> A World Without Color > by Alfoals Trottenbauer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > I Beginnings > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ace went to his black & white job at Apple Acres. He picked grey apples as the white sun rose and as it fell he went home. He went to sleep. The next morning, he did the same. It seemed as if it never ended. Ever since Starlight Glimmer came to power, nopony had any cutie marks, no colors, everypony was the same, even down to the tail and mane. Anypony who was born before she had risen had their cutie marks surgically removed, their eye color changed, and their mane and tail dyed and cut. All by force. That was the price of 'Equality' as she put it. Ace had always thought otherwise, though he never had the guts to speak out. Anypony who dared were sent to the dungeon without a trial. One was even executed. Everypony looked the exact same. Ace was sick of it. > II - Imprisonment > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next morning he checked into the orchard. Applejack and Big Mac were there, so he trotted to Twilight's library. "Twilight, do you ever feel like... Something's missing here?" He asked. "How do you mean something's missing here?" She inquired, confused. "Like there's something in the world... Other than black and white?" "What else could there be?" She further asked. "Something that makes everypony different." He clarified. "You mean... Colors? You know those were banned when Starlight Glimmer became the ruler!" She said, quite surprised. "I'm tired of the same thing every day!" Ace Exclaimed. "...You know what Ace, you're right!" She said. "Let's go make a difference!" Ace yelled. Just then the library's door slammed open and a guard rushed in. "Everything alright in here?" He asked, suspicious. "No, we're sick of everyone being the same!" Twilight yelled rebelliously. "I need backup here!" The guard said, scared. Two more guards galloping in. Both dashed to Ace and Twilight. Ace bucked the one after him in the face, breaking his snout. If there was one thing working at Apple Acres taught him, it was how to buck. Twilight used her magic to lift the guard on her and slam him to the ground. More guards kept flooding in. They couldn't hold them off anymore. Five tackled them each and put magic braces and shackles on them. It was a long walk to the castle. They were going straight to the dungeon for treason and assaulting a guard. > III - A Start of Something New > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- They were thrown into the same cell. A HUGE mistake. The two were going to start an uprising, a resistance, if you will. There were prisoners of which tried to do the same. In the cell next to them, somepony was being beaten by a guard. "P-please, stop!" They pleaded. "No. Her majesty has ordered this." He said, still bucking and stomping him. Teeth and other bits were flying into view from the bars. Twilight had a look of hopelessness on her face. Once the guards left, Ace looked at all the ponies that were there, Shining Armor, Discord, Gordon Freemane, Barney Ironbuck, Button Mash, Rarity, Applejack, Spike, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and of course, himself and Twilight. "This is wrong. I think everypony here can agree on that. Together, we are strong, separate, we are weak. If we band together and gather some more ponies, we can take them!" Ace spoke, hoping to inspire somepony, anypony. It wasn't worth it, however. Nopony seemed moved by the speech. "Forget it, nopony can defeat her. I tried." Shining said, hopelessly. "We all did, however, only as individuals." Ace continued. "Well, I guess we can try." Discord said. Twilight's face lit up. She used her magic to twist the bars out of the way, then freed the rest. They all galloped at full speed throughout the castle. Knocking guards over, sending one barreling down the stairs. "Halt!" A guard at the main entrance exclaimed. "Out of the way, we're getting out of here!" Twilight yelled. They pushed him out of the way, making him hit the wall. They fled out of the castle down a path leading to Ponyville. They went to Rarity's house and took some main dye that was left. Ace grabbed a dark red bottle and poured it into his tail and mane. The light grey streaks turned a dark red. Twilight did the same, this time, violet, including her coat. The rest did the same with their respective colors. By this time, Multiple guards had flooded yet again into the abandoned house. This time, things were different. This time, they fought. Blood flew, teeth bolted, bones cracked. Bucks were heard though the stead. Somepony launched into the air from a strong buck. Another was thrown down the stairs with magic. Guards yelled. Ponies screamed. Some managed to escape. Gordon Freemane, Shining Armor, Discord, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight were with him. The others still fought. They dashed, evading the guards still coming. They were going to try to fix things. They would definitely need more people. > IV - Strength In Numbers > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- They came galloping to the square. Ace stood on his hind legs and spoke loudly and clear. "Ponies of Equestria. We live here in a world without color." He began. Everypony around stared at him. "We all must have grown tired of the lack of difference by now." He continued. "Which is why my friends and I have begun to fight against the very theft of our identities!" He said, louder. "Join us if you will, If you do, you will not regret it. If we do nothing now, we will have already lost everything we stand for." He concluded. A tide of ponies approached the group, guards trying in vain to break them up. They dashed away, the mass of ponies, Much more than a hundred at the very least following behind. The guards could not in any way get as many ponies as they had. Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth ponies of any size or shape amassed in the crowd, the few that stayed behind were no greater than ten. They galloped to the castle, more ponies tagged along, not knowing what was going on. When the mass came pouring into the castle, two guards were knocked over and trampled. They were halted at the main staircase. The whole rest of the Royal Guard awaited them. "Halt!" The one in front shouted. "Just what do you think all of you are doing here?" He asked. Twilight was the first one to answer. "Take back Celestia's throne, thus our identities! You can't hold us all in your prison!" She shouted rebelliously. "She's right!" Somepony exclaimed. "What are you going to do now!?" Somepony else exclaimed. "Alright, then we're going to have to find another way." The lead guard stated. A massive fight roared in the hall. Blood flew, bodies were flung about. Magic bolts shot across the hall. Pegasi dashed in the air. Ultimately, the 97 pecent of Ponyville and one quarter of Canterlot won. They made it to the throne, there sat Starlight Glimmer, the enemy. > V - The Fight and Conclusion > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starlight Glimmer rose, smiling. "I've been expecting you, Twilight Sparkle. Here to reclaim the throne for your dear Celestia?" She asserted. "Don't you dare mention Celestia, Starlight." Twilight spat her name. Starlight used her magic to push the crowd back into the wall behind, an audible thud echoed through the halls. Twilight noticed she was wearing Celestia's jewelry, including her crown and shoes. "Take those off, they belong to Celestia herself, have you no shame!?" She asked, disgusted. Having had enough talk, Starlight froze the crowd, leaving only Ace and Twilight to her. She started by flinging Ace into the wall, breaking a stained glass window, a loud cracking of bones sounding. Ace slid off the wall, hitting his side on the corner where wall and floor meet, breaking a few ribs. A shower of shards rained on him He groaned and tossed to the side. Twilight's horn flared violet. She lifted Starlight as fast and forcefully as she could, slamming her onto the ceiling, then dropping her on the floor. Starlight stood somehow and lunged at twilight, tackling her onto the ground. They struggled, Twilight throwing punches with her hooves, Starlight doing the same. Twilight eventually hit her hard enough to knock her onto her back. She used her horn to restrain Starlight as what was left of the Royal Guard arrived. "Miss Sparkle, would you like us to send her to the dungeon?" "Yes." She said, considering what Starlight had done closely. The crowd unfroze, Ace was treated of his many wounds. Everypony got their identities back. However, Celestia did not return.