Sweetie Belle looked at a shiny pebble on the ground, dislodged after Discord's attack. A sapphire. Now that brought back memories of her fillyhood, playing with sapphires and fraying Rarity's nerves to the brink of insanity.

"Sorry" a voice called out from behind, causing Sweetie to turn. It was Babs. "Sorry for doubting ya. I said some mean things about you, I shoulda believed in ya a bit more" Babs apologized, looping her leg across Sweetie's neck.

"It's okay. I wouldn't have believed in me either" Sweetie chuckled, relieved and feeling great after defeating Discord.

"Come here, I found something you need to hear" Zecora's husky voice spoke from her make shift lab, where she was fiddling with the Element of Loyalty.

"What is it?" Babs asked, trotting over there and hoping that it was some good news for once.

"The element was inside a dragon, it remembers its cabin" Zecora rhymed, pointing out an image in the necklace. A cabin inside what appeared to be a cave.

"I remember those in Canterlot, the Crystal Caves" Sweetie mused, eyes wide.

"That must be where Celestia's base is, underneath Canterlot! We can go on the offensive!" Babs sputtered, excitement welling up inside of her. They could take the fight to Celestia and her goons!

"No, we can't. Not enough ponies" said Shining Armor, his voice clipped and military as he walked by. His stern look softened a bit. "But, maybe you guys can go recruit them. Team Scootabelle will have a reputation for defeating Discord" Shining Armor ordered, not flinching as Scootaloo dropped down from seemingly nowhere.

"Consider it done!" Scootaloo boasted, zipping off into the wasteland.

"Bye guys" Sweetie managed to squeak before Scootaloo dragged her along. Babs's ears drooped a bit. Why was Scootaloo so impulsive? If she had just let her explain...

"You can go too" Shining Armor smiled, making his magenta shield across the camp. "It's obvious you are star struck by her" the old captain joked. Babs blushed hard as her feelings were exposed.

"That's not how it is!" she yelped, stumbling off to follow her comrades. "But thanks!" she acknowledged to Shining Armor as she ran off, leaving the captain to continue his battle plans.

Just a day passed before team Scootabelle found their first recruits. A team of pegasis circling the sky, black smoke trailing from them.

"We'll take them down!" Scootaloo hissed, preparing to use her avatar. Her eyes widened and she began screeching as she got a closer look, the pegasi landing. "THE WONDERBOLTS, OH MY GOSH!" she shrieked, bouncing around like a little fangirl.

"Someone who's still a fan, that's rare. I'm Spitfire" said the pegasus in front, her orange mane sticking up like fire. "These other two are Soarin and Fleetfoot"

"We hunt Celestial Soldiers" the other two Wonderbolts claimed, flapping their wings with pride.

"Maybe you can join us then, we take them down too" Babs offered, trying to be diplomatic.

"Nice try, but we work so-" Spitfire started before noticing the Elements on Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The mare practically choked before nodding her head up and down. She'd join them now.

"I'll be able to show the Wonderbolts how awesome I am!" Scootaloo continued squealing, making Spitfire give her a small glare.

"Heh, good luck with that kid"

"According to the map, Appleloosa should be just up ahead" Babs muttered, leafing through a battered map. She turned to look at where Sweetie Belle should be, only to see nothing, same with Scootaloo. "Where?...THERE!" Babs realized,charging after her friends and tackling a yellow earth pony.

"Applebloom, we've missed you!" Sweetie Belle wailed from her position in the group hug, embracing the farm mare.

"Same here, but what are you doing in these parts?" Applebloom asked, managing to disengage from the group hug.

"We're recruiting people to take down Celestia!" Scootaloo laughed plainly, causing Applebloom to roll her eyes.

"Nice confidence. But I'll follow my friends anywhere. Even if we're not Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore" Applebloom smiled, pointing at her flank, emblazoned with pickaxe. In no time at all, the Earth Pony was packed and ready to set off...until two foals slammed into her hind legs.

"We want to come too, mom!" they giggled, smiling brightly at them.

"Mom? You had kids?" Scootaloo asked, eyes wide.

"Yup, the boy is Sandy Dunes, the girl is Burning Cobalt" Applebloom chuckled. The male was a rusty color with a spiky mane of yellow, his sister was blue coated with a smooth, red mane. "And no, you can't come!" Applebloom ordered of the two foals, making them groan in protest.

"Come on, let them come, we can protect them" Sweetie Belle cooed, nuzzling Sandy Dunes affectionately.

"I'd be happier if they were with me..." Applebloom considered, pursing her lips. There was a loud thunk and the corpse of a wolf fell behind her.

"We can keep them safe" Babs swore, yanking her javelin out of the beast's back. Applebloom thought it over, before smiling.

"Alright" she gave in, to chorus of cheers from her children.

The reputation held by Team Scootabelle was spreading fast. Entire divisions of Celestia's monsters were being destroyed. More and more ponies flocked to the resistance, emboldened by new hope. Sweetie smiled from her sleeping bag, seeing caravans going towards the resistance in Ponyville. Things were going to change, that was for sure.

"Everything will be alright" she sighed, closing her eyes.

In a dank hole underground, trouble brewed. Chrysalis, Tirek, Diamond Tiara, Discord, and Trixie all stood in an antechamber, lit up by a golden light in the center. Chrysalis had suggested this place as a hideout, and everyone had to admit, the crystal caves where Cadence and Twilight had once been imprisoned made for a good hide out. The golden light they were looking at became even more intense, and out of it stepped Celestia, not looking a day older since the day everything had changed.

"I've heard there's some commotion on the surface" Celestia drawled. It wasn't a question and everyone could tell. "Yes, the center district has lost many warriors" Celestia noted, her mane flowing in the silent air.

"How pathetic for the great Discord's army. How the spirits have fallen" Trixie crowed, causing the draconequus to snarl at her as she chuckled. Discord had been in charge of the center district.

"More of these upstarts have been coming out than ever before. We should kill them all now" Diamond Tiara offered, her black crystal armor glinting in Celestia's glow. The pink mare flapped her wings restlessly, shuffling place. The once small town bully was now an alicorn, a savage one.

"Interesting, so the 5 Supreme Generals will do it themselves, eh?" Chrysalis sneered, buzzing her black wings.

"You're walking right into humiliation, a subject I'm sure you're all well versed on" Tirek grumbled, crossing his massive arms and closing his eyes. Celestia thought for a moment, looking up with a hint of wistfulness.

"Tirek, Discord, you two will work together to retake the central district" Celestia ordered, beginning to sit back down.

"Tirek?! He betrayed me once, how do I know he won't do it again?!" Discord sputtered, about to launch into a long tirade. His babbling was stopped by a glare from the alicorn in front of him, cowing the spirit of chaos. Long ago, he would have laughed it off. But not now, not after seeing her true power.

"Are you saying Tirek would dare betray me?" Celestia asked quietly, making both Tirek and Discord shudder.

"No, your majesty" the two said in unison, bowing deeply. Celestia nodded and slouched back.

"Don't do anything that will disturb my years of langour" Celestia rumbled, the light returning to its normal brightness.

"Yes, majesty!" Next Chapter: The War Begins Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 45 Minutes