[Golden Woods Pennsylvania USA]
A helicopter flies overhead through American skies as a news crew captures the images of a large number of people marching together in loose formations. The camera zooms in and reveals that they are high school students, ages fourteen through seventeen. All of them are dressed in pre modern uniforms and clothing. Most are wearing white eighteenth century long sleeved tunics with some wearing jackets and coats of the same era over them. Many also have leather vambraces, vests and shin guards too. But the most noticeable feature are the kilts. More specifically, belted plaids or great kilts around their waists and over their shoulders. The hates and shoes are also of a Scottish fashion with the students resembling Jacobites.
And along with the uniforms of the Highland Scottish Rebels they also carry the weapons of the time too. Singlehanded melee weapons such as maces, axes, basket-hilt swords, Scottish daggers called dirks, targes which were shields used by the rebels, spears, bows and arrows, crossbows, flintlock muskets with bayonets and pistols and even Scottish greatswords called claymores. There were a number of them on horseback as well giving orders and leading their troops. And of course, it wouldn't be a proper Scottish army without some students playing bagpipes and drums with the soldiers marching to Scotland the Brave. As the camera zooms in to get a closer look at the students marching, the news reporter begins speaking.
A young woman in her mid twenties with blonde hair and brown hair spoke into her microphone. "This is Susan Chambers from Channel 9 News, reporting to you live from the skies over Golden Woods Pennsylvania. A popular park that once again will become another battlefield between rival high schools. As you can see below, over nine hundred students dressed in kilts and armed with pre modern weapons are marching in rows to take their place on the battlefield. I have Scott Harrison on the ground now. Scott?" she said to her guy on the ground.
On the ground was a black man in a grey suit. In front of him was his cameraman and behind him were the students still marching. "Thanks Susan." he said when he heard her. "Right behind me as you can see are hundreds of students dressed and armed for pre modern warfare. The leader of them right here is the Army Commander Liam MacDonald of High Mountain High in West Virginia." he said walking over to a seventeen year old boy dressed like his fellow students. He had shaggy brown hair and grey eyes. "Commander, would you please tell the American people who you all are and why you're here today?" he asked before holding the microphone up for him.
"Certainly." he said with a smile. "I am Liam MacDonald, a Senior of High Mountain High, classroom 4-16 and recently elected Commander of the West Virginian Highlanders." he answered.
"I see" the reporter replied speaking into the mic again. "And why are you all dressed as Scottish warriors?" he asked before holding out the mic for him to answer.
"The overwhelming majority of our students, about ninety seven percent are either Americans of Scottish ancestry or even Scottish immigrants who're now attending. As for our choice of attire and weaponry, we study the history of Great Britain, more specifically Scotland during the Jacobite Rebellions. The students of our school organize our armies and train to fight the same way the Highlanders did against the English during the seventeenth and eighteenth century." he explained.
The reporter nodded and spoke into the mic again. "And are you facing off against the school of English soldiers today?" he asked before holding out the mic once again.
"No not this time." he said with a smile. "This time, we're fighting the Streltsy of Vermont." he told him.
"The Streltsy?" he asked confused.
"Russians." he growled before spitting off to the side like just saying it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"So why are you fighting the Russian Streltsy?" he asked him.
"They made fun of our kilts. They called them skirts and said it made us look girly." he said with a scowl.
"...You declared war on another school over a petty insult?" he asked flabbergasted.
"Are you kidding me? I'd declare war on you for a Klondike Bar." he said before walking off.
Scott was puzzled for a moment before turning back to the cameraman. "And there you have it folks. An army of high school students who train and fight like Scottish Highlanders. Back to you Susan." he finished.
Up in the skies again Susan spoke into the camera. "Thanks Scott. We've just received word that Glen Lawson is on the ground with the other army right below us. Glen?" she said talking to her fellow reporter.
Glen was a man with black hair and dark eyes wearing grey dress pants, a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a red tie. "Thanks Susan." he said into the camera. "Behind me as you can see are the students from Vermont who've come to do battle with the Highlanders. And as mentioned earlier, they're dressed and armed like Russian Streltsy." he said letting the camera zoom in on them. Each student was dressed in the uniform worn by Russian warriors during the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Their colorful uniforms were either red, green or yellow. They all carried a large arsenal of weapons such as Russian sabers, shields, pikes, battle axes known as the bardiche, bows and arrows and arquebuses.
Several students were also on horseback while others played drums and other instruments. Glen then walked up to another student to speak with him. "Are you the Commander of this army?" he asked holding out his mic.
A young man, about seventeen with blonde hair neatly trimmed and blue eyes leaned in to answer. "Yes. My name is Aleksandr Denisovich. Senior student of Valley Springs High School, classroom 2-07 and currently elected Commander of the Vermont Streltsy." he told him.
"I see." he replied speaking into the mic again. "So if I were to guess, your school studies the history of Russia and your students train and fight like the Streltsy did?" he asked.
"You are indeed correct." he answered. "Our school curriculum is the history of Russia and how it fought wars during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Most of us, myself included are of Russian ancestry but about twenty percent are minorities of Belarussian, Ukrainian and Polish with another two percent being other." he explained.
"And you've traveled all the way to Golden Woods Pennsylvania just to fight the Scottish Highlanders from West Virginia?" he asked him.
He smiled and leaned into the mic. "I told their Commander he looked like a little girl in a dress. He turned red from fury and declared war on the spot." he answered.
"You called him a little girl?" he asked.
"When we see him again I'm going to tell him to stop shagging his sheep." he said before turning around to mount his horse and ride alongside his fellow students.
Glen then turned back to the camera. "And there you have it. Eleven hundred Streltsy from Vermont are going to clash with nine hundred Highlanders from West Virginia all because of childish insults. I suppose there are crazier reasons to go to war. Back to you Susan." he finished.
This time on the ground, Susan spoke into the camera. "Thanks Glen. I'm on ground level now where spectators for the upcoming battle are setting up seats and food shacks to watch the fight ensue." she said before turning to another man who stood off to her side. "So are you here to watch the Battle Royal too Sir?" she asked him.
He was a man in his early forties with brown hair that was a little grey on the side. "As I have done every time a school picks a fight with another school." he answered. "I played the same exact war games back when I was in high school and loved every minute of it." he told her.
"There are people who aren't entire familiar with the Battle Royal. Would you kindly explain to the viewers so they can have some clarity?" he asked.
"Sure." he said turning towards the camera. "In the words of General George Patton, Americans love the sting of battle. So after the second World War high school students all over the country started settling rivalries and disputes on large and open battlefields like this one behind us. And they fight it out in pre modern warfare such as linear tactics and hand to hand combat from the Medieval Period through the mid nineteenth century like we did during the American Civil War." he explained.
"But isn't that dangerous?" she asked real quickly.
"Well contrary to popular belief none of the weapons are real. Melee weapons are actually solid foam shaped like the real weapons but with iron on the inside to keep them in shape. Swords, spears, axes, maces, bayonets, even the arrowheads are all none lethal. Nobody ever dies in this conflict, but they do get reall really big boo boos some times." he said with a cheeky grin.
"And what about the firearms?" she asked.
"Real black powder, but they fire paintballs. They hurt like a son of a bitch when they hit you, but again none lethal." he answered.
"And the cannons?" she asked once more.
"Really really big paintballs." he answered.
"And what are the rules?" she asked real quick.
"Couldn't be simpler. No head shots, and no hitting anyone below the belt. Yeah obvious reasons. Each army has a Commander who acts as the General. The fight is over when the opposing Commander is either captured, defeated or calls a retreat. Diplomacy is also used to settle a dispute but that's rare. Most students are eager to blow off some steam and beat the shit out of each other." he explained.
"And you said that this is what you did back when you were a student?" she asked.
"That is correct." he answered reaching into his wallet and pulling out a picture to show her. "I was a part of a school where the curriculum was the tactics used during the American Civil War. I was a part of the Pennsylvanian Union Boys." he said showing her a picture taken of a seventeen year old boy dressed as a Union soldier with a musket and bayonet on his shoulder. "Me and the Johnny Rebs from Virginia fought one another so many times it was easy to lose count. Ironically most of my best friends today were Confederate soldiers from the Virginian school." he told her smiling at the fond memories of his youth.
"I've also noticed that a lot of Mamono are not only attending to witness the fight, but are actually fighting on the battlefields with human students as well. Has that become common these days?" she asked.
"Aw hell yeah." he said chuckling. "Ever since the massive success of the ICEP fifty years ago Monster girls have been participating in the same exact ways of American life as everyone else. School and the Battle Royals included. Funny enough, most of them are treating the battles as a way to meet with and flirt with the boys. That's how I met my wife you understand." he said pulling out another picture, showing him standing next to a Scylla woman and their Scylla daughter who was smiling her brightest. "You see I was a soldier for my schools team and she was a battlefield nurse. I suffered a pretty bad leg injury during an engagement, happens sometimes and she cared for me before things took off y'know." he said shrugging his shoulders.
Susan then turned back towards the camera. "And there you have it. A first hand look at one of the biggest games and pass times for American students. Today, another fierce battle will be waged here in Golden Woods Pennsylvania between the West Virginian Highlanders and the Vermont Streltsy. This is Susan Chambers signing out." she said before the cameras were cut.
The the battlefield chosen was huge. It's a mile and a half long north going south and another two miles west going east. There are thick green woods on most of the edges with trees dotted all around within. There are hills of all sizes rolling through and a gentle stream flowing southward from the west. From the north, a couple of Russian cavalrymen rode up and over the hill on a gentle trot. The Commander of the Streltsy, Aleksandr Denisovich with two of his bodyguards following him closely. The army was coming up behind them shortly and he decided to get a better look at the land. From his position he got a clear view of the whole battlefield and he could see on the edges spectators there to watch him and his Streltsy battle the Scots.
Interestingly enough, there was a group of Jacobites sitting out in the middle of the field much to his surprise. A half dozen West Virginian students dressed as Highlanders sitting in a half circle and it looks like they were having breakfast. Three of them were human males and three of them were Mamono. One was a Weresheep with blonde hair and green eyes with wool growing around her neck, covering her upper arms and hooves in place of feet. Another was a Wererabbit with brown hair and eyes with floppy bunny years on her head, prominent buck teeth and large rabbit feet. The last was a Cu Sith who strongly resembled a beagle and wearing her own little belted plaid like her fellow Mamono were all wearing.
But the one that stood out of course was the Commander of the Jacobites himself. Liam MacDonald sitting in the middle and passing food from a frying pan to plates with all the people sitting with him. He looked up and waved at them, letting them know he knew they were there. So the Streltsy leader rode down with his bodyguards to speak with him. His troops have already arrived and were taking their positions so they as well try and be diplomatic here.
"How are we today?" Liam asked before taking a bite of his food.
"What is this?" Aleksandr asked looking at the small party before them.
"This Sir, is a Full English Breakfast." he answered showing him.
The Weresheep then smiled and nodded before looking up at him. "A Full English Breakfast is one of the most popular dishes not only in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but also internationally." she said cheerfully before taking a bite.
The Wererabbit to the left then smiled and nodded in agreement. "A Full English usually has two fried eggs, three strips of bacon, three sausages, some baked beans, some mushrooms, a grilled tomato and a couple pieces of toast to mop it all up." she told him in a soft and cheery voice. "Some people also enjoy black pudding with their Full English. I personally don't, but to each their own." she finished.
That was when the Cu Sith was pouring coffee into everyone's cups. "And of course, no Full English is complete without a tea or a coffee to wash it all down." said the little dog girl with a friendly smile and her tail wagging behind her.
Aleksandr looked puzzled. "You're having breakfast...in the middle of the battlefield?" he asked looking at all of them. "And you do understand that it's almost eleven right?" he asked as well.
"Well in our defense, we missed breakfast so technically this is brunch." replied Liam.
"And where's your army? I came here expecting warriors and a battle." he told them.
And almost as soon as he finished asking the question, he could hear drums and bagpipes off in the distance. Looking up he could see the Jacobites taking their positions from one end of the field to the other. Liam smiled and looked back up at Aleksandr.
"I told you I would bring warriors. And so warriors I brought." I told him.
"And you here meeting with me is for negotiations?" the Streltsy leader asked.
"No I lured you out here just to tell you personally you're an asshole." he said before standing up from his seat and walking up to look at the Russian, still mounted on his horse. "And I have an offer for you. You and your troops, lay down your banners and your arms and march straight back to your State and we can all home and call it a day. You do that, and you'll save yourself a beating. Do it not and I'll feed you your teeth." he told him.
"You certainly don't lack for confidence Comrade. But we have the bigger army. We have more horses and more cannons than you do. You are outmatched." he said with a grin.
"I wasn't finished." he continued. "Before we let you leave, you must dismount your horse, march across this battlefield, introduce yourself to that army." he said pointing behind himself with his thumb. "Put your head in between your legs and kiss your own ass." he said with a smug.
The Streltsy Commander's grin vanished so without a word they turned around and rode off to meet with the rest of his men. "Oh well, we tried." said one of the other boys shrugging his shoulders.
"Looks like we didn't get dressed up for nothing." said Liam as he helped everyone clean up and walk back to where their army was waiting for them.
By noon, both armies had similar positions on opposite ends of the battlefield. Cannons set up on the high ground to maximize their range with cavalry covering the flanks of their infantry. The Streltsy had pike men in the front and archers behind them on the flanks with the main force in the center. The men armed with their bardiches and arquebuses forming the majority and in the center with soldiers armed with swords and shields behind them and acting as shock infantry. The Jacobites were a little less organized but still had the sense of putting the men armed with spears on the front as well as the flanks, archers and musketeers behind them and every man had at least a singlehanded weapon as back up with the ones using claymores as heavy shock infantry.
Liam stood before his troops with a proud smile on his face and ready to give a speech. Both the human and Mamono Jacobites watched him seriously. "ARE YOU READY FOR A WAR?!" he shouted followed immediately by the Highlanders cheering loudly. "Highlanders of West Virginia! Who and what are we?!" he asked shouting loudly.
[Play The Bagpipes Version Of "Shipping Up To Boston" Now]
"WE ARE THE JACOBITES!" they all shouted together.
"And why do we call ourselves Jacobites?!" he asked yelling.
"WE FIGHT IN HONOR OF KING JAMES STEWART!" they all chanted.
"And why have we been ordained by God to fight in his memory on American soil this day?!" he asked practically spitting from yelling so loudly.
"BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE CAN OR WILL!" they all shouted.
"THAT AND BECAUSE IT'S FUCKING FUN!" he screamed to the top of his lungs as they all cheered. He then drew his basket-hilt sword and held it up. "Now I say, on this hour, on this day, we show em our hearts! And after that, we cut em out and show em theirs!" he screamed to another cheer from everyone as they worked themselves up into a frenzy.
From across the field the Streltsy were seeing the Highlanders cheering loudly and could hear them clearly from the other end. "Looks like they're in high spirits Commander." said one of them mounted on a horse next to his leader. "What are your orders Commander?" he asked looking over to him.
"Prepare the cannons and make ready to fire." he answered.
The one on the horse nodded and rode off quickly to relay orders to the artillery. The Commander kept his attention on the Highlanders. He wanted to see what they would do first as his position gave him full view of their army. From what he could tell their formations and how their men were positioned made sense. Cannons on the high ground, cavalry on the flanks, melee unites on the front with ranged units behind them. He was hoping to bring them in a little closer so that he could rain arrows down on them before having rows of his men fire their arquebuses upon them. The warning shots he would fire would not only test the range of his cannons but hopefully get a reaction from the Highlanders but also see what they would do.
The Highlanders held their ground while drums and bagpipes started playing. After a couple of seconds they all started shouting and taunting the Streltsy by yelling and screaming profanities at them. One guy decided to take a page from Mel Gibson's Braveheart and take a few steps out to lift his kilt and flash his danglers at the Russians. All the Scots on the front lines decided to follow suite and soon hundreds of Highlanders were flashing them. Showing off their downstairs in all their glory. Commander Aleksandr was unimpressed and gave the order for the cannons to fire. The Streltsy have a total of forty men to man the ten cannons they had. Within seconds the early model cannons started thundering loudly across the battlefield.
All shots missed but the Highlanders did duck down while they shots fired hit the ground all around them and sending large splashes of black paint splattering around them and leaving the images of impact craters where they hit the ground. After a couple of seconds the Jacobites stand up and start yelling and taunting the enemy again. And once again, taking a page from the popular yet historically inaccurate movie directed by Mel Gibson, they all turn around, bend over and started mooning the Streltsy from the other end of the field and flashing their bare asses at them. Once again, the Russian Commander was unimpressed. He gives the order for the cannons to fire again and this time actually try to do some damage since they were in range.
Within seconds the Streltsy fire their cannons again and this time four out of ten shots hit their intended targets. Two shots it the front line, one in the corner and another in the center taking out twelve Highlanders. One shot hits the line behind them and takes out another five and one well placed shot blows out the wheels of two cannons at once and knocks them out of the battle, cutting out two of the five Jacobite cannons. As soon as the dust settles the Highlanders stand up and reform their lines and then begin marching forward with the drums and bagpipes playing behind them. After about twenty paces the eighty Highlander cavalry they have actually turn tail and ride away in the exact opposite direction. Aleksandr only smiles at that.
"Look at that, every one of them on a horse is fleeing. Our cavalry will ride them down like grass. Send them in, ride them down." he ordered.
"Commander I advise sending in skirmishers first." said one of his captains.
"Nonsense full attack!" he barked. "And tell the artillery to fire at will." he added.
His captain rode off to deliver his orders and within moments the cannons were firing off at them freely while the Russian cavalry were forming up to prepare to charge. While cannons fired down upon them the Jacobites marched forward and Liam gave the order to pick up the pace so they started moving quicker. At this point the Russian cavalry have formed up and started galloping forward towards the Scots. Aleksandr was genuinely wondering if Liam was this stupid. The battle is over as soon as one of the commanders is either defeated, captured or orders a surrender or retreat. Yet Liam is marching on the front lines with his troops towards a cavalry charge and under artillery fire. If a cannon shot doesn't take him out the cavalry charge will.
On the ground Liam noticed that the Russian cavalry were picking up speed and heading straight towards him. Exactly what he was hoping for. "Make ready lads and lasses!" he shouted as they noticed the mounted Russians were galloping straight towards them. Liam ordered them to slow down now but they kept marching forward shoulder to shoulder. The men on the front had their targes locked and their spears pointed forward. "On my command!" he cried as the Russians were getting closer and closer. They were now only a hundred feet away and they were letting out a battle cry as they lowered their lances and brandished their curved sabers. And at the very last second Liam gave the order. "NOW!" he screamed to the top of his lungs.
The Highlanders stopped and the entire first row of men ducked down on their knees while the row behind them, the Scots with muskets took aim and fired. Shots rang out like thunder rolling across the hills as each gun let out a loud BOOM with a flash of fire and smoke emerging from their muzzles. The Russian cavalry were instantly met with a hailstorm of paintballs and soon dozens of men were getting hit and simply falling off their mounts while other stray shots would hit the horses themselves. The horses would cry out in pain and buck before knocking the rider off his back. The row of musketeers then knelt down and started quickly reloading while the first row stood up again. This time each one drew a flintlock pistol and fired another volley.
The Russians who weren't hit before were now getting picked off one after another and soon they were down more than half their number and completely disorganized. The Highlanders let out a war cry and charged forward to finish them off. One by one they started pulling the mounted warrior off his horse and finishing him with a quick blow of a sword, axe, mace or dirk. Within seconds, the Russians just lost their entire cavalry. The horses have all ran off to be captured again later while their riders were now laying around the field pretending to be dead or wounded.
"Reform the line lads and lasses! This fight ain't over yet!" he shouted as they quickly scrambled to get back into formation.
From his position, Aleksandr was very displeased. He had a feeling that the Scots were planning something but he allowed his overconfidence to fall into their trap. And now he had lost his entire cavalry. He did his best to keep his composure letting our a frustrated huff.
"Commander?" asked his captain.
"Archers." he replied. "They're in range for our archers now so make it rain." he ordered.
The captain nodded and rode off and within moments the Streltsy archers all notched arrows into their bows, lifted them up, drew them back and let them fly. The Highlanders reacted quickly by all getting on their knees with their targes over head. The arrows would hit the shields and a few made their mark. A couple of boys and a Lizard girl were hit. They would let out a yell and then flop over and soon the arrows would stop. The Streltsy would fire again and the Highlanders would remain low to the ground while arrows rained down on them. Again only a couple of them would actually hit an intended target while the rest would bounce off the shields and fall to the grass. That was when Liam stood up to throw another insult.
"Is that the best you can do you vodka smelling son of an Orthodox Wench?!" he shouted.
That was the final straw. "Captain." Aleksandr growled. "Lead the first company in for the first wave of the attack. Pike men in the front, arquebuses behind." he told him.
"My rules of engagement Commander?" he asked.
"I want you and your men to capture Commander Liam MacDonald and stuff his head up his own ass." he hissed.
He nodded and rode off. "MAKE READY!" he called.
The Scots watched as the Streltsy were forming new formations with pikes in the front, standing shoulder to shoulder with the spear tips pointed forward and then the arquebuses forming up right behind them. The captain then shouted another order and the Streltsy began to move forward again. This is exactly what the Highlanders were hoping for. Getting up close and personal with hand to hand combat is exactly what they specialize in. Now among the Streltsy they were mostly human boys but they spotted at least a dozen and a half different Mamono with them. There were Werewolves, Jinko, some Lizard girls and a few Zombies of all things. The Jacobites' front lines once again stood shoulder to shoulder with their targes locked and spears forward.
The two lines made their way closer and closer to one another at a walking pace so as not to break formation. The Russian archers started firing again so the Highlanders quickly raised their shields to deflect them. A few were hit but no real damage yet. That was when the Streltsy front lines halted and when the captain gave the order they all got down on one knee with their pikes still pointing forward but this gave the men behind the view they needed. They quickly set up the butts of their bardiches on the ground and used them as a stand to better aim their arquebuses. Liam ordered them to halt once they were fifty feet away and once they did the Streltsy opened fire. The shields were able to deflect a fair number of paintballs but half a dozen more were hit.
This of course was what they were waiting for. While the Streltsy rushed to reload, the Highlanders unleashed everything they had. The first row knelt just like before and all the muskets were fired into the Russian ranks. Dozens of Streltsy pike men and arquebeses were dropping like flies since the Scots were using eighteenth century black powder flintlocks which were not only slightly more accurate than the arquebuses they were using but at close range they were devastating. Far from over, each Highlander drew their pistols and fired all of them as well dropping dozens more. All this black powder going off all at once created a huge cloud of smoke which temporarily blinded the Russians. That was when they heard the war cries of the Highlanders.
They charged out of the smoke at full speed with spears, swords, axes and maces as well as bayonets at the end of their muskets. The pike men were bled quite a bit by the constant gun fire so their wall of spear tips wasn't thick enough to stop them. Liam was the first to crash into their ranks, bringing down one of the Streltsy with a swift blow of his basket-hilt sword. The row of Streltsy in the back by now had finished reloading, took aim and fired one last barrage into enemy lines, dropping as many as they could before slinging the guns over their backs with the straps, lifting their bardiches and charging in with full fury to aid their brothers before they're overwhelmed. Within moments it was a chaotic free for all between the Scots and the Russians.
As fierce fighting raged on, with boys and monster girls battling it out, yelling, the clashing of weapons, screaming and falling all about on the field, that was when the battlefield nurses began running out to recover the injured. Human girls and other Mamono dressed in white nurses uniforms with white nurse hats that have red crosses on them and each girl had a red arm band on her upper arm with a little white cross symbolizing her status as a non combatant looking for students who've suffered injuries in the fight. One of the nurses is a Giantess named Gretha. She was small for her race, only standing at seven foot eight with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was a freshmen at school, only fourteen years old and this was her first battle.
Luckily her status as a battlefield nurse kept her safe as it's against the rules for anyone to harm a battlefield nurse. A few times either a Streltsy or a Jacobite was about to attack her but then stopped themselves, apologized and then would run off to fight someone else instead. She heard groaning and looked to see one of Highlander boys laying on the ground in agony, clutching his stomach.
"Awwww, you poor little dear." she said kneeling down to the boy. He was another freshman student with curly red hair, green eyes and several dimples on his cheeks. "Where does it hurt?" she asked placing her hand on his forehead and smiling.
"My chest." he grunted. "One of the Streltsy slammed his bardiche into my rib cage full force. It hurts to move or take deep breaths." he said as she carefully and gently lifted him up in her arms.
"It's okay. I'm going to take you back to the medical field and we'll take good care of you." she said cheerfully. "My name's Gretha, what's yours?" she asked as she carried him away completely ignoring the fierce fighting all around them.
"My name is Connor." he said relaxing in her warm and comfortable embrace.
From atop his positions Aleksandr could see that his forces on the front were being slowly driven back. Not only were the Highlanders making excellent use of their skills in close quarters combat, especially with their skill with claymores, but several company's of Highlander archers moved around to the side to encircle the Streltsy and rain arrows on them. He could also see Liam from a distance now. Liam MacDonald fought furiously with a basket-hilt sword in his right hand, a targe over his left arm and a dirk in his left hand. This was his chance to end the battle. He gave the order and he would personally lead the charge of the rest of his army into the mass. With the Highlanders been fighting this long they must be tired so his men would be fresh.
He drew his sword and rode forward with the rest of the Streltsy drawing their sabers and charging in behind them. The fresh troops slammed into the free for and the Highlanders were beginning to feel overwhelmed.
"HOLD YOUR GROUND LADS AND LASSES!" Liam shouted before cutting down another Russian who tried to attack.
Aleksandr from atop his horse was riding through the crowds of warriors and slashing at each Scot who rushed him. "CUT THEM DOWN! VICTORY IS UPON US!" he cried out making his way towards the other Commander.
The Scots were being forced back now. Liam and all his captains were struggling to keep their men from retreating. The Highlanders were fighting long and hard but many of them were getting tired and the Streltsy have the advantage of numbers and fresh troops. Things seemed to be getting really desperate now. But that was when they all heard loud battle cries coming in. Liam looked to see and he smiled as his plan was working. The cavalry that faked a retreat at the begging of the battle had rode around enemy positions as they planned and were now charging down hill at full speed towards their Streltsy. They practically mowed over the Russian archers before riding into the Streltsy's exposed flank. And now it came down to the Commanders.
With the Highlander cavalry riding through, it provided a much needed boost to moral to the Scots who felt they were being overwhelmed. This burst caused them to fight back even harder and soon the two armies were in a deadlock. Both Commanders were cutting down foes left and right as they made their way to one another in the hopes of finishing off one another and ending the battle. Aleksandr was slashing wildly left and right when a Scot managed to yank him off his horse. He fell to the ground but before he could be finished he avoids the blow from the enemy soldier and rolls back up to his feet and quickly counters with a slash, cutting him down. He then reaches down and picks up a Russian shield then finally he reaches Liam MacDonald.
Like something out of a fantasy epic the two Commanders were now face to face while their men did battle all around them. "You put up a good fight." Liam said with a smirk.
"You and your men also fought well. Truly, you have exceeded my expectations." he replied.
"My thanks." he said lifting his sword and holding it in a ready stance.
"Are you ready to finish this?" Aleksandr asked quickly brandishing his saber and lifting his shield up to guard his center.
"Ladies first." Liam mocked.
The two threw themselves at one another in a battle crazed fury as blades clashed against shield and blade. All around them the Highlanders and the Streltsy were locked in mortal combat. All around humans and monster girls yelled and screamed as they fought bitterly with their foes. Around the sides archers and musketeers continued firing either at one another or into the center. In the middle it was a chaotic free for all as the swung their weapons wildly and some who even lost their weapons would tumble around in the dirt desperately struggling in a rough grappling. All around too soldiers were dropping left and right with human and monster girl battlefield nurses trying to recover those who were badly hurt and get them to their med camps.
But finally, all fighting stopped when their attention was drawn to their Commanders. Liam stood tall, had a couple of bruises on his forehead but his lips curled into a smile. The straps to his shield broke mid battle and he lost his dirk but me managed to throw his opponent to the ground. Aleksandr had been disarmed and was now laying on his back. When he tried sitting up he felt the Highlander's sword on his chest, just over his heart. He too had a few bruises on his face and was right now scowling at the Scot who just bested him. Everyone all around awaited eagerly to see what would happen next. They were practically holding their breaths in anticipation and it was so quiet now you could hear the birds singing again in the trees.
"Commander Denisovich, say it." Liam spoke.
The Streltsy huffed but nodded before finally saying it loud enough to everyone to hear. "I surrender." he said before closing his eyes in defeat.
The whole battlefield roared to life once again as the Highlanders cheered. Liam raised his sword over his head and cried "VICTORY! WE HAVE VICTORY!" and the cries got only louder from then on.
That was when the spectators cheered and clapped as well. And as soon as they did, those who lay out in the middle of the battlefield pretending to be dead or wounded, Streltsy and Jacobite alike stood up and waved to to cheering crowds of people in response. Liam looked down at his former opponent and this time offered him a helping hand. The cheering continued but many watched and waited to see how Aleksandr would respond. The cheers roared to life once more as the defeated Streltsy leader smiled back and accepted the assistance. Both of them shook hands and congratulated one another for a hard fought battle. And all around them the Scots and Russians did the same. Even throwing themselves upon their former enemies.
Not in mortal combat, but embracing them in brotherly love and affection. A show of good sportsmanship.
[Author's Notes] Now I know what you guys are all thinking right now. Dragon, what the fuck did I just read? Have you gone completely and totally pants crapping insane? (Possibly) To answer that here's the full summery. In an alternate America Monster Girls or Mamono have been a part of American society for over fifty years. They occupy every institution of our society and enjoy the same rights and liberties as everyone else. There are even interspecies marriages with interesting hybrids. But there's also a new sport that's been an American tradition since the end of the first World War. The history of warfare and martial arts are now required as an important part of the school curriculum. And as such, there are bitter school rivalries all the time so when tensions boil over, whole schools will mobilize their students into armies numbering in the hundreds and wage wars with one another. And depending on the history of the specific country they're studying and the time period, that's the kind of army they raise and fight with. There are schools that study famous warriors and kings from the medieval period and form armies like Knights, Vikings and even Samurai, there are those who study the early modern era and wage wars like the style we've just read. There are even schools that study the battles waged during the American Revolution and American Civil War eras. You get the idea. And it wouldn't be fun if we couldn't mix and match different armies from different time periods and see what happens wouldn't it? Also, there are monster girl students too because why the fuck not?
"But Dragon." I hear you say. "This doesn't make any goddamn sense!" Well paragraph in my script, neither does Girls Und Panzer. That's an anime about Moe High School Girls in a High School Drama setting where they drive World War Two tanks and shoot at one another with live ammunition and by nothing short of a miracle, nobody ever dies in that show. And yet their fanbase can't help spunking all over it. (Literally in some cases)
Anyway, thanks so much for reading my stories. Please leave me a Review and let me know what you guys thought of it and if you have any ideas you wanna pitch talk to me in a PM I try to respond to all my messages. And thanks to GoatManOfAnime for bete reading my story for me. Really appreciate that buddy.
This is Dragon1990 signing out :-)