My Little Pony: Soldier's Side
Chapter 2: Winter War (Operation Sunrise: Part 2)
Princess Celestia was not amused by Princess Ghislaine's sense of humor, "You have no place among the ponies that I rule over, do you hear what pnies have to say about your own species? You are a disease to all of Equestria, you are a plague, and I...am...the cure," said Princess Celestia, a shiver went down Ghislaine's back,
"You would never speak like that toward your own subjects," Ghislaine said with a light snarl to the Princess of the Sun,
"You'd be surprised," said Princess Celestia with a smirk, Ghislaine lightly bowed to the Princess of Equestria, even doing that she managed to hold back from vomiting. Her royal guards escorted her back to the Griffon Kingdom, "humph...there will no dawn for the griffon in Equestria, have all our troops mobilized and ready to invade,"
"Your Majesty, winter's coming, I suggest that we hold back and invade in the spring," a Pegasus commander advised,
"Is that weakness I sense in you, Iron Wing?" she said, seemingly offended by the commander's suggestion, and stamped down a hoof that could be heard throughout the halls of the palace. Iron Wing shook his head 'no', "very good, you have your orders, make sure every able bodied stallion and mare is ready to push north for war,"
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Iron Wing, and made his leave. His little sister only be age was Flash Blade, and she is his acting second-in-command. He looked at her, and shook his head in disapproval of Princess Celestia's orders, "we have orders, muster up the troops, call up reserves, we need all we've got for the invasion of the north,"
"We're invading now? Winter's coming, our earth pony troops won't make it over the mountains," replied Flash Blade,
"I know," said her older brother, "but you have your orders from me...go," his young sister saluted, and sent messengers to the homes of all the enlisted troops and reserves, telling them to suit up and be ready to attack the Griffon Kingdom, 'has the princess's mind turned to steel? I wish she would just listen to reason' he thought,
Meanwhile in the Griffon Kingdom, "Princess Celestia still won't change her mind," said Ghislaine, bowing to the queen,
"Not surprising," said Queen Galiana, "if she is going to come and...visit, it would rude not to be prepared, ready our troops, make sure all our troops and vehicles are ready for the winter," ordered the queen, her daughter saluted and got down to business with the army and navy make sure the Griffon Kingdom is ready to fight back.
'Princess Celestia, it is good to have ambitions, but your pride is misplaced, and it will cost you dearly I fear,' Galiana thought, looking out the window of her throne room. The army winterized the engines of tanks, tank destroyers, armored personnel carriers, trucks, half-tracks, and other vehicles. The vehicles were even painted white.
Ghislaine went to see her second-in-command, a griffon named Gabby, "Oh! Your Majesty," she said with a salute,
"Gabby, good to see you are well in these troubling times," Ghislaine said to the lieutenant fixing the engine on a G.W Panther,
The common soldier was prepared to fight the enemy, and the cold. Helmets were painted white to blend in with the snow, and soldiers wore white rabbit, and sheepskin parkas to keep warm as the snow began to fall, "At ease, Gabby," she said, and observed the preparations being made putting her talon on the gun house of a G.W Panther.
"Don't worry, we will let Princess Celestia hear us," said Gabby confidently to her commanding officer and princess,
"Our voices will be heard from the battle cry of the soldier to the roar of the cannon," said the princess putting a gentle sisterly hand on Gabby's shoulder, and moving up to lightly tap her on the right cheek of her face. Gabby is Ghislaine's best friend, and with commanders Gilda and Greta as well. She couldn't ask for better officers,
Engines rumbled, and troops flew and marched to the border. Rifle-griffons and machine gunners were placed in foxholes in the snow and tundra. Katzchen armored personnel carriers also acted as artillery tractors pulling field guns and howitzers to form batteries. G.W Panthers and Jagdpanthers were ready to face Equestria's might.
The skies began to fill with Pegasi troops, "So it begins," said Queen Galiana, her nation is now at war,
Equestrian M95 (T95E1) medium tanks and M24 Chaffee light tanks led the armored charge across the border. Hamlets in the countryside were all burned to the ground, and it inhabitants including tercels, hens, and hatchlings were massacred in their thousands. The ponies seek to bring about the beginning of the end of the griffon species.
Griffon resistance was strong, but the sheer numbers of ponies forced many tactical retreats at the front, "Fall back! Fall back!" called out a griffon officer,
Princess Ghislaine was not one to shy away from battle. She was on the frontlines of combat. With a MG39Rh machine gun and Gabby acting as the loader and rifle support. She moved about the long battlefield dodging exploding shells and constant machine gun fire. Gabby followed right on her tail carrying ammunition for the weapon.
"Go! Go! Go!" Princess Ghislaine blasted amid battle's roar nearly escaping a 90mm tank shell. The machine gun team found cover behind the burning wreck of a knocked out "Sabelzahntiger" E-60 Ausf. A and started shooting back at the enemy, killing two. The stand was brave, but the numbers were too great. The Griffon Kingdom had been invaded
Ponies and Griffons fell on both sides in the snow of the southern border, "Be ready, Gabby, we are going into the fire,"