Sharp Wing hovered over the forest, considering her options. Apparently she had has spent some time underground, because it was now in the middle of the afternoon in Zebrawbway. This first thing she decided to do was the find the others and let them know she was okay. Or rather, to be more accurate, that she wasn't physically harmed. Problem was, she wasn't sure which way the village was. Then she spotted Fluttershy flying towards her.
"Oh there you are!" exclaimed the butter yellow pegasus when she saw Sharp Wing. "Are you okay?"
Sharp Wing decided to be honest.
"No, I'm going to lose my mind in a week unless I bend to the will of some dead ponies," she said flatly.
"Maybe we should get you to bed," replied Fluttershy, seeming a bit uncomfortable with Sharp Wing's answer.
But Sharp Wing wasn't finished.
"Did you know ghosts are real? I didn't. But then, things we think are legends have a funny habit of turning to be real, like Nightmare Moon."
"There's no such thing as ghosts, you've just had a stressful day," Fluttershy insisted nervously.
"No, they're real all right. I just talked with my dead ancestors. Well, one of them is the brother of one of my ancestors, but you get the idea."
"How about I take you back to the zebra village," suggested Fluttershy gently, as if she was trying not to upset a crazy pony.
"Or I could take you to an underground tomb and introduce you to some genuine ghosts."
"I think I'll pass," Fluttershy answered evasively.
It occurred to Sharp Wing that even if she showed Fluttershy the tomb, the ghosts might not make an appearance. After all, Steel Horn had made it clear that Sharp Wing would go mad and be locked up. Not proving her claims to Fluttershy and making her look bad would only speed up the process of convincing the others she was insane.
"Could you please come back the village?" tried Fluttershy after a moment.
Reluctantly, Sharp Wing followed her back. When they arrived, Sharp Wing wasted no time finding her swords in the hut with a tub. She was about to retrieve them when Fluttershy blocked her.
"How about you go lie down for a while instead?" she hinted.
Sharp Wing was dumbstruck. Was Fluttershy really going to prevent her from strapping her swords back on?
"Those are my swords," she argued.
"And they'll be right here after you take a nap," said Fluttershy without missing a beat.
"I don't need to take a nap."
"Take a nap please?"
"No."
"But, um," sputtered Fluttershy, grasping at straws. "You're, um, handsome, and, um, strong, and, um," she drifted off awkwardly.
Sharp Wing simply frowned.
"I forgot you were a mare," Fluttershy finished lamely.
"I'm pretty sure the results would be exactly the same. Do you think all stallions can be manipulated so easily, or do you just think I'm especially stupid?"
"Rarity does it better," Fluttershy said defensively.
Sharp Wing made a mental note to be extra suspicious of anything Rarity said from then on. A faint splash from the tub caught Sharp Wing's attention. Night Mist was still in it, with his eyes closed and head drooped. Sharp Wing was slightly irritated that her friend could fall asleep at a time like this.
"Night Mist," she snapped as she tapped his head, "Wake up."
"Oh hey, you're back," Night Mist yawned.
"You could at least act like you were worried."
"I was. I was also thinking about why the bath worked for me but not for you."
"While asleep?"
"It's a very relaxing bath," Night Mist said defensively.
"Whatever. I figured out how I got turned into a mare by the way."
Sharp Wing then proceeded to tell both Night Mist and Fluttershy all that had happened. By the time she finished both of them were starting at her as if she had grown a second head.
"Ghosts," Night Mist said dubiously.
"Yes, ghosts. I swear I'm telling the truth," Sharp Wing insisted.
"But there's no such as thing as ghosts right?" asked Fluttershy as if needing reassurance.
"l doubt there's such a thing as ghosts, but logically speaking you can't rule out the possibility of something by lack of evidence," Night Mist sighed. "But Sharp Wing, even if we assume ghosts are real, there's still holes in your story."
"Like what?" prodded Sharp Wing.
"Well for starters, why would a former emperor of Equestria be buried in Zebrawbway?"
"I don't know," Sharp Wing admitted.
"And if said ghosts were capable of casting spells in the physical world, wouldn't there have been an easier way to get you here? Like teleportation? Or mind control? They could even use telekinesis to pick up a quill and paper and write to you instead if all they wanted to do was talk to you."
"Maybe that didn't occur to them. I bet Twilight Sparkle might have some insight on the magic part of it," tried Sharp Wing.
"I think it’s more likely you imagined the whole thing," Fluttershy added gently.
"But you can't explain why the bath didn't work on me! And I can physically show you where the tomb is!"
"It might be best if you explored some alternative theories. After you take a break," hinted Night Mist.
"Come on! Just let me show you guys the tomb! Don't you trust me?"
"We don't doubt your sincerity, just you accuracy," Night Mist said soothingly.
"I'm not crazy! I was turned into a girl by ghosts!" Sharp Wing yelled.
"I think that's enough," said a new voice. Twilight Sparkle had entered the hut. "I apologize for this in advance, Sharp Wing."
Sharp Wing whirled around as she heard the hum of a spell being cast. She had just enough time to see Twilight's pained expression before she felt herself slip away.
*****************************
Unaware to all, two beings not of the physical world were present in the hut when Twilight Sparkle cast the nap time spell.
"Quill and paper. That would have been a lot easier," Stallion Sharp Wing said sullenly.
"I'm more intrigued by the teleportation and mind control spells. Must have been discovered after my lifetime," remarked Steel Horn. “I wonder if they can be turned into conditional spells like the gender bender."
"Care to explain to the non-unicorn what a conditional spell is?"
"It's a spell that reverses itself if certain criteria are met. Such as being kissed by your true love or something."
"So that's what you did to Sharp Wing with the gender bender spell? Made it so he has to be kissed by his true love to turn back? That'll be hard for him to pull off as a mare."
"Ha, I may be harsh, but I'm not cruel. The spell I cast on him can only be reversed if he, um, she, makes the right decision about the reasons for taking a life."
"I see. So if Sharp Wing picks the wrong path, she'll be locked away in an insane asylum and be unable to harm others. But if she picks the right path, the spell will be lifted."
"Exactly, no need to cause harm to my descendant if no ponies are in danger."
"That's pretty smart."
"Thank you, and since we're both dead I know you're not just saying that because you want something."
"I still hate doing this to him though."
"As do I, my great great grandson, as do I."