//------------------------------//
// Final: The Reason for Revenge 
// Story: Dan Vs. The Magic of Friendship(Season 1) 
// by Barrobroadcaster 
//------------------------------//

Ponyville Train Station

Trains, airships and tanks were assembled all around the train station. Heavy equipment, cannons, ammo and supplies were being loaded onto the trains from Cloudsdale. The Enclave was fully mobilized, the Royal Guard was mobilized, Twilight and her friends were mobilized. This was it- they were deploying for the final battle.

Twilight Sparkle went over her list of everything. They didn't know what they were facing, so they were taking everything. And they didn't know how long they would be gone, so they were taking double of everything as well. And she was going over everything, every list and checking to make sure everything was accounted for, everything. There was just one thing missing.

"Where's Dan?" She looked around. "Has anyone seen Dan?"

"I haven't seen him since Manehattan," Phoenix said, also looking around. (This is weird. If we can't find him, that's a bad sign. He's not hard to spot. Ever.)

"Wasn't he supposed to come back with you and Kent?"

"He is not here," Kent said. "Neither is Chrys."

"The Director took Chrys," Twilight said. She'd already told Phoenix, Spike and her friends. Still, saying it again was a somber reminder to all of them. Now, they were down two friends.

None of them knew why Cleo had taken Chrys of all ponies. She'd seemed more interested in Twilight and Dan in the past. Almost as if she was purposefully avoiding Chrys. She'd even kidnapped Phoenix initially, preventing him from meeting up with the group in Canterlot. Now, it was too late to try tracking her down. Finding Vice Grip would likely mean running into the Director, even if it felt like playing into her hands once again.

Now, Dan was missing, too. The other princesses were watching Canterlot and the Crystal Empire, guarding their respective cities themselves while Twilight led an attack that was now becoming a rescue operation. Did it make much difference? She would've asked Dan or Chrys if they were there. Already, uncertainty was beginning to creep its way in.

"We are not going to let this happen again," Spike stated. "No more of our friends being taken... no more of our kingdom being under siege. That's why Dan wants us to do this, remember? The reason for revenge."

"I know, but..." Twilight trailed off. Why was she faltering? She felt like more like a unicorn now rather than a princess. "Can we really do this without Dan?"

There was a moment of silence as all of Dan's closest friends contemplated her words. They hung in the air, like the pegasi above them that stopped just to hover, all of them wondering. In the final hour, hesitance carried.

Then, Twilight remembered Dan. All the times he planned things, all his schemes, he prepared and then he reacted. He was so sure of himself. Even when he was completely alone. And Twilight knew why that was.

Dan's certainty, his resoluteness, his very foundation did not come out of anger or hatred. It did not truly come from past experiences, either, trials or triumphs. He built things, he built his confidence only on what truly mattered not in the past or the future, but in that very moment. Then, he acted. It was the reason he did things both on Equestria and on Earth, even when he was alone, he was never truly, completely alone. Even when he just had Mr. Mumbles.

He always did things for his friends.

It seemed Phoenix was having the same thoughts at that moment. Maybe they all were, all of Twilight's closest friends, but it was Twilight that spoke first.

"What would Dan say right now?"

Phoenix, grinning, looked up and said, "Get going, you idiots, you're wasting time. Something like that."

"Then he'd physically threaten us. But he wouldn't actually do it," Spike said.

"Sometimes, he would," Kent, the newest member of the Jerk Six added. "But he'd usually only throw things. Nothing dangerous or too violent." Even the stoic swordsman was beginning to warm up to Dan. Not everyone could acclimate to the position of 'friend of Dan,' but Kent was doing it.

Aegis came trotting up to them a moment later. "Your highness, the volunteers have arrived."

"We weren't expecting more volunteers," Phoenix said. He turned back to Ponyville. And he saw them.

"Hey! Where's this thing going down?"

It was a mob. Not an unruly mob or an angry mob, but an organized mob. A mob of mismatched ponies, griffons, zebras, donkeys, buffalo, yaks and others. Even humans. Word had traveled. Dan had needed an army and an army had appeared. Armed with pitchforks, broomsticks, shovels and whatever else was sharp or blunt, wearing pots and pans and hockey and rugby gear, citizens from around and throughout Equestria had assembled.

Above the mob were balloons and airships. Everything that could be assembled. On the train tracks, several ponies wearing mining gear and hardhats rolled up on hoofcarts. Overladen ones at that.

Twilight and the others were amazed. It wasn't quite all of Equestria, but it was a good portion of it. The heart of it. And from the middle of that heart, the crowd parted, and two more stepped forward.

"It took a little extra convincing for some of them," Lightning Claw said. "So... that's where I came in."

Discord raised a talon. "He didn't threaten them. He promised them free rides there and back."

Lightning Claw, using his mastery of electricity, had powered up additional aircraft to help deploy volunteers. His contribution, although late, was not unnoticed or unappreciated.

"Thank you, Lightning Claw," Twilight said. "Thank you all." She had a feeling she was going to be doing a lot of that in the immediate future.

"Well, let's get going, then!" Spike announced.

"Yes, move out! Move out, everypony!" Twilight said. She rose to the air to take command. "All guardsmen, move out! Deploy all the gunships and trains! Our destination is the Valley of Hope!"

The armed forces of Equestria departed. On wings, rotors, rails, balloons and wheels and their own legs, they began the march towards Canterlot and Prosperity Mountain.