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// Day One: Hollow Promises 
// Story: The Whisper of Freedom 
// by Gapeagle 
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	My ear flicked incessantly every time that annoying and loud and screaming tick echoed through the room. Now, it was not a clock that made this sound, but the pony princess on the other side of a broad crystal table. The princess was reading a book while absently tapping the pen she levitated against the table. The sound was sharp and aggravating. I planted my hoofs on the smooth table and hissed at the purple pony.

"Would you stop that?" I demanded.

Twilight raised her eyes from the book and blinked at me one time. She then realized what she had been doing and dropped the pen on the table. 

"Sorry, just a habit of mine." She said happily.

I knew her happiness was a facade. When I had arrived earlier, she greeted me with an authentic frown, showing me around her castle with a dull, dragging voice. She was obviously not on board with Celestia's plan of reforming me. Her pet (or was it servant?) dragon, Spike, was much chirpier than she. He spent the early morning asking me all shorts of questions. Most of them were about my former home which I answered to the best of my ability.

"Your reforming plan seems to be rather slow." I commented.

Twilight lowered the book with a sigh. "Starlight, I'm not going to reform you like how you make new followers. I'm not going to lock you up in your room and blare demoralizing phrases at you through corner speakers. I'm not going to force anything upon you. That's why we haven't started anything yet. We need to become acquainted with one another first."

"Then talk. I rather hear your nonsense than the sound of that pen hitting the table."

Twilight placed on a smile that was vastly different from her former mentor. Celestia's smile was genuine and warm while Twilight's was simply there for politeness. She wiggled into a comfortable position and placed her hooves carefully on the table before speaking.

"So, do you have any hobbies?" She asked.

She was avoiding the elephant in the room. Small talk? Please, in Our Village, we spoke hardly of such things. I enforced heavy thinking on the residents so that they would not bitter themselves with such worthless topics like weather and hobbies. With heavy thinking they would find deeper truth in my message. Double Diamond was the best at this and actually helped me spread my word among the village. He was my favorite of them all I must admit.

"I do not have hobbies." I told her, "I would never waste time when I could be spending every ounce of my strength to help ponies."

"Can't say I don't approve of that attitude," Twilight nodded, "Did you ever have any hobbies?"

I hesitated. Was she trying to pick at my past? This was unacceptable. First day in her gaudy home and she was already delving too far. I huffed softly before forming the words in my head.

I shrugged casually. "My mother taught me to sew, but I never used the skill."

"How was your mother?" Twilight leaned closer.

"What about her?" I hissed with such restrained anger that Twilight leaned back again and moved to another topic.

"Ummm....I guess we don't know each other enough for that..." she paused, "Hey! I'm sure Celestia would hate it if I kept you in here. Would you like to walk around Ponyville?"

"Your attempts at breaking the ice with me are amusing."

"Is that a 'yes' or 'no?'" She persisted.

Well, a walk wouldn't be bad. It would be nicer to be in a crowd of thatched roofs again and not be trapped beneath the high crystal ceilings. I never liked high ceilings or big places in general. However, there had to be some agenda on that mare's mind. I clap my hooves together with my elbows resting on the table. I lifted an eyebrow at her.

"And what would we do out there?" I inquired.

"It's a nice day. Maybe we'll visit Fluttershy and-"

"That wretch?" I growled. "The one who lied to me? The one who wouldn't give me information when I asked for it? The one who slept in my home with no gratitude? The one who is the reason for my downfall?" I leaned back, "I rather not see her."

"Maybe Rarity..."

"The pompous mare only thinks about herself." I waved the suggestion off.

"Fine. How about Applejack?"

"I would not like to be around her stubbornness."

"Pinkie?"

"She does not trust me."

"Rainbow Dash?"

"I bet she'll attack me on sight."

"Ugh!" Twilight groaned. "Do you want to hang around anyone?"

"The three fillies I met. They would be excited to see me again."

"No!" Twilight hissed. "They're off limits to you."

How hurtful. The closest ponies I had to friends were off limits? Seems the Hypocrite of Friendship was doing her job splendidly. Of course she would deny me my listeners. I frowned at the princess. Twilight rubbed her temples in clear annoyance. 

"Then we are at an impasse. I guess we shall stay here."

"Well then do you want anything to eat or drink?" Twilight asked. "It's almost noon."

"I shall cook for myself. It may surprise you that I was in fact, the best cook in Our Village. Sugar Belle and the other true chefs did all the baking for us so that I wouldn't be placed in a position where I had to show off my skills. It would have been unequal of me."

"That doesn't surprise me at all actually." Twilight deadpanned. "I bet you made the buildings too."

"Every one of them." I nodded, "None of us were trained in the arts of construction and so I tried my best, along with the others of course. I will admit, I did the most work, but the others aided me significantly. I was proud about how well each home came out."

I doubt that Twilight believed my words. Her eyelids were only halfway open in skeptical musing. She then stood up and removed herself from her seat, vanishing the book she was reading with a puff of magic. She walked away without looking back at me.

"Well, there's no way you can burn this place down and you're no Discord." She grumbled more to herself than to me. "Guess you'll have fun."


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I munched methodically on my lunch consisting of a daisy sandwich. The princess, with her adorned kitchen and dining room, lacked the essential ingredients for baking. That, or I couldn't find any in the numerous cabinets and what not. The castle was a bit of a maze, very unlike the simplicity of Our Village. Having only been there for hours, I had already lost my way several times and had to be redirected by Twilight's midget of a dragon. 

Speaking of the dragon, my eyes wandered over to his approaching feet as he waddled to me. He held a bright smile that showed his long fang. I could tell he was still nervous around me, which was no surprise of course. The dragon was young and most likely foolish. I greeted him with a shallow grin as I did not want to reveal whatever food was stuck in my teeth. He was Twilight's butler, yes, but I could not see any of her zeal for inequality in him, thus being rude to him would not be beneficial to me or him.

"Hey Starlight," he waved. "Twilight just wanted me to check on you."

"Not surprising," I huffed with a nod. "She doesn't trust me does she?"

"Well yeah," he chuckled, "who would after what you did?"

"You know she exaggerates right?" I told him. "I'm not the monster she claims that I am."

"Sure, sure. So, how's your lunch?"

More petty talk! No doubt his orders from his mistress. I sighed in annoyance. What kind of reforming was this? Did she really think that simply being in her home was going to change me? I'm stronger than that! I placed down the sandwich I was levitating. 

"Is there any other reason why you're here, dragon?"

"My name is Spike."

"I asked you a question." 

He shrugged. "Nah, not really."

"Then shall I ask you some questions?"

"Uhh..." he stuttered. "I guess so."

"Do you believe everything you hear?"

He paused. I could see the thoughts of his young mind swirl around. He was expecting some sort of deceit or manipulation. Well, he would find none with me. 

"No," he said, "I don't believe everything. I mean, some ponies lie and some are just plain dishonest."

"True. Has it ever come to you that Twilight could be lying to you?"

"No. She would never lie to me. She also has no reason to."

"Everypony has secrets and reasons to be untruthful. Twilight always wants to view herself as some hero and will twist stories to her favor. You can't tell me she doesn't like being in control. Twisting such stories gives her popularity among the gullible ponies, thus giving her control. This happened with me when she branded me as some dictator. The truth is that we were all equal and happy in Our Village until she showed up. We welcomed her with open hooves and she rejected us. She tore down our establishment because it was different from hers."

"Yeah, not buying it."

"Were you there? Of course you weren't. Anything could have happened there and you wouldn't know. That brings this down to my word versus hers. I know you will take her side because she's your mistress, but remember that she could be wrong. You could be wrong. Knowing that what you believe in may be false is the first step to tolerance and equality. You remember that."

"Alrighty!" He mocked. "Oh, and she's not my mistress; she's my best friend. She's kinda my sister too. You remember that."

"One last thing," I stopped him from leaving. "Your age suggests that you're friends with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Is that right?"

"Yeah. How do you know about them?"

Twilight had not told Spike about my encounter with them. Good. "Tell them that I'm in town. Refer to me as the "nice traveler" and they will know."

"Um, OK?"

He walked off with the same waddle as before. I smiled to myself as I finished the sandwich. Did I convince him of the truth? No, but I planted the seeds of doubt whether he knew it or not. Was I going to simply sit here and let them rule over my every movement? Of course not. I am Starlight Glimmer. I always had a plan. In front of me was an opportunity to send out my message under the disguise of their reforming. Our Village was lost, but Ponyville was right here for the taking. I would take my recent misfortunes and turn them into opportunities! There were whispers of freedom here and bullies who would indirectly help prove my words. I would play along with Twilight's schemes since I knew I could not stand up to them without my followers. I would need my cunning, my zeal, my purpose, my patience, and some glass jars.

Nothing can stop equality from reaching this nation. Not the princesses, not their allies, not even their allies' allies. I am Starlight Glimmer, the prophetess of equality, freedom, and happiness. None will excel, none will be better than their friends, and none will be unique. All will be blissful in the sameness of both their thoughts and cutie marks. All will conform willing or not. And it all starts with the children. It always starts with the children. Mother would be proud.


"Choose equality as your special talent, Equestria."


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