Chapters The train whistled through the dark forest in the northern lands of the Changelings, a grey uniformed Changeling sat asleep with his gear on the seat next to him, a rifle, helmet, and a military saddlebag with his bandoliers across his front over the uniform. A darker changeling picked up his MG-34 from the overhead area and pushed on the sleeping changeling. "Hey, Varynx. Wake up, we're almost there." He said putting his patrol cap on.
Varynx, as he was called, sat up and blinked the sleep from his eyes. "There he is, welcome back to the land of the living bug meat," another changeling this time with green eyes quipped with humor in his demeanor.
"Yeah, yeah, tell SL I'll be there when I'm there," Varynx smiled.
"What did I hear Soldat?" Said the older changeling with a sly grin across his features.
"Uh, nothing Hiveswebel..." Varynx looked left and right as the rest of his squad chuckled at their comrades' expense.
"I almost forgot the Heer revolves around Soldat Varynx," the Staff Sergeant began toying with his prey. "Oh, but of course Staff Sergeant," Varynx smiled. "Shut up and get off the train smart ass." Everyone laughed. Taking his gear he followed the rest of his team as the train came to a halt.
"Disembark bugs!" an officer yelled from the back of the car.
Varynx walked out of the car and dropped to the ground, his hooves coming into contact with dirt and gravel.
"Get these tanks off!" Someone yelled from far off.
"Varynx, you Zapper, and Loki get the supplies unloaded from car 7!" The squad leader bellowed to his subordinate.
"Roger Hiveswebel!" Varynx replied making his way through the crowd that was the Olenian deployment.
"Varynx, over here!" Yelled Zapper, who is the same ling from the train with the MG34 strapped to his side, next to him was Loki who was loading up the roads for the MG into ammo boxes that he was gonna be lugging around through the entire campaign.
"You got a cigarette?" Varynx asked the oversized changeling. He snickered in response. "Who do you think I am?" He replied pulling a box out of his front pocket in his green aura holding it out to Varynx who took one with his own aura.
"Alright, bugs take the gear, you know the Hiveswebel isn't a patient one," Loki said as Zapper, and Varynx grabbed the first ammo boxes and love rations from Loki who passed the boxes with cracked hearts stenciled down to them. They finished and Varynx took one last puff from his cigarette. Just then a Changeling from another squad came by with a smile. "Cheer up guys, first it's Olenia then Equestria," he said turning back to his own squad.
Varynx shook his head with a smile, "I didn't think I looked sad," Varynx commented. Loki walked to the edge of the flat car and sat down. "I'll tell you what it is," he said.
"It's that," he pointed to the love rations boxes sitting stacked on the ground.
"We each get 10 rations for the whole campaign," Loki took a puff of a cigarette he lit earlier and let the smoke out his nose.
"Well that makes me sad," Zapper commented drooping his ears. Varynx looked to him dropping his bud on the ground snuffing it out with his hoof. "I'm sure you would big guy."
"Calling me fat?" Zapper smiled cunningly. Loki laughed. "What, You? Nah, more like pleasantly plump." Varynx smiled back.
"Careful little bug I could bench press you," Zapper pointed at him.
"Hey Zapper!"
The three snapped to attention as a Changeling officer walked over sporting his Leutnant insignias.
"I see three Changelings standing around and not enough supplies moving, less chit chat more buzzing, come on!" The officer huffed walking off.
"Yes, sir!" The three saluted and got back to work.
The officer continued to walk and walked up to the Hiveswebel.
"Hiveswebel Buzzer," He approached the young squad leader.
"Attention!" Buzzer shouted.
"At ease," He said before looking to Buzzer. "Buzzer, tell me why I saw a group of your bugs standing around smoking and joking?"
Buzzer blinked, "No excuse sir, I'll correct it." The officer nodded but didn't leave.
"You got a smoke Buzzer?" The officer asked getting a nod from Buzzer who pulled a cigarette box from his pocket. "You officers always taking my smokes," Buzzer relaxed.
The officer took a cigarette in his aura while lighting it. "Well, it's the price of doing business, I gotta deal with you bugs all day and night, which is also why I can't get my own while in town."
The two turned and began to walk down the train line. "So do we know where we are setting up yet, sir?" Buzzer asked walking on the officers' right side. "Not yet, Hiveswebel, that's actually where I am going now if you care to accompany me."
Hiveswebel Buzzer followed his platoon leader along his route taking a cigarette for himself and lighting it.
"So is this really going to be like shooting at fish in a barrel?" Buzzer asked the Leutnant. The Leutnant blew smoke from his cigarette out his nose and then pulled it out holding it in his magical aura. A Panzer started up on the train as they were passing by the Panzerlings who were doing preliminary checks on their tanks.
"Well Hiveswebel, I certainly hope so, this is the Hiveheer's first major operation as a conventional force," he said taking another puff from the cigarette. Buzzer continued to follow them by a group of Changelings setting up a tent and moving supplies off the train. The Leutnant was walking right towards a group of officers with a map on the side of a train car. As they walked up another Changeling bearing the Hivesleutnant insignia looked over at them and gestured to them.
"Leutnant Goring is here, let's begin," he looked back at the map held up by two Soldaten that had just been unlucky enough to be walking by when the Hivesleutant nabbed them.
"Okay, so as you all know, our gracious Queen has ordered the invasion of Olenia. They hold rightful Changeling clay and it is our noble job to change that," the Hivesleutnant walked up to the map turning his head back to his audience. "Our job specifically is to drive a line through the mountains towards Elksburg, we stick to the coast and run over anyone that gets in our way." The Hivesleutant looked around walking back towards the semi-circle around him. "Any questions?"
There was no answer as a few officers finished jotting notes in their notebooks.
"Good, go time is 0800 tomorrow morning, we will not be setting up camp, you will dig your bug holes and cover yourselves with your ponchos if it rains. Listen for the whistle, dismissed."
With that, they stepped away and fell out.
A few Changelings walked to and fro as the train began to move and began to back out, all equipment offloaded. Varynx stood by a stack of love rations finishing off his cigarette.
"Hey, Varynx," A voice called out. Varynx turned his attention to the Changeling approaching him a white circle with a red cross painted on the side of his helmet which hit against his side as he walked.
"Hey, Healix, ready to go?" Varynx replied with a smile.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Healix replied. "As much as I would like to chit chat I have to check on everyone to make sure you guys are healthy and not motion sick like a bunch of babies," Healix teased.
"Ah, blow it out your ass doc, I slept the whole way," Varynx replied.
"When aren't you sleeping?" Healix responded before walking away laughing.
"You can blow that out your ass to bug brain!" Varynx called out to him.
Varynx smiled and shook his head before dropping the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it.
"Third platoon!" Buzzer called getting everyone's attention. "Rally up, it's briefing time!" He called.
Varynx picked his rifle up off the nearby crate and put his head through the strap letting it rest on his barrel. Then he followed the rest of the platoon as they gaggled around the Hiveswebel and Leutnant.
"Listen up!" Goring spoke up.
"We are going to dig in tonight, right at the edge of the tree line on the other side of this forest, grab your gear, and make sure you're combat-ready, we're going to train on the way there," Goring announced.
With that, the Hiveswebel stepped forward. "Listen up bugs, Hiveswebel Parallax isn't going to be with us for the initiation of the invasion, he's away on a family emergency, therefore I'll be stepping in as the acting platoon webel, remember that nothing has changed, keep doing what you're supposed to do and we'll be fine."
"Gear up!" Goring barked as bugs scattered, some bugs like Varynx only removed their patrol caps, placed them into their saddlebags, and fixed their helmets in place of the patrol caps.
"Let's go move out if you want to be done by dark, make sure you pass by the rations station and grab your rations too!"
Author's Note
I added a little bit to the first chapter, might wanna go back and read that to be up to date.
What a Nice Bughole
The sounds of nothing seemed to echo in the darkness, seemingly linear piles of dirt in the forest stuck out. Behind those piles were holes, in one of those holes was Varynx. He sat silently with his rifle lying prone on the dirt looking over the side with his fellow soldier at the Olenian border.
The grasshoppers played their music ignorant of the violence that was about to play out. In the trees behind the holes sat the many silent cold Panzers, their engines silent for the night.
"These stags have never heard of noise and light discipline huh," Varynx commented with a whisper.
His fellow Changeling wearing a pair of eyeglasses looked out towards the border at the lit lanterns and they could hear the sounds of laughter coming from the stags position making them easy to spot.
"This will be over in six months if this is any sign of their abilities," The Changeling replied.
"Well, it's a good thing they're doing this Ticks, tomorrow morning they'll be dead or scattered."
Ticks looked out of the tree line in front of them with a concerned expression etched on his face.
"Are you worried?" He said it was dark so Varynx had trouble making him out but could tell Ticks was looking at him. "For you or them I mean."
Varynx thought long about that one, he never really thought about it. "I've never really thought about it." Varynx looked over the border back at the Olenians partying, probably drinking. "Not until now anyway," he finished.
An owl's hoot was heard in the distance and a gust of wind came up behind them.
"Getting windy eh?" Varynx said making small talk.
Ticks shivered. "What I wouldn't give to have a fur coat about now."
"Tell me about it, I just hope we can finish these guys before winter hits," Varynx replied.
The crickets and grasshoppers continued their songs.
"You know, my mother was afraid of this," Ticks broke the silence, Varynx looked over at him.
"Afraid of what?" Varynx replied.
"About a war like this happening. With Queen Chrysalis at the reigns, any one of us could see this coming." Ticks flatly stated causing Varynx to gauk at him.
"Ticks, shut up, you know how much trouble you could get in if someone hears you saying stuff like that?" Varynx said in a panic.
"What? Can you deny how messed up her leadership style is? There has to be a better way to get a sufficient love supply," Ticks shook his head.
"I'm not hearing this Ticks. I just do what i'm told," Varynx replied in a flat defeated tone.
"What about you? You have anyone back home?" Ticks said changing the subject much to Varynx's relief.
"My fiance, she lives in Vesalipolis she works at a cafe, I think she's probably sorting bullets now though.
Varynx opened his uniform pocket and lit his horn to provide a very dim red light. A picture of a long silky pink maned, purple eyed beauty of a Changeling female.
Ticks whistled quietly. "Wow, she's a looker, I don't have anyone like that back home," Ticks floated the picture back. "What's her name?" Ticks asked in addition.
"Charlina," Varynx replied looking back out into the darkness.
For a good bit they each continued to talk about their families, Ticks told Varynx about his mother how she raised him alone and how he often helped her at her job in the Vraks post office.
"Hey!" Came the loud whisper of the Hiveswebel from the bughole to their right. They peaked up over the side of their hole and looked at the dark silhouette of Hiveswebel Buzzer.
"It's lights out, get some rest, the Panzers are pulling fireguard," Buzzer said ducking back into his own hole.
"Well, you heard him, better get some rest," Varynx said looking out at the lanterns that were beginning to burn out. "We're going to need it..." Varynx finished ducking down into his hole.
"Goodnight Varynx, sleep tight," Ticks said tilting his helmet down over his eyes and hugged his rifle.
"Night, see you in the morning," Varynx reached forward and pulled his poncho out of his saddlebag and rolled it up into a nice pillow. Fixing his helmet and setting his rifle next to him, he situated himself with his head on the poncho.
Varynx lay there with the sounds of nature to nurture him to sleep, while lying there with his eyes closed he opted to take full advantage of this, the final night of nature because after tomorrow it would be nothing but the sounds of artillery and machine guns to lull him to sleep.
The conversation he had with Ticks earlier returned to him in that moment and his moment of peace was ruined, replaced by fear. What would happen tomorrow? Nothing good, he knew that.
He briefly wondered about Charlina, and about the eggs she would soon lay, the eggs he fertilized, that he wouldn't be there for when she laid them. Hopefully this war will end quickly so he can at least watch them hatch. The thought brought him peace as he fell asleep with a smile.
...
"Varynx-" Varynx mumbled something and ignored the voice attempting to destroy his lovely sleep.
"Varynx-" He felt a nudge. A bug was about to get punched.
"Varynx wake up, it's morning," Varynx started to open his eyes his helmet cockeyed over his left eye. Fixing it with his hoof he sat up blinking sleep from his eyes only to be met with the wonderful smell of fresh eggs, and bacon, as well as freshly brewed joe.
"Morning sleepy bug," Came Healix's voice, turning towards the voice was a steaming cup of Healix's home-brewed coffee, as bitter as the Changeling himself.
"Coffee in bed, a bug could get used to this," Varynx smiled taking the coffee in his aura.
"First thing in the morning and already starting with the jokes, come, the cooks made up a nice breakfast before we kick off the race to Hjortland," Healix smiled puffing on a cigarette.
"You got one of those too?" Varynx asked gesturing to the cigarette.
Healix smirked and rolled his eyes, he pulled a smoke from his pocket guiding it to him and Varynx just open his mouth and took it like a dog getting a treat. "Much obliged," Varynx smirked.
"I knew you'd ask so I came prepared," Healix said before turning and walking away.
Varynx went to his saddlebag and took his field plate, fork, and rifle before trotting off towards the chow line.
So this was it, today was the big day, the Panzer crews were doing their final preparations while gorging themselves on a nutritious breakfast.
Varynx passed by other bugholes some empty, others who had soldiers in them, some of them relaxing, others eating, and some talking. It felt surreal that in about two hours it was going to be war. Varynx was still unsure how to feel about this, only coming to terms with it the night prior, it just hit him like a migraine.
Of course, they would be okay if intelligence was correct, and Changeling intelligence was almost always correct, this would be an in and out job. He knew worrying about it wouldn't do him any favors but a part of him lingered on it, that fear of getting shot at, the possibility of getting killed. He didn't only worry about himself though, he worried about his fellow soldiers too.
"Hey, Varynx." A voice, more specifically the towering hunk of bug named Zapper brought him out of his thought process. Zapper looked back at him with his field kit in his aura. "You alright bud?"
Varynx took a puff of his cigarette and looked up at him. "Yea-, yeah I'm fine just got thinking about," He paused looking at his surroundings, the various squads walking back to their positions, one of the Panzer crew members was checking the oil on his tank. "About everything, I guess it's all just starting to hit me."
Zapper nodded with a sympathetic smile, "I know what you mean, you're nervous about all this, I get it, every bug here knows what you mean," Zapper said as they approached the stand with the Cook holding a metal ladle full of eggs.
"How long did it take for you to come to terms with it?" Varynx asked as the cook put a spoon full of eggs on Zappers plate.
Zapper sighed. "I didn't, not yet."
Varynx approached the cook who scooped the food onto his plate.
Once receiving their food the two soldiers walked side by side to a tree behind the bughole line.
Zapper turned to Varynx who started to gorge on his meal.
"Just remember that we're in this together, that's what keeps me sane," Zapper said delving into his own meal.
"Aren't you a bit scared?" Varynx asked looking up from his half-finished plate of food.
Zapper sighed jumping down into his bughole being careful not to spill his food in the process. "Of course, I have my reservations about all this," Zapper said setting his plate on the side of the hole. Varynx sat down setting his food on the ground.
"I just do what is asked of me by my Queen, it's for the good of the hive," Zapper said delving into his meal.
Sounds of crunching sticks and leaves rapidly caught their attention and they looked over to see Buzzer running down the line, he whispered something to Healix in his hole who began to rapidly pack his gear.
Upon making it to them he stopped and put a hoof on Varynx's shoulder. "Hurry up, eat fast. We're going early, we step off in ten minutes," he said looking between them. Zapper went back to his food and began to shovel his food in his mouth.
Varynx shoveled the last of his food into his mouth and got up, taking off in a brisk trot back to his position where Ticks was all geared up and ready to go.
"So we're going huh?" Ticks asked in a bit of shock. Varynx jumped into the hole and threw his field kit into his saddlebag and pulled it on.
"Seems like it," Varynx lay down next to him aiming his rifle out in front of him as if prepared to fire.
Varynx lay there as the sounds of moving bodies were replaced by the sounds of silence, not even a bird chirped.
Laying there was the worst part. Knowing what was about to happen with the big unknown of 'what will happen?'
Those ten minutes may as well have been thirty minutes as the clock slowed down in this calm before the storm, Varynx knew one thing. Things would never be the same ever again, the last visions of peace for him being the sight of his rifle peering out across an open field that was going to be covered in bodies after today.
Just like that, the moment arrived and the Panzers roared to life, no doubt those Stags heard it too.
The suspense hung like stale air through the sounds of idling diesel engines.
Next was the distant 'boom' sounds the untrained person would not know what that was, but Varynx knew.
Artillery.
Boom
The next cannon fired.
Boom
Then the next.
Boom, boom.
Then the next rounds and the sounds of what could be multiple loud 'whoosh' sounds above them.
Then there was a whistle. Time slowed down as Leutnant Gorings voice boomed, "Go, push forward!"
Varynx and Ticks stood up, Varynx kept his rifle low with one hoof ready to fire his weapon at a moment's notice. The tanks roared forward as they passed the tree line.
Now in the open Varynx continued to run forward as a few tanks stormed by him at speeds that would make a pegasus blush.
The sounds of war finally made themselves known when he heard the shell impacts ahead of him, then came the sounds of more booms, in front of him, not behind.
Enemy artillery.
Then the whoosh and the feeling of impending doom surfaced, instinctively Varynx dropped to his stomach and covered his head.
Boom!
Boom!
The ground shook with artillery impact and tanks, a machine gun opened up from somewhere.
"Keep moving forward!" Buzzer yelled from a distance, Varynx's head was full of emotions, panic, fear, impending doom. Someone pushed him from behind.
"Varynx! Get up, get moving!" Loki yelled pushing him helping him to his hooves.
Varynx got up his training kicking in and he began to move forward to catch up with the rest of the platoon.
They reached a drop off where a few Changelings had assembled overlooking the main Olenian position they needed to break.
"Loki!" Zapper yelled over at them. "I need that ammo!" Like that Loki was gone, Varynx couldn't think about what was going on as the machine guns and rifle fire blurred out his thoughts, so he did the next thing he could think of. He hit the ground and crawled up to a rock.
The ground shook more with explosions and looked down at the Olenia position. Zapper began to fire his machine gun, and Varynx's ears began to ring from the sounds of gunfire, and the snaps of bullets flying overhead rattled his brain.
Varynx shakily aimed his rifle in front of him and looked down at the sight. His grip was shaking making it hard to aim at anything.
At that moment a stray bullet struck the rock he was taking cover behind.
Everything vanished, all sound went away, the machine gun became nothing but a beating drum, and the shaking was a meer vibration. Everything blended together into a symphony of chaos that would make Discord proud.
"..."
Varynx could hear something but he couldn't.
"...!"
Varynx stood there shaking like a leaf, until someone came and he felt an impact to his helmet that brought him back to reality, the booms became explosions again and everyone was yelling around him.
"Varynx! Snap out of it kid!" Another impact made him look over at the striker. It was Hiveswebel Buzzer. "Hey! Come back to Equus kid pick up your weapon put some fire on that position!!!!"
The words of his friend came back to him in that moment.
"We're in this together."
Varynx in a sudden transformation of determination picked up his rifle and set it on the edge of the rock using it for support.
"Fire!" Buzzer yelled picking up his own rifle and firing over Varynx's head, he heard the bolt go back and the empty round casing struck Varynx on the head as he heard the bolt go forward.
"Fire, fire Soldat, fire!!!" In a moment of panic, Varynx pulled the trigger his aim way above the Olenian position.
Varynx pulled a mental image of a firing range, in his vision he saw an Olenian soldier climb out of the trench and run back towards what he assumed was a command center. He locked in on him cycling his rifle and looking through the sights.
His front sight post hovered over the Olenian and Varynx subconsciously led his target.
Time slowed down as Varynx pulled the trigger, the hammer inside the rifle released striking the firing pin with struck the back of the round causing the small explosion, and he swore he heard the weapon go through its process as the bullet left the gun he closed his eyes.
He opened them in fear at what he had just done. his suspicions were confirmed when in his sights he saw a stag with red blood spitting out of his neck. Varynx could see the whites of his eyes and the panic in them as the blood squirts where it wasn't supposed to be.
His heart dropped into his stomach, he wanted to puke, he needed to puke.
"Hey! Good job kid, keep at it!"
"Respectfully shove it up your ass Hiveswebel!" Varynx yelled.
Varynx picked up his rifle and pulled the bolt up and back ejecting his second round before pushing it forward and locking it back in place. He didn't spot another stag but kept glancing back at his first shot after each other shot. Eventually, the stag stopped moving and not a single other stag stepped out to help him, even the medic he spotted ran right by him as he ran away from his unit. Then he saw the Panzers coming from the side.
"Yeah, give it to them!" Yelled a Changeling to his right.
The tanks moved in and he spotted another stag climb out of the trench, Varynx lined him up in his sights and pulled the trigger again, a cloud of dust kicked up right under the fleeing stag that began to run faster.
"Cease fire!"
Varynx saw what looked like an Officer who was yelling at the deserting soldier Varynx had just fired at. Varynx centered his sightline and fired, the bullet hit this time right in the back of the head.
The Stag fell forward and rag-dolled to the side a few meters from his first kill, bits of brain matter, and an antler flew off him into the dirt.
"Cease fire!" Varynx felt the relief hit him now, the sounds being distant artillery and battle far from them, this one being over, they had won this one.
"On your hooves, let's move out!" Yelled Goring who was walking down the line.
"Let's move bugs!" Buzzer echoed the order.
Varynx got up wearily fixing his helmet.
Varynx watched the smoke rise from the enemy position, and then the feeling of sickness returned and the vomit came fast.
Varynx leaned over the rock and began to dry heave.
"Whoa, whoa, it's alright bud," Zapper came running up behind him and put his hoof on Varynx's back.
Eggs, bacon, and stomach acid ejected itself from the Green-eyed Changelings muzzle onto the grass. "It's ok, let it all out," Zapper spoke softly.
Healix came running up and checked Varynx.
"He'll be fine," Zapper said, Healix walked up anyway and checked his vitals.
"You know, you could have told me if my coffee was that bad," Healix quipped looking down at the puddle of vomit on the ground.
No one laughed, Varynx and Zapper, and slowly turned to give the medic an incredulous look.
"What?" Healix said defensively.
Varynx sat in his spot in the trench, and the lines had penetrated to Whinnyapolis. Equestrian troops now managed to stop the onslaught of Changeling Panzers.
The war came to a standstill as both sides staring at each other over a barren stretch of land the reeked of burning flesh and decay.
Varynx was waiting with his bayonette mounted to the end of his Karbineer as his squad, minus Loki and Zapper, would be there to shoot them or the enemy should they cower.
"Ready bug meat?" Zapper asked. Varynx looked over at him with a grin.
"I think I might run backward, give you something to do."
Zapper grimaced and shook his head. "That's dark boy, that's very dark." A concerned look crossed his face.
"Hey, just trying to lighten the mood," Varynx laughed.
Zapper picked up his MG-42 and aimed it downrange. "Yeah, but that was just dark and ruined my mood," Zapper chastized.
"I'll get in on your dark ass humor," Healix broke in, getting both their attention. "Of course you would, doc," Zapper shook his head again.
"Gas, gas, gas!" An officer shouted in the distance.
It seemed like a flash as every Changeling dropped their weapons and began to reach in, grabbing and donning their gas masks.
Varynx put his helmet back on and picked his Karbineer out of the dirt.
The sounds of distant cannons behind them resounded with a delay. 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!'
Next came the whoosh of the shells passing over them and then panicked, yelling coming from the other side of the field.
Impact. 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!'
A whistle cut through with an officer yelling. "Charge! Take the next trench!"
"Good luck, guys!" Zapper yelled out.
Varynx pulled himself out of the trench and made his charge across the field. The sounds of his breathing in the gas mask being one of the only thing keeping him company aside from the sounds of hooves crunching the dead foliage beneath him.
Then the machine-gun fire began and started to cut through the gas cloud in front of them.
A Changeling beside Varynx got taken out by a lucky bullet as green blood splattered into the air, and the Changeling fell into the dirt with green blood gushing from his carotid artery.
'BOOM!' 'BOOM!' Came the sounds of cannons followed by a sharp whistling sound that cut out almost immediately. Varynx jumped down into a crater as the shells impacted, dirt and debris pelted him in the face and his helmet. Varynx looked back up and saw Changelings entering into the gas cloud; a few got cut down by lucky bullets rag dolling to the earth.
Varynx took two rapid, deep breaths before climbing up and sprinting as fast as possible to the gas cloud.
Varynx entered the gas cloud, and his vision was gone. He could feel the burning sensation around his gas mask and on his exposed skin.
Taking his rifle in his hoof, he pointed it forward as the trench came into view. 'CRACK!' Varynx's ears began to ring so much it hurt.
Varynx and an entire platoon's worth of changelings jumped into the trench, coming face to face with the now visible pony defenders.
Jumping into the trench, Varynx skewered a Grey pony through the front of her barrel. Her look of shock on her face as she made eye contact with her killer. Tears ran down her face as Varynx twisted the rifle, and the pony screamed in pain as blood ran out of her mouth. The last look she gave was a genuine look of fear as she stopped moving and her hoof went limb.
"Honey Sparkle, no!" A stallion yelled as Varynx looked up to see a red Earth pony charging him.
Varynx pulled his rifle from the dead mare with a levitation spell and turned to face the stallion that ran into Varynx, trampling him. Varynx rolled into a heap on the ground as the stallion turned back towards him.
Varynx rolled onto his back and aimed down his sights at the stallion. 'BANG!' The stallion yelled in pain stumbled backward.
Varynx slid the bolt backward, and the empty shell casing fell into the dirt, and Varynx pushed the bolt forward, chambering the next round and locking the bolt in position.
By the time he did that, the stallion had charged and was on top of him. Varynx held his rifle in front of him and their rifles connected. The stallion, no doubt, was stronger, so Varynx ended up with the gun forced into his chest. The stallion slid his rifle up and over—Varynx's and to his throat.
Varynx was forced into the dirt as the stallion pushed. Varynx clawed at the stallion's face as he fought to get his oxygen. Time began to slow down as black spots began to appear in his vision.
Just then, a bullet pierced through the stallion's neck releasing his stranglehold on Varynx. His blood spurt out onto Varynx, who rolled over and began to cough, grasping at his neck. "Varynx! Are you okay?" Ticks yelled, running up to him and checking him over.
"I'm good..." Varynx coughed with tears still in his eyes. A few gunshots rang out, and a high-pitched scream as a unicorn mare ran around them, ignoring them. The mare looked distressed as she ran for her life, screaming bloody murder. A few Changelings ran after her.
'BOOM.' 'BOOM.' 'BOOM.'
The sounds of artillery batteries opened up from the direction of Whinnyapolis. The sound of roaring Panzers' came as a Panzer IV drove directly over the trench over their heads, causing the two to cover their heads.
"Keep moving, bugs! They're on the run!" Came a shout.
"You good to keep going, bud?" Ticks said, picking up Varynx's gun. Varynx got to his feet with one final cough.
"Y-yeah, I'll be alright," Varynx replied, taking his rifle back from Ticks. "Thanks."
The ground shook from artillery impact as the ponies continuously fired their cannons.
Ticks and Varynx jumped up and over the trench wall, charging forward under minimal fire as ponies climbed from the trench and scattered like rats into the city of Whinnyapolis. Ticks and Varynx ran between two houses hugging the wall running toward the street. Peeking around the corner, they saw two ponies attempting to flee.
Varynx poked his rifle out and aimed at the two ponies firing off a shot that sent them into a panic as they ducked into a nearby house. Varynx and Ticks gave chase and crossed the street towards the house.
Before the Blue Pegasus mare could close the door, Varynx and Ticks were through the door sending the pony into the wall.
She gasped, dropping her rifle in the process. Ticks and Varynx were on her in mere seconds. She screamed in terror as she thrashed against them.
Ticks took a punch to the snout, sending him backward. Varynx struck her with the buttstock of his rifle. She fell to the floor, and Ticks was on top of her and began to throw punch after punch. Varynx began to drag her with his magic towards the door.
"No, no, no!" She yelled in fright. "Shut the fuck up, pony!" Ticks growled, pushing her.
'CRACK!'
A flash came from down the hallway, hitting Ticks in the flank.
The mare took the opportunity to Tackle Varynx out the door with her wings.
Ticks fell and screamed. 'Bang!'
Another shot pierced his side just before his shoulder. Ticks stopped screaming.
"Ticks!" Varynx yelled, throwing the mare off of him.
The mare chose flight as she began sprinting away. Varynx raised his rifle and fired. The shot pierced through the back of her head, sending brains into the yard, and the mare rag-dolled into the grass with a final look of surprise being her last emotion.
Varynx turned to Ticks. 'CRACK!' Varynx ducked down, using the front stairs as cover.
Ticks lay in the doorway, his barrel still rising and falling with green blood beginning to pool.
"Varynx... Help me..." Ticks pleaded his eyes had genuine fear. Varynx attempted to move to get him.
'CRACK!'
Varynx reeled back and raised his rifle. 'CRACK!' He fired his weapon over Ticks and into the wall. He heard a shuffle and a thump. Taking that opportunity, he encased Ticks in his aura and dragged him down the steps.
Varynx kept his weapon aimed at the entrance. 'CRACK!' The pony fired again. "Medic!" Varynx yelled, hoping someone was nearby to hear their screams.
'CRACK!' The pony kept up the fire. Varynx ducked down each time.
Varynx kept watching the entrance while holding pressure to Ticks wound.
Ticks began to cough up blood, and his barrel rise was uneven. Ticks began to slow his breathing, and on each inhale, he would wheeze.
"Come on, Ticks, you're gonna be alright, stay with me," Varynx pleaded with tears forming in his eyes. "Come on!" Varynx said. "Think of that doe you met in Seaddle."
Ticks smiled. "S-she was..." He coughed up blood, and tears formed in his own eyes. "...Ve-ver, pretty," Ticks chuckled, coughing up more blood. "Yeah, don't disappoint her bug meat, don't you dare disappoint her," Varynx cried out as he reached down and began to hold his friend. Tick's blood seeped into Varynx's uniform and got on his hooves.
Ticks began to shake. Varynx looked up. "Medic, I need a medic, please!" Varynx seemed to plead with the world and looked back down to Ticks.
"I-I-I f-f-feel, c-c-cold," Ticks looked, grasping Varynx's uniform now as if holding on for dear life. Varynx supported his head.
"Ticks..." Varynx pleaded.
"I-I d-d-don't wan-t-to die," Ticks cried, looking into Varynx's eyes.
"That's not going to happen, don't talk like that," Varynx replied.
Ticks only smiled and coughed. "It's alright, V-varynx, y-you d-d-d-don't need to- *Cough* -lie to me." Varynx looked down, the tears falling down his face and mixing with Ticks blood.
Unbeknownst to them, in the door was a pink earth pony mare with a darker pink deflated mane. The mare had approached the two but faced with this scene. It was too much. She broke down in silent tears before backing away into the house.
Ticks began to gasp.
"No, Ticks. Ticks!" Varynx held him until the final breath left his lungs and his eyes closed. Varynx shook him vigorously.
"No..." Varynx let him go falling back, grief washing over him. "No!" The Changeling cried his little heart before turning his attention to the front door. Just like that, his grief became anger.
Varynx wiped the tears from his eyes and got to his hooves. That pony was still in there to his knowledge, and that pony was going to pay.
Varynx walked up the steps and peered into the house, not prepared for what he saw. He saw the mare, a pink mare with three balloons on her flank. He snarled and walked up the stairs and into the house with rage plastered on his face.
The next thing he saw made him stop. The mare was... Crying? Why?
Varynx couldn't fathom. What did she have to be sad for? While looking at her, he realized where she was, pretty much right next to the door. If she came this far, why didn't she come outside? More to the point, why didn't she kill them both? She had the opportunity, Varynx thought back to the mare lying in the front yard. Then the mare from the trench, her name popping back into his head. "Honey Sparkle," Varynx said under his breath, the name he heard when the stallion called out in rage. Looking back up, he made eye contact with the mare. She was crying while hugging her rifle like it was a teddy bear.
He didn't have any right to be mad at her; This was war. Everyone was killing everyone, and he wasn't exactly innocent in that regard.
"What was his name?" Varynx fixed his gaze on the mare. "What?" Varynx asked in shock. Why did she care?
"Your friend. What was his name?" The mare repeated her question. Varynx stared at her in shock; this mare is his enemy. Should he even be talking to her?
The mare looked away and back down.
"Ticks," The mare looked back up at him as he told her his name. "His name is Ticks," Varynx replied, walking up tentatively.
Varynx eyed her with suspicion wondering where this was going.
The mare seemed shocked that Varynx was entertaining this despite his brain screaming at him to kill her already. Varynx banished the thought. He had enough violence for today.
They sat in silence for a moment. "There was a time when I was just a party pony," the mare said—earning a confused look from The Changeling.
"Party pony?" Varynx asked, his scowl turned to a look of confusion. The mare nodded in response.
Varynx asked himself what she was doing here. A mare like this didn't belong here.
"What about your friend?" Varynx said, looking up at the mare.
The mare looked up at him, then back down, "Cloud Twister, she's from Cloudsdale," she said, a bit of sadness coming on.
The mare unclipped her helmet and set it on the floor. They remained silent for a fair bit longer until Varynx broke the silence.
"So, you said you were a party pony?" Varynx asked. "What is that?" The mare smiled, and Varynx smiled back.
"My name's Pinkie Pie. What's yours?" Pinkie said, relaxing a bit. Varynx returned the gesture by removing his helmet and letting it roll to the hardwood floor with a clunk. "Varynx," Varynx replied.
The two started talking, and Pinkie explained what a party pony was. Varynx, in all, seemed interested in that prospect.
"I bet you'll throw one banger of a party once you get back to Ponyville," Varynx said. Pinkie frowned. "Yeah. I don't know how anymore, though," she said.
"That's. Unfortunate," Varynx frowned. Those parties sound like something he might enjoy. This conversation had begun to make him question his position. He thought about the war in the first place, about what he would be doing if there was no war. One thing was sure all this destruction and suffering could have been prevented. Pinkie would never have had to stop doing what she loved, and Varynx would still be with Charlina. What were they even fighting? Was Thorax right? Was the Queen just a crazy warmonger Tartarus bent on nothing but destruction and suffering? All the pieces began to fit together.
"Wow..." Varynx said, looking at the floor. Pinkie looked up at him. "What?"
Varynx looked around the house. It was almost untouched other than broken glass and objects shaken from their places by the vibrations.
"I just realized how utterly pointless this war is," Varynx replied, laughing hysterically.
"It isn't very super-duper, is it?" Pinkie shook her head. A few vibrations caught their attention, a far-off artillery shell vibrating the ground angrily.
Varynx began to remember all that he had done, all the deer and ponies he had to kill to get to this point. Ticks will never see that doe again because of this war. Each body he thought of made him angry and bitter.
Pinkie saw his expression and moved her rifle to open up more. "You know, hate makes the happiness more distant," she said. Varynx looked up at her, the wheels turning in his head.
"You may be right, Pinkie," Varynx said. "I should know silly, I am a party pony," Pinkie laughed, getting a laugh from Varynx.
"You know Varynx. I make the bestest cupcakes in the whole wide world. Maybe when this is over, you should come and try one!" Pinkie exclaimed, her mane poofing back out. Varynx looked at her mane in alarm.
"What in Tartarus is happening to your mane?" Varynx said.
Pinkie looked up and gasped in delight. "What happened is you made me smile!" Pinkie replied, full of joy. "Are you sure you're not a party Changeling?" Pinkie grinned, getting a laugh from Varynx.
"You know Pinkie, maybe. Just maybe," he replied, resting his rifle against the wall next to him.
The two continued to talk up until they stopped hearing the artillery. At that point, the two knew the front had moved.
Upon realizing this, they walked around back collecting their deceased friends and burying them respectfully next to each other. The hillside they buried Ticks and Cloud Twister on overlooked the majority of the battlefield. A few Changeling Svarms flew overhead as Varynx and Pinkie set the respective helmets on their rifles stuck muzzle down in the earth.
Pinkie and Varynx each gave a respective salute to the fallen. Upon dropping the salute, they turned to each other.
"So, I guess this is where we part ways," Varynx said, fixing his rifle on his side.
"This will all be over soon. I hope we meet again, Varynx," Pinkie nodded, looking at the two grave markers.
Varynx nodded respectfully, following her gaze. He then looked out over the battlefield seeing the smoke rising from inside the city. "I do too, just hopefully not anytime soon," he said.
Pinkie looked back at him. "I'll keep that cupcake warm for you," she smiled, getting a smile from Varynx as he walked by her, heading towards the city. Pinkie turned towards him and watched him walk away. She then turned and went to walk south. "Oh hey," Varynx called back. Pinkie stopped and looked at him.
"If you wanna get through the line, there's a break near the south of the city you can exploit," he said. Pinkie nodded.
Varynx turned and continued to walk away. Leaving a Changeling and an Equestrian helmet to symbolize a tiny piece of friendship to light the way in a storm of war.
