The Number 22

by Blazing Shadows

Chapter 11

Author's Note: I'm back...and with two more chapters! Please continue to follow the story and thank you all for doing so.

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic or The Number 23, the cool movie this story is based on.

THE NUMBER 22

Chapter 11

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RRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGGG! RRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGGG!

"Hello?"

"Hey, Orlando. It's me."

"Oh, hey, Twilight! What's up?"

"Listen, I'm not really that busy tonight. Would you still want to go to dinner?"

"Oh, yeah, absolutely!"

"Great! I'll come by your house at 7."

"Twilight?"

"Yeah, Orlando?"

"Are you sure you're alright going out tonight? You seem kind of nervous."

"Oh, no. I'm perfectly fine....Really."

"Oh, okay. Well, bye then."

"Bye."

CLICK!

"He doesn't sound deceptive....But, anything's possible."

I didn't want to believe Orlando was a cheater like the Orlando from the book. He seemed to have changed since the last time we were together.....Had he really changed for me? Was this the side of him that he's finally decided to let out?...The caring side? I started preparing for tonight....But, then I realized....I was gonna need a dress.

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"Oh, what about this one?! How do you like this one?!"

Of course, everypony in Ponyville knows that if you want to find the best dress, you have to go to Carousel Botique.....But, I was the type of pony who didn't like fru-fru things,...kind of like Hoofling.

"Um, Rarity,...I think I'll just wear the dress I wore to the Gala."

"Are you sure? Because I've got plenty of dresses for you to choose from."

"Yeah....I noticed."

In fact, for the past hour, all I had been doing was browsing through Rarity's dresses. But, none of them seemed to fit my personality. Besides, if I wear what I like, then that will be just one more test for Orlando: If he really is a cheater, he won't except me for who I am. Not the best plan in the world, but still.

"I do hope the date goes good for you and....Orlando....tonight."

"Now, don't be like that, Rarity. It's just one dinner."

"Oh, it's not just a dinner. It's the first date you two have had in a long time."

"It's not a date! It's just a get-together with a friend."

"But, I thought that, the last time you talked about him to us, you told us you hated his guts and never wanted to see him again."

"....Well..."

I couldn't help but blush a little bit. Rarity was the type of pony who could squeeze a secret out of you easily....If that didn't work, she could get Fluttershy to give you "The Stare."

"Okay, then! See you later, Rarity. I've really got to go and get ready! So, bye!"

SLAM!

"Ah, true love."

SLAM!

"Hey, Rarity! Can I talk to you, please?!"

"Rainbow Dash, of course you can. Wait, why are you so sweaty and nervous?"

"No time for explaining! I have to talk to someone! I can't take this anymore!"

"What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you talking about?"

"It involves....Twilight."

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Meanwhile, Orlando and I arrived at Le Mare's. It was the newest, fanciest, and most expensive restaurant in Ponyville. I know I said I didn't like fru-fru stuff, but Orlando insisted we come here. He was either trying to bribe me for something.....or he was actually trying to impress me. The old Orlando would've never done something this special for me.

"Alright, Twilight, order anything you like. I'm buying."

"Oh no, Orlando! Let me take care of this..."

"No! This is our date and I want it to be special!"

After realizing what he'd just said, he began blushing as hard as I was. We both sat there silent for a few moments until I finally spoke up.

"....So,....how have you been,....you know,...before you came here to Ponyville?"

"Oh....I've been alright. Yeah. After our....seperation,...I found myself a nice apartment in Canterlot."

"Look, Orlando,...I'm...I'm sorry it had to end the way it did. I didn't want to hurt you, really..."

"No, no. It wasn't your fault, Twilight...It was mine."

"Wh-What?..."

"It was mine. I seperated myself from you all the time. I never took time to talk to you.....or to admire how beautiful you were....and are..."

I couldn't believe it. He was actually apologizing to me for what he did to me in the past.....and admiring my dress! This Orlando was an entirely different pony than the one I had known in the past.....And I liked this one a lot better.

"I'm sorry if I brought up any bad memories for you, Twilight. Please forgi-"

I leaned in and gave him a kiss right on the lips....The first one we had shared in years....The first one that had felt real. After parting, we both sat silent once again.

"Um,....Twilight?"

"Yes, Orlando?"

"I have to....use the restroom."

"Oh, okay! Go on ahead....Take as much time as you need."

After he left, I slammed my head down hard on the table.

"Take as much time as you need?! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

I was falling in love with Orlando all over again. I couldn't deny it: Orlando had changed.

"Maybe some aliens kidnapped the Orlando I knew and made an exact duplicate of him, only nicer."

While he was gone, I decided to catch up on my reading. I know it's a little wierd to sneak a book into a restaurant,....but it's not like I hadn't done it before.

Chapter 11
Temptations

I couldn't believe it. Orlando was spending his time out of the house with my doctor!! I was almost mute for the next few days, only saying "Hey" and "Good night." Kind of like he did to me. But, while I wasn't saying a lot, my mind was racing.

"What am I going to do?!"

"He's my whole world!"

"No, he was your whole world!"

It was as if I had split into a million pieces. Finally, my other sides took over. One day,...just for a little while,....I lost my temper....and my mind.

"Honey, I'm going out for a while. I'll see you later."

".......Okay, Orlando......Come back safely....."

When he was gone, I immediately went off the rocker.

SMASH!

"That's the most Orlando has talked to me in days!! I guess he's finally starting to warm back up to me!!"

SMASH!

"NO, YOU FOOL!! Don't you get it!! He doesn't love you anymore!"

While I was letting my other sides take over, I began smashing everything breakable in the house. Precious photos...smashed. Priceless vases...smashed. Even windows...smashed.

SMASH!

"Yeah, she's right! You should leave him!"

"No, I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can!"

"Why don't you just kill him?!"

That last statement made me stop right in my tracks. I finally gained my normal mind back after a few moments.

"Kill Orlando?! Why would I do that?! He may be a cheater, but he's still a pony being! I'm not a murderer!"

But, then, an image flashed into my mind. The shadows that I saw the other night. The shadows of somepony stabbing somepony else with a butcher knife. Could they be visions of the future?

"NO! I'm not gonna let you do this to me! I'll work this out with Orlando! I won't have to resort to.....that."

But, just when I thought I was gonna be alright for the rest of the night, one of my other sides took over momentarily.

"Yeah....But, just in case you change your mind, you can always turn to the kitchen."

By the time I regained my right mind, I was standing over an open drawer in the kitchen,....where an 8-inch butcher knife lay in plain sight.

"Man, these chapters seem to be getting shorter. She must be losing her mind."

It was then that I looked at my drinking glass and saw them. They weren't reflections,....but they seemed real. There was an image of an unseen pony stabbing another pony with a butcher knife, fresh blood dripping off the end. The victim looked just like Orlando. I didn't want to stay and find out who the other one was. I got up and ran out of the restaurant, completely forgetting about Orlando in the process. I had to go to Dr. Lori for help.

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"Rainbow Dash, I can't believe this!! Are you sure you haven't been drinking lately?!"

" I only drink at parties! Come on, Rarity, this is serious!! I'm not kidding!....I'm...I'm scared..."

"Don't be scared. These visions you've been having about falling off a balcony can't be of any significance....They just can't be..."

"But, what about the fact that Twilight's in them?!"

"I...I just don't know......Maybe we should talk to her..."

"Maybe....So, how's your research on Twilight's curse coming, anyways?"

"I'm still looking into it. It's been hard work running the shop and finding time to research it at the same time. But, for my friends, I'll do anything to help!"

"Hey! Do you think my visions have something to do with the curse?!"

"I don't know....But, I do know this: That curse has brought a dark cloud over all our lives....One we must work together to remove."

End of Chapter 11!

Author's Other Note: What is going on with Rainbow Dash? Find out....soon enough!

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Comments

[Daring Cammie Do]

"No time for explaining! I have to talk to someone! I can't take this anymore!"
"What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you talking about?"

"It involves....Twilight."

"Don't be scared. These visions you've been having about falling off a balcony can't be of any significance....They just can't be..."

"But, what about the fact that Twilight's in them?!"

"I...I just don't know......Maybe we should talk to her..."