//------------------------------//
// MLP: Hanging by a Thread Chapter 4 
// Story: Hanging by a Thread 
// by DarkLightning'sSting 
//------------------------------//

The very next day, the population of Ponyville was making its way back through Everfree, in the direction of their home. Some of the pegasi were flying above, keeping watch for dragons. At the head of the procession were Celestia and Luna. Following behind them, there were several stretchers. Two of them were normal everyday members of Ponyville; Red Lightning was on the other.

They were getting pretty close as it was, maybe only a couple minutes. The smoke of the burning town was clearly visible, as well as the flames, which seemed to still be burning.

Rainbow Dash trotted up beside Celestia and looked up at her in concern. "Should we really be going back? What if the dragons are still there?"

Celestia shook her head. "The dragons are gone, once I realized we needed to get back, the Royal Guard came in and forced them out of the town."

Twilight came up beside them. "Makes sense. Might as well let them do the damage; that is until we need to get in."

Celestia nodded. "I've used the technique before. Never failed yet."

Twilight looked at her. "You went to war before?"

"Yes, I did. Many, many years--"

They broke the cover of the forest and witnessed the chaos that was their home town. Every single one of the buildings was in ruins. They moved farther into the town, towards the town square. The entire place was in ruins, Twilights home toppled into the fountain.
Applejack looked around. "Wow, now that's what I call destruction!"

Celestia smiled. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? Twilight, would you come up beside me a moment?"

Twilight obliged her, walking up beside her teacher. Celestia looked at her. "Can you sense it, my student?"

Twilight stopped, and quirked her head to one side. "Yes. It almost feels….like the town is saturated with magic." There was a chuckle from one of the stretchers. Red Lightning rolled off the stretcher and landed on her hoofs, though somewhat shakily. Rainbow Dash came up beside her and helped her stand. She straightened up and limp/walked up beside them. "There's a reason it feels that way. Mostly because it is."

Lightning's horn glowed red, before the energy surged into the town's fountain. The energy surged into fountain, causing the water to start flowing again.

The fountains water turned a reddish hue as it became saturated with magic. Lightning's horn stopped glowing and she stopped feeding it with energy. She glanced at Celestia.

"Your majesty, if you would."

Celestia smiled at her and raised her hoof. She stamped it down hard against the ground. The energy in the fountain blasted outward, in a kind of shockwave. As the energy passed through each building, the damage just seemed to vanish. Holes in buildings vanished, caved in roofs repaired themselves, Twilights home straightened itself out of the fountain and stood tall and proud once again. Once the energy had covered the town, it all returned to the fountain. The water took on the reddish hue again before vanishing, leaving the clear water behind.

Twilight looked up at her in amazement. "Princess, what happened?"

Celestia smiled and looked back at Red Lightning. "Ask her, she's the one who created the spell, I only helped to dispel it." Twilight turned to Lightning. "So? What did out do?" Lightning grinned. "Simple illusion spell, just one that would surround the entire town when the need would arise. Took time to create, but still."

Celestia smiled knowingly. "Don't forget the part where you tricked the dragons into making them think the town was already in ruins." Lightning giggled. "Yeah, that too."

Twilight turned to her teacher again. "But how could one pony cast a spell of that power?" Celesta chuckled. "Isn't it obvious, my student? She is the Element of Defense itself. If her need to protect her friends and home is strong enough, she could move the entire town somewhere else."

Lightning chuckled. "Not that I would ever move the town, though." Celestia nodded. "Yes, I would be rather cross if you moved it!"

Everyone burst out laughing at this comment as they moved off into the town, leaving the princesses and the Elements alone in the square. Celestia's smile vanished as she regarded the group in front of her. "Sadly, what brought us to this is no laughing matter. As grateful as I am that another town is safe, we must consider what brought us here. The dragons attacked without provocation, destroying much of Equestria in the process. All that I know of that is left is Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and Ponyville of course."

Dark Wing nodded slowly. "Makes sense, though. Not why they did it, of course, but how they did it. Attack while your enemy is unaware, and destroy as much as possible before your unlikely defeat."

Celesta looked at her, brow raised. "Is it that important?"

Dark Wing nodded. "Yep. It means that they rely on their first strike, followed by brute strength and fire breathing. By that logic, if we get Lightning to keep the defenses strong to withstand their first, and strongest, attack, then we can fight back with a better chance of success. I know we're not at war yet, but it's good to think about these things."

Celestia nodded. "True, true. But we should still try diplomacy. I'll send some emissaries to speak with them, to organize peace talks. When that is done, we may be able to end this with no further bloodshed." She focused on Lightning and Dark Wing. "While we do that, you two are to go to the town, or what's left, of Appleloosa. Once there, try your best to figure out where Honor's Sting is."

Lightning nodded slowly but Dark Wing shook her head. "If it's all the same to you, princess, I would rather coordinate with the ponies up in Cloudsdale. Pegasi will need to be our first line of attack, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Celestia nodded. "Fair enough. Once we're done here, I will teleport you there." Dark nodded and Luna looked at her carefully. Celestia ignored the look her sister gave Dark, and looked at Rainbow Dash and Lightning. "Looks like the two of you will be going alone."

"Oh no they ain't!"

Applejack trotted up beside them. "I'm not lettin' these two go roppin' off alone to my home without me!"

Rarity came up beside them. "I do believe that I will go as well. Sounds like a nice adventure, and besides," she reached up and ran her hoof through Lightning's black hair. "I promised that I would recolor Lightning's hair!"

Fluttershy moved up beside the group, her head down a bit. "I'm going too." She stated simply, though it was barely audible.

Pinkie Pie hopped towards the group enthusiastically. "Well, sounds like a party in the making! And I won't be left out of a party!"

The only one left was Twilight and she couldn't suppress and grin. "Well, I can't let you guys go off without me! After all, you might need some magic that isn't based off clothes or defending people!"

The group burst out laughing as Rarity blushed slightly. "I can use the magic however I want! It just... Seems better to use it for making beautiful cloths...."

The group chuckled once more and Spike came out of the tree house, seeming a little shell shocked.

"What just happened? Why were there dragons? WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!?!?!?!