//------------------------------// // Life to a Ghost // Story: Pipp the Poltergeist // by Misty Shadow //------------------------------// Once Pipp had finished her maniacal laugh, she looked into the eyes of Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch, their blank stares immediately telling her that they were having a hard time processing the fact that she was now a ghost. Empathizing with their feelings of shock and confusion, Pipp decided it was appropriate to elaborate more on how she became Pipp the Poltergeist. “I suppose you deserve more of an explanation on how I ended up this way…” Pipp told her friends who had only now seen her as a ghost in a sympathetic tone of voice. “Very well then…I’ll elucidate what happened before we start our game…” And so, Pipp began to share with her friends who hadn’t known of her ghostly transformation beforehand how she became like this… “It started three days ago, when I was talking to Misty about my interests in the paranormal. Misty told me that the supernatural was a sensitive subject for her, letting me know of the otherworldly horrors Opaline had put her through, forcing her latent supernatural powers to awaken by having her go through a painful near-death experience that permanently scarred her.” Misty impulsively closed her eyes, sniffing and sobbing as Izzy put a foreleg around her to comfort her as the rest of her friends gave her looks of pity, feeling very sorry for her. Even Sprout could not help but feel bad for her. “Yes, I felt quite sorry for Misty myself. That’s why I offered to help her overcome her past trauma. I wanted to come up with a way for no pony to have to suffer through what she did ever again, so I committed myself to doing as much research into the supernatural as possible. I asked Misty what she knew about the paranormal that I didn’t, and in turn, she offered to let me borrow a book from Opaline’s library that would reveal to me some of the greatest secrets of the world beyond. I happily accepted the offer without hesitation, and once I received that book, oh my glitter…I had never been so engrossed in anything in my life…” Pipp then pulled out her phone, gazing at it with an unsettling smirk on her face… “Even my phone couldn’t compare…it was the first time in my life I was happy to take a break from social media…since this book was explaining to me what my subconscious mind had always wanted to learn, exactly why social media is so addictive to me…” Pipp then turned to her friends, still smiling a creepy smile. “Tell me, can any of you explain to me exactly how a smartphone works?” she asked cheekily. Her unnerved friends shook their heads. “Of course you can’t.” she answered her rhetorical question amusedly. “Because no pony can explain exactly how an entrance to a metaphysical world works. It may feel natural to us now, but before the time of Twilight Sparkle, the idea of something like this existing was considered by Equestria to be impossible, transcending the laws of reality. It’s no coincidence that I’ve always loved social media and the paranormal, since both of them go beyond what should be possible. That, to me, is the meaning of life, and how I fulfill my purpose…by going beyond the realm of possibility…” “But Pipp…” Zipp interjected with a deep sadness in her voice. “Now that you’ve died…” “Can you explain to me exactly what life and death are?” Pipp abruptly asked another question she knew none of her friends could answer. “Do you equate life and death with existence and nonexistence respectively? Even lifeless objects exist and can not truly be destroyed, only reduced to dust and particles. Every day, ponies all over Equestria interact with this world called the internet, something that doesn’t physically exist, yet has a profound impact on our world and our lives. This world truly has changed a lot since before the time of Twilight Sparkle, when no pony thought the creation of such a thing as a smartphone was possible…take note of the word, “change”. That is the true essence of life and death. To live and die is not about existence…to live and die is about how you change both yourself and the world around you…” “Sis…” Zipp replied in a suspecting tone of voice. “You didn’t allow yourself to die on purpose, did you?” “No.” Pipp answered bluntly in a tone that made her sound slightly offended. “I would never take my own life. I’m not telling you this because I want you to subscribe to a warped ideology that debases life. I’m telling you this because I want you to understand that there’s far more to life than you know. The reason I’m doing what I’m doing is because I want to improve the quality of life for the ponies of Equestria, that’s why I create my products. I want no pony to have to suffer what Opaline put her victims through ever again. That’s why we need power. Even though I’m no longer technically alive, I can show you the power I gained in death…a glimpse of the power that could be yours too…” It was then that Pipp made fire appear in one of her hooves, surprising Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch. “That’s just like what I saw in Sprout’s hoof!” Hitch exclaimed in astonishment in his mind. “This power I discovered to create supernatural fire isn’t perfected…” Pipp explained. “It’s not on the level of Opaline’s fire magic. The spirits who have been drawn to this building will never be able to rest in peace if I can’t surpass Opaline. Her weakness is that she is alone while I have allies. That’s where you, my friends, come in. In order for you ponies to help me perfect this power that will help us defeat Opaline, you’re going to need the will to experience death…but if I force you to commit to that cause, I’ll become the very thing I’m fighting against. I’ll be no better than Opaline. I want you all to decide for yourselves whether or not you want to risk your lives. Just take my words to heart and know that even if you are to die like I did, death is not the end. Death is only a change…” “Fear of death was not going to stop us from doing the right thing to begin with.” Sunny chimed in, speaking in a bold tone of voice. “If you die, we die. It doesn’t matter if you’re no longer alive in the traditional sense, you’ll always be alive to us. My dad may have died, but he’s as alive as ever inside of my heart. He actually came to me, spoke to me, told me you were more alive than ever. No matter what happens, I have to believe him.” “I couldn’t have said what Sunny said any better!” Hitch exclaimed vigorously. “If I’m the kind of stallion who wouldn’t be willing to risk his life after seeing his friend suffer a tragic fate, then Sparky deserves a better dragon dad than me!” “Even before today, there are things I feared more than death, Pipp.” Zipp told her sister earnestly. “And one of those things was losing you…I’ve not always been the best sister, but even I would never choose giving into my fear over helping you at a time like this. I’m willing to do whatever it takes!” Pipp, Izzy, Misty, and Sprout were all touched and full of admiration for Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch’s compassion and valor. Upon seeing the resolve of her friends, something in Pipp’s eyes that looked like a soul now had a twinkle in its eyes that once looked lifeless… “Huh?” Hitch reacted in confusion in his mind, noticing this. “A spark in her eyes…it’s like I just saw the kind of flame from that familiar flicker…” “Are you going to tell us what this game’s about now?” Zipp inquired from her sister readily. “I sure am.” Pipp answered enthusiastically. “There was no way I was going to allow you guys to not have fun with your endeavor, so I came up with a simple challenge with easy-to-understand rules. All you have to do to win my game is solve a mystery, then capture me.” “I read you right…” Zipp replied, sharing her sister’s excitement as she remembered the hunch she had that lifted her from despair before she and her friends set off. “You know I love mysteries…what’s this one about?” “It’s about uncovering the identity of the familiar Sprout ordered to guard this building.” Pipp explained. “I’ll give you a clue…you already have his name…it’s just the last name you’d think of…” “Eee hee hee…” Zipp giggled ebulliently, making Sprout feel slightly unnerved. “Pipp wasn’t kidding about her fascination with mysteries…” he thought in astonishment. “Don’t want to imagine how she’d react if I were to spoil the surprise…” “How are we supposed to capture you?” Sunny asked curiously. “You’re our friend…I’m not keen on the idea of putting you in some kind of prison…” “That’s part of the game, figuring out how.” Pipp answered with a wink. “A puzzle’s no fun if you’re just given the solution. From this point on, I’m not going to hold your hooves. The most help you’re going to get is from your chaperones. Izzy, Misty, and Sprout are here to help you and protect you from harm inside of Canterlove Studios.” “I’m sure it goes without saying that all three of us have experienced death.” Misty said solemnly. “You already know about me. Izzy had her near-death experience in a ghost’s deadly energy trap and Sprout had his here…” “There’s a difference between us and Pipp though.” Izzy explained. “The deaths we experienced involved our souls temporarily being separated from our bodies. Pipp’s soul didn’t return to her body normally after her encounter with death, rather it fused with her body, converting it into spiritual energy.” “The term “near-death experience” in this context is really just a technical term with a misleading name.” Sprout informed the trio. “All of us “actually died”. Our souls left our bodies and could’ve left this world for good. It’s a good thing that you three don’t fear death, because there are worse fates than it…had things gone differently, we could have been lost to a realm of fire…” Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch gasped in horror. “Don’t worry.” Pipp chimed in to comfort them. “That fate will definitely not befall you three. Not only are you different from the spirits I’ve met who have fallen victim to that fate, I’m working on something that will ensure all will be saved from it…” Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch each had a different reaction in thought to what they had been told… “By “spirits she met”…” Sunny pondered to herself. “Is she referring to…” “When she told me about that batch of products she was working on…” Zipp wondered in thought. “Is she really…” “What would make us different from those spirits?” Hitch mused to himself. “I know there was something unique about that familiar’s essence…” “I know you all have questions that you want answers to…” Pipp said softly, able to observe the curiosity of her friends. “However, you can only find those answers inside of Canterlove. Once you enter this building, the intense supernatural energy that haunts it will overwhelm your bodies, causing your souls to depart from them. You must then do whatever it takes to return to your bodies. I can assure that you won’t end up in a realm of fire, but I can’t promise that you won’t end up like me…” “We deserve worse than your fate if we fail.” Sunny replied without hesitation, maintaining her courage. “There’s no turning back at this point.” a headstrong Zipp assured the group’s commitment. “No leaving friends or family behind.” “I just want your word that no matter what happens, Sparky will be safe.” a concerned Hitch requested as he turned to Sparky, who was sleeping soundly on his back. “That, I can promise.” Pipp responded sincerely. “Your chaperone, Misty, will look out for both you and Sparky. Zipp’s chaperone will be Izzy and Sunny’s chaperone will be Sprout.” “Wait, what exactly are our “chaperones” going to do?” Zipp asked curiously. “What is this, a party? What exactly is the harm they’re going to protect us from?” “If Misty’s going to look out for me and Sparky…does that mean Sparky’s going to have to come inside the building too?” Hitch inquired, now even more concerned. “How will he handle the supernatural energy?” “Why do we each have a guide specifically assigned to us?” Sunny questioned confusedly. “Is there a reason why they can’t just all watch us together? And why did you assign them that way?” “The body is most susceptible to possession when the soul leaves it.” Pipp started answering her friends’ questions with Zipp’s. “Your chaperones will protect your bodies from becoming possessed by dangerous spirits and help your souls. Sparky won’t have to worry about anything because he already knows how to sense and handle supernatural energy, we safely ascertained this when Izzy brought him here this morning.” “Sparky was already here today?!” Hitch cried in shock, taken aback. A thought then crossed his mind as he remembered the way Sparky was acting earlier around Izzy and Misty, like he knew something. “So that must be why…” he told himself in his mind in realization. “We’re sorry, Hitch.” Izzy interjected with an apology, speaking on her and Misty’s behalf, the both of them looking forlorn from guilt. “We only did it for the sake of his safety and yours, we promise. Sparky wanted to come here too, there’s something about the energy of this place that excites him.” “I have a plan too with how I’m going to make things up to the both of you.” Misty assured. “We’re not just going to keep giving excuses. I’m going to be the best guide I can be, protecting you both. I know how to make some mean tea…with cookies.” Misty said this with a confident smirk and a wink, trying to give Hitch a hint on how she intended to help him and Sparky in the near future. Hitch, however, didn’t get the hint. “I’m…sure that will be lovely.” Hitch replied bemusedly, not sure how to respond. With that conversation putting Sparky on his mind, Sprout looked at his hoof and wondered something in concern. “Sparky hadn’t known about my ability beforehand…I have a bad feeling…” “Anyway…” Pipp continued. “Your guides are assigned the way they are because they each have their own unique abilities that are best suited for who they’ll watch over. They can’t all watch you together because you each have your own spiritual challenge that you must conquer personally.” “Not that I don’t trust Izzy, but I don’t know how I feel about any pony having to be my literal bodyguard.” Zipp expressed her sentiments of uncertainty. “I trust that Misty really has changed, but I don’t want to burden her with having to take care of both me and Sparky.” Hitch commented in a tone of discomfort. “I believe this could be an opportunity for Sprout to show me that he can continue to change and mature, but I would’ve wanted us to take on a challenge like this together.” Sunny remarked, displeased at the prospect of splitting up. “I understand your doubts, worries, and disappointment.” Pipp replied empathetically. “However, this is the way it has to be. This is the best way for everyone to be kept safe while you three are given a chance to prove that you are worthy of new power. We must all prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are capable of surmounting Opaline. All Izzy, Misty, Sprout, and I want is for you three to trust in us. Do you?” “Of course we do.” Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch answered instantly with complete sincerity. “Perfect.” Pipp responded eagerly with a nod. “I’ll see all of you together again once you’ve solved the mystery of the familiar’s identity. Each trial you conquer should give you a clue to solving the mystery. By the time you’re done, I’m sure you’ll also know how to capture me…farewell for now…” Pipp then gave her phone one last eerie glance before she went back inside the building. As her ghostly form vanished through the doors, Zipp heard a sound that only her ears could pick up… “Did she just…take a selfie?” Zipp wondered to herself in thought. “Completely characteristic of her, yet something bothers me…do ghosts actually show up in pictures?” “I really do hope that by the time we’re done, we’ll also know of a way to change Pipp back to normal…” Sunny said with concern. “I’m sure there’s more to why she was being so nonchalant about her situation other than the fact that she enjoys being a ghost.” Zipp shared her thoughts. “A hunch tells me that “out of this world” batch of products she told me she was working on has something to do with it…” “Ghost or not though, Pipp’s still our friend.” Hitch affirmed affectionately. “She’s never going to be dead to us. Once we obtain this new power, we’re not just going to use it to stop Opaline, we’re also going to use it to help Pipp. Even if she can’t be a pony again, we’re going to make sure she can still enjoy a great life!” Sprout was awe-inspired by how nothing about Sunny, Zipp, and Hitch’s demeanor had changed since Pipp left, the care they had shown for their friend being entirely genuine. “Do you guys…” he interjected in disbelief. “…really not worry about the fact that this could be the end of your lives? If we fail to protect you, you’ll end up just like Pipp. Isn’t there any doubt instilled in you, given that I’ve only recently changed and that Izzy and Misty worked with me while I was still your enemy? Do you really trust us completely after we kept you in the dark about so much?” “I’ve always felt really bad about keeping secrets from you…” Izzy expressed her shame. “I always just wanted to look out for every pony, but can you really trust me again so quickly?” “If I hadn’t given Pipp that book, none of this would’ve happened.” Misty said guiltily. “And then I deceived you…it’s like it just keeps compounding, the stuff that my friends have to forgive me for. I wish that what happened to Pipp had happened to me instead…” “NO!” all of Misty’s friends cried, immediately giving their friend a hug. Sprout felt even more sorry for Misty than he had before, his sympathy compelling him to ask Misty’s friends a question… “…Do you…mind if I join in?” Right away, he received an inviting reply of… “Of course not.” With that, Sprout joined the group hug, an embrace that led him and every pony present to feel captivated by a serene, comforting aura… “I don’t blame you for what happened to my sister.” Zipp told Misty sincerely. “You were just doing what you thought was right…Pipp was just doing what she thought was right…how could I possibly stay mad at you, especially after knowing what you went through?” “You’ve already redeemed yourself for what you did to us and Sparky.” Hitch chimed in assuredly. “It’s out of the question for us to keep holding a grudge while keeping track of what you’ve done right and wrong.” “You, Izzy, and Sprout have all been through far too much…” Sunny said despondently, trying to fight back tears of sadness for these ponies. “We already don’t hate any pony…how could we resent you when we haven’t been in your position, having to deal with your pain ourselves?” This sentiment Sunny expressed caused something to click in Sprout’s mind… “Now I get it…” he uttered in realization. “Your full trust in us after what we did…it doesn’t just come from a place of courage, kindness, faith, or a combination of the three…the goodness in you stems from selflessness…pure selflessness, the unwavering desire to help and understand others…” Sprout made that statement with the memory of what Argyle had told him about Sunny’s humility allowing her to want to help him on his mind. Curiously, he then said to Sunny… “I remember you asking your dad something about giving ghosts peace…what do you think he meant by what he said about a fire’s purpose?” “That’s what I have yet to figure out…” Sunny replied, pondering as the group concluded their hug. “But I have a nagging feeling that my dad’s figured something out…you all saw him…whatever he knows is definitely something too important to keep between just us two. Pipp also mentioned something about wanting to help spirits and spirits she met that had become lost to a realm of fire. If she was referring to the same spirits that haunt this place, that could mean…” On impulse, Sprout made fire appear on his right hoof, staring into it as he could feel that something about it had changed to match his change of heart…like an icy coldness had become overwhelmed by something invitingly warm… “UROOOOO!” Sparky abruptly cried, suddenly awakening from his sleep on Hitch’s back. Sparky then jumped off Hitch’s back and went over to Sprout, touching his left foreleg. His horns began to glow as the supernatural fire in Sprout’s hoof faded, becoming absorbed into his body. “Uwo ha ha…” Sparky let out an ominous chuckle as his entire body began to glow, his eyes turning white as if he had become possessed… “Sparky!” Hitch yelled in fear. “What’s going on with you, buddy?!” “Yes…” Sparky said in a discomforting voice that was not his own, but the voice of a ghost who had possessed him. “This is the fire that will free us…you ponies are the saviors who will deliver us freedom from the fire alicorn’s curse! We’ll finally be like him…the prophecy he told long before he became a familiar will be fulfilled!” “SPARKY!” Hitch bellowed in great concern as he reached his forelegs out to the baby dragon. “Hitch, no!” Misty exclaimed, trying to stop Hitch by putting a foreleg to his chest to push him away from Sparky out of her own concern, but it was too late. Once Hitch touched the possessed baby dragon, a magical force of purple aura enveloped the three, causing them to suddenly disappear in a flash of light… Meanwhile, inside of Canterlove Studios, Pipp was in a dark room, staring at the photo she had held earlier… It was a photo of Argyle with Sunny as a kid…and a familiar ghost…