Chapter Nine

Applejack

(AN: Thank you all SOOOO much for reviewing! Also, I looked up typing in a

Southern accent, so it should be better than the last Applejack chapter. Recognitions and Responses at the end of the chapter.)

"The Square of Opposition is very important in learning logic." says Winter Withers, our instructor. "It shows how the contradictions, contrarieties, etc. work."

Our instructor draws a large square on the whiteboard, the writes around it, sayin', "Eventually, you will have the Square of Opposition memorized, and you can use it in everyday arguments."

I look at the square. (AN: I'm going to describe it here, but it's hard to do so, but the Square of Opposition is very important to this chapter AND arguing logically, so just google it in a new tab, okay?)

In the top left corner, an "A" is written, and the top right has an "E". The bottom left corner has an "I" written in it, and the bottom left has an "O". There's a big X in the middle made up of two double-sided arrows- one that's pointing from A to O, and one from I to E. It says "Contradiction" in the middle. There's another double-sided arrow from A to E labeled "Contrariety", and one from I to O that's titled "Subcontrariety." There are two arrows on each side, one pointing up and the other pointing down. The up-pointing-arrows have the words "Superimplication" written by them, and the down-pointing-arrows have "Subimplication."

"Excuse me, Ms. Withers?" a young'un originally from Amity raises her hoof.

"Yes, Serena?" Winter asks.

"I thought we just got hooked up to a lie detector, all day every day for training." she says.

"Who told you that? A transfer?" Winter giggles. Serena looks a little ashamed. "It's very important that you learn a logical argument, as most of you will be teachers or politicians. However, you do get a session in the lie detector every day; that's where Starlight is now."

While the other ponies realize that Starlight is, in fact, missin' the class, I itch my arm. The black-and-white suit that I picked at random to wear today is itchin' a lot, and it's really annoyin'.

"Anyway, does anyone know what the A, E, I and O stand for?" Winter asks.

A Candor-born raises his hoof.

"Yes, Milky Way?"

"They stand for certain arguments." he informs us. "'A' means 'All S are P', 'E' means 'No S are P', 'I' means 'Some S are P', and O means 'Some S are not P'."

"What are S and P?" Northern Lights, a former Abnegation pony, inquires.

"'S' and 'P' are simply stand-ins for whatever words you want to throw in." Milky Way explains, castin' her a glare.

"Thank you, Milky Way." Winter makes sure everyone is payin' close attention, then points to "Contradiction." We all look up. "This is Contradiction. The line symbolizes that neither side can be true or false at the same time. For example, if 'Some dogs are not canines' is false, then 'All dogs are canines' must be true. If 'All dogs are canines' is false, then it must be true that 'Some dogs are not Canines.' The same goes for E and I."

"Well then, aren't A and E contradictions?" another Amity-born, Flurry, asks.

"No," Winter explains, "A and E are 'Contrariety.'" she points to the Contrariety line. "Both cannot be true at the same time, but they can both be false. Can anyone give me an instance where both could be false?"

I surprise myself by raising my hoof.

"Yes, Applejack?" Winter asks.

"Well, if 'All Abnegations are Earth-ponies' is false," I begin, thinkin' of Pinkie and Fluttershy, "Then one would assume that 'No Abnegations are Earth-ponies is true.' However, what if all the Abnegation were Earth-ponies except for one that was a Unicorn? Then 'Some Abnegations are Earth-ponies' would be true, meanin' that 'No Abnegations are Earth-ponies' is false by Contradiction."

"Thank you, Applejack." Winter grins. "You seem to be understanding this very well. Now, 'Subcontrariety' is the exact opposite. Both can be true, but both cannot be false. Any other instances?"

"Kind of like the reverse of what Applejack said." Milky Way says without raisin' her hoof. "'Some Dauntless are not Pegasi' could be true, but it could also be false that all are."

"Please raise your hoof next time, Milky Way." Winter chides. She is about to tell us about Subimplication, but an earth pony walks in. "Applejack?"

Everyone turns to stare at me. I get up and walk out, and notice Starlight scamper in, lookin' afraid.

Looks like I'm about to face the lie detector.

"Just sit here, Applejack." Candy Mane, one of the Candor leaders, sits me down in a gray chair. It's hooked up to a whole mess of wires, which scares me a little.

"We'll start with simple questions." she says. "What's your name?"

"Applejack." I say.

Candy Mane continues, "Where were you born?"

"Amity." I respond.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"My older brother, Big Macintosh, and my lil' sister, Apple Bloom."

Candy Mane marks something on a sheet of paper. "How old is Apple Bloom?"

"Nine."

"Do you have doubts about leaving her?"

I swallow. "Sometimes."

"Do you wish you chose Amity?"

"No." This I respond with full confidence.

"Do you think you could have been happy there?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"What do you plan to do here when you graduate? Do you want to be a leader of the law, a teacher, etc.?"

"I don't know. Maybe a representative or a teacher."

Another mark. "One more question, Applejack."

"This is only takin' a short while." I mention. "I thought it would take longer."

"We ask more questions to those who lie." Candy Mane informs me. "You don't lie very much. So, our last question– what did you get on your aptitude?"

This question startles me. Why would they ask that? "Candor."

Candy Mane responds, "Funny. I figured you would get Amity."

"I didn't because I'm too wild to be there." I tell her truthfully, repeating what the test administer told me. "I'd feel confined in there."

She nods. "Right then. Come with me, Applejack, and we'll take you back to your room."

"I have a question." I say.

"Yes, Applejack?" Candy Mane asks.

"Why did you ask what I got on the aptitude? That's kinda personal information."

Candy Mane pauses before responding. "Well… let's just say we want to know where everyone's loyalties are."

(AN: Congrats to Rose and Blushing (both guests) and woodland59 for guessing the song in Rainbow's last chapter... Defying Gravity, from Wicked. You know, the greatest song ever along with Let it Go. Speaking of that, double congrats to woodland59 for guessing the Frozen reference in Rarity's chapter. You all get internet donuts!

( o ) ( o ) ( o )

There are actually lots up there. They're stacked on top of each other. One pile for each of you.

Also, in response to Blushing's question about a Pinkie POV, I will have one, but it will come later, as I want to settle everyone into their factions before I focus double on Amity. Although, we will have more Twilight and Fluttershy POVs than anyone else, because I find their plotlines most interesting.

I also want to say that there will probably be a sequel after this, but I need a name that ends in -ive that is not anything like the words Divergent, Insurgent or Allegiant [how do you spell that?]. Please help!)