Chapter 1: Word Scatter's First Day
Two days ago
Word Scatter Burst through the door of his apartment, panting heavily, he ran to his room and grabbed a saddlebag from the closet. He started to toss everything that was valuable to him into the bag, he put clothes grabbed some food from the kitchen, then he stopped. He opened his bedside drawer, should he brings it? He wasn't a thug anymore, he stared at the shiny revolver peeking through the contents of the drawer. He tossed it into his bag, and zipped it closed, he ran out of the apartment and hopped on a nearby streetcar. Word Scatter looked in the direction he came and saw that a few ponies wearing red were making his way towards his apartment. Scatter quickly pulled his head back into the streetcar and stared ahead nervously. He had to get out of this city.
Present
Word Scatter continued down the road, it seemed endless, he'd lost track of the time he'd been walking. He'd eaten all of his provisions and his hooves felt like lead. He licked his dry lips and paused for a moment, he turned and stared in the direction he had come, he couldn't even see the city anymore. Good, he thought and continued walking. It was a normal morning in Ponyville, the sun had just risen and the birds had begun to sing their songs, a few early risers groggily stared out their windows or went to retrieve their morning papers from their doorsteps. One of these early risers was Applejack, she had woken early to tend to her fields, for an outbreak of disease had erupted throughout her variety of produce. As she made her way to her corn field, she saw a figure walking on the back road that lead through the foothills and over the mountains. The pony was wearing a shiny jacket of some kind and was wearing a canvas saddlebag, bulging with its contents. Trying to be friendly, she walked over to the stranger and introduced herself "Hey there, you must be new in town, I'm Applejack" she extended her hoof for a hoofshake, the stranger smile warmly and shook her hoof "Pleasure meeting you, Applejack. My name's Word Scatter" Applejack couldn't place her hoof in his accent, it sounded sophisticated like from Canterlot, but it also had a twang like the ponies at the hoedowns Big Mac invited her to. "Pardon me for asking, but where are you from?" Applejack inquired "No problem, I'm from West Manehattan" he replied casually. Applejack's smile grew larger "I've been there, how's the orange family?" Word Scatter's smile faltered for just a second "Never met them" Applejack just shrugged "Well, if you need help with anything just holler, enjoy your stay!"
Word Scatter nodded and continued down the road, towards town. Word Scatter breathed a sigh of relief, the first day and he nearly gave away his secret, his worries began to drift off his mind as the smell of glazed sugar and baked sweets reached his nostrils. His eyes scanned the avenue, searching for the source, they landed on a lavishly decorated building with large glass windows, beyond these windows lay every pastry imaginable.Word Scatter frantically searched his saddlebag for money, he found a piece of string, a wadded tissue and a single rusty bit. Word Scatter burst through the doors and rushed to the counter, where a pink pony was sitting patiently, smiling at him "Hello, I'm Pinkie Pie, may I take your order?" she asked cheerfully "I would like a triple fudge chocolate dribble, please" he said eyeing the treat hungrily, Pinkie giggled "You sure know your treats, mister." She reached down and put the pastry in a small paper bag "That'll be two bits" Pinkie told him, Word Scatter's mouth dropped open in disbelief "I've only got one bit" Pinkie shrugged "If I had it my way, everything would be free, but then I'd get fired" she started to reach into the bag to pull the pastry out."Wait! If I payed you half and performed a song for you, would you give it to me?" Pinkie paused "I suppose, I do enjoy music" Word Scatter closed his eyes allowing the beat wash of his heart began, he began to rap, his mind glanced back to the day he started to rap, the lyrics washed over him as allowed his mouth to do all the work. He lost track after the second line, but he didn't mind, this was the only time he felt truly at home, truly safe. He opened his eyes to see Pinkie with a even larger smile on her face "That was amazing! I've never heard singing like that, you should go professional" Pinkie handed him the bag "Enjoy!" She called after him as he left the building.
Word Scatter took a bite of his pastry and inhaled deeply, today was a fresh day, and nothing was going to ruin it. Word Scatter regretted those words as soon as they entered his mind, across the square a pony with a hoodie and a red bandanna entered building. Scatter gulped, had he hallucinated? He did not believe what he just saw, the pastry dropped out of his hoof and hit the ground with a ominous splat. There was a sign on the building, it said "The Blood Bank" a neon picture of a nurse holding a needle glowed next to it. Suddenly, everything began to move in slow motion, Scatter heard the door open all the way across the square, all of his internal alarms blaring at him, he turned and sprinted in the opposite direction. He closed his eyes, hearing only one word echo in his head, blood. He ran until he felt like he'd circled the world thirty times, he began to sweat under his suddenly not so stylish jacket. How could the day have turned bad so quickly? Even though his eyes were not open, he could feel ponies glares burrowing into his coat. He stopped, he had to be strong, he had to be un-afraid, he opened his eyes. He was ready.
Author's Note
Thanks to Quest for inspiring me to write this story
Sorry if this seems bland or uninteresting to you, this was based on my friend's experience when he lived in New York for a short time, I hope nobody or nopony has to go through what he went through
Another thanks to S.E Hinton, for helping me formulate this idea by writing "The Outsiders"
Another disclaimer: This is my first story, so please don't expect it to be perfect. However I welcome criticism with open arms
Vive La France, TwistedHeart
