A War

by Comma Typer

Wonderbolt Show

The window curtains were now open, revealing a sunny morning, though gray clouds were forming overhead.

Silver Script stood at one of the windows, standing between a photograph of fashion critic Prim Hemline and an image of author A.K. Yearling—both of them standing for the camera and giving Star Tracker there a strange look as he grinned an awkward grin, even waving at the camera.

"You've been at the window for ten minutes straight," Tracker said as he put down two plates of chips and carrots and ketchup. "Do you need help?"

A pause. "Just inspiration—" without looking away.

Tracker halted. "For what?"

"I'm a writer."

"Romantic or methodical?" he then asked, looking up.

"What?"

"You didn't see that one coming?" He cleared his throat. "You know I've met many famous ponies...and some famous non-ponies, too. I've met more than enough writers to make neat little categories for them." Then, he sat down at the table with his plate in front.

Script raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you wanna eat breakfast? You must be hungry."

And the pegasus went to the table and sat at his chair.

They ate, Tracker gobbling up his food while Script crunched each chip on its own.

After another gulp, he wiped his mouth and said to the writer, "We can talk about that, uh, much later—as in, after I'm done with my job, Script."

"And, what's your job?'

"I sell snacks on the streets!"

Script took another sweeping look of the room. "And, you somehow found all the time to do this?"

"There's plenty of tourists every week," he said as he brought another bag of chips and poured everything on to his plate. "That's not even counting my regular customers! And, I move around."

Script turned to his plate and continued eating.

"Uh, what are you gonna do while I'm gone?" Tracker asked. "I could give you the keys if you wanna go sightseeing. If you wanna stay here, that's fine, too. I have some 'POWER' comics on the second shelf—" pointing to a group of shelves untouched by the celebrity memorabilia. "I have the entire collection, so you're going to be huddled up here for a long time!" He smiled.

"You think you're a hundred percent safe out there?" Script asked, eyeing the window again. More clouds filled the sky as pegasi were hauling in still more.

"We have a system," Tracker answered, leaning in closer. "If it's dangerous, I'll run back and get you out of here."

He nodded.

Star Tracker hurled his plate to the sink.

---

The Earth pony pushed his cart of varied snacks on the sidewalk. There were chips, chocolates, candy bars, oats, apples, and oranges inside, standing beside bottles of water and of soda.

He traveled through roads and junctions, through parks and squares, past houses and offices. The occasional resident would throw some bits his way for a quick bite. The tourists, identified by their wide smiles and dangling cameras, bought his snacks as well, one of them touting a chocolate bar as "a true Manehattan treat!"

Then, there were the soldiers.

They formed a short line in front of his cart, each taking his turn and time for some food and drink. As they all stood in front of a river-crossing bridge held up by huge columns and large horeshoe-like structures, carriages of soldiers moved both ways in and out of the city, with the bridge leading out to a grassy plain on the other side.

"Here you go, sir!" Star Tracker said as he hoofed two chocolate bars to his current customer who was clothed in armor. "I would, uh, say that you should enjoy it, but...I'm not entirely sure."

"Don't worry, kid," the soldier told him, smiling. "We're gonna beat them back before you know it."

"Thank you, sir!"

The soldier went to a group of others like him, holding their purchases with their hoof or with their magic.

Another was next in line. "Uh, do you have any chips?"

"Which one?" Star Tracker asked. "I've got local chips and not local chips! And different flavors, too." He grinned.

"Anything."

Star Tracker then took out a bag of plain salted chips and gave it. "That would be three bits, sir."

And he hoofed the three bits.

As the soldier opened it with his magic, Star Tracker asked, "What's your next activity? You'll go to the battle again?"

"Not yet," he replied, levitating a glowing chip. "When we're not fighting, we're handling maintenance. Today's a special day, though." He munched on that chip.

"Why?"

A gulp, still levitating the bag. "We're supposed to be back across the river in five minutes to help out with the Wonderbolts show there."

Star Tracker gasped, shaking his cart. "The Wonderbolts?! But, I-I didn't—"

"Purpose of the show is to make sure everypony here's happy," he said. "They need it, especially since things aren't looking so well."

His teeth clattered. "Wh-What?!"

The soldier sighed. "Our pegasi and their pegasi are fighting in the skies. We're raining on their ground, and...you see those clouds over there?" He pointed to the sky.

Star Tracker looked.

The sky was almost covered.

"We're failing. As far as we know, it's just rain. Nothing too bad. But, it's still rain."

Star Tracker's face wavered, though he kept his smile. "A-Alright. However, you don't mind if I, uh, go along with you guys and, uh, watch the show? There's some Wonderbolts I wanna take pictures of again!"

The soldier smiled. "Who would your favorite Wonderbolt be, if you don't mind me asking?"

He smacked his cheeks. "Rainbow Dash!"

---

"Rainbow Dash?"

She turned to see Spitfire as they and some other uniformed Wonderbolts stood on the grass dotted with hoops and machines. Bleachers were close by, the bridge less than a minute's walk away. Those others exercised their hooves and wings, stretching them and straining them under weights. Meanwhile, carriages showed up holding both soldiers and civilians, gathering together at the bleachers as other fellow soldiers including Wonderbolt reservists and trainees set up the stage, the lights, and the instruments.

"Rainbow Dash, are you OK?" Spitfire asked. "You don't look fine."

"Why wouldn't I be fine, ma'am?" she replied. "You've seen me take down an entire squad on my own! I'm more than fine!"

Spitfire looked on at her, a frown appearing. "That's good. The problem is, everypony else isn't so fine."

"What are you talking about?" she said, surprised and even aback. "We're the Wonderbolts!"

Spitfire sighed. "But, the Wonderbolts haven't been engaged in combat for decades, if not centuries. None of us have been in a real war and that might be the cause of a few troubles."

Rainbow Dash lifted her helmet off. "You've trained us a lot of maneuvers and techniques! You made sure we won't be afraid of anything!"

"Rainbow." She pointed to the city across the river. "Before any of us got into the Wonderbolts, we were just like them; we didn't care about what those guards did whenever the Princess visited. To let them experience this under my wing—it's not exactly the best."

"But, at least I'm not wearied out!" Rainbow said, smiling.

"Have you ever written a single letter to your family?" Spitfire asked, turning to face her. "And, have you ever seen their replies?"

"Of course, I have!" Rainbow answered.

Spitfire groaned. "You don't get it, do you? Thunderlane is from Ponyville and he has a little brother who attends school. Their parents live there, too, so he's not completely dismayed—but, I wouldn't be surprised if Thunderlane cries in his sleep. Haven't seen it yet, but he's showing some signs."

"Come on!" Rainbow threw a hoof about, rolling her eyes. "Maybe he needs to fly a few more—"

"What if he doesn't come back?" Spitfire said, raising her voice. "And Soarin, too! Last night, he wrote a letter to his parents and that letter ended up soaked in tears!"

"Wait, was that why I didn't see Soarin when I went to bed?"

"Yes!" A tired sigh. "Nopony told me I was going to lead the Wonderbolts in a time like this." A pause as she looked away. "Yelling at ponies isn't gonna be enough to get me through this."

Rainbow Dash nodded as she turned to see the rest of the Wonderbolts practicing, lifting dumbbells and doing push-ups.

There were no smiles.

"Ten minutes, everypony!" Spitfire shouted at those exercising. "Show will start in ten minutes!"

---

She stood in that line.

"May I introduce to you: the Wonderbolts!"

And they flew up, forming a triangle.

Blue smoke in their path.

A straight line zooming by.

Some flew out the line and circled around the line.

A soothing movement.

Lightning bolts appeared and disappeared between them.

Then, through one hoop.

Lit up.

Another hoop.

Lit up, too.

The blue smoke stopped.

The machines on the ground turned on, forming clouds.

They went to the clouds and hurtled around, turning into blurs.

Out they went; a cloud in the shape of a lightning bolt with wings.

And back on the ground and bowed.

"How do you like that?!" the announcer pony yelled through the microphone.

The audience on the bleachers screamed back, waving flags and banners, wearing hats and shirts bearing the Wonderbolt logo.

"Due to wartime conditions," the announcer went on, "we're going to be letting all of you sign your Wonderbolt merch and take pictures with them right now! What you've just seen is only the beginning, folks!"

And the audience filed out of the bleachers, forming a restive line leading up to a long table on the stage where all the Wonderbolts headed to.

They sat down on the chairs and smiled.

Then, the line moved, ponies walking up the stage, ever closer to these famous pegasi.

First in line: Star Tracker.

He galloped to Rainbow Dash's place and dropped a photo on to the table. "I'm your biggest fan, Rainbow Dash! Would you please sign this for me?!"

"Heh, everyone says they're my biggest fan," Rainbow said as he stamped her inked hoofprint on it. "You're not the first. Remember that, Star Tracker."

Spitfire groaned while the rest of the Wonderbolts observed him.

"Then, I'll take a picture with you!" he yelled with a jump.

"Don't you have seven pictures with me already?" Rainbow asked, confused.

"It'll be eight when the day's done!" Star Tracker said, smiling as he grabbed the picture.

---

Rainbow Dash grinned as he wrapped a hoof around Star Tracker's neck as he also grinned, both facing the camera.

Beside the camerapony was a long line, some of them jittery with their hooves trembling.

The other Wonderbolts stood aside, watching the event unfold.

"OK," the camerapony said. "One, two, three!"

A flash.

"Is there anything else?" Star Tracker asked.

"What about us?" a Wonderbolt blurted out. "You haven't even talked to us the entire time!"

"I'll get to you!" Star Tracker yelled, pointing at her.

"Can we get a move on, please?!" the next pony in line shouted.

And he hurried out of the photoshoot.

---

Back on the stage, the Wonderbolts sat again at the table. Microphones were arranged, one for each Wonderbolt.

A pony raised his hoof.

"Yes, what's your question?" Soarin asked, pointing at him.

"Uh, when did you like the Wonderbolts so much that you wanted to join them?" he asked.

As he conveyed his answer through the microphone, Spitfire tapped on Rainbow's shoulder.

"What is it?" Rainbow asked.

"A minute late," Spitfire whispered, "but I want you to know that Eqeustria's Rock Troopers are being shuffled to our front."

"You mean our shock troops?!" Rainbow whispered back, startled.

Spitfire nodded and a small smile was on her lips. "High command listened to our plea for reinforcements. And, we got them."

Rainbow smiled.

"If you'd like to relax your nerves," Spitfire said, "I'd suggest you talk with them before the push tomorrow. I heard they're very friendly and casual."

"And you're coming with us, too?"

"I hope so, Crash."

---

Farther away from Manehattan and closer to the frontline were the barracks—makeshift buildings made of wood, and even more were under construction as Earth ponies wearing helmets pulled materials on wagons to the sites.

Carriages moved by, with soldiers coming and going. Some families visited, waving their greetings and their goodbyes to their beloved in armor.

Here and there, more and more soldiers were in their posts, bearing stoic faces and holding spears in hoof or with magic, standing on grass though patches of dirt were ahead.

Rainbow Dash entered one of the barracks, moving past the small hallway and striding into the cafeteria hall.

The windows were open, letting in the hot afternoon air inside. Electric fans were on the walls, creating cool breezes that made everyone and everything—including the food—colder. Many tables with long chairs pervaded the room, and at the end the food was cooked and served.

There was a line there, too. Everyone there had empty trays.

She smiled when she noticed some of the other ponies there—those wearing gray-black shirts and armor.

Rainbow got in line; her smile only grew. "So, you must be the Rock Troopers we Wonderbolts have been hearing about lately."

The two Rock Troopers in front of her turned around, holding their empty trays as they faced her.

"Yes, we are," Pinkie replied, smiling. "And, you must be...?"

"Rainbow Dash," she answered. "It's great meeting a Rock Trooper. Stories about you have been making the rounds."

They shook hooves.

"What're your names?" Rainbow asked.

"I'm Pinkie Pie, and this is my sister, Maud Pie!" She motioned toward the gray pony.

"Hi," Maud said.

"O...K." Rainbow looked up. "So, how's things?"

"We're good," Pinkie said. "General Spearhead told us that we have to help you out over here. Crystal ponies must be really close if they're getting that dangerous. He doesn't want another incident like Vanhoover."

Rainbow sighed. "Yeah. He's right."

"Very right," Pinkie went on, nodding. "If Manehattan falls, that's going to be nasty disaster that a lot of ponies will get upset about. I can just imagine all the riots that will break out in Canterlot. Also, how do you take care of the ponies who won't have their homes anymore? You can build new towns but not forever."

"It's moving," Maud said, pointing to the line.

The line was moving.

The three of them moved with it.

"What's it like being a Rock Trooper?" Rainbow asked. "Is it true that you could break down boulders in seconds?"

"Depends," Pinkie said, shrugging. "Maud could do it, but I'm not sure about myself. All I do is throw rocks and things fall down."

"And you think that's not cool?!" Rainbow yelled.

"Maud could do it, too," Pinkie said. "But, what do you want for lunch?"

Rainbow looked perplexed. "What?"

"You came here for lunch, right?"

"Right." She laughed.

"That wasn't a joke," Pinkie said. Then, smiling, "But, I'll take it!"

And the line moved.

Comments

[Sir Budginton]

Looks like rainbow is still playing tough, it's only a matter of time before wonderbolts start dying and that will probably start to change...