Curtain Call

by RarityEQM

Exit Stage Left

It was snowing quietly. Fat flakes fluttering down in slow, lazy patterns, circling, spiraling, and dancing towards the ground where they would join their thousands and thousands of brothers and sisters. It was Saturday night, or, maybe it was Wednesday. It had been months since Twilight's trek from the library and away from Ponyville into the world around her. Following a path that didn't exist, aside from where her heart told her to go- and today it was telling her Trixie had come through this village. Maybe...It was impossible for Trixie to pass up an opportunity to put on a show. Maybe she'd come here? Maybe she was still here!! Twilight's eyes widened and she picked up her hooves, quickly pitching herself through the snow's fury into town. The burst of energy from her heart was easily enough to see her into the plaza, where she found herself lost in a mix of different ponies.

The village, for what it was, happened to be a quaint little town. Ponies marched through town slowly, covered in coats and hats and warm things that Twilight didn't have. It didn't matter. Every time she came to a new town, she found herself filled with hope anew. Refreshed and bright eyed, eager to find her long lost love. It didn't matter that she hadn't eaten, nor showered in days. Weeks? Doesn't matter. Trixie mattered. Find Trixie.

"E-Excuse me! My name is Twilight Sparkle and I'm-I'm looking for- oh? O-okay thank you for your time."
He didn't even give her a second glance, just kept walking.

"Please, please can you help me? I'm looking fo- okay then."
Barely a pause before they rolled their eyes.

"Have you seen a blue mare with a silver mane..and...-" Twilight sputtered as they walked by. Not their problem. Just her problem. No time to sulk, someone else was coming. She was getting desperate. She'd been struggling so long, and searching for eternity...

"Please?! Please, I just, I need someone to help me find-" Twilight whimpered. They frowned, walking past the sniveling pony, One with far to little clothing on during a winter this cold. Disheveled mane, ratty cloak, begging in the middle of the street like an urchin. Disgusting.

"Alright, Miss. Move along. We don't allow beggers here." A new voice. Deep. Baritone. Twilight turned quietly to the pony that had risen up like a phantom behind her. Out of nowhere. Bright, orange armor, face mask of a helmet. Twilight's heart soared. A guard!!

"N-no, no, you don't understand, I'm, looking-looking for my wife. Trixie! TRIXIE!! You have to help me find her! Please, sh-she's out here and she said she let me free b-but I don't understand and she left the library without telling me, and I don't know if she's okay or not, but she has to be okay! SHE HAS TO BE! "Twilight babbled, reaching up to grasp at the guard's chest. Please oh please oh please oh please oh please... Somepony HAD to help her!!

"OY! That's assault, lass!" He snarled, forcefully pushing the crazed girl off of him and into the snow. With one large hoof, he pinned the twitching pony down and leaned over her with a frown.

"Now look here, miss. You have two choices. I overlook this little incident, and I don't see you in town again, or we can find a nice cold cell for you to simmer down in. Your choice." He gruffed, slowly lifting the pressure from his hoofs. Enough so that Twilight could pull herself out from underneath him. She fled, spilling into a haggard run on wobbly knees. It didn't matter. Trixie wasn't in that town anyway. It didn't matter how hungry she was, or how tired she was. Her meals were tasteless and she only managed two to three hours of sleep, every few days, anyway. Didn't matter. Nothing mattered. She meandered away from the town and the unhelpful guards, staggering quietly into the nearby forest. Didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

It was only minutes after leaving town did she notice the snow. Snowing. It was snowing. Twilight never really noticed the weight of the snow before, or even that it was snowing, but now it seemed to grab at her attention. She turned thoughtfully back towards town and gawked at the slowly disappearing hoofsteps behind her. A long, long, long trail of hoof steps. She frowned. That didn't make any sense. She'd only been walking for a few minutes, but the steps that were vanishing were clearly from a mare who'd walked for hours.

"Not funny, Rainbow Dash." She grumbled, flattening her ears against her head. She heard a giggle from one of the naked trees around her. Rainbow Dash up to her old pranks again. Silly filly. Not that Twilight had time for pranks. She needed to get up and get back to the task at hoof.

Get up? Since when did she sit down? She blinked once or twice, trying to stave off a sudden overcoming drowsiness. She didn't have time for this, but the snow was strangely warm and her body just didn't want to answer her commands to get up. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she needed to keep moving, keep walking. Find Trixie. That was the goal. She needed to get up, but the snow was so pretty. Just for a moment, she watched the flakes tumble and fall through the sky. It wouldn't hurt to just watch for a moment, right? Just a moment... She would have to bring Trixie back here to see it. They could sit next to the fire and eat popcorn and just watch the snow. That sounded nice. And the snow was so heavy now...she'd try and lift it later. After some rest. All she needed was-

"Get up. You promised you'd teach me how to make a snow pony." Trixie snarled, rousing the purple unicorn with a playful shove. Huh? Twilight stood up, and shimmied the snow from her flanks. She had only sat down for a second, but now Trixie was standing there, glaring at her with a mock little pout across her pretty little lips. Twilight grinned. She loved spending winter with Trixie.

"Mmmmh, okay Trishe' the secret of a perfect snow sculpture...ish...slush to snow....ratio..." Twilight mumbled quietly, as the snow gently spiraled down out of the sky. It clung softly to the tattered cloak on the ground, and lightly covered the world in a blanket of beauty. Hoof steps disappeared, ragged disheveled mane vanished under uncompromising beauty, and the endless silence of the forest was the only sound to be heard for miles.

Author's Note:

I wanted to write something sad.
That's all.

It doesn't need to be cannon.

Comments

[RarityEQM]

6142139

The story series takes place in a universe where Twilight is not a princess.

[nodamnbrakes]

I love depressing stories.

[AstraLee]

Oh dear. Poor, poor book horse.

[Mooncalf]

This is intriguing. Possibly a fair mite bleaker than my preference, but I like it. Twilight really can go to pieces when things don't turn out the way she wants, no? This has the promise of really tugging at my heartstrings, and I look forward to it.

(Though I wonder what sort of douchebag town she managed to find here. Seriously. )

[LegionPothIX]

Pretty good story even if it didn't feel like it happened anywhere specific. Twist ending surprised me. +1

[Knight N Gale]

6142161
So did Twilight die in the snow?

[RarityEQM]

8338526
yes.