*   *   *   *   *

Apple Bloom closed the journal reflecting on her past experiences thirty years ago when she served in the Equestrian Army. She’d forgotten how horrible it was too lose someone you cared about. On that day, though, she had lost many. She was glad she decided to read her old journal. It brought back memories, though they may not be the best ones. What she knew was that all those people had died fighting and protecting their country. They had to be the most patriotic, brave, and inspirational people she knew. She looked at her cutie mark and smiled.

Apple Bloom got up from the desk she was sitting at and walked to the kitchen to make some breakfast, when she realized that she had ten minutes to get to school! She lopped to the door, thrust it open, and galloped as fast as she could to get to her school.

She made it on campus in five minutes, where she took her time to catch her breath and walk to the classroom. Her students were lined up by the door, waiting for her to unlock it.

“Good morning, class!” she said to them.

“Good morning, Ms. Bloom!” they called back in unison.

“We should get inside, shouldn’t we?” Apple Bloom said, and unlocked the door to let everypony in.

Two little rascals were playing hoof-gun on their way to their seats. One was a Pegasus, while the other was just a normal filly.

“Now, come on, Streak and Curly!” Apple Bloom called, “No playing guns!”

“Aw, but Ms. Bloom,” whined Curly, “We just want to go into the Equestrian Army, like you!”

“I know, I know, but you’re too young for that.”

“But you were our age when you joined!” complained Streak.

“Yes, but I went in reluctantly. They pulled me in.”

“Will they pull us in, too?”

“Yeah! Will they?”

“No, I don’t think they’d do it just yet.”

“At least tell us what it was like!”

“Yeah! Come on, Ms. Bloom tell us! Please? Pleeeeease?”

“Well, I guess you could say it was pretty overwhelming.”

The clock struck eight AM, and the school church bell rang.

“All right, class, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance!”

The students stood up, put their hoof to their hearts, and faced the Equestrian flag. Apple Bloom mimicked them, and faced the Equesrtian flag herself.

Then they recited:

               I pledge allegiance

         To the Princess

         And the United cities of Equestria

          And to the Royal Guards

               For which they stand

         One nation, under the Mare, indivisible

              With cutie marks and friendship for all