private ∆The Chosen∆

[Bari 7,023]

Misty heard the announcement and approached the stage. She hesitated a few times before she actually got on to the stage.Finding herself a seat, she scanned the crowd for a minute before she spotted her parents. They seemed to be more focused on the unicorn on stage though. She sighed halfheartedly. She was unsure of how to feel. Excited or frightened? Wanting to stay home, or be Chosen? Some ponies were talking around her, but Misty just wanted to get this over with, so she remained silent. She had gone from thrilled to terrified during the course of a morning. The reality of the ceremony was beginning to set in. Misty Leaves was starting to regret having never paid attention when anyone had talked about this whole Chosen thing.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Bari

[MagicalStarRain 599]

Star Rain's ears perked up in response to the announcement. Her heart was beating so hard that she could barely cast the spell to teleport her art stuff back to her room. She shakily walked up to the stage and took a seat. In her head, she recited an ancient poem she read in an old history book. 12 ponies there shall be. 12 foals at age fourteen...

 

...12 to be marked by the signs of the stars high above the tallest tree. 12 royalties-to-be to receive great power rarely granted. Chaser Wing also recited in his head. He had rushed back to his family with Cirrus and left him there before taking his place on stage. Despite the apprehension tingling in his forelegs, he remained very calm.

[Starshine 16,334]

When the unicorn on the stage finally announced the starting of the ceremony, Viridian Spark released the small colt, which promptly ran to his family. He rolled his eyes. Unicorns are always all about fancyness, leaving all the actually important details until it's too late, he thought to himself. He settled down in his seat, anxious to wait for the ceremony to start.

 

An errant thought came upon him. What would he really do if he got Chosen? First thing first he would tell his parents, that's for sure. Viridian was a bit saddened at the prospect of having to leave them alone. He was the only foal, they would have nopony to keep them happy when he was gone. He sighed. At least they would be the happiest and the proudest parents ever. That finally brought back a smile to his face. He would make them proud, and that's final.

[soullessduck 123]

The female unicorn announcer cleared her throat. "As you all probably recall hearing about, a unicorn from Manehatten this year helped us along by making a prediction. She has never been known to be wrong. She has narrowed down the list from over ten hundred thousand, to thirty six. However, she wouldn't tell us the list before the day of the ceremony, which is why you all had to come." The announcer unicorn rolled her eyes. "She will be coming onstage momentarily to announce the names." Suddenly a tiny periwinkle colored unicorn with a deep blue mane shoved her way up to the stage, before leaping up and almost knocking over the announcer pony. The new unicorn blushed and muttered an appology. The announcer unicorn glared at her. "Please welcome Fyllo." She grumbled before handing over the microphone. Fyllo tried to stand behind the podium, but couldn't reach. A stallion draged a step stool over to her. Fyllo nodded to him appreciatively. She turned on the mic. "Uhm, h-hello! I made my prediction a while ago, after chatting with some spirits, I uhm, concluded these young mares and stallions would be the most likely to be Chosen." Fyllo cleared her throat. "I will be using their first names unless it is nessasary to have a last name.  Viridian, I said him first because his name is very elegant, oh, um, anyway, Prisi, Aigo, Honey, Lillia, Standoff, Fidia, Bubbles, Misty, Pollen, Goldseek, Flitter, Dustie, Star Rain, Star Dust, Chickadee, Clover, Verdai, Harper, Chaser, Raindancer, Drizzle, Guiding Light, Petal, Cattail, Leaps, Kaarti, Furthae, Basswaver, Gardinia, Frith, Cloudia, Kitri, Psyari, Thorn, and Maxim." The unicorn took a breath. "Everyone else should wait in the audiance, just in case." She stepped down from her step-stool, and teleported away.

 

Basswaver's jaw dropped. She turned to Maxim, he looked shocked to. She started shaking. She hadn't realized how much she had been hoping she would be Chosen until she had a bigger possibility. She couldn't believe it, a ton of her friends had been called to. She hoped like crazy they would all get Chosen, together.

 

Cloudia squealed and hoof-pumped. She looked at Viridian excitedly. "Did you hear?! Did you?! We've got a fighting chance to get Chosen! Woo hoo! We may end up being guests of honor at the after-party!" She squeaked again and began fluttering excitedly.

[MagicalStarRain 599]

@@soullessduck,

 

Star Rain and Chaser Wings' hearts both skipped a beat when their names were announced. I could possibly become a Chosen?! they both thought. Star Rain just sat there, trembling like she had just escaped a Cockatrice's stare. Chaser Wing on the other hoof, was still carrying a calm face and a calm mind. 

[Bari 7,023]

Misty's heart immediately sunk the moment she had heard her name. She knew it was possible. She did. But she had half hoped it wouldn't happen. At the very least, there was still a chance she could end up not getting Chosen. But another part of her was thrilled beyond belief. Whatever it meant to be Chosen, it had to be better than just doing boring normal stuff all day. But instead of words of excitement or fear, all she said was "Meep..." and that was it. Around her, all the ponies not mentioned left for the audience, some with looks of happiness, others disappointment. Misty prepared herself for whatever would happen next.

[Starshine 16,334]

@@soullessduck,

Viridian's jaw dropped when the unicorn filly named Fyllo called out for his name. His brain circuited. Cloudia's excitement was lost on him. "What...?"

 

He knew he had been thinking about being Chosen for a while right now, but his mother simply wouldn't stop pestering him to never put any hope in it. Now his name was called as one of the most likely foals to be Chosen, the first one nevertheless he couldn't stop the bubbling hope that started to build up inside him. He grabbed Cloudia and hugged her tight. "We got it!" He cheered at the top of his lung. "She called my name elegant. Oh wow! I will have to tell my mother later about that!"

 

@@MagicalStarRain,

"Um, are you okay there, Star Rain?" Viridian asked. The filly was visibly trembling, as if she had just swam in a freezing lake.

[Senor Citizen 516]

Okay, I'm halfway home. This is a good turn of events.

Standoff's head was going a mile a minute, but he stayed deadpan on the outside. Never let them see you're scared. That's the first rule. Never let them hear you talk. That was the second rule...

Standoff kept running through rules to keep his mind off of the situation he was in.

[aRegularPony 306]

Goldseek grinned when he heard his name. He was in the running to be chosen. And, a fairly good one. A third of the names that were just called out would become chosen. And he was one of the thirty-six. He watched as ponies around him dipped their heads in shame and sadness that they hadn't been chosen. He couldn't help feel bad for them. He looked around the stage. Fountain mare was still there, and trembling by the looks of it. Perhaps not everypony wanted to be chosen.

[Not a Morning Mare 45]

Maxim nearly choked on the air he was breathing when Fyllo called out his name. He'd known there would be a chance he might get Chosen, but the odds had been at least a billion to one. With just a few sentences those odds had become one in three. If he had been a gambling pony he would have had no qualms putting money on his chances. He stared at the stage where the little unicorn had moments before teleported away, and continued to stare like his mind had snapped. Perhaps, just a little bit, it had.

[Senor Citizen 516]

@@Not a Morning Mare

"Hey."

Standoff whistled at Maxim to snap him out of his seeming paralysis. "Can't have any of that. We're on the job here." It was odd, Standoff noticed, everypony seemed surprised that they'd been chosen. Were they just not prepared? Were they just shell-shocked? 

[RoseLaflesh 38]

Honey Seed's heart thumped when she heard her name called. She couldn't tell if she was very excited or terrified, both seemed to be coming at her in equal amounts. She was excited about being chosen. It was a great honor, but she couldn't help feeling a little scared of what was to come. She tried to come into this without much expectations about what would happen, but even so, she wasn't sure whether or not this met the expectations she was expecting. 

 

Well, she thought to herself, it's not like this is over or anything. I still have less than a 50% chance at being chosen, or not being chosen.

 

She caught her parent's eyes as the ponies who didn't make the cut filed off. They looked just as excited as she was. Honey adjusted her shoulders and stood a little taller. This was a good thing. She felt a wash of calm as she realized that this meant she was special enough to make it this far.

[Not a Morning Mare 45]

@,

 

Maxim blinked and adjusted himself in his seat. Part of his mind agreed with the odd blue colt. If he was about to be Chosen, then he couldn't be sitting there like a lump, staring at nothing. Another part of him though was irked by Standoff's comment. Maxim raised an eyebrow at him, "I have a one in three chance of becoming one of the most important ponies in the world, as part of a ceremony that only happens once every twelve thousand years, and you think it's unusual that I would be a bit surprised?" He smirked a bit, "If anything, I think it's you who's acting strange my friend. The way you're taking this all so quietly makes me think you knew this was going to happen. And what 'job' are we on exactly? Strange indeed..." Maxim eyed Standoff suspiciously for a moment, then grinned and shrugged, "I'm probably just being paranoid though. Right then! Eye on the ball! Focused, and ready!"

[Senor Citizen 516]

@,

 

Maxim blinked and adjusted himself in his seat. Part of his mind agreed with the odd blue colt. If he was about to be Chosen, then he couldn't be sitting there like a lump, staring at nothing. Another part of him though was irked by Standoff's comment. Maxim raised an eyebrow at him, "I have a one in three chance of becoming one of the most important ponies in the world, as part of a ceremony that only happens once every twelve thousand years, and you think it's unusual that I would be a bit surprised?" He smirked a bit, "If anything, I think it's you who's acting strange my friend. The way you're taking this all so quietly makes me think you knew this was going to happen. And what 'job' are we on exactly? Strange indeed..." Maxim eyed Standoff suspiciously for a moment, then grinned and shrugged, "I'm probably just being paranoid though. Right then! Eye on the ball! Focused, and ready!"

"So, what you're saying is you just assumed you had no chance? Well, that'll learn ya. Never assume!" Standoff figured he could ease his friends into this. If (when) he was chosen, it was going to be business as usual for him, which meant everypony else was going to have to treat the quest as an operation.

[MagicalStarRain 599]

@@Starshine,

 

Star Rain was simply staring into space, but she snapped back into reality when Viridian said something to her. "Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I can't decide if I'm ecstatic or terrified, that's all. It's all a huge shock, having a fighting chance," she replied. 

 

Chaser Wing was still stunned and wondering what to do, but then he saw the red pegasi he had called family look up at him with pride. He smiled at this.

[soullessduck 123]

Cloudia giggled when Viridian hugged her, he was cute when he was excited. She started daydreaming about what might happen if they all got Chosen...

 

Basswaver rolled her eyes at Standoff. It wasn't hope when you acted all, all, whatever. She didn't really like the way he talked to Maxim, but she guessed she'd just have to deal with it. It did anger her a bit the way Standoff was treating this like a military operation. She didn't like people like that, all obsessed with taking orders from people. She shrugged off her anger. She suddenly heard people screaming with excitement, a crowd was forming around a confused looking mare @@MagicalStarRain, It appeared as if a mark had appeared on her forehead. From what Waver could hear from the excited screams, she was a Sagittarius. Waver levitated herself up a bit higher so she could get a better look at the mare, to her delight it was Star! The announcer unicorn called for Star to come to the front of the stage.

[MagicalStarRain 599]

@@soullessduck,

 

(OOC: Get ready for some drama!)

 

Star Rain started to back off when her claustrophobia began to kick in when ponies began to crowd around her. Mark? Sagittarius? What the heck just happened?! At the sound of the announcement, Star Rain levitated herself onto the stage, away from the excited ponies. What could they possibly be so excited about? Before she could put it together though, she dodged out of the way of a small magic blast. It was cyan magic, just like her own. Only one mare could use cyan magic like Star Rain can, her mother! 

Edited February 25, 2013 by MagicalStarRain

[RoseLaflesh 38]

Honey Seed stood there, wondering what was up with that pony. She noticed there was something on Star Rain's head as she fled the crowd, but Honey couldn't figure out what was going on. There were murmurs about this or that, but every pony was talking at once so she couldn't hear it.

 

"What was that all about?" She asked Maxim.

 

She then heard a commotion in the direction Star Rain had ran. Honey tried to see what was going on, but Star Rain was out of sight. Honey Seed listened to Maxim's response and just as he said the last syllable, she snuck off the stage to make sure Star Rain was alright. She couldn't imagine what was going on, but judging from the sound, and remembering that Star Rain was cooling off in a fountain to hide from some pony earlier, Honey Seed was worried.

[Senor Citizen 516]

"Well, there's one. Good job her. Anyone else feel tattooed?"

Standoff didn't think Star would be a Chosen. Wouldn't have been his first pick, but what did he know about running a plane (of existence)? He figured watch and wait would be the best plan for him now.

[soullessduck 123]

Basswaver was stunned by the chaos of the ceremony. She had thought it would be boring, well, it sure wasn't! She hoped Star was ok, but she was having troubles of her own, aparently she was now the target of a crowd. She cowered away from the other ponies who were yelling and pointing something... Cancer? What? Wait... did that mean? Waver summoned a mirror and looked at her reflection. She almost passed out from excitement. She was a Chosen. She put a bubble of magic around herself and pushed through the crowd and over to Maxim. She put Maxim into the bubble with her and hugged him. She had tears of happiness in her eyes. "Maxim, I-I got Chosen, now all we need is you to-" She looked up at Maxim and noticed something forming on her forehead, she gasped and pointed the mirror at him.

 

Cloudia was scared for Star, she had gotten swept away by the crowd, and now she heard someone fighting with magic. Cloudia squished herself to Viridian's side, hoping she didn't get separated. She looked over to him and was about to voice her fear for Star when she noticed. "Viridian! You're-you're, a Chosen!" She squealed happily and fluttered.

[MagicalStarRain 599]

She had no idea what was happening. First, Star Rain is being targeted by the crowd. Second, she couldn't deduce what "mark" and "sagittarius" meant. Third, she's locked in a small-scale magic duel! "Why did you leave without my permission?! Where did you get that mark?!" her mother screamed. Her horn was glowing cyan and was locked with Star Rain's horn, also glowing cyan. "Nothing big. Just wanted time with my friends. You never let me out after all!" she said very fast with slightly broken words. She jerked her head and slightly tossed the angry unicorn mare to the side. The mare looked at her with fury in her eyes. "You never wander out without my permission! As your mother, you have to follow my every rule! And that mark on your head is going! You are to be a simple drawer with boring pictures! NONE OF THIS "CHOSEN" BUSINESS!" she yelled. Star Rain winced at the word "Chosen". Mark, Sagittarius, Chosen?! Does this- she didn't have time to finish. Another spell had just hit her.

 

Chaser Wing looked around and heard some commotion going on. It's that filly I saw! What's going on with her? Just then, his little brother had flown up toward the stage again, but he managed to catch him in time. Cirrus began to squirm in his hooves.

[Starshine 16,334]

@@soullessduck, @@MagicalStarRain,

 

Viridian Spark was justifiably miffed when Star Rain's mother decided that she would be the worst of joykiller and attacked her daughter. He was busy contemplating on what to do when Cloudia squeed about something. "I'm a... what?" His eyes crossed, trying to see his own forehead, but of course he saw nothing. A nearby mare was kind enough to lend the colt a hoof mirror, which Viridian quickly grabbed. He promptly cried out in joy. "I'm a Chosen!"

 

The colt bounced around his chair, paying no regard to any adult ponies that tried to congratulate him. The gathered mass around the colt gave him an idea. He smiled mischievously. "Cloudia, can you help Star Rain to hide somewhere?" He said to the filly before jumped high above the crowd and dived straight to Star Rain's mother, deliberately aiming for her chest. He used his momentum to slam himself to the mare while screaming, "I'm a Chosen! Woo!"

Edited February 26, 2013 by Starshine

[Senor Citizen 516]

As Star Rain's mother loomed over her, a rock flew from the stage and hit her in the cheek. Even at 14, Standoff was big for his age. "OI! Pick on somepony your own size, chucklehead!" Standoff jumped off the stage and went into a boxer's stance, eyes flashing.

[MagicalStarRain 599]

@@Starshine,@,

 

Star Rain struggled back up to see that one of her friends and the colt she only just met had attacked her mother. She had finally figured out what those three key words meant. Putting on a brave face, she stepped up, imagining she had wings and she was the top authority. She stuck a foreleg out in front of the two colts and said slowly and sternly,"You honestly think you could change the destiny of a Chosen? Nopony can simply erase the mark of a Chosen. I never even imagined that you of all ponies would try to alter another pony's destiny. Well guess what? Only I can change my destiny and only I can decide if I want to try and follow it. Try it with me and these two colts. I dare you." She paused, looking straight into her eyes with a glare. "Try it and I'll let these two have their way with you," she said slowly. It left her mother still furious, but now with fear flickering in eyes identical to her daughter's.

 

Chaser Wing's younger brother had finally squirmed out his hooves and was now circling Star Rain's mother's head. "It's a uni! It's a uni! It's a unicorn!!" he chanted, stopping and looking at her mother's mane, now spiked up all over the place. He had absolutely no idea what he had just flown into.

Edited February 26, 2013 by MagicalStarRain

[RoseLaflesh 38]

Honey Seed could see that something big, and likely bad, was happening. She walked from her viewing spot and stood in front of Star Rain. Star Rain's mother looked so angry that flames might as well be literally burning in her eyes. As far as Honey Seed could gather, Star Rain's mother was some sort of over-protective mother who was utterly focused on keeping her daughter safe no matter what, but that didn't make sense. If she was protective, then why attack her daughter. Either way, this had to stop.

 

"I have no idea what's going on between you two, but this is neither the time nor place. Do you think any pony here is going to let you get away with attacking one of the chosen like this? You can stay and enjoy the ceremony or leave, but either way this is stopping." Honey Seed stomped her hoof to emphasize her point. 

 

Star Rain's mother didn't seem to like what she was saying, of course Honey Seed didn't think that anything she said would make her calmer. No matter how much anger was in the mother's eyes, Honey Seed didn't look away. Ponies like this are stubborn and sometimes the only way to get them to listen is by being patient, but just as stubborn. Honey's dealt with more than a few classmates like this and she was sure it would work here. May the weaker mind lose.