Into the Suck

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

As we got close to the city of Al Rafeef, we could see smoke rising in the air along with flashes of gunfire and tracer rounds from anti-air guns soring in the air. I clutched the rifle in my hooves firmly as the convoy got closer and closer, this was going to be my first time experiencing battle. And to be honest, I was scared.

I looked up at the sky to see a couple of A-10s and AH-64s flying in the air, a couple of guys in the other humvees were cheering as they saw both aircraft unleash hell on the enemy

Brrrrrrrrrrr

BOOM!

I heard cheers as I saw an enemy T-62 go up in flames before an A-10 flew past it, looking for its next victim. I looked down my ACOG to see a couple of camels in the distance, they were both dressed in an OD uniform with tan-colored M80 helmets and chest rigs.

"Hey guys, I see 5...no, 10 enemy combatants near one of the burning...tanks..." I trailed off as I noticed that one of them produced a long tube-like object before lying down on the ground, it looked like a__

"H-Holy shit! RPG__!"

Before anypony could react, it felt like time slowed down as I saw a smoke trail slowly make its way across towards a LAV that was two Humvees in front of us.

BOOM!

The LAV slowly came to a stop as it burst into flames, and to my horror, I saw one of the hatches open up as a flaming pony climbed out of the vehicle before falling to the ground. His anguish cries echo in my head as I watched him cry in pain before being lit up by the enemy and dropping onto the road, he wasn't moving anymore.

"CORPSMAN! I NEED A CORPSMAN"

Two of the Humvees stayed with the wrecked LAV to help out while the rest of the convoy moved aside and continued toward the city, I looked out into the desert again to see M1A1 Abrams and M2 Bradleys steamrolling their way through the enemy lines. Blasting away and lighting up any tanks and ground units that they encountered.

"This is Bravo Mike leader to all units, we're 1 mike away from Al Rafeef. All air units are currently engaging hostiles in the city and are weakening their defenses."

"Roger that Bravo Mike"

As we got closer and closer, the gunfire and the sounds of battle grew intense. Finally, once we were on the outskirts of the city, the convoy stopped. It wasn't long before we were taking fire from the buildings, we could see the enemy run across the road and take cover behind sandbags and ruined cars. The mounted 50. Cals along with the 25mm chain guns on the LAV returned fire, mowing down anything that moved.

"MARINES! DISMOUNT!" I heard my squad leader say, I opened the door and got out as quickly as possible. I then took cover and returned fire with my M16A2, I couldn't see jackshit.

I then felt a hoof pull me up by the collar of my shirt, I looked behind me to see my squad leader again. He then looks to Thumbtack who was currently firing off a couple of rounds "HEY TACK! I NEED YOU TO LAY SUPPRESSING FIRE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THAT BUILDING TO THE RIGHT!" with a nod, Thumbtack directed his fire toward the building "SWIFT, YOU AND THE OTHERS WILL PUSH ON FORWARD WHILE WE ATTRACT FIRE FROM YOU GUYS! UNDERSTOOD!?"

"YES SIR!" I replied with a mix of nervousness and confidence.

"GOOD! NOW GET YOUR ASS OUT THERE!"

Pushing me forward, I ran toward a group of ponies who were currently hiding behind a building. One of them was laying fire with an M240, I recognize him as the Lance Corporal from earlier.

"FUCK YOU CAMELS!" he yelled as he managed to land a few rounds on a couple of them. Raising my own rifle, I peeked over the corner and saw hostile camels hiding behind rubble and cars. Pulling the trigger, the gun barked in my hooves as I sent hot lead their way. I managed to score my first kill, a smile appearing on my face as I managed to down two more.

"HAHA! NICE ONE, SWIFT!" I heard one of the grunts say to me, killing is bad...but to me, it felt...nice...

"Push down the road! I'll cover you!" I heard Tack say through the radio, me and the rest of the squad proceeded to rush across the road to another building while Thumbtack covered us.

"Alright everypony, it's time for some house clearing! I need you guys to stack up on that door!"

As we stacked up against the door, they made me the fourth pony which would mean I'll be watching the back in case any Camels try to sneak up on us.

"Status!" I heard my team leader say.

"U-Uh...4 up!" I said anxiously.

"3 up!"

"2 up!"

"1 up!"

Now that everypony was in position and accounted for, my team leader signaled us to breach. One of the ponies went up to the door with a shotgun and blew off the hinges, the door fell backward but before he could move out of the way he was quickly gunned down from within the building.

"Frag out!"

BOOM!

"Breach! Breach! Breach!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A couple of shots rang out as we began to breach quickly and cleanly, I looked around and saw 3 dead Camels lying on the floor with their AKs. Picking one of the AKs up, I decided to take one as a souvenir. Something to show my family and future kids.

"I fucking hate the fatal funnel..." I heard one of the ponies mumbles as he checked to make sure the enemy was dead, once their deaths were confirmed we began clearing out the rest of the building.

"Alright, squad! I just got word that it's going to take a while to send medevac for Shell Shock along with any other casualties, our next order now is to clear every last building in this city until we are sure there is nopony left to kill here! Understood?"

After saying our 'yes sirs', we all got ready to breach the next building, this is going to take a while...

I tried to stop my hooves from shaking as I took a swig from my canteen, spilling some of its contents onto myself. Clearing every last building in this damned city was nerve-racking, twice was I close to meeting my end if it wasn't for luck and my vest doing its job of stopping the bullet though I did end up being knocked to the ground with a bruise where the bullet struck.

When I noticed my Battalion Commander along with my Platoon Commander approaching me, I immediately dropped my canteen and stood at attention. He waved his hoof dismissively.

"At ease, Private." He said sternly.

Relaxing a bit, I looked at both of them nervously "I-Is there anything I c-can do for you, sir...?"

I watched as he shook his head and sighed "You're Platoon Commander here has told me that you seem a bit...jittery..." he said as he gestures to the stallion beside him.

I shook my head as I tried to put on a brave face, doing my best to stop my hoof from shaking "N-No sir, I-I'm okay sir..."

He shook his head again before taking off his helmet, his look of seriousness morphing into one of sincere "You're not a very good liar, Private, and putting on a brave face ain't going to help either"

With that, my whole body began to shake as I felt my eyes tearing up and my breath becoming shakey and shallow "I-I'm s-sorry sir...I-I know I'm a M-Marine, but...b-but__" I stopped as I felt his hoof land on my shoulder before looking me in the eye, those same eyes reminded me of Pa's when I told him I had a nightmare...

"Private, being in a combat situation and taking somepony's life isn't easy, heck, we've all been there. I remember when I had to do it when I was deployed to the Dragon Islands to capture a canal in '89. It doesn't leave you, even after years of it happening it still doesn't. All you can do is keep on pushing and hope that it doesn't overcome you, if it helps, think of it as saving your team. It was either you or the enemy"

The recent memories of today came flooding back in, but I snapped from my thoughts when I heard my Platoon Commander speak up.

"By the way, if you're wondering what had become of Shell Shock__the pony who was shot while breaching the first building__He was airlifted to Muneighch in Germareny to be treated. He suffered a few broken ribs and some bruises, whoever made our vests deserves a medal"

"A-Alright, that's good to hear..."

"Well Private, I would love to stand here and talk to you all day but I got a lot of shit to do. And by the way, get ready to leave at about 2100 hundred hours. Alright?

"Understood, sir"

Strapping his helmet back on, he looked at me once more before turning and walking away with my Platoon Commander. Looking around, I could see other Marines going to and fro. Some carried supplies and ammo cans while others carried the injured and those who were lost in battle on stretchers, no doubt that their families would mourn and be told that they were heroes.

"Thank Celestia you haven't been turned to swiss cheese Swift, that was really something huh?" I heard Thumbtack say as he sat on a nearby crate, taking out a flask and drinking away "Goes to show, shit really does hit the fan"

I examined his face and noticed a scar on his left cheek, he quickly puts one hoof up "Dont worry man, I was just grazed by a fucking 7.62. You know they can't kill me right?"

I shook my head as I chuckled, I'm just glad he wasn't killed during the cluster fuck of a battle "Heh, I guess so..."

As the sun started to set once again we all gathered all of our equipment, licked our wounds, and got ready to roll out yet again to our next objective. The Army would be coming over to secure the city while us Marines were heading out to fuck up another city up north: Narikhat.

I watched from the Humvee as residents of this city walked around as if nothing had ever happened, we didn't do anything when some would go and loot the stores in the area. Carrying expensive TVs and other things, I was saddened at the thought of some unfortunate camel's source of income being taken while we sat around doing nothing.

"Alright, colts! Time to pack up and leave! The Army will be rolling up to secure and establish order here in the city, time to move on!"

Once we were given the green light, we began to merge onto the main highway that would lead us out of the city and towards the northern parts of this country. On the way, we passed a couple of burnt and ruined vehicles. Both civilian and military alike, heck, I didn't even know they managed to down a couple of our birds during the attack when I saw an Apache tail sticking out of a building along with pieces of its tail rotor and other bits on the road. At least somepony was kind enough to move some of the stuff to the side.

I looked behind me as we drove further away from the city, columns of smoke still rising as it and the landscape around it were painted with violet and pinkish hue. I then took a moment to look at the area around me and enjoy being in a foreign country, it wasn't like back home in Equestria but it still had beauty in its own way. Even if it was plagued with an ongoing war...

At around 2341 hundred hours, we drove off the main road and set up camp for the night. Tents were set up while the vehicles served as a barrier around us, Me and Tack were assigned to take watch at around 1106 hundred hours. I decided to sleep early so that I could have enough energy until somepony else had to take watch...

"Oye, despierta, es nuestro turno de mirar"

I grumbled as I tried to make myself comfortable again "5 more minutes..."

Hearing a snort, I felt something tossed at me. I opened my eyes to see that it was my helmet, I was about to ask what the hell was going on but realized it was my buddy speaking in our language. I guess sleep time is over...

"It's our turn to watch, hurry up" he says quietly as he exits the tent where I was sleeping, I looked at the sleeping pony beside me once more before grumbling again and strapping on my helmet.

"Join the Marines they said, it will be "fun" they said..."

Picking up my rifle, I exit the tent and started to head my way to a Humvee guarding the northwestern section of the camp. There, I encountered Thumbtack talking to two tired ponies who looked grateful for us being there to replace them. After saying our goodbyes they both left leaving me and Tack alone to guard and watch for any Camels trying to sneak up on us.

Everything went well as the sun slowly rose up signaling the start of a new day, everything was put down and packed up as we got ready to leave yet again. Thumbtack took his position on the 50. while I sat below in the passenger seat, I took out a chocolate bar that I hid in my grenade pouch and began to unwrap it. I've been saving it for when I wanted a taste of home.

"This is Bravo Mike leader to all units, we are Oscar Mike"

"Lime Charlie"

The Humvee lurched forward as we continued onto the road, passing by small villages with civies on the side saying things like "Thank you!" or "We are grateful for you Equestrians liberating us!" and other shit like that. We were a few klicks away from the city now, the entire time I felt like I was shaking again as memories of the battle still raged on in my mind. I took out a notebook and started to write a letter to my family, that would keep me distracted enough to forget those terrible thoughts...

Dear, Mom and Dad

I'm still alive so you don't have to worry about me anymore, we are currently en route to our next objective in the city of Narikhat. If there wasn't a war going on here this place would have been fantastic to be in, which brings me to the next thing...

Yesterday in the city of Al Rafeef, I had my first taste of combat...I'm not hurt or anything, just shaken up by the adrenaline rush. We managed to push the enemy out of Al Rafeef though I wouldn't be surprised if they're planning a counter-attack to retake the city, Saddle Horsein is really ramping up the scale on the retaliatory attacks lately from what I heard from the units up in the city of Shareen. By the way, let the Adlers know that Thumbtack is okay, he might have a scar on his cheek when we get back home but he's fine.

Unfortunately, I have to end this since something is going on at the front of the convoy, I promise I'll return home safe and sound. Tell Lilly I said I love her and Alter that her big brother said hi.

With Love, Swift Change.