A mare stood with a microphone floating in her magic in front of her, just under her mouth. "Good evening, Equestria!" Equestria had gained its own television. It, along with the Internet, was spreading at a breakneck rate, transforming the lives of many ponies in a great wave of progress.

"Breaking news! America was attacked." She raised a hoof as a box appeared, though the box covered her hoof at first, slowly raising as some still-learning pony adjusted it as quickly as they could to rest in the right place. "In the early morning, a devastating strike hit their scenic islands of Hawaii. Humans, ponies, and other creatures, be they guards or not, were hurt or killed in a devastating strike."

The box showed the smoking remains of torn apart buildings and rushing medical teams trying to attend those caught in the many blasts.

"Experts are already debating when, not if, America retaliates. Being a part of the EFC, this will invariably draw Equestria into the conflict, along with Yakyakistan, Lutrai, Seaquestria, Saddle Arabia--" She paused to pant a little. "Those are a lot of countries. I've never been to half of them, have you?" She looked off the screen.

Someone off camera responded, "nope."

"Maybe some day. Oh right! In other news..."

The TSDI's version of events was quite different. They had succeeded at preventing an attack that would have involved the terrible bombs that the Americans had already admitted to having. They crooned at how effective their new fighters had been, and how few people they had lost compared to the numbers the Americans were so eager to surrender.

Exacting battle lines were provided to their public, showing what the Americans had intended to do, before their brave and witty leaders had cut off the strike at the head before they could come close to hurting innocent TSDI lives. The humans were ready to fight, but the TSDI had struck hard and fast, proving it could mount a defense against what had seemed to be overwhelmingly superior foes.

Assurances were delivered that they had plenty more bombers where the first had come from. "And more are on the way," spoke Chairman Force in front of a crowd of people wanting answers. "Every day we create new tools to keep our countries safe. We will not roll over and let these aliens casually rip away our way of living. Even without attacking, the Americans are stealing Equestrian culture. Already their streets are becoming more bare as they become hypnotized, lost in the fantasy worlds that the humans make for them. We will not accept this!" He thumped a fist down on his podium. "And neither should you!"

It was a classic appeal for conservatism, and it resonated with the people, alarmed at how swiftly Americans were reshaping the world around themselves. They were doing overnight what felt like should have taken countless moons. They were under attack. Either America would take their way of life and murder it in its bed, or they would come with weapons and do the job more personally.

There would be no peace.

The people cheered their saviors.

It took two days to declare war, and that only because it had happened during a recess. Rushing back into the Senate and House, the papers were filled and motions forwarded with barely an opposition. To oppose that would have been political suicide. There were a few dissenting voices, but they were drowned out in a tide of yeah votes.

The paper arrived on Rason's desk, and he signed the declaration with only the briefest of scans. He didn't like signing things he hadn't at least casually read over. His people were trusting in him to do it right, and he planned to, even if he wasn't who they thought he was.

With the scrawl of a pen, it was official. America was at war. He took a soft breath, deep and long before he reached for the phone. People would die, Americans. That was unavoidable. It was his job to keep that number as low as possible while protecting the rest.

He would surely be found out, eventually, and be hated forever, but he would do his job while he had it. They deserved that, and he deserved the consequences. That was life. "It's time to plan a war," he spoke into the phone, switching mental gears. It wasn't time for self-pity. He had a job to do.

Hoku heard the news. Everyone on the base had at about the same time. They had graduated just in time for a war. What luck! Good or bad was an undecided thing through the fresh graduates. He slapped Paul on the back. "We will be warriors, and our people need us. Serious serious time."

Paul smirked, a half-laugh dying in his throat. "Yeah, of course. Shoot..."

"Why sad?" Hoku examined the face of his bare-skinned friend. Their faces were similar at least.

"Hey, nothing. I signed up for this... Just... Nothing." He went to get his things, but Hoku trailed after him.

"Not nothing. I'm not dumb, even if you think I am."

"Hey, you cut that out." He turned on his soldier-friend. "You're not dumb."

Hoku smiled at that. "Thank you, I not use many words to say things. Many words. Why use 5 words, 3 good enough? Not understand, Do understand you are friend." He hopped up onto a bed just next to where Paul began gathering his things. "What wrong?"

Paul glanced at him as he stuffed his duffel full of things. "Look... when I first enlisted, I was hoping to go to college."

"School, yes? Go to school. What stop you?"

"It's not free, or even cheap." He zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulders. "I serve in the army, I get into college. That's how it works, and I did it, you know? I'm in, have to do it."

"Not want to be a warrior?" He leaned forward as he asked, confusion on his furry face.

"Not want to die," corrected Paul as he moved for the exit. "Hey, I'm not running. We're soldiers. We march."

"We march," he quickly agreed, bouncing down to the floor and dashing after his friend. "We fight, we protect, we win. You go school."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan to me." He threw open the door to the outside world. "Let's make some bastards die for their country."

With a whoop of solidarity, Hoku emerged with Paul, ready to wade into war.

His people, the Lutrai, were not as swift as the ponies in incorporating little comforts like the Internet and phone service in their nation. That didn't stop Queen Ruddertail from having one of the few phones around, a big and bulky thing that would hold a charge for the long time it needed to between its infrequent charges.

She jerked upright in the water she had been floating peacefully in. The phone was ringing like a bell over on the shore. Her attendants were shying away from it nervously as if it might explode. She rolled her eyes at their cowardice and swam smoothly through the water, cutting across the pond towards the device. "Give it." She had a hand out as she emerged, water running free of her waterproofed pelt.

As scared as they may have been, an order from Ruddertail was not to be questioned, and a servant rushed in to grab it and thrust it into her outstretched hand. She pressed the big green button. "Hello."

"Hello? Is this Queen Ruddertail?"

She nodded in a quick bobbing despite the phone not watching her. "Is her. Is Americans?"

"Yes. Have you heard the news?"

"What news?" Without the Internet, word propagated slowly. "Something happen?"

"We've been attacked. America has declared war on the Council of Minotaurs and with it, the TSDI."

Her face lost its cheer immediately. "Serious serious," she breathed into the phone. "Stupid bulls... Promise is promise. Where need warriors?"

The American representative did not expect cooperation quite that quickly, but was wise enough to not question it. "We're assembling numbers and plans now. How many do you have available?"

They began to go over numbers and the varieties of warriors the Lutrai would lend to the war effort.

Celestia sat up as a sharply-dressed human strode into her throne room. She knew that human. "Ambassador Kale, a pleasure as always." He was America's voice in her castle. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"The TSDI attacked America, and war has been declared in response," he said without preamble. "We understand Equestria does not have proper 'soldiers', but your spell-casters could be of assistance. Are you willing to lend some to the effort in accordance to the EFC agreement?"

"Straight to the point," she sighed out. She had seen the news. She had a feeling this request would come, though... "You don't want any guards?"

"Thank you, but I was not asked to request any of those." The guards in the room shuffled softly. He had said nothing directly, but the meaning was clear. The EFC did not see value in Equestrian guards. "A small force of trained magic users would be ideal."

Celestia let out a slow breath, considering. "My most able spell-casters are not beholden to move as I command them without fail. I will request their aid." She smiled thinly, thinking back on it. "One them used to be my tutor, and that may or may not work in our favor. He loves this country, and if this is in service of it, he will likely respond to the call." Another, she knew, would surely respond, but would not wish to fight... "Is it too late to try friendship? I know... it feels that way, but we felt the same way when Twilight reached out a hoof to you. Perhaps giving her a chance to repeat the act? She is a talented diplomat."

"All EFC species that lived in TSDI countries are being forcefully ejected when not being imprisoned." He rose to his full height. "Rescuing them is another task we have to take charge of. Attempting to approach in diplomacy is likely to result in a dead or captured diplomat, if they can even gain access to TSDI territories."

"If I did not request she be given the chance, she would not forgive me." Celestia smiled, a haunted little smile. "She would never say a word, but in her heart of hearts, she would never forgive me... Please, allow her this opportunity."

"I will forward the request, but I'm only the speaker, not the decision maker here. Thank you, Princess Celestia. Call for me when they respond. I'll do the same if they give me an answer on Princess Sparkle's attempt."

Chrysalis admired her insectoid glory in a mirror. "Oh, this is going so well..." All the pieces were moving just the way she wanted... Soon she would stroll in there. She would saunter even, all eyes on her. They would be desperate and so very wanting, and she would have the answer. She would have all their answers, and they would worship her as a god.

"I will own this entire world..." She smiled at her reflection, licking her lips. "Mmm, I wonder if they'll be involved..."

If Starlight was on the frontlines, that would be wonderful... Perhaps she could help that meddlesome pony meet a properly horrible end. "This is just... mmm... so lovely."

It was all working according to plan.

A scientist sat in a chair. It was a perfectly normal chair in a cluttered room. The scientist wasn't an odd example of humanity. He was just a human in a chair. It was made of wood and was comfy on his bottom. Its armrests were equally soft and nice to hold onto, which he did.

He had good reason to, since the chair was floating about a foot in the air over the pad beneath it. The chair didn't have nearly enough metal for magnets to be involved, but there he was, glowing and floating.

They had telekinesis working.

Author's Notes:

Let loose the hounds of war, but first count them. America gathers its forces and reaches out to its allies. Protection deals work both ways, thanks.

Enjoy the writing? Help me stay afloat and show your support by joining the Patreon!

Join my discord to chat!