Time for some heartwarming comforting stuff... and a bit of angst.

Also, the events in this chapter is set on the same day that the stuff in the chapter 'The fall of Manehattan' happened.

-4th December1945- Late afternoon

"Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo? Silver? Diamond? Anypony?" Apple Bloom said in a low-toned raspy voice. She was the first to wake up. She was at first confused how she woke up on a hospital bed, but she quickly figured out why. Everything just stings, hurts and aches all over her body. That also explains why she has bandages covering every inch of her other than her head.

Apple Bloom notices there's a tube that's attached to her right forehoof through a needle, which is connected to a water drip on a stick with 4 wheels at the bottom. She notices the other 2 crusaders and Silver Spoon are also in a bed covered in bandages and has that tube going into their right forehooves as well. They are in a hospital ward. The hallway is a cuboid shape. The ceiling is green, the top half of the walls is blue, the bottom half being unpainted wood, the door frames being made of wood that's also painted and the floor is made of tiles.

"Agh... I'm here," Scootaloo faintly whispered as she wakes up, looking left. She is to the right of Apple Bloom.

"Everything hurts... so bad..." Scootaloo is in pain that she never felt being in before.

"Is Sweetie Belle next to you?"

"She's next to me on the right... but she's not awake... but when she wakes up... she'll be elated who's next to her," Silver Spoon coughed, looking right, towards Apple Bloom. Silver Spoon is to the left of Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle was the last to wake up. She blinks in confusion for a brief moment. It was just a terrible dream she thought and went to get up, only to be stopped by pain. What happened earlier was not a dream, it was real, explaining why she woken up in a hospital ward. But the pain isn't as bad as it first initially was. She turns her head to the right and sees Silver Spoon, then looks back up at the ceiling, laying straight on her bed on her back.

"Sweetie Belle!"

The white unicorn filly's head jerks left instantly upon hearing that cry. She sees a filly in loads of bandages except their head. This young pony is a brown earth pony colt with an light orangish brown mane. The colt is trying to reach out with his right forehoof for Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle's ears raise in utter relief. Her eyes widen and let's out tears. She reaches her left forehoof out.

"Button Mash!" Sweetie Belle cried back.

The 2 try to touch forehooves, but the gap between their hospital beds is too big, and both of them are in too much pain to fully get up. But the 2 kept trying to reach for each other, not giving up one bit.

A nurse pony walks by, who is a pale velvet pink earth pony with a mane and tail that has purple and white stripes.

"Do you two want me to move the beds closer?" The nurse pony asked. Both Sweetie Belle and Button Mash nodded.

"Okay, let me make sure the brown one's drip isn't in the way so it's safe and then I'll put your bed closer to his okay," The nurse pony said to the filly and colt. She moves Button Mash's drip to where it won't be in the way but still being connected to his right forehoof. She went to the right side of Sweetie Belle's hospital bed and pushes while moving her drip with it until the beds are a single centimetre apart.

"Thanks Nurse Sweetheart," Said Button Mash. The nurse pony heads off, walking down the ward to check on other patients.

The 2 shuffle closer to each other and they tilt their bodies to face each other. They both hug each other tight. Both are crying, both so happy and relieved each other are okay, the relief being indescribable.

"Can we stay like this for longer- I don't want to lose you again!" Sweetie Belle cried, being very reluctant to let go of Button Mash.

"Of course- I don't want to let go!" Button Mash cried back, also reluctant to let go. Both of them have a very lengthy long hug. Both Sweetie Belle's and Button Mash comes closer for a long kiss, before they return to laying on their backs, but Sweetie Belle's left forehoof and Button Mash's right forehoof firmly staying held together, afraid of being split apart like that again. Their eyes stay focused on each other.

"I won't let you out of my sight again!" Button Mash cried.

"I won't let you out of my sight again too- We stay together until we die- I don't want to lose you again!" Sweetie Belle cried back.

Both their eyes are watery and red. They feel so much weight and dread removed from them when they saw their other half is alive. They swore to never leave each other's site, for however long they've got left. They continue to hold hooves, tight.

"Aw, I'm so glad they know each other are okay," Silver Spoon felt really happy for Sweetie Belle and Button Mash.

"Yeah, I am too," Said Apple Bloom, strongly nodding in agreement.

"They sound very happy," Scootaloo smiled as she could just about see over to where Sweetie Belle and Button Mash is.

"Yeah," Silver Spoon nodded in agreement.

(Silver Spoon's POV)

"I hope Diamond is okay though too..."

"She may be in a different ward," Apple Bloom gave me the comforting thought. The hospital is very busy with treating anypony they can. So she could've just ended up in a different ward.

Me and Diamond have been friends for a long time. Even before befriending the CMC, we had been good friends. If I could change one thing about the past, I wouldn't of ever picked on them three. But... I hope Diamond is okay... she may of not been the best to everypony else all the time... but she was a good friend to me...

"What's wrong, Silver?"

I hear Sweetie Belle speaking to me. She can see I'm deep down worried about something. I turn my head right to look at her while speaking.

"I just hope Diamond made it..." I hope nothing bad happened- She had to of got treated too, right?

"I'm sure she's okay, Silver," I hear Button Mash comment.

"I do too..."

"I'll let you two have time to each other. I'm gonna speak to the other two," I said to Sweetie Belle and Button. Sweetie Belle was sick worried, and Button must've been worried too. I want to let them have their time together undisturbed. I turn my head back left, to talk to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

(No longer in Silver Spoon's POV)

(Outside Ponyville Hospital)

The 4 out of the mane 6 are able to get out of their beds now. They really want to have a good stretch once they got up, and so they did. The pain while stretching was well worth it as they clicked their joins. But then they remember what happened. They were awake when it happened.

"I- How do we tell- I can't!" Twilight stutters in horror in house close of an encounter it was with that merciless Yak-3 yesterday. Twilight and the rest of the mane 6 has to explain to the CMC and Silver Spoon what happened to Diamond Tiara. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity are extremely lucky to of avoided the strafing run and be alive.

"Why couldn't Diamond be lucky..." Since the air raid, Pinkie Pie couldn't be in her element. She is the Element of Laughter, happiness. But what can she laugh or be happy about when your country is being invaded?

In the hospital, Nurse Sweetheart comes back with a 2 wooden wheeled wagon. Nurse Redheart comes over and takes the needles out of the 4 fillies and single colt. She then helps Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and then Silver Spoon onto the wagon, all 3 of them sitting up.

There is a single space left. But there's one problem, trying to separate Sweetie Belle and Button Mash. That is going to be mission impossible. Even after half an hour upon discovering each other, the couple are still holding forehooves.

"I don't mind giving up my spot for Button. I can wait for the next wagon," Said Silver Spoon. After what happened, Sweetie Belle and Button Mash are in a state of not wanting to leave each other's side.

"Are you sure?" Nurse Sweetheart asked. Silver Spoon nodded.

"That's very kind of you Silver," Said Nurse Redheart. The white earth pony smiled for the first time since the start of the Soviet air raid. Even after what these foals witnessed, they're still showing kindness and compassion to one another. It brightens the nurse pony's mood slightly to see this. Nurse Redheart went to help Silver Spoon back onto her bed.

"Now... we just need you two to let go for just a few seconds," Nurse Redheart said in a smooth and calm voice. Very reluctantly, Sweetie Belle's left forehoof and Button Mash's right forehoof let's go. Nurse Redheart first helps Sweetie Belle onto the wagon. The white female unicorn panics that she'd get separated from the brown male earth pony, and this would be the last time she'd see him. But her fears faded away instantly when Nurse Redheart helps Button Mash onto the wagon. Once on the wagon, both of Sweetie Belle's forehooves are secured tight around Button Mash.

"I'm okay- May not have my hat, but I'm not going anywhere," Button Mash gave a weak chuckle.

"We survived- We... we are a winner," Sweetie Belle quietly said back to her colt. Button Mash smiled at his marefriend.

"I don't care if I lose a game anymore... if we have each other, we'll always be winners," Button Mash replied back, lifting his right forehoof and puts it around Sweetie Belle's back. The white unicorn rests her head against Button Mash's head.

"Don't they look so adorable together?" Nurse Sweetheart said to Nurse Redheart, who is now pulling the wagon. She nods in agreement. She does think Sweetie Belle and Button Mash are adorable together.

The mane 6 spots Nurse Redheart pulling a wagon with the CMC and another colt. They immediately recognize the colt as Button Mash. They know about the unbreakable relationship between Sweetie Belle and Button Mash.

"Silver will be out in the next wagon," Nurse Redheart politely said as she helped the 4 off, with both Sweetie Belle and Button Mash letting go of each other. They can't cling onto each other forever, but they're standing very close to one another. Nurse Redheart heads back into the hospital with her wagon.

"W- Where's mother?"

"Button darling... uh... we haven't seen her come here. I had just sent a letter to her address. You can come with us for the mean time. She said that she was going to be at home for the day yesterday. As you don't live in a busy area, I'm sure she's okay," Rarity replied.

"I hope Love Tap is okay..."Rarity said to herself in her head.

They next see Nurse Redheart come out with the next wagon. On it is Silver Spoon with no other filly. Without any help, she gets off the wagon and walks to Twilight. Nurse Sweetheart then heads back into the hospital with her wagon.

"Where is Diamond?" She asked.

Twilight, unable to explain with words moves right a few steps, beginning to sob with guilt. The fillies spots a pink coffin with a light violet purple flower that's on the floor. Next to the coffin is a shiny granite gravestone. That isn't a good sign. Then they see the letters, spelling out 'Diamond Tiara'. Piecing it together, they figure it out and Silver Spoon especially doesn't take it well.

"DIAMOND!"

(Twilight's POV)

War is nasty... but when you intentionally attack harmless citizens... that's just... w- Wrong- That plane swooped down and... without mercy, it- It shot and killed many ponies who were simply waiting to be saved... and Diamond being one of them... seeing a shredded blood-covered foal... that mental image will keep me awake... I- I can't look at them, because it's partially my fault too... I failed to stop that plane- It was too fast to grab it with my magic- I couldn't hit it- It's my fault... the only thing I- Or we could do... was make a nice coffin, and that was without magic. It was done with hoof, as it felt more respectful making it nice. The state of her body after that plane strafe her and other ponies... that image won't leave my mind... because of my failure, I had let... that happen...

"It's not your fault darling..."

"It is! I didn't destroy that damn plane!"

"No it's not- I'm... so gonna Rainbow Nuke Moscow! They wanna be barbaric, I'll show them barbarism back!"

Throughout last night, Rainbow and Fluttershy couldn't sleep. When I asked if they wanted to talk about it... Rainbow told me everything... and I can understand why she wants to see Moscow in flames. But doing so... she could trigger another war... as the Americans made their own nuke, and Stalin would think they nuked Moscow. It also give the Soviets more reasons to do these horrible things...

"Well... if the Americans get involved... they may support us."

"Oh that too- Good point Pinkie!"

Pinkie, you just given Rainbow more reasons to nuke Moscow, damn it.

"Well if weh fin' Russians... we'll le' ya use em as a punchin' bag, only if yer promise ta not do anythin' to Moscow," I hear Applejack make a deal with Rainbow. Even then, what if we catch the wrong one?

"No promises about that. Not even a pinkie promise can guarantee whether Moscow stays on the fricken map."

(No longer in Twilight's POV)

(Fluttershy's POV)

"Everypony! Stop!"

The poor foals are getting stressed. They've lost a friend, and my friends arguing isn't helping. My friends don't quite understand what me and Rainbow were put through when we were ponynapped and brought to the Soviet Union. But I understand Rainbow, she understands me, we both been through the same experience. If anypony can convince her, it is going to be me. I may be the only one she may be willing to listen to.

"Rainbow, can we talk? I... want to talk about... something."

I pull Rainbow along with me away from everypony else. It's now just us two.

"Yeah? Sorry if I was scaring you... if it was me getting angry, but... I don't know how else to... vent off my anger..."

"I understand... but revenge isn't always the right thing. Revenge will feel good short term, and I can understand that. But in the long term... because revenge gives the 'good' feeling, it'll enrage you more. Revenge makes it so you'll never find true comfort, as you'll always be angry and want more revenge."

I see Rainbow is giving thought about what I said. I think the true true way to move on... is to be the more mature one out of the situation.

"I- I just- I don't know... I'm mad about not just what they did to me... but to Diamond... Soarin too... Vasily even- The Soviets almost killed Apple, Sweetie and Scoots in the air raid- It's just... I want to give the Soviets some karma... and to show them we can fight back, y'know?"

I get where Rainbow is coming from. What happened to Diamond was... tragic. I seen many things... I lost friends at that camp... Discord... Biceps... but seeing a filly being lost... I... how- How c- Can you kill a young soul in cold blood? But killing random Soviets who could potentially be innocent would make us just as terrible as the bad Soviets.

"I get it Rainbow... I can't stop you finding your closure. What you went through, I understand and I won't hate you or think of you differently if you choose to still go ahead with that. But for me though, this is my way to find my closure, and for me to move on. But I will be here if you ever want to talk about it."

I can't stop Rainbow doing what she says she wants to do. What she went through was awful... and sounds even worse than what I went through. It is ultimately her decision to choose how she seeks for her closure.

(No longer in Fluttershy's POV)

The CMC, Silver Spoon and Button Mash had just wrote a message on Diamond Tara's coffin with a pen Twilight had on her.

Apple Bloom's:We had ups and downs, but we see you as a friend. I hope you find peace wherever you are now. We will see each other again some day, please be waiting, because we will meet again.

Sweetie Belle's:I will miss you Diamond. I won't ever forget you. Me and my friends will always have you somewhere in our minds, when we'll see each other again.

Scootaloo's:I'm devastated about what happened. We'll always meet again though. I don't like goodbyes, because they're never true goodbyes. I like to think of this as... 'see you soon' sort of thing, because we'll all meet up one day in a place where we can forever be together.

Silver Spoon's:You have been my best friend all my life. I don't know how I will cope without being with you by me. Please stay safe wherever you may be, and I can't wait to see you again. Whenever that will be, we'll eventually see each other again, and we'll never have to be apart again.

Button Mash's:I'm sad that what happened, had happened. You could lead a group very well, and it'll be odd not seeing you around. Farewell friend, and may me and my friends see you again.

"Those are very nice messages..." Rarity cried at the heart piercing pain of the filly's death. To anybody who didn't know her, Diamond Tiara had become just another casualty in war, added to the statistics.

"Can we bury her at the clubhouse? So... whenever we go there, it'll be like she's always with us?" Apple Bloom thought of the idea. Everypony thought that was a nice idea. However far apart she may be from them, she'll live on in their memory, their hearts. She will never truly be gone.

(At the CMC clubhouse)

(Night time)

Everypony had went to Sweet Apple Acres. Out of each homes of the mane 6, Applejack's remained unharmed, thanks to being away from the busy areas. Everypony had been able to take their bandages off. Those bandages were to keep infections from getting in, but as the severe cuts have clotted, they were no longer needed. Everypony that had them on liked taking their itchy irritating bandages off.

It was now getting dark, and rain began to pour down. The CMC, Button Mash and Silver Spoon requested the mane 6 to leave them, because they wanted to bury Diamond Tiara. They dug with their forehooves, including Sweetie Belle, who refused to use any of her magic in making the grave. Once they buried her, planted her grave stone, said their farewells and payed respects, Silver Spoon remained at the just-made Diamond Tiara's grave.

"I'll come in when I'm ready. But for now, please leave me," She said while weeping.

Meanwhile the CMC and Button Mash went up the L-shaped greenish bump steps, opened the door and went inside, closing the door behind them. Silver Spoon clearly wanted time alone and they respected that. They have their coping methods, Silver Spoon has her coping methods.

Once inside the clubhouse, the CMC and Button Mash dries their hooves on the orange doormat with pink edges. To the left is a light brown box, which Apple Bloom went over to and opens it. Scootaloo heads to the light turquoise green box in the far right corner of the clubhouse and opens it. Sweetie Belle meanwhile went up the green ladder that's to the right of the doormat.

"Uh, what are you three doing?" Button Mash asked Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"Please don't say anything about this to anypony else... but we may or may of not secretly got hold of German weapons during the war," Apple Bloom replied as she got out a black metal machine gun and a dark wooden rifle with a black steel muzzle and trigger.

"We got some Kar-98's, some MG 42's and lots of grenades... we even got a big tank, which we made modifications to. But that's not all," Scootaloo stated some of the weapons they had, getting a grenade out before carefully putting it back in. If she releases the pin on accident, it'll blow up and most likely kill her and those close by.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle was talking about you lot getting these weapons. But why though in the first place?" Button Mash replied with a confused expression on his face.

"Since we all exited the war and Germany was withdrawing their forces from Equestria, they left a lot of stuff behind. We took some of their weapons, because they looked cool. But they may actually may actually come to saving our flanks," Apple Bloom replied.

"So, what's Sweetie Belle doing?" Button Mash then asked, wondering what his marefriend is doing. He's also worried if she won't come back.

"She's gone to see if any more letters came. At the top where our telescope is, she finds it easier to cast the spell high up, the one that sends letters to different locations. Gives her the best range to cast it. Rumble and Taps... their fathers got conscripted, and their mothers had to get new jobs far away from Ponyville, so they had to move far away from us. And the war had made everything cost so much it became hard to freely travel... Scoots and I haven't seen them in a while..." Apple Bloom replied, with a more depressed expression on her face. But then sighs with hope, because she could see Tender Taps soon.

"I know, it must've been very difficult to deal with. I don't know what I'd do if I was separated from Sweetie Belle for that long..." Button Mash shudders at the thought of being separated from the white filly for almost half a decade.

Sweetie Belle then came down the ladder, her horn glowing pale light green. With 2 pale green auras, she is holding 2 pieces of paper.

"We got two new letters." She levitates the first one infront of her and began reading it's contents. This letter also has some tear stains.

"Dear CMC, by the time you receive this letter, I will be on my way. My home had got destroyed, and my-"

"Oh..." Sweetie Belle bit her lip, who briefly stops reading the letter.

"What is it?" Scootaloo asked, concerned at the way the white filly paused. Sweetie Belle continues reading the letter.

"...my parents didn't survive the air raid, and I had to be rescued from being trapped. I didn't get all that hurt, lucky being an understatement, I wished my parents were as lucky. By the time this letter gets to the clubhouse, I should be in Ponyville after 2 days walking on hoof. I had to walk on hoof to avoid being spotted from Soviet planes. I can't wait to see you Scootaloo after all this time, and thank you Sweetie Belle for helping us two stay in contact. Rumble."

Scootaloo could only imagine the pain Rumble is in. For all of the colt's confident and fearless personality, he had that very gentle side to him. When Scootaloo sees Rumble, she's wants to give him the biggest hug.

Sweetie Belle carefully lays that letter down on the turquoise green box. She levitates the other letter infront of her to read.

"Hey you three. Again Sweetie Belle, thank you for being my way of contacting Apple Bloom these past four years. My mother died last year of a broken heart, believing that my father died in Soviet occupation. I had to move into a care home where the carer was abusive. The carer was even a sympathizer for the Soviets, and said it was my dad's fault, which that had hurt more than all the abuse. By the time you get this Apple Bloom, I will have ran away from their home. Apple Bloom, you're the only pony worth living for now, you mean so much to me. The thought of you keeps me going and not ending it all. Tender Taps."

Apple Bloom wept at how heart touching that letter was. She wanted to hug Tender Taps so tight and let him know it'll be okay.

The door opens and Silver Spoon comes in, who then shuts the door. She is completely drenched by rainwater.

"I wanted to stay out longer, but... it began raining."

"We're here if you need, Silver," Scootaloo lifts her left forehoof up, offering the silver grey filly a hug. Silver Spoon shook her head, to which the orange filly puts her left forehoof down.

"We could try look out for that plane and follow it, and we make that pilot pay, maybe that'll help," Button Mash suggested. Silver Spoon strongly likes the idea the brown colt brought forward.

"Hey, I just wanted to check on Silver Spoon." The clubhouse door then gets knocked several times.

Sweetie Belle using her magic, she hides all the weapons back into their respective boxes and closes the boxes, right as a pink earth pony with a more vibrant pink mane and tail opens the door and comes through, shutting it once inside.

"Hey Pinkie..." Silver Spoon murmured.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No. I appreciate you want to keep me happy. I will eventually pull myself back together. But for now, please leave me alone," Silver Spoon replied back to Pinkie Pie.

"Before you go Pinkie- Do you remember the plane that- You get it- Do you remember that specific plane?" Button Mash asked.

"A Yak-3 that had the number ten on each side. Why?" Pinkie Pie questioned. While the fillies don't know the different type of planes, they know they need to look out for one with a number 10. Button Mash struggled to come up with a fake reason the mask the real reason. But Sweetie Belle comes up with one.

"They're liable to do what they did again, and we could be next. It's so we can keep a look out for it and be cautious."

"Okey dokey lokey..." Pinkie Pie suspects there's a hidden reason, but doesn't take much notice.

"What else may I do for you- Any of you?" Pinkie Pie asked the CMC, Button Mash and Silver Spoon.

"We got everything we need. Sleeping bags, and more importantly... each other," Apple Bloom replied.

With nothing else, Pinkie Pie opens the door and walks out, closing the door behind her.

Apple Bloom climbs up the ladder. Then from the square hole in the ceiling, 5 sleeping bags are thrown down. One of the sleeping bags is white with a purple zip, another is orange with a violet zip, another is yellow with a red zip. The other 2 are spare sleeping bags, which are grey with a lighter grey zip. As well as 5 sleeping bags, 5 white puffy pillows are thrown down.

Apple Bloom climbs back down the ladder and then gets in the yellow sleeping bag. Sweetie Belle gets in the white sleeping nag. Scootaloo gets in the orange sleeping bag. Button Mash gets in one of the spare sleeping bags. Silver Spoon gets in the other spare sleeping bag. They all slowly fell asleep. The sleeping bags are about half a metre apart from each other.

(3 hours and 20 minutes later)

Button Mash feels his head being prodded, waking him up.

"Button..." A voice quietly whispered. . Button Mash's eyes sprung open.

"Yeah, Sweetie?"

"Can I- I sleep close t- To y- You... I'm s- Scared... I had a nightmare... of b- Being c- Crushed underneath rubble- It felt s- So r- Real..." Sweetie Belle is shaking whilst breathing heavily in fright.

"Yeah, come on over Sweetie," Button Mash nodded. Sweetie Belle drags her sleeping bag and pillow over right next to Button Mash. She gets back in and does the the the zip up with her magic. She rests her head closer to his. Button Mash moves his head closer to Sweetie Belle's head until both touch. Sweetie Belle now feeling secure and safe begins breathing more calmly and slowly stops shaking. They slowly fall back to sleep.

"I love you Button..."

"Love you too Sweetie..."

I couldn't come up with a better chapter title. Anyway, feel relieved that Button is alive. But feel sad that Diamond is dead. Rip DiamondTiara.