Equines of War: Friends to the End

The town of Ponyville stood not far from the forest. Upon entering the town, blanketed by snow, the locals walked the streets relishing the cold winter air and the quiet atmosphere that had always been a perk to small towns.

However, now the blissful past-times of Ponyville now seemed like a distant memory. As Royal Guards now walked the streets, putting everypony on edge at when the first essence of war will leak into their small town.

So it came as a surprise when the newcomers from the forest had set foot into their town.

The three Gears were being led in chains through the center of town. The ponies on the streets stopped and gazed at the lumbering metal beasts.

"What in Celestia's name are they?"

"They're so tall and huge!"

"Look at that one's eyes!"

"Are they from the Griffins?"

"Look! They have blood on them!"

As more ponies had started to gather, the more Rainbow Dash wanted to get them in the dungeon cells. The last thing she wanted to do was cause a panic.

She turned to one of the other guards. "Private!"

He stood in attention. "Yes sir!"

"Escort them into their prison cells until I come back."

"Yes sir!"

Rainbow Dash broke off from the guards, but not before giving their newcomers a onceover look of their large size and metallic hide.

One had some sort of art printed on his large arm of a winged creature similar in resemblance to him and another had metal skin and a blue glowing eye on his head, while another sported black markings which seemed to grow as a vine on his upper right side. They all looked back her with eyes that seemed too relaxed for her comfort, all of them giving her a smug impression.

It didn't matter. They were her prisoners anyway. They were just beasts. Weren't they? But beasts don't just surrender out of willingness when cornered. A beast foams at the mouth and attacks at anything that dares get near it. Or at least a stupid one does.

Rainbow Dash headed toward one of the buildings that held a picture of an envelope on the front door. The Messenger's Lodge was what it was called, the main way of communication for the Ponies.

She entered and looked at the small room of Pegasus ponies spread that stopped here either to rest from their runs or receive jobs delivering messages between towns.

The Lodge right now was especially filled due to the snow storms by the weather ponies. The room was filled with tables where companions sat by the fireside, drinking cider and sharing tales of their journeys around the far lands of the countryside.

But at the sight of the cyan Royal Guard in their merry place, the atmosphere was taken by silence.

She approached the front desk where an old Pegasus stallion, the caretaker of the establishment, was searching through shelves of parchments that stood upon the back wall of the desk.

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat to get his attention. The stallion didn't break from his search and just simply answered, "Yes, how may I help you?"

"I need a message sent to the Equestrian Border immediately."

"Nopony's doing runs over their anymore," said the stallion still searching through the shelves.

"It's too dangerous. Nopony's willing to take the risk making the run for some mare to send love letters to her coltfriend on the guard for a few extra bits."

"I think this can be made into an exception."

The stallion gave an uproarious laugh still facing away the cyan pony. "Or really? Care to let me in on it?"

"Griffins Guards have been found in the Everfree Forest," she said in a loud voice.

The old stallion stopped searching through the shelves.

He slowly turned around, finally facing Rainbow Dash. His eyes staring straight at hers.

"So I suppose this message is urgent?"

"Should've been sent hours ago."

The old stallion stared at Rainbow Dash for a few seconds before calling out.

"Ditzy!"

Immediately, Rainbow heard the sound of hooves trotting towards the front desk. She turned around to find a gray mare with a blond mane walking towards her. Her cutie mark resembled a cloud of bubbles and her eyes were terribly cross eyed. After a few seconds the mare was able to straighten her eyesight for the sake of first impression. Upon first sight, Rainbow thought the old stallion was joking, but his eyes assured how serious he was.

The old stallion brought out a piece of parchment and a quill to start writing the report.

"Don't let her looks fool you. She's the best messenger we have here, and the only one daring enough to make the run all the way to the border."

He finished the message, stamped it with the Equestrian Seal, and slid it inside a cylinder container made with a leather strap for travel.

Rainbow Dash grabbed the message and stood in front of the gray mare sizing her up, trying to make her look away. Problem was that she didn't even know what eye to focus on.

Finally she spoke. "This message must reach the Equestrian border. You fail this task and you risk putting you homeland in peril. This message must get through. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Like he said sir, I'm the best message messenger of all of Ponyville . . . uh sir. I'm ready."

Ditzy grabbed the message and gave a small nod before quickly giving a salute and taking off, dashing out through the doors of the lodge. The other messengers walked to the windows to see their fellow flyer off, alongside Rainbow Dash,

"May Celestia be with you."

She exited the Lodge and headed towards the Town Hall. Once inside she immediately found Twilight who was talking to Mayor Mare on the updates of the town's perimeter. Twilight saw her friend enter and cut her report short while she went to go talk to Rainbow Dash.

"Hey Rainbow Dash. Or is it Captain Dash now?"

Rainbow waved her off holding a smile. "Nah, drop all this formal buisness. You and the rest know me as Rainbow Dash and that's what I expect you all to call me."

"Glad to know the recent promotion hasn't gone to your head. It would be disappointing to the girls if they found out you turned stuck up like that Mare-Do Well incedent," Twilight said holding back a smile.

"I swear you'll never let me live that down will you," Rainbow sighed? "Speaking of the girls, how are the others?"

"Applejack should be on her way back from Appleloosa. Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie are still off in Canterlot on royal buisness," Twilight answered.

"Well I got some news for Applejack when she gets back."

"Granny Smith hasn't passed away yet has she?"

"No no, I found her sister out on patrol in the Everfree Forest."

"She's not going to like to hear that."

"That's just small stuff. Also Griffins were found in the forest."

Twilight gave off a shocked look. "Griffins? You actually found Griffin guards on Equestrian ground?"

"Don't worry. I've already sent a message to the border guards. As for the Griffins…" Rainbow Dash paused before continuing.

"Well, I guess you can say we found what's left of them. The entire platoon was torn to pieces."

"Describe torn."

"Dead. Killed off. Blood and feathers everywhere."

"What could've caused this?"

"I have a few guesses," said Rainbow Dash as she shifted her eyes to the dungeon building not far from them.

"Rainbow Dash?"

"Twilight . . . I think there's something you should see."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sarge, I'm not doubting your or anything, but please explain to me why were letting miniature horses hold us against our will?"

"Call it a hunch."

"Is having Prescott in that head of yours starting to get to you." Questioned Carmine?

"I just feel like we should be waiting for something."

"Couldn't we have waited for it somewhere else except in a cell?"

"Better than freezing our asses off outside."

"Agreed," said Tai.

Carmine shifted in discomfort in the cells wooden bench he shared with Dom. Tai was sitting on a bench of the opposite walls with his head leaned back and his eyes closed. The interior of the cell consisted of stone wall and floor with wooden benches chained to the walls.

There were several Royal Guards on duty watching the cell standing dressed in their golden armored uniform. They stood strict and stern, holding still gazes front forwards. They held themselves as soldiers, but lacked the common sense to strip their prisoners of their weapons. Either that or were full of ignorance of what they were truly capable of.

"Just trust me on this one alright."

"Whatever you say Sarge

I'm not very sure if I'm willing to place my life on the line due to gut feeling alone Sergeant. The situation of being imprisoned by something that looks like it belongs in a child's storybook is humiliating enough.

Say's the man who's stuck in my head. Your already imprisoned you slime ball, Dom thought.

Oh come now I'm sure you can think of better insults than that.

Dom just waved him away and returned to the blissful silence of the dungeon.

Tai remained silent and still in his medative position. Only at the sound of the door opening did his eyes open.

The same cyan pony from before and a purple unicorn stood on the other side of the cell doors. Tai merely glanced at Rainbow Dash and Twilight and then returned into meditation.

Twilight eyes went wide at the sight of the Gears.

"These are the creatures you were talking about?" asked Twilight.

Creatures?

Rainbow Dash nodded in response to Twilight's question.

They think of us as savage beasts Sergeant.

What Prescott said was not said in fury or anger, but as merely stating a fact. A fact that these whatever they were, were not imprisoning them as humans, but keeping them caged up as animals.

Oh the great irony. To be caged by a petting zoo animal. We are surly not going to allow this are we?

"What are they? I've never seen creatures like these before in Equestria," asked Twilight who couldn't help but look away from the blood that stained their metal hide.

Dom stood in response of her question. "I believe you mean who are we?"

Twilight jumped back at the sudden response of the disgruntled Gear.

"They can talk?"

"Yes. We can talk. And we would appreciate it if you let us out of here," said Dom, obviously losing his patience.

"Wait just a minute," said Rainbow Dash! "You are our prisoners! You are in no position what so ever to be making demands of us beast!"

Dom shouted. "Tai! Now!"

The cyan guard had hovered too close to the cage.

Tai immediately jumped from his bench and reached through the metal bars, grabbling Rainbow Dash around the neck and his Snub Pistol against her head. She tried to struggle out of his grasp, but his massive arm had her pinned against the metal bars.

Dom gave off a smile. "Now we are."

The Unicorn Guards were now aiming their horns at the Gears, ready to fire. Tai gave off a warning shot shooting upwards. The sound from the gun made everyone flinch and still. Small pieces of stone fell from the roof where Tai had shot the warning shot. Carmine and Dom armed aimed their Lancers at the Guards, who now stood nervous at the humans strange weaponry.

Twilight couldn't fathom what had just happen. One second everything was fine, the next she was in a standoff for her friend's life.

Rainbow was still struggling under Tai's grasp.

"Let me go you big dumb beast!"

Dom turned towards Twilight ignoring the cyan Guard.

"I'm talking to you now. You seem smart so listen carefully. We let your soldiers capture us so we would be able to find shelter and to avoid any more killing. We can bust out of this sorry excuse of a cell anytime we want, but we are giving you a chance to comply with us. But we've had a very long day and we are not going to wait anymore."

"Let . . . us . . . out."

"Don't do it Twilight," said Rainbow Dash. "I've seen what they can do. They're blood thirsty monsters!"

Dom reached over his back and armed his Lancer. "Let us out or we will let ourselves out." He revved the chainsaw for good measure; the sound of hundreds of metal teeth with smoke drifting from it was enough to convince Twilight.

"Alright, we'll let you go. Just don't hurt her." Twilight's horn glowed and the gate of the cell was opened. The guards still were aiming their horns at the Gears.

"Tell them to stand down," said Dom.

Twilight turned and nodded to the Guards who relaxed their stance. Dom nodded to Tai and only then, did he release Rainbow Dash. She then dropped from his grasp holding her neck coughing.

"I'll get you for that," wheezed the cyan Pegasus. Tai heard but did not speak. The three Gears stood in front of the ponies shouldering their Lancers. They were out and their pride had been restored being able to think of themselves as men again. That, was enough.

"Now that you let us out, we can help you."

Now this threw the ponies off big time.

"What," bellowed Twilight? "You just threatened to hurt my friend. What makes you think that anypony is going to believe you're here to help anything!"

Carmine chuckled. "Anypony." Tai nudged his shoulder getting him to stay quiet.

Dom continued on. "We only did what we had to do. You had us locked up like if we were animals."

"You were trespassing on Equestrian Ground," yelled Rainbow Dash!

Again Dom ignored the cyan Pegasus. Instead he reached into his pocket, causing the unicorn guards to aim their horns again. Even Twilight was backing up wide eyed fearing what other kind of strange weapon the human had on him.

Dom stopped midway his pocket. He's already gotten hit once with whatever they shot at him, and he didn't want to be hit again. He slowly unbuttoned his pocket and pulled out the note he recieved from the forest.

"I'm guessing paper is real dangerous in this world isn't it."

Twilight levitated it from his hand and read it. She looked back up at Dom and then back at the note. Then at Dom and again back at the note.

"Did he send you here?"

"If you mean my dealer under contract, then yes."

"Guards, at rest."

Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight. "You can't be serious."

Twilight turned to Dom with an angry expression. "Why didn't you show this to me before? We could've avoided all of this."

Dom shrugged. "Didn't think you would listen." Then he turned back to Rainbow Dash. "I'm just a blood thirsty monster."

Rainbow Dash didn't even bother to look at him. She was focusing on the one who pinned her down. Who dishonored her in front of her soldiers. They met each other's gaze, eye to eye, never wavering.

"Like I said, I'll make you pay for that."

Tai heard but did not speak. But there was a little glint of a smile on his stern facade which made the cyan Guard even more furious.

Twilight rolled up the note and looked up at Dom. "Follow me. We have much to discuss." The ponies and the Gears exited the dungeon, with the Gears hoping it would be the last time.