//------------------------------// // Expand and Conquer // Story: Life Goes On // by Blue Breeze //------------------------------// Author's Note: Last time on Life Goes On, Atomic Vortex and Blue Breeze were both having a petty grudge over something completely stupid that could easily fixed with just a simle apology. Their friends, wanting to stop their childish squabble, devised a plan to get them back together. While all this was going on, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had appointed themselves the new town guards and had gone crazy with illegaly kidnapping ponies and tying them up in their clubhouse. Things are about to get even worse as the crusaders are going to be recruiting their fellow classmates to help them. Why am I recapping all of this so soon? For dramatic effect, but mostly because it makes good padding to the word count. Can the group of friends stop all of this before it gets out of hand? Probably not, but let's move on with the story to find out. Today is now the day Ponyville as we know it will be utterly destroyed. Or at the very least go under total siege under the reign of young school fillies and colts. ...Yeah, it's gonna be destroyed. Yesterday, after having "arrested" Derpy, Berry Punch, and Carrot Top, the crusaders decided to get some help from their fellow classmates. Sounds like a legit plan to me. Nothing could possibly go wrong. The crusaders each arrive at school early in the morning, at least early enough that all the other kids have arrived and Ms. Cheerilee has yet to herself. As the three arrive at the front, they give each other knowing grins before giggling quietly. They walk up the steps leading inside the school house and walk up to the front desk to get everypony's attention. Apple Bloom gets up o the desk and clears her throat. "Excuse me, everypony. May ah have yer attention?" The classroom of ponies continues chatting away. Snips and Snails discussing the best kind of pudding, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon saying how FABULOUS they are(oh, gag me), Twist and Pipsqueak talking about candy, and a chubby, grey earth pony with a cutie mark of a fork and knife named Truffle Shuffle talking with Featherweight. Apple Bloom slits her eyes angrily. "Ah said, can ah have yer attention?!" she screams louder. The classroom still continues talking, completely ignoring her. She growls in frustration. Scootaloo motions her away with a foreleg. "Let me try." she takes in a deep breath. "QUIET!" The classroom, once filled with chattering children, goes quiet as all of the kids look up to the front, some annoyed and some confused. Scootaloo smiles in success. "Thank you for your cooperation." "What in the world do you want?" Diamond Tiara asks angrily. "Yeah, can't you see we're trying to talk before stupid classes start?" Silver Spoon adds with a mixture of irritability and stuck-upness(is that even a word? Ah, who cares?). Apple Bloom groans a bit. "We're here to offer ya'll positions in our new town guard squad." "Town guard squad?" Pipsqueak asks. "What's that?" "We're glad you asked, Pip." Sweetie Belle says happily. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders have recently became the new town guards of Ponyville. We're doing good so far, but this town is WAY too big for just three little fillies to keep watch over the entire thing." "So, we decided to ask you all if you wanted to help us out." Scootaloo finishes. Apple Bloom brings out a stack of badges she had made over night just for this occassion. "And ah made a bunch of paper badges for ya'll to wear." All of the kids ooh and ah, except for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon of course. "Neato." Twist says with a lisp. "I've always wanted to try being in law enforcement." "Are there gonna be any snacks?" Truffle Shuffle asks. "Sure will be. As many apples as ya'll can eat." "Sweet!" Featherweight nods his head in agreement. He doesn't really talk much. Diamond Tiara looks at her friend. "This sounds totaly lame." "No way, this is perfect." Silver Spoon says with glee. "What do you mean? You actualy want to work under those blank flanks?" "Of course not, but we could use this as a way to get rid of all the ponies in this town with bad fashion." The tiara-wearing filly gets a devilish smile on her face. "That IS perfect. We could be the fashion police." she raises a hoof up. "We're in!" "Ooh, Snails and I are in too!" Snips says. "Uh, we are?" Snails says with a slow voice. That boy needs help. "Yeah, Snails. Haven't you always wanted to be a guard and go around busting bad guys?" "Hmm, that actually does sound kinda cool." "Great to hear everypony is on board." Scootaloo says. "Everypony come up to grab your special Ponyville guard badges." Everypony gets up from their desks as they come up to the front of the room and grab a paper badge from Apple Bloom before sticking on their chests. "Now to assign teams. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and I are the first team and the one in charge. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are a team, Twist can go with Pipsqueak, Snips and Snails are together and will act as guards back at the Cutie Mark Crusader headquarters, and Truffle Shuffle is with Featherweight. Everypony got that?" Everypony looks at their team member before nodding to Scootaloo in agreement. Just then, Cheerilee cheerfully walks through the front door with a smile on her face. Good morning, class. I hope you're ready for-" she stops as she notices them. "Oh, are you kids playing a game?" "eah, it's called Cops and Robbers." Scootaloo lies. "We're all the cops and it's our job to arrest ponies." "Oh, how fun." "Hey, I say we arrest the teacher for giving us boring lessons." Snails says. "What?" Cheerilee asks, confused. "Yeah, I'm sick of boring lessons, especially homework." Snips agrees. All of the other children agree as they decide to jump Cheerliee and tie her up. Cheerilee struggles to break the rope tied around her legs. "Class, wat is the meaning of this?" they decide to silence the teacher by stuffing an apple in her mouth. "Good work, fellow guards." Apple Bloom says. "Snips and Snails, you both get her back to the headquarters and replace that rope with some fabric we have their." "Roger that." hey both say with a salute. They pick up Cheerilee as they stumble a bit under the weight of the teacher before walking off with her. Cheerliee tries to scream, but the apple prevents much noise from coming out. "Okay, fellow guards. Off to your duties!" Scootaloo orders. All of the rest of them salute before leaving the building as instructed. I knew this would not end well for anypony. The worst part is how this is only just beginning. Author's Note: Sorry about the short chapter, but you know, suspense and you guys know I like to keep you begging.