//------------------------------//
// When the Bells Ring 
// Story: A War 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

A day later


Canning crushed apples was monotonous work.
Applejack wiped the sweat off of her forehead, making awfully sure that the beads of sweat did not drop to the conveyor belt before her.
Though the cans were as sealed and as closed as they could mechanically be by the simple can fixer contraption just a few meters back, it was apparently alright to make doubly sure, which was why Applejack whacked a big hammer on each one that rolled by on the moving line.
The loud and rattling noises of that machine wrecked havoc in what was otherwise a serene barn.
As serene a barn with a long conveyor belt, a noisy machine, a horde of canned apples, and a bell about to be rung could be.
Then, she looked at the clock on the red wooden wall before her.
It ticked six-fifty in the evening.
She pulled the rope dangling from the bell.
It rang, thundering across the whole of the barn.
The conveyor belt stopped and so did the cans.
The machine deactivated, its multiple gray arms creaking to a halt.
Applejack sighed and took off the mask that covered her mouth and nose.
She walked a few steps towards the big barn doors leading to the outside.
The blue sky then darkened, the sun setting behind the horizon to give way to the night.



Applejack trotted to the marketplace, still wearing her two hairnets.
It was a quiet place, almost deserted under the canopy of snow, lit up only by the lights of the adjacent buildings. A few courageous vendors held their ground and continued to sell their wares despite the guards standing on both sides of their stalls and wagons. The ponies who had come to buy and purchase were inspected upon nearing one of those mini-businesses, their bags searched and their pockets, too, if they were wearing clothes with pockets—and, that's if they wore clothes to begin with.
"What a lonely Hearth's Warmin' Eve this is," she muttered, scanning the place with turns of her head. "It's lonelier than a raccoon on a speckled boat! The lights are up an' the trees are here—the mayor's even slackened up the lockdown—but, everypony's just huddled up in their homes."
She looked at one of the windows, and there were several ponies huddling up in their homes, sitting at their tables as they ate a sumptuous dinner of burgers, pies, and fries.



A knock on the door.
Rumble opened it.
"This is the box o' random items she asked for," Applejack said deadpan outside, extending the box down to the colt.
"You mean Fluttershy?" Rumble said, receiving the box and putting it down on the floor. "Doesn't she work for you with the sheep shearing thing?"
"Do you expect me to remember the names of everyone who ain't from Ponyville?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, she's Fluttershy, but she said she's goin' to have some time as a medic when all gets live ag'in. 'sides, she's only workin' part-time, anyway—at least, for now."
"Thank you, Apple—"
But, the farmpony was already heading away from the house, trotting further into the dark snowy night.



Rumble looked through the narrow gap given by the slightly open door.
Inside Thunderlane's bedroom, he could see Fluttershy administering to his brother a spoonful of medicine.
Thunderlane, lying on the bed and still staring at the ceiling, responded with shivers.
"Don't be scared!" Fluttershy said in an upbeat tone, adding to it an uppity smile. "Trust me. It will all be better when you drink this."
He shivered again, his unfeeling face as stoic as it ever was.
"It's all-natural, I promise! I talked with the pharmacist and tested it myself! I've had my experience with helping out sick animals, so I know what I'm talking about. I think."
The door opened fully, Rumble coming into view while holding a box with his mouth.
Fluttershy held a hoof to her chest, her lips somewhat trembling as she hovered over the floor. She put down the spoon of medicine on the bedside desk. "Oh, it's just you, Rumble. Did Applejack bring everything?"
"Checked it all downstairs," he said, then looked at his brother on his bed. "Is he getting any better?"
"N-Not really," she said, landing on the floor. "It's...sad to see such a pony live like this. It's difficult to believe he's not suffering paralysis or anything like it, but that's what the doctor said and...I don't know a-anything else other than to help him cope."
"It's alright, Fluttershy," Rumble said. "You were there at his side, and that's what counts. Our parents are galloping around, trying their best to look for the best doctors out there, but I'm afraid they're busy with these kinds of ponies, too."
Fluttershy nodded. "I'm also a-afraid."
The two sat down on the floor beside the bed, beside the motionless Thunderlane.
They looked around the room.
If Thunderlane's bedroom could be distinguished from the others for one thing, it was this: yet another collection of Wonderbolt memorabilia. There were framed photos on the shelves, displaying him and his whole family cheering for him when he became a Wonderbolt trainee, then when he became a full-time Wonderbolt himself. There he was in Wonderbolt-related events and locales; he could be seen in the derbies, in the barracks, in the hang-outs, in the cafeterias, in the shows, all with some of his Wonderbolt buddies there.
Besides that, there were several trophies and medals concealed behind glass containers; they sparkled under the ceiling lights. With that, there were posters and portraits depicting famous Wonderbolts such as Spitfire, Soarin, Rainbow Dash, Fleetfoot, Fire Streak, and some more.
Fluttershy brought the box closer to her and rummaged through the many objects found there.
Rumble watched her do just that, keeping his brother in his peripheral vision.
"So, we've got some blankets," Fluttershy said, putting the folded blankets neatly on the bed, right beside Thunderlane. "Then, we've got a nice sweater." She brought it out and spread it out with her hooves. "Well, if I could find a way to actually put this on him...I still c-couldn't find a way to make him stand up." Got some medicine both in syrup and in pill forms and placed them on the bedside desk beside the spoon. "Let's see, what else could be there?"
She went on rummaging.
"Rumble," she said, bringing out a bottle of energy drink from the box, "how did it feel to have your brother become a Wonderbolt? I'm sure it must've felt really g-great."
"Yeah, it was really great!" Rumble said, nodding his head rapidly. "I also want to become a Wonderbolt, too, and be just like him! I'm still too young to actually get in, and after that, you still have to wait for a spot to open up, but when I do get in...just imagine it! Two brothers flying through the sky with the best of the best!"
Thunderlane shivered.
Rumble looked at him, his legs shaky. "What's going on?"
"I hope it's nothing too serious," Fluttershy said. "Thunderlane, are you OK?"
He blinked two times, eyes still gazing upon the ceiling with its lights on.
"He's not OK." She turned to her brother. "Keep watch over the box while I bring in the medicine. He hasn't tasted any at all!"
Rumble looked at the open door. "Uh, nopony's going to come in."
"What if there are robbers?!"
Rumble then hurried to lock the door and dashed back to the box.
Fluttershy, holding the spoon with her hoof, breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that we're completely safe, we'll make Thunderlane a little better."
She faced the stallion on the bed and inched closer. "Come on, Thunderlane! You've got to drink your medicine. All big ponies drink their medicine."
Rumble stifled a chuckle.
"This is not funny!" Fluttershy lashed out.
Then, covered her mouth and shook her head.
"Um, I'm very sorry f-for doing that t-to you, Rumble!" She rubbed his head. "Oh, are you a-alright? Did I hurt your feelings?"
Rumble blinked. "I'm fine. You were a bit loud, but that was—"
Fluttershy gasped. "Loud? Oh, no! What if you took my words the wrong way? What if you're crying on the inside and you're not—oh, I'm just digging myself into a deeper hole with what I just said." She hid half of her face behind her pink, flowing bangs.
"You don't have to be so hard on yourself," Rumble said. "Do you want to know what my brother did whenever he felt like he did something wrong? Well, it was all in the past, so he couldn't do anything about fixing it. So, he never dwelt on it. He got up and moved on, trying to be better. That's what he did whenever he practiced so he could be accepted as a Wonderbolt trainee. Now that he's a full-on Wonderbolt, and even doing those awesome battles—on the headlines sometimes, too! He gets to be a part of something so cool and—"
"No!"
They looked at Thunderlane who sat up on his bed.
His face. That passionate face with fire in his eyes; a burning anger in his seething mouth.
"Thunderlane!" Rumble said, flying to him and hugging him around the neck.
Fluttershy stepped back, then flew all the way to the other side of the bedroom. "Uh, R-Rumble? Th-This i-isn't the b-best time to—"
And Rumble yanked out of his embrace with a strong wing.
"No!" Thunderlane shouted, floating above his bed. "No, no, and a million times no! You don't want to be part of the Wonderbolts—not during this time!"
"B-But, Thunder—"
"I've done many things necessary to keep Equestria safe and sound! I did what I have to do, I had to do what I did, but what I did wasn't always the best! Didn't my letters teach you anything? Didn't you learn anything from them?"
"You a-always talked about your fights and—"
"You were missing the point!" He raised his forehooves up in despair, hovering above his brother. "I didn't write about fights to show you they're cool, 'cause they're not! I only wrote about them to tell you I did something useful, that I wasn't standing around doing paperwork—but I wish I was just doing paperwork!"
Rumble gasped. "How could you say something like that?! Becoming a Wonderbolt was your dream!"
"When I dreamed, there was no war! The Wonderbolts were this nifty big group of pegasi who did acrobatics and performances! I wanted to do it for fun, for showing my flying skill to the whole world! I didn't sign up to be a professional killer!"
"But, didn't you—"
"I know what they tell me! I have to kill to make sure I'm not the one being killed! To protect Equestria, harmony, friendship, all things good, and everything and everyone else I love and hold dear! I know they're wearing those mind control thingies on their heads, so it's not really their fault—it's mind control magic, Sombra is powerful, I get it. But, there's more to it than the helmets, the masks, those glowing eyes that scare a lot of the new ones—there's personalities under them if we could just remove the mind control, but I don't know!"
He took in a deep breath.
"The tougher guys tried to console me, but I could see past their lies! They weren't monsters, I know beyond doubt that they weren't monsters and they aren't monsters now! What do they think? What do they think?! They have their own brains, they have their own thoughts on...on...what is it?!"
Rumble took a step back, wobbling and almost tripping down.
Seeing his brother gesture about, turn his head left and right, flapping his wings faster.
"I see the rest of my team get to their homes and what do they get? Cheers! The crowd goes wild at ponies who cry about the friends they've lost, about the deeds they've done! They don't cry in public—we all got to keep up a good face, keeping the morale up, but it's a burden to keep it up! I've smiled when I was depressed because the moment I frown, that's the moment the crowd starts putting two and two together and get four! You hear me?! Four!"
Rumble backed to the wall, seeing a shuddering Fluttershy to his left.
Thunderlane flew to them, his whole body shivering as his mad face stayed.
"I've made too many friends in the front, Rumble! I've had parties with them. Talked with them. Shared thoughts with them—my feelings and their feelings! We had dreams, too. We wanted to meet again when it's over, maybe take a walk in the park and just relax, or eat out at some fast food joint. We could've done so much more, but I should've remember what I was asking for when I went on—they died and my speed wasn't enough to save them! All those memories, and I keep them for what?! I'll never see them again! And, what if Rainbow Dash loses more than a wing this time? Or Spitfire?! I haven't gotten to the stories of the citizens we've saved!"
He cackled.
"Burning their homes, enslaving their family and friends, destroying all of their towns so that it's nothing but rubble, nothing but dirt and debris and nothing else but the ground! They've lost everything and what do we do?! Recruit some of them and send the rest elsewhere!"
Fluttershy whimpered, a tear coming down her cheek.
Rumble stared at his brother, looming over even as he shivered.
"Believe me, brother! You don't want to fight there! Could you take the pain? Are you willing to lose most of your friends? Could you bear the sight of ponies driven from their homes? Could you kill without some regret, some remorse—tell me, Rumble! Tell me before they close in on me again!"
With that, he fell to the floor.
Shivering.
Eyes open, staring straight.
Unconscious.



The bells rang.
Applejack could hear it from far away, standing in her dark bedroom.
Through the window, she could see the source of the great sound: Ponyville as it was lit up with many different colors.
The door opened. "Applejack?"
She turned around, seeing her sister in the hallway. "Yes, Apple Bloom?"
"It's tomorrow already! It's Hearth's Warmin'!"
Applejack looked down on the floor's planks. "Then, it is."
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Don't you wanna open yer' presents?"
"At a time like this?"
Silence between the two of them.
Applejack gave a long, deep sigh. "Honestly, I don't know."