The Private Scrapbook

by Cadabra

Chapter 17: The Second Sign

Chapter 17: The Second Sign

Smithy was shaking in her horseshoes, her teeth chattering on the basket handle as Stinking Rich lead her into the Everfree Forest with nothing but a firefly lamp to guide them. Not only was she nervous sneaking off with him in the middle of the night, but the forest was known for its dangers. It didn’t help that she was still feeling the effects of all the spiked punch she drank at the party.

Stinking Rich noticed her apprehension. He gently nudged her forward, doing his best to encourage her to do what he wanted. “Stay close now, baby girl,” he cooed in her ear, leaning close to his girl to ease her apprehension. “With me ‘round, there ain’t nothin’ we can’t face together.”

The vote of confidence in his voice had a soothing quality to it, and Smithy could not help feeling better as she leaned against him. “So why here?” she whispered, afraid of somepony, or worse something, hearing them.

All Stinking Rich could do was smile at her cautionary behavior. “Y’ll see soon enough,” he flirted, lifting a branch away so that Smithy could continue walking.

Before long they had reached a clearing near a wide stream. The full moon beamed down upon a picnic blanket covered in rose petals. Smithy dropped the basket in disbelief as Stinking Rich began to light candles. “See why I wanted to come all the way out here?” he said, a romantic smile crossing his face as he poured two glasses of wine.

Smithy was nearly shaking with delight at the display he had put on for her, smiling broadly as she sat on the blanket to sip at the wine. It was sweet with a mellow aftertaste, doing just the trick to ease her doubts. Three or four glasses made her feel all the more at ease. Before she knew it they were already done with a whole bottle, getting ready to uncork their second as they kissed and giggled.

Stinking Rich slowed his kisses down as he wrapped an arm around Smithy’s waist. “Before we get a lil’ too comfortable,” he suggested as he pulled something of his jacket pocket, “I wanna get this outta the way first."

Being drunk on expensive wine and hormonal anticipation, Smithy was expecting for Stinking Rich to pull out something else romantic from his jacket pocket. She was surprised to see the mood dampened by a stack of paper. "What in tarnation is this?" she asked, trying to figure out why he would want to stop the fun they were having.

Stinking Rich set one of the candles in front of the papers to help Smithy see. "It’s a supply contract with everythin’ we talked 'bout this afternoon," he explained as Smithy took another sip of wine. "It says that fer every zap apple harvest yer family has, I get the first hundred jars of zap apple jam at no charge.”

Choking on her wine, Smithy gawked at Stinking Rich in disbelief. “No charge!” she blurted out. “And just how are we supposed to make a profit ourselves if y’all get the first hundred jars?”

Gently holding his hoof up to Smithy’s mouth, Stinking Rich began to try shushing her. “Come on now, baby girl,” he said softly. “I ain’t entirely unreasonable. Y’all get to be profitin’ from this too. Ponies’ll wonder where everythin’ came from, and the exposure’ll surely bring business to Sweet Apple Acres. And with all that extra money, y’all can expand on yer property, growing more and more apples to supply all our hungry customers with.”

He made it all sound so simple. Smithy looked down at the contract, cursing herself for being too drunk to properly read it in the candle light. “Can I have some time to think this over?” she asked sweetly.

She could see the muscles of Stinking Rich’s eyes begin to twitch with impatience. “Now why can’t ya just do right by me and sign the dang thing already?” he asked, grabbing a quill and practically shoving it in Smithy’s face. “I mean, what’s there to think ‘bout? Ya got all the product exposure ya’d ever want right here! All ya gotta do is sign.”

There was something about Stinking Rich’s impatience that felt like a red flag. Surely there had to be a catch. “And what if I refuse?” she asked firmly, hoping she sounded more businesslike than drunk.

Having expected to hear a protesting remark, Stinking Rich got up from next to his sweetheart. With a hard buck of his back feet, a noose fell from the tree that they were sitting under. “I ain’t lynched me a ziggler in I don’t know how long,” he said, his smile dripping with evil. “That one yer all sweet with would sure be fun to watch swingin’. Whatcha think?”

Smithy could not believe what she was seeing. This whole thing was a set up, and she was foolish enough to be lead on by romantic ideals. She watched the noose swinging gently in the breeze, like a pendulum on a clock ticking away at her time to mull over the situation. Looking at Stinking Rich holding the quill up to her made her feel like she was making a deal with Discord himself. Knowing what it would take to save her friend from hanging from that tree, she began crying as she signed her name on the contract.

Quickly stuffing the signed contract back in his pocket, Stinking Rich reached out for the teary eyed pony. “Ya made the right choice there, baby girl,” he said, holding her close as she cried. "We're gonna have us a fine future together. Just ya wait and see."

All Smithy wanted to do was run away from this horrible stallion. “Lemme go,” she pushed away from him, letting her tears ruin her make up. "I didn't sign that contract fer our future. I did it fer Bladire! I never should've let ya sweet talk me into anythin'!"

Stinking Rich chuckled cruelly as he offered Smithy another glass of wine. “Yer sure I can't change yer mind?" he suggested, the wine dripping over the rim of the glass like a slow trickle of blood. “It'd do ya good to work with me, baby girl. I got a lot more power backin' me up than ya realize. I can show ya a world of profits and possibilities the likes of which ya can't even imagine. All I need ya to do is trust me, and we can be happy together forever."

The look in Stinking Rich’s eyes was just as hungry for her as they were backstage, only now she knew what he was capable of. He wasn't looking for love. He was looking for control. “I wanna go home,” she sniffled, pushing the offered glass of wine away.

Downing the glass himself, Stinking Rich wrapped his arm tightly around Smithy’s waist and began to nuzzle her neck. “Why so soon, baby girl?” he asked tenderly, a sensation that made Smithy feel nauseous for being taken advantage of. “Why don’t we stay put fer a while. Maybe we can sweeten the deal we just made.”

Pushing the stallion away, Smithy began to refuse his advances. “No!” she hollered, standing up on shaky legs. “Leave me alone! I wanna go home! Yer hurtin' me!”

Before she could say or do anything, Smithy felt herself being thrown onto her back. Diving on top of her, Stinking Rich had Smithy pinned down to the ground. “Ya ain’t goin’ nowhere now, baby girl,” he said in a slimy tone, drowning out her protests with kisses. “I’m gonna get ya to see it mah way, even if I gotta force it outta ya."

Smithy could feel her dress being torn under his advances. The fabric let out a weak ripping noise as Stinking Rich went after his prize. “No!” Smithy screamed, hitting Stinking Rich in the face with her hoof.

He barely flinched at the impact. “Boy howdy! I like a gal with a lil’ fight in her!” he said with a maddening smile as he tore at the skirt of her dress.

Smithy could only hold out so long before she felt him overpower her. She let out a low, pained moan as she felt him tear into her, a sound that only seemed to entice Stinking Rich more. “Please, stop," she begged. “It hurts! Yer hurtin' me!"

Stinking Rich looked Smithy right in the eye as he pressed his body down firmly against hers. “Why, mah sweet baby girl,” he teased, obviously enjoying the power he was holding over her body. "Yer a woman now. It's a woman's job to please her man, and I am mighty pleased."

Smithy panicked as she watched him work. “Somepony help me!” she screamed as she felt him take her by force.

Smithy heard a noise coming from behind the tree. From where she was pinned on the ground she could see something moving around in the shadows.

Stinking Rich heard it too, and slowed his excitement to listen. “Better not be a peepin’ tom!” he hollered into the forest. All that answered him was silence, which suited him just fine. He hadn’t noticed the shadowy figure jumping onto the noose, using it to swing around toward them and kick Stinking Rich square in the head and off of Smithy.

With Stinking Rich knocked aside, the shadowy figure turned to Smithy. It was dressed all in black from head to hooves, with a black hooded cape covering its face. Though her head was spinning, Smithy was elated at the possibility of being rescued. Hearing a low, pained mumble from Stinking Rich, the black dressed shadow threw Smithy on his back and ran before Stinking Rich could get up.

Comments

[Tiaa OwO]

Thats right Zebra! Save YOUR girl!!!!

[Lovinlife]

Things I Liked:
1. Now we know why the Apple family has to give the 100 jars of zap apple jam.

Comments:
1.

“It didn’t help that she was still feeling the effects of all the spiked punch she drank at the party.”

ALL_IN_ALL:
We now get to see how much of a s*** Stinking is (man does that statement make too much sense). We see him show his controlling side, we get to see the zap apple deal begin, and now we have a man in black show up to save the day. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!!!!! Boy, this is gonna get good.

Score:
10/10 in my book

[Ice Star]

Stinking stinks! I was stunned when I realized he wasn't just scummy alone, but was willing to attempt to rape Smithy, it made my blood run cold. I can only imagine how awful it is, knowing she'll marry him later. It's too real and it hurts to know.

[Cadabra]

9121981
It’s been hard to write this chapter, but the I’ll feel are what I’m looking for. Historically, this kind of thing happened to slaves. What Stinking Rich is doing is enslaving Smithy with his contracts, owning her in the financial sense. He decided to seal the deal so to speak in a physical sense to show power over her.