//------------------------------// // Harbor Tea // Story: Daughters of Liberty // by SonicSpeedster97 //------------------------------// The girls had been working and living in the office of the Pennsylvania Gazette for a little over three years, and just as Twilight had said, none of them had aged a single day in all that time. When Dr. Franklin asked about it, Twilight had told him it was simply a matter of good hygienic care that made them appear ageless. By this point, the girls had grown accustomed to the use of their era-appropriate cover names as they worked in the printing press room, waiting for the next event of the Revolution. And it would soon happen. But first… “Ow! AJ!” Some shenanigans; Dr. Franklin had left for London a few weeks ago, leaving the girls in charge of the Gazette. Unfortunately, over the course of these few weeks, Rainbow had gotten her work-apron caught in the press more than once, and this time was no exception. “Ugh. Again, Ronnie? Really?” Applejack sighed; they’d taken to calling Rainbow Dash ‘Ronnie’ as a shortened version of her cover-name Veronica. No one minded, least of all Dr. Franklin. Twilight was right; he was a very understanding man. “Sorry. Get me outta here, will ya?” Rainbow Dash and Applejack had been working the printing press as they and the others all wrote and helped out around the shop; Twilight and Sunset worked inventory, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sold the paper to the people, and Rarity edited what was written and kept the shop in order. Which she would need to do as Rainbow – freed from the press – fell into a pile of paper. “I’m okay.” Spike smiled as he walked around, happy to just work in the shop. Twilight however sighed as she pulled Rainbow to her feet. “How many times has Dr. Franklin told you, Rainbow Dash? Don’t stand so close to the press when you’re working.” “I know, I know.” Rainbow groaned. “Look, I’ve been tellin’ you this for months; I’m an athlete, not a reporter.” “Well, that’s good cause ya haven’t been doin’ a lot of reportin’ anyhow.” Applejack smiled. “Ha-ha.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “What do you expect; this town is boring. Aside from the Gaspee getting burned, nothing’s really happened anywhere in the colonies. When are we gonna see some action?” Twilight smiled as she looked at the most recent edition of the paper. “Soon, looks like. Look at today’s date.” Rarity glanced at the paper and raised an eyebrow. “December 12th, 1773. What of it?” “Get the wagon ready; that’s what of it,” Twilight ordered. “We’re heading back to Boston. For a cup of harbor tea.” This prompted some rightful confusion… except from Applejack; she knew what Twilight meant. “I’ll bring ‘er round front. Wouldn’t wanna miss the party.” That sparked much more understanding as she went out to get the wagon ready. “The Boston Tea Party.” Sunset’s comment was met with a nod from Twilight. “Though that term won’t be used for another 70 years; these days, they just call the event the ‘Destruction of the Tea’.” Twilight explained. “Either way, we won’t want to miss it.” Outside, they heard Applejack whistle from the wagon. “Let’s get moving.” Quickly, they closed the shop and piled into the wagon, which was quickly sent roaring up the coast toward Boston. It was another long and dreary four-day’s ride, but when they finally arrived, they found a great commotion inside a large building on the south side of town. “That’s the Old South Meeting House. That’s where it’ll all start.” Twilight noted. Quickly, Applejack stopped the wagon and they all piled out grateful the ride was over. “Ugh. Finally; my joints are killing me.” Rainbow groaned as she stretched. “What happened to these roads in the last three years?” “Nothin’s wrong with the roads, Dash.” Applejack assured as she peeked under the wagon. “Axle’s breakin’. We’ll have to get it fixed if we wanna make it back to Philadelphia.” “Can’t we just jump back with the time machine?” asked Rainbow. “And leave the horse and wagon stranded in Boston in the winter?” Twilight argued soundly, shutting Rainbow up. “Look, let’s just cover the story here; we can worry about getting home later.” And that’s just what they did, slipping into the crowd of thousands of people with one man at the front of it all; a well-dressed man in dark clothes. “People of Boston, I speak for us all when I say we have had enough.” The crowd erupted in agreement which filled the air. “Please, please!” Rainbow smirked as she glanced over to Twilight. “Shot in the dark?” Twilight just nodded. “Citizens, you know me as Samuel Adams; neighbor and friend.” the man remarked, affirming Rainbow’s suspicions. “Hear me now; Parliament continues to treat us with ill will.” This was met with a chorus of jeers and hissing. “First, the infamous Sugar Act raised our taxes; did we have a say? The answer is Nay! Then, the horrid Stamp Act nearly drove us to ruin! And of course, who can forget our brothers who lost their lives… in the Boston Massacre?!” He pointed to a picture of the incident, though it looked nothing at all like what the girls witnessed; it showed a group of unarmed people fired on in an organized volley from the British. When that original engraving from Henry Pelham, John Copley, and Paul Revere first went public, the girls had sworn up and down to Dr. Franklin that its portrayal was ludicrously inaccurate, but it didn’t matter to the people of Boston; any excuse to vent their anger against the British, as the picture provoked another round of angry shouts and hisses. “And now, I’ve heard Governor Hutchinson has once again refused to let the tea ships in our harbor leave, thus insisting on collecting Parliament’s tea tax! But did we have a vote?!” “NO!” the people jeered in rage, nearly deafening the girls as they moved back. “Sheesh. Man, those people’s voices carry.” Rainbow noted. “You’re tellin’ me,” Spike grumbled, scratching his ears. “This meeting can do nothing further to save this country.” Adams continued, apparently leaving many in the area disgruntled and angry. “But rest assured, I shall appeal to both the captains of the ships and Governor Hutchinson myself to try and arrange some sort of compromise.” This speech continued for another ten minutes as the girls watched on, only for several in the crowd to leave, which seemed to frighten Adams. “Wait, what’re you doing? I haven’t finished; come back here immediately!” But they didn’t listen; they just took off for the harbor, jamming feathers in their hair and painting their faces with ash. “What’re they doing?” asked Rarity. “They’re disguising themselves as Mohawk natives.” Twilight explained as the people donned elaborate costumes. “It’s to stay undercover and to show they don’t accept the crown anymore; they’re Americans, not British.” “Forget that; what about Adams?” asked Rainbow. “I thought he was in on the whole thing.” “It’s disputed whether or not he was, but he will support it after the fact. Anyway, I don’t think now’s the right time to figure that out.” Twilight insisted. “Cmon, let’s get to the harbor.” Quickly, the girls jumped in the wagon and dashed down the empty streets after the mob until they reached the harbor at the end of Hutchinson Street, seeing three large cargo ships moored at the docks. “Thar they blow; Eleanor, Beaver, and Dartmouth. East India Company ships, all loaded with tea that’s about to be destroyed.” And sure enough, the mob from the Meeting House arrived and started climbing aboard the ships, bashing open crates. “Just the tea, boys!” one of them yelled. “We don’t want anything else; just the tea!” The men cheered at this and started tossing tea chests overboard into the harbor waters, roaring the “no taxation without representation” call with every blow of an ax or crate thrown overboard. This went on for almost three hours until finally, Rainbow couldn’t take it. “Okay, time to go be a reporter,” she smirked and quickly dashed aboard, finding a ringleader of this gang on the wheel-deck. “What’s goin’ on here?” “What does it look like, girl? We’re protesting unfair taxes!” he growled. “Parliament raised the colonies’ tea taxes over our objections! Maybe next time, they’ll listen.” Rainbow smirked as she looked overboard, seeing another procession approaching from the street. “Looks like someone’s listening.” The man looked off the stern of the ship and saw exactly who she was talking about. “Redcoats!” he called to his men as the British soldiers charged up the gangplanks of the ships. “Abandon ship! Abandon ship!” Quickly, the man all listened to him as they jumped overboard. Rainbow was swift to follow their lead as she climbed onto the railing, just as an officer charged toward her. “Better luck next time!” she taunted as she looked over her shoulder, swiftly jumping in. “Cannonball!” One loud splash later and Rainbow was down in the briny, swimming for her life to shore. When she surfaced near the docks, she was pleased to see Applejack throw her down a rope. “Grab on!” No need to tell her twice; Rainbow Dash grabbed the rope and held on for all she was worth as her friends pulled her back to dry land, where they swiftly took cover behind some cargo on the docks. “Ladies, I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve had just about enough of Boston for one night.” “Agreed. We need to leave town at once.” Rarity nodded. “We’re not going anywhere on that axle.” Sunset reminded, pointing to the wagon. “We’re gonna need somewhere to lie low.” “I think I can help with that.” Twilight smiled. “I know the people of this place and time. Let’s move.” Quickly, they all loaded up into the wagon with Twilight driving, all the others hiding under blankets on Twilight’s orders. Suddenly she spotted a constable on the side of the road. “Halt!” he ordered as Twilight stopped the wagon. “Good evening, sir.” she smiled. “Lovely night, isn’t it?” “Lovely night for troublemakers.” the constable noted. “State your business, young lady.” “Nothing criminal; just bringing some freshly quartered hogs to the Wheatley residence.” Twilight lied through her teeth. “‘Wheatley’?” Rainbow whispered, only to be quickly shushed by Sunset. “Hogs, you say? At this time of night?” the constable asked in suspicion. “I think I’ll have a look for myself.” “I wouldn’t if I were you; it’s a gory mess back there,” Twilight assured. “These are some big, ugly hogs. Nasty to look at and boy, do they reek.” She felt Rarity kick her in the back of the leg for that little remark, but she kept a straight face as the constable looked at the blanket, sniffing. “Whew! You’re right; they do stink,” he noted, pointing down the street. “The Wheatley home is right around the corner. Hurry along now; the redcoats have Boston under curfew. Nobody allowed on the streets after dark.” “Won’t happen again, sir. And thanks again.” Twilight assured as she rolled around the corner and down the street to the servant’s door of a large house. “Okay, the coast is clear; we’re here.” The girls all piled out of the wagon and stretched… before Rarity slapped Twilight across the face. “Alright, I deserve that. But I had to tell him something; he was getting suspicious.” “That doesn’t mean you get to insult me.” reminded Rarity. “I think we’ve got more important things to worry about.” Rainbow reminded. “Like, what’re we doing here? Who are these Wheatleys?” “We’re not here for the family; we’re here for their servant Phillis.” Twilight explained quickly. Rarity’s eyes popped when she said that. “Phillis Wheatley… you mean the poet?” “The very same.” Twilight nodded. “Anyone who can write stuff like hers wouldn’t dare turn away those who need help.” “Well, we don’t have a lot of options.” Sunset shrugged. “Let’s do it.” Twilight nodded and knocked on the door, which was soon answered by a young African woman. “Yes?” “Ms. Wheatley, I presume?” Twilight’s question was answered with a nod. “We need your help.” Ms. Wheatley looked up and down the street before she looked hard at the girls. “Did Mr. Adams send you?” “Uh… yeah?” Rainbow answered unsurely. “There’s a stable around back.” Phillis indicated. “The hinge squeaks so be careful; we can’t wake the master. I’ll bring vittles once you’ve settled.” “Understood.” Applejack noted and carefully brought the wagon around to the back of the house. Phillis wasn’t kidding about the squeaky hinge, so she had to be extra careful as she let the wagon in. Soon enough, everyone was situated in the stable eating while Applejack examined the broken axle. “Whew. Lucky we didn’t try to get home with this thing; we’d have never made it. We’ll have to get it replaced.” “How long’ll that take?” asked Sunset. “Not sure. Couple of weeks, maybe.” Applejack guessed. “Fine by me.” Rainbow smiled. “We haven’t seen action like this in years.” “Yeah, this place is really fun!” Pinkie smiled. “It won’t be for much longer,” Twilight remarked. “We’re in the thick of it now; a few months and the Revolution will really start to pick up steam.” “Yer the one who wanted a front-row seat.” Applejack reminded. “Now let’s hit the hay; long ride ahead of us.” Applejack blew out the lantern and the girls all laid down for bed, not knowing exactly how right she would be.