Carmel Apples
The rally had been going on for some time now. Twilight had not budged since she arrived, a mixture of shock and curiosity keeping her from leaving or even moving. The rest of the crowd, though, was very active and vibrant. Twilight noted that while most stallions stayed the whole time, the mares tended to wander in and out.No wonder. She thought to herself. Carmel had been explaining what he called his 'plan for freedom', which probably seemed very risky and radical to most mares in the crowd. Twilight couldn't blame them, though. She didn't agree with them, but didn't blame them. These mares have a reputation to uphold. Besides, it's not their neck on the line, and if these stallions get their way the mares of Ponyville actually lose power. She paused. Still, that doesn't mean it's okay to just sit there while your fellow pony is pushed around and treated as a second-class citizen! Even if it seems wrong or weird, anypony with half a brain can quickly reason that fighting this movement is pointless. And maybe even dangerous. She shuddered. These stallions are really angry, and one false move could start a riot. Supporting this movement, or at least not getting involved, may be the best line of action for everypony. Twilight watched as the mares shifted nervously, afraid to show support or even be noticed in the crowd. The stallions, on the other hoof, would follow Carmel to the end of Equestria and beyond, as made evident by their almost military level of attention and almost fanatacal responses.
Twilight Sparkle's train of thought was derailed by Carmel, who was finishing talking about why voting is so crucial. "... are being denied many rights besides voting. Two of the most blatant are the right to travel freely, and the right to own land. Nopony should tell us we have to stay here, and then tell us that we can't have a place to call our own."
"These laws are unjust and based on prejudice alone. And to make it worse, Mayor Mare has spent the last four years fighting to keep it that way. She has resisted our attempts to compromise and fought to keep us quiet and submissive. Even now I fear that she is planning a strategy to shut me up. But, Mayor Mare, I must ask you: Why are you so afraid a few stallions? We have no votes, we have no rights, we don't even have a right to speak at town hall meetings."
There was a pause. The entire gathering sat in suspense, waiting for the answer.
"Mayor Mare is afraid
because she knows. She knows that the moment we gain this crucial right to vote, we can change those laws. The second we can decide on our leaders is the same second those who keep us down lose their power. Suddenly the stallions become part of the voting base, and outnumbered as we are, we would still hold much sway over the elections.
The crowd applauded wildly. Carmel smiled as he continued:
"Yes, my friends, the mayor is afraid because she knows that this fight is the first and last battleground for the plight of equality! This will be our greatest victory yet!"
Twilight noted that even some of the mares joined in.
"But how, you ask, will we make this radical change in such a short amount of time? Don't political changes require much time and planning? Who are we to try something this crazy? All of you believe, I'm sure, that this feat is impossible.
Some nodded their heads warily.
"But it's not."
Here Carmel paused for effect. The stallions in the crowd looked up at him, awaiting his explanation. Everypony who knew Carmel knew that he was a showpony at heart. He relished the anticipation, the electrifying suspense. "The answer is quite clear. We are going to take a stand that will be felt throughout Ponyville, whether you agree with us or not. We will show the mares just how much they need us and our supporters! Boycotts and strikes will be our best weapons, for it is through these non-violent means can we best prove that stallions are both entitled to these rights and worthy of them." There was a pause here for a moment. Carmel's normally stoic expression flashed for a second. It looked like he had seen a ghost. Twilight could tell something was off, but before she could investigate Carmel continued.
"There are three ponies who, every election, fight us to the bitter end. Every step we take is matched by equally strong resistance by these three. We must bring the fight to them if we are to succeed at anything." The crowd waiting in anticipation. "Our first target is the captain of the weather team, Rainbow Dash. Cloudsdale, as you well know, holds a lot of sway here in Ponyville. As captain of the weather team, Rainbow Dash has a seat on the counsel there. Celestia knows that she uses it, too." He shook his head. "What she doesn't understand is this: the weather team cannot operate without the stronger stallions help, so that is a good place to strike first. Ranbow Dash has already made her intentions clear, but perhaps if we show her just how much she needs stallions in Ponyville, and how important this is to us, she will have no choice but to support our cause. To this end, I challenge all Pegasi who wish to fight for freedom NOT to aid Rainbow Dash's team until Cloudsdale officially supports our position! On this we cannot budge!"
At this, a cheer went up in the crowd, with several Pegasi flying up in the air to accentuate their participation. This made Twilight nervous. If the weather team is short-hoofed, this could spell not just inconvenience, but danger for the general population! If a particularly nasty storm comes in from the Everfree...
The crowd died down, and Carmel continued. "Our next step is a boycott. There are two local businessponies who have fought our movement since it's inception. Two specific ponies who have tripped us and held us every step of the way. I believe it's time to bring the fight to them! Without the business of the freedom fighters, these businesses will be forced to relent or close. When faced with this decision, the owners will have to help us or leave town! We will prove how great of a foe we can be!" The audience exploded as Carmel yelled into the loudspeaker. "Friends and brothers, I am officially calling for a boycott on Carousel Boutique and Sweet Apple Acres. We can all live without apples and dresses for a few weeks, and the story we will tell our grandchildren will be nothing short of amazing. We will boycott the products of those who support the mayor and her unjust ways, starting with Sweet Apple acres! Nopony who believes in our cause should give bits to somepony as bitter and bigoted as Applejack, or else she will use that money to influence the mares of Ponyville like last election. Nopony should give bits to somepony as clever and subtle as Rarity, for her manipulations of the government through favors and promises are the very thing holding us back! From this day until our freedom day, nopony should buy apple family or Carousel Boutique products! We will prove to them we can be just as stubborn, subtle, and strong as these businessponies claim to be! Who is with me!?!?!" Once again, the crowd exploded with cheering. Twilight was worried, to say the least. These guys are entirely serious. This could be trouble for Rarity... and Applejack...
Carmel loved watching the crowd get this excited. While they were cheering, he took a quick head count. The stallions who came every year were there, including his good friend Doctor Whooves. He noted with sadness that Big Macintosh was absent. If he woulda come, we might have been able to skirt all this 'boycott apples' business. I hate doing this to him, but freedom comes first. Sorry, Big Mac. He looked around the crowd. Many mares who had never attended before had showed up, Carmel noted Berry Punch, sober for once, and Ditzy Doo as such. This year. This year will be different.
The audience started to die down. "My frieinds, we have fought this battle for years. My father before me petitioned the government to change these unjust laws, and his father before him. The struggle has lasted almost three generations now, and still we have no change. Our struggle has always been opposed heavily from all sides. We have been laughed at, shunned, and even persecuted. If you remember the story, my father died in prison four years ago." A single tear. "His heart gave out, the heart that beat for every stallion who has no say in his future. The heart that beat for every colt with dreams of greatness. That heart, that beat for his son, who wanted to go to Canterlot to study law." Carmel's voice was getting softer. "That was the year I took over. That year we fought bravely. That year we got Mayor Mare elected. She promised to aid us, to get us our rights. But she hasn't. She forgot us, and started trying to garner support from the Apple family ilk. She betrayed us, and everypony knows it. I vowed that year that Mayor Mare would not see another term. Mayor Mare may have turned her back on us, but this year we have a candidate who can and will defeat her with our support."
Twilight was suddenly interested, snapping out of her introspective shell. The candidate... Could she be the candidate for the Moon party? Who will stand up against such a vast majority?
"That candidate we have decided to support is... Ponyville's very own Golden Harvest!" Carmel announced. "She has graciously accepted our request to run as a representative for the stallion's rights movement, as well as her native Moon party. I have asked her to say a few words of encouragement, after which each of you should meet with your respective faction leaders for more information. Pegasi go talk to Storm Chaser, Earth ponies should meet with Doctor Whooves, and Unicorns will get their assignments from Morning Glory."
Somepony in the crowd complained "but Morning Glory is a mare!"
Carmel shot him a nasty look. The speaker was none other than 'Roid Rage, a very muscular Pegasus with tiny wings. "Yes. She is a mare. I am a stallion. You are a Pegasus. I am an Earth pony. Your coat is white. Mine is brown. What difference does that make to who we are? Isn't that the very message we are trying to send? Are you suggesting that mares and stallions are not equal? What happened to tolerance?"
A silence filled the crowd, as many looked down, ashamed. It was the silence of a foal being reprimanded by her mother.
Carmel's expression softened. "We will stand together, stallion and mare, Unicorn and Pegasus, pony and pony, to fight this fight! We can, together, make a difference, and we can, together, win this battle!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Carmel left the "stage". Carrot Top smiled approvingly at him as she stood on the apple crate. Because she was of a smaller build, she could stand on the crate entirely, making her seem tall and commanding. Twilight lost interest in the speech, however, when she noticed several Ponyville police officers begin arriving. Police? Are they here for crowd control? I guess with an audience as violently dedicated to the cause of freedom as this one is, violence is a very real possibility... That must be the reason. It's a safety precaution. Twilight smiled briefly, but then a frown started fighting it's way through. What if its not? What if they are here to arrest somepony? What if there is a criminal in the audience? Or what if... No. No way in Tartarus are they here to arrest one of the leaders. Carmel may be revolutionary, but having crazy ideas is not illegal! Carrot Top was speaking very eloquently and fluidly, but all the purple mare heard was "Vote for me, mares/Get your wives/very special someponies to vote for me, stallions! I will not let you down!"
Carmel was walking off. He carried himself with the air of one who knew what he was doing, and trotted confidently to the road leading to the edge of town. What is he up to? It seems odd that the very leader of the movement would up and leave when there was organizing to do. Twilight decided to follow him and find out. At the very least she hoped she could find out what this was all about.
---
Carmel had been walking through the village for about ten minutes when he stopped in a corner of the market without any stalls. Many stalls were deserted, but there was still a good amount of ponies wandering around. Twilight hoped that Carmel hadn't noticed he was being tailed.
"Big Mac!" Carmel suddenly shouted as the unmistakable red stallion approached the place where Carmel had been waiting. "It took you long enough." He laughed, before continuing. "I didn't see you at the rally."
Big Macintosh nodded. "Ah didn't come."
"But, why, Mac? I could have avoided making a scapegoat of the Apple family! Now there will be a boycott organized. If you had been there, I could have reduced the amount of demonization Sweet Apple Acres got in the speeches." Carmel looked at him sternly. "Don't tell me you didn't come because..."
"Eee-yup." Big Macintosh cut him off. "She told me that if ah came, ah would be betrayin' her and mah family."
"So now stallions don't just have their political lives controlled by mares, but their beliefs and personal lives? How can you let your sister push you around like that?"
"You have your ways of fightin' an' ah have mine." Big mac had never been a stallion of many words, so it surprised Twilight to hear him talk so much.
"I can't believe this! Sweet Apple Acres would be toast without you. Applejack knows that. Everypony knows that! If you do your share around the farm you should have your say about the management too!"
"Ah manage." Big Mac said flatly.
"You really don't care, do you? You are truely content to let your life and destiny be controlled by somepony else." Carmel's voice was getting louder.
"No. Ah stay 'cause ah want to. If ah wanted to do somethin' else, ah woulda left Ponyville years ago like all th'other stallions." Big Mac's voice stayed even and cool.
"Big Mac, sometimes I can't believe you."
"Same goes fer you.
There was a long silence, and then both of them suddenly burst out laughing. Odd. One minute they are at each other's throats and the next... They are laughing?"
Carmel stopped laughing and continued, albeit lighter. "You really should consider my offer. We could take care of you, and stick it to Applejack."
Big Mac looked at him sternly. "Ah don't abandon mah family fer' nuthin."
Carmel nodded. "If that is your choice, my friend. If you will excuse me, I have other things to do today. Take care of yourself, Mackie."
"You too, Carmel. Ah don't wanna see mah best friend gettin' himself hurt."
Carmel nodded and started to walk off.
"Ahnd, ah may show up to yer next one." Big Mac called after him.
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Next chapter is here! Hope it was wurth the wait!
Updates, so sweet and tasty, updates, don't be too hasty...
Some of Lauren Faust's original documents say Big Mac owns the farm. This was meant to be a subtle indicator that the Apple parents are dead.
2037070
APPLEJACK OWZ IT NOW! DIZ IZ KANON!
Kind of wondering why caramel didn't say anything about twilight I mean her connections make her a valuable asset.
You missed turning off the italics at the end of the chapter.
2037193 Fixed it. Thanks.
2037152 Shhh! That's the next chapter!
I'm glad you updated this. I forgot to fav it when I first saw it and then I couldn't remember the name for the life of me. Anyway, I'm interested to see where this is going, especially with Twilight's inevitable questions to her friends about why they are against stallion rights. I'm also interested in Celestia's take on all this, though I assume that since this is a democratic matter her hooves are tied.
2037747 You hit the tail right on the pony about Celestia.
I am planning on doing a chapter on each of the mane 6 (excluding Twilight of course) to explore their takes on this.
Stay tuned.
I am enjoying the story thus far, keep up the good work. I must say though, you've spelled Caramel and candidate wrong, unless of course you've decided to spell Caramel different for some reason, I just thought you might like to know.
2037861 Carmel was on purpose.
Candidate was a mistake.
I'll fix it later. Thanks!
(Could you give me a like please?)
>> Meester_Bob
Sure thing, I don't usually vote so I don't think about it. If I may ask, what is your reason for spelling Carmel like that, or will that be addressed in the story?
2038209 You may.
It has to do with pronunciation. I would rather have his name pronounced "Carmel" rather than "carAmel". I am kinda obsessive that way.
I now have ten times more likes than dislikes! Thanks everyone!
Nicely done. This was another gripping chapter. I must admit I cringed at Carmel's vilification of the otherwise moral Applejack, however, that is fairly realistic in this sort of evil. Even the genuinely good can be gripped by terrible prejudice and remain completely unaware of wrongdoing. Keep it up!
2038439 Thanks buddy!
In struggles like these, usually there is no black and white. Just different shades of grey.
That is what I am going for here.
Glad you enjoyed it!
2038459 But... not 50 shades of grey.
It'll be interesting to see if Carmel has some form of assurance that Carrot Top is not going to pull a Mayor Mare and dump the stallions rights movement the moment she gets elected.
2039112
Something about that sentance strikes me as funny. I might use that now.
i like this version of caramel
A great orator
and
MORE!!!
2039934 I thought Carmel was an underused charecter, so...
Tests coming up. I probably won't even start the next chapter until next week.
2040052 FUCK THAT
2047030 Rightly analyzed.
2040065
Uhh...
so to make this (much) too long comment short: i love the idea and the story in general and hope that we will see how the rest of equestria reacts to this movement ( maybe even some darker tones like abuse at home? i mean it has a dark-tag already)
keep up the good work.. and if you feel like correcting or confirming my theories here, go for it ^^
The thing that interests me the most is the allover impact that will have on pony society... i mean it hasn't been stated yet but i assume that this prejudice in the male gender is NOT only confined to pony ville. Otherwise the stallions back at the foundation of the town wouldn't let that happened. The fact that caramel couldn't attend higher schools in canterlot (there the democracy has no political power) speaks for that, too.
So basically the reason why the emancipation movement broke out in pony ville of all places was the fact that here, in a democracy, this Problem has, for the first time, direct consequences to the way of living your life.
In every other province of equestria, the role of the leader is determined by birthright and therefore not really hindered by gender. If a stallion is born a Duch or a baron, he may not be as respected as his female counterparts, but has the rights of his title behind him to force everyone to tread him equally. And in an aristocratic society every not noble stallion was objected to the same rules as everypony else (if there where no specific laws in that category of course) it didn't come up as often.
So while it was there, the unequal rights didn't bother anypony as much as they only hindered a small number of stallions (those with carrier choices higher than a pet-doctor).
it was the democracy that opened their eyes, because now they weren't led by ponies chosen to lead through their families power or divine fate, but by ponies who they knew were no better or smarter than them. It rubbed the fact that even the dumb, the poor, the mean and the self-centered ponies were the ones making the rules... but only mares, that weren't that much different than them.
mfg, Duplexxx
2051896 All of these inferrations are... semi correct.
The next chapter will give a lot of backround on Ponyville's history, and the chapter after that will focus on Equestria.
I am glad you enjoy the story. Your comment made me think of some things I hadn't before.
>I am officially calling for a boycott on Carousel Boutique and Sweet Apple Acres.
>We can all live without apples and dresses for a few weeks,
>This could be trouble for Rarity
...wait, what? How many Stallions wear dresses in Ponyville? How is their boycott going to affect Rarity in the slightest?
>Carmel
It's actually spelled Caramel.
As in...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramel
You mispelled not only the character name, but the title of the story.
>The stallions who came every year were there
Why would they come every year to an event that happens every four years?
>What happened to tolerance?"
...you do know what tolerance is, right? It doesn't make sense for you to be invoking tolerance here. The implication is that stallions are bad and mares don't like them, but put up with them anyway. That is not a message of equality.
>Ah stay 'cause ah want to. If ah wanted to do somethin' else,
ah woulda left Ponyville years ago like all th'other stallions."
But wait...you established earlier that Ponyville restricts free travel and they can't leave when they want.
Well bloody done, sir. Short as the chapters are, I really do like what you're doing here. I've seen racism in Equestria, bigotry, and just about every other crime or uncouth activity highlighted, one of them even in my own WiP fic, but sexism is a first. I wonder how Spike is going to react, being a double-minority.
It's not "Carmel", it's Caramel. I know it's your story, but could you please consider fixing it?
Liked and a possible fave later.
2832202
Yeah, well. It's also "Big McIntosh", not "Big MacIntosh". Nobody seems to care about that one, either.
Even if it seems wrong or wierd, anypony with half a brain can quickly reason that fighting this movement is pointless
weird
"Mayor Mare is afraid because she knows. She knows that the meoment we gain this crucial right to vote, we can change those laws.
moment
The stallions in the crowd looked up at him, awaiting his explenation.
explanation
My frieinds, we have fought this battle for years. My father before me petitioned the government to change these unjust laws, and his father before him.
friends
Get an editor
FUHHHHHKING MHAAAARES!
3111205 No I'm pretty sure it's Big Macintosh.
3389144
Looking at the wiki, it was Macintosh, and then got changed to McIntosh. It seems pretty interchangeable, honestly, considering it gets spelled differently in promos and credits.
2037091
I found one.
Okay, one thing has been bothering me the whole time.
His name is Caramel. Not Carmel.
3389381
Do you know, I've never seen anyone else with a profile pic like mine?
Aww, I was really hoping for the crowd to start goin' NUTZ soon as the cops showed.
Faved anyway, I'm really getting into this ^_^
Do stallions wear dresses in Ponyville often?
This explains so much! Damn laws drove them away!
This story continues to be a very interesting idea and has good ideas for what scenes should include, but the execution is off. The speeches felt a little more like go-to outlines of what a protest should sound like, instead of something tailored specifically to the situation. In a fictional world with fictional issues with a real-world basis, be sure to make up arguments and stats where needed. It acts as a way to contextualize what is going on.
Also, the proofreading and spelling are still off.