With Sweet Apple Acres struggling during a recession and a drought, a sixteen year old Apple Bloom joins the military to bring in some extra income and keep her family out of the poor house. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle enlist with her, convinced that nothing can break up the Cutie Mark Crusaders. With Equestria enjoying an unprecedented period of peace and harmony, what could go wrong?
Scootaloo is pressured into the Airborne, separated from her friends. To get to their deployment, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom need to take a ride on a marine boat, dodging the verbal stabs from a marine chief and the clumsy flirtations of a lance corporal. As they proceed downriver, the ponies on board PBR-471 grow closer. The heat of battle acts as the catalyst for the bond between Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and their marine comrades.
It becomes evident that something very big is about to go down in Equestria. While the unfortunate sons and daughters in the Expeditionary and Marine forces gear up for battle, Celestia calls a war council. What seems like a small uprising proves to be something that could jeopardise a devious plan over one thousand years in the making.
I'm interested to see where this goes. Keep writing, I really like it.
I'm getting a definate "apocalypse now" vibe from this. Something tells me that the crew are about to get a lont more action than they are prepared for... or want.
This is seriously AU from the tech levels alone, let alone the racial strife; not that's necessarily a bad thing but still something of which the reader should be aware.
1091509 I was unsure of the AU thing. I'll go ahead and add the tag now.
It wouldn't be much of a story if the crew's journey didn't escalate in some way, now would it?
This is really good and should have more attention than it does. I'm really interested to see where it goes from here. You're doing an amazing job and I can't wait until the next update.
1106000 I know, right?
Something real this time? Hope the wasted ammo isn't needed. Of course, Spike might just be hunting.
And this is getting really good now. 
GUISE, HALP!
Ok, my original plan was to write "Conflict in Bloom: Checkpoint Charlie" and subsequent sequels as separate fics after fully publishing this one and marking it as complete. Now I'm thinking that I should drop the name of this fic to simply "Conflict in Bloom" and publish all the stories in this fanon featuring Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle here. The first way is kind of neater and makes more sense, but the second way makes it easier for anyone interested (yes, all 5 of you) to keep track of it.
Thoughts?
That's the way of war - a group of terriifed young colts and fillies desperately trying to kill each other so that the others don't kill them. They don't know who the others are beyond the fact that they are 'the enemy'. The fact that, in a sane version of the universe, they might have even been friends simply isn't considered. All that matters is that, at the end of the day, you're either alive or you're dead.
Apple Bloom will probably be puking for days every time she remembers that pony's head exploding as the thirty-calibre FMJ went through it. With luck, she won't get so used to it that it will ever get easier to do.
The horror... The horror...
Oh, their first battle. You wrote the action well, which is great because some people *ponts to self* suck at it. So awesome. Cant wait for the next chapter.
And another great update. You never dissapoint.
1128575 Thanks. Next chapter is the last for this part. Not sure if I should put all the next parts in this one fic so people can follow it easily, or do them separately because that's neater. What do you think?
1132330 This part meaning the part where they are on the boat? I would say that if they flow nicely together and are still covering the same plot, what with the uprising and such, to keep it together. I mean, the more people keep seeing this on the update page, the more they'll wanna click on it. So, unless you plan on making it extreamly long (like, over 100k words) and the major plot isn't resolved (which is the uprising and how it affects AB and SB, right?) then I would keep it together. If that makes sense, I dunno if the way I said it does.
Basicly, yeah, keep it together unless it takes a random turn and isn't really the same story line anymore.
1132417 Yea, that's what I mean by "part". I've only got very vague plans for anything past the next part, and to be honest I'll probably keep writing until the universe collapses on its plot holes or I get bored. Every time I get near a resolution, I suddenly think "ooh, what about (character)". I think I might go ahead and write a vague but complete timeline to follow.
I think I'll drop the name back to "Conflict in Bloom" and keep the Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle story here, but if I write about the same universe focusing on other characters then I'll put it in a separate fic.
1132959 That is a great idea.
Again, this is great. Can't wait to see what awaits them!
And the updates are great, as usual.
Though I would love to see AB and SB tell them they are related to the Elements of Harmony and see those reactions. Specially since Nightmare keeps getting brought up. But yeah, I'm really loving this. Can't wait for more! 
1326431 Thanks. They've got plenty of time for them to get to know each other, I assure you
Haven't updated this in ages because I'm pretty sure it's going to shit
. Figure I'll wrap up part 2 and write part 3, but forget about part 4 and 5. That's when the stuff I'm really unsure of happens. I guess anyone still interested by then will have to be satisfied with a bit of a loose hanging ending.
Well, I'm still interested, so here's one.
The cover art! IT'S MISSING!!!
1932317 I totally forgot to reply to you. Anyway, I accidentally the old cover art, so here's one I prepared earlier. KEEN FOR PART 3?!?!?!?
2051743 Yup! I'll wait for you to finish!
NEW WEPON YA BA BA PA BA
I like this ponies and guns what could go wrong?
Whoa that last bit was awesome
Had shivers down my back and everything haha
2155201 You're too kind
wow apple bloom shooting a soldier trying to save a wounded comrade wow and she had no remorse wow
I have a question; when are we going to see how Rarity and the Apple family handles the fact that Sweetie and Bloom are going to see battle, we already know they were against them enlisting but now that they're lives are in danger I can't imagine their families sitting back and letting it happen. Also why do I get the feeling Scoots is gonna return soon?
Hoping for a new chapter soon.
Nicely done keep it up...
5 Derpys out of 5 Derpys...
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand Duck Face
I know it's been ages since you last updated but please, please, please update this. It's one of the few stories that pique my interest because there's nothing else like it. So, if you are still on FIMfiction, please continue this.