//------------------------------// // Dark Magic // Story: Want it Need it // by ChillyKitty //------------------------------// She wasn’t going to use it. Not at all. She made it through an entire week without using it. She sighed at herself from her spot on the train. She shouldn’t keep thinking about a spell she wasn’t going to use. She was heading to Ponyville, her job as a journalist demanded it. Now you might think that being a journalist would be fun, going on adventures, solving cases, you know, the works. But you're thinking of the wrong type of journalist. She was the ‘try to possibly get an interview with one of the ponies that go to the friendship school, don’t even try to go for one of the staff members or the princess, why would they want to talk to you?’ kind of journalist. She adjusted her seating and looked around the train. She saw a cute looking stallion, she would’ve gone after him but he was definitely sitting there with his marefriend. She looked again, there were a couple other attractive ponies, one who was flirting with another, one who sat looking out the window with love in his eyes. “Ugh.” She complained quietly as the train stopped and she began to take her leave. Why’d she have to be cursed with this talent? She could see love in ponies’ eyes’ and hear it in their voice. It only takes one glance to find out whether they’re single or not. And yet nopony ever showed that love when looking at her, she could never hear the fondness in their voice when they mentioned her name. She figured it was because she couldn’t tell if ponies were interested in her like it was a flaw in her talent, but now she was starting to think that nopony really found her attractive at all. She trotted off the train and looked around again. As she walked through town she spotted a big stallion with a red coat and an apple cutie mark. He was rugged, handsome and probably had some southern charm and was walking through town with a little pink unicorn by his side. Taken. She found a cyan unicorn with a stringed instrument on her flank, she looked to have a cutesy way of talking. Not that Lonely even got close enough to hear her before she realized that the mare was definitely on a date with the pink and blue maned earth pony next to her. Taken. A blue maned, white unicorn with sunglasses; taken by a gray earth mare. A brown stallion with an hourglass cutie mark; taken by a ditzy blonde pegasus. A pathetic unicorn with a cursed talent; SINGLE. She stomped a hoof on the ground. That's it. Ponyville seemed to have more couples that Canterlot, despite its population. She wasn’t going to use the spell… but she did first decide that before going to a place overpopulated with romance.. She was going to use the spell. She closed her eyes and allowed her horn to spark with power. In a magenta flash, it was casted. She looked down to her hooves, glanced at her flank and checked her mane but to her dismay, nothing seemed to change. She trotted on with her head hung low until she walked directly into a pony. A pink mare with a green mane stood right in front of her, “She touched me!” she screeched too loud with a big grin on her face. To the shock of Lonely, she saw something she’d never seen before. No, she’s seen it before, but never directed at her. She could see the love in her eyes. She turned to see that she was surrounded by adoring ponies, their voices filled with love. “Your hair is pretty!” "Her coat is my new favorite color!” “Her eyes are so beautiful.” “Oh um, thank you.” she tried to keep up with the number of ponies, a griffon and a changeling had even joined her group, “You’re too kind.” she swung her head around to look at another pony. “She’s so cool.” a colt said. “Her voice is like silk~!” A mare cooed. “I want her to be my big sister!” a filly stated, “She’ll compete in the sisterhooves social with me!” “Nuh uh!” another filly cut in, “She’ll do it with me.” “No me!” yet another squeaked. The group started rolling over themselves in a full on hoof fight. Lonely pushed her way towards the group, “Oh- no- please stop!” At once the three turned to her. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in, she was only shocked to see that none of the three had any love in their eyes. She shrugged, it was probably because they were to young, she didn’t really want foals to be in love with her anyway. She tilted her head, they listened to her commands at a moment. “Please don’t fight with each other.” she commanded softly, testing the water. There was a pause, the dazed fillies looked to each other, then back to her. “ Okay. We won’t!” The one chirped and the others nodded furiously beside her. “Thank you.” she spoke before turning. “She thanked us!” one squealed as she went to trot away, only to realize that there were too many ponies for her to even walk an inch. “Um..” she swayed as she looked at her ever growing audience, “I would love it if you could all give me a little space..” At once everypony stepped a few steps back, giving Lonely just enough breathing room. She took a deep breath and looked to her adoring group, a smile crept onto her face. All her dreams had just come true. ~~~ Two hours had passed. She had eaten a lovely dinner, gotten desert free of charge from a place called ‘Sugar Cube Corner’ and now walked with an entourage of ponies praising her every move. This was the life she never knew she wanted. She knew she wanted love, yes, but this level? So many ponies who graveled at her hooves just for her attention? It was amazing. “Oh that’s so nice of you to say.” she responded to a stallion who stood by her side. She giggled a flirtatious joke a mare said to her and blushed at a stallion’s attempt to kiss her. She sighed a little, relishing in her bliss, only to be knocked out of it with the feeling of claws on her leg. They weren’t painful or malicious but caring. She looked down to see a small purple dragon, “Pretty...” She raised a hoof up to giggle into in response. Her life was finally perfect. And then it all came crashing down. “Spike! Spike? What in Equestria?!” Lonely froze at the voice. She shoved her way through her group to see where the sound was coming from which she soon discovered to be a very bad idea as she was now staring into the eyes of the princess of friendship. Didn’t the book say something on it not working with alicorns? “Oh no.” “Want it Need it, huh?” she cocked an eyebrow, Princess Twilight Sparkle’s horn flashed with magenta light and with a second all of the love that surrounded the unicorn was gone. She stood in shock and fear as one by one, the ponies snapped back to reality and started to leave her side. “Wait!” She called, “No! Come back! I--” she was caught off guard by the tears that stained her cheeks. She rubbed her eye with a hoof and turned back to the princess. “You’re under arrest.” she said sternly, “Spike.” “Huh wha?” the little dragon responded. “We’re going back to the castle.” she turned and signaled for Lonely to follow, “Don’t even think of trying anything.” Lonely opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, instead she let her head hang as she dragged her hooves toward the princess.