Twilight shifted uncomfortably; her spine coiled differently against her new mattress. She disliked the down-filled lump, but Celestia had insisted it was relaxing, so she had accepted it. With a growl, she rolled over again, burrowing her face in the soft fabric. She snorted, ears pinning back as she glared around the cave.
It had certainly been an upgrade; no discarded bones or spiderwebs hung around, and the glimmering facets of the crystals filled the room with a gentle, warm light. Her books had been transported to a shelf, and the delicate fabrics she had coated the cave with had been folded up and put away, a mirror hung on the wall behind her and a nearby cave held her kitchen supplies, as well as an enchanted vent to keep the place from smoking up.
The clock on the wall ticked off another minute, and Twilight rolled over again.
She wasn't really accustomed to any schedule at the moment, sleeping and waking when she felt like it. The Princesses tried their hardest to meet her every day - or night - but their schedules were busier than ever, and she was more often than not alone.
She missed Spike.
Whenever she felt lonely, he had been there. Obnoxious, and sometimes clueless, but there. She longed to just reach out and hug him, tell him none of this was his fault, tell him she was still here.
"He must feel horrible." She thought aloud, a habit she had picked up since she had transformed. "I wish Celestia would let me go out now that I'm feeling better. My wings are aching with all of this... nothing."
She tumbled off the mattress, dropping down into a crouch to stretch. Her back popped as she spread her wings, and she flinched.
"I bet Rainbow never has cramps, that unruly speedster."
She halted mid-bend, suspended awkwardly a few inches from the ground.
"Rainbow... she would be disappointed in herself too, wouldn't she? The fastest Pegasus in Equestria, unable to catch one baby dragon..."
She shook her head quickly, standing up straight. "That's it. I'm going back."
"What?"
Twilight turned around slowly, meeting the slightly-confused gaze of the Lunar Princess, still a bit disheveled from her trek through the tunnels.
"You're going to Ponyville?! No, Twilight Sparkle, you cannot! Our sister said-"
"I don't care what Celestia said! My friends need me!" She backpedaled, throwing on a fur-lined jacket and sliding her back claws into a pair of boots. "I need them!"
"Twilight Sparkle! You're endangering yourself by going to see them! I forbid you to go!"
"I'm endangering them by staying! Goodbye, Luna!"
She charged past the Princess - narrowly dodging a trapping wing - and ducked into the tunnels, muttering a few words to vanquish their glinting light. Luna cursed behind her, stumbling, and Twilight gained ground.
Breaking out into the open air, Twilight closed her wings in a sharp dive, hoping to break the treeline before Luna could see her. A few fearful seconds later, she blundered into the comparative safety of the branches and tumbled to a halt, positioning herself where she could see the cave.
Luna soared out from behind the waterfall, circling a few times before flying back to the castle. Twilight let out a long sigh, and slowly climbed out of the leaves, soaring southward to the place she had come to know as home.
-----
She landed gracefully on her own balcony, pressing a cheek to the old wood in silent remembrance. No noise emitted from within, and all of the lights were out. Suspecting Spike - and perhaps one of her friends - were asleep, she pushed the door open, careful to tilt it so the hinge didn't squeak. The beam of moonlight spread a dreamlike glow across the scene within.
Dust lined the shelves, every book removed. Cobwebs hung from unused lights, and the bed-frame was empty save for a few scraps of fabric that must have caught when the mattress was removed. Spike's basket was gone, replaced by a less-faded circle in the wood panels, and the air inside was stale and thick.
"Spike?" She called into the dark. "Spike?"
Her voice echoed hollowly around the forsaken library. She felt her eyes water, and she leaned over onto a nearby shelf, sliding down to a heap on the dusty floor. Sobbing, she curled her wing over herself and waited for the dawn to come, or somepony to find her, whichever came first.
-----
Sunlight streamed in, glaringly bright against Twilight's eyes. She hissed gently, unused to such a bright light. Color glowed around her, even under the blanket of time, but she was struck witless by it. The torches in her cave had done no glory to the spectrum the world had created, a series of shades she had forgotten despite the short time.
Even more so was the noise, probably close to a hundred ponies bustling about outside. Market day, she dimly remembered. Sneaking up to the window, she tried her hardest to spot ponies she knew among the crowd below.
There was the mailmare, Derpy Hooves - or was it Ditzy Doo? - trying to shove the letters in the wrong side of the mailbox. Her little sister, the Unicorn, bounced around her hooves, laughing and trying to get her to look at something across the road. A while away, the sofa salesman was hoofing out complimentary quills, and the stuffy waiter over at the restaurant she always forgot the name of was frowning at a mare who couldn't decide on her meal.
Applejack's stand was there, but instead of the ginger mare's beaming face behind the counter, her stoic older brother watched the passersby. Apple Bloom was, as always, trying to get her Cutie Mark, and had unsuccessfully attepted juggling a few of the lesser apples.
Now that she thought about it, the sky wasn't that clear after all. Clouds had gathered in large clumps, darkening with a threat of rain. A few weather Pegasi were attempting to clear them, but even she could tell they were disorganized.
The more she focused, the more she could tell was wrong. Carousel Boutique had an unfriendly 'closed' sign against one window, and all of the curtains had been closed. Sugarcube Corner still had the chimneys puffing, but the sweet smells didn't punctuate the library like they normally did. She had enough patterns already to assume that Fluttershy's cabin was in a similar state.
She growled, scanning the empty library. After fruitlessly searching for a blanket or a sweat, she pulled one of the faded curtains down, tying it around her neck and folding a hood over her face. She wished she had thought ahead and brought one of the Mare-Do-Well costumes with her, but she had enough to disguise her.
With her back claws still hidden in her custom-built boots, she gently nosed open the door to the library.
Attracting only a few odd glances for her attire, Twilight merged into the crowd, weaving her way over to Carousel Boutique. She paused in front of the darkened window, one hoof half-raised to knock.
"She doesn't live there any more."
Twilight dropped her hoof and spun, resisting the impulse to spread her wings. A mare, one she knew she had seen from somewhere, stood behind her. The other mare smiled sadly.
"One of her friends... passed away. She couldn't bear it here, with her house so close," she waved a hoof at the library behind her, "and went to live in Canterlot."
"One of her friends?"
The mare nodded. "Yeah, a Unicorn by the name of Twilight Sparkle. She was nice, but we never really talked much. She was the Princess's student, and she didn't really socialize outside of her circle. Anyway, something went wrong at the ceremony, and she was..."
"Killed." Twilight muttered. "You said circle?"
"Oh, she had four other close friends. Most of them have drawn away now; it really hit them hard. Let's see..." she tapped a hoof absently, "there was Rainbow Dash, who led the weather team. She's still here, but she's not really here. Spends most of her nights with a bottle of cider, if you get my drift. Then there's Fluttershy, another Pegasus, but she moved back to Cloudsdale to help with the bird migrations and to train new fliers. Applejack used to run Sweet Apple Acres - an apple farm - but she wouldn't stop working because it kept the sadness away, and she ended up seriously injuring her back hooves. I don't know the details, only that she's been permanently lamed, the poor mare. And then there's... Pinkie Pie. Used to cheer up the whole town, crazy mare." She paused to laugh, a sound so hollow it may as well have been fake. "We think she went back to the rock farm, if she's still alive."
"Oh."
"Yeah." The pony took a step back, as if she realized how much she had said. "I'll... I'll just be going."
Twilight lifted a hoof to stop her. "What was your name again?"
"Roseluck." The pony smiled, before trotting away.
-----
Twilight noticed immediately how decrepit the farm looked. Leaves piled haphazardly where the wind blew them, and the dirt path winding through the fields was spotted with old, rotting apples and broken branches. The trees seemed alright, but the apples were much smaller than they should have been, and twigs lay where they had shattered from bucking. The whole area stank like rotten fruit, too.
Pulling the knot around her neck over her muzzle to block the smell, she started the trek to the farmhouse. Acres blurred into each other as she picked up speed, twigs snapping under her hooves and leaves billowing in her wake. She cantered up to the small house, skidding to a stop just in time to knock daintily on the door.
As expected, it was Granny Smith who opened the door. She narrowed her eyes at Twilight, and the Princess started to take a step back.
"Are you one of them fancy witch doctors?"
"Yes?" Twilight replied tentatively.
Granny Smith frowned, but let her in. "Keep yer mumbo jumbo out of my kitchen."
Twilight nodded briskly, trotting into the house. "Will do, miss."
Unlike the orchards, the house was nearly pristine, the only sign that anypony lived there being the pie half-finished on the table. Twilight mentally pinned it to Applejack's injury, and quickly trotted up the stairs to her friend's room, the door marked with a trio of red apples.
She knocked gently, leaning in to the door. "Applejack?"
"Go away."
"Applejack, please."
"Ah said go away!"
"Appleja-"
The door swung open, revealing the southern mare nearly aflame with anger. "Ah said ah didn't need your... your..." she blinked, watching as Twilight tossed her hood back.
"Applejack, please, let me in."
She stepped back hurriedly, and Twilight whisked into the room, shutting the door with a swift kick.
"Does Granny Smith know you're in here?"
"Kind of." Twilight admitted, shifting her hooves. "I told her I was a witch doctor. When she asked."
Applejack's eyes narrowed at the lie, but she softened instantly as the reality hit. "Oh, Twilight."
Twilight caught her in a tight hug as Applejack fell towards her. Without thinking, she unfurled her wings and wrapped them around her friend, feeling the pony flinch beneath them.
Through muffled sobs, Applejack managed to choke out a question. "What happened to you?"
Feeling tears running down her face as well, Twilight spend no time on replying. "I... I'll just show you."
Applejack let go, hesitantly, and Twilight pulled the knot on her neck loose. The old curtain fell to the ground, she kicked it away, and she pulled off her boots to reveal her claws. Applejack had a hoof to her mouth, horrified, but wasn't fleeing. Or screaming.
Twilight flexed her wings, the short claws on their tips brushing the walls before they were even fully extended. She was suddenly aware of just how monstrous she was to other ponies, and quickly folded her wings. Applejack's hoof stopped hers before she could re-tie her cloak, and she glanced up at the Earth Pony.
"Why'd yah tell everypony y'all were..."
"I didn't have a choice." Twilight replied. "Celestia said it was to protect me from other ponies who didn't like more Alicorns, but I... I couldn't stay away from you girls! You're my friends!"
"Hey, hey, it's alright. I suppose you know half of us have left?"
Twilight nodded.
"Well, fate has it I know where they're all livin'. If you'll have me, ah'll come along and help yah find 'em."
Applejack barely had time to smile before Twilight hugged her. "Thank you. Thank you, so much."
"No problem, sugarcube. Let's get going before I start hyperventilating or whatnot 'cause yah ain't dead."
Applejack nodded towards Twilight's disguise, and she hurried back into it, turning her attention away from her friend. When she looked up, hood folded down on either side of her horn, she couldn't stop a gasp.
Applejack had her back legs supported by metal frames, her hooves steady on a connected board, wheels scraping below each foot. Metal bars and fabric bands ran up her flanks, connecting at a makeshift yoke around her neck. She shifted her back hooves slightly, the wheels grating in their sockets.
"Ah guess ah should've warned yah." Applejack admitted. "Yah'll ain't the only one with a change, Twilight."
-----
"So, where's Spike?"
Applejack sighed, somehow scuffing a hoof on the dirt without compromising her gait. "Ah wish ah knew, Twilight."
"What do you mean?" Twilight's ears flattened under her hood, and she turned back to her friend. "Where could he be?"
"The dragon mahgration passed by a coupl'a weeks ago, and he went after them. Haven't seen hide nor hair of him since." She looked at the dirt, frowning. "Ah would'a stopped him, but... we were all such wrecks after you... left, none of us were in the right of mind to stop him. Since everypony else went after their dreams, we figured he should'a been able to too."
"Were the dragons in the same pattern as last year? Are they going to the same ground?"
"Ah haven't got a clue. Flutters left by then, and nopony know those dragons like her, other than you. So when Spike said he was ready to go be... well, a dragon, nopony thought twice about stopping him."
Twilight shifted her wings, tail flicking impatiently. "I'm going after him. After I talk to the others, I need to find him. He needs me."
"Twilight, have you ever thought that maybe... he was ready to grow up?"
She halted then, patches of scale glittering under the dimming sunlight. "He can't be."
"Maybe it's time to let go."
"I can't let him go! He has to know it wasn't his fault!" Twilight shouted, wings flaring as she turned on her friend. "He's..."
Applejack wound her into a hug as she quickly deflated, tears running down her muzzle.
"He's the only normal thing I have left."
i can feel dem feels incoming
I have no words...I am empty. Not empty of emotions, but literally the emotion of emptiness.
Amazing job. Brilliant.
I'd normally do that stupid 'I came' thing from YuGiOh Abridged, but for once I'm actually restraining myself. I literally can't say it.
I've just been shot
d22zlbw5ff7yk5.cloudfront.net/images/cm-36287-050c00a657a1f8.gif
2164891
agreed
oh twilight.....no words can describe what i feel at this moment.
Bloody hell, that was depressing as all get out. Wish there was something Twilight could do for AJ, she doesn't deserve that.
...Nopony deserves any of what happened to them.
I swear to what ever higher power there is that if applejack remains hurt that i will be slightly saddened and will continue to read this fic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i need more more more more moar MOAR
everyone musta been soooooo sad
So, AJ's crippled, Rainbow's an alcoholic, Fluttershy and Rarity left, nopony even knows if Pinkie is alive, and Spike joined his Dragon brethren?
Sheesh, I expected them to take it hard, but this is... catastrophic. It adds to the stories integrity, but goodness sake, you'd think they'd all shape up!
Oh well, proceed with your tale.
Am I the only one thinks that half of the conversation between AJ and Twi is missing.
It's like: "oh you are not dead, good to know, what you gonna do now?"
It's so amazing how central Twilight is to the show and the lives of her friends, isn't it? Her death is enough to send them all into a total death spiral.
This is a great story so far, keep it up!
Woah...definately not the sort of thing to read at O Dark 30 at night. I am now afraid to sleep.
2165542 Tell me about it.
Must not give all of my feels to this story yet there are still 4 more friends and spike for her to find, dear god this is going to hurt.
Okay, you took my favorite a while ago, as I was not 100% sure, and now you take my like. I will be waiting with baited breath for the next installment!
Aside from that, there were not any grammatical mistakes I noticed so that is well done, and while the reuniting felt a little rushed it didn't detract too badly. All-in-all, I liked it and look forward to the next entry, which I frankly hope will be sooner then this one, it is still early on and I want the show to be on the road!
damnit....i have to wake up in about 4 hours and get ready to go to a gun show...ill read when i get back later today :\
I feel as if I've missed something here....
2165923
Dinky.
Wow… I now sort of want to punch Celestia in the face for letting Twilight’s friends think that she was dead.
There was the mailmare, Derpy Hooves - or was it Ditzy Doo? - trying to shove the letters in the wrong side of the mailbox. Her little sister, the Unicorn, bounced around her hooves, laughing and trying to get her mother to look at something across the road. A while away, the sofa salesman was hoofing out complimentary quills, and the stuffy waiter over at the restaurant she always forgot the name of was frowning at a mare who couldn't decide on her meal.
Eeeeew
Oh Damn... Everyone is hurting...
Aw. I love this story so much. So much feeling in it, and not in a forced way like some people do. It's truly a great story. Keep it up, I'm eager for more.
Wow the feels. I love stories that manage to capture emotion and your story does just that. Can't wait for the next chapter.
I hate when folks cripple AJ. I hope one of the princesses or the Elements can fix her.
AJ= Lame NOOOOOO!!!!!
Now AJ is even more useless...
2166715
*laughs like that Lelouch guy*
I can't help it, I love it when Tia's stupidity bites her in the ass by ruining the lives she tried to save.
I'm serious, I think if she knew how bad things would have gotten, Celestia would've just said "piss off" to the nobles and/or threw a guillotine at them so they get the point.
2166167
Dangit. One moment.
Now I'm all sad...
This was a good chapter, and showed us a lot about where the story will be heading from here on. Although I do wish that you showed more of how Applejack reacted--she seemed pretty... mellow about Twilight being alive, and about having a good look at her pretty horrifying, monstrous appearance. I just felt like you could have put more emotion into the scene. (Hopefully that came off more as constructive criticism than harsh. I seem to accidentally insult people a lot.)
I suppose Rainbow Dash is next? She's still in town, according to Roseluck, although they might try to rush to save Spike from himself as soon as possible.
As I might have mentioned before, this is a really fascinating story. I look forwards to its future.
that's one big heap o' things went south.
this reminds of "Friendship is Tragic", where the mane 6 split up after Twilight goes away to help Celestia fight some random evil. Quite sad really.
I do like the concept, but I feel as if it could use some more polishing. There are little gaps in logic, like why did Twilight suddenly change her mind, or why didn't Luna head Twilight off, she knew were Twi was going. I also feel Celestia would have monitored Twilight's friends more closely so they do not falling into a spiraling depression.
After that, there are some misused words scattered throughout the story. The words look and sound sorta similar to the correct word needed but are definitely not synonyms. I look forward to seeing you grow as an author.
It seems like Reality finally got his Ford Anglia working and decided to pay everypony in the Mane 6, save for Twilight, a visit and show them how dark and cruel the world can be... It was a good thing He did it...
2166900
Oh man, have you not seen Code Geass?
It's a must watch if you like action anime.
Or Sci-Fi with mechs and super powers.
Or all of the above.
2166559
AJ getting crippled is a common thing?
Where else has AJ gotten crippled?
Whelp, time to get the band back together again.
great chapter! so can twilight use her magic again, or is that still restricted? (no pain at least i gather)
i do think that the transition from twilight going to meet applejack to immediately going on to collect her other friends (with AJ) went a little quick. and another thing, how does she even think she'll manage that so easily, celestia will be at her heels like a hawk diving for the kill (since she knows where twi's going).
2166900 I know right? She should just told them to shut their snobby, prissy asses the fuck up and let the real ponies solve the problem while they sit back and waste precious air, I hate Nobles...
Nice chapter. Hopefully the other reunitements with her freinds won't feel as rushed. Also, since Fluttershy is (arguably) the most emotionally fragile of the mane6, I wonder how she's handled the "death" of her freind.
The feels...d22zlbw5ff7yk5.cloudfront.net/images/cm-36287-050c00a657a1f8.gif
2168859
Whenever you get a 'Twilight disappears and everything goes to heck' story, folks like to break Applejack. The one I can think of off the top of my head is 'The Broken Mare'. Despite using the elements of harmony (it fixed Rarity's tail, so I would think it ought to work on more serious injuries), she remained crippled. I really hate that angle. When all is said and done, alcoholism can be cured and folks can move back to Ponyville... and AJ is stuck for life. The End. Nnope
I'm not sure how to respond to this.
2173593
I might be being completely oblivious, as I often am, but... what's the problem?
Not bad, but a bit of sad overkill. I kept waiting for Twilight to wake up from one of her standard "sent to magic kindergarten/imprisoned in the place she was banished to" panicky daydreams.
2172127
I read one once where AJ became a raging alcoholic and I think Dash died.
Strange limitation to have on the Elements of Harmony. The Elements can lengthen and style strands of protein, but they cant correct the alignment of calcium, cartilage, and muscle?
The crippled AJ angle is new for me. Guess we shall see how this goes. Hopefully they can gather enough money along the way to pay for surgery for the poor girl.
2173677 None, I actually enjoy the story. I merely facehoof at the fact that that's what Twilight's thought process would actually be, and that is kind of amusing but in a nonsensical manner.
Well what can I say here... Poor Applejack? Nah, how about poor Twilight? not it either... Him how about poor Spike? Yes there it is, Applejack got injured (permanently?), Pinkie left, Rarity in despair, Rainbow Dash in drunken stupor, Fluttershy fluttering on, Twilight transformed, life ruined, announced dead. Yet Spike still go the short end of the stick!! How you may ask, easy, he knows and can comprehend what his single action has caused. Go back down the list regard the ramifications, dilemmas,and consiquences, each and everyone is Spike's fault and he knows it. That is the worst punishment, knowing that a single act of selfishness, of love, compassion has quite literally ruined every ponies live. To know you killed your best friend, the closest person you have to family, the scorn he must feel, the hate directed at him, the shame, no everyone is so nice, they probably don't blame him, which only makes it that worse. When you do something wrong, if you know it is wrong you expect people to hate you to feel rage, anger, pain; and when it doesn't happen you ask 'why can't they hate me?' Sometimes it's better to have it be your fault then to get a persons sympathy.
Damn this is exceedingly longer then I wanted it to be, didn't really touch on the story either, with no sequential babble. Oh well it's a nice outlet.
I kind of feel sorry for Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie (assuming she's still alive), and Fluttershy, Hopefully they can find them and they'll recover.
But Applejack? That's cruel. I really hope that injury is only temporary, but from how they're talking it doesn't seem to be.
The feels...
2189056
It takes virtually no time to get from Canterlot to Ponyville. You can see the city, and airspace isn't crowded. I'd imagine it wouldn't take very long at all.
this song played through my head while i read this
[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=g-user-u&v=RzlGgybMPn8]