The Griffon War

Applejack was in a small room with pale green walls and white trim. The floors were tiled and the room intself consisted of chairs along the wall, a small glass table with some magazines, and a front desk. She was at Ponyville Central Hospital picking up bandages for her brother's leg. He had sprained his hoof while apple bucking and had to rest it for a while. This included the bandages, ointments, and anything else that went along with it. A short, pale yellow mare with a red mane came up to Applejack, who was at the front desk, and handed her a roll of gauze and some cream. "Here you are Applejack, The cream should help with the swelling but that doesn't mean he can go around doing whatever because his hoof is normal sized again. I know how you two can be," Nurse Redheart said.

Applejack laughed, "don't worry, ma won't even let him leave the couch unless it's time for dinner or bed. He won't make it any worse than it is."

"Good," Redheart turned back to her desk and Applejack took her leave. When she stepped outside, Applejack was met with the distant noises of gunfire and battle. "Those raids sound like they're gettin' closer every day." Applejack walked down the dirt road, lost in thought when she bumped into a certain yellow pegasus. "Oops. sorry Fluttershy, guess ah should have been paying more attention to the road."

"No problem Applejack." the mare said, leaning down to pick up the suitcase she was carrying. "I should have been paying more attention as well."

"What's in the suitcase?" Applejack said leaning down to help carry it.

"Medical supplies. I'm being sent to Canterlot Castle. I'm going to a military outpost to become a medic. They're short on medics and heard about my amazing ability to nurse animals and ponies back to health," Fluttershy said.

"So yer leavin'?" Applejack asked with a sad look.

"Ya, I just wanted to get a head start to the train station. I don't leave till later, but I was going to get there early so there would still be somewhere to sit while I waited. It seems like more and more ponies are being sent in to fight or aid every day." Fluttershy said as they slowly walked to the train station together. "So how are things at Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Well, we just sent in another large shipment of apples to the military outposts, and it's been a bit harder to fill the orders because Big Mac hurt himself so it's just been me and ma. We just got another letter from Pa, he said the war was gettin' pretty ugly. They might even let him visit for a day or so because the Family Reunion is comin' up. Considering everything that's goin' on, ah'm glad I got something to smile about. Pa's comin' home soon, and in my opinion, Eighty years is plenty long enough for a war. Ah heard that they're expecting for it to end in at least a few more years."

"Don't they say that every year?" Fluttershy asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Applejack looked at the mare with a small smile. "Ya, but who knows? Maybe they're right this time."

"I wish I could be so sure of that," Fluttershy said as they climbed the few steps to the station platform. Fluttershy handed some paper work to the stallion running the ticket booth. He scanned the documents and handed the paperwork back with a ticket for the train headed towards Canterlot. Fluttershy took a seat on a nearby bench to wait.

"Well, ah better get back to the farm, ma's gonna wonder what happened to me if Ah don't get back soon. I'll come back before you go to say goodbye ok Fluttershy?" Applejack said with a sad smile.

"Ok, see you later then Applejack. And don't worry, Rainbow Dash should be here soon. She's going to sit with me until I have to go," Fluttershy said, knowing exactly what ran across the orange mare's mind.

"Alright then. Later Fluttershy," Applejack said before turning to leave.

"I hope Mac gets better soon, Applejack." Fluttershy said before Applejack left with a final wave of her hoof.

Applejack had just entered the gates of the orchard. She couldn't stop thinking about Fluttershy going off to aid in the war. Ah hope she can handle it. Ah mean, she's a strong mare but.... what if the sight of all those mangled soldiers is to much for her? What if the Griffons raid the outpost she's stationed at and she dies? Applejack shook those thoughts from her head as she approached the house. It was large and a nit run down looking on the outside. The paint in some places were chipping off, most likely from age. Applejack put her hoof on the knob and opened the door to see her family gathered at the kitchen table looking at something. "Ah'm back with Mac's bandages," she announced as she walked over to her older brother to work on re-bandaging his leg.

Granny smith walked over with a rag and a small bowl of water in one hoof and grabbed the ointment in the other. "Ah got this, you just get an ice pack and then we'll talk." The old mare began to expertly unwrap and clean the swollen leg as Applejack opened the freezer to grab an ice pack. She was met with a refreshing gust of cool air and an icy sensation when she grabbed the ice pack. The cool air of the freezer felt good because it was rather hot today. Applejack also opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water before returning to her grandmother and holding the ice pack in place as the old mare wrapped bandages around it to hold it against the swollen leg. Applejack opened the bottle and took a swig, relishing in the cool water running down her dry throat. Applejack handed the bottle to Big Mac as Ma handed him some painkillers. He popped the pills into his mouth and took a swig of water before handing it back to his sister.

Having finished with that, Applejack to a seat next to her older brother and looked at her ma and grandma. "So what did ya'll wanna tell me?" she asked. The two mares looked at each other before sliding the paper they were looking at over to her. It was a letter.

Dear Apples from Sweet Apple Acres,

You are hereby ordered to send another eligible fighter for induction into the Armed Forces of The Equestrian Nation, and for

them to report to Canterlot Castle by nightfall. They will be forwarded to an Armed Forces Induction Station.

Signed,

Princess Luna, Head of Military Operations

Applejack read the letter a few more times to make sure she was reading it correctly. "Who's leaving this time?" She asked, tears blurring her vision. she didn't want another member to leave. who, other than her and Mac, were left to leave.

Applejack's eyes widened as the answer dawned on her but she wanted to hear it for herself. "Me," her Ma said.

Applejack looked at her mother, there was determination and sadness written across the mare's features. Applejack knew one thing..... her mom was not going to fight in a war. As if out of instinct she blurted out, "No!"

"What?" Her mother asked, confusion crossing on everypony's faces.

"No! Your not going," Applejack said before she could stop herself.

"Applejack!" Granny Smith shouted. "I taught you better than this, this is childish behavior. Mac can't go, Ah'm to old, so who else is there?"

"Me," Applejack answered calmly. "I'll go, i'll go fight," she replied with the look that showed she wasn't taking no for an answer. Everypony here knew that look, It was one she had often made before.

"Out of the question!" Applejack's ma shouted, slamming her hoof on the wooden table, putting in enough force to leave a small dent on the otherwise smooth surface. Granny looked like she wanted to say something to the angry mare, but found it best to see where this was headed and stayed silent.

"Ma, listen. Your needed here, your not a fighter and blood always made ya nauseous, and ah'm a lot stronger and faster because ah'm younger. If you remember how many street and school fights ah got myself into, I can hold my own in battle. Besides, you eyesight is starting to fail and the doctor said that when your older you will most likely go completely blind. What good is soldier that can't see?" Applejack said calmly and reasonably.

The mare opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again and sat down, obviously having lost this battle to common sense. Though she'd never admit it, Applejack had hit a nerve when she brought up the eyesight. She had a logical argument for everything except that last one that her daughter had reminded her about. Granny Smith noticed this and spoke up, "your right Applejack, her eyesight is a very good point, they'd send her back in a heartbeat when they found out about it." The old mare sighed before rolling the letter back up and handing the document to Applejack, "Go pack your bag."

Applejack nodded to her granny. "Thank you," she said before slowly heading up the stairs to her room, document in hoof, to go get her bags ready to the next train to Canterlot. She laughed at the irony of it all, "guess ah'm leavin' to Fluttershy. Maybe we'll go to the same base." Applejack then looked down at her flank, her blank, empty flank. She never knew why her cutie mark hadn't come. Her place was on the farm, she realized this when her father was sent off to fight. She was four years old when it happened and that's when she knew. Applejack began to pour herself into the family business, and take pride in what she did. Even found that she was really good at running a farm. Still her flank was blank though. Then something popped into Applejack's mind that made her laugh internally, what if ah get mah cutie mark in battle? Applejack giggled a bit at the thought as she walked into her room and slung an old, weather worn, dark green duffle bag onto her bed. She opened it and began to toss a few thing into it which consisted of a small photograph that was never framed, a small combat knife that her pa had sent to her for Hearth's Warming Eve, a couple pairs of hiking boots, a basic first aid kit, and her lasso. She knew that the lasso probably wasn't necessary but she always felt more comfortable having it with her, and the first aid kit was only there because she never knew when she would need a roll of bandages. Her ma always told her to be prepared for anything.

Once Applejack had organized everything to fit properly in the duffle bag she closed it up and swung it over her shoulders. Applejack walked down the stairs where her family was gathered in the living room waiting for her. Applejack hugged each of them, intentionally hugging her ma a bit longer, and turned towards the door. "Aj.... wait," her older brother said.

"Ya Big Mac?" Applejack said turning back to the stallion.

"Be careful out there, and if you see him, can ya say howdy to pa for me?" Big Macintosh asked.

"Promise," she answered before turning to leave once again. Then Applejack's ma ran up and hugged her again.

As she was hugging Applejack she said something, "can you promise me something sugarcube?" The mare asked.

"What is it?"

"Promise me you'll come back alive."

Applejack opened her mouth to answer when Granny Smith spoke up. "She can't promise something like that sweetie," the old mare said gently.

Applejack squeezed her ma tighter, she wanted the mare to tell her to toss the letter aside and stay, but she knew that was impossible. "Your right Granny, ah can't make a promise like that can I? I can promise this though, if ah am destined to die, then I ain't goin' down without a fight." Applejack squeezed her mom a bit harder, "I am not givin' up, and I am especially not gonna go down without a fight, because I will make it through this one way, or another." With that Applejack broke the embrace.

Applejack's ma returned to the couch and Granny Smith walked up to say her farewells. The old mare lifted up Applejack's hoof and placed something in it, the object felt cold and hard, some type of medal. "What's this?" She asked.

"They were your grandpappie's dog-tags. He fought in the war to and he and your pa agreed that when you showed that you were grown enough, they wanted me to give them to you, for luck. You showed us all that your officially grown up, and ah wish you the best of luck through this. Your gonna be our little war hero Applejack, ah can feel it." Granny Smith hugged Applejack once more and helped her pack her grandfather's dog-tags in her bag. Once this was done, Applejack said one last goodbye to her family and stepped out the door.

Applejack slowly made her way to the train station, uncertainty in her step, as if she just wanted to turn and run. Something managed to keep her moving towards the train station. Applejack walked over to the ticket booth and handed him her draft. He scanned the document for a second before sliding it back with a ticket for Canterlot. "Good luck out there," the stallion said with respect and admiration for the brave mare.

"Thank you," Applejack replied before turning to the bench that her friends were gathered at and headed over to them.

"Hey Applejack! Did you come to say bye to Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Originally, yes. Actually ah'm goin' with her now." Applejack stated.

Rainbow Dash's jaw almost literally fell to the ground. "Your leaving to!"

"Yeah, granny and ma showed me the letter when ah got home. Ma was gonna go originally, but ah stopped her, so ah'm goin' instead," Applejack explained.

"Whatever do you mean, darling?" Rarity asked with a confused look. "Didn't they already send your father to fight?"

"Yeah, they did."

"So then what do they need you for huh?!" Pinkie Pie asked in her usual overly energetic tone, she stopped bouncing immediately and took on a confused gaze.

"They need as many hooves as they can get, here's mah letter if'n ya don't believe me," Applejack said, holding out the document for her friends to get a look at.

Rarity levitated towards her so she and the three other mares could take a look at the letter, and sure enough it said that they wanted another Apple to come and fight. Rarity lifted a hoof to her mouth and began to tear up more than before, obviously taking the news that two of her best friends were leaving harder than everyone else. Rainbow Dash even had a sad glint in her eyes, she had a soft side that she would never admit to anyone about, but had none the less. Pinkie Pie's mane had lost it's poof and she sat down with tears welling up in her eyes. Fluttershy looked really sad as well, and even decided to lighten the mood.

"At least I have someone to sit with on the train now," she said with a small smile and her usually quite voice.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity were the next one's to recover, obviously the shock of the news finally sinking in, giving them the chance to calm down. "You will come and visit won't you darling?" Rarity asked.

"Whenever ah get the chance, and me and Fluttershy will write to ya'll every day, right Fluttershy?" Applejack assured.

"Oh yes, we will definitely keep you girls up to date on what we're doing. You will write us back won't you?" Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie Pie finally recovered and answered with a big smile, "Of course! And whenever you come to visit I'm gonna throw the biggest. party. EVER!"

The four other mares laughed and Applejack responded, "ah don't doubt that one bit, Pinkie. In fact, me a Fluttershy will hold you to it!"

The pink mare obviously felt better because her smile returned and she was jumping up and down again like the energetic mare she was.

The five ponies talked for what seemed like only a short while before the train arrived. "Ah guess that's us...." Applejack said, grabbing her bag.

"Yeah, I guess we need to go now," Fluttershy said; grabbing her own bag as well. "Goodbye, girls," she said getting off the bench.

The five friends had one last group hug before Applejack and Fluttershy turned towards the train. "We'll miss you," Rarity said as the mares boarded the train and gave one last wave of the hoof goodbye. Pinkie kept shouting bye and Rainbow and Rarity kept waving as the train began to move. Applejack and Fluttershy kept waving until Ponyville, and their friends, dissipated into the hazy distance. The two mares seated themselves once more, across from each other and sat in silence for a little bit.

Fluttershy was the first to break the silence by asking, "just out of curiosity how come your family wasn't there? If you don't mind me asking that is."

"They had chores to do, and with Big Mac's leg an' all, they couldn't come down with me to say goodbye. We said our farewells before ah left the farmhouse, ah just hope everythin' goes alright while ah'm away."

"Oh. ok," Fluttershy said. The two mares talked about everything and nothing to pass the time on the way to Canterlot.

thank you to CowgirlVK for taking the time to proofread this story, I really appreciate it. You guys should check out her page, the stories she writes are really fun to read.