Episode 16: "Farmer Tirek"
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As the sun rose on a new day in Equestria, Tirek and Chrysalis laid fast asleep on top of one another, grateful that they could spend another day together that wasn't triggered by their past misfortunes.
But Tirek had a dream, a vision to go the next step in trying to erase his past life as a villain. It all started with a knock on the door of their halfway house.
"Tirek?" The former villains heard a voice, followed by a louder knock. "Tirek, I know you're in there."
Weakly opening one eye, Chrysalis groaned while looking towards her lover. "Is it…time yet?" She groggily asked and Tirek groaned in response. "I thought she was your daughter."
"At night, she's yours," Tirek muttered before climbing out of bed and slowly yawning as he walked to the door. "What is it, Cozy Glow?"
"Scorpan wanted to see if you were looking for that farm you've been blabbering about," Cozy Glow answered. "That farm you want to own for ourselves."
A small smile came onto Tirek's face upon what Cozy Glow had said. "Tell him I'll be right out." He directed, and Cozy Glow left.
"A farm?" Chrysalis moaned as she flew out of bed. "Why out of all the things you want to do with your life do you want to own a farm? I mean, what would we produce?"
"Everything that the ponies and creatures of Equestria need," Tirek answered. "I think it's time we do some service to Princess Twilight and her friends…"
"I can't believe what you are saying," Chrysalis sighed, placing her black crown on her head. "Wanting to create a farm to serve Equestria."
"It's the only option we have," Tirek replied as he opened the door to the bedroom. "You know the terms of our probation that came with our guilty plea. Besides, what do you want us to be viewed as, aside from all we have done?"
Chrysalis said nothing and followed Tirek out of the bedroom. Downstairs, Scorpan sat and waited for them to arrive along with Cozy Glow.
"Tirek, good to see you're awake," Scorpan remarked. "I have good news."
"What good news?" Tirek inquired. "Will Princess Twilight agree to allow us to look at land for our next home?"
"That's the thing," Cozy Glow nervously replied. "The only land that is capable is…right next door to Sweet Apple Acres. So, golly, we would be living next door to Princess Applejack and her family."
Tirek's eyes widened in shock as he absorbed the possibility of living next door to one of his former enemies!
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"Living next door to Applejack, Scorpan?" Chrysalis remarked. "Princess Twilight couldn't have picked any other options, you winged monstrosity?!"
"No, those were the only options available under the terms of your deal," Scorpan answered. "It's either that, or you might as well all go back to being stone."
Knowing how much she despised Applejack along with the rest of the princesses, Chrysalis rolled her eyes in disgust. "Must she humiliate us further, Tirek?" Chrysalis asked. "Even after all we had done in betraying and stopping Grogar, the humiliation must continue."
"It's not a humiliation, Chrysalis," Cozy Glow suggested. "Golly, we would be learning the importance of hard work. And who knows? Maybe we might see something in Applejack that we haven't seen before. She isn't the Princess of Honesty for nothing. Wouldn't it be nice to have some neighbors and be part of a community?"
Sighing, Tirek agreed with his daughter, but Chrysalis was a whole other story. "Look, I want what's best for all of us, Chrysalis," He explained. "Do you think I can spend another day in this confined hole? I mean, it's a halfway house for crying out loud! It's not meant to be permanent!"
Chrysalis said nothing and proceeded to leave the kitchen.
"Maybe she just doesn't like being in a farm-like setting," Cozy Glow guessed as she drank a cup of milk. "It can't be any worse than what we've been through though."
"You're right, Cozy," Tirek remarked. "We have been given a second chance and part of what your 'mother' believes is the complete opposite. Still, I can't help but wonder what Applejack thinks about this."
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Sure enough, at that very moment, Applejack went about bucking her family's crop, thinking deeply about the idea as a whole in the time since Twilight had proposed it to her.
"Lord Tirek and Queen Chrysalis running a farm is like a batpony in a bloodbath," Applejack said to Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh. "I get that they want to redeem themselves, but does it have to be next door to us? Can't they go somewhere else?"
"Well, you are a princess of Equestria now, sis," Apple Bloom remarked as she dumped her bucket of apples into a large bin. "You gotta show a good example."
"But I'm the princess of honesty, little sis. And if I'm bein' honest, I would say that I don't think Chrysalis and Tirek livin' so close to us is a good idea," Applejack huffed. "They may have helped us defeat Grogar and his minions, but that don't mean they're off the hook for what they did to us before. Far as I'm concerned, they're lucky they ain't rottin' in a jail cell or dungeon somewhere."
"But Apple Bloom's right, AJ," Big Macintosh spoke up walking over to his sisters. "Bein' a princess means that sometimes you have to make tough decisions. Decisions that involve puttin' aside your personal feelin''s and doin' what's best for everypony. Besides, from what I hear, Cozy Glow seems to be repentant of her actions. If there's even a chance she and her 'family' are sincere about their change of heart, shouldn't we believe 'em and give 'em a chance?"
"But their history…what does that say about them?" Applejack asked with a deep and worried look on her face. "I get that Twilight wants to promote diversity, equality and inclusion throughout Equestria. But to include those creatures that among other things destroyed the Golden Oak Library, kidnapped Princess Cadence and tried to rip off Spike's wings it's…it's…well, it's not the proper thing. I might be willin' to put in a good word for 'em somewhere else, but I ain't about to let 'em move in next door to us!"
Later, Applejack arrived in her family's home with the harvest to be transformed into one of the many apple products that they sold. There she saw her sister-in-law, Sugar Belle, hard at work. "Sugar Belle, can I ask you somethin'?"
"Of course, Applejack," Sugar Belle answered, taking the bucket of apples and placing them on the counter. "What is it?"
Applejack sighed and took a deep breath. "When Starlight Glimmer reformed thanks to Twilight, did you ever agree to give her another chance? I mean, I know you welcomed her back to her old village for a festival. But I don't remember you invitin' her to your weddin' to Big Mac even though ya invited those other ponies you were friends with."
Sugar Belle immediately inquired. "This is about what's happening next door, right?"
Applejack nodded. "Yeah. I know Starlight did some horrible things, but Twilight saw good in her and apparently managed to get Starlight to come to her senses. But Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow are different because of what they did to Equestria. I mean, if I could welcome them with opening hooves, I would. But, I can't. Not after all my friends and I have been through 'cause of them."
To Sugar Belle, there was only one solution to the matter. "Perhaps it's a good idea to give them at least one second chance, Applejack," She advised. "It wasn't easy, but I was able to do it for Starlight much like you and your friends did. Who knows? Maybe you might learn something about those three that you may not have seen otherwise."
Those words did little to ease the anxieties going through Applejack's mind.
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Later, Applejack made her way over to the graves of Granny Smith and her parents, hoping to seek their advice and guidance on the situation. Sitting down, she looked down at the tombstones with a hopeful look in her eyes. "Granny," Applejack asked, taking off her hat in respect for her dead relatives. "I don't know if you can hear me, but…I need your help."
A few moments later, Applejack saw what appeared to be the ghost of Granny Smith coming out of the tombstone and looking down at her. "Well, lookie here, Applejack," She spoke up. "You know I'm always here to help you, child. Now what's the problem?"
"It's Tirek, and his so-called wife and daughter: Chrysalis and Cozy Glow," Applejack confessed. "They want to build and own a farm next door to us, to us!"
A deeply concerned look came onto Granny Smith's face, but she kept her ideas to herself. "Who says?"
"Twilight says, Granny," Applejack replied as she deeply sighed. "I'm all for second chances, but there are times where bein' honest can be difficult."
"Honesty is one thing, Applejack," Granny Smith spoke up. "Second chances are another."
"But you and Grand Pear, you refused to give each other a second chance until we came along, or at least Apple Bloom did." Applejack protested.
"Yes, and look at what that led us to," Granny replied. "Apples and Pears are together again because we agreed to give each other a second chance. Your ma and pa are more and more happier everyday here in heaven, and all because I was willin' to give your ma a second chance. To invite her into the family despite what she was."
Just then, Applejack had another thought cross her mind. "Granny, do you…do you remember when Tirek destroyed Twilight's library?"
"Oh, that was a shame," Granny Smith slowly nodded. "Poor thing lost everythin' she owned in the library. But why would you…?"
"-That's besides the point," Applejack interrupted her grandmother's spirit. "I think Tirek is more guilty of destroyin' the library more than anythin'. Yet, there's…there's a side to him that proves he wasn't born of pure evil. I think he wants to fix what he caused. But… how can I be sure? How can I trust him after what he's done?"
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"Fix Twilight's library? Is that what this is all about?" Cozy Glow asked Tirek at the breakfast table. "Is that why you want to go into farming?"
"Who would want to bring me on as a hard working repentant creature, Cozy Glow?" Tirek retorted. "Nopony or nocreature would. So I need to go into business for myself. I need to prove to everypony and everycreature in Equestria that I am not the monster they think I am. That I can be like one of them, co-exist in peace with them for the rest of my days."
Tirek then walked over to the icebox and pulled out some ketchup and mustard. Pointing them down to the table, he started to spray them on it. "Pretend that this is Applejack's farm and this is our farm," He explained. "The mustard is our farm and the ketchup is Applejack's farm. Applejack's farm only produces apples. Our farm is going to produce more than that. Eggs, milk, meat. It will have everything!"
"You mean we will have everything?" Cozy Glow asked. "Are we going to create jobs for ponies and creatures?"
Tirek nodded. "Yes, because that's what you want, right Scorpan?"
"Exactly, brother." Scorpan replied with a smile.
"And more importantly," Tirek went on. "I can start raising money to rebuild Twilight's library."
Cozy Glow blinked in surprise. "Can't they just use magic?"
"No, Cozy Glow," Tirek replied. "Everything in Ponyville needs to be done the earth pony way. AND that includes building the farm from the ground up."
"Well, how are we going to start raising animals?" Cozy whispered to herself. "Let alone getting them."
Meanwhile, Chrysalis sat on the front steps of the halfway house and contemplated Tirek's plans to become a farmer. In her mind, being a farmer was not what she had in mind. "Tirek? A farmer? Outrageous!" She thought to herself. "Why would I, a queen, want to spend the rest of my existence on a farm?! It doesn't make sense to me!"
Then Chrysalis began to get an idea to remind herself that she was doing this for Tirek, the creature that she loved. "But I love him," Chrysalis continued to think. "I swore to myself to follow him wherever he goes. It's not my style to be a farmer, but I'll do it anyway for him and Cozy Glow."
Just then, Chrysalis saw a pony pulling a heavy cart filled with ears of corn. Unfortunately, the load was too heavy for the pony to pull and he ended up collapsing as Chrysalis came over to aid him. "Are you all right?" she asked, much to the pony's shock. "Can you pull on your own?"
The pony said nothing, but nodded that he couldn't. Quickly changing into a copy of the pony, Chrysalis set to fix herself to the wagon and with all her strength, pulled the wagon along while the pony looked on.
"Just be lucky, I am trying to be nice," Chrysalis thought to herself as she struggled on with the heavy load. Just then, Chrysalis saw Fair Chance, her probation officer make his way over to the halfway house. Fair Chance turned and saw the disguised Chrysalis, much to his confusion. "Fair Chance! If he sees me, I'm dead as a duck!"
But much to Chrysalis' relief, Fair Chance didn't spot her and proceeded on to the halfway house as if nothing had happened.
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Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was still dealing with the dilemma of having three of her worst enemies be next door neighbors.
"But why would he want to rebuild the library?" Applejack asked as she paced back and forth in front of the three graves. "We dug it up and turned the remains into a chandelier."
"Yes, but it's all for the best," Granny Smith replied. "Tirek wants to repent for his tomfoolery. I know I would do the same if I were him."
"So, you're telling' me that everythin' you say is honest and true," Applejack began to speak up. "That Tirek wants to atone for what he did. It's not that simple, Granny. Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow are still a threat, no matter how hard they try. They can't escape their past."
"I wouldn't say that would I, child?" Granny remarked with a wry chuckle. "Ponyville needs a library and he's the only one who can deliver."
Before Applejack could say another word, Granny Smith disappeared from view and back to the grave. Now all Applejack could do was hope for the best at the idea of Sweet Apple Acres becoming neighbors.
Just then, she saw Twilight being escorted towards the site of the new farm Tirek wanted to build.
"Kind of small, but manageable," Twilight said, digging her hoof into the earth and running the first through. "Are they sure this is what they want?"
"I'm positive," Spike nodded back. "This is what was said in the report."
Clearing her throat, Twilight pondered the matter in front of her: Whether or not to let three of her enemies have a home next to the Princess of Honesty. By letting them build the farm, she would give Equestria's economy a high interest rate and most importantly, give three former enemies a chance to repent for their actions.
"Spike, I can't help but wonder if this is going to work," Twilight said to her royal advisor and brother figure. "I get what Tirek is trying to do, but…will the rest of Equestria follow suit? Will they allow it? Will they accept it?"
"Beats me, Twilight," Spike replied. "All we have to do now is hope for the best. You said it yourself, this is the only plot of land available to them. If they're really intent on going through with this, they'll have to learn to accept their new neighbors."
The more Twilight thought about it, the more she couldn't help but picture Tirek's new farm. "I think they should be given a chance, Spike," Twilight declared and left. "Send a note to Hard Hat…I want construction to begin tonight. We must give them a chance to prove that they've changed."
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Back at the halfway house, Tirek, Cozy Glow and Scorpan were waiting for Chrysalis to return from her sudden errand. Just then, the door opened in stepped Chrysalis, looking quite surprised!
"Chrysalis, what happened?" Tirek asked.
"I saw Fair Chance and I had to keep a low profile so he wouldn't catch me!" Chrysalis panted. "What did he say earlier?!"
"Golly, we told him that you would be in the middle of something, honest," Cozy Glow hesitantly replied. "We didn't tell him anything else."
"At ease, Cozy Glow," Chrysalis sighed. "I helped a pony that was struggling with a cart filled with corn, that's all."
"And?" Tirek asked. "What did you think of it?"
"I think I understand now why you want to build a farm in the first place," Chrysalis guessed. "It's not just because you want to redeem yourself, but also to help rebuild Twilight's library that you destroyed. Is all of this true?"
Silently, Tirek nodded his head as there was another knock on the door.
In stepped Fair Chance with a scroll in his mouth. "Princess Twilight asked me to deliver this to you." He said and unfurled the scroll.
Tirek studied it closely with deep respect. He would get his farm at last on the grounds of Sweet Apple Acres.
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Even in death, granny smith still gives good advice.
Looks like things are going to be bumpy for the trio but will end up fine in the end.
It's gonna be all kinds of awkward having the ex-Legion of Doom for neighbors.