OC Apprentice Pre-Challenge Announcement 7 · 8:17pm May 1st, 2016

I'm too sick to write something creative so this will be short and sweet. Here are the pre-challenge submissions.

Now, for the creative bit, I'll also keep short. Also, just a reminder, the Make a Wish pre-challenge was non-canonical so it never happened in the main story.

Coalstone and Reneigah sat in separate rooms of the mansion. Although the two friends spoke to each other constantly to defeat the eerie silence of the manor, they still enjoyed their respective alone time. However, they still worried. It's been about a week and they haven't heard much from Gob or Candle Light. While Reneigah worried, Coalstone panicked. He had offended a god's feelings with what he had said. What if he was to be punished in the most heinous way? Now that Coal thought about it, the constant pranks Gob pulled weren't so bad. Especially if they were punishment for assaulting him. If it were Coal as god, he would sentence the offender to instant death if he were to be attacked. Gob did the entire opposite. He had mercy and simply played with Coalstone. Coalstone began to think of all the times the deity could have killed or wiped him away entirely. How he never did and instead brushed off whatever Coalstone tried.

Maybe Coal was in the wrong. Maybe he had Gob completely misunderstood. Like Candle said, Gob doesn't know better when it comes to making friends. How ironic. A socially awkward stallion in need of friends completely denied the friendship of an all powerful god. Coalstone sighed, he didn't know what really to do with himself at that point. With Spark and Sentinel gone, he felt more alone than ever. At least Reneigah was still there.

"Hello? Coal?" Coalstone heard a gentle knock on his door and a familiar voice call out his name. It did startle him a bit but he soon realized it was nothing to fear. It was only his zebra comrade. Coal approached the door and opened it revealing Reneigah.

"Hello, Reneigah. You alright?" Coal asked.

"Yes... But I'm more worried about you. What you said to Gob..."

"I know. I went too far. I know I shouldn't have but at the time I couldn't help myself." Coalstone muttered as he turned away. He felt frustrated with himself. Knowing he might have angered the god so much he put himself and his friends in danger.

"No, no I understand your frustration, Coalstone. But... I wanted to ask why. Why did you say the things you said before?" Reneigah asked as she put a gentle hoof on the stonecutter's shoulder.

"I couldn't really tell you. There's a point where a pony can't handle the anger and frustration anymore and they just snap. My point was met the other day and I sorta... Vented." Coalstone said with a sigh. "I just hope I didn't screw us over. I mean, I've managed Gob before, but he usually attacked me and they weren't attacks really, just pranks... Or his version of pranks I guess. But I'm worried. What if I pushed him to his point? Actually, no! I pushed him and Candle to their limit! Now they're both angry! Especially Candle. Look, I don't know if they had a thing and me treating Gob like that angered Candle or not but I do know I got her pretty steamed! Who knows what she could put us through." Coalstone worried as he fell into a seated position. Reneigah felt bad for Coalstone. This could not have been good for Coal. The self-guilt along with his pre-existing problems would only prove to be a bigger cocktail of a disaster, and Reneigah knew she had to solve this problem, or else Coalstone could mentally reduce himself into a silent and self-loathing mess. Making him helpless.

The zebra sat down and scooted closer to Coalstone and began to rub his back.

"Well... Maybe we'll be fine. Most ponies just need some time to cool down, and it's been a week. I'd think Candle and maybe even Gob have had their breathers, don't you think so?" Reneigah tried to convince Coal, but it proved no use. He was silent and stayed silent. Reneigah decided to stay silent. Maybe that's what Coalstone needed. Just silence. Or perhaps he's had too much silence, leaving him with thought, and thought was the main reason why he feels like this. Reneigah didn't know what really to do. She had a depressed stallion on her hooves and she had no true solution. She had nothing to say, she had no advice to give, maybe one thing but she didn't think it would be all that effective. But maybe it would be. Sometimes, a sad pony needs a nice hug now and then.

So Reneigah wrapped her warm hooves around to stone cutter, gently pulling him closer, embracing him, comforting him. Hoping this would make some progress. Thank Celestia it did, because once she held Coalstone's head to her chest, he broke down into tears and wrapped his strong hooves around Reneigah. Maybe this was what he needed. Just to let it all out. To let his emotions and pain out. Everypony needs a good cry every so often and Coalstone was due for a good cry. The two didn't speak, the two didn't move from that spot. Reneigah just let Coalstone have his little moment.

~***~

"Are you sure about this, Miss Light?" Asked a big dark-skinned man. He and a young muscular blonde woman sat in what looked like a doctor's office.

"Of course, Mr. Henry! This is as safe as a flu shot." Candle replied as she flicked the thin and shiny syringe needle. She turned and faced the two athletes, Mr. McMahon had assigned to Candle to work for her for this final project. Beth Pheonix and Mark Henry. The Glamazon, and the World's Strongest Man. A former Diva's Champion and a former world champion sat before Candle.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get the memo. What is our job again? McMahon barely told me anything." Beth said as she prepared herself for the shot Candle would give her.

"You'll be in a wrestling match against the two finalists of the OC Apprentice." Candle quickly answered as she looked for the wrestler's pulse in her arm. She then took the long needle, and quite dramatically stuck the syringe in Beth's left arm and pumped the sparkling green liquid into her system. Beth cringed in pain as she felt the liquid flow through her body.

"Now you'll feel light headed for about ten minutes, afterward, you'll fell slightly sore, and afterwards, you'll have a surge of energy that'll last from fifteen to twenty hours." Candle explained, this caught Mark's attention as he shot off his seat and attempted to make for the door. He wasn't about to be some lab rat, especially for some human-pony looking thing.

"Stop right there, Mr. Henry." Candle said as she flicked a finger towards the large man, stopping him in a mint-green aura. His beefy hand rested on the doorknob and sweat traveled down his brow.

"Let me go, you freak!" Mark shouted.

"Now, now, Mr. Henry, never in the history of any universe did name calling prove to be successful. I thought you knew better." Candle said as she stuck the needle full of the same green liquid into Mark's arm, letting the liquid enter his system and work its magic.

"This is all for you, Gob. I do hope you see this and are proud of me..." Candle said under her breath, still remembering the pain she saw in Gob's eyes before he left. The pain in his dull brown eyes...

~***~

Veggie, now dressed in her original work attire carried the unconscious Sentinel through her office building. Passing cubicles, break rooms and meeting rooms as she made her way to her office. Many of her workers with skin that of tree bark greeted her and told her they haven't seen her in the longest time and wondered where she went. Of course, she bluffed and told them she was on a surprise business meeting with Demeter; the Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Soon, Candle made it to her office. She opened the door and admired her office. Untouched and how she left it before all this happened. Then she spotted the two trees in the back left corner of her office.

'Grace... Oscar... Just like in the journal. Why are those names so familiar?' Veggie thought as she carried Sentinel over to the two trees. Setting him down she pondered what to do with him. Torture him? No, too cliche. Turn him into a tree? No, already did that. A fruit? Perhaps. What could she do with her new prisoner? Suddenly, her secretary Stacey Green burst through Veggie's office door. Green was a petite young woman, faceless like the rest of her workers, yet she wore rectangular black glasses and had jet black hair and skin that resembled that of a green plant stem.

"Ms. Veggie! I'm so glad you have returned! Our workers searched everywhere and couldn't find you anywhere. When we investigated the BBQ Headquarters, they said you had left days ago, and even showed footage of you leaving the building!"

"Well no worries, Ms. Green, I had a surprise meeting with Demeter and that took up most of my time. That's why I didn't return until now." Veggie explained.

"Well, I'm glad you have returned. Now, I found something you may be interested- Why is there an unconscious yellow pegasus in your office?" Asked Stacey pointing towards Sentinel.

"That is one of the competitors from Gob's silly little contest."

"Oh... He is associated with BBQ Inc? Ms. Veggie, how must I dispose of him?" Stacey asked.

"No need, Ms. Green, I have this all under control. Now, what were you going to tell me?" Asked Veggie.

"I was just going to tell you about a big sports event..." Stacey answered.

"Oh, Ms. Green you know I don't care for-"

"Hosted by Gob and sponsored by his company." Stacey handed Veggie the newspaper that detailed the event. Stacey was right, Gob was hosting a WWE affiliated sports event. Two wrestling matches between world's strongest man, Mark Henry, and the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix.

"Perfect, This will be the perfect time to attack that Gob!" Veggie said as she crunched the newspaper in her hands.

"Attack, Ms. Veggie?" Stacey questioned.

"Trust me, it's what must happen! You have no idea what kind of menace he can be!" Veggie warned with a pointed finger.

"Of course, Ms. Veggie. I'll leave you to it, then." Stacey said as she slipped out the door. Leaving Veggie to contemplate what to do with Sentinel. Perhaps she could brainstorm something after a well-needed, well-deserved nap.

~***~

Reneigah returned to her bedroom after and Coal's moment. She didn't really know how long the two spent being emotional, but she knew they spent longer than a normal pony would. Either way, Coalstone seemed to feel better afterwards and the two went their separate ways. Reneigah opened her bedroom door and reviewed her room. Being a room within a luxurious mansion, Reneigah has had the pleasure to sleep like the royals themselves. Feather pillows, silk blankets, and more were wonderful while she slept. As she scanned and reviewed her room she noticed a box with red gift wrap sitting on her bed. While the box did surprise her, she still approached the gift with caution, curious as to how it got there and what it could be. As she approached the gift, she spotted an envelope with a red wax label that kept it closed. Looking at the label, the zebra had a good idea who the present was from.

~***~

Coalstone picked up the small envelope and inspected the red wax label. In his room, he had found a box with green gift wrap and a small envelope near it. He noticed a fancy G on the label and he suddenly remembered what Candle had said before.

I thought ponies upheld and praised friendship and kindness. Not anger and hatred. Especially for those who can't help it. If only you saw what he left you all... Return to the mansion!

Was this Gob's gift to them? What did the letter say? Coal wouldn't know until he opened the two and he did exactly that.

For those who wish to donate or help out the Make a Wish Foundation, here is their site. It's a wonderful organization that helps children with terrible diseases live their dreams.

Now, for the final challenge!

Here's the surprise, there will actually be two pre-challenges... Well, actually a Manor Challenge. Remember that? A challenge that takes place within the mansion. After the manor challenge, the main challenge will commence! Here is the manor challenge.

Gob left the two finalists two gifts, and two letters, one for each, your job is to detail the gift and letter, your character's reaction and maybe an interaction between the two finalists. Here is the rule, this is a moment in which Gob is showing his nicer side and left them presents to be nice. So that means no box pranks or anything like that... Even though that's exactly what Gob would do if he were in a better mood, but this is a serious scene. Good luck, and the work is due by Wednesday. I'm not expecting a lot, I'm only expecting:

-Opening the gift & Letter
-Reading the letter
-Reaction to the gift
-(Optional) Character interaction

Have fun.