//------------------------------//
// The library is empty. 
// Story: I'm sorry, Twilight 
// by the7Saviors 
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I no longer know what to expect once I arrive at the Golden Oak Library, but after what I witnessed at Carousel Boutique—after what I felt—I realize I have to confront Spike sooner rather than later, no matter how much the idea unnerves me. I know he's still having that recurring dream, and I have no doubt he's been listening to that 'cat', but I don't know to what end. There's still a lot I don't know and I also realize now that Rarity was right. I should've spoken to Spike much earlier, even if it didn't amount to anything significant.

Now for some reason, I feel like it's too late, and that thought is only reinforced when I search the library and find no trace of my faithful assistant. I shout Spike's name but receive only silence in response. The only thing I hear is the creak of the floorboards beneath my hooves and as I make my way up the stairs to my bedroom, the soft fluttering of wings near the window. I look over to see Owlowiscious roosted on the windowsill, his beady black eyes locked onto mine. I look at him and remember that I'd planned to use him to send Luna my letter, but as I stand here alone and out of sorts, I realize the impracticality of the idea—at least as far as things stand now.

I have no idea when Spike will return, so I take the opportunity to write my letter then and there and decide to simply teleport it to the castle. It's a difficult feat, but definitely doable. Though I've thoroughly explored Canterlot Castle many times both as a mare and as a filly, I've never actually seen Luna's bedchambers, so my only choice is to make the letter appear where Princess Celestia can see it and give it to her sister. Thankfully there's still a bit of time left before Celestia lowers the sun and Luna raises the moon, and with all haste, I pull a quill, some ink, and a piece of parchment from my desk. The letter I write is clear, concise, and to-the-point.

In it, I simply state my worry that something malevolent may have burrowed its way into Spike's subconscious and is possibly using his dreams as a medium to hatch some sort of scheme against me and my friends. I give as much detail as I feel is necessary, including the fact that Spike is currently missing, and prepare to send the finished letter off when Owlowiscious alights on the desk in front of me. He tilts his head and looks at me expectantly, but I shake my head and gently push him away, letting him know that this is something I have to do. My horn blazes to life and after a full minute of intense focus, the letter disappears in a flash. The spell leaves me momentarily breathless, but I quickly recover and sink into my chair with a deep sigh.

With that task finally done, all I can do now is wait for Spike to return from wherever he's vanished off to... but a full hour passes by and he doesn't return. I do receive a response from Princess Celestia in the form of another letter, and that does a little to calm my fraying nerves. In her letter, she tells me that she's sorry to hear about me and Spike and that her sister is looking into the matter 'in her own way'. At that last statement, I can only assume she means that Luna is doing some kind of research directly within the dream realm.  

My mind isn't put completely at ease by the response, but I feel the tight knot in my stomach loosen slightly. In the interim, as I wait for the results of Luna's investigation and for Spike to return, I spend more time pondering what this supposed secret that I'm hiding could be, but still any possible answers elude me. I try, as I always do lately, to ignore the ominous veil that now covers the entire library, but in the silence and solitude, it presses in on me, stronger than before. Again it becomes harder to breathe, and in my growing fear, I reach out and take Owlowiscious in my hooves, hoping for some kind of comfort as I hold him close. He turns his head fully around to look at me but doesn't protest.

For a time I simply sit there in my chair, holding onto my other, more nocturnal assistant and waiting for what feels like an age.

Luna has long since raised the moon and through the window, I can see its pale glow bright and clear in the night sky. I watch it and wonder what Luna's found in her search, wonder why it's taking so long to respond. I wonder if she's okay or if she's run into some kind of trouble. Time wears on as my thoughts wander, and before I'm even aware of it, both my body and eyelids have grown heavy with the lack of sleep I've suffered over the last few days. For all the discomfort I feel in my own home, I can't stop myself from drifting further and further away from consciousness. Eventually, darkness overtakes my vision as my eyes shut completely and for an instant, I'm gone...










Something whispers my name in the dark.


Its voice is gurgling and wet and carries the slow rattle of somepony on the brink of death.










My eyes snap open and adrenaline floods my veins. Every nerve in my body feels electrified and sudden vertigo turns my stomach. I try to fight down nausea as I scan my surroundings, and it doesn't take long for me to notice that something's changed—namely that I'd fallen out of my chair at some point, and that Owlowiscious is nowhere to be seen. The room also seems darker than it was before, but I'm not sure if that's actually the case or if it's just my imagination. In any case, I quickly scramble back to my hooves and move back towards the desk, bumping into the small wooden chair I'd knocked over in the process.

The contact makes me jump and a distant knock from somewhere below makes me shriek. Already so tightly strung that I feel like I'm about to snap, a loud, sharp pop that comes from right behind me pushes me over the edge. Not even bothering to uncover the source of whatever just occurred behind me, I throw open the door to my bedroom and flee down the stairs, right towards the origin of that insistent knocking. I stop myself short as I reach the main room where the front door is, breathing hard and shivering violently. I look from the door to the stairs, my thoughts a jumbled mess and at a loss for what to do.

With my heart pounding against my ribs, I light my horn and prepare to make a desperate escape via a blind teleport. In my panic, I don't have the wherewithal to think of a specific location so that's all I can do. Just as I'm about to cast the spell, I hear an anxious and familiar voice just outside past the door. My eyes widen with recognition and I let the teleportation spell fizzle out without having sent me anywhere. 

"Twilight?" says the voice, accompanied by another knock, "Twilight, dear, are you there? It's Rarity."

Rarity.

Relief begins to wash away the fear until I remember what happened earlier today, and with the memory, the relief is replaced with wariness and suspicion—at least until I hear Rarity's next words.

"Twilight, if you can hear me, I've brought the other girls with me," she says, "I hope you don't mind, but after your... departure earlier, I decided it might be best to let the others know the situation at hoof. We're all very worried about you and Spike. Can you please let us in?"

Once again relief begins to creep in, only to be shoved back down by even more suspicion. With the way she'd been acting before, I'm not sure if I can trust what she says, so I say nothing and wait to see what she says next. My brows raise in surprise at the sound of another voice, this one holding an unmistakable rasp.

"Why are we just waiting around out here? It's a library. Let's just go in and find out what's going on."

Rainbow Dash.

Another voice speaks up in response.

"It's only a library durin' the day," comes the familiar and slightly irritated twang of Applejack, "it's private property after hours, just like Rarity's boutique. You know that, Rainbow."

"But what if she's having one of her... y'know..." there's a brief pause before Rainbow speaks again, this time in a stage whisper, "...episodes?"

I frown at that and silently move closer to the door until I'm standing just inches away.

"Um... I think I might've heard some kind of commotion from inside just a bit ago," says Fluttershy in a voice so quiet I almost can't hear, "it sounded like it came from upstairs, but I'm not really sure..."

I listen intently as the girls continue to deliberate on what to do, and the distinct lack of Pinkie's bombastic voice doesn't escape my notice. After a few moments, its decide by majority vote to enter the library regardless of whether or not I answer. In response, I choose to open the door, but only just enough for them to see my face. For some reason, the idea of them all here in the library makes me more uncomfortable than being alone. 

Just as Rarity said, they're all there, standing outside my door... except for Pinkie, who I don't see at all. I search each of their surprised faces and a spark of warmth and gratitude flickers in my chest, but my relentless caution and anxiety snuffs that out almost immediately.

"Twilight!" Rarity is the first to exclaim, "we were just about to let ourselves in. Fluttershy thinks you may have gotten yourself into some kind of trouble..." she trails off and studies my features for a second before her expression shifts to a mix of concern and disappointment, "darling, you look just as shaken as the last time I saw you, and your mane! All that work—"

"Forget that," Rainbow cuts in, pushing Rarity aside and getting in my face, "what's all this about you and Spike getting into a fight? What happened?"

"I'm fine," I lie, my words coming out far more curt than I intend, "Spike and I didn't really get into a fight," I think back to that first conversation and wonder just how things had gotten this bad, "to be honest... I'm not really sure what happened..."

When I look at the others I can see a mix of different emotions. I see pity in the eyes of Fluttershy and Rarity, Applejack gives me a sympathetic frown probably thinking back to her own family, and Rainbow Dash just looks confused. I realize in the brief silence that follows my words that they want to get themselves involved, that they want to help, that they want to come inside.











I don't want them inside this library.










"...but everything will be okay once I talk to Spike, I'm sure," I continue before any of the others have a chance to speak. I pause, thinking on my hooves, then, "the only problem is that he disappeared again. I don't know where he is."

I mostly say this to Rarity, but they all react exactly as I expect them to. Surprise, worry, and bewilderment passes between them all, and they talk over one another in an effort to console and question me. Applejack looks less convinced than the others and her slightly narrowed eyes tell me she knows there's something off about my words, but I try to ignore it. It's Rainbow's comment that stands out the most, as it's the one I'm waiting for.

"What the hay are you doing hiding yourself in the library?" she asks accusingly, "shouldn't you be out there somewhere looking for him?"

"I'd like to," I reply without missing a beat, "but I think it's better if I stay here and wait for him. He's been out there longer than normal though, and it might be best if I go after all, but I don't want to miss him if he shows up here," my ears perk up and my eyes widen, as though I've suddenly come up with an idea, "do you think you all can search the area for me? Maybe see if you can find out where he went?"

"Of course we will, darling," Rarity answers immediately, "I can't imagine where he'd want to go at a time like this, but rest assured we'll find him," she turns to the others expectantly, "isn't that right, girls?"

"I hate to think he might be out there somewhere lost and alone," Fluttershy replies, bowing her head and giving me that same pitying look as before, "don't worry, Twilight. Like Rarity said, we'll find out where he went and bring him back safe and sound."

"Thanks, you two," I say with a small smile of gratitude, knowing full well that they probably won't find him, "that means a lot," my smile fades as I remember the absence of one particular pony, "by the way... where's Pinkie? She didn't come with you?"

"Said she had somethin' else ta take care of—somethin' important," Applejack answers, giving me a wary frown, "says she's awful sorry she can't be there for ya right now, but that she'll make it up to ya."

"Oh," I reply, unsure of what to make of that, "a-alright then, I guess," I look between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, both of whom are staring back at me with looks I don't like, "what about you two?"

"I dunno, Twi," Rainbow Dash says slowly, "I guess I can understand waiting for him here, but I don't like it. That said, you don't look too hot yourself..." she falls silent for a moment. Her frown turns thoughtful, then resolute, "alright fine, if you wanna stay here and wait for him, that's all well and good, but there's no way I'm gonna let you wait alone, not when you look like something the cat dragged in."

I wince at her choice of words and grimace at her implied suggestion.

"Rainbow, that's okay," I protest, "I'll be fine on my own."

"Oh no you don't," Rainbow Dash replies, shaking her head, "I know how you get, Twilight. Somepony needs to be there in case you get all—"

"Why don't ya head off with Rarity an' Fluttershy, Rainbow?" Applejack interjects, not taking her eyes off me, "yer the fastest outta all of us, an' ah'm willin' ta bet ya can spot Spike a lot quicker from above," she steps forward and I find myself shrinking back a step inside the library in response, "you'll be a darn sight more helpful than me out there. Ah'll stay an' make sure Twilight doesn't do anythin' crazy."

Rainbow looks like she wants to argue, and for a minute I think she's going to, but then she seems to think about it. Another second passes and she groans irritably before jabbing a hoof in Applejack's direction.

"Alright, fine," she concedes, flying over to where Rarity and Fluttershy are standing. The two share a worried glance, but Rainbow ignores them and continues speaking to me and Applejack, "I'll find Spike and be back before you can blink!"

And with that, she shoots off into the night sky and vanishes in an instant, leaving a chromatic trail in her wake. After a few more assurances and some well-wishing, Rarity and Fluttershy follow soon after, albeit at much slower, but no less urgent pace. That leaves me and Applejack standing alone, me on one side of the doorway, and her on the other. We stare at each in silence for what feels like an eternity, and I feel the nausea return as I look into Applejack's hard green eyes.

"Well... that's that, ah reckon," Applejack finally says, "now how 'bout we head inside an' talk about what's really goin' on?"