//------------------------------// // iv - You're Out! // Story: The Path of Absolution - Punishment // by Morningstar1337 //------------------------------// The Cutie Mark Crusaders were running away from their pursuers. They galloped all around Ponyville. Apple Bloom and her friends turned left and saw a wall with a hole. They quickly went into the opening. The stampede of angry ponies passed them, too blinded by their rage to notice that the fillies weren’t there. The Crusaders exited the hole. “Phew,” Apple Bloom said. “That was close.” Applejack, who was chasing the mob saw the fillies. Unfortunately so did the angry mob. The leader of which said, ”Get ‘em!” The chase resumed as the Crusaders ran from the torches and pitchforks toting mob. Elsewhere, Pinkie Pie went to the Carousel Boutique. She opened the door to find Rarity and Twilight inside. “Pinkie?” Rarity said. “Whatever are you doing, darling?” “Applejack wanted me to warn you that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are being chased by an angry mob,” Pinkie said. “At first I thought they wanted to teach them a lesson in tag, but then I thought ’Huh, what game of tag would use pitchforks.’ and then--” Twilight interrupted Pinkie. “Where are they?” “Dunno. They were running all over town.” Rarity was close to fainting. She didn’t think that the hatred for the column would escalate into a mob. She ran out of her home and tried to find them. Just then Rainbow Dash entered the building. “Hey guys what’s up?” “Not much, except the Cutie Mark Crusaders are chased by a mob and Rarity and Applejack went to find them,” Pinkie said. Rainbow Dash took a while to process the information, then doubled over in laughter. “Really Pinkie, an angry mob? That’s ridiculous.” and continued to laugh some more. “Says the mare who drenched them in water every time they crossed your path,” Twilight snarked before realizing that her reaction to the fact that the Crusaders were Gabby Gums was no less overblown. “But seriously, an angry--” Dash had heard a noise behind her. The three mares saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders running toward the edge of town. By the time the fillies passed she said, “Are you sure they’re not playing tag?” “That’s what I thought!” Pinkie said. “But look!” The mares saw a mob with torches, pitchforks and picket signs heading along the Crusaders path. The mob in turn noticed Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie and approached them. One of them held out a picture of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “Hey have you seen these three fillies?” “Maybe,” Rainbow Dash said. “Why’d you ask?” Rarity and Applejack finally caught up to the group. “We felt that these fillies need to be taught a ‘lesson.’ Gabby Gums must not be allowed to write her nasty columns anymore.” “That’s no reason to scare three fillies like that,” Twilight said. “It’s a perfectly good reason!” said a mare in the group. “Listen here,” the leader of the mob said. “Those three fillies are dangerous. They destroy everything they touch, ruin everything they see all just to get their cutie marks?! We’ve had it up to here with this.” Everyone felt the temperature fall with his words. “And you haven’t done anything to stop this at all! Those fillies are a menace and you haven’t stopped or disciplined them in any way.” The crowd was getting riled up his words as the rage directed at the Crusaders grew. The fillies were listening from behind a street corner. Hearing every hateful vile word spewed by the mob leader’s mouth. They went out of hiding and were immediately noticed by everypony here. “You really think that?” Apple Bloom said. Tears ran down her cheek. “What do you think? You almost killed somepony with a bowling ball, nearly infected the town with a dangerous disease, and now now you’ve shown no regard for everypony’s privacy and dignity! Equestria would be better off without you if you asked me,” the leader said. “Now you listen here you--” Applejack was enraged by the mob’s contempt for the fillies. But she was interrupted by the leader. “No you listen!” the mob leader said. The Crusaders were about to cry. The sun was setting as the night began. “Fine then!” Apple Bloom said. “We know where we’re not wanted!” “We’re leaving!” Sweetie Belle said. “Jerks!” Scootaloo said. The fillies began to trot toward the Everfree forest. “All we did is write some gossip and you can’t even talk to us without a barrier, a raining cloud, or pitchforks,” Apple Bloom said. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Applejack and Rarity tried to comfort their sisters. “Sugarcube--” Applejack said. “We didn’t even want to write the gossip in the first place! You did!” Scootaloo said. “We were just giving you what you wanted!” “But I guess that wasn’t enough for you jerks. You want us gone? Fine then,” Sweetie Belle said. The three fillies then galloped away from the group, crying the entire time. The leader of the angry mob was content. “Well, good Riddance!” he shouted. Everypony glared at the leader. The mob disbanded, some contented at the day’s outcome while others were disgusted not just by their behavior today, but by the preceding days as well, for now they knew that the cruelty was not just uncalled for, but unjustifiable. “Well,” Twilight said. “Now Ponyville can be known as the town that ran out three foals.” and left to go find Fluttershy. “My sister was taught to have some degree of empathy. You on the other hand need some more lessons,” Rarity scoffed at the ex-mob leader before following Twilight. The other three followed soon after, leaving the ex-leader to go home in triumph. Fluttershy had managed to pull herself together enough to feed and care for the animals. She was giving them their dinner when she heard a knock on the door. Her rabbit, Angel, went to answer the door. He knew how to answer the door, and he knew what he wanted to do if he saw three certain fillies. The door opened to reveal that Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack there. Angel was sorely disappointed, but he let his owner’s friends in. A few minutes later, the six mares discussed the events of the day. “...Goodness,” Fluttershy said.  “They were chased by a mob?” “Yeah,” Pinkie said. “They chased them all over town.” “That’s horrible,” Fluttershy was unaware that her friends had also contributed to the problem. “We’re going to the Everfree Forest to find them,” Applejack said. “And nopony knows the forest and it’s inhabitants better than you.” “Well I guess I could help,” Fluttershy said. She know how vicious the town could get at times, but never once have been the subject of an angry mob. “But what about the animals? I have to get someone to pet-sit for them.” At that moment Angel Bunny fainted in dread. “It’s okay, I’ll have spike take care of them,” Twilight said. Angel Bunny jolted up in even more dread. The ponies agreed to start their trek in the morning, after they were rested and prepared. Though Applejack and Rarity were worried about their sisters. Fluttershy’s friends left her cottage and returned to their own homes to prepare for their journey.