//------------------------------// // The mystery begins/Enter W. Part 1 // Story: Double Friendship Xtreme // by Axle the Cobalt Exorcist //------------------------------// Chapter 1 The Mystery begins/Enter W. Part 1 It's been two years since The Boss kicked it. I’ve been doing my part in keeping the peace here in Phillydelphia. It’s been quiet the last couple of weeks until that letter showed up. At first I thought it was just junk mail. But that was before I saw the royal seal on it. It was addressed to The Boss, but since he isn't with us anymore, I’m the next in line to take his responsibilities. Apparently the Princess needs the Boss’s expertize in odd phenomenon in a small town called Ponyville. Since it was the Princess I had no choice in the mater. Looks like me and Phillip have some work to do. TTT______TTT In Golden Oaks library, Twilight was helping Rarity make fliers. The fliers were for a room Rarity was renting out. Since her parents were on a year long trip overseas she thought it would be a good idea to rent out their room to make some extra money. With their permission of course. As the two unicorns finished the last of the fliers Twilight looked at Rarity. “Are you sure it’s safe to allow a stranger to sleep in your house.” Twilight ask with concern for her friend. “Why certainly darling” Rarity replied casually. “I am a grown mare and I am more than capable of taking care of myself and my sister” “Ok if you say so. Oh I almost forgot. I need to get to the train station soon.” Twilight looked at the clock to see it was a quarter to three. “May I ask why?” Twilight trotted to the desk and picked up a scroll with her magic. “I got a letter this morning from the Princess. She wants me to deliver this to somepony who is coming to town at three o clock”. Just then Spike burst through the door out of breath yelling “Twilight!” “What’s wrong Spike?“ Twilight asked with concern in her voice Trying to pull himself together Spike answered. “It was a fire in the town square again.” “That’s the second one this month” Twilight added “Please don’t tell me it was another boutique” Rarity asked in a dramatic tone almost fainting. “Yeah it was that new shop Squarestitch’s Dresses” Spike answered. “But don’t worry nopony got hurt” “Oh my” Rarity exclaimed in shock. “Well that’s good that nopony got hurt, anyway we need to get going. Are you coming Rarity” Twilight ask waking to the door. “Why of course darling” she said as the three headed to the train station. TTT_____TTT At the train station the passengers waked onto the platform. Twilight and her friends saw all the ponies entering town. All of a sudden two stallions showed up in front of the three. One was a light brown earth pony with a dark brown mane. He wore a purple button down shirt and tie under a vest. He also wore a black fedora and his cutie mark was an odd black symbol that looked like half of a W “Hello, I’m looking for a 'Ms. Twilight Sparkle'?” “Um, yes that me” she said nervously. “Are you the one that the Princess told me to find”. “Why yes. My name is Shotaro and this is my partner Phillip”. Shotaro then pointed to a gray unicorn with a black mane. He wore a long-sleeved shirt with yellow and white stripes under a green sleeveless jacket. He had three binder clips in his mane and the same odd symbol as a cutie mark but it was green and reversed. He said nothing as he continued to read his book. “Hello Mr. Shotaro since you know who I am let me introduce my friends, Spike and Rarity,” she said as she pointed to the purple dragon and the white unicorn. Rarity looked at the earth pony’s outfit. “May I say Mr. Shotaro your outfit look positively marvelous.” “Thank you. I do try my best to look hardboiled,” after saying that Shotaro adjusted his hat. “Oh, I also have this letter for you” Twilight then levitated the letter from Spike’s claws. “Thank you,” Shotaro grabbed the letter from the unicorn’s magic and put it in to a vest pocket. “If you don’t mind I’d like to continue this somewhere more private.” “We can go to the library,” Twilight offered with a smile on her face “Perfect” Shotaro said. Phillip’s eyes lit up at the word library. “Looks like Phillip is on board.” The five then left the station and made their way toward the library. The group walked down Main Street. Twilight tried to look over Phillip’s shoulder to see what he was reading but her efforts failed. Spike shot Shotaro a cold look as Rarity was having a conversation with him on his outfit. Shotaro stopped all of a sudden and looked at the charred remands of a store. “What happened there?” he asked his purple maned companion. “Oh my. That use to be Madame Hatter’s hat shop. Unfortunately it burned down a couple of weeks ago.” “Has anything else like this happened lately?” “Yeah. A dress shop burned down just this morning,” Spike said “I see,” Shotaro put a hoof to his chin to think. “Phillip. You, Twilight, and Spike head back to the library. Me and Rarity will investigate the scene. If that’s okay with you ladies,” he said. “No problem,” Twilight said. “Why of course darling,” Rarity responded in her lady like fashion. “Hey!” Spike objected. “I’m not going to let you take my dear Rarity!” Spike said balling his fists. Shotaro chuckled and patted the young dragon on the head. “Relax little guy. I’m not going to steal her. I just need her as a guide. Besides, it looks like Twilight is more interested in my partner,” he said pointing at Twilight still trying to see what Phillip was reading. “Fine,” Spike huffed as he followed Phillip and Twilight back to library. “Well then” Shotaro said adjusting his hat. “Let’s get started” TTT_____TTT After a few minutes of looking through the burnt rubble, Shotaro managed to find nothing but odd, black rocks that seemed to generate heat. “This is weird,” he said to himself. “What is?” Rarity asked looking at the rock in his hoof. “This rock is still warm after all this time, and it's been a couple of weeks since the fire,” he said rubbing his chin in thought. "What does that mean?" "I don't know, but maybe my partner does." Shotaro then pulled a strange device out of his vest and flipped it open. On one side it had numbers and the other had a strange glow on it. Rarity watched as he pressed the numbers with his hoofs before putting the devise to his ear. "Hello, Phillip." TTT______TTT At the library, Twilight was drinking tea that Spike had made for her. Phillip was on the couch reading his book, oblivious to the world around him. After several attempts to spark a conversation with Phillip, Twilight decided to give up and just leave him alone. All of a sudden a ringing sound was heard coming from Phillip's jacket. He pulled out a strange device, flipped it open, and put it to his ear. Twilight looked at Phillip wondering what it was he was talking into. He soon pressed a button and placed the device on the table. He stood up and closed his eyes. A faint, almost otherworldly light began to glow around him "Ok, I'm ready." " First word: Heat," Shotaro's voice said from the device. Twilight was shocked to hear Shotaro through the object on the table. She didn't know what it was or what kind of magic Phillip was using. After a few seconds he spoke again. "Okay, next word." Shotaro's voice continued "Second word: Black rock." "What the hay is going on here?" Twilight yelled trying to get an answer from the unicorn. Phillip ignored her and continued with his conversation. "I need more information." TTT______TTT Shotaro looked around the pile of rubble until a burnt hat caught his eye. He picked it up and looked inside. He read the tag. It said "Golden Thread Designs". He turned to Rarity and showed her the hat. "Do you know who this is?" Shotaro asked. Rarity took a closer look at the hat before gasping "Oh my, this is one of Golden Thread's. She's only the biggest up-in-coming designer in Canterlot. I just got a few of her works in this morning. And if I remember correctly so did Square Stitch." "BINGO" Shotaro said as he resumed his conversation with Phillip. "Ok third word; Golden Thread" after a few minuets Shotaro closed the device and looked back at Rarity. "Do know where Carousel Boutique is? We need to get there now." Rarity looked puzzled as she answered "Why of course. I am the owner after all. Why do you ask?" "I'll explain on the way but we need to go now." he said as the two began running toward Carousel Boutique. TTT______TTT As the two closed in on the building the image of a mysterious pony came into view. Shotaro stopped a few feet in front of the light tan stallion. "Stop! Your under arrest!" he yelled while pointing in a dramatic pose. "You're here to stop my vision?" The mysteries pony said in a low voice. "Just like those idiots in Canterlot. But they'll pay. You'll all pay" he then pulled out a strange red rectangle with a M on it. The M looked as if it was a volcano. He pressed a button on the rectangle. A voice came from it. "MAGMA!" He then put the rectangle on a mark on his foreleg. The rectangle disappeared into his arm as his body began to transform. He soon became a tall, two legged creature. He had two arms and was covered in armor that looked like rock and lava. Flame cascaded around it's body. "Oh my Celestia what is that!?" Rarity screamed as she fainted onto a couch that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “It's a Dopant," Shotaro said. He then stood up on his hind legs and pulled out another strange device. It was red and silver with two slots on it. He put the device on his waist and it unfolded into a belt. Shotaro then pulled out a rectangle that looked like the one the Dopant used. Only this one was purple and had a stylized J on it .He pressed the button and the voice shouted. "JOKER!" He then crossed his left hoof over his chest and yelled out "HENSHIN!" TTT_______TTT In the library, the same device showed up out of nowhere around Phillip's waist. He sighed and closed his book. "Looks like they're in trouble," he said. "What was that? Did you say something Phillip" Twilight said looking at her house guest. "Don't worry about it Ms. Sparkle." He then pulled out a green rectangle with a stylized C on it. He pressed the button. "CYCLONE!" He then crossed his right hoof over his chest and said. "HENSHIN!" "What is that?" Twilight asked. But before he could answer he put the rectangle into one of the slots on the device. The rectangle disappeared and Phillip fell unconscious. "Oh my Celestia. Phillip are you okay?" She ran in a panic to his body to make sure he was alright. TTT______TTT The green rectangle appeared in the slot on Shotaro's belt. He pushed it in to place before putting his in to the other slot. He then crossed his hoofs to make the belt look like a W and the voice called out again. “CYCLONE! JOKER!” A cyclone formed around Shotaro. Rarity looked in awe as armor formed around the stallion. Soon in his place was a pony covered in armor. Half was green and the other was black. He had no mane but his tail was silver. He had on a helmet with the same dual color scheme with red, bug like visors where his eye should have been. On his flank was what looked like both Shotaro's and Phillip's cutie marks put together. The warrior then struck a pose and said in both Shotaro's and Phillip's voice "Now, time to count up your sins!"