An Alicorn's Purpose

“I’m really worried about Twilight.” Spike says, standing in front of the apple stall in the market with a small bag of apples over his shoulder.

“Why’s that, Sugarcube?” Applejack asks, taking a few bits from a customer and sliding a bag of apples to them. “She hasn’t been gone that long.”

“Well, she came back yesterday morning and she’s been researching since then.” Spike looks around the market, seeing if anypony else looks like they’d be coming to Applejack’s stall. No pony seems to be.

“Don’t seem too weird fer Twilight.” Applejack leans a hoof on the stall, facing the young drake now. “She coulda come by to say howdy to everypony and let ‘em know she’s back, though.”

“It’s different. She spent all of yesterday reading books. She didn’t stop to eat and when I got up this morning, she was still reading!”

“Sugarcube, I don’t wanna say it ain’t a big deal, but Twilight’s done that sort of thing before.” Applejack leans closer to the young dragon. “What aren’t you tellin’ me?”

Spike quickly looks around again. Seeing no pony within earshot, he turns back to AJ. “Well, for one, she hasn’t said anything about her stay in Canterlot or anything. And, all the books are about…death.”

“Death?” AJ asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Death, dying, the afterlife, and a few books on mythology that mention…the grim reaper.”

“That…is mighty strange.” AJ pushes off the cart, standing on the ground.

“It’s starting to scare me.” Spike says.

AJ wraps a hoof around Spike. “Okay. I’ll talk to the girls when I see them today. We’ll come by this evening. That sound good?”

Spike nods with a smile. “Thanks, Applejack.”

“No problem, Sugarcube.”

Spike makes his way back to his home, content that his friends would be by to talk with Twilight. As he opens the door to the library, he sees Twilight just where he left her: at the desk with a mound of books surrounding her.

“I’m back!” He calls to her, getting no response form the alicorn. Spike just sighs before moving into the kitchen, putting the bag of apples on the counter.

“Hey, Spike?” Twilight says from her desk.

Spike almost jumps, quickly running back into the main area of the library. “Yes, Twilight?” He asks, hoping she’ll actually talk with him.

“Can you bring me that book on ancient Chi-Neighs spirits?”

Spike slumps his shoulders and walks over to the bookcase. “Yeah, sure.”

~ _ ~ _ ~ _ ~ _ ~

‘And as I felt my pulse slow, I felt a dark presence around me. When I looked up, I saw a large pony emerge from the shadows. It wore a shadowy robe, its face covered in a hood. When it reached me, it called my name and said—’

Knock, knock, knock.

‘…called my name and said “It is not yet your time.” I blacked out after that. When I awoke, I found myself in the hospital with—’

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

‘…in the hospital with my friends and family all around me. The doctors said I was found in an alley with a knife wound and that I passed in the cart on the way to the hospital. But I knew that what I saw—’

Knocknocknocknocknocknocknocknock—

Glaring at the door, Twilight lights her horn and wraps the door in a blackish, purple aura and yanks it from the wall, letting it drop on the floor. She turns right back to her book.

“Uh, Twilight?” AJ calls into the room, looking around. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” She replies, not looking up. “I’m busy.”

“I can see that.” AJ looks at the door as she comes into the library, stepping over the door. “We, uh, just wanted to check in on you.”

After her, Rainbow Dash flew into the room, followed by Rarity, Fluttershy, and a bouncing Pinkie Pie.

“I just said I’m fine. Let me read.”

Pinkie Pie bounces forward. “Well, you can at least let us throw you a Welcome-back-to-Ponyville Party. We can have cake, and balloons, and—”

Twilight flares her horn in a black aura, wrapping a similarly colored aura around Pinkie’s mouth and slamming it shut.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash yells, flying over to Pinkie. “What was that for?!”

Pinkie tries moving her mouth to no avail. She even tries swiping at the magic aura around her jaw, but it does nothing.

“Be quiet!” Twilight yells at her, turning back to her book once again. “I’m trying to read.”

“So what?” Rainbow flies forward, hovering next to Twilight. “That’s no way to treat your friends! Now let go of Pinkie Pie!”

Twilight’s eyes flash green as a black aura forms at her horn and slams into Rainbow, knocking her into Pinkie and sending them both into the bookshelf across the room.

“Leave me alone!” Her voice echoes throughout the library, rocking books from theirs shelves and onto the floor.

Rainbow and Pinkie quickly rise from the floor, looking at Twilight fearfully.

“Twilight.” Rarity says. “We’re just here to help you with whatever is going on. Spike was very concerned when he talked to Applejack and so are we.” She takes a few steps forward, avoiding the few fallen books on the ground. “If you’ll just let us—”

“I don’t need your help!” Twilight stands in front of her desk, turning to face her friends. Her eyes glow green with purple mist coming from the sides. “What I need is peace and quiet!” She takes a few steps forward, the wooden floor partially dissolving underneath her. Her horn starts to glow with purple-green bits of energy trailing off it. “Get. OUT!”

“Actually, I think you do need their help.” A voice calls from the open door.

Twilight glares at the doorway to find a pony completely covered in a grey cloak. Over the face is a perfectly white mask depicting a dragon.

“What are you doing here?!” She bellows at the stallion.

“Just keeping an eye on you.” He says neutrally, stepping into the library. “Making sure you don’t hurt yourself, or anypony else. Although, it seems the latter has already occurred.” He says, observing the magic on Pinkie.

“Get out of my home!”

“Certainly.” Bones looks around the room, observing more of the damage. “That is, as soon as you stop wielding your magic so recklessly.”

“I’m warning you!” Twilight digs her hooves into the floor, pointing her horn at Bones.

“So be it then.” Bones says, lighting his horn.

Twilight builds up her magic, the violet and green energy amassing in her horn. Bones does the same, but then glances to the side. He quickly wraps Fluttershy in a red aura and flings her in front of himself, positioning her between him and Twilight.

“Fluttershy!” The mares yell, looking on in horror at what’s about to happen

Twilight fires off her magic.

END CHAPTER