//------------------------------//
// The Totally Not A Sequel Hook Epilogue 
// Story: The Lost Spell Book 
// by ASGeek2012 
//------------------------------//

Twilight emerged from the hidden chamber deep beneath the castle, a glow from her horn closing the heavy stone door behind her with a jarring thud. She turned and concentrated, her horn brightening as several runes appeared on the door slab, burned into the stone by her magic. These wards would not only help secure the door but alert her if anypony tampered with them.

For good measure, she added one last touch. She hung a sign on the door which read BEWARE OF THE MANTICORE.

Twilight uttered a tired sigh as she entered her library. "That should be the end of that."

Spike looked up from his comic book. "Sorry you had to seal away that book."

"It's for the best, Spike," said Twilight. "This way, nopony can get their hooves on it. And no clumsy dragons can send it to another universe."

"Yeah, you really need to watch those dra -- hey!"

Twilight giggled. "I'm kidding. Everything worked out in the end."

Spike considered. "Were you serious that Amy could become a mage on her own?"

"Oh, indeed, she can."

"So that spell you used, did you really augment her tommy chapels?"

"Thaumic channels. And, yes, I did. I had to in order to use some of her own magical energy to lift the sofa and retrieve the book."

Spike frowned.

"Something the matter?" Twilight asked.

"You really think it was best to create another potential Trixie?"

"Oh, well, really, she would have developed that level of ability on her own eventually."

Spike gave her a dubious look. "Just how much did you augment her atomic chattels?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Thaumic channels. All right, maybe I had to nudge them a little more than I had anticipated. But it's fine, Spike. The only danger would be if she still had the transformation spell book."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Her energy flow is strong enough that, if she still had the book, she could very easily transform herself directly into an alicorn!"

Spike took on a thoughtful look. "But what if her llamic mantles are strong enough to open a portal to Equestria and take the book back?"

"For the last time, Spike, it's thaumic channels! THAUMIC CHANNELS!"

Spike snickered.

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "You knew how to pronounce it all along, and you're just trolling me again, aren't you?"

Spike grinned. "Yep!"

"That's not nice."

"But it's so easy to do!"

Twilight slowly smiled and laughed. "I guess I deserved that. I really should have kept that book more secure in the first place. I am sorry for any grief I caused you over it."

Spike smiled. "So I can sleep in for a few days?"

"Of course."

"Aaaand maybe some extra deserts at Sugarcube Corner?"

"Sure thing."

"And we can just forget that little incident concerning Rarity and the hidden camera?"

"Don't push it, Spike."

Spike shrugged. "Can't blame me for trying."

"In fact, thanks for reminding me," said Twilight with a sly smile. "I'm doing a ribbon-cutting of a new wing on the dragon orphanage in a few days. I'm sure you'll love it."

Spike gasped. "What?!"

Twilight paused a beat before adding, "Oh, I meant as my guest at the party afterward."

"Very funny," Spike growled, folding his arms. "Troll."

"Takes one to know one, Spike."

They both laughed.

"Say, Twilight, just one more question," said Spike. "Are you absolutely sure she won't be able to do any pony magic without the book?"

"Positive," said Twilight.

"So it's impossible?"

Twilight paused. "I didn't say that."

Spike sighed. "Here we go ..."

"No, really, Spike, this time it's so close to impossible that it's not even worth considering. There is a very infinitesimal chance that, while I was augmenting her channels, the projection of my thaumic field could have resonated with her biomagical aura such that the latent energies of the spell book could have integrated themselves into her neurological matrix and--"

"You know what?" Spike said, stretching his arms and yawning. "I'm ready for bed. Good night, Twilight."

Twilight sighed but smiled. "Good night, Spike."





If the "pony incident" had any sort of positive effect on Brad, it had motivated him to find a way to get out of his crazy sister's house as soon as possible. This, unfortunately, meant getting a job, which cut severely into his time with Heather. Thus he was looking forward to seeing her that night, so long as Amy didn't interfere.

Not that he saw all that much of her. She had become a complete recluse after that purple pony had filled her head with ridiculous notions of being a mage in her own right. She appeared from her bedroom only long enough to eat, where she scarcely said a word to Brad or gave more than monosyllabic responses to direct questions.

Well, except for earlier that morning, when Amy was all smiles and practically gushed at the idea that Heather would be coming over that night. He tried not to let that disturb him. Surely that was not just some cheap, obvious foreshadowing. He also thought nothing of the coincidental rainstorm that just happened to generate a stock ominous atmosphere for when he returned from his job that evening. Though when he looked up and saw the blinding flash of light from the bedroom window and all the other lights in the house go out, well, he started to read something into that.

Thus the lightning that just happened to flash seconds later was not strictly needed to increase the sense of dread he was feeling, but it was a nice touch.

Brad burst into the house. "Amy?! Amy, are you all right?!"

The only response was the patter of rain on the windows and roof.

He tried the light switch, but it appeared all the power was out. He ducked back out to his car and returned with a small LED flashlight. "Amy?" he called out as he swung the bright beam to and fro.

His heart raced as he crept up the stairs.

"Amy, if you're here, say something!" Brad called out. "Y-you're creeping me out right now!"

He remembered the effects that had accompanied that portal that brought the purple pony and her assistant, and wondered if his luck could be such that Amy had simply done the same and transported herself to another universe. Really, that would suit Brad just fine, as he was almost ready to move into his own apartment.

At the top of the stairs, he swung the flashlight towards the master bedroom. The door stood ajar. Brad gulped and crept forward. "Amy?" he said in a soft voice as he nudged the door open further.

His eyes widened as the door creaked open. The room was littered with papers covered in arcane symbols, all over the desk, tacked to the walls, piled in stacks on the floor. The only spot that was clear was a roughly circular area near the bed, the carpet scorched in a pattern one would expect from something incendiary exploding outwards.

His flashlight beam caught something on the floor in the center of the blast. He reached down an picked it up. It was a single, long, silvery-blue feather.

Brad gasped when he heard a clopping noise behind him. He whirled around, bringing his beam to bear on the doorway, but he hardly needed it. The glow from a horn had dispelled the darkness.

"Why, hello, Brad," came Amy's silky voice. "Do me a favor, will you?"

Brad was too stunned at the sight before him to do anything more than nod.

"Hold still."

Amy's horn brightened.

"Well, shit," Brad muttered before the blast of magic hit him.


THE END (inasmuch as there are no words left to read)