MLP Forums Unofficial Fanfic Contest - Results and Voting

[Clarity 3,094]

This topic should not concern you unless you're one of the people who've entered this contest.

 

Anyway, after a month of the fics being written and then judged, we finally got out the top five! All of the judges have enjoyed your writing very much, but we got out the best of the best today.

 

Most of you, I believe, have agreed to our terms & conditions:

 

Do not be butthurt if you hadn't made it to the finalists. Please be encouraging to our contestants.

You may PM/complaint to me about your judging AFTER the contest is over.

You cannot vote for yourself if your fic made it to the finalists.

You must read all five fics before voting, no matter how boring/uninteresting they are.

 

 

Remember, only the eleven people out of the fifteen contestants who entered may vote. And ONLY them. The polls are public, so I can see if you voted for yourself or if you hadn't entered the contest, but voted. If you broke any of the rules above, you're automatically disqualified.

 

If you saw your number below, you do not jump with happiness or anything, or else people would know it's you.

 

Now, without further ado...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*drumroll*

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finalists are:

 

Entry number 3

 

Entry number 5

 

Entry number 8

 

Entry number 10

 

...and Entry number 11!

 

 

 

Congratulations to those who made in into the finalists!

 

 

Now comes the part where we decide the ranking! We need ALL eleven people for this. I mean ALL.

 

Choose your two favorite ones after you read all five. You may NOT vote for the same entry twice. And remember, if you break any rules, you're disqualified.

 

 

Here are the entries:

 

Entry Number 3 - Bruised Apples

 

 

 

It was about noon on the 18th of September, a time where the once clean roads of regions throughout Equestria were now being smothered by the deep layers of brown leaves, shed from trees like tears as if mourning the nearing death of summer and the birth of a colder Autumn and then a bitter winter. On the road to an apple orchard not far from Ponyville was a melancholy looking figure. The pony’s slow, trudging body language and the appearance of a lonely tear on his majestic face betrayed his true feelings to anyone who might have seen him. As he trudged a luke warm breeze caught his face, blowing back the golden unicorn’s mane revealing his tear stricken eyes to non-existent passers-by. At long last the unicorn had finished his painful exodus from the town and had reached the door of the barn house. He looked up at the tall majestic structure of the building and sighed; he raised his hoof and knocked about three times on the door of the building. After a brief pause the door opened beholding the small frame of a filly. Dr Stable smiled weakly at Applebloom and asked politely.

“Hello Applebloom, could I see either your sister or your grandmother, I would like to buy some apples?”

Applebloom who was originally surprised and rather pleased by the appearance of the visitor was now suddenly concerned by the melancholy appearance of Dr Stable. She saw past the weak smile and looked instead to his tear stung eyes and his rough unchecked mane that resembled something like tumble weed. Applebloom smiled weakly but continued to raise her eyebrow at the unicorn.

“Okay Dr Stable,” she immediately disappeared into the house again, where Doctor Stable could only just hear her calls to her elders.

“Applejack! Granny smith! We got a customer.”

“I’ll get it!” said the frail old voice of Granny Smith; however he was instead answered by her granddaughter Applejack who smiled weakly.

“Sorry for ye waitin Doctor, she is a little…aged.” She said letting of a little chuckle, suddenly she was shocked, a little more so than Applebloom was, by the appearance of the Doctor.

“Oh my….Doctor you look worse than a rabbit when the wolves have done with it. What in tarnation happened to you?”

Dr Stable sighed again and put down his face so she could no longer gaze into his distressed eyes. “It’s…..nothing…..could I please just buy a few apples…..?”

Applejack never liked to see anypony upset, she may have not known Dr Stable that much, apart from when Rainbow Dash was in hospital or when Granny Smith needed her hip sorted but she couldn’t just let this slip. She sighed and gave the doctor a very concerned look.

“Look I’ve got some cider in the barn; maybe you could have a drink and tell me what’s wrong.”

The doctor sighed, he looked up again and saw the face of the orange earth pony, she smiled back at him and the doctor immediately felt a sort of sharp pain which immediately turned into a weird, addictive feeling he had not felt in a while. He kept his head up this time and politely said.

“Alright, thank you Miss….”

Applejack chuckled raising a hoof to interrupt him.

“Just call me Applejack Doctor…”

The Doctor impersonated what the Earth pony had done before smiling weakly.

“Please…call me Jonathan. I am Dr Jonathan Stable.”

Applejack smiled at the progress she had made into getting his trust she smiled enthusiastically and nodded.

“Alright, Jonathan then.” She said, trotting over to the barn slowly. Jonathan however was frozen to the spot, He was dumbstruck by the kindness of a pony he barely knew and the feeling that was now entering his body, he no longer felt the crushing sadness he had felt before, he was feeling…butterflies in his belly! Applejack turned to look at the stationary dumbstruck pony and chuckled.

“What’s wrong Jonathan, stuck in the mud?”

Jonathan shook his head quickly, getting himself back into the real world, he smiled weakly however still walking quite sadly, but with an almost faster speed, as if he wanted to get as close to Applejack as possible, as if he needed to get closer.

When she arrived at the barn Applejack opened the door gently making sure not to knock anything that could possibly be being stored behind it. She smiled at the interior, quickly making a check of everything, the piles of apples, the piles of hay and most importantly, the few spare barrels of cider. She carefully rolled one of the barrels of the pile carefully with her front hooves making sure that it did not roll out of control at last she put it near the entrance where Jonathan was standing and propped up the barrel carefully, he went back to the barrel pile to collect a wooden mug she then passed the mug to Dr Stable who sighed and gingerly accepted it. He carefully placed his mug at the bottom of the tap of the barrel. Applejack smiled and carefully turned the tap on with her hooves, taking extra care not to overfill the mug. She then smiled weakly at the doctor.

“Now be careful, this is the strong batch you should drink it slow-“Applejack’s plea was ignored by the doctor as he grabbed the mug, not caring about using his slow magic and quickly drank the strong contents of the mug in almost two seconds, he then slammed the mug down again, his face showing early warning that he was about to burst into tears and demanded another mug.

“Jonathan, I really hope you not trying to drown your sorrows…you being a doctor should realise---“

“NO! I NEED IT!”

“No you don’t Jonny. You don’t NEED the cider.”

“YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I WENT THROUGH!”

Jonathan soon was in crying hysterics, his face now crimison as his ocean blue eyes spurt forth an ocean of tears.

“NOT A CLUE.” He went silent now, suddnely he collapsed on the floor, no longer screaming and instead just sobbed, leaving almost a puddle on the floor.

Applejack sighed and smiled weakly trotting over slowly to the crying unicorn; she carefully placed her hoof on his back, stroking him slowly like a loving owner does to a dog. The crying unicorn looked up at the orange pony showing his tear stained face. Applejack smiled warmly at him and unexpectedly put her head close to his and gently nuzzled him.

“Now tell me Sugarcube, what’s got you this upset?”

The Doctor sighed and looked up at her and that addictive feeling came back again, he saw the beautiful face of the orange pony, the cute freckles that rested majestically on her face as well as the her long adorable pony tail that she had turned her mane into and her soft, groomed orange hair. He felt that addiction again….He knew he could talk her.

“It’s a very long story.”

Applejack smiled at her companions co-operation giving him another nuzzle.

“I’ve got plenty of time; Big mac is doing the apples today.”

Doctor Stable smiled and began his story.

“It was almost exactly this time three years ago….Since……My wife was taken away from me. She was…a bit like you, a beautiful hardworking pony, except she was a unicorn like me, we had met at medical school and we had fallen in love almost instantly, we got on more than bees with flowers, and probably needed each other as much as them. About five weeks before she died we…. decided we wanted a…foal...” Jonathan chocked the last word out before nearly bursting into tears again; Applejack lovingly patted and cooed him, stroking him with her hoof slowly.

“It’s okay sugar cube. Keep going.”

Jonathan swallowed and closed his eyes.

“Her name was Arwen featherton, her cutie mark was a phoenix feather, as she also prepared for the autumn so well by collecting up all the leaves and helping the animals gather food, to show from the cold ashy death of summer…a new season, Autumn could be born... I was at her side when she died……It was Autumn two years ago she…….she…..Was about to give birth to our baby foal….and he….he.” Jonathan could barely finish the sentence and soon was close to collapsing into tears again, Applejack had to go close to him, nuzzling him like a beautiful lioness to try and emotionally prop him up.

“Keep going Sugar cube.”

Jonathan closed his eyes croaking out pathetically.

“He was born dead, and the other doctors……couldn’t restart his heart….and Arwen…my sweet Arwen….she she……..died from the blood loss….and the sight of….her dead foal……”

He paused and tears soon rolled in fountains down his golden face, Applejack continued to hug him tightly and cooed more so and softer.

“Oh no no no no Sugar cube. It’s okay…it’s okay.” She patted him gently, Jonathan raised his head again looking at Applejack, and he saw that she was crying as well. He sniffed and raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you crying Applejack?” He croaked.

“It’s because….your story….was so sad….and it is sad to see a friend of mine so…..distressed.” She hugged him tightly nuzzling him smoothly and gently, her face stained with tears from nuzzling her new found friend. She then smiled warmly and cuddled him close and soon she felt a sharp pain, almost identical to what the unicorn had felt previously and before she knew what she was doing she had slowly licked his cheek. She immediately retracted her face going as red as the apples she picked.

“I’m so sorry…..I wasn’t thinking!”

Jonathan smiled weakly. “Yes….Thought kills action….”

Applejack looked at the poetic pony and chuckled, she rested her hoof softly on Jonathan’s head, just resting it there, and slowly she started stroking his mane, untangling it, straightening it, returning it into a mane instead of demented tumbleweed. While this was happening Dr Stable blushed a bright red, forgetting his sad nature and chuckled.

“Applejack……what are you doing.”

“Fixing something, just wait there a second.”

After about another minute her work had been done and Jonathan’s beautiful chocolate mane had retuned. She chuckled slightly at the improvement.

“I might not be one of those fancy fashion people like Rarity, but I know a handsome looking Pony when I see one.”

Jonathan was now as red as a tomato; soon ideas were rushing through his head. Does she like me, I think I like her too, is it just the cider talking?

Applejack started laughing, amused by her friend’s crimson colour.

“Awww you’re so cute when ya blush, even cuter then you are normally.”

Applejack looked into Jonathan’s eyes; she fell in love with those majestic and beautiful ocean blue eyes. He loved his repaired chocolate brown mane and his golden hair. He also looked adorable in his cute reading glasses, whatever resistance she had before was gone, she could barely help herself as she leant in slowly into Jonathan, as if she was about to nuzzle him again, but before he could think she kissed him deeply, accepting now the feelings she had felt before. Jonathan blushed deeper but didn’t resist, he kissed her back, passionately stroking her, forgetting how he had previously started the day. They retracted slowly, barely believing what they were doing; they smiled at each other and gave each other a loving nuzzle, confirming their new bond. It was now Applejacks turn to blush as she thought.

“You can pick apples right?”

 

---

 

The new ponies relationship was soon the talk on ponyville, everyone was talking about how the hardworking, orange earth pony was now going out with the witty, intelligent doctor unicorn. It was the front page in all of the ponyville papers and was a subject of virtually all the gossip in the town. Applejack decided to stay at the farm not wanting to be bothered by gossip ponies while Dr Stable took a day of work, instead staying in the comfort of his home and day dreaming of his beautiful Orange Marefriend and the experiences they shared. At about 8pm, under the soothing cover of darkness the doctor slowly but carefully left his home, not wanting to be spotted by even a single pony that might be patrolling at night. He carefully kept to the shadows till he saw his target, Sweet Apple Acres, he smiled trotting normally now, knowing that there would be no hostile ponies about here. He smiled as he slipped into the barn still keeping as quite as possible. Suddenly she felt a hoof grab hold of him and he yelped sharply.

“Shhhhhhhh.” The familiar voice whispered. “Did anypony see ya’ll come here.”

“No,” he whispered back, “It’s just me.”

Jonathan shielded his eyes as a bright light near him suddenly appeared; he smiled as he saw his beloved Applejack who was lighting a small candle.

“Sorry if it was a lil bright, but we want to see each other right.”

“Yes, especially if one of them is as beautiful as you are.”

Applejack went a bright red. “Oh shucks you are such a charmer Jonathan.” She approached him slowly and gave him a loving nuzzle, a little more affectionate then the ones previously, Jonathan leant in, feeling as if his heart was melting from the love he felt. Applejack smiled and retracted

“Err……I got us some supper.” He turned her head towards a small table that was furnished with two apple pies with hay fries laid around it. Jonathan smiled and nuzzled his mare friend lovingly. “That was extremely kind of you. Thank you.”

They sat on opposite sides on the table, talking as they ate about all that had happened in their lives and that days, they laughed, joked and flirted all through the night, Applejack still couldn’t believe though how quickly this unicorn had melted her heart. After they had eaten they rose and Jonathan yawned, he bowed and said his thanks, as he turned to leave Applejack rose her hoof smiling.

“Wait…….Can I quickly tell you something.”

Jonathan raised his eyebrows, curious at what his marefriend might say, he trotted up to her and stood there waiting for what she was going to say.

“Well…what is it Applejack.”

She smiled and leant in close and whispered in his ear. “I love you Jonathan, more than I’ll ever love any other pony. Jonathan smiled and warmly embraced her, kissing her like he hadn’t done to another in years, he hugged her and stroked her gently with his hoof to make her feel safe in his touch, Applejack did similar, trying as hard as possible to show her lover that she really did love him. It soon became heated, and Applejack and pushed Jonathan onto a pile of hay and embraced him further stroking him all over, this continued until, due to fatigue they closed their eyes slowly, close to sleep. Jonathan, finally letting go his grief turned to Applejack

“You are the most beautiful pony I have ever loved……and you have done the impossible…you have made love from heart break, you have made delicious cider from bruised apples.”

Applejack smiled brightly and hugged her lover; they hugged onto each other for warmth, spending that night in the barn together, content with their own company.

 

 

Entry number 5 - She, and her Valedictory Victim

 

 

 

The events herewithin did transpire in the thousandth Celestial year, as marked by the imprisonment of that wayward princess by our fearless leader.

 

14th of November

 

A vivid slumber has purposed me to put my dreams to paper. Devoid of resources and in want of quill and ink, I retreated to my study. There, forgotten among my tomes, lay this journal. I bear no recollection in purchasing such a book, but the discovery has inspired me. Rather than record a single night's sleep, why not analyze for the duration of the month? As a psychologist, I've always found the subject to retain a certain fascination. These pages, though they be yellowed and weathered, will host my memories. They must suffice; I cannot delay in this documentation. Already my visions have lost luster, and I would not see them squandered.

 

Captivating -- my dream in a word. Into a fog I was lured, a slave to my senses. I knew not what awaited me there in that myriad mist, and even now I am scarcely sure what I saw. Colors grew and shifted. Shapes both were and were not; the place was impossible. Amid the confusion, I felt a presence. Was I being watched? I waited endlessly, scanning my surroundings in search of something worth searching for, and although no one ever emerged, I believe my efforts were not in vain. My reasoning defies explanation, but I feel as if leaving would have been the wrong decision. As I stood cloaked in the gloom, I felt uncertainty absolve; I felt an air of trust.

 

Regretfully, my memory dims, as does the candlelight. As the sun has yet to rise, I return now to bed, optimistic about this endeavor. However, looking back on this entry, I am fearful for my storage of ink. I must remember to purchase more.

 

27th of November

 

Having neglected this journal for some days, I find my actions righted by my last slumber. A most peculiar occurrence has befallen me; I returned to my previous dreamscape. It was as if I had never left. There before me lay the familiar fog, complete with twisting shapes. It all stood unchanged, or at least, it seemed that way at first. While studying the scene around me, my suspicions were confirmed -- another being was present! The fog had revealed a set of eyes, like two luminescent emeralds; I was entranced. In a moment, the creature itself came into view. The fog had rolled back and vanished entirely, though I had scarcely noticed.

 

She was beautiful.

 

The eyes belonged to a unicorn. Her scarlet mane billowed gallantly, and I was rendered speechless. Never before have I witnessed a creature of this caliber -- I doubt any pony has. Her perfection was otherworldly. I am studied enough to know that close friends or family may on occasion work themselves into a dream, perhaps even in another form. This was not the case; I know no pony to rival her. Her very essence was unreal. Then, before I knew it, she was gone. I was devastated. I began to run after her, though in earnest I knew not which direction to head; she had not retreated, only vanished. Dwelling in my dismay, a whisper reached my ears, interrupting thought. She had spoken; there was no doubt. Her voice sounded as an angel's must, divine and perfect. However, the message proved more enigmatic. I was graced with only a single puzzling phrase: you must escape.

 

I have no answers, only questions, but I know I will see her again; I must. Is this some kind of warning?

 

9th of December

 

I cannot stand this! Sleep without incident, then no sleep at all; many nights I have passed bereft of dreams. For a week I awoke without recollection; my subconscious would not wander. The night before last proved more unfortunate yet; sleep itself avoided me! I know not the cause of this bout of insomnia; never have I been prone to such fits. My own body mocks me. When I have determined to study sleep, it eludes me! However, such suffering seems trivial now, here under the morning light. Last night I returned.

 

I realized I had not taken notice of the landscape before, after the fog had lifted. The ground seemed dull and lifeless; it had not seemed so grey before. My mind then turned to more important matters -- where was she? I felt a panic well within my chest. What if I was never to see her again? Such a prospect was unacceptable to me, nay, still is. I am not only concerned with what she is trying to communicate, but she has awakened a truth within me. I know now a gnawing emptiness, one of which I was previously unaware, and only in her presence do I feel relief. After what seemed an eternity, she appeared.

 

My heart was pounding. Her vivid eyes pierced me, and I felt a horrible mixture of hope and fear. Any comfort I might have derived from the encounter was lost to me; my mind was otherwise engaged, busy worrying in speculation. We held conversation this time; I know this, and yet, I can recall none of the exchange. Despite my lapse of memory, there is one fact I hold in certainty: she understands my emotions. Unfortunately, even this provides minimal relief; I am far too troubled. My mind spins with the remnants of our dissolved discussions, and one concern rises above the rest; one phrase echoes clearly in my head -- a repeated refrain: escape.

 

I know it seems silly, but I believe these dreams hold meaning. Something greater than myself must be at work here. That is not an entirely foolish notion, is it? This is all too peculiar to be nonsense; there must be meaning.

 

16th of December

 

Much has changed since I began this journal. As I pen these words onto the smooth white pages before me, I think back to before this experiment. I was then directionless, lost in the banality of routine; I refuse to return to that state. The comfort of my dreams cannot go unstated; I await each night with bated breath.

 

I have closed my practice so that I may devote more time to my studies, and I have repurposed my office as a bedchamber, seeing as my previous accommodations proved too inconvenient, being so far removed from my study. While finishing the alterations to my lodgings, I experienced quite an odd occurrence -- a tapping sounded on my chamber door. As no one ever came to visit, I was rather alarmed. Indeed, even my patients had always met with me at my office in town. I approached the antechamber with trepidation, and opened the door to behold a sullen-looking stallion; black rings circled his eyes, marking his face with an expression of weariness. He appeared to me familiar, but if we had indeed met before, we were not well acquainted. He informed me that I was missed in town, and that the townsfolk were worried by my absence. While it is true that I have neglected to leave my dwelling this past week, I don't see what business it is of anyone save myself. Aside from patients seeking diagnosis, they had scarcely deigned to bother with me before, yet now they deemed it appropriate to question my actions? It was nonsense. I shared with him my opinion on the matter, and requested his departure. He held silent a moment, his eyes locked to mine. His countenance seemed to grow darker, then he spoke. He maintained that I might yet find comfort in the care of friends, but I had heard enough. He had ceased making sense, and the conversation did not interest me. I chose to signal its end by slamming the door shut.

 

The encounter has left me in poor spirits. I had meant to write of dreams and of her, that alluring unicorn, but the pallid light of evening dwindles. Tomorrow I will continue this chronicle, for focus has abandoned me presently. I am eager for sleep's warm embrace, and though I crave her company, my passion remains tempered by the knowledge that we must part at morning's light. I feel as if I am forgetting something, but perhaps this night's sleep will refresh my mind. Until the morrow, then.

 

17th of December

 

Epiphany! Early this morning I was struck by sudden realization: I need not continue like this, sleeping so seldom. I spend too much time awake, but I have solved it; the issue has ceased to be, though why this idea did not occur to me previously I cannot say.

 

That zebra, the one that dwells deep within the Everfree forest -- she is the solution! I recall a patient of mine having mentioned her, impressed by her ability in alchemy; he claimed she cured his insomnia. I knew if she could not assist me, I was beyond help.

 

The zebra is an apothecary of sorts; she specializes in exotic ingredients and is an expert in medicine. I paid her visit early this morning; she welcomed me warmly, but once I had expressed my desire, she grew reserved. Having retrieved a half-filled flask, she questioned my want of such a tonic. I pretended to suffer from insomnia, though, while this was not altogether untrue, the symptoms had disappeared weeks ago. I am not fit for fabrication; that is what she told me. She then refused me the mixture, and begged my departure.

 

I left, but later returned under the cover of night. Forcing my way into her hut, I located the familiar flask and was gone again, within the minute. Fortunately she had not been home, yet she would discover the broken door upon her return. I cared not; all I considered was the dream that awaited me.

 

It is now that I write this, again at home. After examining the bottle more carefully, I have discovered it devoid of markings. and am unsure of the amount to take. I suppose I must measure out what seems reasonable, and attempt to discover an appropriate dosage by trial.

 

My excitement soars! Should this potion prove successful, no longer will the sun herald my return to the realm of the awakened. I am free to see her for as long as I like -- free also from filling my waking hours penning this abominable journal. In fact, the book stands to me as an affront, mocking the dissonance within my very soul! However, I will be healed soon enough; I will imbibe a miracle.

 

I remembered what I had forgotten -- her first words to me: you must escape. I understand now; it was no warning, but an invitation! Tomorrow I will note the time of my awakening, and then I shall adjust my intake as necessary. I intend to sleep for just under a day, but it is doubtful that I will achieve such this first night. Enough! I will leave such worries for the future. For now, I must away into my dreams! Finally, there is time for you, my darling.

 

I have escaped.

 

18th of December

 

...

 

 

 

Entry number 8 - Nonsensibility

 

 

 

 

 

Across an unforgiving expanse of scrublands and rocky slopes, rising with the oppressive heat into a pale and endless sky, a strange noise could be heard. Like the very rhythm of the earth, the heartbeat of all Equestria, it echoed ceaselessly…

 

“Chimi-cherry?” Squeak. “Cherry-changa!” Squeak. “Chimi-cherry?” Squeak. “Cherry-changa!”

 

Two ponies: one white, one pink. One seethed with controlled anger, the other cheerfully oblivious. All they had in common was the old wooden rail cart they drove slowly, laboriously through the desert.

 

The tracks stretched on into a mercifully setting sun, which would likely rise again before their journey was through.

 

As the cart creaked around one of the painted hills, the sound became clearer. Small animals peered out from the precious shade of rocks and dry shrubs to watch them pass. A hot wind slowly picked up behind the mysterious travelers, as though the land itself was eager to be rid of them.

 

Squeak. “Chimi-cherry?” the pink pony with the poofy mane asked once more.

 

Her graceful companion was lost in a vengeful diatribe as she took her turn cranking the lever. “I swear to Celestia, Rainbow Dash…”

 

“Or cherry-changa?” Another squeak as her friend pushed back.

 

“…When I get back to Ponyville and find you, I will…”

 

Squeak. “Chimi-cherry?”

 

“…I will design you the ugliest outfit I’ve ever made!” Squeak.

 

“Cherry-changa!”

 

“And I’m going to use my magic to hold you still and make you wear it.” Squeak.

 

“Chimi-cherry?”

 

Squeak. “In front of the Wonderbolts!”

 

“Or cherry-changa??”

 

“Please, Pinkie Pie!” Rarity dropped the lever and the cart clattered to a stop. Her normally sleek and spotless coat was full of dust and twigs from the tumble she had taken through the savannah. Her perfectly coiffed mane was ruined. But even in exhaustion and fury, she had an air of unmistakable elegance. Much was expected of a rising fashion star like herself, and even in these trying times she must not let her composure slip too much.

 

Composure was not in Pinkie Pie’s vocabulary. Parties, sweets and randomness were, and she eagerly embarked on more of the latest. “Please what, Rarity? You want a cherry-changa?! Me too! But we have to get back to Cherry Hill Ranch first. And then we have to help Cherry Jubilee harvest some cherries we can cook with. Then we have to find an all-night tortilla store, then wait till the sun comes up and it gets real hot so we can deep fry our chimi-cherries on a rock! Then we can eat them all till we get tummyaches—well, until you get a tummyache—and decide if I should call them chimi-cherries or cherry-changas and then…”

 

Rarity fell on her hind legs and whined in agony. “Why, Celestia? Why must I be stranded in a wasteland with the most scatterbrained pony in Equestria?” The waning sun offered no answer. “Of all things that could possibly happen, this is the worst…possible…MMMMFFH!”

 

Rarity’s lament was interrupted by a mouthful of sand. She coughed and spat, shooting an accusing glare at her companion. But Pinkie’s confused expression, along with the strange appearance of the horizon behind her, gave her pause.

 

“Gee, what did you do that for? Does the dirt here taste yummy or something??” Pinkie scooped up a hoofful before Rarity could stop her, and quickly ejected it. “Yuckers!”

 

“Oh, honestly! I didn’t mean to…” the fashionista trailed off as she watched the other pony’s face.

Pinkie’s eyes opened wide and her ears began to twitch rapidly. She groaned and bent double, holding her stomach, only to start giggling and stamping her rear hooves.

 

“Pinkie? What on earth is the matter with you?”

 

“Hee hee hee…it’s…it’s my Pinkie Sense! Ha ha…I think this is a brand new one! See, I got twitchy ears…a stomachache…and ticklish hooves!” she helpfully re-enacted each part.

 

“But what does it mean, darling?”

 

“I dunno. I’ve never had that Pinkie Sense before. Ooo, let’s play a guessing game until it happens! I bet it means…you’re gonna get kidnapped by the Diamond Dogs again!”

 

Rarity shot her a glare at that unpleasant memory.

 

Pinkie looked sheepish. “Nope, you’re right. They wouldn’t be silly enough to try that again. Um…maybe it means our friends are coming back!”

 

Rarity gazed around hopefully, but saw no signs of the others. She hoped they had caught up with Applejack and gotten an explanation, because now they owed her one, especially Rainbow Dash.

Rarity turned back to the east, and froze.

 

“Maybe it means ice cream is gonna fall from the sky and we can eat it! Mmmm, that would be so good right now!”

 

“Pinkie.”

 

Pinkie tilted her head back and opened her mouth, hoping to catch a falling popsicle or two. A moment later she coughed. “Ew! There’s sand in the air. This whole desert has way too much sand.”

 

“Pinkie...” Rarity gesticulated wildly with her hooves.

 

“If this place was a person, you know what I’d call him? Sandy McSand!”

 

“Pinkie Pie, look!” Rarity turned her around and pointed.

 

Something was rising ominously in the distance. It looked like a great brown wall suddenly built across half of the plains, except it was moving—and getting larger every minute.

 

“Wow! So that Pinkie Sense was a big giant super-scary sandstorm! Oh well. That was gonna be my next guess.”

 

Rarity was silent, staring blankly at the advancing force. A dull roar began to build in their ears, and now the sunset was not the only thing darkening the sky.

 

The fashionable pony finally snapped out of it. Twilight had mentioned how dangerous the dust storms out here could be. Now they were right in the path of one, and she was doing nothing. She jumped up and reached for the lever. “Pinkie, hurry! We’ve got to keep ahead of it!”

 

“Okey-dokey-lokey!” Pinkie followed suit, and the cart squealed in protest as they pumped like mad. Rarity’s side was facing the storm, and though she tried not to stare at it, she couldn’t help seeing how futile their effort was. The cloud grew larger, the winds louder, and soon both ponies were half blinded from sand.

 

“Um, Rarity…” For the first time Pinkie sounded worried. “I think we might be going a teensy bit too slow.”

 

“Whatever gave you that idea?!” Rarity snapped, forgetting that sarcasm was lost on her.

 

“Well, ‘cause the noise is getting louder and my mane is getting dirty and—”

 

“Never mind, just get down! I…” Rarity gulped, summoning all her remaining energy into her horn.

 

“I’m going to see if my magic can help us move any faster.”

 

“Wow! That sounds hard. Can I be your cheerleader??” Pinkie clapped her hooves in delight.

 

“Be anything you want, just don’t fall off the cart!”

 

Rarity knew her powers weren’t nearly as great as Twilight Sparkle’s, and the most strenuous thing she did with them was moving fabrics and sewing supplies around the Carousel Boutique. But she had to try.

 

Instead of trying to move the entire cart, she limited her aura to the lever. It was more difficult than she anticipated. Her mind had to be focused, and with the terrifying wall of dust looming over them, it seemed impossible.

 

“Yoo-hoo!” Pinkie jumped up and down in front of her. Rarity broke off her ruminations on certain doom to gawk at her outlandish appearance. The pink menace had donned a white and purple cheerleader costume, apparently from nowhere, complete with pom-poms attached to her front hooves. The wind whipped her hair around like a cotton candy machine. “Don’t look at the storm. Look at me! Now go go go!”

 

Rarity nodded and gritted her teeth. Power coursed from her horn in a steady stream, moving the lever much faster than they could have done physically. The cart was picking up speed now, and soon it was clattering along the track like nopony’s business.

 

“Rarity, Rarity! She’s our mare! A big storm’s after us? We don’t care!” Pinkie jumped up and down frantically. Somehow she stayed on the cart despite the speed, wind resistance and blinding dust, able to defy all laws of physics at will.

 

To her surprise, Rarity found that they were moving even faster now. Could it be that Pinkie really was helping her? No, of course not. A pony as refined as herself would never be moved by such juvenile antics.

 

“Pinkie Pie, I swear…” Rarity shouted, but it was getting harder to see her now as the storm surrounded them. At least it gave them additional wind at their backs. “You have…no sensibilities whatsoever!”

 

“Like, duh! I’m non-sensible. Now GO RARITY! Give it all you’ve got! WOOOO!”

 

She smiled despite herself. If nothing else, she thought, she must survive to make that pony a better cheerleading outfit. Her head began to ache and her vision blurred, and she barely remembered where she was—how did Twilight do this all the time? But she crouched on the cart, hooves digging into the wooden surface, and focused on the loud pink blur. As long as it kept moving, she must not stop.

 

“Rarity! I see something!” she could barely make out the words. “It’s…it’s Cherry Hill Ranch!!”

 

“I can’t,” Rarity protested, but it came out as a breath. Even if Pinkie could hear it didn’t matter. She had to. They were part of the storm now, one with a force of nature that may never release them. But all she could see was pink.

 

The sound of snapping wood jolted her back to attention, and she watched in horror as the lever spun off into oblivion. She could no longer breathe.

 

But the pink moved again, this time forward, enveloping her in warmth and sweat. In one desperate move, Pinkie Pie tackled her off the cart and leapt at the most beautiful thing either pony had ever seen: a second-story window.

 

A sound of glass breaking, a fall that seemed like it would never end…and a surprisingly squishy landing.

 

Rarity slowly opened her eyes. She couldn’t move. Every muscle in her body ached. Her normally white coat was stained all over with red, and for a moment she stared in horror—until Pinkie clarified matters.

 

“YAY! Cherries! Cherries saved us! That’s like so awesome-riffic!” She whooped, jumping up and bouncing around with joy. “I know what these would be good with!” She dipped one of her pom-poms into the crushed fruit—apparently they were edible—and took a bite. “Mmmm.”

 

Of course. They had just landed in Cherry Jubilee’s workroom. Rarity sighed and closed her eyes again, content to lie there approximately forever. If Cherry had a problem with it, they would…work off…the damages……

 

“Thank you, Pinkie Pie,” she whispered as an exhausted sleep stole over her. “I suppose being stuck with you is not…the worst possible thing.”

 

Silence. Then, a kiss on her cheek. “You’re welcome, Rary-dary,” came an unusually quiet reply. Then another outpouring of excited words, but no longer annoying. Soothing, somehow. “I know! When you wake up we’ll put the fruit on some tortillas! And then we’ll eat them all! What do you think we should call them?! Chimi-cherry? Cherry-changa! Chimi-cherry? Chimi-changa! Chimi-cherry…?”

 

 

 

Entry number 10 - Enharmonia

 

 

 

Deep purple melded with amethyst, a simple yet powerful collision that could be felt around the world. Lights shone bright and oceans churned, a whole slew of changes and cataclysms shifting the universe in an unstable and violent way. Harmony and chaos, fighting and loving.

 

--

 

"Vinyl? Vinyl... What the hay are you looking at?" The magenta coated mare sighed and sipped at her drink. Actually, drinks. She gazed in the direction that the white mare was staring at. Although this was only the beginning of the night for her, she couldn't follow the unicorn's vision, the ponies across the pub melting together in a blob of color and voices. "Alright Vin', what is it?!"

 

Still no reaction from the possibly comatose DJ, her mouth slightly agape and wide eyed. Her friend, holding the drink by the lip of the glass, groaned, downing the rest of it soon after, and putting the empty glass on the bar. "Hey barcolt, can you send down another one? Something stronger?"

 

"Actually, miss," the barmare said with a hint of irritation, "I can't. New policy; limit ten drinks per Berry Punch." She smiled an icy smile and trotted back toward the other end of the bar, ready to serve an older looking gentlecolt.

 

If the mare was aware of the thousands of daggers burying themselves in the back of her head, she didn't show it. And that just irritated Berry even more. "Argh! I can't get one more drink out of these people! That table was replaceable anyways!" She shook her head and hopped down to the floor on all fours. "I'm done, Vin'. See ya Tuesday." The white mare didn't even blink as her friend trotted out the door and to the conveniently placed pub across the street.

 

--

 

A soft thump sounded as the grey mare went silent, her hoof falling to the table. Beauty Brass looked back over at her new silent friend. The cellist was staring off toward the other end of the room, all of her conversation dead in the air. The tuba player looked at her friend with a curious concern. "Octy, you alright?" She gazed across the room, trying to see whatever Octavia was seeing.

 

Rather quickly, she spotted another mare across the space staring back at her friend. She blushed, a visible hue showing through her coat. She wove her hoof in front of Octavia's face, jolting the mare back out of her trance. "Huh, wha- whosit- Oh, heh, uh, hi, Brass!" Her cheery smile played across her face, but her friend kept blushing, but smiling at the same time.

 

"You okay, Octy? You were staring at that mare over there... for about a minute." A teasing tone entered her face, but the smile stayed where it was.

 

This time, it was the other mare's turn to blush, who began looking everywhere but her friend. "N-no I wasn't! That pony over there? Pfft, I wasn't staring at her, she's just like any old unicorn. Heh."

 

"You sure? Because you were staring at her pretty hard. I could almost see you eating her up." A stifled giggle permeated through the booth they were in, while the cellist went from a nice charcoal grey to a nice shade of crimson.

 

"No I wasn't! Don't be so vulgar," Octavia said, sniffing as she turned her head.

 

Suddenly, an mean idea popped into Beauty Brass's mind. "Oh, look at the time, I have to go home and get some sleep, see ya on the eighth!" She rose out of the booth and trotted to the door, feigning obliviousness to her friend's frantic pleading.

 

As the brass player left the building, Octavia glanced back over at the white unicorn. When she saw that she was looking back over too, they both glanced away and blushed again. Bucking Beauty Brass... Sighing, the cellist placed her head in her hooves. "Of all the ponies I could have met here..." She glanced back at the white mare, who also was stealing glances. "...I meet a tomcolt."

 

But she looks really good...

 

--

 

Over the din of the pub, Vinyl could hear the trotting of hooves on the tile floor. Her ears perked up and she turned her head. Oh Celestia... she's coming over here! Each step sounded like thunder to her ears, and the world seemed to slow down as Vinyl looked at the approaching figure from hoof to head. Oh... My...

 

She shook her head. "No no no, you're a strong mare... Use the Charm." After turning back to the bar, she downed the rest of her drink and took a deep breath. You got this. You got this.

 

Bringing her head back up, she started to turn to face the mare when she heard a smooth, regal voice. "Uhm, hi there."

 

Vinyl flailed her forehooves and nearly fell out of her seat, but recovered and glanced at the now snickering grey mare.

 

"I, uh, um..." She used a forehoof to push her shades against her face. She grinned. "Hey, babe. Want a drink?"

 

The grey mare squinted her eyes a little, examining the unicorn like she was a bug. "What makes you think that I want a drink? Or a drink with you?" The white mare just stared back through the shaded lenses, but was about to sweat up a storm.

 

"Well, you sorta trotted over to me." This time the Earth pony blushed, and the unicorn chuckled. "I have that effect on mares..." The grey mare blushed even redder, and the unicorn began to laugh out loud. She turned to the barmare and asked, "Alright, can I get two Applejack Daniel's, for me and the beautiful mare next to me," she gestured to the mare who was now blushing in the seat next to Vinyl.

 

The barmare just smiled and said, "Sure thing, Vin'." She leaned in and whispered into the DJ's ear, "Also, thanks for spacing out; Berry can be such a little filly when she's blasted." As she chuckled the barmare trotted over and got out the drinks as the mares turned back to each other.

 

"So you're the famous Vinyl Scratch? Didn't think I'd find you in a Canterlot pub. Or anywhere in Canterlot." She extended her hoof and was met with the DJ's. "I'm Octavia Philharmonia. I'm a cellist player with the Canterlot Symphony."

Vinyl's ears perked up at this. "Wait, you play in the Symphony? I've been trying to get somepony to let me record them and remix their stuff, but Celestia, it's like they don't think dubtrot is a type of music!"

 

"Well, that's because they don't,Vinyl. Well, at least most of those close-minded ponies. I, however... could deal with your antics, I think." Those eyes shades... I wonder what her eyes look like...

 

 

Entry Number 11 - The Apprentice of the Night

 

 

It was around nine o'clock on the Summer Solstice in Canterlot. The Royal Guard posted at the city gates gave the signal to close the massive entrance to the city. "Finally," the stallion thought to himself, "Now I can go enjoy the..." He looked up and was startled to see the Midnight Blue Unicorn standing in front of him. He noticed with some shock that the intruder, while easily seventeen or eighteen, was a blank flank, and carried six swords sheathed in a harness on his back. The guard barked questions until the unicorn raised a hoof in a silencing manner. "I didn't want to wait until tomorrow for you to open the gates, I used telekinesis to make a stair well out of my swords. I'm here to speak with Princess Celestia on details of The Buck Barrel Massacre." The guard grunted in acknowledgement, "I read about that in the paper today, says someone killed the entire town of almost two hundred ponies with no survivors. What're you going to tell her?" he asked. The Unicorn responded "My name is Cosmo, and I'm here to tell her that I was the one responsible for the deaths of those ponies and I'm here to turn myself in."

A half hour later, Cosmo was standing in a large room of the castle. While waiting for the Princess, his thoughts wandered to his fate, his expectation of death. His musings ceased as Princess Celestia walked into the room, followed by Luna. Cosmo could tell Celestia had been asleep when news of Cosmo's arrival reached them, but she wasn't tired, she was visibly furious. Luna was well rested, her job was to watch over the night so she slept during the day. When they had taken seats, Celestia ordered Cosmo to elaborate on his role in the massacre. He nodded then gathering his words, he began "I was a member of a clan of assassins known as The Blood Winds. I was raised by them and was trained to be a killer for anyone who could hire us. Some of my contracts were more complicated than others and would involve..." Celestia snapped at, "I don't care about your history! I only care about what happened in Buck Barrel!" Cosmo was slightly startled by the outburst, and even Luna seemed uneasy with being so close to her sister. "I'm sorry," he began, "I tend to ramble. I'll avoid doing so again," his promise only seemed to annoy the Princess, but he continued. Cosmo gave details of his contract; to move into the town and live among its residents and identify methods of trapping the citizens so that nopony could escape, then kill every single one of them. He was able to identify the needed information, which he kept in a journal, within the first month, and with little else to do, began socializing with the citizens. He described how he began to consider them friends, an address he'd never given anyone. "It wasn't until , one of my brothers came to inform me it was time to kill them that I fully realized, I couldn't live in both worlds, I had to make a choice. The moment my brother, Cinder Blade, lowered his guard, I made my choice and killed..." he said, before Luna interrupted, "Pardon, but by 'brother' do you mean a sibling or...?" Cosmo shook his head and said, "No, that was how members of the clan would address their peers." He continued to describe how he discovered his journal was gone and found a note explaining the clan's suspicions, and that killing his brother made him a traitor to the clan. Desperate to save the town, Cosmo went back to the clan's base and, due to as much luck as skill, Cosmo managed to kill his former clan, but found out a group had been sent to finish the contract. Cosmo chased after them and killed them but not before they massacred Buck Barrel. Cosmo finished by explaining his choice to come to Canterlot and gave his fate to Celestia. By the time he was done, it was late. Celestia seemed ready to make a decision but stopped when Luna whispered something to her sister, Celestia's emotions changed visibly several times during the hushed conversation but finally Celestia informed Cosmo they would keep him as a prisoner until she and Luna reached a decision. As the escort of guards led him to his cell, Cosmo glanced over to Luna and saw a mixture of emotions he never would've expected; sadness, pity, understanding, and for lack of a better word, longing as if she wanted to speak with him again, though Cosmo couldn't explain why.

Cosmo woke up one morning a few days later when he heard the marching of hoof steps approaching his cell. "And let the execution begin..." Cosmo said to himself dryly, and waited for the guards to arrive. When they did, Cosmo was shocked to see Luna standing in the doorway of his cell. "Good morning Cosmo," She said to him, in the roaring tone he'd heard jokes about in Buck Barrel. "Easier to say when it's not your execution," he said with a sad smile, "This is the end..." he thought. "Actually," Luna roared again, then after a moment continued in a more controlled volume, "you're not going to be executed. My sister and I have reached an agreement and instead I'm offering you a position as my personal assistant. Luna gave an amused smirk, Cosmo later realized she was amused by the look on his face revealing his thoughts, "What did she just say....?! Personal Assistant?!" Cosmo barely managed to nod in acknowledgement before Luna had him and her escort, no, their escort follow her back to her chambers and showed Cosmo his quarters adjacent to her own. His room was as large as her study and had a wash room specifically for him and a small library/study with an entire wall filled with all sorts of books. As he looked around he noticed Luna was watching him and smiling at how he clearly liked to room.

When he was done, he walked over to Luna, who asked, "Well? What do you think?" Cosmo could barely speak and ended up asking her, "Why?" Luna paused for moment then, clearly understanding his confliction, looked at him with the same look she had a few nights before, and told him, "I think you are a good pony Cosmo. I think you were raised to commit those crimes and I believe you deserve a second chance. Nopony should suffer for events that were beyond your control..." With that, Luna left him alone in his new room. Cosmo wasn't sure what to think. He rarely thought about good or evil, but he'd never assumed he'd be good. After awhile Cosmo entered his study and browsed the book shelf wall, he settled for a tome about general magic, Cosmo was skilled with telekinesis and knew a few other spells but the more he read, it became painfully clear how little he really knew about magic. About half an hour later a serving mare came by, bringing Cosmo breakfast, strangely relaxed considering who he was, a detail Cosmo later realized she never knew. When she left, Cosmo began to realize just how different his life was already becoming.

Cosmo lived in the Castle for about two weeks, spending most of his time reading the tomes of magic in his study. Everyday Luna would visit him in the afternoon and they would talk for an hour or so until Luna had to take over for Celestia. They made a habit of discussing the tomes Cosmo read, explaining concepts he didn't understand and watching him demonstrate new spells he learned each day. One day, Luna didn't visit and instead Cosmo received a message from her, telling his to go the Eastern Tower that night and meet with her. Cosmo knew he'd be up late so he decided to take a few naps, waking up to eat lunch, and making his way to Luna after dinner.

Cosmo got to a tower but when he reached the top he looked around for a moment until he heard Luna calling out to him from another tower on the other side of the Castle. "All that climbing and I'm in the wrong... I'm not back down through there!" he thought to himself before using a spell he'd developed to conjure swords made of magic and used them as a shifting pathway to get to Luna. When he reached her, Cosmo noticed the smile on Luna's face, "Clever," she roared, then rolling her eyes at herself she made guesses about how he made the spell her smile widened with his confirmation. In her praises about his talent, Cosmo realized he was being tested on his abilities, Luna began to laugh when he asked her. "I could sense you had precise control over magic when I first saw you and the rate of which you've been mastering the tomes in your study, I could tell you had a lot of potential to learn even more spells. I've wanted to have an apprentice like Celestia has with Twilight and I want it to be you," Cosmo was quiet for a long time, then he asked if Celestia allowed this, Luna explained it was difficult but she was able to convince her sister. Cosmo was stunned, "Just a month ago, I was an assassin and now I'm sitting with Princess Luna being offered to be her apprentice... There's more that she isn't telling me..." Cosmo considered asking her, but figured she'd deflect the question. Luna began testing Cosmo challenges to confirm his abilities. He passed all of them with relative ease and by dawn, Cosmo had become Luna's apprentice.

A couple of months passed with an almost automated routine, Cosmo would sleep most of the day and spend the night with Luna, learning about magic and astronomy. The only significant event was when Luna announced she had taken an apprentice and was no longer accepting applicants. Other than that, little changed until summer ended, when the constellation Libra was in the night sky. Cosmo found his magic much easier to control. It was in this month, after eighteen years, his cutie mark finally appeared, a constellation of a measuring scale sitting on a book against the midnight blue of Cosmo's coat. The following evening, Luna sent Cosmo a note asking him to meet her in her private chambers instead of the usual tower and upon arrival, he found himself in a surprise Cuteceanera. Cosmo didn't like being in large crowds, so he was glad Luna was the only one with him. She was the only pony he actually enjoyed being around and it seemed clear she felt the same.

A few weeks later, without thinking, Cosmo called princess Luna "mom." After he spoke, Luna stared at him for several moments, the entire time Cosmo could feel himself blushing with embarrassment. Finally Luna asked him, "Did you ever have a mother of any kind growing up?" She seemed sad but unsurprised when he shook his head. Cosmo began to cry, a lifetime of loneliness sinking in for the first time, then wrapping a hoof around his shoulders, Luna held Cosmo and said to him in a soft tone," Cosmo, I never did explain the reason I wanted you as my apprentice, did I?" Cosmo shook his head, "You know that many Unicorns sought the position, it was almost a given. Few ponies understood Celestia was never obligated to have an apprentice, she simply wanted to when she met Twilight. There were, hundreds of ponies, many of which would've made good students. The problem," Luna squeezed Cosmo a little tighter as she continued, "was that they could never understand the pain I would inevitably pass unto them. I spent a thousand years as Nightmare Moon. I wasn't myself during that time, all I could think of was hatred, revenge, destruction, evil... When Twilight and her friends released me, I still could feel that darkness inside of me, and with it, the guilt of everything I had done. I held half the world in ice and shadows, and the other half in incinerating light. A thousand years later I discover a holiday in honor of appeasing that darkness and living in terror of it," Cosmo began to see what Luna was saying to him, his silent tears slowing as he realized he wasn't alone anymore. Luna continued, "All the candidates I met were talented unicorns, but not one of them could even imagine the guilt that eats away at me every day. The only pony I've ever met who truly could was you Cosmo, because Buck Barrel was your Nightmare Moon," she loosened her hold of Cosmo and he looked her in the eyes, "If you think of me as a mother to you, do not feel ashamed. I love you Cosmo, if you would think of me as your mother, I'll gladly think of you as my son." Cosmo felt the weight of a mountain sitting on his chest, but the burden seemed to vanish as he said, "Thank you Luna. Thank you for everything." Cosmo couldn't help but laugh, he laughed for no obvious reason and soon Luna joined him. The two of them laughed at the pain of their worlds because while the shadows of their past were devastating when faced alone, Cosmo and Luna both knew they weren't alone, the had each other, and they never had to feel the emptiness of feeling alone.

 

 

Oh, I almost forgot. All votes must be due by next Saturday at the latest, or November 24th GCT+8. Please take the time to read the entries and vote.

Edited November 17, 2012 by Clarity