Chapter 10 The Diamond Standard
"Move along little fillies. Sit in the back seats." Bradshaw said as he loaded Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow in the stagecoach.
Locked in chains and magic proof barriers, the girls were powerless as of then. Bradshaw climbed in the front seats, facing the girls. He smiled as he looked at the mares, and poured a drink from his mahogany wood cabinet that was on the wall of the stagecoach. He wafted a bottle and poured some into a small glass. He dropped a couple ice cubes into it from the bucket that was beside him. He raised his glass to the girls, "78 year old Manehatten Bourbon, drank only on special occasions. (He sips) And I think this calls for a drink."
He sat there in his expensive suit, drinking the most expensive beverage in Manehatten, smiling, satisfied, he knew he'd get something big for this. He sipped his drink again, "So, ladies. What do ya think of the plan?"
Applejack leered at him, "Just what do ya'll expect to get out of blowin up the Griffon Alps? Yer only goin to start a war that'll destroy both of our lands!"
He laughed as he stared at his glass, "Mr. Sparks has this planned ahead you idgit. We only want Nydeabaen to mine for the rocks inside the mountains. Project: singularity needs it. Once their army is wiped out almost completely, we'll deliver the final blow."
"But yer puttin all of Equestria in danger! So many lives will be lost...It'll be chaos!" Exclaimed Applejack.
"And wouldn't that be excitin, don't you think? You'd be puttin a show on fer Mr. Sparks, while ya'll be killin each other down on the ground. With project: singularity, we'll have the most powerful army in the world! Every land will fear us. A dictatorship keeps the society on it's hooves, ready for anything. It'll be a strict life, but a safe life." He explained.
"Everypony should live in freedom and harmony, not in fear and hopelessness. Mark my words. Your magic will fail ya'll" AJ assured.
Bradshaw laughed and sipped his drink again, "Your very funny, and very assertive...I like that in a filly."
He winks at her as he takes another sip. Applejack looks at him skeptically, "Oh You got to be kiddin me. Not even in yer dreams!"
He cracked up again. Twilight had enough, "Alright that's enough! Just where are you taking us?"
"To Cantlerlot." He said.
"Nova has claimed Celestia's castle as his own, And were gonna swing by Ponyville, see how everyponies gettin along with their new lives."
"Where's Fluttershy and our other friends?!" Rainbow Dash hollered.
Bradshaw was startled by the outburst and spilled some of his Bourbon over himself. He laughed, "Ladies...You don't need to worry about them anymore. Their being...Taken care of."
The girls suddenly expressed a look of shock as they felt their hearts sink. Rainbow's eyes widend with anger, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM! WHERE ARE THEY?" Rainbow screamed as she thrusted forward, and choked Bradshaw.
The commotion caused the stagecoach to pull off the road. It almost rolled over until the white-maned stallion hit Rainbow over the head with his glass and balanced his weight on one side. Dash fell to the floor dazed. Twilight and Applejack helped her up into her seat, examining the wound on her head from the glass. Buckingham looked at her furiously, and he yelled out the window to two of the stallions pulling the carrage, "You two! Get over here and open the door!"
Two of them came along and opened the door. He got out and pointed at Rainbow, "Get her out here."
They unlocked Rainbow from the chains (except her wings), and held her outside the carrage. Twilight and Applejack watched nervously. Bradshaw grabbed a baton that had been carried by one stallion, "Hold her tightly!"
They stood her up as Bradshaw wailed the club at her. In her gut, at her head, her legs, her back. Repeatedly beating her for two long minutes until she was crying. Bradshaw wiped the sweat from his forehead when he was done, "Alright, that'll shut her up for a while. Lock her back up...and chain her hooves together till we get to Canterlot."
Applejack hugged Twilight who sobbed over Rainbow. Dash was propped up in her seat as Buckingham directed the ponies back to their harnesses and got back inside. He poured another drink, this time he did not smile, just looked at Rainbow with the most serious look. He turned to Twilight and Applejack, "One of you try a stunt like that and I'll beat the flanks off ya."
The two terrified mares said nothing as they tended to Rainbow. Applejack tore off a piece of her hat and placed it over Rainbow's aggrivated gash on the side of her head, she wrapped her tail buckle around it to have it act as a tourniquet. She looked back at Bradshaw as she rubbed her hoof over Rainbow's bandaged wound, "Is this what you call a safe life?"
This time, there was no grin, "If I didn't say safe but strict, believe me she'd be dead right now..."
Twilight wrapped her arm around Rainbow's head and leaned it in towards her to rest. Rainbow looked up at Twilight, her eyes just barely open. Almost in a catatonic state, but still understandable. She whispered, "Twilight...I want to go home...I'm scared."
Twilight looked into her eyes, and embraced into her. It was the first time she'd ever heard Rainbow admit she was afraid. She wanted to go home. Her words sunk into Twilight. She could see the fear in Rainbow's eyes. Her exterior had once showed valour, strength, and pride. But now, they showed fear, despair, hopelessness, and a scared filly. She was a scared little filly who wanted nothing more then to go home. Twilight sypathized and glared at Bradshaw who glared right back. She told him, "I guess you don't know what it feels to love a friend, (she thought of Rarity) or anypony else."
Those words struck Bradshaw, and he put down his glass.Then stared at Twilight, "Ms. Sparkle, I've learned from my past, that mares are nothin but trouble."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
Bradshaw looked at the ground and a small smirk came about his face, "I've delt with three mares in my life. They were enough for me. One was in for my money, one cheated on me, and another one just left me without reason, period. You see Ms. Sparkle, I was quite a wealthy stallion before I was banished. I was worth more then Princess Celestia herself. One year, I was attending the Gala in Canterlot, and met a beautiful girl for myself. Her name was Sugar Darlin. Quite the high society Earth pony. Very elegant. I spent the entire evening with her. We talked for hours and hours on end, right through the Gala. Afterwards we went back to my hotel room. Out on the balcony, we lied on the ground together, stared into the night sky, and fell asleep. Then the next morning, (he sips his drink again) she was gone, and my wallet was missing. The tramp took off with my money."
Bradshaw topped his drink, "Now I eventually married. But once again it was too good to be true. I married a mare from the Manehattan area. Emerald Vale, a charmin filly fittin for myself. I worked many night's over the months of our marriage. Though one night, I was able to get off work earlier then usual...I came home to find my wife kissin another stallion. Soon after I through that stallion through the living room window, I packed a suitcase and left for Trottingham. I thought maybe I'd find someone perfect on the east of Equstria."
He took a little bit more then a sip this time, "I got a job at the piers and met this lovely filly who worked on the loadin docks with me. Her name was Maple. I say it was about a year before we decided to tie the knot. We'd been datin ten months before hoof. It was a great weddin. Everything was devine. I've never been happier then when I was with her. We had a great first four months, until...one mornin. I woke up, and she was gone. Leavin nothin more then breakfast for me on the table, and her engagement necklace I gave to her."
He looked away from Twilight for a moment, staring at the wall, but really he was going down memory lane. He took a deep breath and turned back to Twilight, "I was at my breakin point, I'd had enough. That evenin, I went down to the piers and tied a sandbag to my back hooves. Ready to end it all. It was fittin that it rained that night, it was the perfect mood for depression. After three crushin heart breaks, I decided that mares are nothin but trouble. I was just about to throw the bag over the dock, that would be takin me down with it...Until, I saw it. It caught me in the corner of my eye. It sparkled delightfully in the rain, on the ground. It could be in a dump for all it cared and it would still twinkle like the moon in the night sky itself...A diamond."
He unveiled a secret compartment beneath the floor boards and there they were. Hundreds upon hundreds of hard cut diamonds. At least a million bits in value. The girls jaws dropped when they seen the glimouring, crystal clear rocks. Bradshaw finally smiled again and his eyes sparkled like the diamonds themselves. Twilight looked back to him, "So what Nova said was true...You were a jewel thief."
He grinned, "Yer correct little filly. Before I ended my life, it saved me. A diamond, Ms. Sparkle, is forever. Diamonds are forever. They sparkle in the darkest of hours, the cloudiest of days, the most disgusting of sites. It don't matter, they sparkle as if nothin can bother them. Some people say diamonds are a fillies best friend. (He chuckled) Well their also my best friends. Diamonds don't lie, they won't leave in the night. I got no fear that they'll desert me. Their strong, unbreakable, stylish. I was thinkin all of this while I stared at the diamond on the ground. I'm guessin it must've fell from a crate while somepony was lifting it on a barge. Anyway I picked it up, and held it. Caressed, gazed at it. I fell in love with it."
He bent down and scooped a few up in his hoof, "I moved back to New Buck City. Of course I took the diamond with me. That's when I planned my first heist. Hoofingsteins Jewelry Emporium. A small but valuable shop. Quite the easy spot to rob actually. One security camera? For a jewelry shop that's pretty pathetic. But I reckon they weren't sellin too good so, I cleaned them out. I figured I'd be doin em a favour. I was able get away with over 100,000 bits that night. I was rich. I soon learned that I was pretty good at this. I had a talent for deactivatin security systems and findin the best ways to approach the situation. I became an expert on jewels and thievery."
Twilight scoft, "Until you got caught..."
Bradshaw glared at her yet again, "Yes I make one mistake and it all goes hay wire on me. Bottom line is, I don't need anypony for compassion. Only...(He looks at his rocks) Diamonds..."
He put them back down and covered the wooden plank over it, "Now sit back and shut up. I've told you my story."
-----
Later, Twilight looked down at his flank, the letter "R" stuck out to her, "What does that cutie mark mean?"
He peered down at his flank and grinned. He turned back to Twilight, "This cutie mark represents many things. Revenge, rebellion, revolution, reincarnation, reformation, etcetera. The horn and the gold star represent our power, resilience, strength and intellegence. Mr. Sparks came up with it himself. Brilliant isn't it? It our definitive symbol of loyalty to Nova Sparks. They said you couldn't change a cutie mark with magic, so we ponies each had it branded over our previous cutie mark. And soon, in time, we'll all have this mark. It's just a matter of time Twilight, the rise of the United Equestrian Socialist Republic!"
Twilight and Applejack looked at each other, puzzled, "Uhhh...The United Equestrian what now?" Said AJ.
Bradshaw turned to Applejack, "Equstria will soon be split into regions, a union. I will take the west, Mr. Comet will take the east and Nova Sparks will take Canterlot, Ponyville and the north. No word yet on who'll handle the south. The U.E.S.R. will become the new name of our land. We will all have Mr. Sparks to thank and honor."
Twilight leered at him, "Good luck trying to win over Ponyville's loyalty."
Buckingham looked out the window, and then laughed, "I ain't too sure about that Twilight! Looks like we've gotten that covered."
Twilight was confused. She looked outside and realized that they finally made it back into Ponyville. She was shocked to see the outcome, "Applejack...Look!"
They were stunned to see soldiers everywhere, Ponies being punished on the streets, directed where to go, given orders. There was no freedom anywhere. They had lost their original ways of harmony. Their society had already begun to change. Buckingham explained while the girls looked out the window, "You see ladies? Nopony is goin to save the day like in the stories. This is the real world. You've got to face up to the facts. The Celestian era is over, the Sparks era has begun."
"It...It can't be!" Exclaimed Applejack.
"It is you little fillies. We've successfully changed Equestria. They'll do anything we want them to do. Especially when Big Macintosh is around."
Applejack's widend, she turned back and glared at the brown colt, "What do ya'll mean by that?"
Bradshaw explained, "You see Ms. Applejack, were mighty impressed with Big Mac's strength and endurance. It also helps plenty that he's a very mellow stallion and easy to hypnotize. He's our head enforcer, with help from Mr. Comet of course."
"I knew that colt had somethin to do with it...We haven't loss faith yet! Right Twilight?...Twilight?"
Applejack turned around and Twilight just continued to stare out the window, hopeless, she felt hopeless as she didn't recognize Ponyville anymore. A tear streamed down her face and she looked at AJ. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but then she stopped and shook her head. Applejack stared at her worriedly, hoping for a response, but nothing. Bradshaw got her attention, "Miss Applejack. I'll tell you right now. I heard this from one my favorite movies. Hope, is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a pony insane. It has no use on the inside. You better get used to the idea, cause hope won't save you from Mr. Sparks. This is the real world, a new world. Sit back and enjoy the ride Ms. Applejack. It maybe the last ride of yer life."
-----
Up in his newly acquired palace, Nova discussed his agenda with Comet and Big Macintosh. He sat in his throne, cushined with black leather, cherry wood finish, and the crown of the throne was the emblem of their cutie mark. A red, bold letter "R", a shining white horn, and a gleaming gold star. The throne room was normally huge, as big as a school gymnasium. with tall majestic doors, and gigantic windows, looking out to Canterlot and the rest of Equestria, above and beyond. Nova was wearing new attire. His suit was white, with a gold neck tie, still wearing glasses and the gadget on his hoof. He smiled at Comet, "I simply cannot wait for Miss Sparkle and her affiliates to get here. It'll be such a grand reunion. She'll be just in time for me to show her my lifes goal, come to fruition. Then you'll make sure that we'll finally be rid of that little twit. Right?"
Comet grinned and nodded, "We won't fail you boss. We got em wrapped around our hooves now."
"Very good Mr. Comet. You may take your lea..." There was a knock at the door.
Nova shouted out, "Who is it?"
The door opened slowly and a white armour pony entered, "I just wanted to tell you sir, Mr. Buckingham is approaching Canterlot. We got a message, he is to be here within half an hour."
"Wonderful!" Nova said excitedly.
"Then perhaps we should prepare for their arrival. Mr. Comet? Have Celestia ready, I want this to be a short, but memorable session."
Comet saluted, "It will be done sir. Come on you big red idiot!"
Big Mac nodded, "Eeyup!"
After they all exited the throne room, Nova spoke to himself, "It appears Miss Sparkle...Checkmate!...I have won. You cannot possibly think to dethrone me. I am a God. I will rule Equestria with an iron fist. Nopony can stop me. And in the years to come, my magic and every piece of my advanced technology, with the help from the ore in the Griffon Alpines, will reach the exceeding point, a maximizing point, a rapid pace of magical innovation.....Singularity.
[...To be continued]