/Hello once again, FanFiction community! Welcome to my second story! This is going to be another depressing story because making people sad is all I'm good for./
I wake every morning to ponies screaming. Explosions. Blood spattering against my window. I can't leave the castle without somepony trying to blow me or the girls to bits. In fact, since the other princesses were killed, I haven't been able to leave the castle at all. I need to stay hidden, or I will die, as well. Anarchy has taken over Equestria. Fear has consumed Ponyville. Few stay hidden, like us. All the rest fight and kill. Every time I look outside somepony else has died. Every time, the number of soldiers fighting has diminished. Cannons sound, bursting my eardrums. Blood trickles down the streets. I've tried everything I can. Nopony will listen to reason, my magic has no effect on the violence and bloodthirst that has overtaken the city.
Nothing works. There is but one other option, but without her it is ineffective. Our only choice is to try and find her, but we cannot leave the city, let alone the castle, without someone trying to kill us. What good would it do, anyway? None of us have even spoken to her in over two years. I doubt she would want to come back to us. Her seat in our Friendship Council has been empty for so long we've gotten used to her not being there. But it is the fate of Equestria we're talking about here. It has to be worth a shot.
"Girls, we have only one option left." I speak the words I've dreaded for so long. "We have to find Rainbow Dash."
High sobs erupt from Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash leaving us has always been a sensitive subject. We try not to bring it up, especially not around poor Fluttershy, since her absence has affected her the most. The already-quiet pegasus hasn't spoken a word in years. Everything reminds her of Rainbow. I've had to place a tarp around Rainbow's old seat so Fluttershy doesn't have to look at it.
Rarity flinches at the mere mention of Rainbow's name. She has been afraid of the inevitable this whole time. She's known that one day we will need Rainbow back, and she's been terrified of the prospect of speaking to her, seeing as it was her words that drove the pegasus to leave us in the first place. Rarity is terrified of what Rainbow will say when we speak to her, terrified of what she will do.
Applejack shuts her eyes tightly as tears fall freely. She has always been a silent crier. She bites her lip hard, kicking back and knocking over her chair. I know Applejack can't hear anything about Rainbow Dash without needing to kick something. Her emotions overwhelm intensely and she expresses them in high levels of aggression.
Pinkie Pie, who has long since gone completely numb to her emotions, simply stands up from her seat and trots slowly towards me.
"We've gotten by just fine without Rainbow Dash so far. Why do we need her now?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.
I step back. I've never been a fan of being too close to Pinkie when her mane goes flat, as it always means she is either angry or numb. She's been numb for years and I still haven't gotten used to it.
"Pinkamena," I say. She can't stand 'Pinkie' anymore. "we can't hide like this forever. Eventually we'll have to leave the castle to get more rations, and when we do, we are going to be attacked. Unless you would all rather starve to death, the only way to end this war is to unite, and we can't do that without Rainbow Dash."
"How do you expect us to leave? One of us is going to get shot. It's inevitable."
I exhale slowly. I'd been afraid of that question. There are too many corrupt soldiers out there, soldiers who have been tricked into targeting us. Pinkie is right, it's inevitable that one of us will be hit. There are too many of them and too few of us.
"We're going to have to prepare for the worst. If we can get out of Ponyville fast enough, we'll be moving targets. It's harder to fatally injure a moving target. I'm not saying that none of us will be hit. At least one of us will be. What I am saying is that if we move fast enough, we will not be fatally wounded." I explain.
"Twilight, this is a mighty risky plan. Are ya'll sure it's worth it?" Applejack asks, wiping her eyes.
"It's worth a try, Applejack. Are you with me?" Applejack nods. "Girls?"
"I'd give anything to see Rainbow again..." Fluttershy's voice is raw and scratchy.
"Yes, I suppose it's for the best. I will come if I don't have to speak with her." Rarity says.
We all turn to Pinkie expectantly.
"Pinkamena?" I ask.
Pinkie skims over all of us. I stare into her empty, angry, sad, uncaring eyes. Please, Pinkie, please say you're with us.
"Fine." Pinkie says finally.