The Devil and Me

Twilight sparkle hummed happily as she resorted the books upon her new crystal sheleves, spike and the new guards had put some books in the wrong alphabetical and numberical orders. At least according to her knowledge. Her new library was ten times the size of the oak tree library one, every book that had been destroyed she had spike write down and order them. Some books would have to be copied from the royal canterlot libraries, it may take a bit but twilight was determined to replace every single book and collect even more.

The thought of new untouched, unread books to her was enough to make her fly in glee. Yes she was a princess with a large beautiful castle now but books still made her gitty.

“Twilight” Spike called and walked inside “what should I do with all the gifts people are sending you the congradulate you?”

“Oh people are sending me presents why iv been a princess for awhile now” Twilight said

“Yea but now you have a castle and a title” Spike said

“Well just find somewhere to put em for now..i wanna focus on getting this castle organized” Twilight said. “just find a room or something”

“one room might not be enough...” Spike said tariling enough

Twilight raised an eyebrow “just how many gifts are we talking about here?”

“You better see it for yerself” spike said.

Twilight followed spike out into the main throne room where the round table of thrones were. In front of the chairs however near the entrance were boxes, gems, chests, jewelry, vases, antiques, and so many other things Twilight couldn't comprehend. The stack was so huge it nearly touched the tall cathedral style ceiling.

“Where...how...” she cried taken by surprised “what am i suppose to do with all this?”

“Everyone's just excited i guess” spike said taking a large beautiful necklace from the pile attatched with a note “this is from the mayor of Manehatten, he says there best jewelers made it for you..and to remember to encourage ponies to vote for him...”

Twilight sighed with a groan annoyingly using magic to pick the necklace up and looking at the necklace then at the gifts, and took a breath.

“Spike” She said “grab a quill, and some parchment, lets sort all this out maybe we can actually use some of it...first thing that necklace can go to rarity its too glitsy for me”

Spike unveiled a quill, a long piece of parchment and started writing.

“necklace to rarity check” he said.

As twilight sorted through the gifts she found most of them were gifts trying to basicly more or less suck up to her then actual congratulations. She however liked some of the gifts, like the beautiful outfit and stack of scrolls from the saddle arabian royal family, she would more then happily add them to her library as soon as she had a translated copy. The gift from the griffen royal empire was a bit odd a series of statues of her for her gardens by there best carvers from a marble like material that seemed very fragile.

As they got around to a huge barrel of old cidar from applepalosa spike coughed up a letter. The burping flames vanishing as the scroll came into the baby dragons claws.

“A letter” Spike said and unrolled it “it's from princess Luna”

“Princess Luna why would she be writing to me?” Twilight asked confused.

This was an odd occurrence as Luna didn't have a habbit of writing to anyone, much less twilight she preferred going out at night and meeting a challenge heads on. She heard a few of the guards laughing about how weird the night guards stories were.

Twilight used her magic to lift the scroll over to her so she could read it.

~~Dear Twil...,~~ Princess Twilight Sparkle

[s[Thou..I am writing in replacement of my sister as she too busy and far too stressed to be writing this at the moment. ~~Thy~~, You must come to to canlerlot with most urgency. The situation is dire at the moment, and your father needs you in his time of need. Please forgive my writing we...i..am still learning to write in this modern slang.

Yours sincerely

Princess Luna

Twilight felt a horrible feeling come over her.

'What does she want?” Spike asked.

'She says I'm needed in canterlot its urgent and something about my father” Twilight said and quickly grabbed her saddle bag, “I have a horrible feeling about this i have to get to canterlot”

“I'll round everyone up and explain” spike said.

Twilight spread her wings out and took off, she felt a dire need of urgency she have time to fly. She focused and in a flash she found herself in flight just over the palace in canterlot castle. She lands through an open window into the throne room. She looks around and finds the thrones empty.

'Princess Celestia?' She asked

“Princess Twilight Sparkle i presume?” a voice asked

Twilight gasped and nearly jumped as a pony approached her from the side.

'You scared me..yes that's me..who're you where's the princesses?” Twilight asked concerned.

'I'm Gumshoe” she said “I'm one of the lead detectives in the Canterlot guard”

“oh yes i read about you in the newspaper sometimes” Twilight said “but that doesn't answer all my questions”

“Princess Celestia has retired to her room, princess Luna however is in the medical bay” he said “you however better have a seat i got some bad news to give you”

Twilight sat down, she didn't know why she did it she just knew she needed to sit for this. That horrible dread was getting worse. She looked at GumShoe face as he also sat down and took off his helmet.

'I'm sorry to say that earlier today your mother was murdered today” GumShoe said.

Twilight blinked and for a moment it took her brain to process GumShoe's words. She then started to hyperventilate, and her eyes widened. She felt like her heart was in her throat, and her lungs couldn't catch enough air to work properly.

'Princess” Gum Shoe cried

She saw GunShoe hurry towards her and Twilight Sparkle blacked out as she fell sideways.

^^^

Twilight groaned as she woke her head felt like all the books in her library had fallen on top of her at the same time. She opened her eyes slowly, getting them adjusted to the light and saw a white ceiling with a fan above her her. She then smelled alcohol, and the sheets on her body smelled of disinfectant. Her wings spread and she groaned, feeling a bit stiff.

She sat upright and realized she was in the medical ward of the canterlot palace. She had seen this room a few times after a few..magical accidents while studying magic. The room was a half circle, it was used for lesser patient care, the usual scrapes, bruises, guard accidents. Nothing really serious happened in this side. Across hall was another half circle room where the more serious injuries were taken. Celestia had some of the best doctors working in the palace, but never depriving the local hospital of there services.

She looked over and saw her father laying sleeping on a chair. He looked very tired, with bags under his eyes and his mane and tail were untidy. He looked like a wreck.

'Dad?” she asked softly.

Night Light came to wake with a snort of surprised.

'Oh Twi..twilight yer awake..i was so worried..” he said looking at if he was going to cry.

The tears then brought Gumshoes words back to light in Twilight mind she she began sobbing taking her fathers hooves.

'Tell me its a lie..tell me it's a mistake” she cried

He didnt answer and started sobbing harder uttering twilight velvet name between his sobs. Twilight then put her neck across her fathers and they cried together. She loss track of time of how long exactly they did this.

“Wh..why did this happened?” Twilight sobbed as she the door opened and she saw GumShoe walk in.

'Who killed my mother!” she said angerly.

Her magic flared with anger lighting her mane and tail on fire for a moment.

“We don't know” GumShoe said “we're still investigating princess, but princess Luna requests you come over to the ward across the hall she want to talk tot you..but first some questions”

“I told you everything you need to know” Nightlight sobbed

“Ill be the judge of that” GumShoe said “Do you know anyone who might wanna hurt you or use your family to get to you?”

'I..i uhh...no..yes..maybe..i don't know” Twilight said

She had alot of enemies from changlings to things she hoped were gone forever. Could one of them be using her family to get revenge on her? Her mind was racing with possibilities, questions, but no real answers.

“Princess?” GumShoe asked

Twilight snapped out of her daydream state

'What about your mother herself, would anyone have a grudge or some reason to kill her?” GumShoe asked.

'No of course not she restored and bound books for a living” Twilight said getting off the bed “I'm done answering your questions ill find out what happened myself!”

She left the room and into the hallway, the hall looked like any other hall in the castle except for the chairs. There were two night guards, one with a injured looking wing and another with a hoof in a sling. These ponies were waiting for the doctor or a nurse to see them in the critical wing. This door, twilight hated. Last time she was here she had peeked inside and accidently seen a pony who had one of his hooves mangled and blood was everywhere, she had seen it for a just a second before celestia shut the door but she had nightmares about it for months.

She opened the door with magic and heard a cry of pain, well not really pain more like a complaining whine.

“Oh come now that was just a scratch compared to your other injuries” a voice said.

She recognized the voice as Luna's, she was behind a curtain.

'Princess Luna?” Twilight asked walking over.

She walked over and saw luna kneeling before the bed trying to stay awake in the daylight looking tired. On the bed was a pony twilight never expected to see again, there was Sunset Shimmer not in the last human form she had seen her last in but in her pony form and covered in bandages. She was bandaged along her back legs, and some of her back side, even along the side of her cutiemark. Her tail had seen better days as some of the ends seemed to be missing almost like they were clawed jaggedly off unevenly.

Sunset gave another whine when a nurse cleaned a cut on her face.

“Just what i need..” Sunset growled “owe that hurts!”

“fillies complain less for bigger scratches young lady” the nurse said levitating a tray and leaving.

“I'm sorry for your loss..” Luna said her head lowered.

Twilight looked down sadly for a moment.

'Thank you..what's she doing here did she do this!” Twilight asked angrily her wings spreading

'What are you talking about?” Sunset asked.

'You killed my mother!” twilight cried.

'No i didn't”

“Silence!” Luna cried loudly her hooves cracking down on the floor and then realizing how loud she being calmed herself and cleared her throat “she did not have anything to do with this, my sister found her in this state”

“Upset the wrong pony sunset?” Twilight asked annoyed at her

“It's none of your business i don't need your help!” Sunset Shimmer said stubbornly and luna gave her a slightly smack on the head with her hoof 'Owe!”

“My Sister may have put up with thou's stubborness and attitude but we are not amused” Luna snapped sternly. “We Expect thou to address princess twilight sparkle as such, are we clear on this matter Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset Shimmer growled and mumbled something looking away, “yes..”

“Good” She said and stood “now if i may, i must check on my sister then we are off...i am off to bed till the moon needs rising”

“Is Princess Celestia alright?” Twilight asked.

'She's been locked in her room since sunset showed up, i think she may be upset and tired..prehaps you can talk to her she refuses to let us...i mean me into her room...”

Luna turned taking her leave and twilight looked over at sunset shimmer curiosity then came to her mind as she looked over her bandaged wounds. Her face softened and sat down next to her.

'What happened to you i thought you were staying in the other world” Twilight said

“I was a bit..” she said and mumbled the last bit slightly “homesick”

Twilight stopped for a moment and thought, shurly sunset had to have parents or a family somewhere equestria. Perhaps she had become lonely, even a pony such a sunset could miss her family. She could relate and now she'd never be able to see her mother again, have her hug her, talk to her, be angry with her.

Sunset looked at Twilight Sparkle and watched her face become sad. The former student groaned magically lifting a tissue and putting up to her face.

'If yer going to cry at least don't do it on me” Sunset said looking away hiding her expression.

Twilight took the tissue with her hoof and wipped the tears from the edge of her eyes. She then took a breath. She needed to get back to what was important finding the murderer of her mother and bringing them to justice. She had read enough detective books, and books on equestrian laws but it's been a little awhile, well actually more then like a few years.

But first she needed to talk to Celestia. She could provide council for what to do next, help form a plan on what to do and where to go.

She turned from sunset and then looked back for a moment.

“You should get some rest” Twilight said, “Don't worry the doctors here are the best”

'Yes i know i use to be you..” Sunset said jealously then positioned herself shutting her eyes.

Twilight left the room she had almost forgot sunset shimmer had been Celestia student before her. It showed her a reflection of herself, of what she may have become had she not learned to have friends.

She trotted upwards passing guards and servants who bowed as she passed, it was actually still annoying really she didn't know how Celestia and Luna put up with it for over a thousand years.

Approaching Celestia room made her think of when she was still her student and they would spend hours sometimes in her chambers studying, or just having tea parties with her smarty pants doll. Those memories of fresh tea, and the excitment of learning new spells made her smile.

She took her hoof and knocked.

'Princess Celestia it's me..Twilight may i..come in?” she asked

The silence for a moment concerned twilight but then the door opened slightly. Twilight walked inside slowly the familiar scent of fresh parchment, expensive cakes, and lavender filled with nose. They were comforting smells bringing back more memories.

Her eyes spied Celestia laying upon her pillows, philomina sitting upon her head nuzzling the alicorns horn. Philominas eyes gazed at Twilight and Celestia looked up for a moment.

“Come here twilight”