//------------------------------//
// Masculism & Socialism 
// Story: Earning Freedom 
// by Daxisle 
//------------------------------//

  






Masculism & Socialism








Reading the letter over and over again, Macintosh used every last bit of his knowledge and interpretation to find something, anything to confirm his suspicions.

Uppity's note was relatively straight forward, little bits of rambling here and there from the desperate mind of a soon to be suicide victim, confessions of her part in the assassination of Sin, her betrayal, the threats against her brother, the Trotski keeping an eye on them all in Ponyville before congregating in Canterlot, and almost every single paragraph had some form of apology in it.

What Macintosh didn't see was anything indicating that Sin was alive.

He flipped the paper over for the twentyith time and rubbed his head, allowing the parchment to drop to his desk. Mac didn't understand, this was her final moment, her last will and testimine, why wasn't there any confession to his friend's being alive? There should have been something there, but alas, there wasn't.

Rubbing his eyes in quick succession, the apple pony picked up the tear stained note again and read it over one last time:





Dear Macintosh Apple

If you are reading this, than I am dead, and wanted to give you what small bit of closure I could.

I'm writing this in hopes that you will understand what I've done, not in hopes of forgiveness. After everything I've done to you, between my part in Sin's detainment and Scootaloo's death, I don't think I'll ever deserve that.

I'm sorry for deceiving you, it was never my intention to harm you or Sin. I did love him, despite everything that had happened. I had a difficult choice to make, and in hind sight, I chose very poorly.

The Trotski threatened to kill my brother, Downer, and had even gone as far as to kidnap and deprive him of basic necessities. They said the only way I could get him back was to bring Sin before the Royal Pony Sisters. I swear, I had no idea what they were planning to do, they never told me they were going to... I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry, I knew he'd be arrested, but I thought I could help him there, get him out of jail after the mess was sorted out. His aiding in the release of a notorious trio of high profile reactionaries hit me hard. I know he doesn't agree with the law, but that didn't give him the right to break it. As much as you may not like to hear, I saw his imprisonment as justified. His views on the law don't make it void, but for what it's worth, understand that I would have worked myself sick to get him out, even if it meant stepping down as Celestia's personal prosecutor and maybe settle down in Ponyville if that's what it took to be with him again.

Sin was a very caring pony, a genuine one. He may have been callous and blunt, but beneath that, he was a soft heart who just wanted the world to be a better place. I didn't protect him like I should have, and I hope that you'll be able to accept my apology for my failure in this regard.

Good bye.
Uppity.





He placed down the paper and began nursing a coming migraine. There was nothing to it, nothing at all besides Uppity apologizing, explaining the situation, confessing that she'd have sacrificed her position for Sin's benefit, and even more apologizing. Nothing about if his friend's death was a lie or not, though.

'Mac, I'm telling you, you're looking for things that aren't there. In every single sentence addresses him in the passed tense.'

But I saw him!

'No, you didn't. You'd had both him and Scootaloo on the mind, you saw a couple of ponies who oddly resembled them, but not really.' His voice of reason countered. Macintosh didn't know what to think of that, he would have bet the farm that... well, maybe he was just seeing things? No! No, Braeburn described both of them! How could that have been made up?

'Mac, there are millions of ponies in the world, billions even. To think they hold exclusivity on their appearance isn't very honest. Take Uppity, for example. Remove the horn and add a pair of wings, cut and ruffle the hair a bit and she could be an adult Scootaloo.'

Mac didn't take well to the comparison, but he also couldn't deny the validity. Still, it was just... too convenient. 

Regardless, the letter didn't hold what he hoped it would and resigned himself to stuffing the parchment back into it's envelope and placing it along side the other letters he'd collected before making way down stairs to get his sister. Winona hadn't been doing too well lately, but thanks to Spike in breaking down Social Justice before her arrest, Fluttershy had been re-granted her exemptions to care for animals again and had taken care of the poor pup for the last three days. 

While in Appleloosa, much to AJ's dismay, Fluttershy had left the pup in Discord's care. Of course, Applejack had a few things to say about that, but Fluttershy swore up and down that the Draconequus was capable, and practically pushed the cherryblossom maned pegasus out the door. Apparently, he was of the mind that the pegasus needed to get out for a while after Angel's disappearance, considering her consequential depression. 

The fact gave Macintosh pause for any kind of castigation, Fluttershy had searched for hours upon hours all over the farm trying to find the little bunny, yet night after night, Applejack would need to go out and tell the worried pegasus to go home and get some rest. It took Annabelle going out and speaking with the pegasus for her to finally come to terms with the prospect that Angel might not be coming home with her.

Heartbroken, Fluttershy secluded into her house until Winona had grown too complacent and tired for even Granny to shrug off, the poor colie was getting thinner and nopony knew why. Finally, both he and Applejack went to Fluttershy's house to ask for help. Surprisingly, Discord himself was with the timid pegasus, doing what he could to cheer her up. Ever since his reformation a few months ago, the god of chaos had chosen Ponyville as his favorite spot to be. 

During their time in Appleloosa, Fluttershy seemed better, happy to be out of the confines of her cottage, and told the Apple's of the dog's recovery. To all of their horror, Winona was diagnosed with Cestodiasis, a tapeworm infection. Applejack contested the diagnosis, citing that the collie's symptoms were regulated only to subdued behavior and minor weight loss, with no indication of her showing rectal irritations, but Fluttershy was certain of her diagnosis and treatment plan. 

It didn't matter at that point, as far as Winona was concerned. Fluttershy was sure her treatment was administered properly and the dog would be well enough to go home today.

"Hey Mac, ready to go?" Applejack asked, standing from her place on the couch and flipping the trademark stetson onto her head.

"Eyup." He answered.

Both made way out the front door and onward into town. 

Ponyville, once so full of life, warmth, and good cheer, was slowly accumulating a dark cloud above that just didn't want to go away. Smiling faces and joyful laughter were becoming less and less common place now adays. Many minds still simmering with rage over the small revolt against the City Council and the large guard presence that occupied the town until Twilight Sparkle petitioned Celestia for a withdrawal. 

Though, the bigger problems lied with the new Arbiters of City Council.

The two passed by Town Hall to discover a small crowd had begun to congregate in front of it. Fearing another riot was imminent, Applejack and Macintosh shared a look and made way for the crowd, though, the object off the small groups attention wasn't the building, but a well sized informational board.

Outside, a pink and white bulletin board was now erected a few feet from the Hall's entrance. One side of the board was labeled "Rumors and Fact" which detailed a few rumors floating around town and labeled them as such vs legislation that was actually being proposed. A small subtext beneath the title explained that the board was put up for the sake of transparency in an attempt to re-earn public trust and move forwards with an open and honest commitment to the common good.

The other was simply labeled "Communal".

"Wonder wha' this is?" Applejack asked, politely pushing past a few ponies to read one of the only two fliers under the "Communal" side. "Ummm, what in tarnation is a diversity educational seminar?" She thought aloud, moving down to the smaller, more elaborate subtext. Mac began reading along with her and quickly discovered that it was a pointless endeavor. The words... they were all so big and sophisticated with an air of unintended elitism for the author and belittlement to the reader.





It has come to the attention of this judicial branch of the Ponyville City Government that the prejudice and insulated culture of the Ponyville citizenry has lead to an unacceptable bias and exclusionary attitude towards non-equine races, as well as equine races of non-conformity appearance and appeal. (Ponies of Difference)

Under the Imperial Non-Discrimination and Fairness Act, the lack of racial diversity and inclusion observed within Ponyville present day, is inexcusable and unacceptable. It has been determined that the primary mainspring for these discrepancies in diversification are perpetuated and rooted in a culture of insulated, normalized xenophobia and a lack of comprehensive consciousness of the struggles of ponies of difference within Equestria.  

Due to the lack of representation and a racially motivated event perpetuated against minorities, by the citizens, a cultural diversity seminar is being hosted by Arbiter Sock within the Ponyville park next Friday during Spring Break. Adults and Parents are welcomed to attend, but for students within the Ponyville School district municipality, attendance is mandatory and will need to sign in upon arrival as part of a new initiative to break away from preconceived fear and structural racism. 

Special guest speakers whom shall be in attendance: Zecora, Bronze Star, and Banita StarKesian.

As disconcerting and disheartening as it may be to acknowledge, the underlying privilege enjoyed by the Citizens of Ponyville has shaped an attitude shifting between indifference and condemnation to beings of difference. In the age of progress and the land acclaimed to be for "love and tolerance", isn't it about time we behaved as such?





While Applejack couldn't really understand the language of the flier, Macintosh could get the basic jist. It appeared Mask's views weren't just limited to gender, but race as well. Applejack asked him what he thought of it, and the pony gave her an honest analysis while he himself tried to understand his own position on the matter.

"What?! That's a load of hooey." The farmer mare dismissed. "Ponyville is acceptin' ta all kinda a ponies n' creatures. Why, don't ya'll remember that one minataur that came to town n' turned Fluttershy meaner th'n' rattle snake?"

Macintosh did remember that, a large, purple beast named Iron Will, if memory served, but he was quick to point out the undue treatment Zecora had endured. Treatment that Applejack, herself, had indulged in and had no immediate response for.

Of course, it was Applebloom and Twilight who showed them all how foalish and stupid they were being, but still, it didn't change the fact that Ponyville was a very closed off and backwards place sometimes. 

Beneath the flier was a petition, which was the primary reason for the crowd's gathering. Unable to see the petition himself, Macintosh turned to a pony mare waiting her turn and asked what it was that cased such a crowd.

"It's a petition for emergency election!" A pony he recognized as Berry Punch decried. "To get the current, corrupt city council out of office and elect new representatives!"

Macintosh's brows shot wide, he knew the townsfolk were sore with the council, but to want to vote them all out of office and hold an emergency election? 

Well, he was kinda happy about that, what with the bad things having happened under the current administration's watch, but they were kinda under orders from the Arbiter, right?

'No. Remember what Sin said: the Arbiter hasn't all that much power. Even when he wrote up exemptions, they needed to be approved by both the executive and legislative branches, and that only happened when he was willing to sign off on some of their proposals in exchange for them signing off on his exemptions. What was done was voluntary on their part, not forced by her.'

As tempted as he was to grab the clip board and add his own name, Macintosh decided to refrain from acting in emotion and dragged his sister out of the throng. She was happy to hear about the petition, but something about it just didn't sit right with him. Yea, the current council made a few mistakes, but they weren't the only ones to blame. Social Justice was the primary reason for what happened with Scootaloo, not the council's law itself. 

He didn't know how to follow through with that logic, but something told the stallion that the solution wasn't to replace politicians.









"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Leaf Spring spat in disgust, slamming the letter of grievance onto the table.

Spike stood with his back to the wall, watching with keen interest as the scene before him unfolded. Leaf Spring gave no protest to the drake's presence this time, mainly on account of the earth stallion Sock personally inviting him to the city council meeting. When asked for the reason of his presence, Sock didn't give any real reason aside from saying that he deserved to see what was about to happen.

And boy did the pony deliver on that.

All three of the council members were present and each holding their own letters of grievance... letters demanding their immediate and unconditional resignation from office as a response to, what was being known as: The Scootaloo incident.

It was a bitter sweet satisfaction for him to observe. While the drake had no love for Leaf Spring, he didn't like seeing the utter horror on Colgate's face. Though, he couldn't give her much sympathy either, her Candy legislation was voted down publicly, but she still pushed it through upon her earliest convenience once she was able to reword it and present it as new legislation.

Emotional manipulation was the name of the game today, though. All three of the mares were in varying degrees of distress and disbelief, not because of the letters themselves, but because of who they were from. Mask and Sock sat together on the opposite side of the table, both looking as professional and neutral as they could manage, arguing that the loss of public trust would ultimately lead to a citizens undermining of the overall government structure. An undermining that neither of them found to be in the better interests of Ponyville proper.

"This... this can't be happening... you can't do this!" Colgate yelled, desperately trying to defend her position.

"We are well within our rights to petition for your removal, councilpony." Mask retorted. "In light of the incompetence and corruptibility of this council, it is this arbitration's opinion that you are of ill ethical repute and questionable moral fiber. You, least of all, have any ground to stand on, considering your gross misuse of the system to pass a bill when an almost identical statute was voted publicly against by the majority."

Colgate cringed, it wasn't something she could defend and Sock made sure she knew it. The stallion had pulled out a book during Mask's speech and opened up to a marked section.

"Indeed. Under the Articles of Ponyville Subsidiary: Article Six, Section Nine, Sub-Section four. "Restrictions and regulations shall not be dual imposed within one year's time of the initial veto, and shall not again be considered for a time of no less than five years if a general vote is cast."

'Ohhh, might wanna get some ice for that burn.'

The cobalt unicorn tried to argue her case, but the combined intellect of Mask's rhetoric and Sock's intricate knowledge of the law shut down any possible protest. Colgate looked to her fellow councilmares for support, but found Leaf Spring too emotionally charged to form a coherent thought, and Rain Drops sniffling, small tears trailing down her cheeks as she looked over her letter, as if rereading it one more time would change its contents.

"A- and what about your friend? Wasn't it Social Justice who lead the guard to take Scootaloo into custody? What about her, huh!?" Colgate shot, desperate to cling to any straws she could find.

Spike's head turned, his mind already seeing the logic at work. Sock was quick to point out that the two had absolutely no part in Justice's act, both had even spoken out against her course of action, decrying her decision as brash and counter productive.

"Justice's actions were well outside of her authority of power. Her actions do not represent either Sock nor myself, Councilpony Colgate." Mask declared dismissively, brushing off her shoulder with a hoof. "As of this moment, there is a petition demanding the resignation of all three of you, these letters of resignation are nothing but a formality."

"WHAT?!" Leaf Spring exclaimed, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks.

Spike had to stop himself from smirking. He'd seen the crowd himself, Sock had told him about what was on the new bulletin board outside with a petition for such a thing. If that was the case, he estimated it was only a matter of time before these three crooks were out on the streets.

"This... this is an outrage! As chairpony of legislative affairs, I will not stand for this!"

"Then you may sit for it." Sock snarked, his face never changing from the emotionless mask it always was. Spike found the stallion rather creepy in regards to his lack of facial expression and emotions, but his dead panned humor was on the bits more often than not.

"Though," he continued, "I would advise you use your time more efficiently to clean out your offices. The very fact this town needs and Arbitration commission, mixed with recent events exposes your lack of competence and inability to hold the interests of the Citizens in which you serve to heart. It would only take a fifty-one percent majority to initiate an emergency election, and if my calculations are correct, taking in the over all population of Ponyville, it would only take a head count of five hundred and seventy six votes to enact the election. Last I checked, over half of that had already signed the petition yesterday, with a sizable line coming to pledge their own signitures earlier this morning, and I don't find it likely that any of you would win your seats back."

Colgate's jaw hit the table, Leaf Spring began to tremble with rage, and Rain Drops finally burst out into audible tearful sobs. Spike didn't know how Sock was getting his numbers, but the stallion had proven himself more than a capable sort. With his forward confidence and expression, the drake didn't doubt his claim for a single moment.

The three council ponies put up a few bits of resistance, but each were annihilated before any were finished speaking by the logic presented against them by Sock, with Mask adding in emotional appeals and shame for good measure. By the time all arguments had been addressed and rebuked, all three of the mares could do little but hold their heads in defeat before slowly skulking out of the chamber. 

The drake shook his head as the last mare left the chamber. "Serves them right."

"Spike, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside for a moment. Sock and I need to speak in private." Said Mask, casting a look over to her associate. The aforementioned shrugged and wondered out of the chamber, but didn't dare miss the ensuing conversation.

Leaning against the wall, he strained his ears in hopes of figuring out what the next move would be on their part. He didn't care much for city council, but he really didn't take well to the new Arbiters either. The stallion of the two was more a concern than the mare was.

"We did a bad thing, Sock." Said mask, her veneer of confidence dropping to pained whisper. 

"Nonsense." The stallion replied icily. "What we did was in the best interests of the Ponyville community."

"A bad thing?" Spike asked to himself, straining his ears as a small clop of hooves echoed from inside.

Mask let out a sigh. "But... you lied. You said that we spoke out against Social Justice's plan when we didn't. When she came to you to ask about the law and your opinion, you told her to do it. You told her it was a good idea to confiscate the foal, that it would inspire confidence in the government if she was seen caring for it's most vulnerable of members."

Spike gasped in horror, placing his hand over his mouth. Sock pushed Justice to do it?

According to the stallion, he had, and what's worse, he anticipated something of this like happening as a result!

"If memory serves, Mask, you had agreed with my analysis." Sock countered. "Besides, Social Justice was a buffoon, a fool who tried to inact overt changes into the citizens directly. Our time in Canterlot University, studying psychology, gender studies, class disparity and sociology made one thing very clear to me: social change doesn't come from the present, but future generations. Capitalism and the current Matriarchy will not be undone by trying to convince those in the current system of their inequality and unfairness, Justice had no intention on dismantling either of these institutions and cast us in a bad light by trying to force the change through government law. True equality will never come from those alive today, only through the children whom make up the next generation willingly embracing these virtues."

A shot of ice tore through Spike's spine. Children? Foals? What was he planning to do with foals?

"I know that, Sock. But... it just doesn't feel right. I didn't like her either, but Justice didn't deserve to-"

"Justice was a necessary sacrifice." Sock interjected, his voice lowering to an unusually soft pitch. "With her catering to Spike, her ideals were  compromised, Justice began bowing to the a single oppressed rather than the greater inequality faced within this society. She was a liability, Mask. A liability who changed face on the dragon's word. Evidenced by her granting of Fluttershy's exemption in animal caretaking. I'm all for the representation of ponies of difference, but he is a perpetrator of the current system. Justice needed to be done away with and I took the opportunity to do just that and leave us in positions of power to make Ponyville a better and more open minded place. Isn't that what we wanted?"

Unable to comprehend the callousness and cunning he was hearing, Spike let out a silent sigh. He thought the three of them were friends, that despite their misguided and almost benevolent authoritarianism, they at least were good ponies trying to do good things, but to hear that Sock and Mask had just used Social Justice as a tool to farther their own gains?

He had no love for the pink pegasus either, but... this was just twisted.

"Besides." Sock continued. "She was a mare of privilege. A pegasus mare who's family is well connected in Canterlot. She will never understand the real struggle that earth ponies like us, and ponies of difference go through. She will be out of jail in no time, unlike us who have no such advantage, a little time behind bars will be a good time to reflect on all of her undue self rightious prattling, and abusing the power she gained through advocating on behalf of the marginalized and discriminated."

Unable to listen any more, Spike walked away from the conversation sick enough to puke. 

How? How could they so carelessly throw away one of their own like that? Didn't they care that Justice was on their side? That she wanted the same things they did? And what was up with that comment about foals and future generations?

'Foals are impressionable,' His inner voice offered as the drake walked out into the afternoon overcast sky. 'Adults are pretty set in their ways, but young children, not so much. Impressionable young minds thirsting for knowledge and drinking in information as fast as they can. Education may be boring for kids, but learning isn't.'

Spike was surprised at how profound that last part of that statement was. Foals did like to learn about things that interested them, mathamatics, magic and science explained how everything worked on a logical level, it was only when there wasn't any basic utility for the knowledge that children didn't seem to care about education. 

And while it was kinda embarrassing to admit, Ponyville was extremely limited on it's racial diversity outside of ponies. Only five residents could be classified as "non-pony", but three of them were still equine in nature, with, one Draconequus breaking the mold and of course, Spike himself.

He'd been around the country and knew of the different races, yet the town remained... surprisingly pure. 

Canterlot, Hooftrot, hay, even Cloudsdale had some form of diversity with griffons, but Ponyville? It's diversity in comparison to the surrounding areas was absolutely pathetic. Even if it did hold a unique, almost extinct being... Wait, was Discord even part of a "species"? Or was he a being made of Chaos magic? 

Bah! It didn't matter, what mattered was that they'd learned from their mistake with Zecora and had taken steps to be more accepting. Gilda and Iron Will being welcomed into Ponyville was proof of that. Unless there was some kind of secret pact among the townsfolk to keep out the other races, Spike didn't understand what all of this "diversity" talk was about, nor why it was necessary.

"Spike." Said a voice he recognized. The drake turned and greeted Detective Inquiry as he approached, commenting on how good it was to see the stallion again.

"You as well, and thank you again for helping me get out of jail." The dark brown stallion greeted. "If you have a moment, I'd very much like to speak with you in private."

Spike scratched the cheek beneath his lost eye and shrugged. Twilight wasn't going to be back in town for Celestia knew how long, and he had nopony else who needed his attention, so he agreed and followed the stallion back to the small diner they'd spoken in when the two had first met.