Last Pony Standing
Twilight Sparkle was never cut out for this type of thing. She’s just a young unicorn mare hailing from Canterlot; just a geek who is obsessed with books. She has never excelled in anything more than maths, reading and science. If she cannot find it in a book, she doesn’t have any business trying it. Twilight Sparkle is not an athlete, nor an artist, writer, musician, or fighter; she isn’t able to throw a strong kick or take one. She is just not able to bring herself to cast magic on any unwilling target.
And yet she volunteered. Volunteered for this expedition into lands forgotten by most; Twilight thought it was good this forsaken place was forgotten. Every moment since they had arrived in this land has been a constant fight. She is expected to fight for her life, in spite of the fact she has the weakest spirit of anypony there. She was unable to walk as fast or for as long as the others. She then felt aches and pains, but dismissed them as her body adjusting; before this journey almost all of her physical exercise had been from reading run on sentences aloud. She was the first to fall first to fall victim to some pathogen laced water, and among the last to recover. She was a unicorn of talent, but her expertise was useless; to the group, she’s just another mouth to feed offering little in return.
Twilight hears a sharp screeching in the distance; it overpowers all the other noises of the forest around her. She thinks it may be some kind of hunting call, though she hopes not. Not wanting to think about it too much and cave in to the fear, she resumes thinking.
Perhaps she is destined to be among the researchers time forgot. She takes some solace in the fact her work may one day see the eyes of others, even if under another pony’s name. She is disheartened when she thinks of those that may mourn her. The number totals very low. Maybe everypony was right to tell her to make friends. They might have kept her at home, where she may have lived a normal life. Normal was better than the situation she is in now.
Most of the others are now already gone. This leaves Twilight Sparkle alone, with just bodies for company. She laments over what she can see. Nopony should have to look upon the scene. Most of the others have lost their limbs, some eyes; others have large amounts of entrails spilling out from inside them. It is just her and a dying pegasus she hardly knew.
The pegasus has a wing wrapped over Twilight; they both gain some comfort from this. They are alone in the dark, yet still together, ready to face what is going to come. The laboured breathing and groans of the pegasus are painful to her ears. Another thing Twilight Sparkle is not, is a doctor. The nearest pony anything close to a medical doctor needs to help themselves first. Twilight does not need to be a medical professional to know that having no head is a very bad thing that goes beyond the boundaries of treating.
With no doctor or knowledge, Twilight can do nothing but for companion but wait, and listen to somber music of his passing. The other pony doesn’t have much time left now.
But on reflection, neither does Twilight.
If she was asked to pin down the reason that she was risking her life on this stupid expedition, it would be her past failings. Failing the entrance exam to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was not uncommon, but it hurt her. Hurt her in a very productive way. She is still determined to be successful and is open to any opportunity to try and prove herself. Is she really ready to risk her life in an attempt to spite those who doubt her?
The fact she is here now suggests: yes she was.
Twilight begins to pray for her big brother to show up and save her, but she knows nopony is going to come and make all the bad things go away. If such miracles existed she has never been a witness to one. If miracles existed: she would have passed her entry exam. If miracles existed: she would have been at the finest school in Canterlot, instead of this place.
The merciless moon above grants no light. Twilight’s horn projects a light to see by while she holds a sword with her mouth. The blood on the hilt tastes horrible to her, but she is in a horrible situation; a rather fitting match. Her legs begin to shake from the anxiety. Then she starts to sniffle. Whether a fighter or a scholar, the sword was going to be of little help. Those who had spent years training had fallen in seconds.
Twilight can see the clearing better with the light she has cast from her horn. She was told this was as good a spot as any to face the pursuers, but Twilight has doubts as to the defensibility of the area. The foliage of the thick treeline makes it hard for Twilight to guess where they were going to come from.
Though she knows it won’t make any difference.
She fights to keep her eyes open, if she is going to die, she wants to look whatever it was in the face. Not like that is easy when your eyes are beginning to tear up. Twilight chokes out a laugh of resignation amongst her sobs; she knows that anything she tries isn’t going to work and she is most defiantly going to die. It is ironic that the least able is the last standing. The wings grip around her tightens, from this close Twilight can feel the two raised hearts beating in harmony. She looks to the pegasus; her only friend here and she didn’t even know his name. Twilight looks back in front, hearing movement in the darkness ahead.
And then they are upon her.
Author's Note
Present tense: never trying it again.
