Mes Petits Miserables (Les Miserables Ponified)

Ponyville was no longer the quiet little town it was ten years ago. Its population quadrupled as ponies of all sorts settled settled around Twilight's tree castle. Government and military officials occupied significant mansions surrounding the massive crystal structure standing watch over the streets. For every well to do manor there were a dozen shacks filled with beggars and peasants. Many of these sad souls were refugees from villages like Appleloosa and Dodge City that were destroyed in the war. Coupled with the economic depression caused by the fall of the Apple family, Ponyville became a depressing place.

Applejack, Sweetie Bell, Pinkie, and Fluttershy stepped off the train and into a bustling crowd. AJ and Sweetie wore cloaks to disguise themselves. Fortunately, the Canterlot guards were more interested in the party pony trying to make them laugh than the two ponies with suspicious brown hoods covering their heads. They all breathed a sigh of relief as the left the train station and got lost in the crowd.

Applejack looked around at the throngs of skinny, unkempt ponies shuffling about. Despite being mid-morning, the entire town seemed grey like a cloud was hanging over it. Some urchins were trying desperately to slurp up a spilled barrel of cider. A noble tried his best to avert his eyes from the feces on the ground as they squished under his chariot's wheels. The sight made AJ wish for the back alleys of Canterlot. "I can't believe it got so bad here," she mused.

"I can't believe I managed to pack everything into one suitcase!" shouted Pinkie as she lugged an overstuffed bag behind her.

"Um, how do we find Rainbow Dash?" asked Fluttershy.

The group searched around for any signs of the pegasus. Suddenly a voice called out from the direction of the castle, "Come on everypony!"

Sweetie Bell shook off her hood. Her eyes widened, "Scootaloo?!" Quick as a whip she dashed toward the voice. The others quickly followed.

They weaved through the streets and soon found themselves in a square in front of the palace. The crowd occupying the space was close to rioting. The starving ponies were pressed up against the castle's and nearby mansions' gates begging for a handout. A small pegasus mare with stubby wings was scaling one of the mansion wall to reach a noble couple dining on their balcony.

[Crowd]
Look down and see the beggars underneath
Look down and show an inkling of mercy
Look down and see our pain beyond belief
Look down, look down,
Behave like a pony

[Scootaloo]
Hello there, I'm Scootaloo
Come here fresh from my hideaway
All my friends have come here too
Getting these good folk their hay
Is this what you call love and harmony?
Feasting away while others beg
Keeping you eyes closed to reality
It's time to stop pulling your leg
Think your happy? Think your free?
Follow me! Follow me!

Scootaloo flipped the contents of the table into the crowd, who eagerly ate the remains of the nobles' brunch. She jumped off the balcony, batting her wings to slow her fall. She landed next to her scooter and zoomed away followed by the crowd.

[Crowd]
Look down and show an inkling of mercy
Look down, look down, please be a good pony

[Scootaloo]
The last time Luna fought her sis
Things did not turn out so well
We could do nothing to resist
So the revolution fell
This town was once center of friendship
now it's held in eternal gloom
If ponies don't mend their relationships
Equestria will soon face its doom
Make your choice, slave or free
As for me, Vive le Republique

Scootaloo entered a small square packed with ponies. The crowd following her merged into the one in the square. She ground next to a halt next to a griffin eying those around her. Above the mass of ponies hovered Rainbow Dash proudly singing along with them.

[Crowd]
Look down and show an inkling of mercy
Look down, look down I'm also a pony.

This has got to end
Celestia's got to go
The moon princess will return
This at least I know
She'll come, she'll come, she'll come
She'll come, she'll come

[Rainbow Dash]
Mares and stallions of the land
It's time to stand up for our rights
Our princess watches from above
Soon enough we will start this fight
The summer sun rises at dawn
Praising the old Solar Empire
With all the protest in the land
The bright stars will surely conspire
Princess Luna will finally arrive

[All]
And the barricades will rise

"Guards!" sompony yelled. Sure enough a squad of unicorn guards were marching up the street spears at the ready.

One of them called out, " Rainbow Dash, by order of the princess you are under arrest. Surrender immediately."

"Oh boy, looks like I gotta split fellas. We meet tonight at Sweet Apple Acres. Be cool or be a mule." Rainbow flew off and Gilda flew off after her keeping a sharp eye on her six.

The guards tried to chase the fleeing pegasus, but they were swamped by the crowd chanting "Long Live Luna." They soon realized the danger and retreated without a fuss.

Sweetie Bell rushed to her friend who was about to scoot off into the alleys. "Scootaloo!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

The pegasus turned her head just in time to meet Sweetie's hug, "Hey Sweetie Bell. Long time no see."

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in forever."

"I've been in the Griffin Kingdom with Rainbow Dash. It's totally awesome. You gotta go there some time."

"Ooh did you get your cutie mark? Let me see."

Scootaloo showed her friend her mark. It was of course a scooter in the middle of some areal maneuver. She explained, "Its not exactly easy to climb the mountains in the Griffin Kingdom. So I got really good at jumping them."

The two friends spent hours chatting as the group wandered through the back streets of Ponyville. Applejack made sure to keep an eye out for any more guards. Surely Twilight would have alerted them in case she managed to return to Ponyville. Especially with the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow. Pinkie threw away any pretense of stealth and greeted everypony they met. Once she was done, even the meanest of ponies were wearing a smile. Fluttershy made sure to stay close to Applejack and avoided any eye contact whatsoever.

They stopped by Sugar Cube Corner for lunch. The cakes seemed happy to see them. The family had fallen on hard times. The Flim- Flam brothers had bought up most of the stores in town, including their own. Those little weasels always took the majority of profits the Cakes made. Pinkie Pie made sure to give the an extra big tip.

The rest of the day was spent touring Ponyville. To the horror of all of them every street seemed worse and worse. The schoolhouse was run down and overcrowded, the market had more pickpockets than stalls, and Fluttershy's cottage was leveled for a factory that was only half finished before it was abandoned.Fluttershy was especially distraught by this. She even looked angry. AJ hoped to Celestia that Flim and Flam would not show up for their own sake.

As the sun began to set they started moving toward Sweet Apple Acres... or Flim Flam fields, whatever it was called now. Scootaloo turned to Applejack, "Rainbow Dash and I checked out the Acres earlier. I should warn ya AJ, it's not pretty."

The orange mare looked down at the road, "I've seen my fair share of ugly. I can take some more."

Gosh darn it, she hated eating her own words. The sight of what was once her farm broke her heart. the vast fields were choked in the smog of the Brothers' cider making machines. The trees looked sickly and were infested with vampire fruit bats. A section of the farm was swamped as a beaver dam swelled the river. Most of the farm buildings were replaced with factories for the cider making.

The only thing in the farm that remained untouched was the giant farmhouse. Applejack wondered why the Flim Flam Brothers would leave that alone. As she approached she realized why. The building was still ridden with bullet holes and scorch marks. There was a gaping hole in the side of the building. In the front yard a large plaque read:

Here was the last battleground of Big Macintosh and his infamous Macintosh Marauders. Princess Twilight Sparkle and a battalion of Royal Guards followed the company of rebels here after the battle of Everfree Forest. She laid siege on the marauders for three days. The Guard's casualties were heavy at a rate of 3 to1, but eventually numbers and magical superiority allowed victory. Big Macintosh was killed and the remaining rebels were arrested. The defeat of the Macintosh Marauders and the subsequent collapse of the Crusader Spy Ring directly lead to the downfall of the Lunar Rebellion and the final banishment of Princess Luna.

They kept this place as a trophy, a reminder of what happens to those who oppose Celestia's rule. Applejack found it odd the plaque made no mention of her. Then again it also saw fit not to mention Applebloom was there either or that the "Crusader Ring" was entirely made up of fillies and colts. Her eyes teared up as she remembered the foals being dragged off to their execution.

"Why did Rainbow want to meet here?" asked Fluttershy.

Sweetie Bell thought for a moment, "Irony I guess?"

A light turned on inside the house. "Ooh,ooh Somepony's home. I'll go say hello," said Pinkie Pie. She knocked the door and yelled for somepony to answer it.

Gilda popped her head out and her eyes narrowed when she saw the pink pony. She snarled, "You! What are you doing here?"

"Hi Gilda. We're here for the secret Republican meeting at Sweet Apple Acres. Is Rainbow Dash here yet?"

"What do you care about Dash or the Republic you loser. Where were you when she was on the run from your princess? Too busy partying?"'

"Hey parties are serious and Twilight really really needed one. Besides I care for everypony. Especially my friends."

"Whatever. Come on in. Dash was hoping you'd come any way." Gilda let the door swing open and stood aside as the mares walked inside. Despite her clear distaste for Pinkie Pie, the griffin seemed far more tolerant of the others. She even gave Scootaloo a hoof bump.

A few ponies were already inside looking for any suitable surface to sit on. Luckily the blood stains were washed out and the interior was remarkably well preserved. Painful memories flashed in front of Applejack's eyes. Everywhere she saw the horrible events that happened so many years ago. She wandered into the dining room and was shocked to see Big Mac in there toting his blunderbuss in one hoof or rather a mannequin of him. The room was arranged like a museum with display cases lining the walls. AJ assumed most of the house was arranged in a similar way. Her house had become a museum dedicated to the worst part of her life.

"Its kinda weird isn't it?" Rainbow Dash was coolly leaning in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Ya don't know the half of it." Applejack's mood improved slightly upon seeing her friend.

Rainbow punched Applejack's shoulder, "It's good to see you. When I heard you were on the run I knew you'd come. You even brought Pinkie and Fluttershy with you. That is awesome."

"I just wanted to say somethn' to ya sugar cube."

"What's tha- oof," Rainbow Dash keeled over as Applejack kicked her in the guts.

"What the hay were ya'll think'n Rainbow! Gett'n us all wrapped up in yer revolution," Applejack yelled, "Ya think ponies will defy Celestia cuz some fool pony says Luna's com'n back? Even if she did what makes ya think it'll be any different this time?"

Rainbow snapped, " What am I supposed to do AJ? I need to do something about this while I still can. I thought you of all ponies would understand. Just look at what they did to your family."

"I know perfectly well what happened to my kin an' I don't want nopony ta meet the same end. Not for a lost cause."

"Stop it!" Screamed Sweetie Bell. She and Scootaloo looked very distraught to see their pseudo sisters arguing.

"Uh, excuse me, Rainbow?" Scootaloo said " the ponies in the other room are getting hungry. You didn't happen to find any food have you?"

"There's no food in the house, Shorty. They'll have to eat the apples outside."

AJ shook her head, "nope, not if I can help it. Nopony will eat that trash 'n here. Follow me."

She lead them into the kitchen and started moving the fridge with a lot of effort. Once it was pushed out of the way a trap door was revealed. "We always keep an emergency stash just in case. Short of tear'n the building down nopony can find it. Only a full grown Apple can move this here fridge."

The small cellar under the trap door held enough supplies to last the family a year. There were barrels and barrels of cider and dried apple crisps that lined the walls. There was a large sack of apple seeds in the corner. Rainbow was impressed to find two kegs of gun powder tucked next to an empty gun rack.

"This place is awesome!" she exclaimed.

"Hey what are these?" Sweetie Bell pointed to a stack of papers and spy gadgets.

"Oh those 're Apple Bloom's things. I hid em here during the siege. I wanted to keep her from gett'n caught," AJ stamped her hoof, "but I plum forgot the darn chart she hung in her room.When the Guard overran Big Mac they found it and..." She could not finish the statement.

She regained her bearing and said, "ya'll can do what ya like with that. I'll get these cider barrels ready. They should be nicely aged by now."

"Hey Rainbow Dash!" Gilda called from above, "looks like everypony who's going to come is here already. Get your rainbow flank up here!"

"Duty calls," Rainbow sighed and flew up to meet her revolutionaries.