Reviews:
LexiconHuka: Ouch, bro.
Dragon'z Wrath: It's not like I'm going to be using all of the OCs in this story. When a certain event happens, I'll be pausing this story and making another one, where it will be an alternate timeline.
spartan1735: Thanks!
iTsTealblast: All you gotta do is update it at reasonable intervuals, I think.
Productive faffer: Master Chief went up against Doomguy and won, dude. He has something better than a nuke.
gysgt thomas: I know what to and what not to call a Marine, because Mark is one in RL. Thanks for sharing the information with me, anyway.
Author's Note: Happy fourth, everybody! I have a special chapter for this! And the last chapter takes place July 2nd, just for your information. Also, if you don't want to read fourth of July stuff, you can stop reading after the first paragraph, because that's the only thing that's really relevent to future chapters, except for the burials, but since that won't happen yet, you all don't need to keep reading to find it.
Sub-Author's Note: YES! 100th review mark has been hit by Productive faffer!
"Hey, Applejack. What day is it? Taking a Humvee to the body make me forget the date." I asked from my position behind the .50 on the Humvee. Dawn came by yesterday and managed to silence the engine and also make it where using fuel wasn't needed. Now we had a way to get from point A to point B without the need to exhaust ourselves. He wouldn't duplicate it, giving me a good reason.
"It's the fourth of July, why?" She replied, as I suddenly had a thought. A mild grin came upon my face that was mirrored by Duran and Callum, who were below me.
"No reason." I dismissed her with a wave and slid into the seat next to Callum.
"Fireworks?" He asked, looking at me.
"Fireworks. Even if this is called Equestria, it's still America on the map." I replied. "Might as well celebrate the Fourth, even if there's a ."
"We're going to need a lot of fireworks." Duran mused. I just patted him on the shoulder and got out through the top, as I've leaned that Duran did when I was run over.
"I'll take care of that. I know people. Or rather, I know a certain pink pony..." I said, muttering the last part to myself. "You two ain't doing anything today, so out. I need the Humvee." I said, opening the driver's door. Duran and Callum exited without a word, and I was soon speeding down the path to Ponyville.
[At Sugarcube Corner]
"Hey, Mark! You want some cupcakes?" Pinkie asked, bouncing over to me. Our 'Welcome to Equestria/to Life' party was last night, and since everyone who attended was still alive, I think it went rather well.
"Not right now, Pinks. Thanks anyway. I really came here for something else." I answered, taking a seat at a table. Pinkie bounced up into one across from me, the grin never leaving her face.
"What'cha need?" She asked.
"A certain type of explosives that I know you know where they are." I replied. Pinkie held a hoof to her chin and appeared deep in thought.
"That depends on the type. Gunpowder, chemical, thermal, or nuclear?" She finally asked, sounding deathly serious. I knew better than to ask why she knew about chemical, thermal and nuclear explosives. All I could do is hope she never uses them anywhere remotely near civilization. Antartica, maybe.
"Gunpowder. I'm looking for a few boxes of fireworks. Preferrably red, white, and blue when they explode." I replied. Pinkie nodded and grinned at me again.
"I can get them to you! When do you need them?" She asked.
"Before tonight. If you won't accept bits in return, I can at least invite you to get a taste of American culture instead." I replied, getting up after the offer.
"You'll have them before 5!" She declaired, before shaking my hand with her hoof, then zipped off to places unknown. AKA, upstairs.
"That was easy... Now I'll go ask the others if they want to be with us later." I muttered, walking out with a wave to Ms. Cake, who waved back with a hesitant smile. I briefly explained last night as to why Callum, Duffy, and Blake almost shot up the place. I had to give credit to myself and Duran, as we only dove behind some tables, hands on our pistols. I was also able to convince Pinkie to not give anymore surprise parties to humans, unless I say it's okay beforehand.
Anyway, the next stop was Twilight, as the library was closest. She said she'd love to study some more, and accepted. Dash wanted to come because I said there would be harmless explosions, and I also told Duffy of my plan. He agreed and said he'd be at the farm at 5. Fluttershy was a little hard to convince, but I said that I'd be able to get Rarity to make her some earmuffs, as I told her outright what I was planning. I did the same thing with Rarity, who nodded and also gave me the flags that I asked from her. The casket maker was done with one of them, so we still had to wait to bury the dead with dignity. I forgot that there was an American in Canterlot, and went back to the library.
Twilight wasn't there, but Spike was.
"Hey, Mark." Spike said from atop a ladder, putting a book away.
"Hey Spike, is there anyway I could contact Princess Luna?" I asked, looking for a quill and paper.
"I could send her a message, but why do you need to write her a letter?" He replied, a little confused.
"It's more for who's living with her, and it's not Celestia." I replied, scribbling down a note for Williams, and adding that Luna could come if she wanted to.
"So, what's Twilight going on about 'American culture'?" Spike asked after sending it.
"Something about today, but in my dimention. If you wanna watch, come over by the farm around 5 or so." I answered and idled around for a while. About ten minutes after I sent the letter, Spike burped up a scroll with a moon seal.
'Dear General Durnkinscoff,
We would be glad to attend your human festivities, and we'll arrive at five PM or so. Since you wrote that this is usually a public event, we request that you do not make it fancy just because I am going to be there.
-Signed Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria'
"Well, that's good news. I'll go tell AJ to prepare more food for Luna..." I muttered, leaving the library and hopping in the Humvee before driving back towards Sweet Apple Acres.
[At 1800 hours]
"Well, we got the food spread. Now we need the fireworks and others." I muttered, looking over the fantastic display of Apple family food. I'm not even going to mention at what there was, except they had some spreads that weren't apple based, which made me feel relieved, to be honest.
One can have so many apples before getting sick of them, after all.
"Hey Mark." Dawn said, trotting up to me with Pinkie bouncing after him, both carrying buldging saddlebags. Aside from Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and possibly Pinkie Pie (She fucking knows the exact weight, size, and how hard it can punch through an unarmored target when shown a .45 bullet the first time, after all), Dawn was the only pony who knows what this is about. The humans arrived at random intervals, and Blake mildly surprised me by coming too.
"I thought you're British? This is something that evolved from us leaving Britian, after all." I said, raising an eyebrow.
"I have nothing else to do, to be honest." He said with a shrug. "And I can put aside our nations' past if you can, for one day." He added, looking at me. I gave him a shit-eating grin before replying.
"Which one? I have roots all over the bloody world, England included." I said, before scooping a box of firework rockets out of Pinkie's saddlebags with a nod of thanks to her.
The next hour saw me, Dawn, and Duffy placing the fireworks at strategic places, making them so it would appear perfect when they went boom. Applebloom asked to help, and I relucantly let her, telling her where to put what and at what angle. To my surprise, she did very well for a pony of her... infamy with these kinds of things.
"Alright, we're done..." I finally said, wiping some sweat from my face, just as Williams and Luna teleported near me and Applebloom. Williams stumbled forwards a bit, possibly disoriented from the flash or the feeling. I caught him before he could fall over, and stepped back when he stood straight.
"That's new..." Williams said, before looking around.
"Alright, here's the way this is going down." I called out, getting everyone's attention. "We're gonna eat first, then do whatever until Luna rises the moon. After that, comes the fireworks display." I explained, getting nods from everyone. We began eating with gumption.
[1930 hours]
Luna took a quick break to let the moon rise, and when she returned I handed a box with a big green button (because red buttons are cliche) to Scootaloo, who appeared with Sweetie Belle and Dash.
"Whenever you're ready, push the button." I said, before placing the earmuffs that Rarity made over Fluttershy's ears gently. Seconds after I took my place (lying on the ground next to Applejack), Scoots pushed the big green button and the fireworks show started.
It was pleasent, and everyone (ponies) who attended thanked us for making the occasion. Luna had to apologize and leave, WIlliams tagging along with her. The CMCs didn't get their cutie marks in firework preparation (thank God). Blake was mildly impressed, and he said as much as he left. Very loudly.
'It probably wasn't that much of a good idea to have booze as an option...' I amusedly thought as I filled a flask full of undisclosed alcohol (vodka) and gave the rest of it back to Berry Punch, thanking her for letting me use it, along with a wee amount of bits.
"Well, that was somethin', wasn't it Sugarcube?" Applejack asked as I sat in bed, scribbiling down today's events in my undisclosed notebook.
"Not the worst Fourth of July, in all honesty. There's usually a lot more people celibrating it, after all." I answered, snapping it shut and placing it in an undisclosed location, before joining AJ in bed.
I had a pretty good sleep, since I was with the one I loved.