The whole group was making their way through the plaza, carefully keeping their sights for any threat that should appear, as Browne decided to ask more about the Captain.

"Stans, where's the captain from?" Asked Browne.

"You figure that one out, you got yourself a nice prize." Answered Stans.

"Prize? What kind of prize?" Asked Ocellus, her ears lifting in fascination.

"300 bucks, last I heard." Said Harrison.

"Bucks? What are bucks?" Asked Ocellus.

"Money. Dollars." Answered Meyers. "Don't you have any money back in Equestria?"

"Well, yes. But our currency isn't dollars. It's bits." Said Ocellus as she opened her satchel, (keeping in mind to not open it too far so rain would get in), then took out a tiny coin purse, and opened it as she poured out a few coins, then held it out to Meyers.

"This is your currency?" Asked Meyers, as he took the coins and looked at them. "These are friggin' gold coins! You could get a ton of stuff with coins like this in America!"

"Wow, I had no idea. And here I thought only nobles in Canterlot, Manehatten, and Prance were the richest bunch," Said Ocellus as she took the coins back and put them in her coin purse then put it back in her satchel. "So, what's this prize thing with the captain?"

"Company's got a pool. 5 bucks gets you in." Explained Jasper.

"Hmm, interesting," Said Ocellus.

Meanwhile, at the front of the line, Fredrick, Nelson, and a few other soldiers continued walking away before taking cover behind some destroyed furniture. Then the rest of the squad came walking up.

"It's around this corner. Defilade right up to those gates." Stated Fredrick, surveying the area. As the soldiers moved up.

"Somebody must know where he's from, what he did for a living." Suggested Browne.

"Yeah, how about you, Sarge?" Asked Ocellus.

"I've been with him since Kasserine Pass, but I don't have a clue." Answered Meyers.

"Well, it was worth a shot." Said Ocellus.

The whole squad kept moving forward as Nelson began to feel a pain in his feet.

"My ankles are killing me. I'll need a wheelchair before this war is over." Said Nelson, before stepping on some rubble, which made the pain feel a bit worse for a moment. "Oh, that's it. Oh, my God. Got ankles like an old woman. Like an old... Oh, God." finished off Nelson, as the soldiers stopped by a building.

"Stans, so, you don't even know where he went to school?" Asked Browne.

"Captain didn't go to school." Said Stans, simply.

"Huh? Why not?" Asked Ocellus, rather puzzled at this fact.

"They assembled him at O.C.S out of spare body parts of dead G.l.s." Answered Stans.

"That sounds rather disturbing." Said Ocellus.

"You gotta pay attention to detail. I know exactly where he's from and exactly what he did 'cause I pay attention to detail." Stated Randall.

"Hey, Browne. Careful you don't step in the bullshit." Said Harrison.

"Huh? Where?!" Exclaimed Ocellus, looking all around the ground, and even under her hooves.

"No, not that kind of bullshit." Said Walters.

"What other bull scat is there?" Asked Ocellus, sounding very confused.
The whole squad then came up to the wall, with a blasted gate, as Meyers then peeked through a hole in it.

"Okay, all clear! But step lively! There's not much cover ahead!" Said Meyers.

"Cover? Cover from what?" Asked Ocellus.

"Cover in case we run into the enemy." Explained Walters. "Just stay close." All soldiers then came out from the cover of the wall, and into a huge open area, before coming to a stop.

"What now?" Asked Ocellus.

"We'll continue, but we must keep close to the buildings. We don't know what's out there." Answered Nelson.

"Maybe we should send someone ahead to scout forward, sir." Suggested Randall.

"No, we can't risk any more men getting shot down!" Stated Fredrick.

"Look, it was only a..." Started Randall, but he never got to finish his sentence as he was struck in the chest, as a gunshot was heard. Before Randall fell onto a piano that was sticking out of the rubble, emitting a horrible sound out of eight keys.

"Cover!" Shouted Fredrick. "Get to cover!" With that, all soldiers quickly hid behind some rubble, and even a parked car as Meyers grabbed Ocellus and pulled her behind the car with them. Randall then tried to get back on his feet, and stepped an inch forward, only to topple over and land in a puddle on the ground.

"What the hay was that?!" Exclaimed Ocellus, shocked to see Randall go down as he did.

"It's a sniper! They're soldiers who hide in hard-to-find places and shoot out targets from far places!" Stated Fredrick.

"Goddammit, where'd that come from?!" Shouted Nelson.

"He was on the ground before we heard the shot." Said Harrison, then he looked out from their cover behind the car, before eyeing a tower in the distance. "That's where I'd be."

"I didn't see it." Said, Fredrick.

"450 yards, Captain. Maybe a shade under." Said Harrison, as he began to undo the screws holding the scope to his rifle. "I wouldn't venture out there, fellas! This sniper's got talent!" Stated Harrison as he then reached into a canister on his back, before removing the smaller scope from his rifle. Then he took a much longer scope from the canister and then fixed it to his rifle. Before sneaking around the car, then pausing as he eyed Randall, who was twitching. "Randall." Once Randall looked over to him, Harrison put his finger to his mouth, telling Randall to stay quiet. Before he went out from behind the car and over to a better shooting spot.

"Captain!" Called out Randall, still twitching.

"Hold on, Randall." Said, Fredrick.

"Help me up. I can... I can walk, I can walk." said Randall weakly, as a pool of blood was now forming underneath his body.

"Randall, stay still!" Shouted Merlin.

Harrison then came up to another pile of rubble, as he then slowly peeked over it, looking up at the tower, to determine a good sighting. Before he began to adjust his scope's setting for windage and elevation. "Two clicks left wind." Said Harrison to himself, as he adjusted his scope's setting.

"Walt!" Called out Randall.

"Captain, can you see him from there? How is he?!" Called out Merlin to Fredrick.

"Merlin, you stay put." Ordered Fredrick, before looking back over to Randall, as he started to reach into his jacket.

"Where's he shot, Captain?" Asked Merlin as he walked away from the building and over to another pile of rubble, trying to get a look at Randall. "Captain, can you see him from there?" Asked Merlin again.

"You stay there!" Ordered Fredrick, more sternly now.

"Damn it, stay down!" Ordered Nelson, as he grabbed Merlin's jacket and pulled him back into cover. "What's the matter with you? Am I gonna take care of you if you get hit? Huh?"

"Walt, come over here." Said Randall, weakly and his voice sounding raspy.

"Randy put your head down." Stated Walters. "Put your head down."

Randall began to reach into his jacket, trying to find something before pulling out a white object from his jacket. A Letter, before holding it out for the group.

"O my God, I trust in Thee. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over me." prayed Harrison, as he rested his rifle on the rubble, and began to aim.

“Copy it!" Randall said, his voice getting fainter, "Copy it and send it for me!"

"Randy, you're gonna send it yourself!" Walters said, trying to ease him.

"It's got blood," Randall said, "It's-- it's to my dad. It's got blood on it."

Ocellus felt bad for Randall and knowing how important a letter for one’s parents was, knew she could not let the letter go uncopied. So, she started crawling over to Randall. Browne noticed this and tried to stop her by grabbing her tail, but it slipped out of his grip. But then the Captain had noticed.

“Ocellus, no! Stop!” Shouted Fredrick.

“Ocellus! Come back here!” Shouted Meyers, now noticing Ocellus had gotten out of cover.

“Ocellus! Stop! It’s not safe!” Shouted Merlin. But Ocellus did not stop.

“Hold on, Rand. I’m coming.” Said, Ocellus as Randall weakly looked over to her. “Just hang on a little longer.”

“Ocell, get back. It’s not safe for you.” Said Randall, weakly.

“Ocellus, you get back over here right now!” Ordered Meyers. But soon Ocellus had reached Randall and was starting to get to a kneeling position to take his letter, when suddenly….

Something struck her right shoulder and cut through the flesh as a loud bang echoed all around. Ocellus let out a sharp cry of extreme pain as she fell to the ground, clenching her shoulder.

As she hit the ground, Ocellus shouted in extreme pain. This pain was indeed like nothing she felt in her life. She had been smacked on her cheeks, kicked in the shins, even once punched in the face by many of the changelings that bullied her; but this was nothing like that. It felt like someone took a thick, hot needle and jammed it in through her shoulder flesh with such speed. Tears came to her eyes, as the pain coursed through her body, but then she felt her hand getting damp and warm. But this was not from rain. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at her hand as she lifted 2 of her fingers from her shoulder and nearly fell sick at what she saw on them. Blood. Her blood.

“Shit! Ocellus is shot!” Shouted Fredrick.

“Ocellus! Are you okay?!” Exclaimed Merlin.

“It hurts! Sweet Celestia, it hurts so much!” Replied Ocellus in pain.

“Where are you hit?!” Shouted Merlin.

“My right shoulder! It’s my right shoulder!” Replied Ocellus, still clenching her shoulder in pain.

“Stay still! We’ll come to you when we can!” Ordered Merlin, as Ocellus nodded weakly.

“Oh my, dear goodness! Fredrick was right! This is pain I cannot even imagine! Oh, why did I foolishly go out of cover?!” Said Ocellus in her thoughts. But she tried to steady her breathing as she knew if she kept her heart rate going too fast, she would lose more blood. So, while dealing with the shearing pain, she started to try and breathe slower.

Up in the tower, the German sniper was sighting the area through his scope, as he could see Randall still laying on the ground, while Ocellus was lying near him, still holding her shoulder. The sniper briefly watched them feeling guilty as he saw the second target he had shot, was a young girl. A civilian. He could not bring himself to kill the girl. From the looks of it, the wound looked not so bad, she had a good chance of survival. He started scanning the area again, before coming to the spot where Harrison had set up his firing spot, then Harrison fired. Then the Sniper’s head shot backward as glass shattering sounded, as he dropped his rifle. Revealing Harrison had made a one-in-a-millionth shot through his scope! Then the sniper collapsed over, dead.

Back on the ground, Randall had stopped twitching and was lying on the ground with the letter in his hand. As Ocellus turned to look at him.

“Randall?” She said, but there was no reply. “Randall?!” She said, louder this time, but still no reply. As she looked over to Harrison, who had a grin.

“We got him.” Harrison said, “Stand down.”

With that said, Merlin quickly got to his feet and ran over to Randall and Ocellus, as he helped her to a sitting position, as he examined her shoulder. “It’s a flesh wound, not too serious. Keep holding it, it should help.” Said Merlin as Ocellus nodded and keep clenching her shoulder as Merlin then examined Randall. As Fredrick stormed over to Ocellus.

“Ocellus, I told you to stop! What the Hell do you think you were doing?!” he said in a stern voice.

“I was trying to get Randall’s letter! I didn’t think the sniper would shoot me!” said Ocellus. “Most of the Changeling troops under Chrysalis’ wing don’t normally target Civilian individuals my age!”

“Well, out here. Snipers on the enemy side will always shoot someone in their sight! And since you were with us, the sniper shot you to try and lure us out of cover!” Explained Harrison as he walked over to them. Merlin then stood up and took out a blanket, as the rest of the squad came over. Ocellus looked on and saw Randall’s eyes were now shut in forever sleep. Fredrick then removed his dog tags and put them in his pocket. Then Merlin took Randall’s letter before coving the husk with the blanket. As Ocellus let a tear fall from her eye, sad to see he had died. As Merlin helped her to her hooves, then had her walk over to a wall with some rubble to allow her to have a better sitting position, as the rest of the squad walked over to her.

“Okay, I’ll need to look at your shoulder, sweetie.” Said Merlin kneeling in front of Ocellus. “But I’ll need you to remove your sweater.”

“What?” Exclaimed Ocellus as she looked down at her sweater. “I can’t take off my sweater! Not in front of all these soldiers!”

“Well, I need to look at the wound so I can check to see what it’ll need for care. And I can’t do it with your sweater in the way. You don’t wanna get that wound infected, do you?” Said Merlin.

“Okay. But please don’t watch me.” Said Ocellus.

“Of course not.” Said Fredrick, as all soldiers turned their backs to Ocellus as they formed a circle around her, to give her privacy.

“Okay, I’m good now.” Said Ocellus. As Merlin turned around first and saw Ocellus was now holding her sweater over her chest as her satchel was sitting next to her, as she was still holding her shoulder. He kneeled to her level.

“Alright, let’s have a look at that shoulder.” Said Merlin as Ocellus removed her hand from her shoulder, Merlin took out his medical kit and started to work on her shoulder but was surprised to see something shocking. “Holy shit!”

“What? What?” Asked Fredrick, concerned. “Is it bad?”

“No, sir. The bullet just grazed her flesh. It’s her blood.” Replied Merlin.

“What about it?” Asked Fredrick.

“Its… green.” Said Merlin.

“Green?!” Exclaimed Stans and with that, he turned around, and his jaw dropped to see on the gunshot wound on Ocellus’ shoulder, was in fact bleeding green blood. “Holy shit, it is green!

The other soldiers looked and were also shocked.

“What?” Asked Ocellus, worried. “It’s not creepy is it?”

“No, no. It’s just, we’ve never seen any sentient individual bleed green blood before.” Assured Jasper.

“Oh, I can understand that. My friends said the same thing when I once got a nosebleed when I tripped and fell on my snout once.” Said Ocellus.

“So, all Changelings have green blood?” Asked Meyers.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Said Ocellus as Merlin started to treat her wound. “I honestly don’t have a clue why, but it’s always been the same for all Changelings,” Ocellus added in as she yelped in pain briefly when Merlin started wrapping gauze around the wound, before finishing it off.

“Okay, that’ll do. Can you move your arm?” Said Merlin.

Ocellus turned her arm around and while the pain was still there, she could still move her arm in its normal motion. “Yeah, but it still hurts a little.”

“Give it time, it should go away sometime later.” Said Merlin as the soldiers all turned around so Ocellus could put her sweater back on.

Ocellus winced as she put her arm through the sleeve but soon enough, she had her sweater back on as she picked up her satchel and put it on her shoulder. Then stood up. “Alright, I’m ready.”

“You were lucky, if that bullet had been a few more inches, it would’ve shattered bone in your arm.” Said Merlin, as Ocellus gulped at the thought of her arm being more seriously injured.

“Thank goodness for that. As I am right-handed.” Said Ocellus. “But now my favorite sweater’s got blood on it! And a gaping hole!” This statement earned a chuckle from Stans.

"Nothing a needle and thread can't fix, right?" Said Stans.

"Yeah, there's that. But I hope Miss Rarity won't faint upon seeing my blood on my sweater." Said Ocellus.

"Alright, back to business. Sergeant Meyers, do an ammo check. Browne, canteens. Fill them up." Ordered Fredrick.

"Hey, Browne. Can you refill my own bottle too?" Asked Ocellus as she took her water bottle out from her satchel, as Browne nodded, before taking it before resuming with his task.

"Sergeant Nelson. Gather your men. We'll form up at the northwest corner of the square." continued Fredrick, as Nelson went on with the task. then as Harrison and Walters went to check the tower where the sniper was while Stans stared at the tarped body of Randall before simply saying "Fuck Stevens."

Ocellus on the other hand stood off near the captain looking down at her hooves before looking at the bullet hole in her sweater, as it was now clear that war, where she was currently, wasn't the same thing as war back home in Equestria. If a sniper was willing to shoot someone her age, then what could other enemy soldiers do to her? The only thought she had in her mind now was just following the orders of Captain Fredrick otherwise, she wouldn't get back home in one piece. Then she began to get worried about what would lay ahead in the task of saving Private Stevens?

Author's Note

Well, we are in the next chapter, which was rather an interesting one to write. And I know a lot of you guys are gonna hate me for what happened to Ocellus in this chapter, but sometimes when you are to learn how different war is in other locations, you gotta learn the hard way.
But on another note, while this story is in the mature category, this story will not have any nudity of any kind. The mature tag is strictly for profanity, gore, and violence.