The Equestrian Revolution

by Synclair

Chapter 9 - Honesty

Chapter 9: Honesty

We returned to Trotten. Silver-Lined flew me on his back, just the two of us, to calm me down. But the snivels just came in short intervals. I tried to do that icy breath thing again but nothing happened. Silver-Lined asked what I was doing but I just said that it was nothing.

At Trotten, there was a crisis between ponies. Pegasi and unicorns surrounded the earth pony garden where the Trotten crops were grown as food. Both the Pegasi and unicorns yelled and insulted the earth ponies for not being able to grow enough food to compensate the growing population of Trotten.

“They’re not even growing enough for our soldiers!” a unicorn said.

Eventually Spitfire dismissed everyone and Elven Spices went to tend the garden with the earth ponies. We all entered the Inn and immediately, Silver-Lined, Brass Tacks and Kiara left me to go to their own rooms. Inkwell and I sat across from each other at a table. He was busy reading a book.

“Can you read it to me?” I asked.

Inkwell lifted his eyes, “Uhh… you can read, right?”

I nodded.

“Uh-huh! I’m not stupid! Mom used to be a writer too and she taught me everything I knew about reading and writing!” I said.

“Right, let’s go to your room then, shall we?” Inkwell offered.

My room was his room, he had visited it before me and he studied the place for a while before sitting next to me on the bed. There was a bellow of laughter from below and Inkwell rolled his eyes before chortling to himself. He placed three books on the bedspread in front of us: Wings of Love, The Land Beyond Nightmares and The History of Equestria: Hearths Warming Eve Tales.

“Your pick,” Inkwell said.

I grabbed ‘The Land Beyond Nightmares’, practically hugging it as I dragged it onto my lap.

“Where’s Blue Bonnet?” I asked as he took the book from my lap.

He opened the book on the first page before replying. “A Wonderbolt took her to Manehattan so she could work with Rarity to create new apparel for all of us that need them. They both share the same passion for fashion,”

Inkwell read the first word before stopping and looking at me with sad eyes. I scooted over to him and ducked under his right arm so it was wrapped around my back. He squeezed me tight before reading. It was about a young filly in a world not so different from the one I was living in. It was Equestria ruled by a different devil, Nightmare Moon.

“I can relate!” I said.

Inkwell laughed softly.

We were halfway through the story and I was lying down on Inkwell’s lap as he read. My eyes were slowly starting to close but I knew I’d regret it. The filly was now in a new land called Equesyium where she was adopted by the Executive Leader of Military Defense, learning and training alongside him. Inkwell paused for a moment and patted my mane.

“Did you find anything?” Inkwell asked, “anything you want to talk about?”
I reached over to my saddlebag and pulled out my Mom’s diary. He seemed a bit skeptical at first as I showed it to him. Then I began to turn the pages and he gave a sigh as he knew that I couldn’t read it because of the handwriting. I turned over to where a couple of red dots were present, this was the page.

His eyes widened and his brows furrowed before he gave a frown. He looked at me for a brief moment before closing the small book and placing it in my saddlebag. I looked at him for an answer but his face was blank. He hugged me tight.

“What does it say?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Inkwell sighed, “nothing at all.”

I wrestled in his grip and pounced out in front of him before turning around to face him. My muscles were tense and I could feel my eyes starting to water. Inkwell looked upset but he tried his best to put on a fake smile. The book he was reading slid off his legs and fell limply onto the ground.

“What did it say?” I asked, my voice was strained and high in anger, “Discord said that they weren’t my parents, is it true?”

“Glace, I hate seeing you like this. Discord was lying to you,” Inkwell said.

“Then why won’t you tell me what it said?” I wailed.

The regular muffled chatting of the bar below was gone and I could feel my breath turning to ice.

“I’m just upset that you’re just a young, fragile foal and Discord did this to you. Look at you, you’re a mess. The entire page is all about how much you mean to your Mom, come on, come here.” Inkwell wrapped his forelegs around me and I sobbed into his coat.

I fell asleep.

* * *

Moonlight flooded in through the window when I woke up. An arm was wrapped around me and I twisted around to see that it was Silver-Lined. He yawned and stretched before opening his eye sluggishly. He gave a goofy grin before kissing my mane. His hug tightened and I burrowed into his chest. He felt like a brother to me.

“How are you feeling, Glace-o?” Silver-Lined yawned.

I shrugged. My eyes felt puffy and my heart was still giving off an erratic beat. I noticed that I was in Silver-Lined’s bedroom.

“Do you want a drink?” Silver-Lined asked before sitting up on his haunches.

I shook my head and tackled him down, wrestling my way into his forelegs again and nestling in the warmth of his coat.

“Settle down there,” Silver-Lined laughed, “we’re going to the new Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack. But just rest for now, alright Glace-o? Nighty-night.”

* * *

Elven Spices’ Inn was rearranged so it was able to fit in a stage for ponies with a knack for entertainment or in case someone wanted to give a speech. Brass Tacks and Elven Spices put it to good use as they declared their plan to travel to Sweet Apple Acres to find a reliable source of food. Everypony cheered and before Brass and Elven stepped off stage, they shared an intimate kiss. I turned around to see Silver-Lined and Kiara kissing too. Too much love.

Before we left I tried to look for Inkwell, not even Blue Bonnet knew where he was. I found pieces of paper on his bed and photos of me with the scratched faces of my parents. I didn’t have enough time to process my thoughts though as Silver-Lined whisked me by the mane and plopped me on his back and left for Sweet Apple Acres.

“What’s the deal with this Applejack mare?” I asked.

Brass Tacks looked at me as if to say ‘you’re joking, right?’

Elven Spices was the one who answered me though. “The Element of Honesty, strong-willed mare. Family means a lot to Applejack, to the Apple Family for that matter. So when Discord threatened to kill her older brother, little sister and her grandmother, she had nothing else to do but supply him and his Commune with food.”

Sweet Apple Acres was located far from civilization in a secluded, private part of Equestria. It was nestled in a valley and surrounded by large hills. There were only a couple of apple trees around the small cottage and I wondered how in Equestria she able to provide for Discord. A couple of zebras set up camp on the hills and had a few sniper nests. Suddenly, a siren sounded in the distance and a tiny crater formed in front of Silver-Lined. The zebras spotted us.

We galloped down the hill. Silver-Lined lost his footing and tumbled violently down the hill while I rolled like a little white bouncy ball. Brass Tacks tried his best to keep up with me and lift me up but what I lacked in size, I made up in speed and I began to pick up the velocity as I rolled down the hill. Bullets flew all around us and zebras were wailing in their own language. Kiara howled and fell to the ground. I caught a quick glimpse of a red ribbon being released from her right hind leg. Silver-Lined was stumbling on his hooves at the bottom of the hill with his eyes rolling around. Brass Tacks dove underneath Kiara and lifted her up on his back, carrying her down the rest of the way.

“What in tarnation?” An orange coloured pony immerged from cottage before squealing and running back in.

We battered in the door for her to open up and repeating that we weren’t zebras and we weren’t here to kill her. The large wooden door gave a loud ker-chunk! as it opened and we all toppled inside at the orange mare’s hooves. There was a long pause while the orange mare whizzed around the house, closing metal shutters over the window and locking the front door. Her blonde mane was tied into a messy ponytail and she gave a feeble smile when she was finished.

“Applejack,” Silver-Lined greeted, his voice wavered, “so nice to finally meet you.”

Applejack scoffed and they both shook hooves. Brass Tacks was in a totally different world though. He was moving swiftly as he threw Kiara down on top of the couch and began to fiddle in my saddlebags for something. He swore and shut my saddlebags with nothing in his muzzle or hooves. Elven Spices moved to his side. Kiara had been shot. The colour from her coat grew a bit pale and she was sweating.

Silver-Lined stumbled over to her, still dizzy and comforted her. Applejack still stood there, not sure what to do. We were probably the first pony-visit she ever had in a while. I trotted over to Kiara and she gave a smile. Yep, she was going to live. Elven Spices insisted that the bullet went right through without causing major damage and Kiara gave a sigh of relief but Brass Tacks locked a hard gaze on her with his jaws clenched tightly.

Elven Spices went into my saddlebags to find her little first aid kit. Brass Tacks was probably looking at that as he looked stunned, stunned that he couldn’t find it himself. Elven Spices began to clean the wound where Kiara would gasp in pain but eventually let out another sigh of relief as her leg was bandaged.

“What’re y’all doin’ ‘ere?” Applejack asked.

Silver-Lined explained the situation to her. The gunfire had ceased but they could hear the zebras outside. By the time Silver-Lined finished explaining, Applejack gave a nod. Elven Spices asked how she grew enough food for the zebras and Applejack merely led us down into her basement.

The basement was brightly lit with fluorescent tube lights. Rows among rows of shelves containing glass pots of clear liquid and a seed lined the basement. At first I thought it was water but it wasn’t, it smelled disgustingly antiseptic. A couple of the glass pots contained green stalks with apples hanging on the side. These weren’t apple trees.

“Hydroponics,” Kiara managed to groan out while Brass Tacks carried her, “how neat.”

“Ah’d rather do it the Apple Family way, y’know? But this is what Discord wants,” Applejack explained, “’sides, Big Mac has been too sick fer work ‘n Apple Bloom is too young ‘n we also don’t have enough room for a proper apple orchard.”

“W- Wait… Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom are here?” Elven Spices asked.

Applejack nodded, “’Course, Granny Smith too.”

“What’s Discord holding you against then?” Elven Spices asked.

“Well, Discord has threatened he’d take ‘em both away from me if Ah don’t comply. B- but Ah’m more than happy to help ‘im as long as he doesn’t pull any of them tricks,” Applejack said.

“R- right…” Elven Spices said.

“Honestly, I don’t like it o’course but there’s nothin’ Ah can do… Ah’d love to help ya but I don’t wanna risk the life of mah family,” Applejack said.

Silver-Lined shook his head with a smile, “No! No of course not,”

We walked around the basement, studying the plants. I thought apples only grew on trees? But here they were, growing on thick green stems.

“Chemically made,” Applejack said, disgusted, “it’s a disgrace.”

We wandered back upstairs and Applejack fetched us an apple pie. We sliced it up and offered some to her but she shook her head. It tasted weird, it had a sour aftertaste and wasn’t sweet at all. She was right, the chemical apples were horrible.

“Can I see your big brother?” Elven Spices asked.

Applejack led us into a tiny room where large, red-coated earth stallion was lying down. In his forelegs was a tiny earth filly who was fast asleep. The stallion’s eyes were barely open and his face was pale. There was a bucket lying next to him and he raised a brow at the group of us. Applejack introduced us and he gave a shaky nod in acknowledgment.

Elven Spices pulled out the first aid kit again. She tested his temperature while placing a hoof on his forehead. She nodded as if she knew she was right and then pulled a bottle of pills out before putting them in his mouth. She made a gentle motion for him to swallow and he did.

“H- Hey!” Applejack yelled, “don’t go puttin’ weird stuff that I don’t know about in his mouth!”

Apple Bloom moved around but was still asleep. Her eyes looked puffy like mine.

“Relax Applejack; he just has a really strong fever. Those pills will help him settle down a bit. I advise you keep Apple Bloom out of this room for a while before she catches the fever to you, ultimately leading to your sickness,” Elven Spices said.

Applejack nodded her head although she looked confused. Big Mac shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. Applejack’s eyes began to tear up but she held them back and led us outside into the main room. She didn’t want to disturb Apple Bloom right now.

“The best I can do is give you pouches of seeds, apples, carrots, celery stalks, colorful flowers too if you want ‘em,” Applejack offered.

Silver-Lined nodded, “That’s more than enough. But I guarantee you, we’ll give you your freedom soon… I mean, why don’t you just come with us to Trotten? Abandon this place. We’ll definitely keep you safe and concealed at Trotten.”

Applejack bit her bottom lip.

“We’ll give you time to reconsider, we’ll send some Wonderbolts over to see if you’re willing. They’ll travel with you,” Silver-Lined said.

There was a pound at the door and everypony tensed. Applejack moved towards the door slowly and opened it. It was Soarin’.

“Howdy there,” Applejack greeted.

“Soarin’!” I cheered and leaped towards him.

He picked me up and propped me onto his back.

“We cleared the zebra menace. I kind of followed you guys and saw that you had yourselves a bit of trouble. I called in some of the Wonderbolts to help. No more zebras!” Soarin’ said.

Applejack’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

I turned around to see zebra bodies all over. A couple of days ago I may have looked away in fear. But now I was happy that they were dead.

“A- Ah think I’ll come to Trotten… once Discord sends his li’l delivery party here to pick up the food and they see this… Ah’ll be dead fer sure. Take me with you,” Applejack sputtered.

Getting Big Macintosh up the hill was hard. Soarin’ and Silver-Lined tried their best to help him although he kept insisting that he could get up on his own. Brass Tacks carried Kiara on his back and I spotted Silver-Lined giving him a dirty look. I was bouncing on Elven Spices back while she walked next to Applejack. Apple Bloom was on Applejack’s back and we looked at each other for a long time.

“Howdy,” Apple Bloom greeted, her voice faltered a bit and her eyes gleamed, “Ah’m Apple Bloom.”

“Hi!” I said, a bit too excitedly, “I’m Glace! Silver calls me Glace-o. I like your mane!”

Her mane was bright orange and red and topped with a pretty pink bow. She smiled at the compliment and thanked me. We played ‘I Spy’ on the way back to Trotten; it was hard because everything was just gray and brown around us. I liked Apple Bloom, but she was no Sweetie Belle.

* * *

“So…” Applejack began, “Discord has never ever been to Trotten?”

Everypony shook their heads and she seemed to settle down a bit. We were inside Trotten now and again, everypony crowded around to greet us. Rarity came out with tears streaming down her eyes as she saw her best friend. Applejack tried her best to hold in the tears but they just came out. Apple Bloom spotted Sweetie Belle and they hugged each other briefly before playing tag.

“Oh Celestia…” Rarity sobbed, “Applejack, I’ve missed you so much.”

Rarity and Applejack walked together towards the garden. Elven Spices led Big Macintosh, Silver-Lined and Soarin’ into her Inn with Brass Tacks and Kiara following. I followed them too. I wanted to see if Inkwell was back.

Inkwell sat on the bed with his back towards me. He was looking through my old photo album. When did he take that out of my bag? I looked in my saddlebag but the album was still there. How in Equestria did he get his hands on…

“You went to Gallapolopolis…” I said.

Inkwell turned around quickly and shut the album, “I… yes…”

“And my parents aren’t really my parents… are they?” I pressed.

“No, I’m sorry but-”

I cut him off with a wave of a hoof and sat on my haunches. My tears splashed down onto the wooden floor but I was wailing, I wasn’t sobbing. I guess I knew, deep down. Inkwell hugged me and sat me on his lap while we looked through the old photo album.

The mare and stallion that surrounded me while I was smiling were nameless to me. I hadn’t seen them before and it only made me more upset because these were my parents. A white coated earth mare with a dull, gray mane and a snowflake cutie mark and a large, gray stallion with a white mane, his cutie mark was of a compass rose. Signed beneath the photograph in writing that I could read said:

“We love you forever Glace, this war is pointless and I only hope you can wake up before we leave you. We love you forever and always.

From your parents,

Winter Withers and South Pole.”