The Soldier joins the main six on their Cutie Map Quest. Lord have mercy on Starlight, who will face her greatest enemy yet. An American.
Will the Soldier be able to overcome Equalism? You know the answer, but read on to find out how. Because Starlight Glimmer isn't just going to roll over and give in.
Twilight looked down over the small bland landscape that was home to a small bland village. The journey from Ponyville had been long and uneventful, but now she was going to find out why the Cutie Map had sent her and her friends to such a remote place. “That’s it!" She said, smiling in satisfaction. "That’s the place on the map!”
Rarity took this moment to pat her mane and clear some dust that was collecting in it. “Good! Now let’s get down there and find the spa!”
Rarity began to casually trot toward the town when Twilight teleported in front of her. “Wait!” She turned around to look at the village again. “We dont know why the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in; it could be dangerous!”
Rainbow Dash fist pumped the air at the prospect of danger. “Yes!”
Suddenly, a tall bulky man stepped between the group. He wore a red trench coat, brown pants that were tucked into his tall military boots, and a World War One style helmet that went past his eyes. His voice sounded rough, hardy, and full of weathered spirit that only a mercenary of his kind would carry. “I’ll go first!” he declared. “Pinkie! Watch my six!”
Pinkie Pie shouted from behind him. “Okay!”
Twilight looked up at him with genuine worry. “Soldier, be careful.”
The Soldier marched off the ledge and executed a perfect tumble down the bank before crashing into a large rock at the bottom. With a grunt of pain, he then stood up with his back against the rock and motioned for his team to follow as he moved further ahead. When the ponies caught up to him at the bottom, he was glancing over another large rock. Upon turning around and seeing his friends approach, Soldier gestured to Pinkie and patted the surface of the rock with his hand.
Pinkie nodded, and she came up beside Soldier. Together, the pair of them began pushing the rock towards the town as a form of cover. When they had moved the rock a few yards closer, they stopped. Pinkie then smiled and held up her hoof at Soldier, who gladly made a fist-bump. "Nice work!" The ponies and human then climbed the rock to get a better vantage point over the village, except for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, who hovered in the air instead.
Dash looked over the town, mildly disappointed. “This is where the map sent us? It looks like the most boring place in Equestria.”
Indeed the village was no more pleasing to look at up close that it was from a distance. Each house looked practically identical apart from porch signs and furnishings that labeled store fronts. In total, there were fifteen houses(seven on one side, seven on the other) and a lone one at the back. Ponies could be seen going about their day, each one wearing a wide unnatural smile.
“It’s just an ordinary village filled with ordinary ponies.” Applejack remarked, looking down at the town.
“It could certainly use some architectural flourishes," Rarity chimed, slightly dissatisfied with the fruits of getting her mane dirty, "or any architectural flourishes.”
Soldier smacked the side of the rock with considerable force. “Agreed!” He counted on the fingers on his hand. “This town needs flags over every house! A bald eagle for every resident! And a baseball field for the small patriots to play in!”
Fluttershy was hovering to Soldier’s right. “I didn't bring any eagles with me. Sorry.” She said, her ears folded back in shame.
“We can get them later! First, I’ll need some help with these American flags!” Soldier pulled an impractically large bundle of flags out from his back pocket.
Pinkie scowled at the village. “I dont like it! Dont like it one bit!” She glared at the ponies. “I know smiles, and those smiles, they just aren't right.”
Soldier held up a flag. “In that case, we can show them true happiness!”
Twilight was ignoring him. “Forget the smiles, look at their cutie marks!” She had a point, every villager cutie mark was exactly the same. A black equal sign.
Soldier took a quick moment to raise his hand to his forehead to block out some sun glare for a better look. This was of course pointless as his helmet was technically blocking his vision already. He then slapped the side of his head/helmet in realization. “Dear God! They’re Communists!”
Twilight glared at Soldier. “Solly, I highly doubt that,” She glanced at the village one more time. “but still...” She hopped down from her perch on the rock, as did the rest of the group. “An entire village with the same cutie mark? How can that be?”
Rainbow Dash whispered, “I bet there’s some sort of horrific monster behind it!”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”
Rainbow couldn't help but smile. “Because fighting a horrific monster would be so awesome!”
Soldier reached behind his back with a scowl across his face. “Then today is your lucky day, Dashie!” He pulled out his trusty shotgun. “Because nothing’s more hideous than a communist dictator!”
Twilight glared at her overly energetic friend. “Soldier! Put! The shotgun! Away!”
Soldier looked at the shotgun. “Meh, you're right.” He put it away, before cracking his knuckles. “This commie needs to learn things the hard way!”
Twilight teleported onto him, her hooves pressed against his unmoving chest, and she levitated the helmet upward just enough to look him in the eyes with a deadly stare. “You will NOT go on a rampage!”
“Unless we tell ya to.” Applejack added.
“Or no apple pie for a month!”
“Nooo!” Soldier whined.
“Yes!” She stepped back and let the helmet fall back over his eyes. “We are not having another Crystal Empire incident!”
“I still think they’re fascists!”
Applejack lifted her right hoof and put it on Soldier’s leg. “What do ya say we just go ta town and talk to some pon-folks.” She looked to Twilight. “See what’s going on.”
Rainbow Dash was getting impatient. “Great idea AJ! Let’s go!”
As group began to move out, Solly asked AJ, “Can I get extra pie when we’re done?”
As the group walked into the village, ponies immediately started greeting them as they went about their day. “Welcome!” they each said in a dreamy, insincere tone. As kind as their humbleness was, the crooked smiles on their faces and the odd enunciation made the reception less than homely.
Fluttershy seemed to be the only one who was oblivious to the odd nature of the smiles and voices. “This must be the nicest town in all of Equestria!” She praised.
Just as she said this, a blue pegasus came up to her. “Welcome!” Such unbiased kindness, enticed Fluttershy to giggle.
A blue unicorn came up in front of the group causing them to pause. “Welcome!” He raised an eyebrow and looked at Twilight. “Pardon my foreignness, but are you an alicorn?”
Slightly embarrassed at the mention of her nobility, Twilight simply gave a wide meek smile, imprompting Applejack to do the introduction. “That there’s the princess of friendship!”
The pony nodded happily. “Well you’ve certainly came to the right place for,” He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Friendship.” He looked up at Soldier. “And who might you be?”
Soldier saluted. “I am The Soldier! Warrior from the United States of America, and nightmare against Communists and Hippies!”
A white earth pony butted in on the conversation. “What brings you to town?”
Twilight put her hoof momentarily to her chest. “We’re not entirely sure.”
“I see, well, all are welcome here in our little village!”
Soldier mumbled under his breath as he glared at the blue stallion, who was staring at Rarity and making her uncomfortable. “Watch your step, commie...”
The white stallion put his hoof to his chest much like Twilight did. “My name is Double Diamond,”–He then gestured to the blue unicorn–“and this is Party Favor!”
“Well, howdy, Double Diamond!” Applejack then took the liberty of introducing herself and her friends, pointing at each one respectively. “I’m Applejack, and this Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Soldier, and Twilight Sparkle!”
Diamond bent down to take a closer look at their flanks. “And you all have your own unique cutie marks!” Pinkie covered hers out of awkwardness. Such awkwardness was confirmed among everypony else as they looked to each other for confirmation that indeed, the conversation had gotten so.
Soldier spoke up. “We came here on a mission to eliminate a target! Do you have any communists around here?”
Twilight half heartedly laughed and glanced at Soldier. “Ha, ha.” She looked at Diamond, who was remaining quite patient. “What he means is, has there been any trouble around here lately?”
“Trouble? Why, I don't think we’ve ever had trouble in our little village!”
“It’s true!” Party Favor added. “You’ll see!” He gave a single “humph” of a laugh.
“Perhaps you’d like to speak with our leader?” Diamond asked, “Starlight Glimmer?” The pair of stallions began to trot toward the back cottage, and the seven visitors began to follow.
Fluttershy was still quite pleased with the hospitality, and seemed even still oblivious to the ominous vibe that it radiated. “I wish all ponies in Equestria are as nice as these ponies!”
Pinkie's eyes were glaring at the civilian ponies following behind them. “I got my eye on them, something’s rotten in…” She paused as no name of the village itself was given yet. “Whatever the name of this village is that we’re in right now!”
Soldier was also looking around at the smiling ponies. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this! If these ponies break into a song that even remotely sounds like a Russian chant, then I might just forsake some pie!”
Twilight glanced at the rest of her freinds with major concern, a look that they returned with equal certainty, as Soldier was visibly shaking in some form of tense emotion that had appeared during the duration of the Village Equalist Chant. He grumbled a few words before shouting them. “Must. Think. About! Haircuts!”
Starlight Glimmer’s raised an eyebrow at this behavior. “Is he okay?”
Twilight meekly smiled as Pinkie pulled out one of Soldier’s flags and held it in front of his face. “He’s just really passionate about his own philosophies.”
The pair of them looked back at Soldier, who started to quietly chant. “I pledge allegiance, to the flag…”
Starlight shrugged. “We have no judgments here in our town, as we were all confused once.” Several ponies behind her nodded in agreement. “Blinded by the false destiny of our cutie mark.”
Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah,” She lowered one eyelid in slight confusion. “When our map sent us here, we assumed that we were sent here to try and help in someway...” She shrugged. “But it seems that you guys don't need any help.”
Glimmer began to trot closer to Twilight. “Have you ever considered the possibility that you were sent here so that we could help you?” She began to trot back to her congregation. “After all, nopony that has ever entered our village has never wanted to leave! Why should you be any different?”
Soldier shouted whilst holding the American flag against his chest. “Objection!”
Starlight ignored Soldier. “But that is entirely your choice!” She began to trot back to her cottage. “So please, enjoy our little corner of Equestria, we’re quite fond of it!” She paused. “No doubt you will be too. Double Diamond!” She called out, “Please help our guests with everything they might need!”
Diamond approached the group cheerfully. “Of course.” He smiled with greater intensity at the guests in question, who were once again unsettled by this.
The group began to explore the village, taking note of the townsfolks’ undying lack of privacy, or the need to blink. Especially with Double Diamond following close behind. Twilight mumbled under her breath. “A pony’s cutie mark represents their own unique special talent. How can it–”
Rarity shouted and pointed at a nearby store. “What in the name of Equestria is that?!”
This storefront was advertising some bland and rustic rag cloaks, overseen by a humble brown stallion. “Care to sample some local fashion?” He flicked the end of the cloak he was wearing. “We’ve got cloaks this month!”
Rarity nearly barfed at the sight of such a horrific crime against fashion. “Heugh! E-r-r, perhaps some other time!” She slowly backed away from the stand with a fake smile. “Good sir! Thank you!” They party took a stop by a local cafe, choosing to sit on the outside bench, although given the remote size of the village it was likely the only cafe there was. Upon sitting down Rarity whispered to Applejack, “No wonder nopony’s wearing anything!”
Soldier pointed at Rarity. “You know what this town needs Rarity? More hats!”
Rarity nodded. “That’s something I can agree with. Hats make everything better!”
“Damn right.”
Fluttershy glared at Rarity. “Really girls! They may do things differently than what we're used to, but that’s no reason to be rude!”
Rainbow Dash countered, “No, the reason to be rude is that everypony keeps staring at us!” Indeed, privacy was still in short supply. With the population being so small, it was very likely that most if not all of the town’s folk were watching the colorful group every second. Their gazes did not falter, nor did their crooked smiles.
Double Diamond called from the other side of the street where his order was being taken. “Need something?!”
Twilight called back. “Nope! We’re good!” She turned back to her friends just as a pony from the cafe stepped out to take their orders. “Fluttershy’s right,” she whispered. “If we’re going to get to the bottom of why the map sent us here, we’ll need the help of these ponies.”
Applejack crossed her forehooves. “Why did we follow that map to the end of Equestria before even knowin what that map was?”
Pinkie held up her hoof. “If we were at the end of Equestria, we’d be sitting on a giant A!” She spread her hooves outward to emphasise the punchline. “Get it?”
Rarity scoffed at the joke. “Oh please Ms. Pie, this is hardly the time for jokes! We came all the way out here and for what?”
Twilight conceded. “Rarity is right, but we’re here now, and it sure feels like something is wrong!” Before Solly could comment, Twilight added, “Apart from the obvious!”
Soldier then nodded his head. “I’ve seen many social disasters in my time, like the Conga Crisis of fourteen, but this...” He tapped the table with one finger. “This. Is. Serious.”
The waiter mare carefully forced herself in the conversation. "Is this a bad time?"
Fluttershy scowled at Soldier. “Really Solly! This isn't the time to be crass in front of our new friends! You're worse than Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow shouted back, "Don't drag me into this!"
The other ponies around them were obviously uncomfortable with all this negativity, to the point where the adults were covering the ears of their foals. However, none of them broke their countenance apart from eye and eyebrow body language.
The waitress smiled still and asked, "Is your friendship ending?"
"Are you crazy!? We'd never let a disagreement get in the way of FOOD!" Pinkie leaned low and licked her lips in anticipation.
"Well, my name is Sugar Bell, and I'll be talking your order today." She readied her note pad and pencil. "We have, muffins..."
The party glanced at each other at the disappointing lack of variety before Soldier asked, "No beer?"
"Um, well no.” Sugar Belle said, frowning ever so slightly. “I have water, but if you really want alcohol then I can fetch a glass of moonshine from the back?"
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Moonshine?”
“Yes, moonshine is a strong, neutrally flavored alcohol that anypony can make with ease.”
Twilight rubbed the back of her head. "Well, then we'll have seven muffins and a tall glass of moonshine."
"Make it a bakers dozen!" Pinkie interjected, earning her a set of mundane stares. "What?!" she whined. "I'm hungry!"
Twilight turned back to the group. "We need to stick together guys, and we're here now, so let's make the best of it."
Applejack sighed. "Ah guess yer right. And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home!"
Soldier chucked. “Haha! And the sooner I can get some pie!”
Suddenly a tray of thirteen fresh muffins landed on the table. They were grey and dull like the native dirt, and likely tasted just as bad. Sugar Belle trotted in front of the table and looked at the group. "Forgive me for over hearing, but just a moment ago you were disagreeing, and now it sounds like you're agreeing."
She placed Soldier’s glass of moonshine down next to him, where he greedily took it. “Thanks!” Belle looked at Soldier in mild surprise as he took a quick swig without a hint of hesitation. Seeing this reaction Soldier proclaimed, “Lady, I won a drinking contest against a full time alcoholic! And the whiskey he drinks is twice as strong as moonshine!”
Sugar Belle took a few steps back and turned to the rest of the group. "Well, as I was saying, you have such differing opinions and cutie-marks."
Solly reached over and grabbed a muffin without breaking eye contact. "For the record, my kind do not grow ass tattoos."
Rarity chimed in. "We have differing opinions all the time darling!"
"But you look like you're friends?"
"We are friends." Twilight answered. "A simple disagreement won't change that."
Sugar looked confused. "I'm sorry, I just don't understand. Different talents lead to different options which lead to bitter and misery." The others now looked at her with confusion. “So, why aren't you bitter?”
“Blech!” Pinkie spat out the dull muffin, confirming its horrendous flavor. However, knowing that the gesture was rude even in necessity, Pinkie plastered a weak smile on her face. “Mmm, good…” Her acting was less than convincing.
Sugar Belle smiled still. “It’s alright, I know I’m not a very good baker, at least I’m not better than anypony else in the village.” She looked behind her and saw Double Diamond stand up from his chair. He wasn't smiling. This made her suddenly speak frantically. “Well I uh, hope you enjoy our little village!” She smiled and glanced at Diamond who seemed content again. Just as Sugar Belle entered back inside, she whispered to the ponies. “Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs! She gave one last smile before disappearing into the cottage.
Soldier waved after her. “Thank you!”
Twilight put her front hooves together calmly, and levitated a muffin while she glanced around. “Let's all sit here, and eat these muffins, and act normal. I think were being watched.”
Rainbow Dash took a quick glance around her, reaffirming her suspicion that the villagers were still watching them without falter. She looked back to Twilight with a blank expression. “You think?!”
Twilight sighed and face hooved. “No! I mean somepony doesn't want us talking to Sugar Belle.” She gestured with her head in Double Diamond’s direction.
Applejack put a hoof to her chin. “Hmm,” She then tapped the table. “Ah got an idea!” She looked to Pinkie and Soldier. “But you two gotta eat the rest of these muffins.”
Pinkie recoiled at the idea. “What! Why us?”
“The both of ya have stronger stomachs then any of us, and tha–”
Soldier grabbed the tray of muffins and pulled it closer to him. “My stomach is stronger than yours! Hardened by Mann Co. MREs!” Soldier then picked up a muffin and stuffed it into his mouth. “Mmm!” he shouted with a full mouth, spraying some soggy crumbs onto the table. “I’ve eaten tumor-tainted bread that was better than this!” Soldier then took a muffin in each hand and began shoving them into his mouth. He stopped to chew for a moment and then swallowed. “Ahh, challenge accepted, communist bakery!” One after another, Soldier started inhaling the muffins like no tomorrow.
The rest of the ponies looked on in admiration, with Pinkie feeling relief for her tummy.
After shoving the last muffin into his mouth, the Soldier grabbed his glass of moonshine and chugged it down as well. “Ahh!” he said, firmly setting the glass down. “I foresee American indigestion in my future!”
Applejack spoke loud and clear so that Diamond would be sure to hear them. “Ah can't believe you ate all those muffins Solly! Ah guess we should go inside and git some more!” She and her friends all stood up from the table with false exaggerated smiles.
Soldier stood up from the table and picked up his glass. “Forget the muffins, that moonshine reminds me of the stuff back home!” He followed his friends inside the cafe, and down the back stairs.
Rarity commented on the way down, “Solly, remind me to invite you over for breakfast when Sweetie Belle ends up doing the cooking.”
Soldier marched down the stairs behind them. “It’d be nice to see that little fashionista again!”
The basement was very dimly lit by one light source, but it was enough to see nearby cabinets, shelves, and barrels. Some cobwebs were strewn about from place to place and a layer of dust seemed to coat almost everything. The back of the room was so dark that one could not see what was there. That being said the basement was impressively large, although Soldier barely had enough room to stand upright.
Twilight called into the darkness. “Hello? Sugar Belle?”
“Thank you for coming!” The pony trotted out of the darkness, her wide smile glowing with what little light there was.
Twilight looked around at the decrepit state of the basement. “Why did you have us come down here?”
Sugar Belle narrowed her eyes. “So nopony can see what’s about to happen.”
From her left a pale blue stallion came forth from the darkness, and another blue pegasus came from her right. Each wearing undying smiles. The three of them began to close in on the group of friends, who were not comfortable in the slightest at the negative outlook of the situation.
Soldier reached behind him and pulled his military compact shovel from his belt pouch, and Twilight’s horn glowed as she readied a spell. The stallion leaned forward and asked enthusiastically, “Are you really the princess of Friendship?!”
The pegasus mare did the same. “Do you know Princess Celestia?!”
Sugar Belle grabbed Pinkie’s flank and stared at it. “I love your cutie mark!”
“How can you be friends with different cutie marks?” The pegasus asked with curiously. “Don't you end up hating each other?”
Sugar Belle then jumped and grabbed at Soldier’s raised arm, which did not budge under her weight, so she made do with dangling in the air and looking at his war symbol. “Oh! This one’s great too!” She let go and landed on the ground safely. “I’d love to have my special talent back even just for a day!” She stared at the ground in shame. “Make something else besides those disgusting muffins.”
Rainbow Dash gestured to the stallion. “Well, what’s stopping you? Go get your cutie marks back!”
The three mark admires stood side by side as the Stallion explained. “Daydreaming is one thing.” His smile broke, as did his companions'. “But actually having it put back on?” His ears folded back at the idea and he looked to his fellow admirers. “That seems extreme.”
Sugar belle’s ears also were folded back. “I’m sure Starlight wouldn’t like that. She wants us to be happy in our sameness!”
“That is not happiness!” Soldier shouted, pulling out an American flag. “Happiness is life, liberty, and the pursuit of haircuts!”
Fluttershy flapped her wings and hovered at Soldier’s eye level. “Solly! You should really learn when to keep democracy to yourself!”
Twilight lifted a hoof to chest level a gesture of confusion. “How do you take somepony’s cutie mark anyway?”
The blue mare looked at the ceiling as she reminisced. “The cutie un-marking is a beautiful experience! Starlight uses the staff of sameness to magically take them away,”–she and her companions turned around to show off their flanks– “and replace them with these!”
“Soldier?” Sugar Belle asked, turning back around. “What is this 'democracy' you are so passionate about?”
Before any of his friends could object to such an innocent question, Soldier smiled wide and spoke with even greater enthusiasm. “What is democracy?! Well, I’ll have you know that it's the greatest form of government that there ever was! A government where the citizens are different, but the law treats them as equals!” He began to pace back and forth as if addressing soldiers under his command. “I can't talk about American democracy without telling you about the Constitution! In the seventeen hundreds a god by the name of George Washington called forth his fellow deities of James Madison, Thom--”
Twilight used her right hind leg to lightly buck Soldier in the knee. “We don't have time for this!” Twilight looked to the blue pegasus. “What happens to the marks once they’re removed?”
“They are kept in the Cutie Vault, up in the caves! We can visit them anytime we want to remind us of the heartache from a life of special talents!”
Twilight frowned for a moment before smirking. “Can we visit this cave?”
Starlight Glimmer lead an escort across a dry path away from the village. The seven friends followed closely behind her while Double Diamond came up from the rear. “I’m delighted to hear that you’re interested in our Cutie Mark Vault! In the future...”
Applejack bumped Soldier with her hat, while Starlight rambled on. Soldier looked down at AJ somewhat confused. She then gestured with her head in Glimmer’s direction. “What?” Soldier asked, completely oblivious to what she was implying. Applejack widened her eyes and repeated the gesture with more vigorous movements. Soldier put his hand to his chin and rubbed it. “Ehh, are we playing charades?”
Losing her patience, Applejack opted to stand up on her hind legs and hiss into his ear. “Talk ta her!”
Soldier’s hand fell back to his side as he remembered. “Oh yeah!” Soldier then walked faster so that he could catch up and talk alongside Starlight. “Starlight, I have a question.”
Starlight was slightly put off at his sudden approach. “Oh, sure Soldier.”
He marched along side her and stared straight forward. “I used to brew my own moonshine using robot parts from the war against my boss’ enemy Grey Mann, and it was fine, but the stuff you guys make is damn good!”
While this wasn't a question, it did prompt a response from Starlight. “Yes! The story of our moonshine techniques goes back to the traditional ways of how it was originally made! I remember during my travels…”
Twilight saw Starlight become engrossed in her tale about moonshine, and seized the opportunity to whisper to her friends. “I think I’ve figured out why we're here.” She glanced around at her friends. “To get those ponies their cutie marks back, and show them our meaning of friendship.”
“Oh, are you sure, Twilight?” Fluttershy innocently asked, “Maybe they miss them a little, but even they didn't seem all that unhappy.”
“Then why all the secrecy?” Twilight argued. “And why did they ask us not to tell Starlight they told us about the vault? Something’s not right.”
Meanwhile, Starlight was wrapping up her conversation with Soldier. “...and that’s why I have a few shots every morning!” She looked forward and saw the entrance to a large cavern. “Ah! Here we are!” She stood by the entrance and gestured inside. “Just through here!”
Soldier crossed his arms as he watched the mare trot inside while the rest of the group caught up to him. “Shot of alcohol every morning? Barren wasteland for a home? Satanic Equalist beliefs? This Russian bitch is definitely on my bad list!”
His friends scolded him for use of the ‘B’ word. “Soldier!”
As the group followed Glimmer inside the cave Rainbow Dash gave her crass friend a few pats on the back. “Jeze man! You really don’t like it here do ya?” No words were spoken further as the blue hue of the cave began to attract the attention of all the ponies.
“Behold!” Starlight shouted gesturing to the large blue object before her. “Our Cutie Mark Vault!”
The vault was something to behold indeed, as it was less of a vault in a traditional sense of design. It was more of a gigantic cubby cabinet for cutie marks with an equal sign at the top. It was beautifully infused into the wall of the cavern, and it lit the area with a bright blue glow. Most of the slots were full, yet there was still a few slots left open. The cutie marks that were contained within described the diverse lives that the Equalists had sacrificed for the sake of their questionable cause.
Just in front of the vault was a stand holding a wooden staff upright. Its design was like a wooden pitchfork with only two prongs that twisted in an elegant spiral. “And here,” she levitated the staff. “Is the Staff of Sameness! It’s one of the great mage Mental Brooks nine enchanted items! We are incredibly fortunate enough to have it here!” She gazed at it, beholding it's simple beauty. "This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!" She looked up at her guests and held the staff upright. "I'm curious,” She asked suggestively, “how did the subject of the vault come up?"
Soldier stepped forward and pointed at Starlight aggressively. "Can it Equalist Commie! I know a trap when I see one! Stop stalling like a coward!"
"War animal." She glared at Soldier. "You and your friends have stirred up some free thinking in my village and I know it!" She twirled the staff a few times and approached the group with her face screaming a sudden change to hostility.
Rarity fumbled for words. “W-Well, we certainly didn't mean to cause any disruption to your, little village!”
Starlight leaned close to Rarity. Words dripped from her mouth like a viscous acid. “Good, lets keep it that way.” As Rarity backed up instinctually, she backed into Double Diamond who was staring and smiling intensely in his own form of hostility.
On cue, other smiling ponies came from the shadows in the cave and began to surround the party. Twilight shouted, “Soldier!” Her anger was physically visible. “You knew this was a trap?!”
Soldier was smiling. “Yes!”
Twilight’s mind couldn't even comprehend his nonchalant attitude. “And you didn't tell us?!”
“Why? Is that important?”
Twilight angrily huffed at Soldier before flying upward as she began to prepare a teleportation spell. However, Starlight pointed the staff and shot a green glow directly at Twilight. She yelled in surprise as the magic ripped her cutie mark from its rightful place on her flank. The Sparkle mark levitated towards the staff before resting in between the staff’s pointers. Starlight threw it into a empty slot on the vault, where a glass door sealed the mark inside.
Having been suddenly drained of energy and power, Twilight plummeted to the floor, her flank already sporting the equal symbol the other Equalists shared. A second later, her friends was given the same forceful treatment simultaneously. Despite their bouts of displeasure, the magic ripped off their cutie marks which then floated into more empty cubby slots. The ponies looked at their flanks in despair to only see the Equal sign fade into existence as their new cutie mark.
The seven guests were now surrounded by radical ponies with no energy to fight back.
Except for Soldier, who examined himself to see if he was in anyway affected. He grabbed his shoulder and looked for his rocket patch. It was still there. “Oh, right.” He pointed at Starlight. “I dont have a cutie mark!” He got into a fighting stance. “You’ll give those tattoos back or I shove that stick right up your ass!”
Starlight laughed confidently. “You may be one stubborn creature, but I'm afraid you're outnumbered.” Her followers began to close in on the group.
Soldier snapped his head left and right, a scowl growing on his face. He then looked to his deprived friends with the best pleasing face he could muster. “Come on!”
The mane six all nodded to one another for confirmation, and they nodded in unison. Twilight sighed and looked at Soldier with defeat. “Just don't kill anypony, okay?”
Soldier’s scowl vanished and a wicked smile sprung into it’s place. He looked around him, and cracked his knuckles, feeling his body ready to release all the pent up patriotism. “I am not stuck in a cave full of Equalists!” He pulled out his rocket jumper and pointed to himself with his thumb. “You Equalists are stuck in a cave with me!”
He charged forward and punched a stallion blocking his path with enough force that he fell to the ground like a stone, unconscious. Other ponies began to surround the enraged man, but Soldier jumped, pointed his gun at the ground and propelled himself into the air with a perfectly timed blast from his launcher. He sailed in the air with fire from the blast trailing on his boots and began falling directly toward Starlight. She leaped to the left as the man landed with a solid thud right where she had been standing.
Soldier whipped out his shovel and swung at Starlight who partially blocked the blow with the magic staff, but underestimated his strength and felt the wood smack against her face under the recoil. Soldier brought back his arm for another swing, but he was bucked from behind and knocked to the floor. However, he merely laughed out loud at the thrill of battle before standing back up and swiftly smacking everypony trying to subdue him. “The last word out of your sorry mouths will be sir!” For every word another pony fell unconscious. “And. It. Will. Be. Loud! Maggots!”
He pulled out his jumper just as Double Diamond charged at him. He then timed another perfect shot directly at the Equalist, using the blast to send him charging at Starlight while the stallion was left disoriented from having a non lethal rocket go off in his face.
Starlight had recovered from the first impact and pointed her staff at Solly, who froze mid air when a magic beam hit him mid flight. This instant deceleration was the equivalent of Soldier flying into a brick wall. “Gah!” Glimmer smirked at this and threw Soldier against the cutie vault. He landed on his feet and began charging at her again like it was nothing. “Com’ere maggot!”
Once again Starlight shot a beam at Soldier, incapacitating him with levitation. “Your effort is futile war animal! Equalism is the true path!”
To her surprise, Soldier slowly moved his arms in a visible struggle against the magic, and his lips moved as well, allowing him to retort between clenched teeth. “I will. Not. Fail. America!” His hand tried to reach behind his back. “Gah!”
Just as his hand reached his belt, Starlight strengthened her charge, and Soldier’s hand was forced back to his side. “And I will not fail my ponies!” She looked around the cavern. Her followers were beaten badly, but Double Diamond began to stand back up, lightly rubbing his head and groaning in pain. “Diamond?” Starlight carefully asked, concerned for the well being of the faithful Equalist.
Double Diamond opened his eyes slowly and looked around at the carnage. He then looked directly at Starlight without responding. His eyes were watering, not being used to such displays of violence.
Starlight suddenly felt Soldier struggling in her grasp again and refocused her attention long enough to stem his rage. “I need you to get me some rope to tie this one up!” She looked back to him for a moment. “I don't know how long the staff can hold him!”
Diamond weakly nodded, stood up, and began to walk sluggishly out of the cave.
Starlight looked back over to the main six, more particularly at Rainbow Dash who looked ready to pounce on Diamond. “If any of you try anything,” She tightened her grip on Soldier, enticing a grunt from him. “He gets hurt!” She looked back at the Soldier, who she could feel trying to resist the magic. She pouted and shook her head. “Tisk, tisk , tisk,” She mocked. “Such a misguided soul.” She then smiled wickedly. “I have a plan for you!”
Soldier used some of his strength to squeeze out a few more words. “I’m. Sorry. Girls.”
“It’s okay Soldier.” Twilight cooed. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.”
Starlight taunted back. “Don’t make promises you can't keep, they do more harm than good.”
Eventually Diamond returned with plenty of rope and more ponies to assist in the care of their injured kin and the handling of the new prisoners. Altogether, the prisoners and Equalists made a slow trek back to the village mostly in silence.
Unlike his friends who were being escorted, Soldier found himself tied up in many knots, and dragged along the ground by a pair of stallions. There was even a rope wrapped between his teeth to muffle what was surely a continuous volley of colorful remarks.
At one point Solly managed to bite through the rope in his mouth and instantly began shouting crass insults at Starlight in particular. “You are ten pounds of crap in a five pound bag of maggot infested manure!” Immediately a pegasus tried to silence him again with a double braided strand of rope, but he twisted his head and continued to shout. “If you lay a single hoof on my team! I’ll–!” He was cut of by the rope being tightly bound between his teeth.
Twilight and her friends glanced at each other, and then Pinkie Pie hopped back and began to trot beside her tied up friend. She looked down at him with a positive but doubtful look, while Soldier could only sigh from his tiring struggles and mumble something to Pinkie that sounded kindhearted.
Through ways only Pinkie could understand, she blushed at this comment. “Dont worry about us Solly, you just focus on pushing forward.”
Soldier then said something else in his calm and caring tone with a hint of sincerity that one would rarely hear out of his mouth.
This caused Pinkie’s eyes to tear up ever so slightly. “Aww, you getting soft on us?” She giggled, and Soldier’s response changed back to being more sporadic and loud. Pinkie’s only response was a mere wink of acknowledgement.
Went they finally reached to village, Starlight Gilmer had the stallions pulling Soldier stop in front of her cottage. “Keep the others in the usual correctness house,” She said speaking to the rest of her ponies before looking directly at Soldier. “I think Soldier should spend the night with me.”
As the main six were pulled away from their dear friend, Rainbow Dash yelled out a cheer for Soldiers spirit. “God Bless America Soldier! Don't you forget it!”
Soldier shouted back as best he could, which wasn't saying much.
Rainbow Dash returned to looking forward once she saw him get dragged into Starlight’s house. “I’d bet money that Starlight’s gonna regret taking him in like that.”
Pinkie smiled at Dash. “He’s really concerned for us.”
Twilight looked at Pinkie with a raised brow. “How do you know that?”
“Mmmm...” Pinkie hummed in a teasing way. “I think I’ll tell you later.”
It wasn't long after those words were spoken that the six of them were herded into a small house with a basic bookshelf, a large water bucket, and some hay for basic food. As soon as the last pony entered, the door shut behind them, and an audible clicking noise of a lock mechanism could be heard.
Not a moment later did a recording from some speakers mounted at each corner of the ceiling activated. “In sameness, there is peace. Exceptionalism, is a lie. Free yourself from your cutie mark. Choose equality as your special talent. In sameness, there is peace…” The female recording continued on, looping over and over again in a monotonous speech.
Rainbow Dash flew up to the door and banged on it repeatedly in hope that it would somehow open. In doing this she took note of many other markings on the door. Dents, scratches, stains. She realized this room had seen many cries for sanity. Cries that eventually went silent, having submitted to the merciless speakers on the ceiling.
Pinkie approached one corner of the room and looked up at a speaker, she then put a hoof to her shin. “Wait a minute...” She reached into her mane and felt around for something. “Ah-ha!” She pulled out a metallic object form her mane. “Solly’s gift!” In Pinkie’s hoof was a futuristic metal pistol that looked directly out of a sci fi movie. “My Bison! I forgot I had it!”
The other ponies looked at her in complete surprise. Rarity seemed shocked the most. “Deary, you keep that thing in your mane?!”
“Uh, duh!” Pinkie mocked. “He told me to keep it on hoof at all times!” She held it sideways in her mouth with her teeth over the trigger, and aimed at the speaker. She squeezed the trigger and a red particle beam shot out of the device and hit the target.
“...there is peachzzz! Exceptionalllizzzzmmm…” Sparks flew out from the speaker and it buzzed and fazed its recording out before falling off the wall and onto the floor. The rest of the speakers also fizzed out at the same time. The room was left in a blissful silence.
Rainbow Dash pouted and leaned against the door. “Soldier didn't give me a gun for my birthday…”
Pinkie tossed the Bison up in the air where it landed back inside her mane. Twilight anxiously asked, “Can it get us out of here?”
Pinkie shook her head. “No, he said it only worked against machines and living stuff.”
Twilight smiled at the positive side of the event. “Well, at least we wont be driven mad like the rest of the ponies were.” She began to trot back and fourth. “Now I need to think of a plan, and hope Soldier can hold up to whatever Starlight has planned.”
Fluttershy glanced at the floor and back to Twilight nervously, still not quite comfortable with the idea of outright lying to the townsfolk about joining them. “But, what do I do once I’m out?”
Twilight pleaded, “You gotta free Soldier, and find a way to get our cutie marks back!” The rest of her friends nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, the speakers on the ceiling cracked some static noise as if receiving a signal. A moment later, the door opened, and Starlight stood there all cheerful and sunny. “Hope you had a pleasant night!” She then seemed confused at the lack of baggy eyes or furious faces that she was expecting. “...Did you have a pleasant night?”
Twilight calmly answered with a bitter undertone. “Yes. We did.”
Glimmer nervously resumed her smile. “Then this way please! There are some friends who would like to see you!”
The group complied as the seven of them followed while Starlight called to a gathering crowd, “Gather around friends, gather around!” Starlight looked back at the group when she felt enough ponies had gathered. “They’ve come to ask if any of you are ready to join us!”
Rainbow Dash raised his voice. “Yeah?” She reached into Pinkie’s mane and pulled out one the speaker that had fallen from the ceiling, and threw it at Starlight’s feet where it broke in two. “Take this and shove it down your throat where it belongs! Better yet, have Soldier do it!”
The crowd gasped and mumbled at such a display of anger, and Starlight herself was genuinely surprised. “How,” She picked up half of the speaker and looked at it in awe. “How…” She looked up at Twilight. “How did you disconnect them?”
Twilight calmly defended with another bitter response. “None of your business.”
Starlight then looked blankly at Twilight, and dropped the speaker part to the ground. “Well then, perhaps our newest member could tell us.” She looked to her right, and the other ponies did so as well.
Pinkie gasped in horror and cried out in dismay. “Solly!”
Soldier was approaching the meeting, wearing his usual uniform, but his war symbols on his coat was covered by equal sign patches. His hat was gone, revealing his mostly shaven head and wide open eyes. An unnatural smile was stuck on his face like it was meant to be. “Good morning!” His voice was monotone, but upbeat and cheerful like the rest of the Equalists. “I hope you have decided to join us today!”
The mane six scowled at Starlight, and Applejack pointed at Soldier. “What did ya do ta him!”
Starlight calmly answered with an undertone of snarkiness. “I only showed him the true path.”
Pinkie desperately ran up to Soldier and propped herself up onto his chest. “Soldier! Say something about America!”
“America is a sad and backwards country that I was foolish to follow.” Soldier placed his hand on Pinkie’s shoulder. “How did you sleep last night?”
Pinkie shook her head. “No, no! Say something about apple pie!”
“Unhealthy.”
“Guns!”
“Horrible weapons.”
“Hats!”
“Pointless.”
“Communism!”
“Not as bad as I thought.” He rubbed his fingers behind Pinkie’s ears, his smile was as wide as ever and his eyes also wide, attentive, and otherwise emotionless. “Pinkie, I have seen the light, and the light is Equality.”
Starlight Glimmer stood in her living room as the two stallions pulled Soldier through her front door. He grunted as his body was dragged across the stairs and through the doorway. Starlight gestured to her left at a bench standing under an equal sign picture. “Drag him over there.” The stallions did as told, pulling Soldier over to the bench as close as they could before untying themselves from the mad man. “Good.” Starlight nodded. “I can handle him from here, thank you gentlecolts.”
The stallions nodded back to her and left her home, smiling proudly as they went, and shutting the door behind them. Soldier rolled around on the floor in an attempt to right himself up, but the rope refused to let him. In doing this however, Soldier was able to see the layout of the first floor. To the right wall was a bookshelf, and after that was a table sitting under a window. To the left wall was the bench he was next to, then a doorway to the bathroom just beyond it. Finally, tucked in the corner of the living room was a fireplace.
Starlight turned to Soldier with a malicious smile. “Oh your effort is admirable. Futile, but admirable.” She placed a hoof on his chest and pushed down as hard as she could. This did not deter Soldier from his rolling or muffled shouts in the slightest. “Solid like a rock, much like your brain I suspect.” Her horn glowed and all the curtains in the room drew themselves shut at her command. “That might be the only good thing about you.”
She backed off of Soldier to only lift her horn and forcing him upright into a sitting position so his face was more level with hers. She then slowly began to remove the rope from his mouth. It was soaked with saliva, and martyred from a set of large pearly whites. Soldier was patient and silent until the rope had been completely removed, then his voice thundered. “BITCH–!”
He was silenced by Starlight’s magic, and her smiled widened at his insult. “You know, I could use some muscle around here.” She looked to the ground slightly disappointed. “Ponies lose any excessive strength to enforce physical equality,” She looked back up slightly more cheerful. “But that’s seldom an issue.” She leaned in close to Soldier with half lidded eyes. “You on the other hoof, can help subdue any ponies who prove to be more…”–For a moment she glanced upward in search of the appropriate word–“...Difficult, shall we say? Newcomers who are hesitant to accept our ways, and perhaps citizens who need to be reminded of what we strive for?”
Starlight replaced the rope in Soldier’s mouth by prying it open and crudely tying it back. She then let go of Soldier and he fell back to the floor again with a grunt of pain. “I’m going to ask you a question.” She stated while talking a few steps away. “Let’s see if you're smart enough to know the answer.”
Soldier did nothing more than growl behind his lips.
Starlight giggled deeply. “Good.” She turned away from his face. “How much do you value the wellbeing of your friends?”
Soldier rolled back and forth and even tried to kick her by hopping on the floor like a big fish. “A lot?” Starlight raised an eyebrow and a smile. “In that case,” She leaned close to Soldier’s face. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to use an alicorn feather for a quill, I’m sure Twili–!”
Soldier suddenly jerked his head forward in a bruising helmet headbutt. Starlight fell on her rump recoiling in surprise and pain. She put her hooves to her forehead whilst groaning and hissing. “Uuugh!-Sssss...”
Starlight however, then started giggling. “Hahaha, Oh! You and I could play this game all day!” She shook her head and returned her hooves to the floor, after momentarily checking them for blood. "I'm not saying we will,”–She looked up with an evil smile and levitated Soldier back to a sitting position–“But just to make things even…” She calmly trotted up to him and removed his helmet from his head using her mouth. She could now see Soldier’s rage filled eyes, glaring untold physical curses into her soul. Ignoring this, Starlight then magically grabbed and threw his head down between his legs and into the floor with a dull and sudden "Thwump!"
The helpless man groaned from such an impact, and a big blob of a bruise was already visible on his shaven head. The wooden floor had a small corresponding dent in it.
Feeling that karma had been served, Starlight sat him back up to replace the helmet. “Now you should get acquainted with your bed." She levitated Soldier off the ground and began trotting towards the stairs. "It might be a little small, but I take it you're not the type to complain about such things."
Soldier looked around him frantically for something he could use to unbind himself, but the rest of the house was once again simple and minimalist. They passed through a small hallway dividing the master bed from the guest bed. The guest bedroom itself was very simple. One bed sat at the back right corner of the room, and one nightstand stood on its left side. There was no closet, no bathroom, with only one window with a view of the barren landscape.
Starlight threw Soldier down on the bed, which creaked and groaned from such a sudden impact. The mare went beside the bed and patted her hoof on Solly’s helmet. “There, there my soldier, you will be one of us soon enough.” She began to walk towards the doorway. “Now, I’m going to take a small rest downstairs.” She waved her hoof. “Rest well!” She shut the door behind her and a loud click signified that a lock was in place.
Starlight paused for a moment to listen outside the door. The sounds of Soldier’s grunts and the loud creaking of the wooden bed came from within. Smiling, she began to trot downstairs. “I think I’ve accomplished enough today to treat myself!” She continued downstairs into her living room. She trotted to the door on the right wall and opened it, revealing its largely dry food contents. There were potatoes and a small variety of greens, but nothing substantial.
She levitated a bottle of moonshine from the cabinet and two glasses. “I’m curious to see if he can break free.” Her ears twitched as the ceiling made continuous noises from the captive. She giggled and poured herself a shot. “I’ll admit it’s been nice having something exciting happen around here for once.” She then set the other empty glass on the stone shelf of the fireplace where it landed with a light, "Plink!"
Starlight looked back up at the ceiling, and lifted the shot glass to her lips, but just as she did so, the din of the upper floor went silent. Starlight paused, and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. A few moments passed, and no more sounds could be heard. Starlight then shrugged. “Must’ve given up.” She released a satisfied “Humph!” And drank her shot.
Then there was an explosion.
It shook the whole house and completely caught Starlight off guard just as she was swallowing. This shock sent some liquid down the wrong pipe, and put Glimmer in a coughing fit while the strong alcohol burned in her throat, causing her to drop the bottle and glass in the process. The glass shattered on the floor.
Suddenly Soldier came barreling down the stairs completely free with a vengeful smile on his face. Smoke was rising from his figure even though no signs of fire damage seemed apparent. “Hello again!” He did not hesitate any further and lunged at Starlight.
She quickly reacted and summoned a force shield to block an incoming blow. Soldier’s shovel bounced off it as if it were hitting solid steel.
Seeing the bottle of moonshine spilling on the floor, Soldier picked it up and jammed the open end onto Starlight’s horn just as she prepared a new spell in hopes of somehow nullifying the magic.
Her magic was indeed interrupted, and it sparked from her horn while pushing back against the bottle held in place by Soldier.
The bottle filled with pressurized magical energy and exploded into hundreds of pieces. The magically induced shine was sprayed on Starlight more than Soldier, but the blast pushed them both back onto the ground disoriented.
The strong smell of the alcohol flooded into Starlight’s nose, and her head pulsed like a jackhammer.
Soldier got right back up and once again lunged at her. This time he managed to grab her by the throat. He lifted her off the ground and began to squeeze harder in a deadly chokehold. Starlight flailed in panic and pain. Her voice was inaudible apart from what little air that managed to escape.
Soldier scowled. "Stars and stripes beats hammer and sickle!" Starlight’s horn suddenly flashed a bright light. "Ah!" The light dissipated, but Solly's helmet was gone, and he had his eyes harshly closed. “I can’t see!” He then felt his grip fail once again when magic took over his body.
Starlight was staring daggers at him. "There's a first time for everything you disgusting patriot!" She dropped herself safety to the floor, and threw Soldier to the ground. "I want to hurt you so much, but I think the best form of punishment should be left to irony." Her horn glowed brighter and her magic suddenly struck him between the eyes. “It’s about time you switch sides!” Soldier’s eyes widened and spaced out as the magic dug deep into his head. "Fight it all you want! My magic is too powerful!"
She watched as his eyes twitched and his body spasmed and struggled. Seconds passed as she reveled in Soldier’s suffering, and a smile of large and maniacal portions shone on her face. “Now,” She carefully asked, switching off the magic. “How’s about you give a big smile for me? Hmm?” For a few seconds he did not respond, but then, Soldier lips began to curl upward in a large grin. Starlight gave a warm smile and gently rubbed Soldier’s shaven head. “I figure your friends could use some convincing, and let’s be honest, what better way to do that then show you off?” She glanced at her moonshine soaked figure, and yelped in surprise when she noticed that the liquid had spilled over her flank.
The Equal sign was dripping off her fur revealing a different cutie mark.
"You didn't see anything!" She yelled at Soldier while backing into the bathroom next to the fireplace in a swift panic. She slammed the door once she was completely inside.
Soldier's gaze did not change. "I saw nothing…”
Twilight sat in the correction house inspecting the speaker that had fallen to the floor. “I don't think this can help us either. It’s just a regular speaker.” She let it drop to the floor and began pacing again.
Pinkie flipped through pages of books provided on a small shelf. They were all exactly the same, pictures of an equal mark. As for everypony else, there was nothing to do but sit and think. Rainbow Dash was still leaning against the worn door. Her eyes were closed, and her voice was dull and dry. “This is by far the worst thing ever!”
Happy enough just to have a conversation in the midst of nothing, AppleJack provoked an answer. “What makes ya say that?”
“I’m trapped in a small room, and I hate being trapped in small rooms!”
Rarity chimed in. “I didn't know you were claustrophobic?”
Dash lightly shook her head. “No, I just enjoy the outdoors, the ability to spread my wings and feel free.” She smiled and opened her eyes. “Like Solly, I know for a fact he hates feeling trapped.”
Fluttershy giggled. “Remember when you and Soldier played tag? During our picnic?”
Dash laughed. “Haha! Yeah! He’s one quick jumper!”
Twilight stopped pacing for a moment to look at Dash and comment. “He also punched you in the face.”
“Yeah,”–She waved her hoof nonchalantly–“but I bucked him in the gut, so we were even.”
Rarity began to pout. “I should’ve asked him for one of his hats.” She looked back at her cutie mark. “It would remind me of what should be fashionable!” Her mark darkened in a siphoning glow.
Pinkie folded her ears back and closed the book she was reading. “I just hope he’s safe…”
Rarity quickly added. “Yes, that too. But I’m not so worried about that. He is the only one I know to single hoofedly take down an entire pack of Diamond Dogs, with a pickaxe no less!” Her ears perked up. “Oh! Pinkie dear, you were saying something about Soldier earlier.”
“About his safety? I just said that silly!”
Rarity’s eyes fell to half lidded. “No, before that.”
"Oh!” Pinkie closed her book. “Soldier was telling me about how worried he was about us!"
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "How worried?"
Applejack also had a brow raised. "He don't tend ta be sincere."
"He was!" Pinkie did her best impersonation of Solly, which meant lying on the floor pretending to be tied up. "I'll eat my own leg before I let these ponies win, but I'd also eat my leg before any of you get hurt."
Pinkie switched back to herself, quickly standing up and talking to the spot where she just was. “Don't you worry about us, you just focus on pushing forward.”
She then got back on the floor. "You girls mean a lot to me."
Pinkie stood up and blushed. "Are you getting soft on us?"
"The only thing getting soft, will be Starlight's bones when I turn them to dust!" Pinkie remained on the floor, but ended her impersonation. “That’s how it happened!” Pinkie’s equality mark darkened. “I guess…”
"Aww!" Fluttershy cooed. "He can be such a sweetie!"
Rarity tilted her head in slight confusion. "In his own crass way, yes."
Applejack looked out the window. "Sun's going down, and Ah don't know how cold it gets round here."
Twilight glanced over at AJ. “We’re in the northern corner of Equestria, so it could get pretty cold.”
Pinkie raised her hoof. “Oh!” Her mark darkened again and Pinkie lost her enthusiasm. “We could sleep in pairs.”
“Three by three?” Rarity suggested.
Fluttershy put her hooves together in a hug motion. “We could sleep like penguins! All huddled together!”
Dashie raised her hoof. “Not in the center.”
Pinkie stared Soldier in the eyes. After waiting to see him for a whole night, all she was left with were eyes that had been deprived of everything about the communist hating, hippie killing, rocket tossing patriotic maniac she cared for. Soldier slowly reached into Pinkie’s mane and she could feel him grab hold of her Righteous Bison. “Solly!” She whined as it was pulled out. “That was your gift, to me! At my birthday…”
“I’m sorry Pinkie,” He said, clearly not feeling any sort of emotion from taking back the gift. “But guns are bad. You could get yourself hurt!”
At this point Pinkie’s eyes watered and her lip quivered. So she gave Soldier a quick remorseful hug before trotting back to the prison cottage. Rainbow Dash accompanied her and placed her wing over Pinkie’s back to try her best at comforting the sad party mare. Pinkie paused one more time and looked back. She asked in a low and sad voice, “Moonshine?”
Soldier answered her question, but still didn't recognize her displays of emotion. “Moonshine? Stuff’s great!”
Pinkie give a small smile, and she wiped her eyes of the water that was collecting. She was happy to see that a little bit of him managed to survive whatever brainwashing he had been put through. Turning back, she trotted into the jail house.
Rarity clenched her teeth and growled at Starlight. “What ever you did to him was not by his choice!”
Starlight walked up to Rarity and patted her cheek like a cruel stepmother addressing a little child, “Oh hush now! Why would I do that?”
Rarity’s eyes flared up as she leaned forward aggressively. “Why you little–!” Twilight placed her hoof on Rarity’s shoulder and began to pull back. “He had a-a damn good sense of fashion! You–You!” She was visibly restraining herself. “Ugh!” She trotted back inside with her body fuming.
Applejack shook her head at Soldier, whose expression had not changed during all this. “That just ain't right…” She followed Rarity back inside.
Fluttershy kicked the ground with her hoof hesitantly. “Um…” She glanced at Twilight who made a subtle nod. “I would...like to join.”
“Fluttershy!” Twilight acted surprised. “How could you!”
She trotted toward the cheering crowd of equalists. “If giving up my cutie mark means I get to stay in this lovely village with these lovely ponies, then I’ll do it!”
Twilight acted depressed and slowly trotted back inside the house, and Starlight shut the door behind them. “We have a new friend everypony!”
Fluttershy was then surrounded by cheering villagers who welcomed the shy mare into their society. Soldier simply walked up to her and plucked her from the ground. “You made the right choice Fluttershy! I am happy for you!”
Starlight trotted up beside Soldier. “You will be staying with Soldier and I until a new cottage can be built for the two of you!” She began trotting towards her house and the pair of newcomers followed, with Solly still holding Fluttershy in his arms. “Double Diamond!” She called.
The stallion came up beside her. “Yes?”
“Get the spare audio equipment for the correction house, I want it installed before nightfall.”
“Of course!” He trotted off to do as she said.
“Now,” Starlight opened her front door and stepped inside. “Come inside for some breakfast!” Starlight pulled the table away from the wall for such an occasion. However, there were no chairs.
Fluttershy was released from Soldier’s cold grasp. She stood at the table and rested her hoof on the table’s edge. She saw Glimmer open the cupboard and retrieve a few plates and some food that was then placed on the table before her. Flutters looked down at the plate. “Oh…” Her face fell. “More of those muffins…” Three grey muffins sat on her plate, looking about as appetizing as the wooden floor. In fact, the floor probably would taste better.
Soldier’s hand came over her shoulder and placed a handful of hay on her plate as well. “And hay!” He said smiling. “Can't forget the hay!” Fluttershy had no idea where he had gotten it from, given that he hadn't gone over to help Starlight.
Starlight Glimmer sat down on the opposite end of the table with her own plate of muffins and hay. “Come and eat with us Soldier, I’m sure you’re famished!”
“I apologise Starlight,” Soldier said, “but I need to use the facilities, please excuse me.” He saluted before making a brisk retreat to the bathroom.
Starlight raised an eyebrow as her gaze followed him. “Hope he won't be too long.”
Fluttershy looked at Starlight and smiled meekly. “Well, um, I’m pretty sure he will be.”
“What makes you say that?”
“American indigestion, well, that’s how he puts it anyway...”
Starlight stared at Fluttershy, trying to see if she was being serious. Flutters just slowly began to eat the hay, prolonging the muffins as much as possible. After a moment Starlight just shook her head and began eating the hay as well. “Tell me,” She asked between bites. “His recent convergence aside, how did he become friends with the likes of you and your ex-friends?” She looked up from her plate at Fluttershy.
Flutters answered with a meek shrug. “Oh, he might have been a little crazy, but his heart was always in the right place...Well, he still pointed his guns at whatever he wanted, but his heart was in the right place.” She stared off into the distance remembering the past. “One time, a mean unicorn named Trixie tried to enslave Ponyville and exile Twilight, but Soldier...” Fluttershy’s ears folded back.
Starlight was anxious. “Yes go on.”
“He broke her nose...twice.”
“…”
“And you remember the attack from Lord Tirek?”
“Yeah?”
Fluttershy fiddled with her hooves. “Let’s just say he…um…” She blushed. “Won't be having children anytime soon…”
Starlight winced at the suggestion. “Oh my! He is not afraid of anything is he?” She bit into one of her muffins.
Fluttershy smiled warmly. “The only thing he fears is us getting hurt,” She then looked at the bathroom door. “and he’s really sweet that way.”
From behind the bathroom door sounds of splashing water sounded. Followed by Soldier groaning in constipation. Starlight waved her hoof at Fluttershy. “Dont worry about the muffins! You get used to them!” She levitated a bottle from the pantry. “Moonshine? I just got it today.”
“No, thank you.”
Starlight shrugged. “I hope you don't mind sharing a bed?” She poured herself a shot.
Fluttershy swallowed her second bite of hay. “With him? Not at all!”
Starlight drank her shot in a swift motion. “Mmm...Good.”
The bathroom door was suddenly slammed open, and Soldier stood there as happy as before. “I’m back from the toilet and everyone’s still happy! Yay!”
Starlight looked to Soldier. “You should really eat something–” Her nose wrinkled as a pungent smell slowly made itself apparent. “By Celestia! Shut the door!”
Soldier closed the bathroom door behind him, and Fluttershy glared at him. “Did you clean up after yourself?”
“Yes! My bathroom and hygiene etiquette has been enlightened with equality.”
Fluttershy folded back her ears in moderate surprise. “...Good to hear…”
It was early into the night. The stars were out and the sky was cloudless. The little village seemed at peace, and for the most part that was true. However, Starlight Glimmer’s home was not at rest. The chimney was active, but not in the way of an active fire. Strange noises came from within, and suddenly a butter yellow pony popped her head out from it’s ashy walls. She coughed up some soot, and rapidly shook her body clean of the ash that had clung to her coat and mane.
With her body mostly clean, Fluttershy glanced left and right in her typical fear. “Get the cutie marks back, that’s all you have to do!” She whispered to herself. “I can't help Soldier, but I can sneak through the dark…” Her expression and voice got progressively more timid. “To that spooky old cave...with the scary magical staff...and get the cutie marks back…” She carefully climbed out of the chimney with her pupils the size of grapes. “I thought Soldier would never fall asleep, instead of counting dead...hippies...he just wanted to count sheep!” She looked down at the roof slightly confused. “What’s strange is why I find that concerning?”
Fluttershy suddenly paused at the sound of Starlight’s voice. “Excellent work Double Diamond!” Realising that the voice was not addressing her, Flutters quickly flew to the edge of the roof to peer over the front door.
Diamond was standing outside the front door, behind him was a wooden box of glass jars. He wasn't smiling. In fact, he was confused, and frowning slightly. “Of course, but I don't understand why you wanted me to bring them here?” Starlight levitated the box of jars over Diamond and behind herself as she walked into her home followed by Diamond. “Fluttershy is one of us now, surely she can be trusted?”
The door shut behind them, so Fluttershy moved over to the left side window. Starlight levitated one of the jars out of the box. It contained Twilight’s cutie mark, so Fluttershy could only assume that the other marks she was after were also in that box. “This one belongs to a princess, it could be very important to our cause…” She stared at the mark in cruel admiration.
“But if Twilight Sparkle becomes our friend, then what do we care about this old cutie mark?” Diamond asked, still not sure about this course of action.
“I just want to keep these close until everything is...settled.” She flashed a confident smile, and then looked back at her guest. “You may go, Double Diamond.”
Fluttershy watched as he left the building, looking back once as if concerned for the well being of his friend and leader. She then looked back through the front window, and her suspicions were confirmed. All six cutie marks were inside their own personal jars. “On dear! How am I supposed to get the cutie marks back now!?”
Looking for an opportunity of some kind to appear, she watched Glimmer go upstairs. Fluttershy sat there in thought for a moment before being interrupted by a shout. “Ow!” Hearing it come from upstairs, she flew to the second story bedroom window. She saw a wooden bucket roll across the floor and Starlight covered in water. She was quite peeved with herself, “Starlight, you clumsy fool!” She set the jars down on a nearby table, upon which a towel also sat neatly folded. Starlight took this towel and began drying herself off. “Two days in a row! I should be more careful!”
However, when was done drying her flank and put the towel aside on her bed, her equal cutie mark was no longer there. Instead, a different cutie mark, one of a small lavender and white sparkle, and two turquoise swirls. Using some simple makeup, and a stencil, Starlight hid her true mark with powder the same color as her coat, and black makeup for her false mark.
Fluttershy gasped involuntarily. All this time her mark was a ruse, a lie. But Flutter’s gasp was loud enough for Starlight to hear it. She snapped her head at the window, but the pegasus was gone. Starlight trotted over to the window and looked outside for any sign of the culprit. There was none, for Fluttershy had hid under the roof frame below it.
Starlight turned away from the glass, and shut off her light, presumably to go to sleep. Fluttershy heard the click of the light and began to hover away from the wall, far more worried than before. “Oh no!” Now she had to figure out a plan, to reveal Starlight’s false identity.
Starlight looked at her weary captives in pride as they walked out of the correction house, the crowd of ponies standing before them. “I’ve got a good feeling about today!” The remaining ponies were tired from having the repaired recording prevent a restful sleep. “So, do any of you have anything you’d like to say?”
Twilight saw Soldier standing beside Starlight, and Fluttershy beside him. He was holding a large coffee mug, from which he took a sip. Inhaling deeply, Twilight straightened her body so that she was standing tall and proud. Following her example, the rest of her friends stood at attention.
The five ponies softly parted their lips. In beautiful harmony, they began to sing the United States National Anthem.
“Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light.
What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming?”
As they sung, Starlight raised an eyebrow as she was completely caught off guard by this.
“Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight.
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?”
On a hunch, Starlight snapped her head in the direction of Soldier, who was not smiling, and his eyes were dead focused on the chorus of five. “Soldier?”
“And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air.
Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there.”
“Soldier!?”
“Oh, say does that star-spangled, banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free–!”
Starlight shouted at the top of her lungs. “QUIET!” Her thundering voice startled the singers into silence. “Do you think a simple song will change anything?!”
Fluttershy sang out from beside Soldier, much to Starlight’s disapproval. “And the home of the brave!” Double Diamond tried to pounce at her from behind, but she was fortunately quick enough to fly out of the way and land beside her friends, standing as proudly as they.
Starlight’s left eye twitched. “Fluttershy?! I knew you couldn't be trusted! Why do you ponies remain blind to the blatan–!” PANG! Starlight fell to the ground with the imprint of a shovel head on her mane.
“GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!” Soldier stood tall with his shovel raised to the sky. He then lifted his coffee mug and threw it violently down onto Starlight’s body, where it shattered from such force. Moonshine spilled over Glimmer’s form, where it also washed off the makeup concealing her cutie mark.
The crowd gasped at the sight of the colorful mark, and Soldier picked up Starlight and began holding her so that all could see her flank. “Her ass is a lie! Look at it! She’s been playing all of you like cards in a rigged game of communist poker!”
Double Diamond looked at Starlight’s flank with betrayal. “How could she? She said that cutie marks were evil!”
Party favor walked up beside him. “She said the only magic we needed was the staff of sameness!”
Soldier threw Starlight on the ground in frustration. “Open your damn eyes! That wooden piece of shit is nothing more than a ploy!” He pointed out to the crowd. “You all saw her take me into her house! The only reason I didn't break her spine is because she had the power to brainwash me!” He looked down at the ponies with a cold stare. “Do I look like that type of maggot that just gives in?!”
He let the question hang in the air for anyone to respond to. There was no disagreement, but Sugar Belle did call out, “How did you wake up then?”
“I answered the call of my national anthem!” He turned around to face the mane six, audibly proud for what they had done. “Nopony knows me better than my team! Your singing was like George Washington himself coming from the heavens to kick my cupcakes back in line!” He looked back to the crowd. “I know that some of you got the receiving end of my fist yesterday, but I was doing it to protect my team! My friends.” He then walked over to said friends, turned on his heel so that he could still see the crowd, and knelt down. “Without these adorable maggots,” He gestured to his left and right. “I’d be a lone wolf in the wild.” Soldier felt his friend's embrace him in a group hug.
Starlight then began to wake from her induced sleep. “Ughhh…”
Twilight saw Soldier scowl and reach for his shotgun, and shouted. “Wait!” Solly paused and looked up at Twilight, who stuttered to find a good excuse. “You-uh, should…”
Rainbow Dash flew up to Soldier and whispered in his ear. “Looks like these ponies need to be shown what it means to be free.”
Solly looked around him. The villagers were confused and hurt from Starlight's betrayal. He could see the fury burning within their hearts, and Soldier knew then that he had to lead the rise of democracy.
Soldier stood up shouted to the crowd. “You want your tattoos back!? To be free of the lies that this,” Soldier walked over and roughly picked up Starlight's body. “Son of a bitch has fed you?!” The villagers looked at Starlight’s awakening form, and the more they stared, the more then began to swear against their leader in a murmur that slowly began to grow louder. “Answer me maggots!”
He got his response in a passionate cheer, “YEAH!”
Soldier threw Glimmer on the ground like a football. “Then let’s get your ass tattoos back!” He pulled out his rocket jumper and shouted as he blasted his way towards the cutie vault cave. “Charge!”
The villagers yelled behind him and followed the rocket jumping maniac. Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash dumbfounded. “Rainbow! Do you realize what you’ve done!”
“Yeah, I kept Soldier from killing a pony in front of an entire crowd!” She puffed out her chest in pride.
“No! You just sparked an American Revolution!”
“Is that a bad thing?”
Twilight shook her head. “I don't know!”
Starlight began to groan again. “Ohhh...I don't feel so good…” She opened her eyes and glanced around. “The hay happened?” She saw a largely deserted village, and six smug mares looking down at her. “What are you looking at?!” She slowly stood up, and sniffed the air. “And why do I smell moonshi–” Glimmer’s eyes widened and her neck snapped at her flank. “Oh!” She looked around at the deserted area, her eyes filling with rage. “Oh! That war animal will burn in Tartarus!”
“Too late.” Rarity declared. “He’s already on his way to the vault.”
Starlight growled at Rarity causing her to shrink back. “This isnt over yet!” She began galloping towards the safety of her home.
Rainbow Dash reared up. “Come on guys!” She started flying towards the cave. “Let’s get our cutie marks back!”
Fluttershy called out. “Our cutie marks aren't in the vault,” She pointed at Starlight’s house. “They’re in there, with her!”
Soldier made a solid landing at the entrance of the cave. Glancing behind him, he saw the villagers quickly catching up. He then ran inside the cave and pulled out his beggar's bazooka. He looked at the vault within its blue hue, not in admiration for its craft, but in a patriotic scowl that spelled its doom. The other ponies stopped behind Soldier, who shouted for each rocket he loaded. “U.S.A!” He released the trigger, causing the three rockets to fire out in rapid succession. “Maggots!”
The vault stood no chance against such a barrage, and it exploded in a beautiful rain of glowing dust and shattered glass. The marks from within burst forth on their own, homing in on their original owners. A mark of three snowflakes landed on Double Diamonds flank, causing his body to glow in a bright light. It faded, leaving him with his original carefree hairstyle, and his personality and talents restored.
Each pony smiled in delight as their mark returned to their side, but Soldier was staring at something else glowing among the display.
The so called Staff of Sameness had caught fire from the explosion, and quickly began to crackle and burn like the dry peice of wood it was. “You will not be missed demon staff.” He turned around and began to walk out of the cave. Cutie marks soaring over him to find their owners. “Time to carry out some capital punishment!”
He hears Sugar Belle call out from behind him. “Soldier?” He turned around, and saw the villagers stand proudly. “I don't know much about this Democracy you spoke of, but if you're a testament to its strength,” She looked left and right at her fellow ponies, “Then we’re willing to give it a try!” They all nodded in agreement.
Soldier could do nothing more than give an honest smile. “Then let’s go catch ourselves a commie!” He motioned forward. “Move out!”
Meanwhile down in the village, the main six struggled to break into Starlight’s home. Applejack bucked against the door, but without her apple bucking talents the door remained where it was. Rarity pawed at the door in a feeble but amusing attempt to beat it in. The rest of the ponies stood around the windows, trying to figure out how to get inside.
“Atten-tion!” Soldier called out from an overlooking hill. His friends looked up, and saw him standing there with the villagers alongside him. “Did somebody order some democracy!?” He readied his rocket launcher, and the main six knew to immediately take cover away from the house. “Express delivery is free!” He pulled the trigger and a rocket flew straight at the front door. The explosion tore apart the wooden entrance in a rain of splinters.
Ponies rushed inside the home, pushing over books, looking under tables, any place that could hold a cutie jar. Fluttershy went straight for the master bed, and peaked through the door out of fear that Starlight could still be there. “The’re gone!” She exclaimed, pushing the door open the rest of the way. “They were right over there!” She pointed at a clothes drawer.
Soldier pointed through the doorway. “She’s escaped!” The bed had been turned over, revealing a pathway down into the ground. “She may be fast, but my bullets are faster!” The search party ran down the stairs and into the tunnel.
They came back to the surface from a tunneled out rock not too far away from the village. Everypony looked around to try and see where she had gone, but then Rainbow pointed to the north. “Look!”
The faint outline of a unicorn was galloping along a winding road towards a mountain. Unable to see such a distance, Party favor pulled out a balloon from seemingly nowhere and made it into a pair of balloon binoculars. Somehow they actually worked. He could see Starlight pulling a wooden cart filled with the cutie marks along the path. “She headed towards the pass!” He lowered the binoculars. “If she makes it into those mountains, we’ll never find her!”
Pinkie took the binoculars out of curiosity. “These are amazing!” She adjusted the zoom, causing the balloons to stretch and contract.
Sugar Belle look at Soldier. “If she makes it in the caves, the cutie marks will be gone forever!”
Soldier pulled out his Concheror and slung it onto his back. “Then lets move up!” He blowed into the conch and the box on his back deployed an American flag instead of the standard yellow symbol. The ponies and Soldier suddenly felt a big burst of energy swell inside them, and the group charged forward with enhanced speed of the buff.
However, with their cutie marks gone, the mane six could only run and fly at a constant and slow speed. Dashie tried with all her might to fly as fast as she could, but found that Soldier and the villagers rushed passed her. “Aw c'mon!” She whined.
With the enhanced boost it wasn't long before Starlight found herself being closely pursued by the patriotic platoon. She turned around and scowled at her once loyal followers. “Are you willing to give up everything because of these strangers!? And a stupid flag!?” She charged her magic and shot a small patch of snow hanging from a cliff. It fell to the ground downing the blue pegasus.
Soldier however was managing to keep up with his now equipped Air Strike launcher. “You're gonna be sent home to your momma in a BOX!” Starlight ran faster had he was gaining on her, and felt fairly confident he meant what he said. Between bounds, Soldier fired a pair of rockets at Starlight. The one of them managed to hit the cart wheel, shattering it and the rest of the cart to pieces.
Starlight stumbled and fell, but managed to catch the jars of cutie marks that miraculously survived. She turned around and fired at a thin portion of the ground. The explosion destroyed the bridge between the two cliff faces. The ground below waited in a cold wind that would spell disaster to anyone who fell in. This did little to stop the American jumper. It did however stall his reinforcements.
Starlight was now nearing the cave entrance to the deep mountains, but stopped in her tracks. She turned around to face Soldier, who was about to land on top of her. “Got you now magg-aaahhh!” He was thrown to the side by levitation, and landed harshly on the ground. “...Damnit…”
“You are one stupid creature!” Starlight proclaimed, “And you can credit your ignorance to your failure!”
Soldier stood back up, default Rocket Launcher now in his hands. “You are nothing but walking vomit!” He fired a volley of explosives.
Starlight drew up a magic shield to protect herself, and barely held it steady against the short barrage. A headache pulsed through her head, but the shield remained standing. She looked up to see a cloud of smoke and snow obstructing her vision. Starlight listened, and on cue she could hear another rocket be fired.
However, what came through the haze was no rocket, but Soldier himself was flying through the smoke. With a silver pickaxe in hand. He swung down and struck the shield. The magic couldn't withstand the nullifying power of the Equalizer, and it dispelled in a large pulse wave. Throwing the opponents away from each other.
Starlight flew into the rocky wall behind her, and the cutie jars were shattered open. The marks flew into the sky to find their owners.
Starlight opened her eyes wide at the sound of the shattering glass, and saw the marks fly away. She had lost. Everything that she had worked so hard for had been taken by a man who was more insane than she was. Starlight Glimmer wasn't down yet. In a sudden wave of anger, she conjured a lethal energy beam that swirled with magical force around her horn in a dramatic and foreboding manner.
Soldier was just getting up from the floor, shaken but not yet deterred. He looked up and saw her horn glow with power aimed directly at him, and his scowl deepened. He could see Starlight wear a smile of vengeance and insanity, one that only sought to destroy the man who ruined her plans. In his last moment, Soldier reached for something on his belt.
The spell fired from her horn in a concentrated beam moving at dangerous speeds. Whipping through the air like a bullet. It made full contact with Soldier, blasting the man and surely to tear through his body and leave nothing behind but ashes and blood.
So it was a complete surprise to her when Soldier simply ran up and slugged her in the face.
The crazed man was glowing a bright red and his eyes burned yellow like Celestia’s sun. He pinned her to the ground, and began throwing fist after fist onto her body. “You made me forsake America!” He then grabbed her by the tail and threw her around like a flail, before smashing her into a stone wall. “You threatened my team!” He kicked her repeatedly with extreme prejudice and rage. “You! Made! Me! A! Commie!”
“SOLLY!”
Soldier paused at the sound of Twilight’s voice, just as the Ubercharge was wearing off. He looked up, and saw that his team and the villagers had caught up. “What?! You expect me to let her live!?” He pulled out his shotgun and pointed it at Starlight. “She will not be missed!”
Starlight Glimmer was beaten to hell as it was. Her face was bruised and bloody, which could also be said about the rest of her body. Her nose was crooked and one eye was swollen purple. The likelihood of internal damage was high, but that fact that she was still conscious was a testament to her physical tolerance. Albeit now all she could do was stare down a shotgun barrel. “How…?” She squeezed out with a gravelly and weak voice. After all this time, how had her magic now proven ineffective?
Soldier patted a tan canteen on his belt. “Power up canteen! Always keeps me in the fight!”
Pinkie trotted up beside Soldier while trying not to look at Starlight. “Let her run Solly, with luck she’ll come back.” She stood up on her hind legs and rested on Soldier’s arm. “Perhaps in some later episode.” Soldier looked at Pinkie. “Then we can have a sequel, and you will get your desserts.”
Soldier stood there pondering this question. “Mmm–Gah!” There was a flash of blue light, and Starlight was gone from her spot on the floor. Soldier quickly turned to look at the cave entrance, where the galloping of hooves could be heard. He then sighed deeply, rubbed the his temple with his left hand, and turned to the audience. “Hasbro, if you don't make an episode where she comes back, then I will personally leave this dimension and kick your ass! I’m looking at you McCarthy!”
Twilight looked over Soldier’s shoulder. “Who are you taking to?”
“McCarthy and Larson. Mostly McCarthy.”
Double Diamond looked around, the weight of Starlight’s rule completely lifted from his mind. “This is a chance for all of us to get to know each other again, like it’s the very first time!” The other villagers smiled back at him.
Party Favor pointed at Soldier. “And we can use democracy to govern ourselves!”
Sugar Belle put a hoof to her chin. “But we need an actual name for our village, hmm…” She raised her hoof when an idea struck her. “I know! We can call our village, Amareica!”
There was silence following this proposal, and the main six slowly turned their heads towards Soldier, who had a big goofy grin on his face. “Today, is a good day!”
The town of Amareica was dressed with streamers, ribbons, and other such party decorations to celebrate their freedom of Equalism. Of course, Soldier had done his part as well, decorating the town with American flags that were over every house, flowing proudly in the wind.
The seven heroes stood at the entrance of the village looking at the celebration. Pinkie smiled at the fun ponies were having. “Now those are real smiles!”
Suddenly, the ponies felt their cutie marks glowing in repeated pulses. “Ah’m never gonna get used to that.” Applejack stated, glancing at her flank.
“I think it’s divine.” Rarity chimmed.
Fluttershy looked at Twilight. “Does that mean the map is calling us somewhere else?”
Twilight looked back to the town. “I think it means our work here is done!”
“Looks like you were right Twilight!” AJ remarked. “The map did have a reason to take us here.”
Soldier shouted. “Of course it did! We were sent here to teach the true meaning of friendship, and spread the magic of America!”
Twilight smiled at Soldier. “Whether the map is aware of your presence or not, I’m touched by your bravery and concern for us, Solly.”
“Concern…” Soldier rubbed the back of his neck. “Well…I can't imagine my life here without my new team, you girls mean the world to me!”
Touched at this rare display of emotion, Soldier suddenly felt his friend's embrace him in a group hug. “You know what?” Rainbow Dash started. “Having a psycho patriot for a friend is probably the best thing that ever happened to us tough guy!”
Soldier hugs his friends back. “Thanks girls!” The hug broke. “Now if you excuse me! I’m gonna have my apple pie!” He charged towards the food table in a fit of laughter where Sugar Belle had a large pile of pies waiting.
Pinkie Pie ran after him. “Save some for me!”
Rarity smiled as she watched the rest of her friends leave to enjoy in the festivities, but then turned to look at Twilight. “Darling, what if the Cutie Map did send us here with Soldier on purpose?”
Twilight looked at Rarity confused. “How could that be? He doesn’t represent an Element of Harmony.”
“Yes, but Soldier has stood alongside us for such a long time.” Rarity put a hoof to her chin. “Perhaps the Tree of Harmony somehow is more self-aware than we give it credit for?”
Twilight shook her head at Rarity and spoke ominously. “If that’s the case, then Soldier’s destiny might be greater than any of us realize.”
