Aftercase part 4

>You're not sure how many miles you've walked.
>It must be about midday now.
>Looking ahead you can see the northern mountains come into view.
>The blue and white mountain range stretches far from the eye can see.

>As you continue to head towards the mountains you fell the air become cooler with a crisp wind.
>Small specks of snow drift lazily through the air.
>You rub your arms for warmth.
>Come to think of it, you are still wearing your clothes from college for a few days now.

"Hey, Hammer Fell?"
>"Yes boy?"
>Hammer Fell answers still looking ahead.

"We are going to need warmer clothes. "
>"That we do."
>The unicorn stops and rubs his chin with a hoof.
>"There's a small village not far from here and it on route too.  There's a market there too."

>Thinking about warm clothing you remember you had picked up Little Bales coat on the way out of the cottage.
>You go into your bags and pull out her wool coat.

"Here."
>You hand her the coat.
"Put this on, it's going to get really cold soon."

>"Hey! My coat! Thanks Mister!"
>She hops off of Skipper and put on her woolly coat.
>She pulls up her hood and pulls the tassels tight and trots beside Skipper.
>That's too adorable.

>You keep on walking north.
>You feel the air now getting much colder.
>Your skin starts to burn from the cold.
>The others seem fine, due to having fur or feathers.

>"Not long now. I can see the village ahead."
>Hammer Fell points ahead.

>The village sat at the bottom of a tall mountain.
>All the cottages are covered in ice and snow from the mountains.
>Luckily enough you can't see any New Union patrols or guards.
>Thinking about it you can't see any villagers.

"Where is everybody?"
>You ask the group slightly worried.

>"Good question."
>Hammer Fell stops and turns to everyone.
>"I want everyone to stay close to me. I'm not liking this. It's hardly sunset yet there should be at least some ponies around."
>Everyone nods in agreement.
>" Jax ,you stay back with Skipper, Major - I hate to say it -but you're up front with me. Everypo- one load up, we're going in blind."

>Major and Hammer loads their muskets while Skipper readies his spear.
>You load a round into the chamber of your rifle.
>Once again a fire builds up inside of you.
>You dread thinking you may have to kill once again.

>Quietly you follow behind the griffin and the unicorn.
>You pass a few snowy cottages.
>You no longer notice the cold against your skin.
>Gripping your rifle harder you peek between the dwellings.

>"Hold up."
>Hammer Fell whispers.
>"Get down and follow me."

>You do as he says and follow him behind a wall facing towards a market with a few stalls.
>The market place is full of villagers all looking frightened amongst the commotion as two griffin officers and multiple soldiers herd them into line.
>A pegasus tries to escape the commotion but was quickly shot down by the muskets of the griffins.
>The escapee tries to fly a little distance longer before tumbling towards the ground.
>Immediately the market place falls under an eerie silence.

>All the soldiers muskets  are now aiming at the terrified villagers.
>The two officers stand besides the firing line.

>One of the officers speaks up.
>"Now we have your attention, I will tell you why we are all gathered here this evening."
>The officer starts to pace in front of his guards.
>"Now then. Our reports suggest there are four satyrs registered living here.  Since I cannot see any abominations within the crowd, I ask only once; where are they?"
>The crowd remains silent.
>"Fine, then. The hard way it is."
>The griffin flies back to the other officer and whispers a few words .

"Hammer Fell we have to do something."
>You whisper.
>"Boy are you stupid? We are outnumbered and outgunned.  It'll be suicide to interfere."
>You continue watching the market place with the officers head between your sights.
>You glance to your left to find Major is doing the same as he speaks up.
>"I'm doing something about it. Like I said before,  I didn't fight for this."

>The other officer shouts loudly.
>"Present!...."
>All the soldiers ready their muskets.
>You watch the crowd push back away from the aiming guns.
>A few sobs and cries start to echo in the air.
>"Aim..."
>CRACK!
>Your left ear is deafened by Majors musket.
>Blood and scalp erupts from the officers head
>The body slumps into the snow, not moving an inch."
>Once again the market place falls quiet.

>"Open fire!"
>You hear Hammer Fell yell as he unloads his musket missing the other officer and hitting a soldier.
>You start firing rounds at the soldiers.
>One by one they start to fall.
>"Boy you got to cover me and Major while we reload."
>The unicorn shouts over the gun fire as he reloads his gun with his magic.

>The griffin soldiers start to take cover behind the market stalls.
>The place has now descended into pure chaos.
>Gun fire and screaming ponies filled the area.

>You notice the braver villagers attack the griffins who had their backs turned.
>You lower your head behind the wall as a barrage of musket fire chips away at the woodwork.
>Chips of wood starts flying everywhere, you feel a few shards pierce your cold skin.
>Looking toward Skipper you notice he's been hit in the soldier as he uses he body to shield Little Bale.
"Skipper!"
>"Its fine, keep shooting. It only grazed me!"

>"Hammer Fell! Skywards!"
>You hear your griffin friend shout as his he shoots.
>Two griffins have taken to the air for an aerial advantage.

>"Not this shit again!"
>Hammer Fell shouts as he charges his horn and blasts them with his magic.

>"CEASE FIRE!"
>You hear the remaining griffin officer call out to his troops.
>"I SAID CEASE FIRE!"

>The fighting gradually ceases.
>You look over the wooden wall .
>The  remaining griffin soldiers has now reformed their line.
>A little bit of hope grows inside of you as you count the soldiers.
>Only five left.
>Their comrades lay either stone dead in the snow for calling for help in their dying moments only to be ignored by their leader.

>"Under the order of the New Union, I ask you to present yourself."
>The officer calls out to the five of you.

>"Boy keep your gun ready. Blow a new plot hole in that griffin if things go south."
>Hammer Fell whispers.
>You ready your gun as Hammer Fell and Major  cautiously raises their heads above the wall.

>The officer look at Major.
>"Major Sto-"

>The Major immediately interrupts him.
>"Corporal Feathertail. Still playing toy soldiers are we? "

>"It's Lieutenant Feathertail now.  And the same can be said about you."

>"Oh Lieutenant... how many years preening feathers did you have to do to get that rank?"
>You watch Major drop his musket and pull out his flintlock pistol from under his wing keeping it hidden behind the wall.

>The Lieutenant grumbles under his breath as he looks at Hammer Fell.
>He changes tactics.
>"So you're taking orders from a unicorn of all things and I see you brought me a satyr. How very kind of you."
>"Him?"
>Major motions his head towards the unicorn.
"Meet Lieutenant Lock."

>"Howdy!"
>Hammer Fell mocks a tip of a hat.

>"Lock..."
>The griffin looks at him as his feathers turn white.
>His soldiers notice this and becomes unnerved themselves.

>"Lock, Feathertail here were a private of mine the battle in the Canterlot vaults. He was the only survivor in his squad."

>"Well, looks like the weapons and the places has changed but the old players are still here.  So Feathertail, I'm going to play nice and tell you this..."
>Hammer Fell looks up and spots several griffins land and reinforce the line.
>You start to lose the hope you gained earlier.
>"I have two hundred troops marching inbound for this village and another six hundred marching south to Manehatten. "

>"Your lying! Our scouts would of seen this army of yours"
>The officer tries to compose himself.

>"Well how did we get here then?"
>Hammer Fell starts to look smug.
>"We out number you ten to one.  It's your choice, die here today or leave now and pray the Federation army doesn't find you."

> Federation?
>You have to admit Hammer Fell isn't good with names.
>More so when he's lying.

>"So what it'll be Lieutenant?"
>Major speaks up.

>The griffin soldiers start to look around franticly paranoid that they could be surrounded.
>The officer hesitates before speaking.
>"Soldiers. Move out. "
>The New Union soldiers start to march out of the village in single file before scrambling to the air and fly east.

>"I can't believe that worked..."
>Hammer Fell mumbles with a surprised look on his face.

>"I can."
>Major replies.
>"Feathertail rather soon save his own feathers than hold his position. Besides his orders were to capture satyrs. There is no reason for him to hold and fight."

>You all come from behind the wall and into the market place.
>Pony villagers flood back into the market place cheering and thanking you, while others attend the dead and the injured.
>"So is it true? There's an army on its way?"
>A colt speaks out from the crowd.
>Every pony fell silent and lays their eyes on Hammer Fell.

>"Errr...."

>"Yes. There is."
>Major announces .
>"But they may not come this far north."
>The ponies start muttering to each other.
>"We are here to help start a militia so you can defend yourselves until a garrison arrives. "

>"I don't understand, why did the army send you four and a filly?"
>You look round to see Skipper being tended too with Little Bale beside him looking worried.

>Hammer Fell and Major look at each other for help.
>You chime in.
"Because we're a new type of unit being trailed by the Federations  army.   We work in a small squad doing special operations.  This filly here is the result of one of those operations and we are getting her to safety. The rest of the details are classified."
>The crowd nods and agrees, being satisfied with the answer.

"Now as you can see, we've been on a long journey and we need a place to rest and restock on supplies, I was hoping anyone can help us out with that."

>"I-I own a Inn here. You can stay in one of our rooms."
>A young mare speaks out from the crowd.

"Perfect."

>"I like to add, any volunteers for the militia are to meet here tomorrow at dawn."
>Major shouts out to the crowd as you follow the mare to her inn.


>After the mare left you to your room,  you take a look around.
>The room is quiet large containing two bunk beds and two chest s of drawers.
>There is a large window overlooking the villages market place with two tatty curtains draped either side.
>On top of the chest of drawers stands a old telescope model for a poor excuse of decoration .

>Skipper opens one of the drawer and takes of the pillows from the bunks.
>He lifts up Little Bale and places her in using her woolly coat as a blanket.


Major taps you on your shoulder.
>"You did good out there."
>He turns to Hammer Fell who is climbing onto the bottom bunk.
>"Federation?"

>"I stole it from a sci-fi comic I used to read ok?"
>You laugh as you imagine Hammer Fell reading comics of all things.

>"I'm not talking about that. I understand why you lied to the officer and now we got ponies relying on a false hope."

>"False hope? You're the one that backed me up. Also what about the militia thing? We cannot train them. "
>Hammer Fell snaps back.

>"So your plan was to give them false hope and leave them to die, when the New Union's Army comes back in number!?"
>Major is now yelling.

>"No, yes. Maybe. I don't know ok? I panicked. I've been out of this game far too long."
>Hammer Fell rolls over in his claimed bed.
>"I didn't know what to do. We we're out numbered and yes we we're killing them, but it was a matter of time they would've flanked us."

>The griffin lets out a long sigh.
>"Lock...I mean Hammer Fell,  you're following a path what I once took.  You're treating this as a numbers game. There are ponies out there with lives and family. Also on top of that, what are we doing? What is our goal here?"

>"I agree with Major on this one."
>Skipper pipes up.

>Hammer Fell rolls onto his back an looks at the ceiling.
>"We're getting Jax out of Equestria while we deliver blue prints of the new guns to a rebel camp up north."

>"OK we do that, then what?"
>Major steps forward towards Hammer Fell.

>"I - I'm not sure. I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I was hoping to aid the rebels like I have been doing the last few years to start some kind of rebellion or something."

>"Hmm...I'm sorry Hammer Fell, but that will never work. You need a proper army. Not some rabble. From what I heard the rebels are nothing more than beat up veterans  and crooks who living a pipe dream."
>The griffin looks round at you.
>"Plus have you asked the 'boy' what he wants?"

>Hammer Fell turns his head and waits for your answer.

"I want to stay with you guys. I know it's sad to say but you guys are like family to me.  You  are all pretty much all I have. Plus I want to fight. We have to do something to stop the New Union."

>"I think the 'boy' is old enough to decide for himself."
>You hear Skipper speak up from the bottom bunk of the other bed.

"Thank you Skipper."

>Hammer Fell lets out a laugh.
>"Well boy, If we are all you got,  then it can't get any worst can it?"

>"So what's the plan?"
>Major cuts in through the laughter.

>Hammer Fell pauses and thinks for a while.
>"Right, the plan is this. We train these ponies and prepare the defence of this village. So they would have a fighting chance if the NU decide to come back here."

>"Good, good. I'm liking it so far."
>Major nods.
>"But we need better weapons.  I spied a blacksmith in this village on the way in and by the looks of it, this is a mining town."

>"Well Noted.  We will start production of the Hammer Field rifle. As there are many earth ponies here the trigger may have to be altered."

"True the tactics will have to altered for the earth ponies also. Aiming these rifles would make them unbalanced and immobile in battle. But I got a few ideas for that."

>"Good."
>Major makes his way to the top bunk of Hammer Fells bed.
>"Ok, well let's get some rest then we'll start tomorrow."

>You make way to the top bunk above Skipper.
"How's the shoulder Skipper?"
>You ask.

>"Bandaged up good. The drink here is strong enough to numb the pain."
>You hear Skipper take a swig from a bottle.

"That's good, What about Little Bale?"

>You lift your head to look down on the filly.

>"She's doing ok. I've been having long chats with her.  She's strong even what she's been though. Poor thing really misses her family. Caught her weeping her heart out last night."

"I think anyone would."

>"Yeah...anyone."
>You hear a pop from Skipper opening another bottle of ale.
>"Get some sleep. I think Major is planning an early start tomorrow."