Never Ending Shadow
It was a usual dark day in Neighstrose, the entire area was pitch black and there was barely anything to be seen. Darkness inhabited the caverns of Neighstrose and nothing could be accounted for. There in the dark slept soundly a pony under a steep crevice where bones were strewn under him. He turned over on his stone bed which was actually a tomb and fell over the floor. He awoke on the floor to see the familiar darkness that his eyes were accustomed to. Patch stood up from the ground and stretched his limbs after the rough time he had last night with his wife. He turned around and searched the tomb for his loved one only to find a hoof bone inside the crevice.
"Honey your hoofs are as soft as usual! Last night was fantastic, especially when we tried that new position." said Patch to himself. He then searched with his hoof for the skull and began to feel the skeletal face on his arm's skin. Patch began to grab the skull and move its jaw as if it was talking.
"Of course honey! Anything to please my one and only love! Maybe next time we could try a different position with me on top?" said the skeleton head.
"No! I am always in control you hear me woman? Next time we do doggie style and your gonna like it." said Patch aggressively.
"Oh sorry baby, I just thought we could do something different for a change?" said the skeletal face.
"Well... I'll think about it, anyways, I'll be off to work see you at seven." said Patch.
"Alright I will make dinner by then! See yah later honey bun." said the skeletal head.
Patch threw the skeleton head into the tomb where he imagined a coat to put on right next to another crevice and he pulled this imaginary coat and put it on. Patch went on his merry way and opened the imaginary door that was before him before he set off towards the darkness of Neighstrose. Under all the darkness, all Patch could see was his own imagination. Patch went past the grass infested floor and looked past his home to notice it's red and black color scheme painted upon the walls and the roof. He then continued towards his destination and found a road that led to Ponyville his favorite place to spend time. As he passed many buildings of fellow stallion and mare, they waved at him on the balconies and the windows to say hello as friendly as possible. Patch arrived at his job working at Doughnut Pete's to find a distraught pony waiting for him in the back of the eatery. Doughnut Pete was not pleased with Patch of late because he had been consecutively late for the past few weeks to the job and this was the one day that he actually made it on time. Patch looked at his boss and finally said a few words.
"Uh Pete is there something wrong?" said Patch nervously.
"Your not late for once, that is a surprise from you. Maybe you come here on time more? Because I am sick and tired of your late conduct."
"I am sorry boss its just the misus she is just so needy lately! I am trying my best not to get late but, it's really difficult..." said Patch.
"Your lucky Patchy, if you would've come late to the job this time. I would have given it to that new hot shot that keeps begging me for the slot. I guess you just want a better employee to work your job huh?" said Doughnut Pete judgmentally.
"No! I mean... I need this job Pete I can't lose another one or else I will go insane! I also need to support the misus and the baby that is coming up..."
"Whatever just go fry some doughnuts for the hungry customers that are waiting before us." Doughnut Pete got out of the way to show Patch the line of ponies waiting for some toasty fried doughnuts. Pete put on the doughnut hat on Patch and said "Go get em". Patch was surprised by this many customers in the same day. His face cringed at the sight and he was basically terrified.
"Well what are you waiting for!? get your red ass in there!" said Pete after he pushed Patch into the cash register. Patch looked at the line nervously and asked them "May I take your order?" in a soft nervous monotone. The first pony was a green maned orange colored Unicorn with a baseball cutie mark.
"I have been waiting for awhile! Are the donuts nice and hot?" said the Unicorn as he stared into his eyes.
"Um it's seven in the morning... They haven't been made yet... You'll have to wait..." said Patch as he cowered away from the customer.
"What!? They opened this store at six and expect me to wait even more!?" said the unicorn angrily with a huge scowl on his face.
"Aww right sorry I'll go make'm now!" said Patch hastily. He ran to the donut maker in the back of the doughnut store and began to furiously turn on the machine by pressing buttons and turning knobs to finally have it function. Patch went to the freezer and pulled out packs of frozen donuts with his magic and ripped them apart hastily to then have the donuts be put on the conveyor belt piece by piece speedily. By five minutes past he had already inserted many donuts into the machine and some were already done and ready for eating. Patch began to put the donuts in boxes and hurried to the cash register to find that the line got exponentially larger.
"Where are my donuts!?" shouted some pony in the crowd.
"Yea where are them donuts?" yelled some pony in the line.
"Just a minute the donuts are ready! Just.. just relax ponies." said Patch trying to control them. This obviously wasn't working so Patch came up with a plan.
"Alright ponies! Just throw me the money and I will throw the donut packs at you all okay?" said Patch with a nervous face and voice.
The ponies murmured to themselves saying things such as "Mmm okay." and "That sounds reasonable.". Patch then began to throw the packs of donuts at the customers as they all threw money back at him. The money hit Patch in his area behind the cash register and continued to mount excessively until all the customers where satisfied. One by one, Patch put the bits inside the cash register to finally close it. The ponies that were satisfied left and enjoyed there donuts as they walked out of the store. Patch sighed in relief only to notice one mare standing who had a blue flowing mane with slight curls and a deep dark color on her body and her cutie mark was a question mark. This mare came towards the counter with a smile that could pierce the fabric of someone's soul. Patch felt erie to this mare as if he knew her from somewhere but, couldn't remember, none the less she was still a customer.
"Um yes may I take your order?" said Patch anxiously to the unknown equine.
"Yes, I would like a reality check mixed with some common sense." said the mare as she pulled close to Patch.
"What? What are you talking about?" questioned Patch in confusion.
"I am just saying that all of this is not real, its all just something you made up in your mind." whispered the mare jokingly. The mare laughed at this and at Patchie's expression of terror.
"Who put you up to this? Was it the guy who wanted my slot? You think it's funny to mess with a pony!?" screamed Patch angrily as he turned up to the mare.
"Heh, nope just telling it like I see it! Seriously your embarrassing yourself.. well.. like that matters since there is no pony around." said the mare as she got off the counter and started to leave.
"Wait whats your name and why the hell are you bothering me with this?" Screamed Patch frantically.
"I have no name but, I must scream." said the mare as she left.
Patchie's iris began to get smaller and smaller as he started to grin crazily. Then Patchie's very reality began to shake and shift as if the world was nothing but, a dream. Then Patch opened his eyes and found the familiar darkness that enveloped his eyes.
"No! No! There... there is nothing here... Nothing!! Why!? Why!? Ahh!!"
Patch began to grab whatever he found on the floor and started throwing it at everything yelling "Why?" consecutively and loudly. Then as he stopped throwing rocks and whatever he could find, he then started to search on the walls for something to throw to finally find a statue like structure where he then threw it on the ground to smash it to pieces. Patch grew weary after destroying and throwing so many things he could not even see. He then curled up into a ball, sat on the floor, and started to shake and talk to himself saying "Why?" over and over again. Defeated, Patch just sat there curled in the darkness with his eyes closed hoping that his dream would come back to him. Sadly, all that was left was the dark and Patch for ever together in matrimonious hatred. Out of the blue, light shined from the darkness and Patch could feel the warm light bathe him. At first he opened his eyes and saw the light before him and gazed upon its mighty glow. Patch could not take the light and it took a few minutes for him to adjust to it. But, he looked up on to what seemed to be a door and it glowed fervently with bright light. The door was archaic in design and it had a very shiny metal like substance on it. Patch could not believe his eyes it was the first time he has seen anything other than darkness in years! Patch smiled and laughed jubilantly and began to dance awkwardly as he continued to bathe in the powerful light.
"It can't be... Is this all a dream? Or is it finally real?" Patch said to himself as he watched the door with awe. Patch went to the door and pushed it to see what was on the other side. When he pushed the door extreme light came through and blinded Patch which caused him to run back into the darkness in fear. But, the light was ever branching and lit up Neighstrose around his area. Patch could finally see what was around him, it seemed to be some type of tomb or burial catacombs for the dead. He kinda knew that already but, he never knew exactly where the bones or the tombs were for. Now he can see again and he slowly stared at the light source. It slowly adjusted his eyes but, before him was nature itself. Trees as far as the eye can see and green a color that Patch had never seen in so long. The only thing Patch could do was exit Neighstrose once and for all. He trotted out and found the verdant green, brown, blue sky, and more than he could ever ask for. Patch rolled around in the grass and felt the touch of the brown trees, they were rough and tough. Patch then remembered his hunger and began to eat the grass on the floor, it tasted like nothing he had ever tasted before. The only sustenance that Neighstrose had was the common mold that formed around the dead and that was what he feasted upon especially since they were abundant. Now he has this ever expanding world to explore and none of the darkness of Neighstrose to condemn him. Patch just lay in the grass right next to the entrance of Neighstrose and continued to explore his surroundings until he remembered his life long dream.
Ponyville... Ponyville! Ponyville! Ponyville!! Ponyville!!!!
Patch began to run as far as he could get away from Neighstrose and ran past the grassy trees and the animals all for one thing, Ponyville.