//------------------------------// // The Create // Story: Cardcaptor Twilight // by Yukito //------------------------------// Sweetie Belle huffed as she entered her house, slamming the door shut behind her and throwing her saddlebags down to the floor. “Stupid Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon… I’ll get my Cutie Mark someday…” Sweetie Belle made her way to the living room, where she expected to see her mother and father sitting around, doing whatever boring stuff it was that adults did. Instead, she found the room empty, save for a note on the coffee table in the centre. “Mum? Dad?” she called out. She picked up the note to read it. Sweetie Belle, your father and I are going to be coming home late tonight. We found a book that we think you will enjoy, and maybe you can find your Cutie Mark with it. It is in your room, on your bed. Good luck, and remember: don’t open the door for anypony. Love, your mother. “A book?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Find my Cutie Mark?” Sweetie Belle suddenly brightened up, and she smiled as she excitedly turned tail, and ran up the stairs towards her room. “Oh boy! I can’t wait! I wonder if Apple Bloom and Scootaloo will be surprised when they see me tomorrow with a brand new Cutie Mark?” Opening her bedroom door and stepping inside, Sweetie Belle’s attention immediately shifted to her bed, where she found a small brown book waiting for her, with a green feather quill sitting beside it. She picked the book up and opened it. There was some strange writing on the first few pages, but she couldn’t make out what it was saying. A few more pages in, the writing stopped completely, save for one sentence at the top of a new page, this one written in clearly, and in a language she understood. The writing read: ‘We want you to write what happens next’. Sweetie Belle put her hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. “A Cutie Mark in story-writing? That’s a good idea! How did I not think of it before?” With some new-found energy and confidence, Sweetie Belle carried the book over to her small desk at the side of the room, and sat down to begin writing. “Now, where to start?” Trixie approached the large rock before her, using her magic to light up the dark area so that she could see. There was a something pink on top of the rock, and it turned to face her. “Oh, you’re back.” Trixie used her magic to teleport on top of the rock, and sat down beside the pink figure. “It seems so. Trixie thought you had already thanked her, Twilight Twinkle.” Twinkle shrugged, and used her magic to summon a teapot and some teacups. “Maybe I just wanted to talk to you, then.” “Isn’t it against the rules for the dead to just talk to the living whenever they get lonely?” “I think it’s okay for the two of us, since we share a special spiritual connection.” Trixie shivered, and picked up one of the now-filled cups with her magic. “Great, as if Sparkle wasn’t bad enough. Now Trixie is spending time with her grandma.” Twinkle laughed, and took a sip from her own cup. “So, anything new happen since the last time we spoke?” “… Actually, yes.” “Wanna talk about it?” Trixie sighed, but then decided that she had nothing better to do right now. “Some cloaked pony stole Trixie Clow Card.” “Oh? How so?” “They tricked Trixie into playing their game, and used some kind of strange bell in order to defeat the Maze card.” “I see… And, what exactly is a Clow Card?” Trixie facehooved. “Right. Trixie didn’t mention those, did she? Well, long story short, Trixie and Sparkle are currently competing against each other to collect them.” Twinkle nodded, and took another sip of her tea. “You know, they say the more you fight with somepony, the closer you are to that pony.” “Hardly!” Trixie scoffed, turning her head away. “Twilight Sparkle is the Great and Powerful Trixie’s biggest enemy! She is to Trixie what Discord is to Celestia!” “And yet, you saved her life. And she saved yours.” “… There’s also something else that happened lately,” Trixie said, in an attempt to shift the topic. “Last night, Trixie’s left eye had a vision that clearly wasn’t her own. In it, Trixie could see Sparkle’s friends surrounding her.” “Just your left eye?” Trixie nodded. “Any idea what that could mean?” Trixie rolled her eyes. “It’s no big mystery. Clearly, it has something to do with this magical transfer.” Twinkle nodded. “Another sign that you and my granddaughter share a special bond.” “Will you stop it with that?!” Trixie snapped. “Trixie and that egghead have no bonds, other than the one that ties us as enemies!” “Alright, alright. I’ll drop the subject, and we can just talk about something else.” “Thank you,” Trixie said, finishing off the tea in her cup. Twinkle offered her a refill, which she accepted. “So, how did you die?” Twinkle laughed at Trixie’s straightforwardness. “You really want to know? It might be pretty gruesome.” Trixie smiled. “Trixie is sure that it’s nothing she won’t be able to stomach.” Twinkle paused for a second, before placing down her teacup. “Maybe next time,” she said. “It seems you’re waking up.” “Huh?” Trixie looked down at her own body, and saw it beginning to fade out. “Well, that was short-lived.” “I hope you drop by again, Trixie,” Twinkle said. “It’s kind of nice to have somepony to talk to every now and then.” “… Well, no promises. Since Trixie really has no idea how this whole thing works.” Trixie awoke in her trailer, immediately guessed the cause of her premature awakening. She turned her gaze over to her compass, and proved her theory correct when she saw it glowing. “A Clow Card…” Twilight, Rarity, and Kero gathered at the entrance to the Everfree Forest, where the Guardian Beast had sensed the Clow Card’s presence. “So, what exactly are we looking for?” Rarity asked, looking around nervously. “Dunno,” Kero admitted. “But I’m sure we’ll know when we see it. Even in the Everfree Forest, the Clow Cards should stand out quite well. By the way, what’s up with that outfit?” Twilight blushed, and looked down at the outfit that Rarity had prepared for her. It was a dragonfly-style costume, complete with wing and antennae accessories. The cover of night didn’t obscure her any, as various parts of the outfit flowed a bright green. “Isn’t it simply marvellous?” Rarity asked, admiring her handiwork. “I was inspired by the Glow card that Twilight showed me. It should help us find the Clow Card this late at night, don’t you think?” “So would magic,” Twilight pointed out. Rarity scoffed and waved her hoof dismissively. “Anyway, be careful, you two. This is the Everfree Forest, which means that this is much more dangerous than usua-” Twilight was interrupted by a loud, thunderous noise behind her, and the group turned around to see something very, very large coming out of the trees. “W… What is that?” The vicious T-Rex emerged from the Everfree Forest, and started to attack the innocent ponies of Ponyville. “JUMP!” Twilight screamed, and immediately grabbed Rarity in her magic as she jumped to avoid the tyrannosaur’s attempt to squash them with its foot. Kero grabbed onto Twilight to stay close to her as she soared in the air. “W-What is a dinosaur doing here?!” “Is this the Clow Card?!” Rarity asked. Kero shook his head. “No ‘Dinosaur’ Clow Card, guys!” Suddenly, a large, three-headed dragon appeared, and engaged the ferocious T-Rex in a fight. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has arr- WHAT THE HAY IS THAT THING?!” Twilight and Rarity landed on the ground beside Trixie, who was staring with her mouth wide open at the dinosaur before her. “Trixie, we need you Fly card!” Twilight shouted. “T-T-T-T-T-That’s a d-d-d-d-d-dinosaur…” Trixie said, watching the large creature in disbelief. “Yes, it is! Now hurry up and-” “This is awesome!” Trixie shouted, her face suddenly beaming in excitement. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has always wanted to ride a dinosaur, ever since she was a little filly! Now she can! Clow Reed, you are Trixie’s new favourite pony!” Kero rolled his eyes, and floated beside Trixie. “Fly card, now!” “Oh, right!” Trixie pulled out the card, but before she could use it, the sound of something roaring up in the air distracted her. “W-What the?” Looking up, the group all fell silent as they saw a large, three-headed dragon soaring above them. A large grasshopper… “What is this?!” Trixie asked as she flew in the air on her staff, Twilight and Rarity hitching a ride with her. “The ‘Monster’ card?!” “It’s the Create card!” Kero shouted, looking down at the three large creatures tearing each other apart. “If we can defeat one of those creatures, we can seal it away! The problem though…” “Is defeating one of those creatures?” Rarity asked, to which Kero nodded. “How exactly do you propose we do that?” Kero put a paw to his chin. “The Sword card won’t do. Not against the Create card. The question is, who’s using the card? The card’s power is limited only by the user’s imagination, so if the user is somepony whose imagination runs wild, then these creations will have practically no weaknesses.” “What’s that?!” Twilight asked, pointing down at a new arrival: a black Alicorn with a striped red and black mane, casting a variety of spells at the creatures whilst deflecting their attacks with five oversized sword. Trixie rolled her eyes. “A freaking Mary Sue, that’s what. Which doesn’t bode well for us.” “Can’t you find the one who is using the card, Kero?” Rarity asked. Kero shook his head. “Sorry, but no. If I could, I would have found it ages ago. I can only sense it when it’s in use, and even then, only the things that are created by it.” “What about Erase? Or Time?” Twilight asked. “Either of those would work, right?” “Erase would only get rid of the monsters currently here,” Kero said. “We won’t be able to seal away what isn’t there, though, and surely more monsters would just come if the user of the card continues to write. “But Time might work, however… Freezing all those monsters in place, all at the same time, will be a tremendous strain on Trixie’s magical energy.” “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be able to handle it, but one of you will need to distract them!” “I can do that,” Twilight said. “Indeed. That ridiculous costume of yours should be able to gather their attention fairly easily,2 Trixie said with a grin. “But are you sure you want to play decoy like that?” “Just land already,” Twilight said. “If we don’t seal them away now, just think of what they could do to Ponyville.” With a nod, Trixie began to descend, just a short distance away from the epic battle currently going. Twilight and Trixie nodded to each other, and then ran off in separate directions. “Hey! You guys!” Twilight shouted, alerting the four creations to her presence. “Now, Trixie! Hurry!” “Time!” Trixie shouted, slamming her staff against the Time card. A bright light shot forth from the card, and surrounded the four creations. Trixie winced as she felt a sharp pain pass through her head, but she powered through it as she focused on her magic… “Not good!” Kero shouted, noticing the T-Rex moving towards Trixie, completely unfazed by the Time card. “Brat, get outta there!” The light from Time faded, and Trixie looked up in horror at the beast towering above her, roaring as it lowered its head towards her. “TRIXIE!” Time seemed to stand still for Trixie, and all she could do was watch as something black entered her vision. Something tall, and slim, and coated in black… and brandishing a sword. “W-What?” The black figure thrust its sword forward, and then moved it to the side as it pierced the T-Rex’s neck. The creation stumbled backwards, and then started to fade away slowly. “T-There!” Kero said, snapping himself out of his shock. “That’s it, Twilight! Seal it away, now!” Twilight nodded, and quickly made her way towards the staggering creation. “Return to the guise you were meant to be in! Clow Card!” “Thank you,” the mysterious figure said, and then stuck out its hand as the four creations were enveloped by a bright light, before being turned back into card form. The Creation card floated down, and landed in the figure’s hand. “The Creation card… With this, I shall finally be able to claim my prize.” The book before Sweetie Belle was suddenly enveloped in a strange light, and the Unicorn filly stumbled backwards as she watched it suddenly disappear before her eyes. “W-What happened to it?” she asked herself, searching her desk, under her desk, and everywhere else in her room for it. When she could find it, an idea popped into her head. “Maybe I-” Turning to look at her flank, Sweetie Belle’s smile turned to a frown when she realised that she was still a blank flank. “Awww…” Trixie approached the figure cautiously, keeping her eyes on the sword that it still brandished in its right hand. “The Great and Powerful Trixie… appreciates the assist,” she said, before turning her attention to the back of the figure’s head. “However, that card belongs to her. Return it, at once.” The figure turned around, revealing its face to Trixie. It was another human, she noticed, only this one looked different from Watanuki and that boy from before. This one looked… older, perhaps? His hair was similar to Watanuki’s, though; it was short and black. Those his eyes were definitely different. One of them didn’t even seem to be there at all. It was just a blank gray colour. “This Clow Card belongs to whomever defeated it, correct?” the figure asked, holding the card up with its left hand. “Therefore, it rightfully is mine, now. And even if it wasn’t, there is no way that I would hand it over. After all, this card has the power to give life to what should only be allowed to exist in one’s imagination. It breaks the border between reality and fantasy. Indeed, with this card, anything is possible.” The figure raised his sword, prompting Trixie to back up and summon her magic. He gently tapped the tip of his sword to the card. “For example, a barrier that would prevent anyone from leaving this world through any magical means. Create.” A bright light shot out of the card, and up into the air. It stayed for about five seconds, before slowly fading away. “W-What did you just do?!” Trixie demanded. “Forgive me,” the figure said. “I did not mean to startle you.” “Hey!” Kero shouted, flying over to where the two were standing. “Who are you, and how’d you defeat the Create card so easily?!” “Kero!” Twilight scolded, catching up the Guardian Beast alongside Rarity. “He just saved Trixie’s life!” “I get a bad vibe from him,” Kero whispered to Twilight. “Something about him feels similar to that boy from before. I don’t like it.” “That boy?” Twilight asked, before suddenly remembering the boy that had attack them before. The same boy who almost killed both her, and Trixie. Suddenly, Twilight felt uneasy, and she raised her staff cautiously as she faced the new arrival. “Seishiro,” the figure said, confusing everyone present. “That is my name. You asked for it, didn’t you?” “Seishiro,” Twilight said, “What are you planning to do with that card?” Seishiro grinned, and looked over at something to his right. Twilight followed his gaze, and could see Canterlot in the distance. “There’s something I’m hunting,” Seishiro said. “That something, is now trapped in that city over there. I am going to go there, and claim my prize. “Kamui. Subaru.” A black aura surrounded Seishiro, startling the others and causing them to back away. When the aura dissipated, he was gone, along with the Create card. “He said he was heading to Canterlot,” Twilight said. “… I have a bad feeling about this.” “We should warn the Princess,” Rarity said. “Just in case.” “You guys can do that,” Trixie started, “But the Great and Powerful Trixie has had enough of outsiders interfering with our little contest! She is going to find this ‘Seishiro’, and take back the Create card from him, no matter what it takes!” “Don’t be foolish,” Kero said. “You saw how strong he was! You wouldn’t last a second by yourself!” “… Then, I’ll go with her,” Twilight said. “What?!” Kero and Trixie shouted in unison. “There’s clearly no stopping you, Trixie. Therefore, I’ll go with you, too. To make sure you don’t get yourself killed.” “Now look here-” “I’m going too!” Rarity added. “That Seishiro had a rather interesting outfit. I want to get a closer look at it.” Smiling, Twilight nodded to both Rarity and Trixie. “Well then, looks like it’s settled.” Kero let out an exasperated sigh, and sank down beside Twilight. “Honestly, I swear you ponies are all crazy…”