//-------------------------------------------------------//
                     The Devil and Me                      
                      -by jadusstone-                      
//-------------------------------------------------------//
//-------------------------------------------------------//
                         chapter 1                         
//-------------------------------------------------------//
chapter 1
Twilight Velvet felt like relaxing today, she had sent her husband out to do the shopping for today. Not for food of course they needed special thread to rebind a rare book for the canterlot libary and then there were copies to make. They were going to need lots of parchments, quills, ink and of course how could she forget she;d need a new needle soon the ones she had were dulling from the leather work she had finished for a rusty old tome for Princess Luna.
She stretched her body back then forewords yawning a bit, taking a seat on the comfy cushion on the floor, she didn't know how some ponies managed to sit on there bottoms with there backs straight on chairs it seemed highly uncomfortable when you could just kneel down and make yerself comfy. Of course that was her, all the young ponies sat different then those of her time.
She then smiled proudly seeing her suitcases packed and ready to go by the door. Tomorrow was when she would be taking the train to Ponyville to see her daughter the new Princess of friendship, and hero to all of equestria after she and her friends once more defeated a major enemy of the country. She giggled with how proud she was of her daughter. She couldn't to see the beautiful castle and filled it with all the books.
That reminded her books, twilight specifically asked for copies of certain tomes for her new library. The boxes containing the books were stacked along the walls, she floated the check list clip board over and took a glance over the lists. Everything looked in order. She guessed that the more common books could be easily replaced, it was a sad feeling knowing all those books and that poor libarry had been destroyed by the tyrant.
The study was filled with books packed from ceiling to floor, a desk with bending materials and delicate instraments to restore antique pages. Many dictionaries lined one pile, from modern equestrian slang, to ancient griffen hieroglyhics. She lit the candles in the room, no real fire in this room just a simple magical spell that lit the end of the wick, a fire would be devastating in her line of work.
However as things always were she checked it over again, she stopped and giggled at the picture shining armour had drew had a filly on her desk, it was of a little twilight mimicing twilight velvet with her clipboard. Shinning Armour had thought he had to be adopted for awhile.
She took a sigh and floated the image over looking at the photo, her daughter was the princess of equestria and her son the king of crystal empire. Two things she never thought would happen, as fillies she never thought they'd amount to anything but a normal life if they were lucky.
That's when twilight velvet was startled at a snarl coming up behind her, she dropped everything turning her magic on full charge ready to blast whatever or whoever was trying to sneak up on her.
'Wh..who's there?” she asked.
The old door to the room creaked closed and then open again, twilight velvet breath a sigh of relief letting her heart beat calm from in her throat.
'Just a breeze”
She trotted over and picked up the clipboard then groaned at the broken picture frame, this would need be to replaced later. She put both objects down and took another deep breath to calm herself. The snarl then started up again.
'Night light if this some sort of practical joke it isn't funny what so ever” she said angerly.
She used her scolding voice she reserved only for use on the children but she found herself using it more on her husband these days.
“I don't think this is funny” a voice said.
A figure of a pony appeared in the shadows of the corner of the room.
“What's really funny..is that you forgot about me twilight velvet”
'You..” twilight said.
Her face paled, taking a step back when the snarls and growls got closer.
She couldn't see the source of the snarls but she could see her beautiful old wooden floors being scratched and claws apart by some invisible force, holes appearing almost like acid being dripped onto the wood.
“Stay away from me, what do you want?” she asked.
'What do i want just what we agreed upon those ten years ago” the pony said beneath the cloak. “after all a deals, a deal”
Twilight Velvet panicked and tried teleporting from the room, she reappeared downstairs and the snarling she coming closer.
'Why do they always run?” the pony asked sounding annoyed. “make this quick my pets..we got others to collect..”
Twilight Velvet suddenly felt something ripped into her back left leg, tearing apart the flesh and bone. She screamed collasping, crying out tears in her eyes as invisible teeth dug its way into her back side crushing her spine. She reached to the door, barely able to see.
'Oh Twilight” she sobbed before everything went black.  
^^
Night light hummed happily as he trotted home with a bag full of materials for his wife to restore a tome by star swirl the bearded. Twilight had thought it was a composition between him and clover the clever about a adventure or spells they worked on together. Yet until it was translated and restored they wouldn't know. His wife always got exicted about things, that's where twilight got it from, he suppose shinning armour got his bravery from him somehow, he didn't consider himself very brave. He was just the husband of a book binder, his work was selling the books and finding them.
He had secretly bought his wife's favorite cake from the bakery, he thought they could have a bit of celebration before they visted ponyville. He looked inside the bag for a moment, cake check, cider check, and roses check. Tonight they would celebrate there daughters wonderful achievement and prehaps if luck served them right another sibling.
He looked at the door of the book binding and smiled. Took a breath, fixed his mane and opened the door.
“Twilight my dear i'm ho...” he said and barely got the words from his voice.
The cider, cake and roses were dropped onto the floor mixing into the mess of blood which seemed to be painted along the floor and the book binding materials went to the floor and broke.
^^^
It was evening when Gumshoe arrived at the scene, his cussed for a moment at how bloody hot it was today he wished celestia would not make it so hot or least have the pegasus make it cloudy or rain a bit. He was a seasoned detective with a missing ear and one bad eye. His old brown body was showing a wear and tear even under the slightly tattered guard armour. He took off his helmet for a moment and rubbed at greying black mane that matched his tail.
The canterlot book binding store a landmark for the city as princess twilights parents lived there. He looked over at the medic ponies who were trying to calm Night Light down as he sat on a cart, he was sobbing uncontrollably into his hooves and looking like a complete wreck.
'I see the husband is a wreck” gum shoe said, wishing he had a cup of coffee.
“We've cleared the area but the media has already caught wind of this and there swarming the area” a pegasus guard said.
“Terrific just what we need just what in celestia name happened?” he asked.
“'We're not exactly sure..the csi went sent inside all came out being sick..that's never a good sign” the guard said.
Gum Shoe took a breath, he'd seen some pretty gruesome stuff in his time, and as he trotted past the tape and into room even his stomach twisted threatening to make gum shoe recall what he had for breakfast. The floor was so red it was as if the room had been painted, blood had been splattered across the walls even some on the ceiling. He got see the way her back legs were ripped apart the bones broken in splinters, her cutiemark had been clawed. Blood pooled from her mouth and nose, her front right roof reaching out towards the door as if reaching for help, help that never came. He noticed pieces of her mane and tail had been ripped out also along the floor.
He walked pass trying to keep his breakfast down, sensing a magical trace upstairs. Being a unicorn had it's perks like tracking magical signatures very useful. A pegasus guard followed looking very ill looking.
'Easy if yer gonna throw up, fly out a window and do it don't contaminate my crime scene” Gum Shoe said.
The pegasus guard nodded weakly.
They entered the study and gum shoe noticed the claw marks in the wood, he looked around the magic that lit the candles had went out probably when velvet died, made sense no magical source to draw magic from means well no magic.
“I want csi up here examining these claw marks, odd through nothing else is touched” He said bending down examining the claw marks.
He didn't recognize the marks, but it didn't help that his good eye wasn't much help these days ether. He'd let the csi ponies figure it out.
“What's this?” The pegasus guard asked noticing something in the corner of the room next to some dusty scrolls.
Gum Shoe walked over and using his magic lit the area a bit better, and saw a black ribbon with blond hairs on it.
'Have this taken into evidence” gum shoe said “lets get out here”
By the time they got downstairs the coroner had covered twilight velvet body with a white sheet which made it slightly easier to walk through the area.
“Where'd the husabnd go?” gum shoe asked
“He was transfered to the canterlot hospital he had to be sedated the medics were afraid he was going to hurt himself” a earth pony guard said.
Gum Shoe then looked over and noticed the media and people getting closer to the police line they had set up. He turned around and looked up at the palace.
“Alright lets seal off the crime scene” he said “I gotta go tell the princess what's happened..”
the other guards went silent, no one wanted to be gum shoe right about now. It was no secret that Night Light, and Twilight Velvet were close with the royals, they had tea weekly and often worked with the royal libary to restore ancient tomes.
^
Princess Celestia yawned a bit she had just gotten through a very boring meeting with a griffen embassador who went on for three hours about concerns about cloud formations differences from equestrian to griffen terratory and wanting eqiuestria to keep its clouds to themselves. Sometimes she wished she could just take her sisters advice and just throw something heavy at em or banish em to the some place.
“What's next on the agenda?” Celestia asked
She moaned happily eating her favorite piece of cheese cake with strawberries and yogurt. If possible she'd eat the whole thing without noticing she had even noticed. Luna often said that's why her flank was so large. She grumbled at the thought.
'Princess Celestia” a guard said trotting foreword “Detective Gum Shoe here to speak to you on an urgent matter”
“Gum Shoe?” she asked and smiled, finally a friendly face.
She had noticed and took authority to make sure gum shoe rose up to the rank he deserved to have. He had been working the guard over 30 years, a spotless record...with a few exceptions. When he was younger his wife threw a tizzy thinking he was having an affair with her. Celestia chuckled remembering the firey ponies tremper, she worked for the fire department but after things turned out well. The couple now growing together are good friends.
It was always a pleasure to see him, through she'd not seen him in some time it would be a wonderful change of pace of these boring days.
Gum Shoe came inside the throne and trotted quickly and didn't bother bowing, he had stopped doing that after a manticore broke his front right leg.
“Gum Shoe my friend it's so good to see you” he smiled “is your wife not with you we could have had lunch together”
“I'm afraid Princess Celestia I'm not here on personal business but on official buisiness” He said “Earlier today Night Light arrived home after picking up binding materials, and things to surprise his wife with to celebrate princess twilight new acomplishment”
He stopped for a moment and took a breath feeling a tiny bit ill at the thought of the body.
“Gum Shoe what's happened?” Celestia asked looking concerned at his pale face
“Night Light found his wife Twilight Velvet dead upon arriving home” he said his voice trailing off softly.
Celestias eyes widened with tears.
'Ar..are you quiet sure it was twilight velvet?” she asked her voice studdering
He answered with a simple nod
She then walked back to her throne and looked at him, trying best to hold her regal look.
“Find whoever did this, and bring them before me for punishment i will not tolerate such cruelty towards my ponies” Celestia said and stopped for a moment “Go..everyone else please leave me also”
Gum Shoe turned and left as did the rest of the guards.
Celestia then let her tears flow down her face as the doors closed behind them, who could have killed such a loving mother, such a wonderful pony. She picked up a quill and a paper and tried to write but she only to managed to sloppily write dear twilight before breaking into tears once again.
Then her eyes gazed up slightly, upon the doors that opened and a pony she thought she would never see again in this time collasped upon her throne room floor her body covered in wounds. She forgot for a moment of the letter and hurried towards her former student.
She looked the yellow pony over, her horn glowed brightly as she sensed danger.
“Please” Sunset Shimmer begged her hooves gripping upon celetsias front right hoof, tears coming down her face “help me”
Author's Note
I have yet to find anyone to reread this story and correct my incredibly horrible grammer and spelling. If anyone wants to proof read this story please contact me, id be very grateful. I just hope it's good enough for now to be readable. I hope you enjoy it.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                         chapter 2                         
//-------------------------------------------------------//
chapter 2
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”