I awoke with to the felling of a hoof running through my mane. It was Lead. "Goodmorning." I said. "Mornin'." He replied. "Ready to head out to Friendship City?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah." I replied softly nuzzling Sweetie. She yawned, and opened her eyes. "Goodmorning." She replied rubbing her eyes trying to wake herself up. I smiled as I kissed her head again, and releasing her from my grip. She got up, and on her hooves trotting over to the door. "I need to pee!" She whined. I chuckled. "Go outside, and beside the building. But don't go too far." I replied as I levitated the pistol Lead had given her over to her. Her pink magic aura took control. "Remember what we taught you." Lead said winking. She smiled and trotted outside to go to the bathroom. Lead released me from his grasp, and I rolled off the mattress, and got up on my hooves. Lead opened his eyes, and I smiled. "Goodmorning." I said. He yawned. "Morning." He replied. Lead levitated up the biggest rounds I had ever seen. On top of that, they glowed red at the tips. "What in Celestia's name are those?" I asked. Lead smirked a smirk and I could have sworn his eyes twinkled. "The beauty you are witnessing is the .58 caliber Anti Material Anti Magic round, AMAM for short. The way these rounds work is really bucking awesome. First, upon hitting bone after entering you, the round flattens, destroying the bone. Then, it exits the rest of the way through ya. The reason I used the AP is so this shit cuts through most armor like bucking butter. If you want, I can craft you some in your caliber." Lead grins. "Thanks. But I think I'll stick with my trusty 10mm." I smiled as I trotted circles around the room. He chuckled. "What are ya doin'?" He asked. "Waking myself up." I said as I then began trotting in place. He smiled. "Well, you keep doing that." He said trotting outside.

Lead sighed as the sun hit his face. There were many reasons he disliked the solar entity. Ignoring that, he glanced over at the rapidly approaching Sweetie, who looked a bit terrified. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" Lead questioned. "Got spooked by a snake?" He added chuckling. Just then, a fusilade of bullets ricocheted harmlessly off Lead's armor. Lead used his magic to switch places with Sweetie, guns ready to fire. "CONTACT!" The loud whirring of Lead's Battle Saddle was the only warning the approaching Raiders had before Lead's precision and high-volumed, high caliber fire sent many to their deaths. The AMAM rounds cut through horns, skulls, wings, and other anatomical extremities, leaving many Raiders bleeding out and left to die in the hot sun. The remaining Raiders wisely retreated. "Come with me, Sweetie. You are going to learn something I had taught to me at your age." The mare follows him closely. "Tell me, Sweetie, how do you see the Raiders before you?" The mare looked confused, "They're ponies like you and I, right?" Lead shakes his head, "Almost. These ponies are shells of their former selves." Lead opens his wings, revealing the infamous seal of the Lunar Legion, officially known as the 666th New Canterlot Republic Rangers. "To survive you must show no emotion. Each pony you kill is not a pony: it is simply another target." He explained to the filly stationed by his side.

"They are terrible." She said. He looked to her. "I know. They once lived in peace." He looked to the sky. "But that was a long time ago." He explained. I rushed out of the building. "I heard gunshots! Is Sweetie alright!?" I asked panicked. "She's right here, Sketch. She's fine." He said as he levitated him onto his back. She giggled, and wrapped her small hooves around him. I trotted over to her breathing a sigh of relief looking to the side of the building to see about five raiders dead in the sand. I looked back to her. "Did you do that!?" I asked shocked that a small filly like her could take on and kill five raiders and leave without a scratch. She shook her head. "I did." Lead said. "That would have been impressive though. I saw how accurate she and fast she was with the three bottles yesterday. She could have taken on all of them. Provided the clip was full." He said. "It was. I filled it last night." I replied. "Good. It's wise to keep your weapons full." He replied. "Also, that piece of junk won't do much." He added levitating the 10mm pistol toward himself. "Yeah it does." I said. "I'd like to stick with it thank you very much." I said taking the gun back. Lead chuckles, "I meant your actual rounds, recruit. I can make AMAMs in that caliber." Lead rotates his left gun 90 degrees and puts a bullet into a Raider's head. "We need to get moving. Grab your shit. We're Oscar Mike." He said. "Yes sir." I said walking back into the building, and picking my saddlebag back up, and putting it back on my back, and trotted out of the building. "And what's that last part mean?" I asked. He chuckled. "It means Outward Movement. It's military lingo." He said turning away from the sun, and began trotting away from the small town.

I followed him. Sweetie on my back. "So those AMAMs. How did you come up with them?" I asked. "To be honest? Years of trial and error, research, and planning. Now, though, it's literally a breeze to make. I can make the color be different too if you want," Lead replied. "The concept for the AMAMs I use are actually based on the Minie Ball musket round. That's human weapons tech if you're confused." Lead lights a cigarette and trots around Sweetie and I. "Yeah, you both need better barding. Too bad you can't use what I got. I mean, you are ABLE to use it, but the weight is gonna make your combat effectiveness drop like a Megaspell." Lead begins taking the armored barding off the dead Raiders and descends into the settlement once more. He reemerges nearly an hour later with two sets of barding. "Alright, grunts. Put these on." He levitates over two helmets that look almost identical to his. "You're gonna wanna wear these too. I put a squad, short distance, and long-distance radio in the helmets. Now we can communicate easier and silently. Wanna do a radio check?" He asks. I levitate the helmet around examining it. I see a small red button on the side. I then put the helmet on, and press the small button with a hoof. "Hello?" I call. He nods bringing his hoof up to the button on his helmet. "It works. Now, let's head out. We're-" He said. But I cut him off. "Oscar Mike." I said remembering what he had said a moment before. "Good. You're gettin' it, recruit." He said. An audible smile in his voice as he again made his way out of the settlement, and into the heat of day. I put Sweetie on my back, and trotted after Lead who did not hesitate to start walking away from the small town, and slowly toward Friendship City.

Lead's POV (Third Person)

It's common knowledge that Raiders in these regions like to pose as NCR soldiers or even wounded civilians. "Sketch, I want you and Sweetie to stay three feet behind me. If I go down, run back to the Stable. I've lived my life. You two still have your lives." It was at this moment, Lead let his concern for his squad rise to the surface. He alone would lead them through this campaign. Lead halts the group. "Hold up. Stay put." Lead advances along the path then lies down and crawls into the middle of the road. "Shit. Sketch, take the left of the road. Sweetie, stay with him. I'll take the right side point. Oorah?," he commands. "Yes, sir." Sketch replied as he ran to the left side of the road, drew his pistol, and waited for further orders. That's when the mortar rounds fell. "BUCK! GET TO COVER! MOVE!" He began running toward where the rounds originated from. He glowed red, then black, then lead gray, and finally all three. His horn charges up silently and Lead's patented spell was cast. This spell is called The Raven for good reason. It brings death to all it touches. "'Nevermore, quoth the raven.'" A fifty mile wide and hundred mile long scorch of death is all that's left of what once was a Raider mortar crew. Lead trots on, the few flames reflecting in his visor ominously. "You two coming or do I gotta carry you like foals?"

"Coming, sir." I reply as I trot up to the stallion. The radio crackles to life, "-ROW! I SAY AGAIN, THIS IS DASHER 7-2, BROKEN ARROW!" Lead immediately takes charge, "Solid Copy, 7-2. This is Dasher 7-1, breaking radio silence. I authenticate: Foxtrot Lima. How copy, over?" The reply is swift. "ROGER THAT! AO FIFTY METERS SOUTH OF HILL KINDNESS!" That's almost two miles north of the group now. "Stand By for strafing run and ground support. Be advised, ground support is November Uniform. Say again, NOVEMBER UNIFORM infantry support." Lead turns to Sketch and Sweetie. "I want you two to link up with that NCR unit and fight for them like you did with me. They know you're not enlisted." He looks to the sky. "I'll meet you there." He opens his wings and blasts upward and zooms off toward the fighting. When Lead arrived at the battlefield, he saw a group of Zebra combatants that had convinced a few hundred ponies to join their cause and fight their kin. Lead clicks on his radio, "Commencing strafing run. Guns, guns, guns." He comes back around, "Guns, guns, guns." The result is in the NCR unit's favor, as they can now fight the Zebra-Equine unit to their advantage.

(Back to Sketch's POV)

It seemed like an eternity we had been trotting along the desert that was now Equestria. My stomach growled. "Anypony hungry?" I asked. "Sure." Lead said. I opened my saddlebag, and a horrid smell filled my nostrils. The apples had rotted. I tossed them all out, and onto the ground. "Well that's out of the question now." He said as he continued walking. "Got any water?" He asked. I caught up beside him, and looked into my saddlebags once again. "Only one left." I replied. "We'll restock when we get to Friendship City. How many caps ya got, recruit?" He asked. I checked my Pipbucks item screen, and saw 'Bottle Caps'. And to the right of it with parenthesis, the number 235. "235." I said the number aloud. "That should be enough for some food and water." He said. I looked to my Pipbucks map, to see how much longer we had. Surprisingly, not long at all as I looked ahead, and saw something in the distance. "There she is." He whistled. "It's pretty." Sweetie commented. "It sure is." I replied. "Yeah..." Lead said, hesitantly. I looked to him as we walked toward the city. "What is it?" I asked. "I'll...provide perimeter support and overwatch," he said. I looked confused. "What? Why?" I asked. "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." He replied. As we get within about five miles of Friendship City, Lead suddenly and swiftly shoves Sweetie and I with him to the ground behind a small, rolling hill. Taking out a set of binoculars with sunshades, the veteran fighter growls lowly, "The buck are they doing here? That's almost a thousand miles from where they should be. Bucking great." Lead's radio squawks to life, "All NCR Callsigns, this is Dasher 7 Actual, breaking radio silence. I have positive visual ID on Zebra regulars. I say again, positive ID Tango Zulu Romeos. How copy?" There is a pregnant pause. "This is Baker 2-1. Glad you're back, 7-1. But, uhhh, say again the tail end of your last. You were breaking up a bit after ID." "Acknowledged. I have a visual on Tango Zulu Romeos at Grid Papa Uniform Two Five Niner One One Niner, break!" Bullets start riddling the hill and Lead returns fire in controlled bursts, "I SAY AGAIN, POSITIVE VISUAL ID ON PLATOON OF ZEBRA REGULARS! WE ARE UNDER FIRE!" Lead turns to me and begins yelling at me loudly, "OPEN FIRE! OPEN FIRE!" I fire my pistol at the zebra soldiers, but my bullets seem to do little more than annoy the enemies of Equestria. There is virtually no delay in response from the radio. "Solid Copy on all. Stand by, I'm calling it in. Warhammer, this is Baker 2-1, stand by for fire mission." "Baker 2 Actual, this is Warhammer, standing by for fire mission."

"Priority Gold One. I say again, Priority Gold One, Code Foxtrot Lima Black: belay all previous orders, break. Grid to Suppress: Golf Foxtrot Two Seven Niner Three One Six. Grid to Mark: Golf Foxtrot Five Seven Eight Five Six Niner, over." The artillery gunner replies in seconds, "Solid Copy on Priority Gold One Foxtrot Lima Code Black. Grid to Suppress: Golf Foxtrot Two Seven Niner Three One Six. Grid to Mark: Golf Foxtrot Five Seven Eight Five Six Niner, out." "Column of infantry, request Splash. Danger Close, over." "Column of infantry, request Splash. Danger Close, out. Message to observer: Bravo two rounds, two guns in effect. Target number Alpha Whisky Three Two Three, over." "Message to observer: Bravo two rounds, two guns in effect. Target number Alpha Whisky Three Two Three, out." "Shot, over." "Shot, out." "Splash, over." "Splash, out." The rounds send the Zebras into hysterics, a little over half of the platoon biting the dust. "Good effect on target! Callsign Oscar Mike! Stand by for further targets, over!" The remnants of the platoon have us pinned behind the hill and are approaching quickly. Lead crawls toward the top of the hill and pulls out the largest combat knife I've ever laid eyes on, one meant for Earth ponies, judging by the Brass Hoof grip. "GRAB THEIR TAGS! THEY WON'T MISS THEM!" A zebra, this one a Specialist by the rank patch, approaches Lead and goes to run him through with their rifle bayonet. Time seems to slow down. Lead's voice is as if he is next to me, "First, Wave to Satan." Lead smacks down the rifle, the bayonet imbedding into the ground. "Next, Pillage the Nest." Lead rushes forward and is literally in the zebra's face. "Then, Grab the Tie." The zebra is pulled toward Lead by his dogtags. Lead slits the zebra's jugular with ease. It seemed this was second-nature to him. The zebra was dead before it hit the ground, it's dog tags now in a pocket of Lead's gear, were surely other such victims' tags resided in a mass grave. Time resumed in a feeling similar to a head rush. "Time to shed this skin." Lead's appearance ripples and before me stands the last known Equestrian Royal Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Flying Lead.

After the skirmish was over, Zebra corpses littered the ground. Lead, Sweetie, and I made our way to the city. Lead began collecting their tags with no emotion. Lead sighs and looks at Friendship City. In the sun, Lead's medals shine brightly. The brightest is one of his Cutie Mark, a white .58 caliber AMAM sprouting red pegasi wings that overlays an orange shield. Lead's armor is dented and dirty. "Why is your armor so dirty?" Lead smiles, "A knight in shining armor has not had his armor truly tested." I smirked. "I guess that's true." He replied. "Oh, thank you three so much!" A stallion cried. "Huh? What's going on?" I asked as I looked to him. "Those Zebras have been trying to take over this city for years. They stole all our supplies and weapons. But after you three came along and killed them all off, we have nothing left to fear!" He said cheerfully. Lead smirked. "Just another day in the office." He smiled. I nudged him with my hoof. "Lead, don't be so cocky." I laughed. "I ain't cocky. I'm just a sarcastic shit," he said. "Whatever you say." I rolled my eyes smiling. I then looked back to the stallion. "You also seem to have precious cargo with you two." He smiled. I looked to Sweetie who hid behind Lead. "Aww. It's OK. I won't bite." The stallion promised. Sweetie slowly inched her way out from behind him. "See?" He smiled as he inched his hoof out to pet her. "Hey. Do you have any food or water?" I asked. He looked to me sadly shaking his head. "No. They took everything. But while you three are here, make yourselves at home. This is the happiest, and friendliest city in the waste." He smiled. "Well, thank you." Lead smiled. "Well, we're finally here. My Pipbuck said to come here." I said bringing my hoof to my chin in thought.

I then heard the cock of a pistol. My ears twitched. I felt it press against the back of my head. "You were right about the guardian." A robotic voice said. My eyes widened. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Back in Appaloosa. On the hill. Do you know who that was?" The voice asked. "No." I replied. I heard the pony put the gun back. "Turn around." The pony said. I did as I was told, and turned around. I was then met by a pony who smacked me in the face with her lips. I did not see who it was but I kissed back. My eyes widened again. "The only pony I know that kisses like that is..." I began. The pony broke the kiss, and I saw who it was. Pallet. "By the goddesses..." I said softly dropping to my knees. She gave that same soft smile I saw a few weeks back. "It's me." She said. I tightly wrapped my hooves around her, and weeped into her shoulder. She ran her hoof up and down my back. "Shh. It's OK." She cooed as she held me close. I continued for what seemed like hours. I finally broke the hug, and looked into her eyes. She wiped my tears away with her hoof. "Is this Pallet?" Lead asked. "Y- yeah." I replied hugging her again. She turned around, and smiled. "It's nice to meet you. What's your name?" She asked. "Lieutenant Colonel Flying Lead." He replied in monotone. She brought her hoof up to her forehead in a salute. "It's nice to meet you, sir." She said. "At ease." Lead said. Pallet put her hoof back down on the ground. He nodded in respect. Pallet then felt a soft nudge on her leg. She looked down to see Sweetie in front of her. "Oh, hello there." She smiled. "Hi!" Sweetie said. Pallet giggled. "What's your name?" She asked. "Sweetie Drops." She replied. "Well, that's a wonderful name." Pallet replied. Sweetie giggled. "Thank you. You're pretty." She commented. "Thank you. You are too." Pallet replied as she looked to Lead. "Where'd you find her?" She asked. "In a raiders nest in Ponyville in a cage. She had cigarette burns all over her, and just looked awful." He replied levitating her onto his back. She giggled and hugged him. "Oh, wow." She said. She then looked back to me. "And I see you found my message." She said. "Yeah. I did. That's how we knew to go to Appaloosa." I replied. Something then clicked in my head. "Are we ever going to finish that mural back at the Stable?" I asked. "We will. We just need to get back." She replied. "What mural?" Lead asked. Pallet looked to him. "Oh, back at Stable 2, which is where him and I are from, I started a mural in the Stable's mess-hall, but didn't finish it before I left." She replied. "Oh. I wonder what it'll be..." He said, with a hint of venom in his voice.

"What's wrong, buddy?" I asked. "Unknown to you civvies, us military ponies have major beef with Stables. Not to mention how shitty their security training is. I swear the best part of them ran out the crack of their momma's flank and ended up as a brown spot on the mattress!" Lead is on a roll now. "I mean, for buck's sake! WHO IN THE ABSOLUTE BUCK MAKES A TEST TO DECIDE YOUR BUCKING JOB?! SO WHAT, I'D BE A BUCKING MASSEUSE? DO I LOOK LIKE A BUCK TOY, PRIVATE THUNDERLANE?!" He yelled, eyes widening. The memories were resurfacing. Faust, have mercy. "Wow. Calm down. I'm perfectly happy with who I am. Test or no." I replied. Lead's response is to sit on a rock and stare off into space: The Thousand Yard Stare. Sweetie looked like she was about to cry. "I'll go talk to him." I told them, and walked off and over to Lead placing a hoof on his shoulder. Then the weirdest thing next to Pallet kissing me out of nowhere happened: I saw a battlefield from Tartarus. Artillery rounds, bullets, and explosions were everywhere. I felt powerless. That's when an angel descended from the Heavens... A butter yellow pegasus in the shape of the Ministry of Peace's head. All was quiet. "From your lips to Celestia's ears." She said. I looked to the angle in awe. "Who is that?" I asked. "That is Fluttershy Hurricane-Faintheart." He replied. I blinked, and the next thing I knew, she was gone. Lead looked like he had seen the end. "Grab your bucking shit and get ready to move out in five. That's an order." He trots off and retrieves the City's weapons and supplies stolen. I caught up to him. "If I may ask, where are we going?" I asked as I looked to Pallet. "Glad you asked! We're going back to the NCR. Why? You got a problem with it?" "No sir." I replied, trying to hide my new fear of the officer. "Get Pallet a radio and let's get this shit on the road." Lead trots off.

Lead sighs as he looks over his gear. Typically, a Legionnaire weighs about three hundred pounds with gear, weapons, non-combat supplies, and ammo. If the order to load maximum ammo is issued or situation warrants such circumstances, instead of carrying a third of the gear weight in ammo, the proportion is basically their entire weight in ammunition and the pony weighs near five hundred and twenty five pounds. Lead carries almost five times that. It's reason why there are few pegasi in Luna's Legion. The other reason is because Legion combat rigs have two purposes: protect the Legionnaire from everything save being struck down by Faust herself; and to protect Equestrian secrets. The last one is achieved by detonating with the force of a hundred tons of TNT. There have only been two ponies that fell in the line of duty. One of them has a connection to Sketch. If he finds out, it won't be good. After we are finally on the road from Friendship city, I look to Lead. "We need to find the GCCK." I said. He rolls his eyes, "If it's not a smoldering crater. Or a myth. Or both." Pallet gains a confused, yet worried, look, "How can you be so cynical?" At that, Lead about faces in an instant and is in Pallet's face, startling her. "Let's get something straight, grunt. You had the luxury of a Stable. Me? I was raised in Their Majesties' barracks from 17. I've lost a foreleg, had an illegal experiment performed on me, and then watched the outbreak of the Great War. I'm not cynical. I'm a realist. You get all that, Private? Or do I need to repeat myself for you?" His glare is one that would send a dragon running for its brood mother. "Lead." I call sternly. He turns to me glaring. "Leave her alone." I demand. In the blink of an eye, he draws his knife. But I am too quick for him as the knife lands blade in the ground. He looks to me shocked. "I said, leave her alone. Am I understood?" I ask sternly. "Why should I take orders from you? It's because of me your flank is still alive!" He began yelling. "It's because of me you have a friend out in this shit hole!" Lead stiffens. A loud whistling pierces the sky. "BUCK! GET T-!" He shoves me out of the way as an explosion blasts Lead and I off our hooves, throwing the world into darkness.