Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err - Mahatma Gandhi

It was yet another discomfort atop many. The rain was not really rain at all, just an irritating drizzle that swatted and harassed Fluttershy as she desperately tried to slow her advance into the grey structure before her. The yellow pegasus weighed the cost of entering the large building opposed to biding her time in the grim weather. Inside awaited an alien, a being from another world, a creature she would rather do anything but meet, especially alone. Yet she was not allowed to be joined by her friends, even if they could have made it to stand by her side. All her closest friends had been far too preoccupied to spare a day to help her, all of them coping with the drastic changes effecting their lives.

Rainbow Dash hadn't been seen in a while, not since the accident. She rallied up a few friends to hold an anti-alien protest outside the very building Fluttershy now walked up to. The protest started to get tense when UTF security started firing shots in the air. The Ponies would have run for it after that, but Dashs' charisma held up the others courage.

Then the ghosts came.

The crowd dispersed after the first two ponies fell to the ground, bloodied and twisted. After that day, Dash hadn't left her house, she had barely spoken to her friends when they visited.

Pinkie had mostly stayed her unusual self, but she seemed to disappear every now and then, like she had just stopped whatever she had been doing and left. Once she came back with a black eye and wouldn't say how she had gotten it beyond 'It was an accident'.

Rarity had been running low on profits recently, and was working overtime on her dress-work to catch up financially. Her profits had been confiscated and distributed among Equestrias population. She had enough to pay for her house, her food and basic leisures, but not nearly enough to afford her previous luxuries, something she was not quickly growing accustomed to.

Applejack had been through the worst by far. Appleoosa, practically her second home was a series of scorched craters running two miles long, and her family living there, they were the ashes inside each impact site. Stallions, mares and children all, wiped out in a single sweep after the rebellion they forged began using a series of potion bombs to drive away the aliens that had begun to intrude upon their town. Applejack and the few remaining Apples had been made into a social mockery, an example of what the UTF opposed.

Along with the princesses.

The truth of it was the old Equestria was dying. Old traditions were being secured and observed, magic was being dissected and along with it replaced with technology. The sun and the moon were no longer under the control of the alicorn sisters, nor was the crystal heart anywhere to be found. Recently there had been rumors that royalty, and even celebrity public figures had gone missing or had been found dead. This made many fear for the princesses, for Equestrian culture and for everything they had held dear for so long. Many more celebrated it.

The masses of labor workers, average Joe's and those that had lived in the shadow of the old Equestria had begun to rally to the offerings of the UTF. Suddenly the common pony could afford a phone and a new wallpaper in a months savings, seeing many homes start to climb in quality and the families growing happier. All those who had been considered mostly unspectacular were beginning to gain power, even a simple brick layer could now outsmart a unicorn scientist with the new handheld computers they could afford. Recently those that spoke out against the UTF didn't need to be subdued by the brutalities of the imposing UTF security, instead they'd be shot down by the overwhelming number of equestrian supporters.

The train of thought had caused Fluttershy to stop in her tracks, not even upon realizing that she had been distracted did she continue walking, but instead stood staring up at the alien structure. The building was three stories tall and had an awkward shape, like a pyramid that had fallen out of the sky and buried itself into the ground at a strange angle. The monolith made the pegasus nervous, like the soldiers that stood outside. Fluttershy moved her eyes down to the base of the building, more accurately the entrance. Outside stood two UTF security guards, clad in black clothes underneath thick, black armour. The odd red trimmed their plate, along with their deep red goggles their wore, appearing as stern, menacing eyes that stared ahead unblinking. They held their alien weapons at their chests, the machines that spat out a fire that could cut a pony in two with but the push of a button. Fluttershys' fingers fidgeted above her chest, her head dropping down to let her long mane fall in front of her face as she clenched her eyes shut. Slowly but surely the mare placed her right hoof before her left, then her left before her right.

"Is there a problem, miss?"

The sharp, mechanical voice blared before her. The pegasus straight up jumped out her coat, her wings flapping wildly in a panic as she stumbled backwards. She had gained ground faster than her mind had anticipated, perhaps distracting herself with intensely fearful thoughts. She had come just a foot or two in front of the soldier before he had stopped her, and now he took a step forward. The aliens were known as Gaians, coming from their home world, Gaia. The aliens were around the same height as a pony, perhaps an inch or two taller on average. Their skin was fur-less and a ghostly pale colour, almost as if they were painted with chalk, and many had visible circuit lines glowing a bright neon upon their flesh like organic tattoos; like cutie marks. Their hair was normally fairly thin and dark in colour, cut into sharp shapes and at clean angles.Their eyes were normally dull colours, small and circled with a darker flesh. The aliens held themselves with a sense of pride, a pride that could easily evolve into superiority whenever they felt like it. They were quick to anger and had a tendencies to react to unfamiliar situations in a hostile manner, verbally at first soon followed by brutal physical suppression.

"Hey, answer me. Now!" The soldier barked, his stance widening as his grip on his weapon tightened. His companion echoed his behavior soon after.

Fluttershy flinched away, fear shaking her every bone. As if through the instinct to stay alive Fluttershy shoved her hand into her shoulder bag and pulled out a letter. At first the soldier snapped up his weapon, aiming straight for Fluttershys' head before he spotted the letter. He lowered his gun slightly before slowly grabbing the paper and bringing it to his face. He read the writing upon it and took a good look at the mug-shot of the mare before him. He looked at Fluttershy quickly and then back again at the letter.

"You're late. Get inside." He said sternly before handing back the paper and stepping aside.

Fluttershys' face was tense with fear, her eyes squinting tight as she quickly trotted through the automatic doors and into the structure.

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The smell of the alien room was unbearably bland. It didn't smell of anything, not the softness of grass, the tang of trees or even the simple chalky musk of dirt. It was a sterile cube, decorated by a handful of holographic images, rectangles of bright reds and oranges, shifting and spinning with various circles and lines. There was a single alien plant in a black pot upon the desk in front of Fluttershy, its leaves fat and bloated with water, its stem twisting in a bizarre and almost 'designed' manner. Fluttershy felt more and more uneasy in such a dead space, in such a lifeless room lacking in character or warmth. Perhaps she was just being oversensitive, perhaps this decor was what the aliens found appealing, but Fluttershy couldn't shake her discomfort, she almost wanted the alien she was due to see to arrive sooner.

As if summoned through the pure willpower of the yellow mare the door gave a venomous hiss, opening gracefully to allow an alien walk through. This one was of a slender build, bearing slightly wider hips as well as a bump on its chest that could be assumed to be breasts. The female alien was silvery blonde hair tied in a bun behind her head, a couple of loose strands falling beside her face. Her face was soft, her features smooth and gentle, yet her defined, black makeup and lipstick gave her a somewhat vampiric appearance. She held a translucent orange handheld device that Fluttershy assumed to be a computer of sorts. She wore a very intricately designed dress of multiple shades of violet, like a rainbow had washed over her and frozen over. She held herself with a solid sense of self-impor, her body language automatically putting her in charge. She swiftly glided over to the chair opposite Fluttershy and placed her florescent computer tablet upon the desk before her.

"Miss Flutter Shy-" She said with a sharp sense of authority in her voice causing Fluttershy to sqeak in fright, the alien raising an eyebrow in response to the frightful native.  

"Uhm...actually it's just Fluttershy, miss." Fluttershy said quietly.

"....Miss Shy, do you know why the federation has brought you here today?" The alien said in a tone that made it fairly obvious it was rhetorical.

"Oh, well, I got this letter. It says something about how you needing me to give you more money?" Fluttershy half asked.

"It states how your past two quarterly taxes have gone unpaid, and your third is due in just two weeks time. We need to know why these criteria have gone unmet?"

"Oh, w-well I'm really sorry, but I don't really make that much money. I make a few bits here and there looking after pets, and last week I tended to Golden Harvests' garden, but I just couldn't give up what you've been asking without going hungry."

The alien made a stretched facial expression, perhaps a sign that it somehow understood how Fluttershy was feeling in her situation.

"Are you saying you are jobless at this time?" She asked the mare.

"Uh, well I guess I am, yes." The pegasus responded, her confidence starting to gain some footing.

"Miss Shy, you realize the federations position towards unemployment?" The alien asked flatly while flitting her slender finger across the glassy surface of her tablet.

Fluttershy didn't know how to respond, she didn't really know what the answer was. Fluttershy had never had an actual job before, and to be perfectly honest with herself she didn't really want one. If she had a job, how would she make time for all her animal friends, how would she take care of them all, would she even have time to feed Ange-.

Fluttershys' trail of thought was abruptly cut in two. Her mind went blank for what seemed like an hour, just a hollow echo of her last thought.

Angel.

She sure did miss her little bunny. All she could do was hope she was safe and happy, wherever he'd gone to. Sure, Angel had been quite a handful to look after, but he had been one of her closest friends for years, ever since he was just a baby. Then one day, out of the blue he'd disappeared. Fluttershy found her door was unlocked when she'd come home, and inside all her animals were terrified, scared senseless by something. Yet Angel was nowhere to be found. This was just under two years ago, just after the UTF had come to Equestria.

"Ahem! The federation is not tolerant of those who feel they are exempt from society. You live in a state of the federation, and the federation doesn't rent land out to hermits." The alien shot at the pegasus.

Fluttershy shook herself back to reality. She'd been called many things before; soft, scaredy-cat, pushover, but she'd never been called a hermit before. The snide comment was enough to push Fluttershy that little bit too far.

"Well, when Princess Celestia ruled I never had to pay-!"

"Celestia is an illegitimate ruler, a usurper of the truth and an enemy to the federation. I seriously suggest you start to consider her the same as we do."

Fluttershy wanted to retort, she wanted to tell this thing how wrong it was. But she couldn't, no one could. Of course, the UTF completely supported free speech, as long as that speech didn't put down their alien regime. If anyone spoke up it wouldn't be long until the dark soldiers would put you down, sometimes for good. The alien gave a sigh before moving on.

"As chief administrator of Ponyville I'm going to have to place you into a workplace, you seem good with animals so I'm setting you up with the veterinary."

Fluttershys' eyes shot up in shock.

"Oh! No! No, I can't work at the vets! Yeh, I'm great with animals, but I couldn't stand seeing sick animals all day. Plus sometimes they have to...well..." Fluttershy blurted out, her hands fiddling with her hair frantically.

"Hey, it's either the vets or no work at all, and as far as the federation's concerned that just leaves one option." The administrator said deadpan.

"I'll do anything else! I-I-I can open a market stall, or a small shop! I think I could knit!" Fluttershy said desperately.

"You think you can manage home and buisness taxes at once? Really?"

"Just let me look for another job, please." Fluttershy pleaded, trying to calm herself.

"Ok, fine. Three days. On the fourth day from today you come to me with a UTF employment form or you get to be a vet. That's final, good day Miss Shy." The alien finalized.

"B-b-but-" Fluttershy tried to take a shot at sweetening the deal a bit.

"I said goo day, Miss Shy." The administrator repeated in exasperation.

Fluttershy scrunched her face in frustration, her hands gripping her jumper tight before she abruptly let go and shot up out of her chair. She quickly trotted out of the room and made for the automatic-stairs before practically running for the door. She was furious at how she was being bullied into doing what some creepy aliens wanted her to do. She didn't care how it was helping her country, how other ponies where able to be happier, it was her home, her money and her life. She just wanted to be left alone. She wanted everything to go back to how Equestria used to be.

----------------------------------------------------

The rain was beginning to pick up, yet another sore on Fluttershys' day. She pulled up with small hood under the thick layers of her jumper. She kept close to the shops and houses to better avoid the downpour, hearing all the varieties of conversation going on inside the cafes and retailers. Fluttershy wasn't one to eavesdrop, but it was kind of hard to ignore the opinions of the town on how Equestria had changed over the two years.

"And now I have to pay another twelve bits just to run a business! Why should I pay for some window washer in Manehattan to give his apartment new wallpaper with money I earned?!"

"I heard that Iron Will guy got taken in for 'questioning' about his business, haven't seen him since."

"And that new hover-bot thingy, it follows me around all day. I know my eyes are bad, but it's like having somepony waiting around for you to make a mistaAAAYYY! -CRASH-.....Uheheh, whoops..."

"Oh he's doing better, thank you. If only he hadn't let his temper get the better of him that soldier wouldn't have...well, he'd be able to stand right here next to me right now."

"Haven't heard much of the princesses recently. And have you seen the posters outside? Disgraceful."

Fluttershy switched her attention to the wall of the shop she had just passed in response to what she had just heard. Right in front of her was a large poster of red, white and black. It depicted Celestia, Luna and Twilight shielding their eyes from an intense light that was coming from a book held by a prideful UTF soldier. The vision of offensive propaganda twisted some sensitive emotions in Fluttershy, it made her feel an unfamiliar feeling; anger.

She shook her head before quickly heading off again. However her journey would not relent in its attempt to bring her temper to the boil. Poster after poster, each as controversial, insulting and elitist as the last. The princesses blindfolding ponies, alien scholars teaching excited fillies and colts, a UTF scientist standing atop a pile of Equestrian text with a handheld computer, a soldier looming over the royal guard like a giant and even a poster of a huge alien starship overlooking Epona with bold text underneath that did nothing to hide exactly what the UTF thought of Equestria:

'JUST TRY US!'

Fluttershy found herself looking up at the cloudy sky, knowing that the huge metal ship was up there somewhere with enough firepower to turn all Equestria into a smoldering wasteland in an instant. Fluttershy couldn't help but think how unfair this all was, how this was just a big game to the aliens, just an achievement to be had. And if things didn't go their way then they'd just wipe out everything, and Fluttershy knew that it was because they were scared of the ponies, of what they could do. Sure, the aliens had big guns, big ships and technology they claimed was superior to magic, but magic was indeed something they outright didn't have, and could never have naturally. The aliens dismissed magic as non-existent, as just a word to be used when you can't explain something, but the UTF boasted that they could explain anything.

Fluttershy wasn't convinced.

Magic was real.

It had to be.

-----------------------------

"I've already told you, no! And when a lady says no, she means no!"

"Oh really? Well when the federation says 'Do as we say or we'll arrest you, guess what the federation means?"

Rarity took a dramatic gasp at the alien soldiers attitude, her hand pressing against her chest for emphasis.

"You wouldn't dare! Do you even know who I am!? Why if I were to tell Princess Twilight Sparkle about this you'd be thrown in the dungeons before you had the chance to apologize for such rude behavior!"

The two soldiers laughed like a pair of idiots. If they hadn't been carrying their big guns and wearing their scary armour, Fluttershy would have marched right up to them and told them what was what. But for now she'd hide in the bush outside Carousel Boutique.

"I love this horse, Jack, she's just fucking hilarious! Now where was I? Oh right, quarterly payments. Pay up." The soldier demanded flatly, his friend still chuckling to himself.

"I refuse to share out my hard earned money and my designs to ponies I don't even know. I of all ponies know the value of generosity, but this is just mindless charity!" Rarity said, crossing her arms and turning up her muzzle in defiance.

"I'm sure your 'hard earned' money will be going to a good home. I'm sure they'll bath it, take it for walkies and keep it well fed. Payment, now!" The soldier demanded.

"Oh is that so?! Tell me, who's receiving my money? What do they do? Where do they live? It's simply ridiculous!"

"This discussion is over. We are the law, and the law demands all citizens pay up a quarterly tax, especially little snobs like you."

Rarity was practically fuming.

"How dare you! That's it, I'm sending a letter to the princess this instant!"

The guards continued to applaud the comedy stand up with tidal waves of laughter.

"Alright, screw this. Madam, under UTF law section 3, subsection 1-A/12 I am enforcing my duty to collect your quarterly tax payment by entering your premises. Come on, Jack." The pair barged past Rarity who wailed in protest.

Fluttershy slowly crept from her hiding spot and approached the front door, Rarity stirring up Tartarus inside all the while. Just as the she reached the frame of the door the large soldiers marched back out, Rarity in tow.

"Get back here right now! This is stealing!" Rarity bellowed.

"Yeah, whatever. Thank you for your...'cooperation', citizen. We hope you will be able to make your next payment more easily." The soldier replied, his tone thick with sarcasm.

They marched off, leaving Rarity exhausted and flustered at her doorstep. At first it seemed as if Rarity was going to scream in frustration, but instead whatever frustration folded inwards as her hand shot up to her mouth and her eyes grew tense.

"R-Rarity? Are you ok?" Fluttershy spoke up, Rarity jumping slightly as she only just noticed the pegasus was next to her.

"Oh dear, Fluttershy. I........of course........I'm....." Rarity tried swallowing the coming tears, but instead grew tenser until her sobs begun to spill out.

Fluttershy didn't see it fit to say anything at this time, instead a hug would have to do.

-----------------------------

The two ponies made a final dash for Fluttershys' cottage, rain hurrying them inside.

"Oh g-g-goodness! I really should have grabbed a coat before we left." Rarity said through her shivering.

"One second, almost got it! There!" Fluttershy announced as she fumbled for her keys before finally unlocking the door.

Inside, the residing animals scuttled away from the doorway as Fluttershy stepped inside soon followed by Rarity. The two where utterly soaked through, their manes and tails thick with rainwater. Fluttershy let Rarity change first as her very fine yet very thin white shirt did her no favors being wet. Fluttershy did her best to get warm by practically sitting inside her lit fireplace.

"I'm reeeeeady~!" Rarity sing-songed as she stepped out Fluttershys bathroom, a pink towel wrapped around her drying mane.

"Thanks, I shouldn't be long." Fluttershy said as she hurried to her bathroom, ridding herself of her damp clothes as she went.

She quickly changed into some dry clothes, hung her damp ones on a radiator and wrapped up her mane in another towel.

"I'll get us some tea. Usual, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked while walking to her open kitchen.

"Oh yes please, thank you. I really need something to calm the nerves."

"How did you even get into such a situation? Didn't you get any warning that...they'd be round?" Fluttershy inquired, preparing the drinks.

"Oh of course they gave me warning, but that's exactly it isn't it darling? Warning! They're warning us that if we don't do as they say they'll make us! It's not fair. All of Equestria is being bullied and most of us are just rolling over and enjoying it, just so that the workers get more money, just so that 'science' gets to dominate magic. I miss everything...I miss my life...I miss it being my life." Rarity mused, the pearl mare truly showing her talent at giving a dramatic situation emphasis.

"I....know how you feel. I mean, I just had my appointment to discuss my quarterly earlier today. Now I have to get a job in three days or I have to work at the vets." Fluttershy added, her tone growing heavy with worry.

"Well that isn't so bad, you're great with animals." Rarity chimed.

"It's terrible! I won't just be caring for animals, I'll have to give them shots, maybe even operate on them! And then if they can't get better..." Fluttershy replied in a shrill voice.

"Oh I'm sorry darling, it never occurred to me! Now that you've put it like that, it's probably best you don't pursue that particular line of work. Maybe I could get you into working at Sofas and Quills! Me and the manager there, well, we had a certain, enjoyable night toge-" Rarity began to get buried in apparently a very fond memory Fluttershy thought it best to not let her reveal too much information.

"Oh yes, Rarity, that would be really great if you could. At this point, I'd take anything over hurting a poor animal."

"Not a problem my dear. Talking of our common dilemma, how do you suppose our other friends are doing? Do you know if anypony else has gotten new work?"

"I know Pinkie still works at the bakery, I think the Cakes gave in their business to the federation. Twilights' still stuck in Canterlot, no word from her since that last letter we all got. Noone's seen Rainbow Dash in weeks, but I'm pretty sure she's just hold up in her cloud house and goes out to get groceries whenever she can. And Applejack...well I'm sure you've heard of that situation like the rest of Ponyville."

Fluttershy felt sadness well up in her like a toxic spill, like a thick oily fluid filling her very veins.

"I know. I wish I could visit her, just to check how she is, but I think I'd be going in knowing what I'd be hearing. It just never seems like it would be a good time to see her. But I still worry about her so much, I've been hearing all sorts of horrible rumors about her."

"What, like the one about her breaking the security soldiers knee because he asked to see her I.D card? It's true, I saw it from across the street. I never knew she could run so fast, but then with thighs like hers it's kind of a surprise she stayed still and Epona rolled over underneath her." Rarity jested with a friendly giggle.

"W-what about the one about the potion bomb in the armored vehicle? Surely Applejack wouldn't-"

"All true dear, I saw the soldiers three hours after it happened still trying to clean out that ugly machine." Rarity said with a shiver.

"And the one where she bucked over the antennae the UTF use to talk to their ships?" Fluttershy asked as she walked over to her friend, handing her a cup of warm tea.

"True" Rarity replied before taking her first sip.

"The one where she stole four full ammo boxes and threw them into Ghastly Gorge?"

"Mhmm."

"Set off the crate of flares at the fuel depot?"

"Yep."

"Surely not the one about the tank?"

"Upside down, in the river. Apparently Colgate saw them haul it out with two cranes." Rarity said almost as surprised as when she first heard the gossip.

"Oh, Applejack. She's going to get in serious trouble if she gets caught. Oh ponyfeathers, who am I kidding, she'll get killed!" Fluttershy said to no one in particular.

"I know dear, but that pony is as stubborn as a mule. I don't think anypony could persuade that girl to change her mind, especially after what happened." The white unicorn peered sadly into her teacup as she remembered how all ponyville had felt upon hearing the news of the scouring of Appleoosa.

Dozens of families turned to dust along with their town, all because the aliens had been attacked by a group of stallions  and mares loyal to the Apples business. The ponies had prepared the potion bombs that disabled the electronics of the aliens machines along with some that caused mild explosions. All things considering, the ponies where little more than an annoyance to the aliens, but the UTF had seen an opportunity to be seized. The rise of the rebels in Appleoosa was a chance to show off their god-like powers, their ability to decimate anything they wanted whenever they wanted.

They had used a similar technique against nearly every other race native to Epona, the dragons, griffins, diamond dogs and even the zebras and mules. These events had been but rumors met with general dismissal, as far as anypony was concerned such a power was incomprehensible as it was impossible. But after the rebellion the UTF claimed that the town posed 'Too greater threat' to the rest of Equestria, and such a threat needed to be extinguished.

It was night time when Appleoosa burned, and the fires could be seen as clearly from Ponyville as well as the screams could be heard.

As was the intention of the federation. They wanted all Equestria trembling in fright of their power, to subdue them, to ensure their transition into the alien regime went smoothly and unchallenged.

"I for one see where the poor mare is coming from. That was her family for Celestias sake, most of her family." Rarity said with a sharpness to her words.

"I just don't want the same thing to happen to her. I don't want the same thing to happen to all ponyville. I don't think the federation will just draw the line at Appleoosa. I think...I think if Applejack keeps this up, it could be us next." The frightful pegasus replied, her words shaking with fear.

"I know. But then again, I can't help but appreciate how Applejack is refusing to back down just because some freaks tell us they'll hurt us if we stop being obedient little sheep."

"...I'd rather be a sheep than dead , Rarity." Fluttershy whimpered.

"...Me too darling. I guess it's nice to think I could be that brave. I think I'll visit Applejack tomorrow, just see how she is, perhaps talk her out of doing whatever she's planning next."

"Be careful, Rarity. You know how she can be."

"Not to worry dear. Say...could I be so bold as to ask if you have room to spare for tonight? After today, I think I'd sleep easier knowing there's somepony else in the house, and a house that isn't the target for those armored brutes." Rarity asked sheepishly.

"Of course, Rarity, I'll always have room for my friends." Fluttershy assured with a warm smile, taking another sip of her tea.