OC Apprentice 3rd Pre-Challenge Announcement · 3:46am Feb 16th, 2016
Mansion Challenge Submission: Both Teams Edition!
Nova mumbled to himself as he let the great doors of GOB Mansion swing open before him and his companions.
“I should NOT have let you have that much to drink, Spark…”
The pegasus in question stumbled and bumbled along, lingering in a weird mix between being a ball of pure energy and being comatose. She skipped her way inside the building, gave a small twirl on the glossy tiled floors, and flew up to the top of a pillar.
Golden Horseshoes came along after her, leaning heavily on the poor shoulders of Lucky Stars. His breath stank like the deepest depths of sewers. His vision was blurred. He saw red spots everywhere. He even could have sworn on the way to the mansion he saw a ferocious beast. But he didn’t care. It had been forever since he last drank with no magic in his body to get in the way.
Sentinel was flying down the hallways. Rather lopsided and drunken, but still flying. His team was off elsewhere celebrating and he had gotten lost in the mansion. Unaware he had flown to the other team’s wing of the manor.
“Eh! Who’s that guy!” the drunken boxer said pointing at the pegasus. “He looks like a bird. Or a plane!”
“Hey! I’m, I-I’m not a bird-plane!” Sentinel said trying to stay aloft. “I’m thee, Thunderbolt Sentinel!” He said putting a hoof to his chest and trying to look heroic, and ending up looking silly.
“What?! I can’t speak bird! Hey Spark you’re a bird! Speak to this bird for me!” Golden yelled to his feathered friend.
Sentinel flew closer. “Maybe, you’re deaf, I said!” He nearly crashed pounding his chest with a hoof. “I’m, the, Thunderbolt Sentinel. Royal Guard, ever heard of me?”
“No,” Golden answered flatly.
“I won the batting challenge, beat whoever tried it on your team….although I may have burnt a grill afterwards.”
“Well I didn’t even bat!” he yelled pushing himself off Lucky. “I didn’t even not bat! And I don’t even know what a grill is!”
“Well I-” Sentinel stopped, looking back to Lucky Stars. “Do I know you from somewhere?” He paused, staring at her. “You’re pretty.” He said blankly, without warning.
“Yeah she has a butt that won’t quit!” Golden added obnoxiously.
“H-hi.” Sentinel spoke again, continuing an awkward stare.
“Well. Hello and goodbye,” she said patting the stallion on his head. She then turned to call the dragon to her. Then she and the dragon retired for the evening. They were rather done with the drunken buffoons.
“Woooooo!” called Spark from atop her perch. “Somepony just got DUMPED!!”
“Oh! Them be fighting words! Like those are the kinda words that’d make ponies joust in the olden times,” Golden said, suddenly getting an original idea. “You two should totally joust. The pretty lady versus the pretty guy. Who will turn out ugly?!”
“Hell yeah!” Sentinel said landing, then stumbling. “We should do it! I bet I’ll win hooves down!” At that, Spark leapt from the top of the pillar and landed on the ground, if not tripping a bit, and circled the two stallions slowly.
“I bet I’ll win with your hooves down too,” she smirked.
“Alright, let’s make a bet then.” Sentinel smirked. “If I win, you’ve got to give me a night I’ll never forget. What do you want if you win?”
“If I win, YOU have to let me make you a drink, and you HAVE to drink it,” she dared strongly.
“Ha! Deal, missy!” He laughed. “When and where?”
“You two are so nasty!” Golden chuckled nearly falling over. “You can try the bedroom!”
“A bedroom joust?” Sentinel looked at him. “How would that work?”
“No idea. My dad always used to do it with my mom,” Golden answered. A long silence followed as a tumbleweed went by.
“WELP,” shouted Spark into the air, breaking the awkward silence. “HOWS ABOUT WE DO THIS THING”
“Whoooo! Hell yeah! You’re going to give me a night I’ll…..what did I want again?...That I’ll, remember? I think.”
“Come on already!” Golden said jumping to grasp the airborne pegasi. He wasn’t very successful. “I wanna watch already!”
Sentinel charged at Spark full speed screaming. “Yeeeeeeaaaaa!” However in his drunken stupor he missed completely. Also, the joust hadn’t even begun yet.
“You idiot! That’s not how you joust. You need weapons!” Golden screamed. “Here use these!” he yelled throwing a balloon shaped like a sword and a rubber chicken into the air. “You two decide who gets which.”
“Dibs!” He screamed rushing for the balloon sword. Spark ran up and snatched the rubber chicken out of the air, holding out in front of her with her mouth.
It drooped dramatically.
“He chicken! Cheep cheep cheep! Cheeeeeeeeeep!” Golden mocked what he thought was the sound a chicken made.
“Eh-hey! Can I get a weapon that looks less like Sentinel, please?” Spark called to Golden.
It took him a moment in his drunkenness to get the joke. “Hey!”
Golden decided to do as instructed. So he threw a nearby pitchfork at his teammate. “Here you go! Old and busted. Not like you!” The pitchfork promptly nosedived back to the floor. “Pitchfork. After this is done. I’m so gonna punch you.”
“Alright, we ready?” Sentinel called.
“Same question goes to you, Boneless!” she called back, turning to face the guard.
The two faced each other, Sentinel snorting and stomping his hoof to the ground, and Spark ruffling her wings in preparation to dash.
“GO!”
Sentinel took the call and sprinted, wielding the balloon sword as if it were real, towards the cyborg. A spin and a flair of the wings, and a short charge later, and Sentinel raised the sword for a “fatal” blow to the head. Spark smiled and watch his oncoming assault, staying still even after the call to charge, and right when he was there...
She slapped him in the face with the rubber chicken, gave a kiss on the nose and punched him in the face.
“Uhhhhhh, damn, thanks, and ow.”
“What the hell are all of you doing?” Coalstone’s somewhat loud voice echoed through the room as he walked in, clearly sober.
“We’re jousting!” Sentinel cheered. Quickly taking a whiff of the air he flinched, “Oh don’t tell me….You’re all bombed aren’t you?”
“Jousting! We’re jousting like men! Whatever those are!” Golden yelled proudly. “You should know being a magical unicorn princess with butterfly wings. And a magical shelf!”
Coalstone’s expression remained flat as he contemplated simply headbutting the drunk boxer into near-unconsciousness before snorting at the sight, “Whatever, do what you want, I just came to get some soda and then go watch a movie.” He slowly made his way to the bar.
“Whatever you say you sexy stallion you!” Golden said as he waved to the stallion.
“I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just say, because you’re clearly bombed.” Coalstone quickly spoke as he found a bottle of cola.
“Look at you, Mr Tough, just like always, Mr Tough.” Sentinel said mocking him.
The stone worker snorted as he quickly downed the bottle of soda, “Yeah and keep up the wise cracks and I’ll show you just how tough my skull is.”
“Does it got a wound? Cuz my does!” Golden said proudly pointing at a stitch on his head. “Its really gross and icky!”
“Sure you will tough guy.” Sentinel said lifting off the ground. “Now if you don’t mind, we’re having fun! Something you probably don’t understand.”
“......You know what, arguing with you is pointless. Have fun being smashed and having half intelligent sentence conversations with each other, if you need me, I’ll be sitting by the pool.” He slowly made his way towards the door, trying to mentally drown the others out.
“Freezer! Cooler!” Golden said to his fellow drunken stallion Sentinel.
“See, *hic* what I’ve got to deal with? There’s a reason I’m drunk. That guy, just can’t be fun, always gotta be the tough guy.”
Coalstone quickly froze as he turned his attention to Sentinel, “I act like a tough guy cause I am tough, and I like being tough. Nothing wrong with being strong.”
“Strong ain’t though buddy. You’re always acting, Sur- ser- sup-....Like you’re better than us!”
“Spoken like a real weak kinda stallion! Hey let's prove if Sentinel is right! You against us! Mano et two-o!” Golden said trying to put up his hooves and failing.Coalstone rolled his eyes at the sight, though at the same time did seem to be deep in thought with his brow furrowing at what Sentinel said. “I don’t think I’m better than you guys. I know I’m not. I’m socially awkward, I live alone, and I suck at communicating with others. I know I’m not perfect. I just deal with it in other ways.” Looking briefly at Sentinel and Golden, “And I’m not gonna fight you, as fun as that would be, fighting a drunk person ain’t my thing.”
“Hey! Hey. He’s right. We’re all drunk. We even were gonna do drunk jousting! We should probably go to bed,” Spark suggested. “Yep. Yep. Yep.”
“But the bet!” Golden whined. “Wait. What was the bet again? That you two run around naked or something?”
That mentioned got Coalstone’s eyes to narrow a little bit at the implication “I’m sorry, what’s this I hear about a bet? Didn’t know you gambled Spark.”
“I DON’T,” the pegasus specified. “The DRUNK me gambles.”
“She means the FUN her gambles,” Golden snickered.
“Okay, but running around naked? Did you guys forget we don’t wear clothes unless we turn into whatever those things are for the challenges. How would that be any different from what we usually do….Or are you just that drunk?” Coalstone commented
“See? What did I tell you? This guy ruins all fun.” Sentinel said wobbling. “Thanks for ruining it dude! I had the easy half of that!”
“Hey! You don’t know me! I’m falling down but,” Golden said falling down to illustrate his point, “I will rise as a phoenix!”
Coalstone promptly stomped his hoof in frustration, causing some of the furniture to shake as he released a loud snort, “Okay, that’s it. I can be fun if I want to be.” He quieted down a little as he looked at the floor in a bid of embarrassment, “I just don’t hang around others that much okay.”
Golden throws a beer at Coalstone. “Then just live a little and be drunk. That’s how you hang out right? So we can all rise as phoenixes! Wooo!”
Coalstone eyed the beer in his hands a contemplated a little, “Do I need to drink? I’ve never drank before and the way you guys are acting doesn’t make it seem crazy appealing.”
“There will be gambling” Spark promised.
“And blackjack!” Sentinel added.
“And hooks!” Golden concluded.
“Whooo!” Sentinel cheered.
“What kind of gambling...Also hook?” Coalstone looked again at the beer, a little afraid, before biting the cap off and smelling it, pulling his nose back a little.
“For the record, anything weird happens and everyone, except Spark is getting a headbutt.” Before he started drinking. “Dear Celestia this stuff tastes like rotten apple cider, how can they stand this crap?” Yet he kept at it despite his apprehension.
Eventually stopping he shook his head of some dizziness before looking at his companions, “Okay now what?”
“Now we watch the fireworks,” Golden said giggling hysterically.
“Fireworks? The hell are you talking about?”,” Coalstone began before the world before him shifted realigning itself to a more bizarre arrangement. One that welcomed fun, games, and a whole lot of hooks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Golden awoke with a stinging headache. The last thing he recalled was being called in by that deranged god about something. He couldn’t quite remember what. But for the moment all he desired more than anything was a relief for the pain. He didn’t even realize that he sat atop a chandelier that hung over a walkway.
Spark woke with a feeling of warmth all around, not just from the blanket, but from the yellow pegasus next to her. The yel- what... She sat upright and looked to her side to see Sentinel curled up, holding her. Just waking up.
“Oww, I’ve got a hangover…..yep that’s a hangover.” He noticed where he was lying and whom he was holding. “Uhhh, good morning.” He paused for a moment. “Oh my goodness! What happened?”
“You just signed your death warrant, Sentinel.” A low growl resounded through the room along with the sound of something getting smashed, with everyone looking up a livid Coalstone, who promptly smashed his skull into a nearby wall, pulverizing it, without breaking the skin. His stone eyes glaring like burning magma at his teammate.
As luck would have it the stallion’s headbutt caused a large crack to form on the wall. A crack that quickly grew and grew until it reached the chandelier. With another breath from the weakened boxer it fell to the ground.
“Ouch,” he whimpered. He turned to see the angry eyes of the stone cutter. “Oh.”
“Just woke up and he’s already breaking things!” Sentinel laughed.
Coalstone’s hooves stomped with each step he took, focused on Sentinel, “Oh you’re right about that Sentinel. Though right now the only thing I’m gonna be breaking…..ARE YOUR BONES!”
He promptly charged forward with his head lowered like a battering ram, rampaging at the pegasus.
Sentinel took to the air. “I guess that’s my cue to go. I’ll catch you two later!”
“Get your ass back here!” Coalstone roared giving chase to the quickly escaping pegasus.
Spark watched as the two ponies rounded a corner and sighed. “Too bad. He was so young.”
Pre-Challenge Announcement:
This time, GOB wasn’t alone in his office. Accompanying him were two figures. One being an anthro lemon yellow pegasus with a cigarette in his mouth. He was formally dressed with a black vest and slacks, a dark gold dress shirt and a crimson red tie. On GOB’s other side was a human creature, but his face seemed much more wrinkly, meaning he was an older man. He had a balding head with auburn colored hair and scruffy bear. His eyes were baggy and bloodshot and he wore a leather biker’s jacket and blue jeans. GOB was showing the two individuals a picture and blueprints of a building.
“So this is the VeggieCO place you was talking about?” The yellow pegasus asked.
“Sure is, Silver! I need you to target and infiltrate the building in Equestria’s universe, while you, Mr. Watowski, will infiltrate the human world’s HQ. There is only one Vanessa and she only has two headquarters. That’s why I’m sending you two to each building! You’re the best in the business!”
“So remind me, Mister Barbecue Man, how exactly are we getting our hands on this broad? I’m assuming she’ll have some heavy guards around her.” Mr. Watowski reasoned.
“She will! But, there’s one time of day she doesn’t! And that’s when she visits her HQ’s executive organic bar! That’s where you’ll meet each of your respective universe’s Bill Cosby!” GOB said.
“Wait, Bill Cosby? Isn’t he that fella who who drugged them women?” Mr. Watowski asked.
“Correct Devin! He’s the best in the business! Mr. Cosby will drug Vanessa with this pill I gave him!” GOB held up a bright blue pill. “It has the power to knock out any creature. Mortal or god. Directly from Hermes for my birthday!” GOB said as he relived the memory of receiving the sleeping pill.
“So you want us to meet this Cosby character and he’ll do his magic?” Silver asked.
“No! You’ll meet him after he manages to drug Vanessa! He’ll give you the body and you bring her here.” GOB said with an evil smile. “She won’t know what hit her!” GOB said as he rubbed his hands. He heard a knock on the door that startled him. “Just a second!” GOB called out. “You two know what you’re doing?” GOB asked. Both individuals nodded and with a snap of his fingers, GOB poofed them away. GOB told whoever it was to enter and in came Candle Light.
“Ah! Miss Light! What is it?” GOB asked.
“It’s 3:00 PM sir. Shouldn’t you call upon the contestants?”
“You’re right!” GOB snapped his fingers and suddenly both teams Illuminati and Shrekt appeared before GOB. Looking terribly ill.
“What, you guys can’t hold your liquor?” GOB asked with a smile.
“That’s easy for you to say, you’re a god…” Sentinel said as he stopped a gag.
“Pfft, weakling. By the way, good job earning that Spark prize… I do hope she wasn’t too rough with you.” GOB said with a wink.
“Wait, did we actually…?” Spark asked with wide eyes.
“Well I’m not one to gossip, but… Little dragon, cover your ears,” GOB pointed towards Nova.
“I’m fifteen, bro! I can hear what you gotta say!”
“Nope.” Lucky said as she plugged Nova’s ears with her hooves.
“Thank you Miss Lucky. By the way, we still need to discus a record deal. Anyway, yes, you and Sentinel did it… Quite interesting to watch really. Horses getting down and dirty, what an odd show.” GOB said. Spark was shocked and silent. “Hope he used protection… Not like there’s any diseases he has it’s just… Wouldn’t want little hooves on the carpet any time soon.” GOB said with a chuckle as he leaned back in his seat. “Seriously though, go get tested by a doctor next time you get the chance.” GOB informed. Lucky unplugged Nova’s ears and GOB proceeded to explain the next challenge.
“First off, let’s fix you all.” GOB said as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, glasses of orange juice appeared before each individual. “That should help. Anyway, here’s your next challenge or company challenge. I own a series of publishing companies that publish books of all sorts! But the one you’ll be working with is my personal favorite! See, I own a publishing company that publishes children’s stories! Everyone loves children! Except me… I dislike children. No offense Nova. But I love the idea they’re oblivious enough to spend money on something simple. Easy money I always say. So, you guys will be working with children between the ages of three and six.” GOB said with a smile. “Today I’ll be sending you all to a human library where you each have to write your own little children’s book and read it to a small group of children. The pre-challenge is just that! Write a children’s book. Simple, right? How you win is this. If the children give you a good rating on your story, then you win. Your team must gain more positive points to completely win the challenge! Goodluck!”
With that, GOB snapped his fingers, sending all but two contestants away. Golden and Nova stood still before GOB. Worried about what he would say.
“Finally, we’re able to chat. Take a seat.” GOB said as he offered them a seat before his desk. They obliged and took their seats. “I’m impressed with you two. Nova, for such a young age, you really know how to conduct yourself like a businessman. Golden… You’re trying, which means you care! Good work.” GOB said with a smile.
“Wait, that’s it!? You just wanted to compliment us!?” Golden asked.
“Well, I’m mostly complimenting Nova, but yes, that’s it.”
“Oh, uh, thanks!” Nova said with a smile.
“But he’s just a kid!” Golden argued.
“Exactly, Mr. Horseshoes! He’s a child! A child who’s very smart business wise! Golden, you’re a smart individual when it comes to… certain things, but Nova here is far more impressive given his age.” GOB said.
“But, but-” Golden stuttered.
“I want you to prove to me you can be a businessman! Sell me… This pen.” GOB said as he presented the pen to Golden who merely stared at the pen.
“What?” Golden asked. “I’m not going to sell you this pen, you already own it.”
“Wrong answer! Nova, sell me this pen.” GOB said. Nova picked up the shiny pen and smiled.
“This is the same pen GOB used in the OC Apprentice…”
“Sold!” GOB shouted as he slammed a small sack of bits before Nova who greedily accepted the small prize. GOB retrieved his pen, this made Golden all the more angier.
“Listen Golden, and listen good. I think you can be a businessman, but you must think less of a boxer, and more like a business man! Coalstone managed to do that and controlled his anger! Now he only gives me passive aggressive stares of anger instead of charging at me like an animal.”
“But it’s my boxing skills that helped us for the last challenge!”
“Which is good! But when it comes to say… This challenge, think about things on a business standpoint! You’re dealing with children, and I already know how you think about children.”
“Wait, what do you think about kids?” Nova asked.
“Nova our meeting is done.” GOB said as he snapped his fingers, poofing away the young dragon.
“When you write your children’s story, think of it in a business-y way. What will parents want to buy? What can you write that parents will want to buy for their children? It’s all about money, Golden. Remember that!” GOB said as he poofed Golden away. He leaned back in his leather chair and closed his eyes for a nap.
Alright, children's books! So for this one, just write your characters brainstorming ideas for children's books! Remember, the age demographic is 3-6. Plus this will be taking place in the human world so your OCs will be in their human forms. Also, I just want to point out what was said by GOB was all his words, not mine, so IronPony, no need to fear about your efforts. You're doing just fine, it was all for the story. Anyway, the pre-challenge is expected by Thursday, and since you all know what the main challenge will be "Reading those stories to kids and getting a good review" that will be due on Sunday. Good luck!
Oh, and new rule. This will probably make you guys happy. If a member does not participate you are more than allowed to write for their part. However, that will mean I will eliminate that inactive member from the contest! If both teams have a problem, it'll be totally random. Anyway, good luck to all.
Awesome!
Okay dokey! This looks cleaner!
3757593 Yes, nothing is more cleaner than working with children!
(Warp their petty minds to buy our merchandise...)
Whew I was hoping I was standing on THICK ice. hehe. Also I'm glad to finally see that meeting. So businessy. Hmm. Alright I think I can swing that. I got a lot of ideas. XD