PONY OR DIE 1

by MLPG

Entry 0 and 1

Initial Picture, by Obsidian

Entry 1, by Fluxy:

"Parchment. Check. Extra quills. Check. Equestrian Astrological Compendium. Check..."

Twilight Sparkle ran through her checklist for the fourth time, making sure that she was completely prepared for the upcoming event. A total solar eclipse was something that did not occur frequently in Equestria, and she was not going to miss this opportunity to make her own observations and notes. Her tools were arranged before her in her typically hyper-organized fashion. The purple mare took a moment and closed her eyes and breathed a contented sigh, before deciding that she should go through her checklist just one more time before things got underway.

"Ok. Parchment. Chec-"

Suddenly a burst of pink filled her vision, startling her and knocking her back against the wall behind her, her carefully aranged papers and books sent airborne in a flurry.

"OHMIGOSH Twilight! I'm SO excited that you invited me to come with you. I mean I don't understand all that sciency-spacey-smarty-smart-pants stuff, but WOW this is going to be like night time, except it's daytime and-"

"PINKIE!" Twilight cried as she frantically used her magic to grab the stray items that had been thrown asunder when she was assaulted by her hyperactive companion ", Please. I know you're excited, but this is a very important astronomical phenomenon that's going to occur and I have to be ready!"

"Sorry Twi, I'm just so excited!" Pinkie apologized as she stepped back to give the lavender pony some breathing space, making sure to put on her best puppy dog eyes. "I'll be good, I Pinkie Pie promise!"

Twilight shook her head and got up slowly. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to invite Pinkie to join her, but all her other friends had prior engagements and couldn't come. It just so happened that Pinkie had some time off from Sugarcube Corner after almost causing a fire when she put the confetti into the oven (again), instead of the cake mix. However, it was nice to have some company, even if Pinkie Pie was being, well, Pinkie Pie.

The two friends were perched high atop an observation tower, which was located at the edge of the city. Twilight chose this location to get the best unobstructed view of the eclipse, and to avoid the crowds which would be gathered throughout Canterlot. From their vantage point, you could look out across the mountain ranges which seemed to go on as far as the eye could see. The view was breathtaking, especially from the height they were at, a fact which was not lost to either of the mares.

Neither of them noticed the fog.

"Oh-oh-oh! Twilight!" Pinkie exclaimed while poking her friend in the side with a hoof.

"What is it now Pinkie?" Twilight sighed, not looking up from the book she was studying.

"It's STARTING! Look!"

Twilight quickly looked up to see that the moon was just beginning to pass in front of the sun. She checked her telescope and fiddled with several knobs to adjust the focus. With a burst of magic, she quickly prepared a blank parchment and dipped her quill into an ink pot. She was prepared, but most of all she was filled with a sense of wonder and excitement. She quickly opened her saddlebags and levitated two pairs of glasses over to herself and her companion.

"Here Pinkie, these glasses will protect your eyes during the eclipse. Don't look at the sun without them."

"Okie dokie lokie!"

The two of them watched as the moon slowly slid into place in front of the sun, the world around them falling further and further into what could be described as an unnatural darkness. After several minutes has passed, the moon finally overtook the sun in the sky. Faint cheers of the crowds gathered in Canterlot could be heard in the distance when the eclipse hit it's peak.

Twilight was completely engrossed in her note taking and observations, writing down notes at a fevered pitch, occasionally pausing to look through her telescope or to cross-reference something in one of the books she had arranged around her. Pinkie, who was making good on her promise not to interrupt her companion, was simply entranced by the sight before her, her mouth slightly open in awe of the beauty of the eclipse. Occasionally she would gasp softly, or let out a quiet "Ooooooh."

Below them, and across the mountain range, the fog thickened.

Below them, the fog began to swallow everything in it's wake.

Both mares were shaken from their concentration and reverie, as the tower began to shake.

"W-what was that?" Pinkie asked, as her attention was drawn away from the sky.

"It was probably just a slight tremor. N-nothing to be worried about." Twilight said, trying to keep confidence in her voice. She couldn't help but to feel that something was not right here. The air around them had an almost electrical feeling, and the silence was deafining.

The tower they were perched upon began to shake more violently, throwing both of them off balance. Twilight lurched forward and fell against her telescope, which in turn fell forward against the ledge which ran around the circumference of the top of the tower. It teetered there for a moment, before succumbing to gravity and falling over the edge. She looked down in horror to watch her favorite astronomical instrument get swallowed by the thick fog which seemed to cover everything in sight. In the fog below she saw pools of light which seemed to mimic the brightness of the corona that burned in the sky above. They looked almost like... eyes.

Everything around them began to shake and shift. The tower now beginning to physically shift on its foundation. Pinkie frantically tried to make her way over to Twilight. She finally managed to reach her friend and when she did, she grabbed on to her and heald on as if her life depended on it.

"T-twilight!? What's happening?" Pinkie cried.

Before Twilight could answer, a high-pitched scream filled the air around them. The fog had gathered and thickened and was now towered over them, bearing down upon the rapidly disintegrating tower. A soulless, evil visage glared down at the two ponies before it, mouth agape in a scream and empty eyes burning brightly. It seemed to desire to swallow that which appeared before it. Twilight and Pinkie clung to each other in terror as the tower they were on began to crumble and fall away.

"I-I can't giggle away these ghosties!" Pinkie managed to say through tears. "I'm scared!"

"Me too Pinkie, " Twilight replied, desperately trying to think of a way out of this situation.

The fog, or whatever it was around them continued to glare down upon them as the observation tower finally gave out and began to freely fall and crumble away.

Swallowed by the darkness.

Comments

[Doctor Geagle]

(Cohesive Story Attempt: Part 1)
Twilight and Pinkie are eaten by an eclipse based all consuming darkness...

(Edited)

[NeuPferdfurt]

Okay, for story one: You really captured the mood of the picture, and overall, it's a really awesome scene. The narrative is fluid and you really captured a sense of both horror and beauty.

I have only one regret: stuff like this
"I-I can't giggle away these ghosties"
In my humble opinion, that's a little forced and cheesy. References like this have absolutely their place in a fanfic, but chosen carefully