Of Webs and Books

Twilight's heart was close to stopping completely. Her vison danced and visions of horrific deaths and other night mares, became alive in her mind. The vertigo worsened.  She started to cough. Slowly at first, then with rapid, choking hacks. The spasms were sent though her skull. Her eyes throbbed and sent hot tears down her cheeks.

WHAT"S GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME?

She dropped the spider and proceeded to fall over on her bed. But her newly found instincts would kick in every time and she would land perfectly on the other side of the bed. Consciousness wobbled. The room tilted like a ship.

I CAN'T EVEN FALL OVER DRAMATICALLY ANYMORE! She was panicking and a small part of her brain realized that she was collapsed on the floor.

Oh you're just overreacting

Twilight's pupils shrunk and she screamed madly. "YOU!" She started clawing at her mane, attempting to rip the voice out. It was driving her crazy.Her head was still spinning and her mouth tasted like metal. Red spots appeared in her vison.

That's not doing anything, you know?

Twilight stopped and she began to weep silently. All this craziness was finally getting to her core, and she just had to let loose some tears. She tried one last time to fall in bed and she lay her weary head on what may have possibly been the scratchiest pillow ever. Who knows how long she had? What if she died tomorrow? There was no papers written on the subject, nothing she could reference.

The fear of the unknown, Twilight's biggest fear, was taking over her heart and washing over her, in waves of pain. For once in her life, this was something she couldn't study

What about that Pinkie Sense?

She glared at the wall with throbbing eyes.

I didn't need that

But there was, crazily, one part of her, relieved. All this madness was explained. It wasn't Twilight's fault, really. IT was all that spider's fault. She wasn't going crazy!

Are you sure about that?

Twilight frowned. This voice was one of the many side effects of this spider bite. How was she going to cope with a second head? Her breathing started going all over the map. She was in her own personal hell, and it was killing her from the insides. It felt like twisted spaghetti.

She struggled upright and tried to calm the jumping heart.

The second attack struck.

The cerebral boom brought her to her knees and she felt everything at once: pressure, pain and a cold sweat that covered her body.

She got up, shaking in the knees and did a quick mental check. She braced for a third mental assault. Nothing. All her parts seemed in order. Her head was pounding, on the verge of splitting her skull.

If it'll make you feel better, I scored easy bits with that watch!

In her moment of temporary insanity, she forgot what seemed like a minor detail. The watch! She got up quickly, with a slight limp, and she raced over to her fallen bags. She reached inside and felt around, for her hoof to close around a hard circle. She hesitantly pulled it out and saw a beautiful golden watch, carefully gilded and probably worth more than...100 bits, she estimated. She timidly called out in her mind.

That was you?

It was there for the taking and I took it. Life is to be lived by the strong and if need be, taken by the strong.

Her mind was slow to process the amount of wrong in that sentence.

Strong?

MURDER?

But.. you can't control me!  She was almost asking and hoping that this voice didn't. She wanted more than any thing for her sneaking fears to be false. She was quickly losing control and it was coming crashing down on her.

PSH You are almost too easy to control. Trust me, girl, with me, you'll make a fortune.

The vertigo returned, with reinforcements and know she knew why. Her head was, literally, being split in two. Her vison was a mixture of red and black. She was close to passing out and at the same time, writhing in pain. Her right side of her body, was shutting down on her. Twilight dizzily grabbed the sides of her head and yelled.

" NO! You are not going to control me! I am the master here! I have the body!". She was desperately fighting over what Twilight was so sure was hers. She was fighting for.. herself. She was almost trying to reassure herself. But things were seeming bleak and drowsy.

Well, whatcha gonna do about it? You can't stay a little timid filly, Twilight. You need to be changed.

The voice intoned with almost a hypnotic rhythm.

In horror, Twilight watched, powerless,  as her own hoof, was lifting up and started to come down on her face hard. Twilight tried to duck, but it was impossible, when half of your body was obeying a completely different voice. She was caught in an awkward struggle, unable to run away from the striking hoof. She was soon pinned against a wall, in an attempt to run away from the invading voice. She knew that she couldn't keep this up for much longer.  Twilight searched frantically in her mind for any defense. Physical damage would just hurt her, as the voice was now easily demonstrating. She thought on mental warfare. It was her last defense. Sticks and stone can't break bones, but words.. Words!  Suddenly, it came to her. She  grinned wickedly. The hoof stopped attacking.

You have given me no option Twilight knew that in this situation, quickness was her ally.

What do you mean? The voice laughed coyly. You have no strength, no quickness. I am what makes you great. This voice was bordering on nasty.

I have smarts! Which is more what you can say. Twilight always knew that would help.

No need to outrun anything you can't outwit, was her mantra.

Words are the most powerful weapon there is.  Twilight was taught that long ago and she believed it.

That's something weak ponies say.

You made me do this, Spidei.. On the spot, Twilight had randomly picked a name to put to the voice. A pet name that Twilight knew would surely cause anger. Pet names seem to do that.

With anger in her voice, What do you mean by Spid-

Twilight inhaled loudly and recited super quickly and with no pause,

"THEREEEEEE'S...

antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium,

And hydrogen and oxygen and nitrogen and rhenium,

And nickel, neodymium, neptunium, germanium,

And iron, ruthenium, uranium, zirconium, lutetium, vanadium,

And lanthanum and osmium and astatine and radium,

And gold and protactinium and indium and gallium,

And iodine and thorium and thulium and thallium.

, WHOA! DUDE! STOP THAT! IT HURTS!!!

Oh I'm just getting started

Twilight bobbed her head to the rhythm, mouth flying rapidly. Spidei was trying to use the hoof or anything to shut her mouth, to no avail. She kept going.

There's yttrium, ytterbium, actinium, rubidium,

And boron, gadolinium, niobium, iridium,

And strontium and silicon and silver and samarium,

And bismuth, bromine, lithium, beryllium, and barium.

There's holmium and helium and hafnium and erbium,

And phosphorus and francium and fluorine and terbium,

And manganese and mercury, molybdenum, magnesium. And- "

PLEASE! OK! YOU GOT IT. I'LL STOP!! JUST PLEASE STOP!!!! IT BURNSSSSS! OH THE EQUINEITY!! The voice was crying in out in what sounded like excruciating pain.

All that reciting and rapid speaking made her head drum solo start again.Twilight was gasping for breath,her eyes rolling,  but it was a victory well earned. She smiled for the first in what seemed like a long time.

You are mine to command, got it? No talk of killing or stealing. You are going to help me with what I need. But no stealing

Twilight made sure every thought was with a strong force. She needed one thing to be in control at the moment, when her world was uncertain like a hyper Pinkie Pie.

Fine! You got it! Just don't ever do that. AGAIN. All that talk of..science... was horrible.  

Twilight smiled pleasantly, while her mind rattled and she was unable to see straight.  "Well, then, get me into bed."

Now you can dream, about the Doctor. the voice snickered

Twilight frowned and blushed at the unwanted mental images.

"Unwanted" she says

She inhaled loudly, " THEREEEE'S-"

NOoooooo! NO! Ok, ok. I got it. No more reciting, please.

Twilight smiled. This could possibly be fun

I doubt it

She smiled, but the constant nagging fear of the unknown was creeping in the back of her cluttered mind. She hoped this wasn't her last day. She paced momentarily, beside her bed. Thinking of the possibilities and death, she was unsure of what to do.

Sleep or Experiment?

Sighing, she fell into bed and instantly into a better sleep.

She awoke to a loud bang outside the door.Her eyes sprung open. Instinctively, she flew to the top of the ceiling and stuck fast. Once again, Twilight found herself confused and upside down.

What the- She looked down and groaned.

Seriously, Spidei?

Hey hey! That was purely an instinct-crazy-mode thing.

Twilight pondered on her rude awaking when she heard Spike outside pounding fiercely on the door.

"I'm breaking though the door, if you don't let me in, Twilight!". Yelled Spike from outside the door.

Twilight looked around for an easy way out and found none. She was not able to move any of her hooves.  She tentatively called out.

" Ha! Um, kinda in the middle of something right now!". As she hung the the ceiling, trying to keep her mane out of her eyes. She could see that the sun had set and Luna's moon shone brightly, blessing the paved roads outside with a heavenly glow.

"Middle of what?", called Spike.

The ceiling.

Can you get me off? Twilight knew that the blood was rushing to her head. She was already dealing with headaches and occasional Derpy eyes. She didn't need fainting spells.

It's all in the wrists, as they say

Who says that?Twilight was starting to panic

You know, those ponies,.... who say things.

Twilight face showed a slightly sarcastic look.

So just twist my wrists?

So they say

Spike was pounding on the door and yelled exasperated. " You're driving me up a wall, Twi!".

In spite of herself, Twilight giggled. You too, Spike?

I see what you did there.

Twilight tentatively twisted her front hooves and with a small pop, her front hooves unstuck from the ceiling. She was dangling from her rear hooves, directly above her bed.

She stared down from the tall height she was suspended on. Her bed was about, say, 10 feet below. Her vison rocked back and forth, her back hooves securely stayed put. Surprisingly, her phobia of heights wasn't kicking in.

What a strange phenomenon. She mused.  Crazily, she was actually.. enjoying this. Slightly.

She quickly twisted her back hooves and she rapidly dove headfirst into her bed. Which was not the softest kind. Twilight braced herself for the impact. She waited too long and instead of rolling, she landed hard, and faceplanted on her bed. She was having trouble remembering where she was.

Out of the cloud of confusion, a voice called out.

Beautiful dive, but I will have to deduct points for that landing, though

Boo you. Twilight thought it was impressive dive, especially at that angle.

Don't flatter yourself

At the exact moment she landed on the bed, Spike broke though the door and came in charging into the room. He looked momentarily disoriented but he found his surroundings and came running over.

Spike panted. " There- you are!". He was trying to look stern, which was hard when you are three feet from the floor, wearing an apron.

Oh, Spike

Twilight sat up straight and gave a false smile of everything is alright. " Oh Hey, Spikespike!" Twilight subconsciously repeated the last words.

Huh?

Spike reflected her confusion. " Um.. I'm fine.. TwilightTwilight?" He came close to her bed and handed her a soup with a spoon. " I made your favorite soup, because you are sick" he looked around at the empty cartons of food and at the way Twilight's eyes was crossing . " Or at least.. I hope so."

" Oh, no, I'm finefine." Twilight couldn't stop that last word from coming out.

What the hay, Spidei? Twilight wondered. It was just messed up.

First of all, what the buck does Spidei mean?

Second of all, I think the reason for your "parrot" problem is because every thing that is being messed up, is being changed

Twilight pondered this. Oh! So you mean everything that hurts right now, is being changed?

Precisely

Fascinating! Twilight was a scientist by birth and was always on the hunt for new data, no matter what the subject.

" TWILIGHT!" A loud voice brought her back to the dragon in front of her.

" What the what?".  Twilight didn't realize that during this mental conversation, she was staring blankly at the wall, mouth agape.

" What was I saying?". Twilight was trying to keep the conversation going

Spike wore his not amused face. " You were saying you were fine."

" Oh yeah! I'm fine!" Twilight was glad that the repeating phase was over. It was embarrassing.

Thank goodness

Spike brought the soup up close. " Fluttershy said this soup would help anypony!"

Twilight took the soup, and grabbed the spoon. Twilight, too late, remembered her sticky hoof problem. She tried to drop the spoon, but that thing was stuck.

Not this again! Twilight groaned inwardly.

Spike noticed Twilight's frustration. " Problem?"

Twilight spoke agitatedly. " This stupid spoon is stuck."

Spike rolled his eyes. " Just use your magic."

Magic? Her mind blanked out.

You're a unicorn, remember?

The strange part was that she never even thought about using her magic, which was usually her go-to thing. It was placed at the back of her mind. She almost forgot she had a horn.

This is serious She loved her magic. And to forget she had it was.. troubling.

Twilight gave an awkward smile." Oh yeah..". She quickly twisted her hooves.

The spoon fell off with a pop and landed in the soup, sending veggies all over her face.

Spike snickered.

Twilight was not amused.

" Ha. ha. ha.". She was using her magic to pick the spoon and ate small spoonfuls of soup.

Spike was starting to clean up the cartons. " Fluttershy said that you would feel fine after the soup."

She makes the best soups.

How do you know who Fluttershy is? It didn't make sense that Spidei would know.

Being so long in your mind, I have adapted to you. I have absorbed your knowledge. And vice versa  

I'm part you?! Twilight was trying to believe this theory.

And I'm part egghead! It's a tradeoff of sorts.

As much as Twilight did not like the voice, this was an idea that intrigued her.

A loud snap brought Twilight back to reality.

"Seriously! Are you sure you're fine? You just space out and start mumbling, like a crazy pony!".

Spike was worried for Twilight's health. She was already mentally unstable. She didn't need an excuse to be crazy.

Twilight brushed it off. " Of course Spike,I just need rest. Which I will get, right?". She was aiming the question to Spike's late night TV habits.

Spike answered, " But you can't rest at a club!"

Twilight did a double take. " Who said anything about a club?"

Spike looked guilty. " I forgot to tell you. Rainbow Dash came by to remind you about that night on the town you guys have planned for a while."

Twilight' mind blanked. She spluttered. " Wha-? NO! I can't! I'm sick!"

Spike scratched his head, " I thought you said you were fine?"

" It's an on and off thing!" Twilight yelled.

She couldn't go out. Not in her condition! This was.. horrible!

Spike stood straight and he yelled sternly, " You are going to that club, Twilight Sparkle NO matter what! And you're gonna have fun too!"

He strutted out the door and slammed it.

Twilight was fuming. She can't leave this house. Who knows what will happen? The unknown was taunting her and she was falling into its gaping void. She started banging her head on the bedpost.

What kind of life do you lead where going to a party is a punishment?

Twilight snapped, " When you have, who knows what, running through your veins!" She resumed banging her head on the bedpost.

Look, I can help ease some pain. But you can't stay in here forever. And you will have to face your friends at some point anyway

Twilight's head snapped up and she retorted, " What do you know?"

Everything you do

"ARGH!" Twilight can't argue with Spidei. She was like her twin.

Not sure if that's a compliment or what. I mean, what's the worst that can happen?

I go crazy and start attacking my friends!

Your right. That is pretty bad.

But the voice had a point: she had to go out at some point, unfortunately.

Twilight sighed submissively and swung her legs over the bed." Let's get up and look decent before they come."

Click

Suddenly points of light exploded behind her eyeballs. Invisible ants raced around her skin. Her muscles burned. Then she felt her head strike the hardwood.

When the light-show was over, she got up woozily and paced uncertainly. Her knees buckled.

Then. What? Nothing?

What was THAT?

Not too sure

" Whoa."

A cloying smell almost overwhelmed her. She looked around blankly in confusion. She peeked her head into the bathroom. Nothing there but the scent of lavender and rose.

Strange. I coulda sworn I smelled something-

She shuffled downstairs, quickly and quietly. Spike was dusting some shelves, absentmindedly. As she passed the kitchen another smell assaulted her. A sickly funk rose from the center table. She shuddered covering her nose.

Oh what the-

Had something died? It has to be potent enough for me to notice across the room

Gritting her teeth, she slid behind the table and searched the ground. On the floor lay a brown piece of lettuce. She scooped it up, sniffed. The smell made her eyes water. Her gut clenched.

That is bucking horrible

She gasped. She said a bad word. Or at least, thought one. She never said bad words. Never!

Welcome to the real world.

Aside from the cussing, something didn't make sense. A single piece of lettuce making such a stink?

Click

Sparks exploded in her brain.

" Whoa!" Her nose shut down and she was standing confused in the kitchen.

What the what?

I'm not sure. It 's probably a part of the hyper sense thing

She rose the veggie to her nose. Nothing.

Perplexed she reclimbed the stairs and sat in front of the balcony overlooking the city in the new light of the moon.

She closed her eyes, letting her mind drift.

Click

Blast of light.

Bursts of Pain.

The air whooshed from her lungs.

She was on the floor again. She heard a faint lawnmower sound. It was buzzing and tapping.

She looked around trying to pinpoint the source.  Her eyeballs tingled as she stared down the balcony. Suddenly, as earlier, everything was displayed in extraordinary clarity. She sat rock still and was able to spot the mane of a mare on the street, 50 feet below. The tapping grew more frenzied.

What ?

She looked to the posts and saw a housefly patrolling the wood. Dark lines crisscrossed it's wings and a million red bumps covered its eyes.

She swore her jaw hit the floor.

I can hear a fly. I can see the specks of dirt on its wings.

Crazy, huh?

Click

Her vison felt like a retractable telescope, able to scope out and zoom in.

WHAT?! She was beyond confused. She was astounded. Words failed her amazement.

All at once she gave up. She embraced all the weirdness and madness. She accepted what was happening to her, stopped fighting it. For once, she felt free, and she was done being so worried. Her worries were tearing her apart. She should have one thing not fighting her and it would be her worries.  She was fully okay with the one way road of madness. What was the point? No use trying to control things that were out of her reach. She was starting to be fine with not knowing, but just doing.

She sighed and started think clearly.

Maybe I can conduct an ongoing experiment. I can test all my abilities to see what exactly is changing. She looked around at the peaceful city, busily bustling, yet it was silent and calm. She felt a sudden love for this city and its inhabitants.

Getting poetic, eh?

Twilight shrugged. " The moon does that to me."

Since this was an experiment, she decided to test herself a little.

It is for science after all

She approached the beam with halting steps and looked below at the hard ground that waited her, if she was wrong.

What are you doing?

She was silent. She put her front hooves on the posts and hoisted herself onto the beam. She felt the breeze around her and the night air breezed though. She stood shakily on her back hooves and she looked out into the night. And she wasn't scared.

Falling isn't going to solve anything, Twilight!

Twilight snickered.

I'm not jumping. I'm conducting experiments.

She standing on her back legs, perfectly balanced. She decided to be daring and she lifted on hoof off. She was standing on one hoof and her arms were in a tree pose. She breathed in that night air. She felt at peace with the worlds and completely balanced.

Test One: Balance. Changed and vastly improved.

I can probably pass gym now.

Ok. Ok you proven your theories. Now get off the balcony. You're making me nervous.

Twilight took one step down.  Her ears perked up and heard a frantic beating of wings.

What could that be? She turned around to come face to face with a speeding Rainbow Dash, coming in at top speed.

Click

Twilight ducked fast and threw her back to the floor. Time seemed to slow and she could see every individual hair on Dash's stomach. Her nose was brushing against it and Rainbow Dash missed her by an inch.

WOW She could slow time?

No, your mind is too fast for normal time

Still cool!

Time was restored. Rainbow Dash flew by her and crashed into the door behind her.

Twilight got up fast and ran over to Rainbow Dash. She was stuck in the closet door.

She came up behind her and said, " You need some help there, Dashie?"

Dash wiggled and sighed. " Fine! Just hurry up."

Twilight pulled on her tail and out popped Rainbow Dash, mane in a whirl. She got up and grinned. " Who's ready to party?"

Twilight grinned less enthusiastically. " I'm guessing you?"

Rainbow Dash started toward the door. " Come on! The night won't last forever!"

She followed her down the stairs. Rainbow Dash flew down the stairs. Wanting to keep up her pace, Twilight started to climb the walls.

Whoa there! Don't do it!

Twilight stopped in the process of climbing. She sheepishly smiled. " Oops."

Rainbow Dash called out from the bottom.

" What's the holdup? C'mon!"

Twilight made it to the end of the stairs and she was making her way to the door when it burst open and from it, an excited Pinkie Pie. She hopped throughout the room, to where they were standing. She grinned and hopped up and down. " Hey there Twilight! Are YOU READYYYYY!? "

Twilight sidestepped the party pony's attack . " I guess so. We should get going before it gets too-"

A white hoof entered her mouth. " Stop the presses! We must know everything!"

She spat out the hoof. " Everything of what?"

Applejack appeared next to an excited Rarity. " She means the date."

" What date?", asked Twilight.

Pinkie Pie appeared and jumped up and down excitedly. " The one with Doctor Whooves!"

Twilight's cheeks grew bright red and she faltered. " That wasn't a date!", she protested.

All five faces stayed, unrelenting, in the same happy expressions.

Twilight reddened and she struggled to remain firm " It was a lecture and a tour! Seriously!"

Rainbow Dash bumped Twilight and winked. " Tour of what exactly?"

Twilight's face felt hot and her ears flared back. She yelled. " IT WAS A LECTURE!!!!!"

Pinkie smiled widely and in a singsong voice, " You say tomato! I say potato! It was a date!"

Rarity ran beside her and in a dramatic voice, she said, " We must prepare dear! When's the wedding?"

Twilight groaned, annoyed. She walked past the crowd. " Are we leaving or what?"

Applejack trotted past her. "Whatever you say. We better get there before It get's too full."

Rainbow Dash flew up and did a loop in the air. " This place has awesome music! DJ PON-3 is the best!!" She started scratching an invisible disc.

Twilight groaned. The music usually blasted her eardrums. In her condition, it would be deafening. She knew one pony was just as unwilling to go was she was. She trotted beside Fluttershy. She was in her usual shy position. Clubs scared her and she mostly stayed in the corner. That is, until you get the cider out.

Fluttershy muttered. " Was it really a date, Twilight?"

Twilight shook her head rapidly. " NO! You have to believe me, Fluttershy!"

She nodded. " I do, I do!".

She looked apprehensive at the buildings and into the dark alleys, full of who knows what.

She whimpered softly. " I don't want to go!"

Twilight knew that in this city, one wrong step, you landed into a scary world of crime and danger. It wasn't the same Ponyville she used to know. She looked ahead, concentrated on the road ahead and not colliding with the crowd around her.  She put a comforting hoof around the trembling Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy smiled appreciatively.

Twilight broke away and caught up to her friends discussing the night's plans. Rainbow Dash was in the middle of one retelling of her escapades.

Twilight interjected. " It you plan on drinking, please note that I am not the one scraping Rainbow Dash off the walls."

Rainbow snickered and came down beside her. "Then I don't have to remind a certain unicorn what happens when she drinks, right?"

Twilight reddened and yelled defensively. " That was once!"

Applejack came by and joined in the laughter. "Ya have to find her first. It took years till Ah found her stuck in a tree." She snickered. " Somethin about learnin photosynthesis or -"

Twilight stomped by, trying to leave those horrible memories behind. It was one drink, ONE! And they would never let her forget it.

I'm never living that down, am I?

I doubt it. It was pretty funny. What'd you call the pole again?

Twilight burned up and trotted faster. Et tu Spidei?

They had finally reached one of the cities most popular clubs. Rainbow flew in, pumping her hooves excitedly. She was  followed by Applejack, who walked in close behind Rainbow Dash. Rarity walked in with an air of sophistication and lady-like poise. She was then followed by Pinkie, who was wearing her favorite party getup. When she entered, the crowd cheered and the music rose. She was famously known for her parties and wherever she went, the blowout of the year followed. Fluttershy and Twilight stayed behind hesitantly. Muttering to herself, she put her best hoof forward and proceeded in when-

Click

Pain split her frontal lobe. She dropped to her knees.

No! Not here!

Through her hazy mind, she heard Fluttershy cry out. " Twilight! Are you ok?"

She fought waves of pain and nausea. She heard herself answer groggily. " I just need air. Go without me."

The yellow blob left hesitantly and Twilight inched toward the blank darkness she was in. She lay on her side, panting. Heat radiated from her chest and her nerves were frazzled like jumper cables.

I thought you said no more? Twilight's eyes couldn't focus on any one thing.

I can't do everything!

She rubbed her temples, trying to keep it together. Her breathing slowed and she started to calm down.  She was slumped against a wall, next to a pole.

She became aware of her surroundings. Her eyes widened. Oh no. Not the-

She was in the middle of the dreaded alleyways. Right smack dab in the middle. Her mind was reeling. What could she do? She was stuck in most dangerous part of Upper Ponyville. Her breathing picked up and she was seeing spots. She looked around for a way put, to meet walls on all four corners. She was trapped like a rat, or a spider or a-

Calm Twilight! Calm. Twilight had to be calm, or else she would never leave this place alive.

Think reasonably.

Just as long as no pony came by, she was safe. She was getting to her hooves, unsteadily, when she heard the scuffle of hooves and the laughter. She froze in her tracks, not daring to make a sound. They were getting close. Her ears picked up the noise and calculated the noise.  5 males, or more.

She was panicking. That is four too many! What was she going to do? What was she-

The shadows of 4 ponies danced across her face. Her mangled senses where off the charts, but her head was strangely calm.

They came into view and slowly walked toward her.

She walked around, in an attempt to walk past them. She was almost free when-

" Hey there, baby!" a drunken voice called out. More drunken laughter.

Damn!

She whirled around to face 5 street ponies, all males, circling her, snickering.

Twilight tried to keep herself together. Weakness was not tolerated. She tried to keep walking, when a body blocked her. She looked up and the voice slurred. " Where do you think you're going?

All the ponies cracked her joints and snickered. They were getting ready for.. Twilight would rather not think about it.  Twilight gulped but she knew she had to keep calm. One pony suddenly stretched a hoof toward her when-

Click

She suddenly felt a wave of calm and control wash over.

Her eyes burned and it was like her limbs were set on fire.

Fire shot through her body.

Bolts of light flashed through her brain

Her mind was tingling she crouched instinctively, coiled to spring.  Spidei's voice called out, clearer than before, next to Twilight. Twilight looked around, she could make out a second body, made of golden webs, who was a mirrored image of Twilight, but with more confidence and no fear She walked jauntily and with a casual air of arrogance. She spoke with a fierce power and her limbs glowed with strength. Twilight felt a sensation like falling down a long tunnel. The entity opened her mouth.

I can show you what we can do.Together. Just give me some power.

Twilight saw that there was no peaceful way out of this. She hesitantly agreed and allowed Spidei to take control of her body and voice. The mental hold she had was loosened. With a small shudder, she felt her mind go foggy and it was like she was moved to the second place. The co-pilot seat. The balance shifted in her body. She was no longer in command.

Twilight's eyes flew open. Her irises glowed gold. Twilight was looking at the world in a gold perspective. Twilight watched from the outside, as a stronger voice took control of her. The voice smiled and looked around, grinned, daring for them to say anything. They watched puzzled, with the sudden change of personality.

She walked around the circle,  cockily. " So, what's up?"

They looked astounded. That mare, who was cowering in a corner, was now standing totally comfortable surrounded by a group of stallions.

Alone.

In a dark alleyway.

And if not a tad cocky.

They looked to their leader for help. He shrugged this off, and proceeded with their plans. One pony gave a signal and the group pounced on her. Spidei anticipated this move and before they could move, she jumped over the attacking masses. She stuck to the brick wall above the dumpsters. Confused, they looked around for her and spotted her, chilling on the wall. they saw her and growled.

Spidei knew she had to haul ass.They would begin to follow her soon and she needed to be ready. When Spidei saw one of the pegasus take to the air, she began to scale the wall, instinctually crouched, as if she was crawling. This felt totally natural to her and Twilight watched on, from a second perspective, in amazement. Every movement was with a continuous sinuosity. She scaled the wall with relative ease and quickness.  Every moment, when they seemed to get close, she was a couple steps above them, grinned, taunting them on. As the first pony poked its head over the ledge of the roof, she was sprinting and leaping over the roofs. The air whirled around her and she was exhilarating, She could laugh, she was laughing!

So much power!

So much.. Freedom!

Spidei was enjoying this and she didn't care that she was perhaps 20 feet from the ground, balancing on an edge.

Let's let them catch up Twilight egged on excitedly.  Spidei smiled and whirled around, pacing on the ledge of the roof. The ponies reached her and the first one approached rapidly to punch her. The hoof missed her, giving her a moment to draw her hoof back and punch him so hard, he flew back into the group of ponies, causing some to get knocked out.

Test two: Strength. Noticeably enhanced Noted Twilight .

The next one tried a tackle. She jumped up and did a wide backflip in the air. She sailed over him and she smashed her hooves into his skull on the landing.

Don't kill him! protested Twilight. Spidei sighed. " Where's the fun in that?".

She turned around to face the last two.  Their jaws hit the floor and the sudden courage they had, was gone. They backed away, eyes never leaving her face. She was a frightening sight to behold, with her golden eyes flickering menacingly in the night shadows. Her figure contrasted against the full moon. She stood tall, looking powerful and striking. They watched in horror at the mare, with the wind in her mane, opened her mouth.

She grinned wickedly and whispered. " Boo".

The stallions scampered off the roof and ran far away. Before they were gone, one mustered up the courage to yell. " We know your cutie mark! We'll never forget this!"

Twilight stood, looking over the city, in the moonlight, as the lights twinkled below. She could hardly make out the figures below.

The city looks so small and powerless from up here.

The wave of calm and power was ebbing away and her eyes went back slowly to their purple tone. She was breathless and the thrill of the chase was coursing through her veins and filled her heart with uncertainties and amazement.

" Wow."

She looked one last time over the city, in its nightly glory. She looked down, and fully realized how high she was. Instead of fear, she felt..

Nothing. Not even a prickle of fear.

In fact, she felt the opposite: fearless. This was a completely new feeling for Twilight.

She started to walk away from the ledge, toward the alley and sighed.

" The madness isn't over yet, right?"

Hell no! This is about to get interesting!

Twilight looked down at her seemingly normal hooves and then at the wreckage of her powers to their full extent.

She chuckled weakly. " I was afraid of that."