It's Time to Duel!

June 1, 2015

"Woah," Twilight said as she showed Celestia a newspaper headline as they sat and ate breakfast in the Royal Castle. "Check this out!"

Celestia read out the headline of the newspaper, which read, "Ancient Tomb From the Pre-Discordian Era Unearthed by Canterlot University Archaeologists! Evidence Suggest It Is Queen Platinum's Tomb!" She said after, "Oh my... This is a big discovery, especially since most tombs from those years have already been found. The newspaper says the discovery was made by Professor Ruby Dream and Curator Shadow Flower."

Twilight asked, "Don't you know Ruby Dream?"

"I do, actually. I lectured for her classes several times when she was a student at Canterlot University. I also helped finance several of the school's archaeological projects."

October 10, 2015

"Woah," said an astonished Pinkie Pie as the gang admired the artifacts brought back from the exhibition, which were being shown at the Canterlot Imperial Museum. "This stuff is really cool, Twilight!"

"I know," Twilight replied as she looked at a mummy that had also been excavated from the tomb. It was wrapped extensively in old brown cloth. Its eyes were shut and its skin and horn were brown. According to a sign that gave info on the mummy, it was that of Queen Platinum, the daughter of the last Independent ruler of the Unicorn Kingdom before pre-Discordian Equestria's founding, as well as the first Queen of the unified Equestrian Kingdom.

Rarity, Spike, and Rainbow Dash also looked at the mummy with Twilight. Rainbow Dash, freaked out over the mummy and the idea of curses befalling tomb excavators, said, "This thing gives me the creeps!"

"That 'thing' was the first leader of our country," Rarity replied in annoyance. "Queen Platinum may have had a tragically cut-short reign, but she laid the foundation for us."

"She's right," Twilight replied. "If only she hadn't been assassinated by one of her own guards."

Spike then asked, "Who succeeded her?"

"Sadly," Twilight continued. "Her successor's name was lost to history."

Then, Flash Sentry, Fluttershy, and Applejack walked over, bringing along a winged woman with black hair and brown eyes in a suit. Flash said, "Twilight, Curator Shadow Flower would like to speak with you."

Twilight turned and saw the curator that Celestia had mentioned several months before. She immediately went up to her and shook her hand, introducing herself by saying, "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I have known Princess Celestia personally for a long time. I am honored to meet you, Curator."

"It is a pleasure," Shadow Flower replied before looking at Twilight's Alicorn Puzzle. "I see you have an artifact yourself."

"Oh yeah," Twilight said as she held up the puzzle. "It's the Alicorn Puzzle. I finally completed it after years of hard work."

"I can't believe it," the curator said, astonished. "It's finally complete." She then had an idea. "Say, why don't you let me exhibit it for a day or two?"

Twilight replied, "Ehh? The Alicorn Puzzle? I mean..." She then paused. "Eh, why not? Is one day enough?"

"One day is plenty," the curator replied. She then thought to herself, "Plenty for me..."

Applejack said to Twilight, "Wow! That's pretty cool! I bet your puzzle'll get a lotta views, Twilight."

"I see you are already making acquaintances," said another voice, this time from a woman with red hair and red eyes. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Professor Ruby Dream, lead archaeologist of Canterlot University."

Twilight then shook her hand as well, saying, "Twilight Sparkle. A pleasure to meet you."

"So," the professor replied, "You're the pupil of Celestia that solved the Alicorn Puzzle?"

"I am."

"I am amazed. It was said that nobody could ever solve it." She then turned to Shadow Flower. "So, you've agreed with Twilight to have the puzzle exhibited?"

"I have," the curator replied. "I'll set it up now." The curator then turned to Twilight. "May I take the puzzle?"

"Sure," Twilight said as she took the puzzle off and handed it to Shadow Flower. "I hope you like it."

"How could I not?"

"Alright," Shadow Flower said as she admired the puzzle at 9:32, about 30 minutes after the museum closed. "All I gotta do is call the buyer and we'll be all set." As she began to dial a phone number on her office phone, she heard 4 knocks on the door. She hurriedly put the puzzle away and said, "Come in!"

The horned woman who entered had orange hair and red eyes. She also wore a white headscarf and a flowing white dress and carried what appeared to be a golden scale with a red gem in the middle beam. Around her neck was a cross-shaped golden object that also had a red gem in the middle. She said, "Hello."

Shadow Flower, perplexed, asked, "Wait... Who the hell are you?"

"I am Mythic Diamond," the girl replied. "My family has guarded the tombs of the Ancient Rulers of Equestria for 3,000 years. I am a servant of Kilna."

Shadow Flower, perplexed, replied, "Kilna? The Ancient Goddess of Death?!"

"Indeed," Mythic replied. "I am here for bad reasons."

"Listen," the curator replied. "If you're from the Imperial government, I will swear on the grave of my mother that I do NOT sell artifacts on the black market!"

"The Alicorn Scales will determine that," Mythic replied as she placed the Alicorn Scales on the table before placing a feather from underneath her headscarf on one of the scales. "As a curator, you do recall Chapter 125 of the Umman Kitja Por Iqual Fatni?"

"The Book of Death and the Afterlife," Shadow Flower replied, saying the book's translated name. By now, she was deeply concerned for her own sake. "That Chapter is on the tail end of the book... It details the final judgement of the souls of the dead."

"Correct." Mythic then pointed at the Alicorn Scales. "These scales will represent the Scales of Truth from that Chapter. The feather I placed will represent your mind. Now, i will ask you a series of questions. If you lie, the scale with the feather will grow heavier. If it touches the table, you lose, and a Penalty Game will decide your fate."

"Whatever," replied Shadow Flower. "Let's get this started."

"Alright. Now, let's say you see a young boy fall down a well. You are the only one who sees it. However, on the ground is his cellphone. It's brand new and is worth over 2000 bits. What would you do?"

"Uhhh," Shadow Flower said before pausing. "I'd save the boy! I'd save him!"

The scale with the feather than got heavier. "You lied."

"I did not!"

Meanwhile, back at the museum, Twilight had managed to get entry to retrieve the puzzle. As she looked all over the museum for both the puzzle and Shadow Flower, Twilight thought to herself, "I wonder if the puzzle was popular? I bet it sure was. Now, where the heck is Shadow Flower? She should have given me the puzzle back by now."

After several questions, the scale with the feather was almost touching the ground. By now, Shadow Flower was legitimately scared and shivering, while Mythic Diamond continued to press her.

"Looks like we're down to one question," Mythic said. She then snapped her fingers.

Suddenly, Shadow saw her chair begin to change shape and growl. "Wait, what are you-?!" Her chair then changed into a lizard-like creature, whose teeth were positioned over a frightened Shadow. "Did... Did you just change my fucking chair into the demon Emmut?!"

"Indeed," Mythic replied. "Emmut will consume you if you lose." She then continued with the final question. "Now, have you ever taken sacred artifacts from the Valley of the Royals and proceeded to sell them on the black market instead of preserving them and protecting them from grave robbers?"

"What," Shadow asked as she became too scared to answer. "What?!"

"I see," Mythic said as the scale with the feather fell onto the tabletop. "You lose."

"No," Shadow said as she saw Emmut begin to consume her. In reality, however, Shadow began to wheeze as she clutched her chest. After several minutes of intense pain, Shadow slumped onto her desk with a loud bang.

Shadow Flower was dead.

"Judgement has been passed," Mythic said as she turned around and left the room, carrying the Alicorn Scales with her. Then, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "Oh my God!" She then ran to the object and held it with her hands. "It's the Alicorn Puzzle! It's been completed!"

Twilight was sitting on a bench in the closed museum when she saw Mythic appear. She turned to her as she noticed she was carrying the puzzle and said, "Wait, who are you and why do you have my puzzle?"

Mythic was visibly shocked. "HER puzzle?! Did she... No way! How did a teenager complete the Alicorn Puzzle?!" She said to her, "Are you sure this is your puzzle?"

"Yes," Twilight replied. "I completed it by myself. Princess Celestia, my mentor, gave it to me."

"No way," Mythic replied. She then walked up to Twilight and held up her Alicorn Key, the cross-shaped pendant she had, and placed it on Twilight's forehead, just below her horn.

Twilight said, "What are you doing?"

In Mythic's mind, she had now entered the mind of Twilight. As she opened her eyes, she received the shock of her life. "She has TWO soul rooms?!"

There was a dark hallway, and on both sides were two doors. One door looked normal, and the other door looked ancient and foreboding.

"People are supposed to have only one soul room," Mythic said to herself. She then walked to the normal door and peered inside. In the room were some pictures, a bunch of games, some textbooks, and a large science kit. "This room is obviously of someone who is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. This girl also has some pictures of people she knows very prominently shown."

She then decided to go look in the second room. However, as she turned around, she heard a voice behind her. "Hello there..."

Mythic jumped and turned around, saying, "Who are you?!"

"Finally," the other Twilight said to Mythic. "I have a visitor to my room."

"Your room?" By now, Mythic was extremely confused.

"Come in," the other Twilight said to her. Mythic complied as she walked into a dark and dank room made of stone.

"This looks just like the tomb of a Pre-Discordian royal," Mythic thought to herself as she saw Ancient Equestrian Logographs written across the walls. "What is this soul's connection to that era?"

"So, why are you here?" The other Twilight stood before Mythic.

"I came here because of Shadow Flower," Mythic began. "She had sold sacred artifacts on the black market, resulting in priceless items being lost. I punished her, resulting in her death. I had no idea the Alicorn Puzzle was completed until I saw it in her possession. Tell me, did the girl whose soul I entered truly complete the puzzle?"

"Well, she sure does awfully look like me, huh? That should give you a hint. Tell me, do you have any other Alicorn Items with you?"

"Two," Mythic replied. "I have the Alicorn Scales, which judges people's minds, and the Alicorn Key, which lets me enter people's souls. I have no clue on the power of the Alicorn Puzzle, though."

"You are about to see," the other Twilight said. "You see, this is just a labyrinth. My real soul room is in here somewhere. I want you to find it."

"A Shadow Game? I see." Then, the other Twilight disappeared, thus beginning the game.

"Hmmm," said Mythic as she examined the various stairwells, some of which were upside down or lead to nowhere, and the many doors in the labyrinth. She then walked up one such flight of stairs to a door that had a circle with an eye in the middle. "What does this lead to?"

When she opened the door, she was met with a lion that had been devouring a gazelle. Then, the lion turned to her, its teeth drenched in blood and its eyes filled with fury, before it charged at her.

Mythic jumped and slammed the door shut, saying, "Oh my God... What is this place?!"

Eventually, after opening and rapidly closing several other doors, she was almost about to give up when the other Twilight's voice told her, "You're almost there."

Mythic decided to try one last door, a simple and plain one surrounded by 2 wall-mounted candles. When she opened it, she saw the other Twilight sitting in a throne. "Finally!"

"Congratulations," the other Twilight said as Mythic walked in. Then, she disappeared, much to Mythic's confusion.

Suddenly, the brick floor below her began to give way. Mythic tried to run, but she slipped and almost fell into a pit of darkness, hanging onto only a brick that had not fallen. She said, "What?! How?! Someone help me!"

Then, the other Twilight walked up to her and extended her hand, saying, "Here you go."

Mythic used her other hand to grab onto the other Twilight as she pulled her up onto the floor. After that, Mythic said to her, "You almost killed me..."

"I wasn't going to kill you," the other Twilight replied. "So, what do you think?"

Mythic asked, "Is your host aware of your presence?"

"Actually, yeah. She is. She doesn't mind. In fact, I'm starting to become friends with her in a way." The other Twilight then smiled. "If you're implying I hurt her, stop. I've literally killed people over them harming the other me and her friends and family, whom I consider my own as well, so why would I do so myself?"

"True," Mythic replied.

"Now, leave."

Mythic suddenly awoke in the real world, covered in sweat and breathing heavily as she fell to her knees. Twilight said, "You stood there for a long time. What was going on?"

Mythic then got up and gave Twilight the puzzle, putting it around her neck as she said, "You are a very intelligent girl, and so is the other you." She then walked away from Twilight, feeling confident in her abilities.

Twilight thought to herself, "What did she mean by the "other me?" Did she actually see the other me while she was in that trance?"

October 11, 2015

"No way," Twilight said as she dropped a glass of milk while reading the newspaper in the morning in shock, causing milk and glass shards to spill onto the floor. "Curator Shadow Flower DIED?!"

Spike said as he grabbed a towel, "Oh my God... That's horrible!"

"It says she died of a massive heart attack in her office," Twilight told Spike. "She was just 45."

"We should visit and comfort Ruby Dream. She's probably all torn up over this."

"I'll call the gang and we'll all go," Twilight replied.

Meanwhile, Ruby Dream sat in her own office, her eyes reddened by endless sobbing all night. As she sniffled, she said to herself, "This is horrible..." Then, as she received a text message from Celestia, she looked at it and saw that Twilight and her friends were coming over. Ruby smiled and said, "Good... I could use friends right now."

Then, several knocks were heard on the door.

"Come in," Ruby said as she wiped her eyes.

Mythic appeared before her and said, "Hello. My name is Mythic Diamond."

"Hmmm," Ruby said to herself before asking, "Who are you?"

"I would like to ask that question myself," Mythic said as she approached Ruby with the Alicorn Key while holding the Alicorn Scales on her other hand.

Ruby instantly recognized the key, saying, "No way! 2 more Alicorn Items?!"

"Indeed," Mythic replied before placing the key up to Ruby's forehead and entering her mind.

In Ruby's single soul room, Mythic looked around. She saw that the room was full of artifacts and bookshelves, presumably containing books on archaeology. "This is a very interesting room. It's as if her mind is cluttered with objects from the past."

She then noticed a picture frame in a corner, which was covered in dust. Mythic walked over and held it up, dusting it off. The picture was of Ruby and her boyfriend.

"She has pursued archaeology so much she's neglected her own boyfriend. Something tells me he wants to get married, in fact, but she simply has no time."

Then, she noticed another picture in another corner, this time with light shining upon it. Mythic walked over and held it up as well. The picture was of Twilight and her group of friends plus Celestia.

"This must be her only hope at this point," Mythic said to herself. "Say, this gives me an idea..." She then put the picture down before holding up the Alicorn Key and saying, "Marionette Design!"

Several hours later, at around 5, Twilight and the gang, plus Celestia, arrived at the museum. Rainbow Dash said to the group, "I can't believe that Shadow Flower died so suddenly."

"Me neither," Rarity replied. "She seemed healthy to me when we met her."

Celestia said, "Yeah, you're right. Something actually does seem off about it. But anyways, let's speculate later about it. Right now, we need to comfort Professor Ruby Dream."

"Right," Twilight said. "Fluttershy, you remembered to bring refreshments, right?"

"Yeah," Fluttershy replied as she showed her a bag of food. "It would be nice to thank him for showing us around the museum."

Then, Ruby Dream stumbled out of her office, her eyes slightly different, saying, "Hello there!"

Celestia walked up and hugged Ruby Dream, saying, "I'm so sorry about what happened to Shadow Flower."

"Thank you," Ruby said as they split. "So, how's it going?"

"Pretty good," Twilight said. "We came over to see how you were doing."

"We also wanted to thank you for showing us around the museum," Pinkie Pie said.

"Ah, yes, the museum..." Ruby Dream then paused. "Somebody... Somebody killed Shadow Flower..."

Applejack said to Twilight, "Are ya sure he's alright? He don't look like it."

Suddenly, Ruby ran up to Applejack and wrapped her hands around her neck, almost seemingly in a trance. She said, "Reveal yourself, Twilight! Reveal yourself!"

As the gang tried to rip Ruby off of Applejack, Twilight thought to herself, "Did that girl I meet somehow take control of Ruby Dream? What should I do?!"