Fade

by ZaleAcon

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Original Character
Length: 1007

As creatures across Equestria continue to disappear, a single mare lets out a plea for help with a microphone that is slowly losing its reception.

As more creatures across Equestria disappear, a lone mare uses a microphone to let out a plea for help to anypony who would be willing to give her aid in her desperate time of need.

Now has a dramatic reading thanks to ObabScribbler!

This is a side-story to Falter

As with End, this was written primarily for me to flex my creative muscles and see what I can do in around 1,000 words with this sort of premise. Same warnings apply for End as they do here, but I highly recommend that you read that one first.

Also, I highly recommend listening to the dramatic reading if you get the chance.

Published 2014-05-03 04:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-05-03 04:20:03 UTC

Fade

“U-um, hello? Let’s see, uh… Ahem! Testing, testing… i-is this thing on? Ah, yes, it, uh… it looks like it is. Good! Good. Ahem… er, I-I am not entirely sure how to start this off, but… I guess that simply getting it over with would be a good idea.

“So… can anypony hear me? I doubt we have met if you can, but… my name -SSSSSSHH-nd I, uh… l-like many of you – if there are many left… No, no! I’m sure that there are! – have been wandering Equestria ever since the Fading began. Erm… I-I’m sorry, I’m not exactly sure how to say this…

“As many of you well know, Equestria's been crumbling ever since the Fading started… ugh, how long ago was it…? The lack of -SSSSHHHH-‘s making it hard to tell…

“Anyway, like I was saying, since -SSHH- are so many ponies running rampant, and so many bandits around and such… do any of you wish to meet up and work together…? Strength in numbers, I mean. The Fading’s started to slow down, so… I -SSHH- we’ll be fine…

“A-anyway, I should give my location, right…? Th-that’s how -SSHH- works, I think, so, uh… I-I’m sorry, I haven’t really thought this through all the way… Also, I’m really sorry -SSSSHH- the microphone; the fact that it’s gettin’ any reception at all around here is weird… but, uh…

“Oh, right! My location! So I’m at… the southern edge of -SSSSHH- Argh! The Everfree! I’m on the southern edge of the Everfree! I’m up in a communication -SSHH-er that’s ‘bout… thirty, forty feet tall, maybe? I… I don’t know for sure. I can’t really see anything in all this darkness… So cold, too…

“Y-yeah, eastern edge of the Everfree, communication tower… uh… Oh! Hang on; I think I can make out a name on the side… -SSSSHH-sa? Sorry, it’s pretty hard to read… Letters are all -SSHH- down… There are a few buildings, though… but -SSHH- of ‘em are crumbling... Place hasn’t been touched in years…

“Sand’s all over the place… Looks like a desert, or somethin’… I-If you can -SSHH- this, please come over here… Gettin’ too quiet… I’m scared, too… Haven’t eaten in so long…

“I’ve -SSSSHH- ponies goin’ insane because of the Fading… Some of the st-SSHH- are terrifying… I just to get out of here… Or at least, I -SSHH-na meet somepony else… Anypony’d do at this point…

“W-well… Oh! That’s right! I -SSSSHH- you something to identify me by, right? Er… Let’s… uh… see, here… Like I said, my nam-SSSSHH- and I’m about… twenty, twenty-five, I think… -SSSSHH- said, I’ve been having a hard time tellin’ the time, lately… My mane’s… well, it’s pretty sandy, now. I think its color used to be blue or green, but I -SSSSHH- remember now…

“Ugh, wish this microphone wasn’t so static-y… ‘s a pain -SSHH- my flank to have to keep repeating what I say. I swear, this thing’s gettin’ worse as I go along here, and I haven’t even been talking that long! I swear, the Fading’s just screwing everything up… First -SSSSHH- disappears, now this…? ‘f I hadn’t seen it all already, I’d be -SSHH-prised…

“Ahem, where was I? Oh, yeah! Yeah, I think I remember. So my mane’s… I think it used to be blue or green… Maybe white? Not that it matters; it’s brown now. And I’m about… I’d say early-to-mid twenties? I was eighteen when this thing started, so… Wait, did I already say that? Oh, well. Doesn’t matter.

“I’m about… three feet, I think. Maybe more. I don’t know. Haven’t grown -SSSSHH- since the Fading started. Sorry if I sound really choppy. It’s hard to concentrate like this. I swear, my sto-SSSSSSHH- fierce, like some sort of engine. -SSSSHH- to get something to eat…

“Oh, yeah, that reminds me! If -SSSSSSHH- have food, can you share some? Most of the -SSHH- in this place’s spoiled, and isn’t good for anythin’… Can’t even eat the -SSSSSSHH-pses… N-not that I would, I mean! I’d…

“U-um… at least the Everfree itself seems mostly un-SSHH-ted… ‘f only the beasts -SSSSHH- so deadly, I’d -SSHH- in there myself, but… yeah. Right now, I’m just -SSHH-lin’ for time. If anypony’s out there, please! Please… I’m -SSHH- cold…

“Just stayin’ alive’s -SSHH-, but… I wanna find somepony else… anypony else… I-if nopony comes in the ne-SSSSSSH-utes, I’m just gonna go some-SSHH- else… So please… please…

“I have to stay sane… ‘s a struggle -SSHH- to get -SSHH- in the morning… Or… or is it night? -SSSSH- tell… ‘s too -SSHH- to see…

“Wh-why…? Why d-SSSSSSSSHH- have to fade?! Why th-SSSSHH- is this crap happenin’ to us?! I just wanna go home… Just -SSHH-na go home… So c-cold… My b-bones feel l-like pop-p-popsicles… And so hu-SSSSHH-… Please…”

“I-I know there’s -SSSSHH- out there! I -SSHH- tell! Don’t you -SSSSH- try to hide from me! I-I know you’re there!

“P-please… please be there… please… My eyes’re -SSSSSSH-vy… It’s gettin’ h-SSSSHH- breathe… Need to stay awake… N-nee-SSSSSSHH- stay calm… Had to -SSSSHH- old coat… Was so hungry…

“I’m in… a -SSSSHH-nication tower… Southern edge… E-Everfree… Name’s… twenties… mane’s… -SSHH-dy… C-cold… So… I’m so… cold… Please…

“-SSSSHH-ia’s gone… so dark… C-can’t see… M-my eyes’re… -SSSSHH-… I just… wanna live… If anypony… If -SSHH-pony’s out there, I… I’m… I’m… here… -SSHH-rypo-SSHH-‘s gone… Nothing left… Are there… are there even -SSSSHH-dits -SSSSHH-? I… I don’t… care… Just… Just please… Please, don’t… leave me…

“There’s -SSHH-pony else… is -SSHH-? I’m… I’m alone… -SSHH-n’t I…? So quiet… so… -SSSSHH-… It’s so… I’m… scared… -SSHH- ta-SSSSHH- it…? -SSHH- world’s -SSSSSSHH- dark… Why… Why did Ce-SSSSSSHH-nd –SSSSSSHH-ade? I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I -SSHH-ed…

“Please… anypony… I -SSHH- breathe… -SSHH-‘s dry… Cr-SSHH-ng… Any-SSSSSSH- … help… Don’t -SSSSHH-more… Just want to live… I just -SSSSHH- live… If anypony… -SSSSHH-ve… Sorry… Please… Li-SSHH-… -SSHH-‘re watering… -SSHH- these… tears…? I’m -SSHH-ared… So… hungry… so cold…

“-SSSSHH- to -SSHH-… Why…? Why did this -SSSSHH- hap-SSHH-…? S-so… I’m so… I’m just… s-so… -SSHH- … tired…

“-SSHH-… so… c-co-SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-"