A few weeks after finally settling in to their new environment, the soldiers began patrolling the borders around Ponyville as a gesture of good faith to their new neighbors yet were given odd looks when they were seen riding horses as they passed through the streets.

Darren was one such individual as he passed a few townsfolk staring in confusion.

"Joe. Why are they staring at me?" Darren asked his comrade who decided to walk alongside him.

"It could be that you're riding what is essentially one of them," Joe said while looking around the streets and alleyways. "Or, it could be the helmet. Feathery plumage is a bit of an odd choice."

“I did not realize our steeds would cause distress,” Darren said. “Although, now that I think about it, I suppose it would’ve been better to leave our steeds behind. Considering we’re in a land of walking talking pony-people.”

"Still say it's the helmet," Joe joked.

"Wait til they get a load of the emperors mount." Marshall said as a group of foals ran past him.

"Peaceful town but it feels exposed." He said after noticing there were no guards besides their own.

Darren also noticed some of the mares were staring at them and giggling to themselves. One winked at Darren, another blew a kiss at Joe, and the other licked her lips at Marshall.

"It's like they've never seen a man in uniform before." Marshall said as they passed through the market where several merchants from the empire had already set up shop.

"Come come, gather around my friends, here are the finest fabrics straight from the city of Altdorf!"

"Try this, the finest wine straight from the grape fields of Stirland!"

"Get your Middenland farm tools right here!"

"Leave to the merchants to sniff out opportunity." Joe chuckled before they stopped by sugarcube corner to grab some sweets.

"Morning Mister and Misses Cake." Marshall said while Darren tied his horse outside.

"Morning dearies, just got some fresh cinnamon buns out of the oven."

"I'll take some of those." Joe said as he licked his lips in anticipation.

"You have been eating those almost every day, that can't be healthy." Darren said after walking in.

"I can't help it when they're fresh out of the oven."

"Nothing an afternoon training session can't fix." Marshall smirked before noticing a large crowd was starting to gather down the street.

"What the?" Joe said aloud when one of their soldiers came bursting through the door.

"Oh there you are sirs. Bad news, seems a caravan was attacked."

"Any survivors?" Darren asked.

"One sir and you should hear what he as to say."

The men rushed towards the scene to find a merchant wagon completely ransacked and filled with arrows and stained with blood. The wagons driver was badly wounded and short on breath as the ponyville medics did their best to patch him up.

"Has he said anything?"

"Something about maniacal laughter and giant spiders." A medic said when the driver suddenly sprang up and grabbed Darren by the arm.

"They were everywhere...they slaughtered us and laughed as they did it! THE GREEN DEVILS!!" The driver screamed before passing out.

"Green devils?"

"You don't think..."

"Men, mount up!" Darren said as their soldiers left to retrieve their horses.

"What happened?" Twilight gasped after seeing the injured merchant being carried away.

"That man was attacked just a few miles up the road, we're going to investigate." Marshall said when one of the men brought him a horse.

"But what is it?!" Dash asked as Joe grabbed a spear and mounted his horse.

"Orks!" Joe answered before the men raced off down the road, hoping they weren't too late, and that deep down they were wrong.

"Let us come, we can help." Twilight said as Applejack and Rainbow joined her.

"I wouldn't recommend that ladies." Marshall said as Applejack stepped in front of his horse.

"That ain't a request partner." The farm mare said while placing her hands on her hips.

"Fine then, hang tight miss!"

"WHOO!!" Applejack yelped as she was suddenly scooped up and carried princess style by Marshall before galloping up the road with the rest of the patrol.

Joe soon felt a body land behind him on his mount and saw it was Dash. "Don't even argue with me, soldier boy. Just get to riding."

"You're not the first woman to ask me that. But you are the first to ask to be taken into battle." Joe smirked back before speeding up.

"Maybe later~." Dash teased before wrapping her arms around him.

They rode as fast as their horses could carry them until finally reaching the ransacked caravan to find that the wagons had been set ablaze and most of the goods were stolen or destroyed but what was most horrifying to the ponies were the bodies of the merchants strewn about everywhere with arrows sticking out from their backs.

"Gods above..." Darren said while Joe dismounted and found a set of clawed footprints on the ground.

"Greenskins, no doubt about it."

"This is horrible..." Twilight said in shock as she looked at the pained expressions on the lifeless ponies.

"What kind of creatures could do this?"

"The savage kind..." Marshall said as he dismounted.

"The fires are still burning, they can't be far off."

"Hey, look at this!" Dash called out as she pointed to what looked like some kind of staff planted in the ground with a red skull painted on the tattered cloth of the wagon.

"Weird." She said as she reached out to get a better look when out of nowhere an arrow whizzed passed her head and lodged itself into the burning wagon.

"AMBUSH!!" Darren shouted as dozens of pint sized green monsters came bursting out of the ground with crude spears and shields

"Close ranks! Guard the princess!" Marshall commanded before bashing a goblin to the ground with a shoulder tackle.

"Goblin scum!" He cursed before shooting the greenskin in the face, shocking Twilight and the others.

"STOMP DA HUMIES!!"

"GET EM BOYZ!!"

The goblins cackled like mad as they swarmed the humans and began bashing their shields with their weapons.

"DARREN! Circle around and ride em down!" Joe shouted before kicking a goblin into one of the burning wagons.

Darren and a few of his knights managed to push through the goblin ranks before circling around with swords drawn as they went into a full charge that trampled the greenskins beneath their horses while the rest were cut down in a flash.

"LEG IT LADS!!" One of them shouted as the knights met up with the rest of the patrol in the middle and drove them back into the forest.

"Yeah that's right! Run ya bastards!!" Joe cursed to the cowering goblins while the men cheered.

Twilight and the others were still in shock and how fast the attack happened but was even more surprised at how well the humans were able to drive off the greenskins.

"Fuckin' orks." Marshall said as he wrenched his sword out of a dead goblin.

"How in Sigmar's name did they get here?"

“They must’ve followed us here discretely,” Darren said as he wiped his blade. “This is bad. No doubt word has spread to the rest of them about this continent, along with our other monstrous enemies. Not to mention the rebel scum.”

"Wait, rebels?" Rainbow asked while hovering above the battlefield.

"Cecassionists who opposed our emperors ascension to the throne." Joe said while their men piled the bodies.

"What're you doing?"

"Burning the corpses, can't have leave them to attract any predators."

"HEY! WE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE!!" One soldier shouted while keeping his spear fixed onto a goblins neck.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Darren asked as he loomed over the helpless greenskin.

"How did you scum find this land?"

"PTOO! Zog off humie!" The goblin said as he spat on Darren's boot.

"Have it your way. Joe? Boot to the face." Darren said as he stepped back.

"With, pleasure." Joe came up and stomped down on the goblin's face with his boot, twisting it to add more pain.

"AAARGH!!"

"STOP!!" Twilight yelled as she was held back by the soldiers and watched as Joe twisted his boot on the goblins large nose.

"TALK YOU BASTARD!!"

"AAAGH!! ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!!" The goblin finally gave in as Joe stopped his boot grinding for a second.

"Da boss found out about dis place from some merchants we captured on the way to yer city! All we had to do was follow you humies through da mist!"

"Who's your boss?" Marshall demanded an answer when suddenly the goblin began to laugh.

"Ohh you know very well who he is humie...he gave you that little cut on your face right there...heheheheh HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!"

"....Kill him."

"Yes, sir." Joe brought out his pistol and aimed it at the goblin. He cocked the hammer back and got ready to pull the trigger.

"Now hold on fellers! This seems a bit much..." Applejack shouted as Joe pressed the barrel to the goblins head.

"This is the only way to deal with monsters like him." Marshall said before marching back towards his horse.

"See ya gobbo."

"NO DON'T!!" Twilight shouted before hearing the gun go off and watched as the goblins arms went limp and fell dead onto the ground.

Joe stared down at the dead creature for a few seconds before cleaning the barrel of any blood and holstering it. As he passed by a conflicted Twilight and Dash, he gave a small response. "It had to be done." He then walks past them and mounts his own horse as the rest of the squad kept piling the bodies.

"How..." Twilight said.

"How could you do that?!? He was beaten!"

"He was a threat." Darren replied as the princess grew more furious.

"And you just decided to kill him without a second thought?!?"

"You know you seem very quick to defend a bunch of beasts that slaughtered a few of your own!" Marshall snapped while pointing to the dead ponies being loaded onto some of the horses.

"This is just a taste of what the greenskins are capable of! I've seen entire villages put to the torch with families trapped in their own homes! I've seen prisoners fed to their warbeasts just for their own sick amusement!"

"I...I didn't..." Twilight tried to reply but she was not able to find the words.

"You really think such beasts deserve mercy?!?"

"Hey back off!" Rainbow snapped back as she pushed Marshall away from her.

Darren pointed his sword at the pegasus. “Next time you shove my comrade, be prepared to engage in combat.”

"My lord!" Joe pushed the sword down while getting in front of Dash. "Please. This is all new to them and they need time to adjust. Please, let's just go back."

"....Agreed. Men, mount up!"

Applejack rode back with Marshall while Twilight and Rainbow Dash flew back to Ponyville and noticed one of the men was carrying a severed goblin head as a trophy.

"Twilight, can we really trust these guys?" Rainbow asked while flying close to her friend.

"I...I don't know." Twilight said as they finally approached ponyville to find a large crowd waiting for them along with Princess Celestia and her royal guards.

"They're back!" Pinkie cheered before seeing the men were covered in blood while some had some serious wounds on their bodies.

"Medic!" Joe called out before helping some of the wounded soldiers toward the hospital.

"What happened?" Fluttershy asked before screaming at the severed goblin head.

"What is that thing?!?" Rarity shrieked as the soldiers showed Celestia the dead creature.

"Goblins your majesty, our enemies from across the sea." Darren answered while giving his helmet to one of his men.

"We found a pack of them stalking the road. We slew most of them but the rest escaped."

"And we're sorry to say, they attacked and killed a merchant caravan," Joe told them after a doctor took the wounded soldier from him.

"I see...that explains the lack of goods we have been getting lately."

"Say again?" Marshall asked.

"Weeks after your arrival, we had numerous caravans go missing and some were even found ransacked with their owners killed in the most brutal fashion and at each attack site my men found a crude banner baring a mark we had never seen before.

Celestia used her magic to show the humans the strange mark she mentioned and after seeing it, Marshalls blood began to boil.

"The Skullsmasherz clan..." He hissed with rage while gripping his sword.

"So he's here..."

"Who?" Applejack asked when he pointed to his scar.

"Their leader; the one who gave me this. Urgok Craktoof."

"That son of a bitch." Joe said before loading his pistol.

“I thought we were rid of him after the Battle of Axe Bite Pass!” Darren said angrily.

"Whoa, is he really all that bad?" Pinkie asked.

"It's best we discuss this back at your castle Twilight. You all should hear this." Darren suggested as the last of the wounded were taken away and their horses were taken to be fed and rested.

(Later at Twilights Castle)

The friends had gathered in the castles living area and gathered around the fireplace after Marshall and his comrades had changed out of their armor.

"Ohh I love story time!" Pinkie sounded like a child at school as she sat in front of the scarred soldier.

"Alright sugarcube, you can tell us when you're ready." Applejack said while Rarity prepared them some tea.

Marshall sat back in his chair as he looked at the fireplace before taking a deep breath.

"It was about ten years ago, I was assigned to the fortress of Helmgart at Axe Bite Pass. We had received reports of a massive ork invasion attempting to make their way into The Empire, we thought we were prepared...but we had no idea what we were up against..."

Marshall's P.O.V

Helmgart Fortress, Ten Years Ago

"The orks had arrived in a force of nearly five thousand strong, with warbeasts and great machines of war. After storming the walls, the men of the empire fought tooth and nail to keep the beasts out of our fort as numerous orks and goblins were sent falling to their deaths." Marshall said with a proud smile that quickly faded as he continued his tale.

"Before long, their war machines had shattered the gates and a ferocious battle ensued. I was among the soldiers posted at the gates to halt the orks advance into the fort while our marksman did their best to thin their numbers...but the brutes just kept coming and that is when I saw him." He clenched the armrests of his chair.

"A giant ork wearing crude armor and carrying a massive blade began smashing through our ranks like we were wheat in a field. It was their leader, Warboss Urgok Craktoof." He paused for a moment as images of the Warboss cutting down his comrades began flashing through his mind.

"During the battle, my captain was slain and we were slowly being overrun...so I did the only thing I could. I took my dead captains blade and faced off with the vile ork."

Marshall pulled the blade from his captains hands and charged the giant ork without a second thought, the moment their blades clashed the ork laughed and gave an amusing grin to the human.

"Da humie wantz to play does he?" The warboss grinned before booting Marshall to the ground.

"WELL LET'S PLAY!! WAAAGH!!"

Urgoks sword was a crude weapon with dragons teeth tied to each side of his blade for a more devastating blow as he swung it wildly at Marshall, grinning at the struggling human.

"COME ON HUME! SHOW ME WUT YA GOT!" Urgok laughed before Marshall had managed to grab a shield and smashed it into Urgoks face, breaking his nose in the process.

"AAUUGH!!"

"I got more where that came from ya green bastard!" Marshall cursed as he readied himself for another attack.

Enraged by his injury, Urgok charged like a wild beast and smashed his blade against Marshall's shield until it was splinters as one of the blows left a deep cut in the left side of Marshall's face. In the struggle, Marshall tripped over a broken spear was now helpless before the warboss.

"You put up a good fight humie..." The ork huffed with a hint of respect as he tossed aside his shield and raised his weapon with both hands.

"BUT URGOK IS DA BEST!!"

"RRRAGH!!"

SHINK!!

Urgok suddenly felt a sharp pain in his gut and looked down to see Marshall's sword had pierced his belly all the way to the hilt. The ork stumbled back as the blade was wrenched from his gut and he stumbled away, crying in pain.

The ponies were in awe of the captains tale as he looked at his blade now resting beside the fireplace.

"I passed out shortly after the duel with Urgok and the last thing I remembered was the sound of trumpets and the Reiksguard charging through the greenskin ranks."

"So awesome!" Spike said in astonishment.

"The day after, The Emperor himself came to congratulate us on a job well done and named me the new captain."

"And Urgok?" Spike asked.

"What happened to him?"

"We had hoped he died of his wounds long ago but now that scum has returned." Joe said bitterly.

"Brave knights, words cannot express how grateful I am to you for protecting my ponies."

"It was our duty your majesty." Darren said with a humble bow along with the others.

"Still I must find a way to thank you and your men."

"I know! A PARTY!!" Pinkie cheered, making everyone else smile in agreement.

"Yes! Wine, women, and song! The three best joys in life!" Joe exclaimed while grabbing Dash's waist. "First round's on me."

"Whoa, slow down tiger." Dash smirked while gently pushing him back.

"First we gotta set up the party and make sure everyone's invited."

"Fair warning missy, my boys can hold their drink." Marshall boasted, making the princess laugh.

"I wouldn't mind a little party myself. Perhaps I'll invite Luna."

"Then it's settled! Leave the arrangements to us!" Pinkie said as she zipped off in a pink blur while Twilight began making some notes.

"Oh I can't wait to dress for the festivities!" Rarity said before winking to the humans.

"I'll be wearing my best formal attire."

Soon the entire town became one big festival as music played and tables of food were set up in the town square with Princess Celestia seated next to the mayor while Twilight sat with he friends.

"Now this is is a party." Marshall said with a smile as some foals ran past him.

"I dare say it beats some of the parties in the Empire, not to mention a few exploits at the tavern," Joe said while sharing a drink with Dash.

"Exploits huh? what kind?" The pegasus smirked while taking a gulp from her tankard.

"Oh like that time you were caught with the barons daughter?" Marshall chuckled.

"Hey, I had no idea she was nobility!" Joe said in his own defense.

"You also had no idea her father would have his best guards hunt you down so they could string you up."

"Hehe, naw, I figured something like that would happen, regardless of who the father was. Though I will say that a woman of nobility, is no different from a barmaid when it comes to the art of wenching." Joe then goes into a fitt of laughter.

“You’re a mutt, you know that?” Darren chortled, causing more laughter.

"And damn proud of it," Joe said before draining another mug of ale.

"Oi captain! How's about a tune from back home eh?" One of the men shouted as he tossed Marshall a lute.

"Oh I'd love to hear what kind of music you play." Twilight encouraged him with a pleading smile.

"I would also love to hear your music." Said Celestia as more of the crowd begged him to play something.

"Ah why not?" Marshall said as he put down his drink at walked towards the stage.

"Everyone find a partner, this is a hometown favorite!"

As the dancing continued, Joe and Dash found themselves alone in an alleyway and began kissing one another after dropping their empty mugs to the ground.

"How's about I show you some ponyville hospitality~?" Dash grinned while pointing to the bushes.

"There he goes," Darren said with a smirk. Marshall noticed his eyes trailing towards Celestia and was quick to put two and two together.

"Ask her to dance." He whispered with a friendly nudge.

"I beg your pardon?" Darren said.

"You heard me, ask the lady for a dance." Marshall insisted while taking another sip.

"Dance a lout like me? And I thought you were known to give wisdom, my friend," Darren said.

And I am telling you to ask that pretty lady over there for a dance."

"That Pretty Lady is the princess of this nation and I don't think it'd be wise for her to dance with a soldier.

"Oh? Then why is Twilight over there having the time of her life?" Marshall pointed to Twilight and her friends dancing together.

"That's different," Darren said. "She's a child, and only recently appointed as a princess. Besides...it's been many a year since I last danced with a woman."

"Well then no better time to practice. Get going!" Marshall booted Darren towards the princess who gave a slight giggle as the knight approached her and the music became more soft as if on cue.

“Bastard…” Darren growled under his breath, then cleared his throat. “Lady Celestia?” Like a gentleman, Darren placed one hand behind his back while lifting his other hand in front of him and bowed to Celestia. “May I have this dance?”

"Why Sir Darren, I'd be honored." The princess smiled as she took his hand and they soon found themselves dancing together on the floor.

"It's been a while since anyone has asked me to dance." Celestia admitted before stepping on Darrens toes.

"Apologies."

"None needed." Darren smiled when he saw Marshall give him a thumbs up.

The two slowly took their time as Daren head one arm wrapped around her waist and held her hand with his while her other hand rested on his shoulder.

“I’m impressed with this celebration, your majesty, ours back home are not quite like this. No offence to my emperor, but his gatherings can be quite drawl,” Darren said.

"Achoo!" The Emperor sneezed out of the blue.

"I can only imagine." Celestia smiled as they danced to the rhythm of the music.

"You're quite the dancer, I bet you have dozens of maidens back home waiting for you."

"You could say that." Darren said before giving her a twirl.

"Most ladies want me for my prestige. Being a member of The Reiksguard has its perks."

"Oh I understand perfectly." Celestia said before she was dipped.

"At one time, many a gentlestallion tried to court me but most were just looking for a chance to seize power but you Sir Darren, you are different."

“That is because I am not dancing with a princess,” Darren said as he spun her around and brought her back to him. “I’m dancing with a beautiful woman.”

Celestia's eyes suddenly lit up as her cheeks turned pink and the music came to an end with the crowd giving them a round of applause.

"My thanks dear lady." Darren said with a kiss to her hand before returning her to her seat.

Marshall had handed his lute to one of the other men as Darren rejoined him and gave him a smug grin the moment he sat down and finished his ale.

"See? that wasn't so bad was it?"

SOCK!!

"OHH!!"

The crowd gasped after Darren sucker punched his friend off his chair while some of the men laughed and helped him up.

"That's for kicking me." Darren said while pointing his finger at Marshall.

"Uggh...You're welcome." Marshall groaned before crunching his nose back into place.

The party ended on a high note with everyone returning to their homes with happy, if not drunken faces. Darren had escorted the princess back to her carriage after the last of the guests returned home.

"I truly had a wonderful time, thank you Sir Darren." The princess smiled as she was helped into the carriage.

"Have a safe trip your majesty." Darren said with a smile of his own before closing the door and signaling her guards to take off.

Back at the party, Marshall was helping clean up the messy tables and empty mugs with Applejack who was surprised to see a high ranking officer do grunt work.

"Didn't take you for the cleaning type." She said with a quaint smirk as they cleaned.

"I did this sort of thing way before I was promoted. Just because I'm a captain, it doesn't mean I get to be lazy. Need to set an example for the troops." Marshall replied while picking up a few mugs from the ground.

"Listen, about what happened earlier today." Applejack sighed.

"Don't hold it against Twilight, she's never seen anything like what y'all have done. None of us have really."

"I understand perfectly Applejack." Marshall said as he placed the mugs on one of the tables.

"I'm still impressed that you and your friends have saved this land on more than one occasion without the use of force. Minus that storm king fellow." Marshall said with admiration for the farm mare.

"Yeah that was one of our more crazy adventures." Applejack laughed a little as they finished cleaning up.

"Well that should do it for tonight."

"May I walk you home?" Marshall offered with a friendly smile.

Applejack smiled before nodding his way. "I'd like that. Also, have you seen Dash?"

"Aaaahh~! Right there~!" They heard Dash scream from the bushes while one of her legs poked out.

"You need me to go higher, I can go higher." They heard Joe say from the same bush.

"Nevermind," Applejack said with a sigh before offering her hand to Marshall.

"Shall we my lady?" Marshall said while taking her hand.

"The barns that way hon." Applejack smirked while pointing him in the right direction.

As they walked under the moonlight, the two of them talked and got to know one another right up until the reached her front porch where Granny Smith was peacefully rocking in her wheelchair.

"Well bust my buttons. My granddaughter has brought a gentlemen caller."

"He's just a friend granny." Applejack smirked.

"Thanks for walking me home sugarcube."

"It was a pleasure miss." Marshall said before surprising her with a kiss to the hand.

"Until we meet again."

"Until then, Sugarcube," She said before going inside.

As the friends turned in for the evening, a pair of red eyes peered from the shadows of the everfree forest just beyond Applejacks orchard when a lone ork rushed back to a hideout deep in the forest to report to his leader.

The camp he arrived at was a ramshackle site filled with crude looking tents and roaring bonfires with other greenskins shouting and roaring at one another while in the center of it all, an ork bigger than the rest sat on a throne made from the bones of a large beast.

"Boss! You were right, da humies are here." The ork shouted to his boss as he slowly stood up from his throne.

"And da humie I wuz lookin' for, here there too?"

"Yeah boss, I saw him wit me own eyez!"

The warboss let out a low growl before stomping back to his throne to retrieve his blade and marched towards the center of the camp to address his troops.

"BOYZ! LISTEN UP!" He bellowed, ceasing their festivities in an instant.

"We finally got ourselves some proppa enemies ta fight, Da humies from that zoggin' empire are here!"

The greenskins let out a thunderous cheer before being silenced by their boss again.

"But dat's not all boyz! Today's the day I've been waitin' for, I finally get to settle da score wit da humie what pierced me gut ALL THOSE YEARS AGO!! Now he's gonna learn what happens when you mess wit da best!!"

"And what about dem ponies boss? We just gonna leave em?"

"LEAVE EM?!? ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHIN'?!?" The boss roared at one of his goblins.

"Once we krush dem humies, we'z gonna stomp dem ponies next! so dat ALL will know who's the biggest baddest warboss in da land! AND DAT'S ME! WARBOSS CRAKTOOF!!" Craktoof raised his arms high as his orks began stomping in rhythm while chanting his name over and over until they were all riled up.

"Get ready for some fun boyz! WE'Z GONNA HAVE US A WAAAAGH!!!"

WAAAAGGGGHHHH!!

End.

Author's Note

A big thank you to Ghost Warriorand WurkyWilk358 0W0 for helping me on this project. Joe is a character of Ghost Warrior and Darren is a character of WurkyWilk358 0w0