Twilight's Bizarre Adventure: Star Dust Crusaders

by Za Waruldo

Ch. 2 The Truth Behind the Evil Spirit

Twilight and Ripple both sat down at a table and started to dig into their respective hay burger. With Ripple slowly enjoying his meal one bite at a time. When he looked up he saw that Twilight had already gone through her burger and was moving on to her second. “Enjoying yourself there Princess” Ripple joked.

Twilight quickly brushed the crumbs off her muzzle before setting her burger down. “Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve eaten here. I forgot how much I loved this place.”

“No need to apologies Princess we all have our vices, yours just happen to be wrapped in paper and served on a tray.” Ripple continued to snack on his burger while Twilight suddenly came back to attention.

“First off I need you to explain to me what stands are in detail if this is affecting me, I need to know everything” Twilight pulled out a notepad and pencil from underneath her wing, before focusing back on Ripple.

“First off Stands can take many shapes, mine as you’ve seen looks like purple vines. But a stand can manifest as another pony or creature they will usually look different from the species they share an appearance with. A Pegasus shaped stand might have one wing, rotaries on their back, or have a mask for a face. They will always look bizarre in appearance and usually easily recognizable. All Stands have a unique power of some kind; some can wield fire like a blade others can swim through the earth as if it were water. Mine allows me to take what I call psychic photographs.” Ripple reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a camera.

“Wow that must have cost a fortune only famous photographers get cameras that can instantly get a photo without having to treat the negative” Twilight was marveling at the piece of technology sat on the table before Ripple's hoof covered in Purple Hermit smashed the camera right in front of her. “Why would you do that!?” Twilight shouted as the marvelous piece of technology was reduced to scraps.

“Observe” Ripple said as a photo was ejected from the remains of the camera. He quickly swiped it up and waved it in the air until the picture came through. He showed the picture to Twilight.

Twilight took the picture in hoof and looked at it. It was a picture of Spike siting in the lab reading a comic with gems sat next to him, the was mop sitting in the bucket in the background. “but how I have wards set up to prevent any scrying on my house?”

“Simple Twilight this isn’t magic this is the power of my stand its ability. I can take a picture of any one or thing as long as I focus on it and destroy a camera to gain the photo.” Ripple explained proud of his feat.

“So magic has no direct effect on Stands?” Twilight asked trying to grasp the situation. Magic was everywhere from the earth to every living thing. The thought that something couldn’t even be touched by magic was shocking.

“Now Twilight you wanted categories for stands I can give you them, get you note pad ready.” Twilight quickly flipped to a new page ready to quickly scrawl down any new information. “There are three categories for stands that I have discovered over the years. The first and most prominent is Close-Range Stands. These Stands hit hard or deal close-range effects, as well as only being able to move small distances from their users. The next type is Long-Range Stands. These stands also tend to have ranged attacks, but are generally unable to defend themselves in close combat. The last type is the Bound Stand; these may be bounded to tangible objects instead of showing their true form. Said Stands, if bound to fluid objects, may even be intangible. These stands can be used as equipment and seen by ordinary ponies. If it was bound to water anypony could see it floating around the user. Since they are bound to an object the Stand also can never actually be harmed since your just harming the object it is possessing.” Twilight looked back up when he stopped smoke emanating from her pad from the rapid transcribing of information.

“Now onto the Statistical portion of how I compare Stands” Twilight flipped back through her notepad that was rapidly filling up. “Stands are measured in six categories, those six are; Destructive Power, Speed, Range, Durability, Precision, and Development Potential. They are ranked from E to A with E being the lowest and A being the highest. Destructive power measures a stands physical power and their abilities destructive potential when compiled. Speed is how fast they can move with C being the speed of an average pony and A being faster than you can blink. Range is how far a Stand can move from the user, usually the further away it can move the weaker the Stand the distance being A: 100m, B: 50m, C: 20m, D: 10m, and E: 2m. Finally we have Development potential, for most stand users they will start with this at A it means they still have a lot to learn about there stands and how to effectively use them. As they learn this decreases until it reaches E meaning they've mastered their Stands completely.” Ripple finished taking the last bite out of his hayburger.

Twilight finished the up her notes before tucking them back under her wing. “So is that everything you wanted to say to me?” Twilight asked wondering if there could possibly be any more.

“Oh yes, the original reason I came here was to gather allies to help fight a vampire who has returned after a hundred year slumber.” Ripple added as if no second thought even had to be given to the statement.

Twilight just sat there trying to take it all in, she couldn’t even believe what she just heard from the pony’s mouth. “First off you mean Vampony, secondly have you lost your mind!?”

Ripple pulled out a second camera and placed it on the table before continuing. “Firstly Vampire is a catch all phrase since he can create more undead from any species and secondly.” Ripple smashed his hoof into the new camera smashing it to bits as it spits out a photo. He holds it up to Twilight as the photo comes into focus. A golden coated earth pony with a yellow mane comes into focus, he has scars lining his neck and a cutie mark very similar to Twilight’s it was even a similar color just missing the other stars surrounding her twelve pointed one. “Below that scumbag’s neck is the body he stole from my grandfather Shining Star”

“That picture doesn’t prove anything, ponies can have the same cutie mark as another he could just has scars lining his neck that doesn’t make him a ‘Vampire’.” Twilight finished throwing her hooves in the air for emphasis.

“My grandmother told me stories about this vampire and how he tried to kill my Grandmother and Grandfather on a boat heading towards Equestria. That boat exploded but my Grandmother was saved by surviving in a life boat that my father released. To buy her time he led the monster to the engine room before the ship exploded. Apparently he survived by stealing my Grandfather’s body. And one thing is for certain as we speak he is out there somewhere in the world planning something” Ripple opposed Twilight's previous statement with his fared is nostrils in anger at the dismissal of his tale.

“That’s it your crazy and I’m crazy for listening to you, I am leaving!” Twilight got out of her seat and headed to the exit.

“Twilight I’ll be in town for the few days if you need any aid just get me I’ll be at the Golden Oat inn.” Ripple quickly finished regretting his decision to go for the forward approach with Twilight as she left the restaurant.

---

“I can’t believe I actually listened to him. He may have these strange powers, but that doesn’t make him a stable pony. Heck he even shoot himself, why did I even release him?” Twilight asked herself as she walked into Golden Oaks. “Spike did you finish cleaning up the basement?” Twilight stared down the staircase to see spike asleep at the table with a plate and a small stack of comics lined next to him. “Guess he could actually take photos of anything.” She mussed.

“Spike wake up!” Twilight yelled while standing right next to the young dragon.

“Whoa!” Spike screamed as he fell from his seat and onto the floor. “Hehehehe, I guess your back Twilight how did court work out?” Spike quickly asked hopping to change the subject.

“A waste of time Spike, I may have learned a few things but the knowledge I gained from this is very rough. I don’t even know what is fact and what isn’t.” Twilight sat down next to Spike rubbing her hooves against the side of her head in frustration. “ I can’t Even tell if what Ripple Star gave me was worth while.”

“Well why don’t you test the information, run experiments like you always do to find out what was good info and what wasn’t.” Spike suggested hoping that this new task would be all he needs to get out of trouble.

“Of course Spike all I have to do is run some tests those will solve this.” Twilight was full of energy now getting all of her machines ready before she suddenly stopped. “I have nothing to experiment on the subject is gone and I have nothing” Twilight figured that this path would be useless to her without a proper subject.

Spike quickly ascended the stairs before shouting down to Twilight. “I’m going over to Rarity’s, she just got from her trip to Saddle Arabia.” Spike rushed out the front door closing it behind him leaving Twilight alone in her lab.

A sudden revelation occurred to Twilight as she was giving up. “He said only Stand users could see other Stands so I should have one” Twilight looked over herself half expecting to see some obvious clue to how she could get her Stand to come out. “Come on Twilight it’s a part of you, you just have to focus on your inner self think back to Zecora’s training.” Twilight sat at her desk eyes closed trying to focus on her inner self as she meditated Twilight unconsciously started to magically send all the light objects in the room into a stable orbit around her.

After thirty minutes of nothing she grew frustrated with her results. “Arrrgghhhh! This is getting me nowhere.” The objects all fell to the floor with a book and a few notes landing on the table in front of her. “How did he get his Stand to appear” Twilight slammed her hoof onto the table hitting the book. As soon as she hit the book it exploded into a blinding white light. When the light died down the book had been changed it now had an old rough cover with her cutie mark on the spine. The pages were all blank and appeared to be ancient they were all aged and turning yellow. The book even had a title on the front page with gold lace ‘Historia Calamitatum’ the book even had Twilight's full name spelt out in velvet lace at the bottom of the book.

“Yes I did it, I called out my Stand now to experiment with this” Twilight continued to grin as she stared at the book waiting for something to happen. She then poked it with a hoof, still nothing. “I got a book that does nothing, just great.” Twilight threw the book at the wall before heading back upstairs to go over some of her notes.

---

Spike ran through the streets of Ponyville hurrying towards Rarity’s house. Hopping to finally see her again after her long vacation to Saddle Arabia. Spike was in front of Carousal Boutique within a minute, he quickly knocked on the door and waited for a response. He could hear the sound of hoofs against the floor while he waited.

“Just a minute, I’ll be down momentarily.” Rarity sang as she descended her stair case. She opened the door to find Spike waiting for her. “Spike it’s so good to see you how was Ponyville while I was gone.”

“It was fine Rarity no disaster struck while you were on during your trip” Spike replied.

“That’s good to hear my little Spikey-wikey, so glad you held down the fort as they say.” Rarity now lead Spike inside and sat down at her table with a cup of coffee.

“So Rarity how was your trip, did you do anything fun over there?” Rarity took a sip of her coffee before turning back to Spike with renewed interest.

“Oh, of course I did Spike I got to see some great pieces of Architecture while I stayed there try some of the local delicacies and even gain a few clients during my stay.” She continued on with her stories about Saddle Arabia. “I even got to meet this nice Gentlecolt who showed me around town for a day.”

“You met a Stallion during your vacation?” Spike questioned slightly nervous about what was to follow.

“Yes actually, another pony could you imagine the chances of meeting a pony who actually lives there.” Rarity appeared almost lost in her own world before Spike spoke up.

“So, did you do anything with him” Spike asked immediately regretting his poor choice in words.

“Spike why I never. A Mare never tells and besides I’m not even worthy to be with somepony as great as he is. The best I could hope for is to be of some help to him.” Rarity appeared to be lost in her own thoughts again.

Spike was relieved to get an answer to his question especially since it told him that nothing happened during her trip. “Oh yeah Twilight went to help some Stallion by holding her first court, while you were gone.”

“That’s nice, I'm glad Twilight is finally getting some princess duties of her own to take care off. Who was the Stallion in question anypony I know.” Rarity asked hoping to catch up on the recent goings of Ponyville.

“No just some pony named Ripple Star, apparently he gave Twilight some faulty information and she’s trying to piece together anything of value he might have given her.”

“Spike would you be so kind as to help me gather some Gems tomorrow I need to replenish my supplies since I didn’t gather any before leaving?” Rarity asked Spike as he got out of his seat.

Spike was ecstatic with the request a chance to hang out with Rarity while helping her. “Of course I will Rarity just tell me when and I’ll be there to help you.”

“Why thank you Spike, I need you early in the morning since I’ll be busy latter in the afternoon if that isn’t too much trouble” Rarity gave off a smile that melted Spike’s heart before leading him out. “Now head home and get some rest we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

---

Spike quickly ran home to get some sleep to speed through the night and bring forth the morning. When he got back Twilight was sitting at a desk with a pile of books on both sides of her she had one laying in front of her though. She raised her hoof before smashing it down onto the book in front of her. The book gave off a feint glow before changing into a much older book with Twilight's cutie mark one the spine. Spike walked up next to Twilight “Cool spell Twilight when did you learn it?”

“Ahhhhhhh!” Twilight screamed in panic over the sudden appearance of her assistant. “Spike you can see what I’m doing?” Twilight asked

“of course I just saw you hit that book then ‘wham’ you’ve got another book from it.” Spike looked interestingly over the new book. “So what’s with the two piles?”

“Of course you can see it, it's bound to whatever book I hit. Well that's something new to add the the list. I’ve been changing one stack into this book here before tossing it onto that pile. Apparently I can only have one of these books at a time. Thank Celestia that they turn back to normal once I make another. Besides the books I make always has the same dimensions no matter what I use originally and it always has the same title and my name underneath it.” Twilight looked to her surprisingly little stack of notes, with only the few things listed that she figured out about her Stand.

Spike started to clime the stair case. “Well that’s cool, I’m going to bed I have to wake up early tomorrow if I’m going to be helping Rarity dig up some gems.”

“Alright Spike goodnight, remember you still have to clean out the basement tomorrow since you forgot to finish it today.” Twilight returned to the book laying in front of her each page blank with possibility and not a clue as to how to use them. “I’m going to bed.” Twilight gave up for the night perhaps some sleep would clear her head and help her figure out the mysteries of this book.

Author's Note:

Stands Name: Historia Calamitatum
Stand Type: Bound Stand
Stand User: Twilight Sparkle

Destructive Power: ? Speed: ? Range: ? Durability: A Development Potential: A Precision: ?
Historia-Calamitatum Stat Wheel