Requiem for a Ghost

by ChronicleStone

Chapter 3: The Haunted Ghost

Phantom Star’s Manor

September 30, 12:46 AM

Click.

It hadn’t been a loud sound. In fact, most ponies wouldn’t have noticed it even when they were awake.

But Sky Streak wasn’t “most ponies.”

Scope had taught him to be constantly aware of his surroundings. His senses were important, and it was vital that he pay attention to them—especially when most ponies would assume it was impossible to be alert to them.

Ghost’s home was unnaturally quiet. And at night, it had somehow managed to double down on that, making sleep difficult—and a deep sleep was virtually impossible. And as a result, any sound was about as noticeable as a rockslide.

Sky’s eyes snapped open in an instant. They slowly moved to the left and right, working to adjust to the darkness in which he now found himself.

He hadn’t stayed up long after his chess match with Ghost before retiring to the guest room. He had written in his journal (as was his habit) before trying to get some rest. It had taken him a solid forty-five minutes just to get to sleep, and even then, he always felt as though he was on the cusp of waking up.

And that one click was all it took.

He rolled onto his stomach and shuffled his blanket off to one side. The lone window in the room was dark, save for a few lonely stars that winked down at him.

So…what are you up to, Ghost?

He slowly crawled out of bed and ignited his light orb with a touch. He slung his cherished shoulder wrap around his neck before grabbing his saddlebags and slipping into his camoufly cloak. It glinted gently in the pale light, and Sky smiled softly. In spite of all the battles it had seen, it still showed virtually no signs of wear and tear. It wasn’t even fraying along the edges. I wonder if Zecora didn’t cast some other enchantment on it when she made it. Somehow, that wouldn’t surprise me.

The door to the guest room opened with nary a sound, and Sky peeked through the narrow opening. The hallway was still dark, and the thick silence of the house continued unabated. Cautiously, he opened the door and slipped outside, shutting the door as carefully as he could. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and triggered his magic, vanishing into thin air. He recited one of Scope’s favorite lines in his head: If no one notices you were ever there, then you were never there.

He walked down the hall, peering into each room as he passed by. But every one revealed an only deeper darkness than the last, and Sky began to wonder if he had merely imagined hearing the sound in the first place.

Finally, he reached the end of the hall and found himself staring at the front door. A sinking feeling began to grow in Sky’s chest as he stared at it. Anxiously, he stepped forward and pulled the door open, staring out into the chilly fall night.

A light mist wafted over the landscape, catching the light of the moon and returning it in a gentle silver glow. For a moment, Sky found himself lost in thought as he beheld the scene; smiling as he pictured the lovely Princess of the Night back in Canterlot, guiding the moon along its heavenly path across the sky. But his mind quickly snapped back to reality as a quick flash of yellow pierced through the mist off to his left. He turned toward the source of the light, but almost as soon as he saw it, it vanished again. It was only then that Sky realized that he was staring into a patch of forest whose edge lay not twenty yards from where he currently stood.

That sure looked like a candle, or a flame of some sort, Sky surmised. Seems like Ghost decided to go for a walk. Though I wonder where he’s planning to end up.

Sky’s wings spread through the flaps in his cloak, and he took to the air, gliding over the treetops, hunting for the candle in the dark. It took him only about a minute to find it, moving at a leisurely pace through the woods, and, sure enough, its bearer was none other than Ghost himself. He too was wearing a dark gray cloak, though Sky doubted it possessed the magic properties of his own.

He descended and perched upon a high branch of a tall cedar tree, watching his quarry. Each time Ghost would move to the edge of his vision, Sky would move to another location, doing his best to maintain a healthy distance, but also to ensure he had a clear view. The last thing he wanted was to lose Ghost in here. He wasn’t sure how, but he sensed that Ghost was headed somewhere significant. After all, why else would he risk it when he knew that Sky was in his house, probably alert to everything that was happening?

Finally, after about ten minutes of silently stalking the violet unicorn, Sky found himself at the edge of a small clearing. Ghost stood off to his left, seemingly hesitating about proceeding any further. The mist had grown thicker, and Sky strained to make out the features on the ground below. The flickering light of Ghost’s candle illuminated short, dark protrusions rising from the ground. Sky strained to try and make out what he was seeing. Tree stumps? he guessed. Did I step into a lumber mill?

As he leaned forward to get a better look, his footing gave way, causing him to lurch forward. Instantly, his wings popped out and steadied him, but the rustling sound of the swaying branch was unmistakable against the otherwise-silent night.

Sky quickly refocused on Ghost. From all appearances, he hadn’t moved an inch. Sky held his breath. Maybe he didn’t notice that…

“I don’t remember inviting you to come with me, Blitz.”

Never mind.

Sky threw back his hood and gently floated down beside the unicorn. “Did you expect me to stay behind? I don’t wanna miss out on all the fun,” Sky replied, trying to throw a little levity into what was, for the moment, a slightly awkward conversation.

Ghost snorted in contempt. “I expected to have some time to myself without having to be followed by somepony who acts like a little lost puppy.”

Sky’s smile faded as his eyebrow arched. “Spoken with all of Scope’s tact and compassion,” he deadpanned.

Ghost spun around, a flame flickering in his eyes. “Grow up Blitz,” he growled. “How did you expect me to treat somepony who was not only responsible for my fall from grace, but also barges into my home uninvited, tinkers with my belongings, and, without permission, follows me and trespasses on my family’s private burial ground?!”

Sky’s blood was beginning to boil. “OK, hold up. First off, I didn’t bar—”

He voice suddenly came to a halt as his brain finished registering Ghost’s words. “Wait…burial grounds?”

He took another look at the stump-like objects around him. From the tops of the trees, it had been difficult to determine exactly what they were. But on the ground, he could make out the distinct shapes of gravestones, stretching back as far as the light from the torch revealed. “So…wait…this is your family’s…”

“What, Blitz?” Ghost turned back around and began to slowly work his way between the headstones, nodding to each one in solemn respect as he passed. “Did you think that we just left the bodies of our loved ones in a ditch somewhere?”

A sudden sense of shame welled up in Sky’s chest. His only thought had been to keep an eye on Ghost. He didn’t want him getting into any kind of trouble or stirring something up. He hadn’t considered that his late night errand was to pay respects to those that had come before him.

Why hadn’t I thought of this sooner? he wondered, not daring to move from where he stood. Ghost’s family has been the source of all of everything that’s happened. It only makes sense that he would have someplace like this.

He refocused on the image of Ghost, still steadily walking past the gravestones of his ancestors and nodding in respect to each one. “I…I’m sorry, Ghost. I hadn’t really given it much thought…”

“Of course you hadn’t,” Ghost answered, quickly enough that Sky wondered if Ghost had somehow anticipated the remark. “That’s how you operate, Blitz. Once an event has passed, you just discard it, like it never even happened.”

“That’s not true!” Sky blurted in a raised voice. Ghost came to a halt in his walk, and he instantly regretted the outburst. He took a breath and forced his emotions to settle. “Listen, Ghost. From everything I can tell, you act like it has to be either the past or the future: one or the other. Never both. And that’s what I’m trying to get across to you: it has to be both.”

Ghost hesitated, then nodded to the gravestone on his left and resumed his walk. “You act like you know so much,” he said quietly, and Sky wondered if that was sadness he heard in the unicorn’s voice. “But you’re just too naïve to fully grasp the truth.”

Sky sighed and mentally winced. The image of the Everfree Lily flashed through his brain, and the familiar feelings of disappointment and disgrace stung his brain like a thousand tiny needles. “You think you’re the only pony who has regrets, Ghost?” Sky asked softly. “Trust me. You’re not.”

“Spare me, Blitz,” Ghost replied, having apparently reached the end of the gravestones. He had turned and was walking back towards Sky, though his face reflected no signs of peace or fulfillment gained from his ritual. “I won’t try to argue that you have regrets. I’m sure you have some, however trivial they may actually be. But consider your life for a moment.”

“What about it?”

The mist suddenly seemed to thin, but the darkness of the night felt like it had begun to close in around the pair of ponies. Ghost continued his advance. “You may have regrets, but look what else you have. You have Lily—a mare who loves you. You have friends; loads of them. You have a good reputation, a stable living situation, a mother, father, and sister who all adore you and earnestly pray that only the best will come to you. You have it all. Your life has direction and purpose—it has meaning.”

Sky shivered. The thoughts of all the blessings of his life should have given him comfort, but in the deepening darkness of the graveyard, it provided none. Instead, a dramatic sense of foreboding fell on him, as though some nameless evil was encroaching upon him.

“Take a look around, Blitz,” Ghost continued. As he neared, Sky could finally see the smoldering embers in the unicorn’s eyes. The anger may have flashed for only a moment, but it was far from gone. “This is my life. Everything that I can claim as my own. No living family members. No friends. No good name, no respectable legacy—I have nothing. Everything I could claim as my own has one thing in common.”

Deep down, Sky wanted to be anywhere else. Anywhere but here. The conversation had turned disturbingly dark, and he knew what Ghost’s common thread was. He just didn’t want to have to hear it.

But in his heart, he knew that there was no moving forward without confronting the truth.

Ghost came to a stop a few feet from the pegasus. “Death, Blitz,” Ghost said as a cold breeze rattled through the trees in response. “My family is dead. My ‘friendships’ have all faded. And any hope of leaving a worthwhile legacy perished back in the Vault in Canterlot. I have nothing.” He waved a hoof around at the lifeless stones scattered across the clearing. “When I tell you that there is nothing here to save, this is what I mean.”

Ghost took another breath, but hesitated for a moment, as though he was reconsidering saying anything more. But Sky raised his eyebrows, furrowed his forehead, and lowered his head slightly, trying to convey an unspoken message: Go ahead. Let it out.

“I remember Storm Emblem telling me that he was already dead back in the Vault,” Ghost said, trying to carry a neutral tone. But Sky could feel the bitterness and anger he still felt towards his ancestor over his perceived betrayal during the battle in Canterlot.

“And?” Sky prodded.

“Looks like we finally have something in common,” Ghost scoffed, twisting his hoof angrily into the dirt. “Seems that I’m already dead, too.”

Sky drew a quick breath in surprise, but almost immediately steadied his thoughts. He took a slow step towards Ghost. “No,” he began in a low voice. “You’re not dead. Your heart is still beating. Your mind is still thinking. You’re not in a grave yet. You still have life. And you can still have a fulfilling life.”

Ghost’s head rose slightly so that Sky could barely see the unicorn’s eyes glowering at him. “And what kind of ‘fulfilling’ life can a villain find in Equestria?”

Sky took another cautious step. “Maybe you were a villain,” he admitted. “But why should that matter?” He paused as Ghost’s head rose a little further. It wasn’t much, but it seemed like Ghost’s face had taken on a less hostile visage. At least he’s not trying to burn a hole through my skull with his eyes.

He swallowed the thought and resumed his speech. “Just look at Discord.”

“Discord?” Ghost chuckled darkly. “You’re drawing parallels between me and the self-proclaimed lord of chaos? Gee, Blitz, I’m not sure if I should be flattered or insulted.”

Sky reached out his hoof to his companion. “That’s up to you,” he answered. “He was a bad guy who tried to destroy Equestria…multiple times. But now, he’s helping Equestria.” He paused for just a moment before hastily adding, “In his own special way, of course.”

Ghost rolled his eyes and reached up to his broken horn, tapping it rhythmically. “Well, I happen to notice that he still has magic. It seems as though you’ve seen to it that my avenue for ‘helping,’ as you put it, has been severely impeded.”

Sky suddenly strode forward and pressed his hoof against Ghost’s raised leg, moving his hoof from his broken horn down to his temple. He locked eyes with the confused unicorn. “Ghost, you’re one of the smartest and most knowledgeable ponies I’ve ever met.” His expression softened as he tried to come across as graciously and sympathetically as he could. “You don’t need magic to be a source of wisdom and advice for others.”

But Ghost pulled back and scowled back at the pegasus. He shook his leg, apparently in an effort to rid himself of any of Sky’s optimistic outlook. “Yeah, because giving advice and knowledge like an encyclopedia has sure brought your life fulfillment, hasn’t it?” he scoffed.

“Often,” Sky answered without hesitation. He took another step forward. “Come on, Ghost. You’re meant for more than just…this.”

Sky carefully watched as Ghost simply stood there, hardly moving. He just stared at Sky, apparently not even blinking or breathing. Sky held his own position, determined as ever to be as supportive (or stubborn) as necessary to help.

The two stood opposite each other for a solid minute. Then two. Then three. Four. Five.

With each passing moment, the significance of the moment began to weigh Sky down. He could almost feel the turmoil within Ghost’s mind, as he struggled with whatever demons still haunted him. If it had been any other pony, Sky would have left them alone with their thoughts, out of respect for their privacy. But this was different. Ghost was this way because he had been left alone. More than anything, he needed a show of support.

But as Sky began to bear the weight of the moment, he became more acutely aware of the foul presence that he had felt earlier. He hadn’t forgotten about it, but he had been focused on more pressing matters. But now, in the silence, it had crept back to the forefront of his mind. It was an irritant; like a needle pricking against his skin, or a rash on his nose, or a burn on the back of his neck. It bothered him; put him on edge, like he was right on the verge of getting angry for almost no reason.

It was a feeling, he realized, that was all too familiar.

“Ghost?” Sky asked, finally breaking the silence. “Are you—”

“Shut up!” Ghost shouted in a sudden outburst. Sky immediately recoiled, startled by Ghost’s eruption. “You got your happy ending! Why do you have to meddle with my less-than-happy ending?!”

“Because you can still get that happy ending!” Sky cried back, his fraying emotions beginning to bubble over.

Ghost’s frown turned into a hateful snarl. “Oh, I can, can I? I see right through you, Blitz. You’re not really interested in my happy ending, are you?” His eyes narrowed into mere slits below his eyebrows. “You just wanna make sure that yours ends on a perfect note!”

“What?!” Sky exclaimed, staggering from the accusation. He knew that Ghost had harbored bitterness against him ever since their battle in the Canterlot vault, but this…this was more than he had ever imagined. “Ghost, listen, I would never—”

“Or maybe something else.” Ghost slowly began to advance again, but it was not a slow, progressive walk: it was a deliberate, forceful march. An intentional series of stomps fueled by a hateful rage. The once-smoldering fire in Ghost’s pupils had grown, and now reminded Sky of the blaze he had faced in the Painted Forest. “After all, you already ruined my life once.

“Maybe you’re here to finish the job!”

And with those words, Sky’s composure shattered.

Instantly, memories of his battle with Nighthawk over Everfree Castle tore through his mind. He remembered the feelings of rage, of vengeance, of hatred...but most of all, he remembered the bitter taste of remorse and shame from having even considered taking Nighthawk’s life. It was a mark of dishonor on his being—a stain on his reputation that, no matter how hard he tried, he just could not wash away.

What was worse, Sky had never considered taking Ghost’s life. By the time that Ghost’s true nature was revealed, Sky had dealt with his anger and thoughts of revenge. Ghost may have been his adversary, but death had never been his fate.

Which only made Ghost’s words all the more cruel.

Sky’s chest felt like it had fully collapsed in on itself. He could hardly breathe. His heart pounded in every part of his body. And tears he had long thought expended began to roll from his eyes. “You…you don’t mean that, Ghost,” Sky said in a broken voice. He stumbled backwards, trying to stay ahead of Ghost’s approach. “I’ve only ever tried to help you!”

“Help yourself, you mean!” Ghost countered, his march becoming more and more emphatic with each step. “Finish the ‘heroic’ task and cement your place as the grand hero of Equestria! That’s it, isn’t it?!”

The tears were running down Sky’s face in earnest. He continued his retreat, backing all the way up to the edge of the clearing, where the darkness of the forest seemed to reach out and grab onto him. “How could you say that?” Sky sobbed. A sudden thought popped into his mind. “Earlier you accused me of being unable to accept any losses, remember?” he asked in desperation. “Now you think I’m here to kill you?”

Ghost came to a sudden stop, but the aggression on his face did not fade. “You’re selective about losses,” he growled. “I’m already a lost cause, right? So it’s just acceptable for me to go. That’s how it is, isn’t it?”

Sky’s mind was a whirlwind of emotion, but somewhere, within the cruelty and pain of Ghost’s accusations, Sky came to a realization. Ghost may have been dour, unsympathetic, and stubborn, but he wasn’t willfully ignorant or illogical. This…this was both, in excess.

This wasn’t Ghost.

“Ghost, listen to me,” Sky begged. “This isn’t you talking. I can see that.” He rose up, fighting through his tears to reach his comrade. “Listen to me!”

Ghost surged forward, planting his hoof into Sky’s upper jaw, sending him pirouetting around until he landed, sprawled out in the dirt. “Well, I’m not going down without a fight! If you’re going to kill me, I’m going to make you work for it!”

Sky shook his head, trying to keep the world around him from spinning. He hadn’t expected Ghost’s attack, but it had provided one distinct benefit: it had cleared Sky’s mind. Emotionally, he had been a wreck, but when it came to combat, emotions became secondary. The immediate threat was far too important.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Sky said, rubbing his cheek and rising back to his hooves. The truth had become evident. “Let’s cut the act. Come on out, monster.”

All around him, a low, beastly laughter echoed through the trees. The darkness of the boughs seeped into the clearing, gathering in a black puddle behind Ghost’s seething form. It grew wider and wider until it began to grow in stature. Taller and taller until it had become an enormous shadow—a towering monstrosity borne of darkness itself.

Sky watched with growing dread as the shadow took its full form: claws and talons, then legs, and a hideous body. And then a head appeared. And then another. And then another.

Sky gazed up with grim determination at the terror that had appeared: a horrible specter from his past that refused to die. “Hello, again,” he muttered coldly.

“Ah, Sky Streak,” the Chimera said in its frighteningly jovial triple-tone. “I believe you and I have some unfinished business.”

Author's Note:

OH NOES!!!!

When the layers are peeled back, and Ghost’s true motivations are revealed, the truth becomes horrifyingly clear. And once again, Sky faces off with his original adversary. But with a new revelation comes a new question: who was controlling whom?

This is one of those chapters that kinda worries me when I go back and re-read it. Ghost’s attitudes and mental state were perhaps merited to a certain extent, but they were still dark. And the thing that bothers me is that...well, I had to write him that way. Those thoughts originated with me. A little disconcerting when you take a moment to think about it.

But this story kind of rings of the episode “Keep Calm and Flutter On,” where Fluttershy is tasked with reforming Discord. But instead of the lighthearted and chaotic comedy of Discord against Fluttershy’s relentless kindness, this is Sky’s insistent optimism clashing with Ghost’s foul and defeatist demeanor for a much more solemn story.

And so, we come to this: a rematch of Sky vs. the Chimera. But there is another dangerous question that needs to be asked: how many enemies is Sky actually facing with Ghost present?