A/N: Well, another chapter of my first "One-shot" written. I must say, while I liked the idea for this story, I didn't expect it to transform into this. And as for the title of this chapter, for those of you who are confused about what a cloud carrier is, think of an aircraft carrier made out of clouds that flies in the sky, much like everything else that's made out of clouds in Equestria. Originally, this chapter was titled "The Death heard 'Round the World", due to how it begins, but after writing the middle of this chapter, I think that "The Cloud Carrier" is more appropriate.

Remember, reviews are always welcome, so tell me what you think.

NOTE: I do not own MLP or any of the characters used herein (scratch that, Adamant Will and Evening Star are original characters) All characters are the property of Lauren Faust and Hasbro (Until I replace Faust as creative head of the MLP department at Hasbro)

P.S. I apologize if my ideas jump around a lot. It's just how I write.

The Cloud Carrier

The fighting didn't really start until a Unicorn accidentally killed a Gryphon during a routine sweep of a Gryphonian village. It can't really be called his fault; he was a new recruit who had signed up, along with all of his friends, in a surge of patriotism after hearing of the Princesses' deaths, barely trained, and he jumped at every little thing. It's no wonder that, being how he was, as soon as he saw the Gryphon running towards him, he used his magic to kill her, as he had been trained. It probably didn't help that said Gryphon, whose name was Gilda, was the daughter of the Gryphonian Reich, or that she was an old friend of the Element of Loyalty.

Once the Gryphonian people found out about the death of the beloved daughter of their leader, they went into a craze, fighting fiercely against the Equestrian invaders. Many lives were lost on both sides, and the Gryphons, though less trained, had succeeded in pushing the Equestrian forces all the way back to Stalliongrad, over halfway to the Equestrian capital of Canterlot. There, the Equestrian forces were able to halt the assault, but neither side could push the other any farther.

When Rainbow Dash found out about the death of her friend, who she hadn't seen in several years, and the fighting that had started because of it, she pushed even more for Twilight to allow her to join the military, "Come on, Twilight. If I was out there, in the field with those recruits, there wouldn't be any more pointless deaths. I could rally the troops, push the Gryphons all the way back to their capital, and then take it, forcing a complete surrender."

Twilight looked at her friend with a calm face, betraying none of the pain she felt at hearing one of her friends talk about violence like it was nothing. 'No, she wasn't talking about it like it's nothing,' Twilight thought to herself, 'she's talking like a soldier, not thinking about anything beyond what needs to be done.'

To Rainbow Dash, she said, "Rainbow Dash, I know how you must feel. But believe me when I tell you that you do NOT want to be anywhere on the ground near the frontlines. They are no place for someone like you. You belong in the skies, where you've always been. So I have a surprise for you." Twilight used her magic to levitate a folder, about two inches thick with papers, towards Rainbow Dash. "In here, you will find all the information I've put together on a special project I've been working on, and I think you might be just the pony to lead it."

Dash quickly opened the folder, eager to see what was inside. As she read, her face shifted from excitement to curiosity, and then to confusion. "Why would we need to alter the properties of the clouds?

"Just keep reading, Dash. I know you can."

Dash finishing reading the first page, and looked up at Twilight, her jaw almost on the ground. "A Cloud Carrier, Twilight? You want me to build a Cloud Carrier?"

Twilight shook her head, "I want you to captain a Cloud Carrier. And this won't be your average, everyday Cloud Carrier. Didn't you notice what the altered properties of the clouds it would be built from are?"

Dash looked at the paper again, then back at Twilight, "Wait, if I'm right, these changes to the clouds would allow anypony to walk on them without that enchantment you found? How did you figure out how to do that?"

Twilight giggled slightly, enjoying the look on Rainbow Dash's face, "The same way I figured out how to give Rarity wings, and allow the rest of us to walk on the clouds."

"Research," they both said together, causing them both to laugh.

Twilight was the first to recover, "Look through the rest of that folder when you have the chance. It shows all of the other modifications I made to the Cloud Carrier, as well as who I believe would be good crewponies to run the ship under your command. Every single pony in there, I hand picked because of their intelligence and adaptability," she said, watching as Dash stopped on one pony in particular.

"Adamant Will? I've never even heard of him. But he looks familiar."

"Of course he looks familiar. You went to the Wonderbolts Flight Camp with his younger brother, Iron Will. You will find that Adamant Will is much calmer than his brother, though. He'll be your Chief Gunnery Officer, or head of weapons, if you prefer to call him that."

Rainbow Dash flipped to the next pony in the folder, "Who is Evening Star? Says here she's my Navigation Officer."

"Think of her as a wing pony, telling you where you can go safely, or making course corrections to the Carrier as you ask for them. And she's also Adamant Will's wife. When they're together, everyone calls them Adam & Eve, and they make a good pair. I recommend you keep their stations close together on the bridge if you want them to be most efficient. The rest of the ponies you'll have to look at on your own when you get back to your rooms. I'm expecting Chrysalis to return soon, and report on how her conversation with the ponies cutting down the Everfree forest went, as well as her meeting with the Changelings. So, if you'll excuse me, I must prepare to receive her, and that means you have to leave. Sorry, Dash. Tell everyone I said hello, and that I'm sorry I can't tell them myself."

Dash stood up from her seat and hugged her friend, "Don't worry Twilight, they understand that you have a country to run, and that that's more important right now, especially with a war going on. See you later," she said as she walked out the door.

Twilight poked her head out her door and said to Spike, "Spike, could you please make sure I'm not disturbed for the rest of the night? I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I need some time to myself."

"Of course, Twilight. No one will bother you for the rest of the night."

"Thanks, Spike," Twilight said as she pulled her head back inside her room.

"Um, Twilight?"

"Yes, Spike?"

"Where should I put your food when it gets here?"

"You can have it tonight, Spike. I know you haven't been eating well lately, and you're really starting to show it. Maybe we should start including meat in your meals. You are a growing dragon after all. The protein might do you some good."

"Thanks, Twilight," Spike said, glad she still cared about him, since she barely ever talked to him anymore, "But I don't think I could handle eating meat. I mean, I've never even tasted it, growing up around ponies and such, who only eat plants."

"Don't worry so much, Spike. Dragon's are omnivores, so you shouldn't get sick from eating meat, unless you don't like the taste. And besides, it will make you stronger and smarter if you do eat meat, so just try it, and if you don't like it, we'll never make you eat it again. Deal?"

"Deal. Goodnight, Twilight."

"Goodnight, Spike. See you tomorrow."

P.P.S. LOOK! I remembered to turn Bold off this time! And I apologize if I post too fast (I posted chapter 2 just this morning). But I can't stand those writers who take months to post updates cough *glares at AppleDash-Crazy aka Rayna Q (The writer of New Girl, an Appledash fan fiction, who hasn't updated in 8 months)* I'll address all comments for chapter 2 and 3 in chapter 4.