//------------------------------// // Final // Story: Apple Bloom's Mansion 2: the Phantom Valley // by Lucar //------------------------------// Applejack was dead... And now, she was a ghost controlled by Pyrite's mysterious ally. Like Smart Spirit. Like the Gem Family. And maybe even like the others... Who was dead? Who was still alive? What about Little Ghost? She was the only member of the Gem Family she hadn't fought for now. Were they keeping her as a trump card? She didn't know. Apple Bloom only knew one thing as her small island was approaching the giant one with the tower at the center: Pyrite was the responsible for all this. He was the one who freed Bogmire to assassinate his entire family and get their fortune. He was the one who escaped the first time. He was the one who went to seek help from this mysterious ally of his. So he was indirectly the one who caused the death of Smart Spirit and Applejack. This had to stop. Apple Bloom still wasn't over her sister's death, but when her destination was finally reached, she put it in the back of her mind and jumped from her island to the other, entering Pyrite's chosen arena for their battle. The stallion was waiting for her at the top of the tower, so the filly already began to walk toward it, full of rage and hate toward him. Really, if he wasn't already dead, she would kill him. And maybe make him suffer a little before that. But knowing that he would soon rot in Tartarus for all eternity was enough. But then, dozens of canvas appeared around the arena, and floating paintbrushes started to paint on them. Rapidly, the arena began to be filled with painted ghosts. Hundreds of them of all kinds she fought back in the Gem Manor, from the earth ponies ones to the most powerfuls ones like the hydra and even dragons, without forgetting alicorns, chimeras, bugbears, rocs, and sea serpents between others. There was no way for her to fight all of them at the same time. So she ran to the tower, knowing that the only way for her to win was by capturing Pyrite. As the first ghosts reached her and began to attack her, the filly using the Poltergust in red mode to suck up the weakest while running, she entered the tower and began to climb the spiral staircase leading to the roof. But the ghosts quickly circled the tower and started to enter it or to attack her through the walls, not even needing to break them or to go through the windows. They just needed to pass through the walls, entirely or partially (like just a claw), and it was done. Before long, the filly had to defend herself against dozens of ghosts while climbing the stairs. Regularly, she had to stop to deal with a big wave of ghosts blocking the way, or to avoid projectiles, the swing of a giant claw, the fire breath of a dragon, or even a hydra head trying to gobble her. She wasn't sure what would happen to her if she was gobbled by a ghost, but she didn't want to find out. Against those bigger ghosts, she didn't specifically attempt to capture them, she just trapped their head or claw in the Poltergust's vortex and pulled in a direction to slam it against something else, be it another ghost or the wall. All the while, she had to make sure to not be dragged beyond the edge of the stairs, which didn't even possess a railing to stop her, without forgetting to be careful to not overheat her Poltergust. She didn't count, but just by climbing this tower, she probably captured as many ghosts as back on the terrace. But eventually, she managed to reach the top and got on the roof where Pyrite was waiting for her above a bell, revealing this tower to be one of those watch towers with a bell at the top to warn from invasions. Already, the roof was being surrounded by ghosts. Dozens of dragons, hydras, sea serpents, and others' head with poking above the edges. Pegasi, alicorns, rocs, and others were flying in the sky above. But they stopped attacking her. Instead, Pyrite chuckled. "Finally, you are there... Now that Thanatos had his fun, I can have my revenge. Oh, but I must admit, seeing your expression when you discovered that the old fool was dead and when your sister died was worth the wait. But now, I will kill you, and take back what is mine." "Ya'll only've one thing, Pyrite: an eternity in Tartarus with this Thanatos," Apple Bloom growled. Pyrite laughed. "Thanatos? Imprisoned in Tartarus?" He smirked at Apple Bloom. "Thanatos is one of the few beings in existence that Tartarus can't keep imprisoned. His power is beyond anything you can think of. If you face him... he could kill you on the spot if he wanted. You are just a larva compared to him. Not like this will happen since you will die now." At this, Pyrite levitated a big hammer from behind the bell and gave a big swing, hitting the bell with it. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! The sound was so strong that Apple Bloom was forced to put her hooves on her ears while yelling in pain. "AAAAAAAAHH!!! MAH EARS!" She was then clawed from the side by a dragon, and she was sent on the floor, bleeding, only to be hit by a magical beam from an alicorn, sending her flying a few feet further. Meanwhile, because of Pyrite, the bell started swinging back and forth, causing a clapper inside to continuously strike it again and again, making it toll. Because of this, Apple Bloom's ears were continuously assaulted, but painfully, she resisted the urge to cover them and rolled out of the way of a punch before she activated the Poltergust to capture most of the ghosts surrounding her, including a swarm of parasprites that was charging at her. Pyrite struck the bell again, restarting it while countless more painted ghosts came to replace the ones that were captured. After capturing some more ghosts to get herself some space, Apple Bloom then captured a head of a hydra approaching her from behind and made it hit a roc. The hydra was one that she seemingly weakened while climbing the tower, because it was then sucked up inside the Poltergust. She then started to approach Pyrite, having to roll, jump, and fight her way through dozens of ghosts. She slipped on a banana peel from a fat ghost, and almost got roasted by a dragon as a result. She was only saved by her letting herself being dragged away by a Cerberus, the three headed dog ghost making her approach the bell even more. She then let the dog get away and finally trapped Pyrite. However, just a few seconds later, she was forced to let him go to avoid a buffalo stampede. Pyrite then used telekinesis to throw her back near the edge of the tower, where she was almost crushed under the claw of a sea serpent. She rolled from under it, only to be burned by a phoenix before being punched by a minotaur. Spitting a tooth, Apple Bloom rolled to avoid the snake tail of a chimera, trapped said chimera, and spun to make it slam against many other ghosts circling her, giving her some space. She then slammed it on the head of a roc charging at her. Letting the Poltergust cooldown, she began to run back toward Pyrite, only to be blocked by a dragon slamming its claw on the way before breathing fire at her. She rolled to avoid the fire, then rolled to avoid a hydra's head, then trapped the dragon's head and slammed it against the hydra's head before making it slam on a Cerberus. A bugbear then approached, sting ready, and she was forced to release the dragon to avoid it, only to be hit by a pegasus. She bounced back on her hooves and continued her way toward Pyrite as the ghost struck the bell more and more, to the point that Apple Bloom's ears were constantly hurting. But then, a centaur started draining her magic, and she had to deal with it, trapping it and slamming it around on a bugbear and a cockatrice before capturing all of them. She then puffed air on the potion of a zebra, sending it back toward the ghost as well as a deer, turning the both of them into frogs, before she captured a phoenix, giving her the occasion to approach the bell again. For the second time, Pyrite was trapped in the vortex only for Apple Bloom to be forced to release him to avoid being roasted by two dragons. However, when he was released, Pyrite didn't return to the bell. Instead, he floated in the air above it, out of her reach. That coward! At least, she could see that he was getting weaker and weaker. Painting all those powerful ghosts was taking its toll on him, and Apple Bloom didn't help. Fewer ghosts were coming, and he was more transparent. And now that he stopped striking the bell, it eventually stopped tolling, stopping the assault on her ears. But now, she was probably half-deaf... Not thinking about it, Apple Bloom continued to fight the many ghosts, finally capturing one of the dragons, while thinking of a way to reach Pyrite. As she rolled out of the way of the claws of a roc, she then got an idea. She waited for a roc to attack her, then put the Poltergust to green and caught the roc in its vortex. Letting the roc dragging her, the giant bird eventually flew to the air with her behind. Pyrite understood what she was doing as the roc passed above him. "No! You stupid bird!" He began to fly away, only for Apple Bloom to drop (avoiding by the way the fire breaths and magical beams of many ghosts) toward him. Putting the Poltergust back to red, she was able to catch Pyrite, and she pulled down, slamming him on the bell. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! For Apple Bloom, it was as if the death bell was sounding for Pyrite. She knew it. He was done. She slammed him on a Cerberus charging at her. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! She slammed him on a hydra head. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! She slammed him against a group of yaks. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! She spun, making him slam against all the ghosts surrounding her. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! Finally, she slammed him on the floor where Pyrite clung to a stone brick protruding from the rest. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! He could feel his strength leaving him, so he yelled in panic. "NO! NO! Lord Thanatos! Help! Lord Thanatos!" Then, a voice answered in his head. Sorry, Pyrite, but you lost the game. Ciao! As Pyrite's eyes widened in horror, he could hear Thanatos laughing. It was under his laugh that Pyrite's grip on the stone grip finally failed. "LORD THANATOOOOOOOOOOO-" Pouf! Everything stopped. Just as dozens of ghosts were charging at Apple Bloom from all sides to save their master, Pyrite was finally captured, and the ghosts disappeared like mirages. The bell stopped tolling. It was over. Apple Bloom sat down, badly hurt, but smiling. "Ah finally... got ya..." She then looked around. "But... where's Thanatos? Where's everypony?" As if to answer her question, a small island came floating beside the edge of the roof of the tower. Understanding what she had to do, Apple Bloom slowly advanced toward it and jumped on it. The little island then began to float away to an unknown direction. Until a few seconds later, the purple void of the spiritual world disappeared to leave her in pure darkness. Nothing to see, nothing to hear... Alone... Just as it started to be unbearable for the filly... Dong! "Uh?" Dong! Dong! Dong! A bell could be heard in the darkness. A bell that gave Apple Bloom a very bad feeling, chilling her to the bone. A second bell then started tolling at the same rhythm as the first one, followed by more bells, until a dozen bells were tolling at the same time all around her in the darkness. Then, at both sides of her little island, purple fires appeared, forming a path that the island was following. And then Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike appeared around the island, trapped in round cages that began to fly in a circle. "Everypony!" "Apple Bloom!" yelled Sweetie Belle. "Help!" yelled Spike. Apple Bloom looked around her at the cages, wondering what to do. Then, an organ began playing, and she turned around, seeing a huge castle rise from the depths of the darkness. As the skull of a dragon started to open its mouth, the cages flew toward it, passing a huge double door that opened inside the skull. Apple Bloom entered the castle almost just after them, her island stopping in front of the double door. Now in some entrance hall, Apple Bloom followed the screams of the ponies and climbed a big staircase leading to the second level of the hall. There, she passed another double door and entered a hallway with another double door in front of her. However, the screams weren't coming from it, and she followed them in the hallway, passing some doors before climbing another staircase leading to another hallway. She followed it until reaching a huge double door with four keyholes in the mouth of a pony skull painted on it. She didn't need any key, thankfully, because the double door opened as she approached it, letting her enter a room plunged in darkness. The organ was particularly loud there. The only thing she could see in the darkness were the cages with the ponies in them, as well as Little Ghost chained to something she couldn't see. Then, torches on the wall suddenly lit with purple fires, lighting the room a little, but not much, the filly still barely able to see anything as she slowly advanced. "Well, hello there," she suddenly heard from the darkness between the cages. "Thanatos?" asked Apple Bloom. "Yes, I am Thanatos," answered the voice as two small purple fires appeared in the darkness, forming eyes. "Good job in defeating Pyrite and winning my little game. I hope you liked it. It was quite fun to watch." "It's as fun as a burial," the filly said. "Really? Thank you." "It wasn't a compliment." "It sounded like one to me." "Applejack and Smart Spirit're dead!" Apple Bloom yelled in rage, making the ponies gasp. "I know," said Thanatos as the ghosts of Applejack and Smart Spirit entered the room, floating beside the fiery eyes. "Aren't they lovely like this?" This only made Apple Bloom growl and say, "Ya sick... Ya'll join Pyrite!" which made Thanatos laugh. "So cute. But, let me ask you. Do you know who I am?" Apple Bloom looked in confusion. "Thanatos." "Yes... But who is Thanatos?" "Uh... A powerful ghost?" Thanatos laughed. "Yes, but not just!" A skeletal claw came out of the darkness and started doing circles. The next instant, Smart spirit, Applejack, and dozens of other ghosts started flying in a circle near the ceiling. "I control the dead." The ghosts then came to the floor and bowed. "I am their Lord." He grabbed Little Ghost, showing her to Apple Bloom. "My power is beyond anything they possess, even her." Then, the cages with the ponies started rapidly circling him, making them scream. "Stop it!" yelled Apple Bloom. "The livings are mere playthings to me. Just one little touch with the tip of one of my fingers..." He booped Sweetie Belle, and the filly fell dead, leaving only her ghost to float in the air, confused. "SWEETIE BEEEELLE!!!" Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo screeched. "And they break," Thanatos continued as he sent some purple energy at the new ghost, getting Sweetie Belle under his control. "Becoming a new servant to me," he finished. Apple Bloom roared and charged at Thanatos, only to be stopped by all the ghosts, including Applejack, Smart Spirit, and Sweetie Belle. "Death is my domain, because I. AM. DEATH! Or, to be more exact..." The darkness surrounding him disappeared, fully revealing the skeletal being on a skeletal throne. Everypony gasped. "I AM THANATOS, THE SPIRIT OF DEATH! AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAH!!!" the skeletal draconequus yelled before roaring in laughter, arms spread as he revealed his glory. Apple Bloom looked at Thanatos in horror, gulped, and glared at him. "This changes nothing! Ah'm still gonna capture ya and save everypony!" "Oh?" Thanatos asked smugly before he jumped from his throne and landed among the ghost, scratching Sweetie Belle's chin. "Then, please, entertain me." The surrounding ghosts began to attack Apple Bloom. Those were mainly ponies of the three main tribes, earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns, but there were also a couple of griffons and zebras in the lot. As Apple Bloom began to defend herself against the ghosts, rapidly capturing two of them, she was suddenly hit by a wave of energy sent to her by Thanatos, throwing her back toward the now closed entrance of the throne room. Her back hurt terribly, especially with the injury she got there when she was clawed earlier, but Apple Bloom resisted the pain and rapidly got up, catching Applejack before she could punch her. She used her to push back the ghosts charging at her before she was captured, and Apple Bloom jumped to her right to avoid another wave of energy sent by Thanatos. She then ran between the ghosts, jumping left and right to avoid magical beams from the unicorns, and approached Thanatos, only for him to materialize bones and to throw them at her with a force that would make them impale her. She went to hide behind one of the pillars in the room, using it as a cover while she captured more ghosts, including one of the griffons. She then saw something coming and quickly lowered her head, barely avoiding Thanatos' finger, and trapped him in the vortex of the Poltergust. However, after just two seconds, Thanatos escaped it very easily with an explosion of energy that sent the filly rolling backward. Before she could recover, she was hit again by another wave of energy that sent her flying to a wall further in the room. "It's so bad... You are clearly weakened after all you went through. You are suffering. You are tired. You are losing blood. You are slowing down... And you know what this means?" asked Thanatos with a smirk. "You. Will. Fail." His smirk became wider. "Everypony will die," he singsonged. You will fail. Everypony will die. You will fail. Everypony will die. Fail. Die. Fail. Die. FailDieFailDieFailDieFailDieFailDieNOFailDieFailDieFailDieFailDieFailDieFailNODieFailDieFailDieFailDieNO! "AH WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!!!" Apple Bloom roared as she trapped Thanatos just before he could boop her. This time, before he could free himself, she slammed him around so rapidly that it was a miracle that she wasn't losing consciousness from all the blood she was losing. Thanatos still managed to free himself with an explosion of energy, but Apple Bloom rolled on her hooves, jumped at Thanatos, and blew air right on his face, sending him flying. As she landed, she then targeted the nearest ghost and trapped him, before she slammed him on a pegasus charging at her from behind. She then lowered her head to avoid a punch, trapped the ghost responsible, and swung her to get hit by a wave of magical beams fired by unicorns, including Smart Spirit before she slammed her on the last griffon. She then sidestepped to avoid a magical beam and went to attack and capture the unicorns. As she captured them, Apple Bloom jumped to avoid a wave of energy from Thanatos, spun, and threw the ghost currently trapped in her vortex toward him. Smart Spirit and Sweetie Belle were then captured, along with the majority of the ghosts, leaving only two unicorns, a pegasus, and a zebra. She trapped the pegasus and slammed him on Thanatos as he was about to touch her from behind, then used him as a shield against the unicorns before he was captured. She then went after the unicorns and trapped the both of them at the same time before she slammed them on the zebra. She then let them drag her to avoid some bones thrown at her by Thanatos. As the unicorns were captured, she saw something wrong with the floor under her, and she jumped away just in time to avoid bones coming out of it. With more jumps and rolls, she avoided more bones as well as another wave of energy before she trapped the zebra and threw her at Thanatos. This time, Thanatos avoided the ghost, but Apple Bloom ran to him and trapped him before slamming him around again until he freed himself. He teleported away, and she finished the Zebra before she went after him again. Thanatos then materialized purple fires and sent them at the filly by dozens, but she ran between the flames and jumped to avoid more bones coming out of the floor. But Thanatos then teleported to touch her with his finger, and she rapidly put the handle of the Poltergust on the way to stop him. So Thanatos grabbed the handle and used it to slam Apple Bloom a couple of times before she manages to swing the handle and to slam him in return. She then trapped him, slammed him again... And captured him. Before she could yell her victory, however, Thanatos burst out of the Poltergust, laughing, before he slammed her with a strong wave of energy that sent her flying toward the throne, making it explode into countless bones flying in all directions. The filly groaned in great pain under the shouts of the ponies in the cages. "Oh boy! I didn't have that much fun since forever!" Thanatos shouted as he continued laughing. "Very well, you win this one!" Apple Bloom got up with difficulty, groaning again, and looked at Thanatos. "What?" "I'm giving you this one. You can't defeat me, but you put up a good enough fight for me to consider letting you and your friends and family go, and this includes the ghosts. I still want to play with you, but I will wait a few months before we restart our little dance with a new game." He smiled widely. "I can't wait to have more fun with you! You made my life so much better! Before you, I was so bored I really wished I could die! So, until next time! Rest well!" He then snapped his fingers, destroying the cages imprisoning the ponies. With another snap, he opened a portal that sucked everypony before closing. Eternal Rest then appeared beside Thanatos, smiling at seeing him happy. "Do you have an idea of what you will do next time, my Lord?" she asked. "Not at all, but I have a few months to think. I'm not in a hurry." "My Lord, if you wish, I would gladly participate in your next game." "Ooh! Then I think I know what we will do!"