Part 3: Will of the Wind
The train pulled up to Ponyville station and Sweetie Bell and Ah hopped of before they began to unload the box car. After making sure nobody (Twilight was really pushing political correctness in the schools) saw us Ah couldn’t help but look around. It’s been two years since we last set hoof here; Applejack always insisted that Granny and Big Macintosh come up to the castle for birthdays and Hearth's Warming Eve. At this time of day Applejack used sell apple out of the cart, but now there was a permanent stand in its place with a mare Ah've never seen before. The Library while bigger just had some old stallion for the librarian. The first Carousel Boutique was once both Rarity’s home as well as her shop until there was one in every town. Sugercube Corner while still owned by the cakes is under new management. The local vet now took care of all the animals in Ponyville. And now Derpy Hooves of all ponies is the captain of the weather team.
“Hello Ms. Hooves how are you this fine day?” Lily asked.
“Oh you just…” Before she could finish we all heard a tune in the air. I miss when songs were just on the spot and not scheduled every day. “…awesome!”
Everything is awesome! Everything is good when yer part of the team!
This went on for a little bit. “That was the song Rainbow Dash and Pinkie wrote together?” Sweetie asked me.
“Yeah, let’s start looking for this trouble maker and hope they’re this Element of Chaos we’re looking for.” We knew it wouldn’t be easy to find. Anyone who has any success in defying the princesses must be good at keeping out of sight.
We started by looking for any of the graffiti around town but street after street every wall was predictably spotless. “Ah guess our next step is to see about the theft of the food and most of that is at Sweet Apple Acres.” Ah am a little anxious about seeing mah family. We haven’t seen each other since Applejack became a Queen. The first thing ah noticed was that there were a lot more ponies in the orchards than ah ever saw.
“Hello there.” One of the stallions said to us.
“Howdy.” Ah said.
“So, what do you little ones need?”
“We are here as a favor for the Queens. There was talk of apples going missing in the fields.” Sweetie said.
The stallion suddenly looked very nervous. “Sorry if we have not been satisfactory. But the thief is just so fast we hardly could even get a look her!”
“There nothing for you to be worried about. No one holds any of you responsible.”
The Stallion calmed down a little. “We have been looking in the nearby hills but we have never been able to find anything.”
Just then a brown blur swooped by and grabbed apples off the nearby trees. “Stay put; we’ll chase after it. Come on Sweetie Bell.”
+++
We followed the streak up to the hills close to where the Everfree forest used to be. “Hello? Are y'all here?”
Nothin.
“We don’t want to turn you in. In fact, we need your help. You’re the only lead to something that can save our sisters and friends and put an end to all this forced harmony.” Sweetie Bell said.
Then from out of a cave two apple cores hit us on our heads. “Yeah right, like I’d stick my neck out for any of them. Especially that backstabber Rainbow Dash.” Out of the cave came a griffin with purple highlights in some of her feathers.
“Wait aren’t you Gilda? The Griffin that visited Ponyville a few years ago?” ah asked.
“What’s it to you?” Gilda then gave a roar.
“We’re looking for the elements of chaos and if they are anything like the elements of harmony then we have to find them in the hearts of others who aren’t afraid to stand up to the queens like you do.”
Flicking her tail across my snout Gilda just gave a grunt. “I don’t stand up to them I just stay out of their way and do want I want.”
“What?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“Here is how it is. According to the Queens' plan I’m the enemy because I like to think for myself, I’m into freedom of speech, and freedom of choice. I’m the kind of gal who sits in the greasy spoon and think should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of BBQ ribs with the side order of gravy fries? I want high cholesterol. I want to eat bacon and butter and buckets of cheese! I want to park my wagon in the no parking zone. I want to run through the streets covered in green gelatin reading violent comics! Why? Because I might suddenly feel the need to! Ok dweebs? I’ve seen the future the Queens want and you know what it is? It’s a 47-year griffon going around in his beige suit; drinking a banana and broccoli shake while singing the sappy song of the month. You live in any town you live their way; what they want, when they want, how they want. Your other choice; come out here and maybe starve to death.
“Don’t you want to stop them? You could help us find the elements of chaos that can show them that what they are doing is wrong!” Ah said.
“I chose this path and if I want to keep on it I need to stay as far from their scared little followers as I can. I’m not gonna risk my freedom for two fillies I barely know for trinket that probably doesn’t exist! Go back to town or find you place but get out of here!”
+++
“What do we do now?” Ah asked as we made our way out of the hills. “This is just the first step on our quest and already we seem to be blowing it big time!”
I don’t know, maybe she’s the element we’re looking for but we don’t have any proof of it.” Sweetie Bell placed her hoof on mah shoulder. “You know we hear rumors of a resistance all the time, maybe they can help us.”
“Apple Bloom!” We heard a very familiar voice. “Land Shakes youngin why didn’t tell me didn’t ya tell me y’all were comin for a visit?” It was Granny Smith.
“Granny!” Ah was frozen in place. It had been so long since we were last together.
“Now, come along child we got some fresh baked pies in the house and we can get all caught up. Big Mac should be done with his chores so he can join us.” Reluctantly we made our way to the house. “How is yer sister doing these days?” Granny asked sadly. “We only hear what the news says about her but it’s been a trees age since we last heard from her.”
Ah took a deep breath and looked to Sweetie who shook her head. Ah couldn’t lie to Granny. “She's very busy with everythin'. Frankly Ah’m worried about her Granny, this road she’s taking us all down. Ah’m worried it’s breaking her on the inside.”
Then the Barn doors opened and out came Big Macintosh and a load of other ponies including the Mayor, Lyra, and that cherry stand pony. So many of them had those forced smiles of the harmonized ponies. “Apple Bloom. Ah know you think yer just trying to help AJ but we know yer skipping school and you didn’t have any orders to go after that thief. If you were trying to do somthin with her help then you are the one who needs help.” Big Mac said.
“Don’t any of you see that what they are doing is wrong? We’re all either living in fear or are brain washed! We’re just trying to get them back to who they used to be!” Sweetie pleaded.
The Mayor spoke. “Now children we are not going to hurt you. We just are going to hold you until the Queens can help you.”
“Yeah a lot of us needed help and they helped us. It doesn’t hurt or anything.” Lyra said.
Ah looked to mah family. “Granny, Big Mac are you really okay with this? Ah can tell. Yer livin in fear of yer own sister; yer own granddaughter! How can that be the way the world is supposed to be? This is a false harmony we are livin' in! No one is free! No one can do anything without looking over their shoulder out of fear that they will be punished!”
“We’re sorry Apple Bloom but it’s…fer the best.” Granny said.
“Eyup” Big Mac said sadly.
“Is this really how it ends?” Ah thought. “Arrested by mah family. Our mission ends just as we began?”
-My Hero Academia OST You say Run-
“Spiral Wind Buster!” a sideways Tornado pushed everyone away and we found ourselves in Gilda’s claws.
“Gilda? Why are you helping us” Sweetie Bell asked.
Gilda gave some kind of shamed grin “I really am pathetic you know that? Here I am talking about my freedom doing what I want but all this time I really didn’t do what I really want to do out of fear. And here are two little fillies with no clue on what to do who are risking everything to change the world. You two inspired me to take action instead of hiding from my problems.” She then looked at the crowd. You ponies hear me? I am going to fight for the world I want. I am going the get my best friend back! This is what I CHOOSE!” Then a light came out of her heart and became a dark red jewel the shape of a talon with a pair of wings clasped to Gilda’s neck by a silver band. “This is my Element of Chaos, the Element of Free Will!” The element shined and ponies in the crowd looked confused.
“I’m free! I am me again!” Lyra said.
“What did they make me do?” The Cherry salespony said.
The next thing we knew some folk in the mob were trying to wrestle the ponies that the Element of Free will freed. “Get out of here!” Lyra said. "You mustn't let the only weapon against the Queens we have be captured!”
“Right!” Gilda took off with us in tow, tackling any pegasus that tried to get in our way.
+++
We were now high above Ponyville. Sweetie Bell had a big smile on her face. “We found the first element and she can break the harmonization on anyone we find. This is a big step forward!”
“Yeah but now we need to figure out where to go next to find the next element.” Ah said.
Then Gilda’s element shot out a beam of light into the distance. “Guess we follow this thing.” Gilda said.
Then I thought as we looked out into the horizon. “Ah’m still sad at what Granny and Big Macintosh tried to do but We got to keep moving forward. Now we have real hope again. Whoever you are that told us about these elements Ah want to thank you for this hope.”