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// Face to Face 
// Story: PLR Pony Liberation and Resistance  
// by Caesar2013 
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All right, here's a quick author's note. Next week is the first day of school, meaning I will have less time to write up chapters. But I will try and get the story finished as soon as possible. Also in the last chapter, I made a mistake and called the pony "Ground Rider" as "Dirt Rider". It's supposed to be Ground rider, so I hope you'll over look this simple mistake. Anyways, now that we're done with that, we're back to Bucephalus and the PLR. My little pony is the sole property of Hasbro, I own nothing.

Applejack just looked at her older brother strangely. Big Mac had never wanted a vacation before, however, considering he had done a lot of the work around the farm, as all of the apples have been bucked for the year, Applejack decided to let her brother go to Mannehattan. "All right Big Brother, you can go to Mannehattan." Applejack finally spoke up. "But please, don't trust any strangers yah hear? Rarity's store was attacked last night. So please be careful, and don't do anything stupid." Big Macintosh felt a little bad about this. He simply told his sister he was going to Mannehattan, but wasn't sure if she'd fully believed him. After all, Applejack was the element of Honesty. So Big Mac made his preparations and said good bye to his family and headed towards the train station for an overnight trip to Mannehattan. "This is gonna be a long ride" Big Mac said to himself. "Eeyup"

Daytime came by rather quickly for Big Mac as he woke up to the sun shining through the train's window. "Ahhh" yawned Big Mac as he stretched out and made his way off the train. Looking at the card Ground Rider had given him, he was supposed to meet at a brick building by the Industrial section of the city. Taking a map of the city, Big Mac looked around the city. As he was a country pony, Big Mac easily got lost in the huge and confusing streets of Manehattan. "Move it!" yelled one pony "Hurry up!" said another. Big Mac was feeling apprehensive now. He wasn't so used to so many ponies in one area as well as how many of them were rude. Feeling hungry, Big Mac stopped at a café to order some food. Inside, he recognized a familiar pony. "Ground Rider?" asked Big Mac. "Ah Big Macintosh, I see you made it to Mannehattan. " Ground Rider responded "Eeyup" was all Big Mac's reply. "Big Macintosh, please, sit down, after lunch we'll take you to the meeting hall." Big Mac then noticed several other earth ponies sitting at the table alongside Ground Rider. "They are my associates. But introductions can wait for later." Big Mac accepted their offer of generosity and sat with them.

After they had finished their meals, Ground Pony simply sat up and told Big Mac "All right Big Macintosh. After our leader's speech, I have a surprise waiting for you. Trust me, you will not regret it." "If you say so" replied Big Mac. Big Macintosh was hoping in the back of his head that he wasn't in for too much trouble. Simply being in Mannehattan was already too much for the sturdy pony. The group of earth ponies left the café and walked around for Big Macintosh for what seemed like forever. "Ah here we are" one of the earth ponies of the group said. "All right Big Macintosh, our leader will be giving his speech to the working earth ponies of Mannehattan, this is what you have come for." Said Ground Rider. Big Mac just stood there deep in thought. "What if I took more than I could chew?" Big Mac thought to himself.

Inside the building, the group of earth ponies could see that the place was filling up with earth ponies from many backgrounds. Some farmers like Big Mac, others day laborers. There were even a few ponies from the Equestrian Military in attendance. Big Mac wondered to himself why so many earth ponies were gathered in a single spot, and who was going to speak to them. "Uh can you tell me what's going on, Ground Rider?" pondered Big Mac. "Do not worry Big Macintosh, our leader, Bucephalus, cares for earth ponies and only wants to improve their… our.. Lives. You should be proud to see him speaking to earth ponies." Responded Ground Rider, with one of his many smiles. "All right" was all that Big Mac could respond.

After what seemed like an eternity to Big Mac, someone in the audience said "Look there he is", and suddenly all of the earth ponies were cheering and clapping their hands as the gigantic earth pony made his way to microphone. From what Big Mac could see, this Bucephalus Stallion had seen a lot of unpleasant things in his life. Scars riddled his body, an eye patch covering his left eye, and a prosthetic front leg, made the giant stallion all the more intimidating. Big Mac was awed by the stallion, so many ponies were cheering for him. Since Big Mac did not know what to do, he went along with the cheering and clapping. All of a sudden, Bucephalus looked at the crowd and made his hoof go in a downwards motion, signaling the ponies to silence so they could hear his speech.

"Brave comrades of Mannehattan!" Bucephalus roared. "The time has come to rise against our oppressors! Today we show the hearts of true earth ponies! We have all given our blood for Equestria. We have answered her calls without question. We gave our youth, our hearts, our very souls for her protection ... as brothers; we fought side by side against the Gryphons. We crawled through dirt and blood and sand to achieve our glorious victory ... Not for medals, or glory, but for what was right!" From what Big Mac could see in the Stallion's eye was anger, and Big Mac felt a shiver go down his spine. Then Bucephalus spoke up again. ". We fought for Celestia... And when the horde of Gryphons fell in battle, how did our leaders repay us? We returned not to rapturous welcome ... but to suspicion and persecution. In the eyes of our leaders we were tainted. No hope for justice. We have toiled in mines until the flesh peeled from our bones... We have watched our comrades succumb to sickness and disease...We have been starved. We have been beaten. But we will not be broken! Today, we will send a message to our corrupt and arrogant leaders. Today, my comrades... URAHHH! "

When the ponies realized the speech was over they clapped and cheered as Bucephalus left the stage. When Bucephalus was no longer visible, the vast assortment of earth ponies began leaving the building. As Big Mac was going to leave, Ground Rider whispered over to Big Mac. "You've forgotten the surprise. Big Mac, come with me." Big Mac followed Ground Rider into a hall way with a couple of doors. "This door" Ground Rider said "is where Bucephalus is. Go in there. He'd like to talk to you. And don't worry; I'll be right behind you."

With a deep breath, Big Mac opened the door to come to see the PLR leader Bucephalus and another stallion, Silver Tail. Bucephalus was a huge dark grey pony with hair turning white. Though old of age, Bucephalus still looked strong enough to take on most ponies. To Big Mac, Bucephalus was the largest pony he'd ever seen. "And who is this comrade Ground Rider, whom you have brought before me?" Bucephalus spoke . "Comrade Bucephalus, he is Big Macintosh of Sweet Apple Acres, the one whom I have talked to you about. The "ideal" earth pony". Bucephalus gave a look at Big Mac and said "Ah I am honored to have such a hard working earth pony come before me. Please take a seat." Big Mac just looked at the huge stallion for a bit, before taking a seat near his desk.

"Ah comrade Big Mac. What is it that draws you to meet the PLR." Asked Siler Tail looking quite serious. "Well uh sir, I hear you want to help earth ponies, and your friend here has a way with words so I decided to come." Responded Big Mac. "Comrade Big Mac" asked Bucephalus. "Where is it you hail from?" Big Macintosh, while fail strong himself, was intimidated a bit by the gigantic stallion, but managed to respond. "Ponyville sir, Sweet Apple Acres." Both Silver Tail and Bucephalus looked surprise at this. "Sweet Apple Acres, I remember working there. The owner had wanted to expand the farm to produce more apples. Silver Tail and I worked there as hands for a year." Bucephalus replied sounding interested. "Tell me, are you by any chance related to Granny Smith" Bucephalus then asked. "Eeyup" replied Big Mac in his standard response. "She's my grandmother." Bucephalus smiled a little "I remember seeing her at the farm. She'd bring us apple cider during the bucking season. She may have been a little older than us, but she was quite the flirt." Big Mac was a little uncomfortable at hearing this stallion, Bucephalus, talking about his sleepy grandmother like that, and thus decided to change the subject. "So uhh, sir?" asked Big Mac. "Uhh where are you from?" Big Mac could see Bucephalus and Silver Tail tense up at the question. Realizing his mistake, Big Mac immediately went to apologize. "Uhh sorry sir! I have no business asking questions that aren't my business." Bucephalus waved his apology away "Do not apologize comrade. It is a sensitive question for my brother, Silver Tail, and I."

With a deep breath, Bucephalus spoke "My father was a miner in a village deep in the mountains. It was he that led many strikes to improve the lives of many of the villagers. To his fellow miners, he was symbol of hope and a hero. To the mine's owner, he was symbol of defiance. The strike breakers sent in to end the strikes beat him so badly his neck was broken in the fight. Collaborating with any of the higher end of the ponies is a betrayal against all of common earth ponies." Big Mac felt a little bad for Bucephalus, after all, Big Mac and his siblings also lost their parents, leaving Granny Smith to raise them alone. Bucephalus continued "Big Macintosh, my friend...Tell me...What is left to believe in, when you are betrayed by your own? When all that you are, all that you have done, is buried beneath the lies and the deceit of corrupt stallions? They will use you, as they used me...You must decide... decide what do you think is worth fighting for." Big Mac sat dumbfounded as the giant pony paced back and forth and spoke. "We are brothers, Big Macintosh... We are the same. So please no corrupt politicians, no bits exchanged, just… two earth ponies speaking the truth. Help me to bring my dream to reality,for earth ponies to finally be free of tyranny."

Big Mac was about to speak, when Ground Rider stormed into the room. "Comrades! We have a situation outside!" Bucephalus turned towards Ground Rider and said "What is it comrade?" Ground Rider Pointed out to the window. "The Mannehattan Police have come to destroy the PLR we have to go!" Silver Tail butted in "Comrades! We have dealt with this before!" Silver Tail turned towards Ground Rider "Comrade Ground Rider, rally the PLR and gather the weapons. We will fight our way out of the city! Comrade Big Mac, think you can use a crossbow?" Big Mac didn't want any part of this. He hadnt expected the police to show up. "Yikes!" Big Mac thought to himself as the other Stallions left to rally the PLR against the Mannehattan Police.

That's the end of chapter 3 folks. I would've uploaded this sooner. But I had a lot of chores to do :D.