Prized Pupil
Chapter 1: A Good Night’s Rest
“Most. Exhausting. Day. EVER! Uuuuugh” Twilight Sparkle groaned as she slipped beneath the covers of her bed. Turning to blow out the candlelight she took a moment to smile at the sleeping form of Spike as he snoozed in his bed, she could hear the baby dragon mutter sweet nothings about Rarity. Giggling softly, the unicorn wished Spike sweet dreams, and blew out the light. For her today really had been a…interesting day from checking her checklists to her little…incident as she raced around Ponyville to solve a friendship problem and report to Princess Celestia.
“Looking back on today…I probably should have stopped myself and listened to Spike” Twilight said to herself, and blushed beat red as her mind replayed her own…breakdown in her own eyes and the eyes of other ponies. “Though…in the end everything turned out great. My friends came to my rescue, Ponyville wasn’t destroyed fighting over Smarty Pants, and Princess Celestia…she…” Twilight’s heart beat faster in her chest as something within her solidified and grew brighter “…acknowledged me as her prized pupil, she has confidence in me no matter the mistakes I may make”.
She couldn’t describe the emotions that now boiled inside of her, for so long she had been so afraid that the slightest slip up would forever tarnish her in the eyes of her teacher. Twiddling her hooves together this new feeling inside of her body gave her strength and security from the unease and nervousness she had held ever since she had been accepted PERSONALLY by Celestia as her pupil. The thought that she was not good enough to be Celestia’s apprentice had always sent shivers down her spine, now the long hours of anxiety and fear seemed like a hazey nightmare. Best of all she now knew she wouldn’t have to face going back to…to…
“Magic Kindergarten” Twilight’s heart bounced around her ribcage, sweat beginning to glisten on her pillow at the mere thought of that year of her life. Even with her new confidence she still couldn’t face the thought of Magic Kindergarten, so she buried herself beneath her covers as if to protect herself from the Boogey Dog. “Don’t worry Twilight…n-nothing to w-worry about y-you won’t be-be go-going back!” she muttered to herself, screwing her eyes shut to block out the demonic images of that place from her mind.
A sudden bump in the night grabbed Twilight’s attention, thankfully distracting her from thoughts of her past. It sounded like something from one of her wall shelves had fallen off, she didn’t want to wake Spike up for nothing, but Twilight’s natural curiosity soon prodded her to discover what had fallen off. Shaking her thoughts from her head, Twilight struggled for a moment before pushing her head out from underneath her covers. Her room was shrouded in abyssal darkness which surprised Twilight because the night had been clear out only a short while ago, she wondered if a surprise cloud bank had rolled in while she hid “How long have I been under my covers?”
“Hmph, now where did it fall” she spoke softly before concentrating her magical power into her horn which began to glow with violet magical power, and illuminated the small colt leaning on her bedside.
The colt was young, smaller then Applebloom and her friends but seemed to be their age. His mane was pale white that reminded Twilight of the purest of white fog but his upturned mane was a dirty gold, unlike the Cutie Mark Crusaders though he had his cutie mark, a light bulb shining light across his flank. His bright blue eyes looked upon Twilight with the utmost worship and adoration, something Twilight imagined she looked like whenever she saw Princess Celestia. She could even tell by the way he leaned toward Twilight, the expression on his face was a wide face splitting smile that was ever eager to hang on every word she had or might speak. In his hooves pressing against Twilight’s bedside she saw Smarty Pants looking as new as the first day she had seen her in the hooves of this very colt.
The color in Twilight’s face drained away and she recoiled from the young colt by scrambling out from underneath her covers to the other side of her bed. She felt her heart stop dead in her chest and her eyes widen in unspoken horror as the colt giggled and cocked his head to one side looking into her eyes with those brilliant, blue orbs.
“Wow Twilight!” the colt spoke “You’re so amazing! You’re the best and Princess Celestia’s favorite apprentice. The besty, best!” As he spoke the youthful vigor and vision of life that he appeared to be slowly decayed and ran rancid. The shine in his mane and body molted as the hair fell out in patches while the skin underneath shriveled up and fell off his body to reveal yellow bones and rotten organs. In his hooves Smarty Pants twitched and convulsed before bursting from the inside with squirming maggots. His smile widened and widened over his muzzle as the skin of his lips shriveled and split open showing broken teeth and bare bone before the jaw completely fell off leaving a gaping hole. Those eyes that always, always looked up to her with respect became grey white orbs before melting through his eye sockets. “Twilight. I hope I can be as good as you one day!” the colt’s voice still as clear and innocent as it had been back in Magic Kindergarten.
“B…b…” Twilight sobbed as tears streamed down her face “Bright Idea! I’m Sorry!!”
The corpse of her former best friend exploded, his empty sockets coming right for her to swallow her in death. Twilight screamed.
Then she woke up.
