A Ghost Story

by The Music Man

Talking and Walking

Fluttershy’s hoof paused in front of the door of Rarity's home. Did she really want to risk Rarity finding out that she followed her to the cave and threw dirt in her eyes? She could always go back to Zecora and ask for some of the potion that Rarity used.

But that would mean if Ion was trying possess her, she would have to spray him and watch him writhe and scream as the fluid consumed him. To be responsible for that kind of pain and suffering would be more than she could bear. Nevertheless, if it came down to a question between her and him, it would need to be her.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t come down to that.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, raised her hoof, and knocked on the door. She heard the sound of snapping make-up boxes, and soon the door opened.

"Oh, hello Fluttershy," Rarity said when she saw the familiar pegasis at her door.

"Hello, Rarity," Fluttershy responded. "I'm sorry for coming here so late, but I need to ask you a favor, that is if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Rarity opened the door wide. "Please, do come in. I wouldn't want to be rude and keep you on the door step." Fluttershy took a quick glance at Rarity. Here eyes were now clean of all make-up, making them look rather bare. She had a mild smile she wore whenever greeting company. It was not that she was insincere, rather, she was just being polite.

Fluttershy entered into the ground floor dress shop, filled with racks of clothes, a few changing rooms, and even a couple of vanities. One vanity had Rarity's personal make-up stuff spread along its table. The only time they weren't there was during business hours. On the vanity was a wipe stained with blue, black, and dirt.

Rarity returned to the vanity, levitated a hoof-mirror and some wipes to a table in the middle of the room, and began fixing herself up. "You'll have to excuse me," she said, "that hooligan who tried to rob me threw dirt in my eyes and callously ruined my beautiful face. But it’s nothing that can't be fixed. Besides, I would have to take it all off anyway before going to bed. Now what is it you need, darling?"

Fluttershy rubbed one hoof behind the other. "I didn't really visit Zecora about advice on how to cure a stomach ache."

"Oh?" Rarity's cloth hung in mid-air.

"I went to her to see if she knew anything about how to get rid of a ghost. She said I should go to you," Fluttershy said.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why would you want to know about such a thing?” Rarity said with one eyebrow cocked.

“Because there is a ghost in my house.”

"Oh." Rarity carefully folded the cloth and placed it on the vanity table.

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Fluttershy, I don't know how to tell you this, but ghosts don't exist."

Fluttershy drew her head back and furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that they're made up, fictitious, not real. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that you believe in them."

This made no sense whatsoever. Fluttershy not only saw her speak to a ghost, but... end one as well. Maybe Rarity didn’t want to talk about it, but she did need her help. "Well, I did see one in my house. It's hard not to believe in something that you've seen"

Rarity put a hoof to her forehead and slowly shook it side to side. "All right, suppose you did see a ghost. What would I, of all ponies, be able to do about it?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth, but quickly stopped. There was no way she could say anything without Rarity catching on to what she did.

"See? Nothing. I would be completely useless against such a specter." Rarity made her way around the table and sat next to Fluttershy. "I think Zecora sent me here to comfort you; to tell you that there is no such things as ghosts."

Fluttershy turned her head away. There could always be the possibility that there was no such thing as ghosts.

"I’m sorry, but it is as simple as that, there is no such things as ghosts," Rarity said.

Fluttershy sighed. "I know."

"Good. It's silly to believe in spirits and ghost and things like that. Most ponies would think of you as... unstable. Besides, ghost are such-"

"But then how do you explain what I saw?" Fluttershy asked, head turned toward Rairty.

"Well Fluttershy, the mind is tricky; you could have been seeing things. Or maybe you just had a bad dream that was so real that it seemed like you saw a ghost."

"But this didn't feel like a dream. He chased me around the room after all." But maybe her mind was playing tricks on her, and maybe Ion wasn't real. "You don't think I'm seeing things, do you Rarity?"

"No, darling, I don't think you're seeing things," Rarity cooed.

Fluttershy didn't respond. She wished she hadn't said that. Ion was real and she did see him. How else could she explain what happened between Rarity and Zecora, or the events at the cave?

"Look, how about you stay here with me tonight," Rarity said, going over toward one of the drawers. "We could make this whole ordeal into a fun, relaxing slumber party! I just bought this fabulous facial kit that would take those frown lines right off your face, and I don't mean to be rude darling, but your hooves could use a new coat of polish." Rarity smiled at her.

"I would love to, but I have to be back at my cottage before sunrise to administer morphine to a few of my patients," Fluttershy said.

"Can't Angel do that?" Rarity asked.

"I had to lock-up the pain killers after he recovered from the bear mauling."

"Oh my," Rarity said, hoof covering her mouth. "I hope the little darling didn't get hurt too bad."

"Don't worry, Harry eventually recovered from the insults."

Rarity passed off a rather confused glance. "Well then how about we have a sleepover at your place?"

"But what about..." Fluttershy stopped herself.

Rarity shook her head. "You're still scared of the ghost, aren't you? Fluttershy, once we get there I guarantee that there will be no ghost."

Fluttershy had to looked away. Amidst all the talking, she was almost convinced that none of what she experienced was real. She knew what she saw. She knew what she felt. She knew Rarity could help her if she wanted to. It was dumb to pretend otherwise. It was time for her to assert herself.

Fluttershy stood up and fixed her eyes on the unicorn across from her. "Rarity, I know I saw a ghost. It wasn't a dream or me seeing things or anything."

"I know you did, dea-"

"I really did! I really did see him, and heard him, and felt him. Now are you going to help me or not?" Fluttershy said scowling.

That last phrase struck the walls like a hammer driving a nail in a single blow. Fluttershy’s entire demeanor, voice, and even her personality changed. Her stance became wide as if she was about to attack the next thing to twitch, and her wings were lifting from her sides.

Rarity had to step back. Fluttershy was usually never this blunt with her. She had always been telling Fluttershy that she needed to know when to assert herself, but she never thought Fluttershy would do so on her friends. Hopefully she wasn't relapsing back into the pony that Mr. Will made her to be.

Nonetheless, this whole situation was getting out of hoof, and Rarity needed to end this. "I'm going to be direct with you, Fluttershy. You have to stop saying that. The more you say something, the more you think it is real no matter how fake it is."

"He is not fake, I saw him!" Fluttershy said, voice getting louder.

"He simply does not exist, Fluttershy," Rarity said. "Now I want you to say that he does not exist."

"No I won't, because that is a lie." Her slight scowl turned into a grimace.

"No it is the truth. Your ghost doesn't exist. Say it!"

"No, because he does!" Her wings fully extended.

"It only exists because you are making it so."

"No, because it is!"

Rarity felt her stomach lurch. "You are only making the situation worse for yourself!"

"Why won't you believe me?!"

"Fluttershy please! Just listen to yourself raving on like some mad pony!"

Rarity covered her mouth, not believing the words that escaped her lips. Fluttershy demeanor reverted to less than her normal self as she sank back into her seat. Her words must have punctured the poor pegasus’s heart. Ironically, her advice had caused it.

"I'm-I'm sorry," Rarity said.

"No, you're right.” Fluttershy turned her whole body away. “I am a mad pony."

Rarity stepped close. "If anypony is a mad pony right now it's me. I am mad for not believing my best friend." Fluttershy let herself fall to the ground.

"Fluttershy," Rarity said, putting her hoof on hers. "You're not mad, not in the—" She felt rough marks. "What are those?"

Fluttershy limply looked at them. "Scars. I think I got them when Ion tried to possess me."

"Ion who?"

"The ghost."

"Oh, my," Rarity said. "Oh, my." She suspected that Fluttershy might be somewhat unstable, but she didn't think it went that far.

Fluttershy looked up. "What is it?"

"Here, let me just heal those wounds for you," Rarity said, lighting her horn.

"No, it's fine, it's just-"

"Really, I do insist. Besides, it’s not a bother at all." Soon, her effulgence surrounded Fluttershy's hoof, and after some straining, the scars shrank to nothing. "See, all better now,right?"

Sitting up, Fluttershy looked at her hoof, turning it over to see each side. "I guess so."

Rarity got up and started putting her make-up things, a few pincushions, scissors, and any potentially dangerous object away. "Now darling, please do tell me more about this ghost," she said, not daring to turn an eye away from her.

Fluttershy furrowed her brow. "I thought that you didn't want me to say anything more about ghosts."

"Well, um, I just didn't want you to believe in something that wasn't true, but this is undeniable evidence that you have seen a ghost. Yes, I would be impolitic if I did not listen to you," Rarity said. "You said his name was Ion? What did he do?"

"He told me he was lonely, I said I would help him, and then I think he tried to possess me. Or maybe he really was just happy to have somepony to talk to," Fluttershy replied.

"How did he give you those scars then?"

"I'm not too sure. They just appeared after he let go of me."

"Was this ghost holding anything in particular, something that could have giving you those scars?"

"No. He said he couldn't touch anything, only me."

“How long has this been happening?”

“Only tonight.”

Rarity sighed in relief. She had gotten to Fluttershy early on, and with any good fortune, could help her before she could hurt herself any further.

"Here's what I can do for you," Rarity said. "I'll go down to your house and give that ghost a piece of my mind. He'll be out of their before you know it, especially after I give him my fair two-bits." Hopefully that would be enough until she could get Fluttershy to see a psychiatrist.

"But what if he needs our help?" Fluttershy asked.

"All right. If he needs help, we'll help him." Rarity opened the door. "Let's go."

Fluttershy got up, but didn't go. She just stood there, eyes shifting around at different objects in the room.

Fluttershy's eyes stopped wandering. "What about your potion?"

Rarity's heart stopped. Somepony finally discovered what she sought to hid, and no matter what she did, it would find its way out. Soon her reputation, her business, her life would be ruined. She could already hear the whispers and gossip about the crazy fashion designer who hunted ghosts. It was only a matter of time.

She closed her eyes and let her head hang. "You did follow me to the cave, didn't you?"

Fluttershy only gave a stiff nod. "I'm sorry for throwing dirt in your eyes."

"That's alright. You were scared and only reacted," Rarity said in a dull tone. "I forgive you, but you must never tell anypony what you saw, and you must never under any circumstances go back into the cave."

"Okay."

She marched past Fluttershy. So ghosts did exist beyond Heart Rot Cave. This could mean she would have to deal with them more often and might have to have a second job that could ruin her first.She sighed. There could be a lot of repercussions because of this, but she would have to deal with those later. Now she had to deal with the situation at hoof.

Without another word, Rarity left the room to get the potion, slamming the door shut behind her. After the sounds faded, silence took hold. All Fluttershy could do now was stand there quietly, waiting for the door to open again.

Rarity probably liked her less now. If she kept doing things like this to her, there was the possibility that she would no longer want to spend time with her. There was a possibility that Rarity would no longer be her friend.

Fluttershy didn't have to wait too long until Rarity returned, a seltzer bottle hung over her back by a ribbon and stone weight. Her lips were drawn back tight, and had an emboldened scowl on her face. "Let's go," she said through the stone expression. This time, she didn't wait at the door for Fluttershy to follow.

Fluttershy almost went into a gallop just to keep up with Rarity’s quick but stiff gait, which was different from her usual, almost skipping step. Evenmore, her neck was bent low and in line with her back, instead of straight up and proud, and her eyes were fixed on Fluttershy's cottage, even though it was still well out of view.

"Rarity, what are we going to do when we get there?" Fluttershy asked.

"We are going to spray the ghost and be done with it," she said.

"But what if he needs our help?"

"He doesn't need help." Rarity twisted her eyes toward Fluttershy. "All he needs is a one-way ticket to the underworld." She continued marching with Fluttershy barely able to keep up.

This wasn’t like the patient, kind Rarity that Fluttershy had known, not in the slightest.

"I really think we should make sure that he doesn't need our help before we do anything like that," Fluttershy said.

"Don't fool yourself into thinking you can help him," Rarity said, still marching. "Ghost aren't ponies anymore."

"But don't we become ghost when we die? What makes him so different?" Fluttershy asked.

"This is your first ghost, and I don't expect you to really know anything after only a short encounter. Trust me, you don't want anything more than a short encounter."

"Why?"

Rarity only gave a sharp glance back.

Fluttershy kept her lips together. Obviously Rarity didn't want to talk, but it wasn't right for her just to want to end Ion. She needed to give the former stallion a chance. Then again, with the way Rarity had been acting, Fluttershy doubted he stood any.

"Please, let me talk to him, just in case he needs our help," Fluttershy said.

Rarity stopped. "You don't understand, do you?"

Normally, Fluttershy would have stopped and left it at that. But these were no normal circumstances. "I understand that we need to at least give him a chance. I understand that if he needs help, we need to help him. I understand that he is a pony-"

"He was! He was a pony!" Rarity shouted. Fluttershy shrank back. She didn't want to get into another argument with Rarity, not with how close she came to slipping last time. But she couldn't let that fear stop her.

Fluttershy took a deep breath. "Rarity, it is not right that you just want to end him without giving him a chance. I don't care if he is a monster, a beast, or a ghost, he deserves at least a chance."

Rarity turned her head away, as if to gather a response from what was on the ground next to her, and then she shared. "Let me tell you a little something about ghosts, seeing that you have never really known one," she said, trying to keep her voice stable. "They're all liars who only spew out webs of heart-touching lies about how they need to tell a long-lost lover they're sorry, how they have been tortured for decades without relief." Her voice started to crack.

"But they don't care about that,” she continued. “They don't care about any of that. All they are are lying, selfish cads who don't give a rat's end about others, especially when it comes to the most important thing in this whole world we take for granted until we almost lose it. They don’t care about that. They don’t care about their victims as they steal the most important thing in your life, all so they can satisfy their beastly pleasures with your body!"

Her eyes started to well up, and she turned away.

"Rarity?" Fluttershy said, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she said, forcing back her tears. She continued walking.

Silence. It made the separation between her and Rarity larger, although they were mere feet from each other. Fluttershy had only seen what Rarity had experienced: abuse. It made anything, animal or pony, snap at their closest friends and seclude themselves in the darkest recesses, ashamed. She had only pushed her there, her and her greedy desire to be more assertive. She needed to say something to numb the wound.

"H- How did you're fashion show go?" Fluttershy asked. Hopefully this would do it.

"Fine," Rarity replied.

Fluttershy let the first statement sink in, then continued, "Did you get any referrals?"

"Only a few from some start-up, ready-to-wear companies."

"Do you think you'll take them on?"

"I have my own business and don't need little up-starts to get me started. But I said I was open for freelance work if they wanted it."

"Have any of them called you back?"

"Just one from Clydesdale. They're interested in buying a few of my designs."

"You think this will be your big break?"

"No. This show was small time compared to any of Canterlot's. In fact, the only pony there that came close to a celebrity was Lime Light, and she barely has anything going for her, besides a relatively unnoticeable singing career."

"But it still got you some notoriety though."

"I suppose, but any event will do that."

Rarity's fierce stride reverted back to its lighter step. Her head was raised up and that stolid line across her face turned back into lips. Talking about fashion always did that to Rarity.

"So how is Opal doing?" Fluttershy asked.

"She's a little better since I got her that cat-post," said Rarity. "Honestly, the ponies who made that thing had no eye for furnishings."

"Did you set up those walkways yet? Cats really like having high-up walkways where they can see everything. It makes them feel powerful."

"I can not say that I have. Right now I am short on bits, and I'll have to wait until I can sell more designs."

"But what about the royalties you get from all the other designs?"

"Most are out of vogue so I don't receive much, if any at all."

"It must be hard living between payments."

"Yes, my financial situation often fluctuates more than my needle, but 'tis the life of any fashionista, and I am more than willing to live it."

"Oh Rarity, that's so brave of you."

Rarity tittered and blushed a bit. "You flatter me too much, darling. It's not a brave thing exactly, it is simply part of the life I live."

"I know, but things that are a part of life can be the hardest part of living sometimes."

"Yes, but you do learn to deal with it."

The glow around Rarity had returned. Fluttershy had almost forgotten the flowing tones only Rarity knew how to produce and was glad she hadn't driven them off forever. Because of the nature of her calling, Fluttershy seldom heard the voices of other ponies, the only exception being her best friend's. She would not want to lose that for anything.

The buildings started to fade away, and they could see Fluttershy's cottage off in the distance. Rarity lost her glow.

"Here's the plan," Rarity started. "We go in, I spray the little cad, and pretend this little incident never happened." They both approached the door. "We aren't going to have any problems with that, are we?"

Fluttershy only turned her head away in response.

"Don't tell me you still want to try and reason with that thing," Rarity said.

Fluttershy nodded.

"Fine! You go in there and you'll see just how evil those things really are! Don't say I didn't warn you."

Rarity turned her back to her. Fluttershy reached for the door, then stopped. "Rarity? You'll still be out here just in case things go wrong, right?"

The unicorn glanced over her shoulder, only enough to say, "Yes, I will be here when things go wrong."

"Thanks," Fluttershy said. Then, out of nowhere, Fluttershy walked up to her friend and let her head sink into the crook of Rarity's neck as she moved it slowly across the warm veins. Rarity twitch in surprise and then turned away, but it was alright. The wound Rarity had would take time to heal, but would need somepony to nurse it. Somepony that wouldn't mind her wincing at the pain.

"I'm sorry you had to go through what you did, but I just need to make sure," Fluttershy said.

She let her head stay still for a while, listening to the beating of Rarity's hardened heart. It wasn't fast, but still not at rest. She could only imagine the things that made it beat so troubled.

Slowly, Fluttershy lifted her head. She wished that she could give more to her friend, but what her friend needed was something she did not have. Nevertheless, there were other matters for her to tend to, namely another being that might need her help. What that help would be she didn't want to think about.

Comments

[Laeendreab]

It's wonderful

[The Music Man]

2505724
Hey thanks. I like to know that someone enjoyed my story.