The Troops stand Ready
“This war has to be fought. There is now nothing anypony can do to avoid it, and our doomed enemy will curse the day he crossed our path. Yesterday we may have been called blank-flanks and losers, Fillies and little ponies. But today, right here, right now, we are sisters! We endured together and now we will die together!”
The General shouted over the heads of her most decorated soldiers with pride.Everyone of them stood next to the other, except for one whose resolve was starting to falter.
“We don't actually have to die today… do we?” A The soldier asked in a meek voice.
The general smiled happily.
“That’s the spirit soldier,” The general shouted proudly. “I don’t want to lose anypony, but, by Luna’s Moon and Celestia’s Sun, the insults of this wretched creature can not be left unconfronted. We will bring that wretched, horrible, creature to justice!” The warm summer wind blowing gently between the branches of the Orchard and carrying her voice even further than usual.
“WE WILL DRINK THE SWEET MILK OF VICTORY!
AND
WE
WILL
EAT
ALL
OF
HIS
COOKIES!”
The sound of the roaring thunder of hard hooves striking the earth, and the shouts of approval filling the air above the hill, could be heard all the way to Ponyville, disrupting the quiet Sunday morning.
Celestia’s sun shone brightly onto the chosen battlefield and the enemy’s stronghold lay before the troops under the flag of the Appleborns.
“We will have to strike swiftly,” said one of the tacticians, a young drakeling that was wise beyond his years. “Or else we may be in danger if The House of the Flutter notices our troops. Should this scenario come to be, we will have to get out of here as fast as possible. Or, we run into the danger of getting punished by the Sisters of Six…. just a quick question Apple Bloom, why am I here again?” he asked, addressing the General carelessly, with annoyance in his voice.
“You are here because we promised you a mighty share of the creatures loot, you presumptuous drake, and I don’t believe I have to remind you what the creature stole from our troops just this morning? Also you were trained by the princesses and are called a brave hero in the mighty kingdoms of the north.”
“Oh, right, Granny Smith’s Zap Apple Jam cookies...They better be as good as you say they are.” the young tactician said, irritated.
but the hunger for victory would aid their endeavor. Of this was the mighty general Applebloom sure.
A mild breeze started to blow mild waves in the grass between the assorted troops and the unsuspicious stronghold of the wretched creature. You could almost say it was peaceful but behind every bit of green, in every tree, in every drop of water spies of the evil demon could be hiding.
Watching their every move and reporting their master what’s happening.
General Apple Bloom kept on scheming battle plan after battle plan throwing her troops against the green walls of the fortress, sending them into the water to get the element of surprise, commanding the digging of tunnels and supervising the construction of siege engines.
But the siege couldn’t drag on for this long so no tunnel digging and no siege engines. To minimise the ire of the house flutter they shouldn’t cause any damage to their property.The sisters of the six wouldn’t take kindly to that. The warning of the drake was not unfounded.
“We have to strike fast and precise...but where do we strike…” the general mumbled under her breath.
They had to make haste, every second that was wasted the damned spawn of Tartarus could devour one of his cookies which he held hostage.
Just to imagine the dreaded fiend munching happily on the cookies that were destined to be devoured on the secret meeting of the troops, filled the mighty general with rage. The insult was even deeper now that her trusted and beloved cousin was visiting for the Zap apple season.
The Insult was severe and had to be answered in kind. No hole in Tartarus was small enough for the creature to hide in no distance was far enough, as long as they were home in time for dinner, vengeance had to be taken and nopony shall stand between the Appleborn and their revenge.
“Oh brave and presumptuous Spike.” The general addressed her tactician. “What would your advice be, to lead us to victory?”
The young drake observed the battlefield. His trained eyes taking in every detail and his belly rumbling in anticipation of the promised cookies.
Every one of them knew the terrain well, but so did their enemy.
The young cousin of the mighty general was awaiting the battle with the giddy anticipation of youth. It was at this moment that one of the lieutenants spoke in a hushed tone. “There is the beast!”
The young Apple strained her eyes to get a good glimpse at the ferocious beast she had been told so much about. But she couldn't see the creature and whispered to the lieutenant next to her “Where is it? Is it hiding behind the bunny?”
The lieutenant answered her questions “It is the bunny.”
Said bunny was hopping around in front of it's lair without a care in Equestria.
“...You're kidding right?” Asked the young soldier not believing the stories she had been told
The adorable spawn of Tartarus was leisurely nibbling on a cookie and seemingly ignorant of the presence of the Appleborn.
“I mean come on, what could he possibly do? Nibble our buns?”
“Oh ye of little faith you don't know anything about this ferocious beast which is sporting the name of an angel…”
“He has the name of an angel? Which one?” The young cousin asked derailing the monologue of the general.
“No his name's Angel. Angel Bunny.” The general said correcting herself and trying to get back into character.
The wretched rabbit was sitting on the small river, which would form the last line of defence for the stronghold of the house of flutter. He just sat there … maliciously, and nibbled on a cookie … the vile beast.
No soldier could imagine how many cookies were already devoured but seeing the beast feast on his prey was to much for the noble appleborns. With a cry of anger the general ordered the charge.
“FOR VENGEANCE” Roared the mighty general.
The charge had begun.
The warcry of the Appleborns could be heard far and wide.
The dreaded bunny just watched the charging troops advancing while taking a lazy bite out of his cookie.
“Release the hostages you vile beast!” Shouted the general while jumping the bunny.
With a hard kick to her chest, the general was sent flying. She landed in the dirt a few good away and now the other Appleborns engaged the foe.
“Just give us the cookies and this whole thing will be over peacefully.”
Angel was furious, the cookies were his and his alone. With a quiet warcry the furious bunny attacked the soldier who demanded him to give up his cookies.
The fight was hard and no side wanted to give in.
Until…
“oh my, could you please stop? Please? Please what is going on… Everypony STOP!”
Flutter of the house shy stopped the fight.
“Girls excuse my intervening, but… what is going on?”
The wise sister of the kind asked the great general.
The wind blew over the battlefield and the heroes of the Appleborns shuffled back to their hooves and claws respectively. Many were the bruises and scratches.
The vile beast had won.
The intervention of the house of flutter would almost guarantee that the sisters of six would hear about this battle and they would be grounded for the rest of the weekend.
“Why were you attacking angel?”
The general Apple bloom would face their fate with a taunting smile on her lips, but right now she was just Apple bloom of the apple clan who was facing the inevitable punishment for fighting and picking on Fluttershy’s pet rabbit.
“We were just trying to get our cookies back Fluttershy we swear.” The fearless general whined at the wise Sister of kindness.
“He stole them from granny while she was napping. she had made them for us.”
Fluttershy blinked confused.
“I'm sorry Apple bloom but just this morning I sent angel to your farm to get his favourite carrot cookies from your granny. And that were the one he brought back.”
A deafening silence raged on the battlefield only broken by a small bunny munching on his carrot cookie his flawless white fur glistening in the sun.
“So…. That weren't our cookies…. But … his cookies?” The mighty general asked slightly embarrassed.
“So, don't you girls want to say something to Angel Bunny?” Asked Fluttershy
The bunny just sat there, grinning and taking the last bite of his cookie.
“We're sorry Angel… “
The hordes of the Appleborns chorused.
The bunny just grinned.
“Also angel don't you have something you want to say?”
The bunny just shook his head and blew a raspberry.
But Fluttershy kept poking him with her hoof.
With a deep sigh he shrugged his shoulders and held his paws for the great general to take them.
The fight was over and peace was restored between the vicious Angel and the Appleborns.
For now...