//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Empty // Story: Like A Phoenix // by Coda Singer //------------------------------// WARNING!: This story contains references to my previous book, it is suggested you read it if you want to know the entire story http://www.fimfiction.net/story/196274/good-guys-always-win Twilight woke up covered in a cold sweat. She had the usual nightmare. She didn't like to think about it. She was looking up at the stone celling of the cave which she had made her home. This place was where she spent her last moments with her friends, before they were wounded or... She didn't like to think about it. Twilight swung her hooves over the side of her bed and stood up. Her ankles and knees popped, She probably slept in again. She still didn't know why she was worried about waking up late, it's not like she was going to miss anything. Force of habit I guess. She thought to herself. Twilight slipped on her shoes which she had fashioned for herself a long time ago. They were made of lazily stitched leather. She found her hooves slowly started to ache since she spends all day outside. Everything had been starting to ache. She was 28 after all. Twilight shivered as a cold Breeze rolled through the holes in the cave walls, when her magic was stronger she carved those holes in the hopes that she could make windows eventually. Twilight slipped on her saddle bag and the C.L.A.M.P, (Anther device she fashioned for herself.) opened the wooden door which was set into the stone of the mouth of the cave. Outside she saw trees and heard the chirping of birds. After the accident The Everfree forest became empty, It was really beautiful when you weren't worried about being eaten by Timber Wolves. Twilight exited the cave and, after a three minute walk, entered the Echo of Pony Ville. Most of the buildings were rebuilt by Twilight herself. None of them were painted since Twilight couldn't find any, all of the paint she had was used for other reasons which Twilight found more important. Every building stood out as an ugly brown color with the silvery gleam of nails standing out as you walked past. As she passed a building she saw her friend Rainbow Dash. "Hey Rainbow!" She called out, her voice was hoarse since she hadn't talked in a while, she skipped going to town yesterday to do some house maintenance. She was thinking about putting in windows but that would mean scavenging some glass panes. Twilight re-focused on Rainbow. "How ya been?" "..." "Sweet! I'm just going to Sugar Cube Corner to pick up some flour. I Think I'm going to bake a cake. Any way's see ya!" Twilight smiled to herself and trotted down the road happily. She soon arrived at Sugar Cube Corner and opened the door. "Hey Mr. Cake! Just here for some flour, do you have any? " "..." "Awesome! How much?" "..." "Alright, here's three Bits. Thanks! Hey is Pinkie here?" "..." "Thanks! I think I'll visit her later." Twilight slipped the flour into her saddle bag and smiled at Mr. Cake, "See you Wednesday! "..." "No, I think I'm going to put windows into my house, do you know where I could find any glass for sale?" "..." "Oh well, See ya!" Twilight walked out of the shop and started walking up the stairs towards Pinkie's apartment, when she found herself crying. She knew exactly why but she didn't want to know. She slowly hobbled towards the door with a picture of Three balloons on the door. But she collapsed and began sobbing, her hoof almost touching the door. I'll get further tomorrow Twilight wiped her tears and looked at the door longingly. She turned around and walked back down the stairs. Twilight pulled out a checklist from her saddle bag and pulled out a quill. "Flour? Check, Sweet Apple Acres!" Twilight put the checklist away and began trotting towards the farm. On her way there she passed some of the other familiar muzzles Lyra and Bon Bon were standing next to each other, Octavia was in a music shop with Vinyl. The sight of them made Twilight happy. She finally arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, the barn was rebuilt but the trees had all died, Twilight was doing her best to grow some new ones. "Hey A.J! Do you need help with anything?" "..." "Sure! I think I can do that, Is Granny Smith in there?" "..." "Think I might say hi, see ya!" Twilight ran inside with her new mission at hand, "Water the Apple Saplings," Twilight walked into the barn and smiled at the sight of Granny Smith. "Hey Granny! How ya been?" "..." "Good. A.J sent me to water the apple saplings, I just need to grab the watering can. Anyways I'll see ya later!" Twilight tried to levitate the watering can. With a clatter the watering can fell to the ground and spilled all over the place. "Shit." Twilight mumbled to herself, making sure Granny Smith couldn't hear. Twilight reached over with her hoof where the C.L.A.M.P was attached. Twilight hooked the two prongs jutting out of the C.L.A.M.P onto the handle of the watering can and pushed a button on the strap of the device. The prongs closed around the handle and Twilight lifted her hoof, now carrying the watering can. She made her way out of the barn and walked towards the stream and refilled the can. Twilight looked over and saw a familiar red haired filly. "Oh, hey Apple Bloom, you playing down here?" "..." "Where's Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell?" "..." "Well tell me if there's any development on the whole Cutie Mark ordeal! See ya!" Twilight made her way back to Apple Jack and began watering the apple seeds, after about three hours of work Twilight walked back to the barn, unclamped the water can, said her goodbyes to the Apple family and walked back into town. Twilight noticed the dial on her C.L.A.M.P was almost at zero, so she made her way back to her cave, on the way back she saw Rainbow Dash again. "Hey Rainbow! have you been standing here this whole time?" "..." "Well you should try out those new cupcakes at Sugar Cube Corner. they're pretty- Gaaah!" Twilight screamed as she tripped over a rock and fell onto Rainbow Dash. She pulled herself up and looked down at what she'd done. "Dammit" Twilight said aloud, some of the stuffing had come out of rainbows chest where a large tear had formed, some of the painted wheat had been pulled from the neck of the mannequin. Twilight loaded the mannequin onto her back and walked back to her cave. She set the Rainbow Dash replica on a table and pulled out a sewing kit. She began sewing the tear across Rainbow's chest back together and stitched the painted wheat back into the neck and head. some of the paint had chipped off revealing the golden brown color behind the rainbow paint. Twilight set down the sewing kit and walked over to a book lying on a table, she grabbed a quill with her C.L.A.M.P and began to write. "Day 4,745, Picked up some flour at Sugar Cube Corner and helped out at Sweet Apple Acres again, dropped the watering can trying to use magic, ever since I cast that spell it just... stopped working. C.L.A.M.P needs some tweaking and I need to find some glass to make windows. I Got two inches closer to Pinkie's door, at this rate I should be there in two days. Knocked over Rainbow today, needed to do some maintenance to fix her, I'll set her up tomorrow." Twilight shut the book and walked over to a wall next to her bed. looking over at the 4,744 marks and added mark number 4,745. "Happy 13th anniversary." She said to herself. Twilight felt an explosion of different emotions inside her, Guilt, anger, sadness, joy, sentimentality. Twilight set down the quill, slid off the C.L.A.M.P and her saddle bag, slipped into bed and closed her eyes. Twilight was in a dark room, lying in front of her was Chrysalis, she was asleep. Twilight illuminated her horn with red lightning and shot. Slowly the changeling's body morphed into the body of Pinkie. She looked up at Twilight with sadness, confusion and joy. Pinkie disappeared and was replaced with the body of Flutter Shy, she was missing a hoof, it changed into the body of Rarity who was missing an eye, then to Rainbow, covered in bloody bandages, then to Apple Jack's hat lying on he ground, then the body changed into Celestia, her horn was snapped off and Discord was laughing in the background. Then Twilight saw Spike sitting alone in the library as he was wiped from existence. Twilight woke with a start, she was covered in cold sweat and tears... But she didn't like to think about it.