Quest To Unite

by JazzieQ

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Alternate Universe, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Comedy, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Gilda, Adventure
Length: 42448

Equestria is devoid of Earth ponies. Can Spike succeed on his mission to save Equestria??

An Equestria without earth ponies. That's how it is thanks to a dark past 500 years ago and now back in the present Spike is on a mission. With support from unlikely sources he has to seek the way to help Equestria survive the great famine.

Would appreciate if you give critique/comment and likes/dislikes. This is my first story. EVER.

Thanks to the awesome 2135D for the neat artwork.
Thanks to enti0 for inchapter artwork. really awesome.

BIG Thanks to my new co-author Chronocrosser.

Thanks to nioniosbbbb for permission to use of his OC "Lionmane"

Published 2015-01-23 23:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-10-12 14:11:30 UTC

History

I do not own MLP:FiM although I wish I did.
Credits to Hasbro, Lauren Faust and yadda yadda yadda.

The OCs are mine and yeah... you get it.

The four lights floated calmly in the darkness, through time and space, Celestia, Luna, Terra and Zeal. Each represented the life force of the world.

Without each one in harmony with the other, disparity will occur, creating chaos. Thus, when the world was formed each of the life force flowed into each pony tribe to keep the balance of the world. Each had its special purpose.

Celestia saw the rising of the sun, Luna made the moon travel through the skies every night, Terra was the essence of the Earth and all that grew and Zeal was the overseer of love and harmony in the world.

As such, in the beginning everything lived harmoniously until chaos crept into the pony tribes and began to corrupt them. Each saw themselves as more important than the other. Then, the harsh winter came. Each tribe blamed the other for the misfortune. Nevertheless, they were hungry and cold and could not afford to fight so a meeting was held to form a treaty.

But, it was not to be. On that fateful Hearth’s Warming Eve, the unification treaty of the pony tribes had failed. Each was so absorbed in arguing who was better that a riot broke out at the meeting. The tribes then decided to find new land on their own.

The tribes journeyed westward and came upon land on which to settle. However, each laid claim to the land and consequently the first pony war broke out.

The unicorn ponies and the pegasi ponies at the time had greater advantage over the earth ponies in battle due to their special magic and flying abilities and rallied against the earth ponies. This ended in utter defeat of the earth ponies. The victors saw themselves as the dominating betters of the earth ponies, who they thought had no wings or horns and as such had no place in world or their country, as a matter of fact, except dead or as slaves.

The unicorns with their strength in magic and love of knowledge took the highest noble ranks of kings and officials, the pegasi were by nature a warrior class with the magic to control the weather and made up most of the military and weather stewards. No doubt there were commoners who were average magic users and fliers but alas! Thus, left the earth ponies.

No sooner than the first pony war had ended the powerful unicorn and pegasi allies had put the defeated earth ponies to work as slaves on farms, gem mines, kept them as riding ponies or killed them for sport in the bloodthirsty gladiator arenas. Earth ponies were reduced to less than the bot flies that infested them.

To keep the earth pony separate from civil society, the first rule of the unicorns and pegasi was to forbid their kind from intimate contact with an earth pony. Sex and intermarriage were allowed between the pegasi and unicorn tribes but never with earth ponies. They were nasty, brutish and inferior, never to be touched, for fear of contamination.

Second, they were not allowed to touch the belongings of their betters.

Thirdly, earth ponies were never to be spoken to except when giving orders.

Fourth, no music, singing, dancing or celebrations were allowed for earth ponies and finally, never try to teach an earth pony apart from obeying his master. They are stupid and incapable of learning. These five forbidden rules were grinded into the minds of ponies from foalhood. Anyone who breaks these rules commits a heinous sin.

Life as an earth pony was daunting. Attempts to escape by one pony either ended up in more earth ponies losing their lives by execution en masse or a trip to gladiator arenas. Disease that could have easily been cured also ravaged the impoverished beings. In those times, earth ponies began committing suicide or infanticide to escape their bleak fate.

Terra saw the horrors of the earth ponies and cried.
“Sisters… why don’t we help them?”
The other three lights tried to comfort her but she pained greatly at her loved ones suffering.
“We are only to keep the balance” Luna said, “We cannot interfere.”

But Terra couldn’t ignore the cries of the unfortunate earth ponies and she planned.

Grey Willow knew his outcome. He tried to escape a few days ago when he was caught just at the edge of the Everfree forest. Locked in chains he was being hauled off to the Gladiator arena in Platinum city. He looked at his fellow earth pony comrades who were also to share his fate.

“Psst… Hey you!” a voice called in his direction.

He looked over at a tan coated stallion with a grey mane and yellow eyes. The stallion probably had the same expression he had and was staring directly at him.

“Me? ”

“Yeah... what did you do?” The expression of the stallion changed to curiosity.

“I tried to escape. Got caught near Everfree forest. You?”

“I swiped a few apples from the shipment to Platinum City to feed mah filly…. didn’t eat for two days. What now?”

“What do ya mean?

“I mean what do you think will happen to us now?”

“Same as the stories. We’re gonna kill each other in front of the pegasi and unicorn crowds for entertainment.” Grey Willow answered monotonously. The stallion looked at the other prisoners for a moment and contemplated his fate.

“I’m Silver Oak by the way.”

“Grey Willow.”

“At least before we kill with each other, pleasantries first.” Silver Oak stuck out his hoof.

Grey Willow thought for a moment. At least, someone else accepted their fate same as he. The other prisoners looked pallid with fear.

“Pleasure.” He finally answered when the Pegasus guard called out.

“OPEN UP!”

Grey Willow looked up and finally realized that they had arrived. The garrison guards looked down and shouted for the gates to open. Grey Willow took a good look at the outer appearance. On one side of the gate stood a giant unicorn statue looking regal with a crown on its head and on the other a pegasus proudly clad in armor and wings outstretched. Both were about fifty feet in height. Inside, the city was huge. It seemed to be made out of marble and covered in gems everywhere. Unicorn and pegasi ponies who were dressed quite elegantly and not wanting to have their hooves dirty were riding on the backs of earth ponies with saddles strapped on. Some were dressed in elegant shoes and trotting merrily down the paved pathways with only one or two downtrodden earth pony slaves and zebra servants treading close behind their masters hauling laden saddle bags struggling to keep up.

Then the prison cart turned to a lesser decorated area where the crowd seemed less endowed. Then they stopped. The guard came and opened the back of the cart.

“Every one of you mud ponies, OUT! NOW!”

Sheepishly, the prisoners came down with great difficulty because of the chained weight on them. They were attached to one another by a long chain.

“FOLLOW ME MUD PONIES!”
The first guard took up the chain by his mouth and began leading the prisoners toward the giant colosseum that seemed to be a prized structure in Platinum City. Grey Willow looked down at the chains. He could not tell if the chains were clanking because of the walking movements or the quivering of the terrified prisoners in front of him.

The air was had the stench of fresh blood. Grey Willow looked to his right. He saw a few pegasi guards brutally whipping some earth pony slaves into hauling off dead bodies of other earth ponies probably just killed in the arena. With each merciless crack, fresh bloody wounds opened and the poor beings let out a blood curdling scream and pulled harder. Grey Willow took a deep breath and just walked on.

He then noticed to his left a pegasi general giving orders to high ranking officers. He was grandly endowed with golden and purple armor and a blue crest on his galea. The briefing ended and the officers flew off to which the general approached the fresh batch of prisoners.

The pegasi lead officer saluted and reported to the General. He walked along the file looking at each one. He suddenly stopped at Grey Willow looking at him. Grey looked back at the general who seemed to be looking extensively into Grey's eyes. One of the guards came up and hit Grey on his muzzle for looking directly at a pegasi, let alone a General. Grey bled heavily through his nose, but he did not relent. The guard was about to hit him again but the General stopped him. Grey could swear he saw a slight hint of nervousness. The general then shuffled on, took a few steps back, turned and walked off.

"OKAY MOVE IT MUD PONIES!" the back guard cracked a whip over the group and they shuffled on. The wave of excited euphoria filled the stadium. It echoed right up to outskirts of the huge area surrounding it. The prisoners were then led down to the hypogeum. As the chains were taken off, Grey Willow looked at Silver Oak. The guards began handing out various weapons and poorly made armor. Grey Willow got hold of a spear and Silver Oak got a club. Unfortunately no armor was given to them.

“YOU! YOU! OUT NOW!” the guard called to two prisoners ahead of them. The prisoners feverishly obeyed. Then the doors closed, leaving Grey Willow to guess what was happening on the other side. This repeated itself five times.

It did not take long for the crowd to burst into jubilation; however, no victor returned. Grey could faintly hear the Pegasus soldier calling orders to shoot at the end of each battle. Within one hour, Grey Willow’s turn had come. As he and Silver Oak entered the arena, the cheering crowd were already calling for blood. Grey Willow looked up and saw the notorious King Sombra looking on at the battlefield. Then the arena announcer called out.

“FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS! OUR LAST BATTLE FOR TODAY! BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU TO SEE! SOMETHING DIFFERENT!
ACROSS THE PLAINS TO FILLYDELPHIA, ONE BRAVE PEGASUS SOLDIER SINGLE HANDEDLY TOOK ON A DRAGON! THIS MIGHT BEAST TERRORIZED A NOBLE UNICORN VILLAGE UNTIL A BRAVE KNIGHT OF OUR BELOVED KING SOMBRA, LIEUTENANT CIRRO, FLEW RIGHT UP TO….”

As the announcer gave his tale, Grey Willow’s heart beat rapidly. He knew what was coming. But he convinced himself not to let fear take the better of him. He glimpsed Silver Oak to see him breathing hard.

“ A THREE WAY BATTLE!!! RELEASE THE MIGHTY DRAGON!”

Grey looked over to his right to see a metal door opening and out of the darkness a HUGE, raging, chained dragon came out darting towards him and Silver Oak. It looked rather young but Grey had no time to think about that. Silver Oak looked completely frozen. He quickly sprung into action pushing Silver and rolling out the way.

“MOVE DAMMIT!” Grey shouted to snap Silver out of his terror.

Grey Willow focused on the dragon, trying to calculate the dragon’s every move. Silver finally composed himself. The dragon seemed to have been starved into a hungry rage, Grey Willow thought. The dragon inhaled deeply.

“SILVER! RUN TO THE DRAGON!”

Both stallions ran up to the dragon who craned it long neck and let out an angry flame. They dove under the dragon’s belly just in time to avoid his breath. Grey Willow then stabbed the beast with his spear just on the soft underbelly tissue. While Grey doubted very much that the stab did much, the dragon probably felt something like the prick of a needle. It roared and craned its neck once again to snap at the stallions.
The stallion each ran in a different direction. The dragon headed for Grey. Then grey saw the chains and quickly thought.

“SILVER! COME TOWARD ME!!”

Silver Oak ran up to Grey and the comrades eyed the dragon. It again inhaled and its neck became red hot. Grey quickly with his strength pulled Silver and both ran toward the chains binding the dragon to the arena. The dragon once again let out its scorching breath. Without thinking, they dove behind the metal barricade that served as a weapons holder. Grey willow felt that he was going to be roasted from the heated metal. But the flames died down.

Just as Grey Willow guessed, the chains of the Dragon melted. Grey saw this as their opportunity. Resisting all his fear, he speedily grabbed the club from Silver Oak and ran up to the dragon hitting it in one of its eyes. The dragon howled. Grey took the opportunity while it was distracted to climb onto its head and pulled on its horns.

“SILVER!”

Silver quickly followed and scrambled up as well.

As if by reflex from the pulling of its horns, the dragon’s bat wings flapped and both ponies and beast rose in the air. The guards realizing what was happening sprang into action but were frightened of the anger from the dragon to get close. The dragon turned its head and breathed fire onto the pegasi guards located in its vicinity. The flame engulfed pegasi howled as they dropped down, writhing in pain and flames, to the arena below.

As wild as the dragon was flying trying to get Grey Willow and his comrade off its back, the pegasi guards that followed were either not able to keep up because of the heavy gusts from the dragon’s wings or was too terrified to get close. The dragon flapped and continued to move away from Platinum City…..It finally dawned on Grey. They had escaped.

Grey looked back and saw the skies were clear. The dragon became a little calmer once it realized it was out in the open air. It began to soar more peacefully. The stallions waited till the dragon managed to reach the deep forested area close to the sea on the east. They then tugged on its horns to steer the dragon to fly a little lower. They then relieved the dragon and dropped into the trees.
Never have any pony done this. Never have any earth pony escaped certain death by the hands of the ruling class and betters a dragon at the same time for that matter.

Word spread quickly like wildfire through the ears of all ponies of the daring escape on a dragon by two earth ponies, Grey Willow and Silver Oak. The unicorns and pegasi were astonished at the news of what the two earth ponies did and the earth ponies did not know what to feel, pride or fear. Silver Oak’s wife broke down in tears of joy hugging her daughter at the news of her husband’s escape. Happiness for the first time filled many earth ponies when they heard the news, as if it were themselves who had gotten freedom. They finally had somepony to look up to. A hero had come and a glimmer of hope finally shone upon a tribe so long oppressed.

Terra saw the events of the two brave ponies.

“Grey Willow…. The chosen…. He will lead” and she watched further.

King Sombra paced up and down his throne room. His two generals, one a pegasi and the other a unicorn, quivered in his presence, while five of his officials lay dead on the floor including the announcer of the colosseum. The furniture was upturned and the tapestry burned from the rage sparks from his horn.

“You did not think to have the chains protected by a flame proof spell? Did I not say nothing is to be left to chance with these filthy beasts?”

“M-M-My Lord… w-we did b-but the spell was weak”

“General Albedo… you have always been loyal to me, always. But I cannot ignore this folly of yours.”

The unicorn general lowered his head.

“I will search all the land for the escapees, my lord, and ensure they are duly punished” General Albedo said.

“Yes… look at me General Albedo”

The unicorn general slowly looked up at the king, but before he could fully stand straight a flash of energy hit him squarely and the unicorn fell down dead.

“General Gustnado.”

“My lord!” the Pegasus stood straight at attention.

“These filthy beasts of a pony will begin to think they can do the same. Begin to exterminate all of them”

Gustnado hesitated for a second.

“Immediately my lord”

“Good. Go”

The Pegasus swiftly flew out of the room.

Grey Willow and Silver Oak spent many nights in the forest recovering from their ordeal. They lived off of wild fruits and water from the stream nearby. Grey has never heard so many ‘thank yous’ in his life as Silver repeated those words over and over.

On their sixth night in the woods, Silver chew away at some wild pomegranates over the camp fire.

“So,” Grey started, “what about your filly and wife?”

“I wish to also get them away.. I-I mean, I want to get them away… it’s just that on the farm… so many overseers and guards.” Silver said rubbing the back of his head.

Grey Willow looked at him and could help be feel pity and the urge to help him.

“We’ll journey tomorrow night, under cover of darkness.” Grey said.

“Really?!” Silver had a touch of excitement in his voice.

“Yes, now get some rest.” And with that the two stallions laid down and almost immediately fell asleep.

Grey was awoken by a formidable yet gentle presence. He got up looking around for danger but saw nopony around. Then, something in the distance caught his eye. A gentle glow floating amongst the trees. He slowly got up, picked up a nearby branch and cautiously approached the glow. Could it be a unicorn found them? He tried to move stealthily. The glow floated away a bit and Grey followed.

Just as he reached a clearing the glow stopped. Grey continued slowly and closer. Then he stopped. The glow began to change form. It moulded and took form of a glowing Alicorn pony. Grey had never seen anything like it. He quivered at the presence seeing a horn and wings. Surely, he will die now.

“Grey…Willow……” the glowing pony whispered gently.

“W-w-who are you? A unicorn pegasus?? You’re here to kill me... no more will I run. I will NOT yeild! I WILL FIGHT!!” Grey said holding the branch tightly.

“Grey Willow…. Do not be afraid…. You are chosen….”

“Chosen?”

“Yes… to lead your ponies to a place I have prepared just for you…”

“I-I do not understand”

“I am the earth, I am your life force… and I have seen your ordeals and their treason to life. I have chosen you to lead your earth ponies to a land for you, and no unicorn or pegasus will be allowed there.”

“Me? But how can I lead?”

“Trust in yourself… and your friends… lead the ponies to the coast in the west, I will be there waiting… and hurry. Terrible things are about to happen”

“But I don’t…”

“Hurry…”

The glowing alicorn disappeared before he could finish grasping the message. Grey looked flustered. A million thoughts were flowing through his mind all at once. He quickly ran over to Silver Oak fast asleep and snoring loudly.

“Silver! Silver! Wake up!” Grey shook the sleeping stallion vigorously. Silver instinctively became alert.

“YES MASTER!.... Huh? What?”

“We gotta hurry! Get up!”

“What’s going on?”

“We gotta get a move on. I think something terrible is going to happen to the other ponies. We need to move fast.”

“I don’t understand.... how?”

“I’ll explain on the way. Let’s move”

The two stallions walked through the thick brambles while Grey explained his story to Silver Oak. Will he believe me? Grey wondered, but Silver said nothing until Grey had finished. Then Silver stopped in his tracks.

“What is the matter?” Grey asked.

“I always heard the stories from my grandmother about the goddess lights... I believe the goddess has chosen you to be our king...”
“King? Me? Oh no no no. Let’s just get to the other ponies fast!”

Grey Willow and Silver Oak continued their journey and finally they reached the clearing. It was dawn and the Unicorn sorcerer must be raising the sun. They carefully searched the entire area for any sign of danger. When they saw none, they moved on. They were quite careful not to take any roads and keep along trees and bushes. Finally, after half a day they came upon a small farm.
Silver scouted the scene.

“Five guards, two are unicorn and three pegasi, one pegasus overseer, the owner is a unicorn, he’s drinking tea in that gazebo over there, and about twenty or thirty slave ponies. What’s the plan Grey? We can’t just bust in!”

“We move in when night comes.” Grey said while looking serious in thought.

Suddenly he pulled Silver down under cover. A sixth guard, a pegasus, was approaching from the direction of Platinum city. He headed straight for the other guards and showed them a roll of paper that seems to be orders. Grey got a really bad feeling in his stomach. The guards went over to the owner and began speaking with him, after which an argument started. The stallions looked on. One of the guards then pointed his spear to the unicorn and the others rushed toward the farm and stabbed the first earth pony that came within range.
Grey and Silver’s expressions went from one of tense to aghast. The unicorn guards shot magic beams at every stallion, mare and foal. The pegasi were flying past with swords in their mouths, slashing away. Grey’s mind went blank. He could not remember when his legs started moving but found himself darting toward a guard and bucking him straight in the face. Silver followed him picking up a spear that a unicorn guard left in a dead earth pony and plunged it into the unicorn himself. The overseer cracked his whip at Silver but Silver caught it on his hooves and pulled the pegasus to the dirt, reared and stomped his head in. The remaining earth ponies stood in shock at the two strangers fighting off guards. The remaining earth stallions too joined in the fight, bucking the unicorn guards as he was about to blast Grey. The mares were throwing rocks and anything hard they could find. The guard that held the unicorn owner rushed over but was taken down by another earth stallion with a pitchfork. The unicorn owner was taken captive by another stallion and mare. As Grey fought a pegasus guard, they grappled for the sword. The pegasus might had done him in if it were not for a mare who ran up from behind and bucked him. The guard fell over unconscious and Grey scrambled to his feet.

“Thank you” he managed.

The remaining pegasus guard managed to escape flying away. Grey breathed heavily standing over the bodies of the remaining guards and the overseer. The other earth ponies grief finally caught on and the sound of wailing mares for their foals and stallions could be heard.
The mare that kicked the last guard approached Grey and Silver.

“Are you Grey Willow and Silver Oak?”

Grey was still breathing heavily but he looked at the mare. She was dirty and mane untidy but she was quite lovely. Her mane was two shades of green that matched her eyes. Her coat would have been a bright shade of pink if not for working so hard in dirty ditches.

“Yes, I am.”

“IT’S REALLY GREY WILLOW AND SILVER OAK!!” the mare announced to the remaining ponies.

In unison, the ponies hailed Grey and Silver with excited elation.

“I’m Raspberry Ripple, and I’m coming with you.”

The guard awoke and found himself striped, bound to a post along with the owner of the farm and surrounded by angry earth ponies.

“UNTIE ME THIS INSTANT!! THAT’S AN ORDER YOU PIECE OF SH-!”

Grey put the sword to the pegasus’ neck .

“Mind your tongue or it might just end up UP his ass,” Grey said menacingly looking at the unicorn. Silver walked over to the guard’s armour and picked up the paper that was stuffed in it and gave it to Grey.

“Now, what are your orders?”

The pegasus spat on Grey. Silver in anger pushed Grey aside and bucked the guard this time right in the stomach. The Pegasus got winded and coughed up blood.

“I’ll ask again…. what…. are…. your…. orders?”

The pegasus laughed.

“YOU DON’T HAVE ANY PLACE HERE OR ANY RIGHT TALKING TO ME OR ASKING QUESTIONS! SLAVE! MUD PONY! DIRT-EATER!”

Silver took up the sword and was about to strike at the Pegasus when Grey stopped him.

“No Silver… let THEM deal with him…” Grey pointed to the group and walked off after that. Silver followed, then Raspberry Ripple letting the group close in on the Pegasus and unicorn.

“No wait! I can set you free! Wait! Waiiit!” the unicorn pleaded.

Screams was heard from both captives and the mob jeering as Grey and his comrades sat down for a moment under the shade of some apple trees. Silver glanced at Raspberry.

“What do you think yooooou’re doing?”

“Like I said… I’m coming with you.”

“No you’re not.

“Yes I am. Look I can help you. I won’t be in your way.”

Grey opened the paper. He’d only ever seen writing once or twice in his life. He was completely befuddled by it, scratching his head. Raspberry noticed him wondering whether he believed if some divine being would bestow the ability to read upon him.

“Give me,” Raspberry said stretching out her hoof.

“You can read?” Silver asked.

“My former master... a unicorn... taught me some.”

“A unicorn taught you?” Grey and Silver asked in unison looking even more confused.

“He was different, a bit kinder than the rest or so I thought. He caught me looking at his books while I was cleaning one day. I thought I was surely going to die, but he said he’d show me if I could keep it secret between us. He said he did not believe earth ponies were completely stupid and incapable although he did say we are more limited and cannot grasp... what words did he use?... oh... ‘complex concepts’ like unicorns and pegasi could. He taught me once a week in secret how to read a little until...” Raspberry suddenly stopped.

“...Until what?” Silver asked. Grey knew how this story was going so Grey nudged Silver from inquiring too much.

“It was like any other day. I was with him practicing reading and he was just staring at me. After a while, he started touching my mane and kissing me. I could not move because I was scared that if I ran he might send me to the arenas. He held me down and...” Raspberry could not finish as she had a lump in her throat. She looked down in shame as tears filled up her eyes. Silver and Grey said nothing.

“...anyway unicorns aren’t supposed to do those things with earth ponies. It’s one of their forbidden rules. One of his acquaintances came over that day and caught us. Master was banished to Tartarus, I was going to be killed but the owner of this estate bribed the guards and brought me here. It’s cheaper to get slaves that way.”

Grey and Silver looked at each other still lost for words. Then Raspberry wiped her tears and began to read the message on the paper with a bit of difficulty.

“It says.... to eggs...ter...mi...na...te all earth ponies. No, that can’t be right..” Raspberry said and read the paper again more carefully, “EXTERMINATE! They’re going to kill us all!”

Both stallions’ eyes became wide like tennis balls in shock and horror. The other ponies came over to the trio. Raspberry with great difficulty explained to them what was happening or going to happen as he also was horrified about everything. Now the earth ponies felt troubled.
Grey stood up and addressed everyone.

“EVERYPONY! Listen to me! We have to warn as many as we could and have the message pass on before more ponies die! Please are there more farms around?”

“The closest one is about forty kilometres from here. It will take at least forty five minutes if we run but we can’t just take the road without a pass.” said a stallion.

“Silver, where is your family?” Grey inquired.

“They’re over at Furlong ranch just off the White Tail Woods!”

“That’s THAT way. Seventy five kilometres, give or take.” said a mare.

“Okay we’ll head over there now,” Grey told Silver “in the meantime can everypony head to other farms or mines? You can take an off route, through bushes, trees... hide when necessary. Don’t be caught but hurry and warn everypony to gather at the west coast.”

“But even if we warn them what can the other ponies do? They can’t run! There’s guards, unicorn and pegasi everywhere!” another mare said.
“We have to try! If we can save as many earth ponies as possible.”

“Why meet in the west coast?” said a stallion with gray coat and a white mane.

“I have been told to meet.... uuh.. somepony.... who will take us to safety!”

“Who?!” the same stallion asked.

“Do you trust me?” Grey asked. He had an earnest look in his eyes that showed he was telling the truth.

“I do!” Raspberry answered. And the rest of the crowd also agreed in unison.

“Okay, please tell everypony you can find and have them pass the word.

The crowd dispersed. Grey, Silver and Raspberry continued on the direction to Furlong while the others set off to nearby farms.

General Gustnado walked the long stretch of carpet leading up to King Sombra’s throne room. As he entered, he gave a low bow to the formidable presence that was sitting within the already dark aura radiating throughout the room.

“My lord,” Gustnado began, “Platinum City is purged of all earth ponies. However, we’ve encountered some opposition from the population about their financial losses…”

“They will be compensated Gustnado,” King Sombra assured.

“Yes my lord, we have also begun in the outer regions but many are worried about the food and labor shortage afterwards….”

“With our magic unicorns can do ten times as much as an earth pony, we have the knowledge and our magical abilities will allow crops to become even better. Earth ponies are useless now. They are a pestilence and an eyesore that kill keep growing.” Sombra said proudly.

“There is also another issue my lord,” Gustnado hesitated a bit, “the escapees from the arena had attacked our soldiers when they were carrying out their duties. It is reported that five stallions are dead. I have set out a hunt party for them.”

Sombra looked quite annoyed and Gustnado swallowed a lump.

“Gustnado,” Sombra said amazingly calm, “call out all troops and expedite this mission now. We do not need an uprising from these low scums. The quicker it is done, the better.”

“Yes my lord.” Gustado said with a little head bow. He turned and quickly marched out of the room.

“LISTEN UP! THESE ARE THE ORDERS FROM HIS MAJESTY KING SOMBRA! ALL MUD PONIES IN EQUESTRIA, STALLION AND MARE, FILLY AND COLT ARE TO BE EXTERMINATED! THESE NO LONGER SERVE ANY PURPOSE TO UNICORN AND PEGASI SOCIETY. ANY OPPOSITION FROM SOCIETY SHOULD BE QUELLED DOWN IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FORCE UNLESS NECESSARY!” the captains called to the troops that just came rushing from off duty and junior ranks who haven’t been assigned duty yet, “ALL PEGASI ARE TO DO AERIAL DUTY AND UNICORNS ARE FIRING SQUAD! USE THE FLESH BURNING SPELL! MOVE OUT!”

Pandemonium broke out into the country side. The earth ponies were scattering trying to avoid spears, arrows and deadly magic shots from the unicorns while the pegasi swooped down, lifted the wretched earth ponies and dropped them over cliffs onto jagged rocks below. Even screaming foals were ripped from their mothers’ hooves, flown up and dropped to their deaths or thrown on the ground and blasted with magic till their flesh peeled off and they were on fire.

Hoards of stallions, mares, fillies and colts, young and old were lined up and blasted by the unicorn firing squadrons. The pleading of mares and fillies went onto the deaf ears and hardened hearts of the soldiers.

With the all the forces out, the massacre was going just as quickly as Sombra wanted it.

Few of the unicorn and pegasi communities had opposed to the eradication but with the assurance that compensation was on the way, they quickly assisted by locating earth ponies hiding and pointing them out.

Heaps of corpses were piled and soldiers climbed on top and danced in jubilation. Crowds also cheered them on. This only hyped their blood frenzy more.

Within that morning three quarters of Equestria were purged of earth ponies.

Terra wailed.

“I will keep them safe…. I will keep them safe…. Hurry Grey Willow…

Her sister came to her.

“Terra…” Zeal began but was interrupted.

“I will go through with my plan! I have to help them!” Terra said angrily.

“Then do so… we too do not approve of this.” Celestia said.

Grey and his group had reached the Furlong ranch just in time, it seemed that the soldiers had not reached that particular part of the country yet.

They scouted the area for any trouble when suddenly a squad of pegasi was headed their way. They quickly ran toward the ranch shouting, alerting the other ponies of the impeding danger.

“SILVER QUICKLY!!!!” Grey shouted.

Silver ran toward his shack.

“Rosebud!!! ROSEBUD!”

Rosebud, a pink coated and purple maned mare, came running out with their daughter, Summer Shade, in a panic. Silver quickly put Summer on his back and ran out the door with Rosebud. The pegasi had already started slashing and scooping up scampering earth ponies, flying away to drop them off cliffs.

“Rose! Stay close to me!” Silver ran into the frenzy and zigzagged hoping to dodge any attack. Rosebud was trying feverishly to stay close to her husband. Silver spotted Grey bucking a Pegasus away from a cowering mare and nudging her to run into the woods.

“EVERYPONY!! RUN TO THE WOODS! THE WOODS!!” Grey shouted.

Scores of ponies began running in that direction with the pegasi close behind slashing and picking up the slow ones.
Suddenly Rosebud screamed. Silver looked back and saw she was being carried off to her death.

“ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!! NOOOOOOOO!”

“MAAAAAAAAA MAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Summer cried.

The unicorn firing squad arrived and began blasting in every direction.

“SILVER!!! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE NOW! WHERE’S RASPBERRY RIPPLE?!”

Raspberry was hiding tactfully behind a wagon and a barrel, armed with a sword she picked up from a soldier knocked down earlier by Grey.

“RASPBERRY! GO GO GO! NOW!!”

Raspberry came out of her hiding and started dodging every strike as if she could calculate exactly where it would hit. Grey Silver, his filly and Raspberry began racing toward the woods themselves. Just as the soldiers were up close behind them a bright light seem to have stopped them in their tracks allowing Grey and company to escape.

The group fled deep as far as they could until they dropped down by a pond, panting hard.
Raspberry stuck her head into the water to refresh herself while Silver was hugging Summer so tightly and crying and Grey looked around to see if anyone was following. He heard hoof steps and he took up his sword, readying himself.
A small number of earth ponies, about twenty in number, looking tired, scared and frantic came up to them cautiously. Grey dropped his sword.

“Thank you….. thank you…” he muttered with eyes closed. He didn’t know who he was thanking but the alicorn from before came to his mind.

An old stallion addressed him, “We saw you fighting those soldiers for us, and we wanted to thank you.”

Raspberry stood up and tried to calm everypony.

“Everypony come…. Rest for a moment.”

The group came and also refreshed themselves in the cool water. It was a heavenly feeling amongst the chaos.

“What’s happening?!” whimpered a frightened mare.

Nopony could say anything until the same old stallion said to Grey, “we ran into the woods like you told us and some pegasi followed us in. We were able to escape them by ducking into those mangroves over there and hiding. We waited then we saw you three running here.”

Grey stood up and spoke, “we are no longer safe nor welcome here. I have a way out. Do you all want to come with me?”

“Where?” asked a mare.

“West coastline.”

The group looked at each other.

“You’ll be killed if we don’t stick together! Unicorns and pegasi say they don’t need us anymore so they are exterminating us. Please, this is Grey Willow and Silver Oak, the stallions who escaped the arena on the dragon….” Raspberry said.

“Grey Willow?! Is that true? You really escaped on a dragon?” everyone said surprised with a somewhat elated feeling.

“Yes…I am and I did.”

The murmurs began again then a stallion spoke up.

“You’re my hero! You made us believe we can finally do something about our situation! Of course I’ll follow you!”

Everyone nodded their heads and said, “Of course! Lead us Grey!”

Grey and Silver looked at each other, Raspberry looking at them with great respect and expectant. Grey smiled weakly and began to walk through the woods. As they reached the edge of the western side of the woods they stopped.

“We’ll rest here until night then we move under darkness”

The group sat down and nursed their wounds, ate some wild fruits and rested till night came. The whole time Grey thought about the alicorn. Who was she? Was she telling the truth? Can she really help them? What if it was just a ploy and he was leading them to their deaths? He internally panicked. He closed his eyes and just prayed for everything to go okay.

“Grey… Grey..” a calm voice called, “wake up it’s night.”

Grey opened his eyes, it was hard to tell but Grey realized it was Raspberry.

“What happened?” Grey asked.

“There’s no moon Grey.” Raspberry said in a concerned voice, “Did the unicorns forget to raise it?”

Grey thought otherwise. He thought it was perfect to move. Grey scrambled to his feet and looked for Silver. Silver had Summer on his back and walked up to the front waiting for Grey to lead.

“We’re ready…”

As normal protocol they looked for any danger and then they made their way out of the woods. As a group they moved swiftly and quietly enough to compare to a secret ops team. They made their way past the still burning heaps of corpses of earth ponies left and still there were bodies strewn over the plains of those from other farms. Foals, old mares, fillies, colts and stallions with arrow points, fatal wounds or blasted with magic were left to rot where the earth ponies call the “field of tears”

Finally, Grey found his way going up the hill where he can see the distant coast.

“We made it!! We made it….” a mare said crying.

Everypony made their way down to the beach sands and waited for Grey to lead them to safety. Suddenly the group became startled as cheering was heard. The ponies turned around and saw that the ponies whom had dispersed to warn other ponies had also made it to the shores with a few others. There were also some zebras among them. Altogether they totaled about a hundred.

“what now Grey?” Silver asked.

Then a light shone out of nowhere. The same glow Grey had seen. It manifested itself to the glowing alicorn. Everypony was frightened to see the sight of the glowing pony with wings and a horn.

“Welcome Grey Willow, we meet again.”

“Grey…” Raspberry said with a frightened tone.

“Do not be afraid Raspberry Ripple. I am … Terra.” The alicorn said with a gentle smile, “I have come to bring you to safety.”
“What are you?” asked Raspberry, “How do you know my name?”

“I know all of you. I am the life force of the earth and I have seen the strife of the earth ponies.”

Nopony said anything..

“Look toward the sea,” Terra said.

A huge mass in the distance was coming closer. It was a ship.

“Where are we going?” asked Grey.

“I have prepared a land for you, and I will protect it. No unicorn or pegasi will step foot or fly there. You will be safe until the time of unification will come. Earth ponies play a very important role in this world. You have the magic of the earth. Only through your life force can you can produce the fruit of the land and have that special connection with nature. No other pony can do this. Not even unicorns. Without you, the others will see famine and great suffering. They have become greatly misguided. And I intend for them to see that.”

The group looked at each other, feeling easy with the words of comfort Terra has told them.
The ship came close to the shore. And then it stopped.

“Grey Willow,” Terra said, “I and they have chosen you as their leader. Now go.. the ship will take you there.”

Terra cast a magic bridge leading straight up to the ship. One by one the ponies walked along the magic bridge that was a wonderful sight. Many hues of color radiated off of it. Grey waited till everypony got on board. He had a gloomy look on his face.

“Grey Willow,” Terra addressed him once more, “you have done well.”

“I have not. I felt if I had more time, I could have saved more.”

Terra smiled once more.

“No, you have done well. To face so many trials and have survived, you are a unique and special pony. Now the unicorn and pegasi outnumber you. You will not be able to go up against them. Live peacefully in the new land and become strong in number once again”

Grey looked at the alicorn who nodded her slightly and signalled for Grey to get on the ship. Grey stepped onto the bridge and walked a few steps toward the ship looking back once more at the alicorn.

“Thank you” he said and he continued on.

The ship sailed off, and Grey looked at the shoreline where the alicorn had become a glowing light once more that disappeared with the first gleam of sunlight.

Tears filled his eyes as Raspberry came up him and put her hoof on his shoulder. He hugged her suddenly which startled her a bit, but she returned the embrace.

General Gustnado looking weary once again enetered the throne room.

“My lord. It is done. All earth ponies are gone. However upon my inspection of the western shores I saw a ship leaving. I speculate that some may have escaped on that ship.”

“Nothing to worry about Gustnado. You have done well. You see only the strong will survive. The weak ones are not needed. Remember that.”
“Yes my lord.”

That morning there was a huge parade full of pomp and circumstance to celebrate the army’s victory of eliminating the earth ponies. King Sombra gave his speech.

“WE HAVE RID THE LAND OF THE PESTILENCE THAT HAS PLAGUED OUR SOCIETY. NOW WE WITH OUR ABILITIES CAN MAKE MUCH BETTER LIFE FOR OURSELVES AND PROVE THAT WE ARE THE STRONG AND DOMINANT ONES!...”

The crowd cheered joyfully on at King Sombra’s speech but Gustnado who was looking solemn stood just behind had a deep regretful feeling in his heart.

Grey and the others slept until the ship that steered on its own pulled anchor. The ponies woke up and looked over squinting through the mist. As it cleared the ponies beheld the most beautiful sight they’ve ever seen. Lush green land, that stretched for miles and miles.
Shouts of joy echoed on the ship. One mare started thanking Terra with closed eyes. They all hailed Grey, Silver and Raspberry for saving them. As they reached ashore, ponies bent down and kissed the ground. Summer the only filly started running excitedly taking in all the sights.

“Ponies… this is now our land.” Silver said, “What shall we call it? I think Grey should name our land. He is our leader.”

Grey scratched his head then it came to him, “Argil.”

“ARGIL!” everypony shouted.

Grey spoke again “this be our land now, we start anew. We must not forget our troubles in Equestria. We will teach our foals about our journey here and no pegasi or unicorn may step foot in our blessed land until they learn what they have done is wrong and they have redeemed themselves. We will build our farms, towns and cities live as we are supposed to live. FREE. And may Terra bless us all.”

Everypony cheered Grey saying “Hail Grey Willow! Our King!”

And thus began the earth country of Argil.

“what will you do now Terra?” Zeal asked.

“I will now draw my life force to Argil that it be prosperous. With my magic I have created a force field that will cloud Argil not allow unicorn or pegasi to enter Argil. Equestria will begin its famine, I will give it little sustanence.”

6 MONTHS LATER

“My lord.” Gustnado bowed before Sombra.

“Yes Gustnado” Sombra said most wearily.

“I have come to report another failure in the attempt to sow the crops, my lord, it is of very poor quality or in small amounts and the trees on the eastern borders are slowly dying.”

“What of the agri-spells that the officials have found?”

“It does not work my lord. The ponies are growing hungry, and they are saying…” Gustnado stopped.

“What?!” Sombra hissed, “What are they saying?”

Gustnado breathed deeply, “…that life was better when the earth ponies were around to do the work.”

“They were nothing! Now have the scientists keep trying with those spells!”

“Yes my lord” Gustado swiftly turned and went out the door, “Now we suffer for our sins. We needed them more than they needed us.”

Sombra sat in his throne and put his hoof on his head, “I was wrong…”

EPILOGUE
Sombra died five years after the massacre of the earth ponies by poisoning himself. There were threats of a pony uprising. A new unicorn queen was then crowned, Princess Moonstone. The great famine continued to affect Equestria and the once lavish unicorns and pegasi were becoming impoverished from tax payments as the kingdom was now importing food from the zebra and griffon lands.

The army was downsized to barely half of its original size.

The unicorns and pegasi started to see the error in their ways and treatment of the earth ponies. A valuable magic has left their land, and they struggled without it.

Gustnado retired from service to the throne and wrote his dairies about his life. Before his retirement he informed the queen of the ship that he saw leaving the west shores. The queen despatched envoys to search for the earth ponies, to see where they settled in hopes of enticing them back to Equestria, or trading with them for food and giving them equal status as everyone, but all the envoys came back empty handed. They never found the land of Argil.

It was a time to pass into history.

Author's Note

This first chapter was a bit rushed.
I know some parts may sound harry potter-ish but i didn't realize until I re-read it.
I also forgot some parts too.
I may re-write but right now, I'm tooo lazy.
Working on next chapter now.

Discovery

MLP: Y U NO BELONG TO ME?!

I don't own it, really I don't...

For five hundred years the lights observed the past events.
Celestia and Luna, to keep the unicorns and pegasi life forces in balance, decided to manifest themselves as alicorn avatars in Equestria after the rule of Princess Moonstone. Their avatar counterparts have no memory of them being the lights or the actions of Terra, but their wisdom was insurmountable. But they still could not help the dire situation that the ponies were facing as Terra alone possessed that magic.

Murmurs surrounded the stranger who had washed up ashore.

The unicorn group that found him looked in curiosity at the sleeping pony. He was tan coated with a sandy blonde mane and his hat right next to him.

“He’s got no horn or wings mama!” a filly said.

The stallion slowly regained consciousness. He opened his bright green eyes and saw all the faces around him.

He quickly sat up with a throbbing headache.

“W-Where am I?”

Nopony said anything that they were shocked to see a pony without a horn or wings.

The stallion caught hold of his hat, placed it on his head and stood up and looked around.

“Dadgumit! Imma kill Spurs when see ‘im again”

“Mama what is he? He’s not a unicorn or a pegasi!” the filly spoke again.

“’Course I ain’t no unicorn or pegasi! I ain’t wanna be one of those! I’m an earth pony!”

“An earth pony?!... Quick, go tell the mayor!” a stallion said to one member of the group and he left darting off in the direction of the town.

“Where am I anyway?”

“Equestria. What’s your name?” the unicorn stallion said.

“Braeburn’s the name! Wait… this here’s Equestria? Are you by chance unicorns?” Braeburn looked at their horns, “No no no!… I gotta get back home!”

“Where’s your home?”

“’Cross the sea. Hmmmm, say... any one of y’all know where I can get me a boat? I need to get back real quick, it bein’ harvest season an’ all… dad gum… if I don’t get back the fruit bats’ll run wild and Applejack’s gonna kill me!” Braeburn started walking off along the coast as if hoping to see some type of ship nearby, “How the hay did I end up here? Last thing I remember is the alarm goin’ off on mah ship.”

The unicorns followed him.

“Braeburn wait!” the stallion said.

“What now?”

“Please come with us. You must be tired or hungry and the mayor will want to speak with you.”

“Look, I appreciate yer offer but I really gotta get back.”

“Please…” the stallion said.

Braeburn somehow couldn’t turn down the offer any longer.

“Okay okay. But it gotta quick yer hear!”

Braeburn went with the crowd to the small town just off the coast. He noticed the area was devoid of trees. It was mostly rocky but he thought nothing more of it. As the group entered the town, the stallion led him to the biggest house that was in the middle of the town.
All eyes were on him but their expressions were one of a sort of hopeful longing. Braeburn noticed an older unicorn stallion was scribbling a note which he gave to a pony with wings. Her eyes were crossed. Braeburn wondered if she can see in both directions.

“Don’t get lost this time Derpy okay! This is urgent express mail. Fly fast! Remember this goes straight to Canterlot!”

“Right!” and she flew off at an amazing speed. Braeburn was amazed at the pegasus. He’d never seen one before.

Then the stallion came huffing up to him and quickly grabbed his hoof shaking it vigorously.

“Welcome! Welcome uuuuh…”

“Braeburn.”

“Welcome Braeburn to our town! I’m the mayor, Red Tape. Are you hungry? Tired?”

“A little hungry, yes, but I gotta get me a boat soon, I’d appreciate it if y’all got one.”

“Of course! Please sit! Comet! A soup for Braeburn over here!”

Braeburn thought that these ponies were being awfully nice to him but he really wanted to get back. He could already picture Applejack’s prickly words about fruit bats. He needed a boat so he thought he’d play along a little longer. Comet came out with a hot steaming bowl and placed it front of Braeburn. He looked at it and batted his eyes. The soup looked a little strange.

He slowly lowered his head and tasted the soup. It was really watery and the vegetables were a bit rancid.

“How is it?” the mayor asked.

“Uummmm greeeat.” Breaburn said scrunching his face.

“Really?” Comet said, “it usually tastes like sh-“

“COMET!”

Braeburn continued, “now how ‘bout that boat? Imma kinda in a rush…”

“OH HO! A tour! Let’s give Braeburn here a tour!”

“But there isn’t anything to see! Just rocks!”

“COMET! Uuuh, please ignore Comet, Braeburn. She’s quite… um…”

“Frank?”

“ANNNOYING! Ehem…. Anyway! Let’s get to that tour huh! What do ya say?”

“Can I get home after this?” Braeburn asked with a raised brow.

“Sure! I promise!” Red Tape said wiping his head with a hanky from the cold sweat.

Twilight Sparkle sat in her usual corner at the Canterlot Royal Library double reading two books: ‘The History of Equestria’ and ‘A History of Rare Unicorn Magic’. After finding no book she could use at her Ponyville home, she decided to visit the royal library. It wasn't much of a library anymore as all the taxes was going into food. Many buildings lay in ruins or has been patched up with mortar or substituted with cut rock. Books also were fading as trees to make paper were scarce. Everything was not taken for granted considering the high cost of living in Equestria. Twilight was hoping to find a few spells she could use successfully that scientists have not been able to figure out for five hundred years, Agri-spells.

Her friends were also in Canterlot at the time too. Rarity and Rainbow Dash had to accompany Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo on a field trip to study about growing and collecting food. Fluttershy was hoping to purchase some strawberries and lettuce, only available at Canterlot market. She had been saving for a year just to buy a few.

The famine had gotten so bad that good quality food was now considered a luxury. Ponies were paying extremely high prices for food. One apple was sold a price of twenty bits. While Equestria wasn’t completely devoid of vegetation, it was in small amounts and poor quality, Equestria had become for lack of a better definition, a barren wasteland. It had minimal security as Equestria could not afford a large army. Most ponies were underweight or malnourished. This made them very much on edge. Some had tried migration to the zebra and griffon lands, but it was harder for them there being a lone pony in a strange land.

“Taste enhancement spells, Pest-away spells, Hydration spells, Manure spells… Yuck!” Twilight cringed and sighed, “Nothing about growing.”

Twilight levitated her cup of hot tea and took a sip. She was quite lucky. Tea was quite expensive and Twilight had two cups so far. She decided to sip a little to avoid wanting a third.

A pile of books came up walking towards Twilight.

“Found anything yet?” spoke the pile.

“Nothing yet Spike,” Twilight dipped her head onto the book, “hopeless…”

“Come on Twilight, I’m sure you’ll find something soon.” Spike said and put the pile down.

“What if I don’t Spike? This famine has lasted for five hundred years! What it keeps getting worse and worse. Even the griffon and zebra crops are dwindling. Prices will keep going up and we won’t be able to eat! We're getting anxious Spike. Last week two riots were about to break out! Only because of Princess Luna, the ponies dispersed. Pretty soon there will an anarchy and we’ll all surely die!” Twilight looked exasperated.

Spike touched her shoulder and tried to cheer her up.

“I found these in the rare and historical archives section!” he knew she loved rare books.

“Thanks Spike” Twilight gave him a little pat on the head and glimpsed a page in The History of Equestria book. She levitated the book for better reading.

...After the first pony war, a balanced society was created to allow each pony to do their job. The unicorns held government positions; the pegasi held military posts and the earth ponies were experts in agriculture. This stabilised society was disrupted by two earth pony rebels, Grey Willow and Silver Oak, who had massacred at least twenty five unicorns and pegasi soldiers. Their aim was to overturn then unicorn run government in favour of placing earth ponies on top. In search of the rebels the Equestrian army had no choice but to kill all who were brainwashed into creating their own society. Grey Willow was never found. It is believed he fled Equestria with a group of his followers. General Gustnado was awarded the Equestrian Platinum Shield medal for valour...

“Haaa, Grey Willow. We’re in trouble because of you...”

Twilight looked at the pile of books Spike brought and the one that caught her eye was red leather bounded with gold letters: The Diary of a General.
She opened the dusty book but before she could have read anything, she jumped.

“Twilight Sparkle!”

A unicorn guard came running up to her panting, “You are wanted at the castle immediately along with your assistant and friends!”

“Me too?”

“Come on Spike!”

Twilight and Spike dashed out the door. On the way, they caught hold of Fluttershy on her way to the castle suite from the market. By the time they got to the castle, Rarity and Rainbow were also approaching looking exhausted from a long day while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were swooning holding tiny cups with plants that seemed to be dying.

“Hey Twi. What’s up?” Rainbow asked.

“No time girls. The princess wants to see us!”

As they walked up, they saw mailmare Derpy flying away with two royal pegasi guards but Twilight had other important matters on her mind. What did Princess Celestia want?

Canterlot was formerly Platinum City but changed when Princess Moonstone took over. All the monuments and glamour it had that represented unicorn and pegasi dominion in the past were gone. The arena was torn down and the library was built over it. Any books regarding the past actions of unicorn and pegasi were destroyed or rewritten. Simply put, the unicorn and pegasi had forgotten why earth ponies left in the first place.
Rarity and Rainbow put Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to sit in the lobby area while they, Twilight and Spike headed to the throne room.

“You both stay here and don’t go wandering off. Stay out of trouble okay?”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded.

The group entered the brightly lit throne room and Twilight announced her presence, “You wanted to see me Princess?”

The tall, regal, white pony smiled at Twilight and her friends. They calmly approached her with Twilight in the lead. She was composed on the outside while anxious inside.

“Twilight Sparkle, my prized pupil! I have some astonishing news!”

“What is it princess?”

“An earth pony has been found.”

“An earth pony?! But I thought they went extinct five hundred years ago! Oooooh I was just reading about them in “A History Of Equestria”. They knew how to grow food, but they rebelled and left.” Twilight’s eyes suddenly lit up with enlightenment, “Princess…”

“I believe that book is not what it all seems to be Twilight Sparkle. Events have been rewritten. A past that has been twisted or long forgotten, but should not have been.”

“What do you mean Princess?” Twilight looked very concerned.

“That is an assignment I leave to you Twilight Sparkle and your friends, to find out the real truth. However, the reason I have called you here is for a much greater task. I believe it is time for unification.”

“Unification?” Rarity repeated.

“Yes, the earth ponies have been apart from unicorns and pegasi but they are ponies like us. Important in every way. Once the truth and history is out, then steps can be taken to unite us all. But, I have a very important task for Spike.”

Spike eyes opened wide.

The princess turned to him, “Spike, it up to you to make contact with the earth ponies.”

“Me? But how...”

“I believe there is a deep, ancient magic that protects the earth ponies. In the past unicorns and pegasi have tried to locate them, but failed. I do believe however that others can.”

Spike looked at Twilight then back to Princess Celestia.

"Spike," Celestia said softly, "with this task the fate of all Equestria lies with you. You must not fail in this."

The princess then addressed the group as a whole.

“You all must meet this earth pony. But be warned, move with caution. Earth ponies have complete distrust and may bear hatred for unicorn and pegasi alike.”

“Why?” Rainbow asked.

You will learn why in time to come Rainbow Dash.”

Twilight pondered. “We can do this Princess.”

“I know you can, Twilight, I have complete trust in you and your friends.”

“And these are our quartz mine fields!” Rap Tape was walking merrily droning on about rocks for the past two hours.

Braeburn wanted to get away quickly but the mob that was also accompanying in the tour was just too overwhelming. He was smack dead in the middle of the group of unicorns and a few pegasi. He felt very uncomfortable.

Then in the distance three pegasi came soaring toward the group.

“It’s Derpy!” said a mare.

Braeburn really started to panic when he saw two royal guards accompanying the post-pony.

“Uuuuuuuuh... I think I’ve seen enough thanks, but I really gotta get back now y’all hear?” he slowly started to back away from the group and turned.

The pegasi guards landed right in front of him.

“We’ve been ordered to bring you back to Canterlot.”

“Look now, I don’t want no trouble alright... I just wanna get home.”

“Braeburn please...” Red Tape said but Braeburn was already in a panic.

The guards took hold of Braeburn and flew off with him screaming, “PUT ME DOWN NOW, Y’ALL HEAR!”

“We’re sorry but the princess' representative would like to speak to you.”

Braeburn closed his eyes and remembered Granny Smith’s stories of the evil pegasi that dropped ponies from great heights. He breathed hard and prayed for his life to be spared.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo was already feeling bored from trying to nurse some baby plants that looked beyond help.

“Hey let’s go to the garden! I heard it has a maze there!” Scootaloo suggested.

“Yeah, maybe we can get our cutie marks in finding our way?” Sweetie Belle was being sarcastic.

“Then what do you wanna do?” Scootaloo said.

“Hmm, I heard there’s a really cool room in the castle, full of armor and really scary stuff! Wanna check it out?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re not scared are you?” Sweetie Belle said with a jeering look.

“Of course not!”

“Let’s go then!” and the two fillies ran off but something made them stop in their tracks just at the hall leading to the inner ward. They quickly hid behind a statue of Princess Moonstone, just as the two Pegasus guards were leading a strange pony with no wings and no horn into the castle. He looked absolutely horrified.

They waited until the guards were well ahead when they just smirked at each other and followed.

The four ponies and Spike waited in a large room where they were to speak to Braeburn.

Just then, the door opened up again and the royal guards were escorting Braeburn into the room. Braeburn stopped and was taking slow breaths. The guards backed away leaving Braeburn in the presence of Twilight and her friends.

“My apologies. We didn’t mean to startle you with the guards.” Twilight began, “I am Twilight Sparkle, and this is Spike, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity. Each pony or dragon gave a little nod.

Braeburn looked at the ponies but said nothing. He was taking slow heavy breaths and stared at the group with a touch of repulsion. There were a few minutes of tense silence. Twilight looked at the others who were also exchanging discomforting glances at each other. Rarity checked herself to make sure she was well groomed. Twilight wondered if he was deaf.
He then finally answered, “Braeburn.” He thought that if he managed to get through this talk he might just leave the room alive. Twilight looked at Braeburn and no doubt, she saw the look of complete distrust in his eyes.

“Braeburn, the princess has summoned you here at a desperate request.” Twilight continued tenderly. She thought she had better tread carefully with this conversation, “The ponies here in Equestria have been under dire circumstances for a long time. If you have noticed, there is hardly any vegetation that grows here. We survive by importing food from other lands. It has become a situation where it is almost impossible to live worrying about how we will afford the next meal. For a long time, we have tried growing our own but we lack the ability to do so.”

Braeburn said nothing. Then Twilight approached him. He slowly took a few steps back.

“Please, can you help us?”

“W-Why?”

“The earth ponies used to live here before, something happened to make them leave. We too suffered a long time. We have searched for a long time for the earth ponies to extend a hand in friendship and we ask for your help otherwise we will all die.”

Braeburn looked at the ponies a pondered. Then he spoke, “I can’t.”

Rainbow dash interjected. “Why not?!”

“Look, I sympathize with yer situation an’ all that but Imma not sure I’m the right pony you should be talkin’ to. You probably should be talkin’ to our Princess. I’m just tryin’ to get back home. My ship went down in these here seas...”

“What were you doing in these parts?” Twilight asked.

“Uuuuuuuuuuh fishin’” Braeburn thought he shouldn’t say too much, “yeah so if y’all got a boat I can use to get back home...”

“Then if we get you a ship, can we come with you?” Rainbow asked.

“Huh? Where? To my home?” Braeburn asked.

“Yep.”

“You can’t.”

“Why not?” Fluttershy finally spoke.

“Granny Smith always said unicorns and pegasi can’t come into Argil. They ain’t allowed to.”

Why not?” Rainbow asked with an annoyed tone.

“Cuz’ you just can’t! That’s just it! I ain’t a historian. There’s no reason or at least... I think there is but all I know is that unicorns and pegasi can’t come into Argil.”

Spike came up. “What about me? I can go, right?”

“Imma not sure ‘bout that...”

“Please we need your help.” Twilight said.

Braeburn pondered. If he said no, he may not get a ship to go back and if he said yes, then ponies back home will resent him for helping unicorns and pegasi. He didn’t really have a choice.

“Okay, the little, funny, purple, spiky-headed...”

“Dragon.” Spike said most annoyed.

“... can come. But I gotta leave soon.” Braeburn looked a bit apprehensive.

The group lit up and cheered.

“Applejack’ll kill me.” Braeburn muttered but Rainbow heard him.

“Who’s Applejack?” Rainbow asked.

“Mah cousin.”

Twilight spent at least an hour arranging for a ship to set sail the next day. Meanwhile, Spike gathered a few things for his journey especially some of his mouth watering baby blue sapphires.

Rarity had introduced Braeburn to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, while the rest were eager to question him.

“I got a lil’ cousin round yer age! Her name’s Applebloom. She’s sweet and sassy like sprinkles on a birthday cake.”

“Does she have her cutie mark yet?”

“Nope!”

“WOW!” both fillies yelled in unison.

“So what’s it like in Argil?” Fluttershy asked.

“It ain’t like nothing’ here. Here’s just mostly rocks and yer buildings too. Ain’t much tuh see. Not even a flower. Then again, I ain’t spent much time here. Back home, we got acres an’ acres of forests, grasslands with the flowers in bloom, apple trees, corn, pumpkins, taters, all kinds of fruit and veggies. By the time harvest season is in, which is now, there is the Willow Celebration and there’s lot’s to eat, YESSIRREE! Apple fritters, apple tarts, apple turnovers, caramel apples, bakewell pudding, cherry pie, cream horns, cream puffs, éclairs, cinnamon muffins, pumpkin pie, corn bread casserole, Zapp apple jam, secumber salad, mashed taters, apple cider that’s gonna give yer a buck in the face.... aaaaaand my personal favourite Granny Smith’s APPLE PIE! WHOOOOO-EEE! I can’t wait to get home to have me some!!

“Eeeeew! Rainbow Dash! Put your tongue back in your mouth! How uncouth!” Rarity exclaimed as Rainbow was just lost in the thought of food that she was slobbering all over. Rarity and Fluttershy themselves were wiping a bit of drool off from their own mouths.

Twilight walked back to the group and informed Braeburn that everything was ready for the next day.

Back at their suite, nerves began to hit Spike. He was panicking about going on a journey without Twilight.

“Spike, you’re gonna be fine. All you have to do is deliver this message to the eath pony princess, no big deal.”

“Yeah, but...”

“But what?”

“What if they don’t like me? Or I mess up? Or I deliver the wrong message and I get kicked out and I fail?”

“You only got one message. And you’ll be fine! You’ll see! Now stop pacing and get some sleep okay?”

“Okay.” Spike crawled into his basket and Twilight put out the lights. Almost instantly Spike fell asleep.

The next day was a bit cloudy as the pegasi set up for some rainfall.

An escort chariot had given the group a ride to the coast to wish Spike a safe journey. It was a small boat, as a ship could not be hired on one day’s notice.

Spike gave each pony a hug but the special hugs went to Twilight and Rarity.

“Bye Spike! See you soon!” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo waved.

“Oh Spikey Wikey! I’ll miss you come back soon, you hear!”

“I will” Spike answered most adoringly.

“You’ll be fine Spike, I promise.” Twilight assured.

“See if you can bring back some of that apple cider for me okay?” Rainbow added.

“Have a safe trip Spike,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Spike went onto the boat with Braeburn and the captain, Gangway, released the sail. The boat took off and thanks to that cloudy day, it was windy enough to reach a good distance. The group did not leave till the boat was just mere speck almost ready to disappear.

“Okay girls, we got work to do in the meantime. Let’s go.”

“Come on Sweetie belle and Scootaloo. Uuuuuh Sweetie Belle?”

“Squirt?” Rainbow called.

Everypony looked around.

“Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They’re GONE!”

Author's Note

It's short yes.... I was a bit short on time. I promised myself to post a chapter at least once a week. Okay no promises.

But Chapter two turned out shorter cuz I did some major rewrite. The story should flow a little better from now I think.

To Yonder

WARNING: I cannot be held responsible for this MLP:FiM fanfic, as apparently my squirrel became a brony and learned how to type.

Everypony ran frantically around the harbour searching for the missing fillies. Rarity could not believe that both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were right in front of their eyes and then they just vanished. How in Equestria did that happen? Then it hit her. She quickly ran to the jetty’s edge and screamed “SWEEEEETIE BEEEEEEEEELLE!”
The boat had already disappeared. Rainbow was just about to dart off when she felt a tug on her tail.

“HEY! Lemme go!”

Twilight had caught hold of her “Rainbow, it no use, you can’t follow them”

“Why not?!”

“They’re going to Tallon Port Rainbow. It’s where Gangway will drop Braeburn and Spike off.”

“What?! Are you crazy! Tallon Port? As in Griffonia’s Tallon Port?”

“It’s where Braeburn said they’ll go, because Gangway is a pegasus and he can’t go further than that.”

“But.... what about Sweetie and Scootaloo?!” Rainbow exclaimed, “It’s Tallon Port we’re talking about! Do you know who’s in Tallon Port?”

The group just looked at Rainbow.

Everypony gasped simultaneously, “Gilda.”

The group looked towards the sea.

“Oh no...” Fluttershy said sheepishly.

“You sure this was a good idea?? Ouch Sweetie Belle! Your horn is stabbing me right in the back!” Scootaloo complained mutedly.

“Well, keep your wings out of my face! It’s tickling me!” Sweetie retorted, “Hey! Stop flapping!”

“Shhh, I think somepony is close to us!” Scootaloo said and she peeped through a hole in the box where they were tactfully hiding.

Braeburn slowly clopped to the edge of the boat and looked toward the horizon. Then he turned around and sat down on his haunches. He eyed Gangway with much apprehensiveness. Spike was cleaning one of his gems ready to eat and Gangway with fixing some sail rope. Spike then noticed Braeburn looking at Gangway strangely. Gangway was also returning glaces at Braeburn then Gangway spoke.

“Where you from?” Gangway asked.

“Someplace far from here.” Braeburn said defensively. “Farther west”

“You’re an earth pony?”

“Yeah, so what?”

“Nothing. I’ve never seen one that’s all. I’ve travelled all over and I’ve seen everything! I guess I was wrong.”

“Same here, I ain’t never seen a pegasus before now. You ain’t looking all that scary to me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothin’.”

“You going west you say?” Gangway said, “I’ve tried going west but there ain’t nothing there! There’s always a storm when I go that side.”

“Cuz’ maybe you can’t go that side.” Braeburn scoffed.

Gangway looked annoyed. Spike noticed a little tension between the two ponies and decided to avert Braeburn’s attention. He walked over to Braeburn and sit next to him.

“Hey uuuuh, good weather we’re having eh?” Spike scratched his head.

“Yeah I guess so” Braeburn said and turned toward the sea.

“Something wrong Braeburn?”

“No nothin’, I just can’t wait to get home that’s all.”

“Why do you look at everypony like that?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Like... that. You know, like they did something to you.”

“I ain’t never met a unicorn or pegasi before now. But I heard stories from Granny Smith.”

“Granny Smith?”

“My grandmother...” Braeburn said and then he sighed, “a long time ago, the earth ponies left Equestria...”

“Oh Twilight was reading a book about it. It said that the earth ponies rebelled and left.”

Braeburn looked at Spike with a bit of an annoyed expression, “That ain’t so.”
Spike kept quiet after that.

“We were slaves.”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were now trying their best to keep quiet to listen in.

“Slaves?!”

“Yeah, Granny Smith said that the unicorn and pegasi kept us as slaves and treated us really badly.”

“But why would...” Spike did not finish his sentence.

“’Cuz we weren’t born with wings or horns. That’s why. Then, one day the unicorn king gave an order for us earth ponies to be killed.”

“Killed? Why?”

“Dunno. But she said it was because he became really evil. The unicorn used their magic ‘gainst us, burnin’ everypony, and the pegasi use to lift ponies high in the air an’ then drop ‘em to their deaths. Even foals!”

Spike gave somewhat of a whimper and covered his mouth while Scootaloo and Sweetie looked at each other in shock.

“Did unicorns and pegasi really do that to earth ponies?” Scootaloo whispered. Both she and Sweetie had drooped ears and looked forlorn.

“An earth pony named Grey Willow; he was our firs’ king by the way, saved some of us and took us to Argil. We’ve lived there since.”

“Braeburn, do you hate them?”

Breaburn pondered for a few seconds while looking back and Gangway.

“Naaaw, like I said, I ain’t never met a unicorn or pegasi before. They never done nothin’ to me, but many ponies back home still feel resentment ‘gainst ‘em. The general feelin’ is we don’t trust ‘em. I dunno how it will turn out with the princess Spike, to be honest.”

“Why didn’t you tell these things to Twilight, Braeburn?”

“Didn’t cha hear me Spike. I don’t trust ‘em.”

“They’re not bad Braeburn, you just gotta give them a chance. It’s horrible what happened long ago, but things are not like now, and I think holding onto something from the past is also bad. I can’t speak for anypony else but Twilight and my other friends can definitely be trusted!” Spike said with a puffed chest.

Braeburn looked at Spike.

“For a little funny looking, purple, spiky headed...”

“Dragon.”

“Yer a pretty smart guy.”

Just then, Captain Gangway came up and announced that they’ll reach Tallon Port in the morning. Braeburn looked at him again but this he was a bit more conscious on how his expression might be. He gave a little nod.

Rainbow was anxiously fluttering about the area surrounding the harbour. Rarity was also pacing up and down and Fluttershy was sitting on her haunches looking most worried. Twilight came back running.

“Well?” Rarity asked.

“Okay, I sent a message to alert the Griffon police guards that if they find Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell to inform us and send them back.”

“Sweetie Belle is going to get it when she gets back... Tallon Port is no place for a filly to be.” Rarirty grumbled.

“Girls, we got work to do back in Canterlot,” Twilight said.

“Right.” Everypony said with a heavy sigh. They wanted to wait on the harbour till they got word about Sweetie and Scootaloo but they knew that Princess Celestia was also counting on them. With that thought in mind, they left.

“TALLON PORT AHEAD!” Gangway called as the sun rose.

Braeburn and Spike rushed up to the front to see the land mass ahead. It was also devoid of vegetation as any other area outside of Argil he thought. It was more volcanic as the stench of sulphur filled the air. As they got closer, the port became more visible. It looked more like a huge pile of rock and mud much like housing in Equestria but it was bustling. Sweetie and Scootaloo fought each other for a chance to peep through the hole in the box.
Finally the small boat made port. The noise of the market area echoed throughout the harbour. Then two Griffon guards and another griffon that looked important came up to the boat. Braeburn and Spike left the boat and Gangway was speaking to griffon about the small cargo on his boat. The griffon eyed the boxes as Sweetie and Scootaloo pulled back. The kept really still. Then the griffon called for the boxes to be removed from the boat. Some younger griffons swooped down from above and grabbed the boxes one by one and flapped back to the jetty. The guards ordered the boxes to be checked. Sweetie and Scootaloo gasped.
The griffons took up the box right next to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo which made them start to panic and pant heavily.
Finally they could feel their box being lifted.

“Uh oh.” Sweetie Belle whispered.

Then they noticed that the lid was slowly rising. They closed their eyes tightly.

“HEY HEY! THAT’S MINE!” shouting in the near vicinity was heard.

“BUCK YOU!”

“RAAAAAAAAAH!”

A fight broke out between a griffon and a zebra and it caught the attention of all the attendees to Gangway’s load. They rushed over to the commotion. Sweetie and Scootaloo acted fast as they quickly climbed out of the box and ran for it behind one of the rock buildings.

“QUICK! WE GOTTA FIND SPIKE and I’m dying! I need food!” Scootaloo said and breathed hard.

“Shhh!” Sweetie motioned her hoof to her mouth.

Discreetly, they scoped the surrounding area for Breaburn and Spike. All they could see was hoards of griffons bustling about.

“BRAEBURN!” shouted a voice.

Sweetie and Scootaloo felt a sigh of relief of hearing that name. They looked for the voice and saw a female griffon stomping up to the two familiar forms now coming out a building. She was young and looked menacing enough to take on a dragon.

“GILDA!!” Braeburn said with an awkward smile, “How good to see yer”

“Don’t GILDA me you sorry piece of shit of a pony. You didn’t meet us to deliver those apples!”

“Imma sorry! Mah ship went down see... an’ I had mahself a bit of a setback!”
Spike looked confused.

“My father is furious! You know how mad he gets when shipment is late! We got customers down our throats! Especially the unicorns!”

“Wait, Braeburn, you do business with griffons?”

“Who is this little pric-?”

“This is Spike the funny little, purple, spiky headed...”

“DRAGON!!”

“I’ve seen you before.... ” Gilda said menacingly eyeballing him. Spike cold-sweated. But Gilda seemed not to recall right away. Spike knew that if he mentioned Twilight and Rainbow Dash, he’d be in for it.

“Anyway,” Gilda said turning her attention back to Braeburn, “we need those apples and we need it now!”

“That might be a bit of a problem see... the shipment went down with the... um, well... ship.”
Gilda’s eyes were turning red. Spike backed away.

“I think I’ll go wait at the harbour Braeburn” and he ran off.

“But I can fix this. I promise! Look it’s harvestin’ time I just arranged with yer cousin to take me and Spike here back to Argil. He can pick up a new shipment from Applejack at once.”

Braeburn smiled even more awkward.

“You got till this afternoon, ya hear? ... On second thought, I’ll come with you” Gilda said indignantly.

“YES MA’AM!”

Gilda stomped off but turned around, “Oh, you by chance haven’t seen two fillies around have you?”

“Fillies?”

“Yeah, we got word that two fillies stowed away here”

Sweetie and Scootaloo gasped.

“Nope. Mah boat was clear I think. They checked it when we were leaving. You can ask the cap’n though.”

Gilda walked off. The two fillies took the opportunity to follow Braeburn to the ship. They were careful not to get caught. They swiped one or two apples and other fruit they had never seen before to eat. When they saw the ship that the two were boarding, they quickly took the chance to climb into another box on the ship. They were lucky to be small. No one noticed them at all.

“ALL ABOARD!!” the captain called. Braeburn, Spike and Gilda and a few other mean looking griffons boarded the ship. Sweetie and Scootaloo hearts beat rapidly in excitement that they were finally going to see Argil.

“We’ll be the first pegasus and unicorn to see Argil!” Scootaloo squeaked.

“Maybe we’ll get our cutie marks for this!” Sweetie added and both fillies smiled.

The sails were let down and the sound of the foghorn alerted all that they had taken off.

Twilight and her friends were back at the library rummaging through heaps of history books and paper. They were careful to treat it well as pages were already falling apart. The history section shelves were almost empty as the three mares were multi reading several books at a time.

Twilight re-read ‘A History of Equestria’ again and a few other reference books. All seems to be coherent with one another except for one. ‘Secrets of Equestria: An Archaeological Story’ by Dr. Strike Gold.

‘Archaeological digs of mass graves around Equestria shows countless remnants of earth ponies. These remnants, when examined, showed signs of serious injury over a period of time, distorted bones from being broken and healing without medical intervention, bone fragments damaged by magic which most likely to be an ignition spell. Dating of the remnants shows various dates between 1000 CPE and 500 CPE (common pony era) which can lead to hypothesize that earth ponies were treated with utmost indignity.
A study of the architecture in Canterlot revealed that there was an arena used for blood sport, during the rule of Princess Moonstone, it was demolished and the Royal Library was built on top. A recent dig on the outskirts of Canterlot shows an uncountable number of mass graves where only earth ponies were found with fatal injuries and remnants of clothes had desiccated blood.’

Twilight had an expression between puzzled and shocked. This can’t be true she thought. They were standing on top of someplace where thousands have died? She herself has never seen evidence of it.

Fluttershy pulled another book from the shelf when she noticed at the back, on the wall, there was a small niche. Curiously, she put her hoof in the niche and then a click was heard.
A small rumble began. The mares turned and saw that one of the bookshelves shifted revealing a secret room.

“Wow, neat Fluttershy!” Rainbow said.

“Oh. It was nothing, I think.” She said while blushing.

Everyone entered but Rarity seemed to be engrossed in a book on the outside. The room was really grimy inside and the air was musty. A glass-tinted window with a picture of Princess Moonstone was lit up by the sunlight. Twilight brushed over the books which seemed quite old. She pulled one off the shelf. It had no title on it and when she opened, pages began falling out. She quickly levitated the fallen pages and trotted over to the dusty table where she laid them. Rainbow flew up and browsed over a series of scrolls that had turned brown over the years. She took hold of the topmost one, went back down and opened it. Her eyes opened wide and her pupils dilated to just small dots.

“Twilight, listen to this!”

Twilight walked over and looked at the scroll Rainbow was reading. The words had faded greatly and the edges were jagged. Rainbow struggled a bit but she was able to read it out loud.

THE FIVE FORBIDDEN RULES OF EQUESTRIA.

‘The forbidden rules were created by the Princess Platinum to make our beloved Equestrian society healthy.
Earth ponies are our inferiors and we have to treat them as such. Therefore unicorn and pegasi are encouraged to follow these rules.

1. Never be intimate with an Earth pony. They are dirty and brutish.
2. They must never touch anything of the unicorns and pegasi.
3. Do not speak to them. They are only to be given orders.
4. They are to work only. No celebrations allowed.
5. Do not teach them the sacred knowledge of the unicorn and pegasi. They are incapable of learning.’

Teach these rules to all fillies and colts of our society. Long live Equestria and long live the King.

Everyone gasped. Anger built up in Twilight as she could not comprehend fully what really took place in the past. A dark history covered up.

Rarity came in sobbing.

“Twilight you must listen to this!” as she turned to a marked page:

‘July 18th

King Sombra has ordered the mass eradication of earth ponies yesterday. At first I was not hesitant to raise my sword at them but my tour of the northern plains where the aerial squad had been dumped screaming foals onto the jagged rocks below now haunt me. Today, I monitored the unicorn firing squad burning ponies alive with mares writhe in scorching agony but I have to harden my heart and do my duty to the throne. Earth ponies serve no purpose here anymore.’

Rarity read the entry with a bubbling voice. Twilight looked at the book and she realized it was the same red bound book she was about to read before her summon to the princess. Tears were streaming down Rarity’s face. Fluttershy’s ears were drooped and she covered her face while Rainbow looked like she wanted to hit something, probably a pegasus from the past.

“Why?” Fluttershy managed, “those poor, poor ponies.”

“How disgraceful! If I lived in that time I would be ashamed to be a unicorn!” Rarity said puffed up.

“If we lived in that time Rarity, I’m pretty sure we’d be doing the same as everypony else.” Twilight said. Rarity became poignant. Twilight was probably right.

“But I don’t understand, why cover it all up?” Rainbow asked.

“I think it was the shame,” Twilight said, “Ponies then probably didn’t want to let ponies of future generations like us to know what they did. The truth is earth ponies fled for their lives to be free from persecution, slavery and death. There were no rebels or anything. They didn’t want to overturn any government. What we’ve been taught was all a lie.”

“We should let the princess know what we’ve found Twilight”

“Yes, we should. Rarity can I borrow that journal? I want to read it some more.”

“Sure thing darling.”

Twilight chose a few other dusty books from the shelves and with the others went to the checkout counter.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo slept in the box that was peacefully rocking with the waves. It was roomier so they didn’t fight so much. The noise outside seemed to calm them and they had stolen enough fruits from Tallon Port to keep them happy for a while. But they were awoken suddenly by shouting and the deck pounding with footsteps. They awoke groggily and scratched their eyes. They ears perked at the shouting of a voice close by to them.

“BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!” the boatswain called, “STORM AHEAD!”

“Where in the name of Grey Willow this storm came from? Spike you’d better go down” Braeburn said.

“But...” Spike started in protest.

“Go spike, yer a guest on this here ship, it’ll be bad on me if anything happen’ to ya,” and with that Spike nervously went down below.
The boat began to rock more vigorously. Sweetie and Scootaloo held onto each other tightly. The boxes began shifting. The water began to hit hard against the ship and the winds and rain were blowing almost everything lightweight off the boat.

“BITE THE BULLET!” The captain shouted, “THIS SHIP’LL TAKE IT!”
The storm got worse. The waves became so high, crashing water onto the deck. The box started to fill up, and Sweetie and Scootaloo panicked. They tried kicking the lid open but something was on top.

“GILDA! GILDA!” The boatswain called. “LOOSEN THOSE ENDS!”

Gilda rushed over to port and loosened the ropes. The ship rocked back causing everypony to fall over. The box that fell on top of Sweetie and Scootaloo shifted. Then the fillies finally kicked open the lid. Another giant wave hit starboard and the crates fell over causing the fillies to fall out. They grabbed some nearby ropes and wrapped their hooves around, holding on for dear life. The captain started laughing manically. Braeburn thought he went mad.

“COME ON!!! HIT ME AGAIN! HA HA HA!”

Thunder struck and a huge wave crashed almost flipping the boat.

“THIS HERE’S A GRIFFON SHIP! YOU CAN’T SINK THIS!!!! COME ON!” The captain shouted again.

Sweetie was shivering, “SCOOTALOO!! IF WE DON’T MAKE IT! I’M GLAD YOU’RE MY BES-!” But a second wave crashed onto the boat.
The fillies coughed up salt water when the water subsided. The winds were blowing so hard now that some of the decks planks were blown right off. The sails had ripped and the rain beat down on them so hard it was actually painful. Thunder struck again this time hitting them mast, and one of the griffons that was on top holding on to some ropes had blown away.

Spike couldn’t keep himself down below. He went back to the deck and saw Braeburn holding on to a rope from the bottom of the mast post.

“BRAAAAEBURN!” Spike called. But the sounds of the storm was too much.

“BRAAAAAAAEBURN!” Spike tried holding on to some rope but him being rather small only allowed the wind to sweep him up, “HE--------------LP!”

“SPI--------KE!”

Spike then felt something caught his claw. He looked and all he made out was a griffon had caught hold of him.

“HOLD ON!!!!!” it was a female’s voice. Gilda’s. Gilda pulled Spike towards her and he climbed on her back and held on. By then winds finally started to ease up and the water waves became smaller. Pretty soon, as if nothing ever happened there was a calm on the seas. The captain continued to laugh.

“HA! I TOLD YOU THIS IS A GRIFFON SHIP! YOU CAN’T SINK IT! YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Everypony cheered on que at the captain’s maniacal rant.

“Strange... how did it have a storm?” Braeburn muttered to himself. Gilda landed on the deck with Spike on her back.

“You okay?” Braeburn asked

“Yeah. Thanks” Spike said to Gilda. He was visibly shaken but okay. Gilda huffed.

“You should have stayed below.” she said.

“Check everything!” the captain ordered.

Everypony started shifting everything.

“Scootaloo quick, we gotta get these ropes off!” Sweetie tried feverishly to tug the ropes free from their hooves.

“CAAAAAAPTAIN!” a voice shouted from right behind them, “STOWAWAYS!”
Sweetie and Scootaloo turned around and there stood a burly, mean looking griffon behind them.

“Uh-oh.”

“This is what we’ve found out princess....” Twilight said. She and her friends related all that they had found out so far to the princess. Everypony had a look of shame on their faces. The princess weakly smiled.

“Now you know the real truth of what happened Twilight Sparkle. But that is only part of it. If you recall what I told you before Argil is protected by ancient magic. You must find a way to lift it.”

“Princess...I” Twilight began.

“The answer is close by Twilight, I trust the answer will come to you when it’s time.”

The group looked at each other looking a little confused.

“Are just to wait here Princess? We have a bit of an issue also...” Twilight explained to the princess that Sweetie and Scootaloo were missing and most likely followed Spike.

“They having gone there may give a chance for the earth ponies to see that we have changed Twilight Sparkle, however, if it is your wish you may journey also but please be careful.”

“Yes princess” and the group left.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were sitting on their hauches and cowering while the crew was arguing.

“IT’S BECAUSE OF THEM THE STORM CAME! WHAT’S A UNICORN AND PEGASI DOING HERE ON THIS SHIP?”

Braeburn walked up to them.

“Why did you follow us? Didn’t I say over and over that unicorn and pegasi can’t come into Argil?”

“We.... we just wanted to see it.” Sweetie said crying, “We heard the story you told to Spike. We’re sorry about the past and what happened to earth ponies.”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were sobbing uncontrollably. Braeburn looked them. He could not help but think of Applebloom.

“Look yer young an’ you probably don’t understand but it ain’t yer fault. What happened happened. I guess well...”

“What about the barrier?” Spike asked, “if they can’t get through then...”

“There’s a couple of rocks just outside. If we let them wait we can pick them up on the way back.” the captain said.

Spike and Braeburn looked worried. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said nothing but kept drooped ears and had a pitiful look.

“We can’t leave two fillies on their own on the rocks outside!” Braeburn protested.

“Then what do you want us to do? Turn back?” Gilda asked.

“Let’s see what’ll happen.” Braeburn said.

“What?” Gilda said.

“Let’s see what’ll happen.”

Sweetie and Scootaloo looked at Braeburn.

Then the lookout called.

“LOOK YONDER! AAAAAAAAAAAARGIL!

Everypony ran up to the front to glimpse the sight. Braeburn called out Sweetie and Scootaloo from their dejection. “LOOK!”

Sweetie, Scootaloo and Spike looked toward the great land mass.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!” their eyes sparkled.

They have never seen anything like it. Thick greenery hung from every corner. Tall trees towered over the grasses that covered the dirt. It was play of different colors from the green base as different species of flowers danced in the breeze. Spike, Sweetie and Scootaloo had the same expression. Awe.
Then came the test. As the ship approached closer, Braeburn put his hoof on Scootaloo’s head. The ship moved in. Sweetie and Scootaloo felt a jolt from an invisible force and nothing more. Had they pass?
They looked at him and he smiled. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had become the first unicorn and pegasus to enter Argil.

Hayside

Hayside

Any society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.
*Ehem* I don’t own MLP:FiM. The OCs are minesssss!

======

Zeal approached Terra calmly.

“You have allowed a unicorn and a Pegasus into your sanctuary.”

“I have allowed them for their innocence and genuinety only. It will not be like that for anypony else. There is one little trick however...”

“A trick?”

Terra smiled and said nothing.

Rarity paced anxiously in the castle suite. Fluttershy was looking at her in her usual panic mode and Rainbow too was looking worried.
Twilight was busy reading the journal that she borrowed. She had started from the beginning of the journal.

‘January 3rd 473 CPE

After my expedition to Griffonia, I feel so much pride being raised to the rank of Lieutenant General. King Sombra, in all his fearsomeness, saw potential in me. I should be grateful. I have been given a mansion Platinum City with sixteen zebra servants and eighty slaves. I settled in for the first time today. Observing those wretched beasts work around my house sickens me. Walking around and moping all the time. How do they manage without magic or wings? It has become quite clear that the hierarchy set by Princess Platinum was unquestionable. They are only good for manual labor and nothing else.’

Twilight’s concentration was disturbed by a knock on the door. Rainbow rushed and answered. A unicorn attendant gave a little bow with a piece of paper levitating before her, “Messages from Tallon Port.”
Rarity rushed up and grabbed the messages with her own magic. The others came closer.

“This one’s from Spike! They reached Tallon Port safely and made arrangements for another ship.”

“And the second message?” Twilgith asked.

Rarity was muttering, “...........two fillies.........searched...looked... NOT FOUND!!!!!”

“WHAT?!”

“What do we do now?” asked Fluttershy.

Twilight thought for a moment, “Girls, we’ll have to go to Tallon Port.”

“But Gilda is there!” Rainbow protested.

“Can’t worry about her. Sweetie and Scootaloo are more important now.” Twilight said and Rainbow only frowned.
“Fiiine.”

“Okay pack your things! We’re going to Tallon Port!”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo continued the gaze in awe at the lush, fertile land of Argil. They had never seen a healthy tree before, and a tall one as a matter of fact. Only the occasionally thorny weed and a sickly looking tomato plant that Ms. Onyx, their school teacher tried to grow once. They thought growing their own food was a lost cause. The breeze blew and the leaves seemed to dance welcoming Braeburn home. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were too busy noticing the fauna and flora to see the magnificent port that they were approaching. Spike was only a few inches from them where he was gazing at the great marble structures, elegantly carved from master craftsponies and the port was bustling just like Tallon port. The architecture of the buildings was completely unlike anything he’d seen. It had a lot of steeples, domes and peaks on top. They were made from marble and a shiny type of material he’d never seen before. There were arches to each building with graceful finishes. The buildings were much taller than any building back home except the Canterlot Castle. Despite all the craftsponyship, the real accent of the port was graceful dance of nature around it. Flowering trees and plants grew everywhere. There was one building that had a hanging garden. “So pretty,” he managed to say.
Cheering and music could be heard from afar.

“The Willow celebration started.” Braeburn said approaching them he had some cloth in his hoof, “Sweetie, Scootaloo come ‘ere.”
Sweetie and Scootaloo had a hard time ripping their eyes away from the magnificent sight.

“Y’all gotta wear these cloaks. Yer gotta keep yer wings and horn covered. Can’t let anypony know who you are. Ponies there you see...”

“We know” Scootaloo said, and she and Sweetie took a cloak each draping themselves.

“Dun do too much to look like an outsider, ‘kay? Keep close to me. Spike, when we reach port, I’ll make arrangements fer yer to go to Willow City. That’s where the princess is.”

“HAYSIDE POOOOOOOOOOOOORT!!!”

“Well looks like we’re here...” said Braeburn nervously. The ship slowly docked, and during the great bustle, just as in Tallon Port, three earth pony guards approached the ship. Spike thought they looked really intimidating. Their armour was black and silver and the crests on their helmet were emerald green. The weapons they carried looked completely different from the ones in Canterlot. It looked like a spear in shape but the tip didn’t look like it was used for throwing. Spike didn’t want to think about how it worked. He shivered the guards’ presence. He was more worried about Sweetie and Scooaloo being found out. Gilda and the other Griffons busied themselves in unpacking empty crates to the jetty.

“Okay follow me.” Braeburn signalled and he descended the ramp with Spike and the two fillies close behind.

“FELLERS! HOW Y’ALL DOIN’? HAPPY WILLOWING!”

“Hey Braeburn,” said one of the guards, “’Tis a while, you left here like a week ago. What happened?”

“Long story Nettle,” Braeburn said, “I’ll tell yer ‘bout it at the Barn Show later ‘kay!”

“HOLD IT!” said the other guard looking suspiciously at Braeburn’s companions, “Who’s with you Braeburn?”

“This ‘ere’s Spike from Draconia! Picked him up at Tallon Port! Said he wanted tuh come sightsee Argil! So I offered to show ‘im around a bit!” Braeburn said in no time. Spike nervously smiled and waved awkwardly at the guards.

“I’m talking ‘bout thoooose two,” said the guard watching them. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shivered but made sure to keep their extra members covered, “I remember you went alone.”

“Naaaaaaaaw, you must have left when these two got on board! ‘Tis here my two little cousins, Sugar Apple and Honey Crisp! Took them out tuh see Tallon Port fer the firs’ time!” Braeburn explained. Spike wasn’t sure that lie would work because the guard was still looking at the fillies suspiciously. Sweetie and Scootaloo shifted a little to get closer to Braeburn. Gilda sensed what was happening and came down to the jetty.

“Hey fellas! I brought some of those sulphur-axecalt shards you asked me for.” Gilda’s intervention saved Braeburn any more interrogation. The guards’ attention was diverted and Braeburn spent no more time there. He quickly walked off with Spike and the fillies toward the port while shouting back, “Imma see yer later Nettle! Gilda! I’ll be at the usual market stall!”
Spike, Sweetie and Scootaloo breathed a great sigh of relief as they entered the port which made their eyes wander excitedly. The market area so far more busier than Tallon Port or any market in Equestria. There were heaps of fruits, vegetables, and hay. Hoards of earth pony vendors were auctioning to customers, mostly zebras and griffons. Spike thought it would've been quite easy to get lost in the multitude so he tried to keep as close to Braeburn as possible. It was quite a sight for the three new comers, but the shop doors that were open allowing the aroma of freshly baked goods to fill the air, made them hungry.

“Gee, those smell really good!” Spike said. Braeburn laughed and into the bakery and brought out four hot apple fritters and some pudding, after they then settled at a seating area and ate them to great satisfaction.

“This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“That ain’t nuttin’” Braeburn said, “just you wait till yer taste the Apple Family Willow jamboree’s goods!” The group seemed really hyped about food. But Braeburn said that they had to press on as Spike had a mission. Spike noticed that almost everypony were greeting Braeburn as they walked by. He thought that Braeburn normally would not mind but he looked quite uncomfortable as he had three acquaintances of which two shouldn’t even be there in the first place. They eventually got up after a few minutes and pressed on.

"Okay keep up you three. Spike, we're goin' over to Spurs there. He'll take yer tuh Willow City." Braeburn said and he changed direction to a street full of carriages. The group walked past a few shops and then they stopped at one that had a rugged looking stallion at the front fixing a wheel on one of the carriages. "SPURS!!!" The stallion jumped at hearing his name. He was a little unkempt. His mane was a dull green and his coat was tan colored.

"Braeburn!! Good to see...huk!" Braeburn pushed his muzzle to Spurs.

"You gave me a busted ship! Why I oughtta..."

"I fixed it. I TOLD you gotta be careful not to give the planks too much strain!"

"I lost a good shipment of apples cuz a you!!”

"It ain't my fault yer didn't listen to me!"

"If you weren't my best friend......I'd......... I’d........”, Braeburn let out a long heavy sigh, “DADGUM IT SPURS!! ... Look, I need a favor." Spurs just looked at Braeburn.

"I need yer tuh take Spike and these two young 'uns here to Willow City."

"You know I can't go tuh Willow City during the festival week. It's chaos in the city now! Who are they anyway and why are they wearing cloaks? It’s hot out."

"Dun ask okay? Please.

"In words of Big Mac, Nnnnnooope."

“You owe me Spurs, ‘member that time you got drunk and was trying to hit on that mare and it turned out to be a stallion and I had to bust into the room...”

“OKAY OKAY! DADGUM IT Braeburn! Why yer gotta bring that up!” Spurs sighed but his face turned red either from anger or embarassment, “I’ll be here tomorrow at nine. Can’t make today, gotta fix this damn wheel.” Braeburn looked at Spike and smiled. Braeburn turned and gave Spurs a nod, and he walked off back to the market area with the group following him. “Where are we going now Braeburn?” Spike asked.

“To the apple stall, gotta meet mah cousin Applejack and Gilda.” Braeburn walked through the crowd once more. Spike bumped into a couple of ponies and zebras while Sweetie and Scootaloo were weaselling their way through. Finally, Spike caught up to Braeburn moving toward the largest apple stall in the market.

“HEY THERE COUSIN!” Braeburn called out.

“BRAEBURN!” said the blonde, orange coated pony. Their similar emerald, green eyes were a dead giveaway at relations, “where’ve you bin? Yer just went out for two days, and you came back after a week! We got tons of apples to sell off! This year’s busier than a beehive bein’ attacked by a bear.”

“Listen Applejack, I gots sumtun ....”

“Howdy! We gots fresh, red galas picked this morning! Going fuh only six seeds per heap!....... Thanks much!”

“Applejack! Listen! You gotta give another shipment of apples to Gilda, I kinda lost the last ‘un.”

“WHAT?!... Howdy! Got fresh ‘uns today...” Applejack said feigning a smile then shoved her muzzle into Braeburn’s face, “...How in tarnation you managed that?!!”

Braeburn looked around nervously. “Mah ship went down okay! And so did the apples! I promised Gilda I’d get her another from y’all. So please please pleaaaase.... can yer help me out?” Braeburn said with a pitiful look.

“GOOD GRAVY BRAEBURN!” Applejack had done a facehoof, she paused, rolled her eyes, took in a deep breath in and out and then said, “Okay... okay Braeburn.”

“Thanks cuz... oh I gotta another thing too” Applejack shot him a more serious look. “.. This here is Spike! He’s a...”

“Dragon.” Spike said before Braeburn had a chance to use that annoying description of him. Applejack managed a little curious stare.

“And this is... uuuuh... Sweetie? Scootaloo?” Braeburn and Spike looked around.

“DADGUM IT!!!”

Twilight and the group sailed on calm waters toward Tallon Port. They had packed as much necessities for the journey, which includes Twilight’s books, but food had to be rationed carefully. Rarity sat solemnly thinking about Sweetie Belle. Was she okay? Where did she and Scootaloo go? Were they with Spike and Braeburn? What if she got hurt? A thousand questions swirled through her mind and she was sure Rainbow probably was thinking the same thing though the rainbow colored Pegasus was looking very tough on the outside. Twilight kept her head glued to the journal and a few other old books that they took from the library room while Fluttershy helped her.

‘April 16th 474 CPE

Lieutenant General Albedo and I have been assigned to oversee the new food production policies that King Sombra implemented. He demands that more food be produced for the upcoming conference between Griffonia, Equestria, Maretonia and Saddle Arabia. He wishes to show the economic might that Equestria has in hopes that the talks will show that Equestria is the dominant country and he should be made chancellor of the treaties. I am starting to question some of his real motives behind this. The earth beasts are already producing more than enough, and in order to carry out his will I gave one third of my labor force at home to the field task masters, their numbers are slowly dwindling.....’ Twilight skipped a few paragraphs and read on, ‘....I see her doing her daily tasks day in day out looking so cheerful even in her wretched state. She hums an eerie yet enchanting song ever so softly that even in my sleep I hear it. My wife had her whipped several times for humming but I yearn to hear it more. Whenever I command her to look at me, she refuses only to take a quick glance and then to turn away but her deep, cerulean eyes can certainly pierce through me. Never have I seen such ugliness yet enchanting beauty in one pony, not even amongst the most adorned pegasi or unicorns....’

“What is this?” Twilight thought, “Was he..? But I thought it was one of the five rules...” Twilight thought scratching her head. She speed-read through a number of pages and then stopped at another entry.

‘My wife is furious. However, she has no intent on reporting me, she fears the shame that she will bear. I had broken the first forbidden rule because I couldn’t contain myself whenever Hazel Blossom was in my presence. Her very existence is like an addictive poison to me. I have grown weak. I could not have her killed, instead I have sold Hazel Blossom to keep her further from Virga’s whip and before anypony has found out my terrible secret ....’

“How dare you! You are filthy and disgusting just like them. I cannot bear the shame you have brought upon yourself and me. I will not have that thing around in this house!” the pegasus mare’s lips were trembling.

Gustnado remained silent on his haunches. He stared blanky at the walls in his bedroom allowing his wife to her outbursts. Virga paced up and down the marble floors. Gustnado thought she would surely make tracks in them. She finally opened the door of the bedroom and called for the zebra servant.

“Get me the whip!!! I will beat this earth whore and her filthy mutant till they are dead.” Virga said with murderous eyes. Gustnado snapped out of his trance and approached his wife. He held his hoof to her, “DON’T TOUCH ME!”

“Virga... I will get rid of her and the foal. I will send them to the Fillydelphian fields.” he said. Virga turned to him.

“You are spineless. I can’t believe you have turned so soft-hearted! A great Lieutenant General. I cannot stay in the same room with you.” Virga stormed out of the room. Gustando gave the servant instructions to have the slave trader come by. Within a few hours, Hazel Blossom was being led out in chains with a tiny earth colt in one of her hooves. His coat was pale grey just like Gustnado but he had the same piercing, cerulean eyes. The trader came up to Gustnado and presented the bill of sale to him.

“The transaction is complete, good sir. A bill of sale for one earth mare, Hazel Blossom and her foal, Grey Willow.”

“Thank you” Gustnado said blankly and watched as a teary Hazel Blossom disappear in the slave trader’s cart.

“Twilight.” Rarity approached her, “I can’t seem to get those two mischievous fillies out of my mind. I feel so uneasy.”

“I’m sure they are okay Rarity,” Twilight said ripping her eyes away from the diary, “I don’t think Spike will let them out of his sight. I trust him; you should put a little more faith in him too.” Rarity gave a little sigh.

“But what if they got into Argil??” Fluttershy said joining in the conversation.

“Well Braeburn said that unicorn and pegasi can’t get in so unless they found a way to get in then the only thing to worry about is the ponies reaction to them there. I think that after finding out about this history situation I’m pretty sure they’d be safer in Tallon Port than in Argil.”

“This boat is soooooo slow! “ Rainbow said finally coming down from her height, “I wanna get to Tallon Port already and get go back. I can’t stand the thought that Gilda will be there! What will happen to Scootaloo if Gilda realizes she connected to me?”

“We’ll get there soon guys. Just a little further.”

“Excuse have you seen two fillies in cloaks?.... Excuse me!.......Excuse me, have you seen two fillies in cloaks?” Spike and Braeburn raced around the market area searching for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. And each time they got a confused look or a ‘No’.
“No no no! Twilight will kill me or worse... Rarity will.” Spike began to feel sick thinking about it. He resumed asking around until finally one of the vendors said she thought she saw them go towards the festival show. Spike and Braeburn darted off in the direction of the square.

Sweetie and Scootaloo were looking around in full awe at the festivities that were taking place only a few meters away from the market. They entered a huge circular area that was filled with mares and fillies decorated with flowers in their manes and wearing elegant yet simple dresses in an array of colors. The music was lively and enchanting at the same time. The fillies had never seen anything like that before. There were parties and celebrations in Equestria but it was in a more boring and narcissistic manner. Their heads were craned looking up at a giant stone statue of an earth stallion wearing a cloak with one foreleg raised. By the looks of it he must been quite handsome because it had piercing eyes. There were other statutes near the square too. There were smaller ones of a mare holding a book and another stallion in armor holding a spear.

Sweetie and Scootaloo’s attention was diverted when the decorated mares began an energetic dance with stallion or colt partners trotting and skipping along to the lively fiddles in circles around the giant statue. It was well choreographed as all the hoof steps were in tune. Cheering and hoof clapping went well along with the dance and flower petals were thrown from the rooftops that made the air sparkle with dancing flowers as well. The fillies moved in to get a better view of the celebrations. As they snaked their way through the crowd they bumped into another filly at the front.

“Sorry!” Sweetie said where the little filly replied “’Tis okay.”
“...Scootaloo look!” Fireworks went up into the air yet again making the celebrations even more exciting.

“WHOOOOA!” Scootaloo and Sweetie exclaimed. Sweetie couldn’t contain herself and had the jump up yelling “Sooo exciting!” making her hood fall back a bit. A spark from her horn burst making the third filly look at her.
Scootaloo noticed quickly and scrambled to help Sweetie get her hood back on. When they noticed the other filly was staring at them they quickly scrambled to get out of the crowd.
They ran out and back toward the market area and ducked into a little area to hide.

“That was close...” Scootaloo said panting, “I think we need to find Spike.”
They climbed atop of a box and looked around till they saw Spike frantically searching.

“SPI---KE! WE’RE HEEEERE!” Sweetie said waving her hoof.

Spike looked up and saw Scootaloo waving at him, ‘OH THANK CELESTIA!” The three met once again with Braeburn looking tired coming up from the rear.

“WH... WHA-WHAT’RE Y’ALL...hold on...,” Braeburn managed to say trying to catch his breath, “What the HAY y’all disappeared for? Y’all wanna get into trouble?”

“Sorry... we saw the celebration and it looked awesome. We just wanted to see it.” Scootaloo said.

“Look if y’all wanna see the willow celebration then the apple family’s ‘un’s the best! So come on! And please stay with me this time. Tomorrow Spurs’ll take you to Willow City. Please dun go getting lost.” The fillies stuck with Braeburn and when they returned to the apple stand, Gilda was there waiting for Braeburn.

“’Bout time you showed up!” Gilda said casually biting only an apple.

“Didja get yer shipment?”

“Yeah, good thing yer cousin is an honest one, numbnuts. By the way.... you didn’t tell me the Willow Celebration started either... I might just stay a while.”

“How yer gonna get back?” Braeburn asked.

“I have these numbnuts.” Gilda said flapping her wings.

“It’s a no fly zone... and stop calling me numbnuts or any name as a matter of fact.”

“Well I’ll just take a boat out to the waters and fly when I get outside.” Gilda replied. Braeburn spent no more time interrogating Gilda, he instead turned to Applejack who was packing up because Gilda’s crew bought the entire stock from her.

“Anyway Applejack let me introduce you to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They’re...”

“Applejack Applejack! You’ll never believe what I saw today!” said a voice from afar. It was the same filly who’d notice Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. The yellow filly with red hair and a pink bow on top came running up to Applejack.

“Applebloom! Didn’t cha notice cousin Braeburn?! Mind yer manners!”

“Braeburn! Good ter see yer!” Applebloom raced toward Braeburn and hugged him. “Didja bring me anything?”

“APPLEBLOOM!” Applejack shouted.

“Aww, pipe down Applejack. Well... Applebloom I didn’t bring those shells you asked for but let me introduce yer to Spike, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.”

Applebloom’s eyes widened, so did Sweetie and Scootaloo.

“Hey I know them! That one has a horn! She’s a unicorn!” Applebloom exclaimed pointing to Sweetie.

Author's Note

Okay this took a while. I'd normally write this in a night when i gots nuttin to do, but now... my schedule is gettin' heavier.

I'd like to suggest an ambiance music for the Hayside celebration. The first thing that come to my mind is the "Disney's Tangled - Kingdom Dance". I think it fits well with my celebration dance. *squee* :pinkiehappy:

Gonna try to write Chap 5 on Saturday in one go....

Chronocrosser.... Spike and Gilda gonna be main from next chap gonna drown Braeburn into the background from next. :moustache:

Flupperwurms

I wish I could think of a disclaimer to put here but my mind is on Season 5 right now.... :pinkiehappy:

The group of mares stared at this new being that they’ve never seen before. Rainbow Dash was particularly apprehensive of him.

“Discord? What are you supposed to be? You’re a pony?” Rainbow asked.

“Maybe, maybe not. However, I do think of myself as is having an incredibly striking effect. Don’t you think?” Discord turned himself into a set of bowling pins and struck himself with an oncoming ball. He then suddenly teleported next to Fluttershy and winked at her. She frowned.

“I remember reading about you in Star Swirl: The Story Of Sorcery. You’re a draconequus. Discord the Trickster. But you were banished by Star Swirl the Bearded to the Nether Realm over a thousand years ago!” Twilight said.

“Oh and it was so horrid there! Whatever did I do?! Boo Hoo.” he then appeared swooning over Rarity’s back.

“Oh you know very well you are the spirit of chaos and disharmony! You bring nothing but trouble!” Twilight replied.

“I highly doubt it’s just me that cause chaos. I think you unicorns and pegasi have a pretty good aptitude of your own!” he said while appearing to be bound in chains.

“How many times do I have to say that was a long time ago! We have nothing to do with it!” said Rarity indignantly.

“Oh ho ho ho! My dear! Look around you! You’re all in this great big mess still aren’t you? ” He then spouted from the ground as a giant flower, with petals around his face and then he shriveled up and wilted, his head popped out of the wilted bud. The pony group had a very annoyed look. Only Fluttershy expressed worry. “You ponies have done far more damage and chaos than I ever could have! BRAVO!” several Discords appeared and applauded.

“How did you escape?” Twilight asked.

“Why, I’ve been out for a while now. Let’s see… five hundred and two point three years to be exact. I’ve been a very good boy since then.” A halo came over his head then fell down coming around his neck. “I’m guessing it was the effects of an imbalance that happened and made a rift allowing me to return. Chaos begets chaos you know.”

Twilight stared at Discord who was now floating above her, “why do you want to help us? What’s in it for you??”

“Nothing! Can’t I do something nice for somepony? I just am trying to do my part to make the world a better place!” he said smiling and batting his eyes. Twilight gazed at him sternly.

“Twilight, let’s go, I don’t trust him… something’s not right here.” Rainbow said.

“I agree with Rainbow Dash darling!” Rarity said nodding her head.

“I agree too! As a matter of fact, EVERYTHING’s not right here… and I am quite petrified about it you know. While I consider it pleasantly chaotic, I’m bored with rocks,” Discord said, “you want to get to Argil to see if your friends are still alive, am I right? Well, I’ve got a way buuuuuuuut I guess you wanna go back to your little rock homes and eat your little rocks for food, feed your little pet rocks. Quite a sedimental situation wouldn’t you agree?”

“How?” Twilight asked squinting her eyes and tilting her head.

“The barrier doesn’t allow unicorn and pegasi now, does it?…”

“WE KNOW THAT!” Rainbow said.

“Well then, there’s just only one way…” Discord said with a smirk and raised his brows. He opened his mouth when Twilight spoke.

“You mean can magically remove our wings and horns?” Twilight tried to guess before Discord can answer.

“NO WAY! Out of the question!” Rainbow said.

“You can do that?” Fluttershy finally spoke up.

“Good guess but not what I was going to say,” Discord said, “…you see while it is possible for me to do that, the barrier doesn’t work that way. If I do that, while you will look like an earth pony, your innate abilities will be detected a-------nd then the game will be over. However, if I remove your magic temporarily, then you might just get in.”

“But Gunther said the earth ponies will kill us!” Rarity said.

“Bu---t if you avoid getting caught, you’ll be able to look for your sister and friends……oh my…….life’s full of difficult choices isn’t it. ” Discord teased.

“Can’t you do both?” Twilight asked.

“My then what would be the fun in that! I might as well turn you into earth ponies altogether!!! But sorry no.”

“Why?”

“Let’s just say the magic doesn’t work that way. Tick tock Twilight… I don’t have all day.” Discord gave a more menacing, mischievous look than Gunther. The group looked at each other. Rarity’s face showed the answer.

“I-I don’t trust you one bit. But, we don’t seem to have many options…” Twilight rubbed her chin in deep thought, “….okay Discord. Do it.” Discord smiled and snapped his claw digits. Just then Twilight and her friends felt a tiny electric jolt. Rainbow fell to the ground and when she tried to flap her wings to take off from the ground she couldn’t.

“That’s it?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh… were you expecting a grand ritual?”

“No I just thought it would be……….. longer.”

“Come on girls, no time to lose!” Twilight said and she and rest of the group darted off back to the jetties. Gunther and his crew were hurriedly packing supplies to take off. Twilight approached him once more.

“Gunther! I know you said….” Twilight began.

“My answer is still NO!” Gunther snarled and he walked off.

“I know a way in without activating the barrier!!!” Twilight exclaimed. Gunther stopped in his tracks and he looked back at the group. He then stormed over to Twilight. He was sooooo big Twilight thought he would surely do something, she swallowed a lump.

“What did you say?!” he said storming up to her and grinding his beak into her muzzle.

“We found a way in…” she said more confidently.

“How?”

“…………….we got help.” Gunther stared directly into Twilight’s eyes. It seemed as if he was trying to hypnotize her but he saw no lie to what she was saying. It seemed like it took forever for Gunther to fully grasp Twilight’s determination to go as well. He huffed a couple of times trying to intimidate her. Twilight stood her ground fiercely. Gunther finally relented. “Then come….. but lay no blame on me for your deaths.” Gunther warned. Fluttershy shivered at Gunther’s words while nervously looking at the rest of the group. They took a deep breath and followed Gunther on the ship.

Applejack and Braeburn raced toward the port gate hoping to catch the carriage.

“What the hay is wrong with all these fillies?! They got some kinda invisibility spell on ‘em or what?!” Braeburn huffed. Applejack sped up leaving Braeburn in a dustcloud.

“APPLEBLOOOOOOM!” Applejack bawled her lungs out but the carriage had already met a good distance away only looking like a speck in the horizon. Spike and Gilda perked up.

“Did you hear something?” Spike asked.

Gilda looked at the two fillies in the back. They were awfully quiet. Gilda gave her eyes a menacing squint to which the fillies smiled very nervously. Spike and Gilda held their breaths waiting for another sound. Nothing. Spurs was moving at a rather fast pace.

“Why’re you going so fast?” Gilda asked.

“We gotta lotta ground to cover missy. Tryin’ ter get in an’ out. I dun wanna get caught in the bustle at Willow City this time around.” Spurs explained.

“Guess it must be your imagination.” Gilda said and laid back.

“BRAEBURN! WE HAVTA GO AFTER ‘EM!” Applejack said, “Can’t have that young ‘un in Willow City alone. I’d never hear the end of it from Granny Smith or Big Mac!” Applejack shuddered and darted off.

“Cousin wait!!” Braeburn called and rushed off catching up with her and stopping her in her tracks, “they’re too far off. We’ll never catch them. Better thing is to notify Big Mac to send her home!”

“Are you crazy! Didn’t I just say Big Mac’ll string me fer this!”

“Oh so whatcha gonna do? Run all day after ‘em? You also got yer applestand ter look after.” Applejack was annoyed that Braeburn would mention apples over Applebloom. She couldn’t leave Applebloom to go to Willow City alone and she knew the farm needed much money to fix the barn. She already gave away yesterday’s shipment to Gilda to make up for Braeburn’s blunder. Applejack felt she wanted to buck him in the face right now.

“GAAAH! Come on Braeburn! We gotta get ter the message center now!” Applejack darted off back to the port with Braeburn close behind.

********

The morning was blissfully peaceful throughout the country side Spike thought despite as they passed hurriedly by various towns along the way on cobblestone main road. He kept looking back at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle who seemed to be unusually quiet, whispering in conversation. He could swear they were talking over their shoulders sometimes. They only nervously smiled whenever they realized that they were being looked at. Spike laid back once more, huffed and enjoyed the scenery.
Hardly anywhere was devoid of greenery. He looked up viewing the birds flying overhead in their v-shaped formations and thought of the wonderbolts. It would be nice to see Rainbow Dash in this setting doing her tricks overhead, he thought. And he was pretty sure Fluttershy would have loved to see the various animals that lived here and Rarity… beautiful Rarity… just her and him having a picnic on the grass, the birds chirping… on a lovely day like this. He could just pick a few flowers to match her beauty.

“Oh Spikey Wikey, are these for me? They’re beautiful!”

“Yes Lady Rarity. Not even these roses have the quality of the loveliness you have.”

“Oh ho ho Spikey Wikey. Come over here you hunk of dragon lover boy you….”

He would give her the bouquet and then they both lean in for a kiss when she accepts them. Yes… he could just picture it. Perfect. Gilda looked at Spike and smacked him in the head for looking quite foolish, pucking his lips out at her for no reason.

Equestria did not have much animals except those kept as pets if a pony can afford to feed them. While he knew animals like rabbits, jackalopes, parasprites and timberwolves only from books, he never saw them for real. They had left Equestria ages ago. Only the occasional butterflies would have simply passed through on their way to some other place. It was amazing to see them so common playing in the open fields.
On their way, he saw new creatures. He kept asking Gilda about them.

“What’s that?” Spike asked looking at some odd looking frogs. They weren’t exactly frogs he’d seen in any book. They were blue in color and their eyes were purple. Everywhere they had spikes on their bodies.

“Oh those are Noxies. Not very friendly if you get close to them. Those spikes spray some awful shit at you. Worse than skunks. Scent won’t come off either. You’ll be smelly for weeks!”

“What else can we find here?”

“They got Fretins, little fuzzy puffballs with huge-ass mouse ears.”

“How cute!”

“Yeah until they bite ya with sharp fangs and then disappear into thin air!” By this time Sweetie and Scootaloo got interested in hearing about the creatures that lived here.
“What else is here?? Scary ones?” Scootaloo asked.

“Oh sure! There’s a mean old sphinx that lives in the eastern mountains. She and the harpies always have a go at each other. Then there’s the lumber-back trolls. They look like tree stumps and grab ya when you’re too close.”

“COOOOOOOL!” Scootaloo said.

“Oh it gets better! A decamantula. A ten legged spider. Creepy fast and about the size of my claw. Their poison can kill a full grown griffon in an hour.”

“Are all the creatures here unfriendly?”

“No no. they got some good ones I guess, like um… flupperwurms.”

“Flupperworms?”

“Yeah they don’t do much… just eat. And then release toxic poo…”

“EWWWWW!!!” the fillies said in unison.

“... Nooooo, I can’t think of any. There’s thousands of species here. I never paid much attention in creatures’ class.”

Spike looked at Gilda as if she was a flupperwurm. “Oh but what you really gotta look out for are golems.” she said.

“Golems?”

“Yeah. Ever so often those huge rock giants attack. They don’t attack the towns per se. They just wanna eat the rocks and sediments they like, and if a town is close to their food, they get hit by falling debris, especially near mountains.”

“By the way, who manages the weather here?” Spike asked. He thought of the pegasi managing the weather back home.

“The weather manages itself Spike.” Gilda said looking at him sternly, “Nature here takes care of itself.” Spike drooped a little for asking a silly question.

“What else is there??” Sweetie asked bring the conversation back on course.

“Let’s see…there’s um… Knocklebees, a wasp with double stings that explodes…” the conversation continued on this way for the greater half of the morning. Spurs, at his speed, made a great distance and was very close to the next town, Manenisota. The town had more imperial guard presence which Gilda explained that the closer they got to Willow City to more guards there are. Scootaloo and Sweetie kept very quiet and covered throughout the passing. When Spike or Gilda wasn’t looking at them a little yellow hoof from behind touched their shoulders to calm them. Spurs stopped very briefly at the Davenport’s shop. The guards that were passing by, Gilda gave them a nod and Spike was cold sweating. The fillies huddled in one corner hoping not to be noticed.

“Damn Spike. If you’re this nervous around the guards, whatcha gonna do when you get to Willow City? They won’t do you anything… and what about them? They’re look more suspicious than a sailor in a mare’s beauty spa. Hey you two!!! Act more natural will ya!” The fillies sat up straight at Gilda’s command. Gilda and Spike turned their heads and were talking when Applebloom quickly popped her head out and whispered “It’s gonna be okay! Stop acting weird!”

“Easy for you to say!” Sweetie whispered back. Spike looked back and Sweetie smiled.

Good enough Spurs got back to the coach in a short space of time and they headed off again. The town was larger than San Fratello but Spike thought that if he counts in Sweet Apple Acres land space it was way bigger. The housing was a bit grander, similar to Hayside’s architecture. But so far, every town he’s been to there were new species of flowers and plants he came across. Even new weird fruits. Gilda had passed him and the fillies a Rabatelly each, a funny purple bulbous fruit with little spiky fingers that were still moving. Gilda cracked open hers and the meat inside was also purple. When Spike tasted it he flickered his eyes in pure ecstasy. The fillies mouths were purple by the time they were done. They each passed half to Applebloom in the back.

The journey continued onward till late in the afternoon. The fillies and Spike fell asleep when Spike was awoken by Gilda.

“Spike…. look.”

Spike rubbed his eyes and then he saw it. Glistening in the distance, so grand. A towering imperial palace, ten times bigger and more majestic than Canterlot Castle and it sparkled in the evening sunlight. Spike’s jaw dropped open. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle eyes sparkled along with the castle.

“WOOOOOOOOOW!!!” They were even more stunned than when they first saw Argil. The city skyline that surrounded it formed a magical quality of master craftponyship and architecture. Tall majestic buildings which Gilda said they’re called skyscrapers only outmatched the height of the palace but it was in no way in the field of grandeur that the palace had. Hanging gardens were found everywhere. There was even a pony-made waterfall off of one of the skyscrapers.

“Magnificent…. Gilda? What is the material used to build? I’ve recognized marble but what’s the sparkly one?” Spike asked.

“Oh that is Iridesium. Only found here in Argil. It's veeeeeery expensive to ship out. If anypony has Iridesium outside Argil they’ve gotta be super rich.”

As the coach got closer, the noisier it got. Outbursts of fireworks lighted the sky and ear splitting euphoria could be heard from the far outskirts of the city. Spurs approached the outer walls of the first garrison. Then he stopped. Three guards approached the coach. “HALT!”

Spike’s stomach did a somersault. The guards began to question Spurs, “Here for the festival? How many?”

“Four. Two fillies, a griffon and a baby dragon. I’m just dropping them off.”

“We have to check your coach.”

“How come? They never checked before.”

“Orders.”

“Uhhh, Sure thing I guess.” Spurs said nervously.

Sweetie and Scootaloo shivered in pure terror now. The guards came closer. They looked at Gilda and Spike first.

“You are?”

“I’m Gilda from Tallon Port and this is Spike from Draconia. The two fillies are from San Fratello, my friend’s daughters.” One of the guards scribbled onto a clipboard, and then they went for the back. Spike’s heart was now ready to jump out of his chest. They peered into the window. “Why are you all wearing cloaks?”

“They felt a bit feverish on the way so we’re taking them in to get a bit of medicine before we head for the parade.” Gilda explained.

“They have to remove it so we can get proper identification….. remove your hoods.” The guards ordered.

“Please….” Spike began. The guard cast an intimidating look and held up a hoof to silence Spike. His heart beat five hundred times a minute now. Sweetie Belle’s horn…. Sweet Celestia, we’re so dead. The fillies shivered but slowly raised their hooves to their heads. The first hood came down. It was Scootaloo.

“Your name is?”

“Uh, H-honey Crisp” Scootaloo said remembering the name Braeburn called her back at Hayside.

“Honey Crisp. Filly. Brown coat. Purple mane. Next.” The guard scribbled. Spike eyes widened with fear. He covered his face. Gilda who normally was menacing now looked horrified herself. Spike couldn’t help but rock back and forth now. WE’RE DEAD! WE’RE DEAD! WE’RE DEAD! WE’RE SOOOOO DEAD! The second hood came off.

“Filly. Yellow coat. Red hair. Name?”

“Applebloom!”

Spike and Gilda stood in shock. “WHAT?!!”

That same very early morning…

Twilight looked at the unknown open waters that were still and calm. The breeze blew moderately allowing the sails to flap gently. She wondered whether Discord was right. Hopefully the barrier will not trigger. Maybe Spike and the fillies are safe? What if they’re not? She sent them to certain death. Oh, she blamed herself over and over. How can she face Rarity and Rainbow Dash if Scootaloo and Sweetie wound up dead. She covered her face in her hooves. But the question that troubled her more was are they doing the right thing by going? What if they got caught by soldiers and they all wind up dead. Guilt and fear started to override her mind. She paced up and down the deck feverishly. She looked over to the others. Nopony got any sleep during the night. Fluttershy wasn’t taking this trip well either. She huddled in a corner cowering probably thinking about the giant storm. Twilight could hardly see her face. Rainbow who could no longer fly was itching to take off again. She continuously flapped her wings but she didn’t even move as much as an inch off the deck. Rarity was the only one who sat calmly looking outward to the sea. Twilight approached her.

“Rarity.”

“Twilight darling. Sit down.” Twilight sat and looked out to sea as well.

“I can’t help but feel nervous Rarity about all this. Maybe we should have waited to hear from Spike.”

“Darling, we’re already halfway there to feel worried about all this. But to tell you the truth I’m very worried myself,” she said and looked back at Fluttershy, “I think I speak for all of us when I say it think we’re all in the same boat. Literally too.” Twilight chuckled. Rainbow now frustrated came up and joined them in sitting.

“Any luck?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t get why he had to take my flight away!” Rainbow said in a most annoyed tone.

“It’s part of your innateness Rainbow and besides it only temporary.” Rainbow still did not look too pleased with that answer.

“Do you think we’ll succeed in this mission?” Rarity asked.

“It’s hard to say. I’ve thought about a lot of things since. We’ve been taught a lie and it’s hard to think about the truth now that we know. If the earth ponies refuse to help us, we can’t really blame them. I can’t fathom what happened in the past but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be a walk in the park trying to make friends with them, especially now after five hundred years.”

“But I’m pretty sure there might be some who don’t think that way!” Rainbow said.

“Maybe, but if we do get through to dialogue the first thing to do is to apologize.”

“Sweetie Belle.” Rarity said, “I do hope she’s okay, Celestia please let her be okay…”

“And Squirt too.” Rainbow added.

The breeze was chillier. Everypony looked at the water that was beginning to ripple a bit. The deck became livelier as the lookout bellowed from above.

“STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORM!!!!!!!!!!!!!” the group looked horrified at the call. Rainbow looked toward the bow and saw the skies had become dark grey and lightning streaks were dangerously flashing.

“No no no!!! Discord said the barrier wouldn’t activate!!!” Twilight said in a panic.

“BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! FIRST LEVEL BARRIER APPROACHES!!!” Gunther commanded and turned to Twilight menacingly, “YOU ALL!!...........pray.” The group now ran over to Fluttershy and huddled with her keeping out the griffons’ way as they prepared to brace to storm. They hugged each other tightly.

“RAISE THOSE SAILS! LET THE WIND TAKE HER THROUGH!”

“Aye aye!” Gunther went and took command of the wheel and pushed on. The waves became stronger, causing the boat to rock. Fluttershy whimpered.

“I love you girls.” Rarity said.

“Me too.” Twilight answered. Rainbow nodded. Fluttershy was too scared to answer. The ship pushed forward as the dark grey sky hovered over them. But the griffons were uneasy.

“CAP’N!” the boatswain called. Gunther moved from the wheel and ran to the bow. “What’s happening?” Gunther looked confused for a minute. While there should be the onslaught abuse to their ship, there was just a downpour of heavy rain. The breeze remained a little more than moderate and water did not move roughly enough to cause havoc and the lightning was no longer forming streaks.

“Boatswain… grab the wheel. Take us though.” The griffon did immediately as commanded. Gunther then walked back toward the cowering group.

“Seems your little trick worked. There’s no storm or at least not strong enough.” Gunther said looking up. Twilight and the group sighed relief despite being now soaked. The weather continued on for fifteen minutes and then the rain stopped. The skies became clearer.

“ALRIGHT GRIFFONS! TIME TO PUSH FORWARD!!! RELEASE THOSE SAILS!!” the sails immediately flapped down and the journey continued. But the breeze had subsided and a fog haze swept over the air and left the ship blinded. Gunther took to navigating by compass. The mares’ spirits began to look brighter now that they know they overcame the first level barrier. Rainbow and Rarity went up to the quarter deck to dry off themselves. Twilight remained with Fluttershy still comforting her.

“It’s alright Fluttershy. We’ll be okay.” Twilight said over and over. Fluttershy just smiled at her to let her know she will be.

“We should be close to Argil by now.” Gunther said looking at his compass. Twilight and the others went up to the stem and anticipated. The lookout began a countdown to the clearing of the fog.

“Twenty!!!.....nineteen!!.... eighteen!!!...” Everypony held their breaths. Rainbow excitement began to build up. “…twelve!!!... eleven!!!...”

“There!” Gunther said. The fog haze dissipated.

“LAAAAAAAD HO! AAAAAAAAAARGIIIIIIIIL ON YONDER!!!”

The mares including Fluttershy whipped their eyes forward to have a look. The great lush green landmass appeared before them. Like the fillies before them their awe of seeing Argil for the first time was beggaring description. Rainbow started jumping up and down. Rarity’s eyes sparkled at the sight. Fluttershy gazed wildly at the birds that were flying over head and Twilight couldn’t help but cry at the sight of healthy growing plants and trees.

“Turn for Hayside lads.” Gunther instructed. He then addressed Twilight, “Now the second barrier approaches… we’ll see if your trick works again.” Twilight looked at him and then swallowed a lump. The ship slowly approached closer till the port then came into view.

“OH SWEET CELESTIA!! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING SO MAGNIFICENT!!” Rarity screamed in excitement. The mares looked forward at the beautiful architectural designs of the port and how it sparkled along with the green accents that whirled around it. The hanging garden was adored the most. Just then an electric jolt was suddenly felt by the group.

“What was that?!” Rainbow asked.

“The second barrier…….” Twilight answered, “I guess we’re in.” Just then where excitement had filled them, fear began to overtake the mares once more. One of the Griffons came up with some cloaks and Gunther threw them toward the group.

“UGH! Horrid fabric! What is this?” Rarity exclaimed.

“You wanna go exposed on shore. Be my guest.” Gunther smirked. Twilight and the group quickly covered themselves, “you’ll have to get off another way, do not leave the ship until I signal you to, do you understand me?” the group nodded their heads.

“CAP’N!!! There’s Gunner ship!”

“That son of a bitch!!! I’LL RIP HIS FEATHERS OUT!!” Gunther steamed. The ship slowly docked.

“WELL WELL!” Gunther called. Gunner was on the jetties when he heard his uncle’s voice.

“Uncle! I-I just s-sent you a message.”

“Guess you can tell it to me personally then, you little shit.” Gunther’s eyes looked murderous now. Gunther stormed off the boat and began to jostle Gunner who had probably fainted by then.

“This is it girls.” Twilight sighed, “We’re here to find Spike and the girls.” The commotion went on and five imperial guards approached the entire group on the jetty. Four was dressed in similar armor colors; black and silver with green crested galeas but the fifth looked like a senior ranker. His armor was black and gold with a yellow crest. They looked very threateningly at the group. The mares hid with the boatswain close by.

“Gunther,” the captain said stopping Gunther from his rampage on Gunner, “I trust that there would no need for this commotion on our soil.”

“Captain Brisk Bronco! Good to see you again!” Gunther said and stepped away from Gunner who flopped onto the jetty. Gunther shifted his position so that the guards’ backs were now to the ship. Gunther eyed the boatswain who then signaled for the mares to quietly exit the boat and make their way below the jetty.

“I came looking for this lad! He had me worried as there was no word from him!!...” The group followed Twilight’s lead. She quietly came off the ramp and entered the water, swimming and wading up to the shore from below. Rarity gave a little trouble about messing up her mane in salty water, but relented when Rainbow shot her a nasty ‘you’ll die bitch!’ look. The group moved as quietly as they could through the waters below.

“I brought you something captain! A fresh set of sulphur-axecalt shard shipment! Come see it!” Gunther shifted again moving toward the ship making the guards turn to face the ship again. Twilight and the group had reached the shore and finally exited the water and galloped their way into the port.

Contraptions

MLP is Hasbro’s. My opinions and are mine, unless you agree with me, in which case they’re ours.

The coach made a short distance from the garrison. Spike and Gilda were rampaging on about their stowaway.

“What the buck are you doing Applebloom!?” Gilda asked harshly.

“I wanted to come. A-Ah haven’t seen mah brother is months! An’ I was gettin’ the opportunity to see the festival here. I always wanted to. Applejack’s always busy this time around.” Applebloom said sheepishly, “an’ besides ah came in useful didn’t I?”

“That isn’t the point. You probably got Applejack really worried about you.” Gilda said. The carriage suddenly stopped. Gilda and Spike looked around they still had a bit further to go to get into the city. “Why’d you stop?” Gilda called out to Spurs.

Spurs unlatched himself and stepped away from the coach, “Look, Braeburn is mah bes’ frien’ an’ all but ah found this group purty strange. Ah’m doin’ him a favor, but ah dun wanna get in no trouble with the guards. Why’s Braeburn’s cousin here? Who’s dem two young ‘uns?” he said pointing a hoof to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle who were under the cloaks, “Why’re they hidin’?? They fugitives or sumtun??”

“That ain’t your business.” Gilda said indignantly.

“Then maybe I should just go back and tell the guards to do a thorough che…”

“NO!” everypony hollered. Gilda wanted to rush up and grab Spurs by the throat for that threat. But Spike spoke up.

“Look we’re on an important mission alright?” Spike began, “W-we can’t tell you because it’s really important that we keep secret and low profile.” Spurs looked at Spike. He wasn’t satisfied with that answer.

“Dem two fillies ain’t from here are they?” the group said nothing, “…ah heard you telling the guards a bunch o’ lies.” Spurs said.

“You want money? I can give you seeds to keep your pie-hole shut.” Gilda said.

“Ah knew it. I ain’t stupid. Braeburn had bin gone fer a week and he pops up with this here dragon an’ two strange fillies hidin’ their faces or ah reckon… horn. Y’all from Equestria ain’t ya? Dem ain’t earth ponies! They’re those vile whippakraks!!” Spurs stressed on the insult. He showed pure disgust on his face. The two fillies cowered and flinched at the offense. Gilda had pushed her beak up against Spurs muzzle. Her eyes became bloodshot.

“You better keep your trap shut dickwad!” Gilda was now steaming.

“Gilda!... Please Spurs,” Spike took a step forward and spoke with confidence, “we come in peace and friendship. Our society has changed since, we want to put the past behind us. We’re going to see the princess to offer a hoof in friendship. It’s by chance Braeburn ended up in Equestria and it’s by some miracle Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo got in through the barrier here. He agreed to help us. Please I’m begging you… not to tell anypony.” Spike was now twirling his claws together out of nervousness. Tears were streaming from the two fillies eyes as they sat on their haunches with their heads hung low and Applebloom just stood by them in a state of shock. Gilda still had her claw on Spurs with both of them going at a staring contest.

“Will you get yer claw off me? I won’t tell alright, fer Braeburn’s sake….” Gilda slowly removed her claw and Spurs rubbed his neck, “Ah dun know why Braeburn agreed to help you buckin’ whippakraks... he must be out of his apple-buckin’ mind. But he asked me a favor an’ I intend to stick to that. But I sure hope the princess says no cuz we’re doin’ just fine without you…”
Spurs angrily walked back to the front of the coach and harnessed himself, “Now get back on. Still gots some way to go.”

A gloomy aura hovered over the group. No word was spoken till the coach came to a second garrison and another set of guards came about the carriage. Applebloom started moving a little uncomfortable this time but it did not deter her from helping Scootaloo keep Sweetie Belle out of sight while Gilda did all the talking. Security was very tight around Willow City Spike thought. Not even Princess Celestia or Princess Luna has this much protection, then again the army back home is small compared to Argil and Celestia and Luna are two immortal alicorns anyway. They can’t die. It’s not like anypony can assassinate them. Spike then wondered what the Argillian princess was like? Was she an earth pony too? Of course she is stuuuuupid… oh well, was she young? Old? Pretty? Will she listen to the plight of Equestria?

When they looked about Gilda saw that they had finally reached to the inner circumference to the city. Spurs had to make a turn because of the long line of carriages and ponies bustling into Willow Wood, the eastern district to the city.

“This is as far as I go.” he said. Everypony got off.

“Tha….” Spurs didn’t even so much stay long enough for Spike to finish. “….nks.” the coach darted off leaving a dust cloud on the group.

“Applebloom?” Sweetie Belle began as Applebloom looked at her, “What’s that thing… that name Spurs called us?” Applebloom rubbed her foreleg hoof on the other.

“It’s…. it’s a—”

“Never mind Sweetie Belle,” Gilda interrupted, “Come on guys, let’s go, and stay together!!! I mean it. It ain’t gonna be pretty if anypony got lost okay?” Everypony nodded their heads. Gilda said and led the group into the bustle. There was a mixture of different beings bustling about Willow City. Griffons, zebras, donkeys, mules… almost all types of everypony congregated in this huge city, everypony except unicorns and pegasi. It made Spike a little sad and he thought about Spurs’ words. He did not dwell on the thought for too long though. Not surprisingly, the new comers could not keep their heads low, as their eyes were busy travelling around at the towering structures right along their paths. The main entrance to the eastern district was a tall iridesium and marble archway that had luxuriantly carved moldings, mini sculptures of various beings, mythical humans with wings and a dance of flowering vine-work around it. Iridesium up close gave off its own shimmer of lustrous colors in the moonlight. Lighting in the streets was the same as San Fratello, tall poles with illuminated orbs. Gilda explained it used electricity, an energy source developed by a brilliant earth pony scientist named Tee Neighdison.

“WATCH IT!!!” Gilda screamed holding Spike back with her claw and causing the girls to bump into him. Spike didn’t realize he was almost hit by a speeding contraption.

“WHAT THE—! What was that?!”

“Watch where you’re going! I know everything is new here but damn it, don’t get yourself killed over it!”

Spike finally took a good look at the ground level of the city.

“Gilda, is this the road??”

“Uh yeah. Duh.” she said rolling her eyes.

“What I mean is what material did they use to make it?” Spike said furrowing his brows.

“Oh. That. It’s asphalt. It’s another natural element here that comes from the south.” Spike and the fillies had never seen it before as most of the roads in Equestria are cobblestone, dirt or what is remaining of the marble pathways from the old days.

“But outside doesn’t have it.”

“Yeah that’s because golems like asphalt. They go on destroying roads so they tend to use cobblestone roads outside the city.”

The visitors’ culture shock increased by the minute. Sure there were traditional coaches with ponies harnessed to it but there were ponies riding a new type of vehicle Gilda called a soniglider, that same that nearly knocked Spike over. It hovered over the ground and even outmatched Rainbow Dash’s flight speed.

“It’s sooooooooooooo AWESOME!!!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Yeah ain’t it?” Applebloom said, “Applejack got one! Mah brother bought it for her! An’ Pinkie Pie also got the latest model! She’s in the Glory-Glider League!” Gilda did not seem too pleased at this information, or more looked jealous Spike thought.

“Pinkie Pie? You mean that really weird pink pony back at your home?” Scootaloo asked Applebloom.

“Yeah, an’ she ain’t weird. She’s ….okay, she’s weird an’ just……what did Applejack say…oh...unconventional, but she may not look like it but she’s one o' the best Glider Riders there is!”

There was one soniglider that was parked on the opposite side of the road. Gilda and group crossed and she began to explain, “This little baby here is an older model of sonigliders but almost as good as the new ones. The newest model has a top speed of six hundred miles per hour. Antigravity nacelles with reaction-less thrusters, uses a fused-550 neon hydraulics cooling system and has an agile frame covered by ablative panels. Wicked fast. I hate to admit it but not even I at my top speed flying can outmatch this! I asked the old griffon to get me one on my birthday! Can’t wait to enter the Glory-Glider League for next festival!” Gilda spoke as if she was in love. Spike understood nothing of what she said despite living with the nerdiest of nerds.

“What’s the Glory-Glider League?” Scootaloo asked.

“It’s a speedball sport on sonigliders that’s—” Applebloom began but was soon cut off by Gilda.

“—totally awesome! Glider Riders moving at wicked fast speeds on sonigliders trying to score goals and avoid getting knocked out by the barbeams or being crashed into. The trick is the goalposts keep moving about.”

“WOOOW! I wish Rainbow Das—!” Scootaloo said excitedly. Spike gulped and covered Scootaloo’s mouth.

“Rainbow Dash?” Gilda’s eyes glinted, “y-you know Rainbow Dash?”

“Uuuh, yeah.” Spike said nervously. He knew there was no hiding it now.

“I knew it! I thought you looked familiar! You’re part of her little loser circle!” she said angrily. Gilda turned and began to storm off.

“Gilda wait! Please! Don’t leave us here!” Spike and the fillies were running after her, “I don’t know why you hate her so much but—” Gilda turned suddenly and pushed her beak up to Spike’s face.

“Two reasons… one, she’s a loser and two, she killed my brother.”

**********

Spike and the girls followed Gilda through the busy streets till she reached the Greenfair Plaza park where she plopped down close to a magnificent water fountain that had a statue of a mare sitting on her haunches reading a book.

“Gilda?”

“Go away.”

“Please won’t you talk to us?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” Spike sat down next to her. The girls hopped onto the edge of fountain looking at the two. spike took a few moments.

“It’s nice here,” Spike said.

“There’s a lot more to see. This is just the Eastern District. My brother and I used to come here a lot when we were younger.” she said swishing her tail, “he used to talk about becoming a Glider Rider all the time! His favorite rider was the captain from Coltington, Dragstrip. Aww, he was awesome! He was the first to hit off the hypergroove stunt!”

“That’s awesome… I think.” Spike said.

“He was. He ended up with four broken bones in the League five years ago. He retired since then.”

“....” Gilda realized she was ranting, she sighed.

“Pops started Galen and I in flight school at Cloudsdale. That’s where we met Rainbow Dash. She was cocky, had my type of attitude so we hit it off really well. Galen was more quiet and reserved, but he always hung around us to make sure we didn’t get into trouble. He was quite protective.”

“All brothers are I think.”

“Yeah, anyway one day, a couple of years after we first met Rainbow, she suggested that we go to the edge of the flight camp to race. I agreed and we took off. Galen followed us in secret as usual. Rainbow and I decided to sneak off to Ghastly Gorge. It was going well, for two cocky flightsters until…”

“Until what?”

“Rainbow decided it would be funny to bother the quarray eels. Sure, she dodged a few snaps but there was one nest she didn’t realize she was in front of. Galen saw the eel lunged forward at Rainbow, he dove and pushed Rainbow outta the way but not before the eel snapped at him. It caught hold of Galen’s wing and broke it. I tried to catch him but I was too late. He fell sixty feet onto the rocks below.”

“Oh Celestia, “ Spike held his claws to his mouth.

“She had the audacity to show up to the funeral. I got mad and hit her.”

“So your friendship ended there?”

“Pretty much….. I did try to hang out with her again but I couldn’t get over my anger and I did pretty much mean things. I couldn’t stand to see her laughing and all happy with new dweebs while I still missed Galen. It’s like we never mattered.” Spike took a few moments to soak in the story. He pondered. Something didn’t add up but he thought better not to question it, at least right now.

“You know, I don’t think she forgot about you at all. I think if you really give her a chance things will get better between you two. Only if you want that of course.”

“How do you know?”

“Let’s just say…. it’s a hunch.” Gilda looked sternly at Spike. He could only smile nervously back at her as he menacing eyes seemed to slice him over and over. her stare finally broke with the giggles behind them.

“Who’s that?” Sweetie Belle asked as the fillies were now engaged in their own conversation..

“Oh, that’s Queen Raspberry Ripple,” Applebloom said, “there’s a statue of her at mah school. She’s the patron of learning an’ the first queen of Argil. Grey Willow’s wife. All schools have a statue of her!”

“Wow, you guys got a lot of statues.” Sweetie Belle said.

“That’s because Argillians are very proud of their history. Come on guys we gotta get moving. Guards patrol all over the city.” the group got up and began to make their way through the busy streets once more dodgin whenever a group of guards were close by. Fireworks lit up the sky almost every half hour as each district had their celebration. The group made their way past the waterfall skyscraper which made rainbow colors and mist appear which gave the feeling to the group as if they were in the sky. Gilda stopped.

“Okay guys, we’re almost to the Northern District. The garrison is close there. You girls have to stay put while Spike and I go to meet Applejack’s brother. Do you understand?” The girls nodded. Gilda put the girls to wait a cheap hotel where she was veeeeery lucky to get a room at while she and Spike made their way to the garrison.

As they approached the guards, Spike’s claws became really sweaty. He held on very tightly to the letter to Big Mac as Gilda made her approach to the sentry.

“Halt. State your name and purpose here.” the sentry said sternly and more guards came out holding the spears that seem to be useless weapons.. Spike swallowed a particularly huge lump and Gilda cleared her throat.

“I’m Gilda of Tallon Port and this is Spike the dragon.”

“Gilda? Spike? Take them into custody now!”

“Uh-oh.”

The soaking wet mares darted past the bustling crowd and knocked over a few ponies that got in the way. Twilight looked around and saw a little alleyway where she quickly led the group to hide. Rainbow peeked at the recovering commotion while the other panted heavily catching their breaths.

“UGH! Not only am I wearing this horrid cloak, my mane is now messed up!!!” Rarity complained.

“Oh you wanted to just stroll of the boat? I doubt there would have been a welcome party Rarity.” Rainbow said quickly and turning her face to the crowd again. When everyone had caught their breaths, they covertly moved to the entrance of the alleyway where Rainbow Dash was standing to have a view at the market area. Not only the beautiful scenic view of the structures seem to illuminate the entire area, the busy market area was filled with shopping ponies, griffons, zebras, donkeys and vendors screaming prices at them. But mostly it was the diverse amount of vegetables, fruits and hay in very large quantities that made their jaws drop. Their stomachs began to gurgle which reminded them that they needed to eat.

“Gosh, I wish I could taste those apple fritters again.” Rainbow said.

“We can’t stay here girls, we should get a move on.” Twilight said. The group looked around and when they thought everyone had gone back to minding their own business they quietly slipped out of the alley walking past behind fruit and vegetable stalls. Soon they were in front of bakeries and coffee shops that made Rainbow’s stomach gurgle even more. Even Rarity and Fluttershy couldn’t help but peer in a little to view the enormous collection of pastries, cakes and other delicacies in one shops.

“I can’t take it Twi! I need fooooood!”

The group pressed on despite their stomachs and Rainbow’s protests. Twilight had bits but she wasn’t sure that their money was accepted there and it might be a dead giveaway for them. Their only hope of food would be to steal…. no no.. they can’t do that!…. beg maybe.. or find Gunther... yes that might be best. Just as Twilight was about to mention going back to find Gunther some guards were passing by. The group had no choice but to quickly move forward deeper into port’s crowd. When they stopped at the end of the street, they heard a familiar voice.

“APPLEJACK!!! WAIT!! Yer goin’ too fast!” Braeburn panted.

“No time!” Applejack shouted back. The group saw Braeburn chasing after the orange coated, blonde mare that was zooming off toward the other end of the street and turning the corner. The group wasted no time and followed the ponies to a small building niche. They quickly snuck up close to the door and peered in.

“I need ter send a URGENT message to mah brother!” Applejack told to another pony behind the counter.

“Where to?”

“Willow City”

“Fifteen seeds.” Applejack dug into her saddlebag, pulled out a pouch and paid the message pony. He gave her a sheet of paper and she quickly scribbled the note and gave it back.

“It’ll get there by noon.”

“Noon!” Applejack said, “Can’t it be earlier?”

“It would have been earlier if you’d accepted the cellphone Big Mac was givin’ ya” Braeburn said.

“You know ah can’t use dem type o' fancy technology! It was already hard enough learning to use the soniglider…. Fine then.” she said turning to the message pony. They walked out from the message center where she began ranting. They didn’t even notice a group of cloaked mares behind them, “This is all yer fault Braeburn!”

“ME?!!”

“Yeah, ah told yer this was a bad idea!!! You sent off that dragon and dem fillies to Willow City and now Applebloom’s gone too!” the group of mares heart skipped a beat. It felt like a heavy burden was lifted to know that everyone was still alive.

“That ain’t fair cousin! How was I to know that this would happen?!”

“It’s dun dangerous to be around dem kind. Yer shouldn’t have brought dem into Argil in the first place! Ah reckon they talked her into followin’ them! If ponies in Willow City find out about those fillies, they’re in fer a whole lotta trouble and Applebloom’s gonna be in the middle of it!”

“But Gilda is with them too…” Rainbow dash’s eyes widened with that piece of information, “I’m sure she’d keep ‘em safe!” The group heard enough. They approached the pair cautiously.

“Braeburn.” Braeburn and Applejack whipped their eyes around and saw the cloak covered mares. Breaburn’s jaw dropped and Applejack whipped her eyes back and forth between Braeburn’s horrified look and the mares. Applejack realized that being covered in a cloak could only mean one thing. Her reaction became the same as Braeburn.

“H-H-How in G-grey Willow’s name d-d-did you…” Braeburn stuttered.

“Long story…we came looking for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle—”

“Not here!!!” Braeburn said. Applejack was still in a state of shock as Braeburn frantically looked around for somewhere more private. He noticed another little alleyway leading over to the next street where Spurs shop would be.

“Quickly… follow me!” He quickly led the entire group to the spot. He had to push Applejack along with him as she was rooted to the ground. Braeburn scouted the entire area for anypony then he spoke.

“Applejack….. Applejack…. APPLEJACK! Snap out of it.”

“Huh? Say whut?” She shook her head and looked again at the group then turned scowling at Breaburn.

“Heeeey, don’t look at me… it ain’t me this time!” he said backing away slowly. She then turned at looked at the group disgustingly, which made Fluttershy flinch and Rainbow to give a little scowl back.

“Applejack please,” Twilight began, “we need help. We sent Spike here to speak to the princess... Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed him. We didn’t mean to come here at first but he heard they got into the storm and we became worried. We came to take them back home.”

“They ain’t here!” Applejack said in a very deadpanned voice, “they went with Spike and Gilda to Willow City with mah sister!” she turned again to Braeburn looking at him angrily.

“Gilda?!” Rainbow Dash then said, “now I’m worried. Which way is Willow City?!”

“Yer can’t go!... if yer wanna live that is!.... y’all must be out of yer whippakrakin’ mind to come here…. they’re alive and well. We fed them an’ they’re well on their way already with Spike. So y’all can go back home now. I spent enough time talkin’ to y’all. I gotta go find mah sister. Braeburn let’s go.” She turned and walked off, Braeburn seemed to have second thoughts ended up also following.

“Do you have anything to eat at least!” Rainbow called. The pair stopped.

“We could use some help with a bit of food if you would be so generous…” Rarity said. Applejack and Braeburn looked at each other and pondered.

“We can’t just leave ‘em here hangin’ cousin. Come now…” Braeburn interceded.

“Oh alright, fine then. Y’all better wait here. Yer can’t walk into a shop like that. Ponies’ll get suspicious.”

“I’ll go cuz,” Braeburn said, “you wait here with ‘em.”

“ME?! I dun wanna be ‘round a bunch o’ whippakraks!” But Braeburn already darted off toward the market. Applejack stomped her hoof, crossed them and leaned against the wall. There were a few minutes of awkward silence.

“Oooookay, this is um… awkward.” Rainbow said.

“Yeah tell me about it.” Applejack said in another deadpan moment.

“What now?” Rainbow whispered to Twilight.

“Be nice. Make a good impression.” Twilight whispered back.

“Um… Applejack?” Twilight said to break the silence. Applejack slowly turned her head and looked at Twilight, “maybe we can introduce ourselves… I’m Twilight Sparkle, this is Rarity—”

“Pleasure.” and she gave a little nod.

“Fluttershy—”

“Um… h-hello.” She said with a whisper.

“and Rainbow Dash.”

“Nice to meet ya!”

“Y’all already know mah name.” the awkward silence returned. Rarity nudged Twilight to continue.

“Sooooo um…. What do you do here for a living?”

“We’re apple farmers, mah family and I.”

“Yes, as I understand, earth ponies are good at farming.” Rarity said.

“Not all earth ponies are good at farmin’!!!!” Applejack said and gritted her teeth. Twilight fumbled a bit on the next sentence hoping not to make Applejack have another outburst.

“S-so your sister went along with Spike and the others?”

“Yes, she’s ‘bout the fillies age, they were talkin’ to each other las’ night. Then she ran off with ‘em this mornin’. When I get my hooves on her she’s gonna get it from both me and Big Mac!”

“Big Mac?”

“Mah big brother.”

“Is he in Willow City too?”

“Yes. How’d yer know?”

“We um… sorta spied on you a little while ago.” Twilight admitted. Applejack scoffed.

“He’s a captain of the imperial guard.”

“My brother is too! Um, in the army back in… uuh, at home.” Twilight said excitedly and smiled. She then gasped suddenly in realization.

“Oh Celestia! Your brother won’t do anything to Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo will he?”

“Mah brother ain’t no monster like you whippakraks! He won’t do anythin’ to hurt a filly!!!” Applejack said harshly.

“Uuuh… whippa-what?”

“Hey, I remember Gilda called me that every time we got in an argument.” Rainbow said rubbing her chin, “I didn’t know what she meant but it didn’t sound like anything nice at all.”

“That’s what we here know you unicorn and pegasi as… a bunch o’ vile whippakraks.” Applejack stressed on the words and looked away. Fluttershy cowered. The group frowned and looked at each other.

“That’s not very nice!!!” Rarity said angrily.

“It ain’t meant to be!” Applejack retorted scowling.

“GIRLS! Rarity please...” Twilight gave Rarity a ‘please be nice to her’ look. Rarity backed off.

“What’s takin’ Braeburn so long?!” Applejack said and shifted in her position. She now walked to the opposite side and leaned again. There was another wave of awkward silence. Surprisingly, it was Applejack who broke the silence.

“How’d yer end up here?”

“We came on a griffon ship, with Gilda’s father. He helped us in. We gave up our innate magic temporarily to cross the barrier. It didn’t detect us.”

“You done it with crazy whippakrak magic?” she said a raised a brow.

“Can you NOT call us that?” Rainbow was annoyed now.

“Don’t tell me what to do!!!” Applejack whipped her head across angrily to Rainbow and snarled. Rainbow actually flinched. “I’m done here! Go get yerselves killed.”
Applejack started walking off.

“Applejack wait please!!” Twilight said, “we’re sorry if we offended you.” Applejack stopped and sighed.

“Do earth ponies really hate us so bad?” Fluterrshy whimpered.

“I can’t speak fer other ponies. I ain’t strong enough to hate, but sure enough yer didn’t make a good impression on me.”

“We can see that!”

“RAINBOW!!”

“Hate is strong word in mah family. We just don’t trust ‘em.” Twilight was sad, but she knew this type of reaction was coming. She tried to stay as calm as possible.

“But you’ve never met unicorn or pegasi before. How can you dislike us before even meeting us?” Rarity asked.

“How can I not? I heard ‘nuff stories ‘bout y’all that still wrenches mah heart.” Just then, Braeburn came galloping with laden saddlebags, exhausted and huffing.

“Okay…. okay…. Just gimme a minute……” he said still trying to catch his breath. “I got… I got... apple fritters, apple tarts, hay burgers, rabatellies, kippimbles, I also picked up a few apples from the stash, Applejack, and a four bottles of apple cider!” The hungry mares crowded Braeburn who began to distribute the food. Rainbow particularly claimed dibs on the cider and the apple fritters. Fluttershy squirmed at the rabatellies’ moving fingers. But as soon as the group dug in on the food, they soared high in gastric bliss.

“This. is. soooo. awesome!!” Rainbow said with her face all messed up. Despite being hungry Rarity and Fluttershy showed table manners and restraint over stuffing their faces.

“Fanksh a lot Braeburn!” Twilight said trying to swallow a piece of apple tart.

“Your mighty welcome Miss Twilight. Yer know here at Hayside is mighty popular with tasty food. The Apple Family’s cider back home in San Fratello is famous for its apple cider. I reckon you oughtta try some since yer here. The Willow Celebration started yesterday and there’s a lot ter see with even more treats!”

“That would be even more awesome!” Rainbow said and chugged down a few gulps of cider. Applejack couldn’t help but crack a smile at the mares excitement over food. It didn't take too long for the mares to finish, by the end they were rubbing their now satisfied stomachs.

"Now, if y'all are done, y'all should go back. Braeburn got some work here an' I gotta go get mah sister back." Applejack said.

“But...” before Twilight could say anything more Braeburn started speaking first.

"What work I got here?" Braeburn asked.

"YOU'RE gonna pony the apple stand!"

"You're goin' ter Willow City?"

"Eeyup."

"But I got applebuckin' ter do!"

"Dang right too. An' dun let the fruit bats run wild either!" Braeburn huffed and sulked.

"But we can't go back yet!! Let us come with you! We came for Sweetie and Scootaloo! And at least we should hear some news from Spike."

"Didn't you hear me say yer can't go ter Willow City? The army is tight there now with the celebration goin' on and the Glory-Glider League comin' up. Four mares in cloaks roaming ‘round Willow City, you’re definitely askin’ fer trouble. They will kill you. They'll probably think you're spies or sumtun."

“Please,” Rarity said, “one sister to another… I can’t go home without Sweetie Belle safe and sound.”

“And I can’t go without Scootaloo!” Rainbow added.

“And Spike… please.” the group gave the most pitiful look they could muster. Applejack frowned. Even Braeburn gave her a pleading look. She rolled her eyes.

“Alright, alright fine!!! Only on one condition. Y’all gotta listen to everythang ah say! Imma risking mah life here!” The group readily nodded and Applejack held a hoof to her face, “What the hay am I doin’.”

“How’re you goin’ cuz?”

“I’m gonna go back home to get mah soniglider. It’s faster.”

“But five ponies can’t fit on that!” But Applejack wasn’t listening. She stepped out of the alleyway toward the market. Next Braeburn and then the group followed. It wasn’t at all to bad at the market. It was really crowded and noisy so a group of cloaked mares wasn’t at all suspicious. As soon as they got back to their apple stall, almost half of their apple stock for the day were bought by a rich pony from Manenisota. While Applejack was completing her transaction, the group looked at the crowd. So many earth ponies Twilight thought. Just a few days ago they thought earth ponies didn’t exist anymore and Equestria’s trading partners kept it secret. She got very much annoyed at the thought, but decided that she was mull over it at a later time. They had more pressing matters.

“Braeburn!! Y’all take over from here!” Applejack said and hopped off the cart and proceeded into the crowd. Twilight and group kept close behind as Applejack made her way to the main square where the huge statue of Grey Willow was. The day festivities had already started with the dancers and the lively music and many ponies in costumes getting ready for the parade. The group found it hard to keep their eyes away from the crowd and follow Applejack at the same time, especially Rarity who was admiring the costumes and the dresses.

“Keep up y’all!!” Applejack bellowed.

“Applejack, what’re you all celebrating?” Fluttershy asked.

“It’s called the Willow Celebration. It to commemorate the first Argillian King and Terra, the earth. That’s ‘im up there. King Grey Willow.” Applejack pointed and the group looked up at the handsome regal statue of the stallion, “an’ also harvestin’ time an’ a whole bunch o’ other stuff.” The group shuffled on until they finally came to the clearing of the exit toward San Fratello.

“Okay I gotta make a trip home first to get mah soniglider to get there, so y’all gonna have to come with me.”

“What’s a soniglider?” Twilight asked. Just then a huge gust of wind sent the mares leaning to one side and a pink blur whisked past them and vanished as quickly as it came.

“Thaaaaat’s a soniglider.” Applejack said. The group’s jaws dropped open as the blur made a U-turn and manifested into a pony mounted on a strange hovering contraption with balloons attached to the back end. The soniglider slowed down and hovered off the ground with a hum as the pony took off her sleek helmet revealing wide sky blue eyes, curly electric pink hair and a huge bubbly smile.

“HIYA AJ!”

“Hi Pinkie Pie.”

Author's Note

Whooooo....
This chapter took a lot outta me.
I got an essay coming up next week so I may not post until after.

Golem

In this MLPverse, I am GOD.
Out here, I am just a fat old guy writing about ponies that other people own.
I'm not a fat old guy really.... *shifty eyes*

======

The dimly lit grey room was very unwelcoming for Spike. Only having a single light, Spike paced nervously up and down the perimeter of the room which seemed to be growing smaller and smaller each time he made a round and occasionally bumping into Gilda who sat quietly in one corner.

“What’s gonna happen to us? To me? Did they find out about Sweetie and Scootaloo?? How will I deliver the letter to their princess now? and how will I face Twilight or worse…. Rarity.” Spike shuddered at the very thought. Spike pace quickened and his claws were sweatier than ever from rubbing them too much. It seemed to him like they spent an eternity in the room. Gilda remained still and her eyes were closed.

“How can she be so calm at time like this?” Spike muttered to himself.

“It’s better than getting all worked up and looking more suspicious...” Gilda finally spoke, “I’m Argillian by birth, they can’t charge me on anything they have no knowledge about. My father will hear about this!”

Spike simply stared at Gilda for a few minutes, while still pondering their fate. Suddenly the metal doors opened and four mean looking guards stepped in. The leader had clearly different colored crest and more military décor showing he had rank. His coat was red and his eyes were gentle and the same color as Applejack’s and Braeburn.

“Big Mac! I mean… Captain Big Mac!” Gilda said realizing Big Mac was giving a little intimidating stare. She quickly got off her haunches.

“A-Are you Applejack’s brother?” Spike asked.

“Eeeeeyup.” Spike breathed in hard at his presence. He was huge! Spike never thought Applejack’s brother would be such a ~~monstrous~~… um… huge pony. Big Mac stared at Spike.

There were a few more moments of silence as Big Mac set down and took off his helmet let it down with a heavy thud on the table. “Sit.” He commanded “You are??”. Big Mac’s deep voice resonated which made Spike tremble. Spike and Gilda quickly took their places at the table also.

“I’m S-s-spike. Spike the Dragon.”

“Why did they incarcerate…” Gilda began but Big Mac held up a hoof commanding silence while still looking at Spike.

“Where’s mah little sister?”

“Uuuuh Applebloom? Sh-sh-she’s safe a-at the h-h-hotel…”

“Where?” Spike looked to Gilda for help in that answer.

“At The Quartermaster over on East Fetlock View.” Gilda said quickly.

“She’s alone?”

“Uuuuuh, No…. uh…I mean y-yes…. yes!” Spike answered while sweating beads. Big Mac glared at him “… s-sorry… I mean… No.”

Big Mac turned to the guards, “Y’all heard…. Go.”

“YES SIR!!!”

“WAIT PLEASE!!!”

“and Wild Strikes...”

“Yes sir!”

“Be… very discreet ‘bout it...” Big Mac added. The guards quickly gave a nod and exited the room, closing the door leaving the echoing sounds of metal hitting against the frame.

“How do you know all this?” Gilda said. Big Mac raised a brow as his eyes shifted over to Gilda.

“Gotta message from mah sister today. Said y’all brought the yung’un here… with some others…… who are not supposed to be here.” Big Mac said sternly.

“The guards won’t do anything to Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo will they?”

“They’re at my command… not unless I tell ‘em to...”

Spike felt very much intimidated. Was it Big Mac’s deep resonating voice; slow, calm and steady or his armor or maybe his gigantic form? Maybe it was a combo of all three. Spike claws started to do the little twirling dance around each other, “But dun worry jus’ yet. She asked me to give y’all a hearin’. Mind tellin’ me why y’all here?”

Spike took a deep breath in. He hesitated.

“Go ahead Spike…” Gilda encouraged. He thought about Applejack’s words and then he spoke.

“I-I’m from Equestria…” Spike said as he tried to ignore another raised brow from Big Mac, “I’m a representative of Princess Celestia, the ruler. We came here to deliver a plea to your princess. Please can you help us? We need an audience with her.” Big Mac looked at Gilda.

“Why?”

“Equestria is in dire need…” He again held up a hoof making Spike silent.

“Why are you helping the Equestrians Gilda?”

“Meh… Equestria is going down. The place is a shitty pile of rock land with shitty ponies—“

“Heeeeey.”

“— but Griffons are proud but we ain’t heartless you know!”

“Continue Spike the Dragon…” Big Mac said.

“Just Spike is fine. We don’t have any food! We have hardly any vegetation! Nothing grows there! Our society is growing weaker!”

“Tis’ true. They might be whippakraks but some o’them are as thin as a twig.” Gilda added and Spike couldn’t help but show much of his annoyance. So did Big Mac.

“Ain’t merchants from other lands supplyin’ food? Gunther? Zamora the Berserker from Zanzebra, Chief Aziz from Saddle Arabia ...”

“But it’s still really expensive which makes it scarce! More than what the average pony is can afford! Almost everypony is going below poverty line!”

“It’s expensive to ship all that food you know!” Gilda said adamantly while counting on her claw digits, “There’s tariffs, shipping taxes, wages, protection tax….” Big Mac cut off Gilda much to her annoyance.

“What do you really want from us Spike?”

Spike cleared his throat.

“The Princesses wishes to establish diplomatic and trade relations with you all.”

“Argil does not trade with those forbidden to pass into these lands. It’s in our laws. Ancient and unchangeable. Their sufferin’ is only retribution for their past sins. I cannot help you.”

“But but—!” Big Mac was already getting up and putting his helmet on.

“Chancellor Hoity Toity would tell y’all the same thing anyway. I could have you incarcerated and tried for trespassing and you for treason—”

Gilda scowled at big Mac.

“—but AJ asked me to keep you safe and help you out. I cannot help with what you need but I can arrange for you and them yung’uns to leave here unharmed. Do not return otherwise I’ll not be so kind.”

Spike couldn’t look more dejected than ever. Just then the door opened and another guard hurriedly came in gasping making Big Mac whip his head towards him.

“Captain Big Mac SIR! *gasp* Your sister! Ms. Applejack is here. She’s hurt pretty badly!”

“WHAT!!!!”

Earlier that day…

The group of foreign mares stood speechless at the new personality that arrived before them but they more seemed to be amazed at the ‘thing’ she was on, especially Rainbow Dash.

“Woooow” was all she could whisper in a raspy tone while still in awe.

“Pinkie, where ya off too?” Applejack trotted up to the pink mare while looking at her soniglider, “Wow! Yer really got it upgraded huh?”

“Isn’t it cooool?!” Pinkie said jumping off the soniglider and jumping around Applejack and the soniglider,”Dr. Hooves really put on the works for me seeing the League is coming up soon, and all according to league standards too! I’m like ‘THIS IS SOOOOO AWESOME!’ when I first saw it! Lookie! He upgraded the hydraulics cooling system and the ablative panels got replaced! Also the thrusters can go a further 50mph faster! Ooooh, those griffons aren’t gonna know what hit them! And speaking of the league and back to your first question, my party plans for Willow Celebration week got inherited by Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Captain Lionmane called. I gotta head out to training camp today. BOOOOOOOOOORING! so I’m headed to Willow City.

“Isn't Willow City the other way?”

“Of course it is silly filly!!! I’m just here to get a few supplies for Cap! What’re you up to? Hey who’re your new friends?” Pinkie said finally realizing the other mares standing there and widening her smile, “and why’re they wearing cloaks? Now that I think ‘bout it, those fillies from yesterday were wearing cloaks too...”

“Them? They’re uuuuuh… out of towners. Imma go to Willow City mahself with them...” but Pinkie had already skipped over.

“HI!!! I’m Pinkie Pie! and I’m your new fri…”

“PINKIE!” Applejack screamed tugging Pinkie’s tail.

“What?”

“...” The mares had no idea what to say to this situation but stood confused and dazed.

“Uhhh… sorry ‘bout that. Pinkie here’s a bit excited ‘bout new faces. She’s another cousin’o mine, Fourth cousin, twice removed by mah great aunt Applesauce’s side tuh be exact.” Applejack said which made Pinkie gave her a big hug, “ACK! Pinkie! I…. can’t … breathe!”

When Pinkie finally let her go, Applejack gasped and began introductions.

“This here’s Rarity, Fluttershy, um… Rainbow Dash an’ Twilight Sparkle.” Each mare gave a little nod. Rarity managed a “Pleasure”

“SUPER!!!” Suddenly the mares jumped at a sudden explosion causing Twilight to swing her head back and exposing her head. Fluttershy fell to the ground as confetti blew thru the air,

“What was that?!!!” Twilight asked in surprise.

‘Ooops! That was my hidden super duper surprise party canon for just in case of greet new ponies situation! I got Dr. Hooves to install one for me. Heehee!!”

Pinkie skipped around until she came face to face with Twilight and noticed her horn. Pinkie gasped loudly, hovering in the air and then she stepped back in front of Applejack, protecting her. Twilight quickly hovered the cloak’s hood over her head.

“STAY BACK AJ!! I GOT THIS!” Pinkie got into a ready fighting stance, “She’s a—”

“Pinkie, it’s—”

“—unicorn! How’d they get in here?!

“Pinkie—”

“Invasion of whippa—!”

‘PINKIE!!!!” Applejack had to grip Pinkie’s tail once again, “‘tis okay… they ain’t gonna do nothin.’”

“How do you know?! They’re fishy!” Pinkie initial friendliness disappeared as she now scowled at the group which made Fluttershy even more uncomfortable now.

“Yer forgot who mah brother is?”

“Oh. Right.”

“Riiiiight. You said you were goin’ tuh Willow City?”

“Yes indeedy doodle!”

“Imma goin’ mahself. Applebloom went there. Tis’ a loooooong story an’ dun ask. Ah was just going back to San Fratello to get my soniglider.”

“Why’re you going for it silly? Just let it come to you!”

“Huh?”

“You can home it!! Here lemme show you!” Pinkie dug into her saddle bag and pulled out a little egg shaped key.

“You got one of these don’t ya?”

“Uuuuh yeah. Right here” Applejack pulled out a similar key.

Pinkie took it and switched it on and with a little orange glow a semi transparent interface monitor appeared. The group of mares couldn’t help but become curious and took a few steps in cautiously to see.

“Hello Applejack” said mechanical male voice, “How may I help today?”

“Homing application” Pinkie replied.

“Homing application activated, please voice activate the pin code of your soniglider.”

“This is your part. Your pin is on the key.” Pinkie instructed.

“49253DH”

“Homing activated.” the male voice said and the orange glow began phasing in and out.

“There! Now it’ll come to you!”

“Ah didn’t know yer could do that…” Applejack said feeling embarrassed.

“Dr. Hooves is a genius! He’s thought of everything! After all he created the soniglider!!” Pinkie said proudly, “and speaking of creation, did you know he’s working on his time/space theory? He didn’t show me anything but I did get a glimpse of some blue box he’s developing.

“Pinkie… ah need a favor.”

“Sure thing!”

“Can yer go with me to Willow City? With these here girls?” Pinkie looked back at the group and blinked between them and Applejack with a more serious look. .

“Ooooooooooooooh no!!”

“Come on! A glider can hold three ponies max. Please.”

“Applejack!”

“Please?” Applejack was never one to beg or ask for help and Pinkie realized this. With a heavy sigh she relented.

“Oh all right! But I got my EYE on youI I don’t like it and I don’t like you one bit!... Maybe I like you a little bit….” Pinkie addressed the group as her right eye bulged.

“We’re sort of getting accustomed to not being liked here.” Twilight said.

Just then a distant whirring was heard. The group looked up in the direction it was coming from and sure enough saw another soniglider zooming toward them on autopilot. It had an orange glow coming from the thrusters. It descended with a slow hum causing turbulence in the air and powered down close to Applejack. It had the same sleek design as Pinkie but it didn’t have a few extra accessories that Pinkie had. Rainbow couldn’t contain her excitement any longer.

“That is totally awesome!” she exclaimed. Applejack opened the back compartment and pulled out a helmet and placed it on her head. Pinkie placed hers on as well. The visors came down now obscuring the earth ponies’ faces. Both mounted their gliders. Applejack turned toward the group.

“Well? What’re yer waitin’ for? Get on.” She said tapping the back of the glider where it had extra seating space. Rainbow wasted no time on getting on behind Pinkie followed by Twilight. Rarity got behind Applejack.

“What’s the matter Fluttershy?” Rarity asked.

“Um… I’m not sure…”

“Just get on already.” Rainbow said angrily.

“Oh… okay.” Fluttershy sheepishly mounted the craft.

“On.” Applejack said and the soniglider powered up with a whirring hum and it began a slight tremble as it rose up slowly to hover. Fluttershy grabbed Rarity and hugged her tightly.

“AJ! Turn on your interface.” Pinkie said. Applejack pushed a few buttons and a glowing interface appeared.

“Incoming call.” the male mechanical voice said. Applejack swiped the interface and a video image of Pinkie’s face appeared.

“HIYA AJ!”

“Hey” Applejack looked over to and saw that Pinkie had on her interface an image of her face. Applejack heard another “WOW” from Rainbow.

“Wanna race?” Pinkie asked.

“What? No way! You’d win anyway!”

“Scared? I lowered my stats to match yours, so we’ll be even.” Pinkie’s face smirked on Applejack’s screen.

“In that case, you’re on!!” Applejack said as her competitiveness kicked in.

“First to Manenisota, wins! Take the east road! Let’s go!” Pinkie went off with a zoom leaving pink flash behind. Applejack didn’t waste a second revving up and zoomed off as well. Fluttershy and Rarity were screaming at the speed they were going at while Rainbow shouted a “WOOHOO” feeling overjoyed to be going fast again.
Twilight was too scared to scream but held tightly onto Rainbow. As they zoomed by passing a few carriages on the road, the gliders swerved sharply to avoid them. Rarity felt as if she’d be sick.

“FASTER!” Rainbow exclaimed. Pinkie changed gears and went slightly ahead of Applejack. Applejack’s face contorted to a daring look and revved up meeting Pinkie’s glider. The two battled head on competing for which fairings will be ahead.

“Hitting 350 AJ! Think you got all that gusto?” Pinkie said over the interface.

“YEEEHAW. Y’all jus’ keep that hoof to mouth jabber tuh yerself!”

“Watch THIS! You all just better sit tight and hold on!!”

“Wait WHAT?” Rainbow said but Pinkie released from a wrist band on her arm a light ball. It zoomed forward till it was only a speck. She then got up from sitting and put her back hooves on the seat till she was standing on the glider. Rainbow and twilight began to have a heart attack. The glider rose higher and the ball were already automatically coming back towards Pinkie. She leaned forward and the glider bobbed a little. Twilight screamed this time. Pinkie thrust forward and lunged herself, pivoted on the handle to do a flipping twirl kick, kicking the ball to go faster and further away. The glider went down a few meters after which she came landing onto the glider back to her original position.

“WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT?!?!?!” Applejack asked wide eyed. Rarity and Fluttershy was too stunned at watching Pinkie do her stunt. And Rainbow and Twilight were holding their chests so tight they might have borne holes into their cloaks.

“My new move I’ve been practicing for the league. I call it the Funky Twirly Swirly!”

“Show off” Applejack muttered. The ball came back when Pinkie put up her forehoof and the ball disappeared into the wristband. The race continued on. The east road was actually off the main road and would take at least two hours longer to reach Manenisota by carriage. Pinkie and Applejack decided to slow down along the road, still in mind that the race was on, but didn’t want to burn out the thrusters. The ride was quiet this time around and the slow pace now made the mares appreciate the scenery. The wind blew and the various flowering trees released their foliage along the road. The various hues of pink, blue and green was enough to make Twilight shed some tears. Fluttershy was busy staring at the ground watching some jackalopes and noxies hop by.
Applejack turned her head to the right and suddenly came to a grinding halt. Pinkie also stopped short of passing Applejack.

“Hey! Why’d you stop?” Rarity asked but Applejack paid her no attention.

“SHHH!” Rarity looked aghast at the reaction she had gotten. Pinkie edged up to be parallel to applejack.

“Why’d you stop AJ?” Pinkie asked.

“Shhh Pinkie….”Applejack remained still for a few more seconds, “y’all hear that?” Everypony remained still.

A strange distant rumbling echoed thru the valley. Applejack and Pinkie looked at each other while everyone else stared at the ground. Suddenly Pinkie’s ears did a twitch and her right forehoof began to ache.

“Oooh no.” Pinkie muttered. Applejack noticed Pinkie’s signs and her eyes widened, but before they can react the ground began shaking and up heaving causing cracks throughout the field and road. Suddenly a giant form emerged from the ground causing a tumultuous amount of dust and grass to be scattered everywhere. Both glider riders quickly reversed and backed away from the disturbance.

“What the f—!” Applejack exclaimed but quickly covered her mouth as the dust began clearing.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF CELESTIA IS THAT?!” Rarity asked horrified.

“Shhhhhhh!!!! It’s a golem... an’ a quartzion type on top o’ that.” Applejack whispered. They stared at the humongous rock form made up of several boulders put together in a grotesque manner to form some sort of shape like a two legged creature. It was covered in scaly dirt, grass and adorned by small trees on top of its head. Its brown eyes, small and beady, stared in the direction of the group.

“Dun….. move a muscle,” Applejack whispered,”if y’all wanna keep alive, do exactly as ah say. Dun move.”

“But...” Fluttershy whimpered but was cut off by Rainbow.

“It’s staring at us!”

“Golems’re near blind. Can’t see a thang ‘cept fer swift movements, but they got one heck of o’ sense o’ smell... This one’s still a baby.”

“A baby?!” Twilight gasped.

“Shhh! They dun really attack ponies unless we’re in its territory or in its way for food an’ I reckon it’s the second one.” Applejack explained quietly as the golem sniffed the air around them, “Pinkie Pie, let’s back away nice an’ slow.”

Pinkie and Applejack both began to inch their gliders slowly from the golem’s vicinity but it kept sniffing the air and it seemed to be following them. The golem bent lower scanning the ground area, sniffing at the group. It growled.

“A-Ay….Jay...” Pinkie whispered shakily.

“Yer know what we gotta do, right?”

“Uh-huh.” Pinkie said slowly shifting her eyes back and forth between the golem and Applejack.

“RUN!!!!!” Pinkie and Applejack in one swift move did a skidding turn and revved. The golem roared and brought its heavy arm down smashing into the ground causing a huge tremor, with Applejack and her group barely dodging the blow, and falling off the glider. The glider sped off but with no rider it soon went out of control and crashed into the nearby meadow. Rarity and Fluttershy rolled a few meters away. Rarity was already groaning from the stinging of slight bruises and Fluttershy was protecting her head.

“My face!! Now I’ll look horrible!!” Rarity sobbed feeling a small gash in her face. Fluttershy gingerly got to her hooves.

Pinkie had zoomed off some distance away before she realized Applejack had lagged behind. Rainbow Dash and Twilight held on tightly to the glider as Pinkie did another skidding U-turn and sped back to Applejack and the others. The golem roared and brought down its second arm into the cobble stone road this time causing an upheaval of rock and dirt upon the second group.

“PINKIE!!!” Applejack screamed. The golem once again turned its attention to Applejack. Applejack shook off the dirt stood squarely in front of the golem and smirked. Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie managed to pop their heads out of the mound and shook off.

“Twilight! Rainbow!” Rarity and Fluttershy cried in relief and ran towards the group who had just emerged. “You okay?”

“Yeah, we are.” Twilight said. They turned their attention to the standoff.

“Come at me yer big ugly pile o’ rubble!!” the golem growled again and roared in Applejack’s face. The gust of hot stinking breath did not make Applejack budge as her hair blew wildly, and hat blown away.

“That’s all yer got?” the golem raised its arm once again. Applejack’s smirk turned to a taunting smile. The golem raised its arm once again.

“APPLEJAAAAAACK!” everypony screamed. Just as the arm began its descent, the whirring of thrusters and a sudden flash whizzed past from behind the other mares. In one swift move, Applejack jumped out of the way and landed onto her glider heading upward into the air. The golem had hit into the ground and the massive tremor made the mares fall over once again. Applejack quickly reached to the side and pulled out a lasso swirling it into the air and let loose hooking the lasso around the golem’s huge neck. The golem tugged and the glider’s thrusters began to smoke a bit.

“PINKIE! Catch!!” Applejack released the other end of the rope and flicked it down to Pinkie who by then had gotten up and summoned her glider from under the rubble mound. Pinkie caught it, jumped on her glider and zoomed off toward the golem moving around and around, gaining more speed with each turn.

“Y’ALL GIT DOWN OR OUTTA THE WAY!!!!” Fluttershy ran towards some bushes to hide and the others ducked still craning their eyes upwards and mouths agape in astonishment of the darings of the two earth ponies.

The rope entangling the golem tightened as the pink blur whizzed at almost full speed. Applejack zoomed further upwards till she was a mere speck in the sky. She switched on her interface and swiped in the hyper drive mode.

“Warning. System may overload. Warning. System may overload.” The mechanical male voice announced.

Applejack then turned the gear to the second highest level and looked straight down at the golem.

“This is it.” Applejack muttered then hit the pedal and flashed full speed on, spinning toward the golem. The effect of the turbulence caused the flow of air to rotate creating a violent whirlwind tail end swirling down at the massive speed. Midway through the move, she moved into the highest gear and headed straight on to the golem creating a colossal shockwave throughout the valley. The wind hit so hard that small tress were uprooted and the golem’s scaly dirt skin began peeling off. Pinkie hard flashed upward herself to avoid getting caught in the turbulence. Applejack swerved mere seconds before she could impact as to avoid the golem. The violent whirlwind came down onto the golem and caused the boulders making up its body to fall apart. Just as she was almost clear of the falling rocks, a head size boulder struck Applejack on her head and right shoulder. She suddenly lost consciousness and tumbled off her glider falling meters to ground. The glider spun once again out of control but came to a halt humming some distance away. Rainbow being the first to notice what happened, rushed over hoping to catch Applejack but was too late as the orange mare land with a heavy thud onto the dirt and rubble.

“Applejack!” Pinkie screamed as hurried down to her cousin who laid bleeding and unconscious. Rainbow scooped up the limp Applejack and was shaking her to respond.

“Ooooh let me!” Fluttershy said fervently having a passion for caring. She pressed the wound on Applejack’s head to stop the bleeding, “We have to get help now!”

“RIGHT!” Pinkie intervened tapping the back of her glider, “put her here! And you! Rain—, whatever your name is! You drive AJ’s glider!”

“What?! But I don’t know—”

“No time! Just get on and hit that blue button there! And keep your cloak hoods on!! We’re going to Willow City. I know a shortcut!” Rainbow rushed to the glider and mounted with Twilight and Rarity joining her while Fluttershy remained with Applejack pressing the wound.

“FOLLOW ME!” Pinkie instructed and took off. Rainbow took a deep breath and gingerly hit the blue button making the glider zoomed off behind Pinkie.

Author's Note

WOOT!
A long awaited chapter.
wow, I actually got stuck a bit in writing this one.
thanks to Chronocrosser for some help!! :rainbowdetermined2:

will try to post a few chapters sooner now that I'm free for the next 3 months.

Fireworks

Author's Note

Thanks to my co-author who got this chapter going! Woot!
It's pretty busy for me 'sniff'. can't do it without you Chrono!! *big hug*

Fireworks

All opinions are Hasbro's; I have none. (In my opinion.)

=====================

Princess Celestia sat nearby the rarely used fireplace reading various documents but her mind was far. She pondered on the well being of her faithful student and her friends. She slowly arose from her place to the window looking out toward the sunset.

“Are you alright my sister?” a very familiar voice said. Celestia shifted her eyes towards the door.

“Luna… I was just thinking about Twilight and her friends. I hope that they are fine. This task is not an easy one. Many have tried in the past to contact the earth ponies but was never successful.”

“I sense that they are fine sister.”

“I can only hope so…”

==================

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo peered out the window admiring the ongoing fireworks in the distance as Applebloom lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling.
Their occasional ‘ooohs’ and ‘aahs’ were starting a little bit annoy Applebloom.

“Don’t you guys have fireworks back in uuuuh….?” Applebloom began.

“Equestria? Only for really posh parties who can afford to pay the great and powerful Trixie to perform which is totally rare,” Sweetie explained.

“Who’s Trixie?” Applebloom asked.

“She’s a travelling entertainer. Really neat fireworks displays but super expensive to hire!” Scootaloo explained.

“Life must really tough for you guys huh?” Applebloom asked.

“It is. My sister dreams of being a fashion designer but she cleans houses for a living…” Sweetie Belle started.

“…and my big “sister”… well I call her sister but she’s not really… she takes on odd jobs like construction whenever someone is building or messenger. Weather jobs are saturated.”

“Weather jobs?” Applebloom said looking confused.

“Yeah. Pegasi control the weather,” Scootaloo said proudly. “Who controls your weather?”

“Ummm… nature?” Applebloom said which was met by an ‘Oh’ from both fillies.

“Hey… wanna go out and see the fireworks?” Applebloom asked, “The festival goes on all week. The fire dance is tomorrow and the princess’ balad is the nex’ day. You may not be here all week so I might as well show you guys somethin’!”

“I’d love too!” Scootaloo exclaimed with her wings buzzing.

“I dunno… you sure we wouldn’t get caught?”

“Naaaaw… come on!” just as Applebloom opened the door, there stood two towering guards looking at them. Scootaloo and Sweetie cowered in complete fear and Applebloom was absolutely shocked.

“You three… come with us now.” the guard commanded.

“RUUUUN!” Applebloom shouted and ran inside the room toward the window. Scootaloo and Sweetie followed hurriedly and the three fillies scrambled through and jumped out onto the awning and then onto the ground below.

“They’re getting away! After them!” Wild Strikes bellowed. The guards scrambled to get out of the building and back onto the street. “FIND THEM!”

The guards chased into the direction that the fillies went. The girls ran zigzagged through a crowded area and ducked into an alleyway. Only because they were going so fast that nopony noticed that a unicorn and a pegasus just ran past them. They stopped, panting heavily trying to catch their breaths.

“Oh no! Oh no! The guards must have imprisoned Spike and Gilda!” Sweetie suggested through heavy breaths.

“I dunno but I dun think mah brother would do such a thing without reason. Maybe we shouldn’t have run away…” Applebloom said.

“I’m scared.” Sweetie said.

“Come on girls. We can’t stay here.” Applebloom said as she walked down the alley. As they came out from the other side a massive fire flower bloomed in the air right before them with the loudest bang.

“OH LOOK! We made it to the fire works show! Come on!” Applebloom said joyfully.

“We can’t go out like this!”

“Oh right..” Applebloom said and she snuck onto the back of a taxi carriage and pulled out somepony’s coats. “Here.”

“That’s stealing!” Sweetie said adamantly.

“We’re just borrowin’! We’ll put it back!”

Sweetie and Scootaloo covered themselves and followed Applebloom toward the giant display of fireworks in the city center. They looked on at the works of giant waterfalls, fishes, crossettes, horsetails, dragons, and willows. It was an amazing display that lasted almost forty five minutes. By the time, the show was done and the crowd dissipated, the girls were heading back to put the coat back where they got it when they heard the shout.

“THERE THEY ARE!”

The girls took off in the opposite direction only to be captured by the other guard who had a devilish smirk.

“Got yer.”

===============

Earlier on...

It was a calm peaceful day for the Argillian flower field. The sun was shining bright the birds were singing and the butterflies seemed to dance around the rainbow of colors the flowers created.

Then that peace was shattered as two gliders rocketed along over the field to Willow City.

“Oh my…. I’m sorry, we ruined your fun, but this is an emergency.” cried Fluttershy to the insects, “Pinkie would you please take me back to properly apologize to them later.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it. This is the first and hopefully last time I’m not looking to make friends. I am hoping to get you and Applejack to Willow City and be done with you.” Pinkie responded.
.
“Oh come on you don’t even know us, I’m sure if you gave us a chance… “Rarity started.

“If I gave you a chance it would get very difficult for me to survive in Argil, even if the princess herself pardoned me for grand treason.” countered Pinkie.

Twilight turned to Pinkie and gave her a confused expression. “Huh?”

Pinkie sighed and began explaining. “Look I don’t know how much about Argillian history. But from the sound of it you underestimate just how much you are hated here. We actually have a few major organizations that were built on the hatred of your races.”

Rainbow Dash turned to Pinkie with a furious look on her face. “What!! Why of all the…”

“Rainbow! Quiet! I knew we were disliked here in Argil. But to have a whole club dedicated to hating us, that seems to me to be a little much.” said Twilight.

“Yeah they don’t even know us. How can these ponies be so ignorant as to hate us, without even giving us a chance!” said Rarity.

Pinkie suddenly had a very annoyed look on her face as she said. “Okay four things. First I said a few as in plural. Second I said organization not a club. A club is a group of friends with a common interest. An organization is a body of ponies formed for a particular purpose.

“Pinkie I don’t really see the point of this…” said Twilight.

Pinkie held her hoof up and said. “I’m not done. Third at least one of those organizations, Weeping Stone or ignorant ponies as you call them has a lot of pull in our government. And have a lot of positive PR. If they wanted to they could make it almost impossible for me, or my family to find work.

“Impossible to find work?” Said Twilight.

“Yes!” Pinkie said. “Impossible to find work. Nopony would willingly want to hire anypony accused of treason. And even if we could find jobs, if we were branded traitors to Argil any place that did hire us would probably go bankrupt.”

“Bankrupt?” Said Twilight.

“Yes!” Pinkie said. “Bankrupt. You see if I was branded a traitor, Weeping Stone could and probably would use its influence to launch a smear campaign against where I worked, even worse! Kick me out of Glory Glider league! They would insure that no matter where I worked it would never get a customer or an order to provide a service again!!!”

Twilight had a frightened look on her face and said “Okay I’m beginning to see the point of this.”

Pinkie held her hoof up again and said. “I’m still not done. Fourthly, I don’t know why Applejack was helping you but my family comes first. If I feel for any reason that you or your group will put my friends, and or family in danger I won’t hesitate to take action. I will turn you over to the guards myself.”

The mane four had a look of shock on their faces after hearing that, Except for Fluttershy who looked to Pinkie and said with a smile. “Thank you, for all you help.”

“Really Fluttershy your greatfull for that” Said Rarity.

Fluttershy looked to the rest of her group and said, “What it could have gone a lot worse. And she’s being quite reasonable.”

“How?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy responded with “She said she would only turn us in if she feel we are putting her friends and or family in danger. That’s pretty reasonable.”

“How is that reasonable?” asked Rarity.

“Rarity if it was to protect your family would you not do the same as her.” asked Fluttershy.

“Of cours nooo…. Hummmm… well um I would, I guess I’d I, I, I, I, I, I, I, AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!” Rarity said frustratingly.

Pinkie began to slow atop of an incline on the eastern road and stopped atop of it. Rainbow came behind and slowed as well.

“There’s Willow City.” Pinkie pointed to the view.

Glistening in the distance stood a wonder never before seen by the foreign four. A towering imperial palace, ten times bigger and more majestic than Canterlot Castle and it sparkled, even in the twilight.

“By the Princesses!” said the Foreign Four at the same time. They seemed to be ten times more stunned than when they first saw Argil. The city skyline that surrounded it formed a magical quality of master craftponyship and architecture. Tall majestic buildings, which were never seen by the foreign four, only outmatched the height of the palace but they had in no way the field of grandeur that the palace had, even if a pony-made waterfall was built into one of the buildings. And even in this city plant life seemed to flourish abundantly. Even from the distance they were from the city they could make out hanging gardens everywhere, parks and other miscellaneous plant life. Twilight noticed that a lot of the plant life in Willow City seemed to have some form of food growing on them.
Twilight almost could not believe her eyes as she said, “Fascinating even after Gunther told us all about how Argil was the most magnificent place to be, I had my doubts. But now that I see Willow City, there is no longer even a shred of doubt in my mind. Even in its heyday before the great famine, Canterlot could never even come close to the majesty of Willow City.”

“Yeah! Canterlot is a slum compared to Willow City.” said Rainbow Dash as she looked at it in amazement.

Fluttershy simply looked at it all the plant life of Willow City with longing. “I never imagined there would be a city I would not mind living in. Look at those gardens and the all of the animals in them. Oh, how I’d love to get to know them.”

Rarity seemed to be the most astonished at the sheer beauty of Willow City. She cried as she gazed longingly at its beauty, and looked at it as if she found heaven on earth.

“Amazing never in my wildest dreams could I even have imagined a place like Willow City could even exist let alone be built by Earth Ponies.”

“Thanks. We……… WAIT WHAT!!!!!!” shouted Pinkie.

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy just looked at them with fear.

“To think of all those years I wasted wanting to live in Canterlot. Thinking even if it was slowly crumbling, it was the height of Pony culture and prosperity. I mean even if I left Equestria it would be even harder to live elsewhere. Who in Equestria would ever have believed that the Earth Ponies a race without magic or flight could ever make a place like Willow City, and who in Equestria would have thought Willow City would be the true height of pony culture and prosperity” Said Rarity.

“Wait! What did you say! Never thought what? The Ponies in Equestria would never think what? How little do you four think of Earth Ponies anyway?” shouted Pinkie now looking quite angry.

Fluttershy put her hoof in her mouth and started biting in a panic.

Rarity just continued. “But now that I see this I now know it’s my destiny, nay! My very reason for being to open a boutique here.”

“You boneheaded whippakrak!” shouted Pinkie now red in the face, “Didn’t you listen to what I said before?!”

“No need to call us that!!” Rainbow Dash replied very annoyed.

Twilight just put her face in her hoof and shook her head.

Rarity continued to talk with a twinkle in her eyes, “Yes! That sounds very rude!!... Willow City I think here I can finally live my dream of making and selling fabulous dresses. I mean in Equestria no one can afford to spend any bits on a luxury like fashion so I never got a chance to show off my true talent. Oh the jobs I had to take to make ends meet. Cleaning houses and bathrooms! Urgh! But just look at that city surely they can afford to be fashionable!!”

“You’re not allowed here!” shouted Pinkie now looking like she would blow a gasket any minute. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, looked down and clutched her head with one hoof like she had a migraine while somehow still doing a good job flying the glider.

Rarity continued. “Back in Equestria, I never had a chance to live my dream. It was always survival first and we all had to struggle just to stay alive. But here in Willow City…. No! Here in Argil, I can finally live my dream to make dresses, beautiful, beautiful dresses! Why in a year, tops, I’ll be known as the best seamstress, with the best boutique in Argil.”

Pinkie rolled her eyes and plugged her ears with her hooves. The glider started to sway a bit.

Twilight suddenly steeped in and said. “Please calm down Pinkie I’m sure Rarity didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Huh? What did I say?” said Rarity.

Pinkie just grumbled and said. “Okay were almost there, once you get off, I don’t know you.”

“Wait Pinkie you have to help us please. A unicorn and a pegasus filly are there all alone with Apple Bloom. And we were headed to Willow City to bring them back to Equestria.” shouted Twilight.

Pinkie’s eyes widened with shock as she heard that. “What?! Applebloom?! That changes everything! I may not trust you but even I would not leave Applebloom and two whippakrak fillies to die like that, no matter what tribe they are. And even worst leave Apple Bloom to be branded a traitor at such a young age!”

Pinkie reached into a compartment in her glider and took out a pen, a map, and a pink clasp change purse with her cutie mark on it. First she marked the map, and then gave the map to Fluttershy. “This is one of my emergency maps and it has been marked to lead you to the Sweaty Stable.”

“The Sweaty Stable.” repeated Rarity looking disgusted. Pinkie continued as she gave the change purse to Twilight. “And that is one of my emergency change purses and it should contain more than enough seeds to get a room at the Sweaty Stable. It’s a cheap motel in the worst district of Willow City. Just tell Moonshine that the Pinkster sent ya! ‘Party Animal’ is the password.”

Rarity looked at Pinkie horrified “Is that what you call that helping, you little…”

Pinkie just looked at her hard and said, “It’s a place that won’t ask questions or ask about your wardrobe. And might I add I feel I’m being quite generous paying for your room. While you’re hiding out I’ll get you some better disguises. And then we can look for the girls.”

“Thank you Pinkie. We appreciate all your doing for us. Right girls?” said Twilight.

“Of course we do.” said Fluttershy.

“I suppose, I guess beggars can’t be choosers.” said Rarity.

“I guess, but I still don’t like her attitude.” said Rainbow Dash.

“I guess now I don’t have to work as hard finding them all of them disguises that they will like,” thought Pinkie to herself with a smirk.

Finally they made it to the outer wall of Willow City. Just as they arrived at the entrance to the city they encountered a sight that put the Foreign Four in a state of panic, three guards approaching them.

“HALT! Inspection.” said the guard. “Oh hey! It’s Pinkie Pie y’all! Welcome to Willow City! Hey… my son just bought a new glory glider card set. Do you mind signing it for him?”

“Hi Meadow Song! Sure.” Pinkie pulled out her pen and signed the card set. “Ummm, why are they checking? They never checked before.” said Pinkie.

“Orders from the top. We have to check all arrivals to Willow City. Now have your friends remove their hoods and give their names for the inspection.” said the lead guard.

Twilight got close to Pinkie, and whispered to her. “Okay what’s the plan how are we going to sneak past the guards? Oh, I know you make a distraction with a song and dance number while we… hey where are you going!!” said Twilight in a panic as Pinkie rushed to the guards.

Pinkie grabbed the lead guard, stuck her face right in his, looked him directly in the eyes and shouted. “We don’t have time for this. We have a medical emergency here. This pony is in critical condition and needs urgent medical care stat.”

The guard suddenly became a very nervous as he said. “Sorry, it seems you have an emergency but orders are…”

Pinkie got angry and said. “Lieutenant Archer. I am not afraid of reporting you. This pony in critical condition is Applejack. That’s right! Captain Big Mac’s little sister! I’m sure you know how much he loves his family. So unless you want to explain to him why you just stood around and let his sister’s condition get worse instead of getting her help, I suggest you let us in!!”

Meadow Song rushed to the glider carrying Applejack, and got a good look at her. “By Terra!! This is the captain’s sister!” he shouted.
The lead guard now identified as Archer started to panic and shouted. “Well don’t just stand their Meadow Song! Get her to the military hospital. If we don’t hurry Captain Mac will make us eat our own armor.”

“What about the other four?” asked the last guard. Archer just said. “Forget our orders! Just let them in!”

Willow City, Here We Come!!

It wasn't me, I wasn't there, nobody saw me write this fanfic.

There was a moment of awkward silence amongst the group. Spike looked around and saw one or two ponies watching them.
Braeburn awkwardly laughed, “Ha ha ha..... oh yeaah.... nice COSTUME as a unicorn for the festival pageant show... ha ha.......ha”
The ponies just gave a confused look but went about their business. Braeburn grabbed Applejack and Applebloom and pulled them to the nearest alley to the stall.
He let out a great, hefty sigh.

“Applejack... I gots sumtun I’ve been tryin’ to tell yer,” Braeburn said circling his hoof on the ground. He retold all the events that happened to him, about ending up in Equestria, meeting the unicorns, about them asking for help. Spike also joined in on the explanation about his mission in Argil. Braeburn also explained that Sweetie and Scootaloo stowed away and they managed through the barrier. Sweetie and Scootaloo unveiled themselves from the cloaks to reveal their wings and horn. Applebloom and Applejack has two totally different expressions. While Applebloom’s face showed wonderment, Applejack looked horrified.

“Are you out of yer apple-buckin’ mind?!! If ponies found out about this, they’d drag yer sorry rump through the town till the cows come home.”

“They’re leaving for Willow City tomorrow with Spurs. We don’t got nuttin’ to do with it anymore after that.” Braeburn said.

“WOOOOOOOOW! A real pegasus and real unicorn! Can yer do magic? Huh Huh?! Can yer? And can you fly?!”
Sweetie and Scootaloo opened their mouths to answer but were cut off.

“APPLEBLOOM! Hush and let the big ponies talk! Braeburn, the simple matter is you’re putting a lot of ponies in danger by bringin’ them into Argil. Have yer forgotten all the stories Granny Smith told ya?”

“I haven’t forgotten Applejack... but..”

“How can you be so sure ‘bout them unicorn and pegasi. What if they got some trick up their sleeves? Why should we help them anyway? They ain’t nuttin’ but a bunch o’ whip crackin’ monsters!!” Applejack ranted. Anger was rising within her which made everypony quite uncomfortable. But Spike also felt anger rising in him too. He couldn’t stand to hear Twilight and his other friends being spoken about like that. Sweetie and Scootaloo shifted uncomfortably in their spaces after being likened to a monster.

“Twilight isn’t like that! She’s not a monster!!” Spike interjected, “Unicorns and pegasi aren’t like five hundred years ago! There’s no food there!! We need help!”

“Oh now they’re sufferin’ and wants us to come help them? That ain’t our problem,” Applejack said, “they brought this upon themselves. Applebloom come on, we’re going home now.”

“Applejack, wait!” Braeburn followed her, “please.... don’t tell anypony ‘bout this. Let Spike go to Willow City and talk to the princess.” Applejack looked at him as if she’s was disgusted at his request.

“Ah won’t. APPLEBLOOM!” Applejack walked off out of the alley and back to Gilda who was now with the rest of the griffon crew. Applebloom stared at the other fillies as if she was trying to figure out how they were monsters. Without saying anything, she then turned and walked off to meet Applejack. Braeburn, Spike and the fillies were left standing in the alley with a heavy aura over them.

“Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to come here Scootaloo,” Sweetie said looking dejected. Scootaloo looked like she was about to break into tears. Spike was still feeling anger over the insults of his friends and Braeburn felt awkward himself. Deep down, he also felt the same as Applejack but she voiced it, bluntly. He swallowed a lump and then spoke.

“Come on y’all. I still gots a festival tuh show ya.”
Sweetie and Scootaloo covered themselves once again and Braeburn led the group out of the alley and made their way out by Braeburn’s cart from the port to San Fratello, the town where the Apple family’s estate was located.

The journey was quiet. The heavy aura still hung around the group but the mood was lightened a bit with the scenes of nature as they passed by. It was evening already and the cool breeze blew lightly, the rustling of leaves and the various fauna and flora made the new comers forget what had happened in the alley for the time being. The grassland flowers danced lightly and the dandelions released their woolliness making the air lively as well. As they approached the town, the group craned out of the canvas cover to see it. It was a wonderful sight just like the port. The housing was different, a bit simpler, but just as elegant. Cottages and cabins were made from timber and there were also marble buildings that mostly served as stores. There was one peculiar looking building that looked like a giant candy house. Sweetie and Scootaloo already marked it as their favourite building. But there were a multitude of apple trees laden with fruit that stretched for acres and acres.

Just then, out from the grasslands with a bunch of fillies and colts following, a very pink mare with an electric pink, curly mane came bouncing toward them.

“Braeburn! Braeburn! Hey everypony! Braeburn’s back!” she called to the little group.

“BRAEBURN! BRAEBURN!” the hoard of little ponies came galloping toward the cart to greet Braeburn with the mare leading bouncing along the moving cart.

“Hey Braeburn! Where ya been?! I’ve just been having the fun, fun, funnest time since the celebration started! ‘Cause you know why?! It’s time to party all week long! I mean who wouldn’t want that? I just finished planning the biggest super duper party that San Fratello will ever see! And now that you’re back it’s gonna be ten times more fun! Oh and Uncle Zeppelin is back too so that make another ten times more fun! That’s twenty times the fun!...”

“Hi Pinkie Pie.” Braeburn managed between Pinkie’s rant.

“... and look! We got new faces! More fun! I’ve never seen you all before! Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie and I’m your new friend! What are you anyway?! Oh oh! Lemme guess! A mutant alligator? No.... A purple spikey head gnome! Oh oh..a...”

“DRAGON! I’M A DRAGON!” Spike wasn’t sure what to make of this mare. She annoyed him greatly but the description of him, Spike thought he preferred Braeburn’s better.

“... a dragon? You know the fun thing about dragons is that they breathe fire? I mean think about it! They probably can swallow anything and cook it in their bellies after eating it! Wouldn’t that just be the coolest thing ever! And look at these new fillies! What’re your names?”

“Uuuuuuuuuh ... I’m Sweetie Belle and this is Scootaloo.” Sweetie said nervously also weary of this new personality.

“You guys will come to the party later, right? I mean it’s totally gonna be fun!” Pinkie suddenly appeared with a party hat on and a trumpet on her mouth, “there’s gonna be cake and lots of Busele Brule! I just totally made that up! Say it with me!”

“We’ll be there Pinkie!” Braeburn said looking annoyed and trotted faster to lose her which in a way worked as she got occupied in having all the young ponies say ‘Busele Brule’ ten times with her. Braeburn was being greeted with “Welcome back” greeting from everypony in town, in which he returned a pleasant gesture they trotted along the streets.

“Welcome back Braeburn!”

“Thanks Rose! Did Applejack come back already?”

“Yeah I saw here earlier going home with Applebloom and a group of griffons.”

Spike felt a surge of anger hearing Applejack’s name. Braeburn pressed on through the huge square that had had the same statue of the stallion back in Hayport but smaller. He eventually stopped at a large cabin away from the town surrounded by apple trees.

“Okay we’re at mah house! Y’all can bunk here tonight” Braeburn said pulling himself off the cart and unpacking his things, “I’ll take yer back to Hayside and Spurs’ll take y’all to Willow City from there.”

“Thanks Braeburn...” Spike said feeling a bit depressed.

“Look, I know y’all feel a bit down right now but I told yer that’s the way ponies feel here. Y’all should brace yerselves cuz a lot more is comin’ yer way. It’s up ter you Spike if y’all wanna continue or not.”

“No, Twilight and everypony back home is counting on me to do this! I can’t let them down!”

“Good thinkin’ little feller. Now how about I show y’all the festival and around Sweet Apple Acres?” the three nodded at the suggestion and headed out into the evening coolness.

***********

The first night Willow Celebrations stared at San Fratello. Everypony showed up at the festivities. They gather at the main square where indeed Pinkie Pie had decorated the scene with an enormous amount of balloons, streamers and lights. The mares and fillies were dressed similarly in colourful dresses with flowers in their manes and the stallions and colts wore smartly made matching vests. Spike noticed that Pinkie was hopping around asking everypony if they having the best time ever and offering apple cider and punch to everyone while a couple who everyone was calling Mr. and Mrs. Cake were busy in putting food out like there's no tomorrow. Applejack was busy in conversation with Junebug, Gilda and uncle Apple Strudel. The other griffons were over at the cider stand guffawing at some jokes being told by uncle Zeppelin, an old Argillian soldier who now flies a blimp. Applebloom was close by to Braeburn, busy in a foal gathering amongst herself, Pipsqueak, Babs Seed, Button Mash, Truffle Shuffle and Apple Mint. Braeburn kept aside away from too much crowd with Spike and the two fillies, still under cover, who were looking at foal group. They looked like they were much longing to join in.

“I wish I could say you two go on over there an’ make friends but...” Braeburn said. Spike felt sorry for the two fillies, and he knew Applejack as avoiding Braeburn. He secretly wished that Sweetie and Scootaloo had not followed him in the first place. They could have stay back home in Equestria and avoided the discrimination they were now facing. Nopony should go through that, let alone a filly.

“It’s okay,” Sweetie said and she bit into a piece of the famous Granny Smith’s apple pie. She seemed to have become lost a bit in savoring the flavor and Scootaloo was examining the statue.

“Who’s the statue of Braeburn? We saw the same one but bigger back at the port.”

“That’s the firs’ king of Argil, Grey Willow. He saved earth ponies from the uni…” Braeburn stopped suddenly being aware that he was talking to a pegasus and a unicorn.

“Tell us.” Scootaloo said.

“Well, the story goes that he was gonna be killed in the arena in front of thousands of …unicorn and pegasi and King Sombra… they released a HUUUUUUGE five headed dragon on ‘im and another prisoner.. err… Silver Oak see,” Scootaloo and Sweetie’s eyes widened with awe, “and as if with no effort Grey Willow single handedly defeated the dragon with his bare hooves and he climbed atop of it and commanded the defeated five headed dragon to fly away with him and Silver Oak makin’ them escape certain death...”

“I don’t like this story very much.” Spike said looking annoyed.

“After that, King Sombra wanted the earth ponies dead so Grey Willow atop of his dragon flew all around Equestria savin’ as many earth ponies as possible. However, he was a bit late see… an’ not much of us were left, just about a hundred of us. And he flew across the water with them to Argil.”

“WOOOW! COOL!” Scootaloo exclaimed, “…so how did a hundred ponies fit on one dragon?”

“Err… well see… Ah guess they were so thin in those days that they scrunched themselves up so close to each other they all fit on his back.” Spike couldn’t help but do a faceclaw to that explanation, “So the Willow Celebration is to commemorate him for savin’ us and many other things like the earth spirit, harvest an’ mare fertil...” Braeburn held back what he was going to say. Scootaloo and Sweetie looked at him curiously. Just then, Mayor Mare got on stage.

“FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS! It’s my great pleasure to welcome all of you to the First Night Willow Celebrations!!” there was a thunderous applause from the crowd, “and I would like to thank Pinkie Pie for this amazing..”

“And FUN!” Pinkie added.

“... set up and ensuring that everypony is having a wonderful time. But now it’s time for the dance to begin!”

Fiddly Faddle started the lively fiddle music and the same dance that occurred back in Hayside was performed by everymare with their partners. Apple Fritter came up to Braeburn and pulled him in the dance with her. He looked a bit awkward in his steps. Spike thought he probably haven’t danced in a while. Uncle Zeppelin was now drunk off his haunches. He climbed up on the stage area screaming to which Fiddly, on cue, changed the music. He began another dance, a type of tapping jig which was livelier than the last, and was amazingly in concert with the beat, despite being drunk. Everypony joined in as well. It seemed as though it was in their blood to dance. Spike, Sweetie and Scootaloo couldn’t help but sway to the music and became even more amazed at everyone’s performance which was topped off with magnificent fireworks that lit the night sky compliments to Pinkie Pie once again. It was a breath taking moment but Sweetie was careful this time to hide her excitement. Everypony became breathless by the end of the dances. Braeburn returned to his little group where he sat down panting.
Applebloom suddenly came up to them with a tray having three glasses.

“Hey cousin Braeburn... I thought they might like some punch.” She cautiously held out her hoof and offered Spike, Sweetie and Scootaloo while staring at them.

“Ummmmm....” Applebloom said with a bit of nervousness in her voice, “Yer not what big sis says are yer?”

“No! We’re not! I mean bad things happened long ago but we’re not like that! At all!” Scootaloo said a bit emotional. Applebloom continued to stare at them apprehensively and Braeburn and Spike said nothing.

“I’m Applebloom.” Sweetie and Scootaloo introduced themselves once again.

“How’d you end up here in Argil?”

“We snuck on the boat. Sweetie Belle thought it’d be a good idea to get cutie marks in being stowaways.”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Hey I dun have my cutie mark either!” Applebloom joined in and a conversation between the three fillies sparked up with giggling and smiles. Spike and Braeburn watched and couldn’t help but smile. Applejack looked over and saw the three fillies in conversation and was about to storm over to pull Applebloom away but Gilda stopped her in her tracks.

“Have a good look Applejack.” Gilda said. Applejack looked at the fillies’ laughter and enjoyment and somewhat relented and gave a half smile herself.

**********

As the rooster crowed, everypony were already packed up in Braeburn’s cart off to Hayside once again. Spike was just a bundle in blankets snoring peacefully while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were up enjoying the morning sun. As the cart moved through the path going into the town Braeburn stopped. Applejack, Applebloom, Gilda and the other griffons were waiting for him.

“Hey.” Braeburn said. Applejack returned the gesture awkwardly. Gilda hopped in the cart.

“What’re you doin’? Braeburn asked.

“What else. We’re going back to Hayside. Gunner the idiot here forgot to send a message to pops saying that we arrived safely, and that we decided to stay a bit for the celebrations. He’ll blow his feathers off about this.” Gunner lowered his head.

“Applejack, can I ride with Braeburn?” Applebloom asked.

“Uuuuh...” Applejack looked at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo warily, “Sure I guess.” The little earth filly hopped in the cart as well and another conversation about cutie marks sparked up. Braeburn smiled at Applejack. Just a few days ago he might had the same reaction as Applejack if their roles were reversed, but now he actually feels a bit more comfortable around Sweetie and Scootaloo.

The ride back to Hayside was a noisy one, much to Spike’s annoyance. The usual scene was occurring at Hayside except that there was a parade to be expected later on. They arrived an hour earlier so everypony gathered for morning tea at the coffee shop. Spike explained his plan when he will get to Willow City to the group.

“Yer can’t just waltz up to the princess!” Applejack said, “they’ll be done with yer scaly hide if you even get near the royal grounds! And those two…” looking at the fillies, “if they even blow their cover, filly or not, ponies’re gonna be on them like white on rice.”

“Then what should we do?” Spike asked.

“Firs’ you need a plan, an’ an escort who can set yer up to meet the chancellor an’ theeeen he’ll decide if yer can meet the princess… and ah know just the person.”

“Who?” spike asked.

“Mah brother Cap’n Big Macintosh in the royal guard. He should get yer in. But yer need someone who knows Willow City too.”

“Alright… no need to beg me, I’ll take him.” Gilda said. Everypony looked at Gilda, “What why you all looking at me like that? I know Willow City like the back of my claw!!”

“You’re not coming back with us Gilda?” Gunner asked.

“Tell pops I’ll be home as so as the week is over.”

“Okay then I guess you’re all set. I’ll write ‘im a letter. You can give him when you get to Willow City.” Applejack said. Time went by as Applejack scribbled a letter to Big Mac. Soon the group found themselves walking to the road full of carriages and Spurs was already waiting for them. Gilda, Spike, Sweetie and Scootaloo hopped in.

“Thank you Braeburn, Applejack for everything.” Spike said.

“You’re welcome Spike”

“You take care of yerself hear. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo…. Imma sorry fer calling…”

“It’s okay.” Sweetie Belle said and both of them gave a smile. The carriage took off, the Apples waved goodbye to the carriage at it exited the Port’s gate.

“Okay Applebloom we gots apples to sell….” Applejack said, “Applebloom???”.

“NUTS!”

The previous evening……

“TALLON POOOOOOOOOOOOOORT!”

Twilight and her group rushed up to the front to see the griffon town slowly becoming larger. Rainbow sighed and braced herself in case Gilda was there. As the boat docked the griffon guards came up for the usual inspection. Once they were all clear they headed to the police post to inquire about the lost fillies.

“We already sent a message. They were not found. We searched every vessel that came by, and in the vicinity.” one guard told.

“But what if they left on another vessel? Did you all notice anything?” Twilight asked.

“We search everything that comes and goes here and we’re telling you nothing out of the ordinary occurred.”
.
“It’s no use Twi, we gotta look around ourselves.” Rainbow said.

“Okay Rainbow.” Twilight said with a sigh and the group left the post.

The mares went around the market area that was getting ready to close. It didn’t have much crowd but they asked a couple of vendors whether they saw the fillies. They each got a ‘no’. Rainbow was getting rather agitated at the fact Gilda could show up anytime so she was being quite weary of the scenes around her. Just then she saw a familiar presence.

“Rainbow Dash?”

“Mr. Gunther!” Rainbow exclaimed with surprise. Gunther was a huge burly griffon that had the same menacing eyes, or rather, eye like Gilda. He had on a patch over one eye that blocked a slash coming down his face. He seemed that he was a personality of great important around the port. He spoke with a rugged voice that would make many cower in his presence. However, he spoke rather politely.

“Please just Gunther. What’re you doing in Tallon Port?”

“I just came looking for someone. I-Is Gilda around?”

“Nope. She went out to sea with her cousin on business.” Rainbow sighed with relief. Twilight and the rest met up with Rainbow as she was speaking with Gunther.

“These are my friends Mr. Gunther. Everypony this is Mr. Gunther, Gilda’s father.”

“Pleasure. Why don’t you come by for some tea and something to eat?” Gunther said. Nopony could turn down his invitation. He was too menacing to oppose. They followed him to his house which was a pile of rock slabs put together to make a very tall oblong structure. Inside was more welcoming than the exterior as there were lamps that softly glowed. Fluttershy was rather annoyed about the griffon’s choice of interior decoration as there were carpets made from bear skin and other adoringly cute animals such as a chimaera and a manticore.

“Please settle down” the ponies settled on their haunches, on cushions, at the table and Gunther called for members of his crew to serve them. Tea was served to everypony and they gladly obliged as it was a luxury to have it in Equestria. An array of pastries came out as well. Croissants, apple fritters, scones and hot soup were served.

“Who are you looking for?” Gunther inquired.

“My little sister and her friend. We think they stowed away on a boat here a few days ago.” Rarity answered.

“Did you inquire with the police guards?”

“We did. But they said all was clear.” Rainbow said.

“I can assure you that the guards here are very meticulous. If anything happened out of the ordinary we would know.”

The ponies said nothing but nibbled a bit into the treats. They delighted at the taste. They savoured the moment of the apple fritters ticking their taste buds. Then Twilight spoke.

“Mr. Gunther...”

“Please just Gunther.”

“...Gunther... do you know the way into Argil?” There was a glint in Gunther’s eye. Twilight felt she brought something up she shouldn’t.

“How do you know about Argil?”

“...We met an earth pony a few days ago,” Twilight answered with hesitation, “He sailed here after that with our friend, Spike.”

“Spike is a pony?”

“No, a baby dragon. That’s how we lost Rarity’s sister and her friend. We think they might have followed them.”

“There is no way they can enter Argil. Unicorn and pegasi can’t venture there.”

“Why?” Rainbow asked.

“You are not aware of your history?” Gunther said with a raised brow.

“What we learn at school and the history books we have told us, one story. We only came across some old rare ones recently that tell something different.” Twilight said.

“What does it tell you?” Gunther asked and the group retold everything they learnt from the books in the hidden room.

“That’s the real story.” Gunther corrected. He let out a sigh, “there is a legend... that when the remainder of the earth ponies, led by Grey Willow, fled Equestria to escape the purging slaughter from the unicorn and pegasi, the earth light, prepared that land for them and carried them there. There are various levels of ancient mythical and mystical protection. An impenetrable force field spreads around it not allowing unicorn or pegasi to go even near it. There is always a great storm whenever we hear of unicorn or pegasi sailors who go in that direction. Sometimes a maelstrom would appear or giant sea serpents, on a really bad day, both. They always turn back or end up dead.”

“But you have been there?” Twilight asked.

“We have.”

“What’s it like?” Fluttershy inquired.

“It’s the most magnificent place to be,” he answered. Several griffons murmured and nodded in agreement, “Earth ponies have come a long way. They may not have magic or wings but their creativity and ingenuity has made their society highly advanced. It’s a shame they were oppressed for so long...”
The group frowned and felt somewhat ashamed on behalf of their ancestors.
“Gilda was born there you know. Their knowledge of medicine, potions, astronomy and technology is highly sophisticated. There’s advanced universities and libraries that are packed with books...” Twilight’s eyes sparkled at the idea of knowledge and books.
“...But for me personally, it’s about the food. The apple cider is simply the best especially from San Fratello. As a matter of fact, what you’re eating there is food recently brought from Argil.” Rainbow wanted to melt with that thought. But Gunther came back to the subject, he looked at Rarity.
“If your missing sister and friend has followed them, do not hope that they are still alive.” Gunther said. All the mares gasped in horror at Gunther’s words. Rarity and Fluttershy already had tears streaming from their eyes at the prospect that her sister may be dead. Rainbow’s face had changed to a dejected expression.

“But one thing I don’t understand... how is it that we in Equestria don’t know about Argil if it’s common knowledge outside?”

Gunther smiled menacingly, “Because we aren’t supposed to talk about Argil to Equestrians. It’s part of our trade pact. If any unicorn or pegasi knows about it, it’s passed off as a fable. Who would believe drunken sailors about Argil especially if they have never seen it?”

Twilight thought long and hard, “Gunther... we need to get into Argil.”

“After all that I just told you.”

“Yes but...”

“Okay, would you like to go in a coffin or a body bag?” Gunther said with a smirk and several griffons snickered, “It’s suicide. Supposing, just supposing, you do get past the barriers, you’ll still be dead. Earth ponies do not take kindly to unicorns or pegasi. The army there is merciless and will kill you.” Fluttershy and Rainbow gulped.

“But our society has changed!” Rarity said, “Those events that happened five hundred years ago have nothing to do with us!”

“Doesn’t matter. Do yourselves a favour. Go home. Wait for your friend. He’s safe... probably.”

Just then another griffon entered the house.
“Uncle! We found Garth floating on a plank off coast. He said he was blown off the ship Gilda was on. He said a great storm just suddenly appeared while on their way to...!” the griffon stopped when he saw Twilight and company.

“What?! Who else was on the ship?”

“Gunner and his crew. They were taking Braeburn and a little dragon back to get the shipment.” The griffon said and Gunther’s pupils dilated.

“PREPARE THE SHIP TO SAIL TO ARGIL NOW!” Twilight and company found themselves in the middle of hustling crewmen.

“Gunther! Gunther! Let us come with you! Spike was on that ship!!” Twilight said.

“No! The great storm was caused by your stowaway foals! I will not risk any endangerment to my ship, crew or me!.... It’s time you left now.” Gunther walked and opened the door. Twilight and the group begrudgingly left.

“Twilight, if Gunther is right.... Sw-Sweetie Belle, Spikey-Wikey....” Rarity began sobbing.

“Squirt.” Rainbow added, “Is there really no way into Argil? Are we really that much hated?”

“You are. But there may be a way....” said a slurred voice. The group spun around. It was an old griffon drunk sitting close by, “... do you really wanna know?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Come on Twi, let’s get outta here.” But Twilight was already approaching the drunk.

“How?”

“Simple. Maaaaaaaaaaagic.” and the griffon laughed.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, I find it quite amusing that ponies such as you want to go into Argil. Isn’t it just peachy? Once upon a time you all thought of yourselves as dominant over the other and now here you are crawling on your bellies to get help from them. I should say isn’t this a twist of fate.” The griffon suddenly twisted his body which made the group startled. He then transformed into another peculiar body. He had different body parts but his head was that of a pony.

“Allow me to introduce myself. Discord at your service.”

Author's Note

Okay, I wrote this over the weekend.

So here are my takes on this.
I put Big Mac to have a bigger role in the story. Don't you just find it boring to have just grey and white guards?? A red guard now that sumtun tuh see. And he's big and silent too. A silent one is a deadly one. EEEYUP.

Uncle Zeppelin is doing tap dancing and everyone joins in like river dance. I got one piece I really like but I can't find it on youtube. Waaah.