Salvation after Eradicationby OzarkponyloverChaptersHideawayFritters are all I have leftRevelationHideaway"Ah counted a hundred and eighty-six days, iffin mah math is right." Applejack smirked, in spite of herself. "Probably ain't." Rarity blinked as she added the numbers in her head. "No, my dear, you're spot on," she said. "I do hope you're, erm, comfortable. I wish I could offer more." Her white coat jumped out from their dingy gray surroundings. "Could you benefit from extra pillows? Perhaps an air-freshener? I do have some old potpourri." "Ah guess ah'm all right," AJ said. She quickly added, "Ah can't thank you enough, though. Yer doin yer darndest an Ah sound plum ungrateful, huh?" This basement was safe. She was safe. That was more than many ponies could even hope for anymore. Rarity shook her head. "Not at all," she cooed. "I imagine you miss the sun." AJ nodded. She looked around the dimly-lit basement workroom in Carousel Boutique. It had become her home since the Ponyville raid. Last spring, when word came that the Eradication Police was going to demolish Sweet Apple Acres, Mac took the family and ran. It was the last time she saw her family. And it was... she pawed at her tally marks... 186 days ago. "Yer not comin' with us?" Applebloom asked, with tears in her eyes. "Mac says we can stay safe an stay together." "I'll meet up with ya'll soon enough," Applejack said. She fully intended to reunite with them, so it wasn't a lie, right? "Promise me you ain't gonna try 'n fight them police," Mac demanded. "Damn law says they can blow your head off iffin' ya raise yer voice to them." "We can start another farm, Jackie," Pinkie reasoned. "When it blows over we'll plant new trees. And harvest them and do it all over again every year. We can't do that without you-" Pinkie stopped herself. She knew she should have stifled herself sooner for the sake of Apple Bloom. But somepony had to find middle ground between optimism and the reality of the blatant genocide that was sweeping Equestria. Granny Smith was silent. She knew better than to argue with her oldest granddaughter. "Ah'm gonna distract them an give ya'll a good start. Nothin' more. Don't worry none. Ah can handle mahself." AJ held back tears as she spoke. She hated lying to anypony about anything, but she couldn't surrender her home so easily. Granny, Bloom and Pinkie would be safe with Mac. She had to fight. She could face dying with honor much more readily than running away. On that crisp April morning, she watched her family leave the land they loved. And then she waited. Armed with a single old shot gun, she stood ready for the Eradication Patrol's arrival. She knew they hated her very Earthen pony guts. She was proud to meet her maker this way and sickened by her impending death at the same time. She could see her tombstone already. "Applejack Apple died April 9th defending her beloved farm while her family escaped to carry on the Apple legacy." Her courage had never tasted so bitter. She didn't remember much of the onslaught. It was a smoke-filled blur. A barrage of soldiers marched up to her front porch with fury etched in their stance. She defended her farm with all she could muster, but once her shotgun ran out of ammo, she didn't last. She felled a meager five or six of the soldiers before a blow to the head and three broken legs left Applejack unable to fight anymore. Nestled in the grass, immobile and helpless, she watched as Sweet Apple Acres burned to ashes. Flames swallowed the hills once dotted with thriving trees. AJ paid special attention to the tallest hill in the east orchard. When it, too, was engulfed in the blaze, she finally shut her eyes. She couldn't bear it anymore. Knowing that burn marks had desecrated her parents' marble headstone was too painful. With her eyes so tightly clasped, she never saw the face of the pony who was designated to be her executioner. His peers jeered him on while the cold barrel of his pistol jabbed her ribs. She held what she feared was her breath and the shot rang out. Metallic taste overwhelmed her senses and she slipped away. The soldiers mistook her for a goner; they underestimated Apple hardiness. When she came to, pain coursing through every inch of her, she was heavily bandaged and hunkered down in Rarity's basement. She remembered her own listless form resting on an ornate pillow in the same spot where she lay now. She spent hours in silence watching her chest rise and fall to convince herself that she was alive. Applejack never would have expected to owe her life to a frilly unicorn, but this Eradication was changing everypony. Rarity had nursed her back to health over the last few months. Now it was almost Nighmare Night. It had been one-hundred and eighty-six days since the sun warmed her coat. Since she'd seen her family. Since anything had any semblance of normality. Rarity rested a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "I came down here to deliver a letter. Its, well, relatively cheery. Applebloom is still with Sweetie and my parents. No cutie marks yet." They shared a knowing smile. "How are Pinks and mah brother doin'?" Rarity paused. She knew the only thing worse than the truth was a lie. "Fillydelphia is in a panic. It's dreadful, Applejack. From the sounds of it, the real food has run out. Ponies are dropping like flies. This Lab Crop obviously isn't suitable for keeping us alive." Rarity had become AJ's primary informant, though reading newspapers and listening to the radio was no longer an enjoyable pastime, to say the least. This all started with the damnable "lab crop." The fruits and vegetables from the hellish corporation weren't grown in the soil and nurtured with the sky and rain. They were synthesized and sold at high prices. The scientists behind the movement said they wanted to create a healthier, more self-sustained Equestria. But since most poor ponies had starved to death and the Eradication Police started detaining Earth ponies the same day Lab Crop hit the market, any pony with half a brain knew something was amiss. "Knew it," Applejack said simply. It made her hot with fury to know all this pain and suffering was happening so somepony could disguise racism and eugenics as a way to better ponykind by "eliminating a need for reliance on earth ponies for sustenance." Rarity moved the conversation along. "Pinkie Pie and Big Mac are holding on. He found a small patch of viable land in the cellar where they're hiding. They're living off of corn for now." Neither spoke of Granny Smith, who left the hiding cellar one day and didn't return. AJ had her suspicions. The wise old mare must have known how low supplies would get. She'd lived a full life. It must have been the hardest way to go, but AJ admired her grandmother's courage more than anything else. She decided a long time ago that she had to focus on her loved ones who were still with her or she'd lose her mind. "Growing corn, eh? Smart. Hardy crop. High yield." Applejack smiled. She looked at her own meager cornstalks growing in Rarity's basement. Her earth pony magic was dwindling without any connection to Celesia's creation, but the harvest from this crop of corn would feed her for a few weeks. "Any news 'bout Celestia returning?" AJ prodded. "I'm afraid not." Rarity hung her head. "No sign of Luna either. The scientists who started this whole... thing have taken over. Needless to say, the Lab Crop fiasco is making them rich. Ponies buy the synthetic food since they can't afford real food anymore." Her ears dropped. "Ponyville will be out of stock by next week anyway." "Kay," Applejack said numbly. "Well, at least the last Eradication Facility was reportedly shut down." "No more earth ponies being gassed to death? Or experimented on?" There was a weathered kind of bitterness in her voice. Rarity bit her lower lip. "No... The soldiers were given orders to kill on sight instead, since..." "It's okay, Rarity." Tears were stinging her eyes already. "How many earth ponies are left?" "An estimated 400. The troops swept Minneighapolis yesterday." "Damn." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here, AJ, I brought you some daisies," Fluttershy said gingerly. "Thank ya, Flutters." Applejack took the flowers without hesitation. They would make a great breakfast/lunch/dinner. "Aaand an orange!" Dash boasted. "I know how you feel about oranges, but food is food!" "If she won't take it, I most certainly will!" Rarity put in. AJ rolled her eyes. " 'Ts all yers," She said. Dash stuck her tongue out at both of them. "And I wanted to, um, tell you that... um..." Fluttershy squeaked out the next part quickly. "I'm so sorry! Poor Winona won't leave the Sweet Apple Acres property. I've tried everything!" AJ smiled. There were no shortage of small critters for Winona to hunt. She was thankful that her dog wasn't going to bed hungry every single night. It was a hard pill to swallow though. The Eradication Police had released rhubarb. foxglove, oleander, and other toxic plants into the forests and meadows of Equestria. While other herbivorous wildlife had vegetation to eat, ponies couldn't eat any plant out of the ground without taking a huge gamble of being poisoned. "As long as you keep visiting her, she'll pull through. I hope." AJ sighed. "I 'preciate it, Flutters. Winona deserves it. She's a good dog." Applejack purposefully swiveled her head toward the earshot of a blue pegasus. "Maybe even more loyal then Dash!" "Hey now! Watch it cowpony!" Dash tackled AJ. "I am the one and only Element of Loyalty!" Applejack was so glad to see Rainbow Dash. She never stopped being her lovable self. The chaos had affected all of her friends one way or another, but besides the weight loss, Dash was exactly the same. The two began wrestling around and laughing like old times. "Why is everypony here today anyway," Rarity interrupted their fun. She had already consumed the whole orange. "Not everpo- " Fluttershy didn't finish her sentence. A sudden blast of light propelled them all backwards. The taunting purple glow reminded Applejack of the sunlight. It was the closest she'd gotten in months and it was torture. Out of the flash there came a stream of confetti, followed by a voice. "I haven't seen you girls in sooooo loooong!!!" "Pinkie! Thank Celestia!" Dash had already wrapped the party pony in a hug. "I haven't seen you in, like, forever!" "I know! Forever and ever! Hey, don't forget, Twilight's here too!" Pinkie produced and distributed six homemade party hats as Twilight cleared her throat. She rubbed her horn, having transported two ponies an extremely long distance, and looked around. All of her friends were in the same place again. It was amazing, in every sense, to see them. "Where exactly have you been?" Rarity sounded hurt. "You disappeared after we rescued Applejack! You healed her broken bones and... and... remember? You said you were running one quick errand! I was so worried!" "I know, Rarity, but I was summoned to Canterlot, and before I had the chance to contact anypony, Princess Luna transported me to a secret conference. It truly was an emergency. I've been there ever since. Just got out, actually, and you don't know how glad-" "Wait, you saved me too?" Applejack interjected, jumping past the happy news that somepony had heard from Luna. It took her a minute to process. She thought back to the day she woke up, recalling how the physical pain of broken legs was nothing compared to the pangs of uselessness they caused. She owed Twilight and Rarity her life and her sanity for setting her bones so well. A permanent disability would have driven her mad. "Call it a team effort," Twilight insisted. "And you shouldn't have been so brash! You could have been killed. We need you. Equestria needs the Elements. Without them, we'll never find Celestia. It will be hard enough as it is." "Slow down!" Rainbow Dash ironically requested. "You know how to save Celestia?" "Yes! Kind of. We might be able to track her down and bring her home," Twilight summarized. "The Lab Corp scientists don't see the Elements of Harmony as a threat to their power. So they haven't sent troops to interfere with us. Additionally, if they do discover our plan, they don't have any strategies to use against us! We'd have the best chance of success because we're invisible to our enemies." "Not a threat?" Dash seemed offended. "What? Do they know who they're dealing with?" "No, Dash, they don't," Twilight said hopefully. "They know the Elements are useless when we're not all together and all their documents say that AJ and Pinkie are dead. Shining Armour has full access to the records. He sent them to me yesterday. It says-" She grabbed a rolled up piece of parchment from her bulging saddlebag- "'Applejack S. Apple 'died' via execution in the raid at Sweet Apple Acres, and Pinkie D. Pie 'died' of starvation in a Fillydelphia Eradication Facility'." "I did?" Pinkie asked, her mane deflating a little. "Of course not, Pinkie. Shining forged your papers." "So that's why you brought me here?" Pinkie asked. "To use my element?" Twilight nodded. "I told you it was important." "Aw, I thought everypony just needed a party hat." Author's Note My first real shot at this fanfiction thing. Hope you like! Fritters are all I have left"As much as we love your hats, Pinkie, we've got bigger matters on our hooves," Twilight said. "I do find them quite festive, dear," Rarity threw in a compliment. "Mine even has a drawing-" "Hold your horses!" Pinkie exclaimed, ignoring Rarity. Having put two and two together, she glared at Applejack. "You were there for the raid at Sweet Apple Acres? You tried to fight, didn't you?" The pain of betrayal weighed down her voice. Pinkie's head began spinning and she stumbled for words. The day she fled the farm with Mac, Apple Bloom, and Granny was the last time her family was whole. It was the last time she allowed herself nurture the hope that everything would be okay. The futility of hope was mocking her now. Months later, her grandmother was dead. She and little Apple Bloom were forced to hide out like criminals. She'd watched her reliable, hard-working husband suffer the crushing weight of feeling like he failed his loved ones. And now trustworthy Applejack had gone back on a promise. The look on Pinkie's face as she tried to digest her own thoughts was troubling. Nopony had ever seen Pinkie this upset before. Applejack hated to be the cause. She hung her head and sighed. "Ah did it, Pinkie Pie. Ah cain't take it back." "You promised me! And Mac! And-" "Ah know ah did." Applejack looked up. "An you heard what happened to me. Ah was nearly killed, Pinkie. You can see the damn scar from the bullet iffen ya'll want to! But mah farm was the only home I ever knew. Born 'n bred, ya know, and I ain't never hurt so much in mah life." "It was bad, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked. Her curiosity had caused trouble for her in recent months but this was the first time she let herself ask AJ about the raid. "I watched the fire eat up Ma and Pa's grave," Applejack said, voice breaking. She didn't need to say anything else. The implications silenced her friends because Applejack never talked about her parents. The Element of Honesty was way too skilled at suppressing her emotions. A simple "I don't wanna talk about it" was always the honest but meager truth. "Mac and I were scared to death is all," Pinkie finally said quietly. "You and Applebloom are the only sisters I have left now." The Apple family farmhouse was filled with the scents of a warm hearth and cinnamon apple sweets. Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity were fussing over this and that. Granny was slaving away in the kitchen while Apple Bloom and the Crusaders were working for their Hearth's-Warming-Eve-wedding-decorating cutie marks. Fluttershy was the only level-headed pony in the house. She helped Big Mac straiten his bow tie. "There's nothing to be nervous about," she cooed. "Pinkie Pie loves you very much, and she has been waiting for this day for a long time." Big Mac swallowed a lump in his throat. "...Eeeeeyup." "Rainbow will come get us when Pinkie is ready. We'll meet at the church and watch the ceremony, and then we can have a big reception at Pinkie's farm... and you two can come back here and... um..." "Eeyup." Mac chuckled. The farm had been used as the Apple family honeymoon suite for generations. He would continue the tradition tonight. "I can't wait to see her all done up," Rarity said dreamily. "It took me forever to get her gown just right, but my friends must have the best! You'll be speechless," she assured Big Mac. "Aww, shoot, he ain't never said much anyhow," Applejack teased. She threw a hoof around her brother's neck. "But today is all about you, big guy." "An' Pinkie," he corrected her. "She's the reason we're havin' this shindig, remember?" "How could I forget? I cain't wait for Pinks to join the clan." Applejack could hear a faint reprise of Apples to the Core in her head. It was almost too perfect. No one would have predicted the wild party pony falling for the stoic farmer, but Pinkie and Mac were living proof that opposites could not only attract but could complete each other. The Apple-Pie wedding was the sugar-coated down-home celebration that everyone expected it to be. "Girls, I hate to be rude, but we have important business here!" Twilight chided them. "We really could be Celestia's last hope! She could be out there somewhere... suffering... waiting for us..." Her voice faded away and she seemed to lose focus. "Uh, Twi?" Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of the dazed egghead. "Maybe you should start at the beginning." "I can't. We don't know what happened." "Ok, so, who's we?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight took in a deep breath and began pacing around the room. Her eyes fixed on the ground as she spoke. "Shining Armor, Cadence, and myself," she began. "We've been trying to hold Equestria together, but that gave us no time to leave the palace and search for the princesses. Celestia left no trace when she disappeared. She rose the sun one morning and the Lab Crop scientists started taking hold of Equestria before Luna was supposed to raise the moon. When we realized she was missing too, we ran into her chambers. All we found were two dead guards and a cluster of dark feathers scattered in her bedroom. We know the guards had their throats slit and we assume Luna injured her wing in some kind of struggle." "Hold up there, Twi. How did them scientists take over?" Applejack probed. "Remember, you been meetin' with ponies who know more than us fer months while Pinkie n' me sat underground." The memories Applejack had accumulated over the last few months were all blurred together. Each day was like a bland grain of rice in a large bowl. No day was special. No time was unique. Receiving a letter from Mac or hearing a particularly nasty news report were the only pieces of individuality that jumped out at her from the monochromatic rice bowl that was life in hiding. Another day, another grain. Twilight cleared her throat. "This all started when the scientists started selling the Lab Crop in Canterlot," she said, "and they marketed to the richest unicorn clientele. Notable ponies started buying Lab Crop food, so it became the hottest trend." "Ponies actually liked that junk?" Rainbow Dash scoffed, thinking of the one-dimensional tastes and textures of the Lab Crop. When money was especially tight last week she purchased a pound of Lab Carrots and remembered likening them to tissue paper with an unnaturally orange tint. "Dumb trends come and go all the time in cities like Canterlot," Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. "Before Lab Crop, everypony was infatuated with gardens showcasing venomous plants." "Or clothing with bells sewn on," Rarity added in. "I appreciate daring fashion, but sometimes those rich unicorns get so bored that any silly pastime will amuse them." "Naturally, we didn't think twice about Lab Crop's popularity. It was the talk of Canterlot until some ponies started speaking up about how unnatural it was. They were earth ponies who ran fancy organic farms that catered to the uppercrust. After they started making a fuss about the Lab Crop, other ponies stopped hearing from them," Twilight said sadly. "In hindsight... we should have done something then... we could have saved so many ponies..." "Look forward, not back." Rarity calmed her. "You mustn't torment yourself." "Right," Twilight said as she recomposed herself. "After the organic farmers went missing everything just sat still until the princesses disappeared. The Lab Crop scientists must have gathered an underground force. It was like the Eradication Facilities and Police sprang up out of thin air! Letters from terrified ponies trickled into the palace at first. Then they came in floods." Tears sprang from her eyes as she looked at Applejack. "That was right before the raid at Sweet Apple Acres. Cadence and I knew that the Police were burning farms left and right, so when I saw the flames that day... I knew what was happening." "I'm sorry we couldn't do more," Rarity added. Applejack shook her head. "Wasn't a thing to be done," she said. "Them scientists must've planned the time to set the fire. They burned the farm at the worst damn time. It was too late to replant and much too early to harvest anythin'." "That's not all." Twilight wiped her eyes and finally stopped pacing long enough to sit down. "They released poison into the soil. I doubt any crops will grow there ever again." Applejack had to change the subject at that point. "What about yer brother?" "Shining started going undercover. He promoted a Lab Crop scientist to govern two Equestrian providences so he could gain their trust and be our inside spy. Cadence started establishing refugee camps in the Crystal Empire, and between the two of us, we kept the sun and moon in rhythm and tried to figure out what to do. We had no leads and no way to search for any." "So Cadence is all alone at the palace?" Fluttershy cried. "With nopony to help her?" "She's strong," Twilight said, "and she's holding up. But we're certainly on borrowed time." "Are there any theories to go on?" "None. That's the hardest part! The Lab Crop scientists want to eliminate earth ponies to end natural farming and increase demand for their product. That much is clear. But we can't figure out what other motives there might be. We've got to investigate." Rainbow Dash darted to the door or Rarity's basement. All of the chit chat was driving her insane. "Then, for buck's sake, let's go to Canterlot!" She exclaimed as she threw the door wide open. Twilight gasped. A purple aura gripped the door and slammed it shut. "What part of 'earth ponies are killed on sight' did ya miss?" Applejack said flatly. "Oh. Yeah. Right." "I hate to be the one to say it, but before we leave Carousel Boutique, Applejack and Pinkie have a decision to make." Twilight said. "We'll have to travel with you two under cover. So which disguise will it be? A pegasus or a unicorn?" She tilted her ears forward in anticipation of her friends' choices. "Ah!" Rarity chimed in, "a disguise? Oh, do let me offer my expertise!" Applejack felt the wind get knocked out of her. Every pony gazed at her as excitement welled up on their faces. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings to show them off. Rarity and Twilight's lit up their horns in a bright display. Pinkie Pie wasn't showing any sign of opposition. Applejack couldn't appreciate their enthusiasm. A disguise was just like a lie. "Any references to agriculture are a dead giveaway for being an earth pony, too," Twilight added. "We'll have to change that." She pointed to AJ's flank. "How the hay can Ah git a new cutie mark?" A defensive Applejack fired back. The others seemed caught off guard. She stared at the three beautiful apples dotting her flank. She'd worked so hard for that cutie mark, and she was the proudest pony in the bunch. Second to Rainbow Dash. "Well, your fritters are wonderful," Fluttershy spoke up cautiously. "Maybe we can paint some on your flank." She had obviously missed the reason behind Applejack's frustration. "Why of course!" Rarity beamed, oblivious as well. "Many distinguished bakers are unicorns! Like Donut Joe!" "I don't know iffin Ah'm any good with yer fancy magic..." Her voice trailed off. Who was she kidding? She was no unicorn. "Your horn won't work," Twilight warned. She turned to Pinkie Pie. "Wings won't work either. Unicorns have magical stores in regions of their brains and Pegasi have hollow bones. The anatomical differences are too extreme to actually turn you into another kind of pony." She paused. "I suppose I could give you a small magic store. Just enough to do a simple spell if you need to prove anything to anypony." "Cain't hurt, then, I 'spose." Applejack said through gritted teeth. She accepted that her friends were trying to help. She knew a disguise was the only safe way to leave the damned basement that had been keeping her hostage. Her apprehension came from her pride and she knew it. Sure, besides the Eradication bastards in the pewter gray uniforms, she'd never met a pony who favored the evil policies set by the Lab Corp scientists. She didn't want to push the issue, but she wondered how her friends were able tolerate the injustice. Six months into this whole ordeal wasn't nearly enough time for her to adjust. She was considered inferior because she was an earth pony? So now she had to parade around with a fake horn and abandon her name? She could barely stomach it. "Pinkie, I'm dyeing your coat purple and your mane blue. That should hide the pink." Rarity didn't miss a beat. "And Applejack... I do hope you don't mind a red coat or a brown mane." The only answer she could manage was a half-hearted smile. "Okay." Rainbow Dash hovered above Applejack as she spoke. "AJ as a red unicorn and Pinks the purple Pegasus. Got it. You should each have an alias too." "Like from outer space?" Pinkie chirped. "Wha?" Dash raised an eyebrow. "Pinkie Pie, you are so rand-" "No, Pinkie, not alien. Alias." Twilight chuckled. "A fake name." "Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. "Like Candy Sky?" Dash shook her head. "More pegasus-y. And cooler!" "Balloon Butt!" "Cooler!" "Peppermint Cloud!" "Cooler!" Dash insisted. "It needs to be about twenty percent-" "Ooh! Oooh! Sweet Cirrus!" "...I'll take it." Dash was satisfied. Fluttershy smiled. "We'll have to teach you all about the weather if you really want to commit to your disguise," she added. "And we'll show you how to preen feathers and navigate canopies!" Applejack was still stuck on the idea of sporting a horn. She couldn't even think about names right now. Normally she hated being coddled but she was glad when Rarity noticed her distress and gave her a gentle pat. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "We're so caught up creating these disguises and seemed to have shut you out." Somehow, over the last few months, Rarity had become exceptionally in tune with Applejack's emotions. The two shared a long, telling embrace. "I can't imagine how hard this is for you. Being an earth pony is nothing to be ashamed of." Rarity pulled away and, in one graceful motion, she lifted Applejack's head up and pulled her mane aside so she could look directly into her glossy green eyes. "We love you no matter what. A silly disguise won't change who you are." Is being an earth pony apple farmer really all there is to me? Am Ah that shallow? Applejack entertained the thought for a brief moment in time. Her work might have defined her identity at one point. But she shook off the temptation to wallow in her own misery. "Sometimes Ah just need ta hear what mah heart is tellin' me from another pony," she said to Rarity. "You should listen to your heart more often, darling." Applejack nodded. "Thank ya kindly. And ya'll can call me Fritter Annie." RevelationA chilling fear swept over Shining Armour as his eyes darted wildly around his surroundings. The stench of urine and rot made nausea rise up from his belly. He could hear all ranges of noises. Distressed ponies were crying. Exacerbated mumbles came from the ponies who had gone out of their minds. The hoofstep patterns that resounded as he and two Lab Corp scientists walked down a narrow corridor were the only sounds with rhyme or reason. He had been granted access to Lab Corps Headquarters in the caverns beneath Canterlot. He might as well have taken a trip to hell. His heart sank when the scientists stopped at a large window. Shining Armour squinted to see through. The opposite room was dimly lit, but what Shining could see resembled a demented zoo exhibit. He could see dark smears streaked across the wall and he could smell the sweat and feces coming from whatever pitiful pony waited for them behind the glass. One of the scientists clicked on a light switch, and Shining Armour let the numbness take over when he saw their latest test subject. The pegasus before them was grotesquely muscular. Drool dripped from its muzzle and it grunted at its spectators. "As you can see, we have mixed results with this virus, but we've almost achieved our goal," the scientist boasted. "This pegasus was too malnourished to fly a week ago. Now she flies in the top 3% of recorded speeds. As of today, she has killed her targets within 20 minutes after they were released into her enclosure." Shining Armour didn't allow himself to do so much as cringe. "When was she infected, then?" He asked. "Two days ago." "Any side effects?" "She's scoring significantly low on her cognition tests. Her mental capacity matches that of a schoolfilly, which makes her extremely easy to control. We're also seeing high aggression, heart rate, and metabolism. But that's no surprise." "She will make a fine soldier," Shining Armour said. "Precisely. We will infect Pegasi as soon as we've refined the virus." "Sir, what if we fail to contain them? If they rebel?" Shining Armor asked. The scientist snorted. He looked over his notes for reassurance and then nodded to his colleague. The second scientist's horn began to glow and radiate warmth. Shining Armor recognized the spell as a simple lightning cast. He knew who the intended target was and his heart sank even further into his chest. The first scientist lowered the protective screen as the second finished his spell. The infected pegasus was oblivious to the assault as a barrage of lightning struck her in the sternum. Her body appeared to tense for a brief moment before she crumbled to the ground in a heap. "With such an elevated heart rate, they are also easily disposed of," the first scientist noted. "Any hit in the chest will cause cardiac arrest." "How is the infection spread?" "No fear there, Sir Armor," said the scientist, "we inject it into the bloodstream. We intend to start a war, not the apocolypse." "A war against whom?" Shining asked. He immediately knew he had gone too far. He couldn't take it back now. The scientist lifted an eyebrow. He conferred with his partner before he gave an answer. "We will let our boss explain it to you, if she sees it appropriate. There is no harm in telling you this, Shining Armor... nopony can stop us now. The ponies' beloved princesses were their only hope. We can't kill that which is immortal, so they have been sealed in the depths of Tartarus. The only way to return a living soul to the earth were the Elements of Harmony. Two of them are dead. We have targeted the Pegasi next. Our next test subjects for the Pegasi virus are-" here he glanced at his notes for reference- "Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. We know they are still in Ponyville." Shining knew he had to act fast. Twilight Sparkle's eyes jolted open. Sweat rolled down her forehead and had collected on her pillow. She sat upright slowly to prevent the dizziness from forcing her to lay down again. "Was that you Twilight?" Fluttershy asked sleepily. Twilight buried her head in her hooves. "Uh huh," she muttered wearily. "I just got a telepathic message from Shining Armour." As she began to process the message, her eyes grew wide and she cried, "I know where the princesses are! We have to leave Ponyville!"
Hideaway"Ah counted a hundred and eighty-six days, iffin mah math is right." Applejack smirked, in spite of herself. "Probably ain't." Rarity blinked as she added the numbers in her head. "No, my dear, you're spot on," she said. "I do hope you're, erm, comfortable. I wish I could offer more." Her white coat jumped out from their dingy gray surroundings. "Could you benefit from extra pillows? Perhaps an air-freshener? I do have some old potpourri." "Ah guess ah'm all right," AJ said. She quickly added, "Ah can't thank you enough, though. Yer doin yer darndest an Ah sound plum ungrateful, huh?" This basement was safe. She was safe. That was more than many ponies could even hope for anymore. Rarity shook her head. "Not at all," she cooed. "I imagine you miss the sun." AJ nodded. She looked around the dimly-lit basement workroom in Carousel Boutique. It had become her home since the Ponyville raid. Last spring, when word came that the Eradication Police was going to demolish Sweet Apple Acres, Mac took the family and ran. It was the last time she saw her family. And it was... she pawed at her tally marks... 186 days ago. "Yer not comin' with us?" Applebloom asked, with tears in her eyes. "Mac says we can stay safe an stay together." "I'll meet up with ya'll soon enough," Applejack said. She fully intended to reunite with them, so it wasn't a lie, right? "Promise me you ain't gonna try 'n fight them police," Mac demanded. "Damn law says they can blow your head off iffin' ya raise yer voice to them." "We can start another farm, Jackie," Pinkie reasoned. "When it blows over we'll plant new trees. And harvest them and do it all over again every year. We can't do that without you-" Pinkie stopped herself. She knew she should have stifled herself sooner for the sake of Apple Bloom. But somepony had to find middle ground between optimism and the reality of the blatant genocide that was sweeping Equestria. Granny Smith was silent. She knew better than to argue with her oldest granddaughter. "Ah'm gonna distract them an give ya'll a good start. Nothin' more. Don't worry none. Ah can handle mahself." AJ held back tears as she spoke. She hated lying to anypony about anything, but she couldn't surrender her home so easily. Granny, Bloom and Pinkie would be safe with Mac. She had to fight. She could face dying with honor much more readily than running away. On that crisp April morning, she watched her family leave the land they loved. And then she waited. Armed with a single old shot gun, she stood ready for the Eradication Patrol's arrival. She knew they hated her very Earthen pony guts. She was proud to meet her maker this way and sickened by her impending death at the same time. She could see her tombstone already. "Applejack Apple died April 9th defending her beloved farm while her family escaped to carry on the Apple legacy." Her courage had never tasted so bitter. She didn't remember much of the onslaught. It was a smoke-filled blur. A barrage of soldiers marched up to her front porch with fury etched in their stance. She defended her farm with all she could muster, but once her shotgun ran out of ammo, she didn't last. She felled a meager five or six of the soldiers before a blow to the head and three broken legs left Applejack unable to fight anymore. Nestled in the grass, immobile and helpless, she watched as Sweet Apple Acres burned to ashes. Flames swallowed the hills once dotted with thriving trees. AJ paid special attention to the tallest hill in the east orchard. When it, too, was engulfed in the blaze, she finally shut her eyes. She couldn't bear it anymore. Knowing that burn marks had desecrated her parents' marble headstone was too painful. With her eyes so tightly clasped, she never saw the face of the pony who was designated to be her executioner. His peers jeered him on while the cold barrel of his pistol jabbed her ribs. She held what she feared was her breath and the shot rang out. Metallic taste overwhelmed her senses and she slipped away. The soldiers mistook her for a goner; they underestimated Apple hardiness. When she came to, pain coursing through every inch of her, she was heavily bandaged and hunkered down in Rarity's basement. She remembered her own listless form resting on an ornate pillow in the same spot where she lay now. She spent hours in silence watching her chest rise and fall to convince herself that she was alive. Applejack never would have expected to owe her life to a frilly unicorn, but this Eradication was changing everypony. Rarity had nursed her back to health over the last few months. Now it was almost Nighmare Night. It had been one-hundred and eighty-six days since the sun warmed her coat. Since she'd seen her family. Since anything had any semblance of normality. Rarity rested a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "I came down here to deliver a letter. Its, well, relatively cheery. Applebloom is still with Sweetie and my parents. No cutie marks yet." They shared a knowing smile. "How are Pinks and mah brother doin'?" Rarity paused. She knew the only thing worse than the truth was a lie. "Fillydelphia is in a panic. It's dreadful, Applejack. From the sounds of it, the real food has run out. Ponies are dropping like flies. This Lab Crop obviously isn't suitable for keeping us alive." Rarity had become AJ's primary informant, though reading newspapers and listening to the radio was no longer an enjoyable pastime, to say the least. This all started with the damnable "lab crop." The fruits and vegetables from the hellish corporation weren't grown in the soil and nurtured with the sky and rain. They were synthesized and sold at high prices. The scientists behind the movement said they wanted to create a healthier, more self-sustained Equestria. But since most poor ponies had starved to death and the Eradication Police started detaining Earth ponies the same day Lab Crop hit the market, any pony with half a brain knew something was amiss. "Knew it," Applejack said simply. It made her hot with fury to know all this pain and suffering was happening so somepony could disguise racism and eugenics as a way to better ponykind by "eliminating a need for reliance on earth ponies for sustenance." Rarity moved the conversation along. "Pinkie Pie and Big Mac are holding on. He found a small patch of viable land in the cellar where they're hiding. They're living off of corn for now." Neither spoke of Granny Smith, who left the hiding cellar one day and didn't return. AJ had her suspicions. The wise old mare must have known how low supplies would get. She'd lived a full life. It must have been the hardest way to go, but AJ admired her grandmother's courage more than anything else. She decided a long time ago that she had to focus on her loved ones who were still with her or she'd lose her mind. "Growing corn, eh? Smart. Hardy crop. High yield." Applejack smiled. She looked at her own meager cornstalks growing in Rarity's basement. Her earth pony magic was dwindling without any connection to Celesia's creation, but the harvest from this crop of corn would feed her for a few weeks. "Any news 'bout Celestia returning?" AJ prodded. "I'm afraid not." Rarity hung her head. "No sign of Luna either. The scientists who started this whole... thing have taken over. Needless to say, the Lab Crop fiasco is making them rich. Ponies buy the synthetic food since they can't afford real food anymore." Her ears dropped. "Ponyville will be out of stock by next week anyway." "Kay," Applejack said numbly. "Well, at least the last Eradication Facility was reportedly shut down." "No more earth ponies being gassed to death? Or experimented on?" There was a weathered kind of bitterness in her voice. Rarity bit her lower lip. "No... The soldiers were given orders to kill on sight instead, since..." "It's okay, Rarity." Tears were stinging her eyes already. "How many earth ponies are left?" "An estimated 400. The troops swept Minneighapolis yesterday." "Damn." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here, AJ, I brought you some daisies," Fluttershy said gingerly. "Thank ya, Flutters." Applejack took the flowers without hesitation. They would make a great breakfast/lunch/dinner. "Aaand an orange!" Dash boasted. "I know how you feel about oranges, but food is food!" "If she won't take it, I most certainly will!" Rarity put in. AJ rolled her eyes. " 'Ts all yers," She said. Dash stuck her tongue out at both of them. "And I wanted to, um, tell you that... um..." Fluttershy squeaked out the next part quickly. "I'm so sorry! Poor Winona won't leave the Sweet Apple Acres property. I've tried everything!" AJ smiled. There were no shortage of small critters for Winona to hunt. She was thankful that her dog wasn't going to bed hungry every single night. It was a hard pill to swallow though. The Eradication Police had released rhubarb. foxglove, oleander, and other toxic plants into the forests and meadows of Equestria. While other herbivorous wildlife had vegetation to eat, ponies couldn't eat any plant out of the ground without taking a huge gamble of being poisoned. "As long as you keep visiting her, she'll pull through. I hope." AJ sighed. "I 'preciate it, Flutters. Winona deserves it. She's a good dog." Applejack purposefully swiveled her head toward the earshot of a blue pegasus. "Maybe even more loyal then Dash!" "Hey now! Watch it cowpony!" Dash tackled AJ. "I am the one and only Element of Loyalty!" Applejack was so glad to see Rainbow Dash. She never stopped being her lovable self. The chaos had affected all of her friends one way or another, but besides the weight loss, Dash was exactly the same. The two began wrestling around and laughing like old times. "Why is everypony here today anyway," Rarity interrupted their fun. She had already consumed the whole orange. "Not everpo- " Fluttershy didn't finish her sentence. A sudden blast of light propelled them all backwards. The taunting purple glow reminded Applejack of the sunlight. It was the closest she'd gotten in months and it was torture. Out of the flash there came a stream of confetti, followed by a voice. "I haven't seen you girls in sooooo loooong!!!" "Pinkie! Thank Celestia!" Dash had already wrapped the party pony in a hug. "I haven't seen you in, like, forever!" "I know! Forever and ever! Hey, don't forget, Twilight's here too!" Pinkie produced and distributed six homemade party hats as Twilight cleared her throat. She rubbed her horn, having transported two ponies an extremely long distance, and looked around. All of her friends were in the same place again. It was amazing, in every sense, to see them. "Where exactly have you been?" Rarity sounded hurt. "You disappeared after we rescued Applejack! You healed her broken bones and... and... remember? You said you were running one quick errand! I was so worried!" "I know, Rarity, but I was summoned to Canterlot, and before I had the chance to contact anypony, Princess Luna transported me to a secret conference. It truly was an emergency. I've been there ever since. Just got out, actually, and you don't know how glad-" "Wait, you saved me too?" Applejack interjected, jumping past the happy news that somepony had heard from Luna. It took her a minute to process. She thought back to the day she woke up, recalling how the physical pain of broken legs was nothing compared to the pangs of uselessness they caused. She owed Twilight and Rarity her life and her sanity for setting her bones so well. A permanent disability would have driven her mad. "Call it a team effort," Twilight insisted. "And you shouldn't have been so brash! You could have been killed. We need you. Equestria needs the Elements. Without them, we'll never find Celestia. It will be hard enough as it is." "Slow down!" Rainbow Dash ironically requested. "You know how to save Celestia?" "Yes! Kind of. We might be able to track her down and bring her home," Twilight summarized. "The Lab Corp scientists don't see the Elements of Harmony as a threat to their power. So they haven't sent troops to interfere with us. Additionally, if they do discover our plan, they don't have any strategies to use against us! We'd have the best chance of success because we're invisible to our enemies." "Not a threat?" Dash seemed offended. "What? Do they know who they're dealing with?" "No, Dash, they don't," Twilight said hopefully. "They know the Elements are useless when we're not all together and all their documents say that AJ and Pinkie are dead. Shining Armour has full access to the records. He sent them to me yesterday. It says-" She grabbed a rolled up piece of parchment from her bulging saddlebag- "'Applejack S. Apple 'died' via execution in the raid at Sweet Apple Acres, and Pinkie D. Pie 'died' of starvation in a Fillydelphia Eradication Facility'." "I did?" Pinkie asked, her mane deflating a little. "Of course not, Pinkie. Shining forged your papers." "So that's why you brought me here?" Pinkie asked. "To use my element?" Twilight nodded. "I told you it was important." "Aw, I thought everypony just needed a party hat." Author's Note My first real shot at this fanfiction thing. Hope you like!
Fritters are all I have left"As much as we love your hats, Pinkie, we've got bigger matters on our hooves," Twilight said. "I do find them quite festive, dear," Rarity threw in a compliment. "Mine even has a drawing-" "Hold your horses!" Pinkie exclaimed, ignoring Rarity. Having put two and two together, she glared at Applejack. "You were there for the raid at Sweet Apple Acres? You tried to fight, didn't you?" The pain of betrayal weighed down her voice. Pinkie's head began spinning and she stumbled for words. The day she fled the farm with Mac, Apple Bloom, and Granny was the last time her family was whole. It was the last time she allowed herself nurture the hope that everything would be okay. The futility of hope was mocking her now. Months later, her grandmother was dead. She and little Apple Bloom were forced to hide out like criminals. She'd watched her reliable, hard-working husband suffer the crushing weight of feeling like he failed his loved ones. And now trustworthy Applejack had gone back on a promise. The look on Pinkie's face as she tried to digest her own thoughts was troubling. Nopony had ever seen Pinkie this upset before. Applejack hated to be the cause. She hung her head and sighed. "Ah did it, Pinkie Pie. Ah cain't take it back." "You promised me! And Mac! And-" "Ah know ah did." Applejack looked up. "An you heard what happened to me. Ah was nearly killed, Pinkie. You can see the damn scar from the bullet iffen ya'll want to! But mah farm was the only home I ever knew. Born 'n bred, ya know, and I ain't never hurt so much in mah life." "It was bad, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked. Her curiosity had caused trouble for her in recent months but this was the first time she let herself ask AJ about the raid. "I watched the fire eat up Ma and Pa's grave," Applejack said, voice breaking. She didn't need to say anything else. The implications silenced her friends because Applejack never talked about her parents. The Element of Honesty was way too skilled at suppressing her emotions. A simple "I don't wanna talk about it" was always the honest but meager truth. "Mac and I were scared to death is all," Pinkie finally said quietly. "You and Applebloom are the only sisters I have left now." The Apple family farmhouse was filled with the scents of a warm hearth and cinnamon apple sweets. Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity were fussing over this and that. Granny was slaving away in the kitchen while Apple Bloom and the Crusaders were working for their Hearth's-Warming-Eve-wedding-decorating cutie marks. Fluttershy was the only level-headed pony in the house. She helped Big Mac straiten his bow tie. "There's nothing to be nervous about," she cooed. "Pinkie Pie loves you very much, and she has been waiting for this day for a long time." Big Mac swallowed a lump in his throat. "...Eeeeeyup." "Rainbow will come get us when Pinkie is ready. We'll meet at the church and watch the ceremony, and then we can have a big reception at Pinkie's farm... and you two can come back here and... um..." "Eeyup." Mac chuckled. The farm had been used as the Apple family honeymoon suite for generations. He would continue the tradition tonight. "I can't wait to see her all done up," Rarity said dreamily. "It took me forever to get her gown just right, but my friends must have the best! You'll be speechless," she assured Big Mac. "Aww, shoot, he ain't never said much anyhow," Applejack teased. She threw a hoof around her brother's neck. "But today is all about you, big guy." "An' Pinkie," he corrected her. "She's the reason we're havin' this shindig, remember?" "How could I forget? I cain't wait for Pinks to join the clan." Applejack could hear a faint reprise of Apples to the Core in her head. It was almost too perfect. No one would have predicted the wild party pony falling for the stoic farmer, but Pinkie and Mac were living proof that opposites could not only attract but could complete each other. The Apple-Pie wedding was the sugar-coated down-home celebration that everyone expected it to be. "Girls, I hate to be rude, but we have important business here!" Twilight chided them. "We really could be Celestia's last hope! She could be out there somewhere... suffering... waiting for us..." Her voice faded away and she seemed to lose focus. "Uh, Twi?" Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of the dazed egghead. "Maybe you should start at the beginning." "I can't. We don't know what happened." "Ok, so, who's we?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight took in a deep breath and began pacing around the room. Her eyes fixed on the ground as she spoke. "Shining Armor, Cadence, and myself," she began. "We've been trying to hold Equestria together, but that gave us no time to leave the palace and search for the princesses. Celestia left no trace when she disappeared. She rose the sun one morning and the Lab Crop scientists started taking hold of Equestria before Luna was supposed to raise the moon. When we realized she was missing too, we ran into her chambers. All we found were two dead guards and a cluster of dark feathers scattered in her bedroom. We know the guards had their throats slit and we assume Luna injured her wing in some kind of struggle." "Hold up there, Twi. How did them scientists take over?" Applejack probed. "Remember, you been meetin' with ponies who know more than us fer months while Pinkie n' me sat underground." The memories Applejack had accumulated over the last few months were all blurred together. Each day was like a bland grain of rice in a large bowl. No day was special. No time was unique. Receiving a letter from Mac or hearing a particularly nasty news report were the only pieces of individuality that jumped out at her from the monochromatic rice bowl that was life in hiding. Another day, another grain. Twilight cleared her throat. "This all started when the scientists started selling the Lab Crop in Canterlot," she said, "and they marketed to the richest unicorn clientele. Notable ponies started buying Lab Crop food, so it became the hottest trend." "Ponies actually liked that junk?" Rainbow Dash scoffed, thinking of the one-dimensional tastes and textures of the Lab Crop. When money was especially tight last week she purchased a pound of Lab Carrots and remembered likening them to tissue paper with an unnaturally orange tint. "Dumb trends come and go all the time in cities like Canterlot," Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. "Before Lab Crop, everypony was infatuated with gardens showcasing venomous plants." "Or clothing with bells sewn on," Rarity added in. "I appreciate daring fashion, but sometimes those rich unicorns get so bored that any silly pastime will amuse them." "Naturally, we didn't think twice about Lab Crop's popularity. It was the talk of Canterlot until some ponies started speaking up about how unnatural it was. They were earth ponies who ran fancy organic farms that catered to the uppercrust. After they started making a fuss about the Lab Crop, other ponies stopped hearing from them," Twilight said sadly. "In hindsight... we should have done something then... we could have saved so many ponies..." "Look forward, not back." Rarity calmed her. "You mustn't torment yourself." "Right," Twilight said as she recomposed herself. "After the organic farmers went missing everything just sat still until the princesses disappeared. The Lab Crop scientists must have gathered an underground force. It was like the Eradication Facilities and Police sprang up out of thin air! Letters from terrified ponies trickled into the palace at first. Then they came in floods." Tears sprang from her eyes as she looked at Applejack. "That was right before the raid at Sweet Apple Acres. Cadence and I knew that the Police were burning farms left and right, so when I saw the flames that day... I knew what was happening." "I'm sorry we couldn't do more," Rarity added. Applejack shook her head. "Wasn't a thing to be done," she said. "Them scientists must've planned the time to set the fire. They burned the farm at the worst damn time. It was too late to replant and much too early to harvest anythin'." "That's not all." Twilight wiped her eyes and finally stopped pacing long enough to sit down. "They released poison into the soil. I doubt any crops will grow there ever again." Applejack had to change the subject at that point. "What about yer brother?" "Shining started going undercover. He promoted a Lab Crop scientist to govern two Equestrian providences so he could gain their trust and be our inside spy. Cadence started establishing refugee camps in the Crystal Empire, and between the two of us, we kept the sun and moon in rhythm and tried to figure out what to do. We had no leads and no way to search for any." "So Cadence is all alone at the palace?" Fluttershy cried. "With nopony to help her?" "She's strong," Twilight said, "and she's holding up. But we're certainly on borrowed time." "Are there any theories to go on?" "None. That's the hardest part! The Lab Crop scientists want to eliminate earth ponies to end natural farming and increase demand for their product. That much is clear. But we can't figure out what other motives there might be. We've got to investigate." Rainbow Dash darted to the door or Rarity's basement. All of the chit chat was driving her insane. "Then, for buck's sake, let's go to Canterlot!" She exclaimed as she threw the door wide open. Twilight gasped. A purple aura gripped the door and slammed it shut. "What part of 'earth ponies are killed on sight' did ya miss?" Applejack said flatly. "Oh. Yeah. Right." "I hate to be the one to say it, but before we leave Carousel Boutique, Applejack and Pinkie have a decision to make." Twilight said. "We'll have to travel with you two under cover. So which disguise will it be? A pegasus or a unicorn?" She tilted her ears forward in anticipation of her friends' choices. "Ah!" Rarity chimed in, "a disguise? Oh, do let me offer my expertise!" Applejack felt the wind get knocked out of her. Every pony gazed at her as excitement welled up on their faces. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings to show them off. Rarity and Twilight's lit up their horns in a bright display. Pinkie Pie wasn't showing any sign of opposition. Applejack couldn't appreciate their enthusiasm. A disguise was just like a lie. "Any references to agriculture are a dead giveaway for being an earth pony, too," Twilight added. "We'll have to change that." She pointed to AJ's flank. "How the hay can Ah git a new cutie mark?" A defensive Applejack fired back. The others seemed caught off guard. She stared at the three beautiful apples dotting her flank. She'd worked so hard for that cutie mark, and she was the proudest pony in the bunch. Second to Rainbow Dash. "Well, your fritters are wonderful," Fluttershy spoke up cautiously. "Maybe we can paint some on your flank." She had obviously missed the reason behind Applejack's frustration. "Why of course!" Rarity beamed, oblivious as well. "Many distinguished bakers are unicorns! Like Donut Joe!" "I don't know iffin Ah'm any good with yer fancy magic..." Her voice trailed off. Who was she kidding? She was no unicorn. "Your horn won't work," Twilight warned. She turned to Pinkie Pie. "Wings won't work either. Unicorns have magical stores in regions of their brains and Pegasi have hollow bones. The anatomical differences are too extreme to actually turn you into another kind of pony." She paused. "I suppose I could give you a small magic store. Just enough to do a simple spell if you need to prove anything to anypony." "Cain't hurt, then, I 'spose." Applejack said through gritted teeth. She accepted that her friends were trying to help. She knew a disguise was the only safe way to leave the damned basement that had been keeping her hostage. Her apprehension came from her pride and she knew it. Sure, besides the Eradication bastards in the pewter gray uniforms, she'd never met a pony who favored the evil policies set by the Lab Corp scientists. She didn't want to push the issue, but she wondered how her friends were able tolerate the injustice. Six months into this whole ordeal wasn't nearly enough time for her to adjust. She was considered inferior because she was an earth pony? So now she had to parade around with a fake horn and abandon her name? She could barely stomach it. "Pinkie, I'm dyeing your coat purple and your mane blue. That should hide the pink." Rarity didn't miss a beat. "And Applejack... I do hope you don't mind a red coat or a brown mane." The only answer she could manage was a half-hearted smile. "Okay." Rainbow Dash hovered above Applejack as she spoke. "AJ as a red unicorn and Pinks the purple Pegasus. Got it. You should each have an alias too." "Like from outer space?" Pinkie chirped. "Wha?" Dash raised an eyebrow. "Pinkie Pie, you are so rand-" "No, Pinkie, not alien. Alias." Twilight chuckled. "A fake name." "Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. "Like Candy Sky?" Dash shook her head. "More pegasus-y. And cooler!" "Balloon Butt!" "Cooler!" "Peppermint Cloud!" "Cooler!" Dash insisted. "It needs to be about twenty percent-" "Ooh! Oooh! Sweet Cirrus!" "...I'll take it." Dash was satisfied. Fluttershy smiled. "We'll have to teach you all about the weather if you really want to commit to your disguise," she added. "And we'll show you how to preen feathers and navigate canopies!" Applejack was still stuck on the idea of sporting a horn. She couldn't even think about names right now. Normally she hated being coddled but she was glad when Rarity noticed her distress and gave her a gentle pat. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "We're so caught up creating these disguises and seemed to have shut you out." Somehow, over the last few months, Rarity had become exceptionally in tune with Applejack's emotions. The two shared a long, telling embrace. "I can't imagine how hard this is for you. Being an earth pony is nothing to be ashamed of." Rarity pulled away and, in one graceful motion, she lifted Applejack's head up and pulled her mane aside so she could look directly into her glossy green eyes. "We love you no matter what. A silly disguise won't change who you are." Is being an earth pony apple farmer really all there is to me? Am Ah that shallow? Applejack entertained the thought for a brief moment in time. Her work might have defined her identity at one point. But she shook off the temptation to wallow in her own misery. "Sometimes Ah just need ta hear what mah heart is tellin' me from another pony," she said to Rarity. "You should listen to your heart more often, darling." Applejack nodded. "Thank ya kindly. And ya'll can call me Fritter Annie."
RevelationA chilling fear swept over Shining Armour as his eyes darted wildly around his surroundings. The stench of urine and rot made nausea rise up from his belly. He could hear all ranges of noises. Distressed ponies were crying. Exacerbated mumbles came from the ponies who had gone out of their minds. The hoofstep patterns that resounded as he and two Lab Corp scientists walked down a narrow corridor were the only sounds with rhyme or reason. He had been granted access to Lab Corps Headquarters in the caverns beneath Canterlot. He might as well have taken a trip to hell. His heart sank when the scientists stopped at a large window. Shining Armour squinted to see through. The opposite room was dimly lit, but what Shining could see resembled a demented zoo exhibit. He could see dark smears streaked across the wall and he could smell the sweat and feces coming from whatever pitiful pony waited for them behind the glass. One of the scientists clicked on a light switch, and Shining Armour let the numbness take over when he saw their latest test subject. The pegasus before them was grotesquely muscular. Drool dripped from its muzzle and it grunted at its spectators. "As you can see, we have mixed results with this virus, but we've almost achieved our goal," the scientist boasted. "This pegasus was too malnourished to fly a week ago. Now she flies in the top 3% of recorded speeds. As of today, she has killed her targets within 20 minutes after they were released into her enclosure." Shining Armour didn't allow himself to do so much as cringe. "When was she infected, then?" He asked. "Two days ago." "Any side effects?" "She's scoring significantly low on her cognition tests. Her mental capacity matches that of a schoolfilly, which makes her extremely easy to control. We're also seeing high aggression, heart rate, and metabolism. But that's no surprise." "She will make a fine soldier," Shining Armour said. "Precisely. We will infect Pegasi as soon as we've refined the virus." "Sir, what if we fail to contain them? If they rebel?" Shining Armor asked. The scientist snorted. He looked over his notes for reassurance and then nodded to his colleague. The second scientist's horn began to glow and radiate warmth. Shining Armor recognized the spell as a simple lightning cast. He knew who the intended target was and his heart sank even further into his chest. The first scientist lowered the protective screen as the second finished his spell. The infected pegasus was oblivious to the assault as a barrage of lightning struck her in the sternum. Her body appeared to tense for a brief moment before she crumbled to the ground in a heap. "With such an elevated heart rate, they are also easily disposed of," the first scientist noted. "Any hit in the chest will cause cardiac arrest." "How is the infection spread?" "No fear there, Sir Armor," said the scientist, "we inject it into the bloodstream. We intend to start a war, not the apocolypse." "A war against whom?" Shining asked. He immediately knew he had gone too far. He couldn't take it back now. The scientist lifted an eyebrow. He conferred with his partner before he gave an answer. "We will let our boss explain it to you, if she sees it appropriate. There is no harm in telling you this, Shining Armor... nopony can stop us now. The ponies' beloved princesses were their only hope. We can't kill that which is immortal, so they have been sealed in the depths of Tartarus. The only way to return a living soul to the earth were the Elements of Harmony. Two of them are dead. We have targeted the Pegasi next. Our next test subjects for the Pegasi virus are-" here he glanced at his notes for reference- "Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. We know they are still in Ponyville." Shining knew he had to act fast. Twilight Sparkle's eyes jolted open. Sweat rolled down her forehead and had collected on her pillow. She sat upright slowly to prevent the dizziness from forcing her to lay down again. "Was that you Twilight?" Fluttershy asked sleepily. Twilight buried her head in her hooves. "Uh huh," she muttered wearily. "I just got a telepathic message from Shining Armour." As she began to process the message, her eyes grew wide and she cried, "I know where the princesses are! We have to leave Ponyville!"
