Dixie

Long shadows fell onto Sweet Apple Acres, as Princess Celestia's celestial sphere swiftly made its way towards the western horizon. The sky had long since turned from its azure shade of the afternoon to a dark crimson, and would soon fade to black entirely. At this time of the year, it wouldn't take much longer for the sun to completely disappear behind the darkened, crooked tips of the Everfree trees bordering the farm at its outermost extend.

After that, everything and everyone would become engulfed in the welcoming, navy-blue blanket that was night. Luna's night. A preacher of nightmares no longer, but someone who brought calmness and peace to the inhabitants of Equestria. Even if it only lasted until the next morning's work would begin.

The farm's inhabitants didn't have any time for resting just yet, however. All three young Apple siblings had a few more pressing issues to get off their minds before allowing themselves some rest. Shortly after Granny Smith had excused herself to call it a day (she would always get a little picky on her resting times), the others decided to clear up the mess that occurred to them earlier today. Besides, the youngest member of the Apple family had grown old enough to face the truth, as it was. Applejack had decided on that now, and she wouldn't change her mind back again.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had left for their respective homes a few hours back. The Apples decided it was probably for the best having a talk with their younger sister only, first and foremost. Because history or not, all of this was also a personal issue, concerning their family. And whether or not Apple Bloom would share what she learned with her two friends later on would solely be up to her.

Now, huddled up in front of the warm, welcoming fire, the three spent a good five minutes or so by silently looking into the flames. The tension that was still hanging in the air now made it hard for anypony present to speak up. Apple Bloom cast a confused look to each of her siblings. Neither of which felt certain about how exactly to start this conversation. And the yellow-coated filly knew her family well enough to realize whenever they were dealing with some serious issue, so she decided not to say anything...for now.

"Alright then," Applejack finally started with a sigh, breaking the silence. "I hope you got an idea why we're here right now, AB?"

Apple Bloom bit her lip, still trying to determine what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into, this time. "Well, ah can't say I'd know for sure. But ah guess it's gon' be somehow connected to what happened earlier today. Right...?"

"Eeyup," her brother added to the conversation with a nod. "An' don't worry, we won't blame y'all for what happened. But it don't need ta happen ever again, either. And we think ya should know why that is."

"Oh. Okay then," Applebloom answered with a nod. "It ain't that bad, though. Is it?"

"Well..." Applejack began, hesitantly digging a hoof in the ground. "Listen, sugarcube. We all are a happy family today. We all get along among each other, and with other ponies and whatnot. We don't discriminate, and treat everyone the same. That's the way to do it, and that's how it's always gonna be. Right?"

"Right."

"Now, truth is, it ain't always been like that. In fact, our family's been experiencin' some pretty dark times a while back. Real dark, I mean. It probably don't quite compare to that whole Nightmare Moon business a thousand years ago, but it still was pretty heavy. The pony behind all that trouble was a colt named Apple Forrest. That box y'all discovered upstairs...well, that was also his." She trailed off for a moment, frowning. "Ah'm honestly sorry y'all had ta find out about this whole mess like that. In fact, I thought fer sure it warn't even there no more. That it had been gone for good moons ago. Well, jest another thing your big sis couldn't get right, for once."

"Okay," Apple Bloom repeated, this time a lot quieter than before. "So what's with this Apple Forrest guy? He must've done some pretty bad things, the way y'all keep goin' on about him."

"You got that right," Applejack replied, grimacing. Knowing full well she couldn't push it any further, the earth pony mare took another deep breath, before finally telling her younger sister the truth. About how the ponies of Equestria didn't always treat each others as equals, and how some were always considered lesser born than others. Some of the lowest ranks were nothing like property, sold and traded between those who could afford them.

When the time came to abandon that unfair system, and finally bring equality and harmony to everypony in the country, most ponies caught on rather quickly. Especially the most sophisticated urban centers like Canterlot supported the new laws almost from the very beginning. Other regions however, did not. And no matter how much Applejack hated to say it, their ancestors were well among that latter group. They even waged a war on the crown to keep their established system. Tried to leave the nation of Equestria along with all their land, and failed. Resettling to what was now Ponyville had then become Celestia's main initiative to break with their conservative tradition.

As all of them could see today, that strategy had obviously worked quite well.

For a good fifteen minutes longer, Applejack's voice kept echoing through the room, explaining what exactly those old relics on the attic meant. It was a long and painful narrative. Trying to be completely honest, she made sure not to leave out any details. And still, the innocent young filly clung to her lips with every word she said, eyes growing wider and increasingly terrified with every spoken word.

By the time her older sister finally fell silent, Apple Bloom stared into the fire before her with wet eyes. And again, the room fell silent for a good while. It took the young filly a moment, before she managed to get her voice back up. In fact, for just a moment Applejack worried that she might have taken all this just a tad too far. That probably her little sister wasn't ready for this kind of information, after all. But there was no going back. Not now, not ever. Visibly shaken, the filly looked up to her, addressing her older sister with what was barely above a whisper.

"Are - are y'all sure about that?" she asked. The slight nod that followed, coming from Big Mac, seemed to hit her hard like a brick wall. Always assuming the story itself hadn't already done that.

"Ah can't believe we're all jest datin' back ta..." she paused for a moment, setting the word right for herself to pronounce.

"...well, slavers."

A dreadful silence filled the room for the third time this evening, with all three little ponies just staring dead ahead into the flames. Whether it was just about trying to avoid any more dreadful confrontations, or coming up with what to say next, this probably was the best way to win some time. This entire discussion had become a lot more uncomfortable than any of them expected. And it would have easily stayed that way for ages, hadn't Applejack decided to speak up after a short while.

"Now, listen here AB. Jest because of what I told you right now don't mean you'll have to feel any less about yerself, ya hear? That, uh...slavery thing has been pretty common in certain places of Equestria back in the day. Much as I hate ta say it..."

"So all of this may have also happened right here in Ponyville?"

"Yes, lil' sister, it could've happened. I'm afraid it could."

Apple Bloom swallowed a lump in her throat.

"You see, a couple of generations ago, Celestia decided she didn't wanna put up with this no more," Applejack resumed. "Told 'em that all ponies had their right for freedom as much as the ones that already owned them rights. She wanted ta pass a law for that. Only some ponies disagreed with that, an' yer ancestor even went as far as to split himself an' his lands from the nation of Equestria...I already told ya the rest."

"Yep," the filly answered. "Leadin' right on to the bloodiest war ever fought in our land...ah think ah'm gonna need a while to cope with that."

"You take yer time," Applejack told her. "Ah know how hard it is. We've all been there." Looking up at her older brother she added, "ain't that right, Mac?"

"Eeyup," the stallion uttered his signature reply, once again combined with a simple nod. "Worst thirty minutes of muh foalhood, alright."

"Well, the point is, we ain't mad with you, sugarcube," Applejack resumed. "Like ah said, you couldn't know. It's jest...ya get why we don't want y'all goin' around, showin' off with this sort of thing, that right?"

"Sure."

"Good. Ah hope you still get some good sleep tonight. Oh, and Big Mac," she added. "We should make sure ta get rid of all that stuff from upstairs." With a frown, Applejack glanced at the red, white, and blue flag that now lay upon their dinner table, neatly folded and in place. "That thing belongs in a museum, if any. It sure ain't got nothin' to do on anypony's wall no more."

A low sigh directed the mare's eyes back to her sister, standing to her other side. Apple Bloom slowly looked up to her, much like she prepared herself for adding one last bit to the conversation.

"Okay, sis. I...I think I get it. I'm gonna go, tell Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tomorrow, if that's okay. Jest like y'all told me, and...I'm sure they'll understand."

"I'm sure they will," Applejack replied with a smile. "Ah was hopin' you'd suggest that. We'd have probably asked you for that, anyway. Ain't no point in keepin' secrets between ponies, especially not friends. Jest...it don't help yer friendships nothin', is all."

"Alright then," the filly answered, nodding one final time. "And something else, y'all? For what happened today, well...ah'm...ah'm really sorry."

"Not yer fault, sugarcube," Applejack replied, as she did the only thing appearing reasonable in this situation. Without hesitating any further, she drew her sister into a warm, friendly hug. And after just a moment's hesitation, the filly happily joined in to her sister's loving embrace. "Not yer fault."