The Sides We Choose

by Frost Bear

Voices Be Heard

“Alright, class, can anypony tell me why Cloudsdale is one of the three most important cities in Equestria?” Cheerilee asked while fighting a hangover.

The class remained silent. None of the students answered. They all drooled over their desks, glassy eyed, and bored. The school itself had seen better days. Planks of wood barred the broken windows. Each desk was scratched and/or bent in different directions. Textbooks were missing pages and what little pages they had were covered in dirt and grime. Cheerilee could only sigh as she brought out a bottle of Berry’s juice… again.

Then Scootaloo raised her hoof, “Because Celestia says so,” she said in a depressed voice.

Cheerilee popped the bottle, “Sure, A+, good job Scootaloo,” she took a big swig of her drink.

Scootaloo sighed. Ever since the riots ended her grades went up. Normally that would be a good thing. Except all her answered were dumbed downed to simply “cus Celestia said so.” An answer that didn’t actually help her in any subject.

When was Equestria founded?

When Celestia says it was.

How many apples would Bubble Bond have if he lost four out of the six he had?

How many Celestia wants him to have.

Can you spell tyranny?

Celestia forbids that word.

All correct. Scootaloo never learned anything. She just said Celestia and the answer was automatically correct. It didn’t matter anyhow. Twilight was going to walk in any moment and read out of that damn black book of hers.

“Good mourning class,” the zealous alicorn sang.

The entire class groaned.

“Well it looks like someponies woke up on the wrong side,” she snarked, rubbing her baggy eyes.

“So hut are we larding today, Twatlate?” Cheerilee slurred a little drunk already.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “I swear, we have to forbid the consumption of alcohol so you could be sober enough to get my name right!”

“Didn’t Celestia already try that once?” Snips asked.

“Y-Yes, she did,” Twilight flinched, “But… that was just a small mistake.”

“Small mistake my wing,” Scootaloo snorted, “The probation created crime families! That’s why we have stuff like the Godfather.”

“W-W-While that’s true,” Twilight stuttered, “C-Celestia had good reason for it! She said that alcohol ruined a pony’s capabilities to think… and… and… it caused riots and… violence!”

“Then it turned out Celestia had a cellar the size of Sweet Apple Arches. That’s enough wine to flood Canterlot!” Scootaloo pointed out, “Besides, they said the same about wrestling.”

“And rock music,” Sweetie Belle added.

“And rap music too,” Snips commented.

“And role playing games,” Snails drooled.

“And the new arcade on the west side of town,” Button Mash confirmed.

“And books,” Dinky stated earning stares from everyone in the room, “What? Did you guys forget that? I also found out that the color red makes you very aggressive.”

“That’s completely false!” Twilight yelled, “No one has ever stated that bo-“

“Republic,” Dinky yawned.

Twilight reeled back in disgust, “Celestia warned us about that-“

“That’s the point,” Scootaloo defended, “Celestia stated a book caused violence the same way everypony states music and games cause violence,” she glared Twilight dead center of her eyes, “We Know, as a FACT, it was the Solar Guards that started the riots. They MURDERED innocent ponies! Not only that but Celestia denied access to those books until Luna shared them to Applebloom.”

A light murmur circled the room, “Celestia denied you access to harmless books because she doesn’t want anypony taking her throne.”

“That sounds like rebel talk,” Twilight growled, “I don’t think Rainbow would approve.”

“To Tartarus with Rainbow!” Scootaloo shouted.

Everypony’s jaw hung off its hinges. Did… Did Scootaloo just say that?

“I-I… ahem, let’s get on with today’s lesson,” Twilight looked over to see Cheerilee passed out snoring.

“Derailing the subject,” Silver Spoon sang.

“This loser can’t even hold an argument,” Diamond Tiara laughed, “She clearly can’t teach anypony anything. She’s just a fake alicorn with no power.”

“What?!” Twilight barked, “I’m as much an alicorn as Celestia or Luna is!”

“Well excuse me, princess without a kingdom,” Diamond Tiara snickered.

“I’m with Tiara on this one,” Scootaloo got out of her desk, “I spent days fixing bicycles for Twilight. If that’s her idea of teaching, I’m better off on my own!”

“She WAS suppose to teach me magic,” Sweetie Belle squeaked, “But I guess her false deity is more important than her friends.”

Twilight’s eyes went into pinpricks, “Celestia isn’t more important than my friends!” she cupped her mouth, “I-I mean, she’s not a false deity. My friends just… don’t see the light yet. Rainbow sees i-“

“Rainbow is a traitor to her friends and family!” Scootaloo snapped, “Everyone associated with her is dead!” she stormed out.

Twilight’s eye twitched as nearly all colts and fillies walk out of the school.

Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Sweetie Belle were the first to walk out. They were followed by Snips and Snails. Button Mash went after them. Then nearly half the class was out the door.

Twilight caught her horn glow and cut off her magic before she did something unforgivable. These… foals were going through a rebel phase. Yes, that’s it. Just a phase. Just a phase. They’ll see the light. They’ll all see the light.

Diamond Tiara walked close to Scootaloo, “Hey um… that was cool. What you did there. It was… cool.”

“Don’t care,” Scootaloo snorted.

Diamond Tiara flinched. She realized that after so many taunts over the three blank flanks, Diamond Tiara was the last pony Scootaloo would ever talk to. Sweetie Belle remained silent as she walked on the other side of her friend. It would’ve gotten worse if Silver Spoon didn’t speak up.

“Look, Scootaloo, I know we were never close,” Silver Spoon coughed, “But… this war… it changes ponies…”

Sweetie Belle perked up with interest.

“Diamond Tiara lost her dad because of this. I know that is… almost similar to what you’re going through. Maybe we could start over?” Silver Spoon offered a hoof, “If not friends than… truce?”

Diamond Tiara quirked her eyebrow at Silver Spoon. She didn’t hear anything about Scootaloo’s parents nor had she ever seen them. Curiosity tickled the back of her head. Maybe she can learn some interesting things about Scootaloo. Most likely more ways to insult her.

“Alright, sure,” Scootaloo slapped Silver Spoon’s hoof, “We’ll start with a truce and see where it goes.”

“Just like that?” Diamond Tiara shouted in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo deadpanned, “You may have been bad ponies but even bad ponies can turn good. Just look at Discord, he was like a super villain but Fluttershy turned him good through friendship.”

Diamond Tiara stuck her tongue out, “Blagh, How could that happen? He’s the spirit of chaos! Being bad is in his nature…” Silver Spoon tapped on her, “hmm… I guess you’re right. Still sounds stupid.”

Scootaloo laughed a little, ”It does sound stupid, doesn’t it? The greatest force of disharmony turns good over a pegasus that has problems flying, hehehe…”

Silver Spoon gave Scootaloo odd glances, “So… why are you so obsessed with that Rainbow Dash-“

“I’m not obsessed with that traitor!” Scootaloo glared, “You mention that name again and our truce is over.”

“Sorry, sorry!” Silver Spoon backed off. Wonder what happened to make Scootaloo resent her once idle? It must’ve been painful if the mere mention of Rainbow Dash set her off, “Anyhow… Why don’t you look up to Fluttershy? She does things… those other ponies have done.”

“I want to fly…”

“So get some flying lessons. They can’t cost much,” Diamond Tiara waved her hoof.

“I want to fly… good… like professional good.”

“Um… what’s stopping you?” Silver Spoon asked innocently.

Scootaloo frowned and looked forward in a stern glare.

“She has Penguin’s diseases,” Sweetie Belle chirped.

Silver Spoon gasped while Diamond Tiara went ‘huh?’

“It means she really can’t fly,” Silver Spoon whispered to Diamond Tiara, “It happens when a pegasus has lived on the ground for most of their life. Their wings don’t properly develop so they end up unable to fly like a normal pegasus.”

The two noticed Scootaloo hold back some tears. Guilt gripped them hard as they remembered the time they used her flightlessness as a way to demoralize her. They had no idea she actually was… disabled. Sheer audacity of what they did to her was unforgivable. Their words must’ve cut deep into Scootaloo. Poor filly stayed strong through the whole ordeal.

“W-We… I had no idea,” Diamond stuttered, “I had no idea that was a thing. Scootaloo, I’m so sorry. I can’t take those words away. I’ll understand if you never forgive me.”

Scootaloo looked a little shocked, “Uh… gee, I don’t know… I guess I’ll forget about it… if you can get us milkshakes.”

Diamond Tiara rummaged through her bag, “The Solar guards stole a lot of our money when they took my dad,” she pulled out a few bits, “I was going to spend this on a new bag but milkshakes sound better…” she looked to her friend, “Besides, this bag looks perfect on me.”

Silver Spoon nodded, “It totally does.”

“Why are you being so nice to us?” Scootaloo leered with accusing eyes, “You two wouldn’t miss a day to tease us. What gives?”

Diamond Tiara frowned, “Fine, I’ll tell you. My reputation, my money, my family, it’s all gone thanks to those Solar guards. No pony is going to risk being near me, especially the ones who have parents that support the Empire,” she groaned, “Only ponies that would be near me are Silver, Snips, and Snails.”

Silver Spoon scoffed.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with Silver, it’s just… Gets boring after so long, you know?”

Sweetie Belle nodded, “I get it, you want a bigger circle to protect you from bullies.”

“What? No! I’m just tired of being around the same ponies is all.”

“Uh huh, sure, do you really think we’d be able to protect you?”

“Actually…” Diamond Tiara uncomfortably rubbed her leg, “I was wondering if you know how I can get into the Republic.”

Scootaloo jumped on Sugar Cube Corner’s front step. She looked at Diamond Tiara with a confused stare. Sweetie Belle chuckled lightly.

“What’s so funny?” Diamond Tiara climbed the first step.

“There’s no secret to going to the Republic,” Scootaloo laughed, “They own the railways. You just have to ask one of the rail ponies to take you to the Republic and they will.”

“A little filly goes to a grown stallion and asks him to take her to a far away land,” Silver Spoon stated sarcastically, “Nothing suspicious about that.”

The fillies walked through the door, “I see your point… but… you don’t have parents anymore… right?”

“I still have my mom,” Diamond Tiara confirmed, “She’s not exactly happy with the Republic. Says they’re the cause of all our troubles.”

The Cakes eyed the fillies with concern. The group of four ordered their milkshakes and continued talking on the corner table in the back.

“Is she forgetting all this started because Celestia sent in an army to kill innocent ponies?”

“More like she’s forgetting Celestia imprisioned my dad and is doing who knows what to him.”

Mr. Cake came around to deliver the milkshakes to them. He was sweating with tired eyes. His apron was filthy. Stubble clung to his face in patches.

“You fillies should be careful about what you say,” he whispered, “Ponies are listening,” he slinked away with haste.

“Poor Mr.Cake,” Sweetie Belle sniffled, “They haven’t been the same since Pinkie Pie left.”

“Do they still have her in Canterlot’s dungeon?” Silver shakily asked.

“Naw, the Republic busted her and Applejack out,” Scootaloo sipped her shake, “Did it without guns too! Course, it was before they were announced to the public.”

Diamond looked out of the window and saw Twilight’s castle in the distance. The structure was saturated to a dull slate grey. It had lost its shine weeks ago, when Twilight started her cult of sun worshipers. Diamond took in the image and gathered any detail she could get.

“Have you guys seen Twilight’s castle?” she quirked up a bit.

The fillies looked out to the decrypted building.

“It’s so… sad,” Sweetie Belle commented.

“It’s like somepony abandoned it,” Silver noted.

“It looks like those ruins in Everfree,” Scootaloo kicked back, “Probably’s going to end up like it too, with the way things are going.”

“You think the Republic’s going to win the war?” Sweetie gasped.

“I KNOW they’re going to win,” Scootaloo slammed her hoof on the table, “I’ve been reading the newspaper-“

“You can read?” Diamond earned a deep growl from Scootaloo, ”Sorry! I didn’t peg you one to be interested in that kind of stuff.”

Scootaloo snorted, choosing to not take Diamond Tiara’s words as insult.

“We’ll if YOU have been reading the newspaper, you’d find Celestia’s been holding off information to everypony,” she pulled out some papers from her bag. The bag became incredibly lighter.

“The Crystal Pony Massacre?” Silver Spoon read, “Crystal Ponies who allied with the Rebels committed mass suicide in a terroristic attempt to blemish the Solar Empire? Celestia stated that Rebel leader, Luna, ordered the crystal ponies to fall from Canterlot castle; knowing that the force of impact will send crystal shards into any unfortunate subject of the Empire.”

“How would those crystal ponies get up to Canterlot castle?” Sweetie Belle squeaked, “Not only is it in the capital of the Empire, it’s also the its heart!”

“You’d have to be captured and presented to Celestia like a trophy to get up that high,” Scootaloo grabbed a paper, “Look at this; Celestia refuses to tend to public matters, throne room under refurbishing. Guess we know what they’re cleaning up in there,” Scootaloo snickered while the other fillies gave disgusted grunts, “All political matters will henceforth be issued to Saint Sparkle of Ponyville?”

“Saint Sparkle?” Diamond wrinkled her nose, “That sounds stupid. So everypony’s going to come to Ponyville to solve their problems?”

“Not everyone,” Sweetie Belle sang, “Saddle Arabia severed all ties, including trade routes, to Solar Empire. Empress Celestia gave no comment.”

Silver Spoon shrieked, “Saddle Arabia had the finest silk in the world! How could they cut off all trade routes?”

“Yeah, real bad for us,” Scootaloo sarcastically said.

“Actually, Saddle Arabia didn’t just trade silk with us,” Diamond Tiara began, “Silk is just very valuable and the secret to making it is a state secret. They also trade high quality spice and incense with us. Them cutting off all trade is a giant blow to the economy.”

The fillies stared at her for a while.

“What? I was raised by a business pony. I learned this type of stuff before we got cutie marks.”

“Wow… so, how big a blow we talking here?”

“I’d say most of Canterlot is about to go bankrupt if they don’t pull their money from the bank now.”

“That’s some pretty heavy stuff,” Sweetie Belle finished her shake as she read the paper, “Uh oh…”

“What is it, Sweetie?”

Sweetie Belle showed a cold sweat. Her face paled and her eyes glued to Scootaloo. She pushed the paper to her friend. A chilling breeze sprung shivers down her spine. Scootaloo read the paper and felt her heart stop.

“W-What does it say?” Silver Spoon nervously asked.

“Cl-Cloudsdale…”

“What about Cloudsdale?” Diamond Tiara shuddered.

“It turned into cotton candy and fell from the sky…”

The room fell quiet. Silver Spoon remained motionless, Sweetie Belle balled her eyes out, and Diamond Tiara screamed in absolute terror. Scootaloo didn’t show fear. She showed anger. Anger towards Celestia, anger towards Discord, but most of all she held anger for Rainbow Dash. Where was she? The so called element of loyalty, never near where she was needed. Rainbow abandoned her friends, her family, and now she abandoned her home! Rainbow Dash wasn’t the element of loyalty, she was a traitor. A no good, two faced traitor that blindly served whoever made her ego grow. Even griffins were more loyal than her.

“So much for nice weather,” Scootaloo grumbled.

The fillies gave her sorrow filled gazes.

Out the window they saw a herd of Solar guards leading a line of ponies. The parade started from the right side of town going to the left where Twilight’s castle was. The shackled ponies were all blue or had some sort of night theme to their cutie marks. Scootaloo furrowed her eyebrows. An idea popped in her head.

“I just thought of something, let’s go!”

Scootaloo dragged the group of fillies behind some crates. She picked up some rocks and gave a few to the other three. They waited for the guards to come close.

“When I say now, throw those rocks as hard as you can at them,” Scootaloo whispered.

Sweetie Belle giggled maliciously. Silver Spoon smirked, feeling the weight of the rock. Diamond Tiara felt queasy.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? Think about what they’ll do to us.”

“What are Solar guards going to do to a small group of fillies? Shoot us? That’ll look good for Celestia.”

“You’re not worried about losing anything?”

“They already took everything I had,” Scootaloo narrowed her eyes towards Diamond Tiara, “What do you have left?”

Diamond looked at the rock. She thought about her dad, far away in a dark dungeon. Her mother would be furious with her but what would scolding her do for her father? Nothing. That’s all the good the Empire has done for her. Nothing. New found resentment for them flared inside her. An unbridled hate slivered into her mind. She made her decision. A foal’s rebellion didn’t matter in the long run… but it would make her feel better.

Just her and the fillies she bullied against an army.

No, they weren’t the fillies she bullied anymore.

They were her new friends.

“Now!”

Diamond Tiara hurled her rock as hard as she could. A loud clunk echoed through the streets. Suddenly, the entire market place erupted in a storm of rocks and mud. Ponies had hidden themselves behind crates and pelted the guards with anything they could get a hold of. Bottles, pots, and twigs flew across the small battle field. The guards began firing their guns.

“Hold your fire! Hold your fire!” a familiar sounding commanding officer yelled, “There are foals in the area! Cease fire!”

Scootaloo chucked her rock at the officer. The rock struck the pegasus’ wing hard. She yelped in a sharp turn. Her helmet flew off to reveal her poly chromatic mane.

“Rainbow?” Scootaloo cried.

Rainbow Dash turned around to see Scootaloo. She ran over to her, “Get down, Scoots, Rebels are using foals agai-“ she felt a rock strike her hard.

Rainbow was pushed to the ground. She looked up and saw Scootaloo foaming at the mouth with a collection of rocks. She threw them at Rainbow. She threw her rocks harder and harder at Rainbow. On the third or fourth stone, Rainbow began to gush blood. The pebbled rain continued for ages, each hit worse than the last. Scootaloo unleashed all of her anger, all of her hate on Rainbow. Every ounce of her wanted Rainbow red and crippled. She didn’t stop her assault until the guards fled. She refused to stop when she ran out of rocks to throw. She tackled Rainbow and beat her with her hoof. Her assault was relentless and unforgiving. It took the combined efforts of Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara, and Sweetie Belle to pull her off Rainbow.

“What the hay, kid?” Rainbow wheezily stood up, “Here I am saving you-”

“Shut up!” Scootaloo shouted.

Rainbow recoiled with a scowl, “Scootaloo…”

“No, you,” she picked up a clump of dirt, “Shut…” she threw the dirt in Rainbow’s face, “Up!”

Rainbow spat out the dirt in her mouth. An angry and confused look dawned on her, “Scootaloo… why?”

“You damn well know why!”

The fillies jaws hit the floor. Rainbow nearly fainted.

“You’re not my sister, my friend, or hero!” Scootaloo turned around, “I hate you! I hate you so much!”

Rainbow gingerly reached for Scootaloo.

“I wish you would just die!” Scootaloo yelled in burning tears as she threw the closest thing she could grab.

Today’s newspaper.

Scootaloo ran off. Leaving Rainbow and the three fillies in frightful worry.

Rainbow sighed, “Well, so much for handling the Rebel problem in Ponyville,” she stepped towards the three fillies who jumped away from her.

Rainbow tilted her head in confusion, “Guys, don’t worry, I’m with the good guys.”

Sweetie Belle stepped back, “We’re with the good guy…”

Diamond Tiara stood in front of her friends, “You’re not…”

Rainbow hardened her glare, “What are you guys talking about?”

“We’re with the Republic,” Silver eeped.

“What? They’re the bad guys! The Solar Empire’s the good guys.”

“Good guys don’t fire guns on foals,” Diamond Tiara stared sternly at Rainbow.

“I told them to cease fire!”

“Good guys don’t shackle ponies because of the color of their fur,” Silver Spoon spat.

“The Republic uses night themed stuff in everything they have! We can’t risk ponies being attracted to that.”

“Good guys don’t murder a foal’s parents in front of them,” Sweetie Belle darkly whispered enough for Rainbow to hear.

Rainbow opened and closed her mouth trying to make a sound. She failed and decided to walk away from the fillies.

‘They’re just scared and confused,’ she thought, ‘They’ll come around to the right side. We’re the good guys! We have the coolest stuff, the better uniforms, and me. What more could you ask for than the element of loyalty?’ She rubbed her bloody head and winced, 'Gunna have to bandage this up asap. She really did a number on me... for a filly.'

Rainbow heard a crunch. looking down she saw the paper Scootaloo threw at her.

She read the front page and froze.

“Cloudsdale Falls in Cotton Candy Chaos!”

Comments

[Southern Moon]

Cotton Candy? If it's one of the most important cities in Equestria, then why did they destroy the city?