"T-trixie?"
I looked up from a table, abandoning my half eaten sandwich. I blinked at the ponies in front of me. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, Slugs and Snails my own assistants, Derpy Hooves and her little filly daughter.
"What is it?" I snapped, feeling my emotions rising and choking me from inside.
They stared back with sad eyes, and Derpy spoke gently. "You have to come with us."
I blinked slowly, fear clutching at me. "Why? What if I don't want to come?"
"You have to!" Diamond Tiara burst out, looking as if she could cry. "All of us do."
The look in Derpy's eyes told me exactly what I feared. These ponies had rarely spoken, or not spoken at all. I was one of them. I followed them, heart beating slowly in my chest. We headed right out of PonyVille, and I was surprised that we didn't bump into anyone at all on the way. The streets were silent.
"I want to go home." Ditsy whined.
Her mother nuzzled her and kept walking along the narrow path. I glanced at them with grief swimming in my eyes. None of us deserved this. We were slowing, and I looked ahead to see the ground had fallen down into a channel, like a dried riverbed. No-one looked willing to skid down, so I summoned all of my courage and skid down the dusty bank and staggered to a halt. The others followed slowly.
"Everyone," I announced. "I suppose things have happened to you, as to me."
I saw a few nods, others were just looking around with fear. I gulped, wishing for some sort of sign of what to do next. Coldness crept into me as the sun sank lower and lower. Soon we were sitting in darkness. Ditsy and Derpy were fast asleep. The others huddled together in a group. I sat away from them all, eyes on the stars.
"The Sad and Lonely Trixie..." I murmured under my breath, shivering.
At somepoint I must of fallen asleep, for I woke, the sound of water rumbling in my ears. I opened my eyes. I was lying on the bank again, looking down at the riverbank. But instead of being empty and dry, it was swollen with water, rising right up to lap at my hooves. I gasped and staggered back, watching the dark blue water swish past at speed. I looked around wildly, but everyone was gone.