//------------------------------//
// The Second Reunion 
// Story: Of Revolutions and Reunions 
// by Matthais Unidostres 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy, clad in a red and white medic's uniform and with saddlebags filled with medical supplies, led her team of similarly equipped medic ponies into Klugetown. Members of her team had already broken off to tend to a few wounded allies, including Capper and Chummer. For Fluttershy, It was heart-wrenching to see so many wounded creatures. Even worse were the slain bodies of Klugetowners and the occasional pony, thestral, or hippogriff. However, Fluttershy forced herself to press on, knowing that lives depended on her and her team.

Fluttershy bit her lip as she passed by a moaning, spear bearing Klugetowner, reaching out as he rapidly lost blood. As much as she wanted to save every creature, she knew that she had to focus on her allies first. After all, the Klugetowners were slavers, and had put countless innocent creatures under such ruthless torture, ripping them from their homes and destroying their lives. They needed to face the consequences for the horrible atrocities they had enacted upon the weak and helpless.

Fluttershy gasped when she spotted a pegasus guard lying on his side, his wing bent at an unnatural angle. She flew over to him saying, "Oh dear, oh dear. Your wing! It'll be okay! It's dislocated, but I can fix it. Right now. You'll be okay. Trust me."

Fluttershy took out a syringe from her saddlebag and said soothingly, "Here we go. I'm going to numb the pain, then your wing will be all better. Deep breaths now. Deep breaths."

Fluttershy injected the painkiller into the pegasus' wing joint, continuing to calm the guard with her voice as she waited for the medicine to take affect. Then, without warning, she quickly grabbed the wing and relocated it back into place, causing the guard to grunt a bit.

"There! There. It's done. All better. Just stay off of it for a while and you'll fly again. You've done enough now. You can head back to the airship."

The guard, now newly invigorated, jumped up and said with a gleam in his eye, "Go back? I've only begun to fight!" The pegasus then took off on foot shouting, "FOR LIBERTY! EEEEEEEEQUESTRIA!"





Slavemaster Dorf, a boar like Klugetowner with a large red snout and a pair of long sharpened tusks, scowled as he guarded the entrance to the slave compound. Beating obedience into the slaves imprisoned there was a favorite past time of his, and the cries of pain and pathetic pleas for mercy were music to his ears. Therefore, the idea of a bunch of ponies and hippogriffs coming in to take away their slaves insulted him a great deal, and he planed on using his trusty whip to flay alive any creature who dared try and free any of the slaves he was in charge of.

"Hey? Mister slaver guy?"

Dorf turned to the side to see a pink pony with a big smile staring up at him.

"I just wanted to know," Pinkie Pie said, still smiling at him, "Are ya more ugly than you are evil, or are ya more evil than you are ugly?"

Dorf snarled as he swung his whip back, and he said, "I'll slice your face in half!"

Pinkie nodded and said, "Uh-huh! I'm sure ya will, but before you do, I have one more question." She then held up a metal ring with keys hanging on it and asked, "Are these yours?"

Dorf's eyes widened, and looked down at his belt to see that his keys had indeed been stolen. He looked back up at Pinkie, only instead to see the inside of her Party Canon.

POW!

Dorf cried out in surprise as he was launched up into the air by a blast from the Party Canon. He flipped over and saw that he was headed towards a nearby roof, but what surprise him was that Pinkie Pie was someone already there and had her Party Canon aimed right at him yet again.

POW!

Dorf cried out a second time as he was launched back up into the air again, only to smash right through the roof of the slave compound with a tremendous crash.

Pinkie smiled and nodded, but her moment of satisfaction was cut off by the sound of several angry voices.

"Gah! Look what that pony did to Slavemaster Dorf!"

"Get her! Kill the pony!"

Pinkie turned and looked over the edge of the roof to see a bunch of spear wielding Klugetowners scaling the side of the building to reach her. She just laughed dementedly as she aimed her Party Canon down at them.

"Boys, Pinkie Pie's serving humble pie! Get it while it's hot!"

POW!





Dorf was dazed from the landing, and laid on the ground for a bit as he tried to regain his senses. As he slowly got it together, he began to hear voices all around him.

"Oh my gosh, it's Dorf!"

"Hey, he doesn't look so tough now!"

"That sick monsters! Always beating us for no reason!"

"That punk laughed at me when I was crying and begging him to stop!"

"He's evil, mates! Evil!"

"Let's get him!"

"Yeah, everycreature get him!"

"Kill him!"

Dorf's eyes widened as he saw that he was surrounding by a multitude of furious, hot eyed slaves. There were many types of creatures within the compound. Ponies, griffons, abyssinians, and more. However, every single one of them looked upon the slave master with unadulterated hatred. 

Dorf reached for his whip out of reflex, only to find that he'd lost it during his high flying encounter with Pinkie Pie. He held out a hand in front of him as he shouted, "Get back! Get away, you slaves! I command you!"

Some of the slaves actually laughed a bit at this, while others simply continued to stare darkly at the slavemaster as the entire group closed in on him. Dorf let out a terrified scream as his former victims began the process of tearing him limb from limb.





Tempest Shadow use her horn to blast down the front door and strode calmly into the house. A Klugetowner with dark blue hair, pink loop earrings, and short brown antlers was cringing with fear as she shakily brandished a soup ladle while standing in front of a group of four teenage slaves; two Abyssinians, a pony, and a griffon.

"Don't hurt me!" the Klugetowner shouted in fright, "I surrender! I'm okay with having the slaves freed! Honestly! I actually took those slaves in during the fighting! I'm just keeping them safe! Please believe me!"

The pony slave nodded and said, "Yeah, it's true! Vera is helping us! She's on our side! The slavers would have either recaptured us or killed us if it hadn't been for her! Please, don't hurt her!"

Tempest Shadow's horn continued to crackle and spark as she studied the faces of the group before her, making sure to look long and hard at Vera's expression. Then, with her own facial expression still unreadable, Tempest said slowly as her horn stopped sparking, "You are lucky Princess Twilight taught me the importance of mercy."

Vera sighed in relief, slowly lowering the ladle she had been holding up.

Tempest turned and stuck her head out the door way. "Hey! You! And You! You two guards! We're making a safe house for the slaves here! Yes, here! And you! Yeah, you thestral, up there! Spread the word that any slaves we come across are to be directed to this home, which is to be guarded at all times until this battle is over!"





Not long after Slavemaster Gorf was disposed of, the door to the slave compound was suddenly knocked off it hinges, it's lock broken like a china plate. Through the entrance marched Applejack, smiling proudly as led a group of pony soldiers. Before her was a large metal gate that held in the slaves, who were all gathered together with wide eyes as they beheld the bold, confident Earth Pony mare.

"Howdy, ladies and gents!" Applejack said grandly, "Anycreature fancy being liberated today?"

This sent all the slaves into an excited tizzy as the spoke amongst themselves, certain that this was too good to be true.

Suddenly, a villainous voice from outside shouted, "They're in the slave compound! Don't let them take it!"

One of the royal guard ponies turned to their leader and said, "Ms. Applejack? We might be in trouble, and we have our orders to protect the Elements Bearers. . .."

Applejack nodded and said, "Ya'll go on and fight 'em off. Ah'll stay here and keep all the soon to be ex-slaves calm."

As the royal guard quickly exited to keep the foe out of the slave compound, a deep, southern sounding voice called out, "Applejack?! Did that stallion say Applejack? Applejack!?"

Applejack felt a strange sensation run through her. The voice seemed to trigger something deep within her, as if she knew who it was. Deeply confused, Applejack turned and looked at the mass of imprisoned slaves as somecreature began to force his way towards the front of the pack.

"Applejack? Applejack? Let me through! Let me though, Ah need to see! Please!" the voice said.

Applejack slowly stepped towards the metal gate, and when the speaker finally made its way towards the front, Applejack mind seemed to blow itself apart and come back together several times in rapid succession.

Applejack beheld the face of a stallion with a pale yellow coat, a messed and dirty brilliant red mane, and green eyes. Those eyes were filled with pain and desperation, but now they were slowly filling up with hope, and perhaps even a bit of joy.

Applejack was at a loss for words, her mouth was hanging open even though no words would come. However, one word eventually came to mind, and she forced herself to say it.

". . .Pa?"

Tears were streaming from Bright Mac's as he beheld his eldest daughter. "Oh, Jackie. . .Ah was so afraid. . .Ah'd. . ." he chocked on his words as he slid his right forehoof through the bars, which wasn't an easy feat due to the shackles around his legs. ". . .that Ah'd. .  never see the amazin' young mare Ah'd always known ya'd be. . ."

As if in a trance, Applejack slowly walked over to the gate, slowly closing the distance between her and her father. She then slowly raised her own right forehoof and touched it to his.

"Yer. . .yer real. . ." Applejack said softly, her voice a subtle whisper as her eyes widened even further, then a smile of the purest joy spread across her face as she repeated louder, "Yer real! Here! Alive! Ah. . .Ah don't. . .how!?"

Bright Mac smiled with all the love in his heart filling his eyes, then her managed to tear his gaze away from his daughter long enough to look behind him and below, "COME ON! GET OVER HERE! QUICK! GET A MOVE ON!"

A moment after calling out, a voice could be heard slowly getting closer.

"Ah tell ya, Bright Mac, it ain't possible. Ya heard wrong. Why would she . . . be. . .here. . ?"

The crowd of slaves made some room, and Applejack once again found herself at a loss for words as she looked upon a light coated mare with long tangled orange hair and brilliant turquoise eyes. The mare gasped and lifted a forehoof to cover her mouth, her eyes shimmering with utter disbelief. Again, not an easy feat due to the shackles.

Applejack had to step back, her entire body shaking as she looked at the two ponies standing behind the metal gate. "Ah. . .wait. . .no. No, Ah don't believe it! It ain't possible! Ya'll were lost in that rock slide."

Bright Mac shrugged and said with a sad smile, "Well, Jackie, either it was just plain ol' dumb luck, or those slavers set off that rock slide on purpose to cover their tracks after they nabbed us."

This was all too much for Applejack, and she ended up falling on her knees as said in between her tearful sobs, "All this time. . .fer years. . .the whole time. . .you was. . .we were. . .why!?" She pulled her hat down over her face as she found herself unable to control her tears.

Pear Butter finally found the strength to put her forehoof back down and step forward. "Applejack. . .please, darling. Don't cry," she said soothingly.

Applejack lifted her hat back up and tearful looked at her mother, love and care seeming to radiate out from her. "Ma. . ." she sobbed as she got up and ran towards the gate. The mother and daughter shared a nuzzle through the bars, tears streaming down both their faces as the did so.

Applejack regretfully pulled away as she said with a look of determination, "Right. Stand back, all of you! I'm gonna buck open this gate!"

Bright Mac shook his head sadly and said, "That won't do much good, Jackie. We've tried to knock these gates down time and time again. Ain't nothin' gonna break these down."

Applejack turned and planted her hooves firmly on the ground, and she said, "Maybe creatures that are beaten and starved and abused can't break 'em down, but Ah don't think they can stand against a Sweet Apple Acres mare that's ready and raring to go with a fire in her heart! So stand back, 'cause here Ah go!"

CLANG!

All of the slaves jumped back as Applejack's hooves struck the gate dead center. While the lock holding them closed still held, the gate did move quite a bit from the strike.

Applejack grunted, disappointed that she hadn't broken the lock with one blow, but this only served to strengthen her resolve to get the gate open.

CLANG!

Many of the slaves let out gasps of surprise when they saw that Applejack's second buck actually bent the metal a bit.

"Applejack, no!" Pear Butter cried out nervously, "Ah don't want you to hurt your-."

CLANG-ACK!

The slaves all yet out shouts of surprise after Applejack's third buck, and for good reason. A single crack had appeared in the massive lock.

CLANG-ACK!

Applejack huffed and puffed, her entire body straining from the exertion. 

"Almost there. . ." she thought to herself, "Just a bit more strength. . . more power. . and I can-."

"You're doing it the hard way, Applejack!"

Applejack turned to see Pinkie Pie leaning against the gate, holding the late Gorf's keys and swing them around her forehoof.

Applejack blinked at the grinning pink mare, then shook her head and said, "No. . .matter of principle. . ."

Pinkie shrugged and said before hopping away, "Okie dokie lokie! Suit yourself!"

Applejack closed her eyes and went into deep concentration. She thought of all of these slaves and all of the tortures they had gone through. The beatings, the humiliations, the destruction of their hopes and dreams, and the separation from their families. This led her to think of her parents. She thought of what they went through just to be together, their hardships caused by the hated Apple-Pear feud. She then thought of how she felt when they were declared deceased, much much she had missed them, and how much they had missed out in no just her life, but in Big Mac and Applebloom's lives. The fire that had been lit by seeing her parents faces again after so many years suddenly became a blaze that could burn a thousand Windigoes, and the place gave her the strength to unleash one final, mighty buck.

CLANG-SNAP!

The slaves let out a rousing cheer as the lock was finally snapped in two, allowing the hated gate to swing wide open. Slaves were jumping for joy and hugging each other, all so happy that they barely noticed Pinkie zipping around them, unlocking their shackles and removing their chains like a spirit of freedom.

As Pinkie swiftly removed their chains as well, Bright Mac and Pear Butter just stood watching their daughter in amazement as she fought to catch her breath. Applejack finally steadied he breathing, turned around to face her parents and smiled, wiping the sweat off her brow and standing proudly.

Bright Mac smiled back and said, "That's my girl."

Pear Butter ran forward and embraced her daughter like she'd disappear if she let go. Applejack all but buried her face in her mother's mane as she felt her own tears return. Bright Mac walked over and caught the two in a hug as well. 

And at that moment, it didn't matter where they were, who was nearby, or what their situation was. For that one, glorious moment, there was nothing except the three of them.