Them

Rainbow Dash adjusted her helmet nd grabbed a spear. When she opened the door of the dressing room, Applejack was there, about to open it by the other side.

"Oh. Hello, AJ. You woke up pretty late today, huh?"

"No, it was ya who woke up early today, RD!"

"Really? I didn't noticed."

Applejack chuckled and grabbed her own helmet from her locker.

"What's so funny?"

"Yer gettin' more responsible, RD. Somethin' good had to come from all those bad things that happened lately after all."

"I suppose you're right!"

Applejack sighed and grabbed a bow. "Ah want this to be over soon. Hope Twi and the other unicorns of the Science Team find a cure or somethin' like that. No matter how many of them we kill, there's always more."

"I hope too, AJ. But what can we do right now beside fight them? We're just a bunch of brainless brawlers."

"Ah reckon yer right."

"So let's go out there and give our best to show those zombies out there who's the boss! You're with me?"

Applejack saluted her. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Save it for when I'm promoted to captain, AJ!"

"Right, then." Applejack placed her quiver on her back and both mares left the dressing room. "But Ah'm sure yer gonna be greater than a captain. Hay, Ah bet yer even gonna be a general someday!"

"Are you trying to bed me, Applejack?"

"Wha-What?!" the earth pony blushed.

"The first step to bed a mare is lots of flattery." Rainbow Dash winked. "And you're doing a great job so far!"

"Ah... Ah'm..."

She laughed. "Relax, AJ! I'm just messing with you." Applejack relaxed, but the blush refused to leave her face. "Now let's go. There are zombies out there waiting for my spear and your arrows."

"Hay yeah!"

Rainbow Dash playfully whipped Applejack's flank with her tail, making the bowmare blush.

"If you keep teasing me like that I won't be able to stay focused on the battle, Rainbow!" she thought.

* * *

Spitfire, former captain of the Wonderbolts,current captain of Manehattam's Combat Team, was waiting at the maing gate of the city. Once she saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack approaching, she smiled and walked toward them.

"Private Rainbow Dash!" she called.

Both mares saluted their superior.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Congratulations, I've been promoted."

"WOW! I-I mean, congratulations, ma'am. But what does it have to do with me?"

"Well, since I've been promoted, I have business to attend in Safe Zone #1 - Canterlot and Safe Zone #17 - Manehattan needs a captain. Congratulations, Captain Rainbow Dash."

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" she then cleaned her throat. "I mean, thank you, Cap-- Major Spitfire."

"You're a great soldier, Rainbow Dash." Spitfire took the Captain insignia off her armor and placed it on Rainbow Dash's armor. She then placed a different insignia on her own armor. "I'm sure you'll be an even greater captain."

Rainbow Dash smiled and saluted her. "Ma'am, yes ma'am!"

Spitfire chuckled. "I'm counting on you, Dash."

With that, she took off. Applejack playfully punched her partner's soldier.

"How does it feel 'Captain'?"

"Feels like I'm back on the Wheater Team. This feels... Nostalgic! Feels good! Really good!"

"Congratulations..." she saluted her. "...Captain Rainbow."

"Thanks, AJ. Now let's go. We have zombies to kill and I have a batallion to command."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!"

Rainbow Dash laughed. "You're my best friend, AJ. You don't have to be so formal when it's just the two of us."

* * *

Soon after that, the whole batallion was reunited at the gate, Rainbow Dash flying in front of them.

"Alright, listen here, you dummies. Captain Spitfire was promoted and left to Canterlot. But before leaving, she left me in charge of you. She was strict, and so am I. I want cooperation, teamwork and disposition in my batallion. Manehattan is a Safe Zone, and we're going to keep it like that. Now, are we ready to kick some zombie butts?"

"Yes, ma'am!" they all shouted.

"Ready to show them who's the dominant species?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Then lower the gates!"

Two stallions started turning two wheels, opening the big gate.

"Bowponies, ready your bows! Soldiers, with me!"

Rainbow Dash grabbed her spear. The soldiers grabbed their spears, swords and shields.

Once the gates were completely open, a relatively big group of infected ran at full speed toward the soldiers while the soldiers ran/flew toward the infected. Once they were all outside, the gates were closed.

The bowponies climbed ladders that led to the top of the wall that circled the city and started shooting their arrows. Nearly a dozen of infected fell before the groups clashed and, when they did, the sound os blades cutting through flesh and bones could be heard.

Rainbow Dash was a great warrior. If her Cutie Mark wasn't related to flying at top speeds, it would surely be related to fighting. While most of her soldiers killed their second or third infected, she was killing her tenth.

Same goes for Applejack. The apples that formed her Cutie Mark should all be trespassed by arrows, because her aim was almost perfect, no matter the distance. She had shot five arrows and killed six of them (including the one killed by an arrow that trespassed the infected in front of it).

Rainbow Dash's spear got stuck between the ribs of an infected. She saw another infected coming toward her, but she was unable to protect herself.

It jumped, but it was intercepted by an arrow. It trespassed the infected's head, who fell to the ground, dead. Captain Dash turned around and saw a bowmare waving her hoof at her.

"Nice aim, AJ!" Rainbow Dash shouted before pulling the spear once again, this time succeeding in freeing it.

After an hour or so, all of them were dead. The warriors were celebrating not only the victory, but the lack of casualties.

"Good work, everypony! One wave down!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "But they'll be back! You better be ready, because we don't know when it will be!"

* * *

That night, in Applejack and Rainbow Dash's apartment, both were in the bathroom; Rainbow Dash was taking a shower and Applejack was combing her mane.

"I just noticed that I didn't thank you properly, AJ." the new captain said. "Thanks for saving my flank from a big bite!"

"Aw, shucks, Rainbow. Ah was just doin' mah job. No need to thank me."

The sound of water dripping on the floor stopped and the curtains of the showers were open, revealing Dash with a towel wrapped around her body. "No seriously. I owe you my life."

"Ya owe me nothin', RD."

"Because you're my life..."

"Excuse me?"

"Di-Did Ah said that out loud?"

"No. Well, yes. Well, kinda. You whispered something. What was it?"

"Ah... Ah..."

"C'mon, AJ! You can trust me!"

The earth pony was sweating, her eyes looking everywhere but in the pegasus mare's eyes. Applejack then sighed.

"Ah... Ah said..."

"Yes?"

"Ah said that..."

"Keep going."

"Ah-AhsaidthatyouaremylifeRainbowDash!"

"S-Sorry?"

"Ah said... You are my... My life... Rainbow Dash..."

An awkward silence filled the bathroom. Both mares were looking down at her hooves.

"Since... When?" the pegasus asked.

"Since the day ya came to Ponyville, Ah guess. Ah always admired ya, even though Ah never admitted it. But Ah wasn't sure about mah feelings 'til that day. The day ya saved mah life. The day Ah became sure ya would always be there for me and never leave me hangin'."

Rainbow Dash smiled and hugged her friend.

"I always admired you too and, coming from me, that's something! But I never thought about you like that."

Applejack sighed, but Rainbow Dash wasn't finished yet.

"BUT! Since it's you, my best friend Applejack, the only non-winged awesome enough to keep up with me, I'll give it a try!"

"A-Are ya sayin' that--"

She was interrupted by a pair of lips pressing against hers. Applejack soon noticed what was going on and started kissing her back. After a few moments, Rainbow Dash moved her lips down and stated nibbling on her partner's neck, stealing a moan from Applejack.

"Your bed, five minutes!" the pegasus said before leaving the bathroom. A huge grin appeared in Applejack's face.

* * *

The gates were open and a pair of pegasi trotted in; one wearing a light pink lab coat and and the other with bandages wrapped around his left hind leg and wing.

"Here we are: Safe Zone #17 - Manehattan." the medic mare said.