The year was 1999, Mareoon 5 had recently formed, and contrary to their name, weren’t completely made up of mares. Cheese Sandwich had released his popular album, Bad Mane Day, three years prior. In all these acts though, there was a guitarist, who went by Hoofman Li, he wanted to form a heavy metal band to rock the ages. He called up his friend, Sam Trotman.

“So, you know I’ve had visions of creating a heavy metal band right?” Hoofman said.

“How could I forget,” replied Sam,”even after I joined that band, Demoniac, you still said you’d call me up and ask for a recruit if you did create one.”

“I got an idea, my place, 6:00 PM sharp.”

“You’re aware that I live in New Poneland, and you in Hong Trot right?”

“Alright,” Hoofman sighed,”6:00 PM two days from now.”
They agreed, and Hoofman kicked back and relaxed for a bit.

Meanwhile, Sam ordered a plane ticket for Hong Trot to take off two days from now. He told Demoniac that he was likely leaving, and to have a good one. He packed up and flew toward Hong Trot.

Two days later

Hoofman was kicking back, watching Metallicolt play live on TV. He loved the band, but he wished Ullrich was a little more creative. When he heard a knock on the door. Hoofman opened it, and there stood Sam, he sheepishly waved. Hoofman bade him to come in. Sam took a seat on the couch and flipped off the Television. Sam didn’t look like anything special, he had a long mane and was wearing a beanie. His coat was red, his mane black.

“I don’t get how you’re going to form this band, we have no lead singer, drummer, or bassist, and you know very well that me and you both only play the guitar.”

“I’ll be able to find us a crew, trust me,” Hoofman said,”but, that’s not the point— crap, I forgot to tell you to bring your guitar.”

To this, Sam simply stated,”What are we waiting for! Let’s find me one, I’m not going back to New Poneland. I’m already thinking of buying a house.”

Hoofman hopped down from his seat and told Sam,”We’ll find you one.”

A few minutes later, Hoofman and Sam arrived at a guitar store. They were browsing the shelves, when Hoofman got lost in the sleek guitar designs. A little while later, he heard the unmistakable riff for Metallicolt’s super popular song, Enter Sandpony. He turned and found Sam, fully equipped with an amp and a golden bracelet around his hoof, strumming it out on a deep, rich, blue guitar.

“I really like this one!” He shouted, starting up Sun on the Water.

Hoofman walked over and told the guitar clerk,”We’ll take this one!”

Hoofman and Sam, guitars in hand, were playing some heavy metal tunes on their guitars, when in between songs, Sam stated,”We still need a name, a vocalist, drummer, and bassist.”

“The name is simple, I’ve decided on PonyHeart. About the band, I’ll get right on that.”

At this point, I should just describe what Hoofman looked like, he had squinty eyes and a long mane. He had a cream colored coat, brown mane, and he was a unicorn, contrary to Sam Trotman being an earth pony. Anyway, back to the story.

Hoofman walked over to his writing desk, he lifted up a quill in his magical aura. He wrote out a newspaper ad for a lead vocalist and showed it to Sam.

“Heavy Metal band PonyHeart looking for a vocalist with general skills, one who can sing high.” Sam read,”I like it! Let’s publish this right away!”

Hoofman sent the ad to the newspaper company and turned to Sam,”I have a good feeling about this band,” he said. “Hey, Sam, feel free to crash at my place until further notice.”

One week later, their cry was answered, a South African pony by the name of ZP Theart,”Yes,” he clarified over the phone,”my name is literally ZP, those aren’t initials, where do I join this PonyHeart?”

“Hong Trot 6:00 PM, Cafe Grey Deluxe, in two days. Can you make it?”

“Sure,” ZP said.

Hoofman hung up,”I told you we’d get one,” he said to Sam.

“I can’t believe his name is literally ZP,” Sam deadpanned.

Two days later

Hoofman and Sam were laughing over some cider when they heard the clock strike 5:00 PM. “We’ve gotta meet ZP at Cafe Grey Deluxe,” Hoofman said.

“You don’t say,” Sam said.

“Stop your sarcasm for 2 seconds, let’s go.” Hoofman said, completely serious.

They met up at the Cafe Grey Deluxe, Hoofman told the waitress to get a table for three. Hoofman and Sam were talking amongst themselves when they heard the bell ring. They turned and saw a grey unicorn with another long, brown, mane. He asked the waitress for a table with Hoofman Li and Sam Trotman. The waitress pointed him to the correct table and he took a seat.
“I’m interested in being the lead singer for PonyHeart,” he stated.

“Why else would you be here?” Sam snarked.

“Please ignore him,” Hoofman said,”he has a tongue of needles, yes, you’re in the right place. This is going to be the best Metal band ever! Let’s get you signed up.”

Therefore, ZP joined the band, he said that he was perfectly fine staying in a hotel, and didn’t need to crash at Hoofman’s. Hoofman and Sam returned to Hoofman’s house. “We still need a drummer and bassist,” Hoofman pointed out,”could you find one?”

“I definitely will,” Sam said,”I know some guys.”

Sam called up Demoniac,”Could I have my old drummer, Matej Setinc,” enunciating each syllable carefully.

“Sure,” the other line said.

Next, Sam called up a friend he had met online, Steve Trott, who agreed to join the band too.

“I got the bassist and drummer,” Sam later relied to Hoofman.

“Very well done, but I was thinking about PonyHeart’s sound a bit, I think for maximum effect, we need a keyboardist, but I don’t know anyone.”

“Let’s see if we can come up with a solution.”

“Let’s go see if we can catch Bon Jovi live, we might find someone.”
Sam respectfully agreed.

On the way to the concert, Sam received a call from Steve and Matej, they said they’d be in Hong Trot tomorrow. “We better find a bucking keyboardist,” Hoofman cursed.

However, Hoofman and Sam were in luck, Bon Jovi’s normal keyboardist was out sick, they had a touring one for the time being. Hoofman and Sam were impressed by what they saw, the keyboardist never lost time, and he even added a few fancy riffs of his own. Their seats were crappy, so they never got a good look at him. After the show, Hoofman and Sam fought to see the keyboardist.

“What’s your name?” Hoofman asked.

“I’m Steve Williams,” he said.

“So, Steve, would you like to join our band PonyForce?”

“Why not?” He said.

Hoofman then said,”Alright, you’re in, just meet us at the main musical studio in Hong Trot, OK?”

Hoofman and Sam retired for the night. They woke up the next morning. They had given explicit instructions for everyone to meet up at the main musical studio. Sam packed some sheets of paper into a bag, and they rented the studio for today. They then arrived.

“So,” Hoofman said to the newly-assembled PonyHeart,”we’re here to rock! This studio is slated for us today. Now let’s introduce ourselves, I’m Hoofman Li.”

“Sam Trotman,” said Sam.

“ZP Theart,” said ZP, his voice energetic.

“Matej Setinc,” said a yellow earth pony with a long, brown mane and sunglasses, shyly.

“Steve Trott,” said a light blue unicorn with a long, black mane.

“Finally, I’m Steve Williams,” said a coal-black pegasus with another long, brown mane.

“That being done, Sam here has some music, I assume, for us to play.” Hoofman said.

“Let’s do this!” ZP shouted.

“Well, this seems difficult,” Steve Trott said,”how am I supposed to play this fast with hooves!”

“Use your horn,” said Steve Williams, cooly.

“Stop bickering,” Hoofman said,”Trott, I’m gonna call you that alright? That’s the beauty of the music we play, Sam has created a smorgasbord metal genre, mainly based on power metal, to create the heaviest metal there is. Mine and Sam’s guitar parts aren’t a cakewalk either. Nor is Matej’s drum parts, or Williams’ keyboard parts.”
Matej, not really saying much, nodded and sat behind his drumset quietly. Trott nodded and attempted to play that fast on bass.
“Alright everypony!” Hoofman said,”I call this one Heart of a Dragon! One, two, three, four!” They then started playing.

A few months later

PonyHeart was getting their first Demo done, when Matej called up Hoofman and Sam, who oddly still hadn’t gotten his own place, and said he was swamped down by studies. He regretfully informed Hoofman that he was leaving PonyHeart.
“That’s a drag,” Hoofman said,”we need a new drummer.”
“I’ll find someone else, let’s enjoy the moment, the new millennium is almost upon us, we’ll get somepony then.”
Hoofman nodded, they’d get a new drummer soon.

Author's Note

They’re PonyHeart now, they’ll be StallionForce later.

Link to Heart of a Dragon: https://youtu.be/pT-qo68EOp4

If you dislike the story, I’d like constructive criticism, there’s no point in improving a piece of writing that you don’t know how to improve in the first place.