Crusader Ponies (Romance of the Six Counties)

Chapters

Chapter 1: I Serve
Chapter 2: By Valor and Arms
Intermission 1: Fluttershy - Hill 442
Chapter 3: To Each His Own
Chapter 4: It Grows As It Goes
Chapter 6: Whither the Fates Carry Us
Intermission 2: Twilight Sparkle - Marehouse Field HQ
Chapter 7: I Will Maintain
Chapter 8: I Undertake and I Achieve
Chapter 9: Further Beyond
Intermission 3: Pie Rock Farm
Chapter 10: Be Watchful
Chapter 11: God and My Right
Chapter 12: No One Provokes Me With Impunity
Chapter 13: She Flies With Her Own Wings
Intermission 4: Carousel Boutique
Chapter 14: Let It Be Perpetual
Chapter 15: While I Breathe, I Hope
Chapter 16: Friendship
Chapter 17: Peace is Sought by War
Chapter 18: The End Crowns The Work
Chapter 5: May She Be Worthy of the Name

Chapter 1: I Serve

I Serve

“- and so,” Princess Celestia beamed at the Elements of Harmony. “Given the contributions that you all have made towards our victory over the Changelings, I believe that it is only right that I hand jurisdiction over the Outer Lands to you.”

She looked around the banqueting table, and realized that she had overestimated their enthusiasm for rule. Oh, Celestia, not everyone is like you, you know. Even Rainbow Dash, whom she thought would have at least let out an excited gasp, looked stunned.

An awkward silence followed. Six pairs of wide eyes trained on the Princess. “Hello?” Celestia waved uneasily. “Rainbow Dash? Pinkie Pie? Twilight Sparkle?”

Hearing her name, the purple unicorn snapped out of her trance. “Um…oh! Princess Celestia! Oh, sorry; I misheard you and thought you were talking about giving us rule over the Outer La-”

“No, my faithful student, that’s what I just said,” Princess Celestia said. “I am giving this land to you not only as thanks, but also as a task: to ensure that Changelings cannot invade Equestria on a whim.”

“But - but wha’ about Sweet Apple Acres?” the distinct voice of Applejack rang out from the other end of the table. “I know Big Mac and Granny Smith ain’t gonna leave!”

Celestia smiled. “Applejack,” she said. “You will have land at least a hundred times that of Sweet Apple Acres. And your extended family will surely appreciate having an important person - nobility, no less - in their midst.”

“And of course,” the Princess glanced at the other ponies, slowly recovering from their shock. “Ruling over your little slice of Equestria does bring benefits. Innumerable animals. Mountains upon mountains of gems. Enough time to throw parties every day of the year. All yours.”

“Yay!” Pinkie Pie blew a party horn. “Party every day!”

The other ponies were less convinced, but Celestia could see that they were curious enough to give it a try.

“Well then,” Celestia smiled. “I guess we are in agreement.”

“Gather ‘round, everypony,” Twilight gestured towards the table, a map on top of it. “Drink?”

“Hey, Twi'! That’s ma’ job! I even brought this here barrel o’cider with me.” Applejack said jokingly. “Slow down, Rainbow; this keg ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

“Pinkie!” Rarity said. “Put away the cannon this instant! Let us finish with official matters first!”

Fluttershy stealthily slunk into a seat on the bottom-left corner.

“Ahem,” Twilight cleared her throat. “So as all of you know, Princess Celestia has handed control of the Duchy of the Outer Lands over to us, with the aim of preventing the Changelings from ever threatening Equestria. I’ll review the whole situation before we all leave for our respective counties.

“Rainbow Dash, you get the northwest - only the largest county for the most distinguished pony of the war.” The cyan colored mare blushed. “Applejack, you get the northeast. Together, both counties possess the three passageways that link the southern part of the Duchy to the north. The both of you are our first line of defense against the Changelings.”

“Don’t worry Twilight, no Changeling would dare mess with us!” Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack, who gave a knowing nod.

“That’s settled then. Pinkie Pie, your county is in the southeast. Rarity, you get the south-central region. Fluttershy, you get the center - hey, maybe you can try and find that white phoenix we saw last time, huh - and I get the southwest. That also means my county is in possession of the only land route back towards Equestria, and is the last line of defense for our Duchy.

“You all know that Princess Celestia has bestowed on me the title of Duchess of the Outer Lands,” Twilight looked around, trying to detect any trace of dissatisfaction in her friends and finding none. “So, to a certain degree, I am responsible for regulating the relationships between all the counties. Of course, since we’re all good friends, we’re going to be just fine; but just in case something does come up, I think we should get together and solve it. So we’ll also hold Councils at regular times and have get-togethers and stuff like that. Any questions?” She looked around. “No? Pinkie, let’s get it going, then!”

“Yes, sir, ma’am, sir! PAAARTY CANNON!”

Celestia’s Sun shone down upon the Elements from a cloudless sky. They had bidden each other farewell; now every pony stood silent, ensconced in thought, unwilling to be the first one to break away. The atmosphere was simply unsuited for such an occasion: so warm, so sunny, so happy…

At long last, Twilight decided to puncture the silence. “Hey, girls, your entourages left almost half a day ago,” she said. “Shouldn’t you be heading out?”

“Aw shucks Twi’, you desperate for us to leave or somethin’?” Applejack chuckled.

“Of course not! It’s just -” Twilight searched around for suitable words. “- it’s just…well, the wait hurts more.”

Rainbow Dash sniffed. “I never thought leaving you guys would be so hard. After all we’ve been through together -”

Rarity put a comforting hoof over the cyan pegasus. “Now don’t you worry, Rainbow Dash, we’ll still see each other regularly.”

“Yeah, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie said. “It’s like an adventure! You love adventure, don’t you? Oh, maybe you’ll find some ancient scary ruins and be like Daring Do!”

Dash looked up at her and gave a forced smile. “Yeah, Pinkie… I guess… ”

The niceties over, the ponies hauled their respective saddlebags onto their backs and prepared to leave.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye then,” Twilight said, tears forming in her eyes. “Ugh, I don’t even know why I’m crying; we’re going to meet each other soon anyway.” She looked up and saw the other Elements in similar emotional straits. Despite everything, Twilight couldn't help but break out in a smile. They're leaving for far-off places, but they will always be here, with me, in spirit.

She extended a hoof. “Girls. Friendship forever?”

“Friendship forever and ever, yay!”

“Friendship forever to y’all.”

“Darling, of course! Friendship forever.”

“Yeah! *sniff* Friendship forever, guys!”

“Oh…friendship forever, oh yes.”

Author's Note

I Serve - Ich Dien - Motto of Bohemia.

Will put a map whenever relevant. I don't plan on giving unique place names - Fluttershy's County will be "County Fluttershy/Fluttershy's County" etc.

1st Revision - 1/31/2013 (Thanks Delta93!).

[Original Cover Picture - Twilight Sparkle as Bohemia]

Chapter 2: By Valor and Arms

By Valor and Arms

Rainbow Dash looked glumly out of the castle window. “Another boring day,” she said to herself, as she gazed out over the shifting sand dunes of the Changeling Desert.

When Celestia first broached the idea, Rainbow Dash admittedly had misgivings about ruling a whole county alone. After all, managing a county would probably be more work than managing the Ponyville weather team. But at least, she had thought, she would have a whole land to herself! Land and ponies and total freedom! Awesome!

Rainbow Dash turned out to be wrong on both counts.

Managing a county turned out to be easier than she had thought. With the local administration already set up on arrival, all she really needed to do was sign forms, meet people, all that. And she had even solved that problem, thanks to Twilight’s advice: her first piece of legislation was to delegate actual authority to some local notary. Now she could have all the freedom she wanted.

But no. Turns out that being the countess was definitely not awesome. The county was big, granted, and it was certainly large enough for Rainbow Dash to practice all her various moves and tricks undisturbed, like the Princess said. But it was all sand. Well, alright, maybe not all sand (she remembered the presentation where they mentioned around 30% of the county being shrubland, or whatever) but, as far as she was concerned, it was pretty much useless. Turning sand dunes into sand craters via Sonic Rainboom may have seemed radical at first, but the novelty wore thin after, like, the fiftieth time.

She found some relief in training a unit of pegasi hoof-picked for their flying abilities (a sort of compensation for being too far away from the Wonderbolts), but in the end, there just wasn’t much here. And definitely no big, scary ruins where she could pretend to be Daring Do.

A knock on the door snapped Rainbow Dash out of her thoughts. “Who’s there? Come in!”

A guard entered and gave a salute. “My Countess, important news from the southern frontier.”

“Sheesh, didn’t I tell everypony to pass information through Res Publica first?”

“You did, but this,” the guard handed over a scroll, “was deemed important enough for your attention by Councillor Publica.”

Rainbow Dash began to read. “Fluttershy…bandits…ransacking the land - what’s ‘ransacking’ mean?”

“It means causing havoc, my Countess.” Rainbow Dash remained puzzled. “Or desecrating. Or despoiling. Or -”

“Urgh! I’m worse than a guard? Argh…forget it, there are bandits in Fluttershy’s county, and I know that’s a bad thing. Draw up the pegasi regiments! We’re heading south!”

Fluttershy, in one of her more daring moments, peered over the battlements to look at the angry mob below.

“YOU THERE!” a gruff voice yelled from below.

“Eep!” Fluttershy ducked back down again. “Yes, Mister?”

“I don’t think she’s answering, Shootaloot.”

Fluttershy heard the bandit leader snarl and curse. “Well, answer or no, we’re taking this place.” He cleared his voice. “LISTEN, COUNTESS! Your reign has been disastrous! Our farms are being overrun by badgers and your councilors are doing nothing about it! They said you didn’t…”

The bandit leader launched into a diatribe as Fluttershy, cowering behind the parapet, struggled to gain control of her thoughts.

Oh Fluttershy, what are you going to do? Those big bad meanies are - STOP STOP. Relax, Fluttershy just relax. Just gain control of the situation. Your animal friends are here to help you, right? The nice squirrels and the cute dormice and the fluffy bunnies, they’re here to help! But those meanies are so big and scary and bad and - QUIT IT. Slow breaths, Fluttershy, slow, deep breaths. Let’s look at the situation again: your friends are coming, right? Rainbow, Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie and Rarity. But will they arrive in time? These baddies are going to attack soon and - NO. Come on, all I have to do is hold out until they come, that’s all. Come on, Fluttershy, you can do this. Be strong, just be strong for your friends, just once, all right? Slow breaths…

“…so we’re giving you one last offer: surrender this city now, or -”

“Or what?!” a fierce-looking Fluttershy stared at them from the battlements, steely eyes burning with determination.

The bandit leader was unfazed. “Or you’ll find out why my name is SHOOTALOOT!”

“Eep!” Fluttershy ducked back behind the battlements, courage draining out of her by the gallon.

Ok, now. I’ve been strong ‘for once’. Now they’re going to attack and then what should I do and -

“Respond. NOW. Or we’re goin’ down the path of war! Ten!”

This is terrible.

“Nine!”

If they do attack I don’t even…

“Eight!”

think I can hold them off. Then what will they…

“Seven!”

do to all the animals? I remember Angel Bunny saying how these bandits are…

“Six!”

all really bad to animals they even…

“NOT SO FAST!”

eat all sorts of - *whoomp* - huh?

Fluttershy gingerly opened her eyes, not really knowing what to expect. “R-Rainbow Dash?”

Sure enough, the cyan pegasus was standing in front of her, clad in armor that was clearly reminiscent of the neoclassical style. (Or maybe inspired by that Heart’s Warming Eve play, Fluttershy thought wistfully.) In any case -

“Never fear, Fluttershy! For Rainbow Dash, Countess of the Northwest and Guardian of the North, is here to rescue you!” Rainbow Dash proudly puffed out her chest and pointed a hoof at herself in order to drive the point home.

“Oh, thank you, Rainbow Dash, thank you so much -” *WHAP*

A large rock crushed a merlon not far from where they both were. Fluttershy screamed in terror and clung desperately to Rainbow Dash’s legs, shivering uncontrollably.

Rainbow Dash let out an embarrassed laugh. “Uh, oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. Listen, Fluttershy -” she eased her hooves out from the surprisingly strong grip of the yellow pegasus - “you stay here. I’ll get rid of tese bandits for you.”

She turned right and saw her ‘Sky Divers’ regiment formed up and ready to go. “Alright, Sky Divers, we’re not letting these bandits take Fluttershy’s city! Lightning Dust, you take the left and punch ‘em from the flank! I’ll lead the right and smash ‘em from the center! Come on, pegasi, let’s move! NOW!”

Fluttershy cowered as a mighty gust of wind signaled the departure of the regiment. Almost instantly, terrible sounds started emanating from far below the battlements. A cold chill ran down Fluttershy’s spine as she sought to protect her ears from the sounds of steel and death. It was like being on that hill back during the Changeling Crusade all over again.

Author's Note

By Valor and Arms - Virtute et Armis - Motto of Mississippi.

1st Revision: 2/10/2013 (Thanks Delta93!).

(I did not realize this chapter repeated itself twice until today - 18/11/2013)

Intermission 1: Fluttershy - Hill 442

Hill 442

“Twilight, we don’t have time! We need to do this right now!” a scared Rainbow Dash pleaded with the purple mare as the terrible shrieks of Changelings and ponies continued unabated around them. “We can’t hold this position much longer!”

“Rainbow Dash, stop!” Twilight’s eyes were closed in desperate concentration. “We only have one shot with the Elements this time ‘round; there isn’t any room for error!”

“Twilight, please -”

“Rainbow Dash, just stay out of Twilight’s hair, will you!” Rarity, her velvety mane stained by dirt and Applejack’s blood. She turned her attention back to the latter. “Oh, Applejack, just five more minutes, please, just five -”

“Don’t y’all…worry…none, I’ll make it for you guys,” Applejack’s green eyes looked upwards. “Hey, don’t worry, Fluttershy, I’ll be fine.”

*sniff*

“Grid! Ponyville Hydra 3489 3984 -” Pinkie Pie’s shrill voice was blanketed by the roar of the Party Battery.

Spike sat next to the extinguished campfire, slumped in apparent dejection.

Twilight’s ear was twitching, her eyelids were clenching ever tighter, and her whimpers were becoming audible.

“Twilight?” Spike stood up.

A tear leaked out from Twilight. “Argh! Stop it! Just shut it! I don’t want to listen to you! Just stop! Shut up! I need more time! I just…” the magical aura around her flickered in and out of sight.

Spike let out a sigh. Before anyone realized what he was up to, he had already donned his miniature helmet and walked up to the purple mare. “Twilight,” he said, putting his hand on her neck. “I can join the guards down there, give you more time, you know?”

Rainbow Dash was too shocked to even make the customary demeaning joke.

“What?!” Rarity shouted, “No! You won’t last down there! Spike, n-”

“No! Rarity,” Twilight interrupted, voice turning tranquil. “Spike’s right. You should go.” Her eyes remained firmly shut.

“Thanks, Twilight.”

“Go, Spike. I’m sorry it had come to this. I love you. Always.” Twilight’s silent tears were the only indication of her inner turmoil. Yet her body was noticeably relaxing.

Spike surveyed the other Elements (bar Pinkie Pie) in front of him, their faces betraying their dread. “It’s been great, being with all of you. And I gues…” he looked at Rarity, “Rarity, I love you.”

Rarity couldn’t help herself. Running towards, Spike, she hugged him with all her might. “Please, Spike *sniff*, don’t go, please!” she bawled.

“RARITY!” Twilight’s harsh voice cut Rarity’s dramatics short. “Stop it. Let. Him. Go!”

Though it obviously pained her, Rarity had little choice but to comply. “Good luck, Spikey Wikey.”

Nobody said anything for a long time afterwards. The only audible sounds that remained were that of chaos, fire, and Applejack’s labored breathing.

After what seemed like an eternity, Twilight finally spoke up. “It’s set,” she said, her voice drained of emotion. “Let’s do it.”

Fluttershy’s necklace began to glow. “Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash called out “It’s starting! Get back here right now…”

Author's Note

1st Revision: 2/10/2013 (Thanks Delta 93!)

Chapter 3: To Each His Own

To Each His Own

The atmosphere in the Ducal Hall was joyous, reminiscent of that night before the Elements bade each other farewell. Twilight had been busy for the past week, as attested by the multitude of garlands, levitating candles, and fine tapestries adorning every beam and column. It was slightly garish, but all the same, a testament to how seriously Twilight took the occasion.

Rarity took advantage of the pre-Council chat to present her new creations. “Oh, I do hope that all of you enjoyed the emblems I made!”

“Are you kidding me? This emblem is unquestionably cool! Thanks, Rarity!”

“Darling, we should all be thanking you! if it weren’t for your actions, I shudder to think what state our poor Fluttershy would be in right now.”

“Heh, I guess. Maybe next time you’ll act a bit quicker, huh, Applejack?”

“Hay! It ain’t ma fault that I ain’t a pegasus! Plus, I arrived only a day after ya!” The orange mare, her saddlebags noticeably loaded, playfully stuck out her tongue at Rainbow Dash before beginning to unpack.

“Alright, settle down, all of you!” a smiling Twilight, sporting a velvet cape and wearing the Golden Crown of the Outer Lands, stopped the prismatic mare before she had a chance to respond. “To all the Countesses of the Duchy, I bid you welcome to our first Council! I trust that everyone had a good journey? Yes? All good and perfect then!”

“Now, before we actually begin, let’s have a moment to remember all those who have sacrificed so much -” Twilight began to feel warm, involuntary tears rolling down her cheeks, “- so that Equestria could be safe from the enemy. And, of course *sniff* that includes our dear Spike.”

A moment of silence followed.

Twilight continued with her speech. “Our deeds indeed seem minuscule before their actions. However, in a way, we can honor their memory through diligent work. Every life we improve here, every ill we purge here - that is a debt that we will have repaid to the noble dead. And so we gather here, in order to preserve and extend the ideals of those who have preceded us.

“And with that, official business! Are there any issues up for discussion? Actually, how about I start first? I’ve been trying to codify the laws regarding ducal succession, and I was wondering whether we should institute a rotating system of leadership. Or would absolute cognatic elective be a more stable arrangement?”

The purple unicorn looked around to see five sets of blank stares.

“How about we talk about something we all can understand,” Rarity said at last. “I, for example, can report that the gems in my county are simply to die for! I mean, not only are the rocks absolutely overflowing with rubies and sapphires and emeralds, but I've even struck quartz! Quartz! And I think we’re on the brink of discovering a large feldspar deposit as well! I…I…I get so dizzy just thinking about it!” To drive the point home, the fashion pony entered into a dramatic swoon.

Pinkie Pie couldn’t resist giggling. “Oh Rarity, I can’t believe you spent your whole time working! Being a ruler is so fun! I just went around the small villages throwing parties for everybody! It was sooo amazing I met so many people and -”

“Uh, Pinkie, don’t you have to, like, govern your county?” a skeptical Twilight asked.

“No, silly! Don’t you know how ‘that government is best which governs least’?”

Twilight sniggered. “What a ridiculous thing to say! Are you saying that Princess Celestia is a -”

“I’m sure y’all get a kick out of fancy sentences n’ all, but I actually have somethin' to report here,” Applejack's backwoods drawl rang across the room. Having gotten everypony's attention, she cleared her throat and hauled a thick tome out of the stack of books surrounding her part of the table. “County Agricultural Report, Chapter One - Ryegrass. This month, as a result of the county’s Ryegrass Development Initiative, we’ve expanded acreage by 16.4%, mostly through drainage projects. We estimate the crop to be ‘round twenty-three thousand bales, up marginally from last month but still below the monthly target of thirty thou’.

“The county ryegrass demand estimate increased to twenty-four thou’ this month as higher domestic consumption and reduced imports from the Griffin Kingdom are projected to keep our ryegrass demand high. As a result of the latest supply n’ demand estimates, county endin’ stocks were revised downward to ‘round six thousand bales. The stocks-ta-use ratio’s forecast at ten percent…hay, what y’all lookin’ at? Who did y’all think did the ledgers and reports back in Ponyville?”

“Uh…wow, that was...informative, Applejack,” Twilight’s mind was still reeling. “Um, Flutter-”

“Ah. Ain’t. Done yet!" Applejack slammed her hoof onto the open book, eliciting a startled yelp from Fluttershy. "All right, I’ll put it to you straight. We keep on missin' our monthly targets, and the gap is gettin' wider with each month! And the reason why we keep fallin' short of our targets is because of -” the orange mare mustered as much venom as she could for the following words. “stinkin’ bandits. And gophers. And rabbits. Comin' from the southwest.”

Fluttershy cringed and sank below the table horizon. Applejack, not noticing this, pointed a hoof in the yellow pegasus’ general direction.

“Now I ain’t assignin’ any blame to Fluttershy for this. But her folks need to get their barn in order! If I’m gonna feed mouths, them farmers gotta be able to grow stuff without havin’ to deal with pests and thieves, y’know?”

“Applejack,” Twilight said, “couldn’t you convert some of your other land for farm-”

“No way, no how!” Applejack pulled out another short pamphlet from the stack. “You gotta see it for yerself, Twi’, most of the county is as dry as Canteray gin! It’s worse than Appaloosa! And ‘cause of that, more than three-quarters of our crop comes from the southwest, includin' the entire apple harvest!”

The orange mare turned towards Fluttershy, trying to see where the pegasus was. “I don’t wanna be mean ta ya, sugarcube: I can live with the gophers, the rabbits, even them caterpillar swarms, but I just can’t deal with yer thieves! Just last week, they burnt down the barn at New Sweet Apple Acres! A-gain! You gotta…”

Twilight desperately scoured her mind for a suitable compromise, as Fluttershy began audibly hyperventilating amid Applejack’s criticisms. Maybe establish a March between the two? Turn it into a demesne? Permanent magical barrier? Permanent physical - her eyes shifted back into focus - oh great, this is not what I need!

Rainbow Dash was speaking. “- to be honest, yeah, Fluttershy, we’re good friends and all, but you really need to pick up the pace. I mean, no offence, but your forces are absolutely awful. I mean, rabbits and mice and squirrels as your soldiers? Where are all the ponies? I mean, at least use bears? With soldiers like yours, no wonder you almost lost your city to that bunch of losers. You really -”

“Sto-o-o-p!” Fluttershy, curled up under her seat and with hooves over her ears, could stand it no longer. The Hall immediately fell silent, punctuated only by the sobs of a broken pegasus.

Applejack, somewhat expecting this but still more than a little remorseful, tried to make the best out of the situation. “Um, sugarcube, I- we didn’t mean to hurt ya like that…” she looked at Twilight and wilted even further under the unicorn's death stare. “It’s only a…minor problem, r-right? Minor problems, they’re, um, easy to solve…”

“Uh, yeah, Fluttershy, it’s not really a big problem, really; yeah, we’re of course going to help you with this, it’s nothing, really -”

“No,” Fluttershy’s faint voice emanated from below the table. “No, Rainbow Dash; no, Applejack, you’re right…I’m useless at looking after ponies…”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were now by her side. “No, Fluttershy, that’s not true -”

Fluttershy temporarily lifted her head out from under her hooves and yelled at the top of her voice. “It. Is. True!” She then sank back down again, her wails growing in intensity. “Oh, I should never have taken this offer up in the first place…all I want to do is to be with my critter friends…I don’t want to deal with taxes. I don’t want to deal with policies. I don’t want to deal with soldiers. I just want to be with the animals! I don’t even -”

“Fluttershy,” Twilight, now also by the pegasus' side, put a comforting foreleg around her. “it’s just a phase, all of us are learning here too.”

“No, Twilight, it’s not that. I’m just no good at this, I’m just not! I should just resign…”

Applejack let out a muffled groan. “Sugarcube, don’t be like this. Please.”

“Fluttershy, you can do this,” Twilight pleaded, “you just have to believe in -”

“No, I can’t, I can’t!” With a final cry of despair, Fluttershy bolted out of the room. Her panicked galloping echoed across the silent hall.

Twilight was not amused. “Great job, girls,” she said as she turned her back on them. “I guess we’d better adjourn the Council for the time being. You two really should have known better.”

Author's Note

To Each His Own - Jedem das Seine - Motto of Prussia.

1st Revision: 2/1/2013

2nd Revision: 3/5/2013 (Thanks Delta93!)

[Original Cover Picture - Rainbow Dash as Prussia]

Chapter 4: It Grows As It Goes

It Grows As It Goes

“Consarnit!”

The scroll arced across the room. A guard ducked as the scroll ring bounced past the door and out into the stone hallway, its plinking sounds slowly fading into the ether.

Applejack’s anger remained unsated. “Doggonit!” she yelled as she brought her hooves down onto the oak table, sending yet another wave of agricultural reports cascading onto the floor.

Not enough. Murderous thoughts continued to fly across the orange mare’s mind. Her twitching eyes shifted their gaze onto the newest edition of the Agricultural Report. In a flash, she had the leather-bound tome above her head, just ready to eject it out of the window...

What the hay, Applejack? The voice of reason finally intervened. This ain’t Sweet Apple Acres! Just remember what Ma said - actions have consequences. Actions have consequences. Actions have consequences…

Applejack took in a slow, deliberate breath. She put the book down.

Her rage having somewhat abated, Applejack walked over to the still-open door. “Sorry, y’all, but I think this door’s gon’ be shut for a while. Y’all go take a rest now, y’hear?”

The farm pony slammed the door shut without waiting for an answer.

Still heaving, Applejack leant next to the door for a few tense seconds, her mind a complete blank. Then she leapt onto the bed and pulled the duvet over herself, a consequence of impulse as much as it was of reason.

Now, alone in the dark, Applejack let her thoughts run their course. New Sweet Apple Acres, again. But not just the barn this time: the entire orchard. Again they came from the southwest; again they fled after committing their crimes. And again her forces couldn’t catch them before they had crossed the border.

As if things weren't bad enough this week, with Granny Smith and all that…

Applejack grabbed a nearby pillow and squeezed it over her head. Had her family been here, then perhaps all this wouldn’t have been such a problem. But Big Mac, now an invalid, was back at the old Acres - and probably preparing for the funeral by now - and Applebloom… well, she had found her calling while being an evacuee with the Oranges: as a valued member of a speculator bank, notorious for ‘repossessing’ farmers out of their land. Big Sis and Lil’ Sis hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms since.

There you go again with all yer bad thoughts. Why don’t you remember what Ma’ said: don’t think anything ‘less it’s nice, yeah?

And so for a few brief seconds, Applejack tried to banish those terrible thoughts from her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, slowly erasing all knowledge of New Sweet Apple Acres and Big Mac and Appleboom from her mind.

But it was a doomed venture. For as soon as Applejack had created a mental vacuum, torrents of hate gushed back in to refill it. And the harder Applejack scoured them out, the more violent these torrents became.

The farm pony had gone to the Council with high hopes. Previous correspondence with Fluttershy had been utterly ineffectual; that had been expected. But by appealing to a higher authority - Twilight, the Duchess of the Outer Lands - the problem was bound to be solved to everyone’s content. How could it not be?

Armed to the teeth with evidence of missed targets, bandit routes, and monetary losses, Applejack had been so sure that the other ponies would see the light. And doubtless, had everything gone as planned, they would have. But of course, there had to be -

“Argh!” Applejack let out a muffled scream as her grip on the pillow became even tighter.

Rainbow Dash: why did'ya open yer mouth?

Twilight: why did'ya ignore ma’ request? Why didn’t you even bother reviewing ma’ case?

Pinkie Pie, Rarity: why didn’t y’all back me up?

And… Applejack: why didn’t you press yer case? Why were you so chicken afterwards? Why, were you scared of Twilight? You scared that the others would turn on you?

“I. Ain’t. Scared!” Applejack growled in frustration.

That’s what you’d like to think.

"I told you, I ain't -" the farm pony ended her sentence with an angry sigh. No point in denial: she was scared. But it wasn’t the sort of scared that she would get when alone in the Everfree, or when visualizing Big Mac’s experiences during the war. No, it was a fear more pernicious, more penetrating, because - precisely because - it was something that was hers and hers alone.

There was a thought that undergirded all of Applejack's frustrations, angers, and failures. It related to a certain yellow pegasus. How Fluttershy was incapable of governing her own territory. How every misfortune in the realm seemed to stem from her. How, almost brazenly, this pegasus had done nothing amid the orange mare’s repeated requests and pleas. How she had forced Applejack to work days and nights on end, compiling statistics and reports just to prove to the Council that something was amiss. How, at the crux of the farm pony's argument, she had held everybody hostage and turned Twilight against Applejack’s case. And how, the day afterwards, she had rubbed salt into Applejack’s wounds by profusely apologizing and being on the verge of tears...

“No!” Applejack crushed her head against the mattress, trying desperately to rub out her terrible secret. Newly-freed pillow feathers drifted slowly down onto her trembling back. Tears were welling up in her eyes. “No,” the orange mare bawled at herself, her voice resonating through the room and into the corridor beyond. “No, you can’t be like this. You can't be like this… ”

“Applejack, I can’t believe you’re saying this about Fluttershy! You’re a monster! I thought you were her friend!”

“Applejack, darling, there’s no way Fluttershy could have done all this! Don’t blame her for your own failings!”

“Wow, that’s low, Applejack. Why don’t you just go back home and torture some more gophers… ”

Knock-knock-knock.

Applejack groggily opened her eyes as the insistent rapping on the door continued. She groaned as she saw the torn pillow casing lying limply next to her. Not just a bad dream.

The orange mare groaned again when she glanced at the window and saw that Luna’s moon was still very much in the sky. Knock-knock-knock. “By Celestia, who’s knockin’?”

“My Countess, an important message.”

Applejack was unimpressed. “Can’t I get it in the mornin’?”

“The messenger begs to differ.”

“And who’s that?”

“The instructions were to deliver the message without question.”

“Hmph. Well alright, push it under the door.”

Applejack picked up the piece of parchment. She unfurled it and began to decipher the chickenscratchings.

Coming over, day after tomorrow. Be there or be mule bear. RD

“Uh-huh,” Applejack murmured. “Real important message.”

Well… fine. Applejack's mind was still in a daze. So that message turned out to be real important after all.

“So what’cha think, AJ?”

Applejack mental dialogue came to an abrupt halt. "Uh... oh! Um... " she stammered.

Trying to buy some time, the orange mare turned and peered out of the bedroom window, making sure not to keep eye contact. “Rainbow, I- I can’t believe this. Take over Fluttershy’s county? What the -”

“What’s the problem?”

“What’s the problem!?” Applejack gawped incredulously at her prismatic friend. “Are you nuts? You want us to divide Fluttershy’s county? You want us to invade Fluttershy's land?”

“AJ -”

“Rainbow Dash! Are. You. Outta. Yer. Goshdarn. Mind?” Applejack reached over and started violently shaking Rainbow Dash.

“AJ, stop!” Rainbow Dash pushed the orange mare away. Both ponies collapsed back into their chairs, staring wide-eyed at each other, breathing heavily.

After a prolonged pause, it was Applejack who regained enough composure to speak first. “Rainbow Dash; I’ll just pretend this never happened, and we’ll just -”

“Seriously, AJ, just listen!”

“Rainbow, there ain’t anythin’ to discuss here.” Applejack crossed her forelegs, voice betraying an increasing annoyance.

“AJ, aren’t you mad that your farms are always being attacked?”

“Well, course! But -” Oh no.

“Weren’t they always being attacked by bandits coming from Fluttershy’s place?”

“Yeah, but that ain’t -” Oh no, no, no.

“And Fluttershy can’t stop them, right?”

Beads of sweat were forming on the farm pony's brow. “No she can’t, but -”

“And did she say she didn’t want the land?”

“Yes, b -”

Rainbow Dash leant in and went for the jugular. “So where’s the problem?”

Applejack flinched. Her mouth opened but nothing would come out. Her eyes widened with that realization. “Well… b-but… you didn’t ask Fluttershy!” she blurted out, desperately finding straws - any straws - to grasp at.

Rainbow Dash broke out into a victor's smile. “Oh come on, she’ll definitely say yes.”

The farm pony deflated. “W-well, what about Twi'? What about the others?”

“So you’re saying they want Fluttershy to suffer, huh?”

“No, but… !” I can't do this! She'll know! They'll know! They'll -

The look on Twilight’s face was one of utter disappointment. “Applejack, how could you do this? Fluttershy was so good to you… ”

Rainbow Dash looked on with some satisfaction as a hyperventilating Applejack drew her Stetson over her watering eyes. “No, no, no!” she moaned. “I can’t - I can’t do this!”

The farm pony shook uncontrollably with every gasp; her mind, for all intents and purposes, had collapsed under the weight of its emotional contradictions.

Enjoy the moment, the pegasus thought to herself. Total victory for R.B.D!

And yet, after a silent cheer, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but wonder how she had managed to avoid Applejack’s by-now-so-obvious breakdown. Shouldn't it be obvious how her answer was the only right answer - the only loyal answer? Why would Applejack feel so bad about this? Wouldn't everypony do the same thing as I did? It’s so obviously the best thing for Fluttershy, for Applejack, for all of us!

Okay, enough Rainbow Dash for now; I’d better see how Applejack’s doing. Only then did Rainbow Dash realize that Applejack was blubbering to her, her speech punctured by hiccups and sobs. “… aan’ so I was reeally *hic* angry an’ everythin’ at her, I- I couldn’t face myself, ya know? *hic* Element. Of. Honesty,” Applejack snickered and picked up a glass, “MA’ FLANK!” the goblet hit the wall and shattered into a thousand crystalline pieces.

“AJ, calm down!” Rainbow Dash rushed over to Applejack's side, gently stroking her blonde mane. “Hey, I know how bad you must feel… you looked so awful the day after... it’s not your fault; I guess it’s not anypony’s fault… we can make this better for everypony, alright?”

Applejack looked up at her and sniffed. “I- I guess I can’t deny it *hic*… I’m mighty sick of all the stuff that’s comin’ over from her border… I suppose... *hic* I suppose I can’t say I don’t agree… ” Please, dear Celestia, please never make me regret these words.

“Uh, what?”

Applejack couldn't resist a smile. “Oh, Rainbow, I guess *sniff* I agree with you.”

“Oh! Thanks you so much, Applejack -”

“But please promise me, RD; promise me you’ll ask Fluttershy and Twilight.” Applejack said, putting her hoof on the pegasus' foreleg.

“Yes, AJ! Pinkie Pie promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my - OW!”

Applejack, for the first time in a long while, burst out laughing at her friend's expense. “Oh, Rainbow… ”

Author's Note

It grows as it goes - Crescent Eundo - motto of New Mexico.

*2nd Revision: 10/2/2013

*3rd Revision: 8/3/2013 (Thanks Delta93!)

Chapter 6: Whither the Fates Carry Us

Whither the Fates Carry Us

“Erm… Countess?” the gray stallion looked warily at the set of bear plate armor in front of him.

He tapped the breastplate, silently cursing his ill luck. So who'da thought I’d get the short straw - again - for the third time runnin'? He rapped again. No response. Typical. But then, there was that time when Ol’ Pacer only got to her after three whole days, so I guess this ain't too much… He kicked one of the legs, taking note of the dulled response. Yep, she’s in there all right. Come on, come on, I gotta be latrine king today!

He turned around and bucked the armor semi-gently. Just get the darned letter already! Celestia knows what Shot Biter is up to in the toilet… He shuddered as he pictured a monstrous pile of steaming horse dung, just sitting there in the middle of the john. Oh, just great! He hammered on the flank plates with increasing urgency. Come on! Still no response.

His options exhausted, the stallion finally drew back. He pondered over the scroll in his hooves. I guess it can’t be that important, right?

Oh wait! Eye slits! He checked. Yep, they exist…well, she’s never complained, right? No reason to start now, huh?

He walked up and slotted the parchment through the slit. I am so complainin' if I get a demerit for this!

The stallion bolted. In a flash, he had already covered half the stairs and was on his way to the washrooms. He most certainly didn’t hear the excited squeal of Fluttershy, the clang of hastily discarded steel plate, the swoosh of energized wings, nor the gleeful chuckles of a liberated pegasus, penning her response to Rainbow Dash.

Applejack closed the door behind her. “Well?”

Rainbow Dash hopped onto her cumulonimbus and closed her eyes, a smile on her face. “Twilight says it’s fine.”

“By Celestia, just like that? Was yer letter that convincing?” Applejack, all too aware of the pegasus' weaknesses, raised an eyebrow.

“Well, she did say that we should get Fluttershy’s permission. So basically she said 'yeah'.”

“Maybe she’s gonna have a chat with Fluttershy and talk her outta it.”

“Heh, good luck to her on that,” Rainbow Dash smirked.

“Or maybe she’s gonna use some of her fancy-schmancy magic to mess with her mind or somethin’.”

“That's not a very nice thing to think of Twilight.”

“Well, I don’t mind much, to be honest. As long as that problem disappears, I’m fine with it.”

“That’s not very nice, AJ.”

“Can’t say she wouldn’t be better off like that - least, in certain cases,” Applejack responded pensively. “And oh, before I forget, this here’s for you.”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to see Applejack toting a rolled-up scroll. “Huh? What’s this? No cider?”

“Shucks, RD, after this you’ll never be askin’ me for cider again,” Applejack triumphantly unfurled the scroll, revealing a dizzying spectacle of diagrams and numbers. “Ta-da! Hearth's Warming has come early!”

“Uh… what’s this?”

“This? Why, this ain’t nothin’ less than your very own Apple Cider fermenter!”

“Oh… right... ”

It took a while to process the data, but as soon as she understood, Rainbow Dash's eyes suddenly shot open. “Oh, right! All right! Oh my goshoh my gosh! Oh, Celestia! Oh, wow! Thanks so much, Applejack!” the pegasus couldn’t resist punching the air in glee.

Applejack hugged her prismatic friend. “Don’t mention it, Rainbow; it’s the least I could do after you solved all this.”

Dash returned the embrace. “Awww… ”

“- for helping all of us when no one else could -”

“It was nothing, really… ”

“Twi’ must be so proud of you -”

Twi- Rainbow Dash was suddenly wrenched out of her euphoria. Oh, um…about that…

“- actually, reminds me, I’d better send her somethin’ too, as thanks,”

Nagging thoughts, once buried, began resurfacing in the pegasus’ mind. How would Twilight react to Applejack? I bet she’s going to admit defeat - she’ll calm down soon enough - but what if she doesn't? What would happen to Applejack then? Maybe I should just tell her - but she’s going to be so angry at me and so disappointed! But if I don’t tell her and Twilight gets angry, then she’s going to be angry and disappointed anyway… oh, I shouldn't have asked her to join! But then if she didn't, nothing would change! This is just so-

“- Rainbow?” Applejack was tapping the pegasus’ back. “Dash! RD!”

That broke the train of thought. “Oh...AJ?”

“You alright, sugarcube?”

“Oh, um, yeah,” Rainbow Dash scratched her mane and looked away. “Guess I just spaced out… ”

Applejack frowned. “Rainbow Dash, is something wrong?”

Uhh… “No, nothing at all.”

The orange mare’s frown deepened. “Something is wrong.”

Darn it! “No, nothing is wrong.”

“I can smell a lie, RD. What is wrong?”

Of all the times you had act like your Element! “It’s nothing, really…”

“Tell me.”

Oh, she is going to be so angry!

“Tell me!”

On the other hand, she deserves to know, as a friend-

“Rainbow Dash, tell me now!”

Yeah, I’d better tell her the truth before she finds out by herself...

“Alright, alright, AJ!” Rainbow Dash pushed AJ’s hooves off of her. “Well… you see… I might have been a teensy bit… hard… on Fluttershy in that letter… something about… ummm… ’can’t rule’ and… you know… things like that. Worse.”

Great job, Rainbow. Just great.

Applejack’s face brightened. “Oh, was that it? Oh, RD,” she chuckled. “you gotta be cruel to be kind sometimes. I mean, it would be nice if Fluttershy could stay, but I’ll take second best. I’m sure the others will understand.”

Rainbow Dash smiled for entirely the wrong reasons.

Their friendly stalemate was cut short by a knock on the door. “Come in!” Rainbow Dash, silently relieved, called out.

A guard entered and saluted. “My Countess, important message from County Fluttershy!”

“Oh, thank you so much, thank you so, so much; I can’t possibly tell you how thankful I am,” Fluttershy said, pouring out cups of tea for the two conquerors. “This whole time has just been an awful nightmare!”

“Aww, sugar, don’t mention it,” Applejack said comfortingly. “I’m just glad you’re takin’ all of this in stride.”

“Oh, Applejack, you couldn’t imagine how free I feel right now!” Fluttershy smiled. “I’ve made so many plans for the following week! There’s the picnic with Angel’s family, the tea with Mr. White Phoenix, the vacation with the River Monster…oh, it just makes me want to scream with joy! Eeep!” the yellow pegasus squealed with glee.

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Hey, here’s our old Fluttershy back! But remember, you still own this amazing castle, right? Don’t spend too much time away from us!”

“Oh of course, thank you again so much!” the yellow pegasus sipped her tea. “I guess I should write to Twilight and thank her for allowing this… ”

Applejack thought she saw Rainbow Dash twitch.

“Your letter must have been really persuasive, Rainbow,” Fluttershy continued. “Just last month, she teleported over and oh, she was so angry… she kept on saying how you ‘betrayed’ her and kept telling me not to accept your help under any circumstances… ” the yellow pegasus sighed and shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why would she say that?”

“Well, she said it was something about Celestia deciding who rules over what lands and stuff,” Rainbow Dash nervously brushed the question off. “Pretty lame excuse, if you ask me.”

“Have to agree with RD here,” Applejack said. “That just ain’t a reason for making everypony’s lives miserable.”

Fluttershy lowered her head in contemplation. “I don’t know… it was like that one time Twilight went bananas back then, you remember that? It’s didn't seem like her… oh I know, how about you see it for yourself?” Fluttershy said, going to her desk and picking up a scroll of parchment. “This was the last letter from Twilight.”

The other two mares regarded the parchment. Applejack looked up. “Sugarcube, you sure this ain’t RD’s?”

“No, no, it was from Twilight. This was a very strange letter.”

Rainbow Dash remained silent, her unblinking eyes scanning line after line of the unicorn’s enraged chickenscratchings.

“Huh,” Applejack shrugged. “Figured that she might’ve been able to read it.”

“H-hey!” Rainbow Dash frowned. Applejack laughed. “It’s a joke, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hmph.” Rainbow Dash put the scroll down. “It just basically says that you shouldn't let me help you - grow a backbone - stuff like that.”

“Oh, well, you see now, don’t you?” Fluttershy said. “She was never like that before… I think... I don’t think any of my friends could possibly write something like that.”

Applejack clearly noted Rainbow Dash’s twitch this time around. The farm pony picked up the scroll and began to read it herself.

“It must have been the war,” Fluttershy muttered. “that horrible, horrible war! Spike… her brother… ” a tear rolled down the yellow pegasus’ cheek. “I feel so sorry for Twilight… it just wasn't fair to her!”

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Applejack interjected abruptly, standing up from her chair. “I just remembered. Me and Dash gotta check up on the troops outside, y’know, make sure they’re all fine n’ dandy n’ stuff.”

The cyan mare looked around. “Wha- ?”

Applejack grabbed Rainbow Dash by the foreleg. “Come on! Nopony likes a late commander!” the orange mare looked back at Fluttershy. “Uh, yeah, sorry ‘bout this, see you at dinner?”

“But,” Fluttershy began helplessly as the door slammed shut. “I’m meeting the Mooses for dinner…”

Too soon for her liking, Rainbow Dash was again pinned to a wall.

Applejack was not amused. “I don’t appreciate this lyin’,” she said sternly.

Rainbow Dash unsuccessfully tried to free herself. Being Applejack's prisoner was definitively worse than being Twilight’s. “W-what do you mean?”

“The date! Oh, consarnit, Rainbow Dash, you didn’t write that letter!” Applejack exclaimed, making sure her voice wouldn't reach Fluttershy’s quarters.

“N-no! I did! I. Swear!” the cyan pegasus protested.

Applejack’s moody face darkened further. “So she didn’t let you.”

“Well... I guess you could say that.”

Applejack released Rainbow Dash, letting her fall to the ground flank-first. The pegasus could hardly blame her for turning so sour. Yet even in her funk Applejack desired activity. The farm pony began trotting up and down the stone corridor, the clopping of her hooves betraying a hidden anxiety.

Rainbow Dash reasoned that it was as good a time as any to explain herself. “So you’re not mad?”

Applejack was still trotting and thinking. “Dash, I've got bigger problems now. We've got bigger problems. This is treason. I can’t believe I trusted y-…urgh! Look, we need to work together if we’re gon’ make this right.”

“Yeah,” the cyan pegasus decided not to comment on how distracting Applejack's gait was.

“We had good intentions goin’ in,” Applejack thought out loud. “And I don’t see Fluttershy re-takin’ Countess again... yeah, I think we have a good hand. So if we play our cards right,” Applejack finally deigned to look at her friend, “we should be able to work somethin' out with Twi’.”

“But didn't Fluttershy say Twilight was being a bit weird? Aren't you worried?”

“We ain't got no better choice now,” Applejack ground to a halt as she scratched her chin. “Plus, you're gon' towrite to Twi’: ask if we can discuss this between the four of us. Please don’t fib again.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. "She's not going to like this, though. The letter was pretty crazy."

Applejack cursed her lack of a time-machine.

Author's Note

Whither the Fates Carry Us - Quo Fata Ferunt - Motto of Bermuda.

[Original Title Picture - Pinkie Pie as Yaroslavl]

(1st Revision: 16/5/2013)

(2nd Revision: 27/7/2013 [Thanks Delta93!])

Intermission 2: Twilight Sparkle - Marehouse Field HQ

Marehouse Field HQ

It had been a couple of weeks since Spike’s death. Fresh back from Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash crept silently through an open door, gasping sharply as a blast of cold wind hit her. Twilight must have left the windows open again. The pegasus closed the door silently, hoping to cause as little disturbance as possible.

And there the purple unicorn was: at her desk, back facing the pegasus, slumped over a piece of blank parchment.

Rainbow Dash first paused to check if Twilight was asleep. She wasn't: the unicorn’s eyes were open, fixated on Celestia's Sun sinking slowly beyond the rolling hills. For a moment, Rainbow Dash wondered if Twilight even knew of the pegasus' presence.

Probably angry, Rainbow Dash thought. With all the stuff that’s going on, who can blame her-

“She hasn’t replied.” Twilight said casually, still staring out of the window.

Caught off guard, the pegasus could only manage a confused “What?”

“She hasn’t replied. Princess Celestia,” the unicorn answered matter-of-factly.

“Um. Oh.”

“She’s never done that before.”

“Right.”

“Oh, who am I kidding? She won’t respond. Not after what he did… ” the purple unicorn sighed dejectedly, hanging her head in shame.

Gingerly, Rainbow Dash tried to put a foreleg around her friend. “Well, I’m sure the Princess is just busy. What your brother did really hasn't got anything to do with you -”

“Please,” Twilight pushed Rainbow Dash’s foreleg away. “Shining Armor’s not my brother. Especially not after- you know... ” she slumped further onto the desk. “Oh, I’ve failed the Princess again: first Spike, now Shining Armor! How could I have ever let this happen?”

“It was legal,” The prismatic mare tried to be as neutral as possible.

“But we’re supposed to be in this together!” Twilight suddenly slammed her hoof on the table. “All ponies! Together!” Books and stationery cascaded onto the floor. “And here comes Cadence and Shining Armor, saying they want to leave? That they won’t help? This - this is treason. This is betrayal!” The lavender mare buried her face in her forelegs. “How could they do this? How could they do this to me?”

“Um… well… ” the pegasus thought back to that emergency session in the Cloudsdale Parliament. She had to admit, there were some really convincing arguments for wanting out of this struggle… she could almost find herself agreeing-

“'Well' what?”

Rainbow Dash snapped back to reality. Twilight was glaring at her. “Uh… nothing really, I guess,” the pegasus stammered.

Twilight’s eyes narrowed.

The prismatic mare averted her gaze. “It’s nothing. Really.”

Twilight was unconvinced. She turned her gaze back towards the window. “Oh. Of course. I should have guessed. You just came back from Cloudsdale. They voted to leave too, I suppose.”

“Um… er… ” Rainbow Dash’s indecision betrayed the truth.

Twilight couldn't - wouldn't? - summon up any further emotions. “Well. What do you want me to say? It’s been nice knowing you. Have a great flight home.”

Rainbow tried to approach her friend again. “Twilight… ”

“No. I totally understand,” Twilight continued disinterestedly. “You’re a Cloudsdale pegasus. Cloudsdale pegasi obey Parliament. I get it. I won’t keep you here. Bye.”

The pegasus began to feel slightly insulted. “Twilight, are you just going to act like this forever?”

“Why do you care?” Twilight’s voice revealed an increasing irritation. “Just go home, alright? Leave me alone.”

“I’m not going back home.” Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight paused, as if she wasn't expecting this. “So you’re not leaving.”

“You heard that right. Handed in my papers as soon as I saw the result. Come on, you wouldn't expect me, the Element of Loyalty, to abandon my friends, huh?”

Twilight turned back and, for the first time in seemingly forever, let out a miniscule smile. “That’s one piece of good news, I guess.”

I was expecting something more dramatic, Rainbow Dash thought. But whatever. She gave a reassuring pat to the magical mare. “Twilight, just remember that we are all behind you. Always.”

“Thanks. I know.”

“So why don’t we all go out and, you know, just do things? Just like the old times,” the pegasus suggested. “Forget all about the stuff that’s happening. Just for one day.”

“I’d like to, but… I think you should tell Fluttershy about Cloudsdale’s decision.”

Rainbow Dash almost choked on her own spit. “Fluttershy? You mean the pegasus that hasn't lived in Cloudsdale since, like, forever? The one who hates flying? You seriously think she’s going to listen to whatever those old farts have to say?”

“You never know,” Twilight sighed. "This is war. If my own family can betray me... then anypony... "

The implication was evident.

Now it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to narrow her eyes. “Well, alright. I’ll ask Fluttershy. But I trust that she will make the right decision. And so should you.” The prismatic mare turned and began to walk away, leaving the unicorn to her own devices.

“Wait,” Twilight said just as Rainbow Dash was about to open the door.

The pegasus turned. “Yes?”

“What did you say to your family?”

Rainbow Dash let out a bitter smile. Cloudsdale society never forgave “traitors” who disobeyed orders from on high. Every pegasus knew that refusal meant an irrevocable break with friends and family.

“You are my family,” the pegasus replied. And this she meant.

“You are my family… ” Twilight repeated those very words, as if in a trance. Suddenly an idea hit her. “Oh, oh! Thanks, Rainbow Dash, I’ll see you later, I have a letter to write!” The unicorn pushed the confused pegasus out of the door and galloped back to her desk, pen and parchment dancing around her in a moment of inspired frenzy.

Her writer’s block melting away along with her melancholy, Twilight took a deep breath, smoothed out the parchment and began to write.

Dear Princess Celestia,

After days of agonizing thought, I have realized that, ultimately, my real family resides not in the luxurious comfort of the Crystal Palace, nor in the secluded towers of Canterlot academia. No, my real family is with me: here, at this very moment, fighting and bleeding for a magnificent and noble cause - to keep the lands of Equestria free. Fluttershy. Applejack. Rarity. Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash. All of us have created a bond that exceeds friendship. All of us have sacrificed much for each other. In a sense, we have forged, through struggle, the strongest of blood ties.

It is with this realization, my Princess, that I formally renounce any ties to my former kin - Shining Armor, Cadence, my mother and father, and all others who have rejected your cause for safety and surrender. I realize now that those who are unwilling to bleed for us, those who are unable to share our dreams, and those who offer only criticism but no help - these ponies, even if linked to me through blood, I cannot in conscience call ‘family’. And with this declaration, may our futures be irrevocably severed from each other, and may the threads of fate never draw us together again.

I remain forever your most loyal and humble subject and student,

Twilight Sparkle

Author's Note

(1st Revision: 16/5/2013)

(2nd Revision: 27/7/2013 [Thanks Delta93!])

Chapter 7: I Will Maintain

I Will Maintain

“…Princess Celestia!” Twilight scrambled off her seat and prostrated herself in front of the alicorn, spilling well-brewed tea onto the inestimably valuable rug.

“Twilight Sparkle,” the royal voice commanded. “I have been receiving reports of the…trouble that you have been having in your Duchy. I have come in order to inspect the situation for myself.”

“A-as you wish, my Princess.” Twilight dared not look up from the floor, fearing what she might see.

“So speak. Tell me of the issues.”

“W-well, Princess, it all began in Fluttershy’s County. I guess you know what Fluttershy is like -“

“Elaborate.”

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. “U-uh…Fluttershy’s a bit too kind, you could say; she isn’t the sort of person who would impose her views on others. Well, not all of the time, anyway.”

“Noted.”

“So, I guess it was…inevitable that she would…mismanage the county. Also, I guess she placed the interests of the local wildlife much further up than was…advisable.”

“And did you not notify her of this problem? Did you take action?”

Twilight closed her eyes in silent terror. “I advised her, but took no action.”

“Explain your lack of action.”

“I believed that Fluttershy was my friend, so it would have been rude to impose on her.”

“Noted. What proceeded next.”

“Bandits started appearing in Fluttershy’s county, and began spilling over into Applejack’s territory. She raised the issue in the Council.”

“And what did you do, then.”

“I…uh…um…” Twilight gulped. “I guess I…ignored her. It felt like she was…bullying Fluttershy. Fluttershy was crying everywhere, saying she didn’t want the land, things like that.”

“So you did nothing again. Noted.” The coldness in the Princess’ voice was apparent. “Describe what happened next.”

“Then Rainbow Dash sends this letter over, asking if it would be better for everyone if she and Applejack were to take over Fluttershy’s county. I denied this outright.”

“Explain.”

Twilight tried her best to make her explanation sound less fawning. “I believe that everything we have here is a gift from you; and therefore it isn’t in our power to make fundamental changes to the structure of the Duchy.”

“I see. So what happened then.”

Twilight choked as forced her body even lower onto the floor. “My Princess, Applejack and Rainbow Dash then decided to take over Fluttershy’s county themselves. They then asked for a new Council to be held this afternoon to discuss the new issue…oh, please forgive me, Princess Celestia!”

The unicorn could feel her teacher’s silent rage. “Twilight Sparkle. During the war, Spike died because you couldn’t get the Elements of Harmony working in time. Then, your family betrayed me and almost brought an end to the war effort. And now, even in peacetime, you still seek to create problems by failing to resolve even the simplest of tasks. Twilight Sparkle, what can you actually do?”

Twilight dared not cry aloud. “Y-you are right, Princess Celestia. I am a…failure. I deserve nothing more than your just punishment for my incompetence…”

The Princess smirked. “Oh, Twilight, were it so that I could simply remove you for these transgressions. Yet your inexplicable position in the Elements of Harmony means that I cannot easily do so. No, you will have to remain here as a bulwark against the Changelings. Perhaps you will find a way to redeem yourself, Twilight. The royal patience is not yet exhausted…”

“Oh, thank you, thank you so much, oh…Princess?” Twilight finally dared look up, only to be faced with a blank study room. What the hay? Was it all a dream? She looked around and saw her teacup, still slowly disgorging cold tea onto the rug. I…but…

Whatever. What the Princess said remained true. She had failed again and again. But Twilight was still within reach of redemption. She just had to act.

A near-smile crept across Twilight’s face as her eyes remained fixated on the split teacup. “I won’t fail,” she whispered.

“Oh, believe me, Twilight, I really didn’t appreciate ruling the land at all,” Fluttershy said. “It was all scary ponies asking me to do this and do that; I just couldn’t deal with all of it. And all of them seemed so angry about the critters, and wanted to do all sorts of nasty -”

Twilight tried one last argument. “But Fluttershy, when you are in such a position you have the power - the ability - to do whatever you want! You’re the only person who can guarantee that the animals in your land can live in peace! How can you be so sure that Applejack and Rainbow Dash will keep their promises?”

“Hay!” Rainbow Dash yelled. Applejack, next to the pegasus, shot her a dirty look.

Fluttershy was unfazed by Twilight’s question. “Oh, I’m sure they will keep their promise, Twilight. We’re all friends, right? Rainbow Dash has promised to let the gophers go into her land, if they promise not to disturb Applejack’s farms any more. Applejack…”

Twilight sighed in frustration. She had hoped to convince Fluttershy through words, but the pegasus was, predictably, stubborn as a mule on this issue.

But I’m not giving up. By Celestia, this will not defeat me!

The lavender unicorn stood up and interrupted Fluttershy’s ongoing list of promises. “Fluttershy, I’ve tried talking you into this, and I think I’ve given you more than enough reason for doing so. I’m not going to let you hand over your land to Applejack or Rainbow Dash. You’re going to stay as Countess, as Celestia has ordered.”

Fluttershy’s shocked face quickly turned into disappointment. “But…Twilight…”

“No buts, just do your duty.” Twilight sat back down and crossed her arms, in a display of finality.

Fluttershy continued nonetheless. “Twilight…but…oh!” the yellow mare slumped back in her chair and burst into tears. The others rushed to her side.

Rarity stared angrily at her nominal liege. “Twilight, wasn’t it you who accused Applejack of bullying last time?”

Pinkie Pie chimed in. “Yeah, Twilight, that’s mean.”

The purple mare closed her eyes and crushed her nascent feeling of guilt. “She doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

The white unicorn was unconvinced. “So you know better, Twilight? Look at this poor darling -” she brushed tears off Fluttershy’s face, “- how could you possibly say that putting her back there is good for her?”

“Eventually,” Twilight responded vaguely.

“Come on, Twilight! If Fluttershy doesn’t like it then don’t make her do something that would make her so sad!” Pinkie Pie protested. “What’s so bad about Applejack and Rainbow Dash having the land?”

“I agree,” Rarity said nonchalantly. “If Fluttershy doesn’t want the land, then let the other have it. What’s so bad about that anyway?”

“I’m not -” Twilight began.

For all this time Rainbow Dash had been restrained by increasingly desperate moves from Applejack. Now, with a gentle kick at Applejack’s face, the pegasus broke free of the farm pony’s iron grip.

“Rainbow, no!” Applejack pleaded.

But the cyan mare, hovering beyond the orange mare’s reach, was having none of it. “You see, Twilight? Everypony supports our position! I don’t see why I have to listen to a pony who -” she gestured to Fluttershy, “- bullies her friends for no reason! I’m not listening to a pony that only seems to “care” about Fluttershy and not for anybody else! So unless you can convince more of us, I’m not leaving!”

A semi-silence followed, punctuated only by Fluttershy’s weeping. Applejack widened her eyes in terror and mouthed words to an unnoticing Rainbow Dash. Everypony else looked at Twilight, half-dreading what her reaction would be.

Twilight resisted the urge to magically rip off Rainbow Dash’s wings. “Are you going to disobey my command?” she snarled through gritted teeth.

“Yes!” Rainbow Dash said defiantly. Applejack opened her mouth, hoping to say something to the cyan pegasus, but no words came out. “You’re going to change your decision!”

Twilight’s ear twitched as she glared at Rainbow Dash. She might be angry, but she wasn’t stupid. There was no use punishing the pegasus; everypony else would have turned against her even more than they already have done. That rebellious mare got something right, at least; Twilight did need the support of the others in order to carry out commands.

I guess we’re playing a long game, then.

Twilight stood up, still staring at her insolent vassal. “Fine,” she declared. “Give me a night to think about a possible solution. And to all of you,” The unicorn looked at every mare with a novel and undisguised contempt. “This is the second time that all of you have decided to betray me. Remember Cadence’s wedding. So let’s hope that your judgment has improved.”

Having said this, the Duchess turned and left without another word, concealing her fast-moistening eyes. They've done it. They've finally done it.

They've betrayed me.

As soon as Twilight slammed the doors shut, a less-than-amused Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash.

“What the hay didya think you were doin’? So you think rebellin’ is gon’ solve all our problems?”

Rainbow Dash landed, a smug grin on her face. “Puh-leese! Did you think Twilight was going to change her mind with anything else?”

“I agree,” Rarity said. “It was, really, the only way,”

“I…uh…” Applejack knew it was probably true. “Urgh! Rebellin’ is still rebellin’. We should never’ve gone that far. What if she calls in Celestia?”

“Oh come on!” Pinkie Pie said, still concentrating on cheering Fluttershy up. “We’re her friends! She’s not going to do something like that!”

“See?” Rainbow Dash said. “And you can thank me, Applejack, now that I’ve helped you solve all of your problems!”

Applejack’s frown deepened. “Let me kindly remind you, RD, that you made this problem up yourself.”

“Yeah, yeah, like you were soooo happy before all of this occurred.”

“All I wanted was for them bandits and gophers to leave! I didn’t need no new land, I didn’t need no lyin’ to Twilight, and I certainly didn’t need no rebellion!”

“Yeah, like this wasn’t the only way to solve these problems. I didn’t see you refusing to do anything like this - why don’t you move your troops back to your wasteland county, huh?”

“…why, you -”

Rarity sensed the unfriendly atmosphere. “Hey, now, all of you, calm down!” she said, separating the two ponies. “We’ve all accomplished what we came here for, right? Fluttershy’s now free, and surely that’s a good thing!”

“Oh, yes,” Fluttershy, supported by Pinkie Pie, walked up towards them. “Thank you all so much for this; I feel so happy now. Thank you all so much…”

“No problem,” Applejack and Rainbow Dash said simultaneously. They both looked at each other and shared a chuckle.

“Come on darlings, let’s all bring Fluttershy back to her quarters…”

Author's Note

I Will Maintain - Je Maintiendrai - Motto of the Netherlands.

(1st Revision: 27/7/2013 [Thanks Delta93!])

Chapter 8: I Undertake and I Achieve

I Undertake and I Achieve

“Cadence, tell me about the beginnings of Princess Celestia again!” young Twilight Sparkle bubbled with anticipation of her favorite story.

Princess Cadence rolled her eyes. “My, my, you never are bored of that story!”

“Whatever! I wanna hear it!”

Cadence swooned in mock resignation. “Oh, alright. Now, a long time ago, Princess Celestia was a Royal Princess ruling over a small kingdom in Discord’s large empire. But one day, there was a terrible argument between her and Discord. In a rage, the cruel Discord cast her out into the deep, dark Everfree Forest, where he was sure she would perish, alone and forgotten.”

“Oh no! Was the Princess alright?” Twilight acted as though she had only just heard the story for the first time.

The alicorn chuckled. “Oh, Twilight… anyway, our Princess was made of stronger stuff than that! And despite everything, the Princess was not one for giving up! So for years, the Princess stayed within the Everfree Forest, slowly perfecting her magic, slowly plotting her revenge against the evil dragonequus. But she soon came to realize one thing: her powers would never be strong enough to beat Discord, the Lord of Chaos. No, what she needed was a willing partner, a fellow pony, one that could help her lift the evil fog over Equestria once and for all!”

“Tell me now, Cadence, who did she find!”

“Now, now! And so, the Princess sneaked out of the Everfree Forest, travelling across the land of Equestria, searching high and low for any ponies that shared her dream! And for years and years she looked. She searched high and low, near and far, village to dell. The Princess searched everywhere, but nobody even came close to what was needed.”

“And why not, Cadence?”

Cadence herself was slowly getting absorbed in her own fantasy. “It was because: she never found a pony that was strong enough, or clever enough, or subtle enough to defeat that ultimate horror. Discord could easily crush them in his paws within a second! After so much effort, the Princess began to lose hope… but she then realized a truth!”

“And what was that?”

“Princess Celestia realized that what she needed wasn't the strongest pony, or the cleverest pony, or even the most all-rounded pony: what she needed, was that pony who could get closest to Discord! She needed somepony who could approach Discord where he thought he was safe; and that pony turned out to be… Princess Luna!”

Twilight ritually opened her eyes wide. “Princess Luna?”

“Yes, Twilight; her own sister, Princess Luna, Discord’s most trusted Royal Princess in the land! But slowly and patiently, Princess Celestia, using all of her magic and cunning, gradually drove Luna and Discord apart. A few stolen bits here, a few small insults there… and soon, Princess Celestia had, by herself, discorded Discord!”

“Oh Cadance, oh Cadence, what happened then?” the baby unicorn was to hear that well-worn ending.

“And on one dark and stormy night, Princess Luna silently let Princess Celestia into the palace. They opened the bedroom door to find that big evil dragon sleeping so soundly on his couch, totally unaware that he was about to get his just desserts! And so, they crept up to him and- oh no! Discord woke up and captured them!”

“What!?” Twilight squealed in disbelief. "That's not what happened!"

“Gotcha!” Cadence rolled on the floor, laughing. “Of course not! The two Princesses, using the Elements of Harmony, turned the terrible Discord back into stone - that big, mean dragon only realized what was happening when his neck was turning into granite! And ever since, Equestria has been free of his evil rule, and ponies have lived happily ever after under Princess Celestia's just rule! The End. Now are you happy?”

“You!” Twilight was unforgiving. “You ruined it!”

“Like you’re ruining my bedtime, little filly!” Cadence stuck a tongue out. “Go to bed now, Twilight Sparkle!”

“No, no, you have to tell me what happened to Princess Luna! You promised last time! You promised!” Twilight screamed.

“Twilight, go to bed;” Cadence commanded, turning off the lights and shutting the door. Young mares shouldn't know about the unforgiving nature of the real world; at least, not now…

“… w-wha-?” Twilight awoke with a start, finding herself slumped over her desk. Celestia’s Sun, peeking over the distant mountaintops, indicated that it was dawn. The warm rays slowly caressed her purple coat.

“Darn it,” she mumbled, blearily rubbing her eyes. Welcome to reality.

She sighed. “Back to work, I guess,” she mumbled, looking down at the papers squashed below her frame.

She groaned again as she prepared to sort through the pile, gazing the topmost piece of paper, covered with vengeful scribbles of “5 against 1”.

Well, there was no escaping that fact: it was five against one. Twilight couldn't best that kind of opposition. And even worse, according to the laws of ducal succession that Twilight herself drew up, a liege could be deposed should all her vassals oppose her on any issue. Twilight herself was fast losing all love for the position, but she sure as hay wasn't going to hand the position over to these traitors and rebels. But how - how in the name of Equestria - can I eject them?

“Urgh... Celestia help me,” Twilight flopped back onto the desk. Another defeat. Another failure.

She needed something to blame. The answer came in the form of a nearby Equestrian Philology. The bookish mare levitated the tome with her magic and tipped it over the windowsill. Yet the thoughts did not go away. Failure again. And so soon after Princess Celestia herself visited. I really deserve-

Wait. Princess Celestia. I… wait… oh! The dream! The dream!

Hastily clearing away the mounds of paperwork carefully laid out on the desk, the purple mare pressed her hooves against her head. Desperately, she locked her eyes shut in total concentration, trying to recover those memories, so many childhood moments, that she had committed to the fire. Yes... yes... now I remember… Celestia… Discord… Luna…

When she was younger, Twilight had always thought that the moral exhibited within that story was to never give up, even in the face of insurmountable odds. Well, I guess you do see things differently when you grow up.

“Hey, I can’t be sorry for what I did, but… I never meant it to be against you,” Rainbow Dash rationalized, giving Twilight a weak smile.

“No worries! We’re friends, right?” Twilight grinned maniacally, as if yesterday’s events had never happened.

“Uh, sure,” Applejack grimaced, trying not to remember the last time Twilight suffered such a drastic mood shift. “You alright, Twi’?”

“Oh, of course I am! I’m just glad that we’re going to finally put this sorry episode right behind us,” Twilight chirped. “And that’s why I decided that it should just be us three discussing this issue, since, you know, we are the ones who matter here.”

“Well, alright;” Rainbow Dash seemed suspicious. “Let’s hear the solution.”

Twilight took a deep breath. “Alright, so let’s see if you think this is a good idea. After thinking about it for a long time, I realized that since Fluttershy doesn’t want the land, and you two have already entered her territory, it’s probably best if we just let things be-”

“Finally,” Rainbow Dash interrupted.

“- but, that still leaves the current status of the county unresolved. I mean, both of you are only occupying forces, right? I trust you’re not planning to annex the land yourself… ”

There was a brief silence. Applejack and Rainbow Dash shot uneasy glances at each other.

“Uh, Twi’,” Applejack began at last. “So you’re just gon’ leave the county with no ruler? Isn’t that gon’ be even worse than now?”

“Oh, Applejack,” Twilight remarked patronizingly. “Of course I don’t intend to leave the county leaderless. I just want to keep the current borders intact, that’s all.”

Applejack cocked her head in confusion. “Uh-huh. I get it,” she lied.

Rainbow Dash nodded along with her orange friend.

“Oh, this is perfect!” Twilight said, clapping her hooves in joy. “Now since we’re all in agreement, I’m sure nobody will have a problem with what I’m going to propose. After all, you know, what I’m going to say will have the rule of law.”

“Uh, ok, let’s hear it.” Applejack was becoming more wary by the second, dimly perceiving that this was not how the unicorn usually did things.

Yes! “I’m so glad all of you agreed! Less argument is always good, right?” Twilight grinned strangely again, to the increasing concern of the two other ponies.

The Duchess continued. “In that case, I have decided that, in light of her initiative and actions, to award the entire county to Rainbow Dash!”

A shocked silence.

“Yes!” Rainbow Dash abruptly jumped into the air for joy.

Applejack’s jaw went temporarily slack as she digested Twilight’s words. “Uh, what ‘bout me, Twi’?” she mentioned, trying to recover.

“You? And why do you think you should get a slice of the county?” Twilight turned towards the country pony innocently.

“Well, ‘cause it was me who wanted Flutter- ” the orange pony swallowed her words, realizing that they might not put her in the best possible light. “- uh… I also helped secure parts of the county!”

Twilight broke into another creepy smile. “Well, I guess now that the county is secure, you can move your forces back home.”

“I… but… ” Applejack was lost for words. Twilight immediately saw the farm pony’s disappointment and confusion. Time to take control of her thoughts.

“Ahem,” the purple pony cleared her throat. “Now, I have decided to reward the county to Rainbow Dash because, as mentioned earlier, I have been very impressed by her initiative and her actions. After all, it was she who saved Fluttershy, she who proposed the solution, and she who actually - at great personal risk - forced my hand in favor of said solution. All these achievements are hers alone, and I think it is more than just for me to give the county to her, to be held in perpetual personal union with her existing territories.”

Rainbow Dash let out a squee, oblivious to the reactions of the farm pony, where disappointment and confusion were rapidly giving way to something more sinister.

Twilight prepared to land the killer blow. “Unfortunately, since Applejack’s army is now in Rainbow Dash’s territory, this will mean that she will have to be held financially responsible to Rainbow Dash for all the damage and disruption her forces caused during the occupation- ”

“What?” Applejack, face now a faint crimson, yelled abruptly. “No!”

Twilight pretended to be taken aback. “Applejack, I’m sure that a little money between friends is nothing compared with- ”

“No! I can’t- I ain’t… ” Applejack’s pent-up rage lashed out at the only target possible. “You!” she roared at Rainbow Dash, jolting her into the air. “You! You made all of this up! You used me! How dare you do this to me!”

“Wha- what?” Rainbow Dash couldn't understand where this outburst came from.

“You wanted to take over Fluttershy’s county - so you used me as an excuse to take over her lands! RD, I… I can’t believe this! I trusted you!”

Rainbow Dash instinctively hit back “Hey, look who’s being a sore loser, now that they didn't get anything! And I did all of the work!”

“You did all the work you wanted to do!” Applejack was shaking with impassioned ire. “All that stuff I told you to do - all the stuff that would have saved us - you wouldn't even listen!”

“I don’t listen to people who only whine and whine and do nothing!” the prismatic mare hissed, sticking her tongue out as an additional insult.

“Why, I… I… what do you mean, I did nothin’?! I’m your fall pony! For everything you did - and I told you not to do them - I get all the blame! Without me, you wouldn't have an excuse in the first place!”

“Oh yeah? Well, did you hear that time Twilight actually came and yelled at me for a whole hour for even suggesting this to her?”

“Oh, right, so now you finally admittin' that you've been lyin’ all this time!”

“That’s because you were too much of a chicken to handle it yourself!”

“Oh, so you think I’m a chicken?” Applejack’s spirit was fast spiraling out of the control of reason. “Well fine, let’s see what y’all think about this! I ain’t leaving my bit of Fluttershy’s county - let’s see you come over and fight for it, if you think I’m so scared of you!”

Twilight, successfully hiding her glee, further stoked the flames. “Applejack, but under the terms- ”

“Forget the terms!” the farm pony shouted. “I ain’t recognizin’ Rainbow Dash’s gains! That land shouldn’t be hers! I’d rather Fluttershy come back than her!”

“Oh really?” Rainbow Dash wasn't prepared to back down. “Well, I don’t recognize your gains as well! And neither does Twilight! So give what’s mine back!”

“I ain’t givin’ nothin’ back!”

“Will do!”

“Will not!”

Twilight slithered out of sight from both ponies, grinning half-crazedly as Rainbow Dash and Applejack methodically wrecked years of trust and friendship. Oh Celestia, how knew that the power of discord would be so great?

Author's Note

I undertake and I achieve - Pergo et Perago - Motto of North Borneo.

[Original Cover Picture - Fluttershy as Kiev]

1st Revision: 16/5/2013

Chapter 9: Further Beyond

Further Beyond

Twilight grumbled in annoyance as she refused to meet Fluttershy’s gaze. She’s too weak for her own good… don’t tell her anything, Twilight, or else she’ll find some ridiculous way to meddle in this.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the purple unicorn replied.

“But Twilight… shouldn’t you at least try and stop Applejack and Rainbow Dash from doing this?” Fluttershy protested meekly. “I mean, if you are fine with it.”

Twilight tried to reassure the yellow pegasus. “They’re still friends at heart, Fluttershy. I’m sure they’ll be friendly again, once they beat it out of their system.”

Of course they are going to, because once they’ve exhausted themselves I’LL come in and impose Celestia’s will on them.

“I’m not so sure, Twilight... you saw Applejack; she even refused to leave on the same day as Rainbow Dash... they seem to really mean it…”

“Fluttershy, it’s fine!” Twilight made a dismissive gesture. “Applejack and Rainbow Dash do this all the time! Nopony else is going to be involved, so don’t you fret so much.”

“But the other poni-“

“Oh, uh, sorry Fluttershy, look at the time!” Twilight leapt up from her throne. “I have a meeting with… erm… the Princess’ envoy! Yes, the Princess’ envoy. Gotta go!”

“But, Twilight… Twilight? Oh, what have I done?” Fluttershy whimpered to an empty room.

“Now Rainbow Dash, I may think you’re a stinkin’ cheater, but I truly don’t wanna fight you,” said Applejack from the wooden ramparts. “So why don’t you just leave and I’ll let this slide.”

The cyan pegasus snorted. “Ha. Ha. Ha: that’s so funny! So you’re telling me to get out of my own land?”

“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. This ain't your land!” Applejack retorted.

“It is! Twilight said so! You shouldn’t be here!”

“Well, then I don’t think Twilight can just be givin’ Fluttershy’s land away just like that!”

“So why don’t you leave and hand it back over to Fluttershy?”

“I certainly will if you do it first!” Applejack grinned cheekily. She knew, of course, that Rainbow Dash could not accept this proposal, which she herself had not much appetite for anyway. Not now, at least.

“I- ah, forget it,” Rainbow Dash pawed the ground impatiently. “Applejack! I'm giving you an hour to surrender the fort... or else prepare to get stomped by my invincible army!”

Cheers and stampeding erupted from Rainbow Dash’s force.

Applejack was unfazed. “Come and take it, you goons!”

Years of experience with farming meant that Applejack knew the value of preparation. Years of friendship with Rainbow Dash also meant that Applejack knew that her ertswhile friend would not do so. Such knowledge worked in the orange mare’s favor.

“Countess!” Lightning Dust’s voice came from outside the makeshift tent.

The cyan pegasus sniffed. “Come in,” she said despondently.

“Thank - oh, Celestia, my Countess, what’s the matter?”

Rainbow Dash was huddled in a corner, back facing the incomer. She sniffed again. “I… I… lost,” she stammered, trancelike.

The brash pegasus offered some words of comfort. “It was only a minor-”

“I can’t believe I lost!” Rainbow Dash interjected. “To Applejack as well! I- ” the pegasus tried, in vain, to find suitable words before collapsing back into a depression.

Lightning Dash tried to console her. “Dash, you can’t win all the time… ”

“I know,” Rainbow Dash muttered unconvincingly.

“And maybe you should look on the bright side of things. Nothing is totally bad. I mean, if I wasn’t expelled from the Wonderbolt Academy I wouldn't have had such a great time in the Force!”

Rainbow Dash let out a small laugh. It was true; rising to commander of Pegasus Force during the Changeling Crusade, Lightning Dust soon outranked the Wonderbolts. Furthermore, she became the one ordering all those suicide missions, those that killed off so many… Soarin’, Spitfire…

“Anyway, that’s by-the-by. Everypony except for that stupid farm horse supports you, Dash! Applejack doesn't even have a strong reason to back her claims! All we need to do is pin her here, and then wait for the other ponies to come to our aid. Is Twilight going to sit by and let some underling defy her orders?”

Like her namesake, Lightning Dust’s words split the clouds of misery that were circling around Rainbow Dash’s head. The prismatic mare’s ears pricked up, eyes regaining their previous sparkle. “Wow, Lightning Dust! No wonder they made you commander back in the war!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, confidence flooding back into her psyche. “So all we gotta do is make sure Applejack can’t move one inch further into our lands! That’s amazi- ”

But then Rainbow Dash thought of something. “But wait… what if Applejack… ”

“What if Applejack what?” Lightning Dust asked.

“Hmmm…” Rainbow Dash’s mind ran through the different possibilities. It's only me and Pinkie Pie who border her. “I guess… no. She wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t dare do that. Not with what she’s been saying.”

“Come on out, you coward!” Rainbow Dash’s voice resonated once more around the fort. “Why don’t you actually fight for ‘your’ lands, huh? Are you just going to tell other people to do what you want, again?”

“Ignore ’er,” Applejack muttered offhandedly to the messenger ponies at the door. “She’s failed twice at capturin’ this fort. No point in leavin' it.”

The orange mare was still brooding over the letter she sent to Twilight. Or more accurately, the lack of response to said letter.

She remembered explaining to Twilight about how she was actually fighting for Fluttershy’s restoration, and that Rainbow Dash was simply hell-bent on taking over the entire Duchy. Therefore, the orange mare wrote, truly we good friends should unite to stop Rainbow Dash’s aggressive behavior.

That letter was sent a week ago. Surely Twilight would have gotten it by now.

I don’t get this. Twi doesn’t reply late… maybe it’s been taken by Rainbow - no, no, that mare wouldn't think of somethin’ like that. So it must be that she doesn’t wanna reply. But why not? I mean, I’m doin’ what she wants - at least, it looks like I’m doin’ what she wants - and back then we were such good friends, so really there’s no good reason… unless… UNLESS…

Applejack's mind began to whirr into action.

The Council Hall in Twilight’s place. Everypony is there. Solemn atmosphere.

Twilight clears her throat and begins to speak. “Applejack, your lands are very productive.”

“Oh, thank you kindly, Twi’. It’s been mighty hard work and everythin’, you know, but I think we’re all gonna be on easy street from -”

“Oh, Applejack, I think you mean ‘you’re’, not ‘we’re’.”

“Wha’? ‘s this some of them new grammar thingies?”

“Oh no, Applejack. I think we all want some of that land for ourselves. I think I’m going to order Rainbow Dash to help you see the light…”

Oh Celestia.

Applejack’s eyes widened. That explains Fluttershy… Rainbow Dash… Twilight… oh, Celestia, I can’t believe…

Alright, calm down, Applejack; sure this all looks very strange, but there’s no point in makin’ things look more complicated than they are… but then, there’s no way Twi’ would act like this, unless what I just thought of was true!

“Countess?” Applejack was suddenly brought back into reality, complete with the sounds of enemy ponies jeering and Rainbow Dash hurling more futile insults.

“Didn’t I say ignore ‘em?” Applejack said.

“Ma’am, this is something different.” The messenger handed the mare a scroll.

Applejack looked at the cake-encrusted parchment. “Pinkie. Huh.”

Author's Note

Further Beyond - Plus Ultra - Motto of Spain.

Might also add an appendix to the story on Rainbow Dash's assaults . Will have to think about how that would work with ponies, though. Feel free to comment if you have suggestions (or anything else, for that matter).

1st Revision; 18/5/2013

Intermission 3: Pie Rock Farm

Pie Rock Farm

“Pinkie, I need you to take this seriously,” Twilight Sparkle reminded Pinkie Pie as they stood before the latter's childhood home. “We only have half an hour before we have to go back. All right?”

“I know.” Pinkie Pie’s characteristically bouncy hair hung flat around her head.

Twilight put a foreleg around her shoulder. “Just no adventures, okay?”

Pinkie nodded glumly.

Pie Rock Farm had changed a lot since Pinkie's childhood. Gone were the drab hues and depressing atmosphere. Once, a wrought iron gate coldly stated the name and purpose of the farm. Now, Pinkie’s parents had replaced it with a more homely wooden one, replete with a picture of a smiling family swinging carefree in the evening breeze. Next to it. a gourd, carved in the shape of a flying squirrel, stood next to it, a holdover from Nightmare Night some days ago.

Twilight knocked on the door. “Coming!” trilled the musical reply. The door opened, revealing an aged, white-maned pony. She dressed demurely, but her attitude suggested otherwise.

“Oh! Pinkie!” she exclaimed as she hugged her daughter. “Hello there as well, Twilight!”

“Good to see you, Mrs. Pie,” the lavender unicorn replied.

“Well, what are you waiting out there for? Come in, come in!” Mrs. Pie ushered the two ponies into the Pie residence.

“Dad’s still here, right?” Pinkie asked, as soon as they had entered. “I need to see him!”

“Oh of course! Go up, Pinkie! See if you can decipher the lock that I put on his door: I know you love puzzles, dear,” Mrs. Pie winked.

Pinkie Pie returned a smile as she disappeared up the stairs.

“You seem awfully happy for this,” Twilight commented as the party pony's hoofsteps receded into the ether.

“Well, Twilight,” Mrs. Pie put the lavender unicorn in a seat, pouring out some chocolate milk. “May I ask, do you believe in life after death?”

Twilight considered it for a split second. “No, I don’t,” she asserted firmly. “I see no scientific evidence for it.”

“In that case, I'm happy because our time together was truly marvelous - in no small part, thanks to our wonderful daughters, of course. I have no regrets: and in such a case, why ruin Mr. Pie's last few moments with endless weeping?”

“I guess.” Twilight murmured, sliding pensively into deep thought.

Pinkie Pie almost cursed as the door finally swung open. How could she have forgotten the date of her own dad’s birthday?

Mr. Pie was lying in bed, which was a relief. At least she could say goodbye properly. She had dreaded having her last memory of him being one of a demented pony gleefully tearing up the kitchen.

“Dad,” she whispered softly, nudging the stallion.

“Erhm?” Mr. Pie rolled his head to one side. “Oh, Pinkie!”

“Hi, Dad,” Pinkie Pie choked, tears involuntarily welling up. “I only have a while, so… just in case… I need to say goodbye. Tavi and Inky say bye as well… you know, the war and everything.”

“Oh Pinkie,” the grey stallion tried to comfort his daughter. “I can’t thank you all enough for bringing so much into our lives. I can’t believe how I managed to survive the first thirty years without you kids...!” Mr. Pie began to laugh, which quickly degenerated into yet another coughing fit. He struggled to finish his sentence.

“Dad!” Pinkie exclaimed, patting him on the chest. “Oh… Dad, if I’ve done anything wrong all these years… changing you… not coming back to visit… not telling you about the Elements… I’m sorry. I just- ”

Mr. Pie put a trembling hoof on the pink mare’s shoulder. “Don’t cry, my little sweet. We’ll see each other eventually anyway. I leave with no regrets.”

“No regrets…” Pinkie Pie repeated, wondering if she would be able to say the same thing on her own deathbed.

“Now what more can an old stallion do? I ran a good Rock Farm, I raised three lovely daughters, I did all the things that I wanted... even the times where I tried… I failed… in that case, at least I tried... at least, I didn't leave with the knowledge I could have done something, but didn't… ”

“I- ” Pinkie Pie paused, not really knowing what to think of those words.

The momentary silence broke as Mr. Pie began speaking again, bubbling over like a mountain spring. “But then Celestia came and told me that everything was going to be alright! You see, beyond the moon there’s a secret base where they keep all the dead animals- ”

“Dad!” Pinkie Pie panicked.

“- and then you will have graarsh and everything will be wlaag and… ”

Pinkie Pie ran out of the door and closed it firmly.

“Mom, he’s gone loco,” Pinkie muttered as she returned downstairs to Twilight.

Mrs. Pie sighed. “Well, his sane periods are indeed getting shorter and shorter. I give it two weeks before the doctors have to put him down- ”

“Really?” Twilight blurted out.

“No point in keeping him like this,” Mrs. Pie said. Pinkie Pie nodded. “He said so himself. I think he’ll be happier like that too. We’ll see each other again sometime.”

Neither Twilight nor Pinkie Pie could say much in response.

“Anyway, I take it there’s not much left for you to do here!” Mrs. Pie stood up, reverting back to her cheerful demeanor. “I’m so, so sorry you had to see Dad like this, Pinkie!”

“In that case... apologies Mrs. Pie. I think we should go… ” Twilight turned to Pinkie.

“Oh! Wait!” Pinkie Pie suddenly remembered one last thing. “Mom, please promise you won’t tell Dad? Even when he isn't crazy?”

“I promise. What is it, dear?”

Pinkie mulled over the best way to put it. “Inky’s going for a suicide mission.”

The old mare’s pupils briefly shrunk in horror. “S-suicide mission?”

Pinkie nodded slowly. “Assault troopers.”

“Oh.” Mrs. Pie lowered her head or a moment. “Oh. Well! Tell her to make the Pies proud. Tell her to go get ‘em!” she declared, pumping her fist in the air.

Pinkie Pie couldn't resist a laugh. “Oh, Mom.”

Author's Note

1st Revision: 18/5/2013

Chapter 10: Be Watchful

Be Watchful

“So, Pinkie, why do you want us here?” Rainbow Dash said, shooting a dirty look at Applejack. For her part, the orange mare was barely concealing her own disgust.

“Well!” Pinkie Pie was cheerful as ever. “I thought that it would be such a bad thing if my friends were going to argue and not be friends anymore! That would make me really, really sad! So- ”

Leaning over, the pink pony grabbed both of her guests and pulled them towards each other. “I decided to do something to make you two friends again!”

Applejack snorted. “Uh huh. Not goin’ to happen; not with that mare.”

“Look who’s talking!” the cyan pegasus scowled, before her head suddenly snapped forward. “Ow!”

“Ouch!” Applejack's head followed suit. Pinkie Pie behind her, wielding a big rolling pin, tut-tutted at her bickering friends.

“Now now, all of you! This is not the correct behavior in Madame Pinkie’s place! You will all be nice, or else you will get the stick!”

“Hmph,” Applejack crossed her forelegs and refused to look at the pegasus. “Only if Rainbow D-ow!”

“No, no, no!” Pinkie Pie said, readying her rolling pin for another smack. “That is not how friends act! Say sorry, Applejack!”

“But- ow!”

“Say sorry!”

“Okay, okay!” Applejack mumbled, silently cursing the strong forelegs of Pinkie Pie. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Who are you sorry to?” Pinkie Pie demanded.

The orange mare sighed. “Sorry, Rainbow Dash,” she said disinterestedly, finally deigning to look at the cyan pegasus.

Rainbow Dash responded with a smug, self-confident smile. I won. Applejack’s eyes narrowed in response, cheeks rapidly flushing red.

“Alright, Dashie, Applejack’s said sorry, what do you say?” Pinkie Pie appeared behind Rainbow Dash, brandishing her pin like an executioner’s ax.

“Ehh… sorry, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said, clearly more interested in the pin than in the apology.

The pink mare broke out into a smile. “See? It’s not that hard! Now, are we friends again?”

“Friends? With Applejack- ow, alright, yes, we’re friends, we’re friends!” Rainbow Dash faked a cheesy grin towards Applejack.

“Yeah, I’m ‘friends’ with Rainbow Dash too,” the orange mare added hastily. “Real good friends.”

“Good, good!” the pink earth pony beamed. “So now that we’re all friends, what do friends do?” Her eyes turned gazed expectantly at the farm pony.

“Not take over other people’s lands,” Rainbow Dash mouthed at Applejack. The farm pony twitched.

“Applejack! What. Do. Friends. Do?” Pinkie Pie asked again, bringing the rolling pin back into the orange mare’s view.

“Uhh… they play games, I guess,” the orange mare responded uneasily.

“Wrong!” Pinkie Pie yelled. Then she reconsidered. “Well, okay, maybe they do play games. Sometimes. But no! This is not what we are going to do! No, we are going to bake cupcakes!”

“Cupcakes?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. “Pinkie, I don’t know how- ”

“Don’t worry, Dashie! It’s all in the process!” Pinkie Pie interjected happily. “It’s about reconciliation and rapprochement and other complicated words! Oh, we are so going to be the best of friends after this!”

Defeated, the cyan pegasus could only glare impotently at Applejack’s smug grin. “Prepare to be dashed,” the farm pony mouthed.

“I even took a day off from ruling for this, so you’d better appreciate!” Pinkie Pie said, her head poking up in between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “Mmm, don’t you just love the smell of flour?”

“Pinkie, I thought you said you didn’t do anythin’,” Applejack replied.

“Yes! And now I’m doing something! Duh!” Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, before zipping away again.

“You’re such an idiot,” Rainbow Dash whispered to her totally-not-ex-friend, as she re-read the recipe for the fifth time.

“You keep your hooves off my things,” came the reply. The orange mare was beating the cupcake mixture hard, making sure that grey sludge flew out of the bowl and hit Rainbow Dash’s recipe book, or, for an added bonus, the pegasus herself.

“Oh hey!” Pinkie Pie stuck her head in between the two ponies again, surveying the situation. “Wow, Applejack, that’s pretty messy of you!”

“Long trip from up north, what can I say,” Applejack said nonchalantly.

The pink pony was satisfied enough with that answer, and turned her attentions towards the pegasus. “Uh, Rainbow Dash, you do know you have to mix the butter and the sugar, right?”

“Uh, really?”

Applejack sniggered. “Dumb as- ow!”

“No, Applejack! Alright, Rainbow Dash, you cream butter like this… ”

Applejack rubbed her head and silently continued working on the mixture, though with a little less vigor than was previously the case.

“… and just keep on doing it… yes, that’s pretty good! Alright, now I think we can put in the eggs!”

Applejack began to scoop out the mixture, taking great pains to put them into their neat little paper cases, which were, of course, apple-shaped.

“No, you have to crack the eggs!”

Applejack put the completed tray into the oven and started fiddling with the dials.

“You have to mix the eggs with the mixture, silly!”

Applejack finished dyeing all the frosting a leafy green.

“Uh… well… I guess we could still bake these!”

Pinkie Pie sure is giving Rainbow a lot of attention, Applejack couldn't help but think to herself, in between whiffs of recently-baked cupcakes. And of course, they were always the best of friends… “Hey, Pinkie, how ‘bout you come lookin’ at my stuff? Looks nice, right?”

“Oh, no need, Applejack!” Pinkie Pie laughed and casually waved a hoof around. “I always know your cupcakes taste as great as the greatest things in the world! Now, Dashie, the knobs on the oven work like this… ”

What the-?!

Applejack’s mind instinctively jumped towards its desired conclusion.

Now it was time to begin searching for evidence.

“Hey, Applejack!” Pinkie Pie grinned. “These cupcakes taste good! I sure hope they are baked goods this time around!”

Baked goods - baked bads - humiliation.

“Pinkie, how about I sell you Mane Street and you give me Mustang Avenue and the Fillydelphia Railroad?” Rainbow Dash offered, looking over the deed card.

“Deal!”

Within ten minutes, Applejack’s counter would land on a well-built Mustang Avenue. Houses were sold, deeds were mortgaged, and the farm pony had to hand over all she had to a sneering Rainbow Dash.

They planned this humiliation.

“I don’t want to watch frou-frou Les Misakis!” Applejack asserted stubbornly.

Rainbow Dash gave the orange mare a look that signaled a similar desire, had only Applejack not been around.

“Oh, come on, Applejack! You might like it!” Pinkie Pie insisted, waving the disc in the orange mare’s face.

“No!”

“Oh, please, Applejack! I wanna watch it!” Pinkie Pie said, looking at Applejack with pleading eyes.

"Applejack, I wanna watch it too!" Rainbow Dash tactically interjected.

“I-… oh, alright,” the orange mare huffed, Rainbow Dash’s stifled sniggers ringing in her ears.

Total humiliation.

Applejack tossed and turned in her bed. It was too warm for any kind of sleep. She would bring the quilt over her body, but within minutes the temperature became unbearable. She would then toss the quilt away, only to hastily retrieve it as the cold draught made it similarly intolerable. The orange mare finally decided to expose only one side to the cold and alternate every minute or so. But such an operation required a conscious mind.

And, with a conscious mind, came other things.

Humiliation. The word repeated itself again and again in the farm pony’s mind, each reiteration generating a new pulse of heat racing across her sweating body. The way Pinkie Pie ignored her during cupcake baking, the way Pinkie Pie gave Rainbow Dash the properties needed to bankrupt her. The way Pinkie Pie made her change her own mind - she’s in it. She’s in on it. She did this on purpose. She did this, on purpose, to me...

Applejack groaned and shifted sides, the cold wind doing nothing to stem her rising body heat. Pinkie Pie. Now, it was the turn of Pinkie Pie.

“Great job, girls,” Twilight said, Fluttershy’s desperate hooves receding into the distance…

“I was thinking,” Rainbow Dash said earnestly, “that if we’re going to save Fluttershy from herself, we should really take over the land from her. You and me, just divide it, just like that. Twilight’ll understand… ”

“Yes!” Rainbow Dash leapt into the air, as Twilight awarded Fluttershy’s county to her…

Applejack’s heart felt like it had suddenly turned to lead. My friends. Rainbow Dash was not the only bad seed. It was everypony. All her closest friends - her friends, whom she had helped, whom she had stuck with thick and thin, whom she had even bled for - all this time, they had been using her, playing her for an absolute fool.

Applejack felt hot tears streaking down her cheeks. “But… but… the power of… friendship… ” she stammered, conscience rearing its unwelcome head. Evidence, just any evidence, just anythin' to say this ain't true!

“Oh, no need, Applejack!... alright, Dashie-” Pinkie Pie casually dismissed the orange mare.

Dashie. Applejack’s mind ran rampant with the new word. Pinkie Pie didn’t have a nickname for Applejack. She had one for Rainbow Dash. Dashie. Of course she would have done this for Rainbow Dash: humiliated Applejack for Rainbow Dash’s sake. For Dashie’s sake.

Of course, Twilight had a nickname for Applejack. Rainbow Dash had a nickname for Applejack. AJ. The two worst betrayers had a nickname for Applejack. AJ, the dumb, gullible klutz.

“Nrrgh!” Applejack forced her head into the pillow. Her tears were no longer flowing for her ‘friends’. How could she have been so stupid? Every time her ‘friends’ had suggested something, the farm pony had gone along with it. And every single time, she alone had paid the price. She knew expecting Fluttershy to do anything was wrong. She knew Rainbow Dash’s plan was wrong. She knew Twilight’s judgment was wrong. And yet she still acquiesced meekly, like a lamb to the slaughter...

“No. Longer.”

It was all Applejack could do to mumble those decisive words. Heat drained out of her body as the farm pony faced up to months and months of abject failure. She had discovered the way out. It's all them. Those other ponies. They did it. They could rely on somepony else to foot the bill.

No longer. Applejack was ready to find her own destiny. Free from the shackles of their ‘friendship’. Free from concern about their feelings, or their welfare. All the others - especially Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle - they will forever regret this day. The day they let Applejack go free.

The tears no longer flowed down the orange mare's cheeks. Applejack's body no longer shook with confusion and failure.

The farm pony shuffled back under the covers. She sighed and smiled contentedly, her first time in months. “It’s gonna be a new day tomorrow,” she mumbled.

Applejack drifted off into dreamland as the rays of Luna’s Moon sadly caressed her. History, even after a thousand years, continues to repeat itself.

Author's Note

Be Watchful - Vigilate - Motto of the British Virgin Islands.

[Original Cover Picture - Rarity as Wales]

1st Revision: 18/5/2013

Chapter 11: God and My Right

God and My Right

The night breeze stealthily crept through the open window and entered Applejack’s room.

“Oh, nuts.” The rustling of the silken curtains caught the farm pony’s ear, abruptly breaking her train of thought. The orange mare moved quickly to correct the error. This was a delicate moment, and not one where nature would be allowed to intervene.

Applejack sunk back into her chair, putting her front hooves together in a meditative pose. Her eyes stared at the desk in front of her, unusually cleared of the ledgers, the booklets, the reports.

Into that empty space Applejack had placed two things: a map of the Outer Lands, and a freshly-baked apple pie.

Choose.

The farm pony continued to stare sullenly at these two objects. Choice was never something she dealt much with back in the old place. Farming was about regularities and tradition, about knowing the right times, the right places, the right people. Zap apples always appeared for five days. The best apples for cider came from the southwest plot. Big Mac plowed the fields.

Problems at Sweet Apple Acres had ‘right’ answers. And you’d have to be a foal to choose a suboptimal outcome.

Applejack couldn’t help but reminisce at this point. Of course, there was that one time she had chosen: that time when she decided the Manehattan life just wasn’t for her. It was a good choice, as far as she was concerned, and Applejack doubted she would have done otherwise, given a second shot. But was it the right choice? After all, was it not that choice that led to this? Was it not that choice that led to all this disappointment and failure and betrayal?

If she had stayed, perhaps she would have been better off; perhaps she would now be dancing with the Prince of Connemara, twirling and twirling without a care under the starry sky…

A crack from the nearby fireplace brought the farm mare back to earth. All this fancy thinkin’. The fact remained: there was a choice in front of her, and there would be no ‘right’ answer, insofar as there was no way of choosing again. The map, or the apple pie: choose.

Applejack’s green pupils turned towards the map. With the exception of Fluttershy, the same names were still there - Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack. Previously, those names denoted security: a solemn pact to defend against Equestria’s enemies. Now they denoted that Applejack was alone, cowering before a pack of ravenous timberwolves. They were hungrily eying her every move, begging Celestia for the orange mare to lose her footing, waiting for the precise moment for that surgical strike - as timberwolves were wont to do - that would end the country pony's pitiful struggle.

County Applejack now only bordered two counties. Rainbow Dash was openly hostile. Pinkie Pie had unfriendly intentions. ‘Dashie’...

Applejack’s furrows deepened. The timberwolves were closing in. Nopony, she was certain, was going to lift a finger to help her. But if Applejack could just land that first blow, she would have her shot at breaking out of this encirclement. Rainbow Dash’s plans would crumble into dust. But of course, that means Pinkie Pie would have to-

The orange pony shifted her gaze to the apple pie. Fancy magics had preserved the temperature, and with every second that passed, another fresh waft of exquisite Zap Apple reached her nostrils. It was almost unbearable. Every muscle in Applejack’s body yearned to just stretch out, grab the pie, and tip the whole thing into her salivating mouth. After all, it was Zap Apple Pie - the best pie as far as she was concerned - and it would be such a minor transgression, considering the grand scheme of things. Surely a bite wouldn’t hurt? Just a tiny, tiny bite?

“No!” the farm pony knocked herself on the head. The orange mare had spent the past week drawing up her comprehensive plan, one that would deliver the blow needed to keep Rainbow Dash permanently on her hindquarters. Everything had been planned to a fault - the exact location of the meeting with Pinkie Pie, the precise terms of the ultimatum, the specific positioning of the assassin squad. The plan would work like clockwork, one thing leading into another - that is, if Applejack followed the steps fully. And the instructions were simple today: no food for her.

So, either the map, or the pie. Either life, or death.

Applejack let out a long sigh as she looked through the window. The rays of the Moon, fighting their way through layers of thick cloud, barely illuminated the night. Perhaps this was Luna’s intention: Applejack, time to make another choice. Don’t look to the divines for inspiration.

“Life or death. Choose,” the farm pony repeated slowly, savoring every word.

Death really wasn’t that bad, was it? Fluttershy had chosen death, and it wasn’t so bad. The pegasus was now free of obligations, free from the poisonous atmosphere, free from all this lying, backstabbing and betrayal. Everypony loved her. Oh, sure, everypony was also using her name to play politics, but none of this really hurt Fluttershy. Honored, but kept away from real power. Hardly disgraceful, for a pony with the right presence of mind.

And yet -

Rainbow Dash’s victorious army marched unopposed through the county city, heading straight for the citadel. Applejack stood at the head of the drawbridge, Stetson in hand, awaiting her pre-negotiated fate.

The cyan pegasus, clad in the classic Pegasopolis armor, finally appeared. Gone from her face were the expressions of past hatreds and bitterness. It was just like the old times: the pegasus was laughing, self-ridiculing, exchanging all kinds of jokes, reminiscing about the times back in the old place…

The official handover ceremony finally begins. Rainbow Dash lands gracefully in front of Applejack. “Applejack, I’m sorry that you have to do this,” she says, a genuine look of remorse on her face.

“Countess Applejack! Are you willing to surrender your title, your subordinate baronies, your land, and swear to Countess Rainbow Dash, to be her liege and serve her loyally for as long as time endures?” the refined Manehattan tones of the announcer echo around the courtyard.

For a moment, the orange pony flinches, as if she suddenly realized what she was doing. For a moment, a look of utter disbelief, and perhaps even anger, flashes across Rainbow Dash’s face. The farm pony remains standing, seemingly unable to say those all-important words.

But then, Countess Applejack gives in. “I am,” she declares in an emotionless voice. She closes her eyes, just fast enough to catch her tears of regret. And then, the forelegs of the orange pony buckle. Applejack - a descendant of the founder of Ponyville, a bearer of the Elements of Harmony, a savior of Princess Celestia herself - once-mighty Applejack lowers her head. The touch of cold soil on her jaw sends shivers down her spine.

“All hail to the conqueror, my liege-lady, Countess Rainbow Dash... ”

Another crack from the fire place tossed Applejack out from her nightmare. Hastily regaining her composure, the farm pony regarded the desk again. The map and the pie.

So much time over such a simple choice.

Applejack let out a dry laugh as she opened the window, and tipped the Zap Apple pie out into the cold night air.

“Hey, Applejack, what’s up?” Pinkie Pie said, trotting over to her orange friend, who was standing, alone, in a forest clearing.

Here goes. “Hey, Pinkie Pie!” the farm pony greeted the party pony, faking a big smile.

The party pony was unconvinced. “What’s the matter, Applejack? Something wrong?”

Darn it! “Uh, no, not really,” Come on, make up somethin’! “Er… if I recall, you mentioned somethin’ about border negotiations. ‘Fourth wall’ or some such.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh, did I? Oh, I must have totally forgot! All this ruling is making my head so small! I can barely remember anything at all!”

Applejack was in no mood to tolerate Pinkie Pie’s behavior for long. “Of course, Pinkie Pie. Now before we begin I’d just like to say a few things to you. Just as a friend. That’s all.”

Final furlong. Don’t foul this up.

“Sure!” laughed Pinkie Pie, oblivious to impending doom.

The farm pony took a deep breath. “Alright, Pinks. You and I are both Earth Ponies. We share a common bond to the ground. We were both born to care for the earth and to ensure that the good things grow. And, as rulers of our respective lands, we have to make sure that the lives of our subjects are good and -”

“Oh! Oh! Subjects?” interjected Pinkie Pie. “Aw, I loved subjects! Well, certain subjects anyway. Did I tell you that at school, I used to love geometry and Equestrian literature? How weird was that! I lived on a rock farm, so everypony thought I would like chemistry or geography but no, I liked all this stuff that was completely useless! And then -”

The farm pony’s furrows deepened. “Pinkie,” she said, betraying a menacing tone.

“Oh, sorry!” the pink mare grinned.

“Ahem. As I was sayin’, our duty is to ensure that the farmers live good lives.” Applejack looked straight into Pinkie Pie’s eyes, causing the latter to back off slightly. “But it’s a dangerous world out there. Ponies are always under attack from all sorts of things. Ponies need protection and safety: both from nature, and from each other -”

“Yep, I couldn’t agree more!” Pinkie suddenly interrupted. “You know, I had this dream last night -” the party pony sat on the ground and began to gesture, “- and I was being chased by an evil group of muffins! Oh, they were so evil they had wings and everything! And they had teeth made out of jelly babies! And I screamed and ran and ran, but because they had wings, they were so much faster than I was, and I couldn’t escape them, so I tried to run in the other direction, but -”

“Pinkie Pie,” Applejack quietly snarled. The orange pony’s fuse was very short indeed.

Pinkie stood back up. “Sorry again!” she apologized in her cutest voice.

Applejack sighed in frustration. Get this done, and you can have all the pies you want. “Pinkie Pie, the worst thing any pony can do is to send subjects, whose only crime was to be born in the wrong place, to their death in battle. So you know as much as I do, that I have always wanted peace amongst all ponyfolk. Just peace and quiet -”

Pinkie Pie suddenly put her hooves against her cheeks, “Oh, it’s so true! But now I want piece too! In fact, I want a piece of pie! Just a nice lovely Zap Apple Pie, the taste is so tangy and zany and yummy and - oh, it’s just so mmmmm! I really, really want apple pie now! Oh, please, Applejack, tell me- ”

“PINKIE PIE!” Applejack had finally lost her patience with the party pony.

The pink mare’s hair deflated in shock. She sank back to the ground. “Sorry, Applejack.”

Applejack stared at Pinkie Pie. All that earlier food deprivation had had the intended effect - the farm pony, starved into savagery, had finally revealed her true colors to her erstwhile friend. “If you want it this way, then fine: Pinkie Pie, I want your county. No ifs, ands, or buts. Hand it over.”

The farm pony placed a hoof on the brim of her Stetson. Pinkie Pie, should she refuse or flee, would soon realize that the forest was not as empty as it appeared. “Make your choice. Now,” she menaced.

For a moment, Pinkie Pie’s apologetic face displayed nothing but utter surprise and bewilderment, as if she had never expected one of her friends - a friend whom she thought she had reconciled with Rainbow Dash - to turn so abruptly on her. But that was only temporary. In a flash, Pinkie Pie’s hair bounced back up, the sparkle fast returning to her eyes.

The party pony jumped up and hugged Applejack, who had no time to evade. “Oh, Applejack, why didn’t you say so? I was getting kinda bored with all this ruling already; oh, you’ve made me so happy!”

W-what the- ?!

“But only if you say the magic word!” Pinkie teased.

“What, ‘please’?”

“That’s it! But what are you saying ‘please’ for?”

Applejack’s, still recovering from shock, closed her eyes in a sudden pang of guilt.

“P-Pinkie Pie, can you please give me your county?” the orange mare mumbled.

“Oh, of course! Applejack! You’re the best ruler among us! I’m sure you would do so much better than I did!”

No. No. This is wrong. I shouldn’t have…

The party pony finally broke her embrace, staring back at Applejack with large, trusting eyes. Applejack tried to avert her gaze. “Aww, don’t cry, Applejack, I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job! Come on, we gotta go back to the castle to sign the things!”

Pinkie Pie turned and began trotting out of the clearing.

Keeping her distance, Applejack put a hoof back on the brink of her Stetson. This was the plan. Wave the Stetson, let the squad do their job. Produce the forged Pinkie Pie will that leaves everything to Applejack. Legitimately take over the county - no loose ends, no potential leaks, no sleepless nights. The perfect plan.

It was simple. Yet the Stetson remained on Applejack’s head.

How ‘bout you, Pinkie? What’cha doin’?... Oh, letting Twilight secretly follow me all day, without me knowing…

Picklebarrel, kumquat, picklebarrel, kumquat, chimicherrychanga…

I had to, I just had to. I couldn’t leave my friends, I just couldn’t…

Applejack lowered her head. She took the hoof off her Stetson, using it to wipe her bleary eyes. Oh, by Celestia, what have I become?

“I had to do it," the farm pony comforted herself mirthlessly.

The voice of Pinkie Pie suddenly rang out through the clearing. “Hey, Applejack, you’re really slow today!”

“I’m coming, Pinkie, I’m coming!” Applejack broke into a gallop, taking great care to keep her Stetson on her head.

Author's Note

God and My Right - Dieu et Mon Droit - Motto of the British Monarch

1st Revision: 18/5/2013

Chapter 12: No One Provokes Me With Impunity

No One Provokes Me With Impunity

For the umpteenth time in an hour, Rainbow Dash's head sank into her forehooves. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"... and yeah, so that's why I now have so much time to be with all of you now!" Pinkie Pie cooed happily.

The pegasus no longer had any desire to look at the party pony. "Oh, Pinkie," Rainbow said. "How could you do this to me?"

Pinkie Pie raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What do you mean, Dashie?"

"Pinkie, you just gave away your land... and to Applejack, of all ponies."

"Aw, haven't you been listening? I was soo bored! All that governing- "

"But Pinkie, don't you see what this means for the Duchy?"

"Duchy, Schmuchy!" Pinkie Pie made a disparaging gesture with her hooves. "Oh, Dashie, all this ruling has turned all of you into angry, sad old bores! How are we ever going to have fun again with these sad, frowny faces?"

Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath. I'll show you a goshdarn sad, frowny face, Pinkie!

The prismatic mare stopped herself before she did anything foalish.

"Oh, Pinkie," she sighed awkwardly. "I'm sorry; it's just all this stuff... I'm just so busy all the time!" Lifting her head up in one great effort, Rainbow Dash made an unconvincing grimace at the pink mare.

Pinkie Pie bought it. "Oh, Dashie; apology accepted!"

"You know, I think it's really time for us to get together and talk about the old times," Rainbow Dash continued. "So why don't you just run over to Twilight's place and tell her that I'm coming ASAP- "

"YAY!" confetti burst all around Rainbow Dash, eliciting a yelp from the startled pegasus. Undeterred, Pinkie Pie whipped out a fizoo and let out an almighty noise. "Yay! Yay! Fun times are back again!"

Heh, Rainbow Dash thought with some satisfaction. No way Twilight can refuse my request for another Council now.

"Twilight Sparkle." the dread voice of Princess Celestia suddenly resonated throughout the Drawing Room.

The purple unicorn let out a sharp squeal, sweeping her tea-tray to the floor with a sonorous crash. She tur- No! No, don't look back. Step one, remember, Step one!

Step One on "How to Deal With Magicmares": Do not look at the magicmare - doing so will only increase its believability!

Twilight continued to stare at the window, her short, sharp breathing betraying her anxiety. Think, think, think! she begged to herself.

Step Two: Deny the reality of the magicmare. "Y-you're not real!" Twilight stammered. "You're a...a...magicmare! An illusion! You don't exist! You can't exist!"

"Twilight Sparkle," Princess Celestia brushed the pitiful concerns of the unicorn aside. "For yet another time, I have felt obliged to return to this remote land to solve your problems."

Step Th-three: All magicmares come about for a reason. What is that reason? "Yes, Princ- yes, I failed, I f-failed again! I-I- couldn't protect Pinkie Pie, I let Ap-Applejack annex her -"

"You are a complete disaster, aren't you?" the Princess taunted. "This was your land... these were your friends... and yet, in so short a time, you have seen fit to ruin both... my, Discord could hardly have done it better himself... "

Step Five- no, f-four: T-tackle that reason head on. Solve it, a-acknowledge it, make it a part of w-who you are... "I-it's not my fault!" Twilight whimpered, her body slowly curling up. "I-I didn't even know... no, no, I-I mean I knew a b-bit, but... but I couldn't possibly have d-done a-anything about it, my Princess! Oh, Princess Celestia, I swear, I swear on my life!"

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" the Princess boomed, sending the purple mare tumbling out of her chair, eyes clamped shut in sheer terror, body shaking like a tree amid a fearsome gale. "Twilight Sparkle! You were my prize pupil. I gave you everything you wanted. I taught you everything I knew. I saw you as destined for great things - you would go to the stars... you would face down any obstacle... you would scale the very slopes of Godhood itself... but now, I see... "

Step Fivwe: Rstate yowr blyf yn #@3 ... Twilight held her forehooves over her ears, unable to maintain this pretense any longer. "Please, please, Princess, I-I d-did everything, I s-scolded them, I d-divided them, I e-even d-destroyed my f-friendships with them... p-please, Princess- "

"You will address me as 'Your Highness'," came the curt reply.

Twilight's eyes were involuntarily forced open by the shock of that rebuke. There, in front of her, the Princess stood, in all her awesome majesty: her cascading mane, her snow-white fur, her terrifying eyes... O-oh Equestria, oh Celestia, it's her, it's really her!

Forcing her body as low onto the ground as she could possibly go, the purple unicorn crawled towards the alicorn, grabbing her leg and sobbing hysterically. "Please, Your Highness, please... " were the only words that formed out of her incomprehensible muttering.

Celestia imperiously withdrew her foreleg from Twilight's grasp, letting the unicorn's head collide with the floor. The stone tiles were frigid to the touch.

"Hmph. Twilight Sparkle. Spectacular. Failure... " A swoosh, a gust of wind, and a cold blast of air - and the Princess was gone.

"Princ- Your Highness!" Twilight flailed her arms wildly in a mind-induced delirium, desperate, despite everything, for a touch of her teacher, her Princess, desperate for anything to remind herself of the old times, a primal, insatiable desperation- "Your Highness, please, don't leave, I beg you... "

So Pinkie Pie came and asked for a gathering. And of course Twilight knew what this would entail.

Pinkie Pie, always so earnest. Back in the old place, the unicorn always commented on how naive Pinkie Pie's behavior was. To see the world only at its surface - to react only to what she saw, not what lay below. Countless times she had managed to completely fool the party pony, merely by putting on a straight face!

Always so earnest; but now, I see. Words could not express how badly Twilight Sparkle wanted to just transform into the pink mare. Just wipe clean all her accumulated knowledge, take away all her magical abilities, bear the cross of a profoundly mundane life: anything, anything to get away from this terrible existence, where gestures meant nothing, where appearances meant nothing, where actions meant nothing; where the only truth was that every soul was a maelstrom of darkness, and where everypony was doomed to drift alone on the stormy sea.

And Twilight knew that this wasn't just a superficial yearning: it permeated every muscle, every nerve, every inch of her being. Her mood swings were getting worse. One moment she could be like Nightmare Moon herself, raining down terror and judgment on her terrified vassals; the next a whimpering, hollow carcass of a pony, mind warped and stretched in pure mental agony.

Twilight was a powerless power: she possessed the ability to rule, she possessed the ability to order - but, too late, she realized that none of it actually mattered. Her rules, her orders: the result remained the same. Failure.

And that only made her urges to be relevant seem all the more compelling. She wanted something, even something that she knew was untrue; just something that she could point to, that to could lie to her, tell her that she remained genuinely relevant; that without her, this tragic tale could not progress.

But ultimately, sweet lies remained lies.

Twilight sighed and magically put on her Ducal robes. Rainbow Dash. Nopony can argue that she hasn't been genuinely relevant. The purple mare didn't know if this was the result of intelligent design or sheer dumb luck, and she didn't really care by this point. Perhaps Applejack would, one day, find the strength to confront the pegasus. Perhaps the Changelings would, one day, swoop into the region and scour out all its foulness. Perhaps Twilight Sparkle, the dearest pupil of Princess Celestia, would just suddenly wake up, ensconced in her Canterlot bed, the newly-hatched Spike next to her, and sigh in noticeable relief that this had all just been a terrible, terrible dream...

"Daashie! I thought we were going to play!" Pinkie Pie shouted, her bouncy hair deflating a bit more with every hour that passed. It had been a week since everypony had arrived in the capital. Still no games.

"Hey, at least let us get some work done!" Rainbow Dash gave a forced smile to the party pony. "There's still a lot of time yet!"

"But Daashie!" Pinkie Pie whined, her voice increasingly grating to the cyan pegasus' ears.

"Look, Pinkie Pie, I'm not doing anything else until I'm done!" Rainbow Dash's word was final. With a buck, the doors to the Grand Hall resealed themselves.

The pegasus took her place at one side of the Hall. Gone was the original single-piece table, the symbol of the Duchy's unity: now Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight each had their own space, and took measures to keep that space as safe from each other as was possible.

Silence reigned. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were staring suspiciously at each other. Twilight instinctively began ruminating about the past.

To speak first was to reveal something about you - and to reveal something about you was to cede an advantage to the enemy. Perhaps Applejack considered herself to be in the better position. "Twilight- "

"'Duchess'." Came the cold hard response.

An angry pause. "My Duchess, I think we should let Rari- "

"No." Rainbow Dash was in no mood to for more interference from irrelevants.

Another terse silence descended onto the Hall.

I s'ppose I can give her whatever she fancies, the farm pony thought to herself. With each passin' minute, I can get more of Pinkie's land back up and runnin': I can buy myself more time, time to make this fact real...

It was as if Rainbow Dash could read the orange mare's mind. "You're a thief and a liar, Applejack."

"Excuse me!?"

"You're a thief and a liar, you horse!"

"Care to explain that, missy, before I come over and take your sorry flank back to Equestria?"

"You stole Pinkie Pie's land!"

"I did not steal it! Pinkie Pie gave it to me!"

"You asked her to give it to you!"

"So? She could've said 'no'!"

"You didn't give her a choice!"

Applejack stood up. "I did give her a choice! In fact, I gave her more of a choice than you ever gave Fluttershy!"

Rainbow Dash was airborne. "Pinkie Pie didn't know what she was doing!"

"Didn't Twilight say that to you about Fluttershy as well?"

Horseapples! Rainbow Dash thought. Each darn time I say something, Applejack just uses Fluttershy to stall! "Well, why don't you give your lands back, huh?" Rainbow Dash said, intent on keeping Applejack distracted while she searched for a way out.

"We need to outmaneuver them," Lightning Dust motioned towards the row of border forts on the map. "Applejack wants to keep us busy with these wooden stables, like what happened last time on the river; she wants us there. We can't be there."

"What's the solution?" Rainbow Dash said, confident that her trusted lieutenant had the answer.

Lightning Dust gestured towards the edge of the map. "The Changeling Desert. Take a small force through and into Applejack's rear, should be able to make enough noise, Applejack will probably panic and retreat. It's all about position, Dash; it's all about knowing where they want you to be, and how you go to where they don't want you to be..."

Rainbow Dash's lips curled up in gleeful satisfaction.

Arguing. Again. Twilight's internal monologue had resigned itself to such a fate. Anything she did, the result was the same: Rainbow Dash and Applejack arguing. The farm pony had sprung into a long diatribe on how Rainbow Dash was totally, firmly in the wrong, and how she herself was the Second Coming of Princess Celestia. The unicorn had heard it all before. These two ponies, the bane of her existence, talking about the same things, over and over again.

Once again an indignant voice burst into the purple mare's head. So let them argue! Let them suffer through long, boring monologues. Let them tarnish each other's memories. Let them have each other.

Twilight gave a bitter smile. So this was what her consolation had become. Simply the fact that other ponies were having it worse than her. As if that was-

*CRASH*. The sound of splintering timber shook Twilight's mind out of its self-imposed melancholy. "W-wha-?" She looked around, half-groggily, trying to locate the source of the commotion.

Rainbow Dash had dove straight into Applejack, smashing the farm pony into the wall as savagely as possible. The farm pony was made of stern stuff, however, and she soon bounced back from the blow. Now it was time for revenge: she prepared to buck the recovering pegasus into-

Rainbow Dash caught Applejack's leg and pulled her back down on the ground. Now she was attempting to fly up towards the rafters, seeking to cast down her hated opponent down onto the earth -

But Applejack had stretched her neck out and bit down hard on the cyan pegasus' left wing. Blood spurted out as the farm pony's teeth ripped off a good amount of down. Rainbow Dash crashed back onto the ground, though not through pain - the adrenalin saw to that - but for a more immediate revenge. She began pummeling the bruised orange mare for all her worth, trying to happen on some weakness which would cripple her -

Applejack responded by rolling off her back and aiming straight for Rainbow Dash's head. And within minutes, what had once been a passable demonstration of tactical fighting had degenerated into an exhausting, soulless brawl. Both ponies had exhausted the space for stratagems and ruses; now it was the chaos of hoof-to-hoof combat, where everything boiled down to making contact with the other.

"Stop, stop!" Twilight ordered, asked, pleaded in vain. Even before she saw the blood and heard the noise, that part of her mind - that part which had been sealed up under a layer of hatred for so long - had broken free from the iron fetters that chained it. Is this how it ends? It demanded relentlessly. Like this? Applejack and Rainbow Dash, simply beating each other into oblivion?

No, no, it can't end like this!

"Guards!" the purple unicorn ordered, her horn glowing. "Separate them! Now!"

It took some effort - Rainbow Dash and Applejack were strong ponies, after all - but eventually the two bloodied ponies were standing in front of her. Rainbow Dash looked more mauled - after all, bits of her wing were missing - but from the looks of it, Applejack didn't have a great time either.

Seeing the two of them like this caused Twilight's distaste for them to roar back into life. "So you two are supposed to be Countesses, huh?"

"She deserved it," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"Why, you... " Applejack began before Twilight motioned the restraining guards to drag the farm pony further away.

"You two are a total disgrace to this Duchy!" Twilight yelled - the only thing she could do. "I can't believe I was ever friends with the both of you!"

Rainbow Dash yawned audibly, prompting a hard stare from the bookish pony.

Silence once again returned to the Hall as the three returned to their resentful standoff.

Twilight finally spoke. "Take them both to their quarters. I will deal with this tomorrow."

Rainbow Dash, dragged unceremoniously in front of Pinkie Pie and Rarity as she left the Hall, finally felt the effects of her earlier scrap. Hurt came from everywhere - her torn wing, her swollen cheek, her legs, all the small and large bruises. But she knew that a medicinal bath and all the other fineries of life awaited her. So, really, it was just a little hurt.

A little hurt for a big gain.

Twilight's off-handed remark meant a commitment. A commitment to solve the issue the next day. Applejack's stalemate had been decisively broken.

Now it just remained to see whose cause Twilight would favor.

Author's Note

No One Provokes Me With Impunity - Nemo Me Impune Lacessit - Motto of Scotland

[Original Cover Picture - Applejack as Turin]

1st Revision: 18/5/2013

Chapter 13: She Flies With Her Own Wings

She Flies With Her Own Wings

Applejack slid her body into the soapy goodness, her cuts and bruises melting away from her body. "Darn it."

The farm pony was well aware of what Rainbow Dash had achieved. Stalling was no longer a viable option. Again she admonished herself for her incompetence. But then again, what was she supposed to do: not respond to Rainbow Dash's assault? That couldn't have helped.

The orange mare continued to grumble as she used one soggy hoof to grab the scroll lying next to the window: Pony Profile: Rainbow Dash. She just couldn't understand. Her ability to plan was that which distinguished her from the pegasus. Applejack planned, Rainbow Dash didn't, and therefore the former would always, always, win.

Character Traits. Sure, sometimes planning worked. Rainbow Dash had been the recipient of several bloody noses at Applejack's hand. But that was small comfort compared to the great gains that the pegasus had made, all seemingly done on a whim. To be fair, Applejack was making gains too - but now, once again thanks to the impulsiveness of the cyan mare, she was going to lose them.

Impulsive. There it was, first amongst all others. Impulsive. Just reading it made Applejack's body heat up with self-loathing.

Brave. Well, okay, Rainbow Dash was brave. But so what? Preparation could best even the most spirited of armies.

Lazy. Not a detriment.

Competitive. Certainly Rainbow Dash was all about winning. But this, again, meant little if you couldn't actually win. Applejack had this covered.

Mischievous. The pegasus was certainly up to a lot of 'mischief', if one could deign to call it that.

~~Loyal~~.

Only one real reason, then. Impulsive.

"But I can't deal with that!" Applejack exclaimed, hitting the sides of the tub in frustration. How can I plan 'gainst somepony who doesn't plan?!

Her mind refused to furnish her with a response.

Defeated, the orange mare submerged her head underwater. Guess I hopin's all I have left.

Rainbow Dash, newly healed, re-confirmed that the lights were actually out in the opposite tower. Let's see what Applejack's got today.

Tucking two large-sized cider bottles under her forelegs, the cyan pegasus crept out onto the window ledge. Cautiously, she stretched her wings. She looked around. Nopony. Slowly her hooves left the floor. Still nopony. She dropped just below crenellation height, hugging the stone walls, gradually inching her way towards the farm pony's quarters.

Rainbow Dash paused below the window ledge and strained her ears. Was that whinnying, or was that the breeze? The cyan mare couldn't figure it out. She tried to look into the window. The curtains were blowing around in the wind, obscuring the view. Darnit, Luna, of all the times...!

Leap of faith. Rainbow Dash silently took a deep breath. Her hooves, sweating with anticipation, were beginning to lose their grip on the bottles... now! Quick as a flash, Rainbow Dash powered up and went in, back legs going in first. Just in case Applejack happened to be standing on the other side-

The pegasus beat her wings frantically as she sped through the curtains and approached the masonry. Gust after gust of wind reverberated around the room. The rustling of the parchment, the flapping of the drapes - it was too loud, it was just too- too late, the pegasus realized her mistake.

"Oh, sheesh," Applejack mumbled. Rainbow Dash's body instinctively locked up: she hit the ground back first, landing on her wings in a dull thud. The cyan mare bit her lip to stop the cry of pain. The bedstead towered over her, obscuring the her line of sight. Get under! the pegasus' brain commanded. But Rainbow Dash, wide-eyed, her chest moving up in short, sharp bursts, spaced out in anxious anticipation.

Applejack grumbled a few incomprehensible words. Then came the sound of rustling fabric. Oh Celestia, she's -

The hoof sounds never materialized. Applejack exhaled and returned to her whinnying slumber.

Thus delivered, Rainbow Dash's eyes darted around, looking for the saddlebags...by the door! Quick as a flash, she shimmied over to them, eagerly inspecting their contents.

Cork mark, cork mark, cork mark, cork... cork! Rainbow Dash's forelegs went into motion. Grab the two Apple Cider Bottles. Pull them straight out. Set them down on the nearby rug. Pick up the two used bottles, now filled with Rainbow Cider instead. Check cork marks. Slide them into the relevant compartments. Pick up the two new cider bottles and-

Twilight Sparkle stood behind Applejack's door. She gave an audible sigh, knowing that her words would not be registered by their intended recipients. Just as well. For all purposes and intentions, she was talking to the long-dead.

But at least, I owe them this much. Her conscience had nagged, nipped, tore at her for too long. These were your friends. At least, one last friend talk.

"Um, hey, Applejack. You know I will have to make a decision tomorrow between either you, or Rainbow Dash. I know there's no way you two will ever be friends again. I also know there's no way I can ever force you two to ever be friends again, unless, of course," she gave a dry chuckle, "unless I hold you both in thrall; but I don't have the energy to do that. Not both at once.

" I know I've been a total horse to you ever since I came to this land. I know I've said words, done things; all that will take a long time to heal, if they ever will. For a unicorn like me," the purple mare dabbed her eyes. "F-for a unicorn as 'smart' as I am, I really am a foal... I-I-

"... I'll just... I just wanted to say, Applejack, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I took it all for granted. And now... a-and now... "

And now, I've turned you into a monster.

Those last words, so laced with bitterness, so laced with regret, Twilight Sparkle once again could not find the will to say.

Rainbow Dash slid back out into the open air and raced back towards her quarters, all concern for stealth having been consigned to the oubliette. I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

The pegasus zoomed back into her own room and crash-landed on the bed, taking the drapes with her. Her knee was grazed by the ledge. She didn't care. I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

She took the two bottles of Apple Cider and put them on the side table. I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

She furiously ripped the cork out of one bottle and downed its contents in one gulp, barely savoring that extra tang that Applejack - that lying thief - had so selfishly reserved for her own cider. I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

Clang, clang. Two empty bottles hit the floor. Rainbow Dash flung open the door to her room and waited in the doorway, half-expecting, half-hoping for the sound of Twilight's hooves, the magical flash of purple light, the "Rainbow Dash... " the pegasus had heard so many times before.

I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

...

I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

...

I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry...

Darn it. Darn it to Tartaros!

Rainbow Dash slammed the door shut and flung herself back onto the bed. She dove into her own subpar stash, seeking consolation. Here she was, merely an hour ago, feeling so happy and so smug, feeling that she had outwitted even Twilight Sparkle at long last. No, she didn't. It was just an illusion. A gosh-darned, horseappled illusion. "Rainbow Dash, you total...!"

Clang. Clang. Clang. The sound of empty bottles resonated throughout the night.

Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes in pained determination. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were not saying anything. The unicorn knew that they were looking at her.

But I can't decide! Twilight Sparkle's inner monologue was hollering at the top of its inaudible voice. The list she had drawn up didn't help at all. Back in the old place, that would have been pure heresy. But something here had changed to make her life that much more difficult.

(Rule in favor of) Applejack: Applejack (A) would be be satisfied with me (T).

Rainbow Dash: Rainbow Dash (R) would not be satisfied with A or T.

Applejack: Because A knows that R would not be satisfied, A would take steps against R.

Rainbow Dash: Because R knows that A knows that R would not be satisfied, R would escalate further against A and T.

Applejack: Because A knows that R knows that A knows that R Argh!

How was she supposed to decide like this? The unicorn knew that coming down on one side meant making an eternal enemy out of the other. Now, if this alone had been the tradeoff, then the solution was obvious: give it to Rainbow Dash, and watch her take down Applejack with ease.

But then there arose the problem of balance. Twilight Sparkle needed Applejack as a counter to the pretentions of Rainbow Dash, who had proven profoundly liberal - all too liberal - in interpreting the limits of her power. So rule in favor of Applejack: but then, doing so would permanently alienate her most powerful vassal, whose power Twilight doubted she could even curb, let alone destroy.

I can't decide. I can't. I can't! The unicorn's mind, once so famously agile, had turned into stone overnight.

Oh, such a short while ago, Twilight Sparkle seemed to possess so much faith in herself. After all, had she not struck down both Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's actions in righteous indignation? Had she not delivered County Fluttershy into Rainbow Dash's hooves with just a few words?

But therein lay the problem. She had failed. She had failed, repeatedly, consistently, totally. Twilight Sparkle, once that paragon of success, that first-ranking of students, that savior of Equestria - Twilight Sparkle's confidence had been ground down by the crushing weight of her despair. What was once a mighty fortress had now been reduced into a smoldering wreck. And look at me now, so utterly, pathetically, totally useless...

The purple unicorn let out a bitter sigh. Who was I to think that only Applejack and Rainbow Dash had died...

"Twilight!" Rainbow Dash demanded. The unicorn pretended not to notice.

"TWILIGHT!" the pegasus yelled again.

The unicorn closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate. "Applejack... Rainbow Dash..."

The prismatic mare couldn't help but notice that Twilight had put Applejack's name before hers.

"... please, can we just talk this- "

"No." Oh no you won't.

"Please, Rain- "

"No!" If that's the last thing I do.

"Ra- "

"No, no, NO!" Rainbow Dash suddenly burst out. "NO! You're doing this with Applejack, aren't you? You're going to drag this out again, aren't you? Well, You're. Not. Doing. This. Again!"

Twilight Sparkle could only stare, open-mouthed, in disbelief. "W-wha... ?"

On the other side of the room, something within Applejack clicked. Rainbow Dash... impulsive... yes, that's it! That's how!

The orange mare cleared her throat. "Actually, Duchess, I've thought of this some more and I think it would be mighty fine for us to talk this over... "

The purple unicorn barely even acknowledged her. "Rainbow Dash, you see, even... please- "

Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, come to think of it, let's talk about this, Rainbow Dash," Applejack continued.

"Rainbow, just this once, please... "

Rainbow Dash's world began to turn red.

Time to push this horse over the edge. "By the way, I thank you, Twi', for arranging all of this- "

Too late, Twilight realized what was going on. "Applejack! What are- "

"Stop," Rainbow Dash was mid-air, her voice turning deathly normal. "Just stop. I knew this was a stupid idea. Of course. You two are great friends. Have always been great friends."

"Rainbow!" Twilight protested, flashing an angry glare at the farm pony.

"Sure. I get it. Of course you would work together against me. Of course you would. I should never have trusted you. Yeah, you just go on and give it to her, Twilight Sparkle."

"Rain- "

" 'I just wanted to say, Applejack, that I'm sorry!'" the pegasus mocked with her best Twilight impression.

"Rainbow Dash, what... I- " Twilight stammered. Applejack cast a suspicious gaze at the bookish mare.

"Just give it to her, Twilight! It doesn't matter one bit to me anymore!" Rainbow Dash yelled, taking up position next to the window. She pointed derisively at the Duchess. "You and your horseappled reign! You'll get what you want!"

"Rainbow! Please...!" Twilight collapsed onto the floor, weakly raising a pleading foreleg.

"Go on! Go on and help Applejack all the way! I'm never listening to you again!" Rainbow Dash's face had become a furious scarlet. "I'm going to be my own pegasus now!"

Twilight closed her eyes and begged for death. Anything. Lightning. Fire. Plague. Anything...

"From now on!" Rainbow Dash was lost in her own megalomania. "From now on, I will be the true ruler of the Outer Lands! You'll see! You'll see what happens when you mess with the Great and Powerful Rainbow Dash...!"

Shards of glass crashed onto the marble tiles. A violent gust of wind swept through the Grand Hall. Applejack shrieked with glee: "Traitor! Get that traitor!"

The Ducal Guards obliged, dashing out of the double doors.

Yet as the world around her erupted into a primal rage, Twilight, her body crumpled on the ground, remained still. There was no more struggle for her. There could be no more struggle for her. Now even to the laypony, Twilight Sparkle's legacy was sealed. The unicorn who started the first Equestrian civil war in a thousand years.

Twilight Sparkle: The End.

Meanwhile, Applejack looked with barely-disguised scorn at her liege. "By Celestia, are you gon' lie there forever? We got work to do!"

Author's Note

She Flies With Her Own Wings - Aliis Volat Propriis - State Motto of Oregon

1st Revision: 18/5/2013

Intermission 4: Carousel Boutique

Carousel Boutique

Tears were welling up in Sweetie Belle's eyes. "Sis'."

Rarity gave a comforting smile, drawing her sister close to her again. "Sweetie Belle."

"Please don't go, Sis'." Both unicorns knew that this was an impossible request.

Rarity stroked that pink and violet mane, slowly, deliberately enjoying every strand, every touch, every moment. "I will try to come back as much as possible. You know I will try."

Sweetie Belle sniffed.

"Just take it as a new adventure. A new adventure, Sweetie!" Rarity made an effort to sound upbeat. "You and Scootaloo, running the shop together. You'll stay in Ponyville, and you'll have a family, and you'll see them grow up, and," the white unicorn herself began to feel warm tears emerging in her eyes. "and I'll come back one day, and see you all, and we'll talk and laugh and exchange stories, and it'll be like so, every day, forever and ever. The End."

Her sister couldn't help but exude a bitter chuckle. "I'll miss your stories. They always had a happy ending."

"One should always hope for happy endings: what can you possibly achieve, when you know your fate is all blood and tears?"

Rarity's words seemed to have the opposite effect on Sweetie Belle, who buried her face into the highbrow unicorn's chest, refusing to let go. "I'm afraid, big Sis, I'm afraid; I don't want this story to end badly... "

"Nonsense!" Rarity forced out a smile and playfully rapped her sister on the head. "Your new life is going to be simply amazing!"

"B-but it wouldn't be the same without you!" Sweetie Belle bawled out, pushing her face deeper into Rarity's body. "I want you, Big Sis'; I need you; I can't bear this life without you... " She slowly descended into unintelligible mumbling, Rarity patiently waiting on her little sister, slowly mulling over her thoughts.

Perhaps I should- but, given her state now, it's too- "Sweetie," Rarity said, kneeling down until she was level with the young pony.

Sweetie Belle was in a bad state. Her eyes were swollen red. Grey streaks of damp fur lined her cheeks. Her beautiful mane - a mane which Rarity had so slowly cultivated - was littered with loose hairs and unsightly knots.

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity said again.

Her sister nodded. "Yes?"

Rarity took her sister's left hoof, caressing it gently. "Sweetie Belle. Let Scootaloo- "

"Scootaloo isn't you," Sweetie Belle interjected. "Scootaloo can never be you."

"I know, darling," Rarity said, choosing her words carefully. "But she'll be the closest one to you when I'm... Sweetie,"

Her little sister sniffed again.

"Sweetie Belle, promise me this," Rarity slowly brushed her hoof up Sweetie Belle's left foreleg, reaching the femur and then - one, two, three, four, five, six taps - the secret hoofshake for promises. "Promise me."

The young unicorn returned the sign nervously. "What's the promise?"

Rarity drew back and tut-tutted. "Now, now, Sweetie Belle!" she admonished cheekily, drawing a giggle from her sister. "No peeking!"

Sweetie Belle kept her smile. "All right, Sis'. I promise."

Rarity took Sweetie Belle's right foreleg and tapped her femur once. "Promise that you'll try to write every week, and at least every month," she said silently.

"I promise."

Now, two taps on the tibia. "Promise that you won't mope around and you'll live life to the full, here in Ponyville. Oh, and also take care of Opal for me."

Sweetie Belle drew in breath. "I promise."

Three taps on the metatarsal. "And finally, Sweetie Belle, promise me this," Rarity breathed, once again meeting her sister's gaze. "Promise me, Sweetie Belle... "

Sweetie Belle held her breath and closed her eyes, not daring to anticipate what the next words were.

"Promise me, if I don't return, you'll- "

Rarity stopped. Tears were again forcing themselves from the young unicorn's eyes. The highbrow mare took the Cutie Mark Crusader into a tender embrace, once again stroking Sweetie Belle's mane.

"Promise me, if I don't return, you'll- "

"Those ponies... " Sweetie Belle muttered out.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Those ponies. W-who go to the Outer Lands." Sweetie Belle tried her best to make coherent sentences. "Those ponies. They d-don't re-return."

Rarity slowly breathed out, saying nothing, simply savoring every brush she made. How could she possibly describe, to a juvenile no less, that bitterness of war, that horror of war, that unstoppable, grinding machine of war, which so quickly assumes its own life and soul...

"I will return," the older unicorn whispered into Sweetie Belle's ear.

Sweetie Belle said nothing and did nothing, her body pulsating up and down in an emotionless hulk.

Rarity gently rubbed against her sister's neck. "But Sweetie, promise me this: if I don't return, you'll continue on."

Sweetie Belle wept. Rarity also found herself overwhelmed with melancholy. Slowly, sadly, involuntarily, she let Sweetie Belle down. "Sweetie Belle - little sister - I'm sorry if I ever did wrong to you. To us."

No response. Rarity shimmied over to the inside curve of Sweetie's body. And there she curled up, Sweetie Belle's foreleg on her tummy - just as the Sweetie Belle had, innumerable times, curled up in Rarity's warm body.

Sweetie Belle turned her head, smiled, and began stroking the older unicorn's tummy, just like Rarity had done, innumerable times.

Rarity closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment of bliss.

"Sweetie Belle."

"Sis'."

"Life isn't a fairy tale."

"I know."

"Life will sometimes hurt."

"I know."

"And sometimes, that's just what fate has in store for us," Rarity mused sadly. "And... and... that's it."

Sweetie Belle said nothing, her hoof slowly going over Rarity' neck.

"And if something does happen... " Rarity said, resisting the urge to just sob her heart out. "...I just hope... one day, you'll be able to open that photo book on the bookshelf corner... you'll be able to look that those pictures of you and me, eating, sewing, fighting... you'll reread that article in the Foal Free Press... you'll flip through page after page, page after page... and you'll no longer remember who that other pony was -"

"Big Sis'... I'll never forget you!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her dried eyes fast refilling.

Rarity looked up, her own eyes betraying her inner despair. She wiped away, in vain, the droplets on her sister's eyes. "You'll stay in Ponyville... and you'll have a family... and you'll see them grow up... and- "

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle burst into tears, forelegs instinctively locking around her sister.

Rarity smiled and slowly put her hoof up to her sister's lips. Sweetie Belle inhaled, head trembling as she slowly regained control of herself. Those forelegs loosened their grip.

Again, slowly, deliberately, as if this were the last action of her existence, Rarity drew her hoof over Sweetie Belle's eyelids. One by one, each protruding teardrop melted into the highbrow pony's hoof. One by one by one by one... and finally, after an eternity, there were no more teardrops left.

"Little Sister, " Big Sister said, softly, gently. "I love you."

"Big Sister," Little Sister responded, softly, mournfully. "I love you."

Big Sister drew Little Sister's foreleg back across herself. There she stayed, all curled up, just listening to Little Sister sniffle... until, Luna's Moon descending through the sky, Sweetie Belle sniffled no more.

Chapter 14: Let It Be Perpetual

Let It Be Perpetual

Urban the Griffon was one of those few non-pony beings who had stayed behind in the Outer Lands. Purely for business reasons: with the Changeling threat to Equestria neutralized in the wake of victory, cities no longer needed fortifications; cities no longer needed him. Better to stay here, tend the land that was his reward, and employ his skills whenever they were needed.

And his skills were, indeed, being employed. Just not in the way that he expected.

"You there! Get those pikes set up at the right angle - show him how, Captain!" the gray griffon barked, stalking the ramparts of Twilight Sparkle's city.

The pony captain grunted and walked over to the new recruit, shoving out several other civilians in the way.

Every pony that was fit for service had been called to service on these walls: hauling large boulders, heaving iron cauldrons, fitting wooden spikes, repairing the smallest chinks, whatever their talents could be used for. And this meant that the battlements were a virtual cornucopia of sound - timbers creaking, iron striking, stone chipping, the 'clop' 'clop' of pony hooves. Every sound imaginable existed up there - except pony voices. Instead, the citizens worked in silence. Fatalistic, solemn silence.

Every now and then clouds of dust, kicked up by entering refugees, would engulf the walls in orange dust. Darned country ponies. Urban knew that these ex-farmers were carrying their family, their property, their all into the city. He also knew that they would be the death of them. No city could possibly hold out against an enemy with this many mouths to feed. The previous war had taught him that an iron heart was the key to deliverance.

"My Duchess," the griffon pleaded, mustering all the civility he could manage against this political wreck. "We must turn away the refugees. We won't be able to hold out against a siege; not with them."

Twilight Sparkle sighed in dejection. She was no longer in any mood to decide anything. "Rarity," the lavender mare motioned mirthlessly to her remaining friend. "What do you think."

"We can't let them die outside," the white unicorn muttered half-heartedly.

"With all due respect, Countess Rarity, letting them in will likely generate the same result: only longer, slower, and with more ponies involved."

The former fashionista lowered her gaze in response, unable or unwilling to wrestle with the moral dilemma. "Applejack will come. She has to come. This is about her as much as it is about us."

"Yes," the griffon answered half-heartedly. "But Countess Applejack might still be far away when- "

"Pega-sus!" a soldier was pointing horrorstruck at the far beyond. "Pegasus! PEGASUS!"

Urban squinted. And there it was - a black moving dot, just on the horizon.

The sounds of the distant sands was deafening. It was as if the whole world had stopped on a dime. Ponies paused, frozen in place. Each looked at his neighbor, daring him to look upwards first.

Few took up the initial challenge. But slowly, but surely, every head began tilting towards the sky, scanning the horizon, gazing intently at the growing speck speeding towards the city walls...

"Friendly!" the griffon abruptly tore apart the silence, his eyesight discerning the county symbols embossed upon the uniform. "All of you! Back to work!"

Nopony obeyed his orders. Not even the boss, Urban himself. The desert winds howled once again.

Slowly, the speck turned into a dot... turned into a blob... turned into a pegasus... turned into a county pegasus, the stars of Twilight's cutie mark emblazoned onto her flank armor...

The pegasus flew above the timber pikes on the ramparts and then dived down, her sore, tired body crash-landing to a halt in front of the gray griffon. But First Sight couldn't care less if she had landed in front of the Princess Celestia herself. She turned to a nearby soldier, her body heaving up and down from the exertion. "You, there... now... they've crossed the river... bell... the bell... now... "

"B-bell," a weedy, teenaged pony stammered in response. "Bell. B-bell. Uh, BELL!"

"BELL!" the dread order was echoed mournfully down the city walls. "BELL! RING THE BELL!"

Everypony knew what this meant. "The bell! All soldiers, down to the barracks, quick! Rest of you, you know what this means! Double-time! Now!" Urban bellowed, rushing in to pick up a wooden spike of his own.

As if the common folk needed the ordering. The ramparts returned to vivacious life. New pikes took up positions within crenels. Cauldrons moved with double the urgency. Surface scratches were quickly glossed over, the stonemasons hastily patching up whatever defects remained.

Dong. Dong. Dong. The monotonous sounds of the city bell left nopony in the dark. The sound of hooves filled the city center. The bustling bazaar began to empty out into the winding alleys. Within every house, doors were closing, candles were blown out, curtains drawn. Occasionally, the occasional prayer could be heard. As if the Princess was going to save them.

The dust clouds in the distance grew hazier as the tardy refugees now realized, too late, that their time was up. The closer ones were jolted into frantic action, whipping, running, crashing, shunting. Any unkindness, any wrong, any injustice: none of that mattered. Only life mattered.

Because Rainbow Dash had come.

Silence was the order of the day in front of Twilight's walls.

Clad in heavy armor, the cyan pegasus walked up, alone, towards the city gates. She looked at the daunting walls in front of her, spikes sticking out in every angles, ponies standing behind every merlon. Tough, I guess, but not tough enough for the Rainbow to beat.

"I am Rainbow Dash!" the prismatic mare roared, voice magically enhanced by her unicorns. "I am the rightful ruler of the Outer Lands! I demand that this city be opened to me RIGHT NOW!"

No response. Rainbow Dash tersely pawed her hooves on the ground, the rage inside of her - all the insults, all the bad feelings - slowly coming onto a boil. Still no response.

"If you do not surrender this city now, there will be no escape for any of you!" the pegasus stormed. "There will be no mercy for any of you!"

Still no response. The distant winds continued to howl.

"So this is it, huh? Does nopony even dare talk to me now? Is this what the great Twilight Sparkle has become?"

Taunts had the same effect as threats. The sound of a buzzard's cry resonated, alone, throughout the land.

"You wanted this," Rainbow Dash murmured under her breath. "Army, into your positions!"

The day agonizingly turned into night. Rarity opened up the hatch to the lookout tower and emerged onto the highest point of Twilight Sparkle's castle. The lavender mare soon followed her, peering beyond the masonry into the nightscape beyond.

"We're surrounded... " the purple unicorn surveyed the land. The fires created by Rainbow Dash's army ringed the city walls like an ominous river of lava. Amid the flickering lights, the studious pony could distinguish the shadows of frenetic woodwork - the creation of siege engines, no doubt. The sound of heavy metal being dragged along the roads - that had to be cannons. "It's over... "

Rarity exhaled sharply. "Twilight, darling, don't say such things now!" she chided, caressing the purple mare's mane gently. "There's hope. There's always hope. Rainbow Dash hasn't been at all successful against Applejack. Perhaps she'll make the same mistakes with us."

"I'm not Applejack," the lavender mare's voice cracked. "I'm just a useless, incompetent pony- "

"Twilight!" the white unicorn admonished. "You need to remember who you are at this moment! You simply must stop acting like this!"

The lavender mare wilted further under such scolding. "But how can I not be like this?" she bawled. "Everything I do has just been... " she began to weep bitter tears. "I've failed everyone... Princess Celestia... my family... and all of you... "

Rarity swiftly moved to comfort her fast-declining friend. "Twilight, darling," she comforted gently. "Even if you've failed, you can't fail forever. There are always second chances. There always are. Now don't you give up now, Twilight, don't you dare give up on us... "

Twilight sniffed, knowing full well that Rarity's words were just so much hot air: she had already given up.

"... don't give up, not now, not when Applejack is coming... "

The lavender unicorn smirked in dejection. "You really think Applejack will help us."

"You don't know, dear," Rarity lied, softly wiping the tears from her friend's eyes. "You just never know."

The purple unicorn's eyes remained fixated on the ground. "Fine. So you think Applejack is helping us this time. And what then? Even if Rainbow Dash goes away, so what? It'll just be the same thing, but now, with Applejack," she moaned. "It'll just the same thing, over and over and over again... "

This is going nowhere. "Twilight, dear, we'll think about that when all this is over. But for now, I need you - we need you - to stand up. To be strong. To defend your city," she gestured to the city below, now pitch-dark and cowering in fear of death. "These are your people, Twilight. Each one of them. They need you... "

The lavender mare could only close her eyes in sorrow. Rarity doesn't understand - how could she? How could she feel all this - the hate, the passion, the rage, the sadness... what does she know about trying to pull yourself up, again and again, only to fall back down, further and further... what does know about the insanity that comes when duty and friendship collide... what does she - no, she doesn't get it. She'll never get it.

"Please, Twilight," the white unicorn seemed to realize what Twilight was thinking. "You owe me this much. I left Ponyville - I left everything - because I followed you. You owe me this much. Please, Twilight."

"I'm still alive." A non-sequitur was all that the purple unicorn could utter.

Celestia's Sun shot its first bloody rays onto the land. Before it, the night retreated west, giving up, as an offering, the revelations of last night's works: rams, catapults, mangonels, ballistae, trebuchets, onagers... Rainbow Dash had come prepared. The glint of menacing cannons spelt further doom for Twilight Sparkle.

"Rise and shine, all of you!" Rainbow Dash, giddy with excitement, paraded along every tent, the bells attached on her armor rousing soldiers from their final night's sleep. "Today we'll end this war once and for all! Giddy up, everypony; the sooner we do this, the faster we go home!"

"Rise and shine, everypony! Today, we're going to scale the walls!" the cyan pegasus repeated once again, turning to point at her army's objective.

The outer walls of Twilight's city loomed over the meager tents and lean-tos of Rainbow Dash's camp. Further back, half-obscured by morning fog, the grim walls of inner citadel - where Twilight Sparkle was - emerged. Being the capital of the Outer Lands, Twilight's city was of course the most well-fortified out of the counties. The walls sure demonstrated that fact - the pegasus swore they would rival Canterlot's, and with the extra preparation, they did seem impregnable...

And now, as the cyan pegasus faced these daunting heights, she could almost hear a small voice inside of her: You couldn't even defeat Applejack in her wooden fort... and now, you think you can handle this?

Instinctively, the pegasus' eyes dilated and she gasped in a pang of sudden terror. Oh, by Celestia, what have I gotten myself into? Those walls... they are indeed strong... Twilight and Rarity are also holed up in there with as much force as they can muster-

"Morning, Countess." The voice of Lightning Dust cut short the prismatic mare's niggling doubts. The golden-maned pegasus gazed at what her liege was looking at. "Oh. Those walls. We're going to take 'em today, Dash."

"Can we go over the plan again, Lightning?" Rainbow Dash inquired uneasily.

Lightning Dust immediately realized what the cyan pegasus' real question was. "Don't worry, Dash. This isn't going to be like last time. You clearly see that we're much more ready this time 'round."

"Yeah, I see that," Rainbow Dash let out a small smile as she looked at all the machinery in front of her. "But Applejack- "

"The scouts haven't seen any trace of Applejack anywhere near where we are now," the golden-maned mare interrupted. "We do this, fast and furious, then we turn and destroy her army. That's the plan."

"I don't know... " the cyan pegasus murmured, turning her gaze back onto the walls. "those are big. Plus, what if Applejack is around?"

Lightning Dust sighed. "Dash, one thing I definitely learnt in the War was never, ever second-guess yourself before the attack's happened. We have a great army. We have a great plan. We have done all the preparation. Let's just go, as soon as the ground dries out. Once it starts, the adrenalin will tell you what to do- "

"Countess! Countess!" the shouts of a panicking sentry came from the left of the duo. "Look; look!"

The two turned, just in time to see the leading elements of a pike column emerge from the forest. Further clouds of dust in the horizon and the slowly materializing squads of pegasi indicated that these columns were only a minute fraction of what was coming. This had to be her. It could only be-

"Applejack," Lightning Dust gritted her teeth, as a banner, bearing the sign of an apple, finally broke through the dense foliage of the forest. "I am going to kill that recon captain when I find her... "

"... seven ...eight... nine... ten columns... by Equestria, her army's at least our size!" The revelation had broken the cyan pegasus' will. "Lightning, we have to retreat! We have to retreat!"

"Dash, I might have to agree with you here." The size of this army was fast eroding the headstrong pegasus' nerve as well. "But now, we need to order the whole force to face them, before it's too late... "

Applejack's army was fast coming into full view. The low thunder of ten thousand hoofsteps, marching together in unison, was slowly besting the frantic bustle of Rainbow Dash's own camp as her own soldiers tried to meet the new threat as best as they could. Applejack, it seems, had arranged her forces for a classic pincer movement: lighter pegasi on both flanks, powerful squares of pikeponies in the center. No doubt, there were missile forces behind the front lines as well, both unicorn and mechanical.

Rainbow Dash's forces hastily deployed into squares on the other side of the camp, frantically stabbing the ground with makeshift logs and pikes to create obstacles - any obstacles - to stave off the inevitable. It wasn't going to be enough.

"We'll have to do a fighting retreat," Lightning Dust struck a nearby tent in disgust. "I can't believe this... Applejack did it again!"

The normally-headstrong pegasus glimpsed uneasily at the city walls. "If they decide to come out now... " she shook her head in a panic, not even daring to think such foul thoughts.

"So close... " Rainbow Dash was still staring dumbly at Applejack's gathering army. "I can't believe it. We were so close... "

The desert winds howled in the distance.

"Don't think about things like that now, Rain-bow?" Lightning Dust's ears suddenly pricked up, as if something was amiss. "Wait a minute!"

"What?" the cyan pegasus was nonplussed.

The golden-maned mare rubbed her ear several times just to make sure. "Wait... that noise... it's gone."

"Gone? What do you- oh." Rainbow Dash strained her ears as well, not believing her luck. All she could her were the sounds of her men running around, her officers giving orders, her weapons and armor clanging as their bearers rushed into their positions. Applejack's army, so large, so close in front of them, had turned strangely silent.

Lightning Dust regarded the opposing force again. The dust had now cleared: she could now see not only flags bearing the sign of apples, but also flags bearing the sign of diamonds. Evidently Applejack had conscripted Rarity's remaining force under her flag as well. "They don't seem to be moving. Not the front lines, at least."

"Yeah... " the prismatic mare concurred. "But we're still going to have to fall back..."

"No." A sly smile crossed the headstrong mare's face. "This could be our opportunity, Rainbow Dash."

Author's Note

Let It Be Perpetual - Esto Perpetua - Motto of Idaho

Chapter 15: While I Breathe, I Hope

While I Breathe, I Hope

Quick as a flash, Applejack leapt out of the way, her hind legs kicking up clouds of dust as she scuttled further into the darkness. Her forehoof instinctively reached for her sword, sheathed and ready at her side. Where are you; where are you?

Her eyes darted to and fro, slowly scanning the horizon for any sign of her nemesis. Nothing: no feather, no sudden movement, no nothing. The orange pony immediately regretted coming here. Too vulnerable. Just too vulnerable...

"Psst!" Another hiss, this time above her, caused her to whinny in a sudden burst of panic. Wildly, Applejack thrust her sword upwards: a feeble answer, but it was all she could muster on a whim. No effect - a rustling of the branches, a couple of leaves floating down onto her back.

A swoosh - the sound of pegasus wings - and the silhouette of Rainbow Dash, clad in only the lightest of armor, touched down in front of her, Luna's moon rising behind the pegasus in a menacing pose. Applejack scowled at the sight.

"That was a feeble attempt," the cyan pegasus, despite her tasks, couldn't resist taunting her opponent. "You know, I could have ended you, there and then."

The orange pony, gritted her teeth in frustrated admission. Nevertheless, she whipped her saber towards the oncoming pegasus. "Stay away. Else you'll regret it."

"Whoa... calm down there, farmer," the pegasus drew back in mock terror. "I'm not out to get you."

"What do you want then."

Rainbow Dash kept her distance. She reared up, revealing both her empty forelegs. "I'm not carrying anything, Applejack."

"What do you want." Applejack repeated deliberately, ire dripping out of her mouth.

"I just want to talk, Applejack," the cyan pegasus remarked coolly, trying her best to suppress the nervousness inside. "Just to talk. About both of us." She took a step forward.

"There ain't anythin' to talk about," the farm pony ritually asserted, sheathing her weapon. "Tomorrow, I'll come at you; you'll lose, and maybe - if I'm lucky - you'll be gone. And that's all we need to talk about."

Rainbow Dash smirked, knowing that this would wind the earth pony up further. "You know, you could have done that today."

"I was preparin' things."

A pause. Rainbow Dash took another step forward. "You're lying, Applejack."

The rustic pony snarled. "Prove it, you two-faced snake."

Time to do this: Lightning, this plan had better work! "You don't want Twilight to win."

Applejack's furrows deepened and her eyes narrowed. "You're wrong."

Another step. "Then why didn't you attack me today?"

"As I said, I was preparin' things." The farm pony's tolerance for useless debate was fast slipping away.

The pegasus smirked mockingly again, now almost face-to-face with her opponent. "Keep on lying to yourself, Applejack. You need me to win this."

"The only thing I need you to be is skewered on a pike."

Rainbow Dash smirked. Time to get to brass tacks. "And what do you think will happen after I'm gone, Applejack? Do you think things will go back to the way they were, minus Rainbow Dash?"

The country mare, foolishly but unavoidably, broke her eye contact. She secretly recognized the pegasus' point. "I have no idea what you are talkin' about."

The pegasus, emboldened, pushed on ruthlessly. "You think Twilight's going to forgive you, Applejack. We're the two ponies who are causing the most trouble for her - and you think by getting rid of me, you're going to be friends again with her, don't you- "

"I don't think that." The orange pony, still astutely casting her gaze on other things, ultimately succumbed to the incessant mental prodding.

"So, you think that you're so much more powerful than Twilight, then... " The cyan pony decisively switched tack, forcing, shoving the farm pony in all the right directions-

"What do you want?" Applejack cut the discussion short, realizing that she had betrayed enough of herself to this cyan horse. She had been expecting some temporary truce, some easily-rejected proposal from the cyan pony - not this; not another discussion!

The worst thing was this: everything that her nemesis had said, it was all true, as far as the orange pony was concerned. What, exactly, was Applejack expecting out of this? Some reprieve from the Duchess? That was clearly ridiculous, so long as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie's counties remained under 'illegal occupation'. All Applejack would have done, had things gone to plan, would be to sweep away Twilight's most dangerous foe - the pegasus who, for better or for worse, had been the unicorn's biggest pain in the flank.

But then, last time in the Council: Twilight had seemed so indecisive, so paralyzed... was she really capable of doing anythin' more?

To the outsider, no sound could be heard save for the brisk night breezes, slowly ruffling through verdant trees. And that was how Rainbow Dash liked it. Every extra second Applejack pondered, was an extra second spent on agonizing counterfactuals. And, as Lightning Dust herself had spelled out, Applejack had proven herself to be bad at counterfactuals.

The farm pony finally realized her long silence. "Well?" she pressed, looking back at the prismatic mare, trying to maintain her aura of decision and calm.

"Oh, nothing, really." Rainbow Dash decided to let Applejack figure the answer out for herself. "I just wanted you to realize what you're getting yourself into, that's all."

The country mare scowled, partly at her erstwhile friend, partly at her own stupid self. "I don't need you to tell me. I can find my own way!" She lied. The farm pony backtracked away from the pegasus, retreating into the forest darkness and her own pained reasoning.

Instead of askin' 'Can Twi' do all that?', ask this: 'Do you want to GIVE her the chance?'

Applejack's mind seemed set. Her bloodshot eyes shot open, the world slowly coming into being. She had the most tremendous headache, brought on by another sleepless night.

"Countess." The sentry, after numerous failed attempts, gathered up the strength to poke at her sides with his hoof.

"What's it." The farm pony put her hoof to her head, trying not to doze of there and then.

"Ma'am," the soldier sounded incredulous. "The cannons."

"Mmm... really?" The orange mare shook her heavy, heavy head, slowly expunging it of white noise. And there it was. The low rumble of the cannons. Rainbow Dash's assault was beginning.

Applejack's mind remained blank. "Unngh... right," she murmured, re-laying her head down onto the desk. In any case, I don't think I can lead the army today...

"Umm... " The sentry wasn't sure what this meant. "Aren't we going to attack Rainbow Dash?"

Applejack cursed silently. "Soldier, just stand outside the tent."

The sentry retreated into a perplexed salute. "As you wish, Ma'am."

Applejack lay in this uncomfortable position for a while longer, before she finally found the will to stand up.

Boom. The cannons would be busy at work, softening up the defences of Twilight's city. Rainbow Dash would definitely be preoccupied with the city now, praying and hoping that Applejack wouldn't seize the moment... it's now or never. This is your choice now, and it will matter here.

Rainbow Dash's voice emerged out of the swirling mess of Applejack's mind. "So, you think that you're so much more powerful than Twilight, then... "

The country mare could feel her mind hurtling towards the simplest solution.

Better the enemy you know, than the enemy you don't.

The farm pony crawled back into bed, the roar of distant guns doing nothing to stop her gradual descent into slumber...

There was one obstacle remaining. Her conscience was nagging her. She was your friend! She's your liege! You promised! You have a duty to-

"Shove off." The farm pony smacked her head in sleep-deprived disgust. Conscience had gotten her nowhere in these lands. Conscience wouldn't provide the answer here either.

Rumble. The distant volley of cannonballs heralded another round of Rainbow Dash's assaults. Again, thousands of ponies would run and fly against the city walls, under Celestia's blood-red sky. Again, most would impale themselves, some would get burned alive, and the remainder would be hacked into pieces. Again they would retreat after a whole day's worth of pointless stalemate. And again, Rainbow Dash would try once more, come the next dawn.

But with every 'again', Rainbow Dash would have more, and Twilight Sparkle would have less. The outcome came with mathematical certainty.

Armed with such knowledge, with every day that the rebelling army remained at her gates, the magical unicorn gradually lost what tiny shred remained of her hope, her desire, her optimism. She was doomed. And there was no amount of encouragement, not even from the loyal Rarity, that could lift her.

And with her desires, so went her body. At first it was a little hair, coming out in tiny tufts from her head, small strands from her matted tail. Then it was her skin, ominously lightening, ominously yellowing. Her strength slowly dribbled away with every passing day. Day by day, she gradually lost more and more of her functions. She stayed longer and longer in bed. The doctor came with increasing frequency. His face grew longer and longer.

And now, she could hear the muffled sounds of the doctor talking to somepony beyond the closed door. She could hear Rarity let out a horrorstruck gasp. She could hear the pony gently open the door and tiptoe into the room.

Twilight Sparkle, not for the first time, closed her eyes and exuded another wispy sigh. With mathematical certainty. Everything she had done, everything she had achieved, everything that she had - destroyed, with mathematical certainty. Gone. Over. Just like that. A blessing...

"Twilight." Rarity's gentle voice ripped through the bookish mare's thoughts. She was crying. Again. "Please."

Another rumble and a crash. More masonry fell. Mathematical certainty.

"Please... what?" the lavender pony's voice was feeble and hoarse. She coughed a few times, her mouth quickly covered by Rarity's handkerchief.

The white unicorn immediately withdrew the cloth out of sight and covered it with her hooves. But of course Twilight knew what it contained. The ferrous taste of blood was a common sensation to her now.

"Please," the ex-fashionista begged. Again. "You have to stay strong."

Diplomatic protocol could mean less to Twilight Sparkle now. "Rarity... " she labored. "You know, it's over now... "

"No, Twilight, no!" her friend desperately shook her on the shoulders, trying to find any hope - any shred of hope - to save them from this terrible end. "There's always Apple- "

The bookish mare instinctively retched at that very name. She could now taste that metallic tang on her mouth, feel that warm liquid trickling from her nostrils. Rarity realized, too late, her terrible mistake.

"A- Apple...jack," the purple unicorn gasped in disbelief, taking in as much air as she possibly could for a death-defying cry. "That... mare, who hasn't moved an INCH, for... !"

Rarity quickly leant in, trying her best to clean up the mess on her friend's face, her own forelegs soon turning a deep red. "Twilight, please, not now!" she hushed. "You can do this, Twilight; your magic, your magic, you can still save this!"

Twilight merely let out a bitter laugh, a bit of red flowing down her chin. That twinkling sound of magic...! Rarity looked expectantly at her friend's horn, now slowly, gently glowing up, materializing that transparent, violet, all-powerful aura- "That's it, Twilight!"

The magic aura flickered and began to lose focus, bits of pink and purple rapidly fading into the ether. "No, no, no, no!" Rarity said in horror, scrambling, trying to combine her own aura with the ailing mare's spell, now fast reducing into weak, struggling sparks at the tip, now themselves fast disappearing...

"Y-you see?" A small tear squeezed out of the magically-gifted unicorn's eyes. "I c-can't even do a simple levitation spell... how am I going to- "

"You can, Twilight, dear," Rarity was determined to keep this baseless falsehood up and running. "Don't give up- "

Knock-knock-knock. The doorway opened up a crack without Rarity's permission. "Tw-Twilight?" a meek little voice stammered, a voice not heard from in such a long time.

"Fluttershy?" Rarity said, amazed. "How did you- " She then noted that the enemy cannons were strangely silent. Truce.

The knob turned, revealing Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The pegasus' eyes were bloodshot, obviously a result of days and days of endless guilt. The earth pony's bouncy hair had utterly deflated and her coat had been discolored a dull gray. "C-can we come in?" the shy pegasus asked, knowing full well that Rarity had every reason to reject them.

"Well... " Rarity wasn't sure. She turned to the bedridden pony. Twilight gave her silent assent. "I suppose you should come in quickly, girls."

The two newcomers crept towards the bed, silently and in trepidation. They had decided, when they heard about the unicorns condition, that it was best not to talk - and for Pinkie, especially, not to play hysterics. What could they possibly say? They knew they were, in a way, responsible for this.

"Twilight," Rarity checked to see if the bookish pony was aware. "Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy are here."

The answer came as a slow, pained nod.

Then silence. Was Twilight stewing in the last vestiges of her anger? Or was she merely just ignoring the world in her last throes of life? Fluttershy looked at Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie looked at Fluttershy. Both of them looked at Rarity, who merely shook her head sadly.

The shy pegasus decided to break the ice. "We're sorry." Fluttershy murmured.

The sound of cannon fire erupted all around them again. The truce, that both of them had begged so hard to Rainbow Dash for, was over. A mathematical certainty.

"We're sorry." Pinkie Pie repeated, her normally sonorous voice toned down to a mere mumble.

The ailing pony gave a faint groan, acknowledging their apologies.

Neither of the newcomers dared push on for forgiveness.

Twilight opened her mouth again, emanating another hushed sigh. "I'm sorry... too."

"No, no, you shouldn't... " Fluttershy moved quickly.

The purple mare ignored her. "This was... all my fault. I asked all of you to come. I made all of you into... this... Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. And... Applejack."

Rarity made a most uncharacteristic spit on the floor. "Why, Rainbow Dash and that Applejack, they fully, truly, deserve all the worst that Tartaros can give them!"

"Maybe..." the bookish mare erupted into another coughing fit, ending with another series of short, dry heaves. "Maybe... b-but... but I asked them... I asked them to come here... "

"They chose what they did," the fashion pony asserted resolutely. "You didn't force them onto this path."

Fluttershy looked away in shame and regret, a tear once again falling from her eye. Pinkie's eyes cast their gaze even further down onto the ground.

"It was my fault... " Twilight insisted, the weight of her failure, once again, driving her ever nearer the abyss. She was teetering on the edge. "I should have known... I thought they would always... I took them... for granted... "

This is all your fault... if you hadn't come, none of this would have happened... we would all still be in Ponyville, laughing, smiling, playing tricks, being friends with each other... you would still be Twilight, the successful magical unicorn...

"I failed... " Twilight's own denunciations, ever her worst enemy, wrought their final vengeance on what was left of her sanity. Her midriff jolted upwards, sending another pool of blood up into her mouth and snout. Her already labored breathing became even slower and more difficult, wheezing and choking as more red trickled down her nostrils.

"Oh, by Celestia, Twilight!" Rarity shook her friend's body vigorously. "Oh, oh my, oh: Pinkie, get the doctor, get the doctor!"

Twilight hissed at the white unicorn. "It's... it's too late, Rarity," she wheezed. "It... it's all over, now. It's all over. I failed... "

"No, Twilight!" Rarity continued to struggle in vain with Twilight's own will, as the other two ponies looked on helpless, every second adding to their own mental anguish. "They need you out there!"

The unicorn coughed, her eyes taking in those last rays of Celestia's sunlight. The darkness was fast closing in. You failed. You failed. You failed-

With the determination that only comes with imminent death, Twilight's mind consumed what it had left. Twilight's body trembled, her eyes closed, her face scrunched up in one last, gargantuan effort. One decisive mental blow.

And with one swing, the unicorn severed the mental cords that bound this terrible baggage to her. It doesn't matter, Twilight... you'll be gone, Twilight... in a few generations, nopony will remember you... nopony will realize what you did... you'll be in a better place, Twilight... this doesn't matter... it doesn't matter, not anymore...

Rarity was screaming again for a doctor, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy dashing out of the door... that didn't matter. Nothing mattered. It was over. And that was how the unicorn wanted it.

For the first time in a long while, Twilight's lips curved upwards into a smile.

That long-forgotten image, of happier times - the picture that they had all, back in the Old Place, had sent to the Princess... Rarity - Fluttershy - Pinkie Pie - Rainbow Dash - Applejack - and Spike... she'd be going back there, soon, any moment now, just a little while longer...

"Thank you... " the dying mare breathed into the air.

And thus, in a flurry of inconsequential excitement, and amidst the ruins and chaos of her great vision, Twilight Sparkle, the ruler of the Outer Lands, silently, stealthily and happily departed this suffering life.

Author's Note

While I Breathe, I Hope - Dum Spiro Spero - Motto of both the Kingdom of Sarawak, and the State of South Carolina.

Chapter 16: Friendship

Friendship

Twilight Sparkle may have gone; Rainbow Dash remained. The incessant rumble of her terrible cannons was bearing down fast on the remnants of the city. No fortification, no matter how well-designed, no matter how well-prepared, could hold out forever.

A blinding spray of dust and sand shrouded Urban the Griffon, nipping at his feathers and choking up his beak. "REINFORCE!" he sputtered, ears screaming with tinnitus. "Reinforce! Please!"

"We're up to our last, Urban!" A teenaged soldier - barely out of colthood - spat and yelled and cursed back at him. Proper etiquette had long since fled the battlefield. "After this, that's it!"

"Get moving then, you!" Urban could do nothing more than bark back orders. His mind was clouded. Wiped away were the ethical implications, the strategic goals. It didn't really matter to him anymore that he was flinging his last bulwark - the bodies of fresh, green, inexperienced ponies - in a futile attempt to delay the inevitable. What mattered, was this: the enemy must die.

A sudden rush of wind, the confused pitter-patter of ponies, the slap-slap of crude leather armor, the dull thoks of colliding pikes. The turn of these young ones, now finally getting their role in the struggle - whether they wanted it or not.

Then silence. The cannonade had stopped. The yellow mist cleared. This could only mean one thing.

Sptoo - that old friend, that sound of grappling hooks being fired - ching! Iron clashing against the crumbling stonework, snapping off a few remaining stakes that had remained on the walls. Then another thud as the tops of scaling ladders emerged menacingly into view. The distant tremor of siege towers signaled the rebel leader's intent for this to be the largest assault. The last assault.

A final, split second silence as all held their breath, anticipating their orders, having their last thought of the day; perhaps of their lives.

The enemy pegasi took to the air and began to swoop in for their charge.

"MOVE!" Urban roared.

"Huzzah!" A sea-wave of tension crashed through the stultifying silence. The clatter of pikes and the stampede of hooves - the crowd surged against the walls, desperately wrenching away the hooks, madly pushing away the ladders with every ounce of strength. A thin line of pikemen stood behind them, their long spears seemingly stretching up to the clouds themselves, looking - fear and bloodlust in their pupils - at the impending onslaught of the winged horde.

Urban looked to his left and right. With him were the final set of unicorns he could scrape together for this sector - six, seven, eight effective ones at most. They were all filthy and bloodshot, having been cruelly denied any form of rest or repose. Their sides were scratched and scarred, a testament to the ferocity of the never-ending enemy attack. Their noses and horns were bleeding from all the stress. Their minds had nothing more to offer the griffon, other than the same tired spells, and the unconscious, bestial desire to drag as many ponies down to Tartaros along with them.

"Shoot on my command, unicorns." Urban, ever the old mercenary, had a feel that he - and his army - might be able to go out in one last coup de grace. The weary soldiers acknowledged his command, collapsing onto the floor for their respite.

Ching! Thud! Whoosh! The same sounds, over and over again. They had become strangely comforting to Urban now, a seemingly predictable, periodical indicator of the coming doom. Rainbow Dash would never give up - not now, not with so many dead. She was close. She knew she was close.

*SLAM*. The war-cry of Rainbow Dash's 'Sky Divers' Regiment proceeded their actual arrival onto the scene, so determined were they to conquer. Shadows crashed onto the battlements and materialized themselves as heavily-armored pegasi. A few of the unlucky ones slid down pikes slick with pegasi blood, red spewing out of every opening, moaning their incomprehensible last.

The reaction from the defending mob was immediate. With a terrible bay, they turned savagely on the newcomers. Anything and everything was soon deployed in the glorious defense of the Mare-Realm. Pikes, swords, spears, stones, bricks - anything, anything to just stop the tide from washing over these sopping-red walls. Here, a pegasus was knocked out with a broken cauldron and thrown off the crenellations. There, an orange-maned soldier was screaming aimlessly, his eyes gouged out and his ears bitten off. Bits of wing, tail and hoof were being cast around with reckless abandon, the shriek and wails of unrestricted rage swirling around and combining into a symphony of death. The walls, already saturated with the results of the previous day's struggle, rapidly pooled into a sticky, slippy sea of crimson. The waft of air carried an iron tang.

And Urban was in the middle of it, killing, maiming, enjoying all of it. Steel sword in one hand and dented buckler in the other, he cleaved through yet another pegasus, feeling a rush of undistilled pleasure as his sword - a virtual extension of him - snapped off tendons, bones and soft white marrow. He didn't even bother to look as his blade came into contact with another victim's soft underbelly. He was, instead, looking at the sky. The sky is key... the sky is key...

And there! There it was! Finally! Urban's heart fluttered almost to explosion as his sword sliced through two sets of legs and a howl of despair rang through their dying owner. There it was - another wave of pegasi - another wave, sure to spell his doom - another wave - flying in a tight 'V' formation, preparing to deliver the killing blow.

"Unicorns!" he bellowed, tasting the gourmet of pegasus brain in his beak. "Don't fail me now!" Another swift thrust across a pegasus' face-

The final unicorns, thus far shielded from the bloodfest, struggled to their feet. They saw it as well as the Griffon did: that menacing patch of black, that arrogant portent of death. Twinkleshine looked at her comrades, her body heaving with pain and incredulous anticipation. "Lads, too good an opportunity to resist," she flashed a crazed smile at her war-forged friends. "Let's show them how we roll, shall we?"

"Rah!" "Yeah!" the other ponies screamed their final assent, their voices just as hoarse as their self-appointed leader.

"Her friends will regret ever messing with us," Twinkleshine snarled, teeth gritted in the ultimate concentration, eyes staring unyieldingly at the intended target - that prideful horse, who thought she would be so safe at the head of her own formation... "Ready. Aim. Fire!"

A multicolored ray burst out from the unicorns, unswervingly heading towards the unsuspecting pegasus leader. Black explosions and smoke emerged from the head of the formation. One pegasus was fast losing altitude and diving uncontrollably into the wall.

The unicorns' mission was over. "Rah!" each one gave one last victory cheer, before diving straight into the actual fight, killing, maiming, dying. Another set of shadows slammed onto the battlements - the 'Storm Makers' Regiment. Chastened by the death of their leader, they thought of nothing but revenge, ripping into friend and foe alike with bloody fervor. Urban continued to fight, blood covering every inch of his body, his own wounds growing by the minute - but he continued to fight. The fight was all he cared for. The fight was all the world had to offer...

Meanwhile, the crushed and mangled body of Lightning Dust lay in the dried-up moat, fast disappearing from sight beneath the corpses of other unfortunates.

"Please, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie pleaded, not even bothering to acknowledge that section of wall collapsing into a heap of dust and debris. "You have to leave! Rainbow Dash will never forgive you!"

Fluttershy had already flown, tears in her eyes, whimper in her throat. These were the new Duchess' orders, and she knew no other option but to obey. But Pinkie was never one for order.

"Pinkie; go. Now." Rarity, feeling quite emotional herself, nevertheless steeled herself and said those iron words.

"No, Rarity," Pinkie quivered, her hair never regaining its previous bounce. "There's still a chance! There's still a chance for all of us, Rarity. Please! Let's go to Applejack's, let's go back to Equestria, anywhere, just not here!"

"Applejack?" the ex-fashionista gave a hollow laugh. "What makes you think she'll take us in?"

The party pony chose not to respond to this challenge. "Rarity, please! Think of Sweetie Belle! Think of Carousel Boutique! Rarity: no, you can't- "

"Darling," Rarity stroked the straight, greasy mane of her friend. "If there was ever a time for running, it's not now. I will not make it to the pass. I won't be returning to Equestria."

"No, no, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie begged, frantically producing from her saddlebags all sorts of odds and ends. "Here... disguises... passports... connections... they won't catch you, Rarity; I'll make sure that's the last thing they'll ever do! Please, Rarity, you can't stay here!"

Rarity sighed. Perhaps this was what needed to be done. "Alright. Pinkie, let's sit down and discuss this plan of yours... "

Thunder rolled onto the inner citadel. Rainbow Dash didn't bother asking for a treaty, or even for a surrender. Blood could only be repaid through more blood.

Twilight's old room shook and groaned with every new strike against the castle. Most of the lavish furnishings had fallen off by now, the window panes cracked and broken, the once-tidy collection of books now a dusty, dirty heap flung carelessly onto the stone floor. Twilight's bed, however, remained neat and tidy, as if it was just another disorganized day in the pony's short life. Twilight's body, magically preserved, was tucked serenely under the covers, her body washed and clean, her mane done up and brushed, a gentle, kind smile on her face.

Gentle and kind. Duchess Rarity looked at her sleeping friend one last time, tearing up, beaming bright. That's how she would have wanted us to remember her.

Twilight's body heaved as another dull rumble dislodged another few stones off from the castle walls. Rarity quickly used her own magic to ward off the debris from the bookish mare, no longer concerned about her own increasingly ragged looks.

Another rumble.

Rarity gestured to her Chief Guard. "Ward Watch," she mentioned calmly. "Can you do one last thing for me?"

The grizzled stallion straightened up in a salute. "My Duchess!" he declared. "I will serve you until my brains are dashed before your very door!"

"Eugh," the white unicorn waved her hoof half-joking. "That is gross, Ward Watch. No, I have a special mission for you."

"Anything, My Duchess."

Rarity trotted over to the unconscious Pinkie Pie. "Take her - and your forces - away from this castle. Bring her to the pass to Equestria."

Ward Watch's eyes widened. "B-but my liege, what about- "

"Mr. Watch!" the ex-fashionista, prepared, slammed her hooves against a nearby table. "These are my orders, and I shall expect them to be carried out!"

For a moment, that grizzled pony was on the verge of mutiny. But duty compelled him. He straightened up as far as he could, the old bones in his back cracking in protest. He saluted. "My Duchess."

Another rumble snapped Rarity out of her reminiscence. She had been blankly staring at Twilight's face. So calm... so untroubled... another rumble, another shower of rocks. The white unicorn trotted to a nearby window. Rainbow Dash's army, still as innumerable as when she had first appeared outside the city, had utterly surrounded her fortress.

For a moment, Rarity's mind blanked out.

Then, spontaneously, she began to snigger - she began to chuckle - she finally burst forth in raucous laughter, rolling onto the ground, smearing the remnants of her fine coat and mane with brown and gray dust. Oh, Rainbow Dash really is stupid! If only Lightning Dust could see what she's been doing - blasting away at an empty castle! Oh, Rainbow Dash... I can't wait to see the look on your face when you find out!

Wiping away tears of laughter, smirking and sniggering, Rarity walked back to Twilight's motionless body, her own sides bursting both with emotion and hilarity.

"Oh, *hic* bye, Twilight," the surviving unicorn, delirium slowly conquering her, addressed her unhearing friend. She took Twilight's foreleg and stroked it. It was cold to the touch. "I'm sure we'll meet... soon... " She bowed and closed the door to Twilight's room, one last time.

Oh, Rainbow Dash, you really are silly! Rarity's sniggers echoed throughout the crumbling stairs.

You've been blasting an empty fortress all this time! The white unicorn laughed and hiccupped as another few rocks were dislodged from the ceiling of the Main Hall.

I can't wait until you see what happens! The ex-fashionista scampered down the underground passageway, a sudden rockslide blocking any hope of retreat.

The wooden door opened with a creak. Magically, Rarity, still smiling, lit a nearby oil lamp. The contents of the room revealed itself. Shelf after shelf of gunpowder barrels, carefully stocked by the ex-Duchess, meticulously hoarded in the event of Changeling invasion. "At which point, me, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity will unite our forces together in defense of Equestria... "

Rarity's smile took on a tinge of bitterness. She exhaled, noting the pitifully small amount of stock that Twilight could actually use to defend her own city. We could have been so great...

"Well, nothing left to it," she encouraged herself, cantering to the far side of the cavernous vault. The pony's breaths quickened.

The unicorn came face-to-face with another huge stack of gunpowder, staring up at it with wide, unblinking eyes. The last smile disappeared from her face. Well. This is it.

"Of course, since we’re all good friends, we’re going to be just fine."

"How can you be so sure that Applejack and Rainbow Dash will keep their promises?”

"I should have known... I thought they would always... I took them... for granted... "

"Sorry, Twilight, if this isn't what you wanted," Rarity whispered, her horn emitting a faint bluish hue.

"Sorry, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, if you were expecting something else." The bluish hue shone even brighter.

Rarity closed her eyes. "S-sorry, Sweetie Belle. I lied."

An azure ray shot out of the unicorn's horn and struck a barrel at white-hot speed.

A blinding flash.

Applejack made final preparations for the big move back to base. Most of the chests were neatly packed, ready for transport back home. The final borders had already been determined - she would receive Rarity's land, Rainbow Dash would get Twilight Sparkle's.

From what the country pony had observed and seen, Rainbow Dash had gotten her victory all right - but at a terrible cost. Lightning Dust was missing and presumed dead. Half her army became casualties in front of those daunting walls. And the real object of Rainbow Dash's campaign - the crown and documents belonging to the Duchy of the Outer Lands - was nowhere to be found, along with any trace of Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, or Fluttershy. Any possible evidence must have disintegrated when Twilight's castle had imploded in a shower of fire and stone. Sure, there were rumors here and there - that Twilight had died, that Fluttershy had escaped, that Rarity was now back in Ponyville. But those were mere rumors. Rainbow Dash hadn't really gotten what she had come for, and to top it off, she now faced the task of reorganizing her force without her most capable helper.

Under these circumstances, and given the inimical relationships between the two erstwhile friends, Applejack would have attacked without further hesitation. Yet now, Rainbow Dash's army was twice the size of hers, thanks to a continuous stream of reserves trickling into her force. The farm pony was not one to make such daring gambles, especially with a perfectly good alternative at hand. She would go back, raise another army, and then crush the arrogant horse before she could get things sorted out. That was the plan-

"You... " a dark, gravelly hiss suddenly appeared at the entrance, causing the orange mare's hairs to stand on end. I've heard that voice before...

"Countess!" The voice of Applejack's guards snapped her out of her funk. She turned to face an irate Pinkie Pie, bound and trussed up by two of her guards. "We found an intruder, trying to sneak in, dagger in her hooves. She says she's called Pinkie Pie, and that she knows- "

"I know her all right!" Pinkie Pie snarled through gritted teeth, hate permeating every feature of her voice. "Applejack... you murderer... you traitor... "

The party pony's daggerlike words, like cold steel, cut into Applejack's heart and chilled her to the core. For a moment, the orange pony's conscience overpowered her, filling her with guilt, with self-hate, at what she had become... you did this. You caused ALL of this...

The farm mare shook her head decisively, flinging away all her self-doubt. Remember that party... remember Dashie... remember... she stared back at Pinkie Pie, her face slowly turning scarlet red, once with shame, now with anger. She took a deep breath. Revenge.

"Guards, who is this pony?" Applejack looked up emotionlessly towards one of Pinkie's jailers. "Her mouth's been through the trough."

Slap. The jailer struck Pinkie Pie across the face. "Watch your tongue, assassin."

Pinkie Pie took the hit. Unmoved, she turned back to Applejack, her eyes burning with an unquenchable fire. "You know me, Applejack. You can deny it, but you'll always remember me... you'll see it in your dreams... every waking hour... "

"Again, guards. She's not makin' much sense," Applejack tried her best to ignore Pinkie's words.

Pinkie let out a muffled groan as the guard punched her in the stomach. Blood shot out of her snout and mouth. But that only amplified the effect.

The farm mare's eyes dilated as Pinkie opened blood-red eyes back at her, seeming more and more like an angry spirit by the second. Snout bleeding, red oozing and bubbling out of her mouth, her voice becoming more wispy, her eyes becoming larger and larger, her pupils getting smaller and smaller, the outside world fading into utter darkness... "Applejack... you killed Twilight... you killed Rarity... every night... you're goin' to see them... until the day you die... "

No, no... Twilight and Rarity are joining her, blood streaming from their ears, their eyes, their throats, their face curled up in a deathly grin... "You killed us... Applejack... murderer... "

"NO!" Applejack screamed, her limbs buckling towards the ground, her hooves firmly pressed against her ears. The chanting stopped. The world reverted back to normal. All the trembling country pony could hear was the sound of her own terrified breathing, the polite silence of two perplexed guards, and Pinkie's voice, now reduced, thanks to a few extra blows, into a series of inconsistent babbles.

The country pony gingerly got back up, brushing off the grass from her body. There could have been no greater proof of the veracity of Pinkie's words.

The farm pony looked at Pinkie. Pinkie glared back at her erstwhile friend. Her fiery eyes said all that she needed to say.

Applejack... you killed Twi-

"Guards!" The orange mare quickly regarded the grim jailers, desperate for anything to break this tortuous silence. "So, you're sayin' that this pony was tryin' to kill me?"

"That is what we think, yes," came the response. Pinkie Pie gargled and tried a lunge at Applejack, receiving only a hoof to her face in return.

The country mare glanced at the pony in front of her one last time. "Alright," she ordered to her soldiers, her heart set on the solution. "We can't be too careful, gentlecolts. Strangle her."

"Yes, Ma'am," the soldiers saluted. Pinkie Pie burbled some more, her legs frantically trying to make another lunge at Applejack. But it was a futile gesture. The pink pony's struggles slowly faded into the ether, leaving Applejack to stew, alone, in her newfound nightmares.

Author's Note

Friendship - Motto of Texas

Chapter 17: Peace is Sought by War

Peace is Sought by War

Applejack of Ponyville, Applejack the Countess, Applejack the orange-coated pony with blonde mane thrashing wild in the wind; Applejack galloping and leaping through eternal darkness, breath dry, mouth gasping, sweat running darkly down her barrel.

“Please! I… I didn’t want it! I didn’t do it! I-it’s not my fault!”

No response from her surroundings save for the echoes reverberating throughout, like some dread chorus.

“I didn’t! It wasn’t me! They were doing it: Twilight! Pinkie! Rarity! They were all in it! It wasn’t me… it never was me!”

Painful tears squirting past her reddened eyes to match the throbbing aching from within her limbs. Applejack continued to run, silent voices pursuing her through another terrible night.

Braeburn stealthily crept up to the orange commander, observing with some combination of curiosity and fear as Applejack, yet again, groaned and shifted position against the old tree. The whole army knew of the Countess’ sleeping issues – nopony could answer why, though stress was probably a good guess – and they also knew better than to wake her up at inopportune moments, lest they get a hoof to their face. But Applejack would never do that to her own cousin… right?

“Yeah, right,” the stallion muttered sourly.

He paused next to Applejack, now moaning fitful incomprehensions. Braeburn gave a passing glance back, a final attempt to purchase more time – the plains before him bathed in morning light, grayed considerably by battlefield dust; birds singing sweet songs about love and life, supplemented with distant cannon and the clashes of a thousand swords; the soothing smell of lavender and sagebrush, mixed in with the acrid scent of sulphur and death…

Enough dallyin’. Braeburn’s grace had run out. He remembered the commander’s orders. The time was now. No more delays.

Gingerly, he reached over and poked – prodded – shook the sleeping pony awake. “Applejack… ”

“W-wha- ?” Green pupils shot open, pained and tired. “Oh. Braeburn.”

The cousin saluted. “My Countess.”

Quickly, as if avoiding something, the rustic pony leapt up and began dusting herself off. “Right. Anythin’ to report?”

“Yes, Ma’am. A message from Commander Orange. He says that ‘it’s time.’”

“’It’s time…’” Applejack turned her eyes towards the view before her, a thousand thoughts sweeping into her mind. “Left and right fully engaged, I reckon. She’ll be weak in the center,” she mumbled. “Well thanks for telling me, Brae’. You go down and let Orange know I agree.”

A faint glimmer of a smile, a slight perk of the ears. Applejack was anticipating.

Another salute. “Yes, Ma’am.”

The Countess continued to stare. “Almost over, Braeburn,” Applejack mumbled softly. “Almost over.”

Atop a hill surmounting the other end of the plain, a pegasus was staring with equal intent.

“Re-port!” The cry raced up before the actual pony emerged over into view.

“My Duchess, General Mane is making progress at the Bridleway Cut. Request more ponies to throw them out of the Marehouse Farmstead!”

“Right.” Rainbow Dash lowered her head for a second. “Tell him the ‘Screamin’ Pegasi’ will assist.”

“Yes, Ma’am- “

“My Duchess.” Some general – the athletic pony couldn’t remember the name – raised his forehoof in suggestion. “My Duchess, may I suggest sending your brigade over.”

“Why.”

Brief diagrams hastily scratched onto the earth. “Marehouse Farmstead – here – is key to the rebel left flank. We flush them out there, we can roll up their army from the left.”

The prismatic mare considered it but for a moment. “No.”

The commander was insistent, jabbing his battle plan with gusto. “My Duchess, it’s a rare opportunity- “

“I make the decisions here, General,” Rainbow Dash snapped.

The general shut up.

“Besides,” the cyan pony elaborated. “I haven’t seen that horse’s personal army either. She might come at our center. Split us into two.”

“I see,” the medaled soldier shrank back. “Apologies, My Duchess. I was foolish.”

The Duchess decided to punish this subordinate. “Go. ‘Screamin’ Pegasi’. You move them.”

Salute. “Yes, Ma’am.”

The general turned and galloped out of sight, messenger in tow, Rainbow Dash smirking behind them. Of course she was lying: her force wasn’t staying put because of military reasons. To be honest, everything had developed up to a point where Rainbow Dash was no longer interested in the outcome. She was interested in the fight.

The fight that involved only two ponies.

“We’ll fight today, Applejack,” she stared across the desolate plain. “Today.”

Applejack clambered up onto the crumbling stone wall, her eyes and armor glinting in the harsh sunlight.

The assembly bugles stopped. Everypony was here.

“Ponies!” the Countess shouted, a sea of Apple banners, weapons and armor before her. “You ponies! Y’all know why you are here! Y’all know what you must do!”

Strident echoes gradually fading into the crispy air. The crowd was listening intently. The distant noise of battle punctuated the stillness, desperately seeking attention. But the soldiers would be joining them soon enough.

“Y’all are the finest this land offers! Y’all are the finest this land will offer!”

The distant rumbling of some irrelevant cannon in some irrelevant sector.

The orange mare swung her entire body sideways, jabbing her hoof in the direction of a faded promontory – that which she had gazed at for days, over and over again; that which filled her with unbridled desire. “That hill, ponies! That’s where she stands: where she is now! Where she is so desperately waiting for your swords! Focus all your energy on that hill – the last thing standing between us, and victory!”

The cue for a belligerent cheer from the soldiers. “Ap-ple-jack! Vic-tor-y! Ap-ple-jack! Vic-tor-y!...”

The country pony was fast falling into the thrall of her own mania. “No quarter!” she bellowed, slashing at the air with her hat. “No prisoners! Kill them all!”

The flames of war were being stoked to a climax. “Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!...”

Applejack’s voice crested over the enraged din. “This day will be the end of the war, ponies! The day you go home to your families! The day we all live, forever! The. Last. Day!”

The promise of peace stoked the ponies to ever more to war, soldiers now banging pikes against their shields, screaming and yelling with all abandon. “Ap-ple-jack! Vic-tor-y! Ap-ple-jack! Vic-tor-y!...”

“Flags.” The sentry looked back, visage equal parts fear and anticipation. “Flags… My Duchess, she’s moving! The rebels are coming!”

All eyes turned to Duchess Rainbow Dash, the leader, the ultimate decider.

“Flag!” the cyan pegasus ordered. “Raise the flag! Assemble all ponies!”

“Ma’am!” Commanders saluted as they dashed off, the red banner slowly rising over the peak.

The pegasus swiftly turned towards her right, a row of cannons in her sights. “Ordnance Master! Guns!”

“Readying, Ma’am!”

The First Call blared strident below, urgently summoning all personnel to arms. The camp scrambled into life, ponies dashing around anxiously, overturning pots and pans and other useless things, armor being worn, guns being lifted off the ground… a scene Rainbow Dash had seen so many times before, in so many different occasions. She would miss the frenetic scene when this was all over.

In a moment, Applejack would be marching into a veritable wall of death, just how Rainbow Dash had planned it. No doubt the orange horse thought that the pegasus would be overstretched, with fights on both her left and right, too stupid to realize what she was about to do… well, Applejack was wrong. Because Rainbow Dash didn’t care about the battle. She cared about the fight.

The light blue mare cantered back to her own force, now almost assembled save for a few stragglers – the age-old ‘Sky Divers’ regiment, formed ever since she came here, seemingly forever ago. They would be the ones to finish this story.

“Ponies!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, leaping into the air. “You’ve been with me ever since I came here! You’ve all bled and hurt, for me!”

“Rah!”

“You know I’m not going to pretend, like that evil horse who’s coming towards us!” Rainbow Dash pointed an accusatory hoof at the black trail, faintly emerging from the smoke-filled plains. “You know I’d trust every one of you with my own life!”

“All hail, to Duchess Rainbow Dash!”

“And this is it, ponies!” the prismatic mare screamed, ascending ever higher as her wings beat more and more violently with rage and excitement. “Everything we’ve worked for: it comes down to this, today! You soldiers: bleed, one more time! Be hurt, just one more time!”

“We die for the Duchess, and for Equestria!”

“Today’s the last day, soldiers! The day these lands will be free!” Rainbow Dash whipped the crowd up to its climax, adrenalin pumping through her every vein. “No more tyrants! No more fighting! I’ll darn well make sure of that myself!”

The pegasi roared with approval. “Rain-bow-Dash! Vic-tor-y! Rain-bow-Dash! Vic-tor-y!...”

“So no prisoners!” the athletic pony thrust her hooves up into the air, posing as if she was holding up the glorious weight of the Sun herself. “No mercy to the rebels! Kill. Them. All!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!...”

Rainbow Dash herself, sliding into her own megalomaniac fantasy: a bloody and wounded Applejack being dragged before her, begging ever so wretchedly for her miserable life; the prismatic mare laying a hoof on her, pressing her into the mud, hoof at the ready to conduct her much-desired execution...

“My Duchess!” the Ordnance Master called out through the dreams of victory. “Cannons at the ready!”

The blinding flash of white from the far-off hill, the whizz of the ripping air-

“Down!” Applejack yelled as she flattened herself onto the ground, fast enough to just catch an iron shadow scraping off the head of a yellow stallion some ways up front, serum bursting out in a gory fountain– Btsh!

A tense silence as the dust settled, itches developing on the orange pony’s back. Pitter-patter as rocks and damp – bits of pony, likely – rained forth. Rainbow Dash had cannons – not unexpected – and too late to turn back now. Press on, press on for the win.

“Spread the word,” Applejack muttered to the pony nearest her. “Stay down. Wait for my order.”

The country mare saw the flashes. Rainbow Dash had foolishly put her cannons at the very top of the hill. Only a few more shots and Applejack’s force would cross below their arc of fire. A few more shots. Pace yourself, nopony gets hurt.

Waiting waxed eternal. Wind whistled through the feathery grasses. The sound of war surrounding her, distant enough to sound no different to any normal bazaar-day. The groaning beat of her heart, feverishly exerting itself, conscious that each palpitation might be its last – darn it, Applejack, don’t THINK that, not now!

A red spray-like mist hung lazily in the air. It was getting impossible to ignore that gory scene in front, still gargling and sputtering red like some awful fountain.. wait. Was that pony-.

A not-so-distant rumble broke through the speculation.

Fffzzz….

The zip of iron wind overhead-

Btsh!

The country mare glanced back. Rainbow Dash was overshooting terribly.

Now's the time! Applejack propelled back onto her hooves, bits of dirt and grass hitting her ever-so-gently. “Up, up!” she cried, thrusting her forelegs upwards with as much strength as Celestia would grant her. “Now, ponies, now! Quick trot, stay in formation!”

Quickly, quietly, the anticipation of the clash hot in everyone’s hearts, Applejack’s brigade scrambled up onto their hooves, lances and flags held high in defiance of the enemy, scattered ponies hastily re-entering the formation from all directions… “Pick up the speed, ponies, pick up the speed!”

The trotting grew faster, each pony looking ever forward, trying not to think too much about death, about the gore, each taking comfort from the row after row next to him and around him, the formations beside them, the co-ordinated clanging of armor and weapons, the mesmerizing step of the march-

Fffzz… btsh! Yet another fountain of dirt blasting out, causing some of the greener ponies to bolt or jump in the air, threatening to break up the brigade. “Hold steady, ponies, hold steady!” Applejack called out from the front, walking backwards at great risk, ushering the lines of lancers along, weapons strapped to the sides of her armor. “Faster, ponies, faster if you want to live!” she said, picking up her own pace into a quicker trot. Glance back: the hill loomed, growing more and ever more out of the horizon, minute after minute, second after second… please, Celestia, a few more minutes; please, Celestia, a few more minutes!

“Three furlongs!” the Ordnance Master called out from the top of the hill, his nervous tones the only sound from the tensed-up army. The cannons had long since stopped their assault: Rainbow Dash, would punish the pony responsible later. But for now, Applejack’s force was fast approaching, the black lines materializing into gray lines materializing into individuals with shapes and forms… nothing left to do now but go down to the foot of the hill, behind the front lines, and wait, with barely concealed impatience; wait for it to begin.

Rainbow Dash huffed angrily, pawing the crumbly ground below her. Darn it, time around her seemed to run so slow – too slow! Each soft breeze, each timid chirp, each grassy sway… “Get on with it, get on with it already!” she muttered darkly.

The rebels were marching in tight formation, close enough to prevent any effective pegasi attack. Darn it. But it’s not like Rainbow Dash hadn’t succeeded against them before: Twilight had employed the same tactics, to no avail. So perhaps- the prismatic mare glanced up at the sky, eyes instinctively narrowing with the glare of the Sun. Rainbow Dash cursed and stomped the ground some more. Applejack had prepared herself well. The pegasus would have to go defensive. Darn it.

The cyan pony took solace in the row of uniformed ponies before her. The front row was set on a low stone wall, grasping their bayonetted muskets and waiting for orders; behind them, rows of prone equines, ready to surge up and take the place of their fallen comrades. Reserves at the back, ready to rush in whenever needed. Applejack wasn't getting past this.

“Two-and-a-half furlongs!”

The prismatic mare squinted ahead, vision still somewhat clouded from the light. Fuzzy, moving shadows, clearing up slowly in the distance, advancing – that must be the army. Her army. The mere thought was enough to send Rainbow Dash’s heart pounding.

She was here. She really was here. After all the arguing, the bluffing and posturing, the temporarily deals and the mutual insults, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were finally going to meet on the field, a final contest for superiority, a duel to the death, once and for all. Everything prior to this moment slowly melted into a dream, an unreality – this was it. Nothing before mattered. Nothing else mattered. This place, here and now – the final struggle, the End of Story.

And by Celestia, this pegasus was going to teach that horse a lesson she’ll never remember.

“Two furlongs!”

“Load!” Rainbow Dash hollered out, voice reaching the skies above, thundering towards the enemy beyond. A look to the Sun – Celestia, protect me this day! – and back to the rebels, eyes fiery with determination, teeth gritting for the slaughter. The fight. It was here. The fight. It was here.

The tense atmosphere exploded into life. The soldiers, wound up for too long – instinct seized ahold of them, knocking out vestigial memories of friends or relatives or loved ones. Swift, decisive, automatic action: charge, ball, ramrod; powder, trigger, aim.

Back to silence in fifteen seconds, a gleaming row of death resting on the low stone wall, a line of primed automata behind them.

The shadows ahead continued to advance. “One-and-a-half furlongs!”

The Duchess shivered involuntarily at the sound: fear or excitement? She didn’t really know nor care. She had anticipated for so long, and now it was here, loud and clear: decision time. Here that horse was, fast bearing down on her position, heart filled with nothing but rage and death and blood.

Feel it too, Rainbow Dash, feel it too in all of its impending glory: the blood coursing within, the air sparkling without, the world rotating on this one moment, the one moment they will talk about for eternity… the here and now, where her honor needed protecting; the here and now, where the enemy needed killing!

“Soldiers!” Rainbow Dash raised her hoof to the sky. “Fire!”

Applejack barely noticed the cold vortices streaking so near her orange fur, blood spraying onto her left cheek, flowing down like iron rain; soldiers around her falling, screaming, stumbling, pouring out all they had onto the grass below; the flag-bearer beside the Countess slamming into her flank, red hissing out of his punctured neck the flag falling unwanted onto the crimson grasses. Applejack unceremoniously shoved him away: unable to keep his balance, the vexillarius fell over and impaled himself on a half-broken spear, his whimpers comingling unnoticed with the others.

The enemy was close by – she was close by – glory, sweet glory, so closely by – and with the rebel forces having exhausted their only volley before the approach… let them know fear!

“That’s it, ponies!” she roared towards the sunlit heavens, rearing up, lance seized with her right hoof. “CHARGE!”

Stoked to a raging boil, bloodlust and adrenalin driving them ever onwards, the brigade burst forth in one grand move, ready for the ultimate assault. Slow plods, a walk – a trot – a canter, a gallop tearing across the field, a mass of rage tearing up the grasses of this once-innocent plain, so close to the enemy, just a few seconds more, a few seconds more!

Apple banners unfurled and revealed themselves amidst the racing wind, the sound of sword and shield, the tremendous clangs, the fearsome yells, the sudden bursts of light as armors traversed the Sun’s rays; already, colored streaks of blue and orange zooming into the sky, magical energy slamming and bursting amidst the hated enemy fast approaching, red and green balls of energy slamming down in response, blowing pony-sized holes in the formation, fast covered up; the hostile line in front of them, once so far, so tantalizingly far, now growing, rising, separating into a wall and a row of Rainbow Dash’s rebels, bayonets gleaming, more shadows behind them, more menacing, more important…

Applejack’s lance lowered in a graceful arc, silver tip pointing straight in front of her, destiny ever approaching, glory ever nearing. “NOW!” she bellowed to the heavens, kicking her legs forward with every might, zipping ahead of her army, consumed with basic hatred, eyes closed tightly to the world, ears catching the shrieking wind and the clanking metal and the ominous thud of hooves, feeling soldiers catching up with their Countess in a bid to close in the gap as soon a-

Applejack's lance thrust forth with all the momentum and force of its owner right into soft face, the sudden strain snapping it in two, the jagged stump plowing yet again into the meat and bones of the unfortunate victim, warm insides spewing all across the mare's front in an instant. A split-second- a Tartaros-raising crash as the rest of the unit followed, the rusty sky trembling and ringing with the songs of war and death, the flesh and skin of the weak crumpling and spreading before the slippery earth. Applejack's eyes flashed open, brightening diabolically at the destroyed figures of three ponies, slumped and dead against the wall, joined in the heads by a single piece of wood.

Applejack rapidly discarded the broken utensil and reached for her mace. "Over the top, ponies; over the top!" she cried, vaulting over the stone masonry. "Kill them, kill them, y’all!"

Landing deftly on her hooves, crashing through the skull of another pony, the orange mare began searching, half-heartedly casting aside all opponents who dared obstruct her quest. Group activity ended with the charge: ponies left, right, front, back, breaking out of formation, swords and maces and muskets and bayonets all being brought to the fight, seeking out a dueling partner, words and mottos degenerating into primal screams, the swish-swoosh of iron, the hissing and squelching of the near-dead – this was now the melee, the one-on-one, the struggle of vigor and strength; the fight to the death.

And there was only one pony to whom Applejack was going to have it with.

“Rainbow Dash!” the orange-red pony snarled, crashing through armor and flesh, anxiously searching for her prey, her world collapsing into a screaming, raging whirlpool. “Rainbow Dash! You coward! Face me!”

Rainbow Dash saw it all: the smoke from the muskets clearing, the bright orange streak colliding with the front lines, the tidal wave of ponies surging over the stone wall and pouring into her defenses, the concurrent roar of her own forces as they rose up, blades and muskets in hand against the invader, the plethora of armies and divisions and brigades pouring into this all-or-nothing: the pegasus saw everything in this apocalypse, earth and sky trembling and howling, the world reddening, bleeding…

The cyan pegasus dove right into the action as soon as it began, running through ponies with her saber, biting, kicking, hitting anything that even remotely looked like an enemy, diving into impossible packs and hacking like a madpony until her coat and wings were dripping deep-red with viscera; her bodyguards slowly disappearing into the chaos, one-by-one: alive or dead, nopony knew...

She couldn’t care less. Where was she? WHERE WAS SHE?

Amid the swirling gray and red that enveloped every bit of her line of sight, the prismatic mare would see a dash of red-blonde, a smear of orange darting in and around of the maelstrom, the faint calls of her own name – they were seeking each other out, their paths remaining infuriatingly apart, tangled in the utter chaos around them, distracted by the various ponies that dared come across them…

That thought alone made Rainbow Dash’s blood boil as yet another mare collapsed before her, already-dead before half her leg hit the mud below. Applejack wasn’t fighting her! How dare Applejack not fight her! That horse – that pony who was the cause of every misfortune: how dare she try and run away, like some old hag in some fairy tale!

No! Applejack will not run away from me, I swear to Celestia, Applejack isn’t goin-

“RAINBOW DASH!” a chillingly distorted voice howled from her rear, too late for the cyan pegasus to just turn back and-

The cool momentary kiss of cold steel on sensitive wing bone before everything abruptly exploded into a virtual hell of fire and pain – Applejack, careening over several other ponies, Stetson missing on her red-streaked mane, had pinpointed Rainbow Dash’s weak point; she brought her advantage down to its fullest extent. The pegasus let out a pained roar, tears abruptly drowning her eyes, body stumbling back in absolute agony, her broken right wing trailing uselessly in the churning mud, irreplaceably put out of action.

Applejack, eerily calm amid the terror and violence surrounding her, was less than sympathetic, eyes flashing darkly at the end of her sworn enemy’s life. “Let’s see how you fly now, Rainbow Dash!” she mocked, readying her mace for another go as she circled the trembling pegasus like a salivating timberwolf.

The cyan pony’s right hoof remained firmly fixated on her sword, and now Rainbow Dash pointed it at the orange mare desperately, tremblingly as she sought to retract her destroyed limb back into her flank, eyes wincing with the unimaginable throbs of pain screeching through every thought and every nerve. “Y-you’ll d-die today, A-applejack,” she retorted and sputtered, glaring at her worst nightmare, her scorn barely visible above the waterfall of tears, her voice barely a whisper above the maelstrom surrounding them.

The orange-red pony cackled, eyes going over the pegasus’ bowed but deadly form. “You’re wrong, Rainbow Dash. You’ll be the one who dies… NOW!” she shrieked as she lunged at the pegasus, ready for the finishing blow.

Rainbow Dash instinctively spun around, dodging her head out of the mace’s arc and positioning her rear hooves for an almighty buck against Applejack’s face; yet she miscalculated, the country pony’s backhoofed swing colliding with the pegasus’ left hindquarters instead, the earth pony rolling left to avoid the right leg's deadly strike.

Another explosion of pain rocked the prismatic mare’s body: Rainbow Dash’s flank armor caved in from the impact and pierced through her sensitive cutie mark, blood oozing out of the impact wound, her left hindleg buckling under the unexpected pressure; unable to keep her balance, the prismatic mare wildly keeled left, instinctively swinging her saber sideways as she did so, rotating downwards as she lost control and-

The tempered blade cleaved through the armor on Applejack’s right foreleg, drawing blood deep within the muscle, Applejack baying and howling from her taste of battle’s pain. The heavy mace dropped into the mud, its owner stumbling back by reflex, blood flowing hard from the newly-formed gash, whimpering and whining continuously as pain surged through her every being.

Grinding her teeth together and recovering fast, the pegasus now wheeled over to face the orange mare, blood-stained saber flashing as dangerously as her triumphant sneer. “My turn, Applejack,” she scowled as she broke into a canter, preparing to-

Applejack dove and ducked as Rainbow Dash turned sideways for the killing blow, skidding under the pegasus’ body and finding herself lying face-up in the mud, her nemesis’ body stood over her, a split-second stunned by this sudden turn of events. Applejack was not so indecisive: with a “Nyarrgh!” cursed through clenched jaw, the earth pony leant upwards, clamped down onto Rainbow Dash’s retracted right wing with her teeth, and, with all rage, pulled.

Tears once again drenched the entirety of a screaming Rainbow Dash’s vision, no pain in the world possibly comparing to an already-broken wing having its feathers torn out, the world reduced once more into a confused, screeching world of throbbing agony, pure, pure agony – in a blind frenzy Rainbow Dash reared up, Applejack wrenching even more bloody feathers from this move, and the cyan pony came down hard on whatever was lying under her; whether it be mud, pony or anything else: the pain, just make the pain go away!-

Applejack could only manage a panicked wheeze before every sinew of the pegasus’ athletic prowess came down on her abdomen. A jet of iron blood blew out of Applejack’s mouth, the sudden impact loosening her grip on the pegasus’ now-bare wing and allowing Rainbow Dash to stagger away from the country mare, the latter remaining face-up on the muddy ground, wheezing, utterly dazed and unable to react, her eyes flitting left and right to the scenes of gore and destruction around her…

Rainbow Dash soon limped back, her eyes wincing and crying and blazing with the unadulterated desire for revenge and death on this horse; grasping her saber in hoof, raising it, giving the orange mare the grace of a second’s brutal eye contact before swinging it down on her-

The country mare seized her chance to grasp the mace half-buried in mud with her left hoof and smashed it right into Rainbow Dash’s right foreleg, the cyan pony giving another scream, stumbling forwards as another bolt of unimagineable pain crashed into her mind; her sword swing thrown off balance and crashing into Applejack’s right hindquarters, the armor and the apples on her cutie mark parting before the steel and disgorging a stream of apple-red blood. Wailing and convulsing with the pain – it was so much worse than anything Applejack had ever experienced, her nerves overloading her mind with panic and agony and – she was a farm pony, for Celestia’s sake get a hold of yourself! – Applejack rolled away into a prone position, trying desperately, viciously to struggle back up, both injured right limbs bowing and screaming ungodly pain under her weight.

Battle continued to swirl around them, giving not a whit that the two army commanders were now duelling themselves to the death – every pony had their own issues to deal with; all sense of fighting as a group, fighting for others having long disappeared. Ponies were devolving all around them – swords to maces to legs to teeth to jagged pieces of battlefield debris, not once letting up on their hatred, their bloodlust, screaming and yelling and killing each other, fresh blood rushing in every moment to be sacrificed to the scarlet-stained earth all around.

Their two commanders stumbled into separation, breathing heavily, the din and swirling violence of war separating them from all else in the world that was good and normal and happy. Applejack and Rainbow Dash glared at each other, gasping and breathing from the previous round’s exertions, both sizing up the other’s injuries: Applejack listing heavily to the right, both injured right limbs bleeding profusely, shaking with the weight they were supposed to carry, blood flowing free from her mouth and nose; Rainbow Dash, left hindquarter and right foreleg bleeding out, right wing torn and broken, retracted only through the greatest pain and difficulty.

For a moment the two rulers stared at each other long and hard, a million hateful words within their gazes.

No.

They had both badly disabled each other – but no, neither had any intention of ending the fight. They both had gone too far, sacrificed too much, for this to end in a draw now… death, death shall be the sole ending!

“Rainbow Dash… “ Applejack grimaced and clenched her bloody jaw, tone hissing forth nothing but the greatest hatred for her erstwhile friend, left hoof gingerly picking up the mace for the final duel. “This is going to be for everything you’ve done. For Twilight… Rarity… Fluttershy… Pinkie… I’ll kill you today, I swear to Celestia; I’ll kill you for their sake!”

Rainbow Dash groaned and pointed her saber at her sworn enemy, her blood boiling over with unspoken anger and vengeance. “Applejack… liar… murderer: you were the one who killed everypony! You were the one who destroyed everything!… oh Applejack, I’ll kill you today, and I’ll have so much fun cutting your stupid orange head off… ”

“RAAGH!” Applejack, needled into a blind fury, bolted towards Rainbow Dash, mace raised, now caring less about her own ruined body, now caring less about the outcome of this battle, only concerned with getting rid of Rainbow Dash from Equestria, killing this horse once and for all-

The orange mare leapt, attempting to vault over Rainbow Dash’s head, mace in left hoof extending downwards towards Rainbow Dash’s spine – but the cyan mare’s head instinctively leant right, and the iron ball careening right into Rainbow Dash’s forehead; a sickening crack as it collided, the pegasus’ helmet falling off in a sudden burst of red, Rainbow Dash’s head thrown backwards- a sudden coldness in Applejack’s barrel, the swish of a saber on the orange pony’s side – before Applejack’s mace finally found its target and came down hard onto the rear end of Rainbow Dash’s spine, caving in the already-brutalized rear of the pegasus.

Applejack landed and quickly whipping round to view her handiwork, head feeling strangely light, the world around her spinning and blurring - but Rainbow Dash was in utter shock, blood from her forehead racing over her eyes, mouth slack in terrible horror, body swaying uncontrollably, greater and greater oscillations until the pegasus could no longer control herself; her hind legs keeling backwards, her form collapsing rear-first onto the wet mud, her twitches unable to rouse her from her incapacitated form…

“Yesss…” Applejack, delirious with joy, exclaimed in a raspy whimper, the victorious adrenalin fading away as she realized- as she realized that her barrel was in horrific pain, Rainbow's sword half-protruding from her side, and she was now bleeding out profusely, the world around her spinning and spinning and-

“NO!” Applejack screamed as she desperately lunged at Rainbow Dash’s reddening form, her entire body squealing and squelching and hurting, every step of hers an absolute agony to take; Applejack walking and stumbling and crawling towards the pegasus; Applejack groveling and spluttering and burbling, begging Celestia, Luna, anypony out there not to deprive her of her victory…

“Chaaarge!” Action now having ceased in this arena, fresh ponies quickly surged in to take advantage of the vacant killing grounds. In a blink of an eye, the muddy, lonesome ground on which Rainbow Dash and Applejack had duelled so savagely was now re-populated with fresh meat, each one duelling no less savagely than the two commanders had just done, screaming, hollering, dying for these few inches of land…

“No, no, no, no, no…!” Applejack pleaded, mouth filling up with red, as Rainbow Dash’s form was swept out of her view, swept out of sight by the surge of newcomers – the reason for this battle, the reason for her existence, the reason for everything fast disappearing forever…

A renewed burst of pain rocked across Applejack’s entire body, her legs buckling, flailing, dropping uselessly into the mud. The world moved of its own accord, none of Applejack’s feeble movements doing anything to halt her demise. Just as the new ponies swept Rainbow Dash away in their haste to fight each other; now they were sweeping Applejack away from the field, her body buffeted by numerous ponies now stronger and faster moving around her, carrying her numbing body away, even the slightest hint of cyan soon covered by a new daub of red and gray…

Author's Note

Peace is Sought by War - Motto of the Commonwealth of England

Chapter 18: The End Crowns The Work

The End Crowns the Work

The Sun was setting amid the orange sky as the conflict gradually died down, nothing replacing it save for an eerie silence, punctuated occasionally by the gasps and gurgles of the wounded and dying.

Applejack tortuously shimmied up the hill, groaning and moaning all the while, every little inch of her battered body afire and hurting. Still the orange mare persisted, anchoring her chipped and bloody hooves on the nearby rocks dragging herself upwards yet another few yards, the scrape-scrape of the deadly saber furrowing the earth, a thin red trickle proceeding to fill it. Applejack could feel it: she was slowing down, her movements more and more erratic, weaker, growing weaker…

But had she made it, her hoof impotently swishing against thin air. The mare had crested.

Applejack gained no pleasure from this accomplishment. Exhausted, it was all she could do to roll over onto her back, head resting against the ridge, tongue lolling, eyes glazed over. She had gotten up here for what? She couldn't really remember.

Her blurry and dying vision revealed very little to the country mare. Some dark and some patches of orange: that was about all she could make out in the evening light. The ground below her was mostly shades of dark. Mostly motionless, some twitching, a few dots hobbling away into the horizon. Lucky them.

Applejack remained on the hilltop, slowly awaiting the darkness that would soon encompass her, the eternal night-

Eternal Night! Applejack’s slowing heartbeat jolted into life a few times at the thought. Oh, the night! The darkness! The ponies in her dreams, chasing her remorselessly, hot on her hooves, cursing her over and over again as they did so.

Except, this time, it would be forever…

“Applejack,” Twilight Sparkle interrupted.

Time abruptly stopped. Applejack rolling her head sideways, the breaths in her body growing shallower and shallower, the pain rising in her abdomen once more. She was here already? That couldn’t be – Applejack wasn’t asleep yet – it wasn’t possible!

“Applejack,” Rarity joined in.

The rustic pony instinctively looked back up with terrified eyes, almost not daring to open them- but there they were, shadowed against the emerging stars: the lavender unicorn, the white fashionista, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy!

The farm pony’s breath cut out. “I- “

Her instinctive reaction, honed by weeks and weeks of mental anguish, was caught abruptly in her throat. Something was different here. These ponies looked normal.

Applejack gulped. “All of you... you’re here.”

“Well, duh!” Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. Her bouncy hair and cheerful complexion were things the orange pony had nearly forgotten.

Applejack gulped again. “But… “

“Darling, whatever’s the matter?” Rarity asked, fabulous and cheerful as ever.

Applejack let out a trembling wheeze.

Twilight Sparkle giggled at the pony’s reticence. “Oh Applejack: we’re your friends, right? We’ll keep what you say secret, honest!”

“B-but… ” Applejack coughed fitfully, not daring to believe the ponies in front of her, so effectively melting away any last vestiges of pride- “…but you’re all d-dead! Y-y’all can’t still be alive!”

Fluttershy cocked her head uncomprehendingly. “But we’re here, Applejack.”

“No. No!” Applejack slammed her hooves onto the ground, her heart giving out from a mixture of anger and sorrow. “You don’t understand! I… ”

They were my friends… and I… and I-

Oh, by Celestia: what have I done?

The orange pony burst into tears. “I’m sorry!” she bawled, body shuddering with untold effort. “I’m sorry; oh, I’m so very, very sorry!...”

A comforting hoof on her shoulder. “Applejack,” Twilight soothed. “It’s okay.”

The country mare shook her head vigorously. “No. You don’t understand!” she burbled. “It was my fault. All my fault. You were always my friends... I should've never- “

“Oh don’t cry, Applejack!” the party pony exclaimed. “You’ll make us all sad! And I don’t like being sad!”

The pony couldn’t take it anymore. “No! Please!” she cried and cried. “Stop! Stop. It!”

“Darling,” Rarity knelt next to the dying pony, the scent of her perfume wafting through the crisp air. “Do stop being so hysterical. All that’s in the past now.”

“We forgive you,” Fluttershy added quietly.

Applejack continued twisting and convulsing like a madpony. No. This was too much. Too much. She didn’t deserve their forgiveness. This pony, who had so brazenly cast all of her friendships to the flames; this pony, who had schemed and plotted beyond all moral qualms; this pony, who had just sent hundreds upon hundreds to their graves… no. This wasn’t possible. How could these stains be wiped away – ever be wiped away- ?

“You can, Applejack, you can!” Twilight encouraged her onwards, just as she had done so many times, back in the Old Place, the others behind her, cheering Applejack on, cheering Applejack ever on-

Wait. Twilight. Rarity. Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy. Weren’t there six of us?

Twilight… Rarity… Pinkie-

Suddenly in one impulse, Applejack violently thrust herself off the ground with shuddering hooves, the world around her clothed in impenetrable darkness, her head spinning around with the effort, her breaths, her heart- Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash was still alive!

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack screamed forth with her last bit of life, quavering pleas soaring off into the far horizon. “Rainbow Dash! Rainbow… Dash! R…r… ain...bow…”

Dashie… so, so sorry…

A light drizzle pitter-pattered down as Fluttershy climbed out and surveyed her work. Physical exertion had never been the pegasus’ strength – her limbs ached from the toil, her mane matted with sweat – but it was worth every second, worth every second just to be here.

The day the news had reached Ponyville, Fluttershy had immediately fled for the horrible scene, bawling and crying every step of the way. The stench was already unbearable even at the horizon, the actual debris even less so: putrid corpses and half-ingested innards, strewn all over the blood-red arena like some savage sacrifice, stinking and decaying under the vicious Sun. The pegasus wandered around the abandoned fields, despondently calling for anypony who was still alive.

Now the third day was nearly at an end, and Fluttershy was standing alone on the hilltop, two makeshift graves in front of her.

“A-Applejack,” she announced to nopony in particular.

Solemnly, she picked up a familiar old Stetson – all she could find of the orange mare. She had earlier caught a glimpse of a red-and-black thing some ways down, but seeing that it was distinctly mangled even from Fluttershy’s viewpoint, the yellow mare wasn’t sure she really wanted to know if that was Applejack.

She gently cast the hat into the shallow grave, where it landed with a small thump.

Now the other pony. There was nothing remaining of the cyan pegasus. The yellow mare rummaged around in her bags for something fitting.

“Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy murmured. A light-blue daisy floated slowly into position.

It only took a few more nudges to fill in the earth. So that was that.

Fluttershy put down the shovel and resumed her vigil before the two graves: standing, thinking.

She really ought to cry. These were her friends after all, and she had cried earlier when she had taken flight for this dreadful place.

But really, it was best that Fluttershy didn’t cry.

After all, murderers don’t cry for their victims.

It was she who started this. She who was too weak, too useless to govern her own county; she too scared to continue on when everypony else was begging her to stay; she who abandoned her friends in their time of need, flying away while Twilight and Rarity and Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and Applejack killed each other…

There could really be no mercy for so heinous a crime.

“And Fluttershy,” the yellow pony whispered bitterly, drawing out a box of poison hemlock.

Princess Celestia stepped off the carriage onto the hilltop, slowly surveying the scene like a hawk. Reclamation had already begun, visible in the green shoots poking between parched bones, audible in the chirps and calls of returning fauna, sensible in the light whiff of lavender coasting ever-so-slightly upon the sharp tang of sagebrush.

A few generations, and nopony would ever remember this place existed.

A dwarfish pony followed the Goddess, black from head to hoof. The Changeling Ambassador viewed the scene equally mournfully. “So much killing,” he commented pensively. “Reminds me of our past conflict, my Lady.”

The alicorn shook her head in pained resignation. “Hate springs eternal. Few have yet learnt how to master it.”

A sudden crack prompted the Princess to glance sideways. Her bodyguards had happened upon and were gingerly dissembling a skeleton, hoping to prepare the bones for burial.

The Princess stretched out a hoof in command. “Stop. Leave the dead be. This is a memorial to those who have lived and died in these lands – the lesson of war.”

The soldiers halted their morbid work.

Celestia looked over the crest and at the distant desert landscapes of the Outer Lands. Her millennial visage betrayed no emotion.

The Ambassador thought it was probably time to say something. “My Liege. Your recalcitrant vassals, the Changelings, do offer our sincerest apologies- “

“Your kind did not cause this,” the Princess acknowledged. “In fact, this sorry episode has shown that the ponies clearly remain unworthy of occupying such territory. The Princess Luna and I shall therefore cede the Outer Lands back to the Changelings; a sign of our penitence.”

The Changeling started for a moment, hastily prostrating himself on the ground, hooves scattering dirt and dust over his body. “We are not worthy of such a gift from Your Majesty!” he groveled.

“Not so, Ambassador,” the Princess consoled. “The rulers who ruled this land: they were too arrogant, too fearful, too complacent in the belief that their friendship would hold with no additional effort. I need to try again, Ambassador; try until I find somepony worthy.”

The Ambassador gazed into his liege-Princess’ tender eyes, his own welling forth with unspoken gratitude.

The Princess, ever so graceful, leant in closer, smiled, and her eyes glinted.

The Elements of Harmony would soon be carted back to Canterlot.

“Besides… these lands have served their purpose.”

~END~

Author's Note

The End Crowns The Work - Finis Coronat Opus - motto of Seychelles

Author's Comments: A thank you to all readers who ever took the time to read this, and an especially heartfelt one to those who kept reading/commenting in spite of the several-month-long gaps, the amateurish quality and the slightly nutty premise. You may not have known it, but I began this fic when I was in a terrible situation; writing this and having people read it helped me get past a rather tough period in my life.

A special mention to Delta93, who largely proofread everything I sent him. All mistakes are my fault. I need to remember to credit him in the Proofreader's Group.

So writing this has certainly been fun, and what's more, I actually managed to complete it before the 1-year anniversary! (Basically, I forbade myself from writing any new fanfics before completing this story.) Hopefully any future projects will suffer less from this problem.

So thank you all again, and I hope to see you around, especially with Season 4 coming up!

Oh, and if you were wondering what was the theoretical inspiration behind this: I was studying International Relations at the time, and one of the key conclusions of the realist school of thought (which I prefer) was that states operate out of fear, having no permanent allies and only possessing permanent interests. The six counties may have started off friendly with each other, but a combination of fear, miscommunication and above all, clashing goals eventually set them apart and the whole thing eventually spiralled into chaos.

So to answer the question posed in the description: no, their friendship could not overcome the reasons of state.

swirlstar

Chapter 5: May She Be Worthy of the Name

May She Be Worthy of the Name

Rainbow Dash yawned contentedly as she reclined on top of her cloud. Desert clouds were few and far too wispy for her liking; this extra-fluffy one had been specially imported from the Everfree Forest. So soft…so sleepy…

The prismatic mare was tired, but there was good reason for her to be. Rainbow Dash smiled as she reviewed her week’s worth of success. Pinning the bars on graduating cadets of the West Phalia Military Academy. Feasting on the finest papsalums with the desert merchants of Saddle Arabia. Leading the newly-formed ‘Storm Chasers’ regiment against a tenacious bunch of oasis rebels - by Celestia, that dive right into the keep courtyard was nothing short of spectacular!

“Wow... that really was a lot of stuff,” the pegasus thought out loud. She allowed herself another yawn: she had done so much…so, so much… and now so, so sleepy…

Less exhilaratingly, but perhaps most importantly, Rainbow Dash had finally gotten off her flank and had written that letter to Twilight concerning what the pegasus (with some literary assistance from Res Publica) had dubbed the ‘Fluttershy Question’. Dash’s mind drifted off to those opening sentences, those that she had reviewed again and again before sending them off to Twilight. My liege, I have decided to write this letter in light of recent developments concerning the County of Fluttershy…

Dash couldn’t help but smirk at the thought. Yeah, no way is Twilight going to believe I wrote that by myself!

By now, no doubt, Twilight would have read the letter. But how would she react? Well, not like Applejack; that bit Dash was certain of. But what else?

The rainbow pegasus scratched her head as her mind began its speculatory journey. Will Twilight go into one of her egghead speeches? Will she be happy that I’ve finally found the answer to everypony’s problems? Or will she just hand everything over for Celestia to solve?

Well, whatever Twilight’s internal monologue, Rainbow Dash knew that the purple mare was one for reasons. And the pegasus had compelling reasons.

Rainbow Dash knew that whatever her personal inclinations regarding Fluttershy, loyalty to the Duchy had to come first. And she took pains to demonstrate in her letter.

“Firstly, Fluttershy’s county occupies a central position in the Duchy. Two of the three roads for communication (and thus also invasion) cross her realm. It is therefore evident that peace within the Duchy depends, to a large extent, on peace within Fluttershy’s county.

“Secondly, recent events both justify the above and also point to the existence of chronic instability in Fluttershy’s county. In the past month, we have recorded no less than 20 trans-county clashes involving inhabitants of Fluttershy’s county. Of these, at least half were serious enough to merit intervention from either my or Applejack’s forces. (See Addendum for further details).”

“All this suggests that Fluttershy’s county, in its present state, poses grave risks to the Duchy. Moreover, a further reason justifies my current proposal. My county and Applejack’s county are collectively responsible for the northern defense of the Duchy. Should Fluttershy’s lands be divided between us, our defense becomes more secure and our peace becomes more lasting.”

Rainbow Dash, her body sinking further into the vapor, half-mulled these reasons. They were good reasons indeed: good social, political and military reasons, reasons that benefited everyone, reasons that found their basis in the very purpose of the Duchy…

Satisfied with her train of thought, the pegasus began to doze off, the world around her blurring and turning into a purplish hue -

Wait, purple? Rainbow Dash’s eyes snapped back into focus as a magenta halo manifested itself around her own body. “What the hay?!”

The prismatic mare had barely any time to process her thoughts before the halo morphed into scores of magical bonds. Before she could even put up a fight, Rainbow Dash was all trussed up, her wings pinned tightly against her body. This could only be the work of -

“Twilight!” she yelled as the another violet aura surrounded the pegasus and rolled her off the cloud. Twilight Sparkle, perhaps deliberately, had neglected to place any cushioning at the point of impact.

“Oof!”Rainbow Dash instinctively tried to massage her aching head, before realizing that that wasn’t possible under the circumstances. “Ugh,” she mumbled, opening her eyes to see a pair of purple, bloodshot eyes come slowly into focus.

“What. Is. THIS!” Twilight Sparkle screamed, shoving Rainbow Dash’s letter into the pegasus’ face.

“W-what- Twilight! Calm down!”

“No! I will not calm down! What. Is. This, Rainbow Dash! What are you planning!”

Rainbow Dash had never seen Twilight this angry before. The lavender mare’s cheeks were bright red, steam was coming out of her nostrils, and Rainbow Dash swore that she smelt the acrid fumes of burning hair.

But still, it was probably just a typical overreaction on Twilight’s part. “Didn’t you read the letter?”

“I am not going to let you two do this!” the unicorn shouted. “You two have gone absolutely, totally crazy!”

“Twilight -”

“You’re stealing! That county isn’t mine, isn’t yours, isn’t Applejack’s! It’s Fluttershy’s! You have no right to be doing this to her!”

“But Fluttershy doesn’t want it!” Rainbow Dash protested. "Isn’t this like, totally obvious?"

“So?”

“…so?! If she doesn’t want it, she will give it to us?”

“But you’re doing all this without even asking her!”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. This again. “Obviously I'm gonna ask Flutters beforehand. I just don’t want to get her hopes up just yet!” The prismatic mare squirmed around, attempting to escape her bonds to no avail. “Twilight, get these off of me!”

“No.”

“Please, let me go!”

“No, Rainbow Dash, not until you abandon this ridiculous plan of yours!”

“Twilight! Can’t you get it into your egghead brain that Fluttershy doesn’t want the land?” Rainbow Dash could feel the adrenalin bubbling and pulsating within. “Doesn’t. Want. Land,” the pegasus re-emphasized her point. “Wants. To. Give. It. Away!”

“That’s not relevant!”

“What do you mean, 'it’s not relevant'?!” Rainbow Dash said, her inability to make sense of Twilight increasingly translating into an inchoate rage.

“The land is Princess Celestia’s! She gets to decide who gets to rule what! She,” Twilight jabbed at Rainbow Dash’s chest for emphasis, “Not. Ponies. Like. You.”

“Well, that’s stupid! Celestia clearly gave you the power to decide whatever happens within this Duchy- ”

Twilight huffed. “And I am so glad you recognize that. And now I forbid you from doing this.”

Argh! What’s wrong with her! Rainbow Dash simply couldn't understand Twilight's obstinacy. Doesn’t she care about Fluttershy at all? “Twilight, come on, why aren't you letting me do this? Is this all just stupid rules and laws to you? Can’t you see that Fluttershy is really unhappy? Can’t you see that I’m trying to help her?”

“No. All I’m seeing is somepony who isn't satisfied with what they have already; somepony who doesn't even care if it’s her friends that she’s betraying -”

“What!” Rainbow Dash could feel her jaw drop in amazement. The prismatic mare could understand Applejack being skeptical about the whole endeavor, but Twilight? That most 'reasonable' of ponies? After all that time Rainbow Dash put in to justify every action in the interests of everypony? She read the entire letter and still saw it as bad? As betrayal?

From the pony wielding the Element of Loyalty, no less? Betrayal?

With every repetition of Twilight’s accusation in her mind, the prismatic mare's fuse shorted by an extra inch. Betrayal? How could she? How dare she?

“- you are still Rainbow Dash, right? The one who wields the Element of Loyalty? Or are you a spy?” Oblivious, the unicorn continued mocking the cyan pegasus, seemingly determined to touch a raw nerve.

“I AM the Element of Loyalty!” Rainbow Dash suddenly roared, causing Twilight to lose control of her binding spell. Now Rainbow Dash lunged straight into Twilight, sending the unicorn reeling and pinned onto the wall.

Now it was payback time. “Look, egghead,” she said, knocking on Twilight’s skull with her hoof. “You’re the one who’s being disloyal here: who’s the pony who’s gotten so used to playing Princess that she doesn’t even care about how her friend feels? Who’s the pony who wants to force Fluttershy into something that she doesn’t want? Are you even Twilight Sparkle? The wielder of the Element of Friendship?”

“Let go of me!” Twilight snarled, her horn glowing.

Rainbow Dash, mindful of the unicorn’s magical abilities, obliged. Twilight fell to the ground with an audible thud. She refused to meet the pegasus’ gaze.

Rainbow Dash’s face showed her smug satisfaction. “Well?”

“Grrr…” In a fit of pique, Twilight’s mind had made itself up. “Rainbow Dash, I don’t know what your reasons are and I don’t care either. I rule on Princess Celestia’s behalf in this Duchy, and I forbid you from doing any of the things you wrote about in your letter. Even with Fluttershy’s permission. That’s it.”

“But -”

“No buts. And don’t you dare betray your friends like this. Ever. Again.”

The pegasus' smug demeanor disappeared in an instant.

“Anyway, I’m leaving now,” the unicorn said matter-of-factly, still refusing to meet Rainbow Dash's gaze. “You have a pegasus carriage to fly me back? Coming over here to deal with you has drained all my magic reserves.”

“Oh, sure.” Rainbow Dash unenthusiastically scribbled out a note for the castle guards. Despite everything, Twilight’s still my friend, I guess.

Rainbow Dash put on a forced smile as she handed the note over to the purple unicorn. “You want me to see you off, Twilight?”

“Don’t bother,” came the curt response, already halfway down the hallway.

“Twilight -”

“Just shut up and think about what you've done.”

Rainbow Dash's smile faded as the purple mare was escorted out of the castle by the pegasus’ personal guards.

And in a fit of pique, Rainbow Dash's mind made itself up as well.

Author's Note

May She Be Worthy Of The Name - Sit Nomine Digna - Motto of Rhodesia.

(1st Revision: 16/5/2013)

(2nd Revision: 27/7/2013 [Thanks Delta93!])