//------------------------------// // 13. Rough Justice // Story: The Apple Doesn't Fall Far // by KholdstareV //------------------------------// _________________________________________________________________________________________ Chapter 13: Rough Justice _________________________________________________________________________________________ Even as Applejack stepped her first hoof into the barn, she was overcome with elation when she witnessed the festivities happening within. The band was playing an upbeat country rock version of "Raise This Barn", and the whole interior had been outfitted with multi-colored stage lights that swept to and fro, casting the walls, floor, and ceiling with an ever-changing array of colors that moved with the rhythm of the music. As energetic and fun as the setting was, though, Applejack found herself more fascinated by the party guests themselves. On the wooden dance floor were Rarity and Orange Julius, the latter showing off some wild shuffling techniques that left the former looking quite impressed. Domicilia, Hoppin Barley, and Sweetie Belle all sat on a nearby bale of hay, making idle chit-chat while occasionally gesturing toward their daughter and the wealthy young stallion she was with. Domicilia bore a sweet smile, while her husband appeared conflicted; not quite accepting, but certainly not angry, either. Also on the dance floor were Pinkie Pie, Rock Candy, and Stone Muffin, who were all clasping each others' hooves and running rapidly in a circle, laughing all the way. The two older ponies were still clearly very inebriated and probably only half-aware of what was going on, but they all at least appeared to be having fun together. Rainbow Dash, who had entered the barn just seconds before Applejack, had immediately flown over to Sweetgood Mac and shared a brief but lively father-daughter swing dance with him. After a quick hug, she then flew over to Aeroswift and pulled her onto the dance floor as well. With a nod, Sweetgood Mac respectfully handed his daughter off to his soon-to-be-ex-wife, and took a seat beside Rarity's family, joining in their conversation. Rainbow Dash and Aeroswift then proceeded to headbang their brains out to the rockin' beat. In a far, relatively quiet corner of the barn, Twilight, Starlight, and Moonlight Sparkle all sat around a small table, examining what appeared to be several large sheets of paper. They were pointing things out on them and discussing them in-depth, raising questions and drawing conclusions about goodness-knows-what. Surprisingly, there were two others with the Sparkle family that had not yet been seen at the Parents' Day Festival: Shining Armor and Spike! They were off to the side, talking amongst themselves, probably wondering what in the world the Sparkles were so caught up in. Applejack was curious, too. Additionally, seeing the two newcomers suddenly sparked a brilliant idea in her mind. If the last stage of her plan was to happen right there in that barn, it needed to be executed perfectly, and she believed with their help, it could be done so… Applejack began to trot over to the table where the Sparkle family was. On the way, however, she felt a tingle in her breast when she happened to spot Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh sitting on a hay bale against one of the far walls. They had their backs to her, and appeared to be having their own hushed conversation. "Are they already back from seein' ma n' pa?" she asked herself. "Hmm, musta been a purty quick visit. Not surprisin', I reckon, all things considered…" Not wanting to face them right then, she changed her trajectory to stay as far as she could. At that moment, Pinkie Pie suddenly popped out of nowhere and grabbed Applejack's hoof with her own. "HI APPLEJACK!" she chirped in as cheery a voice as Applejack had ever heard, "Come spin with us!" Before Applejack could even think of a reply, she was drawn straight into the whirling merry-go-round with Pinkie Pie and her parents. "WHOA! Well howdy to you too, Pinkie!" Applejack shouted as she spun, "Havin' a good ol' time, are ya?" "Totally!" Pinkie Pie replied with a beaming smile. "And with my PARENTS, no doubt! It's a dream come true! Isn't that right, mom and dad?" "Dude, is it US spinning or the WORLD BENEATH us, man?!" exclaimed Rock Candy. He let his head and tongue hang loose and flap in the wind. "This is so RAD! WOOOOOOO!" screamed Stone Muffin, tilting her head back and calling out to the sky. "Sweet idea, Pinkie! Who'd have thought spinning like crazy would be so AWESOME?!" Not two seconds later, the twirling circle began to wobble and break up. All four ponies' hooves suddenly slipped from one anothers', and they all fell down on their rumps, laughing uproariously. When Applejack managed to cool down, she was delighted to see Pinkie Pie and her parents all continuing to chortle together. She wiped a laughter-induced tear from her eye and asked, "So, what did you three end up doin' out there 'mong the fairgrounds?" "Oh, TONS of stuff!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "We played horseshoes," "Went to the shooting range," answered Rock Candy. "Played the dunk tank," added Stone Muffin. "Rode the Ferris wheel," "Ate deep-fried cookie dough," "Went clothes-shopping," "Played the dunk tank again," "Painted a mural," "Learned Japanese," "Watched every episode of My Little Pony G3 while cracking jokes, MST3K-style," "Took shots of tequila with Discord," "And saved the world from The Naughty Space Goats. THREE TIMES!" Applejack stared wide-eyed at the three grinning family members. "Well, butter my biscuits! You three did all that in… half an hour?!" "We sure did!" Pinkie Pie replied. "I mean, we THOUGHT about doing more, but we figured we might be stretching ourselves a little thin, wouldn't ya say?" "Heh, I certainly would," Applejack said. She glanced at Hoppin Barley, who was sipping one of his own beers. "But… In the middle of all those shenanigans, didn't ya'll ever get some more of Hoppin Barley's beer? He's sittin' right over yonder, ya know…" Rock Candy and Stone Muffin just returned blank stares, then looked at each other quizzically. "Uhhh… What beer?" Rock Candy asked. "I don't remember any beer…" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Oh? But, I thought that was the reason ya'll came here in the first place." Stone Muffin snickered. "Pssh! Geez, honey, what've YOU been inhaling? This is the PARENTS' DAY Festival! Duh! We didn't come for any stupid beer. We came to spend time with our daughter!" She wrapped a foreleg around Pinkie Pie's shoulder, who did the same back. "That's what the holiday's all about! Isn't that right, baby?" Rock Candy shimmied over and wrapped his large forelegs around his two ladies. "…Yeeeah, pretty sure that's the only reason we came!" Applejack smiled warmly at the display. "I'm so happy ta hear that, ya'll. Glad you've enjoyed your evening so much thus far." Pinkie Pie nodded joyfully. She then lit up and jumped in the air. "Oh, hey, mom and dad, let's SPIN again!" Rock Candy and Stone Muffin made no objections. With a start, they all stood, grabbed hooves, and resumed their familial tornado. Applejack was about to make a comment when a hoof tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Rarity and Orange Julius greeting her. They stood close to one another, looking sweaty and tired from dancing, but happy. "Oh Applejack, you simply MUST meet my new special friend!" Rarity said excitedly, motioning for the two to shake hooves. "Orange Julius, this is my darling friend, Applejack. And Applejack, this is Orange Julius! He's a film producer in Manehattan, and I met him earlier tonight when he so boldly rescued me from being dropped into that disgusting dunk tank by that Wetflank Huevos Grandes!" "Wowzers! Ya don't say?" Applejack asked, giving a subtle wink to Orange Julius. "That's purty darn fantastic!" "Oh, it was!" Orange Julius replied, winking back. "Wish you could've been there to see it. It was quite the show! Straight out of a romantic comedy. Seriously, haha!" "Comedy?!" Rarity gasped. "Oh, no no no! Me, the damsel in distress, about to be plunged into the murky depths by a selfish, unwanted suitor, being saved at the last second by a strapping, handsome stallion that comes swooping in out of nowhere? THAT spectacle could only be part of a romantic DRAMA of the highest order!" Applejack and Orange Julius could only laugh. Rarity pouted her lips, annoyed, but also couldn't help but notice the level of comfort that seemed to already exist between the two. "Hang on just a moment – do you two know each other?!" "THIS feller? By golly, course I do!" Applejack announced. "He's only my favorite cousin!" "And she's MY favorite cousin!" Orange Julius echoed. "But don't worry – I'm not a country pony like her, so the fact that we're cousins doesn't automatically imply incest or anything!" Applejack rolled her eyes, and Rarity frowned. Orange Julius put on a crooked smile, embarrassed. "Oh, alright... That joke was in poor taste. I'm sorry." Applejack grinned. "Aw, shucks, I've heard worse things come outta your mouth, cuz. 'Sides, I'd have never dated you anyhow. You're too goofy for me!" She gestured toward Rarity. "But YOU two… You're a match made in high heaven. I'll tell ya that right now!" "Well, at least ONE of us has to have come from heaven," Orange Julius remarked in a smooth, charming voice, "cuz I'm standing with an angel right now." He put a hoof around Rarity, and all at once, his bad joke was forgiven and forgotten. She melted at his touch and went into a fit of delighted giggles. Applejack looked over at Domicilia and Hoppin Barley. When Hoppin witnessed what Orange Julius was doing to his daughter, he grimaced, and made a move like he was about to march right over and put a stop to the romantic scene. Domicilia, however, was quick to grab him and keep his behind planted on the hay bale. Hoppin appeared to want to resist, but a soft, reassuring look from his wife made him loosen his composure. He eventually nodded slowly, agreeing to stay put, but not without popping open another beer. Both he and Domicilia then noticed Applejack looking, and they both gave her a polite wave. She waved back. "Oh! Rarity, about the upcoming production I was telling you about," Orange Julius said, releasing her, "The Costume Supervisor will be in Canterlot until tomorrow doing research. I still might be able to get her to pencil you in for a meet-and-greet so you can show off some of your designs. Would you like that?" Rarity threw her hooves to her mouth and squealed. "Would I like it? I'd give up my LIFE for it! Oh, please, tell me more! What must I do to help make this possible?" Applejack saw this as her cue to leave. She still needed to speak with Spike and Shining Armor, after all. "Alrighty, I'll leave you two lovey doves alone, then. Catch ya later!" "Later, Applejack," said Orange Julius, "and thanks again!" He turned to address Rarity. "OK, so I'll need to send a letter first thing in the morning…" The conversation faded as Applejack moved away from them, and toward the Sparkle Family and their guests. On the way, an uncomfortable sensation began to creep over her. She could see someone out of the corner of her eye, staring intently. She turned, and saw it was Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh, still in the same spot as before, only this time, they had noticed her, and they appeared none-to-pleased to see her. Apple Bloom, in particular, scrunched her brow in the bitterest disappointment that one could imagine from somepony so young and innocent. Applejack stared back for a few seconds, wanting to say something, but fearing there was nothing adequate she could say. Her eyes then met with Big Macintosh's. His were not so angry, but rather melancholy. They seemed to say, "I understand your decision, Applejack, but it still hurts us – and mom and dad – to see you make it." For a brief moment, her vision then jumped to her flank. To her mother's beautiful white summer dress, which was now covered in grass stains, and with a large chunk torn off and being used as a tourniquet to shield a bloody wound. When she looked up again, she witnessed Apple Bloom pout her lips, cross her forelegs across her chest, and turn away in disdain. Big Macintosh nudged her and said something that Applejack could not hear. Whatever he had said, it seemed to make no difference; it was clear that Apple Bloom was beginning to cry. Big Macintosh cast one more forlorn glance at Applejack before tending to his younger sister. Applejack then knew for certain that there was nothing adequate she could say. She lowered her head, sighed deeply, and continued forward. "They deserve an explanation," she whispered to herself. "The WHOLE explanation. But not right now. In time, Applejack. In time…" ~~~ As Applejack drew near to the Sparkles' table, she made a quick stop at another table on the way, on top of which sat a pencil and a stack of papers, normally used to maintain a milking schedule for the cows. She ripped herself a clean sheet and hastily wrote a letter. Once finished, she signed it, folded it, and placed it in her saddlebag to carry over. As she neared Spike and Shining Armor, they both noticed her approaching at the same time. Once they did, they dropped their conversation right away. "Applejack!" they said in unison. "Howdy, Spike! Shining Armor!" she answered. "Sure is a tickle of a surprise to see you two here. Welcome to the Parents' Day Festival!" Twilight and her parents heard the exchange, and all looked up from their papers. "Oh, hello Applejack!" Twilight greeted. She motioned toward the large, yellowed papers sprawled across the surface of the table. "Check it out! We were just looking at some of your family's star charts." "Yes, we inquired one 'Granny Smith' about them," Starlight added. "Your grandmother, I assume. She didn't hesitate to let us study them. I do hope it's OK with you." "Oh, by all means, study yourselves silly!" Applejack assured. "Me, Granny Smith, my ma n' pa… You've got permission from all of us. I guarantee it." Applejack's mention of her mother and father appeared to make all the members of the Sparkle Family somewhat uncomfortable. Moonlight, in particular, nodded and gave a forced smile. Eventually, Starlight said, "We appreciate it very much, dear. Thank you. We're determined to make this marketing campaign a success, for both you and ourselves." "Glad to hear it! So let me know what you come up with, OK?" Applejack replied. "Will do!" Twilight promised. With that, the three resumed their studying and discussing. Applejack turned her attention back to Shining Armor and Spike. "So, yeah, as I was sayin', welcome to the Parents' Day Festival! Havin' a fun time, I hope?" "It sure looks really lively," Shining Armor remarked. "I haven't been here that long, though. Just came in from Canterlot. Gotta work royal guard duty even on the holidays, ya know? But at least Celestia was nice enough to let me off early tonight so I could see my folks. Gotta love 'er for that…" His eyes drifted as he spoke, eventually settling on Applejack's defiled dress, as well as her injury. His amiable face turned serious. "Oh my goodness! Applejack, what happened to you?" Applejack was prepared to answer, but Twilight spoke up first. "Oh, don't worry, bro! She told us earlier she just had a little mishap. It's no biggie – Applejack's tough. She has those all the time! Isn't that right, AJ?" Applejack had actually been prepared to tell Shining Armor the truth - that Brawn Bones had struck her with his nightstick as she tried to make her escape from the harrowing situation in the work shed earlier that night. In fact, this was a major development that needed to happen for the final stage of her grand plan – to have Shining Armor learn about Brawn Bones and his awful domestic crimes. However, she was reminded that, although it was now well past 8:30, the most crucial players in this plot – Fluttershy, Softheart, and Brawn Bones himself – all had yet to arrive at the barn. Not wanting to get too ahead of herself, and not wanting to pin anything on Brawn Bones without solid proof, Applejack decided it was best to, for the time being, run with Twilight's explanation. The truth could wait until the opportune moment. "Yes indeedy," she eventually said to the respected captain, "Just a lil' ol' scrape is all. Nothin' to cry about." "Oh, alright, well that's good to know," he said, relieved. "And how about YOU, Spike?" Applejack asked. "Did you get to see your own folks today, too?" "I sure did!" he said happily. "I hadn't seen 'em in a while, so it was great spending time with them again. We had lunch, played at the park, got caught up with each others' lives… Yeah, typical stuff, but necessary once in a while, if you ask me." "Well that's just dandy! So, err, no family drama or feuds or nothin' o' that sort?" "Umm, no. Just a pleasant family day, really. Why, did some of that stuff happen here tonight?" Applejack scrunched her lips. "No," was all she said. In her head, though, she was saying, "as in, you have NO idea!" Then, ready to get down to business, she withdrew the letter she had written just minutes before and held it out to him. "Anyhoo Spike, mind doin' me a solid? I need you to mail this letter to Celestia right away." Spike took the folded letter and examined it curiously. "Sure, no problem. But what's it about?" "Never mind. Just please send it. Right now." Both Spike and Shining Armor expressed a slight confusion. Spike, though, eventually just shrugged. "Alright, if it ain't my business, then whatevs. No scales off my back!" With that, he blew his signature green fire breath upon the letter, effectively sending it on its way. Shining Armor, however, did not appear as ready to just let his curiosity slide. "You sent a letter to the princess? At this time of night? On such a big holiday? It must be something very important…" "It is," Applejack said seriously. "I'm afraid I can't say what it is quite yet, but Shining Armor, I'm gonna have to ask a favor of you, too: Keep an eye out for any suspicious types. You can expect to be seein' some soon…" Shining Armor's interest was now piqued. "Suspicious types? What do you mean? Who should I be looking out for, exactly?" Applejack did not answer. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the rear barn doors open swiftly. Through them stepped a familiar, hefty-bodied stallion that made her blood begin to run cold. "You'll find out in just a spell. Now hang tight," was all she said before taking off. Shining Armor and Spike were left standing there, scratching their heads, the former wondering if perhaps Applejack herself was the suspicious one that he should be keeping an eye on… ~~~ "Hello again, Brawn Bones. Thank you for coming." "Hello, Applejack. I would say thank you for inviting me, but forgive me if I'm not feeling too gracious right now…" The two stood face-to-face for the second time that night, this time in one of the barn's far corners, isolated from the other guests in the building. As Brawn Bones had entered through the doors, his eyes had immediately settled on Applejack. She, in turn, had wordlessly guided him into the corner so that the two could speak in private. Once they were there and facing one another, Applejack could not help but gasp at the ugly sight of Brawn Bones' broken jaw. Its color scheme ranged from black to purple to maroon. The left side was so swollen that he may as well have had half a grapefruit lodged in his cheek. At least two of his teeth were gone. It was plain to see, too, that the jaw was off-center, having been forced marginally to the right. It was a minor miracle that he was even able to speak, albeit in a very quiet, hoarse, and muffled voice that Applejack needed to strain to hear. The fact that she herself had caused this horrific injury disturbed her ever more to look at it. "So, err, how's that, uhh…" Applejack hesitantly pointed to her own jaw. "How's that holdin' up?" "Oh, it's holding up," Brawn Bones replied flatly. "I took a sedative for the pain, and I'll have my doctor take a look at it tomorrow. Nice thing about being a police officer – the local government pays for all my medical benefits. And those tax dollars come mainly from independent businesses, like, for instance, your apple farm..." Brawn Bones managed a slight smirk despite his injury, "…So don't worry, Applejack. This will heal, and in essence, you and your family will be footing the bill." Applejack sneered. "Yeah? Well you wanna know somethin' Brawn Bones? That jaw o' yours may heal up just fine, but I'm tellin' ya right here, right now, Fluttershy and Softheart are rarin' to dish out a mental blow that you're NEVER gonna recover from! They will prove that you can't keep 'em locked in the stable forever, and that they ARE the stronger ponies!" Brawn Bones did a quick survey of the barn, and looked back at Applejack, unfazed. "Really? Well, if that's true, then tell me: where are they?" Applejack scanned the barn as well. It must have been at least 8:40 by that point, but Fluttershy and Softheart were still nowhere to be seen. She began to feel her nerves vibrate in worry. "W-well, I'll bet they're just… psychin' themselves up, ya know? Stockin' up their courage, which they have a TON of, by the way! You'll see. Any minute now. They're gonna march through those doors, and with my help, they're gonna bring you to your knees!" "With YOUR help, you say?" "Darn tootin'! Matter of fact, I've been orchestratin' this whole thing from the start. You think you're cunning, Brawn Bones? Well, I just so happen to be bakin' up a warm batch o' humble pie, and when my plan succeeds, you're gonna be SCARFIN' it down!" Brawn Bones leaned in close. "So… you're saying if we could just… remove you from picture, then this whole 'brilliant orchestration' of yours will fall apart?" Applejack felt a pinch of fear from the implication of his words, but stood steadfast. "You wouldn't dare do nothin' to me right now. Not in a barn chock full o' other ponies! Shoot, see that feller over yonder in the corner? That, mi amigo, is none other than Shining Armor, the Captain of the Royal Guard himself! You try any funny business, and that stallion will be on ya faster n' a cat on a sparrow!" Brawn Bones observed the captain for a short while, appearing to recognize him. "That IS Shining Armor, isn't it? Interesting..." A small, sinister smile began to creep across his mustached lips. "Why, anypony that could get HIM on their side would certainly have the upper hand, wouldn't they?" His smile made Applejack's nervousness double. "…What are you gettin' at?" Brawn Bones didn't reply. He instead began to trot casually over to Shining Armor's position. Applejack felt an impulse to follow, but something held her back. What could it be? Some irrational fear? She wasn't sure, but whatever the reason, she simply stayed where she was and watched from afar. She saw Brawn Bones introduce himself to Shining Armor with a courteous bow of the head. Shining Armor greeted him back, and, looking concerned, asked him a question. Brawn Bones went on to explain something, gesturing towards his jaw several times. At one point, he reached into his pouch and pulled out what looked like a police badge, which Shining Armor studied intently. Then, in a move that Applejack perhaps should have seen coming, Brawn Bones turned and pointed an accusatory hoof straight at her. The two exchanged a few more words, and then, quite suddenly, began to advance across the barn in her direction. Applejack guessed what she was in for, and so did her best to maintain a calm composure as the two stopped and stood directly in front of her. "Applejack," Shining Armor said in a very grave tone, "This Cloudsdale police officer is claiming that you attacked him and broke his jaw. What's your response to this?" Applejack did another quick sweep of the barn. Still no Fluttershy or Softheart. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "Sir, Captain, sir… That is the truth." She maintained a stoic face. "But believe me, I only did so out of necessity. This 'police officer' is, in fact, an unhinged, wild n' crazy sociopath. He's abusive to his own family, and even threatened me earlier tonight. Take a look here." She pointed at the wrapped wound on her flank. "HE did this to me with that there nightstick o' his! I had no choice but to buck him to last Tuesday in order to escape! If I hadn't, who KNOWS what more he coulda done to me!" Shining Armor swapped his gaze back and forth between Applejack and Brawn Bones, troubled by the discrepancy between their two accounts. He tried to determine which he was more inclined to trust: his sister's good-hearted friend, or one of Cloudsdale's supposed finest? For a moment, his intense gaze focused on the latter, leading all present to believe that he had made his choice of the guilty party. However, not a second later, he furrowed his brow in confusion as a new thought struck him. "Wait a minute!" He whirled around and looked Applejack in the eye. "Applejack, didn't you say your injury was caused by an accident?!" Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but only choked on an unknown answer. In the stress of the moment, she had completely forgotten about that detail. "I, err… N-no, Twilight's the one that said that." "But you AGREED with her," Shining Armor confirmed. "Uhh, y-yes, I did…" "OK then, so why are there two stories now? Which one is the truth?" "Captain, sir, allow me to elaborate," Brawn Bones butt in. "The truth is, she DID have an accident. I actually witnessed it myself. You see, about an hour ago, Applejack was exiting her work shed out back, when a heavy tool fell from a high overhead shelf and landed on her flank there. I happened to be near the barn's rear entry when I heard her call out, so keeping true to the Cloudsdale Police mantra 'Protect and Serve', I ran to her aid. When I got there, she was in hysterics, flailing and kicking in pain. She showed a lot of aggression as I drew close, yelling that she didn't want me to touch her. In my effort to help, I managed to rip off a part of her dress and fashion a tourniquet for the wound. It was during this procedure that she kicked me in the jaw. All things considered, perhaps my earlier claim that she 'attacked' me isn't wholly accurate. I don't believe her action was carried out with malice. However, it WAS deliberate, and I fear she may not be in a healthy state of mind, possibly due to some outlying factors, such as recent family trauma. I highly recommend taking this pony into custody, sir. Whether she means to or not, she may pose a danger to herself and others." Applejack snarled in protest. "Oh, ain't that a huge sack o' bull! Shining Armor, don't believe this whack job! He's just makin' up a big ol' fib to make himself look like the righteous victim!" "No, my dear, that's what YOU'RE doing," Brawn Bones replied confidently. He looked to Shining Armor and shook his head. "I see this all the time, Captain, sir. Most individuals, after committing even relatively petty crimes, will usually try to justify it via scapegoating, claiming they were coerced into their actions by another. Applejack here, afraid that her injuring of a well-meaning police officer will get her in trouble, is ludicrously trying to claim that I threatened her first, in attempt to use the 'self-defense' plea. I've been in the force for many years, Captain. Believe me, I know it when I see it." Shining Armor's head was spinning, trying to process the overload of conflicting information. He shut his eyes and breathed deeply. "Your version of the events does seem to add up, officer…" Shining Armor admitted. "But I wonder, if you believe Applejack's assault warrants an arrest, why didn't you just arrest her yourself?" Brawn Bones appeared slightly caught off guard by the question. He quickly regained his composure, however. "I would have, Captain, but I'm with the Cloudsdale Police Department, so Ponyville is legally outside of my jurisdiction. I was going to contact the local police, but then I saw you here, and decided that you would be the best to handle this. After all, as Captain of the Royal Guard, your jurisdiction covers all of Equestria." Shining Armor nodded in agreement, but still found it difficult to fully go with either side. "OK, I need some more info," he said. "I'm going to ask around about the situation. See if anypony in here knows anything about anything, just to make sure all bases are covered. You two wait where you are. This shouldn't take long." He then proceeded to gallop from one family to the next, running a brief inquiry with each guest that lasted no more than thirty seconds. The majority of those questioned did not appear to know anything of value, but most were quick to look over at Applejack and Brawn Bones with looks of concern and wonder. This continued until Shining Armor eventually reached the last guests in the barn to be interviewed: Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom. Unlike with everyone else, Shining Armor's conversation with them lasted for at least a few minutes. Apple Bloom did most of the talking, and the information she was giving seemed to interest Shining Armor greatly. He nodded and stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened. "You're not gonna get away with this lie, ya filthy hog," Applejack uttered angrily. Brawn Bones massaged his bruised jaw. "You've got no proof to back up your story," he replied. "And Shining Armor already believes that mine holds water. As a twenty-year police stallion, let me tell you, that pretty much seals the deal. YOU'RE the one that's trapped." "Fluttershy and Softheart. They can back me up. They have definite proof of your domestic crimes…" "They're also not here," Brawn Bones added. "And even if they were, they wouldn't do anything to convict me. They've lived under my influence for years on end, and not once have they ever reported anything to anypony on the outside. Why? Because they're too afraid. They always have been, and they always will be." "You sure must feel big n' strong, bein' able to induce fear in a couple o' young ladies like that." Applejack narrowed her eyes. "I bet your daddy would be awfully proud…" The comment made Brawn Bones scrunch his lips in disgust, which caused him visible discomfort. "You're firing blanks, Applejack. Try all you want to anger me, it won't change the fact that you'll be behind bars by the end of the night." As if in response to Brawn Bones' words, the two ponies turned to see Shining Armor fast approaching them. Applejack sensed that his intense focus was directed at her. She gulped loudly as he stopped in front of her. "Applejack," he said sternly, "those two over there, the yellow filly and the red colt; they claim to be your siblings. Is this correct?" Applejack glanced over at Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh. They were staring right back at her. "Yes, sir." "Well, according to your younger sister, you told them both earlier tonight that your injury was, in fact, the result of an accident." Applejack had forgotten that detail, too. She cursed to herself under her breath. "Any explanation for this?" "I… I j-just… I told 'em that cuz I didn't want nopony to get involved, ya know? Or for nopony to worry 'bout me…" "Another common response in the offender's handbook," Brawn Bones interrupted. "But if I really assaulted her, as she claims, she would have had no reason to keep it a secret for so long." "No!" Applejack argued, feeling her hope rushing down the drain, "Shining Armor, don't listen to this dirtbag of a stallion! He's lyin' through his teeth! Lyin', I tell ya!" She held out a hoof to put on Shining Armor's shoulder. "Please, ya gotta believe me! I'm Twilight's friend! I wouldn't lie to you!" Shining Armor stopped Applejack's hoof with his own, and roughly pushed it to the floor. "I want to believe you, Applejack," he said sincerely, "but I just don't know what to tell you anymore. I mean, I've got a confession from you, at least four others validating the 'accident' story, NOTHING validating your story, and on top of that... I have reason to believe that you may be under some severe emotional distress, as officer Brawn Bones claimed you might be. Applejack, your siblings told me about your parents…" Applejack returned a wordless stare. It was a penetrating mixture of disbelief, hurt, and seething ire all at once. "…I don't know if all that's enough for a conviction," Shining Armor continued, "but at this point, it seems like it's your word against everypony else's. And any case dealing with an injured police officer is a HUGE deal, and will almost always end up in Royal Court. Best to just get that ball rolling now…" He used his horn magic to fabricate a shining blue lasso and, with a frown, quickly looped it around her neck, tightening it just enough to keep her helplessly bound. "I'm sorry, Applejack, but I'm afraid you're going have to come with me." Applejack wanted to reply. She wanted to argue. She wanted to protest, to riot, to scream until her throat was raw. And yet, she was numbly silent. Her once-racing mind had, quite suddenly, become a blank screen. She stared dead-eyed at the floor as Shining Armor began to lead her to the barn doors, to the outside, and eventually, she knew, to a holding cell. Even as the band continued to play, she heard throughout the barn all the murmurs and whispers of her fellow ponies. One voice, which she thought she recognized as Rainbow Dash's, asked "Applejack, what did you DO?" Another voice, which sounded to her like that of Starlight Sparkle, drolly stated, "Hmm, I thought she was a decent farm pony. Well, Twilight, seems I was wrong…" Applejack thought she heard these and so many more accusatory questions and comments, which cut and stung like flying razor blades, but she dared not look up to confirm any of it. As she made her walk of shame, she could sense, without a doubt, that Brawn Bones was smirking his wicked smirk, watching her be led away with a sick satisfaction. In the midst of all the garbled voices and sensations, however, a particular sound caused her ears to perk up. As Shining Armor began to lead her through the barn's main doors, she heard the sound of the rear doors being forced open. With a swell of hope, she raised her head and looked. There, standing in the doorway clear across the barn, were Fluttershy and Softheart. The two stood close together, and the former carried the baby blue envelope in her saddlebag. Applejack's mouth spread into a grin. She raised a hoof and waved frantically. "Fluttershy! Softheart!" she yelled with all the energy she could muster, "Read the letter!" The two ponies acknowledged her, and then Brawn Bones, who stared at them curiously, as though amazed that they had shown up at all. Without hesitation, he opened his wings and began to hover toward them slowly, menacingly. Fluttershy was visibly frightened, causing Softheart to clutch her tightly. "Read the letter! You got nothin' holdin' you back now!" Applejack called out. "That's enough!" Shining Armor ordered, tugging her through the doors. "Let's not make this harder than it already is!" "Don't be afraid! You've got all the ammo you need!" Applejack yelled, desperate to get her last message out before being forced outside. "Just DISH IT OUT! READ THAT LETTER!" That was the last she managed to say before the closing of the heavy barn doors shut out her voice for good. ~~~ Brawn Bones stood tall and straight with his chest puffed out, staring down at his wife and daughter with a hot fury that had never been seen even by them. He darted his eyes back and forth between the two, wondering which he felt deserved to be punished first. Eventually, his eyes settled on those of his wife, who stared up at him with a present, but quickly collapsing sense of courage. "Softheart…" he grunted softly, "What… are… you… DOING here!?" Softheart swallowed and squeezed her stepdaughter harder. "I came for Fluttershy…" she answered in a shaking voice. "I came to… give her something that you've been withholding from her for many years…" Brawn Bones leaned in close and whispered his next words forcefully, so no one else in the barn could hear. "The only one withholding anything from anypony is you, withholding my son from me! Our agreement was that if I joined Fluttershy at the Parents' Day festival, without YOU, then you would open up your legs again. Well, I've held up my end of the bargain, but it looks like you've failed to hold up yours, doesn't it?" Softheart shuddered and shut her eyes as she felt his hot breath descend upon her face. "Y-yes, I d-did…" "Well then," Brawn Bones went on, "you'd better have a good explanation for this when we get home, or you're gonna owe me, big time! You no-good, dirty tramp!" "DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!" The outburst was so loud, so striking, so unexpected, that Brawn Bones, Softheart, and everypony in the barn immediately froze, and stood at attention. The band's instruments screeched and stopped playing. All was still and silent. Fluttershy, the one who had shouted so boldly, forced her way out of her stepmother's tight grip and, for the first time in her young life, marched right up and stood hoof-to-hoof with her titanic father. She had to crane her neck up almost 90 degrees to look straight into his dark eyes, but she did so undaunted. She bore an expression every bit as furious as his, right back at him. He, in turn, stepped one hind leg back, visibly surprised. "We don't owe you ANYTHING, daddy!" she screeched at the peak of her voice. "What have you given to US, huh?! Nothing but torment! Heartbreak! ABUSE!" Brawn Bones clenched his smarting jaw, wanting desperately to use either his mouth or his hoof to plant his daughter right back in her place. However, he knew better than to do so when at least a dozen strangers' eyes were fixed on him right at that moment. The last thing he wanted was to validate everything she was publically accusing him of, true as they might be. "Fluttershy, sweetheart, what's gotten INTO you?" he asked, feigning the voice of a concerned parent. "Why are you saying such awful things to your own dad?" He turned to his still-quivering wife. "Softheart, honey, back me up here!" In a much quieter voice, he angrily added, "Now!" Softheart's gut instinct had always been to concede to anything her husband demanded, no questions asked. But on this particular night, seeing her stepdaughter display such raw bravery in the face of their eternal tormentor inspired her like never before. In an instant, this inspiration channeled itself throughout her whole body, causing her to stand tall, straight, and unafraid. "No," she replied confidently. "What Fluttershy is saying is true. Every word of it!" Brawn Bones took another step back, the shock in his visage increasing twofold. "What?!" he stammered, continuing his charade for the spectators. "What on earth are you two talking about? C-crazy! You've both gone crazy!" He did a full 360, acknowledging every pony in the barn staring accusingly at him. "Everypony, don't listen to these two! It's all one, big lie!" "One big lie…?" Fluttershy snorted, her small body beginning to tremble. "One big lie?! I'll TELL you what's been ONE BIG LIE!!" She reached into her saddlebag and whipped out the baby blue envelope, which she held in plain view for him and everyone else to see. Brawn Bones stared at the envelope with a frown. "What is that?" "It's a letter, genius!" Fluttershy snapped. "Three guesses as to who it's from. Though I'll bet you anything it's the first pony that comes to your mind…" Brawn Bones stood silent with his jaw hung open for a long while, contemplating. He knew what his first guess was, but it seemed so outrageous to him that he could not bring himself to believe it might even be possible. However, the wild look in Fluttershy's eyes told him everything. Her eyes… they looked just like the ones he remembered. Without making a sound, he mouthed the name. "Amazing Grace…?" "Mom," Fluttershy said simply, angrily. The urge to shut Fluttershy up in whatever manner possible rose up inside Brawn Bones like a burning tide. He pushed it down, and instead held out a demanding hoof. "Fluttershy… give me that letter… right now." Fluttershy shook her head. "No, daddy. I won't." She then turned to address the crowd. "Everypony, listen up! My father here has barred any and all communication between me and my mom ever since I was four years old, the only reason she left being that he abused her so badly in the first place! Now, on this Parents' Day, I've finally managed to get a reply letter from her! Should I read it?!" "YEEEAH!" every mouth in the barn shouted in righteous enthusiasm. Brawn Bones felt a bead of sweat begin to run down his nose. For the first time that night, he was speechless. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was anything but. With a reassuring nod from her stepmother, she yanked the six yellowed pages from the envelope, and began to recite the words loud and clear to her stunned, immobile father, and to everypony within earshot: ~~~ My dearest Fluttershy, Words cannot describe what a blessing it is to finally read words written by your own pen, that have come from your own heart. I have attempted to write you so many times over the years, but when I never received any replies, I thought that perhaps you and your father had moved to a new address. It seems I was correct; I see that the return address on the letter I received from you is different than the one of the home where we once lived. If you hadn't sent this, I may have continued to send letters to that outdated address in vain until the day my hope ran dry! Thank you, my little cream dollop. Do you remember how I used to call you that? You were so young, I would be surprised if you do. I certainly remember, though. Memories of those days are some of my most vivid and joyful, and hearing from you again makes them all come roaring back like a flood that I would be happy to drown in. Truly, this is bliss. I know you must have many questions for me, Fluttershy, and I can guess which you would want to ask first: Why did I fly away? Why did I never come home? Why did I leave you to live alone with your father? You have been no doubt asking these questions your entire life, and I feel the least I can do is give you a full, uncompromised answer. First of all, please know that it brought me no pleasure to flee. Indeed, it is a shame that has weighed on my soul all these years, a plague that has sickened me, and has, many times, made me question my will to live. I am glad I have managed to carry on until today, however, for now I can finally reveal these truths to you. Perhaps, as a result, we may both find some peace. When you were first born, and I looked into your large, wondrous eyes, I knew that you were my world. Your father, however, expressed disappointment that you had not been born a boy, a disappointment that seemed to grow over the course of the next couple years. We tried many times after that to get me pregnant again, but a medical exam eventually revealed that, due to complications resulting from my pregnancy with you, I was now rendered infertile, unable to bear any more children. Your father could not accept this fact, claiming that he loved me, that I was the only one he would dream of bearing a son with, that there must have been something wrong with the results of the exam. Further attempts to get me pregnant still yielded nothing but more frustration for him. That frustration soon began to manifest itself in the form of beatings, which became more brutal and frequent all time. Why I stayed with him in the face of such abuse, I still do not know… Perhaps a naïve part of me still loved him, and wanted to satisfy his desires. My insistence on clinging to such a fantasy, however, would end up being my undoing. I still remember the night I left, the most regretful night of my life. You were four years old, and I was tucking you into bed. Your father entered the room, and asked why I was giving so much love to 'that little girl' when I should have been reserving it for our son. I reminded him that we didn't have a son, that we never would, and that we had an actual, living child to take care of, gender be darned. He lost his temper all at once, and using his nightstick and his hooves, gave me a beating so savage that I can still remember the stings to this day. It went on for at least a few minutes; there was a moment when I honestly feared that he was going to beat me to my last breath, and I was completely helpless to do anything about it. The burning pain, coupled with your hysterical crying, drove me to the edge, and for the sake of my own life and sanity, I fled out the door and flew away. In a dazed search for someplace safe and familiar, I flew all the way to the far south side of Cloudsdale to my own childhood home, which I found to be long-since abandoned, bereft of furniture and filled with dust. I was amazed that I had managed to carry myself so far, for it was only when I landed and my adrenaline died down that I realized the extent of my injuries. My front left shin was unmistakably broken, and a stabbing pain in my abdomen made me wonder if at least one rib might be broken as well. The worst ailment, however, was a grueling pressure at the base of the back of my neck, where I remembered one of my husband's particularly hard blows had struck. These, along with the countless other aches and bruises all over my pathetic body, guaranteed that I would not be going anywhere for the rest of the night. I stumbled into my old bedroom on the first floor and tried to sleep on the old cot I found in there. But I could not. All I could do was think. Think about how much of a fool I had been to put up with my husband's torment for so long. How my plan for the very next day should have been to go to the hospital for my wounds, and then immediately go back home to rescue you from that monster of a stallion. With you in my care, I wanted to leave for someplace far away where he would never find us, someplace where we could start a new life. I was only a modest dancer back then, and hardly had any money, but I was determined to make it work somehow. For you, and only you, I wanted to take the risk. However, when the sun rose the next day, I found myself unable to leave that old house. Part of the reason was physical – the state of my body made it a painful chore to even move and hover between rooms, let alone among the city streets. I would have taken a form of public transport to the hospital, but I did not have any money with me. I would have asked somepony for help, but I had no one I trusted that I could turn to, nor any form of communication I could use. The other, bigger reason, however, was purely psychological – I was terrified. Brawn Bones' last beatdown had been so cruel that it traumatized me to the core. All day long, I asked myself the most paranoid of questions, like, 'What if he followed me here last night?' or 'What if he uses his connections in the police force to track me down?' I feared every moment that I turned a corner or opened a door, lest he be standing there, nightstick in hoof, ready to finish what he started on that awful night. I tried to think of you, to work up the courage to face my fear, if only to spirit you away from that beast, but alas, it proved to be an obstacle that I was too weak to surmount. I did not leave the house that day, nor the next day, nor the next. I spoke to nopony, not that there were any ponies to speak with in that ghost town. The days were a constant struggle to deal with my bodily pains, and the nights were sleepless and full of nightmares. I subsisted on a stash of canned food that I found in the basement, but the darkness down there was so black that I saw my husband's face glaring at me from within it no matter where I looked, forcing me to only go down there when I was on the brink of starvation. As miserable as the existence was, however, I somehow managed to convince myself, over time, that it was at least safe. After all, going outside meant the possibility of encountering my devilish husband again, a prospect that was even more undesirable than staying where I was. And so, I stayed. And I lamented, knowing you were still out there, under his control, and that my crippling pains and cowardice were preventing me from saving you. Weeks passed, and I constantly wondered when the day would come that my courage would come roaring back to me, and I would finally be able to step out that door and do something about my situation. But that day never came. As much as I pleaded for it to, my resolve did not grow. What did seem to be growing, however, was the discomfort of the lesion at the base of the back of my neck. It smarted more every day, and at points would unexpectedly erupt in a sharp, pinching sensation so strong that my whole body would go completely numb. One cloudy day, such an attack struck me as I was getting ready to descend the basement steps. My legs and wings all but failed me, and I cried out as my limp, useless body careened down the staircase. I recall the back of my head slamming the wooden floor as I reached bottom, igniting the most ferocious of pains from my neck lesion. Mercifully, I blacked out. When I came to later that night, I was still on the basement floor, lying on my back. I consciously commanded my legs to move and hoist my body up, but to my horror, I found that they would not obey. I felt a strange sensation all over my physical being, or rather, a strange lack of sensation. Indeed, I felt as though I was but a severed head, with no feeling at all below the neck. The realization was a cold arrow through the heart – I was paralyzed. The further implications of this fact then came rushing to me – with nopony nearby to help me, or hear my cries for help, and with me unable to even reach the food rations I was aiming to get in the first place, it was a very real possibility that I could die right there where I lay. Despite the odds against me, I screamed. I screamed, and cried, and called out for hours on end, praying for a savior. All the while, I also wondered, 'What if my husband finds me in this state?' I would have been utterly helpless to defend myself against his attacks. I still saw his face anytime I peered into the darkness of the basement, but I also saw him when I closed my eyes. Awake or asleep, I was in a perpetual nightmare. When I wasn't being harassed by my own fear, it was hunger pangs and dizzy spells. At times, I longed for death to just come and take me from this torture, but I had no way of expediting even that. All I could do was lay and suffer. I endured this horrific state of affairs for what seemed to be days. Then, just as my last bit of hope dripped out of me, a morning came when I suddenly heard a noise from upstairs. Somepony had entered the front door. Elated, I called for aid. As raspy and coarse as my voice was, the stranger was able to hear me, and came running at once. He was a young, college-aged stallion, whose job apparently was surveying abandoned homes for possible renovation and resale. When he saw me at the foot of the stairs, injured and malnourished to the point of desperation, he immediately sent for help. I'm sure he and his team had never expected to find anypony in any of these rundown homes, but alas, they found me, and I thanked heaven for it. I was immediately taken to Cloudsdale General for an evaluation of my condition. The focus, naturally, was my paralysis, and whether or not there was any chance of it being treated. There were no spinal or nerve specialists at that hospital, but the doctor knew of a highly-recommended facility that might be able to help. The only catch was that it was very far away: in the city of Thistledown, clear on the other side of Equestria. When the doctor asked if I wanted to go with that option, claiming it was likely my best one, I immediately said yes, knowing full well that I would never be able to pay for any operation. The kind doctor paid for my train ticket to Thistledown, where I soon met with the spine specialist. I went in hopeful that he may be able to restore my body to its previous state. However, while he was able to treat my broken bones and other minor blemishes, it did not take much examination of my neck and spine for him to shake his head, and say there was nothing he could do: I was doomed to be paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of my days. He admitted me into the neighboring assisted living facility, which provides food, a bed, and care to those with handicaps such as mine. Such a facility is not free to stay in, however, and so in order to cover the cost of the monthly fee, as well as to pay off my medical bills, I took up a job at a local snack factory as a taste tester – one of the only jobs available where the only thing I need to use is my mouth. It is actually quite fun sometimes, with my favorite snack I've ever tried being deep-fried cookie dough. I know it's terrible for my health, but it's so delicious, haha! In any case, that is the life situation I have fallen into, and it is where I am to this very day. Although I am comfortable enough in my current life, I unfortunately still feel very much trapped here by an obligation to pay my debts. My health as waned over the years as well, so travel has become an extremely difficult and risky proposition; so much so that my caretakers don't even consider it an option for me. I still have the occasional nightmare of your father, and the lingering anxiety of that night has prevented me from ever telling anypony the true cause of my injuries. In spite of these things, I still have my necessities: I am well-nourished, safe, and in no more pain. If nothing else, please know that I at least have that. I want you to know, Fluttershy, that throughout all my ordeals, I have never stopped thinking about you. The fact that I did not follow through with my plan to rescue you from your father is a regret beyond words. Not a day has passed where I haven't considered what you might be going through, worried about your well-being, longed to be able to communicate with you somehow just to hear you tell me that you're OK. What makes the longing more painful is knowing that I could have saved you if only I had been stronger. If only I had not let my selfish fears block me from leaving that dusty home and doing what needed to be done. For in the end, neck injury aside, I realize now that it was my FEAR that truly crippled me. By allowing it to, I effectively gave my life away, and can only imagine that I put you through terrible hardship as well. I do not expect forgiveness from you, but please, please, know that I am sorry. Being absent from your life for so long, it makes me think of all the good, motherly advice I could have given you that you missed out on. In an effort to make up for it, I want to give you the best, most hard-earned piece of advice I can possibly give: Fluttershy, don't be afraid. Do not let fear be your master. It is a poison that incapacitates, and robs us of life. All the things we hold dear in this world - pride, love, comfort, friendship, peace – they can all be yours, if only you do not let fear prevent you from taking the first step. Your father and I may be very different on the outside, but we both made the same grave mistake in our lives: we let fear be our master. Do not make that mistake, Fluttershy. Be strong. Be courageous. Stand up for yourself and what you believe in. Even if you get hurt, even if you fail, you can still always walk forward with a sense of pride. If your father has caused you pain, know that you can rise above him by simply heeding my words, and doing what he could not. That is all I want for you. My dear, beloved daughter. My cream dollop. Please promise me that you will do this. One more thing: the fact that you knew the address to send your letter to tells me that you may know where Thistledown is. As such, I have managed to scrape together some savings to purchase a train ticket for you. It, along with a map, are included in this envelope. That's right – at the soonest convenient opportunity, I would love it if we could see each other again. It would mean more than the world to me if I could just see you now, to see the mare that you have become. If you are too busy, or if you simply do not wish to see me because of the ways that I have failed you as a mother, then I understand. But please, at the very least, respond and inform me of your choice. And, of course, promise me that you will follow my advice. Do this, and you will be happy. That is my promise to you. With all the love in my heart, Fluttershy, may the path ahead of you be rife with blessings. Your mother, Amazing Grace (with help from Nurse Daffodil, who is writing this letter for me!) ~~~ A thick silence settled in the interior of the barn as Fluttershy read the closing words of the letter. She had been reading through tears and sniffles since the halfway point, and had provoked similar emotional responses from several of the guests in the barn, including Softheart herself. Brawn Bones stood wide-eyed, his mouth closed and his chest heaving. He shifted uncomfortably on his hooves, feeling the glares of hatred aimed at him from all directions. Fluttershy calmly folded the papers of the letter, and placed them back in her saddlebag. She then withdrew two other pieces of paper: the map to Thistledown, and the train ticket there, as the letter had described. When Brawn Bones saw them, his jaw hung open. He glared at Fluttershy seriously, who returned the glare without flinching. "Daddy," she said in a calm, but intense voice, "I'm not going to reply to mom's letter. Instead, I'm going to do one better – I'm going to use this ticket and map first thing tomorrow morning, and am going to visit her. I know you will object. You might even hurt me. But one thing you will NOT do; you will not stop me. This, I promise you." She inhaled deeply and stood tall. "And another thing I can promise you, daddy: you're going to remember this night. You're going to remember this night as the one when your huge, lifelong lie was finally revealed. The night I learned that my mother was able to display more love to me in a single letter than you have ever managed to in your entire life. The night I chose to take her advice, to refuse be a victim of fear. The night… I chose to stop being afraid of you." Brawn Bones was visibly flabbergasted by Fluttershy's display of strength. He knew she was not just talking – she meant every word she said. She was going to see her mother the next day, and there was nothing he could do to coerce her out of it. But he needed to. The fact that his daughter could look and speak to him so boldly was maddening. He felt the world had flipped upside-down. Normal was not normal anymore. His shy, meek daughter was unafraid; this fact, in some twisted way, actually made HIM afraid. Afraid that his control, which he believed he would always have, was now slipping away. He might go crazy. He could feel himself GOING crazy. He needed to set things right again. The map and ticket… Courage and spirit aside, Fluttershy could not physically get to Thistledown without them. Yes, those were the keys. Those were what he needed. He held out a hoof forcefully. "Fluttershy," he demanded, "The map and ticket… Hand them over to me." "You heard what I said, daddy. I'm taking these, and there's nothing you c-" Brawn Bones did not let her finish. In one swift move, he suddenly lunged forward, attempting to grab the items from her by force. She shrieked and drew them back, stuffing them into her saddlebag just in the nick of time. She turned, aiming to run out the rear barn doors. Brawn Bones made a grab for her tail, determined not to let her leave. Softheart, predicting his action, boldly leapt forward. "Let her go!" she exclaimed. She thrust her whole body at his outstretched hooves, hoping to block him. In her attempt, the top of her head unwittingly slammed into the underside of Brawn Bones' broken jaw. The hit caused a jet of pain to course through his head and a guttural scream to sound from his throat. Then, in a primal, rage-filled second, all reason left his shattered mind, and without hesitation, raised his enormous foreleg and swung it, smacking Softheart hard across the face and sending her to the floor in a heap. "SOFTHEART!" Fluttershy cried, turning around. With no regard for her own safety, she ran to her stepmother's aid. Brawn Bones made a move like he intended to take her down, too. At that moment, however, a chorus of angry voices from behind suddenly drummed up, causing him to snap to attention. "Hey! Who do you think you are, hittin' a defenseless mare like that?!" "You better not lay a HAIR on that little girl!" "Everypony, let's help! C'mon!" Brawn Bones whirled around, only to see that all the members of all the families in the barn had formed a unified mob, and were beginning to encroach on his position, yelling jeers and threats. He felt himself beginning to shake, knowing that not only was he surrounded, but that every one of these ponies was a witness to his assault. In his panic, he withdrew his nightstick and aimed it at the crowd as he backed up. "N-none of you saw this!" he yelled in vain. "NONE OF YOU SAW THIS! YOU HEAR ME?!" "We ALL saw it, you huge lunkhead!" Hoppin Barley spat. "It should be YOU gettin' arrested! Not poor ol' Apple Schnapps!" "Absolutely!" Domicilia cried. "Somepony should go get Shining Armor here right now to take this terrible stallion away!" "NO!" Brawn Bones protested. "Nopony leaves this barn, understand?! NOPONY brings Shining Armor here!" Sweetie Belle, who was the only one in the barn too afraid to join the mob, jumped up from her hay bale seat. "Ooo! Me! I'll do it!" she chirped with zeal. "I'll go get Shining Armor! Just WATCH me!" Before anyone could tell her 'no', she leapt boldly from the hay bale and began to dart toward the main barn doors as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. Brawn Bones, in turn, zeroed his attention in on her. "Oh, no you don't!" he growled. "I said NOPONY leaves!" With a newfound rush of energy, he spread open his giant wingspan, and swiftly flew up and over the stunned mob, before beginning to descend upon the escaping filly. Rarity and Domicilia gasped in terror. "SWEETIE BELLE! NOOO!" Orange Julius and Hoppin Barley acted immediately. Without wasting a second, Orange Julius sped forth and leapt at Brawn Bones just as he was bearing down on Sweetie Belle, throwing off his trajectory and causing him to flail about. Orange Julius hung on, determined to ground the flying monstrosity. With the distraction in effect, Hoppin Barley used his limited magic to snatch up Sweetie Belle and draw her into his foreleg, clinging her tight and carrying her away to safety. In the midst of the chaos, Twilight turned to her parents urgently. "Come on, mom and dad! Let's US go get Shining Armor! He can't have gone far!" "My thoughts exactly!" Starlight exclaimed. She looked to Moonlight, who nodded quickly. Twilight then leapt up and embraced both her parents tightly, immediately triggering her teleportation spell, causing the three to disappear from the barn in a flash of violet light. Just as they did, Brawn Bones succeeded in throwing Orange Julius off his body, causing him to slide painfully across the wooden floor. Despite this, the collective mob of families was far from finished. One way or another, they would meet their shared goal of bringing this dangerous, maniacal Pegasus to justice, even if every single one of them had to take some hits in the process… ~~~ Applejack looked around and frowned. As Shining Armor led her across the Parents' Day Festival grounds, she could see that the crowds had thinned out considerably. Mothers and fathers with their happy, but tired, fillies in tow were beginning to head for the exits. Shops and stands, which had been bustling with activity all evening, were now beginning to be brought down and folded up. The Ferris wheel was still, and its neon lights black. The dunk tank had been drained, ready to be carted to a new event somewhere else, on some other day. It seemed that, as far as everyone was concerned, they had had their fun, and it was now time to let this Parents' Day Festival come to its dignified end. "We're just gonna head out to that clearing, there," Shining Armor explained calmly. "Got a couple Royal Guard Pegasi on the way with a transport. They'll take you to Canterlot and keep you in a holding cell until further notice." Applejack said nothing, and just nodded. She could barely muster the energy to walk properly, scraping her hooves along the grass as she moved forward. She had never felt so defeated in her entire life. "We'll get the local police to do a thorough investigation of the incident. You can only hope that whatever evidence they find will help validate your story," Shining Armor said. "I mean, it'd be quite a shocker if it turned out a police officer really assaulted you first! But, of course, these things have happened before…" Applejack just moaned. Shining Armor could tell that that conversation topic was not the best for that moment. "Yeah, so… The Parents' Day Festival looks like it was quite a success, huh?" "Yeah, I guess…" "I think it's an important holiday, ya know? Take a day to say thanks to your parents for all the 'love, support and spanks', as that banner at the entrance puts it! It's true, none of us would be who we are if not for them, for better or worse…" "Yep…" "Did you… happen to get a chance to see yours tonight?" Applejack looked up at him with dim, sad eyes. She then returned her gaze to the grass. "No." Shining Armor gulped and turned away. After a long pause, he said softly, "I'm sorry." Applejack sighed. "It's fine… It was foolish of me to think I woulda had time to visit 'em anyhow. It's gotta be about 9 o' clock by now. That was my deadline. So, yeah, no need for sour feelin's, Shining Armor. It's my own loss, my own fault." Shining Armor nodded silently. Just as he did so, however, he and Applejack were both shocked and blinded by a violet flash that appeared directly in front of them. When the light residue vanished, they both were greeted by the Sparkle family running toward them with a very visible panic in all their faces. "Mom! Dad! Twily!" Shining Armor gasped. "What's the matter?" "Shining Armor, you need to get back to the barn!" Twilight ordered. "That police officer, he's gone totally berserk!" Shining Armor's eye went wide. "What?!" "Ponies are getting hurt! C'mon, there's no time! Get back there and arrest him!" "B-but… I'm already making one off-duty arrest tonight as it is. I really shouldn't be-" "Whatever this farm pony is being accused of, I guarantee, it's not as serious as this!" Starlight butt in. "Now come on, dear, teleport with us back there this instant!" "Look, I would, but even for somepony like me, it would be INSANE to go up against a stallion that size without backup!" Shining Armor argued. "Here, I'll get the local police here asap! I just need to-" "THAT'S ENOUGH, SON!" All present directed their eyes at Moonlight Sparkle, who was giving his son the king of all disapproving fatherly stares. "Now listen to me, son!" he shouted, "I speak for everypony here when I say that there is NO time to lose and NO time for excuses! What's happening in the barn right now is exactly the type of emergency that your mother and I have paid for you to train for! Now get your flank to that barn and STALLION UP! PRONTO!" A brief silence ensued among the group. Applejack, in particular, stared at the domineering stallion, stunned. Twilight looked at her brother with a cocky smirk and, as if reading Applejack's thoughts, said, "Yeah, bro. When dad talks, everypony listens. Isn't that right?" Shining Armor stiffened, and nodded obediently to his father's command. Moonlight nodded back. Then, without a moment's hesitation, Twilight got the whole group to huddle together, and sparked her teleportation spell once again… ~~~ "Yo, meathead! So you like hitting girls, huh? Well go on, try me! See what happens when you try to deck the Rainbow!" Brawn Bones, in his desperate struggle to avoid persecution for his assaults, had changed tactics: instead of trying to convince everyone in the barn to stay there and not seek out Shining Armor, he was now trying to get out himself to make a run for it. As he approached the main barn doors, Rainbow Dash had boldly landed in front of him, blocking his retreat and mocking him. His first instinct, as it usually was, was to use force. He raised a foreleg, ready to make Rainbow Dash eat her own words. Before he could, though, Sweetgood Mac suddenly landed hard next to Rainbow Dash, and got right up in Brawn Bones' face. "Your hoof touches my daughter, my hoof goes THROUGH YOUR HEAD AND OUT YOUR REAR END!" "Dude, YES! Tell him, dad!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "I'll mangle the BOTH of you if you don't move it!" Brawn Bones snarled with a shaking hoof. "Yeah, and risk adding MORE assault charges to your already long list?!" Sweetgood Mac quipped. "You wouldn't dare!" Brawn Bones gritted his aching teeth, ready to force his way out those doors at whatever cost. Then, out of the blue, a swift grey blur came down on him from above, tackling him to the wooden floor. Aeroswift, with her expertise in pony wrestling, managed to get the heavy Pegasus on the ground and pin him down with a wicked half-nelson. "Try and get out of THIS one, you creep!" she yelled, even as she visibly struggled to keep him subdued. All the others in the barn cheered her on enthusiastically. At that moment, a familiar violet flash erupted from the center of the barn. From the aftermath of the teleportation spell spilled Applejack and the entire Sparkle family. Everyone in the building, including Brawn Bones and Aeroswift, turned to the source of the commotion. When Brawn Bones and Shining Armor met eyes, the former's went wide with panic. In a last ditch effort to make his getaway, he threw open his powerful wings with every ounce of energy he had, effectively hurling the distracted Aeroswift off his frame. She was sent flying backward, painfully smacking her back against a wooden post. Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac gasped in unison, and were quick to fly to her side. Brawn Bones, now with no one blocking his retreat, made a mad dash for the exit. "STOP!" Shining Armor ordered. "YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!" He aimed his horn at the escaping Pegasus and sparked a detaining spell. However, he had acted a split second too late. Brawn Bones had already kicked the doors open and was speeding out into the night. Everyone ran to the doors to give chase, with Shining Armor leading the pack. Despite their efforts, it seemed that their collective attempt to administer justice had failed. Brawn Bones had escaped, and was set to become a wanted fugitive… A deep, masculine cry from the outside suddenly stole everyone's attention. As the gaggle of families continued to pour out the barn doors into the night air, each and every member looked up to see a miraculous sight: a whole squadron of at least a dozen Pegasus Royal Guards, with four of them clutching a flailing and struggling Brawn Bones in their fluorescent blue lassos. The group on the ground let out with a chorus of hoots, hollers, and uproarious cheers. By some wild twist of fate, Brawn Bones had been detained, and with so many eyewitnesses to his crimes, it was clear that he would be behind bars by the end of the night. Shining Armor looked up at the scene overhead, ecstatic, but also confused. "Good timing, boys!" he called up. "But how did you know to come here?! I didn't call for any backup!" "YOU didn't!" replied the Pegasus squad leader, "but Princess Celestia did! She ordered us to come here herself. Claims she got an urgent request from somepony to send a squad of Royal Guard Pegasi to the barn at Sweet Apple Acres. That there was a dangerous individual in need of arrest. This the right fella? He fits the description in the note…" The whole crowd called up in response with various forms of phrase, "Yes, that's him!" Brawn Bones, by this point, had stopped trying to flee his predicament. He hovered in place with his eyes closed and his head hung in shame. "So who sent the note, then?" Twilight asked. The squad leader scratched his chin. "I forget the name. It was somepony that Celestia said she knew personally. I think it was Apple-something. Let's see… Applesauce? Apple Juice…?" Spike thought for a second, before a realization struck him like a lightning bolt. The letter he had been asked to send earlier that night… "Applejack?!" "Applejack! That's right!" the squad leader confirmed. "Of course!" Shining Armor exclaimed. "It all makes sense now… Brawn Bones must have really attacked her first, and she attempted to protect everyone else by calling for a fleet of Royal Guards to have him arrested. Yeah, that has to be it. She was telling the truth the whole time…" "Oh my, Brawn Bones attacked Applejack earlier tonight?" Fluttershy queried, approaching the captain. "I didn't realize… She saw Brawn Bones' wickedness before anypony else. No wonder she was so intent on helping us." "Absolutely," Softheart added, still recovering from the blow she had received. "It was incredibly brave of her to do what she did. In fact, where is she?" She looked around among the group, but frowned when she did not see Applejack anywhere. "I was hoping to say 'thank you' to her…" All the ponies around the barn, both on the ground and in the air, searched the area thoroughly, but no one was able to point out Applejack. They called out to her, but she seemed to have disappeared. Applejack, the one who they knew had made this triumphant moment possible, was all but gone… "But where to?" they all silently wondered? "Where…?" ~~~ A heavy fog had begun to settle in the thick of the woods. That, coupled with the darkness of the night, made the path ahead difficult to see. Applejack stumbled several times, but would not allow herself to slow down. She galloped at full speed, a bouquet of daisies in her teeth and a look of panic on her face. She knew full well that she was already late, and that her efforts were most likely in vain, but miracles happen, and she was praying that one would bless her that night. At last, through the fog, the sight of the large white iron gates that she had been hoping to see came into view. They were wide open. Applejack thanked her lucky stars and pressed on. "I'm comin' Ma n' Pa," she told herself. As soon as she finished that thought, however, a loud squeaking sound reached her ears. It was the sound of iron scraping against iron. Applejack feared she knew what the sound was, but refused to believe it, until the sight before her confirmed her suspicions. The iron gate - it was beginning to close. And with Applejack mere yards from reaching it. "No!" The word echoed in her head. She gritted her teeth and sprinted ever faster, her eyes wide with anxiety. The bouquet of daises slipped from her teeth and fell behind her, but she couldn't be bothered to turn back for it. The gate, it was so close, yet so close to being shut. Would she make it? Could she? How could she not? She had to. Nothing, she decided, was going to keep her from breaching that gate. "Hold it!" A stunned Applejack forced her hooves into the dirt to stop herself. She came inches from crashing into the beige male pony that had stepped so suddenly from the fog in front of her. "I'm sorry ma'am, but visiting hours are over. We're locking up." As if in response his words, the sound of the white gate slamming shut pierced the air. Applejack stood there silent, an expression of pure shock. It took several seconds for the expression to melt into one of grief. "Awfully sorry ma'am, but we do have rules," the male pony said in an unsympathetic tone. Applejack didn't reply. She merely stood, looking straight through him at the gates. The shut and locked gates. The gates that, had she arrived just one minute earlier, would have been wide open for her to enter through. "Ready to head home, Diggs?" came another male voice from the left. Applejack snapped out of her trance and looked over. There she saw another, much older beige male stallion hooked up to a loaded carriage. He looked excited about something, albeit very tired. "Been a long day. You gotta go visit your folks now. It's Parents' Day, remember?" "Sure thing, Mort" said the pony named Diggs. "Lemme just finish dealing with this young mare here." He turned back to Applejack. "Ma'am?" Applejack swiveled her head toward him. She felt so numb that even that basic maneuver took effort. "Did you hear me before? We've locked up for the day. No more entry allowed. I apologize. Good night." Applejack heard him, but needed to let his words sink in for a moment. Once they did, she felt a spark ignite within her. The numbness she felt was beginning to be replaced by a hot anger. "No," she said, barely above a whisper. "I beg your pardon?" "No," she replied more loudly. "I refuse to hear this. Let me in there." "Ma'am, it's past 9:30 pm. Visitor's hours usually end at 9:00, but we had a bit of a delay. In a sense, you had a whole extra half-hour to get here on time. You didn't. So, I'm afraid you're going to have to turn back." "No!" She stood tall and stamped her hoof. "I gotta get in there now! Ya hear me? Open this gate! Don't make me applebuck you into orbit!" Diggs took a step back at her outburst. "Easy now, ma'am. You can come back tomorrow morning at 6:00. That's when visiting hours start…" "And we can walk you home if you'd like!" the stallion named Mort called out. "It's the least we can do for ya." "Ya'll don't understand!" Applejack protested more angrily than ever. "It can't wait 'til tomorrow!" "I'm sure it can. Now for the last time, good night," was all Diggs replied. He turned and started to head toward his partner, clearly ready to go home. At last, Applejack let it all spill out. "But my Ma n' Pa are in there! And it's Parents' Day!" Diggs suddenly froze in place. Mort bit his lip. The two looked at each other for a moment, unsure of what to say or do. "I haven't had a chance to visit them today," Applejack continued, struggling to get the words out over the lump in her throat. "Please, just let me in for two minutes! ONE minute! That's all I need! Please…!" After a short while, Mort finally spoke up. "Err, not to be disrespectful, ma'am… but what prevented you from coming earlier?" Applejack took a couple deep breaths. This quelled her boiling rage just enough to maintain some composure. "Well… My family and I hosted the first ever Parents' Day Festival this year. I would have come earlier, but I was so darn busy makin' sure everything went smooth as margarine…" "Ah, I see…" Mort replied. "I heard they held the festival at Sweet Apple Acres. So you're of the Apple family, then?" "Yes sir." "Love your family's apples. Always have. Especially the red delicious!" Applejack managed a faint smile. "Thank ya kindly… But there's actually an even bigger reason than that. See, my five best friends were at the festival too, but they all had some issues with their own parents that needed some workin' out. I had to do what I could to help, ya know? I wanted to make sure they all had a good Parents' Day, too…" Mort bit his lip again. "Even before yourself?" he asked in a hushed tone. "Yes. In the end, I think they all got what they wanted. I was awfully happy to see it. Mainly for them, o' course, but also partly for me. Cuz I knew that meant it was now my turn to enjoy my Parents' Day, too…" Mort swallowed and looked at the ground, a deep sympathy in his eyes. Applejack surveyed the scene, and saw that Diggs seemed to have vanished. Mort unhooked himself from his carriage and slowly trotted over to Applejack. He looked her in the eyes. "You helped others make their day special. Bless you for that..." He then closed his eyes and shook his head. "However, as much as I want to help you with the same, I simply can't." He turned to the enormous white gate. "I would open her up for you right now if I could. I'd wait outside for you, however long you needed. I promise you that." He turned his body so that his hind legs were facing the gate. "But this gate is sealed every night by a magic spell." He raised a hind leg and gave it a swift kick. A flash of green light rippled from the point of impact outward all along the gate. A force field. "This spell is timed, you see. Activates when the gate shuts at night, deactivates at 5:00 every morning. I wouldn't know nothin' about how it works, though. Just an Earth Pony, like you. Can't do nothin' about it. But believe me, if I could, I would." Applejack sighed heavily once again. The fruitlessness of the situation was beginning to dawn on her. Her steaming anger had dissipated. All that filled her heart now was despair. "I appreciate the kind words, sir. But I woulda never asked you to wait for me. After all, I'll bet you've been workin' all day. You deserve a chance to see your own parents, just like anypony else." "Oh, I've already had my chance," he responded. A bittersweet smile formed on his face. "My mom and dad are in there, too." Applejack's eyes went wide. She stared knowingly into his for a few seconds. At that point, she felt she could take no more. She lowered her head in sorrow. Mort placed a gentle hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "Come," he said softly. "Like I said before, we'll take you home. It's the least we can do." She looked up, tears already glazed over her eyes. "We?" Mort motioned to her left. She looked. There was Diggs, a disheveled bouquet of daisies in his teeth and a softened look about him. "Are these yours, ma'am?" Applejack hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was even worth it to take them now. Eventually, she gave a weak nod. "Yes sir. Thank you, sir." She took the daisies into her own teeth. The three of them then trotted to the loaded carriage. Mort and Diggs attached the harnesses to their bodies. Applejack looked for a place to hook herself up, but Mort raised a hoof. "That's alright, ma'am. You can hop in the carriage. We'll cart ya, no problem." Applejack almost felt insulted at first, but quickly realized that in their eyes, they were doing something nice for her. On top of that, she was feeling very weak again, so the thought of a ride was pleasant. Without a word, she nodded and hopped into the carriage. She lay down on top of the pile of sacks and boxes containing goodness-knows-what, making herself as comfortable as she could at that moment. "All settled?" came Mort's voice. She really didn't want to have to talk right then, but Applejack managed a forced, "Yeah." With that, the carriage began to roll forward. The slight bumps and grooves in the dirt path made the ride surprisingly relaxing. Applejack felt her mind and body giving way to sleep. As her vision faded to black, she stared at the sight of the massive white gates growing further away, sinking into the mist. Looking up slightly, she barely had a chance to read the large white sign suspended above the gate before it was swallowed up by the fog for good: AVALON FIELDS HOSPICE Where Love and Memories Never Pass Away