The Division Bell

by FloydienSlip

Honesty, or The Unanimity

Music for this chapter:

"Sir! We've got movement over here!"

"Flush 'em out, men!"

Hundreds of soldiers flooded a section of the Everfree Forest, their shouts of anxiety and joy mingling with the calls of wildlife. Though some ponies staggered and fell, the vast majority took to scouring their surroundings. Many shouts of frustration or false hope rang forth as the hours dragged on. Suddenly, there was a violent uproar.

"Y'all had better let us go, else you're goin' get what's comin' to ya!"

"I think not, you little-"

A loud snapping noise, punctuated by a blood-curdling wail of pain, was all it took for the rest of the soldiers to zero in on the location and aim their mana-rifles with deadly precision. The cry came from a pony who was currently occupying several square feet of the ground, clutching his jaw and moaning. A team of medics rushed in, placed him on a stretcher, and hustled off. Another soldier spoke to those under his command.

"Excellent work, men. Bring 'em in."

Angry, muffled protests sprang forth as a pair of earth ponies - a mare and a stallion - were forced into a makeshift cage barely capable of holding one equine, let alone two. The unicorns among the soldiers carefully focused their magic on the cage, careful to not let it slip onto the prisoners.

"Take 'em into town. You know what to do."

The unit of cage-carrying ponies trotted their way out of sight. The leader of the pack, an old mustachioed veteran raised up his front hooves for silence. Everypony in the immediate vicinity fell still at once, their eyes eagerly awaiting the four words that would allow them to live again, to see their families again, to return home.

"This war... is over!"

For a moment, everything was still. Then, one pony began to applaud. Others quickly joined in and added whistles, cheers, and yells of joy, creating a veritable, thundering mass of sound and emotion. No one noticed the two voices taken by the wind, the two voices of anguish and despair, wailing at their cruel fate.

Even if they had noticed, it was doubtful that they would have cared.

*****

Suits. Everywhere. Objections and mutterings of assent flying across the room. Legalese filling the air, so thick that even a certain red teenage colt wouldn't have been able to put a dent in it.

"Do you deny the charges against you?"

A pause. Then, with a gruff voice, choked with sadness, a stallion spoke. "No, Your Honor."

Sobbing quietly into the pony beside her, a mare shakily looked at the jury. Through blurry vision, she could just make out twelve multicolored faces, none of which seemed particularly friendly.

"Then by the power vested in this court system-"

Her vision cleared a little, allowing her to distinguish the facial features of the jurors and the judge. All had grim expressions on their faces.

"-I hereby sentence-"

princesses have mercy on our souls please princesses do anything you can don't let them take us away from our foals

"-the two of you to-"

princesses oh princesses where are you is there anypony out there help help

"-death by guillotine."

Mac Apple Bloom Applejack forgive us we didn't mean for this to happen I'm so sorry I love you take care

goodbye

---

Rarity awoke with a start, beads of sweat running down her face. Even after so long, she was still unable to get rid of this particular dream. Years of counseling that yielded absolutely no results, hundreds of bits spent to try and forget.

It wasn't her fault, not really. After all, she'd only been the same age as Applejack when the events in her dream had transpired. Nevertheless, Rarity feared the memory was permanently inscribed into her mind for as long as she lived. She shook her head. It was still unbelievable to think that her friend's parents had been living double lives for so long. How many lies had they told their daughter? How many nights were spent wide awake in fear, constantly surveying the area outside the farm?

Applejack's parents had started a revolution and had almost come out on top. She didn't know that she would have to take up the burden of being head of the family, to work to a dead halt day after day. Her parents had been confident, perhaps too confident, that they would succeed in their uprising.

But something had gone wrong. A breach in the forces of the resistance. A mole. Somepony had been caught delivering a message directly to the crown. They had been executed on the spot, but it was too late. The damage had been done. A set of coordinates was the only content of that letter, but it had been enough to cripple the entire movement and apprehend the two leaders of the group. Tried and convicted, the couple had left behind their five-year-old filly, forever sealing her fate as the hardworking and stubborn leader of the Apple family.

It really was no wonder that she strove towards the truth. Applejack had a duty to fulfill and a debt to repay, and she would never had had it any other way.

A sudden knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, and Sweetie Belle stuck her head in.

"Hey, sis." The younger unicorn winced. "Oh. You had it again, huh?"

"Yes, Sweetie Belle, but do not worry yourself over my lowly issues. Is there something with which I may be of assistance?"

"Oh, right! You have two letters here, sis."

"Really? Let me see them, please." Sweetie happily turned over the letters and scampered off.

Breaking the seal on the pink envelope, Rarity quickly read through the letter. Then she stopped and reread it. And again. And again. She gulped.

"It's been years since I've gotten anything from her... I don't have the faintest idea whether I should be a part of this or not."

Frowning in thought and indecision, she opened the second letter. Reading through it, she let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Well, that certainly makes the decision easier. What kind of friend wouldn't be there for her best friends?" she asked out loud. "Sweetie Belle!"

Quick hoofsteps grew louder and stopped outside Rarity's door. "Yeah, sis?"

"Run a message along to Fluttershy and Pinkie. Tell them I will be in attendance. They'll know precisely what I mean."

"Sure thing, Rarity!" called the other unicorn, already on her way out the door.

Rarity tutted to herself. "She really needs to calm down, I think." Checking the invitation and the clock, she started. "Oh goodness! I've only a few hours! It's a shame that I'm barred from bringing anything. Still, I'd better look my best.

"After all, it isn't every day that you get to spend time with old friends for a lifetime."

---

Encumbered forever by desire and ambition

There's a hunger still unsatisfied

Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon

Though down this road we've been so many times

Comments

[Avenging-Hobbits]

Applejack's parent's tried a revolution?

I MUST KNOW MORE

[FloydienSlip]

2304849 Hmm... I could potentially work with that...

[zaponator]

[LonelyBrony42]

huh. Don't know how I managed to miss this chapter. Anyways, I found this one confusing a bit. And how long ago was that attempted revolution? I don't see many guillotines in modern-day Equestria.
Also, I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't feel that this chapter was as good as the first four, which are some of my favorite chapters of any story here. It may just be, who knows...

[Deathpony45]

I am literally on the edge I have a few ideas as to what might happen and neither of them happy but that's why I read these. This has been great and I sure the finale will be even better bravo