Chapter 49: Segregation
The Apple grandchildren were happy to hear that their grandmother had finally gotten what she had worked so hard for. They read over the coverage of Carpet Bag's fall from political grace in the newspaper clippings Granny Smith had kept from The Equestrian Times, Hoofington Post, The Local Bit, The Daily Movement, and many more.
Apple Bloom eagerly skimmed the newspaper clippings and political cartoons showing the scandal. “Mah Granny Smith really is super special!” she exclaimed as she watched her grandmother blush. “So everythin’ worked out just fine, didn’t it?”
While Granny Smith was grateful for the changes she had helped put into motion, she understood that it wasn’t going to be an easy transition. “Big changes don’t always go over smooth,” she explained. “Zebras were a much bigger part of the economy than I’d reckoned at the time."
Granny Smith showed her grandchildren a political cartoon drawn in the newspaper showing a laughing group of zebras with money related cutie marks waving travel vouchers at starving farmers. “With the new bill prohibitin’ the importation and use of slaves in Equestria, slave owners were none too happy," she explained. "It took a mighty big hit on their businesses, and it just added more to the hate they felt fer zebras…”
Princess Celestia made sure to spread the word throughout her kingdom for any liberated zebra to go to the nearest train station in their town to get vouchers allowing free passage to the docking town of Baltimare. Once in Baltimare, they were to show their ticket train ticket stubs to dock workers, allowing them to board a return ship to Zebrica.
To compensate farms and businesses for the loss of zebra workers, Princess Celestia bequeathed that any former slave owner would receive a tax break on their businesses. Any zebra wishing to stay in Equestria of their own free will was instructed to go to the local mayor’s office in their town to register for citizenship.
Smithy had spent the next two weeks in a haze as she and Crab Apple went from meeting to meeting with the princess. They were photographed with her as she signed what she called the Equal Liberty Proclamation, meaning that any sentient being was allowed the same rights and freedoms as any other Equestrian. They were also present for a heated argument with the king of the Griffon Kingdom, who was very dissatisfied over the economic strains the new proclamation would put on his kingdom. The Middle Passage slave trade was a major source of income for the Griffon Kingdom, so cutting it off was seen as a declaration of war.
Any precious time that Smithy had to herself she spent with Kizzy, who she found out was kept safe and sound in the Brotherhood of Steed’s many hideouts. Lizza even backed off so that the two of them could enjoy their time together as mother and daughter. Lizza was more eager to spend that time romantically with Salty Ron anyway. Kizzy had plenty of questions for her mother, all of which Smithy was glad to finally answer.
Taking a break from the routine of press conferences and royal affairs, Smithy and Crab Apple thought it would be nice to have lunch with Kizzy, Lizza, and Salty Ron. They were having a surprisingly hard time finding a place that would give service to zebras. They eventually settled on a café half way across Canterlot that would allow them service only if they ate outside.
After they ordered their food, they sat and waited over half an hour for their order to be taken, and an additional half hour without having their food served or drinks refilled. By then, Crab Apple was getting frustrated with the rude waiter's bad attitude. “What’s da hold up!” he eventually shouted as soon as he saw the waiter rush by. “Sandwiches and salads can’t take dis long!”
The waiter threw down the rag he was using to wipe off a nearby table. “We’re short staffed, you idiot!” he hollered back. “Ever since you two decided to get all goodie goodie, we had to let go of our kitchen zigglers! Now we can’t afford to hire more staff! I wouldn’t be surprised if this place goes out of business soon thanks to you two!”
Crab Apple went nose to nose with this waiter. “Whatsa matter!” he shouted. “Weren’t competent enough on your own?”
Smithy pulled Crab Apple away from the potential fight. “Just let him get back to work,” she sighed, having seen this kind of behavior on the rise around Canterlot. “The sooner he gets back to work, the sooner we can get our food and leave.”
The waiter came back five minutes later with a tray full of food. “Here!” he said as he slammed the plates down along with the bill in the center of the table. “Sort it out yourself, and pay your bill on the way out. Enjoy!”
Smithy reached for the bill, which was covered in food that had fallen off the plates. “This fella sure blew his tip,” she said as she cleared the food away. She gasped as soon as she read what it had to say. “A hundred bits! Fer this! This fella’s gotta be crazy!”
Lizza reached for her salad, checking it for any ill treatment. “We should not stay for desert,” she said as she lifted a few leaves covered in spit.
Kizzy spat out a bite of her sandwich before lifting the bread. “There is dirt on my food!” she exclaimed as she wiped her tongue with her napkin.
It appeared that the waiter had sabotaged the meal out of spite, because everypony had something gross in their food. Crab Apple threw his sandwich down on the ground, only to watch a few bugs crawl out of it. He then stormed off to the front door and hollered inside, “Lemme talk ta da manager!”
While Crab Apple waited for a manager to come out, Kizzy began to squirm in her chair. “Mother, I need to use the outhouse,” she said uncomfortably.
Smithy looked around for a sign to point them out. “Looks like it’s in the back,” she said, pointing to where the sign said.
Kizzy politely excused herself before running off to relieve herself. She was just about to open the door to the outhouse when she felt someone slam it shut. Looking up, she could see the rude waiter leering down at her. “And just where do you think you’re going?” he asked in a condescending tone.
Kizzy stared wide eyed in fear at the overpowering pony. “I need to use the outhouse, sir,” she said meekly.
The waiter looked her right in the eye, which made her cower even more. “Do you see what it says on the door?” he said, pointing to the sign.
Reading was never Kizzy’s strongest skill. Slaves were often uneducated, so she barely knew how to read or write. “Outhouse?” she guessed.
The waiter was livid with her response. “You think this is some kind of joke?” he retorted, scaring Kizzy so much that she covered her eyes. “It says ‘ponies’ on it, you dunce! You can’t use this one! You have to use the one that says ‘stripes’ on it!”
Kizzy ran to where the waiter said the correct outhouse was. She watched him as she opened up the door to the outhouse to make sure that she had the right one, and crinkled up her nose at the smell coming out of it. “It is dirty, sir!” she said as she backed away and held her nose.
The waiter grabbed her and threw her into the outhouse. “Well so are you!” he said as he slammed the door, holding it closed and laughing cruelly as Kizzy cried to be let out.
Salty Ron came up from behind and punched the waiter in the head. “You do not treat her like that!” he hollered. “We will take your abuse no more! We will leave now!”
He opened the door to see Kizzy crying and covered in excrement. “Come with me, child,” he said gently as she walked out embarrassed. “Do not worry. We will clean you. This pony will no longer hurt you.”
The group quickly hightailed it out of the café, making a mental note to talk to the princess about what had happened. They quickly found a hose on the side of a building that they used to rinse Kizzy off.
Smithy wiped her daughter’s face with a handkerchief to help her feel cleaner. “I’m sorry ya had to go through all that,” she apologized. “Seems like more and more places are startin’ to do this since y’all got yer freedom. T’ain’t fair, but don’t ya worry none. Mama’s still loves ya and nothin’s gonna change that!”
Kizzy hugged her mother, still crying and embarrassed by how she was treated at the café. “Will ponies treat me like this forever?” she cried.
Lizza gently ran her hoof through Kizzy's mane, adding her own frustration to the mix. “Hate does not vanish all at once, my child,” she explained. “We may have our freedom, but it comes at a price.”
Kizzy wiped at her eyes as she looked up at the two adults. “Would we be treated better in Zebrica?” she asked.
The question struck Smithy right in the heart. After all that she worked for, after the truth was finally out in the open, after she was able to finally be a mother to her daughter, Kizzy wanted to leave. “Are ya sure that’s what ya want?” she said, her heart in her throat.
Kizzy could see how much this idea hurt her mother. “I do not know,” she replied. “What I do know is that I am still not free in this land, and I do not know if I will ever be. I want to be where I can choose the life that I want.”
Smithy knew deep down that these were valid reasons for how her daughter felt. It wouldn’t be long before Kizzy was a grown woman, and she wondered what kind of life she would have in a land that did not want her. “Why don’t ya think 'bout it on our way back to Ponyville,” she said. “Iffn’ ya still feel the same than y’all can pack up and leave.”