Scattered Tales - App Stories from Ponyville Ciderfest

by Trinary

#Hammy - Opaline’s Veterinary Army

Opaline Arcana the Fire Alicorn stood atop her tower as she undertook her daily morning ritual: practicing her cackling. A ruler without a good cackle was no ruler at all, in her book.

“MWAHAHAHA!” She threw her head back, letting her laughter ring out over the sound of crackling lightning and booming thunder. “Hrmm, could use a little more panache,” she mused. She took another deep breath to launch into a new bout of maniacal laughter.

“MUWAHA—ACK!” A stray piece of paper had the audacity to blow itself into her regal face! She practically choked on it. “Ugh! Really, litter? In my lair?!” She fumed as she pulled the offending paper off her. “What is Equestria coming to? Have ponies forgotten all sense of civic obligation? I’ll have to tend to that once I’m in charge…as for you!” she glared balefully at the paper. “I shall make such an example of you that even inanimate trash will know better than to profane the face of Opaline Ar—” her rant died before she could even complete her own name, her eyes racing as she truly looked over the paper in her hooves.

One side was jagged, as if it had been ripped from a book. There was writing on it as well, but that was less significant than the feel of the paper. It radiated with power. Power beyond anything she’d ever felt before. “It cannot be!”

“Umm, Opaline?” A shy voice called out from behind her. “Is everything okay?”

“Misty!” Opaline whirled on her. “What have I told you about interrupting me while I’m cackling?!”

Shrinking down, Misty winced. “You said not to—unless you wanted me to. A-and you never really explained how I would know if you wanted me to before I did it…”

Opaline rolled her eyes. “Really, Misty must I spell out everything for you?”

“No, I’m actually pretty good at spelling,” Misty took a half step backwards. “Sorry for interrupting you, I just wanted to let you know I was going into Maritime Bay to, uh, do evil things and there’s this pony here and I wanted—” she trailed off, coughing. “Um, did you want me to throw that out for you? Is that why you’re holding that paper?”

Opaline let out an appalled whinny, as if Misty had suggested throwing out her own child. “Throw it away? Never! Foolish filly, you don’t simply throw out a page from the Book of All Stories! Even you should know better than that!”

Misty tilted her head. “The book of what?”

“The Book of All Stories, honestly Misty, what are they teaching you?” Opaline asked incredulously.

“Um, but, you home schooled me…” Misty softly reminded her. “A-anyway, there’s a pony here and she–”

“And stop mumbling! Hoofness knows I can’t understand you when you mumble.” Opaline paused, then made one of her numerous disgusted looks. “Did I seriously just say ‘hoofness’? Ugh! I swear this generation…” Shaking her head, the fire alicorn remembered what sparked her tangent in the first place. “But with the Book, I won’t have to worry about this generation’s insipid language—or anything else! I can change it! I can change everything! I–I scarcely know where to even begin!”

Just as Opaline was about to begin her villainous plot to subdue all of Equestria, a raccoonicorn scampered onto the table, nibbling on some snacks Opaline had been saving. “Ugh, seriously?” She glowered, grabbing the page and writing on it. “That’s it, I’ve had enough with these vermin! I want them all gone!”

She flew to the nearest window and watched in satisfaction as raccoonicorns, bunnycorns, pegabunnies, pegasnails, and pegamice streamed out of the lair. She was momentarily put off by just how many there were. “Hmm, note to self: make sure to leave less food out.” She shuddered. “And have Misty sweep the basements more frequently.”

Watching the pests assemble she had an idea. A terrible, awful, wonderful idea! “I’ll turn these vermin into an army for me and unleash them upon Maretime Bay!”

“Excuse you?” a soft but stern voice interrupted. “You did not just call those cute fluffy little creatures the v-word!”

“What?” Opaline turned around and gaped at who she saw standing with Misty, a canary-yellow pegasus with long flowing pink hair. “Fluttershy?! Impossible!”

Misty ducked her head. “Um, I was trying to tell you…”

“Not now Misty!” Opaline glowered.

“You should be nicer to her, and to those adorable little creatures. They can do a lot of good if you give them the chance!” Fluttershy insisted. “You were upset about ponies not picking up after themselves? You can let them help you!”

Opaline thought about it…

[CHOICE] What should Opaline do with her critter horde?

> Terrorize and subjugate Maretime Bay. (Villain)

> Pick up trash. (Chaos)

[ENDING A: VILLAIN]

…for all of two seconds. “You’re kidding, right? Civic responsibilities can be drilled into ponies once they bow before my fire alicorn power and become my subjects!” She gleefully scrawled her instructions on the page from the book, laughing villainously. “Go my pest-hoard of doom! Fly my–well, I won’t say pretties, but you get the idea. Invade Maretime Bay!”

Fluttershy frowned as the critters scampered and flew to Maretime Bay. “You’re being very terrible. It’s not right to treat poor little animals like servants.” She crossed her hooves. “You also shouldn’t be trying to subjugate ponies either.”

Opaline held up a wing, making sure she couldn’t see Fluttershy’s expression. “None of that! I know your little staring trick and it won’t help you! Behold my evil army!” It was hard to behold them with her wing covering her face, but she was able to peek out and watch them through her magic mirror.

Pegasnails, pegabunnies, and pegamice swooped down from the air, squeaking and gnawing at ponies’ manes, forcing them to flee in a panic. Raccoonicorns and bunnycorns roved the streets, scratching at hooves and clawing at doors.

(+1 Page for Villains)

[ENDING B: CHAOS]

…and sighed. “Oh fine. I suppose it wouldn’t be an appropriately worthy triumph if I seized power thanks to a bunch of ver–critters,” she corrected herself after a glare from Fluttershy. “I might as well show those foolish ponies how to properly address civic issues.” She issued her orders to the assembled creatures. “Go into town and clean up all the trash you see. You may feel free to throw it at anypony you see littering.”

Fluttershy looked as if she was about to protest that, but ultimately didn’t. With her magic, Opaline conjured images from Maretime Bay as the horde rampaged through. With adorable squeaky battle cries, they picked up loose bits of trash and recyclables and put them in their appropriate containers.

Opaline threw her hooves up wide and cackled. “Mwahahah! Yes! Yeeees! Sort those glasses and plastics! Show ponies how my rule will make Equestria the cleanest it’s ever been! And–oh for hoofness sake, that’s styrofoam! Who still even uses that anymore? No, don’t answer me just throw it away! Or give it to that one unicorn who likes recycling things.” She frowned as a racconicorn chittered something at her. “What did it say?”

“He said that her name is Izzy and she doesn’t recycle, she unicycles. I’m not sure how riding something with only one wheel helps and–oh.” Fluttershy listened a bit more and nodded. “Yes, I get it now. It’s very clever.”

Opaline rolled her eyes. “No, it really isn’t. It–wait, what was that?” She pointed to an earth pony with a canary yellow coat and long pink mane. Her name might be Posey or something like that. Opaline looked at her, then back at Fluttershy, and back to Posey again. It was uncanny.

Fluttershy looked as well, and was just as confused. “I–suppose she could be a relative?”

Before Opaline could say anything, Posey shrieked as a raccoonicorn ran across her path. “Eww, gross! Ugh, that nasty rodent better not have any diseases!”

“Yes, clearly she has your kind and pleasant disposition,” Opaline deadpanned.

Posey tossed an empty smoothie at a garbage can and missed. Just like that, a dozen critters’ heads shot up and all turned to her in sync.

“Well,” Opaline drawled. “This should be good…”

“I feel like I should say something…” Fluttershy mused as the critters began to pelt a fleeing, screaming Posey with globs of trash. “But…”

“Indeed.” Opaline shrugged.

(+1 Page for Chaos)

Comments

[Janicethelight]

Having Fluttershy see Posey in the Chaos option was brilliant! I love how on point Opelinr is and how Fluttershy tries to use her stare in the villain side but didn't even try to stop the critters from pelting Posey in Chaos because she called them gross. Fantastic work!

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Another insanely awesome fic. :D