//------------------------------// // 8 Pinkie's very serious speech. // Story: The War in Equestria. // by BluesyTreble //------------------------------// They led a spirited gallop into Ponyville, where all the residents were already gathered at the front of the Town Hall. Pinkie cleared her throat, stepping up onto the stage. Twilight nudged the two Englishmen onto the stage, drawing stares from the residents. Pinkie cleared her throat again, and commenced the speech. "We are all gathered here today," Pinkie began in her usual high pitched voice. What was missing was the usual cheerful tone and smile that accompanied it. "To address an issue, the issue of racism." She paused, letting her words sink in. She gestured at the men. "These two men here are humans, part of an army in the land of England. Do they look different?" She asked the audience. A wave of nods. "I think so too," She continued. "But does that give you sufficient reason to freak out and to call the guards on these innocent creatures?" She asked the audience again. "Those two attacked the guards! And they were armed!" A stallion's voice shouted from the audience. "Did they draw their weapons? Did they threaten to attack you?" Pinkie countered. "No! They did not! They did nothing but legally walk into Ponyville! And what they got for a welcome was two armed guards charging straight at them, threatening to attack them! Of course they had to retaliate!" Pinkie explained. "But still they launched a pointy stick at me!" The guard, standing in the front row, pointed at the wicked dent in his armour. "And that metal-covered one knocked me over!" His companion added. Pinkie drew in another breath and asked. "Instead of asking us what they were doing here, why did you two just attack? Instead of keeping the peace, why are you breaking it?" The guards kept silent. "So I can safely infer that YOU two, seeing THESE two are different, thought it was okay to attack them, make them feel unwelcome?" The guards were now clearly uncomfortable, shifting their weight from one hoof to another. "Like what you ALL did with poor Zecora when she just arrived?" Pinkie pressed on, waving an outstretched hoof at the gathered audience. "Do you know how terrible they feel now thanks to your MEANLINESS??! " Pinkie screamed at the audience. "I think you meant 'meanness'." Twilight whispered into Pinkie's ear. "I knew that long ago, silly!" Pinkie hissed back. "Then why not use it?" "Because I think 'meanliness' sounds more MEAN than plain old 'meanness'!" Pinkie answered with a smile. Twilight rolled her eyes. The audience, meanwhile feeling apologetic, spoke up. "Ah'm mighty sorry." A small filly with a large bow in her hair spoke. "We're sorry too." A small group of stallions called. The audience started to apologise in droves, when suddenly.. "HEY! You know what this calls for?!" Pinkie's regular cheerful voice had returned. "Wait for it..." The yellow filly with the large bow said. "A PARTY!" Pinkie screamed, whipping out a small cannon from behind her and firing it. The cannon cracked and launched colourful confetti and hundreds of candies into the audience, who were cheering in welcome of the two unfamiliar but now friendly creatures. ************************************************************************************************* Terence and Ralf staggered back to Sweet Apple Acres, drowned in cider and hardly able to talk. "That was one great celebration!" Ralf shouted, throwing the empty apple cider bottle into the air. "I agree." Nodded Terence. Life seemed perfect for now, void of warfare and full of friendship. ******************************************************************************************** But somewhere underneath the Everfree forest, green-skinned humanoids sharpened war-axes and spears, and beat steel and iron plates into shape. They recited odes to their daemon gods, and memorised spells of Fel magic, they waited eagerly for their dragon mounts to mature, their growth accelerated by Fel magic, their joyful whelphood cruelly taken away.