A Tinker's Last Breath

Clink.

Click click click click.

Katekeclick.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

‘Where am I?’

Tick.

‘What is that noise?’

Tick.

'Dear Celestia, everything hurts.' Taking a deep and painful breath she grimaces.

Tick.

The acrid smell of oil and machinery waft into her senses. The sound of a fired furnace burning quietly behind the measured ticking. ‘Oil, metal, charcoal. Is this Tinker’s, workshop?’

Tick.

‘How am I? How am I alive?’

Tick.

‘The demons…’ Blearily she opened her eyes. Clockwork scraps and tools resting on the wooden surface next to her haphazardly cluttered her vision. The rough cobblestone wall of the workshop engraved with heavy claw marks and burns. `Killed everyone… I, I remember them tearing into me.'

Tick.

“Tinker?” Gently rolling off the table onto her hooves, her body aching from the activity. A small object bumped against her chest as she stabilized herself. Glancing down she saw a bronze pocket watch hanging from a chain around her neck. A golden light emanating from its face softly beat in time with her own heart.

Tick.

Reaching a hoof toward the clock sudden pain rushed through her body. ‘Right, I remember. Some metal cut my leg when they attacked. I should not of been able to survive those injuries.’

“Ha! It worked!” A familiar stallions voice hacked out behind her.

“Tinker!” She whipped around, the smile gracing her face immediately melting at the sight of a battered and bloody stallion laying on the floor. His light blue coat soaked with splotches of blood. “Dear Celestia, what happened!”

Darting over to Tinker, her horn glowed a brilliant blue. Enveloping Tinker in magical light. “Stay still, you’ll be alri-”

Tinker quickly cuts Sapphire’s sentence short. “Don’t waste your magic Sapphire, I’m too far gone to be saved.” Tinker gave a pained smile as he tapped Sapphire’s horn causing her magic to flicker out.

“At least let me get you to a doctor before you die!” Sapphire positioned herself and began to heave Tinker onto her back.

“There is no point in saving a dead stallion Sapphi. I’ve run out of time.” Groaning in pain Tinker toppled off Sapphire’s back, landing back onto the ground.

“What do you mean!” Sapphire repositioned herself to pick up Tinker again, but he pushed her away. “You're not dead yet, and neither am I. If I survived a demon taking my life, then you can too!”

“Did you survive?” Tinkers gaze latched onto Sapphire’s, his iridescent eyes entrancing hers.

‘Time running out.’ Reaching once again to the pocket watch, her eyes widened with horror. The color in Tinker coat beginning to fade to grey. “You didn’t, it’s impossible.”

Cracking a sad smile Tinker brought his hoof over hers. “I had to Sapphi, I had to save you somehow.”

Sapphire lurched onto the floor hugging Tinker’s hoof as angry tears starting to well up in the corner of her eyes. “Don’t leave! Don’t you dare die! I sent out a message to Celestia, she can he-”

“Celestia won’t do anything” Tinker yelled, causing Sapphire’s ears to flatten against her head. “She didn’t save anyone when she enclosed the demons in the mansion!” Tinker’s voice filled with strained rage, tears dripping onto the floor. “She watched. Watched the slaughter in the mansion as I pleaded, begged her to save you! She didn’t shed a tear as we watched the demon's spill the blood of all the other nobles!”

“That’s not true, the princess would help us.” Unable to look away from Tinker’s tearful face, Sapphire’s face contorted in disbelief. “Wouldn’t she?”

“The moment she sealed the mansions with the demons inside I knew she wouldn't help.” Tinker growled. “She tried to stop me from going in to save you. I haven’t seen her so angry when she said it was a suicide mission. Even then, she wouldn’t take down the barrier.” Tinker’s bright blue coat faded to a dull greyish blue. His voice softens as he watches the color drain. “She was right in the end though, it was a suicide mission.”

Sapphire’s barely contained tears spilled forth “I-Iwon't let you die! if you revived me, I could do the same for you!”

Calming himself, Tinker shook his head and chuckled. “Time can be moved Sapphi, not created.” Lifting up the tear streaked pocket watch, Tinker smiled. “I didn’t have much purpose until I met you Sapphi. After I got to know you, you made every single second on this planet worth it. You were the only one who trusted and respected me.

So, if I can’t be with you... Then the least I can give you back all that time.” Tinker’s eyes began to close, the pocket watches pulse becoming fainter. His coat now completely grey, along with his once vibrant eyes.

Clutching the watch tightly in her hooves, Sapphire managed to choke out. “Don’t leave! Don’t you dare die! I, I-I can’t lose you.”

“You know, you never have enough time to do what you want to Saphi.” Clearing his throat of sadness Tinker spoke with determination “I love you Sapphire Blueblood.” Kissing her forehead, he lay his hoof on the small watch. “Go on with your life, find ponies that make you happy like you did with me.”

Sapphire cried out louder and leaned into Tinker chest listening to his heart beat. “I, I-I need you! I don’t know what I am going to do without you!”

“You have all the time in the world.” The pocket watches pulsing glow nearly imperceptible. “I know you’ll use it well, better than I ever could.”