Mare-Do-Well: Genesis

by PaddedCell

Prologue

OLD MANEHATTAN COURTHOUSE
EARLY MORNING

The crowd of criminal mares and stallions crowded the courtroom, calling out, whooping and jeering maliciously as a bruised and battered-looking Trixie stepped up to the judge's stand. The room was old, the abandoned building part of a run-down area of the city which had fallen victim to neglect. The deriliction of this particular hall of justice was showing all too well, with murky windows allowing in the dim moonlight and flickering electric lamps doing the rest of the work. Trixie sneered, clopping a hoof down loudly on the podium. The crowd fell quiet as an orange-coated, blank-flanked and silent young mare, a brown bag covering her head, was dragged up to a chair before the Judge and forced into the seat. The mare's hooves were tied down uncomfortably with thick ropes by the gruff looking ponies to either side of her. The rotting brown sack was lifted, revealing the rage-filled face of a teenage Scootaloo, her purple mane scruffy and unkempt due to her rough treatment.
"This court is now in session!" Trixie barked, clopping a hoof once again on the podium. She smoothed back her silvery mane, revealing yet another bruise on her cheek. "The defendant sits before me, charged with the crime of being a resident of Ponyville, the despicable township which mocked and derided me after my mistakes!" Trixie's voice had heightened to a roar, but she quickly calmed herself and continued. How does the defendant plead?" She leaned over the podium to sneer down at Scootaloo, who stared back indignantly.
"I live in Ponyville.. And I'm proud of that." She asserted coldly. Trixie smiled sadistically.
"Guilty of the charges.. She is one of the ponies who mocked me, did her part by helping to deny me my title as the greatest unicorn in all Equestria! The sentence.. execution!" Trixie clopped a hoof down on the podium a final time, her horn glowing with a magical aura. A battered shotgun was floated from behind the podium, magically loading with shells and aiming directly at the head of the now-panicked Scootaloo.

There was a thuderous shattering of glass as the dark, grim figure of Mare-Do-Well dropped in through the window behind Trixie, her dark cape flapping triumphantly as she smashed heavily through the ancient, warped glass. The masked hero spun on her hooves, bucking Trixie hard in the head. The swift buck sent Trixie falling to the floor, the magical aura disappating and dropping the shotgun from her grasp. The firearm went off, blasting a series of holes in the wooden wall panelling beside Scootaloo, much to her amazement. She cheered Mare-Do-Well on as she leapt over Trixie's podium to do battle with the other criminal elements in the room, sending energetic hoof-bucks and punches flying, knocking whole groups at a time out cold. Once all of the villainous colts and mares lay in crumpled heaps on the floor, bruised and incapacitated, the masked hero finally rushed to untie Scootaloo. With a slash of the ropes from a hoof-mounted blade, she was free.
"Th.. Thanks! If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead." Scootaloo stuttered, a joyful grin on her face. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, in keeping with her namesake, simply gave a silent nod of approval. Scootaloo stood slowly, stretching her legs. She was about to turn and leave the courthouse when the sound of a thunderous BANG! echoed around the courtroom. Mare-Do-Well staggered forward a few steps, slow clopping sounds thudding dully on the threadbare carpet below. Dark spots of liquid fell from her side, thudding almost silently as they impacted on the carpeted floor. Scootaloo could do nothing but stand still, rooted to the spot in horror as the hero collapsed to the floor. Trixie was standing again, leaning against her podium, beaten and only half aware of the surroundings as she held up the now-smoking shotgun in her magical field.
"You.. You killed.." Scootaloo uttered breathlessly as Trixie's bruised and scarred face twisted into a wide-eyed, malicious smile.
"I killed her.." She coughed up a little blood. "I killed Mare-Do-Well." Trixie let out a hoarse laugh as Scootaloo approached. "Back off! I'll shoot!" Scootaloo thought for a moment before continuing her advance confidently.
"You're out of shells." The now-smirking Scootaloo uttered. Trixie floated the weapon closer and clicked it open in an attempt to reload. In her state of shock from the recent buck she had recieved, she noticed only too late that Scootaloo was lying. For the second time that night, she recieved a set of hooves to the face, this time from the young mare. Trixie staggered back, falling through the already half-shattered window, disappearing into the dim alley behind the courthouse. A dull thud confirmed her impact with the ground.

Scootaloo rushed Mare-Do-Well. She lay on her side, silent apart from a heavy, rasping inhalation and exhalation. Dark liquid began to stain the carpet around her, her life leaving her quickly. She raised a hoof weakly, beckoning Scootaloo closer.
"What.. What am I gonna do? You can't die.. Don't die.." Scootaloo whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. Mare-Do-Well simply looked up at her, then uttered in a cold voice,
"Scootaloo. Yes, I know you.. You know me, under the mask." The hero raised her hooves weakly, slipping the hat and mask off slowly. Scootaloo looked upon her face. "Never reveal this. My lack of identity is my power over others" Scootaloo nodded. "I don't have long.." The cyan mare let out a loud cough, blood trickling from her mouth. "Either you keep the costume, or you destroy it. Don't leave it here." She let out another cough, the breath beginning to leave her. Scootaloo could only watch with tear-filled eyes as a friend and a hero took her last breath. Then, her head fell to the side, thudding with finality on the floor.

Scootaloo leaned a hoof forward, taking the hat and mask from the deceased hero's body. Ideas began forming in her mind. Absurd, fantastical ideas. A cold sense of realisation washed over Scootaloo, her eyes widening. The bright disc of the sun rose, light reflecting through the shattered panes of the back window. The golden light illuminated the room. The bodies of the beaten thugs, the fallen hero, and the lone figure of Mare-Do-Well's successor, Scootaloo.

Comments

[FluttaShift]

its like a comic book. i love it. nice origin story and pace. great work.