(Thanks to Minalkra and Heretical Zed for giving me the idea for this chapter. - Starman Ghost)

"...just wanted to thank you again for speaking to the class today!"

"But of course, Cheerilee! The pleasure here, belongs to me!"

Lyra Heartstrings' ears perked up. They were here! She dashed over to the door and opened it, greeting Cheerilee and Zecora as they came in, accompanied by a gust of chilly winter air. She turned back to the other two ponies already in the room, Bon-Bon and Mayor Mare. "Okay, everypony, please take your seats!" They did so.

Bon-Bon had come to the meeting with her after they'd eaten dinner together, and Mayor Mare had shown up a little while after they had arrived. Bon-Bon, for her part, had been happy to chat with Lyra about yesterday's snowball fight while they waited. Mayor Mare had gotten straight to business, though, and they had been discussing recruitment techniques and campaign activities from the time she showed up to the time Lyra heard the other two arrive.

These four ponies were all Lyra had been able to rally to the cause. This meager audience, not even enough to fill her living room, was the culmination of a month's hard work, striking up conversations with ponies and carefully prodding them with hints that maybe this was a cause worth taking up. The silver lining was that this allowed them to meet in her house, where it was less likely to draw attention.

After giving her audience a few minutes to greet and make idle chatter with each other, and for Cheerilee and Zecora to remove their snow-dusted scarves and saddles, Lyra cleared her throat and tapped her hoof on the podium. They turned to face her.

"Thank you all for coming, and welcome to the first official meeting of 'Equestrians For Humans.' It used to be called 'Ponies For Humans,' but...." She gestured to Zecora. "This isn't just about ponies. Anyone who supports us is welcome."

"Now, I know you've all made a difficult decision coming here, but I think we can all agree that Their Majesties have acted unjustly in their treatment of the humans." The audience looked at one another uncomfortably. Bon-Bon glanced at the door. Lyra gave them a moment before continuing.

"I will admit that based on what I have learned, these creatures can be dangerous, and I think it's only healthy to show caution towards them. There's a line between caution and aggression, however, and Celestia and Luna crossed it a long time ago.

"Look at what Celestia has done with the barrier. She keeps expanding it, and already it's destroyed several of their cities. That's millions of people forced from their homes, and places they'd lived in their whole lives wiped off the map! And for what? Just so we can take their land? And she's not stopping there! What's going to happen to them when the barrier covers their world?

"And if they want to live here - even if they just want to live here, peacefully, bothering no one, willing to serve Her Majesty like any of us do - she won't let them come as they are. She makes them give up their bodies and minds. What's her reasoning? That they're dangerous? Dragons are dangerous, do you see us kicking them out of Equestria unless they change into ponies? Look at Spike right here in Ponyville, he's a dragon and we love him! We don't make him be a pony, just as long as he follows the rules we do."

Bon-Bon asked, "Wait, didn't Spike go berserk one time? As in, he almost destroyed the town?"

"He still lives here, doesn't he? That just proves my point. Even knowing he'll never truly be rid of the problems of being a dragon, he's still here," Lyra replied.

"Oh! Miss Lyra, if you wouldn't mind," said Cheerilee. Lyra nodded.

"Thank you. I've taught a lot of colts and fillies in my time at the schoolhouse, and I've learned that nopony is born bad. If a foal is taught to abide by the Elements of Harmony, she will grow up to do so. If she is rewarded for lying, or stealing, or cruelty, she will grow up to be a very unpleasant pony. I believe the same applies to anypony, whatever their shape, and that extends to humans. If we let them live in Equestria, and let them see firsthoof how our cooperation and friendship bring us prosperity, they will adopt these principles for themselves. We may need to take care, and it may take time, but I believe it'll happen.

"I'm not saying every human will make themselves welcome and I'm not saying every human will want to live peacefully, but I wouldn't deny them the chance just because of how they were born. It certainly seems better to me than turning them away from our home even as we destroy theirs."

"Yes! I feel the same way, Cheerilee," Lyra said. "It's interesting you mention the Elements of Harmony, though. They're supposed to be the founding principles of Equestria, but just how well are we fulfilling them?

"We have a land where they can live in peace and prosperity, but we lock them out. Does that sound generous to you?

"We capture their land and destroy their homes. Does that sound kind to you?

"We started ponifying them before we told them about its effects on their minds. Does that sound honest to you?

"We spent months befriending them, then we turned against them. Does that sound loyal to you?"

"Wait a minute," said Bon-Bon. "That's how we treat other ponies! We don't owe those humans anything, they're...they're weird!"

Zecora tapped the floor with her hoof. "Very strange they seem to be, but ponies once said the same of me. When something odd you see or hear, it is best to learn rather than to fear."

"See! See! She gets it!" Lyra pounded her hoof on the podium. "Thank you for bringing up learning about humans, Zecora. As you've probably noticed, I haven't had much luck getting support for them here in Ponyville. Of course, there also aren't any humans here in Ponyville...or even any ponies converted from humans. I've had contact with friends out in their world, though, and you know who's most likely to agree with me? Ponies who have gone out and actually met humans! I think that speaks for itself." Bon-Bon made no acknowledgement of this, but Zecora and the other two ponies nodded.

"I'm sorry, Lyra," Bon-Bon said, "you forgot something. Their Majesties have said they have to do it. Isn't that good enough? They're wiser than any of us, of course they'll be right about this!"

Lyra clenched her eyes shut and took a deep breath. "Then I guess we've got a hard truth to deal with, don't we? That maybe the Princesses aren't as perfect as we're always told?" At this, the audience turned and whispered to one another, except for Bon-Bon. She was staring straight at Lyra, discomfort in her eyes.

"Sorry, Lyra. I...I can't. I can't listen to talk like this. I'd better go. It's impossible. They...they wouldn't..." Without waiting for a response, Bon-Bon stood up, nearly ran to the door, pounded it open with her hoof, and ran out, nearly forgetting to shut it behind her. She left a long, cold silence in her wake, which was finally broken by Mayor Mare.

"Lyra...you're absolutely right. I don't ask Ponyville to agree to everything I say and do, without asking any questions. I know there are many ponies who criticize me, and I know there are some that would like nothing more than to buck me out of office. I accept that and I listen to my critics to see if there's anything to their complaints. Why can't the princesses extend us all the same courtesy? If they're perfect, why would they be afraid of that?" She peered at Lyra over the rims of her glasses.

Cheerilee and Zecora looked deep in thought, but were shaken out of it when Lyra stomped her hooves, her enthusiasm regained. "I hear you, Mayor! Now, I'm sure you've noticed our membership is..." She looked aside. "...well, not so great. And I know you're the mare to talk to for this kind of thing. How can we get more ponies to join us?"

Mayor Mare slowly shook her head, looking apologetic. "I honestly don't know. It's our word against that of Celestia herself. If we could get the support of one of the Elements of Harmony, that would count for a lot. Maybe Fluttershy?"

Lyra scoffed. "Please, they work directly for Celestia. She could say two and two equaled five and they'd believe her."

"If another we seek to support our cause, it can't be one Celestia awes," said Zecora. "I believe zebras and gryphons we'll find, do not have such stubborn minds."

"Oh, that should work fine! One of my friends is a gryphon, I can send her a letter this week," said Cheerilee.

"I shall take this chance to visit my old home, and see if there supporters roam," said Zecora. She smiled at the thought; it had been years since she had seen her family.

Lyra pounded the podium again. "Sounds like a plan, guys! Once we've got more supporters, then we can start helping the humans! Now, just so it's official, are we going to commit to this? Are we going to say, once and for all, that Celestia is wrong and it's up to us to do what's right where she hasn't?"

Everyone affirmed that they were.

Lyra was bouncing on her hooves. "Okay! Cheerilee and Zecora already have plans of action. Mayor, can you pull some strings for us? We need the town's printing press."

Mayor smiled and nodded. "Oh sure, that shouldn't be a problem! What did you have in mind?"

"We're gonna teach ponies some things about humans." Lyra leaned forward, grinning and with an eager gleam in her eye. "Things Their Majesties don't want ponies to know."

Next Chapter: Friendship Is Universal! (Posters/Flyers) Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 3 Minutes