Twilight's hooves beat furiously on the paved floor, and her horn flared up as her magic engulfed the final item she needed, an old telephone, before she skidded to a complete stop, gasping for breath as she finally stopped moving.

She had been running around her basement for what felt like hours, for all she knew, it could have been. Time didn't seem to have meaning anymore. The loud thundering of metal hooves were swiftly approaching the young Alicorn, and she began to tremble.

She was in a small room, one with only one exit which lay behind her.

She was trapped.

She could have made a break for it at that very instant, but with how fast the approaching monster could move, there was no way Twilight could outrun it.

The violet mare had been able to avoid the horror given legs simply because she had ducked around corners whenever she heard it approach or hide in one of the small rooms located around her basement.

Then again, although her basement was big, Twilight knew it was not as mazelike or large as it was now. However, Twilight's brain could only think of one option. She would have to hide in this room, and hope that the animatronic abomination would pass by without looking in the room.

Scanning her surrounding for a suitable hiding spot, Twilight chose the pile of boxes stacked in the corner and quickly ducked behind them.

''Alright...this should work...I have all the items. I just need to find an opening and find the door out of here. Hopefully it'll be unlocked. If not maybe I can find a way to pick it open.'' Her horn dimmed, there was enough light in the room that hers wasn't required.

Her heart almost stopped when she heard the mechanical hoofsteps of her hunter stop, and the following sound made her heart stop cold. The hoofsteps were approaching her! It was in the room with her! Twilight began to sweat, and her breathing quickened.

Her heart was beating so hard that she could barely focus on anything else. What if it heard her? What if it heard her rapid breathing?

However, it was then she realized, she could hear it moving the other way. It had given up! Letting out a sigh of relief, Twilight muttered a quick: ''Thank you merciful Celestia...''

Before the boxes in front of her were blown away in one swift swing.

Twilight screamed, her eyes staring up in sheer horror at the creature that stood over her, cold eyes staring deep into her soul.

Twilight stared back at herself, or rather, the twisted rotten looking robot that was meant to resemble her. One of it's front hooves was missing, with only some wires hanging limp where a foreleg once was. The chest was also missing, revealing the metallic sheen of an endoskeletons ribcage. However, it was its face that most terrified Twilight. Except for it's lower jaw and mane, Twilight's face was gone, revealing a skeleton like face and burning red eyes.

However, before Twilight's mind could fully comprehend what was happening, the creature suddenly lifted her forcefully with it's one good foreleg, before throwing her across the room.

With a sickening crunch, the Alicorn hit the wall, looking up from a daze of pain and blood to see a violet foreleg swinging down to connect with her face.

Spyglass groaned, and shifted in her seat, causing the mare next to her to scoot over a bit uncomfortably. She wasn't fond of trains, they took far to long, then again, it wasn't like they could teleport there. That would mean having to search for a unicorn with enough skill in magic to do so or ask the princess of the sun herself.

Since neither of those options sounded easy, and since Swift had mentioned using the train first, that was what the two had went with, however, it didn't mean she had to like it.

She nudged her partner, and he turned to face her.

''So what do you think? We have any chance of stopping Glimmer?''

''Not sure, she seems far more powerful than we would have thought at first, I mean, that file mentioned how she was powerful enough to strip ponies of their cutie marks...how is that even possible?'' Ears drooping, Swift lowered his head.

''Yeah, can't wait to put her behind bars. I don't think any of us will rest easy till then.'' With a firm slap to the back, Spyglass grinned, and nudged the stallion. ''So, while we're busy, you wanna tell me how you got this gig?''

''You first.'' Swift Blade smiled back, flicking a foreleg out at his partner.

''Meh, well alright. I was a rather curious little filly, always trying to find out why other foals did stuff and such. After I got my cutie mark after I helped one of my friends find out who stole their lunch, I just decided I would work under the princess whenever a large crime was committed.'' Chuckling lightly to herself, Spy continued, ''Since crimes of this size don't happen in Equestria very often, you can imagine that I mostly worked freelance for random ponies.''

''Not to shabby.''

''Heh, yeah, it wasn't bad, I made enough to scrape by, and I guess when this happened Celestia had somehow gotten wind of me, since she called upon me to work on this case.''

''Yep.''

She felt rough feeling of fabric beneath her, and the sound of her own heart beating softly meant she was still alive. Slowly raising up off of the ground, Twilight blinked her eyes, trying to see her surroundings.

It was dark. Far darker than before.

Twilight let out a low groan, as she stood up once more, before rubbing at her eye's with hooves, a flash of memory made her let out a little gasp, as she remembered once more why she was here, and what she had just went through.

''Why is this happening to me...?'' Twilight sank back to the ground in utter despair, and she felt tears beginning to prick the backs of her eyes. She knew the answer, but she had said it anyways. Why did horrible things have to happen to good ponies?

A faint glow slowly drew Twilight's eyes out of her hooves, and she stared as once more The Seamstress appeared. Her mask forever a faint smile.

''What do you want...? You've done nothing to help me...why can't you just get all of these items yourself!'' Twilight almost screamed the final few words.

There was silence for a moment, before the puppet spoke. ''Simple Twilight Sparkle. I cannot interfere directly, this is between you and them.''

''Please...no more...there must be another way...''

''I'm afraid there is not, however, there is a way to piece together what it is they want, and what it is they are, and if you simply want, a way to stop them.''

''Really? How, please, you have to tell me!'' Twilight begged, hoping with all her soul that the strange being before her would show her some mercy.

However, with the same cold smile as before, The Seamstress merely shook her head, ''One thing at a time Twilight Sparkle. Now, have fun with Dash.''

Before Twilight could even begin to question, the puppet faded away and the light along with her, leaving only a piece of paper with the words:

USE YOUR LIGHT SPARINGLY

Twilight slowly stood up again, her eyes narrowing. She had to push forward, there simply was no other option, and she would find the answers, even if she had to die again. Her magic flared to life, and she finally knew where she was.

She stood in the castles attic. Nopony really went into the attic, so it was rather dusty, and a few cobwebs lined the ceiling. Shuffling her hooves uncomfortably, Twilight took a few steps forward, before pausing to listen.

Was that the sound of silently creaking metal?

She took another few steps, and stopped again. The sound of creaking metal had stopped again.

Slowly, Twilight's head turned around, and she came face to face with a silent burned Pegasus. Rainbow Dash.

''Oh...''

''So why are you here?''

''Well, I guess you could call me a mercenary, although I usually work for food and water instead of bits.'' Swift shrugged, ''Got a message from Celestia to come to Canterlot, and she filled me in, and here I am.''

''Why you of all ponies?'' Spy playfully punched the blue pony in the shoulder.

Shrugging again, Swift grinned, ''I'd ask the same of you. I have no idea. My guess is she heard of some of the good deeds I've done.''

''Such as, mister tough guy?''

''Well I helped slay a bunch of rabid giant bees terrorizing a small village once. Another time I brought a message to Manehatten about a sickness in one of the nearby towns because none of the unicorns or Pegasus could.''

''Well aren't you a regular Gary Sue.'' Spy joked.

''Oi, I had tons of help slaying those bees, and it took me longer than it would have any of those other ponies if they had been healthy.''

''Just kidding with you.'' She chuckled.

''Heh, how long till we get to Ponyville?''

Spyglass glanced out the window. ''Not to long I figure, at this speed we should be there in an hour or so.''

With that, the two ponies resumed silence, each thinking to themselves what awaited them. Spy would never admit it, but she was worried, if Glimmer had decided to visit Twilight before they got there, not only would they be out of leads, they would have lost the princess of friendship herself.

Twilight crashed into the side of several large boxes, and she groaned. She quickly spun around to flash the following animatronic monster in the face with her light. Stopping it before it could lunge at her.

Twilight had discovered that Rainbow followed her around, however, it didn't attempt to attack her until it's eye holes flashed white. Because of that, Twilight had been able to keep the horrifying stalker from getting her. However, the close calls were beginning to take their toll on the Alicorn.

She needed one last item, and then she could escape.

Twilight stood up, and she growled under her breath. ''You won't kill me, I will make it through this, and you will not lay one hoof on my friends...''

She spun around, and galloped into the next room, her eyes scanning the room, and her eyes straining to listen for the telltale sound of a small shriek of Rainbow becoming aggressive. There was nothing. No telltale shine of an object of importance. Twilight rushed forward into the room, and threw open the closet. There it was, the final object!

With a flash, Twilight stored the item away, and at the same time, she heard the shriek of the robot behind her. Twilight closed her eyes tight, and grit her teeth, she knew what was coming, and she didn't want to see it coming.

The burnt hook came down.

The train screeched to a halt, and the two ponies filed out. They paused for a minute, taking in their surroundings. Ponyville was a rather rustic little town, but it was also rather beautiful. Spyglass was the first to break the silence.

''We should probably make our way to the castle, I can see it from here.'' She pointed towards the tall towers jutting out from over the buildings.

Swift nodded, and quickly trotted after her. ''Been far to long since I've been here. Reminds me of my home town.'' He smiled, nodding to himself.

''Yeah? Well I gotta admit, not a bad place, although I expected more ponies to be up around this time.''

''This isn't the city, ponies around here probably wake up early so they head to bed earlier.''

''Well either way...I-'' Spy cut herself off, and stared at the castle. It was hard to tell in the dark, even with the moonlight guiding them, but it almost looked like the castle was surrounded by a force field. ''Something's definitely going on here, the Princess Twilight may be in more trouble than we thought.''

''Appears so. Think we can get in?''

Spyglass shook her head, I'm not the most magical unicorn, but I do know that whoever put up that shield is both powerful, and that we won't be able to penetrate it. We need a magician.''

''Any other ideas?'' Swift Blade narrowed his eyes, they needed a way in, fast.

''First lets test the shield, then we'll call for backup if my assumptions about this are right.'' Spyglass and Swift began galloping as fast as they could, there was little time to waste.

The shadow of a mare passed over the doors of the pizzeria. Those fools hadn't expected her to come right back after she had evaded them.

Her magic levitated a key into the lock, and the doors clicked open. The mare strode in, and the doors silently closed behind her.

Starlight Glimmer began to slowly walk towards the main office, where all the important documents and files were kept. Once her revenge was complete, and she had disposed of those pesky investigators, she would have to disappear, just in case anypony decided to investigate the pizzeria.

Her eyes shined in the dark of the building, as her horn illuminated the way. It was only a matter of time. It was only a matter of time.

Author's Note

Twilight is going through almost a loop, and Swift and Spyglass have no way into the castle. However, what exactly is the Seamstress talking about? Next chapter soon.