//------------------------------// // Macaroons, bootlegging, and spice // Story: Rise of an Empire, Fall of Another // by Kyuubi325 //------------------------------// Equestria Canterlot Castle West Tea Room 6:00pm After another long period of discussion and debate with Ivo and Shujaa, Celestia and Luna collapsed into their sitting cushions. While the middle aged grey diamond dog was polite and complimented the vegetarian dishes they served, the Zebra just glared at them with a look normally reserved for enemies. "What does thou think sister? The diamond dog was most polite and kind. But the zebra likely has a grudge against us and our ponies.” Luna says as she sips her Arabian tea. Celestia sighs, and nods in agreement before looking down. “I can hardly blame him; the nobility took advantage of the famine that caused the Zebrican kingdom to collapse so they could get better trading rights. I couldn’t even tell you what the kingdom truly fell. By the time I had learned about it was too late, and any measures I could have used to prop up a new government were unusable without council approval.” she says sadly Luna shakes her head. “Why did you allow the nobility to have so much power in the first place sister? Didn’t you remember Starswirl's teachings? One can never trust the nobility”, Luna says as she starts to refill her cup. Celestia nods. “When I had to banish you to the moon I was burdened with the fallout. Crop failure, famine, economic collapse, and even parasprites swarmed our lands! I couldn’t do it alone, so I chose the most noble of families. I was young, and forgot that even the most noble families can fall into disgrace. Now they use their power to keep their bloated businesses afloat. As time went on they expanded their control over Equestria, practicaly holding them hostage if they didn’t get their way. As their companies continued to grow, enchanted goods became more and more expensive. Never mind the almost criminally mismanaged Cloudsdale Weather Corporation... I thought that by centralizing weather production I could lower the overall prices but instead the Pegasi took control and now nearly 73 percent of Pegasi are directly employed by it! Never mind the percentage who are indirectly employed by it. Now that the gryphons have gone into isolation, chasing the weather patrol back over the border, wehave a massive surplus of weather patrol employees soaking up retirement and unemployment benefits all at the cost of the crown. It doesn’t help that after we discussed our open trade agreements that Organized Labor tried to discuss irrigation prices for the Zebra’s new farms, only for Shujaa and Ivo to look at the document and laugh in his face, telling him that they had no need for such a ridiculous expense when mechanical irrigation is cheaper and more efficient. He already is trying to get me to outlaw such a practice in Equestria! Don’t get me started on how he wants me to force them to outlaw it in their own country!” she huffs. Luna's eyes widen “Surely you said no sister! Such machines could save our farming population; perhaps it’s time we look at alternatives? Tradition is one thing, but what good is it when our own ponies are starving? Even if such a thing sounds ridiculous, as rulers we must look at all options.” She looks at her sister, who still seems unsure. “My own guard has also told me about the changes that have already taken root in Zebrica. It seems that the Britanians as they are called have an extremely mechanized way of life and a very different system of justice. While I myself may not agree with how they treat prisoners, it seems to be far more effective than just throwing a law breaker in a dungeon to rot. From what I have learned, the prisons are run with the expectation they make a profit, rather than acting as a hole one throws bits into. The idea of education acting as a method for rehabilitation is an interesting idea on its own”, she says, looking at her sister. Celestia gets up and looks around the room, filled with the finest furniture and a tea set that could be traced back to their own parents. ”I’ve already agreed to let them trade openly. It would be unrealistic to believe I could keep such a thing away from Equestriaa Earth ponies, already many have gone missing and the amount of bootlegging in Equestria has reached dangerous levels as more and more farmers find that breaking our prohibition laws are the only way for them to stay afloat. With tensions as high as they are trying to ban such a device would force our largest ethnic group to revolt! I don’t need to remind you what happened when the unicorn's earth pony serfs revolted. Even today unicorns have never fully recovered; the inbreeding required to bring their kind back to a sustainable level...” She shakes her head sadly “The unicorns won but even today they still feel the effects” Luna just nodded. “But what of the pegisi who will lose their jobs? We can no longer afford to act as the Weather Corporation’s safety net. We will have to publish a new locked budget instead of the normal flexible budget we use to help them cover their bloated employment. Then there's the tools they showed us. Their streamlined design and rugged construction alone will likely hit our economy hard, but its our only hope to break the nobility’s hold on the country. I also worry about these self-defense items they talked about, but I suppose I can’t fault those who need more then hooves to defend themselves.” She says, knowing that they may in fact be damming a way of life to extinction. Celestia nods. “The first large trade caravan is heading to Ponyville….now where are those chocolate macaroons we were given by Ivo?” Equestria Ponyville Barnyard Bargains storage 10:00am Big Macintosh sat at the table with Ponyville's top dealers. They worked in everything, from bootlegging to the sale and production of Everfree Spice. He tried to ignore his fears of what his parents would think, and looked around the store room. Besides the large round table in the center of it all where he was sitting there was little to look at in the dimly candle lit room; there was nothing more than barrels, baskets, and a few nearly empty crates (undoubtedly filled with Equestrian nobility made goods that no pony could afford), all stacked neatly on old wooden shelves that lined the room's oak walls. He then turned his attention to the ponies around the table, consisting of the Flower trio (Ponyville's Spice dealers), Carrot Top (head of the movers), and finally the one who kept them all out of legal trouble, Filthy Rich. Of course, there were many others in town, but they all stood in the center of it all. All that they were waiting for was their new trade partner. After hearing about the regime change in Zebrica they saw a chance to expand to their market to new consumers and merchants. After the strange trade caravan had arrived in town they left a note on the female diamond dog's door at the inn, believing her to be in charge of it all. They weren’t even sure if she got the note but this was a chance they couldn't afford to lose. That’s when they heard the knock on the back door. Bulk Biceps opened the slot on the door, and peered at the visitor. “Chancellor Puddinghead” was heard quietly; Bulk nodded and unbolted the door, letting in the Belgian Malinois Diamond Dog into their little hide out. She was different from the local diamond dogs, being at around their height, maybe a bit shorter, and lacking the hunched over gorilla appearance that they normally had, instead being slim with just a little curve. She wore a simple grey dress with boots and a strange leather hostler with a metal device in it. “I take it you’re the group of ponies who left me this note” she pulls out the crumpled up note from her dress and shows it to the group. They nod and Fancy gets up. “Why yes. As you can see me and my associates have gotten word of the changes down south and wanted to take advantage of the new markets for our products” he smiles, pulling out a chair at the table for her to sit at. She moves over, sitting down on the old chair, before smoothing out her dress and smiling “Figured as much. I can tell from the meeting place, the smell, and the fact that those three mares have irritated eyes that you want to sell me drugs, and based on the smell of the red stallion you are also bootleggers.” She smiles at their shocked expressions. “As a member of my nation's trade guild I have to be able to spot these things. Now can I see them? After all a good merchant never buys before they see the merchandise.” Fancy nods to Big Mac and the Flower trio as they place samples of their product on the table, Carrot waringly eyeing the Diamond Dog. As the Diamond dog looks over the goods she recognized the blue powder they called Spice as the same recreational drug that is used in Zebrica, and if she remembered right it was extremely expensive since the blue flower that was used to make it was difficult to find. It also didn’t help that in its unrefined state it was known to cause strange and comical effects on those unlucky enough to walk through a patch of them. She said “So I heard that many of you are feeling the pinch of the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation's latest increase in price. What if I said I had a solution to your problems? Something that you could all pay for with your services, along with the tools you would need to defend yourselves from those who may not like the latest changes.” They all lean forward. “On my wagon I have some samples that you all could try, with only a down payment of your products hidden away in some produce and preserves crates.” They all nod, looking forward to their future working together. “Also, please call me Anna.” Equestria Ponyville Sweet Apple Acers 3:00pm One week after the Agreement Big Macintosh helped Anna and her little Zebra colt assistant finish installing the pumping engine onto the foundation they poured using concrete that was also supplied by them. He couldn’t help but smile when he and a number of other farmers delivered their three day notices to town hall several days ago, serving as a big screw you to the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation. It also made him happy that Filthy had notified his old business partners in Canterlot that he wouldn’t be purchasing any more enchanted tools since after he purchased Anna's crates of farming tools. They had flown off his selves after some very convincing reviews from Sweet Apple Acres and Filthy himself, never mind how cheap they were compared to enchanted goods! Before one would have to scrimp and save every bit they had to buy a new plow; now you could get three after only a week or so of saving. Big Mac relaxed once the last of the bolts were driven into the foundation and it was connected to the metal pipe. The pipe further connected the machine to the new irrigation system that was built directly into their orchard's. He was thankful that his sister was out of town and his granny spent most of her time sleeping in the house. It was at that moment her heard the flapping of wings. He turned around to see an annoyed blue Pegasus. “Can I help you Rainbow?” he looked at her as she landed in the secluded orchard. “Haha, I got your joke. Now mind telling me why you and basically every farmer in Ponyville thought I would be funny to send in notices of cancellation to the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation? It may be funny to you farmers, but I'm the one who has to come and clean up this mess! So what's all this? One of Twilight's latest inventions?” She asks. Big Mac sighs and she narrows her eyes at the female Diamond Dog who’s currently resting against a tree. “Well I was just about to start it up, and I suppose you’ll see” he says, taking the metal can of petrol and pouring it into the engine's fuel tank. He then moved to open a few of the valves, and grasped the pullout handle on the flywheel. He started to crank until the engine snarled to life. Waiting a few moments to let it heat up before opening the large valve connected to the well, he trotted back to Rainbow somewhat glad that he decided to build it on a hill that overlooks the orchard. “What am I supposed to be-” she spoke up ,before she saw water being sprayed all over Sweet Apple Acres all at once. “Whaaaa..." “It wasn’t a prank Rainbow, the notices were genuine. You’re looking at your replacement. It was much cheaper and I don’t have to pay it by the hour” he said, adding some venom to the last part, annoyed that he had to pay for her laziness. “Hehe...that’s a good one Mac…..now how about we stop joking aroun-“ the stern glare told her to stop, and that’s when her own blood started to boil “You can’t do this! Your family has been using CWC since your granny settled here!!” she shouts. He shook his head “And look where it got us; debt, loans, and lazy Pegasi that make others pay for their naps when all they have to do is take a few seconds to move some clouds. Well guess what, your laziness is no longer being tolerated in Ponyville and we sure as the suns on Celestias flank aren't going to pay for your company’s mismanagement anymore.” He glares at her. “Since we no longer use your sevices, I’m going to ask you leave.” She snorted “No machine can replace Pegasi. You'll see...Cloudsdale won’t stand for this. At least the crown will cover us till you ground pounders come to your senses” she flies off angrily. As Big Mac watches her fly off, he wonders how long it will be until she finds out Canterlot's new locked budget meant that Cloudsdale wouldn’t be able to cover unemployment benefits.