The Lunar War

It had been over 5 hours since Twilight had seen the mysterious pony, and nearly as long since they had started out on their mission for Canterlot. But there was an issue. They had no bearing on where they were. The darkness alone made it hard to navigate, but now that everything was burnt to a crisp and blowing around in their face, it was impossible to know exactly which direction they were heading. The only thing they had to go on was where they front of the cellar had been in comparison to what used to be around it. But even then, Apple Jack hadn't paid much attention to what she was looking at every time she went in and out of it. She'd usually been preoccupied carrying apples.

Now as they moved onwards, they had to be guided by memories. They eventually stopped and sat amongst the ash and dust. "I don't even know where we're going. I can't see squat! Everything looks the same! Were doomed!" Rainbow Dash finally cried out.

"Calm down, Dash. We'll find our way out. We just have to keep moving....that's all..." Twilight responded. Her tone wasn't very ensuring at all, but it still had hope in it, that's all they needed. "Maybe if we tried to remember where the train tracks were..." she started but trailed off.

"Ya know the time fer that's passed, sugar cube. We left Ponyville a while back and can't turn back now. Besides, if we did, we'd probably get more lost than we already are." Apple Jack said to her.

"You're right. I guess we just have to push straight forward like we've been doing." Twilight sighed. She looked around trying to make out something....anything in all the smoke and darkness, but couldn't see more than a few inches ahead of them. Their eyes were all burning, their breathing was labored as well. She dropped her head and released another sigh.

"Twilight, darling, are you doing alright? I mean, I know that is not a very good question, but I mean, is your hoof hurting you too much? Do we need to stop for a minute so you can rest?" Rarity asked her, walking up to her side.

"I don't know....My hoof is hurting, yes, but stopping won't make it any better. And besides, if we stop now, we won't want to keep moving. I just wish I could see better. I could cast a spell to light up the area, but that would stand out like a hoof on a cat. And the last thing we need is more of those evil unicorns coming after us. I really don't want to waste the energy on fighting them again, mostly because I really don't think I could. We haven't really eaten anything, or for that matter had a single bit to drink. We are in no shape to do anything physically taxing." She replied to Rarity.

"Well I think it doesn't matter anyways! Whether or not you cast a light we are probably going to die out here!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, throwing her hooves in the air.

"Now don't you be thinkin' like that Rainbow! If you start in on that I will give you a headache you don't soon forget!" Apple Jack warned her. "We need to stay positive, ya hear? If we let ourselves get into a depression we won't ever save anypony and we might as well have just not tried to fight back. Heck, we might as well have just stayed in that apple cellar til' we starved."

"Apple Jack is right...We can't just stop and give up. Even if we don't know which way we are headed, we need to keep moving." Twilight said to them all. "For now, lets just keep trying to go in the same direction. Were bound to get somewhere eventually, right?" she finished. The others nodded, except Rainbow Dash.

"And how do you know? What if stopping and giving up was easier than the other choices? Huh?! And anyways even if we reach Canterlot and find the princess and your brother, IF they are still alive, then what? How the buck are we supposed to help against Princess Luna? She's an Alicorn, Twilight! Or did you forget that? She has more magical ability than you and Rarity combined! If Celestia couldn't stop her, how are we supposed to even try?" Rainbow Dash shrieked.

"RAINBOW DASH! I said that's enough! Do you want me to come knock some sense into ya? Cause I gladly will! Just give me the word an' I'll do it!" Apple Jack yelled out.

"GIRLS! Stop fighting! Rainbow Dash! You need to stop being such a pessimist! How do you know we won't stop her?! You don't! None of us know! And we'll never know until we try!! So get up off your flank and MOVE!" Twilight yelled out at both of them. They all went silent except....who was crying? Fluttershy was the first to notice.

"Rainbow Dash? Is that you crying?" She asked.

"Why the hay would I be crying? It must be Pinkie or Apple Jack..." Dash responded.

"Taint' me." Apple Jack said.

"It's not me silly!" Pinkie chimed in.

"Well who is i---" Twilight had started, but stopped immediately. She looked around and saw the smallest pegasi among them sitting off to the side, barely noticeable in the darkness and ashes. "Scootaloo? What's wrong?" She limped slowly over to her and sat down behind her. "Come on Scoots....What's wrong?" Scootaloo looked back over her shoulder and away, continuing to cry. Rainbow Dash sighed and stood up, walking over.

"Hey Scoots, whats bothering you?" She asked her.

"GO AWAY!" Scootaloo cried out. Dash staggered backwards a little from the yell.

"Hey Scootaloo, what is wrong, really? You can talk to us." Twilight tried again.

"I...I don't know!" She started to cry harder. Twilight looked over to Dash, she felt she knew the problem, but didn't want to say anything.

"Come on...Please stop crying. I know things look grim, but we can still make it through this." Twilight said to her.

"Its not that!"

"Well could you please tell us? We just don't want you so upset....I know the conditions and after all that's happened, its hard to not cry...." Twilight continued on.

"Fine....." She said quietly, sniffling. "I....I don't want you guys fighting....And...And when Rainbow Dash said she thought it was pointless to continue on.....and....and thought it would be better if we had just stayed back there and done nothing.....I....I....Why would you say that? I don't want to die! I don't! I don't! I don't! Please!!!" She burst into a new wave of tears, turning around and hugging Rainbow Dash tightly, her little legs and hooves wrapping around Dash's foreleg. Dash looked down at the small pegasi, speechless. She didn't know what to say. She had forgotten all about the small pegasus, in fact. But now that she had the small pony crying and pleading with her, she felt she had no other choice than to move on. She looked up at the others around her in the darkness. "Alright....Lets keep moving guys.....I....I'm sorry...." She said to them, before returning her look to Scootaloo, and hugging her gently so as to not cause her more pain. Twilight smiled weakly and nodded, standing again.

"Lets go girls." She said quietly. The others nodded, and waited for Scootaloo to finally stand before nodding her head weakly.

At some point in time, the 7 had stopped and fell asleep. It was a restless and uneasy sleep, but sleep nonetheless. But they had no idea the rude awakening they were in for.

"GET UP YOU LAZY WEAKLINGS!" A voice shattered their sleep. An angry, and unfamiliar voice. With the yelling came a bright glow from a horn, revealing many others standing around them. At first, Twilight had no clue what was going on, but then it hit her....just like the magic spell that cast her through the air. She landed rolling in the dirt and ash. "Now won't the Princess be happy when we bring you all back to her!" The voice said, laughing out. Twilight hadn't made a single sound, but the pain had whipped through her body. She opened her eyes and shook her head, getting the sleep out, and trying to shake the pain away, only thing she lost was the sleep.

"Wh----" Another spell caught her and flung her further through the air, slamming her into a rock a few feet away. The impact drove the air out of her lungs, leaving her gasping for air.

"TWILI---!!" Apple Jack had been the next target. As she had tried to yell out for her friend, a heavy pair of hooves caught her in the side, sending her head over hoof across the ground. She landed heavily and groaned in pain.

"Any of you others want to speak out of line?" The stallion said darkly. "No? Good. So, you 7 are going to come with us. To the castle. If you have any objections, then go ahead, speak them, we'll be glad to kick you in the mouth so you can't object anymore." He said. A few laughs erupted from around them. "So, if you all would, stand, and we can be off." The others who had been untouched slowly stood, except Rainbow Dash.

"No." she replied to him.

"What did you just say?" He said, turning upon her and looking down at her. "And for that matter, who told you to speak?" He slowly approached her.

"I said: NO." Dash replied bluntly.

"How about this then." He took another step towards her, then let a sudden blast of heated energy shoot from his horn, taking her in the side, sending her flying through the air. She landed heavily and with a loud thud. She remained on the ground, writhing in pain, but still, did not stand. "So, then. Stand UP!" He ordered her.

"N-NO!" She yelled out through gritted teeth. All eyes had turned to the stallion and Rainbow Dash.

"You ungrateful Whorse!" He roared, charging at her. As he got near her, he reared up, preparing to bring his fore hooves down on her to crush her when a beam of blueish magic caught him in the chest. The spell melted his chest plate, causing intense burns, as well as sending him backwards rolling. A sickening crack was heard as he landed on his head. His neck had broken. Dash looked up to where he had been, then around the area, incredulous. Who had just saved her? It wasn't Twilight or Rarity....But who?

"What do we have here? Ponies who kick others when they are already down? Trixie does not approve." Came the all too familiar voice of the Unicorn, Trixie.