Wings of Tomorrow ~ Lament of the World

by Keeper of Jericho

20. Decision time

“You want us to come with you and join the Royal Guard so we can help you with your war efforts?” Twilight asked, being the first to get over the shock instilled by Rainbow Dash’s declaration. The purple unicorn frowned and gave the royal admiral an uncertain look. “No offense, Rainbow Dash, but I’m not really sure what our participation would change. We don’t have the Elements of Harmony, and none of us are practiced for any kind of combat. Judging from what you said, there’s no time to train us to the point where we could be useful, either.”

The other four mares that stood around Rainbow Dash bowed their heads and quietly murmured their agreement. The admiral’s request on itself wasn’t very odd or strange, but it still came as a surprise to all of her friends regardless. Twilight had voiced what they were all thinking, though they each had other reasons to harbour doubts against the idea as well.

“I didn’t say I wanted you guys to join the guard,” Rainbow Dash corrected Twilight calmly, seemingly not really bothered by the fact that her friends hadn’t immediately jumped at the opportunity. She hadn’t really expected that to happen, not even from Pinkie Pie. “Of course I know none of you have had any kind of combat experience, that’s kinda obvious, otherwise I wouldn’t have had to step in back in Canterlot.” She rolled with her eyes for a moment. “I wasn’t asking you to join the fighting, either. I wouldn’t let my best friends march into battle unless I was sure they’d come out of it unharmed.”

Rarity rubbed her chin in thought. “I fear I must admit that I’m not entirely following you, darling,” she said. “If you weren’t asking for us to join the battle, then what is it you requested from us?”

“All I’m asking for is your help. And I didn’t mean help in the military kind of sense,” Rainbow Dash explained, waving one of her hooves dismissively as she spoke. “I meant the kind of help only friends can give: your support.” She let out a deep sigh and sat down on her rump, bowing her head as she did so. “Look, you guys all remember what happened to me on the eve of the Best Young Flyer competition, right?” She glanced around the room and saw them nodding in confirmation.

“That had to be one of the worst cases of stage fright I have ever seen in a pony,” Rarity commented, slightly teasing.

Rainbow Dash just shrugged her shoulders in annoyance. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, that’s not the point I’m trying to make. The point is that I got so nervous that I messed up, even though I had all the skills to pull it off successfully,” she explained, a bit miffed by the teasing. She didn’t like remembering the hours before the competition, even if the hours after it had been totally awesome. “And that was just some small competition for a chance to chat with the Wonderbolts. But soon enough, we’re going to have a war on our hooves, and I’ll be one of the ponies to lead the Royal Army into battle. Now imagine what’ll happen if I lose it because of a bad case of stage fright.”

The other ponies in the room remained silent as Rainbow Dash’s words sunk in and they realized the truth in them. They might not have known a lot about war, but they knew enough to understand that a commander failing to give orders and guidance to his or her troops was nothing short of an utter disaster, one that could decide the outcome of the battle, or even the very war. It was a great pressure and an enormous responsibility, one that had now fallen on the shoulders of one of their best friends.

“I’m not saying I’ll chicken out when push comes to shove,” Rainbow Dash said, pulling her friends from their thoughts, not wanting them to think she couldn’t handle the responsibilities that came with her rank. “I’m an admiral, and let me tell you that a pony doesn’t get that title for free. I’ve trained and worked myself to the bone for years to get myself where I am now. I’ve got all the skills and strengths beaten into me to make me capable of handling this position. They wouldn’t have promoted me if they felt I wasn’t up to the task, either.”

“Regardless, it won’t hurt to be prepared just in case,” she added, after pausing briefly to take a deep breath. “Because despite all my training and all the power I’ve gained, I still haven’t been in a real war. Few of us in the guard actually have. Yeah, I’ve been in real battles and skirmishes at the borders, sure, but that’s nothing compared to a real battlefield, and I wasn’t an admiral back then either.” The cyan pegasus ran a hoof through her mane and sighed. “I’m going to be responsible for the fight that’ll decide Equestria’s fate. I’m going to order ponies into battle knowing that some of them aren’t going to make it back in one piece, or at all.”

She looked up at her friends, and for a moment Rainbow Dash appeared incredibly vulnerable and fragile. “I know I can do it. I have trained to gain the skills and the powers needed to make it through this.” The admiral shrugged helplessly. “But I knew I had the skills to make it during the Best Young Flyer competition too, and I still let my nerves mess everything up. I can’t risk that happening again, not now, when there are lives depending on it.”

Rainbow Dash let her gaze drift through the room and looked at her friends imploringly. “That’s why I’m asking for your help. I’m not asking you to fight; I’ll do the fighting for you. I’m just asking you guys to be my friends, to be there with me and to support me when I’m having a difficult moment. I need you guys to stand behind me.” Again she bowed her head, and again she sighed. “I can’t do it without you guys. There’s just too much at stake…”

A heavy silence fell in the room once Rainbow Dash was done speaking. The five ponies looked at the admiral with serious and somewhat tensed expressions on their faces, unsure of what to say. There was no doubt that Rainbow Dash’s request was sincere, and now that they had heard her tale they understood her plight very well. It was somewhat surprising to them to learn of the high position she held within the Royal Guard, given the immense responsibilities that came with it.

None of them thought she wasn’t capable of handling the task, far from it, but this side of the cyan pegasus clashed somewhat with the memories they had of the headstrong pony who was well known for her lazy streak. After all, finding her on a cloud napping in the middle of the day had been far from a rare sight back in their other life, and they could count the times where Rainbow Dash had gotten up before noon on one hoof. But as they thought more about it, they felt bad for thinking so little of their friend. After all, whenever the situation was serious or when there was a job that had to be done, they, and Ponyville with them, had always been able to rely on her help.

Nevertheless, what Rainbow Dash asked for was not something to be granted lightly. On the surface lending their friend moral support seemed innocent enough in and of itself, but every pony in the room understood that there was far more to that. Should they decide to grant her request, the consequences it would have for them would be great and irreversible. Even if they didn’t actively participate in any kind of fighting, it wouldn’t matter. Simply crossing the borders to live in the Kingdom would brand them as royalists and traitors. Should the Republic then be victorious in the oncoming struggle, their features would be bleak indeed.

Rainbow Dash understood this as well. It had been something she had kept in mind as well, when she had been debating about joining the guard or not, all those years ago. Chances of a royalists victory had always been low, and there was no doubt that the repercussions the Republic would instil upon the royalists should they be victorious would be severe. Had she stayed in the Republic instead, she could have lived her life in peace and with her friends. It had been a tough decisions, but eventually her loyalty to the Princess had won out, and she hadn’t come back on her decision or regretted it ever since. She had made her choice and would stick with it to the end.

This didn’t mean that she would blame her friends if they refused, and she certainly wouldn’t think less of them or hold their choice against them. What she was asking was risky and entirely not without its dangers, after all. Essentially, she had just asked them to make a decision that would determine the course their lives would take until the end. There would be no going back and no second chances. Rainbow Dash understood perfectly that they didn’t immediately say yes and had to think hard about it. That was fine; she had a few hours to spare for them to make up their minds.

“I’m coming along!”

The declaration was made cheerfully and without a hint of doubt, and everypony turned their heads in the direction of the speaker, flabbergasted and startled that one of them had reached a decision so quickly. Pinkie Pie met all of their surprised stares with a confident look in her eyes and a big grin on her face. None of her friends had seen her smile like that before in this version of their lives.

Again Twilight was the first to find her voice again. She shook her head wildly, blinked a few times and then frowned deeply. “Pinkie, are you sure? I mean, have you thought this through?” she asked, sounding not at all convinced. “If you go with Rainbow Dash, you’ll be a traitor in the eye of the Republic. If the royalists lose this coming war, you’ll be in trouble. We’ll all be in trouble.”

“I know!” Pinkie replied, and she gave Twilight a firm nod. Her grin had lessened into a smile, still confident, and the tone of her voice made it clear she was serious. “So that’s why I’m going to go with Dashie, to make sure she’ll win!”

One of the corners of Rainbow Dash’s mouth lifted up to form a half-sided grin, while the pegasus admiral looked her pink friend straight in the eye. “You’re absolutely sure about this, Pinkie Pie?”

“Yes, ma’am!” the party pony replied, and she made a military salute. “Absolutely, super-duper, on hundred percent sure! I’m sticking with you, Dashie, like frosting to a cupcake!”

Hearing this, Rainbow Dash laughed, and she went over to her friend and placed a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t want it any other way, Pinkie,” she said. The pegasus admiral then turned her head a bit to avoid Pinkie’s eyes, her own eyes staring at the floor. On a softer and more nervous, but entirely genuine and grateful, tone she added: “And… thanks.”

“No problem, Dashie!” the pink earth pony replied energetically. “That’s what friends are for, after all!” It was almost as if her decision had reenergized Pinkie, reawakening the endless pool of joy and laughter within her, for she looked almost completely like her friends remembered her to. Her coat was a bright shade of pink and her eyes seemed to almost sparkle with enthusiasm. Only her mane and tail, though quite wavy and curly now and having regained their true colour, weren’t completely as poofy as they had been in her friends’ memories.

The change didn’t go unnoticed, and Twilight smiled a bit. “In that case, I’ll be joining you as well,” she announced, drawing the attention of her friends to herself. “I already made my decision back in Canterlot, when I decided to take those plans,” she explained when she saw the inquisitive looks she was getting. Twilight’s smile dropped and the unicorn let out a sad sigh, her eyes carrying a feeling of melancholy within them.

“All these years, I’ve known the Princess was being mistreated. All these years, I’ve known that everything around us was wrong. But I didn’t do anything about it.” Twilight closed her eyes and looked as if she was in pain. She felt ashamed of herself, and terribly guilty. “And I just kept making excuses to myself for my own impassiveness. I didn’t want to fight my brother. Or I didn’t have the skills and power to make a difference.” She let out a disdainful snort.

“But they were just that: excuses. I should have done something long ago. I should have left to join the guard when I ran away from home, instead of hiding away here in Ponyville,” Twilight said quietly, so softly her friends had to strain to hear her. “I should have done something to help the Princess, but I didn’t. I’m the most disgraceful student there’s ever been.”

She shook her head and then looked up at Rainbow Dash. “I should have followed your example years ago, Rainbow Dash, when I ran away from home. I didn’t do it then, but now I have a second chance to make up for it, and I won’t waste it,” she continued, her voice having taken on an air of confidence and determination. It became clear, then, that Twilight had made her decision and that nothing and nobody would be able to make her change her mind. She looked Rainbow Dash straight in the eyes, unwavering. “I’m coming with you, Rainbow Dash. I don’t have any skills or power to be of any use, but if simply being there as your friend will make a difference, then I will do so.”

Rainbow Dash held Twilight’s gaze for a few moments, and then nodded curtly, not breaking the eye contact. Nothing was said, and nothing had to be said. She understood Twilight perfectly, and was glad to have her with her.

“Now, Twilight, darling, don’t you think you are being a tad too hard on yourself?” Rarity wondered aloud, and she moved to stand next to her fellow unicorn, who was still laying on Fluttershy’s couch to rest. Gently Rarity caressed Twilight through her mane in a purely friendly gesture meant to bring comfort.

“You have nothing to blame yourself for,” she insisted. “Your reasons for staying were perfectly valid, and even had you joined Rainbow Dash sooner, I doubt it would have made any difference. Regardless of how talented you are, darling, you are still only one pony.” Rarity clacked her tongue in disapproval. “So I do not wish to hear one of my best friends put herself down like this. You have always been a perfect student, and most certainly did not bring any kind of disgrace to the title.”

“Rarity’s right, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash agreed. “Heck, I and the other admirals are some of the most powerful ponies to have ever walked in Equestria, but even we can’t save the Princess just by ourselves. One more powerful pony wouldn’t have changed that, either. This goes beyond what one pony can do, so you have nothing to feel guilty about, trust me.”

Twilight didn’t look entirely convinced, but she didn’t protest against what they were saying either. “I know I wouldn’t have been able to do anything by myself,” she muttered quietly. “But… While the Princess was being mistreated day after day, year after year, I was just sitting here in Ponyville doing nothing. And whenever I realise that, I can’t help but wonder if there wasn’t something I could’ve done to help instead…”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “That’s just your guilt speaking. Believe me, I’ve been down that lane myself and I’ve seen a lot of ponies doing the same,” she said calmly. “But there’s no point. What’s done is done and, unless you have the spell Steel Gear used to travel in time somewhere in your pockets there, you can’t change the past. So there’s no sense feeling guilty about it. So you didn’t help in the past, big deal. You’re gonna help me now, when I need your help the most, and that’s all that counts.”

The admiral’s words sank in, and Twilight found herself smiling a bit. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” she whispered gratefully.

The cyan pegasus smirked and rolled her eyes. “Eh, it was no big deal, egghead. I’ve given this kind of speech more times than I cared to count already,” Rainbow Dash replied, while waving her hoof dismissively. “You’re not the first pony I’ve come across who was struggling with guilt. Getting rid of that is just part of my job.”

Twilight’s smile widened upon hearing Rainbow Dash address her with her old nickname, and she finally looked somewhat hopeful and unburdened again.

Seeing this, Rarity’s lips formed a smile of approval. “Well then, I would say that’s settled,” she said, after which she turned to look at Rainbow Dash. “As for myself, I would very much like to join both Twilight and Pinkie on this endeavour with you. Given what happened in Canterlot, I’m afraid it’ll only be a matter of time before those dreadful guards remember my name. Once they do, I shall undoubtedly find myself being branded a royalist sympathiser at best, or a traitor at worst. Both would make it quite difficult, if not impossible, for me to continue living in Canterlot.”

The white mare sighed dramatically and gave Rainbow Dash a pointed and accusing look. “I hope you do realise, darling, that in a single night you’ve managed to ruin everything I’ve been painstakingly building up for roughly the past decade.” The pegasus admiral opened her mouth to either protest, defend herself, or apologise, but Rarity held up her hoof to silence her brash friend. “No matter, I suppose it was only a matter of time, if not inevitable, since my loyalty lay with the Princess, always, and I never agreed with the manner in which the Nobles govern things.”

Rarity’s face fell and her expression became more grim and very serious. “It would appear thus that I have no choice but to come along, even should I not want to,” she said quietly. “I do want to, however, and I do not mind if I am branded a traitor and am put in danger because of it.” Rarity’s voice quivered a bit and for a moment her mask of composure fell away to reveal the worry that hid underneath it.

“But what about my parents, or Sweetie Belle? I could not bear to see harm come to them because of a choice I made!” she exclaimed worriedly. “They are currently enjoying a vacation in Las Pegasus and have yet to learn of what transpired in Canterlot, but I have no doubt that should the Republic learn I have changed sides, they would find themselves targeted by the Republican Guard very quickly.”

“That sounds like the Republic Ah know, alright,” Applejack agreed, looking none too happy. “Ah mean, Ah still remember what happened to Berry Punch. Her stallion changed sides, he did, but she stayed behind. Them Republic guards found out and arrested her. They let ‘er go after a few days, but only ‘cause she agreed to have her marriage dissolved.” The orange pony sighed and shook her head.

“She loved that colt more than anythin’. Broke her heart, it did. Not to mention that once ponies learned she’d been married to a royalist, she was no longer welcome anywhere.” Applejack shrugged and helplessly kicked at the floor. “That happened ‘bout four years ago, and she ain’t been sober fer a day ever since.”

“Thank you, Applejack, that was precisely what I meant to say,” Rarity said, after a brief silence to allow her friend’s words to sink in. The white unicorn glanced at Rainbow Dash with worry in her eyes. “Being related to a royalist is quite possibly the worst possible thing that can happen to a pony here in the Republic. I cannot let this happen to my parents, and especially not to Sweetie Belle!”

Rarity sighed and rubbed her temple as she bowed her head. “But what am I to do? After what happened in Canterlot, I have no choice but to relocate myself, ‘t is only a matter of time before the Republic comes after me. If they cannot get their hooves on me, they will arrest my family,” she said. “They might let them go, if they renounce me as their relative, but become social outcast in the process! And without my social standing or my considerable fortune to protect and sustain them, their lives would become far from pleasant!”

The white mare became more and more panicky the further she thought about what might possibly happen to her relatives in the future. “And they are much too far away for me to bring them along now! They may not even want to change sides, I frankly have little idea where the loyalties of my parents lie! They might even wish to side with the Republic!” Rarity would have been biting her hoof by now were it not unladylike to do so. “Oh, whatever am I to do?” She cast a pleading glance at Rainbow Dash. “I do hope you understand the dilemma I am facing here due to your request, darling.”

To her credit, Rainbow Dash became neither annoyed or impatient. The admiral calmly waited until Rarity was done fretting, then walked up to her and placed a hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t worry like that, Rarity, it’s not good for your health,” she then said with a small smirk on her face. After this Rainbow Dash’s face turned serious and her words gained more weight. “You’re not the first pony who has no other choice but to flee, and is worried about her family, you know. I’ve been doing this for years, remember?”

The cyan pegasus patted her white friend on the back. “We’ve got agents pretty much everywhere. I’ll give the order for those in Las Pegasus to contact your parents, discretely of course, and to have them informed of your situation,” Rainbow Dash explained slowly and calmly. “If your family wants to follow your example, I’ll make sure they’ll be smuggled out of the Republic safely. If they wanna side with the Republic, I’ll just have my agents keep an eye on them from a distance, and to make sure nopony gives them any trouble.”

Rarity’s face brightened considerably upon hearing this news, though a part of her remained a tad sceptical, as if she found it hard to believe that there was a solution to her problems so easily available. “You’d do that for me?” she asked hesitatingly.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Duh. You’re my friend, for starters, and secondly, we try and do this for pretty much every pony that joins our ranks,” she replied, as if it were obvious. “I said you weren’t the first pony with this problem, remember?”

“I… Well, of course… It’s just that…” Rarity replied, stammering, her brain momentarily unable to make her tongue form coherent sentences. Eventually, she just gave up and threw her forelegs around Rainbow Dash’s neck, pulling the pegasus into an embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered gratefully into her friend’s rainbow-coloured mane.

“Hey, it’s what I do,” Rainbow Dash answered jokingly, a bit flustered by the sudden display of affection from her friend. “In case your parents wanna stay with the Republic, though, it’s best that you write them that they have to report you to the authorities. Past experience has taught us that the relatives who chose to stay in the Republic aren’t persecuted that way, ‘cause it proves their loyalty or something.”

Rarity let go of Rainbow Dash, took a step back and then nodded. “If that is the best course of action, I shall do so. Though I’m not sure if I’ll have the opportunity to send a letter so soon, and by then it might already be too late.”

Rainbow Dash waved her hoof dismissively. “Nah, you can write it once we’re on my ship, and I’ll have it send together with my orders for my agents in Las Pegasus.”

“Very well,” Rarity said, a smile appearing on her face. She was relieved that her worries had been put to rest for now. Though she didn’t doubt that she wouldn’t be able to rest peacefully until her family was safe, for the moment she was satisfied with Rainbow Dash’s promise that she’d do everything she could to assure Rarity’s family’s safety.

Rarity let out a relieved sigh. “I’m glad that’s settled,” she muttered quietly, before looking up and addressing Rainbow Dash once more. “Thus, I shall accompany you and play my part, whatever it may be, darling.” Suddenly, Rarity grimaced a bit. “I do wish you had told us of this beforehand, though, then I could have packed some of my things. Now I’m sure there’s no time to go back to Canterlot to pack, is there?”

“Afraid not,” Rainbow Dash shrugged, while rubbing the back of her head a bit sheepishly. “I wouldn’t fret too much, though, Rarity. I’ll make sure you all get everything you need.” She paused for a moment to glance at Twilight and Pinkie Pie. “Well, for those of you who’re coming with me, that is. Not much I can do for any who wants to stay behind.” Her attention shifted to Applejack and Fluttershy. “So, ehm, what about you guys?”

A silence fell for a little while, as both Applejack and Fluttershy seemed to want the other one to make her decision known first. Eventually, it was the timid pegasus who broke the silence. She had her head bowed, hiding her face behind her pink mane, while pawing nervously at the floor with one of her hooves.

“Oh, ehm… I… I want to come along too, if that’s okay…” she stammered, so softly that her friends had to strain themselves in order to hear her. Before her words even had the chance to fade away, however, the timid pegasus suddenly found herself swept up in a bone-cracking bear hug.

“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash cried out excitedly, while pressing her friend she had in her forelegs tightly against herself. Due to Rainbow Dash wearing armour, the experience wasn’t entirely pleasant for Fluttershy, but she didn’t protest. Instead, she blushed a bit, startled that her answer had pleased the cyan admiral so much. When Rainbow Dash tried to tighten her hug even more, though, Fluttershy couldn’t help but squeak.

The noise made Rainbow Dash aware of Fluttershy’s predicament, and she also realised that every single thing that breathed in the room was staring at her. Her cheeks became red with embarrassment, and she hurriedly let go of Fluttershy, allowing the shy mare to breathe again. Rainbow Dash was grinning awkwardly, desperately trying to find a way to make her friends stop staring at her.

“Ah heh heh… Glad to have you with us, Fluttershy?” she tried, in an attempt to put an end to her awkwardness. Unfortunately for her, it didn’t seem to help much, as the rest of their friends were still giving her the oddest of looks.

It was Twilight who came to her rescue, by ignoring the cyan pegasus completely and addressing Fluttershy instead. “Fluttershy, are you sure?” she asked, and her face was bearing a frown. “It’s your decision, of course, but after what happened in Canterlot, I was sure you’d want to stay as far away from this civil war as possible.”

Fluttershy hid behind her mane once more, and rubbed her hooves together nervously. “Um, well, I don’t like the idea of fighting and ponies getting hurt,” she said meekly. “But I… I still want to come with you and it is actually kind of because of what happened in Canterlot…”

This revelation caused Rarity to cease staring at Rainbow Dash as well, and she glanced at Fluttershy with a baffled expression on her face. “I do apologise, darling, but I fear I am not following,” she said. “How in Equestria could such a dreadful event make you want to go to war? Never mind the fact that we won’t be participating in the fighting itself, I’m sure we’ll still be required to do something. Going with Rainbow Dash means actively aiding in a war effort! Fluttershy, dear, are you sure?”

The butter-coloured pony nodded. “I am, um, if that’s okay with you,” she replied nervously. Hesitatingly, she peaked from behind her mane, her eyes meeting Twilight’s and Rarity’s. The great determination they saw within her eyes surprised both unicorns. “I can’t stay behind knowing that all of my friends are going!”

“You don’t have to feel forced to go just because we’re going, Fluttershy,” Pinkie interrupted, sounding surprisingly grim and serious.

“Oh no, that’s not the way it is at all!” Fluttershy quickly corrected, before glancing down at the floor and hiding behind her mane again. “I’m not going because everypony else is… I want to help free the Princess, somehow. I can’t allow those awful nobles to hurt her or my friends ever again! I want to help! I know I can help, somehow!” To the surprise of all others in the room, Fluttershy’s voice actually rose as she spoke that last sentence. She rose her head defiantly and even went as far as to stomp her hoof.

Realising that her friends were now all staring at her with wide eyes as they had at Rainbow Dash mere moments ago, Fluttershy let out a soft squeak and quickly retreated behind the safety of her pink mane once more, cowering a little. “If that’s okay, that is…” she muttered, so softly that her words came out as barely an incomprehensible mewl.

Her friends, save for Applejack, shared a knowing glance and all of them smiled. Rarity walked up to her timid friend and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Why, of course it is, darling,” she assured Fluttershy. “If you want to help us and the Princess, then nopony has the right to object to that.”

“Got that right,” Rainbow Dash agreed with a nod. Then something hit her, and she glanced around the cottage, looking at the many birdhouses with uncertainty. “But, eh, will the animals be okay without you to take care of them?” She knew that bringing this up could very well end up being a case of shooting her own wing, by making Fluttershy reconsider, but Rainbow Dash didn’t want to have her friend come with her, only to have Fluttershy panic later because she didn’t think about what would happen to her animals.

The admiral didn’t have to be afraid, however, for Fluttershy smiled timidly. “Oh, I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she replied. “They’ve been living for so long without my help, I’m sure they can manage to do so for a little while longer.”

“Eh, fair enough,” Rainbow Dash admitted, while tapping her chin thoughtfully with one of her hooves a few times. Then she shrugged and turned to the last of her friends to give her an answer. “So, that leaves you, AJ. What do you say? Wanna come and kick some flank with us?”

“Ah would love to, sugarcube, Ah really would,” Applejack replied, but her voice trailed off near the end of her sentence, and she nervously looked down at the floor. Her eyes were hidden by the brim of her hat. “But Ah can’t.”

Barely a moment after she had spoken, Applejack was nearly blown off her feet by a collective cry of “What?!” courtesy of four of her friends. Rainbow Dash herself remained silent, however, opting instead to merely give her stubborn friend a questioning look.

“Applejack… why?” Twilight asked, utterly surprised that of all ponies it was Applejack who denied Rainbow’s request. She wasn’t angry or disappointed in the least, knowing that the orange earth pony probably had a good reason for her refusal, but that didn’t make it any less startling.

“Fer the same reason as Rarity here,” the apple farmer replied, while gesturing at the white unicorn she mentioned. Applejack sighed and reluctantly pulled her eyes away from the floor and had her gaze meat Rainbow Dash’s.

“Ah really feel bad havin’ to be the rotten apple in the basket, and trust me when Ah say that it ain’t sittin’ well with me to not go with y’all. But Ah ain’t got no choice, Ah have a family Ah need to take care of,” Applejack explained. “There’s the farm, too. Even with all them fancy machines, there’s still more work to be done than Big Macintosh can handle on his own. Granny Smith and Apple Bloom do their part, but they can’t do mah chores.”

The orange mare shrugged helplessly. “Ah would love to go with y’all and finally do somethin’ about those darn nobles, but Ah really can’t. If Ah would, I’d be dumpin’ all of mah responsibilities on mah brother, and that ain’t right,” she continued. “Big Mac is a big pony, but Ah can’t expect him to take care of the farm and the family all on his lonesome.” She gave her friends an apologetic look. “So that’s why Ah have to stay here. Though it really breaks mah heart to say so.” Applejack bowed her head again, feeling ashamed. “Ah’m sorry.”

Rainbow Dash held up a hoof to silence her. “Don’t be sorry, it’s cool,” she said calmly. The cyan pegasus grinned when she saw Applejack give her a confused stare. “What? Did you think I was going to be angry or something if you said no?” she asked rhetorically, rolling her eyes. “I did say I needed you guys, but I never expected all of you to say yes. I’m even surprised there are four of you who want to come with me. Also, I understand why you can’t, AJ, and like I said, it’s cool. The Princess is important, sure, but so’s your family, and there’s no shame in choosing to protect them instead.”

The admiral’s face then shifted into a more serious expression. “But if you’re gonna stay, I’m gonna have to ask you to kindly forget that I’ve been here,” she said, the strength with which she spoke making it clear that she wouldn’t have any arguing about this. “If anypony asks where our friends have vanished to, you pretend you don’t know. Can we agree on this?”

Applejack rolled her eyes, clearly finding it silly that Rainbow Dash even asked that question in the first place. “Ah don’t like to lie, but Ah won’t betray my friends. May Celestia herself fry mah sorry hide if Ah do,” she replied. The small smile that had formed on her face vanished again. “Ah’m really sorry. If Ah could, Ah would have been the first to come to yer aid. Y’all know that, right?”

“Of course we do, Applejack,” Twilight answered, smiling kindly at her hat-wearing friend.

“Yeah, we’re not going to be all grumpy and upset because you want to take care of your family. We’d be big, bad meanies if we did! But we’re not meanies, we’re your friends! So we’re not mad!” Pinkie Pie agreed, her face bearing a solemn and serious expression even though she was nodding with full enthusiasm using every muscle in her body.

“Um, I’m kind of glad, to be honest, if that’s okay,” Fluttershy said timidly, not daring to look directly at Applejack as she did so. “Because now I can ask you if you every now and then could come and see if Angel Bunny and everypony else is doing fine while I’m gone… If it’s not too much trouble…”

The orange farmer smiled slightly, relieved that her friends were so accepting of her decision and could even see the bright side of it. “Sure, Ah think Ah can do that, Fluttershy,” she replied confidently.

“In that case, if it’s not too rude of me to ask,” Rarity began hesitatingly. “Just in case my parents for whatever reason decide they would prefer to stay in the Republic, could I ask you to keep an ear open to listen for any trouble that might be heading their way? I’d hate to see anything happen to them, and Sweetie Belle in particular, during my absence.”

“Don’t ya worry none, Rarity, Ah’ll keep an eye on them,” Applejack assured the white unicorn. “Both, if Ah can miss ‘em.”

Rarity looked visibly relieved knowing that somepony she trusted would be looking out for her relatives, and she gave Applejack a hug of gratitude while whispering her thanks. The display of affection even managed to make two red dots appear on the farmer’s freckled cheeks.

Ignoring this, Rainbow Dash turned to address the other three ponies who would be accompanying her back to Cantropolis. “Well then, now that everything’s decided, I suggest that if there’s anything you absolutely want to bring along on this trip, you start looking for it now,” she said, her voice taking on a bit of the usual military sternness she used while normally addressing her troops. “I’ve already delayed my return as much as I can, and Derpy’s waiting for her invasion plans. I want to leave in no later than thirty minutes from now, so say whatever goodbyes you want to, and start packing.”

Of all the ponies in the room, only Pinkie replied to the command, giving Rainbow Dash the best salute and “Yes ma’am!” she could muster. The rest of her friends had already gone off to carry out the admiral’s orders, with Fluttershy rushing from every animal house in her cottage to say her goodbyes, while Twilight and Rarity looked through the luggage they had brought from Canterlot to see if there was anything they wanted to bring along.

As she watched her friends prepare themselves to leave with her, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile. She was glad she had taken this detour, even if it meant the plans not landing in Derpy’s hooves as early as they could have. She had been reunited with her friends, and they had chosen to stand with her in the face of the oncoming storm. They would give her their support and help, and with it she would be able to make it through whatever the Republic would throw at them.

The strength she gained from knowing those simple facts was worth any delay in the world, and Rainbow Dash had never felt more confident that she and the rest of the kingdom would be victorious. Before the year was over, Princess Celestia would be free and back on the throne of a reunited Equestria.

Of this, Rainbow Dash was certain.