//------------------------------//
// Foals 
// Story: Twisted Future 
// by WriteAboutHorses 
//------------------------------//

Since the return of Sombra, every single Crystal Pony who was of age was put under a mind control spell and forced to fight for the Empire. Those who were too young were taken from their families, and put in the Crystal Heart Foal Center, now known as the Military Academy, where they would be trained to become warriors like the older ponies, only mind control would not be necessary.

Instructors took special interest in non-Earth ponies. Unicorns and Pegasi were a rarity in the Crystal Empire, though not unheard of. The use of both magic and flight would prove to be invaluable to the war cause, so Unicorn and Pegasus foals undertook special training programs.



"If you don't pick up the pace Diamond Glow you'll be scraping everypony else's puke off the floor!"  An instructor yelled at a young foal trailing behind in a training exercise.

Speed had never been Diamond Glow's strength. He'd never been able to beat anypony in a race before, he wasn't able to outrun the soldiers who took him from his family, and he certainly couldn't keep up with the other foals taking part in the exercise.

The exercise was lap running, which sounded easy enough to the foals that morning, but 3 hours and 400 laps later, they were feeling less confident. The instructors were merciless, ponies had collapsed and even puked from exhaustion and they were simply kicked and told to keep running.

"That's enough!" Another instructor finally called out. Every single foal collapsed on the ground, panting and sweating. "We'll continue after lunch!"



Diamond waited outside the room where Unicorns were trained for his friend, Blizzard. Blizzard had shown exceptional skill at magic when he was tested on it, so Chestnut Falls, the pony in charge of the Academy, saw to it personally that he was trained in Dark Magic.

"If you haven't gotten that spell by dinner I won't be letting you out!" Chestnut yelled as she walked out with Blizzard. It was uncharacteristic of her to treat foals this way, since she used to run the orphanage, but the green tint in her eyes was enough to let everypony know she wasn't herself.

"Yes miss." Blizzard sighed. "I'm sorry miss."

"And what do you want?" Chestnut turned her attention to Diamond. "Standing around like a lost little puppy like you do every single day. "

"I'm.. I'm just waiting for Blizzard miss." Diamond stuttered. Unlike before Sombra came to power, Chestnut was feared throughout the academy. Her new attitude since being brainwashed meant she wasn't above hitting foals, and Diamond certainly wanted to avoid that.

"Well go wait in the canteen like everypony else. He'll be there in a minute!" Chestnut growled.

"Yes miss..." Diamond said as he scampered away.



"What's wrong with Miss Falls?" Diamond asked as Blizzard sat down beside him in the canteen later.

"She's trying to teach me this Dark Magic spell. It's really hard, and my head hurts when I try to do it. But she just keeps yelling." Blizzard replied.

"I'm sick of this place. I hate it!" Diamond sulked as he pushed away his bowl of cold soup. "And I hate King Sombra too."

"Listen up!" Chestnut's voiced echoed through the canteen, and the whole room went quiet as she moved to the front to make an announcement. "I've just been informed that in 3 days, we'll be getting a visit from King Sombra himself!"

All the young ponies groaned. A visit from the King was a rare occasion. It had only happened twice before. Everypony knew that all he was interested in was seeing the older foals, and choosing the best to take away to "serve the empire". Blizzard and Diamond weren't old enough to be taken away yet, but it meant they had a long, tiring and probably scary day ahead.

"Everypony had better be on their best behavior." Chestnut Falls continued in a blunt tone. "The King doesn't like to be disappointed."



That night, Diamond and Blizzard had returned to their bedroom, and were discussing the announcement.

"You don't think he'll choose one of us do you?" Diamond worried. "I don't wanna fight in the war."

"We're too young." Blizzard answered, unsure himself about this. "Lots of the older ponies would be more interesting to Sombra than us.

Diamond looked out the window at the city. It had changed a lot since Sombra came to power. The once beautiful and smooth crystal walls of the buildings had turned black, twisted and frightening. The King's dark magic was driving all the Crystal Heart's weakening power out of the Empire.

"Do you think they could ever get here?" Diamond asked his friend.

"Who?"

"The Equestrians." Diamond explained. "Do you think they could ever get here, stop Sombra and free everypony?"

"Maybe." Blizzard said. "Princess Amore used to admire Celestia and Luna greatly, and you heard the stories about how they defeated the Spirit of Chaos, and how they locked away that centaur."

Diamond smiled at his friend. "I think someday Celestia and Luna will get here, and defeat King Sombra all by themselves!"

"I hope so." Blizzard nodded.