//------------------------------// // L59 // Story: A little loopy. // by FaelaArts //------------------------------// “No no no!” Sweetie cried out in outrage, swiping at her desk and sending the papers flying. As they fluttered to the ground, Sweetie glared at the Cutie Mark on all except a few. The accursed Mark of Starswirl. Sweetie growled, stepping down and rubbing one piece of paper into her carpet. “There has to be something I missed, but there is nothing. Just useless INFORMATION!” Sweetie screamed loudly, and then slumped to the floor. Sighing, she covered her face and closed her eyes. Sweetie breathed in, and out, standing up to look out the window. Looking at Ponyville, she forced herself to remain focused. ’Okay Sweetie,’ she mumbled to herself. ’Think around the problem. What have you yet to explore?’ Sweetie scoured Ponyville for something she could use, racking her brains for any way she could use the town that might help her get free. Gritting her teeth, her eyes finally found Mr Turner was currently running away like a madman. ‘Wait, if he knew Starswirl…’ Watching Mr Turner as he dashed through the streets, Sweetie concentrated with her magic. At the exact moment Nurse Redheart broke eye contact, she teleported the pony into her room, waiting as he came skidding to a stop. Turning around, Mr Turner wasted no time in beginning to pretend that he was insane. “Relax, Changeling, I know who you are.” Pulling out Mr Turner’s Looping note, Sweetie waited as the stallion read it, and closed his eyes. After a moment, the window’s curtains were shut by a green magic, and he shuddered, transforming into a Changeling for a small moment. Changing back, he stifled a yawn, and approached Sweetie, handing back the note. “So, what is the problem, fair filly who apparently knows quite a lot about me.” Looking at the papers on the ground, Turner approached them as Sweetie began to group them up. Shoving them into his magic, he looked them over, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the strained expression on Sweetie’s face. “Okay, so I’ve been looking over Starswirl’s notes, trying to find a way to get out of this Loop. The thing is, I’m positive there is someone in this Loop that is not being reset other than me, but I have no way of finding out who they are. Therefore, there must be some clue in these notes as to how he got out, because I am at my wit’s end and I NEED to get out.” Eye twitching, her thoughts continued to spiral after this one thread she had. Time Turner watched the filly, and his expression softened, looking toward the door, he sighed softly, letting a sad expression fall on his face. Turning, he lent down, looking Sweetie in the eyes, and put a hoof on her shoulder. Sweetie met his gaze, curious and confused. “Listen kid, even if I did know how to get out of the Loop-and I’m not saying I do, because I honestly don’t. Even if I knew, I wouldn’t be able to help you. Because if this other Looper is whom I think he is, and everything written here leads me to believe it is, there is no way you are getting out until he wants you out.” Pausing, he saw the anger on Sweetie’s face. Putting a hoof on her mouth, he continued. “And that’s not even counting the fact he is an old friend of mine. So I’m sorry, but I can’t try to help you more than I already have. For I have no doubts that if I tried, it would only force this power you speak of to play its hand. I can help you find things to do, but I can’t help you escape. I’m sorry.” Standing up, Time Turner stepped back, letting Sweetie absorb this information. “What could you possibly suggest, that I haven’t already tried?” Laughing, Sweetie motioned to the paper still laying on the floor. Looking at it, Time Turner closed his eyes for a moment, and then transformed back into his Changeling self. Walking forward, he levitated up a piece of paper with a detailed map of Equestria. “Only one; and her name is Chrysalis.” Looking over the information Time Turner had given her, Sweetie let a sad smile fall on her face. Turning, she levitated over a pile of things she could do, some of them she had thought too much for her. Now though, Sweetie could cross some of the items off the list. Allowing a strained smile to fall on her face, she tried to sound happy. “Alright Sweetie, you’re in for the long haul, so let’s try to make the most of it.” Sliding Time Turner’s information into the stack, Sweetie began sorting them. One by one, she began to lay them out. Looking them over, Sweetie decided she would need to make them last. ’I don’t know how long I’ll be in here, so I need this list to last as long as possible. That means I have to limit myself. One a week sounds good.’ Nodding once, Sweetie sorted them into a decent list. While most of them wouldn’t be done until the very end, there was one last lead Sweetie wanted to pursue. ’And that lead goes by the name of Harmony.’ Determined, Sweetie looked out the window in the direction of the Everfree. Camping out would give her time to properly see what she could do with the Elements. If Sweetie was lucky, they might even be the way out. But Time Turner was right about one thing; any possible escape had likely been blocked by whomever was also in this Loop. “Regardless, there are some things that might not be under his control yet.” Glancing over to the corner, where her camping stuff was located, Sweetie nodded to herself. This was it, finally she would test if she could spend a Loop away from her room. Sure, the last test had technically worked, but it hadn’t been easy. “Next Loop then,” she spoke, nodding to herself.