Dictators Of Ponyville

by Dragon-In-Black

Chapter 4 — Trying to Move On

One month later...

The Crusaders didn’t hate the Badlands. That is what shocked them the most. They thought that they would grow bitter being out in the blazing hot sun all day long but they didn’t. They didn’t fall in love with the place, nor would that ever happen, but they certainly had no qualms with Kludgetown.

Applebloom had told her two friends that if they wanted to afford a place to stay, they would need to find work of some kind. They had a surprising number of options, ranging from sales ponies, chefs, bakers, and models.

Those were the jobs that were normal and legal in Equestria at least. Applebloom would have no problems baking as Granny Smith had thought her everything she needed to know about baking apple pies, muffins, and so forth. Of course, she doubted that they had apples out here but she could use the same recipes from memory with a few fixes so it matches what she’s needing to bake instead.

With those thoughts in mind; Applebloom had looked for different bakeries around the town. She had asked if any of them needed a baker. The first one had said she was too young to work. The second place said that they didn’t need more employees.

The third place, though, had hired her after she had managed to bake a citrus pie that they enjoyed greatly. So she began working from early in the morning to late morning and earned a very large salary. Or, large for her, because she had never in her life held or seen so many bits in one bag before. This caused the unmotivated pegasus and unicorn to start looking for work.

Sweetie Belle managed to find work with a fashionista that needed some creature to model for her for a reasonable price. The unicorn hadn’t at first wanted to take the job because it reminded her too much of her older sister, the one who accused her and shunned her. But she concluded that if she ever wanted to move on, then she needed to do it now so she doesn’t get hurt in the future because of the simple fact that she didn’t get over it.

The first few days had been gruelling and had caused her to almost cry half the time because of the memories she had with Rarity whenever she worked on her dresses before and after school.

The unicorn remembered whenever Spike, her sisters' friend, assistant would come over and help her sister with the dresses. She missed those times. The times when she would get back from school and be greeted by her sister and Spike if he was there.

But, after those few days, she started to enjoy modelling and getting noticed in the fashion industry in the Badlands. She was by no means getting famous, it had only been a month, but she was certainly getting attention from the other fashionistas around Kludgetown which helped boost her ego and embrace what had happened.

It hurt her, but she had to learn to let go and forget about the past and embrace the future.

Scootaloo on the other hoof wasn’t so lucky. She struggled to find a job because, after the betrayal, she had grown quite bitter. Now that a month had passed and the words and actions had been set in place, she couldn’t help but think about revenge.

Her dark line of thinking had started infecting her like a virus and making her judgement questionable.

However, all hope wasn’t lost as she had found work. But wouldn’t be legal in Equestria. She became a blacksmith for weapons. She built weapons and sold them to clients who had requested for the weapons to be repaired, sold, or bought if any creature was interested.

The orange pegasus had by accident overheard a conversation between a dragon and a Griffin who was talking about a restaurant that sold illegal goods to Equestria in terms of weapons and government secrets. The young filly had followed them to the restaurant and had spied them down and seen the illegal goods.

Scootaloo’s luck had run out, however, when the owner realised she had seen the weapons and demanded to know who she was working for. She conceded and explained her background about what had happened and asked to work for the stallion who owned the place.

The stallion had been rightfully suspicious and just told her to go away and not return. Scootaloo, though, kept pestering him until he gave up and showed her how to repair the weapons and build them. He still didn’t trust her. That was clear as day, but he trusted her enough to work there and get a salary.

That was enough for Scootaloo.

Now, they had a salary. Together, they could combine their bits and buy an apartment which they did. The apartment they bought was next to a cat who had introduced himself as Capper and had a look in his eye that told them he was up to no good.

They didn’t interact much, luckily and only talked whenever they needed to help each other out. Which wasn’t often.

They paid to live there and paid for food which had forced them into a horrific predicament; most creatures here were in some way carnivores. Not all, of course, there were rare few ponies, but even the ponies ate meat.

Scootaloo hadn’t been concerned because pegasi have fish in their diet which they needed. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom however, weren’t so lucky and pleaded with Scootaloo to teach them how they can eat fish. She did. The orange pegasi told them not to worry and that they would only eat fish unless they needed to eat some other meat.

This made the other two relax and blush at their reaction.

They had never eaten meat before. Not even fish. They knew pegasi ate fish, but they had never... seen it. Miss Cherilee if they remembered correctly probably said something about it as well.

At least they had a friend that could help through their first time.

---

“Hey Scoots,” Applebloom said, walking in through the front door with her bakers' clothing completely dirty. It had been a rough day baking but it was nothing new. It happened as well when she was on the farm.

“Hey, Bloom,” The pegasus responded while reading a book.

The farm girl looked surprised. She’d never seen her read, ever. She glanced closely at the book and saw that it was a military history of the Equestrian army.

“Hey Scoots, when did ya start tha’ read?” She asked with a look of interest marring her features. The pegasus didn’t look at her friend.

“The history of the Equestrian army.” She replied in a monotone voice. “I’m hoping to learn something from it,”

Applebloom raised her brow. Learn what?

The front door suddenly jerked open to reveal Sweetie Belle. “Hey, guys!” She gushed in a yellow sundress with black lines. The Badlands had truly changed their friend, but they still noticed the depression whenever the mask would slip. No matter how many times she would smile, there was always something... not quite there in her eyes that used to be there before. “I’m having a photoshoot next week!” She continued to gush with visible happiness.

For once, she looked genuinely happy.

Applebloom smiled in happiness for her friend for having found something she enjoyed doing. Who would have thought it would be modelling? Scootaloo on the other hoof looked neutral, not displaying happiness or any emotions that were against her friends’ happiness with her newfound success.

“Tha’ great Belle!” Applebloom praised with a wide smile while Sweetie Belle hugged her friend.

“I’m with Applebloom on this, congratulations Sweetie Belle, you deserve it,” Scootaloo said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Her emotions were real though, she was happy for her friend.

Sweetie Belle knew her pegasus friend was still struggling with what happened, she was not over it. Nor would she ever be if she would be honest with every creature around her.

“Thank you, Scoots, how are you holding up?” She asked, changing the attention from her to Scootaloo. The pegasus merely shrugged her shoulders.

“We had more clients, meaning more bits for me this week. Maybe even more food, don’t think I didn’t notice you eat my chocolate pudding!” She joked with Applebloom who couldn’t help but laugh.

“It was mockin’ me! Wha did ya wan’ me tha’ do?” She replied with a laugh.

They all laughed heartfully, full-blown laughter that they had not had for the last few weeks. It was nice. Laughing away and forgetting temporarily about the problem.

“I was kidding, I don’t care.” The pegasus shrugged with a sense of careless attitude that they had not seen for a long while.

“So... what were you hoping to learn?” Applebloom asked, remembering the question of the sentence Scootaloo had spoken before Sweetie Belle had come in.

“Learn?” Sweetie Belle asked questionably.

“Yah, Scoots were readin’ before ya got ere,” Applebloom explained making Sweetie’s eyes widen in disbelief. Her friend was reading?

“Yes, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, I was reading. Is there something wrong with that?” She asked, eyes twitching at her friends’ behaviour.

The two ponies frantically shook their heads. “No of course, not I was just caught by surprise is all. But why are you readin’ tha’ particular book? Don’t think I forgot.”

Scootaloo sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this situation.

“Look, I’m pissed alright? What they did to us was inexcusable!” Scootaloo said, her voice reaching a slightly higher pitch as her nose practically emitted smoke from the pent-up rage she felt towards her sister figure and everypony else in Ponyville. “Yes, I will admit we did wrong, I won’t lie about that. But at the same time, we tried, didn’t we? We tried to apologise and no one took it!”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle wanted to calm the situation down. What they didn’t correct their friend about was that they never did try to apologise to the citizen of Ponyville, they merely ran away and that was it.

Scootaloo calmed down slightly when she noticed the alarmed looks of her friends on their faces. “Anyways, why I decided to read the book is to see if I’d be able to do better. To see if I could commit a military coup on Ponyville and get away with it.”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle burst out laughing at that. They clutched their sides as they rolled on the floor laughing their hearts out. They noticed Scootaloo laughing along merely with them, but what they were clueless about was that it wasn’t real laughter.

“Oh! Oh, Scoots!” Applebloom tried before she doubled over in laughter.

“Oh, man! That was funny Scoots!” Sweetie said, calming down from her laughter but her grin was still very much visible on her face.

“What can I say? I try.” The pegasus giggles as Applebloom tried to stand up only to start laughing again.

“Seriously though, I’m reading it because I found it and thought it’d be interesting.” She answered in partial truth. She had found the book and she was interested in it, but she had a different goal in mind.

The unicorn nodded in understanding and said she’d be taking a shower before she went with them to dinner. Applebloom had taken off her baker's uniform and started washing them. Scootaloo decided to go to her room on the second floor where there was a bathroom and four rooms.

Scootaloo’s room like her two comrades had a window that showed Kludgetown and she couldn’t help but grin. Placing the book on the bed that faced the window, she trotted up and looked around the town.

Below her, was a food market that she regularly walked passed because of work or to buy what they were selling there. However, one thing that always bothered her, was that she would see huge ships fly overhead with a curious marks.

The ships had many soldiers who had a commander. If there was a commander then there was a ruler somewhere. Meaning...

The ruler was a threat to her plans.

Author's Note:

So Scootaloo is slowly succumbing to darkness but don’t worry she won’t be unredeemable. The other two are trying to enjoy their lives as much as possible away from Equestria while knowing that it isn’t their home, but they need to work with what they got.

Comments

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

Below her, was a food market that she regularly walked passed because of work or to buy what they were selling there. However, one thing that always bothered her, was that she would see huge ships fly overhead with a curious marks.

The ships had many soldiers who had a commander. If there was a commander then there was a ruler somewhere. Meaning...

The ruler was a threat to her plans.

Scootaloo, I highly doubt that you can deal with the Storm King himself, even if he is just a big buffoon.

[TrainDude90S]

Do you think Scootaloo will snap out of her revenge? For I believe the folks in Ponyville are probably suffering enough from their mistakes knowing they'd probably had to report to the R.S'S about what happened.