Colgate's Practice 4: Blood, Torture and Power

The following 28 days were excruciatingly long for Colgate. While she became very good at handling the sun and moon, she was not overly thrilled about having to do it at precise times each day to not only regulate the varying lengths of each day and night, but also handling the sun angle as well.

Besides Colgate keeping track of how many days it was until she would be crowned queen, the public in Canterlot had also been counting down the days since the news of Luna's death, realizing that once 30 days had passed after her death, that they would have a new leader. While only a few of them knew of the line of succession, they couldn't help but wonder why Prince Blueblood and Fancy Pants had gone missing there in Canterlot and couldn't help but wonder what happened to Shining Armor up in the Crystal Empire.

Finally the day had arrived, the day that Colgate was set to be crowned queen. As she lowered the moon and raised the sun one last time as merely being a steward, she couldn't help but feel a great amount of satisfaction. She said to herself, "Oh look at that glorious sun! That glorious sun signifying that my day has come!"

After finishing her duties she headed to the dining hall where Pearly and her soldiers were readying themselves for breakfast. Colgate saw this and asked, "Pearly, where are the other guards? Aren't they going to join us for breakfast?"

Pearly replied, "They know what today is so they are out notifying the citizens that they are to gather below the balcony before noon."

Colgate said, "Good. It is good to know that they are getting the city ready for my coronation." She began to laugh, "Now it will just be a matter of them being ready for my new laws!"

Pearly suggested, "Colgate, I don't want to question your authority but I think you should grant everypony a month grace period."

Colgate asked, "And why should I do that?"

Pearly replied, "Because there are some areas in Equestria where news travels very slowly and they may not even know you are in power or know about your laws regarding oral hygiene and your ban on sugary treats. It would make you look better in the eyes of Equestria if you did that."

Colgate sighed, "Alright. I know some areas are extremely remote and they may not know about it for a while so I'll grant a two month grace period. Once that is over though, anything goes."

Pearly said, "Good plan Colgate, good plan."

Several hours had passed and noon was fast approaching. Most of the city had gathered outside of the castle below the balcony. In the past when it was known that a new princess was going to be crowned or how it was before Luna was crowned queen most of the crowd was happy. This time though the crowd was full of mixed emotions. They were unsure what to think about only one of the ponies in the line of succession showing up to be crowned and they were especially concerned that everypony else on the list had gone missing.

In the throne room Colgate was readying herself. Unlike in the past where the new monarch would make sure that she looked perfect and in the case of Twilight, was dressed in an elegant gown, Colgate would head to the balcony like she would on any other day. She wanted to be presented to the crowd for what she was, a rational thinking pony who does not need special regalia to show that she is the one in charge.

As noon got closer Pearly asked, "Colgate, so how do you think they will react to you?"

Colgate replied, "Well I hope they welcome me with open hooves. I'm not sure what they'll think about me relocating the capitol and continuing to operate my practice."

Pearly sighed, "Well I'm sure you'll have a few ponies throwing a fit about you moving the capitol but you never know, some of the ponies may actually think highly of you continuing to work despite being queen." Pearly looked up at the clock and noticed that it was only a couple of minutes before noon. He continued, "Well I better go start this address and then when the time is right, you come out and you'll be declared queen."

Colgate nodded as Pearly and her other soldiers headed to the balcony. As soon as they arrived, the clock tower struck twelve and the crowd went silent. Once it finished ringing Pearly started, "Citizens of Canterlot and travelers from across the country, today we celebrate a momentous occasion. For the first time in the history of Equestria, the rules of the line of succession have to be used. It has been thirty days since the passing of Queen Luna and as the law dictates, the pony highest on the list who is here shall be crowned as our new monarch."

A pony in the crowd shouted, "Who is it? Just tell us already!"

Pearly motioned for Colgate to come to the balcony and replied, "Everypony welcome the new ruler of Equestria, Queen Colgate!"

As Colgate arrived at the edge of the balcony some ponies were cheering in delight, others were simply stomping their hooves in approval while a few were actually booing realizing that since a non-regal pony was taking over, that the laws of Equestria may change.

Colgate began her address, "Well, I'm going to let you know that I'm not very good at giving public speeches so if it is short or I stutter some, it isn't because I'm overly nervous or I don't care about you." A few ponies stomped their hooves in delight. Colgate continued, "It has been thirty days since the passing of Queen Luna and I will admit, being a steward for the past month has been a learning experience just as I know growing into the role of queen will be a learning experience as well but I do have some changes that I will be making."

The entire crowd gasped in shock. Traditions had been the same way in Equestria as long as they could remember and here suddenly is a queen that is going to alter things. One of the ponies yelled, "And what are you going to change?"

Colgate replied, "Well let me tell you a bit about myself before I go into that. Right now I own a dental practice in Ponyville and under Queen Luna, I was head of the Equestrian Dental Association, which is why I was in the line of succession. Now despite me being queen now, I shall continue to operate my practice in Ponyville. After all, just because I am royalty does not mean that I am going to quit doing what I love and stop working."

One of the ponies asked, "Your Majesty, but if you are operating your practice down there and living up here, how are you going to handle all the duties you will have?"

Colgate continued, "I have plans on how I am going to handle this. For starters, I am relocating the capitol to Ponyville."

The entire crowd began to boo. One pony yelled, "You can't do that! Canterlot has always been Equestria's capitol city."

Colgate continued, "Well not anymore. I have a practice to run and I am not about to inconvenience myself or my patients by having to commute twice a day."

A pony shouted, but what about tradition? Isn't that important to you?"

Colgate lit up her horn in anger. She continued, "Listen, I am of a completely different origin so new traditions will be established. I will not set on my flank and do nothing like the prior monarchs did, I will not eat only the finest food in Equestria, I will work and I definitely will not change my way of life to fit antiquated traditions."

When she mentioned that she was going to work, some of the ponies began to cheer while the upper class ponies began to boo. Another pony yelled, "If you are going to be working all day five days a week, who will handle court and settle disputes?"

Colgate replied, "They will have to come to court on weekends and pay court costs to pay for inconveniencing me. If that is not an option for them, then my general will handle their disputes."

Another pony asked, "What about when foreign dignitaries come to visit? Won't you have to drop what you are doing and do business with them?"

Colgate sighed, "Unfortunately yes but give it time and they'll come according to when it is convenient for me."

A pony yelled, "What about us in Canterlot? Are we even going to be relevant anymore?"

Colgate replied, "Look, each city and town in Equestria has it's own relevance and has a special place in this great country. While Canterlot will no longer be the capitol, I'm sure you'll continue to live your lives as you normally would." Colgate could hear grumbling among some of the ponies and continued, "I want all of you to know that if you have issues, feel free to contact me through the mail or if you desire travel down to Ponyville to voice your concerns to me on weekends. I hope you all have a good day but I am getting hungry so I am going to eat some lunch."

As Colgate and her soldiers headed back in Pearly said, "Uh Colgate, I'm not so sure you made the best first impression. I could see a lot of ponies giving looks of disapproval over your plans."

Colgate replied, "Well, if they cause any problems I'll deal with them like I do all the other rats."

Pearly laughed, "I take it the rivers are going to run red with the blood of problematic ponies?"

Colgate replied, "Yep. I'm going to not only reform my special army, I will have more loyal ponies trained to become part of it and once that has been done, I can begin to work on achieving my dream of creating the cavity free utopia I have dreamed of ever since I graduated from the academy so long ago."

Pearly asked, "What about the dissidents here in Canterlot? When will you start to take care of them?"

Colgate replied, "As soon as we get everything relocated to Ponyville. Besides poor oral hygiene and sugary treats, dissidents will not be tolerated. Unlike the softies who used to run this country, I'll put the troublemakers in their place." She began to snicker, "I do know one thing, we won't have to spend all that much money on food once we get everything relocated!"

Pearly laughed, "I take it we're going to be eating a lot of pony meat?"

Colgate replied, "Yep, we will be." She put her hoof around Pearly and continued, "You know general, it is truly a great time to be alive!"