Rarity groaned at the sound of her rather obnoxious alarm clock. Grumbling she press her hoof on to the top to stop its incessant ringing. Yawning, she magiced her face mask off and head to her bathroom. The trickling water of her shower echoed throughout the empty shop. Sighing, she began scrubbing her purple mane and washing her pristine white coat. Five minutes was all it took for the mare to finish her cleaning and with a wistful glance back at the warm water she stepped onto the cold tiles. She stood in front of her vanity mirror as she tied back her mane and tail into two tight buns. Her sapphire eyes were rimmed with deep bags from a lack of sleep and not a touch of make-up was applied to her face. Oh how she missed the days when she could fulfill her vain needs but she hadn’t worn make-up for two and half years.
‘Has it really been that long,’ she thought to herself as she ate her meager breakfast of oats and bread. Rarity chewed the bland meal and found herself craving an egg. But with rations, they were only available once a month and she usually gave her share to Mrs. Cake. The war had been hard on the Cake family. Mr. Cake had been drafted about two years ago and rarely did anypony buy a luxury like a cake these days.
‘Or a dress for that matter,’ Rarity bitterly thought. Her boutique had long since been converted to a storage facilities for the military uniforms waiting to be shipped. Where there had once been glamorous dresses carefully displayed, were rows of dark gray armor, cameo briefs, and nurse uniforms.
Rarity then moved to place her dirtied plate into the sink and grabbed her waiting saddlebag. She did not want to be late for her train and headed for the door. Before she left, however, the mare paused a moment to look at the small picture hanging on her wall. A small tear escaped from the corner of her eye as she looked at her friends smiling faces. Faces from a happier time.
“No time for this Rarity! I have to meet Fluttershy at the station, no time to go all misty eyed,” Rarity lectured herself as she opened the purple door. She did steal one last glance at the picture before setting out.
Rarity trotted briskly through her small hometown. Many ponies were out and about, each with a determined expression on their visages. Many headed to the farms, factories, or other occupations they worked at while fillies and colts were off the school. The white mare reached the train platform moments before the multicolored train pulled up into the station.
“Rarity,” called a soft voice. Rarity turned to face her gentle friend.
“Fluttershy,” Rarity happily greeted. The yellow pegasus’s pink hair was in a similar style as Rarity’s mane. Her turquoise eyes were bright yet held a certain grief within.
The two boarded the train and found a couple empty seats. They made small talk about the fundraiser banquet and Rarity told Fluttershy of the latest gossip as the locomotive headed to its destination.
“I heard some colts talking the other day about volunteering after they graduate school,” Fluttershy mentioned, “I believe they were Sweetie Bell’s classmates.
“But that’s only in three months!’ Rarity exclaimed.
“And they’re so young, I hope they’ll be okay,” Fluttershy replied sadly.
“So young, just like him…” Rarity said more to herself than her companion. Fluttershy looked sympathetically at her friend. Fluttershy considered herself lucky as her beau was here rather than on the front lines like almost every other stallion. One of the perks of dating a farm horse.
The train whistle blew and the conductor shouted, “CANTERLOT!” The shuffling of many hooves was heard as ponies exited the train. Rarity and Fluttershy went along with the crowd. The white unicorn looked at her surroundings as she and her friend headed towards their destination. Canterlot had change a lot in the past three years. The streets were filled with workers and propaganda rather than the upperclass and shops of past years. The royal castle held only one alicorn rather than two and ponies constantly went in and out of its large doors, each bearing a message from the frontlines.
Rarity and Fluttershy stopped in front of a large factory with large letters reading, Uniforms. The two mares walked through the small door and into the locker room. They each opened their lockers and donned the gray shirts, which were their uniforms. Fluttershy’s locker was filled of pictures and small newspaper clippings but Rarity’s held only a single picture, taped in the back of the locker. She couldn’t quite remember when they had taken it, but both of them had been happy. Seeing him with a smile was, even if only in a picture, what gave her motivation everyday.
“Be safe my little Spikey-wikey,” Rarity whispered to the small picture just before she closed the locker and followed Fluttershy into the work room.
6:00 a.m.
“Applebloom.”
6:20 a.m.
“Applebloom, get down ‘ere right now.”
6:45 a.m.
“APPLEBLOOM! YOU’RE GONNA BE LATE!” The yellow filly groaned at the sound of her sister’s yelling. She knew that she needed to get up but the blankets were so soft and warm…
“APPLEBLOOM!” Came another shout. The young pony sighed and left the cocoon of enticing blankets to answer her sister’s call.
“I’M A’COMING APPLEJACK!” Applebloom shouted down to her sister as she brushed her bright red mane and tied it back with a pink ribbon. She dragged her hooves down the stairs to join her family for breakfast.
“ ‘bout time youngn’. In meh day…” Said Granny Smith before she drifted off to sleep in her rocking chair. Applebloom looked around for her siblings but was met with an empty kitchen. A single plate of apples was on the table with a small note.
Apple Bloom, me and Big Mac headed out to the orchard. Here’s your breakfast.
Love, AppleJack.
Applebloom quickly scarfed down her meal. She took one look at the clock and realized that she was going to be late. She grabbed her saddlebags and rushed out the doors.
“See you later Granny Smith!”
Applebloom was panting as she reached Sweetie Bell’s house. Sweetie walked outside at the sight of her friend.
“Geez Applebloom, I was about to leave without you!” Sweetie Bell told her tardy friend. Applebloom just rolled her eyes since it was Sweetie Bell who was usually the late one. The two walked for awhile before meeting up with the third pony of the trio.
“Hey, Slowpokes! Are we still on for later,” asked the new arrival.
“You betcha,” Applebloom told Scootaloo. The orange Pegasus grinned. The three had joined their school’s Spirit Club and this afternoon the club was having students hang support posters around the town.
“I heard the new one has a picture of Rainbow Dash on it,” Scootaloo excitedly informed her companions.
“Rainbow Dash is super cool, my Dad wrote to me that she lead the Charge of the Dunes,” Sweetie Bell added. About a year ago, the unicorn’s father joined the Equestrian Army and wrote his family letters monthly. It was hard for Sweetie Bell knowing her dad was out there fighting, especially with the constant fear of the silver moon hanging in the window becoming a sun.
The banners had been Princess Cadence’s idea. “To honor those who are fighting and gave their lives those they held dear,” she had told the people when distribution started. A twilight star for those in the homeland war efforts like factory work, spirit squad, or food production, a crystal heart for those in the medical corps, a moon for a soldier currently fighting, and a sun… well a sun was for a soldier who could no longer be of service to his country. Applebloom also thought that there was a fifth symbol for soldiers that returned home, but she didn’t believe she had ever seen such a symbol.
“Sweetie Bell!” came an excited voice from just up the road. Applebloom turned to see Sweetie’s coltfriend, Pip come running up to the group of three fillies. He greeted his fillyfriend with a quick peck, which elicited a wolf whistle from Scootaloo. Applebloom cracked a grin at the sight of Sweetie’s beet red face. Sweetie Bell and Pip had been going steady for a good three years and though the couple had their fights, their bond is as strong as ever. Applebloom had to admit that they were a cute couple.
The four teenagers joined up with the rest of their friends before the chime of the bell announced another day of school. Just before they entered the building, however, Pip turned to Sweetie and whispered, “I have something I want to tell you after school.”
“Alright, see you then,” Sweetie Bell said with a smile as she followed the rest of her friends to their classroom.
Pinkie Pie looked at her reflection in the lit mirror. She had just put the finishing touches on her make-up, the final addition being the fake eyelashes. Pinkie remembered when she had just started applying the cosmetic, requiring Rarity’s constant guidance. Now it was practically second nature.
“You’re on in ten Miss Pie,” called the Stage Manager. Pinkie gave her a smile before giving once last look at her reflection. This beautified pony was no stranger to her, yet she never really came to see it as herself. She walked out in the tight, patriotic spandex, nodding and smiling at the ponies she passed.
“Ready Pinkie?”
“You betcha, Limelight,” Pinkie answered with a grin. The light green pony laughed at her enthusiasm, stopping only as the curtain rose. Taking a deep breath, Pinkie put on her best smile and prepared to start the first song.
“Morning Sergeant,” a lavender Pegasus greeted Rainbow Dash. The blue mare nodded back, trying to maintain an air of professionalism, while in the inside she was reeling. She had sent in an application to move up to Lieutenant, along with several other candidates. However, she was the only one called to Spitfire’s office.
‘General Spitfire,’ she reminded herself, not wanting to show any lack of courtesy as it might jeopardize her chances of moving up in rank.
‘Not that I have anything to worry about,’ Rainbow Dash smugly thought. She had been at the forefront of the Battle of Dunes, winning the Rising Sun award for her bravery and adaptability on the battlefield. She was surprised she wasn’t promoted right then and there, but as Twilight always said, good things come to those who wait.
She was still a bit nervous and took a moment to collect herself before knocking on the wooden door that lead to Spitfire’s office.
Twilight paced nervously back and forth across her office floor.
Tick
Tick
Tick
She glared at the tall clock wanting it to stop its incessant ticking. The thought of blasting it to oblivion flashed through Twilight’s head before she shook, trying to get rid of the abhorrent thought.
“I need some sleep,” the stressed princess mumbled to herself.
Her office doubled as bedroom, with a rather luxurious mattress bed opposite to a beautiful oak desk. Though there were no windows, as the bunker was underground, elegant tapestries decorated the walls and a cushy rug emblazoned with her cutie mark covered the paneled floor.
Even as she lay in the bed, she couldn’t quite relax, waiting for a messenger to knock on her door at any time. She had specifically requested that results of the Spike’s most recent mission be delivered to her immediately. She sighed, missing her best friend and adopted brother and wished that he wasn’t so good at his job.
“Then he might have stayed my messenger, and here at base camp,” she said to herself. The only response to her musings were Owlicious’ hooting. Her eyelids growing heavy, Twilight decided she would worry in the morning.