Eternity in the Blink of an Eye
Day 5… I think.
Time has been difficult to track. The clocks won’t work; although I guess technically they do - they are just not moving. The Sun isn’t moving across the sky either. Everything is so quiet. I am not sure how much time truly has passed, I didn’t consider at first to keep it in check as I thought I could just undo the spell right after.
I first realized how much time had passed when I grew hungry. Had left my lunch, I was so focused on my experimental spell, it was easy to find. Then I ate Starlight’s part. I’m sure she’ll be okay with that.
I’ve tried to find out what went wrong. I thought I had it all prepared, but something must have gone wrong. It feels like a strange, alien world. Everything is so quiet. I wish Starlight could help.
Day 12(?)
I’ve emptied the pantry by now. No chance of cooking any of it, nothing will change. I made sure to leave a note, admitting right away that I ate it all and yes we’ll need to restock everything.
No results from attempting to undo the spell and get everything back to normal. My telekinesis still works, but any grander spells just… don’t happen. Same if I try to reach anything with my magic from a certain distance. It just… fizzles out. Like my magic can’t even disturb the air. I didn’t notice at first but it does feel a bit, I don’t know, dense? I can’t say if I’m getting tired more fast from moving around than usual, it’s hard to tell the time. None of my attempted contraptions have worked yet. Not even an hourglass seem trustworthy. I can it around but it’ll slow down to a stop.
The novelty of having to chew water has worn out.
Day who knows
I had enough and went to Canterlot, to see the Princesses. Couldn’t use Spike to send a letter, so I had to go myself. Took forever to fly, or maybe it didn’t. I did the mistake of trying to skip through a cloud. It was so dense I just got thrown right back instead of evaporating it. I guess using clouds for a quick wash is out of the question. I miss hot baths, showers…
I miss my friends.
I know they are right there, I can see them any time. Yet I miss them. I know it didn’t made any difference, but I hugged them all before I left Ponyville. They still felt warm. Alive.
I had to borrow food from their houses for the trip. Made sure to leave notes about it, I’ll pay it back as soon everything is back to normal. It will be soon.
Day who cares!
What was I thinking? That going to Canterlot would change anything? That it would have been any different for the Princesses?! If they had been left unaffected of COURSE this would have been over ages ago!
I screamed myself hoarse, I begged, pleaded, I cried until my head swam and ached. I tried to smash those stupid ego stroking stained glass windows! Threw a chair, it just flew right off, damn it all!
I’m so tired, I don’t know when to sleep or eat, nothing changes. I just want everything back to normal, I want my friends to hug me back. I want, I want, I WANT IWANTIWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANT-
51
I can’t keep freaking out like this. I know it won’t change a thing. I have made it so far. Did what I do best. Study, observe, research. There must be an answer somewhere.
I can’t track time, so I’ll just keep simply numbering my entries. I’ll sleep when I’m tired. I’ll eat when I’m hungry. And I’ll research. A schedule is hard to keep without a proper timetablet, but this will do.
My mane has grown about an inch since my last mane cut, I can assume time passes for me. After all, all my functions still work as they should. That nopony else change is currently of no concern. They are fine. They are safe. I’m not alone.
I hugged Princess Celestia before leaving Canterlot. After crying and apologizing for my behaviour. I wish she could hug me back. I’ve been through the library, any section that could relate to my current predicament. Considering the restrictions on this kind of spell I’m working with, it was limited. Unable to open locked doors, with keys or spell, I can’t get to the restricted area. Teleportation won’t work.
I just have to stay calm and rational. Time to go home and go through my notes again.
87
They are like corpses. Living corpses. They feel warm, but there’s no breath. No heartbeat. Nothing.
I’ve emptied Applejack’s pantry, I left a note.
790
Oh Starlight. I can stare you right in the eyes and you’re not there.
Oh Spike. Pinkie, Rarity, Applegack, Rainbow, Butterfly.
982
Grass isn’t that bad.
2790
Oh sweet Celestia, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to- I didn’t think- I was just. I needed CHANGE. ANYTHING. SOMETHING.
I was just pushing her leg, to move it, to make the hug feel more natural, I miss feeling something alive. I pushed, trying to change the pose and I heard the snap, felt it through my hoof, I-
I did my best to fix it! I brought her to the hospital. She shows no signs of pain or shock, like she hasn’t registered anything. Of course she hasn’t. I did my best. Left her there, made a note. Once everything goes back to normal, they’ll handle it.
I’m so sorry, Pinkie. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. Everything’s going to be okay, I promise. I won’t do it again, it was an accident. I’ll make it up to you, once everything is back to normal, I swear.
I’m so sorry.
8674
I reminded myself again that I exist.
9341
Banana.
45642
I reminded myself that I exist.
I stopped measuring my mane and tail. What’s the point? So much time passing in barely a moment, yet it doesn’t. The flavor of passage is sour mixed with bittersweet but the bittersweet is just sour disguising itself it’s nasty and cheesy and I want everything to go away Celestia why couldn’t you help me Luna you owe me you owe all of us SO DO SOMETHING ALREADY oh Heavens I’m going mad it’s all the same all the same I miss them so much I miss anypony Discord you bastard you would get a grin out of this wouldn’t you you stupid noodle banana-
84532
I had to test it. I had to. Anything to change this, anything!
It’s no joke. Somehow even Discord can’t do anything, even he is influenced by this curse. Or else he would have come. He would never let anything happen to Fluttershy. Never. He never came.
I’m so sorry Fluttershy. I remembered your name, see? Just had to look at your mailbox.
I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you once all this is over, once… once its all… once its all over… overoveroverover-
1
NEW START!
I can’t slip again. I can’t- I can’t keep-
I’m only supposed to use it to remind myself. Remind myself I exist. So close to. Cut too deep. Would have… would have been so easy. So easy. So close. No. No. I can’t. I can still FIX this. I always find a way to FIX it! With the help of my friends, anything is possible!
It’ll be fine. Itll be fine. Fine. Itll be fine. Fine. Fine.
Please
789645
If everything ever do go back to normal, there’s going to be a famine.
Running out of paper for notes to leave too.
I wonder if it would have been for the better if alicorns weren’t immortal.
***
Starlight Glimmer blinked. Twilight had just vanished. A second ago she stood right there before her. She couldn’t have moved that fast, and teleportation was anything but discreet.
“Twilight?” she called in confusion, even before moving her head to look around for her mentor she noted that something… felt off.
The floor which had been spotless that same second ago was now covered in papers, mountains of papers where ever she looked. Maybe Twilight hadn’t disappeared, but instead used the spell to send Starlight somewhere? But it was still the basement lab of the Friendship Castle, she was pretty sure of that so wha-
“I-Id w-werked…”
The voice came from behind her. It was hoarse, sounded gritty and unused. She could even hear the attempt of the mouth to wet itself for another try.
“Wh-“
Starlight had turned around, her eyes wide at the sight now before her. Even with teleportation Twilight couldn’t have moved to another spot in the room this fast. And that hadn’t been the intention of the spell she wanted to demonstrate to her, as far she understood from her rambles before the test. She claimed it was a safe kind of time spell, nothing about traveling back or forth through time, which could mess up the timeline.
Could this really be..? What had HAPPENED to her??
The tall, thin alicorn was smiling to her. It was definitely Twilight, same colours and the fact she was an alicorn and all. But her mane was so long, her coat a mess, heavy bags under eyes which hadn’t been there less than a second ago. She was taller too.
And thin. So very thin. The skin hanging almost loose on her skeletal form. And her eyes. The way she stared at Starlight with an almost hungry look. She looked thin enough to consider eating her, was a thought crossing Starlight's mind.
The unicorn stood frozen, staring at the pony she both did and didn’t recognized.
“Id… it… finally, finally werked.”
The familiar stranger stumbled, dropping to the floor as tears began flooding down her cheeks. Instinctively Starlight stepped over to her, she looked so fragile and able to snap in a breeze. And her legs... the marks crisscrossing her skin all over. “What… what happened. I, wh- Aargh!”
She was interrupted as the alicorn showed surprising strength, grabbing her and pulled her into a tight hug. Just holding her close as she wept, feeling Starlight’s heartbeat against herself.
