//------------------------------// // Pictures at an exhibition // Story: Applejack the Vampony Slayer // by Immanuel //------------------------------// Chapter 5: Pictures at an exhibition Hardly any deaths at all! Ponyville enjoyed a rare, quiet weekend recently with a minimum of bloodshed and mayhem. In fact, as of time of printing this, the Sheriff's department had reported zero new deaths. This comes after the new school year was kicked off with a shocking discovery of a deceased former student Hard Stones, 18, by the 4th year students in the biology class samples cabinet. While the authorities were quick to restrict entry to the crime scene, this reporter was able to confirm the corpse was dead and icky. The following day saw further excitement as it came apparent the display cabinet in the South Hall housing the numerous achievements of Ponyville Central's proud Flying Fillies had been removed and sabotaged. The sheriff's department was loathe to comment, quoting ongoing investigation. A paranormal expert interviewed by the Foal Free Press had this to say on the matter: "It's obvious that we are dealing with a poltergeist here. The hallway was practically unmarked by mortal hooves, yet the cabinet was totaled. Would you think it was a coindecence (sic) this happened the night after we found the corpse? 'Cause I don't" The expert, who prefers to remain unnamed, but says is 'awesome', cited a growth in the paranormal activity in Ponyville the past few years and directed further questioning to Chaplain Candlewax, 67/99?. A Ponyville Central socialite and last Winter Edition's Centerfold Filly, Rarity Carousel, 15½, admitted to having seen a ghost after the Opening Party on Friday. "Yes, I suppose that's true, but it's a personal matter. I just want to publicly thank the chivalry of good gentlecolts Mr Shining Armor and Mr Macintosh in escorting me home, as well as the honorable Chaplain Candlewax for looking after my darling sister Sweetie Belle." (To read more about the escapades involving Miss Carousel and the new school belle, Applejack Apple, the sister of said Mr Macintosh, during the Opening Party, look to pages 3 to 12 and 17.) For the Foal Free Press, signed DT (editor-in-chief) "So, how long are ya guys in house arrest?", Applebloom asked. "I'll be able to walk in the park supervised," Sweetie Belle said cheerfully. "Ms Coriander says I need to go back to the orphanage directly from school indeterminatoredly, or provide a signed slip of custody transferral by the start of the day I want to go somewhere else", Scootaloo said, then shrugged, "so that's not a problem. I learned to forge signatures when I was six. Besides, the chaplain was really cool. I bet he could take us exploring those haunted houses if we asked!" "How about you, Applebloom?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Was your granny mad?" "Nah, she said it was nice of me to see y'all safely to the church. She just said the next time ah'll need to take the crossbow with me," Applebloom said. Scootaloo stared. "You have the coolest relatives," she said in awe. "So, when are we going next?" Applebloom asked. "Can you girls do tomorrow?" Scootaloo asked with a shrug. "I'd rather ask for the signature than forge it, really. It tends to cause trouble otherwise." "Ah'm fine with that." "Me too!" "That's settled then! Let's go see the chaplain!" * * * "Diane!" Rarity squealed in delighted surprise. "What can I do for you, dear?" The pink mare glanced surreptitiously to both sides and removed the large shaded glasses from her eyes, her straight mane dyed black with a rather fetching ruby beret perched on the top at an angle. "I need your help in selecting a dress!" she whispered hoarsely, leaning towards Rarity. "And a present! For a colt!" Rarity blinked a few times, stunned, then felt a grin slowly form on her face. "Diane!" she stretched the name, "you've gotten yourself a coltfriend!" Embarrassed, Diane looked down and rubbed her front hooves together. "Technically, no," she said in a low, tight tone. "And were it, technically, yes, he wouldn't be my coltfriend. And were he my coltfriend, I would prefer it not, technically, being the case. At all." Rarity blinked. "I'm afraid I don't follow you, my dear. At all." Diane rubbed the back of her head frustrated. "Look," she said exasperated. "Let's say there's a colt," she started. "And let's say I need to make an impression. But this is not the colt I would actually choose to go out with. So, I'd like to make him take me to a date, but not have him so interested in me that I'd necessarily have to go on another. Unless it is deemed necessary, at a later date," she said through gritted teeth. "Can you help?" Rarity grinned blindingly. "You clever, clever minx!" she said admiringly. "A jealousy play!" Rarity clapped her hooves together in glee. "Of course I'll help! Keep the hat by the way. Glorious!" She swept her desk clear and prepared a pen and a notebook. "So, who's the colt? The not-technically-your-coltfriend, I mean. What are we dealing with? What are his likes, his mores, what buttons should we press, and who do you want to impress the most?" "Macintosh Apple," Diane said flatly. "That's why I wanted to ask you. You danced with him." Rarity stared for a long moment. Then she gripped her head below the horn and sighed. "Diane..." she groaned. "If you hadn't just said you didn't want him, I'd punch you in the muzzle." She breathed in, deep, and blew it out slowly. "All right. I can work with this. Lets me see his character as well. Yes. So, why him?" Diane shrugged. "Big," she said simply. "Succinctly put," Rarity said blankly. "Well, I can tell you he has a somewhat more sophisticated taste than one would expect. That's good, in your case. We can build on your current Greta Gaitbow look. Hmm. You wouldn't be filling to show your flank a bit, would you, dear?" Diane turned her head and looked at her flank that was normally covered by a saddledress designed to carry maximum amount of concealed weaponry and obscure her arsonist cutie mark. She thought for a moment and turned back to Rarity with a shrug. "Not a problem. How much?" Rarity blinked in surprise. "Okay, we can definitely work with that," she said, before hesitating a bit. "Now, darling," she coughed gently in her hoof, "please don't be offended by this, but we need to work on your ...behavior." Diane twisted her head and stared at Rarity for a long, intense moment. "How so?" she asked, genuinely puzzled. "Well," Rarity searched for words, "must you always be, so, severe?" she waved her hooves. "I mean, why don't you smile a bit? Stallions like mares that show they're enjoying their company." Diane looked unsure. Then, slowly, a muscle at a time, her lips moved to reveal a row of pearly white teeth. The horrifying grimace spread until Diane's whole face was split in twain, gleaming white set of perfectly sharp chompers spread to match the diamond-piercing gaze of her eyes. Rarity paled. "Goddesses in heaven," she whispered, "hallowed be your names. Ahem!" she said aloud. "We'll practice ...that," she said weakly. * * * When you go high enough, the sun shines in an eternal day. The clouds flowed majestically under the carefully wrapped form of one Rainbow Miriam 'Danger' Dash, originally the daughter of Flight Commander Lightning 'Stoneface' Jonathan Dash, for the past eleven years of Jonagold ' - ' Apple, and a rare case of adopted Slayer. Wrapped tight against the cold, she flew mostly unencumbered, used to travelling light for long distances. There were not many who could do what she did, even if it wasn't always glorious, and just about never even known to more then her adopted family. But they were the ones that mattered, as was the cause. Having lost everything once, she was ready to give it all up again, if only to help those who had once helped her. She had flown countless miles in service of the Slayers' cause, never failing, never complaining, almost always on the move, but never homeless. The Apples were a giving bunch, and Rainbow Dash looked up to them. Currently she was en route to a small town called Ponyville, inexplicably founded on the border of Equestria's most dangerous piece of land, the Everfree forest. At her altitude, she could see the unnatural center of swirling darkness that obscured the sight of anypony foolish enough to wander there. She had looked at the instruction given in Slayer Flier's handbook concerning overpass of the Everfree. It had said: 'don't'. Apparently, somepony had decided that the forest itself was not peril enough for the inhabitants of Ponyville, and she was to help the local slayers in mapping the extent of the problem. She didn't know the details - her mother had sent her directly to Ponyville - but the look on her mother's face as she read the letter delivered by the wall-eyed pegasus had been severe enough to make her worry. A shift in the position of her pinions sent her in a descending glide towards the town, somewhere beneath the clouds. * * * "What I'm saying, Twiley," Shining Armor insisted, "is that you cannot just assume somepony is demonic. You could end up harming an innocent pony." "And what I am saying, Shiney," Twilight answered hotly, "is that you need to look at the facts objectively and stop drooling over her looks!" "I'm not - urgh! Twiley! What, and listen to me now, what real evidence do you have of their origins?" "Unequine strength mismatched to body type in her case, an uncommonly strong magical aura, comparable to, say a demon, and well, I'm beginning to doubt this one, sex appeal." She hesitated for a moment. "I admit I may have been mistaken about the unnaturalness of that last point due to my admitted inexperience. Of course, should further ratification occur, there is also the circumstantial evidence about them being connected to the disappearance of Johnny Appleseed, and knowledge of highly esoteric mystical nature." She narrowed her eyes. "All you have in opposition are the fact that they fight vamponies, are apparently pleasant conversationalists, and sex appeal, which, I repeat, should not matter in this instance." She pointed a hoof dramatically. "I call to attention the fact that we have no info on their true motivations, and as such need to conduct close surveillance! You must - must! - go on a date under false pretenses! And decline nookie!" Shining Armor sighed. "Very well. But I'll be a gentlecolt about it. I'm not going to mislead a filly just because you're suspicious." Twilight smirked, satisfied. "Excellent," she said, spreading a large map of Ponyville on the floor of their town home. "Now, this is my plan," she started, with an evil glint in her eye. * * * Granny Smith was napping in her rocking chair, covered under quilt while the early autumn breeze gently rocked the chair. From the distance, a soft 'thump' of Big Mac's hoof bucking the apples out of a tree sounded at a steady interval of five times a minute, coinciding with the sound of a snore on the back kick from Granny Smith, with the creek of the chair forming the bass line. It made a mellow music to which the cloudy cover of the grey day moved leisurely, and a hypnotic accompaniment to the slowly descending spiral of Rainbow Dash as she floated to the ground. She wasn't surprised to see the 'sleeping' mare to uncock the crossbow hidden under her quilt as she touched the ground. With a grin she bowed to the elder, and unwrapped her head. "Rainbow Miriam Apple née Dash. Danger is my middle name." Granny Smith snorted and, to the surprise of Rainbow Dash, only now actually woke up. "Wazzat?" Granny Smith said intelligently. Rainbow Dash stared. "You were following me with your crossbow!" she said incredulously. "Ya could've been an assassin for all ah know," Granny Smith said derisively. "If'n ya are who ya say ya are," she drawled with an obnoxiously thick accent, "ya won't take offence." "But you were sleeping!" Rainbow Dash protested, "I mean, for real!" "Well, ah had a long night recently," Granny Smith said with a grin. "Ya cain't expect a mare of mah age to recover immediately, now can ya?" Rainbow Dash grinned back. "Mama Jonagold was right about ya. You, I mean." "Ah, so ye're Jonagold's lass, then," Granny Smith said and squinted. "C'mere, girl, let me look at ya," she said softly. "Oh yes, ah remember ya. Ya were such a wee thing when ah saw ya last. Ah could sat ya on mah knee," Granny Smith smiled, "not that ya staid there. Ya were buzzing about the whole time, pretending to slay dragons." "Heh. Yeah. Sounds like me, all right," Rainbow Dash said, rubbing the back of her head and smiling weakly. "Howdy," said a low voice behind her, Big Mac having decided to take a break from applebucking and see, who had landed on their Family's property. "Big Mac, meet yer cousin Rainbow Dash," Granny Smith said. "Tha last ya two met, ya chased her down with a pitchfork." "Ah remember," said Big Mac with a grin, as Rainbow Dash blushed. "Then she hit me over the head with a barn." "It was just a small barn," Rainbow Dash said and grinned. "Good to see ya, cuz," Big Mac said with a one-hoofed hug. "So, ye're gonna map the wards in the area?" "That's the plan," Rainbow Dash agreed. "I've studied a bit since we last met, but I'll probably need to have Mrs Smith checking the results on the ground later." She shrugged. "So I'll be spending some time here, probably." "Well that's just fine with us, Rainbow," Big Mac said. "Come on in, and ah'll fix ya lunch. 'Bloom and AJ oughta be home from school soon too, anyway." "AJ's here, too?" Rainbow Dash said, suddenly blushing more. "Where else?" Big Mac asked with a raised eyebrow. Rainbow Dash kept silent, eyes staring in front of her as they entered the farmhouse. * * * "Chaplain Wax? Chaplain Candlewax, sir?" Sweetie Belle queried quietly from the doorway to the magical classroom. Used regularly only by the unicorn students, as both pegasi and earth ponies tended to practice their innate magic outdoors, the room was the size of a standard living room, with meditation mats lining the walls, and incense bowls by the bundle lying on the shelves. Lined with dark, polished wood and engraved with hypnotic mandalas, the room was the ultimate in spiritual relaxation, unicorn-style. Chaplain Candlewax himself was in a deep trance, eyes crossed looking up at his own horn, the low drone of throat singing reverberating in the room. He was stripped from his priestly robes, exposing an emaciated body and a cutie mark of a book by candlelight. Two hoof-sized balls of solid iron were slowly circling each other in front of him, and the strain was making him sweat. "Ah don't think he can hear ya," Applebloom whispered. "MR CHAPLAIN WAX!" Scootaloo yelled in his ear. Slowly and in a controlled manner, Candlewax lowered his balls of steel onto their proper shelves and rose to standing position. Still radiating the calm and magical aura of a master meditator, he turned towards the trio. "Ah, my dark sabbatical night guests," he said with a smile. "What can I do for you? Here for after school activities?" "We were wondering if you could accompany us to one of those spooky places," Sweetie Belle asked, smiling disarmingly. "It would be my pleasure, Sweetie," he said and smiled more widely. "I've always thought traumatizing fear should be part of every foal's childhood. When would you like me to join you?" "Would tomorrow be okay?" Scootaloo asked. "Tomorrow it is, then", the chaplain nodded. * * * In a copse of decorative crab apple trees by a clear pond with a well-spring, hidden in a natural depression in a south-east corner of Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were meeting after the lunch. They had blushed and stammered through the meal, mostly speaking to other ponies and avoiding each other's eyes while still sneaking peeks whenever they thought the other wouldn't notice. With a glance, Applejack had directed Rainbow Dash to follow her to the copse to hash things out. That it was a romantic and secluded, was a nice touch. They spent a moment side by side watching tiny frogs chilling out on waterlilies. Then Applejack spoke, "RD, ah..." "Don't," Rainbow Dash said calmly. "It's just ah-" Applejack started again. "It's okay, AJ, I get it. I really do," Rainbow Dash said and turned to Applejack with half a smile and moist eyes. "It was nice. I enjoyed it. But it was just some quick, heated fun for you. An experiment. It doesn't have to mean anything more," she said with a quiver in her voice and traced the side of Applejack's head with her hoof, "but I won't forget what you did for me. What it meant for me." She smiled. "I'll always treasure the moment." Applejack swallowed and shook her head. "You were the first pony ah ever..." "I know," Rainbow Dash said quietly, smiling sweetly, "I know." Applejack took a deep breath, steeled herself, and looked Rainbow Dash in the eyes. "Ah just want ya to know, RD... Rainbow, that ya will always be special to me," Applejack said with a smile. "This shouldn't come between us." She offered a hoof. "We'll work together and enjoy each other's company, and things will be like they used to, or almost. Right?" she hopefully asked. "Right," Rainbow Dash said with slight resignation in her voice, despite everything. "Friends?" "Friends," Rainbow Dash affirmed, with a touch of her hoof to Applejack's. * * * Tuesday arrived with a storm from the Everfree. The rain pelted Ponyville, gale-force gusts of wind blew every which way on the streets, and rattled the windows and roofs of ponies' homes. In the Apple residence, two groups were preparing for their expeditions. The Filly Night Watch, under the watchful eyes of chaplain Candlewax, were going to brave the storm to examine the historic Barleywine mansion north to the Apple orchards, now half-claimed by vegetation. Applejack and Big Mac were apprehensive about letting their little sister out of sight again, but they hoped that the daytime, even if the sun was occluded by the storm, would be enough to keep the monsters at bay. Nevertheless, they had packed Applebloom's saddlebag with an assortment of weapons in the certain knowledge that the filly would grow dangerously bored cooped up. The adult ponies, excluding Granny Smith, who would stay behind to hold the fort, were to enter a network of tunnels under Ponyville that Johnny Appleseed had used to great advantage while protecting the town. Rainbow Dash would accompany, as there was no flying in the storm, not even for a pegasus as naturally strong as she. The entrance itself was through the extended Apple cellars, where the barrels of cider and sherry waited and matured before being ported to various parts of Equestria to maintain and add to the wealth and influence of the Apple Family. "Y'all be good now," Applejack said to Applebloom in a hug. "Remember to go fer the eyes, sugarcube," she whispered under her breath. "We'll be fine, sis," Applebloom said, and hoisted the heavy crossbow on to its saddle mounted swivel joint. While Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stared in shock and awe, Chaplain Candlewax appeared nochalantly amused at the sight of the filly armed with a military grade weapon of slaughter. "G'bye Granny Smith, G'bye Big Mac. G'bye cousin Dash!" "Goodbye, everypony! It was nice to meet you!" the other two fillies chorused. Chaplain Candlewax nodded respectfully, "Ladies. Mr Macintosh." After the outsiders had left, Applejack took out the Slayer's journal and spread out Uncle Appleseed's map of the tunnels. "Okay. According to this, the tunnels are half natural, and half dug by the Diamond Dogs that ain't around no more. We'll make a quick visual survey of the key areas here, here, here and here, well basically all around the town, and keep our eyes open fer possible rune work that could've upset the ones put in place when the town was built. Ah don't expect the job will be done in one day, but if'n there's something, we should find marks of it in any one of these locations. We'll start with the central area, to see if'n the key stone remains intact. Questions?" Since none had any, Applejack handed the map to Rainbow Dash, their newly acquired cartographer and nodded her go. "All yers, RD," she said with a smile. "Right you are, AJ," Rainbow Dash said, smiling back. * * * Rarity looked appreciatively at a rare, to her knowledge heretofore unique, sight of Pinkamena Diane Pie's bared flank. While the musculature was certainly something to envy, she could in a glance tell why she had decided to cover the wonderful sculpture of nature. "I understand, now," she said compassionately. "What did they call you? Other children, I mean." "Flaming pink arse," Diane said steadily, "but that's not the reason I cover it. I couldn't care less of their opinion." Rarity raised her eyebrow, but since no explanation seemed to be forthcoming, she said simply, "Well, the flames make a beautiful pattern, although the stick pony figure in them is a bit morbid. If you're sure you're fine with this, I could make you a very dark, bejeweled polo, that would accent your figure, direct the eyes to your, assets, and still be suitably hard-arse to not mess with your style." Diane simply nodded. "Now then," Rarity said, "comportment. You want to ask him out? Well, I think the best place would be in the town square, actually. You'll find him there most days selling the Sweet Apple Acres produce. Or so I've gathered," she stammered quickly and blushed faintly. "Just walk right up to him and extend an invitation to join you for a coffee in the afternoon. With your straightforward attitude, it should be completely in character, ensure that your other interest, of whom you refuse to talk about, will hear about it, and make it impossible for him to refuse. I gathered he's a bit of a ladies' colt, when I talked with him Friday eve. The gift, I believe should be something with a bit of innuendo, and something he can flirtatiously reciprocate without it going further than you like. "Now, what I would like from you in exchange, is a test of character: push him a bit, act forward. If he'll attempt to take advantage of you, I know he's just a no-good charmer with no good intentions. But if he's worth pursuing, he'll rebuke you gently, and both of us have gained what we want. Acceptable?" "Acceptable," Diane nodded. "Right. The first topic: small talk," Rarity said with a tap at a flip chart. Diane directed a glare of steely intent at it. * * * "What are these things?" Rainbow Dash asked in a hushed tone. "Dog tombs," Big Macintosh said with a low grunt. Rainbow Dash paled. "They built a town right next to a cursed forest, on top of an ancient Diamond Dog graveyard?" she asked incredulously. "What the hell was wrong with those ponies?" "The Dogs wouldn't care what happens above ground, as long as the tombs remain undisturbed," Big Mac said with a shrug. "According to the journal, there was an incident with a Diamond Dog guardian spirit a few decades back," Applejack said quietly, "but everything's been quiet since." Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash lead their way past the ancient tombs, glittering in the ruddy torchlight. The caves were bone-dry, water being led from the 'habitable' caves via aqueducts into an deep aquifer in the bed rock. The Diamond Dogs built impressively. The caves had stood unchanged for nopony knew how long. The early settlers, while digging the cellars and wells of Ponyville had found them, and connected the existing sewer system with their own. Other, more foolish ponies much later had decided to pilfer the valuable artifacts Dogs buried their leaders with, and had ended up hanging from their legs, skinned. Diamond Dog curses are not to be trifled with. In a central area under the cathedral, small pony-style catacombs existed from a time when only a monastery of the Heavenly Sisters had stood there. Not uncoincidentally, this was also the center of the protective moon-wards built into the very zoning plan of the Ponyville. The Apples had been in the fight for a long time. They had infiltrated key positions in all levels of Equestrian government to help protect its people. Every now and then, conspiracy nuts gathered to talk about a secret order of illuminati, secretive and influential ponies that supposedly guided the Equestrian society in secret according to some ancient scriptures. It was funny, in a way, how right those ponies were. Under a disused grating, in a forgotten room with no access other than by rope, stood the keystone. It was nothing special in itself, it didn't radiate magic, nor was it covered in mystic runes. At one point in time, it had simply been blessed in a ritual dedicated to Luna, the protector of dreams and the guardian of the night, and since then it had lain there as a connecting focus for the layout of Ponyville in a gigantic ward that should have discouraged the creatures of Dark from wreaking havoc in the town. It should not have been covered in blood, or surrounded by pony bones, but that is what Rainbow Dash saw, when she floated down. * * * The storm blasted rain into the decrepit, overgrown building, but with all the vegetation and the main walls still standing strong despite the clear signs of a fire a long time ago, the inner rooms of the building were dry, and relatively warm. The Filly Night Watch gathered around chaplain Candlewax, as he built a fire on the once smooth marble floor of the huge ball room. The wind howled disconsolately, and the dim grey light of the stormy day flickered and moved with the mass of trees that had grown up to the mansion. The once well kept gardens had grown wild in the absence of a caretaker, and threatened to invade the large building itself. The wooden support beams groaned and moaned as the forces outside tried to break the building. Flashes of lightning gave the fillies snapshots of the interior of the building, while making the gloom seem even more impenetrable. Old, serious portraits of a family long gone stared back at them, oddly distorted in the heat of the fire that had killed the ponies they were meant to resemble. Slowly the fire grew, and the chilly, drenched ponies huddled closer to it to enjoy its warmth and light. From his saddlebags, chaplain Candlewax pulled forth bread, cheese, sliced root vegetables in foil to be grilled near the fire, and even marshmallows for the little ones. He also had a large canteen filled with hot berry juice and a small flask of heated Apple Family sherry for himself. It looked to be a relatively cozy afternoon in the abandoned building as he set the food to prepare, and started the story of the Barleywines. "Now, the family Barleywine lived here before the town itself was founded," he started to tell quietly to the hushed fillies, "seeing as the whole area halfway up to the Canterlot mountain was their estate. The monastery that existed there before the cathedral was built on its foundations, was the only independent tract of land for a hundred miles from this mansion. "That is of no consequence whatsoever to this story, but it helps to understand that the Barleywines were very important ponies in these parts before the fire. As to the cause of the fire, well, they say it started with a filly, not that much older than you three. A bit younger than your sisters," he said looking at Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. "I don't mean to say that she set the building on fire herself, no. That would have been impossible considering she was dead by then, immured in the walls of the wine cellar. He looked gravely at the shocked fillies. "She had made the mistake, you see, of falling in love with the family's son while suffering from the condition of being a common servant, a maid to the family. Well, the bas- colt in question was a bit of a rogue, and laughed in her face when she asked to be married on account of being preggers to him. "The girl didn't let go. Wouldn't shut up for money or for threats. Made a spectacle of herself and of the family. So they made her disappear." There was a gasp from the filly trio. "Yes, they had her killed, the poor girl," chaplain said with a sigh and a nod, "and covered it up with the simple expediency of lying their teeth rotten to everypony who asked. But the girl had a family of their own, a momma, a daddy and an older brother. "Now, I can't tell you for sure how they found about the circumstances of the girl's death, or even if they found out about it, but the fact remains that the family burned to their deaths a few months after she disappeared. And for some reason, not a single member of the family got out, despite all the big doors and high windows in this place." He took a swig of sherry and poked the vegetable pouches which were by now spitting steam, adding a drop of water and a bit of sherry into each pouch. "Now, I visited this place not long after fire, having heard that the inhabitants weren't quite gone despite being dead. Spent the night here, meditating on the matter. "Didn't see any of the family, myself. I saw her. The girl they murdered." He looked at the awed faces of the fillies and nodded. "Aye. Saw her standing in the moonlight, crying at the portrait of the rotten excuse of a stallion she had loved. A desperately sad sight it was. See, I don't think she was crying for him, exactly. I think it was more for what he turned out to be. "She vanished after a while. Never saw a trace again, even though I visited quite a few times. I heard and saw other things, every now and then. Moving pictures, a cradle rocking by itself, heard hoofsteps and whispers, that sort of thing. But she was the only ghost I ever saw." He shrugged. "So, what say you we visit the cellars, see her final resting place?" he asked with a grin. * * * "Any idea what all that is about?" Applejack her two fellow explorers. "Nope," Big Mac said. "Not specifically, no," Rainbow Dash said. "But I guess this answers the question whether somepony has been messing around with them, right?" Applejack sighed. "Ah guess we'll have to check the whole system. And from air too," she said looking at Rainbow Dash. "Yeah, yeah," Rainbow Dash said annoyed, "I'll try to be out of your mane as soon as possible." "Ah didn't mean it like that, RD," Applejack said with a regretful tone. As the rainbow-maned filly didn't answer, she moved up to her and nuzzled her from the side. "Ya know ah appreciate yer company, Rainbow," she murmured softly. "Yeah, okay," Rainbow Dash relented. "Sorry, the things down there just put me on edge," she said, nuzzling Applejack back. "How long were you thinking this will all take?" Applejack shook her head, unsure. "Couldn't tell. Ah guess we could map the key areas in a week, keeping up the patrols, but if'n there are some other work done in other parts of the caves, ah have no idea how long it'll take. Depends also on how quickly Granny can recognize a pattern, too." Big Macintosh seemed to still for a moment. "There's about two, two and a half thousand miles of caves in this system, not including back-tracking." Rainbow Dash whistled. "I hope we don't have to search the whole thing, then." "Let's get started," Applejack said. "We'll have time to visit at least some of the warding locations before we need to head back for the night." * * * The Filly Night Watch and chaplain Candlewax were scouting the mansion. For him, it was a nostalgic experience. For the fillies it was an exciting adventure without the bed-wetting terror of the night in the cemetery. "Ah sure hope we don't have to spend the night here," Applebloom said, referring to the storm that had grown steadily in strength for the past few hours. "Yeah, I think Ms. Coriander would pop a vein if I skive another night," Scootaloo said. "Mama and Papa would be so worried," Sweetie Belle added in a small tone. "I think we'll manage," chaplain Candlewax assured them. "If not, I'll explain the matters to your parents and guardians," he said cheerfully. The fillies shuddered. The mansion was creepy enough in what little daylight they had. In the darkness of the night, it would be unbearable. "At least there're no monsters," Applebloom chirped. And, naturally, that was the moment when they heard a blood-curdling howl from the attic. The ponies froze. Then, Applebloom shifted the crossbow so that the trigger-bit was right in front of her mouth. "Ya wouldn't mind cocking mah bow, Mr. Chaplain?", she asked sternly.