Rainbow smirked as the other warriors looked at her armour with awe, as the crystal splintered the light and arcs of rainbow ran along its length. She could see Luna approaching and she struck a pose, hoping to impress the Princess with her battle ready looks.
"That's very nice Rainbow. Looks like Rarity outdid herself this time." Said Luna, smiling. Rainbow nodded her head and lifted herself off the ground slightly, hovering so that she was eye level with the Princess.
"And you know what's even better? I think that I am finally ready for proper battle." Rainbow told her, flexing the muscles in her arms and boasting. Luna raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Oh really? Well, the next charge is in fifteen minutes, you are welcome to join them." She said, and Rainbow knew that the Princess expected her to back down. Rainbow agreed, much to the surprise of Luna. Rainbow flew back to the main tent and strapped her sword to her back. She turned as she heard Fluttershy behind her.
"Oh hello Rainbow. Are you going to fight today?" She asked sweetly, and Rainbow was glad to see that the war hadn't changed Fluttershy as much as she thought. Rainbow nodded, and Fluttershy smiled, giving Rainbow a pat on the back.
"Well don't be scared, I will be up on archer's stage watching your back." She said, and Rainbow smiled back, hugging Fluttershy. A question had been scratching the inside of Rainbow's mind for a while and it seemed like the perfect time to ask.
"Fluttershy, to be honest, you were the last pony I expected to see on the battlefield. Not to mention the way that you cut your mane and tail. You seem like a completely different pony to how I remember." Rainbow said, making Fluttershy blush.
"Oh I am? I'm sorry." She said quietly, making Rainbow giggle.
"Okay, maybe not complete different. But my point is; what drives you? I mean, Twilight has duty and Pinkie has whatever she has. So why do you fight?" Rainbow asked, and had to take a small step back as the most peculiar change came over Fluttershy. Her eyes became darker and her head was bowed low. She gave Rainbow a look that she had never seen on Fluttershy's face before.
"Rainbow, it thought I had explained all this? I am fighting because of you and Applejack. I am fighting so that the griffin responsible will pay for what she did to you. And like I said, I am going to kill her." Fluttershy said, unsheathing a dagger and lodging it onto the table top. Rainbow looked at it and saw that it had the initials 'R.D and AJ' carved into the blade. Rainbow narrowed her eyes at Fluttershy.
"I think that you are missing the point of revenge Fluttershy. It's my responsibility to bring Gilda to justice, not yours." She told her and Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.
"Uh…. No Dash. You don't have much say in this. I vowed to everyone, as well as on Celestia's grave that I would end Gilda's life. And I plan to." Fluttershy replied. Rainbow started to argue, but a trumpet call interrupted her, signalling the start of the next charge. Rainbow made her way out of the tent, pushing past Fluttershy in the process. She galloped down to the front and stood next to Black Diamond, taking up Big Mac's position as corporal. Black Diamond looked surprised to see her.
"Rainbow? What in the hay are you doing here?" he asked, and Rainbow looked past him to see a dust cloud of Minotaur approaching.
"That's what I'm doing here." She responded, smiling. She winked at Black Diamond, who shrugged and drew his sword. With a mighty battle cry, they charged and Rainbow was smiling despite the situation. She drew her sword as they got closer and for the first time, Rainbow got a good look and the Minotaur. Being soldiers, they were larger than other Minotaur that Rainbow had met or seen. They all seemed to carry either a battle axe or a very large hammer. Both of which they wielded with one hand. She ducked under the swing of a hammer as the two forces clashed. Rainbow jumped, thrusting her sword into the chest of the Minotaur. It cried out and Rainbow smiled wider. She pulled out her sword and the Minotaur fell, its eyes open wide in a look of perpetual shock. She looked around for her next target, and was surprised to find that the rest of the troops had pushed forward, leaving her behind. Rainbow dashed forward and made her way to the front of the pack, dodging the blades of both Minotaur and ponies alike. She spotted Black Diamond and pushed her way over to find him surrounded by Minotaur. Rainbow swung her swords at the back of a Minotaur's legs, and it fell backwards. The other Minotaur looked at their fallen comrade and that was when Black Diamond pounced. He jumped from Minotaur to Minotaur, cutting and stabbing until he landed next to Rainbow, panting hard.
"Thanks for the assist." He said, galloping off as another Minotaur charged at him. Rainbow smiled, proud of her accomplishment. She flew straight at the Minotaur, hitting it in the belly and winding it. With a swipe of her wings, she opened up the Minotaur's belly and it screamed, trying to hold itself together as Rainbow walked away casually as possible.
'I told Rarity I wouldn't lose while I wore this armour." She thought.
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Applejack narrowed her eyes as she approached Rarity's boutique, which had been taken over by her cousin Elusive in her absence. Upon discovering that it was Roseluck that had screamed, Applejack opened the door of the store to find Rarity's cousin, covered in blood and the boutique being ransacked by three Minotaur, one of whom Applejack recognised. She approached him silently, trying her best not to antagonise them anymore than she had to. She tapped the Minotaur lightly in the shoulder and took a step back.
"Hello Iron Will. This all seems like a little low for you. Not selling your assertiveness training anymore." Applejack said mockingly. Iron Will turned around and the other Minotaur quickly dashed to his side.
"No. as a matter of fact, ever since the word got out that one pony, just one, wasn't satisfied with my program, well, I lost everything. And this seemed like the best course of action." He told her, and Applejack noticed for the first time his dishevelled and obviously drunken appearance.
"So what? Y'all are trashing stores for no reason?" She asked, curious as to the motive for such senseless violence. Iron Will laughed.
"Are you kidding? This wimp of a pony refused to pay protection to me. There's a war out there you know, and pony need the protection of someone like me." He told her, slowly advancing and Applejack scratched her head.
"Wait. So this is just extortion? Even ah think that that's lame." Applejack told him, diving out of the way as Iron Will swing a lazy punch at her. He pointed at Applejack and mumbled something incoherent, but somehow his gang members understood and attacked Applejack. She led them outside to where she had more room to manoeuvre and reached for her sword. As soon as she only felt air, she cursed herself for galloping into a situation without being prepared, but nevertheless took a deep breath and took up a fighting stance. The shorter of the two Minotaur charged, his sharp horns glistened as the enormous mass of muscle filled Applejack's vision. She rolled out of the way and jumped onto the Minotaur's back, holding him around the neck tightly as he bucked up and down in an effort to shake her off. With much practiced skill, Applejack led the Minotaur toward his friend and in a fit of wild rage; the smaller one hit the other, knocking him to the ground. The other Minotaur stood and punched the smaller one that Applejack was riding. She leapt to the ground as the two senseless Minotaur began to brawl in the street. Applejack made her way back into the boutique to find Iron Will passed out on the ground, with a patch of brown coloured vomit pooled around his head.
'Well that was anti-climactic and strangely disappointing.' Applejack thought, checking Elusive's pulse. Finding one she awkwardly lifted him onto her back and walked back outside, smiling as the two bruised and bloody Minotaur were being restrained by the police. A paramedic galloped over to Applejack, a stretcher being held aloft by his magic. Applejack laid Elusive down on the stretcher and had to lower her hat over her eyes as a wave of applause and cheers assaulted her. Very embarrassed, Applejack tried to push past them and ignore the requests for autographs and the constant praise. Eventually finding her way through the crowd of ponies, Applejack set of at a gallop towards the library. She slammed the door behind her when she arrived and told the group what had happened. Applethunder and Big Mac both patted her on the back for her good deed, but Applejack was surprised to her Applebloom protest.
"Why did you do that? It's just going to antagonise them further." She yelled, Applejack looked at her with confusion as she applied another damp cloth to DuskDrift's still unconscious body.
"You mean that this sort of thing has happened before." She asked, not able to believe that Ponyville was being kept in a perpetual state of fear because of a gang. Applebloom nodded, opening up a drawer and pulling out a scrapbook. She opened it and placed it in front of Applejack, whose eyes went wide at the news clipping that was inside. It was a piece about the rising crime rates in Ponyville, allegedly caused by the disappearance of the elements of harmony. Applejack shook her head, frustrated at the stupidity of the article.
"Are they joking? We've all been away at war; we can't fight on two fronts. And personally, I would have thought that we wouldn't have to. Ponyville is more than prepared to fight something like this. What happened?" Applejack asked, trying to justify herself to Applebloom.
"Ah know sis, but ever since Mayor Mare was replaced with this outsider named Flame, well, everything has just gone downhill. It's like he just ignores the crime going on. Everypony is scared, but won't say anything in case that one of his spies are listening." Applebloom said. A thought formed in Applejack's mind that made her laugh with both the genius and the absurdity of it.
"The funeral isn't for another few days is it sugarcube?" She asked Applebloom, who shook her head. "Well then, ah think it's time ah dusted off an old outfit.
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Rainbow helped one of the troops back to the camp, his leg was broken by a war hammer, but he kept smiling all the while. Telling jokes as he limped back to camp with Rainbow's help. The battle was a roaring success, the ponies not losing a single soldier, and Black Diamond patted Rainbow on the back and congratulated her on a job well done. As the soldier that Rainbow was helping was being lifted into the air by unicorn doctors, she saw Luna approaching.
"And how was the first battle Rainbow?" She asked, with obvious smugness in her voice.
"Well to be honest your majesty, it wasn't what I expected. It was a lot faster and chaotic than I would have anticipated. But I survived, that's the main thing." Rainbow replied, much to the surprise of Luna.
"While I am glad to hear you say that. I am surprised that you got over your fear of killing so quickly. What has changed for you?" Luna asked. Rainbow smiled, thinking of Pinkie.
"You see Princess; I learnt that war isn't about senselessly killing your enemies. It's about defending everything, and everypony you hold dear." Rainbow told her. Luna nodded, smiling at her.
"Well done Rainbow. That is a valuable lesson to learn." She said, and Rainbow nodded once, looking Luna straight in the eye.
"I just wish I had figured it out sooner."