh. "If only my really great uncle knew that his family survived. That his sister had a family after the war. And if he just lived long enough to learn what Celestia really did..." "I doubt that it would have changed anything," Spike said, shaking his head. "Even after the truth came out, there were a lot of ponies who either refused to believe it or didn't care. Most of them were part of the Freedom Fighters." "You think Halberd would have joined them if he learned of them?" Shadow asked, tilting his head. "Maybe, but who knows," Spike said, picking up the book and looking at it with sympathy. If anything, he felt sorry for the writer of this book. He was but another victim of Celestia's manipulation and lies while becoming more hateful as the war dragged on. His hatred breaking him piece by piece until there was nothing left. No, it was clear that Halberd Wings would never have adjusted to the new world after the war. The loss and suffering he had endured had broken him, and death was all but a welcome gift at that point. "You know, he was wrong," Shadow Wings said, getting up from his seat as his wings flapped. "The future we ponies and humans have created is better than we could have ever dreamed. I wouldn't trade it for anything." "Hmm, it's just too bad we had to lose so much to see it," Spike said with a sad smile before handing the book back to Shadow Wings. "Much as I enjoyed reading it, Shadow, I think it's best if you keep it in the family. To showcase to your own children just how the war was like and how misguided Equestria was at the time." "Okay," Shadow Wings said as he took the book back. "Well, I guess I better get back to my dorm. By the way, Professor, I hear you and your fiancé finally picked a wedding date?" "Yeah, Rebecca wants to get married in the spring just like her mother," Spike said, blushing as he rubbed the back of his head. "I wanted to get married in the summer, but it's the bride's day after all." "Well, I hope me and Claire can one day get married after we finish school," Shadow said before taking flight and heading towards the door. "See you on Monday!" Spike nodded before turning to the window, where he saw the city's bright lights around him. Yeah, a better future. One that cost us so much. And one that should never be forgotten. Author's Note Well, there we go folks, the last chapter of warfare and the last story of the NegotationsVerse. I have to admit, I'm surprised by how successful this series was when I started with the first fic, but now that its over I had a lot of fun writing it. Now, just because I'm done writing stories in the NegotationsVerse doesn't mean doesn't mean I won't allow other writers to write their own stories in this universe. As I have said before, people are more then free to write their own stories in the NegotationsVerse and I've purposely left a lot open for people to try different ideas. I'm even happy to provided info on things people are confused by. Once again, thank you for reading this series. Please help out at the TV Tropes Page at: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsverse Have a nice day
