//------------------------------//
// Thrilling Days of Yesteryear 4 
// Story: Truthseeker 
// by RB_ 
//------------------------------//

This is a terrible plan.

I’ll be fine, Lyra thought. She and Starswirl were on their way back to the village. A breeze blew through the trees overhead, setting the needles rustling.

Did you forget about the last time you tried something like this? You nearly died, Lyra! I thought you said you’d leave the crazy plans to me!

Come up with a better one, then, Lyra said. No, seriously, if you have anything better, I’m all ears. I don’t actually like being the bait.

Could have fooled me, Bon Bon said. If I were there…

I wish you were.

Bon Bon sighed. Lyra could feel the sudden release of tension through the link.

Alright. Be careful.

“I will,” Lyra murmured. “I will.”

“Talking with your friend again?” Starswirl asked, glancing back over his shoulder at her.

“Yeah,” Lyra said. “Are we nearly there?”

“Just over that hill,” Starswirl said. “In the meantime, shall we discuss our plans?”

“Sure,” Lyra said. “I go to the inn, book a room the same as I did yesterday—”

“Exactly the same,” Starswirl interrupted. “We want to introduce as little error into this experiment as possible.”

Lyra nodded.

“In the meanwhile, I will look around town for anything irregular,” he said. “You will stay in your room until night falls, at which point I will make my way back to the inn. I will make myself hidden outside. Should anything happen—”

“I’ll make noise until you show up,” Lyra finished.

“Right,” Starswirl said. “I’ll restrain the Innkeeper, and then perhaps we’ll be able to get some answers.”

Lyra nodded. The two fell into silence.

Then, they passed a familiar stump. Lyra remembered it from the first time she’d been down this road, and that reminded her of something else.

“Hey, Starswirl?”

“Yes, Lyra?”

“How long did you say the time loop’s been going on?”

“I don’t see how that matters,” he said. “Ah, we’re here! Let’s go—”

“Starswirl,” Lyra said, in a tone that made the stallion pause mid-step. “What aren’t you telling me?”

He looked back at her, then. His face was cold, and his voice was colder.

“Nothing of importance to the situation at hand,” he said.

Lyra continued to stare at him. He hadn’t lied, not about that. Several moments passed, with nothing but the rustling of pine needles to fill the silence.

“…Alright,” Lyra said at last.

“Good,” Starswirl said. “Now, hurry up; we’re running out of daylight.”


─────


Starswirl left her at the inn’s door again. “Goodbye, Lyra Heartstrings,” he’d said, repeating the same words he’d said the first time around. “With any luck, we will never meet again.”

She’d done her part, going inside and repeating (more or less) her request for a room, telling the innkeeper (who gave no impression of having ever met Lyra before) that she was Starswirl’s guest.

She had, however, declined the mare’s offer of dinner.

And now she lay in bed, watching the clouds outside her open window and wondering if this had been such a good idea after all.

Are you alright? 

I’m fine, Bonnie. Just nervous. What’s going on on your end?

We’re still in Appleoosa, she said. Just about to go to bed. We’re staying in an inn.

Sounds like you’re ahead of me, Lyra said. If that’s even how that works.

I have no idea.

So, Lyra said, are you planning on… y’know… sleeping, now?

…Are you kidding?

I guess not, Lyra said.

Of course I’m not! I couldn’t, even if I wanted to! You’re about to get yourself killed!

Oh, have some faith.

I’ll have faith when you’re safe, Bon Bon said. Until then, I reserve my right to worry about you. Do you have an extra pillow there, or a blanket?

Lyra glanced around.

There’s a quilt at the end of the bed, she said.

Bundle it up and pile it under your sheet so it looks like you’re lying under the covers, Bon Bon said. It probably won’t fool anypony for long, but it’ll give you a second at least.

Oh. Huh. That’s not a bad idea, Lyra said. She grabbed the quilt.

Of course it isn’t, Bon Bon teased. I came up with it. Really, do you try to put yourself in as much danger as you possibly can?

Only when you’re with me, Lyra said. She arranged the bundle so that it wasn’t immediately obvious it wasn’t a pony under the blankets. That done, she lay down on the floor on the opposite side of the bed. It was cold, but not too uncomfortable. She sighed.

How do we even get ourselves into these situations?

Ask yourself that. You’re the one who dragged me back into all of this. My life was normal for a few years!

No it wasn’t, Lyra said, giggling.

No, I guess it wasn’t, Bon Bon agreed. I was spending it with you.


─────


Lyra’s ears pricked up. Her door had just been opened.

Quietly, silently, she turned her head and peered through the darkness at the intruder. She could see the Innkeeper’s hooves through the space under the bed, illuminated by the soft light of her lantern.

Bonnie, she’s here, Lyra thought. She’s early. Tidal waves of concern flooded her through he link.

Please be careful.

I will.

Lyra wasted no more time.

“Starswirl!” she screamed. “Time to go!”

She leapt to her hooves and dashed for the open window. She heard the sound of the knife whizzing through the air behind her, thudding as it bit into the bundle of cloth on the bed.

Lyra leapt through the window, her back hooves just grazing the bottom of the opening as she sailed out and into the night. She stumbled as she landed on the dirt outside.

She glanced around. Her mouth opened to call for Starswirl again—but the cry died in her throat.

She wasn’t the only one out this time.

Pegasi flew overhead, gathering up clouds and moved them. They were silent, but their movements were perfectly—mechanically—coordinated. Unicorns below levitated wreaths and lengths of coloured string and hung them back up, back where they’d been when Lyra had seen them yesterday. A group of children ran by, carrying an empty barrel on their backs.

All of their faces were expressionless, just as blank as the Innkeeper’s had been. And there was no sign of the wizard.

Lyra, Bon Bon said suddenly. What’s wrong? You’re panicking!

“I…” Lyra blinked. Then, she heard scraping behind her. She looked back. The Innkeeper was climbing through the window after her, the knife clasped in her mouth. She looked forward again. Several of the working ponies had abandoned their tasks and were moving towards her.

Lyra began to run. “Something’s wrong,” she said. “Starswirl! Starswirl, where are you!?”

Wrong how?

“The ponies,” Lyra said, “the villagers, they’re putting the decorations back up! They’re putting things back!”

“Starswirl!” she screamed again. She could hear hooffalls, behind her. They were close.

He’s not there?

“I don’t see him!” Lyra shouted. “Starswirl!”

Lyra, stop panicking! 

“That’s kind of hard right now!” She ran past a group of earth ponies, chopping fresh firewood to place onto a pile. Their axes flashed in the moonlight as their heads turned as one to look at her. “I’m being chased!”

Can you outrun them?

Lyra glanced back. “Not forever!”

Then find somewhere to hide!

Lyra looked over her surroundings. Spotting a fairly large building off to her side, she darted around the side of it and slipped in through a door.

She appeared to be in a storehouse, as when her eyes adjusted she found herself faced with several rows of shelves and a large collection of barrels and jars. She ran to the back, careful not to knock into something, and slipped behind a stack of barrels, pressing her back up against the cold earthen wall.

She clasped her hooves over her mouth, desperate to quiet her breathing. She could hear her pursuers outside, their hooves clattering on the dirt path as they ran past.

Spying a slight gap between the barrels, she peeked out.

The Innkeeper was standing in the doorway. She had her lantern out, and was scanning the room. The light passed over Lyra’s hiding spot, and she jerked back, away from the opening.

The light lingered there, flitting through the gap in the wall. Lyra dared not move, dared not make a sound. Her lungs burned, but she dared not even breathe.

Then, at last, the light moved away.

After a few seconds, Lyra peered out again. The Innkeeper was gone.

Lyra gasped for breath, then stifled the noise with her hooves.

Lyra? Lyra, are you okay?

I’m fine, Bonnie, she thought. I’m fine.

She tensed again a moment later. She’d heard a noise, from the front of the building.

Holding her breath once again, Lyra peeked out through the gap in the barrels.

Three barrels floated in through the storeroom’s door, encased in bright white telekinesis. They flew to the back of the room, just feet from where Lyra was hiding. They landed with hollow thuds. Lyra frowned.

They’re empty?

What are?

The barrels… the food barrels, they’re—

Lyra didn’t finish the thought.

Several more barrels had floated in through the doorway, and this time they were accompanied by the pony lifting them.

No… no, no, no…

What? Lyra, what’s happening?

It’s Starswirl, Lyra thought as she watched the wizard deposit the empty barrels at the back, then grab several filled barrels, their contents sloshing around inside them, and move them to the front of the room.

The village has Starswirl…