"Aaaaannd, the lucky mare iisss, Cherrycloud!" The world seemed to freeze around Cherry. All of her thoughts and guilt and built up feelings about the equestrian games, all tumbled out of the mind dam. "Cherrycloud?" The mare at the front asked, trying to find the filly. Snapping out of her daze, she took a fearful step towards the stage. She cleared her throat and took another step. If I am actually going to be in the games, I may as well seem strong so they wont come after me. She took step after step, with each willing, begging her to go back! To just turn and flap her wings as hard as she could, to escape all the pain. But she would run into the electric force field that protected all the districts, no going in, or going out, unless you're on a train.

Cherrycloud soon found herself standing beneath the stage, with thick beads of sweat rolling down her cheeks. She looked to the crowd, at her mother, who was bawling her eyes out. Cherry locked her gaze on her violet eyes for a moment, before she broke out in tears again. Cherry took a deep breath and looked at the cameras scattered about. She puffed out her chest and tried to look tough and brave. The colt to be chosen was a unicorn named Blaze. He looked even more terrified than what Cherrycloud thought she had looked like. He sat down next to her with a gulp. Her gaze drifted to his flank, and she observed his cutie mark. Two fireworks, one a navy blue, the other was golden. She looked back up again, and saw the fillies departing fro their lines to join their family. Cherrycloud desperately searched the crowd to find her mother, but she was cut off by a rude shove from a bulky stallion.

"Move along." He grunted in a deep voice. Cherry stood and followed after the red pony that had picked the names. She could hear the stallion having a rougher time getting Blaze to move, but in the end Blaze was shoved into line next to her. The mare, apparently called silver fire, led them to a building. They trotted down the hall and were pushed into a rickety elevator. It coughed and wheezed, and rumbled around, and Cherry was relieved to be off it. Silver brought them down to two separate rooms, across from each other.

"You have fifteen minutes to say your goodbyes, then its off to the train!" Cherry reluctantly entered her room. It was... nice. There were two lavender couches, each looking at the other. There was a fancy glass table in-between them. There was a bowl of fruit and tissues on the table. Cherry walked over to one of the couches, and with a grunt, flopped down onto one. She immediately regretted it. She sunk down into the plush cushions, and felt awkwardly squished. She couldn't hear the hoofsteps that sounded inside the room, because she was too busy flailing around trying the escape the couches mighty grasp. With a hurpmh she managed to slip out of the couch and onto the floor, and gaze up at the unicorn above her. Cherry didn't have to get up, the visitor laid down and wrapped her arms around Cherry, who then hugged her back. The room went silent, except for the quiet sobbing sounding from the two ponies.

"Ch-Cherry," Said the mare, "can you p-promise me something." Cherry leaned back and looked into her eyes.

"Anything, mom."

"J-Just, promise me th-that... you'll come back alive.."

Cherry nodded and embraced her mother again.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye..."

Author's Note

Okay okay I know this is really short, but I couldn't resist just stopping there! It was so heartwarming for me! (even though I wrote it) So I s'pose it might hold you back for now, stop you from your 'new story rampaging'