Through Darkness

In a cave, somewhere beneath the Everfree Forest, where nothing but the dim glow of the moon, and the silence only broken by the sound of stalagmites and stalactites forming, sat half of a manifestation of an old ponytail, Darkroze. Finally free from the prison that is the wretched, naïve Wildroze. Unlike Wildroze, Darkroze can see into the future-- a fate to her that is completely despicable, infact, disgusting. So horrid, that she will stop at nothing to cease her hopefully superficial end… She’d been stuck with a plethora of ideas of how she could stop this fate, but now she could see clearly. It was so obvious! Eons ago, there were 6 ponies who represented the elements of harmony. But, as time evolved they were no longer needed. Virtually all darkness had vanished. In the end, harmony outweighed chaos. But, this is the beginning of a new evil, one that only few had dreamt of, and many merely had nightmares of.

*  4 YEARS LATER   *

“Roze! Get up, it’s the last day of school!” Poetic Cake said, jumping excitedly on Wildroze’s bed. Although WildRoze didn’t know how he’d even gotten into her house, she didn’t question it because that’s how he was. He’s very energetic, and won’t stop for anything if he wants something. He didn’t have his cutie mark yet, which confused her, because he seemed so confident, though not exactly really good at everything he did. Not cutie-mark-good, this much was true.

“Last day of school?!” Wildroze exclaimed, the past few years at the Flying Academy went by so quickly, it seemed like only yesterday was her very first day. When she’d met her best friends, Poetic Cake, and Black Cristal.

She got up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, and stretching her wings, for today was the day every pegasus in Cloudsdale got sorted into the jobs that they’d work for for a few days based upon what they were good at. After the trial period, they’re allowed to stay with that job, or find a new one. The best part about being sorted into the jobs was that it was assurance of getting a job. Finding a new job would be much more difficult.

“Roze, we have about two hours before we actually have to be at the ceremony. I was thinking you’d want to come with me down to Ponyville and get some breakfast at the Café? Blacky is waiting down there for us right now.”

“Why not? I could use some grub.”

Outside at the café, Black Cristal greeted the two ponies, while a waiter gave the three their menus.

“Isn’t this great?! Our final day at the Flying Academy, and we can do whatever we want!” said Poetic Cake, he kicked over a vacant table that was next to them to prove his point. But, feeling bad, he went over and put the table back in it’s place.

“Yeah, I’m super nervous.” said Black Cristal.

“Don’t be crazy, B. You’re going to get that Landscape Architecture job in Canterlot. Your cutie mark is so obvious!” replied Wildroze.

“And with that logic, Rozie, you’re going to get a job as a rose salespony.” Black Cristal retorted snidely. Without trying, Black Cristal came off as a.. b. Everyone knew this, but Poetic Cake, and Wildroze didn’t mind, as they had become immune to her remarks.

A commotion began around one of the outside walls of the café, everypony kept shoving each other, trying to look at something. From where the three were sitting, it looked to be a poster. Not wanting to deal with such a large, rowdy crowd like that, both Black Cristal and Wildroze stayed behind as Poetic Cake’s curiosity got the best of him, as it usually did. As he approached the crowd, they all seemed to trickle off quickly. Maybe from loss of interest? No. The poster was a full sign up sheet.

‘SIGN UP NOW! AUDITIONS IN CANTERLOT FOR A NEW MUSICAL, ‘WHINNEY: A STORY OF FINDING A FAMILY’. LOOKING FOR BRAND NEW VOICES! LATER TODAY IN THE THEATER DISTRICT OF CANTERLOT. Director - Mr. Valentine’

There was no room for Poetic Cake to sign up, as he really wanted to. Something just felt right about this opportunity. As he daydreamed about himself having that role, and everypony had left until he noticed he was the last one still looking at the sheet. Well, not completely.

*     *     *

“Well well…” Darkroze mused at her magical vanity mirror, “Fame is what you want? Interesting.”

Over the years, Darkroze was able to spruce up her dark, and damp cave into a luxurious lair with magical paraphernalia, all the necessities for her plan to change the horrid fate that she constantly sees when she peers into the future. She’s been waiting for the perfect moment to begin her plan, and right now seemed like the perfect one. She walked over to her cauldron, and excreted the frozen image of Poetic Cake from the mirror. She lead the image into the cauldron, and with a puff of smoke, a pony formed. She whispered something into its ear, and it took the shape of Poetic Cake, but slightly different.

*     *     *

“Are you going to audition as well?” said an earth pony, that looked very similar to Poetic Cake.

“I don’t know.” said Poetic Cake, and he walked back to his friends, after this stranger walked away with an automatonic stride.

When he got back to the table, the food had already arrived, and his friends were already enjoying their breakfast.

“Poe, what was all the fuss about?” Wildroze asked, with a mouth full of fried hay.

“There’s an audition today, and I really want to go.”

“You should! I think you’d be a great actor. You sure entertain everypony you meet.” said Black Cristal, jokingly.

“It’s in Canterlot. I’d have to leave now to even think about making it. I’d miss the Job Ceremony.”

“I think you should, when are you going to get another chance like this?” Wildroze said, excited for her friend.

The three finished their breakfast in silence, as Poetic Cake made his decision to go. Black Cristal was resistant in actually letting him go, but decided it’d be a really good experience for her best friend. This made Poetic Cake sure that he really did want to go. He went home, and changed his armbands. These armbands were to help with the circulation, and help him grow, as he was a dwarf pegasus, and that made his self esteem go down. It was prescribed by his doctor, and he was very proud to say that he’d grown a whole centimeter within the past few years!

“Mr. Valentine, here I come!” Poetic Cake said, as he hopped onto the train to Canterlot. His friends were there in spirit, as they did have to be at the Job Ceremony.

Poetic Cake was among the last ponies to get a ticket to Canterlot, so he ended up having to share a car with the weird pony from earlier that he’d met.

“Hello,” the pony said.

“Hi! I’m Poetic Cake. Very pleased to meet you, I very much enjoy meeting new people.”

“My name’s Dull Slab.”

“Isn’t a slab another word for cake?”

“Yes..”

“And isn’t Dull kind of the opposite of Poetic?”

“I suppose that is correct.”

“Weird!! What a co-winky-dink!!” Poetic Cake said, laughing.

“Yes… indeed it is.” Dull Slab said, relieved. “Excuse me, I must prepare for this audition. I’m going to get that role.”

Poetic Cake almost responded, but the way Dull Slab addressed him was completely rude, and gave off the impression he didn’t want to be friends. And with that, Poetic Cake looked longingly out the window at the outline of Canterlot getting bigger.