//------------------------------//
// Ghastly Mistakes 
// Story: Ghastly Mistakes = Ghostly Soulmates 
// by Robipony 
//------------------------------//

It was raining in the Neo Trotkyo streets as you approached your client’s residence. Fortunately you had taken a gray, wool jacket with you before coming here and the items you had brought along were contained securely inside your saddlebags. 

Stepping off the path, you approached a gated residence where your client was residing. Many times, powerful and noble ponies from Canterlot or even Manehatten would own a vacation home here in Neighpon where they would relax and enjoy the pleasures that the region had to offer. Such was the case with your client. 

As you approached the gates, you could see a large kirin stallion wearing a black suit standing guard. A couple years ago, the mysterious race of kirin that were once thought to be just a myth had returned and had gradually worked their way into modern society, many of them returning to the land of their origins. Having observed the stallion, you had to admit that he was kind of cute. 

After recognizing you, the kirin gave you a bow before unlocking the gate and letting you inside. You returned the gesture before passing through the gates. As you approached the building, you walked through the front courtyard, noticing a green statue in the center of the legendary Meadowbrook. While the statue annoyed you slightly, you continued moving toward the main entrance.

Walking up the steps to the client’s home, you raised a hoof and knocked at the dark green, wooden door. Most would generally be surprised to see an earth pony mare of your caliber performing this kind of job, however, your way with words and your innocent mannerisms did make finding clients easier. Even if in some cases it was for the wrong reasons. 

The door opened as a unicorn stallion with a brown coat, blond mane and blue eyes answered the door. Over his body he wore a black and yellow kimono. Even as he first opened the door, you could feel his eyes examining your body, not that you hadn’t expected that. Instinctively, you ignored the stallion’s wandering eyes and gave him a polite, professional smile. 

“Hello,” the stallion said, his words as soft as silk.

There were many mares you had met in your life that would have swooned at the sight of this stallion, some even throwing themselves into his hooves to be used by him without a second thought. After all, there were more than a few mares in Neighpon who would love to marry a rich pony from a distant land. However, unlike those ignorant mares, you knew that love wasn't what this stallion was looking for. You also knew that he wasn't your client. 

"Hello," you replied, "is Miss Regal available?"

As you asked the question, the stallion's eyes changed from its salacious mannerisms to a more scrutinizing tone.

"Oh, so you're the mare that my sister requested."

You adjusted your round glasses and gave the stallion a wider smile. "Indeed, I am."

Judging from the stallion's attitude, he didn't approve of his sister's request or of your presence. No doubt your reputation had preceded you, at least to some small extent. Nonetheless, he stepped aside and motioned with a hoof for you to enter.

"Please come inside."

Stepping in, you could feel the stallion's eyes still wandering, occasionally drifting toward your flank. It would seem that despite his apprehension at your presence that the stallion was… intrigued by your form. While suspicious ponies were common in your line of work, you knew of ways to put them off your trail. 

“Would you like for me to take your jacket, miss?” the stallion asked.

“That would be lovely,” you answered, “by the way, what’s your name, sir?” 

“Chocolate Sun,” the stallion replied, as he took the warm, wool jacket from your shoulders. 

“Well, thank you, Chocolate Sun.”

As Sun took your jacket, you swooshed your tail slightly. It was an innocent movement that no ordinary pony would bat an eye at, but for stallions like this, it served more as a tease. Instantly the stallion’s cheeks turned a deep crimson. 

"Is something the matter?" you asked, giving him an innocent smile.

“Ummm, no, it's nothing,” Sun stuttered, “let me take you to Regal Cream.” 

As much of a playcolt this stallion might be, it was very clear that Chocolate Sun wasn't used to being rejected, or even the one being played with. Either that, or maybe that was secretly his thing.

You followed Chocolate Sun as he led you to the room Regal and you had agreed upon.

"So… how often do you do this sort of thing?" Sun asked. 

"Oh, it depends upon the season," you replied, "the busy season is in the fall, so when it comes to appointments I can have about nine to ten a week."

"Wow, that's a great deal. Doesn't it become exhausting at times?"

"Sometimes."

It was about then that Chocolate Sun stopped in front of a door. "Okay, here we are."

"Thank you," you said, adjusting your glasses as you gave Sun another pleasant smile.

"So ummm…" Sun stuttered nervously, "do you actually spe…"

Raising a hoof, you covered the stallion's lips, stopping him mid-question. It was so much fun playing with your clients and those around them. 

“Why don’t you come and see,” you answered. 

Stepping past the stallion, you opened the door and entered the room. The walls of the room were dark gray with a floral pattern and red carpeting on the floor. In the center of the room was a wooden table where your client, Regal Cream, was waiting. She was a unicorn mare with a brown coat, blonde mane and blue eyes. As it would turn out, Chocolate Sun and Regal Cream were twins. 

At first Regal seemed uneasy, however, once she saw you, her expression lit up and a smile appeared on her face. 

“Thank you for coming,” Regal said, “I left the room just as you had asked. Are you sure mother will come?” 

About a week ago both of them had lost their mother, Royal Star, in a horrific accident. To make things worse, there were matters pertaining to the twins’ inheritance that their mother hadn’t addressed in her last will and testament. Specifically, a special heirloom by the name of the Dark Peregrine, a statuette of a bird that had been passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, their mother had only mentioned that the twins would inherit the heirloom, not who would inherit it. 

Admittedly, any other pony might find it surprising that the twins were the sole inheritors of Royal Star’s fortune considering that her husband, Sour Milk, was still alive. 

Because of this, the siblings had started fighting. That was when strange things began to happen.

“Thank you for having me,” you said, “has the statue moved since our last meeting?” 

"Yes, it moved from the dining room to the living area earlier today," Regal answered.

While you had a pretty good idea what was going on, you decided to keep that to yourself. 

"I see, then it would seem that your mother is near," you replied, "we shall try to communicate with her to see if we might appease her. Is the statue here?"

Regal pointed toward the window where the Dark Peregrine rested on a small red blanket, no doubt setup to make the statue look significant and grand. 

“Good,” you said. 

Walking over to the table, you picked out a seat and set your saddlebags down next to the table before opening it. Inside were the various items you often used for your work. Opening the bag you pulled forth a small jar containing some salt as well as some fishing line, the latter of which you were careful to conceal, before walking over to the statue.

“I will attempt to establish a barrier,” you explained, “that way, if there’s any dark energy inside, no harm will come to us during the séance.”

Taking the jar of salt, you poured it around the statue, forming what was referred to as a protective circle. As you did that, you stealthily tied the fishing line to the corner of the cloth that the Dark Peregrin rested upon. 

“Wait, are you sure you're a paranormal investigator?” Chocolate Sun asked, “I thought unicorns were more in tune with the spirits. After all, they are tied to magic, so wouldn’t they be keen on the supernatural?” 

This wasn’t the first time this had been brought up to you before. Fortunately, with your silver tongue and your knowledge on this stallion’s behavior, you knew how to disarm him. Looking up from your bag, you pulled your mane aside with a hoof in a seductive manner, giving the stallion a sly grin. 

“While unicorns might know magic, we earth ponies have a magical connection with the earth,” you replied, “do you know what earth is made of?”

“Dirt?”

“Dust,” you answered, “and when everything dies it eventually returns to dust. It is this connection to death that allows earth ponies like me to commune with the dead.” 

While Sun seemed to have been stunned by your answer, Regal beamed excitedly. Carefully you walked back to your seat, being careful not to draw any attention to the long, thin string you had.  

“Now let us begin,” you said, as you pulled forth a board along with a small heart shaped piece of wood with a spherical piece of glass in the center and placed it on the table. 

“What contraption is this?” Regal asked. 

“It’s a ouija board and planchette,” you explained, “a device that will allow us to speak with your deceased mother.”

Pulling out three candlesticks, you set them around the table, along with a metal lighter. 

“Will you be joining us for this séance?” you asked, looking over at Regal’s brother. 

For a moment it appeared that Chocolate Sun might actually refuse, but after letting out a sigh the stallion took a seat around the table. Of course, you knew he couldn’t refuse. After all, if he didn’t witness this, then Regal Cream could very well claim that the ghost of Royal Star had chosen her to possess the Dark Peregrine, and he couldn’t have that. Plus, he might have had the hots for you. 

“I guess I’ll join in,” Sun answered. 

Regal smiled and said, “Thank you.”

With a hoof you pushed the lighter toward Chocolate Sun. “Then would you mind lighting the candles for me, dear?” 

“Uh, sure.” Sun’s horn glowed with yellow energy as he picked up the lighter, flipped it open and lit the three candles around the table. 

“Regal, could you turn off the lights?” you inquired. 

“Certainly,” Regal said excitedly. Compared to her sibling, it was very clear that Regal Cream was not only intrigued by the séance, but actually believed that you would allow her to communicate with her dead mother. 

With the lights off, the room was dark, save for the light from the flickering flames on the candles. They illuminated the table, the faces of the three ponies surrounding it, and the ouija board that rested there. 

“Now let us all place a hoof on the planchette,” you instructed, as you proceeded to place your hoof on the device. 

Regal eagerly reached out and touched it. As for Sun, it was clear that he was a little reluctant. 

“Just to be clear, I don’t believe in any of this,” Chocolate Sun said as he joined us. 

“That’s fine, dear,” you answered, “I’m just happy that you are so willing to support your sister.” 

As you smiled at the stallion, you could faintly make out the hint of a blush on his cheeks in the candlelight. 

“Now, let us begin.” Lowering your head and closing your eyes, you began a traditional séance prayer. “Oh Luna, caretaker of life and death, keep us safe as we speak with your beloved child, Royal Star, from beyond the grave. May you give us guidance with our words and our hooves.” 

With the prayer that was customary for seances like this out of the way, you opened your eyes and looked at your client and her sibling. 

“What is the first question you would like to ask?” you inquired. 

Regal looked at the board. “Mother, are you here?” 

For a moment, nothing happened until slowly the planchette began to move, drifting down the board until it rested over a single word. Yes. 

The flames on the candles flickered and Regal shivered. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see that Chocolate Sun was still unimpressed. It looked like you might have to pull out some of the big guns.

“Is there anything you would like to ask?” you said, turning to Chocolate Sun. 

“Yeah. Mother, if you are here, how did you die?”

Admittedly, that was a tough one. Due to their noble connections, Royal Star’s family had managed to keep the details of her death out of the public eye. Only a select few individuals as well as members of her family knew what had really happened.

Slowly the planchette moved, stopping at a letter before it resumed its movement. F. E. L. L. 

Immediately, Chocolate Sun’s eyes went wide. 

“Interesting…” you said, trying to push the conversation further without making it too apparent. 

The planchette moved once more. P. U. S. H. E. D. Even as the word was formed the lights on the candle flickered again. Sweat was visible on both Chocolate Sun and Regal Cream’s brow. You looked at the twins, giving them an almost suspicious look. 

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” you asked. 

“N-no,” Sun stuttered. 

Again the planchette moved along the wooden board resting on a word. Yes.  

Both of the siblings looked at each other nervously. With a reluctant sigh, Regal turned looking worriedly at her brother. 

“I think we should tell her,” Regal said. 

Chocolate Sun grumbled. Clearly, he wasn’t too fond of the idea, however, it was clear that he wasn’t going to stop his sister from revealing whatever secret they were hiding. 

Regal looked at you apologetically. “The fact is our father killed our mother.” 

“Once Sour Milk was taken into custody,” Sun continued, “we used a part of our family fortune to ensure that what had truly happened to be omitted from the record to keep our father’s crime from tainting our family’s name.” 

As Chocolate Sun said this, a part of you wondered if perhaps the stallion felt happy after finally letting that off of his chest.

“You won’t tell anypony, will you?” Regal asked. 

When it came to the various things you were willing to do for money, blackmail wasn’t one of them. At least, not usually. While you weren’t too thrilled about the way Chocolate Sun had looked at you when the two of you first met, Regal Cream seemed to be a good mare, so for her sake you would keep their secret. 

“I was hired to commune with your late mother, dear,” you answered, “therefore that is what I shall do.”

Regal was about to say something when the planchette glided across the board. S. H. A. R. E. There was an audible breathing sound when suddenly all three of the candles on the table went out, eliciting a startled cry from Regal. 

Now that your trick candles had activated it was time to act. With one hoof still on the planchette, you grabbed and pulled on the string that was attached to the blanket. There was a cluttering sound as the Dark Peregrine fell to the floor. Hearing the noise, Regal squealed. 

It was at that moment that the lights came on, Chocolate Sun’s horn glowing, indicating that he was the one that hit the switch. Judging from his pale expression it was clear that he was scared cold. The Dark Peregrine lay on the ground. 

“Wh-what just happened?” Sun stuttered. 

Looking out of the corner of your eye, you could see that the blanket you had pulled out from under the statue, sitting just next to your chair. Using one of your back legs, you quickly stepped on the blanket, pulled on the string with your hoof, snapping the fishing line, before kicking the fabric further underneath the table.  

“It would seem that your mother’s spirit is strong,” you answered, “even the protective circle I set up couldn’t keep her from interacting with the statue.”

The truth was, there was no ghost moving the statue around the house. The fact was both of the twins had been moving the Dark Peregrine around and yet neither one was willing to admit that they were the ones doing it. Now the statue had moved seemingly on its own and neither one of them was responsible. 

“What should we do to appease her?” Regal asked. 

“It really isn’t hard,” you replied, “going off of what your mother was saying through the ouija board, she wants you both to share the Dark Peregrine, or to work together and agree upon what you both wish to do with the statue.” 

Chocolate Sun and Regal Cream looked at each other. 

“Maybe we can find a way for us to share the statue,” Regal said. 

“And if we decide to sell it, we can just split the profit,” Sun suggested. 

The siblings seemed quite happy with their decision. Now that neither of them would be moving the statue around willy nilly, it would appear that their mother's restless soul would be sated. 

As you picked up your supplies and put them back into your saddlebags, Regal walked over to you.

"Thank you for your hard work," Regal said, "I don't know how we can repay you."

"Just the agreed upon price will be fine," you answered.

"Oh, of course." Walking over to her purse, and pulled out a money bag with her magic, before bringing it over. "It's all here as promised."

Quickly you opened the bag, scanning its contents to make sure everything was inside. With a smile, you placed the coin purse inside your saddlebags. 

"Thank you, kindly."

Chocolate Sun gave you a nod. "May I show you the way out?"

"Certainly."

You followed Sun out of the room, down the hall to the front door, where your jacket was resting on the hanger. 

"Let me give you your coat," Sun said as he took hold of it with his magic.

"Thank you, dear."

After resting the jacket over your shoulders, the stallion walked up to the door and opened it for you. You were about to be on your way, when Chocolate Sun began to speak. 

“Ummm… I was wondering, would you like to hang out sometime?”

Had this stallion perhaps seen you in a different light? Did Sun now think of you as a potential romantic partner or was he still looking for some flank? As tempting as it might be for you to take him up on his offer, to date this handsome stallion, something that many of the fillies in your youth said would never happen, you knew it was a bad idea. It would be dangerous to go out with him, especially considering that his sister was one of your clients. What if he found out the truth? However, you could also see how financially beneficial this situation could be if you played your cards right. 

Standing in the doorway, you gave Chocolate Sun an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, but I don’t normally go out with clients or their family members.”

“Oh, of course, I knew that,” Sun said, in a joking manner. Though it was fairly obvious that he was just trying to recover from being rejected. 

You stepped outside, before stopping on the doorstep. Slowly, you turned around and gave him a seductive grin. “Now… if you happen to have any trouble with some spirits, you know how to find me, dear.”

As you gave Chocolate Sun a sly wink, you could see the stallion blush. With a giggle you stepped out into the night and made your way back to the office.





You sat happily in your office, counting the bits you had earned from your last job, a little chuckle rumbling in your throat. Another successful con under your belt, another gullible pony satisfied. Ghost and spirits weren’t real, you knew that, but apparently not everypony liked to accept such facts. 

Of course, all that meant was that there were plenty of foolish ponies out there with pockets that you could clean out. 

While a part of you felt a little bad, it didn’t take you much to shake off the guilt. You helped fulfill the wishes of your clients and they paid you for your work. They paid for the illusion and you obliged. 

On the wall behind you, there were a few certificates mounted up. One was for Twilight's School of Friendship and another was for a Forensic Degree from the Canterlot Community College, both forgeries. While there were probably a few ponies out there that would recognize them as fakes, you were fairly certain that none of those ponies would be interested in the business you provided. You also had a bottle of holy water that had been blessed by Celestia herself, though truly it was just some water you had sprinkled some sugar into. 

Now to be fair you had done a fair bit of research into the "supernatural" and ways to interact with wandering spirits, so if anything, that made you just as good, if not better, than the real thing. Sure you had heard rumors of ponies in other regions of Equestria coming back from the dead, like the supposed return of King Sombra, but those were just some conspiracy theories that popped up among all the chaos of the infamous event called “the final battle”.

A smile crept across your lips as you examined your money. “I wonder where I should go eat later?”

Maybe some sort of sushi dish or a buttered artichoke from a fancy restaurant would suffice for the evening. Then again, you could just save some of your money and buy a cheap pizza; that wasn't a bad option either. Just the idea of food made your mouth water.

It was about then that a knock at your office door disturbed your thoughts. Putting your ill earned bits into your purse, you adjusted your posture before focusing your attention back to the door.

"Enter!" you said, before adjusting your glasses with a hoof.

The door opened and a mare stepped into your office. She was a tall, thin unicorn mare with a pale purple coat, dark gray mane and maroon eyes. A gray suit caressed her form, and with her pink magic, the mare held a pink hoof fan with white flowers. On her nose rested a pair of small, rectangular spectacles. Upon seeing you, the mare gave you an eerily wide smile, sending a slight chill down your spine. 

“Hello,” the mare spoke, “are you the paranormal investigator that works here?” 

“Uh, yes,” you replied. You adjusted your glasses, trying to distract yourself from the unease you had felt. 

Her smile unwavering, the mare walked over and offered a bow before she sat down in the chair in front of your desk. 

“My name is Glasgow Oil,” the mare introduced herself, “I had heard of a mare that investigated the supernatural and I knew I had to come see you.” 

Looking at this mare, you knew she wasn’t one of your usual clients. Most of your clients were young ponies looking for a thrill or a gullible mare wanting closure after the loss of a loved one. However, judging from the look in her eyes, it was very clear that she had wisdom beyond her years. Such ponies were dangerous, as more often than not they could see through your ruse. 

“Well, I just finished a job and had just come back here to gather some things before heading home.” 

“Oh, I see. That’s a shame, I have a job that I’m certain would interest you.” 

As she said this, Glasgow put away her fan, before pulling a coin purse from her suit pocket and placing it on the table in front of you. Just by looking at it, you could tell that it was filled with a large amount of bits. As much as you wanted to take them, you didn’t want to accidentally put yourself in a position that could result in somepony finding out that you weren’t what you said you were. Some questions were in order. 

“What do you have in mind?” you asked. 

Glasgow’s smile somehow grew wider at your inquiry. Using her magic, the unicorn pulled out a piece of red paper and a pair of scissors, before she started cutting unusual patterns into the paper. 

“There is an abandoned building in the Neo Trotkyo lower district that I have some interest in,” Glasgow explained, “however, the place is supposedly haunted by spirits. Because of this, the construction workers I hired won’t go near the place to renovate it.”

A few small pieces of paper drifted to the floor as Glasgow continued cutting. 

“I see and you want me to check it out and see if there are truly ghosts there.”

Glasgow nodded. “I would like for you to prove that there aren’t any spirits there.” 

“Okay… and what if there are?” 

Once more Glasgow’s smile widened further and you could have sworn that the corners of her mouth had stretched from ear to ear. More paper fell to the floor. 

“If there are any phantoms there, then I will gladly pay for you to exorcise them.” 

Now it was starting to make sense. While Glasgow Oil was technically your client, she wasn't the one you would be tricking, but rather the ponies she was hiring to renovate the building. Still, you had an act to play and you weren't going to drop it anytime soon.

"Sounds interesting," you said, "do you mind telling me about this location?"

"Apparently it used to be an old hotel, known as the Fury Love Hotel, however, one day the manager and all of the guests were murdered. Ever since then the building has been vacant and has fallen into disrepair."

Now that didn’t sound ominous or disturbing at all. Still, if Glasgow was going to pay you just to walk around the abandoned hotel to come out after performing a fake exorcism, why not take her up on her offer?

Biting your lip, you looked back to the money bag that Glasgow had placed on the table. 

“Do you have a deadline in mind for this job?” you asked. 

“By the end of the week if possible,” Glasgow answered. Once she had finished cutting, Glasgow put away the scissors and began folding the paper into some sort of shape. 

Well, today was Thursday so the weekend was drawing near. That wasn’t a lot of time. Of course, that really wasn’t a big deal, but you weren’t going to let on that that was the case. 

“Two days isn’t a lot of time,” you said, “if I were to do this for you, dear, I would need to know that it was worth my while.” 

Glasgow motioned toward the moneybag. “The bits before you will be what you receive upfront just for taking this job. If you are able to examine the area and provide proof either the presence of paranormal activity or lack thereof, I will double what you have there and if you find that you need to exorcise the area, you will be paid triple.” 

As she finished saying this, Glasgow finished folding the paper and set it down on your desk. 

That seemed like a pretty good bargain all things considered. After stroking your chin in a pondering fashion, you gave miss Glasgow a nod. 

“Then I guess we have a deal, my dear.”

“Here, you’ll need this.” Reaching into her pocket, Glasgow set a key out on the table. “I’ll be in touch.” 

With that said, your new client left your office. Now that Glasgow was gone, you looked at the weird creation that she had left on your desk. It was an unusual paper craft cut and folded into the shape of an hourglass.

“Strange...”

Well, as weird as your clients’ habits could be from time to time, that didn’t matter. In the end all that mattered was the bits and not getting caught. Picking up the coin purse you jiggled it happily in your hooves. 

“I guess I’m ordering sushi tonight.”  





You stretched as you awoke from your slumber, your soft silken sheets caressing your body. A yawn escaped your lips as you slowly pulled yourself out of your bed. After stretching a little bit, you left your bedroom and made your way into the main living space. 

The apartment you lived in consisted of a conjoined living room and kitchen with two separate doors leading to a bedroom and a bathroom. Like many of the apartments in Neo Trotkyo, the walls in your abode were white and the floors made of wooden panelling. The living area consisted of a couch that had been there since you started renting this room, a coffee table, a couple cabinets and a wall mounted television.

Maybe someday, you might have enough money to own your own place that you could decorate as much as you wanted, but for now, this would have to do. 

“Well, it’s time to get ready for my next job.” 

While you planned to go to the abandoned hotel later in the evening, that didn’t mean you couldn’t make preparations. Walking over to your couch, you looked inside the saddlebags that you had left there, the night before. 

Your saddlebags carried various items that were helpful for your so called paranormal investigations, including a deck of mystical cards, a magnifying glass, a crystal ball that could glow with a flick of a hoof and even came with a disco ball mode for some weird reason, some strong rope, and a few other items. Anything to add to the illusion that you were an actual paranormal investigator. 

Seeing that everything was in order you decided to grab something to eat. Walking into the kitchen, you walked over to a fruit basket and pulled out an apple. After cleaning it off, you took a bite and walked back into the living room. The fruit tasted delicious as you bit into its juicy flesh. 

As you returned to the living room, you heard somepony knocking on your door. 

“Just a second,” you said as you took the apple and set it down on a plate that happened to be resting on your coffee table before walking over to the door.

Opening the door, you were welcomed by a familiar elderly mare. She was a unicorn with a grayish pink coat, a flowing green mane and pale green eyes. Adorning her body was a green kimono.

"Oh, it's you," you mumbled, recognizing the mare that stood before you.

There were few ponies that knew that you were a con artist and unfortunately lady Mistmane was one of them. Supposedly she was a member of a group of ponies called the Pillars of Old Equestria, though you were pretty skeptical, because that would make her an ancient sorceress, which was unlikely. Whether that was true or not, she was a mare that was very skilled with herbs and potions. So skilled in fact that when you had tried to sell her a weed as a rare herb, she bought it only to turn around and reveal that it was actually a plant worth three times the amount you had sold it to her for. 

However, what you really found annoying was the fact that she almost always seemed to be trying to convince you to change your ways. 

“Hello,” Mistmane said, “I just happened to be in the area and thought I would pay you a visit.” 

"Yes, I can see that," you grumbled.

Truth was, you were a little surprised that this mare hadn't spilt the beans about you being a fraud. What sort of motive, could she have for holding onto your little secret? The fact that Mistmane hadn't tried to blackmail you made you quite suspicious of her intentions.

Mistmane let out a sigh. "Look, I know we don't always see eye to eye, but I thought that maybe a gift could settle some nerves."

After seeing this, Mistmane's horn flowed with a grayish blue energy as she presented a ceramic bowl, filled with water, holding a single flower inside. It appeared to be a lotus blossom with white petals, the tips of which were black and inky. As irritated as you might be with the elderly mare, you couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful flower.

"Uhhh… thank you," you said, as you took the flower.

"It's an Astral Lotus. I figured that it might fit with your… line of work."

Well, that certainly wasn’t a jab at you being a fraudulent paranormal investigator. Nope, not at all. 

“I see.” 

“It is a special flower said to be from the spirit realm,” Mistmane explained, “it is said that some ponies who come in contact with the flower can see into the astral plane.” 
As interesting as that was, you knew that ghosts and spirits weren’t real, so you doubted Mistmane’s claims. Still it was a pretty flower and if you grew tired of it, you could always try selling it later. 

“Well, thank you anyway, dear.” 

You tried to close the door, but Mistmane stopped you by placing a hoof against it. Needless to say, you weren’t pleased by her interference. 

“No, I’m not letting you in,” you growled, feeling slightly irritated at the delay. That was until you looked back at Mistmane and noticed a mournful look in her eyes. 

“Be careful,” Mistmane said, before releasing her hoof and walking away. 

Admittedly, you had found Mistmane’s mannerisms to be a little odd. Normally your interactions with the eldarly mare involved one or both of you being irritated with the other, however, her latest action seemed like genuine concern. Almost as if she knew something was wrong. 

At first, you felt a little worried by the development, before shrugging it off. You had a job to do and bits to make. With a harrumph, you walked over to the coffee table and set down the bowl with the flower that Mistmane had given you. 

“I’ll show you Mistmane,” you said in a mischievous manner, “I’ll complete this job and milk miss Glasgow for every bit she has to offer.”

Smiling, you playfully tapped the lotus flower in the bowl. 

“Just try to stop me.”

Reaching for your saddlebags, you prepared to leave. 





“And you were actually able to speak with their mother?” Blossom Burst asked, her purple eyes filled with excitement. 

Your friend, Blossom Burst, was a kirin mare with grayish blue coat and a fluffy, mustard colored mane. She had light blue scales and the standard red horn that most Kirin possessed. However, what made her one of your best friends was the fact that she had been there for you during a rough patch in your life. Though the fact that she believed everything you told her certainly helped too. She seemed to hang onto every word you had in regards to your career as a paranormal investigator.

“I was indeed, and I was able to help both of them to fulfill her wishes,” you said, before taking a sip of your coffee. 

The two of you were sitting at a lovely table inside of a local maid café, the Maidstream Cure, a lovely place where the two of you would meet from time to time. Inside, the café was bustling with customers as well as waitresses wearing standard maid attire, composed of a black dress, white stockings, white aprons and a white, lacy maid cap. 

“That’s amazing!” Blossom said, “You’re incredible!” 

With Blossom’s praise, you couldn’t help but gloat a little. After pushing your glasses further up your nose, you smiled and crossed your forelegs in a confident manner. 

“If you think that’s cool,” you replied, “guess who’s been hired to look for ghosts at the Fury Love Hotel.” 

Hearing this, Blossom’s face changed from happiness to actual concern. Quickly she glanced around the room as if checking if anypony else was listening. From what you could tell, most of the other patrons were completely oblivious and those that were looking in your direction were probably only looking because Blossom was a kirin. 

In addition to being a kirin, Blossom was considered beautiful by most pony’s standards. While she was a caring individual, Blossom also possessed an exotic, foreign beauty that drew the eyes of others to her.

“You do know what they say about that place, right?” Blossom whispered. 

“I know that there was a mass murder there,” you answered, “that apparently everypony who was there was killed in a single night.” 

Due to your search for new ways to… convince you clients that you were actually able to interact with the dearly departed, you hadn’t caught much of the local gossip over the years, focusing more on information pertaining to your clients instead. So when it came to the Fury Love Hotel, you really only knew what Glasgow Oil had told you. 

“There’s more than that,” Blossom said, “apparently even before the murder, the hotel had a dark history.” 

“Like what?” 

Blossom Burst took a deep breath. “Well, I heard that supposedly there were a few situations with mares who were guests there being abducted. There was even an account of a mare being raped there once.” 

Well, that was unfortunate. It was probably a good thing that the place was now in ruins. 

“Is that all?” 

The kirin’s expression turned grim. “I heard rumors that some ponies go in there and never come back out.” 

Now you couldn’t help but chuckle at that. This warranted an annoyed look from Blossom. 

“I’m serious!” 

You shook your hoof in an apologetic manner. “I know, it just sounds silly is all.” 

For most ponies, stories like that might be intimidating, however, you knew that most of these old myths weren’t real. After all, you had made up a few rumors like that during your career just to sell the illusion and in some cases to bump up your prices. 

“Is your phone still broken?” 

A few weeks ago, your cell phone was damaged when you had accidentally dropped it during one of your seances. Fortunately this had resulted making the mood a little more spooky. However, now you had a broken phone that was barely holding together with a cracked screen and was practically useless. 

“Yeah, I still need to buy a new one,” you replied, “I’ve just been really busy with work lately.” 

“Are you sure that’s safe? What if something happens while you're at the hotel?” 

Of course, you knew that it was very unlikely that anything dangerous would occur at the hotel, however, you understood her concern. Even if there weren’t ghosts, an abandoned building wasn’t exactly the safest place. 

“You have nothing to worry about, dear. I’ll be careful.” you reassured her. 

Blossom looked at you with concern. “Just please be careful, okay.” 

“Don’t worry, I will.” 

It was at that point that one of the cafe’s maids walked up to the table. “Hey, Blossom, my shift is about over so you might want to go dress up.” 

Blossom nodded as she stood up from the table. “Well, I have to get ready for work.” 

“Take care,” you said, as you watched your friend walk away. 

After you finished drinking your coffee, you stood up from the table and left the café. It was time for you to go to work as well. 





The sun was starting to set as you stood outside of the abandoned building that Glasgow Oil had asked for you to investigate. Like your client had said, it was an abandoned love hotel with the doors and windows all boarded up.

Walking up to the front door, you pulled out the key that Glasgow had given you. The key was metallic made out of some sort of steel, the base of the key shaped like a snail's shell or a coiled serpent.

"Strange," you mumbled as you pushed the key into the lock. 

With a click, the door opened, revealing a dark interior beyond the threshold. Instinctively you reached into your saddlebags and searched for something that could light the way. A smile stretched across your lips as you spotted the tool you were looking for. 

“There you are,” you said, as you pulled a flashlight from your bags. 

With the flashlight in hoof, you entered the hotel, a beam of light illuminating your way. The first room you entered was very clearly the hotel lobby. 

The floor was covered in broken, chipped tile, water damaged wood occasionally visible underneath. The walls covered in decaying, water stained wallpaper, some torn away to reveal old wooden planks like the bones of a rotting corpse. There were also some paintings and statues that probably at one point showed off the female form in very suggestive poses, but were now decayed to the point of looking uncanny. 

As you looked around the lobby, you saw the dusty front counter as well as the elevators, which were clearly disabled. There was also a stairway off to the right. 

“Hmmm… where should I start?” you asked yourself. 

Glasgow had mentioned that the killer had murdered the guests at night, so if there were any ghosts, it was likely that they would be located in the upper levels in the hotel rooms. Not that there would be any. After all, wandering spirits weren’t real. 

“However, there might be something that might warrant an exorcism.”

Walking to the stairwell, you took the path ascending up to the next floor, your flashlight keeping you from stumbling. 

For around fifteen minutes you checked the floors, finding no spirits as you had predicted. Unfortunately, you also hadn’t found anything that you could claim was a sign of phantoms or revenants, warranting an exorcism and therefore an additional fee. 

Sadly, all you had found was rubble and mold. 

“What a pain,” you growled in displeasure. 

Apparently each of these floors had rooms that were focused on a theme, with each floor having ten rooms dedicated to that specific theme. Admittedly, there were some interesting rooms here, like the one that resembled a fairytale dungeon. 

Now you were on the stairs, approaching the fifth and final floor in this building. Stepping onto the floor, you noticed something off to your left. Turning you saw a pale blue light coming out of one of the old, abandoned rooms. Apparently this floor was dedicated to the theme of royal Equestrian bedchambers. 

At first, you thought it might just be some moonlight coming through one of the windows, you remembered that tonight it was a new moon. So what was causing that light? Perhaps a television had somehow been left on all this time. 

“Well, that’s probably a start.”

A flickering television could definitely serve as an excuse for an exorcism if done right. As you walked toward the room, the sound of somepony crying caused you to stop in place. 

“Yep… definitely a tv on the fritz,” you said, as you gathered your resolve and resumed your search.

The crying grew louder as you drew near to the room.

"This certainly doesn't scream horror movie moment," you muttered sarcastically. Yet even then you couldn’t help but feel uneasy about it. 

As you turned the corner and stepped into the room, two things struck you as out of the ordinary. One was the room’s temperature; while the hotel wasn’t exactly warm, the cold night air certainly wasn’t this frigid moments ago. It was so cold that when you exhaled, you could see your breath. Second, there wasn’t a television in this room. Instead, it looked like a ransacked bedroom filled with dirt and mold, a broken mirror attached to the ceiling. Oh, and there was some sort of glowing blue flame floating in the air over a broken bed frame. As the spectral orb hovered in place, you could hear the sound of a filly’s sobs coming from it. 

“Uh, hello.”

The flame continued to flicker and the sobbing continued. Was this some sort of illusion left behind by some sort of prankster unicorn? Of course, if this was the work on another charlatan like you, it would be wise to be rid of them. This was your job and you weren’t going to let another con artist ruin it. 

“Excuse me!” 

Hearing you speak, the orb wobbled and gasped, before flying through the air into an attached room. Stepping into the room, you realized that it was a bathroom. As soon as you stepped into the room, the ghastly orb flew into an exposed ventilation shaft, descending into the bowels of the house. Even as the pale blue light faded, the room’s temperature felt like it was returning to normal. 

Judging from the way the vent looked, you were pretty sure that it was linked to a furnace or boiler in the basement. Seeing this, you let out an annoyed sigh.

“I guess I’m going to the basement,” you said before preparing to leave the room. 

You were startled as your hoof stepped on something and a squeaking sound echoed through the room. With a jump, you stepped back and pointed the flashlight on the weird object you had stepped on. It was a dust covered rubber ducky. 

“Really?” you growled out of frustration. 

This was clearly a prank, an illusion left behind by some adolescent unicorn testing their magical prowess. This was nothing to worry about. If anything, it might help you earn a few more bits. 

Leaving the room, you made your way to the stairs. Although you were convinced that everything was fine, you couldn’t help but feel like somepony or something was watching you. It was just that strange tickle on the back of your neck, like if a creepy insect was creeping along your coat. Each creaking step on the stairs made your coat crawl.

As you reached the main floor you peered down the stairwell to the basement and for a second, you thought you saw a faint blue glow down there. 

“There you are…”

The light went dim, as you carefully walked down the steps into the depths of the hotel. At the bottom of the steps there was a rusty door that was open a crack. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, you stepped through into what was clearly meant to be the hotel maintenance areas, with a hallway going to the left and the right. 

Metal pipes stretched along the concrete walls like old veins and arteries moving throughout the building. Occasionally water or some other fluid would drip from the metallic tubing, each drop echoing through the halls. There were also some wires resting on the floor. 

Looking down the hallway, you saw the glow off to the left. Holding out your flashlight in front of you, you slowly made your way down the hall to where the light was coming from. Reaching the end of the hall, you saw another door that was partially open, the blue glow illuminating the room beyond. The sound of a child crying could be heard beyond. 

As you stepped toward the door, your hoof caught on something, causing you to stumble and fall forward. Hitting the floor, there was a clattering sound as something fell onto the floor. 

“Ouch.” 

Just then, the crying stopped, leaving the area completely quiet aside from the occasional drip from the pipes.

Opening your eyes, you could see that even in the darkness that your vision was out of focus. Reaching up toward your eyes, you could feel that something was missing. Immediately you knew what it was that had fallen onto the floor. 

“M-my glasses! W-where are my glasses!” 

Carefully you moved your hoof around along the floor, not wanting to accidentally crush your glasses. Without your glasses, you were completely helpless. As you panickedly searched for the one thing that would allow you to see, you could briefly make out that the blue glow was drawing near. 

“Here, miss.” 

The faint blue glow intensified and suddenly you felt something brush up against your nose as your glasses were pushed back into place. With your lens now back in their proper position, your vision came back into focus and you could see what it was that stood before you. Or rather floated before you. 

In front of you was what appeared to be a young unicorn filly with a frizzy mane, however, her body was see-through with her back half completely missing, forming a spectral vapor trail instead. The pale blue glow was coming from her and the linen wrappings around her. 

While this did seem rather odd, you were still fairly certain that this was still some sort of magical illusion. That maybe this little filly was using some sort of illusion spell to take on this ghastly form. Though you had to admit that it looked pretty good, especially considering the fact that the filly looked to be five or six years old. 

“Alright dear, party’s over,” you said, as you adjusted your glasses. 

The filly gave you a puzzled look. “What?” 

“You’re not fooling me, dear,” you answered, “I know that you’re just using some illusion spell to trick me.” 

This warranted a confused look from the filly. “I-I have no…”

Before she could finish what she was saying, the filly’s head snapped up toward the ceiling as if she had heard something. 

As unsettling as that was, you had to admit that the illusion she was making was pretty good. Maybe you could convince her to help fake the presence of there being ghosts here and help out with the “exorcism” in exchange for a small portion of the money. A smile stretched across your face as a proposition came to mind. 

“Look, I like what you’re doing,” you said, “perhaps we cut a deal. You help me with something and I can give you a small portion of the profits. What do you think?” 

Despite your speech, the filly ignored you, until her eyes suddenly shot wide open. 

“They’re here!” the filly whispered fearfully before her appearance suddenly changed to that small orb of blue flame you had seen upstairs, shooting off down the hallway. Turning around, you saw the light sphere go down the hall into the far room. 

For a moment, you were stunned by what had happened. You had seen many cons in your line of work and had seen plenty of ponies who tried to fake monster sightings and the like for a crazy video or something, however, this seemed pretty legit. Whoever this filly was, she was a natural. Normally you preferred to work alone as most of the ponies you had worked with in the past were either really poor con-artists or generally quit after a few scams, however…

You stroked your chin as you looked at the door the filly had gone through. If you could convince her to work with you, nothing would be able to stop you. 

Adjusting your glasses, you smiled mischievously. “Challenge accepted, my dear.” 
After picking up your flashlight, you walked over to the other side of the hall. Seeing that it was closed when you arrived, the filly must have closed it behind her.

Opening the door, you found before you a large room filled with a few laundry machines that were either falling apart or filled with old mildew covered clothing. There were also a few concrete pillars dispersed around the room as well. Stepping inside the room, you realized that it was much colder than it had been out in the hallway. 

On the floor in the center of the room was some sort of strange magical circle, etched into the floor with a red substance. Bizarre, almost alien runes lined the circumference of the circle, the markings taking on an unholy appearance. No doubt this was something setup by the unicorn for her prank.

Floating around the room was the spectral sphere that the filly had transformed into. A part of you wished you knew her name, it would certainly make negotiating with her easier. 

“Hello dear, what’s your name?” you asked as you approached the glowing orb. 

Suddenly the orb flew up toward you, the filly appearing once more. 

“You need to run,” the filly exclaimed, “it isn’t safe here!” 

Now you were starting to become a little annoyed by this filly’s persistence. While her dedication to her role was admirable, this was going a bit too far. 

“Nice try dear, but I’m not falling for this trick.” 

The filly’s expression became sullen, ghostly tears dripping from her eyes. “Then you’ll die like the rest of us.” 

As the filly’s appearance returned to its spherical form, an aura seemed to flow over the world like a colored lens being pulled over your eyes, everything taking on a dark blue ambiance. It reminded you of being underwater. Immediately, more floating lights came into view, some the same color as her, while others took on shades of yellow and pale green. It was then that you realized one thing. 

This wasn’t an act. This was the real thing, a truly paranormal event. 

A strange sensation came over you as the ghost orbs floated in place, almost like if you were in a pool and something massive had cannonballed into the water, the ripple impacting you. Something was coming. 

Instinctively, you ran behind one of the laundry machines and crouched down. 

Peeking around the corner, you saw the ghastly beast. It looked almost like a blanket, like the kind a foal would wear as a Nightmare Night costume, with three holes cut out for the eyes and mouth, however, it was twice the size of a large stallion. While the holes were completely black and devoid of life, the rest of the creature's form seemed to glow with a green, ethereal light. From beneath the spectral fabric you could see slimy glowing tentacles wriggling about. 

Aside from a strange dripping sound, the monster made no noise as it floated above the concrete floor. The other ghost orbs that were floating around moved in its wake. For a moment, the entity turned toward you, forcing you to duck back behind the corner. You held your breath, as for a brief moment, you could hear the dripping as the spectral being drew near.

Closing your eyes, you silently prayed to Celestia that you might be able to escape from this place. Then suddenly… the dripping stopped. Opening your eyes, you saw that the deep blue aura was gone now. 

Taking a deep breath, you looked around the corner, the monster no longer in sight. Nor were any of those ghost orbs you had seen before. Even the filly was gone. 

“What was that?” 

You remembered what the filly had said, that you needed to run, that if you didn’t you would die. Was that monstrosity responsible? Could it perhaps be the soul of the murderer, or something far worse?

Now that the coast was clear, you knew what you had to do. You ran for the stairs.

This place was haunted, truly haunted, and despite what you had told others, it was unlikely that there was anything you could truly do to purify it.

As you ran up the stairs to the main floor you were both shocked and grateful to see Glasgow Oil waiting for you. The mare had a quizzical look on her face as you stopped in front of her to catch your breath. 

“Are you okay?” Glasgow asked, “you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

Your chest heaved as you recovered from your run. 

“There’s… there are… actual ghosts here,” you coughed. 

Glasgow put a hoof to her lips as she giggled, her lips stretching wide. Her horn glowed faintly with magic. 

“Oh, I know.” 

Suddenly a sharp pain burned through your chest as you felt cold metal piercing your flesh. Looking down you saw buried in your chest a pair of scissors. As you took a surprised breath, a stabbing pain resonated through your body causing you to cough. A metallic taste covered your tongue. 

Another giggle rumbled through Glasgow’s throat as she pulled the scissors from your flesh. Feeling shocked from the horrific assault, you stumbled backwards and lost your balance, falling back down the stairs. You let out a sharp gasp of breath as you hit the landing, your body sore from the impact. As you lay there, you started to feel your strength fading. 

Forcing your eyes open, you looked up at your assailant as Glasgow looked down at your from the top of the stairs.

“W-why?” you coughed. 

Glasgow let out another giggle, before giving you a wide grin, her smile stretching from ear to ear, her teeth appearing sharp and cruel in the dim light. As you watched her, for a moment you thought her head was growing larger, until you realized that it was actually her neck that was growing longer. Like a snake, Glasgow’s head loomed closer, her smile taking on an almost motherly tone.

“No hard feelings,” Glasgow said, “it’s in my nature to kill, just like it was back when this hotel was still in business.” 

As your assailant said this, you started putting the pieces together. Another painful cough rippled through your throat. 

“Y-you… k-kiled them!”  

“Guilty as charged.” 

"W-why… me?"

Glasgow looked at you, like a school filly considering if she wanted to share a terrible secret with you. Licking her lips, Glasgow smiled. “I like to… collect… marbles and add them to my reservoirs. However, it is so hard luring those cute little marbles to my reservoirs. When I saw your ad in the newspaper, I knew I had to add you to my collection here in Neo Trotkyo.” 

Another foul cough rippled through your throat, the liquid metallic taste being refreshed. The world around you started to blurry. 

“Well, I have better be going.” Glasgow’s long neck began to recede. “Don’t take too long sloughing off your mortal coil, okay?” 

You could hear Glasgow laughing as she turned and left, leaving you to die on the cold landing. The world around you began to turn black, the corners of your vision shrinking, the tips of your limbs becoming numb and cold. You were dying. 

Lying there, a part of you wished you had bought a new cell phone after all. While it probably wouldn’t have saved you here, at least you could have told Blossom Burst goodbye.

“I’m so stupid,” you coughed. 

As your vision faded to black, you thought you saw a faint glow out of the corner of your eye, however, before you could perceive it, your sight forsook you and you saw no more.