Copper Badge was a mare of simple tastes and simple pleasures. She liked catching bad guys, liked rubbing it in their faces, and enjoyed donuts.

She also liked justice being served. And liked it when good ponies seemed to repent.

Sweetie Star had been one of the bigger record-keepers for BubbleBeaker and the others, but hadn’t actually known anything of what was going on. Not really. When she’d been arrested five months previous, she’d been terrified and scared and had given up all the information she’d had willingly.

The courts, because of her help and excellent filing systems, had found her to be just an unknowing pawn in BubbleBeaker’s schemes. So after serving five months, she was now free to go.

All those months gorging on cakes and the high calorie cafeteria food had done a number on her figure, so much so that even being in prison hadn’t caused her to lose all that much weight. The unicorn was in a cart, one of the largest ever built, and it was a tight squeeze. And that was after losing over a hundred pounds due to the prison system’s mandatory diets.

Copper Badge waddled alongside Sweetie. Copper wasn’t as large as Chief or the more important ponies, but she was quite chubby in her own right.

“I’m glad you’re finally out of here, Star,” Copper said breathlessly.

“Yeah, me too,” Sweetie Star replied smiling up at the sunlight. Copper was walking her to the gates, where Sweetie had transport waiting, “I’m glad I can get out of here. The diet’s been brutal.”

“I know the lack of cake has been hurting you something fierce, but it’s the best we can do. Hey, maybe you can sign up for a gym membership or something, keep losing.”

Sweetie Star gave an approximation of a shrug. “Nah, I don’t think so. But maybe, who knows now I have the whole of Equestria at my hooves?”

“That’s the spirit,” Copped nodded to one of the guards, who slid open the gate for Sweetie Star. “Now go on. You’ve done us all proud. Serving Equestria like you did...I’m just sorry I couldn’t get the judge to reduce your sentence further.”

Sweetie gave a hesitant laugh, looking embarrassed, “Don’t. Please. I uh..hope you have a good day.”

“Have a good life, Miss Star.” Copper nodded. She stayed outside long enough to make sure Sweetie Star got loaded properly, then turned and went back into the prison.

One of the guards was there, looking worried, “He’s at it again, Badge. You gotta stop him. He’s making the others mad.”

Copper sighed a bit, waving a hoof at the guard “Let him be, the others are in cages too, it’s not like they can hurt each other.”

“Alright sir… just… he’s a little bit louder than usual, to the point where the warden can hear him.”

Copper raised her eyebrows worried, the last thing she wanted was the warden throwing his immense weight around and getting her in trouble. Like that time she caught him sweet talking Stout Wrangler, which was quickly put on the down low.

“Alright alright, I’ll see about getting him to shut up. It’s not like we can get anything useful out of him anymore,” she commented as she slowly began her ponderous waddle into the cell block.

She could smell the wet concrete if she tried, the idea of maximum security for a pony was unheard of until ‘he’ showed up. They had him on 24 hour surveillance while they built it, and practically threw a party when he was finally locked up in the prison’s basement. Unfortunately, concrete made an excellent echo chamber and thus the damn pony’s propaganda projected out of it like some kind of megaphone. Outside of the second metal gate stood two guards… well… they placed to guards there, the two massive blobbish ponies on either side of the gate, instructed to roll over onto their sides to block the exit and radio for reinforcements.

“How long has he been rambling?” Copper asked, looking up at one of the massive guards. No response.

“HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN RAMBLING?!” she yelled, causing the guard to jump, pulling out some cotton from his ear.

“Uh… it’s been… a little over half an hour madam.”

“Dear Celestia above, does he even breathe?” She mumbled, unlocking the first gate and slowly dragging herself down the fifty yard hallway of concrete. His words were loud and prominent, a rambling declaration of insanity.

“All creatures of Equestria deserve to live happy and content. What vile prison is this land where one must work to the hoof, claw, and talon to maintain some type of proper living. I was the only one willing to pull the trigger, to push pony kind into a new era, a beautiful era, where every pony could eat their fill and more. I was the only one willing to stand at the top, and lead all of you into salvation, even if that meant being so high up that my visage was hidden by the clouds.

I, Bubble Beaker, am the only one to properly rule all of Equestria, to allow Celestia and Luna freedom from the shackles of leadership.”

Copper banged on the door, yelling “aye there, at least quiet down a bit, some of us have actual work to do.” And yet, he still continued to ramble, on and on about the right to feast and fulfill deep desires. Copper peered through the bars, the room was dark, but she could see the silhouette of the pony standing in his room, rocking back and forth a bit on his legs.

“I’M WARNIN’ YAH, IF YOU DON'T STOP NOW, I’LL GET THE KEYS FROM THE WARDEN AND GAG YAH!” she whinnied once more, looking into the cell a bit, seeing Bubble Beaker proclaim, demand, and exclaim. His rant didn’t immediately stop.

“THAT'S IT, I’M GETTIN THE WARDEN!” she snapped, stomping away from the cell, her belly jiggling violently with each clackin hoofstep.

“-Even with my body locked in here, my message has been declared, the blue prints have been drawn, I will have a successor who desires a better future for Ponies, Gryphons, Dragons, and all of the creatures that call this place home. No one can stop the forward movement of pro-“ Click.

An almost unnoticeable pause. A high-pitched, almost static whine. Click.

“-The future of pony kind was at the reach of our hooves…” The earlier rant continued.

Copper stopped, her heart practically jumping out of her thick chest, she turned her head back at the door before bolting as fast as she could out of there.

“GET THE WARDEN!”

It was too late though, when Copper got the key from the warden and entered BubbleBeaker’s cell, all that awaited them was a tape player, a bunch of bound up blankets and pillows in the shape of a pony, and an oscillating fan attached to it all, pulling it slightly left and right.

Bubble Beaker had escaped.

(LINE BREAK)

Outside, now miles and miles from the prison because of the speedy transport awarded to her, Sweetie Star grimaced as BubbleBeaker climbed and tugged his way out from between two of her massive folds. He’d been stuck far in, using a small tube to breathe.

“Ugh, that was disgusting.”

Sweetie rolled her eyes, “What, were my rolls too sweaty or something?” Her voice thick with sarcasm.

BubbleBeaker huffed a sigh, glaring up at her from where he was still half-hidden in the bed of this transport, “No no, I remembered that asinine monologue I’d been prattling on for the past couple of weeks. I find the idea of long drawn out flowery prose absolutely useless and frustrating. Now, don’t forget why you did this. I have no qualms reneging from my end of the contract.”

Sweetie Star whined, frowning, “But..you promised all the cake I could eat if I got you out!”

“And I will,” BubbleBeaker promised, “I will. But not until I’m safe, and not if you go blabbing!”

Sweetie Star managed not to roll her eyes this time, “Not like I have anyone else to tattle to. Not after five months in prison.”

BubbleBeaker smiled, a secret, mystery of a smile. One that hinted at the intellect and future plans. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

All he had to be sure of this time was being even more careful. Nopony was going to stop him this time.

Author's Note

Welp...One ending wasn't enough. I think y'all have the option of the bad end or the good end, with the potential addendum this chapter uses. I might make a sequel, I might not, but this leaves things open to your imagination as to what happens next.

Thank you to Pheal as always for all his help with this.

And a special thanks to Liquid Savage for giving me the name for Copper Badge :)

If you guys want to help support me my Patreon is here. Or if you'd just like to donate to my rent payment this month this is my paypal. If you'd like an e-transfer or anything else, PM me. I appreciate your support, both financial and moral. You guys are great.