Twilight's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Magic

Seven years have now passed! Mares' screams echo into the night! It was this year where Canterlot would be terrorized by an unknown serial killer only known as "Cobalt the Ripper"! But this year of terror did not belong to Cobalt alone. No, for this is also the year where the rivalry between Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer would be rekindled!

***

It was another cloudy day down in Canterlot, but that didn't stop a crowd of people from enjoying the show being played. Down at Canterlot Academy, a magic show was being shown to the good ponies of Ponyville. Two of the participants of said magic show just happened to be Twilight and Sunset.

"And wow! Look at that folks!" the announcer exclaimed. "Twilight Sparkle, One of Princess Celestia's star pupils pulls off a fantastic levitation spell!" The audience stared in awe at Twilight as she moved objects around the air in a hypnotic motion. Meanwhile, Sunset stood beside her, amazing the audience with magical fireworks and streamers. The other unicorns from the academy couldn't possibly match what spectacles these two were doing.

"Well, there's no doubt about it. Twilight and Sunset, the star students of Canterlot Academy, have got this competition in the bag!" The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves with thunderous applause. Twilight and Sunset both looked at each other, smiling.

As the competition ended, several ponies were gathered around the two unicorns with cameras and paper, hoping to get interviews. "Fillies and Gentlecolts, Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer are your new champions!" The announcer exclaimed. "Sunset Shimmer will soon graduate Canterlot Academy with a degree in Equestrian law, while Twilight will graduate with a degree in the magical arts!"

Twilight turned towards Sunset. "We did it, Sunset. We've won! Your spells were amazing!"

Sunset chuckled. "We sure did, Twilight. But your spells were what really drove it home."

"We should go tell Princess Celestia. She'll be happy to hear that we've won!"

Twilight ran off with excitement as Sunset stayed behind. "You go on ahead," she said. "But don't tell Mother without me!"

Twilight stopped and looked back at Sunset, this time not with a smile, but with suspicion. 'Mother?' she thought. 'Now that I think about it, when was the last time Sunset called her Miss Celestia? We've been such great friends for seven years, but I still can't help but think that it's all just an act. Especially after everything that she's done to me.'

Meanwhile, Sunset was talking with some interviewers that were surrounding her. "Miss Shimmer, tell us! Explain your friendship with Miss Sparkle these past few years!"

"Oh, all right, since you've talked me into it..." While Sunset answered the reporters questions, she looked back at Twilight, who was still galloping off. 'Friendship?' she thought. 'Don't make me laugh. The more I put up this facade with her, the more I want to puke. But, no matter. Soon, I'll inherit Celestia's fortune and throne. I'll never have to see Sparkle's pathetic little face again.'

***

Snow fell as Twilight and Sunset both arrived back at the all too familiar estate. They entered Celestia's room and found her laying on her bed. Her rainbow mane had faded over the past few years and she had wrinkles under eyes, albeit they were barely noticable. She coughed as she greeted the two.

"Mother, how are you feeling?" Sunset asked.

"I'm fine, Sunset. However, this cough of mine won't seem to end. A little while ago, the doctor recommended that I admit myself into the hospital," replied Celestia as she coughed again.

"A hospital?" Sunset said. "Mother, if I may speak freely, I believe that hospitals would only delay the inevitable. We've got the best doctors here taking the utmost care of you."

"I suppose you're right, Sunset. The pain in my chest has seemed to gone away for now. And I already declined the offer anyway."

Twilight, however, was standing beside Sunset, watching as they talked. 'Wait a minute, I thought Celestia was only diagnosed with the common cold. Why was her chest affected as well?'

"Oh, by the way," Celestia spoke up again. "Congratulations on your victory, you two."

Twilight and Sunset both took a step back in shock. "Wait, you knew?" Twilight asked.

Celestia nodded. "One of the guards came and told me."

"But, we galloped as fast as we could to get here!" Sunset said. "How dare they come and spoil our surprise for you." For a minute or two, they all shared a laugh.

"It's alright, you two, it's fine." She said, chuckling. "I'm proud of you two, I really am." She coughed again. "I heard about how you two worked well together. When you two graduate, feel free to pursue whatever you want. If you need any monetary assistance, you just come and ask me and I'll take care of it."

Sunset smiled, a hidden glare in her eyes. "I am utterly indebted to you for my upbringing, among other things," she said. "I shall not disappoint you." Twilight simply stared at her, her suspicions growing.

***

During the evening, Twilight lit a candle and sat at her desk with the amulet in front of her. She opened up her books that detailed her findings and got some ink and a quill ready in case she would discover something new. She levitated a knife up and lightly pricked her front hoof with it. A drop of blood seeped out of her hoof. She let it drip on the amulet and then wiped her hoof with a handkerchief. The amulet shook as spikes shot out from the edges, just like last time. She levitated the quill and wrote down on a blank page in one of her books.

Throughout the course of studying this amulet so far, it would seem that I am the only one who is aware how to activate it. What still puzzles me is what it was used for. Was it used as a torture device by our ancestors? Are there more of these? I must delve deeper into this amulet's history.

Twilight went down into the library and got up on the ladder, running her hoof along the numerous books on the shelf. As soon as she spotted the book on the beginnings of Equestria, she used her magic to carefully pull the book from the shelf. However, as it was pulled out, a box fell out as well. She caught the box before it managed to make a sound and wake up Celestia, who was sleeping soundly in her room. She got down from the ladder and was about to put it back until she decided to examine it. As she opened, she noticed a envelope inside that was addressed to Princess Celestia. "What's this?" she whispered to herself. She flipped over the envelope to find who the sender was.

"Wait a minute." She squinted as she brought the candle over for a better look. "Dawning Shimmer? That's...that's Sunset's father!" She opened the envelope and began to read it.

Meanwhile, in the main hall, Sunset approached a royal guard who was holding the tray that carried Celestia's medicine and a glass of water. "Here, let me take that." Sunset took the tray from one of the royal guards.

"Oh, thank you, Lady Sunset," the old guard said. "I'm afraid these old hooves can't climb those stairs like they used to."

"It's quite alright. I'll see you in the morning." Sunset climbed up the stairs while she levitated the tray. As soon as she got up, she looked around to make sure nobody was near. She directed her attention back to the tray. The medicine was wrapped around in a tiny slip of paper. She took it and replaced it with what looked exactly the same.

Meanwhile, Twilight had finished reading the letter with a look of worry upon her face. "No...No, this can't be right." A most terrifying thought had occured to her just now. "Sunset...Sunset is..." She got out into the main hall, holding the letter up with her magic, and ran up to the guard who was almost heading out. "Hey, where did Sunset go?"

"Oh, She just went up the stairs with Celestia's medicine," replied the guard.

Twilight had no time to make second guesses. She galloped post haste and teleported up the stairs.

Sunset had just managed to get up and began heading into the direction when Twilight suddenly appeared in front of her. "Sunset!" She yelled. "Where is the original perscription?"

Sunset kept walking, as she got closer to Twilight. "Why, it's on this tray here," she answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Tell me. Do you always take Celestia's medicine up to her, instead of the usual guard?"

"Well, yes. As a matter of fact, I do," Sunset said with a sly look upon her face. "He's gotten very old and frail now that he can't possibly climb up the stairs without dropping the tray. Why are you asking such questions, Twilight?"

"I just recently came across the letter your father wrote to the princess." She levitated the letter in front of her and Sunset. "It says this: Dear Princess Celestia. I have become ill and will die within the next few days. My chest hurts, my hooves swell and I cough without end." Twilight threw the letter down on the ground. "These are the exact same symptoms Celestia has right now! Explain, Sunset!"

"Twilight, I assure you, there is nothing to worry or be suspicious about."

"Well, then. If that's the case..." She trotted up to the tray at a fast pace. "You won't mind if I examine the medicine on that tray, will you?"

Sunset came between the medicine and stopped Twilight in her tracks not with magic, but with her hoof. "Twilight," she said. "If you examine that medicine, that would mean you doubt our friendship. If you doubt me, then we can not be friends!" Sunset shot Twilight with the most menacing glare, causing Twilight to avert her eyes. But, this was no time to show fear. Twilight had to prove that she had gotten stronger than Sunset since seven years ago. "Twilight," Sunset said again. "Put the prescription back on the tray."

Twilight pushed Sunset's hoof away as she glared right back at Sunset. "Then, swear to me, Sunset."

"W-What?" Sunset asked.

"Swear your innocence...on your father's honor!" Twilight knew she had flipped the tables as she saw Sunset's reaction. Sunset took a step back as Twilight grabbed hold of the medicine with her magic. "If you do that, then it'll be enough evidence for me and I'll forget this ever happened." Twilight knew that Sunset wouldn't stoop so low

A bit of sweat trickled down Sunset's face. Her breath grew heavy. "A-A word on m-my father's honor, is that it?" She began to slip with her words. "F-F-Fine, Th-Then I-I..." Every thought, every memory about Sunset's father came rushing back to her causing her anger to grow. Her heart raced as her pupils shrank. She tried her best not to let her anger get the better of her but it wasn't doing so well. "I-I-I...refuse! You know nothing, Twilight Sparkle! That filthy degenerate never had an ounce of honor upon him!" She screamed. She shot a bolt of magic at Twilight's face, but was blocked by a small force field. Later, it evaporated as Sunset took a step back.

"Then, if that's the case..." Twilight continued. "Then I'm convinced that you are the culprit! Now, I may not know of your relationship with your father, but I do know that you are his murderer!" Before Sunset could shoot Twilight again, she couter-attacked by levitating her off the ground. "I will protect Celestia and the Equestrian kingdom from the likes of you, Sunset!" With that, she threw Sunset over the guardrail, causing her to hit the ground hard.

Sunset got back up, coughing up blood. "Twilight, you will pay for this..."

"Don't even try it, Sunset!" yelled Twilight. "Your scheme is clear to me now. I won't let you approach the princess while you spout of an imaginary friendship between us. I'll have this poison analyzed and see that you are sent to the dungeons!"

Sunset got back up to her hooves and limped on out of the room. 'Curse her!' she thought to herself. She entered the hallway to Twilight's room. 'And to think that I was so close to achieving my goal!' She opened the door and closed it behind her. 'No matter. This time, there is no turning back!' She opened up the desk to find the amulet laying there. 'I'll finally rid myself of her once and for all! If I'm right, she'll head into Canterlot to search for an antidote. That'll take her three days, at least.'

She opened Twilight's books and examined them thoroughly. 'A few years ago, my blood activated something within this mask. Twilight thinks she's the only one that noticed, but she doesn't know that I am aware of what it can do as well. If I'm smart enough, I can make it look like an experimental accident. The authorities won't even suspect my hand in her death! It'll be foolproof!' She smirked as she stared at the amulet.

'Twilight, your research will be your undoing!'

***

Twilight stood in Celestia's room with four other guards. Celestia still laid on her bed, coughing. Twilight couldn't help but feel nothing but anger to find that Sunset was the reason behind her sickness. She cleared her throat. "Miss Celestia, I'll be heading into Canterlot for a few days. Until I come back, please let no one enter your room except for these doctors."

"But, Lady Sparkle!" one of the guards cried out. "Do you not trust our services anymore?"

"Relax. It was nothing that you've done," Celestia said. "I may not know what your reasons may be, Twilight, but you have my trust."

Twilight was about to turn towards the door, but turned around and gave a hug to Celestia. "Thank you, Miss Celestia." Celestia smiled and hugged Twilight back.

"Come back safely, Twilight."

Twilight began to head out the door. "I will, Miss Celestia."

Sunset watched from the window as Twilight's carriage left the estate. She smirked once more as she put the amulet in her saddlebag and wrapped her scarf around her neck.

***

Twilight rode the carriage into Canterlot. She sat there thinking, worried for Celestia's safety, and what Sunset might plan next. She had noticed that her symptoms had worsened, so time was of the essence. She needed to find the source of where this poison had came from and fast. 'I couldn't trace the poison's ingredients, especially from the labratory at the university. That could only mean that this poison could only come from one place...'

The carriage came to a halt as Twilight opened the door and stepped into the snowy ground. She wore a scarf and a coat to keep her warm enough to survive the cold. The driver looked around and grew worried. "Madame, I think this is Manticore Street. It's highly dangerous here! There are criminals and-"

"I am highly aware of the dangers that lurk here," Twilight interrupted. "But, the person I am seeking lives somewhere around here. You may leave if you wish."

The driver bowed his head as he drove the carriage out of town. Twilight turned towards the alley and started her walk. 'Sunset lived in this area,' she thought. '...and the only place to find items such as this poison can only be found in Manticore Street. If I find the seller of this item, it'll be enough to put an end to Sunset's scheme.'

Twilight continued walking down the alley until she reached a dead end. She sighed and turned back around. "Hmm, nothing here," she uttered to herself. Suddenly, snow rustled behind her. She turned and saw a cat pop out from under the snow as it ran by her, holding a small pup between its teeth. "Was that cat...eating a puppy?!"

She turned and saw two ponies and one small dragon standing in her way. The two ponies held knives between their teeth while the dragon wore nothing but a bowler hat and a scar that ran diagonally down his left cheek. "Hehehe..." one of the ponies cackled, "Looks like we've got a lost one here, Spike! What'll we do with her?"

"Yep, this is Manticore Street, alright," Twilight muttered to herself. "I see three foul manticores already..."

"Hmm," the dragon pondered, putting his hand on his chin. "Her skin might fetch a high price if we tan it into a hide."

"Oh, yes," the other pony said. "That sounds like a great plan!"

"Well, what are you two waiting for, then?" The dragon yelled. "Get her!" The ponies screamed as they ran toward Twilight. The purple unicorn took a defensive stance as they got closer and closer with the knives in their mouths. She managed to dodge the two gracefully before zapping them with her magic, causing them to get knocked out.

"Now, tell me! Where can I find an oriental apothecary?" Twilight interrogated.

"I don't care what you're looking for! You've got a lot of guts for knocking out my friends like that!" The dragon yelled. The tips of his hat suddenly turned into sharp, round blades. He then started to run as Twilight got back into her stance. "I'll turn you into mince meat, you foolish unicorn!"

"Throw whatever weapon you've got! I'll overcome any obstacle that comes in my way!" Twilight yelled.

The dragon laughed. "Then you better mean what you say!" He said, as he threw his hat at Twilight.

The unicorn used her quick thinking and flung a knife at the hat with her magic. While it didn't completely stop the hat, it still deviated a bit from its original target. It spun at a viscous speed as it flew towards her. She brought her hooves up which caused the hat to cut into them, but not deep enough to cause severe injury.

The dragon just kept on laughing. "Oh! I think I heard a bit of bone there! I might have not hit your head like I wanted to since you swung that knife at my hat, but I still managed to cause a lot of damage to your hooves!" His laughter ceased abruptly as he saw Twilight galloping right towards him. Before he knew it, Twilight zapped the dragon causing him to fall to the ground. 'What a hit!' he thought. 'It's as if she didn't really care if she lost her life here! Maybe going after this unicorn wasn't such a hot idea...'

Twilight took a few seconds to catch her breath and get the bladed hat out of her hooves. She looked around to notice that more viscous ponies had surrounded her. She got back into her stance.

***

Sunset Shimmer got her coat on as she got ready to head out the door. Just then, Twilight's driver had entered the estate. "Lady Sunset!" The stallion cried. "Twilight's gone mad!"

Sunset simply raised her eyebrow at the driver. "Hmm? How so?"

"She's gone into Manticore Street!"

"What?" she asked. "Alone?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Very well. Keep this to yourself. And especially from Princess Celestia!"

"But, why, m'lady?"

"Well, we wouldn't want to worry dear old Celestia, now would we?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

The driver then headed down to the kitchen for a drink as Sunset simply smirked. 'So, she's headed down into Manticore Street, eh? This'll be easier than I had originally thought! If I'm lucky, Twilight's already a dead mare!'

***

The ponies approached Twilight closer and closer. Twilight prepared herself, but deep down she felt as though this was acutally the end of his journey.

Suddenly, a voice cried out. "STOP!" The dragon reached his hand out as he laid on the snow. "I, Spike, won't let anypony hurt this unicorn!" Twilight was left a bit confused by all this. 'First he wants to kill me, now he wants me alive? she thought.

"Tell me! Why didn't you use your full strength? There was something about that bolt you shot at me. Something that told me you could have done a lot more damage to me! Why?"

"Because I ventured here for the sake of my teacher, who is like a mother to me. When I fought you three, I couldn't help but think of your own families. That is why I withheld myself." She answered truthfully.

Spike gave a faint smile. "I see..." he looked around and found the other two ponies only bruised. He got up on his own two feet and walked towards the unicorn. "So, tell me. What's your name?" he asked.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle."

"Twilight Sparkle, eh? That's a silly name..." he got his hat off the ground and put it back on his spike-y head. All of the other ponies had began to disperse. "So, you're looking for a...what did you call it?"

"I'm looking for an antidote to this poison that was found at an oriental apothecary," she answered.

"Okay...I have no idea what that is, but there's a drugstore if you go down this road and take a left."

Twilight simply giggled at Spike's inability to use a larger vocabulary. "I will." She began to walk once more until she was stopped by Spike once again.

"But, be careful! He's a sneaky merchant!" Spike warned. Twilight nodded and continued on her way.

***

Back at the estate, the doctor sat by Celestia's bed as he checked her heartbeat. He took a look at his watch and out the window. "Hmm," he spoke. "It's been three days, already. Lady Twilight should have been back by now."

"Have no fear. She shall return once her business is finished," said Celestia.

The doctor chuckled. "I must say, she may have not been like Lady Sunset back then, but she has grown up to be quite the mare."

"Agreed," Celestia replied. "Although, now that I look back on it, I feel as though maybe I was a bit too strict on her than Sunset."

***

Back at Canterlot, Sunset Shimmer explored an abandoned paved street, lit by only a few streetlights. She took another swig of cider as she drunkenly walked down the street. She cursed herself everytime she drank for it only reminded her more of her drunken, pathetic father. "Three days. Three days!" She spoke to herself. "Twilight's been gone for three days. She better be dead!"

She continued walking as she bumped into two passing stallions. "Hey, watch where you're going, you stupid drunk filly!" one of the ponies yelled. He was rather portly and had a stubby goatee on his chin. "Hey, did that little punk get cider on my coat? Oh, she better pray she didn't!"

"Oh, shut up!" Sunset yelled as she used her magic to throw the cider bottle into the portly pony's face. Shards of glass were stuck to his cheek as he writhed in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! That rotten little mare! Oh, Celestia! It hurts!" He screamed.

The other pony, whom was rather skinny as opposed to the chubby one, pulled out a knife with his teeth. "Oh, you're gonna pay for hurting my friend, you drunkard!"

Sunset smirked. "Hmm, so the swine so akin to the kind like my father thinks he can take out a noble mare like me? Very well, then..." She used her magic to pull out the amulet from her saddlebag. "I'll make you endure this before Twilight does!" As the pony charged at her with his knife, she dodged swiftly as she managed to get the amulet on the pony's neck. "You shall be my little guinea pig for this experiment!"

She took the knife from out the pony's mouth and charged at the chubby stallion with his friend. She then stabbed him in the neck causing his blood to spill all over the amulet. Suddenly, the amulet's spikes attached to the pony's neck as he screamed into the night. But then, a flash of extremely bright light shot out of the amulet.

"Wh-What is this?!" Sunset screamed as she covered her eyes with her hoof. "What in Equestria is happening?!" Then, just as soon as it appeared, the light was gone and the pony fell to the ground. Sunset cautiously let down her hoof as she looked at the body and was left disappointed she looked up to him and took the amulet away after the spikes retracted. "Was that the light?" she asked herself. "Or was it just the cider?"

Sunset kicked the pony with her hoof and sighed. "He's dead. What a waste of time," she uttered. "This amulet is just some stupid torture device."

But before she could walk away, however, she heard moaning coming from behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks as she felt a presence creeping up from behind. She turned her head slowly. The pony's eyes and mouth shot open to reveal shrunken pupils and fangs. She pushed herself away from the newly created monster and used her magic to grab hold of the knife from the dead pony's neck.

She stuck the knife out as it stabbed the pony's hoof, but it wasn't enough. He punched with his free hoof and sent her flying, causing her to hit the guardrail that protected civilians from falling into the river below. She winced in pain, as she noticed her collarbone was broken. She crawled as fast as she could, trying desperately to get to the river and swim away. But, the pony already managed to catch up to her. He stood above her, letting out a rotten hiss. "Blood...Blood! Give me blood!" He screamed.

He took his hoof and grafted it onto Sunset's neck. Her veins popped out as she felt her blood getting sucked out and being pulled into his body. His face became more cleaner and cleaner than before. Fear had gripped hold on Sunset as she screamed. The pony just kept on laughing.

Meanwhile, the sun began to rise on Canterlot. They both looked in its direction. "No, no, no!" the stallion screamed. "I don't want the last thing I see to be that blasted sunlight!" Light shined on both Sunset and the stallion. She could feel his grip loosening on her neck. She opened her eyes to see him covering his face from the sun. He screamed at the top of his lungs as he evaporated into dust. Sunset tried her best to catch her breath from her near death experience as she tried to get back up. She took the amulet out and gave it another look. "Is this...the true nature of the amulet?"

***

Despite a broken collarbone and a minor flesh wound, Sunset managed to make it back to the estate. But, as soon as she opened the door, she had noticed that all the lights were out. She closed the door behind her and tried to look around the best she could, but to no use. It was completely pitch black.

"Guards? Why are all the lights out?" she called out.

Just then, she heard a match being lit. A set of candles suddenly brought a tiny bit of light to the main hall. Sunset managed to see a face from the amount of light given.

"Twilight?!" she blurted out.

"I have you now, Sunset," Twilight said. "I finally have full evidence of your fiendish plot!"