It was a beautiful night in Equestria and Luna was exhausted from another day teaching her students. Black Magic, Mind Reader, and Grave was getting better but they still weren't strong enough to control their abilities. Luna had remembered the first day she took them in. The three had been orphans ever since they lost their parents and nopony wanted them because of their abilities. However being a mother and teacher didn't change Black Magic's attitude towards others. Out of the three, it was clear he had suffered the most considering that both of his parents didn't just pass but had their lives taken from them. But she didn't give up, she believed he could change and she was going to do whatever it takes to make it happen, but for now she needed some rest. She pulled out her headsets and sat down in front of the T.V. She couldn't wait for another night with her favorite Nintendo Switch. Meanwhile, two rooms down from hers Mind Reader was up to something.
"Ugh I don't know if I should do it," Mind Reader paced up and down near her bed. She looked over to her nightstand and stared at the board that she got from Twilight. She hesitated for a moment but gathered her courage to pick up the small planchette. She remembered her warning when she received the board. That speaking to the dead was a risky thing and that it wasn't a safe game to play alone. But she couldn't help it, she had to find out what happened to her father. She placed the planchette on the board and asked. "Is there a spirit in this room?" For a moment nothing happened. Mind Reader repeated the question. This time the planchette slowly but surely moved towards the word yes on the top left hand corner. She closed her eyes and let go of the piece of wood. "Who are you?" she asked. There was nothing but silence so Mind Reader repeated the question. This time a faint voice responded.
"I'm here," Mind Reader opened her eyes and looked around.
"Where?" she asked.
"I'm here," the voice repeated.
"Who are you?" Mind Reader repeated the previous question.
"My........name......." the voice responded.
"What?" asked Mind Reader.
"Board," the voice responded. Mind Reader looked at the board to see the planchette moving on it's own. First it moved to the F then the E then the A and finally to the R.
"F-E-A-R, Fear?" asked Mind Reader confused. "Hey what do you mean by that?" she asked.
"Good.....bye," the voice responded.
"Wait don't go!" Mind Reader called out. But nobody responded the voice was gone. Mind Reader slumped down feeling disappointed that she couldn't learn more. "I want to try again, but I'm too tired, maybe I'll stop for now," said Mind Reader. She walked over and hopped into her bed. Yawning she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Meanwhile she didn't notice the black figure slowly peeking out from inside her closet. She soon found herself alone in a dark void. "Where am I?" she asked herself. She looked around but the only thing around her was the darkness.
"Hehehe oh wow a new friend," a voice spoke up. Mind Reader looked around trying to find the origin of the voice but the darkness was the only thing that remained.
"Hello is somepony there?" Mind Reader called out. Nobody responded. Mind Reader took a step forward only to jump from the sound of a filly's giggle. She quickly turned around just as something ran past her. "Hello?" Mind Reader asked again. Suddenly a single light source shined down on a chair. Mind Reader turned to face the chair to find a small doll seated on it. Mind Reader slowly approached the doll and stared into it's lifeless eyes. She gently picked up the doll while keeping her eyes on it. "Aww, how cute," she cooed.
Suddenly the doll looked in her direction and giggled, "Yay thank you!" before lunging at Mind Reader. She screamed as the doll grabbed her by the neck. "I'm cute!" the doll giggled shaking her violently. Mind Reader gasped as she tried to pry off the doll, but the more she struggled, the more the doll seem to tighten it's grip. "I'm cute but you're not so you should die!" The doll hissed demonically.
"Luna..... HELP!!!!" Mind Reader gasped. The doll quickly turned around as a blue light shot out of the darkness and knocked the doll off Mind Reader. She sat up, coughing and gasping as Luna walked up next to her with a worried look on her face.
"Are you alright child?" Luna asked grabbing her. Mind Reader hugged Luna as she sobbed.
"I was so scared," she sobbed.
"It's alright, I'm here now," cooed Luna. She looked up as the doll was slowly getting to it's feet.
"My friend," the doll giggled. Luna was about to blast the doll for a second time when the sound of moaning could be heard behind her. She turned around as a horde of undead ponies began approaching them.
"Let's get out of here," said Luna. Mind Reader nodded in agreement and soon, in a flash of light the two escaped the terror. Mind Reader shot out of her bed gasping and sweating. She looked over to see Luna, Black Magic, and Grave standing next to her bed.
"Oh thank Celestia you're awake," said Grave.
"Luna," Mind Reader whimpered looking at the alicorn.
"It's alright I'm here," said Luna. Mind Reader nodded as Grave jumped on her bed.
"Is everything alright, we heard you screaming so we came as fast as we could," said Grave.
"I'm fine," she winced.
"Is something wrong?" asked Black Magic. She gently clutched her neck.
"What is it?" asked Luna.
"My throat feels sore," answered Mind Reader.
"Are you sick?" asked Black Magic.
"No," answered Mind Reader.
"Hold on, move your hooves away from your neck for a sec," said Grave. Mind Reader did as she was asked and when Grave examined her neck he gasped and fell back.
"What is it?" asked Black Magic. Grave moved out of the way so that Luna and Black could see what he was looking at. What they found was large claw marks around her neck.