//------------------------------// // Faithful and Strong // Story: Before The Magic // by picklejuice //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Faithful And Strong When I was a little red-scarfed filly, I was once in the basement of the Turner mansion in Canterlot. My dad Phrase Turner had just come down to find me, and was shocked. "Paige! What in Sweet Celestia's Cutie Mark is going on around here?!" I popped my head up from a mountain of scattered floppy books and pages. Around me were mountains of paper and book covers, some violently unconnected to each other. "What? You said I could read." Dad looked at me with both love and exasperation. "You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, true, but this is throwing caution to the wind! Literally!" He picked up a random book. "The pages-, the binding-, the glue- did you DOG EAR a PAGE?!" I'd started reading while he ranted and wasn't paying attention. "Hm?" Dad put his hoof down on the book I was reading, covering it up and preventing me from whip-quick turning the page as I'd been. "Paige. You're RUINING my books." "I thought I was just reading them." I looked around at the scene of chaos, and it slowly dawned on me. "These sheets are shorn. The binding is bent. The glue is gone. And you never, ever turn the corner of a page to 'bookmark' it! Frankly, I'm surprised you stopped!" "I had to get a drink of water." I said quietly, tears starting to well up. I saw it now - all the books WERE ruined. Every one damaged in some way, some with pages completely torn out and thrown on the ground! Pulling my hooves back in horror, I looked up. "I'm sorry, dad!" Shaking his mane, the elder Turner said softly, "And well you should be. Books are very precious. Paper and binding fall apart all on their own, given time. We don't need to speed the process." Sighing, he added, "Come on, now, let's clean this up." But I didn't get up. If I got up... "It's all right Paigey. Let's just get started." He tried to start collecting the papers near me. His hoofs got too close: he was going to see! I shuffled back under a mountain of paper. "Come on, dear. Working will help chase the tears away." "But… if you do that, you'll… " I dove into a pile of papers and hid. He cocked his head to one side and called out, "Paige! That's not helping!" I stayed quiet. "Paige? Is there something else?" "Mm-hmm." I said from under Paper Mountain. "What is it?" A small billow of papers drifted up in a sudden wind as I sighed in defeat. "I didn't want you… to see my …" Unable to bring myself to say it or think it, I simply walked up to dad and looked at him wondering what he'll do. He saw it right away. But his smile was wide and proud. "Your cutie mark! You found your cutie mark! When did this happen?" I hung my head "That's why I was so excited to read. I read three books in half an hour and … and I just realized it." "Well, it's an hour glass… what's it for? What's your special talent?" My face contorted in fear and sadness. It was too tragic! "Come on, dear, it can't be all that bad." Unable to take it anymore, I hugged him, weeping openly. "Speed-reading! My special talent is ruining books! It's so unfair!" At first, Phrase looked around the room and couldn't find a single thing to help me. But then he saw his bookbinding kit. "Paige. Listen, honey. I'll show you how to repair the books, and it'll make you feel better." I sniffed. "R-repair?" He was smiling at me sincerely. "We can do that?" "They'll be good as new when we're done." "Thank you!" --- A good night's rest helped me digest all of what happened. Pinkie Pie. The party. The town. The honesty. I scratched that itch in my mind, hard. Was there something more to this place than just a tourist resort? So far, the phrase "My Little Pony" hadn't been said once by anyone but me to my dad. I couldn't find a copy of series in the town library. If this truly WAS a town BUILT to reflect the 300-year-old series of books I'd been reading, then where's the product placement? I figured it COULD all be an elaborate immersive experience. Garish trademarking would pull one out of the experience, but still! It seemed just like the Ponyville I'd read of. With how earnest and true everyone was being all around me, could it really all be a lie? --- "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! I - oh! It's Paige! Have a free cupcake!" Mr. Cake offered a fresh one, steam still wafting off it. "Thanks!" I took a bite and smiled. Like everything so far, it too was top-notch stuff. "Really good! Could I have a bear claw?" Mr. Cake nodded, and produced one of the glazed delectables. "Here you are. They're normally a popular item and hard to get but we have a surplus today. Have an extra one, on the house!" "Mmm!" I took them, paid my bits, and was about to leave, when I remembered why I really came here. "It's because of Pinkie Pie, isn't it?" Mr. Cake just smiled. "Probably, but I'm betting that will turn around and really soon! I don't know if you've heard, but Pinkie has a bit of a ... reputation in town. But last night, at your party, I just don't know what happened. She seems like a whole new pony." Mr. Cake suddenly had a faraway look. "A new, very confusing, quirky pony." A smile played across my face as I struggled with the stories in my mind. I left with simple confused look. "Scootaloo! You get back here!" I did a double take, watching as two more "actors" - Applejack and Scootaloo - sped by. I looked around at the other ponies, wondering who these two actors were putting on a show for. Were there more tourists in town? But there was no one forthcoming. Nopony trying to sell me an Applejack t-shirt. Nopony at all to explain what I just saw. "It's gotta be me. Again." I said to myself, this time not so certain. I followed the two, as I suspected I was expected to. "I'm gonna throw you in a box, Scootaloo! You're not the first kid I sent away! The others are in boxes, sent to the nagas in the Everfree Forest! Special delivery! Meals for Eels!" "I don't believe you! Everypony knows you're a big fibber!" "First an angry Pinkie, and now a lying Applejack? What next, a disloyal Rainbow Dash? A greedy Rarity? A cruel Fluttershy?" I redoubled my efforts, but was no match for Applejack. I thought I lost them for a bit, then heard a SNAP! and some crying. When I rounded a corner I saw Applejack was finally able to rope Scootaloo with a lasso. Unfortunately, the high speed made for an awkward stop, and one of the scooter's wheels got crushed. "My SCOOTER!" Scootaloo cried. "You RUINED it! I HATE you!" She sobbed incoherently as Applejack trotted up and untied the little filly. "Uh, no I didn't. You did. It's yer fault fer runnin' away from me! C'mere you, you little cowpie." Applejack wrangled Scootaloo with a strong arm, and started leading her away. "Gonna get you back to school, where you'll STAY this time, varmit!" She noticed Paige in the way. "Pardon me, just escortin' my little sister back to school." She did her trademark "I'm not lying!" face, complete with pursed lips, and shifty, wide eyes. "She's not my sister!" Scootaloo cried out. I made a "T" gesture with my hooves. "Time out, I need to go O.O.C. for a minute here gals, if that's all right." Applejack and Scootaloo scrunched their faces up in confusion. "GREAT acting job, everypony. Really convincing. You're a great Applejack, and you, Scoots, are just incredible! Very good job. The problem is, I didn't get my character sheet for this particular scenario. I kinda flubbed my way through it last night, but truth be told, I didn't have it then either. I still had fun but---" "Whut in tarnation are you talkin' about?" Demanded the angry orange pony. I rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "Total immersion. Fine. I get it. So... Um. Hi there, 'Applejack' is it? Can I ask just what's going on here?" "Just bringin' mah sister back to school." Applejack did another face-squint. "That's mah story, an' I'm stickin' to it." I realized I wasn't going to get a straight answer out of THIS Applejack, so I bowed and backed away. "Whatever you say..." Once they had a good lead, I followed them from a distance to the schoolhouse. Applejack dropped off Scootaloo and left. Cheerilee had some harsh words for schootaloo, and pointed a hoof at her before going inside. As I got closer I heard her say "And if you're gone when I come back, it's detention for a MONTH in stead of just a week!" Cheerilee went inside, and soon there was just the mopey Scootaloo. "Tough day, huh?" With a pout and a harrumph, the orange pegasus filly just looked away. "Adults getting you down." "No." "Really? Then what was going on with you and Applejack?" "She was just trying to corral me back to class for Cheerilee." "But what's up with her... you know... lying all the time?" "Oh, that's just Applejack. She lies all the time." I sat down, and looked around. "That's... really weird." "Hm? What is?" "Applejack lying all the time. It doesn't make sense. Has she been a liar all the time you've known her?" "I guess. Why doesn't it make sense?" "Well, in the books - " Paige looked at Scootaloo, and saw the utter honest confusion in the child's face. "You're not an actress, are you?" I almost relented right then. But, I was still reluctant to slip into the madness that was clearly all around me, I inwardly hoped... "Huh?" I shook my head. Yet another perfect piece of acting. Then, I had a thought. "How long has Ponyville been around?" "Oh! We learned about that in class. About a hundred years." Crestfallen, I still clung to the lie I'd been telling herself. "And when I go to the town records, it's going to confirm that. Oh, crackers." I slumped in confusion. "What is going ON?" As I stomped off to Town Hall, Scootalloo muttered "She's just as crazy as Pinkie! Hm. Maybe THAT'S why they got along so well..." --- I DID go to the town records and confirmed it. The town was, indeed, about a hundred years old. That meant my 300-year old books were written BEFORE ponyville even existed! It was as if I was really in a storybook! One thought consumed me after I left the town hall: I gotta find the others. --- "Darling, I have no idea what you are speaking of whatsoever! Honestly, I have my hooves full directing my sla- er, my dashing stallions to go dig up gems for me and make dresses. Who has time for friends?" --- "Go away! I don't want any. I SAID I DON'T WANT ANY! (if that's okay with you...) --- "snzzz snzzz snzzz" The mayor had confirmed Ponyville was hosting the Summer Sun celebration in a month's time, and Celestia herself would be here. If the books were really true, the Mare in the Moon was going to come to life and plunge the world into eternal night. That is, unless a certain unicorn and 5 other ponies could become friends. "Likely story(!)" I said. I sat watching Rainbow Dash's cloud lazily drift through the sky, among a dozen other wild clouds drifting in a pattern that was distinctly NOT regulation "partly cloudy." I shook my mane and stared at the ground. "No way. This CAN'T be happening. I mean - it SEEMS like the books, but it ISN'T. Applejack was ALWAYS honest." I looked back at town, which looked like it was about to be under a gang of random heavy cloudcover. Cloudcover unwrangled by Rainbow Dash. "Wasn't she?" --- "Oh, my, yes. Quite the mouth on that one. Fibbin' left and right. She doesn't mean harm by it." --- "Applejack? Sheesh, you bet she's a big liar. The trick is, you can ALWAYS tell when she's lying, so just don't buy it when she makes that face." --- "She said my petunias were going to grow better if I mushed up her apples. Ridiculous! But I bought 'em anyway. Despite her lip, they *are* the best apples for miles around." --- "Me? No, I never confronted her about it. Why would I? It's not my business. She's not my sister or whatever." --- The townsponies' words confirmed it. Applejack was a liar. This was a problem. But I didn't know what to do. I was pacing back and forth around town square, trying to figure it out. I needed to talk with someone about this - let them know what I'd found out! Somepony - ANYPONY I could share this with! But who? If I talked to any of them, I might alter the future. I mean, it seems like Pinkie Pie is back to "normal" charming self now, and she'll be the first pony to meet Twilight in Ponyville. First pony to meet Twilight in Ponyville... Then it was Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and then Fluttershy. That gave me an idea, but I filed it away. "Hey! Hey, you! Book Girl!" I shook my head and looked. "Oh. Hello, Sweetie Drops." Her face scrunched up. "Ugh. That NAME! Call me Bon-Bon, would you? Now listen. I need a book." It took me a bit to switch gears. "Oh. Yes. Sure. What do you need?" Welcome for the distraction, we started trotting back to the LIbrary. "I need... like... a spell or something to change my voice." "Really?" I glanced back. "Do you have a horn hiding under those pink locks? "Ugh. No! I like ... just need it, okay? I have somepony who can cast it for me. So like, just find it, okay?" I rolled my eyes at her scornful valley girl accent. "You from Manehattan?" Bon-bon paused, but said, "Yes. I'm definitely from there, not THIS place. Ugh. How long is this going to take?" "We just got to the library. Give me a couple minutes. I still don't have everything ready for opening tomorrow." "Chah. Whatever." She took a seat and poked at the unicorn bust. This one's a horrible gossip, probably. If I needed to keep what I know a secret, she'd be the worst pony to tell anything to. I thought a bit before saying, "You know... I read about this place in a book, once." "Of COURSE you did. You're a librarian." Bon bon huffed and shook her mane, like I was being stupid. "Never mind." She wouldn't be much help to anyone but herself. I let it drop. "Here you go. Otto Tune's Book on Vocal Manipulation. I remember a few songs by this jokester. Something about hiding your kids and your wife, right?" The off-white mare scowled. "Well, it's a start. How much do I owe you?" "It's a library, Bon-Bon. You borrow it, and promise to bring it back." I offered it to her. When she put her hoof on it, I didn't let go. She glared at me, and I casually said, "What did you do yesterday when my back was turned?" Her disgust turned into an outright angry scowl. "I wasn't HERE yesterday." That didn't make sense. I let go. "You weren't?" Now looking angry AND a little frightened, she said, "No. Maybe you saw one of my... sisters." "Right. HER name was 'Sweetie Drop.' Funny. She looked just like you." Defiant, Bon-Bon just stamped a hoof and said, "Yeah(!) Funny(!)" I made her fill out the check-out card for the book, and she stomped off. Watching her leave quickly reminded me of something I'd been neglecting a little since I arrived. Going out for a run. --- Book watched my image in a crystal ball, his pages flipping back and forth, back and forth in intense concentration. "How do we STOP her?" The strange pony with a book for a head stomped over to the Machine and examined the pages as the Pen of Fate flittered over them. All around him, the Allibrary loomed, bookcase upon bookcase on upwards to infinity. Between the infinitely tall cases lined with ladders and stairs and balconies were even more bookcases in a maze of unfathomable proportions. Somewhere in this mess was Space, off on a mission of Book's. At first, the Machine was working perfectly fine. He wrote the future into a blank book with his special ink. He then put the book into the machine, and when the Pen of Fate was supposed to draw out a new blank book from the stack... It would choose HIS in stead. And in stead of the actual future, the pen would merely trace the words he'd written. It worked perfectly. Pinkie Pie became a mad pony in stead of her "usual" happy self. The other ponies became twisted monsters as well. All perfectly within the storyline. After all, according to cannon, they HADN'T learned a single lesson on friendship... YET! But as soon as the Pen of Fate's quill scratched the paper describing Paige's arrival in Ponyville, the machine STOPPED working. In stead of tracing HIS words, the pen was lifting the ink from the page, and rewriting the story. "How is she DOING it?" He growled at the machine. "I've done this a thousand times on a thousand other Equestrias. It worked each time, bringing Nightmare Moon to power and bringing about eternal night!" "Book!" The monster pony swung his pages in the direction of the voice. "I found it, Book! I found it, I found it!" Anger wrinkling his binding, Book growled, "Bring it here!" Space was galloping through the Allibrary, dodging between stacks of books. He was completely out of breath by the time he reached Book and the Machine. "Here- *gasp* it is!" Space collapsed. Book's head glowed, and the book Space had been carrying lifted up and opened for him. He flipped through the pages quickly, and the words in the new book lifted up as the pages flipped. The words almost left the page under Book's magical aura, but snapped back into place as he "read." "Mmm. Mmm. MMM!" He called out, as if devouring a delicious meal. As quickly as he could flip all the pages, he was done. The book, smoking slightly, fell and hit the ground with a dead THUD. Book whipped his head away, pacing now, as he pondered the contents. "Yes..." He hissed. "Yes..." Space, forgotten, was gradually getting his breath back. The light brown amber unicorn with an hourglass cutie mark slowly got to his hooves. "Wish I could teleport in here. All this running around's wearing me out!" "Soon you will be, Space. Soon the Allibrary secrets will be revealed to us all." Fatigue forgotten, Space spun toward Book. "You mean we've found it?" Book bucked, breaking one side of the Machine. Instantly, the Pen of Fate was freed from his magically inked books, and whipped into the air. The words it was writing trailed after it, words of ink hanging in the air as the pen furiously continued to write. Book spun and pushed a weak spot in the great Machine, causing great sprockets and widgets to fail and fling out, broken and useless. He laughed, and continued to shout triumphantly as he tore the machine apart. "Yes. I know where it is." A blank book flew out of the infinite darkness above, and magically CAUGHT the words of ink being flung by the Pen of Fate. "I should have known this was the place, once the machine began acting strange." Space pranced away from the destruction. "This isn't a reflection, Space. This is it. This is the REAL Equestria." The Pen and new blank book slowly lowered to a golden podium, where the book settled and the ink was absorbed into the pages, and the pen continued to furiously write. "We've found it! We KNOW where it is, and with that knowledge, the battle is now halfway WON. Mwa ha ha ha!" Book shot magic rays from his head into the machine, blasting the last large pieces apart. He laughed, and pranced in victory. Space watched from a distance, blinking in apprehension. "The REAL Equestria? But... " He looked at himself. "But that means the Equestria HE took me from..." He blinked some more, sadness pulling his face into worry. --- Running. Almost all ponies love to run, but it's a sort of family ritual in the Turners. When we first began using "Turner" as a surname, quite unusual in Equestria, the first "Turner" had a catchphrase: "run!" Usually down corridors, but the place wasn't important. The why wasn't important. The run's all that mattered. Be it for fun or for delivering messages or running away from imagined monster Pepperpots with delusions of Pest Control, running was in the Turner family genes. And I'm no different. Time wasn't back to Ponyville, and I didn't want to see Pinkie quite so soon after "fixing" her, so I needed to talk with the only pony I could: myself. I was only going a brisk canter and not a gallop, trying to collect my thoughts. The trail I was on was recommended by an elderly stallion with a racing number cutie mark. "Number Thirteen" or "#13" as he preferred to be referred to. "Right. No distractions. Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applebloom, Sweetie bell - how could I possibly KNOW about all these ponies? How did I KNOW about Pinkie? The massacre-" No, that didn't happen. Pinkie changed. She chose to be happy. "Fine. The POTENTIAL massacre I saw ... that was deeply troubling and disturbing! Seeing all that carnage -" POTENTIAL carnage. "Fine, POTENTIAL carnage has me all riled up. I just need a good night's rest. How long have I been up?" I blinked. "Wait - where did THAT thought come from? Was there ACTUAL carnage?" Only in my mind. "Only... in... MY mind?" That's right. The other timeline didn't happen. Now I was very confused. "What other timeline?" The other timeline that didn't happen and was never supposed to happen. You saw it only because you were reading ahead. But, it was never really real to begin with, so no harm done. Right? "I don't know about any other timeline!" Of course not. You're the real Paige Turner. You'd have no knowledge of the other timelines, unless you read ahead AND someone was trying to change the future. "That - that doesn't make any sense! I AM the "real" Paige Turner! There's nopony else but me being me!" That's not entirely accurate. Don't you remember, talking to your cousin Time about this before? The trail was getting rough but I was pouring on speed. Run. RUN! RUN!!! This didn't make any sense! What am I saying to myself? "No. I... I DIDN'T..." Didn't I? I shook my mane. "This... is pointless. This has to stop. I have a real problem here. Applejack's a liar, and that's not right." Of course it isn't right. She's the element of Honesty. Truth pours in and out of her like a river. So strong, even SHE can't turn the tide. "Of course! That's it!" But the fact that she lies POORLY isn't enough to get her to STOP. I might have figured out why Pinkie was angry at everyone, but I don't know WHY Applejack is lying. "I need to talk to her face to face." --- "I got a date with a penguin. Gotta run!" --- "Can ya hold these barrels for a sec? Thanks. Bye!" --- "I'm not hidin' nothin!" --- "Why are you following me? I've got hoof in mouth disease! You might catch it!" --- "I'm ... actually pink and dye my coat brown to fit in with the family!" --- "This isn't getting me ANYWHERE!" I cried as Applejack sped off yet again, leaving me with no answers. "She's just too fast and strong for me to pin down. Every time I get her cornered someplace, she just bucks her way out and runs off." I'm a good runner, but Applejack has real world knowledge of the layout of Ponyville I just don't have. She can shake me whenever she wants. If there were only some way to slow her down... "What can I do, though? Make a molasses trap? Maybe I could cook up a brew or a stew or ---" It came to me in a flash. I grinned and rubbed my hooves together. "Or maybe something from Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-Alls That Are Simply Super!" As I stared at the book, I remembered the stories. My worry and pain and confusion, gripped firmly on my face, suddenly just ... let go. I got an IDEA. A grin stretched the corners of my mouth. An AWFUL idea! The grin spread further and furthur I got a WONDERFUL, awful, idea! My grin began to twirl in evil curls at the edges. "And I know just what to do!" --- Four voices spoke in measured, whispered, calculating tones. As each spoke, a different star shone brighter. This one shows promise, brothers. Her insight could prove useful. We must light her way in the darkness she finds herself in. And we must rekindle her forgotten obsession. The four stars continued their trek across the sky toward the power of their source, their treasure, their fate: The Mare in the Moon. --- Everypony was there, this time FOR Pinkie Pie AND her party. I smiled as I watched her in the opening ceremonies. "HEAR YE! HEAR YE! LET THE GRAND OPENING OF THE GOLDEN OAKS LIBRARY..." Pinkie fumbled with a pair of giant novelty scissors, and managed to snip the golden ribbon in the front. "BEGIN!" The cheers were accompanied by streamers and confetti. Mayor Mare was smiling and nodding to ponies. I was feeling pretty optimistic. When Pinkie bounced into the building, I made sure to give her a quick message - "Congratulations on getting back in good graces with Mayor Mare! How'd you do it?" "She made fun of my hair and I giggled!" She said, giggling. Suddenly, she leaned in close and whispered dangerously in my ear: "No pony else knows my secret but you. KEEP it that way!" And she was suddenly giggling and bouncing away again. "Wuh?!" I blinked. Well, maybe she really IS a psycho jerk! I frowned. Maybe this IS real, but I wasn't sure it was MY Equestria anymore! I shook my mane. Even if Pinkie's a jerk, that doesn't mean THIS Applejack is too! I spotted Bon Bon in the croud at one point, laughing and chatting it up with a strong olive green unicorn stallion. I was considering whether or not to approach her and ask how the spell went, when I saw Bon-Bon on the other side of the room, having a very intense conversation with the Mayor. "What the hay?" The Bon-Bon with the mayor stomped off, and slipped away in the crowd. "TWO Bon-Bons?" I searched for the next 10 minutes, but I couldn't get to either bon-bon. I snorted in frustration. I was SURE I'd seen them both! Suddenly, two farm ponies busted into the scene. They looked around in confusion, clearly a little worn out from running. "Which one's the librarian?" Applebloom asked. Big Mac just shook his head, looking around. Bon-bon was trying to avoid me, but these two weren't. I approached them as they searched the crowd. Pretty soon I was standing right next to them, so I --- Woah, Nelly! That chest, those whithers, that jaw... I'd forgotten all the the hearts I drew once around a crude picture I had of Big Mac... until I came face-to-face with the fiery stallion. "Ahmana" I mumbled and blinked. "Who're you?" Big Mac demanded. "I- I- I'm the new librarian. Paige. Paige Turner, at your service." I laughed nervously. I'm gonna screw this up. They're going to see right through me! "There you are! My big sister - she's been CURSED!" Applebloom's Cutie Mark Crusader voice, turned up to 11, cut across the whole library. Everypony turned toward us and quieted down. I was tempted to call forth Bon-Bon to try to find out what HER deal was, but this was much more important. Applebloom shifted her hair to reveal a tiny Applejack perched on her back. I suppressed a grin. The Poison Joke I sprinkled on her bed worked just great. "Who did this to me? I'll bust 'em up! I don't care if I'm tiny, I busted up three doors just wakin' up today!" "Yes. She IS cursed." Ponyville gasped. Mayor Mare stepped forth. "Was it... HER?" I shook my head and knelt down near Applebloom. "No. It isn't 'her'." To Applejack, I said, "I know what this is It's the Curse of Liaritis." Okay. Here we go! Don't screw it up! I addressed her and the town. "Some say it is the ghost of a pony who lied so much, she convinced the world she didn't exist. Forgotten, invisible, alone, Liaritis stalks the world looking for one such as her - a pony who tells so many lies they begin to hide who she really is. It urges the pony to KEEP telling lies upon lies, each one diminishing her until..." The little blank-flank filly, worn from worry, urged, "Until what?" "Until, like Liaritus, she disappears too." Appletini piped up. "Ah knew it. Yup. Liaritis. That must be it. I heard of it too. It makes you break out in purple spots, too, don't it?" "No, Applejack. There's only one way to break the curse." For once, Applejack's pursed-lips guilty look stuck for a while longer while she tried to stay quiet. "What?" Big Mac asked in concern. I looked at the handsome stallion and gulped. I hated lying to them to show them how not to lie. I was a hypocrite, and if Big Mac ever found out... Blushing at my deception, I nodded. "You need to get Applejack to tell the truth." None of the two apple siblings looked convinced. Suddenly, Applejack piped up and said "Your scarf is red!" "No, it's got to be something bigger than that. Some lie you told that started this whole thing off. You weren't ALWAYS a liar, were you Applejack?" Applejack looked to Big Mac. They shared a knowing glance, and an unspoken conversation that only two siblings who know each other through-and-through can have. You KNOW what this is about, Applejack. Big Mac's glance seemed to mean. Applejack shook her mane, eyes bunched in sadness. Yeah, but... I just can't DO it, Big Mac! It's too painful! It's time. "You've been hurting yourself far too long." "Hurting mah - I haven't --- " Cringing at the almost-lie she told, Applejack looked up at Big Mac again. "Have I?" She looked at Applebloom. I thought I was only lying to HER. "It's TIME." Big Mac said forcefully. Applejack, worried at her size, looked to Applebloom, and was about to speak, when she choked. "I - I - I KNOW what I've been lyin' about. I KNOW what it is. Big Mac, I just can't DO it!" I can't do it to my own SISTER! I walked over to a phonograph and pulled off the sounder. Bringing it over to the tiny mare, I said "The more who hear the truth, the more likely it is to break the curse." Big Mac's gaze just leaned over Applejack's tiny body like a looming mountain. "She can handle it, A.J. Say it." The angry, frightened tears that clung to her eyes were now racing one after the other down Applejack's cheeks. She looked up, and pushed the phonograph away. "No." I pulled back, surprised. "There's only one pony I've been lyin' to more than anyone." She turned to Applebloom and took a deep breath. Everypony in town knew the truth. They didn't have to be told. But Applejack desperately needed to TELL them the truth... "They didn't go on a trip, Applebloom. They aren't 'gone' like they left and might come back. They're gone forever."