It was a grey and moist Monday afternoon in Ponyville, but Flitter and Cloudchaser - and the rest of their family - still found a reason to smile, no matter the weather. And why wouldn’t they smile? In Equestria, thanks to the efforts of High Chancellor Starlight Glimmer, everypony was equal in every way possible. Nopony was better than anypony else, and everypony living under the Equality Regime had huge grins on their faces full of teeth knowing they were all the same. It never bothered them if it was a cloudy day. No day is better nor worse than the previous day or the next day.
But there were some ponies who didn’t agree with the High Chancellor, and Flitter and Cloudchaser heard about the six mares who were taken under custody of the Conformity Guards for speaking out against Chancellor Glimmer. What happened to them was terrible, but it was a heavy reminder why freethinking will only lead to trouble. Their mother called the fillies and their father down for dinner. A plate of mashed potatoes, peas and carrots. It was a state law that no gravy is to be added to the mashed potatoes.
“Cloudchaser, Flitter, how was your day?” their mother asked. She performs her daily routines with a huge grin on her face that never seem to let down. It was mystery that the muscles on her cheeks were never sore.
“We learned about why some ponies think being equal is a bad thing,” Flitter said. Just like her mother, and all the citizens of Equestria, she as well walked around with a smile that was too heavy for her face, as did her sister Cloudchaser. “Our teacher said that the six mares who were arrested believed they were better than everypony else. Their leader used to be an alicorn princess, and the other five were her followers. The princess believed that she shouldn’t she be equal to those she thought were peasants.”
“That’s some backwards thinking,” her mother said. “What do you think dear?” she asked her husband.
The fillies’ father, a grey earth pony stallion, was busy rubbing a sore spot on his head. A long time ago he was accused of freethinking. High Chancellor Starlight Glimmer ordered those standing accused of freethought to have a microchip installed in their brain. Whenever their father had an impure thought, the chip sent electric shocks to his brain, making the thoughts vanish.
“Honey, what do you have to say?” Mother asked.
“Uh… about what?” Father said after rubbing his head.
“About the alicorn princess?”
“At least she’s in prison so the rest of us can enjoy this nice meal.” He waited for a moment, then sighed with relief when there were no electric shocks to his brain.
“What about you, Cloudchaser?” Mother asked.
“I was speaking to this unicorn filly at recess. She said her older sister was taken away by the Conformity Guard a few months back. When I asked if she missed her, she said no.”
“Why is that?” Mother asked again.
“She said someday her sister will see the error of her ways and return to society as a reformed mare. I believe her name was Sweetie Belle.”
“That’s such a nice name. Don’t you think, honey?” she asked her husband.
Father was about to answer, but an electric shock to his brain made him jump on his seat. Mother, Flitter and Cloudchaser watched him struggle with smiles on their faces. Father furiously rubbed his head until the thoughts he had were gone. He looked at his wife with tears running down his eyes. “What do I think about what?” he panted.
“About Cloudchaser’s friend’s name. What do you think?”
“I think it’s no better nor worse than the names we gave our children,” he said quickly. He prayed there won’t be another wave of painful electricity, which unfortunately sent another painful wave of electricity. He stopped thinking, and the shocks stopped as well. What’s even more unfortunate he couldn’t remember what he was thinking about.
“I met somepony similar to Sweetie Belle,” Flitter said. “She was a pegasus. I forget her name, but she said that she’s happy that everypony is equal. That way she doesn’t have to worry about getting her cutie-mark.”
“I’m also happy that cutie-marks are no longer necessary,” Mother replied. “Who would want to flaunt their special talents in front of those who may not have any?”
“I’ll say,” Cloudchaser added. “Cutie-marks only divide ponies and cause misery. The promise of sameness brings true harmony.”
The family turned their attention to father for an answer. Sweat dripped from the top of his head. He couldn’t risk thinking or saying something that could cause him great pain. He took a deep breath and simply replied, “I agree.”
After dinner the family retreated to the living room to watch television. By order of High Chancellor Starlight Glimmer, everypony was required to watch an hour of state-mandated programming before lights out. Because it was Monday night everypony in Equestria must tune in to a variety show that was also a talk show. The talk show host had a huge orange mane and wore the same grin on his face. The camera panned over to the studio audience, who also had huge grins. The talk show host promised that the evening’s show was going to be a great one. To begin the evening he introduced a comedian to tell jokes. The jokes were terrible and poorly-timed, but the audience laughed anyway. Father thought why the audience, including his wife and daughters, believed his jokes to be hilarious. Well, he did thought until the microchip in his brain reminded him not to think. After a painful surge of electricity he had no choice but to laugh with them.
The comedian stepped off the stage and the talk show host pull in more guests. Many of the guests led boring and uninteresting lives. Father couldn’t pay attention to any of them and found himself dozing off. The chip in his brain sadly wouldn’t let him take a nap.
The variety show went to a two minute break. Since Chancellor Glimmer outlawed commercials and advertisements in all forms of media, for two minutes the screen displayed the equal sign with the speaker in the background repeating mantras like “To excel is to fail,” “Unity through sameness,” “Conformity will set you free.”
The variety show returned, and the talk show host introduced ballet dancers from Manehattan. The music started, but it was very amateurish, like the musicians hadn’t properly learned how to play an instrument. The ballerinas weren’t great either. They danced in a line, moved side by side with the grins on their faces.
“They’re so graceful,” Flitter said. “Don’t you think, daddy?”
Father thought about how terrible the ballerinas were, but quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind before the microchip caught up with him. “Um, no better or worse than anypony else.”
The dance routine lasted for three minutes. When it ended the audience applauded. The talk show host appeared on the stage and read from a small index card in his hoof.
“Pardon me, but I have a very important announcement,” he said. He cleared his throat and began to read. “It seems that six prisoners have escaped from the New Canterlot Reeducation Facility. There are considered armed and extremely dangerous.”
The television flashed pictures of the six escapees in question on the screen. There were two earth ponies, two pegasi, a unicorn and an alicorn. All of them looked like young mares. “To the citizens of Equestria, by orders of the High Chancellor, if you come across any of these individuals, please turn them in to the Conformity Guard.”
By closer inspection, Flitter instantly recognized them as the six freethinkers who were arrested a few months back.
“Mom, dad, it’s them,” she said, “the ones we talked about in school.”
“Oh dear. I sure hope somepony finds them before they cause trouble,” Mother said.
The talk show host commented that it was time to get back to the program. He returned to his seat, but something rolled on to the stage that caught his eye. The camera operator zoomed in for a closer look. It was a round object, almost the shape of an egg. It was also pink. The round pink object exploded, frightening everypony in the studio, but instead of a fiery explosion the round object burst with confetti and streamers.
Six female voices screamed and charged out of the smoke and made their appearance on the stage. An orange mare with a blonde mane used a lasso to tie the host’s legs together before he could escape. The other ponies contained the audience, closed and locked the exits.
“We’re in control now,” the purple alicorn said to the camera in a dark tone.
She nodded to the pink pony. The pink pony rushed toward the musicians and ordered them to play some music. The ensemble nervously played the weak amateurish music from the ballerinas’ dance performance.
“No, no, no, not like that!” she shouted. She snatched a trumpet from one of the players and blew a joyous ragtime tune into the smoke-filled air. The audience held their breath at how the pink mare used the instrument. They hadn’t seen anypony use it in that manner before. She returned the trumpet to the terrified musician. “That’s how you do it!” she said.
The ensemble glanced at each other, then attempted to play in the same style of the pink mare until she was satisfied. She also rushed toward the frighten ballerinas and taught them a dance. “Let’s get this show started!” she shouted. The ballerinas followed the pink mare’s lead and danced nervously. Over time the ballerinas no longer danced robotically like earlier. They twist and turned, jumped and down, they were moving their bodies to the rhythm of the music. The pink mare commended the dancers for their effort.
Flitter and Cloudchaser, and their mother, had difficulty comprehending what was happening. The grins on their faces slowly went down, making their mouths agape. While the pink mare was dancing with the ballerinas, the others were busy doing tricks of their own. When the music lowered, the yellow pegasus flew over the stage and began to sing.
Mother was about to turn off the television, but once she heard her voice she couldn’t bring herself to do it. It was horrible that somepony would allow themselves to show off their special talents and everypony else feel bad, but this young mare had the most beautiful voice she ever heard.
“... She sings so well,” Mother said.
Father was full of emotion when the hostage situation began. He never seen anything like this in his life, which was bad luck for him. The microchip went haywire, refusing to let Father speak or think or give his opinions on the situation, or even change his thoughts to thoughts more appropriate. He shook on his side of the couch, begging for somepony to help him.
The stage went dark as the yellow pegasus sang her heart out. The purple alicorn glowed with magic, and her horn shot shapes and bright colorful lights. The audience tried to avert their eyes, but none could look away. It was so magnificent to be ignored. The pegasus reached the climax of her song. The tip of the alicorn’s horn created a giant purple orb which exploded into sparkles that spread across the studio.
The frenzy ended, and the audience nervously applaud for the prisoners who took them hostage, and oddly gave them a spectacular show. The purple alicorn faced the camera with a stern look on her face.
“My name is Twilight Sparkle,” she said, “the former Princess of Friendship. These are my friends; Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. We were political prisoners of Chancellor Starlight Glimmer. We spoke out against her regime, and in return we were held against our will at the New Canterlot Reeducation Facility. But we escaped to send everypony this message.
“Don’t buy into this twisted version of harmony created by Starlight! Making everypony the same and taking away the things that make us unique isn’t true friendship! It’s disgusting! My mentor, Princess Celestia, as well as my best friends, taught me that all of us are exceptional in our own way! What makes us different makes us special!
“There’s nothing wrong with having a cutie-mark! And contrary to popular belief, a cutie-mark doesn’t determine our fate, or what we’re best suited for! It tells us who we are as individuals, and that is a great thing! Because you chose Starlight Glimmer as your leader, then you let her take away the only thing that makes you, and all of us, exceptional!
“My friends and I escaped from the facility and gained our cutie-marks back! And you can too! Starlight Glimmer is a false shepherd that has led all of you astray! But it doesn’t have to be this way! We can overthrow her and restore Equestria to her former glory if we stand together as one! Who is with us?”
A door burst opened at the side of the stage. Chancellor Glimmer, along with six Conformity Guards, came into view.
“There they are! Don’t let them get away!” she commanded.
The alicorn and her followers rushed off the stage and out of the studio, while the Chancellor and her guards chased after them. Before the situation got too intense the television switched to a PLEASE STAND BY screen while the New Equestrian National Anthem played in the background.
“That was… a very interesting program,” Mother said, still in a state of shock. Flitter and Cloudchaser slowly nodded in agreement, trying to make sense of it all. Mother turned to Father, inspecting an answer from him.
He was motionless, saliva dripping from his mouth. His head was smoking.
