She sneezed.
It was the first indication that she had awakened, the dust appearing seemingly from nowhere to flow into her nostrils as she breathed slowly in sleep. She brought a hoof to rub at her muzzle as the rest of her body woke up to complain about the position she was in - laying on her right side, on a hard but padded surface.
As each part of her body reported in to her brain, more and more alarms were included that something other than the large amount of dirt and dust in front of her nose was off from normal by a considerable margin. Aches in her joints, pains in her rump, most of her right flank was numb from laying on something other than a soft, feathered bed that she had been given to use at the library.
When her brain finally realized that two-plus-two did indeed equal four, Twilight Sparkle’s eyes shot open. It took a few more seconds for the blurriness to clear, which only served to confirm her body’s suspicions: She was not in her bed at the library.
She wasn’t even IN the library… much less in Ponyville either…
Soft grass caressed her, a flower waved in the peripheral of her vision, the mid-morning sun peered down through the leaves of trees overhead. It took another few moments before she could move, lifting her head to look around and take stock of her situation. The knurled trees with the way their leaves drooped from the branches in a really spooky manner confirmed her worst fears - she was in the Everfree Forest.
Another part of her body reported in the moment she tried to roll upright and drew her legs under her to stand. The result was her rolling over toward her left as nausea consumed her. She had no food in her stomach so vomiting was thankfully not possible, but the bile that rose in her throat flowed freely onto the once pristine grass.
Finally getting to her feet, wobbly as they were, Twilight tried to get her bearings. Her mouth worked, her brain now gaining steam began to analyze the situation.
Thoughts ran rampant through her mind. How did I get into the Everfree? What happened to me? Why do I feel so sick? She took a careful step forward, then another, spotting a trail not too far off. Making her way toward it, the questions continued to flow. What was I doing? Was anypony else with me? I feel that there were… who? Why can’t I remember?
It was indeed a trail, one familiar to her, although it looked as if it hadn’t been used in quite some time. Looking left and right, she found the direction to Ponyville and took off at a slow trot. Can’t be sure Zecora is home… but Fluttershy lives nearby. Maybe she’ll know what happened.
Twilight had to slow down soon afterward as her stomach began to complain again. Pausing to put a hoof to her stomach, her eyes went wide as she felt something else off. Glancing down at herself, she saw indeed that something was off, something VERY wrong. A noticeable bulge in her belly, further back than her stomach, right where-
Oh Celestia no… I can’t be… PREGNANT?!
She dropped hard to the path, trying to regain control of her breathing. Something was indeed growing inside her, something warm, something that her body told her was her foal. More and more the questions flowed through her mind, in a near panic, repeating over and over again.
Come on, Twilight! Get a hold of yourself. What is the last thing you remember clearly?
She squeezed her eyes shut. She willed her analytical mind to seize control of her runaway thoughts. She couldn’t afford to go off the deep end, not yet, anyway.
Let’s see… the wedding. Finally got that done without a problem after the Changling Invasion. The reception. Heh… I actually got up and sang. Then the train ride back to Ponyville. Started a new research project on Changlings, wanted to know more about them. Couldn’t find anything, so I had Spike send a message to the Princess asking for more books on the subject. Applejack showed up… we started talking… I think… gets so fuzzy at that point… and then…
Blank. Nothing.
Had a Changeling got into Ponyville? Not that quickly, Shining Armor’s spell had thrown Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings clear across Equestria. There was another Pony there… with them in the Library. But Twilight couldn’t remember.
Why couldn’t she remember?
She shook her head again and got up, walking again. She had to find her friends, find out what happened. As she got her thoughts under control, she got a … feeling… that Changelings weren’t involved. No, it was something… else. She needed to see Applejack. Her friends. Spike. They could contact the Princess, get help.
Putting her queasiness aside, she began trotting again. Fluttershy: she was the closest. She might have something to alleviate her morning sickness, give her time to think. Time to remember.
Soon, the edge of the forest came into view, and there was the cottage. Twilight smiled. Safety! But that feeling suddenly began to plummet the closer she got. An new feeling came from her stomach as she approached the small bridge over the creek. Something was dreadfully wrong.
No animals were present. The bird houses were empty, unused. The windows were all uncovered, but no light came from inside despite it being just before midday. It looked abandoned.
She trotted up to the door, then peered in a window: The house was vacant. The windowsill was coated with dust. Nopony had lived here for some time.
No. NO! This can’t be right! Where is Fluttershy?!
She stumbled backward onto her rump, struggling to prevent herself from hyperventilating. It was less than a minute before she was up again and bolting toward town. She had to see ponies! Had to know that this was simply a misunderstanding. A mirage, hallucination, anything other than her friends abandoning her.
She was rewarded the moment she passed the first houses. Laughter, ponies milling about, going about their daily lives. This was at least normal, and her panic was quickly reigned in. Small details, however, were hard to avoid. The biggest was that she didn’t recognize most of them.
Granted, her near isolated life even after moving to Ponyville prevented her from knowing many ponies, but even she had gotten to know more than quite a few in Ponyville. But this was ridiculous! She began trotting again, headed for the library. If any place made her feel safe, it was there.
Once again, disappointment greeted her. A unicorn mare she didn’t recognize was standing in front of the open doorway, sweeping the front stoop. That wasn’t the worst part - the sign had been changed:
TWILIGHT SPARKLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY
- Funded by the Royal Pony Sisters with the thanks of a grateful nation.
Averting her eyes, Twilight turned away.
I’m… I’m DEAD? They think I’m dead? But… it wasn’t a week ago we were all together in Canterlot!
She wandered aimlessly, trying to come to grips with the evidence. She couldn’t’ remember how she got from the Library to the Everfree. Obviously more than a few days had passed judging by the size of the bulge between her hind legs. Something had obviously happened between then and now. Something horrible.
She paused in the market, not even bothering to look around now. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the idea that something had happened to her. Something that had caused her friends to up and leave.
A few ponies passing by looked at her, one even slowed to ask if she was all right. That at least hadn’t changed - ponies were still kind.
She shook her head silently in reply and moved on. She got only a few steps before a voice brought her to a halt. A voice that spoke softly, unsure of herself, but definitely addressed toward her:
“… Twilight…?”