“Courage is not the will to attack, it is the will to defend.”
Celestia's words stuck in Rainbow Dash's head as she lay on top of a Manehattan building, her M24 sniper rifle pressed against her shoulder. She peered through its 6X-12X scope, waiting for any sign of a Zebra or Griffon. The war had been going on for years now. Ever since the Griffons and Zebras marched into Fillydelphia, firing weapons and taking lives on innocent ponies.
Dash lost her thought when Scootaloo, now 16 years old with a picture of the signature flaming tire on her flank, and Rainbow's spotter, nudged her. Rainbow Dash took aim, as the wind whipped at her multicolored hair. There, marched an army of Zebras into the streets of Manehattan. Rainbow Dash spotted Zecora in the lead, and was taken back by memories.
The group of friends had lost all contact with the Zebra when she returned home. When the war came, she enlisted, realizing the (accused) atrocities pony-kind has committed. She worked her way up to general, and was now here, marching through a demolished Manehattan.
“What are you going to do?” Scootaloo asked, once again interrupting Dash's thoughts.
“Right, sorry kid.” Rainbow Dash scoped in once more, and stuck the cross airs to Zecora's head.
“Sorry it had to be this way.” Rainbow Dash pulled the trigger, and the Zebra fell to the ground in a puddle of brain matter. At that moment, Twilight and Rarity each used their magic to lift up M249 SAWs from behind their cover. The two unicorns opened fire, gunning down Zebras.
“THIS IS SO UNCIVILIZED!” Screamed Rarity over gunfire.
“SHUT UP!” Twilight screamed back.
A pink tank drove up behind the two unicorns, with Pinkie Pie driving.
“The party cannon has been upgraded.” she said to herself. She fired a tank shell into the crowd of Zebras. It exploded upon impact, sending multicolored shrapnel that proved devastating.
Applejack ran from behind the cannon, being followed by a small army of ponies, all armed with small arms such as AK47s, M4A1s, and M16A3s. The Zebra army fired back, some shots ringing true as they hit pony soldiers. Pinkie fired another tank round, stunning the army as they recollected themselves.
Back on the roof, Rainbow Dash lifted up Scootaloo, and flew them to another building. Dash began firing more rounds into Zebras until moving spots again. As they flew, a shot rang up, ripping into Scootaloo's leg. The pony screamed and her body bucked, shaking her out of Rainbow Dash's grasp.
“RAINBOW!” Scootaloo screamed, tears in her eyes. She landed with a thud, barely breathing. Dash went down to help her, but due to the small arms fire from the Zebra army, Dash was forced to leave her. Now it wasn't like her to leave a friend on the field, but she was needed, her being one of the greatest snipers in Equestria, as well as one of the greatest fliers.
Dash flew back onto a rooftop, and peered down. She saw Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, both the same age as Scoot, drag her off the field. Applebloom began to treat her wounds with bandages and painkillers, while Sweetie Belle calmed Scootaloo with a soothing song. Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief, and continued doing her duty.
The battle ended fairly quickly with only a few casualties on Equestria's side. As the Zebras retreated, Fluttershy flew out with her squad of medical ponies. She began to heal the wounded ponies on the ground. When finished there, she flew over to the enemy side, and began to help the Zebra ponies.
“Why are you helping us?” Asked one zebra who had a bullet in the abdomen.
“Everypony needs to be shown kindness. Even if they think of us as the enemy” Fluttershy responded with a smile.
The Zebra grinned, “Thank you.” Fluttershy continued healing the stallion. As Fluttershy flew over to another one, the zebra looked at her with disgust.
“Back away you damned Pegasus. You pony scum! BACK AWAY.”
“Shh,” Fluttershy said, ignoring the insult. “Let me help you.”
“I said back away!” The zebra yelled, this time pulling a pistol.
“GUN!” screamed Applejack. The zebra fired, the bullet ripping into Fluttershy's stomach. The yellow Pegasus screamed, and fell to the ground, crying. A single shot rang out, as Rainbow Dash put a round into the Zebra's skull.
“FLUTTERSHY!” yelled Dash as she flew down to her lover. “FLUTTERSHY!” she yelled again. She was now by Flutter's side. Dash had tears in her eyes. “Fluttershy you're going to be okay.”
Rainbow was pushed away by the medical ponies. They barked orders to one another as they frantically began helping Fluttershy. Dash then lay down, sobbing into her hooves, not daring to look at Fluttershy, fearing that if she would, she would witness the only thing that would bring Dash to commit suicide.
* * *
Rainbow Dash hadn't left Fluttershy's side ever since she was shot. She sat in a chair next to Fluttershy's bed, and simply watched her sleep. As Rainbow Dash sat there , she began sobbing, not entirely know the extent of Fluttershy's injuries.
“I'm so sorry Fluttershy. I should have been watching the zebras more carefully. It's my fault I'm sorry.”
“Ms. Dash?” Came Nurse Redheart's voice from the doorway. Rainbow looked over, and the Nurse motioned her to come over. Rainbow approached Redheart.
“How is she? Will she be okay?”
“Fortunately, yes she will be just fine. The bullet passed through the one place where no organs are in the way. She was lucky.” Rainbow Dash broke down, sobbing in joy. She hugged Nurse Redheart and returned to her position by Fluttershy's side.
As Dash sat there, she felt the bed begin to stir. She looked up from her hooves, and saw the now awake Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow exclaimed, knocking over her chair. Rainbow hugged Fluttershy, who returned the gesture. “You never get shot again.” Rainbow said, tears in her eyes.
“Okay, you got it Dashie.” Fluttershy replied, using Rainbow's pet name that only Fluttershy was allowed to use (even though Pinkie Pie made it up).
Rainbow Dash nuzzled Fluttershy's neck, and climbed into the hospital bed with her. The two fell asleep there, and slept until the Griffons attacked the next day.
Author's Note
Hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave feedback. Not sure how long until the next chapter is up, hopefully not long.
“ATTACK!!! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!” Those words woke Rainbow from her slumber with Fluttershy. Fluttershy woke after word,
“What's going on?” she asked Dash, having to talk over an explosion.
“We're under attack.” Rainbow answered.
“Well, then I gotta-AHH.” Fluttershy yelled as she tried to stand .
“No.” Dash said. “You stay in bed, you were only shot two days ago.”
“Fine.” Fluttershy said, climbing back into bed.
“Good,” Rainbow kissed Fluttershy's forehead and grabbed her rifle. “I'll be back.” At that, Dash ran out of the room.
Rainbow's hair whipped in the cold breeze outside. The dirt walls of the Ponyville Trenches stood high above her head. Dash flew out, and got into her sniping position. Above her the Wonderbolts, now an elite air force team, flew into the battle, dropping bombs into the Griffon trenches and fighting the ones who were flying.
Fluttershy lay in her bed, Scootaloo in the bed next to her, and other patients next to her. Over the sounds of combat, Fluttershy heard the sound of somepony coming. Gunfire followed the footsteps, and she heard ponies yell out. Fluttershy felt defenseless, knowing she couldn't go to the fallen comrades.
More gunshots reminded her that a Griffon was coming.
“Shit.” she said to herself. “I need to play dead.” Fluttershy then leaned forward and bit onto the stitches. She yanked them out, whimpering in pain. Fluttershy spit the stitches to the ground as blood freely flowed again.
The Griffon entered the room, and Fluttershy closed her eyes and pretended to be dead. The Griffon's radio beeped.
“Gilda, kill all the wounded you hear me? Kill the wounded.” Gilda walked past Fluttershy's bed, assuming she was dead. She skipped over to Scootaloo's, and pulled a pistol.
“Please don't.” Scoot cried. “Please don't kill me PLEASE!” There was a gunshot, and Scootaloo was gone. Gilda went to the other beds, ending the lives of them all.
As Gilda turned to leave, she heard a noise. Behind her, in the doorway, stood Rainbow
Dash..
“G-Gilda?” Dash said, near tears. “Wha-What are you doing?”
“I'm sorry Dash, war is hell.” Rainbow looked over at Fluttershy, who was alive, but Dash didn't know it.
“Fluttershy?” Dash looked back to Gilda, with eyes full of rage that hell couldn't contain. “YOU!” Rainbow Dash lunged at Gilda, tackling her to the ground. She sat on top of her, beating her face. Gilda's left eye swelled closed in seconds, and her beak broke off. Rainbow was crying now, continually hitting and beating her childhood best friend.
Fluttershy had stopped pretending she was dead by now, and was watching the fight. Dash stood up and threw the Griffon across the room. She then pulled her side-arm and aimed it straight at Gilda's head, who pressed her head against the barrel.
“Do it Dash. Kill me. DO IT!” Rainbow Dash hesitated.
“I-I can't.” Said Rainbow “I want to, but I can't. We were friends all our lives. I know we're not now but, I just don't know.” Rainbow lowered her pistol, and Gilda ran out of the room. Rainbow Dash turned around, and there she saw Fluttershy standing there.
“Rainbow!” Fluttershy ran over, hugging Dash and sobbing into her shoulder. “Sh-sh-she got Scootaloo an-and the others. She would have killed me too, but I-I took out the sti-stitches and played dead.”Fluttershy continued sobbing.
“Shh, shh it's okay. It's okay I'm here. Get back in bed.” Fluttershy got back in bed and Rainbow handed her a medical pack. Fluttershy opened it and began dressing her wound, while Rainbow Dash sat there, picked up Gilda's dropped Assault Rifle, and guarded her girlfriend for the rest of the battle.
* * *
Once the battle ended, the Griffons left. There was no real winner, the ponies managed to hold their ground, but at a heavy loss. The only Griffons to make it out equaled out to around 70, Gilda included.
The dead were buried, and Scootaloo's parents flew out to say their final goodbyes to the soldier that was their daughter. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom locked themselves in their quarters, not saying a word to anypony.
Twilight met with Celestia, who flew from Canterlot to visit her student.
“Twilight, I'm so happy you're okay. Where are the others?” Celestia asked.
“Rainbow is with Fluttershy in the Infirmary, Applejack is overseeing the burials, Rarity and Pinkie are in their quarters.” Twilight answered. “and I'm here.”
“Why are Rainbow and Fluttershy in the Infirmary? Are they alright?”
“Fluttershy got shot a few days ago, nothing the med-ponies couldn't handle, she will be fine.”
“Hey Twilight.” Applejack called over, “ca n you come help us?”
“In just a second.” Twilight called back.
“Well,” Celestia said, “I'm going to head back to Canterlot, Luna and I have a meeting with the Presidents of the Zebras and Griffons, hopefully we can end this damned war.” At that, Celestia flew off, and Twilight went to help Applejack.
