Twilight unrolled a scroll onto the table in the war room, addressing all of the important military leaders as she placed a map in the center. Unfortunately, Dash had declined to return to the Rainbow Raiders, leaving me in charge of them, so I was attending this meeting as well. Twilight was adamant on her plan of pressuring Dash back into the military for good.

Rainbow Dash however was still present for this meeting, given her battle expertise. Though none of us were quite certain why we had been summoned.

Twilight began making some marks on the large map before Vinyl finally interrupted (as expected). "What's going on? You dragged our asses out of bed without so much as a word of what kind of orders you're giving."

The purple unicorn looked up and slapped Vinyl across the face. "Don't smart mouth with me. I am not in the mood right now. You will get your orders when I give them to you, do you understand soldier?"

Vinyl adjusted her jaw and nodded with a smirk. "Yes, sir," she mocked.

"Wipe that grin off your face, I have some important intel and I want everypony in this room to pay close attention." Twilight glanced around at the rest of us while removing her glasses.

"What's going on, general?" I asked.

Twilight's vision turned to me. Her cockatrice eye making me shake a little. "Recent intel has reported seeing Trixie mobilizing a large attack force..."

"How large?" Her brother Shining Armor chimed in.

Twilight's response was quick, "Over three million."

The room fell silent for a moment. Nopony dared speak but Vinyl. "Sounds like her entire army."

"At least eighty percent of it. They have been heading right this way for the past two days. They will arrive here by this time in three days." Twilight informed.

"Why?" I rose a brow.

Vinyl answered for Twilight, "Trixie is going to try and finish the job. She doesn't care about the anti-darkness barrier anymore. She's going to take her chances and hopes that overwhelming us with numbers will win her this fight..."

Twilight nodded. "It appears that way..."

Rainbow finally decided to add her input. "How many are within the city?"

Twilight bit her lip, not wanting to answer, however knowing she had to, she responded. "100,000 lives, around 40,000 military; the rest civilian..."

"Do we have extra weapon for the civilians in the event the barrier fails? To give these ponies a fighting chance?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight gave a solemn look and set her hooves on the table. "Ms. Rainbow Dash, I have run this military for a long time. I have watched my statistics carefully, and I am here to tell you its not a matter of "if" its a matter of when."

Twilight sighed before sitting in her chair. "The barrier will fall, it can not take the force of three million soldiers attacking it. It will fall, and Canterlot will be no more."

"You say it as if you've already given up..." Her brother spoke.

"I have not given up, I have accepted reality. Canterlot will fall in three days, and all 100,000 ponies within it will perish or fall to the darkness." Twilight scolded.

"Could we evacuate?" Another stallion suggested.

"Where would we go?" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "We have no choice... We have to make a stand. We fight with all we have..."

Vinyl nodded and grinned. "We give them hell. If they take this city, let's not just hand it over to them. We'll defend it until every last one of us is dead!"

"Any other bright ideas?" Twilight sighed.

Luna finally spoke up. "Actually, Vinyl's idea sounds appealing..."

Quickly turning to Luna, Twilight's brow rose. "You can't be serious... Its suicide..."

"Running away is also suicide. Vinyl's plan could at least get us Trixie before its over. Remember the intel showed her marching right with them. We may be able to lure her out. If we go down we can at least get Trixie first." Luna explained.

Twilight, and the rest of us all looked to Dash. She thought for a moment and nodded. "I like it..."

"Then that's what we'll do. Maybe we might even get lucky, and getting Trixie will give us an edge." Twilight nodded.

It was a long shot, but at that point we were desperate.

"Alright, ponies... Go get prepared... Soon... We go to war." Twilight instructed.

Rainbow Dash stood in her quarters preparing her war fittings. Fresh new armor, and enough ammunition to stop a tank, Twilight wanted to make sure she was fitted with the best that the military had to offer.

Dash was performing a few practice strikes at a training dummy she kept in her room. Each strike more aggressive than the last. With a quick glance over to the mirror, she flexed one of her hooves. What was once thin and emaciated was now full and muscular. She had all the cuts and trims of a proper warrior again. It had been a long time since she had seen herself like this.

As she admired herself in the mirror, the voice of Twilight interrupted. "So you're okay with this plan?"

Rainbow just looked at Twilight through the mirror as she continued to check her body out. "I already know why you're here, Twilight."

Twilight rose a brow. "And why do you think that is?"

Dash grunted, "You're here to tell me not to kill Trixie. To tell me that we're better than that and we need to capture her, due process and all that shit."

Twilight shook her head and took a step forward, placing a hoof on Dash's shoulder. Dash turned to see the hoof. "Actually, I was going to tell you to give her a stab for me..."

Rainbow blinked, a bit uncertain of if she was hearing correctly. "You want me to..."

"Kill her, Rainbow. That is the only justice now... Making her atone for her crimes..." Twilight was very quiet, clearly not wanting to admit it.

"Why me?" Dash asked.

"You're the only one who can. You've had your sights sent on her head for so long... If any pony is determined enough to kill her, its you. Hell, if anypony is deserving enough to kill her, its you." Twilight explained.

Dash nodded and tightened the strap on her blade. "Trixie's reckoning comes tomorrow. I ask that you let my team all fight, even Vinyl..."

Twilight smirked.

Dash turned to her with a puzzled expression. "What?"

"They didn't tell you?" She grinned wider. "Vinyl is one of the first ponies coming out of the gate, and I've given her the new chaingun attachments to her blades."

Rainbow laughed. "You've either given the enemy hell... Or just gave powerful toys to a monster."

"I'll take my chances. Right now, the benefits outweigh the risks."

Rainbow nodded as she turned back to the mirror. "Let us hope that we do not run out of time."

I stood on the balcony with the leaders of the Equestrian military. I was in complete disbelief that I was not only here, but I was about to lead into battle in perhaps the most historic fight that would ever take place in Equestria. Twilight was calling it "The Last Stand".

Twilight ushered for the crowd below us to settle down. Once the noise had died down, she had called for Rainbow Dash to come forward and speak. Hesitantly she approached and tapped the microphone.

She paused before finally speaking up. "I'm going to keep this short..." She began. After she looked around the room for a minute she nodded. "Give 'em hell." The crowd roared with excitement at her simple words. That was all she had to say on the matter, as she stepped down and allowed Vinyl to come forward. Right then and there I knew that this would be a speech to be remembered for ages.

"Citizens of Equestria..." She started. The room fell silent.

"Today... We march into battle..." She paused. "Many of you... Will not return. However Trixie thinks she can kill Equestria. She may be able to kill us, but the idea of Equestria will never die..." The crowd started to chatter. "She thinks we are weak... But we are not weak, we are 100,000!"

Every single pony in the room screamed with glee at her words. Vinyl certainly was proving she was in fact the voice of Equestria.

"Let us go down fighting... Let death be our rest!" The crowd roared again. "Let us not stop until every stallion, mare and foal can not fight any longer! Let us paint the ground with blood! Let us retrieve Trixie's head as a trophy for all of Equestria! Let us fight for our fallen brothers and sisters! Let's do this for Equestria!"

The noise in the room was relentless. Vinyl had them eating out of her hoof.

"Today we march into battle, let us bring swift death to the traitors if Equestria!" She paused and rose a hoof in the air. "Long live the empire!"

In unison, every single pony in the room, and perhaps all of Canterlot raised a hoof like Vinyl. Even young foals seen through the windows of the castle could be seen with hooves raised. Ready to pledge their lives to the cause.

Every citizen had been armed with whatever weapons we could spare, war was truly everywhere. Twilight's last stand assumed damage would be high, and knowing Twilight, she wasn't about to ignore that probability.

While Vinyl stood there, Twilight adjusted a monitor and turned it on. A large overhead monitor displayed Trixie's face to the crowd as Twilight conversed with her.

"Ah... Miss Sparkle... Have you decided to surrender then?" Trixie's voice echoed through the room.

Twilight shook her head. "I wanted to show you something." With that she turned the camera to face the crowd.

Trixie's expression dipped as she saw thousands of ponies loyally raising their hooves in a mark of war. She had clearly seen this gesture before. I assumed that this was sort of a signature move by Vinyl.

"B-but... You stand no chance..." She assured.

"Then you have no choice but to kill us." Twilight grinned.

Trixie growled at their confidence, but Twilight interrupted by turning the camera to Rainbow Dash. Trixie's expression grew more horrified as she saw Dash's hoof in the air like Vinyl's. "Trixie... The time has finally come... I will find you..."

Trixie grunted. "You'll have to get through my army first, Rainbow Dash."

"No army can stop me now. I have made my peace with death, so I do not care what happens to me after this fight. I suggest you do the same, because I am coming to kill you." Rainbow spoke confidently.

"It ends today." She added.

Trixie smirked. "We shall see about that, Rainbow Dash."

Dash didn't seem remotely moved by the threat. It was obvious that she meant what she said, and it would take more than an army to stop her.

I stepped onto the balcony overhanging the city as I sat down with Rainbow Dash. She was clearly in deep thought as she sat there watching over the city. I sat down next to her and looked at the ponies below with her.

"Every pony in the whole city... Getting close to their loved ones... Burying old grudges, and confessing secrets they've held onto for their whole lives... All in the same day..." She commented.

I kept my eyes on the ones below. "Why though?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She kept a blank expression. "They know, Flare..."

"Know what?"

She sighed, "That today will be their last chance to do so."

I blinked and looked at her.

"They aren't stupid, Flare. They know that by this time tomorrow, Canterlot will be gone and all of them either dead or mindless drones to the darkness. They know this is the end of ponykind... The true armageddon..." She spoke softly.

I finally spoke what was on my mind. "Can't you stop it from happening?"

Dash didn't even look at me. "It would take more than a tired old mare, to destroy such a threat. These old bones will be lucky just to survive this battle..."

"Don't talk like that... You're far from old, and you have plenty of fight left in you." I smiled.

She turned to me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Flare..."

"What for?"

She sighed, "For luring you out here. For making you come to fix Equestria only to watch it burn in front of you..."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't have changed what happened for anything. I grew stronger, I got smarter, and I got to meet the greatest pony I ever knew..."

She smiled and patted my shoulder. "These past few months have been truly amazing, Flare... You're quite a friend."

I returned the smile and extended my hooves to her. She took the invitation and pulled me close to her in a tight embrace. "You've shown more loyalty than this old mare deserves..." She commented.

"You saved my life more times than I can count, Rainbow... I owe you more than I can even give." I said as I rubbed her back.

She pulled back to get a look at me. "You've grown up so much in these few months... Its hard to imagine we'll be marching into battle together..."

"Let's give 'em hell." I winked.

Rainbow nodded in response. "Yes, let's."

Doomsday had finally arrived. Trixie's army came as expected, in full form. We stood at the gates to Canterlot with weapons drawn as we saw them enter over the horizon. Millions of possessed bodies, controlled by a black mist, tainting their skin. They had a black smoke radiating from their bodies and fierce glowing red eyes.

Vinyl stood in front of the group of us with her hoof raised to tell us when to assault. Behind me, Twilight poked my shoulder. I turned to face her. "Yeah?" I nearly whispered.

"I want you to head near Luna at point three. You're on my team, I'll explain more when the fight begins." She instructed as she began to trot away.

"Wait!" I called back. However it was pointless as she had already made a run for point three.

She had split the battlefield up into four points, but insisted that point three only be monitored by a small task force for some reason. I figured I would know why when I arrived.

Vinyl's hoof finally set onto the ground, followed by her call. "Attack!!"

The roar of thousands of soldiers filled the air as they began firing, picking off as many as they could from a safe distance. Gunfire was the only sound that filled the air, and bodies were the only things about to decorate the dirt today.

Vinyl in the lead began firing her normal firearms, clearly reserving her new toy until absolutely necessary. She screamed in delight as she mowed them down with ease. Soon enough they were close enough to return fire. However they seemed to favor close combat; perhaps an order by Trixie to show her arrogance.

I kept an eye on Vinyl as I fended a few off. Vinyl was simply slicing and dicing them like cubed cheese, laughing as she did so. "Come get me, you dogs!" She mocked.

Keeping my blade alert, I chopped through a few more, hoping to clear a path to point three where I was instructed to go. Still no sign of Rainbow Dash, I prayed she was alright.

Vinyl halted in her tracks as she touched a spot on her face. Red liquid leaked from the grazing of a bullet. Vinyl had actually been injured. The wind of the bullet was even enough to crack her glasses.

Reaching to her face she grabbed the sunglasses and threw them aside, shattering them. Her red eyes were bloodshot and crazed. "So... That's how it's going to be?" She chuckled and allowed her horn to glow. Within a few seconds her entire body had magic emanating from it as she pulled out her new weapon and open fired.

Once she started mowing down the enemies, they started focusing fire on her. Their efforts however we're pointless, as the mare began to laugh while bullets bounced off of her.

"Hahahahaha! I am bulletproof! Suck it, you assholes!" She screamed.

All around me, I could finally see what Twilight meant about about war. Everywhere, lifeless bodies collapsing, screaming, and swords clashing. Blood flying in every direction; it was true: war is hell.

An enemy soldier came forward and attempted to slash at me, however I thrusted my blade forward, ripping his guts with my special weapon before kicking him off my sword and bolting towards the point I was instructed to reach.

It only took me a little longer, but once I had cleared a path, I had arrived at the destination without much resistance. Twilight ushered for me to duck beneath the rocks where she hid. Quickly, I bolted over there and got low. "What's going on?" I whispered.

She silenced me and gestured to peek forward.

Doing so, I noticed Luna standing in the open with her blade drawn. I was a little puzzled. "What's Luna doing there?"

Twilight grinned as she stayed low. "You'll see."

We had only sat still for about five minutes before something started happening. Out of nowhere, a dark cloaked figure jumped towards Luna with her blade drawn. With the flick of her head, the hood flew off revealing Trixie. She was quite clean and well dressed for a mare out in a battlefield. Not a drop of blood on her.

From the other side of Luna, an armored warrior, donning the traditional armor of Trixie's army jumped to Luna's other side. Trixie grinned as Luna looked to both sides. "Gotcha..." She smirked.

"Kill her," she instructed the soldier.

The armored knight drew her weapon and fired a few rounds at Trixie's feet. Luna took advantage of the confusion to flee. Once she had gotten far enough away, Twilight popped her head up, and cast a spell, placing a force field around the two.

Trixie peered around her and then narrowed her eyes at Twilight. "A trap...? You used your own princess as bait!?" She exclaimed.

Twilight snickered as Luna came to her side. "It was a risk I was willing to take. You're not the only one who can use trickery to win."

Trixie growled. "Slave, break this barrier!" She commanded the armored knight.

The creature just stood there silently.

"I said break this barrier, slave!" She spoke louder.

Lifting their helmet, the dark warrior revealed their face. Slowly tearing off the armor, a familiar cloak began to be exposed and sway in the wind. The same tattered old cloak I had come to admire.

Removing the last piece of armor, a determined Rainbow Dash stood in front of the trembling Trixie. This was Twilight's plan; lure Trixie out with Luna as bait, then leave her to Rainbow. Possibly the most clever plan I had ever witnessed.

"R-R-rainbow Dash..." Trixie stuttered.

Dash drew her blade. "I'm done talking... You die... Now."

Trixie took a step back and tried to once again charm her way out of the situation. "Dash... You don't want to kill me... I can help you... The darkness could make you stronger..."

Dash took a step forward. "Save it." She growled.

Shaking off her fear, Trixie grunted. "Fine... No matter. Even if you are Rainbow Dash, you're no match against the darkness..." She grinned as a black fog began to surround her. "I'll show you what you're missing out on..." She started to laugh as she was completely covered by the same fog.

Dash merely stood back, blade still drawn as Trixie began to grow in size and change shape. Her body taking a tall black form of some kind of bipedal giant. Its arms like thick tongues with slimy mucus hanging off of them, similar to its jaw which hung open with thick black slime dripping from it. All adorned with shining red eyes.

It lowered itself to Dash's level and screeched something fierce in her face. The monster's mouth was large enough to chew the pegasus up with a single tooth.

As spit and slime flung from its mouth, Dash wiped some off of her face, blade still drawn. "Alright... But I warned your other agent before..." She took her battle stance. "Rainbow Edge is invincible."

With the swing of its tendrils, it smashed into the ground, sending a shockwave powerful enough to push Twilight and me back. Dash merely jumped over it and landed on top of the tentacle. Once she latched on, the creature swung its other tentacle at her.

Thinking quickly, Dash leapt into the air and grabbed onto that one. This time however she pierced it with her blade. When it felt the pain, it shook her violently, trying to get her off of it, to no avail. Dash clinged onto the monster for dear life. Once it had given up on trying to shake her off, she began to climb the appendage.

The giant roared as it grabbed Dash in its mouth, clamping it shut. Twilight and I gasped for a second as we saw it swallow the warrior whole. Twilight held a hoof out. "Wait for it..."

A second later, Dash's blade jutted out of the roof of the creature's mouth, followed by a hoof smashing right through its mighty fangs, shattering them in an instant. As it roared, it hurled her into the sky.

Coming back down, Dash grabbed onto the skull of the monster and stabbed her blade as deep as it would go.

The damage she administered was too much for the foul beast. With a roar of pure anguish, it started to fall.

With a little more dexterity, Dash jumped off, and landed back on her hooves, blade still drawn.

Hitting the ground, the creature dissolved into nothing but black sludge, leaving only Trixie standing in its place.

"So... You're a lot stronger than I imagined..." Trixie drew her blade. "No matter, I guess we'll do this the old fashioned way..."

"You're dead." Dash replied.

Twilight quickly bolted past Dash, a loud slice was heard as she appeared behind her. Blood dripped from Trixie's blade as she stood with a familiar smirk.

Dash knelt in pain with a scream as she gripped her side.

"Heh... I still know a thing or two about anatomy... A pegasus' wings are the most sensitive spot on their body..." Trixie lectured.

Dash gripped the injured wing and looked back at Trixie, whom was already gloating like she had won. Oh how she was mistaken.

Rainbow took the wing only hanging on by a thread and gripped it in her teeth. Bracing herself, she gave a quick yank, ripping it clean off. Blood leaking from the place where it stood, she threw the severed wing aside as she turned around to face Trixie.

Trixie was needless to say, in shock. "I-impossible..."

"I said it before... You're dead..." Dash charged and locked swords with Trixie. "You can't stop me now, Trixie..."

Trixie grunted as she jumped back away from Dash's attacks. Rainbow was utilizing the speed she was famous for as she began to strike with all the force in her body against Trixie, who was only able to just barely stop the assaults. It was clear that Trixie wasn't a fighter.

Twilight was watching so eagerly that she didn't even notice the call she was getting over her headset. I tapped her shoulder, which made her snap back to reality. Answering she kept it quick. "Yes?"

I could hear Vinyl's voice over my headset as well. "We got a fuck ton over here! Where the hell are you? I am a one mare army over here!"

Twilight growled and nodded. "Flare, I am going to back her up. Stay here and cover Dash if need be. Make sure nopony interferes with their fight."

I didn't even get a chance to answer before she rushed off.

Dash was hacking at Trixie, full throttle. Trixie was doing everything she could to get away. "Fight back, you coward!" Dash commanded.

Trixie ignored her order and just stayed on the defensive.

Dash paused and grinned. "You've never killed any pony before, have you Trixie?" Trixie took a step back. "You always have your goons do your dirty work... Even my sister... You have never killed before..."

"Too bad for you, I have!" She bolted forward and attacked again. Trixie rolled out of the way.

"And if you kill me, what then? You're still a wingless pegasus. A washed up hero. Killing me won't change anything." Trixie taunted.

Dash growled as her body began to glow. "I'll show you what real power is..." Her eyes began to emit the same glow that they did during her fight with Spitfire. Sure enough her "wings" reappeared as the necklace appeared around her neck.

Trixie held her sword in a blocking manner as Dash sliced at her, however, when she opened her eyes the blade was cut right in half. Trixie began to cast a spell, however with a swift cut, Dash took her horn clean off her skull as well.

Back in the heat of battle, Vinyl Scratch hacked away as Twilight made her arrival. It was strange to see her so nonchalant about the entire situation. Vinyl was needless to say, suspicious.

As the white unicorn hacked off another head, she gave Twilight a puzzled expression. "Why so calm?"

Twilight smirked as she pointed. "I brought the big guns."

Vinyl turned to see a pink earth pony trotting onto the battlefield carelessly. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Pinkamena, permitted on the battlefield? She turned to Twilight with a growl. "Why did you let that bitch out here?"

Twilight's grin remained. "You're about to find out."

Pinkamena removed her glasses carefully and placed them in her saddlebag. With her blade extended she leapt into the air at a Pegasus heading her way. She stabbed it repeatedly before using its body to land safely on the ground. When she lifted her head, Vinyl took note of her mane, which just became like a big ball of cotton candy.

Her eyes were bloodshot accompanied by an insane grin as she turned to the rest of the enemies around her. "It's party time..." She giggled.

All at once, they all tag teamed on her. Her skills with a blade however were too much for them. She began to slice them up with ease.

Not a single pony was able to touch her as she decimated them.

One darted at her through the sky, but the pink ball of chaos jumped and grabbed his neck in her teeth. With a tug, she ripped a large chunk of his flesh off and spit it out. Another stallion tried to lunge at her, but she ducked with her blade upright, slicing his stomach open.

Vinyl watched carefully. "She's a monster..."

Twilight shook her head. "She's Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie giggled and laughed while she continued to fight. Before long she had nearly a hundred dead bodies piled around her.

"She's a freak of nature..." Vinyl commented.

Trixie grunted as Dash pinned her right to the ground, her blade against her neck. The energy of the element had worn off, and Trixie was looking the real Rainbow Dash right in the eyes. I approached to get a better view.

"Dash... Please... You have no idea what the darkness is capable of..." Trixie pleaded.

Rainbow growled as she pressed her sword closer. "Even in death, you're a coward."

"Rainbow Dash, please... The darkness can do things worse than death... What would you have done?" Trixie coughed.

Up close I could see the blood trickling from where her horn once was.

"I would have died..." Dash hissed. "I would have killed myself before I got a chance to become like you."

Trixie whimpered as tears began to well up in her eyes. She was even reciting a small prayer as she laid there at Dash's mercy.

Rainbow lifted her sword and stood up. "However... I'm not going to kill you..."

Trixie blinked and looked up at the merciful Dash. "Wha-wha? Why!?"

"Killing you would only make me like you... That's not what Colors wanted... She wanted a world without violence..." She sighed, but grinned. "Besides... I have a better idea..."

Trixie gulped.

"You fear death... You run from it. And now... You're no use to the darkness. Without your magic, you're worthless as an agent, and you won't allow yourself to become a mindless drone. And you sure as hell can't join the Equestrian military..." Dash's grin widened. "You're trapped on the middle of a war with no side. I can think of no better punishment than making you run away. Forced to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder." Dash's tone was ominous.

Trixie trembled from under the "former" Pegasus. Once Dash stepped back, Trixie crawled out from under her quickly.

"Now start running... Before I change my mind..." Dash instructed with her blade still ready.

Not waiting to be told twice, Trixie tapped on a screen on her weapon and spoke. "Retreat." A voice began to yell back at her, but she cut them off before they got a chance to get two words in. "I said retreat! That is an order!" She turned quickly and began to make a run for it.

I trotted out of the safety behind the rocks and sat next to Dash, whom was shuffling through the dirt around me. "Aren't you going to go after her?" I asked.

Dash shook her head and picked up an object front the ground. "No. She deserves to live, death would be freeing her of her torment."

I shrugged and decided that she would know better than me.

The mare held her hoof out and offered me the severed horn. Not sure why, I took the bloody stub in my hoof.

"Take that to Twilight, tell her that Trixie will not be bothering her any longer." She sighed as she sat down on a rock, panting a bit.

I nodded and placed the horn into my bag. Looking back at her, I tilted my head. "What about you?"

Dash spat and cracked her neck. "I told you, I'm done with this war now. I got some stuff to take care of out here though." She looked back at me and smiled. "Plus, I'm a little tired... I just defeated the greatest enemy of Equestria." She winked.

I smiled and nodded as I ran off to go deliver her prize to Twilight.

"General Sparkle." I panted as I halted in front of her.

"I... I..." I paused, trying to catch my breath.

The general gave me a confused expression as Vinyl stepped forward. She still was missing her sunglasses, I guessed she didn't have another pair.

I took note of all the bodies around them. Looking around I rose a brow and stood up. "What happened here?"

Vinyl rolled her eyes and pointed off in the distance, to a blood covered Pinkamena who was placing her glasses back on her face. "That happened."

"Pinkie Pie, I assume?" I replied.

Twilight cut the conversation short. "That's not important right now. I am hoping you've brought good news, soldier..."

I nodded as I started digging through my bag. Grasping the horn, I put it on display for Twilight. Her jaw hung open and her eyes lit up. "Is that...?"

I nodded. "A present from Rainbow Dash."

Taking it in her hooves, Twilight smiled as she examined it. "I knew she could do it... Where is she though?"

Sighing, I shrugged. "She said she is done with this war now. Went on about having stuff to take care of before she leaves though."

Twilight placed her hoof to her earpiece. "Looks like the loss of Trixie was too much for them..." She grins.

Vinyl cocked a puzzled expression. "Why's that?"

Twilight grinned. "They're retreating."

Vinyl leapt forward and grabbed me in an embrace, running her hoof violently through my mane. I groaned in discomfort, but it didn't seem to stop her. "You are lucky kid, you got to see a real hero out there. Rainbow just bought us another day to live. Hell I think I owe her a big sloppy kiss." She joked.

I composed myself as she stopped giving me a noogie. However the mare whom was still in the best of excitement grabbed my cheeks and planted a kiss on my forehead.

I blushed as she released me.

She winked, "I'd give you more than that, but I figured you are going to be getting plenty of action when we get back to Canterlot. All the mares are going to be all over a war hero."

I rolled my eyes. "I think this calls for a celebration." Twilight smiled.

She then radioed the thing I was waiting to hear since I arrived. "Fall back, we won."