//------------------------------// // 9. Everfree Expedition // Story: Spectacular Seven // by Albi //------------------------------// Magical research, it seemed, would have to wait. Selena worked Twilight hard with conditioning exercises and sword routines, to the point where when they finally finished, Twilight could barely remember Sunset’s pony up had happened only a few hours ago. The couple spent the rest of the evening on the couch watching movies until Twilight dozed off, head tucked into the crook of Sunset’s neck. Sunset poked her awake when the sun’s light got low. “C’mon, Sparky. I need to take you home and I would rather have you awake when you’re on my bike.” Twilight groaned and sat up. “My muscles hate me.” “Yeah, but just think, by the time summer ends, you’ll be buffer than me.” Sunset flexed, showing off the small amount of muscle definition she had. Twilight stuck her tongue out. “I don’t want to be buff. Do you know how hard it is to keep that muscle mass into your middle ages? It’s just going to turn into extra fat.” “Not if you keep exercising.”  “You and I both know I’ll have more important things to do.” Sunset snickered. “Can’t argue there, future Nobel Prize-winning president of NASA.” “Administrator,” Twilight corrected before pecking Sunset on the cheek. She got to her feet, letting out a groan as she did. “I’m going to take a hot bath and go to bed. I have to do this again tomorrow.” “You could take a break, you know.” “Our little camping trip will be my break,” Twilight said. The slight bitterness in her tone told Sunset she still wasn’t thrilled at the idea. Once Twilight had her shoes on, Sunset practically carried her to the motorcycle and drove her home. They kissed and waved goodnight and Sunset returned, spending the rest of her evening helping Selena cook dinner. Tonight was curry night. “Twilight told me about the little excursion you girls are going on,” Selena said, adding seasoning to the pot. Sunset paused her dicing of potatoes, grateful she had the big knife this time. “Oh, uhh, yeah. I just thought, maybe if we did something the Dazzlings actually liked, they’d open up a little more.” “And that train of thought led you to think going into the Everfree Forest alone for a day would do the trick?” Sunset flinched. Selena didn’t have to raise her voice for her words to ring loudly in Sunset’s ears. “There’s seven of us against them, and they’re out of magic. And like I told Twilight, I seriously doubt they ran into the forest to set up some convoluted trap just to get rid of us.” Selena stirred the pot. “That naivety is going to get you killed someday,” she said bluntly. Sunset flinched again, almost cutting her thumb off in the process. “Even if they are planning something, I know my friends and I can handle it.” As she brought the potatoes over to tip into the curry, Selena said, “I have half a mind to go with you. But, I know how young people are when there’s an old person in the group.” “You’re not that old, Selena,” Sunset scoffed. Selena cracked a smile. “You’re sweet. But, I don’t think the Sirens would ‘open up’ if I was around.” She stirred the pot again, a savory and spicy aroma wafting through the kitchen. “If you’re not home by noon on the dot on Sunday, I’m marching into that forest and I’m bringing swords.” “Understood.” Getting parental permission for everyone else proved easier than Sunset expected. Her friends just happened to forget including the part about staying in an abandoned house and had simplified it to camping. From what the girls told Sunset, there had been few objections, just warnings to take extra batteries for flashlights and stay near the trails. Friday came, and despite her sore muscles, Twilight showed up for practice. Sunset watched from the window, tempted to meditate on her own and pony up again. She wanted to test her powers, but the hurt look Twilight had given her after finding out Sunset had been in her soul, delved into the most sacred part of a person, stopped her. It was the ultimate breach of privacy, no matter how much Twilight loved her. No doubt, Twilight would still want to test it to some capacity, but it would probably be a while before that happened. There was also the feeling after, of being exposed to emotions and ideas that weren’t her own, then snapping back to her own body. Disorienting was the best way Sunset could describe it, but even that seemed too simple to convey the sensation. Instead of watching her girlfriend spar and distracting her when Twilight inevitably looked through the screen door, Sunset focused herself elsewhere. She packed her bag for tomorrow, chatted with Rarity over the phone, then played with Spot. At a quarter to three, she came downstairs to fix herself some lunch and found Twilight and Selena wrapping up their practice. Selena wrapped Twilight’s schiavona in a white cloth and held it in both hands. “You’ve only been practicing for two days now, and your form still needs some work. Normally, I wouldn’t hand off a potentially lethal weapon to a teenager.”  She took a step closer to Twilight, looking down at her with a look Sunset recognized from her countless interactions with Princess Celestia. Pride. Trust. And seeing potential no one else recognized. “But, you’re smart, you’re responsible, and you’re surrounded by untrustworthy creatures. I entrust this sword to you, Twilight Sparkle with the hope that you’ll take it with you tomorrow, and the hope you won’t have to use it.” Selena handed the wrapped sword to Twilight. She took it in her outstretched hands, pulling it in and hugging it to her chest. “I… I don’t know what to say, Miss Selena,” Twilight said, the wind taken from her. “Thank you. I promise I’ll take good care of it, and be responsible!”  Selena smiled. “I am certain you will.” She bowed, and Twilight bowed back, her glasses slipping off her sweaty nose. “Here.” Sunset reached down and slid them back onto her face. She beamed proudly and patted Twilight on the back. “Look at my girlfriend. She’s a swordfighter now.” “Still in training,” Twilight added. “I should probably go rest up for tomorrow. And find a place to hide this. I, umm, haven’t exactly mentioned to my parents I’m taking sword lessons.” ******* Saturday arrived, and with her sleeping bag and pack of essentials slung over her back, Sunset headed downstairs. Both Shimmer and Selena sat at the kitchen table, and to Sunset’s surprise, they weren’t giving each other looks of disdain.  “Do everyone a favor and make sure those Dazzlings get eaten by something,” Shimmer said, taking a sip of coffee. “Don’t care by what, as long as they don’t come back.” “Just be careful, Sunset,” Selena said, giving Shimmer an unreadable look. “I’m not advocating for anyone dying, but if worse comes to worst, I advise you to practice the art of self-preservation.” “Geez, you guys are morbid. Everything’s gonna be fine!” Sunset gave them a two-finger salute. “See ya later!” She left the house and waited in the driveway until Rarity pulled up, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Twilight already piled in. Sunset could see Twilight’s sword nestled between her legs. She perfectly understood the gesture Selena had made yesterday, but, and Celestia forbid it ever came to this, Sunset wasn’t sure if Twilight had it in her to actually stab someone. “Good morning, Sunset!” Rarity greeted. Sunset slid into the car, sandwiching Pinkie between her and Twilight. “Morning, girls.” “Sunny, have you seen Twilight’s sword? It’s super cool!” Pinkie gushed. “Let’s just hope you don’t have to use it,” Rarity said, pulling back onto the street. “Carrying that around would clash with your entire aesthetic. Although, ‘intelligent swordswoman’ would be an interesting motif to work with. Hmmm…” Pinkie spoke up again as Rarity lapsed into contemplative thought. “I did some internet reading on the chateau! Which, let me say, is a super fun word to say. Chateau, chateau, chateau! Anyway, they say it was built a hundred years ago by some rich family who wanted to live away from the city! But, by chopping down the trees in the forest, they angered the magic spirit living within! To appease it, they sacrificed a virgin maiden, but now, her ghost haunts the house and every full moon, she stalks the forest in search of victims to drag into the netherworld!” Fluttershy made a quiet, “Eeep!” from the front seat. Sunset kept her eyes on the passing scenery. “Pinkie, I think you’ve got a few stories crossed there.” They left behind the paved streets of the city and drove along the dusty, country road. A mile past Sweet Apple Acres, the road came to an end in a small dirt lot. Applejack was already waiting for them. While Sunset had only packed her sleeping bag and a backpack half full of things she would need for the night, Rarity unloaded a large suitcase from the trunk of her car. “Rarity, we’re goin’ in there for one day,” Applejack moaned.  “Yes, that’s why I brought the small suitcase.” Rainbow arrived twenty minutes later, bringing the Sirens and… Soarin with her. Sunset didn’t remember inviting him. By the look on Fluttershy’s face, she didn’t remember either. As Soarin got out of the car, Fluttershy moved as close to the forest as she could get. “Ah’m surprised y’all even suggested this,” Applejack said to the singing sisters. “Ah didn’t think fancy pop stars like you would want to sleep on the dirty ground.” “You forced us to live in a warehouse,” Adagio said flatly. “We can’t sink any lower.” Rainbow, meanwhile, walked up to Sunset and held out her hand. Sunset sighed and forked over a twenty into Rainbow’s waiting palm. This reformation thing is literally costing me now. With everyone assembled, the group headed off into Everfree Forest, Rarity taking up the rear with her cumbersome suitcase. Despite being the middle of the afternoon, once they were under the thick canopy of the forest, light fell in short supply. With branches twisting tightly together and an abundance of thick leaves, only the strongest sun rays pierced through and made it down to the forest floor. Applejack led them, single file down the closest thing one could consider a path. It was just worn enough to distinguish it from the rest of the loamy earth, but roots and holes still littered it, making it a cautious trek.  This was only Sunset’s second time in Everfree. The first time, she had picked berries with Applejack and helped the CMC not fall to their deaths. From that one instance, she understood why people seldom came here. Even in this new region, it was still dark and tightly packed. Insects chittered all around them, and an occasional rustling bush told her there was always something bigger just waiting around the corner. Twilight held her hand the entire time, her other hand gripping her sword. While Sunset didn’t think anything life-threatening lived in the forest, it was still a nice reassurance that they had a bonafide weapon.  Everyone made small talk as they hiked. Soarin and Rainbow walked side-by-side, holding hands and snickering at something the other one had said. Fluttershy stayed near the front with Applejack, pausing once in a while to point out a bug or plant.  Pinkie and Sonata talked the most and the loudest, subjecting everyone to their game of ‘I spy’. By the way they interacted, Sunset would have sworn they had known each other for years. “I spy with my little eye… something blue!” Pinkie shouted. “Hmmm… is it… Rainbow Dash?” Sonata asked. “Nope!” “Oh, is it that stream over there?” “Hey, I didn’t even see that! Good eye, Sonnie! But, nope!” Aria growled. “Is it you once you run out of oxygen and die?” “No threatening friends!” Sunset called back. “Yeah, Aria, no threatening friends,” Sonata said in a mocking tone. “Then it’s a good thing I hate all of you.” Sonata stuck her tongue out. “Ignore her; she’s always a big grump.” “Because you’re literally, the worst!” “No, you are!” Adagio pinched the bridge of her nose. “Great Leviathan, why was I stuck with them?” “Excuse me!” Rarity yelled. Everyone turned to see she was still back quite a ways. “Could someone help me, please? My bag seems to be stuck.” Sonata pointed to Rarity’s luggage. “Oh, is it her big bag?” Pinkie shook her head. “Nope!” “Then I give up. What is it?” “It’s you, silly!” Pinkie booped her on the nose. “Awwww!” Aria gripped the sides of her face and pulled. “I’ll go back and help her just to get away from you two before I shoot myself!” She stomped back toward Rarity, who looked apprehensive. Sunset watched Aria heft her suitcase off from whatever had caught on it, then thrust it back into Rarity’s hands and gestured her forward.  It was impossible to tell how much time had passed since they entered the forest, but Sunset felt they had been walking for an hour at least. Her legs were starting to feel the strain of trudging along the uneven path. Who builds one house out here in the first place? Sunset scooted up toward Applejack who had the map. “Are we almost there?” “Should be close if this old map is tellin’ the truth.” Applejack folded it and slipped it away. “Otherwise, we walked out here for nothin’.” “Well, I wouldn’t say for nothing.” Sunset looked over her shoulder. Pinkie and Sonata were dueling each other with branches. “If only the other two were as easy to crack.” “If the other two were anything like Sonata, Ah don’t think the Battle of the Bands would have even happened. Hard to believe they’re sisters.” With twenty more minutes of walking, the ground started to slope upwards, the narrow, root-infested path widening up into a more discernible road. It wasn’t by much, but it was enough to remove the claustrophobic feeling the forest constantly gave. Through gaps in the trees, Sunset could see a clearing and the first signs of a structure.  They broke through the tree line and entered the open space, a large hillside with a rolling field of grass. At the top stood a faded brown house, three stories tall with arched roofs and Victorian style windows and accents. It made Sunset think of Moondancer’s manor if it had been left to rot for years on end. Most of the windows were shuttered and boarded. Several panes had fallen from the roof. Moss grew up the sides of the house, giving it a more earthy feel. One of the steps leading up to the porch was broken, and the front door looked like it wasn’t sitting on its hinges properly. Old police tape hung lazily in front of if. Fluttershy backed up to stand behind Sunset. “Well, this was a fun nature hike. Maybe we should turn around and go back home now. The tape says keep out anyway.” Sunset patted Fluttershy’s shoulder. “It’s just one night, ‘Shy. And we’ll be here with you the entire time. Besides, you’ve faced scary things before.” “That doesn’t mean I liked it,” she whimpered. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Adagio said, stepping up behind her. “I’m sure the ‘magic of friendship’ will keep all the ghosts and zombies away.” Adagio paused… then let out a short shriek. Fluttershy screamed and jumped a foot into the air. “What? Where? Why?” Adagio doubled-over laughing. “I can’t believe how easy that was! Ow!” She rubbed her arm and gave Rainbow a venomous glare. “Leave her alone,” Rainbow growled.  Adagio said nothing, choosing to turn her nose up and march toward the house. Sunset was at least happy to note the pleasant blush on Fluttershy’s face. The moment was ruined when Soarin stepped up beside her. “You okay?” he asked in a completely cordial voice. “Fine,” Fluttershy said stiffly. She turned on her heel and followed after Adagio. The sun was beginning to set as the group got to the top of the hill and climbed the steps of the old chateau. They groaned ominously under their weight, going so far as to make a few popping noises.  Sunset pulled the police tape away and gave the knob a turn and a push. It opened with the lightest of ease. What is with people abandoning places and not locking the door? What was once a magnificent foyer was now a dark and dust-covered room. The green rug that had run from the entrance to the top of the stairs had been mostly consumed by rats and moths, leaving only tattered scraps behind. Potters that had once held plants were knocked over, the dirt they had contained spilled onto the floor, white and fossilized. Cobwebs hung in every corner, and Sunset could hear something scurrying around in the shadows. The entire house carried the smell of mold and dirt. A cold draft blew in from parts unknown, perplexing Sunset since the weather outside was mild at worst. Rarity hung in the threshold, scrunching her nose in a variety of ways. “We… have to stay in here? I knew you said it was abandoned, but I didn’t think it would be this…” She gagged and fanned a hand in front of her face. “Fluttershy is right, we should go home.” Aria pushed past her. “No way, I did not put up with them—” She jerked a thumb at Sonata and Pinkie. “—just to turn around and go back.” “A little dirt ain’t gonna kill ya, Rares,” Applejack said, sitting her bag down in the middle of the room. “Hmph.” Rarity rolled her suitcase in. “It will ruin my clothes. And my sleeping bag. And woe betide you, Applejack if I wake up and it’s in my hair. I’m holding you personally responsible!” Twilight rubbed her nose. “Dirt or no, I at least wish it didn’t smell so bad.” She sneezed. “If we leave the front door open for a while, it might air this place out a little,” Soarin said. “Hey, guys! We found the kitchen!” Pinkie called from a door on the right of the stairs. “And there’s still cans of food in here!” Applejack’s eyes bugged out. “Wait, Pinkie, don’t eat those!” She sprinted into the kitchen. Sunset unrolled her sleeping bag close to the front wall and next to Twilight’s. “Well, we’re here. Feel free to go look around, but be careful, and make sure you go with someone. This place is a little dangerous.” “Whatever you say, mom,” Aria said. She pointed to Rarity. “You, prissy princess. You’re with me.” A bead of sweat ran down Rarity’s forehead. “Er, why me?” “You’re the only one who hasn’t annoyed me yet.” “Oh… I feel… flattered.” Rarity shot a pleading look to Sunset, but Sunset just smiled and waved her off. The pleading look turned into a glower, but Rarity relented and followed Aria up the grand staircase. “Bet you there’s a library in a place like this,” Sunset said to Twilight. “Wanna go look for it?”  Twilight made a tiny squee. “Yes! Hopefully they’re not in too bad a condition.” Adagio strutted over to them. “Oh, that sounds like fun! I think I’ll tag along.” She smirked. “What? You said we shouldn’t wander off on our own.” Sunset broke into a pained smile and said through her teeth, “Yes, I did. Sure, Adagio, you can come with.” Still smirking, Adagio turned for the stairs. Sunset cupped a hand over her eyes. “I’m sorry.” “It’s… fine,” Twilight said in a tired voice. She took Sunset’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “Just don’t leave me alone with her.” “Never.” They grabbed flashlights from their bags and followed Adagio up the stairs, moving right at the landing, opposite from Aria and Rarity. Like the forest, the sun had a hard time penetrating the house through the wood boards and grime encrusted windows.  Old landscape portraits hung on the walls, some of them covered in graffiti from older intruders, others slashed to ribbons.  “I hear tell of an angry ghost that haunts this place,” Adagio said airily. “It likes to prey on virgins.” “There’s no such thing as—” Twilight snapped her lips shut and pursed.  “What? No such thing as ghosts? I assure you they’re real. And they’re usually quite vengeful. Good luck using your little sword on that.” Twilight had hooked the scabbard through a belt loop on her hiking shorts. She reflexively gripped the pommel.  Adagio clucked her tongue. “Odd you brought a weapon for a supposedly friendly sleepover. Someone might get the impression you don’t trust me.” “I don’t,” Twilight said coldly. “Hmmhmm. Probably wise.” Sunset gave Adagio a warning glance, then pushed open a random door. Inside was an old billiards table, its balls scattered around the room. There was a small bookshelf off to the side, and a cabinet full of empty liquor bottles across from it. A full body mirror stood in the corner, surprisingly still intact. An old decorative lamp was knocked over onto a faded rug. Portraits and paintings covered the walls, giving the room a crowded feeling.  Flashlights on, the girls spread out inside, Twilight moving toward the bookshelf. Dust and cobwebs coated the few books it held. She pulled one out, dusted the cover off, and shined her light on it. “‘Economic Principles, First Edition’.” “Must have been a business family,” Sunset said, searching for all of the billiard balls. She flinched at the unholy squeak the liquor cabinet made as Adagio forced it open. “Oooh, look!” She pulled a perfectly preserved bottle out. “‘1901’. You think it’s still good?” “Drink it and find out,” Twilight mumbled, still picking through the books. Adagio gave it a little shake. “Maybe I’ll let Sonata try it. Besides, I brought my own booze.” Sunset snapped her head up. “You brought alcohol?” “Just because you’re not allowed to drink doesn’t mean we have to limit ourselves.” “How did you afford drinks?” “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to,” Adagio said casually. Sunset groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I can’t believe you.” “Oh please, don’t act like you’ve never stolen something before. You’re not as pure as the rest of those little snowflakes.” “Don’t call them snowflakes,” Sunset growled, unable to argue Adagio’s other point. Adagio held a hand up. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry. I’m just saying, you’re so much more exciting; I don’t know why you try to downplay it so much.” Sunset ignored her and joined Twilight by the bookshelf. She leaned in and said softly, “If you wanna give her a little poke, I won’t say anything.” “She’s making it really tempting.” Twilight put the book up and moved over to the mirror. Sunset reached to pick another book, and froze when Twilight let out a short scream. “What is it?” Twilight stared at the open door. “I saw something move!” “Adagio?” Sunset narrowed her eyes. She was still picking through the cabinet. “It wasn’t me.” Sunset made a note of skepticism in her throat and stepped outside the room. She looked right and left, but found nothing out of the ordinary. “Hello?” No answer from one of the others. With how dim the hallway was, she couldn’t say it was a trick of the light. While she didn’t subscribe to either Pinkie or Adagio’s stories of vicious ghosts, perhaps there was something here. “Come on,” Sunset said with a wave of her hand. “Let’s keep exploring.” ******* Rarity sighed. “It’s a shame. This seems like it would have been a lovely home. For the time, at least.” She stopped and ran a hand down one of the few curtains remaining to frame the windows. She would never have used velvet drapes of this thickness, even in a Victorian home. She then gagged at the amount of dust on her fingers and wiped them clean on the paper towel she held onto. “Meh, I’ve seen better,” Aria said, swinging her flashlight around. “It’s less tacky than I expected though. Lots of dark colors. I prefer Neo-Gothic style.” “Oh! You know Gothic style architecture?” Aria shrugged. “Well, I lived through it, so yeah.” Rarity froze mid-step. “You… lived through the Gothic Revival period?” “Yeah. Got shoved into this stupid world like, halfway through the Georgian era. Got to feed off a lot of wars around then, so that was cool, I guess.” She said all of this with such casual disinterest, Rarity couldn’t tell if she was joking. “Um, Aria, forgive me, I know how rude it is to ask someone their age, but… how old are you, exactly?” “I dunno. Lost track around your first world war.” Rarity’s mind was trying to comprehend several things at once. “So… you and your sisters are immortal?” “I don’t know. You broke our gemstones—the source of or magic and powers, so who knows what’s gonna happen now!” Aria stomped into the next room.  Rarity flinched and hurried after her. Aria had entered a crowded bedroom. The bed took up most of the left wall, and the right was covered by a writing desk and a large armoire. Rarity’s mind first went to how well the cherry red carpet complimented the cherrywood furniture. She pushed it away and focused on Aria, picking moodily through the desk drawers. “Listen. I will not apologize for doing the right thing and stopping you and your sisters from brainwashing my friends and family and taking over the world,” Rarity said firmly. “While it’s never our intention to cut someone’s lifespan short, I have a hard time drawing sympathy for someone who has yet to show remorse for their actions. If you are mortal now, suffice to say, you brought it upon yourselves.” Aria turned and gave her a burning look, and for a moment, Rarity was afraid she might have overstepped her bounds. She stood her ground, however, refusing to be intimidated, but inwardly prayed it wouldn’t come to a fight. Unfortunately, Aria slammed the drawer shut, forcing Rarity to flinch and put her hands up in a defensive position. However, instead of striking at Rarity’s show of fear, Aria gave a rare, non-threatening smirk. “Heh, for one of those frilly dress-makers, you’re almost kinda cool.” Rarity lowered her hands. “Oh, well, thank—” Aria was in her face, jabbing a finger into her collarbone. “But don’t think I’m going to apologize for needing to eat. Sirens feed off negative emotion, it’s what we do. And don’t expect me to just get over not being immortal anymore. We were awesome and powerful until you and those Lulamoons came along.” Rarity took a step back. “Well then, I suppose we are at an impasse if neither of us is going to apologize. Though I will ask you to respect my personal boundaries.”  Aria crossed her arms. “As long as we know where we stand.” She pivoted on her heel and returned to investigate the armoire, while Rarity stood in thought. It’s going to be hard to make friends with them if they don’t let go of that battle. Sunset didn’t hold onto her loss that long. Not outwardly at least. Rarity wanted to mend this bridge so she could probe Aria’s familiarity with old architecture. If the Siren really was hundreds of years old, she was a potential font of artistic knowledge. “Woah, cool!”  Rarity snapped out of her doldrum and wandered over to Aria and the armoire. She peered in, seeing a collection of old, moth-eaten dresses pushed to both sides to reveal the back of the wardrobe where words were carved into the wood. GET OUT. Rarity screamed and jumped back. Aria rolled her eyes. “Relax. Some dumb kid probably scratched that in as a prank.” “Not that!” Rarity reached in and pulled a silver gown out, lamenting at the torn ruffles and eaten hem. “This dress was once beautiful but now look at it!” “You’re more concerned about the dress than the cryptic words?” “Well, like you said, it’s probably just some childish prank,” Rarity said, giving a closer examination of the dress. “Oh, look at the poor thing. Taken down in its prime. I bet you were only worn once before you were left to languish in here.” Aria shook her head and moved back to the desk. “You’re really straddling the line between cool and dumb.” But Rarity was hardly listening. As she looked at the gown, designs began forming in her mind of modern renovations to the overall aesthetic. Rarity then looked up and stared at the paintings around the room, some of them depicting men and women in formal Victorian era clothing. What if she created a modern revival of these designs? Perhaps even sprinkle in a few Neo-Gothic elements? A buzz of inspiration ran up her spine. “Aria, tell me: what would you think if I moved the drapery to the sides and gave the front a more silk sheek look?” Aria side-eyed the dress. “I don’t know, I hated the get-ups back then. They were too restricting and not dark enough.” Rarity drummed her fingers against her chin. “Hmmm, punk Victorian. I’ve never tried that before. It could be bold. It could be experimental. It could be Canterlot’s next big thing! Aria, you’re a genius!” Aria straightened up and gave Rarity her full attention. “I am?”  “Yes! You just struck inspirational gold! Victorian style gowns and dresses with modern punk elements. It’s not entirely new, but with my artistic flare, it could go places!” Rarity gave the dress a wave, scattering dust everywhere. “I would love to hear some of your opinions though! I don’t know nearly enough about punk style as I could.” To Rarity’s surprise, Aria was actually blushing. It was faint, but there. “You want my opinion?” “Of course! You’ve got a great fashion sense.” Aria looked away and tugged on one of her pigtails. “Huh. No one’s really asked for my opinion before.” Rarity lowered the dress. “What do you mean?” Aria kicked a mothball and shoved her hands in her pockets. “Adagio’s always been the leader. It’s always been her ideas, her goals, her schemes. She gives orders, she never takes them. The only time she’ll consider listening to me is when she’s desperate.” “Oh, I see.” Even with the little time Rarity had spent around Adagio, she could tell the head Siren was the kind of leader who didn’t take input from her subordinates. Aria’s gloomy and aggressive attitude began to make more sense.  Rarity cleared her throat. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that from me. I promise to value your opinions.” “Don’t make it sappy.” Aria took her hands out of her pockets. “I guess I could help with your dumb fashion project. I don’t have anything better to do. But I’m not wearing any dresses.” “You might change your mind once you see them!” Rarity jumped forward and took Aria by the arm. “Now come on! My sketchbook is downstairs!” “Hey, woah! What happened to that personal space crap?” Aria yelled as Rarity dragged her forward. “No time for that We must strike the iron while it’s hot!” ******* Rainbow flailed her arms, brushing more cobwebs away. “This place would be cooler if there weren’t so many stupid webs around!” Soarin chuckled. “Here, you missed a spot.” He reached over and pulled some out of Rainbow’s hair. “Thanks.” “Don’t mention it.” He and Rainbow stood side-by-side in the narrow hallway of the third floor. A single beam of sunlight shone down through a crack in the roof. Their flashlights still provided the majority of illumination. Rainbow swatted yet another web as she reached to open one of the doors. She hesitated. “What are the odds it’s booby-trapped?” “Pfft. Who would booby trap a place like this?” “Someone trying to hide a secret.” Soarin reached past her and opened the door. When nothing happened, he spread his arms and grinned. “See?” “Hey, you never know.” Rainbow walked into the room, swinging her flashlight around. Boxes, covered furniture, and miscellaneous objects were scattered about with no rhyme or reason. Rainbow was about to write it off as a boring storage room when her eye spotted something in the corner. “Oh, awesome!” She navigated her way across the maze of objects. Soarin followed close behind. “Is that a suit of armor?” Rainbow approached it with an eager grin. Indeed, a full suit of gray medieval armor including a poleaxe as tall as Rainbow stood tucked away in the corner. Thin spider webs hung in its visor, and the plume on its helm was more gray than red now. “Why is there medieval armor in a house built in the late 1800s?” Soarin asked. “Who cares? It’s awesome!” Rainbow reached up and grabbed the helmet. She twisted and turned it, trying to wrest it from its body. The whole suit made teeth grinding screeching and squealing sounds as Rainbow rattled it. Soarin winced and clamped a hand over his ear. “Please be careful.” “Of what?” Rainbow popped the helmet off and began dusting it with her shirt. “I can’t believe no one snagged this yet.” She froze and cocked her head toward the boarded window. A muffled sound came from somewhere on the grounds below. She swore it was a wolf howling. “Did you hear that?” “Hear what?” Soarin asked, shifting his eyes left and right. Rainbow strained her ears to hear it again, but all was silent. She brushed it away, finished cleaning the inside of the helmet, and shoved it onto her head. “Geez, It’s tighter than I thought.” Her nose itched, and she let out a powerful sneeze. “Okay, that’s enough.” She tried to pull the helmet off, finding it a tougher feat than she anticipated. She tugged harder, feeling the back get caught on her ponytail. With a grunt, she pulled it forward, stumbling back as she did. She felt the cold armor against her back shake unsteadily, and Soarin shouted before Rainbow felt herself tackled to the floor. There was a mighty crash! Followed closely by a loud thunk of something blunt hitting and becoming embedded in the wooden floor.  Rainbow finally slid her head free of the dumb helm. She sat up, finding Soarin lying across her lap, a smear of dust across his shirt. Just behind him, the axe had swung down into the floor. Soarin glanced at her. “Um, you okay?” “Y-Yeah,” Rainbow said, unsure why her cheeks were burning. “You realize the axe would have hit the helmet, right?” “Better safe than sorry.” Soarin rolled onto his butt and dusted off his front. “I’d hate to see a great athlete cut down in her prime. Literally.” Rainbow stood up and tossed the helmet away. “Admit it, you just used that as an excuse for some dumb romance cliché where you rescue me from getting hurt so I make out with you.” Soarin arched his eyebrows. “Did it work?” She gave him a kick to the shins. It wasn’t hard, but it was enough to make him flinch. “Hey, hey, I was kidding! The only place I’m gonna tackle you is on the football field.” Rainbow turned away so he couldn’t see the dirty smirk on her face. “Uh-huh. Sure.” She navigated her way back to the door. Other than the armor, this room was just a collection of old junk. Rainbow didn’t feel like digging through all of them in the vain attempt to find something else cool. That was for eggheads like Twilight and Sunset. She waited for Soarin in the hall, impatiently tapping her foot as he dawdled, still wiping his shirt clean. When he finally joined her, Rainbow grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in, kissing him on the lips. It wasn’t for very long, just five, maybe seven seconds. Still, it was long enough for her heart to jump into overdrive, like she was on the last leg of a relay race. Rainbow pushed him back and crossed her arms, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. “There. Next time you want a kiss, just ask.” Soarin, with a dazed and goofy expression, just nodded before breaking into a full smile. Rainbow walked past him before it spread to her. She didn’t see what all the fuss was about. Sure, pressing her lips against Soarin’s was nice, and his breath tasted like spearmint, which was refreshing. But she didn’t get why couples loved doing it all the time, everywhere. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t going to kiss him again. ******* Dusk settled over the forest, and while Sunset hadn’t thought it possible, the interior of the house managed to become even dimmer. She, Twilight, and Adagio descended the stairs, finding Applejack had set up a kerosene lamp in the middle of the foyer. While bright, it exaggerated their shadows to gangly giants that flickered and danced along the floor and walls. Sunset was surprised to see Rarity and Aria huddled together over Rarity’s sketchbook. Rarity scribbled furiously, then showed it to Aria who shrugged and murmured something, sending Rarity back into a drawing frenzy. Fluttershy kept close to Applejack, her eyes flickering up to the stairs every few seconds while she ran her hands through her hair. “Find anythin’ interestin’?” Applejack asked. “Depends on your definition of ‘interesting’,” Adagio said, sitting down on her sleeping bag.  Twilight held a book up. “We found the library, but these books are a bit dry, even for me.” Sunset silently remarked how that hadn’t stopped her from taking one. Either her face gave away more than she intended, or Twilight knew her so well that she could tell what Sunset was thinking. She gave Sunset a playful glower and nudged her with the book. They settled on Sunset’s sleeping bag, Twilight resting her head in Sunset’s lap as she began to read. Sunset glanced toward the kitchen, hearing nothing from beyond the swinging door. “Where’d Pinkie and Sonata go?” Applejack pointed down the opposite hall. “They went explorin’ a little bit ago. Haven’t seen ‘em since.” “Given it’s Sonata, I should probably be concerned,” Adagio said, any trace of concern far from her voice. “Eh, she’ll be fine,” Aria said. Rainbow and Soarin came down a few minutes later, smudges of dust and dirt on their clothes. “For a big fancy house, there’s not a lot here,” Rainbow quipped. “Most of it’s just boring junk. I mean, except for the armor we found, but it tried to drop an axe on me, sooo…” “Me and Applejack explored the garden,” Fluttershy said. “It was still really pretty, even with all the weeds growing. There’s a lovely family of opossums living in one of the oak trees.” “Also found the door to the cellar,” Applejack added. “Too bad it was locked tighter than a jar of Zap Apple Jam on the off season.” “That’s probably where they’re keeping the bodies,” Aria said with a macabre smile. Rarity then held up her sketchbook and Aria chewed the inside of her cheek before giving an approving nod. “It’s cool, I guess.” Rarity squeed with excitement and flipped the page over before racing her pen across it. Sunset wasn’t one-hundred percent sure what had happened between them, but was delighted to see Aria connecting with someone. Rainbow sat down on her sleeping bag next to Soarin. The two leaned against one another, their hands overlaid. The simple action got Rarity to look up from her drawings and give a silent squeal of delight. Fluttershy stared pointedly at her boots. “Meh,” Rainbow said, “I almost wish there was a ghost or something. I knew coming here would be easy.” “I don’t know,” Adagio said coyly, spinning a finger through her curls. “Twilight thought she saw a ghost in the billiard room. And Sunset jumped a foot when we were in the library.” Twilight turned a page in her book. “I don’t know what I saw, but I doubt it was a ghost.” Sunset stroked Twilight’s hair as she reflected. She had thought she had seen a large shadow in the corner of her eye while in the library, only for it to vanish when she tried looking directly at it. She knew better than to dismiss the idea of supernatural activities. Afterall, there had been the wolf spirit on the mountain during spring break. They had been told it was evil, only to be proven wrong. So, while a twinge of paranoia ran up Sunset’s spine, she didn’t buy into malicious ghosts just yet. When the last orange glow of evening faded away from the gaps in the boarded windows, Sunset began to grow worried over Pinkie and Sonata. The house wasn’t that big. She opened her mouth to ask Twilight’s opinion, but looking down, she found the bookworm had her eyes closed, the book rising and falling slowly as it rested against her chest. Waking Twilight felt like a capital crime, especially when she looked so cute. Eh, I’m sure those two are fine. A bloodcurdling scream made the hairs on Sunset’s neck shoot up and her heart miss several beats. It sounded distant but very much real. Fluttershy screamed in turn, jumping into Applejack’s lap. Rainbow jumped to her feet and raised her fists, wildly looking around the room. Twilight let out a loud yelp and shot up, flailing her arms and smacking Sunset in the nose. “Who—what—where? Ah, Sunset! I’m so sorry!” Sunset rubbed her nose, thankful it wasn’t bleeding. “It’s fine.” Rarity fanned herself, managing to look paler than normal. “Good heavens, what on earth was that?” “D-do you th-think it was P-Pinkie or Sonata? Maybe something got them!” Fluttershy asked, arms locked around Applejack. “Relax,” Soarin said, still lounging on his blanket. “I’m pretty sure nothing’s got them.” “You don’t know that!” Rainbow shouted. “We have to find Pinkie!” Adagio raised an eyebrow. “And Sonata?” “Yeah, sure.” Sunset got up. “We’ll split into three teams, one for each floor. Rainbow, Soarin, Fluttershy, you get the first floor. Rarity, Applejack, and Aria, take the second. Me, Twilight, and Adagio will take the third. Stay together, and if you find anything, call me.” “Right!” Everyone else scrambled up and put their shoes back on and grabbed their flashlights. With Adagio and Twilight in tow, Sunset led them up the main stairs, around a corner, and up a narrower flight to the third floor. Thanks to the boarded windows and the warm evening, the air was hot and humid. Thin beams of orange light broke through the darkness, reflecting off brass ornaments and picture frames.  “What do you think could have happened?” Twilight whispered. “I don’t know,” Sunset said, ignoring the nervous flutter in her stomach. “Hopefully, Pinkie just ran into a spider or something.” “Knowing Sonata, it’s probably something inane,” Adagio said, flicking her flashlight. They pulled open one of the doors and poked into a spare bedroom. White cloth covered most of the furniture, startling Sunset into mistaking them for ghosts when she first shined her light on them.  “Pinkie? Sonata?” When neither responded, Sunset pulled out and carried on down the hall. “They can’t have gotten far.” “Unless something got to them,” Adagio said. There was the thinnest trace of unease in her voice. Sunset said nothing. She, sadly, couldn’t rule out that possibility. But why would a supernatural force be after them? Well, we are kinda trespassing. That’d do it. They entered into the library once again, a large, circular room that took up most of the third floor. There were two stand-alone bookshelves in the center, then the entire back wall served as a third, curving one. Most of the books were gone or molding, filling the air with the scent of musty pages. Like everywhere else, the carpet had been eaten by rats and moths, and cobwebs filled the spaces between books. It was a sad sight to behold. As Sunset stepped inside, she felt a slight chill in the air, just enough to get her attention. She was liking this place less and less by the second. “Pinkie,” she called softly, afraid she could wake something else. “Sonata? Answer me, please!” They fanned out, casting their light into the corners and behind the bookshelves. Nothing. Thunk! “Eeeep!” Sunset turned around and ran to Twilight’s side. “What, what is it?” Twilight shook like a leaf. Her flashlight pointed down at a book that had fallen. It appeared to be some sort of fiction book. Ominously, it had landed on a page that read, Chapter X: Final Warning. Adagio looked over their shoulders, her face unreadable. “So, I don’t actually believe in ghosts… but, that’s definitely a sign something in here doesn’t like us.”  Sunset pulled Twilight away. “Ghost or evil spirit, or whatever, we need to at least find Pinkie and Sonata before we think of trying to run back through the forest at night, which might be a worse idea than staying here.” Twilight gave her hand a nervous squeeze. “I don’t know. Dealing with physical creatures we can at least hit seems like a better alternative than fighting spirits. From a completely scientific point of view.” They retreated from the library, but only had a storage room left to check, and it proved empty. Adagio took interest in the medieval axe on the floor. Feeling drastically unsafe with Adagio wielding any kind of weapon, Sunset ordered her to leave it. “Well, they’re not here,” Sunset said, shutting the door after Adagio had skulked out. “Hopefully, one of the others—” Another scream ripped through the night, making all of them jump. It seemed to come from everywhere, bouncing through the old corridor and off the wooden walls. Sunset couldn’t say it sounded like Pinkie, and she had no idea how Sonata sounded when she screamed. It subsided, leaving the floor hauntingly quiet.  “Back to the first floor, now!” Sunset commanded. ******* Naturally, the kitchen was the first place Rainbow thought to check for clues of Pinkie’s whereabouts. It was much colder here than the rest of the house, owing to the use of stone floors instead of wood. A wide brick countertop took up the center of the room. On one end was a brick oven that Rainbow thought would be awesome to use for cooking a pizza. On the other side of the room was an old cast iron stove and oven.  Several cabinets had been opened and rummaged through, probably from Pinkie and Sonata’s earlier exploration. Aside from a bag of hardened sugar, Rainbow didn’t see any trace of her hyperactive friend. “So, uhh, what exactly is the deal with you girls and those three… sisters, are they?” Soarin asked as he peeked into one of the cabinets. “Between the laser tag match and today, it kinda feels like you guys don’t like each other.” “We don’t,” Fluttershy said rather cooly. In fact, that was coolest Rainbow had ever heard her. She knew Fluttershy wasn’t fond of the Sirens, but wow. “Yeah, it’s kinda hard to explain,” Rainbow said. “They did some bad stuff in the past, but now they said they wanna make up for it and be our friends. Personally, I’m still leaning on it being total BS. But, Sunset thinks we should give them a chance.” Soarin whistled. “You girls lead some exciting lives, dontcha? What’d they do?” “That’s on a need to know basis,” Fluttershy said, the coldness in her voice dropping to sub-zero. “And we have more important things to do right now.” She walked back into the foyer, leaving Rainbow to scratch her head in confusion. She could rarely recall Fluttershy being so grouchy. She must really be worried about Pinkie. Rainbow was right behind her, but Soarin caught her arm and held her just in front of the door. Rainbow looked back at him. “Hey, I know I said if you wanted a kiss, just ask, but now isn’t—” Soarin shook his head. “Look, maybe I pried too far asking what happened between you girls and those three, but…” he dropped his voice to a whisper. “I’m starting to get the feeling Fluttershy doesn’t like me.” “What?” Rainbow snorted. “You must be crazy, Fluttershy’s just upset about what’s going on, and I can’t say I blame her. But I doubt she doesn’t like you.” “I don’t know, Dash. She seems to give me the evil eye every time I look at her. And I’m pretty sure she was targeting only me during laser tag.” “Fluttershy doesn't have a mean bone in her body.” Rainbow tapped Soarin’s skull. “Trust me, you’re imagining it. Now come on.” They crossed back into the foyer. Fluttershy was waiting in the light of the lamp, arms crossed and foot tapping. Rainbow thought she might have seen a slight glower in their direction, but dismissed it as a trick of the bright light. The only person Fluttershy glowered at was her brother. The garden was the next place to look. Overgrown with weeds and vines and rotting leaves, it gave off an overpowering odor, and made Rainbow feel she had walked back into the heart of the forest. Stone columns leading to the center had crumbled, and the fat cherubs that had perched on top had fallen to the ground. An empty basin sat in the back, filled with moss and dried up lily pads, evidence that it had once been a pool. Off to the side was a cellar door, but a thick iron bolt and chain stopped Rainbow from opening it. “I swear, if they’re down there…” “But how?” Fluttershy asked. “I dunno. Ghosts can do some pretty freaky things, right?” Soarin shook his head. “There’s no ghost.” Fluttershy gave him quite the skeptical eye. “How do you know?” Soarin gave her a winning smile. “Just trust me. If there was something bad happening, I’d know. I’m pretty sure Pinkie and Sonata are both fine.” Fluttershy continued to look unimpressed. Huh… maybe there is something up with her. With the back gate rusted over and impossible to open, the trio walked back into the house. The parlor on the left-hand side of the stairs was empty, leaving just a bedroom, and the laundry room to explore. Rainbow doubted Pinkie was simply hiding in either location. She was spared from having to check when a second horrid scream assaulted her ears. Fluttershy clamped down onto her arm, shaking like a leaf. Soarin looked unsettled, but far from panicked. Fluttershy stammered, “Wh-where is that c-c-coming from?” “I can’t tell,” Rainbow said, a nervous sweat running down the back of her neck. “Come on, we should check in with the others.” They doubled back to the entrance, and Rainbow pulled her phone out to call Sunset. Footsteps tromping down the stairs interrupted her. Rarity and Applejack came down, looking frazzled. “We lost Aria!” Rarity cried. “What? How?” Rainbow asked. “We don’t know,” Applejack said, looking around wildly. “She was right behind us the whole time, Ah swear. The next thing we know, she’s gone and someone’s screaming again.” Sunset led Twilight and Adagio down the stairs. “We heard more screaming! Is everyone okay?” Sunset asked. Fluttershy shook her head. “We lost Aria.” Adagio glared at them. “How did you lose Aria? Sonata I can understand, but Aria isn’t dumb enough to wander off on her own!” “Where could she even have gone?” Sunset asked, throwing her hands in the air. Everyone cast an uneasy glance around at each other. Sunset pressed a hand to her eye. “Don’t tell me we’re all on the ghost theory.” “I’m not,” Soarin said. “I was joking before,” Adagio said. She furrowed her brow and glared upwards. “Now, I don’t know what to believe.” Sunset tapped her foot. “We need to get to the bottom of this. Has anyone seen anything remotely useful or suspicious?” “We’ve already searched most of the house,” Applejack said. “The only place left is the cellar, but it’s locked tight.” “There has to be another way in there,” Rainbow said. Twilight paced the floor. “Umm, well… a house this old might have a dumbwaiter somewhere that they used to move things between floors. It might link to the basement, if they have one, and if it still works.” “Well, it’s the only thing we can do for now,” Rarity said with uncertainty. “Has anyone seen anything that could be the dumbwaiter?” “Well, we haven’t checked the laundry room yet,” Soarin said. Without another word, everyone moved down the hall toward the laundry room. It was narrow, and consisted of a large wash basin and an old clothesline. A door was set into the wall near the back, but instead of a knob, it had a handle at the bottom to slide it up. Rainbow, with some difficulty, pulled it open, dust spraying down upon her head. Beyond was a dark, brick shaft with two ropes hanging down into the darkness. Next to the opening was a lever. Rainbow pulled it and heard something clicking and whirring above her. The ropes shuddered, and something large started to grind its way up from the depths.  A small steel compartment, big enough for perhaps two of them to squeeze into rose up to greet them. It shuddered to a stop, giving a nervous creak. “So…” Rarity tapped her fingers together. “Who wants to go into the creepy basement first?” Sunset gripped her flashlight. “I’ll go.” Twilight grabbed her hand. “Then I’m going with you.” Sunset smiled at her. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Adagio stuck her tongue out. “We get it, you’re a cute couple. Just go down there and see if the rest of our party is or isn’t dead.” ******* Sunset climbed up and into the service cart, helping Twilight in after her. They gave a nod to Applejack, who lifted the lever and lowered them into the inky blackness. Their flashlights kept the small space lit, but there was nothing to see other than the brick shaft. “Do you really think they’re down here?” Twilight asked. “Let’s hope so. Otherwise, we’re gonna have a real problem on our hands.” Sunset had dealt with many things the people of this world would call supernatural, but she had no idea how to handle a ghost. The cart shuddered to a stop. Breaking up the brick inlays was another wooden door. Sunset reached for the latch and pulled it open. Her eyes couldn’t pierce the darkness beyond, but her flashlight could. She spotted the boiler in the back, behind broken furniture and moldy boxes.  Sunset climbed out, stretching her already cramped up legs. Twilight stretched her back, eliciting a small pop. “Pinkie?” she called, waving her flashlight around. The boiler made a small hiss, making both girls jump into each other's arms. Sunset gave a nervous chuckle. “Kinda reminds me of the science fair, right?” “Y-yeah. A little bit.” They pulled apart and stepped further in, eyes peeled for their friends. Nothing seemed to stir, but Sunset swore she could feel a presence down here. She and Twilight slowly crossed the room, stepping over shattered glass and splintered wood. A shriek rang out behind them, paralyzing them with fear before Twilight swung around, pulling her sword free from its sheath and giving a wild swing, eyes closed. Sunset jumped to the side to avoid getting cut to ribbons. She wasn’t the only one. Standing behind them were three figures dressed with hideous, monstrous faces, mouths hanging open and full of sharp teeth. They kept a wide berth from Twilight’s swings. “Stay back!” Twilight yelled. “I’m warning you!” One of the masks gave a very familiar chortle. “Okay, I think we scared them enough.” Sunset’s eyes widened. “Pinkie?” The three figures took off their faces, revealing Pinkie and the two missing Sirens. “Gotcha!” Pinkie said with a wide grin. A sharp, needling pain burrowed into the front of Sunset’s skull. “Are you telling me,” she said, trying to keep her voice even, “this was all a prank?” “Duh,” Sonata said, putting a hand on her hip. “Like, a scary house in the middle of some spooky forest? How could we not prank you?” “But, the screaming we heard—“ Aria pulled a tape recorder from her pocket and hit the play button. Sunset and Twilight flinched as the loud scream assaulted their ears again. “That dumbwaiter has some good acoustics. You can hear it all through the house.” Twilight sheathed her sword and stamped her foot. “I can’t believe you would do that to us! Actually, I can believe it. At least, I can believe you two would!” She pointed accusingly at the Sirens. “Pinkie, how could you?” Pinkie’s smile wilted a little. “I thought it would be funny. An early Halloween prank.” “It’s June!” Pinkie’s frown deepened. “Well, I thought it would be fun. It’s fun to be scared sometimes, right?” “Pinkie…” Sunset dug her fingers into her temple. “We were worried sick! We thought…” Aria scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Do you seriously believe this place is haunted? Get real. And don’t get mad at her, it was our idea. Sonata talked her into it.” Sunset gave her a curious appraisal. Aria standing up for Pinkie? Perhaps they were making some real progress. She took a deep breath to drive away her oncoming headache. “Look, let’s just get out of here.” Twilight turned her flashlight toward the service elevator. “It’s gonna take a few trips.” “You two go up first,” Sunset growled, pointing to Aria and Sonata. They shrugged and climbed into the dumbwaiter. Sunset pulled the lever and sent them on their way before rounding on Pinkie. She looked at Sunset with her big blue eyes, lower lip sticking out just a fraction. “Come on, guys. It’s not really that bad, is it?” Sunset knew she was getting soft if that little pout was enough to cool some of her frustrations. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be a parent. “Pinkie, I’m glad you had fun, but—” “What if you were really hurt or kidnapped!” Twilight yelled, throwing her hands in the air. “What if the Sirens had been tricking you and they brought you down here to… to…” “But they didn’t,” Pinkie argued. “But we didn’t know that!” Sunset wondered if their shouting carried up to the ground floor. Before she pondered it too long, the dumbwaiter returned, and Sunset sent Pinkie and Twilight up. Both girls had their arms folded over their chests, Twilight fuming and Pinkie looking like a reprimanded six-year-old. Sunset honestly couldn’t decide if she was angry or relieved. Of course there hadn’t been a ghost. She felt dumb for not evening thinking it could have all been a prank. But Twilight was right: what if something had gone wrong? But it hadn’t. The boiler hissed again, making Sunset jump. The twinge of paranoia returned as she cast her light around the room again. Old, broken furniture laid around in various heaps, turning what would be a wide space into a cluttered labyrinth. Large kegs stood off to one side, and a shelf of old wine bottles sat above them. Water dripped from the roof into puddles, creating a light rhythm of noise. Aside from the cellar entrance, there was another door across from Sunset made out of metal. It looked out of place among the wood and stone. Nothing else seemed peculiar in any way. Yet, the hairs on Sunset’s neck refused to go down. She jumped again when the dumbwaiter creaked its way back down to her. With one last uneasy glance, she climbed in and rapt on the ceiling. A second later, she was hoisted up. She rose to a round of arguing. “... the least you two idiots could have done was told me about it!” Adagio yelled. “It sold better if you weren’t in the know,” Aria said matter-of-factly. “Plus, you would have said it was dumb.” “That’s because it was dumb!” “Aww,” Sonata cooed. “Were you worried about us?” “Only because I need you two to pay rent if we ever get out of that stupid factory.” “See, Aria? I knew she loved us!”  The dumbwaiter creaked to a halt in time for Sunset to see Sonata open her arms and step toward Adagio. “Come on, Dagi, bring it in!” “Touch me and I will rip off your arms and beat you with them,” Adagio said coldly. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with Adagio… about the prank, not… that.” Twilight said. shuddering. “That was really dumb! What if you were actually in trouble, Pinkie?” “But I wasn’t! Come on, Dashie, you have to admit, it was pretty funny, right?” Pinkie said, a hint of desperation in her voice. “No, it wasn’t,” Rainbow growled. “It kinda was,” Soarin said. “Dude, whose side are you on?” “Okay, okay, everyone just take a deep breath,” Sunset said, fumbling out of the dumbwaiter and into the crowded laundry room. She dusted the dirt off her shirt. “Look, what the three of them did was irresponsible and they could have been hurt. But, creepy house in the middle of the woods? You guys have to admit, it was a pretty good prank.” Twilight crossed her arms and huffed. Fluttershy and Adagio did likewise, Adagio adding an additional eye roll. Everyone else relaxed their shoulders a tad, and Applejack even smiled. “Ah mean, Ah don’t like it. But it was pretty well done. Scared the tar outta me.” Rainbow blew her bangs out of her face. “Yeah, I guess.” She punched Pinkie’s shoulder and gave her a devilish grin. “You realize, this means war, right?” Pinkie regained her smile and jumped up and down. Fluttershy let out a pained whine. “Please, no more pranks tonight.” Sunset took a calm breath, feeling the tension slowly dissolve. Adagio still looked agitated, but it was hardly different from her usual expression. Twilight yielded a sigh, her facial features softening ever-so-slightly. Putting a hand on Twilight’s back, Sunset led the group out of the room. “Come on, let’s get some food. This prank has left me starving.”