Equestria Liberation Front

Apple Bloom’s thumb tapped idly on the pommel of her sword as she eyed her nearly-completed shield. She had taken the design idea from the ancient heater shields she had seen in a museum in Canterlot once. It had taken weeks of trial and error with only her memory of how the shields had been built to go off of. There were still bits of destroyed prototypes that hadn’t survived her tests littering her smithy. Despite the multiple setbacks and repeated failures, her perseverance paid off and she now had a satisfactory shield with the right wood, right iron, right leather, and the correct strength-to-weight ratio. Now, all that was needed was for it to be painted.

Despite the danger, she had gone out in daylight the day before to gather what she needed and now had an ample supply of Indigo, Roses, and Dandelion buds with charcoal for darkening and thickening the paints.

Her shield sat on a rack with pots of each paint perched before it. She already had her design in mind and only needed a reference to make sure it was absolutely perfect. She stood and went to her workbench. Underneath it was an old box she had crafted and inside was one of her most treasured possessions.

The dyes in the fabric had faded and it was beginning to mildew in the constant damp but, in her eyes, it was just as beautiful as the day she had acquired it. The sight of it brought on the happier days of her fillyhood, romping with her friends in search of fun and adventure while annoying the life out of every other pony in town.

She ran her rough, calloused hands over the fabric, feeling the texture of the prancing pony stitched into the cloth. That little pony embodied her spirit and the spirit of her friends. Unbreakable, indefatigable, indestructible.

They would need such a spirit now more than ever. It was a long road ahead of them. One that they would, in all likelihood, never see the end of. However, it was a journey they would gladly undertake for their fellow ponies.

That little prancing pony of unbreakable will and indefatigable spirit would be a symbol of hope for all Equestrians. It would be the symbol ponies would recognize long after she left this world and they would know it was the symbol that had broken their bonds and returned their home.

With the past in her eyes, she took up the brush and began to apply paint to the leather.

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Scootaloo cinched her rope tight around the trunk of a nearby tree, letting the moonlight guide her back to the trap and the Gryphonian caught within. She perched on the edge of the hole and waited for the moon to rise above the trees and light the interior as she thought about the tasks before her. She had a lot of ground to cover and little time to cover it.
Pulling the map from her pocket, she retraced the route she would take, swinging past Sweet Apple Acres. Those ponies would be in top shape from working the fields all day. She wouldn’t enter the town. The chance of being spotted by a sentry was all but a certainty. Instead, her intention was to select the highest point she could and scan for the next few hours. She wanted to return to the base before sunrise.

The tree that she had been in the night before was as good a spot as any and better than most. The boughs helped to hide her from sharp Gryphonian eyes, provided she remained still, and it was one of the tallest points in the area.

Scootaloo looked up from her map to check the moon, still steadily making its trek across the sky. Despite being locked away and awaiting trial for their crimes, the Princesses still managed both the sun and the moon. That was one of the only things that gave Scootaloo any hope for the future and kept her from simply rolling over and dying. If the Princesses were still alive, there was hope for the future.

Though she couldn’t help but wonder what the Gryphonians were using to coerce the Princesses to do their bidding. However admirable their devotion to their duty was, Celestia and Luna would surely see the extinction of Ponykind as a mercy rather than the fate their subjects currently suffered. Especially since, to the best of their knowledge, there was no help on the way.

With the moonlight finally shining directly into the hole, revealing the corpse of the Gryphonian scout, Scootaloo began her work. She dropped the rope in and followed it, careful to avoid the bed of sharp staves. There was a narrow lane that allowed her a bit of movement while she tended to the body, securing the rope around it. While Gryphonians were much larger than the average Pony and doubly so for the common Pegasus, being bound to the ground for her entire life had led to a well-developed muscle structure in Scootaloo. She wasn’t as bulky as Bloom but her wiry frame granted great physical strength and, with only a bit of strain, she managed to haul both the body and everything attached to it out of the hole.

She knelt over the body and began to pull the various packs and pouches from its belt and slings. For a scout, it was heavily laden and she reasoned it was likely a long-range explorer or, possibly, a courier.

She pulled the Gyphon’s weapon, a small throwing axe, and held it up to the light, carefully examining the fine steel blade. The moonlight glinted along the edge as she gave it an experimental toss. It was light, strong, and well-balanced. Scootaloo nodded to herself as she set the ax aside. She had to hand it to the Gryphons. The bird-brains did make some fine weapons. She’d use it well.

Another pouch held a detailed map of Equestria. While her own map was suitable, it only showed the Everfree and the surrounding area. She carefully examined the parchment, having trouble recognizing the names. The locations of the cities gave away their true identities. Manehatten was marked as Gau Baden. Baltimare was Gau Westmark. Canterlot was Reichskommissariat. The names were meaningless to her but her blood boiled at just how much her home had been changed. It took all of her self-restraint to neatly fold the map and tuck it away. Only the thought of having to deal with an Apple Bloom that was pissed she had destroyed such valuable information kept her from shredding it.

A sheaf of papers were dug from the Gryphonian’s satchel and promptly placed in Scootaloo’s pack. The contents of those papers were for Apple Bloom. Besides, it was too dark to read.

With a bit of strain, she dragged the corpse into a nearby thicket where Manticores or something else would be sure to make quick work of it. With her new ax, she cut branches and vines and set to work rebuilding the trap.

Laying her branches into a grid pattern, she used the vines to bind them together, working as quickly as she could. Grunting, she laid the grid over the pit and began to layer it with dirt and leaves, making it look as natural as she could. Somepony who knew to look for it would notice the irregularities, but any unsuspecting creature that was heavy enough would trip it.

Gathering her things, she made for Sweet Apple Acres. While most of the slaves would be asleep, some would still be working. The farm tended to run on a twenty-four hour schedule now with the slaves working in twelve hour shifts to grow food and tend livestock for Ponyville and beyond.

Scootaloo spotted a fair-sized Oak that would make a decent spotting perch and set her things against the base, piling leaves and branches around them before disappearing into the foliage. Her light weight made moving among the branches fairly easy and silent and she found a suitable perch without much effort.

Straddling the branch, her sharp eyes scanned the fields and buildings, watching for any Equine forms. Near a cook fire, just beyond one of the orchards, she could hear Gryphonians chattering in their disgusting tongue. She raised her binoculars as she spotted what looked like a pony emerging from one of the buildings and let out a quiet chuckle.

“Apple Bloom’s gonna shit.” She muttered, picturing the look on her friend’s face as she scribbled the name down.

She continued to watch for a moment before turning her eyes to another area, spotting a young unicorn using her limited magical ability to scrub down a plow blade.

Dinky Doo, she wrote.

Dinky paused a moment and gestured into the barn. A large Pegasus stallion joined her. Despite what the years of hard labor had done to him, the stallion was easily recognizable.

“Damn, he’s almost as big as Macintosh.” Scootaloo muttered to herself as she took down Featherweight’s name.

Moving on, she returned to the tall pine she had occupied the night before and resumed her scanning, one hand on her binoculars. An older mulberry-colored mare with a silver mane looked miserable as she dumped scraps of skin into a garbage bin behind the butcher’s shop. Scootaloo had to focus hard to catch the mare’s cutie mark: Three smiling daisies. Quickly, she took the mare’s name down.

Behind a house, another mare was taking in the laundry. Scootaloo couldn’t remember the mare’s name but the grey coat and ebony mane were familiar. That mare had been a famous musician. If she had been famous, ponies would be willing to listen to her. She wrote a quick description of the mare, making certain to put emphasis on the lavender Treble Clef cutie mark.

A stocky pinto pony darted down the street carrying a scroll. Despite his short stature and heavy build, he was quick on his hooves. He’d make a decent scout. Scootaloo scribbled Pipsqueak onto her list.

The longer she stayed, the higher the risk she ran of being spotted. Four names were enough for an initial group. Carefully, she climbed out of the tree and began her return journey to the old castle. With any luck, Apple Bloom would still be awake.

Returning to the chambers beneath the castle, Scootaloo wasn’t surprised to find Apple Bloom hammering away at her anvil. The mare lifted the smoldering piece, giving the glowing metal a brief inspection, before dumping back into her furnace.

“Got a bedtime story for ya.” Scootaloo declared, pulling the papers from her bag.

“Is it the one where all the bad guys leave town for no apparent reason and never ever return? That’s mah favorite.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Sorry. This one’s almost as good. It’s the one where the three dashing heroines find help to fight off the bad guys and the bravest, most-dashing heroine risks life-and-limb to find useful information to help her friends fight the good fight.”

“‘Life-and-limb’, eh? Ah suppose that’ll do.” Apple Bloom took the papers and began to flip through them. “If only Ah knew Gryphonian. These papers would make more sense.” She turned her gaze to Scootaloo.

“Don’t look at me. I never learned it.” She pulled the map out of her pocket. “This might be useful, though.”

Apple Bloom took the map and began to look it over. “Now, this Ah can understand.” She was silent for a while as she read over the map. “Looks like they’ve been minin’ on the western edge of Appleloosa. That’s Buffalo territory.”

“Ain’t the Buffalo friendly with the Apples? Who was the head honcho there?”

“Chief Thunderhooves. His daughter married Cousin Braeburn ‘bout a year before the war. Ah’m thinkin’ if the Gryphons are startin’ to lock horns with the Buffalo, we might want to send a word ‘round to them.”

“The enemy of my enemy.” Scootaloo confirmed. Her face split into a grin as Apple Bloom began to read the list she had made.

“Short list.” Apple Bloom commented. “With Diamond Tiara at the top of it, Ah see.”

“Remember how manipulative she was? I think we might be able to turn those powers to good. Not to mention, if I remember correctly from her bragging, she was learning business from her dad before the war. I think she might be useful.”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Beggars can’t be choosers, Ah suppose. What about Featherweight? Bit small for the army life. Ya thinkin’ of using him as a meat shield?”

“If only. He’s grown up, Apple Bloom, and he’s big enough to give you a run for your bits.”

“We talkin’ about the same Featherweight?”

“Only one I know of was that twig-sized flutterer that needed to be tied down in a stiff breeze. That’s not the case anymore.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “Ah’ll take yer word for it. Dinky Doo?”

“Still has her magic. The Gryphon’s didn’t take her horn, most likely because her magic was never very powerful. They didn’t think she was much of a threat.”

Apple Bloom grunted. “Maybe we can change their minds. Who’s this pony with the Treble-Clef cutie mark?”

“I can’t remember her name off of the top of my head but I do know she was a famous musician back before the invasion. Figured she’d be good for recruitment.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Good thinkin’. Having a pony with social graces and clout might be better to steer ponies our way than you or me. Matter of fact, I want to look into her bein’ in the first group we bring out.”

Scootaloo hissed. “I don’t know. She was pretty deep into the town when I saw her. She might be difficult to get at.”

“Let’s keep her on the backburner then. If we can get at her easily, great. If not, we’ll wait. Ah don’t want to take any unnecessary risks this early.”

“Agreed.”

“Pipsqueak, eh? What are ya thinkin’ of using him for?”

“He’s quick on his hooves. Seriously, Bloom, you should have seen him go. I think that, if nothing else, he’d make a decent scout. Once we start making moves, it’s not a good idea to depend entirely on me. Not to mention, his natural coat pattern would give him decent camouflage.”

“Alright. We’ll see what he can do but if he’s going to be a scout, he’s your responsibility.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Fine.”

“And that brings us to…” Apple Bloom blinked as she read the name. “Is this for real?”

“I saw her with my own eyes.”

“So Cheerilee’s still alive. Much as I love the mare, I gotta ask: what use is she to the army?”

“She’s a teacher. Or, was, at any rate. Teachers have a whole slew of skills not directly related to teaching, like first aid.”

“Ah see where ye’re goin’ with this but we need nurses, not school teachers with adhesive bandages.”

Scootaloo let out a groan of exasperation. “I’m sure she can do more than stick gauze on scrapes. Besides, I have yet to spot an actual nurse or doctor and, in lieu of either profession, she’s better than nothing.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “She’s on the back-burner too. We’ll get her when we get her.”

“No.”

Determination flared in her eyes as Scootaloo faced down her leader. “No, Bloom. We’re getting her out as soon as we can.”

“Scoots, we don’t have any use for her at the moment.”

“I don’t care. She was our teacher. It’s a miracle she managed to survive this long and there’s no telling how much longer she can last. They’re killing her. I don’t care if all she can do is sit on her hands and tweet like a bird, we’re not going to leave her there one minute longer.”

“We don’t have the time or resources to be playin’ foalsitter.”

“Who said we would be? You’re writing her off because she doesn’t have enough of the particular skill set you’re currently looking for. Even if she wasn’t our old teacher, she might be helpful in logistics or recruitment or psychology. We’re going to need somepony like her to gently work with others and keep them on an even keel. Your usual tactic of “Get Over It” doesn’t work in every single situation.”

Apple Bloom opened her mouth to argue but hesitated. “Ya feel that strongly about it?”

“I do.”

The mare let out a ragged sigh and shook her head. “Don’t make me regret this, Scoots. Ah’m tryin’ to build an army from nothin’ here.”

“You and I have the same goals. We both want a free Equestria but not everypony can divide their minds like us. Not everypony is as tough as us. Sometimes, ponies break and somebody needs to put all of the pieces back together. Cheerilee might be the mare to do it.”

Apple Bloom shook her head again. “Ah hear ya, Scoots, and Ah get what yer sayin’ but we can’t help a single pony by takin’ unnecessary risks. Believe it or not, Ah want Cheerilee to be free as much as you do but Ah need to think in the long term if we’re gonna survive this.”

“We all do, Bloom. You don’t carry this war by yourself. You trust me to bring you good information on the outside world so that we can decide what to do next. I need you to trust me now when I say we need to get Cheerilee out of there.”

Apple Bloom leaned against a table and cupped her chin in a hand, deep in thought. “Alright. We need to do this carefully though. Like Ah said before, no unnecessary risks. Ya got it?”

Scootaloo nodded.

“Tomorrow night, when ya go out again, Sweetie and Ah are goin’ with ya. We’re gonna assess the situation and, if possible, we’re gonna start freein’ ponies.”