Equestria Aflame.

     Rainbow Dash lounged on a cloud. Staring up at the clear sky. She sighed. She had been up on that cloud for over an hour, thinking, just thinking. Twilight had left for Canterlot, at princess Luna's request. She reflected that night in her head. She remembered the fight, the pain, she remembered him calling for help. She recalled going to help him, but "the beam fell in my way!" Rainbow Dash thought to herself, she bit her lip right after thinking that. She had a face full of guilt. She knew very well she couldv'e flown over it if she wanted to, but she just stood there, and watched. Rainbow Dash's breaths were growing heavier and faster. She watched him die, she watched him burn to death in agony and misery. She looked him in the eyes as he died, she saw the blame, she saw the pleading for help, she saw the horrible pain in those dying eyes. Tears were building up in Rainbow Dash's eyes. Remorse claiming her soul. She remembered abandoning him, leaving him to burn, leaving him to die. His blood was on her hooves. She was responsible for his death, and she knew it very well.

     Rainbow Dash covered her face and rolled over on her stomach and began to sob. She felt so much regret. The bright sun did nothing to aid her in her sorrow.

     "What!?" Princess Celestia gasped in disbelief.

     "Almost all of Ponyville lies in ashes, sister, hundreds of ponies are dead including twenty seven soldiers." Princess Luna bowed her head in sadness. "The soldiers responsible are reporting here to be tried for war crimes."

     "I assume I will preside over the trials." Celestia stated in a very serious tone.

     "Yes," that was all the response Luna could give. Twilight Sparkle was at Luna's side. She returned with Luna at her request.

     Princess Celestia looked from her sister to Twilight. She then turned and paced, "We have to ensure that this never happens again."

     "What do you propose?" Luna asked.

     "A garrison, in every city. To stop the riots before they start." Celestia said coldly.

     "What? Do you realize what this will do? How much it will cost?" Luna argued, "The citizens of Equestria will not accept this willingly."

     "What else will you have me to do?" Celestia darted her head in Luna's direction, "The news of this slaughter will spread throughout the land. The ponies will retaliate much worse than the Ponyville uprising. We must stop these riots before they start." Celestia put emphasis on the word before.

     "Military force will only increase the problem, Celestia." Luna pleaded.

     "No! It will solve it." Celestia nearly shouted back. The pressures of running an unhappy kingdom were getting to her. She sighed, then said calmly, "Sister, I only want what's best for Equestria, what's best for our kingdom. Just trust me."

     Princess Luna looked down, contemplating what her sister said. "I hope you know what you're doing Celestia." Then turned and walked off.

     Twilight, who had been silently observing, followed suit and turned to leave with Luna, "Wait, Twilight." Celestia called.

     Twilight turned towards Celestia, "Yes, Princess?" She asked.

     "Twilight, my most faithful student, you know I would never do anything to hurt the ponies of Equestria." Celestia stated with a smile, while walking towards Twilight.

     "Of course, Princess Celestia." Twilight returned, a little surprised.

     "I know it may look like I'm being harsh, but just have faith in me Twilight. Everything I am doing is for the good of Equestria." Celestia said, now walking beside Twilight down a palace hall.

     "You know I trust you completely Princess. I will always stay loyal to you, no matter what." Twilight answered affirmatively, "And I know my friends will too."

     "Good, because now is a time more than ever that I need help, you see, ruling a kingdom isn't easy. And doing it for over a thousand years makes one weary, wouldn't you think so?" Celestia mused.

     "Yes it would." Twilight chuckled, Celestia smiled back. Then she asked, "What do you want me to do?"

     "I need you to ensure the loyalty of the people." Celestia commanded, a bit more serious now. "These riots are getting out of hand, ponies are dying. We cannot let what happened in Ponyville to happen again. I need you to go with the royal envoys all across Equestria and make sure the ponies understand that what I'm doing is for the best."

     "I'll do my best Princess." Twilight answered, she looked down in sadness, thinking about what happened in Ponyville. All those ponies dead, many more destitute.

     Celestia lowered her head to be closer to Twilight's, "I'm sorry about what happened to your home and your town. But your place is here now. Royal quarters have been made for you and your assistant, Spike."

     Twilight looked up at Celestia, wonderment and shock in her eyes. "Wh-what?"

     "You're a princess Twilight, and you must assume the responsibilities of one." Celestia answered. Twilight, just thought about what Celestia said, then nodded.

     The 3rd Royal Infantry, Company A marched wearily on the road to Canterlot. Most of them with red tinted armor and blood clotted blades. Half of them had burns covering their legs and hooves. Some soldiers were staggering from the severity of their burns. They all were thinking of the previous night. No pony spoke, even if they were allowed to they wouldn't have. Each soldier bore an enormous amount of guilt and regret. It was the beginning of the day and the seventy or so soldiers left had a long trek ahead of them to Canterlot.

     "Aren't you guys done yet!" Bronze Buckler shouted to his three unicorns, through a masked face. He was growing impatient.

     "Just about!" One of the three answered back. The four unicorns, who were the same four that ambushed the convoy headed to Baltimare, and the same ones that instigated the revolt of Ponyville, were preparing another ambush, much bigger than the last. The were on a road, soaking it with sesame oil. Alot of sesame oil. They were spreading out the last jugs. They left Ponyville after Princess Luna, halted everything, and they were preparing ever since. They were ambushing the soldiers who slaughtered the innocents at Ponyville. They had to pay for what they did.

     "Hurry up! They'll be here soon and I don't want them to catch us with our hooves up our butts!" Bronze ordered, not trying to be funny at all. "And make sure all the bottles are hidden! And get the Molotovs, spears and traps ready!" The unicorns did what they were told. Bronze and his rebels lied in wait for the marching convoy. They were up on a hill over looking the road, behind bushes. A forest was about fifty yards away and thy had a trick up their sleeves.

     The soldiers had been marching for hours, every single one of them silently wallowing in guilt and regret. Then about fifty yards away a tree fell over blocking the road. Every soldier heard the creaking and crunching of the falling timber and the loud crash when it hit the ground. All the soldiers thought, "That was weird."

     "Company halt!" The captain ordered in his commanding voice. He was staring at the fallen tree wondering what to do about it. The couldn't walk over it, it was too big.

     "Aye!" The soldiers responded, making a loud pound on the dirt road.

     One of the soldiers sniffed, then sniffed again. He glanced to the soldier next to him and sniffed once more. The two soldiers sniffed. They smelt something, something odd. Then the unthinkable happened. The ground beneath their feet blazed forth an inferno of unbearable heat, and the soldiers felt as if they were engulfed in the bowels of Hell. Screams of anguish and panic filled the air. Every single soldier panicked and began to swing their blades around attempting to break free of the orderly column they were forced to march in all day. Some catching one another with the bloodstained blades. Four spears, guided by magic, were heading straight for the captain. He didn't notice the incoming projectiles because his legs were on fire. The spears skewered him all over his body. One made it in between his flanchard and crupper, goring his flank, blood spewed out, two went in between the plates of his crinet, impaling his neck, more blood gushed out and the final one went straight through his eye socket, gouging through the eye and into the slab of grey matter called, the brain. Death was immediate. The bloody, armored pin cushion toppled to the ground, those sane enough to notice were instantly demoralized. More molotovs were chucked at the soldiers, some breaking on their steel shells, turning the unlucky few into metal covered torches. The screams and wails of the soldiers were ear splitting and horrifying. If anypony could hear them. All the soldiers scattered, most were on fire and burning to death, but still screaming nonetheless. The scent of cooking flesh filled the air.

     The next day, Fluttershy was caring for her animals, still sad about what happened but what was she to do? "Here you go, plenty for all of you." Fluttershy said, scattering nuts on the ground, feeding a family of squirrels. She sniffled, remembering what happened two days ago, she remembered seeing Rainbow Dash's mangled, bloody body stagger and collapse into her home. She tried to hold back tears.

     "Hey, Fluttershy!" Applejack called. A few yards away from her friend.

     Fluttershy's train of thought was broken from the call of her friend, "Umm, yes, Applejack? What is it?" Fluttershy said while hovering over to her friend.

     "Was I interrupting something?" Applejack asked.

     "Umm no, no, it's fine. Do you need something?" Fluttershy softly replied.

     "Well, I was wondering if you knew where Rainbow Dash is. I can't find her anywhere. The clouds are building up and it ain't supposed to rain today." Applejack coolly stated.

     Fluttershy was somewhat shocked, and tears welled up in her eyes, "How can you think of the weather after what happened!"

     Applejack sighed, she thought about that night, she left when she saw the soldiers marching down the road, she agreed with the unicorn talking but, she knew when to quit. And she was glad she did. "Listen, sugercube," She put a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder,  "what happened that night was horrible and awful but, there's nothing we can do about it. The best thing to do is to just go on with our lives. I know it seems harsh and disrespectful, but it's the truth."

     Fluttershy looked down in thought, honesty was Applejack's policy, hence her element. She looked back up and said, "You're right, I haven't seen Rainbow Dash since early yesterday. She left before Twilight did. She didn't say where she was going, she just left. I can check her house if you want."

     "I'd really appreciate it Fluttershy." Applejack replied with a smile. The two went their separate ways, AJ went back to her farm and Fluttershy went to check on Rainbow Dash.

     In Cloudsdale Rainbow Dash was strolling the streets, looking for something to take the horrible guilt away. She tried distracting herself by performing stunts, that didn't work. Nothing worked. She was wallowing in remorse, head drooped down, and just walking. That's all she was doing, until something caught her eye. She looked up from her depressed state and saw a poster on a window, it read "Join the Royal Air Force Today!" And it had a picture of five armored pegisi flying in formation. And Rainbow Dash saw that she was looking at the window of a recruiter's office. "That's it!" Rainbow Dash thought, "I'll join the military! They'll put me through so many drills and so much work, I'll forget everything!" Rainbow Dash sighed, then walked in.