The sun had not risen and the air was cold and damp. Even the birds were still asleep when the ponies began their journey. A soft mist covered the fields. The wheels on the cart crunched the gravel on the path.
Applejack pressed on down the road. She had understood what her grandmother meant when she said she would stay to look after the farm. Applejack might be of young age but she wasn't a young filly anymore. She knew that this was a final goodbye. She saw it in Macintosh's eyes that he, too, understood and even Rarity seemed to be concerned.
Applebloom didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. She only complained that she couldn't leave a proper message to the Cutie Mark Crusaders as to how they would keep in touch from now on. Naturally she was frustrated.
Rarity had insisted on going with them, even if she wasn't being persecuted she didn't want to leave her friends. Despite Applejack urging her to stay and live a peaceful life away from the misery that surely would befall the earth ponies, Rarity threw a pair of bags over her back and got ready to hit the dusty trail with her friend.
None of the ponies had managed to make contact with Twilight, Rainbowdash, Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie. For all they knew Pinkie Pie had already gotten herself in trouble with the terrible mobs of the Equetists, with her loud mouth and all. There wasn't much to worry about the other three ponies though, all of them being pegasi or unicorns. Applejack and Rarity agreed that Twilight was too smart to cause a ruckus, Rainbowdash was too fast to ever get caught and Fluttershy was already secure in her cottage outside of Ponyville. As for Pinkie, they could only hope she was fine. Though it hurt inside to say it, Applejack couldn't risk going into Ponyville to look for her friend - it was too late for that now.
They wandered down the road in a line, away from the orchard with Applejack leading the way south. Rarity walked last in the line to look after Applebloom, who walked behind Big Macintosh and the cart. Appleloosa and the safety of cousin Braeburn was about three full days of hiking down the road past Ghastly Gorge and Froggy Bottom Bogg. The train would've been a lot faster but less safe - being the subject of massive loathing while being in a confined space filled with strangers didn't ring well in the ears of any of the ponies. The road, though long and sometimes gruesome, was the safest bet.
Applejack adjusted the bags on her sides. The grip of the bowie knife she had hidden between her flank and one of the bags chafed slightly. She thought about how she could best pad her flank to prevent any further discomfort but they had packed lightly and didn't have much material fit for such usage. Everyponies' bags had a first aid kit packed but she didn't plan to use hers this soon.
After a few hours the sun had finely risen. The mist still lingered but it was now possible to see ahead. By the sides of the road the grass grew tall and the dew made the fields shimmer with light from the sun.
Up until now Applebloom had appeared sleepy but seemed to have gotten wide awake with the rays of sunlight hitting her eyes. She scurried to Applejack's side with a smile on her face.
"Hey, sis! Where are we all goin'?" she asked bustling with excitement. The young filly had never gone wandering like this before.
"We're goin' to see cousin Braeburn. Down in Appleloosa."
"Is it because they have apple pies?"
"We hope they have 'em, but we'll be comin' uninvited so they might not have had the time to bake. Maybe you could help 'em out in the kitchen when we get there?"
Applejack put on a cheerful face but her insides were about to tear themselves up with uncertainty and anxiety. She didn't want to ruin her sister's good spirits; though she figured they would be ruined anyway if Appleloosa was in the awful state her grandmother had said. All she could do for now was pretend to have everything under control and maintain her composure.
Being the hardworking pony she was she had often times put on a strong face for others even when she felt weak and miserable. Even at her limit she refused to let anyone know that her spirit could break - she wanted to be the rock that everybody could cling onto, even if she herself never had such a rock. It was her image and she would keep true to it until the very end.
Even with her hardy mindset, Applejack wanted some peace and quiet to sort her thoughts out. It was a lot to deal with. Leaving home, Macintosh becoming a mute, the world changing... When Rarity hurried up to her side she unwillingly tried to close herself off to avoid unproductive small-talk but the fashionista had no such thing in mind.
"Applejack, someponies are approaching quickly from behind us" she said with great urgency.
Applejack lifted her head high and had a listen. She immediately heard hooves stomping on the road behind them, just out of view, and made a quick call.
"Everypony in the ditch!"
Applebloom leapt without a problem into the ditch by the road - luckily there was no water in it. Rarity and Applejack both had to help Macintosh with the cart to get him off the road. They grabbed a nearby branch and some tall grass in an attempt to make some makeshift camouflage for the cart. It wasn't a good camouflage but considering the time they put into it, it was decent.
The ponies pressed their heads to the ground, the rich smell of the soil filling their nostrils and the weeds tickling their faces. The dew dampened their coats. The strangers were fast approaching and none of the ponies dared to take a breath.
Applejack couldn't risk lifting her head the slightest to catch a glimpse of whoever it was galloping on the road, but from the heaviness of the hooves and the deep grunting she understood that they were all male and carried or pulled a load of some sort. She could just barely make out a muffled clattering of metal coming from the riders.
One of the riders called commands in a deep and bellowing voice that roared over all other noises.
"Beyond the bend ahead is a fork in the road! Charlie will set up the check-point just before it! I will carry on with Bravo eastward to the mountain pass! Alfa will ride southward and control the bridges! All shall send reports back to me post haste!"
The other riders yelled 'Roger!' in unison. Applejack estimated from the voices that they were about ten ponies including the commander.
After the riders had passed the ponies they waited a minute before they rose from their cover. Applejack could hear a group of ponies working further down the road - hammering, loud talking and things being pounded into the ground. They had come to a dead end.
Applejack led her group out of the ditch and onto the tall grass field. The ground was groovy but the road wasn't safe to wander anymore, so they all grabbed a hold of the cart and snuck the best they could through the grass and into the shadows of the trees.
"From the looks of this, we need to find ourselves some other roads to travel" Applejack declared as they were catching their breath amongst the bushes and weeds and having a sip of water from their canteens. "Now, I don't know much about the forest paths around Ponyville and all, since I usually pull a cart and need to stick to them proper roads to not bust the wheels. But I reckon our friend Fluttershy might know her way around the trees and bushes. I say we go to her and ask for help."
"But Applejack, we will be attracting unwanted attention to the poor little thing if we simply wander to her cottage! Do we really wish to risk getting her into this mess?" Rarity objected.
"Listen, we don't have much of a choice here. Either we risk dragging Fluttershy into this nasty business or we'll simply wander around in blindness and risk going head-to-head with them' troopers. I say by wandering around all lost and whatnot we never know where we wind up or who we bump into - with Fluttershy we have a good chance of getting ourselves a clear path to safety."
None of the ponies could object to Applejack's reasoning.
Knowing the general direction of Fluttershy's cottage they set off, minding their steps and not letting the cart make too much noise as it rolled over thick roots and rocks. Since the Equetists had just arrived in Ponyville they were occupied with building blockades on the main roads, it was unlikely that they would bother with the scarcely used shortcuts going around the town just yet.
A few hours after midday they finely made it to the cottage. Nopony was within sight, so Rarity got out of the cover of the wild, brushed the leaves off of her and knocked on the door.
No answer.
Rarity knocked harder. When this didn't produce anything she backed up to better view the second floor. The windows were all shut and the rooms all dark.
Rarity walked back to her friends, defeated, when the door cracked open. A yellow hoof waved them in. Fluttershy pleaded: "Hurry!"
Applejack unhinged the cart from her brother and got both her siblings out of the bushes and bolting to the open door. Applejack followed right after she kicked the cart into some foliage and tossed a thick branch over it.
Once everypony was in Fluttershy closed the door quietly but determined. The inside of the cottage was dim, nothing but a candle to light up the room. Just like at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack thought.
Despite the lack of proper lighting it was plain to see that the cottage had been searched: Books lay open on the floor, cabinets were wide open, furniture moved into impractical locations and the rug was carelessly thrown into a corner by the fireplace.
Applejack tried to take it all in and make some kind of theory as to what had been going on. She turned to Fluttershy and only now could she see the harrowed and tired look in Fluttershy's otherwise sweet and well-groomed face.
Rarity approached the yellow pony.
"Fluttershy, deary, would you tell us what happened here? We were sure you would be safe from all of the ghastly business happening with your remote abode and such. Whatever could the horrid Equetists want from you?"
Fluttershy didn't answer at first; she only suffocated a moan of anguish and sorrow and went to move the sofa so she could have a sit. She then told the story of the morning that had just passed while facing the floorboards but not her friends. Her voice was hoarse, the sorrow still stuck in her throat.
