War Equestria

by pennypony

Earth Ponies

"No!" Applebloom shouted, "You can't take mah brother away!". She grabbed onto his tail in an attempt to pull him back. A hoof on her shoulder and a stern voice. "Applebloom." Her sister looked down at her, clearly distressed but trying to get through it. "You know why he has to go," she sighed.
Of course she knew why he had to go - it was mandatory for all capable colts of a certain age to go join the army. They needed more soldiers, as the war was intensifying and the Earth Ponies were readying for a battle. The Pegasian armies were threatening to attack the Earthen villages, and the main priority was to keep the civilians safe.
"Ah know," Applebloom began angrily, "Ah just don't understand!" By now she was sobbing. A deep red hoof ruffled her hair gently. She looked up to see her brother wearing a sad smile. "It's okay." he assured her. And without another word she turned and headed down the long road from Sweet Apple Acres - a road he was used to walking everyday.

Applebloom collapsed onto the soft grassy plain affront their house and began to sob. It wasn't like her to cry, but her family meant so much to her. They were all she had left in this bleak world, and now they were going too. Upon looking up from her sorrow, she saw her sister walking out into the apple orchards. "Applejack," she shouted weakly, almost choking on her words, "where're yah going?"
"Now Big Macintosh is gone, ah'm gonna be working the fields double time," she replied. "That's why you gotta look after Granny Smith, alright? Now get yourself inside, it's gonna rain."

Granny Smith was faring surprisingly well during these dark times. She didn't like to talk about it, but she had been through a war before. Applebloom knew her Granny had been through a lot. The house was strangely quiet since the war started, and even more so now that Big Macintosh had left. "Granny Smith," Applebloom began.
"Yes, my darling sugarcube?" Granny replied with a smile.
"How long do you think the war will be for?"
Granny Smith turned back towards the fire and sighed. "Ah'm afraid I can't answer that yet sugarcube," she said, "In fact, ah don't think any pony can."

"Miss Pie, is it possible that you are entirely incapable of being serious?"
The referred to, a Pinkamena Diane, laughed this off. "Of course I can be serious, silly," she giggled, "but life is so much more fun when you look on the bright side of life!"
Pinkamena, who instead referred to herself as Pinkie, must have been the most positive pony in Equestria - no matter what was happening, she would find the bright side. And if she couldn't find it, she'd make it.
The pony at the desk slammed her hooves down on the desk, interrupting Pinkie's fit of giggles and giving her a fright.
"Look Miss Pie," she began loudly, "There is no bright side to war. And until you understand that we have no interest in employing you.". Pinkie, a little shocked at the outburst, stood completely still for a moment before letting out a sigh. She felt her normally crazy hair start to deflate around her cheeks, as it always did when she could find not one happy thing to think about.

Equestria - as it was today, in the midst of war - reminded Pinkie of the rock farm where she grew up. It was dark, desolate, and most of all lonely. Pinkie Pie had never had a best friend, and she had liked to think that everyone in Ponyville was her friend. But the war had torn people apart...
Once best friends had to avoid each other in the street because of their races. Pinkie couldn't hold parties anymore because ponies were afraid to leave their own homes. Pinkie hadn't talked to anyone besides the Cake family for a long time.
Pinkie was grateful for Mr and Mrs Cake - they had taken her in when she first came to Ponyville. She had been lonely and scared, but they had offered her a place to stay, given her a job, and welcomed her to their family. She thought of the two young Cake twins, Poundcake and Pumpkincake, as her little brother and sister. Since Mr Cake had to go and fight, Pinkie had decided that she would have to become the family's main source of income, but her attempts so far had gone less than well.
But now, Pinkie Pie had to change. The Cakes needed her, and it was her responsibility to help them out, whether it meant changing herself or not.