//------------------------------//
// Against All Odds 
// Story: AlwaysDressesInStyle's Ponyville CiderFest '23 Interactive App Stories 
// by AlwaysDressesInStyle 
//------------------------------//

Hook: Razzaroo’s excited to try out for the cheer squad, only for her school to cut cheerleading out of their budget.



Story #262
Title: Against All Odds
Keyword: Cheer
Characters: Razzaroo, Sparkleworks, Sunny Daze, Merriweather
Hero/Villain





Merriweather looks out over the gathered students in the auditorium.  It’s the first day of college for this incoming class, and it’s also her first day as dean.  There are changes coming – she has big plans for the school.  Some will be popular, while others may create some waves. Especially the next part.

“Furthermore, the cheerleading program isn't important and has been dropped, effective immediately. The funds expended on pom-poms, megaphones, and skirts could be better spent on our hoofball program, which generates significant revenue for the university.”

There’s gasping, much of it coming from backstage.  Merriweather has taken the ‘pep’ out of the pep rally.  “Everypony is dismissed.”

She trots back to her office, with a smile on her face.  She’s saving the school money by getting rid of a superfluous frivolity.  Pep rallies are such noisy, boisterous affairs.

Unsurprisingly, there are ponies waiting outside her office, many of them are upset and a few appear to be on the verge of tears.  Almost all of them appear to be cheerleaders.  The closest to the door is a purple earth pony with a gift wrapped present cutie mark.  Merriweather ushers her into the office.

“Can I help you?” Short and to the point – the quicker Merriweather can deal with these disappointed students, the quicker she can get back to what matters.

“Hi, I’m Razzaroo. Today’s my first day here at school, and I’m supposed to have a cheerleading scholarship.  Am I being kicked out?”

She waves a hoof, dismissively.  “We’ll honor all scholarships.  As long as you maintain the appropriate grade point average, you need not worry about meeting any of the other requirements of your scholarship.”

“Thank you.”

“If that’s everything, I’m afraid I’ll need to cut this short.  As you saw, there are a lot of ponies in need of my attention at the moment.”

“Well, there’s one more thing.”  Razz bites her lip.  “I was thinking maybe we could have some fundraisers to support the cheerleading squad. If we were self-sufficient, you wouldn’t need to cut the team, right?”

“I suppose.  Though I don’t see how you’ll be able to raise the necessary funds on such short notice.”

“Let us try.  If you do that, I can clear out most of the ponies in your waiting room, yes, yes, yes.”

“You do drive a hard bargain.  We have a deal, Miss Razzaroo.”

Razzaroo quickly recruits two of her friends and fellow cheerleaders, Sunny Daze and Sparkleworks, to brainstorm fundraiser ideas.

“How about a bake sale?” suggests Sparkleworks.  “I bet Sweetberry and Triple Treat would be happy to help bake.”

“Oh!  I know.  Let’s have a wagon wash.”  Sunny Daze’s idea is solid.

“I could check to see if any of the bands would be interested in doing a benefit concert,” Razzaroo suggests.

“Let’s do it!”  The three friends bump hooves.

As word spreads around campus, other students start offering support in their own unique ways.  Toola Roola organizes an art auction to benefit the cheerleading squad, and Sew-and-So makes new uniforms for the team, in the school’s colors.

In just a week, Razzaroo and her team has earned the bits to save the team.  There’s still one last hurdle to clear: Merriweather.

Razzaroo, Sparkleworks, and Sunny Daze trot to Merriweather’s office with the bits they’ve raised.  Razzaroo dumps the bits onto the dean’s desk.  “We’ve upheld our part of the deal, yes, yes, yes!”





[CHOICE]

>They’ve earned the funds, so they can keep their cheerleading squad. (hero)

>They’ve miraculously come up with the money, but… this is personal.  Denied. (villain)