This is War

by ElectricSound

Chapter 2

As the dim light grew in the distance, the Cutie Mark Crusaders got up and rubbed their eyes, “You guys ready for this?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Once we leave, we can’t return until we stop this war, or die trying.” Then she held her hoof out between the other two. Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom, and they exchanged a glance, then all three hooves met. “For friendship.” Scootaloo said, “For peace.” Sweetie Belle said, “For Equestria.” Apple Bloom proclaimed. So each one left a piece of identification behind, enough to know that they were there, but they left it in such a way that it looked that the three had been killed in a quarrel.

The armory room rang with the clanging of metal and the searing heat of blow torches, but somehow through all the chaos, Pinkie had found a way to make the place look happy and, pink. With streamers hanging from the ceiling, cookies on the table, and balloons flying throughout the room, you would hardly believe that there was a war raging just 2 miles above the secret bunkers.
“So, what kind of machinery do you have Pinkie, that can assure us a win over the Pegasus Empire?” Apple Jack asked. Just as Pinkie was about to answer, the foot soldiers came in to change guard duty, and AJ turned and asked why the alarm went off, as the soldiers told her that Apple Bloom had told them of her ‘direct orders’ to go alone AJ was taken over by many emotions; anger, betrayal, but mostly worry for her little sister. Apple Jack tore through the command center, jumping over tables of armor and explosives, and ponies themselves. As she reached the exit hatch she kept saying to herself “Why didn’t I keep her by my side, she’s too stubborn to be left alone.” As AJ reached the clubhouse she knew from the eerie silence, and fog surrounding the it, that something wasn’t right. She climbed the steps and she saw Apple Bloom’s bow lying tattered on the floor, as she picked it up she could tell that it was soaked in blood, at the sight Apple Jack fell to her knees, she started crying, a deep sadness filled AJ’s heart, not only had she lost Big Mac, but now she had lost Apple Bloom too, this was too much for one pony to take. As she came back up to her feet, Apple Jack straightened her hat, and headed quietly back to the armory. Everypony was silent and stunned at the calmness of Apple Jack after what had happened. Apple Jack approached Pinkie and said “When can you get the Party Cannon ready?”

“The ground is all clear commander.” The leader of the second battalion stated. “No survivors I presume?” Rainbow questioned. “No sir.” The pony stated, a small smirk came upon Rainbows face, “Good, we shall now take claim to this territory, set up a base camp, and keep us posted. There is bound to be more resistance from the earth ponies, they are too stubborn to give up this easily.” Rainbow ordered as she again glanced down at the tortured ground that she had once trod years before. ‘Why are these memories tormenting me?’ Rainbow asked herself, ‘They attacked first.’ She reminded herself, ‘And If they want a fight, then we’ll give them one hell of a fight’ she thought, ‘we’ll obliterate them from the face of Equestria, and don’t even worry about the silly unicorns, their all push overs, can’t do anything without their magic’ she laughed. Then Rainbow looked to Fluttershy, “Set course for Ponyville,” she said, “we will attack the heart of their operation, we must finish this.” Fluttershy gave a quick salute and was off to the drivers of the Clouds Dale war carrier. She had come a long way in the 20 years since the beginning of the war, how could a cowardly pony ever survive a war, so she enrolled herself in the Clouds Dale Military School, and she began to train. Just after three weeks she became a born warrior, she had aced her marksman exam, and graduated top of her class of 3000 cadets. Fluttershy worked her way up the ranks to second in command, she had fought in the battle of Froggy Bottom Bog, and commanded an air raid at Ghastly Gorge. The kind and quiet Fluttershy that everypony loved, had become a hardened killer.

The doors the dungeon beneath Canterlot burst open. After Twilight rose to power over the Unicorns, she had remembered the crystal caves beneath Canterlot that Chrysalis had trapped her in, then she began the construction of her dungeon, and had all the captured changelings, and prisoners of war thrown in there. “Ms. Sparkle, the western gate has been infiltrated, by what we’ve heard were three shrouded figures.” The guard exclaimed to Twilight, she slowly turned around and calmly started, “So what do you think is going to help more, you telling me, or ACTUALLY PERSUING THEM?!?” The guard had sweat dripping from his face, Twilight was not known to show kindness to ignorance, and he was expecting worse, but Twilight looked him in the eye and quietly exclaimed, “I’m giving you one last chance, just because you’re my brother, so don’t screw it up.” Shining Armor then left the dungeon and headed off to pursue the intruders. Twilight then returned to her examination table and continued to question the strapped up changeling. “Are you going to comply with our wishes?” She asked, then the changeling spit in her face and yelled, “No, rot in Tarterus you she-witch!” Twilight wiped the spit from her face and said “If that’s how you want it.” She turned to a unicorn with a lab coat on, “Dr. start the testing, and then begin the autopsy.” The pony turned to her and said, “But the testing will not cause death, are we to kill the changeling after testing?” he asked, “No, you learn more, if the subject is alive.” She said with an evil grin, “teach you to spit in my face.” She chuckled to herself. Meanwhile in the armor room, Rarity was hard to work at connecting the dragon scales, “Spike, I will need you to weld these scales together.” She told Spike. Spike then began to connect the scales, “why are we even fighting?” he asked with a frustrated undertone, then Twilight entered the room, “I’ll tell you, it’s because the worthless Pegasus thought that since we were taking out the changelings, that they would take the opportunity to attack our people, and they began to kill us. That is why we are fighting, If they wanted a fight, they have one now.” She exclaimed. Spike was puzzled, he had once overheard some Pegusi prisoners talking about how the Earthponies had started it, and the Earthponies claim that the unicorns had started it, but how could they all be right?

The dim light that shrouded the ruined land grew even dimmer and a cold wind blew through the air. The Everfree Forest was quiet and quite desolate, except for three shrouded figures, a Unicorn, a Pegasus, and an Earthpony. They were on their way to a hideout that wasn’t talked about for many years, a sort of Underground Railroad hideaway. They were off to seek help from Zecorra, and they hoped that she may help them locate the Elements of Harmony, and help restore the peace that had once encompassed Equestria. The frogs croaked, owls hooted, and faint howl was heard in the distance, would this be the last remembrance of Equestria? Only the hope of these three brave Crusaders, could hold a possibility of change.