Chapter 1: The Foundations of War
Half-Fist climbed out of his bed, wisps of cloud turned to mist as his hooves touched the cumulus floor of his bedroom. He stretched his wings out, getting ready to start the day. Over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of light cyan. He smiled to himself. She was so beautiful when she slept. He leaned over her multi-colored mane and brushed it aside, uncovering her face. He kissed her cheek, rousing her from sleep.
"Time to get up."
Stifling a yawn, "Do I have to?"
"Yes. We gotta start the day sometime."
Turning over, she looked him straight in the eyes with her gorgeous amethyst irises. "I'd rather just stay in bed with my fiancé all day."
"Rainbow, come on. We can't do that everyday," Half-Fist smiled. "Besides, I won't be your fiancé forever."
"Let's hope not. I don't think I'd like a boyfriend for life," she flashed a smile as she playfully hoofed him in the side.
"Okay. Let's get some breakfast. Just coffee? Or do you actually want something this time?"
"Pancakes?" Rainbow batted her eyelashes.
"Sure. But if I can't make it happen, you're the one dousing me out."
"Deal."
As they leaned in for a kiss, they were interrupted by a scream coming from downstairs. They flew down to the main room of the house to find Deathblow, Half-Fist's best friend, crashing through the house in a magic, flying bubble. The tan unicorn was demolishing their home as he tried to regain his balance while flying through the air.
"Deathblow, what are you doing?!"
"Oh, hey Half-Fist! How's it going?"
"Deathblow! What are you doing in our house?" Rainbow Dash yelled from the stairs.
"The gang told me to get you guys. We're all supposed to go to Twilight's place. She has a big announcement or something. Either it's something Religious or Political."
"That sounds like Twilight alright," Rainbow nodded to Half-Fist.
"Hurry up, you guys. And get some clothes on!"
"Um, we don't usually wear clothes, Deathblow."
"I know, but you could at least have some courtesy to others who do, thank you very much." Deathblow showed off the tie he had on by waving it around it front of himself with magic–never mind the fact that he wasn't wearing anything else.
"Ok. Don't worry. We'll be down soon."
"Okey-dokey!" Deathblow stopped the flow of magic creating the bubble around him, and fell through the cloud floor, plummeting to the earth. The two Pegasi heard a loud scream quickly silenced by a boom.
"I'm okay..." they heard from the ground below.
"What do you think Twi wants to talk with us about?"
"Whatever it is, must be serious. We should hurry down."
At Twilight's library, everypony met to see what exactly was going on. Half-fist and Rainbow Dash walked in to see that almost everyone was already there; Muffintop was talking with Pinkie Pie and Rarity, ShadeStripe was sitting with Fluttershy, WindChaser was sitting in the corner eyes fixed on a book, and Twilight Sparkle was leaning over the large center table frantically orating something to someone.
"-I don't even know how this could happen! I mean, I do know how it could happen, I just don't believe it's happened! Do you understand? Wind Chaser? Are you even listening?"
"Mhm," WindChaser grunted without even looking up from his book.
"I mean–Oh! You're finally here."
"Yeah, what-"
"WHAT IN THE HAY IS GOIN' ON HERE?!" Applejack burst through the door.
"Everypony's here," Deathblow panted as he pulled himself inside.
"Ok, good. Now, shall we get started?"
"Excuse me," Deathblow spoke up, "does this have to do with anything Political or Religious?"
"Both, actually," WindChaser answered.
"Ha! I totally guessed it!" Everyone looked at Deathblow quizzically. "Carry on..."
"Something terrible has happened to our country," WindChaser began. "disputes within the Kingdom have split Equestria in half. The Princesses have declared Civil War on one another."
"Now we are left with a choice," Twilight continued. "join Celestia with the Solar Empire, or Luna and the New Lunar Republic."
"Oh dear God..." Deathblow muttered.
"Oh no...this isn't good at all..." Fluttershy whimpered.
"So, which side are we going to join?" Rarity looked around warily.
"Well, I've already been chosen as an elite general for Celestia. I can't turn against my own teacher."
"Ah'm mighty sorry, Twilight. Sweet Apple Acres has already chosen the Republic. We converted the barn into a small smithing station tah start making weapons for 'em right now."
"You mean, some of us will be on different sides?" Fluttershy's eyes grew wide with fright.
"Ah'm afraid so, shugahcube. But don't worry none, we'll never fight against our own friends."
"How do you know that? You don't know what's gonna happen! We're going into a war!" Rainbow Dash yelled at Applejack.
"It's going to be okay," MuffinTop intervened the two's squabble. "We'll make a pact to never hurt any of our friends, no matter what."
"For the first time, Muffintop makes some sense," Twilight chuckled nervously. "C'mon, everypony, touch hooves."
Everypony put their hooves in the middle of the group and vowed the promise to never bring harm on one another during this war.
"Okay. So now we have that settled. Which side will everypony else join?" ShadeStripe spoke up.
"My sister has already joined the Solar Empire's Air Force, and my whole family is in Canterlot right now. I don't think Deathblow and I have any choice."
"Pinkie and I are joining the Republic," MuffinTop announced. "What Luna wants to make of this country is what we want."
"I can't abandon my family, and they're all in the south lands where the Republic is setting base. Republic for me too," ShadeStripe whinnied.
"That goes for Half-Fist and I, too. The Lunar Republic is the clear choice," Rainbow trotted over to the others with Half-Fist close behind her.
"I'm sorry, darling, but the Republic is filled with absolute ruffians. I'd much rather share my company with more civilized folk. I like things just the way they are," Rarity sidled up next to Twi. "Fluttershy? You must choose a side, dear."
"Um... Is there one that's peaceful? I don't want to hurt anypony," Fluttershy whispered.
"You don't need to choose right now, Fluttershy. Why don't you come along to Canterlot with the rest of the civilians for safety?"
"Okay... That sounds best..."
"So... That's it, then?" Rainbow Dash broke the silence. "Everypony's chosen?"
"Looks like it, Dash. I'm so sorry it has to be like this. Friends like us shouldn't be split so suddenly." Twilight trotted over to hug her friends.
"TWILIGHT! Hurry up! You're gonna be late!"
"Spike? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Canterlot!"
"They're loading the trains! The Solar Empire is evacuating Ponyville of all its civilians. The Lunar Republic's gonna start a firefight here in town!"
"Oh no, how are we going to get out of here?" ShadeStripe was legitimately worried. "If they find out we're siding with the Republic, we're toast. We definitely won't be able to get on those trains out of here."
"Back at Sweet Apple Acres, we have a second storage area underground that's darn near undetectable. If we can make it there, we can wait safe 'til the Republic shows up."
"Thank you, Applejack. That's perfect."
"But, Half-Fist, how are we gonna get there without the guards seeing?"
A rap on the door came from outside. "Open up! All civilians must be evacuated immediately."
Twilight answered it, "I am Twilight Sparkle: 1st general of her majesty's council. I need more time to prepare before departing."
"Yes, ma'am. I am so sorry." The large, guard stallion bowed to her before galloping away.
"I think I've bought you all a little more time to find your way out. Good luck."
"Thank ya, Twilight. Ah hope everythin' goes well with you."
They all hugged and said their goodbyes as Shadestripe, Rainbow Dash, Half-fist, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Muffintop all escaped through the back door of Twilight's library. Fluttershy shot a look of worry and fear at Twilight and Rarity, who in turn looked at each other in concession.
"They're going to be fine. We shouldn't worry. They can look after themselves."
"WindChaser's right. We should get a move on before the Republic show up," Deathblow asserted.
They all gathered the small packs Twilight had prepared for their journey, and left to board their train.
*(\†/)*
ShadeStripe couldn't see a way for them to move quickly without being seen; too many guards were searching the areas. Muffintop's huge magenta body wasn't making it any easier either; if ShadeStripe didn't find a way to cover him up post haste, they were done in for sure. Pinkie, thinking extremely quickly, took out a pair of goofy glasses and a hay bale expertly converting Muffintop into a huge walking yellow cube.
"Ah don't think that's the kind o'disguise we need right now, Pinkie."
"It's okay, Diane. I thought it was perfect."
"Can you guys stop talking? We're kinda trying to hide here!" ShadeStripe hissed at them.
"I got it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed under her breath. "Applejack, you think you and ShadeStripe can get to the barn without us? I think Half-Fist and me can fly Pinkie and Muffintop there."
"Yeah. Ah think so. You really think you can do that, though?"
"Oh please. I've carried Pinkie Pie tons of times."
"Ah don't mean her." Rainbow saw Applejack's eyes shoot a glance at the heavyset stallion with the dark brown hair.
"I'm sure Half-Fist can handle it. I've seen him carry huge ingots of metal bigger than Muffintop."
"Okay, if you say so," Applejack glanced warily side to side. "We'll meet ya'll at the barn."
As ShadeStripe and Applejack ran to duck behind a house, Half-Fist's eyes bulged out of their sockets trying to lift the blubbery mass that was Muffintop. For a second, Rainbow thought she might have to help him out--something virtually impossible with a full-grown mare already in her hooves--but little by little, Muffintop's large hooves ceased their contact with the ground.
"Okay. Let's get a move on before my wings give out and I drop this load on an unsuspecting bystander."
"Follow me," Rainbow zoomed into the cloudy sky above with Half-Fist dragging along behind her.
"Stop!" Shadestripe signaled to Applejack. She got the warning just in time, for as soon as she was about to move out from behind a house, a whole herd of Solar Empire infantrymen galloped in front of her. Applejack exhaled a sigh of relief as she hid and waited for the soldiers to pass.
"Hurry men! The Republic's gonna be here any second now! ETA for 'em is about half an hour. Let's go!" They heard one of the officers of the brigade shout out to the stallions. Shadestripe thought fast; if the Lunars were going to show up soon, did that mean they would be safe or even more in danger? Were they going to attack civilians? Shadestripe should have paid more attention when that crazy old pony was shouting in the street the other day. How was ShadeStripe supposed to know that he was going to be right about Equestria splitting in half, and that he was on the side Shadestripe would join? Shadestripe thought to himself: if he knew anything about the Republic, it was that many of its ensigns were mercenaries and rejects of the Empire's army; who knew what they would be like in battle?
He decided not to take any chances with the Lunars, he needed to get Applejack and himself out of the war-zone as soon as possible. Once the troops had gone past them, she ran across the street to Shadestripe.
"C'mon, we can hightail it past Town Hall to the main road down to the farm."
"We should hurry. Did you hear the guard? We got half an hour," ShadeStripe said as they galloped through the paths behind the Ponyville houses. "I don't know what'll happen if they find us, so we better just go and hide."
"Whaddya mean? I thoug--" Applejack halted at the sight. "What are you doing here?!"
*****
Half-Fist did a mini dance of joy inside himself as he saw the tip of the barn's roof; the joy soon subsided as he realized once again that he was carrying a stallion the size of three ponies. Muffintop heaved under the small Pegasus' wings, "Hey. Could you be a bit more careful?"
"I'm trying, but it's kinda hard when every ounce of your wingpower is taken away by the force of a certain blob of food."
"Hey. This blob of food has feelings, and sometimes they get hurt when certain tiny, orange Pegasi say hurtful things," Muffintop's eyes teared up as he looked up at Half-Fist. "Besides. If you aren't careful, I'll sit on you."
"Fine! Fine! I'll try to be more careful!"
"Hey, if you two girls are done bickering over your weight insecurities, can we get a move on? Shadestripe and Applejack are probably already there by now."
"I don't know, Rainbow Dash, we got here pretty quickly. Like, super-sonic-rainboom-speedster quickly; and that's a whole lot faster than ShadeStripe-slowpoke-earth-pony-sluggy quickly," Pinkie Pie giggled.
"I don't see either of them. I wonder if something happened," Half-Fist looked up and shot Rainbow Dash a worried look.
"I'm sure everything's gonna be alright," Rainbow Dash's face darkened then lit up in a flash. "Look! There's Granny Smith!"
Rainbow Dash and Half-Fist landed and dropped their cargo on the cool grass in front of the house. Granny Smith was opening the hidden cellar door to the secret bunker when she saw the four ponies drop to the ground.
"What're ya'll doin' here? You gotta be more careful-like!" Granny Smith hollered.
"Applejack sent us over here. We're joining the Republic too."
"So what're you doing here? Why'd Applejack send ya?"
"Ponyville's gonna become a warzone soon, and Applejack said this'll be the only safe place."
"Well, she's right! Ya'll better get in here, now!" Big Macintosh burst out of the barn wearing a navy blue coat with silver buttons. The four ponies ran down into the secret cellar as he commanded, Granny Smith followed, and Big Mac stood guard at the entrance waiting for his sister.
)~§~(
Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, WindChaser, and Deathblow found their way to the Ponyville station. As WindChaser and Deathblow made a path to the line for Ponyville's commoner refugees, the girls were led by a Imperial guard to the car –specifically for nobility and high-ranking officers. Amidst the chaos in the regular line, the brothers, using their magic, tied their packs together to not be separated. In the crowd, many ponies were just trying to get onto any train at all to go to the safe haven of Canterlot; families were separated, ponies left behind, and foals went on without their parents. Meanwhile, in the nobles' line, the girls strolled swiftly into their guarded, luxurious train car.
"Wow. They clearly spared no expense on our accommodations."
"I know," Twilight chimed in with Rarity. "Isn't it amazing? Some of the greatest commanders from the Empire are in this very car."
"I feel kind of bad for the boys, though..." Fluttershy sidled next to the others. "Being trapped in the overflow train cars must be terrible..."
"I'm sure theirs are just as nice," Rarity tried reassuring her.
"I don't know..." Twilight intervened. "I caught a glimpse of the inside while we were trotting past, and it looked really crowded in there."
"Do you think they could come with us?"
"I'm sure my security pass will allow that, 'Shy. I am the Princess' most faithful student."
Twilight cantered with her friends across the red floorings to the corridor connection between the cars, but soon halted by a guard stationed in front of the doorway. "I'm sorry, ma'am. No admittance to the other cars."
Twilight briefly flashed her executive security pass in front of the guard's eyes and moved past him. Opening the door with her magic revealed the extremely crowded, noisy, and uncomfortable car reserved for the common folk. Rarity flinched as she sifted her gaze through the sea of ponies. Fluttershy was the first to spot the two brothers, she tugged at Twilight's shoulder to look her direction. Twi's eyes brightened at the sight of her friends. Politely shoving their way through the crowd was no simple endeavor: every whichway they looked for an opening, a pony seemed to block up. Twilight signaled with her hoof to WindChaser, trying to get his attention. He saw the lavender hoof flash above the crowd, and pulled Deathblow along in its direction. While inquiring what they were doing in the commoners' car, WindChaser opted that they move into the Nobles'.
"Why were you three in there? It's almost a madhouse in that car."
"We were looking for you. It was a madhouse in there."
Rarity agreed with Twilight, "You shouldn't have to stay in that dreadful place when there's more than enough room for you two here."
"Admit it. You missed us," Deathblow raised his brow.
"Oh, ha ha. Very funny, little colt." Rarity tousled the "little colt's" head with a smile.
"Well, it is nice to breathe now. Nice place you girls have here."
"Hey! It's my old Academy buddy: Skybound!" Deathblow waved his hoof at a Pegasus stallion sitting at a booth, the table obviously reserved for higher-rank officers. Seeing the small colt, the silvery-blue pony smiled and waved back. "Oh! He's sitting with Maj. Brackenoak and Maj. Hammertoss. And lookey there, next to them are my very own frontline cadets from Blank Division: Blackstripe, Sand Dune, Golden Joy, and Willow Wisp."
"How do you know so many people in this car?" Twilight looked very confused.
"Oh, I've either trained under, with, or over each of 'em. Skybound and I used to compete with each another for 'Best in Platoon' back at the Academy. And ol' Hammertoss helped me catch a thief breaking in for the antique, enchanted Warlord's armor. And I trained those four ponies over there; they were some of the unruliest cadets in the whole place! It's kinda weird to see them all grown up, and officers too!"
"Maybe we do belong in this car after all, bro."
Twilight's eyes widened, "What's your rank anyway, Deathblow?"
"Hm... Let's see. Counting all of the promotions I was supposed to get after those suicide missions and Forlorn Hope battles, I'd say... Sergeant."
Twi threw her head back in shock. Sergeant? This little runt?
"Look. I know I'm really young, but I have ridiculous amounts of experience. Ask any one of my superiors. I've been the best for a long time. Well, at least until I ditched to go to Ponyville."
The three mares' faces seemed to be frozen in a state of shock. "Yup. It was pretty hard for me to get that my little brother has almost accomplished more than I have... You learn to deal with it."
"Wait a moment..." Rarity held her hoof up.
"What's the matter, Rarity?" Fluttershy looked up at her friend.
"Oh. My. Princess." Her face turned from that of shock to absolute terror. "Of all the bad things that could possibly happen, this is The. Worst. Possible. Thing."
"Rarity, you always say that," Twilight flippantly smiled. "They alway turn out to be no big deal at all."
"No. You don't understand!" Rarity's voice started to turn to that fast-paceed, high-pitched whine she gets when in a predicament. "I thought she was back with my parents at home. I thought she was safe! Until I remembered I had offered to take her in for the weekend as a favor to them! She's still there!"
"Who?"
"SWEETIE BELLE!!!"
*(\†/)*
"Applebloom? Scootaloo? Sweetie Belle? What in the hay are ya'll doing here!" Applejack rushed toward her sister and held her in her hooves.
"What's goin' on, sis?"
"We were just gonna go to the treehouse."
"Please don't tell Rarity. I don't wanna be in trouble."
"Now hold on a minute! I can't think when all ya'll are talking." Just as she shouted, a siren began a wail drowning Applejack out. Yelling erupted all around them; words like "TAKE COVER!" and "THEY'RE HERE!" However, one phrase stood out to Shadestripe: "Shadowbolts! From the North!"
"Go," he turned to AJ. "We need to get them to safety." They ran with the fillies as fast as they could past the buildings. They didn't worry about being seen by the guards, that didn't matter anymore. He looked into the sky; a nice day became covered in stormclouds. A black streak blazed across the sky, two more zoomed after it. When another appeared, it let something loose; the dropped package burst through the roof of a house with a KTHTCH. Within a flash, the house blew apart in fire and debris. Bits of furniture flew at the five ponies, causing them to run faster.
Looking behind him, Shadestripe caught a good glimpse at what decimated the house. Out of the wreckage, a wiry Pegasus pony wearing a dark flightsuit and gasmask climbed out shaking the rubble and dust off his wings. Off his side, he grabbed a small firearm with his mouth.
"We need to go, NOW!!!"
As they ran through the houses, more ponies bombed the buildings around them; explosions erupting from around all sides. Everywhere, Pegasi jumped out to run deeper into the town. Behind him, ShadeStripe could hear the sounds of the clanging of spears and the fire of pistols. As they reached the edge of town, off in the distance the group could see a dark blue mass moving towards them on the horizon. Small clusters flew above it, whizzing past the clouds over their heads.
The Farm was in sight. The five of them dashed to the safety of the barn's gates. Applejack caught sight of her brother, waves of relief washing over her. He opened the hidden cellar door, quickly hopping in after them.
"What are they doing here?"
"What dya mean?" Applejack shot a disdainful glare at Half-Fist. "You think Ah'd leave mah own sister out there? Have you even seen it out there?!"
"All thet matters now, is that they're safe."
"Yeah. But they won't be for long. We need to get them out of here."
"Look ShadeStripe," Big Mac was as serious as ever. "It's too late now. The trains' have already left."
"You don't know that," Half-Fist looked up at him.
"What, and Ah suppose you'd risk takin' that chance?" Applejack stared him down. "Would you be willing tah risk your life out there for that chance? Would you be willin' tah risk THREE FILLIES lives too?! Would--" Big Mac caught her eye. She saw him putting on a dark grey hat and jacket on. "What dya think you're doin'?!"
"Ah'm gonna get them out of here. They'll be much safer in Canterlot." Big Mac took hold of one of the rifles hanging on the wall. "No harm'll come to them."
"OH MY GOSH! I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT RARITY! She'll be sooooo mad if I don't get to her right away!"
"Don't worry. Ah'll get you there," Big Macintosh nuzzled the small unicorn.
Applejack was warmed, and to her discontent, she let her brother leave with the three fillies. Tears running down her face, she watched as her brother and sister walked through the door into the fray.
Big Macintosh looked behind at her and simply said, "You don't hafta worry."
*(\†/)*