Author's Note

Here is my first Equestrian in Earth story here! Taking inspiration from Bronycommander's stories. For my first story, I figured I'd feature my favorite character, Ocellus. As for the setting, I've always loved Saving Private Ryan for how realistic it was for its portrayal in the Normandy Landings and Omaha Beach. Even if the whole rescue op of Ryan is fictional.

Anywho, I hope you enjoy my story.

Prologue: A Shocking Discovery

Normandy, June 9th, 1944

A group of U.S. Soldiers was walking through an open field.

The group consisted of nine men, starting with Captain Thomas S. Fredrick. Of Company C, 5th Ranger Battalion. Then Technical Sergeant Reggie Meyers. Followed by Private Harry Stans, Private Andrew Walters, Private Daniel Randall, Private Carl Jasper, Medic Jake Merlin, Private Frank Harrison. And holding up the rear was Corporal Tyler Browne of the 29th Infantry Division. The men had come in on D-Day where they were a part of the Normandy Landings. And after the grueling Battle of Omaha Beach, they had made base camp at the beach. When the Captain had received an assignment from the Lieutenant Colonel to retrieve a 101st Airborne paratrooper, Private Fred Jerry Stevens, whose four brothers had been recently killed in combat. So he could be sent home. As the soldiers made their way in the field, the Corporal was trying to get to know the other men. At one point, he tapped Walters on the shoulder, startling Walters.

“Hey! You want your head blown off you fancy little smuck? Don’t you ever touch me with those little rat claws of yours again. Get back in formation!” snapped Walters.

“Uh, I was just wondering where you’re from,” explained Browne, only to receive a glare from Walters, in which he quickened his pace up to Randall. “Randall, right?”

“Hey, drop-dead, Corporal.” said Randall rudely, “And another thing, every time you salute the captain, you make him a target for the Germans. So, do us all a favor and don’t do it. Especially when I’m standing next to him, capisce?”

“Capisce,” answered Browne as he walked up to Merlin.

“Hey Corporal, what’s your book about?” asked Merlin. As Browne briefly chuckled, bringing up his rifle, nearly hitting Merlin’s helmet with it. “Hey, watch your rifle.”

“Sorry.” Said Browne, before explaining; “Well, it’s supposed to be about the bonds of brotherhood that develop between soldiers during war.”

“Brotherhood?” asked Randall as Walters let out a laugh. “What do you know about brotherhood? Get a load of this guy, Walters! Why don’tcha ask the captain where he’s from?”

“Yeah, ask the captain,” said Walters. “He’ll tell you everything you wanna know about.”

“Does anyone wanna explain the math of this to me?” asked Stans. “I mean, where’s the sense in risking the lives of the nine of us just to save one guy?”

“Anybody wanna answer that?” asked the Captain.

“Stans, think about the poor bloke’s mother,” stated Merlin.

“Hey Doc, I’ve got a mother, right?” asked Stans. “I mean you got a mother, the sarge has got a mother, I mean, shit, I bet even the captain’s got a mother...” Stans also added before looking back at the captain only to see his blank expression. “Well, maybe not the captain, but the rest of us got mothers!”

“Thiers not to reason why, theirs but to do and die,” said Browne.

“La la la la la,” Walters mocked, “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Corporal? We’re all supposed to die, is that it?”

“Browne is talking about our duties as soldiers.” replied the Captain.

“Yes, sir,” said Browne.

“We all have orders, and we have to follow ‘em. That supersedes everything, including your mothers.” added in the Captain.

“Yes, sir, thank you sir.” complimented Browne.

“Even if you think the mission’s FUBAR, Sir?” asked Stans.

“Especially if you think the mission’s FUBAR,” replied the Captain.

“What’s “FUBAR”?” asked Browne, confused at the word.

“Oh, it’s German.” Walters fibbed, as Randall chuckled.

“I never heard of it,” said Browne.

“Sir, I have an opinion on this matter,” said Harrison.

“Then, by all means, share it with the squad.” said the Captain.

“Well, from my way of thinking, sir, this entire mission is a serious misallocation of valuable military resources.” expressed Harrison.

“Yeah, go on.” said the Captain.

“Well, it seems to me, sir, that God gave me a special gift, made me a fine instrument of warfare,” added Harrison.

“Stans, pay attention,” the Captain said, “Now, this is the way you gripe! Continue, Harrison.”

“Well, what I mean by that, sir, is if you were to put me and this sniper rifle anywhere up to and including 1 mile of Adolf Hitler with a clear line of sight, sir-- Pack your bags, fellas. War’s over.” finished off Harrison.

"Amen!" stated Stans. "Now that's brilliant, bumpkin."

"Hey captain, so what about you? You don't gripe at all?" asked Jasper.

"I don't gripe to you, Jasper. I'm a captain, there's a chain of command. Gripes go up, not down." answered the Captain. "Always up, you gripe to me, I gripe to my superior officer. So on and so forth. I don't gripe to you, I don't gripe in front of you, you should know this."

"Sorry, sir. But, let's say you weren't a captain. Maybe I was a Major?" said Jasper. "What would you say then?"

"Well, in that case, I'd say: this is an excellent mission, sir, with an extremely valuable objective, sir, worthy of my best efforts, sir. Moreover, I feel heartfelt sorrow for the mother of Private Fred Stevens, and am willing to lay down my life and the lives of my men, especially you, Jasper, to ease her suffering."

"He's good." Walters said simply, and Randall agreed by saying, "I love him!" and he made kissing noises.

As the men continued their way through the fields, the Captain then stopped and held up his hand, signaling the others to stop.

"Captain, what's..." Meyers started to asked.

"Quiet!" ordered the Captain, as Meyers instantly shut his mouth. Then the Captain made out the sound of someone moaning. "Someone's out there. Step lively, men." With that said, all men put their hands near the triggers of their weapons as they brought them up to their shoulders, and slowly walked forward. Just then the other men began to hear the moaning too. Which in turn, came from the foliage on their right. As the Captain held up his hand, signaling the others to stop. Before he called out; "Thunder!" But there was no reply, the moaning only got louder. "Thunder!" the Captain called out again, but still no reply, then the Captain signaled Walters up, then pointed to the foliage. As Walters nodded, then taking out his bayonet, he mounted it on the end of his shotgun before placing the tip of the bayonet on the bush as The Captain, Sarge, and Stans all held their weapons out ready to fire. The Captain then nodded to Walters, which Walters quickly threw up the foliage, as the 3 soldiers pointed out their weapons, but as soon as they did, a female squeak of fear was heard as all men shut down as all stared in shock at what they saw.

The individual was a girl but was no human. This girl was an anthropomorphic equine of some type. She had artic blue-colored skin that looked insect-like. With small ears, folded on her head. A curved, pointy horn on her head. With a transparent pink-colored mane and tail. She wore a teal-colored turtleneck sweater, a red denim skirt that ended halfway down her thighs, with a pink belt with a magenta, heart-shaped belt buckle. She also was carrying a small light red shoulder satchel. What was more, she had a beetle shell opened up on her back that was colored like a ladybug shell but with pink spots instead of black. And pink transparent wings, sticking out. But the most shocking of all was her big cyan-colored eyes. Which resemble that of a bee's own eyes. Which were staring at the soldiers in fear.

"P..p..please, don't hurt me." said the girl, timidly. "I mean you no harm."

"Hey, hey, it's alright." said the Captain, shouldering his Thompson. "We won't hurt you, we're soldiers."

But the girl only shrunk back, whimpering. In which all other soldiers put their weapons down.

"It's okay, sweetie. We're all friends here," said Merlin. "You can trust us."

Slowly, the girl walked out cautiously, before stopping in front of the captain.

"Where am I? Who are you?" asked the girl, trembling in fear.

"I'm Captain Thomas Fredrick, of Company C, 5th Ranger Battalion." said the Captain.

"And you're in the fields outside of Neuville." added in Meyers.

"Neuville?" asked the Girl. "Oh my, goodness. I'm really far away from home! I wanna go home!" the girl stated, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hey, hey. It's okay, it's okay. We can help you." said Harrison, as Walters and Randall could only stare in surprised looks. "Where do you came from?"

"Equestria." said the girl. "I'm from Equestria."

"Equestria? What the hell's Equestria?" asked Randall. Only to receive a glare from Meyers.

"So, what's your name, little one?" asked the Captain.

"Ocellus, Captain." replied the girl. "My name is Ocellus."