Ponyville : Season One.

by A Rare Sight

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Slice of Life, Dark
Length: 4252

Before Friendship there was Hatred, Before Heroes there were Villains.- Watch as the battle for Ponyville unfolds.

Updates Weekly.

Before Filthy Rich made a name for himself.

Before Mayor Mare held power in Ponyville.

And before The Apple Family became the Symbol of Honesty to all ponies.

There was Ponyville.

Taking place Five years before Twilight comes to Ponyville.

A small town corrupted by ponies looking for a easy target, the town stricken with unemployment, crime and unhappiness.

But out of the Darkness Heroes will rise, Heroes who will one day change Equestria.

As well with The Birth of Villains who shall bring chaos to the world for years to come.

The Battle for Ponyville has begun!

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-04-21 16:40:02 UTC

Episode One : Love Thy Neighbor.

"Thank...thank you so much Jewel., you have no idea how much this helps our family." Filthy Rich stammeringly spoke his brown mane frazzled beyond repair, while his red tie was loosely tied around his neck.

"Don't worry about it hon., now go run along now and say hello to Golden Tiara for me." Applejewel smiled happily her golden blonde mane flowing down her side in a cute braid., dark green eyes filled with honesty.

Jewels coat was a dark copper color with dark red spots within her fur near the hooves., atop her flank was a cutie mark of a heart shaped apple that shimmered almost as brightly as a ruby.

"I...I will and the day I get on my hooves., the first thing I'm going to do is repay every last bit I owe your family." Filthy did his best to flash a weak smile, his dark blue eyes filled with worry.

"Might be even too much for that day..." Appletree spoke in a gruff annoyed tone., he was sitting atop a old wood chair in the kitchen, waiting for his wife to prepare dinner as the children played outside.

He had a dark red mane, his body was large and strong, coat a deep dark red color. The stallion glared towards the other male with light orange eyes , it felt like every week this pathetic excuse for a stallion borrowed bits from them.

"Appletree!" Jewel huffed in anger towards her husband, the male merely rolled his eyes looking away.

"Don't mind him., I fear the sun has baked his brain during work today." Jewel spoke with a small smile as Filthy just nodded along in silence.

"I will repay every last bit." Filthy suddenly spoke up in a odd calm tone, his eyes falling down to the old porch at his hooves.

"But Rich you don't..." Jewel began to speak as Filthy leaned in whispering something into her ear quickly, the mare simply nodding in silence.

Within a few seconds the stallion was off, quickly galloping off The Apple Family Farm and into the distance.

Applejewel bit her lower lip hard, swiftly spinning around from the doorway allowing the backdoor to shut firmly, she did not wish for her children to hear what was about to come.

"How could you be so rude!?" Jewel huffed aloud softly, her hues narrowing toward her husband in anger.

"I'm the rude one!?- I reckon' not a week goes by that mooch doesn't ask fer handouts!!" Appletree snapped back as he slammed his hooves roughly atop the wooden table.

"He's our neighbor hon!, if we shut out our own, then Ponyville will be worst off than it is now!" Jewel replied stomping over to the stove in a fluster, thought's of how the town had fallen on hard times filling her mind.

"You can't help every flippin begger that shows up on our doorstep!- and give them my bits!!" Appletree raised his voice the young mare slowly turning around to face him in silence.

"Your bits?- this is my families farm Celestia Damn it!- my land brings in the bits!, and I'll have them spent however..." Jewel spoke in a quivering voice, the stallion glaring as he stood up to his hooves.

"However what?" Appletree spoke in a stern darker tone, towering over the mare who simply folded her ears back slowly.

"However what?!!!" The stallion screamed aloud in anger slamming his hooves hard on the stove top near his wife, a small yelp escaping her lips.

"Mom?..." A small copper color filly spoke from the doorway, ears folded back as her small frame shivered a bit.

"It's...ok sugarcube, mommy and daddy are just playing.- go wash up with your brother, then come back and help me prepare dinner Applejack." Jewel spoke her melodic voice cracking some, a light mist forming in her eyes.

Her husband slowly gazed over to their daughter, his breathing slowing down as he nodded to the filly, walking off towards the living area. His firm hoofsteps echoing around the house eeriely.

"I'll be in the den." He grunted walking off from view.

"Daddy drinking the cider again mama?" Aj asked in a sweet voice, her mother merely gazing down to the floor.

"Go on now hon." Jewel replied turning away from her filly eyes filled with tears, Aj slowly walking off back outside to find her brother.

"Yee-haw!, " Simple Sweets " just sold out- and under price too!" Madix Steelhoof chuckled aloud happily as he leaned back into his soft velvet chair within his office.

The wall's of the Mayoral Office were decorated with fancy painting's, elegant statue's and of course knick-knack's of various kind's from across Equestria. Mayor Steel enjoyed the fine things in life., a sleek blue tie around his neck and dark gray mane slicked back fancily.

He was a dark blue earth pony, nowhere near in shape as his body had become plump and round over the many year's of sitting on his backside, eyes were a light green color as a Cutie Mark of a steel sheild was upon his flank.

"The Sweets sold out under-price?" The soft voice of a pink maned mare asked nervously from her smaller desk in the room, her sparkling blue eyes gazing up from her work ever so slightly.

"Yes Ms. Mare under price.- turns out the property had quite the rodent problem they failed to fix." Madix smirked towards his lovely secretary.

"Rodents?- A week ago the place seemed fine." Mare spoke her beige coat a bit flustered, she had been working all day on Mr.Steel's new business proposals around Ponyville, a plan he promised would place the town back on the map.

"Secret's Ms.Mare.- everypony has them., it goes how well you can keep them., that keeps you in the green." Mr.Steel spoke in a calm collected manner as he jumped up off his chair walking over to the mares desk.

"Mr and Mrs.Sweet failed to hide their dirty little secret., now they had to sell out to me before the property wasn't even worth buying." Steel smirked placing a large hoof atop a stack of papers on her desk, pulling them over to him as he gave them a look over.

"Excellent work Ms.Mare as always." Steel smirked to the mare, who simply smiled if a bit sheepishly.

"We've been working all day., I say we earned a nice calm night.- may I take you out to dinner?" Steel spoke in a sweet tone as Ms.Mare couldn't help but blush a light pink across her cheeks.

"Ahem.- Sir I don't know if that might be appropriate." She replied softly running her hooves through her flustered mane shyly.

"Your blush is the same shade as your mane., enchanting.- how about we stay in then?" He spoke walking around her desk as he stopped by her side gazing down to her in silence.

"I can order in." He leaned forward and whispered into her ear, her cheeks burning she slowly shrugged unsure what to say.

"But the Lazarus Project and..." Her boss interupted her leaning forward, his lips touching her own softly.

" I..." she whimpered ears folding back slowly, the stallion leaning in again kissing her deeply, nibbling ever so softly at her lower lip.

The mare quivered, heart racing in her chest as she pulled inward returning his passion.

Both ponies quickly pressing their bodies closer to eachother as a swipe of his hoof swept all the documents onto the floor, the sun setting outside lowering beyond the horizon signalling the end of the work day.

Neither pony catching sight of a shadowy figure near the open window, a dark hoof pushing the curtains away slightly as the spare hoof clicked away on a small camera.

With each click the pony knew change would soon come to Ponyville.

Episode One - Part.2.

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.

Episode One - Part.3.

Filthy Rich slowly made his way into his home under the cover of the night, it had been a long day he visted multiple banks around town looking for somepony to invest in his business venture. Sadly not one pony gave him the time of day, all the shops around town were owned by Steel and he had a monopoly on everything that moved it seemed.

No bank would give him the bits he needed, why invest in a pony who would simply go belly up in a few month's anyways?

Filthy knew he could overcome the odds and make a name for himself, just as his father and grandfather had done.

He simply needed a chance to shine.

"Where have you been?" The voice of his wife sent a sudden shock to his heart, he rushed back frightened his flank hitting a nearby table knocking over a cheap vase.

"Tiara!- why are you sitting in the dark!?" Filthy gasped for air as the soft flick of a match could be heard, a small glow of light appearing before him a lightly colored purple hoof lighting a candle.

His wife Golden Tiara did not look amused at all, her dark violet colored hues were filled with worry as the light within the room grew every passing second. Her dark purple mane was a mess, he knew she had probably paced about all day thinking about him.

A few white strands of hair streaked across her mane, sending a pinge of guilt into his gut.

Did he really worry his dear wife that much?

"I didn't start off in the dark, I've been worried sick all day!" Tiara sighed as she gazed over to her husband half worried and half annoyed by his selfish actions.

"I'm sorry my love- I've been busy I was looking for a loan..." Filthy spoke to have his wife place a hoof atop her temples in annoyance.

"Again with the loans!!- I told you to check out the day labor job on the outskirts of Ponyville today!!" Tiara snapped to her husband as he gazed down in shame.

"I know!, but my idea's are a sure shot Tiara I just need time." He quickly tried to change the subject only to have his wife jump off the nearby couch rushing over to him in anger.

"Time!- We don't have time!!" She snapped her left eye twitching softly.

"The bill's are stacking up!, we haven't had a decent meal in days!!" Tiara yelled her small frame shivering as blood slowly trickled down the front of her muzzle.

"Tiara!" Filthy spoke in worry wrapping his hooves around his love pulling her in close.

"I'm ok!- I'm alright." Tiara sighed pulling away slightly, wiping the blood off her muzzle with her hoof.

"You need to take your medicine honey, I promise you tomorrow I'll check out the job for labor." Filthy gazed deeply into his wifes eyes, his own filled with a sense of truth and honor.

Nodding softly in silence Tiara gently placed her head on his shoulder, feeling her husbands firm hooves caress through her mane doing the best he could to calm her troubled mind.

"Thank you." Tiara lifted up her muzzle with a smile, she was un-easy of what lay ahead but she decided to trust her husband.

"You're welcome., it's late now, we should get some sleep." Filthy spoke in a calm tone releasing her from his embrace.

Walking off towards the bedroom the whole house began to fill with a eerie silence., the mare sighed softly under her breath following his tracks yet turning off to enter the bathroom.

Inside a candle nearly melted down to the bottom kept the light alive in the room., shivering slightly she lifted her hoof up to the medicine cabinet swinging it open with ease. Purple hues fell upon the empty medicine bottle before her, mocking and taunting her to no end of her husbands failures.

"When are you going to tell him you ran out of medicine near two weeks ago." A soft wicked voice echoed around Tiara, causing her left ear to twitch slightly.

"He doesn't need to worry about me., along with everything else." Tiara shook her head side to side swiftly, giving her ears a slight pop.

"Always placing yourself on the bottom., never standing up for yourself." The voice mocked her in a snickering tone.

"I did tonight!, I told my husband what I thought." Tiara gritted her teeth roughly, using her hoof to close the cabinet and face the mirror before her.

"Yeah!- but once he did a bit of smooth talking and gave a hollow promise, you folded like a piece of paper!" The voice yelled it's tone echoing around the room wickedly.

"Just leave me alone!" Tiara lifted her hooves to her head, closing her eyes trying to take a few calming breathes.

"I wish I could.- but I fear you and I, are just like two peas in a pod." Tiara slowly opened her eyes to face her reflection in the mirror., heart filled with fear as her mirror image began to laugh wildly at her.

Jewel sat atop the porch during the late night, her hooves folded softly underneath her. She needed this time alone during the crisp spring night, taking in the soft cool air and unbroken silence.

With all the sadness spreading throughout the town, it was nice to know she could still escape her woes if only for a few hour's. The soft pitter-patter of small hooves could be heard behind her, Jewel allowing her ears to perk up brightly.

"Is that the lil apple of my eye awake at this hour?" Jewel grined, a small copper muzzle poking out from the wooden doorway.

"Awwww.- How'd ya know it was me mama?" Aj pouted quickly galloping out of the house and plopping down at her mothers side with a small thud.

"I know all your hoofsteps lil one., Your steps are quick and anxious, Macintosh has calm ones and your father's are just plain stomps." Jewel giggled along with her daughter wrapping a hoof around her tenderly.

"Are you and Pa mad at eachother?" Aj asked suddenly as Jewel raised a brow softly.

"Is that why you are up this late?" Jewel asked with a curious tone, her daughter nodding a yes in silence.

"Mad.- yes." Jewel replied sternly, Aj folding back her ears.

"But that is normal lil one., I still love your Pa as much as the day I met the stubborn mule." Jewel smiled hugging her filly tightly.

"We just have different points of view about Ponyville." Jewel sighed shaking her head slightly.

"You're fightin' cause of the town?" Aj scrunched up her muzzle cutely, a gaze of confusion apparent.

"Hehehe.- Yes lil one., you see the town is sick." Jewel spoke trying to put into words, something she might understand.

"Sick?- like with a cold?" Aj tilted her head to the side.

"In a way.- I believe you have to fight the cold., try and do the best you can, to make the town feel better." Jewel explained her dark green hues gazing down to her filly.

"While your Pa.- He thinks if you simply ingore it, sooner or later the sickness has to leave." Jewel huffed shaking her head slightly.

"Ohhh.- I think I get it." Aj narrowed her eyes in deep thought, a small hoof tapping her chin.

"Do you think the town will feel better soon?" Aj asked her mother, who gazed up to the star filled sky in silence.

"Yes.-  I do think the town might get better soon..." Jewels voice carried over the night sky, a pony in a dark cloak keeping to the shadows taking each step with caution.

"If ponies can stand up for what is right., fight corruption and fear..." Jewels voice continued, Ms.Mare lying in her bed at home staring up towards her ceiling in deep thought.

"And not fear the darkest nights., the ones that are sure to come., once things start to get better." Jewel finished, Golden Tiara rolling over in her bed, coming muzzle to muzzle with her sleeping husband.

A smile slowly crossing her lips as she gave him a tender night kiss, slowly closing her eyes next.

A small twitch coming forth from her right ear.