“Lunch break starts now!” shouted the overseer from his platform overlooking the assembly line. “You have twenty minutes.” A loud bell rang, signalling the machines to stop. As they ground to a halt, all the workers began shuffling towards the dining hall. In the middle of the crowd, three fillies attempted to squeeze through.
“I hope it’s not hay and oats again today,” said Scootaloo, sighing as she took off her cap and used it to wipe her brow. “I’m gettin’ friggin’ sick of that stuff.”
“At least it’s healthier than what you ate in Ponyville,” noted Sweetie Belle with a smirk.
Next to them, Apple Bloom looked like she was about to faint. “Y’all… I don’t think I can eat another meal here.” She clutched her stomach. “My body just ain’t used to this stuff.”
Sweetie raised her eyebrow. “Hay and oats? What, did you live on an all-apple diet?”
Apple Bloom didn’t respond.
Scootaloo laughed. “You did, didn’t you? Oh man… and you thought that one week I only ate licorice was bad, Sweets.” She nudged Sweetie Belle’s shoulder.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.
“So, like, what don’t you use apples for?” asked Scootaloo, turning back to Apple Bloom.
“Weeeeeeeeell—”
Scootaloo held up her hoof, silencing Apple Bloom. “Nevermind. Don’t wanna know.”
“Quiet!” shouted the overseer as they passed by him. “No talking during lunch!”
Instantly the three fillies fell silent, and hung their heads. In silence, they made their way to the dining hall, which was less of a hall and more of a dimly-lit room with poor ventilation. Normally they would grab bowls and wait in line to be served, but this time Apple Bloom spotted someone out of the corner of her eye. She cocked her head to the side and said, “Sis?”
Applejack looked up, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “Apple Bloom!” She ran over and hugged her sister, then noticed the other fillies standing next to her. “Hang on a sec. What are y’all doin’ here? Shouldn’t you be back in Ponyville?”
Sweetie Belle shot a glance at Scootaloo. “Well, we would be if somepony didn’t have the brilliant idea of following Twilight and the others here when they came to find you.”
“Twilight’s here?” asked Applejack, a look of concern coming over her face.
“Yep, and so is Rainbow Dash and the other three,” said Scootaloo.
“So, y’all found out where I was, huh?” Applejack made a “tch” sound with her mouth. “Well, shoot, guess I can’t hide it anymore.” She paused. “Wait a second, why are y’all here here? Like, in this factory here?”
Now it was Scootaloo’s turn to shoot Sweetie Belle a glare. “It’ll be easy, she said. We’ll make loads of money, she said.” Scootaloo shook her head. “Now I’m just kinda bored.”
“Bored?” said Applejack incredulously. “Do you understand what this place is? This is a Cherryconn factory, girl. We’re practically slaves, but with less freedom.”
“Huh,” remarked all three fillies at the same time.
“So, wait, we’re slaves now?” asked Apple Bloom. “But I thought Miss Jubilee said we could quit whenever we wanted?”
“Did she make you sign your names on a tiny piece of paper?”
They all nodded.
Applejack shrugged. “Guess y’all are stuck then.”
Apple Bloom shook her hoof. “Dang it! I knew I shoulda learned to read!”
Waving her hoof dismissively, Applejack said, “Nah, ain’t worth the effort, trust me. ‘Sides, I got a plan for getting outta this place.” She glanced around to make sure no one was listening in, and then she leaned into the group and started whispering. "I'm going to blow up the factory with a bomb I made out of spare parts I found lying on the ground, some toilet paper from the bathroom, and an old paperclip from the front office."
Nodding sagely, Scootaloo said, “Yep, makes sense to me. Let me do it, then.”
“Do what?” said Applejack.
“Y’know,” said Scootaloo, leaning in real close, and looking around shiftily, “let me plant the bomb.”
Applejack took a step back and regarded Scootaloo with questioning look. “I planted it this morning. Do you even know how a bomb works?”
Scootaloo threw up her hooves. “Well, all right, McGyver, then how am I supposed to heroically sacrifice myself?”
“Is it really all that heroic if you just come back?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Just shut up and let me do this, all right?” said Scootaloo, sighing.
Applejack raised an eyebrow. Sweetie Belle shrugged, so Applejack returned the shrug. “Well, all righty then, Scoots. If y’all wanna sacrifice yourself, then I guess go ahead. The bomb’s set to go off in two minutes. Make sure everypony gets outta here in time.” Applejack glanced at Sweetie and then at Apple Bloom. “C’mon, y’all. We better head towards the exit now.”
As soon as they’d left the room, Scootaloo jumped up on the nearest table and sucked in her breath. “THERE’S A FREAKIN’ BOMB! EVERYPONY GET OUT!”
All the workers looked up at her for a moment, then went back to eating, keeping their heads low. A few seconds later a guard grabbed Scootaloo by the legs and dragged her off the table while she shouted, “I tried to warn you! I tried to—”
A loud explosion rocked the factory as waves of intense heat washed over the dining hall expelling the entire workforce out into the desert landscape while Scootaloo was burned to a crisp, her tiny body being the only thing that shielded the rest of the ponies from dying.
But.. how..
Were they all just clumped up under her tail or something? Or does the universe just hate Scootaloo so much that it channeled the heat and force into her?
4580320 yes
4580320
Or is she actually a lovecraftian horror from beyond the void, in a form the ponies can understand? She used her ability to manipulate reality to draw all the heat to her avatar, saving the ponies behind her.
Also explains why she remembers each death and why she respawns, because the body she's using is a creation of her true self, controlled like a puppet. A very advanced, realistic puppet.
4580411
I always thought Pinkie was the Eldritch Horror from beyond the bounds of existence as we know it.
Raincloud, pegasus filly, same difference.
4580320
Scootaloo has died too many times already, so the universe, in an effort to even things out, has had to let other ponies survive when they would otherwise have died.
The factory workers not listening to her must've really burned her up on the inside.
love the friendship is witchcraft references
4580488 Well, the bomb brought some balance there.
SOMEBODY SET US UP THE BOMB.
4580805 All of your factory are belong to us
Mmm crispy chicken.
4581320
SCOOTS ARE ON THE WAY TO DESTRUCTION.
4582185
She have no chance to survive make your time.
4582430
TAKE OFF EVERY PONY!
4582550
For great harmony
4582555
Thank you for finishing the running gag right.
4582566
Glad I could help.
The factory may be gone, but at least they have some fried chicken.
And then one time Scootaloo dies for real and everyone is sad and then like a month later she finally comes back and everyone's happy or something
4583661
What is this, South Park?
The bomb also killed Raincloud, but that part was covered up by Cherryconn.
Next time on Scootaloo Dies a Bunch, Friendship is Witchcraft.
4580320 4580405 Or there was a voodoo priest who placed a curse upon her which was intended to kill her but instead granted her immortality
4599632 Or maybe Scoots accidentally baked a portal.
I thought it would be a cherry bomb.
4584721 Yes.
SCOOTALOO! Ah-ah... SHESAVEDEVERYONEOFUS!!!!
Cancelled with an incomplete tag. Le tisk, le tisk.
4626944
Who said it was cancelled? I've got three chapters coming out today.
Oh. I was just kind of depressed that (I thought) you cancelled, because of missing Tuesday ans Saturday.
4626972
Nah, I just got lazy and fell behind.
4626999 Can't wait for the new chapters :D
4580428
Noooooooo... orange cripple filly... who will put out fires now?
Oh wait...