Starlight Glimmer looked intently at the door of the re-education house as it slammed shut on the whimpering stallion. Tsk tsk, she thought while shaking her head. Party Favor was one of her easiest converts, she had thought that he took to her teachings very well.
She sighed. Well, everypony regresses once in a while. Starlight didn't hate Party Favor, and she was certain that if she nipped this little transgression in the bud, he'd come right back around. They always do...
"Alright, everypony!" she said addressing the crowd of grotesquely smiling equines, "we have a new friend!" The pink-furred mare wrapped one hoof around the confused Fluttershy, bringing her closer. "Just like all of our new friends, the community will band together to make you a cottage, all your own. It's a shame, we prefer to take new friends in pairs of two to keep both lines of Our Town at an equal length, but I suppose that when the rest of your friends come around, we'll have a nice, even six."
With a wave of her hoof, the crowd began to disperse, going to and fro as they set about building the new home.
Starlight began to trot back to her house, pulling Fluttershy gently along with the foreleg still wrapped around the pegasus's withers. Fluttershy smiled lightly as Starlight wrapped a hoof around her, looking around at the crowd of ponies and their gigantic grins. She still had to admit, these ponies were very nice... Brainwashing aside, of course. The mention of her friends stung her heart for a moment, but she did what she could to keep up her innocent demeanor. She had to.
Fluttershy lightly waved to the crowd as they dispersed, finding it rather surprising how willingly they began to work on her 'home' without even a minute’s notice. They were certainly very organized. She yelped slightly as she felt herself get tugged along with Starlight, stumbling for a few steps before finally matching her pace. She kept her smile going, saying as casual as possible. Fluttershy couldn't help but be at least a bit proud of how well she was holding up, she really had begun to grow since she met Twilight.
"Of course," Starlight began, "you'll be staying with me until the cottage is complete. Everyone is overjoyed to get a new friend here, but building a home does take some time."
The pink mare chuckled sinisterly.
"After all, we have much to talk about..."
Starlight pulled Fluttershy right back into reality with her less than subtle tone of voice, eliciting a gulp from the shy pegasus. "O...Oh, yes, we certainly do, Miss Starlight..." she replied with amazingly fake enthusiasm, turning her eyes away from her companion to try and keep her cool.
Starlight chuckled coyly.
"Oh ho ho, Fluttershy, you do realize you're no better than telling a lie than any other pony, don't you?" she said, throwing her head back playfully as the pair trotted down the single, straight road.
"Fluttershy, I noticed that you were more...open...than your old friends were to our little community, but do you know how long new friends usually spend in the Acclimation House? A week, sometimes two. Yet, you began to see things from our point of view after a single night. Now, you have to admit, that is a little strange..."
Starlight didn't relinquish her sly demeanor. She has dealt with a few ponies like Fluttershy before, ones that thought they could trick her. She knew EXACTLY how to push this poor mare's buttons.
"So, what did they put you up to?" she asked playfully.
Fluttershy lost her balance and began stumbling around in her trot, all while Starlight kept her grip on her and gave her that smug grin. Her now de-saturated cheeks began to glow a faint pink, not daring to make eye contact with Starlight as if she had some last remaining hope that she hadn't actually been figured out. "W-well, l-like you s-said, I r-really like the community a-and uh..."
The jig was up and they both knew it. Her ears flopped down fearfully, as her eyes drifted to the ground below in defeat. "I... I-I can't tell you that." Frankly, she already had a feeling Starlight knew EXACTLY what she was trying to do. "
B-but, wait..." she seemed to perk up, if only slightly. "I-If you knew, then... why are we still walking away from the Acclimation House?" She looked back one last time at the sad excuse for a hut that all of her dearest friends were trapped inside, wishing ever so dearly that she had at least one of them to lean on right now...
"Well, I could always put you back," Starlight said with a playful chuckle. "But...I think not. The Acclimation House is necessary, but I won't deny it's a bit...unpleasant...for new friends."
The pair continued trotting down the lane, the soft, rhythmic thumping of hooves on dirt the only thing keeping them company.
"Well, to be honest, Fluttershy, I'm letting you out because you're not like the others. Repeatedly you saw the beauty in our town while your old friends didn't. I know that there's some sincerity in you, and I'm sure that if you just give us a chance, you'll see why ponies stay here."
Fluttershy couldn't help but scowl for a moment as Starlight mentioned her friends. There was nothing 'old' about them. They were still her friends, and they always would be. And yet... Starlight was right. She WAS openly accepting of the town when they had arrived. There was a lot to like about it, for her. But, that did not for even a moment mean that it was all sincere.
The pair finally reached Starlight's house, while behind them teams of stallions moved wooden beams towards the other end of the enclave to lay the new foundation of Fluttershy's home. Starlight directed Fluttershy's gaze in a circle.
"What do you see, Fluttershy? Do you see any walls here? Anything to keep anypony from leaving? My methods may be a little questionable at times, but I'm not a tyrant. Each and every member of the community could pack their saddlebags and leave at any time, but none of them have. Do you wonder why that is?" she asked.
Fluttershy took a quick look around, and noticed that there was some truth to Starlight’s words. Just as nothing had stopped them from entering the town, nothing prevented the others from leaving. A chilling thought rang into her head, causing her to shake off Starlight's 'welcoming' hoof and step back.
"I'll tell you why. It’s because you hold everything that makes them whole away in that horrible, awful vault!" Fluttershy said with a shockingly venomous tone, yet her trembling legs showed she had little chance of back up this little outburst. "Without an identity, why would they go? Where COULD they go?" she exclaimed, looking away from Starlight and back around at the town, and each resident that wandered in the distance.
"I hold nothing," Starlight said, never once breaking her calm demeanor. "Do you know what the cutie mark vault is? It's a chunk of glass. A rock could break it. Party Favor told you about how anypony in this town can go up to the vault when they want a trip down memory lane, did he not? And, when we walked up there, were there any guards stationed?"
Starlight's eyes shot open in realization, and then relaxed once more.
"Well, OTHER than the ones I told to be there for you, heh heh..."
"Point is, anypony, at any time, can trot their merry little selves up to the vault and destroy everything we've accomplished. But, I never worry. Do you know why Fluttershy? It's because I trust them. Everywhere you look, you see happiness. There's no conflict here, no hatred, only love. Sure, the equalization process is tough, but every pony you can ask is happier for it."
Starlight took a deep breath.
"Tell me, Fluttershy, did your parents ever stop you from eating a lot of candy when you were a foal? I'm sure it seemed unfair at the time, but I'm certain that you've felt the consequences at one point in your life. Pigging out on candy would lead to stomach aches, and do it enough times you begin to realize that eating nutritious things like hay is the smart choice."
The pink mare sighed.
"That's what we're trying to accomplish here. Yes, sometimes I have to play the role of the bad parent, somepony has to, but if you just give us a chance, you'll see that we're truly happier here, and we'd really like to make friends with you, if you let us."
Starlight bowed her head.
"Please Fluttershy, just give me a chance, that's all I'm asking."
Her sudden and calm reply caused the pegasus to raise an eyebrow in confusion. As Fluttershy listened on, she could tell that Starlight wasn't lying. The tangent about the guards made her face scrunch up for a moment, but she offered no rebuttal. As Starlight continued, Fluttershy noticeably began to loosen up. She really believed she knew what she was talking about... and maybe that was for a good reason. She was so sincere, so trusting of her community. Brainwashing aside, that had to mean something.
Starlight’s analogy took Fluttershy back to fillyhood. She recalled a time when Rainbow had come to have a sleepover at her house when they were fillies. It was Nightmare Night, and as promised, Dash had begrudgingly brought back a portion of her candy for her to have since she was too afraid to go outside. Her parents told them both not to eat it all in one night.
Dash, with her infinite wisdom, convinced her otherwise. The morning after was not pleasant, to say the least.
With a shake of her head, the pegasus focused back on reality. Fluttershy had been asked to give them a chance, causing her to go silent for a moment. As the silence grew, her newfound mark began to emit a black glow, her once deep eyes going foggy and empty.
"I... I suppose I could try and..."
With a jolt of resistance, her eyes regained their normal tint and she shook her head several times, as if once again waking up from a daydream as the glow of the mark faded away.
"I'm just not sure I can... After everything you've put me and my friends through, I'm not sure I can promise you I would try with an open mind. After all, I know where I'll be going if I don't see things your way," she whimpered, looking back down the road they had walked down, towards that foul prison where her beloved friends still suffered.
Starlight gently cupped Fluttershy's cheek with her hoof, bringing the yellow mare face to face with her. Fluttershy blushed slightly as Starlight's hoof gently comforted her. Somehow, despite her usual timidness, she found herself looking Starlight directly in the eye. Somehow, she felt it was alright to do so.
"Fluttershy, I give you my word. If you and your companions still don't wish to join us after giving our community a chance, then you may leave freely. I'll even retrieve your marks myself. "
The pink mare had to suppress a chuckle. She wasn't technically lying; she knew that her methods would win the dear Fluttershy over. It would have been foolish of her to make that promise if she didn't.
"After all, my idol Meadowbrook once said that friendship is found in the most unlikely of places. Tell me, have you ever made friends with somepony you'd never think you would in a million years?" Starlight said with a warm smile.
Fluttershy looked away, and back at the ponies around town. They all smiled to each other. They greeted each other happily. Some even seemed to share some laughs. It truly seemed like the kind of community that was too good to be true. And, Starlight was right. Never in a million years would Fluttershy have thought that the Spirit of Chaos would enjoy spending lazy afternoons sipping tea with her. She briefly thought about what the Staff of Sameness could do to him. She had never thought that he could be drained by Tirek, but he was one of the greatest sorcerers in the world. The yellow mare wondered what he would make of this town…
"...Okay," she finally replied, turning back to Starlight. "I, um, still don't know how I feel about all of this... but maybe I will if I really do try and see what it is you have here."
Her new mark let out another bright, but very brief flash before fading out once more. Through the corner of her eye, Starlight could see her curse work its magic. Unfortunately, manipulating the mind directly was something far beyond her ability, at least for today. If she could get her hooves on an actual artifact of Meadowbrook, though…
Either way, the next best thing worked wonders. Ponies were like children, Starlight had found; a little positive reinforcement applied at the right time can get even the most headstrong ponies to be eating out of her hoof. Still, it required a lot of effort on her part, but Starlight would do anything to show new friends the better way of life.
"Thank you Fluttershy, I can promise you that you won't regret it," she said with childlike glee.
"Come inside, it's much better than standing out here in the hot sun," Starlight said as she trotted to the door of her home, pushing open the plain wooden door with a slow creak. Her head gave a quick nod inside, beckoning the yellow pegasus, before the pink mare lazily trotted inside. Despite agreeing to give the town an honest shot, a smile had yet to form on the mare's face. She couldn't let herself get too comfortable. Her priority was still her true friends, at least for now. What would they have thought if they saw this agreement transpire?
Regardless, Fluttershy followed Starlight to her doorstop, mumbling a polite thank you before stepping inside to relish in the cool air that her former living arrangement lacked. Starlight's home was humbly furnished. Two couches around a single low coffee table, a bookcase, a wardrobe, and a general storage chest adorned the living room, same as every other house in town. The walls were mostly bare, save for some paintings of the town's founding, and smaller pictures of the glorious symbol of equality for individuals to meditate on. A open doorway to the kitchen was opposite of the front door, and Starlight wasted no time making her way there to brew a cup of morning tea. After all, only basic necessities were provided for in the Acclimation House, for obvious reasons. Some tea would do wonders at washing down that stale hay for Fluttershy.
"Just take a seat anywhere you'd like, the couches are all equally comfortable," Starlight called out as she set a pot of water on the cast-iron stove.
"Oh, you really don't have to make me..." Fluttershy’s soft tone didn't reach Starlight's ears in time for her stop. That, or Starlight chose to ignore her protest. Frankly, both options were entirely possible at the moment. Starlight seemed nice, but Fluttershy didn’t know what the pink unicorn entirely had in mind.
With a dejected sigh, she plopped up onto the couch closest to the door and sprawled out onto it. It wasn't the most luxurious couch in the world, but after the night she had it may as well have been the bed of Celestia herself. The urge to nap was enticing, but she resisted it, curling up slightly into a ball as she patiently waited for the tea to be done.
It only took a few minutes for the pot to whistle as the water inside boiled. Levitating it with her telekinesis, Starlight trotted back to the living room, two cups following her with a swish of her head. She released the cups on the small coffee table at the center of the room, gently pouring piping-hot tea into both cups and setting the teapot down on the cloth centerpiece. As the steamy vapors rose, Starlight used her magic to push one cup towards Fluttershy while at the same time levitating the other to the unicorn's own lips.
"So tell me, Fluttershy, why did your friends pick you for this plot?" Starlight said, careful not to use the "old" term to describe them. Usually ponies didn't consciously pick up on that subtle suggestion, but Fluttershy was a bit more adept than most, surprisingly. Though Starlight's curse tried to make all aspects of a pony equal to any other's, some strong character traits still got through.
No matter, she thought...
"You don't strike me as a mare of great action," Starlight said, taking a quick sip. "Don't worry, nopony can hear us right now. It's just you and me."
The aroma of the tea was absolutely intoxicating, causing Fluttershy to sit up and take a deep whiff of it. Gently, she picked the cup up with her teeth, politely yet hastily drinking the warm liquid down. It was a great relief to her throat, and she couldn't help but pour herself another cup as Starlight posed the question. Privacy aside, part of her thought that telling her everything that was going on behind the scenes in there could lead to trouble. And yet, something compelled her to answer anyway. It’s not like she had any chips to bargain with.
"Well, um, it's like you told me. I had liked the town from the moment we arrived. They felt... I-I mean, we felt, that it would be more believable if I was the one to pretend to be reformed." She looked away and took another sip of her tea. "...I guess that wasn't quite enough, though. You saw through me so easily."
"Hmm, well, I can't blame them for not thinking straight," Starlight retorted. "Even though you were the most likely to acclimate the fastest, then what? You had to have had a plan beyond simply getting out of the Acclimation House, didn't you? Or did your friends just throw you out to the wolves and expect you to fix everything, hmm?"
She took another sip.
"Seems to me like if they were really serious about busting out of here as though it were a prison, they would have sent another, like Applejack or that rainbow-maned one, what did you say her name was again? Rainbow Days? Those ponies seem to be the most willing to play at some daring escape."
"I just find it strange why they seemed to single you out to leave specifically, even considering you see the beauty in our community better than the rest do," Starlight said curtly.
The only immediate response Fluttershy was able to give Starlight was a rather blank stare. Everything she just pointed out made a great deal of sense. Sure, Twilight and the others had to have been a bit exhausted when they made the plan, and Fluttershy herself was the most believable candidate, but she was still Fluttershy. She had been trying to stop belittling herself so much, but when it came down to it, she wasn't as brave as any of her friends. Not in the same way at least. They knew full well that she would be terrified when she was sent out here, but it was only because they believed in her… right?
Even so, she still did not directly answer Starlight's question, though her expression showed she clearly wasn't taking it lightly.
The edges of Starlight's lips curved upwards, fortunately they were hidden by her cup. Based on the look on Fluttershy's face, she had succeeded in planting the seed of doubt. All that remained was to foster it.
"Perhaps they're discussing the real plan as we speak. Some bizarre method to use a few straws of hay and an old pocket watch to blow open a hole in the Acclimation House," she said with a chuckle. "Or perhaps something more methodical, like digging themselves out with a rusty spoon. After all, like a child, it's natural for the mind to reject a new way of thinking, even if it is better. It's not uncommon for new friends to devote every ounce of their energy to escaping. Between you and me, that's the true purpose of the Acclimation House, to let ponies throw their tantrums until they're so exhausted they give the town a fair chance. Nopony ever embraces our philosophy through my speeches alone."
The unicorn levitated the cup back down to the table.
"Before you flatter me, remember that we're all equal here, which means everypony can deliver a speech just as well as I can. I know that you think the equalization process is something that takes things away, but I feel that it is liberating. When somepony here does something sub-par, it is solely because they didn't put in the effort. When I look at the feats my fellow friends accomplish, I feel joy because I KNOW that I can also do that." Starlight's eyes turned downwards, and a gentle sigh passed her lips. "Before me and my like-minded companions founded this town, I used to look at all the things others did and simply despair. Why bother? If my cutie mark didn't say so, I'd never write a play good enough to open in Manehattan, or paint something that a museum would want, or build something that would cause others to celebrate. It was...a muffled existence. The cutie mark shoehorns you into a single path in life. They represent your talent, but I ask you Fluttershy, what if your talent isn't your passion? What then?"
"I... I think I understand where you are coming from, Miss Starlight. But..." Fluttershy hesitated for a moment, trying desperately not to think about the topic of her friends. "I... I just don't know if this is the way to do it. I-I mean, I just..."
Fluttershy put her cup on the table and held her hooves to her head, eliciting a groan that said a thousand words about her feelings right now. The mark on her flank glowed briefly once more, and then faded.
"My friends... T-they would never... would they...?"
Starlight got up and trotted over to the confused mare, taking a seat beside her. "There there, Fluttershy, it's alright. I'm sure they mean the best. Who knows, maybe they thought that you'd be happier here. Or, maybe this is all some facade and you're some secret agent pony," Starlight said playfully to lighten the mood.
"What did you do before you came here?" the manipulative mare said as she climbed onto the table. "Were you some kind of secret spy?" she said striking a kung-fu pose. "Or perhaps some royal ninja?"
Starlight leaped up and delivered a karate buck to the air. However, she had overestimated her own abilities and fell flat on the floor. She meekly stood up, rubbing her rump for a moment, before letting her playful spirit fade and looked at Fluttershy with a deadpan gaze. In her current state, Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at Starlight's comment, but the somber mood soon engulfed it and took it away.
"No, probably not. After all, your cutie mark was three butterflies. And, after all, it defined your life, whether you wanted it to or not."
Starlight climbed back up onto the couch next to Fluttershy. "Did you raise butterflies? Mind explaining to me just what path you used to be bound to?" she asked.
The mention of her old cutie mark caused feelings to well in the timid pegasus. Even with her resolve feeling like it was slipping away, she still did miss her cutie mark. "I... I was an animal caretaker," she said in between deep breaths to try and keep her composure. "I know that you said that your cutie mark is bound to you whether you want it to be or not, but what if you did want it to be?" Fluttershy said with a sniffle. "I know there's so many other things I might have been able to do, but I loved my special talent. I loved helping animals, and comforting them, even when they were hard to work with, I never once wished I could be something else," Fluttershy looked over at Starlight, her eyes starting to moisten with tears. "I can't live without that, I know you can, and everypony here can, b-but I just can't..."
"But you don't have to," Starlight interjected to console the flustered mare. "Just because your cutie mark has been removed doesn't mean that you can't take care of animals. Now you do it because you choose to do so! Did you not notice how the other ponies in town had their own little roles? It's because they chose to do it. Sugar Plum chose to cook, and Cuts chose to be the town barber. They do their jobs because they want to. I'm sure that there are plenty of animals to help around here, after all we are in the middle of a desert."
For good reason, Starlight thought. Nopony needed to see her OWN secret if she accidentally got wet.
Fluttershy had never really thought of it that way. They no longer had their cutie marks, yet they still chose their destined path, for better or for worse. Not being able to understand the bird in the window the other night was extremely disheartening, but maybe she didn't need direct communication to be able to take care of animals…
"Perhaps if you just saw everypony else in town, then you might see first-hoof how they're all happy, and more importantly WHY they're all happy. Why don't you finish your tea and I can show you around some more?" Starlight said.
Despite her apprehension, Fluttershy was relieved that she didn’t have to make a decision now. With a nod of acknowledgement, she finished her cup and shakily rose off of the couch. "…Will this weak feeling ever go away?" She asked with a whimper.
"Sure," Starlight lied through her teeth. "The equalization process is rough on ponies, but only because you're so used to the alternative. You shouldn't feel weak, either way. Equalization is empowering: you can do anything you want, just as good as anypony else. Equality does not mean mediocrity," Starlight continued, stretching the truth a little. All she needed to do was get Fluttershy to come around once. After that, the pegasus should begin to rationalize things on her own.
Starlight got up and took a final swig of her tea, before levitating the cups and teapot back to the kitchen with a flick of her horn.
"Come Fluttershy, let's go," she said as she cantered out the front door.
Fluttershy simply nodded in response. She didn't understand the empowering part of all of it though; all she felt was strange and empty. Yet, there was something about that emptiness that was somewhat... alluring. Maybe she was just tired...
The yellow pegasus quickly dried her eyes of the small tears she had managed to hold back, and followed Starlight out the door back into the town once more.
"Come, let's see how your cottage is coming," Starlight called out, taking a hard left from her porch to lead Fluttershy behind the row of houses. The less Fluttershy saw of the Acclimation House, the better. Seeing her old friends' concerned faces peering out the windows might...confuse her.
Despite her ruse, Fluttershy knew exactly why Starlight took her behind the houses rather than down the main road, but she wasn't about to say anything about it. Even so, she couldn't help but stealthily try and peer through the small gaps between the houses in an attempt to at least see the Acclimation home. Unfortunately, or perhaps even fortunately, she had no luck in that regard. The thought of seeing her friends trapped inside that horrible place while she trotted free? The shy mare could barely bring herself to think about it.
It would take few minutes to trot down to the end of the row. The enclave was meager, but it had grown much in its 11 months of existence. From a group of five friends there now numbered several dozen, and Our Town was growing all the time. Soon, Starlight daydreamed, they'd need to expand…
"So, do you have any questions for me in particular, so far?" she asked. Starlight knew that ponies were much more...receptive...if conversion flowed naturally; if a pony could be converted via simple preaching, there would be little need for anything beyond the Acclimation House.
Fluttershy was snapped back to reality when Starlight asked her if there was anything she had been curious about so far. "Oh, um... several, actually. But, I feel like some of them may be answered throughout the day," she said with a small nod. "Oh, I do have one though, just while I'm thinking about it. Is there a Pony Express that comes through here? I haven't decided on anything yet, but if I do stay, I'd need to let somepony know to take care of my bunny Angel and my other animals." Despite saying this, the only person she knew she could really write to was Discord, and she wasn't exactly sure how that would have positive results. Even though he was a lot nicer than before, Discord still had a rather strange sense of humor, and it was in his nature to be unpredictable.
"Hmm?" Starlight nodded her head in thought. She debated mentally about telling Fluttershy about the outside world. Usually she had new friends set their affairs in order before being fully equalized, but given the...meddling...nature of these new ponies, the process had to be...accelerated. Still, perhaps she’d cut her a break. Even though the yellow mare seemed uncertain, the fact that she was even briefly considering staying meant that she was hooked. All that remained now was to keep drilling the Great Message into her mind.
"Oh course, this town isn't completely isolated. I'm sure you took the train here, did you not? It only comes to the end of the line once a week or under special request, but it's merely a day's journey on hoof. They can take mail, and even ponies on supply runs whenever we're running low on something."
Knowing that gave Fluttershy the slightest bit of relief. At the very least, she now knew her animals would be fine one way or the other. It gave her some peace of mind to all of this.
Starlight held her head down, faking a smidgen of sadness. "It's a shame that we have to live out here, but we have to. Other ponies just wouldn't understand. To be honest, that's one of the reasons I was so excited to make new friends with your friend Twilight. News of her exploits has reached even here, and if she gave us a chance, then maybe other ponies would respect our choices and we could live together with them, without fear of being judged. It's a completely alien concept in this community; when every pony is equal, to judge another is to criticize the self."
Fluttershy couldn't help but look at the ground shamefully as Starlight spun her sad tale. It did seem like Twilight and the others were very quick to judge the town. Dash had even expected some giant monster to be behind it all. To see the leader be just an average mare... it was certainly a strange sight. Their philosophy was foreign, but hadn't Zecora taught them all not to judge so quickly? That the strange isn’t inherently equal to the bad? Fluttershy knew she had a tendency to be gullible, and yet...
Wait... Gullible?
Fluttershy finally began to realize what was going on and stopped dead in her tracks, much to Starlight's surprise. She was looking directly at the pink unicorn, staring her down. Fluttershy felt like a familiar feeling should be welling up in her to give her enough motivation to give her intimidating stare, but there was nothing. Only the gentle tingle of her new cutie mark as it washed her strong feelings away with a wave of calming magic. Her expression was blank and unreadable for a moment, before she gathered herself.
"...Just before we go, one more question, if that's okay." She spoke quietly, and in a rather monotone voice. "Back at your home, forgive me for being so blunt, but you almost seemed to be implying my friends might have been... using me," she said, her ears flopping down sadly as that possibility crossed her mind again. "But, what about you?" she asked. "How do I know you're not just telling me things I want to hear? If I were to join your community, I don't doubt that my friends wouldn't be too far behind, Twilight included. I would be a perfect way to get to her." Her expression, even with her accusatory tone, remained unreadable. "How can you prove to me that equality and community is really the only thing that drives you? Can you really look me in the eye and tell me that is the only thing?"
Starlight gulped. Fluttershy was falling, yes, but she still was aware enough to suspect something was up. The pink unicorn had to think up something quick. "Fluttershy," Starlight began, meeting Fluttershy’s gaze intently. "Look around you. We're out in the middle of a desert. Each and every single pony here came to us by their own free will. The Acclimation House exists for ponies who beat around the bush, but it's not like we kidnap them from their homes. I'm not some villain trying to build an army to take over Equestria, or some wannabe-queen with delusions of grandeur. I mean, Sugar Belle baked you muffins, right? She's a nice gal, can cook just as well as anypony here, but I'm still certain they might have been less tasty than what you're used to. We live a meager existence, just scraping by most of the time. I come from a rather wealthy family from Trottingham. I moved from a mansion to a wooden cottage thrown together with scrap wood we found lying around."
Starlight took a step forward towards Fluttershy, unrelenting in her eye contact. "And you know what? I've never been happier. I would throw it all away again, and do you know why?" Starlight raised her front hoof to her chest. She knew she was good; she was even beginning to inspire herself with her lies. "It's because I believe in Our Town and the message that it represents. I believe equality is happiness so much that I eat dirt and suffer under this unrelenting sun. I believe equality is empowering to the point where I spend nights without sleep just to make sure everypony here doesn't go hungry. They've placed their faith in me and my message, and I've done my best for each and every one."
Starlight sighed. "I know you distrust me. I don't blame you. Still, I know that of all your friends, you're the one who would give us a legitimate chance. I trust you, and I hope that you'll at least try to trust me, in return." Starlight turned and continued trotting along. "Come, the site of your cottage is just ahead. Maybe you'll believe me if you see the harmony among the friends here," she called out behind her.
Fluttershy had no idea what to make of Starlight, or her story; it made enough sense at face value, and it didn't seem rushed or rehearsed, and yet without much evidence the yellow mare really had no way of completely believing her. All she could do was walk the tightrope down the middle and hope whatever side she fell off it from was the one that was cushioned. She followed Starlight onwards, and her new mark once again let out a faint glow. Fluttershy could barely feel it working its magic anymore; the spell seemed to be just a brief moment of confusion, after which she was able to gather her senses easily like nothing had happened. The pegasus hoped it would stop soon, or at least stop giving her headaches.
Starlight finally led her ward to the end of the row of identical houses. There, several dozen ponies worked merrily in laying the foundation of what Starlight knew would be Fluttershy's new home. She really did belong here, all new friends did...
Fluttershy's eyes widened the moment they turned the corner onto the site of her new home. The fact that they had gotten so far within a single hour was amazing, and none of them even had a construction cutie mark!
"Wow, great job everypony!" Starlight yelled out before turning back to Fluttershy. "See? They've already laid the foundation down, and it's only been an hour. And not a single frowny-face to be seen, too." Starlight trotted up to the yellow pegasus and put a hoof around her shoulders. "See how merrily they work? Everypony here gets along. They'd do anything for their neighbor, even one as new as you. We help each other here, we love each other all equally. A pony cares about a total stranger just as much as they care about their own families."
Starlight noticed Fluttershy’s eyes widen with awe. The unicorn didn’t blame her; after all, it is a shock to most to see ponies successfully doing something not related to their cutie marks.
"Do you see? This is the kind of harmony equality inspires. This is what I mean when I say that equality is empowering. The ability to see beyond our fates and work for a better future, together. A society filled with only joy and love." Starlight turned to face Fluttershy, looking the yellow pegasus right in the eye. "And you can be a part of that future, too. All of your friends as well, if you so choose."
Fluttershy looked Starlight back in the eyes for a moment, then looked down at the ground, her ears twitching several times as she thought. Considering all the houses were the same in this town, it was very possible that they all just knew it by heart at this point, but it was impressive nonetheless. Fluttershy gave Starlight a small smile. "Well it's, um, very nice. I'm glad that everypony is happy while doing it, too." she said honestly.
Starlight returned Fluttershy's warm smile with one of her own. "Of course! Anything to help a new friend feel welcome! After all, it's a little tough to accept the equality means happiness, but once you do, life becomes so much better!" Starlight said jovially. "Come, I'd like you to meet some more friends," she said, tugging Fluttershy with the hoof around her neck. The two slowly meandered down the middle lane of the town. "Let's go to the Scribery. Our Town is small, so we decided to merge the records offices with the library, and Emerald Glow suggested we name it something fancy." Starlight chuckled. "It's a little source of pride, to be honest."
The pair came to a halt underneath a grand wooden sign with a book and quill painted on it. The houses on the lane were identical, but that didn't mean each couldn't have a purpose, for convenience of course. Starlight released Fluttershy before trotting up to the door and opening it, beckoning Fluttershy inside. The house seemed identical to Starlight's in terms of floor plan, but the kitchen area had been renovated. Filing cabinets seemingly stuffed with paper lined the walls instead of stoves and sinks, and the doorway had been widened to accommodate a small desk with a smiling green mare sitting behind it. Fluttershy poked her head through the door cautiously, peering around the room as if she was expecting another ambush. She was surprised to see how different the inside looked; despite having an identical structure to all of the other buildings, the redone inside made it stand out enough to feel fresh. It was familiar in a comfortable way, which was likely another reason Starlight had all the layouts the same, or so Fluttershy thought.
On one couch, a light orange unicorn stallion was reading a book, and at the coffee table a white and brown teenage-looking filly made a pen dance with her mouth as she wrote a letter. All three snapped their gaze towards the pair of ponies at the front door.
"Hello Starlight, hello Fluttershy," they all said in unison.
Normally, so many pairs of eyes staring at her so intently would make her back right back out the door she entered. And yet, she mustered enough courage to smile back, albeit with a much smaller grin. "H...Hello everypony." she murmured, scanning over the room briefly. It was a relief to see ponies pursuing individualistic endeavors. Some could read books in peace, or maybe they didn't have to, it was all up to them. It was strangely comforting. Her mark glowed again, as her smile noticeably grew toothier before going back to its regular size. Fluttershy was relieved that the headaches seemed to stop, and the spell actually made her feel a little warm inside.
Starlight grinned as she could see the mark continue to work its dark magic. She then trotted to the cream colored earth pony writing the letter. "Starling Song, I see that you're writing to your parents again. How are they?" Starlight asked. Of course, this was all merely an act: Starling was one of her most trusted followers, one of the few who agreed to...bend the rules...to impress new friends. The letter's contents had been recycled countless times, and once Fluttershy had seen the light, it would be discarded in secret. After all, with what the enclave was doing, communications to the outside world had to be carefully restricted.
"They're fine, I just received a letter from them this morning," Starling said, saying the lines of her script perfectly, just as she had done over a dozen times now. "They're still worried about me, but they're glad that I'm happy. I always invite them just to visit, but they always decline," she said while feigning a sad look of dejection.
Starlight patted Starling on the head tenderly. "There there, dear. I'm sure one day they'll come to visit. After all, you've only been here for six months, most young mares your age spend longer than that off at a university or an academy. I'm sure one day they'll come for a visit," she said before turning her attention back to the mare in the doorway.
"Well Fluttershy, it seems like this place is a little lively today. Recreation is important to us here, just as hard work for the good of the community. If you have any questions for Starling, or perhaps Wishing Well or Scribble," she said while nodding back to the unicorn on the couch and the pegasus at the desk, "I'm sure they'd be happy to oblige. After all, don't take my word for how happy our citizens are. You can hear it straight from the pony's mouth."
Completely oblivious to the charade, Fluttershy trotted over to the unicorn on the couch, curling up at the other end of it and smiling lightly at him. "H-hello. So um... What are you reading? If you don't mind me asking, I mean."
The orange unicorn's gaze met Fluttershy's as she broke his concentration. "Oh, this? It's simply a love story about an old princess and a unicorn. It's supposed to be based on a true story, but I'm not sure if it's all hogwash or not." He shrugged. "Well, I'm happy to read it. I used to not be able to read so fast before I came here. Now I can read just as well as anypony else!" he exclaimed, throwing his forelegs up in his fervor. "Woohoo! Equality!" he shouted, before immediately shushed by the green pegasus at the counter.
"See Fluttershy?" Starlight said, trotting up to the yellow mare from behind. "Equality is empowering, especially for Well Wisher here. Just think of all the things you used to not be able to do well. Here, you can do whatever you like just as well as anypony else. I know I sound like a broken record, but equality is freedom. It’s something I believe from the bottom of my heart."
Of course, Starlight knew that repeating herself was exactly what she should be doing. The more a pony heard her message, the more it seeped into their subconscious mind. Repeat it a lot, and the mantra loses its jarring sting. It becomes just another concept, and from there, a pony could slowly be reprogrammed with expert persuasion.
Fluttershy frowned in thought. Sure, Well Wisher wasn't better than anypony else, but everyone had their own things they were better and worse at to compensate. She had known all her life that differences were not necessarily a bad thing. Freedom meant being allowed to be who you are, and yet…if he was truly happy…
Her mark glowed again. "Equal..." she mumbled to herself. "I...I never really thought about it that way." The glow receded, as her once blank expression livened up again. "I.... see. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wisher, I won't bother you anymore."
She rose up from the couch and hopped off. To her surprise, she almost tripped over her own hooves. Fluttershy let out a yawn; she had forgotten just how tired she was. She could barely get any sleep in the Acclimation House, and she had been running around with Starlight all morning.
A smirk flashed across Starlight's face, before giving way to her usual caring demeanor. "Feeling a little tired, Fluttershy?" she asked with a sweet sing-songy voice. "Oh, that's perfectly fine. I do realize that getting rest is troublesome in the Acclimation House." Starlight gave Fluttershy a pat on the head. "Come on now, let's go back to my home so you can get some sleep."
The pair began to walk out of the scribery, with all three ponies inside saying "Goodbye" in unison. Starlight paused for a moment, before putting her foreleg across Fluttershy's withers. "Oh, Fluttershy," she began, her words laced with hidden venom, "I hate to be a bother, but why don't we stop at the barber's on the way home? There you can have a nice, relaxing manecut before you retire for the day. It'll only take a moment..."
Fluttershy’s tired face perked up for a moment. "O-oh... my mane?"
She raised her hoof and caught the long end of her mane in it, examining it for a moment. Fluttershy very rarely got a manecut, mostly to keep her mane and tail long and flowing. Perhaps it was time to get it trimmed a bit...
"I... I suppose. Not too much of a cut though, just enough to keep it from getting in the way." she spoke in her normal timid tone.
"Oh of course, of course, just a trim and wash, normal stuff, Fluttershy," Starlight said with a chuckle. Starlight did legitimately find manecuts relaxing, so relaxing, in fact, that she made them the pièce de résistance of her brainwashing. Fluttershy would see soon enough, after all, the combination of the curse and Fluttershy's lack of sleep was causing the yellow mare to crash hard. If she got some real rest, she might rejuvenate her mental faculties enough to make converting her much more difficult. "It's okay to lean on me, Fluttershy, I know you're tired. As a new friend, I'll always do everything in my power to help and support you," she said, as the pair slowly cantered down the main road, past the Acclimation House.
"T-that would be helpful, thank you," the yellow pegasus responded with a smile, before letting Starlight walk her down the street. She didn't even find herself so much as glancing at the Acclimation House, despite being right next to it. She was simply too tired, all she wanted to do was take a nap.
Starlight and Fluttershy finally reached the town's single salon parlor. After all, there wasn't much demand beyond maintaining everypony's equally pretty manes. Starlight remembered the time before she issued that edict; the wild manes of her followers was an ugly reminder of their inequality, even after they embraced her message. Now, it was a treat to look upon the rows of perfect manes during her inspections. The parlor had several seats inside, but Starlight chose the single outside chair to lead Fluttershy to. Yes, this would be the site of her final push.
"Here Fluttershy, take a seat. It's so nice outside, wouldn't you agree?" Starlight said as she began to trot inside. Normally she'd simply let Quillworth handle the manecut, but Fluttershy was a special case. It was luck that made the barbershop be so close to the Acclimation House; Starlight wanted to make sure Fluttershy's friends witnessed her final transformation.
Fluttershy took a seat in the barber's chair, adjusting her tail so that it was hanging over the hoofrest. Wait, was she getting a tail trim as well? She didn't remember, but it couldn't have been that important. Besides, it could use some cutting too. What she was more concerned about was the sheer grogginess that overcame her when she climbed into the barber’s chair. What had happened to her? It was probably just as Starlight said, her time in the center likely was just taking its toll on her, nothing more. All she had to do was make it through a quick trim, and then she could lose herself to the sweet abyss of slumber.
Her mark glowed once more.
“UGH, I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!” Rainbow Dash shouted before bucking the hard stone wall of the Acclimation House in frustration. Even though she was a heavy sleeper, Dash could barely close her eyes with that incessant propaganda playing. Looking around the room, she could tell that her friends were just as lethargic. They had spent the whole morning trying to talk to Party Favor, but all he did was sit in the corner, refusing to even respond to the group of mares no matter what they asked him. Energy was precious; if Party Favor was too brainwashed to even listen to reason, there were better uses for their limited energy.
Dash noticed Twilight staring solemnly out the front window, a grave look on her face. “Yo, Twi,” the pegasus said before slowly fluttering over. It was a cruel reminder of what had been stolen from her, but Dash at least could have the minor comfort that came from being airborne. “What’s up?” the pegasus said, trying to glance around her friend’s big purple cranium to see what had her so worried.
Twilight sighed heavily. “It’s Fluttershy, Rainbow, just look,” she said, stepping out of the way so her friend could see.
“I don’t get it,” Rainbow said, before spotting the yellow pegasus sitting on a barber’s chair on the far side of the road, accompanied by Starlight who seemed to have…scissors?
“Uh oh…”
Starlight returned outside with a small satchel filled with combs, scissors, and conditioners. She never really dabbled in manecutting, but how hard could it be? She'd give Fluttershy the simplest one of the three manestyles she approved. "Now," Starlight began as a pair of scissors arose with a magical glow. "I hope you don't mind if I'm your barber today. After all, I can cut manes as equally well as anypony else here. We're all equal here, Fluttershy..."
The unicorn began to tenderly snip at the ends of Fluttershy's long, flowing mane, trimming out the loose ends and getting her acclimated. As she snipped, a magically glowing comb joined the scissors near Fluttershy's head, gently swimming through her mane and scratching her scalp. Starlight knew that simply lopping off a large amount of mane at once could give Fluttershy enough of a shock to snap her out of the stupor she was in. This way, her victim would be totally relaxed throughout the whole process, giving Starlight an easy in.
The yellow mare shivered slightly as the comb began to gently run through her own mane, scratching her scalp like the head of a dog. She let out a small moan as she slumped down into her chair a bit more. "Ohhhh... you were right. I needed this... thank you..." Fluttershy said.
"Indeed, you needed this. You needed us. Hopefully what you've seen today has shown you how happy this community is. A place where we don't judge, don't hate, don't belittle... it's good here, Fluttershy. A place where you can rest easy and relax." Starlight trimmed off a few more snips off Fluttershy's mane and then levitated the scissors down towards Fluttershy's tail. She still had a lot to do with the pegasus's mane, but she would slowly chisel Fluttershy into a new pony, beautiful and perfect, just like everypony else. "Do you mind if I take a few snips off your tail, too? Just a little bit, to take care of some overgrown fluff," Starlight asked. "I'm sure that it'll help you relax just as well," she said, minding her repetition of the word "relax."
Fluttershy had slinked down further into the chair as if she was a yellow stick of butter. The distant nagging sound that somepony was faintly calling to her was no longer there, nothing but Starlight's voice and the snips of the scissors could be heard. "Y-yes... I needed this town." she said with new confidence. "I need to... relax..."
The pegasus didn't even properly answer Starlight's question about the trim, but a quick swish of her tail against Starlight's face was likely all the answer she needed. The unicorn almost sneezed when the big fluffy tail grazed her snout. She would be relieved when the big ugly mess finally went.
Starlight began gingerly snipping away the gigantic pink tail, taking the time to gently comb it in between cuts. "...And we needed you too, Fluttershy," Starlight began. "I think you'll be so happy here; you help us, and we'll help you. Just relax, you'll feel so much better when I cut off these extra bits of fluff."
Starlight continued to cut away at Fluttershy's tail, slowly molding it into something equally beautiful as the rest of the townsponies. The unicorn gave it a few brushes when she was finished (for now, Starlight knew that she couldn't just shear off everything at once), before once again returning to the pegasi's mane. After Starlight's previous trimming, it was definitely a little shorter than before, and with each snip of the scissors it would grow shorter ever still.
Yes, they needed her, Fluttershy thought. Maybe, maybe equality wasn’t such a bad thing. All of this time, she thought she was better off being different... always getting pushed around, being looked at as a coward, and always finding reasons to belittle herself. With this town, that would be done and over with. No pony would be better than her, nor would she be better than anypony else. Equality. True Harmony. Maybe… she could give it a shot.
Her cutie mark glowed once more... and this time, it did not stop. It continued to faintly glow as Fluttershy's eyes seemed to gloss over, the final stage of equalization nearly complete.
"Just let your eyes drift shut, Fluttershy, I'm sure you're tired. Just relax and enjoy the manecut," Starlight whispered near Fluttershy's ear.
The gentle, almost motherly whisper in her ear made her smile lightly, her eyes slowly drifting shut. "Yes... relax..."
Starlight continued snipping away, etching out Fluttershy's future. She would be a new mare. A happy mare. "So relaxing...just rest...think about today," the unicorn continued. "Think of all the happy ponies. Equality is happiness, Fluttershy. I want you to say it. Equality is happiness, equality is freedom, equality is perfection."
Fluttershy dangled precariously on the edge of sleep, the combination of how relaxing the comb stroking her scalp and the muddling effects of the mark on her flank making her significantly less resistant. "Yes..." she whispered, almost moaning, "Equality is happiness...equality is freedom....equality is perfection..." After all, Fluttershy did begin to see Starlight's point. The ponies here were so happy, so loving. Was it truly a bad thing?
The pink unicorn trimmed the last bits of Fluttershy's excessive mane away, leaving only the perfect flat style that so many of the other townsponies wore. Several had stopped to stare at the two ponies; they always enjoyed seeing a new friend come into their fold. As they stared, Starlight turned her attention once more to Fluttershy's tail. All it required was a finishing touch, and it would be just as beautiful as the yellow pony's mane.
"Yes Fluttershy, just keep repeating it. Equality is happiness...equality is freedom....equality is perfection...you can be free here...free and happy."
The groggy mare's voice lowered to a whisper. "Equality is happiness...equality is freedom....equality is perfection...I can be free here...free and happy..."
Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad here. Perhaps her friends were simply overreacting. Yes...she should give this town a chance. All those days of seeming like a wimp, like a weakling, they'd be over. Here she would be just as good as anypony else. They would all love her, and she would love them in turn. She would add her kindness to their own, and have the pleasure of having several dozen friends, not just five. It was...happiness...it was freedom...it was...perfection.
With one final snip, Starlight had finished her work. Fluttershy was perfect now, mentally as well as cosmetically. The unicorn knew that every pony had a breaking point, and she always found it. "Open your eyes, Fluttershy, I'm finished," she said as she levitated a mirror in front of Fluttershy's face.
The yellow mare's eyes slowly crept open to gaze upon her new manecut. At first, she was a little shocked that it was the same cut that the rest of the mares in Our Town wore. However, she began to realize that it wasn't too bad. In fact, it looked great on her. Something simple and clean, it was absolutely perfect. Slowly, a big, wide smile overtook Fluttershy's face. It wasn't just the manecut that made her beam, it was what it represented. The friendship, the joy, the sense of community and unity, that's what made her smile ear to ear, just like the rest of the townsponies. Starlight watched with a sick grin as Fluttershy's grin became as toothy as it could be. There was no going back now.
"Why, thank you, Starlight," Fluttershy said, admiring her mane and tail in the mirror. "It's gorgeous!"
"No, thank you, Fluttershy," Starlight replied. "Thank you for giving us a chance. You'll be so happy here, I just know it!" The pink unicorn levitated the scissors and mirror back into the barber's satchel, where a waiting stallion eagerly picked it up with his teeth and took it back inside. "Now, why don't you come back to my place for a well deserved rest?"
The five ponies stood silently, crammed up against the narrow window, as Starlight finished her work.
“Oh dear,” Rarity said with a hoof pressed to her mouth in worry. “She looks so… different…”
Their gaze shifted to Twilight, who had the eyes of a broken mare. “Celestia… this was a bad idea,” Twilight said. “We played right into her clutches.” The purple mare rested her head on the floor, covering with her hooves. “I’m so sorry, girls…” she said, barely able to hold back tears.
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash shouted, flying above the rest of her friends to Twilight’s side. “Get it together. I KNOW Fluttershy, I KNOW she won’t let that witch get into her head.” The anger melted from Dash’s face after her outburst. She was so tired… even that little bit of fury drained her. The blue pegasus rest a hoof on Twilight’s withers. “Don’t worry, it was a good plan, best that we could do at the moment,” Rainbow Dash said with a wavering voice, not quite sure if she truly believed what she was saying. Still, her friends couldn’t lose hope, not now. With Tirek, Discord, Nightmare Moon, and countless others, fighting them was so straightforward. They were evil, Dash and her friends were good. It was simply a matter of meeting them in a fight and throwing everything her friends had at them. Starlight, though, she was different. She wasn’t some dark spirit or some wicked invader from an evil land, she was a pony. She was a pony who simply got lucky and found a magic stick. It chilled Dash to the bone that, no matter how evil Starlight might be, she was just like her, deep down.
Still, Dash was relieved to see that Twilight seemed to be cheering up, at least a little.
“Y-yeah, I suppose your right,” the alicorn said in a weary voice. “After all, manes can grow back. It’s probably just Fluttershy doing everything she can to make Starlight believe that she’s one of them. At least, I hope.”
“Me too, Twi, me too,” Dash replied.
The sound of the creaking front door of the Acclimation House awoke Twilight from her tumultuous sleep. She did her best to muffle the sound of the droning propaganda, but stuffing her ears with hay offered only the tiniest respite. What little sleep she could get was filled with nightmarish visions of all her friends wearing that same, creepy grin that marked the face of an equalized pony. Fortunately, the warm sunlight and fresh air gave her the motivation to shake off her grogginess and rise to her hooves. Party Favor bolted outside, with the rest of Twilight's friends meandering out slowly, silently hoping that Fluttershy had found some weakness, some vulnerability in Starlight's cult that would allow them to break free.
"...but I didn't listen, I DIDN'T LISTEN!" she overheard Party Favor shouting. Twilight felt a twinge of pity for the poor stallion, so far gone that he would beg on on his cannons for forgiveness. However, the purple alicorn's eyes gravitated to her friend Fluttershy's distinctive yellow form standing right at Starlight's side. It was hard to see her so...changed...like this. The simply manecut, the upright posture, the sickening grin that stretched horrifcally across her face...it was like Fluttershy wasn't even there anymore. Twilight stared into her eyes with apprehension, looking desperately for the slightest signal, the smallest hint that this was all part of the plan, that the old Fluttershy she knew and loved was still there.
"Twilight, we were so mistaken. It's so wonderful here. Join us!"
