Stay Awake or Sleep Forever
Sleepless in Equestria
By: The Grey Pegasus
It was just a couple seconds past 11:00 PM.
The Ponyville Library was silent, except for the occasional rustling of pages.
"How's everypony still holdin' up? Anyone thinking they're gonna drop really soon?"
"Applejack, I honestly don't even know why we're still delaying the inevitable."
It was a brief exchange between Applejack and Rarity, but it was yet another reminder of what they were fighting against. It was the twelfth night, not that being night made much difference by then. And though they still were surviving thanks to spells and potions Twilight could conjure up, some were starting to doubt why they even chose to keep going.
"Because livin' should be worth fightin' for. Simple as that."
"Why should we keep trying if we don't even know if this is ever going to end? Why not just end it now?"
Applejack looked the white unicorn sternly in the eyes. Very, very weary eyes that they both had. "Look. I know Sweetie Belle is gone, or whatever happens to them, but so is Apple Bloom..." She paused. "They'd told us to keep going and help their one last friend." Applejack gave a glance at Scootaloo, who was sitting steadily looking out the balcony into the night sky.
Rarity only returned a blank look.
In the meantime, the farm pony walked over to the orange filly. "How you holdin' up sugarcube?" she asked, grabbing the filly's attention from the window, where the scene of the night sky was displayed..
"I'm fine. I don't plan on sleeping any time soon," Scootaloo responded.
"That's good," Applejack reassured her, gently patting her head.
"I mean, this is even scarier than those stories Rainbow Dash told around the campfire that time we went camping," Scootaloo continued. "Sleep and never wake up again. How scary is that? Not sure that you'll ever see anyone else ever again?... Just like when we went camping, I'm so scared of it, I don't want to go to sleep."
"Well you hold on there. I'm sure Twilight can figure something out soon." With that, Applejack left her and returned to Rarity. "Come on, let's go see if Twilight's got something figured out that can finally end this mess."
"Hopefully." The two walked down the stairs to the main atrium. There, in the midst of some books, was not the unicorn they were looking for, but Fluttershy, who was keeping herself busy with said books.
"Hello Fluttershy," greeted Rarity.
Fluttershy rubbed her head as she felt a minor headache come in from the sudden sound. "Oh, hi Rarity. Hi Applejack. Going to see Twilight?"
"Yes, though it'd be nice to know if you've found anything that might help."
Fluttershy scanned over the books around her. They ranged from psychology to chemicals and right now, she was even scanning over history. "Well," she started, idly lifting the pages of the book in front of her and letting them cascade back down, "no. There's nothing that matches the exact situation. Twilight's been trying to work out if it's a magical cause for the past few... hours? Or has it been a day?" Fluttershy shook her head clear. "You should go talk to her about it."
"We were just on our way," said Applejack.
However, just as Applejack and Rarity turned to the basement lab's door, the alicorn in context came out from it. Unlike the others, Twilight still bounded around with a moderate amount of energy.
"Why good night, Twilight," Applejack said with a light grin and chuckle. "And you too, Spike," she added, directed toward the small dragon that followed forth.
"Yeah, you too," Spike wearily replied. "You know, dragons are known for their long naps, not the other way around."
"So how goes work?"
Twilight shook her head. "I still don't know what's causing it. I'm not sure I understand it either. How is it that a pony can be dead except for their brain? It can't work that way," she said, sounding like she wanted to yell it out in frustration, were it not for the fact she was conserving energy and being mindful of her friends' ears.
"Ugh. Don't remind us," said Rarity.
"Well," started Fluttershy, "You said that perhaps they could be biological in nature, since there's certain toxins that can produce the effect. Except for the part where you found no traces in their bodies."
"Could it be some sort of curse?" asked Applejack.
Twilight shook her head in uncertainty. "I can't say for certain. I've tried probing their minds for any information, but I can't find anything. I know I'm in their heads, but once I'm there, there's nothing. It's like opening a door to a room, and it's dark inside. You're expecting to find things inside, but it's actually empty."
"Any news from Princess Celestia?" Rarity inquired.
Spike opened his mouth and pointed to it. "Nope."
"Perhaps you should visit the palace again. Maybe they found something. Besides, maybe they discovered some sort of lead. After all, with Luna being the princess of the night and sleep and dreams and such, they must have discovered something in her head."
Twilight resumed examining her work. Floating around her were notepads and quills, each being frantically covered with an increasing amount of notes. "None... of... this... makes... sense!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "Their minds are clearly still active and I can still feel their magical signature, but they're otherwise... dead!"
Applejack walked over to talk her friend down. Like the others, she was awake in terror of falling asleep never to wake again. However, she was also motivated in keeping their heads level, believing that they must see this through. "Twilight... I think you should just take a break. Forget the idea of sleepin'—you haven't even just stopped workin' since you came back from Canterlot two days ago. I'd imagine you're feeling like how I was when I tried to finish applebuckin' season by myself."
"Twilight, please take a moment away from work," Rarity wearily said. "Sometimes watching you makes me feel more tired."
"Twilight," began Fluttershy,"Um, I think that's a good idea. I don't mind helping, but all this stress might be clogging up your mind. Maybe it'll help to just stop for a moment." Fluttershy, unlike the others, was not feeling particularly drowsy in comparison, invigorated by the urge to help Twilight. She was persistent in her assistance, at times not even appearing one bit sleepy. She could not bear to see more ponies... disappear... in such a way.
Twilight dropped her notes on a nearby table in defeat. "Yeah... maybe you're right. Even I've never worked this long continuously without sleep. I suppose with all the paranoia going around about it, I forgot the benefits sleep had with refreshing your mind," punctuating her point with a sheepish grin and a small laugh.
"Want to eat?" Applejack offered. "We got, uh, some crackers, I guess. Somethin' light. Me and Scoots went outside earlier and found some coffee hidden away in a cabinet from Vinyl's. Must've been passed by when we looked last week."
"I'll go get them," Spike said, as he left for the kitchen.
"Actually, wasn't it that we already had too much to carry?"
Applejack looked to the voice. Scootaloo had just reached the foot of the stairwell. "Oh, that's right. We just forgot to go back for it."
"Yeah, I remember now. Twilight asked us for some help for something and we forgot." Scootaloo joined the others, who had now crowded around the table with Twilight and her notes.
Spike came in momentarily later, setting some food down.
"No—Spike asked us for help to clean the dishes that morning since everypony decided to go straight to work," Rarity corrected. "Twilight never asked us for help—she's much too considerate about tiring us out. She carried all of... our friends... for... examination... remember?" Rarity sadly recalled.
"Four days," Applejack lamented. "Me and Twi tried to tell Pinkie it warn't a good idea. Tried so hard to tell her that partying to no end wouldn't keep 'em awake long enough..." She slammed her head on the table in a mix of frustration and regret, lifting it back and looking down in sadness. "Why... why wouldn't she listen?"
"Rainbow Dash didn't listen either," Scootaloo sadly added. "Twilight, if you find a way to fix this, how much do you think you can fix?"
The thought had occurred to the purple alicorn a couple of times previously, but it was so much more disheartening hearing it from a filly. A filly whose friends lay down in the basement below them, at the moment forever suspended in sleep. "Until I find out what the problem is, I can't say—"
"Gee, Twi, I thought I was the Element of Honesty here," Applejack joked.
"I suppose that could've been more comforting, Twilight," Fluttershy wondered.
Feeling that interruptions were done, Twilight finished. "—But once I do, I'll try to do everything I can to fix it all."
"I'm sure the solution would have come much quicker if Luna wasn't asleep when this started," Rarity declared.
"And I'm sure we mentioned that before at some point." Twilight chuckled. "I was planning to work until daybreak, but I suppose I can settle for taking a break until then. The most rest I can give my mind until business starts again. Never know when Canterlot's going to call."
"If you're really that worried about slacking," said Fluttershy, "I'll, um, keep looking through your notes and books if you'd like. I'm not feeling sleepy at all at this moment."
"No, no, Fluttershy, it's alright. You've been working pretty hard these last few days. Really, it's almost asking too much of you," Twilight said with hints of concern. "When I visited Canterlot a few days ago, Celestia told me that two of their researches fell asleep at their desks while working so hard."
"Twilight, if their minds are still alive," Rarity asked, "Do you think they could be trying to fix this on their end?"
"It's been a point of discussion," admitted Twilight. "Surely by now many of the ponies that have succumbed to sleep know about the current situation. The problem is we don't know what exactly the circumstances of their stasis is. And we like to hope that as the regent of the night, Luna's figured out something's wrong by now if they are in fact still conscious in a sense and is doing what she can on her end."
"Surely there's got to be a possible answer you haven't explored." Rarity yawned.
"I'm sure there are." Twilight paused, looking at all her remaining friends, especially at Rarity, who had just yawned, causing worry to naturally rise. "But you should all stop worrying about it. I don't want to see that happen to you, especially when it isn't even your job to figure this out."
"Well I couldn't just sit here doing nothing," replied Fluttershy. "I couldn't go back home since my animals decided it was too much work for me to take care of them. Angel wouldn't even let me near the cottage! I hope they're taking care of themselves."
Reminiscing their time during the crisis so far seemed to be as good as anything to do that was not work. Time being a relative measure, when minutes felt like hours, hours became days, and days turned into weeks. The most desperate might even say years. The monotony of daily life for the past week contrasted the first week of the incident, when everyone still did their best to go about their normal business.
"I'm sure they're doing much better than my farm," compared Applejack. "Apples don't come off of trees and store themselves."
"Oh, did you visit your brother today?" Twilight asked.
"He's doin' fine. In fact, when we get to the end of this, we might even make up the loss of not sellin' apples through all his table winnin's," Applejack said with a light laugh. "Big, strong, calm stallion like him holds up better to losin' family members than me. He's probably the reason why me and Bloom were able to get our heads straight after findin' out why Granny wouldn't wake up when this thing started."
"I'll be sure to send some more potions their way," Twilight mentioned. "All thanks to you and Scootaloo, by the way. You know where you're headed tomorrow?"
"Well let's see, farmer's market was emptied by the first day ponies started scavenging, same thing with town hall..." Applejack continued listing off the places they had already visited.
Scootaloo spoke up. "You know, we don't know if anypony's went to Rainbow Dash's place yet. Maybe Fluttershy can help."
"That sounds like a good idea. You up for it Shy? We can check out the outskirts of town in that direction while we're at it."
"B-but, the town... it's so scary," Fluttershy mumbled. "All the ponies are either inside trying to scrape by, or are gone... It's like a ghost town out there. And the weather... who knows what might happen? There's no Weather Patrol to take care of it."
"It's okay, Fluttershy," Scootaloo comforted her. "I was scared of how empty and quiet it was out there too, but then Applejack reminded me that our friends would want me to be brave about it."
"Don't worry, Shy," said Applejack. "We don't leave until any fog settles down. I've got more chills down my spine than an icebox already. I don't need to walk through any darn creepy fog."
"What if it's cloudy? Or maybe a thunderstorm?" Fluttershy kept worrying.
"Cloudy weather never hurt anypony," Twilight answered. "And I'm sure you can feel if a storm's coming. Uncontrolled weather is strange that way. Besides, why would it matter? It's just the weather. It can't hurt you."
"Maybe the shock of rain might even help keep us awake," Applejack suggested. "Like a cold shower."
Though Fluttershy was still doubting her ability to keep her composure, she still considered joining the search for supplies. After all, it was for their benefit. "How about you, Rarity? What are you—" Fluttershy cut herself off as she noticed that the pony she was referring to was no longer at the table.
"Rarity?" Applejack called. "Where'd you go? It would have been nice if you told us you were going to the bathroom to take a cold shower or somethin'."
No response. Applejack reflexively headed up the stairs. She thought she heard some water running.
"Rarity, you know how out of it we all are. Don't pay attention as well as we normally do. Where are ya, sugarcube?"
Rarity walked out of the bathroom. "I'm right here, Applejack. Sorry about the scare. I just really felt the need for a midnight wake-up call."
Applejack took a deep breath that turned into a yawn. "Don't scare us like that, Rare. It ain't polite. I nearly died without sleepin', consarnit."
"Apologies, Applejack. You know how we get so caught up in our thoughts lately."
"Don't mention it." Applejack's own eyes drooped, partially in her normal reaction of incredulity at the unicorn's antics.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to see what I can do about my eyes tonight. I've maintained my mane and coat quite well, and you know what they say about the eyes."
"Not really. So you'll be fine?"
"I will be fine. Thank you for your concern," Rarity smiled.
Applejack found her way downstairs. Twilight, Fluttershy, Scootaloo, and Spike were waiting at the table. "She's fine. I can't believe that pony sometimes. Wanting to make sure her eyes were still pretty."
"Well," started Twilight, "She did come to me earlier about any potions about her eyes. It's just Rarity being typical Rarity."
"Don't tell me you actually made somethin' for her."
"Twilight asked me to help Rarity look up some potions earlier," stated Fluttershy. "We need some plants from the Everfree."
"So what's she doin' about her eyes right now?" Applejack asked.
"Maybe you could go look if you're so curious," Twilight flatly suggested.
"Ooh!" exclaimed Spike. "I'll go with you, Applejack!"
"You're willin' to see Rarity like this?" Applejack laughed. "Whatever. It's somethin' to do."
The duo made their way up to the loft. They found the white unicorn on the bed, facing the night sky out of the window beside it.
"Rarity, are you alright?"
"I heard sleep does wonders for tired eyes..."
The earth pony and dragon were locked in place at the unicorn's words. "Rarity, no!" Applejack and Spike yelled, half in distress, half hoping it would make her friend alert again.
"I'm going to see our friends now. And my sister. I'm... going to see my sister." Rarity smiled as she closed her eyes.
"No, Rarity, no, don't do it!" Applejack ran over to the unicorn and shook her body hard, but it was too late. The strain of losing her sister had added up with the toll of staying awake all this time, and she had probably fallen asleep before Applejack even closed half the distance.
Twilight, Fluttershy, and even Scootaloo quickly flew up to the second floor loft at the earth pony's distress.
"No..." Applejack cried over the limp body of her friend.
Scootaloo approached the two. "Is Rarity... a-asleep too?"
Applejack placed her ear to the unicorn's body. She turned to face the other three, only nodding her head.
"She really is, isn't she?" Scootaloo shivered in fear. She was looking at a pony moments after their end. The filly's eyes bulged began hyperventilating in fright.
The orange earth pony held the orange pegasus in an embrace. "D-don't worry, Scoots. I won't leave ya, honest and P-Pinkie Promise."
"I'm too scared to sleep, Applejack."
After holding out for what felt like an eternity, their number was reduced yet again, when they least expected it, no less. Their moods sunk, Applejack summing up all their thoughts. "... This night... is going to last forever," she sobbed, having to face the loss of yet another one of their friends.
Twilight, despite learning how to deal with stressful scenarios as a princess, was unable to divert her focus silently, instead settling on a weak chuckle and dark humor. "Nightmare Moon would have been quite happy to hear that statement."
Applejack sniffled and sat back on her haunches. "Yeah, forced to... appreciate the night sky, instead of the dreamscape." She attempted to give a weak smile.
Fluttershy, though tears were flowing due to losing one of her personal closest friends, was also confounded with a thought. "B-but since Luna has r-reign over night and dreams, w-what difference does it make?" Fluttershy took a deep breath to regain some composure. "It must seem like eternal night for her right now if ponies are stuck perpetually dreaming."
"Heh, I suppose it is eternal night for anypony..." Twilight's expression immediately changed from depression to reeling from a possible revelation. "That... went... to... sleep."
Author's Note
Sometimes, the best way to write inspired is to write exactly what's happening at the moment. Originally, I had a concept called Staying Awake in which it was Twilight trying to study or something through the night, but that wasn't really exciting. So eventually I came to think of mixing in an idea from somewhere else a while ago and came up with this.
Wow, my head. Sleep would feel real good right now.
(Months later)
I stopped work on this fic after becoming uninspired. It was a bad period for my creativity. I just couldn't finish anything. Got back to work on it again, except by now, we're past the Twilicorn thing. Well, either that, or at the time of original writing, I just disregarded Twilicorn. Shows how long since I actually last worked on this. (Note that while the cover pic is unicorn Twi, the story features alicorn Twi.)
However, like before, I write my current experience, and the story is still the same 'on a whim random story' thing. Except this time, I transfer my feelings to Twilight and Fluttershy—I'm hardly sleepy at this moment. No clue why. Head still hurts a bit though.
Just checked. Holy shitballs, apparently February was the last time I did work on this. Yup. Not a period I like looking back on. Pretty neat I still remember actual planned plot details I had from back then though. Then again, simple premise, hard to forget.
A story written for the sole purpose of writing something. I think it came out decently. Although I have to say, I feel like I cut back on the dark.
Also, looking at it a bit more closely, this is probably fitting.
EDIT
Which is why it's now linked in the story. When I first wrote this, any resemblance was completely by accident. But now, it's just too awesome not to acknowledge.
