//------------------------------// // Equalist Escapade // Story: The Soldier vs The Equalists // by Gairenard //------------------------------// Chapter 1 – Equalist Escapade Twilight looked down over the small bland landscape that was home to a small bland village. The journey from Ponyville had been long and uneventful, but now she was going to find out why the Cutie Map had sent her and her friends to such a remote place. “That’s it!" She said, smiling in satisfaction. "That’s the place on the map!” Rarity took this moment to pat her mane and clear some dust that was collecting in it. “Good! Now let’s get down there and find the spa!” Rarity began to casually trot toward the town when Twilight teleported in front of her. “Wait!” She turned around to look at the village again. “We dont know why the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in; it could be dangerous!” Rainbow Dash fist pumped the air at the prospect of danger. “Yes!” Suddenly, a tall bulky man stepped between the group. He wore a red trench coat, brown pants that were tucked into his tall military boots, and a World War One style helmet that went past his eyes. His voice sounded rough, hardy, and full of weathered spirit that only a mercenary of his kind would carry. “I’ll go first!” he declared. “Pinkie! Watch my six!” Pinkie Pie shouted from behind him. “Okay!” Twilight looked up at him with genuine worry. “Soldier, be careful.” The Soldier marched off the ledge and executed a perfect tumble down the bank before crashing into a large rock at the bottom. With a grunt of pain, he then stood up with his back against the rock and motioned for his team to follow as he moved further ahead. When the ponies caught up to him at the bottom, he was glancing over another large rock. Upon turning around and seeing his friends approach, Soldier gestured to Pinkie and patted the surface of the rock with his hand. Pinkie nodded, and she came up beside Soldier. Together, the pair of them began pushing the rock towards the town as a form of cover. When they had moved the rock a few yards closer, they stopped. Pinkie then smiled and held up her hoof at Soldier, who gladly made a fist-bump. "Nice work!" The ponies and human then climbed the rock to get a better vantage point over the village, except for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, who hovered in the air instead. Dash looked over the town, mildly disappointed. “This is where the map sent us? It looks like the most boring place in Equestria.” Indeed the village was no more pleasing to look at up close that it was from a distance. Each house looked practically identical apart from porch signs and furnishings that labeled store fronts. In total, there were fifteen houses(seven on one side, seven on the other) and a lone one at the back. Ponies could be seen going about their day, each one wearing a wide unnatural smile. “It’s just an ordinary village filled with ordinary ponies.” Applejack remarked, looking down at the town. “It could certainly use some architectural flourishes," Rarity chimed, slightly dissatisfied with the fruits of getting her mane dirty, "or any architectural flourishes.” Soldier smacked the side of the rock with considerable force. “Agreed!” He counted on the fingers on his hand. “This town needs flags over every house! A bald eagle for every resident! And a baseball field for the small patriots to play in!” Fluttershy was hovering to Soldier’s right. “I didn't bring any eagles with me. Sorry.” She said, her ears folded back in shame. “We can get them later! First, I’ll need some help with these American flags!” Soldier pulled an impractically large bundle of flags out from his back pocket. Pinkie scowled at the village. “I dont like it! Dont like it one bit!” She glared at the ponies. “I know smiles, and those smiles, they just aren't right.” Soldier held up a flag. “In that case, we can show them true happiness!” Twilight was ignoring him. “Forget the smiles, look at their cutie marks!” She had a point, every villager cutie mark was exactly the same. A black equal sign. Soldier took a quick moment to raise his hand to his forehead to block out some sun glare for a better look. This was of course pointless as his helmet was technically blocking his vision already. He then slapped the side of his head/helmet in realization. “Dear God! They’re Communists!” Twilight glared at Soldier. “Solly, I highly doubt that,” She glanced at the village one more time. “but still...” She hopped down from her perch on the rock, as did the rest of the group. “An entire village with the same cutie mark? How can that be?” Rainbow Dash whispered, “I bet there’s some sort of horrific monster behind it!” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?” Rainbow couldn't help but smile. “Because fighting a horrific monster would be so awesome!” Soldier reached behind his back with a scowl across his face. “Then today is your lucky day, Dashie!” He pulled out his trusty shotgun. “Because nothing’s more hideous than a communist dictator!” Twilight glared at her overly energetic friend. “Soldier! Put! The shotgun! Away!” Soldier looked at the shotgun. “Meh, you're right.” He put it away, before cracking his knuckles. “This commie needs to learn things the hard way!” Twilight teleported onto him, her hooves pressed against his unmoving chest, and she levitated the helmet upward just enough to look him in the eyes with a deadly stare. “You will NOT go on a rampage!” “Unless we tell ya to.” Applejack added. “Or no apple pie for a month!” “Nooo!” Soldier whined. “Yes!” She stepped back and let the helmet fall back over his eyes. “We are not having another Crystal Empire incident!” “I still think they’re fascists!” Applejack lifted her right hoof and put it on Soldier’s leg. “What do ya say we just go ta town and talk to some pon-folks.” She looked to Twilight. “See what’s going on.” Rainbow Dash was getting impatient. “Great idea AJ! Let’s go!” As group began to move out, Solly asked AJ, “Can I get extra pie when we’re done?” Applejack softly chuckled, “Hehe. Sure thing, soldier boy!” “Yay!” As the group walked into the village, ponies immediately started greeting them as they went about their day. “Welcome!” they each said in a dreamy, insincere tone. As kind as their humbleness was, the crooked smiles on their faces and the odd enunciation made the reception less than homely. Fluttershy seemed to be the only one who was oblivious to the odd nature of the smiles and voices. “This must be the nicest town in all of Equestria!” She praised. Just as she said this, a blue pegasus came up to her. “Welcome!” Such unbiased kindness, enticed Fluttershy to giggle. A blue unicorn came up in front of the group causing them to pause. “Welcome!” He raised an eyebrow and looked at Twilight. “Pardon my foreignness, but are you an alicorn?” Slightly embarrassed at the mention of her nobility, Twilight simply gave a wide meek smile, imprompting Applejack to do the introduction. “That there’s the princess of friendship!” The pony nodded happily. “Well you’ve certainly came to the right place for,” He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Friendship.” He looked up at Soldier. “And who might you be?” Soldier saluted. “I am The Soldier! Warrior from the United States of America, and nightmare against Communists and Hippies!” A white earth pony butted in on the conversation. “What brings you to town?” Twilight put her hoof momentarily to her chest. “We’re not entirely sure.” “I see, well, all are welcome here in our little village!” Soldier mumbled under his breath as he glared at the blue stallion, who was staring at Rarity and making her uncomfortable. “Watch your step, commie...” The white stallion put his hoof to his chest much like Twilight did. “My name is Double Diamond,”–He then gestured to the blue unicorn–“and this is Party Favor!” “Well, howdy, Double Diamond!” Applejack then took the liberty of introducing herself and her friends, pointing at each one respectively. “I’m Applejack, and this Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Soldier, and Twilight Sparkle!” Diamond bent down to take a closer look at their flanks. “And you all have your own unique cutie marks!” Pinkie covered hers out of awkwardness. Such awkwardness was confirmed among everypony else as they looked to each other for confirmation that indeed, the conversation had gotten so. Soldier spoke up. “We came here on a mission to eliminate a target! Do you have any communists around here?” Twilight half heartedly laughed and glanced at Soldier. “Ha, ha.” She looked at Diamond, who was remaining quite patient. “What he means is, has there been any trouble around here lately?” “Trouble? Why, I don't think we’ve ever had trouble in our little village!” “It’s true!” Party Favor added. “You’ll see!” He gave a single “humph” of a laugh. “Perhaps you’d like to speak with our leader?” Diamond asked, “Starlight Glimmer?” The pair of stallions began to trot toward the back cottage, and the seven visitors began to follow. Fluttershy was still quite pleased with the hospitality, and seemed even still oblivious to the ominous vibe that it radiated. “I wish all ponies in Equestria are as nice as these ponies!” Pinkie's eyes were glaring at the civilian ponies following behind them. “I got my eye on them, something’s rotten in…” She paused as no name of the village itself was given yet. “Whatever the name of this village is that we’re in right now!” Soldier was also looking around at the smiling ponies. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this! If these ponies break into a song that even remotely sounds like a Russian chant, then I might just forsake some pie!” Twilight glanced at the rest of her freinds with major concern, a look that they returned with equal certainty, as Soldier was visibly shaking in some form of tense emotion that had appeared during the duration of the Village Equalist Chant. He grumbled a few words before shouting them. “Must. Think. About! Haircuts!” Starlight Glimmer’s raised an eyebrow at this behavior. “Is he okay?” Twilight meekly smiled as Pinkie pulled out one of Soldier’s flags and held it in front of his face. “He’s just really passionate about his own philosophies.” The pair of them looked back at Soldier, who started to quietly chant. “I pledge allegiance, to the flag…” Starlight shrugged. “We have no judgments here in our town, as we were all confused once.” Several ponies behind her nodded in agreement. “Blinded by the false destiny of our cutie mark.” Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah,” She lowered one eyelid in slight confusion. “When our map sent us here, we assumed that we were sent here to try and help in someway...” She shrugged. “But it seems that you guys don't need any help.” Glimmer began to trot closer to Twilight. “Have you ever considered the possibility that you were sent here so that we could help you?” She began to trot back to her congregation. “After all, nopony that has ever entered our village has never wanted to leave! Why should you be any different?” Soldier shouted whilst holding the American flag against his chest. “Objection!” Starlight ignored Soldier. “But that is entirely your choice!” She began to trot back to her cottage. “So please, enjoy our little corner of Equestria, we’re quite fond of it!” She paused. “No doubt you will be too. Double Diamond!” She called out, “Please help our guests with everything they might need!” Diamond approached the group cheerfully. “Of course.” He smiled with greater intensity at the guests in question, who were once again unsettled by this. The group began to explore the village, taking note of the townsfolks’ undying lack of privacy, or the need to blink. Especially with Double Diamond following close behind. Twilight mumbled under her breath. “A pony’s cutie mark represents their own unique special talent. How can it–” Rarity shouted and pointed at a nearby store. “What in the name of Equestria is that?!” This storefront was advertising some bland and rustic rag cloaks, overseen by a humble brown stallion. “Care to sample some local fashion?” He flicked the end of the cloak he was wearing. “We’ve got cloaks this month!” Rarity nearly barfed at the sight of such a horrific crime against fashion. “Heugh! E-r-r, perhaps some other time!” She slowly backed away from the stand with a fake smile. “Good sir! Thank you!” They party took a stop by a local cafe, choosing to sit on the outside bench, although given the remote size of the village it was likely the only cafe there was. Upon sitting down Rarity whispered to Applejack, “No wonder nopony’s wearing anything!” Soldier pointed at Rarity. “You know what this town needs Rarity? More hats!” Rarity nodded. “That’s something I can agree with. Hats make everything better!” “Damn right.” Fluttershy glared at Rarity. “Really girls! They may do things differently than what we're used to, but that’s no reason to be rude!” Rainbow Dash countered, “No, the reason to be rude is that everypony keeps staring at us!” Indeed, privacy was still in short supply. With the population being so small, it was very likely that most if not all of the town’s folk were watching the colorful group every second. Their gazes did not falter, nor did their crooked smiles. Double Diamond called from the other side of the street where his order was being taken. “Need something?!” Twilight called back. “Nope! We’re good!” She turned back to her friends just as a pony from the cafe stepped out to take their orders. “Fluttershy’s right,” she whispered. “If we’re going to get to the bottom of why the map sent us here, we’ll need the help of these ponies.” Applejack crossed her forehooves. “Why did we follow that map to the end of Equestria before even knowin what that map was?” Pinkie held up her hoof. “If we were at the end of Equestria, we’d be sitting on a giant A!” She spread her hooves outward to emphasise the punchline. “Get it?” Rarity scoffed at the joke. “Oh please Ms. Pie, this is hardly the time for jokes! We came all the way out here and for what?” Twilight conceded. “Rarity is right, but we’re here now, and it sure feels like something is wrong!” Before Solly could comment, Twilight added, “Apart from the obvious!” Soldier then nodded his head. “I’ve seen many social disasters in my time, like the Conga Crisis of fourteen, but this...” He tapped the table with one finger. “This. Is. Serious.” The waiter mare carefully forced herself in the conversation. "Is this a bad time?" Fluttershy scowled at Soldier. “Really Solly! This isn't the time to be crass in front of our new friends! You're worse than Rainbow Dash." Rainbow shouted back, "Don't drag me into this!" The other ponies around them were obviously uncomfortable with all this negativity, to the point where the adults were covering the ears of their foals. However, none of them broke their countenance apart from eye and eyebrow body language. The waitress smiled still and asked, "Is your friendship ending?" "Are you crazy!? We'd never let a disagreement get in the way of FOOD!" Pinkie leaned low and licked her lips in anticipation. "Well, my name is Sugar Bell, and I'll be talking your order today." She readied her note pad and pencil. "We have, muffins..." The party glanced at each other at the disappointing lack of variety before Soldier asked, "No beer?" "Um, well no.” Sugar Belle said, frowning ever so slightly. “I have water, but if you really want alcohol then I can fetch a glass of moonshine from the back?" Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Moonshine?” “Yes, moonshine is a strong, neutrally flavored alcohol that anypony can make with ease.” Twilight rubbed the back of her head. "Well, then we'll have seven muffins and a tall glass of moonshine." "Make it a bakers dozen!" Pinkie interjected, earning her a set of mundane stares. "What?!" she whined. "I'm hungry!" Twilight turned back to the group. "We need to stick together guys, and we're here now, so let's make the best of it." Applejack sighed. "Ah guess yer right. And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home!" Soldier chucked. “Haha! And the sooner I can get some pie!” Suddenly a tray of thirteen fresh muffins landed on the table. They were grey and dull like the native dirt, and likely tasted just as bad. Sugar Belle trotted in front of the table and looked at the group. "Forgive me for over hearing, but just a moment ago you were disagreeing, and now it sounds like you're agreeing." She placed Soldier’s glass of moonshine down next to him, where he greedily took it. “Thanks!” Belle looked at Soldier in mild surprise as he took a quick swig without a hint of hesitation. Seeing this reaction Soldier proclaimed, “Lady, I won a drinking contest against a full time alcoholic! And the whiskey he drinks is twice as strong as moonshine!” Sugar Belle took a few steps back and turned to the rest of the group. "Well, as I was saying, you have such differing opinions and cutie-marks." Solly reached over and grabbed a muffin without breaking eye contact. "For the record, my kind do not grow ass tattoos." Rarity chimed in. "We have differing opinions all the time darling!" "But you look like you're friends?" "We are friends." Twilight answered. "A simple disagreement won't change that." Sugar looked confused. "I'm sorry, I just don't understand. Different talents lead to different options which lead to bitter and misery." The others now looked at her with confusion. “So, why aren't you bitter?” “Blech!” Pinkie spat out the dull muffin, confirming its horrendous flavor. However, knowing that the gesture was rude even in necessity, Pinkie plastered a weak smile on her face. “Mmm, good…” Her acting was less than convincing. Sugar Belle smiled still. “It’s alright, I know I’m not a very good baker, at least I’m not better than anypony else in the village.” She looked behind her and saw Double Diamond stand up from his chair. He wasn't smiling. This made her suddenly speak frantically. “Well I uh, hope you enjoy our little village!” She smiled and glanced at Diamond who seemed content again. Just as Sugar Belle entered back inside, she whispered to the ponies. “Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs! She gave one last smile before disappearing into the cottage. Soldier waved after her. “Thank you!” Twilight put her front hooves together calmly, and levitated a muffin while she glanced around. “Let's all sit here, and eat these muffins, and act normal. I think were being watched.” Rainbow Dash took a quick glance around her, reaffirming her suspicion that the villagers were still watching them without falter. She looked back to Twilight with a blank expression. “You think?!” Twilight sighed and face hooved. “No! I mean somepony doesn't want us talking to Sugar Belle.” She gestured with her head in Double Diamond’s direction. Applejack put a hoof to her chin. “Hmm,” She then tapped the table. “Ah got an idea!” She looked to Pinkie and Soldier. “But you two gotta eat the rest of these muffins.” Pinkie recoiled at the idea. “What! Why us?” “The both of ya have stronger stomachs then any of us, and tha–” Soldier grabbed the tray of muffins and pulled it closer to him. “My stomach is stronger than yours! Hardened by Mann Co. MREs!” Soldier then picked up a muffin and stuffed it into his mouth. “Mmm!” he shouted with a full mouth, spraying some soggy crumbs onto the table. “I’ve eaten tumor-tainted bread that was better than this!” Soldier then took a muffin in each hand and began shoving them into his mouth. He stopped to chew for a moment and then swallowed. “Ahh, challenge accepted, communist bakery!” One after another, Soldier started inhaling the muffins like no tomorrow. The rest of the ponies looked on in admiration, with Pinkie feeling relief for her tummy. After shoving the last muffin into his mouth, the Soldier grabbed his glass of moonshine and chugged it down as well. “Ahh!” he said, firmly setting the glass down. “I foresee American indigestion in my future!” Applejack spoke loud and clear so that Diamond would be sure to hear them. “Ah can't believe you ate all those muffins Solly! Ah guess we should go inside and git some more!” She and her friends all stood up from the table with false exaggerated smiles. Soldier stood up from the table and picked up his glass. “Forget the muffins, that moonshine reminds me of the stuff back home!” He followed his friends inside the cafe, and down the back stairs. Rarity commented on the way down, “Solly, remind me to invite you over for breakfast when Sweetie Belle ends up doing the cooking.” Soldier marched down the stairs behind them. “It’d be nice to see that little fashionista again!” The basement was very dimly lit by one light source, but it was enough to see nearby cabinets, shelves, and barrels. Some cobwebs were strewn about from place to place and a layer of dust seemed to coat almost everything. The back of the room was so dark that one could not see what was there. That being said the basement was impressively large, although Soldier barely had enough room to stand upright. Twilight called into the darkness. “Hello? Sugar Belle?” “Thank you for coming!” The pony trotted out of the darkness, her wide smile glowing with what little light there was. Twilight looked around at the decrepit state of the basement. “Why did you have us come down here?” Sugar Belle narrowed her eyes. “So nopony can see what’s about to happen.” From her left a pale blue stallion came forth from the darkness, and another blue pegasus came from her right. Each wearing undying smiles. The three of them began to close in on the group of friends, who were not comfortable in the slightest at the negative outlook of the situation. Soldier reached behind him and pulled his military compact shovel from his belt pouch, and Twilight’s horn glowed as she readied a spell. The stallion leaned forward and asked enthusiastically, “Are you really the princess of Friendship?!” The pegasus mare did the same. “Do you know Princess Celestia?!” Sugar Belle grabbed Pinkie’s flank and stared at it. “I love your cutie mark!” “How can you be friends with different cutie marks?” The pegasus asked with curiously. “Don't you end up hating each other?” Sugar Belle then jumped and grabbed at Soldier’s raised arm, which did not budge under her weight, so she made do with dangling in the air and looking at his war symbol. “Oh! This one’s great too!” She let go and landed on the ground safely. “I’d love to have my special talent back even just for a day!” She stared at the ground in shame. “Make something else besides those disgusting muffins.” Rainbow Dash gestured to the stallion. “Well, what’s stopping you? Go get your cutie marks back!” The three mark admires stood side by side as the Stallion explained. “Daydreaming is one thing.” His smile broke, as did his companions'. “But actually having it put back on?” His ears folded back at the idea and he looked to his fellow admirers. “That seems extreme.” Sugar belle’s ears also were folded back. “I’m sure Starlight wouldn’t like that. She wants us to be happy in our sameness!” “That is not happiness!” Soldier shouted, pulling out an American flag. “Happiness is life, liberty, and the pursuit of haircuts!” Fluttershy flapped her wings and hovered at Soldier’s eye level. “Solly! You should really learn when to keep democracy to yourself!” Twilight lifted a hoof to chest level a gesture of confusion. “How do you take somepony’s cutie mark anyway?” The blue mare looked at the ceiling as she reminisced. “The cutie un-marking is a beautiful experience! Starlight uses the staff of sameness to magically take them away,”–she and her companions turned around to show off their flanks– “and replace them with these!” “Soldier?” Sugar Belle asked, turning back around. “What is this 'democracy' you are so passionate about?” Before any of his friends could object to such an innocent question, Soldier smiled wide and spoke with even greater enthusiasm. “What is democracy?! Well, I’ll have you know that it's the greatest form of government that there ever was! A government where the citizens are different, but the law treats them as equals!” He began to pace back and forth as if addressing soldiers under his command. “I can't talk about American democracy without telling you about the Constitution! In the seventeen hundreds a god by the name of George Washington called forth his fellow deities of James Madison, Thom--” Twilight used her right hind leg to lightly buck Soldier in the knee. “We don't have time for this!” Twilight looked to the blue pegasus. “What happens to the marks once they’re removed?” “They are kept in the Cutie Vault, up in the caves! We can visit them anytime we want to remind us of the heartache from a life of special talents!” Twilight frowned for a moment before smirking. “Can we visit this cave?” Starlight Glimmer lead an escort across a dry path away from the village. The seven friends followed closely behind her while Double Diamond came up from the rear. “I’m delighted to hear that you’re interested in our Cutie Mark Vault! In the future...” Applejack bumped Soldier with her hat, while Starlight rambled on. Soldier looked down at AJ somewhat confused. She then gestured with her head in Glimmer’s direction. “What?” Soldier asked, completely oblivious to what she was implying. Applejack widened her eyes and repeated the gesture with more vigorous movements. Soldier put his hand to his chin and rubbed it. “Ehh, are we playing charades?” Losing her patience, Applejack opted to stand up on her hind legs and hiss into his ear. “Talk ta her!” Soldier’s hand fell back to his side as he remembered. “Oh yeah!” Soldier then walked faster so that he could catch up and talk alongside Starlight. “Starlight, I have a question.” Starlight was slightly put off at his sudden approach. “Oh, sure Soldier.” He marched along side her and stared straight forward. “I used to brew my own moonshine using robot parts from the war against my boss’ enemy Grey Mann, and it was fine, but the stuff you guys make is damn good!” While this wasn't a question, it did prompt a response from Starlight. “Yes! The story of our moonshine techniques goes back to the traditional ways of how it was originally made! I remember during my travels…” Twilight saw Starlight become engrossed in her tale about moonshine, and seized the opportunity to whisper to her friends. “I think I’ve figured out why we're here.” She glanced around at her friends. “To get those ponies their cutie marks back, and show them our meaning of friendship.” “Oh, are you sure, Twilight?” Fluttershy innocently asked, “Maybe they miss them a little, but even they didn't seem all that unhappy.” “Then why all the secrecy?” Twilight argued. “And why did they ask us not to tell Starlight they told us about the vault? Something’s not right.” Meanwhile, Starlight was wrapping up her conversation with Soldier. “...and that’s why I have a few shots every morning!” She looked forward and saw the entrance to a large cavern. “Ah! Here we are!” She stood by the entrance and gestured inside. “Just through here!” Soldier crossed his arms as he watched the mare trot inside while the rest of the group caught up to him. “Shot of alcohol every morning? Barren wasteland for a home? Satanic Equalist beliefs? This Russian bitch is definitely on my bad list!” His friends scolded him for use of the ‘B’ word. “Soldier!” As the group followed Glimmer inside the cave Rainbow Dash gave her crass friend a few pats on the back. “Jeze man! You really don’t like it here do ya?” No words were spoken further as the blue hue of the cave began to attract the attention of all the ponies. “Behold!” Starlight shouted gesturing to the large blue object before her. “Our Cutie Mark Vault!” The vault was something to behold indeed, as it was less of a vault in a traditional sense of design. It was more of a gigantic cubby cabinet for cutie marks with an equal sign at the top. It was beautifully infused into the wall of the cavern, and it lit the area with a bright blue glow. Most of the slots were full, yet there was still a few slots left open. The cutie marks that were contained within described the diverse lives that the Equalists had sacrificed for the sake of their questionable cause. Just in front of the vault was a stand holding a wooden staff upright. Its design was like a wooden pitchfork with only two prongs that twisted in an elegant spiral. “And here,” she levitated the staff. “Is the Staff of Sameness! It’s one of the great mage Mental Brooks nine enchanted items! We are incredibly fortunate enough to have it here!” She gazed at it, beholding it's simple beauty. "This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!" She looked up at her guests and held the staff upright. "I'm curious,” She asked suggestively, “how did the subject of the vault come up?" Soldier stepped forward and pointed at Starlight aggressively. "Can it Equalist Commie! I know a trap when I see one! Stop stalling like a coward!" "War animal." She glared at Soldier. "You and your friends have stirred up some free thinking in my village and I know it!" She twirled the staff a few times and approached the group with her face screaming a sudden change to hostility. Rarity fumbled for words. “W-Well, we certainly didn't mean to cause any disruption to your, little village!” Starlight leaned close to Rarity. Words dripped from her mouth like a viscous acid. “Good, lets keep it that way.” As Rarity backed up instinctually, she backed into Double Diamond who was staring and smiling intensely in his own form of hostility. On cue, other smiling ponies came from the shadows in the cave and began to surround the party. Twilight shouted, “Soldier!” Her anger was physically visible. “You knew this was a trap?!” Soldier was smiling. “Yes!” Twilight’s mind couldn't even comprehend his nonchalant attitude. “And you didn't tell us?!” “Why? Is that important?” Twilight angrily huffed at Soldier before flying upward as she began to prepare a teleportation spell. However, Starlight pointed the staff and shot a green glow directly at Twilight. She yelled in surprise as the magic ripped her cutie mark from its rightful place on her flank. The Sparkle mark levitated towards the staff before resting in between the staff’s pointers. Starlight threw it into a empty slot on the vault, where a glass door sealed the mark inside. Having been suddenly drained of energy and power, Twilight plummeted to the floor, her flank already sporting the equal symbol the other Equalists shared. A second later, her friends was given the same forceful treatment simultaneously. Despite their bouts of displeasure, the magic ripped off their cutie marks which then floated into more empty cubby slots. The ponies looked at their flanks in despair to only see the Equal sign fade into existence as their new cutie mark. The seven guests were now surrounded by radical ponies with no energy to fight back. Except for Soldier, who examined himself to see if he was in anyway affected. He grabbed his shoulder and looked for his rocket patch. It was still there. “Oh, right.” He pointed at Starlight. “I dont have a cutie mark!” He got into a fighting stance. “You’ll give those tattoos back or I shove that stick right up your ass!” Starlight laughed confidently. “You may be one stubborn creature, but I'm afraid you're outnumbered.” Her followers began to close in on the group. Soldier snapped his head left and right, a scowl growing on his face. He then looked to his deprived friends with the best pleasing face he could muster. “Come on!” The mane six all nodded to one another for confirmation, and they nodded in unison. Twilight sighed and looked at Soldier with defeat. “Just don't kill anypony, okay?” Soldier’s scowl vanished and a wicked smile sprung into it’s place. He looked around him, and cracked his knuckles, feeling his body ready to release all the pent up patriotism. “I am not stuck in a cave full of Equalists!” He pulled out his rocket jumper and pointed to himself with his thumb. “You Equalists are stuck in a cave with me!” He charged forward and punched a stallion blocking his path with enough force that he fell to the ground like a stone, unconscious. Other ponies began to surround the enraged man, but Soldier jumped, pointed his gun at the ground and propelled himself into the air with a perfectly timed blast from his launcher. He sailed in the air with fire from the blast trailing on his boots and began falling directly toward Starlight. She leaped to the left as the man landed with a solid thud right where she had been standing. Soldier whipped out his shovel and swung at Starlight who partially blocked the blow with the magic staff, but underestimated his strength and felt the wood smack against her face under the recoil. Soldier brought back his arm for another swing, but he was bucked from behind and knocked to the floor. However, he merely laughed out loud at the thrill of battle before standing back up and swiftly smacking everypony trying to subdue him. “The last word out of your sorry mouths will be sir!” For every word another pony fell unconscious. “And. It. Will. Be. Loud! Maggots!” He pulled out his jumper just as Double Diamond charged at him. He then timed another perfect shot directly at the Equalist, using the blast to send him charging at Starlight while the stallion was left disoriented from having a non lethal rocket go off in his face. Starlight had recovered from the first impact and pointed her staff at Solly, who froze mid air when a magic beam hit him mid flight. This instant deceleration was the equivalent of Soldier flying into a brick wall. “Gah!” Glimmer smirked at this and threw Soldier against the cutie vault. He landed on his feet and began charging at her again like it was nothing. “Com’ere maggot!” Once again Starlight shot a beam at Soldier, incapacitating him with levitation. “Your effort is futile war animal! Equalism is the true path!” To her surprise, Soldier slowly moved his arms in a visible struggle against the magic, and his lips moved as well, allowing him to retort between clenched teeth. “I will. Not. Fail. America!” His hand tried to reach behind his back. “Gah!” Just as his hand reached his belt, Starlight strengthened her charge, and Soldier’s hand was forced back to his side. “And I will not fail my ponies!” She looked around the cavern. Her followers were beaten badly, but Double Diamond began to stand back up, lightly rubbing his head and groaning in pain. “Diamond?” Starlight carefully asked, concerned for the well being of the faithful Equalist. Double Diamond opened his eyes slowly and looked around at the carnage. He then looked directly at Starlight without responding. His eyes were watering, not being used to such displays of violence. Starlight suddenly felt Soldier struggling in her grasp again and refocused her attention long enough to stem his rage. “I need you to get me some rope to tie this one up!” She looked back to him for a moment. “I don't know how long the staff can hold him!” Diamond weakly nodded, stood up, and began to walk sluggishly out of the cave. Starlight looked back over to the main six, more particularly at Rainbow Dash who looked ready to pounce on Diamond. “If any of you try anything,” She tightened her grip on Soldier, enticing a grunt from him. “He gets hurt!” She looked back at the Soldier, who she could feel trying to resist the magic. She pouted and shook her head. “Tisk, tisk , tisk,” She mocked. “Such a misguided soul.” She then smiled wickedly. “I have a plan for you!” Soldier used some of his strength to squeeze out a few more words. “I’m. Sorry. Girls.” “It’s okay Soldier.” Twilight cooed. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.” Starlight taunted back. “Don’t make promises you can't keep, they do more harm than good.” Eventually Diamond returned with plenty of rope and more ponies to assist in the care of their injured kin and the handling of the new prisoners. Altogether, the prisoners and Equalists made a slow trek back to the village mostly in silence. Unlike his friends who were being escorted, Soldier found himself tied up in many knots, and dragged along the ground by a pair of stallions. There was even a rope wrapped between his teeth to muffle what was surely a continuous volley of colorful remarks. At one point Solly managed to bite through the rope in his mouth and instantly began shouting crass insults at Starlight in particular. “You are ten pounds of crap in a five pound bag of maggot infested manure!” Immediately a pegasus tried to silence him again with a double braided strand of rope, but he twisted his head and continued to shout. “If you lay a single hoof on my team! I’ll–!” He was cut of by the rope being tightly bound between his teeth. Twilight and her friends glanced at each other, and then Pinkie Pie hopped back and began to trot beside her tied up friend. She looked down at him with a positive but doubtful look, while Soldier could only sigh from his tiring struggles and mumble something to Pinkie that sounded kindhearted. Through ways only Pinkie could understand, she blushed at this comment. “Dont worry about us Solly, you just focus on pushing forward.” Soldier then said something else in his calm and caring tone with a hint of sincerity that one would rarely hear out of his mouth. This caused Pinkie’s eyes to tear up ever so slightly. “Aww, you getting soft on us?” She giggled, and Soldier’s response changed back to being more sporadic and loud. Pinkie’s only response was a mere wink of acknowledgement. Went they finally reached to village, Starlight Gilmer had the stallions pulling Soldier stop in front of her cottage. “Keep the others in the usual correctness house,” She said speaking to the rest of her ponies before looking directly at Soldier. “I think Soldier should spend the night with me.” As the main six were pulled away from their dear friend, Rainbow Dash yelled out a cheer for Soldiers spirit. “God Bless America Soldier! Don't you forget it!” Soldier shouted back as best he could, which wasn't saying much. Rainbow Dash returned to looking forward once she saw him get dragged into Starlight’s house. “I’d bet money that Starlight’s gonna regret taking him in like that.” Pinkie smiled at Dash. “He’s really concerned for us.” Twilight looked at Pinkie with a raised brow. “How do you know that?” “Mmmm...” Pinkie hummed in a teasing way. “I think I’ll tell you later.” It wasn't long after those words were spoken that the six of them were herded into a small house with a basic bookshelf, a large water bucket, and some hay for basic food. As soon as the last pony entered, the door shut behind them, and an audible clicking noise of a lock mechanism could be heard. Not a moment later did a recording from some speakers mounted at each corner of the ceiling activated. “In sameness, there is peace. Exceptionalism, is a lie. Free yourself from your cutie mark. Choose equality as your special talent. In sameness, there is peace…” The female recording continued on, looping over and over again in a monotonous speech. Rainbow Dash flew up to the door and banged on it repeatedly in hope that it would somehow open. In doing this she took note of many other markings on the door. Dents, scratches, stains. She realized this room had seen many cries for sanity. Cries that eventually went silent, having submitted to the merciless speakers on the ceiling. Pinkie approached one corner of the room and looked up at a speaker, she then put a hoof to her shin. “Wait a minute...” She reached into her mane and felt around for something. “Ah-ha!” She pulled out a metallic object form her mane. “Solly’s gift!” In Pinkie’s hoof was a futuristic metal pistol that looked directly out of a sci fi movie. “My Bison! I forgot I had it!” The other ponies looked at her in complete surprise. Rarity seemed shocked the most. “Deary, you keep that thing in your mane?!” “Uh, duh!” Pinkie mocked. “He told me to keep it on hoof at all times!” She held it sideways in her mouth with her teeth over the trigger, and aimed at the speaker. She squeezed the trigger and a red particle beam shot out of the device and hit the target. “...there is peachzzz! Exceptionalllizzzzmmm…” Sparks flew out from the speaker and it buzzed and fazed its recording out before falling off the wall and onto the floor. The rest of the speakers also fizzed out at the same time. The room was left in a blissful silence. Rainbow Dash pouted and leaned against the door. “Soldier didn't give me a gun for my birthday…” Pinkie tossed the Bison up in the air where it landed back inside her mane. Twilight anxiously asked, “Can it get us out of here?” Pinkie shook her head. “No, he said it only worked against machines and living stuff.” Twilight smiled at the positive side of the event. “Well, at least we wont be driven mad like the rest of the ponies were.” She began to trot back and fourth. “Now I need to think of a plan, and hope Soldier can hold up to whatever Starlight has planned.” Fluttershy glanced at the floor and back to Twilight nervously, still not quite comfortable with the idea of outright lying to the townsfolk about joining them. “But, what do I do once I’m out?” Twilight pleaded, “You gotta free Soldier, and find a way to get our cutie marks back!” The rest of her friends nodded in agreement. Suddenly, the speakers on the ceiling cracked some static noise as if receiving a signal. A moment later, the door opened, and Starlight stood there all cheerful and sunny. “Hope you had a pleasant night!” She then seemed confused at the lack of baggy eyes or furious faces that she was expecting. “...Did you have a pleasant night?” Twilight calmly answered with a bitter undertone. “Yes. We did.” Glimmer nervously resumed her smile. “Then this way please! There are some friends who would like to see you!” The group complied as the seven of them followed while Starlight called to a gathering crowd, “Gather around friends, gather around!” Starlight looked back at the group when she felt enough ponies had gathered. “They’ve come to ask if any of you are ready to join us!” Rainbow Dash raised his voice. “Yeah?” She reached into Pinkie’s mane and pulled out one the speaker that had fallen from the ceiling, and threw it at Starlight’s feet where it broke in two. “Take this and shove it down your throat where it belongs! Better yet, have Soldier do it!” The crowd gasped and mumbled at such a display of anger, and Starlight herself was genuinely surprised. “How,” She picked up half of the speaker and looked at it in awe. “How…” She looked up at Twilight. “How did you disconnect them?” Twilight calmly defended with another bitter response. “None of your business.” Starlight then looked blankly at Twilight, and dropped the speaker part to the ground. “Well then, perhaps our newest member could tell us.” She looked to her right, and the other ponies did so as well. Pinkie gasped in horror and cried out in dismay. “Solly!” Soldier was approaching the meeting, wearing his usual uniform, but his war symbols on his coat was covered by equal sign patches. His hat was gone, revealing his mostly shaven head and wide open eyes. An unnatural smile was stuck on his face like it was meant to be. “Good morning!” His voice was monotone, but upbeat and cheerful like the rest of the Equalists. “I hope you have decided to join us today!” The mane six scowled at Starlight, and Applejack pointed at Soldier. “What did ya do ta him!” Starlight calmly answered with an undertone of snarkiness. “I only showed him the true path.” Pinkie desperately ran up to Soldier and propped herself up onto his chest. “Soldier! Say something about America!” “America is a sad and backwards country that I was foolish to follow.” Soldier placed his hand on Pinkie’s shoulder. “How did you sleep last night?” Pinkie shook her head. “No, no! Say something about apple pie!” “Unhealthy.” “Guns!” “Horrible weapons.” “Hats!” “Pointless.” “Communism!” “Not as bad as I thought.” He rubbed his fingers behind Pinkie’s ears, his smile was as wide as ever and his eyes also wide, attentive, and otherwise emotionless. “Pinkie, I have seen the light, and the light is Equality.”