At CCA Honey Cake's new HQ and new building.

"You know how to run a tight ship," said Paladin Sapphire. "Got everypony working hard."

Colonel Honey Cake replied, "Well got them to do something. So we'll monitor the Steel Rangers, Grand Pony Enclave, Raiders, Slavers, and so on. Just going to hide down here for sometime and I'll just send scouting parties to the surface between 01:30 and 03:00 before sunrise. Any forces outside a part of my force have to come back between the hours of 22:00 hours and 04:00 hours. But I'm prohibiting daytime operations. That means I won't send my soldiers and Vertibucks out into the wasteland between 05:00 to 20:00 hours. But they need to do something to keep their minds occupied.

"They got brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, nieces, nephews, cousins, sons, and daughters out there who rallied with scattered Grand Pegasus Enclave forces out there. Some of them, their family or friends are out there but we're outgunned, out supplied, outnumbered, and outclassed. We cannot provide support to Purple and the Wasteland Guardians anymore. Tell him I'm sorry but I'm not going to waste my soldier's lives on anything we can't do.

"The Steel Rangers outnumber us ten to three. And the Grand Pony Enclave? They outnumber us thirty to two. Yeah, Arsen is cute-looking and cuter than Lavender... But Lavender won't stab you in the back and won't jump into bed because of your mare. Yeah, I did my homework."

Paladin Sapphire replied, "I have no idea of the numbers that you said."

Honey Cake replied, "01:30 is 1:30 AM, 03:00 is 3:00 AM, 04:00 is 4:00 AM, 22:00 is 10:00 PM, and 20:00 is 8:00 PM. It's something they teach us about time. Me and Lavender have the same military background."

There was a knock on the wall and it was Purple who was covered in a little bit when Honey Cake allowed him to come in.

"Got some good news and bad news," said Purple. "Seventy-nine dead and twelve hundred alive. But all twelve hundred are in medically induced comas so they can heal. We had to transport some of them to Stables 190 and 193. Good thing that you had some soldiers make Stable 193 into a GPE Safehouse and make it home. Heck, why are you at it? You should ban reproductive safety and let them go wild."

Paladin Sapphire replied, "Why don't you recruit from the outside world? Have the pegasi in the military structure and the non-pegasi in the civilian structure? At least you'll have trainees and rookies to fill up new squads and have replacements."

Colonel Honey Cake replied, "Oh, Lavender?"

Purple replied, "Nope. Hell no. I'll help anypony but not reproductively for the next two to three months. I'm not my brother. Also, I'm pretty sure it counts as rape if I artificially inseminated a mare in a medically induced coma."

Paladin Sapphire replied, "What about the other two hundred and nine mares you had Purple get pregnant?"

Honey Cake replied, "I had them moved to Stable 192 for extra security and protection."

Purple left and went to wash up and decontaminated himself of all the blood and anything he got out in the wasteland off of him. But when he turned off the shower he shook himself like a dog to get the water off of him.

Purple put his Pipbuck 3000 back on after he completely dried off and washed his clothes to get rid of the blood. He washed up to get rid of the smell of a sweaty alicorn male due to the Wasteland heat.

***

In a conference room with a long oak table and eighteen rolling chairs.

"Okay if we attack here, here, and here," said Colonel Honey Cake, "Unless we can find a more covert way in."

A Lieutenant Colonel replied, "We should take a more direct action to assault it."

A Major replied, "Have you seen our losses? Higher than expected! We're behind schedule, and the Grand Pony Enclave is digging in every town and village and farm and forcing ponies into their forces. Not adding Red Eye's Army is broken up into raider gangs fighting over whoever should be in control, 29% to 69% of the Grand Pegasus Enclave broke away from us after they found out that we lied to them of what we and our government has been doing to the surface. How much they've been lied to. We got the Steel Rangers and got that Base and his fucking Grand Pony Enclave. We don't have many fucking soldiers and we don't have any more fucking allies! We're more or less alone!"

Colonel Honey Cake replied, "We got the Wasteland Guardians. They're doing more work of pacifying the wasteland of Raiders, Slavers and Cannibals. Their force of only one hundred and four is fighting both the Steel Rangers and Grand Pony Enclave with a combined force of eight thousand. Not adding the Raiders, Slavers, or other places like Arbu. Also not including Hellhounds, Alicorns who'll rip you apart or toss you into Taint, and other nightmares of the Wasteland. If a ragtag group of Farmers and day to day Wastelanders can accomplish that then we can. But we need reinforcements quickly and now. I'm not going to rely on Commander Lavender to donate his sperm all the time to get our mares pregnant!

"The GPE remnants that we're allied without here are stretched thin with only fifty G.I. squads, forty Marine squads, and ten Ranger squads. Only four hundred and fifty young Pegasi who are mostly inexperienced with fifty experienced squad leaders and platoon officers and company officers. Three hundred and fifty-one battle hardened and seasoned GPE Marines with forty experienced officers and experienced squad leaders and platoon leaders. And ten Ranger squads, eighty-one elite Pegasi with ten experienced officers and squad leaders!

"And our GPE ally is going after the Steel Rangers and watching our backs simultaneously but they're also isolationists and prevent outsiders from joining them. I do not want to be down here being an isolationist! Sooner or later before every pony down here is going to be related one way or another and I highly doubt a lot of brother-sister or cousin-cousins aren't going to procreate! I wouldn't let my son if I have a son but I won't let him impregnate me if any of you have sons or daughters you won't let them impregnate you or impregnate them."

There was a knock on the door and it was Purple standing there.

"Alright Honey Cake," said Purple, "me, Rocky, Paladin Sapphire, Critical, and Starry are about to leave. While we're out do you want me to do any shopping? I'm joking."

Colonel Honey Cake replied, "If you can. Bring us some food? And purified water? If you can, I'm not forcing you to just keep asking."

Purple replied, "Yeah we'll see. What we find and we'll give you what we can. But no promises."

Purple left to go find Rocky and Starry and Paladin Sapphire was with him. Critical was easy to find with him in the armory homing his sniper skill and shooting targets downrange with his girlfriend. Starry was more difficult of being everywhere and going somewhere else before they got there. Rocky was in a side office space in the main operations room reading a chart on Balefire exposure levels.

What a lovely place but the carpet should've been a different color than some shade of yellow, Purple thought, or any color that isn't yellow or an ugly color.

They took an exit that wouldn't make any kind of noise and went back out into the wasteland.

Everyone but Purple shielded their eyes.

"Damn that's bright!" exclaimed Rocky, "Probably how Purple felt leaving his Stable seeing sunlight for the first time."

Purple replied, "Nope. I left at night and my eyes have gotten used to the sunlight when it started to rise from the East. Now which way should we go?"

Rocky and Paladin Sapphire agreed that they should go Southeast and Critical and Starry didn't care as long as they didn't run into a pack of Hellhounds.

Purple hummed which kept them entertained even if the wasteland was depressing and the only thing they saw was the dry ground or the ruined asphalt roads. Roads once had thousands of Equestrian soldiers march off to fight Zebras and transport supplies by wagons and old rails that trains use to carry supplies.

"How do the things on the rail line things work?" asked Starry.

Purple replied, "Coal mostly. But here in Equestria when the coal mines started to run out they turned to the Zebras and wanted our precious gems to trade coal with. But several things happened. The Wonderbolts were sent in secretly to free seventeen captive ponies from Zebra gem pirates but four Wonderbolts were killed. Princess Celestia built the Littlehorn Valley School for Princess Luna called 'Luna's School for Gifted Unicorns.' But when a Zebra convoy passed they were massacred. But what broke the Zebra's back was when Princess Celestia abdicated the throne over to Princess Luna.

"The Zebra's hated that, thinking that Luna was still Nightmare Moon and the Stars were her agents of chaos. But before the war, Equestrians would trade gems to the Zebra's to receive coal. My Six times Great grandmother and Six times Great Grandfather did covert and special operations for the Equestrian Gov't and Military back then. They always used the latest battlefield technology as night vision and energy weapons. But my battle rifle was owned by my six times great-grandma."

They all asked for proof that his rifle was owned by his six-time great grandmother so he turned it onto its right side showing the right side it said, "Owner: Lt LtCmdr Sapphire Heart Love. Owner: Lieutenant Topaz Turquoise, Owner: Warrant Officer Opal Moonstone, Owner: Sergeant Major Labradorite Tanzanite, Owner: Sergeant Aventurine Zircon, Owner: Colonel Brisk Flyee, Owner: Lavender "Purple Artist" Purple Painting Silver Canvas Serenity Artist Astrology."

Purple explained that from his mother and grandmother's side going all the way up to former Lieutenant, Lieutenant-Commander Sapphire Love. She gave it to her eldest daughter who was Topaz Turquoise who gave it to her eldest daughter who was Opal Moonstone who gave it to Labradorite Tanzanite who gave it to her eldest daughter Aventurine Zircon. She gave it to her eldest daughter who was Purple's grandmother Overmare Brisk who gave it to Purple due to her four daughters not joining the military side of Stable 190. She saw in Base and Blue that they would've horsed around and Blue is on the 'civilian' side of the Stable.

Purple went back humming and soon they saw three black figures in the distance and Purple entered S.A.T.S and it said, "GRAND PEGASUS ENCLAVE SOLDIER." Purple snuck up to the GPE Soldiers.

"You're coming with us!" said a GPE soldier, "You're the bright one out here and we need your help to bring our reactor online!"

A Unicorn Stallion replied, "No. I'm not going to and you're not going to make me!"

A filly came up to hug her father's hind leg thinking he was going to go.

The Second GPE soldier replied, "Last chance! Either you're going to come with us willingly! Or not at all!"

The Unicorn stallion replied, "This is the final time I'm telling you three! I'M... NOT... LEAVING... MY... HOME!"

The Third GPE soldier replied, "Alright have it your way. Open fire."

Purple and the others witnessed the three Grand Pegasus Enclave mow down the unicorn father and filly daughter.

"Who wants lunch?" asked the third GPE soldier, "It's a little past twelve."

The First GPE soldier replied, "I'm there. Like a very horny stallion with his partner."

The Second GPE soldier replied, "Count me in on that. The lunch part, not the sex part."

The three walked away in a different direction away from Purple and them.

"Dear Luna," said Purple. "No."

Paladin Sapphire replied, "Is that a game reference? Where a big guy said that they can't teleport bread?"

Purple replied, "How the Hell should I know? I know about the pre-war world and wartime world but not everything."

They went on their way tailing the three GPE soldiers and overheard what they were talking about.

"I hope that Purple Alicorn male isn't gay or bi," said GPE soldier number 2, "So I can ram my nine and three-quarter dick down his throat or up his ass! With the former, he can choke on it!"

Third GPE soldier replied, "But he'll be a good breeder though. Yeah, but he didn't screw us over or kick our asses like Red Eye, The Twilight Society or The LightBringer, or that Base Jackass. But I'll look up more about that Purple Alicorn."

First GPE replied, "No need. He has a long fucking name. But his full name is Lavender Purple Painting Silver Canvas Serenity Artist Astrology but prefers to be called Purple Artist or Purple for short. He's nineteen years old. He's straight as an arrow, he's straight, keeps his nose clean, and doesn't dig through ponies' private lives. He thinks helping others is the nobility even if it means donating his semen unless a mare actually wants to fuck him and place his almost three-inch dick into her to get her pregnant that way.

"His family in the past during the Equestrian-Zebra war his family in total earned twelve Purple Hearts, fifteen Legion of Merits, forty Bronze Stars, thirty-five Silver Stars, forty-seven Distinguished Service Crosses, one hundred and four Medal of Honors, twenty-nine Army/Navy/Pegasi/Airforce Crosses, thirty-two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, one hundred Defense Distinguished Service Medals, Seventeen Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, and one hundred and three Airforce Princess Unit Citations. Do you know how they did that? They didn't make circle jerks, they did it by killing Zebra's using different tactics! A twelve pony squad with a .45 Auto Submachine gun or 9mm SMG or Assault rifle, a .30-06/7.62x63mm Balk Automatic Rifle soldier, seven rifle ponies with Assault Rifles, Rifles, .30-06/7.62x63mm Bolt-action rifles, .30-06/7.62x63mm Semi-automatic Rifle, 7.62mm Battle Rifle or captured Zebra Assault Carbines, A three pony machine gun team or launcher team with the machine gunner with a .30 Cal air-cooled machine guns, 7.62mm GPMG, a fucking Minigun or a .50 Cal HMG with a riflepony as an assistant and another riflepony as an ammunition bearer or a launcher with a Bazooka which led to the Missile and Rocket Launcher!

"They even did Search and Destroy tactics, Air and Artillery, Bombing runs, and technology not adding as Guerilla warfare on the Zebra's own homeland, and Psychological warfare on them. Reports from what I hacked that one of his six times great grandmother, Lieutenant I mean Lieutenant-Commander Sapphire Love's brother he would use magic to remove his horn and turn himself white or gray and paint black stripes on himself. He walked into a Zebra town or village, slept with the Zebra mares and in the dead of the night he would slice the neck of the Zebra stallions from ear to ear or ear to asshole. Or walk in and massacre them all. Not adding an After Action Report says he saw a group of Zebra's were spitting on the Equestrian flag and his response was charge in headfirst and beaten every single fucking Zebra in a town to death at the cost of his leg which was replaced by a prosthetic.

"Yeah, Purple may be a nice pony but he believes in 'a pony's got to know their limitations.' But he won't kill you or torment you if you don't do anything to him. Yeah his family who served in the war was the type that when asked how many Zebras they killed in a half-hour they would say, 'Killed a dozen Zebra's within half an hour. What are you going to do within an hour?' and they would've responded with, "Kill a dozen more if not three or twelve or ninety dozen more.' in a flat tone. But to him, he sees them as heroes through history even when he saw and read their military history.

"Heck, I caught him reading his six times great grandmother's after-action report, and who knows how she made a Zebra mare talk? She had all of Zebra mare's foals, colts, and fillies, soaked them in flammable fuel or something flammable and lit them on fire which made her talk but she still did dirty work and lit them all on fire and she then stuffed a stick of dynamite down the Zebra mare's throat. She had her brother put him in a vat of corrosive acid. They did the work that nopony else wanted to do to win the war. He idolizes them and reads their tactics but what Lt-Commander Sapphire did he won't step into what she did. He isn't a pushover. Our forces are 98% female and 2% male and half of the males are sterile or don't want to donate their sperm to repopulate and I say that Purple would be a wonderful candidate."

The Second GPE soldier replied, "Are you vouching for him because you were a Stable Dweller on a 'Missionary mission' with your Stable's 'Cathedral of Princess Luna?' And you used to foalsit him when he was a kid? Or that when he was seventeen he went into the Stable's 'gold lab' to masturbate and donate his 'precious white gold?"

The First GPE soldier replied, "In Stable 190 it's required once by stallions to donate their 'precious white gold' but the Overmare or Overstallion can prohibit a stallion from donating their sperm. We have a Pegasus named Arsen Nimrod Walnut Icey Flier and his own grandmother prohibited him from donating his sperm. But it's a failsafe just in case all the stallions die and mares can have a way to artificially inseminate themselves."

The female pegasus the GPE soldier kept talking about how they can use Purple because he's a nice fluff ball who's brilliant and the type the wasteland needs. But he's a mixed pony due to having Pegasus, Unicorn, Earth Pony, and Crystal Pony in his DNA according to his medical chart and a machine in the Stable says.

They kept following the three Into the mountains and they overheard one of them say, "Dear old friends, remember Neighvarrio." They heard an automatic door open and close after a few seconds.

Purple and the others got in and Purple said, "Dear old friends remember Neighvarrio," and the computer replied, "Welcome Corporal Lavender Astrology."

"Are they expecting you?" asked Starry, "It knows your name."

Purple blew on a logo and it said, 'STABLE-TEC' and he blew on another logo and it said, 'WAR DEPARTMENT.'

The door opened and they entered the room and saw a few metallic V-1 "Vertibucks", A-1 "Vertibucks" and two V-3 "Vertibucks". There were only nine. Only the V-1 Vertibuck can carry eight passengers, the A-1 can't carry any passengers and the V-3 Vertibuck can carry eleven passengers.

The Grand Pegasus Enclave soldiers in there don't have anything against them even though they're more or less trespassing in their base. But they thought he's an alicorn who can kill them all in a heartbeat or know they don't have the horsepower to keep reinforcing them due to all scattered GPE forces aren't communicating with each other and are fighting each other. Not adding due to Purple's a stallion and a majority of them are mares and have no way of reinforcements and could have sex with them all to place foals into them.

"LAVENDER!" exclaimed a GPE mare, "How did you find this place?"

Purple replied, "Well me and my friends started to follow you and two others after the three of you massacred a unicorn stallion and a unicorn filly. We could've killed you and the other two. But I decided to see where the three of you went to and here we are today."

The mare replied, "Do you remember my name?"

Purple replied, "Yeah it's... it's Spring Charm, you're deaf in your right ear, and when you touch things you can bless things. Your cutie mark revolves around writing legends."

Spring Charm got out of her power armor and they saw a Bright Urb mare with Vista blue mane, Tuscan red tail, Spring Frost left eye color and Puce Red right eye.

"Follow me," said Spring Charm. "I'll show you all to your temporary rooms."

They followed Spring Charm and all but Purple had one room to themselves. Purple had one room all by himself. But Purple noticed some mares young attractive and sexy mares lined up outside of his room and guessed their age ranging from eighteen to twenty-seven may be in their early thirties and maybe seventeen. Not all of them are going to get pregnant a hoof full due to they still need a lot of combat active.

"Oh Purple," said Spring Charm, "I mean Lavender. I need your help to breed these mares. It's either you can do it voluntarily or you'll be feeling a painful pain on your head and be walking funny for a while or I'll knock you out and drain every inch of your sperm from you. I'd say you being in the Stable that radiation hasn't messed with your DNA in your sperm unless you've been working around a lot and your sperm that comes back has Ionizing Balefire Radiation in your DNA then well it won't be safe but better than nothing."

Not adding that Spring Charm interviewed the four hundred and eighty GPE mares under her command and she either chose the undisciplined, misfits or didn't have the stomach for combat. Spring Charm more or less said to them, "If you're not going to fight or do recon or scouting missions in the wasteland or do something useful. Then you're going to use your ovaries to help. And I'll find the perfect stallion." She more or less did as she said so they can have future generations of soldiers.

Purple did it voluntarily due to he's afraid of mares and afraid of his mother more not adding he doesn't want to fight a friend of his mother's. Not adding he doesn't want a conversation with his mother about getting into a fight with her fillyhood friend and stop acting selfish and he should help them have foals even if he doesn't like it.

***

An hour later.

In the command post.

"How was the breeding?" asked Spring Charm, "You got all eighteen of those mares full of your foal batter?"

Purple replied, "It was fine. Didn't care for it I'm not Arsen he would've impregnated the whole base by now. Then he would enslave them for his breeding stock. "

Purple walked over to a map Spring Charm was looking at.

"What are you looking at?" asked Purple, "Just planning for future operations?"

Spring Charm replied, "Nope. Missing four fireteams. Got Sgt Blossom Orange, an Earth pony, a UCLA blue, with shiny shamrock mane, UFO green eyes, and an American Violet tail. He's mute, he's amicable and his cutie mark is around a pre-war food called Grapes. There's PFC Flared Blizzard. He's an Alicorn like you but his personality is untrustworthy and for some reason, his cutie mark is around bananas. He's Russian violet color with pale chestnut mane & tail, Purpureus magic aurora. There's Cpl Dahlia Sky he's an inert and his cutie mark is about cherries and mostly blind in his right eye. He's a medium blue sky, with Sinopia eyes, and with African violet, Forest Green, and Awesome mixed mane and tail. Finally, there is Lieutenant Cheese Flower. She is excitable and her cutie mark is around the galaxies. Her main body is a blue sapphire, medium sky blue right eye, violet-blue left eye, and a light taupe mane and tail. We lost them within a thirty-six-mile area."

Purple replied, "And you want us to look for them?"

There's a Robopony walking around with a medium spring green body with dark purple eyes, a pink raspberry laser beam, and a Philippine violet antenna.

"Oh that's Diamond Scale and he's bossy and for some reason the robot pony's cutie mark is cupcakes," said Spring Charm. "Don't worry he won't bother you. Also, did you read my mind?"

The two walked over to a big orange screen with a magnifier that was moving around.

"If I hurt somepony," said a GPE soldier.

Purple replied, "There are many reasons why that would be a bad idea. I will illuminate three. First, do not believe that me or Starry are peaceful and that we're incapable of or unwilling to defend ourselves. Second, if you harm Starry or any of my friends. I will find you. Make no mistake: Luna willing you will not leave this realm painless. Lastly, waging war against good ponies is bad for the soul. This may not seem important to you now but it's the most important thing I've said to a stranger."

"Computer... Show me where the missing fireteams are?" said Spring Charm, "Teams Crimson, Gray, Majestic, and Domino."

The computer replied, "Roger. Locating Crimson Team. Crimson Team located. Locating Majestic Team...Majestic Team located... Locating Domino Team... Domino Team located... Locating Gray Team... Gray Team located."

Four circles appeared with a green one near Stable 198 about 69 miles southwest from here, a red circle appeared near Fort Nightmare Moon which is 79 miles away, a blue one appeared at Fort Constellation which is 98 miles away, and a Gray one at an elevated highway which was 172 miles northwest.

Purple tapped on the Gray circle and Spring Charm was given access to a Vertibuck and they took a V-1 Vertibuck and Purple looked at the controls.

Purple started it up and flew. He followed his Pipbuck and he downloaded the information to his map.

***

While flying it was peaceful, for awhile

"Purple," said Rocky, "Sapphire won't keep her hooves on her side."

Paladin Sapphire replied, "That's not true. She keeps coming into my side of the Vertibuck!"

Purple responded, "If you two won't knock it off. I'll land the damn thing and separate you two or find some duct tape and tie both of you where neither of you can't bother each other! Sometimes I feel like a father with kids who never stop bickering,"

They saw an elevated highway and Purple landed a good three hundred yards away and they got out and decided to go towards the elevated highway.

"Alright. Gray Team should be around here somewhere," said Purple. "Whatever you do, don't loot corpses if they have GPE insignias on them or any wartime Equestrian relics."

Rocky and Starry went Southeast. Critical and Paladin Sapphire went Northeast looking for deceased pegasi if not captured and being tortured by Raiders.

Purple took some kind of lift up and it got stuck halfway up.

"Come on, you piece of shit work!" exclaimed Purple, "Screw it. I'll fly up!"

Purple flew up and climbed over and found a unicorn raider looking off in the opposite direction and snuck up behind him and hit him hard enough to knock him out. Purple said, "Rock and Roll motherfucker, rock and roll" Before he pushed the raider off the two hundred foot tall freeway.

The Raider dropped a gun when Purple knocked him out and took his ,44 Magnum revolver.

A .44 Magnum, Purple thought, Badass weapon. It’ll blast a hole straight through somepony.

Purple also saw some hastily built shacks and went towards them and the raiders fired their pipe weapons. They were no match for Purple and the forty-four magnum revolver. But Purple was able to capture some raiders. He interrogated some of them.

One raider tried to shoot Purple when he ran free and got a Pipe Rifle but the shot missed and Purple shot the Raider with his .44 Magnum revolver.

"Where are they?" asked Purple, "The pegasi in power armor, where are they!"

A Raider spit on him.

"Listen here punk!" said Purple, "This is a .44 Magnum, the second most powerful handgun in the world! It'll blow your head clean off. Ask yourself a question and that is if you feel lucky punk. Well, do you?"

A Raider went to try and attack Purple but Purple shot in self-defense and the Raider flew off the tall elevated highway.

The final Raider she pointed to the furthest shack and said, "They're in there!"

Purple helped the Raider mare up and told her to run. He put his revolver away as she ran away. She thought Purple was going to play a hunter game and he was giving her some time to escape before he came after her to kill her and probably skin her for food or to make leather.

Purple opened the door and a very bad smell whacked him in the face.

"Damn the smell is bad," said Purple. "Better go find them."

Purple went in and saw decaying bodies. Not adding each second made him want to throw his guts up at how awful the smell was. But he found the Gray team whose corpses were slowly decaying.

Purple respectively didn't say anything but slightly moved the one in Project: Superpone and removed some kind of chip out of the back of the helmet.

Purple got out of there quickly but respectfully and threw up his lunch because of the smell of a room full of rotting corpses. Not adding 1/9th of them were either colts, fillies, or foals.

***

At the V-1 Vertibuck again.

Purple sat trying to think and clear his mind on what he saw of dead stallions, mares, even colts, fillies, and foals.

He wanted to listen to music but he worried if he played music he wouldn't hear Rainy Night if she comes over with any information or something useful.

It wasn't long until Rocky, Paladin Sapphire, Critical, and Starry rejoined Purple and he flew the Vertibuck to Fort Nightmare Moon

***

At Fort Nightmare Moon.

Purple landed the Vertibuck in the courtyard and they got out.

"Alrighty then. Paladin Sapphire, you're with me, Starry, Critical, take Rocky and search the upper floors while we search the main lobby and the basements," Purple said.

They followed Purple in and split up. It was creepy and derelict as normal.

They thought it was creepy. But there was nothing useful but they still looted the desk and everything that could hide anything but mostly found ammo. The upper floors which were two were derelict and had nothing of use.

***

In the basement, Purple and Paladin Sapphire thought it was slippery due to it being wet and an old busted pipe.

Purple wanted to go to the armory to get guns and ammo and anything useful. That was because he had a huge gut feeling they'll need them for the showdown between the Wasteland Guardians and the Grand Pony Enclave when that comes.

They soon came to the same armory that Purple, Paladin Sapphire, and Honey Cake went to while searching for the superweapons. They got back to it and Purple took every single weapon and grenade it had and he was about to throw out his back carrying every single thing out to the Vertibuck.

Paladin Sapphire and Purple did thorough searches but found nothing.

***

On the second floor.

Rocky, Critical, and Starry found the missing fire team and Critical went to go tell Purple and they went to it.

Purple carefully removed a chip from the back of a pegasus in Project: Superpone armor. And they went on their way.

They now had to find and locate Majestic team and Crimson team with Domino team all dead.

***

They went to Fort Constellation and it was worse.

So they decided to go to the roof and it was Critical's idea and they found the Crimson team and all of them wiped out on the roof. Not adding a huge hole in the one wearing Project: Superpone armor. But Purple did the same and removed the chip out of the back of the head and placed it into his saddlebag.

They reboarded the Vertibuck and it wasn't long until Paladin Sapphire and Rocky Road started to act like siblings again and started to attack each other. That only led Purple to land the Vertibuck, and separate them having Starry and Critical between them.

"Now if you two are done acting like three years olds," said Purple. "I'd like to get the show on the road."

***

Near Stable 198.

They all disembarked the Vertibuck and went on their way. But it wasn't long until Purple got a new transmission on his Pipbuck.

"This is PFC Flared Blizzard to Force Recon command. We're up to our necks in bad guys down here. Does anyone copy?" said PFC Flared Blizzard with some static, "Is Anypony listing? We desperately need help!"

Purple's Pipbuck had a message that said, "Save PFC Flared Blizzard and Majestic team or don't if you're heartless."

There were a ton of Raiders and Slavers and Purple went back and got a 7.62mm GPMG and led the charge.

"Shit they got help!" said a Raider stallion, "Kill them!"

The raiders were killed easily and the Raiders are armed with Pipe weapons which are chambered in .32 and .38 rounds over Purple's 7.62x51mm Battle rifle or 7.62x51mm General Purpose Machine Gun, 12 gauge shotgun, .45 Pistol, or .44 Magnum. Or Rocky's 5.56mm Varmint Rifle, Paladin Sapphire's Novasurge Rifle, Critical's .30-06 Sniper rifle or Jumper Rifle, or Starry's shotgun with rounds that'll leave a gory mess.

The Raiders were blown away literally and moved into the Stable clearing it. They headed down to the maintenance level and stood outside of a door.

"Stand down their friendlies," said Purple.

The door opened with a pony in an Alicorn version of Project: Superpone armor.

"Thanks for the help," said the pony. "Those Raiders have been hammering us for the past twenty-nine days. Did the council send you? Or Force Recon command?"

Purple replied, "We're not with the GPE but Spring Charm sent us. Who are you?"

The pony replied, "Well if Major Spring Charm sent you then it's ok. I'm PFC Flared Blizzard. We've been scouting this region for a new base but Fireteam Silver, Fireteam Hail, Fireteam Rain, and Fireteam Snow were under fire and we came in to assist. But we got trapped ourselves. Did our message get out?"

Purple replied, "It was garbled up and mostly static. But I'll send word to Spring Charm that you're ok."

Flared Blizzard replied, "Don't. Fireteam Silver is all K.I.A and half of Fireteam Hail are either dead, captured, or injured. I'll tell her face to face."

They went back to the hiding base for the GPE Force Recon in the Undiscovered West.

***

In the command post. Purple told Spring Charm that the Crimson, Dominio, and Gray team were dead and removed the chips from their helmets and he placed them on the table.

PFC Flared Blizzard told Spring Charm that Stable 198 is secured but Fireteam Silver is dead, Fireteam Hail is either dead, captured, or badly injured. They need reinforcements due to Fireteams Snow and Rain aren't enough to fully lockdown and secure the Stable fully two pegasi aren't enough to watch the Stable door and another two somewhere else in the Stable.

Spring Charm said, "Sorry my hooves and wings are tied down. I wish I had additional help to spare but every pegasi down here are either too scared of their own shadows or rather fuck each other twenty ways to Sunday."

Purple replied, "I guess I got to whip them all into shape. I'm I right or wrong?"

Spring Charm replied, "Lavender. I've been friends with your mother since the day we were born after that day. And I hate asking her favorite son for help. But can you help to whip them in shape and combat effectively and not be two years olds when it comes to their shadows?"

Purple reductively agreed and would take ten on to train them.

When he would train them to shoot he said to them, "Alright. Just aim to choose your targets and don't spray and pray, just shoot to kill and don't go all Rambo. Conserve your ammo."

There were pony targets which were told to shoot without listening to Purple and wasted their ammo. and he immediately shook his head in disappointment.

"I got a lot of work to do," said Purple. "A foal. A FOAL can do better!"

***

Eight hours later.

In the mess hall. Purple joined Rocky, Paladin Sapphire, Critical, and Starry for dinner and it looked like his head was about to explode because of how the pegasi he had been training were harder than raising foals. Not adding several of their Novasurge rifles broke for no reason and they were maintained as if they were fresh off the factory floor.

Purple ate in peace and quiet and had to go back.

***

Back on the shooting range.

"Take positions where all of you can cover each other," said Purple. "Stay focused!"

A squad of Grand Pegasus Enclave Force Recon soldiers got focused and covered each other.

"Take your time," said Purple. "Pick your shots and tell your squadmates who you're shooting at!

The squad leader replied, "I got the one at 1 o'clock. Everypony else choose and aim."

Purple replied, "Exhale before you fire. Squeeze the trigger, don't jerk it."

The squad of Grand Pegasus Enclave Force Recon shot the targets as Purple instructed without jerking the battle saddles and they had to go to the grenade range.

***

Over on the Grenade range.

"Okay, to start, pull the pin but keep the striker in until you know what you want to throw it at!" said Purple, "If you have the striker come out then count to three and throw it."

The squad got the grenades ready.

"Don't pitch it like a baseball," said Purple, "Lob it. You want a good solid arc."

The squad was about to throw them.

"Don't worry about accuracy," said Purple. "Use the grenades to break up clusters of enemies or to clear rooms of enemies."

The squad was ready now but Purple gave them one final test and that was to get past him in hoof to hoof combat. The catch was if they win they can do more than be bored underground and not see the daylight again or if they fail they have to keep trying.

It took eight hours and it was 10:00 PM when they had to start the hoof to hoof combat and didn't win until six in the morning. Purple hardly broke a sweat fighting them.

Purple did the same with the other four hundred and forty-three very underperforming squads. It's sad Purple found out that the older ones who are in their mid-twenties and early to mid-thirties served under Colonel Autumn Leaf or with his brother Pride even when the GPE assaulted Red Eye's cathedral they performed poorly over the rest.

It didn't help some of them blame themselves for Colonel Autumn Leaf's death thinking they could've done better. Some have even been thinking about taking a gun and covering a wall with their blood and brain matter but they move on by living day in and day out.

Purple kept on training them even if he was tired but he knew they can either go out and be a force to be reckoned with. Sooner or later they'll die out either by inbreeding or a lot of them will go on their merry way and more or less become another group of raiders that someone has to exterminate.

***

In the command post.

"You shouldn't follow the same road as the Contingent of Steel Rangers I was with," said Paladin Sapphire, "The Elder? Elder Encoded Pibble she made the Undiscovered West contingent and she made them more Xenophobic, Techophobic, and Homophobic. I had a niece and she was a lesbian and when that came out she was exhiled with her lover. But she hung herself instead and her lover blew her head off with a double barrel shotgun.

"Make it worse, my niece, who was expecting both her and her lover were both expecting due to their stomachs you could see a little bump. But anypony we saw with some kind of energy weapon we'd take it by force and kill them and their family for having a piece of technology they 'don't need.' How do you think I got my Novasurge Rifle? I stunned a GPE Scout and bashed his head into a giant boulder and took it, replacing my Magical Energy Rifle which I still have.

"There's ponies out there that need our help and being isolationists doesn't help. How long do you think your and your forces are going to last down here until all of you are related and be first cousins or brother and sister? Open up your group to the outside to recruit and everypony out there is different than the last."

Spring Charm replied, "Sorry to hear about that. But I'm scared of the pegasi down here. They don't know their ass from their front hoof and sometimes they get scared of their own shadows. But I've been planning on opening up to the outside for trading and recruiting from the outside world. Screw the GPE and say that they are the 'the last pure pony race' and as 'savors.' I'm not bigoted and I'm in the middle where if somepony came to me and told me if they were gay or bi or what not I don't care because it's not my life to tell them what sexuality they are. But to me technology should be in hooves of ponies who know how to use it."

Purple walked in exhausted from training in all of the very underperforming squads into greenhorns who could fight and not run away when the wind blew.

When Purple, Rocky, Paladin Sapphire, Critical, and Starry started to leave, PFC Flared Blizzard joined them and he's more or less an attaché to them and a new companion.

"So do you have any dreams you want to have?" asked Rocky Road.

PFC Flared Blizzard replied, "Yeah I want to have a lot of foals. But I can't have any due to I'm sterile and a Raider with an Anti-material rifle shot my left groin off. But every night I dream of being happily married, living somewhere nice and peaceful and having between fifteen and thirty foals. I really do want a big family but can't."

Rocky replied, "Did you have anypony to be with or something?"

PFC Flared Blizzard replied, "Yeah I did. She was Lieutenant Cheese Flower, the leader of the Dominio team. She and her fireteam went for Fort Nightmare Moon. But she's gone and her family had pegasi in the council and the council allowed them to have big families while other pegasi either couldn't have families."

Rocky and PFC Flared Blizzard chat up a storm and started to like each other.

Author's Note

Purple Heart medals are medals for soldiers who get injured in the military
Legion of Merits are medals for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achieving
Bronze Stars are medals for military medals awarded for heroic achievements, heroic services, meritorious achievements or meritorious services.
Silver Stars are medals for soldiers for gallantry in action
Distinguished Services Cross Medals are medals for extraordinary heroism
Army/Navy/Pegasi/Airforce Crosses are medals for distinguished service medals for meritorious services
Defense Distinguished Service medals are for defense of the country
Joint Meritorious Unit Awards for outstanding meritorious service