Thundershock

"Really? What all are unicorns allowed to do?" Fantasy asked.

North thinks for a moment, raising a hoof to be under his chin.  "They're free to do just about everything.  Obviously they have to follow laws, and can't leave the city, same as everypony else.  They also aren't allowed in any Government positions, due to, well, we talked about why.  They're allowed to use their magic, but only approved spells can be used.  They're not really allowed to study just anything magic related.  If a Unicorn tries they're put on a list and watched.  If they're ever caught using unapproved spells they'll face trial.  That doesn't happen often though. They're uhh... also put on the list immediately if they ever learn a spell that's been unheard of, but I've not seen that happen."

He'd pause for a short moment before continuing.  "Aside from that, they're allowed to practice art, literature, or anything really to their heart's desire."

"So they can't be in charge of anything. Anything important to the function of Pegasopolis, anyway. And they're not allowed to use certain spells. Such as, say... cloudwalking or weather manipulation. Or self-levitation, even, though that one's more about magical strength than any special spell.

"And aside from that, they're free to do as they please..."

North doesn't seem to notice what shes implying, simply nodding in agreement. "That's a pretty good summary, yes. The Unicorns seem to love the creative freedom we give them."

"Alright." Fantasy said, staring at her hooves while she tried hard to keep the new knowledge from fading from her short term memory. "So, unicorns... are allowed to do anything they want, as long as it isn't government or... possibly half the spells in the entirety of Equestrian knowledge. Probably a lot more than that. They're... allowed to be entertaining. And earth ponies... are regarded as... brutish, and dumb... and you guys don't even know they have magic. And pegasi are in charge, and hold the city in the sky, where conveniently they have the upper hoof over everypony else."

North would look to her, a slight scowl growing across his face. "What are you trying to say? Without us, everypony here would be worse off. Without this city, we'd all be slaves to Unicorns and Earth Ponies would waste their... 'magic.' He'd make a mocking sound when he says 'magic,' clearly still not really believing it.

Fantasy gave North a half-lidded stare in return, but decided to move past his earth pony comments for now. "You talk about tyrant unicorns like they're a common thing."

North would shrug. "On the surface, yeah. Up here, not so much."

Fantasy raised her eyebrow again. "Was Pegasopolis in a different part of the world where unicorns terrorize everypony at some point? Because the world I know has very little in the way of tyrant unicorns."

North seems to be almost a little offended as he mutters under his breath, though loud enough for Fantasy to hear. "Not like a unicorn would notice anyway..."

Fantasy scowled. "Ignoring that..." she growled. "Actually, no, not ignoring that. I know what tyranny looks like, buddy. Tyranny is when you... you oppress a people. When you tell them they have to serve you or you'll kill them. Tyranny is when you..." Fantasy looked around, holding her forelegs up like she was looking for something to point at. She found a brown earth pony in the distance to point a hoof at. "When you humiliate them, when you de-huma- de-ponify them, to make sure they feel awful about themselves, that they feel ugly, when they feel worthless and inferior so that they don't think they can stand up to you and even if they did they wouldn't have anywhere else to go because they think they're too dumb or that the rest of the world will treat them the same way you did so they have nothing to look forward to in standing up for themselves!" Fantasy had escalated into a full angry rant, her hooves waving, and when she was done she huffed angrily and stared at the pond a little ahead of her.

North would raise from the ground, stepping closer towards her, his face beaming with anger. "An outsider like you could never understand what we accomplish here! This is the only space where everypony is as they should be! Earth Ponies have it better here than they ever could elsewhere! Even with this so called 'magic' they could never hope to accomplish anything Unicorns can, much less Pegasi!" He'd motion towards the same Earth pony Fantasy had before continuing, his anger reaching a peak. "And right now, that Earth Pony is worth more than you are, outsider!"

He'd pause after saying this, stepping back a bit, seeming to be sweating a little from his own anger.

Fantasy stood up, and despite leaning away from him and folding her ears back, she didn't seem to be afraid of him. Or too afraid. "Is that what you've accomplished? Putting everypony where they belong, and creating a utopia from that? A utopia where unicorns can't be trusted and earth ponies are slaves that still have that pesky free will? Where pegasi have made a paradise that you're not allowed to leave, that's so much better than the rest of the world that I'll bet you couldn't name a single geographical feature of, let alone a single civilization! How can you possibly know the world is so dangerous if you've never been down there, if you're not allowed to go down there, if you don't even have any books on what's down there?! All you know is what you've been told, which literally amounts to 'they're bad and we're good'!"

North steps closer to Fantasy, still incredibly angry but he seems to not know what to say.  He'd remain quiet, staring into her eyes before he slowly lowers his head, shaking it rapidly a few times before turning around and trotting away from her.  He'd drop down onto the grass, mumbling to himself, saying quiet a few expletives under his breath.  He'd place his head in his hooves, seeming to be struggling quite a bit with something.  

I should just take her, have her be executed, then move on with my life.  One thought in his head would say.  But she's right...  I can't think of anything to refute what she says.  What if... what if I have been lied to?  This thought causes him to let out a loud groan before smacking himself across the face.  That's traitor talk!  I'd be the first Pegasi executed in who-knows-how-long if anypony ever knew I thought that!

Fantasy shuffled her hooves, not sure what to do now that North... was going through something. Wasn't sure if she should leave him be or try to comfort him or continue with her points (though she felt she'd made them quite clearly).

Somepony tapped her shoulder. She turned and found Copper, who said, "Chocolate Caramel, you're wanted on Chocolate Road."

She winced, and looked over at North.

North would raise up a bit, still holding his head as he turns back around.  He'd appear calmer, possibly having reached at least some tiny idea of what to say.  He'd begin to speak.  "Look, Penstroke..."  He'd pause, his eyes going wide as he notices the Earth Pony mare.  He'd raise his voice a bit, his wings outstretching.  "What's going on?! Who are you?"

Fantasy jumped between North and Copper immediately. "She doesn't know me! She- she doesn't know!" she shouted.

North would become enraged again, moving closer to the two. "You really think I'm going to fall for that? An Earth Pony never just approaches someone!" He'd shift his attention to the Earth Pony. "Tell me who you are right now, or else!"

"She's a mail carrier!" Fantasy objected. "It's her job to approach ponies! She thinks I'm Chocolate Caramel from... Chocolate Road." Then she muttered, "And I thought Canterlot's street names were weird."

North glances to Fantasy for a moment. "If she was you wouldn't be defending her so heavily! She could also answer for herself." He'd look back to the mare. "I asked you a question! Can you not speak?"

"I-"

"I'm defending her because I'm worried you'll jump to conclusions and won't give her a chance to defend herself!" Fantasy argued. Then, to save her argument, "Besides, how do I know you won't believe her just because she's an earth pony?"

"I'm only here to fetch Chocolate Caramel for a curious candy shop owner." Copper interjected. "She's hiring."

North would growl a bit under his breath before speaking to the mare. "Well this isn't Chocolate Caramel, so move on or I'll make sure you don't have a job anymore."

He'd then look back at Fantasy. "You defending her is putting her in deeper water!"

"How?!"

"Yes, sir! Of course, sir!" Copper gave a quick, shallow bow before galloping off.

North would growl again at the Earth pony as she trots off before turning to Fantasy. He'd point his hoof at her. "You're already on the biggest chopping block this city has ever scene! Defending that Earth Pony just threatens to put her on it as well!" He'd walk over towards the apple tree, punching it rather hard to release some of his anger, a few apples falling from it, one falling and hitting him square on the head.

He'd let out an 'Ooof,' rubbing the spot where the apple hit him for a few seconds, groaning again. Strangely, he'd then start laughing; quite loudly. He'd nearly fall down from laughing before re-balancing himself. He'd speak, much softer than before, in between his laughs. "An apple... fell on my head... I guess I asked for that, huh?"

Fantasy half-forced a chuckle. "Gravity's a bitch." she joked. She wasn't all that amused, though. She was just glad for a moment of levity, even if it was a shit one that did almost nothing for her.

Her half-smile slipped off, and her gaze fell to the ground. She wasn't sure what to do now. North was sure, and he hated her by now. She couldn't friendship her way out of this. She was probably going to die.