Daily Log 104: 12:46 A.M.
The city burned, fire lighting up the night sky. Twilight couldn't believe what was happening right in front of her, even as it was happening. Manehattan. Caught in a fiery blaze, ponies running around like mindless zombies. Buildings burned, families died and Royal Guards tried to evacuate everyone.
It was all in vain though. Twilight tried to move her hooves, but it felt like she as pulling the weight of the world along with her. She struggled with her first step, and stumbled on the next. She tried to scream, but no shouts came. Just a silence that had always accompanied her since the city came into view. Her friends had disappeared, as if they hadn't climbed the hill with her moments before and were just part of her imagination. This had to be some kind of sick dream. There was no way that Princess Celestia or Luna would just allow this happen.
Ponies ran past her, all giving terrified as they all glanced at her. She looked down at her hooves. Still that shade of violet. Petrified screams filled the air as ponies passed her, Twilight trying to help each one that rushed by. Kids running without parents, Guards ran from the impending threat of death, and others ran, hoping to find shelter from the devastation. Twilight looked to the sky, her heart stopping and her mouth unable to close itself.
There had to be thousands of them, all of which either flying with their blue wings, or charging at innocents, ramming them with their horns or blasting magic at them or just pulling them back to the horde of black. Their blue lifeless eyes were the only glows of light aside from the fires that raged behind them. They completely ignored Twilight as they passed and ravaged the ponies trying to escape the horde's wrath. They were killing everyone. They didn't even care about who got harvested. They just killed whoever they wanted and took whoever got in the way that they didn't feel like killing.
And all Twilight could do was watch, powerless and completely motionless. She wanted to curl up and cry, but she wouldn't allow herself to do that. She couldn't allow herself to do that. She wouldn't let herself be reduced to that. She had to help. Even if nobody could seem to notice her. She was an Element of Harmony and she intended to do her job.
But she was still unable to move, her legs feeling like lead. With her new-found determination Twilight willed herself to move forward.
But something was wrong. Twilight didn't feel right. She horrifically looked down at her once violet hooves. They were a deep shade of black, holes in her legs and she felt herself grow slightly. Her heart pounded as she watched herself transform into the one enemy that she and her friends had helped to banish not so long ago. A voice spoke in a language completely foreign and incomprehensible and Twilight found herself able to move, but against her own will. Her possessed form turned around to a family of three innocent ponies; a stallion standing in front of his wife and daughter. Terror burned in all of their eyes, though the stallion was doing his best to hide the fear in his face.
The voice spoke again, all too familiar, and yet Twilight was able to understand what it meant this time. She willed herself to keep herself grounded. To stop herself from pouncing on the defenseless stallion. But even with all of her willpower, the form that Twilight had found herself in managed to spread its wings and leap in the air.
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12:46 A.M. (I think)
Daily Log 104
I had that dream again. This time, though, I actually saw them doing it. Killing. Mercilessly. By Celestia, was that what really happened? Did the Royal Guards actually run from them? Desert the ponies they were sworn to protect? I could only imagine what the families who died on that day thought before they arrived. How normal everything must have been before The Arrival. Who was the pony they saw last? Did they even get to say goodbye to the ones they loved? Why did it even happen?
The fact that all I can do is stand there just adds to my increasing grief. I wanted needed to stop them. But, without the other elements I was powerless. I just was only able to watch as they all slaughtered the innocent civilians, forced them into those organic pods, and even brutally raped the ponies that had done nothing wrong. Manehattan burned and shone brighter than ever before. I can barely even remember Manehattan like it was before; with all the lights and ponies bustling through the streets. Even here now with Trixie I can't imagine what kind of lives ponies had here. How they were able to stand the tremendous amount of noise.
It's all silent here now. Nature had already run her course of taking back what ponies so carelessly took away from her. The apartments that Trixie and I found intact are full of bugs of all kinds, the floors and walls covered with vines and the scent of fresh nature replaced the pollution that we smelled outside. Ever since The Arrival, I've had this thing where I can't stand the sight of insects or arachnids. The sight makes me sicker than I've ever been in my entire life and the urge to kill them increases with every moment I glare at them. I know Fluttershy wouldn't approve of such a thing, but she...
It's funny really. What we call the event. The Arrival. Has a nice sound to it right? The Arrival.
Even after all we had done, they managed to roll right in and take us by surprise. The losses Equestria has endured. Too many ponies have lost their lives. Rarity herself said that we should have seen the signs. After it happened, she said that we should have seen it coming. I never gave it much thought until now. She was right. Southern Equestria claimed they were seeing things. But to us, that's all they were. Claims. No investigations to figure out what it was. They just yelled real loudly and waited for someone to come over to see what the noise was about, but much to their dismay, that someone never came.
The worst part?
Somepony warned us outright. Came straight to the Royal Court and told the Princesses about what she say. And we just dismissed it. Let them take us over. The pony who warned us? None other than the Great and Powerful Trixie herself. I'll never understand how she figured out what they were doing, or how they managed to attack Manehattan first, but I just know one thing: We should have listened. We should have cared.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Twilight wasn't sure whether or not to wake up. It had been the only time she's had a blissful sleep ever since The Arrival and she wanted to see it through.
Twilight was sitting in the Ponyville town square, Fluttershy smiling at the sight of the nature and animals that surrounded them. She took in everything around her. All the birds, all the trees and all of the ponies who roamed the streets. Rarity sat on a bench beside them, Sweetie Belle right beside her, the two spending quality time together, as was Applejack and Applebloom. Rainbow Dash flew with Scootaloo in her hooves. The familiar blue sky was such a pristine and nostalgic image, as was the rest of the town of Ponyville. The town that Twilight had known as her home ever since defeating Nightmare Moon. The familiar faces of the ponies that she used to see on a regular basis were covered with gleeful smiles, like nothing bad was happening.
Which was the exact problem Twilight was having. Nobody was acknowledging what was happening. It was as if she was back at a time before The Arrival. Everyone was so... normal. Ponies just trotted by without a look of fear or anxiety. For the first time in a long time, a smile began to creep onto Twilight's face.
"Twilight Sparkle!" The voice of Trixie shattered the beautiful visage that was Twilight's dream. "Wake up already!"
"I'm up!" Twilight yelled back, agitation apparent in her voice. Twilight looked around the room, and much to her dismay, she was awake from her dream and back in reality. She glanced towards the window instantly regretted doing so. She blinked numerously before rising from the stained mattress. Twilight's head was pounding, rubbing her head as she stood beside Trixie, who offered her hoof to help, only to have it swatted away. She felt the bandage on her forehead, making sure it was able to keep itself stuck over the cut. Then she felt the one on her hoof for the same reason. She took a step forward and was instantly met with a sharp pain deep in her head.
For days Twilight has dealt with her troublesome head. She'd walk around with Trixie and eventually find herself getting ready to sleep in some safe house they'd found with no recollection of where she was and how she got there. Other times they'd have to cut their journey short because fatigue had overtaken Twilight's body. Then there were times when her head would just get the urge to explode.
Trixie tried her best to help in whatever way she could. She managed to do a spell that temporarily relived Twilight of her throbbing head pains, though it transmitted Twilight's pains to herself. Other times, she'd help carry Twilight through the ruins of what used to be Equestria.
"Twilight, are you alright?" Trixie asked, helping Twilight stand on all fours.
"Do I..." Twilight groaned, gritting her teeth and winced as she continued taking steps with Trixie's assistance. "...look alright?"
"Well...." Trixie paused. "No. Please Twilight, I'm doing the best I can to help you."
Twilight grunted in response. It was all she could do at the moment. She set herself back down and reached into her bags, digging for something to rid her of the pain other than Trixie's magic. Hopefully by the end of the day they'd reach a hospital of some kind. Not that there'd be anypony willing to treat her, but there may be some supplies they'd be able to take. If there wasn't anything preventing them from doing so.
After digging in her bag and finding nothing of use, Twilight let out a sigh of a mix of frustration and pain. Again, Trixie assisted her in standing, this time, with little difficulty. The pain in her head was still lingering, though not as intense as before.
Moving aside the dresser that was the barricade from the door, Trixie leaned Twilight against the wall as she peered her head out the door and made quick glances left and right before returning to aiding the ill-tempered Twilight down the sun glowed halls. A massive rip in the wall was the source of light, the sunlight peering inside from the shaking rift in the wall at the end of the hall. Though they weren't all that high up in the complex, Twilight and Trixie were able to see the towering buildings of Manehattan through the crack. It was amazing to know that the city was once full of ponies, but now, even the largest tower in the center of the city, nature had reclaimed her ancient land.
Both mares glanced at the elevator wishing that it was operational. Trixie regretfully walked past the rusting doors of the elevator and opened the rusty door to the stair case. Twilight took a step down her first step and went down another, Trixie not leaving her side as she struggled down the steps. They moved down the five floors at a sluggish pace, silence between the two of them other than Twilight's pained grunts as she took her steps.
As the two reached the last of the steps, Twilight's condition gradually became better; her throbbing head slowly enabled her to walk on her own and not rely on Trixie. The darkness of the main hallway sent chills down Twilight's spine. The last time they had entered, the lights were miraculously still on. Clothes were strewn around the ground, broken items thrown in the mix as well as random jewelry sparkling on the stained floor. A light at the end of the hall marked the main entrance, along with the mural of Equestria that they'd passed when they entered.
Twilight stopped to take in the masterful painting. Trees with their leaves stood tall and proud housing animals of all kinds, while ponies roamed in their towns in the distance, the ponies in the left side of the mural all separated where the ponies in the middle and right were standing together, erecting monuments and cities. The mountains in the distance beyond the town housed Canterlot, the capital of Equestria. The two Regal Sisters stood overhead watching their kingdom evolve from a divided people to a united nation under their rule.
"Twilight." Trixie placed a gentle hoof on the lavender mare's back. "We need to start moving."
"Right." Twilight took a final glance back at the mural before leaving the complex's lobby.
*** *** ***
Deep within the crumbling city of Manehattan, Twilight and Trixie wandered, hoping for a way to exit the city without any further complications. The skyscrapers created by ponies from long ago crumbled and were consumed by patches of algae and rapidly growing vines. Shattered buildings and leaning towers made up the once great metropolis, creating a maze that the two mares had to navigate. If all had gone according to plan, the two would have been camping just off of the bridge, ready to make a vigorous journey to Canterlot.
But Twilight made a mistake. She regretted making it, and it cost her. Dearly. Now she walked around with a severe head injury and was without one of her most beloved friends. It was also a mistake that kept her from leaving the city for months. Or what had felt like months. Sometimes she wished that she never woke up from that dream earlier. Masking her pain in the happiness that was her dream of her friends and how things used to be was better than living in this hell. Now ponies didn't roam the streets, and somehow Twilight was in the epicenter of one of the biggest disasters in Equestria.
Twilight tripped over an overgrown vine and slammed her head against a decaying wagon. Or so she thought. Luckily for her Trixie softened the impact, but still caused her head to begin pounding again. Her breathing came in short random bursts and her mind was in a state of disarray. Random thoughts jumbled together, memories scattered themselves, and Trixie trying to help straighten her out made Twilight dizzy again.
"Are you alright?" Trixie asked, her horn glowing ready to heal her struggling friend. "Do you need to rest?"
"I'm..." Twilight grunted, stepping forward, trying to ignore the pain. "Oh sweet Celestia I could go for another one of your spells about now!"
Twilight sat in the middle of the road, leaning herself against a wagon awaiting Trixie's mental link. She wasn't sure how the former show-mare had managed to learn a spell that could transfer some of the pain from one pony to the caster, or why she would need it in the first place, but Twilight was in no position to question it now. All she had to do was sit still and wait for the spell to kick in.
Trixie's horn flared with energy, against Twilight's. It had, almost instantaneously, taken effect on the lavender mare. Her head's pounding slowly degrading, but causing Trixie to groan in pain and shut her eyes, rubbing her head. Twilight felt guilty for having Trixie go through such great lengths to ease the pain for Twilight; a pony that she used to care so little about. Under the circumstances, the two needed to be friends and make sure that they both got out of the city alive. Like it or not, they relied on each other for survival.
"I'm so sorry." Twilight said regretfully. "I must've...must've zoned out again."
"Please it's..." Trixie stammered, her horn flaring and shooting an arcane bolt on the ground. The impact was loud enough to disturb the local wildlife, but not enough to echo through the streets. "It's not your fault Sparkle."
Trixie stood up, almost stumbling over. "Just be careful where you step. I'd rather not have to do that again for a little while."
"Noted." Twilight glanced down the road, massive vines and decrepit wagons populating it. "How much longer until we reach the hospital?"
The azure unicorn panted before answering. "It shouldn't be very far. If my memory is right, then it should be just a few more blocks down and around a corner. In fact I think I can see the hospital's roof." She pointed a hoof at a thick glass strut jutting out of the wall of concrete buildings. Amazingly, it looked intact even after The Arrival. "Do you think you can make it there?"
"I think we can. If anything, we can camp inside tonight and search through it tomorrow if any more problems ensue." Twilight reached into her bag and pulled out an empty pill bottle. "I need more of these pills, and we need more medicine. We can't risk getting sick at a time like this. Not until we leave the city."
"Agreed."
Twilight and Trixie continued down the road. As they entered the shadows cast by the towers, they took a more stealthy approach to their journey. Crouching behind old wagons and checking their surroundings extensively. Silence rang in their ears as they stayed close together; almost like the silence itself was the real threat that they couldn't see. Every sound made, be it by animal or by an unseen pony, put the two mares on edge; their horns glowing with energy and their mental state reaching peak paranoia.
It had taken them longer to get through the two city blocks than they'd like. Both constantly looking over their shoulders making sure they weren't being followed by anything or anyone and sticking to cover had hindered their process significantly. Also, they managed to search through old storage wagons for food and other valuables. The abandoned structures around them didn't do anything more than add to their ever increasing paranoia. Twilight frowned when she came across a chest full of sharp knives and glass with razor sharp edges that was supposed to drop open when somebody tripped over the wire. Just the sight of it made her sick; knowing that somebody could have been killed for no reason at all by this hideous tool. It was an unfinished trap--not able to be suspended properly--and if that was there, then the possibility of others in the area were moderate.
Trixie hugged the wall of an abandon office building, Twilight taking cover right behind her. She peeked her head out and gestured for Twilight to follow like they were in some kind of covert military operation. The sun began to reveal itself again, this time at a lower position that before. They rushed down the street, trying to avoid direct sunlight, sticking to the shadows and using the dilapidated wagons as cover. They approached with caution, until they reached the glass doors of the hospital titled 'Celestia's Hope Hospital'.
Silver pillars supported the weight of the floors above in the lobby. It was amazing how the skinny columns managed to support everything. The reception desk was full of papers, the chairs behind it even stacked with papers. Behind the desk were two sets of stairs that led to a section of the hospital unknown to Twilight. It amazed Twilight how empty the hospital was (in terms of ponies), especially at this time. There were stretchers on the ground and operating tables thrown and dented. What Twilight would assumed to have been tents for refugees that managed to survive the first initial invasion were toppled over.
"By Celestia..." Twilight let the words escape. "How many ponies did they take?"
To the left of the tents were double doors, sealed with wood and barricaded by whatever the ponies could find. Twilight wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she was sure there was a dripping noise and what was potentially coming from the other side of those doors. Whatever was through them, Twilight wanted nothing to do with.
Trixie led Twilight cautiously up the steps, carrying a stretcher with her as she did so. She propped it up against the railings at the top of the steps, calling it a way point. Beyond the double doors was a dimly lit hallway. What the cause for the illumination was was nowhere in sight, but Twilight wagered it to be a candle hidden from sight. Trixie entered first, a blast of energy leaving her horn to draw out whatever was inside. If there was anything inside.
Both mares entered with extreme caution, Trixie leading the way to a room that could keep them safe for the night.
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7: 14 P.M. (According to the only functional clock)
Daily log 105
Dear Princ
Trixie and I managed to huddle up in the staff lounge. As much as I like it in here, a two of the walls were replaced by windows, though we tried to block them off with spare stretchers and the refrigerator, for whatever good that did. The door is currently blocked off by a folding table and a couple of chairs. Not the best defense we made so far, but it was enough for now. I have a feeling that we're going to be stuck in this place for a little longer than we'd like.
When we first entered this place, I wasn't sure what to think. Should I have been sad? Sad because so many ponies came here looking for sanctuary against the threats of invasion? Should I have been angry? Angry because my friends and I could do nothing to prevent this from happening? What was I supposed to feel? When I saw all those tents in place, it was just a saddening sight. Images flashed in my head of those who had previously inhabited the tents, all being treated by panicking doctors and nurses. When Trixie left to look for any spare supplies in the tents and gather more objects for a window blockade, she brought me an old notebook from a filly who was taken here by a stranger. I was hesitant to read most of it, fearing I'd let my emotions take over. I'd rather not get any more tear drops in this journal of mine.
The first few pages of the filly's diary--a child named Blindfold--were just recounts of things that happened in school. Typical things, like the colt she liked and who was the prettiest filly in the class. Then as I progressed, she was separated from her parents during the confusion of The Arrival. A stranger just picked her up and took her here in the Celestia's Hope Hospital. She was taken away from her own parents in hopes that she'd be safe here. Instead, she and the rest of the ponies in here were taken.
I wish that Pinkie Pie were here to alleviate all the stress I have. I hate to admit that she could be aggravating sometimes, but she had a way of getting you to smile no matter what the situation was. I could really use somepony like that now. I look around and try to remind myself that no matter how bleak things seem, it's not all that bad. But I know that I'd be lying to myself.
9:45 P.M.
Trixie fell asleep not too long ago. Ever since then, I've had this sneaking suspicion that something is watching me, but I don't know what. I lit several candles around the room, two of which are beside me now as I write in here. Something is in here. Whatever it is, can't be good. Those double doors when we entered, by the tents in the lobby, gave me a bad feeling about this place. If one of those monsters are in here, I will make it regret ever setting foot in this place of healing.
Gosh I'm starting to sound a lot like Rainbow Dash. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not though. Last I saw Rainbow, she was setting off for Cloudsdale, just to make sure the ponies there got out safely. I couldn't blame her for leaving. It was her home after all. But that was the last I saw her, and since then I worry that she's ended up like....
It's getting late. I think I'm just going to cut this short for now. I want to be awake bright and early tomorrow to find something to help with my head problems. Hopefully I could find a book that explains what my problem is exactly. Funny. The old me just came out again; eager to find a new book and learn something new. I wish most of what I learned in those books could be applied to our situation now. Not that I haven't used some of my knowledge to help us survive. I just wish everything could be applied.
10:14 P.M.
Boy, it sure is hard trying to sleep with a ton of things on your mind. I had another dream about the way things were. Though, I think this one was some kind of premonition. I remember it clear as day.
I was in the town square back home again. Rainbow Dash sitting beside me instead of Fluttershy. Rarity had a hoof placed on Sweetie Belle, who forced a weak smile. Applejack was with Pinkie Pie, crying into her mane. Fluttershy was gone. Nowhere in sight. As was Applebloom. The two were gone. Then Rainbow Dash just looked at me, tears in her eyes and said "It's okay."
Then I woke up. Does that dream mean anything? I think this journal is actually getting some better use for a change.
Your faithful student
(Stop writing this at the end of every log Twilight!)
