Chapter 1 - The Liar Within
Liar
by: Ephraim Blue
Chapter 1 - The Liar Within
What are lies? Lies are something that hide the truth. Lies bring ponies apart. This creates disharmony between friends. But what about truth? What does telling the truth do? Well, telling the truth means that you can be trusted to help others and truly mean it. Truth brings ponies together.
But sometimes, lies are better than the truth. Have you ever been asked the question: 'Does this dress make me look fat?' and you thought it did? What was your answer? If you answered yes, than you tell the truth and hurt their feelings. If you answered no, you lied to them and they don't hate you as much as when you could have told the truth.
There isn't much difference between lies and truth. Lies don't do much but hide the truth. Some truth that should be hidden away, because the truth holds a dark secret you don't want others to know about.
Lies could also make one feel special. If somepony told someone else they weren't bad when they really were, they feel better about themselves and try to be better. If you tell the truth and say they are bad, you could hurt their feelings and they wouldn't try to be good anymore.
There was one mare who tried to tell the truth. She told her friend Rarity that she was being really rotten when she was instead of lying and trying to make her feel better. The mare's name was Applejack. She told the truth constantly. Day in and day out. She never told any lies. Or at least, tried not to.
That is what everypony thought she did, anyway.
"Applejack, could you be a dear and bring me my coat?"
"Sure thing Rarity."
This was a particularly special day in Rarity's life. They were heading out to travel to Canterlot for Rarity's fashion show. Applejack only received word of it yesterday, and although she had a lot of chores to do, she had told Rarity that she wasn't busy and was happy to help with her luggage. And the stage. And the dresses. And, well, you get the idea.
Even though Rarity wasn't all that known around the place, some pony in Canterlot heard about her dresses and asked her to put on a fashion show in the big city. Knowing Rarity, Applejack guessed that she jumped for joy for like, two hours or something like that when she got the news.
Still, Applejack couldn't help like feeling like she was guilty of something. She knew she lied about her chores to help out a friend, but that couldn't be it.
Right?
On the way to the train station, they passed by the old library. It was an old and run down place, since nopony ever worked there.
"Applejack," Rarity started, "what do you think will happen to that place?"
"Don't rightfully know," she replied. "But Ah'm sure that somepony will come along and fix that place up soon."
"Hmm, you're probably right."
They continued down the path toward the train station. On the way, Applejack felt a little queasy in her stomach. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but she wondered if it had anything to do with what she said. She didn't know if the library would get a librarian anytime soon.
That thought, and feeling remained with her on the train ride, it haunted her very existence.
The fashion show was a complete disaster. It was scheduled to rain in Canterlot that day and Rarity's dresses all got wet. They were so soggy, that the fashion show had to be cancelled because she couldn't make a new line of clothes before the show.
"M- My life is ruined, Applejack," Rarity cried. "I will never become a true fashionista."
"Now, don't you worry your pretty little hide, Sugarcube," Applejack said. "Ah'm sure you'll be just fine and they'll let ya all have another try at it."
There was that feeling again. She couldn't explain what it was. It was like a beetle pinching at the back of her leg. It didn't hurt, but Applejack couldn't get her mind off of it. Ever since she lied the first time, she couldn't shake the feeling that she did something she wasn't supposed to.
What was that feeling? It never haunted her before. Was this a part of her destiny?
"Let go," Applejack told Twilight.
"Are you crazy!?" she asked back.
The new mare that came to Ponyville earlier that day knew a lot about what was going to happen. Thinking back, she was staying at the library. Applejack had said to Rarity a few days ago that it would get a new librarian, but she never knew if it was going to come true.
The feeling in her stomach seemed to rest a little easier, now that she knew what she said a few days earlier was the truth.
"No I ain't. I promise you'll be safe."
"That's not true!"
Applejack bit back without showing it on her face. She was lying when she said that she would be safe, but she had to keep Twilight from knowing that. The feeling in her stomach started up again and seemed a bit worse than ever.
"Now, listen here. What Ah'm saying to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you'll be safe."
That entire statement was full of lies. When she looked up, she saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy lowering Rarity and Pinkie Pie down to safety, but she couldn't hold on to Twilight much longer. All she could hope for was those two pegasus would be able to catch her in time.
The purple unicorn looked at Applejack with eyes full of worry. She trusted Applejack. With one final breath, she let go of her.
The two pegasus did manage to catch her in time. Applejack felt relieved that her friend survived, but felt even guiltier, because she lied when she said she knew she would be safe.
The truth was, she didn't know she would make it at all.
That nagging feeling came again. This time, it was when she had told Big Mac she could do the entire harvest by herself when he was accidentally injured. She couldn't help it. She had to have the harvest done before the winter, and it wasn't anypony else's business to help with the apple harvest.
Still, being the Element of Honesty, she was supposed to always tell the truth. She shook off the feeling. She only became the element's bearer when what she said just so happened to come true.
But, the feeling remained. No matter what she did, that one feeling remained with her. What was that feeling? Could she make it go away? It only seemed to affect her whenever she said something that wasn't true.
Nah, that can't be it, she thought to herself. Nopony has ever gotten a feeling like this by telling lies.
For the next few months, everything was fine for Applejack. The feeling wasn't as bad now, and she sorta got used to it. Although, it bothered her constantly to think that she was the cause of the feeling that haunted her.
She didn't think didn't have time to about it much though. She had to find her way through the maze to get the Elements of Harmony Back.
This maze was unlike anything she had ever seen. It made new paths, blocked off old ones, and tricked her into heading in one direction or another.
Eventually, she found three apples rolling along the ground. They continued rolling on and on until they rounded a corner.
"What in tarnation?" she asked. Apples were not supposed to move like that. They seemed mighty suspicious to Applejack.
What in the hay is going on here? she thought to herself. This ground is flat. Nothing should be rolling like that on flat land.
Reluctantly, she followed the apples around the corner. She followed them to a pond in the middle of a clearing.
"Where an Ah?" she said. Just then, an apple fell on top of her head. Looking up, she saw that she was in the middle of a small apple orchard and all the apples were falling to the ground. The apples came together into three separate piles laughing.
"Ahahahahaha," one of the piles chuckled. The other two joined in and started circling Applejack.
"Who are ya all?" Applejack asked the piles.
"The keepers of the grove of truth," the red pile responded. "You may ask us..."
"One question..." said the pink apple pile.
"Past, future, or present," the green pile said.
"But be warned..." said the red pile.
"That the truth..." the pink pile said.
"Isn't always pleasant," finished the green pile.
"All right then," Applejack responded. "Ah don't trust this place with a hill of bits. But Ah got a real bad feeling about this fellow Discord. What's gonna become of this here mission we're on?"
The piles of apples stopped circling her. They wandered over to the pond.
"The answer you seek...” the red pile said.
"Go ahead..." said the pink pile.
"Take a peek," finished the green.
Staring into the water, Applejack saw her and her five friends standing next to some weirdly colored ground.
"I hope I never see you again!" the reflection of Rainbow Dash said.
Me too! said Fluttershy.
Fine! said Pinkie Pie.
Fine! said Rarity.
Its settled then, Twilight said.
After Twilight finished saying that, all six mares in the picture ran off in their own directions. The image faded, leaving Applejack's face reflected in the water.
"No!" Applejack said. "Our friendship, over?"
Silently, Discord chuckled over her head, just soft enough for her not to hear it.
"It can't be true," Applejack said. "It just ain't!"
Looking once again into the water to see the same image, she brought her head up and said, "It just can't be the truth."
"When all the truth does..." the pink pile said.
"Is make your heart ache," said the green pile.
"Sometimes a lie is easier to take!" Applejack didn't notice, but the voice suddenly sounded a lot like Discord. The voice seemed so true and trustworthy. Applejack felt a small queasiness building up in her stomach, but she held it back.
Chuckling, the three piles of apples left and a section of the hedge behind her to revile Twilight running past. She quickly backtracked and saw Applejack in the clearing.
"Applejack, thank goodness," she said. "I thought I heard voices over here. Who were you talking to?"
Applejack thought about that for a second before replying, "Ah was talking to, uh."
Come on Applejack, you can trust her. Tell her that you were talking to a pile of apples.
"Nopony!" she shouted. "Nopony what so ever."
"What?" Twilight asked.
I didn't mean to say that. Come on Applejack, tell her the truth.
"Nothing," she replied. "Come on, we best be going."
No, Applejack. No! You were supposed to tell her the truth! Not lie to her again! What is wrong with you? Why can't I control what I say?
"And so I tried to defeat Discord, but none of my so called friends would lift a hoof to help me!"
Stop this. Applejack tried to tell herself. This isn't you. Why are you telling lies everywhere you go? Please stop doing this.
Just then, twilight came and said, "Applejack, I'm here to fight for our friendship!"
Twilight! Am I ever glad to see you! Help me! Ah can't stop telling lies!"
"Oh, now you want to fight." Applejack replied. "Where were you when Ah was battling Discord?"
She made a couple of hoof punches into the middle of the air before Twilight slammed into her and said, "Snap out of it! This isn't you! You're not a liar!"
Ah know that, but for some reason, Ah can't tell the truth anymore! Help me Twilight!
Twilight cast a spell. Applejack couldn't tell what it was, but she could feel all her happy memories with her friends returning to her once again!
"What happened?" Applejack asked. Thinking back, she couldn't determine what was the truth, and that drove her to telling all those false things about her friends. Looking over at Twilight, she said, "Twilight? Ah saw a vision of us feudin' and fightin'. Ah couldn't face the truth, so Ah started telling lies. Can you ever forgive me?"
"I already have," she said.
After the incident with Discord, Applejack felt much better about herself. The feeling started going away. It affected her the most when she was under the influence of the spell Discord cast on her. After that, she did her best never to lie again.
Before that happens, she must apologize to all her friends about all the lies she told them over the years.
The feeling only truly went away when Twilight forgave her for he lies she had been telling them during the Discord incident. But she still had the feeling from the other lies she told them. She couldn't stand that feeling. The feeling of her guilt when she told them lies. The only way to shake the feeling was to be forgiven by her friends.
Would they forgive her? I think they will. After all, she was the Element of Honesty. I'm sure that they will forgive her if she told them the truth.
She was going to strive to be better. She would be a strong mare that never lied. This is who she wanted to be.
This was, her destiny.
Chapter 2 - Truth Will Prevail
Chapter 2 - Truth Will Prevail
Applejack felt glad about herself. She finally decided to reawaken the truth within her. Lies may bond some together, but nothing will bond you together like a truthful friend.
The Element of Honesty was nothing to be trifled with. Lies are deceiving, but trust helps others bond. The element was one of the greatest thongs that could happen to Applejack. Without it, she would have never realized what was important.
She has told the last deceiving lie to her friends.
"Rainbow Dash?" she called out to the cyan pegasus.
"Hey, Applejack," she called back. "What's up?"
"Ah wanted to apologize."
"For what?"
"For lying to ya."
"What do you mean? When have you lied to me?"
"Ah was always cheering you on. You always worked so hard to do everything that you can do or become."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Rainbow Dash, Ah'm sorry to say this, but I never thought you could become a member of the wonderbolts."
"Rarity?"
"Yes Applejack?"
"Can ya all forgive me?"
"For what, dear?"
"Lying."
"Whatever did you lie about?"
"You having a chance at becoming a fashionista."
"What are you saying Applejack?"
"Ah'm saying that I can't hold the truth back any longer. You're a great fashion designer and all, but I don't think you are there yet."
"Pinkie Pie?"
"What do you need, Applejack?"
"Ah need to tell you the truth."
"About what?"
"Pinkie, Ah'm sorry, but I broke a Pinkie Promise."
"Fluttershy?"
"Oh, hi Applejack."
"Can ah talk to ya about something?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Ah'm afraid that I have lied to you."
"Oh, goodness! Whatever did you lie about?"
"Ah lied about almost everything."
"Why are you talking to me about it?"
"Because there is one thing specific to you that I lied about."
"What?"
"Fluttershy, Ah mean no offence, but you have too many animals."
"Twilight?"
"Yes? Oh, hi Applejack. What brings you here?"
"I need to tell you somethin' Twi."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember the night we went into the forest to retrieve the Elements of Harmony?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Do you remember when Ah told you to let go, and you were caught by Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?"
"How can I forget that?"
"Well, Ah lied to you back then."
"What do you mean?"
"Ah didn't know if you were going to be safe. Ah couldn't hold onto you much longer, and telling you to let go and be safe was a lie."
"You mean that-"
"Yes Twi."Ah lied to you to make you think that you would be safe then."
Well, Applejack thought to herself. That's off my shoulders.
"Applejack!" called a voice from behind her.
"Huh?" Applejack said while turning. When she did, she saw all 5 of her friends coming toward her. "Hi girls," she said dimly.
"Applejack, we all would like to know something," Twilight began the conversation.
"What's that?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you tell the truth now instead of earlier?"
"Well, Ah thought that if Ah told you the truth earlier, ya all wouldn't forgive me for all the things that Ah've lied about."
"Applejack," Twilight began.
"You didn't have to hold back the truth," Rarity continued.
"Everypony makes mistakes, even the most honest," said Fluttershy.
"If you didn't think I would become a wonderbolt, you could have told me earlier and I wouldn't hold it against you," Rainbow Dash said.
"You may have broken a Pinkie Promise," Pinkie began. "But if you are truly honest about it, we will always forgive you."
"Really?" Applejack asked.
"Yes," they all said in unison.
"No matter what," Twilight said.
"You are our friend," Pinkie continued.
"Even if you go through hard times," Rarity said.
"Or even if you lie," Fluttershy said.
"You will always be our friend," Rainbow finished.
Applejack sat in silence as each of her friends ran up to her and tackled her into a big group hug. They're right, she thought to herself. No matter what happens they will always be my friends.
"Although," Pinkie said, "I still require you to repay that Pinkie Promise you broke."
