//------------------------------//
// Revelations 
// Story: Geoverse Part Three: To Live Is Human 
// by GeodesicDragon 
//------------------------------//

	All eyes were on the door at the sound of the stern and authoritative voice. I was expecting Princess Celestia to enter the room, but – to my surprise – it was Twilight who entered.

"I don't want to know who you people are," she said frankly. "But I do want to know what you are doing with my husband."

"Your... husband?" Smith asked, looking around the room.

I smiled and picked her up. "I'm fine, Twilight." I gave her a kiss. "They've finished questioning me; I was actually about to leave." Fielding and Smith were both looking at me with shocked expressions on their faces, but I ignored them. "Right, gentlemen." I said. "I trust you will make good on your promise to let me go?" Both men nodded, the shock still on their faces. "Right. Come on, Twilight, it's late, and I think we should go home."

At these words, Twilight's horn lit up, causing Graham and Peter to duck for cover. A flash of purple light later, and I found that we were both in the library. I reeled a bit from the sudden teleportation, and put her on the couch.

"Oh, sorry," she said softly. "I guess you've never been teleported before. Are you all right? Who were those people?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine." I said. "But before I tell you... how on Equestria did you know where to find me?"

Twilight smiled. "Well, I knew you were going to see Doctor Sorou, so I went to his lab." she replied. "On the way there, though, I found some strange tracks in the dirt and realised something might have happened to you; I followed them without hesitation."

"With no regard for what you might have been walking into?" I smiled and kissed her forehead. "That's my Twilight."

She blushed slightly. "I found the portal you used to get here, and saw all those soldiers around it," she continued. "My small size made it really easy for me to sneak in." I chuckled, only to stop when she gave me a serious look. "Now, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I saw John, and he didn't look happy. What happened?"

"I'll tell you." I sighed. "But you're not going to like it..."


***


Twilight listened in silence as I told her everything that happened during my 'interrogation.' By the time I was finished with the story, her expression had changed from shock to disgust.

"So John was just using you?!" she shouted.

I nodded. "Pretty much," I replied. "He was using me to get to Ace, and to find out what I knew regarding his portal experiments. He claims that our friendship was real, but how can I trust someone who has been spying on me for so long?" We sat in silence for a moment, but then I stood up. "Applejack needs to be told about this, so I'm going to go up and see her. Coming?"

Twilight shook her head. "No," she replied. "Ace said he wanted to speak to me; you go, and I'll see you later... just, be careful."

With that, I kissed her and left the library. I zipped my jacket up, put my hands in my pockets, and started walking towards Sweet Apple Acres. I hoped Applejack would still be awake, as I felt she deserved to know the truth about her 'star employee.'

As we approached the farmhouse, a loud voice cut through the air. "I was hopin' I'd see you!" Applejack opened the door to the farmhouse and ran out, a look of anger in her eyes. "You've got some nerve showin' yer face 'round here." She snapped. "Especially after what you've have been sayin' about John!"

"What the fuck are you talking ab—" I froze when I saw that John was standing on the porch with his arms folded, and a smug expression on his face. "What has he told you?" I asked.

Applejack continued glaring daggers at me. "Nuthin' much," she said. "Other than the fact y'all have been spreadin' lies about him."

I wasn't falling for the obvious trap, so I rolled my eyes and met Applejack's deadpan stare. "Lies such as...?" I checked.

"That he's a no-good spy," Applejack replied. "That he's been usin' ya ta get close to Ace's research, and that yer country's government has been watchin' ya fer weeks."

I snorted. "Oh, that?" I laughed. "It's all true."

"NO, IT AIN'T!" Applejack shouted.

I held my arms in front of me. "OK, Applejack." I said. "But let me ask you something." Her eyes narrowed further, but she gave me a reply by way of a single snort. "You're the Element of Honesty, so you of all ponies should know when someone is lying, correct?"

She looked at the ground and ran a hoof through the dirt. "Well, yeah," she said quietly. "But I don't see how that—"

"Right then." I pointed at John. "You go marching up to that slimy piece of shit, look into his eyes, and ask him if he's a spy."

Applejack slowly turned to face John; his smug grin had been replaced by a look of fear. Applejack began walking towards him, but he threw his arms into the air before she could speak.

"All right, all right!" he shouted. "It's true, all of it is true." His arms fell by his sides as he sat down on the porch.

Applejack's face fell, and she turned back to face me. "I.. I'm so sorry, Geo." she said. "But he was just so darn convincing when he were talkin' ta me, it was hard not to believe him."

John gave a hollow laugh. "Being convincing is all part of the job, sweetheart," he said. "And I'm damn good at my job."

"Don't you dare talk to me," Applejack hissed. "Yer nothin' but a twisted, no-good, lyin' snake, an' I want you outta here. NOW!"

John sighed. "At least let me explain myself," he pleaded.

Applejack looked at me, and I shrugged. "Fine," I said. "But not here, and not now." John looked at me blankly. "Come to the library at noon tomorrow." I said. "You're going to explain yourself to me, Twilight, Applejack and the others."

"But, the others don't know—" John started.

"They will know by tomorrow," I interrupted. "They're my friends; it's only fair that they know the truth."

John nodded and hung his head as Applejack addressed him.

"I'll let ya stay tonight," she said. "But, unless ya can give us a good reason for yer actions, it's probably gonna be the last time." John slumped his shoulders, going back into the farmhouse as Applejack turned to face me. "What're you gonna do?" she asked.

"I'll give him one chance to regain our trust," I said.

"And if he doesn't manage it?" Applejack asked. "What then?"

I shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I replied. "In the meantime, I'll get going. G'night, AJ."

"G'night Geo," she replied. "I'll see y'all tomorrow."

With that, I turned and started walking down the road leading back into Ponyville. My mind was filled with memories of the time John and I had spent together; to find that it those memories were created under false pretences brought tears to my eyes, but I dashed them off as the library came into view.

I found Ace there, talking to Twilight about something. I was too tired to listen, so I indicated to her that I was going to bed. She nodded and I went upstairs, throwing myself onto the bed.

As sleep claimed me, my thoughts drifted to the upcoming meeting. I knew that John would try his best to explain why he did what he did, but I also knew that whatever he said wouldn't work.

It's really easy to betray your friends, but it's even harder to forgive them — and John would have to do something amazing to regain even a fraction of the confidence I had lost in him.