Apparition Amphitheater Presents: Discoevil

The cold wind of the dark, ashen bare forest ebbed and flowed through the trees, giving a baleful moan. Dead leaves kicked up from the forceful disturbance, clicking gently against each other and the wood land all around, before settling once again from the calm. The gales pushed against the amphitheater structured walls, almost as if the air itself demanded entry. The night sky glittered and gleamed with silvery spectacle through the darkness above as the moon shone on with it's own splendor.

As the wilderness partook in its haunted breathing, the interior of the amphitheater, as decadent, however run down, as ever, glowed with a warm yet melancholic hue with the lights at the walls. Spiders danced upon their webs that waved back and forth from the gently circulating atmosphere. The leaves that managed to enter the edifice and lay among the rows and rows of red velvet seats shifted ever so slightly from the low pulse of the calmed audience chamber. It was such a still and silent place, at peace with the darkened world around them.

The peace and quiet, however, didn't last, as a strange pulse of its own began to emerge from beyond the theater's stage. At first, it was low, with a feint beat, but the music began to grow. It was a jazzy disco number of unknown origin and make, that slowly but surely became louder and louder as the minutes ticked by. Rodents that once felt free to explore the open aisles scurried away to hide from the new disturbance. Foot falls upon old wood could soon be heard along with the music, as soon emerged the master of the house from behind the curtain. A strange being with a half skull mask, wild brown hair and a long, rusty nail poking through the forehead emerged. Its six foot tall form was adorned in a dark grey hoodie with light grey jeans. Its forearms were wound tightly with barbed wire as his sharp, cloven hands, two talon-like fingers and a thumb on each, were wrapped in dirty bandages. Said talons snapped and pointed to the rhythm of the music as he himself danced poorly, without a care in the world. He then directed his gaze to the empty audience, and let at an audible gasp.

Oh, is it that time already? Pardon my rudeness.

He snapped his fingers and the music stopped. Then, the strange creature briskly strutted over to the podium upon the stage and laid his dangerous hands gently upon the tome it held.

Greetings, my dear guests. I am the master of the Amphitheater, Wrath B. Forgivnez, and I welcome you once again on this hallowed eve. I'm dreadfully sorry for my rather unprofessional and frank behavior. I have seemed to have lost all track of time this year. It's very hard to keep an eye on something that virtually doesn't exist in this world, but that's really no excuse. One must be responsible for their own actions, after all. Only the young are spared such burdens, as their guardians are the ones that guide and dictate what needs to be heeded. Sure, it binds down their freedom, but such a thing comes with consequences. Sometimes, consequences can be dire, if wisdom is lacking. For example, I'd be rightly embarrassed if a living crowd witnessed my little display there. I'm not very sure my heart could take such a thing. Enough about me, though. What would happen when one reaches an age they want to break away and embrace indulgence? What if one is tempted to defy wise words of their benefactors, and risk it all for a taste freedom? Tonight, my dear guests, we shall follow a group that decides to take on a dance most macabre in a story I like to call...

Discoevil

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

"Aww, come ooooooooon!" belly ached the young earth pony mare as she sat at the table with her family. "Sweetie Belle and Scoots are countin' on me!" Her light grayish olive hooves clacked against the table as if she tried to emphasize her seriousness. Her brilliant amaranth mane and light brilliant crimson bow bobbed slightly from her force of impact. Despite her brilliant gamboge eyes staring intently at her relatives at the table, they didn't budge from the forceful behavior. Except, that was, for the braided, blond maned, orange coated Element of Honesty, Applejack, whom was losing patience.

"Apple Bloom," growled the irate earth pony farmer, "Git yer hooves of the table."

Apple Bloom, staring down at her own hooves, sheepishly slid them off of the surface and returned to a proper sitting position. The young mare, almost full grown, had intended on taking a trip with her friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, to Manehatten for a concert festival that would have lasted three days. It was both in celebration for how close they are to being recognized as full fledged adults, and to also go to see a performance of one of their favorite singers live. To be fair, it was mostly Scootaloo's idea, but it was one of the rare few she wholeheartedly approved of without question. The idea was that the three of them would go off to the festival and party it up like there was no tomorrow and enjoy their youth to the fullest while they still could. It was a chance of freedom they didn't want to slip.

Applejack sighed as she took a sip of her morning tea. "Ah can't, in good conscience, let ya'll go gallivantin' about without a chaperone, especially in Manehatten," she said with authority.

"But, you went to Manhatten when you were just a little filly! Ah'm all grown up now!"

"Ah was with Auntie an' Uncle Orange!" She barked back, "Ah was safe an' sound under the care of relatives."

"Then!" she rebutted, desperately, "Then, I can just go ask them!"

"They're too old to be takin' care of three rambunctious young mares an' worryin' about their safety, even IF it were just fer a weekend. Ya can't impose that kind of responsibility on them. They ain't as flexible as Granny was..." Applejack ended with a slightly sombre tone.

Apple Bloom sank back into her chair defeated. It had been a while since she left Applejack as the official head of Sweet Apple Acres, but the absence was still felt by the three siblings. Not fair, she thought bitterly, Pullin' the Granny Smith card... "Well, what about y-"

"Ah'm gonna stop you right there, missy. Ah can't go with you because apple buckin' season is nearin' the most critical point. You know that. There's too much to do with little time left, an' ya need to help out at the farm."

"But, ya still have Big Mac to help!"

"And? Ya know he can't stick around too long. He's got his own family."

"Eeyup," agreed the tell-tale voice of the blond maned and deep crimson coated older brother, whom had just finished his breakfast and rose from his seat. "Shed's good now. Best be off." With that said, he put on his trusty yoke and cantered to the door. "Thanks fer breakfast."

"Thank's fer the helpin' hoof," Applejack replied with a tip of her stetson hat. With that, the eldest sibling left the farm.

"So unfair," Apple Bloom muttered, crossing her hooves.

"Yer lucky ah don't outright ground yer flank, missy!" Applejack barked once again. "If it weren't fer Mac, ah would have! AN' had you fix it yerself!"

Silence lingered for a moment between the two sisters. This wasn't the first time they've butted heads for one reason or another, but lately it seemed as if good ol' teenage rebellion had finally reared its ugly head once more upon the Apple Family. Applejack, frankly, was sick of it, but she couldn't quite blame her sister.

"Listen. Just git to school, an' we'll talk about it later."

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Fiiiiiine," she whined, before pulling herself away from the table and trotted out the door, leaving her older sister behind.

Applejack sighed, once again. "Dear Celestia, give me the strength," she uttered, "and keep her from gettin' into much more trouble."

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

The sun was getting ready to set over the horizon as the afternoon hours were giving way to the evening. School was out, and every young foal had long since left Ponyville's own schoolhouse for home, leaving it empty save for scant few teachers and staff wrapping up for the day. Within that school's very park was where one would find the young mares Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, all whom had gathered there after their own school activities at the School of Friendship. The three hung about on the playground equipment, too big to engage with it, but still had enough of a fondness to be on and around it.

"We should really get to repairing the clubhouse one of these days," Sweetie Belle stated, absentmindedly playing with her curly, grayish mulberry and pale, light grayish rose streaked mane with her light grey hooves, gently bumping them against her well grown unicorn horn.

"We've been saying that for years!" Scootaloo exclaimed, waving her light brilliant gamboge coated hooves in exasperation. "We'd need to make the darn thing bigger too, at this point." She then ruffled her own moderate cerise mane in frustration, her wings buzzing in equal displeasure.

"We'll get around to it," Apple Bloom reassured, albeit halfheartedly, "Eventually..."

"Well, more importantly," she said as she leaped off of the equipment she laid upon, "What did Applejack say?"

"Not on yer nelly!" Apple Bloom exclaimed with an imitating huff, trying to reach the deeper octave of her older sister.

"She really said that?!" Sweetie Belle asked, genuinely shocked.

"Well, not exactly, but might as well be!"

"And here I was hoping you'd have better luck," Scootaloo admitted.

"You too?"

"Both my aunts. I've never been shut down so hard."

"What about you, Sweetie Belle?"

"I didn't even have time to ask," Sweetie whined, "Rarity just went on and on about heading out to Trottingham to attend some fashion conference for the weekend, and basically dumped the responsibility of looking after Carousel Boutique while she's gone. I'm free AFTER I close up shop, but... yeah, can't exactly leave town."

"Well, at least you know how." Apple Bloom stated.

"But, that still really bites," Scootaloo added.

"Yeah." Sweetie Belle leapt off of the playground equipment she was on before she laid upon the grass with a deep sigh. "So, I guess our celebratory weekend is a bust."

"No big party with awesome music to toast to us almost becoming adults." Scootaloo added.

"An', ah was really lookin' forward to seein' that band live, too," Apple Bloom finished, also leaping from her spot and lying upon the grass.

The wind gave a gentle sweep between them as the sound of the leaves on the trees shook ever so slightly. The melancholy of their situation, even though self inflicted, stung them a bit in the end and reflected in the sombre evening sky.

"We kinda set ourselves up fer failure this time, din't we?" Apple Bloom asked rhetorically.

"Probably shouldn't have gotten our hopes up," Scootaloo admitted with a dark laugh, whom also joined her dearest friends and laid upon the soft grass. "Maybe... there's still something we can do around here?"

"In Ponyville?" Apple Bloom asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, no offense and I love this town and all, but we've been everywhere and done everything here!" Sweetie Belle said pointedly.

"Well, I mean, who knows, right? Aw, who am I kidding?"

The three of them sighed in unison, finally accepting defeat. Silence settled around the group for some time as the they continued to stare into the orange and grey clouded sky. The silence, however, didn't last for very long, as all three girls suddenly realized there was a slight disturbance in the air. Rising to their hooves from their spots, the three former Cutie Mark Crusaders became very acutely aware of their surroundings. Something was wrong, but they couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Spooked, Apple Bloom turned to her friends and broke the silence out of caution. "M-maybe we should call it a day today. We can meet up again tomorrow, right guys?"

"Y-yeah, totally," Scootaloo answered.

"I guess I'll be seeing you two later," Sweetie Bell stated.

With trepidation and caution in their hearts, the three departed on their separate ways and cantered off home, mostly wanting to flee the sudden bad vibes they were inexplicably feeling so suddenly. As the schoolhouse playground became deserted and silence once again took over, a shadowy, slender figure peeked out behind the building, gazing towards where the three fled off to. The presence gave a creeping smile, hoping to see them tomorrow.

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

The next day proved to be rather uneventful. The girls attended their advanced classes in the School of Friendship, hung out with their peers, and generally lived out their student lives. It was the same day-to-day events they had long since become accustomed to. Soon enough, the school day ended, and students were free to leave for home or return to their dorms on campus. It was then, while regrouping out at the front of said campus, the trio passed by the hushed chatter of classmates of theirs. Said classmates turned out to be former bullies turned close friends, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, whom were rather animated in their relatively hushed discussion. Apple Bloom, somewhat curious as to what it might be, decided to approach the two, where as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed.

Silver Spoon, the cornflower bluish grey coated and dual shaded grey streaked maned earth pony noticed the approaching Apple and gave a wave. Diamond Tiara, the pale magenta coated and pale, light grayish violet and white streaked maned earth pony followed suite with a smile.

"Oh! Apple Bloom! Just in time. I found something juicy I've been told about," Diamond Tiara addressed in an animated, yet somwhat hushed way.

Apple Bloom smirked. Despite becoming a much, MUCH nicer young mare over the years, these two still loved to gossip and discuss rumors. Never anything malicious, but they're always topics of curiosity.

"Alright, let's hear it," Scootaloo stated, beating the apple to the punch.

"You're never gonna believe your ears," Silver Spoon started with an ear to ear grin, "There's a disco hall in town!"

The three girls' face fell somewhat, looking at her with puzzled and let down expressions. "Uhm," Apple Bloom started, "That doesn't sound very excitin'."

"Silver! You can't just race to the end like that!" Diamond Tiara admonished.

"Oh, uh, sorry." her dear friend said sheepishly.

"Ok, fine, I'll bite, what's so special about this disco?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Well, first off, they call it the 'Phantom Disco'," Diamond Tiara started. "It's never in the same spot twice, and there's a rumor going around that it's in Ponyville." The other girls nodded along, listening intently for worthwhile details. "It only ever stays in a town for a very small amount of time. Once a weekend, for about a few weeks at most, and only during the night. You can't just waltz in either. You have to be invited. Anyone that's gone there is given tickets to invite others to join. No one really knows what happens there, but rumor says that it'd be the ultimate party."

"Sounds right up Pinkie Pie's alley," Scootaloo mused, eliciting a giggle from the others.

"We actually got tickets to go!" Silver Spoon exclaimed, reaching into her saddlepack and pulling out slips of red paper with black print.

Upon laying her eyes on them, Apple Bloom felt... off. There was something a tad ominous about the ticket that she couldn't quite pin down, but no one else seemed to notice.

"Who gave them to you guys?" Sweetie Bell asked.

"Rumble, actually. He says he'd love to meet us there so we could... uh, what did he say?" Silver Spoon asked her closest friend, putting her ticket back into her saddlepack.

"He wanted to meet us there and 'tear it up', I think were his exact words," Diamond Tiara answered, "I hope he got some sleep, though. The bags under his eyes were a bit concerning."

"Sounds fun. I mean, we don't exactly have any plans, right girls?" Sweetie Belle asked, earning nods from the other two.

"Well, you'll have to get invited first. I do hope we'll get to see you there, though!" And with that, the two upper crust mares departed, continuing to chat animatedly about their plans for the night in question.

The trio saw them off for a moment, before they too departed from the grounds of campus, heading towards their usual hang-out spot. As the afternoon gave way to the evening, signaling the emerging weekend, the streets of the town became less and less populated, all while they continued to trek towards the little schoolhouse. Along the way there, they chatted about how lucky it would be if their weekend was saved by getting tickets for themselves.

"I mean, it would only be one night out of an entire weekend, but it's better than nothing," Scootaloo shrugged with a smile.

"Yeah, Ah'd be happy with that, ah suppose," Apple Bloom concurred. Thinking about it, however, the image of the ticket once again resurfaced into her mind, making her mood dip slightly. She couldn't help but once again feel slightly off upon remembering it. She stopped walking for a moment, before she called out to her friends. "Uhm, hey, girls?"

The other two stopped and turned back to Apple Bloom, noticing the sudden mood shift. They were about to approach her, when they heard the sound of another voice. One that was quite familiar, and that they haven't been around for quite some time.

"Thcootth? Apple Bloom? Thweetie Belle? Ith that you guyth?"

Before them, upon the trio looking towards the source of the voice, saw a dear old friend of theirs. Familiar, curly light brilliant scarlet mane and tail bobbed as her tall, thin, and light amberish grey form trotted over to the three with a wide grin split across her face below her purple, thick rimmed glasses. It was Twist, an old schoolmate of theirs that had moved away from Ponyville some years back.

"Holy cow, Twist?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"We haven't seen you in ages!" Sweetie Belle followed.

"Yeah, my folkth had to move to Cantherlot becauth of their jobth. Thorry I jutht up and vanithed," she apologized in a relatively chipper tone.

"Aw, that's fine. As long as yer doin' alright," Apple Bloom commented.

"So, what are you doing back in Ponyville?" Scootaloo asked.

"Oh! Weeeeeell, I rethently finithed my final themesthter at a really good confecthionary thchool I managed to get intho while living in Cantherlot, and I wanthed to vithit my old thtomping groundth. Maybe thee thome of my old friendth!"

"That's awesome!" Scootaloo remarked, "How long have you been in Ponyville?"

"About a few weekth. Probably gonna thtick around for a few more."

"That's wonderful!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, "We should totally all hang out sometime."

A look crossed Twist's face, as if she remembered something important. "Oh, thpeaking of, I've got thomething for you guyth." Reaching into her curled mane, she pulled out a set of three, red tickets. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo gasped in elated surprise.

"Wait, you got tickets?!" Scootaloo said in abject surprise.

"How?!" Sweetie Belle followed.

Twist gave a sly grin. "Well, I gueth you guyth have heard of the Phanthom Dithco."

"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were talking about it. Honestly, if we could get in, our weekend plans could be salvaged a bit," Sweetie Belle admitted.

"You're in luck, cauthe thethe are for you!"

"No way!" Scootaloo said with shock.

"Yeth way, and I really hope to thee you all there, too!"

She extended her forehoof out with the three tickets, which both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo took immediately. They then realized Apple Bloom had become rather quiet, and wasn't as enthusiastic about the gifted tickets as they were. Gazing back, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo noticed the hesitation in her eyes, while Twist stood before them, still smiling and waiting for Apple Bloom to take hers.

"Bloom?" Scootaloo addressed.

"You alright?" Sweetie followed suite.

Apple Bloom shook her head slightly, as if trying not to think about something. "No, Ah'm fine. Can't wait to see you there too, Twist." She then took her ticket with a tentative smile, trying to reassure her friends. Upon the ticket coming to her possession, she decided to actually read its contents. It read:

ADMIT ONE

To be used to access the Disco, located at Crest Street, Ponyville.
Valid only on the third Saturday of the month, 11:30.

---

Join us for the greatest party of your young lives!
Entrapping music and Inescapable dance floors!
It'll be an absolute scream!
Catering and Entertainment provided

Apple Bloom noted the contents, including the relatively hokey flavor text on the bottom, and saw nothing wrong with it ultimately, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that this ticket was MUCH heavier and foreboding than it appeared. She gazed back at the smiling Twist. It was then she noticed something wrong with that smile. It seemed somewhat manic. As if Twist were hiding something very suspicious. She also noticed the dark circles under her eyes, which were somewhat hidden by the glare of her glasses. Neither of the other girls noticed as they were still looking directly at Apple Bloom. With an internal sigh, she gave the three her best smile of reassurance.

"Well, that thettleth it. I can't wait to thee you three tomorrow night! I bet we've got lotth to thpill our gutth over!" And with that, Twist left the three, trotting off with a pep in her every step. What none of them noticed, however, was the smile of hers that became a little too big and a little too... unhinged. By the time they had the chance to see it, Twist was long gone.

"She seems to be doing very well." Sweetie commented.

"Yeah, and she was awesome enough to actually give us tickets. I wonder who gave her hers, though..." Scootaloo wondered.

"We could probably ask her when we see her there."

"Yeah. A midnight dance, though. I think I can sneak out if I'm careful."

"The shop will be locked up by then, so I'll be able to come too. What about you, Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom looked back to the ticket in her hoof for a moment, before she shook her head and put it in her saddlepack. "Ah'll see what ah can do," she affirmed.

With that, the girls, now with new plans set, departed for their homes, skipping their hang-out for the evening, wanting to get ready for tomorrow.