Twisted Minds

by Sillyponyme

Infected

“No, no I don’t.” Twilight said defensively but smiled anyway.

“She does, she absolutely does.” Rarity sang with a big grin on her face. Pinkie then put in her two cents the way only Pinkie could.

Twilight gave Spike a quick hug and then walked off too bed. Like before, her wings gave her some trouble but after her little experience, she took control fairly quick. It only took her ten minutes to get comfortable and fall asleep unlike before where she had lost track. The next morning she had run into Flash Sentry again and spilled the drink she had on him. “I’m so sorry; I’ve been such a klutz with drinks lately.”

“No worries Princess Twilight Sparkle, a little drink won’t get me down though,” Flash leaned in close. “I bet it would your friend Rarity.”

Twilight chuckled lightly and then cleared her throat. “Yes, I suppose it might. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Flash nodded and Twilight left but not before giving Flash a peck on the cheek. Twilights eyes widened in horror and shock and without warning took off toward her meeting leaving Flash blushing. Twilight reached the door to the throne room where the meeting was being held. “Stupid, stupid, stupid, what was I thinking doing that?” Twilight hit her head a few times. “I can’t just go around and kiss every stallion that reminds me of him.” She inhaled deeply, calmed down and walked into her meeting.

The day after her meeting, she saw Flash and tried to turn and walk away but she couldn’t. “Princess, may we talk about the yesterday?”

Twilight’s friends smirked and chuckled and walked off leaving the two to talk. She chuckled nervously and nodded. “Of course, I am so sorry about the abrupt kiss. I can assure you that I don’t know what came over me.”

“No worries Princess but may I ask, one of Princess Celestia’s balls are coming up and though I am just a guard, would you like to go with me. Normally I wouldn’t be going but I’ve for some reason been given time off for it.” Flash rubbed the back of his neck feeling a bit awkward.

Twilight blushed a bright red and smiled. “I, oh, um, yes, I would love to go with you.” She would have to remember to speak with Celestia later and thank her. Celestia clearly set this up.

Flash and Twilight were in Ponyville trying to warm up in her library. “Flash, I can’t believe we’ve been dating for three years now.” Twilight cuddled up next to him and nuzzled his neck.

Flash wrapped his wings around Twilight to help keep her warm. The fog that had started coming in had put a real damper on their day, not to mention the temperature dropped twenty or so degrees. “I know; that is why I grabbed this before coming over.” Twilight looked up at Flash in confusion. “The problem is, I have something stuck in my right wing.” Flash moved his wing ever so slightly and a small box landed on his other wing. He opened it up and smiled. “So Twilight, will-” He was cut off by his lips being attacked by Twilights. When the two separated, Twilight smiled while biting her lower lip. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Flash slipped the ring onto Twilights horn and smiled.

“Can I open my eyes now?” Spike asked after having come down the stairs to see the two kissing.

“Spike, what are you doing down here? I thought we agreed to give Flash and I some private time. You know that we rarely get it.” Twilight asked disappointed and frustrated by the intrusion.

“Yeah I know but I just got a letter from Princess Celestia, she wants you and Flash in the Crystal Empire immediately and before you get all huffy about me opening it, I would like to point out that you’re the one that wanted private time with no disturbances. Also she said to go to the medical room.” Spike defended himself.

“Of course Spike, I understand and thank you for that.” Twilight and Flash separated and stood up off the couch. “It looks like we have a job to do.”

Spike went along refusing to be left alone. He of course sat no where near the two love birds on the train. Once they arrived at the empire, the three ran up and into the castle. “What do you think is wrong? Does it have something to do with the weird fog?” Spike asked as they continued to make their way to the small hospital in the castle.

“I haven’t any idea Spike but does it matter, Rainbow is probably really badly hurt.” The three arrived and burst into the room. “Is Rainbow ok?” Twilight blurted out.

Rainbow Dash turned her head around and smiled. “I’m fine but you may want to come see this and just Twilight right now.” The others shrugged and stood still.

Twilight walked over and looked at the pony on the bed in shock. “Sunset Shimmer!”

“Hello Twilight…how are you?” Sunset coughed up some blood and struggled to breath.

“What’s going on, what happened to you?” Twilights face stayed in a look of shock.

“It’s… critical Princess…my world needs you.” Sunset coughed up some more blood as doctors started working on her again. “Something…has happened. Some…psychopath…released something.” More blood came from her mouth. “I fear…that the…elements of…harmony are…needed. Please…Princess…help us.”

“How many of whatever attacked you were there so that we may be ready?” Twilight asked

“I…think only…one. I…don’t know…where it…was.” Sunset coughed up more blood.

“No, we must break the mirror then.” Celestia said.

“So…you would…let millions…upon millions…die?” Sunset coughed up even more blood then before. “Besides, how…can you be…so sure that…whatever came…after me…hasn’t come…through already? You…break the…mirror…you doom…yourselves…as” Sunset Shimmer stopped speaking, her heart and every other organ stopped. The monitor went from small waves to a straight line.

A doctor came over with a tray of things. “Princess Twilight, you may want to see what we dug out of her.” Twilight nodded and looked at the bloody things on the tray. The small things looked like the ends of a grappling hook but tiny.

“Princess Celestia, what do we do?” Twilight asked as she stared at the little objects horrified.

“We send you and the others through the portal. You bring the elements with you and quickly take care of the problem and if you can’t, get back before the portal closes. I will have guards search the castle to make sure that these things didn’t come through. Keep a shield around you and the others at all times and take armor with you as well.” Celestia commanded.

“Of course, Rainbow Dash, go get the others. I don’t care if you have to get there and back via a Sonic Rainboom.” Rainbow nodded and left without a word or complaint. “If I may make a suggestion, have the guards and you as well guard the mirror as others search. The last thing we need is for these things to sneak in while the castle is being searched.”

“You make a good point, Flash, get the guards together and bring a group here, send others to search out the castle.” Flash nodded and took off. “Princess, lets get the armor ready.” Twilight nodded and followed her former mentor out.

Once everypony was out of the room, a creature with thick wing-like appendages made its’ way into the hospital. It climbed up on Sunset Shimmers body and stuck it’s proboscis in her forehead. It lifted her up off the bed and began to change her. Sunset’s body twitched wildly, blades formed from her front hooves and her skin peeled back leaving flesh exposed along with tiny hairs everywhere that made her look as if she were balding. Her mane and tail tore off along with the skin and fur. Her eyes opened revealing blood red orbs. She stood on her back hooves and looked around for a moment. She then took off out the door with the infector close behind.