//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: The Number 22 // by Blazing Shadows //------------------------------// Author's Note: I've still got a long way to go before completion on this, but, to allow the story to sink into the site, I'm gonna wait a few days before making any more updates. So, hopefully, when I start updating again, I'll have more readers who have experienced the horror that is THE NUMBER 22! Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic or The Number 23, the cool movie this story is based on. THE NUMBER 22 Chapter 10 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 How long would it be before I began hallucinating? Was I as close to losing my mind as Hoofling? The differing thoughts raced through my mind as I sat on my bed, the book laying in front of me.....However, I did know one thing.....My friends would be here to back me up no matter what....And that's the strongest kind of power.....Stronger than any form of magic.....The power.....of friendship. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! "TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!" Man....It seemed as though everyday somepony different was mad at me, knocking angrily at my door and screaming my name. "You're in a lot of trouble, little missy! Derpy Hooves had to arrange every letter this morning by herself!...And I'm sure you can imagine how that went!!" It was Mrs. Cake, a pony I'd neglected and forgotten. Somepony I hadn't explained my situation to or made ammends with yet. But, I knew that it wouldn't have done any good trying. She would never listen,....nor would she now. "I know you're in there! I saw you leaving Doctor Whooves' not too long ago!" Doctor Whooves.....I still felt horrible about his death. And not just because I saw the whole thing....I knew I was responsible for it. I was the one with the curse. The curse hurt everypony I was around. As long as I had it, I had to keep away from others....or else somepony would get hurt. That's why my friends were going to help me without getting in the curse's way,....which, when I really got down to thinking about it, didn't make the most sense....But, I couldn't worry about that. I had my own problems to attend to. "That's it! I'm busting this door down right no-" "Oh hi, Mrs. Cake. What a pleasant surprise." "Twilight, don't give me that crap! You know darn well why I'm here! You've been shirking your community service while you've gone off hanging out with your friends. Well, I hope you've been having a damn good time!' If only she knew the truth. But, in order for her to believe me, she'd have to witness the curse at work....Then I realized....she was in a bad position. "Mrs. Cake, you shouldn't be here right now! You should go!" "Oh, no! You're not pushing me away any longer! You are going to do your community service if it kills me!" That's what I was afraid of. "Mrs. Cake, I don't have time to explain...JUST GO!! Leave now...before it's too late!" "NO! I WILL NOT!" Suddenly, I noticed the town's clock....It read 1:22. I was certain that the curse was about to strike Mrs. Cake. I had to get her away from me before it was too late. "HELP, POLICE!! This woman's harassing me!" Not the best escape plan I'd ever devised, but it was the first thing that came to mind. Two police who happened to be walking by at the moment answered my call. They ran over to us....and tackled Mrs. Cake....Not what I had expected them to do, but at least it bought me some time. I was just thinking they'd take her away in their patrol carriage or something. I then realized they must have been two rookies who just recently got their badges....and this was one of their first calls. "....This is our local police?....I feel so protected..." I let them continue their pile-up and I ran past them, eager to get away. I didn't exactly know where to go, so I just took myself to the first place I could think of. "Man,....alleys are creepy even in the day." I had taken myself to a nearby alley to get some peace and quiet. I brought the book with me to brush up on another chapter. However, I got an unexpected visitor. "Well, hey there, young lady. How do ya do?" "Wha?...Who's there?!" "Oh, don't be afraid. I won't hurt ya....a whole lot. He he he." The mysterious figure didn't step out of the shadows, so I never got a good look at him....Yes, it was a "him". I could tell by the voice. But,...I didn't recognize the voice. It was too dark and raspy. "I didn't expect to find anyone here. I'm usually the only one who comes to this place....I guess that makes you my first companion ever." "Who are you?...What do you want?!" "Why, that's easy....I want you, my dear!" "You didn't answer my first question,....nor did you answer the second one complete enough to understand!" "Oh, you'll understand....when the curse swallows you whole....like a swarm of pirahnas!" "Wait!....How do you know about the curse?!" "Oh, that's not something you need to worry about....You just need to give in and accept your fate....But, most importantly,.....you must...DIE!!" Saying this, the attacker lunged at me. I still couldn't see his face, as he covered my eyes up with his hooves as soon as he leapt on me. I tried to buck him off, but he held his grip. He began kicking me in the back, possibly attempting to break my spinal colum. I kept moving, so he didn't injure me too badly....But, after several kicks, he landed a hard blow on my flank, knocking me forward into the alley's brick wall. I almost fell unconscious, but I managed to keep myself awake long enough to get back up. After the impact, the attacker had fell off my back, forward, into the brick wall as well. He slumped against the wall, not moving. I thought, for a moment, he was unconscious, but I was wrong. He soon got back up, still hiding his face, and lunged at me again. But, this time, I was ready for him. I dodged him, gave him a hard kick with my back legs, which sent him flying straight up into the air, and blasted him with one of my stun spells. The brightness of my horn's magic kept his face hidden from me yet again, but I didn't care. All I cared about was unleashing everything I had on him. I wanted him to suffer.....Then,...the situation became clear. "AAAUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" I sent him flying into the distance, him screaming all the way down. I didn't know if the fall killed him or not, but I did know that he wouldn't be able to come after me for a while. I was surprised nopony had heard the commotion and come to investigate. But, that wasn't my concern at the moment.....My concern was what I had just done. "I....I lost control....Just like in the book,..the madness is progressing inside me.....It's turning me into a heartless creature.....Pretty soon, the madness will consume me....and it shall be the end of me..." "Twilight? What are you doing here?" I looked up to see Orlando. He was running towards me, concern on his face. "I can't believe I found you here! I was on my way over to your house to invite you to dinner when I heard some noise coming from this alley. Now, I find you here on the ground....with bruises all down your back!" "Orlando, it's okay. I'm alright. I just fell, that's all." "I don't believe you. A normal fall wouldn't make that many bruises." "Look, I've been dealing with a lot lately. Can we please talk about this later?" "....Well, alright." "Now,....about that dinner." "...Um!....Well, I was actually....um....going to ask you if...you'd come eat with me tonight.....at around 7?" "Well, as touching as that sounds, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to refuse." "What?.....Why?" "I'm busy tonight. Gotta research some things.....But, if it's that important to you, I'll try to go tommorrow." "Great! Same time?" "Same time." We said good-bye to each other, but he was the only one who left. For as soon as we stopped speaking to each other, I immediately pulled out the book. I didn't even have the intention of going home yet. I didn't need to go home to read more. Chapter 10 Betrayal Orlando was becoming more and more distant from me,....as I was becoming from my own self. My hallucinations had worsened every day. The shadows were now following me during the day as well as the night. It was frightening,....but I never showed any fear. I felt it,....but never showed it. If the curse was gonna kill me, I wished it would go ahead and do it. I couldn't take any more of the madness.....But, I guess, that's how it wanted me to feel. The next morning, I found a note in the kitchen. It was from Orlando. Going out to get some things. Be back later. -Orlando "Not a whole lot to go by. I think I'll go check up on him." If I'd stayed home that day instead of going after him, I might've stayed sane for a little while longer. But, when the mind of a dedicated researcher puts itself onto a goal, it stays there until it's reached. I looked all around town at all the possible places Orlando would've gone, but I wound up with nothing. I was about to give up when I saw it. The sight that would change our relationship, and my life,....forever. Across the street, sitting at a cafe table, was Orlando and Dr. Lori. But, it's not where they were sitting that mattered to me.....It's what they were doing. They were kissing and holding hooves,....like two lovers who'd known each other their whole lives. "Or-Orlando...." At that moment, my other side, the lost side, kicked in. "See! I told you he was no good! You didn't listen to me and now you're being forced to accept the truth in a more painful way! Take a good look at your "lover" and tell me what you see." There was no point in arguing with it anymore. My other half was right. I didn't listen to it and now I was having to witness this heart-breaking scene. "I....see......two ponies who don't deserve to live..." "And what are you gonna to about that?" "I....I don't exactly know yet.....But, we'll find out soon enough,.....won't we?" "What?!! This can't be right! They were so happy together! Why would Orlando do that to her?!" It was then that I realized that, since the book had been right about a lot of other things, it could also be right about this. There was only one way to find out. End of Chapter 10! Author's Other Note: You may think it's bad about Twilight,.....but things are also horrible for a certain rainbow-maned mare...Sorry to leave you with that after I told you I'd be waiting a few days before updates,....but I guess that means I've made a pretty good cliffhanger! 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222