At the Canterlot Castle, the Princesses were keeping tabs on the progress of the war. It was growing late in the afternoon of day three of the war, and a new report stated that the Rebels had been spotted making a camp of sorts about twelve miles outside Ponyville, on their way to Canterlot. Not only that, but Rebels from towns around Equestria were making their way to Canterlot as well, from all sides.
"Well, this is going well." Twilight commented drily. "Dash has half of Equestria on her side. Give or take a few ponies and creatures."
"Speaking of creatures..." Celestia eyed a chittering squirrel seated on the table happily eating a nut. "Fluttershy, was in really neccessary to relocate all your animal friends here, to the castle?"
"Oh, yes!" Fluttershy said. "I wanted them safe while I was defending against Rebels."
"But you aren't defending, Fluttershy." Twilight said. "You're hiding in the castle."
"Oh! Oh no! I wouldn't! I'm...I'm going to go defend...um...something..." Fluttershy gulped and eeped, respectively. Her voice softened further. "Though I really don't want to because of Dash..."
"Fluttershy." Twilight said. "I wanted you to be out scouting with some of the Canterlot Pegasi...not cowering in here because you're afraid you might meet Rainbow Dash."
"Oh, but, Twilight, you heard her!" Fluttershy shivered. "She was so mad at me. What if I do meet her? She said she would end me. And without mercy." Another shudder.
"This is war, Fluttershy." Twilight stated. "Ponies make threats. Besides, its not like she can literally end you. A poke from a foam sword or a nerf bullet isn't going to hurt you. Not really. You know that from being hit last year."
"But she is so mad." Fluttershy whimpered. "I...I really don't want to face her..." Twilight facehoofed.
"Fluttershy," Celestia said with a warm smile. "It really would be a favor to us if you would go scouting with the other Pegasi. Especially since we would like to ensure no animals are in the path of any battles." Fluttershy gulped and stood still, clearly torn between going and saving animals, and hiding herself from Dash's vengeance.
"The...the animals will be ok." She said nervously. "I won't be ok if I get spotted by Dash. I'm so sorry."
"Fluttershy, be brave and bold!" Twilight said. "Be assertive and courageous!"
"Oh, I am. But I want to do it right here...hidden in the castle. Under the table. With my animals." Fluttershy faltered. Twilight arched an eyebrow at that.
"Are you a Pegasus, Commander Fluttershy? Or a chicken?"
"Oh, a chicken. Definitely a chicken." Fluttershy was quick to say. "See? Bawk, bawk. Squawk. Chicken. See?"
Luna collapsed back in her seat in a fit of laughter, while Celestia tried to swallow her giggles. Unsuccessfully. Twilight groaned.
"Please just go, Fluttershy! I'm begging you!" She said pleadingly. "You wanted to defend Equestria and Canterlot and us, so go out there and defend us! Go scouting! Check on the animals. They need you. Save the animals, Fluttershy!" Fluttershy gulped.
"Well, um...ok." she started to leave the room, only to pause at the door and look back. "Um, so, if I see Rainbow Dash..."
"Yes?" Twilight said.
"Um...if I see her...um...permission to run and hide?"
"Oh for...find Applejack and ask her!" Twilight huffed. Fluttershy left.
"Do you suppose she will be fine?" Luna inquired, giggling.
"I think she'll manage. Somehow." Celestia said, smirking.
"Oh yeah, sure." Twilight said with a sigh. "She'll manage. Hidden in a cave or a tree with whatever animals she finds. I am going to choke Dash when I finally get ahold of her, scaring Fluttershy so much. War or not, it was uncalled for."
Luna and Celestia only laughed and Twilight sighed before planting her head on the table in frustration.
**********************************
Dash and her troops had set up camp for the evening, eager to rest up so they could go fight the next morning. Rarity, Trixie, the Crusaders and Spike all sat with her around a campfire. And of course Gummy sat with them, next to Apple Bloom.
"You realise you're associating with a prisoner of war, right?" Dash said.
"Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said. "We are gonna have to treat Gummy like family from here on out. If we don't, and if anything happens to him, if he's harmed in any way, Pinkie Pie is gonna be madder than ever."
"She has a point, darling." Rarity said. "You know how Pinkie Pie is about her dear pet." She smiled at the little alligator, who blinked slowly.
"Yeah..." Dash said. "Ok. So maybe taking Gummy was a bad idea. A very bad idea. But we did, and its done, so now we'll just have to live with whatever vengeance Pinkie decides to dish out."
"Not we, Darling." Rarity said. "You. You are the one who decided to take him, and it is you Pinkie Pie wants to destroy. We were just unfortunate to be with you."
"Well, when we win this war, I'll just have Pinkie thrown in a dungeon or something, so she can't do anything."
"Yes, well, good luck with that, Rainbow Dash."
"What do you mean, good luck??"
"It's Pinkie Pie, remember? She can literally get out of anything."
"Well, maybe she'll forget we...I, took Gummy."
"Darling, Pinkie forgets nothing. And I do mean, nothing."
"Oh. Well, horsefeathers."
"If it would help," Trixie spoke up cheerfully. "Trixie will turn her into a flying feathered pink lemon for you."
"I don't think that's a thing." Dash said.
"It is if the Great and Powerful Trixie says it is."
"I don't want her turned into a...what you just said. But thanks anyway."
"Don't mention it. Trixie's offer is non expiring, if you change your mind."
"Yeah. Ok."
"So," Sweetie Belle interrupted. "What's the plan for tomorrow?"
"Well, there's alot of farms and stuff between here and Canterlot," Dash said. "Applejack and her forces will be looking to stop us at every turn. Thankfully we have ponies in all the towns surrounding Canterlot on our side. Last I heard, they took their towns and are marching on Canterlot, too."
"Aw, taking that castle will be so easy!" Scootaloo said with a smirk.
"That's the spirit, kid!" Dash praised.
"Ah'm a bit worried to face Applejack again." Apple Bloom said suddenly. "Ah mean, Ah did wound her in battle."
"Now don't you worry, Great and Powerful Assistant." Trixie assured her. "Trixie will have your back."
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle said. "And its not like she'll be mad forever. Just til the war ends." Apple Bloom brightened.
"Yeah!" She yawned.
"Ok, you three." Dash said. "Hit the hay. And take Gummy with you!" The fillies obeyed, leaving the grown ponies and Spike to talk battle stategies by the fire.
*********************************
Applejack had moved her forces around and ahead of Dash's, camping about a mile and a half in front of them. She was sitting with Starlight and Pinkie Pie discussing battle plans.
"I'm going to get that Dash!" Pinkie stated. "She'll regret taking Gummy. And if he gets hurt, she'll regret it even more!"
"Dash will take care of him, Pinkie." Starlight told her. "She isn't mean."
"Eeyup." Applejack agreed. "Sides, Spike an' Rarity an' them young'uns won't let anythin' happen to him."
"And Trixie?" Pinkie asked.
"She won't hurt him." Starlight said. "She might use him for magic practice, but she won't hurt him." Pinkie huffed.
"So when they get to us tomorrow," Applejack said,"we need to be ready." The other two nodded. At that moment a familiar pegasus dropped from the sky.
"Fluttershy? What in tarnation are ya doin' out here?!" Applejack asked.
"Scouting." Fluttershy said, breathlessly. "I wanted to drop in and say hello. Oh...oh my. Applejack, you...you're hurt." She indicated the red bandage around the other pony's leg. Red bandages indicated mock injuries sustained in battle. Real injures of any kind were doctored with white bandages, whether battle related or otherwise.
"Oh, that. No big deal. AB got me earlier today."
"Apple Bloom is with the Rebels??!" Fluttershy gasped.
"Huh. I did not see that coming." Starlight said, shaking her head.
"Did...is Dash with them?" Fluttershy asked nervously.
"Eeyup." Applejack said, and Fluttershy eeped in terror. "Aw, sugarcube. Are ya still worried bout Dash's threat?"
"Y...yes."
"Well, Ah'm tellin' ya, she ain't gonna actually hurt ya. Get ya with her sword or somethin' but not actually hurt ya." Fluttershy sighed.
"You better stay here for the night." Starlight said. "We're ambushing the Rebels tomorrow."
"Oh. Oh my. And...and do you want me to help??"
"We need all the extra hooves we can get."
"Oh my." Fluttershy shuddered at the thought that tomorrow, she could very easily face her sworn enemy, who had promised to end her if they met in battle. A prospect that didn't set well with Fluttershy. She shivered. Well, she couldn't very well abandon her fellow soldiers. Unless, maybe, it wasn't an order...
"Um, Applejack? Are you...is this...am I ordered to stay?"
"Eeyup."
Well, there went that hope.
"Oh my."
As Fluttershy sat staring at the fire, one thought crossed her mind.
'I hope Dash makes my death quick and painless.'