"Well, unfortunately, that's about all I can do. The rest is up to them. Hopefully I was convincing enough."
"Eeyup."
"Maybe you can give a speech after the debate. Really send them home impressed."
"Eenope."
"Can you say anything but Yes or No?"
"Ee-sometimes."
Laughter.
---
The crowd was oppressive. There were literally ponies shoulder-to-shoulder, jockeying for position in an ill-defined and frequently contradictory line. What was normally a pretty clear spot in town had suddenly become the epicenter of a flood of people. And Applebloom really, really, didn't want to go in there. Not that she had much choice. She was already in trouble for sneaking away from home.
"Alright, 'Bloom. Do ya see him anywhere?"
She didn't have to ask. The glut of ponies in and around the town square was enough to successfully hide anypony, even one as large and brightly colored as her brother.
"Well, he can't go in to the debate. We can jus' wait him out." Applebloom said hopefully. "Maybe once all these ponies are seated, he'll stick out like a sore thumb!"
"Ah don't think so. The debate's not startin' fer another forty minutes. We can find him sooner than that, ah'm sure of it." Applejack said, sternly. "Besides, Ah want this mess taken care of as fast as we can, so that we can get out of here and put this nonsense behind us. Ah think all this talk of "change" got to his head, and it'll get to ours if we let it."
Applebloom's face fell. "I don't like this very much..."
"Just stay close to me. You'll be fine." There was a moment of silence, and then a mischievous smirk crossed the elder Apple's face.
"Maybe you can git a "Private Investigator" Cutie Mark."
---
"Ah still can't believe you knocked the entire line over. Ponies don't jus' fall down like dominoes."
As ponies licked their wounds and gave Applebloom dirty looks, Applejack attempted the impossible task of scanning the crowd without making eye contact with anypony.
"Bloom! Bloom! Ah think I see him." Applejack held her hoof over her eyes like a visor and squinted. "Isn't that him over there?"
Applebloom started to look in the direction of her elder sister's hoof, but was immediately deterred by the glares of those she was pointing over. She replied with a neutral "Maybe."
"Let's go find out. C'mon." Applejack snagged her sister's arm, and the two began plowing through the crowd, one with a determined look and the other staring at the ground.
---
The Doctor, Carmel, and Big Macintosh stood by the wall of a nearby house. Whooves and Carmel were talking while Big Mac listened attentively.
"So, how did you get into the debate again, Carmel?" Doctor Whooves asked, a quizzical look on his face. "I thought the limited seating kept all but voters out."
Carmel smiled. "Voters and Campaign Staff. It was quite simple, really. I am Golden Harvest's official "Grassroots Coordinator". As such, I have a seat right behind the debaters."
The Good Doctor smirked. "You realize that title is completely AS, right?"
"100%"
The two shared a laugh. The normally stoic Big Mac even hinted at a grin.
Carmel shook his head. "But seriously, I can't wait to see the look on the Mayor's face. She'll take one look at me, turn red, and then she'll say-"
"-What in tarnation are ya doin out here?"
The conversation halted, as the intruder made herself known. Applejack had just detached herself and Applebloom (who was very interested in the specific kind of dirt on the courtyard ground) from the ponies in the courtyard. Carmel and The Doctor moved defensively between Applejack and Big Mac, who simply closed his eyes.
"Big Macintosh! I demand an answer!" Applejack stomped her hoof. "Ya've been acting might foalish, stormin' off the farm an' leavin' us high an' dry like that. I had always thought higher of ya then that. You are just like Bloom!"
Bloom moved to complain, but thought better of it.
Applejack's expression softened. "C'mon. We're going home. We lost a lot of light as it is. We're gonna have to stay up late to make up the lost time."
Carmel simply stared at her, almost appraisingly. Whooves mirrored Carmel's extreme calm.
"I'd like to kindly ask ya to step aside. This ain't yer business." Applejack said, addressing the other two for the first time. When they didn't move, she lifted her hoof. "Shoo."
Carmel looked back over at Mac. His eyes remained closed, his head down. There was a tense moment, as both Carmel and Applejack searched for words. Carmel struck first. "Mac, you don't have to listen to her."
"Mac, listen to me!"
"You are your own stallion."
"Ya have responsibilities!"
"You can make your own choices."
"Family comes first, Mac."
"We need you here."
"We need you home."
They alternated sentences at an almost staggering pace, but the last one was spoken in unison.
"Do the right thing."
Carmel turned around once more, and his eyes met Applejack's. She was a pony, just like him. Just because somepony is being unreasonable didn't mean they were somehow sub-pony, despite his political rhetoric. He looked into her green eyes with that piercing stare of his, and then suddenly smiled.
"You can't control him anymore, Applejack. No one can."
Before she could respond, they were gone, and she was left with a (very muddy) Applebloom. The crowd closed in, and the light faded.
"Mac?"
and then she kills him.......... don't fuck with the apple family bonds, ever.
4513575 Rocks fall, everypony dies.
Le trollface.
4513578 maud dbzed a boulder to save pinkie. saying that applejack can do the same.
It's back.
YEEEEESSSSS!!!!
4513591 Glad you came back as well.
4513602 are you kidding? You couldn't keep me away from this story with a knife!
...
Actually you could.
I'm kind of scared of knives.
4513624 i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/181/469/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-brony-bronydundee.jpg
I was looking for the "That's not a Knife" bit, but then I found this.
Being sidetracked is fun.
4513637 and now for something completely different.
"I like trains".
Funny enough, the thought struck me not an hour ago that this story hadn't been updated in forever, and then BAM! Update.
See you around October then.
Fuck you. You come with a chapter and leave with a cliffhanger. It's like you're slowly putting Ferrero Rochers in my mouth, let the scent hit my nose and then you slap the shit out of me. 10/10 good chapter.
I'm going to go AS if you don't stop making these beautiful chapters and then leaving us high to dry.
4513692
you know what going to not read this cuz:
1 stallions are like the women in this fanfic cuz they are treated like crap.
2 getting hit in the dick is too far!
3 I hate politics.
4 im a guy that likes people being treated equally.
5 why would you make a fanfic this harsh on the guys!
4513818
well said my fellow borny, well,said.
Wait a sec.
Applebloom went the long way around after Applejack left. How and why does Applejack even know AB is there? I thought she went to cover the debate for the school paper and that's why she waited for AJ to leave first and then sneak out so that she wouldn't be spotted.
Did you research the Suffragate movement prior to writing this?
Also, am I the only one who finds Rarity's reasons for abstaining to be rather shallow? Applejack I can at least understand because 'Tradition' is basically Gospel to the Apple Clan, and Earth Ponies in general. Hell, a prime example of this can be seen in Winter Wrap Up, with all the rules pertaining to doing things a specific way (Despite it not making one lick of sense).
But...really? Stallions shouldn't vote because they 'might' make 'uncouth' or 'vulgar' choices? She honestly believes the likes of Big Macintosh, Carrot Cake, Filthy Rich and, oh I don't know, HER OWN FATHER would do something like that?
And people wonder why Rarity gets so much flak.
3947426 It's back
Need I say more?
Oohhh boy, it's back and ready for sexism all over again! xD anyways, yes! Finally! Make more or I will shank you with a rusty spoon! :D
4513859
The whole reasons behind the lack of stallion rights in Ponyville are stupid and sexist, why should it surprise you that the ones against it think any different?
THE STORY LIVES, OH I HAVE WAITED FOR THIS DAY
Oh yay. I really like this story.
4513854
Yeah, this was a real problem. I thought the whole reason Apple Bloom took the long way around was to avoid Applejack, because she was told she couldn't go to the debate, and she wanted to anyway. Meesterbob should have least given a few paragraphs or something that shows how Applejack found her.
4513859
Thats exactly the point. Rarity just repeats that she has been taught and what was reinforced by the way stallions in general are treated. She doesent even realize that she said something completly shallow and sexist, because she never thought about it personally.
4513637 I presume dis be it?
4513589
Then why couldn't she get herself free when the giant Timberwolf was coming for her?
4514442 why didn't pinkie pie break the rock that trapped her even though she grew up moving and brekaing rocks?
*sees that this story is back* not sure if or yesyesyesyesyesyes
4514447
She was trying, if you watch the scene. And Applejack was likewise trying to get out from that rock, but couldn't. Also notice that she found that rock she pushed difficult to move.
So the answer to your question is apparently "because they aren't Maud Pie".
4514453 angles dude. even the strongest man on earth can't hit you hard if he does not have the right angle.
4514458
A straight pull is a perfectly good angle. She's also right behind the boulder shoving it, throwing her entire body weight into it, and she's pushing it over a flat surface.
Well now, let's see how long AJ can hold out before a complete breakdown or snaps and flips her lid. Without her brother, the backbone of the family not helping around the farm now, how long will it take for her to lose her self control? I'm going to hazard a guess that the longer the debate is, coupled with the increase in her workload will make her question her narrow view of her ethics.
Who is this... Applejak?
Glad to see this advancing :D
YEAH BABY! BOB IS BACK!
4513854 Noted.
4514440 That's what I was looking for, yes.
4513859 Rarity has a... darker motive.
And sort of.
4514448 Either one works, I think.
4517045
Okay, now I'm curious. Should be interesting to see what that motive is.
4513854 Hand-waved and
4515531>>4513717 Fixed.
4517062
Dude, no way! That takes the fun out of it, seeing AB actually learning politics and making her own decisions is a great step, especially since it looks like that was where you were going with that arc.
4517074 It's still happening.
4517416
Excellent.
You're back? Hooray!
The story! IT LIIIIIIIIIIVES!
It's ALIVE!!!!!!!!!
4517997
4514216 I might use that quote later.
Applejack, step aside. He is doing the right thing.
4520563