A Streetmare Named Desire

by Fat_Zack

A New Way of Thinking

"Hey, Jaxx!" Scootaloo remarked before forcefully slamming her hoof on the table; causing Jaxx to look up slowly from his gelatinous food stuffs. He looked up with cold, dark-red eyes at the glowering orange filly in front of him. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shuffled back from the oncoming scene, not wanting to be too involved.

"Yeah?" he responded monotonically,slightly moving one of his bangs from his eyes to see his assaulter.

"Who the hay do you think you are talking to Ms. Cherilee like that?" Scootaloo demanded, fire in her eyes.

"I think that I'm Jaxx, who else would I be?" He smirked nonchalantly.

"ARRGH! You know what I mean, why did you act like that to Ms. Cherilee? She's your teacher!"

"Why wouldn't I act the way I usually act around teachers? I have to act differently around her because I'm new here and want to set a good first impression?"

"Well...Yeah. You should respect your superiors and you shouldn't be so rude to them."

Jaxx chuckled and opened his front hooves wide with a smile, "Why?"

Scootaloo was stunned. Why? Because it was what you were supposed to do. You weren't supposed to act like that to authority figures, right? It was a customary standard to not question authority, to treat them with respect at a higher rate than you would give your equal. Yet, there a was a nagging pull in the back of her mind telling her, 'He makes a good point.' This is the same voice that's been pestering her since the Royal Wedding, keeping her thinking. So she sat there in silence for a few moments, wanting badly to wipe the smug smirk off of Jaxx's muzzle. But she couldn't. So she gave him the simplest answer she could,

"Because....Because, it's what everypony does. It doesn't make sense to do what nopony else does!"

Jaxx shook his head sadly, "You don't get it do you? It makes perfect sense. Do you see how oblivious other ponies are?" He gestured out to the other fillies and colts with his fore-hooves spread wide. "Ponies live out their daily lives without thinking or acting out of place. They let the big stallions and mares up in Canterlot think for them. Who needs to think when Celestia will for you, right? These ponies, they fall into ruts of the same, year after year; decade after decade. They are only distinguished differently by coat and cutie mark. Not by action nor speech. I choose to speak out, I don't want to be a mindless drone amongst the masses. I have no idea why you would either."

Several moments of silence passed. By now, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had returned to her friend, providing nothing but emotional support with their presence and scowls. Scootaloo appreciated their presence but she felt ashamed that she was starting to lose the debate and think in his way. Her rebellious spirit was urging her to consider his view. So she took a second to ponder the thinking pattern he was demonstrating. Question Authority? But the Ponies in charge of us know what's best for us. Well...That's what we've been taught at least. By who? Authority figures themselves. So one should question authority. It's not right to follow blindly, even when it's easier to. Authority figures can lie, they can keep secrets. Just like Princess Celestia kept the Changeling Infestation a secret. She knew she was just trying to protect her subjects, but is knowledge always the price for safety? Couldn't ponies think for themselves and come up with a better solution for problems than what ONE pony could? She hated to admit to herself, and she'd hate it even more to admit it to Jaxx, but she was starting to agree with his way of thinking.

She noticed Jaxx staring intently at her, and Sweetie Belle nudged her to say something to her adversary. So she leveled with him, "Alright, i can kinda see what you're saying." She saw exactly what he was saying. "But you can question authority without being a stupid-head about it. You could try being NICE to the figures so you don't come out as a bully."

Jaxx sat silent a moment before answering with a chuckle, "Ya know what? I like ya kid. You've got a wild, stubborn spirit. You just have to use it the right way..."
He stood and left the seat, while maintaining eye contact with Scootaloo, to find other refuge. Applebloom stuck her tongue out at him as he walked away and Sweetie Belle made faces in his direction. When he was out of earshot, Sweetie Belle commented, "What a creep! At least we got our spot back."

"Yeah... A creep..." Scootaloo mumbled, watching the strange colt walk amongst the crowds as she resumed her lunch with her friends.

* * * * * * *

"Hey Rainbow Dash!" School had ended about an hour ago and she bid farewell to her friends before her long walk to the foster home. Her scooter had a broken wheel, so while it was being repaired, she was forced to walk to and from school. She was glad to see her hero on her walk home, she has been lonely on the walks. She slowed her trot as Rainbow swooped down to greet her.

"Oh, hey Squirt. How was school," she asked, landing beside her and giving her a mock-noogie with her hoof.

Scootaloo giggled before replying, "It was...okay. There was a new colt at school today named Jaxx."

"Huh, what's he like?" Rainbow asked, ever half-interested in her number one fan's life.

"He's...Different. In personality and appearance. He's got a gray coat with a spiky black and blue mane with a weird symbol for a cutie mark. He disrespected Ms. Cherilee and when Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and I talked to him about it he tried to defend his actions."

"Wow," Rainbow's eyes widened. "That doesn't sound good. Ugh, what was the symbol on his cutie mark?"

"Well, it was an A with a circle around it."

Rainbow Dash shook her head in a way that Scootaloo had deduced that she'd pieced something together.

"That's the symbol for Anarchy, i saw it a lot when i was a little filly in Junior Speedster Flight Camp. That symbol on his flank can only mean one thing...Jaxx is a punk."

Scootaloo scratched her head and asked, "What's a punk?"

Rainbow thought how to explain it, "Well, a punk is somepony who listens to punk music, wears punk clothes, who thinks like Jaxx does,"

"Could you explain it a little more vaguely?" Scootaloo asked sarcastically.

"Alright kid, hold your horse-feathers. It's a very specific way of living and thinking. Punks think that the government shouldn't keep secrets or lie to ponies, and they fight against corrupt politicians and laws. Punks don't like government in other words. They do like fast music though, with tons of guitar, drums, bass, and vocals; unlike that prissy poppy Sapphire Shores and other singers like that. I personally love that stuff, but i usually like the punk that isn't about politics. Bands like Baaaad Religion, Black Banner, The Sex Cannons, The Canterlot Rejects, and Bitwise are some good punk bands. Also they like wearing leather and studs and trashy clothing, and they like spiky manes and Mohawks like the Royal Guards, ya know, without the helmets. I remember being punk when i was around your age, back when we had a lot more to protest. It's good to see there's a few punk ponies left." Rainbow Dash smirked after her reminiscence.

Scootaloo was left stunned. Rainbow Dash had been like Jaxx is now? Rainbow Dash was a punk? And look how awesome she turned out to be! And the clothing of leather and studs sounded quite alluring to her, much more than a dress or a tiara ever would. Maybe she could give this a chance. Maybe it's the way she wants to be. And maybe, just maybe, it will yield to her getting her cutie mark.Scootaloo's entire mindset had changed in so little of a time, but to her it felt like an enlightenment! Scootaloo thanked Rainbow Dash for the talk, and headed to the music store in town to find vinyl records of punk before she headed home.

Comments

[bltsalamance]

Delicious, delicious band puns. I will say, though: you should go back over your story one or two more times. I saw an uncapitalized I or two, such as whenever Jaxx speaks of himself. Maybe it's some rebellious "lowercase I when speaking of oneself" thing I don't understand, but trust me, you want it fixed.

Also, what's wrong with this picture?

Just like Princess Celestia kept the Changeling Infestation a secret.She knew she was just trying to protect her subjects, but is knowledge always the price for safety?

You should always go through your stories around five times, maybe snatch an editor to catch these little things that can easily be fixed.

Storywise, I like it. It's keeping me interested, and Jaxx reminds me of one of my friends. If this is the Jaxx from Final Fantasy, then they even have the (admittedly silly) name in common, because he always uses that or Vaan as the names of his characters in video games.

All in all, it gets a solid passing grade from me. Whatever that's supposed to be worth, anyway. I look forward to more.

P.S. It is so refreshing to see another fan of Broadway, by the way. Especially A Streetcar Named Desire. I love Marlin Brando.

[ImAUnicorn]

Is there gonna be another chapter?

[Fat_Zack]

1700956

Yes, and more after that one .

[ImAUnicorn]

YAY!