Dear Spike,
It really has felt like a long time since you left for Canterlot to pursue your studies as a writer. Although it has only been a week, I'm starting to really miss you. It feels lonely without you here. Things have been pretty quiet around here other than the occasional visit from the girls. I'm sorry that I don't have much to say; a lot of things have been on my mind lately which I feel should be kept until we meet each other in person. Send my regards to Shining and Cadance. Please write back as soon as possible.
With love,
Twilight Sparkle
Twilight folded up the letter and put it in an envelope while choking back invisible tears. It had been a week since her No.1 assistant/adopted little brother had moved to Canterlot to pursue a career as a writer. At Princess Celestia's suggestion, he had applied himself into the Equestrian Academy of Literary Arts and was accepted immedietly . At first, he was reluctant to leave Twilight alone in Ponyville; afraid that she would not cope without him around. But then, at Twilight's encouragment, he gave in.
Now Twilight was starting to feel regret over her decision. The library was now in a slightly dirtier condition than it was with Spike around to clean up the place. Several unwashed dinner plates laid in the sink waiting to be cleaned but Twilight was too emotionally drained to do any chores. After sealing the letter, she put in on a table and reminded herself to go to the post office to buy stamps the next day. Ah yes, Ditzy Doo, the wall-eyed mailmare. Twilight then remembered her. Despite having the strenous job of dropping letters and packages all over the town everyday, she still managed to spend some time with her daughter. Twilight would often see them playing together in the park in the evening.
Twilight thought of how happy she was, being able to have a family of her own. Ditzy had such a bubbly personality, no wonder her cutie mark was a group of bubbles. Unknowingly, Twilight then said aloud,
"Spike! Remember to remind me to do a research on cutie marks and their relation to their owners. Infact, why don't you write..."
Twilight stopped. It was like a large metal wrench had violently grasped on her heart and twisted it. Genuine tears started to flow from her eyes as she made for her bedroom. Sleep. Yes, sleep. She needed to sleep.
BAM! Thunder roared from outside and lightning flashed through the windows. It was raining tonight she remembered from the Pegasi Forecast. The comforting sound of rain would lull her to sleep.
She climbed onto her bed with agony. She had better get used to being alone. It was going to be like this for a long while. A very long while. She thought of Ditzy doo again. How she was so happy. How she had a daughter and at one time, a husband. At least she has somebody to call her own. Her husband had died a long time ago, or that was at least what she said. Twilight was too tired to think if Ditzy talked about her late husband much.
With a loud sigh and with wet eyes, Twilight went to sleep.
Meanwhile, somewhere underneath the Ponyville Clockshop...
"Where's Wind Whistler?!" a brown earth pony shouted from his office.
"You only just noticed?" A green unicorn wheeled around from her desk which had the abbreviation "PA" painted on it's side
"I was upstairs the whole day fixing clocks and reverse engineering alien artifacts! How was I suppose to know she didn't check in?" he replied.
"We don't have check-ins Whooves." the unicorn corrected him through half-lidded eyes giving him the appearance of annoyance.
"Oh, so we don't... Where's Caramel. I'd expect he'd be getting to her soon."
"He already tried to look for her this morning. He couldn't find anything."
"Hmmm... What time is it Lyra?"
"Around Nine O' Clock Whooves... Quite suprising you asked me since you have been in a clockshop."
"My workshop is full of broken clocks; It's hard to tell which one's right."
"Don't you have a... Nevermind, Colgate should be here in a while to finish up the records. So far, in the last 3 weeks, there has been absolutely 0% rift activity, nothing strange going down in town, and the elements of harmony have not been in need of any protection lately. I just wish something interesting would happen."
Lyra put a hoof to her forehead and sighed heavily, breathing out an air of lethargy. Whooves stood there thoughtly for a moment and closed his eyes. His brows were clenched together and his tail was moving quite restlessly. He then said to Lyra, who was now getting ready to leave,
"You know, I've been thinking of something. Why don't you just take a break from administration duty and give yourself a nice long break. This job has been hard on you, both when you were needed and when you were not. You've seen things many ponies would not believe or even think about seeing! Go ahead, take a rest."
"Really Whooves?"
"Yes, I mean it."
Lyra picked up her saddlebag and gave him a smile of approval. She needed a holiday. As she made it for the door Whooves stopped her with an uneasy look strewn on his face.
"And Lyra, I'm sorry for being such a nuisance. I'm a terrible employer sometimes..."
A few seconds of awkward silence flew by only to be broken by a consensual smile by both of them. Lyra trotted out of the large room they called their office. As soon as Lyra was out, Whooves rushed over to a large screen in the middle of the room. After tapping a few rather large hoof-sized buttons, he whispered to himself,
"Come on girl. Tell me why you are being very quiet. Tell me why!"
A few hours later...
*knock!* *knock!* *knock!*
A loud banging on the front door awoke Twilight with a start. Who would be wanting to borrow books now she thought. Carefully, she made her way down to the main room, following the sound of the rapping. When she arrived at her front door, the knocking stopped. Any other sound made was muffled by the pouring rain outside. With caution, Twilight slowly opened the door.
There was no one there! How very odd, she thought, coming and knocking at her door in the middle of the night.
"Hello?!" she shouted into the rain, "Is anypony there?"
A flash of lightning erupted across the sky with the following clash of thunder. Twilight jumped at the noise. Her shock was quickly worn out by the sound of a foal crying. A foal? Twilight looked outside and beside her doormat was a basket covered with a piece of cloth. The cloth was lifted to reveal a crying toddler only about 2 years old, inside the basket and crying out for some form of comfort.
Twilight stood shocked for a moment, thoughts racing through her mind. Until a certain thought struck her. Somewhere in her gut she felt that it wasn't the right thing to do but she felt she needed to do it. A selfish grin crept onto her face as she picked up the basket. She wasn't going to be lonely. Not for a long, long time.
