Barren Wasteland
The Hunger Manes
I was just sitting there, on my couch, watching channel six; the channel where the show the Hunger Manes. It never bothered me, but what does bother me is that Scootaloo is eligible to compete, being as she turned twelve over a month ago. I remembered the day I turned twelve, back five years ago. I was wide-eyed at the thought that I could be slaughtered for some crazy sport. Other ponies my age were even more terrified than I was. The Hunger Manes was a yearly thing, and every year, the chances for you to enter increase. When your twelve-one, thirteen-two, fourteen-three, all the way up to my age, seventeen-five times. The intensity of it growing like that immenses every time they pick out the hopefuls. The Hunger Manes were in two weeks, so I had time to practice my hunting. In our house, I was the one to get the food, meat or not. Though against the code to go into the Everfree, especially hunt, I still do it. Our district, 12, isn't so big on it, just putting up a mere fence that will be electrified every now and then. I got up, and went over to Scootaloo.
"Bye, Scoots, don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." I kissed her on the forehead. She looked up at me with a worrisome face.
"Where are you going?"
"Haven't you checked the pantry; it is completely empty! Somepony's gotta get the food around here." I kissed Scootaloo again, this time shutting up her mouth. Ever since me and Scootaloo's mother was diagnosed with an illness, I had to be the mare of the house. Scootaloo was more like my daughter, than my sister. Before I walked out the door, I trotted over to my mother. She was in bed right now; her skin peeling like an apple. She sat up and looked at me.
"What d...do you want?"
"Listen up, I'm going to hunt for food, and I need you to protect Scootaloo."
"I was going-"
"You always say that; really protect her this time." I stormed off. I opened the door, and exited outside. Before taking flight, I stood and looked at the barren land. Ponyville used to be prosperous and populated, back twenty four years ago. That was when District 12 actually won the Hunger Manes, the second time. The stallion who won it still roams these parts, but he's mainly intoxicated with all the alcohol that he was given. I never knew his name, however. Anyways, I took flight down to Everfree. My wings lowered in preparation for the ground, but that was when I saw Bale. Hay Bale was his name, but I mainly call him Bale. He was levitating knives, and chucking them at animals. Me and Bale were best friends ever since we were in grade school. I dropped down to a bush to his left; he, reflexly, cocked his head towards my direction. At that moment, I decided to play a game with him. I grabbed a rock and threw it over my shoulder. It landed in a bush, and Bale immediately threw a knife at it.
"Ugh, missed!" He hollered, throwing off my balance. I clumsily fell out, and he aimed a knife at me. He always had a serious expression about him that gave you the goosebumps.
"Hey, Bale."
"Hey, Rainbow."
"How many?"
"Seven in the last hour."
"Getting better everday."
"Sure am." Bale replies so melancholic, that it throws me off. I grabbed my bow off my back, and used my wing to ,carelessly, shoot an arrow at a tree. To my surprise, it hit a chipmunk. Trotting over to it, I started to get out my knife. I repeatedly stabbed the chipmunk until I knew it was dead. Oh boy, Fluttershy will be really angry if she finds out. Anyways, I started to sheer the chipmunk's fur. Here, fur can get you ten bits, no matter the size; ten bits that we could use to buy food from the market. Maybe buy some bread from the local bakery.
Pumpernickel sounds nice right now.
I finished sheering the fur, and put the meat over my shoulder. Bale just threw another knife at a tree; barely missing a squirrel.
"Gotta aim for the throat, or for me, the eye." I pulled my bow back, and started aiming for the nearest rodent. A bunny caught my eye, and I shot at its. The bunny gouged the arrow out, eventually pulling its eye out. The poor thing just knelt down and fell on its back. I trotted over to the bunny to check on what it was. It was familiarly white, a boy, and about half a foot. I knelt down to examine it closer, and what I found out shocked me to death. I suddenly heard screaming across the forest.
"ANGEL! ANGEL!" The pony's timid, but very rough, tone was enough to scare me some more. I'd killed Fluttershy's bunny; not just any bunny, but Fluttershy's bunny. My wings flew open, and Bale noticed. At first, he started giggling, but I gave him the evil eye. He immediately shut up. I speedily grabbed the chipmunk, even Angel, and flew up to my house. I heard Bale sigh, and Fluttershy shriek some more. It was very depressing that I did what I did, but I did what I needed to. Staring at the bunny, I started to think about Scootaloo. Her innocent face was too much to bear. She seemed more quiet these days, leading up to the Hunger Manes. Tomorrow's the choosing of the hopefuls, more like meatbags, and everypony in town will be there, praying to Celestia that they won't be chosen. I, personally, never pray that I'll be picked, because what happens happens, no stopping it unless someone else volunteers. Nopony has ever volunteered for somepony else, fortunately. I got to the house, opened the door, and I'm immediately badgered by Scootaloo.
"Hey Rainb...is that-" She peered over at Angel; giving me the confused face that she always does.
"Frankly, yes."
"You aren't."
"I must."
"But, what about Fluttershy?"
"What about her?"
"She'll skin you alive!" Her eyes widened as the worry went to her brain.
"Sure she will, but as long as she doesn't know it was me, she can't make accusations!"
"Okay." I saw that she was agreeing on the outside, but on the inside, she was obviously very depressed. It was very saddening, so I went over to the kitchen to start cooking. I boiled some water, and I instantaneously threw part of the skinned chipmunk in. I'll keep the rest of it for the market, and, then, I started skinning Angel. Angel's eye stopped bleeding, eventually, so I was covered in blood. I called Scootaloo for a towel.
"Okay, Rainbow, I'll be there in a sec!" she called out to me. I counted in my head a second, and sure enough, Scootaloo was standing there proudly.
"Thanks."
"No problem, Rainbow!" I wiped the blood off me, and threw the towel in a basket. Continuing cooking, I tossed Angel into the pot, keeping some of him for the market. The pot bubbled up to almost the top, so to tame it, I covered the pot with the only pot top that I could find. It barely fit, but it'll stay. Pulling out the cupboard, I grab two carrots, that I got from Golden Harvest, and two onions. As swift as the wind, I minced the vegetables and threw them into the pot. Now, the whole house started to smell of stew. I could hear Scootaloo in the kitchen, "mmming" at the aroma. My mane fell to the side; it was loose at the moment, so I stepped away to braid it. I opened my door, and shut it instantly. Sitting on my bed, I bit my mane and started to braid it. I decided to do a single braid, for I didn't have time to do any more. One minute later, I step out of my room, and charge into the kitchen. The stew's done, but first I add Scootaloo's favorite spice into it, cayenne. It's very expensive, so I saved it for special occasions, like today, for it is the day before the drawings. I call for Scootaloo and my mother to the dinner table.
"Coming!" I saw Scootaloo push mom's wheelchair to the table. It seemed like she was having difficulty, but I didn't intervene. I wanted her to be ready for anything by building up strength. Scootaloo finally got mom to the table, and she sat on her chair; she was panting uncontrollably. I served the stew in our most precious bowls, and sat down at the table. We said grace, and started eating. Angel, the chipmunk, the cayenne, and the vegetables blended together so beautifully. It was juicy, succulent, and down right delicious. I licked my lips at the wonderful taste of it. Scootaloo politely asked to go to the little filly's room. I told her to make it quit because the Hunger Manes special was coming on, and I didn't want to miss it. She dashed into the bathroom, and I licked my bowl clean. Mom was across the table from me, taking sips of the broth. I stared her down conspicuously, and she finally looked up at me.
"Oh, Rainbow, y...you have ch...changed yo...your hai...hairstyle." she commented.
"Thanks for noticing." I was really angry with her. Being the mom of the house, and since there is no stallion, she has to be the mare of the house. But due to her stupid illness, I'm stuck with her job.
"Yo...you have gr...grown up s...so fast, y..you know th..that?" Her tone was very slow.
"Thanks; I did mature when you got sick."
"Hahaha, y...you have th...the comedic s...sense of y...your fa..father."
"Dad was a good stallion, so when he died, I was very upset. And your right, he was really funny." By this time, Scootaloo got back, and she looked as fresh as ever.
"Hi guys!"
"H..hi sw..sweetie."
"Hey Scootaloo, ready for the Hunger Manes special?"
"Yeah!" I walked over to the TV set, and turned it on. The Hunger Manes creators were on the news with some news reporters. They were talking about how the Manes were set up, how the contestants, victims, will be picked tomorrow, and why they do the Manes. Every year, they would tell about why they do this. It's because how Equestria used to be so rich and how it fell into tatters hundreds of years ago. I learned about Ponem's history when I was a wee filly, but this was brand new to Scootaloo. I never, before this, let her watch the Manes reports and the Ponem's history, because the horror and intensity of it all could frighten her out of existence. So, me, Scootaloo, and our mom are sitting on the couch watching the news. Scootaloo was shifting her body from disgust and interest, and Mom and I were as still as corpses. I eyeballed Scootaloo as we watched the special about all the blood, guts, gore, brain, pretty much anything gruesome, Ponem had to go through for us to get where we are.
"So, Scootaloo, how ya liking this?"
"It's disgusting and interesting at the same time."
"So kind of?"
"Sort of." All three of us laughed in harmony; when we were done, we turned back to the TV. After a few moments of constant shifting, we all went to bed. Scootaloo went first, so I kissed her on the forehead. Me and Mom stayed back a little bit, and we watched the last few minutes of the specials.
"THE DRAWINGS WILL BE HELD AT EIGHT O'CLOCK SHARP, SO DON'T BE LATE, OR YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY A FINE!" That stuck in my head like gum.
Eight o'clock sharp, eight o'clock sharp, eight o'clock sharp, eight o'clock sharp. The anxiety of the Manes caused me to get dizzy. I carried Mom over to her bed, and kissed her. Then, I went to my bed and kissed myself goodnight. All through the night, I dreamed about the possibility of innocent colts and fillies being slaughtered for entertainment. On the field, there'll be a bloodshed just at the starting positions. I heard that the course changes every time, from snowcaps to deserts. In the desert maps, the creators hardly put any water there; I don't know what to expect of this year's Mane. I guess only fate can decide that. The next morning, I wake up. It says seven forty-five, according to the sky, so I wake up Scootaloo and Mom.
"Oh, no! The drawings are in fifteen minutes!" Scootaloo hollered.
"I know, now let's go!" I spread out my wings, Scootaloo and Mom hopped on my back, and I took flight. From our house, we could see the coliseum in the middle of town. There were ponies lining up to enter, many looking raggedy and torn apart. I suppose that we didn't look any different. but who's to point hooves? So, we get into the line, and now we're waiting. There were two lines: stallions and mares, stallions on left and mares on right. Before we get in, we have to give them a sample of our blood, and our signature. I gave some blood, and wrote down my name and moved along. Turning around, I could see Scootaloo crying. She gave the ponies her hoof, and they stuck the needle into her. She yelped for a second, but then she started to weep. Scootaloo printed her name, and sprinted towards me.
"Oh Rainbow, I don't ever wanna do that again!"
"Well, tough luck, because you'll have to do it six more times, year after year."
"Ah!" She screamed out loud.
"Calm down Scootaloo, right now." I gave her a firm voice, and a simple command, and she did just that. So, we go over to the standing places. Each side had seven sections, each for every age. The twelve year old ponies in the front and the eighteen year olds in the back. I stood at the near back, and waited impatiently. Looking over to the stallion side, I notice Bale standing there, and he was waving his hoof at me. I quietly waved back, and faced forward. Mayor Mare, all poofy and so much make-up, stood on the stage. She introduced us in a petite manner.
"Welcome, all, to the seventy fourth annual drawings!" Her accent was very classy, and very annoying. "As you all know, we will select random participants out of these glass bowls." She pointed her hooves at two glass bowls, one labeled STALLIONS, and the other labeled MARES. She continued on with her speech. "Due to the mannerly conduct, I shall pick the mares first!" She trotted over to the glass bowl, and sank her head into it. On the note read,
SCOOTALOO PRIMROSE DASH