//------------------------------// // Confrontations // Story: The Headless Horse // by GhostQuill //------------------------------// Midday, it was a wonderful time of day for ponies to be out and enjoying the day thought Celestia as her royal guards carried her down to Ponyville in her chariot. She walked through the small town as her subjects bowed as she passed. Yes today was a lovely day, except there were a few differences today. Applejack wasn’t at the market selling apples, Rarity’s boutique wasn’t open and Pinkie Pie wasn’t greeting ponies as they entered Sugarcube Corner. Fluttershy wasn’t in the park tending to the animals and Rainbow Dash’s rainbow streak couldn’t be seen above the sky. This all brought concern to the Princess, especially as she made her way to the library and saw it was closed with all the curtains drawn. Not many ponies gave it second thought as the Princess entered the library, her student lived there after all. Celestia looked around the darkened library, all of her closest subjects were there; the elements of harmony. Each one had some upsetting look on them, most were scared, especially Fluttershy, but Rainbow was keeping a straight, if slightly annoyed, face on. And Pinkie Pie was being her usual. Nothing seemed to faze that girl. But looking around the room, Celestia could not see her trusted student. ‘Hello girls,’ best to start with the simple questions, ‘Is everything alright? Where’s Twilight?’ ‘We’re fine Princess, nothing we can’t handle, just some jitters is all.’ Said Applejack. ‘Twilight is… well, she’s this way Princess.’ Applejack lead Celestia over to a door which led under the library, faint voices could be heard behind the thick wooden door. Opening it revealed piles upon piles of books littered all through the corridor and down the stairs. Each cover held some sort of ghostly picture on it. Reaching the bottom, they saw Twilight sitting in the corner, reading numerous books at a time, throwing some away and picking up others. Spike was there trying to tidy the book piles and saying to Twilight that she was blowing this all out of proportion. ‘But I’m not Spike! There is a real ghost in the Everfree forest! A real one! But nothing says that ghosts are real, these are just stories!’ Suddenly she turned and stopped when she saw Princess Celestia standing there. Running up to her she said, ‘Princess Celestia! I’m so glad you’re here, I don’t understand anything that’s happening.’ ‘Calm down Twilight, just tell me what you saw.’ ‘It was a headless horse!’ She said with her hair messy and her eyes like dots. ‘You must not excite yourself.’ Celestia said laying a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. ‘But it was a headless horse!’ ‘Of course it was. That's why I’m here.’ ‘No, you must believe me. It was a horse, a dead one. Headless!’ ‘I know, I know.’ ‘You don't know because you were not there. It's all true.’ She said tearing away from the Princess. ‘What’s true Twilight?’ ‘The stories, the tales of the Headless Horse! They’re all true! And I... saw him.’ At that she couldn’t take it anymore and fainted. She wasn’t out for long, just long enough for Applejack and the Princess to carry her back upstairs into the main part of the library. Spike followed along as well, concern on his face for Twilight. When she awoke the Princess told her to calm down and tell her what happened. Taking a deep breath she stood up to tell her what happened. She told her all about Scootaloo missing, and the strange noise they heard. Then with the Headless Horse coming out of nowhere and the manticores chasing them. When she mentioned the passage in the castle, Celestia looked to be deep in thought over this, Twilight wasn’t sure what it could be. Finally they had made it out of the forest and back to Ponyville. When she finished, the Princess said nothing, it didn’t even look like she’d been listening anymore. Finally Twilight asked, ‘Uh… Princess? Is something wrong?’ Looking up at them all she saw they were all staring at her, coming out of her thoughts she said, ‘Oh, yes Twilight, something is bothering me. That passage you spoke of, it is a secret that only I and my sister now know of. Only the most trusted ponies knew of it back when we lived in the old castle, and even then, the number reached the single digits. So I’m curious to how this ghost came to know of it, especially how to open it.’ ‘Do you think he’s a ghost of somepony who worked at the castle? From a thousand years ago?!!’ said Twilight in awe. ‘Maybe… In any case, I have to speak to him. Can you girls bring me to where you found him?’ ‘We can try Princess, he could’ve left.’ Said Twilight. ‘Let’s just try first.’ They all headed off toward the Everfree forest again. Fluttershy didn’t look as scared anymore with the Princess there, Rainbow Dash looked even more grumpier than before. Headless was still lying on his grave, ignoring the world around him, when he heard something. It sounded like something was moving this way. It was the first noise he’d heard in a few hours around this place, nothing ever came here. But he didn’t care, he didn’t even move. Then he heard the voices. ‘Are we sure we’re going the right way?’ ‘I don’t know dear. We’re just looking near where that passage ended.’ ‘Do you think the other girls are having better luck?’ ‘If they were, they would have sent the signal.’ Finally they came out of the trees into a small clearing, and there in front of them, was the Headless Horse. Twilight and Pinkie Pie had been searching in the area of the forest they had found Scootaloo while Dash, Applejack and the Princess had gone towards the old castle where some manticores were still hanging around when they saw a bolt of light shoot upwards into the sky over the forest. Following it, they all entered a clearing with Rarity and Fluttershy standing near the still lying form of the Headless Horse. ‘You found him!’ said Pinkie Pie excitedly. ‘Yes but, he hasn’t moved, he’s just been lying there. I think it’s a grave by the looks of that sword.’ Said Rarity standing away from the grave as best she could. Fluttershy was hiding behind her staring at the Headless Horse cautiously. Celestia saw the sword and her eyes narrowed. ‘I’ve seen that sword before…’ Celestia pondered over this but couldn’t quite remember, it was so long ago, and she had tried to forget most of her past. Suddenly, the Headless Horse got up and looked at Celestia. ‘Celestia, long time no see. How have you been?’ He said obviously faking sincerity. ‘Who are you?!’ she said flaring out her wings defiantly. ‘You don’t remember me? Oh Celestia, you wound me. How could you not remember me? You did have me killed after all.’ There were shocked gasps all around, with all of the ponies locking their eyes on the Princess. She had tensed up but kept her eyes on the Headless Horse, vague memories played on her mind. There was silence between them before Headless said, ‘Looks like I’m going to have to make it obvious for you. Your slow mind is probably still on the matter that I’m a ghost. Walking towards her he says, ‘You remember the fire don’t you dear Celestia? ‘His entire body ignited in flames for a second before the flames disappeared. ‘I’m sure you do. It blazed all through the city. Many died that day, and most were not because of the fire. A fire that need I remind you, you caused.’ Then it all came flooding back to her, a memory she had tried to forget, of a city in blazes, and the limp, headless body of a defiant soldier. ‘You!’ ‘Ah and so she does remembers. Took you long enough. I was beginning to think you'd suffered from memory loss. Wouldn’t surprise me, I did put up quite a fight.’ Even though you couldn’t see it, you could tell he was smiling, taunting Celestia with his words. Furious, Celestia shot a bolt of magic at him. He didn’t even bother to move, just watched lazily as it passed right through him. ‘Going to burn down the forest instead this time are we?’ Celestia was furious, but something on her leg made her stop. Looking down she saw her trusted student looking up to her with concerned and scared eyes, a hoof resting on her leg trying to calm her down. ‘Princess,’ Twilight said, the girl’s concern and questions were conveyed to the Princess all through those large eyes of hers. Calming down, Celestia took a deep breath and returned to her calm self. ‘Thank you Twilight.’ ‘That display made me want to gag. And I’m a ghost.’ The annoying Headless Horse had spoken again and Celestia had to fight back to ignore it. Finally, she turned to him and asked. ‘Why are you here?’ ‘I could ask you the same thing.’ Smugness thick in his voice. He was going to enjoy every moment of this and make it as difficult as he could for her, she could tell. Gritting her teeth, she though humouring him would be the only way to get any answers out of him. ‘My subjects, Twilight and her friends here, told me that there was a headless ghost living in the Everfree forest. Ghosts have never existed for as long as I have been alive so this is something as Ruler of Equestria; that requires me to check in on.’ ‘Oh if it’s required of you, then ask away. I will try to answer your questions, Missy.’ He said that on purpose and she hated it. Headless could tell by the way her body tensed, oh he was going to love this. He was getting odd looks from the other ponies with how he addressed the Princess, but she was not Princess or Ruler of Equestria to him. Suddenly the annoying blue Pegasus flew up to him and said, ‘Hey! You can’t call Celestia that! She’s the Princess!’ ‘Pfft, not my Princess, I only serve Princess Luna. Missy here, hasn’t earned my respect, and I don’t think she ever will. She lost any chance to gain my respect when she sent her sister to the moon and killed me.’ At that Rainbow went to buck him but her legs just passed right through him. He managed to stay still as that weird feeling came over him again, lazily standing there he said, ‘Wait, you did something? I wasn’t paying attention.’ Furious she tried again, still nothing, ‘I think I felt something that time.’ He taunted, and again she tried to hit him, ‘That one almost hurt.’ He said before Applejack was able to pull the angry Pegasus away. Turning back to Celestia he said, ‘So, you gonna ask me something or what? It’s quite busy being a ghost and all. In 10 minutes I’m going to the east side of the forest to haunt a tree where a family of squirrels live. It’s all very tiring work and I just can’t be late.’ He wasn’t paying attention to them; instead he was inspecting his hoof thoroughly, waving it poshly in the air. ‘Fine... Why are you here?’ ‘Don’t know.’ He said flatly. ‘Answer it.’ ‘And I did, I don’t know why I’m here. I’ve been stuck in this forest for years with no idea what I’m supposed to do. Now if you don’t mind, next question.’ He said waving his hoof at her impatiently to continue. Celestia huffed in annoyance. ‘How long have you been here?’ ‘About a thousand years I guess. I did die after you sent your sister to the moon after all. So that was a pointless question, you already knew the answer.’ He was really trying her patience. ‘What is your name then?’ ‘Still trying to figure that one out are you? Your sister knows. I was commander of her guards after all. But I guess you wouldn’t know, you don’t pay attention to her much do you? She’s not worth your time.’ ‘How dare you! I love my sister!’ Her anger showing ‘Oh yes sure you do, which is exactly why you sent her to the Moon.’ ‘I had to, she wanted to plunge the world into night!’ ‘To the Moooooooooon!’ He laughed, he wasn’t even listening to her. ‘I didn’t want to! I didn’t want to do it!’ Her eyes watered with sadness and anger. ‘But you did.’ He said suddenly serious and condescending. ‘It must’ve been lonely for her, all those years with no one to talk to’ He was circling around her, ‘One could go mad... At least I had the occasional traveller screaming in my face. But, tell me Celestia, how was everyone after they left the city. The last time I saw you was when you and those Celestial Guards of yours were moving some statues out of the castle gardens. I missed you all these years, why didn’t you ever visit? You could’ve brought you precious saviour Spell Bound, I would’ve loved to have shown him a thing or two.’ he said vengefully, his hooves alighting with fire. ‘You knew him?’ ‘Of course I knew him,’ His anger flaring with the fire which coated his body, ‘that blasted unicorn who saved your life and ruined my plans to return Princess Luna to the throne, who killed me with my own sword and damned me to this for a thousand years,’ he gestured to his ghostly self, ‘was somepony I once called my “friend”.’ Celestia stared at him in disbelief, each of the ponies around them stood in shock at his words, they each glanced at each other, thinking of their own friendships and wondering what could’ve brought one of them to kill the other. ‘But not anymore, he hadn’t been my friend for years. Not after what he did.’ Celestia had watched as this tortured soul in front of her, ranted his thoughts. Thoughts which had been bottled up for millennia. Her caring heart reached out to him and felt pity for what she saw and what had happened to him. She thought of what she had done to her sister, Discord and King Sombra. There were more she had punished, but these few she thought of had each had to live in isolation from anyone for longer than they should have, just like this ghost. But they had one difference; they knew why. Although they might not accept the reason, they at least knew why they had been trapped like they were. But this ghost in front of her, had lived all those years with no idea as to why. She pitied him, and forgot her anger, he had good reason to be angry with her anyway. Without realising, she asked sincerely, ‘What did he do?...’ Headless was surprised with the question. Especially with how Celestia had said it; no anger was in her voice and it wasn’t meant meanly. But he was in no mood to tell her or anypony else his life. Stomping his foot he said, ‘What do you care miss high and almighty?! I’m not telling you anything. I already lived that life once, I don’t want to go through it a second time.’ Flaring up he covered himself in fire and brought his hooves together. Forming enough fire there, he pulled back his hoof and hurled the ball of fire towards Celestia. Quickly she beat her wings and flew above where he’d thrown it. But rather than the fire continuing its flight, it stopped mid-flight; into an invisible barrier and dispersed. Celestia went over to where the fire stopped and looked at the smoulders on the ground confused. Suddenly Headless threw another and Celestia wasn’t able to move in time, she shielded herself with her wing but nothing happened. There was no burning sensation. Looking again she saw the fire was gone. Headless was in a blind fury and continued to throw more and more fire at Celestia, and this time she saw it all disperse right in front of her face against an invisible barrier. Suddenly Headless charged her, but just before he reached her, he hit the barrier. Leaning his front hooves on it, he stared up at Celestia. He burned with revenge but could do nothing. Turning, he took one large kick at the barrier, amounting to nothing, and ran off. His flames dying and disappearing into the forest. ‘What was that all about?!’ exclaimed Applejack. ‘Why couldn’t he go any further?’ asked Pinkie Pie. ‘Even his fire wouldn’t go past.’ ‘Princess?’ asked Twilight, ‘What was he talking about? Who’s Spell Bound? Why was he so angry at you? ... Did you really kill him?’ Sighing Celestia looked down to her and said, ‘I'll tell you later my dear student. Just, right now I need some time to think. So many things I’d tried to forget are all coming back, and I just need to think.’ Turning, Celestia went to leave, her subjects followed behind her in silence. All of them deep in thought. Headless didn’t know how long he’d been running, but soon he found himself running into another invisible barrier. He fell over this time though. Rolling onto his shoulder and landing in a mud puddle. It didn’t cover his coat though, nothing did. Turns out he’d ran all the way to the other side of the barrier. It was near the back of the castle, where the castle’s limits ended. He couldn’t figure out why it ended here. Why he could only go as far as here and his grave. Why here? Why not a few metres more or less? He never knew. These questions burned inside him like his fire. He pulled himself up and looked back the way he had come. Why had those lot come again? And why had they brought her. It’d been years since he’d seen her, for years the only image he could bring into his mind of her was when he’d stabbed her wing, or the statue of her with its head fallen off. Now he couldn’t get the image of her out of his head. There was no crippled wing, no fallen off head, just a pure white Alicorn with long multi-coloured hair. He hated it, he had always felt better with the thought that she had something wrong with her, something that brought her to his level, away from this godly image she had. But that was now ruined. Angry he ran again, next to the barrier which was his cell wall. Continuously he ran, trying to get all the thoughts out of his head. He didn’t want to think about anything. He wished he was alive right then, because then he could distract himself with the pain of a stitch in his side, or feel his throat hoarse with trying to breath air rapidly. But nothing, he felt nothing. There was no sweat, no feeling of numb legs. Nothing. Stopping he sat down and did nothing, just sat there, and repeated his conversation with Celestia over in his mind again. And again. And again.