//------------------------------//
// Visit 1: They're Just a Little Weird 
// Story: The Mansion in the Woods 
// by Vertigo22 
//------------------------------//

It had been an arduous journey back from the basement to the third floor of the mansion, full of more complaining and whining about sore legs than both Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash would ever care to admit. Especially the latter, who dragged her weight from each and every floor with as much enthusiasm as one could expect from her.

"We're here." Laney, who accompanied them the entire way, looked at both girls with a blank look on her face. "Mommy's at the end of the hallway. I can hear her screams. Other Mommy is not pleased that we're here. I believe that she will try to kill both of you the moment that you step foot into the room." The child let out a heavy sigh. “If you two can actually stop her, then you’ll be free to go. Otherwise…”

“We’re stuck here forever?” Sunset asked with a shiver.

“Technically speaking.” The child looked up at Sunset. “In reality, you’ll be tortured until the end of time and it will hurt a lot. Like, Mommy’s screams can be heard throughout the house, no matter what. I bet it’ll suck.”

“Glad you have faith in us, kiddo!” Rainbow exclaimed sarcastically.

“I’ve been stuck here with that bitch for the last century.” Laney deadpanned. “Don’t tell me to be hopeful that you can stop her from hurting Mommy any more.”

“Don’t worry.” Sunset puffed her chest out and gave a proud pose. “I have a totally pragmatic and logical plan that in no way will backfire against us in a remarkably splendid fashion and send us all running for the hills.”

Rainbow facepalmed. “You have no plan, do you?”

“Actually, I do. While you were busy whining about your feet hurting, I formulated a plan.” Sunset replied proudly. “You see, if we can blast her with our geodes aimed at her chest, we should be able to deliver a devastating blow to the place that matters the most: the heart!”

"Make sense.” Rainbow said as reality set in. She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh of dismay. "I'm probably going to die because of a homicidal ghost." A sense of sadness and fear filled her as the words echoed in her head and sunk in alongside reality. "I'm not scared though..."

"You lie just as poorly as Other Mommy." Laney said. "Perhaps worse. It's difficult to say. Both of you are as transparent as I am on a bad day.”

"Gee, thanks." Rainbow grumbled. She took a deep breath and looked at Sunset, who shivered in her boots. "Let's just get this over with." she said. Sunset nodded in agreement and both of them walked down the hallway, the child in tow and looking no more ecstatic than either girl.

“Well, there’s no turning back. If you can defeat her, you’ll have our eternal gratitude.” Laney said. “That is, if you're able to avoid dying while you try and banish her. I’m also certain she’ll do whatever she can to drag both of you down with her."

"Like I said earlier, kid: I'm so glad you have faith in us." Rainbow deadpanned.

"I'm just warning you, you prismatic weirdo."

Rainbow rolled her eyes at Laney’s remark. “Say, any reason that you feel the need to constantly remind us that we only have one shot at this?”

“I feel it’s necessary to remind you just how insane both of you are for saying that you will help us.” Laney said.

Rainbow opted to not respond, having had enough of being reminded that she was almost certainly going to die. A few moments later, the trio arrived at the door.

"Please, allow me." Laney walked up to the door and went to open it, only to have the door fly open for her, revealing the same shadowy figure Sunset and Rainbow had seen in the attic a few hours prior. In front of her was another ghost who looked exactly like her, on her knees and clutching her head. "Mommy!" The child ran over to the spirit who was on her knees and wrapped her arms around her.

Sunset and Rainbow looked at each other and ran inside, stopping at the doorway as the spirit who stood turn her head, glaring angrily at them.

"Why, hello my dears." Valery said. Her voice sounded significantly deeper than the last time they heard it. "What brings you to my room? Has something gone wrong?"

"Cut the act!" Sunset snapped. "We know who you are and we know the crimes that you have committed against this family!"

Valery gasped. "I haven't the slightest idea as to what you're talking about!" She placed her hands on her chest and frowned. "How could you say such a thing after I've shown you such hospitality? The weather outside is so terribly cold that I don't believe either of you would have been able to make it home had I kicked you out! I've done nothing but be a wonderful host, and this is how you repay me?"

"You've shown hospitality to everyone who's stumbled in here!" Laney stood up and glared daggers at Valery. "And you repaid them all the same: you turned them into your play things. The poor father who came in asking if he'd seen his daughters puppy is still tormented every night by your wretched ass! You'd treat these two no differently!"

Valery let out a calm sigh and turned her head to the child. "Laney..." she said softly. "What have I told you-" one-by-one, her fingers grew, growing claws half a foot in length and turning a sickly yellow in color- "about spreading such fallacies?"

Laney gulped and stood in front of Aurora, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Mommy... I won't let her hurt you like she did last time because your sunshine... didn't know when to stay quiet..."

"Oh, my dear, Laney." Valery’s hair burst into flames. Her previously shadowy appearance morphed into a blistering, decomposed woman with a ragged dress that, at another time, would have caught the attention of anyone with an eye for beauty. "Do not worry about Mommy. She's not the one who doesn't know." She grabbed Laney by the throat and brought her up to her face. "It's the little girl who doesn't know to do what mommy tells her to do!"

Both girls stood motionless in the doorway, staring in awe and absolute horror at the sight before them. It was Rainbow, however, who managed to find it within herself to speak up. "Hey! Let her go!"

Valery turned her head and tilted it sideways. "I don't think so, little one." She cast Laney aside, throwing her against the wall, and walked over to Rainbow. She placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head up. "Though I would watch that tongue if I was you. It's not nice to talk back to adults."

Rainbow felt her heart race. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sunset standing as still as a statue. "Well... um... I gotta ask: what did Daddy see in you again?"

Valery eyes erupted into flames. She grit her teeth, which were as sharp as razors. "I'm beautiful, you insolent bitch!" She grabbed Rainbow by her collar, her claws tearing through the fabric and scratching her skin. "Now watch your tongue, or I will rip it out and force it up your-"

"No thanks!"

"That's what I thought." Valery smirked and dropped Rainbow to the floor. She turned her head and bored into Sunset's soul. "My... such a pure heart you have." She caressed Sunset's hair and ran a claw down her cheek, drawing a little bit of blood in the process. "You remind me so much of me... it's quite surprising."

"We... we are nothing alike." Sunset said. "You're... evil.”

Valery smiled. "Oh, dear, you don't know evil." She turned to Laney, who had since run over to Mommy and was hugging her, crying into her shoulder. "Those two are evil. They spread lies, fallacies, and untruths left and right." She turned her head back to Sunset. "They did this to me. They turned me into a monster, all because they were jealous that I had stolen her man’s heart. She was useless. She leeched off of him! I, on the other hand, actually did something with my life. I helped him around the house. I showed affection! And what do I get for it? I'm killed by her hand!"

Laney stared at Valery and stomped her foot. "That's a-"

"Quiet!" Valery thrusted her hand out, throwing Laney back against the wall. "You will not speak, you wretched bitch!"

Sunset turned her head to Laney. She ran past Valery and over to Laney, embracing her in a loving hug. She looked back at the ghost and glared angrily.

Rainbow stood up and followed suit, running over to Sunset and embracing both of them in a hug. "You have nothing to worry about Laney." she said softly. "Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise."

"Is that so?" Valery flew over and picked Rainbow up by the hair. "You're quite the terrible parent. Why not take some advice from me? Learn how to at least lie to a child convincingly!" She threw Rainbow across the room and into the wall.

"And the award for biggest bitch goes to..."

A candle stick was thrown at Rainbow, striking her leg.

"Fuck you."

Valery chuckled at Rainbow's remark. "Same to you, Speedy." She looked down at Sunset and pushed her aside before turning her attention to Laney. "Laney..." she said. "Why do you dislike your mommy so much?"

"You're not my mom, you bitch," Laney snarled. "No mom of mine would be so heartless."

"And you do not see that is a heartless thing to say?"

Laney shook her head. "I don't believe the truth to be heartless."

"I see that that spineless fool has raised you as well as her own parents raised her." Valery turned her attention to Aurora and walked over to her. "Oh, Aurora..." She grabbed a hold of Mommy's collar and looked at the three girls. "Aurora and I have some adult things to talk about. I'm leaving you three alone for now. Please, play nice."

Rainbow found it within herself to stand up and brush herself off. "And if we don't?" she asked as she walked back over to her two friends.

"Then I will get very upset." Valery replied. "Now, please, be darlings, and don't make me upset."

"Geez, she's like Rarity if her dad was the devil and her mom was that skank who hangs out at the end of the street Fluttershy lives on." Rainbow whispered to Sunset.

"Excuse me!?" Valery let go of Aurora and flew over to Rainbow, grabbing her by the collar when she landed. "I'll have your petulant ass know that my heart is as pure as they come!"

"Is that so?" Rainbow asked. "Because from up here, it looks like it's decaying faster than my grades."

"You're insufferable." Valery threw Rainbow against the wall and flew back over to Aurora. "Now, unless one of you has-"

"Why did you kill them?" Sunset asked.

Valery cast a glare at Sunset and scoffed. "You still don't believe me!?" she asked. "I said it before and I will say it again: I didn't kill anyone!" She hurled a vase at Sunset, who narrowly dodged it.

Sunset stared at Valery for a few seconds with a blank look on her face. "O-Okay" she said once the will to speak again had formed inside of her.

"Good." Valery look at Sunset and smiled. "By the way, your hair is wonderful! It reminds me of mine, only nowhere near as good."

"Ow..." Rainbow stood up and brushed the shards of glass off of her clothes. "Damn, Sunset, you cracked faster than that vase did. Couldn't press her harder?"

"And you'll crack faster than any insect that I ever stepped one when I was alive when your head is beneath my foot!"

Sunset chuckled. "Good luck getting through her skull."

"I'm pretty sure you'll be much harder to get through." Valery remarked. "Though twice as fun. It's always more fun when they scream."

"Wait, I thought you said you didn’t do anything?" Rainbow asked.

"I said no such thing." Valery retorted. "You're twisting my words against me!"

"No she's not!" Sunset snapped. "You're just-"

"Quiet!" Laney set out a shockwave of magic, sending everyone flying back several feet.

And in Rainbow's case, into the wall.

"Geez, you just love throwing people against walls, don’t you?” Rainbow stood up and brushed herself off yet again. “Got a fetish for it or somethin'?"

Valery threw Rainbow against the wall once more. "It's how my daddy used to punish me."

Rainbow and Sunset exchanged confused looks. "Well... that certainly explains a lot." Rainbow said after a moment.

"Does it?" Sunset asked.

"No."

"Quiet!" Laney stomped her foot. "If you're all going to argue, I don't want to be a part of it!" In a huff, she ran out of the room, ducking beneath Valery's legs and sprinting down the hallway before vanishing into a wall

Valery clenched a fist. "That little brat..." She ran out into the hall, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Well, great!" Rainbow threw her hands into the air and spun around before falling onto the bed.
"We're locked in here, we lost our tour guide to this place, and now there's a crazy demon chick who wants to turn us into her playthings!"

"Yes, well, you two seem to forget that I'm here and that I'm a ghost." Aurora placed a hand through the door and unlocked it. "Though if you'd like, we're free to stay here until Valery comes back with Laney and kills you two with her bare hands."

"Hmm. To get thrown into a wall again or to die by someone who sounds like a Victoria's Secret model." Rainbow tapped her chin. "Tough choice."

"Sure it is, Rainbow." Sunset walked over to the doorway. "Thank you, Aurora."

Rainbow let out a sigh and sat up, hopped off the bed, and walked over to the doorway. "Hey,  wait, aren't you the one that threw that book at me?" she growled to Aurora. "What gives with that?"

“You're the one who challenged me after you broke into what was once my home!" Aurora replied. "Who's the one at fault here again?”

Rainbow grimaced. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew Aurora was right. It was a fact that annoyed her to no end. "Yeah, yeah..." Rainbow walked into the hallway and turned to Sunset.

“So, what happened to not calling-”

“Quiet, Sunset.” Rainbow grumbled. "So, which way did they go?"

Crash!

The sound of dishes crashing to the ground filled the air, which was followed by a lot of screaming, and caused those who weren't dead to cover their ears. Once silence filled the air again, Rainbow opted to break it.

“Well, I’m glad that they were willing to offer us a hint.” With that, Rainbow walked down the hallway.

“I… don’t think we should go down there.” Aurora said.

Rainbow stopped and turned around. “Why n-”

A large, flaming banshee flew out from beneath the floor and over Rainbow, spinning her around like a rainbow-colored tornado, spun as she was out of the room, and continuing down the hallway.

“Oh.” Rainbow said once she stopped spinning. “I guess Valery is a fan of dancing like everyone else in this house.”

Aurora walked down the hallway and patted Rainbow on the shoulder. "At least she didn't make your head spin like she makes mine."

"Metaphorically or literally?" Sunset asked.

"Both."

Rainbow shuddered and stood up. "And you can... feel that?" she asked as she ran up to Aurora's side.

"Oh, yes." Aurora replied. "Every bit of it. Valery's got all the power of a demon, but she uses it in ways that I didn't think even the longest residents of Hell could possibly think to use it." She cringed as memories of her quality spent with Valery flooded her ghostly mind. "I sometimes think that Valery is an avatar of the devil himself."

Sunset cringed. "I'm... so sorry for you." she said as a tear ran down her cheek.

"There is nothing you can do to fix that." Aurora replied. "But do not dwell on such things. You have no reason to. For-"

"Don't say that." Rainbow interjected. "Her empathy might reach critical mass."

Sunset shot Rainbow a glare that could cut a diamond in twine.

"What?" Rainbow asked as she and the other two descended down a staircase. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood a little."

"Although you say that with a look of fearlessness..." Aurora said in monotone, "I can see it within you. You're afraid. Very afraid. You wish to do nothing more than laugh in the fact of your fear and hide your true emotions so you will not be looked upon as a coward." Aurora stopped and faced Rainbow. "You seem to have picked up this tactic from a friend of yours. Tell me: has it worked for you here?"

Rainbow stared, slack jawed. "Y-Yes." she replied after a bit. "But... how in the world did you know that?"

"I was a mother. I knew when Laney was lying." Aurora replied "I'm also a ghost. I... have magic of my own." She winked.

Rainbow held back the urge to make some sort of comment, and somehow managed to successfully do so. A short time later, the trio arrived at their destination: the kitchen, which sounded like it had an insane asylums’ version of a circus going on behind the door. Endless screams, crashing of dishes, and an assortment of hellish sounds came from within.

Rainbow looked at Sunset, up at Aurora, the door, then down at her shoes, where she felt safest. "We’re going in there, aren’t we?"

"Yep." Sunset answered.

"Sadly." Aurora replied.

"Help me!" Laney screamed.

"Enter here and you die!" Valery shrieked.

“Fuck me.” Rainbow muttered.

"Hush, Rainbow." Sunset walked over to the door. She looked at Aurora, who nodded in approval. Cautiously, she opened the door. First, just a crack.

Woosh!

Then the entire thing blew open. Laney ran out, visibly surprised to see Rainbow and her mother. "Where's-"

"Oh, sweet Celestia, that hurt." Sunset groaned from atop the piano. She sat up and rubbed her head. “Why the hell was this here?”

“Uncle Joe wanted to move it back downstairs.” Laney said.

“Oh… well, did we win?"

"No, you did not!" Valery flew out and landed at the doorway. The flames that made up her questionable hairdo roared with an intensity that made both girls fear that the mansion may catch fire. "So, all of you wish to challenge me?"

"I mean, it's not like we have a choice considering you're holding us captive." Rainbow responded. "Can you give us a handicap though?"

Valery furrowed her brow, which was made up of blistered skin. "Absolutely not." A dark energy surrounded her arms. She raised them and spun around, hurling it at the four, and knocking them around like rag dolls.

"Hey!" A voice from the floor above yelled. "Keep it down! I'm tryna eat mah peanuts!"

"Sorry!" Rainbow yelled up.

"Stop lying." Aurora added.

"No." Rainbow stood up, her legs shaky. Before she knew it, Valery had torn up several floorboards, and motioned to hurl them at her. As skillfully as she could, she dodged each of them. "Hah, that the best you cam-"

An assortment of other objects flew in Rainbow's direction. Candlesticks, floorboards, vases, the remnants of dishes from the kitchen, and nails.

A lot of nails.

"I will crucify your prismatic ass above my bed and feed you the rats that die beneath my heels every day!"

"You have anger issues, woman!" Rainbow remarked. She ducked out of the way of Valery's makeshift missiles and looked over to see Sunset rocking back and forth behind the piano. She stood up and ran over as the endless crashes of Valery's questionable weaponry missed her.

"You okay, Sunset?" Rainbow asked as she ducked behind the piano.

"Y-Yeah." Sunset sniffled and clutched her arm. "Though I think I dislocated my arm.."

Rainbow pursed her lips. She knew what she was about to say was monumentally stupid, but she also knew the alternative was far worse. "Sunset, just trust me on this."

"W-Wha- oh sweet merciful Celestia!" Sunset felt a stomach churning snap come from her arm as Rainbow applied an immense amount of pressure to it, and snapped her shoulder bone back into place. "W-Was that-"

"Yes, it was, now be quiet and run!"

"Ah, that's my cue." Valery held an arm out and threw her next generation of missiles at the two girls.

"Screw you, Valery!"

Aurora.

Neither Sunset nor Rainbow knew exactly what to do. Rub their eyes? Stare in awe? Scream? It was difficult to choose, but in the end, they opted to duck back behind the piano as Aurora fell through the floor and into the basement.

"Welp..." Rainbow looked at Sunset. “At the count of- screw waiting: run! Again!"

Both girls ran out from behind the piano, only to be stopped by Valery, who ignited the floor in front of them. “Tisk, tisk.” She landed beside Laney and put a hand on her shoulder. “You two stay there like good girls, and maybe I'll let you two say goodbye your mommies and daddies one last time.” Valery looked down at Laney. “Now, as for you…”

A circle of flames surrounded Laney, slowly increasing in intensity. She let out a scream of agony as they encroached on her. After several agonizing seconds, the flames vanished—along with Laney.

“Perhaps one day, you two can join the choir she's a part of.” Valery said. “For now, I have to find her good-for-nothing birth mother. Just remember to stay here, and maybe you can kiss your parents goodbye.”

"But my parents are in another dimension." Sunset remarked.

"Then tough shit, kid." With that, Valery took to the air and dove beneath the floor.

"Well..." Sunset fell to her knees. "This is it." She looked up at Rainbow with a look of defeat on her face. "This is how we die."

Rainbow scoffed. "You're giving up just like that?" she asked in surprised. "After what you told me in the kitchen? After all that talk about not dying here?" She kneeled down in front of Sunset. "You can't just give up now. The Sunset I know would never give up like that! Especially when a whole family is counting on her to help them."

Sunset wiped away her tears and looked at Rainbow with a half smile. "Y-Yeah. You're right!" She looked over to her side and frowned. "But how do we get past that fire?"

"Hmm... I have an idea, but it's gonna sting."

Before Sunset could respond, Rainbow rubbed her geode and scooped Sunset up before running straight through the fire. While she was fast enough for them to not get burned, not crashing into the wall was another story.

"Ow..." Rainbow rubbed her head and looked over at Sunset. "Sorry."

"I can't exactly be mad." Sunset said. "I mean, we did get past the fire without much injury."

"Now you're thinking!" Rainbow slapped Sunset on the back, causing her to squeak. "Though you also sound like Fluttershy..."

"Sorry." Sunset said, continuing to unintentionally become more akin to someone who'd probably have outright died of fright at this point in their adventure to slay another raging she-demon. "So, where do you think Laney is?"

"I'm not sure." Rainbow said. “Let's look upstairs. You check the left half, I'll check the right half."

Sunset nodded and, with that, the two of them ran upstairs, Sunset barreling down to the end of the left half of the hallway without much regard for what may be in front of her.

Rainbow, meanwhile, opted to take an approach that fit Rainbow's idea of 'taking her time to check each room'.

"Laney!" she asked as she poked her head into a nearby room. After two seconds of waiting, she shot over to door across from her. "Laney! You in here?" Another two seconds passed and she ran over to another door, repeating this until she reached one that she recognized. Within it was a skeleton. "Oh, hey, Old Richie."

"He can't hear you, brainiac." a voice said from behind Rainbow.

Before Rainbow could respond, or turn around, she was flung into the room, landing a few inches short of the wall. "Well... at least I didn't hit it." she said as she stood up. She cringed as her eyes landed on the nearby dead body, though her disgust was replaced with happiness when she saw something on the nearby nightstand. "Oh hey! My watch!" She ran over and picked it up, putting it on after she did so. "Now... what was I doing?"

"I think it had something to do with me." Valery said from the doorway.

Rainbow turned around and frowned. "Oh yeah, you."

Valery waved and gave as charming of a smile as someone of her questionable appearance could give. “Ah, Old Richie. Such a shame that you died. You were one of the few that I actually liked. Mostly because you kept your trap shut and did as I told you to do.” She flew over to Rainbow and grabbed her by her hair. “Unlike you.” She threw her out the doorway and into the wall. “You never know when to shut your damn mouth!”

Rainbow stood up, only to feel a hand grab her arm. Looking back, she saw Sunset.

“I couldn’t find Laney.” she said, her every word filled to the brim with sorrow. “I checked almost every dang door here-” Sunset was cut off by Rainbow being thrown into her.

As soon as the two made it to their feet, a blast of horrifyingly powerful force blew them back several feet. The world around them become blurry. Then, it suddenly looked to be moving on its own. They could see the doors to rooms that remained open from Sunset going from one to another pass by.

“Rain… Rainbow?” Sunset asked quietly. Her head ached more than it ever had in her life. “What’s… what’s going on?”

Rainbow looked around. The world continued to move at a strangely tranquil pace. No faster than if either of them was taking a brisk walk. “I don’t… I don’t know.”

“Ugh.” Sunset lowered her head and remained silent until the movement ceased. She watched as she was brought into a room and placed gently on a nearby bed with Rainbow at her side.

“I think… I think we’re safe in here.” Aurora said. “By the way, you’re welcome.”

Rainbow shook her head. “Weren’t you thrown into the basement though?”

Aurora laughed. “Not the first time she’s done that.” she said. “She’s apparently too arrogant to realized that I can just go through the walls and take our little wall stairway back up.” She poked her head out the door for a second before walking over to the girls. “Well, she may take a bit of time to get here. Rest up, because I’m certain she’s going to be pissed that I used some of my own ‘goody goody toe shoes’ magic on her.”

“What did you do?” Sunset asked curiously.

“I turned her into a toad.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You can do that?”

Aurora giggled. “I’m a ghost. I learned quite a bit of trickery this way. It comes with…” She tapped her chin. “It comes with being a ghost. I’ll put it that way.”

“Alright.” Sunset said. She made a mental note to press the question further at another point when she wasn’t in danger of being turned into something worse than an amphibian. “So, where’s Laney? And how the hell can we get her into a position where we can send her back?”

“Simple.” Aurora said. “We take her back to where you first met us.” Aurora said. “Aaron’s room. It’ll all make sense when we get there.”

Rainbow fell backwards, her head still throbbing. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not alone in your fight against her.” Aurora said. “There are-”

Suddenly, the door was blown off its hinges and flew towards both girls, who successfully ducked out of the way. Behind them, they could hear the door fly out the window.

“Now, where oh where did I leave off?” Valery asked as she stepped into the room. “I do believe it was somewhere along the lines of me playing a nice, long, complex game of ‘how loud can I make someone scream for mercy’.” She bounced a finger between Sunset and Rainbow for a few seconds before ultimately landing on Sunset. “And I think I will resume with you, dearest Sunset.” Valery held a hand out and pulled Sunset over, causing her to land on her stomach with a thud. "What's wrong, Sunshine? Have a boo-boo that mommy has to make all better?" She kneeled down and gave a cheerful smile; ruffling Sunset's hair as she did so. "Don't worry, mommy will make you feel all better."

Sunset gulped. “Wh-what are you-”

“Shh.” Valery stood up and walked behind Sunset, grabbing a form grip on one of her ankles, turning her around, and dragging her out into the hall. "Just remain calm and mommy will make it all better." she said over Sunset's screams for help. "I promise..."

Rainbow shook the lingering dizziness she had and leaped off the bed and ran over to the doorway in time to see Valery drag Sunset into a room down the hallway.

"She's going to possess her." Aurora walked up to Rainbow's side. "She will use her magic to kill you as a way of mocking the power you both hold."

"How in the world did she ever get out of Hell?" Rainbow asked.

"Either her lust for vengeance on us was that great or Hell didn't want her and kicked her out." Aurora said, stepping out into the hallway. "Let's not waste any time. I know your friend can hold her off for a bit, but the longer we-"

Rainbow darted past Aurora and arrived at the door Valery had entered. "You were saying!?"

Aurora floated down to Rainbow. "Nothing important." She opened the door, revealing Sunset clutching her head. She turned her head and gave a confused smile. Once she realized who was there however, she stood up and rushed over to them.

"Get her out of me!" she screamed. "Now!"

Before Rainbow could ask exactly how she was to perform an exorcism, Aurora threw a swift punch to Sunset's stomach, and punched Valery out of her body.

Literally.

"Where did you learn to be an exorcist?!" Valery asked from on the floor.

Aurora smiled. "Not telling." She held a hand out, turning Valery into a skunk. “I will say though: you always did stink, Valery."

Valery raced over to the group, but was outrun.

"Haha!" Rainbow yelled from the hallway, only to be slapped upside the head by Aurora and Sunset. Without another word, she, along with the other two, raced back to Aaron's room. Upon their arrival, they saw Laney in the back of the room.

"Mommy!"

And in a fiery cage.

Aurora gestured to the girls’ geodes. "Those should be able grab her without causing her too much pain."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'too much'?" she asked. "I don't want to hurt a kid!"

"She's already in enough pain." Aurora said. "That thing is burning her soul at a temperature that Valery would consider a cold snap."

Rainbow audibly hissed at the thought. "Alright." She grabbed her geode in held it out; Sunset did the same, with a similar facial expression. Two beams of magic shot out, wrapping around Laney and, in the blink of an eye, she was pulled out of her prison.

Laney looked around in surprise and then up at Aurora. "Mommy!" She ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her.

"I'd hate to interrupt such a precious moment..." a voice said from behind them, "But I must correct you. I'm your mommy!"

Laney poked her head through Aurora and scowled. "Shut up, bitch! My friends are going to send you back to where you came from and we'll all laugh at your pain, just as you've laughed at ours!"

Valery's eye twitched. "Nobody, not even the bastard daughter that my husband had with some peasant fuck, calls me a bitch!" She stretched out a hand and slammed Laney against the wall. "Nobody!"

Rainbow clenched one of her hands into a fist. Laney's screams of pain and fear echoed in her head. Her geode lit up and with it, so too did her eyes. "No one..." She levitated off the ground slightly- "Calls my friends names like that!" She held a hand out, eveloping Valery in a blue aura. She swung her hand to the right, causing Valery to fly across the room and into the wall. "Who's your daddy now, Valery? Who's your fucking daddy!?" She swung her hand around wildly, slamming Valery into the wall for a solid minute until she cast her off into a dresser

Valery staggered out of the dresser and glared daggers at Rainbow, who, without any hesitation, fired off a beam of magic at her, striking her chest. "Where did you obtain such magic!?"

"From places that you don’t know exist." Sunset asked. She placed a hand on her geode, causing her eyes to glow blindingly bright. "Like the heart!" Just then, another beam of magic shot out, blasting Valery right where it hurt the most for someone like her.

The face.

"You insolent... little... gah!" She rushed at Sunset, who dodged her and fired another beam alongside Rainbow, both striking the back of her head. Valery fell forward and looked back in time to see two more beams strike her. "How in the world have you both grown so strong?!"

"We share bonds with the people we love." Rainbow said. "Unlike you."

"Oh, can it you loud-mouthed bag of candy." Valery stood up. "Your power must come from something that actually holds power!"

"Nope." Rainbow held her geode out and casually fired off a beam, striking Valery in the chest; causing her to stagger back and clutch her chest.

"No... I will not be defeated!" she screamed. "Not... like… this!" Valery held out a hand, causing a dark aura to appear around Sunset. However, to her anger, nothing happened. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"The purity of our hearts is no match for the wickedness of yours." Rainbow replied.

"You’ve got it backwards..." Sunset deadpanned.

"Oh... uh, right, sorry." Rainbow cleared her throat. "The wickedness of your heart is no match for the purity of ours!"

Valery grit her teeth. An aura as red as the flames of Hell formed around her. "Fine, if I cannot take one of you..." She held a hand out to her left. "I shall take one that those two still hold dear to them!"

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream filled the air. Both girls let go of their geodes and listened intently until a the dark, flaming body of a man seeped out of the walls.

Laney fell to her knees. "No... Daddy..."

Aaron turned his head to Laney, a pleading and remorseful look in his eyes. His screams pierced the souls of those who watched as he was dragged towards Valery. Once he reached her, she picked him up and held him by the neck.

"Go ahead." Valery snarked. "Send me to where you claim I belong. I'll be sure to take extra good care of him."

"We will not allow you to do such a thing!" Sunset held her geode out, firing off a laser at Valery, who grabbed Aaron and used him a ghostly shield. He let out a scream of agony as the beam tore through his body.

Aurora covered her mouth as Valery dropped Aaron to the ground, who groaned.

"He'll be fine." Valery said nonchalantly. She waved a hand over his body and healed the gaping wound. "See? I'm not the bad person that you think I am." She smiled a... less-than-friendly-looking smile to Sunset and Rainbow. "I'm an angel if you'd ever seen one. Would Aurora over there have ever done something like that to the person she claims is her husband? Her eternal love? Of course not. She would have sooner let him die!"

"I would never do that!" Aurora held a hand out, causing a heavenly white aura to appear around Aaron.

Valery stared blankly as Aaron was dragged towards Aurora. Slowly, she turned her head to her side, at which point it ran through the wall. “You insufferable…” Her hair erupted, sending a blast of sweltering heat outwards. “He is mine!”

“I never legally divorced him, dipshit.” Aurora snarked, a half-hearted grin on her face. She wasn’t exactly happy that she never divorced Aaron, but knowing that it pissed off Valery, and knowing that she had the protection of Sunset and Rainbow, filled her with a justified sense of twisted glee.

Valery’s eye twitched. “Fine.” She landed and took a deep, calm breath before walking over to the hellish circle that she’d made earlier. She stretched her arms out and looked to the ceiling, at which point the flames flew upwards, engulfing her.

“Huh, I guess she gave up,” Rainbow said. “Cool, less work for-”

A large blade flew by Rainbow, nearly skewering her. It embedded itself in the wall, much to the frustration of the now…

Odd-looking Valery.

Rainbow cringed. "And I thought Rarity looked bad when she got angry..."

Valery now looked less like a demon and more like an… abomination. Two extra limbs protruded from her stomach like fangs. That or she wanted to dress up like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Her face lacked any eyes. Literally; they’d been stitched shut. Her flaming hair had been shaved off; that, or it had finally burned off. On the bright side, her legs now had some extra friends, as she was now an arachnid in spirit, now having a grand total of eight legs for maximum…

Leggage.

“Gaze upon the ultimate beauty that is Valery!”

Rainbow looked at Sunset, who looked at Aurora, who looked at Laney, who looked at Cousin Bucephalus, who looked at his horse, who looked at Sunset Shimmer and winked.

“What are you doing here?” Sunset asked Bucephalus.

“Oh, I just wanted to see what all the commotion was about.” Bucephalus hopped onto his horse. “Seems that Valery is finally getting what she deserves. About time! I've yearned for the day that I could hear her screams of pain!” He looked down at his horse and smiled. “Let us go, Winter! We must go prepare a wonderful party for the others! We shall sing songs of praise to the two who sent her back to the depths of Hell!” He put a hand up to his chin. "How does that song go? Dong-dong the witch is now deceased? Ah, whatever, I'll remember it at some point." With that, he rode off through the wall.

Rainbow nodded, not wishing to question what had just happened. She focused her gaze back on the hideous being that opted to call itself ‘Valery’. “Whatever you say, woman.”

"I am not just a 'woman'!" The two arm-fangs contorted into a V-formation, and a large ball of energy formed between them. "I am Valery the Beautiful, and you will all kneel before me!"

"Oh, piss." Rainbow ducked out of the way, Sunset at her side, as the ball crashed into the wall; exploding with the fury of of a scorned lover. Before either of them could stand up, a large leg stomped down mere inches from their faces.

"The beating of your hearts is so... salacious." Valery let out a seductive purr and extended one of her arms, which snapped into place before it grabbed Sunset by her hair. "Oh, that outfit is so scandalous. Are you trying to upset your parents with that?"

“They’re... jeans.” Sunset noted in a confused tone.

Rainbow facepalmed. "Don't quit your day job, lady." She stood up and threw a punch, striking one of Valery's leg spikes, which caused the... thing to react in a way that Rainbow definitely wasn't expecting.

"Ooooh, yeees."

A shudder of fear and disgust fled Rainbow's mouth. She backed away and wiped her hand on her shirt while she watched as Valery tossed Sunset aside like a discarded toy. "Who was the kind gentleman who decided to give me the time of my life?"

Rainbow wasn't sure what the feeling that filled her was. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. All she knew is that the abomination before her must have a secret stash of fanart (amongst other... more questionable things) of that really warped book that Rarity read and wouldn't shut up about for months about.

As the chaos unfolded in front of her, Aurora stayed huddled in the corner of the room, Laney hiding behind a pillow fort she'd made.

"T-This will keep us safe from her, right mommy?"

Aurora looked at Laney and nodded, which brought a smile to her daughters face. "And so will our friends." Deep down, Aurora felt an ever-growing sense of doubt leech away at the hope that had grown to the point that she had contemplated getting the rest of the family from the bar. She wasn't sure if Laney could see through her lie, but even if she did, there was still a glimmer of hope inside of her. Somewhere.

Laney looked out to see Rainbow help Sunset to her feet. "Should we help them?"

"I... I don't know what we can do." Aurora said, uncertainty filling her every word. "She is far stronger than you and I. She always has been."

Laney whimpered. "Then... what makes you think that they can take her down?"

Aurora rested a hand on Laney's shoulder. "They have something special," she said. "Something very special. Something that even she does not have."

"What's that?" Laney asked in awe.

"A brain."

Meanwhile, Rainbow and Sunset stood en garde.

"Good thinking snapping two of those spiky things off of her legs when she wasn't looking!" Rainbow said. "Then again, I guess she is blind..."

"For the fifth time, I am not blind!" Valery slammed a leg down, once again missing Rainbow by at least fifteen feet. "I am perfectly capable of sight!"

Sunset held a hand up to her mouth and stifled a guttural laugh. She took the spike that she'd snapped off from Valery and ran over to one of her legs, slamming it deep into it and receiving two rewards. The first being a hellish cry of agony from Valery, that was sick, twisted music to Sunset and Rainbow's ears. The second, however, was a slightly less-than desired award.

Wham!

A close encounter of the wall kind, courtesy of a knee-jerk reaction from Valery.

"Ow..." Sunset quickly stood back up and shook off the pain. She darted back over to Valery's leg and snapped off another spike and quickly slammed it into the same one, resulting in yet another cry of pain from the freaky deaky demon that towered over her by at least seven feet.

"Cease this incessant use of my beautiful jewelry for your frivolous games!" Valery wildly flailed her arm-fangs, striking anything and everything except for the two girls.

Rainbow, for her part, had decided against getting back up from where she'd been kicked to. At least, not until Sunset ran over and grabbed her arm.

"You coming or you gonna be lazy?"

"But I was comfy..."

"Get up!" Sunset grabbed Rainbow by the arm and dragged her up. "I'm not gonna fight and potentially die to someone who looks like the result of Frankenstein's Monster having sex with that pregnant brown recluse in the basement!"

"Oh, nice one." Rainbow stood up and clenched her fists. "Alright, Valery! Fight me!"

Valery threw a candlestick at Rainbow, who leaped out of the way.

“Gotta aim better than that!” Rainbow said in a mocking tone. “Then again, you're as blind as-”

Valery threw Rainbow against the wall.

“Cunt…”

Sunset facepalmed. “Rainbow, stop screwing around.” Once again, she helped her friend to her feet. “Focus!”

"I'm trying, but looking at her makes my stomach do more summersaults than Pinkie when she’s had an energy drink!" Rainbow bolted towards Valery before Sunset could so much as take a breath to respond. She ripped a spike clean off of one of her legs and slammed it deep into the same leg, at which point she ran to another leg and repeated the same action.

"W-What are you doing!?" Valery asked. "Cease this insanity at once!"

"You're not my mom!" Rainbow took one of the spikes and thrusted it upwards. She wasn't sure what she'd hit, but she was pretty sure it was important in some way, shape, or form.

"You inconsiderate swine!"

Yeah, it was definitely important.

Rainbow snickered and grabbed her geode. “Yap, yap, shaddap." She aimed it at the last leg and blasted it. "Oh, cool. So it wasn't dampened by your magical gibberish doohickey powers." She aimed it up and blasted the spike up farther.

Valery let put a hellish scream of agony as the spike tore through her, ultimately exiting in a display that, while disgusting, was ultimately satisfying to everyone who wasn't Valery.

"Hm. I dunno about you, but I'm not cleaning this up," Rainbow said as she walked away from the groaning abomination that still insisted it was the abominable individual who called itself ‘Valery’. "So, now what?"

"You sure she's incapacitated?" Aurora asked, a look of hesitation on her face.

Rainbow glanced over at Valery and cringed. "Oh, yeah, she ain't doing anything else." She walked over to Aurora's side, Sunset arriving a few seconds later after she'd stopped retching.

"Ready, Rainbow." Sunset asked weakly.

Rainbow nodded and opened her mouth to speak, only to hear Aurora yell, "It is time to end this!"

Sunset and Rainbow watched as each of the family members returned through the wall, a look of unbridled glee on their face. Well, with the exception of the horse that Bucephalus rode upon.

"Don’t mind him." he said. "He's upset that I woke him up."

"So..." Rainbow eyeballed everyone and tapped her foot. "What are we waiting for?"

Everyone looked at, well, everyone. Except for Valery for obvious reasons. Eventually they all shrugged.

"Well, in that case." Laney said. "Everyone! Attack!"

"Wait!" A young male voice yelled. Suddenly, the sound of metal screeching against hardwood filled the air, which nearly drowned out the voice. "Don't start without me!"

Crash!

The door—along with a sizable portion of the wall—was obliterated as one thousand pounds of metal, steel, string, and musical genius was thrown in Valery's direction. The blind, arachnid-demon-woman-abomination had no time to react as the instrument crashed into her, tearing up parts of the floor and flattening more than a little bit of her body.

"Alright!" A man in a flannel shirt and khakis ran into the room, breathless. "I'm here!"

"W-What did..." Sunset rubbed her eyes. "What in the world did you do!?"

The man turned to Sunset and smiled proudly. "That, little lady, is how Uncle Joe says hello to people he doesn't like!"

Rainbow rubbed her eyes. "How did you move that on your own?"

"Well, the power of the love of my family fuels me with the desire to do good, so it grants me immense strength!" Joe beamed. "But mostly ghostly protein shakes. Lots and lots of protein shakes." He looked over at the piano and then over at Laney. "Don't worry, sport. I'm sure that Larry can fix it again."

"No, I can't!" a gruff voice said from the crowd of ghosts.

"Yes, you can."

"I've fixed it at least fifty times in the past five months," Larry said. "I ain't fixing that again."

Joe calmly walked over. "Don't fix it and you’re bunking with Thaddeus."

Larry sighed. "Fine..."

Before anyone else could speak up, the sound of metal screeching tore through the air, followed by the snapping of bone. From beneath the mangled mess of twisted metal and string, Valery stood up; her body twitching violently. "I... will not be defeated by a bunch of peasants like you!"

The crowd of spirits, along with Sunset and Rainbow, all looked at each other.

"Really?" Joe said after a period of silence that felt like it lasted for far longer than it needed to. "Because you look like you've already lost—and quite badly at that!"

"That is a lie!” Valery shouted angrily. "You will all bow before me as the greatest queen the world has ever known!"

The spirits collectively shook their heads and each fired out a beam of magic at Valery, forcing her back several feet.

Rainbow looked over at Sunset, who nodded. She aimed her geode at Valery and sent out a beam of (friendly) magic, being followed closely by a beam from Sunset’s geode. The two wove together to create a remarkably beautiful (and dangerous—but still friendly at heart) sight before piercing Valery’s chest; creating a gaping hole in her repulsive—and heavily mangled—body.

Valery felt around where the magic had struck her. “What… what have you done!?” Suddenly, the ground beneath her collapsed, causing one of her legs to fall down before it was torn off by several charred hands. “You reprehensible monsters! I will have your heads for this!”

To the horror of everyone in the room, the area around, and beneath, Valery erupted into fire, which lashed out at them like it was sapient in nature. A portal opened beneath her, and hundreds of hands grabbed a hold of her before dragging her down.

Valery screamed as her fingernails scraped against the flaming floor. "No! Noooo!"

Just then, demonic laughter came from the hellish portal, followed by a legion of voices. "Valery… we've waited so long for you."

A disheveled Rainbow, Sunset, and Laney stared in horror as Valery was dragged under, screaming in agony and horror as the laughter and screams of the eternally damned echoed throughout the room. Finally, after several agonizingly long seconds, the portal closed with a thunderous roar, and the fire vanished.

Then, everything went deafeningly silent.

"Is... is it over?" Laney asked softly.

Sunset nodded after a few moments. "It's over." She turned to Laney, teary eyed. "She's not going to hurt you or your family any longer."

Laney looked up at Sunset. "F-For real?"

"Yep." Rainbow rested a hand on Laney's shoulder. "She'll never come back!"

Laney craned her head up to Rainbow. A smile slowly formed on both their faces before her attention turned to Aurora, who had been watching from the side of the room the entire time. "M-Mommy! You hear that?" Laney ran over to her mom, her arms outstretched. "She's gone! She's gone for good!"

Rainbow and Sunset stood side-by-side, smiling at the sight. "You know what the best part of helping others is?" Sunset asked.

"Moments like this?" Rainbow asked, her arms crossed.

Sunset nodded and turned to her friend, a smile on her face. "Exactly." She turned her attention back to Laney and Aurora, who were still embraced in a hug. The faint sound of sobbing filled the air. Both girls walked over to the spirits and gave them equally warm smiles.

Aurora looked up and smiled. "Thank you both so much."

"Don't mention it." Rainbow replied. "It's kinda what we do."

Laney broke the hug and looked over at the two girls. “Oh, allow me to introduce you to the other family members!” She zipped over to the crowd of spirits. “There’s Uncle Bob, Uncle Ricky, Uncle Boris, Uncle Philip, Uncle Joe, Aunt Kathy, Aunt Lacy, Aunt Janet, Aunt Betty, Aunt Camille, Cousin Bucephalus, Cousin Thaddeus-” Laney quickly stepped away from him before hurrying over to another ghost- “Cousin Larry, Cousin Steve, Cousin Dave, Grandpa Dan, Grandpa Terry, Grandpa George, Grandpa Greg, Grandpa Alan, Grandma Wilma, Grandma Tracy, Grandma Helen, Grandma Beth, and Grandma Anne.” Laney ran over to the girls and smiled widely at them.

“Right…” Rainbow looked at each of the ghosts and let out a nervous chuckle. “Um… can you repeat who’s who again?”

“Don’t worry.” Bucephalus said. “We must get back to preparing for our celebration of that wicked witch’s defeat. I’m sure that you will get to know all of us in due to time, especially if you are to return like I suspect.” With that, each of the spirits departed from the room, each speaking to one another.

Laney’s smile only widened as Bucephalus’ words echoed in her head. Without warning, she rushed over to Rainbow, giving her a hug; surprising her in the process.

"Oh." Rainbow looked at Sunset and then down at Laney. Awkwardly, she gave the little girl a hug. "Don't mention it, sport."

Laney giggled and ran over to Sunset, giving her a hug too. "You're both the best friends I never had." she said. "But it was worth the wait! This is the best birthday present ever!" She looked up at Sunset, wide-eyed and with a smile that neither girl ever imagined she'd be capable of making. "I love you both."

Rainbow and Sunset both smiled. "I love you too." Sunset replied warmly. She kneeled down and wrapped her arms around Laney, embracing her in a hug.

"I, um... uh, I love you too." Rainbow said, forcing herself to say something that, deep down, made her feel an array of emotions that she was anything but used to. She let out a nervous chuckle and looked at Sunset, who flashed a grin at her, causing Rainbow to roll her eyes.

"I cannot thank you all enough." Aurora walked to the girls and placed a hand on Laney's shoulder. "All of us thank you... and I must apologize for my actions towards both of you throughout the night. They were... inexcusable, but I hope you realize that I haven't been myself in well over a century."

"I understand what it's like to not be in control." Sunset said. "I was once a raging she-demon who had the same fashion sense as Valery."

"Ehh..." Rainbow shook her hand. "I'd say you at had a better fashion sense. You at least looked like you took care of your skin... and clothes." She tapped her chin. "And... yourself." She looked over at Aurora. "Oh, and I forgive you for throwing that book at me… and for taking my clothes."

Aurora laughed. "I'm still willing to give another demonstration as to what I can do."

"Please don't."

"You sure?" Aurora asked. "You look beaten up. I can fix that."

"You can?" Rainbow asked, surprised. "Y-Yeah, please."

Aurora smiled and held a hand out. Her eyes turned a luminous white, and a heavenly light floated out; surrounding both girls. Within a few seconds, their wounds healed. The bones that had been fractured fixed. The cuts mended. The bruises faded away. It was as if the night hadn’t happened. "There."

"Um, excuse me." Laney waved a hand in the air. "But I want to ask: you two said you had to leave in the morning."

Sunset nodded. "That's right."

"Well, I was wondering." Laney looked at the ground and then back up at the two girls. "Will... will I ever see you again?"

Sunset and Rainbow both nodded, after which the former spoke up. “Of course! Though for now, can we go hang out some place that smells less… vile.”

Aurora and Laney both nodded. Without another word, the four of them left Aaron’s room, leaving behind the lingering smell of sulfur and memories now best forgotten by all involved.





Day broke a few hours later. The smell of sulfur still lingered in the air within Aaron’s room, not that anyone knew. Sunset and Rainbow, however, ended up spending the rest of the night listening to Aurora and Laney tell the history of the mansion from what was once Valery's room.

Primarily because it was the only room that had an actual bed. Though there was the added bonus of finally ‘Sticking it to the bitch’ as Rainbow had said.

Once the girls had noticed the sun rising, they stood up. "Well, looks like that's our cue to get going." Sunset said. She looked down at Laney, who had a look of sorrow on her face. She kneeled down and gave her a smile. "Don't worry, we'll be back for Christmas."

"You promise?"

Sunset nodded. "I'll be sure to drag Rainbow too."

"Hey!"

Sunset giggled and looked back at her flustered friend. "Hey, odds are, you'd sleep in."

Rainbow scoffed. "Well, no, I'd..." She frowned. "Yeah, I'd probably sleep in."

Knock knock

Aurora glanced over to the doorway. Her facial expression changed several times, ranging from anger to joy to disdain to perplexion. "Aaron..." She shook her head. "What in the world are you doing here?"

Aaron looked down at Laney, who stared at him blankly. He glanced at Rainbow and Sunset. The former of the two folded her arms and glared claymores at him, while the latter of the two did as he did, and examined everyone else's reactions. Once he'd looked at everyone, he looked back at over at Aurora and shook his head. A look of sadness spread across his face.

He raised a hand, darkening the room. In one swift motion, he brought his arm down, which caused a small ball of light fall down from the ceiling. A second one fell not too long after, which was followed by a third. Soon, the entire room was illuminated by a series of balls of light, none of them larger than a dime.

"What's going on?" Sunset asked.

Aurora remained speechless. Her eyes were fixated on the sight that her former husband had created. A few of the balls floated in front of her, created a small heart, which danced around her.

Sunset and Rainbow watched as a few of the balls mimicked the action around Laney before doing the same around them. They looked up at the doorway in time to see Aaron nod in their direction and walk away.

"So... what's this all about?" Rainbow asked.

Aurora fell to her knees and sobbed. "He... remembered."

“Remembered what?” Sunset asked, her eyes fixated on the heart-shaped light that continued to orbit her.

“Their anniversary.” Laney replied. “Daddy… never remembered it. Daddy was always too fixated on Valery. He was infatuated by her and never let her out of his sight.” A sigh escaped Laney’s ghostly mouth. She walked over to Aurora’s side and rested a hand on her back before turning her attention back to the two girls. “I’m honestly surprised that Mommy’s as emotional as she is. I didn’t think she felt any goodwill towards Daddy anymore.”

“I… I don’t.” Aurora let out a few shaky breaths before standing up. “I can never forgive him for what he’s done to me and Laney… but to see him do such a thing after all of this time…”

“It must mean a lot to you.” Sunset said.

Aurora gave a slight nod and raised a hand to the ceiling, at which point the balls of light ascended and vanished into it. “You two said you were going to be headed off, correct?”

“Yup.” Rainbow glanced over to Sunset. “Ready to go?”

“Don’t you think we should stay a bit longer to help-”

“Don’t worry about us.” Aurora replied. “I’ll handle Aaron on my own. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a very long time now.” She looked down at Laney. “And I believe that you’d also like to try to mend old wounds, too?”

“Yeah…” Laney looked down at the floor and then over to the two girls. “Just make sure that you come back! You two are like family now… only alive.”

Sunset giggled. “We will, don’t worry.” She stood up and walked to the doorway, Rainbow in tow. “So long, and take care!”

“Bye!” Laney said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

“Take care!” Aurora added. She let out a sigh and walked out of the room and then up the stairs before vanishing.

The two girls grabbed their backpacks from the couch and left the house, a sense of sadness filling them as they did so. Although the night had been eventful, to say the absolute least, they couldn't help but wish the night had lasted just a little longer. If only so they could see the gleeful look in Laney's ghostly eyes.

"Man, I just realized something." Rainbow entered Sunset's car and placed her backpack in the back seat. "I didn't take any pictures for my mom."

"Ah, don't worry." Sunset said as she did the same. "I'm sure she'll understand if you tell them that you were too caught up exploring the place." She fastened her seat belt and ruffled Rainbow's hair. "Besides, not like she'll ground you or something."

"Yeah, but I still feel bad when I see her disappointed." Rainbow fastened her own seat belt and slouched in her seat slightly. "I... actually feel a little sad." She cringed as the words exited her mouth. "Just a little though! Just a little!"

"Seriously?" Sunset asked in surprise, more so than at any point throughout the night.

"Yes." Rainbow reluctantly said.

"Well, good to know that you care so much for your mommy." Sunset said with a chuckle. She turned her car on and looked over at Rainbow. "Anyways, let me ask you a weird question..." she said. "Did Valery really remind you of Rarity?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "A shame she was trying to kill us. I would've taken a selfie with her before we left." she said. "Woulda sent it to Rarity and asked if it was her grandmother."

Sunset made a u-turn and drove out of the woods and back out onto the road. "What if she really was related to Valery?"

Rainbow thought for a moment as the warmth of the morning sun entered the car; a welcome gift after an entire night of being in a drafty mansion. "Well, then at least it'd explain that why that crazy bitch was so vain."

Sunset giggled. "Valery or Rarity?" she asked with a silly face.

Rainbow facepalmed. "Don't quit your day job, Sunny."

"Oh, c'mon." Sunset replied. "It wasn't that bad... was it?"

"It was pretty bad." Rainbow slouched further down into her seat as the sun shone over the horizon. Although she'd only been gone from the house for a little over a minute, she already missed them. Well, most of them. The mere thought of saying that she missed Valery made her physically ill. After a bit, she glanced over at Sunset, who herself looked a little sad. The light from outside glistened in her eyes, which at least made Rainbow feel a little less silly for feeling so emotional. "So... we are gonna go back, right?"

"Of course." Sunset replied. She slowed down at a stop sign and looked down at Rainbow, who unknowingly had a tear roll down her cheek. "I take it you miss ‘em already?"

Rainbow let out a shaky sigh and nodded. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah… but that's not why I'm crying."

"Oh?" Sunset turned her head back and pressed down on the accelerator. "Then why are you?"

"It's... just having seen Laney be so happy." Rainbow turned her head to Sunset. "I've never seen someone so happy. So relieved. After all that doubt and despair she showed whenever we said we were going to help her... to see her like that makes me feel..." Another tear ran down Rainbow's face. "I never thought something could melt my heart so quickly..."

Sunset herself felt a tear run down her face. "Yeah... I know what you mean." she said. "But don't worry. We'll be back there in about a month to see her again. And this time, we won't have to worry about a maniacal ghost."

"Yeah. It'll be awesome," Rainbow said. "Think we can get her a Christmas present?"

"Sure." Sunset once more slowed down and looked at Rainbow. "Though... what exactly are we going to get a ghost?"

Rainbow thought for a moment. "I'm sure we'll think of something," she said Sunset pressed down on the gas pedal. "What do you think the others will say when we tell them about this?"

“I'm sure they’ll probably wanna see it for themselves.” Sunset replied. “Maybe we can drag them there at some point before Christmas.”

“Ya think Fluttershy will wanna go?” Rainbow asked.

“She’d probably get along with Bucephalus.” Sunset giggled. “Maybe even Rarity will, what with his gentlemanly ways.”

“Heh, yeah, good point.” Rainbow said with a chuckle. “Just promise me one thing.”

“What's that?” Sunset asked.

“Next time we go, if we dance again, I get to lead this time.”

Sunset giggled. “Deal.”

Rainbow let out a small cheer before resting her head against the window. "So, where are we headed?"

"Well, I was thinking we could go by Sugarcube Corner and tell everyone how our night there was. Then, maybe go to the spa." Sunset replied. "Why don't you rest until we get there? You looked beat."

"That's an understatement." Rainbow said. She let out a yawn and shut her eyes. "Sounds like a plan though..." Before either girl knew it, Rainbow had fallen asleep, letting out a few light snores as she did so.

A smile crept onto Sunset's face. "You've earned it, Rainbow."





Sunset and Rainbow casually finished their milkshakes, pretending to not notice that their friends were staring at them with faces that matched the one Princess Twilight sported after Pinkie flawlessly guessed her situation. Needless to say, they had just finished recounting their time in the mansion.

"We'll explain more later," Sunset said as she and Rainbow got up. "Right now, we're gonna head to the spa."

"See ya, guys." Rainbow waved bye as she and Sunset left.

The five others just sat and stared at the place the two had just been.

...

"I knew it!" Pinkie yelled with a fist pump.