"We need more powerful spells, Miss Twilight!"
"I'm working on it!"
Twilight Sparkle rushed about in the enormous library, trying to find a book, any book, that she may have missed while scouring the shelves for spells. The ones she had taught the forces so far just weren't strong enough, and she didn't want to be responsible for anymore ponies dying from Pegasus attacks. She had prepared for the Earth Pony soldiers, but the Pegasi were almost unaffected by her spells, and no-one had anticipated that they would attack so early.
When her search returned nothing, she reached for her last resort - Celestia's Official Tome of Most Powerful Spells. She had avoided it before now, because the spells were complicated and time-consuming to teach, but everything they had tried so far had failed.
"Tell them I've found something, boys," she shouted to her assistants who waited outside the door. They replied with a quick "yes, ma'am," before taking off. Twilight sighed. She was sure that there was some easier way to end the war, but nopony, not even her, could see it.
"SWEETIE BELLE!"
Rarity's voiced echoed throughout the house as she saw her sister Sweetie Belle trying to sneak tentatively through the back door of their home. Sweetie Belle gulped. She knew she was in serious trouble.
"Where in Celestia's name have you been?!" Rarity screamed. "You know it's dangerous to go outside alone... You saw the warnings this afternoon didn't you?
"I'm sorry Rarity, I just.." Sweetie Belle began, before being interrupted by her now very angry sister.
"What would you have done if the authorities saw you? Or maybe even the soldiers? What if, Celstia forbid, some enemy pony was out there?"
Rarity sighed, seemingly beginning to calm down. "Now is the time to explain, Sweetie Belle," she said sternly.
Sweetie Belle had about five seconds to think of an excuse. She couldn't tell her sister the real story - because, in truth, what she had done was against the law.
You see, Sweetie Belle's best friend was a Pegasus pony named Scootaloo. They had been friends since long before the war began, and they intended to stay that way long after the war ended. But after the fighting began to intensify, especially between the Pegasi and the Unicorns, a new law was passed that stated that no underage pony was to covert with a pony of another species. Exceptions were made in cases such as those of brothers and sisters, but otherwise it was completely forbidden. So, if Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo wanted to do anything together, they had to meet in secret.
Sweetie Belle was awful at making up excuses on the spot, but she had to try.
"Well you see Rarity," Sweetie began nervously, "I was at, um... One of Twilight Sparkle's classes!" Rarity gave a suspicious look before letting her continue. "Yes! Miss Sparkle is teaching us spells in case we have to defend ourselves! That's where I was..."
Rarity thought about the answer for a while, and Sweetie prepared for the worst - her sister may have been girly and delicate, but she was no dumb pony. Luckily, the filly was a very good liar, or so she'd been told.
"Alright then," Rarity sighed, "but if that was all you were doing, you may as well have just told me darling. You gave your dear sister quite a scare..."
She left the room, and Sweetie Belle could finally let out a sigh of relief.