//------------------------------// // Chapter 58 // Story: Raindrops' Wrap Up // by Arkensaw Pinkerton //------------------------------// Twilight seems sincere enough, but you don't know her well enough to unload on her. "I'll be fine. Look, Spike really needs to see you about that book, okay? You should get moving," you say, carefully keeping your voice neutral. "I suppose you're right- look, if you need a job I know Pinkie's hurting for help over on the ice skating team, okay?" Twilight says. She keeps glancing in the direction of the library even though she's got a worried expression. "Sure thing!" you force some brightness into your voice and Twilight relaxes for a moment, smiling at you before cantering off in the direction of the library. As soon as she's out of sight you sigh heavily. At least you can find some space now- you mope off, walking away in a randomly chosen direction. Before long, you're out of sight of the town and walking through the nearby woods, and you find a nice clearing to sit in and have a good old sulk. You whimper a little and before you know it you're sniffling horribly. It isn't long before a wail or two sneak their way out. And why shouldn't they? You've lost your job, probably due to Cloud Kicker's machinations, the wrap-up's going on without you and that damned book has ruined everything. It's maybe half an hour before you snap out of your misery. "Ugh, this is so stupid!" You shout out loud, cutting through your sniffles. "Winter Wrap Up is going on without me! Come on, Raindrops, pull yourself together." You stand upright and you're about to head back into town and find a job when you hear a voice in the bushes. "Come on, Raindrops." The voice sounds weirdly familiar. It's coming from the path in front of you. "Who's there?" you shout back. Maybe Rainbow's sent someone to look for you. "Did the boss send you? Am I back on the weather squad?" "The boss is so stupid! Pull yourself together, back on the weather squad?" The voice shouts back, and you really feel like you ought to know who's shouting back at you. You're sure you've heard her voice before. Her speech is weird, though, like she half-starts one sentence before beginning another or she's stitching her words together from sentence fragments. "Do you mean I'm back on the squad or not? Who's there?" you ask. You can feel the hairs in your mane start to stand on end. There's something not quite right about all this. It's almost like- no. Oh no. "Who's there?" The voice shouts back and your stomach drops out when you realise whose voice it is. It's yours. "Who's theeeeere?" it shouts again, this time letting the buzz creep into it. It's mocking you now. It's heard enough of your voice. Changelings are dangerous, especially after their big winter sleep, especially when they're hunting for a face instead of for a feed. "Who's theeeeere, Raindrops? Raindrops is sooooo stupid!" The voice is close. Very close. You watch in horror as a mare who looks exactly like you walks out of the bushes and grins at you. When she speaks her voice is a low, harsh buzz that's got the tiniest hint of your accent. "I think I can work out the rest as I go," she says, conversationally. You can see magic play around the ghost of her invisible horn and you can't move your legs or your wings. As she gets closer, you can see the tiny differences in her face that would give her away if anyone knew you well enough; her eyes are a shade brighter, her snout is a little shorter, her smile is an inch wider. Her teeth are much, much sharper. THE END You received a Bad Ending. Poor Raindrops. To go back a step, Click here for Chapter 26.