//------------------------------//
// Shades of Gray 
// Story: Friendship is Revolution 
// by ultiville 
//------------------------------//

Twilight can tell some of the humans don't approve of her bringing Mr. Gray to the infirmary tent, but none seem to have any interest in challenging her.  Still, she gathers a sizable crowd as she floats his still-unconscious bulk across the park.

When she arrives, she finds Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Fiona already there, along with some other injured humans.  Pinkie's got some headphones on and a curious expression Twilight can't identify, Fluttershy is resting her head against Fiona, and Rarity's sobbing into a handkerchief.

"Oh no," Twilight says, "is everything okay?  Was someone injured worse than we though?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that," Fluttershy says, "we just watched a movie.  Love Actually, I think Fiona said you saw it?  It was...nice."

"Oh yes, I really enjoyed that one?"

"Twilight dear," Rarity seems to have completely recovered in an instant, "are you dragging that ghastly Mr. Gray with you?"

"Yes," Twilight frowns, "I was hoping to find a cot for him."

"I'm feeling better," Pinkie says, getting to her hooves without apparent discomfort, "he can have my cot!"

"Uh, are you sure sugarcube?  He shot you."  Applejack glares at Mr. Gray.

"Yeppers, Fiona did a super duper job and I'm totally fine now, see?"  Pinkie gyrates around the tent in a fashion Twilight's pretty confident she couldn't match even uninjured.

"That's very kind of you, Pinkie."

"How did he end up with you, anyway?  Did you capture him?" Rarity asks.

"Darndest thing," Applejack says, "his people gave him to us.  They plumb sold him upriver."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Just that, Rares.  They said he was leadin' a 'rogue element', acted like they had nothin' to do with all that nonsense he pulled!"

"Right," Twilight continues, "and then they gave him to me as some sort of...bribe?  I don't even really know, but it seemed like someone thought I might want to take revenge or something."

"Um, why did you agree to take him?  Do you think we can reform him like Discord?" Fluttershy asks.

"Probably not," Twilight sighs, "he seemed pretty stubborn.  I was going to say no, but then AJ asked me what I thought they'd do to him if I refused, since they were so willing to give him over to a vengeful enemy."

For a little while, everyone's quiet, even the crowd that's gathered around, pretending not to eavesdrop.

"...oh.  Right."  Fluttershy finally says.

Fiona glances over at his large form.  "We'll make sure he gets well," she says, "but you need to figure out what you want to do with him."

"I figured I'd let him go, if he wanted," Twilight says.

"Are you sure?  He might try again."

"I don't think so," she says, "I'm pretty sure Applejack's right, and he was following orders.  Maybe he'll come around and tell the story, maybe he'll just leave, but I don't want to try to hold him.  It'd be a lot of work, and it'd look too much like we were taking some kind of revenge."

Fiona nods.

"Say," Applejack says, "it's great to see you girls again, but has any of y'all seen Rainbow?"

There's a snicker from the crowd, and a man speaks up.  "No, but a lot of us have heard her."

"Consarn it, Rainbow," Applejack mutters, as Fluttershy's cheeks go bright red.  Rarity 'faints' onto a sleeping bag.

Pinkie just starts laughing, and soon it's spread to all the friends, and they feel some of their tensions fading away.

"So," Fiona says, "I've got some other movies on my tablet.  Who wants to see Princess Mononoke?"

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Rarity says, "I didn't know Earth had Princesses!"

Fiona chuckles.  "You'll see."





Many hours and several movies later, the sun's nearly down, and the ponies are getting ready to head out, finally joined again by a barely-embarrassed Rainbow Dash.  Their spirits are higher, both because of the movies and company, and because after lifting the shield, the only people who've come to the park have been more and more supporters.  They got word halfway through the afternoon that the Harvard Yard protest has returned in full swing, and every so often Twilight checks her tablet, finding more and more springing up around the country.  Somehow, she feels like they came off the battle even better than they went in.  After reading about similar movements in the past, she isn't entirely surprised, but much as she loved reading about Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and the rest, it's a totally different kind of excitement to feel like she's at the center of it herself.  Even if she hasn't been quite as passive as they were.

"Let's go back to Alanna's," she says to her friends, "I think everyone here will be safe for the night, and I want to keep it about them.  Especially if Agent Harris's word is good and the President plans to pass a rights bill for us, I want everyone to know that's still not really the heart of the issue."

"Sure, Twi', sounds good.  Uh..." Dash leans over and whispers in her ear, "do you think it's okay if Mary comes?"

Twilight just smiles back.  "Of course, Rainbow.  But I want to talk to you a bit tomorrow about this atmosphere thing.  We've let it fall by the wayside for too long."

"Ugh, fine," Dash says, "I guess I can do a bit of work."

The ponies laugh, but just as they're about to leave, Polaris walks up next to Twilight.

"Princess," she gives a little bow.

"Hello, Polaris," Twilight's given up on trying to get her to stop with the bowing, or to use her name.  "What can I do for you?"

"I overheard you planning to go back to Ms. Rare's house.  I've alerted your guard, but what should we do if Mr. Gray wakes up?"

"Unless he causes trouble, nothing.  He's not a prisoner."

Polaris frowns.  "Even if he tries to leave?"

Twilight nods.  "I won't keep him.  I took him in to spare him punishment.  If anyone deserves it, it's the people that ordered him to do this, then sold him out to try to cover themselves.  But it looks like no one here wants to let them get away with it."

Polaris still looks disgruntled, but just nods.  "Of course, Princess.  Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Polaris," Twilight nods at her, then she and her friends vanish.





Mr. Gray awakens on a sleeping bag and near-darkness.  He opens his eyes, and casts about.  His body aches, and in front of him he can see almost nothing, but he doesn't seem to be bound.  He turns over with minor and manageable pain, and sees the park bathed in moonlight.  He manages to suppress a curse, and instead rolls nearly silently out of the cot to the grass.  Many of his enemies have taken his size to mean he can't move quietly, and few have lived to regret their mistake.

He sticks to the shadows of the pavilion and makes his way to its edge.  There's a tree on one side, and the branches leave spiderwebs of darkness on the silver-gray grass.  He slips up next to the trunk, and peers out towards the edge of the park.  It looks like he's in luck - the shield doesn't appear to be up.  There are several large groups of protesters sitting around fires in drum circles or roasting marshmallows, and he's momentarily confused at their lack of concern for what must be an ongoing siege, but he files it away for later.  Instead, he silently thanks them for ruining their night vision with the fires, and prepares to make a break for it.

He twists around the trunk of the tree towards the best route, a short shot to Massachusetts Avenue that's mostly under the canopy.  He starts along it at a brisk walk, keeping his steps silent, and nearly runs headlong into a small woman carrying a staff.

"Hold on," she says.

He raises a fist, and she just rolls her eyes and raises her staff.

"I'm not going to stop you," she says, "the Princess ordered me not to.  I just want to tell you the truth before you go."

"She told you not to stop me?  You mean the purple pony, right?"

"The Princess," she says, her voice annoyingly respectful, "yes.  And she did tell me to let you go, yes.  Do you know how you got here?"

"Captured after the battle."

"Wrong.  Your own Department turned you over to her.  They said you were leading a 'rogue element'.  They cut you loose to cover themselves.  The Princess took you because she thought they'd treat you worse.  And now she ordered me to let you go, even though I don't want to .  Do you understand what I'm telling you?  She's better than any of us deserve, and you need to know it."

Mr. Gray feels a fear and sadness gnawing at his stomach.  Neither of these are emotions he's used to or much likes.  He's always feared that some day it would come to this - he is, after all, not an idiot, and knows the price covert agents sometimes pay.  He feels in his pocket for his phone.  It's still there.  He pulls it out and turns it on.

It doesn't have service.  It doesn't even seem to have a plan.  There's a simple post-it note on the back of the case, bearing only the numeral zero.  He sighs and puts it away, and closes his eyes.

"You still leaving?"

He nods and snarls at the woman, and she just shrugs and steps aside.

"If you ever want to come back, she'll have you," she says as he goes, "I've never seen her turn anyone away."

He just nods - no point in arguing with a fanatic- and walks on, considering his next moves.  It's nice at least, he supposes, not to have to hide anymore.  He's got some stashes around Boston, at least a few of which he's pretty sure the Department didn't know about, a few identities he can slip on.  He's a professional, after all, and it was just a job.  There's always more work for a professional, sooner or later, and he'll be just as glad if the next doesn't have anything to do with magical ponies.

First, though, he thinks, it might be time for a little vacation.  He feels he's earned it.  Smiling a little, he vanishes into the night.