Vanishing Act

by redandready45

Twilight's Last Gleaming (Edited 3/18/20)

As the final event of the Friendship Games loomed, Twilight found herself somewhere she had never been before: the center of attention at Crystal Prep. But rather than it being from her work as a student, it came from being an unwitting key to victory at the Friendship Games. Yet the gaze from her principal and teammates was not one of faith, but from self-interest.

"That magic around your neck could do a lot of good," Cinch said, in a polite but somewhat hungry tone. "I know it can help us win."

"But, I don't know how it-," Twilight protested. Before being interrupted by an angry Indigo Zap.

"Do you want us to lose," Zap interrupted, her face stern and merciless.

"No but-,"

"Come on Twi," Lemon Zest with a excitable, but iron, smile, "you heard the lady, loosen up a little."

"I said I don't-,"

"You don't do it," Sunny Flare interrupted, "and we lose, we'll tell everyone it was all your fault."

"My fault," Twilight asked, incredulously.

"No Twilight, it won't be you're fault," Sour Sweet said sweetly. Her mouth twisted into a frown. "We'll just tell everyone we could have won, but you chickened out!"

"You'll be a loser," Sugarcoat said bluntly.

"See Twilight, your teammates are all counting on you," Principal Cinch warned, "I'm counting on you," she said leaning in. "Everton depends on it," she mouthed, before stepping back.

Twilight's team- no her classmates made their demands clear. Cinch reminded her what was at stake. She sighed and walked toward the other team.

All around Twilight, jeers and taunts blared all around her, Crystal Prep's student body encouraging -no, forcing her to use her magic to cheat and ensure another victory to satisfy their egos. Slowly but surely, the pressure from her teammates and the blackmail and manipulation from Cinch wore away at her inhibitions. As she marched forward toward where the flag competition would start, her fear of the unknown slowly disappeared, and was replaced by her hunger for a discovery she could call her own.

"Imagine all I'll learn by setting it free," she intoned, as she took the pendent off of her neck and held in front of her face. "Now winning these games depends on me," she said , rubbing her finger on the pendent, like it was a precious valuable.

"And what doors that will open if I try to use it," she said, gazing at the pendant longingly, before narrowing her eyes, as the last bit of doubt died within her.

"The last event of the Friendship Games begins..." Dean Cadence said into the microphone, prompting cheers from the audience of both schools.

"But the magic's what I really want to see," Twilight finished, slowly opening the pendant once more.

Sunset saw her look at the pendant with a hunger, and ran forward, desperately attempting to stop Twilight before she caused an even greater calamity. The now English-speaking Spike sprinted toward his owner, trying to save her from her own curiosity before it was too late.

"Twilight, No," he cried out, running faster than he had ever had before.

Principal Cinch leaned forward too as, as her top student opened the pendant, eager to see how magic could help her once again triumph over Canterlot High School.

"Now," screamed Vice Principal Luna and Dean Cadence, signaling the beginning of the final event. With that, Twilight opened her pendant.

For a moment, little appeared to happen as a small orb of purple energy emerged from the pendant. But in a fraction of a section, the orb exploded with a ray of light, knocking the Rainbooms, the Shadowbolts, and Spike to the ground. Twilight stood erect, the burst of energy only blowing the glasses off her face, and undoing the bun she styled her hair into.

Suddenly the sphere rose, and Twilight rose with it almost twenty feet from the ground, dropping her pendant along the way. The sphere's volume expanded, slowly consuming Twilight by her hands first.

As more and more of her body was absorbed by the rapidly ballooning ball of light, Twilight turned her head back toard her teammates and her principal, her eyes full of fear at what was happening.

"Heeeeeelp....MEEEEE!," she cried out desperately, even yanking her arm out of the sphere, instinctively trying to find a helping hand to pull her out. But her teammates, who looked at her with a combination of fear and shock, were too far away for her to reach. As she was fully consumed by the sphere, she wept tears of terror, and let out a horrific shriek that sent chills down the spine of all present, one that would haunt them for a long time to come.

With Twilight in its magical grasp, the sphere hung in the air for a few moments, glowing a powerful purple. But then it exploded in a white-hot light rivaling that of a supernova, blinding those who hadn't looked away.

Once everyone's vision was clear, they saw the field had been covered in a massive pile of smoke. Both Shadowbolt and Rainboom stared at the center, waiting to see what had become of Twilight. Those in the stands also looked toward the center, wondering what had happened to the girl.

The Principal and Vice Principal of Canterlot, standing on top of the steps that led to their school entrance, held hands as they, too, looked at the haze with fear and anticipation. The Dean of Crystal Prep looked at the sphere in horror

Everyone stared dumbly at the haze for a minute. When Twilight had not emerged, Sunset and the rest of the Rainbooms trudged forward toward the haze.

"Twilight," Sunset said with a mix of fear and hope. "Twilight," she said louder, hoping it would get the girl to come forward.

"Twilight," Pinkie Pie screamed. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" She said childishly, albeit with a hint of anxiety.

The Shadowbolts also began to move hesitantly toward the decreasing haze, their faces also reflecting a mixture of fear and hope. Even the normally stoic Sugarcoat looked shocked.

"Twilight are you there, buddy," Indigo Zap asked with her usual pep rally enthusiasm, albeit strained by a little bit of terror. "We can't do this without you!" She and the other Shadowbolts moved slightly faster toward the center of the haze. Their principal, however, remained rooted in place, her face was full of mild concern as she watched her students approach the haze.

"Twilight," uttered Spike, as he slowly marched on all fours toward the haze, his eyes full of never-ending concern for his master. Once the Rainbooms and the Shadowbolts reached the center of the field the haze had vanished.

In the spot where Twilight once stood was a massive scorch mark in the center that burned part of the grass. Surrounding the burn spot were Twilight's glasses, her purple pendant, and one of her shoes, half melted and smoking. The pendant sat there, the glow coming from within phasing in and out before vanishing like a light bulb that burned out its filament.

The two teams and Spike stared dumbly at the remains, possibly believing that staring would make a certain purple-skinned girl appear. But there was no mistaking it.

Twilight Sparkle was gone.

Author's Note:

This is my first new story in a long time. I hope you guys like it. And don't be afraid to write some commentary, because feedback helps me improve.

I hope the shortness of the chapter doesn't distract from the mood I tried to set.

Comments

[Ultimate Mayhem]

Interesting take on the situation. I'm very curious to see where it goes.

[The Fan Without a Face]

Whelp She Dead.

[diablo4000]

8358738
Or pulled into another realm....

[Moon_Dew]

Oh man, Cinch better lawyer up, 'cause she ain't talking her way out of this one!

[Harkness]

It's like a reverse Fractured Sunlight, definitely interested in seeing more

[SpadesOfDarkness45]

I'm honestly excited about where this story is going to go. Looking most forward to how the Shadowbolts are going to behave regarding what has happened and if Cinch really is as heartless as I expect she is. On my tracking list and looking forward to more.

[RainbowSparkle3]

I NEED MORE!

[Pony_Person_123]

Wow a new darker take on the friendship games.

good start.

[Astorius]

A scorch mark in the center that burned part of the path to the entrance

Sounds familiar

[Dark Nightshade]

Wow, that is an impressive start!

[justheretoreadstories]

Good way to do a dark opening.

[RDDash]

I guess Cinch is going to jail for murder

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

"That magic around your neck could do a lot of good," Cinch said, in a polite but somewhat hungry tone. "I know it can help us win."

And will be a recipe for disaster.

"See Twilight, your teammates are all counting on you," Principal Cinch warned, "I'm counting on you," she said leaning in. "Everton depends on it," she mouthed, before stepping back.

Everton isn't important now Cinch!

"Imagine all I'll learn by setting it free," she intoned, as she took the pendent off of her neck and held in front of her face. "Now winning these games depends on me," she said , rubbing her finger on the pendent, like it was a precious valuable.

she said,*

Principal Cinch leaned forward too as, as her top student opened the pendant, eager to see how magic could help her once again triumph over Canterlot High School.

The magic isn't gonna be what you'll think Cinch.

The Principal and Vice Principal of Canterlot, standing on top of the steps that led to their school entrance, held hands as they, too, looked at the haze with fear and anticipation. The Dean of Crystal Prep looked at the sphere in horror

horror.*

In the spot where Twilight once stood was a massive scorch mark in the center that burned part of the grass. Surrounding the burn spot were Twilight's glasses, her purple pendant, and one of her shoes, half melted and smoking. The pendant sat there, the glow coming from within phasing in and out before vanishing like a light bulb that burned out its filament.

Is she... dead!?!