War Divides Us
By huffman8
Invasion
Ironhooves watched from the hillside as the city of New Whinny burned below him. His mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. Not an hour ago, everything was normal. Earth Ponies mingled through the streets, buying and selling their wears, trying to earn enough survive.
Now, it was all gone, burning away in the inferno that had engulfed the city.
“How could this have happened?” asked the stunned guardspony next to him.
Ironhooves didn’t answer. He only stood there as the events of the last 3 hours replayed in his mind.
============+============
3 hours ago
“Ironhooves, WAKE UP!” yelled a voice, jarring the brown stallion out of his sleep.
“Wha…?” questioned the still groggy Ironhooves, confused as to why his sleep had been interrupted.
“Ya need ta get up. The Sargent says that we got guard duty today, so get that flank of yers' out of bed and get armored up.”
Groaning, Ironhooves pulled himself out of bed and angrily looked at the pony that had pulled him out of his much wanted rest. He was an orange earth pony stallion with a horse shoe cutie mark. He was wearing the standard Iron armor of the Republican Guard. On his feet were standard issue combat tramplers. Strapped to his side was a short sword. His helmet was no ware in sight, revealing the pony’s short blond mane.
Seeing the Ironhooves look of pure hate, the stallion took a step back. “Hay, it's already 9:00 and if we aren’t there soon, Sargent Leatherneck is gonna to have both our flanks.”
“Sigh, I know Swifthoof,” Ironhooves said tiredly. “Just give me a minute.”
“Alright, I’ll meet ya at the market gates,” said Swifthoof as he turned to leave. “Just hurry it up already, and by Foust don’t go back to sleep!”
Ironhooves watched his bunkmate leave the room and then proceeded to the large chest at the foot of his bed. He opened it, revealing his own issue of armor. “Another day in the glorious life of a member of the Republican Guard,” he drearily stated. Resisting the urge to go back to bed, he proceeded to put on the heavy armor.
After he had managed to get dressed, he stopped in front of the small mirror on the dresser and took account of himself. Like Swifthoof he was wearing standard issue Republican Guard armor. The thick iron plating covered most of his back, just covering up the shield shaped mark on his flank. On his head was an Iron helm. On his hooves were heavy metal boots and a sword was strapped to his side. Satisfied with his appearance, Ironhooves left the barracks and headed to his post at the Market gates.
“Huh, it looks like it might actually cloudy today,” observed Ironhooves as he glanced into the gray sky. “It’s nice to know that those good-for-nothing pegasi are actually going to uphold their part of the treaty for once.” Turning his attention away from the clouds, Ironhooves took in the city around him. New Whinny was a rapidly growing trade city. Six major roads ran through the city. Because of that, New Whinny had become a major center of commerce almost overnight. Realizing the strategic purpose of the city the Federal Republic of Earth, the earth pony government, had stationed a garrison of its Republican Guard here. Despite the not so subtle racism, these roads also brought the many other races into the City. Just by glancing around Ironhooves could see Griffins, Zebras, and Diamond dogs walking through the crowds of earth ponies that filled the streets.
“Hay, Iron! Glad ya could finally make it!” The voice snapped Ironhooves out of his thoughts. Realizing that he had arrived at his destination, he took his place next to Swifthoof by the market’s west gate.
“Oh, shut up. I wasn’t that late.”
“Ya, Ya,” said Swifthoof with a role of his eye. “Anyway, did ya see the clouds yet? I think that those Foust dammed pegasi are actually going to give us a good shower today.”
“They better,” growled Ironhooves, “With all of the food they make us give them we better be getting rain from those winged freaks of nature.” They stood there in silence for about a minute before Swifthoof tried to start a conversation.
“Say, did I tell ya that I got a letter from mah sister in Domarecus last night? Well ya see she…..”
Ironhooves groaned as his friend rambled on about how his unbelievably large family was doing. “This is going to be a long 6 hours.”
============+============
Two hours later a fight broke out just inside the gate, ending Swifthoof’s rambling. They held the angry customer and shopkeeper apart as three more guards headed over to assist.
“This stallion cheated me out of my bits!” screamed the enraged customer.
“I did not do anything of the sort!” replied the merchant. “This mare just started yelling like a mad mare and then attacked me!”
By then the other guards had arrived. They pulled the screaming mare away from the scene. Satisfied that the incident was over Ironhooves and Swifthoof turned around and headed back to their posts. “What was that about?” asked Swifthoof.
“I don’t have the slightest idea. But since nopony got hurt I wouldn't worr…” Before Ironhooves could finish speaking a large bolder crashed into a nearby building, sending dust and debris flying into the air. The two ponies stared into the thick smoke in shock.
Another bolder slammed into a nearby building, shaking the two guards back into reality. Swifthoof looked up and froze once again, his mouth hanging open in shock. Ironhooves followed his gaze and saw something that made his blood run cold. Descending from the clouds overhead was a legion of Pegasi soldiers.
============+=============
Hundreds of thoughts ran through Ironhooves' mind as he ran. Picking one of them he yelled “Where are we going!”
“We need to find the rest of the guard!” yelled Swifthoof. His face showed signs of panic despite his best efforts to appear calm. The two ponies ran through the streets amidst the terrified civilians. They came to an abrupt halt when they saw two pegasi legionaires land a block in front of them.
As the pegasi unshieved their swords, one of them pointed at the two guardponies and yelled “Hostis barbari! Impetūs!” With that the two pegasi charged them. The first pegasus rushed Swifthoof, trying to impale him, but he ducked and the pegasus flew over him. Before he could recover Swifthoof spun around and bucked the legionnaire in the side. The tramplers he wore did their job, deeply denting the metal armor inwards, and sending the pegasus flying into the nearby wall with a thunderous “CRACK!”
The second pegasus hesitated at the sight of his fallen comrade, but he then let out a yell and continued his assault. Ironhooves barely brought up his sword in time to deflect the incoming blade. The deflected blade glanced off his shoulder guards with a loud “Clang!” the vibrations stunning the attacking pegasus. It allowed Swifthoof to come behind him and run the attacker through. As the pegasus slumped to the ground dead Ironhooves raised himself unsteadily to his feet.
“Are you ok?” asked Swifthoof.
“Y-Yes.” Ironhooves replied unsteadily. “Come on, we need to get out of here before more of them show up.” Swifthoof grimly nodded and they continued to gallop down the street as the city dissolved into chaos around them.
To the Victors
A young pegasus stood on the roof of a building in the residential area of the City of New Whinny, watching as the pegasi soldiers routed out the few remaining earth pony guards. The attack went just as expected. Through surprise, aerial superiority, and overwhelming firepower the Legion had managed to take the city in just a few hours, with minimal casualties. His Century had only lost 3 ponies from his century during the entire battle. The pegasus was soon brought out of his reflection of the sound of a another pegasus landing behind him.
“Centurion Hurricane! I bring you a message from Legate Typhoon.” said the messenger pony holding out a scroll for Hurricane to take.
“Thank you soldier.” Hurricane took the scroll and began to read its contents. As he read, his face quickly changed from a look of impassiveness to one of giddy excitement.
“Centurion?” asked the messenger, his voice filled with concern.
“Tell Legate Typhoon that I accept the promotion to senior Centurion. I will assume command of the Cohort immediately and will carry out his orders to the best of my ability. I will not let the Legate down.”
“Yes sir!” Hurricane turned away as the messenger left to deliver his acknowledgment.
“Optio Pansy! Front and center!” yelled Hurricane, summoning his second in command from the roof of a nearby building.
“Yes sir?” the timid pegasus asked as she landed in front of her superior, giving him a hasty salute. Hurricane looked at her for a few long moments, saying nothing. Just as she was starting to get concerned, the corners of Hurricane’s face turned upward into the largest grin she had ever seen on him. “Are you ok, sir?”
“I’m better than ok, Pansy! I just got promoted! I’m in charge of the ENTIRE COHORT!”
“C-Congratulations sir.”
“I know! It’s great!”
“But doesn’t that mean that Centurion Thunder Storm is dead?”
“Huh? Oh right, that. It doesn’t matter. All that does matter is that I’m moving up in this army. I am going to be a Dux soon enough. In the meantime, I’m going to rub this promotion into Storm Bolt’s face!”
“I know you will sir,” sighed Pansy. She knew that this was a big promotion for Hurricane, but it was also just like him to brag about it excessively. She just knew that he was going to flaunt it every chance he got. Hoping to end her superior’s ravings, Pansy asked, “Did Legate Typhoon give you any orders as well?”
Calming down, Hurricane regained a serious look on his face and replied, “Yes, my Cohort is to prevent the civilian population from fleeing the city.”
“Uh, why sir?”
“We invaded the lands of these barbaric dirt ponies in order to increase our dwindling food rations. If we can’t increase the tribute they give us to produce the weather, then we will subjugate them and make them pay higher “taxes” to us. Does that make sense Opito?”
“Yes sir, it does…. Although don’t you think that’s a little extreme?”
“I don’t see why it would be. After all, as long as they pay their taxes, they have the protection of the Empire’s Legions,” replied Hurricane while he summoned over a nearby messenger pony. “Not only that, but they don’t even have to change anything about their way of life. You know how much we are hooves off when it comes to the affairs of the lands we conquer.”
“That’s right sir. But still…”
“Enough. We can continue this discussion later. For now we still have orders to carry out.” Turning his attention away from Pansy, he addressed the waiting messenger pony. “Write down these orders and deliver them to the other Centurions of the cohort. Are you ready to begin?”
“Yes sir.” acknowledged the pony readying the paper and quill.
“Start Message: This is Centurion Hurricane. I have just been assigned to fulfill the role of the late Centurion Thunder Storm. As such I will now carry out his assigned duties. We have been ordered to surround the city and prevent any more of the civilians from fleeing the area. Centurion Storm Bolt is to take his century and deploy four clicks to the north of the city. Centurion Cyclone shall take the east, and the century of the late Centurion Thunder Storm shall take up positions to the west. My century shall cover the southern part of the city. Centurion Storm Chaser’s century shall take up positions in the clouds above the city and will assist the other centuries as needed.
“All centuries are to blockade the roads in their area. We are not to kill any civilians if at all possible, but our legionaries are allowed to use lethal force if they come under attack.” Pausing to collect his thoughts, Hurricane added, “I expect bi-hourly reports on the situation. I also need to be informed of who has taken Thunder Storm’s place. Signed, Centurion Hurricane of the Pegasi Stratocracy.” He once again paused as he waited for the messenger to finish writing the letter.
“Will there be anything else sir?” asked the messenger.
“No,” replied Hurricane, “But deliver those orders with grate haste. Time is of the essence.”
“Right away sir!” As the messenger took off, Hurricane turned back to Pansy.
“Prepare the Century,” he ordered. “We are leaving in ten minutes.”
Pansy acknowledged the order and took off, leaving Hurricane alone with his thoughts. He once again gazed out over the city and spoke aloud, “Soon, the pegasi will have all that they deserve, and neither the mud ponies nor those self-righteous unicorns will be able to stop us.” Flapping his wings, he took to the air, a smirk still plastered on his face. “And the best thing is,” he added, “that I am going to ride this wave all the way to the top.”