The Last Changeling War

by Coyote de La Mancha

Chapter Thirteen: Red Lightning. (The Second Front)

Fleur de Lis looked about herself and sighed.

“Well,” she said. “In any event, I guess this will be an excuse to put my old training to use again.”

“Of course,” Rarity smiled. “Remember how we used to cross-train, while I was studying under Kimono?”

“Good times,” Fleur smiled back. “The armor was heavy, and the long walks were duller than a Clydesdale Dickens novel…”

“But we had the weekends,” Rarity finished for her, also smiling.

“Strictly against the rules, of course,” Fleur noted. “The palace guard should never leave palace grounds unless on leave or for special circumstances. Security, and all that.”

“But you did,” Rarity said, sighing at the memories. “I remember every time you left, saying…”

“’This never happened, and I was never here,’” they said together.

They shared a laugh, then stood together for a moment in companionable silence.

“Some of the best days of my life were those short weekends and long nights,” Fleur said at last.

“And then, when you stopped coming,” Rarity said, shaking her head. “I just knew you’d been caught. I couldn’t forgive myself!”

“And I had been, in a sense,” Fleur acknowledged. “I ended up talking with Princess Celestia herself. I didn’t even dare write to you, for fear of putting you under the same magnifying glass as I was. I was under so much scrutiny from then on, for so long…”

“I can only imagine.”

“No, you probably can’t,” Fleur said. “Why do you think I pretended not to know you when we met again, years later?”

“Oh. Well. Frankly, I just thought, you know, with your newly-found status…”

“What? No!” Fleur exclaimed in horror, grasping her friend’s withers. “No! It was nothing like that! You were my first friend. For the longest time, my only friend! I just didn’t want to risk you being investigated like I had been, that’s all!”

Rarity stared.

“You’re right,” she said. “I probably can’t imagine what it was like for you. I’ve never been suspected like that, of anything. And you had to face it alone.”

“No, not alone. You see, by that time, I’d met… oh, damn,” Fleur exclaimed as the tears once again began to fall, her voice reduced to a whisper. “Damn.”

Rarity reached out again, but Fleur waved her off, stepping away.

“No, no, I’ve got to deal with this,” she sighed. “It’s just… everything reminds me of him.”

“Well, of course it does,” Rarity replied. “That’s only reasonable. But I’m completely confident that whatever has come between you will be worked out in the end. That being said, if it doesn’t – even though it will – you know you’re always welcome. For tea, for talk… anything.”

Fleur’s smile was grateful. “Thank you, Rarity.”

“Of course, darling. We’re friends, after all. Which bethinks me,” she added with a mischievous gleam, “care to get some sparring in before the main event?”

Fleur’s eyes gleamed as she smiled. “Oh, I thought you’d never ask. Stretch out first?”

“I already have, dear.”

“Oh, good,” the slender unicorn grinned, falling into a combative stance. “So have I.”

---

The pair had only gotten a few minutes of sparring in before an armored stallion approached them. He wore a sergeant’s marks upon his armor, a finely-made pack upon his back, and a look of pleased recognition on his face.

Fleur rolled up from where she had been thrown with a grin.

“Harvest!” she exclaimed happily, wiping some sweat from her brow. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been good,” he nodded happily. “It’s been a while.”

“It has.”

Harvest looked around the clearing, then back to the unicorns. Several other guardsponies, similarly clad and with packs of their own, were also making their rounds.

“The time for battle is approaching,” he explained. “So, we’re getting most of you armored up. Fleur has her own, of course, but…”

He cleared his throat with sudden nervousness, and said, “Miss Rarity, I know you’re an Element, but under the circumstances we do have a set of light armor for you. I hope you’ll be willing to consider it.”

“It’s very well coordinated,” Fleur winked. “It’ll bring out your blue eyes.”

Rarity rolled her blue eyes good-naturedly. Then, turning her attention back to the third pony, she said, “I’m sure it’ll be fine, Sergeant… Harvest, is it?”

The stallion nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Sergeant Harvest Moon, Palace Reserves.”

“Well, I’m pleased to meet you, Sergeant Harvest Moon. And yes, I would be delighted to accept whatever you feel is appropriate for the fight ahead.”

While Fleur trotted to a nearby chest and began unpacking its enchanted, golden interlocking plates of armor, the sergeant placed his pack on the ground and opened it. Carefully, he began fitting the engraved silver armor to Rarity. She had to admit she has pleasantly surprised; she’d expected him to have a rather rough and hurried hoof, but he was as caring and careful in fitting her as any seamstress she’d ever worked with.

In a surprisingly short time, she stood, fully arrayed in gleaming silver.

The stallion nodded to himself, apparently satisfied.

“Now, if you’ll be so good as to declare your name and acceptance to the armor,” he said, “the spell will be complete.”

Rarity closed her eyes and thought of the suit of magical plate she wore.

“My name is Rarity,” she said. “And I accept you.”

There was a brief, gentle blue glow. The armor, already immaculately fitted, now felt more like a second skin. Rarity took a few steps and gave a few slow striking motions. The armor moved with her perfectly. She could still feel its weight, and certainly she wouldn’t want to wear it for any longer than necessary. But it wouldn’t slow her down, especially after a few minutes to get used to it.

Harvest Moon watched her test the armor’s fit, then nodded, pleased.

“That’s it,” he smiled. “The armor’s yours, now.”

Rarity blinked. “Wait, what? I thought we were just…”

“No, ma’am,” he said, donning his pack again. “Those who take on the armor of Equestria need never return it. You can be buried in it if you want, as many have before us.”

Then, with a smile, he added, “After all, it’s not like it’ll fit anyone else now.”

“Oh. Well. Thank you?” she managed.

He smiled and gave a salute. “Ma’am.” And then he turned and started towards another group of ponies, his pack seeming neither smaller nor lighter than before.

“Well, this certainly hasn’t gotten any lighter,” Fleur grumbled as she returned, her own golden armor in place.

“Oh, it doesn’t seem so bad,” Rarity sighed, craning her neck to admire herself.

Fleur chuckled.

“You say that now,” she said. “Give it a few hours. Here,” she added, handing Rarity a large compact. “You can see yourself better with this.”

Rarity opened the compact, then gave a small gasp of delight.

“Well, what do you know?” Rarity said to her reflection. “It does bring out my eyes!”

She turned this way and that, enjoying herself immensely for a few seconds. Then, the smile faded as fast as she had found it.

Buried in it. Like so many before us.

Silently, she closed the mirror case, and returned it to her friend.

---

It was almost an hour later when Rainbow Dash flapped down to Applejack’s position again. Apparently General Frostfire – Anjou Frostfire, as it turned out – was also from a farm. He and Applejack had been exchanging funny stories about their respective childhoods.

“Miss Rainbow Dash!” the old stallion grinned. “I told Miss Applejack not long ago about how waitin’ was the biggest part of war, and here you come puttin’ the lie to my words. Not that I’m complaining, mind you,” he added with a wink.

Rainbow Dash stared. “Putting the lie… General, we’ve been here for hours!”

“Which ain’t long, all things considered,” the stallion nodded. “Though I’ll admit I was expectin’ you within the next hour or so. But in drills, we military ponies spend days or longer, readyin' an' waitin' for a skirmish.”

The pegasus tilted her head, studying him for a moment. “But you guys don’t actually fight wars anymore. At least, that’s what General Stormwell said.”

Another nod.

“The Princesses’re good at their jobs,” he affirmed. “Their wisdom and power, and the skills a’ their diplomats, can keep us out of war for generations at a time. Most nations consider war to be just another part of diplomacy. But the princesses don’t. Followin’ up on that may be one of the hardest things on Equus, and it speaks well of them that they can keep peace for so long at a time.”

Looking westward, he continued, “But history shows us that you don’t hafta be warlike for war to find you. There’s an old saying, ‘In times of peace, the gentlepony keeps their sword by their side.’ So, we train. We study. We keep ourselves as ready as we can for moments like this, to fight and lead other ponies in fightin'. And we hope to the Two Sisters that we make the right decisions when the time comes.”

“Well, the Changelings have been sighted, about ten minutes away. So, it’s time to get in formation.”

The general saluted. “Ma’am.”

As the Pegasus flew away, Applejack said, “Hey, we got time for a question?”

“With ten minutes? Sure.”

“Then before we get started on all this, I gotta ask.”

The stallion gave her a quizzical look, and she continued, “How come y’all’re answerin’ to us? We ain’t got your training an’ whatnot.”

“No, ma’am,” he agreed. “But you got experiences in the field we don’t, and so the princesses gave you authority. And besides, you outrank us anyway.”

Applejack’s eyebrows clutched at her maneline. “I’m sorry, we what?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned again, obviously enjoying her confusion. “After all, you’re an Element.”

Applejack blinked. “Oh. And that means that?”

“Yes, ma’am. Formally recognized by the princesses in full ritual of state, followin’ your defeat of Discord.”

“Oh. Is that what that was?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Uh-huh,” Applejack took another second to process, then said, “Well, in that case, would you get everypony ready, please? ‘Cuz that’s somethin’ I ain’t even trained in.”

Still grinning, the general gave her another salute, then turned towards the various ponies and stepped forward before bellowing, “All right, ponies, the enemy has been sighted! Get into formation as practiced! I and my soldiers will help see to your placement, but don’t you dare waste our time! Soldiers, I expect every pony here to be dress-right-dress in four minutes, and not one second more!

“Now MOVE!”

The ponies scrambled with various degrees of accuracy and confidence, falling into position in a remarkably short amount of time. The shape was an open circle, what the general had called a ‘yak’s horns,’ with the horns facing where the Changelings would be coming from.

The two unicorns returned in the same haste as the rest of the ponies, each with a bit of her own confusion.

“Miss Applejack?” Fleur asked, “Forgive me for asking, but…?”

Applejack nodded and gave her most reassuring smile.

“That’s right, sugar cube. You’re up here with me an’ Rarity. Princesses figured you’d do better with a friend next to ya, an’ with Rarity here I guess that makes it two.”

Rarity tilted her head. “Dearest, forgive me, but I thought you didn’t…?”

But Applejack waved her into silence. “Later, hon. I promise.”

Rarity blinked, but nodded. “Oh. Very well, then.”

But Fleur de Lis was looking more uncomfortable than before. “Miss Applejack, I certainly don’t want—”

“And you ain’t,” Applejack assured her. “You gals ever fought together before?”

The two unicorns shared a conspiratorial grin.

Applejack nodded. “Well, alright then. Miz De Lis, why don’t you set yourself between Rarity an’ me? An’ you don’t need to call me ‘miss.’”

Despite her apprehension, Fleur smiled. “Why, thank you. And while we’re on it, neither do you.”

Applejack might have said something further, but by that time the Equestrian forces were in position, and the time for idle talk was over. The Equestrians stood still, silent, almost as if still waiting for a command to assemble… or to surround. All the better to show their foes the futility of combat.

After all, the sooner the Hive gave it up, the better off everyone would be.

Above, thunder rumbled threateningly, and a freezing rain began to fall. Changelings lived in a dry, arid place, after all. There was no sense in having them be comfortable.

Then, lightning crawled across the angry sky, serpentine and crimson. All the ponies knew it was the pegasi bleeding off excess galvanic energy, making sure they’d have easy control for the battle ahead.

But Applejack couldn’t help but think how terrifying it must have been to folks from the badlands, who like as not had never been in such a storm, and maybe didn’t even know how the weather really worked.

Taking that as her cue, she turned to face the Equestrians on the ground. She knew that, high above, her friend would be doing the same. No surprise, then, when she heard Rainbow Dash’s voice calling out over the building storm.

“Think of your friends, think of your families!” Rainbow Dash shouted to her pegasi, and to the earth ponies below.

“Remember what you’re fighting for!” Applejack joined in, to the earth ponies and the pegasi above. “But remember this, too: each of you has only one life!”

“Don’t trade it cheaply!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Don’t trade it at all!”

“For Equestria!” Rarity called.

“FOR EQUESTRIA!” The army roared, above the clouds and below.

“For Equestria!” the Elements and generals called as one.

“FOR EQUESTRIA!”

“For Equestria!”

“FOR EQUESTRIA!”

Then, unseen by one another, Applejack and Rainbow Dash each held up a hoof almost in unison for silence. Years of fighting together, combined with their constantly competing friendship, had created a rapport that rendered communication unnecessary.

Again, lightning flashed. Thunder rolled.

In the tall grass at the edge of the clearing, something rustled. Stopped. Watched.

Rarity gave their unseen foes a few seconds to gather and plan, and then thought at Princess Luna as clearly as she could, Princess, they seem to have arrived.

Nothing happened.

Rarity frowned. “Oh, dear,” she said.

---

In the Royal Palace, Luna caught the unpracticed thought-cast and smiled. She knew to be listening very carefully for whoever might need. Sunrise was very dear to her, and learning very quickly, but even she could hardly be expected to match the easy clarity of Celestia’s sending. Less practiced ponies tended to be even less focused, and far less clear.

Looking up from her book, Twilight caught the smile, an intrigued smile forming on her own features. “What?”

“I was thinking of Sunrise,” Luna said, even as she sent to her sister, **Now.**