Mint20: Sorry about the confusion! Forgot to make one large edit to the story! (Curse you, line breaks) Enjoy, and don't forget to review!
Chapter 7: Train Ride
The Great Equestrian War
"And no matter what, stay as a unit," I said. "Understand?"
The hundred soldiers I had been drilling snapped a firm salute. "Yes, sir!" they bellowed.
"Again, from the top!"
The soldiers began to mill about, organizing themselves. I waited three seconds, then yelled, "Enemy sighted!"
The soldiers snapped into line, readying their weapons.
"Iaculum parata!" I yelled. As one, the hundred soldiers prepared one of the two javelins they carried.
"Iactare!" I bellowed. As one again, they cast forward their weapons.
"Iterum!" I yelled. They threw the second javelin
"Cessum!" The machine lurched into motion as the troop advanced. They were hesitant at first, but as the rhythm was established, the century move faster and faster until they were at tempo and in step. With a yell of "Claudos," the troop stopped.
"Got it?" I asked my generals.
"Yes sir."
"Good. Train them. I expect a full legion to be ready for combat when I return. That is five thousand combat troops. Make it happen."
I turned away, turning to Princess Twilight. "Alright. You ready?"
"Yes," she responded. A frown knit her brow, and she asked "Why do you use Ancient Equestrian to issue the orders? That language is dead."
"Exactly," I replied. "And because it is a dead language, there is a lesser chance that the enemy will understand my orders."
"Ah, makes sense."
"Anyways, we move out in five. We can take the train as far as the White Trail Woods. I was thinking that we will avoid Appleosa all together. The risk as far too great."
"Agreed. But why don't we take the train all the way to Las Pegasus?"
I paused. "Well, I was thinking we should avoid large cities all together. You never know where a spy might be."
"Maybe," she responded. " We should meet the others."
Others? I asked myself. Before I could ask, however, my question was answered. We rounded the corner, and there was Twilight's five friends.
"You're kidding. You're kidding, right? Civilians cannot accompany us."
"Why not?" asked Twilight.
"Well, for starters, I can't guarantee their safety."
"Oh, we are so scared," the mare I assumed Rainbow Dash said. "Nopony helped us when we faced Nightmare Moon or Discord or King Sombra."
"True," I admitted. "However, none of them had large, well-organized armies out for your blood."
Applejack scoffed. "Well, Ah remember plenty o' changelings at the Battle o' Canterlot."
"Also true," I acknowledged. "But that is nothing like what we will encounter during this war." At the word war, the tension spiked in the area.
"How so?" inquired Rarity.
"Try imagining armies as far as the eye can see. Thousands, tens of thousands, all waving razor-sharp swords and spears. Each one is screaming for your blood. Try that."
"...Doesn't matter," Rainbow said after a moment's hesitation. "We are not leaving Twilight behind, no matter what."
"I admire your courage, but pity your intelligence," I responded, sarcastically. She started to speak, but I held up a hoof. "More important than your safety or courage, however, is the fact that this is a stealth mission, amongst all other objectives. I will bet anything that their are griffon, maybe even changeling spies or scouts roaming the countryside. Princess Twilight and I would probably go unnoticed. However, a group of seven ponies, especially if one is an Alicorn, could draw attention from ten kilometers away. I cannot allow you to come."
"Thunder Crasher?" Princess Twilight said.
"Yes?"
"Drop it."
Dimly, I felt my jaw drop open. I quickly shut it and responded, "Why?" I was certain that when I explained the logic behind my position, Twilight would back me up…
"One, you will never convince them in a million years. Two, because I will become very hard to travel with if you force my friends to stay behind."
"Surely you see my logic?" I asked.
"Yes, I do. However, I don't care. You see, I will never willingly allow myself to travel without my friends again."
"Why not?"
"Because the last time I let that happen, Equestria Girls happened. I can never allow such a menace to come again."
"But Equestria Girls 2 is coming out soon," I objected.
"I am aware. And I cried when I heard that that was happening."
"True," I said. "True…" I turned over ideas and considered different courses of action. When I looked up, I saw the looks of determination and realized my position was indefensible. "Very well. You better hope there are not raiding parties roaming the countryside, then. Also, if this is to happen, I must insist that each of you sign out a weapon. I don't know if it will be necessary, but if you must come, then you must have the means to defend yourselves."
"But none of us know how to use such barbaric tools," objected Rarity.
I smiled grimly. "Hope that you never have to learn, my filly."
"I still don't think my sword goes with my coat," Rarity whined for the fifteenth time as we boarded the train.
"For Celestia's sake Rarity, shut up!" yelled Rainbow Dash, finally losing it.
I turned to Applejack and handed over five bits. "I honestly thought she could control herself to Ponyville," I said ruefully.
Applejack smiled and tipped her hat, but said nothing.
"Alright everypony, listen up!" They turned and faced me. "Now, I will be speak to the conductor. The rest of you, go to the car that we bought. Please do not draw attention to yourself. The point of this mission is to quietly leave town. And Pinkie, no shooting off your party cannon."
"Aww," she said, looking disappointed.
"Let's go, girls," Twilight said, urging them in the direction of the private car I had rented.
I walked down the hall and found the conductor, a well-built Earth Pony. "Hello, good sir," he said, recognizing me as the one who paid quite a lot for a private car - and then even more for him to keep quiet about it. "What can I do for you?"
"How long until we reach the White Tail Woods?" I quired.
He glanced at the large map of Equestria that was nearby before saying, "I should think four hours, but we didn't plan on stopping."
"I don't need you to stop," I responded. "Just to slow down a little."
"So, Commander," Pinkie Pie asked. "Is it true that you are a super-duper big shot in the military now?"
"Indeed," I said.
"Funny, you don't act the Royal Guards I've seen," Rarity said. "Royal Guards are typically aloof and solemn, and I have noticed a definite lacking in those traits with you."
I laughed.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
I shook my head, getting my mirth back under control. "You are so naive, it's hilarious. Remember the Battle of Canterlot?"
"Not something we're likely to forget," Rarity muttered. I ignored her.
With my humor back in my grasp, I turned and stared out the window at the plains flashing by. "So, when Princess Cadence and Captain Shining Armor threw the changeling armies out, all was not over. Thousands of them were off the lease and not that far from Equestria. Therefor, all of the Royal Guard were dispatched to deal with them before things got out of hoof. And the entire contingent was placed under my direct command. Now my fillies, leading a large group of soldiers may sound awesome to you-"
"It does," Rainbow Dash muttered.
"-but you pay for it. And the price is lives."
There was a long silence. I continued to stare out the window, rusling my wings slightly. "About three weeks in, it looked like the changelings were mostly all mopped up. We had about a hundred prisoners, ready to be brought back to Equestria proper for trial in crimes against the state. Darkness was starting to roll in, and we were all tired. One of my best friends, Armored Chord was his name, trotted up to me. We talked for a while, first about military stuff, but eventually we both started whining the low pay, poor rations, et cetera. Then, suddenly, a group of changelings attacked. They shot Armored Chord with a beam of powerful magic. Killed him instantly." I felt tears starting to form in my eyes. "He had joined for the same reasons I did: he wanted to take part in defending the country he loved. After that, it was slaughter. We had just over five hundred of the Guard before the fighting broke out. How the battle worked is the changelings we had captured rioted. At the same time, an external force, numbering some two hundred strong, attacked us." I shook my head, tasting bile. "We lost many good ponies that day. After the fighting ended, we had mopped up the last of the changelings. We had won. But what it cost us...too many. Like I said, we started with five hundred, but we ended with two hundred twenty five."
The younger ponies gasped.
"Yeah. War sucks," I said, getting up. "After that, I learned not to take life too seriously. You never know when it might be snatched away from you. After the fight, I made myself a promise. I vowed that I would never allow war to come to civilians. And here we are, three years later. War threatens us. And I have failed."
With that, there was a knock on the door. I crossed over and opened it, seeing the conductor. "We are nearing the White Tail Woods, so whatever you have planned, you should do it quick."
"Thank you, good sir," I responded and slipped him a few bits. "Remember, we were never here, and the car was vacant the entire trip."
He nodded, pocketed the money, and left.
"What are we doing now?" asked Twilight.
"Something bold," I replied. "Something...unexpected. Throw any spies off of our trail."
"Is it dangerous?" asked Rainbow Dash, barely managing to control her excitement.
"It may just get us all killed," I replied.