Long Night
And here we are yet again, with a whole new update. As I mentioned a while back in my blog post, I planned a multi-update for my fics. Four in total, to celebrate the completion of my twenty ninth lap around the sun. And I somehow managed to pull it off, too.
Seriously, two of my fics I left to gather an unholy amount of dust, and it took a while to clear out the mess I allowed it to become.
But here we are, with the multi-update I promised.
Now, as per usual, please inform me down in the comments about any mistake you spotted, or to tell me what you liked/disliked.
Enjoy,
~Powerdrainer
Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, and Clawder.
Long Night
<<>><<>><<>>
"So, how did it go?" Tucker asked, smirking faintly.
Neither recipient answered and, instead they spent their time focusing on some blank spot on the wall.
"That bad huh," Valerie responded to the silence, arms crossed, leaning against a wall, a corner of her mouth curled up.
It had been several hours since their escapades to save Soarin from ghostly capture, and their escape from Vlad. Several hours where they were on edge, and anything might come their way in retaliation. Time which, instead of sitting back, calm down, and work out a plan, Jazz and Soarin decided to straight up throw themselves to the wolves again. And by the looks on both their faces, it went just as bad as Tucker and Valerie had expected.
Not that this was much of a surprise. They already knew, but it was always enjoyable to watch their friend squirm in awkwardness and embarrassment.
"It was... interesting," Soarin managed to say.
"Oh? Any details?" Valerie asked unabashed.
"This has nothing to do with you," Jazz replied heatedly, crossing her arms.
"True," Valerie mock inspected her nails. "But after yesterday's drama, I could do with some comedy. And it doesn't get much better than your father. Especially when introducing your new boyfriend."
Jazz huffed undignified, turning her back to Valerie. "Well, too bad that whatever happened, not that I say anything did happen, will remain between me and Soarin."
Soarin nodded his agreement, still trying to forget some of the less memorable moments of meeting Jazz's parents.
"Meh, suit yourself." Valerie shrugged, smirking as she locked eyes with Tucker; who was grinning himself as well. "That just means we're going to speculate. What do you think, Tucker?"
Leaning back in his work chair, rolling back a bit from the movement, Tucker frowned in thought.
"Well, I'd say it would start with them dragging things out in front of the door," he said after only a moment.
"Obviously," Valerie replied, making a hand gesture.
"But they relent, and Jazz knocks… no, rings the bell, leaving them with a few tense seconds to second guess themselves. But then the door opens, leaving them with no excuse to back out. So now they're committed as Maddie beckons them to enter."
"What do you two think you're doing?" Jazz demanded, giving both the stink eye.
"Speculating," Valerie told her, then tapped a finger against her chin in thought. "So, they enter, obviously flustered and embarrassed-"
"Naturally," Tucker agreed.
"-as they are led to the living room, where they find Jack."
"Ehh," Soarin blinked, but Jazz stopped him, now leering suspiciously at her 'friends'.
"Then there is some awkward silence," Tucker picks up, "followed by equally awkward stammering, followed by an awkward, and most likely embarrassing moment where Mister F misinterprets the situation and thinks Soarin is a fan there to meet his idols, an-"
"Tucker," Jazz said, coldly. "Did you hack into my parents' home security system?"
"No, I wouldn't dare," Tucker said, hand on his heart. "Nor would I have to. I have the security key," he revealed, grinning.
"You WHAT!?"
"Comes with the job," he informed her. "Same system, and all that."
"You mean to tell me you and Valerie spied on Soarin and me while I introduced him to my parents!?"
"Oh, nothing like that."
"At first," Valerie added, chuckling as she thought back.
"Meaning?!" Jazz glared at the ghost hunter.
"We knew you were going to you folks, and we kept an eye out for any trouble. A lot had already happened, so we wanted to make sure it stayed that way," Tucker explained readily. And the anger on Jazz's face softened.
"Oh," she said.
"What, just because we don't always agree on things, doesn't mean we don't have your back," Valerie told her, face serious; which soon broke as she grinned and chuckled. "Though the show provided certainly proved to be most entertaining."
"Oh, was it now?" Jazz asked rhetorically, anger back in full force.
"We didn't see everything, though, if that's what you're worrying about," Tucker reassured her.
"Hmhmm," Valerie nodded. "We turned off the feed the moment we ran out of popcorn.
"And when, exactly, was that?!"
"Eh, let's see," Valerie hummed. "Jack misunderstanding the situation," she counted a finger. "Ghost tentacle dragging Jack back into the basement. Jack and his saddle," two more fingers were counted, all that happening while Soarin stood shocked and mortified on the spot. "And then there was-"
"STOP!" Jazz shouted, draggin both hands down her face. "Please, just stop."
"Now you're just being mean," Tucker aimed at the snickering woman. Suppressing a chuckle of his own, he turned to Jazz. "I shut down the feed after Jack showed up with the saddle, and it became clear the only danger you two were in was of your father… Something we couldn't have helped with either way. But anything that happened after, ahum, that is just between the four of you."
"Five, if you count that ghost," Valerie commented off handedly, tapping on her phone, and a wet, graveling roar played over its speaker. "Huh… didn't I fight that one some time back?"
"You recorded what happened!?" Jazz shouted, shocked.
"Had to. Tucker wouldn't do it himself."
Shouting, Jazz threw herself at Valerie.
"GIVE ME THAT RIGHT NOW!"
"HAH, MAKE ME!"
"SOARIN, HELP ME OUT HERE!"
"I, ehhh…"
"NOW!"
Mouth snapping shut, Soarin shot a pleading look at Tucker, sighed out when he was denied a look back, then joined the fray; wondering how his life had managed to become like this.
Looking at the mess as two woman, and one pony fought for Valerie's phone, Tucker sighed out tiredly, though he had to admit to himself he did help to create the situation this time around.
Groaning, he shook his head.
'At least Danny doesn't have to deal with this kind of crap on a regular basis.'
<<>><<>><<>>
Meanwhile, stuck chin deep in it.
A sound not unlike a raging thunderstorm shook the walls and rattled the windows of the room Danny and his unexpected ghostly pegasi allies now occupied, looking up at the ceiling with fear, for in the room above they had escaped the wrath of a most furious Princess Luna.
Both ponies showed the same look of unease, giving a small nod to one another, then quickly phased down through the floor, still taking Danny with them; not wanting to sit still and risk being discovered as they put as much distance between them and the terrifying force of nature storming through the castle.
Further and further they sank, leaving first the castle behind, then the city as they dropped through its foundation and lowered to the foot of the mountain near the waterfall.
Releasing their grip, the two ponies dropped Danny on the ground; his feet sinking over an inch into the damp soil due to his bulk, while the fog and spray of the waterfall near him froze solid, some of it even adding to his already large frame, though Danny didn't seem to notice.
Turning around and facing the two who helped him escape, taking his first good look at the two, he fumbled for words while attempting to align the myriad of questions and thoughts. Settling for the time being with an familiar inquerry: "What just happened?"
With a flap of their wings, more out of instinct than necessity, both ponies dropped to the ground.
"We could ask you the same," the mare with a faded, almost washed out red, yet strangely familiar spiky mane, snipped back, her dark blue fur bristling a bit. "Do you know just how big a mess you've made?!"
"I, ehhh…."
"Rampaging through the castle, seen by who knows how many. For a second, just try to imagine what kind of consequences this will have," she said disapprovingly, in a way only a mother could do.
"Now is not the time," the stallion, sporting a matted grey mane and sun bleached yellow coat, told her, a hoof on her withers. "We have to get out of here before any of the pegasi guards spots us from above," he said, looking at Danny, and his overly reflective body, frowning.
Catching this, Danny turned himself; looking at his frozen hands as he clenched and relaxed them.
"Yeah… Maybe I should get rid of this first, huh?"
"Don't bother," the stallion sighed, shaking his head, and Danny dropped his hands, confused. Arching a eyebrow, the stallion asked: "You still haven't noticed, did you?"
"Noticed, what?"
"Oh, by Celestia's flank," the mare groaned, facehooving.
Patting her back, the stallion looked at Danny imploringly.
"Just try to use your powers. Anyone of them would do."
"Eh… wouldn't that draw any attention to us?" Danny asked, worried, looking around for any prying eyes.
"Just do it," the mare sighed behind her hoof.
Looking around some more, then shrugged, Danny turned to the roaring waterfall and aimed his hands at the river.
He stood still for almost half a minute, with nothing happening.
"What the…?" He rumbled as he took a half step back, looking at both hands; flicking them from left to right, then tried again.
"It won't work," the stallion told him.
Grunting in frustration fed by confusion, Danny tried again regardless with the same result as the previous two attempts.
"Wh- but why not?" He finally relented, staring at his frozen hands, seeing his bones through the ice.
"Because you managed to get yourself locked in spectral exhaustion," the stallion explained simply. "And until you take your time to rest and recharge, you won't be able to do much of anything. Let alone transform back to your flesh and blood self."
Danny stood silent for several unbeating heart beats, processing this all.
"... And you know all of this, how?"
"Let's just say we've been around long enough to pick up a thing here and there," was the stallion's evasive answer.
"Well, if that isn't the story of my life," Danny droned.
Rubbing his shoulder which was hit with the guards' spells, during his less than smooth escape, he considered his options.
He knew he needed to rest, no escaping his aching, deep frozen body and burning eyes. But the changelings he 'broke' out of prison also needed his help, assuming they even lasted long enough for him to reach them.
Of course, as he was now, that was not a possibility. Especially if what that stallion said was true. And so far he had to assume he was. The facts did speak for themselves, as far as he understood them.
Frowning over his sudden uselessness, he kicked the dirt. To his great surprise, followed by shock as a overwhelming flare of pain shot up through his leg, accompanied by a loud crack, he cried out while the ponies looked shocked at his leg.
"Well, that can't be good," the mare said, worried as Danny wobbled on the spot.
"What, gnhh, the hell happened?" Danny hissed, a thick cloud of cold escaping his mouth as he did, momentarily obscuring his vision as he tried to see for himself what happened.
Slowly, the cold fog dissipated, revealing to him the horrible situation.
Both of his feet still stood firmly planted on the ground, except that only his left foot was still connected to his leg. His right foot, emitting a deep chill much like the rest of his body, was frozen solid to the damp ground. And in his subconscious decision to kick something, the weakest point near his ankle broke off.
The only reason he was still standing, was that his left foot was also stuck to the ground.
Silence.
"You have got to be FUCKING kidding me!" Danny roared.
<<>><<>><<>>
A quick application of spectral energy, provided by the ponies, to unfreeze his limbs, Danny, with the help of the two pegasi, had limped into the relative cover of the waterfall's mist, aided by the scattering of rocks of all sizes from an ancient rock slide. Then, with a quick application of a splash of water, his foot was reconnected with the rest of him. His bone, however, did not show any sign of restoration as such injuries would usually do. Nor was he able to move his foot, despite his attempts to do so after it was reconnected.
"Great, anything else that will go wrong? Might as well get it over with while I'm already down," he muttered angrily.
"Please don't tempt fate," the stallion told him, a nervous edge to his voice.
Sighing out in defeat, Danny sagged into himself; leaning his back against a massive boulder.
"I know," he replied. "And thanks. For helping me, eh… what did you say your name was again?"
"I didn't say," the stallion answered simply, then fell silent for a moment as if in thought. "It's Sky Rider," he then introduced himself with a small nod.
"Scoot Blaze," the mare simply said, most of her attention on Danny's still unresponsive foot.
"I'm Danny," Danny shared with a grunt as Scoot Blaze shifted his right leg.
"Still nothing?" She asked, looking at Danny quizzically.
"Nothing below where my foot broke off," he said, trying to sound nonchalant about the situation. "I don't get it. I used to get injured a lot worse than this. Heck, I even had a roller coaster cart at full speed collide with me, splattering me all around, and I walked away from it without any lasting injury. Why is this different?"
"Because you're locked in spectral exhaustion," Sky Rider explained to him, shaking his head. "Without spectral energy to fuel your powers, any healing factor you would have is gone too. Right now, you're just a regular mortal locked in the body of an ice ghost. One which apparently is falling apart because of the same reason. No energy to sustain yourself."
"... Is this because I asked if there was anything else that would go wrong?" Danny asked, his panic over his situation mixing with exasperation over yet another unwanted, unneeded, and seemingly life threatening situation he found himself in. This time, however, he was the one in danger.
"So… what does this mean for me?"
"I don't know. And I'm in no hurry to find out either," Sky Rider told him, pushing away as he began pacing.
"So I guess I just take it easy, rest and, wait for my powers to regenerate?" Danny said, more to himself with doubt tainting his voice.
"Oh, you're not going to sleep your way out of this," Scoot Blaze told him, giving up at prodding at Danny's foot. "You are out of power. Power which your body is demanding to sustain its form. Without power it can't do that. Without power, you can't release the ice, and thus transform back. Because of this, the cold within you is seeping out on its own--" she pointed a wing at his feet, "--which does that as a result. Your body will grow weaker, brittle, until it collapses. What this entails for you, your conscious mind I mean… well, your guess is as good as mine."
Both Danny and Sky Rider looked at Scoot Blaze wide eyed, horrified.
"Well…" Danny attempted to reply, failing utterly, until he found the one utterance in which he put all his frustration, anger, and fears: "Fuuuuck me."
"That about sums it up, yes," Scoot Blaze agreed.
"Phantom."
Jerking slightly in surprise, Danny turned his attention inwards.
'So you're still around after all.'
'Cease your poor attempt at humor,' Fenris barked, strained, 'it is difficult enough to talk to you as it is.'
'Fair enough,' Danny was quick to agree. 'I take it you have an idea to our latest problem.'
'Yes.'
'Care to share?'
'Find a source of native spectral energy, and absorb its power into yourself to restore your might'
'Wait, what?' Danny paused, blinked, not noticing the strange looks Scoot Blaze and Sky Rider gave him. 'Native spectral energy? And what do you mean, absorb its power into myself?'
'Sometimes, in places where a ghost, or ghosts resides for long durations, their power imprints on their surroundings. Becoming an echo of who they are. When others approach, or enter such places, it may even respond to them in much the same way like those who imprinted on those areas. The rock I found myself on after my demise is one such places, still remaining a strong, latent imprint of spectral energy.'
So, you mean like the Far Frozen? I guess we could go there quick enough.
'No. I have been there, and though numerous, those residing there have not left an imprint in a way that could be considered a source of energy strong enough to be of use for us. There are some rules dictating their creation, yet I do not know them.
'Well, that's just great. And what about this rock of yours? You did say it qualifies.
'It would, if you had the time to reach it. Seeing how you broke off your foot after such a short moment of turning to ice, I doubt you will be able to do so.
'So find something closer to home… Great, like I have one of those in my backyard, sighing out, frustrated, Danny finally noticed the looks he received.
"Just having a bit of a conversation with one of the voices in my head," he explained. "...It's not as crazy as it sounds," he quickly added.
'And what about this absorbing thing? Still haven't gotten an answer to that,'
'Find the source of the imprint, and claim it as your own. The echo will fade, returning the imprinted area back to the state it was before, its energy becoming yours.
'Finding the source? Claiming it as my own? Is it just me, or does this sound a lot like possessing someone.
'That is one way of understanding it, though flawed in its description.'
'Oh no. I'm not going there again. The last time I possessed a ghost I ended up with Shadow, which then somehow turned into Eclipse, before you were brought on boards as well.
'You worry too much' Fenris barked, strain clear in his voice. 'This is not a ghost, nor a possession as you understand it. All there is, is an echo. An echo you will destroy as you take its energy for yourself. Now stop reflecting on past mistakes, and focus on the here and now!'
'Okay, okay. Shees, give a guy a brea- … wait… Reflect…'
Snapping out of his mental debate, he looked up at Canterlot, recalling something Celestia had said while he and Twilight were there during his first real visit of the city.
"They never figured out how it worked…" he murmured, slowly looking down at the two pegasi before him.
"Say, do you two happen to know where to find the Mirror Pool?"
<<>><<>><<>>
"Well, can't say I wasn't expecting this," Tucker remarked as he stood up from his desk chair, pushing it backwards as he did so.
Jazz, sitting on the floor, grumbling to herself, carefully holding her broken wrist with her other hand while pretending it didn't hurt, hair disheveled, clothes a mess and refusing to so much a look in Valerie's direction, shot him a heated glare.
"Don't give me that," he said, unimpressed. "You know what you were getting into."
"Then why didn't you stop her before she made that recording? Or, for that matter, why don't you just hack her phone and delete it?" Jazz snipped.
Shaking his head, Tucker looked down at Soarin, who lay on the ground besides Jazz, groaning while holding his head in his hooves; a new bump swelling up besides the two he already had.
"First, because I don't stand a chance against her," Tucker answered matter of factly.
"You got that right," Valerie called back from the kitchen, raiding his fridge.
"And second. I could, yes. But doing so would also bring back point one."
"Only if she found out," Jazz countered easily.
"Not a lot of guys who can do that. Fewer who would want to. Easy to figure out a suspect when they do," Valerie answered for Tucker, the grin she had clearly audible in her voice.
"Exactly," Tucker agreed. "Also," he called after the ghost hunter, "did you really have to knock Soarin on the head a third time?"
Stepping back into the room, a can of soda in hand, Valerie leaned against the door frame, taking a swig before answering.
"Of course I did," she said. "First time, he's freaking out after everything done and said to him, flying all crazy over the city. Second time, He's freaking out over that eldritch horror type freakshow you showed on your computer. And then he goes and helps his girlfriend trying to wrestle my phone away from me. At this point, it's pretty much our thing. You know, like a secret handshake between friends."
"Only it's your fist on his head," Tucker deadpanned.
"Exactly," Valerie nodded once, then emptied her drink, crushing the can in her fist.
"And what if he ends up with a concussion?" Tucker asked.
Valerie thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Meh, I've hit the ghosts I hunt harder than that. He'll be fine."
" I don't feel fine," Soarin groaned.
"I did say you'll be fine. Not that you are fine right now."
"Seriously, whose side are you on?!" Jazz snapped, finally turning to glare unimpressively at Valerie.
"I already told you, yours," Valerie answered simply. "But that doesn't mean I'm your babysitter," she turned serious, her stare burning holes in Jazz and Soarin. "The both of you managed to get yourselves abducted by ghosts on the same day, leaving me to either come to your rescue, or take the hits while being fired upon after you pulled off a hasty, sloppily executed rescue and escape. Seeing how I can't be everywhere at once, you guys need to learn to take a hit. Especially you, miss psychiatrist. Running in guns blazing without knowing what to do, or how to use a weapon. Add to that your clear lack of tactical assessment, going up against a trained fighter with a broken wrist, and it's no surprise you failed as spectacularly as you did just now."
"I wouldn't have to, if you didn't make that damned recording!" Jazz snapped back.
"Oh, I did. And you bet I'm going to use it," Valerie said calmly, shooting Jazz a level glare.
"Use… it?" Jazz slowly repeated, dread creeping into her voice. "For what?"
"Just a little blackmail insurance," Valerie answered, mock checking her nails.
"WHA-"
"You are going to train, with me, so you'll know what you're doing when the time calls for it," Valerie cut her off, staring at her with hardened eyes. "Seriously, what kind of resistance leader are you if you don't know how to hold your own? Even Tucker knows how to shoot a blaster. Maybe not as well as I would like, but he at least knows what he's doing. Plus, his skills with computers are second to none, which gives us a real tactical advantage. But you, miss Fenton, have no real skills of use for this little group of ours."
"BU-"
"And don't even start about your parents and their tech. Even without you, Tucker has access to these things. Hell, he even made my armor and continuously works to improve upon it. Not to mention his gadgets to jam Vlad's spy drones, and all the other things he's done so far. He even worked to rebuild the original Specter Speeder in his spare time, which gave us a major advantage when rescuing your pony friend. And speaking of mister quadruped, his ability to hold his own against these ghosts is more than lacking on its own. If he's going to be a part of this, he must know what he's doing," she then snorted loudly. "Seeing what had happened already, he should know these things whether he stays with us or not. The ghosts already made a move, so did Vlad, with us responding to it in kind. How long do you think it will take for the next round to start? No, you have been coasting on your parents' rep for too long, without really holding your own weight," she pointed an accusing finger at Jazz. "And don't try to deny it. What did you do when Skulker took Soarin? Who did you run to when it had happened? What were you able to do, on your own, without coaxing of me, or Tucker? What plan did you have, other than run after Soarin with an angry frown? And that's just this one example. Really, Jazz. What can you do, on your own, when it really comes down to it?"
Jazz looked down at the floor, conflicted.
"Well?"
"Nothing."
"What was that!?" Valerie barked like a drill instructor.
"NOTHING, OKAY!" Jazz cried out, tears streaming down her face. "JUST LIKE WHEN I TRIED TO HELP DANNY WITH HIS GHOST HUNTING, WHEN HE WAS STILL WITH US. I ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE A BLASTER. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIGHT A GHOST LIKE SKULKER, OR EMBER, OR WHATEVER. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING… anything."
Jazz fell silent, sobbing lightly.
"Good," Valerie said sternly. "Now I know you'll pay attention when our training starts," and she deleted the recording on her phone.
"Wha-" Jazz looked up at Valerie, confusion evident in her tear stained eyes.
"Clear whatever schedule you have," Valerie turned to leave. "Training starts tomorrow at first light, down the docks. You'll know where. Don't be late. And take your pony, too."
And with those final words, she left.
<<>><<>><<>>
"Wait… this is it?"
Confused, Danny looked at the large boulder, supposedly covering the entrance to the Mirror Pool; standing unsteadily on his left foot.
"Yes, this is it," Scoot Blaze grunted, stretching her neck with several pops.
"We saw them close the entrance after that pink mare copied herself," Sky Rider informed him, flexing his wings.
Seeing their discomfort, Danny awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
"Right, ehh… Sorry you had to carry me all this way. And thanks, too," he said, then felt something snap.
Looking at his hand used to rub his head, he saw he was now missing three fingers, stuck frozen to his head.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he muttered darkly.
"Let's just get this over with, before you lose even more parts," Scoot Blaze stepped up, grabbing hold on the boulder and, with eyes entirely aglow, she levitated it up and away, revealing the entrance to the Mirror Pool, while Sky Rider pried off Danny's fingers from his head, giving them back to him with a grimace.
"And here's hoping I'm actually right about the place," Danny said, more to himself, returning his fingers to their proper place, then looked down the hole, unable to see the bottom.
Sighing out in resignation, he turned back to the pegasi besides him.
"Yeah… I'm gonna need some help here, too."
Rolling her eyes while muttering something under her breath, Scoot Blaze all but shoved Danny into the hole; holding on to him as he fell down with a yelp, his weight pulling her along while she used her powers to slow his fall to something less shattering.
"You're welcome," she said simply after they reached the bottom, letting go of the startled human, who toppled forwards.
Lying face down on the ground, Danny grumbled with a muffled voice.
"Well, can't say I didn't see that coming," Sky Rider commented dryly, slowly dropping down to join Scoot Blaze's side as she gave him a winning smile.
Grunting his displeasure, Danny pushed himself back on his feet, balancing unsteadily on his left foot while brushing his arms in reflex to wipe away some dirt, only for flakes of ice and drops of water to cling to his hand.
"It's getting worse, and fast," he said, alarmed, looking at what was basically his flesh melt away. "Fuck, I hope I'm right about this place," he clenched his hand shut, dropping it to his side.
'You are,' Fenris informed him tiredly. 'There is something here. Something… strange.'
'Strange, how?'
'I… don't know.'
'But will it restore my powers?'
'It should, yes.'
'Should?'
'It is… strange.'
Realizing he wouldn't get anything else out of Fenris, and his now visibly melting body reminding him his time was running out, Danny had little choice but to wobble his way further into the passage he was pushed into, Scoot Blaze and Sky Rider helping to support him.
"Wow."
All three came to a stop as they passed a bent in the passage, stepping into a wide open chamber; the path before them gently angling down while curving to the right, leading right to a small, crystal clear pool of water which glistened in the weak bands of light, which shone in through small holes in the ceiling. Light which also allowed for the flourishing of plantlife which Danny saw all around, joined by numerous glowing mushrooms, which further illuminated the underground chamber they were in.
Slowly stepping down, the trio looked around in wonder as they took it all in.
"Well, not quite what I was expecting," Danny commented as they reached the pool's edge, the three of them looking down at their reflections.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Danny yelled, stumbling back and setting too much weight on his reattached but numb foot, falling to the ground in shock, his eyes never leaving the smooth surface of the water.
Sky Rider and Scoot Blaze, too, jumped back in clear confusion and surprise. Their eyes firmly locked on the same impossibility Danny was staring at.
His reflection.
It was his own… but not his own.
Danny, the melting ice forged man he was now, could only stare in disbelief at his clearly human, un-ghostly reflection looking back at him.
"Well, that's different," Sky Rider commented, taking a tentative step back to the pool.
"That's one way of saying it," Danny said after a short pause, carefully pushing himself back to his feet and wobbling back to the pool's edge.
Lowering himself to a knee to get a better look, he carefully reached out with a hand and tapped the water.
A ripple spread out, distorting the image for a bit before the surface became still again.
"But what does this mea-"
In a sudden blur of motion, acting so fast that none of them could react, Danny's reflection reached out, grabbed Danny by his still outstretched arm, and pulled him in and under water.
<<>><<>><<>>
"WHAT THE HAY JUST HAPPENED!" Scoot Blaze shouted, jumped halfway up to the chamber's ceiling in fright.
"HOW SHOULD I KNOW?!" Sky Rider yelled back from his position at the ceiling.
"WE'VE GOT TO GET HIM OUT! NOW!" Scoot Blaze cried in alarm, already diving down and reaching out her front legs before her to break the water.
With a crash and a cry, she slammed into the now solid surface, sliding halfway across the mirror smooth surface of the pool, before coming to a stop with a groan.
"SCOOTS!" Sky Rider cried out, dropping down to help her.
"Why can't these things ever go easily?" Scoot Blaze muttered, lying flat on her face.
<<>><<>><<>>
Danny was lost, floating in nothing but darkness, unable to move as the water he knew he was in locked up his body.
His eyes darted around, the only thing still free to move, while he desperately tried to get his limbs to move, while looking for a way out of this fresh new hell he found himself in.
A flicker of light shone behind him.
Trying, but failing to turn around, he strained his vision to peer behind him to try and get a glimpse of what had happened.
Something moved in his peripheral, opposite of where he was looking.
He tried to shout, yet not even a bubble of air escaped his mouth.
Something tapped him on the shoulder, yet he was unable to see who, or what it was.
Anger born from frustration over his sudden helplessness, again, his struggles intensified; cracks beginning to form, then spread all throughout his body; water seeping in through the faultlines and increasing the rate his body tore apart as it rapidly robbed Danny from what little cold still remained to keep him together.
Realizing what was happening, Danny ceased his struggle immediately, but the damage he inflicted onto himself was already too much, and he noticed the edges of his vision darken as what little strength he had bled out.
'Trapped underwater, unable to move, without any powers, locked in a body of broken ice,' he mentally sighed out. 'Well, if anyone is going to show up and save my sorry ass like usually happens back when I found myself in some dire situation, now would be a good time.'
For a moment he waited, eyes slowly looking around, half expecting Clockwork or Frostbite to show up. Why, he'd even settle for Skulker right now if it meant he'd be blasted, captured, then blasted some more, before being captured again.
Slowly he sunk down, his vision growing darker, and darker, and darker until, with a solid thud, he hit the bottom of the pool, and he saw no more.
A bright flash lit up before him, cutting through the blinding nothing which had consumed his being, and he screamed out in his mind trying to figure out what was happening this time.
Willing the glaring spots in his vision to fade, it took him a moment to fully realize what was suspended before him.
A pony.
A pony with a coat as black as night, and a fiery blue mane and tail; offsetted only by the single band of white running through both, looking at him with strangely familiar blue eyes.
The stallion smiled at him, nodding once, accepting, then burst apart in a wave of energy.
<<>><<>><<>>
Scoot Blaze slowly pushed herself back to her hooves, still on top of the solidified, yet clearly still a liquid surface of the Mirror Pool.
Rubbing her muzzle, she glared at her reflection, stomping a hoof on the solid liquid, muttering to herself.
"We-... Was this supposed to happen?" Sky Rider asked, worried.
"You know the answer just as well as I do," Scoot Blaze answered tensely. "Something has gone horribl-"
Suddenly, without warning, the water below her started to glow, then shine with energetic light.
With a squawk, which did not sound like a chicken at all, (and she would fight anyone who said otherwise) she fled back into the air, joined by Sky Rider.
"WHAT IS GOING ON!?" Sky Rider shouted.
Before either one could answer, the light vanished. Blinking twice in surprise, both ponies looked at one another for an answer. Finding none, they turned back to the water, which then promptly exploded.
Both pegasi shouted, falling out of the air with flailing limbs, crashing to the ground completely soaked before they could catch themselves; quickly scrambling back to their hooves and try to find out what had happened, both to the pool and the human pulled in.
"Now then," both ponies froze in their tracks, looking wide eyed at the now empty pool and the human ghost hovering above it, clad in his familiar black and white jumpsuit, looking at them with his green glowing eyes and a confident smirk, "This should be interesting."
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Okay. Now I really need to know what the heck just happened to Danny.
So Danny just needs to ... go native? Sorry.
Will he now have the power to create armies of clones?
9500338
You had to, hadn't you?
Also you will have to wait and see like a good little boy.
So... I'm a bit confused.
1) Did they manage to take Danny's broken off leg with them? or is it still back in the castle?
2) How long have the ghost ponies been there? Its also been a while since i read the last chapter, and I don't remember much about them ...
3) Is Danny healed now, or only partly healed? and does he have a new ability, or a new "affliction"/symptom, or both?
4) Is that Danny, a clone, a fusion of him and the original ghost that created the spot, or something else?
5) did he not even make one real clone? guess not even the pool could recharge him enough to use that ability again so soon).
6) What happened with Luna? (again, can't remember the last chapter. is there a reason she couldn't pursue, other than being on a different floor?
good chapter! Confusing, but good!
Not bad, waiting for more.
oof.exe intensifies.
9500617
Okay, in order.
1. This is already revealed in the chapter.
2. A while. They've been showing up here and there, starting in Silver Spirit.
3. Spoilers.
4. spoilers.
5. I do not understand what you mean with this.
6. Luna was searching for the ghosts seen by the guards/maids/nurse, but did not see Danny and the pegasi ghosts herself, as they were invisible.
Okay now I really want to know who that mystery pony is.
And man Soaring just can't catch a break can he? Well he better get used to all the craziness if he wants to stay with Jazz. Is it weird that I'm looking forward to him and Danny having their official "Meeting my sister's BF/GF's brother"?
Danny: If you ever hurt my sister... well I know can do things to you that no one else can.
Soaring:.... nice to meet you too.
Take me about two weeks to actually catch up with this one story. Have a red silver spirit yet. Although I do remember seeing the story on fanfiction years ago
9532812
Wait, what? It's on fanfic? When did that happen?
9533036
I could be remembering wrong but I could’ve sworn it was on fanfiction.net at first or maybe there’s a different story altogether. I could be misremembering though I
9560391
*Grabs you out of the shadows* GIVE ME SOME ASSHOLE!!!!!!
!
9560401
You know, it are at times like this one cannot underestimate the importance of commas.
9560439
What commas? Should there be a comma there?
9560442
Yes, between some and asshole. As it is, you shouted at me that you wanted some ass... hole.
Yes, I laughed. Hard.
9560465
Huh.
Well if you wanna give up some ass I've got no complaints.
But seriously give me some of those drugs, please.
9560470
9561953
Mr Mackey Is an idiot
9612287
Oh believe me ever since writing this comment i've found much more unex fics
No cap, totally forgot Tucker and the rest of these fuckers existed