Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Prompt #40: Farewell

It had been days since the event, and nopony had seen Twilight Sparkle since. Spike was out in the rocky regions nearby with Rarity, on a gem-finding mission, so he hadn’t seen Twilight since he left. Not even Pinkie Pie, who could tell anypony where anypony was, had seen Twilight since the deed had been done. Of course, Applejack’s first thought was, naturally, the library. Twilight was always in the library. Days could pass before that mare would realise that she had to eat.

But Applejack didn’t want to disturb Twilight. Not now, with memories of what had been, and what would likely never be again. She knew how much Twilight’s magic had meant to her, and for Twilight to be unable to cast magic had to be affecting her. So Applejack and the others had decided to let Twilight come to terms with it on her own. She’d come out, eventually. She always did.

She just needed some time.

Rainbow Dash was getting worried. She’d never admit it out loud, or where anypony but the girls could hear it, but the absence of Twilight Sparkle was getting to her. It had been nearly a week, and not a single sign of Twilight Sparkle had been seen anywhere in Ponyville since. Sometimes, if Rainbow was working the late shift for the weather, she could hear crying come from the Golden Oaks Library, and frantic mutterings about spells and other egghead stuff.

She really wanted to bust down the door, or the window, or crash into a bookcase and mess up the place, just to give Twilight something else to think about, other than giving up her element, what Twilight thought made Twilight. They’d all agreed that Twilight had the best shot at surviving-she had the most magic of all of them, so maybe by the time the creature had taken it’s fill, Twilight would still be alive. It had worked. Twilight was alive. Equestria was safe.

Two weeks was far too long for a pony to spend cooped up. At least, that was what Fluttershy thought. She and her friends were past worry now, and well into concern. Twilight Sparkle had yet to emerge from the library at all-even to get food. Granted, Fluttershy knew that Twilight Sparkle ate and lived fairly frugally-she had extolled the virtues of non-perishables and explained that with a simple stasis spell, she could keep food a lot longer than ponies thought possible. Fluttershy had just nodded and smiled, as she usually did when Twilight started talking about magic.

None of them had yet managed to work up the courage to enter the library itself, still wanting to give Twilight a chance to work through the loss of her magic by herself.

Pinkie Pie dashed through the streets, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Overhead, she could see both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flying as fast as they could. Clearly, they’d seen the ad in the local paper that morning as well. Just as Pinkie was wondering if she would have to go and get Rarity and Applejack, she heard the thunder of Applejack’s hooves behind her, accompanied by a slight warbling wail that could only mean that Rarity was coming as well.

The advert that had them all running toward the library was simple, but the implications were almost too horrifying for Pinkie to think about.

‘Wanted,’ it had said, ‘Librarian for Ponyville Golden Oaks Library. No experience required. See Mayor Mare for details.’

At Applejack’s frantic command, the other four cleared out of the way, and the farmer bucked the library door clear off its hinges in a bout of desperation-inspired strength, while Pinkie prayed that they weren’t too –

Oh.

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #40: “Magic is Dead”
The prompt: Magic has disappeared from Equestria

Wow, I'm dropping all the angst bombs this year, aren't I?

Comments

[Malandy]

What did they see? She didn't [Trigger Alert?] suicide, did she? I really hope not, but that's the most angsty, dark thing I can think of...

[ThunderTempest]

5663577 That was what I had in mind when I wrote it, but there's probably alternate ways to read it.