The Price of Love

Chapters

Prologue
Indicators and Questions
Screw-ups and Plans
Retirement Party
Opening Shots
The Game Begins
The Rescue
Executions
Return For Exfil
Flight Towards Home
A Blessed Joining
Endgame
The Last Stand

Prologue

They say that a drink can help a pony think when something is on his mind. Whether or not it help is something that many debate, but for Soarin, the squat tumbler of Grey Mane Vodka is a welcome thing. His face contorted into a grimace as the chilled, clear liquid burned its way down his throat. Maybe Vodka was not the drink for him, but he took the unpleasant flavor as another means of getting her out of his thoughts for the evening.

Spitfire. The mare that commanded the Wonderbolts. The mare that was his direct boss. The mare that broke his heart years ago. Drowning those thoughts by downing the rest of his drink, he let out a mild gasp before he turned his focus to the paperwork at hoof. Most of what he had before him was basic administrative stuff. Paperwork he would have preferred to just deposit into the circular file, but his duty as the unit’s Executive Officer forbade that.

As the pen ground away at the papers before him, he did not notice the Pegasus with the fiery mane walk in until she half flopped down on the couch next to his desk. Looking over, he saw that she appeared just as tired as he felt. Not bothering to say anything, he finished the financial report before him, then headed over to the bar to pour a couple glasses of something better than the vile stuff on his desk.

“You know, that Grey Mane is horrid stuff. I don’t know why you bothered buying it,” she commented while watching him pour a couple drinks. “But I guess you’ve found that out already.”

All Soarin could do is snort in agreement as he poured a couple glasses of Sweet Apple Acres finest apple flavored Brandy. While he may on occasion drink something harsh, he always chose something good to serve to his guests. Placing the two glasses on a tray, he walked over to his teammate and let her take her glass.

Sitting down next to her on the couch, he took a sip of his drink. It was not often that the two of them shared drinks after work, and he found himself hoping that this evening would not turn out like most other evenings that she chose to stop by after work. His eyes shifted over to steal a glance of her bright, golden colored coat. The desire to be much closer to her hit him, and he had to take another sip from his glass to push that thought aside. “What do you think of the new recruits that came in today?” he asked her.

Her hoof shifted uncomfortably on the rug. She had noticed the look he had given her, and had hoped would not happen this time. Forming her thoughts with a sip of her own to hide her discomfort, she gave him her thoughts. “Bright Skies looks like she has some potential, and so does Tradewind. His big flaw is his ego, though. I think the last two that had heads that big was Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. The rest of them, I give maybe a week before they wash out,” Spitfire assessed. She took another sip to prepare herself for what was coming. She expected him to ask her to go to dinner with him.

“Spits—” he got no further as she raised her hoof to stop him from saying any more.

“I have a date, tonight, Soarin. Sorry,” she told him.

Downing the rest of his Brandy, Soarin rose from the couch in a huff. Stiffly, he walked over to the bar to pour himself another glass. He tried to hide the resentment in his voice, but the words he said cut just the same. “Always gotta rub it in, hey Captain?” The tone said it all. He was hurt, and in his eyes, rightly so.

She too, was hurt. The hidden venom in his voice stabbed deep into her chest. Spitfire did not relish seeing him hurting, but dammit, she had her own life as well, and she did not intend to spend her life pining away over a relationship that fell to pieces years ago. “And what in Tartarus is that supposed to mean? And what is this “Captain” garbage?” she asked as she rose from the couch. “Why can’t you just let it go, finally? How long do I have to suffer your constant attempts to get back together with me?” she demanded from him, as she marched up right into his face.

“What the hell happened between us, Spits?” he asked. There was no disguise for the hurt tone in his voice, or the pain that showed in the creased forehead. With a stomp of his foot, he continued, “Where did it go wrong? I tried my damnedest to keep the marriage working. It seemed to me that you just didn't give a damn, anymore!”

Turning away, so he would not see the tear which escaped her eye, she simply said to him, “I don’t know, Soarin.” A heavy sigh passed her lips as she walked out the door, leaving him there in his regrets.

The glass in his hoof sailed across the room to shatter against the wall. There was nothing that he could say or do to heal the wounds the past had inflicted upon them. The dejected look on his face was but a shadow of the bitter remorse within his heart.

Spitfire. The mare he still loved with all his heart.

Indicators and Questions

“Talk about a week of hell. Feels good to finally have the inspections done and over with. Damn hard to believe we were able to pull off a ninety-eight percent on the drill portion. Then again, the First Sarge would have killed us all, had we messed that up,” Sergeant Dancing Dead proclaimed before taking a drink from his beer. It was a well earned beer too, having done well in the Princess’s Inspection, which his Battalion had just completed that afternoon. Overall, the whole unit received a score of ninety-five percent, which was considered an outstanding score, considering that Princess Luna had an eye for detail that bordered on insane perfectionist. “I hope that we don’t have to go through that again anytime soon,” he said, slamming his now empty glass down on the table.

Sergeant Flash Sentry polished off his own glass before he replied. “Yeah. The room inspections were even tougher. Princess Twilight is a perfectionist when she inspects a room. But,” he paused as he waved a waitress over to order another round, “Princess Twilight was most impressed with my room, which was the only room to score a perfect score.”

Here we go again, Dead thought to himself. He knew what was coming, having heard it a million times in various forms. Ever since the two of them had joined the Royal Guard, Dead had heard his friend carry on about how much he loved Twilight Sparkle. Flash would talk about how she happened to smile at him when he had held a door open for her, or how she looked so cute with how much she was always studying, or about a million other nonsensical ways that a pony deeply infatuated with another would carry on. And on. And on some more. Seriously, his friend needed to get laid. That solved everything, and Dead said so.

“You just don’t understand, my friend,” Flash told him. “You don’t understand what true love is all about—”

“Says the guy who probably clops to her every night! Seriously, dude! This is starting to become borderline stalkerish, and frankly, it is creeping me out. Besides, you wouldn’t stand a chance with her anyways,” Dead said as he rose from the table. Not wanting to hear any more of his friend’s puppy-love babbling, he started towards the restrooms.

He was stopped by a hoof on his shoulder which spun him around. The popping veins along the forehead and the stance told Dead just how insanely crazy Flash was for the Princess, with the important words being insane and crazy. There was not a lot that would set Flash off like this, but Sergeant Dead just happened to do one of the few things that did. Breaking into his own fighting stance, Dead warns him to back off. “Hooves off, bro! I don’t know what your problem is, but you’re acting like a fuckin foal. You’re pretty damn ignorant if you think the Princess would ever consider someone as crazy as you!”

Maybe it was the alcohol which lowered his inhibitions, whereas they had been downing beers all evening ever since the Platoon had been dismissed. Or maybe it was the built up stress that went along with a Princess’s Inspection that had not yet been properly relieved. Either way, When Flash turned around, Dead did not expect for his friend to come back around again, this time, swinging his Royal Guard helmet. When the helmet connected, it sent Dead sprawling. Flash quickly pounced onto his friend with hooves flailing. Dead quickly responded by bracing his hind hooves for a kick to Flash’s midsection, launching the orange Pegasus onto a nearby table. The fight was on!

And just as quickly, the fight was over. The pair of them found themselves both tackled to the floor. When they looked up, both of them quickly lost all thoughts of continuing the fight. They found themselves staring into the eyes of Lieutenants Spearhead and Soarin. The fight was over, and they had both lost.

“Barracks rooms. NOW. You will not leave those rooms the entire weekend, except to go to the chow hall. And when you go for chow, you will be escorted by the Deck Watch NCO when HE decides to go get chow. Come Monday morning after formation, the two of you will report to my office. Is that clear?” This was not a question, but an order, delivered in a tone that allowed for zero arguments or questions. Lieutenant Dusty Spearhead may be more laid back than some officers, but when those underneath him fucked up royally, he could become a hardflank in a hurry. Turning to a pair of Royal Guardponies who had just been called for by the bartender, he gave them their instructions, and the two Pegasi were led out of the bar.

“Well now, nothing like a couple kids squabbling to break the monotony,” Soarin said under his breath as the two of them retake their seats. “So, how severe you gonna punish the two?”

“A few days in the brig and a demotion down to Corporal for them, I’m thinking. Technically, fighting like that would require two weeks, as well as the loss of two levels of rank, but at times, the rulebook is a little harsh, given the situation. Besides, as their commander, I do have some leeway in my discipline choices.”

Calling over a waitress, he asks for a couple pitchers of cold cider and glasses. The sweet, tangy drink went down smoothly with barely a hint of alcoholic burn as he took his drink. Sweet Apple Acres produced some of the finest cider in all of Equestria, with just enough potency to give a pony a decent buzz, but mild enough so that one would have to either be a complete lightweight, or they would have to drink enough to make you float, to get sick drunk. It was the perfect drink, in Dusty’s opinion.

It was not the same stuff which Soarin had chosen to drink tonight, Dusty noticed. Soarin had ordered a couple of doubleshots of Stolitchmarea vodka, along with a pint of a very dark porter. Mixing booze and beer was never a good idea, and Soarin only did this when he was pining over one certain mare. “You wanna talk about it?”

“No.”

This was the answer that he expected from the Wonderbolt Lieutenant. As usual, Dusty was going to have to push the issue. “Tough shit, Soarin thumping his hoof down on the table as he stared his friend in the eye. “All you are doing sitting there drinking like that is hurting yourself when you COULD be talking to a friend about what ails you.” Dusty continued to look Soarin dead on, frustration creasing his brow as he continues. “I’m tired of seeing you hurting like this, and so help me, Celestia, I am gonna help you get through this.” Seeing Soarin dip his head, only to pick up one of the shot glasses and down it, Dusty could tell that Soarin planned to be a stubborn one tonight. “Did you and Spitfire have another argument?”

The look of depression only deepened as the Pegasus simply nodded before taking a long drink of his beer. All he wanted to do was to drown his sorrows. If he drank himself into a state of oblivion, then maybe he would not think of her.

“You know, all you are doing is pushing her away. I know you still care for her, but if you keep pushing yourself on her, eventually there will be no chance left at even being friends with her,” Dusty told him honestly. He had seen it happen before, and it was not something he wished to see happen here. “Have you tried going out and finding somepony new?” he asked.

“Yeah, and that didn’t work out well,” Soarin told him as he finishes off his beer.

“Well, maybe you should try again.” When Soarin just fixed him with this bitter look, Dusty pressed on. “I know this cute little mare over in the twenty-third Engineers Battalion. I think she would be perfect for you.”

Soarin snorted in disbelief, already knowing that any planned date would end up in failure. But he listened to his friend make the sales pitch anyways.

~ + ~ + ~

It was not uncommon for the princesses to hold their meals at hours that most would consider unusual, but one of the burdens of leadership was that you did not get to have a set dining schedule, or at times even be able to choose when it was you ate. There have been many an occasion when the princesses ended up taking a meal on the go as they work, for even with the huge executive staff they had to help run the nation, they still had very busy days.

The reason that Twilight was able to dine with both Luna and Celestia that evening was that the co-rulers had taken every step possible to make the dinner happen. Even so, it was less a relaxed dinner, and more of a business meeting over a meal.

“I’m seeing inconsistencies with the figures I am receiving from the Griffins, Celestia. Things just do not seem to add up, and I wish to dig further. This trade agreement could benefit all who join, but if we are not careful, another nation might be able to twist things around to their own benefit.” Twilight paused as she plucked a roll from a platter before her. Forming her thoughts, she continued, “To be honest, I would not be surprised if Griffica were to attempt to do just that. Our indicators all show their economy to be hurting, and they do have a history of aggressively pursuing their goals, even if it meant that other nations suffered for it.”

Princess Celestia pondered her former student’s words carefully. She knows full well what the Griffin Empire was like, and what they are willing to do. On more than one occasion in the past, Griffica had attempted to obtain the upper hand through illicit means, up to and including actual warfare. But in the past, they had been able to spot signs that something was ahoof, and if not outright prevent it, at least be prepared to deal with it whenever the trouble arose.

The only thing to note as of recent were the grumblings concerning the Crystal Empire. Historically, they have always been their own separate nation, though one closely allied with Equestria up until the time that King Sombra took over. During the centuries that the empire was missing, Griffica had attempted to annex the land as their own. It would have been a sizable addition, had they done so, and one that could have brought an untold bounty to Griffica. The Crystal Empire is a land filled with natural resources, from the timber to mineral wealth, to even coal, oil, and gold. While some Equestrian nobles had coveted the riches themselves, it had been through mutual agreement amongst numerous nations that the Crystal Empire, while vacant, shall be considered neutral territory, and owned by no nation. Griffica had been the one nation to disagree with this, but in the end, they were forced to relent. Could it be that Emperor Ironbeak had another scheme in the works?

It would be very unfortunate if this was the case. The Crystal Empire was no longer vacant, but once again a nation in it’s own right. It was a nation with some very strong ties to Equestria, being ruled by Celestia and Luna’s niece. And her husband happened to be the brother to another Equestrian Princess, one who had saved Equestria on more than one occasion.

“I would think that the Griffins would see the advantage of playing a legit game and following the rules in this instance. If they were to work with us and the other participating nations in the trade conference, then they might find that their economy would be helped significantly.” Luna paused to take a sip of her coffee, a deep, rich dark brew which she had grown particularly fond of. “The fact that they are trying to fudge the numbers tells me that they most likely hope to bluff everypony into believing that they have enough of an advantage to be able to dictate the terms and conditions. They might try to do so, but if enough nations see past the bluff, then they will have to fold, or will lose, and be at an actual disadvantage in the end.”

Although it was Celestia who normally dealt with the economic side of things in Equestria, Luna was no slouch. She was smart enough to do the math, and that was something that she put to use in many of her duties. Security for the nation of Equestria was one of her primary responsibilities, and a pony could figure out a lot of intent from just knowing how a nation’s economy was holding up.

“A part of me is worried that we are missing something. Some detail that is crucial, and will bite us all on our flanks if we are not careful,” she said as she started to refill her plate. “Twilight, you have a meeting soon with some of the Griffin representatives. Do you think you could discretely gather more information? Any little details you can give us would be helpful.”

“Don’t we have an agent in place that will be at the meeting, Luna? If he could get me certain figures, and get them to me somehow at the meeting, maybe through Fleetfoot, then that would be most helpful.” Levitating a sheet of paper and a quill to her, she jotted down some quick numbers and figures she thought would be most revealing. “If he can get this information to me,” she said, giving Princess Luna the paper, “I would be most grateful.”

Luna thought for a moment, weighing differing factors against one another. “It will be an added risk to him, but I suspect he could do this. And using Fleetfoot as a contact between you and the agent is an excellent idea. I shall get the message off to his handler as soon as we’re done here.”

~ + ~ + ~

Spitfire trotted down the sidewalk in disgust at how her evening had gone. Once again, her date for the evening had turned out to be a train wreck of a pony. Had the stallion not been so self-centered and cocksure, maybe she might have accepted his advances towards her. Then again, those advances were brazen, yet amateurish. And when he tried slipping a hoof between her hind legs, that was the last straw. The date officially ended with her rear hooves striking him in the chest, and her walking out the door of the club.

She turned off the sidewalk to pass through a short gate, and walked up a brick patterned path to the front door of the house now before her. After another evening like this, she was in need of comfort that only two ponies in her life could provide. Her knock on the door was answered after a brief moment.

The stallion who answered was a tough looking pony to say the least. Tall and lean, he had a look about him that made those who ended up in his sights tremble in fear, and those whom he worked with respect him for the warrior that he was. That toughness melted away when he saw who it was at the door. “Hey Spits, what brings you here so late? Come on in.” First Sergeant Silverwing told her gently, stepping aside so she could enter.

“Thanks, Dad,” she says to him as she reaches up to give him a hug, which he returns. He was only one of two ponies in the world right now she trusted enough to talk to about anything on her mind. Him and her Mom. “Sorry that I haven’t been around all that much lately.”

Silver knew the reason why his daughter had shown up. She must have had another horrendous date. That and with her mother being out of town for a concerto, she really had nopony else to talk to tonight. “It’s all golden, Spits. You have a very busy work schedule with the new recruits, and trying to organize next years performances. Hell, I’ve been busy as well, we got new Privates that came in, as well as three new non-coms. Takes time to get them into the unit fully. Sergeant Hearts is good, she ain’t even afraid to ask questions, and she listens. Always a good thing having a smart medic in the unit. Now, the other two Sergeants… well, they may not be Sergeants much longer after a call I got earlier.”

Spitfire smirked. “They gonna get demoted, or killed?” she asks jokingly. She is thankful for the moment to smile, at least for a moment. Her father may be a hard flank when on duty, but around her or her Mom, he was a caring and loving father and friend. And yet, he was strong for her too. Lending his support and advice always, or even his dry humor, if that is what it took. He was also honest with her, even when what he had to say was not what she wanted to hear. It always turned out that it was what she needed though.

“How do you do it, Dad?” she asked him. “How do you and Mom keep your friendship strong, and not feel hurt about what happened? Soarin and I got into another fight tonight. I want to be friends with him, but he keeps wanting what we can’t have.” Opening the fridge, she pulls out a cold beer and opens it, taking a drink. Her face crinkles at the taste, bitter and heavy, but she did not care about that. She just needed something, anything, that might take her mind off of the evening she had. “And then that ‘date’ I was on turned out to be a disaster, tonight. The flankhole couldn’t keep his damn hooves off of me.”

“Would you prefer I break his forelegs or hindlegs, Spits?”

This got a grin from her. “No need. I gave him a good swift kick, and then another mare stepped in, and she half bucked his head in. He failed to mention that he had been dating her for the past year.” The golden mare snorted with disgust. “I must be really screwed up, Dad. I can’t seem to ever get things right, always picking the worst ones out there. And when I did have someone good, I let shit get between us, and now, we can’t even be friends without fighting.” The tears that fell were a testament to the pain and conflict inside of her; she wished to find the happiness which she once had, but knew that if she gave in to what that whispering voice in her heart told her, all it would do is bring more pain. It was a needed comfort she felt when her father sat down next to her, hugging her close with his one good wing.

“Where did I go wrong, Dad? Why did I have to let shit get between Soarin and I?” The reply she gets is to be held closer in the comfort that can only be felt from one’s father.

Screw-ups and Plans

It was a relatively cheery office, as far as offices go in the Royal Guard. While most officers would have either kept their walls and desk sparse, containing only what was required of them to have as per regulations, Lieutenant Spearhead chose to have a more personal touch. Along the walls were images captured from various unit functions and picnics or parties. Where as some would put up images that display the pure fighting spirit, most all the images Dusty chose focused on those whom he led.

It gave the place a more welcoming feel, but that feeling was lost on the two stallions who entered the room and stood at attention before their commanding officer. The two of them had never been in trouble before, and they were not looking forward to this.

Dusty set his pen down once the two of them entered. He was not looking forward to this either. He would much rather be spending time with his troops, training with them, getting to know each and every one a little better, and generally making certain that they were taken care for. Having to pass judgement and discipline down upon two whom have shown themselves to be excellent Royal Guard noncoms was not the way he preferred to start out his day. Unfortunately, this was something which he had to do.

Looking up, he saw the two of them standing firmly at attention with their faces in a careful cast of military neutrality. They kept their bearing as a positive sign, showing that they remained disciplined even with how they knew they were in a heap of trouble. Getting out of his chair, Dusty walked slowly around the two Sergeants, checking them over for anything which would be out of place. In this, he found nothing at all. Every detail was perfection. This pleased the Lieutenant, even though he was unable to let that show.

Satisfied with what he found, Dusty sat back down behind his desk. Steepling his forehooves together, he tapped the tips of them together contemplatively, as if pondering something. “What am I to do with you two?” he asks rhetorically, "You two, both noncoms of high standing, were caught fighting. In public, no less.” He looks the pair in the eyes, looking for any sign that either might slip in their bearing. “Do you two know what the regulations state as the punitive action for publicly fighting?”

“Yes Sir, we do,” answers Sergeant Dead, with Sergeant Sentry just nodding in affirmation. They knew the score, and they knew that, by rights, any chance of making a career out of the Royal Guard could very well be over.

“Technically, as per regulations, you two should receive reductions in rank down to Lance Corporal, as well as twenty-eight days in the brig without pay. Furthermore, it would be noted in your service records that you two will be passed over for reenlistment.

“Fortunately, regulations also give a CO some leeway, depending on the severity and circumstances,” he informs them, giving them a moment to let it sink in. Standing, he delivers his decision. “Sergeant Flash Sentry, Sergeant Dancing Dead, the two of you shall be reduced in rank to Corporal, and spend five days in the brig. You will not lose any pay, and you will not have your service records marked as ineligible for reenlistment. Now, you two wait outside, and when the First Sarge is done in here, he will escort the two of you to the brig.” And with that, he dismissed the two of them.

When the two departed the room to wait outside, First Sergeant Silverwing entered “Got a light day planned. Think it’s a good idea to give the fillies and colts a break considering how well they all did in the inspection.”

“By ‘light’, you mean hoof-to-hoof combat training to let them blow off excessive steam that has built up?” the Lieutenant asked.

“Exactly, Sir. Figured its just what they need.”

~ + ~ + ~

“What in Tartarus were you two thinking? While creativity is a good thing, you do NOT,” Spitfire berated the two trainees in front of her hotly, stomping her hoof down as added emphasis, “just up and decide that you will go creating some new signature move on the fly. These maneuvers we perform are safe, as long as everypony does EXACTLY what they are supposed to do, and by changing things up, you two boneheads end up colliding in midair, and had to be caught before you performed a signature move called the meaty splat!” Stepping right into Tradewind’s face, she interrogated him, “Are you trying to ruin my day, trainee? Cause it would piss me off if I had to go tell your momma that her son, just out of his diapers, nose dived into the tarmac at two hundred miles per hour.”

Turning to face the other trainee, Captain Spitfire let loose on her as well. “You should know better, Bright Skies. You have shown yourself so far to be an outstanding trainee, so why did you go all stupid and follow his lead in this? If you cannot follow simple instructions, I do not give two shits how skilled you think you are. You are a danger to the whole team, and there is NO place for you here. Have I made myself clear enough for you two?”

Spitfire grinned inwardly when she hears two “Yes Ma’ams!” in unison. Good. She had gotten through to them. While she did value creativeness, there were proper ways to go about coming up with new maneuvers. Ways to make sure that it was done in a safe manner, so that nopony got killed through recklessness or stupidity. There was real danger in the stunts the team performed in every show, but the training they did every day was designed to make certain that every member knew exactly what he or she was supposed to do, as well as what the others were to do.

“Good. Now, I want you two to give me one hundred laps around the training grounds. Maybe some good exercise might clear any remaining foolishness out of your heads,” she told them. “If you hurry, you might get done in time to make the chow hall before it closes. Now get your flanks in the air and give me my laps!”

Tradewind and Bright Skies took off in a hurry, not wanting to further piss off the Wonderbolt Captain.

“I think maybe they’ll listen to orders now, Spits. What the heck was Tradewind trying to do, anyways? Seemed he thinks we just pull these stunts out of our asses on the go. To be honest, I have my doubts about him. I give him two more weeks before he washes out, either by quitting, injuring himself, or getting thrown out.”

“I don’t know Soarin,” Spitfire replies slyly as she heads in the direction of her office. “He does kinda remind me of a certain Pegasus who would think about pies in class instead of paying attention to the lesson plan,” she snickered as she quipped. “And look how far he has come; Executive Officer of the Wonderbolts.”

Soarin just grinned as he tagged along beside her. “Yeah, I was pretty boneheaded myself back then.”

The two of them were stopped by Warrant Officer Fleetfoot, who called out from the group of trainees she had been talking to. Trotting over, she fell in step with her friends. “So, I’ve just got the word at lunch. Princess Twilight has personally hired me,” she squeed like a little filly on Hearth's Warming Day. She had received numerous job offers, and while all of them would have come with pay and benefits which greatly exceeded what she had with the Wonderbolts, what she really wished for was to work for Princess Twilight Sparkle. To her, this would allow her to continue serving Equestria, just not as military, but still, working towards the betterment of Equestria. It was an added bonus that the princess was a very good boss to work for, if you could handle the manic quirks that the Princess seemed to go through.

“Congrats, Fleet. When do you officially start working for her?” asked Soarin. He had a gut feeling that she would get the job. Not only had she proved herself as the unit’s Financial Officer, but she also had the strength of character and positive outlook which the Princess found desirable.

“I knew you would get the job,” Spitfire added. “You know that we’re gonna miss you around here.”

Fleetfoot felt a small pang of longing to remain, having served in her nation first as a Equestrian Guard, and then making a cross service move to the Royal Guard, and from there, joining the Wonderbolts. She had served a full twenty years, and she loved every moment, but the rigors of the military life had become more than she could continue with.

She could have easily taken a desk job, and probably would have completed another ten years, probably reaching the rank of First Lieutenant before retiring. That she had made it as far as she had, becoming a Grade Four Warrant Officer as well as being a contender for the next Executive Officer position, which would open up within a year. Of all the years she had served, the most cherished times were during the six years she had flown with the Wonderbolts.

Now though, it had reached a point where she would become more of a liability than an asset. Not only was it becoming more difficult for her to perform the complex tricks that they did as an aerial team, but the Wonderbolts were a Special Operations unit, and if she were to fail there, she would be placing the whole team at risk.

No, it was better to retire altogether than for her to end up sitting at a desk somewhere. At least with her new job working for Princess Twilight, she felt she would be a valued member of the team.

“Well, at least we’ll be able to throw you one hell of a party, Fleet,” Soarin reassures her. “I even hear that Princess Luna plans to attend. You have some pretty important fans.”

“Yeah, just don’t spill your pie on her, Soarin. That would be embarrassing!” The two mares enjoy a laugh at the stallion’s expense, remembering his reaction at the Gala when he nearly lost his apple pie that night.

“Well, I have to get grinding on a mountain of paperwork. Seems like the forms reproduce like parasprites lately. You two mind watching over these foals and make sure nopony gets killed?” the Captain asked them? When they agreed, Spitfire headed to her office to shackle herself to her slave-like duties.

~ + ~ + ~

Emperor Ironbeak was not pleased. He had just spent two hours listening to his ministers argue and bicker over every damn thing under the sun, or at least the things which they had their own personal interests in, and they were just now getting to the point where he could bring them in on the plans he had made with General Razorwing. It was Ironbeak’s belief that most, if not all of his ministers, would be highly supportive once they realized the benefits and rewards which would come from a successful completion of this game. And this was one of the oldest games in civilization which they played; International Relations, also known as how to best fuck over your neighbors and become more powerful than them.

Taking a sip of deep red wine from the jeweled encrusted platinum goblet before him, he clears his throat to speak. “Now that we have these matters out of our way, we can move on to a topic which I feel will be of interest to everyone here. Something which, if successful, will make these problems you have been squawking about for the past couple hours disappear,” Ironbeak spoke up. Upon doing so, every Griffin in the room turned to him in expectation. They had heard that he had something in the works, but the rumor mill only supplied speculation, and they wished to know more. And if what they had been hearing had any truth to it, they would want to be in on this.

Gesturing to his Chief-of-Staff, he has him pass out folders to each Minister attending the meeting. With a red and white border around the edges, they realize that they are privy to eyes-only information here, which further piqued their interests. They each opened the folders, and browsed what was inside.

“Ironbeak, this is all information we already know. Trade figures, Gross National Product reports, economic indicators and such. We just discussed this.”

“Minister Ravenhorn, if you care to look past what you see on the top, you will see that the first section is there to show the need for the second,” Ironbeak informed him.

As they looked further, numerous ministers let out gasps of surprise, or even shock. What they saw before them was a plan that was incredibly bold in scope, and would be extremely lucrative for their nation, and for themselves also. “Do you seriously wish to seize the Crystal Empire and annex it as part of Griffica? You will have us at war with Equestria!” Ravenhorn proclaimed. As the Foreign Minister, it was his job to deal with other nations, and he was one who knew how the leaders of those nations would react. He knew that Celestia would immediately jump to the aid of the Crystal Empire, whereas they have always been allies, and now that Celestia’s own niece ruled that nation, the bonds between the two nations were further strengthened. “This is madness! While we may have the strength to take on Princess Cadenza in the Crystal Empire, we would have no chance against the combined armies of both nations attacking on at least two separate fronts.”

Ravenhorn was correct, given the knowledge that he had before him. But what Minister Ravenhorn did not know that there was more to the plan. Specifically, a part which would guarantee that Celestia would be very hesitant to raise a hoof to stop Griffica from carrying out the annexation of the Crystal Empire. “What if we had the means to ensure that Equestria would not interfere, Minister Ravenhorn?

“And just how do you propose to do that?” was the question Ravenhorn asked.

“Simple solution, really. If we have something that Celestia cherishes enough, or, more accurately, someone she loves dearly, then we would have the leverage to ensure that she would be too fearful to interfere.” Taking another sip of wine from his goblet, he continues, “on Monday, a small delegation will be coming to Griffica for the upcoming Trade Conference. Among those coming up will be Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Waving to his Chief-of-Staff once again, he has him pass out a second set of folders. “General Razorwing has come up with a plan to capture her. With her in our custody, and a carefully worded message delivered by Ambassador Redtail, Celestia will bow to our demands and give us most anything we ask for, to ensure that her precious protégée is returned to her alive.

Retirement Party

Author's Note

YUS! This is coming out of retirement.
I have made a commitment, and I am carrying it through.
I restarted work on this fic at the beginning of November, opening up the .doc for this chapter, and as of last night, I am half way through Chapter Twelve.

I have my goals now set, and one of them is to cease procrastinating on my stories.
Expect the next chapter next Tuesday.

Retirement Party

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER, PARTY CRASHERS! YAY!” was their cry. Even after receiving their cutie marks, they had decided that crusading would still be a part of their lives. It was their way of keeping their bonds of friendship tight, and it was fun. They also had come to the decision that they would use their newly found talents to help others find their own talents.

“Wait, how can we crash the party? It’s open to the public,” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Who cares, let’s just have fun,” a young colt replied to her query. Although Rumble had already received his mark, with help from crusading adventures aside, he still liked to have fun, and hanging out with the Crusaders was a surefire way for that to happen. Besides, this was also a chance for him to hang out with Apple Bloom, whom he had developed a crush on. Happily for him, she seemed to feel the same towards him. “Let’s go get a drink first, though,” he told them, though they knew what he really meant was to get Apple Bloom a drink. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo just snickered at one another behind their friend’s backs. Scootaloo would normally have put on her ‘gross’ face when such lovey-dovey stuff happened between the two of them, but lately, she herself had started to feel something for a certain young filly in her life.

Any chance for the four of them to head to the drinks table for sodas was placed on hold when the Wonderbolts strode the gates of the Canterlot Gardens to join in on the celebrations. Immediately, Rumble scampered towards the arriving ponies shouting in joyous glee, “Soarin! I missed you!” with Scootaloo hot on his hooves.

Rumble was scooped up into the forelegs of the Wonderbolt Lieutenant and given a tight hug. “How has my little brother been doin?” He asked. Although Soarin did not often get the chance to see his brothers, he still did what he could for the pair, and visited them whenever it was possible. Although he was the older of Rumble’s two brothers, when their parents had passed on, it had been agreed upon that Thunderlane was the brother that would be better suited to watch over the young colt. Raising a young colt was difficult enough when you’re single, but to do so while in the military would have just been too much, and would not have been good for Rumble either.

Soarin reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a package. Handing it to Rumble, he watched as the colt’s eyes lit up at what was inside. The jacket was made of Egretian cotton lined with Griffin head down. Covering the back of the jacket was an embroidered Wonderbolts emblem, along with the words “‘06 World Tour”, as well as all the cities which they performed. When Rumble’s friends let out collective oooohh’s of approval, Soarin simply reaches into his bags, and pulls out three more packages, only to be tackled by a group hug of affection and thanks from the three fillies and colt.

“Seems somepony is vying for the next Element of Generosity position,” he heard from above the pony pile on top of him. Looking up to the voice, he saw fellow Wonderbolt and husband of the guest of honor, Fire Streak. “Thank Celestia for your paygrade, otherwise, the rest of us would have to start a food collection for you, Soarin,” he said, chuckling. Though no longer a member of the flight team itself, Fire Streak chose to stay with the Wonderbolts as a member of the Trainee Instructors. His years of experience, both performing and carrying out missions for Equestria, had proven to be invaluable in training the next generation of Pegasi to wear the uniform.

“You wanna give me a hoof up?” Soarin asked him from under the quartette of young ponies.

Fire Streak lent him a hoof, and once out from the pile of teenaged insanity, Soarin asked him how he was handling Fleetfoot’s change of career.

“It’s a relief, honestly,” Fire Streak told him. “No more worrying about her going into dangerous situations while on a mission, wondering if she’ll be coming home for dinner, or coming home in a box under a flag. We’re not getting any younger, Soarin, and I want to spend my remaining years enjoying them with my wife.”

“Don’t blame you there, bro,” Soarin told him. That had been one of his biggest fears when him and Spitfire were married, and it still scared him to think that she could come home wounded or dead the next time they went out on one of their missions.

While it was not something that they heavily advertized, most knew that the Wonderbolts served as a Special Operations strike team as well as a demonstration flight team. It was a risky job they did, but everypony who joined the team came in understanding the risks. And sometimes, the risks caught up with a member, and they would lose a pony.

It had been during his and Spitfire’s second year with the Wonderbolts that they had gone on a strike mission against pirates out of Marelasia. The pirates had received word, and were ready. Half the team died in the first few minutes. What was a simple raid to capture a troublesome pirate leader had turned into a pitched battle against hundreds of pirates from multiple crews who fought together almost as skillfully as a well trained military unit. It was Spitfire who had taken charge of the surviving unit and got them out alive. Although they had failed to capture the pirate they were after, killing him had been an acceptable solution. After they had returned home, Princess Celestia made the decision to promote Spitfire to Captain, and made her the leader of the Wonderbolts. She was the youngest Commanding Officer the unit had ever had, and she had done well over the past eight years leading them.

“Let’s go get some pie,” Soarin said to his friend. I hear that the Apple family provided a ton of their pies for this shindig, and it would be a shame to let them go to waste.”

“You and your pies, Soarin,” was the only reply Fire Streak could give as the two headed towards the food tables.

“Maybe you should have decided to come along on this diplomatic trip, Lieutenant Spearhead. I think you would enjoy Griffinhelm. Even for the troops, this wouldn’t have to be a case of being on duty all the time,” Twilight told the Earth Pony officer. “Plus, being part of a diplomatic mission could help boost your career.”

“Thank you, Princess, but as much as I would be interested, I do have responsibilities here. I’m certain, though, that Staff Sergeant Hot Shot will do an excellent job providing security. He runs a tight squad, and he deserves a chance to prove himself.” As much as Dusty would have loved to go on this mission to the Griffin capital, his responsibilities as a Company Commander did come first. That, and having a Lieutenant, especially one who was due for promotion, leading a lone squad on a mission that should be a cakewalk seemed overkill. Maybe someday, he might get assigned embassy duty in Griffinhelm, but until then, he would go where Equestria needed him.

“A good leader always thinks about his troops, and knows when and where to assign his troops, both in the best interests of his nation, and the troops under his command,” Luna spoke, praising the Lieutenant’s choice. “And a good leader should be rewarded for his excellent choices. I shall have to put a good word in with my sister the next time an opening at the Griffinhelm Embassy opens.”

Wow! It’s like she can read my mind, Dusty thought to himself. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Don’t worry, Lieutenant. I’m certain we can bring you back some cool stuff if you like,” Spike mentioned to him.

“Fleetfoot, would you walk with me for a moment?” asked Princess Luna. As much as she enjoyed the conversation with her subjects, she did have another purpose for being here today, and this seemed the best opportunity to fulfill that goal.

“Most certainly, Your Highness,” Fleetfoot politely replied. Even though it had been phrased as a question, a wise pony would take it more as a directive and simply do as told. Fleetfoot followed a couple steps behind and to the right of the princess, as proper for somepony in the military walking with a superior. After a few moments, they came to a more secluded part of the gardens just inside the hedgerow maze.

Princess Luna did a quick check with her magic to make certain that they did have privacy, and then added a privacy spell around the two of them to further isolate themselves from any potential eavesdroppers. Though the chances were exceedingly small that somepony might attempt to spy on the conversation she planned, she wished not to take any chances.

“I have a boon to ask of you, Fleetfoot. Although you are no longer military, you do have certain skills which could prove to be helpful. Whereas you are a civilian now, I could only ask if you would be willing to do this task. Before you answer, I have to give warning that there is some risk involved in accepting the assignment I shall propose to you. It should not place you in any danger, having diplomatic status, but if caught, you would most certainly lose your status, and be sent home, no longer welcome in the Griffin Empire. Would you once again serve the Crown, Fleetfoot?”

Fleetfoot had a general idea just what it was the princess would be asking of her. The only thing that she could think of which would place her in the kind of risk that Princess Luna described would be that of serving as an operative, essentially spying on the Griffins. While having never received formal training as a foreign agent, she has had limited experience in the field during her time serving as a Wonderbolt. The risks did not concern her, and if Equestria was in need of her services once again, she would do so with pride. There really was only one answer that she could give. “All you have to do is ask, Your Highness. I am always happy to serve Equestria.”

“Thank you,” Luna simply said before continuing. “The service which you shall provide is classified as secret, as is this conversation. Twilight knows, as does Spike, but nopony else traveling with you and Princess Twilight knows about this,” she explained. “Do you know what a dead-drop is?”

Fleetfoot knew exactly what a dead-drop was. Twice in her career with the Wonderbolts she had to recover materials from one. Though espionnage is not something within the normal purview of a Wonderbolt, in rare instances, they may be required to fill in a role. What would happen is that an agent would place the desired information in a discrete location pre-selected. If all went well, the enemy would not catch the agent in the act, and the information could be retrieved with little risk. Upon arriving at the embassy, she would be briefed on the procedure she would follow, as well as where the information would be, and for whom it was. It all sounded exciting, but having done so twice, it turned out to be rather boring. “Yes, I do, Princess. I have had to retrieve data from them on two separate occasions. Am I to do so again, Your Highness?”

“Yes, that is what we require from you, Fleetfoot. Also, whereas you have training and skills relevant to the information you shall retrieve, Princess Twilight is authorized to temporarily increase your clearance level, if she deems it necessary. The knowledge is economic in nature, and we wish to discover just where the Griffin Empire stands financially. We suspect that the numbers which they have been giving us are falsified, and obtaining accurate data has proven… problematic.” She paused for a moment to let the knowledge sink in before she continued. “The Griffins seem to be up to something, and without accurate knowledge, we cannot ascertain their intentions, nor prepare for whatever they may have planned.” Luna paused as a couple of ponies wandered past them. The Princess and former Wonderbolt went unnoticed though, due to the privacy spell. “Can you do this, Fleetfoot?” she asked once the wandering ponies had passed.

Fleetfoot’s answer was in the affirmative. There was no other answer that her patriotic nature could allow.

The party was going very well. Music provided by Vinyl Scratch, combined with festivities planned out by Pinkie Pie, one of Equestria’s premier party planners, ensured that this retirement party would be one to remember. Tons of excellent food prepared by both the Apples and the Cakes added to the festive mood. It was around dusk when a cry for silence came from one of the tables. At the table, Fleetfoot’s two daughters, Flitter and Cloudchaser, as well as their shared coltfriend, Thunderlane stood up calling for a toast.

“Listen up, everypony!” Flitter called out. “I would like to raise a toast to the most incredible mom a pony could have. Even while serving as a Wonderbolt, Fleetfoot always found the time, or even made the time, to be with me and my sister. She taught us to always strive for our dreams, and to always strive to be the best that we can be. She was never demanding of us, but always encouraging. She has never let us down either. Let’s raise our glasses, everypony, to our mom, Fleetfoot. May her new career be just as rewarding and wonderful as her career as a Wonderbolt has, and may she always be the pony that everypony else can rely on to be there for them.” With that, the three raised their glasses before taking a sip. After everypony else followed suit, a call came forth from everypony asking for a speech.

As Fleetfoot stood to give the speech everypony asked for, Spitfire’s thoughts were on a different, yet very similar matter. As much as she loved the Wonderbolts, it was quickly reaching a point in her life where she felt that she needed to step down and move on. Between the stresses of commanding an elite team, and personal issues, she had started to feel her life was in a nosedive heading towards a very meaty splat.

Sitting across the table from her was Soarin. They had joined up with the Wonderbolts at around the same time, and had gone through training together. They were even fortunate enough to be assigned to the same flight within the company, and had quickly become best of friends. After that mission against the pirates and her promotion to Commanding the Wonderbolts, Spitfire decided she needed Soarin as her Executive Officer. It had been a good choice, and between the two of them, they had not only rebuilt the decimated unit, but had doubled it’s size over the years, adding a reserve company to the roster.

Somewhere along the way, the two of them had fallen in love, and had gotten married within six months. Who would have thought that it would not have lasted. Soon after the wedding of Captain Shining Armor to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the divorce papers were filed. She kept Soarin on as her second in command, though, because he remained the best choice for the job.

Spitfire took a swig of her cider as she pondered those thoughts, half listening to Fleetfoot’s speech. Where did I go wrong, she pondered to herself. What could she had done different that would have saved her marriage? Was cutting her ties here and starting new somewhere else the right choice of action? She was not sure what she would even do, or where she would go, if she hung up her hat and retired. All she knew was that she could feel her life crashing down around her ears. Yes, things appeared good as of right now, but how long would that last, before everything just fell apart around her?

“A bit for your thoughts?” inquired Soarin from across the table.

“I’m am recommending to the Princess that she designate you as the next Wonderbolt Captain,” she informed him. “I’ll be taking an early retirement. I need to move on with my life, Soarin.”

“What?” he asked, stunned. “You’re just gonna up and leave? Spits, the team needs you! Especially now that we have expanded. Nopony else has what it takes to run both companies. Especially with Fleetfoot having retired.”

“You have what it takes,” she told him, looking him in the eye.

“Why?” he asked. “What’s your reason for just running away?”

“I am NOT running away, Soarin!” she just about yelled as she slammed her hoof down on the table forcefully enough to nearly knock over her mug. “I just need to make changes in my life before it all crashes down on top of me,” she continued, more softly this time. “I can’t keep going on like this. Every day, I wake up, wondering what else is going to go wrong in my life. Where am I gonna fail next? But I can’t let the team down. I can’t let them see that I am slowly failing them. I need to get out now, before what we built here gets torn apart because I can no longer hold it all together.

“And then there is you. Every day, I ask myself what when wrong, but I find no answers. And then you keep trying to get back together with me, even while I am trying to put my life back together and move on?”

“So, it’s my fault, now?” Soarin asked, a look of hurt on his face.

“I’m not saying that, Soarin,” she replied, an equally hurt look on her own face.

“So, it’s all about you, then, Spits? The great Spitfire, greatest Pegasus since Commander Hurricane, himself. And once things get a little tough, you pack it in and leave us,” he said angrily. “The team needs you, and instead, you’re choosing to run away from it all.” Finishing his beer, he stood from his seat. “And it’s not just the team that needs you, Spits.” As he walked away, he said, “I need you as well,” leaving her alone as she struggled to not break down in tears.

The argument between the two of them had not gone unnoticed. A couple tables over, Silverwing sat next to Octavia as they talked about their past. Their talk was interrupted when they both heard the words exchanged between their daughter and Soarin. Seeing their former son-in-law leave Spitfire crying, the two of them got up from their own seats to go comfort their distraught filly, as the music cranked up once more, and the party continued around them.

Opening Shots

The bright rays of Celestia’s sun had just broken over the horizon as a gathered group of ponies and one young drake said their farewells to one another. It was not a sad occasion, because they would only be gone for a week. This trip was just preparatory one for a trade conference which was scheduled for next month. Nations including Equestria, Griffica, Mexicolt, Neighpon, Germaneigh and the Crystal Empire would all be there to discuss a trade agreement which would hopefully benefit all the nations of Equis.

“Thunderlane, I’m trusting you to keep my daughter’s out of trouble,” Fleetfoot said as she gave him a quick hug.

“No worries, Ma’am. It’s only for a week. I doubt that they’ll be able to get into too much trouble,” he said as he returned the hug.

“More like the two of us keeping him out of trouble,” Flitter added with a smirk.

Cloudchaser’s reply was more deadpan. “Most likely, it will be me keeping you two in line.”

“However it works, just that you three stay out of trouble,” Fleetfoot told them.

Off to the side, Twilight and Spike were saying farewell to their friends as well.

“I do wish I could join you and Spike on this trip, Twilight. I’m certain that I would receive inspiration from the Griffins while in Griffinhelm. I hear that the architecture there is stunning, and I am always open to the new dress ideas that could come from it. That and possibly a whole new market for my designs. Alas, I have orders I must complete.”

“Don’t worry, Rarity. I’ll be certain to take lots of pictures for you,” Spike reassured her. He too had hoped that she would be able to come along. Even though it had been several years since he first met her, his infatuation with the beautiful fashionista had not diminished in the least.

“Thank you, Spike,” she said to him. “I shall most appreciate them.” Even though they would poorly serve as inspiration compared to actually being there, Rarity could never refuse the gift. She was not blind to his feelings towards her, even if she did feel that he was still a bit young for her. Maybe as he matured a little more, she might consider returning those feelings. Until then, she chose to carefully tread the path between actively accepting his feelings, and letting those feelings down.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t decide to join us, Rainbow,” Twilight told the athletic mare who was hovering around them. “It would have been an excellent chance to track down an old friend once again.”

“Sorry, Twi, but Gilda burned that bridge a long time ago. It was her choice to not accept that I have friends other than her. She tried to force me to choose her over you guys. That’s not how friendship works.” Rainbow Dash would have considered going, if Gilda had shown any interest in being friends, but the one time she had tried sending a letter to the Griffin, it was returned to sender, with the word “DWEEB” written across the back of the envelope. Rainbow had made her attempt, and it had been kicked back into her face. “Hey, if you do happen to see her, Twi, give her a punch across the beak, for us. Especially Flutters.”

“Um… that really wouldn’t be necessary,” Fluttershy practically whispered timidly.

“Yeah, I think I’ll pass on that. Would not look very diplomatic starting a hoof fight while on a diplomatic mission,” Twilight said, facehoofing.

“Ah just hope that all this pans out, Twi. Would be good ta have a new market for apples and cider,” Applejack told her.

“OHHH! And the PARTIES I could throw for them! As long as they ain’t all meanie-pants meanies,” exclaimed Pinkie Pie as she bounced around her friends.

It was at that point when the all aboard was called. Twilight and Spike pulled their friends in close for one final group hug. “I’m gonna miss you girls this week. And I’ll get souvenirs for all of you. I promise.”

Soarin looked up from his paperwork at the sound of knocking. Standing in the doorway was his ex father-in-law, First Sergeant Silverwing. “Come on in, Sarge,” he told him.

Silverwing wasted no time. He came in, sat down on the couch, and stated, “Sir, we need to talk.”

Soarin was pretty certain he knew what it was that Silver needed to talk to him about, considering that he had been sitting just a couple tables over when him and Spitfire had argued last evening at the party for Fleetfoot. Like most good parents, Silverwing was protective of his daughter. Fortunately for Soarin, Silver was not one who would just tear into a pony who happened to piss them off, unless there was a damn good reason. Still, Soarin already knew that the conversation would not be one filled with smiles and laughter. Looking to the clock on the wall, he saw that it was about time to break for lunch. “Mind having the talk during lunch? They’re serving salmon in the chowhall here today.”

“That would be good, Sir. Let’s head over there,” was the First Sergeant’s reply.

The two of them walked in silence as they headed to the chowhall. Silverwing followed one step to the right and just behind Lieutenant Soarin, as per regulations when an enlisted pony is walking with an officer. Little did it matter that the First Sergeant had in all practicality a good deal more seniority over the Lieutenant. Rank structure and protocol were important in the Equestrian military.

When the two of them arrived at the Wonderbolt’s chowhall, they ordered their meals and sat down to eat. Both had chosen the grilled salmon, as it was usually excellently done, and would provide a sizable boost in calories, which Pegasi especially needed. Though most ponies were vegetarian, it was for cultural reasons, and not biological. Pony digestive systems could digest meat in smaller portions, and it did provide high levels of energy that active ponies needed. Still, it was not something that you would often see among civilian circles. With many, the cultural moors were just too strong to ignore.

After a few moments of continued silence, Silver finally decided it was time for the needed talk. “I’m certain that you know why I’ve asked to speak with you, Sir,” he said.

Soran simply held up a hoof, saying “First off, in here, you know the rules. Rank has no meaning; we’re equals. That is a Wonderbolt rule here, and we ask all who eat here to respect that. Even Shining Armor follows that rule in here, Silver. Also, you were once my father-in-law, and I do still consider you a friend. So, please, at least here, just call me Soarin.” Pausing to take another bite of his salmon, he continued, “And yes, I believe I do, considering that you and Octavia were just a couple tables away from Spits and I.”

“I’m not angry with you, Soarin. I am upset that I see two ponies I care about hurting, though. And I am worried, because if things do not change, all that I see happening is that both you and her are gonna continue to be in pain.” Silver paused a moment to let his words sink in. “I can empathize with the emotional pain you feel, son. I have been there, myself. When Tavi and I divorced, it took a long while for me to heal from the pain, and for Tavi and I to be able to actually be friends again. For the longest time, the only reason Tavi and I would get along was for the sake of our daughter.” Silver took a bite of his meal as he continued, “That’s not something that you and Spits have, though.”

“Yeah,” was all Soarin could say. That Silver and Octavia were able to be close friends now was something that Soarin respected deeply, and honestly, he was even a little jealous of that.

“Why is it that you don’t want to give up on the relationship, Soarin?” asked Silver. “What is it that drives you to hold on when most others would have quit long ago and moved on?” There was no animosity in his voice when he asked this. No anger. Instead, it was a sincere question, born of an honest desire for an honest answer.

Soarin took a drink of his iced coffee before he opened up to the one person in his life he could consider a father figure. “I never stopped loving her. No matter how many fights and arguments we had, I loved her. Heck, even on the two times I have tried to move on and went on dates, instead of the mare that I was with, it was thoughts of Spitfire that was in my head,” he said. It hurt to talk about it, but it was also a relief, in a way. “I can’t help but think that I failed her somehow in our marriage, and that if only I tried a little harder, maybe our relationship could have been saved. After the divorce, I would always ask myself where it was that I went wrong. I still ask myself that daily. And it still hurts.”

Silver pondered Soarin’s words for a moment. The answer he received was pretty much what he was expecting. He just needed his thoughts on the matter confirmed from Soarin himself. He gave the younger stallion the only advice he could give. “She’s hurting just as bad, son, and sadly, your continued efforts to try to get back with her, while good intended, are doing nothing but push her further away. If you do not learn to accept things, and let her go, I’m afraid that all that will happen is that you’ll end up pushing her away permanently.

“Please, as her father, I am asking that you let her go, before she ends up hurt much worse. If that were to happen, then I would be angry.” Looking up at the clock, Silver gathered his now empty tray. “I need to get back to my troops. Please consider what I have said. For both your sakes,” he said before he departed the chowhall, leaving the younger stallion to his thoughts.

The train had been traveling all day long, traveling through plains, and then mountains, before it finally crossed the border with Griffica. Once they reached their northern neighbors, the train was able to move along at a better clip, not having to deal with the mountains which had slowed travel considerably. It took them a little over two hours to go a hundred miles now, riding through pine forests and several smaller towns. They had another hundred miles to go before they reached Griffinhelm, where the upcoming trade conference would be held.

Twilight looked forward to being able to depart the train and stretch her legs some. Granted, she had been on much longer train rides in the past, such as all the way to the Crystal Empire on more than one occasion, but this did not make this ride any less tiring. Sixteen hours was still a long trip.

The time spent traveling had been productive, though. Twilight, Spike and Fleetfoot had spent the majority of their time going over their notes and plans for this preparatory meeting with the Griffins. If they could iron out the details during this trip, it should be smooth sailing for the conference coming up in two months.

Twilight was going over various production figures when Spike dropped a stack of notes on the desk. “Here are the notes on last quarter’s food production for Griffica, Twi. All collated and cross referenced like you asked. Something about the figures don’t look right though, Twilight. It almost seems that the info that we have, and what they’ve given us, don’t add up right.”

“I’ve noticed something similar with their industrial figures, Twilight,” Fleetfoot mentioned. She had been going over the numbers and had found numerous discrepancies. From how it looked, Fleetfoot was willing to wager that Griffica was not doing as well as they wished to appear. Actually, if certain sources were to be believed, Griffica was hurting. Hurting bad enough that their economy could very well be at risk. “They’re not telling us everything, and what they are telling us just does not ring true with our own sources.”

Twilight had been thinking the same thoughts herself, after going over the notes scattered before her. Whatever it was, she decided that she would attempt to get to the bottom of the situation while at the meeting. “We’ll find out the truth. We have a week to get—”

The sudden violent lurch of the train through everypony to the floor. The violent and unexpected motion was accompanied by an explosive boom that seemed to come from the front of the train. This was followed by the sounds of train cars crumpling as they compacted into one another and derailed at speed, throwing everypony around like dice within their cars. As Twilight flew forward, she could see Spike, Fleetfoot and several Guard ponies all tumbling towards the front of the car as it tipped onto its side and came to a crashing hault. The last she saw of Spike was him crashing out through a window, disappearing into the night.

She had no more time to think of Spike when she slammed hard into the front wall of the train car, landing on her wing and snapping one of the bones in the process. Immediately following her impact with the wall, Fleetfoot impacted with her, dislocating her shoulder. Twilight screamed out in pain, almost passing out from the shock of her injuries.

After what felt like an eternity, the car came to a halt. Those Guards capable of moving quickly checked on the princess, finding her dazed and moaning in pain from her injuries. With the knowledge that she was alive, their top priority became securing the area so that she may be kept safe. A Corporal instructed Fleetfoot to help Twilight out of the wrecked train car before heading outside to check on what happened.

“Twilight, I need you to hold on to me so I can get you outside. This car is not safe,” Fleetfoot told her as she lifted the injured pony onto her back. With the train car on it’s side, going through the windows would be a problem. The only option was through the doors at either end, and the door by them was blocked by the wreckage of the previous car. Walking carefully, Fleetfoot made her way to the back of the car.

“Fleetfoot, where’s Spike?” Twilight moaned. “We need him to message Celestia.”

“We’ll find him, Princess. Don’t worry,” the Pegasus told her reassuringly. Where Spike ended up though, would be anypony’s guess. Fleetfoot remembered seeing him fly out a window, but beyond that she had no clue.

Once Fleetfoot got Twilight outside the car, she called to the Royal Guard non-com who had instructed her moments ago. “Where is your squad leader, Corporal? We need to know how many survived the crash, and we need to see if there are any medical supplies for the injured. Princess Twilight has a broken wing, and possibly a dislocated shoulder, and she is our number one priority.”

The Unicorn hurried over to inform Fleetfoot what he knew. “Staff Sergeant Hot Shot is dead, Ma’am. I’m the senior surviving Guard pony. Of all on the train, we have found only eleven survivors, and all have injuries of some sort. Young Spike is the only one unaccounted for. As for medical supplies, I have a Private gathering anything she can salvage. Unfortunately, our medic was one of the ponies killed.”

His report was interrupted by a warning cry of “incoming,” and everypony who was able took whatever cover they could find. The arrows that landed all around them were different than the typical arrows used against personal. Instead of a narrow broadhead designed to pierce through light armor and flesh, the tips were glass vials that shattered on impact, releasing clouds of gas. A second volley followed almost immediately, and then a third.

By the time the Griffins stepped out of the woods and surrounded the wrecked train, the surviving ponies had been knocked unconscious.

Spike had almost reached the train when the first volley of arrows had landed. He had been thrown from the train when it had crashed, and had first went through a tree as thick as Twilight’s foreleg, and then collided with a large boulder.

The tree alone would have split a pony in two, and the boulder would have been akin to a giant fly swatter. Being a Dragon, Spike had a much tougher constitution than any pony, allowing him to survive impacts that would have turned any of his friends into nothing more than a memory. Whereas he was biologically still an infant Dragon, he was not as tough as an adult would have been. Where an adult dragon would not have really felt a thing, Spike came out of the ordeal with multiple bruises, scrapes, and his left arm broken just above the wrist.

Sore as Tartarus and scared for the pony he called his sister and best friend, he hurried to find Twilight and the others. He had finally found them and was nearly upon them when he saw the arrows coming in. He shouted out a warning just before they landed. Caught at the edge of the cloud, he got some of the gas in his lungs. Though the gas would not knock him out, it was enough to make him feel sick to his stomach.

The realization hit him that it had not been an accident, but an attack, and with that, panic hit him. It was that panic that saved him, causing him to turn tail and run for the woods.

After a few minutes, pain and his injuries caused him to slow. By then, he had gotten ahold of his panic, and stopped to listen for any signs of pursuing Griffins. It had to be Griffins, Spike reasoned to himself. No one else would have been able to pull of doing this, and they were in the middle of Griffica. It was not long before he heard Griffin voices approaching. Moving deeper into the forest, he found a wild blackberry bush and dove in. Reaching the center, he started digging with his good claw. Normally, Spike could dig a pit pretty quickly, but he was slowed due to his injuries. Still, he managed to get one deep enough to cover himself in to hide.

All he could do is hold his breath and pray that he was not discovered.

Fortune smiled upon him this time, and he went undiscovered. When he no longer heard Griffin voices, he slowly pushed his head back above ground and waited, listening for any return. After an unknown length of time, he climbed out of his pit as quietly as possible, and laid there. The events of the day and the late hour finally took their toll, and he passed out from exhaustion.

The first sensation that came to Twilight’s senses was pain. The pain very quickly grew in intensity and focused around her left wing and shoulder as her sense of hearing started to return. Through the haze inside her head, she could make out that the language was not Equestrian, but not much else. Groggily, she opened her eyes. Her vision seemed to swim in front of her, but soon, a pair of feathered forelegs with bird-like talons instead of hooves came into focus. Looking up, she looked into the scarred face of an armored Griffin, who called out in Griffic to an officer sitting nearby.

Suddenly, everything came into sharp focus for her. She remembered the train wreck, and the struggle to get out of the train after. She remembered being worried about Spike, and hearing that he was still missing when she had exited the train car. She remembered hearing somepony yell out a warning, and seeing a cloud form all around her. The realization hit her then that it had been Spike who had shouted out the warning. The spark of hope ignited within her that he may still be alive and uncaptured. If he could manage to get a message off to Celestia, then they would get her home safe.

Twilight first attempted a simple spell designed to assess her injuries, but a sudden feedback through her horn sent a sharp spike of pain straight into the center of her head. The Griffins must have placed an inhibitor ring on her horn while she was out. She tried moving around, but between the pain from her injuries and the fact that her hooves were bound together, she was immobile.

She looked around and saw that the other survivors were similarly bound, and the Unicorns wore inhibitor rings as well. Some of them looked scared, while others had looks of determination on their faces. Fleetfoot looked to her to tell her, “We’ll get out of this,” only to be cuffed into silence.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle! So nice of you to pay me a visit this fine evening. If you wish, you may call me Major Bloodclaw.” She turned her head to the new voice. This was an older Griffin, and higher ranked than the others. Like the Griffin soldier who had been watching over her when she woke, this one was heavily scarred. Whoever it was, he had an aura about him that said that he was not a Griffin to be trifled with. “Tell me, Miss Sparkle, where is your little Dragon pet? I believe his name is Spike? Surely, you would want us to retrieve him for you. Nothing saddens a little chick more than a lost pet.”

His referring to her number one assistant and closest friend, someone she considered to be a baby brother, as a pet infuriated her. But he held her cool, replying, “He’s back at home. He came down sick, and couldn’t make the trip.” She hoped that he would believe her, so that Spike might have a chance to stay uncaptured and get a letter sent.

“Now, now, Miss Twilight, you should know better than to lie to your betters.” Bloodclaw softly stroked Twilight’s broken wing with his talon, sending minor jolts of pain through her wing and up into her back. “Then again, I honestly do not mind that you do lie to me. It gives me reason to cause you to hurt.” His talons suddenly grabbed the wing and twisted slightly, sending a massive spike of pain deep into her core, causing her to cry out. “Now, shall I hear the truth from you, or do I get to cause you pain in ways I would very much enjoy?”

“I— I don’t know. I don’t know what happened to him after the wreck.” Another twist to the wing caused her to cry out further, tears of agony now streamed down her face. “I DON’T KNOW WHERE HE IS!” Twilight cried out in desperation and pain.

“Stop it! She’s telling the truth!” Fleetfoot hollered out to the Major. “We searched for him, but could not find him at all. He was just a baby Dragon, and probably was killed when he got thrown from the train car.”

Major Bloodclaw pondered this for a moment, then let go of Twilight’s wing, leaving her to whimper in pain. “It matters little, really. We have what we came for.

It was the young Corporal from earlier who spoke up this time. “You bastard! When Celestia hears about this—“

“She will bow to our demands, pony. She cherishes her newest princess like she were her own daughter. She will do anything to ensure that Twilight is returned to her safely.” Looking down at the Unicorn, Bloodclaw snapped his talons, and a pair of Griffins roughly grabbed ahold of him, then dragged him about fifteen or so paces away. “Since you have so nicely volunteered yourself, I shall make use of your pitiful self as an example.”

Turning back to Twilight, he knelt down close to her face. “I’m certain that you have noticed that you’re wearing an inhibitor ring. As you may have seen on your friend over there,” pointing towards the Corporal a short distance away with his wing, “These are not your run-of-the-mill rings, but maximum security rings designed to hold in the magic of even the most powerful Unicorns, and even an Alicorn, if need be. Normally, these rings would deliver a massive feedback pulse back through the horn, directly into the brain, if an attempt to remove it is done without first unlocking it. We Griffins have modified ours, to better suit our needs. Watch closely, little chick, and see what will happen if you were to try to remove your ring.”

“When the Princesses hear about this, they will come in and demolish you. She will send in all or Equestria’s military might in to grind every single one of you into the dirt, you filth—“

With a nod of his head, one of the Griffin soldiers pulled on a cord. The cord was attached to the inhibitor ring on Corporal Quill’s horn. The ring started to move off the horn, and that set off the trigger inside the ring. Instead of a feedback pulse, which would have been powerful enough to cripple a Unicorn, it fired off a shaped charge of explosives molded into the base of the ring. The detonation of that charge sent a concussive blast straight down around the horn into Quill’s head, reducing it to an obliterated mess.

The burning feel of bile that built up in the back of her throat made Twilight retch, forcing her to fight the need to release the contents of her stomach. While she was no stranger to having to fight, Corporal Quill’s murder was at least an order of magnitude more horrific than anything she had ever experienced before. This was the first time that she had actually witnessed violent death, and the realization hit her that those who have died today, they died because of her.

“I can see that you’re beginning to understand, Twilight. That is a start, but you have a long ways to go, still, and I assure you that the road will be most unpleasant for you.”

Twilight looked up into the face of her capturer. A feeling of defiance suddenly flooded her soul, filling her with a determination to not give in and quit. She was a Princess of Equestria, dammit, and she would NOT bow down before this beast! “Fuck you,” she spat venomously at him as she struggled to rise to her hooves in spite of her severely injured shoulder. She was allowed to reach a nearly standing position before the Major drew back a fist and punched her in her broken wing. The agonized scream that tore from her throat barely matched the mind-ripping pain that tore through her whole body, centered around the ravaged bone in her wing. There was no fighting it this time, and the dinner she had eaten earlier made its egress, spraying from her mouth violently. When she finished vomiting, all she could do is lay there in her own mess, bawling in pain and misery, feeling like a little foal surrounded by schoolyard bullies.

“Such spirit!” Bloodclaw exclaimed. “I shall enjoy breaking you!” Motioning a couple soldiers over to him, he gives them instructions in Griffic. They head fly off to carry out his instructions, quickly returning with a short length of chain. One of the Griffins connected this new chain to the chain between the shackles on her forelegs, and then connected the other end to the chain connecting the rear shackles on her hind legs. A pony would still be able to walk chained up in this fashion, but only at a hobbled pace. The other Griffin pulled out a screwdriver and some set screws, which he used to further secure the explosive inhibitor ring to her horn. They needed her alive, and did not want her to be able to attempt to pull the ring off her own horn. With one of her wings already broken, they had no worries about her trying to fly away.

“We will be taking you back to our base camp, where we will extract what we need from you. But first, we must take care of the other prisoners. I want you to watch, young chick, so that you may come to realize the fate of all who stand in the Empire’s way.” He grabbed her head, forcefully turning it to so she had no choice but to watch the show he had planned for her. “Start with the loud one, the Pegasus with the white mane.”

Fleetfoot immediately started to struggle against the pair of Griffins who had pounced on her to hold her down while a third Griffin approached and sat down in front of her. Grasping her mane in a talon, the other talon pulled a long dagger from a sheath attached to her armor. Lifting Fleetfoot’s head, she proceeded to saw through the mare’s neck, transforming her terrified screams into a loud, wet gurgling sound as her lifeblood spilled onto the ground and poured down her throat into her lungs.

Twilight attempted to look away, but was unable to do so because Bloodclaw held her head firmly in his talons, forcing her to watch the horrific scene before her.

Fleetfoot did not go out quickly. After the deep gash in her throat was opened up, the Griffins let her go to watch her flop around in her death throes, laughing as she struggled to bring her hooves to her mortal wound, but unable to do so because of the shackles around her hooves. In the end, it took nearly three minutes before the light finally left her eyes, though the look of sheer terror remained frozen on her face.

Still holding Twilight’s head facing straight ahead, Major Bloodclaw whispered in her ear, “Keep watching, because there are eight more to go.”

She was forced to watch as more of the ponies she was responsible for were brutally slaughtered before her eyes. By the time the third pony had been slain, a young colt, just barely old enough to join the Guard, and had just gotten to his very first duty station two weeks before, she lost control of her bladder and soiled herself as she sat there, trembling. And still, more of the ponies entrusted to her care were sacrificed on the altar of an empire’s greed and lust for power.

Once the executions were complete, Bloodclaw called for his messenger Griffon. It was griffins who were skilled in the use of rune magic that sent communications within the Empire. It was similar in nature to how Spike sent messages to Princess Celestia, but worked between one rune magic user to another. All military units within the Empire at company level or greater had a minimum of three such Griffins. They were also stationed in most government facilities, to include embassies. The Major ordered a message sent to the embassy in Canterlot, informing Ambassador Redtail that he had captured his target, and that Redtail could proceed with delivering his message.

Once the message was sent and confirmed received, Bloodclaw ordered his Griffins to pack up and head back to the waiting chariots, so they may head back to their base camp. He ordered two of them to bring Twilight to the chariot which will carry her. They had to carry here there, whereas she has a dislocated shoulder, and was unable to walk on her own.

The duties of an Equestrian Princess never cease, and in this case, it was a final meeting with her Chief-of-Staff and other personnel in regards to important meetings scheduled for the next day. Though it was thirty minutes before the midnight hour, it was not uncommon that she would still be working at such a time. Right now, her primary desire was that she could conclude the business at hoof, so that those in this final meeting for the day could go home finally, or in her case, her Royal Bedchambers for some needed sleep.

That this meeting was rudely interrupted she found highly annoying.

“Back away from me, you buffoon! And keep your filthy hoofs to yourself, you lowly dirt pony!” was heard coming from just outside the Throne Room doors. If anything, hearing the tribalist turn of words infuriated her. She also recognized the voice behind the foul epithets. That fact was confirmed when Ambassador Redtail pushed the doors wide open and marched in as if he owned the place.

“Is there a reason that you have chosen to barge in unannounced and at such an untimely hour, Ambassador?” the princess asked in a polite tone, managing to mask her ire at both the interruption, and the Griffin’s tribalist slurs she had just heard.

“I suggest you hold your tongue until after I deliver my message, Princess Celestia,” Redtail told her with a distinct lack of proper decorum or etiquette as proper one his station. Griffons were well known for possessing elevated levels of arrogance, but Redtail was known for conducting himself in a manner befitting an ambassador from another nation, which made his manner of conduct here all the more worrisome to the princess.

“Then please, proceed,” she instructed him in a tone that failed to hide her displeasure.

Ambassador Redtail pulled a scroll out from inside his jacket. Unrolling it, he let out a little cough before beginning to read. “I have been authorized by Emperor Ironbeak to inform you that as of twenty-two hundred hours this evening, Major Bloodclaw has successfully captured Princess Twilight Sparkle, and will be holding her until such time that the Emperor deems fit to release her. If you do as we require, then she shall be returned to Equestria safe—“

"YOU DARE ATTACK A PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA? WHILE SHE IS ON A DIPLOMATIC MISSION?” Celestia bellowed in the Royal Canterlot Voice. The Throne Room practically crackled with energy as Celestia stepped towards the Griffin diplomat. Her Chief-of-Staff, and those others with him, quickly backed away, knowing that getting too close to an enraged Alicorn was not conducive to continued existence. Celestia’s guards quickly jumped into position, ready to run the ambassador through with their spears if he so much as blinked in a manner they thought might possibly be suspicious.

Redtail remained surprisingly calm considering just how close he was to certain death, if not at the hooves of Celestia herself, then on the spears of those who would give their lives to protect her. He simply sat down and raised a talon, beckoning her to cease, saying, “I beseech you, Princess Celestia, to calm yourself, and to call off your guards.”

Celestia’s reply was to coldly instruct the guards to seize the diplomat.

“Any attempt to molest myself, or any Griffin from the Embassy, will be considered an act of war, Princess Celestia. As such, I would no longer be able to make any sort of guarantee of safety for your former student.,” he told her. Stepping forward, he brushed aside the guards with his wings. He did not stop until his beak was mere inches away from Celestia’s nose. “Shall I be telling my Emperor that you have chosen to take the intelligent course, and shall keep a calm head and not interfere with the Empire’s course of actions to come? Or shall I inform him that you have made a more unfortunate choice, caring not what ill fate may fall upon your beloved student?”

Celestia was not one to break so easily. While she may have felt a deep sense of dread and fear for her former student’s life on the inside, she maintained her outward appearance of having no fear of any threats that may be put forth by the Griffins. “How about you pass this message on to Ironbeak. Tell him that if so much as one strand of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s mane comes to ANY harm, I shall bring down an apocalypse personally upon his head.” Celestia turned away from him walking back to her throne, saying, “I suggest that you head back to the Embassy, Ambassador Redtail, whereas your welcome here in my presence has expired,” in a voice that would have frozen fire.

“Very well. I bid you a good evening, Princess,” was Redtail’s reply before departing the Throne Room.

As soon as the doors closed, Celestia sat herself down, trembling in rage. Taking a few calming breaths, she then called her Chief-of-Staff to her. “Issue a Stage One alert immediately. I require my sister, General Ironsides, Captain Star Caster, and Captain Spitfire here right now. Get it done. Everypony else is dismissed.” Once the room was cleared, Princess Celestia let out a bellow or pure rage as she slammed her hoof into the floor with enough force to shatter the tiles under her.

She had no plans to sit back and bow to the demands of Griffin tyranny.

Captain Spitfire was known for preferring tea over coffee, but after a hard day of training recruits, followed by the mountain of paperwork involved, she would resort to coffee for the added caffeine boost it provided. Emptying the last of her coffee down her throat in the hopes that the caffeine would carry her through the rest of her work, she brought out the last of the forms she needed to take care of. Specifically, the forms which would formally announce her intent to retire from the Wonderbolts, and would carry her recommendation for the next pony to hold her office.

She had been considering taking an early retirement for about a month now, though she had kept that information under wraps until she was certain of her decision. It was only last night when she finally stopped hemming and hawing over the decision, and made her choice. If she did not do this, then before the year was out, the stresses on her would push her to the breaking point, and that could cause irreparable damage to the Wonderbolts, as well as to her own life. This was the right choice, she told herself, and she had to do it now, otherwise, it may end up being too late.

Spitfire had finished the letter of recommendation, and was just starting the letter stating her intent to retire when the phone on her desk rang. Placing the pen aside, she answered, “Captain Spitfire speaking.” What she heard sent a chill down her spine.

“This is the Royal Switchboard with two official messages, as follows. First message; this is a Stage One alert. All military personal are instructed to report to their duty stations immediately. All commanders are to prepare for further instructions, as per Stage One regulations. Second message. You are required to report to Princess Celestia in the Throne Room immediately, Captain Spitfire. Please confirm receipt of messages.”

A Stage One alert! Damn! There is only one reason for such an alert level to be issued. Equestria is going to war. And this would be no simple border skirmish or police action, but a no-holds-barred fight using all of Equestria’s military might against an equally powerful nation. A moment of mild panic tried to invade her thoughts, but her military training and discipline took over and she calmly replied, “Receipt of message confirmed. Will comply as instructed. Over.”

Hitting the disconnect button, she switched the phone over to the unit announcement setting. “This is Captain Spitfire. A Stage One alert has been declared. All Wonderbolt personnel will report to the main auditorium in full combat gear and wait further instructions. Lieutenant Soarin, you are needed in my office immediately,” she instructed before hanging up the phone’s receiver. Before he arrived, Spitfire placed the two forms inside a desk drawer, saving them for another time when the road apples were not hitting the rotating mass air movement machine.

Lieutenant Spearhead hung up the phone before calling in his First Sergeant. When Silverwing walked in, Dusty quickly briefed him in on the alert message. “Looks like we’re going to war, Sarge. You know the drill, most likely twice as well as I do. Get the job done while I report to Captain Star Caster’s office.”

“Yes Sir. I’ll also put some pressure on the armory to have our weapons and ammo loads all prepped for immediate issue.”

“Thank you. I think the only reason they haven’t forced you to become an officer is because the Guard needs senior non-coms like you to keep things running as good as they do,” Dusty told him as he headed out the door.

Author's Note

With how things have been kicked up a notch, I have come to the realization that this story needs to be considered Mature, due to the graphic descriptions within.

Them Griffins... ain't they evil bastards? :pinkiecrazy:

The Game Begins

The midnight hour was upon everypony in the Throne Room when Princess Celestia briefed her sister and the three military commanders present. “A half hour ago, the Griffin ambassador delivered a message to me stating that they had captured Princess Twilight Sparkle, and that we were not to interfere with their plans, along with an implied threat that they would bring harm to Twilight if we were to take any action.

“I will not sit idly by and let them act with such impunity. We WILL get Twilight Sparkle back home to us, and we WILL make certain to instruct the Griffin Empire as to what the consequences are for attacking Equestria in this manner,” Celestia said with an outwardly cool and calm demeanor.

Celestia’s Chief-of-Staff, Rolled Scroll, was the next pony to speak. As her highest ranked advisor, he was privy to all manners of information, and had full authority to act on his own initiative as he deemed necessary. He had not been idle after issuing the alert, and had been gathering as much pertinent information that was available. “I have instructed the heads of the Equestrian intelligence services and the head of the Equestrian Bureau of Investigations to gather any and all information they have on the area between Princess Twilight’s point of entry into Griffica, and Griffinhelm. They are gathering information on the terrain, population centers, and any and all military units known, or suspected to be in the area. Also, I have here a complete dossier on Major Bloodclaw for your review. If I may, Your Highness?” he respectfully asked. After receiving a nod of affirmation, he gave her a folder containing all known facts about Bloodclaw, as well as notes on various assessments done on him by the intelligence community. He also gave Luna and the other three copies of the folder so that they too may know just whom it was that they were dealing with.

Spitfire knew about Major Bloodclaw, whereas her position as Commanding Officer of an elite special operations unit required her to know just who was the worst of the worst that she may have to face. The complete file on the Griffin repainted the picture of him in a whole new, and especially graphic, way. Just the list of atrocities that he was responsible for was enough to chill her blood, and when she read more of the details, her blood only got colder. He was the most brutal officer in the Griffin Army, and though there were unit commanders placed above him, he in reality only answered to Emperor Ironbeak himself. He was well known for getting the job done, usually in the most brutal way imaginable, and he revelled in doing so.

“He’s a fuckin butcher!” General Ironsides exclaimed, only to formally apologize to the princesses, having momentarily forgotten proper decorum.

“While my choice of wording would have been different, your assessment of the Griffin is one hundred percent accurate in my opinion,” Luna told him.

“This report tells me that we had better move quickly in getting Princess Twilight back,” Star Caster stated. As Captain of the Royal Guard, there stood a good chance that it would be her troops going in on the rescue mission. But they would need more information in order to do this. “Scroll, do you have a map of the area?” When Rolled Scroll produced the map, unrolling it and placing it before them, she then asked if the ambassador had given a time for the attack. When she had that knowledge, she started crunching numbers in her head. “OK, with the information given, and knowing the route the train was taking, that should place the location of the attack right about here,” she said as she used her magic to mark the spot with a grease pencil. “There is a sizable base about fifty miles away as well, from the looks of it,” she added, circling the base’s location on the map. The pencil fell from her telekinetic grasp as she continued, “We’ll need as much detailed info as possible. Scroll, how long before the detailed reports are ready?”

“It will be at least a day before the reports are all compiled, Captain.”

“That’s too long. How long to just get the information on the area immediately around the attack zone, and known units in the area? That and the route into Griffica?” asked Spitfire.

“It would take nearly as long, Captain Spitfire. The intelligence officers would have to sort through the information to separate what is needed and what is not. I could put pressure on them to expedite their data mining, but that would probably only cut it down to twelve hours or so,” the Chief-of-Staff stated.

It was Princess Luna who offered a quicker solution to their dilemma. “There is another way to get more information. Being the Princess of the Night, one of my skills is known as astral projection. I can use that to send my soul travelling to the site and scout the area. I may also even be able to ascertain the location of Princess Twilight,” Luna informed them. She stepped away from the group to lay down next to the throne as she prepared herself. “Please do not disturb me while I am doing this. Any disturbance of my physical body would most likely cause my astral self to return to my body before I am finished.” With that said, Luna closed her eyes and disconnected her mind from her body.

The astral form was considerably different from the physical form ponies generally wore when they did important things, such as breathing, eating, and generally not being dead. For one, most ponies were unable see somepony who was in an astral form. The few times when they were seen, it was either the pony had a natural affinity for seeing ethereal beings, they were performing or part of a spell that would temporarily grant that ability, or lastly, the astral traveler had made a great deal of effort to be visible.

The astral body has often been described as being like a ghost. This was a surprisingly accurate description, because that was pretty much what the astral form was, and also that the only time most ponies ever traveled the astral plane was when they were on the way to Elysium. In other words, the way a pony normally traveled the astral realm was through death.

Luna was one of the rare ponies that was able to freely enter and transverse this realm. Unlike most that could, she was even able to visit the Crossroads, which was the place between life and death. Normally, when a pony reached that place there was no turning back, where it would normally only accessible after the soul has been fully separated from the body. There had been a few cases where a pony had a near death experience, been to the Crossroads, and then returned to the physical world, but they were rare indeed, to the point where many did not believe it to be possible.

There were only four ponies alive who had the ability to travel to the Crossroads and back freely, having done so at least once in their lives. All four of them visited there when they underwent ascension. In the case of Princesses Twilight and Cadance, Celestia was able to help them find their way back. Princesses Luna and Celestia only had each other to help one another. That they made it back to the land of the living at all was a miracle in itself, and a testament to their determination to be there for the ponies they swore and oath to to take care of.

Luna was at the site where the train had been attacked. She could easily see how the tracks directly under the very front of the engine had been blown skyward, and how that had launched the wrecked engine off the tracks. The path of wreckage was such that blind foal to follow it, and she was upon the wrecked train in a short moment. As she moved around, she checked to see if there were any survivors, reaching out with her mind hoping to feel a pony’s life force, but there were none that she found. There was one body that she did not find, and that gave her a glimmer of hope. Nowhere among the wreckage, or in the small clearing beside the wreck did she find the body of young Spike. This gave her hope that he might still live.

Having no luck at the site of the attack, Luna decided next to go investigate the route to the Griffin military base. It seemed the logical place that they would take Twilight, if they intended to keep her alive. As she prepared to move on, she saw a ghostly form in front of her. She could make out the light blue body, and a white mane and tail, and this saddened Luna, causing her to realize that she had just talked to this pony the other day, and that she once had such a bright future ahead of her. Her thoughts on whom it was were confirmed when the ghost before her pointed down, and Luna recognized the pony as Fleetfoot. The deep, open gash in her throat and look of terror on her still face was testament to how gruesome and violent a death she had suffered.

Luna looking back up to Fleetfoot’s ghostly form, to see that she was pointing her ethereal hoof to the west, and not north towards the base. She faded and reappeared a little ways off in the direction she had been pointing, where she beckoned for Luna to follow. They traveled together, side by side. Then suddenly, they were over a small, hidden camp. Within the camp were about a platoon’s worth of Griffin soldiers.

The princess looked around, but saw no sign of Twilight or the Griffin Major who had captured her. Looking to Fleetfoot once more, she suddenly knew that this is where Major Bloodclaw was bringing Twilight to. This made sense to Luna, having read in the file on the Major that he preferred to operate out of small base camps like this. Also, keeping Twilight in a small, hidden camp would make a rescue attempt all the more difficult. You have to be able to find a camp to rescue a pony from the camp. And Bloodclaw would probably move the camp regularly. At least once, maybe twice a week.

Once more, Princess Luna looked to the ghost of Fleetfoot, this time, to give her thanks. She saw that Fleetfoot was staring off towards Canterlot and Ponyville, where her husband and daughters lived. A great sadness seemed to be on Fleetfoot’s face as an ethereal light seemed to form behind the ghost, infinitely distant, and yet, so close at the same time. It was the portal to the Crossroads, and Fleetfoot knew that she was to leave those she held most dear behind.

“Fleetfoot, it’s time. Do not worry. I will make certain to look after Fire Streak and your daughters. You have my promise on that.” she gently informed the ghostly mare.

Fleetfoot looked to Luna a final time, silently mouthing a ‘thank you’, before she faded into the light.

“Safe journey, brave Fleetfoot. Go with Faust, and sit at Her table in peace.”

Princess Luna rose to a discussion concerning events from the Crystal Empire. As the Lunar Princess walked over, her sister informed her that while she was traveling, notification that the Griffins had closed the entire border with Equestria had come in. Another message had also arrived, this one direct from the Crystal Empire. It seems that Emperor Ironbeak did have plans to annex the Crystal Empire. Multiple Griffin battalions had crossed the border between the two nations, and had taken several bases. They had done this at one of the closest points to the Crystal City, apparently in hopes of being able to quickly capture the city and overthrow Princess Cadance and her husband, Prince Consort Shining Armor. The Griffin Navy had also swiftly formed a naval blockade around the Crystal Empire’s chief port, to prevent any aid from other nations from being able to assist the newly reformed nation in resisting the Griffin invasion.

“Now we know what Ironbeak’s endgame is, what do we do about it. I know you have no such plans to sit back and let that tyrant have his way, dear sister,” said Luna. After what she had seen, the Lunar Princess would happily see the Griffin Empire fall and drown in their own blood. Such massacres were an abomination to everything Equestria stood for, and Princess Luna was VERY protective of those ponies she was co-ruler over. But wiping out a nation for revenge would be just as bad as what Ironbeak was doing, and would doom Equestria to be as bad as Griffica in the end.

“We shall formulate a plan for that very soon, Luna, but our first priority shall be getting Twilight back. By doing that, we’ll be removing their ace-in-the-hole, and that will also hearten our ponies, giving them strength through the knowledge that we will not let them abduct our ponies with impunity,” Celestia replied to her sister. Turning to her, Celestia asked further, “Tell us, what were you able to discover on your journey?

“I found the location of the attack, and it was nearly exactly where you figured, Captain Star Caster. Very good deductive work, by-the-way. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any signs of Twilight or young Spike, but all others were accounted for. I am sorry to report that I found no survivors. Some I could plainly see had died when the train was derailed, but ten of the twenty-four who had been aboard the train had been executed brutally.”

Hearing this made Spitfire feel sick to her stomach. She had known Fleetfoot ever since she had joined the Wonderbolts, and she had been a trusted and valued friend. It had been Fleetfoot’s recommendation that Spitfire be given command of the Wonderbolts, as well as for Soarin to be appointed the executive officer position. Fleetfoot had also been the Mare-of-Honor at her and Soarin’s wedding. And now she was gone, cruelly stolen from their lives by a heartless bastard with a thirst for blood and pain. “How did she die, Princess?” Spitfire dreaded hearing how one of her closest friends had met her final fate, but she felt she needed to know. “Was she one of the ones executed?”

Luna did not want to answer. A cold pit formed in her stomach at the thought of telling the young Pegasus the truth, knowing how painful it would be for her to hear the words. But Spitfire deserved to know the truth. “Yes, she was. I’m sorry, Captain” the princess told her, tears of pain matching the pain in her voice flowed as she said the words. “I understand that she was a personal friend, as well as comrade-in-arms?”

Spitfire could only nod to Luna as she fought to reign in her emotions. She wanted to lash out. She wanted to break down and cry. She wanted to fly away and never return. But what she wanted most of all was to avenge her fallen friend and former Wonderbolt.

Princess Celestia watched the Wonderbolt Captain with a feeling of concern. She empathized with the young mare, having lost those she considered friends in the past due to violent ends, and it never became any easier. “Will you be okay, Spitfire? Would you require time to yourself for a moment?” she asked softly.

Spitfire just softly shook her head before turning to Celestia. “I’ll be fine, Your Highness. My time to grieve will come, but for now, I need to help with the rescue plans.” She then turned her gaze to Princess Luna, asking, “Princess, was you able to discover anything else which would help us rescue Princess Twilight?”

“Yes, I was able to find a hidden base camp about fifteen miles to the west of the attack location. It fits what Bloodclaw prefers to base his operations from, and it is small enough to quickly be taken down, allowing them to move to a location every few days if needed. Keeping Twilight in places that move around and are difficult to locate would be of strong tactical importance for the Griffins. If we were to move quickly, we could possibly have a small unit at the base camp within a couple of days, possibly even one day, if we’re swift enough.” Luna moved over to the map. Taking a grease pencil in her magic, she marked the location of the hidden camp on the map. “This is where the base camp is currently located. Given that they had just captured her earlier in the evening, and it appeared that she had not arrived at the camp yet, I would guess that we’ll have approximately three days before they move to a new location.”

“That makes sense to me, Your Highness,” General Ironsides spoke up, adding. “It takes a certain amount of time to set up or take down a camp, and then there is the moving of the camp. Moving more often than every three days would be too much of a strain to keep up, while staying in one position places them at greater risk of being discovered.” The General studied the map further. “I would recommend that it be a platoon sized unit to go in. It would be a small enough size that the unit will be able to get in and out quickly enough, but large enough to deal with the camp with minimal losses. I would also recommend this be either a Royal Guard or a Wonderbolt operation. More likely, a Guard operation. They seem better suited to combat in this terrain and for fighting in a woodland area.”

This made perfect sense to Spitfire, though making it a Royal Guard operation instead of the Wonderbolts made so that she would not be going in on the mission. As much as this was to her dissatisfaction, Equestria’s interests did come first. “I concur with the General. As much as I would wish for the Wonderbolts to go in, with what we’ll most likely end up facing if things go south, the Royal Guard would be best suited to deal with the situation. It’s just a matter of different branches having different styles, and in a wooded area, a Wonderbolt unit would be at a potentially fatal disadvantage,” she explained.

“Actually, I’m thinking that having a small contingent of Wonderbolts on the team could prove to be a strong advantage. I’m thinking a fireteam for scouting and recon purposes. Plus, there may be times when we might need lightning fast members for dealing with airborne Griffins,” Star Caster countered. “Two full squads of Royal Guard, with a third mixed squad of Royal Guard and Wonderbolts. And I think I know which Royal Guard unit I will choose from. Also, I think an illusion specialist should be included in the team. And it just happens that one of Equestria’s very best illusionists was just assigned to my staff.” Calling an aide over to her, Captain Caster sent her to bring Lieutenant Spearhead to the Throne Room.

Before the aide is able to leave, Captain Spitfire also requested that she retrieve Lieutenant Soarin as well. They had a lot of planning to do, and only a short amount of time to get the planning complete.

The sun had just come up over the horizon when Spike exited the trees and cautiously made his way to the train wreckage. He had ended up passing out during the night after the Griffins seemed to have left. He chided himself for his failure to stay awake, knowing that had the Griffins had come through again, they could have possibly found him, and that would have been the end of poor little Spike.

He had a lot on his mind at the moment. He was hungry, very thirsty, and in a great deal of pain due to his broken arm. As far as he knew, he was now alone in what he could only assume was a hostile land. He also had no clue what happened to Twilight. That ate a hole deep into his soul, leaving him feeling that he had failed her when she had needed him the most. Lastly, he needed to somehow get a message to Princess Celestia. She would get them all home safe.

He found the first body when he was exploring the car where the Royal Guard squad that had been assigned as their security team had been in. It was a Guard that Spiked recognized. Staff Sergeant Hot Shot had apparently died of a broken neck, if the angle of his head was any indication. He quickly discovered more bodies inside the car. from what he could tell, they had all been killed during the crash. There had been thirteen ponies in the squad, but several were missing from his count. Spike decided he should look further and get as accurate of a count for when he was able to message the princess.

The next car was where the train’s crew would be, with the exception of the two engineers. He found only four of the six he had been expecting. Beyond this car would have been the train’s engine. Exiting the car, Spike found the engine on its side several yards away. It took him several minutes, but he was finally able to get into the engine’s cramped control room. The two engineers were clearly dead, having been tossed around a small room filled with protruding levers and steel structural beams. Seeing that there was nothing that he could do for them, Spike left them and headed back towards the dining car, but paused when he saw more bodies in the clearing next to the wrecked train.

Steeling himself for whatever he should find, Spike approached the first body. The armor told him that the pony had been a Corporal. His hooves had been shackled together to prevent escape, and it looked like he had suffered numerous injuries during the crash. Spike was unable to tell if the stallion had been a Unicorn or an Earth Pony though, because the remains of the stallion’s head resembled a pile of dog food mixed with strawberry jam instead of that of a pony.

When Spike was finished retching his body’s supply of bile onto the ground, he got back up on his feet and made his way to the next corpse. This mare Spike recognized almost immediately. It was Fleetfoot. She too had been shackled, and it looked like she might have suffered an injury to one of her wings. But the way her head was bent back combined with the look of horrific pain frozen on her face made the cause of her death apparent. Her throat had been slashed deeply, leaving a gaping wound surrounded by a pool of blood. Had there been anything left in his system for his body to send up, he would have been vomiting once more, but he could only gag and dry heave as he moved away from her body.

Spike forced himself to at least check the remaining bodies, in case one of them happened to be Twilight. When he found no signs of her body anywhere, Spike felt a moment of panic. The Griffins must have taken her! He forced the panic aside, knowing that he needed to get a message to Princess Celestia. Spike heading back to the executive car in search of paper and a pen. When he found what he needed, he began to write his message.

Train was attacked by Griffins.
Unable to find Twilight. Believe the Griffins took her.
All others are dead.

It was a much shorter message than he would normally send, but in his state of shock, he was not able to compose anything longer. Rolling up the scroll, he gave it a small burst of flames, incinerating it to send it on its way where it would magically reappear in front of the Princess.

With that taken care of, Spike had other things he needed to do. The dining car might still have food and water, and both of those he needed, especially something to drink. There would also be a first aid kit and hopefully, it would include aspirin, as well as a sling. It was not much, but he would take what he could get.

Once inside, Spike found his way to the car’s refrigerator. It had been knocked open and the contents had been spilled and scattered around, he found numerous unopened packages of food. Most of what he found was snack foods, but he couldn’t afford to be picky about what he ate at the moment. He also discovered an unbroken bottle of soda, which he drank down.

With food and drink in his system, he went in search of the first aid kit. It took a bit of searching, but he eventually found it. Fortunately for him, it had been opened, apparently after the crash, but nothing had been removed or lost. Grabbing a bottle of aspirin first, Spike was able to rip the cap off with his teeth, and he downed the whole bottle. While that would have been a deadly dosage for a pony, his dragon metabolism worked differently, allowing him to ingest substances that would normally be fatal poison without harm. Also, if his body took in an excess of medicine, it would store the excess, and use it as his body needed it. While it took about three times as much medication to work as it would take an average adult pony, he had taken enough that it should last a few days. It would take a little time for the aspirin to kick in, but when it did, there would at least be some relief to the pain.

Also in the kit was a couple of slings. One of them was sized for an adult pony, but the other was made to fit a foal. This would do nicely, whereas Spike was physically the size of a foal. It took some effort, but he was able to get the broken limb into the sling, and the sling’s strap around his neck.

Weariness set in as Spike sat amongst the wreckage strewn about the train car. He felt lost and powerless to do anything about it. As Twilight’s number one assistant, he felt that the responsibility was his to protect her. He should have been there for her. He should have saved her from those barbaric Griffins! He should have… Spike broke down, sobbing silently. All of this was just too much for him to handle. He was only twenty years old. His life had been way too sheltered, and it had left him ill prepared for something like this.

Although it was something he had been waiting for, the familiar burning sensation of an arriving message from the princess took him by surprise. The surprise was due to how strong of a burn he was feeling. The reason for the burn’s strength was apparent when he belched out the message. There was not only a scroll, but what looked to be a rolled up map as well. Picking the message up, he undid the waxed Royal seal and read the scroll first.

Sir Spike,

My sister and I are so very grateful to know that you still live.

We already know of the attack, and that everypony except for you and Twilight have been killed. You was correct in whom it was that attacked the train, and also that the Griffins did take Twilight.

Help is being sent. We will get you and Twilight home safe.

Two items have been sent along with this scroll.

The first is a map of the area. On it, you will find the location of where you are at clearly marked. To the left side of the map, you will see a small base camp marked. This is where we believe they have taken her. The map should allow you to find your way there.

We need you to get to that location and wait. Along with the map, the other item is a locator beacon. It is paired to a compass the rescue team will have with them. Using that, the team will easily find you, and be able to rescue you and Twilight.

It will require that you can travel as swiftly as possible, Spike, but we need for you to be there within the next twenty-four hours. I know that this is asking a lot from you, but I ask this for Twilight’s sake.

Thank you, again, Sir Spike. Our prayers are with you.

H. R. H. Princess Celestia

Spike picked up the map next and unrolled it to see what the trek looked like. He saw that it was close by, only fifteen miles away. This should be easy enough to do. He could walk the fifteen miles in under ten hours, even at an easy pace. Yes, the route was wooded, but it couldn’t be much worse than the Whitetail Woods back at home. Next, Spike inspected the locator beacon that the princess had sent to him. It was a small wooden rod, about four inches in length and maybe a half an inch in thickness. Attached to each end were a pair of rubies. It was simple in appearance, but Spike knew that the beacon had been crafted carefully to hold a location spell that could be picked up from quite a distance away.

Before he set out on his cross country trek, Spike found a backpack inside the dining car. It had probably belonged to one of the stewards, where it was filled with personal supplies of a non-military nature. He emptied it out to make room for food. He also found numerous intact bottles of water, which he included in the packing. It was not much, but he felt it would be enough to get him to his location. Grabbing one more item before leaving the train, Spike taped a dagger he had found next to the dead Sergeant to the strap of the backpack. At least now, he would have that to back up his claws, teeth and Dragon fire. He may be young still, but if cornered, he would prove to be a dangerous foe to have.

After doing a final check, Spike set off in search of the camp.

They had been at it until past dawn hashing out the details, but the rescue operation was set up. Everypony going was now in their final preparations before forming up to board the train to the border.

It would be a full strength mixed platoon going into Griffica to pull the kidnapped princess out of the frying pan. Two full squads of combat veteran Royal Guards would be accompanied by a squad with a fireteam comprised of veteran Wonderbolts, a pair of medics, two supply guards to help maintain their gear, and to help with camp organization, three demolition ponies from an Engineer's Company, and lastly, an illusions specialist from Captain Star Caster’s personal staff. Captain Spitfire would be in charge of the third squad. Lastly, there was First Sergeant Silverwing as the Platoon Sergeant, and Major (formerly a Lieutenant) Dusty Spearhead as the Platoon Commander. The only one in the platoon who was not a combat vet was the illusionist, Lance Corporal Trixie Lunamoon. She was new to the Royal Guard, but she showed great promise, having placed first in her platoon in Boot Camp, as well as first in her advanced infantry training, along with her speciality training. Overall, it was a solid team that had been thrown together, and Spitfire felt confident that the mission would be successful.

She had most of her gear ready to go. She was making a final check of her gear before meeting up with Soarin, Wave Chill, Misty Fly and High Winds. They were the Wonderbolts that would make up the first fireteam for third squad. She had not wanted to have Soarin on this mission, whereas he was the one she wanted to take over the reins of leadership once she retired. If something were to happen to him… she quickly pushed that thought aside, not liking where it was leading. Besides, Soarin was one of the most decorated officers in the military for a reason. He was experienced in combat, and would bust his flank to ensure the mission was a success. The Wonderbolts needed him, but more importantly, Princess Twilight needed him right now.

And Spitfire needed him, even if she hated to admit it.

Placing one of her sabatons on her left hoof, she used it to pick up her bow. The bow was a collapsible compound bow, whose opening and closing was triggered by the same magic a pony would use to pick up an object. On the opposite sabaton would be a hook designed to draw and release the bowstring, launching the arrow. This gave an archer a more effective use in combat, allowing for quicker and more accurate shots. The collapsible design of the bow made for a much more compact carrying package as well, allowing for more gear, or more ammo, as needed. The arrows came with either narrow broadheads designed to be able to penetrate light armor, or different tips could be added to the shaft, from bow launched grenades, to smoke and gas grenades, depending on the need. With a flick of her wrist, Spitfire opened her bow, and then closed it with another flick. Satisfied that it was working to perfection, she placed it back down.

“I wish you would reconsider going on this operation, Spits,” Soarin said as he entered her office. When she glared at him, he replied, “The door was open.”

“That’s not what the glare was for. You know full well that I am needed on this mission. The only reason you’re on this mission, Soarin, is because the very best we have is required, given the high stakes.” Spitfire started placing all her gear in her travel pack. “Is that the only reason you stopped in, was to try to convince me to stay back? If it was, you can turn your flank right around and head back out the way you came in,” she told him, curtly.

“Oh, come on, Spits! Why does it have to be you?”

“Because it’s MY responsibility, Soarin! I am the leader of the Wonderbolts, and it is MY responsibility to ensure that this highly important mission is carried through! When it comes time that it becomes your responsibility, I can only pray that you’ll understand that,” she said as she continued to stow her gear. “Besides, I owe it to Fleetfoot. We all do.”

“I guess that there’s no stopping you. The great Spitfire, bound and determined to go out in one final blaze of glory.” turning around, he headed back out the door. “I’m gonna go check on the others, Spits. See you at the train station.”

The ponies arrived in squads. Their gear had already been packed onboard chariots which were being loaded onto the train. Other chariots would be used for transporting bodies back to Equestria. The troops themselves wore their combat armor. It was way less flashy than the ceremonial armor they normally wore, and much more suited for combat. Armor that realistically would have only offered a minimal amount of protection had been replaced with armor that would actually cover their vitals, while offering free range of movement. Even the helmets offered better functionality, covering the face and jaw better, while lacking the crest which the ceremonial armor had. Lastly, the helmets for the unicorns had horn guards which would protect that vital weak point.

Major Spearhead stood talking with Princess Luna as she went over final details with him. He had been given the promotion as a formality, due to the fact that the unit’s third squad was lead by a Captain. It would not go well having the platoon commander outranked by a squad leader.

“The best route to reach the attack site has been plotted out, Major,” Luna told him. It should give you an arrival time around one or two in the morning. That should give you time to get to Spike around dawn. He’ll be able to message us when you have Twilight safe in your custody.”

“We’ll get her home safe, Your Highness. This is what we’ve trained to do; to protect Equestria and her ponies.”

“Thank you, Major. Good hunting,” she said as she returned Dusty’s salute. Though as royalty, she was not required to do so, she chose to do so out of respect for those who served Equestria. She and her sister loved each and every one of their ponies, and Princess Luna took pride in those who took up the mantle of Equestria’s protectors.

Dusty turned on his hooves sharply, and moved to stand before his platoon. The first Sergeant bellowed out, “PLATOON! AH-TEN-HUH!” and every pony in the formation snapped to crisp attention. Turning around, he saluted the Major, and reported the platoon to be all present and ready for orders.

Dusty felt the pride swell deep in his chest. These mares and stallions before him willingly chose to serve, and would follow him through Tartarus and back on his command. They were the cream of Equestria’s crop, and it was an honor for him to be able to stand with them and serve with them. “Guards and Wonderbolts, you all know the drill. Let’s get this show on the road. OOH-RAH!” When the platoon answered back with an enthusiastic “OOH-RAH!” of their own, he ordered them to load up onto the train.

The Griffins may have called the first shots in this war, but Dusty and his troops would make certain that they would not be the last.

The Rescue

The cool night air would have lent a peaceful feel to the base camp, except that the place was filled with Griffins, and they were anything but peaceful for the most part. They were loud and boisterous, and often got into fights. They gambled their wages away, and would have drank their winnings away, except that Major Bloodclaw frowned on drinking while out in the field.

Twilight Sparkle was in no shape to notice any of this when they arrived in the camp. Bloodclaw promptly kicked her out of the chariot upon landing, and when she tried to get up, he kicked her back down, causing her to land on her broken wing. Ignoring her tormented cries of pain, he grabbed a clawful of her mane and pulled her back up to her hooves. Half dragging her along, he pulled her to a tent calling for a pair of guards to follow.

Once inside, Bloodclaw’s Aide-de-Campe pulled a length of chain with a collar attached out of a box. He hooked the free end to a post in the center of the tent, and then hooked the collar around her neck. His next action was to produce a folding chair, which he unfolded and offered it to the Major, who took a seat in front of the trembling Alicorn.

“Do you know why you are here, Twilight, in this camp, late at night, with none of your friends around to comfort you?” When he received no reply, other than a barely perceptible shake of her head, he continued, “It is because of Celestia’s arrogance that you are here. Her arrogance, and her failure as a world leader. Yes, I know, Equestria is a mighty nation, who lords over the whole of the Earth, but that is just a house of cards, and when that house of cards tumbles, all the rest of the nations that are part of that house of cards will tumble with her.

“We Griffins do not want that. We worry for our fellow neighbors, who are stuck under the hooves of your precious princess. But Griffica is a strong nation, and we seek to be stronger still, so that we can be strong for other nations to rally around.” Getting up to leave, he told her, “I do hope that you understand sacrifices must be made, young Twilight, for the sake of others. This is a lesson your princess in Canterlot will soon learn in a very painful way, I’m afraid.”

Once Major Bloodclaw got to his command tent, he called in the unit’s messenger Griffin. Griffins had a means similar to Dragon fire to send messages quickly over long distances. Some Griffins were able to utilize magic through the use of runes, and they were often used for delivering messages between units in the field and headquarters, or for the Emperor to communicate with his diplomats in other nations, or many other instances where quick communication was a necessity. In this instance, he had sent notice to Emperor Ironbeak that he had completed his objective, and an inquiry to whether or not there have been any changes in his orders. After an hour or so of waiting, he received a reply.

Use whatever means you desire to obtain any and all information she has.

She must be kept alive.

Beyond that, you have free reign over her to do as you wish.

Prepare to move in three days as planned.

Bloodclaw was pleased with the reply. It had been a while since he had been given the opportunity to satisfy his desire for causing mental and emotional pain upon others. The one reason the Emperor allowed him to do as much as he did was due to the fact he was the Emperor’s most effective piece on the chessboard.

Bloodclaw felt a thrill run through him as he headed back to the tent where the captive was chained, urging him to hurry. But he forced himself to take his time. He wanted to draw it out. He wanted to savor it. He wanted to drink in every moment of her suffering. That was the reason he had the ponies at the train executed in such a brutal manner. Seeing a pony die, or even being the one to take that pony’s life did little to excite him. But to see a pony whose soul is slowly fracturing, watching it splinter more and more until it finally snaps, is simply orgasmic in its power.

Yes, the thrill was upon him now, and he felt a need to sate his desires.

It took only one look for Twilight to realize what he intended to do. No amount of her feeble struggling was able to stop him, and her screams and cries could be heard throughout the valley all night long.

It was just getting dark as the platoon formed up in a field behind the train station in Marelone, just five miles from the border with Griffica. They would very soon be boarding the extended chariots for the trip to the site of the train attack. A total of seven chariots would be used. Three of them would transport the Royal Guard while a fourth would carry the unit’s supplies. This included all their gear, rations, a lot of water, extra medical supplies, ammo for the bows, and the tools and explosives for the three demolition’s experts. Lastly, because of the likelihood of there being wounded, three ambulance chariots were coming with them.

Major Spearhead stood before his platoon and the drivers of the chariots. “Mares and gentlecolts, you all know the importance of this mission. The lives of Princess Twilight Sparkle, and her little brother, Spike, hang in the balance. Right now, the princess is being held captive by a barbarian demon of a Griffin. And Spike, who is bravely making the trek across fifteen miles of rough terrain, will be waiting for us to come get him and his sister. Are we gonna let those two brave souls down?” he asked, letting his voice wash over them with its power.

“HELL NO, SIR!”

“These same Griffins brutally murdered twenty-two mares and stallions. Some of them were Royal Guard. One of them a recently retired Wonderbolt. And the majority of them were friends of ours,” he continued, his voice echoing throughout the field. “Will we let that stand?”

“HELL NO, SIR!”

“You, my brothers and sisters-in-arms, are the cream of the crop. It is you that makes Equestria shine as the greatest nation in the world. When evil rises among us with intent to cause our great Equestria and her Princesses harm, will we back down? Will we cower in fear?”

“HELL NO, SIR!”

“Some of us may fall, but remember this, as long as the Equestrian Flag flies high, and as long as we never give in to tyranny, we shall live FOREVER, be it here in Equestria, or guarding the Gates to Elysium. Royal Guard, Wonderbolts, Equestrian Guard, Royal Navy, we are ALL EQUESTRIANS! We stand PROUD! We stand FIRM! And we shall emerge TRIUMPHANT!”

“OOH-RAH!”

“FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS! FOR OUR PRINCESSES! FOR EQUESTRIA!” Dusty bellowed proudly.

“OOH-RAH!”

“Ooh-rah, My warriors! Load up! Tonight, we ride into Hell!”

As one, the mares and stallions of the rescue platoon boarded their chariots, heading straight to the gates of Tartarus.

The flight to the train attack proved to be uneventful, with only a few Griffin patrols spotted that were easily avoided. The five Wonderbolt proved their worth in gold with their flying ahead to spot potential trouble and guiding them through. While the Wonderbolts would have been able to deal with the patrolling Griffins had contact become unavoidable, it would have most likely alerted other Griffin units in the area to their presence, making a rescue all but impossible.

They reached the wreckage a little past midnight and quickly established a base camp. The first order of business was to set up camouflage netting near the treeline so that the chariots could be concealed from any passing Griffin patrols. The camouflage was augmented by a concealment spell by Lance Corporal Lunamoon. With luck, it would successfully keep the chariots and their drivers, along with the three medics with the ambulances, hidden from any enemy eyes until the platoon returned. Their gear and weapons came next. It did not take long for everypony have their full loadout ready to go.

Within an hour, everything was set for them to march.

Dusty and Silver found the five Wonderbolts gathered on the opposite side of the train. They had found Fleetfoot and the other executed ponies. None of them were able to hold back the tears of rage that they felt. Fleetfoot had been one of their closest friends, in a unit where everypony considered one another family. Dusty fully empathized with them, for Royal Guard units often formed bonds within that were just as tight. And a whole squad of his ponies were among those brutally murdered in this clearing.

“Gather around everypony,” the Major called out. When everypony was present, Dusty spoke up. “This is why we are here tonight. These brothers and sisters of ours, callously slain for no reason other than Griffin cruelty, will not be forgotten. And Princess Twilight is now held by those same butchers that murdered our brethren. For our Princess, and for our brothers and sisters, we shall rescue her, and exact revenge for our fallen. First Sergeant. would you lead us in prayer, please?”

Though it would normally be the unit Chaplain who would lead the prayer, or the unit commander if there was no Chaplain with them, it was Silverwing that was the one most considered the father figure for the company. Even Dusty thought of him in such a manner, and it only seemed right for Silver to be the one to call upon the Goddess on their behalf. Silverwing’s deep, gravely voice carried strong in their hearts as he led them in prayer. “Our Goddess Above, we ponies beseech Thee today, that you may guide the souls of our fallen brothers and sisters home, that they may gather at your side in the Elysium Fields. We pray that you may watch over us, so that we may be able to rescue one of Your own from the clutches of those who commit evil acts upon Your ponies. Guide us, we ask, that our hearts may stay true to You, in this dark hour, and that we all make come home safe. In Your name we pray. Amen”

A collective “Amen,” echoed through the ponies, all adding their individual prayers that Faust may protect them.

Kneeling down, Spitfire gently closed Fleetfoot’s eyes, saying goodbye to one of her closest friends.

“Staff Sergeant True Flight,” Dusty called out. When the head chariot driver stood before him, Dusty instructed him to have the bodies prepared for transport home. Nopony would be left behind. Dead or alive, all would return home.

The journey proved to be much more difficult than Spike had anticipated. Fifteen miles might have been a long, but still fairly easy, walk back at home. But here in the forested hills deep in the heart of the enemy, Spike discovered that there easy strolls, and there are desperate treks of survival through Hell. This journey had proven to be the latter. It did not help matters that he did not know the area, had to avoid patrolling Griffins on occasion, and was hindered by a broken arm. Still, in spite of the odds, the young drake managed to find the location of the camp.

With the number of Griffins around, including numerous individual Griffins on guard duty around the outskirts of the encampment, Spike had almost been found on a couple occasions. Discretion is the better part of valor, he had heard his big brother say once, and he took that to heart. He found a spot to hide about three hundred yards to the south of the enemy camp.

Once he was safely hidden, all he had to do was wait. Opening his pack, Spike pulled out a pen and a sheet of paper to send a message to Princess Celestia, so she and Princess Luna may know that he made it safely to the target location. When he received the reply, it just stated their continued gratitude, and asked for him to wait. Help would be there soon, and they would get him and Twilight home.

Spike hunkered down, pulled out a snack and a small bottle of water, and watched for his rescuers.

Twilight shivered as she laid alone in the tent. Though it was cool inside the tent, it was not so cold that she would shiver from it. Instead, what had her shivering was the events that had happened in the past twenty four hours plus.

She had been badly injured during the crash, and then after had been forced to bare witness to the brutal and horrific slaughter of several innocent ponies. Upon arrival here, she had been chained to a post, and that is when the torture had truly begun. Throughout the remainder of the night, and for the whole day after, she had been beaten numerous times. The few times she tried to resist, she had been beaten only worse, being powerless to stop them or try to escape. Between the inhibitor ring, the shackles, the broken wing and dislocated shoulder, and the collar chaining her to this spot, there was nothing that she could do.

And it went beyond simple beatings. They also used electrified sticks they called cattle prods. Those were agonizing when they jammed them into her shoulder or flank, but that was not the only way that they would use them. The pain and misery increased a thousandfold when they used them inside of her.

And they would use psychological torture on her as well, all in an attempt to break her, and to get any and all information she knew that the Griffin Empire could use. Twilight was incredibly smart, and had access to knowledge that any nation with intent of causing Equestria harm would thirst for, and the Griffins would use any method they could to get that knowledge.

It was working, too.

The worst though was how the Griffins would use her. That violation alone is what was breaking her the worst. Even more so, because they did not use that so much to extract information from her, but to sate their own personal lusts. Every time they used her in that fashion, she felt emptier and emptier inside. Her soul dimmed and turned into a cold lead ball, and her mind would shut down for a while.

She wished that she could die.

When Major Bloodclaw walked into the tent, Twilight scurried as far from him that the chain around her neck would allow. It was not enough, no distance could ever be enough ever again, and she was reduced to huddling next to the wall of the tent in terror. “Please, don’t hurt me. I’ll be a good pony, just don’t hurt me any more,” she begged at barely above a whisper, her face a terrified mask as she forced herself to gaze upon the face of her capturer.

“Now Twilight, is trying to get away from me being a good pony?” Bloodclaw chided. When Twilight cringed and shivered more violently as the simple light rebuke, he chuckled softly, thoroughly savoring every little bit of it. “If you come closer and tell me what I want to know, I won’t have to use the prod on you again,” he gently, almost encouragingly, told her.

Twilight shook her head in fear, her trembling becoming even worse, unable to bare the thought of being any closer to the Griffin.

“Come here,” he instructed, more forcefully this time.

Though fearful of being near him, Twilight was more fearful of what would happen if she disobeyed. She slowly crawled over to him and rested her head on the ground at his feet. “I’m sorry. I’ll be a good pony,” she whispered. She let out a cry of pain as she felt her tormentor grab a clawful of her mane and lift her up by it. The terror inside her reached a new height when he pulled out his dagger. Flashes of memory hit her. She saw the knife saw through Fleetfoot’s throat. The horrible scream that turned into a wet gurgle echoed in her ears. The blood splattering everywhere. The flopping of the body as Fleetfoot was drowned in her own blood played in her mind over and over. The sheer terror in her eyes as she knew she was dying, and having to watch the light fade from her eyes. The panic hit her full force, and Twilight struggled to get away, crying and begging incoherently, until her mind broke, and she went limp as her bladder emptied itself.

Bloodclaw simply stared into Twilight’s haunted, tear filled eyes. He drank in her fear, her misery, and the remnants of her soul. It thrilled him more than anything else could, and he relished every moment. He knew at that moment that he had broken her completely and totally. While her body may eventually heal, if given the chance, her mind would never truly heal from this, and Bloodclaw loved it. He slowly traced the line of her jaw with the flat of his blade, thrilling every time she flinched. He decided he should keep something of her. A momento to remind him of one of his greatest accomplishments; the breaking of an Equestrian Princess. “I really do like your mane. Such a pretty design. Simple and elegant. I think I shall keep it.” With a quick flick of his wrist, the edge of his dagger cut cleanly through the strands of her mane in his grasp, dropping her to the ground before him. As she lay there, crying silently, he methodically began to cut off the remainder of her mane, and then he removed all the hair from her tail in the same fashion, leaving behind little more than a short, ragged bit.

He let her lay there, sobbing, as he slowly ran the tail across his beak, letting her scent fill his sinuses. The aroma of fear, mixed with blood and other fluids, aroused him, and he looked down upon her with intent. He would again sate his arousal, and he grabbed her by the flesh of her neck. Her screams of pain only served to excite him even more.

Later, after finally quenching his needs, he left her laying there, used and catatonic.

The few hours of waiting were some of the worst in Spike’s life. During the pre-dawn hours, Spike could have sworn that he heard Twilight crying out in pain at one point. He had no way of knowing just what the Griffins were doing to her, and his rather active imagination stepped in to fill his mind with image after horrifying image of the Griffins torturing, mutilating, and killing his sister and best friend. By the time dawn arrived, he felt sick to his stomach, wanting nothing more than to rush in and rescue her or to simply break down and cry.

It was a massive relief when he saw the Royal Guard pony. The early morning light revealed him to be a deep blue color, almost the same coat color as Princess Luna, with a dirty blonde, almost orangish colored, mane. When the pony made eye contact with Spike, the young drake jumped up and was about to call out to him, but the guard quickly put a hoof to his lips, motioning for silence, and then motioned for Spike to get back down.

Spike did as instructed, and watched the guard turn and made numerous hoof signals behind him, Spike saw another pony appear and return some more hoof signs, only for the new one to disappear again into the forest. The first guard then made a few more motions towards his left, and then approached Spike slowly, pausing every few steps to check around him. Once he finally was within a few yards, he quietly called out, “You Spike?” When Spike nodded his head in the affirmative, the guard waved a wing over towards his left, and another Guard pony stepped out of the bushes. This one was an orange Pegasus, with a mane and tail similar in coloration to Shining Armor’s.

“I’m Corporal Dancing Dead, and this is Corporal Flash Sentry. We have a whole platoon right behind us, and they’ll be here any second,” the first one said to Spike.

“Don’t worry, Spike. We’ll get you and Princess Twilight home safe,” Flash added.

A sense of relief flooded through Spike, and he broke down crying. Flash and Dead moved to his side, both wrapping a foreleg around him, offering whatever comfort they could for the brave, young Dragon who had performed a minor miracle getting here, all out of love for his sister who was still held captive by the brutal monsters who had attacked them.

Dusty, Silver, Spitfire, Trixie, and Big Bang, who was one of the demolitions ponies, watched over the camp, scouting out how they would attack. It had been relatively easy for the five of them to get this close. A hoofblade up into the base of the skull, compliments of the First Sergeant, silently removed the lone Griffin guard they came across from the equation.

“That tent in the center, the one the Griffin came out of, I saw what appeared to be a pony inside with a purple coat. That would be the princess,” Silver stated.

“Gonna be a tough nut to crack, this camp. The good majority of the Griffins here are elite Griffin soldiers. We’re going to have to take out as many as we can in the first few moments,” said Dusty as he continued to scan the camp. “Corporal Bang, can you place claymare mines in certain locations so that the tent the Princess is in would be untouched, and yet take out a few certain strategic points? Preferably where there are a number of clustered enemy?” he asked the demolitions Guard pony.

“Not a problem, Sir. I believe I have the best locations picked out already. The charges can even be set to fire off a single remote detonator. With your permission, I’ll get Shaped Charge and Blast, and get it set up,” Big Bang replied.

“Do it. And report back here when you finish,” ordered Dusty.

“Sir, I can use offensive illusion magic as well,” offered Trixie. “I have a flash-bang spell which would disorient the Griffins nicely, making them much easier targets. Each flash-bang would disorient the ones used against for about ten to fifteen seconds, plenty of time to take them out with arrows.”

“An excellent idea,” said Spitfire. “If we’re unable to safely get the princess out of the battle zone, then what will be our orders, Major?”

“Simple enough. Guard the tent. Let no Griffin get close. I’ll have the demolitions team backing you up. They can fight pretty good, as well as create mayhem and destruction with their bombs. But if at all possible, get her away from the battle. Her safety is the top priority above all else,” he instructed. “First Sergeant, go bring up the rest of the platoon. As soon as the charges are set and everypony is in position, we’ll attack.”

“On it, Sir.”

Once Silverwing returned with the platoon, Major Spearhead passed out his orders. When the first volley of arrows were fired, a salvo of their explosive tipped ones, Big Bang would trigger the claymare mines. At that time, Trixie would cast multiple flash-bang spells to blind and disorient as many Griffins as possible. Following that, they would launch three more volleys of broadhead tipped arrows, and then swoop down in to take the camp. The three demolitions ponies would join with the Wonderbolts to secure the princess, exfiltrating her away from the battle if possible, guarding her with their lives if not. The rest would be attacking any and all remaining Griffins. It was a simple plan of attack, designed to be entirely unfair to the Griffins, and to maximize the odds that all the ponies would survive the fight.

In moments, everypony was in position. The only two who were not joining in on the attack were the two medic ponies, Sunny Hearts and Healing Touch. The rest knocked their bows, or in the case of Big Bang and Trixie, prepared to launch their own attacks. Once Dusty had his selected target sighted in, he gave the command, “FIRE!” and released his arrow. The others fired immediately, and thirty-seven arrows flew towards their intended targets.

Almost all arrows flew true, with the exception of the one launched by Silverwing. He had been aiming for Bloodclaw’s head, and the combination of Dusty’s bellowed order and seeing the first arrow hit the Griffin next to him, blowing his upper body in two, was just enough warning for him to move. This caused the arrow to hit him in the upper shoulder at a glancing angle instead, momentarily saving his life. That mattered little, as the sudden detonation of the mines created further chaos and death all around them. Further adding to the fog of war was Trixie’s well placed flash-bang spells. The confusion, combined with the arrows raining down upon them, and the number of Griffins killed by the claymare mines made it so when the platoon charged down into the camp, it was more a massacre than a battle.

Silverwing found sight of Bloodclaw once again, and made a beeline straight for him. The Griffin Major was shaking off the effects of the flash-bang that had disoriented him, and had just yanked an arrow from his shoulder. He had just enough time to draw his dagger when the First Sergeant caught him in a flying tackle as he wrapped his forelegs around Bloodclaw’s head, and letting his momentum swing him around over the Griffin’s back. Necks were not designed to turn that way, and Silverwing heard a very satisfying snapping sound. The Griffin simply collapsed underneath him, and Silver finished the job by bringing an armored hoof down upon his head with a satisfying crunch.

Looking up, the Pegasus saw that the attack was over just as quickly as it had started. Trixie stood off to his right, holding a bloody machete in her magic, which she had used successfully against two Griffins herself. The Major was off to Silver’s left, and had just just gutted a Griffin Sergeant with his hind hoofblades. The scene was pretty much the same throughout the entire camp, with zero loss of pony life. Some had minor wounds, but none were enough to slow anypony down.

Dusty and Silver looked to one another and simply nodded to each other. Knowing the battle was over, Silver barked out the command for everypony to form up, then called the two medics down from their hiding spot to tend to anypony in need of their attention.

As soon as the commands were issued, him and Major Spearhead headed over to the tent where the Wonderbolts were waiting for them. Lieutenant Soarin approached them, saying. “Sir, Sarge, you two need to see this,” as he beckoned them to the tent. When Misty opened the tent flap, Dusty felt sick to his stomach at what he saw while Silver let out an unholy, rage filled curse.

Executions

What to do with prisoners was always a concern after a battle. The Equestrian Code of Military Conduct had set procedures for this, although a commander in the field did have leeway in deciding what to do, depending on the situation. The Equestrian Code of Military Justice also had its say in what was supposed to happen to prisoners, and at times, it seemed that one would be in conflict with the other.

This was the situation that Major Spearhead faced. What were they to do with the ten surviving Griffins they had captured? The real question was about which rulebook held precedence over the other here.

That matter was set aside in his mind for now because he needed to make certain that the princess was taken care of first and foremost.

When they found her inside the tent, she was laying there on her side in a state of mild catatonic shock. Bruises were plainly visible all over her body, as well as a wing that was swollen and bent in an obviously broken manner. They had even cut her mane and tail off in a rough, uneven pattern, effectively de-equinizing her. All in all, she was in a very bad state. Not only had she been heavily abused, but she was very much dehydrated as well.

They had quickly removed the collar, but were unable to remove the inhibitor ring that had been placed on her horn. They quickly were able to determine that she was in no shape to move on her own, so a stretcher was improvised and they moved her out from her former prison. The medics had decided on using the former chow tent the Griffins had set up as their new medical tent.

Inside the tent was Twilight, Spike, Silver and Dusty, as well a couple other guards to assist. Sunny Hearts was there to treat any injuries she could, as well as to assess all that had happened to Twilight. After a couple moments of examining the princess and cataloguing the injuries inflicted upon her, Sunny reached Twilight’s tail. When she lifted it, Sunny blanched, sickened by what she saw.

Sunny stepped back to talk to the Major and First Sergeant. “They beat her badly, and from what I saw, they also used what they refer to as a cattle prod on her numerous times. Lastly, I’ve seen clear signs that she has been repeatedly raped, both vaginally and anally. It’s quite graphic when a male Griffin commits rape due to the penile barbs they have.” Sunny paused a moment before she summarized, “Sir, we have a clear case of war crimes here. What do we do now?” she asked.

“That answers one question I had. The surviving Griffins shall face a war crime tribunal,” answered Dusty. As the senior officer in the field, he held the responsibility to do so. And for the crimes that the Griffins committed, the punishment was stated clearly: execution by whatever means the commander in the field felt was most prudent. Silver looked back toward Twilight, then noticed that there was one less pony inside the tent.

“Where’s Flash?” They looked at one another, knowing what was going on. It was no secret how Corporal Flash Sentry felt about Princess Twilight. Hell, probably a quarter of all who served felt the same one towards one of the princesses at one point or another. It was those feelings that had lead to the fight with Corporal Dancing Dead that earned them their demotion from Sergeant. Having to hear what Sunny had to say must’ve sent him overboard.

The two of them hurried out the tent. They knew immediately where to look, too.

Flash had his dagger held in his mouth. Standing behind the first bound Griffin in line, Flash wrapped a foreleg under the Griffins chin, lifting up her head. With a quick slash, the blade had cut deep, severing her throat.

“Corporal Flash! Stand down!” exclaimed Dusty. The pair galloped over to stop him. Flash was about to open another Griffin’s neck when he was tackled from the side by his First Sergeant.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Corporal?” yelled Silver once the two of them had gotten back to their hooves.

Flash Sentry got right in Silverwing’s face, bellowing out his answer through his rage filled tears. “I’m doing what needs to be done, Sarge!” There was no threatening going on. Silver was not the target of Flash’s anger, but Flash was in a very dangerous place at the moment, and needed to be stopped before they were forced to take action.

“That is NOT how we do things here! We will follow the Equestrian Code of Military Justice—“

“Justice?” Flash asked incredulously. “These are the same bastards that KILLED OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, DAMNIT! And you saw what they did to our princess! They deserve to be sent straight to fuckin’ Tartarus!”

“Back the friggin’ hell down, Guard, or—“

“Hey!” shouted Spike from the side. “Let him finish the job! If not him, then let me do it!”

Dancing Dead stepped in, not wishing to see the young drake end up even more hurt by all of this. “Spike, maybe you should let—“

“NO! You did not have to sit in a fucking bush for three hours, and listen to the tortured screams of your own sister being raped off in the distance. I DID!” Spike screamed at the Corporal. This caused a strong murmur to pass through the gathered platoon, as well as numerous death glares.

“SILENCE!”

The bellowed order brought the argument to a sudden stop. Every head turned to face the one who had issued the command: Major Spearhead. The only sound heard were the soft falls of his hooves as he walked past Flash and Silver, and past Dancing Dead and Spike. He walked slowly, his pace measured just so to cause everypony to feel every bit of his displeasure. He walked past the dead Griffin first, then slowly made his way down the line, occasionally glancing into the face of a platoon member, or into the face of one of the captives. Reaching the end of the line, he turned back around, then made his way back towards the beginning of the line at the same slow pace.

“Corporal Flash Sentry, front and center!” Once Flash was standing at attention in front of him, Dusty got in nose-to-nose with him. “Corporal, I can empathize with what you did and how you feel, but if you force my hoof, I promise that you'll be placed before the same tribunal that these prisoners will face. Do you want that to be your fate?” he said to him, his voice low enough so the rest did not hear. “Now, get back in line. And you had best keep yourself disciplined, or the consequences will be certain and final. Am I understood?”

The realization of how close he had come to crossing a line that he had no means of returning from hit Flash directly in the gut. All he could do was swallow his sudden fear and nod his head. He quickly returned to stand with the rest of the platoon.

Turning to face his troops, Dusty began straightening out the mess around them. “We will not reduce ourselves to the level of those who brutally committed rape and murdered our own. That may be the way Griffins do things, but it is NOT our way! We do not murder our prisoners. We do not torture innocents. We are the best of the best that Equestria has to offer, and we will DAMN WELL act like it!

“You all want revenge for our brothers and sisters who were brutally murdered in cold blood, I know that. You want to make the Griffins pay for the atrocities that they have committed. I fully understand that. I wish the same. But the path you were so willing to choose will make you just like them,” he preached to them, pointing a hoof behind him towards the bound Griffins.

“If we’re going to do this, we will do this the right way,” Dusty continued, his voice clear and strong, carrying the weight of his command over his troops. “The way prescribed in the Equestrian Code of Military Justice. And yes, we will do this. The prisoners will face a military tribunal, here in the field. If found guilty, they will receive the required punishment, as per the Code.”

Major Spearhead turned to his First Sergeant, instructing him to get things set.

It only took around fifteen minutes for the tribunal to be set up. The witnesses needed were set aside, and the five who would serve as the tribunal members sat behind a table which had been brought out for the purpose. The rest of the platoon was instructed to sit off to the side, and to remain silent during the proceedings.

First Lieutenant Soarin sat at the left end of the table. Next to him sat Warrant Officer High Winds. At the far right of the table sat Chief Warrant Officer Misty Fly, and next to her sat Warrant Officer Wave Chill. In the center sat Major Dusty Spearhead, commanding officer of the platoon, and the officer leading the tribunal.

“Mares and Gentlecolts of this tribunal, let us begin,” he said formally. “First Sergeant, Please list the crimes of which the prisoners have been accused.”

Silverwing pulled out a sheet of paper, and began to read off the list of crimes. “The prisoners are accused of the murder of seven prisoners of war. The victims are as follows: Corporal Quill, Private Quarry Stone, Lance Corporal Keen Edge, Lance Corporal Bright Sky, Private First Class Button Hole, Lance Corporal Long Stride, and Private Moonlight. The prisoners are also accused of the murder of three civilians. The victims are: Fleetfoot, Sweet Tart, and Tight Fit. Lastly, the prisoners are accused of the torture and rape of a political prisoner: Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Thank you, First Sergeant. The tribunal calls forth the first witness, Captain Spitfire.” Dusty stated. She would have been a tribunal member, except for the fact that she was considered a witness, and therefore, could not serve as a judge. “Captain, when you were called into the Throne Room, you were informed of whom it was that attacked the train, as well as who had captured Princess Twilight. Would you state, for the record, whom it was that was stated to have committed that act?”

“Yes Sir. The Griffin in charge was Major Bloodclaw,” she responded.

“Thank you, Captain. When you reached the site of the attack, what was it that you had found there?”

Spitfire answered, “The train had apparently been blown off the tracks with explosives. A dozen ponies were dead among the wreckage. Outside, in a clearing, were ten ponies. Seven of them were Royal Guards, and three of them were civilians, all who had apparently survived the initial attack.”

Dusty then asked another question. “How do you know that they had survived the initial attack, Captain?”

“All ten of them had their hooves shackled, so that they could not run. The three Pegasi among them had their wings bound so that they could not fly away, and the four Unicorns had high level inhibitor rings mounted on their horns, except for one. That was Corporal Quill, whose head had apparently been blown apart by a small explosive charge.”

“Captain, please explain further about Corporal Quill’s death, for the record.”

Captain Spitfire explained to the tribunal about the inhibitor rings they found. “The Griffins used the same maximum security inhibitor rings that were designed for the Equestrian military. These rings are designed to hold in the magic of the strongest Unicorns, or even a full strength Alicorn such as Princess Celestia. They do that by blocking the magic path through the horn, and by sending a strong feedback through the horn into the Unicorn’s brain if they try to use magic. Another feature of the maximum security rings is that if somepony were to attempt to remove one without unlocking it first, then it would send a massive feedback pulse down through the horn directly into the brain. This pulse would be strong enough to potentially cause damage to a Unicorn’s brain, though an Alicorn would be significantly less likely to receive permanent damage.

“The inhibitor rings that the Griffins use are all modified, though. Instead of a massive feedback pulse, the ring would fire a shaped explosive charge that has been attached to the ring if an attempt to remove the ring is done without first unlocking it. The charge is sufficient to be instantly fatal to any pony wearing it, as it had been with Corporal Quill. It blew his head near-completely off.”

“Thank you, Captain,” said Dusty. “Could you now explain the condition of the remaining murdered victims, please?”

“As I had stated, they were shackled, with inhibitor rings on the Unicorns, and the wings of the Pegasi bound to prevent flight. They had no means to offer any resistance. They had been lined up, and their throats had been cut open deeply. The wounds extended almost all the way to each pony’s spine, cutting through the carotid arteries, as well as the trachea and esophagus. With the standard issue Griffin dagger, it would have taken several cuts to go that deep, or more likely, they would have had to saw through the tissue to do so. Contrary to popular belief, having your throat opened in that manner is not a quick way to die. Often, it can take minutes for death to finally occur, Major,” finished Spitfire.

“Thank you, Captain, you may take your seat,” Dusty instructed her. “The tribunal calls forth the next witness, Sergeant Sunny Hearts.” When she sat before them, Dusty asked her to describe the injuries to Princess Twilight, and what she discovered that the Griffins had done to her.

“When we found Princess Twilight, she was in a semi-catatonic state. She was suffering from moderate, almost severe dehydration as well. At some point, presumably during the crash, she had suffered a broken right wing, and her left shoulder had been dislocated. Also at some point, her mane and tail were roughly cut off. There was bruising all over her body, consistent with being punched and kicked repeatedly throughout the approximate thirty-six hours that she was held captive. The dislocated shoulder and broken wing were often targets of the abuse. Other marks all over her body show that the Griffins used what they refer to as a ‘cattle prod’ on her. It is a long stick with a pair of electrodes at the end, designed to shock the victim with a strong electric charge. It is very painful, and the ensuing muscle spasms further aggravated her injured shoulder and wing. Lastly, I discovered during my examination of the princess that she had been raped numerous times by the Griffins, both vaginally and anally. There are indications that more than one Griffin was involved, probably several Griffins, Sir.”

“Thank you Sergeant. You may take a seat with the rest of the platoon.”

Looking to his left, then right, the Major asked if any of the other tribunal members would like to call forth a witness. When he received replies in the negative, he stated, “The evidence has been presented and heard. Tribunal members, are you ready to deliver your verdicts?” When the affirmative answers came back to him, he asked, “Lieutenant Soarin, on the multiple counts of murder, torture and rape, how do you find the prisoners?”

“Guilty.”

“Warrant Officer High Winds, on the multiple counts of murder, torture and rape, how do you find the prisoners?”

“Guilty.”

“Chief Warrant Officer Misty Fly, on the multiple counts of murder, torture, and rape, how do you find the prisoners?”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Warrant Officer Wave Chill, on the multiple counts of murder, torture and rape, how do you find the prisoners?”

“Guilty.”

Lastly, it was Dusty’s turn. “On the multiple counts of murder, torture and rape, I, Major Dusty Spearhead, find the prisoners to be guilty as charged.”

A victorious cheer rose from the platoon as they heard their Major announce his verdict, but was quieted by the First Sergeant ordering them to settle down. “If you cannot conduct yourselves in the prescribed manner, then you will be instructed to leave,” he told them sternly.

Dusty stood to address the prisoners. “As of twelve hundred hours on this day, October the third, in the fourth year of Luna’s Return, you have been found guilty of all charges. The crimes carry a sentence of death. The executions will take place today at fourteen hundred hours. This tribunal is now closed.”

With the tribunal concluded, Silverwing walked over to Dusty to inform him that, barring any complications, everypony should be ready for departure after the executions.

“Thank you, Silver. It will be good for us to get home after this,” he told the First Sergeant, not knowing that events would soon take a drastic turn for the worse.

Dusty walked into the medical tent, formerly a chow hall, to check on how progress was going to treating the unit’s injuries, as well as Spike and Princess Twilight’s more severe injuries. He was pleased to learn that all the guards who had received minor injuries had already been treated earlier on. In one corner, Healing Touch was wrapping Spike’s arm. Considering that the splint was already on the arm, Dusty guessed that the medic was almost complete patching up the young drake.

“How’s the arm, Son?” Dusty asked.

“Doin’ good right now, Major. Corporal Healing Touch had to re-break it because the bone had started to set already, but he also knows this spell that killed virtually all the pain in my arm,” Spike told him. “He’s about to apply the cast, so I should be good to go in just a bit.”

“Sir,” the medic spoke up as he worked on Spike’s arm, now wrapping it in a wet binding which would be magically hardened to form the cast. “Sergeant Hearts and I will need assistance with the princess when we set her wing and put her shoulder back in place. Even in her semi-catatonic state, she is still likely to struggle, due to the pain. We’ll have Spike here to help keep her calm, but if any others are here that might assist in calming her, we would be grateful.”

“Major, I think Trixie would be able to help with that. Her and Twi have been keeping in touch with one another ever since she freed Trixie from the Alicorn Amulet. Twilight considers her a friend now. Heck, Twi even helped her get into the Royal Guard.” Spike said to Dusty.

“I’ll do that. Thank you, Spike. Sergeant Hearts, how many will you need to help hold the princess down in the event that she does struggle?” Dusty asked. “Would two do it, you think?”

“The princess is still young, but being an Alicorn, her strength would be higher than you would think for her size. If she were to still be in fear, it would only add strength to her struggles,” explained Sunny. “It would probably be best to have three,” she continued. “Also, you’ll have to hold her firmly, and I do mean firmly. That might go against every instinct to treat her gently because of her being a princess, but if you do not hold her down, she could end up making her injuries even worse, Sir.”

“Doesn’t the corporal have that pain killing spell?” asked Dusty. “Spike said the pain was just about all gone.”

“It may be gone now, Sir, but even with the spell, it hurt quite a bit when Sunny rebroke my arm to set it,” Spike told him.

“Well, then. I guess I better go get a couple ponies to assist.” With that, Major Spearhead headed back out the tent. Looking around, he was unable to find the First Sergeant nearby, but he did spot Corporals Dancing Dead and Flash Sentry. Both were damn good Guards, strong with caring hearts. They would be well suited to this task.

After explaining to them what he needed them to do, he sent them into the tent to wait for his return with Lance Corporal Lunamoon. Dusty found her talking with the supply ponies, and called her over to him.

“I’m told that you’re friends with the princess, Lance Corporal. If that’s true, then I have need of your assistance,” he told her. He explained the situation with Twilight’s injuries, and that how it would be very helpful if those she was close to was there to help keep her calm as they treated her injuries.

“I’d be happy to help, Sir. She is one of my few friends, and I would do anything for her. Thank you for asking me to help Sir,” she said to him. “I do have a question, Sir. Is it safe to use magic near her, considering the inhibitor ring? I’ll be honest, Sir, that thing scares me.”

Dusty thought for a moment as they walked back towards the med tent, trying to remember any details he knew about those rings. “I believe that as long as magic is not directly applied to the ring, then it should be ok.”

They walked in silence a moment longer before Dusty asked, “Why did you join the Guard, Lunamoon? I’ve seen your show years ago once, when I was on leave. You seemed very different, then. What prompted you to join?”

Trixie looked to the Major, expecting to see scorn or contempt on his face, but instead, she saw honest curiosity, with maybe a touch of concern for her thrown in. She sighed as she answered, “Redemption, Sir. I’ve done a lot in my past that I need to redeem myself for. I’ve hurt many in my arrogance and pride, and worse, I let my jealousy get to me, and through that, I caused many more, including Princess Twilight herself, along with many of her friends, to suffer.

“Have heard about the incident a couple years ago in Ponyville, with the Alicorn Amulet?” she asked. When he nodded, she explained, “That was me, Sir. In my greed and envy for power, I obtained the amulet at great cost, and I wanted to exact revenge for a perceived plight. And yet, when Princess Twilight freed me from the entrapment of the Alicorn Amulet, instead of having me punished, she offered me her friendship. And when I decided I needed to do more to redeem myself, she recommended I join the military, thinking I could do good here. Being the egotistical mare I am, of course I would join the Royal Guard. It was her letters of recommendation that convinced them to look beyond my past, and to give me a chance.”

Trixie stopped before the entrance to the medical tent to wipe a tear from her eye. “I owe her my life, Sir. That is why I joined the Guard. She gave me that second chance at life.” With that, the two of them stepped into the tent.

Trixie knew about what happened to Twilight after watching the tribunal, as well as hearing certain things beforehand, but knowing that had done little to prepare her for what she saw. The Twilight she saw before her was nothing like the vibrant young mare who had taught her friendship, and had given her the chance to be the pony she wished to be. The mare lying on the table in front of her seemed… broken. Hearing the details was one thing, but seeing it with her own eyes drove home just how horrifying it had to have been for her friend. “Oh, Twilight, what have they done to you?” she whispered to herself, decorum leaving her as her need to be there for a dear friend took over completely.

Dusty heard the slip from the mare, but let it go, reasoning that Trixie was now in full comfort mode, doing all she could to help keep the princess calm for what the medics needed to do. Trixie quickly proved his assessment correct as he motioned for Dead and Flash to join him at the table, to help hold her down as needed.

Trixie rushed over to sit in front of the catatonic princess. Spike had been trying to get through to Twilight past the barriers set up, which blocked out the world from her. Trixie looked into the vacant eyes, and weeped for the stricken mare. “Twilight, it’s Trixie. I’m here for you. Me and Spike, both Twilight,” she said. The only response she received was continued whispered mumbles.

Dusty bent down to listen, he could just make out her saying over again. “I’m sorry… I’ll be a good pony… please don’t hurt me… I’m sorry… I’ll be a good pony…” Dusty looked to the medics to see if they knew anything.

“It’s a defense mechanism, Sir. The bastards hurt her so bad that she has retreated deep into her own mind, barely conscious of anything around her,” Sunny sadly explained to him.

“We may be able to heal her body, eventually, but I fear we may have been too late to save her mind, Sir,” Healing Touch added.

Trixie and Spike refused to believe that they were too late, though. They were bound and determined to break through that barrier and get her back.

“Twilight, look at us. It’s me and Trixie. We’re here for you. You’re safe now, Twi,” Spike told her, holding her hoof in his claws.

“Twilight, come back to us, please. We’re here for you, Twilight, and we won’t let anything happen to you,” Trixie spoke to her, desperation in her voice as she pleaded.

“S-Spike… T-T-Trixie…” Twilight whispered, a slight glimmer of recognition in her eyes.

Sunny Hearts nodded to Healing Touch for him to cast his spell. When he did so, the princess seemed to relax a little, as the pain which had been a constant part of her very existence for what seemed to her like forever melted away.

“Trixie… Spike… hurt…”

“It’s OK, Twilight. Spike and I are here for you,” Trixie gently reassured her.

“You’re safe now, Twi. We’ll be home soon,” Spike added.

Sergeant Hearts nodded to Dusty, Dead and Flash for them to start holding her down, so that she could get ready to re-break the broken bone in Twilight’s wing, but when they went to do so, this triggered a sense of panic within Twilight, and she started to struggle.

“Don’t hurt me… don’t hurt me… I’ll be a good pony… don’t hurt me… I’m sorry… don’t hurt me...“ she said in a panic, trying to get away.

Flash gently started to stroke the stubbly remains of Twilight’s main, cooing gently to her, “It’s OK, Princess. You’re safe. We won’t let anything bad happen anymore. We’ll take you home, and you can see Princess Celestia again…” This, combined with Spike and Trixie’s reassurances seemed to have an effect on Twilight, and she stopped struggling, though she still trembled slightly.

“Celestia…”

“Yes, Twilight. She loves you and misses you. We’ll take you to her real soon. I promise. And you mom, dad, and big brother, Shining as well, Princess,” he continued.

“Shiny…”

“Yes, Twi, we’ll go see Shining Armor, and Cadance too,” Spike reassured her as the glimmer of recognition grew in her eyes. “I bet you can’t wait to see little Skyla again,” he added.

Trixie rejoiced at seeing the beginnings of her friend’s return to them, but she knew that this was just the beginning of a long, hard road for the young Alicorn. They faced one of the most difficult hurdles right now. “Twilight, I need you to listen to me. We are not here to hurt you. We’re here to help you. But right now, you have injuries that we have to take care of or your body will never heal right,” Trixie told her as Twilight’s eyes focused on her.

“I’m a good pony…”

“Yes, Twilight, you’re a very good pony. The best pony ever,” Trixie reassured her. “We have to set your wing, Twilight. It’s been broken, and if we don’t fix it, it will never heal right. Do you understand me, Twilight?” When Twilight gave her the lightest of nods, Trixie continued. “I need you to focus on me and Spike, Twilight. Can you do that for me?” When Twilight nodded fearfully once more, Trixie nodded to the others, then held Twilight’s hoof a little tighter.

Sergeant Hearts focused her magic on the bone in Twilight’s wing. It had started to mend already, but had not been properly set, so it was healing at an angle which could cripple the wing. She had no option but to rebreak the bone before she could set it properly. With a quick bend of her magic and a loud crack, Sunny broke the bone.

Twilight’s reaction was immediate. Her cry of pain and fear was accompanied by her struggling to get away from those holding her still. In her struggles, one hind hoof got loose, landing a kick square in Dancing Dead’s chest.

“Sweet Celestia, I don’t know if we’ll be able to hold her down,” he said as he struggled to get her leg back in his grasp.

“You have to hold her steady so I can set the wing,” Sunny called out. It was taking all her focus to hold the wing still in her magic “Almost got it…” she said under her breath as she carefully maneuvered the two halfs of the bone into position as Twilight struggled still. “Done!”

“Don’t hurt me... Don’t hurt me... I’ll be a good pony... Don’t hurt me…”

“Twilight! Stay with us!” Spike told her as her struggles slowed, then finally reduced to just trembles. “Stay focused on us, Twi. We still have one more to go. Your shoulder is dislocated, and the doc needs to set it back in place so you can walk.”

Sunny looked to the others as she prepared herself for the next phase. Resetting the shoulder would probably hurt even more than setting the bone in her wing had. Even with the spell that Touch had applied, there was enough of a spike of pain to momentarily punch through and cause distress. Dance looked fine in spite of having been bucked square in the chest. Had he not been wearing his gear, he probably would have received a nasty injury. The Major looked to be doing better, as did Flash, as he still did his best to help keep the princess calm. Spike and Trixie were working a minor miracle here, in their efforts. Through them, there was now hope that Twilight might recover mentally as well as physically.

“Touch, would it help if you applied the spell a second time?” Sunny asked her fellow medic. Any little bit of help here was needed, to help avoid injuring the princess further. She hated to cause anypony pain, but at times, a moment of pain needed to be endured to allow the body to properly heal. Still, if that pain could be reduced, her job here would become a little easier.

“Sorry, Sunny, but the spell does not increase in effectiveness by casting it more than once,” he told her. “The sooner we can get this done, though, the sooner she will be able to rest and start healing.”

“I concur.” Looking to the others, she instructs them to get ready.

“Twilight, can you focus on Spike and I? We need you to stay focused on us so the docs can fix your shoulder. Please, Twilight. We need you here with us,” Trixie asked Twilight gently.

Twilight looked to Trixie, and with fear in her eyes, she whispered, “Do it.”

“Hey Twi, remember that little ditty that you and Cadance would say to one another whenever you two saw each other? Could you say it for me? We can do it together, Twi, if you like.”

Thinking of the times her and Cadance brought more memories to Twilight. Good memories, and she focused on them to get through what she knew was coming. The words came to her, and she and Spike started saying them together. “Sunshine, Sunshine, Ladybugs awake. Clap your— YEEAAA!” Twilight cried out through her sudden tears as agony pulsed through her shoulder. She did not struggle or fight this time, instead, she sobbed into Trixie and Spike’s shoulders as they gently hugged her while Sunny maneuvered her shoulder back into it’s proper position. “S-Spike… Trixie… it hurts so much,” she cried tearfully.

“It’s ok, Twilight. You’ll be okay now,” Spike reassured her, thankful that this ordeal was over, and that she will now be able to recover.

“Thank you everyone for helping us do this,” Sergeant Hearts said. Turning to the Major, she said. “Corporal Touch and I can have everything ready for transport soon, Sir. We should make up harnesses to help carry the princess’s stretcher. If you could send in one of the supply ponies to me, we could have a proper stretcher made to carry her back to the waiting chariots.” Sunny looked back to Twilight, feeling concern still. While she will be able to walk again soon, it will be a while before she could walk for any extended length of time, or at any reasonable speed through the woods.

“I’ll see that you get what you need, Sergeant,” Dusty told her. Turning to the other two, he told them, “Excellent work, Corporals, especially you, Flash. That was smart thinking, taking the initiative to help keep the princess calm. Dead, how’s your chest feeling? That kick you took looked pretty nasty.”

“The princess can buck like a draft pony, Sir, but I’ll be fine. I’m just thankful that we were able to help,” Dead replied.

“Excellent. We should be ready to move soon. I’m going to have you two protecting the princess on the way back. We’re going to do everything we can to avoid contact with the enemy, but there is always the chance that fate could have other plans. Above all else, her safety comes first. Is that clear?” Dusty asked?

“Clear as a bell, Sir,” Flash replied for the two of them.

Dusty had orders for Trixie as well. He turned to her, stating, “Lunamoon, I’ll need you to help guard the princess as well. Having friendly faces with her will help her get through this. Like I told Corporals Dead and Sentry, her protection is our highest priority. Protect her well, and keep her in high spirits, Corporal.”

Looking to the pleasantly surprised mare, Dead and Flash grinned at her fortune. “Congrats on your promotion, Trixie. I think you owe all of us a round when we get back home.”

The afternoon sun shone upon the ponies of the rescue platoon as they gathered before the nine Griffin prisoners. The planned time for the executions was swiftly approaching. Nine ponies had been selected at random from all those who had volunteered to be executioners. When the First Sergeant had put forth the call for volunteers, almost everypony in the unit stepped forward. In the end, they had to draw straws of foxtail grass. If they pulled one with a head on it that had been cut short, they would be an executioner. It seemed the best way to go about the job of deciding.

Some were not to be a part of this, though. The two medics, as well as Flash and Dead, stayed with Twilight instead, reasoning that she was in more need of them than some chickenheads that were soon to lack the ability to consume oxygen. Major Spearhead and First Sergeant Silverwing also abstained from volunteering for the execution, whereas they had been part of the tribunal, and therefore, were required by the Equestrian Military Code from participating in the killings. The same went for the four others who had been part of the tribunal.

In the end, the nine had been chosen, and were now lined up behind the bound Griffins, who had been blindfolded in preparation for their deaths. The Griffins themselves sat there silently for the most part. Some trembled in fear, terrified of the oblivion that would come following the burning feel of cold steel slicing through their necks. Others sat there defiantly, choosing to face their deaths as a Griffin should: without fear.

It was time. Major Spearhead strode up to stand before the Griffins with his First Sergeant at his side. As the commanding officer, it was his responsibility to make certain that the executions were carried out in the manner required by military law. He looked over the line, noting that one pony at the end was not a pony. “Silver, what is Spike doing in the execution lineup? He’s not a combatant, and technically should not be doing this.”

“Sir, I did everything I could to dissuade him from this, but he was extremely persistent, and even cited an old law, that happens to have never been repealed, that allows surviving victims or family members of deceased victims to be part of an execution squad. I decided to play the odds, knowing that he did have legal standing to demand the right. Turns out, he pulled out a long straw, Sir,” Silver stated. “To be honest, I can see his point, but I don’t like it one bit. If you don’t mind, Sir, I would like to try to convince him once more, before we begin.”

Dusty didn’t like the situation either. While Spike may legally be an adult, in his opinion, the drake was still too young to have to do something like this. Then again, with all he had gone through, Spike has proven himself to be more than just some kid. Still, it didn’t sit well to him to see a non-combatant in a military execution squad. “Yes, do that, Sarge. But if he is adamant about it, we legally cannot stop him.”

Silverwing walked over to sit next to Spike. “Son,” he said softly, “you don’t have to do this. If you go through with this, it will be on your soul forever. I can’t force you to step away from the line, but I am encouraging you to choose your path carefully,” he told the young Dragon.

Spike just looked up to the First Sergeant, his face a mask of fear at what he felt he needed to do, and rage at what the Griffins had done to his sister. A part of him felt that he should take Silverwing’s advice, and let another pony take his place, but another part of him wanted this. He needed this. “Sarge, I have to do this. If I don’t… I don’t know. I just feel it is what I need to do. These damn bastards tortured and raped my sister. How am I supposed to just walk away from that?”

“That is something that you’ll have to answer for yourself, son,” Silver said, then standing back up to stand next to his Commanding Officer.

“First Sergeant, read the death warrant,” commanded the Major.

“Silverwing pulled out a scroll and unfurled it before the line. “As of twelve hundred hours on this day, October the third, in the fourth year of Luna’s Return, the prisoners have been found guilty of multiple counts of murder, torture, and rape, by a military tribunal. As per the judgement of the tribunal, as set forth in the Equestrian Code of Military Justice, the prisoners have been sentenced to death, to be carried out at fourteen hundred hours on this day.” Rolling the scroll back up, he then asked, “Do any of the prisoners have any final words?”

One Griffin, a Private, still young and full of piss and vinegar, simply yelled out, “Fuck you, cattle!”

The Guard behind him, Trixie, simply bent down next to his ear to tell him, “You know, chickenhead, once your open throat ceases pumping out your lifeblood, I’m gonna enjoy taking a piss on your dead body.”

“Belay that, Corporal Lunamoon!” yelled Dusty. “We will not be pissing on any corpses, no matter how much we all may wish to do so. Nor shall we use racial slurs during this execution. Understood?” Dusty had to suppress his smile. While he preferred to do this with as much proper decorum as possible, he had to admit that he respected the spunk the mare had shown herself to have.

When Dusty raised his hoof, all nine executioners pulled back on the Griffins’ heads, some with hooves, some with magic, and in the case of Spike, a cast covered arm.

Spike was hit with a strong wave of uncertainty as he placed his dagger to the Griffin’s throat as he waited for the Major to lower his hoof, signalling them to kill the prisoners. Was this really the right thing for him to do? Would he be able to look himself in the mirror after he brutally sawed the life out of this bound prisoner? Yes, the Griffins had done some extremely brutal and horrific crimes that deserved death, but could he do this? Could he take another life, especially when this was clearly not a case of him defending his life, or the lives of those he loved and swore to protect. The taste of bile caressed his tongue sickeningly as his thoughts continued. What would Twilight think, or Celestia? What of his big brother and Cadance? Or his mom and dad, for that matter? And yet, here he was, expected to just kill them. But he was no cold blooded killer. If he did this, then he would be no better than the Griffins that had committed those horrible crimes.

Spike was so distracted by his own thoughts, that he failed to notice the Major lower his hoof. Nor did he notice the terrified cries from the griffins as eight razor sharp blades began to saw through eight feathered throats. Instead, all he could notice was the terrified trembling of the Griffin. All he could hear was the prisoners panicked breaths. All he could feel was the panic he himself started to feel, even as he felt the dagger still in his own claw.

The dagger fell to the ground as Spike stepped back, sat down on the grass under him, and wept silently. He only looked up when his dagger was placed before him. He had not heard the First Sergeant’s approach.

Silverwing looked down upon him, not with a look of anger, or disrespect, or even pity. He had a look of silent relief upon his face. “Sheath your dagger, son, and go join your friends. You made the right choice.” Once Spike had done so, Silver pulled his own dagger out from its sheath. Stepping up behind the last live prisoner, he placed a hoof around his neck, pulling the head upwards, then commenced to saw through the Griffin’s through with the dagger clenched in his teeth. Once the task was finished, and the prisoner’s body finally stopped struggling to remain living, Silver wiped off the blade before he set it back in its sheath.

He strode back to Dusty, and asked, “Orders, Sir?”

“Get the platoon formed up and ready.” Dusty instructed. “I want us to be on the trail in five minutes.”

Author's Note

I really need to give a shoutout to DustyPwny and Dancing Dead, who did an outstanding job editing the chapter for me.

These guys are gonna be instrumental in my future plans for this story.

Return For Exfil

The trek back to the crash site was much easier for Spike than the trip to the Griffin camp. One reason was that he was not alone now. Not only did they rescue him and Twilight, but the fact that they had a whole platoon of Royal Guard and Wonderbolts to watch over them was a great relief to him. The other thing which made it much easier was the fact that he was riding with Twilight in the stretcher. Dead and Flash reasoned that, having had no sleep, and walking alone through fifteen miles of enemy territory, the young drake deserved a break. Fortunately, Spike only weighed about as much as a foal, so it was no bother to carry him as well as Twilight.

Spike spent the first part of the trip trying to get Twilight to come out of her shell some more. While no longer in the catatonic state that they had found her in, she was still closed in for the most part, making most of the time conversing with her a one-sided affair. Spike did not give up, though, telling her about his journey to the camp, or talking about some of the adventures the pair of them have been on in the past.

Eventually, Twilight fell into a slumber, so Spike decided he should do the same, figuring that any opportunity for rest should be taken advantage of. He curled up beside her, making sure to be cautious of her injuries.

Behind them, Corporal Dancing Dead bore the back half of the litter carrying the princess and Spike. As one of the ones assigned to watch over Twilight, he was also tasked with helping carry the stretcher. This gave him ample time to talk with Sunny as they walked.

Dancing Dead and Sunny Hearts had known one another for over two years now, and had been a couple for a good eighteen months of that time. During that time, they had been on two deployments together: first to Marelasia, where they both had their first small taste of combat, and then they did a month in Equuidor, fighting smugglers. Between the time spent at home seeing one another during their off duty hours, and the few months where they had to rely on one another for survival, they had grown quite close. She felt she could trust him completely and totally, and he would do anything in the world for her and protect her with his very life.

This was one of those times where he felt the need to protect her. “How you holding up, Sunny?” he asked her as they walked. They had discussed many things while walking back to the chariots, but all of that was to take their minds of the current situation. The simple matter was, neither of them have ever been in a situation like this before. Yes, both had been in fights before, but insurgents and smugglers were nothing like the Griffins in the Empire. Yes, they had taken out a whole camp of elite veteran Griffins, but that was due to the fact that the Griffins were caught completely unaware, had been in a bad tactical position to begin with, and were defeated through use of an excellent plan of attack, using excellent resources and a relentless and brutal barrage of explosives, arrows, and flash-bang spells. Had the situation been any different, then the outcome could have been the complete opposite.

And the Griffins they did end up fighting, they were brutal. But that brutalness had been simply outclassed by sheer force of numbers. The fact that ten Griffins had survived the fight at all was due to them being wounded and knocked unconscious by the claymare mines.

“I’m worried, Dance. Worried and scared. The things I saw today, they scared the crap out of me. This was nothing like we’ve been in before, and I’m worried we might not make it home,” she replied to him forlornly. “I know that there are more Griffins out there. We had to avoid them while flying in, and also while on hoof on the way to the camp. What happens if we run into some of them?”

“Things will be OK, Sunny. I doubt that we’ll run into any, and if we do, then we’ll just have to take them out and hurry home.”

Sunny simply snorted and shook her head as she walked alongside him. “As if it were that simple. I know the score as much as you do. We slipped past numerous patrols last night and earlier today, and with speed being much more important now, it is much more difficult for the scouts to spot trouble ahead of time to avoid it. Also, we’re taking an established trail right now in the name of a quick return. That only increases the odds that we’ll be spotted. Granted, it means less time for them to do so, but still.”

Sunny’s head drooped some as her thoughts turned down a darker path. “I’ve never seen an execution before, Dance. Out of everything, I think that has me bothered the most,” she admitted. “Yes, they did do the exact same thing to the survivors of the attack on the train, but do two wrongs make a right?” Sunny shivered as she remembered the sights and sounds of the execution, having stepped out of the medical tent for a moment when it happened. “I’ve seen ponies die before, but not like that. The worst was their screams, and then that sound the screams turned into after their voice boxes were sawed through. For a bit, I thought I was going to be sick.”

Dead empathized fully with her, having felt a little sickened himself at the sheer cold brutality of the executions. He had no problems with killing in combat against an opponent who was fighting back. Heck, that was what a big part of his job was, going against those who would be enemies of Equestria. But those who they executed earlier today, that was not combat. That was legalized murder. Yes, they had earned it through their own actions, but Dead was just thankful he had not had to have been on the execution squad. Watching it happen was bad enough.

Dead opened his wing to pull Sunny to him, hugging her as they walked. “Trust in our training, Sunny. Trust that we’ll have each other’s back. That is all I can suggest.”

They walked like that down the trail for a little bit, side by side, their hooves stepping in sync with one another. After a short bit, Sunny moved to the side of the stretcher so she could check on the princess and Spike.

Sunny was skilled in many magic spells that focused on how seeing how a pony was doing medically. She could get a pretty accurate measurement of body temperature, infections they might have, and injuries they have suffered. She could even see how well an injury might be healing through the use of her spells. She first used these spells on Twilight, and was quickly able to tell that she was healing well enough, though she did have an elevated temperature, due to still being a bit dehydrated, and also having some mild infections stemming from injuries suffered at the talons of the Griffins. The wing was doing as well as could be expected, as well as her shoulder. Satisfied with what she saw, she turned her spells on Spike. It was harder to get a reading on him, or more accurately, it was harder to understand what she was reading. A dragon was different from a pony, and therefore, would read differently through her spells. Still, she could see nothing to cause her to be worried for her patients, at least medically.

Slowing momentarily to walk beside Dead once again, she sighed and leaned into him as they traveled.

Dead had his own thoughts to ponder. More specifically, a certain question that has been on his mind for the past several weeks. It was time to do this, even though being a hundred miles inside hostile territory with the threat of their enemy catching them made it probably one of the worse times to do this. “Marry me, Sunny. I know that I should be giving you a ring and everything, and this should have been done over a candlelit dinner, but a part of me is worried that if I don’t ask now, I won’t have another chance. Sunny Hearts, will you marry me?”

Sunny was stunned in the very best of ways possible. This was something that she had dreaming of, and to hear him ask the question filled her heart with joy. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, Dance!” she exclaimed, then stole a quick kiss from him as they continued down the path.

At the front of the litter carrying the princess, Trixie and Flash walked, with the latter carrying his portion of the stretcher attached to a harness across his back. As the other two assigned to watch over Twilight on the journey back to their own base camp at the train attack site, they would be working close to one another, at least until they made it back to Equestria. It was by silent mutual agreement that the two of them should start getting to know one another.

“So, how was it that you seemed to know just how best to help calm the princess, Flash?” asked Trixie. Not many would know Twilight well enough to have been able to help in that manner, but Flash’s assistance had proven to be invaluable.

“Well,” Flash replied a bit sheepishly, “Well, a lot of it was what my own mom would do when I was scared as a foal. Also, while growing up, I had heard about her, and her being Princess Celestia’s personal student. I thought it amazing that a filly so young could do so much. And when she saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon and returned Princess Luna to us, that amazement, which had started so long ago, back when I was a colt, kinda turned into an infatuation.”

“So you stalked her?”

“What? NO! It was nothing like that!” he defensively exclaimed.

Trixie could not hide her amused chuckle. Stallions; so easy to fluster. “Sorry, it was a joke. The opportunity was there, and you know what they say about opportunities,” She told him with a grin. “So, I’m guessing that you found out all you could about her, then?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “Though, I had to be careful about it. Prince Shining Armor is VERY protective of his little sister, and it would not have been good for me to acquire his ire. Pissing off the Captain of the Royal Guard is a good way for a young guard to end up stationed someplace like Yakyakistan or the Badlands.”

Trixie nodded in understanding. Prince Shining Armor was not overly fond of her, considering what she had attempted to do before Twilight had freed her from the Alicorn Amulet, and then befriended her. He had grudgingly accepted her being friends with his sister, but had also personally warned her that if she did anything to hurt his L.S.B.F.F., as he referred to Twilight, he would rain down the fires of Tartarus upon her head personally. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want him after me, either. And he already has his eye on me. I was surprised though when he back Princess Twilight’s recommendation that I be accepted into the Royal Guard. Though Twilight wished to see me go through West Hoof and become an officer, while the prince was adamant that I go in as enlisted instead.” Trixie had to admit, maybe enlisting had been the better choice. She had changed much since then, and it was all for the better.

“Why did you go after the princess, anyways? What was it that made you want to challenge her so badly?” Flash asked, curious about what drove the mare next to him.

Trixie had a moment of hesitation, uncertain how she would respond. That part of her past was a time which haunted her with regret. She had committed a lot of sins in her past, and all of them could only be blamed on herself. She also worried how Flash would react to hearing her story. What would he think of her having attacked the pony he virtually worshipped. She could tell he thought of the princess so fondly, for it was clearly visible in his eyes. She would prefer to make friends with the stallion, but was fearful that if Flash knew the truth, he might turn away from her.

Deciding that the best course would be for her to be honest with him, Trixie told him her story. “I should start from the beginning, I guess. So you will understand just why I did what I had done in Ponyville.

“I too, heard about Twilight becoming Princess Celestia’s personal student when I was a filly. Kinda hard for me not to have, since I was there that day taking the examination tests as well. Even though there was no way I could have possibly have hatched the egg, I passed the exam,” she told him.

“Egg?” he questioned? This was something he would have no clue about, being a Pegasus.

“Trixie just looked over to him and nodded as she continued, “Yes. A Dragon egg specifically. The purpose is to force us to attempt an impossible task, and they would judge how we went about it. They would judge just how strong our magic wellspring is, and also how skilled we were with magic, and our knowledge of it. Lastly, they wanted to see how determined we were. They deemed me up to the standards the school had in place, and I was granted acceptance into Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.” Trixie let out a light chuckle. “The egg did get hatched that day, though, and he has not left that Unicorn’s side ever since,” nodding her head back to the two sleeping on the stretcher.

Flash’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “Wait, that incident with the Dragon in Canterlot all those years ago. That was those two?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she replied with a smile at his surprise. “That is how powerful she was even as a foal. So much magic inside of her, it’s staggering.” Her smile disappeared as she went on. “Honestly, I was kind of jealous, her being so powerful, and the princess taking her as her own personal student. But then, I had little time for such jealousy back then. I had my studies to do, and I wanted to make my mom and dad proud. Sadly, after a few years, mom and dad were not able to keep up with the high tuition the school required, and I was forced to drop out. I went to public school like most other foals for a year, and did quite well, but then my mom and dad had to take their show on the road. Having no relatives to stay with, I ended up being home schooled as they traveled.”

A frown started to form as tone took on a sadder note. “Eventually, my mom started to get sick. I did not realize it at the time, but she was an alcoholic, and her drinking was finally catching up to her. I started taking over her role in the show, performing alongside my dad in the magic show we did. Eventually, I had become a permanent part of the show, and my mother fell into retirement as she grew more sick with her drinking.

“Then one day, while we were performing a show in Vanhoover, my dad collapsed on stage. He was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead when they got there.”

Hearing that brought a stab of pain to his own chest as he thought of his own father, who had died a couple years ago in a construction accident. An acetylene tank blew up near him, and a fragment had lodged into his side, catching the nerve cluster at the base of his wing. It had also torn through one of the straps on his safety harness, so when he fell, it didn’t hold him, and he plummeted thirty stories to his death. “I’m sorry about your father, Trixie. It sounds like he was a good stallion,” he said sincerely.

“Yes, he was. And so was my mom, even with the drinking,” she said, sighing. “Anyways, after that, I basically took over the show, and that is how the Great and Powerful Trixie came to be. I would perform, and mom took care of keeping up the traveling wagon we lived in as best as she could. But Dad’s death hit her hard, and one morning, I woke to discover she had passed on during the night.” She paused to wipe a tear from her eye before she continued with her tale.

“Have you ever played a role so much, you started to believe it? That is what became of me. I made myself look like I was the greatest performer ever. And eventually, I grew into the role to the point where I was living the role, even when I was not performing. Over time, I became haughty, arrogant, and prideful. Ponies started to dislike me as a pony, even as they loved my show. But even their love of my show couldn’t last as I grew more and more into the role I had built for myself. Soon, my performances had started to go downhill. Eventually, my boastfulness and ego caught up with me in the small town of Ponyville.

“Most who came seemed to be enjoying the show for the most part, but there was five who stood out from the crowd, and they challenged my boisterous ways. I’m sad to say, I hurt them. Not physically, mind you, but where it hurts worse. I embarrassed them pretty badly. There was a sixth pony there. A mare they said was way more powerful than me. She refused my challenges, though. Anyways, that night, a couple of the town’s foals, who had taken to idolizing me, somehow lured an Ursa Minor to town. Now, since in my boasting earlier, I has said I had once defeated an Ursa Major, they expected me to defeat it.”

Flash looked to her with an incredulous look to his face. “Seriously, they brought an Ursa into town? Just… wow!”

“Yeah, you can imagine the trouble that caused. I about messed myself in terror, and then the damn thing stomped on my trailer! Of course, they expected me to take the animal on, having heard my bragging earlier. As you imagine, I failed horribly, and it was Twilight who took care of the creature, actually returning it safely to it’s momma.” Trixie’s voice took on a more somber timbre. “After that, I had to leave town in a hurry. I was humiliated, and I no longer had my home. And I laid all the blame on the princess.

“I ended up wandering for a while, and had managed to save up my funds, so I did some research with one end goal in mind. I wanted to beat Twilight in a magic duel. There was just one tiny little problem,” she sheepishly said.

“That she was an Alicorn Princess?” guessed Flash.

“Nah, this was before she had undergone her Ascension. Still, even then, the only beings with magic more powerful than hers were Alicorns, so I was hugely outclassed. So, there seemed to be no way I would ever defeat her in a duel, until I found out about the Alicorn Amulet. With that, I had finally managed to beat her. But at the same time, the amulet took all my negative features, and magnified them. I literally terrorized the town after, and put up a shield so that nopony could get in or out.” Trixie’s head hung in shame as she remembered one of her most dark moments. “Some great and powerful pony I turned out to be. All I ended up doing was becoming an evil dictator over the town.

“After she had finally tricked me into removing the amulet, and freeing me from it’s influence, I was a broken mare. Maybe not physically or mentally, but emotionally, I was at one of the lowest points in my life. And then she offered me something that nopony in ages had offered me. She offered me her friendship. And from there, she even opened the doors for me to earn redemption. It was her idea that I join the Royal Guard, and I thought it was perfect. At first, I was flat out denied, but by this time, Twilight was a princess, and between her letters of recommendation, and her brother backing her decision, I was finally allowed to join.” Trixie could only smile now at the changes her life had seen, and the path she now found her life following. She had started to make friends now, and had found what she had needed. She found not only the opportunity to redeem herself for her past sins, but to further move in a direction where she can become the pony she now desired to be. A good pony that she herself could respect and love.

Flash looked to Trixie in a new light. He had known virtually nothing about the mare when they first started talking, and now, he knew enough to know she was a pony he could respect. Yes, it did bother him some, hearing her talk about the things that she had done But the fact was that she not only wanted to do better, she was actively working towards that goal. She may have done some bad things in her past, but those were outweighed by the good aspects she had demonstrated. “Quite the life you’ve lived so far, Trixie, and I would be willing to wager that you have no intent on slowing down. Maybe someday, you’ll be Captain of the Royal Guard even,” he told her with admiration.

“Honestly,” she replied, “I would settle for just serving a full twenty, and know I did so honorably.” They walked a bit more in silence, then she asked, “So, what are your plans? Thinking of making the Guard a career?”

“Sadly, that may not be possible. A little while ago, I got into a brawl, and got busted down from Sergeant. Having a demotion on record severely hurts your chances of staying in for the long term. This is my second enlistment, but there is a good chance I will be denied re-enlisting again.” There were not many things that Flash felt disappointment about, but the disappointment in his mother’s last letter to him had cut him to the bone. Both his parents had served proudly, and it was an even greater pride to think that their son would go even farther than they did. He loved his mother, and to have disappointed her in such a manner was his biggest regret.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Flash, but there is always a chance you may be able to stay in,” she told him. “If need be, I could even put in a good word with the Captain when we get back.”

Flash smiled as he gave her his thanks. It felt good knowing that he had friends who cared about him.

“So, now that we know that you’ll be rising from the ashes, how about we have drinks somewhere when we get back. I know a nice tavern on Royal Avenue that serves the best hay fries.”

Flash almost dropped the litter when he stumbled, realizing that he had just been asked on a date.

Trixie was unable to hide her smile at that.

A Major, a Captain, a Lieutenant and a First Sergeant were out for a walk through the woods. This would be the basis for a joke, told in some Manehattan pub over beer or cider, but in this instance, there were no drinks, and the situation was far from a joke.

“We’ve been lucky so far, Major. The fact that we’re following an established path is only increasing the chances of us getting caught.” Yes, it was faster, but it was more likely to get the platoon spotted. A quicker but obvious and watched path, or slower travel through cover, but still having Griffins looking for them. “A part of me tells me that we’ll be spotted soon, Sir. Call it a hunch,” the First Sergeant told his Major.

Dusty could only nod in agreement. If there was one clear thing he had learned from Silverwing, it is that a smart warrior stays alive when he listened to his instincts as they spoke. The dumb warriors only ended up dead as punishment for not listening. “About how far are we to the chariots?”

“About two miles out, Sir. We should be there by early evening,” Silver replied.

“As a suggestion, Major, we might want to split the troops up as much as we can on the flight home. With only two wounded, that being the princess and the Dragon, the other two ambulances could carry five ponies each. Also, if we have as many of the Guard Pegasi flying alongside as able, that will allow for a lighter load on the transport chariots, especially if we can leave behind any nonessential gear,” Spitfire offered as a suggestion.

“I agree with her, Dusty. Anything we can do to get us back across the border as quickly as possible would be good. There is too much chance that they’ll discover that we attacked that camp and rescued a high value target,” Soarin added. Even if they lightened the load as much as possible for the transports, it would still be a hard flight. One option they would not consider, though, was leaving behind the bodies of the dead. Equestrian warriors do not leave their dead if they have anything to say about it.

“Can you scout ahead, Soarin, and check if the way is clear? If it is, get the drivers to get working on that,” Dusty ordered the Wonderbolt Lieutenant. “The sooner we can be on the way home, the better off we’ll be. If you see any patrols, assess and report back.”

Soarin nodded and took off flying through the trees at a moderate pace. Fast enough to quickly get to the chariot drivers, but slow enough that he should be able to spot any Griffin patrols before he himself was spotted.

Soarin had only been gone a couple minutes when a commotion was heard behind them. “Sounds like the rear guard, Sir. I think we’ve been spotted,” Silver stated.

“Spitfire, hold the fort here while the Sarge and I check on the situation,” Dusty instructed as he and the First Sergeant headed to the back of the line.

The Guards watching the rear of the column had their first indication that they were under attack when one of them spotted a the Griffins popping up to launch their arrows. It was fortunate that he had been watching behind, otherwise, several ponies would have been killed in the first volley of arrows. His cry of warning caused everypony in the rear to take cover and pull their own bows out. Still, four of them had not been as quick enough to avoid being hit by arrows. Fortunately, their movements had caused the arrows to hit non-vital spots. When the wave of arrows failed to kill, the five Griffins dropped down from their perches and started to quickly close in, using terrain to make it very difficult for the Guard ponies to get a clear shot on them.

The guards managed to score solid hits on two still, and the remaining three decided that it would be best to turn back and report their find. What they did not expect was a sudden flare of light right in front of their eyes. Trixie had galloped quickly back to offer her assistance, reaching the rear of the column in time to see three of the attackers turn tail to retreat. A flash spell in front of their faces caused two to impact blindly with trees. The third managed to pull up and make it above the treetops to fly north to the safety of his own kind.

Dusty and Silverwing quickly reached the rear of the platoon, and assessed the situation. It seemed that the First Sergeant had been correct, just that the attack came from a direction they had not thought of.

“Sir,” a Corporal reported, “They ambushed us from behind. There was a total of five, and they shot at us with their bows. Had it not been for Private Fields shouting a warning, I suspect we would have lost several of us.”

“How many wounded, Corporal,” Dusty asked. He could count himself fortunate that none were killed, but if any of the wounded were hurt badly enough, it would hinder their efforts to get back to the chariots. Hearing the answer of four was a relief, and the worst ones were arrows to the back and a leg. In both instances, nothing vital had been hit, and the guards insisted that once patched up, they would not slow everypony down. A third had been hit in the side, but the armor prevented the arrow from going deep, only about an inch into the pony’s ribs. Hellaciously painful, but he could still fight or run, if need be. The last one wounded was the Corporal himself. The arrow that had been aimed for his head ended up only slicing his ear half off.

“Go get patched up,” he told them. To everypony else, he instructed them to get ready to hurry out as soon as the medics finished.

“Sir, Corporal Lunamoon informed me that one of the attackers managed to get away. Any size bet you want, I’m gonna guess that the Empire will very soon know we’re here. We need to get out ASAP,” the First Sergeant noted.

“I concur. Let's get everypony moving. The sooner we’re all in the air, the sooner we’re back in Equestria.” With that, Dusty headed back to the front of the line.

Once the platoon got moving, it did not take them long to get to the exfil point. They moved as swiftly as ponies could down the trail while carrying a very precious cargo. A half hour later, they finally reach the clearing, where Soarin stood waiting for them. The look on his face told the Major that the news was not good.

“Bad news, Dusty,” his Wonderbolt friend said to him. “Griffins have already been here. They killed the charioteers and damaged the wagons beyond repair. I’ve managed to go through the chariots, and pull out anything that may be of use. A decent supply of arrows, a bunch of claymares, medical supplies, and food and water, though we’ll still have to scrounge for water along the way back.” Soarin looked towards the south, his face etched with worry. “We’re wings deep in the shit now. The Griffins know we’re in their land, and they’ll be looking for us. We have a long march to get home, and we’re facing a considerable foe.”

His words pretty much summed up the situation in Dusty’s mind. They would need every bit of useful supplies they could scrounge up, combined with every ounce of training they all had, with a hefty dose of good luck thrown into the mix. “Okay, first things first. Soarin, talk to the supply ponies, and see exactly what we need, and what we can leave behind, and get it divided up,” turning to Spitfire, he said, “We need to plan a route. Hopefully, the maps were not destroyed when the Griffins wrecked everything. We’re going to rely on you and your Wonderbolts to keep us clear of any Griffin patrols.”

He looked towards the north, where there was a Griffin base filled with an enemy that would be hunting him and his ponies relentlessly. They needed to get their stuff situated and moving in a hurry, and get clear of this very obvious site before all hell converged upon them.

General Firewing went over the various reports that sat on his desk before him. One was a report that contact with Bloodclaw’s base camp had been lost. Another was from a platoon that had been out on a patrol exercise when they had spotted a small lager of Equestrian chariots with drivers parked at the site of the attacked train. The chariots had been destroyed and drivers all killed, according to the report, but as to the unit they had brought in, there was no sign. The last report came from a small patrol flight which had found Major Bloodclaw’s destroyed camp. They reported that there were no survivors, and that ten Griffins had apparently been executed. The patrol had followed a trail back towards the attacked train, guessing correctly that they would find the enemy unit. They did find the ponies who had destroyed the base, but four of the patrol flight had died attacking the rear guard of the unit.

Firewing knew about the prisoner that Bloodclaw had captured after attacking the train. The Equestrian forces must have gone in to rescue the captured Alicorn, and Firewing was willing to bet that they had succeeded.

The Emperor would not be pleased with these turns of events. Losing Major Bloodclaw was something that General Firewing would lose little sleep over. That Griffin was psychotic in his methods, and under different circumstances would have been put to death long ago. But the Emperor liked having effective Griffins to call upon, and there was no arguing about Bloodclaw’s effectiveness at completing any task, no matter how distasteful it might be.

Losing the Equestrian princess was another matter in itself. Emperor Ironbeak’s plan centered on Equestria being unwilling to take any action which would place her beloved former student in harm’s way. If Equestrian troops now had her in their possession, then it would fall on Firewing to get her back. The one bit of good news is that their ride out of Equestria had been ruined, making it so that they would have to try to get across the border on hoof.

Firewing had no intentions of allowing them to do that.

The first order of business would be to order his brother, Colonel Firewing, to get his Griffins moving. The best place to start would be the attacked train. The Equestrians would return to that location, then head south once they realized the situation they were in. It was a simple matter of numbers, really. Get enough units in the area searching, and the Equestrians would be found, and then destroyed.

Firewing picked up his phone to call his brother before placing another call to the Emperor, hoping that his head may not roll so far if he at least took the needed actions, so the Emperor knew he was not just sitting on his tail.

Author's Note

Once again, I would like to thank Dancing Dead and DustyPwny for their work in making this chapter as good as it should be.

Flight Towards Home

It had taken longer than Dusty liked, but the unit had finally been able to head south for the border. The situation they faced required them to stay hidden as much as possible, so the quickest route back, following the train tracks, was a no-go. They would be too easily spotted and the route was just too obvious. Instead, they would be keeping to the woods, where they would at least have cover and concealment.

One of the delays had been concerning what to take, and how best to transport it. The supply ponies had gotten together with the demolitions ponies from the Engineers unit, and managed to put together multiple travoises to make carrying the supplies much easier. An added bonus was that if they had any wounded, they could be carried on the travoises as well.

Fortunately, they should not have to make it as far as the border. As they were getting ready to move out, Dusty had a letter sent to the princesses explaining the situation. Princess Celestia had instructed him to lead his Guard ponies south towards the border, and that she will be sending him help. She had also sent a locator beacon to him, much like the one that she had sent to Spike, so that they could be easily found by the Equestrian forces which would be on the way as soon as they could be made ready for deployment.

One thing that displeased Dusty was the fact that they had to leave not only the dead from the train attack behind, but the chariot drivers as well. They just did not have the means to carry so many bodies as well as all their gear and weapons. This did not sit well with his platoon, but they also knew the situation, and understood that the needs of the living outweighed the needs of the dead. Dusty could only hope that they were able to retrieve the bodies somehow after all this was over.

They had left the site of the attack at dusk, and had walked for several hours. The five Wonderbolts provided a clear route past several Griffin patrols, and after about ten miles, they finally came to rest in a secluded valley where they would hopefully remain undiscovered. The First Sergeant made certain that guards were set to watch over them all, making certain that they would spot any approaching Griffin patrols before being found, with a rotation schedule to ensure that those guarding them would also get rest. Corporal Lulamoon assisted in this by setting up a concealment spell, making it much more difficult for them to be spotted. A Griffin patrol would literally have to walk into the center of the camp to spot them.

Once the guards were in place and everypony was settled in, Dusty and Silver walked among the platoon, checking to see how everypony was doing. They have all had a very busy day, having been up for over twenty-four hours now. They needed food and rest. Especially rest. The mares and stallions under his command were the very best that Equestria had to offer, but even the strongest ponies had their limits. And now they had wounded to tend to. The wounded was a major concern, because they would be slowed some by the wounds, They would not be able to travel as fast or as far as those uninjured, and their fighting abilities would be hindered as well.

The loss of the chariots and the drivers was a disaster for the unit. It was up to Dusty and Silver to make sure that this disaster did not demoralize the troops. Good morale would be critical in getting everypony home. Reassuring them all that Princess Celestia was sending a force in to get them out helped keep their moral high, even with how bad the situation seemed.

Eventually, the two of them completed their rounds and met up at the edge of their camp. Walking out a bit for privacy, Dusty asked for his First Sergeant’s honest assessment of their situation.

“Honestly, Sir,” Silver answered in his deep, gravely voice, “we’re wing deep in the shit, as Lieutenant Soarin stated. By morning, the Griffins will have probably a whole battalion's worth of patrols searching for us, if not more. And the advantage we had when we attacked Bloodclaw’s camp won’t be there for us now. If we can avoid Griffin patrols somehow, then we should be okay, but the odds are severely against us.” Silver reflexively reached into his saddlebag, then remembered that what he was looking for was the one thing he did not bring. “Damn, I could go for a cigar right now.”

“Don’t blame you one bit, Sarge,” Dusty says to him. “Sadly, cigar smoke would be noticeable to any passing Griffins, I imagine, even with their weaker sense of smell.”

“Did the princess give any estimated time for our exfil?” Silver asked.

“About thirty-six more hours, give or take a few. It takes a set amount of time to get something like that moving, so that was the best guess she could give.” Dusty turned back to the camp, saying, “We better get some chow and rest, Sarge. We have a lot of miles to cover come morning.”

The night was relatively quiet, with the camp settling down to rest before morning. Most had grabbed a quick, cold dinner from the supply of Meals Ready to Eat, also not-so-affectionately known as Meals Refusing to Exit, and now was a good time to let their bodies protest the invasion of what the Generals in Canterlot insisted was food fit for troops in the field.

Not all the ponies were resting at this time, though. Corporal Flash Sentry stood watch over the princess, having volunteered for the first shift. Trixie and Dead would have the next two watches before it was time for the unit to wake and get moving once more.

Right now, Twilight was resting. To Flash’s senses, though, it did not seem to be a very peaceful rest. She tossed and turned, scared and pain filled moans escape her lips as whatever was inside her dreams continued to torment her. He wished there was something that he could do to ease her dreams, so that she may sleep in comfort, but he was not the Princess of the Night, and, alas, was unable to enter her dreams to rescue her. Instead, he said a silent prayer to Princess Luna, that she may comfort the troubled princess.

With a fearful cry, Twilight woke from her nightmare, looking around in terror as she started to scramble away, the fading dream still fresh in her mind’s eye.

Flash was quick to respond. Kneeling down, he offered what he could to comfort her. “Sshhh… You’re safe, Princess. Nopony here will hurt you. We’re all here watching over you, Your Highness,” he said soothingly.

Twilight’s head pivoted around as her panicked eyes searched for the enemy that haunted her terror filled dreams. But instead of a demonic Griffin coming to abuse her some more, she heard a calming, peace filled voice. It was one of the Royal Guards who had been carrying her, Flash Sentry. Twilight’s head dipped, feeling shameful at how she must appear before him.

Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, former protegee to Princess Celestia herself, savior of Equestria multiple times over, and one of the most powerful beings in the world, reduced to nothing but a war-torn refugee. Instead of the proud Princess who stood tall before her ponies, she had been beaten, tortured, had her mane and tail cut off leaving nothing but short clumps, and finally, used like a two-bit whorse as a carnal toy. “I’m sorry that you have to be here,” she says to him almost at a whisper, unable to bring herself to look him in the eye.

The look on her face, the look of somepony who had been through too much, and had seen too much, tore a hole inside his heart. The hurt tone in her voice when she spoke, the tone of a pony who lived in fear of the next blow or hurtful bite, opened that hole even further. “Princess, every single one of us came here because we wanted to. We all knew exactly what we would be getting into, and would happily do so again, because we all love you. You are our Princess. We’d all march through Tartarus and back if it was for you. Please, I ask that you do not blame yourself, Your Highness. None of this is yours to blame,” he said to her.

“Please, just call me Twilight. I don’t feel comfortable being called a princess right now,” she asked of him.

Corporal Sentry felt a moment of hesitation. As a member of Equestria’s military, it would normally be considered a major breach in etiquette for him to refer to her in such a manner. She was royalty of the highest order, almost a goddess even, in some eyes. Right up there with Princesses Celestia and Luna. To be anything other than holding her in the highest respect was virtually blasphemy. But if this was the princess’ request of him, then he could not refuse her. “If that’s your wish, Twilight, I shall do so for you.”

“Thank you,” she shyly replied.. “May I ask you something, Flash? What’s it like, being in the Royal Guard?”

“It’s hard, at times. The training we go through is rigorous, and sometimes, the job can be scary, but it is worth it. The Guard has become my family, in a way. All these other ponies here, they’re my brothers and sisters, and our C.O. is like our father. I guess you could say our First Sergeant is like our grandfather, though I think only one pony ever called him that. I thought PFC Fogbank was going to die doing push ups that day,” he said with a soft chuckle. “There’s this feeling of honor serving in the Guard. A feeling that grants me strength, that I will be able to weather any storm, and get the job done,” he told her.

“I wish I was strong,” she said sadly.

He feels his heart reach out to her as he told her, “You ARE strong, Twilight. So many times, you have faced down impossible odds, and you came out on top. There is nopony better at using magic than you, and very few in this world can say they have done so much for Equestria as you have. Please, don’t sell yourself short.”

Twilight looked him in the eye now as she asked, “Is that Corporal Flash Sentry, dutiful Royal Guard saying that, or Flash Sentry, the pony that has had a crush on me ever since I was a growing filly under Celestia’s tutelage?”

It is a good thing that Flash was not taking a drink that that exact moment. Had he been doing so, the shock of discovering that the cat was out of the bag would have sent the water being drunk flying out his nose. His reaction was one of shock, realizing that the secret had not really been a secret. He felt embarrassed, and somewhat ashamed. She was an Alicorn Princess. Her station was so far above his, being a lowly Pegasus Corporal in the Guard, from some unimportant family, and nothing to show for himself. He was unworthy of any affection from somepony so regal and majestic. “How long have you known?”

“Ever since I was a teenager. But I was so into my studies, relationships were the furthest thing from my mind,” she admitted to him. “And, to be honest, I was kinda stuck up then as well, thinking myself to be above anypony else. I even had friends, but I had started to drift away from them. All because I thought that knowledge and magic was more important than anything else.” She looked towards the south, where her friends all waited her return, sighing. “I was a fool then. And then, once I learned to make friends again, I was too busy to consider relationships.” Her head came to rest upon her forelegs as she continued. “Now, I’m afraid that I’m too late, that any chances I’ve had have slipped past me.”

Flash did not know how to respond. He did the only thing that came to his mind. He gave her a hug.

“Thank you, Flash,” she softly said as her tears ran down her face.

Princesses Celestia and Luna had much they had to plan, and little time to get it all rolling.

The first and foremost priority they had on their plates was the situation with the unit they had sent into Griffica to rescue Twilight. It seemed that they had miscalculated on the size of the unit they should have sent. They should have sent at least two squads of Royal Guard just for the purpose of protecting the chariots and drivers. Had they done so, then the odds were that Major Spearhead’s mixed platoon would be soon crossing the border back into Equestria.

Because of that misjudgement on their part, more of her Royal Guard lay dead in a clearing within the woods of Griffica. They would NOT be left behind. The next forces that Celestia and her sister sent in would ensure that, if Luna had anything to say about it, and General Ironsides agreed with her.

“Sister, how is sending a reinforced brigade in to pull out Twilight and those Guard who went in and act of war, when Griffica has, for all tenses and purposes, declared war upon us? They have attacked an official diplomatic mission, and took one of our own hostage after brutally murdering nearly two dozen of our citizens. And it is plain as your daytime sky that they have every intention of invading the Crystal Empire with the intent of annexing it as their own. And you know damn well what Cadance and Shining Armor’s fate will be if we allow that to happen.” Luna was furious that her sister was even giving consideration to half measures in this. Given how many Griffins were now most likely converging in the rescue team, it only made military sense to send in a force of sufficient size that they would simply overwhelm any opposition. “I have read the history books, dear sister, as well as the history that did not make it into the books, and it is very clear to me that the only way we will be able to stop the Griffins from not only killing Twilight in the end, but taking the Crystal Empire as their own, and killing Cadance and Shining Armor in the process, is to strike back, and strike back HARD!” Luna yelled, stamping down with her hoof hard enough that the much abused Throne Room floor received further damage.

“Luna, what will our ponies think if we go invade another country?” Celestia asked with a sigh of exasperation.

“They will rise up in support of us, as we protect not only Equestria and her ponies, but our friends in the Crystal Empire as well. What do you think they will believe if we just let Griffica’s actions go unanswered?” Luna asked in return. “They will be demanding action, and if we wait, then the action our ponies will demand will only be that much more costly. And you know that they will be demanding action, once they hear that the Griffins have not only attacked and murdered their fellow citizens, but have also tortured a princess whom they all love.” Luna would not be surprised to find out in the morning that the word was already out. Secrets can be very difficult to hide from the populace, especially secrets as volatile as this one.

“Respectfully, Your Highness, I must agree with Princess Luna,” General Ironsides stated. “Virtually everypony in the Equestrian Guard will be begging for the chance to march on Griffica. They love this nation with every ounce of their souls, and they swore oaths to defend Equestria, the princesses, and the ponies of Equestria. And once the Guard knows, everypony will know, Your Highness,”

Princess Celestia turned to Star Caster. “Do you agree with my sister and the General, Captain?” she asked.

“While it is not my position to make political judgements, Your Highness, I do believe we must take decisive action, and to do so, it will have to be swift, using as much force we can muster in very short order,” the Captain of the Royal Guard answered respectfully.

Celestia thought for a moment, giving considering the words of her sister and her generals. In the end, she felt forced to agree with them. As much as he found the thought of war distasteful, Emperor Ironbeak had forced her into a corner, and if Celestia did not prove to the Griffin Emperor the error of his ways, then in the end, it would be a disaster for Equestria.

“Okay, tell me what you would recommend,” she says to them.

“I was thinking that the 223rd Equestrian Guard Regiment could be sent in to secure Twilight and the stranded team, along with a regiment of Royal Guard. The 223rd is a fast strike regiment, designed to move into a hot area quickly, and would be an ideal match working alongside a Royal Guard regiment,” Luna stated. “Captain, is it the 2nd Royal Guard Regiment that is currently in readiness for fast deployment here in Canterlot?”

“That is correct, Princess. Shall I give the word to have them load up to move to Fort Rockwall? They can be in place there in under twenty-four hours, once the command is given.”

“Do it. The command is officially given,” Celestia ordered Star Caster.

“Now the question is who will be in command of this mixed brigade? Both Colonels have about equal seniority and time in, and both are experienced in leading troops into battle,” Ironsides asked. This was a valid question, and one that might prove to cause tension within the brigade. The obvious answer would be to assign a Brigadier General to command the brigade, but then, which general, and would it be Royal or Equestrian Guard.

“That is simple, General. I intend on leading the regiment myself,” Princess Luna informed them all.

“Surely, you’re not serious, sister?” Celestia asked. “We have numerous officers of sufficient rank and experience for this operation. I am certain—“

“The benefits greatly outweigh any risks,” Luna quickly stated, holding up a hoof to stop any further objections. “Having a princess lead the troops into battle will bolster their will and determination way more than any General could, with the exception of Shining Armor, mind you. Also, it will send a clear message to the Griffins that we will be sending everything we have against them if one of us were to be at the forefront. Lastly, the Griffins know of the legends surrounding my past, and they fear me. That will only serve to strengthen our own force’s chances of a quick victory.”

“As much as I have reservations of placing Princess Luna in any sort of risk, I do have to agree with her reasoning, Your Highness,” Ironsides said.

When Star Caster nodded her agreement, Celestia sighed in resignation. “Just be careful, dear sister. I could not bear it if I were to lose you.”

“Tia,” Luna said gently, “we have both faced much worse in the past, and we have always come out together in the end. We’ve faced Discord and Sombra both and we’re still here. It will take more Griffins than they have throughout their nation to strike me down.

Celestia just nodded her head sadly. “Equestria needs you just as much as I do, Luna. Come back to us,” she said, fighting down her fears.

The sudden slam caused by the Throne Room’s doors being forcibly opened startled them out of their thoughts. Into the room was one of the very few ponies who could get away with such an entrance; Prince Blueblood. Though not an Alicorn, he was labeled a Prince by his position as the leader of the House of Royals, the legislative branch of the Equestrian government. Being the adopted nephew of Princess Celestia also helped here. He ignored the stares of protest that the Royal Guards stationed at the doors gave him, striding directly towards the ponies that had his full attention. “Auntie, I demand to know just when you planned to inform the House of Royals of Princess Twilight’s abduction!” he stated forcefully. “By Equestrian Law, it is the House of Royals which must issue any declaration of war, and Griffica’s actions DEMAND that we declare it!”

Celestia looked to her nephew, frustration plainly visible on her face. “As you can see, dear nephew, things have been rather hectic here, with this current crisis. You and the House would have been informed of the situation come morning,” she informed him.

“There is no longer a need to inform the House of Royals, Auntie. We already know. We have also come to a decision that an official declaration of war shall be issued, and that you will have our full backing in this matter.” Blueblood turned his head and beckoned to two figures standing just outside the door for them to enter. “I also am here to inform you that I have been approached by a couple individuals. They come offering any assistance you might need.”

The two individuals walked into the Throne Room, with Royal Guards surrounding them. One of them would not have needed such guards, but the other one was lucky that she had not been skewered outright already. Sir Rufus was the Diamond Dog representative to the Equestrian government in Canterlot, and had been recently working to build ties with the ponies of Equestria. The other one, the one that the guards deemed a danger to the princesses, was none other than Queen Chrysalis.

The Royal Canterlot Voice boomed throughout the Throne Room, as well as much of the castle itself, as Princess Luna demanded, “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!? WE DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT SHE IS DOING IN OUR PRESENCE!”

Princess Celestia stepped forward, placing a wing in front of her sister, signalling for her to hold off attacking. “Please, sister, calm down a moment, and let us find out why she is here in a manner that is less likely to cause massive destruction to the castle.” Turning to Chrysalis, she then asked, “Why is it that you have come here, Queen Chrysalis, knowing that we have placed a bounty on your head, FOR your head, to be specific. And if my nephew is to be believed, you come here with the offer of assisting us somehow.” Her hoofsteps echoed softly through the Throne Room as she slowly, regally, approached the Changeling queen to stand nose to nose to her. “Tell me, Chrysalis, why would you come to us offering help in dealing with our troubles?”

Chrysalis’ head bowed in sorrow and supplication as she began to speak. “My hive is dying, Princess. Our numbers grow fewer with each passing year, and weaker as well. The Hive has been in a slow but steady state of decline for centuries, since the time of Discord. Only in the past few centuries has the decline quickened, and now we have reached a point where we are but a few years from the point where we would no longer be able to recover.

“This is true with the other two remaining hives as well. One in Mexicolt, and one in Zebrica. As you have been hunting us down ever since we attacked Canterlot, so have the other Hives been hunted in their own lands. There was a small fourth Hive, eeking out an existence in the Crystal Empire, but they were wiped out… exterminated by Shining Armor and his Crystal Guard army.”

Celestia and Luna had known about that hive’s destruction, having been informed by Cadance and Shining Armor personally. It was not something that she had took pleasure in, knowing that her former Royal Guard Captain had committed such an act. But considering what the couple had gone through at the hooves of Queen Chrysalis and her changelings, Celestia had difficulty placing blame on the two of them; Shining Armor for the act, and Cadance for condoning such an act to occur.

Chrysalis laid down before the princess, her grief heavy upon her as she continued. “It is not just my hive that I speak for, but the entire Changeling race. We are facing extinction, to cease to be. I come before you to beg that you may help save us from that fate.”

“Why should we believe what you say is true? What reason would we have to offer you help?” asked Luna coldly. “It was your hive that attacked our ponies here in Canterlot, imprisoning them in cocoons, and causing the deaths of more. You kidnapped an Equestrian princess, and used forbidden magic upon our ponies as part of your plan. You assaulted my sister in her own Throne Room, and imprisoned her as well in one of your cocoons.” Luna stepped forward, her ire quickly rising. “And now, you believe that you can just walk in, ask for forgiveness, and all will be fine?”

“We were desperate, Princess Luna, when we attacked Canterlot. My plan was to be able to harvest enough love for my hive that we might be able to survive a little longer, to give us at least a chance for survival. But that failed, and now, my hive is facing its darkest hour. If we, as a species go extinct, it is not like the fate that you ponies would face,” Chrysalis replied, frustrated. “When you die, you go to your Elysium Fields to be with your Goddess. When a Changeling dies, their memories, and all the emotions, their thoughts, their very souls, become part of the Great Hive. But this Great Hive, it is a part of us Changelings, and exists in all of us. But if we all die, then the Great Hive ceases to be. If ponykind were to become extinct, then your whole species would still be together in your Elysium. With us Changelings, extinction means oblivion, complete and total. It is even worse than simply dying. We simply cease to be, everything that was us will be gone, as if we were never in existence in the first place.

“When Queen Vibrunum’s hive was attacked in the Crystal Empire last spring, I was connected to her through the Hive Mind, which is a part of the Great Hive that all living Changelings can connect through. In the end, it was only through that connection that her hive was saved from eternal oblivion. But to do this, I had to experience each and every Changeling’s death,” Chrysalis explained. “But if there are no more hives, then when the last one finally dies out, there will be no other Changeling to keep the Great Hive in existence.”

The thought of her hive’s, and her very race’s, end was more than she felt she could bear. “I would give anything to prevent that fate from happening,” she said forlornly. “Even my own life, if it were to save my race.”

This was something that Princess Celestia had never considered would happen. The Changeling Queen who had attacked her ponies and her city on the day of her niece’s wedding now knelt before her, begging for her help and mercy. Celestia could not just sit back and let the entire species die out, but could she trust this Changeling who had once caused many of her ponies to suffer? There was one way to find out.

“Queen Chrysalis, you said that you would give anything, including your own life, to save your Changelings. I shall offer you a chance to prove to me that your word is truthful.” Celestia randomly plucked a spear from one of the gathered guards and levitated it before the queen. “Fall on this spear. If you are truly willing to give anything for your race, then make the ultimate sacrifice, Queen Chrysalis. If you show me that you speak the truth when you say that you would sacrifice your own life for your Changelings, then I will do everything within my own power to save your race from extinction, and maybe even be able to find a way that they may prosper and live among us in peaceful co-existence,” she offered.

Everypony within the Throne Room, as well as the lone Diamond Dog, looked on in shock as Celestia did this. In all their years, centuries in the case of Princess Luna, they have never seen her act in this manner.

“Auntie! I must protest this madness! What right do you—“

He was silenced immediately with a single raised hoof and a glare from the solar princess. “Nephew, I strongly urge that you do not interfere with me in this matter.” Looking back down to the Changeling Queen on the floor before her, she continued, “She has come before me, in front of my throne, making a request that she has no claim to make. Her fate is mine to decide, and mine alone.

“Rise, Queen Chrysalis, and do as I have decreed, if you wish to save your race,” she instructed.

Chrysalis rose in resignation to her fate. This was something she was willing to accept, and would do so with no regrets, if it were to ensure the survival of her species. “Do you swear, Princess Celestia, that if I do this, you will save the Changeling race? Swear it, and I shall do your bidding.”

Celestia nodded her head, saying. “You have my oath, as co-ruler of Equestria, that I will do everything possible to keep the Changelings from extinction. This, I decree to you, Queen Chrysalis.”

The Changeling queen took the spear in her own magic, levitating it so the point was mere inches away from her chest, pointed directly to her heart. She felt fear, but she also felt relief, knowing that this would bring about salvation for her Changelings. Closing her eyes, she whispered a soft, “Thank you,” and then with a strong burst of her magic, plunged the point home. She felt a small stab of pain in her chest, but no more than that. Definitely not the cold burning pain that would cut to the very center of her being as the spear’s razor sharp blade pierced her heart. Opening her eyes, she looked down to see the spear point had only dug into her chest a minute amount. A small trickle of her blood seeped out around the point, and not a pouring out of her lifeblood that she expected to see. More so, she had not expected to see Celestia’s magic glowing around the spear. She looked up to the princess as the spear was levitated away from her.

“I see now that you have been truly honest with me, and that your intentions are pure in coming to me, Chrysalis. It seems we have much to discuss, and little time available for talking.” Beckoning for the Changeling queen and Diamond Dog representative to join them at the planning table, she said, “Let us see what you two can do to help Equestria win this fight we face.”

They gathered once more at the planning table. General Ironsides started out with asking Rufus what he had to offer.

“We Diamond Dogs have long anticipated that the Griffins would bring war to Equestria. In preparing for this, our engineers and diggers have constructed many tunnels crossing the border without the Griffins suspecting a thing. Most of them lead under major military bases inside Griffica. We have Diamond Dogs in place to collapse the ground underneath various structures important to them, or to sabotage their supplies and equipment with explosives,” he told the Princesses and generals as he pointed out a half dozen Griffin bases on the map. “We also have numerous snipers with crossbows available, as well as infantry armed with bows and swords. I have also brought something new, which I would love to show you, Your Majesties.”

“Along with the Diamond Dogs, I have around a hundred changelings ready to infiltrate each base. They can remove key Griffin personal, and sabotage their supplies and equipment as well. Also, they would be able to restrain the enemy forces using their adhesive spit, reducing their ability to fight even further,” added Chrysalis. “Another advantage is that they can communicate through the hive mind, and coordinate with the Diamond Dogs and Equestrian forces, further increasing the effectiveness of our attacks against the Griffins.”

The concept of the hive mind struck Luna as intriguing. “Chrysalis, is it only between Changelings that the hive mind can be used?” she asked. When Chrysalis answered, Luna asked, “Would you be able to communicate with a Changeling half the way across the nation, and coordinate communications between us here, and the generals in the field?”

“Yes, it would be a simple matter.”

“That is most fortunate to hear. It would be of great assistance in helping assure our victory, being able to coordinate in this manner,” Celestia said, nodding at the information she had just heard.

“You mentioned something about having something that you wish to show us, and also snipers armed with something you refer to as a crossbow, Sir Rufus,” Star Caster inquired. She was unfamiliar with what a crossbow would be, and the mystery of the other item had her intrigued as well.

“The Griffin Empire has never been on the best of terms with the Diamond Dogs,” explained Rufus. “They have caused trouble for us in the past. Several years ago, we decided we needed to be better able to fight back, should the Griffins decide to cause us further trouble. We designed and built new weapons. Would the princesses like to see what we have?”

When Celestia nodded her approval, Rufus called a guard over to make a request. The guard nodded and stepped outside the Throne Room, to reappear a moment later with another Diamond Dog in tow. The Dog had a long case strapped to her back, which she set upon the table in front of the princesses. Flipping a couple of latches, she presented the contents to the ponies present for them to view.

Lifting one object from the container, Princess Celestia studied it with an experienced eye. It looked similar to a bow which a Royal or Equestrian Guard may carry, if only that it seemed designed to launch an arrow. The bow portion was attached to a long wooden piece, with a flattened, paddle-like end. Rotating it in her magic, she noticed what looked like a trigger mechanism underneath. Comparing the dimensions of this bow-like weapon to the two Diamond Dogs in her presence, she surmised that the back end must fit up close to the shoulder, and that the trigger device was designed around a Dog’s paw. Further examination revealed a long tube on top which had glass pieces at both ends. Looking through, she found that it magnified the view much like a telescope, and even had aiming crosshairs inside.

“Princess, would you like a demonstration of what one of these can do? I assure you that there will be no risk to anyone in the room, if you allow it.” Celestia nodded to him, passing the object to him in her magic.

As Rufus’ assistant set up the target, he pulled several times on a lever on the side, which worked back the bow string. On the fourth pull, there was an audible click as the string was set in at full draw. “This is a crossbow, Your Majesties. It fires what we call a bolt, which is very much like a shortened arrow,” he told them as he lifted one of the bolts from the container. He set the bolt into a groove in the top of the crossbolt, and took aim at the target, an old piece of damaged armor. When he pulled the trigger, the bolt flew towards the piece of armor, penetrating it easily. The bolt bounced off a pillar on the opposite side of the room, having spent most of its energy punching through the steel plate.

“As you can see, Your Majesties, this weapon has considerably more power than the typical bow. It also has a much further range, and is accurate out to about a hundred and fifty yards. Two hundred, in experienced paws.” Rufus set the crossbolt back down on the table as he continued, “If would wish it so, I have been authorized by the Confederation Council to assign as many Dogs as you would need under your command. As of right now, we have about twelve hundred Dogs already in position to join your forces.”

“Make it so, Sir Rufus. The backing of the Diamond Dog Confederation is greatly appreciated,” the Solar Princess said to him, grateful for such an allegiance.

“What of this other object?” asked Ironsides. “You’ve indicated it is a weapon. Please explain and if the princesses are willing, demonstrate.”

“Ah, yes.” Rufus pulled out the object in question. It was shaped very much like the crossbow, though it lacked the crossbar and bow string. “We have yet to come up with an appropriate name for this, where it is still in development.” He reached into the weapons container, and opened a small lid, pulling out a large, oblong crystal.

“Is that a core?” asked Captain Star Caster, the surprise in her tone matched the look upon her face. Cored weapons were rather uncommon, due to the difficulty of finding suitable gems to use as cores. The core would store magical energy to be released in a controlled manner as designed by the one who made the weapon it was inserted in. They had the potential to be among the most powerful weapons on the battlefield.

“Yes, it is, Captain. It fires a blast of magic energy in three forms at once. Direct concussive force, electrical, and heat. At close range, it is simply devastating, but the force dissipates over distance. at fifty yards, it would knock an opponent back, and cause injuries, but would not be fatal. This is better for close range fighting,” Rufus explained to the gathered ponies. “The reason this is not yet ready to be sent to the field is due to being able to come up with cores. We have found several deposits, and have gathered enough core blanks, but setting the spell matrix to the cores to hold the charge is proving problematic. It seems that the pair of Unicorns we hired to do that job were not as capable as they tried to sell to us.

“That is something I am certain we would be able to help you with. Both in setting the spell matrixes, and the charging of the cores,” Celestia stated, nodding. She knew just the pony for this job.

“How long would it take to modify such weapons so that a pony could use them?” asked Luna.

The early morning sun had not yet cut through the morning fog as the platoon traveled south once again through the forests of Griffica. Tall conifers had coated the ground with pine needles, making for a quieter walk, but that just meant that the enemy could be just as silent. They would have to be watching for the least little detail, if they were to go unseen.

They’re luck did not last. After a half hour’s march, a Griffin patrol spotted them. One of the Griffins flew off to get their platoon, and in moments, they attacked the left flank.

They started with a single volley of arrows. Two ponies went down immediately with fatal wounds, but the Royal Guard was ready to immediately retaliate. Three griffins were shot from the sky as they closed with the Royal Guard platoon. Before they could completely close the gap, Corporal Bang threw several of his claymare mines into the enemy Griffins and detonated them. The resulting casualties to the Griffin platoon reduced their numbers by half, but it was only a matter of seconds before the remaining enemy closed to fight claw to hoof with the Guard ponies.

At the center of the Guard’s formation, Corporals Dead, Sentry and Lulamoon stood guard over their charge. They would defend Twilight to the very end, even with their own lives, if need be. They were the very last line of defense. It was fortunate they were there, because a few of the Griffins managed to get past the Guard ponies on the left flank, and charged towards the princess’ litter, intent on capturing a very high value target.

Trixie braced herself for the attack. Four Griffins were coming at them, and the odds were not looking good. She was unable to use her flash-bang spell, because it would blind her and her fellow guard members with the Griffins being mixed in among them. All she could do is pull out her machete with her magic, and engage them hoof to claw. One of them rushed forward to engage Trixie, his spear flashing by her head as she ducked down and swept her blade up to cleave off one of the Griffin’s arms.

With that enemy down, she turned to see a Griffin on top of Dead, struggling to kill the stallion as a third was exchanging blows with Flash. Before she could render any assistance to either, a cold burning pierced through her left side, straight through her barrel. Her breath seemed to escape her as her legs collapsed under her.

Dancing Dead saw the spearpoint burst out from his friend’s right side. Even as he struggled with the Griffin on top of him, he watched a small spray of blood escape her mouth and then she fell. The scream of rage he let out deafened him, and he kicked his rear hoof down to trigger the hoof blade, which he used to disembowel the enemy fighting him. Getting up, he prepared to tackle the Griffin who had just ran the spear through the mare next to him when Spike jumped out from his hiding space behind Twilight. As small as Spike was, one would think that he would not be able to do anything against a trained and brutal warrior five times his size, but Spike apparently did not care about that fact. He jumped onto the Griffin’s back, and let loose with his Dragon fire. At a range of about three inches, the flames incinerated the Griffin’s head, instantly turning it to ashes which blew away in the morning, scream filled air.

The two of them turned to tackle the Griffin that had been fighting Flash, but discovered that was unnecessary, whereas Flash was pounding his forehooves into the Griffin’s now ruined face. They had no warning when another Griffin jumped out of the melee around them, dagger in talon, charging straight for Twilight.

The Griffin leaped, and landed chest first on a Griffin spear in the hooves of Sergeant Sunny Hearts. She let out a strangled gurgle as she stared into the terrified eyes of the mare that had just killed her. Nopony, or Griffin for that matter, would have suspected a medic willing to kill to save another life.

The battle ended quickly when the platoon’s Wonderbolts flew in, attacking the remaining few Griffin soldiers. They had been scouting ahead, but had not been able to spot the Griffins who had been waiting to attack from the side. When they heard the explosions from the triggered mines, they knew immediately that the unit was under attack, and hurried back. Their return to the platoon only hastened the Griffin’s journeys to the afterlife.

Dusty and Silver scanned the immediately area. All around them, ruined bodies lay, their blood soaking into the undergrowth of the forest floor. The biggest majority of them were Griffins, but there were a few ponies mixed in. Damn! They had hoped and prayed that they could make it out of here without losing any ponies, but it seems that the Mare of Fate was not looking down upon them with fortune in her eyes. Pointing to Healing Touch, Dusty ordered, “Check the wounded, and do what can be done for them. I’ll need a report on our casualty situation.” Dusty then turned to the First Sergeant, telling him to get status reports from the Squad Leaders, and assess the situation. With those instructions given, Dusty went to check on the princess.

He quickly found Twilight in the center of the platoon. Relief washed through him once he ascertained that she was physically unharmed through the fight, though her eyes told him that the emotional and mental scars would take a long time to heal. His other charge, Spike, had also come through the fight unscathed. Apparently, he had joined in the fighting, if the lack of a certain Griffin’s head and charred stump was any indication.

What tore his insides was the ponies that had died this morning, and it looked like they were about to lose another one. Corporal Lulamoon had taken a spear through the chest, and the Griffin who had stabbed her had ripped it out violently, from how the wound looked. Sergeant Hearts was fighting to save her, using everything she had in her medical kit to try to stabilize the dying mare as she attempted to stop the blood from pooling out of her. From the frothy, bright red look of the blood coming out from both the wound and from her mouth, Dusty knew that the spear had torn through her lungs.

“Stay with us Trixie! We still have that date at Oatfield’s Burgers we’re goin’ on when we get home. Don’t you dare make me go there solo,” Flash told her as his tears fell into her mane. He had been holding her head in his lap as Sunny made every possible effort to keep her alive. Trixie shifted her head in his lap, looking to him for comfort as the fear within grips tighter. “Just don’t give up, you hear me, do not give up, dammit!” he told her, gently stroking her mane.

All of their efforts were for naught. The damage was just too great. She let out a rattling breath, then one more, then Trixie was gone.

Flash sat there, still gently stroking her mane as Dusty knelt down beside him, and with his hoof, closed her eyelids. This was not the first time a guard had died on his watch, and it would not be the last. Of that, he was certain. It never got any easier, losing those who trust you to lead them through hell and back. Each and every pony in his command was his responsibility, and each time one of them died, it was his failure as their commander for him to bear.

“We were supposed to go out for hay fries and drinks when we got home, Sir. She wanted to take me to a place on Royal Avenue…” Flash was unable to continue past the tears that wouldn’t stop. He had come to consider Trixie a friend, and had been hoping that maybe he might get to know her more.

Turning to Sunny, Dusty checked to see if she would be okay. When she nodded that she would be, he told her to go help Touch tend to the rest of the wounded. Once she left to help her fellow medic, he turned to Dead. “Can you go find something to wrap Corporal Lulamoon in, Corporal Dead? And we’ll need to wrap others as well.”

“Yes Sir,” he replied, heading off to take care of the job he had been given.

Dusty went to find Silver. He needed to have his First Sergeant’s report on the exact status of his platoon. He knew it would not be good news, but not having the knowledge would only make it more likely that he would fail to make a correct decision and get the unit killed. “What’s the status?” the Major asked once he found Silverwing.

“Sir, we have six dead, and a dozen wounded, with two of those unable to walk on their own. We lost one of the demolitions ponies, Corporal Big Bang, to be precise. Seems the Griffins took offense to him taking half of them out with his claymares. Damn shame, because his quick thinking saved us, Sir,” Silver reported as they walked over to where Dead and another guard were busy preparing to wrap a body. It was Corporal Bang. When the Griffins converged on the platoon, several had focused on him and tore him apart. Still, he went down fighting it looked, if the blood and feathers on his forehead and horn was any indication. “Corporal Touch told me that PFC Bright Star probably will not make it past today. One of the Griffins was carrying a light axe that sheared off his horn at the base, along with his scalp and severely fractured his skull. Private Rosemary lost a foreleg, but Touch was able to stop the bleeding and stabilize her. If we can make it back, she’ll live, Sir.”

“And the rest of the wounded?”

“A couple minor stab wounds, a broken wing, and a missing ear, along with various cuts and other minor stuff. The Medics are patching them all up as we speak.” First Sergeant Silverwing paused when he saw a Guard pony with a lit cigarette. Smoking in the field was a violation of military regulations, but if it in any way, shape or form helped morale right now, Silver was not about to stop him. “Got one you could spare, PFC?” he asked.

The young guard looked up, the realization that he had just been caught in his eyes, but relaxed when both the Major and First Sergeant nodded their okay. Handing one to Silver, he says, “I have a few spare packs on me, if there are others who could use one right now.”

Major Spearhead felt pride, knowing that even in the worst of it all, his troops still thought about and cared for one another. “Do that, son, and thank you,” the told the PFC.

“Silver, if we can keep their morale up, we can survive this. We need to make certain they know that help is on the way,” Dusty said.

“Yes Sir. I assume that we’re not leaving our dead here behind? Seems that if they know we’ll get them home no matter what, they feel encouraged.”

“That's the plan, First Sergeant. As long as we’re able to, anyways.” Dusty was no fool. It would tax the platoon greatly to have to carry eight more on stretchers or travoices, especially with less ponies able to do the carrying. And they still had their supplies to consider as well. But it would quickly kill their morale if they left their dead behind. It had been hard enough for them to do so back at the train attack site. But they would not have been able to carry them all, even if they left all their supplies.

“I need to talk with our scouts, and make certain that they continue doing as they have been doing. It is only through their efforts that we made it this far. Faust be willing, we’ll be able to make it through till tomorrow without being spotted again. As soon as we have everypony patched, and the bodies secure, we’re moving out,” Dusty stated before moving to find Spitfire and Soarin.

Six Equestrian Guard divisions had been selected for the purpose of elimination of six key Griffin bases on the other side of the border between the two nations. The 3rd, 7th, 17th, 18th, 20th, and 21st Equestrian Guard Divisions were going to war, and they were rushing to complete preparations for their invasion.

They would not be doing this alone. Hundreds of Diamond Dogs and Changelings had met with them at their respective bases, after Princess Luna and General Ironsides had sent advance messages informing them of the newly formed alliances.

The Diamond Dogs had already dug the tunnels which the divisions would move through, and once there, the Guard units would surface, and prepare to attack. Ahead of the Equestrian Guard, Diamond Dog sappers would be tunnelling under key locations within the Griffin bases and setting explosives to blow the foundations out from under the enemy. They would also set up snipers in hidden spots to wait for the Equestrian Guard to get there. Lastly, hundreds of Changeling drones made their way to the bases, and infiltrated themselves in, disguising themselves as Griffins, so they may sabotage Griffin equipment, and be in position to take out key enemy personnel.

The plan was simple and brutal. Completely destroy any ability each Griffin base’s capability to wage war against Equestria, and then prepare the captured bases to be used as staging points for continued warfare against their foes.

In northeastern Equestria, Fort Rockwall in Marelone prepared as well. This was the home of the 223rd Equestrian Guard Regiment. The 223rd was a fast strike unit, equipped and trained to quickly move in and take locations that needed capturing in a hurry, or to go in and wipe out major units that have proven to need being destroyed overnight. They would be joined by the 2nd Royal Guard Regiment out of Canterlot, who was now boarding their trains to head north to meet up with their brothers and sisters-in-arms at Rockwall. Their job was simple. They would go in, rescue Twilight and the trapped platoon, and annihilate any and all Griffin forces that made the unfortunate mistake of getting in their way. They would be led by Princess Luna herself, and they were determined to save their comrades and their princess.

Lastly, in the Crystal Empire, Prince Consort Shining Armor was gathering all available Crystal Guard units for his own attack. The Griffins had lain siege to his nation, and he intended to bust through the siege and make certain that the Griffins paid dearly for assuming that they could just take what they want. His drive for retribution against the Griffins was further fueled by the fact that they had dared to attack his sister. Well, a few thousand Crystal Guard ponies would take care of whatever the chickenheads would toss their way.

Author's Note

A Blessed Joining

After the morning’s near disaster with the Griffin platoon, the The Equestrian platoon was able to avoid further contact during the day as they made decent progress towards Equestria and home. By the time they made camp, they had covered about forty miles from where the train had been attacked. Under optimum conditions, they would have been at least twenty miles closer to home, but with the need for stealth and the fact they had wounded, the distance they made was a small miracle in itself.

As Corporal Healing Touch had predicted, Bright Star died during the trip. He had finally succumbed to the brain injury he had received when the Griffin had attempted to remove his head. Seven lost in one day. If not for luck and the sheer fighting spirit of his Guard ponies, the losses would have been much worse. Had their luck gone any different, then it was possible that the whole platoon, as well as the two they had been sent in to retrieve, would be dead.

Dusty Spearhead did not fear death. Instead, he feared failing his ponies, and failing the princesses. He feared that he would fail Equestria when his nation needed him to succeed the most.

The odds against them were still pretty bad. There were a lot of Griffins who were still looking for them, and if they were discovered, the Major held no illusions on how badly it would go for them. They had found a small secluded valley that offered excellent concealment. That was something which he was thankful for. They made camp there, and used what they could to help further conceal them from any passing Griffin platoon. Without Corporal Lulamoon and her concealment spells, they would have to rely on their own training, along with a healthy dose of luck.

If they could just survive through the night, Princess Luna should get to them within an hour after dawn, according to the message they had received. They would be easy enough to find, having been sent a beacon talisman to allow the princess to track and home in on them. All they would need to do is not get caught, and make it to an open area they had selected on the map, to allow for a swifter recovery and exfiltration from the danger they were in.

He forgot to remember that it is always darkest before the dawn.

Soarin and Spitfire sat near their fellow Wonderbolts, but just enough away from them to give a small measure of privacy. It was not a whole lot of privacy, mind you, but it gave them a sense of it, and that was enough for the two of them.

“Never thought there would come a time where we might fail a mission, Soarin, or that we might not even make it home alive,” Spitfire admitted to him. “I’m scared. More scared than I’ve ever been when out on an op somewhere. Even when we faced those pirates years ago, I wasn’t this scared.”

That she was even willing to admit how scared she was drove the point home to the Lieutenant. She was always the one that everypony always looked up to as unshakable and unstoppable. She never let the situation get to her when they were on a mission, and she never failed. Yes, Soarin knew that she felt fear just as much as anypony else, but that was only because how close they had been.

“To be honest, I’m terrified, Spits,” he admitted back.

“I keep thinking back on all the close calls we’ve had, and the not so close, but simply crazy moments as well. Like that time in Panamare when we had broken up that smuggling ring,” she said. “Then later that night we got into that barroom brawl, you and I against what must have been thirty or more ponies.”

Soarin let out a soft chuckle at that. “And the night in jail that followed. Damn, but those ponies were pissed that we would have broken up that organization. Yes, they did supply a lot of the income for the locals, but they were bringing drugs into Equestria.”

“Yeah, it was, and the princess, what does she do when we finally get back? She offers us a drink for our troubles,” Spitfire replied, grinning. “Most expensive wine I’ve ever had, too.”

Her smile faded as other thoughts entered her head. “Where did we go wrong, Soarin? Why is it that we can lead the craziest, sometimes most reckless, bunch of ponies, and turn them into the most elite group in all of Equestria, yet we failed so miserably in our own lives?” She turned her head away, wishing desperately to hide the tears that refused to stay hidden from her former husband. “I keep thinking that our failed marriage was all my fault. That I didn’t do enough, or just wasn’t good enough.”

Soarin shuffled over to sit next to her and draped a wing across her back, hugging her to him. “Funny, I keep thinking the same about myself. I always felt I was a total failure as a husband, and found myself wishing there was some way I could have another chance.” He paused a moment as he collected his thoughts. “Honestly, I think that we just got too caught up in our jobs, and spent too much time as Wonderbolts, and not enough time as a married couple in love.”

Spitfire nodded as she leaned into his embrace. “I never stopped loving you, Soarin. But I’m afraid. I’m scared that if we were to try again, we would just let the same shit get in the way again, and we’d end up even more hurt,” she admit as she wiped a tear from her face. “I’m tired of feeling incomplete all the time and feeling so alone, but I am afraid I’ll only end up hurt again. I don’t want to be hurt anymore, Soarin.” Is this what I want, she thought to herself. Do I really want to try again, knowing how badly it hurt when it went south on us? Yeah, I do want him back in my life, but I am so very afraid I’ll be making a mistake. “Hold me. Just hold me right now. Please.”

On the other side of the camp, Silverwing watched the two of them. Though too far away to hear what they are talking about, he knew. Call it a father’s instinct. A part of him felt relief that Soarin and his daughter were finally talking things out, but another part of him was concerned that his daughter would just end up hurt again. Then again, if that were to happen, he could not, in all honesty, lay all the blame on the stallion. When their marriage had gone teats up the first time, it had been both of their faults. That had been plain as day to him and Tavi, just as this marriage to the cellist ended due to the actions of the both of them. Maybe there might just be hope for Spits and Soarin. Silver hoped so. He loved his daughter dearly, and Soarin was a damn good stallion. It was a damn shame that it took the two of them being in a desperate fight for their lives to finally start realizing that.

Silver had personally not wanted either of them to be on this operation, but he had no right to deny them doing what their duty called for them to do. And he had to admit that the pair was among the very best suited for the mission. All he could do is pray that the two of them made it home alive.

Dusty made his way through the small camp to check on Princess Twilight. He was concerned for her, knowing that she and Corporal Lulamoon had been friends, and with the young mare having been killed right in front of her, he worried for the princess’ emotional state.

After the attack this morning, the princess seemed to have retreated back into her mind again, unable to cope with the extreme violence she had witnessed. Trixie had been one of the ones to have helped the princess break out of the catatonic state she had been in when they initially rescued her. His mission was to get her home safe, and in his eyes, that included her emotional and mental well being. He was thankful that she still had two others she could draw strength from, that being Spike and Corporal Sentry.

Who would have thought that the young stallion would have been instrumental in the princess’ recovery? Dusty knew of the Guard pony’s infatuation with Princess Twilight, but when it came down to it, Flash seemed to have moved past the infatuation. He was simply there as support, being her friend when she was in most need of friendship.

Fortunately, between him and Spike, it seemed that she was opening up again. That was a positive sign that the Major thanked Faust for.

As he sat down next to her, Dusty nodded to Flash, showing his appreciation for his efforts to take care of the princess. His eyes then moved to the Alicorn mare, and he saw tremendous sadness in her eyes, but they were not the eyes of someone lost to the world. This was a good sign, for it told him that she had not fully retreated into her mind, as he worried she might do. This meant that she stood a chance to recover from all of this still. “How are you holding up, Your Highness?” he asked her.

Twilight looked up to him, and anger flashed in her eyes, until she saw the genuine concern in them. She looked back down, feeling shameful that she would let her anger at all that had happened come out towards one of the very ponies who was placing themselves on the line for her. “I’m fine. I’ll be okay,” she whispered, unable to look him in the eye.

He felt uncertain what to say to her. Never before had he ever had to deal with anything of this nature, and he wished he knew a way to help make things better for her. “I wish I could say I knew what it was like for—“

Twilight’s anger flared within her at hearing those words. Turning on the Major, she struggled to her hooves and got right in his face. “NO. YOU. DON’T! Want to know what it was like! Nopony wants to ever experience what I went through. Have you ever been tortured and raped, Major? Have you had things shoved up inside you for their fucked up pleasure? Have you ever been used like a TWO BIT WHORSE OVER AND OVER AGAIN?” she screamed. She was about to tear into him further, but she saw that he was cringing away from her. He had only been trying to check on her, concerned for her well being, and she attacked him for it. She was no better than the ones who had attacked her. She was no princess, only a filthy whorse, unworthy of being around decent, good ponies. A good pony doesn’t attack her betters like she had just done. Twilight was a bad pony.

Her legs gave out from under her and she collapsed, sobbing, begging for forgiveness. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’ll be a good pony, Don’t hurt me! I’m sorry!”

Spike woke to the sound of his sister tearing into Major Spearhead, and him and Flash rushed over to calm her when she collapsed. Spike flashed the Major a look of anger before turning towards Twilight, trying to talk her down from her panic. Flash looked to his commanding officer as well, but his look was one of concern and worry. He wanted for the Major to know it was not his fault, but he needed to help calm Twilight down first. When he and Spike first touched Twilight, trying to help her calm down, she had flinched and tried to get away in her panic. After a few moments of their efforts, she had calmed down enough to apologize.

“I’m sorry, Major. I should not have yelled at you like that,” she said to him, sniffling.

“It’s ok, Your Highness. I just wished to understand, so I might be able to at least empathize with you,” he gently told her. “If it would help, I’m willing to listen if you feel the need to talk.”

Twilight lay there in shame, of both her actions just now and what had happened to her while she had been held by her captives. All she wanted was for all the emotional pain and mental scars to simply disappear, but the rational part of her knew that they would never fully go away or heal. But she has heard many times that talking with somepony about what troubles you can help make it easier to live with. Could she talk about this yet? Was she ready to? She did not honestly know, but she felt she needed to do so.

“Everything was going fine. We were right on schedule heading Griffinhelm when the train car suddenly went tumbling. I remember seeing Spike fly out a window, and then I hit something, and I felt my wing snap. Immediately after, another pony, I think it was Fleetfoot, collided with me, and that dislocated my shoulder. Once the train car stopped rolling, she helped me out of the wreckage. I remember the gas arrows landing all around us, then everything went black.

“I woke up to find Griffins all around us,” she continued. They had shackled our hooves, and those of us with wings, they had bound them. They did not bind mine, for some reason. Maybe they decided that I couldn’t just fly away with my wing broken. The Unicorns among us that survived the crash had inhibitor rings like the one they placed on my own horn,” she told them, pointing to the ring on her head. They made it a point to demonstrate just what happens when you try to remove one. I think Quill was his name. I was forced to watch when they pulled it off his head.”

Twilight shuddered, the memory of Quill’s death, as well as the rest of the train survivors, chilled her deeply, leaving her feeling a sickness deep inside. “After they had done that, they forced me to watch as they executed the rest. They started with Fleetfoot. They pulled her head up, and t-they…”

Dusty gently took her hoof in his, offering what support he could. “If you can’t do this, Your Highness, it’s ok,” he gently told her as Spike and Flash offered their comforting touches as well.

Twilight looked Dusty in the eyes once more, but this time, without anger, but a determination to get through this. “No, I need to do this, Major.” She shivered more as the memories filled her mind, but she forced herself to continue, so that she might exercise some of the demons that have haunted her since that nightmarish night. “When they lifted her head, one Griffin drew a long knife, and proceeded to saw through Fleetfoot’s throat. I remember trying to look away, but they physically forced me to watch. I re-re-remember the look in her eyes as her blood poured from the gaping wound. The wet gurgles as she drowned in her own blood. And then they went down the line, and proceeded to do the same to the rest of the survivors.

“The memories of watching them die, one by one, slowly, haunts me every time I close my eyes to sleep.” Twilight’s breath catches in her throat as her tears begin to fill her eyes. She pushes aside her pain and fear, needing to continue. “It only got worse after. They took me to their camp. I don’t remember the trip, really. I think my mind was beginning to shut down. When they got me to their camp, they chained me inside a tent, and then they spent the next day trying to get information out of me. They said that they wanted to break me, and that they would use me to break Princess Celestia.

“They beat me severely, not caring about my injuries. They would also use something they called a cattle prod against me. It delivers a very painful electric jolt to the body, wherever they touch you with it. Or they could just leave it touching you and push a button to randomly shock you with it. When they shocked you, it was like your whole body was both numbed and on fire at the same time. Every nerve in your body feels like it was dipped in acid.” She doesn’t want to continue, the memories so horrific, but she forces herself to do so. She needs to tell them this. “They even put the cattle prod inside of me,” nudging her head back, indicating her hind quarters. “They would laugh as they shocked my insides.

“And then they would use me for their sexual pleasures. And it was not just Bloodclaw,” she said, feeling the urge to retch at having said his name, “but other Griffins as well. And they did so repeatedly. Both vaginally and anally.” Twilight had to stop for a moment to quell the feeling of panic that rose within as she told them the horrors of her captivity. When she was calm enough to continue, she told them, “And all the while they did that, they would hit me, telling me how horrible I was, and that I would be the one to betray Equestria and tell them everything.

“And I DID! I finally broke, and told them whatever they wanted,” she admitted, her tears and sobs wracking her body. “I betrayed Equestria and the Princesses! And even then, they didn’t stop. They kept hurting me…” She was unable to continue, breaking down crying into her forelegs.

Dusty again took her hoof in his as Spike and Flash comforted her as best as they could. He had learned much about Griffins and how viciously cruel they could be. And he had read the briefing papers on Major Bloodclaw, and how he took great pleasure in causing others severe emotional, mental, and physical pain. The Griffin had an earned reputation as a sadistic torturer who especially loved to rape his victims, and with a Griffin’s feline penis, the barbs would just add to the pain and trauma. It was no wonder that the princess had finally been broken by her captives. There was no way that Dusty could blame Twilight for breaking down and giving into the Griffin demands. If anything, he was even more enraged at the enemy now, wishing to exact revenge on those who would hurt and murder those he was charged to protect and serve.

But right now, the princess did not need to see his rage. What she needed was to know that she had friends who loved her and would be there for her. She needed to be surrounded by those who would be there whenever she was in need, and who would never judge her. Dusty vowed to himself that he would get her home, where she would be surrounded by all those who love her, where she would finally be able to start healing.

“Your Highness, please, do not blame yourself. Nopony could go through what they put you through without breaking. That you’re here with us now, on the way home, just proves your strength. Please trust in us that we’ll get you home, so you can be safe with all your friends and family once again,” he said to her, gently wiping a tear from her face. “I promise you, that we will get you back to Canterlot, and that the Princesses and your friends and family will all be there to help you heal from all of this.”

When Twilight looked into his eyes this time, she saw compassion and truth. She knew she could trust this pony, and that he would get her home. For the first time since the attack on the train, Twilight dared to feel the beginnings of hope. “Thank you, Major,” she simply said.

“Rest, Your Highness. In the morning, Princess Luna will be here to get us all home.”

Dancing Dead and Sunny Hearts sat together, having just finished a not-so-delicious prepackaged meal. While the meal itself may have been similar to ground up cardboard with a sprinkling of rat droppings for added flavor, they were thankful that they had the opportunity to detest another stomach churning dinner together.

“It still haunts me, Dance, every time I close my eyes, I see the look on the Griffin’s face when I killed her,” Sunny hauntedly told him. As a medic, she was not expected to take up arms in combat. It was the role of her, and medics like her, to heal those who are injured in a fight. She was supposed to heal, and not kill. But she had seen the Griffin charging towards them, even when the others hadn’t, and she suddenly found the spear in her hooves and the Griffin leapt towards the Princess. And she saw the look on her face as the light fled her eyes. “I don’t know why I picked up that spear, Dance. I honestly don’t know why.”

Dead wrapped his foreleg around her, hugging her close. “If you hadn’t, Sunny, we may have lost the princess, or you, even. For that reason, I’m glad you did. It would kill me if I lost you,” he told her as she leaned into him.

“I’m scared, Dance. I just want for us to make it home alive. I want to marry you, and have a family with you,” she said. “But will we make it home? What if the Griffins find us again? What if it isn’t just a patrol, but a whole company, or bigger, even?”

Dead can only hold her tighter as he kisses her forehead as he told her, “It worries me as well, Sunny. I may look like I’m holding it all together, but on the inside, I’m scared shitless. Honestly, if we make it home alive, I’m strongly considering not re-enlisting. I want to be there for you, but how can I be if I’m being sent off to fight in every corner of the world?” He sighed as he continued, “I guess we just have to have faith. Faith that the Sarge and the C.O. will get us home.”

“We’ll get you two home. We’ll get everypony home,” they heard from beside them. The Major and First Sergeant had walked right up next to them without the couple noticing their approach. The young couple scooted away from one another, suddenly feeling as if they had just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Dusty just waved a hoof reassuringly, “Don’t worry, guys. Everypony knows about your relationship.” The two of them sat down next to the couple.

“So, I hear a rumor goin’ around that you two might have some good news to share,” Silver mentioned to the couple sitting across from him and the Major. He certainly hoped what he heard was true. They were good kids, and deserved to be happy. He just hoped that what him and the Major just promised would hold out to be true.

Sunny smiled shyly at the two of them as she said, “Well, yesterday, Dance here finally proposed to me.”

“And, Sir, she said YES!” the stallion exclaimed joyously.

Dusty could only smile and chuckle at the happiness in the young Corporal’s expressiveness. “You know, if you explode from all that excitement, it’s gonna be tough keeping that promise to her,” Dusty joked.

“Actually, Sir, I suspect that Dead here will be the first pony to officially explode twice,” Silver added, a smile upon his own face. “You know how these young’ns are, Sir. They just can’t seem to contain themselves when they’re all happy.” Silver saw so much of himself as a young stallion in Corporal Dead, and he was reminded of him and Tavi back when they were younger. He hoped that these two would have that chance together, and that they would be happy.

Dusty smiled as well, both at the First Sergeant’s humor, and the fact that two of his own had such news to share with them. Unlike many commanding officers, Dusty was not one to sit alone, separated from his troops. Yes, he could be a hardflank when needed, but he much preferred to be able to interact with his Guard ponies as if he was one of them. Hell, he WAS one of them, and he loved each and every one. “So, have you two picked a date yet for the big day?” he asked.

Sunny and Dead just looked to one another before Sunny replied. “Not yet, Sir.”

“We’re hoping soon,” Dead added, “but we’re scared right now. What happens if we get attacked again before we get home? What if one of us doesn’t make it? Sir, honestly, I’m terrified that I’ll lose her, or something will happen to me before we have the chance to finally be married.” Dead looked down, trying to hide his fear and emotional pain at the thought of not being able to live that life him and the mare he loved with all his heart desired. “I should have proposed long ago. I should have asked her, and been married to her already. I’m just afraid it will turn out I was too late, Sir,” he admitted to his commanding officer.

The Major could understand why Sunny and Dead were so fearful right now. The two of them were smart and knew the score. He wished that he could honestly promise to get the two of them home safe, but he as well knew the odds were against them. If there was a way for them to be married right now, then that would alleviate a lot of their fears. It would grant them what could end up being their final wish, and though Dusty prayed that it would not end up their last one, he desperately wanted to see it happen. Also, this would boost morale throughout the whole platoon, which might make the difference between them making it home, and dying here on Griffin soil.

Normally, it would be either a minister or a notary public who would perform the ceremony, but they did not have that available to them. Also, before a notary or minister could do so, a marriage license was needed, and the nearest Equestrian town hall to obtain one was miles away on the other side of the border. Another option would be for Princess Twilight to officiate the ceremony, but the princess was in no shape to do that for them. Not after what she had gone through. Also, the problem of the needed license still loomed with this option.

“Sir, if I may make a suggestion,” Silverwing chimed in. “The Equestrian Code of Military Conduct does authorize a commanding officer in the field to perform a wedding ceremony, under special circumstances, and with approval from the Princess.”

WOW! Dusty thought to himself. Was this stallion a registered mind reader, or something? It’s as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. Then again, that is just what makes him a good First Sergeant. Turning to Silver, Dusty replied, “Yeah, I could, except I would need authorization from Princess Celestia to do this. Also, there is the needed paperwork, specifically, the marriage license. Without both, the marriage would not be official.”

“We have Spike here, and he can send messages directly to the princess. If we send a message to her, explaining the situation, I am certain she would approve, and even make it so it will all be legal, Sir. It can’t hurt, anyways,” Silver said.

Sunny and Dead looked to their commanding officer with a sudden feeling of hope in their hearts. “Would you be able to do this for us, Sir?” Sunny asked hopefully.

“I would be honored to do so.” Turning to his First Sergeant, Dusty instructed him to go find Spike and get the letter sent off.

Silver wasted no time doing this. He knew just where to find the young drake. When he found him, Silver walked up to Spike asking a favor. When he explained to Spike what the plan was, Spike smiled and immediately pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen from his pack. It only took a minute for him to write the message and send it off to Celestia. “Thank you, Spike. If the princess is willing to authorize this, then this will make two ponies very happy, and that is something we all need right now,” Silver said to him.

“First Sergeant, if I know the princess, she’ll be overjoyed by this, and will have a reply sent back within the next five minutes.”

Spike was wrong about one thing; it took a total of six minutes for Princess Celestia to reply. But as Spike predicted, she was overjoyed with the request and immediately set things in motion so that the wedding would be one hundred percent legal. She even sent all the needed paperwork, with all that was needed for them to do with it was to sign where needed, and send it back so she could personally file it herself. While that would normally be a task for those whose jobs it was to do so, if Celestia wanted to do this herself, she was damn well going to do so. After all, she is THE Princess, and it was her prerogative if she so wished it.

The word was quickly spread, and all those who were able to witness the blessed event gathered together. Only the Guard ponies who were needed for watch duty around the perimeter of the small camp were not among the crowd, though they were still close enough that they could hear it, and occasionally look back to catch a glimpse.

One other chose not to join in the gathered ponies for the wedding ceremony. Princess Twilight could have joined them, but she felt uncomfortable enough that she did not wish to taint the event. Spike wanted to stay with her, as did Flash, who felt that it was his duty to watch over her and be there if she needed. Twilight asked then to go, though. She felt it would be good for her little brother to be there, to boost his spirits, and Flash had been asked to be Corporal Dead’s best stallion. She would be fine sitting back out of the way. Besides, she actually felt she needed some time alone, away from the others, even for just a bit.

Dancing Dead and Sunny Hearts stood together waiting for Major Spearhead to step up to officiate the wedding ceremony. That he was willing to do this for the two of them filled them with happiness enough that, for a moment, they could forget about the dire straits that they were all in. Though it could be said that the two of them would finally be able to die happily, if worse came to worse and they were unable to make it home, they chose instead to believe that this was just the beginning of a wondrous life together with each other.

Flash Sentry stood to the right of Dancing Dead. Dead would have none other to serve as his best stallion for this. Though the two of them have had their differences now and then, and even fought on occasion, they were brothers, if not biologically, then in each other’s hearts. Whatever pony who said that you could chose your friends, but not your family was full of crap. Dead and Flash chose each other as their family. And maybe someday, Dead might be standing to the right of his brother, once he finally found a mare he could settle down with.

On the other side, just to the left of Sunny Hearts, stood Corporal Rain Clouds. Her and Sunny had become close friends, much like Dead and Flash, when she had rotated into the same company as the others. The two of them often seemed to be as close as family, themselves, and Sunny was happy that Rain had accepted her role in the ceremony.

Behind them, the rest of the platoon stood or sat waiting. They pretty much all had been wondering when he would pop the question on her, and when he had finally done so, word has started to spread quickly amongst the tight-knit group. Platoons and companies were like families. Though there may be some within that might not get along with some of the others, it was certain that they always would watch over one another, and they would always share in the joys and sorrows of their fellow family members.

Though the scene lacked the normal decorations and adornments of a typical wedding, and it was dark within the camp making it difficult to see, that did nothing to spoil the mood. The fact that it was their very own father figure officiating the ceremony only served to elevate their spirits further. This was truly a family affair, and they would celebrate this as a family.

Dusty Spearhead, commanding officer of these Guard ponies, and father figure to them all in a sense, felt immense pride when he walked up to the soon to be wedded couple. That he was given such an honor as this lifted his soul greatly. That they would ask of him to fulfill this role meant more to him than there were words to describe. To his eyes, this is what love was about. It was about family and friends. It was about the commitment ponies shared with one another. Most of all, it was about two hearts joining together to live as one.

If he were to do nothing else with his life, to be able to look back, and know that he had shared with his family this joyous occasion, was all he could ask for.

Nodding to the couple to affirm that they were ready, he began the ceremony. “Mares and gentlecolts,” he opened with. “We gather this evening in the darkness, during a time of struggle, to cast aside that darkness and those struggles, so that we may bear witness to a truly blessed event. Tonight, two ponies stand before you. Two ponies who have found such a strong connection inside their hearts for one another, that they have decided to join together, and share their lives as one.”

Within the small crowd, Spitfire and Soarin sat beside each other as they bore witness to this occasion. At one time, the two of them had stood before a minister, and they too, had joined their hearts as one. Seeing the two young Royal Guard ponies do the same this evening, Soarin and Spitfire both hoped and prayed that the new couple would be blessed together, and find the long lasting commitment of the heart that had eluded them in the end.

Watching the wedding brought more than just memories and best wishes to Spitfire’s mind. She found herself questioning why it was that she was still afraid. She questioned what it was that she wanted for herself, or specifically, whom it was she wanted. Was she going to continue to let her fears dictate that she deny what her heart continued to tell her, or would she finally cast her fears aside and listen to what her heart wanted her to hear. She looked next to her, and she knew her answer. The two of them had been deeply in love, but they had let their jobs and petty differences get in the way of that love. Differences that most ponies would work through, and come out stronger, but the two of them seemed to latch onto those differences, either because of pride, or just as likely stubbornness, and those differences had become a poison within their hearts.

No more. No more would she let her fears, her pride, and her stubbornness get in the way. Next to her sat the stallion who was still very much in love with her. And she was still in love with him as well. She had just been too damn blind to see. Her hoof reached to the side, and found a matching hoof seeking her’s, as the two of them watched the wedding ceremony.

Dusty pulled from his pack a book and a glow stick. Activating the stick to read by, he opened the book to a marked page, and proceeded to read. “And so the stallion and mare asked for the blessings of Faust, and Faust answered. For love is the spirit that lives in all ponies, and for two ponies wish to share that love, it forms a bond that is holy and strong. And if two such ponies so wish that bond, let them stand before Faust, and commit their hearts to the bonds of Holy Matrimony. For such bonds will be blessed in her eyes.” Dusty closed the Book of Faust and gave it to Silver to hold onto. “As put forth in Bondings, Chapter Sixteen, Verses Twenty-one through Twenty-five, two such ponies stand before us to call upon the blessings of Faust, that they may be wedded in holy matrimony.

“Dancing Dead and Sunny Hearts stand before us, with a vow that they shall share their lives and their hearts together. True bonds such as this are all too often rare and difficult to forge. But these two have held true to their feelings for one another, and have forged the bonds that make for such a union to exist in the eyes of Faust. And this evening, it is their desire to join as one before The Goddess,” he intoned to the gathered ponies.

Twilight sat by her stretcher as she watched with misting eyes. She felt that her presence would only taint the ceremony and spoil things, with how unclean and spoiled she saw herself to be. But another part of her longed to join in and be a part of the joining of these two. A feeling built inside of her. It was the feeling that she needed. She started to feel hope. She felt hope that, just maybe, once they got through this things would finally start to get better. And maybe, hopefully, she might recover and heal from the emotional and mental wounds inflicted upon her by her former captives.

Maybe even it might be possible someday that she herself would discover love. After the torture and abuse she had gone through, she had felt that she would never be able to know what it would be like to feel love for another, and that she was unworthy and unfit for such feelings. But maybe now she might be able to do so someday. She knew that there was at least one pony who would be more than willing to be there for her. Maybe someday… Twilight stood, and with slow, painful steps, she hobbled over to join with the others.

Dusty continued with the ceremony. Though this was his first time to ever officiate a marriage, he found that the words came easy to him. Tonight was the night for these two, who so much loved one another that they would become as one before The Goddess. Dusty opened his heart to let Faust guide his words. “Dancing Dead, you have vows that you wish to share with your beloved?” he asked.

Dead looked at his bride-to-be. His heart swelled with all the love inside that overflowed into the words which he said to her. “Sunny Hearts, when we first met, I quickly found somepony who would become my best friend and lover. I found someone who filled a hole inside of me that I had never known existed. Without you in my life, I would be lost and drifting in this world, but with you sharing my life and my love, my heart feels whole. I love you, Sunny Hearts, and I wish to be with you, by your side, forever.”

Dusty looked to Sunny now, asking her the same question. She looked into the eyes of the stallion she so very much loved with all her heart, and said her own vows. “Before I met you, I was floating in a sea of mixed emotions, floundering, wondering if I would ever know what true love felt like. Then you entered my life and my heart, and you showed me what love is meant to be. With you in my life, I am complete, and I wish for us to walk through life, hoof in hoof, as we share our hearts together, side-by-side.”

Dusty smiled, feeling the love these two shared with one another, and pleased that they had chosen to make this commitment to one another. It was time for the ceremony to come to the finale. “Dancing Dead, do you take this mare before you, Sunny Hearts, to be your wedded wife forever before Faust, to hold her true in your heart, to honor her above all before The Goddess, to stay by her side, through sickness or health, for as long as you both live under Her blessings?”

“I do,” he said, his voice filled with love and pride for the mare he will forever love with every ounce of his soul.

Dusty turned to Sunny next. “Sunny Hearts, do you take this stallion before you, Dancing Dead, to be your wedded husband forever before Faust, to hold him true in your heart, to honor him above all before The Goddess, to stay by his side, through sickness or health, for as long as you both live under Her blessings?”

There was but only one answer she could give. With tears of joy in her sparkling eyes, she simply said, “I do.”

“Let it be known that Dancing Dead and Sunny Hearts have formally vowed to remain true to each other’s hearts before The Goddess Faust, asking for her blessings. By the powers granted to me by Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia, and with the Blessings of The Goddess, I now pronounce these two to be husband and wife. Dancing Dead, you may now kiss your bride,” intoned Dusty, pride filling his heart as his words flowed forth.

Dead wrapped his forelegs around his wife’s barrel and pulled her to him to kiss her passionately. Around him, mares and stallions applauded, their forehooves stamping on the ground, though they did not cheer, for they did not dare to become so loud as to be discovered. That in no way dampened their joyous mood, though as they gathered in closer to give their congratulations to the newly wed couple.

Speaking over the crowd, Dusty announced, “It gives me the greatest honor to present to you, my brothers and sisters, Mr. and Mrs. Dancing Dead!”

It was time for him to let his guards quietly celebrate. They would not stay up long, though. They all knew to get their needed sleep, for the morning be upon them too damn early, and they had be ready to move to the location where Princess Luna and combined brigade she was bringing with her would pick them up. Dusty approached Silver who had the paperwork in his hoof. Signing the papers where he was required to place his signature, he told the First Sergeant to get Sunny and Dead’s signatures, and have Spike send them back to Princess Celestia.

“Thank you, Major,” he heard behind him. Turning around he saw that Princess Twilight had joined in to witness the wedding along with everypony else. This was a good sign, telling him that she would be okay, as long as they were able to get her home to Equestria. “You gave me something tonight that I desperately needed. You gave me hope, Major Spearhead, and for that, I thank you,” she said to him.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness,” Dusty simply replied.

“Walk with me, if you please,” she requested. This Dusty did, for even a simple request from a princess carried the weight of an order, and he would never refuse any request from one of the princesses. They walked back towards where her stretcher lay, so that she might rest. Walking was good for her, helping the injured shoulder heal, but it did hurt to do so. Still, this gave her a chance to speak to Dusty, while they still had the chance to do so. “I see how much you care for your troops, and that is something I respect highly, Major. And I am not the only pony who respects that,” she told him.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” he replied with a blush at receiving such a compliment from one so regal. “I love my troops. They’re like family to me,” he said to her.

“I can see, and I’m not the only one who has noticed. Have you ever met my friend, Applejack?” Twilight asked him.

“Orange mare with a blonde mane and tail, always wearing that tan hat of hers, with three red apples for a cutie mark? Yes, I’ve met her, at the party for Fleetfoot,” he said. “She seems to be a damn good worker, and honest like none other. I can respect that in a mare,” he added.

Twilight smiled at hearing that. “That’s good to hear, Major. She has very similar thoughts towards you. In fact, she expressed interest in you. That might be something to consider. She’s a good mare, and if a good stallion were to enter her life, I think it would be a good thing.” Twilight walked over to her stretcher and grabbed her blanket. She too needed rest. “Goodnight, Major. Think about it, if you please.”

Dusty bid her a good evening, and headed towards his own gear. He had noticed Applejack at the party, and to be honest, he felt an interest towards her as well. Maybe it would be a good idea to pay a visit to Ponyville sometime after all of the fighting was over.

Author's Note

This chapter is for you, Son.

Endgame

The midnight hour quickly approached as the Griffin standing watch monitoring for activity from the Crystal Guard yawned impatiently. She was impatient for her shift to end, hating that she got stuck on this duty when she could be in her rack asleep. A Griffin did not last long when she disobeys orders though, so she sat waiting for the shift to change in a couple hours.

Damn that ignorant captain and his foolish favoritism! This was her second night in a row on watch, and yet the captain’s own sons and daughters, who happen to be perfectly capable Griffins serving in the same company, had yet to serve a single hour of duty in a watch post. Maybe if she hadn’t slapped that one featherbrained fool of a son of his across the beak, she would be warm in her sleeping bag right now.

Looking over towards the post a few hundred yards away to her left, she swore she saw movement. Watching closely, her eyes could just make out the outline of what looked to be a crystal pony in a white ghillie suit. The camouflage was excellent, the Griffin noted, but not good enough to hide from her sharp eyes. Ponies often failed to remember just how sharp a Griffin’s vision normally is.

“Damn fool in the next watch post is probably asleep,” she decided. “I better call him to wake his sorry ass—”

Two ponies camouflaged in white jumped into the foxhole which served as a watch post, quickly checking for anything that they might find useful. There was not much that they could put to use. The arrows in the dead Griffin’s quiver joined the ones that the two ponies had with them, as did a couple of full canteens of water. The bow that the Griffin had would have been useless to the majority of the ponies, for Crystal Ponies lacked horns to use telekinesis, and a Griffin’s bow was made to be held in their talons, and not held mechanically by a harness built into their boots on their forehooves. The Unicorn though could have used it, but he found that he preferred his own bow.

The Unicorn removed his ghillie suit, for it would not be needed for the next phase. Pulling back his hood and removing his goggles, he revealed himself to be none other than Prince Consort Shining Armor, former Captain of Equestria’s Royal Guard, and now, Captain of the Crystal Guard. “Damn fine shot, Sergeant,” he told the Crystal Guard who stood next to him. “I don’t know of anypony else who could take a snap shot like that at eighty yards and score a headshot.”

The Sergeant replied as he removed his own ghillie suit, “She made it too easy, Sir, gawking over to the side like that. Maybe she saw one of the other groups moving into position. At least she won’t be able to report our movements.”

The soft shuffle of hooves behind them told Shining Armor that their radio pony had followed them in. “Got a report for me, Corporal?” he asked.

“Yes Sir. All teams report all watch posts have been silenced successfully, and all units are prepared to advance into position.” he reported.

“Excellent. Have them move into position and report in once they are ready,” he ordered.

Though it was highly unorthodox for a noble to be leading from the front lines as he chose to do, Shining Armor was not your average, everyday noble. Born from a minor noble house, he had his share of dealings with other nobles, including those born to a higher station. He had also spent much of his time among those who were referred to as commoners by the nobles. He found that he much preferred to hang out with the commoners than to be sniffing the flanks of those who spent their time with their own noses stuck far up their own flanks. There were a few nobles who were like him in that manner. Much to the displeasure of most of the rest of the nobles, that included all four of the Alicorn princesses. And one of those four happened to be his wife, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

When the Crystal Empire had returned, it was Shining Armor and Princess Cadence that Princesses Celestia and Luna initially sent to the aid of the newly re-appeared empire. Over a millennia ago, it had been Cadance’s family who had ruled over the Empire, and they had been just and fair rulers, very much loved by their subjects. When the despot King Sombra appeared and took over, the Crystal Queen had been forced to flee with her daughter, and they simply disappeared from history for over a thousand years. Soon after that, Sombra had been defeated by Celestia and Luna, but at the cost of the Crystal Empire being transported outside of this plane of existence.

With the Empire’s return, it was his wife, along with his little brother, Spike, and his sister and her friends who had finally managed to defeat Sombra for good. Now it was the responsibility if him and his wife to rule over the empire, and they did so just as fairly and with the same love that Cadance’s family had done millennia ago.

And now, the Griffin Empire threatened all that. And that was something that Prince Consort Shining Armor, Commanding Officer for all of the Crystal Empire’s military forces, would not allow.

“Captain, all units report in ready to proceed. Waiting on your orders, Sir,” the Corporal told him.

The Captain simply grabbed the headset in his magic, and had the Corporal set the radio to all units. “All units, this is the Captain. Commence the attack.” With that said, he set the headset down, pulled his spear from his gear, and with a mighty bellow, led his Crystal Guards in attacking the Griffin base that had been a Crystal Guard base a couple days ago. The Griffins were about to learn the folly of attacking the Crystal Empire.

Throughout the southern Crystal Empire, the besieged nation began their fight back. The three captured bases surrounding the Crystal City quickly fell to the Crystal Empire’s attack, with the assistance of of hundreds of Crystal Ponies who had been fighting the Griffins guerilla style since the invasion began. Supply trains from Griffica were wiped out and looted. Camps and full bases razed to the frozen ground, and Griffin blood flowed in great quantities. Whenever a Crystal Guard base was recaptured by the ponies, their numbers grew as the ponies held captive quickly joined in to fight, given fresh armor and gear that the Captain had brought to each battle.

And they advanced. Like fire ants, they marched southward, capturing Griffin held cities and bases before they enemy had any chance to respond. The Crystal Empire showed no mercy to the Griffins, for they would have never received such mercy themselves from the Griffin occupational forces.

Ponies died as well in the fighting, but for every pony that died, far more Griffins fell to the blitzkrieg like assault that swept south, and then moved into Griffica itself. Shining armor did not stop this advance until he had reached the Equestrian border, and then he turned his forces east.

Griffica chose to wage war against the Crystal Empire, and Shining Armor obliged them in spades.

Along the central and western sections of the border between Griffica and Equestria, six Equestrian Guard divisions made their attacks on six major Griffin bases within Griffica.

When the signal was given to attack, Changeling infiltrators attacked key Griffin military personnel within the bases and set off explosive charges to further damage the enemy’s ability to fight. At the same time, underneath each base, Diamond Dog sappers detonated charges, collapsing whole barracks and supply buildings into the ground. Above ground, Diamond Dogs armed with crossbows newly built for this purpose took out the Griffin guards posted around the base, as well as other Griffins of opportunity once the guards were killed.

Once the Changelings and Diamond Dogs begin their wreaking complete havoc within the Griffin bases, the 3rd, 7th, 17th, 18th, 20th, and the 21st Equestrian Guard Divisions commenced their attacks on their respective Griffin Bases. Between the chaos and destruction the Changelings and Diamond Dogs had caused, and the swift assault of the Equestrian Guard divisions, the six bases fell to the might of the combined Equestrian forces.

The addition of Diamond Dogs and Changelings to these attacks proved to be decisive for the Equestrian forces. The Diamond Dogs brought down much of the Griffin forces with their sapper charges, and their crossbows made short work of numerous foes from a distance that made firing back nearly impossible. The Equestrian Guard ponies were actually shocked at the ferocity of the Diamond Dogs and Changelings both in these battles. The Equestrian Guard fought hard, as did the Griffin soldiers, but no one, Equestrian or Griffin, had even seen such wanton bloodshed. This was less of a battle, and more of a slaughter.

Still, there was no such thing as a fair fight in warfare, for the side that attempted to be fair in a battle was universally the side that lost. A smart warrior knew that you needed to strike hard and fast, using enough force to overwhelm your opponents. This was exactly what the princesses had wanted.

With those six bases captured, the Equestrian Guard, along with their Diamond Dog and Changeling allies, quickly worked to convert the bases into bases-of-operation for a continued assault deeper into Griffin territory. Equestria would bring in more and more forces, and they would destroy the ability of the Empire to ever make war with Equestria and her allies ever again.

The light of dawn shone over the formation which stood at attention on the parade grounds in Fort Rockwall as they waited for their orders. This formation, a combined reinforced brigade, had one purpose this morning. They were to go in and rescue some very important ponies who were trapped behind enemy lines. They were among the very best troops Equestria could call upon, and they would be certain to get the mission completed swiftly and decisively. Especially with whom it was that would be leading them this morning.

The two regiments that comprised this brigade, the 2nd Royal Guard Regiment, and the 223rd Equestrian Guard Regiment, stood in tight columns and rows next to one another waiting, with their respective commanding officers standing at the forefront.

They did not have to wait long as a lone Night Guard Captain walked up to stand before the two regiments. Coming to attention, the Thestral stallion barked out a single command. “REPORT!”

The two Colonels saluted and reported their forces were all present and ready for orders. The Captain returned their salutes before turning to walk up onto a stage to stand behind a podium. While it was normally highly unorthodox for a pair of Colonels to be saluting a pony of lower rank, in this instance the reason why they did so walked up on the stage. Captain Bloodfang was in charge of Princess Luna’s Night Guard, and as such, was considered to be the direct representative of the Princess of the Night herself. In occasions such as this one, he was considered to be above the Colonels who had just reported to him.

Princess Luna strode up to him wearing her full battle armor. It was quite fitting that she would be wearing this armor, because it was this brigade that she would be leading into battle. When the Thestral Captain delivered his report, Luna returned his salute and then stepped up to the podium as he stepped back and to the side to assume his position as her subordinate

“Warriors of Equestria, I inform you that the rumors that you most certainly have heard, that Equestria has gone to war, are true,” she addressed them through the mic built into the podium, which amplified her voice so that all may hear her. “A couple days ago, while on route to the Griffin capital on a diplomatic mission, the train that Princess Twilight Sparkle was on was attacked, and the princess was captured. At the same time, the Griffin Empire closed their borders with Equestria, and commenced to attack our ally, the Crystal Empire.

“Let it be known that Equestria will not stand by and let them take such actions with impunity. The reason for them taking Princess Twilight as a hostage was so that they may use her as a pawn, to manipulate my sister and I into inaction. While doing so, they brutally murdered all other survivors on that train.

“My warriors, I assure you that the Griffin Emperor has gravely miscalculated.

“My sister and I sent in a rescue platoon to bring Princess Twilight Sparkle, as well as her little brother, the brave young drake, Spike, home to us. Unfortunately, they were discovered, and now are fighting to make it home. It will be our job to get them home!” she declared into the mic, drawing an enthusiastic cheer from the Brigade.

The princess stepped away from the podium to stand before it. She continued her speech, but now without using the microphone. Instead, she used the Royal Canterlot voice to address her warriors. “As of midnight, this morning, six Equestrian Guard divisions, along with new allies, attacked six key enemy bases inside Griffica. These six Guard divisions were our opening attacks in this war that the Griffin Emperor has so foolishly called for. It is with great pleasure that I tell you that each and every attack was a complete success. Also, we are now moving more divisions into Griffica to further the removal of Griffica’s ability to make aggression against us.

“At the same time as those attacks occurred, our allies in the Crystal Empire commenced their own assault on the Griffin occupational forces there. Prince Consort Shining Armor himself is leading his Crystal Guard personally, and he is making certain to show Emperor Ironbeak that Griffica shall rue the day they made the mistake of attacking us and our allies.

“Our job, my warrior ponies, will be to fly into Griffica to rescue the trapped platoon and Princess Twilight from the talons of evil! Those ponies have undertaken a task against great odds, and now, they need our help. They face a force much greater than them, searching the Griffin countryside for them, and some have been wounded, and even killed, fighting to keep the princess safe. We will NOT leave them to the clutches of those forces that would cause them harm. We will NOT allow them to have those brave mares and stallions who are fighting to bring two of our own home to us. We WILL rescue them!” she exclaimed as she lit her horn. The energy quickly built, and electric blue flames encircled Princess Luna as she stood there. In an instant, with a burst of light, Princess Luna has changed. Gone was her coat of navy blue. She stood tall and proud as a true warrior. Many would have hid in terror, for she now wore her true, full power form. The same form that everypony knew as Nightmare Moon. But this was different. She was not here to bring eternal night to Equestria, but instead was to lead her fellow warriors into battle, and she was no longer holding back. The familiar, slightly shorter form she had been wearing for these past years was just a remnant of her weakened state, caused when she had been purged by the Elements of Harmony.

“MY WARRIORS!” she called out in the Royal Canterlot Voice. “TODAY, WE SHALL GO INTO BATTLE, AND WE SHALL NOT BE DEFEATED. TODAY, MY WARRIORS, WE SHALL TEACH THE GRIFFINS WHAT IT MEANS TO TAKE ON EQUESTRIA! TODAY, WE SHALL BRING UPON GRIFFICA A NIGHTMARE LIKE NONE THAT THEY HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!” she declared, as the brigade cheered loudly. “THERE IS BUT ONE OUTCOME FOR US ON THIS DAY, AND THAT OUTCOME IS VICTORY! TO YOUR CHARIOTS, MY MIGHTY WARRIORS OF EQUESTRIA. OUR ENEMY AWAITS US, AND WE ARE THIRSTY FOR THEIR BLOOD!” she ordered, sending them to their rides. She joined them at the head of the formation with her entire Night Guard at her side. With her command, they took off, and flew towards the border.

The whole brigade took only a few minutes to reach the border. Just past the border, they ran into their first opposition. Two Griffin platoons were positioned watch for any more invading Equestrian forces. The brigade barely slowed as they ground the Griffins to pieces as they went buy. The only surviving Griffins were the few who, shocked at the size of the Equestrian forces, did not take flight to attempt to oppose them. One messenger Griffin was able to get off a message to the Griffin base north of the attack site, but the message would be too late. The Griffins just did not have the resources gathered to stop Luna and her warrior ponies as they carried out their mission.

Fifteen miles inside Griffica, the brigade split apart. The 223rd Equestrian Guard Regiment split, with 1st Battalion heading due north directly to the site where the train was attacked. They would secure the site, killing any and all Griffins in the area so they could set up a base of operations for the Brigade. 2nd Battalion would travel north by northwest, where they would eventually turn southwest and approach the haggard Equestrian platoon to catch any attacking forces from the flank, as Luna lead the 2nd Royal Guard Regiment in from the southeast. Unless the Griffins had a full division or better on the ground at the target location, their enemy stood no chance against the brigade size force.

The Sergeant in charge of the Griffin patrol discovered the Equestrian platoon camped in a hidden valley just inside their patrol area a little before dawn. Watching from a well concealed position, he determined that the enemy was for the most part asleep, but was still too large a force for his squad size patrol to attack.

Gathering his fellow Griffins, they made their way swiftly back to their own platoon just a couple miles behind them. While a lone squad would have been killed off quickly, a Griffin platoon would make short work of the camp, especially if they were attacked before they woke.

Flash Sentry dreamed. He dreamed of being back home in Canterlot. He dreamed of a milkshake. Slowly, the delicious milkshake faded as his mind woke his body. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was not at home, but in the chilly forest valley they had camped in last night. “Vanilla milkshake…” he groggily asked himself. “Does that mean anything?” Looking around, he sees that Princess Twilight was sleeping, though her movements and murmurs in her sleep told him that her dream was not a pleasant one. Spike slept much more soundly next to his big sister, curled up around her head in a protective manner.

It appeared that the last watch was waking those who had not woken up on their own. A few feet away, Dancing Dead was curled up next to his newly wedded wife as one of the watch ponies shook him awake. A little further away, the Major was being woken up by the First Sergeant. The camp would soon be moving, and they would soon be picked up by Princess Luna for their ride home.

Getting up to take care of morning business, he was startled full awake by the sudden berserker Griffin battle cries that were immediately followed by the screams of ponies dying. Instantly, the platoon was awake and grabbing weapons, but for many, it was too late. They had been spotted by a Griffin platoon, and they had attacked while the watch was waking everypony up. There had been no time for any warning, and now they were paying for that with their lives.

Dusty immediately ordered everypony to fall back into a defensive position, but the Griffin attack was so relentless, they were nearly overrun. The best that they could manage was a fighting retreat, but that was proving to be a losing battle.

Sunny Hearts and Healing Touch immediately went to either end of the stretcher. Not trained to fight, they did the best thing they could do by grabbing the princess’ litter and heading towards the mouth of the valley that the First Sergeant had pointed them towards. Flash and Dead were both tasked to guard the Princess’ retreat as the platoon covered them fighting off the Griffin Platoon.

They had just made the mouth of the valley, and were about halfway through a small clearing when Flash stumbled. The sound of a snapping bone combined with the sudden intense pain that shot up his hind leg told him what had happened, and he now knew that he would not be enjoying that vanilla milkshake when he got home.

“Get the fuck up and move it, Flash!” yelled Dead as he tried to help the injured Pegasus up. “We’ve got to get the princess out of here, dammit!”

Flash made another attempt at getting up to run, but the leg would not support him. He collapsed as the pain ripped his breath from his throat. When he looks down to his leg, instead of a nice, healthy looking hind leg, he saw the jagged edge of white bone smeared with blood. More blood poured from the wound as he watched. His stomach twisted in his gut at the sight of it.

“What the friggin’ hell? What's wrong?” demanded the Major as he ran up with what remained of the platoon. The Griffins had decimated them as they attempted a fighting retreat. “First Sergeant, help Corporal Sentry! His leg’s broke!” He had no intentions of losing any more of his ponies to the Griffins. They had managed to temporarily beat the Griffins back, knocking them down to just two squads, but doing so had cost them dearly, and the Griffins were only reforming for another attack.

Flash could see that their numbers were just too few, and the Griffins too many. Most of the ponies in the platoon that still lived were wounded in some way or another, and were in decidedly poor shape to fight. They needed to get the hell away now, but he could see the Griffins now coming through the trees to resume their attack. The only chance they had of the princess surviving this was to stop these Griffins so that the surviving guards could get away.

His decision made, Flash grabbed ahold of Shaped Charge as the demolitions stallion was running past. “Quickly, I need your claymares. Rig them to all go on one detonator, and strap them top my wings so I can throw them,” the Pegasus instructed the Unicorn. When he was given an incredulous look from the half panicked Unicorn, Flash hurriedly told him, “The damn Griffins will swamp you guys. Give me the mines and I’ll stop them.”

“What the fuck, dude? Shut that shit and let’s go, Flash!” Dead yelled, only to be pushed back by the First Sergeant, who instructed him to get the princess to safety. “Fuck that! We ain’t leaving him!”

“Get your sorry hide MOVING, Corporal! That is an ORDER! We only get to die once, son. Let’s make sure that his is a good death,” Silver told him, forcing him to continue on towards safety.

“Corporal, you don’t have to—“ Dusty tried to tell Flash as the demolitions pony strapped as many of the claymare mines to Flash as he could. Flash just held up a hoof as he said to his commanding officer, “Get Twilight home safe, Sir. Just get her and Spike home.”

Dusty and Flash share a final look, a measure of shared respect that few have ever experienced. Dusty silently nodded his head, and followed his troops as they fled the quickly approaching Griffin attackers. It ripped him apart inside leaving one lone pony behind to stop their enemy from reaching them, but above all else, the princess was his one and only priority now. If need be, he would sacrifice his whole unit, as long as that meant that Princess Twilight and her little brother would make it home safe.

The Griffins wanted blood. Pony blood. They wanted it as payback for Major Bloodclaw and his special forces unit that the Equestrians had slaughtered. They wanted it for the platoon of Griffins killed yesterday morning by the same enemy unit. Lastly, they wanted their blood for their brothers and sisters killed just moments earlier. They had never before seen ponies fight so fiercely, and they had lost nearly half their numbers trying to destroy the Royal Guard platoon that had invaded their land.

Once they cleared the trees and entered the small clearing, they caught sight of the fleeing remains of the enemy formation ahead of them on the other side of the clearing. As one, they all took flight to quickly close the gap. They got nearly halfway through the clearing when a lone Pegasus stood up in front of them. The Pegasus, orange with a brilliant blue mane, reared up on his one good hind leg, and snapped his wings outward. They immediately recognized the objects that flew off his wings into the air around them, as well as what he had attached to his left hoof, but it was simply too late for them to do anything about it.

With a final defiant battle cry of, “FOR EQUESTRIA!,” Corporal Flash Sentry of the Royal Guard slammed his hood down on the detonator.

Within the detonator was a small crystal that was crushed by the button being slammed down upon it. This crystal was paired up with the detonator crystals inside the claymare mines that were in the air all around the Corporal and the attacking Griffins. Those crystals detonated, setting off explosive charges. Surrounding the ten explosive charges were thousands of small steel balls. When the mines exploded, those thousands of steel balls tore through everything nearby, turning living, breathing Griffins into pulpy, red masses.

Two of the Griffins managed to escape the storm of steel that scythed through their comrades like a farmer’s blade through rows of wheat. They were wounded, but would survive to report in the contact. Soon, a whole Griffin battalion would be hunting the damn ponies to the ground, and they would know the price to be paid for invading Griffica. The two survivors flew off to deliver their report.

It took nearly an hour, but Dusty and the remaining Royal Guards made it to the river valley where they were to be retrieved from. The opposite side of the river from them had tall wooded hills right up to the river bank, but on this side, they had a clearing that was a good thousand yards long, and about two hundred yards wide. A small copse of trees stood along the river bank, and this is where they finally stopped to wait. Their rescuers should be here at any moment, and it looked that they would finally make it home.

Still, their situation looked bleak. Over half of them were wounded to some degree, a few seriously. Forty-one ponies had come into Griffica to rescue Princess Twilight and Spike. Now, their numbers totals sixteen in all, and that was including the princess and her little brother. Of the five Wonderbolts that came in, three had been lost during the fighting retreat. Only Spitfire and Soarin remained. So many others as well had been lost, their bodies back where they had camped the last night. His two medics had managed to survive, and were now tending to the wounded, treating them with what little supplies they had. Two of the wounded were in bad enough shape that they could no longer fight. They were now down to ten warriors to hold off an unknown number of enemy until their help finally got there.

Their ability to fight had been reduced to the point where any enemy unit larger than a squad would wipe them out to the last. They were now dangerously low on arrows, and only had a few of the explosive tipped ones. They were also without any more claymare mines. Corporal Sentry had used the last of them when he gave them their chance to escape. Once the ran out of their projectile weapons, they would be reduced to hoofblades and spears.

This could end up being their last stand. If it were to be so, it would be their graves.

“Sir, we got trouble,” First Sergeant Silverwing informed him, intruding on his darkening thoughts. “They just crested the hill, Sir. Squad size formation of Griffins,” Silver told him, point to the hill a couple hundred yards away.

“Get everypony undercover within the trees. Our first volley will be the last of our grenade arrows. After that, we’ll cut them down with broadheads,” Dusty instructed. “Nopony is to fire until I give the signal. We need to make every arrow count.”

When Silver went to carry out his orders, Dusty hurried to find Soarin. Of the few remaining Pegasi he had, Soarin was his strongest flyer. It looked distinctly like things were about to go teats up and if push came to shove, the princess’ only chance would be for somepony to get her away, flying towards where they expect Princess Luna to be coming from. He quickly found the Wonderbolt Lieutenant, and gave him his instructions. “Soarin, everything’s about to go south on us. I need you to get the princess on your back, and if it looks like we’re going to be overrun, I need you to fly her south towards Princess Luna. No matter what, she needs to make it home alive. I’m going to detail Spitfire to go with you to watch your six. It will be up to you two to keep her alive. Take this,” he instructed, giving Soarin the locator beacon. With the beacon going with the Twilight, Princess Luna would be certain to find them.

Soarin nodded his understanding, knowing that if he were to do this, he would be leaving one of his closest friends to die. Yet he knew the importance Princess Twilight’s survival was to Equestria. It would cripple the morale of the nation if she were to be killed. More so, her loss would be a crippling blow to the leaders of not just Equestria, but to their closest ally, the Crystal Empire. Looking into the eyes of his brother-in-arms, Soarin locked hooves with him as they shared this moment between two warriors. “Good hunting, my friend,” was all he said, before he headed to grab Spitfire so they may carry out their tasks.

Dusty made his way back to the First Sergeant. Silverwing had completed his tasks and was now watching the Griffin Squad from his hidden spot in the trees. “What do you see, Sarge?” he asked.

“It ain’t good, Sir. The Griffins stopped at the base of the hill, a moment ago, and sent one flying back over the hill. Seems that they know we’re in the valley, and just sent for reinforcements.” Silver shook his head, knowing what the likely outcome would be for them this morning. Of that, he could accept. The failure of their mission was something he would even accept with bitter resentment, but he had been in this business long enough that not all missions would be successful. The fact that he would most likely not see Tavi again hurt, but the two of them understood that it was part of the life of being a warrior, that he might die in the field away from the mare he still cared for. She would understand.

The one thing that hurt the most, that he deeply regretted, was that his daughter would likely die beside him. Deep down, he had feared that something like this could happen, and he had not wanted his daughter to be trapped here with him. He would have given anything for his little filly to be able to have a family of her own someday, and maybe give her mother the grandfoals she deserved.

“I’ve tasked Soarin to carry the princess out, if it looks like we won’t make it, Sarge. And I have Spitfire going with them, to provide cover for them. All we got to do is keep the Griffins off of them so they can reach Princess Luna,” Dusty told the stallion next to him. That was Dusty’s final gift to the Sergeant who has been the most loyal and trustworthy second-in-command that any commanding officer could ask for. Silver was a damn good Royal Guard, and one of the finest stallions he has had the honor to serve with.

Hearing those words, Silver felt a great weight lift from his heart. Knowing that his daughter would live, he no longer felt any regrets. His life had been good, even after losing his left wing in that training accident all those years ago. Even after the failure of his own marriage, he could tally up the score for his life, and honestly say that he was satisfied. Silently, he said a prayer of thanks to Faust for the one gift that, as a father, he could ask for.

“They’re moving. Slow flight towards us. We’ll wait until they get within thirty five yards, and then we’ll cut that squad to pieces,” Dusty told the First Sergeant. He watched as the Griffins advanced towards their position. In moments they were within a hundred yards, and then seventy-five. Then the Griffin formation landed about fifty yards out from them. The Griffins should have charged them by now. They had to know just where they were. What were they doing?

Dusty received his answer when the whole squad of Griffins threw what looked like hoof sized balls towards them. And then threw another volley of the same objects. Grenades. Talon thrown explosive balls They had a fuse inside them that was lit when the Griffin pulled the pin from it. They were not a weapon a pony used, due to an inability to throw one to any great effect. The Griffins did not often use them either, because they preferred to just close in and fight talon to hoof. This realization at what the Griffins were doing sent a chill down his spine, and he raised his bow, yelling a command to fire as the Griffins were throwing a third volley towards them.

A little in further, Soarin lay on his stomach prepared to rise and fly the princess that rested on his back out of the fight if it became necessary. Spitfire was close by, waiting to take off with him to watch his back as they made their escape. It did not sit well with either of the two Wonderbolts to be leaving the Royal Guard squad that remained, but they had their mission to complete, and that is what they would do.

When the grenades started landing around him, Soarin made a snap decision. As explosions all around them peppered them with flying chunks of dirt and shrapnel, Soarin lept to his hooves. “We gotta go NOW!” he to screamed to Spitfire over the sounds of the detonating balls landing all around the squad. He was about to take off when one landed right in front of him.

The blast knocked every bit of sense out of him as he turned to shield the precious cargo he carried from the deadly flying fragments. the force of the blast knocked him backwards as he was turning, and when he landed, he felt a sharp jolt of pain, similar to being punched, under his left side.

The grenade he landed on exploded directly under him. His battle gear saved him from an instant death, absorbing most of the blast and fragments which would have obliterated his ribs and the organs they protected. The blast propelled him upwards where he landed a couple yards away on his other side, bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth, as well as from the jagged stump that remained where his left wing used to be.

Twilight fared little better. Her left foreleg had been trapped underneath the Pegasus stallion, and when it had detonated, the explosion had effectively erased her lower foreleg from her body. She lay there in shock, not feeling any pain as her vision slowly started to fade. She heard Corporal Healing Touch rush up to her, but it sounded like everything was underwater, and just as slow. The last thing she remembered was dimly watching the medic grabbing ahold of the remains of her foreleg and start wrapping the bleeding stump, then she faded away.

Spike witnessed all of this in utter shock. He barely registered hearing Spitfire scream out the stallion’s name as the grenade had gone off underneath him and his sister, and could only watch in numb shock as the two medics rushed to the aid of the two critically injured ponies. There was nothing in his short life that could have prepared him for the horrors he was now forced to bare witness to.

He saw the grenade land, and saw it roll next to his sister’s head. He simply reacted. Jumping from his spot where he had been watching in stunned silence the carnage all around him, he leapt over Twilight and the Unicorn tending to her wounds. Picking up the grenade with his left arm, he runs a few steps and throws, just as Healing touch ducked down to shield his patient.

The grenade had just left Spike’s claw when it exploded just inches away from the limb. The grenade fragments and blast turned his lower arm into a cloud of blood and meaty fragments of bone and tissue. The blast and fragments spread out, and the left side of Spike’s face was shredded by the shrapnel, and the force of the blast slammed him bodily to the ground where he lay unmoving. But his actions saved Twilight and Corporal Touch from what would have been a fatal explosion next to them.

As the very last of the grenades were exploding around them, Dusty and his troops launched their remaining arrows. Their grenade tipped arrows had taken out about half of the Griffins, and now the enemy was charging to close the distance to force a talon to hoof fight. Only one Griffin survived the last of the arrows, and he let out a screech from Tartarus as he leapt in to tear the ponies to shreds with his talons. It was Private Tent that met him, matching the talons with his own hoof blades, screaming out an incoherent cry of rage.

The Griffin was a battle hardened veteran, very skilled in fighting, but the Mare of Luck favored Tent, and the Griffin went down as the young stallion thrust his hoof blades up under the Griffin’s chin.

The battle had only just begun, though. Over the rise across the valley, a large formation of Griffins appeared. This was it. It was no patrol, or even a platoon this time. It was a Griffin battalion coming down upon them. Nearly five hundred Griffins, all fresh and eager for their blood.

First Sergeant Silverwing simply extended his hoof blades, and pulled out his spear, which he set in his wing for him to carry. “Mares and gentlecolts, prepare to defend yourselves!”

Author's Note

R.I.P. Corporal Flash Sentry

July 9, 975 AB - October 28, 05 LR

The Last Stand

Princess Luna’s brigade made swift progress towards the location the beacon indicated Twilight was currently at. So far, they had encountered only minimal resistance from Griffin forces, and what resistance they did come across, they blew right through without slowing. There was something to be said for using a large enough force that completely and totally overwhelmed the opposition.

She allowed herself to start feeling a sense of relief. She was just minutes away from reaching her fellow princess and the ponies who valiantly struggled to get her home safe against impossible odds. It was even possible that there would be no enemies near the hunted platoon, and even as prepared she was to slaughter every single Griffin for miles around to protect the one who has grown as close to her as her own sister, not having to fight a battle meant that less of her ponies had to die today.

“Princess Luna, First Battalion reports that they are currently on route, and have met minimal resistance. They anticipate arriving at the train within twenty minutes. Second Battalion reports minimal resistance, and should arrive at the beacon’s location at approximately the same time as we do,” reported the dull gray unarmored Pegasus flying next to her. The Pegasus was not a part of any Equestrian military unit, but was instead a Changeling assigned to her to help coordinate the operation. Though most of the ponies in the Royal an Equestrian Guards held a heavy mistrust towards these new allies, if the princesses trusted them, then they would as well. Communicating through what they referred to as the hivemind, one Changeling could instantly receive a message to pass along to the commanding officer of the unit that it was attached to. Reports from the strikes earlier in the morning have shown this to be very useful, and helped secure swift and decisive victories at each captured Griffin base.

“Thank you, Swifteye. Please inform them to continue on as planned,” Luna instructed.

She was checking the beacon compass that they had paired to the beacon sent to Major Spearhead, to get an idea of how close they were. The faster the flashing arrow blinked, the closer they were. A cold numbness washed over her like an illness when the arrow suddenly went dark. There could only be one reason for that. The arrow would go dark only if the beacon itself was destroyed, and the only way that could happen…

“FASTER, MY PONIES! WE MUST GET THERE NOW!” she bellowed as panic gripped her heart. So damn close, and now they were about to lose her!

As one, the formation of Pegasi and Pegasus pulled chariots surged forward, everypony preparing for the fight they knew was to come. As they surged ahead, Swifteye telepathically passed along the order for maximum speed to Second Battalion, that they too would hopefully get there in time.

Eight ponies of Equestria’s Royal Guard stood before the advance of the Griffin battalion. Five hundred seasoned fighters bore down upon them, all armed with bows and daggers. This was on top of their razor sharp talons and beaks, which could tear through flesh just as easily as a blade or broadhead. The Griffins knew it was over for the Equestrian platoon they had been searching for, and they walked down the side of the hill into the valley, confident and prideful. There was no rush to them. Only an assured pace as they held their formations as they crested the hill and advanced into the valley proper. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, the battalion spread out. They formation formed up three companies across, with smaller divisions for the individual platoons within each company. With a signal from their Colonel, they marched forward once again.

The mares and stallions under Dusty’s command were the finest warriors he had ever known. Following the lead of the First Sergeant, everypony clicked their hoof blades open and grabbed a spear. The Unicorns held theirs in their magic, the Pegasi had theirs tucked into a wing, and the Earth Ponies tucked it into their armor with the points forward towards the enemy. If they were to dine in Tartarus this evening, then they would show up to the table as the family they were, and they would show up covered in the blood of their enemies.

Under a minute now, and then the Griffins would be right on top of them. But Royal Guard do not stand still and wait to be slaughtered like cattle the Griffins mistakenly thought of them as. The Royal Guard would fight to the last. From Corporal Dancing Dead came forth their battle cry. “FOR EQUESTRIA!!!” And they charged forward to meet their fate as lions, and not sheep.

Lieutenant Soarin lay on his back as Sergeant Sunny Hearts fought to save his life. While the combat gear he wore protected his internal organs from the worst of the damage that would have occurred when the grenade had exploded, he still had his left wing blown off, as well as all the ribs on that side having been broken by the concussive force that had gotten past the body armor. She had torn open the armor to allow her better access to treat his wounds, which she had done, and now, it allowed her to do chest compressions on the fallen stallion.

The Wonderbolt was neither breathing or had a pulse, and if they were unable to get his heart started again, and do so soon, then they would lose him. Sunny had seen enough death. More than anything else right now, she wanted this pony to live.

Spitfire sat next to her best friend and former husband screaming out her rage and sorrow, her tears and desperate sobs a faint shadow of the empty loss and grief that filled her heart. Cradling his head in her hooves, she begged him not to leave her, that she wanted him back in her life. “Don’t you dare leave me, Soarin!” she cried.

Sunny kept pushing down on his chest, praying to Faust that she could get him back. The chest compressions were not as effective as they would normally be, with one whole side of his ribcage busted and broken. Not only did she need to get his heart pumping again, but she also needed to make certain oxygen got to the blood stream. Somepony needed to breathe for him. “Spitfire!” she yelled, trying to get the mare’s attention. When the sobbing mare did not respond to her, she called out again. “Spitfire! I need you to listen to me!” Once the mare finally turned her head towards the busy medic, Sunny instructed her, “I need you to breathe for Soarin. I can pump the blood, but he needs oxygen as well. Can you do that for me?” Sunny requested from her.

As a Wonderbolt, Spitfire was trained in emergency field first aid, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly known as CPR. When signaled by Sunny to do so, Spitfire clamped Soarin’s mouth shut between her hooves, and breathed out into his nose, delivering the oxygen he so desperately needed into his lungs. After every eight chest compressions, Spitfire would breathe into Soarin’s nose. Though his heart had yet to restart, and he was not breathing on his own, if they could just keep his brain alive, there was a chance that they might save him.

A few yards away, Healing Touch was tending to Spike. Having stabilized the princess and bandaged her amputated leg, Touch needed to stabilize the gravely wounded young drake who moments ago had just saved his life, as well as the life of the princess. But that saving the two of them had come at a great cost for the young dragon.

The arm was now a stump, ending at the elbow. The grenade had exploded just as it was leaving Spike’s hand, and now, there was just a gory mess with a few bone fragments sticking out just below his left elbow. Spike might have only lost his left claw had his arm not been broken, but even a Dragon’s body can be broken, especially if already wounded. There was more than that, though. The left side of Spike’s face had been heavily peppered by the high speed fragments from the small bomb, to the point where it was hard to recognize him from that side. Worst off, his eye had been shredded leaving a bloody mess inside the orbital socket. The condition of his face would matter little if Touch was not able to stop the bleeding from the ruined arm. Unfortunately, the Unicorn was not familiar with Dragon physiology, and did not know the important pressure point locations to control bleeding in a situation such as this.

Things for the young hero did not look promising.

Corporal Touch was distracted from his patient by the sudden battle cry from Dancing Dead. Looking up, he saw that they were charging ahead, and when he followed the direction the squad was running, what he saw left him feeling cold inside. Princess Luna had not gotten to them in time. They were going to die right here next to this river miles away from home.

Healing Touch shook the dark thoughts from his head. If he was to die, he was bound and determined that his last actions would be to be attempting to save another life.

When the lone squad of Royal Guard charged the Griffin Battalion, the Griffins as a whole reciprocated the gesture, and surged ahead as well. It was a rushing tidal wave of death that was now coming down upon the ponies at speed, and it would be only a dozen or so seconds before they would completely swallow the brave Equestrians.

The Griffin front ranks suddenly found themselves peppered from above as a flight of chariots flew over them, coming in from their left flank, the ponies inside dropping small loads of small bombs upon their heads. While the bombs may have been no bigger than a Griffin grenade, when dropped in large quantities, they would be devastating against a larger formation of enemy troops.

A second flight flew over, and more bombs were dropped, the safety pins pulled from them as they fell. Exploding on impact with the ground or the light armor of a Griffin soldier, they caused the Griffin advance to immediately stall. They were further slowed by a sudden mass of arrows that flew in from in front of them, both broadheads and grenade arrows. So focused they had been on their prey, when the first bombs dropped on them, they completely failed to notice another, even larger force that was coming in from in front of them as well as their left side.

It was a whole Equestrian regiment which the Griffin battalion now faced. With the odds suddenly reversed, the Griffin attackers broke off, turning to retreat. Their escape would not be allowed though as a final flight of Equestrian chariots with their bombs flew over, and dropped more devastation directly in their path towards safety. As the bombs landed, The Equestrian Guard battalion landed, cutting off any retreat. Behind them, between them and the ponies they had been hunting, landed the the 2nd Regiment of the Royal Guards.

Now surrounded, the Griffin battalion lost any sense of discipline as a military unit and panicked. Many tried to escape, following the instinct to fly away from the certainty of death, but arrows and Unicorn attack spells cut many down, and Pegasi engaged those who the archers and Unicorns on the ground missed. Those who stayed on the ground were quickly swamped by ground forces that greatly outnumbered them. No quarter was to be given, and the battle lasted only a few minutes as the enraged ponies wiped out their enemy, leaving the field strewn with bodies and soaked in blood.

As her brigade engaged the Griffin forces, Princess Luna landed just outside the copse of trees where she had spotted Twilight from the air. Several ambulance chariots landed along with her, and medical teams rushed out to tend to the injured. The first team got to the stricken princess, and after a quick assessment, started prepping her to be immediately flown out, only moving aside long enough for Princess Luna to lower her horn to the inhibitor ring on Twilight’s horn. Applying the proper unlocking spell, the explosive charge in the ring was disabled, and she then telekinetically removed the set screws and lifted it from Twilight’s horn. Twilight Sparkle was their number one priority, and a whole platoon of Pegasi would be flying escort to ensure that she got to Fort Rockwall safely.

With that out of the way, knowing that the medical team with Twilight had that situation in hoof, Princess Luna turned to check on Spike. She was shocked to see the wounds that the brave drake had received, and quickly stepped back to allow Spike’s personal doctor, Sekhmet, to tend to him. Very few doctors in Equestria knew much about Dragon physiology, but she was from Saddle Arabia, and had a passion for dragons and dragon health. If there was any being who could save him, it was the mare who had treated him ever since he had been hatched.

Luna looked over to where Soarin lay. A third team had took over for the platoon’s medical Sergeant who had been busy trying to save him. They had a respirator mask on his face now, and had now had him on a stretcher, with a pony now continuing the chest compressions. He would fly out at the same time as Twilight, Luna decided, as well as Spike. These three were in critical condition, and Luna was determined that they all shall live and recover.

Calling a Lieutenant over, she told her, “Get a team over to Major Spearhead, and assess their wounds. I wish for them to be ready soon to be flown back to Fort Rockwall. They have done their duty, and they need to rest and heal. And medivac the wounded from the brigade to Rockwell as well.”

“As you command, Your Highness,” was her reply, before rushing off to do as instructed.

As the medical teams took care of the wounded, she gathered together the body retrieval teams. It would be their job to make certain that all of the fallen ponies from Major Spearhead’s command were found and returned home. The bodies of those killed during the train attack, as well as the ponies who were originally supposed to fly the team and the bodies from the train home, were already being prepared for transport according to Swifteye’s report to her.

Sadly, in the months to come, there would be many more ponies who shall be brought home to rest. But that was the nature of war, and if Equestria had to go to war, it would be important that they made it as quick and decisive a war as possible. That would help keep losses to a minimum hopefully, preventing a long, drawn out war that would become rather unpopular. Already, word had been leaked of the Griffin’s aggressions against Equestria and her ally, the Crystal Empire, and ponies were starting to demand that there be action. It was expected that Celestia’s announcement would be well received when she told the nation of Equestria’s response to the violent acts committed against them.

Such musings only distracted her from the task at hoof. When the teams had gathered, she gave them their instructions. Nopony was to be left behind. Every single one was to be found, and returned to Equestria with full honors.

“Excuse me, Your Highness, may I have a word with you?” Major Spearhead respectfully asked. When she nodded her assent, Dusty continued, “I wish to request that First Sergeant Silverwing and I would be allowed to go with the retrieval teams looking for my lost platoon members, Princess. As their commanding officer, they were my responsibility, Your Highness I feel I should be there recovering them,” he said to her with due respect.

“What of your surviving troops, Major? I imagine that you would prefer to be with them,” Luna mentioned to the Major. But she also understand why the officer would have need to look after those who had fallen while under his command. Major Spearhead was of a rare breed. He cared so much for his troops, that he would place his own comforts aside to ensure that things were done right for his Guards. This pony understood what honor was about, and what it meant to lead, and not just command.

“Your Highness, I have already asked Corporal Dead to make certain that the troops get situated and cared for once they have made it back. He’ll make an excellent First Sergeant for some young Lieutenant or Captain someday, and I trust him to make certain everything is taken care of,” he said.

The princess could only nod in agreement. The Major had the right to make this request, as it was his troops who had paid the ultimate price in the field today. “Just make sure that Staff Sergeant Dead takes time to take care of himself, Major. As you said, he will make a fine leader of troops someday, and a good leader has to take care of himself if he is to be able to take care of others.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Dusty said, bowing out of the respect that royalty of her caliber was due. “And I shall pass your words, and his promotion, along to him.”

The nighttime sky should not be under his hooves, as well as above his head. And never had he seen it with such stunning and brilliant clarity. The stars and nebulae looked so crisp, it was almost as if they were right before his very eyes. It felt to him as if he was floating at the very center of the universe. Eventually, he felt himself settle, and soon he could feel something unknown under his hooves. It felt sort of like walking on a cloud, to be honest. It was not unpleasant at all. In fact, Soarin had never felt more relaxed and calm in his life. Soon, it began to appear that he was walking along a path, but one made from stars.

As he walked, he could just make out what could only be described as music, but of a nature never before heard by pony ears. It was the most beautiful sounding music that he had ever heard, way beyond anything that he could imagine. There was an ethereal sound to it all, including what he thought must be voices singing. It seemed to be in a language that nopony spoke, but in his soul, he was able to understand it as if it were his own tongue speaking it. It called to him, beckoning him home. It promised a forever of peaceful tranquility, surrounded by everypony that he loved and considered his family and friends. It promised him things that there was no way he could conceive of them, and yet, he knew inside his soul, that the promises were true.

He wanted it. He wanted to be home. He wanted this eternity of happiness that was being promised to him. He walked further on, drawn in by the song.

Something twinged in the back of his head, a memory.

He was seven in the memory, sitting in church with his parents, along with his newborn brother, whom his mother had cradled in her forelegs. The preacher was speaking, and he was talking about a journey of a prophet that Soarin could not remember the name of. In this journey, the prophet was traversing his way into the afterlife, and he was walking alongside the Goddess, Faust.

“Wait, did I die? Is this the afterlife?” he asked himself in a whispered tone. He felt that he should be panicking right now, but for some reason, there was no such feeling. He thought for a moment, and memories came back to him. He remembered the grenades falling all around him and exploding. He remembered jumping up to fly Princess Twilight away from the fight. He remembered a grenade had landed right in front of him, and he was turning to protect the princess who was on his back. He remembered the jarring blast that seemed to knock his senses out of him. And he remembered landing on something, then a crushing blast that launched him into the air.

And then he was here.

He should be in immense pain, from what he had gone through and the injuries received, but there was no pain. Not from the injuries he had received in the fight, nor from the various strains and scrapes from earlier. Nor was he feeling in any way tired, which he should have been feeling. Heck, he should have been exhausted enough to sleep for a month, but instead, he found himself feeling refreshed. Rejuvenated even.

“To answer your first question, Soarin, yes, you’re dead right now.”

Soarin towards the sound of the voice. It was a voice that he had become somewhat familiar with, having heard it a few times before in the past. The voice carried a shy intelligence to it, as well as a subtle confidence. But hearing that voice meant that they had failed, that HE had failed to protect the one pony he had been charged to protect. For the first time, he felt a twinge of regret. “Princess? If you’re here, that means that you died as well? And what of the Dusty and Silver? Spike? Spitfire…”

“They all live, as do I.”

The stallion felt relief wash over him knowing that Spitfire had survived. She would grieve, yes, but she would also be able to find happiness someday, something which he had failed at when living. After the relief came the question, “If you’re alive how…” he asked.

“I should explain,” Twilight said to him. “Walk with me, please.”

They walked down the path of stars at a gentle stroll. As they walked, Soarin could make out scenes which began to appear around him. The scenes that he saw he recognized immediately, for he had lived each and every one. It is said that when a pony nearly dies, they sometimes will see their life flash before their eyes. This is what Soarin saw. His own life, played out scene by scene.

“To answer the second question, this is not the afterlife. This is the place in between life and what comes after. All who die pass through here, just as you are right now. At the end of this walk, you find Elysium,” she explained. “Welcome to the Crossroads, Lieutenant.

“As to how I am here, and yet still alive, the Crossroads is also where Ascension into becoming an Alicorn happens. Do you know what is required for a pony to become an Alicorn?” she asked him. When he only shook his head, she continued with her lesson. “For a pony to be able to undergo Ascension, they have to have a sufficiently powerful wellspring. You know how wellspring ranking goes; it measures the magic within a pony. The more magic within, the higher the rank. The highest ranked ponies are ranked Alpha Plus. They are extremely rare. I was one, and I know three others personally: Rainbow Dash, Big MacIntosh Apple, and a mare named Starlight Glimmer. At any one time, there may be only ten alive who rank that high.

“Also, it does not matter whether it is a Unicorn, Pegasus or an Earth Pony. Any of the three tribes can ascend. But to get there has other requirements. The pony has to die, and not just dying is enough. The body has to be completely destroyed in the process. Also, at the time of the body’s destruction, the pony’s wellspring must receive a huge boost in thaumatic energy. That is what happened to me when I completed Starswirl’s last spell. It triggered the Elements of Harmony, and they killed me. Afterwards, if the pony does not pass through the Crossroads into Elysium, then they return to Equis as an Alicorn.” Twilight looked over to the Lieutenant walking next to her. “So, any questions?” she asks.

“Yeah, if you’re alive, how are you here, Your Highness?”

Twilight gave Soarin a sheepish grin. “Oops… kind of forgot that detail. Alicorns are the only ponies who have the ability to enter the Crossroads and navigate it by their own free will. As a matter of fact, it was Celestia who met me here when I ascended, as she was there for Princess Cadenza when she ascended. When a pony undergoing Alicorn Ascension enters the Crossroads, every Alicorn feels it, and traditionally, one of us will enter to help the pony along the way.”

Soarin simply nodded in understanding. The princess was here to serve as his guide. But he was only a low Alpha on the wellspring scale, and also, as far as he could remember, he had not been completely obliterated, nor had he been hit with an incredibly huge burst of magic. He was definitely not going to become royalty through reappearing with a horn. That left just one possibility in his mind. “You’re here to guide me into Elysium, Princess?”

“Actually, that’s not the case here,” she replied. Twilight paused as she thought about how to best explain why she was here in the Crossroads with the Pegasus stallion. She could not take forever, though, because time was of the essence, and the longer it took, the closer it came to being too late. She went with what she new, and did her best to explain. “Normally, when a pony dies, they cross through here completely on their own, without any help. Usually, once here, you’re destined to spend eternity inside Elysium. There is no path, in that case, but instead, it is a floor of stars that goes on forever. And after the scenes of your life play out, the light appears in front of you to call you in.

In certain rare cases, a pony can choose to return to the living instead of going into Elysium. To do so, you just walk off the path. To do that, you have to consciously decide that you wish to return, and walk away. Right now, Soarin, you have that chance. Right now, the medics are fighting to save your life. They are doing chest compressions and breathing for you, to keep your body alive in the hopes that you might live and return to them.” Twilight turned to stand before him, placing a hoof to his chest. “You have a choice to make, Soarin. Keep going forward, and when the light appears, walk into it, and you will be in a world where there is no pain or sorrow. It will be a world where the only thing you will know is the love you have for those you have always loved, your friends and family, and you will know their love for you.

“Or,” she continued, “You can return to your body and live. You can return to your family and friends who want you in their lives. You can return to the mare that is right now crying out your name, begging that you return to her. You can return to live your life out, dealing with the pain and hardships that come with life, but there are also so many blessings that you would miss otherwise.” Twilight had said her piece. Technically, she should not have said as much as she had. Alicorns were not supposed to interfere with this decision, but there was a part of her that felt the rules be damned. All she could do now is hope that Soarin would choose as she hoped he would.

That is why she came here. After she had lost consciousness, she had slipped out of her mortal shell into her astral form, and saw them trying to save the Wonderbolt Lieutenant’s life. Though the odds were against him being able to return, she had hoped that he may have that choice.

Soarin did not know what he should do. The siren song around them still whispered in his ear, and he longed to follow the song to where it was calling him so very badly. But hearing about Spitfire crying over him tore him up inside. He loved her, and he questioned that he would truly be happy for eternity without her at his side. He did not feel right leaving her, knowing that she loved him so desperately, as Princess Twilight described.

The scenes from his life faded away, and now appearing before him was the light. The brighter than the sun light that did not hurt his eyes, but was instead soothing to them. The light that when he looked into it, he could sense that his mom and dad were there, waiting for him to step on in to join them. And others waited for him beyond the light as well. And he so very much wanted to be with them. He needed to be with them, for the light and the song was promising him eternal happiness and joy, if all he did was step into the light.

Just a couple steps. No more pain. No more fighting. No more war. No more death. He would be with mom and dad again. And Grampy Cirrus and Aunty Tailwind. Even Fleetfoot was waiting for him, along with High Winds, Wave Chill, and Misty Fly. They would all be together again, forever happy and joyful. All it took was a step…

“Spitfire,” he whispered. Could he just leave her behind? Was his love for her nothing but a lie? But the siren call of the heavenly eternity beckoned him like the world’s most addictive drug. He thirsted for it in every part of his being. He could not look away from the light, as he could hear it call to him, call his name. He could not stop himself as he took that step.

Twilight smiled as Soarin stepped off the path, away from the light.

Author's Note

Note on the CPR; Kinda hard to get a proper seal with a pony's mouth doin mouth-to-mouth the way us hairless apes do it. Just thought I would mention that lol