The Warring Hooves

“Ah swear, Twilight, if Ah ever get my hooves on Luna-”

“Applejack!”

“Ah know, Twilight, Ah know. Ah just can’t bear the thought. Luna… threatening ya like that. It ain’t right.”

Twilight glances at her countryside friend with understanding and empathy.

“But you understand what we need to do, right?”

“Yes, Twilight. Ah understand.”

Twilight and Applejack sit there, in AJ’s home with Rarity and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash walks in the door, Pinkie Pie close behind her.

“Hey girls! What’s up?” Pinkie asks gleefully.

“Ya didn’t tell her, Rainbow?”

“I- I figured Twilight should be the one to.”

“It’s probably for the best. Pinkie Pie.”

“Yeah?”

“I need you to pay close attention.”

“I get it Twilight. I’m not…”

“No! Of course not. I- I’m sorry.”

Pinkie Pie shakes her head. “It’s okay, Twi. What’s going on?”

Twilight sighs and glances downward. Her eyes weigh her face down, almost painfully. She says, “It’s the Princesses.”

“Are they in trouble?!”

“You could say that. Celestia… she’s… Celestia has declared war on the Crystal Empire.”

Pinkie Pie snorted, “Silly! Equestria can’t declare war on a part of itself!”

“You can if that part secedes.”

“… Right! That makes sense.”

Rainbow Dash leans over to Applejack, “How did she know-?”

“Ah don’t question it.”

“That isn’t the worst of it.”

“What is?”

“Luna’s against the war.”

Pinkie’s eyes narrow, “I may be missing something here, but I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing.”

“Pinkie,” Twilight sighs, “ I wish it was. No, what Luna wants… is a revolution. A violent, revolution. And if she can’t have me as an ally, she would have me as an enemy.”

“Ponies die in war.”

The rest of the six stare at Pinkie’s seriousness. The happy pink pony, they were about to find out, hadn’t been happy all her life. Or even most of it.

“Yes. Yes, Pinkie Pie. What we need to do now is warn the rest of Ponyville. And maybe a few more towns…”

Twilight is interrupted by a horn blowing in the streets. The six rush out to see and discover it to be a call to a Town Meeting. The six know it must be Luna, preparing to give a speech on the upcoming war.

“Greetings, everypony.” Luna begins, the town of Ponyville her captive audience once again.

“Indeed, you have heard the rumors. Indeed… they are true.”

The crowd murmurs and fidgets.

“My sister… the Princess and sole ruler of Equestria, has declared war on the Crystal Empire, for the sole reason that it seceded!”

A collective gasp.

“I will not stand for this! I will not sit idly by and watch my fellow ponies die because my sister can’t let go of the Frozen North!”

The crowd’s heads start to nod.

“In fact, if I am not mistaken, the Princess cannot declare war without Council approval. Mayor Mare, did you send in a formal vote on the matter?”

Mayor Mare speaks up, “… I received no letter on this matter. This is not the first I’ve heard of war, but it is the first confirmation of it, I’ve heard.”

“And… Mayor Mare… If I may… You served in the military, did you not?”

“During the Equestrian Civil War, yes.” She looks down, embarrassed.

“I know… this must be hard for you. But, what do you think of when you hear ‘war’?”

The mayor uneasily looks around, her gaze met with expectant eyes. Most of these young ponies have never seen combat, or action of any kind, save for maybe a friendly tussle.

“There is nothing glamourous about it. It is violence and death, for its own sake. I advise strongly against this war.”

“My sentiments exactly. But think, my friends. Think, now that Celestia has bypassed Equestrian law, do you not think she’d do it again? This may not be the last military campaign our beloved princess has in mind. Who’s next? The Griffon Empire? Saddle-Arabia? I implore you, ponies of Ponyville, to renounce Celestia’s Equestria, and join me in a revolution destined for victory! This, everypony, will be the war to end all wars.”

The crowd cheers, their hearts won over by the dark blue mare, whose powers of speech have greatly improved since last coming to Ponyville. Perhaps she took classes in Canterlot.

Everypony shouting and cheering their approval of the new revolution, all except a few ponies, including our heroines, the mayor and Cheerilee. After a brief discussion brings the mane six, Cheerilee and the mayor on the same page, the group splits up to try to persuade other ponies to resist Luna’s campaign. Most, however, simply seek out their family members. After all, what is more important than family? Little else, in times of fire and death.

Unfortunately for our heroines, it seems they will not have the luxury of time. An alarm sounds, one foreign to Twilight’s ears. The mayor knows: it’s the horn signaling the marching of ponies on the town of Ponyville. Luna captures the town’s attention once again.

“This! This, my friends! This is our chance! To show that authoritarian alicorn what we can do! Fight with me and protect your city to cement your secession from Equestria!”

Twilight pushes her way to the front of the stage, “No!” she screams.

“No? You mean to say you still favour your mentor over me?”

“Th-that’s not what I-”

“It matters not. The town’s on my side.”

Twilight fights to keep her emotions in check. She cannot be seen as an unhinged pony, especially now.

“I can see that, Luna. However, ponies of Ponyville, hear me out.”

Luna nods.

“Hope, everypony. What Luna says… to a degree is not wrong. We should fight for our freedoms. Celestia has destroyed our trust… and destroyed our friendship. This war will be brutal. But what Luna is suggesting, is simply more of the same! Violence, death, bloodshed. All unnecessary. I don’t have an answer to this problem right now. All I can say is, if we can get to safety, we can figure out how to stop Celestia… and Luna. And we can figure it out, together.”

“And where is safe, exactly?” somepony shouts from the audience.

Twilight is lost for words. She looks around, off into the distance for any possibility. Then she gets an idea. One that, if she’s not careful, will turn everypony away from her support.

“Ponies of Ponyville… what I am about to tell you, may seem like a suicide mission.”

The crowd murmurs anxiously.

“However, if we can make it through, we will be safe, at least until we can figure out a way to stop the sisters.”

Luna steps up, “Out with it, Twilight. The army is almost here.”

“We enter the Ever Free Forest. We make our way to the other side and build a new independent state there.”

A cacophony of cheers and jeers erupt from the crowd. A pony shouts, “they’re here! They’re in!” and the ponies enter panic mode. Mothers and Fathers race to find their children and each other; the foals are led to safety, while Luna’s supporters fall into line behind her. Twilight’s followers race to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“Twilight!”

“Applejack.”

“How in the hay are we supposed ta survive the Ever Free Forest?”

“I know it will be difficult, what, with so many ponies with us. But we’re all sharp with keen senses. As long as we keep the young ones near the center, they should be safe.”

“Okay Twilight. Ah reckon we should keep the… old… in… oh no.”

“What’s wrong?”

Applejack looks frantically around, “Ah- Ah don’t see her!”

“See who?”

“Granny Smith! She’s not here!”