Twilight's hoof rapped on the door to Carousel Boutique. “Rarity,” she called.

“The door's open,” came Rarity's sing-song reply. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique!”

Twilight stepped inside, shaking off the cold as she unwrapped her scarf. “Something strange is going on in town,” she said. “Have you noticed ponies having weird memory lapses lately?”

Rarity's eyes widened as they fell on Twilight. She scrambled out from behind her sewing desk and bowed low to the floor. “Your highness! Oh my, if I had known I would be receiving royal company, I would have made this place more presentable!”

Twilight glanced around. The showroom was immaculate; certainly more presentable than Twilight's own book-strewn bedroom. “Right. Look, Rarity, have you noticed ponies acting strange lately? Like they're forgetting about their friends or something?”

Rarity gasped. “You know my name! I-I mean, of course you know my name. No doubt it comes up in all the social circles in Canterlot. Who told you about me, if I may ask? Fancy Pants? Jet Set? Was it Sapphire Shores? I don't mean to brag, but do you know I do nearly all of Sapphire's costumes?”

“Rarity, it's me. Twilight,” Twilight said. “Your friend?”

“Well of course you are a friend to all of your subjects, your highness,” said Rarity.

Twilight's ears sank. “Oh no. Not you, too!”

“Ah! Where are my manners?” Rarity took a step toward her kitchen. “May I please offer you some tea?”

Twilight put her scarf back on. “There's no time for that. We need to get to Applejack and Fluttershy and the others and figure this out!”

Rarity knit her brows. “Applejack? You mean the farmer at the edge of town? Begging your pardon, your highness, but what do you need with her?”

“I'll explain on the way. Let's go.” Twilight opened the door and beckoned to Rarity.

“B-but I am not properly dressed for an outing with royalty!” Rarity protested.

A scarf sheathed in magenta magic wrapped around her neck and dragged her out the door.

The Prompt: Should old acquaintance be forgot...

This is a thirty minute writing prompt, meaning you have thirty minutes to finish your story from the time you start writing. You may take as much time as you wish to think, plan, or outline before you begin, but once the first word is on the page, the timer begins. When you are finished, post your story to this thread, and, in the tradition of the TMP mods of yore, I will read and give it a comment when I can.

Traditionally, TMP prompts would have a six to eight-hour window in which to submit, but for these legacy prompts, there will be no limit after the prompt is up. Go ahead and post something a year from now, if you like. Just bear in mind that I'm less likely to respond with feedback to anything submitted more than a week or so after the prompt. Good luck!

Well, this isn't just asking for a whole heap of angst-bombs now, is it?

So hey, weird question. In addition to a new story I had for today, it occurs to me an old TMP story I wasn't able to successfully submit back in the day due to missing the deadline would also fit the prompt. Would it be OK for me to post that here in addition to the new story, or is that kind of Against The Rules?

3934820 I think I'd be okay with it, since you're also writing one for it today. So long as folks are aware they shouldn't make a habit of posting old stories for new prompts.

3934811 What, angst? For a TMP prompt? Why, that is absolutely inconceivable! I fully expect nothing but fluff and happiness.

3934961 And makeouts. Don't forget the makeouts which were part of so many TMP prompts.

3935050 Makeouts go without saying, of course.

3934961 So noted, and thank you kindly. <3

Legacy Prompt #16: "...And The Other, Gold" by Gojira007

"Apple Bloom?"
Twist blinked once, then twice, but sure enough, there stood the red-haired filly, an awkward smile on her face and a mid-sized red box at her hooves. "What are you doing here?"
It came out harder than she meant it to, the frizzle-maned filly realized as she saw Apple Bloom's ears fold down and her smile shrink. "Yeah..." the farm pony said with a sigh, "it has been a while, hasn't it?"
"Aww, it'th not like I've kept track of the dayth...." Twist answered even as that very number flashed through her mind.
"That's kinda why I came by, actually," Apple Bloom said. "What with it bein' the Renewal's Eve 'n' all, I thought maybe we could take the chance t'...y'know...catch up?"
Twist gently nudged her glasses up the bridge of her snout, watching Apple Bloom standing there, stiffly, still outside her home. "Aww, Apple Bloom...that'th...that'th thweet 'n' all, but...well, I mean, I do kind of have my own party planned, 'n' Featherweight 'n' Pipthqueak 'n' Dinky Doo're gonna be here thoon...."
"O-oh! I won't be long, I promise!" Apple Bloom yelped, suddenly leaning forward. "Please, Twist? I even brought you a present!"
She pushed the box forward toward Twist, who looked at it with a raised brow. "Well...OK, I gueth...."
Apple Bloom made a happy little squeak as she finally crossed the threshold, scooping the box on top of her head as she trotted inside. "Your folks around?" she asked.
"Nah, they're out thopping for their own party right now," Twist replied, following the farm filly with slow steps.
"Oh, that's right! I used t'swing by your Renewal's Eve party all the time back in the day!" Apple Bloom laughed, and Twist could not help but frown.
"Yeah, back in the day..." she repeated lowly.
"Those were good days, weren't they, Twist?" Apple Bloom asked, still facing ahead but no longer trotting.
Twist licked at her braces a bit before replying, "Yeah...yeah, they were."
"It doesn't even feel like that long ago we used t'hang out all the time, even."
"No...I thupothe it doethn't...."
"But it's funny, how easy it is t'lose track 'o' time when y'ain't payin' it enough mind."
"Apple Bloom...."
Twist wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say next, but she knew the thoughts going through her head at that moment were far sharper...far nastier...than she liked having. Yet looking at Apple Bloom now, it made her think...of chases around the front yard filled with giggles, or whispering little jokes back and forth in the class room, or figuring out secret routes home that Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara would never be able to figure out. And it made her remember that all of that stopped when two little candy canes had appeared on her flank. "Look...I get that Renewal'th Eve ith a time to...y'know...remember 'n' thtuff, but ithn't thith kind of thilly?"
The farm filly turned around then, facing Twist with a smile and sad eyes. For a moment, Twist felt her ears rise and her body tense, but she let them both relax with a low sigh. "We...thopped being friendth a while ago, right? We both know that, don't we?"
Apple Bloom bit her lip a bit, but said nothing. Twist thus chose to continue. "I wondered why you didn't come by my houthe anymore, or talk t'me in clath, or walk home from thchool anymore, at firtht. But then I heard about you and the Cutie Mark Cruthaderth, and it all made thenthe."
She pointed her snout to her Cutie Mark. Those two candy canes. "You got new friendth, becauthe thith made you uncomfortable."
Apple Bloom nodded slowly, but still said nothing. "I...didn't like that, at firtht," Twist said. "But the more I thought about it, the more I got it. Tho I moved on, and I made new friendth, and I justh thought we'd let the patht be the patht."
She gestured gently at the farm filly then, brows creasing a little. "I apprethiate what you're trying to do, but...well...."
The farm filly sighed. "It does seem kind of silly, don't it?" she said, still holding on to that smile.
"Yeah. Tho...thankth for coming by 'n' all, but...."
"Wait." Apple Bloom stepped toward her. "There's somethin' I gotta say first."
Twist licked her braces again, but nodded. Taking a deep breath, then letting it go, Apple Bloom spoke. "You're right, Twist. Your Cutie Mark made me so unhappy. I thought it wasn't fair that you got t'have one 'n' I still didn't, and every time I'd see you, that was all I could think about. But y'know, my cousin Babs came t'visit today for Renewal's Eve, 'n' she told me a funny little story."
Apple Bloom lowered her head, and the box slowly slid off of it onto the floor. "See, she's got some Cutie Mark Crusaders of he own over in Manehattan, 'n' one of her first members? She got her Cutie Mark the other week. Only...'ccordin' t'Babs, she didn't leave the Crusaders. She said she wanted t'keep helpin' 'em, 'cuz she knew how bad it felt t'be made fun of for bein' a Blank Flank."
She fixed her eyes on Twist's then. "It made me think of you, 'n' it helped me realize how selfish I was bein' all this time. I know it's probably too late, 'n' I understand if you still want me t'leave, but...well...this is for you."
She stepped back, and waited. Twist eyed the box carefully, looking first to it, then to Apple Bloom. Then she popped the top off, and looked inside.
There was a small, cardboard circle, the crude marker lines on it forming an image of Twist's Cutie Mark. And beneath it was a familiar dark-red cape, a blue crest with the image of a filly's silhouette sown into it. "Apple Bloom...." Twist whispered.
"I got so caught up in gettin' a Cutie Mark for myself" the farm filly said, "that I forgot how much you were in the same spot 'fore y'got yours."
She put a hoof on Twist's shoulder. "The way I see it...we Cutie Mark Crusaders are about more'n just gettin' Cutie Marks. We're about supportin' Ponies who get picked on for not havin' 'em, too. You know what that's like, and t'me, that means you'd be a great member."
She stepped back before finishing, "...y'know...if y'want t'be."
Twist grinned, poking the cardboard badge. "I don't thpothe you made thith on your own?" she asked.
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Scootaloo 'n' Sweetie Belle helped with that, actually," she said. "They want ya t'join too!"
Despite herself, Twist smiled, slipping a hoof beneath her glasses to wipe her eyes. "I think...I think I'd like that, actually..." she said. "And yknow...if you want...you 'n' them can come to the Renewal'th Eve Party here...?"
Apple Bloom nodded. "We'd love to."
She then threw her hooves around Twist, hugging the filly close. "Thank you," she whispered. "For forgivin' me."
Twist sniffled a little, but nuzzled the farm filly softly and said, "Aww...that'th what friendth are for, thilly."

END

Legacy Prompt #16: "Where the Shadows Lie" by Gojira007
((AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was originally written for the TMP prompt #325, "The Disappearance of Twilight Sparkle", but I unfortunately missed the submission deadline. It was written between Seasons 3 and 4, prior to "Equestria Girls", and its continuity reflects that.
My deepest gratitude to Esle for letting me post it here.
With all that said, enjoy!))

Applejack was a muddy, frantic mess as she tore through the pages of every last book in the cobweb-covered halls of Golden Oaks Library. "Magic," she told herself more and more urgently as each volume she finished failed to yield the answer she wanted, "it has t'be some kind 'o' messed-up magic."

From the moment she had woken up, the Earth Pony had known something was wrong. The whole mood of the town had just seemed so...different. Not bad, necessarily, or all that disturbed, but...lesser, somehow. Things had quickly gotten worse, however, and what had once been a sense of unease had blossomed into full-scale panic when Rarity failed to recognize Applejack entirely...when the name "Twilight Sparkle" was greeted over and over by everypony in town with abject confusion...when Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy acted like complete strangers after she'd gone to them for help; the blue pegasus had even threatened Applejack with violence when the panic-stricken farmer had started shaking Fluttershy in an attempt to get her to remember.

It was still unclear exactly what was going on, but Applejack knew one thing for sure: it was wrong, and it had to be fixed. So it was she had broken into Golden Oaks Library (which looked as though it had gone unused for many years, just as it had before Twilight had come to town and refurbished it) in the desperate hope that somewhere in its vast depths of knowledge lay some clue as to how to fix this problem. There had, of course, been no sign of Twilight, or even Spike or Owlowicious for that matter, but Applejack could not let the gnawing fear of what their fates were slow her down. "I want my friends back," she told herself fiercely, "I want TWILIGHT back!"

And that was when her speedily-scanning eyes caught them, words tucked away on a page in the heart of a gigantic tome: "-will vanish, and history itself will forget-"

The Earth Pony stopped her search cold, looking to see just what this little flash of information was about. "Tam...Tambleon...." she repeated the title of the page aloud.

Looking at it more thoroughly, she realized it was an entry in an old tome of ancient Equestrian myths and legends, and a rather frightful one at that. Tambleon the Shadow Land, the book called it. An evil realm that was said to ensnare the souls of ponies whose hearts had been consumed by grief, luring them when they were vulnerable so that none would ever even remember them, and history itself would proceed as though they had never existed. "That...that can't be what happened t'Twilight...." Applejack whispered, even as her heart beat grew faster with each word she read, "She...she's way too strong a Pony to let somethin' like that happen t'her...!"

Yet as she began to think it over more carefully, a memory from the previous night came back to her.

Applejack had entered the library with fraying patience, and Twilight had been too quick to greet her. "I'm sorry, Applejack," she'd said sincerely, "I know you were hoping to have lunch together today, but I just-"

"Yeah, yeah, you got too busy with Princess stuff," the Earth Pony muttered tiredly, "Again."

Twilight visibly deflated; the words clearly stung, and even as she regretted saying them, Applejack could not think of what else to say. Maybe on another day, one where she felt less worn out and bitter and tired, she would have apologized, but today...right now...after so many previous let-downs of this exact same nature...Applejack simply did not have it in her to be forgiving right then. Even as the young alicorn tried to find words of her own to reply with, the Earth Pony was quick to cut her off. "Just...just don't worry 'bout it, your highness," she said coolly, "I only came by t'return an old book I owe anyway."

She did, quickly and curtly, and even as she'd heard sniffling, Applejack did not dare turn back as she left.

The book trembled in Applejack's grip. Was that it...? Had her words cut that deeply? It seemed impossible to her, and yet...something in her heart told her it was true. That this was her fault. "And that means," she said with steeled voice, "I have t'make it right somehow...."

She looked again to the book, quickly but carefully looking through its every word for some clue as to a solution. Her search slowed, however, as she felt the room grow...colder. More still. "You...you who are Honesty...you who sees the Truth...." a voice that was at once soft and harsh rasped, the library beginning to fill with an eery, luminescent fog, "You who remember one who is now of Tambleon...."

Applejack looked about, struggling to control the fear that surged through her every inch as all light seemed to drain out of the room. Her heart was beating like a jack hammer now, but she steeled herself, looking to where the voice echoed from. For Twilight. For her friends. "That's me," she said with only a slight tremble, "'n' I think we need t'talk...."

A pair of burning red eyes glared out from the darkness right at the Earth Pony. Their glow revealed a towering silhouette...it looked almost like some kind of ram with horns that jutted sharply rather than curved. "Perhaps we do..." it spoke again, "You are the first to be left behind who remembers one who is of Tambleon. It must be...addressed."

"I don't know 'bout none 'o' that," Applejack answered immediately, "but I do know that 'one' you're talkin' about...she's my friend, a friend as near 'n' dear as family. And she's only 'of Tambleon' 'cuz of me."

The shadow-creature scoffed. "Do not give yourself too much credit, you who are Honesty...you may have given the final push to she who is Magic, but you alone did not drive her to us. You simply confirmed a despair that had grown in her heart for some time already."

Applejack gulped a little, feeling even worse now than she did already. After all, if she had been feeling a disconnect with Twilight because of her newfound Princesshood...how must Twilight have felt? "I oughta buck myself in the fool head for missin' somethin' so obvious...!" she thought ruefully.

The mist began to slowly swirl around her, the shadow-creature's eyes glowing brighter. "Speak, you who are Honesty!" it growled, "You who remembers the Forgotten...speak, so that we may correct this imbalance."

"I want Twilight back!" Applejack snapped immediately, "Whatever's mine t'give...it's yours t'ask, as long as it means you give Twilight back to us!"

Silence fell upon the room then, the shadow-creature's eyes shimmering softly in contemplation. Applejack met his gaze as strongly as she could, keeping herself still with the hope that somehow...maybe...this would work. That she could still make up for her mistake.

"Anything that is yours to give...?" the creature repeated contemplatively.

Applejack nodded. "Anything at all!"

Suddenly, she felt the mists creeping up her legs, their chill covering her. "Very well," the shadow-creature said, "will you take her place in Tambelon?"

The cold was overpowering. Warmth, light, joy...they seemed to dry up at the touch of this mist. And Applejack could tell that was only a taste of what Tambleon must be like. Yet for that very reason, her answer came quickly and without hesitation. "Yes!"

"NO."

A new voice broke into the library then, catching both Applejack and the shadow-creature's attentions. Looking toward it, they watched as a second silhouette formed in the darkness, this one more familiar to the Earth Pony's eyes...and far more welcome. "T...Twi...?" Applejack whispered hopefully.

"Applejack...I can't let you do this," the alicorn's unmistakable voice said softly...sadly. "I won't let you throw your life away for my mistake."

The Earth Pony shook her head vigorously. "It's MY fault, Twi, not yours!" she said, voice at last cracking, "I was so selfish t'you...takin' all my own angers out on you like that without thinkin' even once 'bout how you felt!"

Twilight's shadowed form shook its head glumly. "No...it's my fault too. I...I just wanted to run away from it all. To just...hide from having to be a Princess...to be so separated from my friends no matter how hard I tried to be with them."

Applejack couldn't take it anymore, willing her shaking legs to take her toward Twilight. "It's...it's OK, sugar-cube, we'll work this out. Somehow, I promise..." she said softly, pushing through the fog.

The shadow-creature watched as Applejack embraced the alicorn's sillhouette. "Interesting," it said lowly, "Perhaps there IS a way to address this imbalance after all."

"What?" Applejack asked, looking to him immediately. "Please, tell me what!"

Seeing Twilight's shadow shake its head frantically, the creature said, "Do not worry...both you who are Honesty and you who are Magic shall walk among the land of light. But there will still be a price."

"Applejack, please...!" Twilight pleaded, "don't...!"

The Earth Pony looked at her friend's silhouette with a small little smile, a tear in her eye. "Sorry, Twi," she said, "but...pushin' you away like I did...that's not a mistake I'm willin' t'let go. No matter what, I gotta make this right."

The mists began to cover her again. "Then accept my price...and balance shall be renewed...."

"It really is great to be with you girls again," Twilight said, sipping her tea happily, "I've missed getting to just...hang out with you like this."

Rarity giggled happily, nuzzling against her friend warmly. "We've missed you too, dearie, it really is wonderful you finally found some time to yourself again."

"Yup yup yup!" Pinkie agreed, bobbing up and down in her chair, "A sunny day, a table outside the restaurant, fine food, and friends! What more could a Pony ask for?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled mischievously, nudging Twilight in the side. "Maybe some Royal Secrets about life in Canterlot, eh, Twi?"

All the girls had a good laugh at that, even as Fluttershy tried to hide her blush behind her mane. "But, um, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to," she said with bashful amusement.

The friends all continued to share their lunch together in good spirits, spinning stories and telling jokes and enjoying themselves the way only the closest of friends could. "Say, who's that?" Pinkie suddenly blurted, pointing toward the center of town.

They all looked and saw her. A well-built orange mare with a soft gold mane and tail, a distinctive stetson on her head. "I thought I knew everypony in Ponyville, but I've never seen her before!" Pinkie said eagerly, "I'll have t'throw her a Party later!"

"Relax, Pinkie, it's just the local Apple Farmer," Rainbow said.

And the meal resumed its pace easily enough after that. But despite herself, Twilight could not help but watch the farmer as she slowly but surely walked out of view. She suddenly felt a little...cold, somehow. And that much more determined to hold on to the warmth of her friends.

And even as her eyes began to tear, Applejack did not dare turn back as she left.

"This is my price. You shall remain here, but the memory of you...that will belong to Tambleon. Half and half...a bargain we have never made before. But one that satisfies our balance."

Twilight was back. Safe. That was all that mattered. And even if the old memories were gone...well, Applejack just had to hope she'd find a way to make new memories together with them.

Until then, however, she would walk alone....

END

Legacy Prompt No.16, Carol by KwirkyJ

As the final chords disspiated into the snow, Twilight stomped her hooves.

"Gosh, that was wonderful!"

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry, I don't have any bits on me, I... uh." Twilight shifted, gesturing to her saddlebags, laden with trinkets for her friends.

"Not to worry, Twilight Sparkle. I wanted to play that for you."

"Oh? Well, that's very nice of you. I actually know that piece, from when I was living in Canterlot."

"I know."

"Hmm? You do?"

"I... Well, it was very frequently played by m... Musicians at the school there."

"Oh, that makes sense. Gosh, is it dark already?"

"Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle, it just set fully. Just the one song."

"Oh..." She ears folded back, then drooped forward.

"I asked you to pause, to hear it. You... you don't remember, do you?"

"I... No, I'm sorry."

"Oh. Um, well, don't worry about it. What matters is... Is that you stayed. For the song, I mean."

"Of course! It was beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Reminds me of... Of home, I guess. Maybe it's just me, but I think you played it better than I ever remember."

"Thank you for saying so."

"Um... Well, thank you again for the music. I really should get going though..." She gestured with a hoof.

"Of course. Hearth's Warming events call."

"Right. Have a good Hearth's Warming, yourself, miss... I'm sorry, I don't remember your name."

"Don't worry about it. My name is Lyra. Lyra Heartstrings. Have a great Hearth's Warming, Twilight Sparkle."

A/N: some familiarity with Background Pony will help, but I tried to intimate the requisite information: Lyra has a curse that makes ponies forget her utterly after a short span of time; the two were also friends when they lived in Canterlot.

3934733 Here's mine

Legacy Prompt #16: Alone Time

She could still hear the sounds of the party going on back in the gardens. Through the walls of the hedge maze, Celestia could hear Luna booming that there was only ten minutes left, and asking for the next barrel. She would be perfectly happy for the next few hours, and Pinkie Pie had the party well in hoof, leaving Celestia free to quietly slip out of the open spaces of the gardens and into the hedge maze.

She came here, every now and again, when she wanted to be alone, wanted to escape the rush of the court. Never for long, but just to make sure that she didn’t forget.

Celestia turned a corner, tracing the route from memory. Fireflies gathered around her, buzzing and glowing like little lanterns. More than a few landed on Celestia’s back, and she let them stay there until they took off on their own.

She turned the last corner of her route just as Luna shouted out the five minute warning. As she crossed into the open space that her path had lead her to, she shuddered as an invisible field crossed over her. As an experiment, she attempted to fire up her horn, but the spell fizzled out before it could get anywhere, and Celestia nodded to herself, satisfied that the ward was still in place.

Most ponies knew that many of the statues in the Canterlot Gardens had meaning-only Discord had been imprisoned there, because Celestia wanted to keep an eye on the statue, to watch for any signs of the god of chaos breaking free. However, the statues that rested within the maze held special significance to Celestia, as they were all statues of ponies that had had an impact upon her, one way or the other.

However, the one she was visiting today was special. It depicted a pair of alicorns, two earth ponies, a pegasus and a unicorn. In turn, she brushed a hoof over each, her golden shoe scraping at the rough, unpolished stone, and a wave of sadness threatened to engulf her for a moment.

She allowed herself a sad smile, and didn’t even turn when Luna landed next to her.

“That’s cheating, Luna, flying in,” said Celestia.

“We did not wish to waste time walking,” said Luna, a slur in her voice, “The Pink One makes glorious punch. It has alcohol.” Luna paused to look at the statue. “We do not recognise any of the ponies on here. Sister?”

“These are my first friends,” murmured Celestia, “These are the ponies who helped me shape Equestria into what it is today.”

Drunk as she was, Luna did not miss the unspoken ‘after I banished you.’ She draped a wing over her sister.

“I would like to meet them,” she said.

And Celestia began to talk, and Luna listened.

3935239 Renewal's Eve sounds like an interesting holiday. Even without knowing much about it, the idea of what the holiday is comes across. That's nice world-building, and a good opportunity to explore the implications of Twist just fading into the background after the first CMC episode.

Just a couple of more mechanical nitpicks, though. First, paragraph spacing. Either indent your paragraphs or double-space them, but you should do something to make the division between paragraphs clearer. The other story you posted is spaced just fine; you just need to do that with this one. Second, phonetic accents don't need to be as extreme as this. We all know Twist has a lisp, so you don't need to replace every single 's' with 'th.' It makes her lines difficult to parse. Just putting the 'th' into a few key, emphasized words has the same effect and causes fewer headaches among readers.

And while I'm here, 3935259

Ah, I remember the S3-S4 break and all the alicorn angst that came with it. Good times... good times. The concept of Tambelon sort of reminds me of Background Pony. I wonder what was different about Applejack that she could still remember Twilight? Was it her role in pushing Twi over the edge? The essential Truthiness of her Element?

In some ways, this could be a very nice ending, as Applejack gets to know her friends all over again.

3935382 Speaking of Background Pony...

This scene is like a song you could almost swear you've heard before, the familiar melody drifting past your ears for the first or thousandth time. Played by someone you very nearly recognize, but no, you've never seen them before.

Thank you for dredging up a bit of nostalgia.

3935531 There's probably a reason the hedge maze is as large as it is. In her time, Celestia would have to have met many individuals worth making a statue of. This is a nice scene of her taking the time to remember some of them. I like Luna's response at the end.

3935796 I had originally considered just going ahead 'n' calling it New Year's, since there's no real reason for it not to be (unlike the religious implications of other Holidays that would require a name change for Pony World), but I also kind of love how Pony World has equivalents to our holidays, but not the exact same ones, and I wanted t'play with that a little here. I originally went with "Year's End", but that felt too technical and kind of fatalistic-sounding, so I decided t'go with something a bit more optimistic. ^_^

Ironically, I'm usually right there with you in regards to phonetic accents and character voices; Applejack using "Ah" instead of "I" drives me up a wall, for example. But I've also literally never seen a 'fic that didn't write out Twist's lisp, so I thought maybe it was enough of a Convention that I ought to go with it? Still, I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future that even here, I should stick with my first instinct: Trust The Reader.

As for "Where the Shadows Lie", my original intent was indeed for the fact that she represents the Element of Honesty be why Applejack could remember Twilight but no one else could; I kind of doubled back on that a little, however, since that didn't exactly help her see through, say, Discord's illusions or Twilight's Cutie Mark Swap, so I also tried to imply it was because of the role Applejack had played in driving Twilight away.

"Background Pony" is another one of those stories I keep hearing about but have never read, so I can't say it was actually an influence here. XD; That honor actually goes to the CLAMP Manga "Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles", for the record.

3934733
second, delayed entry, because there wasn't NEARLY enough angst in the initial responses...

Legacy Prompt No.16a, Absent by KwirkyJ

I shut the door behind me, closing off the warmth from the kitchen. I stood there for a breath, just listening, adjusting to the harsh drop in temperature. A few snowflakes drifted down and landed on my muzzle. I smiled, imagining myself cross-eyed trying to focus on them. Then I shook my head, dislodging them, and began plodding around the porch, towards the barn.

Sis was sitting there, almost indistinguishable from the bales tucked against the doors, both blanketed with pristine white snowfall. Easier to mistake in the fading light of filtered sunset. She'd been there for two hours, at least. How quickly had she gotten done her excuse for leaving, and settled there, to wait?

Her ears swiveled as she heard my approach, my large hooves crunching through the dusting, but she didn't otherwise acknowledge me. I wasn't surprised. I slowed, but continued until I lowered myself down to lay beside her.

Still no acknowledgement of me. Stubborn AJ. After a minute, I decided to speak.

"She's not comin', y'know."

She didn't say anything for a moment, just sitting there gazing vacantly into the thickening snowfall.

"Where's Apple Bloom?" She asked.

"Kitchen," I said.

"Y'left Apple Bloom in the kitchen alone?" Her words were sharp, accusing.

"She's taking care of things just fine. She wanted to keep an eye on the pecan pie."

She was quiet, probably bristling.

"I don't want any pecan pie, y'know," she said. She was set on evading the issue, then.

"Then you don't need any. But I like it, and Apple Bloom likes it." I almost said, 'as much as you used to,' but thought better of it. "Made a sweet potato casserole for you, instead. Almonds"

She sighed. Maybe she tried to hide it, I wasn't sure.

"Applejack, she's not coming."

"You don't know that."

"She's not coming, AJ, same as last year."

"Y'don't know that!" She didn't look at me, but the snow around her withers cracked, and a tiny avalanche flowed.

"AJ... What's today?"

"Today... is a day for family."

"That's right." I watched Sis for a moment, then looked back at the house with its warm lights behind thinning curtains and aged frames. I thought of the one inside, and remembered. "A day for family."

"She said she'd come."

"She did, before."

"She oughta be here."

"Ponies change."

"Not her. She's loyalty. She... she said..."

"Before, AJ, was she ever late?"

Sis answered with a sharp exhale. A chuckle, a sob, or something else, I wasn't sure.

"You know she was. She was always late. I loved her for it."

"Was she... as late as this?"

"How could she forget? She wouldn't ever forget this. Not for anything."

"AJ, you know she hasn't --"

"I don't know nothin', an' neither do you!"

Her head sank, and more snow tumbled. Cautiously, I moved my head over, setting it against her withers in what I hoped was a reassuring gesture. Just for a moment. She was shaking.

"She..." Sis began, paused. "Rainbow was family. You know that, right?"

"I know." What else could I say?

"She... I miss her, why won't she come back?"

"Did you ever ask?"

No answer.

"AJ... We love you, you know that. C'mon in. There's a hot meal, a warm hearth, and two other ponies who'd love to share it with you. Family. Apples forever."

A shake of the head.

"I miss my li'l sister. C'mon. Let's make some better memories. Please?"

She sighed, then leaned into me just slightly.

I heard her murmur, "Friends but so much more..."

"C'mon, AJ. Bloom's pulled out all the stops, just for you."

She turned, looking past me, towards the household; towards home.

"Yeah..."

3938484 Angst! It's good to get a nice solid angst entry.

It says something for the effectiveness of this scene that I am now actually angry at Rainbow Dash. How dare she break poor Applejack's heart like that?

But I--

No. Worst pony. Go to your room. Or... cloud. Whatever.

Seriously, this is very good writing. It took me a minute to figure out that Big Mac was the POV character, but the emotions flowed so very nicely. I suppose it will be left as much a mystery to us as it is to the Apples what's really keeping Rainbow away.

3934961
See, the way to get angst is to run a prompt as fluffy as kittens, and the way to get fluff is to run a prompt that basically begs for angst.

The urge to subvert prompts, it runs strong, and it runs deep. :)

3935239
AWWWW, YEAH, TWIST AND BLOOM FRIENDSHIPPING. :D

3935259
Applejaaaaack. D: D: D:

3935382
Awww, that was bittersweet, heavy on the bitter.

3935531
I liked it over on Tumblr, and I like it here. :)

3938484
Really lovely Mac POV, and ow, it hurt to read. Poor AJ.

3939700 TWIST AND APPLE BLOOM FRIENDSHIPPING IS THE BEST!!!

3939710 ANGSTYJACK IS THE BEST!!!

3934733

Welcome back, Esle.

Legacy Prompt 16: Hidden

Twilight Sparkle was upstairs when the library door opened. Still, she’d been expecting it, and it only took a few minutes to finish gathering her books together and head down to the main floor. Two familiar pony forms stood silhouetted against the exterior lamp, and she nodded as they finished stepping inside. “Bon Bon,” Twilight said, nodding to the first. “I’d wondered when you would be here.” She then turned to the second. “But I hadn’t quite expected you, Pinkie. Is something wrong? Besides the obvious?”

Pinkie shrugged. “Dunno. I’m just helping Miss Bon Bon finish the town off. We just left Dashie and Scootaloo, so the two of us are the last ones left, Twilight. Lyra’s going with Bon Bon.”

Twilight blinked. “Left for what? Going where?” She turned to Bon Bon. “I was expecting you to come over, but I think I may have missed a step here. What exactly are you doing?”

Bon Bon turned, staring into Twilight’s eyes. “I’d think that falls under the heading of ‘the obvious’, wouldn’t you? We’re preparing for mister Piercing Gaze and his crew the best way we can.”

Twilight nodded slowly at the name, her lips curling up in a bit of disdain. Piercing Gaze was the leader and face of a new anti-changeling movement that had spread shortly after the Princess had publicly acknowledged Ponyville’s changelings as under the Crown’s protection and extended that offer to others who were willing to come forward. The group was working with some of the more unscrupulous nobles in Canterlot, as well as in the various towns and cities of Equestria, to fan up a scare campaign against the changelings, from simple but well-timed mutters of ‘they could steal your children, and you’d never know’ up to and including claims that Twilight, and even the Princesses themselves, were really under changeling control, setting the stage for another invasion - or possibly even changelings themselves.

There were other, darker rumors about the unicorn stallion himself - how his rhetoric seemed almost mesmerizing, to the extent that several of his most vocal opponents, after debating him, had sworn their allegiance to his cause. How those who opposed him even despite that seemed invariably to be ‘revealed’ (and at the thought, Twilight Sparkle snorted) by their friends and families as being collaborators with the ‘changeling menace’. Very convenient for Gaze and his organization, especially as his allies in the Princess’s court had resurrected an old law from the Griffon Wars about traitors forfeiting their assets. Because, after all, any pony willing to deal with a changeling was a traitor to all honest ponies, weren’t they?

Twilight shook herself back to the present. “Sorry,” she said, “please continue. What exactly are you doing?”

Bon Bon and Pinkie looked at each other. “We’re retreating, Miss Sparkle. My old nest has agreed to take us in until this has blown over, however it may go. I’m the last changeling in town; everyone else has already left, under deep cover and escorted by Queen Majesty’s royal guard.” Bon Bon smiled sadly. “Our network received word; Mister Gaze and his thugs are heading to Ponyville. They’re hoping to catch us, put us on display as ‘the terrible infiltrators’ that we so self-evidently are.” As the words left her mouth, Bon Bon’s lips curled as though she were preparing to spit.

“That much I knew,” Twilight said. “Princess Celestia sent me warning of his plans. But how will retreating help? He knows you’re here; he’ll just start tearing your families apart to make them talk.”

“He won’t know who they are, Miss Sparkle. Lyra was the only pony to come forward with me, and she’s joining us in hiding. We talked with the rest of the ponies in our nest, and they agreed to accept their fate.” The sad smile grew a little wider, a little more somber, and the glisten in Bon Bon’s eye might have been an unshed tear. “Pinkie’s spent all day supplying me with power, Twilight, and I’ve spent that last day going around town and making everypony forget us. The two of you are the only ones left who have any memory of who we are.”

Twilight shook her head. “That won’t help you, Bon Bon. Gaze knows that I’m involved; he’s actively accused me of being the one to help brainwash Princess Celestia. Anypony else he might let slide, but… I was in the middle of packing myself when you came in. I’d planned on going back home, throwing myself under Princess Celestia’s protection in the palace. If the rumors about him are right, even if you wiped my memory, I think he’d find a way to force it back on me, and probably have me thanking him for ‘saving’ me from your ‘cruel machinations’ or something like that.” Now it was Twilight who looked as though she wanted to spit. “I don’t know that the Princess can protect me forever, though.”

“Maybe not, silly filly, but I think I know someone who can.” Both Twilight and Bon Bon looked up at Pinkie Pie as she spoke; Twilight had almost forgotten she was present. “I just thought of something you can do. Miss Bon Bon? You think you could make a teensy-tiny adjustment to your forgetory spell if Twilight helps you?” She laid out her plans, and for the first time that night, Twilight felt a glimmer of hope, however clouded. “And then, when you get back, we can throw a big party for it!”

Bon Bon and Twilight looked at each other, then back at Pinkie. “Thank you,” they said, in unison. “Thank you.”

At noon the next day, a knocking came on the library door. A voice called out from the back, “Spike, would you see who’s there?”

Time Limit

“Sure thing, Di,” came the little dragon’s response. He bounced over to the door. “Welcome to the Golden Oaks library. How can I help you-”

The dun unicorn standing in front of the door flicked his tail at Spike. “Stand aside,” he said, imperiously. “I’m here for your traitorous mistress; you’re not under suspicion. Yet.”

The door to the rear opened, the mare behind it smoothing and straightening her mane as she stepped through. “Spike’s my assistant librarian,” she said, “so I guess that means you’re here for me. I haven’t done anything traitorous, though. At least not that I can think of.”

Piercing Gaze turned. His eyes narrowed, and he let out a bellow of anger as his horn flared crimson, a similar hue outlining the mare. “I have you under a spell of truth, so do not seek to fool me! Where is the librarian? Where is Twilight Sparkle?”

Blue eyes on pink met his gaze evenly. “I’m the only librarian here, sir, as anypony could tell you. And I’ll thank you to be quiet. This is a library, after all.”

“Well then,” Gaze snarled at her, sarcastically, “if you’re the librarian, then just who are you?”

“Diane,” she said with a shrug, “Pinkamena Diane Pie. And I know everypony, and I mean -every- pony, in Ponyville, but I’m afraid I don’t recall ever meeting this Twilight Sparkle you’re after.” She smiled. “Sorry.”

All the while, the red glow about her never wavered, echoing out the truth of her words.

3940916 Wow, there's been a lot of responses this week. Folks must be up and ready to write for the new year.

Piercing Gaze seems to be a very McCarthy-esque villain. It would make sense that there would be plenty of fear in Equestria about changelings in the wake of the Canterlot invasion, and for someone like him to stir those fears makes for a dangerous situation.

I do wonder about Gaze's supposed ability to change the minds of his opponents. From a few of your other changeling stories, it sounds rather like he's using changeling magic himself.