After Twilight's encounter with Phantom Seeker's nightmares, she wrote a letter to Princess Celestia informing her of her findings and that she would return to Canterlot in order to explain her findings in greater detail.
As Twilight and Discord made there way to the train station, they had a rather odd encounter with somepony. While the two of them waited for their train, a gray earth pony with a black mane and tail walked up to them. She seemed rather mysterious. Her mane was pulled down over her face to where only one eye was visible. As she walked she never looked away from Twilight. She simply stared at her until she was within distance to kick up a conversation. When she spoke, her voice was rather low pitched for a mare. It sounded 'cold' and 'raspy', almost as if her throat was constricted.
"Pardon me but, you wouldn't happen to be Princess Twilight Sparkle would you?"
"ummmmmmm.......yes." Twilight spoke cautiously, as she didn't know what to expect from the mysterious mare. With Twilight's response the mare walked closer and began circling Twilight.
"I thought so. I have never seen a alicorn in person before. I must say you are truly an incredible creature."
"ummmmmm, okay?" As Twilight backed away, the mare decided she had seen her fill and began to walk the other way.
"very well princess. I can see your uncomfortable. Just remember, being princess is a daunting responsibility, and you'll no doubt be tested in your new position. trust me." With that the gray mare walked back into the city, but not before turning back to give Twilight a sly smile
"Who was that?" Twilight turned to see Discord by her side, with a confused look on his face. Twilight looked back to the mare she had just met.
"I have no idea. But i do know one thing. That mare, scares me."
"I can vouch for that."
A few minutes later, the train to Canterlot arrived. Twilight and Discord boarded and began their journey back to the princesses with the information they gathered. Twilight could hardly wait to get back. She was certain that the princesses could make something out of what she had gathered.
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After a short nap on the train, Twilight and Discord arrived in Canterlot. As they exited the train Discord turned to his companion.
"The princesses are waiting for us. We should meet them as soon as we can. Just give me the word and I can have us there in literally half a second flat."
Twilight started walking before she gave Discord her answer.
"No, you go on ahead. I want to take another look over my note before I present them. I'll just walk."
Not wanting to start an argument Discord simply nodded, and with a snap of his fingers he was gone a short flash of white light. Twilight continued her trek through Canterlot. Her gaze was planted firmly on the parchment in front of her. She must have been looking over her notes for almost fifteen minutes. She was so preoccupied that she never noticed the pony walking toward her from the right. That is....until it was to late. The two ponies collided with one another. Twilight was the first to collect herself, and she quickly rushed to aid of the pony she ran into. He was a unicorn stallion. With a dark red coat and two-tone black and silver mane and tail. His cutie mark was covered by the long white lab coat he was wearing.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Are you all right?"
The stallion got to his feet and shook his head a bit before answering. He spoke in an accent that Twilight couldn't recognize.
"No problem love. After all your not the only pony at fault in this little predicament. I must say, out of all the chaps I work with, none are quite as much of a klutz as myself."
Twilight blushed slightly when the stallion before her called her 'love'. However she pushed the though to back of her mind as the stallion spoke up again.
"Well love, if you don't mind me asking? When had ya so caught up that ya didn't see this handsome neurologist coming your way?"
"Well I was on my way to the castle. I have to speak with the princesses."
"Ahh, I see. Well best not to keep em waiting then. Cheerio love."
As the stallion began to depart Twilight turned to ask just one question that had come to mind.
"Oh, before you go. What's neurology like?"
As the stallion turned around his face just lit up.
"Well ya see love. Neurology is not just my job. It's my passion. The feeling of studying and understand the complexity of a ponies mind is incredible. Ya often learn more about a pony then they know about themselves. Their hopes, their dreams, their wants, their fears, their deepest darkest secrets. It's all your disposal. And the feeling is just glorious."
"Well, that is......interesting. By the way, whats your name?"
"Names Crimson love. Not 'Crimson Love', just Crimson." The stallion turned his gaze to the watch on his wrist and all the joy in his face faded.
"Ah bollocks. I just recalled why I was running myself. Cheerio love."
With that the unicorn stallion ran off at full gallop. As he faded from view, Twilight resumed her walk to the castle, with her recent encounter fresh in her mind.
"What a strange pony. Well, I learned a bit about neurology, so I'm happy."
Twilight continued her walk for no more then ten minutes. She the. Arrived at the castle and entered the grand council room. The very same room where her assignment was given to her. Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Discord were all seated waiting for her. Twilight smiled and took her seat along the large round table. She remove her notes and informed the princesses of her findings.
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After a good night sleep, Twilight, Discord, and the rest of the princesses gathered in the Canterlot throne room. They gathered together to discuss what Twilight explained the previous day.
Twilight was the first to speak. "Well we had all night. Does anyone know anything about what happened to Phantom Seeker?"
Celestia looked around the room, only to see sad faces that simply locked onto the hard tile floor.
"I'm sorry Twilight, but we searched the archives all night. We were unable to find anything regarding events you described last night. I'm sorry but we have no idea who or what is behind this."
Twilight was shocked by her old mentors statement. "What do you mean. I thought the whole reason I went to see Phantom was so we could figure out what was behind all this?"
"I'm sorry. The closest thing I could find in the archive was a reference to spell used by Star Swirl the Bearded to dispel dark magic."
"Well then what do we do?"
Celestia just shook her head. " I don't know."
As the equestrian royalty continued their discussion, a pony was approaching the throne room. As the stallion drew closer the two royal guards that guarded the throne room tightly grasped their spears. One spoke in a deep and threatening tone.
"Halt, state your business!"
The pony head rose, revealing his red unicorn coat, as well as his black and silver mane. As the stallion glared at The guards a wicked smile crept across his face. In addition, he also had an unsettling red hue in his eyes.
"Ahh don't you worry none chaps. I just got ta see the princesses."
As he focused his gaze on one of the guarded, a subtle red flash could be see in his eyes, as his smile grew even more devious.
"And I don't intend to keep them waiting."