Equestrian Rim

by Visharo

Preperation

Apple Bloom stared off into the distance, her gaze far away. Alarms were wailing all over the Griffish Isles Shatterdome. They harbored a doom that was yet to come. Bloom knew all this, she knew about the oncoming Kaiju, the rallying of the Jaeger Pilots, the evacuation of the civilians. This all happened around her as she sat and stared.

The young mare was in a strange state, one of quiet contemplation. Thoughts ran through her head at speeds she wasn't able to grapple. Apple Bloom was aware of her friends worrying, but she didn't have the energy to do anything about it. She didn't have any energy to do anything but sit and stare.

***

Applejack yelled out orders to the younger Pilots around the Shatterdome, getting them to a prepared state to beat back what was coming for them. It had been several days already since the announcement went country-wide and the Shatterdomes were all put on high alert.

The old farmer chuckled darkly. She had promised to leave it all behind, leave the Piloting to the younger folk and let her work on her farm. She decided to take a break for now and sat down on her haunches. Applejack watched as workers of all jobs and races scrambled around the building, desperate for something to keep their minds off the incoming invasion. The orange mare sighed and tipped her stetson over her eyes. Would she survive this one?

***

Twilight Sparkle stood guard over Rainbow Dash's still unconscious body. She had sent their friends home, thinking there was nothing they could do right now. Then the announcement was dropped and it had the entirety of Dodge City on edge, the scrappers muttering amongst themselves.

The alicorn couldn't help but cover her face with her hooves. This whole situation, alien beings coming and terrorizing the surface, forcing the peaceful folk of Equus into action. It was too much. Twilight reached out and gripped Rainbow's hoof tightly. They would survive, right?

***

The fervor Apple Bloom had put herself in with her training was awe-inspiring. And terrifying.

"Apple Bloom. You need to rest, you can't keep doing this to yourself!" Scootaloo interrupted AB's beat down session with the training simulator. It had already been her seventh one this night alone and the mental stress was shown. Her mane matted down with sweat, her eyes wide and unfocused, bloodshot and gaunt, while her beautiful yellow pelt was now a subdued mustard. To say the least, she looked horrible.

"Scootaloo is right, you look horrible. Rarity would get a heart attack if she saw you!" Sweetie Belle pitched in, her face filled with hope and sympathy, mixed in with fear. It was certainly an interesting combo.

"Ah miss mah cuz, cuz. Ya've been disapearin' on us. Come back Bloom, we need ya." Babs Seed's voice was uncharacteristically soft.

"Ah don't have time fer freindships! Ah need to train! Ah need to be strong! Ah NEED to see all the Kaiju dead at my hooves! That is what ah need, and ah ain't backin' out now." Apple Bloom whipped around before anypony could stop her and before they knew it, the earth pony was gone.

***

The Shatterdome Applejack found herself in was quite busy, just like all the other Domes she had visited earlier. This one was special though, in fact, somepony special.

"Rarara, well am ah glad to see ya." Applejack smiled, if not strained, but it was enough for the pop singer to smile back.

"Same here. It's been agonizing AJ, I just feel so useless. Now with this stupid injury I wouldn't be able to set hoof in a Jaeger anymore. I'm dying of boredom AJ! It's horrible!" The orange mare just chuckled and hugged her longtime friend.

"Ah'm pretty sure ya'll figure somethin' out, ya always do."

"I do, don't I?" Coloratura grinned wildly. She was strapped to a wheelchair, her legs hanging uselessly, but that didn't seem to dampen her spirits, maybe even raised it. A large stallion, one whom Applejack recognized from her concert years past, was standing behind her, ready to push her around.

"What're doin' here if ah may ask?"

"I'm here to help! You always said I made the best combat moves, so I was hoping to teach other Pilots to get creative in their fighting styles." Coloratura smiled and nodded to herself.

"That sounds like a great idea! Thanks Rarara!"

***

Twilight was worried. Her thoughts flashed back to her friends she had sent away, told them to go evacuate Ponyville and maybe even other towns and cities. She didn't have much hope though, Equestria was just too big. Then her thoughts flicked to her ponies, the ones she was still learning to rule over. It's only been a year since she had taken the mantle as sole ruler of Equestria and she still wasn't very sure of herself.

Sure, all the help from her friends, Discord included, as well as the former Princesses, being only a letter way, helped a lot with her time ruling, but it still felt daunting. Especially with the Kaiju war going on. She had no idea how much of the royal treasury was sunk into the Jaeger program or how many resources they had mined up just to make those Jaegers. Not to mention the lives that were lost.

Twilight sighed and lowered her head onto Rainbow's unconscious body. If only things were more peaceful, if she was only more confident in herself, if only the Elements worked on these terrifying monsters. Even Fluttershy, of all ponies, said they were scary beasts.

"Princess?"

"Oh, yes. Dr. Pulse. Is she going to be okay?" Twilight asked, daring to hope.

"Yes, it'll be alright for her, Princess. Rainbow Dash will recover and she'll be in safe hooves." The beige stallion with a thick purple mustache wrote something on his clipboard. "Now, I don't mean to be disrespectful, Your Highness, but shouldn't you be ruling in Canterlot? And not be down here in dusty old Junction City? What with the oncoming invasion and all?"

"...you're right. I should get back. Plan strategies, have meetings, write papers. Yes, I need to do all of this." Twilight started muttering to herself of all the things she should do, before she snapped her back up and casted a worried glance towards Rainbow.

"Don't you worry Princess. We'll keep her safe. Go do what you need to do." Dr. Pulse bowed slightly before turning back to the prone pegasus on the bed.

"Thank you! I won't forget this!"

Author's Note:

Another short one, but don't you worry. The next chapter will be super long and it's the first chapter of the finale! It's gonna be so exciting! I hoped you enjoyed and I wish you a best of days/nights.

Vis out.