//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Smoke in the Kitchen 
// Story: Discord's Haunted Castle 
// by Thestralicorn 
//------------------------------//

	"Discord, are you sure that wasn't too...extreme? I don't think Starlight Glimmer likes being reminded of her past."	
"Oh you heard her, Fluttershy. It was a good workout! And it was 'only fair'.  Plus Spike had the chance to play the hero, just like he always wants. I was planning on letting Starlight catch the staff, eventually. Sort of a moment of closure, if you will, but these little exercises can be unpredictable. Which of course, makes them all the more fun! Oooh, Rarity and Pinkie Pie have reached the kitchen! Don't worry, I won't use the flying knives, though they would've have hurt anypony...

"Finally, we're back where we meant to go!" Rarity huffed. "We could have saved time and covered that whole section later as we moved down." The two ponies had opened a door on the way to the kitchen which led to another section of hallway (which it hadn't before now), and Pinkie Pie had insisted on going through and trying all the other doors in that section, which turned out to all loop back on each other.
"We saved time by covering it now," Pinkie said as she bounced along, "Besides, that first door being different could've been a clue, and if we ignored it, the other ponies could've gotten to the candy first, and we'd both feel really silly, and you'd go 'Oh mercy me, why didn't I listen to Pinkie, she was right all along, what could have possessed me to insist on passing by? Now we've missed out on first candy dibs, oh the horror, the tragedy..."
"All right," Rarity cut in, "you've made your point...your exaggerated, over-dramatic point."
They reached the kitchen door, and Rarity closed her eyes as Pinkie opened it.
"Is it safe?" Rarity opened one eye.
"Looks okey-dokey-lokey!" Pinkie bounced inside, and Rarity followed.
They both began combing through the kitchen looking for candy pot. Rarity checked the cupboards by the door, and Pinkie looked under the central table. Then Pinkie moved on to the sinks, while Rarity checked inside each oven.
"Not here!" called Rarity.
"Not here eith..." Pinkie froze as she saw black smoke rise from the open oven behind Rarity.
"Behind you!"
"Nice try Miss Pie," Rarity said with a half-smile. "I just opened it, there's nothing in there."
"There is NOW! Smoke! The oven's on fire!"
"It wasn't even on Pinkie! I'm not falling for it!"
"Rrrrr! I'm not making it up! Pinkie Promise!" Pinkie began jumping in place. "LOOK, BE, HIND, YOU!"
Rarity finally turned to look over her left shoulder. As she did, the smoke flew to her right, just out of her field of vision. Rarity looked skeptically back at Pinkie Pie.
"There's no smoke, Miss Pie."
"It's on your right!" Pinkie pointed. Rarity looked, and the smoke jumped to her left.
"Now your left!" The smoke jumped back to the right.
"Your right again!"
Rarity turned all the way around, and the smoke circled around behind her.
"Now look back me, quick!" As Rarity turned again, the smoke circled back around once more.
"Really Pinkie, I don't see it!"
As Rarity regarded Pinkie Pie suspiciously, Pinkie saw a pair of green eyes with red irises open in the smoke, purple mist coming from the eyes' corners.
"SOMBRA!"
"What?" Rarity was incredulous. "What about Sombra?"
"His eyes! They're in the smoke!"
Rarity jumped and pivoted quickly, but the smoke moved around just as fast.
"Oh this is getting ridiculous!" Rarity was now thoroughly annoyed. "Are sure you aren't pulling my leg?"
"No, Pinkie Promise! Try standing over here!"
Rarity walked around the table to stand by Pinkie Pie. The Sombra-smoke followed, matching her pace exactly. When Rarity reached Pinkie and turned to face the ovens, the smoke again positioned itself behind her. Pinkie looked at it and laughed.
"What's so funny?" Rarity asked.
"It's following you like a puppy," Pinkie squealed. "and you know, 'giggle at the ghosties'"!
"Well then, I'm just going to ignore it," Rarity said decisively. "Have we checked everywhere in here?"
"Think so!"
"Then let's be on our way!" Rarity went to the kitchen door and tried to open it. It wouldn't budge.
"Lemme try!" Pinkie Pie hopped over and tugged in the handle. Then she pushed against the door, which still didn't move. Then Discord's voice rang out.
"If you really want to get out of here, then you must turn and face your fear!"
Rarity shouted at the ceiling. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh it's obvious, silly!" Pinkie bugged her eyes into Rarity's. "You have to look at Smokey!"
"But-but", Rarity sputtered. "I can't see him, only you can! I can't keep spinning in circles like a filly!"
"Hmmm..." Pinkie thought for a moment. "I know! Back up into that corner!" She pointed at the corner between the cupboards and the door. "If you go up against the wall, then Smokey will have to get in front of you!"
"But it's smoke,  I'll just go through it!" Rarity started to look nervous.
But you'll still see him!"
"So..." Rarity took a deep breath, "You want me to back INTO this smoke-thing which you say has Sombra's eyes?"
"Yep, exactly!"
Rarity took several more deep breaths, then slowly started backwards into the corner.
"Just imagine you're backing into sweet black cotton candy," Pinkie said in the same unflaggingly cheerful tone. "I wonder what black cotton tastes like? Black licorice maybe? I hope not, 'cause I don't like black licorice. It's about the only food I don't like! I mean seriously, who does like it..."
Rarity almost told Pinkie to be quiet, but decided she welcomed the distraction. She closed her eyes and kept moving backward, until she felt the stone column between the door and cupboard. She slowly opened her eyes...and stared into the green, purple-flaming ones. For a moment they were still, then the eyes rushed at her, Rarity opened her mouth to scream, but the smoke vanished. She just stood there, stricken, until Pinkie Pie said, "Careful Rarity, or your face might freeze like that!"
Rarity shook herself and said, "All right then, now that the mascara-challenged smoke is gone, so are we!"
She tried the door again, and it opened.
"Come, Miss Pie!"