Ponyville : Season One.

Night fell upon Ponyville quickly, the small town had been stricken with a long line of bad luck for the past few years. Staples around the town had begun to leave or be closed down, each simply packing up to leave around every few month's or so, within the last year alone the town had grown a bit darker.

The streets were less packed, the sky was always filled with cloud's that hid away the sunlight most of the time. The town square had taken the hardest hit with so many shop's closing up, the place had taken on a desolate feel to it.

Many ponies had lost their jobs, while the lack of anything else hiring , had twice as many ponies without a payday every week. Some moved away yet those who could not afford to do the same chose a darker path. Crime within the small town was on the rise and with it corruption spread across Ponyville slowly from the inside.

During the night the town was quiet, hardly any ponies went for nightly strolls due to the rise in mugging's from the last month. Those who did venture out under the cover of darkness most of the time made their way to " The Sour Apple. " a cider bar that had opened a few months ago within the town.

Every passing week bringing in a new slew of customer's, whose only wish was to drink away the pain.

"This town is sick..." Derpy Hooves pouted her muzzle softly against the cool counter of the bar, her ears folded back sadly as she lifted the cider bottle in her hoof to her lips , chugging down the liquid and feeling its burn.

The grey mare had a tangled blonde mane from days without a good wash, her honey colored eyes had bags under each eye from days without sleep. She wished for sleep everynight, yet the worry within her mind kept her away from such luxuries.

Everynight since she had lost her job almost two weeks ago, she found herself at this bar, throwing away what few bits she had left for a simple drink of the cider.

A routine she knew in time would consume her completly.

"Mmmmhmmm.- when are you going to pay for those last three drink's missy?" The bartender spoke with an annoyed tone as the mare flaunted a hoof towards him.

"Just place it on my tab till Friday. " Hic." I'll get it then." Derpy spoke in a soured tone as the stallion nodded.

"Sure.- I like you bubbles but if you don't settle by friday then..." He trailed off as the mare simply raised her head up from the counter, casting the barkeep a " You'll do what? " kind of look.

"Mhrrr...bastard." Derpy spoke under her breath before looking away once more., at this point nothing anypony did would bother her.

"I agree friend., the town is quite sick." The voice of a mare spoke across from Derpy, it was low in tone and carried a melody of seriousness to it.

Derpy slowly tilted her head to her side, the mare was dressed in a black hood and cloak with bright blue eyes gazing ahead in deep thought.

"You know it's not "hic" raining or anythin' outside cloaky..." Derpy blew a soft raspberry the mares way before chugging from her bottle once more, the last few week's the bar had brought in more and more weirdo's she thought.

"Hmmm- This is not where you wish to see yourself Ms.Hooves., what if I could help this town get back on track?" The cloaked figure spoke in barely a whisper as Derpy shrugged.

"I'd say you were crazy.- no offense but a few ponies tried to get thing's back on track around here., They kinda vanished you know?" Derpy rolled her eyes to the mare who softly giggled.

"I know.- they didn't simply move away." The mare spoke as she scooted a bit closer to the buzzed pony at her side.

"The reason this town is the way it is now., is because the ponies here have lost hope." The mare looked both ways swiftly making sure she had not been followed.

"They need a example to follow., ponies willing to stand up to the corruption that was stricken this town and fight back." The mare spoke her voice filled with a sense of genuine care for the ponies of the town.

"If somepony fights back., their dead." Derpy rolled her honey colored eyes.

"And if nopony tries.- then we are already dead as it is." The mare replied in a stern tone.

"The road begins with Steel." The mare whispered sliding over a few bits with a letter to Derpy.

"What's this?" Derpy asked sluggishly confused.

"The start of something new!- bring that to Jewel in the morrow., she will know what to do." The mare replied as she got up to her hooves, if anypony had been watching they would not expect her to hand off the letter to Derpy of all ponies.

Derpy softly grabbed the letter in hoof giving it a slow look over, her eyes gazing back towards the mare about to walk away from her side.

"Applejewel? - who are you?" Derpy asked confused her head tilted to the side cutely.

"Just call me - A Mare wanting to do well." The cloaked pony spoke swiftly trotting away from Derpy and out of the bar.

"Mare Do Well?" Derpy spoke with a soft hic, gazing down to the envelope in hoof unsure what had just went down.

The soft blue hue from the moon high above drifted into the nearby window and into Mr.Steels office., Ms.Mare yawned aloud from atop a comfy red love seat softly. Curled up at her side was Madix sleeping like a foal after the wonderful night they had shared together.

Deep down inside she had always had a bit of a crush on her boss, always brushing them off as simple school filly daydreams. Yet this night all her wishes had come true, this night would be the night her whole life would take off.

Sliding out from his embrace on the couch she softly walked over to her desk, thoughts of cleaning up all the mess they had caused early in the evening at the top of her list. Slowly scooping up the paper's off the ground she couldn't help but notice a small stack of documents upon Steels desk.

Giggling she shook her head, he must've forgot to hand them over to her.

Walking over to his desk she placed a beige hoof atop the documents, pulling them over with ease her blue eyes gazed over them swiftly. A sudden chill running down her backside as each word jumped off the page towards her, like a Timberwolf in the night.

"Ms. Mare." Mr.Steel sighed aloud from behind her with a stern tone to his voice.

"Oh!- Dear Celestia!" Ms.Mare yelped aloud as she spun around, coming muzzle to muzzle with her boss the documents dropping from her hooves to the ground below.

"Tsk-tsk.- Now why would you be sneaking about my desk this late?" Steel asked softly pinning the mare against the desk with his body, he could feel her body shiver in fear.

"I...I was simply tidying up.- sir." She spoke in a un-easy tone doing her best to flash a sweet smile.

"Lying doesn't suit you my dear.- what did you see?" He asked in a low whisper his hooves rising up slowly to caress her neck softly.

"Nothing sir." She replied voice filled with fear.

Steel gave the mare a stern look, his hoof lifting up to gently brush her lovely pink bangs away from her eyes.

"I do enjoy your company Ms.Mare.- I always have, you are enchanting, lovely and merely esquite." He leaned forward whispering into her ear slowly.

"I can offer you thing's beyond your wildest dreams.- But I need to know one thing." His warm breath pressed against her neck softly as he spoke.

"Which is sir?" She replied her whole body numb with fear.

"Can I trust you to keep my secret?" He smiled his eyes locking with her own.

"Of course sir." She answered heart racing wildly in her chest, the stallion nodding along as he leaned inward kissing her cheek.

"Very good Ms.Mare.- Let me clear the desk., then I shall escort you home., we have much to do tomorrow." He chuckled breaking the tension in the room as he kneeled down scooping up the documents.

Ms.Mare giggled along with a smile, her heart slowing down in pace, as she could feel her body returning back to normal.

"Thank you sir.- Um what's tomorrow?" She asked a bit confused.

"Why I'm taking you shopping my dear.- You shall be my new head of the Town Counsil." Steel smiled with a wink to his no longer secretary, taking in the smile that slowly slid across her lips.

He knew this young filly wouldn't cross him and even if she did.

Ponies had a habit of leaving town lately, he thought to himself placing the details for Project Lazarus within his desk.