The bells of the Ponyville clock tower rang, sending a melodic echo through the wind across town. Twelve ‘dings’ indicated the time was 120° in the late afternoon, and the Sun was just over 10° away from setting. The pre-sunset haze around town bathed it in a golden-glow like effect. It had been a hot day, and most ponies were closing up shop for the night. The few restaurants and town remained open, and the tavern was just being opened now. Stringent laws on alcohol consumption dictated the tavern only be open from the evening until ten degrees before midnight.

The chiming of the clock bells echoed through the open window and roused Twilight Sparkle from her sleep. She barely moved and proceeded to roll over when she sat bolt upright, completely shocked at herself for sleeping during the day. Of all things!
The nap left her groggy and clouded, then the fresh and painful memories of just a few hours ago. The sting came back, and reminded her of the bruise on her left cheek, and the emotional pain she incurred when Applejack bashed her in the face earlier today, before forcing her to flee Sweet Apple Acres. In her panic, she teleported back here.

Teleporting wasn’t easy nor simple. Any unicorn capable of teleporting was wise to be wary of involuntarily teleporting, which was brought on by imminent threats, panic attacks, or extreme stress. Any of these and related kickers tripped the nerves in her brain that caused a teleport to a perceived safer location.

A fraction of a second later, following a bright pinkish flash and a painful magical shock, Twilight was back home, and still going at gallop speed, slammed right into a table, on which sat a delicate chemistry apparatus for one of her projects (some healing concoction). Everything hit the floor and spilled everywhere.

Twilight broke down into tears, and galloped up to her room, jumped into bed, and buried herself under the blankets and wept. Applejack’s assault was the last thing she needed after many months of intense stress, what with Mane Six business, special training, and work out of town.

Now she sat on the edge of her bed, gazing out the window at the leaf-cloaked branches. They, and everything else outside was bathed in the golden sunlight. She looked in a mirror across the room and saw the welt under her left eye. It was an ugly blackish lump.
She got up, went down to her lab in the basement (and had to step over the mess of books, papers, instruments, and all else) and recorded her own memories onto some fresh crystals. Then she tossed them into her side bag, and left for the guard house.

"Geez, Twilight, I expected there was something wrong with Applejack, but I sure as hay didn't see this one coming," Townguard chief Acorn Tibbs grunted, staring at the white wall, on which was broadcast the crystal memory video of the lavender unicorn's confrontation with Applejack.

When she arrived at the guard house, she sought out the chief, and showed him the rocks.*

"Tell me about it," Twilight muttered bitterly, putting a hoof to her bruised cheek. Seeing the recording of Applejack hitting her and threatening her hurt no less than when it happened.

On screen the Apple ponies surrounded her, and Big Mac escorted her out.

"She's completely lost it, Chief. I think something has to be done, and soon."

"Go ahead, what do you have in mind?"

"We should call in some vigilante unicorns, like the Quartz. They have higher authority than the town guard, or council or anything at the county or region. They'll deal with Applejack and her family."

Chief Tibbs spat out his coffee (narrowly missing Twilight) and stared at her with wide eyes. He never expected such a rash, irrational, and reckless suggestion from a pony as smart as her. He knew vigilante unicorns like this 'Quartz' group were to be feared by all ponies, especially unicorns and their enemies. The Quarts, hailing from the magic hotspot deep within the remote mountains of Roundbottom, were one of hundreds of organisations, from a small club of five unicorns to entire legions numbering in the thousands. The function of these organisations was to maintain an absolute peace between unicorns and the rest of ponykind; if any sort of hostility broke out, it was their job to crush it and take out all belligerents. They were also tasked with enforcing law, order, and peace within the unicorn population. Equestrian law dictated that as a powerful police force, anyone of these organisations could override the authority of any town guard. Hence Twilight suggested calling them in.

However, things were not that simple, or societies like Nimbuscait wouldn't even exist. Higher law prevented unicorn vigilantes or any unicorn militia from taking on all hostile groups, and potentially causing another full blown race war. They were held back at the expense of a few unicorns who suffered and died at the hooves of earth ponies, and the wings of the Pegasi*.

However, Twilight Sparkle, who knew all about these vigilantes from having worked for them on and off for years, figured Ponyville was free range for the vigilante group operating in their Roundbottom town of Quartzgleam, or any other vigilante unicorn group to come in and deal with the Apple family.

The only concern was how calling them in would effect the local earth ponies and pegasi, who have nothing to do with the Apples.

Then the chance of a backlash in Ponyville or somewhere else loomed over the matter, especially since Twilight wanted them to come down here and deal with the Apple family ponies.

These concerns always weighed heavy in the decisions made by unicorn higher ups and the bureaucracy, and factored in how involved the unicorn vigilantes (in this case, the 'Quartz' as the Quartzgleam vigilantes called themselves) would be involved or even send help at all. Almost all legally licensed groups had somepony posted in Canterlot to consult the law or higher authorities. And it was the higher ups who they asked for permission to engage hostiles, and who either granted, or denied permission. That higher authority was called the 'Unicorn Justice Initiative' or 'Unicorn Justice Bureau' and was a part of Celestia's government's Ministry of Magic (or MOM for short).

But beyond the MoM, or Canterlot, unicorns in all weren't the biggest power in Equestria. And in the overall population of ponykind, unicorns are not the majority. Thousands of years ago, maybe before earth ponies and pegasi nearly drove them to extinction. Unicorns have made a comeback since, but only in select regions of the country.

Chief Tibbs thought this through when he realized Twilight's suggestion wasn't some half-assed joke.

"You actually thought about it. Let me get this right, Twilight. You want me to call in these Quartz unicorns and have 'em zap- smack those Apples around, put them in their place, take 'em outta here, and what not, am I right?"

"That's pretty much it, sir. I tried to reason with Applejack, but she won't-"

"Do you realize the hostility and the gravity of such a thing? I'm an earth pony here. I've met these Quartz freaks. In the 25 years I served in any town guard from here up to Arod County, I've gone on expeditions and investigations, even covert espionage operations deep into their turf, so far beyond the Breadbasket-Roundbottom border that it took us weeks to get there, and weeks to get back! Hell, I even went into Quartzgleam itself. That city's entire population, I think, it was 9500 ponies back in 977, all of them unicorns. And you think the Apples are racist? These unicorns hate anypony that can't cast magic. Sure they maybe lied to you so you'd think they'd be all for peace and shit, but I had to plan every single hoof step I made, every word I said, every jolt, twitch, and movement of my body to avoid getting fried by the Quartzgleam city guard.

"We actually went to meet the Quartz to discuss security in the part of Roundbottom, a 10 day-trot wide stretch along the river from Everfree to the Nimbuscait Lakes. Lot of fugitives camping out there. The deal, I think was our job was to get crook ponies from our territory out of their turf. That's the only reason the Quartz agreed to work with us and not blast us to kingdom come. And believe me, Twi, those unicorns are always spoiling for a fight. Word gets to them even about Sweetie Belle alone and they will flip their shit and shit right out of their horns!

"Those unicorns will occupy this whole town like an invader, and scrutinize the hell out of everypony within a whole day-trot, and do what they think it takes to stamp out or fry out any anti-unicorn sentiment. They just won't go after these Apples, well most of them will, but their own thought guards will come down and force everypony to submit to a memory crystal test, and take away those who don't think highly of unicorns. You can't stamp out anti-unicorn sentiment-"

"Chief, I'm not trying to get everypony to worship us-"

"No, but they will. And when its all over and finished with, everypony in town will hate your guts, along with the local unicorns, who really don't need to put up with the hate. This is not just about the Apple problem, Twilight. Any matter involving vigilante unicorns of any order, is highly political, and the social inflammation their 'visit' will cause will take moons or years to cool down. We do not want that kind of a high voltage buckfest here. I hate to break it to you Twi, but the answer is no."

"B-but Chief, I could give them, or some other group of unicorns a full detailed report about who is-"

"But nothing, Twilight! If this Apple problem really gets out of hoof, we'll launch a giant flare and the Royal Guard armies will be swarming in. No exceptions. And I'd say the same to any earth pony or pegasus radicals."

Twilight sat, staring down at the Chief's desk in frustration. She forgot about the Quartz's ruthless policy of scrutinizing ponies and suppressing opposition. So now Applejack and her family had free range over anypony even close to their farm. And if all those Apples joined the town guard, they'd have the same free range over Ponyville. And Applejack would have no problem stamping out opposition, especially from the local unicorns. She could picture it now, Applejack, the fearsome dictator of Ponyvi-

"Twilight." Chief Tibbs barked, snapping her out of her paranoid train of thought.

"This just occured to me now, I can't believe I didn't think of it before, but you're Princess Celestia's student, right?"

"Uhh, yes I am, Chief."

"And Celestia was the one who sent you to live and work among us, right?"

"yeah, she did. She wanted me to make friend-"

"And you are the Element of Magic, are you not?"

Twilight nodded, wondering why Chief Tibbs looked pissed off.

"Okay, so you have been here, what four years now. Celestia assigned you to your post in our town, she appointed you the Element of Magic, and you have been her student your whole life, hell, she's been your mother."

Twilight gulped. Why was he bringing her life story up now? And she didn't deny his statement about Celestia being her mum. It's true. Princess Celestia is the supreme god-queen, creator of Equestria, and the primary ascendant of all of ponykind.

She just nodded.

"So," the chief continued, "How about you write up a letter to Celestia and ask for her assistance."

Twilight Sparkle's blood turned to ice and her heart skipped a beat. The idea of running to Her with her problems...it was unthinkable!

"You mean...ask...Celestia...for...help?" She felt herself shiver slightly. She couldn't possibly imagine how pissed off Celestia would be with her, or what she would do to punish her student.

"Damn right," Chief Tibbs said strongly, looking her dead in the eyes.

Twilight felt a panic attack kicking in.

"B-but Chief, she'll be furious wit me! She'll-"

"But nothing, Twilight! Look at the situation! These Apples have us in check, already! There's more than a hundred of them, and more are expected to show up. Hell, look at you, it is a serious matter if Applejack had to bash you upside the head and chase you out of Sweet Apple Acres. We as a town guard can't do anything legally; at this rate, a countywide guard assembly of all the towns' guards would be costly, time consuming, and inefficient; and calling in your horde of unicorn vigilantes might just as well turn this town into a battlefield, and who loses? We all will, more so than the Apples or the unicorn justice league or whatever the hell you call it!

"Princess Celestia is sworn to protect ponykind against its internal enemies, and forces that can and will wedge us apart. She can teleport and fly down here in mere minutes, and instantly diffuse the situation, send those Apples back to where they came from, and put Applejack in her place and set her straight! It would only take five minutes, a degree at the most, once she gets here! Call Celestia in, problem solved, case closed."

"She'll then punish me," Twilight said, with a slight fearful look in her eyes.

"Are you bucking shitting me? You're shitting me, right, Twilight?" the chief ranted, "How, or why the hell would Celestia punish you for requesting her divine intervention into a problem, no, not a problem, a crisis that might just spin out of control, and sure as hay will take more than one single unicorn to fix? You almost got killed out there today!

“I'd have banned you from going anywhere near Sweet Apple Acres if I knew those ponies were that dangerous! You gotta be out of your mind to even think Celestia expects you to 1- talk Applejack out of all her paranoia and hatred, 2- get all her relatives to like unicorns and embrace tri-race peace, and 3- get them to pack up and go home! Applejack's way beyond her wrongful fear of Celestia. I can't believe you're scared of her, too!

"You, of all ponies, have a thousand times less reason to fear Her than me or anypony else. And what the hell you think she'll do to you for asking her help?"

Twilight gulped. Her imagination ran wild with ideas of what to expect when she failed the smallest thing in her life.

"She'll banish me from my studies, she'll strip me of my magic, she'll probably send me to the moon for life!"

After his rant, the chief just stared at her in disbelief. "You know, you could show a little willingness or courage for self sacrifice. Nopony who made changes to our world did so without the fear of some kind of retribution. But in this case, I seriously doubt you need to worry about Celestia throwing you at the moon over this. You want my take, she'll be more pissed off at you for not acting and asking for help. You have more of a rapport with the Princess than anypony within a hundred day trots of you."

Twilight sighed. He was right but she was still terrified of angering Celestia.

Then Chief Tibbs leaned in close and stared her down hard.
"Idle chatting aside, Twilight, I want you to write that letter and mail it, along with those memory rocks. This is not a recommendation, it is not a polite suggestion, it's an order!"

As Chief Tibbs barked at Twilight, nopony was aware that one of the officers, Apple Bread, a new officer with only two years’ experience, and who just happened to walk by, stopped for a minute and listened in on their conversation. And nopony else knew that he had strict orders to follow, not issued by any higher-up in the town guard. He gulped as he knew it was time to act, because if he let down his other superior, the consequences he’d be likely to face were sure as hell nothing good.

After a grueling evening of shoveling dirt, the Apples let Scootaloo stop after sunset, and she was brought back to the house and tossed into a tub full of soapy water with Applebloom. Some of the mares from the Applehill family volunteered to ‘give a washin’’ to all the foals as most of them came back filthy from their chores.

Scootaloo was too exhausted to protest when they scrubbed her down with a hard scrub brush, and was told to shut up when they ran the bush over her sore wings.

“Hold still,” barked the mare who had her pinned by the shoulders, and mane, and vigorously rubbed her face with the cloth. She coughed, sputtered and sneezed a few times. Her nose and throat became caked with dust from all that dirt.The lot of the foals, nearly all of them from far and wide were taken to the pump house where the wash basins were set up. They were all quiet, and obedient to the adult ponies. The whole pump house and water tower were lit by a bright electrical lamp, powered by batteries that had been charged with a manual charger with a spin handle.

Applejack was still running back and forth talking to ponies, and coordinating the setup of camps, sites for future houses, and work projects.

Scootaloo gasped as another bucket of icy water was thrown on her to get the soap out of her mane. No matter how hot it was out, the water from the river was ice cold.

“Awright, you three, git out,” the mare barked at her, Applebloom and one other. As told, they went over to the grill, where the waste water was dumped. There smaller bins provided water, next to them, large blocks with built in brushes, where the ponies cleaned their hooves.
After their hooves were cleaned and approved by the mares, Applebloom led Scootaloo past the fence that marked a ‘clean hoof zone’ that surrounded the house. Some of the trees had already been chopped down and plots of land marked off for future house building.

Supper consisted of bean stew and pea soup combined. Before the foals were allowed to eat, they were forced to say grace, a pre-meal prayer lead by Lightseed Apple Saint, a super religious mare who would not shut up once she got started with the preaching. After a five minute preach from her, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and the other foals were allowed to start eating. Since there were so many ponies here now (and still more were on their way), Applejack had a bunch of picnic tables brought here and lined up. Hanging battery lamps lit up the picnic area.

“Eat up, y’all. Yer’ gonna need it fer tomorrow,” Applejack said as she walked past them. “Hey, Heal, has Apple Belle got her soup yet?”

“I’m sorry, Applejack, but it’s too rich for her, she can hardly chew as it is, I have given her some more hay broth and milk.”

“Awright, well, these foals can finish up her soup then.”

Scootaloo paused between bites when she heard that. She knew Sweetie Belle had been out of commission and wasn’t at school the last two days. Of course, when asked about Sweetie Belle, Applejack gave them the Big Stomp Appleyard story, and made the fictitious stallion out to be a monster. Of course, Applebloom told Scootaloo the truth.

The other foals talked quietly amongst themselves. The hard work had been the regimen of their lives, and their livelihood. Thanks to their upbringing, they actually liked the work, unlike Scootaloo who was so exhausted she had to resist the urge to put her head down and fall asleep. She dragged the spoon through the soup. It looked like green muck with hay strands everywhere. She likened it to goose manure. Even though she was hungry when she got back to the house, she now lost her appetite. She slowly pushed the bowl aside and proceeded to put her head down on her arms and-

“Scoots!” Applebloom hissed urgently, “Don’t do that, they see you, they’ll lash you real good with the whipping stick. Y’gatta eat yer soup- all o’ it. Wastin’ food’s not allowed here.”

Scootaloo groaned as she lifted her head and pulled the bowl closer, and forced down another spoonful. Accross the table, the other foals wolfed down their meals, and anxiously waited for more.
“Y’all need more?” a stallion grunted as he walked by with the soup bucket.

“Yes, please, Uncle Apple Jeb.”
Apple Jeb generously poured the soup into their bowls.

“I want to go home,” Scootaloo muttered under her breath. She took care to say it quietly enough so only Applebloom would hear her. If Applejack heard her complain, she’d probably spank her hard. After witnessing the confrontation with Twilight Sparkle earlier today, Scootaloo sure as hell had no inclination to test Applejack’s patients.

She slowly ate her soup, got up and Applebloom showed her the wash basin for the dishes. Each pony washed his or her bowl, spoon, and hoof claw* then placed them on the drying rack.

“You two,” Apple Dumpling addressed them, “If you’re finished up here, go inside and read to Apple Belle. The book is on the table beside her bed.”

Scootaloo gasped with fright the second she laid eyes on Sweetie Belle and looked on in shock and fear. She knew Sweetie Belle was beat bad, but still had no idea of how Applejack beat her beyond recognition.
“Is she dead?” Scootaloo’s impulsive response.

“Naw, she’s just busted up real bad. Uncle Doc and Auntie Heal said she’ll take a whole moon to get better and look normal again.”

Scootaloo was still terrified, almost too afraid to look at Sweetie Belle. Her face was lumped up, and swollen black, purple and blue all over. The bruises showed up even through her white fur. Her eyes were still swollen shut, and she struggled to breathe. She couldn’t even speak, and only pained moans came out of her. She hardly moved.

“She deserved it.”

Scootaloo let out a frightened gasp as jumped, and spun around when she heard Applejack’s voice. Applejack stepped into the bedroom and looked down at Sweetie Belle with an uncompassionate stern look. Scootaloo was trembling as Applejack looked down at Sweetie Belle, then at them. There was a two way look of understanding.

“Y’ liss’en to me real good, Scootaloo. This brat got what she deserved. An’ she deserved it cuz she dared to practice magic on mah farm. She went behind mah flank and went to that hocus pocus magic club at yer school. Ah got rules against any an’ all magic here at Sweet Apple Acres. If Ah catch any filly doin magic or keepin’ magic paraphernalia, they’s gonna get hoof beat real good and wind up just like Apple Belle. Ah’ll do whatever it takes to drive that lesson home. Y’hear me?”

Scootaloo nodded. “...yes...Auntie Applejack...”

“Good. As y’ can see, we keep hard discipline on this here farm. Ah won’t tolerate any o’ you slacking off or breaking them rules. Applebloom here knows damn well what Ah’m talkin’ about. If Ah or anypony sees you slackin’ off on yer work, it’ll be a spankin at least, understand?”

Scootaloo nodded again.

“Good,” Applejack said, “Then Ah won’t see you workin any less hard than today, got it?”

“Yes, Auntie Applejack.”

“Good girl. Now you two read her her story.”

“Applejack,” Apple Tarty spoke from the door.

“Yeah, what is it, sugarcube?”

“Shouldn’t Scootaloo be home now? Her parents must be worried about her. It’s already past 152º.”

Applejack took a look at Scootaloo, then turned back to Tarty. “Awright, Ah’ll have somepony take her home. Scoots! Come on downstairs. Applebloom, get readin’!”

Outside the door of the house, Scootaloo waited for somepony to take her home. She wanted to go home herself but Applejack forbade it and ordered some ponies to watch her and make sure she stayed put.

Applejack came up to her after conversing with some other ponies. “Awright, Scootapple, what time does yer flyin’ class usually start?”

“Um, early in the morning, around 90º or 100º in the morning.

“Heh," Applejack quipped, "That's awfully lazy fer somepony like Rainbow Dash. Well guess what, sugarcube, as you can see here, we Apples start alot earlier than that, before sunrise. These summer days of good light and good weather are not to be wasted by sleepin’ in. Day time is work time. Ah want you back here, bright an early, no later than 40º tomorrow morning, am Ah clear?”

Scootaloo gulped, “But Auntie Applejack, my parents-”

“But nuttin’ what yer’ parents got to say about it, Scoots! Ah expect you to be here bright an’ early, ready to work. Rainbow Dash expects you to be here bright n’ early, ready to work, got it?”

“But-”

“Hush yer mouth!” Applejack barked, “One more word, and you’ll be sleepin’ in the barn fer' the night with them other foals! Ah’ll send somepony to come an’ fetch you, so you got no excuse! Now get goin, Auntie Applegem and Auntie Tarty are waitin’ for ya!”

Of course, Scootaloo had the honor of being escorted by the stern cold mare from Nimbuscait, Applegem, and Apple Tarty. Scootaloo hated Applegem. She always cast that cold glare of disapproval and racial prejudice.
Luckily for her, Applegem talked to Tarty most of the time until they got to her house. The night sky darkened, pushing the last aqua haze from the sunset beyond the horizon. Ponyville was dark and silent, the streets only lit up by the bioluminescent plant lamps.

Applegem knocked on the door of the house. The lights were on, and the door opened. Her adopted father, Snapper Loo, greeted her and the two Apple mares. “There you are, Scootaloo! where have you been? Have you any idea how late it is? You’re to be home at sunset, young filly.”

“Sorry, Dad, I-”

“Please, Mr. Loo,” Applegem cut in, “don’t be so harsh on her. She was working with us at Sweet Apple Acres. She had just finished her work for today.”

“Eh?” Snapper grunted, “You were supposed to be at flight class. How did she end up at the Acres?”

Scootaloo felt scared of getting trouble from her dad. “I-”

“Applejack said Rainbow Dash sent her to us,” Applegem cut in, “She was so frustrated and angry with this filly’s lack of effort and practice, she felt she needed some hard work to set her right.”

“So you didn’t try and sneak around on the Acres?” Snapper grunted, looking at Scootaloo.
“No, Dad, Rainbow Dash really did-”

“Well, I wasn’t told anything about this!” Snapper Loo grunted angrily, towards Applegem and Tarty. “Scootaloo, get inside, now. Wash yourself up, and get into bed.” He stood aside and Scootaloo, feeling like a naughty foal in trouble, sauntered inside with her head down. She was too exhausted physically and mentally to protest her innocence.

“And you two,” Snapper turned to the mares, “What gives Applejack and the rest of you the right to force my filly to work? How long did she work for and what did she do?”

“Well, Applejack set her to work digging out the pit for a pool by the river. I think it was about 40º this afternoon when she arrived-”

“So you’re telling me you had her work for over a hundred degrees straight? No breaks, just straight work?”

“Well,” Apple Tarty spoke, “Applejack is the authority at the Acres, she calls the shots on who works what for how long, and I saw Scootaloo shoveling non stop. I brought her water and some snacks every now and then-”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that’s folly exploitation! Has she even eaten supper?”

“Why yes of course, we’re not about to send a hard working filly home on an empty stomach, that’s absurd,” Applegem quipped.

“Good.”

“Snapper,” his wife, Lassy Loo, called from inside, “Who’s at the door?”

“Just two of Applejack’s relatives. Is Scoots in bed?”

“Yes, she climbed right in and seemed to fall fast asleep the minute I kissed her goodnight. Almost didn’t even make into bed.”

Snapper turned to the Apples. “You in the dress and bonnet. Who are you anyway?” he demanded.

“Why, my name is Applegem. I’ve just moved to Sweet Apple Acres recently.”

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from Nimbuscait, up north. Applejack invited me to live with her and help run the affairs on her farm. Speaking of which, Applejack expects Scootaloo to be back at 40º, right before dawn, and she said she’ll send somepony to fetch her.”

“Right. Well You and Applejack can forget it. I’m Scootaloo’s dad here, I own her. She’ll go where and when I say she does, and I say she is not going to Sweet Apple Acres at the crack of dawn,” Snapper said with disdain. Even he didn’t like her stern demeanor.

“You can tell Applejack to forget about expecting her, and that I will be having a word with her and Rainbow Dash about this. Making arrangements behind my back to send my filly to do hard labor for having a bad day in her flight class is not something I will tolerate! Miss...Applegem, I’ll have you know that here in Ponyville, we as parents have the last say in what goes on with our foals. Got that? I’m very angry with Applejack and the lot of you.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Applegem said, acting more offended than sympathetic, “Applejack will be quite disappointed. I thought you ponyfolk were more supportive of one another.”

“Not when it comes to the kind of work Applejack demands from our kids. I’m now finished talking to you. Good night.” And with that, Snapper Loo angrily slammed the door on the two of them.
“Blasted nerve of those Apples...” he muttered furiously to himself.

Twilight Sparkle sat slouched over the table in the lounge at the guard house. It took a lot out of her just to write and mail the letter. She had to take the package to the mail box at the train station, so it would end up on the night train passing through. She had also written a second letter to Rarity, with an urgent request she come back to Ponyville at once, and file a ‘custody complaint’ with the town council’s ‘County Family Relations’ department, the authority responsible for overseeing issues in which ponies overstepped their bounds with foals that didn’t belong to them.

The unicorn, still exhausted and weary just groaned. She was feeling depressed, and just stared at the mist rising from the cup of hot coffee in front of her. A few other town guard officers sat around the room, reading newspapers or playing cards. Usually, it was a slow night, where nothing happened.

She was ashamed she couldn’t solve the Apple problem, and more so for asking Celestia for help. She was afraid of retribution she’d get for being a coward, and not working through the problem like she always did.

Chief Tibbs came to join her at the table. “So, Twilight, you mailed that letter?”

“Yes, Chief, it’s in the post box at the station. Should be on tonight’s train to Canterlot.”

“Good,” Chief Tibbs said, “Out of curiosity, aren’t you supposed to have some kind of special spell where you could just transmit everything telepathically to the Princess?”

Twilight cringed at her own ignorance. After months of intense work and stress, so many things began to slip her mind. That and her fear had caused potentially costly delays in reaching the Princess. Then again, she had pestered Celestia so much, Celestia told her to send anything in writing. Right now, she couldn’t remember if Celestia even took the telepathy spell out of her brain.

“Well, she’ll know soon enough, but if you remember that spell, please get on it,” Tibbs told her. He grabbed the Canterlot Times newspaper sitting on the table and opened it. The clock ticked, and they didn’t speak for a few minutes.

“Hey, Twilight, did you read today’s paper at all?”

“No, Chief.”

“Well, get a load of this. The present Mane Six group, a.k.a. you and your friends, got a really bad review from some hot shot pony at the Royal Equestrian Magic Academy. Says here that ‘ponies who hold the Elements of Harmony are a thousand times more prone to corruption. Because of this, each Mane Six team has a short shelf life, no longer than six years. The longest anypony’s held an Element before being corrupted by it is ten years, six moons, and 3 days. Most of the time when the Mane Six ponies reach their limit, they are relieved of their element, and if not, they succumb to corruption, which without intervention, which eventually destroys their minds and hearts, leaving mentally scarred or even broken ponies.

“‘Corruption is inevitable,’” Chief Tibbs read, ‘“no matter how resilient the holding pony is, its Element will eventually destroy and consume it. Most Mane Six members give to corrupted behavior that is mainly opposite to the Element, and are quickly stripped of their Elements pending if their actions cause enough trouble. Otherwise, by the time a holder is corrupted, it may be too late to prevent irreversible damage.’”

“What kind of damage?” Twilight asked, intrigued.

“Let’s see here...I read this earlier today, should be in here somewhere...ah here it is, ‘The kind of corruption to plague an Element holder triggers behavior and actions opposite to the Element’s qualities....The Element of Honesty has been known to corrupt even the most pure and honest of mares and stallions, turning most casualties into scheming liars and tricksters. The Element of Honesty has also been known to seed its’ holders with a lust for power in any form, hence supplying the motive for them to become skilled deceivers of truth and reality. Eventually, the poor pony will deceive itself and lose touch with reality. At this point, any intervention that could disrupt the holder’s power or delusions has been met with a hostile response.’ Twilight, how relevant do you think this is concerning Applejack?”

“I...I didn’t know that the Elements of Harmony could do this...Celestia never said anything about this. Who wrote that article?”

“Hmm...an ‘Emerald Sparkwire,’ some magic scholar at the Magic Academy. Sparkwire’s even been on several advisory committees, and has even consulted with Princess Celestia herself. She also is known to predict early on when the Mane Six are about to expire, and from what I’m reading here, she’s not sugarcoating her review of any of you mares. Read this, she has actually been by Sweet Apple Acres herself, or has had ponies spy on them for her. Turns out her ponies were in town a few times keeping tabs on you six. In here, she’s giving Applejack a real bad review. I think we both know her story so I’ll skip it.”

“Really?” Twilight asked in disbelief, “and nopony even knew?”

“Emerald Sparkwire’s crew never asked us about it. Turns out she has spied on all the Mane Six ponies during the last twenty years. Get this, according to her, you don’t look so good yourself,” Chief Tibbs said before he started reading,

“‘Twilight Sparkle, the holder of the Element of Magic, and the defacto leader of the present Mane Six, is an upstanding student of magic, and a personal pupil of Princess Celestia herself, but given my recent observations, Miss Sparkle is soon to fall victim to her Element’s corruption, which I fear has already began to exploit her weakness, mainly an obsession of her work, and her obsessive compulsion to please everypony around her. The Element of Magic is known to afflict its holders with great fear, anxiety, and paranoia, and to kill their motivation, to even carry out basic tasks. This is triggered by moments of failure and the related guilt and shame, and can result in a depression so severe that its previous holders have been institutionalized, only a fraction of those ponies have been relieved of this Element soon enough to allow for full rehabilitation. Miss Sparkle has also shown signs of forgetfulness, easy frustration, and seems to be losing her ability to keep her mind intact during intensive work. She may be about to collapse into a paranoid schizophrenic heap, doomed to be haunted by voices in her head. My observers have also visited the mare in her home, and have quickly found she fails to keep to routine health and hygiene habits. Her assistant, the baby dragon Spike, seems to have taken on a role as the caretaker of a handicapped foal.'"

Chief Tibbs put down the paper and looked at her. “Well, what do you think?”

An angered growl escaped Twilight's throat. Who the hay could she have met that was spying for this Emerald Sparkwire bitch??
"Seriously, what the buck? Who the hell does she think she is anyway? It's Celestia who knows the Elements better than anypony else!"

Tibbs cleared his throat.

“Well, if you’ll look at the last year, or the last two seasons, you have been going crazy and getting in way over your head with your work. You barricaded yourself in the library and have remained in there for weeks at a time, only coming out when your friends had to drag you out. Ponies talked about you and they say you looked unkempt and reeked like you hadn't taken a bath in weeks. And every now and then word goes around saying you lose weight until somepony stuffs food down your throat, making you eat for the first time in Celestia-knows-how-long.

"And you nearly pissed yourself when I told you to ask Celestia for help...Twilight, I ain’t looking to insult you, but you seriously need to take all this into account. There's alot you do for this town, but how are you going to keep doing your jobs if you don't take care of yourself first? I'm hoping it's just a real bad habit serving everypony else over yourself and not your Element at work. But if all this is true about the Elements of Harmony corrupting and screwing up their holders, you should not take this lightly. Emerald Sparkwire has even gone far as to say she wants all of your stripped of your elements and fired."

“What’s wrong with the other four?” Twilight demanded, feeling a little defensive.

The Chief read on. “...’The Element of Laughter has its present holder, Pinkemania Diane Pie, a.k.a. Pinkie Pie, hostage. Undercover, I have met Pinkie Pie numerous times. She is known among her fellow Ponyville locals as the pony who brings laughter to all, however, the star that shines the brightest, is to collapse the hardest. Pinkie Pie, through the demeanor and ‘happiness’ which she presents in public, is but a symptom of a deep depression the poor mare is silently suffering. A band aid over a massive gash. Ever since she was assigned the Element of Laughter, an element only used twice before in our history, she has been seeded with more pain than before. It should be noted that this Element is relatively new, and only first appeared in Year 818 when it was assigned to its first holder, a young mare named Squeep Gables. Gables suffered from uncontrollable laughter until she died of suffocation three weeks later, having laughed so hard she was unable to breathe.

The Element was used again in Year 964, placed on the soul of a stallion named Leaf Rustle. In short, Rustle was driven mad and laughed hysterically until locked away in the asylum. These two uses of the Laughter Element were for testing purposes only, and not actually assigned to a true Mane Six member.

Pinkie Pie is the first pony to be officially assigned the Element of Laughter, and compared to her two unfortunate predecessors, or test subjects, this bouncing 'bundle of joy' seems to have endured the effects of the Element very well.
However, Pinkie Pie is NOT the ideal candidate, due to her background, family history, and mental illnesses, mainly depression. Issues that a sonic rainboom failed to cure in the mare when the spectacle of color made her so 'happy.'

Pinkie's desire to be loved and accepted by those around her causes her to feel an emptier void within, and thus act more erratically. She has no sense of self respect, nor security, and only validates her own existence on the kindness and approval of other ponies, two things she never received from her family.

Two years ago, I witnessed her during a vulnerable moment. After a confrontation with a rude stallion in Canterlot, Miss Pie suffered an instant inward collapse that caused her to ball up on the ground, and even her poofed and unkempt hair to flatten. The reaction she suffered seemed to incapacitate her. She was taken to hospital and examined until she recovered and was released. However, I predict this element will suck all the fun and laughter out of this mare, leaving nothing but a shriveled spirit, and a creature who might be better off dead. I dare say that the poor mare may become suicidal. It is recommended for Pinkie Pie’s own sake, that she be relieved of the Element of Laughter at once, and ushered into treatment.”

Twilight didn't deny this in her mind. Even Pinkie Pie had been losing it slowly during hard times. She acted more erratically, and even aggressively when ponyfolk began shunning and rejecting her. Last fall, Pinkie was caught by the town guard with magic mushrooms in her side bags. She had intended to lace the food at Sugarcube corner with them and get the whole town high on 'shrooms', as some sort of party payback for how they began scorning her for her party antics and treating her. Instead of being formally charged, she was slapped with a curfew, restricted from leaving Ponyville, hoofed one year of community service, and ordered to go into counselling, which she never did. Pinkie Pie’s actions followed her being fired and replaced by another mare at Sugarcube corner. Shortly after, she did get a new job at the joke shop down the street. But there had been recent times when she lashed out at the Cake family for replacing her, and she even turned down their offers for her to move back in with them. Twilight skimmed over the article and found all that was summarized. She knew Pinkie had been losing it slowly.

“What does it say about Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy?” Twilight was too lazy to read and her brain ached.

Chief Tibbs read it out to her: “...[i[]’The Element of Loyalty is also wreaking havoc on its holder, the star struck, Wonderbolt wannabe, Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash, on duty as the Ponyville County weather captain, is known for her loyalty to friends and family, hence she was assigned the Element. However, like all proud Peagasi from the Cloudlands, Miss Dash is prone to lust for power, and it plays out in her loyalty. She expects those around her to be great achievers, going so far as to abuse anypony she perceives to fail her expectations. This corruption of her loyalty gives away to conflict of interest, and eventually, power and command over others is what the Element of Loyalty will make her to be all about, be it herself, or the Pegasi of Cloudsdale. Even if she isn't corrupted to the core, the poor pegasus will suffer severe 'imbalances' and conflicts of interest between ponies she is loyal to. Previous Loyalty Element holders have been forced via this corruption to betray one in order to remain loyal to the other, often times in irrational ways.

“...’Fluttershy, the kinder, soft spoken, and shyest of the Mane Six is known for her kindness and ability to soothe the savage beast. Fluttershy has exceptional communication talent with other animal species, and negotiation skills, and has even been employed by the town guard to deal with dangerous beasts that lurked too close to Ponyville. Fluttershy’s kindness and soft demeanor have given her the ability to communicate with many species of animals, some whom she keeps in her home.

'However, her kindness, corrupted by the Element she holds, has placed her in a precarious position, in which she receives more abuse from those who perceive kindness to be a weakness and opportunity to be taken advantage of. This treatment, and its impact on poor Fluttershy, can cause a buildup of frustration and resentment, which will give way to anger and bitterness. When provided a channel for this negativity by Iron Will, the assertive skills trainer, Fluttershy was reported to be ‘horribly mean’ and a ‘monster’ to those around her. One can expect she will no longer need Iron Will’s motivation to become just that.

'Another shocking effect the Element of Kindness plays on this soft spoken pegasus is the gross amplification of upset she experiences when triggered. Fluttershy's trigger is cruelty against animals. In the spring of Year 1003, Fluttershy caught two foals tormenting and abusing an injured rabbit. Witness statements collected by the town guard state that the pegasus simply snapped. She went into a screaming fit and let those two brats have it. She raged at them for more than a degree and even violently struck both foals with her wings before other ponies intervened. Fluttershy was arrested and held for a day, then released without charge. Back to her normal self, the pegasus issued a public apology, in which she even broke down and cried. Seems she was also deeply affected by the guilt and shame, two common effects of the Elements. It also didn't help that the mare was distanced and alienated by most ponies except her friends who had to prevent the mare from barricading herself in her home for weeks like she did following her ordeal with Iron Will's assertiveness training. Fluttershy is the most extreme example out of all six ponies to exhibit a level of aggression and even unkindness, two other effects of the Elements to play out in their holders over the last 1000 years.'

“‘...and last but not least, Rarity. As it surprisingly turns out, Rarity has already been stripped of her element, the Element of Generosity. She is not faulted for her behavior, or any action alone, however, Miss Rarity was almost killed when her home and business burned down last Autumn, leaving her physically and emotionally traumatized. Prior to the incident, Miss Rarity did show some signs of corruption when exhibiting greed, hoarding, depression, and aggression when challenged or provoked. Her selfishness also revealed itself in how she treated her filly, Sweetie Belle, as reported by other ponies, mainly Applejack Sweet Apple. Despite this corruption; still mild at best, no evidence suggests that Rarity’s hoarding caused the fire that destroyed her home and business. It can be safely assumed Rarity had been the least affected by her Element, but had she not been separated from it during her recovery, its destructive effects could have turned her into a walking disaster, and for such reasons, she was discharged from the Mane Six.

'Again, the common and visual effects of the Elements of 'Harmony' (intentionally quoted, as their 'intended effects' are in question) include but are not limited to the following: Anxiety, depression, Stock Home syndrome (SHS), paranoia, obsessive compulsive disorders, delusions from mild to severe forms, forgetfulness, chronic amnesia, dementia, psychosis, panic attacks, severe magic fluctuations (unicorns only), aggression and anger management problems, and the list goes on and on. I would require at least five more pages at an exhorbant price to list all the effects the Elements play on their holders.

...In addition, the Element holders suffer common afflictions as weakness in their immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to otherwise harmless pathogens, stress and related fatigue, and an eventual unraveling of their minds. The effects on physical health can be potentially catastrophic as well, bringing on nightmarish health conditions that the ponies assigned Elements were never initially prone to, including cancers of all kinds. The Elements, meant to represent each pony, are known to twist them into exact opposites, and eventually destroy them from the inside out. These are the reasons that limit Element holders’ shelf life..

however, with this current Mane Six (Make that a Mane Five as a new pony and Element will be needed to fill the vacant sixth position), I am quite disappointed. Millions of bits of our taxes go to maintaining the Elements, finding and choosing M6 members, and paying their salaries. Not to mention the M6 hold important roles and tasks in terms of national security and the safety and benefit of ponykind. Ususally, the M6 can last six years BEFORE their problems start up, then the Princess at least has some notice and time to find new ponies for the job. There are resilient and strong ponies who have lasted for up to 20 years (the M6 of Year 147 managed to keep it together for over 35 years). Then every now and then we just get a bad batch of already half broken failures, already too faulty for the job. I dare say the M6 of Year 1000 are nothing more than really sad broken batch.

Before I sign off, and leave it to ponies to rage over my newest of precious controversial reports, I must ask an important question to Princess Celestia, our great leader infront of the public for all to know: Why are these Elements, over 200 in total, so dangerous and hazardous to those assigned to hold them and wield their powers? I ask the Princess so as HER HIGHNESS is the one who CREATES these things. If they are meant to empower our Mane Six, and enable them to protect Equestria and ponykind againt all threats, then WHY do these elements destroy their holders? I now leave it to Her Highness to answer not just me, but everypony.”’

Twilight was stunned. She didn’t even know Rarity was stripped of her Element. She had no idea there were only five of them this whole time. What if Celestia called them to action-

“So there you have it, Twilight,” Chief Tibbs grunted, “The ultimate sum up of why all six of you are losing your shit, Pinkie Pie hiding for days at a time. Rainbow Dash going berserk on young pegasi in flight school. Applejack, the hyper religious power mongering lying buck-toothed freak. Fluttershy going absolutely insane when she sees her little critters hurt; Rarity's already fired, and you, well, you're one hell of a stressball, just as scared of Celestia as Applejack and her family. Who would have thought eh?”

“Yeah...” Twilight said sadly, reflecting on the last four years she worked with her friends.

“Think maybe you should retire early when this Apple mess is over and done with?”

Twilight thought, “I want to ask Celestia about it. She made the elements. Surely she didn't make them to screw us all over.”

Chief Tibbs nodded, “Well, she is a god, or goddess, and she can do whatever the hell she wants. You how they say ‘Oh Celestia loves you’ and all that? Well I personally think she does love us, but in a way we as mortal ponies cannot understand. Hence, why religious zealot ponies and racist pegasi exist in the first place and all these conflicts that go on just outside our back yard.

“Between you and me, Twilight, this way of life Celestia tells us to live by...it’s a failing system. Past and present, we got mass murder, race wars, enslavement, prejudice, and hate. She makes the Elements, hoofs them out to ponies like you, and after saving the world a few times, you and your teammates implode on yourselves. She allows this to happen, and you know just as well as I do about this crapfest right outside Ponyville. Applejack just might bring the race war between earth ponies and unicorns right into Ponyville. Had I called in those vigilante unicorns you wanted to contact, that just might as well set the whole thing off, and send this entire town to hell in a hoof-basket. Last year, I was coming back from my vacation, and this nutty pony got on the train and started telling me about windigoes freezing up the whole world all because of ponies fighting. Who would have thunk it, eh, Twi?”
+ + +

All was quiet at the Ponyville train station. Two town guard ponies, wearing their blue sashes and badges, walked around the station, and decided all was in peaceful order. They walked past the mailbox, then out of the station into town.

They heard a stallion moan in the darkness, and sprung into a gallop. They turned on their headlamps and eventually spotted him- the courier pony who was supposed to be on his round collecting mail and depositing it in the mailbox at the station.

“Zippy!” Promontory shouted as he galloped over to the fallen pony.
Mr. Zippy, a longtime courier for the post office layed sprawled out on the ground, grunting in pain, He also appeared to be drunk.
“Are you alright?” his partner, Apple Bread, asked.

“Augh, they got got me...they got me real good...” Zippy grunted as he tried to get up. He wavered, then fell back on his flank. Both town guard officers saw he had been beat up, and was covered in bruises. His uniform was tattered and ripped in some places.

“Who got you?” Promontory demanded. “Tell me, dammit!”
“Th-those night hooligans...they came up out of nowhere and ambushed me from behind. They...took my side bags...”
Then it seemed he was getting drunker and drunker, almost too quickly.
He struggled to get up one more time, then hit the ground again out cold. Promontory blew his silent whistle, a magic powered device that sent a signal to the guard house. He blew several times; a Morse signal.

Apple Bread already knew who did it, but he didn’t dare mention it. He had a lot to lose. They saw lights up ahead and heard the running hoof steps of the incoming fellow town guard ponies. Twilight Sparkle was one of them. Apple Bread felt sweat tickling his neck hairs. He didn’t anticipate the unicorn to be with them.

“He is flooded with alcohol,” Twilight said after using her magic to screen him. Comet tail brought a breathalyzer, a strange device used to detect alcohol from a pony’s breath, and it beeped like crazy. So Twilight then cast a spell that allowed her to see his alcohol content. She worked with the townguard before, screening troublesome drunk ponies dragged in from the tavern.

“It’s going to kill him, no doubt he’s already poisoned him.” Comet Tail, another officer, commented.

“Not on my watch,” Twilight replied as she beamed another spell on Mr. Zippy. The ray of magic she cast on him quickly broke down the alcohol flowing through his system. After several minutes (she had to do it slow and gently to avoid causing internal burns), Zippy grunted as he came to.
“I’m done,” Twilight said, “He’s 100% sober now. He’ll still have a hangover though,”

“Let’s get him back to the guard house. Promontory, you carry him. Apple Bread, go and check all the mailboxes in town, starting with the station, in case these thug ponies stole a key from him. Baritone, Bottle Cap, you two go in town and get as many ponies off the streets as you can, and stay together. If you run into these freaks, blow your whistles and the whole town guard will be there. Move out!” Comet Tail ordered.

“Yes, sir!” they saluted, before splitting up.

Apple Bread, a usually mild-mannered pale green earth pony, and grass-green mane, carefully made his way back to the station. He was on edge. He showed up at the mailbox, and it looked like nothing happened to it. Two tiny glass light bulbs above the keyhole indicated whether it had been opened or not. Blue indicated it hadn't been opened, red indicated it did. Mail ponies carried with them remote devices enabling them to reset the lights after they opened and closed the mailboxes. It was a security measure, so that if there was an unauthorized opening of the mailbox, and a theft of mail, the post office would know about it real quick. Of course if the door had been broken open, the light would be red. But who had the time and effort to break into a mailbox? And no mail around here was worth stealing.

Apple Bread looked around. Security was a joke, he thought. And he went to work. He took the remote device, a small wooden unit with two buttons, and lifted it so it was level to the transmitter on top of the mailbox, and pressed the button several times, disabling it, so it would not send a signal to the post office. Not that anypony was there tonight. Mail ponies on night shift just moved mail from box to box.

Next, he took the key and unlocked the door, and pulled out the sack. He frantically searched through it, looking for the package. He found it, the one with Twilight Sparkle’s name on the return address. He pulled it out and placed it onto his sidebag. He closed the sack, and quickly stuffed it back in the mail box, shut the door, locked it, then reset the lights, and turned the transmitter back on. He then galloped off, not through the exit back into town, but down the platform, through a gate, and into the night.

“There...there was five of them, all covered up. I couldn’t see their faces, manes or cutie marks, nothing,” Zippy groaned. He was in the lounge at the guard house, speaking to Comet Tail, Twilight Sparkle, and Chief Tibbs. “They came at me and let me have it. I don’t remember what happened.”

“Well, they didn’t steal your mail, you still got your box key, Twilight, run a rock check (memory crystal check) on this guy.
“Yes, sir,” Twilight said as she went to fetch a memory crystal. To the Chief and his commanding officer, Comet Tail, it didn’t make sense for these attackers, who came out of nowhere, to rough up a mail pony.
“Did you drink at all? You reeked of booze when we found you.” Comet Tail inquired.

“No, sir. I didn’t drink at all. I only go to the tavern after I’m finished my rounds.”

Twilight came back with a crystal, and had Zippy place the rock in his mouth. A few minutes later, she took it out and put it into the projector device. Lights off, and the images played out on screen. The bars on the screen indicated he was surprised and scared, and after he received a brutal hoof beating by these thugs, there was one unusual spike of pain.

“Did you feel any sort of pin prick, Mr. Zippy?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah...it was almost like getting a shot...”

“You think they injected him with alcohol? Promontory said he was coherent when they found him, and he suddenly got drunk and passed out. No way he could acumulate that much booze that fast.”

“Yeah...I just don’t get it, Chief. They didn’t even rob him.”

“You think they were after somepony else and he just happened to be the wrong pony at the wrong place and time?”

Twilight shrugged. “Well, he is a mail pony. We should check the post office, see if they switched keys and robbed a mailbox.”

And so they went to the post office, and Mr. Zippy unlocked the door. They checked the computers that received the signals from the mailboxes around town. After a few minutes, he said, “Well, none of the mailboxes have been breached from what it says here.”
A light on Comet Tail’s badge lit up. Green. From Apple Bread. Nothing wrong with any of the mailboxes.

“Well, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The grandfather clock in the living room of Applejack’s house chimed midnight. There was a knock on the door, and she got up to answer it.

“Shh! keep it down. Ah got ponies sleepin' all over the place. What do y’ want?”

Apple Bread pulled the package out of his side bag and hoofed it to her, without a word.

Applejack looked it over. “Thanks, now git, before anypony sees you.” And she shut the door.

Applejack retreated to her study and opened the package. It contained the two rocks, and the two letters Twilight wrote.

“That unicorn snitch,” she hissed furiously, “Ah’ll teach her a lesson she won’t soon ferget.”

Author's Notes:

EDIT (2013-Sep-19-Thursday): I expanded the newspaper article on the Elements of Harmony. Should better explain the logic behind why everypony in this fic is out of character. Because I can't write cannon worth s***, and I'm lazy enough to put the alternate universe tag on this thing. ALL THE DISLAIKES!

EDIT 2 (Sep 19): I changed up the crap about unicorn justice bureau. Sounded cheesy before.

Day trot = roughly 30'000 trots. (42.614 miles, or 68.57 km)
Whole Day trot (if a pony walked for a full day length (360° ponytime or 24 hours):
50'000 trots (375'000 feet/ 71 miles or 114.275 km) (calculated with travelers' rest stops factored in)

hoof clamp / hoof claw = NOT a horseshoe. A device worn by ponies to 'handle' objects. (EDIT)
hoof shoe = horseshoe (EDIT)

hoof basket = a small basket like container worn on the front or back hoof. Like a removable pocket.

*Pegasi: The proud nation of pegasi living in the Cloudlands, a world built out of clouds. They are identified with a capitalized 'P' in the word 'Pegasi. A full lowercase word denotes the pegasi who were born and raised on the ground.

5000 trots = 40'000 feet (7.5 miles or 12.19km)

Snapper and Lassy Loo: Scootaloo's adopted parents. Two earth ponies.

Apple Bread, Apple Tarty, Apple Dumpling, Comet Tail, Promontory, Mr Zippy = Hasbro background ponies. Because I was too lazy to make up new names.