Radicalization
Applejack reflects on a modern Equestria in a post war world as she rallies the Equestrian Freedom Fighters.
What makes a country?
There are many answers to that question, but for Applejack, a country is a culmination of both its people and their ideals made manifest. Those two important factors are what makes the foundation of Equestria, the most prosperous and righteous nation to ever exist in the history of their world.
Ponies, united in their belief in the ways of Harmony and Friendship, had ascended as a people beyond the realm of petty tribalism and carved out a utopian society in the heart of the untamed landscape amongst their savage neighbors.
By the will of the Royal Pony Sisters and the will of Harmony, ponykind established itself as the chosen people in a world where dark forces periodically threatened to overtake them at every turn. Many had come before them, many have tried to create a lasting legacy, yet even the greatest most prolific civilizations of old failed in what ponykind was able to achieve and maintain in the centuries that passed.
There was no doubt in anypony's mind that Equestria, a shining beacon of all that is good in a murky sea of darkness, would endure for all eternity and beyond.
...But times have changed.
Equestria had changed.
No longer were they on Equus. Now, they lived on a rotten ball of shit floating in the middle of space called Earth surrounded by greedy, sinful, self-destructive humans who were as discordant as they were warmongering.
Humanity and the unfortunate planet they called home were always on the precipice of destruction. Ponykind had done it's best to uplift them from their sad pathetic lives, to save them from themselves so that they may all live in peace with one another. But coexistence was nothing more than a pipe dream, the insane musings of a madmare.
The teachings of harmony had failed.
The conversion bureaus had failed.
Forceful conversion of humanity was the only solution for survival for both species, yet the ambition to spread the light of Harmony beyond the reaches of the known universe had ended in complete and total disaster.
The Conversion War, as many have come to call it in the aftermath, resulted in Equestria losing over half of its loyal citizens to the bloody conflict and having a figurative knife pressed up against its throat. They were at the mercy of the humans who were all too ready to wipe them off the face of the planet if they so much as cough without their permission.
Since then, Equestria was no longer on top. Not politically, socially, or economically.
The central government, if you could even call it that anymore, and those whom make up its entirety were being puppeteer by outside influences. Most politicians and nobles were either blatant figureheads or obedient sheep who pushed the post war humanist agenda. The rest were all aggressive conservatives who did everything they could to wrest control back from the new powers that had taken over their home to little success.
The populace at large was fractured and pacified into submission by threats of force and tempting promises. There was a widening divide between those who were for human-pony integration and those against it, with the former steadily outnumbering the latter day by day.
And as for their economic situation? The word tragic wouldn't even begin to describe the financial travesty the country had undergone. Rampant inflation near the end of the war in Celestia's desperate bid to maintain the war effort had made the bit worth less than the metal it was stamped on.
In order to prevent a total economic collapse Equestria was forced to adopt humanity's new Universal-Credits (Abbr. U-Credits, U-Creds, UC's, or, for the young and savvy, Ucks), universal currency that came in both paper bills and cryptocurrency form. It hadn't solved their financial issues entirely, but things were stable enough that trade and commerce were capable of functioning on the barest levels, and that the average citizen could go to work, get paid and come home to enjoy a decent meal with their families.
But even the worst of those couldn't compare to the dangers of moral degradation that slowly eroded the country from within.
The Church of Harmony, once the ironclad moral arbiter that maintained discipline and loyalty among the masses, had sadly become little more than a crumbling relic from a golden age in the wake of defeat and disillusionment, having been systematically dismantled. Worse still, the faith ponies had in Celestia was traded for scorn as she was ultimately blamed for all of Equestria's suffering.
In time, ponykind's carefully cultured sense of enlightenment would rot away into the same misguided and selfish ways that had kept the three tribes divided so long ago. Or worse, they will be assimilated by humanity and embrace the corruptive depravity that they had managed to narrowly avoid before the war started.
They were at rock bottom and Twilight's cowardly surrender had ensured ponykind would never appeal to the same heights of old ever again. Twilight, that weak, treacherous, capitulating scoundrel Applejack couldn't believe she once referred to as a sister, had handed the humans the keys to the kingdom and sold out her own people down the river in order to chase some illusory peace.
But this is not the end.
The war is not over. Not to Applejack, not to Rainbow Dash, and certainly not to the thousands of unbreakable patriots that continue to resist the new normal every step of the way.
The Equestrian Freedom Fighters continue to stir in the shadows, amassing their numbers, consolidating their strengths and undermining the rule of the false princess.
Like a venomous cobra, they coil themselves in preparation to strike when the time is right.
Applejack woke with a fright, catapulting up from her bed as she struggled to rein in her frazzled nerves. Her breath came out in short labored gasps and her fur was matted and slicked with sweat.
She had that nightmare again, the one where she relives the bombing of Ponyville with vivid intensity.
They'd been occurring almost every single night now, and each time the sensations became rawer and more palpable than she could withstand. It was like she was right back there in the burning town experiencing it all over again, amidst the choking black smoke, smouldering rubble and cacophonous screams of horror and panic.
Scrambling for her hat, she quickly reached over to the nightstand like she'd done a thousand times before, only to feel empty air and glossy hardwood against her hoof. It took a full minute for it to finally set in that she wasn't at the farmhouse in Ponyville anymore, that she wasn't truly home.
She let out an annoyed groan, it was a habit she just couldn't kick. Without her hat she just didn't feel whole.
It had been four years since Equestria surrendered to humanity, four long arduous years since Applejack joined the Equestrian Freedom Fighters at Rainbow Dash's proposal. She'd join without hesitation, of course, taking the opportunity as a heavenly sign from Celestia to redeem herself for her failure to save those she cared most about and to free Equestria from the tyranny of Twilight and her human puppet masters.
Grumbling a curse beneath her breath she quickly pulled the sheets from off of her before stumbling over to the bathroom and turning on the sink. Warm water poured from the spout as she hurriedly splashed some upon her face. The water felt heavenly upon her tired visage and the steam that filled the air eased her tension. Turning off the water, she rose her head to take a good hard look at herself in the mirror.
She didn't like what she saw.
The Applejack staring back at her in the steaming mirror was a pale morose shell of the mare she used to be. Broken, hollow, brimming with hatred.
Hatred for humanity, hatred for her traitorous kinsfolk, and hatred for a world that had turned its back on the righteous sons of daughter of old Equestria.
The true Equestria.
Her once vibrant emerald eyes were dark and glassy, the last spark of innocence that twinkled ever so dimly across the surface had been ripped away from her along with nearly everything else she ever cared about. Now, she always look to be glaring piercingly at anything and everything. In conjunction with the scowl on her lips, her passive visage was set in a perpetual glower. More than anything, she looked a combination of exhausted and irate.
Beneath her dull, matted orange fur was a series of short jagged scars decorating one side of her body from when the bombs dropped. They would peek through every so often, but most folks wouldn't notice unless they really tried. The doctors pulled out several ounces worth of shrapnel from her body, with most being shards of Equestrian bits and miscellaneous farm equipment. Though they had healed completely and were mostly hidden beneath her fur, they still ached with a burning pain that just won't seem to go away no matter how many painkillers she downs.
Sighing heavily, she turned around and returned to her room, the one the Equestrian Freedom Fighters provided her, to prepare for her day. It wasn't exactly glamourous. There were four walls, ceiling and a floor, a simple spring mattress, a nightstand with a lamp on it, and a plain looking armoire to hold her things.
As for personal effects she brought with her what had survived the bombing, which was to say not a whole lot.
Sitting by the sink was a red hairbrush her mother, Pear butter, gave her before she passed away. It was one of the few things that had miraculously remained untouched by the blast.
Hung above the bedside was Big Mac's yoke, a keepsake from their father, Bright Mac. Unfortunately that one had been blown to smithereens. It had taken her a whole afternoon to find what little there was that were scattered across ground zero, and a whole day to piece them back together to a somewhat presentable condition.
Resting in a dark corner of the room was Granny Smith's old rocking chair.
If her stories were true it was an Apple family heirloom from before she was even born. That one hadn't been lucky either. Most of it was destroyed and Applejack had hastily rebuilt it with whatever materials she had on hoof at the time. It looked slipshod in appearance, with metal pipes and other junk nailed onto it for structural integrity. It no longer rocked back and forth and was slanted to the one side, but sitting on it gave Applejack a sense of ease. Whether it's a product of sorrow or stress, she swears she could still hear the old coot ramble on like old times while seated.
About the only thing she didn't have tied to her family was something that belonged to Apple Bloom. No ribbon, no personal possession, no odd curios from her time as a Cutie Mark Crusader, nothing. Try as she might, there wasn't anything belonging to her younger sister that survived the explosion, save for the painful memory of her last moments.
Curiously, the private bathroom attached to the room was a small luxury that very few in the resistance were able to acquire. Sweetie Drops had personally seen to it that she'd have one, as a professional courtesy to a national icon and as a welcome present for joining while the others were relegated to using the communal washrooms.
All in all, It was a cozy if cramped and blandly utilitarian space to call her own. But then again, she didn't join the EFF for five star service and a hoof rub.
No, she'd join to keep fighting the good fight alongside her fellow true Equestrians.
Tying up her mane and slipping on her saddlebags, Applejack left her room and made her way to the main atrium where she was to give a speech soon.
The secret mountain headquarters was as busy as it had always been. Ponies she knew and ponies she'd come to know were scrambling about in a mad dash to fulfill do what they could before meeting up for morning prayer. Whether it was something mundane as restocking the headquarter's food stores with liberated supplies or something significant like prepping for shadow operations, the faithful ponies of the EFF did it all with a level of fanatical zeal that the true alicorn princesses would be proud of.
Old Equestria lives on through them, and in time, they will be the heralds of its fated revival.
Stopping by the cantina for breakfast, Applejack seated herself by the bar of the humble establishment and ordered herself a hearty homestyle meal to start off her busy day. She wasn't alone, several of her surviving friends and neighbors from Ponyville were beside her either enjoying their own meal or were engaged in casual chit chat with other members.
As the air filled with the tantalizing aroma of sizzling hay bacon, her attention was drawn away from the food and to the out-of-place looking flat screen television that was hooked up nearby.
It was interesting to see that while the EFF shared Celestia's luddite philosophies they had gone ahead and made an exception towards the use of advanced human technology if it meant maximizing their overall effectiveness as a resistance group. They were still using whatever they could scrounge together from Twilight's last foray into technological advances in conjunction with the headquarter's own impressive collection of ancient magical weaponry and weren't about to sacrifice that pragmatism just yet.
The TV itself didn't have the best picture quality, what with it receiving signals deep within the heart of a mountain, but what mattered was that they were able to watch the news and keep up with current affairs.
"Hey, Spatula Stanley. Turn that up, will ya?" Applejack asked, to which the chef behind the counter began cranking up the volume. The other patrons eating beside her chatted amongst themselves as the news report played out.
"Oh, boy. This is it! The big times!" Snips beamed gleefully. "There's no way they'll stay silent after what we did!"
"I always wanted to be on the news," Snails replied nonchalantly.
"Shh!" Applejack shushed. "Both of you keep your yaps shut, it's starting."
The screen displayed the logo of the Equestrian News Station, or ENS for short, the country's newest news station and the one that took advantage of Equestria's leap to the digital age. Onscreen was a duo of well dressed anchorponies; a stuffy looking pegasus with green fur and his cohost, a yellow unicorn.
"Good morning Equestria, I'm Grassroots Gusts" said the pegasus.
"And I'm Topaz Teller," said the unicorn, "and this is ENS, the Equestrian News Station, with the morning news. Our top story today..."
"Here it comes!" Snips squeaked giddily.
"Shh!" Applejack shushed again.
"...Ambassador Twilight Sparkle finally opens about the worldwide bombing incident that had rocked the world earlier this week. Live from the UN headquarters Twilight shares her thoughts on the recent tragedy that claimed hundreds as well as the rogue elements that threaten the stability of the nation."
"Heh, and so it begins," Lightning Dust quips with a smirk on her lips.
Applejack simply glared at the sight of her former best friend onscreen. Twilight was living it up as humanity's obedient little pet, rendering her once beautiful Equestria unrecognizable day by day while she and the rest of her fellows were living in a hole in the ground. None of this was right. None of it. Gritting her teeth, she refrained herself from smashing the screen in a fit of anger.
The footage onscreen then swapped from a footage of the EFF's bombing raids to a recording of Twilight being interviewed at the United Nations. The other diplomats, news reporters and other assorted rabble clamored around her, assaulting her every which way with all manner of questions related to the EFF.
"...I believe it is finally time that I address the elephant in the room. This fragile peace we've preserved and the relations we're working tirelessly to foster is under attack by rogue elements and have been for some time now," Twilight began, earning jeers and boos from the patrons.
"It is only until recently that they've shown their hooves. These self professed Equestrian Freedom Fighters whom we've come to know them as are the culprit behind the tragic series of terroristic acts we've suffered for the last few years after Equestria's surrender as well as the recent bombings around the world. Before I open the floor to questions, I must preface this Q&A session by stating that I, and by extension Equestria, condemn the actions of the EFF and that we will do whatever we can in our power to bring them to justice. You have my word on that."
The crowd of reporters clamored, Twilight picked one at random; a middle eastern man with a long beard and glasses.
"Musfir Abd Al-Rashid with the Cairo Carrier. Twilight Sparkle, for those out of the loop what are the goals of this Equestrian Liberation Front?"
"It's Freedom Fighters! Freedom Fighters damn it! Get it right you godless monkey!" Limestone Pie seethed loudly. "I didn't bomb the Chinese Consulate just so you can say our name wrong! Celestia damn it all!"
"The EFF had made their intentions clear when they revealed themselves; they seek to have me murdered, free Celestia from her prison and restore her rule of Equestria so that they may continue the Conversation War and continue her will of converting all of humanity, or in failing that, exterminating them completely." said Twilight, earning quiet murmurs of incredulity from her audience.
"Tsk, she thinks she's got us figured out," Snips scoffed.
"But that's what we're trying to do," replied Snails.
"Oh, yeah," Snips blinked.
Another reporter spoke up, a rotund Englishmen in a plaid suit.
"Ambassador, I'm Thomas Higginson with BBC News. I must ask, how did this organization come to be under your leadership? The world must know how it is that they've managed to form when Equestria was still licking its wounds from the aftermath of the Conversion War. This feels like a gross oversight on your part."
Twilight wrinkled her nose at the question. She had expected it to come sooner or later, luckily she was prepared for it, "The existence of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters, like many things throughout the Conversion War, came to be as a direct result of Celestia's paranoia.
Going through Celestia's secret documents I unsealed several contingency plans, one of which was to be enacted should Equestria near the brink of defeat. While the details of the plans were destroyed to preserve it from the scrutiny of others it is clear that this 'Fallen Protocol' as it were named was to have trusted loyalists, likely members of the defunct Equestrian Secret Service and disgruntled Royal Guard soldiers, form resistance cells and continue the fight long after the dust had settled.
They had begun to form before I had assumed power over Equestria, before I had surrendered, before Canterlot was under siege. Celestia had made sure to leave a parting gift to humanity out of sheer spite in the hopes that these loyalists will form the backbones of the old order and carry out her will. And so theys waited in the shadows, biding their time, gathering recruits, amassing arms, festering like a rotten cancer wherever their wretched ilk have made their home.
They're like a specter from the past that have come to haunt us all.
And now it appears that the time had come for their emergence into the public eye. Everything else that came before, the murders, the thefts, the so called accidents, all were merely a prelude to this moment. I was powerless to stop the EFF from forming as it did, but what matters now is that we join together once more to put an end to them before they cause more damage."
The crowd mumbled amongst themselves in agreement, her answer had satisfied them. With a gesture, Twilight motioned for the next question.
"Taishi Sparkle!" A Japanese reporter addressed in choppy mix and match grammar. "Takeshi Iwahara from Tokyo Times. How would you describe the Equestrian Freedom Fighters as an organization?"
Twilight looked in deep thought for a moment before speaking. "...Redundant."
"...What?" Applejack seethed through gritted teeth, feeling her facial muscles tense up from the flippant remark.
There was an awkward pause but Takeshi pressed on. "...Can you elaborate?"
Twilight's expression took a more serious appearance with a sharpened brow and steely gaze. There was a palpable aura of hostility surrounding the air around her.
"They call themselves freedom fighters, viewing themselves in the same light as righteous heroes of yore gallantly rebelling against the forces of evil, but the reality of their existence couldn't be any further from the truth.
Killing innocents, spreading misery and being an overall violent nuisance during this fragile time of peace are not the actions of virtuous heroes but rather those of the vengeful, the desperate and the obstinate; ponies who's entire lives were so entwined with Celestia's archaic Equestrian ideal that they could not bear to live in a world without her presence let alone coexist with the very humans who had slaughtered their friends and families not so long ago.
Instead of accepting the truth of the matter, they cling onto a dim echo of the past, living with the expectation that if they continue down this destructive path it would validate everything they'd been led to believe since they were born and be rewarded for their unwavering faith. Unbeknownst to them they are little more than tools to be used as seen fit, like a blunt instrument or pawns on a chessboard.
Even as we speak they're plotting their next move, ignorant in the fact, if not proud, of the harm they've brought to the world at large in their mad quest to reach an unattainable goal. And to what end? To force a revival of the same bloody conflict that claimed the lives of millions of ponies, that had killed more people than every major conflict on this planet combined, all in blind service to my former mentor and her hypocritical beliefs?
They are misguided as they are dangerous and if they had their way this world and everything in it would be as Celestia dictates, now and forever. I cannot allow that to pass. We, the inhabitants of this Earth, cannot allow that to pass."
Applejack could feel her blood boil. Every word that came out of Twilight's mouth served to stoke the fires of rage that burned from within and it took every ounce of willpower not to explode as it was. It was a losing battle.
"Miss Sparkle! Miss Sparkle!" another reporter called out in a thick african accent. "Oluchi Abara from the South African Tribunal! As the video of their exploits have shown, the individuals known as Rainbow Dash and Applejack were seen as a part of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters. It's a well known fact you were all close friends at one time. How does this affect your overall commitment to dealing with the terrorist organization?"
"I..." Twilight was taken aback by the question but composed herself quickly. She couldn't risk appearing weak on live broadcast, not when everyone was watching. "Ahem, yes. It is as you say. My former friends, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, are apart of the organization." The crowd erupted in an uproar at her disclosure, it brought doubt and suspicion to her claims. Rapid-fire questions rained down upon her, fortunately, Twilight was able to quell the outraged masses before they could accuse her of conspiracy.
"But my ties with these two extremists were severed years ago!" Twilight exclaimed. "As it stands they are no longer my friends but rather dangerous fanatical killers that must be stopped at all cost! Kill on sight orders for them have already arranged, and though it pains me to do so I simply cannot let them run rampant across the world perpetuating Celestia's will!
My only purpose as ambassador of Equestria have been to restore my homeland, support the people and find a cure for the ponification potion! And I will not let some lingering remnant of the old world threaten to undo all we have rebuilt, all that we should've strove to achieve from the very beginning were it not for Celestia's paranoid meddling!
If there are still any doubts for me now then let me declare: the EFF will be eradicated, this I promise!"
Twilight paused, taking a moment to catch her breath as a pregnant silence overtook the room. Her chest heaved in and out, greedily sucking in air she had expelled so fervently. It took a moment for her to realize just how passionate she was in her speech, stopping and staring with wide eyes to see her own hooves trembling out of anxiety. Inwardly, it pained her to speak the harsh truth, but she had done it before and it hurt just as much, and she will bear with it for it is her duty as leader of Equestria.
The silence was eventually interrupted by the sound of a single clap, from where she couldn't see. One clap turned into two, then into ten, and before she knew it she was blessed with an applaud that shook the very foundation of the meeting hall. It lasted for a whole minute before quieting down so the question and answering session could resume.
"An admirable stance, ambassador," Oluchi commented. "The world is looking forward to seeing how you handle this threat, but before we move on I have one last question for you. How difficult do you believe this undertaking of yours will be?"
"...I believe that with the power of the UN and the forces at our disposal we will be able to settle this matter in a few years time. Until we find the location of their headquarters most engagements with the EFF become rabbit hunts. Make no mistake. They're a tricky bunch, slinking the shadows like a common thief, no doubt armed with all manner of magical artifacts and emergency resources that Celestia had set aside in the improbable event of Equestria's defeat, but other than that I have no doubt in my mind that we will triumph in the end," replied Twilight.
The crowd broke out into soft murmurs. Their expressions denoted uncertainty. Not everyone was convinced. After all, It was easy for politicians to make empty promises.
"You sound awfully confident in that assessment," said Oluchi, earning several grunts of agreement from the audience. "People had made assumptions of easy victories before."
The not-so-subtle insinuation didn't go over Twilight's head. She sighed, "Unlike the EFF, I've learned from my mistakes. I won't underestimate them, but I'm aware of the fact that they aren't as nearly as threatening as they like to think they are. In the years since the they began their campaign of terror the EFF have accomplished little in the way of meaningful success outside of killing innocents and, likely as of now, being ostracized as dangerous terrorists in the eyes of the greater pony community.
Their numbers, which we estimate to be in the high thousands, are great but nothing compared to the might old Equestria possessed during its zenith. And even then it wasn't enough to win the Conversion Wars.
No amount of confidence, faith, weapons or magical artifacts will save them were we to rain down the full might of the united armed forces upon them. They know this, that's why they fight the way they do. Why they rely on fear and zealotry. But they can only hold out for so long on their own. Without Celestia they are nothing and their stagnant thrashings in the face of an ever changing world will result to less than nothing.
It is only a matter of time before they fall. And when they do... I'll be there to sift through the ashes."
Applejack slammed her hoof down on the bar top at the brazen declaration, causing the nearby dinnerware to clatter noisily. She had had enough of Twilight's self assured attitude, it made her furious. "Graaaaah! That miserable little pissant! She thinks she's better than us?! She thinks she can stop us!? Well, we'll show her! We'll show them all!"
Everyone at the cantina recoiled from her outburst, they fell back on one another, staring with slack jawed surprise as Applejack's face turned bright red. Even Spatula Stanley couldn't help but back himself up to the stovetop just to avoid her ire.
"W-whoa, calm down there, Applejack," Lightning stammered. "She's full of hot air, you know that. That's no reason to get our breakfast all over the floor."
"You don't get it, Lightning!" Applejack roared, turning her gaze to the pegasus, nostrils flared and eyes narrowed. "You heard what she said, saw how she acted! That treacherous bitch thinks we're not a serious threat! That we're just another hurdle to jump past towards that humanist future she loves so damned much!"
"But she just said we were dangerous!" Snips argued.
"Dangerous in the same way a loose rug is to the elderly! Dangerous in the way a choking hazard is to a foal!" Applejack fumed, grinding her teeth. "You don't know her like I do, I can tell from her body language alone that she looks down on us like we're just some roach on the rug!"
"That's bullshit and you know it, Applejack!" Limestone confronted Applejack. "We hit twenty seven buildings! Twenty seven at once all over this goddess forsaken rock! Hundreds dead, thousands injured or dying! We made our statement! They know us, they fear us, they understand just what kind of power they're up against!"
"They understand nothing!" Applejack angrily retorted. She turned away, scrunching her face up in frustrations. "We haven't been doing enough, we've barely scratched the surface! Our emergence was nothing but lame theatre to them!"
"Then we just have to work harder," Lightning uttered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Redouble our efforts in finding Celestia, bomb more city centers, assassinate more politicians, kidnap hostages, whatever it takes. If we keep at it our faith and hard work will be rewarded in the end.
And when Twilight is dead at our hooves and our flag flies victoriously atop the ruins of the UN building we'll be made saints, Applejack. Saint! Our faces are gonna be in every book, every statue, every stained glass window in every church across the globe! I know in my heart that's what will happen, because we are loyal, because we're true to the ideals of old Equestria, and because we're the good guys in this fucked up story!"
"Tsk," Applejack frowned, but Lightning's word had successfully helped to simmer her down. Her faith was true. She was still alive, Celestia had not abandoned her loyal subjects. Not yet at least. Feeling resolve well from within, she pulled herself away from the cantina and started trotting to the main atrium "...Spatula Stanley, keep my meal hot," she said as she trotted, "I've got some preparations to do..."
Morning prayer was in session.
Everypony had gathered in the main atrium as they do everyday, silently reciting litanies and verses from the Lexicon of Harmony to bolster their confidence in the war they fight.
Sweetie Drops led from the front atop a stage. She stood behind a podium, praying and keeping an eye on Celestia's loyal flock to ensure their faith was ironclad and resolute at all times, lest she seek out the weak of will to be harshly reprimanded for their moment of doubt. Beside her was Applejack and Rainbow Dash, quietly reading to themselves at their own pace. Behind them was a large marble statue of the alicorn goddesses, depicting Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Flurry Heart as beautiful and immaculate beings of infallible presence. Twilight's imagery, unsurprisingly, had been smashed at with a hammer and her stony visage was as warped as the EFF's perception of her.
When all was said and done, everypony closed their lexicons and stood at attention as Applejack took to the podium for her closing speech.
Clearing her throat, Applejack, still weary from before, cast a hardened gaze upon her colleagues before opening her mouth to speak,
"...This is only the beginning," she began, her face impassive and her posture rigid. Yet when she spoke her words burned with the fiery passion of the sun. "The world knows who we are now, but the humans and their obedient little pony pets pretend we're little more than a nuisance. That we won't be responsible for bringing about the rebirth of Equestria, the Equestria that earned its right as the center of all good things. The old Equestria. The true Equestria." She paused, taking in the embolden sights of her comrade before continuing.
"Four years ago our enemies stole away our light.
Princess Celestia, our nation's mother.
Today, we remember the hope she gave us.
The purpose that she gave us.
The vision she gave us.
A vision in which the our people reclaim their rightful place in this universe.
Years from now we will tell our foals of that day!
The day her vision became our reality!
Hail, Celestia!
Hail, Equestria!
Hail, the Equestrian Freedom Fighters!"
She concluded with a proud raise of her hoof and her fellows followed suit, roaring fervently with fanatical zeal, shaking the rock walls with their enthusiasm as they truly began a four year long campaign of terror.
A campaign celebrating the glory of losers.
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😁 Couldn't of said it better myself, especially since we know what happens in Useless. Good luck, losers!
Oh no. This isn't good. We might be in real trouble, here. Wait, how does this end again?
... oh. Right. Heh.
I'm guessing you meant "aspire".
And so the blind zealots march on... Just like humans of old.
A bit on-the-nose, wouldn't you say?
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11053863
I was thinking on pro-Confederate nostalgic morons, those who keep rambling about their "Lost Cause". Or the guy with the confederate battle flag during the Capitol riots.
thumbs.gfycat.com/FatherlyLimpingCirriped-max-1mb.gif
Behold the idiot in its natural glory...
I wonder if it ever crossed their minds that humanity might just get so sick of violently xenophobic ponies that they could opt for a permanent solution.
Say with multiple 100+ kiloton strikes until nothing is left of Equestria but glass and shadows burned it ruins.
11053952
Of course it didn't. They still think they're the 'good guys'. And they know for sure that the good guys always win. You know, as long as you ignore every instance they didn't.
It's funny how they think that only the good guys win. Maybe in their world, but in our world there is only one rule: Do or die.
I hope Sweetie Drops' personal hell is being forced to watch Celestia's execution on loop for all eternity.
The economy is stable and people can afford living. Oh no, the horror!
Hold up, this ain't EaW.
11054024
GOOD LORD! THE HORRORS OF A POST WAR ECONOMIC RECOVERT!
HOW CAN THE HUMANS BESTOW SUCH HORROR UPON THE PONIES!?
*ehm*
That aside, this is a really nice chapter that explores how the EFF mentality operates. Seeking refuge in audacity so that could continue convicing themselves to keep fighting until the very end.
The more they wish to prove humans wrong, the more they act like humans.
I never thought I'd see Snips and Snails of all ponies join a terrorist organization.
11054114
they do seem like the sorts to get wrapped up in cults. although they also seem the sort to get kicked out of said cults.
11053863
to be fair they did reach that point already, it's like a 'hey can I copy your homework? Sure, just change it up a little' kind of deal for them
Glad to see this is still going
I really want a chapter detailing Celestias execution, with everyone’s reactions to it. From Celestia herself staring down the numerous barrels aimed at her, to the “Freedom Fighters” watching their god vanish into ash.
Beyond this I loved the chapter, we get a good idea of AJs motivations. She might say she wants to bring back Equestria, but her surroundings tell a different story. She’s a broken mare who wants revenge on humans for having the gall to pay them back for their actions, taking away her family.
Additionally it sounds like the Freedom Fighters are isolating themselves with their actions. They aren’t winning hearts and minds with their attacks, but they don’t understand why. They just assume with a bough noise others will follow. But if anything it’s likely souring ponies views on them, because things are slowly getting better, then they show up and blow everything to heck!
It hints to me Celestia didn’t really plan out their tactics well enough beyond causing trouble. Perhaps she assumed more automatic support for them, thus propaganda was redundant. Additionally Sweetie Drops might be in over her head, sure she can plan a terrorist attack, but can she win over the screwed up kids? Even without the destruction of the base, I’m willing to bet long term it would have slowly collapsed in on its self. If you don’t have new recruits you eventually cease to exist. Overtime some ponies might have even become disillusioned and just left.
Pretty sad and exciting considering what happens in "useless" they were fighting for what they thought was right but there was a VERY big elephant in the room. How is an organization made of 1000's with little to no technology or magic and who have shown their face's to the people and ponies of the world gonna go against the might of an entire planet including their own race?
Both AJ and RD are nothing but damn fools. And they die as they lived. Fucking losers.
11054713
Agreed. *Scornful chuckle* You know, every time I read a chapter about these two going down the deep end and further being unreasonable and murderous even to their own kind, it makes me sick to my stomach. Nothing but stubborn, narcissistic, fanatics clinging to the past. As far as I'm concerned, they don't deserve to be Honestly or Loyalty. These two bitches, especially Sweetie Drop and others like them, deserve each other...in Hell!
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The big plan involved rescuing their "true goddess" Celestia to guide them and bring the malcontent ponies back into the fold.
Failing that, their only hope was stealing the ascension spell from Twilight and creating another alicorn loyal to the cause. Which also failed.
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It's more then that. Applejack was greedy lying backstabber. She was selling out her own follow ponies, her follow Ponyvillians to the ESS, Equestria's own KGB, who make any ponies who thinks of desertion or choosing to join the resistance, "disappear". All for what? Money of course. All for that almighty gold bit. She can lie all she want, that she was being a "good patriotic Equestrian citizen", when the truth says otherwise. Rarity was right, AJ is nothing but a stupid, pigheaded, inbred, dirt-encrusted, apple-fucking, pony-selling, hillbilly.
As for Rainbow Dash, what can I say about her? She's stubborn, egotistical, arrogant, and etc. Who was completely blinded by her own loyalty to that Sun Tyrant. That she failed to see the writing on the wall.... or maybe she did and simply refused to accept it. Either way it doesn't matter. Because in the end, when she saw all her fellow Wonderbolts being swatted like flies. Getting killed left to right. She lost all of her bravado and cowardly flew away with her tail between her legs leaving the others to die. Even Scootaloo, a pony who was not just her number one fan, but a spiritual sister to her. And RD just left her to die, she didn't even tried to save her or anything.
So yeah, both of them got what they fucking deserve in "Useless".
They're no damn freedom fighters, they're just a bunch of fanatical terrorists that needed to be put down like rapid dogs.
And may they burn in the nine levels of hell for all eternity.
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Yes but even if they did succeed in freeing celestia or obtaining the ascension spell, they would have still lost since with the thalman generators the alicorns and ponies loss their main weapon(almost only weapon) and i don't think physical prowess can go against a bomb or a bullet.
Daaaaaaamn
!!!
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😁 You got that right.
11055210
Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and say it: Rainbow Dash is a miniature version of Celestia. Everything that has come out of her fucking mouth sounds more like that tyrant talking than her. The stubbornness, the ego, the misguided self-righteousness and yeah, the fucking arrogance paints a very clear picture to me. She's not even sounding like Canon Rainbow Dash anymore. Just some obedient newfoal in her skin.
And Applejack? Hoo boy. If Canon Applejack ever saw this version of her, she would buck her strong legs into her big-time until she's a broken heap!
Hmph. Calling themselves 'Real Equestrians'. Who the fuck are they kidding?! It's like I said before, good luck, losers, on trying to convince anyone anywhere to side with you!
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You know, when you think about it, what it comes down to is this: Celestia made this entire war with humanity about her. No compromise, no forms of moral judgment, and especially no Harmony. No, just plain narcissism, nihilism, and sadism. She even use her own family and her subjects to suit her purposes. That's not Harmony, that's plain acts of tyranny and fear.
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"You can't spell Harmony without harm." -Celestia (probably)
11057900
...Wow. Good point. Though I can't believe she took that literally.
11057095
VERY good question!
Badass tidbit:
Celestia: Rules were meant to be broken.
Harmony: The hell it does!
Then Harmony turned the Tyrant Sun to stone, never to be freed again.
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You know it's a well-made story when it can genuinely make the reader angry towards characters.
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"You can't spell Harmony without mony." -Applejack (probably)
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Damn right.
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Wake up and smell the ashes...
11057128
I still haven't forgiven her for playing on Cadence's emotions to use the Crystal Cannon 😡
If the Bit would be less than the metal in it, ponies would withdraw them from the banks, sell them for scrap, and pocket the difference. Countries undergoing hyperinflation have all of their coins scrapped and only have paper-money in circulation.