A Patriotic Stash of Small Story Snippets

by TLP

Through the Eyes of the Unfortunate (Chapter 2: Malthusianism)

Malthusianism

Inside a Marebucks Coffee Shop, Trottingham, Equestria
Day 36, 11:23 AM

The coffee shop was bustling with customers, old and new alike, yet despite this, the small staff of six employees managed to keep the place flowing at a constant, steady pace, as they had always done. They were famously known as ‘The Powerhouse’ across town, and for good reason.
They kept serving coffee to those who patiently, and impatiently, waited in line, as well as kept the place clean and well, as to not disgust customers who stayed in the coffee shop to mooch off the free WiFi.

She couldn’t blame them. She does the exact same thing.

“Cocoe!” The manager shouted from the front, “We’re out of sweeteners here, can you get some from the storage area?”

Cocoe scraped off the froth on the cup of coffee she had just prepared and gave it to one of her coworkers to deliver, “I’m on it!”

She made her way past her busy coworkers towards the storage area, opening the door and looking around. She knew that a supply truck came in this morning, but she didn’t know how much stuff they had brought in.

From the looks of it, not much.

Cocoe and the others knew that ever since the war broke out, any sort of supply or food had to be put into the war effort and nothing could be wasted, which meant that there was only so many coffee beans and cream and sugar that could be distributed around coffee shops in Equestria.

War or no war, ponies need their coffee. That was certain.

The coffee shop had to close much earlier than it had before the war, in order to save up whatever coffee supplies were left and add them to the shipments they got the next day. And so on, and so on.

Nobody complained. There was a war going on and everypony understood. Plus, who doesn’t like to get out early and still get paid the same amount?

She smiled. She knew that her brother needed an expresso more anyway.

“Cocoe, what’s taking so long?!” The manager yelled.

Cocoe shook herself out of her train of thoughts and quickly looked around the area for the sweeteners they needed so badly. She then smiled and grabbed a medium sized box filled with sweeteners, enough for almost 50 cups of coffee, give or take.

She rushed out of the storage area and placed the box on the table, “Here they are. Enough for the rest of the ponies, I hope.”

The manager smiled and nodded, “Thanks. I’m sure we’ll have enough until closing time.” He then quickly went back to work on making the coffee and frappes everypony was craving for.

Cocoe went up to the register and started taking orders, quickly going back and forth from taking money, putting it in the register, giving back change, as well as whatever they ordered.

The television above the entire shop rose in volume, as several ponies look up to see what was showing. The local news was broadcasting at its usual midday hours, but as one of Cocoe’s coworkers came back to retake his position at the register, she couldn’t help but listen in to what the newscaster was talking about.

“...tensions rise on the other side of the globe, as the Zebrican Empire has condemned its neighboring countries for declaring plans to build hydroelectric dams and water treatment plants in Nile River. The Zebrican Empire has stated numerous times that if these projects are to be done, it will not idly stand by and will respond with “Any force deemed necessary.”

“Equestria as well as other countries such as Yakyakistan and Germaney have also condemned these actions, saying that it is “An obvious breach of the Helsinki Rules”, which were established back in 1974 B.L.”

“This is just one of the many problems that have arisen in the desert continent, which has had problems with water and overpopulation for the past two and a half decades, and ever since a massive drought has hit the region with no end in sight, desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“In a world suffering from the effects of a heating planet, water is an invaluable and strategic resource.”

Cocoe, as well as three of her coworkers and most of the ponies in line, continued to watch the newscaster speak, as images and recordings of the press meeting with the Zebrican Emperor were being shown. The ponies talked quietly to themselves, as Cocoe's manager sighed and went back to work, this time a bit more solemnly.

"Gotta start a war to end a war, I suppose."

Comments

[Midnight Musashy]

You write like you play R6:Siege, Lousy.