A Turbulent Change

by StormLuna

A Promotion and an Award

A Long Overdue Promotion

A few minutes had passed and the crowd was still cheering the banishment of former commander Scootaloo. Some ponies were beginning to leave and this prompted Colgate to yell, "Stop! I have some announcements to make."

Given that she had announced that she was stepping down just the day before, most ponies figured that she was going to announce who would be taking over for her. Colgate continued, "As you all know, yesterday I was going to step down and hand power over to Scootaloo but because of what has happened, I have decided to make other plans."

When Colgate mentioned other plans this concerned many of the world leaders and her guests. Rainbow asked, "Other plans? Colgate darling, you're not going to go back on your word are you?"

Colgate cast her gaze at Rainbow and replied, "Just listen." She looked back at the crowd and continued, "Before I make this announcement I am going to tell you something about my top general, General Dark Night." She motioned for him to come up to the platform and continued, "It was over 4,000 years ago when my top general was the top general of King Sombra."

Many of the ponies who knew their history began to boo and ask how Colgate could trust him. Colgate raised and lowered her wings, silencing the crowd. She continued, "Yes at the time he was serving under an enemy of Equestria but after the defeat of the unicorn king, he joined the side of Equestria. First he served under Twilight Sparkle," again the crowd booed and Colgate had to calm them down, "but after she became truly evil, he joined forces with me and we overthrew Twilight. I must say he has been the best officer I have ever had. He is every leader's dream. He is loyal, he loves his country and will do anything to defend it along with its citizens."

Dark Night chimed in, "Well you know how much I love this country. Yes at one time I was an enemy of Equestria but once I became loyal to Equestria, I viewed it as my true home and the citizens of Equestria as the ones I love."

Colgate continued, "General, I look back over the millennia and realize that I have done you a grave injustice. Back after the first defeat of Twilight Sparkle, I gave Shining Armor the position of Commander and first in line to my post but now that I look back, I know who I really should have given that post. Also, when I gave it to Scootaloo I thought she would be the best for the job but again I was mistaken in my decision."

Dark Night asked, "Really? You think you made the wrong decision?"

Colgate replied, "Yes and today, I have decided the time to right this wrong has come. General Dark Night, today and hereafter you shall no longer be General Dark Night, you shall be Commander Dark Night and if anything was to happen to me or I was to become unable to perform my duties, you would become Supreme Commander Dark Night."

Dark Night hugged Colgate and replied, "Thank you Colgate, thank you! I promise I will not let you down!"

Colgate said, "I know you won't."

Everypony, especially those who thought Colgate would step down looked on in shock because of what Colgate said, If she was to become unable to perform her duties.

They realized that this meant only one thing, that Colgate was not going to step down after all, that she was going to remain Supreme Commander of Equestria. Out of everypony though, this bothered Rainbow and the other guests the most, "Colgate darling, I thought you were going to step down!"

Pinkie added, "Yeah, you promised you would."

Cheerilee continued, "You said you couldn't handle it anymore, why the change?"

Scoots finished, "What about that dream? Won't it become a reality now?"

The crowd began to give Colgate odd looks, including all the leaders with the exception of Queen Luna. Colgate realized she had to calm those she had grown close with along with the other leaders. She continued, "While I shall remain Supreme Commander of Equestria, I have decided that my new second in command shall have responsibilities that none of his predecessors have had."

Dark Night asked, "And what is that?"

Colgate replied, "Unlike how I have done in the past, you shall handle all the day to day operations of the military. Given that you have been a general for Equestria for over 4,000 years, I believe that you will be perfect for the job."

While Dark Night was thrilled, her guests got looks of extreme concern on their faces. Rainbow asked, "Colgate darling, you told us that you already have so little to do. Now you will have even less. Aren't you afraid of losing your sanity?"

Colgate replied, "Actually no, I am not. Since I am going to be having Commander Dark Night handling all the day to day affairs of the military, I can do something that I have longed to do for longer than I can remember."

While most everypony looked on in shock and wonder, one pony knew what her plans were, Queen Luna. Her smile widened as Colgate continued, "I have decided that I will no longer merely be Supreme Commander Colgate, I shall also be known once again as Dr. M. Colgate, D.D.S. I have decided to reopen my practice since I will have the time to see patients."

Everypony from Colgate's guests, the world leaders and the crowd overall began to cheer in joy. Not only would they continue to have a strong, competent leader but they would also have a world class dentist in Ponyville once again. Colgate gave them a smile and continued, "Once I get all the proper equipment here, I will begin taking appointments." She raised her voice and laughed, "And you better take care of your teeth! You know I don't like to see cavities!"

---

A Special Award

After announcing that she was going to remain Supreme Commander, promoted Dark Night to being her second in command and announcing that she would be reopening her practice, the crowd was cheering and stomping their hooves in delight. Colgate couldn't help but stand there happily seeing everypony so happy. She would not be done though as there was one more thing she wanted to do before adjourning the meeting.

After five minutes of cheering Colgate raised and lowered her wings, causing the crowd to go silent again. Once they were quiet she began, "While I have given a spectacular officer a long overdue promotion and announced that I will be reopening my practice, I have one more thing I want to do. I want to give something special to somepony who is truly deserving of it. She pointed her wing at Scoots and said, "Come on up Scootaloo, I have something special for you."

Scoots nervously walked up onto the platform and faced the crowd. Colgate continued, "I have decided that this pony, Scootaloo, is truly deserving of a rarely given honor."

One of the ponies in the crowd, one who had been curious about where she was from, finally asked, "Colgate, I am wondering where this pony is from. She is a bit shorter, more plump and her eyes are smaller than ours."

Colgate leaned down and asked, "Scootaloo, do you want to tell them or do you wish for that information to remain classified?"

Scoots faced the crowd and began, "Well my friends and I come from a different world. We came here through a portal with Colgate which lies deep in the Everfree Forest, in a part that Colgate said that nopony dares venture to because of all the predators."

Another pony asked, "Ok but why are you so different than us and what is your world like?"

Scoots replied, "Why we are different I am not sure but about my world. My world is radically different than yours. In our world we have never had any dark magic, we have never had any wars, we don't have militaries, we don't have the technology you have like your dam, we don't banish ponies places and the unicorns that do live in our world do not have nearly as advanced magic as unicorns do in this world."

Another pony asked, "What about Alicorns? Do you have them in your world?"

Scoots replied, "No, we do not have Alicorns nor do we have changelings like you do in our world either."

Colgate and Scoots stood there expecting more questions but none were to be asked. Once Colgate realized this she continued, "Now for why I am going to give her an award. Like I said earlier, it was this pony who discovered the materials in my former commander's quarters that led us to discover that she was plotting bad things not only for us and Equestria, but for the other leaders and the world. Had it not been for her suspicions, Scootaloo would have become Supreme Commander and this world would have likely been thrown into war again in less than a year."

She levitated a gold medal down onto Scoots's neck and continued, "And Scootaloo, because of everything you did to save not just Equestria, but our world, I have decided to give you the Equestrian Medal of Honor award."

While many ponies were in shock that Colgate would give a medal to a pony who did not put her life on the line to save Equestria, others realized that if it weren't for her, that they would have wound up becoming enslaved so they all began to cheer and stomp their hooves in delight.

Scoots was very happy that she had saved not just her world from invasion, but Equestria and the lands that lie beyond it. She began to bow and said, "Thank you Supreme Commander Colgate, you have no idea how much this award means to me."

Colgate lifted Scoots out of her bow and replied, "Scootaloo, you saved our world and preserved our freedom. You bow to no one!"

Colgate began to bow as did everypony else. Scoots was in a state of shock as she never imagined that the most powerful ponies in an advanced world, like those in her fantasy books, would bow down to her. Once everypony stood back up Colgate continued, "Wear your medal proudly Scootaloo, you have earned it."

Scoots asked, "But what about in my world? What do I say when ponies ask where I got it."

Colgate replied, "We can discuss that later but for now, I think it is time we adjourn this meeting. After all, I'm sure than you and your friends would like to join my fellow leaders, my new Commander and myself for lunch."

Scoots and her friends enthusiastically agreed and followed Colgate and the other leaders back towards the tower while the crowd dispersed and headed home. While the four could not be sure, they had a feeling that after this lunch that they would be able to finally return to their homeland.

Comments

[dragondarko]

Does D.D.S. translate into Dentistry Doctor Specialist?