Twilight in the Reaper's Game
Everything was cloudy. I tried to open my eyes, but it was as if they were glued shut. I tried to stand. As did I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Then the pain faded.
Day 1
"Unggg,"
My mind was all foggy. I woke up oddly in the entrance to Ponyville. "Why? How did I get here? Did somepony drag me here last night? Why would anyone?" all these thoughts ran through my mind. I stood up and looked around. Ponies were going about their business, but something was wrong. I looked at the sun and realized it about noon! "How was I asleep all this time?"
"Hello? Anypony?" I called out.
Then something weirder happened. A scroll seemed to... pop out in front of me, from... nowhere. It just floated there. I couldn't see any magic holding it up either.
"Okay guess I should... HUH? Uhh nyyh Come on," I had tried to grab the scroll, but, "my, my magic wasn't working?!" I tried again. Nothing.
Then suddenly it felt as if my mind had split open. It didn't hurt it just felt weird. It really got weird though when I started hearing a voice inside my head.
"I can't believe he turned me down!", "I haven't seen the dressmaker in a week where did she go?", "I've gotta hurry. I'll be late!"
What was that?! Were they voices? Nopony was speaking though. A middle aged pony galloped past me. Was he the owner of the voice I just heard?
Suddenly, the scroll just dropped. I used my hoof to open it, and read it.
REACH THE TOWN HALL TIME LIMIT: 60 MINUTES FAIL AND FACE ERASURE.
"Ah what?" I gasped. What did this scroll mean and-
"Oww Ahhhh," I screamed, but no one around reacted. A sharp pain had flashed across my hoof. Just as fast as the pain had come it was gone. I pulled my leg up to my face and starred on horror. There was a timer counting down. 59:32, 59:31 It kept ticking.
"NoNoooaaahhhh" Before my eyes I saw odd symbols attach themselves to ponies. Then suddenly those ponies vanished.
"W-why are ponies vanishing?!"
Mmmmm I wheeled around to see something horrifying. There was one of the weird red symbols hovering in the air.
The... symbol lashed at me, and I sucked back. It felt like I was being pulled off the ground, and finally I was.
When I opened my eyes I saw something I couldn't believe. Somethings rather. Four parasprites lingering above me. What was worse, my magic wasn't working. They swarmed around me as I stood there, frozen. Then without thinking I ran, but there was no where to go. I just kept galloping, but all there was, was just an endless plain. It was as if I was in a different world altogether. Finally I fell, but in a split second my feet were back on solid ground in Ponyville. The symbols were still there though.
"I gotta run for it!" I shouted in panic. I turned away and ran.
I didn't stop until my lungs were burning. I found myself at my home, the library. Crack I turned around and saw more of the symbols. They started attacking me.
"They're gonna get me!"
"Found one!"
I looked up and saw... “Applejack!”
"You- you know me? Never mind make a pact with me!"
"A what?" I had no idea what my friend was talking about.
"Come on, to defeat the noise!"
What was noise, Those symbols that were dragging ponies away? I didn’t want to fight them! Applejack seemed serious though.
"Uh okay. I accept!" There was a flash of light, and just for a second we felt connected...
"Come now! Let's erase this noise!"
I felt that same pulling feeling as I was faced with parasprites once again. Only this time when I tried to get rid of them, my horn flared to life. I cast a simple erasure spell and they were gone. I looked around, but didn't see Applejack. Then my surroundings changed. I was back in Ponyville.
"Good they're gone, now that we've made a pact that vermin won't come after us." I turned to see Applejack right next to me.
"Anyway I'm Applejack. I work over at Sweet Apple Acres."
"Yeah I know, why are you introducing yourself to me?"
"Huh? Have we ever delivered any apple products to your family? Cause I don't recall..."
"No, no. Applejack we're best friends! Oh, hahahaha!"
"Umm are you...?"
"I get it! Where are the others? This was actually a pretty good prank. I'm not sure how you guys managed the illusions, but I know you guys too well. Heh. Come on out guys!" Nothing happened. "I'm on to your trick! Stop playing games with me! Rainbow! Pinkie Pie!"
"Listen!" shouted Applejack. "Listen no one is pranking you. No one can hear you. We're in the game! Don't you wanna win?!"
"Applejack even if this isn't a prank, I don't have time for games. Play games on your own time. I have studying to do."
"Don't say that! We'll be erased if we don't win! You saw what happened to those ponies! You wanna join 'em? Besides we're partners."
"Applejack I have work to do. Please don't make me a part of this." I pleaded. I had no time for this, I had work to do, books to read, and she was taking up my time.
"You're already part of this. You're a player just like me. Look behind you, you're cutie mark. It's changed to the player symbol," She said.
I looked behind me, and sure enough, my beautiful star cutie mark was replaced with the weird skull.
"Don't you have a timer on your hoof? I do." She showed me her hoof. It had a red timer on it just like mine did. My mind raced. How did our marks change and to this odd skull? Applejack seemed as tense as I did.
"I don't really understand this, but if you need my help Applejack, I'm with you!" I responded.
"Good, now then tell me your name." Applejack asked.
I didn't understand. Applejack never lies, so this really wasn't a prank, she wouldn’t have been the one to pull it off. Then why didn't she recognize me. Come to think of it she didn't know the rest of our friends either. She seemed really desperate too. I'm always ready to help my friends. This worries me though. Did I somehow cast a spell that made everyone forget each other? But what's with this game business? And, what happened to those other ponies? I can't explain the timer either.
"Please, for the last time tell me your name." Applejack broke me out of my thoughts.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle."
"Nice to meet ya Twilight."
Applejack looked at her hoof, and gasped. "Twilight the clocks still ticking! We've only got twenty minutes! Let's hurry to the town hall!"
"Right!" I responded. It was a straight shot to the center of town; we were all the way by the edge of the forest. It would be far.
We started moving quickly towards the hall. We took all the main roads, no back alleys, so there were a lot of ponies around. Nothing seemed wrong, except no one seemed to notice us. Normally Ponyville is bustling, and very lively.
I started to feel something odd. I halted, but Applejack kept trotting on.
"Applejack wait!" It was too late.
"Oww! What in the?!" Applejack retaliated.
"An invisible wall?! How is that possible?" I exclaimed. There was no such spell.
"Oh no! This is is the way to the center of town!” Applejack cried
"How are we supposed to get past?" I thought. "I don't know any spells for getting past invisible walls! What can we- That stallion over there what is he looking at?" I turned to see a horse who was leaning against the wall if a building. I think he is a pegasus, but I can't really tell. He's wearing an odd hoodie. I met his eyes for a second, he just glared at me.
"Twilight? What are you staring at?" Applejack asked.
"Huh, oh there was this guy over there, he's gone!" I shouted.
"What guy? Hey Twilight, the path's clear!"
"But how?!" None of this was making any sense. I just wanted things to go back to being normal.
"Come on Sugar-cube! We've gotta make to the hall!"
We galloped until it was in sight. Finally we made into the inner circle of town. We ran in the front doors exhausted from the run. We looked at our hooves to see that the timer was gone. As we caught our breath I remembered, today Rarity was helping the mayor fix up the hall and decorate it.
"We made it!" Applejack said happily. "The timer's gone!"
"Rarity? Are you here? Rarity!" I called. There was no answer. "That's odd. She's supposed to be working here today."
"Who?" Applejack asked.
"You know who!" I snapped. "Rarity our best friend! The element of generosity! How can you not remember her?"
"Twilight I'm just trying to get through this week. The Reaper's Game is gonna be hard. Day one, today is nothing. We've got six more days. Are we gonna make it? I-I don't want to be erased..." Applejack covered her face with her hat like she does when she's really sad.
I can't believe this! Why was Applejack asking herself this? Why can't she remember me?! What is I'm erased?! What kind of game is this?!!! This can't be right. Gahhhh!
Author's Note
First chapter! Hope you like!