“So are you going to do more than make moaning sounds?” I ask the spirit that's been following me since the discovery of the body. No one else can see it, and the damn thing is either so weak or so insane that it only moans. Granted, I wouldn't be much better if I was locked in such a tiny cube for who knows how long.
I'm currently sitting on 'my' bed and just waiting for someone to show up and tell me what the hell they've figured out. Apparently little foals aren't supposed to be investigating murder cases. Also I have to have a word with Luna. She's apparently been messing with me.
I try and continue listening to the spirit. I don't usually do this, most spirits I've run into are people I myself killed... needless to say they have nothing productive to say. I actually used a spell to shut them up in my previous form. Just more moaning I can't make heads or tails of.
“You know following me into the lavatory was uncalled for.” I tell my companion and just more moaning answers me. “You know if you pull yourself together I may be able to help you.” I tell it and all I get is a scream. Well at least it was a different reaction. I try and focus more closely to the spirit but... it's just so different from someone freshly killed.
The newly dead are phantoms of themselves. This is a shimmering and roiling orb of pain, regret, moaning and desperation. There are flashes of colour and confusion as well. How do you help a confused tangle of emotions?
I'm pulled out of my musing by the sound of hoof falls in the hallway. Its either my lunch, my 'aunt' or my 'mother'. A few moments later the door is opened. “May we enter?” Luna asks and I smile.
“Certainly have a seat.” I say gesturing where I know the desk chair is. She might be confused with my manner but I can't tell. I hear her walk across the floor and there's a slight scrape before a creak. I assume she's sat down. “So what's with the false accent?” I ask her and I grin at the sound of her sputtering for a moment. The spirit gives out another moan for some reason.
“How did you figure it out?” she asks me and I raise an eyebrow.
“Did you honestly think I wouldn't hear you giving a statement to the guards?” I ask her and she chuckles ruefully.
“Fair enough. I apologize, I just wanted to have a little fun with you. Did you even really notice?” she asks me in return.
“No. You spoke with a nobles accent when everyone else spoke with a traders accent. But you are a princess so...” I trail off calmly.
“Nobles accent?” Luna asks me sounding very confused.
“I'm from another world. Did you forget?” I reply comfortably before flinching as the spirit shrieks for no good reason.
“What happened? Is something wrong?” Luna asks quickly and I shake my head a little.
“The spirit of the dead pony is following me and screaming at random.” I tell her and there is a sharp intake of breath just before the spirit floats into my face, and screams even louder getting me to jump back. “Oww.” I mutter as I bounce into the wall.
I feel the spirit scatter for a moment. I feel an imprint of a face with a horn on it and floating hair for a brief moment. I flinch back and bash my head against the wall with my hair cushioning the impact a little. “Are you okay? What's going on?” She asks in a panicked tone as she scoops me up and I start wiggling to get some distance.
“The spirit floated in front of my face and screamed. Twice.” I tell her with a bit of a lie at the end. What in the hell had happened there!? Spirits are not influenced by the flesh unless its their own body. So how did Luna's face get imprinted?
“Where is it now? Does it keep following you?” she asks me and I nod and point towards the corner of the room the spirit has drifted to. “Can you understand it at all? We haven't been able to make much progress with the murdered stallion.” she tells me and I shake my head.
“No. He was alone for too long. Until you said stallion I couldn't even tell gender.” I say and she lowers me to the bed.
“How bitter is the spirit?” she asks me solemnly and I focus for a moment.
“Very bitter. Angry too.” I tell her and there is a sharp intake of breath.
“If there is anything you can do for this spirit do it. It's near to becoming a Windego.” she tells me quickly and I look up in surprise.
“I really hope we're thinking about different creatures.” I tell her and there is a sigh. “Oh shit.” The last thing I need is a bodiless cannibal running around. “I could banish it but its just going to come back!” I tell her a little frantic at this point.
“No that will not help. We need to find a way to soothe it.” Luna tells me and I whistle at that tall order... then I whistle again as an idea comes to me. Finally I whistle at the spirit and it responds ever so slightly.
“I think I have an answer.” I say before humming to myself and 'watching' in wonder as the incoherent spirit responds by trying to hum back.
“What is it? Music?” Luna asks and I nod.
“It's responding, and music can be soothing. But, I'm no minstrel.” I tell her and she starts humming herself. I raise an eyebrow and try to focus the feeling towards the spirit. “That works... we need to get some music going.”
“Perhaps... you mentioned that you can put a spell in a crystal right?” Luna asks me and I nod. “I'm going to bring you a gemstone that I want you to put this spirit sense ability into, can you do that?” she asks further and again I nod not sure where this is going. “After that some of our researchers will handle this. You need to relax and heal.” she tells me and I look up at her in shock as my empty eyes fly open. I then close them as a moan from the spirit reminds me to.
“Why?” I ask her stunned.
“You're a foal. You should not have to deal with this.” She tells me and as I open my mouth to argue she puts her hoof in it to silence me. Eww.
“You may have experience beyond your new age. You are also very wise and clever. I admit to all of that freely. You are still a foal. Your very mind has been altered and I can sense you using your magic to suppress that. You need to stop and let yourself heal.” she tells me before pulling her hoof away. If I had eyes I'd be staring at her incredulously.
“What gives you that sort of right? Who are you to tell me how I live?” I demand half snarling in my anger and she calmly puts a hoof on my shoulder to steady me.
“I am Luna. Goddess of the Night, the Moon and Dreams.” She tells me and I start sweating at the implication that I've been getting into the face of a god. “I am thousands of years your elder and under Equestrian Law your adoptive mother.” she says and I can sense her frowning. Apparently the spirit can too as its gone quiet.
“Now, as to the right it is because I looked deeper and longer into your life then my sister. I saw that even as a child you were feared oh Bringer-Of-Death. Animals, plants, even the children that harassed you. All dead within the month. Yet, you never wanted it. Never liked it. Your whole life has been an example of mounting misery and desperate survival.” she tells me and I look away crossly.
“Is there a point to this?” I snarl out as her words dig much deeper then I'd ever admit.
“The point is that you have a chance to remake yourself. You mentioned modifying your phylactery. Why not make the Rebirth in all things? A new body needs a new life to go with it.” she tells and I face her again in frustration before absently pushing the spirit away as it gets in my face again.
“So you want me to just throw out everything that I am? No!” I protest quickly and there's now a hoof on my head holding me down a little.
“I didn't say that. Instead you should build off of who you are. A foundation of Love and Joy to help bolster up the whole of your being.” This quiets me down completely. I can't tell if she's being honest, but I think so.
“This is unreal... these sorts of things just do not happen to me.” I tell her frankly and I hear a slight sigh. The spirit comes again and I push it away with more force. Then without warning its pain shoots up my limb and burrows into my brain. “Damnit!”
“The spirit?” Luna asks and I nod while trying to glare at the wispy ball of pain. I know its not sentient but it seems to just hate me. “Also while things of this sort might not happen on your world, they do on Equestria.” she says and I take a moment to think on that when the spirit tries to body check me.
“That's it!” I shout grabbing the annoying thing, and forcing all of its pain out of it before slamming it into the wall while bolstering its mind. I then rip out as much bitterness as I can, and force energy into its sense of hope before slamming the rapidly reforming entity into the bed where it makes a physical impact. Luna gasps. “Now will you stop that?!” I demand then realize what I just did. There is a fully formed and intact stallion in my spirit sight. “Can you see him now?” I ask and I think she nods, then clears her throat as she apparently remembers herself.
“Yes I can. How did you do that?” Luna asks sounding shocked.
“I ripped out his pain and bitterness, then I forced power into its mind and sense of hope. It looks like it worked.” I say examining the spirit in fascination. “So can we have your name please?” I ask and the stallion looks stunned before he nods.
“I'm Prince Justicar. What... what happened to me?” he asks sounding shocked and scared. I notice he's wearing what looks like a cutout part of a suit with a tie. Even more interesting is the burnished scales he has for a marking. A judge most likely.
“You've been murdered.” I tell him bluntly and I hear Luna gasp at that, but more interesting is Justicar who looks panicked but anger doesn't cross his face... so did I remove it entirely?
“Oh... oh no I remember now... that monster...” he says he voice cracking, and looks on the verge of panic.
“What monster?” Luna asks butting in. Justicar looks at her for a moment before blinking.
“It looked like a pony, but not a pony. An insect alicorn almost.” he says sounding haunted as Luna starts breathing heavily.
“Changelings.” she snarls and I turn to her in surprise. I can see that Justicar is staring at her as well. She seems to notice her audience. “Changelings are loathsome formshifters who feed off love. Not too long ago they attempted to conquer Canterlot and were driven out.” she says and I nod.
“So an early spy then?” I ask and Luna sighs.
“When I said that you're not going to be part of this investigation I meant it. Justicar, head towards the guards barracks. When questioned tell them of what's happened and they will take you to the forensics lab.” she tells us both, and I sigh as it looks like Justicar is about to protest before he gets off the bed and tries to leave. He freezes just in front of the door.
“I can't move any further! What's going on!?” he demands and I curse under my breath. There's the movement of air and I can almost feel Luna glaring at me from point blank range.
“He's bound to me. He can't get any further than that.” I say in a resigned tone of voice and Luna sighs in frustration.
“Could this be put into a gemstone?” She asks me, and I get the distinct feeling she's fighting off a headache.
“Maybe. I never tried to make an anchor point.” I tell her honestly, and there is an explosive sigh.
“Well you are going to try because stars help me, you are going to have a good foal-hood if I have to personally drag you from every murder investigation in Equestria.” Luna swore with a passion and I turn my head in her direction in confusion. I don't know what to think about that.
I feel myself encased in magic, then I'm floated onto Luna's back. “Do keep up Prince Justicar. I want my foal to be rid of such... distasteful events as soon as possible.” she says and Justicar nods.
“I understand milady. I'd be upset if my son was seeing ghosts too.” He says with a slight bow. At that Luna opens the door and races off. Justicar is basically being dragged by the limitation through midair.
“Who is your son?” I ask curiously, trying to take his mind off his soulful status.. He doesn't look old, so the changeling must have raised his child. Or had his child replaced. I find that unlikely though, as such killers tend to stuff the bodies together or do both at once.
“His name is Blueblood... I can't imagine what that monster did to him.” Justicar says as a look of fear crosses his face.
“We'll get our answers once my foal is no longer involved in this Prince Justicar.” Luna says tersely and he nods.
“What's your name foal? The ability to aid the dead is a rare and precious gift.” Justicar asks my after a minute or so. The palace is absolutely huge, so crossing it even with a goddess doing the legwork is a long trip.
“A gift he will not be using, as he is going to have a safe foal-hood.” Luna says sounding like she's declaring it to herself more than anyone else.
“That's a good way to jinx yourself.” I tell her speaking from painful experience. She ignores me.
“This is nowhere near the barracks, study halls or laboratories in the palace. Why are we near the treasure halls?” Justicar asks and I grin.
“She wants me to transfer what's anchoring you to this world out of me and into a gem.” I tell him and he looks surprised.
“You can do that with a broken horn?” he asks shocked.
“Yea but it hurts. A lot.” I tell him and he looks horrified before shooting Luna a look of disapproval.
“Princess. You are aware of the ghost following you correct?” Someone asks. I assume it is a guard.
“Actually he's following me. Which apparently is a problem.” I say in the direction of the voice.
“So he's the guy that was found under the tiles? How? Didn't his spirit move on?” The guard asked and I just gesture towards Justicar.
“No I didn't. I was stuck under there. In Darkness... the cold, clawing, hungry, stifling, crushing, gnawing, biting, staring, judging, laughing, darkness!” Justicar rants sounding more crazy be the second and I kick him in the head slamming some energy into his mind during the moment of contact.
“Feel better?” I ask all smiles.
“Did you have to hit me?” Justicar asks his eyes narrowed at me and clearly angry.
“Sure, why not?” I reply and it's clearly not the answer he was looking for as the glare increases in intensity. I open my lidless eyes and try to match it There's a choking noise from one of the guards. He's probably freaked out about the completely eyeless staring contest.
“Can you place the anchor in this?” Luna asks interrupting the contest as something now floats under my nose encased by her magic.
“Lets see.” I say carefully taking the stone and holding it between two hooves. It much stronger than a hunk of crystal so I guess it's more precious than that. I tug at my sense of self and I feel... a splinter. A tiny splinter that's grown back even as I take it out of me. The splinter moves through me and into the stone where I pour energy into it. The splinter takes root and grows until the gem itself is its new home. I then pull at the slight weight that Justicar is making on me, and put it into the stone which gladly accepts his presence. In my spirit sight I see a proto-soul in the gem with a line to Justicar.
“I think that's done it.” I say holding out the gem.
“You think?” Justicar asks testily. I don't really blame him, it's his neck on the line after all.
“I've got a talent for these sorts of things... but never did exactly this before.” I admit examining the stone. It's like a cross between a phylactery and a flash rock to blind people. Death and Senses, two different focuses brought together. It was mesmerizing to watch them swirl together in the stone.
“There is an easy way to test this.” Luna says taking hold of the stone with magic and moving it away. After a short distance Justicar is dragged with it as well.
“I'd say it works.” I remark calmly. I'm privately glad to have stopped staring at the rock. It's moments like that which just beg someone to put a knife in you.
“Good. You bring this to the forensic laboratory where Prince Justicar's remains are being examined.” Luna says and I feel the gem being moved towards where I heard one of the guards and Justicar is dragged for the ride.
“Yes ma'am. He'll be there in less then five.” The guard says smartly. I'm about to question how he's going to get there so fast before I hear wing-beats. A pegasus. Right.
“Now wait just a...!” Justicar begins to say before his voice starts to vanish into the distance. He's out of range of my spirit sight moments later.
“So that's...” I begin to say before my stomach growls. “That's awkward.” I note.
“That means it's time for lunch.” Luna says kindly. “Keep up the good work soldier.” she tells the guard, and she carries me off to what I must assume is either a dining room or kitchen. As I hear the door open I decide to make an offer.
“You know I really can help with the investigation...” I tell her and she freezes up in an instant.
“Oh no. Just no. I said you are going to have a happy, healthy and well rounded foal-hood if I have to drag you from every crime in Equestria with my hooves alone, and I meant it.” She tells me quickly and there's a tittering from the room. It sounds like Celestia and another... what was her name again? Cadance. That's it.
“That sounds like a challenge...” I mutter remembering just how often I'd run into a graveyard, another necromancer, dead bodies, or ghost towns whenever I wandered. I was just drawn to such things.
“This is going to be trouble.” A familiar male voice says... oh yea the guard Shining Armour.
“Most likely.” I agree and Luna gives out a slight huff.