The PAYN

Twilight read the article with as much volume in her voice as she could muster.

"Day seventeen after the mysterious appearance of the Dome, and all attempts to breach have proven to be otherwise fruitless. The Elements of Harmony have had no effect on it. No technological mechanism or Unicorn sorcery has worked. Not even the magic of our beloved Princesses has prevailed. Discord himself has attempted to reach into the dome, but only commented that where the space Ponyville should exist in reality is quote, "evading him".

"World leaders are gathering in Canterlot to discuss the Ponyville Anamoly, while thousands gathered there to support the families with loved ones presumed still inside. The only ponies not currently accounted for are merely children. It is suspected that Dark Magic had a role in creating the Dome, and it is rumored that several wizards were sent to Tartarus to interrogate prisoners there.

"What goes on inside that curious opaque globe is unknown, but we can only pray that the children of Ponyville are getting along without their parents."

She set the newspaper down on the table. Her friends were practically falling apart before her eyes. Applejack sat still as a statue while Pinkie Pie and Rarity bawled into each of her shoulders. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy huddled together, both of them looking as though they wished they could disappear.

"Girls... I'm sure they're fine." Twilight tried to smile reassuringly. "We'll get them back."

"When?" Rainbow Dash muttered.

"Eventually."

"What about right now?" Rainbow snapped. "Who's taking care of them right now?"

"They'll be fine, Rainbow," Applejack said thickly. "They ain't babies, they can take care of themselves."

"Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake are babies." Pinkie Pie sniffled.

Applejack's ears folded back. "Look, sugarcube. Somepony will take care of them. We raised good families in Ponyville, they know to look out for each other."

"And they will," Twilight nodded. "They just have to manage until we can open the Dome. I promise, we are working nonstop on getting those foals out."

"Even Cadence?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"Yes, even Cadence. Tirelessly," Twilight sighed, then rubbed an eye. "We will get them back, girls. I promise."

~~~

"I don't know what to do. Usually, my dad fixes plumbing and stuff like that." Bagpipe gave an apologetic shrug.

Scootaloo sighed, then waved her off. "It's fine, I'll get Snails to fix it. He doesn't mind poo water." Bagpipe nodded, then awkwardly backed out of the office. Scootaloo slumped over Mayor Mare's desk. Was this the kind of stuff she had to put up with? Managing clogged toilets, burnt out light bulbs, and little brothers that stayed up past bedtime?

It was driving Scootaloo nuts. It was then that Tender Taps, the new local beefcake, came in, hopefully with something better to distract her with.

"Hey, Scootaloo. I finished up that tally for you. Everypony left in Ponyville. We have a total of three hundred and twelve foals running around, and that includes all the littles."

"Three hundred and twelve," Scootaloo repeated with a groan. "Three hundred and twelve mouths to feed. Who would have thought that we'd run low on food so fast?"

Tender Taps rubbed his mane. "There's something else," He trotted closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Some kids got a rumor started that everypony Poofs when they turn sixteen."

"What?"

"I know, I know. But you said to look out for anything that could be relevant, and..." He looked over his shoulder to make sure nopony else was there. "I looked over the list. Twice. Nopony is over sixteen. Dinky Poofed on her sixteenth birthday. Coincidence?"

Scootaloo flopped back in Mayor Mare's chair. If everypony Poofs eventually, then what? She licked her lips. "Who... who turns next?"

Tender Taps fetched a scroll from his saddlebag. "If I remember correctly, a filly named Silver Spoon."

"...Sweet Celestia."

~~~

"An explosion?" Apple Bloom gaped.

"Yeah, I'm telling you, it came from the Crystal Castle!" The foal pointed urgently.

Apple Bloom shook her head in dismay. "Golly... Okay, I'll take a look as soon as I can. You should go to your home. And tell everypony you see to do the same." The boy nodded, then pelted off.

Apple Bloom looked in the direction of the castle as she continued to the daycare. Nothing looked wrong, and there was no smoke. Maybe somepony set off a firecracker or something. Apple Bloom pushed open the door to the daycare, and was greeted by the sound of fussing children. Sweetie Belle was in the center of the room, softly singing a lullaby to distract the children.

"Hi, Sweetie Belle. I brought ya all the diapers and oatmeal we could round up."

Sweetie Belle looked up, her face brightening. "Oh, thank you so much! I was getting a little low over here." She hummed as she levitated the packages out of the wagon. Apple Bloom cast a look around. She counted over two dozen infants.

"Are you taking care of all of these babies on your own?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "It's not so bad. Better I take care of them instead of their siblings just leaving them in their cribs," her face soured. "Somepony did that, too. Poor little Arcade was left alone for a whole day, and nopony checked on him! That's why I asked Scootaloo to organize a search to make sure that no littles were left abandoned."

"...Some kids just left their siblings here?" Apple Bloom asked solemnly.

Sweetie Belle nodded. "It's fine. If they can't bother to feed their own family for a day, then they shouldn't have that responsibility."

"Ponies gotta learn, eventually," Apple Bloom pointed out. "Honestly, I wish Scootaloo would let me corral those troublemakers and send 'em to the orchard. More work would get done and she wouldn't have to worry about a broken window every ten minutes."

Sweetie Belle gave a half-smile. "We're doing alright, Apple Bloom. If Rarity and Applejack could see us, they'd be proud of everything we've done already."

"Which is keep the town from collapsing in on itself?"

"Yup!"

Apple Bloom sighed. "Speaking of, I got an explosion to check out."

"An explosion?" Sweetie Belle's eyes widened.

"In the Castle. Probably one of Twilight’s potions that some numbskull knocked over."

Sweetie Belle cocked her head. "Wasn't Twilight’s Castle searched already?"

Apple Bloom grinned sheepishly. "No. It felt kinda wrong poking into Twilight’s place. But I guess I have to, now."

"Well, be careful." Sweetie Belle cautioned as Apple Bloom turned back out the door.

"I will!"

Sweetie Belle returned her attention to the foals sprawled out across the blankets on the floor. "My goodness, how terrible of me!" She cried out, feigning despair. "I stopped singing for thirty seconds. I just never pay any attention to any of you, do I?" With a light roll of her eyes, Sweetie Belle resumed the lullaby, and Apple Bloom strained to listen as she drew farther away.

Silent night, Starry night,

All is calm, All is bright,

'Round the forest, parents and young...

~~~

Featherweight looked around nervously as he grabbed the bucket. He was alone, so it seemed. He tugged the wooden pail away from the well, and carefully began to pour it into his pot. Suddenly, he heard rapid hoofsteps behind him.

Featherweight whipped around and pictured feral Timberwolves. The red colt came to an immediate halt, balling up as he screamed. Featherweight chuckled in disbelief.

"I knew you'd try to get me," his laughter turned more confident. "I knew it!" Featherweight bent down and gave a mocking pouty face. "What's the matter, hot stuff? Not so tough now, are you?"

He pictured a flood of eels swarming Tamale, whose screams grew louder. Featherweight leaned down next to his ear. "Try it again, and I'll make you see even worse." Under normal circumstances, Tamale would have laughed at Featherweight's threat, but now he nodded fiercely, begging for it to stop.

"Good."

~~~

Silver Spoon gazed at Scootaloo in shock. "Me? You think I'm going to Poof?"

Scootaloo nodded, unable to think of something helpful to say.

Diamond Tiara scoffed. "Her birthday is today, genius. She obviously hasn't Poofed." Silver Spoon looked relieved to hear that.

"Dinky didn't Poof until later in the day." That erased Silver Spoon's relief.

"Yeah, well, what if the stupid Dome just didn't realize she was sixteen yet? What if it made a mistake?"

"Please, do not raise your voice," Scootaloo hissed. "I don't need more about this getting out. And besides, that's a pretty odd mistake for it to make, don't you think?"

Diamond Tiara scrunched her nose. "Silver Spoon isn't going anywhere. She isn't Poofing. Just watch."

"Um, can I interject?" Tender Taps raised a hoof. "When we had Snips and Snails search the hospital for records on everypony, they found copies of birth certificates."

Diamond Tiara raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And... Dinky Poofed at 2:43 PM." Tender Taps trotted over to one of the filing cabinets and pulled out a paper. He offered it to Silver Spoon, who hesitantly accepted it. She gulped as she began to read it.

"Oh... Oh my."

Diamond Tiara shoved Tender Taps away to look at it. Her face froze as she read the line under Silver Spoon's name.

Born October 3rd, 992, *9:18 AM.***

Silver Spoon trembled as she looked at the clock. 9:16.

"I'm... I'm gonna--"

"No!" Diamond Tiara shouted. "You're... you're all being paranoid! Silver's not gonna Poof!"

Silver Spoon physically flinched as the minute hand moved forward. "I don't wanna die," She whimpered. Silver Spoon latched onto Diamond Tiara. "I don't wanna die!"

Scootaloo desperately tried to shush the wailing girl. Tender Taps cringed as he peeked outside. Ponies were nearing, drawn by the noise. His ear perked at the sound of Apple Bloom's voice.

"Y'all won't believe what I found!"

She burst in with a loopy grin on her face, the stopped when she saw Silver Spoon clutching Diamond Tiara. Several children slithered in behind her to take in the scene.

"What in the hay is goin' on?"

"I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die! I don't wan--"

Diamond Tiara yelped as she fell over, no longer leaning into Silver Spoon's body. Everypony stared in horror, while Diamond Tiara looked around in confusion. It was then that the truth hit them.

Everypony Poofs.