//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Twilight's Phobia // by Homage //------------------------------// Epilogue “Wow! That's one heckuva story!” “Oh my Celestia, it was! But it would have been even better with robots! And ninjas! Or werewolves! Or robot ninja werewolves!!” “Darling, you must have gotten filthy! Caves are so dank and musty!” “Meh, that's an OK adventure, I guess. But if I was there, it would have been 20% cooler!” Twilight Sparkle giggled at her friend's reactions. She was happy to finally be back home. All her friends had been waiting for her inside the library. “So, how's your horn doing, Twilight? Any better?” asked Spike. Twilight tapped the cast around her horn. “Pretty well. My magic is coming back faster than the doctors expected!” “Well, it is your special talent, sugarcube,” reminded Applejack. “Why don't ya show us what ya can do?” “Um, all right,” replied Twilight, lowering her head and closing her eyes. Her cast-concealed horn was surrounded by a faint pink aura, which grew brighter and brighter until a bolt shot out and hit Spike square in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. Spike's moan of pain broke Twilight's focus. She immediately trotted over to Spike. “Spike! I'm so sorry! Are you OK?” Spike slowly rose up and rubbed his head. “I think so...” All the eyes in the room were on the purple dragon. “Why is everypony staring at me like that?” he asked. Then he looked down. A large amount of thick black hair covered his chest. Spike looked at Twilight. “Number 25?” he asked. Twilight dropped her eyes. “No,” she admitted. Rarity trotted right up to Spike. “Well, I have to say, I think it gives you a more... masculine look, Spikey-Wikey! Dashing, I might dare to say!” The corners of Spike's mouth could have reached the ceiling. “Oh really?” he asked the white mare, turning back to Twilight and mouthing the words “told you.” Twilight's gaping jaw shut at the sound of Fluttershy coming in through the open door of the library, accompanied by Angel. “Um, I'm so sorry for being late... It's just... um... um... I mean... nevermind,” the yellow pegasus muttered, closing the door behind her. “Fluttershy! It's no problem at all!” exclaimed Twilight. “I was just telling everypony the story!” A sharp knock at the door made the timid pegasus jump. “I'll just be a second, everypony,” said Twilight, passing by the shaking yellow mare and opening the door with her magic. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were sitting at the library's doorstep. The three fillies were wearing ballcaps and carrying duffel bags. Apple Bloom had a rolled-up newspaper clutched in her teeth. “Can I help you girls?” asked Twilight. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS PAPERFILLIES!” shouted the three fillies. The paper dropped from Apple Bloom's mouth and fell to the ground. The Cutie Mark Crusaders then turned around and started galloping to the next building over. Twilight rolled her eyes. Those silly fillies couldn't seem to get anything right. She wasn't even subscribed to the local newspaper. She usually just borrowed Rarity's copy. Sighing, the lavender unicorn levitated the newspaper and closed the door, setting it down on the table. It unrolled upon being placed. Twilight was about to go back to her friends when the headline caught her eye. “What's this? Mysterious Vigilante Foils Bank Robbery?” Twilight thought out loud. Then she saw the picture. It was security camera footage from the bank. It showed five ponies in ski masks sprawled out on the ground with one more being punched in the face by a small, black figure. She thought she made out a logo on the figure's chest. Was that a... bunny? At that moment, the lavender unicorn remembered Angel's memory. She looked up from the paper to see Angel staring directly at her from his spot next to Fluttershy. The rabbit put his paw to his lips, as if to say “Don't tell.” Twilight winked at him, but was cackling maniacally in her mind. At long last, she had discovered the true identity of her arch nemesis! Soon, she will destroy the Masked Mammal once and for all! “You know what this calls for? A PARTY!!!” yelled Pinkie Pie from across the room. Twilight shook her head, wiping the insane grin from her face. Ok, party now, revenge later.