Youngblood

by Centurion Pike-Wall

32~Winter Wrap Up

Febuary 10th, 3095 Imperial Calender (1523 AD)
Main Street of Ponyville

DJ lagged slightly behind his brother, who in turn was in a similar position to their aunt and uncle. He asked, "So, what is this again?"

"Winter Wrap Up", Rumble said.

"Does not explain", he said.

Depressi sighed, shaking his head. "Remember that one holiday... or, well... holiday-adjacent... we read about that you called 'Heretical?'"

"That's what this is?", DJ asked, his beak twisting into a slight sneer.

Scootaloo slowed down slightly to adjust Speed Streak in her carrier, before asking, "What was that?"

"Nothing major", Depressi said. "My brother just has some... views on this particular event."

"What do you mean?", Rumble asked.

DJ said, "Let's just say that I understand why the second war against Equestria is also known as the Equestrian... what is word...?"

"Crusade?", Depressi offered.

DJ clicked his beak in affirmation. "Yes. Equestrian Crusade."

Both of the native Equestrians stopped dead in their tracks. They looked back at DJ, perhaps trying to ascertain if he was joking. When it was clear by his expression that he was not, Scootaloo asked, "Crusade? D-doesn't that mean-"

"Holy War", Depressi said. "Yes, it does."

"W-what do you mean?", Rumble said. "Why was it a crusade?"

"Stumble course", DJ said, only to be cut off by Depressi.

"Crash course", he said, earning an annoyed look from his brother.

DJ said, "Yes. Crash course. Back in the day, Church held more political and social power. Part of teaching was that Gods held sway over nature and celestial bodies. Equestrians already not liked due to nature and weather manipulation. When Alicorns came around and claimed to move sun and moon... Was seen as final straw."

"So when negotiations between the Caesar of the time and your Princesses, the Church was all too happy to declare it a religious as well as a political matter", Depressi finished. "Even after the removal of religion from political matters and a general moderate trend among its leaders, those that follow the Doctrine generally don't have the best views of these kinds of... aspects of Equestria."

Both Rumble and Scootaloo stared at one another, then back at their nephews. "Oh", Rumble said simply.

"Yeah", Scootaloo said, rubbing the back of her head. "Didn't know." She then smiled, a light seeming to go off above her head. "How about this? I was going to drop Speedy off with some of the other foals at Rarities because she volunteered to foalsit. How about you take her and offer to help?"

"Better than alternative", DJ muttered, before standing up straight to address his Aunt. "Sure. Give her here. I'll just go back to the house and get my eyepatch. Foals hate eye."

+++++~+++++

"Wait", Flurry Heart said, walking alongside Depressi, Southern Rose, and Soundboard as they headed for the outskirts of town. All four wore tan vests, even though Flurry wore her faux-leather jacket over it. "So, the reason DJ isn't here is because he views Winter Wrap Up as being... against his religion?"

"Not necessarily", Depressi said. "He views it as against the natural order of things."

"So against his religion", Soundboard said.

Depressi shrugged. Before the four of them could continue their conversation, they had come to the small group in the sector of the Ponyville outskirts they had been assigned to. A crate had been brought out, a light yellow and brown stallion standing on it with a clipboard. "Alright, thank's for coming, everyone", the stallion said. "Anyway, we all know why we're here, so I'll just-"

"Why are you in charge of this again, Caramel?", someone else in the crowd said. "Didn't you screw up last time you were put in charge?"

"Thank you for your input, Carrot Top", Caramel said. "Anyway, I got a box of bells and whatnot. You know what to do. Remember, no one goes to deal with the bear and the other C-tier animals until Fluttershy is here. We don't want a repeat of what happened to Junebug. Any questions?" A hoof and a paw were raised up, Caramel pointing at the former first. "Yeah, what is it Vertex?"

A greenish unicorn asked, "Are we allowed to do the song?"

"If it helps, then yes", Caramel said. "And, uh... Depressi?"

"What happened to Junebug?", he asked.

Caramel, and several other of the older ponies tensed up slightly and generally looked uncomfortable. A mare Depressi recognized as Serena said, "You... really don't wanna know."

"Right", Caramel said. "Anyway, everyone take a bell. We've got a long day ahead of us, and I suggest we get a big chunk bit out of it today."

The small crowd quickly spread out, collecting their equipment and heading out into the area around the Ponyville outskirts. After Depressi and his friends had gathered their own bells, they two joined in the general sweep over the flat fields.

As they went, Depressi saw the effect of what they were doing. From a small hole in the otherwise snow-coated ground, a pair of weasels emerged. One yawned loudly, while the other rubbed its eyes, shaking off their sleepiness from the months of hibernation. "Is this purely needed?", he asked.

"Yeah", Southern said, stepping aside to allow a pair of bunnies to hop under her. "Just makin' sure everythin' goes well. No sense in lettin' um sleep in longer than needed."

"Plus", Soundboard said. "If the weather team is right, it's apparently good for them to be out before the big showers start comin' in a few weeks later."

"So soon after the snow?", Depressi questioned.

Flurry shrugged. "Something about keeping a proper level of moisture to aid with crop growth or something like that. I don't really know; We import most of our food in the Crystal Empire, so I really don't get all this."

"You don't get it because it's always sunny inside the dome and snowy outside", Soundboard said.

"Hey, not my fault about the Empire", Flurry said. "Weird choice of a place to settle, though."

"It wasn't always like that", Depressi said. "If some old maps and stuff from my school archive are right, then it wasn't always that bad up north. Some theorists think it was due to you driving away the Wendigos that made it so harsh in that region."

"Huh", Southern said. "Well, keep doin' this. Ma promised cider to us after the day is out."

Comments

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

Great chapter!