Ghost Busting 2

by Edguy0009


Final Challenge Part 2

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 they hadn't fought for now. Were they keeping her as a trump card?

They didn't know.

Kratus and Apple Bloom only knew one thing as their 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 whole 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 Lord of The Dead of his.

So he was indirectly the one who caused the death of Smart Spirit and Applejack.

This had to stop.

The duo wasn't over Applejack's death, though with their destination finally reached, they put it in the back of their minds, moving from their island to the larger one as the Makuta halved his size, entered Pyrite's chosen arena for their battle. The stallion was waiting for them at the top of the tower. The two walked towards it, full of rage and hate towards him.

If he wasn't already dead, she would kill him after making him suffer. Though knowing he would rot for eternity in Tartarus was enough.

He, on the other hand, didn't care that the stallion was already dead, and would torment him with his preferred method of punishing scum like him before giving him the mercy of oblivion if it were up to him as he learned a valuable lesson.

Never anger a Makuta, especially Kratus, for he can and will make a the worst tyrant seem like a stuffed toy.

Then, canvases appeared along with floating paintbrushes, though as the latter moved to paint, the Makuta used his inorganic molecular disruption on them, scattering their molecules before igniting the canvases with his heat vision, though more appeared, forcing the duo to dash into the tower and deal with ghosts all the way to the top with Pyrite hovering above a bell used to warn of invasions with ghosts already there with more arriving, though they didn't attack with Pyrite chuckling instead before speaking.

"Finally, you're here… now that Thanatos had his fun, I can have my revenge. Oh, but I admit, seeing your expressions when you discovered the old fool was dead and when the older sister was dead was worth the wait. But now, I will kill you, and take back what." He said before Kratus interrupted him by blasting the ghost with his skyblaster using light energy.

"I told you before, you forfeited any right to your family's fortune thanks to the actions towards your family and now…  your lack of remorse for what happened shows how unworthy you are. I wouldn't be surprised if your family disowned you and wiped your name from the tree, a fitting fate for a traitor like you." The Makuta snarled.

"Ya'll got only one thing, Pyrite, an eternity in Tartarus with this Thanatos." Apple Bloom growled.

Pyrite laughed. "Thanatos? Imprisoned in Tartarus?" He smirked at the duo. "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." He said, though as after he rang the bell with the hammer and the ghosts attacked, the ringing stopped even though the bell still moved with Pyrite looking at in confusion as darkness spread and tendrils of shadow appeared, crushing, impaling, slicing or tearing apart the ghosts before the darkness rescinded, Apple Bloom and Pyrite look towards the source of the drain… the Kratus' Midak Skyblaster and swordstaff and after the Makuta returned to his full height. Uh-oh. Pyrite thought before the Makuta swung his swordstaff, unleashing a wave of shadow that decimated the painted ghosts before taking aim at Pyrite. Double uh-oh. The ghost thought before the Makuta fired, unleashing a beam of shadow that engulfed the stallion, destroying the bell in the process along with more painted ghosts, any that remained found themselves frozen by a wave of fear as the beam of shadow ended, revealing a weakened Pyrite with the Makuta grabbing him.

"Let's see if this works on ghosts directly." He told the stallion before a green glow surrounded his hand, Apple Bloom's eyes widened in recognition of the glow before Pyrite screamed as pain coursed through him. Then, he felt himself growing weak before the Makuta dropped him, then stomped on him repeatedly with Pyrite before tendrils of shadow grabbed the stallion around his legs and pulled, causing him to scream in pain before electrical energy coursed through him with his senses growing numb, "Your punishment… has only begun." Kratus told him after pausing, Pyrite screamed in horror and struggled to get away with the tendrils of shadow squeezing harder as the Makuta entered the stallion's mind, and tortured him that way.

"Stop it!" Apple Bloom said, causing the Makuta to pause from his torture of the stallion. Who begged for mercy with the Makuta denying it, for he had none for the piece of scum who he decided that he should suffer both physical and mental torment. "We need ta punish him the right way." She added, causing the Makuta to pause once more.

"Tartarus is too good for slime like him." Kratus retorted, giving the stallion a glare that caused the stallion try and break free of the tendrils to run and hide, something that would've been pointless. For one can run from The Lord and Master of Shadow, but they can't hide from him.

"Even if it is, this isn't the way." Apple Bloom countered, Pyrite looked at the filly for mercy. Something she granted by capturing him without resistance, whether it was because the stallion was too weak to resist or wanted to get away from the Makuta, she knew not. An island floated towards them after the duo wondered where Thanatos and Apple Bloom's friends and family were with the two stepping on it with it transporting the duo to a void of darkness before they heard a bell in the darkness before more rang with the duo having a bad feeling before purple flames appeared on both sides of the island forming a path that the island traveled.

Then Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike appeared in round cages that floated around in a circle.

"Everypony!" The duo said.

"Apple Bloom! Makuta!" Sweetie Belle yelled.

"Help!" Spike yelled.

The duo looked around, looking at the cages, wondering what to do, the Makuta couldn't use his powers as it would cause the captives to fall if Thanatos hadn't made said powers useless against them, though the Lord of The Dead could probably make more before they heard an organ play with the duo turning around and found a castle rising from the depths as a skull of a dragon opened its mouth with the cages flying into it and entered the castle through the double doors of the castle, the two took off in pursuit, following the screams of the ponies and dragon with the duo climbing staircases and passing by doors with the organ growing louder before they stopped in front of double doors that required four keys in the mouth of a pony skull painted on them, though they didn't need said keys as the door opened for them. The two entered a room plunged in darkness. The only things they could see were cages with what was left of Apple Bloom's friends and family and Little Ghost tied to something they couldn't see.

Torches lit up with purple flames, giving little light as the two advanced cautiously.

"Well, hello there." A voice between the cages said.

"Thanatos, show yourself." Kratus said after figuring out that the owner was the one they were after.

"Very well." Thanatos said, a pair of purple flames appeared, forming eyes, "I would congratulate you on defeating Pyrite and winning my game, but the fight was one sided and not entertaining, unlike the rest of the game." He added, giving a glance at the Makuta.

"This game of yours caused the deaths of two ponies, Smart Spirit and Applejack." He growled, making the captives gasp.

"I know." Thanatos said as the ghosts of Smart Spirit and Applejack entered the room, "Aren't they lovely like." He added before Kratus interrupted by sending a bolt of light at him, "Rude much?" Thanatos asked after avoiding the bolt.

"At this point in time, I don't care." The Makuta said, "So, why don't you show us what you really are, Lord of The Dead."

"Lord of The Dead? That's an interesting thing to call me." Thanatos said before a claw appeared and twirled around, causing more ghosts to appear and join Smart Spirit and Applejack in spinning around the room, "Especially since the living are mere playthings to me. Just one touch from the tips of my fingers " He added as a claw bopped Sweetie Belle, causing her to slump over with Apple Bloom screaming her name, "And they break, becoming a new servant to me, for death is my domain, because. I. Am. Death! Or to be more exact Thanatos, Spirit of The Dead." He said, revealing himself to be a skeletal draconequus. The captives gasped as Thanatos laughed and spread his arms and revealed all his glory.

"This changes nothing! We're still going ta capture ya and save everypony!" Apple Bloom shouted.

"Oh?" Thanatos asked, jumping from his throne and landed among the ghosts, scratching Sweetie Belle's chin, "Then, please, entertain me." He said smugly before the surrounding ghosts attacked the duo, mainly ponies from the three tribes, though zebras and gryphons attacked, that was before a shiver went down their spines as the Makuta bellowed out in laughter, it didn't sound like one of evil, but one of amusement, "You're supposed to be entertaining me, not the other way around." The spirit said as the Makuta continued to laugh before stopping.

"I too… am a lord." He began, amused. "Not a lord of the dead like you, obviously." He added as he grew again, "But of shadow, just as they gave birth to me, they empower me, they are me, and where they dwell, I dwell, for they are my domain and mine to command, for I am their Lord and Master." He said before they heard his friend.

"Since he made that speech Thanatos. I only have ten words to say."

"And they would be?" The Spirit of The Dead asked.

"He ain't gonna just fight you, he's gonna pulverize you." Samuel replied, pausing for a few seconds, "Another thing, you made a mistake because you've angered him to the point where he won't show any mercy." He added, going back to watching the fight, Apple Bloom and Kratus isolating and capturing Applejack before the Makuta sent beams of shadow at Thanatos from his skyblaster that nailed him as he attempted to touch either him or Apple Bloom who trapped him in a vortex that he escaped after two seconds with an explosion of energy that sent the filly flying, though a beam of plasma scorched his side, blackening one of his ribs as he countered, going after Apple Bloom while the ghosts went after the Makuta.

"Too scared to face me?" Kratus asked Thanatos smugly.

"No, I just have somepony else to deal with."

"A pity." Kratus said, hitting the spirit with electrical energy that made a loud crack as shadow energy gathered inside his skyblaster before he unleashed it in a beam that split apart, each separate beam nailing the ghosts and Thanatos and stunned them, allowing for the capture of Sweetie Belle and Smart Spirit along with more ghosts, though Thanatos sent a wave of energy that sent Apple Bloom flying before the Makuta blocked it with one of his own as Thanatos taunted Apple Bloom about her state, though that left him open to a shockwave of air from the Makuta who gathered shadow energy inside his skyblaster before unleashing it in a large beam, that overwhelmed him as Apple Bloom captured the last of the ghosts, though Thanatos wasn't done yet, as he went after the Makuta by teleporting behind him to use his touch of death, though he sensed something inside the Makuta.

A shard of the dead? What is one of them doing inside this guy? He thought before sensing something about it; it was ancient, though before he could draw it out and find out who the shard was, the Makuta turned around and sent him flying with a backhanded slap with the skeletal draconequus deciding to investigate later as he had other priorities, such as playing with the duo in front of him by sending bones at them with the filly dodging them with them shattering against the Makuta's armor, Silly me, anything physical that I know of shatters, bounces off or crumples against that armor. Thanatos thought, mentally facepalming with the Makuta amused before he attacked, sending a beam of energy through the ground at Thanatos, that exploded underneath him that sent him flying before he attempted to use the touch of the dead against Apple Bloom, only for the Makuta to grab his wrist with him growing weaker.

"Life drain sucks when used against you, doesn't it?" Kratus asked, smirking before sending him flying, his Shadow Hand smacking him into the ground before turning into a fist that pounded the skeletal figure while creating a crater before he teleported and attempted send bones and purple flames against the duo with the Makuta dodging the flames with the filly doing the same with the bones, though as he went to use the touch of the dead, he found himself slowed down, "You must be getting old, you're a little slow there." Kratus said, smirking before giving Thanatos the beat down with his many abilities and his skyblaster before the spirit's speed returned to normal before Apple Bloom captured him.

Finally, they defeated Thanatos, but before either she and her friend could yell in victory, Thanatos burst out of the Poltergust, causing the duo to groan before Thanatos congratulated them on entertaining him and telling them that they'll see him in a few months before releasing his captives and sending them through a portal.

The group landed with a thud with Little Ghost floating, regaining control, then they got up while groaning.

"Where are we?" Twilight asked, with Kratus speaking after noticing Apple Bloom's heavy breathing.

"We're on the terrace of Treacherous Mansion." He said before Apple Bloom lost her strength and fell before Big Macintosh caught her with Twilight placing her back as the stallion looked at Apple Bloom's wounds.

"We need ta get her ta a hospital, quickly." Big Mac said.

"But the nearest hospital is miles away." Twilight countered before Apple Bloom and Little Ghost informed them of something with Twilight skeptical before they turned to find Rarity crying while holding Sweetie Belle with other ponies gathered around the sight before leaving the manor with them hearing the chittering of the Nui-Jaga.

She was relieved to see her friend and the alternate versions of her friend's friends. Wait… why is one of them crying and carrying a young one not moving?

The Nui-Jaga approached Rarity and Sweetie Belle and poked the latter a few times with a claw before chittering sorrowfully.

Dead… the young one was dead, life taken from her while young, and there was nothing she could do to comfort the crying one and that saddened her, and she expressed it, though she also noticed that one of the alternate versions of her friend's friends is missing and caused her to be worried about her before the alternate versions of her friend's friends held a conversation before they made their way down the mountain. With ghosts appearing that she eyed warily even if they helped, though her friend changed into another Rahi, with Fluttershy in awe at the sight before green energy surrounded the wings as her friend took off and grabbed her and carried her back to the mine with the Makuta changing back after letting her go.

"Well, we know what called you back now." Samuel told his friend.

"Thanatos?" The Makuta asked, looking at the mourning group who set the ghosts free except for Pyrite and Dark Magic along with the wraiths, though the Makuta guessed that inside the red crystal, Pyrite was still shivering from his experience.

"Mmhmm." 

"Meaning I can't go home yet as I haven't eliminated him."

"Nope, but you and Apple Bloom will get him."

"I hope so old friend, I hope so." Kratus sighed, the Nui-Jaga chittered before the ponies, and dragon entered the caravan with the Makuta turning back into a Lohrak with the Nui-Jaga following them to the Crystal Empire for them to rest before heading to Canterlot.

She was happy to be back in a warmer climate as they entered the castle with ghosts accompanying them; the Rahi having gotten used to the ghosts and looked at the guards who looked at her and her friend with caution, especially her friend. The staff looked at them in fear, though her worry for the young ones seemed to calm them down before one of the alternate versions of her friend's sisters appeared with the mismatched one appearing shortly and a conversation starting.

"If only my friend could send Mata Nui over." Kratus said when Discord mentioned necromancy.

"And what could this Mata Nui of yours do?" Celestia asked with Discord looking at the Makuta.

"Well, mainly the mask that he wears, the Kanohi Ignika, or Mask of Life."

"Sounds like a mask that a necromancer would use." Celestia said, causing the Makuta to laugh.

"It doesn't work that way, it restores someone back to life with none of that undead stuff." Kratus replied, causing those there to gasp. "It can mutate or unmutate life as well or even change their species or restore one to their former self, and with enough power behind it can turn a desert world into a paradise." He added, "Though on the restore someone to life part, I don't know about life forms our size, but for a robot with a spirit millions of feet high, it required someone to give their life to restore the life back to the robot, but necromancy might bypass the give life to save life part." He added again before the conversation continued on without him with Discord touching each pony and the dragon there that made his brother's touch of death useless against them, though he paused and stared at the Makuta while rubbing his chin before partially restoring Sweetie Bell back to life with another conversation starting, though on the subject of dark magic, "That's only corruptive if you let it."

"And how do you know this?"

"I've seen it used without it corrupting the user, many times including alternate versions of Twilight Sparkle from universes I've observed." He replied as Discord informed Sweetie Belle of what she could do before creating a robot body for Applejack as the spirit couldn't retrieve the mare's body, "Samuel, mind sending me some of the stuff I like to use for experiments concerning Rahi and such?" He asked quietly.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, need to practice what my species was meant for." Kratus replied before telling him which ones of the "stuff" he wanted.

"Fine." Samuel groaned, sending over seven vials. Five had different labels and contained green energy based substances, with the last two containing a grayish liquid that the Makuta caught and attached them to where a belt would go.

"Since I still feel guilty about what I did while enraged." Kratus said approaching the group who noticed the vials the Makuta didn't have before, though Twilight was curious as to what they were, "I have a few gifts for Applejack and Sweetie Belle."

"Are they related to those?" Celestia asked, pointing at the vials the Makuta had who nodded.

"Now step aside, please? The only expert around for what I'm going to do needs some space." Kratus said with the group dispersing with the Makuta putting his fingers together and stretching them, "Now remember young ones, don't try this at home without the supervision of a Makuta." He added, grabbing four vials of the green stuff, then opened them, before letting out a fake mad scientist laugh as he poured them on Applejack, causing her to glow green as the Makuta put a hand on her, manipulating the green substances effecting her before putting the greyish liquid on her, causing the glow to die down and revealing the changes. Her body gained a mixture of mechanical and organic properties. "Congratulations, your Applejack is now a technorganic being with a few abilities!"

"And what about me?" Sweetie Belle asked before the Makuta did the same, this time without the laugh that once he finished his work he spoke again.

"Congrats, your Sweetie Belle, now has increased durability and can now heal damage at a rapid pace."

"And what are my abilities?" Applejack asked.

"You can create armor for yourself, self repair with or without the armor and control the earth to a degree, being the active ones, the passive is that you still have the advantages of your robotic half though." Kratus replied, earning a hug from the technorganic mare, "Oh, and your body is made out of Metallic Protodermis mixed with organic properties." He added before they heard Samuel.

"Little Ghost." He said, earning said filly's attention.

"Yes?"

"I know that you have a power within you."

"What about it?" The filly asked, looking down while remembering what she used her power for at first.

"How skilled are you at using it?"

"Not enough to face Thanatos and win."

"From where I am, I can tell you have the potential to hold your own against him."

"Really?" She asked.

"With training."

"Who'll train me?"

"Take a guess."

"You?"

"Would I be speaking to you otherwise?"

"How will you train me?" Little Ghost asked. Her answer came in the form of a portal that caused her to facehoof with the portal closing.

"We can start the day after tomorrow." Samuel said before the visitors left Canterlot with them laying Smart Spirit's body to rest the next day, which Kratus attended before meditating to tame his darkness further and to temper his anger towards Thanatos, for anger clouds judgment.

Prepare for your end, Thanatos. For when the times comes… I will hunt you down.