A series of unrelated stories that are 150 words long. All written by some loser.
These are a series of stories made for the group, Flashfic. They have monthly contests where you have to write a story that have a 150 word limit. These chapters are the entries I made for those months.
Some of them will be good, some of them will be bad, some will be experimental, and some will be magnifique. Emotional, humorous, interesting, you won't really know what you'll be getting until you read it.
Some say that there are 151 or more words, despite the fact that there are really 150 words. Fimfiction takes words a little differently from the word counter I use.
It comes to a point where anypony would question if there's a point to this insanity. What possible joy can you get for being a princess of the sun?
Cheerful I was, beaming with rays of enjoyment for others. I didn't need a colossal star to do that for me, just being there was enough to make their day shine. Wishing to brighten up everypony's day, I expanded my attempts through a different form. The sun was my answer and they enjoyed it, were grateful even, but something changed over time.
They take my gesture for granted, not even noticing it anymore; too blinded by the light I cast for them.
My orb shines, yet my desire has dimmed out. Why continue when no appreciation is given in return?
My reasoning for doing this has no meaning behind it anymore.
"Come on, Twilight. You'll love the punchline." Pinkie said as she's holding up an empty hanger.
The Alicorn sighs at the line that was about to come, "How'd you do in court?"
"I lost the suit!"
"Marvelous," Twilight said with no real interest. "Now let me get back to reading."
"Wait, there's more!"
"There's more?" she groans.
"So a farmer has three daughters and-"
"-they had dates. One was named Shower Confetti and said they would eat spaghetti. Another was named Doughnut Joe and said they'll see a show. The last one was named Moon Struck and was shot by the father. Yeah, that's an old joke too. Here's a new joke; you know Cranky?"
Rarity is such an amazing mare, she seems to find the time to get everything done. She's been pushing herself, so tonight, I want her to relax during our date. I knock on her door and she greets me in the alluring way as usual; flipping her mane, fluttering those eyes, and saying "Good evening, darling. I'm thrilled that you came. I've prepared bucatini for tonight's special occasion."
"Actually, I was thinking of going out tonight."
"Nope, I won't hear of it. Everything must be perfect. Now sit down, I'll check the steam pressure if it's ready."
"Steam pressure?"
"Yes," she head towards the kitchen, "I was in a hurry and thought I cou-AAHHH!!!!"
I run into the kitchen and see bucatini splattered everywhere. She starts to whimper at the mess and she buries her face into my chest.
I stroke her head, "Why don't we go out for pizza?"
The life of an artist is not an easy one. Take me for instance, I simply promote my work for the public to enjoy. And yet ponies look at me as..... off.
I love making portraits you see, and my latest was that of Celestia. She was happy to help and volunteered herself to make this chance come to be.
Her pose exquisite. Her mane majestic. I captured everything about her perfectly with scarlet monochrome. I was anticipating blue, but I can't change what was given to me.
I displayed my masterpiece for the public to admire, just looking at how they weep from the beauty brought me nothing but joy. However, I was soon incarcerated for my portrayal of the princess.
Could they not see the sweat, tears, and blood that was put into it?
Well......... at least they can admire the outcome I made of the fair pony.
"It's so great to be back in Ponyville," the gray mare said as she stepped out of the vehicle.
"We never left Ponyville, my friend." the stallion corrected.
"But... but the city, a-and the snowy field, and the BIG lizards!"
"We just simply use string theory and compressed it to pin a key point and connect the field that generated from it and shift over to the plane when we begin to decompress."
The mare's eyes were spinning at trying to wrap around what she just heard, "We what again?"
"To put it simple; we traveled through time."
"We did?" she said in astonishment, "Wow, that was some magic spell."
"It was science, my friend. A thrilling discovery in science that will revolution history of the 'then' and the 'will be'."
"I'm just happy to my back in this time."
"Quite right, there truly is no time like the present."
"Ah Spirit, head of the year book committee, right? I've been looking over the proofs and I was wondering about this."
"That? That's something the team thought up for the first years. You know how the seniors get a 'then and now' pictures, well we thought of giving the freshmen 'now and will' pictures."
"You made them look like they're in their golden years. And you don't even have the 'now' pictures."
"We ran out of room."
"*sigh* I can't accept these. The parents of the students will be looking for their children within these pages, and when they see their child looking like senior citations, we'll be hearing a backlash and will be expected to remove the pictures and replace them with the proper ones."
"Alright, Principal Celestia. We'll replace them immediately."
"And next time, don't replace the absent student with flowers."
The mare stares at the melancholy reflection of the train's window, lost in thought as her friend chatters forth.
"...it'th like a mythtery bag, ya know. Jutht what wath that Ruthtico hiding?"
"Grubber," she stares at the shattered feature of the image's forehead, ".....is there a reason to continue anymore?"
He listens closely to her words.
"A constant reminder that I'm already one hoof in the grave, that disfigurement is nothing but a sign of limitations on how I can't perform the simplest of tasks that others can."
"Well actually, after theeing what other Unicornth can do, I think it'th a thymbol of thtrength."
"....."
"You went with a broken horn through motht of your life and lived fine without it fixed. How many unicornth do you think can live with a broken horn?"
"....." she peered at him, letting the words sink in.
"Now onto another important thing; Bundevara or Makmur?"
The orange mare continues to frantically pace back and forth, "Okay, don't panic. We just need ta find somepony ta help us."
Her brother watches in concern while cradling a green foal.
"Starlight? Nuh-uh, she's fine at magic; but this is out of her field. Zecora? But she's outta town. A doctor? Naw, they can't stand us Apples." she covers her face in panic with the stetson hat she wears, "Oh poor Granny Smith, we'll get ya back to normal. Don't ya fret."
"Call me crazy, Applejack." spoke a red bowed filly, "but ah think Baby Smith likes this."
"How can ya say that? She was havin' a fine time as she was before. Sitin' in her chair, rockin' day after day, nothin' ta worry about. What makes ya think she wanted this?"
In the kitchen, a cake holding more than eighty blown-out candles still waits to be eaten.
It feels like that this is all a dream, Well, a nightmare to be blunt.
With nothing much left and so little time to go on, I've been doing nothing but reflecting on my life with questions.
Couldn't there have been another way to comfort her? Rabbits die just like the rest of us, so what compelled me to help? Simpothy? Friendship? Title? ....no, I don't deserve this title. I don't deserve these wings. Not after the monster I've created.
Oryctolagus Myocardiumless, just what was I thinking? Of course this would happen and I would... get... infected.
I
I'm losing focus,
If anypony stumbles upon this diary.
PLEASE!!! Don't come looking for me!
By the time you read this, I won't be the same pony as I am now.
Just cosideconsider me as deddead and ieli'l
Rarity looks at her sister with perusing eyes; completely bewildered at that startling speech of hers. She's tense and is looking everywhere else to avoid any eye contact.
"..............gotta go." Sweetie states as she bolts out the door.
"There's the mare with the skills to pay the bills."
"What is it, Zephyr?" spoke the irritated Rainbow Dash.
"Oh just this," he waves a card in his wing. "A letter I got from a secret admirer."
"Hm-hmm."
"I'm too proud to admit it, but your bravado always gets my heart racing and your charm can be so intoxicating at times. I wish I could spend my time with you for Hearts and Hooves Day." Zephyr gives her a sly grin, "Sound familiar?"
"No, but it sounds like she has poor taste." The mare gives a snicker, "I bet that letter isn't even real. I think this is an attempt of yours to try and make me feel jealous."
"Say what you want, but I am here to grant your wish. Just as you requested."
Dash groans at his decision and kept screaming in her head... "It worked! IT WORKED!!!"
"Twilight," a concerned Starlight asked, "Are you alright?"
The punctual Twilight is rocking herself on the floor, "Mustn't..... but..... I have...... yet...... shouldn't......"
Puzzled, she spoke to the dragon in the room, "You weren't kidding, Spike. She's completely lost it. What happened to her?"
The drake had a guilty look on his face as he tried to avoid eye contact. He hands her a parchment and Starlight levitates it towards her face.
Checklist for the day
☑ Fix the bed.
☑ Eat a meal of exactly three hundred calories.
☑ Re-organize the books.
☑ Review students' homework.
☑ Write tomorrow's checklist.
☑ Re-organize the books again.
☑ Burn calories from meal earlier through exorcise.
☑ Give a speech to the other princesses about the need for scrolls.
☑ Re-organize the books........ again.
☐ Leave unchecked.
"QUIT STUBBING YOUR TOE, YA DORK!" yelled a voice down the hall.
"How did she know that?" Spike asked the headmare of the school, Twilight.
"Um.... Spike, have you ever consider girls around your age, or species for that matter? I heard from Ember that dragons have a special bond between them when one deeply cares for the other. They experience an emotional frequency which they can feel what the other is experiencing, such as pain. And they can be quite feral with teenage drakainas."
"So a dragon with a crush on me can feel my pain?"
"And more."
"Really?" His cheeks flushed, "Like what?"
*BANG*
The door to the room slams open with a riled up Smolder clutching the frames. She glared at the drake with scornful eyes, but her heavy breathing and light blushing left the opposite impression.
"So..." Trixie lowered her teacup, "I was just a phase for you."
"No you're not." Starlight said reassuringly.
"It's just like with Maud. It was girls' night out every week, just the three of us. But when Mudbriar came by, it started to become the two of us every other week. And eventually..."
"That's not going to happen with me and Sunburst."
"He's going to be the most important pony in your life. When you need support, he'll be close by. And when you need a partner, you'll think of him first. You're already too busy for me with your counseling, what do you think a husband will bring? And if you have any foals..."
"Trixie..."
"........I'll leave you to your wedding plans." Trixie pushed herself from the table. "I might as well start planning too." she choked on her words, "That year-long world tour doesn't seem that impossible now."
Pistachio plops his head on the table, "But everypony was only interested in Polomare's designs. They didn't even look twice at mine."
"The sad thing about making something new," Coco begins as she sews, "is that once you create them, they'll be overshadowed by your competition. Like a candle's flame, it battles to stay alive for ponies to witness the majestic dance it performs. But it often can be overlooked by bigger and brighter flames. With no ponies surrounding it, the flame will extinguish to the harsh winds of life. Losing its chance to rival the sun."
"Where's the joy then? Why create when hardly anypony will see them?"
Coco snaps the thread. "The only joy flames truly receive, is the warmth it gives off to ponies." Levitating a small sewed hat, she places it on a worn out doll. "Even if it's just for the pony who lit it."
"I can't keep up these adventures forever, Dash. I'm getting old, my adventuring days are fast approaching to an end."
"But you can't end it! What if you wrote about made up adventures like.....like.....like Daring Do teaming up with a tie wearing gorilla!"
"Dash, it's over."
"This is a nightmare. Daring Do can't end."
"The story will never end, Dash. Not as long as there are dedicated fans to keep it alive."
"It won't be the same. It'll just be a bunch of crummy ripoffs and fanfics."
"That's the beauty of it, new blood will be taking the helm and make it work better than it is now. As long as the spirit is there, there will always be a story to tell about Daring Do."
"Will it really?"
"Eventually. After a sunset, there will always be darkness before the sun rises again with newfound ambition."
"That should do the trick. Now Wind, I want you to... Wind?"
The maple abyssinian lifts up from his workbench and spots the summer-lime pegasus staring out the window. The feline nibbles on the wheatgrass in his mouth as he picks up an iron nut and flicks it at the daydreaming stallion to knock him back to reality.
Wind snaps his sight back to the cat, "Sorry, Uncle Cider. Just.... thinking."
Cider felt a heavy weight as he looks at Wind's missing left wing. "Well... perhaps this can help you focus." Cider carries and fasten a metallic wing on the young pony.
Wind flaps the metal attachment, adjusting to the false limb.
"It's not much, and it can't help you get airborne, but ol' Cider constructed something special." Cider presses a button on the wing and a journal forms into existence within the wing's grip, "It'll be useful, Second Wind."
I didn't think I'd ever find somepony like you. A strong, soft-spoken stallion that I can feel comfortable around.
It feels like yesterday when we first met. Both of us timidly shy, searching for the right thing to say. Just two foalish ponies smitten at the other's presence.
I'd often envision what the future would hold for us. Marriage? Foals? Lots of foals? I felt like anything would be possible as we share our lives together.
I guess they're just dreams thought up by a filly now.
Because she's there.
You seem so happy, so forward now... so unreachable. You're even talking to me. Talking so fluently with no repression in your words.
The wishes, the foals,... the love... all the things that gave me joy is now crumbling from the missing pillar.
Just how? How can I respond any different from that day?
[Bystanders in the immediate area. Proceed with caution.]
[Approaching target...]
[The target has spotted me! Switching to inconspicuous mode!]
[...target is observing with no sudden movements. Proceeding with the plan.]
[...target now within range.]
[Ammo loaded]
[Target locked on!]
[....INITIATE!!]
"Here it is!" His small hoof slapped the sheet of paper down on her desk, "Last night's homework! Finished and ready to be evaluated. Just for you, Miss Cheerilee."
"Thank yo-"
"And might I add," he flashed a smile her way, "you're looking lovely as usual."
While the young colt wiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively, the full grown mare had her brows evenly low in a peevish manner.
With an uninterested tone, Cheerilee said, "Get back to your seat, First Base."
[MISSION FAILED! OPERATION: 'SEDUCE HOT TEACHER' HAS FAILED!! FALLBACK!!! FALLBACK!!!]
Bright Bramley pulls his head up from the tub, "I gogh au auffle!" he announces, his face completely drenched. Bramley trots in place and shows his father the fruit in his mouth, "ish ya shee?"
"Eeyup!"
Bramley heads off to show his accomplishment toward his cousins at the apple family reunion, leaving Big Mac behind.
Mac focuses on the tub of water, letting his mind drift like the apples floating inside. His distant gaze didn't go unnoticed by his approaching sister, Applejack.
She knew what he was thinking, she was thinking it too, "First time we've had a get-together without Granny Smith."
"Eeyup."
Applejack leans on her brother for comfort, which he gives in return.
"...there's something the minister once told me." Macintosh reminisces aloud to his sister, "Life is like an ocean, each of us are our own boats that sail it. And Granny's boat... hers was a battleship.
"I don't like it." huffed Shining Armor, "Why is that terrorist part of the guard?"
Second Wind watched his captain pacing back and forth to fume out this bit of news. "I know you're still upset that she turned your wife to stone, but ease up on Tempest."
"After what she did? Just what kind of pony would sell out her country just to get a horn back?"
"Her horn must mean a lot to her."
"That's no excuse. We shouldn't have ponies that would hand over Equestria representing the guard."
"Would you give up your daughter?"
Shining Armor shivered his entire body stiff.
"If you had to choose between giving up Equestria or Flurry Heart, which would it be?"
Caught within an impossible choice, Armor felt the cold impact of the question ripple through his body.
"Tempest probably reacted similar as you are now. Will you answer the same?"
There's good reason why you shouldn't stick your nose in things, curiosity kills the cat after all, and the killer is using that cat's intestines as a fiddle for me to dance to.
I felt this coming. Like a yak-in-the-box, I anticipated this oncoming approach, but this sicko found a way to smash my reality to pieces.
I could've saved this mare, could've had her live another day to enjoy a dip in the bathtub instead of sprawling in a pool of her own blood.
Now I have a corpse, and I'm no closer at finding who this scumbag is. I'm not going to rest until I hunt them down and make them pay for what they've done.
You might assume that I'm sticking my nose in things that don't involve me. I can assure you, they brought me into this, and I'm going to find out who killed me.
Twilight offers Sugarcoat the pen in her shaking hand.
"You look like a train wreck right now." Sugarcoat bluntly states.
"Today's been tearing me apart." Twilight slides her fingers through her messy hair, "Everybody's been saying 'None of this is real' or 'You must wake up' all day to me. I can't figure out if I'm sleeping, if I'm trapped in an illusion, or even if I'm just losing my mind!!" Twilight takes deep breaths to try and calm down, "I need water."
Twilight leaves her Crystal Prep classmates while she rubs her hands and tries to make sense of things.
The moment Twilight leaves through the door, Lemon Zest bursts into laughter.
Sugarcoat looks over to Sunny Flare with an amuse look, "What now?"
Sunny carries a smug expression, "Now we sit back and enjoy the meltdown."
"You really got through to them when you said, 'can you offer a job?'"
"Shut up!"
"Make me."
"..."
"Just look at yourself, nothing's changed. You're back where you were before, a broken pony without a purpose in life."
"..."
"How long has it been? Ten? Twenty?"
"Four years."
"Not since his fall."
"..."
"You know what I'm talking about."
"...the day I was damned."
"Now you're being honest with yourself."
"..."
"You're starting to admit it. Deep down, you're just making excuses for yourself."
"..."
"You know that it's impossible, you're going to be struggling for the rest of your days as half a unicorn. One that feels demoralized for being handicapped."
"..."
"You see this. And you know where this pointless search will take you."
"..."
"You'll start to accept that there's no hope, begin to feel miserable about everything, and you'll finish it by committing sui-"
As the sun rises, the young colt finishes his sharp appearance for the day ahead. Fur cleaned, mane styled, he radiates confidence as he reviews himself in the mirror. "You failed yesterday," he coaches his reflection, "but today, you'll finally get them." His lips curl below his honed eyes, "I'm positive."
As the sun falls, the young colt watches as another foal leaves with their parents. Gleeful interest, expressive endearment, they resonate affection as he watches from the windowsill.
Foals behind him play about until a pony wearing black clothing appears at the door. "Time to wash up for dinner, everypony," she issues. The foals obey her, but she notices the distracted colt, "You too, Flash Sentry."
"Yes, Sister Marey."
She leaves, but Flash keeps watching the new family.
"You failed today," Flash reminds himself, "but tomorrow, you'll finally get them." His lips quiver below his misty eyes, "I'm positive."
Twilight's face stays deadpan on the book she reads while sitting on the wooden stool.
"Did you hear me?" Spike asks for his unreplied apology.
Twilight lifts the book up to eye level in her aura, practically buried within its pages.
Spike starts to feel the anxiety swirling inside himself, worried at the fact that he was unheard once again. Despite the close proximity, Spike never felt more farther from her. If only he could get a better look at her face to get a sense that he's reaching her.
Spike stretches his neck to see her expression, but Twilight shifts in her seat, blocking his attempt.
"So I goofed up." Spike tries to soften the issue, "It isn't that-" he quivers upon seeing Twilight leering at him. Peering over the hardcover wall that she constructed to keep his distance from her.
“You can't be serious. Isn't there anything that'll change your mind?”
“When Mom passed away, all of us were in a glum state for months. Ah was still a youngen then, but ah got the idea that playing the guitar would solve everything. Mom always could get our spirits up from her music, and ah practice till ah could too. That's all ah wanted from this, to play for my family, not this superstar lifestyle,"
“We were going to perform across Equestria together.”
“Ah'm sorry Rara, but these past few weeks have shown how much strength they give me, so ah'm hanging up my hat as being Apple Chord." Applejack gives Rara a brief hug, "Don't let this damper you none. You got this glamour life down, so live your dream."
Rara makes a lamenting sigh as Applejack gallops away, "It's not much of a dream, when you're performing solo."
The entire classroom flinches from Applejack slamming the door open. The students watch as the mare stomps her way over to the stand.
"Alright fallers," Applejack yells, "listen up! Cause I'm only gonna say this once."
Applejack glares at the assortment of young stallions, drakes, keythongs, and bulls.
"You put yourself in, Then pull yourself out, Push on back in, And keep going all about. Yer doin' The Hokey Pokey as they moan and shout. And that's roughly what it's all about."
Applejack marches back to the door where Twilight stands, mouth agape to what the mare just said.
"Done," Applejack huffs to the incredulity-state Twilight.
"I can't believe you butchered an innocent song just to teach adolescent boys sexual education."
"That ain't nothin'," Applejack brushes her action aside, "You should see what ah can do with Red Ridin' Hood."
Escaping through the warehouse with the masked assailant pursuing, she darts for the backdoor, only for folding blinds constructing before her.
Trapped with little hope, she turns to her chaser. The fuchsia aura emits like a flame from them, but she only grins.
She throws a can of manespray between the two of them and it sprays out a thick fog for her to escape in. She falls on her tail and it springs her over the blinds.
Out the door, she stretches her mane and flings herself outta there, but a giant maneclip pins her prehensile mane to the wall.
The mare makes a low giggle, watching her approaching captor seething their rage through heavy breathing and giving a killing gaze.
She struggles to hold in her chuckling, but goes into uncontrollable laughter as Radiance appears from the shadows, causing the moonlight to bounce off of her bare head.
"And that's why they call him a 'waffle stealer'?"
"Yup. And since then, no one can stand the guy and avoids him."
"That's ridiculous. Just because he forked a waffle piece off of someone else's plate shouldn't brand him in such a harsh way. It was a bold move on his part, but he seems like a decent guy."
"Maybe."
"Maybe? You're saying you don't know anything about him?"
"Well I know he plays guitar, and... there's... hmm..."
"That's all you know?"
"Pretty much. I don't want to be viewed in a negative light by associating with him."
"Well who does associate with him?"
"..."
"...is there anypony who associates with him?"
"..."
"...I'm going to talk to him."
"But others will look down on you for doing so!"
"Then let there gazes be low. I wouldn't be much of a princess of friendship if I'd ignore the loneliest pony in Equestria."
Staring up the colossal entrance, Twilight wobbles her jaw with her eyes on the door handle far beyond her reach. She tried to use her magic to open the doorway and she tried flapping her wings to hover towards the handle, but for some reason, the magic in her horn was gone and her wings weren't giving her any height.
Twilight gallops back across the wooden plain towards the castle and starts pushing it towards the door. Her hooves begin to feel the floor vibrating and she stiffens up in fear as the door opens.
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
Twilight holds her pose as a giant hand picks her up.
"*gasp* an ursa minor! Defend the castle!!"
The hand swings Twilight and rams her into the big teddy bear.
"*phew!*"
The stuff toy flies back.
Twilight is placed on the castle playset, "Nothing will stop me from protecting Equestria!" Megan voices for Twilight.
Flurry Heart swings open the door to the dining hall. "WHY WAS I CURSED TO BE A PRINCESS?"
In the room sits Shining Armor, reading the newspaper, and Princess Cadance, reading official documents. Both unresponsive to their daughter's cry.
"It's always, 'Sign my book, Flurry!' or, 'Can we get a picture, Flurry?'" Heart folds her forehooves on the table and buries her face in them, "I just wanna have a day where I'm a regular girl like everypony else, to live and dream like them, but everypony just keeps making me the center of attention!" she whines.
Shining and Cadance show no concern.
"Well no more!" Flurry gallops for the door, "If they won't leave me alone, then I'll leave them! I'm going to stay in my room, FOREVER!!"
Shining turns the newspaper, "To think, as a foal, she cried for attention."
Sunset paused, questioning the odds. She pulled away from the motor, completely amazed that the bird was perched on the broom's head.
Gently lowering the broom, firmly gripping the handle's end, Sunset eyed the garage door and slowly went for it. She got stopped by her car's antenna, now noticing she ringed her arms around it.
Sunset stiffened her left arm and struggled to support the broom one handed as she swung her right arm around the antenna. She gripped the teetering broom with both hands, astonished that the bird is still perched, arched forward to the new angle. Sunset breathed in and continued for the door.
Blatantly I stare at Indigo Zap as she rummages through the newspaper in search of something. I'd help, but I just want five more degrees before getting off my rock.
"Ah-ha! Found it!" Indigo clenches onto a Sunday coupon, then views her alarm clock, "Eight minutes. I can make it!" Zap zips out the door, "Bye, Newton!"
I enjoy my sunbathing in privacy, hearing the birds chirping in victory for surviving Winter.
Twenty minutes must've passed before I heard Indigo Zap stomping into the room. Observing that scornful look on her face told me everything.
"They were out of donuts," grumbles Indigo, "sold out within the first half-hour." She glares at her alarm clock. Laying a finger on the clock's little hand, she moves it one hour ahead. "Why are we following the Sun's schedule?"
Did she just ask the cold blooded animal the importance of following the Sun?
All night, Sugar Belle has been keeping her distance from Big Mac. Sitting apart, hiding in a cloak, even using a personal chalkboard to converse with. Mac didn't want them to be like this. Not tonight.
"Please. Just tell me what's wrong, Sugar Belle."
"..."
Belle levitates some chalk to the chalkboard.
[I wanted to do something special for our anniversary tonight.]
Belle erases the board and continues.
[So I got a 'Youth Potion' to make myself younger.]
"So why are you still hiding?"
[Because it didn't work. Instead, it made me]
The chalk in Belle's aura starts rattling until she gives up finishing.
"I think I can gather the rest," Macintosh eases. "Sugar Belle, no matter how you look, you'll always be the mare I love."
"...really?"
Mac's ears perk up to her low voice. Belle pulls back her hood, revealing her new firmed face.
"Urgh! I was just here!" Daring roars, vibrating the confined room she stands in.
Daring has had her share of puzzles over the years, but this temple's elaborate layout is proving to be too much for her. Pitfalls, lava spills, blade pendulums, she would gladly take all three of them at once if it meant that she didn't have to step on another telepad. Every room has a unique layout with at least five pads to choose from, but they're starting to blend together to Daring. It's futile to leave an insignia either, as the room magically resets itself when she leaves.
After a heavy groan, Daring recollected her determination and tried another panel. Her location shifted and she now stood at the temple's entrance, "...water temples. ...mere foalsplay."
He pulls her hoof into his, "Let's run away together, just the two of us. We'll take a bunch of seeds and start our own orchard farm, one filled with nothing but apples and pears."
She gazes up into those gentle emeralds that leave her lost for words.
"It'll be an illustrious garden, blooming with roses that perfectly captures our affection for each other."
Her skin shivers at the touch of his hoof caressing her cheek with long and slow strokes.
"And with the fruits that bare, our love will continue to grow. Lasting on, forever."
"Hello?" she waves a hoof over her friend's eyes that are caught on Bright Mac in the field over, but she can't break the blissful trance she's in, "Chiffon Swirl to Pear Butter. Do you copy?"
"...plant all your seeds. I want a bushel of apples."
Swirl cautiously moves back from the daydreaming mare.
You're just in time, the midori goop is boiling and it was beginning to talk to me, so let's pick up where we left off before it starts singing.
Now the secret to potion making is the ingredient's origin. Eyes are a perfect example, and we'll be putting in four eyes taken from a spider. No newt peepers, we're going for a diet on this one. Sides, the little guy had it coming, should've thought twice before hiding in the shower.
Into the cauldron.
Now stir the eyes for a moment, but don't stare at them directly. You're judging the concoction, don't let it judge you.
When the eyes deteriorate, scoop some goop into a vial.
And there you have it, a potion for glowing eyes for your Nightmare Night treating.
Come back next time and I'll show you how to make the perfect potion for bat wings.
"What does that one say, Truffles?" Tricklebrook points a hoof at the bulletin article.
"Hmm... it's a request to prevent an upcoming... robbery? 'A declaration made by the notorious thief, Nilafia, was made earlier today upon Lord Beaumont, stating that tonight, she'll be acquiring the jewel rose he possesses.' It goes on saying rewards for Nilafia's capture and how to get to Beaumont's castle from there."
"Reward... Hey! Why don't we go get Nilafia first before she can steal that flower? You're good at finding creatures, right?"
"Detective work will do little good with that monster mare. She's crafty with her tactics, an expert at being discreet when she wants to be, and is completely uncatchable."
"Sounds to me like you're scared," Brook mocks.
"I'm stating facts. Nilafia is a Teumessian, a creature that's incapable of being caught. What can there be done to her thieving ways with that advantage?"
"Your academic level is quite impressive for a filly your age, but..." Twilight studies the sole pony across the desk, "that doesn't give way for you to be here without your parents. They should be present if you're planning to enroll here, Cozy Glow."
"It's okay, they're invested in too many things to come."
"More invested than their daughter's future?"
"They're a bit neglecting. I may've had to crack down at attending toward my own needs, but it allowed me to mature much faster because of that. I'm completely independent because of them, something every foal dreams of having. Lucky me, right?"
Concern befalls Twilight, "She has no true parental figures in her growth? No one to teach her about kindness and mercy, right from wrong, or the joy and comfort amongst love ones? Her intelligent umbrellas those missing stages. Hopefully, the School of Friendship might fill in those parts."
With the spotlight on her and after many fierce rounds of sorcery, Starlight wins the title of spell bee champion. She squeezes her trophy close to her, listening to the crowd as they rain her name.
"Star-light!"
"Star-light!"
"STAR-LIGHT!"
Her eyes adjust and registers a goldfish flying by her.
Starlight jerks under the light of the moon, taking in the hectic state of the castle's library. Books are coughing up text, chairs are beating on the tables, and the rug is doing the worm. She leans back and notices that she's hugging a waste bin.
"Bout time!" She looks down and sees a purse talking to her, opening and closing as it speaks in a familiar tone.
"...Landau bag...am I asleep?"
"Hardly, you're finally awake! And it's me, Spike!"
The waste bin slides out of her grip, "I... I don't understand. What in Equestria happened around here?"
Gena turns an insouciant look at the changeling rushing to her with fear in her eyes. She takes the impact as Elytra tightly embraces her.
"You remember that stallion I've been flaunting on, the one I've been trying to ripen before feasting on his love?"
"What did he do?"
"He... he... he asked me what my favorite color was."
Gena gasps, "You're kidding me. Didn't he like your disguise?"
"He didn't care at all! He only wanted to get to know me!!"
"A sensitive male? I thought they were only a myth!!!"
"It was awful, it felt like he was trying to latch onto my heart and steal it away from me, so I ran back here as fast as I could."
Elytra begins to sob into Gena's shoulder, receiving comforting strokes along her back, "I guess this is why mother told us not to play with our food."
Trixie leaves the stage in excessive hubris. She turns to the stallion performing next, "Sorry, but I've stolen the show."
"My experience will get them soon enough," he displays his own pride, "but I have to ask, where'd you learn the trade?"
"Self-taught."
"That makes us similar."
"It was mainly intended to cheer up my mother. Being a single parent, she was often under a lot of stress. She had a fondness for watching magic, so performing for her brought a smile to her fa-..."
"...face?"
"...I'm just realizing... now through older eyes... she was smiling... but... but she looked like she was on the verge of tears... and also said... 'You're a spinning image of him.'"
The sound of another applause pulls Trixie's attention.
"Looks like you're up, Jackpot. ...Jackpot?"
Trixie turns back, receiving a pale expression from the stallion.
"What's wrong? You look like you're guilty of something."
The sound of ringing ends upon hearing his voice, "Hello?"
"N-N-Noteworthy?" she stutters, "It's me, Oc-Octavia. I was wondering if we could possibly go on... o-on a... d-d-date."
"R... really?" his voice sounded surprised, "Like a boyfriend/girlfriend kind of date?"
"Y-y-yeah."
"I never expected you would see me that way. Alright, what time?"
Octavia makes a quick shiver. She covers the phone's mouthpiece, "VINYL!!" and glares back at her friend, "You kept saying that he wasn't into girls. You kept pressuring me into calling him. You kept suggesting that asking him out on a date would prove it. So now that he said yes, what now? WHAT IN MOZART'S CLARINET QUINTET AM I SUPPOSE TO DO NOW!?"
Vinyl keeps a straight face, staring at her frantic friend through her shade glasses. She addresses the issue with gentle care, by clenching a nob on her headphone and raising the volume.
The head of the naginata flew off as Genji Spirit slid back, He glared at Ahuizotl, "Not many are capable of breaking a minotaur's weapon."
Ahuizotl stomped past his incapacitated acolytes, "And not many are foolish enough to use catnip on my followers. Surrender the Forgotten Blade!"
"Finders keepers!"
Ahuizotl lunged at Genji as he swung what's left of his naginata. Ahuizotl was flung, but the hand on his tail gripped Genji's horn and pinned down the minotaur.
Genji grunted, "There's one thing a minotaur always keeps," his ring flashed and a lit bomb appeared in his hand, "HIS PRIDE!"
Shocked, Ahuizotl jumped back as the bomb exploded, engulfing Genji in a black cloud with a loud bang. The cloud faded away, displaying no remains of a body to the Aztec.
"Ow!"
To the faint sound in the distant, Ahuizotl saw the bovine running away after stubbing his hoof, "COW-ARD!"
"So you see, a unicorn's horn is in contact with its owner's cerebral cortex. With their brainwaves, they're capable of emitting their magic from their horn in a fashion similar to radar, resulting with telekinesis, energy shots, and many other spells." Lemon Hearts focused on Shoeshine, laying on top of the operation table, "Following me?"
"I am, but how will knowing this explain the process of turning me into a unicorn?"
"Somepony passed away recently, and she just so happened to be a donor. I was able to get my hooves on her horn, and with that, I'll fuse the bone with your forehead."
"Through magic?"
"Guess again," as she put on a mask.
Shoeshine gulped, "...surgery."
"You gotta keep in mind that nopony has ever done this before. But, through my studies, I've found a method." Lemon approached with a tool in aura, "Have you ever heard about 'Trepanning'?"
"I like *hic* your hat, Applejack. You might ask, 'Why, Twilight?' Because i*hic*t shows that you're strong. In some cultures, ponies carry a jug of water on their heads, but you *hic*, you carry ten gallons on yours," Twilight chuckles with a snort, "how it that possible?"
"Somepony can't hold their cider."
"Oh Apple*hic*jack, you're such a silly pony. You sound just like *hic* like Rainbow Dash. Say... say, 'twenty percent cooler'."
"Twi, give me the mug."
"Now listen here, Applejack and Applejack, I am not dru*hic* wast*hic* hamm*hic* pick*hic* intoxicate*hic* drunk," Twilight gulps down the rest of her cider, "four eye've tastud thu fwoot ov nooleige!" she smacks her lips, "...it's bitter."
As Twilight begins to teeter, Applejack catches her as she flops off her hooves, "Come on, let's get you home."
Blowing raspberries, imitating a motor, Flurry Heart glides through the cottage door with an exhausted Angel Bunny proceeding inside.
Angel looks up at Fluttershy and Twilight, still chatting, oblivious to him or the filly they left unsupervised to nearly get eaten, poisoned, and lost in the Everfree Forest. He wants to lash out at them, scolding Twilight in particular for the trouble Flurry Heart gave him, but he can't find the energy for it, not after all the close calls Flurry had.
Angel drags himself to his basket, kicking out a kakapo that preoccupied it.
The bird's high-pitched screech broke Twilight and Fluttershy's conversation, watching the kakapo scuttling off as a tired Angel Bunny plops into the basket, "I've been meaning to ask, Fluttershy, why did you give that self-centered rabbit the name 'Angel'?"
"He's selfish," Fluttershy sighs, forming a smile upon watching, "but he can also be a guardian angel."
"'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.' That was the adage your mother and I went with as we parted ways. It held truth to it, holding on to the past is just like her, but I should've noticed the flaw in those words the moment I stepped on land.
Our heritage may have captivated me, but my attention has always focused on the future. I wanted your mother to experience it with me, but she's too drawn to the sea to part ways from it. Our worlds keep drifting away from one another with each passing day, and at this point, I feel that we're too engrossed in them that the question often comes to my mind, 'Was there any love between us?'
So, I'm going to live my life as a hippogriff and your mother will live hers as a seapony. I hope you and your sister understand, Terramar."
Gazing at the boy from afar, she's too compelled to turn away from his visage. The decorative lights that shine through the falling snow cast a dazzling field over him she never thought possible. The way his face shines as he laughs with his friends tugs her to move closer, but she can't find any feeling in her legs to get her to approach. She begins to lose herself in those enticing eyes of his, easing her mind amongst the stars that twinkle within them. Grandeur thoughts of the times they could have together fuel the drumming of her heart, beating ever faster, ever louder at pressuring her into-
"Are you okay, Rainbow Dash?" a concerned Fluttershy asks, "Your face is turning red."
Frazzled, Rainbow Dash breaks contact, "J-just cold, that's all." Pulling her scarf over her cheeks, she fights to keep her eyes from returning back towards Zephyr Breeze.
"So I explained to Moondancer that even if she's truly from the future as she claims to be, I'd be an alternate version of the Twilight she knows."
"...daughter..." Flash mutters, attempting to dig out of his shattered world, "...yours and..."
"It's awkward when she calls me 'mother', but the idea of me and Blueblood becoming a thing? Brr."
Flash jumpstarts at the thought, ushering him to act, now, "Twilight, I... I've been meaning to ask you something." Genuinely curious, Twilight focuses on him, making things worse on Flash's faltering courage, "Would you like to... go someplace sometime, just you and me?"
Twilight flinches. Anxiety begins to build inside of her as she reads between the lines, "You mean, like on... on a date?"
"Y-yeah." Flash gulps.
"Well... I..." shrinking back, Twilight hides behind her mane, sheepishly playing with it, "...I'd like that."
Wind volleys a flurry of raindrops at the station's windows, rattling the frames to the storm's severity. "It's times like these that I regret living at a bay."
"I'll escort you back home, Sunny."
"And have you fight your way back here alone? Forget it, Hitch, I'm staying."
"But the news said the storm will last all night."
"Then we better get out some extra blankets. There's some over here, right?"
"You can't be serious!" Hitch blocks Sunny's path for the closet, "I'm going to be sleeping here as well."
"So?"
"So you're okay sleeping in the same room with a stallion?"
He was expecting her to react in a lot of ways. Embarrassment, mischievous, anger, all tying her to the thought on his mind; but, her genuine smile was something Hitch was not prepared for, "I trust you."
He could hardly maintain the thought now, "...that's a good trick."
Amongst the crowd, Applejack reached out, "Twili-"
The twilight turned a knife at the mare, giving off a terrifying glare, "It's Nightfall."
Applejack cautiously moved back and bumped a pony, nearly toppling her over, "Sorry."
"It's alright, my foal," the twilight straightened her coif, "Sister Sparkle will always forgive accidents."
Applejack felt a sniffing nose and recoiled to find a twilight, panting and smiling at her, "You're joking..."
"I'm Twilight Barkle!" she licked Applejack's cheek.
Applejack made distance, wiping her face until, "Applejack!" turning at her name and encountering her Twilight.
"Twilight!? Where-"
"I don't know! I just woke up and there they were!"
"Are they somehow your personalities?"
Deadpanned, Twilight directs attention to Barkle.
"...noted. Well maybe they're from another dimension?"
"It's worse. Because I'm a Princess, I've been receiving disturbing information that matches the description of these doppelgangers to a T. Applejack, these twilights are from fanfictions."
The Autumn leaves swept under the galloping stallion, drifting to the full moon before a shadow swooped through. Weaving trees, jumping logs, the leather beats just kept getting closer.
The shadow slammed him to the ground and flipped him on his back. Pinned to the dirt, he's forced to stare into the crimson glowing eyes of a mare.
Seductively, she smiled at him, "It's such a lovely night, so stay with me," licking her fangs, "let's make it memorable."
She dragged the thumb of her wing along his cheek, sending chills as she gently grazed down along his neck, twirling on a spot that's pulsing with blood.
"I'll drain you, down to the last drop."
He stretched out his neck in a hopeless attempt to avoid her drifting lips.
"And then soon, very... very... soon..." the heat of her breath brushed into his ear, softly whispering, "...you'll be a father."
"Yup, I'm the pony that created artificial intelligence. Never thought you'd be drinking with somepony so famous, huh?"
"Artificial intelligence... nope. As a pony that lives off the land, I can't say I'm familiar with it."
"Envision a tool, a pocket knife, and you're carving wood to make a wooden horse. Now imagine that knife moving independently, making dozens of horses with their own flaws and features, only getting better with each model."
"Sounds like it's just the beginning."
"And ever. We're attempting to create something in our own image to install this in."
"...horrifying."
"What? But it'll follow you, serve you, obey you."
"Then it'll ignore you, deny you, confront you."
"That'll never happen. We made them, even if they gained an independent will and rebelled against us, we can just as easily destroy them."
"Peh..."
"...what about you, Wild Heart? What's your greatest accomplishment?"
"Magic is like a violin's bow, drag it on the string of lives and they sing. Done right, and creatures skip to the fiddle. And as the founder of the Magick Kingdom Corporation, I will always be the winner. Praised, assisted, and proven as winner. Right, captain?"
Shining jerked his restraints, incapable of escaping them, "I wouldn't call the obliteration of your city a win."
"A needed setback."
"Needed? You mean you knew the danger?! How could you just leave the lives under your care inside a deathtrap?!?!"
"Because I will not let a gimp be this company's downfall! I'd sacrifice anyone and profit wouldn't change."
"Even your son?"
"Someone had to go in my place. I'll have another."
Shining's daughter flickered in his mind, recalling all the times he saw her irreplaceable smile, "...you're a monster."
"Nature has two roles. You either play as the loser, or the killer."
"The pancakes are ready, everypony," placing the cakes on the table, Sunny sits down with her friends to join them for the meal, "It's great to finally spend some quality time together with each other. It almost feels like we never converse in engaging topics about our lives. Know what I mean, Hitch?"
Preoccupied, Hitch doesn't answer as he's too focused on the article he's reading on his phone.
"Heh, always staying informed it seems, right Izzy?"
Izzy doesn't respond either as she's honed only on painting the image in her phone.
"Uh, Pipp?"
Pipp gives a 'like' on the video she's watching.
"Zipp?"
Zipp double taps the puzzle game she's playing.
"...Sparky?"
And Sparky is enjoying the fish in an aquarium app.
They were all on their phones, too engrossed into their cyber worlds to hear Sunny or witness her sardonic expression, "Normare Rockwell, if you were alive today."
"They're dropping like flies. AH! There goes another one."
"Shining."
"The breeze!! I can feel the breeze!! it's s-s-so cold."
"♪Shinnnniiing♫~"
"They could be scattered across the entire kingdom by now! We gotta put up 'Missing' flyers! We gotta find every las-"
"SHINING!" Cadance took a firm hold of her husband and forced him to face her in the eyes, "It's okay. Many stallions go through this everyday. It's very common and part of life,"
"Right... right..." Shining slid his hoof along his head, "this is normal, this is nothing to worry over, this... this is..." he trembles at the sight of his hoof covered in a series of blue strands, "THE END OF LIFE AS I KNOW IT!!!"
Flurry Heart watches her father acting hysterical and her mother groaning into her hoof, "Mom, is Dad going to be okay?"
"He'll be fine, dear. Your father is just going bald."
Pipp bursts in and slams the doors. Frantically searching, she starts barricading the doors with whatever she can find in the lighthouse. The pedestal, the table, Sunny Starscout, the couch.
"Pipp, what's wrong?"
"Oh, it's nothing, Sunny." she gives an exhausted, forced smile after pushing in the bed.
*Boom!*
The lighthouse's doors rattle, getting Pipp to push against the blockade, "I might've angered a few ponies with a comment."
*Boom!*
"...a lot of ponies."
"How'd you manage that?"
"A miswording. You know I love Maretime Bay, right? But home is also something special to me. Well I said, 'Maretime Bay isn't as great as Zephyr Heights.' it resulted with a riot of snowflakes."
"Wha... for something like that?"
*Boom!*
"I'll talk to them."
"No! That's suicide! Snowflakes may be pushovers alone, but together, their coldhearted hatred will bury you alive, frozen!"
The rain drums the roof, seeping inside the wooden structure. A water droplet drips on Tricklebrook and drenches her tiny frame. She shivers, chattering her teeth as fast as her fairy wings are buzzing, "This stump is a dump!!"
"It's the perfect home for a mushroom mare such as myself." Truffles rebuts, "The moisture in here is at the ideal level to satisfy. Messaging the gills and smooths the scales on my cap. If your uninvited plot doesn't like it, there's the door you forced yourself through, ya parasite."
Brook puffs her cheeks at Truffles, glaring intensely until she slowly gives a sly smile. She flies around and buries into Truffles' mane. Brook pops her head out, getting cozy in the hair strands under Truffles' cap, "There. Nice, dry, and warm."
Truffles rubs her forehead, "The ophiocordycep makes it look so easy."
"In Fernaglaze Forest, insect gives mushroom splitting headache."
"I fold here, and..." Izzy levitates a paper airplane, "TA-DA!"
The paper airplane immediately explodes.
The sight of the falling pieces of paper causes Izzy to sob into her hooves, "Why does this keep happening with everything I make?"
"Don't... worry... Izzy..." Hitch pats Izzy as slowly as he talks, "we'll... fix... this..."
"I hope so," Pipp muffles, "the Pippsqueaks are expecting a facial appearance soon."
"There, there," Sunny comforts without any issues of her own, "have some confidence, Pimple."
"I kno- wait! What?!"
"...Pipp! I meant 'Pipp'!!"
"I FOUND the cause!" Zipp declares with a sudden screech in her voice.
"And?"
"Ask the PERFUME expert."
Everyone turns to the pink pegasus with the paper bag over her head, "...I don't need eyeholes to know that you're all staring at me."
"It's thanks to a FLOWER called 'Poison Joke'. Upon CONTACT, the flower induces VARIOUS effects on the individual that FALTERS a trait about them."
Sunny contorts her eyebrows, "I don't get it."
"It takes something SPECIAL about you and messes with it. Like how I can be SNEAKY and stealthy, yet now I'm a LOUD mouth. Hitch is a STALLION of action, but NOW he's all slowed down like."
"I get that, but what about me? I was the first one to be sprayed by the perfume of Poison Joke, but I'm perfectly fine. So why is that?"
Everyone else looks at each other with awkward expressions on their faces.
Opaline laughs as Twilight's tattered body skids across the floor. She points her illuminating horn at the unconscious princess, but hastefully shifts to a barrier for the divebombing Dash. She snarks at Dash shoving her forcefield, "Back for more? My, how we never learn."
"I hate losing. Know the difference!"
"Ha!" Opaline springs Dash off with the pulse of her magic. She comes back and Opaline smacks her down with the flap of her wings, "Don't talk to me about differences, little pony."
Dash slides back on her hooves, slowing herself and glaring at Opaline as she floats in the air.
"I am an almighty alicorn, reigning power that far exceeds all of Equestria. Confronting me only postpones my will and forfeits your meager life. Take your meaningless pride and scurry back to the crack you crawled from."
"No," Dash shifts a hoof back, tapping Twilight, "I'm not losing her!"
"After the movie, head to the diner down the street. Make sure it's the second diner, the first one has bad reviews and would likely ruin the evening. I suggest distracting him as you go by it by flipping your hair or batting your eyelashes."
"This planning isn't necessary."
"Isn't necessary!? Sunset, who's the Queen of Planning around here?
"For parties, but this is a date."
"Rutabaga, onion, same thing."
"Pinkie, a date is meant to be casual. Nothing fancy, nothing romantic, just a period of spending time together. Where it goes is anyone's guess, but trying to impress someone will result in complete disappointment. Honestly, I feel like I'm the maturest one amongst everyone sometimes."
"Well... if things happen to get steamy between you two, make sure he at least wears this."
"...Pinkie, ...this is a latex glove."
"Don't let it tempt you. Handholding is meant to be sacred!"
Dominance plays an important part in all life. Controlling, possessing, and copulating, dominance is the driving force that steer the course of life.
Take this seaside town with these two fine examples of opposing genders, one representing the authority of the law and the other a common resident.
"Hey, Posey."
"WHAT!?"
"H... h-hi."
"WHAT KIND OF SHERIFF GOES AROUND DISTURBING THE PEACE?"
"I was just being friendly."
"SO YOU'RE HITTING ON ME INSTEAD OF DOING YOUR JOB?"
"That wasn't my intention!"
"ARE YOU IMPLY THAT I'M UNAPPEALING? THAT I'M NOT WORTH THE TIME?"
"NO! You're worth every bit of my time."
"OH, THEN YOU'RE STALKING ME."
"That's not- I mean- It was just-"
"YOU'RE REVOLTING!!!"
Note the power behind her words, how she seized the situation with a firm affront towards this town's officer. While one reins order for her foal's future, the other receives a permanent decrease of masculinity.
Rippling sunlight along the silk dress on display, thoughts of the upcoming hoedown begin to envelop Applejack.
She feels a tingle on her shoulder and gyrates it out.
"Hmm... it's too sissy."
Pressure on her shoulder causes Applejack to brush a hoof along it.
"Ahl just wear mah hat there."
Applejack nearly jumps out of her fur upon feeling a slap hitting her on the plot.
"Alright!" she turns back and gives a glare at no body, "You win, ahl wear the stinkin' dress to the hoedown."
Applejack huffs. It was nice reuniting with her at first, but now she's been making up for lost time on everything. Eating, associating, dressing, but she's a grown mare now that can lead her own life.
Turning to the dress, Applejack envisions herself in it. It is quite pretty, and to wear it...
Applejack smiles bittersweetly, "Even in death, you're still motherin' me."
