//------------------------------//
// Falls and Follies: Chapter 1 
// Story: Falls and Follies of a Princess 
// by Michael Hudson 
//------------------------------//


Falls and Follies of a Princess
By: Celestia and Crowd Raiser
Supported by: Jack's Notebooks



Chapter 1


Jack looked at his annoying red, white, and black streaked mane, annoyed with it as he was almost everyday. Not only did it not fit his gray coat, but it almost had a mind of it’s own as he finally got it to cooperate in the task of getting out of his face. He knew it was just his mind working on overdrive as it always did, and it slightly distracted him whenever he needed to think, actually allowing him not to over complicate what was in his head. Still, the fact that every morning it stuck in his face did get tedious. It had done so since he was five, so in essence, as long as he could remember.

Now was not the time for reminiscing though, for now was the time for planning. He had finally found the Unicorn resistance, and although the name might make you think there would be a bunch of unicorns in it, this was not the case. It was instead a group made up of pegasi and earth ponies such as himself, and finally he had found out where their meeting was being held tonight. And that is why he was only now taking care of his hair, because he expected a long night in front of him and had slept through most of the day.

Finally he set out through the streets of Canterlot, looking at the newly made construction sites that lay further towards the borders, and turning his head to see the spectacle that was Canterlot castle. It was technically incomplete, only having a grand hall, a front gate, and two large spiraling towers that made the princesses watch towers and rooms. Even though it was small compared to stories of castles made before Equestria was founded, the 25 year old stallion still had his breath taken away looking at it’s magnificence.

And with a turn along the street, the castle was out of view, blocked by crowded, shabbily built homes and stores. This was the entrance to “Lower Canterlot” as he had heard many unicorns call it. Here is where many of the earth ponies and pegasi without castle jobs lived. Jack was one of the lucky ones to have inherited his present dwellings, instead of being trapped down here in dirt and grime. He passed by many shops, politely declining the offered wares until entering a small tavern on the side, where he finally grabbed something to eat.

Of course, this action had no amount of randomness to it as someone else might suspect. No, this was his usual dinner spot if he went out, and it was also where tonight’s meeting was to be held. He trotted over to the barkeep, who promptly asked him what he might be drinking. “Unicorn horn” was Jack’s curt reply, though on the inside he chuckled at the code word. Quite fitting for a resistance against unicorns I suppose.

The bartender looked shocked though. “Jack, I’m glad to see you and all, and I know how much this means to you, but you’re late.” He said all of this calm and casually as he was supposed to and pointed upwards with a hoof showing where the meeting was. Jack at first turned to go as if nothing was wrong, and then what the colt had said hit him. The bartender still swears to this day that no pegasi has been faster than Jack as he galloped up the stairs.

He burst through the door, cutting off a stunning white mare with a blue and green mane, who looked like she was arguing on stage with a red coated and orange maned pegasi stallion. Every eye was on him, and boos started up as the intruder was spotted. Many ponies stood were up, knives in mouths as if ready to kill Jack. All Jack could think of was that there were more ponies than he had expected to be here. Just as the regular cat calls in anger at the intruder began, the pegasus on stage spoke up.

“Welcome friend to our meeting. It seems you came just a wee bit late, and for that you will be punished. Now, come up here so you may receive your just desserts.” There were chuckles amongst the crowd as Jack slowly cantered through, ponies parting in front of him, smiling in anticipation. The gray colt was simply wishing he had made a better first impression. “Now, my name is Crowd Raiser and my annoyingly righteous friend here is Peace Treaty. Now what might your’s be?”

The stallion’s smile was an obvious attempt to make Jack feel better, but Jack knew what was coming. He really did wish he had a cutie mark like Crowd’s multiple pony heads, or Peace’s olive branch carrying dove. He bent his front knees, lowering his head as he did so as to bow to the two obvious leaders. “My name is Jack, and I am honored to be here.”

A gentle and kind voice hit his ears as Peace finally talked, “Jack what?”

“Jack of all trades?” Crowd teased in his loud and deep voice.

And with that the crowd had fun at Jack’s expense as names starting or ending with Jack came up from the crowd. “No, it is simply Jack.” His voice had the effect it always had when he needed to project. Most didn’t think twice about his crisp, clear voice. That is until an edge crept in to get his point across. “I cannot remember the few years I had with my parents, having than been taken in by an old dying unicorn. He was the one who told me to give myself a name until I discovered my cutie mark. I now live in his house, saddened that he will never know my true name.”

The crowd had silenced, as most sad stories will cause to happen. Peace put a hoof onto his shoulder, and only now did Jack realize just how young she was, maybe only a year or two older then him. “That is sad indeed. I hope we-” Anymore kind words she was about to say were stopped as Crowd slammed his hooves down in front of Jack, causing Jack to back up out of reflex.

“Leave. You are not welcome here spy.” Crowd came closer to Jack, wings out wide adding to the intimidation he already had by being more than a head taller than Jack. “You nurse off of the teat of the unicorns. Sooner or later they would probe your mind, use their magic to find the secrets they want and you will involuntarily betray us all. Unless your plan was to tell them all along.” At this point Crowd was almost muzzle to muzzle with Jack, glaring into eyes that had not even flinched.

“Stop it Crowd, he has lost his adopted father. We accept all,-” Jack raised a hoof to Peace Treaty, silencing her while never breaking Crowd’s stare. The crowd was raising in tone, booing Jack, on the verge of storming the stage in fear of Jack being a unicorn sympathizer. They stayed back though, for Jack gave them no time to execute such a plan.

“Why are you here Crowd? In fact, why is anyone here at the resistance?”

“To rule ourselves.”

“Equality.”

“Justice” All screamed from the crowd, probably chants done by Crowd at some point, but they faltered as Crowd said and merely watched Jack. Crowd was trying to get in his head, but no pony had succeeded so far. Why would this be any different?

“I am here because of the violence. To make sure there is a counterpoint to the hate that people feel, and so that we may search for a peaceful solution instead of bloody revolution.” Peace had come up to the two of them, putting a hoof on Crowd’s side, trying to get him to move. Now, all eyes were on her. “We all have our reasons to be here. Rosebud,”pointing at a young mare, “you want to find all the exotic flowers that the world has to offer, especially after you got out of town and found the rose you named yourself after. Flash Dance,” pointing to a pegasus flying near the rafters, “You want to chase storms and prove your flying ability in the most extreme weather; weather that is not allowed within the city limits.”

The crowd was shocked, suddenly remembering their own personal reasons for why they were here. Crowd’s anger had not been quelled yet as he continued to glare into Jack’s green eyes. Peace moved over to Crowd, her eyes downcast as she took a sharp intake of breath. Her voice was full of sympathy, the pain of using this against her friend evident. “Then there is you Crowd. You were off giving a speech to the courts in the castle, hired by the princesses to help sway ponies opinions to a certain side of an issue. Coming home one day though, Howdy Pie wasn’t there and Speed Racer was crying for her missing mother.”

“Stop it. Don’t bring them up.” Crowd danced away from Peace, stumbling away on his own hooves. “Leave them be.” Peace continued though, staying near the stallion, never letting him get away.

“You told Howdy Pie to keep within the city, that sooner or later jail time was not all she would receive. She wanted to show little Speed what the forest was like though, give her room to run to her heart’s content, and to soar like no one else had ever dared. Because of this, one day coming home a letter awaited you nailed to your front door. What did it say?” Peace stood over an almost broken Crowd at this point, glaring down at him, challenging him to bring the story to an end.

Jack had been standing on the stage dumbfounded by the switch in tone. He had been so prepared to argue with Crowd, but this gentle mare had shown an in depth knowledge of the people here, and had caused all the anger to come out of the stallion who seemed to have large reserves of prejudice against unicorns. His curiosity was burning too strong at this point though, and he had to know. “What happened? Who were Howdy Pie and Speed Racer?” The room’s silence burst with ponies murmuring similar questions.

Crowd stood up, shaking as he started the finale of his tale. “I came home, a letter on my door, signed by the princess’s scribe. It said that after five cases of leaving the city, and trying to convince others to join her in leaving the town as well, the punishment was to be much more severe. Howdy Pie was to be executed, and her child taken under the princesses’ care to make sure she flew straight and that her father could continue with his vital job.” Crowd was looking  far into the distance, tears streaming down his face. His voice would have been a bare whisper had he not spent so much time in his life projecting and letting others know what he thought. The last line though, went only to those on stage. “I watched as my wife was executed, and I still don’t know what happened to my little girl, even after ten years.”