//------------------------------//
// Contest Begins 
// Story: Cinematic Adventures: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 
// by extremeenigma02 
//------------------------------//

As the morning rays of the sun’s celestial body shone through the small window to Charlie Bucket’s room, Twilight Sparkle rose her head off the floor yawning while stretching her tired limbs. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Twilight looks around and notices all her friends still fast asleep. She smiles brightly at the sight, her group of friends in a peaceful slumber. She turned over and noticed Charlie was no longer in bed; in fact, he was nowhere to be seen at all.

The alicorn princess stood upon her hooves, giving one last stretch before trotting from the room as quietly as possible so as not to disturb her friends. Walking into the living area, she noticed Charlie’s grandparents sitting up in their bed. Yet no sign of Charlie or Mrs. Bucket could be seen anywhere. As Twilight approaches the bed, Grandpa Joe turns to her with a smile.

“Well, good morning Twilight,” Grandpa Joe greets, kindly. “I hope you had a peaceful night’s rest.”

“Oh yes, thank you so much Grandpa Joe,” Twilight thanked, with a smile.

Grandpa Joe turns behind her, noticing the rest of her friends were absent.

“Your friends still asleep?”

“Yeah, I guess being up late last night really got to them,” Twilight chuckled. “Where’s Charlie and Mrs. Bucket?”

“Charlie has gone off to school,” Grandma Josephine informed. “His mother is going to be working late tonight.”

“Since you and your friends only just got here yesterday, I think you and your friends should spend the day exploring the town,” Grandpa Joe suggested.

Twilight pondered on it for a moment. It was true they only just arrived yesterday and barely saw a few things. Aside from the Bucket house, they’ve only seen Bill’s candy shop and the Wonka factory, or at least the entrance to it. Seeing as how Charlie and his mother were both busy today, this would give them a chance to go out and explore their new surroundings.

Twilight was soon taken out of her thoughts by the sound of additional hooves clicking against the floor. She turns around and sees her friends trot beside her, all looking rather tired. Spike, in particular, was snoring while lying on Fluttershy’s back.

“Good morning everyone!” Grandpa Joe greets them all.

“Just for the record, we say, ‘every pony’,” Rainbow yawned.

“Oh, well I’ll definitely have to remember that.”

After a while, and a few cups of coffee, every pony was fully awake and energized for the day. All except for Spike, being too young for coffee was still snoozing peacefully on Fluttershy’s back.

“Hey Spike,” Twilight whispered. “Spike, can you hear me?”

“Oh yes, Celestia,” Spike mumbled, in his dream. “I would like another serving of rubies please.”

Every pony couldn’t but giggle a bit at the baby dragon’s talk in his sleep.

“So, what’s on the agenda today, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“Grandpa Joe suggested we go out into town today,” Twilight responds. “At least while Charlie is at school and Mrs. Bucket is working.”

“That sounds like a fabulous idea,” Rarity smiled.

“Yeah, come to think of it, we never get any time to just explore and enjoy the places during our last adventures,” Pinkie piped in.

“Pinkie, we spent all of Oz exploring that world,” Rainbow points out.

“… Oh yeah! Tee-hee!”

Pinkie smiles when a yawn causes them all to turn. Spike stretches his arms out and scratches behind his back as his tired eyes blink.

“You know, you guys do make a good point,” Spike replied, groggily. “We’re usually busy either running for our lives or defending friends from monsters.”

“Well now, look who’s decided to join us,” Applejack smiled.

“Oh, hardy-har,” Spike mumbled.

The girls had a good laugh out of it as Twilight approaches the front door. Using her magic to throw it wide open, she eventually turns back to her friends with a bright smile.

“Well, come along every pony,” Twilight said, excitedly. “Let’s go forth and greet the day!”

The others smile along, as they follow the princess through the door with a quick goodbye to the grandparents. They trot down the road for a while before eventually arriving at the edge of town. As they explore the town, they were able to see such wonderful sights along the way. All around them were various shops, the local museum, a post office, even town hall. All of which they saw were busy, with various town folk just going about their business blissfully paying no heed to the most unusual visitors that ever passed through.

As they walked, they also kept a close lookout toward those strange vehicles which they learned were called ‘cars’. Of course, they’ve technically seen cars when they first met Shaggy and Scooby, especially the Mystery Machine, but they had no idea that’s what ‘cars’ were. The few times they tried crossing the street, they almost found themselves run over by a few of these vehicles and a certain Pegasus was not happy.

“Hey, why don’t you watch where you’re going?!” Rainbow shouts, waving her hoof. “Who do you think you are? King of the road?!”

“Easy there, sugar cube,” Applejack spoke, holding Rainbow back. “They ain’t worth it.”

Apart from that fiasco, one of the most beautiful spots they’ve seen walking through town center was it’s glorious water fountain. As they approach, they noticed the glistening water tricking into the pool below the fountain. They could see many different coins in the water, all from a few passing citizens flicking them into the fountain including some kids making wishes. It was a such a beautiful sight, making the whole group smile and sigh blissfully.

“Now this is truly a beautiful place,” Twilight said, happily.

Rarity was so entranced with the scenery she didn’t even notice her eyes start to water as she smiles.

“I completely agree, darling,” Rarity said, drying her eyes. “The attention to detail on this glorious fountain is so amazingly brilliant.”

“Why couldn’t we have been sucked into this place first?” Rainbow wondered.

“Eh, I blame the writers for the impromptu planning,” Pinkie replied.

Well excuuuuuuuse me, Pinkie Pie!

Dude, it didn’t work in the eighties, why would that joke work now?

“Say, you girls notice some pony’s missing?” Pinkie asked.

Sure enough, as the group were looking at the fountain, Pinkie looked side to side noticing that Cheese Sandwich wasn’t even standing there with them. As a matter of fact, now that she thinks about it, she didn’t recall Cheese in the room with them when they woke up. It was rather odd, even for him, as he was just with them only yesterday.

“Cheese?!” Pinkie called. “CHEESE!!!”

Suddenly, something burst through the fountain with a “WAHOO!” startling every pony into jumping back. Low and behold there was Cheese Sandwich, smiling while wearing a banana-colored wet suit, complete with a regulator and goggles.

“Top of the morning, every pony!” Cheese called, excitedly. “Lovely day for a swim, wouldn’t you say?”

Every pony rolled their eyes at the party pony’s latest antic, before deciding to look around the square. Pinkie Pie, on the other hoof, just laughed while rolling along the concrete ground.

“Boy Cheesy, that was a good one!” She laughed.

With a quick spin like a tornado, Cheese reverted back to his regular attire drying his mane with a towel that matched his shirt.

“Well you know I always like to make a big ‘splash’ for any occasion,” Cheese joked.

BOO!!! *Hurls a tomato*

Pinkie kept laughing for a moment, until Cheese offered her a hoof, which she gladly accepts as he lifts her back up. The two sat alongside each other, staring into the glistening pool in the fountain. With a sigh, Pinkie found herself leaning her head on Cheese’s shoulder, which caused said pony’s cheeks to turn a scarlet red. The pony thought to himself, ‘Is now the best time to say what he needed?’. Then, after a deep breath, he turns to Pinkie.

“Uh – Uh, P-Pinkie?” He stammered.

Pinkie lifts her head off Cheese’s shoulder, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Yes, Cheesy-Wheezy?”

“Um w-well, you and I have been friends for a long while now. Course, we have so much in common…”

“Of course we do, silly. We love jokes, playing pranks, and having a good laugh. Of course, you said you didn’t use to enjoy it all that much before meeting me. But I don’t really consider that, we pretty much just…”

Pinkie found her rambling cut off when Cheese placed his hoof over his mouth. As she looks into Cheese’s eyes, she could clearly see he was really nervous about something. She stares quietly as he removes his hoof from her mouth.

“Well you see Pinkie, it’s just… Well… I’ve been thinking lately… And maybe… Perhaps we could…”

“Hey guys!” Rainbow called.

Pinkie and Cheese turn over to Rainbow Dash, the cyan blue Pegasus gesturing them to follow.

“We found Charlie’s school and he’s nearly finished!” She called out. “Come on over here!”

“Be right there, Dashie!” Pinkie called, trotting over. “Coming Cheesy?!”

“Oh, oh yeah! Be right over!” Cheese called out.

As he watched Pinkie follow her friend, Cheese slapped a hoof over his head as he shook. ‘So close, yet still so far’ he thought, once again choking under pressure. But soon enough, the time would come. For now, Cheese follows Pinkie and the others toward Charlie’s school. When they got to the building, they peek in through the window as Twilight hushes them to keep quiet. Inside, they could see Charlie sitting at his desk along with the rest of his class.

“Charlie Bucket!” His teacher called.

“Yes, Mr. Turkentine?”

“I shall need an assistant. Come and give me a hand.”

Charlie sits up from his seat, making his way to the front of the classroom beside. Mr. Turkentine. Three large jugs of some form of liquid sat on the desk beside the two.

“We have here nitric acid, glycerin, and a special mixture of my own,” The teacher explained. “Together it’s horrible, dangerous stuff; blows you up. But mixed together in the right way, as only I know how, what do you think it makes?”

“I don’t know, sir,” Charlie responds.

“Of course you don’t know. You don’t know because only I know. If you knew and I didn’t know, then you’d be teaching me instead of me teaching you. And for a student to teach his teacher is presumptuous and rude. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

From outside, the ponies and Spike shook their heads at the teacher’s rudeness.

“How did this guy ever become a teacher?” Rainbow sneered.

“Making a child feel unintelligent to make himself seem better,” Rarity pouts, shaking her head. “I tell you if any pony were like that to Sweetie Belle at school, I’d never allow her to go back.”

“Guess it takes a rude person to know who’s rude,” Cheese chuckled.

That last statement was actually spoken louder than the others, loud enough that when the students heard it they all start laughing. Needless to say, Mr. Turkentine was far from pleased with that remark.

“Who said that?!” He called out.

The whole class immediately went silent and sat still, as the teacher looked around suspiciously.

“Well, go on,” Mr. Turkentine demands. “Spit it out! Which one of you said that?”

While the teacher was distracted, Charlie turned slightly toward the window noticing his pony friends, and Spike briefly, gazing through with Pinkie Pie waving with a smile. Darting his eyes between them and the teacher, Charlie silently motions his friends to duck down which they did, but not before Pinkie gave a salute with her tail. All this went completely unnoticed by everyone else and when none of the students gave an answer, the teacher gave up but not before giving one last look.

“I’m watching you…” Mr. Turkentine warned.

Hearing it was safe to peek back, the group slowly rose their eyes toward the widow refocusing their attention as Mr. Turkentine proceeds to explain the procedure to the class.

“Now, mixed together in the right way, these three highly dangerous ingredients make the finest wart remover in the world. The trick is to pour them in equal amounts.”

Back outside again, Rarity’s eye twitched at the mention of ‘warts’.

“Oh sweet Celestia, how revolting!” She complained. “That’s going to leave such a bad image in my head forever!”

Every pony cringed at the idea as well, as they turned back toward the room. Mr. Turkentine hands two jugs to Charlie while he, himself, had the other.

“Now, Charlie, you take the nitric acid and the glycerin, and I’ll take my own special mixture,” He instructs. “You ready? Good lad: Pour.”

Charlie and Turkentine pour the bottles into a vat on the desk and it creates a loud explosion, complete with a huge cloud of smoke. The rest of the class applaud and cheer, as Charlie and Turkentine whisk away the smoke.

“Did we do it wrong?” Charlie asked.

“No certainly not; this is for very big warts!”

Hearing this, Rarity’s other eye began to twitch.

“I can’t hear no more; I’m gonna faint!”

As she began to fall, Pinkie Pie quickly reached into her mane and pulls out Rarity’s fainting chair. She slides it out just as Rarity fell and lands comfortably on her chair. Rarity felt relaxed, when her eyes widen at a sudden thought.

“Uh… Pinkie darling?”

“Yes Rarity?”

“How did you ever fit my chair in your mane?” Rarity asked, raising a brow. “And how did you get it from my house?”

“I have no idea,” Pinkie shrugged.

Rarity wanted to respond, but quickly decided against it as she was reminded of the unspoken rule: Never, EVER question Pinkie Pie. Meanwhile, back in the classroom, a loud commotion is heard outside the door.

“What’s going on out there?!” Mr. Turkentine called.

He approaches the door and pulls it open, seeing a large number of students frantically running through the school halls toward the exit.

“You, Winkelmann, come here,” Turkentine motions one boy. “What’s happening?”

“Willy Wonka is opening his factory!” The boy said, excitedly. “He’s going to let people in!”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s on the radio and he’s giving truckloads of chocolate away!”

“Class dismissed!” Turkentine announced, excitedly.

“No, no it’s only for five people,” Winkelmann informed.

“Class un-dismissed,” Turkentine said, dejected.

“He’s hidden five golden tickets and the people who find them will win the big prize.”

“Where’s he hidden the tickets?”

“Inside five Wonka Bars. You’ve got to buy Wonka Bars to find them.”

“Class re-dismissed!” Turkentine said, more excitedly.

The teacher and all the students quickly burst from the classroom, joining the others in making their way toward the exits. The only one who wasn’t excitedly running for the nearest candy show was Charlie, who gathered all his stuff slowly as if this were any other day.

Back outside, however, the ponies and Spike has heard the entire ordeal. Upon hearing the news, they turned to each other excitedly.

“I certainly didn’t expect to hear that bit of news today,” Rainbow said.

“Don’t you see? This is amazing!” Twilight smiled. “After all these years, Mr. Wonka is opening his factory to the public for the first time!”

“There’s just one problem,” Fluttershy whispered. “Only five people will get that chance.”

“Boy, I guarantee this right now,” Pinkie stated. “By tomorrow, this whole thing is going to be crazy!”

In fact, Pinkie Pie couldn’t have possibly imagined just exactly how true her words would be.

<>

The very next day, the entire Bucket family, along with the Equestria group, sat together in the living area surrounding the tiny television. It was on this day they were watching the latest news report surrounding the Wonka contest.

“And now, details on the sudden announcement that has captured the attention of the entire world,” The news reporter states. “Hidden among the countless billions of Wonka Bars are five gold tickets. And to the five people who find them will come the most fabulous prize one could wish for: A lifetime supply of chocolate. And as if this were not enough, each winner before he receives his prize will be personally escorted through the top-secret chocolate factory.”

The more the news reporter spoke, the more excited every pony seemed to get, especially Pinkie and Cheese. To think not only would the contest winners receive a trip to the factory, but will also have a chance to win as much Chocolate they could ever ask for.

“Oh, I really wish we could win a lifetime supply of chocolate,” Pinkie pouts.

“Chin up there, Cotton Candy,” Cheese assured. “When we get back to Equestria, maybe I could convert the laugh factory into a chocolate factory. That way, you can have all the chocolate you could ever eat.”

Truly Cheese knew what made Pinkie Pie smiles. Her friends, however, turned to Cheese with wide eyes.

“Trust me Cheese,” Applejack replied, shaking her head. “Yah don’t want to do that!”

“Pinkie Pie alone is already wacky enough,” Rainbow added. “No need to adding a lifetime of chocolate to the mix.”

“Party pooper…” Pinkie pouts, folding her hooves.

Still, the others all nod in agreement before turning back to the television.

“They’re all crazy!” Grandma Josephine replied.

“Shh! The man’s a genius!” Grandpa Joe told her. “He’ll sell a million bars!”

“More than enough to cover that lifetime supply of chocolate for the winner, that’s for sure,” Rarity noted.

“Though I wonder who those five winners of the contest will be,” Spike questioned.

“Personally, I think Charlie could win this contest,” Twilight said.

Charlie, who was still watching the television, turned his ahead toward his friend.

“You really think I could win, Twilight?”

“Of course I do, Charlie,” Twilight nodded. “Wouldn’t it be something? To open a bar of candy and find a golden ticket inside?”

“Of course,” Charlie replied, then frowned. “But I only get one bar a year, for my birthday.”

“Well, your mother was just saying how your birthday’s next week,” Twilight points out. “The way I see it: You have as much chance as any pony… Or, in your case, ‘anybody’.”

Charlie then turns toward Grandpa Joe.

“Grandpa, do you think I have a chance to find one?”

“One?” Grandpa Joe smiled. “I’m counting on you to find all five!”

“One’s enough for me,” Charlie responded.

“Now let’s not get too ahead of yerself, Charlie,” Applejack speaks up. “The folks likely to find them golden tickets are the ones who can afford to buy candy bars every day.”

Twilight nods understanding, but at the same time she faces the boy with a smile and places a hoof around his shoulder.

“Well, don’t worry about that, Charlie. I’m sure you’ll be one of the lucky five winners. If you just set your mind to it, you can do anything.”

Charlie smiled at the lavender mare, giving her a soft hug as thanks. They all turn back, looking toward the television as the chaos of the contest made the headlines of every news bulletin.

“Already we have reports coming in that the response is phenomenal,” The reporter continues. “Wonka bBars are beginning to disappear from candy store shelves at a rate to boggle the mind. Truly it is incredible the way that Wonkamania has descended upon the globe. While the world searches, we watch and wait, wondering where the pursuit will lead and how long the spirit of man will hold up under the strain.”

<>

In another part of the world, a poor man named Mr. Hofstedder was lying on a sofa in a therapist’s office. The poor man had been suffering from what he believes are dreams or premonitions of the future, so he was sent to a shrink to help him solve this dilemma. The shrink himself sat beside Hofstedder jotting notes.

“I’m still have these dreams Doctor,” Hofstedder told the shrink. “And I just can’t stop myself from believing them.”

I’ve told you before Mr. Hofstedder,” The shrink spoke, never looking up. “To believe in one’s dreams is a manifestation of insanity. And the sooner you accept this, the sooner you will get well.”

“But I dreamed that a midnight blue alicorn appeared to me and whispered into my ear and told me where to find a golden Wonka ticket.”

This seemed to get the shrink’s attention, as he looks up from his notes.

“And what exactly did it say?” He asked.

“Oh, what difference does that make? This was a dream, a fantasy. I mean you just said now…”

“Shut up Hofstedder and tell me where the ticket is!” The shrink shouted.

Wait a minute... Blue Alicorn? I don’t remember a Blue Alicorn in…

*Pause*

LUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

*The Princess of the night herself appears in an undisclosed location.*

Speaking?

What the heck, Luna?! How many times have we told you about interfering with the stories?! We have rules here.

Well, pardon us for attempting to partake in a little fun. I’m merely trying to alleviate our boredom seeing as you have not yet put us in one of your stories. Not even a mention or a cameo!

I know, I know, I know… *Sighs* Look Luna, I said you’ll get your chance to appear in one of my stories and I promise.

But right now, we’re asking you to be patient. Now, please go back and wait your turn. We've got a tons of guest stars we plan to include and the waiting period is only going to get longer if you don't hop in now.

Alright… But thou had better create a story with us in it. We’re holding you up on your word.

*Sighs* I really need a new hobby…

Ditto…