Cold Welcoming

by Zephyscribe

Part Three: Throwing stones

Part three: Throwing stones.
Twilight paced back and forth in Apple Jack’s extravagantly furnished office. Apple Jack had her hooves propped up on her desk and was reading over the scroll for what must have been the fourth time already.
Apple Jack’s office was located at the top of the huge stone facility with windows lining its gray walls. “When is this pony going to be finished reading the message?” Thought Twilight as she uncomfortably fidgeted about. Something was nagging at the back of Twilights mind and she had the sudden urge to leave this town. She glanced out the large windows and saw spike sitting as stiff as he could on a bench outside of the facility. Twilight smiled, Spike was trying so hard to impress her and show that he was mature. “ I really was to harsh on that little dragon. When I go back down I should apologies to him,” she thought.
“Ahem” Apple Jack rudely interjected. “ So what the hey is all of this hooey.”
“Well it is a royal writ from the princess herself. Requesting a census to determine the number of ponies living here.” Sputtered twilight. Apple Jack’s blunt rudeness had put twilight off track.
“ Nah, not interested” said Apple Jack as she put a toothpick in her mouth.
“ Wha…What do you mean by not interested.” Twilight began to grow angry. “ You can’t just be not interested, this is a royal note from the princess.” Spittle flew from Twilights mouth as she raised her voice.”
“ I can honestly say…I am not interested, and in this town what I say goes.” Twilight was about to sting back with a reply when she heard a scream from outside that was loud enough to pierce the thick windows and drive into Twilight’s skull. “ Wait that sounded like Spike” Twilight thought frantically.
She rushed over to the window and pressed up as closely to it as she could, her nose leaving a print on the glass. It was indeed spike that had screamed. The little dragon had been dragged off of his bench and thrown into a particularly deep and muddy puddle. A group of ponies surrounded him and were jeering at him, and throwing rocks at his soft-underdeveloped baby dragon scales. Twilight immediately recognized the pink pony from earlier in the group. Except now the pink ponies hair was not straight and lank as it had been before, but wild and curly. The pink pony squealed with laughter as she lobbed stones at the tiny baby dragon.
Spike tried to get up but the slick mud caused him to slip repeatedly. Unable to stand, the little dragon curled up in the mud and covered his head as the rocks struck him. “Spike no!” screamed Twilight in distress. The purple pony pulled herself away from the window and trotted out of the office as fast as hooves could take her.

“She smeared my window. How rude.” Muttered Apple Jack as Twilight bolted from the room.