Big Mac
United States
51st State of Lincoln (formally Equestria)
Pony Reservation 013 (Green Zone)
5:30am
The sound of a cheap alarm clock slowly stirred two siblings sharing a rusty bunk bed. A red foreleg felt around the splintered cable spool serving as a nightstand clumsily before finally tapping it. After a few moments later a large red stallion sat up under the ratty covers slowly turning so his back hooves hanged off the side.
“AJ?......” He yawned smacking his lips nudging the bed above him hearing a familiar grunt. “AJ come on, we got to get ready for work......”
“I’m comin.... I’m comin.......” The orange mare grumbled slowly getting up aswell while Big Mac sighed and stood up.
As his eyes came into focus the alien dwellings came into view. It was a large fall from the inherited homestead they once dwelled in. Cheep wooden floors, pink insulation peaking though gaps in the walls, and dirty single pane windows. All this with only two rooms for the three remaining Apple siblings, with a small wood cook stove that barely kept the place tolerable in the winter. There was little in the way of luxury’s, most of the furniture was ether free off the curb near work or second hand, both of which always had seen better days.
Blinking and rubbing the dust from his eyes he made his way to a splintered table against a nearby wall. A small dollar shop mirror just above the wash basin on it, one of the few heirlooms to survive the war. Big Mac simply stared at the stallion that stared back. He was a far cry from the dashing muscular pony he was a few years ago. Looking more haggard then anything, with deep bags under his sad eyes. He said nothing as he lowered his head splashing water into his face to wash off the dust that seeped into their home regardless of their efforts to keep it out.
Once he had gotten himself mostly clean he gazed down at the basin, the old Apple and gold details had faded on the porcelain bowl. But that was to be expected considering how many generations it had served his family. He had never thought it anything special before... it mostly just sat on a shelf at Sweet Apple Acres for decoration, among other things... the Apple family always had many heirlooms after all. But now? It could very well be the last one for his entire clan, they weren’t even able to save the photo albums or silhouettes of their parents. The basin was simply the first thing he was able to reach before fleeing their home.
For a moment his eyes lost focus remembering the loud explosions and whistles of that day. But the fire.... Just as he started to tremble a familiar orange hoof rested on his shoulder, bare of his lost yoke. “Big Mac?.... it’s alright..... I’m here.....” His sisters voice brought him back to reality.
Looking over the stallion noticed she was as rough looking as he was, even a bit paler then he had remembered. “I’ll go wake Applebloom.....” He mumbled trotting from the basin so she could wash up. Once he reached the cheap varnish door he tapped his hoof against it.
“Applebloom?....... y’all gotta get ready for class......” With no response he pushed the door open, it revealed a rather small room, somewhere around the size of a larger walk-in closet. With a cot in the far left corner just below a small plane glass window where the first rays of sunlight could be seen just shining in.
“Don’t....... wanna.......” The young filly said under the dirty cotton blanket. She simply pulled it further over her head.
Big Mac rolled his eyes, even with everything, some things never changed. He trotted over and pulled the blanket off her. “Now Bloom, y’all need to go to school. There’s some of those Cereal bars you like in the cabinet near the stove. Grab one on you way to school, and wash them cheeks! You need to be presentable for your teacher.” She mumbled getting up from her cot as he left her to get ready.
Once he entered the room he saw AJ had just finished slipping into her brown coveralls and hair net. He would have to do the same.
——————————————
Once he had finished getting dressed he and his sister trotted out of their “temporary emergency shelter”. Seeing other ponies making their way to the bus stop. Looking around the stallion noticed many familiar faces but still fewer then he would like from Ponyville. The surroundings of the settlement doing little to cheer anyponys mood, just sand, dust bowl, and occasional sun bleached cattle skulls around the shelters. He had heard a few ponies talk about putting their green hooves to use, to grow some plants to make it all seem more inviting. But nothing ever came of it, considering how little they got payed at no pony wanted to give up what little they had just for a few trees or even flowers.
The group of ponies continued to trot almost like a slow stampede to a bus stop on the dirt road. In the past ponies would chat near constantly while they waited to take the railed wagons. Now the only thing that could catch his ear was the occasional gust of wind blowing past them. Most seemed to stick close to those they were related too, or had first showed up with. Beyond that most kept quietly to themselves.
“Oh! Big Mac!” A voice approaching from behind spoke up.
Turning his head he looked over to see a caramel coated stallion around his age. “Morn’in, Caramel ready for work?” He drawled out.
“You know it! I just feel that promotion today!” He said cheerily, while the larger stallion seemed to shift uncomfortably. “Just think, me supervisor for production line B3!” He said dreamily.
“Y’all know that position mostly goes to humans..... or ponies with degrees Caramel...... What makes ya so sure their gonna pick you to take over that grump Hershels place?” He said perhaps a bit too gently against the leaner stallions optimism.
“Cause I’ve been hearing them talk about me in HR! Why else would they bring me up?” He nearly dance on his hooves.
“If ya say so..... Bus is here....” He looked over to see the large grey box of a vehicle pull up to the stop. The doors sliding open with a hiss.
An older tanned skinned human in a light white button shirt and black pants spoke. “Birds Eye factory, all aboard.” He said mostly absentmindedly.
Big Mac and his sister were the first few to board along with the cheery Caramel. “Morning Fernando......” He said politely, though the human just grunted as they made their way to an empty seat. Once the bus was packed with colorful equines it started down the road, hitting the occasional pothole. Big Mac simply leaned back and closed his eyes, it was gonna be a long day.
——————————————
After about half an hour of riding on the cramped bus the dirt road gave way to new pavement offering a much smoother ride. Looking out the window he could see newly build neighborhoods, with large houses and yards the likes of which ponies now could only dream about. Even if you could get a permit to live off the reservation ponies were only entitled to 50% of the Federally mandated minimum wage. With most ponies trapped in low skill jobs, the reservation was the only place most could live.
“So Mac today’s payday right?” He looked over to his sister and nodded his head.
“Eeeeeyep....... we better do some shopping before we gotta take the bus home. I hear today Walmart’s have’in a sale, we best stock up.” He said while looking at the rapidly approaching factory in the distance.
“....Appleblooms birthday is coming up......” Applejack said quietly.
“..... We’ll see AJ..... maybe some will be left over.....” Sighed again as a bitter taste filled his mouth.
“You always say that Mac..... we’re getting her a gift and that’s that.” She said evenly, Big Mac only shook his head unwilling to get into an argument.
The bus pulled past the high chain link fences that surrounded the factory eventually coming to a stop in-front of the entrance and check point. A few ponies could already be seen standing in line before the scanner. Once the doors opened ponies started to mill out. Eventually they started to allow ponies though, each time a green light would buzz signaling they were clean.
Occasionally a red light would buzz on the scanner causing some poor pony to be separated from the group for additional vetting. But it was largely just a formality, eventually he and his sister passed through the scanner unmolested. Once past the check point they made their way into the factory.
There was little to talk about inside the steel and concrete walls. Just tall sterile looking walls occasionally broken up by plastic curtains to keep out any contaminates. Taking another breath Big Mac prepared himself for another 10 hour shift packing peas.
——————————————
He held back a yawn as he sorted though the peas occasionally removing a pod that the machine hadn’t removed or a misshapen pea. Applejack was to his side slowly moving her hooves over the conveyor belt removing a brown pea from the seas of green. The work was mindless to the point where the ponies seemed as automated as the machines surrounding them.
Big Mac eventually heard the familiar sound of his manager clearing his throat. To which the stallion slowly turned around to face the partially hunched over older man. “Hey! Pastel Back! Someone’s here to here to talk with you!” He shouted over the loud sounds of the equipment around them.
The crimson stallion ignored the racist nick name. “Huh? Who?” He sounded vaguely annoyed that someone would bother him at work.
“Some 7 limbed purple mutant.” He said rudely rolling his eyes. “Boss is giving her the special treatment and all.”
The orange mare next to him paused for a moment. “It’s her......” Her hoof shook as it moved over the peas in barely contained anger.
“Twilight.......” Big Mac drawled out more passively then his sister but his eyes turned dark. “Sis I’ll be back in a few minutes, think y’all can handle without me?” He asked looking over.
“Your really gonna talk with her? She ain’t never gonna leave us alone then!” She said in a hushed voice to her older brother.
“She ain’t leaving us alone now..... she needs ta hear this from the horses mouth.” He said using the old human expression.
“Ya done? Boss says he wants you in the office to meet the freak.” Hershel grumbled while Mac nodded his head leaving the line.
——————————————
Big Mac stared at the door, he was now in the far corner of the factory with the machines sounds seeming so far away. He could actually hear his own thoughts, which was far from comforting at this moment. Reaching out his hoof he gripped the handle of the faux wood door before opening it. Inside there was little to look at, just white walls, and cheap blue patterned carpet. But sitting at the end of a small fold out table was a familiar purple mare. Radiating a naive friendliness that the stallion hadn’t seen in a pony in years.
“Big Mac it’s been so-“ The mares cheery sentence was cut off with the stallion clearing his throat before sitting opposite of her.
“What do you want Twilight?” The harshness of the stallions tones caused the mare to flinch back as if struck.
“W-what?.... I-I.... don’t understand....” She stuttered back struggling to understand what she had done to deserve such treatment.
“What. Do. You. Want?” The stallion asked slowly, visibly aggravated by her presence.
“Y-you and A-Applejack weren’t answering my messages s-so I t-thought.....” The corners of her eyes started to water.
“Did ya ever think we didn’t want nothin to do with you?” Big Mac growled.
“...B-but....W-why?” She bit her lip.
“Cause ponies on the reservation finally forgot we had anythin ta do with an Alicorn!” He slammed his hooves on the table nearly enough to shatter it. “Ponies are talkin to us again, but now?! You might have just ruined everything for us all over again! You know what it’s like seeing hate filled graffiti on your home every morning? Being forced off the bus, making you to walk though miles of Badlands just to get to work?! Or how about seeing your baby sister run home sobbing cause no foal will give her the time of day, unless they are dunking her face in the latrine!”
“B-Big M-Mac I h-had no i-idea I’ll talk to those p-ponies a-and-” She was interrupted again.
“Read my lips Twilight!” He shouted in her face. “We don’t want no Alicorns help! Your kind have done enough!” He screamed into her face nearly causing her to fall backwards.
“B-but we have to s-start rebuilding E-Equestria.... I-I can’t do it alone.... I need my friends.....” She was visibly crying now tears streaming down the sides of her face.
“Equestria’s dead Twilight..... it died when your beloved mentor started that damn war!” He yelled at her.
“I-I know she m-made m-mistakes, b-but I-I had n-noth-“
“And because of her mistakes she used scorched earth to burn down our farm!” He visibly quaked the trauma coming all back to him. “The guard didn’t even warn us, they just tossed the torches onto our farmhouse and dumped pitch on our fields....... I-I couldn’t get to granny i-in time...... with all the smoke...... she died not knowing what was going on...... when I dragged her out...... the last thing she saw was her home burning to the ground.....” His eyes seemed to glass over as he shook.
Twilight slowly reached out a hoof, resting it on his shoulder. “M-Mac...... I’m sorry..... I-I didn’t-“ She was rebuffed by a hoof smack to the face sending her to the ground.
“Read my lips Sparkle, your dead to the Apple Family.” He said evenly slowly standing up from his seat. “If you really wanna help us....... get as far from us as you possibly can....... now if you excuse me..... I have to work over time to make up for our little meeting.” He trotted out slamming the door behind him leaving the broken mare to wallow in heart break.
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a war against all of humanity and it ends with the US getting another state?
Damn, well Granny at least died at her home.
...I'm listening.
10026157
Maybe. I'm not sure how land is split in the aftermath of war but maybe the U.S. were the main contributors to Equestria's defeat.
Even if the war was terrible, it's hard to see the USA going for reservations and quasi-slavery; we know how that deal ends after all.
Also, unless the rest of the world was killed off I highly doubt the USA would make equestria a state and get away with it. Mostly because having to worry about the extra congressmen is an absolute nightmare.
I was a little afraid that this would be a little too far into the 'humans are assholes' camp but I'm glad to see that's not totally the case with Celestia using scorched earth tactics like she was Russia during operation Barbarossa. I'll keep an eye on this one.
10026234
It would probably be more like the US stepping in to regulate and control a defeated genocidal nation. The US would have the military might to do so, and to be fair the ponies would be better off in the US than China or Russia. I can also see a problem of a new state that's not legally up to snuff being integrated into the system. Cutie marks give ponies a lot of excuses to get into certain fields, but on earth its College degrees and those cost your arm, leg, and first born child to get. Kinda hard for an entire generation from a war torn nation to afford those. Ponies are gonna be like the Irish of the 1800s in NY.
I'm curious to see what actually happened during the war. Keep up the good work, really like it so far,
10026341
That and Puerto Rico would like to have a word with the genius who made Equestria a state before them.
10026558
Ohh man, I can just imagine how many carthaginians of salt some of my Air Force friends would pour out of themselves.
Never gotten into the conversion war. Is there a group or stories to begin with
10026157
10026234
10026341
10026418
10026558
I’m glad you all mentioned that actually, I’m already planning out a chapter that explains this irregularity. Along with Puerto Rico’s response to America incorporating a new territory into statehood before them.
I’m sure you won’t “like” the reason, but you might “understand” it. If that makes sense.
10026181
Agreed, but it’s still a tragedy to lose so much, I actually like Granny Smith, so that part was a little hard to write. But elderly individuals are common casualties in war.
10026377
I’m glad I avoided that trope, I’m going for a more grey area. Yes there will be assholes, but there’s also people who are just scared or apathetic to ponies. I hope to explore that in more detail aswell, along with those who just feel sorry for them.
I’m glad you mentioned that, it’s such an old tactic that I figured that a mad Celestia would turn to scorched earth in desperation. It’s also fitting as she literally has a fireball on her rump. But such tactics are costly to the peasants as we have seen.
10026421
I won’t have a “direct” chapter detailing it, but from the memories of the characters in this anthology I’m sure you will be able to piece together what happened.
10026733
So apparently factory managers cannot identify Celestia´s protege and fellow princess? a high profile member of royalty who is apparently allowed to run free and try to recruit others into rebuilding the former invading nation?
10026742
It’s more that he doesn’t give a $h!¥ about former royalty. Twilight is basically a princess with no territory (that recognizes her as a leader), “personal” funds, or even what you might consider legitimate political powers. She’s basically a figure head for a hastily set up (poorly planned) and effectively failed provincial government for the reservations.
10026733
hey no problem. hope I helped get the gears turning on this.
I imagine after the war was over Equestria would have been worse off than Haiti. I'm also curious what became of Luna, and if cadence, shining armor, and the crystal empire exist in this continuity. (you don't have to answer, obviously I'm just speaking my mind.)
10026786
No it’s totally fine, I love to hear people’s ideas and criticisms of my work, it allows me to fill in the holes. I’m also glad you mentioned Luna, too many stories I feel like they either paint her with the same brush as Celestia, or completely remove her from the story.
I’m already planning stories of those ponies don’t worry!
10026791
Very glad to hear that. Both that you're not just going to kill Luna which most people do (not a bad thing in itself but its a very well trodden path) and I'm glad to see you've read enough of these sorts of stories to know what common pits to avoid. You got me hyped for this.
Isn't that the AU where all of humanity turns into a hyperunified supermilitary to defeat the ponies cause "Celestia is teh evilz"?
OK, this conversation war, where is the story? or you mean conversion war in the description?
10026726
The conversion beurau, there was one fic that started the trend, then lots of variations appeared after it, but the main plot is simple, Celestia brings equestria to earth in a island, this island may or may not be connected to equis, Celestia puts a shield to protect equestria from earth, and slowly expands it outwards, destroying human made stuff, meanwhile, Celestia creates a potion to convert humans into Mindless harmony seequing ponies, humans fightback, Lyra helps the humans and creates the Human Liberation Group that go against Celestia, humans deafet the Ponies and they return to their world, at least in the original story, the variations have a wide variety of different endings.
this story is fun I never anything like it, very high ambition this story have and I expect good execution from here and out
I find it fun how Twilight's ascension was the first time we ever heard the word Alicorn used in the show, but everytime a story is set in a world where Equestria fell, through fault of the Princesses or not, suddenly this 'race' that consists of literally five individuals in recorded history, are utterly despised.
I really kinda hope Twilight is in denial about some big malicious part she played in the war and it's not 'hey, our long-time friend is the same race as the evil princess, she's horrible'
This story will be a very nice edition to the conversion AU, for more characters to see: derpy and dinky
Okay, you have my attention.
10027131
Interesting. Thanks. I hope i can find a story where celestia doesn't start the conversion and the qar... But that wouldn't be a story
10027092
Fixed it sorry for the confusion.
10027110
Once again, sorry Grammarly is trying to help when it shouldn't.
10026341
We did to the Indian tribes and to Japanese Americans before and during ww2
10028601
My point exactly. The most extreme example would be the Germans reenacting the holocaust with ponies in this fic.
It would take a lot to make us repeat the things most of us are ashamed of in today's climate.
10028629
The ponies are alien scum so they should be grateful the humans did not wipe them out and a few thousand years as indentured servants will correct them.
Fear the alien, Hate the alien, Kill the alien.
10028638
Is this your opinion or a sarcastic quip about human psychology?
10028647
Just a blunt truth that aliens can never be trusted
10028658
In the movies maybe, but I'm far less nihilistic about about humanities ability to find peace with aliens and aliens we have had a war against.
Not really sure the conversation has anywhere left to go, so have a nice day/night where ever you are.
10028674
"Only a madman deals with the alien. Only a fool relies on the alien. Only the dead have trusted the alien, although the last may be deluded into claiming that they yet live."
— Lord Militant Tarkus Hol in his memoirs, Observations on the Inevitability of War
10028674
Xenos Interactions with Mankind
It is not recorded exactly when the human race learned that it was not alone in the galaxy, or which intelligent alien species it first made contact with, but what is known in early Imperial records is that humanity has been competing with xenos since the Dark Age of Technology. The first human interstellar civilisation which existed at that time made contact with many alien races, possibly including the Eldar and the Orks, but the majority must have been hostile or incapable of co-habitating with humans as no aliens are known to have ever willingly integrated into the broader interstellar human civilisation of this time.
When the Age of Strife began with the collapse of the first human interstellar federation, many suddenly isolated human colonies were set upon by all manner of hostile aliens, though a few notable exceptions of peaceful coexistence occurred as well. The scattered outposts of Mankind would be preyed upon for millennia by various xenos species, pushing the human race towards eventual extinction until the Emperor of Mankind revealed his existence and began his galaxy-spanning Great Crusade to reunite humanity under a single interstellar government. The Emperor believed that only in unity -- unity bought at nearly any price -- could Mankind survive a galaxy that was far more dangerous than any human savants of an earlier age would have believed.
At its inception, the Imperium of Man made one of its core objectives the extermination of all alien life forms that posed any threat to humanity. Thus many species suffered extinction at the hands of the newborn Imperium which perpetrated one act of genocide after another. This would also apply to the majority of human civilisations encountered during the course of the Great Crusade like the Interex and Diasporex civilisations, which had founded cultures where alien and human populations had successfully integrated into a single whole. Diplomacy was rarely tried, and was more often offered only to other human civilisations encountered in the course of the Great Crusade. Certain aliens, such as the Eldar, who were more technologically advanced than the Imperium were often simply left alone so long as they did not threaten human interests.
The Imperium of Man's extreme xenophobia and outright call for genocide against all other intelligent species in the galaxy is in some ways justified by the sheer hopeless belligerence of most xenos races encountered since the Great Crusade. Almost all alien races encountered by Mankind since the Emperor first began to push his forces out amongst the stars have been so malevolent or aggressive toward humanity that any form of negotiation or parley often proved impossible. Other instances, such as during the Imperium's first encounter with the human-alien alliance known as the Diasporex, would end in violence because of the inherent distrust the Imperium had for all alien civilisations even if there was common ground that could be found.
This policy of unconditional hatred persists into the modern Imperium more than 10,000 standard years after the Great Crusade ended in the blood and fire of the Horus Heresy. In that time, many more alien civilisations have been discovered and destroyed regardless of threat level, culture, disposition, or technology. These sentiments of xenophobia have been reinforced by the Imperial Creed, which preaches that Mankind has a divinely-inspired manifest destiny to be the sole ruler and inhabitant of the galaxy. Humanity alone, the Imperial Creed teaches, is the sacred form of intelligent life chosen by the God-Emperor to spread out amongst the stars. All other intelligent life is to be reviled as an abomination and an affront to the God-Emperor's plan for Mankind.
Much of the Imperium, led by the religious fervour of the Adeptus Ministorum, believe in the extermination of all aliens, even those that are entirely peaceful species. When the masses are stirred to such fear and fanaticism, they demand destruction over any kind of cooperation or coexistence. This might seem like a harsh measure, but it is an age where ignorance is a virtue and brute force is used to solve a multitude of problems; the dangers of failing to act are too unthinkable to elicit any other response. It has not become this way without reason; most aliens encountered by Mankind are hostile and devious, and some have proven as ruthless and ambitious as humanity itself. To them, there is no room in the galaxy for the Imperium.
10029322
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
10029414
We da biggizt an da baddazz cuz we da orks!!
10029521
Cuz we da orks!
Orks! Orks! Orks!
Very sad situation.
That's kinda ironic. Y'see, back in ye olden times (like, around the turn of the 20th century, I think) there was a "problem" of a growing population of white homeless folk in the USA. See, all the good jobs were taken, and all the crappy jobs paid so poorly that no white man wanted to take them.
So colored people, who couldn't afford to be picky, took these crappy jobs, all of them, and worked in slavish conditions for pennies a day (at least they were getting paid).
The US government saw this and they were displeased. Thus they enacted The Minimum Wage, which made all those terrible, back-breaking jobs, pay well. Suddenly white people were perfectly fine with being treated like slaves while all the black people were kicked out to make room for more white people.