//------------------------------// // Exploring the Town // Story: Story of the Blanks: Freedom of Souls // by jxz //------------------------------// The three ponies were paralized with fear. In front of them, there was a green mare. Three Leaf, one of the original Blood Hooves, knew who they were. “Th-Three Leaf!” Apple Bloom said, shutting her mouth after that. “Behind me girls, we won’t go out without a fight!” Twilight declared. The two Apples stayed behind the “hidden” unicorn, as she charged her magic, almost nullifying the illusion spell. Three Leaf saw that, and opened her eyes wide. “What? Stop! You will ruin your mission if you do that!” the zombie-mare said, as strong as she could without revealing herself to Grey Hoof. That confused the girls. “Huh? Why do you-” “Silence! if Grey Hoof discovers you, game over! He’ll summon the other Blood Hooves and kill you three-or four, if I’m right on Ruby being inside of one of you.” Three Leaf said, atonishing the girls(and ghost) more. “Wait, YOU want to help US?” Twilight asked. “Of course I do! Do you think everyhoof likes being commanded by Grey Hoof? That we love to kill?” “Ya didn’ have tha’ problem wit’ Ruby.” Apple Bloom said, her eyes glowing a bit blue. “I know, and I want to apologize for almost all of us, even if I know that doesn’t change anything.” The mare said, knowing what she did years before. “We were blinded by Grey Hoof, and his idea of curse marks…” Three Leaf kicked the ground under her. “How idiots we were.” “Y-yer sayin’-” “Yes. I’m sorry, and I’ll help you to end this curse, even if it means that we get sent into Tararus.” The three ponies were confused. “i… I trust her.” “R-Ruby?!” Apple Bloom shouted, softly. “I don’t know why… but I know she’s telling the truth. Also, if she were going to kill us, why don’t doing It now?” The three mares looked at each other. Ruby had a point. But they couldn’t forget; that was one of the zombies under Grey Hoof’s curse. “And, Don’t you feel it, Apple Bloom?” Ruby told her host. “Her spirit, she’s pure in what she’s saying.” “Yes… I did. But…” “No buts! If you felt it, then you know what she’s saying is true, that her mind and soul are clear and want to end this hellish curse.” Apple Bloom sighed. “Okay. Ah’ll trust ya. But if ya do anyhin’…” She said, her eyes glowing again. “I’ll remember it.” The mare said. “Okay, by now Gladstone is looking for the Ruby. We can’t touch it, except for Roneo and Starlet. Is part of the curse.” “I see.” Twilight said, as she saw a brownish stallion reaching the three mares and two undead. “Found it! Is near that tree this time.” He said, pointing to a close tree. Under it, a ruby was glowing with fire, though there was almost no light in the town by now. “Thanks, Gladstone.” Thee Leaf said, as Apple Bloom and Twilight saw the red gem in front of them. That was when Gladstone saw the filly. “Oh, you are that girl… Sorry for what happened.” He said, lowering his ears. “And tell Ruby I’m sorry, too.” “And why should ah believe yah?” Apple Bloom asked. “Because I’m tired of this. Killing living ponies, making them “Safe”… I’m repulsed.” The zombie explained, the sober in his voice too strong. “He… he blinded us for a long time. Now, it’s our turn to be safe. To escape this.” Apple Bloom only looked at him, with her eyes looking at the zombie’s own eyes. They were filled in despair and sorrow. He was saying he truth. “…Ah’ll trust ya too.” Was the only thing that left Apple Bloom’s mouth. And these words made the stallion happy. Meanwhile, she used a little of Psycho-quinesis to attract the gem to her hooves. “We have it. What now?” Twilight asked. “Now we’ll give tha’ gem ta Roneo. If they really want ta end tha’ curse, we need tha’ help of Mitta, Ruby’s mother.” Apple Bloom said, as the mares reached the confused stallion. “Here, we found your Ruby... Darling.” Applejack said. Roneo looked at it, and smiled. A good smile. “Thank you! Now I’ll go see Starlet!” Roneo said. “This gem… it holds our dreams and hopes… And if I could say anything… Is that I’m sorry.” “We talked with Three Leaf. We understand.” Twilight whispered. Roneo smiled more. “Thanks! Now I’ll talk with Starlet!” He said, running to his lover, not without whispering a “Good luck…” to the girls. The three mares turned to the door he was guarding. Mitta’s cries were strong now. They entered. The cries were stronger inside of the house. Apple Bloom heard them, and couldn’t stop feeling sad. And that wasn’t because Ruby was inside her- though that helped. She felt sorry for the mother that lost her filly to the ramblings of a mad stallion. She felt sorry for the mother that was cursed for doing nothing to save her daughter, even if she tried to. “M-Mom?” She heard Ruby talk, now outside of her. The ghostly mare stopped crying, and turned to see the three mares, and the ghost in front of them. “R-Ruby…” Mitta muttered, in shock. Locking her almost souless eyes in the eyes of the ghost, she jumped in glee to her. “Ruby!!!” “Mom… I missed you…” Ruby said, between tears. At her side, Apple Bloom, Applejack and Twilight smiled at the reunion. “But…” Mitta stopped hugging her daughter. “Ruby, what are you doing here?” “Mom… I’m here to save Equestria from the curse.” Mitta’s eyes widened. “What? Is today?!” “The Blood Moon? Yes, and we are here to stop it.” Twilight said. “… How do you know about the Blood Moon?” The Zombie pony asked, a bit suspicious. “A friend of ours told us.” Apple Bloom said. It was then when Mitta’s eyes widened when she saw the pony. “You… You are that pony! The last one who entered the Town!” Apple Bloom’s eyes widened with shock. She lifted her hoof… Only to see it was back to normal. “Girls!! Tha spell!” “Oh no!! The spell is over!” Twilight exclaimed. “fifteen minutes have passed already?” “If that’s so, tha moon will be out soon!!” Applejack declared. “We must hurry our hooves up!” “You want to end the curse, and for that you need Ruby’s corpse.” Mitta said, as she moved some boxes in the back of the house they were in. “Follow me, this door leads to Grey Hoof’s house.” “Was that there when I was alive?” Ruby asked. Mitta shook her head. “It appeared a few years after that. I don’t know how it happened, It just did.” She opened the door, which showed the house of the big bastard that had cursed his entire town for his fear. “Tha door is locked, Twilight.” Apple Bloom told the alicorn. “Don’t worry, I have perfected a lock-picking spell.” Twilight said, proudly. “Then why didn’t ya use it with tha box?” Applejack asked. Twilight hung her hear in shame. “I tried. It didn’t open.” “Shameful things later, first we need to end this curse.” Ruby said. Twilight nodded, and used her spell to open the door. “Ready everypony? When we cross this door, there will not be turning back.” Ruby warned. “I’m ready.” Twilight said. “As ready as a bunch of fresh apples!” Applejack exclaimed. “I’ve been wishng for this day for a lot of years.” Mitta said. “Ah won’t come back to mah home… Until we end this once an’ for all. For mah parents.” Apple Bloom said. Ruby nodded. Everypony entered the room… And saw the charred and mangled bones of Ruby. Then everything went to Tartarus.