Summer Days

by Alex The Lone Wolf

Day 19 - Gone

Day 19 – Gone

---

"No! What are you doing! Let me go!" I screamed as I felt some kind of sticky residue weave over me, keeping me glued to the floor of the secret room I had been in.

"That should hold her." My captor assured and turned towards one of her apparent minions. He was a lot smaller than she was. "Thorax. Stay here and watch her. I've got business to attend to."

"D-don't you think holding her down like this is a little too much?" The one, whose name sounded familiar to a term used to describe a certain something in our bodies, asked.

"Be quiet and do as I ask. This one is certainly a fighter."

"Y-yes…Queen Chrysalis."

Whatever this creature was, Queen Chrysalis, she approached me and lifted my chin to closely observe my face.

"Such a cute face. It's a shame." She lightly pushed my head away. "Now that we have our bait, it's time to wait for the main course to arrive. But first, he may need a little…incentive…" I got to witness the same process a second time. She had been able to somehow change into any kind of exact replica of any pony, and now it disgusted me to see a spitting image of my own. "Don't worry. It won't be long until you get to see your sweet brother. However, it'd be wise to have your last words and goodbye ready. You won't have long until the two of you are nothing but empty husks."

I didn't know what was more horrifying to see her wickedly cackling as: her natural form or her imitation of me. There was nothing I could do but close my eyes and look away. Any sign of bravery I once had with Adagio, Aria, and Sonata was now gone.

Just why did I have to be such a burden to everypony important to me…? Especially the one I cared about the most…

---

I was hoping it'd be gone by the next day, but I should have known what was coming to me. Athena had been acting completely strange, and it was strange enough to make me feel extremely uncomfortable. I didn't know what I was thinking. In fact, I didn't want to think at all. I guess I wanted everything to fix by itself. I didn't want to believe that things could only grow worse, but they did.
After having hoped that Athena was just going through an odd day, I found a surprise waiting for me the next morning. Instead of finding Athena by my side, I found a disgusting insect I wished I had a repellant for.

"Hello, handsome."

I was startled out of bed and felt myself backing against the wall. "You again?! How did you get in here?!" I demanded.

Chrysalis chucked lightly, holding her broken hoof over her mouth. "You can't be this incompetent, can you? Haven't you noticed a certain someone missing yet?"

I violently shook my head. "Listen, I swear you better just be a unicorn playing a prank on me! If she's in any kind of harm, I'll…!"

Chrysalis laughed once again as if I had been some standup comedian. "Oh, it's already too late for that."

"You can change into different kinds of ponies. I get that!" I continued, still feeling a whim of denial inside me. "So, what? I'm sure any unicorn who knew a certain spell could do that! If you think this is some kind of funny joke, it's not!"

Chrysalis now shook her head in a disappointed manner. "How dense must you be? Oh well. Suit yourself. Why don't you go ahead and run off to look for her? I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding her if you continue to believe whatever false reality that lies in your pathetic mind." She turned towards the window in the room and remained silent for a short moment. "I'll give you the day to search for her, but I'll have you know that time is of the essence, and I will have dinner tonight. Should you not find her, which you won't, I'll be back to give you the answer you wish to have."

"If you know where she is, then why don't you just tell me now?!" I questioned a bit aggressively.

"I don't take too kindly to disrespectful little brats…" She answered in a sort of rotten tone. "Besides, I can't let you know the secrets of how I prepare my perfect meals now, could I?"

"Whoever you are…" I felt my teeth grit unhealthily. "You're one sick unicorn." I absolutely refused to believe that Athena was in any real danger. There was no way that all this would happen so suddenly. It either had to be a nightmare or just a prank like I wanted to believe. Nevertheless, I didn't want to stand around and argue with this creature. I wanted to see Athena for myself. I wanted to see that she was okay. In fact, I was willing to believe that this was a prank set by Athena herself. All I cared was knowing that she was okay.

---

I started with the spots we knew about in town. First, it was Sugarcube Corner. I dashed in and headed straight for the counter. Pinkie Pie was there to greet me.

"Hiya, Alex! Where's Athena? Is she not with you today?"

"No. That's what I wanted to talk to you about." I felt myself speaking noticeably faster than usual. "You haven't seen her around, have you?"

"I can't say I have." Pinkie responded as she tapped her chin with her hoof. "Why? What's going on?"

"I need to talk to her." It was the simplest thing I could say. I didn't want to say that she was in trouble or even that I needed to know if she was okay. I couldn't even bear the thought of it…

"I'd help you look for her, but I'm kind of in the middle of work right now…" Pinkie's eyes swayed to the side while she rubbed the back of her head, as if she felt sorry she was unable to do anything for me.

I shook my head. "Thanks anyway."

If she wasn't here then I needed to check elsewhere.

---

Next, I galloped over to Sweet Apple Acres and came to a trot when I spotted Applejack working outside the barn with some hay.

"Applejack!" I called.

"Alex?" Applejack responded, obviously surprised to see me. "Watcha doin' here? You needed something?"

"Have you seen Athena?" I asked slightly more frantically now.

"N-no…" Applejack's tone shifted gravely as if she could sense the dread I had been trying to keep suppressed. "I haven't. Is…everything okay?"

I shook my head yet again. "I have to go."

---

I stopped by the dress shop Athena and I had been in the other day.

"Excuse me, have you seen my sister, Athena?

"I'm afraid not." Rarity had turned back from observing a piece of fabric.

"See you later." I hardly spared, not even allowing her the chance to ask why I had been looking for her.

---

I didn't want to visit the next place, but I had been in a desperate search all over town, so I had to cover everything.

I found the pony named Fluttershy and her rainbow-maned friend at the same spot we last encountered them in. They looked like they had been busying themselves with the area, but I didn't bother cutting in politely.

"What are you doing here?!" The hotheaded one shouted at the sight of me. "I thought I told you to scram!"

"Shut up and listen to me for a second!" I asserted. "Athena, the girl I was with the other time we were here, have you seen her?!"

"No, we haven't, but if it's a fight you're looking for…!"

I didn't know what she had thought to come to that conclusion, but I didn't bother with her any longer.

---

My heart had been itching to get out of my chest at this point, and I couldn't help but feel weak at the knees. I had still been trying to hold on to the hope that all of this was just either a nightmare or prank, but my grip on that hope was quickly slipping.

For the rest of the day, as long as I could, I searched for my sister all over.

At the end of the day…I realized that I felt absolutely terrified and lonely without her…