To Do Our Duty

Chapter One  -- The Gathering Clouds

By Sturm Panzer

Ahh, the wonderful sounds of a glorious spring morning.  The chirping and singing of birds calling out to each other.  The laugher of fillies and colts at play.  The murmuring of ponies talking, and even the occasional soft laugh of a joke shared between friends.  The jarring crash of things falling to the floor.  Wait, what?

Twilight lifted her head up, poking it out from under the light sheet that she'd pulled over herself when she went to bed the night before.  “That came from downstairs.  Spike?” she said to herself before kicking the sheet off and then getting out of bed.

As Twilight made her way down the stairs, she could hear Spike muttering to himself, the words indistinct at first, then getting more clear.  “ 'Who' yourself, Owlowiscious.  Don't startle me like that..”

Another few steps and she was able to peer down at the pile of books that ended up on the floor, along with the ladder and one small dragon, who was in the process of picking up the fallen books.  “Spike, what happened?  Did Owlowiscious startle you again?”

“Oh!  Twilight!” Spike exclaimed, turning around suddenly to see her coming down the stairs.  “Yeah, he was sitting on the top shelf as I was climbing up to get that book you said you wanted for today and then he 'who'd at me, and...  Well, I kinda fell.  I'm ok, though.  No harm, no foul, right?”

“That's good, I'm glad you weren't hurt, Spike,” Twilight said with a smile, using her magic to help pick the remaining books off the ground and set them into a neat stack beside the shelf.

A sudden rapid knocking at the door came.  “Who could that be?” Twilight mused, leaving the books stacked and then magically opening to door to admit Rarity, who came in looking a mix of excited, anxious and a little worried.  Hot on her tail was Applejack, wearing a frown on her face.

Twilight was quick to pick up on their expressions, “Rarity, Applejack, what's going on?  Is something wrong?”

“Well sure as rain, there's something wrong,” drawled Applejack,” haven't y’all heard the news yet?  It's already all over town.”  Rarity just laughed softly, tossing her head, “Applejack, dear.  Why isn't obvious she's just gotten out of bed.  Look, her mane's in dire need of brushing,” while floating a brush over to Twilight.

“Oh, thank you Rarity.  Please, Applejack, what's this big news you're talking about?” the half-distracted Twilight said as she started brushing her mane.

Applejack's face was certainly on the dour side, “War, that's what is.”

“Pfff,” was Rarity's answer to that, “War?  Oh come on, it's been 300 years since the last battle was fought in Equestria.  There isn't going to be a war.”

“Wait?  You said a war?” Twilight looked very concerned all of a sudden, her brushing paused and entirely forgotten.

“Hmmm-hmm,” Applejack nodded.  “Looks like there's some new Buffalo chief out west of Appleloosa.  An he's been pulling all the other buffalo tribes together under him.”

“Well, a unified leadership is good for them,” Twilight mused, resuming the brushing of her mane, “Stronger leadership will make them more cohesive, and then be easier to make treaties with.  Not to mention the economic benefits of expanded trade.”

With a quick shake of her head, Applejack went on, “Oh he ain't using words like 'peace' 'talk' and 'trade'.  He's using words like 'our land', 'fight' and 'destroy'.”

Rarity simply rolled her eyes as she listened to Applejack, “Oh really.  He's just posturing.  Trying to talk all tough and macho, so the other buffalo will listen to him. 'Oh look at how big and strong I am',” Rarity mimicked in parody.

“You know Applejack, I think I have to agree with Rarity.  The buffalo would have to be crazier than Pinkie Pie to actually think that Princess Celestia would actually let them go to war with us.”  Twilight paused for a moment before continuing, “I mean, the Appleloosa problem was nicely settled and everypony was happy.  Why would they want to stir up more trouble now?  It just doesn't make any sense.”

“You mark my words, there'll be war before this is over.  Sure as rain, there'll be war.”  Applejack turned to take a step toward the door and then paused, “I heard that the griffins were raiding some of the outlying settlements up near Fillydelphia.  Stealing food, tools, petty stuff like that. Word on the trails that the griffins might throw their lot in with the buffalo.  If it comes to that….”  She just shook her head.

“Oh come now, Applejack, the griffin's are even less organized than the buffalo are.  If you put 10 griffins in a room, they would all use a different door to leave,” Rarity joked.  “Anyway, I should be getting back to the shop, I have some work to finish up on.”

“The last battle was 300 years ago, the Manehattan 'uprising'.  And that was just a couple of dozen ponies having a squabble over taxes,” said Twilight, “so I can't imagine this would be a bigger deal.”

Turning and looking back over her shoulder at Twilight, Applejack just looked at her for a few seconds.  “What?  The Manehattan revolt was a big deal.  Hundreds of ponies.  They squared off against the Royal Guard, and they got creamed like corn.  If I remember right, there was over a hundred fatally injured in the battle.  There's a monument to it in one of the parks, I saw it when I was a filly visiting.”

A rather confused looking Twilight Sparkle looked at Applejack.  “Where did you learn that from?  It wasn't in ANY history book I read, and I read a lot of them.”

A sardonic smile was quite prominent on Applejack's face.  “I guess they tell the story a little different up there.  Maybe you should read a history book that wasn't written in Canterlot, and see what it says about it.”  And with that, Applejack and Rarity headed out and off on their own business.

Later that day, Twilight was wandering about Ponyville's market, looking at some of the fresh fruits on sale, contemplating dinner options, when she overheard a conversation:

“I got a letter from my cousin in Hoofington this morning.”

“Oh, how is he doing?”

“Pretty good.  He was telling me that things are a little tense down there.  The buffalo have been acting really weird lately.”

“Weird?  In what way?”

“Weird in that they hardly ever come into town any more.  And when they do, they never trade any more, they just look around, don't talk to anypony and leave.  Ponies over there are getting nervous about it.”

“I bet, I would too.  What are they doing?”

“Some are just packing up and leaving town.  Rumors that griffins have been sighted near there aren't helping things.  My cousin's thinking of packing up and leaving town too, but he said the mayor told him that a company of Royal Guard are going to be dispatched down there, to keep the peace.”

“I think I'd still move…”

On her return home, Twilight paced back and forth a little bit, thinking out loud more than anything else.  “Ok, so if the buffalo are thinking of causing some trouble, and they're led by a single powerful chief, then that means the buffalo are doing that under orders from the chief.  They obviously think that they don't have anything to fear, but the Royal Guard are a lot tougher than the settlers at Appleloosa.  I think that once they see that the Princess is serious about this, they'll quiet down.  It's the ONLY logical way to go.  I mean…” She laughed softly, rolling her eyes, “They don't seriously think that they'd be able to openly defy the royal authority of Princess Celestia and get away with it, do they?”  Then after a moment with her looking not so certain, “Do they?.....”  A vigorous shake of her head later, “No, of course not.  Princess Celestia is a Goddess.  Of COURSE they wouldn't be able to defy her.”

Twilight started sorting through some of the books on her desk, ”Now where did that book that Applejack lent me go?  Ahh, there it is…” And she sat down to read a book on history, written by an Earth Pony living in Ponyville.

It was getting well into the evening, Spike since tucked away in his bed to sleep, while Twilight was still up, reading her book.  She also had one of the Canterlot books written by a Unicorn beside it to directly compare them together.  “It's kind of amazing how different ponies can tell totally different stories about the same event.  The 'Summer Sickness' a hundred years ago barely made a ripple in Ponyville, but in Canterlot, it was a huge problem.”

With practically no warning a blue Pegasus pony with a multi-coloured mane swooped in through the open window.  “Alright!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, beaming a wide grin  as she landed beside Twilight.

“Hey Dash, you're up late, I was just thinking of knocking off for bed.” Twilight set down her book and turned to face her friend. “ And you seem to be in a really good mood, too.  What's up?”

Dash strutted around in the room a little, head and tail held high.  “Oh nuu-thing,” she said in that proud, boastful voice.  “Oh wait!  There was this one MINOR little thing….” Her smile getting even wider.

“Go on Dash, don't keep me in suspense,” Twilight had a hard time not smiling at Rainbow Dash's high mood and manner.

“Well,” Dash paused and looked up thoughtfully.  “There is this little thing, that maybe..  Juuuust maybe..  I may have received a written invitation to join…..  THE WONDERBOLTS?!”  Dash's wings unfurled to full size as she stood proud.  “They called me a 'hero'!  Praised me for my courage!  Can you believe it?  Me!  Me being one of the Wonderbolts!  Me, getting invited to go to their super-awesome, super-secret training center in Canterlot!”

“Oh my goodness Dash, that's awesome news,” Twilight beamed.  “You've been wanting to join them forever.  And now you've finally gotten your chance.  Your dream's come true, Congratulations.  When are you leaving?”

Rainbow Dash pulled a scroll out of her saddle bag with her teeth, tossing it on to the table with a broad smile.  “It says 'immediately', and I just got it, so I'm going right now.  Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh, this going to be so awesome!”

“That's great.  I hope you'll be flying with them in the Summer Sun celebration, I think everypony would be thrilled to see you in it,” Twilight said, lifting the scroll with her horn's magic and opening it to read.

Rainbow Dash

Your courage and dedication have not gone unnoticed.  Your heroic deeds have shown your character and bravery many times.  Your dedication to your comrades in arms and compassion are of the highest caliber.

Therefore, by the authority granted to me by Her Royal Majesty, Princess Celestia, you are hereby commanded to immediately appear at The Royal Guard's induction center in Canterlot to be assessed.  I have every confidence that you will pass your assessment with sufficient grades required to qualify you for service with Her Royal Majesty's Royal Guard: Special Operations Group, also referred to as 'The Wonderbolts'.

In the service of Her Royal Majesty you will be required to serve a term of service and duty to be determined, with operational directives to be determined.

Her Royal Majesty Expects all ponies to do their duty.

Captain Firehoof

“Oh my gosh!” exclaimed a rather alarmed Twilight.  “Dash, this isn't an invitation to join the Wonderbolts!  This is a letter of Conscription!  Dash?”

Twilight dropped the scroll and quickly looked around the room, and then ran to the window, looking around.  “Dash!”  The faint smear of colour in the distance being the only sign of Rainbow Dash, as she was already flying high and fast, well on her way.

“Oh Dash….  Please be careful…”

Next Chapter: Chapter Two -- The Ponies Came Marching Two By Two Estimated time remaining: 46 Minutes