//------------------------------// // Rise of the Cannon // Story: Not Surprising // by n3k1dsk1llz //------------------------------// Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo exploded into the throne room in a rolling ball of giggles and gab. The same chaotic energy they had at the library hadn’t ceased since they left Ponyville four hours ago, yet Celestia still wore her regal smile as she followed them. She sat on her throne and continued to watch the three fillies run around laughing. After a few minutes, the girls realized they had just been running around and Celestia hadn’t said anything. They looked up to her and Scootaloo spoke up. “So, what are we gonna do here in the throne room, Princess Celestia? I mean, the ceiling’s high enough, so I’m sure we could practice here.” “Oh my little Scootaloo, we’re going to do so much more than practice. I’m gonna send you somewhere where you can master those little wings of yours better than any pony in Equestria.” Applebloom grabbed Scootaloo’s shoulders and shook her, “Ooooh, you hear that, Scoots, yer gonna master yer wings!” “Yeah! You’ll be even better than Rainbow Dash.” Once Scootaloo’s eyes stopped rolling around in her head, she grinned her biggest grin and looked up to Princess Celestia. “I’m so excited! When do we start?” “Right now, Scootaloo.” Celestia opened a little door on the side of her throne and pressed a button. A loudTHUNK caused the girls to scream and grab hold of one another. The ground started shaking and the floor beside the throne began to open. All the Cutie Mark Crusaders could do was stare as the floor opened and kept opening until half of the throne room as a dark pit leading straight to Tartarus. When the shaking had finally stopped, the girls let go of each other and started breathing normally again. Scootaloo walked over to the edge of the casm and looked down. All she could see was a black so black that the word “black” didn’t quite describe how black it was. It was so black that it felt like it was pulling her soul out of her body. “Don’t mind the squeaky gears.” Celestia’s words pulled Scootaloo from the pit. “I’ve oiled them so much, but they keep squeaking.” Then she heard it. There was a faint sound coming up from the pit. And it was growing louder. She began to make out a faint shape emerging from the darkness. Scootaloo knew her shapes. It was a circle. And the circle kept getting bigger and bigger and louder and louder. Soon, she had to cover her ears and step away from the edge of the pit. She noticed her friends covering their ears as well. Still, the squeaking gears got louder. On the brink of pain with tears in her eyes, Scootaloo looked up and saw Princess Celestia laughing with a wild look in her eyes. Then it stopped. Scootaloo blinked the tears away from her eyes. Celestia was sitting and smiling at them. She could have sworn the Princess had been laughing just a second ago. She looked over to where the pit was, but it wasn’t a pit anymore. In its place was a cannon. A big cannon. Her eyes followed it up to where the tip of the barrel looked like it was touching the ceiling. Scootaloo’s breath caught in her throat. “Cool.” was all she could manage. She wasn’t even sure anyone heard her. She walked up to it and placed her hoof on the base. It was cold and she could feel her heat being pulled out by the smooth steel. Once Scootaloo was in the cannon, she started having second thoughts. The opening was so far above her head. Plus…there was a ceiling between the cannon and the night sky. It might hurt to go through that. “Uh…Princess Celestia? Does the ceiling open up? Because as it is right now, I think I might just end up being a bright red spot up there. You know?” Princess Celestia laughed and her two friends soon joined in. “Oh ho, little Scootaloo! I know! I’ve been meaning to paint the throne room.” “WHAT?!” “Yeah Scoots! Help Princess Celestia redecorate.” “I’m sure you’re much better paint than a singer, Scootaloo!” “WHAAT?!?!” The terror in her voice caused her friends to laugh. Scootaloo started scrambling to climb out of the cannon. The slick steel was so slippery, that Scootaloo kept sliding down to the stuffing. She started hearing another rumbling and began praying that she wouldn’t feel any pain. Then the little light at the end of the barrel began to get brighter. She looked up and saw the bright sky. She started breathing again. “You guys are jerks!” All she heard was more laughter in response. The laughter died down as Scootaloo caught her breath.