News was slowly turning good over the next few days. The two Changelings who had held the hall hostage had been taken and put into a prisoner of war camp, the Changeling forces were lacking to take control of Equestria from the skies, and the Pegasi had managed to guide strong northerly winds over the south coasts, making the passage over the seas hazardous, and then combatted that with strong southwest winds to throw off the Changeling Air Forces. After a meeting with her Generals on the invasion, Chrysalis was convinced that their strategy was unlikely to see them a victory, so she ordered the postponement of ‘Operation Manticore, and for all plans to be pushed back until the time was ready.
Over in Ponyville, as Rarity walked through the streets, ponies would stop to wave at her, others who had been in the church hall at the time would shake her hoof and say ‘thank you’ for saving them, fillies and colts could be seen re-enacting the rescue in the school yard, (with a few bits exaggerated by the CMC, saying how Rarity ran in and knocked out one of the Changelings, or how Rainbow Dash had swooped in and carried five ponies out of the hall to safety), and as she passed Sugarcube Corner, she could see a large cake in the display window which read, ‘Thanks to our Heroes’.
“Hey Rarity!” came Pinkie Pie’s voice. Rarity looked and saw her bouncing out of the store, with Mrs Cake walking behind her, “We showed those Changelings, didn’t we?” she laughed.
“Yes Pinkie, we certainly did.” Rarity smiled.
“I’ve actually made a special cupcake for you, dearie.” said Mrs Cake, and she handed Rarity a small box. Rarity opened it, and saw a cupcake with white frosting with light blue frosting that had been cut up into three diamonds, (the same as her Cutie Mark) and along the sides was thin gold coloured cream, crafted to look like the pips that signified Rarity’s rank of Captain.
“Thank you, Mrs Cake.” said Rarity, as she closed the box and put it in her saddlebag. She shook Pinkie’s hoof and heading towards Carousel Boutique.
As she neared the store, she looked up towards the library, and saw Twilight and Spike leaving it to collect more supplies. She gave a small wave and they headed over towards her. “Morning Rarity.” said Twilight as she came closer, “I was examining that Changeling’s gun the other day. Did you know that it was empty all along?”
“Was it?” smirked Rarity; “Well if you must know Twilight, so was mine.” she gave a small giggle and walked into Carousel Boutique, closing the door lightly behind her.
The winds blew hard over the coast, causing large waves to crash along the shores of Equestria. Up on the hillside looking over it, Rarity stared out into the horizon, with Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Spike standing on either side of her, all in full uniform. “The sea’s blowing rough today isn’t it?” observed Twilight.
“The Changelings will never cross it in this weather.” said Rainbow Dash.
“Ah reckon we’ll be fine till spring.” put in Applejack.
“So I guess we can have the weekend off then.” chuckled Spike.
“Weekend off?” said Rarity, looking down at him, “This is war, Spike. It doesn’t just stop at 5 o’clock on Friday evening, and then start up again 9 o’clock on Monday morning. We need to always be prepared for whatever happens.”
“That will be a treat.” came a voice from behind them. They turned around and saw Trixie standing a few yards away from, the wind blowing the bits of her mane sticking out from under her ‘ARP’ helmet over her grinning face.
“And what are you doing up here?” asked Rarity.
“Just listening to your wishful thinking’s.” chuckled Trixie, “So you just managed to stop two Changelings, but that’s nothing to celebrate. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, what good would you lot be against real soldiers? They’d walk straight through you!” she then turned and walked back down towards town, still chuckling to herself.
“Trixie’s not right, is she?” said Spike to Twilight when Trixie was out of earshot.
“No Spike, she isn’t. Take no notice of her.” said Twilight as she put a comforting hoof around Spike’s shoulder.
“Well, I don’t really want them walking through me.” said Fluttershy, quietly.
“They won’t get a chance to.” said Rainbow Dash, “I’ll stick by your side, Fluttershy, when it comes to it.”
“We’ll all be by your side.” said Rarity as they moved in closer together to keep warm from the wind, “We shall all stick together. If anypony will try to take our homes from us, they will know what we are capable of. Anytime of the year; spring, summer, autumn or winter, from over the seas or across the skies, we shall be ready for them. And ready to fight. And we’re not alone in our opinions. There are thousands of us all over Equestria. Ponies ready to stand together when their country needs them.”
“I agree, Rarity.” smiled Twilight, “And while we’re not exactly real soldiers, I do believe that a small branch of the Home Guard is just as important to the safety of our country, than a hundred trained soldiers.”
“Wise words Twilight.” sighed Rarity, as she lead them back down the hill towards Ponyville, to be prepared for whatever trick or scheme that Chrysalis plans next, to be ready for the moment when they would have to sacrifice their lives for their country.
But until that time was to come, the citizens of Ponyville could sleep well, knowing that their town was kept in the safety of that small platoon, the ponies that started as a joke, were now heroes in their eyes, and as Rarity stared out of her window that night, looking out over the streets, she gave a small sigh knowing that all this land was now under the protection of what she like to call, ‘Rarity’s Army’.