"Is she still sitting there?" Limestone growled, pointing an accusatory hoof at the back of Pinkie as the pink mare stared listlessly out of the window with Gummy perched on her head. "I don't work my hooves to the bone on this farm just so she can spend all her time staring out of the window!"

"She misses her friends," Maud replied laconically.

"So? And that suddenly pardons her from ever doing work again, while we slave away to put food on the table?"

"You spend twenty bits a month on hair products, just to maintain your mane spikes," said Maud. "That's two hundred and forty bits a year."

"And? What's your point? I work for those bits!"

"No point."

Limestone growled again, and looked around the room until she spotted their other sibling, sitting in the corner where she almost blended in with the wall. "You're with me aren't you Marble? You think Pinkie's just being pathetic sitting there, don't you?"

"I-I-I think... that she-"

"See? Even Marble agrees with me!" Behind Limestone, Marble leaned against the wall, wondering why she even bothered to try and have an opinion since Limestone would only ignore it anyway.

"What do you propose then?" Maud asked, still having not taken her eyes off Pinkie. Sometimes it was quite hard to tell if she was still breathing she was sitting that still.

"What do I propose? I propose that she gets off her butt, and does some work! What? Were you going to say we should go ask them in Mareitania if they would pretty please give her friends back?" Limestone mockingly fluttered her eyelashes at Maud, then returned to her usual scowl. "Don't be ridiculous."

"We could go and ask," Maud said back, mostly ignoring Limestone's sarcasm, "but I think we'd need to join the army to do it."

"Really? Can you really see Pinkie joining the army? Could you see yourself, or Marble joining the army? I know, let's give Marble a sword and see how tough she looks!" Limestone stomped over to Marble and dragged her out of the corner, "Go on Marble, go tell Pinkie she should go join the army to get her friends back. You're her twin, so she'll definitely listen to you!"

Marble started to stammer a refusal, then stopped, and steeled herself as she decided that she was going to do exactly what Limestone told her to do, purely to spite her bossy, bullying sister. Pinkie might be a motor mouth that spoke over her, and for her, ninety nine percent of the time, and totally destroyed her social skills, leaving her with only 'mmhmm' to cover the other one percent, but at least Pinkie was nice for all one hundred percent of the time she spoke over Marble, whereas Limestone, not so much.

Marble walked up behind Pinkie and gently tapped her on the shoulder, causing the pink mare to turn her head just enough so she could see Marble smiling bravely at her. "Hey Marble. Sorry I haven't been much fun lately."

"Th- Tha-"

"I knew you'd understand." Pinkie sighed and turned back to the window. "I don't know what to do Marble," she said, her head bobbing up and down as her chin rested on her leg. "Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike have been taken away, and now Twilight has to go on some big mission to save the day, while Rainbow fights in the Wonderbolts. Both of them are so brave, but me? I'm useless."

"Y-you're nnnn-"

"Aww," Pinkie giggled, "it's nice of you to say so, but it's true. I'm not as brave as Rainbow Dash, or as strong as Twilight. She might have done some horrible things, but I know those things still hurt her now. Even so, she's still able to keep going, even without her friends."

"You sh- sho-"

"You're right, I should do something to try and get my friends back, but what? What could I possibly do?"

"M-m-maybe you cou-"

"Join the army? I don't know Marble, that sounds a little extreme. I mean, fighting ponies? Kill-" Pinkie swallowed hard as her voice stuffed up trying to say the word. "Killing... ponies? I don't know if I could do that Marble."

"Ra- Rain-"

"I know Rainbow has to. Twilight can too." Pinkie started to frown as thoughts began percolating in her brain. "I bet none of my friends would be afraid to stand up to a bully like Faust. Even Fluttershy. So why should I be any different? Why should I be the one afraid to do what has to be done. If beating Faust and Mareitania would make ponies happy again, and get me my friends back, then I should help, right?"

"I-I-I-"

"Don't try to talk me out of this Marble! My mind's made up. Pinkie Pie is going to join the army, beat the bad guys, and get her friends back!"

"Are y-y-"

"Yes I'm sure!" Pinkie bounced up and grabbed Marble in a hug, "Thanks for the talk Marble. You really are the bestest little sister by two minutes anypony in the world could ever ask for!"

"You're wel-welc-"

"Everypony, I've made a decision! I'm going to join the army, and get my friends back!"

"What?!" Limestone screeched. "Marble, I was joking!" Limestone glared at Marble until she looked away, for all of two seconds. "Pinkie, you can't go and join the army! It's dangerous! You could get killed!"

"I don't care. It's just as dangerous for everypony else going to fight, so why should I avoid it when they don't?"

"I- No! I forbid it!"

"That's not your choice," Maud told Limestone.

"And you agree with this?"

Maud nodded once, "I do, and I'm going with her."

"What? No!" Pinkie shouted. "You don't have to join just because I do!"

"I know, but I still am. Protecting Equestria is the right thing to do." Maud twitched her mouth up at the corners as she smiled at Pinkie.

Limestone looked back and forth between Pinkie and Maud, unable to work out what was going on. "Have you both lost your mind? You can't join the army! And if you won't listen to me, perhaps you'll listen to mum and dad!" Limestone almost ran over to the stairs, and shouted up it. "Mum! Dad! Pinkie and Maud are saying they're going to join the army!" Limestone smirked at Pinkie and Maud, confident that their parents would soon talk them out of it.

"Then may providence see fit to guide them safely through the conflict ahead," their father, Igneous shouted back down a moment later.

Something snapped within Limestone's head, and she stared blankly for a moment. "Wha- What did you just say?" Limestone backed away from the stairs as her parents descended. "Did you just agree with them?"

"Let it not be said that the Pie family neglected to perform their part in the protection of our beloved homeland," Igneous said to all of them. "If Pinkamena and Maud wish to defend Equestria, then they doth go with our blessing."

"Yes!" Pinkie cheered. "Parental permission! Come on Maud! Let's go to the recruitment booth in town!"

"Fine!" Limestone interrupted with a shout. "Just go! It'll just be me and Marble like it has been ever since you and Maud left!"

"Okey dokey captain grumpy. See you in a few hours!" Pinkie pushed open the door outside when a high pitched squeaking stopped her. All of them looked around, trying to discern its source, until they all looked at Marble, who seemed fit to burst. "What's up Marble? Don't you want us to go? You're the one that talked me into this!"

"N-n-n..."

"Don't worry Marble! I promise you we'll be fine, and we'll take great care of each other, won't we Maud?"

Maud nodded at Pinkie's words, "Yes Pinkie. You don't need to worry Marble."

"No, I-ack!" Marble gasped as Pinkie swept her up into a bone crushing hug."

"I'm going to miss you while I'm gone too Marble!" Pinkie released her sister and patted her on the head. "We won't be going yet though, so we can do our proper goodbyes later. Come on Maud, let's get moving!" Pinkie bounced out of the door, Maud walking at her usual pace behind her.

"I can't believe this is happening," Limestone muttered as they all followed them out to see them off. She turned to Marble to berate her for talking Pinkie and Maud into this, but stopped as she saw Marble going red in the face as she anxiously trotted on the spot. "Marble? What are you doing?"

"Take me with you!" Marble shouted as loud as she could. "Please!"

Pinkie and Maud looked at each other, then walked the short distance back to where the others were standing. "Are you sure you really want to come with us?" Maud asked their youngest sister.

"Yes! Yes, I am!" Marble looked to her parents, seeking their approval. "Can I?"

"Of course," her mother said with a stiff but loving smile. A smile that grew as Marble hugged her.

"No..." Limestone ground her hooves into the dirt, and stayed that way even as her sisters left. "How could you do this?" she angrily asked her parents, "How could you let them go?"

Igneous and Cloudy Quartz shared a look. "Art thou more upset that they hath gone without you than thou wouldst admit Limestone?" Igneous asked his daughter.

"What? N-" Limestone bit her tongue before she could lie to her parents. What she wanted was for them all to stay on the farm where it was safe. What she wanted least of all was to be left on the farm without any of her sisters at all. "They could get killed!"

"And that thought weighs heavily upon us," Igneous replied somberly. "But if it is fate that the protection of Equestria claim the lives of our beloved daughters, then so be it. We shall both mourn their loss, and celebrate their bravery."

"If you wish to go with them, you would have our blessing," said Cloudy.

"Indeed," said Igneous. "It would be hard, but your mother and I can take care of the farm whilst you art away."

"Of course," Cloudy continued, "if you wish to stay it would be most appreciated, and without Marble, it would fall to you to aid me with the treatment of my fungal hoof infection."

"Uhhhhh..." Limestone looked back and forth between her parents and her sisters in the distance, and made her decision. "Hey! Wait up!" she yelled to her sisters. "I'm coming too!"

Igneous leaned towards his wife as Limestone kicked up a cloud of dust as she chased after the others. "I thought thine hoof troubles had been cured several moons ago."

"They were," Cloudy said back. "I endeavoured to keep up the illusion because Marble didst enjoy the time away from Limestone. I never really required that Marble assist me in the first place."

"Then why encourage Limestone to go with them? I would be elated should she have remained just so she might be safe here."

Cloudy smiled sadly, "Because she would be miserable if she remained, and we agreed we would support their decision to join the military if they so wished." Cloudy watched her husband nod in sullen agreement. "I also feel that having somepony yell at her for a while would do wonders for Limestone's manner."

"Thou art a shrewd mare, wife."

There was already a short queue of ponies at the recruitment stand in the small village of Rockton that sat a few short miles from the Pie family rock farm. In this part of Equestria there were predominantly earth ponies, but there were a few unicorns and pegasi dotted about too.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Limestone grumbled as the four sisters joined the end of the line.

"Then go home," Maud told her.

"I can't. If any of you got killed, mum and dad would be devastated. I'd be devastated. If me coming with you means we all come home alive, then that's what I'll do."

"That's nice," Maud said with a tiny nod. "Unrealistic, but nice."

"We'll be fine," Pinkie said, care free. "After all, we have plot protection!"

Limestone stared blankly at Pinkie for several seconds until the need to blink grew too strong. "I know I shouldn't ask, but what are you talking about?"

"Plot protection. Four sisters, going off together on an adventure, facing unknown dangers and stuff, and if they stick together and look out for each other, they all come back! Just like in a story!"

Limestone stomped a hoof and growled, "This isn't a story Pinkie! This is the real world, and we could very easily get hurt, or killed. There's no such thing as plot protection!"

"Y'know, when we all come back after rescuing my friends and saving the day, you're going to realise exactly how silly you sound right now."

"And you're going to have a real nasty wakeup call Pinkie," Limestone said back.

"Next!" Behind them, the next pony stepped up to the booth.

"At least we're not the only ponies here," Pinkie said conversationally as they shuffled along in the line. "Think how many ponies there must be joining up in places waaay bigger than Rockton."

"Then they clearly don't need us," said Limestone. "We should just go home, and stay safe until the war's over."

"Not until I have my friends back," Pinkie said back, full of determination. "Are you going to be a party pooper the whole time? Because you can go back home if you want?"

"Either we all go home, or none of us go home."

"Alrighty," Pinkie shrugged, "but it's only you saying that."

"Next!"

Pinkie saw that she was next in line, and pronked up to the two Royal Guards manning the booth. She slapped a hoof on the flimsy wooden table they sat behind and smiled at the both of them. "Hi! We'd like to join one army please!"

The grey unicorn guard on the right raised an eyebrow as Pinkie's sisters gathered around. "All four of you?"

"Absolutely!"

"Alright then." He nodded at the other guard, a pegasus, who produced four forms and placed them on the table. "Fill out these forms, then take them into the village hall behind me for your physical and psychiatric evaluation. Should you pass both of those you'll be given further instruction." The stallion placed four pens on the table, "Please return the pens once you've filled out your form."

"Okey dok-"

"Next!"

"Yeesh, some ponies." Pinkie picked up her form, and quietly filled it out, poking a few holes through it with the pen until she decided to use Maud to write on. Similarly, Marble used her back, Limestone used Marble's, and Maud used Limestone's, so they ended up sitting in a square.

"Do you think they want my full name?" Pinkie asked after a few minutes.

"Yes Pinkie," Maud replied.

"But only it's mum and dad that even use it. Maybe I should just put Pinkie Pie."

"Put your full name Pinkie."

"But it's so boring, and strict sounding."

"Put your full name Pinkie," Maud insisted.

"Alright, alright. You don't have to be so pushy Maud."

"Sorry Pinkie, but it does say to put your full name."

After the brief altercation about Pinkie's name, the rest of the paperwork was done in a surprising amount of silence considering who was doing it. "Fin-ished!" Pinkie sang, while on her back she could feel Marble come to the bottom of the last page. "All done Marble?"

"Mmhmm," Marble answered affirmatively.

"Awesome! How about you Limestone?"

"This thing is asking for way too much personal stuff. And some of these questions are weird."

"I'll take that as a yes. How about you Maud?"

"I am finished."

"Alright! Then let's go do the next part!"

Pinkie hummed to herself as she sat in a curtained off section of the building they were directed into. She had no idea why they couldn't just call it the village hall since that was exactly what it was, but she figured that the guard ponies were mostly right in that it was, most definitely, a building.

"I'm not sure how being a three time saviour of Equestria counts as being an occupation," the pony that Pinkie assumed was a doctor said after a few minutes.

"It would be five, but Fluttershy stopped the dragon that was smoking up the place, and beating that nasty old King Sombra and saving the Crystal Empire was totally all Spike."

"I see..." The doctor picked a pen up in his magic and scribbled out most of what she wrote, leaving just 'baker' behind. Then he thought about it and added 'Element of Harmony,' since he did actually know full well who Pinkie was. "Now then Miss Pie-"

"Just call me Pinkie!"

"I'm afraid I won't be doing that Miss Pie. Now, you aren't on any medication are you? For either physical or mental conditions?"

"Nope!"

"And have no disabilities?"

"Nope!"

The Doctor noted a few things down on his clipboard, then paused when he saw the section on vaccinations, seeing that Pinkie had put 'do all the needles I had to have jabbed into me as a kid count?' He decided that was probably close enough to being a yes to not worry. "Could you stand on the scales please?"

Pinkie bounced off her seat and onto the scales in one movement, and stood there as the doctor wrote down the result. "Very good. Now I'm going to ask you a question, Pinkamena, and I want you to answer honestly. Why do you want to join the military?"

"Because those meanies kidnapped my friends and took them back to Mareitania. I figured that joining the army would be the best way to get them back." Pinkie cocked her head at the question, "Why does that matter anyway? I thought you wanted ponies to join?"

"I'm required to ask," he said as he wrote down why, figuring that somepony on a higher pay grade could work out what Pinkie actually meant. He knew most of this would be worked out in the training process anyway. All that was required of him was to make sure a pony wasn't joining simply so they could hurt or kill other ponies. Even with that small caveat, he was told to be pretty flexible because they needed the recruits.

"Okay, everything seems to be above board here, so I'm approving you to move onto the physical test."

"Yes!" Pinkie hoof-pumped, "Nailed it!"

The doctor picked up a stamp and pressed it against Pinkie's form, then gave it back to Pinkie. "If you could make your way out to the playing field behind the building and give that to one of the guards, they'll carry out the physical test once they're ready.

"Okey dokey! Thanks doc!" Pinkie popped the form into her mane, and waited for the doctor to open the curtain before bouncing out. Maud was waiting quietly in the corridor between curtained sections, staring straight ahead. "Hey Maud. You still waiting to go in?"

"No, I'm finished. I'm waiting for you and the others."

"Ohhhh, okay." Pinkie cocked an ear at the sound of a nearby 'mmhmm,' that could only have been her baby sister, while further away she could hear Limestone grunting short, sharp replies before sweeping the curtain aside and storming up to Pinkie and Maud.

"Apparently I'm slightly overweight," she growled. "Like it's my fault I had a big breakfast!"

"Maybe if you ate food for breakfast," Pinkie said slightly nervously, knowing how sensitive Limestone could be about her weight, "y'know, instead of rocks."

"Don't tell me what I can and can't eat Pinkie!" Limestone sat down hard, the faint clunk of rocks coming from her stomach as she did. "They passed me anyway, so I guess it didn't matter that much. Besides, I'm more likely to pass than Marble with her shyness, and that stupid stutter."

"Hey!" Pinkie half shouted. "You take that back! Her stutter is adorable and precious!"

Limestone rolled her eyes, "Sure. I would ask her opinion on that, but she'd only tell me I'm 'mmhmm,' and that I should 'mmhmm.'"

"Uh! Why are you so awful to her?"

"Me? What about you? You always talk over her, even when she's talking to you! I'm just trying to toughen her up."

"I fail to see how forcing her to eat worms that one time counts as 'toughening her up,'" Maud said flatly.

"Oh yeah," Limestone sniggered, "I'd almost forgotten about that."

"It was only three weeks ago."

"Was it? Wow, how the time flies." Limestone looked up as a curtain opened and Marble walked out. "So, you ready to go home?"

"Mm-mm," said Marble, holding up her papers for them all to see. There was a pass stamped onto it.

"You've got to be kidding me," Limestone grumbled as Pinkie cheered and hugged Marble. "Just how desperate for ponies are they?"

"They let you in," Maud said flatly.

"That better have been sarcasm."

"Good afternoon everypony," the guard on the playing field said loudly enough for the twenty or so ponies there to hear him. "Now that you've all proven that you're at least bright enough to pick up a sword without hurting yourself nine times out of ten, it's time to see if you're fit enough to do a little exercise without dying. We will be doing pushups, or wing-ups for the pegasi, sit-ups, and a little light jogging, or flying, in what will be your first little taste of military life. Any questions?"

"Yeah, will the disparity in strength between earth ponies and unicorns be taken into account?" Pinkie lowered her hoof as everypony looked at her. "What? I just want it to be fair for everypony."

"There's only like, two unicorns here Pinkie," said Limestone. "I'm pretty sure it won't matter."

"Actually, the pink pony is right," the guard told them. "A unicorn scoring slightly lower on the physical test is acceptable, as it is for pegasi. Now, because I lack ponies here to help me with this, I want you all to pair up and help each other as you take it in turns. We'll be doing pushups first, and you'll all have two minutes to do as many as possible. Choose your partners."

Pinkie automatically went for Maud, then stopped as she thought about the way Limestone had been talking about Marble, and how it wouldn't be nice to leave them together. "Hey Marble, do you wanna be my partner?" Her younger sister nodded eagerly, glad to not be with Limestone. "Okay, you go first, and I'll count."

A shrill whistle blew, signalling the start of their two minutes. Marble set into action, pumping out push-up after push-up at a wholly unsustainable rate, that she slowed down considerably from after the thirty seconds. "You can do it Marble! Best pusher-upper ever!"

"You're supposed to be counting Pinkie," Limestone grunted, not taking her eyes off Maud as she also did push-up after push-up, not even seeming to be winded in the slightest.

"And I am! She's on twenty seven- no, twenty eight, twenty nine, now thirty, thirty one, thirty two-"

Another whistle cut across the field, and a moment later the guard asked for the scores. Internally he sighed at some of the lacklustre results, which were verging on a fail for some of the ponies here. He instructed them to swap over, and blew his whistle again.

"Come on Pinkie!" Pinkie shouted at herself for encouragement, "You can do it!" The world turned into an alternating blur of up and down as Pinkie performed push-up after push-up, not stopping until the whistle blew again. "Phew! That was tough. How'd I do Marble?"

"Mmhmm-mm-hmm."

"Thirty seven? Aww! I thought I did way more than that!"

The results of the sit-ups were much the same as the push-ups, except that it seemed to involve a lot more grunting for some reason. Still, everypony at least scraped through by the lowly standards the guard was given to pass them on, and they moved onto the final test.

"Ten laps of the playing field as fast as you can," the guard said as they all lined up. "Or thirty laps flying for the pegasi. Trotting is permitted for non-pegasi but your score is determined by how fast you do it. Also, you must not leave the track, or you will be disqualified. You must not touch any of the others to even help them up if they fall, or you will be disqualified. If you simply cannot run that far, you are... that's right, disqualified. However, if you are disqualified, you will have a chance to do it again until you are qualified."

The guard blew his whistle, and watched sullenly as they all set into motion. There was no real way any of the ponies here should fail for fitness reasons, because ponies were literally built for running. Some of the overachievers would inevitably do it as fast as they could, but that was always the case. Most of them settled into a canter, and stuck together through the course, which is what he preferred to see.

Naturally the pegasi finished first, even with the extra laps, and he quietly stamped an approval onto their papers, followed by every pony that finished. Nopony left the course, or interfered with each other in any way he could see, so simply because they were all able to do it, they all passed. He'd be more excited if the standard to pass on wasn't so low. While some were doing thirty to forty push-ups, the pass was fifteen, and push-ups weren't all that hard for short pony bodies. The pass for sit-ups was to do ten, hopefully without bitching too much about it, and the laps simply had to be finished. Even a thee legged pony could fill those requirements.

"Congratulations ponies, you've all passed the required fitness test," the guard announced, trying to put some enthusiasm into it. "That means you've all qualified for boot camp, and induction into the Equestrian army. Your training will be taking place at the newly built Camp Freedom at Rainbow Falls, to which you will be going tomorrow morning. You will be given papers as you leave here that you will need to keep with you until you arrive there, and you will also be given a list of items you will need, or want to bring with you, as well as a list of things you can't bring with you. Everything else you need will be provided. Other than that, be at the train station at eight a.m, and welcome to the army. Dismissed!"

Pinkie immediately grabbed her sisters and smushed them into a hug, "We did it girls! We all got in!"

"Yay," Maud and Limestone said together, equally monotone, while Marble smiled, cheering on the inside. She was finally getting away from the farm, even if Limestone came with her.

"I know right? Exciting! Come on, lets get our papers, then go tell mum and dad the good news!"

There was only one way off the playing field that didn't involve going back through the village hall, or flying for those capable, and by the small gate there was a pair of tables with two more of the identikit Royal Guards. One of the tables was stacked with papers, with the other was covered in empty green duffle bags.

"Name?" the first guard asked boredly as Pinkie walked up to it.

"Pinkie Pie!"

"There's no one by that name here. I have a Pinkamena Diane Pie, but that's it."

"That's me!" Pinkie cheerfully told him.

"Then please use your full name." He placed the papers in front of Pinkie, "Keep hold of these until you're asked to give them at the training grounds at Rainbow falls, and make sure you sign them before that. Losing them will mean you having to do this again, so please don't. Also take one of the bags provided."

"Yeah, what's the deal with those?"

"Standard issue. If you can't fit it in the bag, you can't bring it, so I suggest you pay close attention to the list of what you can and can't bring with you."

"Okey dokey! Thanks mister guard sir!" Pinkie grabbed the papers, as well as a bag, and sat nearby as she waited. To pass the time she read the list of things she couldn't bring. Apparently they didn't really want you to bring anything save your papers and toiletries, as everything else would be provided. She froze as she eyes fixed on something. The list said no pets. "No pets? What is this madness?!"

"I'm sure they won't notice if you bring Boulder," Pinkie said to Maud as she helped her sisters pack. "He's small, and well behaved, and he totally wouldn't get into any trouble, not like Gummy."

"No Pinkie, the rules are there for a reason. Besides, Boulder will be much safer here with mother and father."

"And Gummy."

"Yes, and Gummy."

Limestone eyed the both of them, not seeing what the issue was. Gummy was about as much fun as a rock, and Boulder had a weird tendency to stare unblinking at you, which was odd for something without eyes. They were better off without them.

"Now Limestone, I implore thee to be kind to thine sisters," Igneous said, embracing his eldest. "You will need to look out for each other."

"Yes father."

"And you should not be afraid to speak up for thineself," Cloudy told Marble.

"Mmh-" Marble caught the stern yet loving gaze of her mother, and decided to use her words. "Y-yes mother."

"And Maud," said Igneous, "worry not how the others treat you. Thou art perfect as though art."

"Yes father."

"And Pinkamena," Cloudy said at last to Pinkie, "try to be good."

"Uh! When am I ever not good?"

"Pinkamena..."

"Yes mum."

"Now gather ye all around, so that we might embrace." The entire family piled into a rather stiff, but no less loving group hug. The train had already been at the station before they had arrived, and the time was quickly approaching when they would have to leave. "I beg of you all, stay safe. Now get ye all upon the train."

The four sisters picked up their luggage, slung it over their backs, and made their way onto the train. It was mostly empty, so finding seats wasn't an issue. Pinkie picked the ones nearest their parents, and slid the window open as the conductor shouted "All aboard!"

"We're going to miss you guys so much!" Pinkie shouted to her parents as the train slowly started to eke its way forwards.

"And we you," her parents shouted back, somehow without actually shouting.

"And take good care of Gummy and Boulder! Bye-eee!" Pinkie made room for her sisters so they could all wave to their parents, doing so until they were out of sight of each other.

Cloudy sighed sadly and leant against her husband, "I do hope they stick together and remain safe and well in the times ahead."

Igneous nodded stiffly, wishing the same. He also had other concerns. "Beloved, how exactly does one care for a toothless baby alligator?"

"I hath not the foggiest. Thankfully Boulder's needs are relatively low, save that we not accidentally lose him. I'm more concerned about how we two can run the farm. We art not as young as we once were."

"Mayhaps the unicorn Trixie Lulamoon is still available to hire," Igneous said thoughtfully.

"Her?" Cloudy replied scornfully. "No offence my beloved, but she was flipping useless."

Pinkie ducked down as she realised that the train was not only going into Ponyville, but also stopping too. "Uh oh."

"What?" Limestone asked, unamusedly watching Pinkie's antics.

"We're in Ponyville."

"And?"

"And ponies know me here!" Pinkie raised her head so she could peek over the lip of the window as the train pulled into the station.

"I'm really failing to see the problem here."

"Actually, so am I." Pinkie sat back up to look at all the ponies on the station. There were easily two hundred, if not more, and she idly began listing off their names, not that she thought her sisters were listening. Pinkie herself was more concerned about whether to be happy so many ponies she knew were going, or worried that so many ponies she knew could end up getting hurt when the fighting started.

"Pinkie?"

Pinkie turned away from the window at the sound of her name, finding the mint green unicorn Lyra standing by them, looking at her with perplexity. "Oh, hey Lyra! Are you going to go fight too?"

"Yep," Lyra said morosely. "We all got to do our part, right?"

Pinkie looked up and down the train, but didn't see the pony she was looking for. "Isn't Bon Bon with you?"

"Bon Bon... Bon Bon's..." Lyra sighed, "I don't know what Bon Bon's really doing, but she's definitely doing something. I just have no idea what that is. Anyway, I thought that if I join then there's more soldiers, so the war ends faster, so we can be back together sooner."

"Absolutely," Pinkie agreed. "I'm joining to go get my friends back."

"I guess we're all doing this for the ponies we love then. Anyway, good to see you here Pinkie. Hopefully we can see more of each other through training."

"Yeah! That'd be great!"

Lyra stumbled as the train lurched back into motion, "Heh, better find a seat somewhere. See ya later Pinkie."

Pinkie waved after Lyra, then turned back to the window, still unsure of what to make of all these ponies she knew joining up. Plot protection couldn't cover all of them.

"I'm guessing those are the Rainbow Falls," Limestone said as she looked out of the window at the massive rainbows cascading from the clouds above a large plateau.

"It would seem that way," Maud agreed. "I've never been here before. I wonder how this plateau was formed?"

"Pretty sure they won't give you the time to perform a geological survey."

"That's a pity."

"Yeah, sure. I'm just glad we're here because this train is getting pretty crowded." Limestone gestured idly to the dozens of ponies around them. The train had stopped several more times between Ponyville and Rainbow Falls, and each time up to at least a few dozen more ponies piled on, sitting where they could, and standing when that wasn't possible. That was still only a portion of the ponies they saw around the station as the train rolled in to its final destination.

"Wow-ee!" Pinkie pushed her face up against the window to try and see all the ponies there. "Look at all those ponies! There must be hundreds here!" Pinkie pulled back from the window as Marble tapped her on the back and pointed out the window on the other side, towards a forest of tents, and hundreds, possibly even thousands of ponies around them, running around and performing drills. "Woah... That's a lot of birthdays to remember."

"That's your biggest concern?" Limestone rolled her eyes and grabbed her luggage, throwing over her back. "Whatever. Let's just get on with this."

Limestone bulled her way through the crowd, and Pinkie brought up the rear, partly to make sure Marble didn't lose her nerve and get lost in the crowd, and partly to apologise to all the ponies that Limestone shoved aside. Slowly they filtered their way through the crowd to an open sided tent, with a dozen harried looking ponies sat behind desks, asking the recruits for their papers.

Limestone split off to a desk, leaving her sisters to split off to one of the other desks. Pinkie chose one, and was immediately asked for her papers, which she produced from her mane. The unicorn quickly skimmed through it, and stopped at the occupation section before shrugging. "So, you're a baker?"

"That's really only my job description. Baker, Element of Harmony, saver of ponies... I've done it all."

"I see. Unfortunately we have plenty of cooks already, so your baking is going to go a little underutilized for now." The pony wrote Pinkie's name and a number on a tag, and attached it to Pinkie's bag, "Move onto the next section for tent assignments."

"Okay! Thanks muchly!" Her sisters were already waiting for her by the time she was done, and together they moved on to a bunch of ponies standing around a sign saying tent assignments. "Hi!" Pinkie said brightly to one of the ponies standing there in a green uniform, "We're looking for a tent."

"Go stand with those ponies there," the mare said, pointing to a group of half a dozen ponies, all mares, and each carrying their own luggage as well as a look of trepidation. "You and you," she said, pointing at two other ponies, "go with them."
Pinkie smiled as one of the other ponies that were pointed out was Lyra. "Hey again Lyra. Maybe this means we're going to be roomies!"

"Looks that way," Lyra laughed. "It'll be nice to be with a pony I know."

"Speaking of, this is Maud, Limestone, and my twin sister Marble." Pinkie pointed at each of her sisters as she said their name. "I forgot to make introductions back on the train."

"And I forgot to introduce myself." Lyra smiled and waved at Pinkie's sisters, "I'm Lyra Heartstrings."

"Hello Lyra," Maud said as Limestine grunted and Marble smiled shyly back.

Before anything more could be said, the mare that directed them to the group walked up to them, "If you'll follow me I'll show you to your tent. That's actually an order by the way, not a request. Along the way I'll explain the very simple rules. First, keep your tent clean and tidy, because they will be inspected regularly. That means no rubbish, no dirt, and roll your sleeping mat up every morning. Secondly, anypony caught stealing from ponies in yours or other ponies tents will be severly punished, and possibly even discharged. I assure you there's no reason for you to do this, and will not be tolerated. Keep to those two rules, and things will go a lot nicer for all of you."

"Is sharing stuff allowed?" Pinkie asked.

"If you have something you want to share, sure, but make you you bring enough for everypony. Nopony wants to be excluded after all." The mare stopped outside an empty tent with a tag stitched above the door displaying the number two hundred and forty two. "This is it, your home for the duration of your training, so I suggest you remember that number. If you'll leave your bags here, I'll show you to the comissiary where you'll get your bedding and uniform. It's also where you'll be able to buy things during your time here, but we request you to not do that until we have all the ponies here situated. Now leave your bags, and lets get going."

Pinkie entered the tent, and let her sisters pick their places before choosing hers. Limestone and Marble claimed the far end of the tent, placing their bags so they were opposite each other, while Maud placed her bag next to Limestone's. Pinkie placed hers next to Marble's, and jumped as a bag landed beside hers.

"You don't mind do you?" Lyra asked. "I'd rather be by a pony I know."

"Of course I don't, but I'm betting we'll all know each other by the end of the day." Pinkie smiled at the others claiming their spaces in the tent, "This is going to be so great!"

"Get a move on ladies!" the uniformed mare shouted before Pinkie could start asking names. "I have a lot of other ponies to show to their tents, so I need to get a move on."

Not wanting to annoy the pony, all the mares quickly picked their places and trotted back out of the tent, which the uniformed mare took as a sign to start moving again. She led them to a large marqee and stopped the entrance, "Here's where you'll be given your bedding, uniform, and other things, including instructions on what will happen next. Good luck recruits."

The group started filtering into the tent, and was immediately fed into a queue, moving from section to section as each pony was given their bedding and unforms, all starting with two ponies in the same green uniform that asked for their names. "Name?"

"Pinkie Pie. No, wait, make that Pinkamena Diane Pie."

One of the ponies, a unicorn, started sorting through papers until she found Pinkie's, and showed it to the other pony who started making adjustments to a device of some kind. A minute later, two small metal tags on a length of thin chain was placed in front of Pinkie. The tags both displayed her name and that number from earlier. "Make sure to wear those at all times."

"Why are there two?"

"Just move onto the next section please."

Pinkie shrugged and moved on to where a Royal Guard in his golden armour was inspecting each pony that stopped in front of him. Some ponies passed him without issue, while others were directed to a area where a dozen barbers were set up, trimming back the length of ponies manes and tails. Pinkie stopped in front of him, and let him have a look.

"Mane seems fine, but tail is a little long. Head through there to get it cut."

Pinkie nodded and started to walk in when a whimper from behind her stopped. Marble stood there, nervously eyeing the barbers, giving Pinkie an idea. She ran a hoof down her mane until it straightened out, "Actually my mane's pretty long too. Can I have it cut?"

The guard shrugged, "If you want."

Pinkie smiled back at Marble and walked into the barber section. A second later she heard the guard order Marble in after her. "Don't worry Marble, we'll both get mane cuts together." Marble smiled in appreciation, then looked back as Maud and Limestone joined them.

"My tail is too long," Maud explained.

"And they're going to mess with my mane!" Limestone growled.

"It'll be fine girls-"

"Next!"

"-You'll see." Pinkie jumped into an empty barbers chair, "Just a little off the top."

"Uh-huh," the barber hummed, indifferent to what Pinkie said as he picked up a scissors and started trimming down Pinkie's mane, hacking great big chunks out of it. A few minutes later he was still working on the same spot as Marble sullenly walked to an empty chair.

"Seems I have my work cut out for me," the barber said cheerfully, picking up a pair of sheers and removing most of Marble's mane in one go. "Don't worry hun, I'll give you something nice, you'll see," she tried to reassure Marble as the first sign of tears built up in her eyes.

True to the barbers words, the mane cut suited Marble quite well, ending up quite similar to what it was before, but much shorter. Marble gave the barber a shaky smile as she was shown her new mane style in a mirror. "See? It's not that bad! Now just let me trim a bit off your tail and you can be on your way."

"I don't get it," the pony cutting Pinkie's hair said as he kept working on Pinkie's mane. Besides finding some rather odd objects at times, no matter how much he cut off, there never seemed to be any less. He'd tried to brush it out straight, but the mane had fought back by eating the brush. "How am I supposed to do anything with this?"

"Hold on." Pinkie pulled her mane out and twisted it in a spot. "Cut it right there." The barber did so, and the mane sprang back into a short straight cut.

"...what?" The barber watched as Pinkie did the same with her tail, and cut it where instructed. "This makes no sense. Anyway, I guess you're done."

"Thanks!" Pinkie jumped out of her chair just as Marble climbed out of hers, "Looking good Marble! I can't even remember the last time I saw both your eyes at once."

"Th-th-thanks Pinkie." Marble flicked the end of her mane with her hoof and sighed, "I feel naked."

"I guess we can fix that once we get our uniforms. Come on!"

"W-what about-"

"Maud and Limestone?" Pinkie looked back at where Maud was quietly having her tail cut shorter. Limestone on the other hoof, was glaring death at the barber, and growled every time she moved the scissors close to her mane. "I think Limestone might be a while. We'll catch up with them later."

Together they left the barber section, rejoining the queue just in front of where ponies were given their uniforms. Why they really needed uniforms was beyond Pinkie since they never usually wore clothes, but she assumed that the answer was more to do with making ponies more camoflaged than their usual bright colours.

"Size?"

"Huh?" Pinkie blinked, then remembered where she was. "Oh, uh, medium I think. She's the same," she added, pointing to Marble. "We're twins!"

The stallion she was talking to looked incredulously between the pink and grey mares, "You don't say. Anyway, here's your uniforms," he said, placing two dirty-green shirts and trousers down in front of them, as well as two belts. "We'll get spares to you as soon as we have more delievered as due to demand we're a bit short at the moment. Until then, it's your job to wash and take care of those. Now move along and grab your bedding."

Pinkie lay back on her bedding, and looked up at the roof of the tent. So far nothing much of note had really happened, and while being given gifts was great, even if they were all the same greeny-brown colour, she was expecting to have to give something back for them. Still, she'd had some time to meet the rest of the ponies in her tent, and was happy to learn she even knew one of them from Manehatten; Azure Velour, one of the dancers from the club above Rarity's boutique there. Aside from her, there was Top Spin, Pyrelight, Amber Delight, Sweet Deal, Crystal Moon, and Dusty Breeze. She hadn't learn much about them as yet, but it was only a matter of time.

"How much longer are they going to keep us sitting around here?" Limestone whined, much like she had ever since she'd returned from the barbers. There was hardly any difference to her mane, but Limestone loudly and obnoxiously reassured all of them that there was.

"They have a lot of ponies here," said Maud. "I'm sure they'll get around to us soon enough."

"Exactly!" Pinkie said in agreement. "I'm sure they didn't ask us to come here just to sit around all the time."

"Maybe y'all should enjoy the peace while it lasts," said Dusty Spring, one of the few pegasi from Appleloosa. "I'm sure they'll have us all running around like idiot soon enough."

"Not all of us," the unicorn Pyrelight said in a rich Canterlot accent. "I've already passed approval for entry into the Mage corps since I was a student at Celestia's school for talented unicorns, so while you're all running and flying around, I'll be honing my magic to defend Equestria with."

Crystal Moon, another unicorn, but from Vanhoover, laughed at her. "I really don't think you know what you're talking about there. What makes ya think that just because you've got fancy magic that ya haven't got to use your legs eh?"

Pyrelight scowled at Crystal Moon, "I'll have you know that I did not join the military just to go slogging through the dirt. My magic-"

"Is just a benefit," said Sweet Deal. "If you were really going to be set apart from the rest of us, I'm sure they would have given you a tent with the rest of the unicorns joining the Mage corps. Hate to say it Pyre, but chances are you're doing the same as the rest of us."

"Besides," said Lyra, "how do you know you've already passed for entry to the Mage corps? I graduated from the same school as you, and nopony's even mentioned the Mage corps to me."

"Well, one would just assume that a graduate from Celestia's school for talented unicorns would be granted immediate entry to the Mage corps."

Top Spin sniggered at the haughty mare, "Do all pegasi get entry to the Wonderbolts just because they can fly? I don't think so."

Pyrelight looked away from Top Spin and raised her nose in the air, "You're just jealous, Top Spin, because earth ponies don't have a specialised unit like the Mage corps."

"Don't need one when you're all the best to begin with," Top Spin replied with a grin.

"Not talking for anypony else here," said Amber Delight, spreading her wings and glancing nervously at their tips, "but I'd rather not join the Wonderbolts, or their equivalent. What they're doing must be way more dangerous that what the Air corps would be doing."

"Don't see why there isn't a special unit for earth ponies," said Azure. "Once again, earth ponies get the short end of the stick."

"Actually, we expect earth ponies to be able to do it all," said a voice from outside the tent. A moment later the tent flap opened, and a Royal Guard entered the tent. "Now I want you all on the parade ground asap for orientation. You've got ten minutes recruits, so get moving."

"You heard him!", Pinkie shouted gleefully, glad that something was finally going on. "Let's go so we can meet all the new ponies!"

Pinkie led the way, weaving through the field of tents to take the shortest route to the parade grounds. Plenty of other ponies seemed to be doing the same, so it was easy for her to conclude that all the ponies there would be going. She was wrong though, and after reaching their destination and waiting a few minutes, only a couple of hundred had turned up.

"What a bloody shower! Look at you all standing around willy-nilly. I want you to stand in nice, even rows recruits!"

Pinkie moved in the confusion, doing her best to stick with her sisters in the confusion as the recruits all tried to form rows at the same time. Slowly they formed some semblance of rows, but it was still far from desirable.

The brown stallion that had shouted at them to get into rows sighed and rolled his eyes theatrically, "I can see we're going to have to start with the very basics with you lot, such as forming straight lines, standing still, and perhaps even walking without falling over more than once every hundred meters! I am Drill Sergeant Knocks, and for the duration of your time here I will be both your best friend, and your worst nightmare. Not even Princess Luna could hope to save you from me recruits!" The drill sergeant smiled nicely at all the recruits, "I'm sure we'll all get along like a house on fire. If we're lucky there might even be survivors."

Author's Notes:

Presented without comment, because I'm drawing a blank here. Pinkie and her sisters are in the army now. Yep.