//------------------------------// // Uppity Unicorns // Story: Zecora // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Keep sorting those, Spike. I gotta attend to somepony." "Where'd you stop?" "300s, somewhere." "Oh that's real helpful..." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight Sparkle chuckles at Spike's eyeroll as she proceeds toward the front of the Golden Oaks Library. As she passes by, she checks the shield bubble she had cast around a podium displaying a certain book by tapping it with a forehoof. Satisfied with the bubble's solidity, she continues on. Displayed on the podium encased by the small force bubble was Twilight's copy of the "Super Naturals" book that had caused so much consternation for her and her friends in the recent poison joke incident, and not surprisingly had become the most popular book in her library, hence the protective bubble. Below the bubble was a standard "no touching" sign as well as a list of bookstores where copies of the book could be purchased. Some of those stores had already run out of stock due to the new found demand, and earlier that day she had gotten a letter from the original publisher asking her to contribute to writing an anecdote to include in a reprint run of the book. She had to admit it wasn't exactly the way she wanted to get into the book world, but it was better than nothing. As Twilight passes by, the Agent of Chaos P1 peeks a look over a conveniently large book covering his face and tracks Twilight with his gaze. He had come in some minutes before in anticipation of Cherry Fizzy's arrival, and judging by the stallion that had come in P1 could tell it was time to make his first strike, the eager grin safely concealed by the book hiding his face. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hello sir, is there something I can do for you?" Twilight Sparkle asks Cherry Fizzy with practiced politeness and a small smile. "Here on official business, Mayor Mare and Lieutenant Crispin want me to get some more information about compensation for Zecora." Cherry Fizzy firmly replies. "What are you looking for information about?" Twilight asks. "Here, read this." Cherry Fizzy answers, pulling out a scroll from the saddlebag he was wearing. Twilight Sparkle takes the scroll with her unicorn magic and unrolls it while it floats in mid-air. The spying P1 takes a quick opportunity to check that Spike isn't watching him - and indeed the young dragon is distracted by his work - and sets down the book covering his face. He watches Twilight silently read the contents of the floating scroll, then roll it back up. "Well of course I want to give compensation to her for the stuff we destroyed, I've already told Mayor Mare about that, but trying to figure out how exactly to compensate for the exotic stuff that was broken... the books aren't helping, sir." Twilight says to Cherry Fizzy with a shake of her head. "If you can't come up with a good idea for compensation, why even bother? Why not just leave her alone?" Agent P1 speaks up to interrupt, causing both Cherry Fizzy and Twilight Sparkle to focus attention on him. "Anything is better than nothing, sir." Cherry Fizzy replies with a somewhat cynical tone. "Besides, I am responsible to Princess Celestia for the duration of my assignment here. I am a representative of the princess, and if I do nothing what would that say about her to Zecora?" Twilight adds. "She looks like she would want to be left alone, so just leave her alone." P1 tries to argue. "Leave her alone with her herbal magic, her unusual taste in decor and living conditions, her stripes, her manner of dress. She's so different you might as well just leave her alone and let her dictate the way she ought to relate to the outside world." "I can't deny that you might have a point, but I also can't deny the prejudice that seems to color your statements." Cherry Fizzy replies with a suspicious glare. "Additionally, Equestria was founded on the principles of equality and cooperation between the three different founding races." Twilight starts adding, sharing Cherry Fizzy's suspicions. "Over the history of the kingdom, there have been many examples of extending the same privileges to other races, including zebra. Just because of what Zecora prefers to do and where Zecora prefers to live doesn't mean we shouldn't at least make an effort to include her. Any lingering misunderstandings will be worked out, and she will be free to visit and interact as much as she wants. She is no more 'different' than the three different races are to each other, and that principle needs to be respected and upheld." "I also would like to add, sir, I am here on official E.U.P. Guard business." Cherry Fizzy firmly states. "You interrupt such matters at your own peril." At this point, P1 considered his options. He didn't want to get into a fight with a heroine of Equestria and Element Bearer, particularly with a Royal Guard backing her up, and he had other targets to get to. Folding was his best option even if it aggravated him, so he simply got up from where he was sitting and walked past the other two ponies out the door, glaring the whole way out. "What's wrong with him?" Twilight asks Cherry Fizzy. "Beats me. I figured it would take some effort to get Zecora accepted, but looks like it's going to be harder than anypony thought..." Cherry Fizzy replies with an uneasy look on his face... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MEANWHILE, AT CAROUSEL BOUTIQUE... "Sweetie Belle, can you watch Opal a minute?" "Uh..." "Thanks a lot, dahling. One of the neighbors just came in and I really do need to talk to them." "But sis...!" "It'll just be a minute, dahling. Promise." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agent P2, sneaking a peak from an open window, sees Sweetie Belle pouting in annoyance at Opalescence, Rarity's pet cat, who in turn returns the annoyed look and poofs her fur with a sniff before turning and slinking away with a stuck-up expression. Meanwhile, Rarity has turned her back to where P2 is looking from to talk to the waiting Caramel, which gives him an opportunity to sneak in and hide behind a mannequin. P2 sneaks between mannequins, trying to disguise himself with Rarity's display clothes, while Caramel talks with Rarity: "Good day, Caramel. I do hope those nosey gossip rag reporters aren't bothering you and your roommate, I simply refuse to be interviewed about that dreadful poison joke incident! I do hope they will soon find someponies else to bother..." "No Rarity, I'm not here about that. Here on business." "Business? Like a tuxedo? Or maybe a nice hat, I've got plenty of those for you to look at if you want one!" "Not that kind of business, Rarity. Royal Guard business." "The princess gave you orders?" "Sort of, yes. Here, I want you to read this." At this point, Caramel pulls out a scroll and Rarity gives it a skeptical look as she "takes it" with her light blue unicorn magic. She unrolls and begins to read it; by now, P2 is wearing a hodge-podge of various accessories and is trying to go for a dress when a hissing noise startles him and causes him to freeze in place. He looks down to see Opalescence at his hind hooves, hissing and spitting at him with a very suspicious glare, and P2 realizes he has to think fast to avoid becoming her next scratching post. "Go on, go on, shoo, shoo!" P2 says in a stage whisper, trying to get Opalescence to go away without blowing his cover in the process. "Opal, leave the modeling dummies alone." Sweetie Belle says to Opalescence as the filly trots over to pull the feline away. However, she herself has attention drawn to P2's awkward frozen pose and stares suspiciously at the pegasus stallion desperately trying to look like a model. "Rarity would never put those accessories together. What's going on here?" the confused filly asks, prompting P2 to break into a nervous sweat and start looking around for an idea what to do next. After a moment's hesitation, P2 flings off some of the accessories in Opal's direction and snatches up Sweetie Belle! "Hey, put me down! Help!" Sweetie Belle shouts, realizing that she was being abducted by the pegasus stallion. This draws the attention of Rarity and Caramel, but Opal is in the position to act first, latching onto one of P2's hindlegs as he desperately tries to stumble his way out of Carousel Boutique. "I'll deal with this." Rarity says to Caramel as the latter watches the in-over-head P2 try to shake off Opal while also holding onto Sweetie Belle, a feat of balance the pegasus was having trouble performing. It was not surprising then when Rarity trotted after him and launched on her hind legs into a solid right hook he toppled over backwards, Sweetie Belle spilling to the floor and Opal detaching from the hindleg. Rarity glared down at the knocked over stallion, who ditched the remaining accessories in random directions and took off as quickly as he could, his plans in ruins. "Very impressive." Caramel comments with an approving nod as Rarity brushes off the shaken-up Sweetie Belle using her hooves. "Thank you, dahling. I've dealt with sneaky thieves a few times before." Rarity comments with a sly smile that showed there was a strength hidden behind her fashionista facade. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, the questions about the poison joke incident..." Caramel comments, returning to his mission now that the intentions of the Agent of Chaos had been thwarted...