The Number 22

by Blazing Shadows

Chapter 17

Author's Note: I've been gone for a while, but I'm back...with only one chapter this time! I'll explain the rest in the other Author's Note (see bottom). But, I've only got a few more chapters left to being done, so don't worry about that. Also, I've taken the liberty of going back and fixing my previous chapters (bolding, indenting, centering mostly) because I finally figured out the controls on the editing....somewhat.....Hey, it was a lot simpler on Fanfiction!...But, anyways, keep reading, and remember,......ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!!

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 17

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February 8

I woke up bright and early the next morning just like Rarity told me to do. I managed to somehow fall asleep with the demon still chattering on inside my mind. I knew I was gonna need my strength for tomorrow,.....because whatever Rarity had to tell me sounded pretty major.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Come in."

CCCCRRRRREEEEEAAAAKKKK!

"Hey, Rarity."

"Oh, Twilight. I'm so glad you could make it. This is very important!"

"What exactly do you have to tell me?"

"Well, while I had the book at my house, trying to keep it away from you-"

"Oh yeah,...that was frustrating."

"Um, yes....Anyways, while I had it, I took some of my spare time to look through the book."

"You read some of it?!"

"Oh, no. I just wanted to see if the book had anything to offer."

"You mean like subscription cards or something?"

"Yes...I always have been one for cheap magazine offers......But, anyways, I noticed the inside of the back cover was starting to peel off. I went ahead and peeled it off all the way....and I noticed something"

"What?!"

"There was a P.O. Box address printed on the cover's inside. I didn't think of it as important, so I just forgot about it."

I pulled out the book and flipped to the back. She was right.

"Rarity, this is excellent! Thank you so much!"

"Oh, it was nothing, Twilight. I mean, the only reason I found it was because of my,....um,....snooping."

"Never mind that! This address gives me an idea!"

"What sort of idea?"

"We're gonna mail some boxes to this address...."

"Boxes?-"

"Twenty-two of them...."

We placed our order to the address. Now all we needed to do was wait.....for Topsy Kretts.

"Do you really think he or she will take the bait?"

"I know he or she will! Topsy Kretts has to come here! He or she's just got to...."

We stood waiting at the street corner, keeping a careful eye on the post office.....Funny...I was supposed to do my community service there for Mrs. Cake.....And, now, she was in prison.....Oh, well....After a while of waiting, Rarity finally started to get bored......and so did I.

"Ugh....How long have we been out here?!"

"I don't know, Rare.....YAWN.....But, however long, it's not long enough!"

Suddenly, we saw a hooded figure enter the post office.

"Do you think that's our target, Twilight?"

"I know it is!"

We ran into the post office, letting the door slam behind us.

"TOPSY KRETTS," I yelled, "WE FOUND YOU!!"

The hooded figure turned around to face us.....and it wasn't who we had expected.

"You!.....No,....that-that's impossible!.....You're supposed to be dead!..."

"I was thinking the same thing about you, Twilight."

"But-But how?! The curse killed you!"

It was Doctor Whooves, alive and well,.....except for the dark look on his face.

"I'm afraid you're only half-right, my dear. I'm not who you think I am......I am actually Doctor Whooves' twin brother.....Doctor Whooves!"

"Um," spoke up Rarity, "I didn't quite catch the difference."

"Oh, but there is a difference!....One of us is dead!......But, we have something important in common: We've both had rather unfortunate encounters with Ms. Sparkle...."

"What do you mean?! I've never seen you before in my life!"

"Oh, haven't you?"

Then I remembered: the alley. The strange hooded colt with the raspy voice. His voice matched perfectly with the one we were hearing now.

"You're the guy from the alley!"

"Correct, my dear!"

"But,....what do you want from me?"

"The same thing my brother wanted..."

Saying that, he pulled out a knife and slit his throat. We both gasped in horror. Rarity ran over to him. I stayed where I was, not knowing what to think.

"His breathing is slowing down fast! Twilight, we have to call a hospital!"

Finally, my dark side mixed with my mind, causing me to say what I was thinking,....which wasn't the right thing.

"NO!! Don't you dare die on me, you hear me?! Tell me what you know!-"

"TWILIGHT!! We don't have time for that! Call the hospital now!"

Having no other option, I did as she said. Rarity, however, was having a conversation with him....I didn't find out what it was until later.

"Don't you worry, sir! You're going to be alright!"

"....Ma-Ma'am.....P-Please....t-t-take this...."

He had handed her his card.....His ID card

"Wh-What do you want me to do with this?"

"T-Take it....to the a-address.....and you'll f-f-find out....why I did.....what I did...."

The doctors didn't make it in time. He lost too much blood.....and died with Rarity by his side.

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Later that afternoon, I had nothing else to do, so I decided to see what Hoofling was up to.

Chapter 17
A New Hope?

"Huh? A New Hope? What could this mean?! Does she finally figure out a way to beat the curse?!"

With the visions flashing through my mind, the demons chattering in my head, and the temptations of suicide rushing through me, I was having the worst days of my life as the curse continued to swallow me whole.

"......Why did this have to happen to me?......Why me?.....I was always Mommy and Daddy's favorite little girl.....So, why me?...."

As I used what little free will I had left to think about these things, I began to cry....again.

".....What am I....su-supposed to do?....."

Just then, a vision flashed through my mind.....But, not like the other ones. This one showed my mom and dad...This was a flashback from my past....I could see them sitting on their bed....Actually, only my dad was sitting on the bed.....My mom was lying on the bed in a pool of blood.....She was dead.

"Dad!...Wh-What's going on here?!!"

That's when my dad looked up and talked back to me.

"Twilight, honey,....Daddy's not going to let the curse get to you, okay.....I won't let it get to you,.....not like it did to me...."

"What?! What are you talking about, Daddy?!"

He then picked up a silver object that had been laying beside him.....It was a gun.

"Daddy,...what are you....?"

He then put the gun in his mouth.

"Wait!.....DADDY, NO!!"

BANG!!

He fell onto the bed, landing right beside Mom. A puddle of blood was now starting to form around his head. As tears filled my eyes, the flashback ended. I found myself back in my house.....I was still crying.

"What was that about?!!.....Is the curse trying to tell me something or is it just messing with my mind again?!!....What is going on?!!"

"That makes no sense! Why would Hoofling have these kind of visions?!!"

It was then that I realized something I had never realized before. Hoofling had been called Twilight multiple times in the story.....Her name was Twilght, too.....I knew that this meant something.

"I have to act!! I can't just sit around and read while my friends are doing all the dirty work for me!!...I've got to go out and figure this book out myself!!"

Little did I know that Rarity was out on a mission doing just that.....And, on that mission, she made a shocking discovery

End of Chapter 17!

Author's Note: The reason I won't be updating as frequently is because I'm in the middle of working on another story....And this one, I think, will be very popular, so check it out. I've also got some other ideas in my head that could very well end up on this site, so stay tuned! Until next time, peace.

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Comments

[Daring Cammie Do]

It was then that I realized something I had never realized before. Hoofling had been called Twilight multiple times in the story.....Her name was Twilght, too.....I knew that this meant something

It's her mom, isn't it? Twilight Velvet. That's why she's called Twilight.