[Reminder: Do not post if character has been questioned, also, if you're character is 23 or younger, Industrial Equestria is all they know besides what they've heard from stories] Snow Mark, the famous industrialist who almost single-hoovedily drove Equestria into a new age whose foundation was built by her father, looked out of Mark Tower, the tallest skyscraper in all of the world built specifically to be Mark Co's international headquarters. Below stood the refuge of the ultra-wealthy from the smog that has come to cover Equestria. Even rural areas now had a light grey tinge to the air. Everywhere, but Canterlot. It disgusted her, in all honesty. Today was the rare day where she wasn't touring the country, giving to the poor, visiting her factories, making speeches to the public, and it disgusted her that those in this city that she was born in grew ever more wealthy without ever stepping hoof outside the pristine Canterlot. She sighed as she tore her eyes from the city she loathed so much to the smog covered Equestria, "I promise...Things will get better in time...." She muttered to herself, reciting one of her speeches to herself, almost as if she didn't believe it herself and was simply trying to tell herself to believe it, "As long as the free market remains free...natural competition and public voice will make things better. We will eventually find the solution to the smog. Eventually the monopolies will make way for everypony who wants to run a business shall...Everything will get better....But as with so many things...It will get worse before it gets better..." There was a knock on the door and an intern stuck his head in, "Uh, Miss Mark...The Board is now in session...They're waiting for you..." Snow nodded as she looked up, continuing to look out the window, fixing her tie a bit, "Alright. Tell them I will be there soon." After Snow heard the door click sit again, she looked at the beautiful white flower on her windowsill, the White Hope her father had given her a few days before the incident, somehow still alive, "Well Dad...we did it...We industrialized Equestria...I just hope it was the right choice...."
Winterblossom was of quite a lowly job, a maid! Cleaning, dusting and having to wear an outfit that did not suit her one bit! But that was the price to pay for being loyal to the Princesses, and not exactly being a mare of much money, difficult jobs like this was what she was starting off with! Her whole family line had been loyalists really, up even to her namesake, her grandmother! Who had long passed, but regardless... she would have hoped that somepony would have gotten some substantial bits in their time! She was having wavering doubts in the loyalty she had, what if the industrial way WAS the better way? What if it was better than the traditions... this raged in inside her, as she was closing in on the end of her shift!
Gear Burn was somewhat reasonably paid as he managed to obtain a job working in the research and development wing of mark co in canterlot. Though he only recently managed to buy a small one bedroom apartment in canterlot after working at mark co for almost 5 years and keeping his grandmothers and grandfather's inheritance from both sides of the family. Currently gear was on a break after finishing off a prototype gun sight which was ready and waiting to be tested. He grabbed a coffee from a colleagues cafe run before sitting down in the break room and relaxing for the first time in 2 years.
Frozen Cog sat at a table studying an old crossbow, comparing it to todays single rifle. He had stayed up for weeks, taking apart the two apart and taking notes. Drinking nothing but coffee and water started to get to him, he had barely ate anything. for three weeks, FC had ordered the guards to watch the museum while he was away. The museum of Equestria Old and New! was his life. Ever since Frozen Cog's father passed away, he, a seventeen year old pony had to keep the place running. He had assistants, but they had quit their jobs to become models of some sort. He had to work on his own, even though it was exhausting enough trying to work a place the size of a large theme park. "Finished!" Cog yelled slamming a note pad down on the table. He just finished putting the crossbow back together, which had took only one hour strait. Cog looked outside his window, the sky was somewhat boggy from what he had saw. 'Maybe I should sell the museum, move out to the country or somewhere not... polluted.' Cog thought to himself. 'Maybe I could buy that abandon house in that one place' Cog remembered a waterfall in a forest, and there was the house for sell. He could start a new life, get away from all of the drama and factories, and live somewhere where he could be alone. He thought about for years, but never did it. There was a knock on his front door. Cog had walked down the stairs and opened the door. he saw no one but a package. on the side it said "Equestrian canned goods." Cog sighed, taking the package inside the house. 'I hate this place.'
Snow entered the room where the Board of Directors had gathered, giving all of them a small look as she walked over to her place at the head of the table, giving her daughter Cogwheel a small nod and smile along the way. She cleared her throat as she looked around the table, "Now. To business. First thing: Today marks the anniversary of my taking the mantle of CEO and President of Mark Corporations and Industries. And I'm so happy to say my bold prediction I made in my takeover speech has come true." This drew a small applause, "And that leads me to my second point: the time has come to announce my resignation and retirement." A collective gasp from all but Cogwheel, who knew this was coming, Snow told her after all. "today marks 35 years of me working my tail off day and night to bring not just Mark Co but all of Equestria into a new age. And now, I think it is time to give my position to one with the same youthful vigour I had, who's grown up in this new Equestria and knows its needs, my CFO and daughter; Cogwheel Mark!"
Winterblossom yawns, after all that cleaning, dusting, folding, sorting and other such works, for the last six hours straight, she needed a break! And namely, would have head to the nearest cafe, flopping in a chair and sighing, ordering something to drink! Times like THIS, were the times where she regretted being a loyalist, she was so wanting to just join with industrial age, just go and help, work in a factory, do something that actually had to pay... but she knew she would have her coat beaten off if she did such, the curse of a sister and parents!
Cog finally walked outside, breathing in and out the toxic air. He was hungry, and this was the first of three weeks that he had stepped foot outside his own home. Cog lived right in the middle of the town, and was pretty close to the cafe. He sighed, seeing the factories and the chemicals they blew into the air. Cog's stomach screamed for food, or he was just completely hungry and exhausted. As he walked down to the cafe to get something in his source, he noticed his old museum posters. Cog's hasn't had any company in the museum in almost four years, and yet, he still puts up job posters to warm at the museum. He was lonely, the guards were guards, they did their duty, and Cog did his.
Before they knew it, Snow and Cogwheel were in front of a room full of reporters, cameras flashing, recording, mics drinkin in their every word, the aged white mare everypony knew, who was starting to get grey stripes in her mane and bags under her eyes, versus her light brown daughter, youthful, ready, and full of energy. "Today..." Snow started, "I announce my official resignation from my position at Mark Corporations. As with my father before me, I have been slowly giving my daughter, Cogwheel Mark, more and more responsibilities to prepare her for taking over. It is my hope, that she will lead us through a new age, one that will deliver us from the obviously dreadful effects of our nation's rapid industrialization, and into a new era. However, before I hoof the mike over to my daughter, I would like to announce that I will not be retiring from the public spotlight. Instead, effective immediately, I will begin my caimpaign for the presidency as a Labor canidate. That is all, no questions for me, I will now give my daughter the spotlight." And with that, Snow disappeared behind a curtain as the reporters suddenly shot forward with questions, which Cogwheel quickly put down, "Please, please, you will have plenty of time to ask her questions on the caimpaign trail. In the meantime, I would like to begin, as in my mother's fashion, my CEO, presidency, and majority ownership of Mark Corporations with a speech. A speech that will outline my targets as Mark Co's new CEO."
Cog sat in the cafe, reading the daily paper and eating a tomato salad. He read about this speech, how the owner was abdicating her position and gave the job to her daughter. Something bad was going to happen. cog got the feeling of dread and misery. "Hey, heart, be honest with me, do you think I should sell the museum and live out in the country?" Cog asked the waitress. Her name was Gold Heart, Frozen Cogs only friend. She turned around to answer, "Well, if you do that you'll be wealthy. No pony is going to bother really. You'll be living your own life." Cog thought about it for a minute. First, he will have to find some historians, second, Cog will have to wait till the right moment to do so. third, he is going to buy that house in the country.
Winter yawned lightly, sipping her tea, she was only lightly amused by the transfer of power and CEO changing, she would be unaffected by it... somewhat! So some she went, their family may not be wealthy, but they still had a rather modest home! So home she was! And that is where she just flopped, complaining about Canterlot, wanting for the Canterlot citizens to just let technology flood in! At least that would allow for her to get some decent pay!
(Hey, uh, Feather Fire...there's no way you could have already known about Mark Co's change in ownership since it was just announced...)
Being a member of mark co one of gear's co-workers put on Research and development lab 2's TV to watch the announcement. Once that was done Discussion occurred almost immediately. Gear burn started the Discussion which turned into a debate by one of the senior staff members. Who pretty much went on a rant about how He couldn't believe the mare he wants called Equestria's Hero was a Socialist Leftie. Though he was pretty much shot down by gear and every other Worker and supervisor under the age of 40. After that Gear restarted the conversation. "So guys, I guess we will be on a routine visit soon. With the way things are turning for mark co. Lab 2 should be working on those Carbon Dioxide and Monoxide Recycling engine. So we can finally put the pollution to good use."
"My mother has built our legacy." Cogwheel said to the reporters, "Thrust us into an era of never before seen prosperity. Though we may have our differences, one thing my mother and I can agree on that should be the focus of the next 30 years; cleaning up that legacy. We must clean ourselves up, rid ourselves of corruption in business and in government, and clean up our environment, less be remembered as the generation that killed us all for our own gain. We can never go back to what we once were, that times has gone and past. Ahead, we must clean up. But we can not sacrifice this progress." Cogwheel cleared her throat as she looked at the crowd, "However, I believe that government and business are separate. The government cannot regulate the economy without putting a stranglehold on the economy. This is why...I cannot support my mother in her political run. I support the theories of lassiez-faire capitalism and social natural selection. That is all, now if you'll excuse me, I have a company to run."
After Frozen Cog ate, he decided to take a stroll around the town. He didn't like the factories, or the newer buildings, no he preferred the manticores rather than all of this. He continued to walk down the street, looking at the different buildings. Cog had just remembered the museum, he had to see any damage done to it. Few minutes later, Cog arrived at the museum, and took one good look at it. "No wander." Cog told himself, seeing that the museum looked like some run down orphanage. He thought to himself, what could he do to this place. Cog looked around, and saw a depot store, and looked at his old posters, "I need help."
Snow stepped out of Mark Tower and into a crowd of reporters who could not get into the building itself, to whom Snow simply smiled and waved at, shaking hooves and ignoring questions, then, in the midst of the crowd, as she reached out with her hoof to shake the hoof of another, her eyes widened as she read the face of the pony. She tried getting away just as the stallion raised a pistol, and a bullet fired, going into her as the crowd screamed from the shot, as the assassin yelled, "DEATH TO THE OPPRESSORS." just before being tackled, as Snow's unconscious body was quickly dragged into a nearby carriage and sent zooming to the nearest hospital. (Ya, forgot to mention, the higher up you are on the totem pole, or the bigger splash you make, the more you get targeted by anarchists or other radical elements)
Masquerade was sitting in a bar, tired. Today's business was pretty... ''low'', as he'd say. And the barman would kick him out of if he doesn't make any money soon. He was a simple pony; he'd sit by the bar, and play short card games with the clients. Or bets, if he was up to them. Then, he'd give 20% of his profits to the bar; leading him to have the best job ever! He was his own boss, and he was doing what he liked to do; fool ponies and stealing tem. Actually, he hated to call himself a thief. But playing illusions on them was, undirectly, taking their money. He was brang back to reality as a client sat next to him. He must've been tired, by the way the ground and the bar resounded. He took off his cape's hood, only to meet his nightmare. The bar's proprio. Without a word, Masquerade stood up and left. As he passed next to the barman, he tilted his head as a greating, before leaving the dark, hallowed ambiance, to get blinded by the horrible sun. He got blinded, as he always was. Putting his cape's hood over his eyes, he started to walk in a random direction; In less than 3 minutes, he'll be in front of another potential business.
Frozen Cog walked around the town, asking if someone would help with the museum redecoration, but everypony either demanded something more valuable than his life, or demanded money up front. It had been three hours before cog had quit asking for help. He walked into the Museum, looking at all of his fathers work. Cog had barely enough money to feed himself. His house had no heat, electricity, nor warm water. He needed a job one that would pay good money. But there were no jobs for Cog, he either had to move somewhere far away and never return, or sell the Museum for a very cheap and reasonable price. He didn't want to do any of that, not until the right time has come. Someone needed a worker, preferably someone who knew something about weapons, or ancient tech, or even machinery that have broke down. 'I hope I get a job, don't wanna die broke and worthless.' Cog checked to see if there were any mail. Sadly, there was no mail.
(I think I'm gonna drop from this. Sorry. I haven't been feeling the "author" vibe I normally have, so peace, and good luck with your rp)
Masquerade arrived to a stop, in the middle of the ''urbanized'' side of Canterlot; there wasn't a lot of bars here, and restaurants usually kicked him out if he couldn't get any ''clients'' after a few minutes. Maybe he should head back 'home' for the rest of the day, and return to his usual hangouts at daynight, hoping there wouldn't be anyone recognizing his tricked games? But he'd loose potential clients. And he'd hate to loose any little money he could get; he wasn't poor, but his rent wouldn't pay itself, and his job wasn't the easiest. He had always dreamed to work in an office, with a stable, premanent job, and wearing ties and stuff instead of hiding under a cloak in the dark city, now covered in a thick layer of smokey polution. He could picture himself, in a grand office, with huge bay windows over the dark clouds, starring at the bright sun again. He sighed. There was no point in dreaming; the city turned pretty ''underground'' and violent. With the arrival of the new technologies came a bad side; crime. His business was almost considered a crime in itself; stealing ponies by playing their minds. He risked a lot in going in an office. Some guards or stuff could recognize him, and get harsh. Or worse, turn him to the royal guards. But still, something told him that there was something for him somewhere in this era of changes and technologies. Wearing masks was his talent; selling stuff was his particular ability. Maybe he would belong somewhere around the suited ponies wearing their stupid smiles at their job, and leaving their happiness on their desk as they went back home. Something about stealing ponies by selling them anything for a high-for-nothing price... He continued his walk towards the tall buildings, looking for jobs. Today, he'll quit being a thief, and become something. Finally something.
Frozen Cog sat in front of the museum, giving up hope. He didn't want to sell his fathers work, nor did he want to be homeless. Cog was remembering all of the times him and his father spent time together, none. His father was more concerned with getting more and more money. And with money, you could buy anything that you wanted. Cog knew that business men would come by and try to buy the place without even asking, and Cog felt that he would rather die. "What am I holding on to?" He asked himself, "I can't even get a simple job other than get some sleep. I can't keep living like this." Deep inside Cog wanted to cry, but he was 17, he needed all of this stress taken off of his shoulders and needed a miracle. Cog needed something that will give him some hope. He didn't care wether it would be working as a fast food chef, or a waiter. He has been to every place that was looking for new workers, but they would either lie to him, or they would simply shoot Cog down. He needed a job, one to where he can make enough money to actually live a life of happiness other than depression. Cog needed his fathers museum to rise again, but how? Thats when it clicked in Frozen Cog's head, what if he and only himself could tidy up the place. It was huge,but something needed to be done. The first thing he needed was some helpers, someone who could work for free and wouldn't take off. But who would help Cog?
