I glanced between the bloody equations on the wall and the pile of corpses behind me. I closed my eyes tightly as my stomach once more growled at me. Urging me once more to sate my hunger. It wouldn’t take much… my predecessors had created the knives necessary to take the flesh I needed to survive, if only for a few more days. I shook my head. I was running out of predecessors to eat, and the idea of cutting into the bodies of my beloved friends… or worse, Spike’s?
I swallowed the saliva, hoping that it would help. It didn’t. I only tasted the metallic bits of flesh that were stuck between my teeth. I’d almost kill for a simple piece of bread… maybe some water, even.
I shook my head and picked up the knife in my mouth. It had taken a full day, but I understood that magic was no longer possible. At least I had no reason to fear an infection. I brought my head down about to cut a chunk of flesh from a Twilight when I stopped turning around my eyes wide and the knife falling from my mouth. That familiar tingle. The one I prayed to never feel again. “No! No Twilight why? Why!” My ears pinned back. All that work to save her and the foalish mare had teleported!
I didn’t know if I could watch again. “She knows what happens…what is she thinking!” I forced my eyes open.
A sandwich… a sandwich wrapped in paper, an apple. A beautiful red ripe apple and a bottle of water. My mouth filled with saliva as I stared at the small meal, barely noticing as the copy was sent to its destination. Slowly, I walked closer, trembling. “Have I gone mad? Is this how my sanity finally leaves me, in the form of a simple meal?” I licked my lips and sat down. “I don’t care… sanity or no, I can’t turn from this!” I unwrapped the sandwich. My favorite Daisy with mayo and tomato…
Then I stopped. The paper wrapping around the sandwich wasn’t blank.
Twilight, I’ve been to see Princess Celestia and Luna. They were horrified by what I told them; Luna looked a bit ill. But we have all sworn never to teleport again. Twilight.
I closed my eyes to clear the tears that were filling my eyes as they streamed down my cheeks. I returned to the paper. There were a bunch of equations I would need to add to my own. Of course Twilight had memorized what was on the wall.
I pray this food has reached you, my former student, though we have no way to know for certain. Even so, we will continue sending it. Twilight Sparkle, stay strong. We will save you. Celestia.
The paper dropped to the floor as I bowed my head, tears streaming from my eyes. “...Yes, I promise, Princess. I’ll stay strong…” After a few moments of sobbing, I swallowed hard and lifted the sandwich, taking a big bite.
Flavor exploded into my mouth. It was amazing; after so long of eating pony flesh and drinking only blood, I had forgotten what food tasted like. Real food. I finished the sandwich in record time, and my tongue licked up the remaining crumbs that were stuck to my muzzle. I opened the lid to the water bottle and brought it to my lips. The sweet taste of water filled my mouth and slowly flowed down my throat. I forced myself to stop. I wanted to savor it.
I licked my lips and considered the apple. My hunger was sated. If I got hungry again later I would really enjoy that apple. I trembled and looked back at the note. “Princess Celestia said they’d send more food… I have to trust her, I have to stay strong and to do that I need to eat. Keep my mind working, thinking, I need to stay sane.” I grabbed the apple in my hooves and took a large bite. My eyes rolled back, and the juice dribbled down my chin. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine I was at Sweet Apple Acres again, surrounded by my living friends, and not their bloated corpses and bones…
It had been a week since my first meal arrived. At first, I was ashamed at how fast I ate it, worried that it was a one time occurrence. Luckily, I found out that I was wrong when a bowl of hot soup arrived in a lidded container along with a book. A note in the book told me how their research was coming, and to expect more small things. I looked up from the book I was reading as the air tingled. I frowned; it wasn’t time for a meal…
My eyes widened as Twilight appeared. “No!” Quickly, I turned to where the new Twilight was being created to see…
Nothing.
“W-what?” My ears pinned back as I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I looked up into my own eyes a brilliant smile on our face.
“We figured it out, Twilight. We fixed the spell! Teleportation is safe now! The old form has been outlawed.” She glanced over at the little spot I had made for myself as far from the corpses as I could. The blankets and books she had sent me I had formed into a nest. It was my safe spot.
“I’m so glad everything got to you… Celestia was worried we’d figure it out too late but, I-I knew I could save you Twilight. I had to, after you saved me.” She shook her head and beamed at me. “Come on, it’s time to come home. Celestia has a medical team on standby, and I’m sure you’d love a bath!”
“A bath…” I closed my eyes and laid my head against Twilight’s chest, hearing her heartbeat. I hadn’t even dreamed of a bath in so long…
“Yes, a nice soaky bath, once the doctors say it’s alright. You’ll be staying at the palace until you're ready to come home. Luna is ready to help with any nightmares you have and anything you… may have been forced to do here.” Her voice was soft but I understood what she meant. Celestia wanted to keep an eye on me until she was sure of my sanity. I didn’t mind… after all of this
“Will I be in any trouble?” I couldn’t help but ask. I hadn’t had to kill anypony. Not like my predecessors, but I had become a cannibal…
Twilight lifted my head to look into my eyes before nuzzling my bloodstained cheek. “No… nothing you have done here was your choice. You survived…th-they were all already dead. But you made it. You survived.” She pulled back and wrapped a wing around me, holding my forehoof firmly with hers, as if she was afraid I would slip from her grasp. I clung back just as hard, closing my eyes.
“You survived, Twilight, and now…let’s go home.” Her horn lit up and we vanished from the room that I thought would become my tomb.
I was going home….
