Broken Dawn held her pistol in her mouth as she and the Crusaders took up defensive positions in the Post Office in Chapel. They were not hiding, they had to protect the Crusaders because they young to defend themselves.

The outside of the Post Office echoed with the clatter of assault rifle fire and the occasional crack of a high powered rifle. There was a louder clatter of a large machinegun and the boom of a Cannon, followed by an explosion a couple seconds later.

Under it all Dawn could just make out the outlines of the soldiers as they communicated and moved like a well oiled machine as they fought the larger group of raiders to defend the town. Every now and then, Dawn caught sight of one of the strange flying machines the ponies have. The Princess started strafing the raiders or dodging incoming rockets.

She wanted to go out and help protect the town but the Princess had charged the Crusaders with keeping the younger foals safe and they weren't about to let down a literal goddess.

She wasn't sure how the battle was going. She started to hear something…. Something building she looked around to see if others heard it as well and she saw other foals looking around.

As the sound built she finally could make it out…… It was music. She didn't know where it was coming from or who would be playing music at a time like this.

And then she heard the voice of the Princess begin to sing somewhere off in the distance…

Landed in the town, Equestrian forces are in place

Awaiting orders!

She blinked confused about what hilltop the pony was talking about. Then the voice continued.

They were only 49

They were told to hold the line

In control

Sent into battle, came from the rift

Trapped in the town, and into the fire

Dawn listened and wasn't sure what was going on or why the soldiers were singing.

Hold your ground!

When you're fighting those who fight

Death is waiting in the town!

No surrender, shoot to kill!

You have to

Hold your ground!

Kill the raider in your sight

Death is waiting in the town!

No surrender, shoot to kill!

The sound of the battle seemed to be changing. Before while sounding organized it had been getting closer and closer to the town. Now though it seemed to have stopped getting closer.

January 7th, hold the town at all costs

Follow orders!

Holding their ground

To the final round

One by one

Fight through the pain,

Enduring the death, awaiting the end

Hold your ground!

When you're fighting those who fight

Death is waiting in the town!

No surrender, shoot to kill!

You have to

Hold your ground!

Kill the warrior in your sight

Death is waiting in the town!

No surrender, shoot to kill!

Stand, hold your ground!

Come around!

Hostile land!

Your last stand!

Under fire low on munitions,

Make your bullets count

Push the raiders back into the Wastes ,

Rule the battlefront

Sent into battle, came from the rift

Trapped in the town, and into the fire

Hold your ground!

When you're fighting those who fight

Death is waiting in the town!

No surrender, shoot to kill!

You have to

Hold your ground!

Kill the warrior in your sight

Death is waiting in the town!

No surrender, shoot to kill!

Slowly as the song wound down the sounds of battle died off with it. Dawn could hear the flying machines moving to land and in a moment a knock came to the door. “You foals okay in there? It's safe now.” a stallion said. Dawn and the Crusaders made no move, there wasn't anyway to know if that was a raider or not. “Foals?” the voice said concerned.

“It's safe.” The voice of The Princess said and dawn moved towards the door unlocking it, pistol in her mouth as she looked out to see the soldiers and the Princess.

Nodding Dawn waved to the Crusaders to let them know it was safe before opening the door and stepping out.

Several of the buildings at the edge of the town were either destroyed or damaged and bodies littered the ground outside of the towns. She could see several Soldier collecting them and piling them in one area while they collected their wounded and their own dead.

It was amazing to the little filly as the soldiers had been outnumbered by a lot and yet only lost a few of their own while it looked as if the raiders suffered heavy losses.

“You kids okay?” The Princess asked and Dawn nodded.

The Princess smiled as Security walked up to the group.

“I haven't seen a group able to kick that much butt in a while. “ she said.

The Princess smirked. “been awhile since you've seen soldiers I assume.”

Security nodded. “don't think I've ever seen something like it actually. Close maybe.”

“Proper time and training. Does wonders. “

“Hey….. You said before you would be returning to your own Equestria right?” Security asked and The Princess nodded. “can you take Chapel with you? “

“No. “ The Princess said. “as much as I'd like to we don't fully know about dimensional travel or having this many ponies from another reality In ours for a prolonged period of time would do. Not to mention the risk of both dimensional and culture shock. I cannot in good conscience do that, not to mention who knows what is destined for everyone here. We could really mess things up.”

Security sighed. She wasn't about to try and force this issue with the alicorn who had helped defend Chapel.

“I am sorry but the risks of damaging destiny is too high as is the risk to the ponies.” The Princess said before she left to go and oversee the cleanup.

Dawn followed her at a distance. She had never met somepony like The Princess. Sure she'd met mercs and ponies like Security but something about The Princess was….different. She didn't know what but watching her give orders and tend to the wounded with her knowledge of healing. Going from pure authority to calmly holding the hoof of a soldier as the light fades from his eyes so he wasn’t alone within seconds of each other.

<<>>

The day passed, The bodies were collected and the wounded tended to. The EDF medics even tended to the injured raiders. Something about having sworn to provide aid to all those injured no matter which side of the conflict they were on.

It was a bizarre concept to the ponies of Chapel helping raiders. They just let them go afterwards only making sure they left and that was it.

The more time Broken Dawn spent with these ponies the more fascinating she found them. They were such a sharp contrast with everything she knew of the world and contradicted each other constantly. Talking of fierce battles with enemies and then doing the same as they had with the raiders after the battles. Even collecting the dead for the enemies soldiers to recover later. Not even using the bodies for traps.

The Princess was easily the most interesting as once orders had been given she had talked with Security for a while and then ended up teaching Security a bit about magic, gaining a bit of a crowd from the Crusaders as she explain how to work with telekinesis spells and practice with them. She seemed to enjoy teaching a great deal. And would a swear any and all questions without losing patience.

Then she even lowered the sun when it needed it. That was the most amazing thing g she had ever seen. All she did was light her horn and the sun started setting as she watched the sky. Not to mention how the insect ponies deferred to her. Even the bit one she called Major deferred to her.

It wasn't long after that that an odd wind started to blow at the edge of the town and the Princes called for the soldiers to gather. Many in the town gathered to watch.

“What's going on?” Dawn asked approaching the Princess.

She nodded. “yeah kid. Got places to be.” she said and Dawn started d to take off the goggles she had been given. “Keep them. Consider them payment for being my guide.”

She put them back on below her horn just as the air tor open. After a few minutes the first wave of soldiers when through with the injured.

“Whelp it's been real Blackjack. Not everyday I meet someone with my same love of whisky. “ she said

The white unicorn smiled. “Yeah. Thanks for letting me have that song.”

The Princess chuckled. “No problem..” she said and put a steel hoof on Blackjack shoulder. “good luck with what you are doing. I have a feeling you have a lot ahead of you but you will succeed in the end. You are a tough DOB.”

“DOB?”

“Daughter of a bitch. It means you are tough and not some one to be taken lightly. “

“oh… Thanks….. I think.”

The Princess nodded as the last wave of soldiers prepared to depart. “Well….. Goodbye and good luck.” she said and joined the soldiers. They all headed for the rift and jumped through leaving the town behind.

Dawn stared at the rift then looked back at the town and the glowing city behind it. Then looked out at the wasteland before looking at the rift and adjusting her goggles.

<<>>

Twilight landed on her hooves and walked down the platform slowly as the black clad soldiers tracked the latest ground with their weapons. Security in the Recovery Facility was tight. You never knew what might come through the rift should you open it.

There was a flash behind Twilight and the soldier yelled in surprised training their weapons on what came through as Twilight spun around to see a dark blue filly rolling down the ramp.

Twilight caught her in her magic . “what are you doing here Dawn? “ she demanded

The disoriented filly shook her head trying to keep her balance. “Following you. “

“What? No you don't you can't. “she pointed at the rift. “back you--” the rift snapped shut. “go…..” she said and sighed dropping her hoof with a sigh before turning and walking down the ramp. “Come on we need to go through quarantine. And then we will be sending you back. “ she said.

Broken Dawn unsteady followed behind The Princess into the new world.

Author's Note

Ha! I finally got another update up. The ending wasn't unexpected I am sure as we knew how this ended from the rest of the fic but now we have a bit more details.

Also! I now have a PATREON to help me out financially. It has some rather fair rewards I think and every bit will help me out and will be much appreciated.

Also the song the EDF was singing was an adaption of Hill 3234 by Sabaton.