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Share the Kindness Equally

Choose equality as your special talent.

Free yourself from your cutie mark.

You're no better than your friends.

Accept your limitations, and happiness will follow.

That voice again!

I awoken from my slumber only to see I was still in this village in the middle of the desert. I felt the loose and ragged floorboards groan against the stretching of my pale yellow hooves. My friends had awoken as well, Twilight possibly jolting them awake as she finally made a scheme of how to escape this place.

These ponies don't seem that bad, anyway. They all seemed very polite, and with open hooves, too. This small corner of Equestria might be the nicest ponies I've ever met...

No! We have to get out, we have to get the cutie marks back.

"I know how we can get out," Twilight finally spoke.

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to protest. "Forget it Twilight. This door will never open."

"And I'm afraid these windows are much too small for escape." Rarity agreed and nodded grimly.

"We don't have to escape," Twilight reassured. "They'll just let us out when they think we accepted their philosophy! And there's only one of us they might believe had converted over one night."

They all suddenly glared at me with determined smirks.

Wait...I have to go out there? I can't. They are such lovely and polite ponies, but what if Starlight finds out I'm a fraud? Then I'll end up back where I started, in this chamber. And I can't take more of that chilling voice...

"Me?" I finally blurted out a reply.

"You've been talking about how nice this place was since we got here!" Rainbow shouted at me with anger.

"But that's because their village is so pretty, and everypony's so nice and, and..."

Silence reigned.

"You're right," I sighed sullenly. "They probably would believe me. I'd hate to lie to them, they've been so welcoming and friendly, aside from locking us in here and trying to brainwash us into abandoning the things that make us special. Okay, I'll do it."

"Good morning!" Starlight's voice filled the room with thunder through the speaker. My ears twitched a little at that loud, familiar voice.

Her.

The door swung open, and Starlight revealed herself to the six, the other villagers behind her. "I trust you had a pleasant night?"

"Join us!" One of the villagers yelled enthusiastically, that same grin on his face. "The whole village joins together to build you your own cottage-"

"FORGET IT!" Dash yelled angrily. "We are going to get our marks back!"
Starlight only smiled gently. "It's alright, everypony, these ponies just need more..time to fully understand our philosophy!"

We started walking back to the little house, I paced a bit slower than the others, until Twilight tapped my hoof, giving my cue to take action.

"I'd like to join!"

I immediately put my front hooves over my mouth, maybe nopony could hear. Oh no, they all did, I can already hear the amused clamor from the smiling villagers.

"Fluttershy, how could you?" Twilight was right behind me, lying to the crowd of ponies. There was no going back now. I just have to keep going along with it. She and the others walked into the cottage, slightly smiling. Then, the door shut.

"We have a new friend, everypony!" Starlight yelled joyfully with glee.

It worked! I thought they would never had believed me, good thing I made such a nice first impression. Actually, they weren't so bad.

Wait, the marks! I almost had forgotten. I should repeat it to myself, just so I remember.

Get the cutie marks.

"Come, Fluttershy, all new friends stay with me until their cottage is completed."

I paced along beside Starlight, keeping a small grin, just to be sure I don't look like a phony. I wouldn't like to lie to these ponies....

Get the cutie marks!

When we both had made it inside Starlight's cottage, I could feel the chilly air against my coat. It was freezing!

Starlight had noticed my shivering, and proceeded to light up the furnace in her living room. The orange flames danced inside the gray oven. I started to get warmer, it was although relaxing. I loosened up a bit, sitting closer to the flames, but not close enough to burn myself. The temperature was perfect.

"Now, Fluttershy," Starlight Glimmer broke the silence. "Now that you have become one of us, do you endure the feeling of joy now that you have freed yourself from your cage of a cutie mark?"

I hesitated for a moment, then my cutie mark started to glow an inky black, relaxing me more. "Um, well...yes. It's just that, now that I'm equal, it's a little hard getting used to your customs."

"Nonsense, my little pony," Starlight said. "We just need to settle a few more things with you, then you will become truly equal. Starting off with your mane..."

My mane? Oh, right, the ponies in this village have their manes cut alike from each other. I love my mane now, but I must play along until me and my friends can get out of here.

Get the cutie marks.

"Let me escort you upstairs, Fluttershy," Starlight said gently. "Then we will commence the final steps of the equalization process."

I followed her upstairs, the floorboards of the staircase brushing roughly on my fur, like at the other cottage. I wonder how my friends are holding up? I hope that voice isn't getting into their heads, I couldn't take it anymore myself. I'm sure they'll abide. They've got the princess of friendship fighting beside them.

"Fluttershy," Starlight's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Rest yourself over on that bed." she commanded.

I laid on the bedspread, the warmth of the fire never leaving me although the cot was freezing.

"Now, turn away from me, so I can take a glimpse at your mane, then I can fix it up a little."

I turned away from the pink unicorn immediately, feeling her soft hooves pummel my mane, using her magic to sort out the parts of my lengthy pink locks. I could see her floating a pair of scissors near my mane, getting anxious. But it caused me no pain at all. It was sad to see my old mane go, after years of growing, but I'll be happy here, in this pretty little village-

Get the cutie marks.

"Something troubling you, Fluttershy?" Starlight suddenly asked me. My mark glowed once more, even darker than before, and longer this time. It relaxed me greatly. But I have to push on through.

"Um..not at all, Starlight." I lied.

"Good." She seemed amused. "It feels good to be no better than anypony else, doesn't it? I'm so glad you have seen the light, and I know you will be so very happy in our little village."

Yes! I'm so happy I- No! I can't let her get into my head! Get the cutie marks! Starlight continued to snip my mane painlessly, I hardly noticed from relaxing so much...stay focused.

"Those other friends of yours, Fluttershy, don't feel too worried about them. They just haven't seen the light, unlike you, I trust you have accepted our lovely welcome."

My mark glowed again, slowly shifting my thoughts as I struggled to fight back.

"We're almost done," Starlight spoke. "I just have to make a quick adjustment to your tail.."

Snip. My mane and tail was successfully changed to mirror the other ponies.

"How do you feel?"

My mark glowed yet again, even longer and darker than before. A warm feeling overtook my whole body, almost like..happiness. I couldn't help but smile widely with joy and blurt out the truth. "Amazing."

She beckoned me to arrive back to the first floor, assumingly next to the fire again. I looked out the window, and the moonlight was glowing across the starry sky, and nopony was outside, in their cottages. Time had flown by fast, I guess I was just enjoying this so much, I lost track of time.

Get the cutie marks.

Get the cutie marks.

Get the cutie marks!

"You're free to look in the mirror," Starlight commanded. "You'll love your new mane."

I stared into the mirror, seeing my pelt grayer than usual, and tight pigtails and short bangs had replaced my usual long and wavy mane. This...wasn't that bad, actually. In fact, it's much simpler to manage, since it was shorter and tied by bands to hold it down. This might not be that bad after all! I grinned, and walked down by the fire to lay on the fuzzy scarlet rug. The warm fire comforted me, and I relaxed more than ever before in the past. This was much more comfortable than my old cottage.

My old cottage!

The equal sign glowed.

I'm sure Discord will take care of it.

"Um, excuse me, Starlight..." I stuttered. "Can I still tend for animals, even with my mark removed?"

"Of course! Didn't you notice the other ponies having careers when you first got here? Just because you can't understand the language of animals anymore, that doesn't mean you can't care for them. Your cutie mark had forced you into taking care of animals, but now that is entirely your choice. You choose to take care of the animals. I'm sure there are plenty of creatures showing up in the desert you can care for."

"Oh, my, thank you!" I responded with joy.

Get the cutie marks.

"No, thank you, Fluttershy, for accepting our philosophy with pride, and freeing yourself from your special talent. Now, you must be tired from a long and hard day of equalization. Why don't you rest by the fire?"

As Starlight blew out the candles illuminating the room, the flames made a soft ember glow on the ceiling, and I yawned, thinking of how an exhausted day it had been. My eyelids grew heavy, as I let them close shut.

"Just let those eyes drift shut, dear Fluttershy," Starlight whispered gently. "Repeat after me, equality is happiness."

I echoed her with no effort. "Equality is happiness." Starlight kept repeating it, over and over, her gentle voice letting me drift off.

"Equality is happiness."

Get the cutie marks.

Get EQUALITY the cutie HAPPINESS marks...

Get... EQUALITY

the.... IS

marks.... HAPPINESS

back....

my...friends.....

EQUALITY IS HAPPINESS

"Fluttershy..."

I awoken to Starlight's tender voice as she gently shook me from the night's sleep. "I hope you've had a good rest."

Of course! Now that I'm just like everypony else. I love living in this wonderful little village, with all these welcoming ponies! I can't wait until my friends get to join me! I put on a big smile for Starlight, amusing her, and walked out to the rest of the village,

"Good morning, my little ponies!" She greeted with a smile. "As you can see, our new friend Fluttershy has completed the equalization process!"

The crowd of ponies cheered in agreement, and I finally felt like I was apart of something important. They all felt like family to me. So nice and welcoming. I'm so overjoyed to be here, and I even am more outgoing!

"Welcome!"

Of course, I couldn't forget those greetings from the very beginning. I was right all along. This is the happiest place in all of Equestria.

"Let's see if we have any new friends today, Fluttershy." I followed Starlight over to the chamber, where my five friends remained. I only hoped that they could see the evil in cutie marks, and free themselves as well, I just want them to be as happy as I am! As Starlight opened the door, I stood behind her.

"Do we have any new friends today?" Starlight asked the five. The others only held their angry looks, silent.

"Aw, what a pity. But, I think you'll change your ways of thinking when you see somepony."

I walked over to Twilight, grinning a wide smile, how else was I supposed to show them how happy it is to be equal?

"F-fluttershy?" Twilight gasped.

Why would she gasp? Is she scared? I am happy! I spoke as happily as ever, hopefully turning them from their backwards thinking.

"Won't you join me, dear friends? I'm very happy here!"

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