Ponyville: Train Station

The train from Canterlot made its stop at Ponyville, depositing tourists, visitors, and other travelers alike. It also dropped off five platoons of Royal Guards to hunt Lynchinus, but little to their knowledge, their prize was three cars ahead of them the entire time.

Two notable ponies stepped off the train: A hooded pony who wore a cloak despite the time of year, and a horned thestral. Neither garnered much attention, and neither of them noticed each other, but they had similar goals in mind. . .

Ponyville: Library

Twilight Sparkle had just finished reading The Legend of the Midnight Prince and closed her notebook, when she heard somepony behind her. She turned to Celestia approaching her "Hello Twilight, how is life in Ponyville?"

"J-just fine, princess"

"Good, good. Do you know why I'm here?"

That's strange Twilight thought to herself She didn't correct me for calling her princess. . . Something's off

"Is it about the recent Aetherial disturbance?" Twilight said as she looked Celestia up and down for any differences.

"Yes, yes it is. . . I'd like to know if anypony showed up out of nowhere after the disturbance. . ."

Twilight had found two flaws in this 'Celestia', her eyes were a golden color, and her horn seemed a bit too sharp "Listen princess, I'd love to tell you. . .But. . ." Twilight kicked her chair at the impostor "I think you're a changeling today!" The impostor dodged the chair and the disguise fell away, revealing somepony wearing a cloak. "Caught you, Chrysalis! No sudden movements!"

The impostor started laughing, Twilight noted from the tone that the impostor was male "You compare me to a two-bit changeling queen? That's rich, especially coming from you Miss Sparkle!" he shouted as he raised his machine pistol and started firing.

Twilight ran on a nearby wall to avoid the barrage of fire and used it as a springboard to launcher herself at the impostor. He sidestepped. Twilight smirked and kicked a nearby desk at him. The impostor cast a strange spell that cut the desk in half, sending paper flying everywhere.

The paper settled, and Twilight saw the intruder. He looked like a strange crystal pony with a unicorn horn, but what was even stranger to her were his forehooves, or lack thereof. He decided it was time to introduce himself "I'm Lynchinus, former student and assassin under Celestia. I see she isn't a slouch in teaching her new students how to fight"

"If you're a former student of Celestia, why are you here?"

"You and your friends killed somepony close to me, that I never got to know. Terrible isn't it Ms. Sparkle?"

"What do you mean? How could that pony be close to you if you never knew them?"

"Yes. . .I guess you're right, but that still makes you a murderer!" Lynchinus raised his machine pistol and continued firing at Twilight. She cast a barrier between her and the bullets.

I have to figure out who he's talking about, there's no way that my friends and I killed anypony. . .Unless he means. . No Twilight, that can't be right! That monster doesn't have any children! Twilight noticed Lynchinus reaching for a strange weapon strapped to his side. Why is he reaching for another gun? His machine gun bullets are just ricocheting off my shield! Lynchinus leveled the other gun at Twilight. It was single shot, and looked rather large for a Griffon's hunting pistol. Twilight noted the lettering and Celestia's personal insignia in solar iron on the side. Th-the Equalizer? What the-? Lynchinus fired The Equalizer, sending the barrel skyward, the fifteen millimeter bullet flying right on target. It struck Twilight's spell barrier.

There's no way that can pierce! It'll just bounce right off!

At the last possible second, Lynchinus invoked the bullet's name:

Origin Bullet

Twilight's barrier shattered like glass, and the energy from the spell caused her to recoil in pain. She barely had enough time to dodge the bullet before it hit her. It caused a large crack in the wall behind her. She realized what the bullet was meant to do, but she had no time to think it over before Lynchinus opened up again with machine pistol fire. She invoked dark magic to cause her feathers to turn to steel blades and deflected the bullets away.

Time Alter: Double Acceleration! Lynchinus moved like a blur to reload The Equalizer as Twilight dashed towards him to cut him down. He aimed his machine pistol at her and fired again, forcing Twilight to block the shots as he finished reloading. He leveled the Equalizer at the alicorn and fired at her. The blades shattered as she charged forward and raised a forehoof to strike Lynchinus, who hadn't finished recovering from The Equalizer's recoil, his face changed from smug to surprised as Twilight hit him square on. There was a loud crunching noise that came from his torso as he flew backwards into a bookshelf. She turned away from the pseudo-pony's crumpled form.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief "I'm glad that's over with"

A bullet whizzed past her head. She turned to see Lynchinus standing back up, he took aim again and fired at her again. This was getting on Twilight's nerves as she blocked the bullets with her forehooves. Then, before she could prepare to charge at him, he used another invocation. Time Alter: Triple Acceleration

The slide of the machine pistol locked back and he tossed it aside. Twilight Sparkle charged forward to hit him as he reloaded. He sidestepped and loaded the round into The Equalizer, then jumped away from her. She created multiple blade feathers and threw them at him as she charged forward. Lynchinus flipped The Equalizer shut and took aim at the charging alicorn.

'And that. . . was the end of the line for me'

Author's Note

Sorry guys, release schedule is fucked since I'm back in school now.

Just take a guess at who won the fight. . .leave it in the comments even!