Less than an hour later, Baltimare was under Coalition control. Like at Appleousa, Dodge Junction, and several other smaller towns, the Night Guard began to release the pods containing the captive ponies, as well as managing the prisoners. Like at these previous engagements, casualties were incredibly low. In fact, it was the first deaths of the whole campaign so far, which was quite impressive.

However, none of that matters. Currently, she was looking for and had just found, the Captain of the Royal Guard. He was talking to the traitors and Spike. Spike was hugging Twilight, and Shining was standing off to the side, smiling. All of them turned as she, Vexillum, and two of her soldiers came up to them.

"Hi, Dashie!", Pinkie said, but Rainbow just pushed her aside. As she got close to Shining, she used her wing to slam her swagger stick into his head. He crumbled to the floor, while all of the others gasped.

"Hey, you Degenerate Bastard. WHAT THE FUCK WENT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!?", she said.

Fluttershy said, "Rainbow! What are you doing?"

"Oh, just inquiring as to why this piece of filth abandoned his position to go off and twiddle his dick with his skull-fucking lazy fucks!"

All of them looked shocked, but Shining was the first to respond. He got up, gripping his head and rubbing his temple. "Listen, I have a massive bucking migraine. I've had one for literally five hours, and the last thing I need is some yelling. SO, could you please-"

"Oh, give me a fucking break. YOU abandoned your position to go do what? I'm still not convinced you didn't just go off to go fuck yourselves."

"I saw an opportunity to go take down the enemy commander. And I took it to end the battle sooner, rather than just standing around, killing everything in sight, traitor." She used that opportunity to hit him with the swagger stick again.

The others surged forward, but Vex and the two Pedes stepped in between them. "Oh, give me a break", she said. "Ok, I get it. You've been takin' a lot of shit all campaign, and maybe we should've been less of dicks to you. But you were given EXPLICIT, ORDERS." She huffed, then slung her swagger stick back under her wing. "Just count yourself lucky that you aren't under my command. Otherwise, I would put you through the proper Pryhan military punishment for cowardice in battle."

"I wasn't being-Oh, Princess Luna."

Turning around, she saw the alicorn in question. She stiffened, saluting out of respect. Luna asked, "I heard the whole conversation. And I find myself agreeing with you. Just, out of curiosity; what is the 'proper punishment'?"

"Decimation", she said.

She gasped. "That's still in practice?"

"It's not the version from the second Pryhan-Equestrian War. No one dies."

Luna looked over at the group next to them, then at the lightly bleeding Shining Armor, then at Rainbow. Sighing again, she said, "Captain Armor. You and your troops, come to the Paddockson Park tonight at six."

At the time stated by the Princess, the Royal Guard was at the park, all at attention with their officers at the front. Rainbow entered the area, along with Vexillum and one of her maniples. Earlier, Rainbow had been given a message from Princess Luna, along with a large sack full of painted rocks. She came to the front, indicating for several of her men to break off and go behind Shining Armor and the three lieutenants. She came to the front, unfurled the letter, and began to read.

"Princess Luna, Diarch of Equestria, has given me permission to perform unit punishment in accordance with Pryhan military law. For the charges of disobeying orders, cowardice in the face of the enemy, and performing actions that put the entire campaign under threat, this unit has been subjected to the ritual of Decimation." She lowered the letter and nodded to the men by the Equestrian officers.

They grabbed onto them and began to drag them to several racks that had been set up. They were tied to them and had their armor ripped off, exposing their bare backs. Rainbow continued to read. "In accordance with this ritual, the superior officers are to be punished for committing this infraction against the army. Thirty lashes, each."

Vexillum, Tribune Cranium, and his Maniples centurions all came forward, each holding their staffs. They all walked up behind them, holding their staffs from the heads. They then began to perform the sentencing, swinging the heavy wooden staffs against their backs as hard as they could. The Equestrians began to cry out in pain, struggling against the ropes. However, the lashes were carried out, and the officers were released from the ropes. Rainbow then read the next part of the letter.

"In addition, the primary part will now be performed." The Pede carrying the sack came forward, holding open the bag to allow them to reach inside. "Each soldier will divide into groups of ten, then draw a rock from the bag in that group. Most of the rocks are black, while the rest are white. The one in each group with a white rock will be beaten with wooden rods across the back, one lash per soldier. For groups of ten with more than half with white rocks, a unit with less than two white rocks will carry out the sentence. Failure to comply will result in such actions being performed upon the entire unit."

The Guards, with a lot of reluctance, began to separate into groups and draw stones. When most of them drew the rocks, they let out sighs of relief and cheerful cries in a few cases. For those with the white rocks, the reactions ranged from stunned silence to begging and pleas. After the sack had been emptied, Pryhan soldiers came forward, stripping the armor off of the Equestrians who had white rocks, while others passed out the wooden rods. An awkward silence ensued, in which none of them moved but all of them looked tense. When Rainbow motioned to a clock on the tower opposite the park, it began. At first, several of them began to hit the others who were unarmored. Then, all of them did their strikes, despite repeated protests or cries of pain. When the last one hit and many of the ones with white rocks were on the ground crying, she read the final part of the letter.

"Finally, as Princess Luna has seen that any and all current leadership of the unit is also as, if not more so, incompetent as the good captain, Praefect Vexillum Aeternam will be acting as your CO for the remainder of the campaign. You will respect him as you would your captain. Any and all complaints should be taken up with the Princess." She rolled up the scroll, saying, "Dismissed", as she and her troops walked off, leaving the beaten or emotionally scarred Guards in the park.

Next Chapter: 94~Everfree Ambush Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 19 Minutes