//------------------------------//
// Discovery and Understanding 
// Story: Silver Spirit, Ghost of Equestria. 
// by Powerdrainer 
//------------------------------//


I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.



Discovery and Understanding.

<<>><<>><<>>


"Clockwork!" sounded Sam's voice as she flew back into the time hall, holding a black book in her hands.

"Sam, you have what I asked for?" he asked, still looking at the swirling vortex of the viewing portal. 

"Yes, and it has been a pain taking it with me. It keeps shocking me every few minutes," Sam muttered darkly, feeling the urge to simply blast the book with some of her own ectoplasm.

"Why am I not surprised," Clockwork said flatly as he finally turned around, looking at the book Sam was holding.

Making it hover before him, he looked at the skull found on the front of the cover. His red eyes boring into the skull's own glowing green eyes.

"So, care to explain yourself, Necky?"

The book didn't answer, nor did it do anything else. It just hovered on the spot, held aloft in the grip of Clockwork's power.

"Ehh… Clockwork? It's just a book. Maybe you should just open it," Sam said, confused.

"Sam. There are still a lot of things you don't know, this is one of them. Now be quiet, I am trying to have a conversation here," Clockwork said with a frown as he looked at the book, "So, Necky. Mind telling me why you did it?"

Silence. 

"I could always erase you from history and undo everything you did."

The skull's eyes glowed a bright green, and the book opened. Its pages turning rapidly as if struck by a fierce wind, and it lay open before Clockwork at the centerfold. 



It would be unwise to do so, Clockwork.



"And would you mind telling me why?"



You already know the answer, Clockwork.

We all have our part to play, even if we don't know the rules. I did what I did, because it was my part in this chess game. I kept you in the dark, just like you did with Sam. And for the same reason. Should you have known, you might have done things differently. I don't make the rules, and neither do you. But we can bend them from time to time. I bent my rules, just like you did yours. What you do next, however, will be up to you. But the dice have been thrown, and my choice has been put to motion. Will you cheat, and wipe her off the board? Or will you accept this new player into the game, and try to work with it? We all have a choice to make, and this is mine. She is mine. Silver Spirit might just make the difference all our worlds need. Or she might not. Destiny is a curious thing, but the choices we make will determine how it will play out. 



"That may be, but you still upset the balance, and secrets have been revealed that should have been kept hidden. Plus, one pony being a Halfa is already difficult enough. What will happen when she heeds the calling?" Clockwork said angrily, shifting through his various forms much faster because of it.



Destiny.



And with that, the book closed with a snap and vanished in a burst of green energy.
 
Silence.

"... So… What do we do now?" Sam asked quietly after a moment, keeping a bit of a distance between herself and Clockwork.

"We wipe the board clean and start again with this new development. I can't undo this change without undoing everything done by the Necronomicon, even though I wish I could. Instead, I can at least change the outcome of one event," Clockwork said as he turned back to the viewing portal and lifted his cane. 

"Some secrets are not yet meant to be found out."

And through use of his powers over time, he changed the event where Twilight found out about Danny's secret. But as he studied the new possibilities with this newly created timeline, he discovered certain other 'players' as well. And more secrets not yet ready to be found out. And he knew there was still a lot of work left to be done, especially concerning those two close to the orange filly, Scootaloo.

And, as he watched the present and future with a frown, he started to form a new plan on how to best use this new development in Danny's best interest, as well as for all those involved with future events.


<<>><<>><<>>




Your Highness.

As stated by protocol, I hereby send you the first report of our investigation of the Ponyville area.

After arriving in the village by train, my team split up into two main groups to increase our search effectiveness. One group resides in the nearby forest, White Tail Woods. The other, led by me, is currently residing in Ponyville's guest house. 

After our first preliminary search for the suspected spectral activity that was reported in the area we were unable to get a conclusive answer as to whether there is a ghost or not. Mainly due to interference from an unknown source. We have yet to receive a report from the team out in the forest, but it is expected that they are having similar difficulties with their equipment.

And while we have used these devices during training exercises on both worlds, malfunctions like we are experiencing now have not occured before. A conclusive answer for this, we do not have as of yet. Though field modifications to limit the devices' sensitivity does seem to help to a limited degree. 

As of now, we can't say with certainty that the possible signals we detected are a confirmed hit, or a false positive due to these problems. 

For now we feel confident we are able to continue the investigation, despite these setbacks. But it would be wise to make this matter known to the Fenton Corporation so they can investigate this problem, and find a potential solution. 

Furthermore; Investigation around the lake which was reported frozen by your student, Miss Twilight Sparkle, resulted in no detectable evidence of any spectral activity. Which, as Specialist Blue Ice confirmed, is most likely the result of the ambient magic deteriorating any spectral residue, along with your student using a spell to melt the ice.

However, further investigation farther away from the lake resulted in us finding a trace amount of spectral energy. It could very well be a false positive, as I mentioned, but it led us to the home of the town's human resident, Danny Manson. However, we were unable to investigate thoroughly around his home because, remote as it might be from the rest of the town, it still lies within sight, and he or others could have seen us should we have tried to enter the residence. 

We need to get a thorough look both outside and inside his home, but currently we are unable to complete this task due to the risk of being found out. And although we could set up a distraction, it would most likely put our undercover operation at risk, should somepony look the wrong way at the wrong time. 

That said, there might be another target of interest as one of the readings lead us to a filly that seemed to give off small amounts of spectral energy. But this too could be, and most likely is, a false positive. Either way, this filly, Silver Spoon, will be under close observation until we know for sure our equipment works as it should and we can rule her out as a possible source of spectral activity. 

We do not know for certain if there truly is a ghost lurking around in this town, and the evidence is not much to go by. But we will continue our search until we know for certain, and should any new evidence be found we will report it immediately. 

First lieutenant, Rolling Stone.



Celestia received the letter last night before the moon rose, arriving by express mail in the hooves of a wall eyed, but cheerful and happy gray pegasus mare. 

She had reread it several times now and, as she was seated in her personal chambers, exhaled a tired sigh. 

She knew not to expect too much, but with a matter as serious as this one, she had hoped there would have been some answer as to what was been going on in Ponyville. 

Still, it did give her something to work with. She would take First Lieutenant Stone's advice to heart and inform the Fenton Corporation about the issues with their devices. It hopefully was just a mistake made as they modified these devices for use by her ponies, nothing more. But it now proved to be a significant problem for the ponies sent to investigate. Still, she knew how to help them out with another problem of theirs, and she used her magic to materialize a scroll, quill and inkwell. 



My precious student, Twilight. 

I write to you to bring to your attention a matter of great importance you need to be aware of, as I no longer feel like I can keep you in the dark on these matters. I must ask you to stop reading this aloud, and to keep the contents of this letter to yourself.

For some time now, my sister has been detecting a severe disturbance coming from Danny Manson, the human living in Ponyville. It only happens at night when he sleeps, and it has shown to be increasing in both strength and severity. And despite numerous attempts, Luna has been unable to stop this disturbance, nor has she been able to dive into Danny's dreams. 

Two nights ago however, something changed, for the worse. I will not go into details but we, my sister and I, fear that a ghost has managed to penetrate our defenses, and is now actively haunting Danny Manson. How this could have happened, we do not know. There was however, an attempted ghost breach at the tear facility involving Danny the day he came to our world, which also inflicted massive damage to the scanning room found there. It is believed the ghost was stopped before anything worse could happen, and we managed to keep the population in general from finding out, in order to avoid any panic and chaos.

However, given the common factor between the incident at the tear facility, and the disturbance found by my sister, we fear the ghost in question was not stopped, and found a way out of the compound and into our world. I don't need to explain to you what this means. 

I also know that by this point you will most likely be having a panic attack, so please, calm down. Take a deep breath and continue with this letter. 

We do not think Danny is actively aware of what is happening, but we cannot know for certain. There is a team of investigators, the Ghost-keteers, currently seeking out any sign of spectral creatures in the Ponyville area. They are aware of the probability that the spectral activity is centered around Danny, and they will need to investigate around his home for any signs. But remembering something my sister and I noticed the first time we met him, I believe it would be for the best if he isn't aware of this happening. 

I understand you have had some interaction with him before, and I hope the two of you will have a blooming friendship. And, if I may be so bold, I would appreciate it if you invited him with you on your next visit to Canterlot. It would be a good thing for him to put some distance between himself and this supposed ghost, and it would be a wonderful opportunity to get to know him a bit better. I, for one, would very much like the chance to meet him personally again, and hopefully get to know him a bit better as well. 

I understand this is asking a lot of you, and I will understand if you decline. I cannot in good conscience force you to do something you do not want to do. But, if you happen to feel like this is a perfect way to get to know him a bit better, you are more than welcome to bring him along. I most certainly look forward to your next visit.

And to end this letter on a lighter note, your mother said hello.

Your mentor and friend, Celestia.



After reading it through again to make sure she didn't make any mistakes, both with her spelling and with the contents of what it was she was telling Twilight, she sent the letter on its way, most likely waking Spike up as it was still early in the morning, and she had yet to raise the sun. 

Looking out the window of her personal chamber, Celestia saw the moon beginning its descent. At least Luna was still able to perform her duty, even though she was still shaken from her experience, and hadn't attempted to reach out to Danny in any way.

Sighing, Celestia stood up, preparing to bring forth a new day.


<<>><<>><<>>


Wind Chill stepped through the ominous portal, and found himself inside an old and abandoned room. Looking around, he noticed the slowly rising sun coming from the broken windows, which was troubling. At night most creatures would be asleep, but during the day… Should any come in contact with the beku terwelu the panic caused would only increase the danger. 

Its cute and fluffy appearance only a deception to lure its prey closer to it, and when they get close it shows its true form. But should a panic break out around it, things would become even worse. 

Wind Chill shuddered at the thought of what could happen, and he knew he had to hurry. So without wasting any more time, he looked around to find any trace of this beast. Using his experience and sharp senses, he quickly found what he was looking for. Tiny droplets of water leading away from the portal and towards one of the many hallways. Knowing that the ground froze at the touch of a beku terwelu, he knew the creature had left this trail. Following the droplets of water through the ruined building he found himself in, he would soon make his way out of what proved to be an old castle. Maybe not as old as himself, but still old all the same. 

Seeing that the trail led him to an old and flimsy bridge, he realized there was no chance of him walking over the rotten wood without it collapsing, and the gift of flight was not something his kind had. But that didn't mean he was stuck there, oh no. Grabbing the support ropes of the bridge in his hands, he channeled his ice shaping power into it, freezing the ropes and the wood that they held up. Before long, a brightly gleaming bridge made from the purest of ice hung above the chasm. Larger and stronger than the old flimsy rope bridge that hung there before, with cold vapor coming off of it as it was heated in the early morning sun. 

Walking over it to the other side, he was quick to resume his mission to track down this most vile of creatures. And as he stepped into the forest surrounding the old castle, he took note of the eerie quiet, knowing that this was not a good sign. 

"It was here, I can feel it," he grumbled in a dark tone, looking around to see if he could find any damage.

Stepping through a tall bush he came upon a scene that made his frozen blood run even colder. 

A carcass. Lying in a pool of blood, its flesh stripped clean, and its bones crushed and splintered. He knew all too well what had caused this, and he swore under his breath. 

Seeing another trail leading away from the slaughtered beast, he increased his pace to catch up with this demon. He would not allow another creature to be harmed by this foul thing. 

He hoped.


<<>><<>><<>>


Sweetie Belle woke up with a loud yawn, blinking dumbly as she tried to wake up while her body was more set on staying asleep. Looking around she saw, with a small sense of pride, that she was still lying in her bed, within her room. That was a major improvement compared with yesterday. 

Forcing herself out of her bed and onto the floor, she stretched herself out with an unlady like groan. Giving herself a once over, she noticed that none of her limbs, or other parts of her body, were either invisible, intangible, or both.

'Huh. Guess that whole thing with thinking I'm a cloud really worked after all,' she thought, and yawned again.

Forcing herself into motion, she made her way to the bathroom, intending to freshen up a bit before breakfast. But as she approached the aforementioned room, she saw the door was locked, indicating her sister was already using it. 

Sighing, she turned around and prepared to go to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. And, regardless of what her sister said, she did know how to cook. After all, a sandwich is supposed to be burnt, right? But as she was walking to the stairs she passed by her sister's atelier, she noticed the door was still partially open, and glancing inside she saw a rather odd, but interesting looking suit lying on the table. 

Stepping inside, she walked over to the clothes placed neatly in order on the wooden surface. Jumping on a stool for better height; she stood with her hind legs on the stool, while placing her front hooves on the table, giving herself the needed height to see what it was Rarity had placed there. 

It was mostly black, which was odd as it was a color her sister rarely used. But there was white in it as well, which was another color that, although less so than black, still was not used much. It consisted of one of those shurts, or whatever they were called, along with a matching pair of pants. Both of them were black, with white parts at the end of the shurt's sleeves, as well as at the bottom of the pants’ legs. The neck area was also white, and a white belt was found next to the clothes. 

Sweetie Belle blinked several times as she took it all in. This was something her sister had never made before, and she had a hard time figuring out why she had made something like this now. She was so transfixed with what she was seeing that she didn't even notice her sister walking in the room, and only after Rarity cleared her throat did she notice her sister was standing behind her.

"Hey, sis. What are you making?" she asked, giving Rarity a curious look. 

"I'm afraid I don't know myself," Rarity answered with a sigh as she stepped up next to her younger sister, looking at the suit she had been working on for some time now.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion, "You're making it, shouldn't you know what it is?"

"Yes, and I know what it is, but I simply don't know where to take it, so to speak. It just doesn't want to work with me. It simply doesn't speak to me. I had this marvelous idea, a burst of inspiration that made me make this. But now, after having tried several times, I don't know what to do with it. It simply doesn't feel right, like there is something missing, and I'm too blind to see it," she answered with another sigh, "I guess my muse decided to leave me halfway through this little project of mine. So it is just sitting here, gathering dust while I try to figure out what I am doing wrong."

"Maybe it's the colors?" Sweetie offered.

"That's what I thought, but I keep going back to this color scheme. Why, I simply don't know. It is just this thought, this idea in the back of my mind," she sighed. "Oh well, no need for you to worry about it. Now, freshen yourself up while I make some breakfast. Then it is off to school for you," Rarity told her sister, giving her a gentle nudge to the bathroom. 

"Okay, sis," Sweetie Belle replied cheerful, and she rushed to the now free bathroom, tripping over her legs, and tumbling head first into the bathtub, somehow managing to turn on the faucet at the coldest setting, which just so happen to be placed directly above her head.

"GHAAAA!" she yelled as the freezing cold water splashed in her face, desperately trying to scramble to her hooves and away from the horrible cold. But her downright spastic attempts to do so only made things worse, and by the time she was finally able to pull herself out of the tub she was soaking wet and shivering.

"O-o-ok-k-ay. Tha-a-at wi-i-ill be eno-oug-h," she managed through clattering teeth, and she hurried to grab a towel, somehow managing to pull every single piece of clean linen out of the nearby cabinet, covering herself in a heap of fabric. All the while, Rarity watched from the open door, hoof firmly placed against her face.


<<>><<>><<>>


The sun rose higher and higher, spreading its warm, life giving light over the world. Yet most of that light failed to penetrate the thick foliage of the Everfree Forest, causing the dense forest to be as dark and foreboding as it always had been. A perfect place for the many dangerous creatures that lurked there. A place where only the most dangerous, confident, or foolish of beings would dare to enter as danger lay around every turn. But as dangerous as the animals that lived in the forest were, none of them could be seen nor heard. Not because they lay in wait to ambush prey, but because they were scared. Scared of the unholy abomination that had entered their home, and was methodically slaughtering any that would try to claim it as their kill. 

No sound could be heard. Not the sound of birds singing, the sound of manticores roaring, or even the sound of the forest itself. All was quiet, all was scared. All that is, except the wooden wolves of the forest. A duo of timberwolves were stalking the seemingly harmless blue rabbit, seeing it move around, yet they remained undetected. 

They were on edge. They had been for a while now. First there was the confirmation that the dark one was living near the forest, and they stood at attention should he ever bring forth its evil. Which he hadn't done… yet. 

They didn't know what his plan was, but they were keeping a close eye on him. But now it would seem another evil had found its way into the world, and they were forced to split their focus between the dark one and this new entity. 

They didn't know what it was, but they recognized its energy as their own. The energy of the dead, a wandering soul. Yet it didn't seem to be on the same level, intellectually, as they were, and most of its actions seemed to be made purely on instinct. But they knew better than most that what they saw was not always how things were. After all, just like their own form, appearance can be deceiving. 

Their target moved again, and they followed, making sure not to lose sight of it, and to warn off any animal that might tread too near. For they are the protectors of the forest, the guardians of life. It is their task, their curse, a punishment for their crimes against life. They were the wandering wolves. They were the Kadzait.


*Snap*
 

Their heads snapped towards a bush some distance away when they heard the sound. It was faint, but loud enough for them to hear. It would seem another animal was coming too close to this threat, and they had to act accordingly to steer it away. 

They looked at one another, and the faintest of nods was passed between them as a silent agreement was made. One of the wolves split off, moving silently towards the bush to see what it was that was approaching, and to scare it off. Yet before he could approach the bush to fulfill his duty, a loud roar tore through the air. And with a mighty heave, a beast with white fur and a cold aura radiating off it jumped out of the foliage, baring its teeth as it rushed towards the blue rabbit. 

They didn't know what was going on. They didn't know what this beast was. And in the confusion they failed to notice the similarity between their energy and the white giant's. All they were able to observe in the split second everything went down, was the giant roaring and rushing toward the rabbit which, in turn, transformed into the terror that had the forest in its grip. 

They didn't know what was going on, only that they had to act. So, with a loud bark, they both rushed towards the white giant. One tackled it to the ground, while the other took up position between the giant and the blue rabbit. Taking on an aggressive stance, it growled and roared at the beast. And it would appear the blue beast wasn't as stupid as it looked, for it saw it was outnumbered and turned back into its deceptive form and fled.

"NO!" the white giant shouted as he pushed away from the ground, pulling himself and the wolf on his back up. 

"Begone," he roared as he grabbed the wolf from his back and tossed it into the bush he came from, "I don't have time for this, I need to stop this threat," he said more to himself than the wolves as he rushed after the rabbit, trying to catch back up with it. 

And as he vanished into the darkness of the forest, the wolves regrouped, sharing a startled look of realization. 

The giant, it too shared their energy. Yet it was a different form all the same. An energy more similar to that of the rabbit than theirs, yet it was the tell tale sign of death all the same. 

"Kio okazas, frato?" one of the wolves asked in confusion.
"What is going on, brother?"

"Mi ne scias, sed la arbaro ne plu estas en ekvilibro. Ni devas informi la Alfa," the other responded.
"I do not know, but the forest is no longer in balance. We need to inform the Alpha."

They gave one last look at the place the giant had run off to before they turned and ran back to their pack. Something has disrupted the balance, and it would seem it was getting worse.


<<>><<>><<>>


Rolling Stone, Blue Ice, Sound Wave and Ornate Charm came out of their rooms, ready to start the next day of investigations. They had planned everything out the previous day, and they were ready to pick up where they had left off. And hopefully the improvements to their equipment would prove to be effective. But as they walked out of the guest house, they came upon an unexpected sight. 

A large cart with bright colors, horns, flags and what seemed to be an oven. And standing in front of it all was the pink pony they knew as Pinkie Pie, the bearer of the Element of Laughter.

"GHAAAA!" she gasped out, "There you are!"

"Ehh, who?" Sound Wave asked.

"Why, all of you of course," Pinkie Pie said cheerfully, and she gave the cart a slight kick. 

Music started to play as she danced and jumped around with a large, toothy smile.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. A fine welcome to you," she sang as she placed a party hat on all four their heads, while they looked at the pink mare as if she was crazy. Which, as she started to move around on two legs while playing a drum, they were sure she was.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. I say how do you do?" They never saw it coming, but when it happened it was already too late. And with ringing ears, they tried to figure out how she was able to pass a trumpet cleanly through all their heads while blowing it.

 "Welcome, welcome, welcome. I say, hip hip hooray! Welcome, welcome, welcome to Ponyville todaaaaay," she finished as she slid towards them, front legs raised in a cheer.

"Wait for it!" she said, and the ding of a timer went off. With a small explosion streamers and confetti blew out of the pipes attached to the cart, while a cake shot out of the oven, coming to a perfect stop in-between the hooves Pinkie was holding up.

"Tadaaa~" she announced proudly as she held the cake up to the four ponies, already cut and ready to eat.

"O-kay?" Blue Ice said as she, and the rest of her team, had a plate with the cake shoved into their hooves.

"Try it. I made it myself," Pinkie chirped joyfully, bouncing on the spot, unable to stand still with her usual boundless enthusiasm.

The four shared a look of bewilderment as they also observed the blatantly effervescent mare. They had heard of her, of course. Her actions, along with those of the other Elements were well known among the guards, as well as her colorful behavior. But experiencing it first hoof was something else entirely, and they were unsure how to best respond to it. So like everyone else that first experienced the pink party pony's particularly perplexing personal welcome parade, they stood there staring dumbly, mumbling a bit as their brains tried to catch up with the situation. 

Fortunately they were trained to keep a clear mind in difficult situations, so they were able to snap out of their stupor relatively quickly. Still, in the few seconds it took their brains to reboot, Pinkie Pie's smile drooped off her face as she took it as a sign of rejection. But the mare was more resilient than that, and she would get through to them just like she had done with Cranky Doodle Donkey. So with a determined nod, her smile returned, even bigger than before. 

"Soooo. A tough crowd it would seem. Don't worry, I have just the thing that you need," she said, and she shot off in a blur.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Blue Ice said as they saw the slowly fading pink outlines the mare had left behind.

"So do I," Rolling Stone replied.

"Mhe twho, buht phis cake pfis amafing," Ornate Charm said with a full mouth, earning herself stares from her three teammates. "What!?" she said with a shrug, swallowing her mouthful "You should try it."

Looking at one another, they shrugged in silent agreement.

"Meh, might as well," Rolling Stone muttered, and he took a bite of the cake he was still holding.

His eyes, as well as Blue Ice and Sound Wave's widened as the flavor assaulted their taste buds, and for a second time in short succession they were speechless. 

"You've got to give it to her," Ornate Charm said while smacking her lips, "She might be crazy, that mare knows how to bake a cake."

The other three hummed their agreement.


<<>><<>><<>>


The two timberwolves ran through the forest as fast as they could, not stopping for anything. And in no time they had arrived back at the heart of their pack's territory, and they made haste to their Alpha. 

The other wolves present looked up as the duo rushed in, but none of them tried to stop them. They knew they were out in the forest to track the latest threat. And they knew that, if they came back in such a hurry, something was wrong, very wrong. 

The two ran inside the cave the Alpha called home, and came to a sudden stop within the cavernous space. 

"Kial vi estas ĉi tie? Kio okazis?" the rumbling voice of the Alpha echoed through the cave.
"Why are you here? What happened?"

"Alfa, nova evoluo okazis, kaj la ekvilibro estis interrompita eĉ pli," one of the wolves answered.
"Alpha, a new development has occurred, and the balance has been upset even more."

"Kion vi signifas?" the Alpha asked.
"What do you mean?"

"Ni spuris la bluan demono, kiel ordigita. Sed io alia montris supren kiel ni faris tiom," the wolf answered.
"We tracked the blue demon, as ordered. But something else showed up as we did so."

"Io granda. Io mortinta, kiel ni estas," the other finished.
"Something big. Something dead, like us." 

"KIO!?" the Alpha barked, and the two wolves' ears fell flat.
"WHAT!?"

"Ni ne scias kio ĝi estas, aŭ de kie ĝi devenas. Sed estas evidente, la bilanco estis perturbitaj pli severe, ol oni origine opiniis," one of the wolves spoke up.
"We do not know what it was, or where it came from. But it is obvious the balance has been disturbed more severely than we originally thought."

"Ankaŭ. Ĝi ŝajnus la nova estaĵo ankaŭ estis ĉasante la blua demono. Ili povus esti rilatigitaj?" the other added.
"Also. It would seem this new entity was also hunting the blue demon. Could they be related?"

The Alpha was silent for a long time as he thought over what he was told. A decision had to be made, but this new information proved they were not the only ones out there that needed to be thought of. 

"Vi du, spuros kie tiu nova ento devenis! Eble ni povas trovi iujn respondojn je la fonto. Mi sendos alian grupon por trovi kaj sekvi la blua demono, tiel kiel tiu alia interloper vi jam rakontis al mi pri. Se tio estas vera, kaj tie estas alia animo, kiu trovis vojon al tiu ĉi mondo tiam pli povis, kaj volis, sekvi. Tio estas fakto ni scias tro bone. Ni ne povas lasi ke tio okazas, ne plu!" the Alpha ordered.
"You two, track down where this new entity came from! Maybe we can find some answers at the source. I will send another group to find and follow the blue demon, as well as this other interloper you've told me about. If it is true, and there is another soul that has found a way to this world then more could, and will follow. This is a fact we know all too well. We can not let that happen, not again!"

"Jes, Alfa," they answered in unison, and they hurried to carry out their new orders. 
"Yes, Alpha."

And as they left the Alpha wolf alone in his cave, he thought back to a time so very long ago.

"Post ĉiu. Ni, ankaŭ, iam trovis nian vojon en tiu ĉi mondo. Ne per elekto, sed ankoraŭ, ĉi tie ni estas ĉiuj la sama," he muttered to himself.
"After all. We, too, once found our way into this world. Not by choice, but still, here we are all the same." 


<<>><<>><<>>


Wind Chill had been running through the forest for many hours now, panting hard despite the fact he didn't need to breathe. 

He wasn't used to the warmth he experienced on this world after all, and the exertion he pushed himself through only added to his discomfort. Still, he didn't stop as he knew that if he faltered for even a single moment many lives could be lost. So with eyes burning in determination, he continued on his search for the beku terwelu. Unfortunately, his encounter with those strange wooden creatures had scared the beast away, and he had been unsuccessful in tracking it down again. It could be anywhere, hidden in the vastness of this forest, and he feared someone else would find it before he did. Or worse, it would find them. 

With a low grunt, he forced himself to go even faster, not wanting to let the fate that had befallen that creature whose bones he had found to strike some other unfortunate soul. But as he was pushing through a dense bush somewhere in the middle of the forest, the beku terwelu was jumping out past the treeline, feeling the warming rays of the midday sun hitting its face while it turned to the sound of a ringing bell near a small building some distance away. And as it moved to see what it was, it noticed several small ponies rush out of the building. 

A twisted grin crept across its face, as it would seem it had found another source of food.


<<>><<>><<>>


The school bell rang, and the foals trapped within rushed outside, more than eager to leave behind the stuffy and boring classroom they'd been stuck in for hours. 

Four ponies however, were not as quick to run out of the room, screaming and hollering as they reclaimed their freedom. 

First there was Diamond Tiara, grumbling under her breath as she slowly walked away, alone now that Silver Spoon was at home. All because of those three fillies, she knew, but couldn't prove it, yet. 

And second, there were the three aforementioned fillies, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. They were quicker to leave, but still didn't all out run towards the freedom that awaited them outside. Instead, they kept close together as they quickly moved away from the school and the town, heading towards their clubhouse so they could continue their training for Sweetie Belle. 

"Are you ready to try that transformation again?" Scootaloo asked after they were far enough away from the school.

"Yes!" Sweetie Belle said with determination, feeling particularly lucky today. 

"Ya remember what ya did last time ya managed ta transform?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yes… Kinda… Not really," Sweetie Belle answered with an awkward smile, and a golden flash came from her horn, causing all three of them to trip over their legs as it took them by surprise.

"What was that!?" Apple Bloom said loudly as she untangled her limbs, looking at her friend's horn. 

"I don't know," Sweetie Belle answered as she prodded the pointy appendage with a hoof, "It has never done that before."

"Was it your magic?" Scootaloo asked.

"No. My magic is a light green, remember," she answered.

"Oh yeah, like that other weird glowing stuff you can do," Scootaloo replied as she stood back up.

"Maybe it's just some other power of yers?" Apple Bloom suggested as she, too, climbed back to her hooves. 

"I guess," Sweetie Belle said with a shrug.

"Let's just go back ta our clubhouse. We'll figure it out back there," Apple Bloom said, and she broke out in a gallop as she sped away.

"Hey! Wait for us!" Scootaloo shouted as she took off, chasing after her friend.

Sweetie Belle, however, looked around for a moment, feeling a strange chill go down her spine. 

'I don't know. I've got a bad feeling for some reason.' she thought before shaking it off and following her friends towards the apple orchard, not noticing the pink filly following them. Nor did any of them notice the blue rabbit following after them as well.


<<>><<>><<>>


"We're never going to get any work done, are we?" Blue Ice muttered in annoyance as she and the rest of her team were, in ways they couldn't explain, somehow 'captured' by the pink menace known locally as Pinkie Pie, and were now subjected to continuous 'fun' provided by the aforementioned mare to properly welcome them to Ponyville.

"Well, you've got to give her credit," Ornate Charm replied as they watched Pinkie Pie ride on an unicycle while juggling cupcakes and singing at the same time, "She does know how to put on a show."

"Yes. But while she's at it, we're stuck here. She won't give up easily, we know that much," Sound Wave mentioned with a snicker when one of the cupcakes fell on Pinkie's head.

"That's all nice and such. But I have a thirty bit bet going with Vigilant Shield about who will find the 'objective' first," Blue Ice replied in a mutter, but a smile managed to break through as she watched the pink pony do her thing.

"Just give her what she wants, she has earned that much," Rolling commanded with a humorous grin, the antics of Pinkie Pie getting to him.

"I guess she did," Blue Ice answered with a faint grin of her own, seeing Pinkie jump off the unicycle and land on her hind legs, standing tall and proud while breathing heavily, front legs held wide.

"Tadaaa~" Pinkie Pie announced proudly, waiting for a response from her audience with a large smile. 

Sound Wave and Rolling Stone gave a hearty laugh at Pinkie's antics, while Blue Ice and Ornate Charm gave a more reserved chuckle. Giving a quick round of applause by stomping their hooves on the ground, and a quartet of happy smiles on their faces was just the response Pinkie had been hoping for, and she soaked it all up with an ever growing smile splitting her face in half. 

"That was great, miss, really," Sound Wave commented, "And we thank you for this warm welcome. But we should be going now. Still a lot of town to… ehh.. explore."

"Ahh, shush," Pinkie said with a wave of her hoof, "Just call me Pinkie, everypony else does."

"Okay, Pinkie," Rolling answered, "Thank you. It certainly was memorable."

"YAY!" Pinkie shouted excitedly while clapping her hooves together, "Now we're the bestest of friends."

"Ehh, sure?" Ornate Charm said, unsure.

"Woohoo!" Pinkie shouted as she bounced on the spot, sporting one of her biggest smiles as she had befriended not one, not two, but four ponies at once.

"Oh, oh. I am sooo excited, I feel like singing!" Pinkie chirped happily, and music started to play.

"Oh, come on," Blue Ice muttered as they were roped in to a song and dance number.

"Well, she's something alright," Sound Wave said in response.

"I'll say," Rolling Stone agreed.

"We're never going to get anything done, are we?" Ornate Charm asked. But she never got a reply, as they all were taken by the Music of Harmony, and they, along with all the ponies around, were singing loud and proud, dancing along with the music provided by the happy pink mare's magical harmony.


<<>><<>><<>>


They ran through the forest without missing a beat, following the scent they captured during their encounter with the white giant. They'd been at it for several hours now, as it would seem the giant had traversed a great distance going nowhere and even in circles, confusing the Kadzait for a moment. But now they had found it, the place the scent originated from, and they should have know it was this place of all places.

The castle of the royal sisters. 

It used to be a place of prosperity and peace. A place that grew with the passing of time, forming a large city where many ponies thrived and flourished. Now, only a ruin of the castle remained. They were already there before that happened, and they witnessed the destruction themselves during the time of their greatest failure. 

They are the Kadzait, the wandering wolves. A name earned during their time alive, a name soaked in the blood of innocents. Innocents killed by them, forever cursing them. They were banished to this world, forever cast out of the eternal hunting grounds, forced to roam these woods like they'd done on their own world, Firosina. Now though, they wouldn't make the same mistakes they'd made when they were among the living, the elder one wouldn't allow it. He, and that book he carried. 

So here they were. Immortal souls trapped inside bodies made from the dead. It was an ironic turn of events, cursed to a form of immortality. The very thing they sought to obtain, yet a twisted mocker put on them as a curse for their sins. And as such, they were unable to die as they were tied to this world. And to make sure they understood the damage they had done to the balance of their own world, they were placed in charge of maintaining the balance of this forest. Which is why they were less than happy to stand before the ancient castle the scent had led them to. 

They both growled as they stood there, remembering. 

There was another who was also responsible for their curse. One who had lost himself due to their actions. And the one who had slain them as the darkness of Fenrir had consumed him. He was able to break free, eventually, but at the cost of his own life. And the dark one, it lived. A parasite roaming between worlds, seeking out anyone it could latch on to. 

And it found one. Right here, right in this very castle. 

Princess Luna drew the attention of Fenrir, her jealousy towards her sister the bait. It took hold of her, corrupted her mind, and changed both of them in the process. It shifted its form to match that of the princess of ponies, becoming the one now known as Nightmare Moon. 

They should have stopped it. They should have stopped her. But they failed. They failed to fulfill their purpose, and, ultimately, it was Princess Celestia who stopped the corruption of Fenrir using the fruits of the Tree of Life. 

But Fenrir, or, Nightmare Moon, hadn't gone away. It was merely relocated. Banished to the moon, looking down at the world below. And they looked up, every night of every year that passed since the day the Nightmare was banishment and the city fell into ruin. 

They walked around the edge of the ravine surrounding the castle, heading towards the bridge they knew to be there. And they found it, just not how they remembered it. 

A bridge made from the purest of ice crossed the expanse, cold vapor rising off of it as it was warmed by the light of the sun. Yet it didn't show any sign of melting, indicating this was more than just simple ice. One of the wolves reached out with his paw, touching the frozen surface, and he could feel the energy contained within the frozen construct. 

Sharing a glance with his pack brother, they crossed the bridge, entering the castle, and continuing their search within the walls of the forsaken fortress. Sensing the undead energy hanging in the air. 


<<>><<>><<>>


Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were inside their clubhouse, the latter of which were arguing with each other over which of Sweetie Belle's powers they should work on. Sweetie Belle, of course, had no say in any of this. But she was talking just as loud, trying to get her voice in on this. Yet, loud as they may have been, their voices were still somewhat muffled for the pink filly standing outside, staying low on the outside deck below the window. 

'What are they talking about?' she thought, pressing her ear closer to the wall, but with little success, as she didn't want to get too close to the dirty building, lest she soil her mane and coat. 

"Fine, we try that first!" Apple Bloom's voice suddenly sounded loud and clear to her, and Diamond Tiara realised that she must have stepped closer to the window. 

"Okay, Sweetie Belle. Ready?" Apple Bloom asked, getting a nod in return, which Diamond Tiara didn't see. What she did see was a sudden flash of golden light shining through the window.

"Hey, it did it again," she heard Scootaloo saying, and she was debating with herself on peeking through the window to see what they were up to, but she didn't want to get caught before she was sure what they were doing. But she never had a chance to make a choice as she felt somepony tapping her on her hind leg. 

Fearing she was discovered, she turned around, only to see a blue bunny standing behind her.

"Huh?" she uttered, puzzled, as she looked at the cute blue thing, while it hopped closer to her as it sniffed the air. 

"What do you want?" she said annoyed, glaring at the bunny as she shoved it away from her, causing it to fall over the edge of the deck, and hit the ground with a thud.

Huffing in irritation over the distraction, she turned her attention back to the fillies inside the ugly building they called a clubhouse. And, again, she was debating whether or not she should risk peeking inside to see what was going on, only to feel somepony tapping her leg again, and her eyes narrowed into a glare as she turned to look at who it was. And she had a good idea it was that weird bunny again. But as she turned to look, her eyes widened in fear and horror as what she saw was not the same fluffy animal from before. Instead there stood a beast, five times the bunny's size, with ragged, wild fur. A manic look on its face, and a pale glow around it. Then it opened its mouth, showing many sharp teeth.

At this sight her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks, and she screamed as she backed away, falling off the deck herself. 

"What was that?" Sweetie Belle said as the three of them looked at the window.

"Maybe it was a moth," Scootaloo offered, and her two friends looked at her with a flat look, "What?" she asked with a shrug of her wings.

"Riiight."—Apple Bloom rolled her eyes—"Moths aside, don't ya think we should see who it was that screamed?" she asked.

"Right," Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreed with a nod, and the three of them rushed out of their clubhouse, looking down to see who it was that had screamed.

"Wait, is that Diamond Tiara?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Who cares about that. What the hay is that thing?!" Scootaloo replied as they stared at a blue beast, which looked somewhat like an oversized bunny, but with much wilder hair, sharp claws, sharper teeth, a menacing look on its face and, oh, there was a glow surrounding its body similar to the one around Sweetie Belle when she was a spirit. 

"Ah don't know, but it seems interested in Diamond Tiara," Apple Bloom remarked as they looked down at the two beings.

Diamond Tiara, momentarily dazed from the fall, pushed herself up with a hoof, while rubbing her head with another. Shaking her head, she looked up and saw the blue monstrosity moving towards her, drooling, its mouth open and exposing many sharp teeth. The sight of it caused her to scream again.

"Ooh. So it was Diamond Tiara we heard," Scootaloo said in a moment of enlightenment, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave their friend an annoyed look.

"You need to get your priorities straight," Sweetie Belle told her orange friend with a shake of her head.

"What? She's always mean to us. So she's scared by some weird bunny or something. It's probably some animal Fluttershy found in the Everfree Forest, no problem," Scootaloo said in a calm, logical voice. Something that was completely shattered the moment Tiara screamed again as the bunny lunged towards her.

"Ah think it's doing a bit more than scarin' her," Apple Bloom said in shock.

"Oh, yeah," Scootaloo said with an awkward shrug.

"We have to help her, don't we?" Sweetie Belle groaned out.

"We? I'm not getting anywhere near that thing," Scootaloo replied as she pointed a hoof at the animal.

"Yeah, Ah'm not all that keen ta get close ta this bunny myself either," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Then what do we do?" Sweetie Belle asked in a slight panic as they continued watching the spectacle.

"Well. It's just a thought but, aren't you a spirit?" Scootaloo said with a smirk.

"Yeah, so wha-… Oh no, no no no no. What if she sees me, like yesterday?" Sweetie Belle countered, holding both front hooves in front of her in a shielding manner as she conveyed her disapproval.

"Just scare her like you did back then. Besides, you were in your other form when it happened. Why not do it again?" Scootaloo argued back.

"But wha—" Sweetie Belle began, but she was interrupted by Apple Bloom.

"Look, either ya do this now, or it won't be necessary at all," she said as she pointed at Diamond Tiara lying on the ground, having tripped over one of the many tree roots.

"Oh, pony feathers," Sweetie Belle swore, knowing what had to be done. 

"Okay, I hope this works," she said as she braced herself, focusing on the energy she felt inside. "Come on, come on. Transform," she muttered through clenched teeth, and a weak, flickering flash surrounded her.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle. You can do it," her friends cheered her on.

'Come on, come on. I'm a spirit, a spirit! So transform, come on!'

With a bright flash of light, a glowing white band formed around her midsection. Splitting in half, one part moved forwards, while the other moved back. Her white coat turned a gleaming silver, while her two-toned mane and tail turned into an intangible fog with two deep blue streaks running through it. Her eyes began to glow, while her formerly bare legs were now covered by pitch black boots several sizes too wide. 

"Did it work?" Sweetie Bee asked, eyes still closed in concentration.

"Wow… Yeah, yeah it did," Scootaloo replied awed.

"Really!?" Sweetie Belle said in disbelief, and opened her eyes to see for herself. A victorious smile broke out on her face the moment she saw her silver, boot covered, leg. "I really did it!" she shouted happily.

"Not ta burst yer bubble," Apple Bloom cut in, "but focus!"

"Oh, right," Sweetie Belle, or, well, Silver Spirit said with a sheepish smile, and she jumped down from the deck, coming to a stop half a meter above the ground, right behind the blue rabbit beast... thing. 

Tapping the blue creature on the back, Silver Spirit crossed her legs as she watched it turn around.

"Hey, didn't anypony teach you it isn't nice to scare others like that?" she said, trying to sound serious and authoritative, but only managing to sound insecure as she was trying to maintain her balance in her hovering position.

The bunny turned around, seemingly in slow motion, and eventually their eyes met, while Diamond Tiara was peeking from underneath one of the legs that she held over her head in a futile attempt to shield herself from the beast. And, at the sight of the silver pony hovering in the air, whose hind legs were missing and a waving tail could be seen in their place, she screamed again, loudly. 

The blue beast, Silver Spirit, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo all flinched from the sound, while Diamond Tiara turned and ran away from the two creatures. 

Unfortunately for Diamond Tiara, she was not paying attention to where she was going, and slammed head first into a tree. 

Sliding down the trunk with her legs splayed wide, she lay unconscious on the ground.

"Well, that just happened," Scootaloo said, not sure whether she should laugh or not.

Looking at the downed filly, then back at each other, both Silver Spirit and the blue oversized bunny blinked in confusion before remembering what it was they were doing.

"So, ehh… You better behave, okay," Silver Spirit said as she pressed her hoof against the blue animal's snout, and it reared back while wiggling its nose, sneezing a bit, before its eyes refocused back on the filly, a growl escaping its mouth.

"Uh oh," she muttered with a small voice, gazing into the gaping maw of the less than friendly bunny.

"SWEETIE BELLE, GET OUTTA THERE!" Apple Bloom shouted to her friend, and she did just that. 

Bolting away blindly, screaming, she slammed into a tree, slid down the trunk and fell onto her back, seeing miniaturized versions of Scootaloo fly around her head.

"We should help 'er, right?" Apple Bloom said flatly, after her hoof had a close encounter with her face.

"I guess so," Scootaloo replied, and the two of them jumped down off the deck, landing in front of their downed friend. 

"Now hold it right there, mister," Apple Bloom said with a strong voice.

"Yeah. You're not going to hurt our friend," Scootaloo said with a threatening voice, snapping her wings out to look bigger.

The bunny only gave them a flat look, and then roared defiantly at them, blowing their manes back from the force. 

"Eep," they both managed as they suddenly found that their less than properly thought out rescue was lacking in the rescue department, and they slowly backed away as the beast moved in towards them.

"Duck!" Silver Spirit shouted, and they reacted without thinking. Diving down to the ground, seeing a green beam shoot overhead, hitting the beast squarely in the chest, sending it flying backwards into a tree where it slid down the trunk, its fur singed.

"Well, that seems to be the theme of the day," Scootaloo muttered as she saw the beast drop to the ground, where it stood back up and shot a death glare at the filly responsible for its unplanned flight.

"Ehh, girls," Silver Spirit said as she stepped up between her prone friends, "This is not going so well."

"Well, what do we do now?" Scootaloo asked as she stood back up, looking defiant, and definitely not frightened, at the beast as it moved towards them, picking up speed with every step.

"JUMP!" Apple Bloom shouted, and the three of them jumped out of the path of the berserking blue bunny.

Silver Spirit, the first to recover, hovered up in the air, her tail twisting madly in a subconscious display of her anxiety. 

Reaching into to the energy she felt inside, she poured a decent amount into her hooves, making them glow green. 

"Please stay down this time," she said desperately as she shot a twin beam at the beast. One missed completely, scorching a tree behind the beast. The other hitting it in the side while it jumped out of the way.

"Hayseed!" she said as she flew backwards, shivering from the frightening glare the beast shot at her. 

"Well, I'm out of ideas," she told her friends as she landed next to Diamond Tiara.

"Ah've got nothin' either," Apple Bloom replied frantically, looking around to find anything that could help them.

"Why don't we give it Diamond Tiara while we run away?" Scootaloo suggested, and her two friends looked at her as if she'd gone mad.

"What?" she said with a shrug, only to shout as she dodged a swipe of the beast's claw at the last second.

"GRAAAAAWWW!"

They all flinched from the loud roar, even the blue beast, except for Diamond Tiara of course, seeing she was still unconscious. 

Looking around in fear and anxiety, the three fillies huddled together, while the beast looked around in anger, growling and hissing in response. 

The ground started to shake in tune to the heavy hooffalls they heard, and with a mighty heave, a snow white giant jumped out of the shadows surrounding them, landing on the ground with a crash in-between the beast and the fillies. 

"Mortals, run," Wind Chill ordered as he took a defensive stance in front of them, glaring at the beku terwelu. "I will deal with this abomination!" 

Staring at the white giant, the three fillies were too stunned to move, let alone to acknowledge the command given to them by this strange giant. And instead, they stood unmoving on the spot. An ideal target for the beku terwelu, and Wind Chill knew it. 

"MOVE, NOW!" he roared, and the beku terwelu surged into motion. 

Lashing out with a claw, Wind Chill connected with the beast's jaw, sending it flying through the air with a pained yelp before it bounced off of the ground, coming to a rolling stop. 

Picking itself up, its menacing look contorted into a glare of pure evil and malice. Giving a roar of its own, it ran towards Wind Chill, baring its fangs and claws. 

Not impressed with this display of supposed power, Wind Chill sidestepped and the beku terwelu ran cleanly past him, and right towards the three fillies still standing there. 

"NO!" Wind Chill yelled, as he channeled his ice powers into his claw, intending to send a ball of ice hurtling towards the beku terwelu. But, in a flash of green ectoplasm, his eyes widened as he witnessed the impossible. A mortal, this mortal, a silver pony only a few winters old, using the powers of the dead. 

He was confused and amazed, but he didn't have the time to figure out this new mystery, as, right now, his attention was needed to deal with the threat at hand. So, shooting a wondering glance at the silver filly, he turned to face the beku terwelu once more, his claw glowing an ice blue as a large ice club formed in his grasp. 

"Wow," Scootaloo said in amazement as they watched the giant use magic like they had never seen before. 

"How did he do that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"And what is he," Silver Spirit added.

"I don't know. But that thing he did with the club was awesome!" Scootaloo said enthusiastically.

"Maybe, but Ah don't think we should stay here," Apple Bloom mentioned. 

"Then what about Diamond Tiara? I'm not carrying her," Silver Spirit said, gently kicking the downed filly in the side, who then groaned in response as she came to.

"There ya go. Problem solved," Scootaloo chimed in helpfully.

Groaning as she slowly came to, Diamond Tiara rubbed her head as she looked up, and her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks at what she saw. The blue beast fighting with an even larger white beast. And standing next to her was a silver filly with a pale glow around her, a mane and tail made of a fog moving in an unfelt breeze, while her eyes were a glowing green.

Diamond Tiara's eyes met those of Silver Spirit, and she felt her breath get caught in her throat.

"Ehh… Boo," Silver Spirit said dumbly, and Diamond Tiara screamed as she scrambled away, running into the same tree that she had ran into earlier, knocking herself out again. 

"You have got to be kidding me," Scootaloo said in disbelief as they looked at the pink filly, "Why does this keep happening?"

"Ah don't know," Apple Bloom said with a shrug, paying more attention to the fight still going on. 

"Well, as much as I hate to say it, we do need to help her. We can't leave her here, or she might get hurt… more," Silver Spirit said with a sour look.

"But what will you do then?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Help that big guy over there… I hope," she answered as she held up a hoof, a green glow surrounding it. "Well, here goes," she continued as she flew off while aiming her outstretched limb.

"Yaargh!" Wind Chill yelled, and he swung his club at the beku terwelu, missing it and hitting the ground instead. "You're not getting away this time, you beast," he roared as he lifted the ice club, and prepared for another attack. 

Anticipating this, the beku terwelu readied itself, intending to counter the attack with one of its own. But instead of either one of them attacking, a silver filly flew over, screaming loudly while shooting blindly, hitting several trees and the ground, but missing her mark completely. But it did provide a distraction, which Wind Chill seized. 

With the beku terwelu looking at the filly shooting at everything and nothing, he slammed his club on top of it with a mighty heave, flattening it underneath the bulky weight.

The club cracked from the force, and as it fell apart in his claw, it revealed an unconscious blue bunny lying in a small crater, out for the count. 

Channeling his powers into both fists, he then shot a beam of icy energy at the beku terwelu, imprisoning it in a large ball of ice from which it could not easily escape. 

And now, with this threat dealt with, he could now focus on the other problem at hand. Meaning the wildly screaming child who continued to fire beam after beam of ectoplasm. 

"Control yourself, child. You are causing more trouble than you're solving," he said as moved his head out of the way of a wild shot.

"Graaaaaaaa!" Silver Spirit yelled, not hearing the giant as she kept shooting energy from her hooves. 

"Ugh, children," Wind Chill muttered with a roll of his eyes, as he stepped closer to the filly.

"I said, control yourself!" he said loudly, making Silver Spirit yelp as he finally got through to her. And with a pained grunt, she fell to the ground as she lost her focus. 

"Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shouted as they ran to their friend, taking up a defensive stance before her. 

"Stay away you.. you… Whatever you are," Scootaloo said in a poor attempt to sound threatening.

"Yeah. Yer not hurtin' our friend."

" 'Hurting her'? Why would I hurt her?" Wind Chill asked in confusion.

"... Eh, because you attacked that thing," Apple Bloom said as she pointed a hoof at the trapped blue bunny. 

"True, but so did you, did you not," Wind Chill answered calmly.

"Actually, Sweetie Belle did," Scootaloo muttered.

"Ah, yes, your ghost friend. I must say, I wasn't expecting to find another ghost on this world," he replied, and the three fillies looked up at him with confusion plastered on their faces.

"Ghost? I'm not a ghost," Silver said, "I'm a spirit, sorta."

"Oh, my apologies. I was unaware you referred to yourself as such."

"But what do you mean with not expecting to find another ghost here. Are there others?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Beside me and the beku terwelu," he said as he nodded his head to the trapped animal, "No, not that I know off. But my friends are close by, guarding the breach in the Death Zone."

"WHAT!?" all three fillies shouted, "You're a ghost?"

"Yes, I am. But why is this confusing to you?" he asked Silver in surprise, "As a spirit you should be well aware of this."

"Well, actually... I don't really know all th—" she started, when she was interrupted by a flash of light, and a white band of energy formed around her midsection, beginning the process of turning her back to Sweetie Belle.

"By Frostbite's claw!" Wind Chill shouted as he reared back in shock.

"Ehh… You didn't see that, right?" Sweetie Belle said with a nervous smile.

"You.. You're a Halfa!?" 

"A what now?" Apple Bloom asked, her head cocked to the side in puzzlement.

"But how? This was not foretold. A fourth Halfa, could it be?" he said to himself, looking at Sweetie Belle in amazement and curiosity. "Tell me young one, how long have you been a Halfa?"

"Ehh, if by that you mean a spirit, a few days now… Why?"

Taking a moment to calm down from the initial shock, Wind Chill took the time to properly observe the filly. And after considering what he saw and knew, he came to a simple conclusion.

"You do not know how to control your powers, do you?"

"Wait, what? Yes I do!" Sweetie Belle said, sounding offended, right up until her left front leg turned intangible, making her fall down.

"Oof. Okay, maybe not."

Wind Chill didn't say anything else after that. Instead, he looked off in the direction of the castle containing the portal, feeling the energy of his world, faint and distorted as it was. 

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance, young one. I have some experience with those like you. But not here, please, follow me."

"Wait! What about Diamond Tiara?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"What does jewelry have to do with this?" Wind Chill asked, confused.

"No, Diamond Tiara," she clarified as she moved to the pink filly still lying unconscious on the ground.

"She's named after a crowny thing?" he asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

"Uhh, yeah. So?" Apple Bloom replied.

"I have heard many strange names, but that one has to be the strangest."

"Really? Then what do you call yourself?" Sweetie Belle asked as she gave Diamond Tiara a small kick in the side, receiving no response.

"Oh my. Please forgive me for not introducing myself properly, it completely slipped my mind after discovering you to be a Halfa. My name is Wind Chill, a frost giant of the Far Frozen and overseer of the Death Zone."

"Wow, that's a mouthful," Apple Bloom replied, "Well, mah name's Apple Bloom."

"And I'm Scootaloo, the most awesome pony you will ever see. Except, maybe Rainbow Dash."

"And I'm Sweetie Belle, nice to meet you."

"Curious names indeed," Wind Chill muttered, "And what about the pink one, this Diamond Tiara?" he queried, looking at Sweetie Belle.

"She's out cold," she replied, giving the filly in question another kick in the side. "Has a nasty bump on the head too."

"Won't keep her from talking when she wakes up," Scootaloo spoke up, walking over to the downed filly. "There is no way she won't be talking about this."

"Yeah. That might be a problem," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Then what are we going to do now? What if ponies find out about me?" Sweetie Belle asked in a panic.

"Ah, they don't know, save for your two friends?" Wind Chill asked.

"Yeah. They were there when I… Changed."

"Curious… Very curious," he replied as he stared off in the distance, "And I take it you want to keep your... change, a secret?"

"Yes," Sweetie Sweetie said with a nod.

"Hmm, let me see," he hummed as he knelt down next to Diamond Tiara. Raising his hand, it started to glow an ice blue. 

"What are you doing?" Scootaloo asked suspiciously as she looked at the glowing appendage.

"Mending the damage done," he answered as he placed a single finger on the large bump on Tiara's head. The blue glow seeped into the swollen tissue, cooling it down and causing the swelling to diminished until nothing could be seen.

"There, her injuries are healed, but her mind is not something I can alter in her current state. However, seeing she is unconscious, it might be possible for her to believe she had dreamed everything, should she awaken in her own bed," 

"Would that even work?" Apple Bloom said, unsure, "Seems like a long shot to me."

"It is, but it is the only thing that might work. At least, until you learn to control your Possessive Suggestion," he directed to Sweetie Belle, who looked back mystified. 

"My what now?" 

"Later. First you should take care of this one… You can do that, right?"

"Ehh, I can turn myself invisible, other ponies as well. Would that help?"

"It will. It will keep you hidden as you return her home."

"Hold on. Why should we even do this in the first place?" Scootaloo asked, "She has always been mean to us, why not get a little payback."

"Ehh…" Sweetie Belle uttered, sharing a look with Apple Bloom.

"It would be unwise to do so," Wind Chill spoke up, "No one should ever seek vengeance, as it will only lower yourself to the level of those you seek vengeance on."

"Huh?" Scootaloo uttered, not understanding.

"By bullying a bully, you will become a bully yourself. Instead, show that you stand above such things, and you will find that this is a much more rewarding way to get back at her," Wind Chill clarified.

"Ehh…?"

"Don't be a bully," he said in a flat tone.

"Ooohh… Not even a little bit?" Scootaloo asked. Another flat look was the only response she got.

"Okay, so we won't do anything to her," Sweetie Belle said, "But we do need to get her home. Any ideas?"

"I shall carry her for a while, but I will not be able to carry her into the town I saw earlier. Not without starting a panic, by my reckoning. I can not turn invisible, as it is not the way of my kind. We use our appearance to blend in with our environment, and I stand out more than I like in this colorful world. You must get her home quickly, and safely. Then come back here, should you wish to learn more about your powers."

"Really! You can teach me about my powers?" Sweetie Belle said excitedly, green sparks of her magic shooting from her horn.

"Control yourself," he said as he saw the green sparks, mistaking them for ectoplasm, "And, yes. To some extent. But I know someone much more suited should you want to master your abilities. Now, let's go. There is still a lot we need to do," he told them, and he grabbed the filly with one hand, and the frozen bunny with the other, channeling extra ice energy in the frozen prison to keep it contained.

"Lead the way," he instructed, and Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle ran ahead, excited grins showing on their muzzle. But Wind Chill stayed behind a bit, watching the fillies go. Paying especially close attention to the Halfa.


<<>><<>><<>>


They crept into the large chamber, two thrones standing on the far side, with two large banners hanging behind them. One was made with golden, red, and yellow fabrics, a symbol of the sun proudly displayed on it. The other was made with dark blue, purple and silver, showing the image of the moon. 

But this was not what they were interested in, as they sniffed the air. A low growl escaped them as they slowly approached the hole in reality, seeing snow covered terrain on the other side. Snow, ice, and the forms of two white giants. They knew now where the white giant they encountered in the forest came from, and they knew not to act too quickly.

The giants had not yet detected them, it would seem, so the two wolves stayed back, not giving themselves away to this potential threat. 

"Iru alporti la Alfa. Mi atendos ĉi tie," one of the wolves spoke, and the other replied with a quick growl before running off. 
"Go get the Alpha. I'll wait here."

"Ĉi tiu problemo estas eĉ pli granda ol ni pensis."
"This problem is even bigger than we thought."


<<>><<>><<>>


They ran past the many rows of trees, speeding past them in a blur of orange and red. They had heard the roar from afar, and they knew it meant trouble. What it was that had produced the sound they didn't know, but they did know it came from the direction where the crusaders had their clubhouse. Fearing for their safety, Big Mac and Applejack ran as fast as they could, not stopping for anything. After all, with the crusaders there were several possibilities. 

One: Some dangerous animal had followed them, and was now attacking them. A troubling idea, as the only creatures that would do such a thing lived in the Everfree Forest. 

Two: They lured a dangerous animal from the Everfree Forest for some reason or another to earn their Cutie Marks. Also a dangerous proposition, as they, Celestia only knew how, always managed to do things no filly should be able to do. 

Three: None of the above, and some dangerous beast had found its way into the orchard on its own, and had run into the fillies by chance. 

Of course, neither Applejack or Bic Mac knew for sure if the fillies were even there. But they could be found there more often than not, and it was only logical to assume they were there now as well. 

Running at top speed, both of them jumped into the clearing where the treehouse could be found, and their mouths fell open in shock as they saw the damage. Burned and blackened trees, upturned soil, and large footprints in the ground, joined with many hoofprints. 

"Wh- What tha hay happened here?" Applejack said in shock, "Where are tha girls?"

"Ah have no idea," Bic Mac replied in a shocked tone as he, too, took in the damage. "But we better find 'em."


<<>><<>><<>>


"This is not going not work," Scootaloo muttered quietly. She, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were currently moving through town, invisible, with Diamond Tiara hanging over Apple Bloom's back, while she and Scootaloo held on to Sweetie Belle as she was making them invisible.

"It has ta, fer all our sakes." Apple Bloom grunted her reply, "Ugh, she's heavier than she looks," 

"Can you be quiet? This is harder than it looks," Sweetie Belle complained, straining herself to keep the cover up. 

"Sorry." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said in reply, and the three of them continued with their attempt to get Tiara home before she woke up.

"Look, all I want is to talk, and I'm not leaving until you do!" they heard somepony shout. But, looking around, they couldn't see anypony that could have been responsible for it. 

"What was that?" Scootaloo asked.

"Don't know, don't care," Sweetie Belle grunted, "Now, come on. I can't hold this forever."

"Right, coming," her friends replied, and they continued on their quest to the home of the dreaded Diamond Tiara.

"Just one question," Apple Bloom piped up, "How do we get inside?"

They all stopped on the spot, Sweetie Belle groaning in irritation.


<<>><<>><<>>


'Could it be, another Halfa?' Wind Chill thought as he quietly moved through the rows of apple trees. 'Is history repeating itself? Another mortal child infused with the energy of the dead?' he pondered as he approached the small clearing with the wooden house built in a tree, 'If so, why? How? And why such a creature as her? Frostbite needs to know about this. Things like this just aren't a coincidence, and I know there is more to this than I can see.'

Stepping closer to the area where he had his fight with the beku terwelu he noticed two other, larger, ponies near the wooden house.

He was quick to hide in-between the apple trees, watching the orange and red ponies frantically moving around as they observed the damage of his battle with the beku terwelu. And as he looked around, he had to agree that his tactics might have been a bit crude, and destructive. Although, considering the way the child used her powers, and seeing the many scorched trees, he did have to face facts. She really had no idea how to use her powers. Understandably so, considering she said she had only had them for a few days. But, seeing the damage undoubtedly done by her, she was one of great strength, just like... Him. But, be that as it may, it would not fix the problem at hand.

'This might be problematic.' he thought, seeing the two ponies run away, most likely in search of the three young ones.

Sighing, he knew what he needed to do. Didn't mean he had to like it. He, like all other ghosts, could influence the minds of mortals through possession. They could take full control of them, or make small mental nudges to get them to make decisions they wouldn't otherwise make. Or, in this case, suppress a certain memory. He didn't like the idea of doing this, but seeing the damage and the way the ponies acted, as well as Sweetie Belle's desire to keep her true self hidden, they needed to be stopped. 

Sighing again, he followed the two ponies, quickly catching up to them. 

"Forgive me for what I am about to do," he said sadly, catching the ponies' attention, "But do know,"—he possessed the wide eyed orange pony—"when the truth does come out," he spoke through her mouth, before jumping into the tall red pony, "I will be forever in your debt," 

Jumping out of the tall red pony's body, he quickly rushed back into hiding, noticing a strange buzzing sensation all throughout his body as he watched the two shake off the effects of their possession and look around in confusion.

"Say, Big Mac. Do you know why we're out here?" the orange pony asked.

"Eehh… E-nope," he answered. And, with a shrug, they walked back to their home.

"Because such a transgression as this is not something easily forgiven," Wind Chill finished quietly, deeply ashamed as he watched the two walk away.


<<>><<>><<>>


"So, here we are," Apple Bloom stated as they looked at their next objective.

"I guess," Scootaloo said, annoyed.

"So, now what?" Sweetie Belle asked with a strained voice, having trouble keeping herself, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara invisible.

"Well, Ah guess we need ta get inside there," Apple Bloom answered as they observed the house where Diamond Tiara lived.

"So, knock on the door?" Scootaloo proposed, which earned her a couple of flat looks, which were too invisible for her to see.

"Yeeeah, how 'bout no," Apple Bloom replied flatly, "Are ya sure ya can't do the thingy where ya walk through walls?" she asked Sweetie Belle.

"No, I can't," she replied, "What I'm doing now is difficult enough, and I barely know how to do this," she finished, her voice strained.

"Look, up there," Scootaloo suddenly piped up, pointing at what she saw.

"Look where?" Apple Bloom asked. 

"Where I'm pointing, of course," Scootaloo replied. 

"... Ya do know we can't see you, right?" Apple Bloom said in a deadpanned voice.

"Oh, eh he he he. I knew that," Scootaloo said awkwardly.

"Of course you did. So, what are we looking for?" Sweetie Belle groaned out, struggling to maintain their cover.

"Up there, that open window," Scootaloo replied, and they all looked up to see she was right.

Up on the second floor a window was open wide, the curtains hanging in front of it billowing outside a bit in the gentle breeze that blew through the village. But, as they looked at the possible point of entry, a problem became apparent.

"Ya do know Ah can't fly, right?" Apple Bloom said, "And neither can you… Sorry."

"I know…" Scootaloo muttered as she kicked the dirt, "But Sweetie Belle can. She can fly up with Diamond Tiara, and put her back in her room, no problem."

"Easy for you to say," Sweetie Belle muttered in reply before sighing, "But I guess you're right." 

"I am? Ehh... Of course I am. What else did you expect?"

"Suurre," Sweetie Belle said with a roll of her eyes. "But first we need to find some cover. If I am going to do this, you will need to let go of me, which will make you visible again," she explained, and her friends gave a nod in agreement.

"So… Is that a yes, or what?" Sweetie Belle asked, not able to see their reply.

"Ehh, yes," Apple Bloom answered.

"Right," Scootaloo agreed.

"Over there will do," Apple Bloom said as she gently pulled her friends along, "in those bushes there."

"Alright, just hurry up," Sweetie Belle said, the strain becoming too much for her.

Moving into the protective cover of the foliage, Sweetie Belle released the cloak of invisibility she had placed over all of them with a relieved sigh and a deep breath. 

Scootaloo, now visible again, patted herself as she looked herself over, checking if everything was still as it was supposed to be. While Apple Bloom unceremoniously dropped Diamond Tiara to the ground, stretching her back as she relieved it from all that dead weight. 

"So, are you ready?" Scootaloo asked Sweetie, more than ready to get this thing over with.

"Just… Just give me a moment," Sweetie Belle answered tiredly, "That took a lot out of me, you know."

"Well, we don't got all day," Apple Bloom remarked as she looked at the pink filly lying on the ground, seeing her leg twitch.

"Great, just great," Sweetie Belle muttered, "Why are we doing this again?"

"So that, hopefully, Diamond  Tiara will believe everything was a dream, and you won't get found out. Also, there is that white ice guy thingy that said he could help you with your powers," Scootaloo said in a single breath, giving a winning smile afterwards.

"Oh yeah, that " Sweetie Belle groaned. "Okay, help me with her," she instructed her friends, who helped to place Diamond Tiara on Sweetie Belle's back. "Now, keep a look out for anypony while I drop her off."

"Aren't ya worried somepony might see ya when ya fly up?" Apple Bloom asked, concerned.

"Then I guess I better not get seen," Sweetie Belle answered as she levitated up in the air, her hind legs turning into an intangible tail. "Hng. She's heavier than she looks. There is no way I'm going to be able to make myself invisible and fly up. Take a look around and tell me when the coast is clear. "
 
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gave a nod in confirmation, and they, in their own style, stealthily snuck out of the bush, making more noise than Sweetie would have liked.

"Girls, can I go?" she asked after a moment, not having heard from her two friends.

"Wait for it, wait for it... GO!" Scootaloo quietly shouted, and Sweetie Belle moved into action.

Breaking through the leaves covering her and the filly on her back, Sweetie flew up with all the speed she could muster. Which wasn't very much. Already tired and weighed down considerably by the cargo on her back, which she also needed to keep balanced on herself making it even more difficult for her, she flew up about as fast as Tank, Rainbow Dash's pet tortoise, could walk. 

"She's not going very fast," Scootaloo said as she watched her friend, not even bothering to keep her voice down as the streets were mostly empty at the moment.

"Hey, have you carried Diamond Tiara? She's a whole lot heavier than ya'd think," Apple Bloom replied.

"Well, she does have rocks for brains. Maybe that's the reason," Scootaloo joked, and a burst of laughter escaped Apple Bloom.

"Ah guess so," she agreed, and the two of them watched as Sweetie Belle finally reached the open window and flew inside. 

"So far so good," Apple Bloom muttered as she looked around to see if anypony had seen their spirit friend.

"Yeah… Let's just hope it stays that way."

"Hmhmmm," Apple Bloom hummed in agreement as she gave a nod of her head, her red ribbon bouncing along with the movement.


<<>><<>><<>>


Flying through the open window, Sweetie Belle entered the house. Landing on the floor, she let out a relieved sigh, thankful that she had made it. Now however, she faced the problem of finding Diamond Tiara's room. But as she looked around, she couldn't believe her luck. It would seem that she was already in the fiend's lair. Or, at least, that's what she believed it to be; given the filly sized bed, the many posters and images of tiaras, most of them showing the image of one or the other of the princesses and their signature crowns, and a cluttered desk with the school books she knew all too well. Also pink, a lot of it.

"Well, that was easy," she said as she moved to the bed, "Now, how am I going to do this?" 

She stood by the side of the bed for a moment as she thought about the best way to get Diamond Tiara off her back and onto the bed. Deciding the best way would be to simply fly up and drop her down, she did just that. 

Levitating up until she hovered in the air a hoof length away from the soft mattress, she positioned herself above it and let Diamond Tiara slide off of her back. Hitting the mattress with a muted *Pomf*, Diamond Tiara began to stir. 

This was the moment when Sweetie Belle began to panic, and she rushed to turn invisible. But, for reasons she didn't quite understand, she instead transformed back into her spirit form. 

Diamond Tiara, groaning like a zombie, came to and looked up, seeing a silver pony without any hindlegs hovering above her, and her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks.

"Ehh, boo," Silver Spirit said awkwardly, and Diamond Tiara, scrambling to get away from the scary pony, got her hooves caught in the blanket she was lying on top of, causing her to fall off the bed and land on her head. 

Seeing her lying in a heap, unmoving, Silver Spirit dropped down on the floor, looking Diamond Tiara over to make sure she was alright.

"Unconscious, again? Wow, she's going to have a massive headache when she wakes up… again. Just hope she thinks it was all a dream," she muttered as she moved to the window, turning invisible as she jumped out and flew back to the bush her friends were waiting in. 

"Okay, done. Let's go now," she said, still invisible, scaring her friends as they didn't know she was there until she spoke to them. 

Placing a hoof on each one of them, they, too, turned invisible. And while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo walked back to the orchard, Silver flew above them, holding on to her friends as they pulled her along.


<<>><<>><<>>


Filthy Rich walked upstairs to his daughter's room, having heard a loud thud coming from there. He didn't know what could have made the sound as he was sure his daughter was not home yet. But, then again, he had also been away for some time, so she could have easily gotten home without him noticing. 

So, as he stepped inside his daughter's bedroom, he was only mildly surprised to see Diamond tiara, seemingly fallen out of bed and partially covered with her blanket. 

Walking over to her prone form, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he saw her lie there.

"Really, Diamond?" he said as he picked her up, and she started to stir in his hold, "Ah, there you are," he added as she opened her eyes, "Now, I know school might be boring, but going to bed in the middle of the day? It can't be that bad," he chuckled as he put her back on her hooves, and Tiara looked around frantically, confused as to why she was in her room.

"Wha?… What happened? How did I get here? What happened to those monsters?" she asked in a scared voice, making her father's face shift from humorous to concerned.

"Monsters?" he repeated, "Diamond, did you have a nightmare?"

"No, I saw them," she said, in a quiet whisper, grabbing hold of her father, "That blue beast. And that giant. There was also a silver pony flying without wings, scaring me everytime," she sobbed, and her father held her close in a comforting embrace.

"Dear, dear. You just had a bad dream. You were here, lying beside your bed. There are no monsters here, see," he told her, and Diamond Tiara looked around in confusion.

"But.. I was sure…" she muttered.

"It was just a bad dream, nothing more," Filthy Rich told her again, and Diamond Tiara finally started to relax, if only a bit.

"See, there is nothing you need to be afraid of," he continued, and she finally let go of him, looking more confused than anything.

"Are you alright now?" he asked.

"I… Yes, I am," she answered after a short moment.

"Splendid. Now, let's get something to eat, hmm. I'm sure you're hungry."

"I... Yes, I'm coming, father," she replied as she looked out of the open window, her eyes narrowing as she looked towards Sweet Apple Acres. "I'll be there in a moment."


<<>><<>><<>>


"Ah, I see you have returned," Wind Chill proclaimed happily as the three fillies returned to their clubhouse.

"Yeah, why did we do that again?" Scootaloo muttered behind her hoof, directing her question to her friends while she kept a suspicious eye on the frost giant.

"Because he can help me with my powers," Sweetie Belle replied excitedly.

"Hmm, I see you do not yet trust me," Wind Chill said, looking at Scootaloo, "Understandably so, considering the circumstances of how we met. But don't be afraid, I do not wish you any harm or ill will."

"Yeah. I'll still keep my eyes on you, mister," Scootaloo replied.

"And you have the right to do so."

"Yeah, okay. So, can we get started?" Sweetie Belle, having turned back to her mortal self during the walk here, asked as she bounced on the spot excitedly, small sparks of magic shooting from her horn.

"HAH, excited to get started I see," Wind Chill said with a laugh, then turned serious, "But I am afraid we won't be able to do anything here," he told them, and indicated the damage all around.

"Oh, yeah. Big brother an' big sis won't be happy 'bout this," Apple Bloom said nervously.

"A big brother and sister? They wouldn't happen to be an orange pony and a rather larger red pony, would they?" Wind Chill asked, worried.

"Yeah, that's them. Ya know them?" Apple Bloom asked.

"In a way, yes," Wind Chill answered with regret, "They discovered the damage here, and reacted as one would suspect. I was forced to possess them to suppress their memory of all of this."

"You did what!?" Apple Bloom shouted, clearly quite upset.

"Do know I did not take pleasure in that act. I only did it to keep them from raising an alarm, and to keep your friend's other half a secret."

"But... But, you…" Apple Bloom stuttered, stuck between anger over his actions and understanding of why he did it.

"I understand how you feel, I do not take pride in my actions either. Do know that, if or when the truth about your friend comes to light, so too will my actions. What I was forced to do is regrettable, but necessary. And, as dictated by the code of my kind, I am indebted to them.

"You're what?" Scootaloo asked, not understanding.

"To put it simply, I'm their servant for as long as they deem necessary. But seeing that they don't remember any of this, my servitute goes to you, Apple Bloom. As their closest blood relative with knowledge of my existence, I am in your debt, until such time comes that my debt is paid in full."

"Say wha?" Apple Bloom said as her mind broke, her mouth hanging wide open.

"Did you just get a giant ghost servant?" Sweetie Belle asked in disbelief, but Apple Bloom didn't reply as she was still frozen on the spot.

"But I suppose we should get started on your powers, correct?" Wind Chill directed to Sweetie Belle, also snapping Apple Bloom out of her stupor.

"Ehh… Wait... Wat?..."

"Your powers," Wind Chill stated simply.

Sweetie Belle blinked several times in confusion as her mind tried to catch up with what was happening, before her eyes lit up, and her excitement returned at rainboom speeds.

"Oh yeah, my powers! So, what are we going to do first?"

"First, we need to go someplace else," Wind Chill answered as he motioned for them to follow him.

"What? Why? Where are we going?" Sweetie Belle asked as she followed the giant, her friends lagging behind a bit. 

Scootaloo because she didn't fully trust the white giant. Apple Bloom because she was still dumbfounded by what he had just told her.

"Someplace where you can learn to control your powers without worrying about anyone finding out about what you are," he answered cryptically.

"And where is that?" Scootaloo asked with suspicion. 

"Home."


<<>><<>><<>>


Avalanche and Snow Front were standing on either side of the hole in the fabric of reality, ice clubs in hand, and ever vigilant. They observed the frozen white plain of the Death Zone, keeping an eye out for any entities that might try to slip through.

The fact that a beku terwelu had already gone through was troubling enough, but the idea that more might try was even worse. That, and the thought of any of the myriad of other spectral entities that lurked in this forsaken plain discovering the breach. 

But they also knew that, no matter the danger that lay before them, there was also the chance of danger approaching from behind them, through the portal. And as such they weren't surprised when they heard growling coming from the other side of the rift. 

Turning around with a speed that belied their size, they leveled their clubs, ready for anything that awaited them. Yet, even though they stood on guard and were expecting just about anything, they were caught by surprise when they were tackled by a pair of wooden wolves. 

Avalanche and Snow Front were struggling to break free from the hold these creatures had over them, and they channeled their ice energy throughout their entire bodies, freezing the claws of the wooden wolves, which jumped off of them the second the ice started to build.

Getting back on their feet, Avalanche and Snow Front grabbed their clubs as they prepared themselves for another attack. But instead of attacking them again, the wolves stepped to the side, making way for an even larger, more menacing looking wolf. It, too, was made of wood. Branches and logs of dead trees, shaped in such a way that it resembled a bipedal, wolf-like creature with strong, thick arms ending in razor sharp claws. 

It was big. It was menacing. And it was a form they recognized. And for a moment Avalanche and Snow Front were not sure what to do. 

They were attacked, yes. And their training dictated that they needed to subdue the threat as fast as possible. But there, standing before them was a creature that resembled the wolves of the ethereal plain. And they had a peaceful understanding with those wolves. Yet, were they the same as the creature now standing before them?

The large bipedal wolf slowly shifted his gaze between the two frost giants, his claws flexing as he stood there. 

"Vi, vi respondecas por tiu ŝanĝo en la ekvilibro?" the large wolf growled.
"You, you are responsible for this change in the balance?"

Sharing a look of realization between one another, Avalanche and Snow Front lowered their clubs, but not entirely.

"You speak the language, but we do not understand," Avalanche replied, hoping the wolf could understand him.

"Do, vi povas parolo. Tamen vortoj ne savos vin ĉi tien," the wolf said with a huff.
"So, you speak. Yet words will not save you here."

"We must inform Frostbite of this. We should gather the elder as well, she's able to understand," Snow Front said to Avalanche, neither of them taking their eyes off the wooden wolves.

"Agreed," Avalanche said, "You go get them, I'll stay here and try to keep things under control."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I speak a bit of Firos, but not much. Still might be worth something."

"Very well," Snow Front said as he backed away, making haste for the village.

"Haltigu lin!" the large wolf barked.
"Stop him!"

"Atendu!" Avalanche said, struggling with the strange word.
"Wait!"

"Ni... ne volas... lukti," he continued, hoping he wasn't messing up his attempt to talk to the wolves.
"We... not want... fight."

"Vi diris ke vi ne volas batali, tamen vi interrompi la ekvilibron kun tio truo."
"You say you don't want to fight, yet you disrupt the balance with this hole." the large wolf growled, followed a moment later by the two at his sides.

"Ne komprenis... Bonvolu... atenda Elder," Avalanche struggled.
"Don't understood… Please... waiting to Elder."

"Atenda Elder?" the wolf repeated, confused, before noticing a village in the distance.
 "Waiting to Elder?"

"Atendu Elder, mi supozas," he muttered as he observed the frozen village.
"Wait for Elder, I presume."

Avalanche looked at the large wolf with the most sincere expression he could muster, hoping to get through to the wolf, as he didn't know many other words he could use. Fortunately, it would seem the message had gotten through, and the large wolf backed away a bit, followed by his two companions, and they took positions in front of the portal, their glowing green eyes glaring at Avalanche, unblinking.

"Ni atendu, cxar nun!"
"We wait, for now!"


<<>><<>><<>>


Snow Front returned quickly, followed by the village's leader, Frostbite, and a much older frost giant, the elder. 

She wore a robe which covered most of her body, with a cap covering her head and most of the face, leaving only the mouth visible along with the glow of her orange eyes that pierced through the shade falling over her face. A staff was held in her hand, made of two rods twisted around each other in a spiral, constructed from the purest of ice, the dim glow of arctic energy emanating from within. The bottom of the staff was tapered off, while the top was much wider, and contained a glowing gemstone which shone a vibrant red. 

Few outsiders knew of this staff, and those that did knew little of it. But for the frost giants it was another story. The Staff of Light. A powerful artifact passed down from elder to elder when they felt the time had come to do so. Mostly when they decided they needed a long vacation for, say, the next five thousand years or so.

Whoever held it was blessed with the gift of illumination. To see that which lies hidden in the dark. To see the truth in any lie, and any lie in the truth. To see life in death, and death in life. The vision of truth. But only if it was for them to see. 

It also worked rather well as a translator when needed, which is why the elder had taken it with her.

The three of them joined Avalanche at the portal, coming face to face with the three wooden wolves and, most importantly, the one that seemed to be their leader. 

"Elder, if you would?" Frostbite asked as he stepped aside for her.

Stepping forwards, she moved towards the wolves, showing no sign of fear when the two smaller wolves growled at her, only for them to be silenced by their leader, who looked at the elder and her staff with interest.

The elder placed her staff in front of her on the stone floor of the ancient castle, and around the point where it touched the ground froze immediately. 

Speaking several ancient words that had been all but forgotten, the red gemstone started to glow even brighter, basking all present in its glow.

"Can you understand me?" she asked, looking at the large wolf.

"I can. Better question would be, can you understand me?" he growled, not expecting her to understand.

"I, in fact, can understand you just fine," she answered, surprising the wolves as they heard her speak fluently in their language.

"You speak our language?" he asked in surprise.

"Only a bit. But my staff makes it possible for us to talk without any hindrance," she explained, "Now, please, tell me why you found it necessary to attack my brothers in bond?"

"You have disturbed the balance, allowed evil to enter this world, and are guarding the very entrance from which this was all possible. We attacked to stop this transgression, and stop it we shall, regardless of what you may say or do," he growled aggressively. 

"You believe us to have opened this portal? Although I must say it is flattering to think of us to be able to perform such a feat, I must inform you that we are not able to do so, and this portal opening was only a matter of chance. We did not open it, nor do we control it. We are merely guarding it because a creature of great terror went through, and we wanted to make sure such a thing wouldn't happen again. One of my brothers, a frost giant by the name of Wind Chill, went through in pursuit of this beast, to bring it back before any damage could be done by it."

The wolves looked at one another after she had told them that, not sure if she told the truth or not. And, thanks to the powers of the staff, the elder could see the doubt in their eyes, as well as something else.

"I see that you doubt my words, believe them to be false. But rest assured, my staff only allows the truth to be told, and lies and deceit to be burned down. What I say is the truth, nothing more, nothing less, Kadzait.

"You know?" the large wolf asked, shocked.

"I do now. I can see it, in all of you. The banished, the cursed. Those who caused great pain and sorrow, drenched in the blood of the innocent, cursed to roam the realm of the living trapped in a body of the dead. You are not alive, so you can't die, but neither are you dead. In life you killed and destroyed, and now you spend this cursed existence protecting and healing. The guardians of the woods, shaped by the very woods themselves. You seek answers, truth, a way out, a way to end your cursed existence. This I can see, and more, but not the answer which you seek. It lies hidden, not ready to be found. And it shall remain that way until you and he are both ready."

"Stand down!" he ordered the two wolves at his side, sounding more shaken than he had in centuries. "You know, all of it?"

"Indeed I do."

At a loss for words, the wolf looked at the staff, then at the elder, finding no deceit in her words. Looking farther, past the portal and into the frozen world that lies beyond he felt the strange need to step through, but he knew he could not. That world was not for him to enter, nor would he ever be allowed to do so, unless the curse was broken. Looking back at the portal that connected these two worlds, he knew what needed to be done.

"These two, they encountered both this evil you spoke of, as well as your brother. When they return, close this hole and never return."

"I am sorry, but we can not," she answered, and the wolf growled in response. "Allow me to clarify. As I said, we did not open this portal, so we do not have the ability to close it. In fact, if it had behaved as a normal portal to begin with, it would have closed on its own by now. But we do know this portal is anything but normal. It opened in the Death Zone, which on its own is impossible. But it doesn't appear to be made by spectral energy, like any of the other portals that connect this world with yet another. Instead, it resembles the rips in reality that connect your world with the humans'. The most logical conclusion to be made is that these two kinds of reality rips merged, joining into one. Their shared energy seems to keep it open much longer than either one would be able to alone. How much longer, we are unable to predict, perhaps even indefinitely. And, as such, we guard it to make sure nothing gets through that would pose a danger to your world."

"Then, that is it?!" the wolf growled angrily, "We let this transgression go unchecked, allow it to continue its existence?"

"If we must, yes. You want to maintain the balance of the woods; of the world, but you seem to have failed to recognize the change your world has already gone through. The balance has already shifted, and, just maybe, this portal is the key, or at least part of the key, to restoring the balance."

"WHAT!? What do you mean?"

"Portals have been opening all around your world, allowing creatures of another world to come and go, just as the creatures of this world can move to theirs. They have forged an alliance, created on the fear of a single threat. Can you guess what?"

"The dark one," he muttered, and the two wolves by his side growled lightly in response.

"Ahh, yes, I see. The dark one. But he is only part of the problem, and the solution as well. Just as this portal might be part of the solution. So, will you risk the chance of upsetting the balance even more, or will you guard it, maintain it, protect it?"

"The answer should be obvious to you," he replied with a sigh, "You two, until I say otherwise, guard this... portal. Let nothing through, one way or the other."

"Yes, Alpha!" they responded, and took a place on either side of the portal, mirroring Avalanche and Snow Front's position on the other side. 

"Perhaps there should be an exclusion to that order to let no one through," The elder spoke as she looked down one of the dark hallways, seeing the approaching forms, and she took great interest in one of them.


<<>><<>><<>>



Some time earlier


"What? Why? Where are we going?" Sweetie Belle asked as she followed the giant, her friends lagging behind a bit. 

Scootaloo because she didn't fully trust the white giant. Apple Bloom because she was still dumbfounded by what he had just told her.

"Someplace where you can learn to control your powers without worrying about anyone finding out about what you are," he answered cryptically.

"And where is that?" Scootaloo asked with suspicion. 

"Home."

"An' where is that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"It is a bit of a walk from here, but not too far. But it would be wise to stay close to me, as I did see many dangers during my search for the beku terwelu."

"Dangers? What kind of dangers?" Scootaloo asked with a nervous tone.

"The many creatures found in the forest close to your village," he answered, and the three fillies stopped in their tracks.

"Wait! You live in the Everfree Forest?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking at the frost giant with surprise.

"That's what you call the forest?" he asked, getting a nod from the three of them, "I see. And to answer your question, no. My kind does not live in this forest, but the... doorway to my village lies within the depths of the forest. So, if you would be so kind as to follow me, we will be able to get there all the sooner."

"Why? Are we in a hurry?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Perhaps?" he answered cryptically, "You, Sweetie Belle, are a curious creature. A Halfa, found in this world no less. Something like that, a change such as yours, does not happen without reason. There is someone in my village who can shed some light on your unique situation, and others who can help with your powers. A task I am ill suited for, as I am not a teacher. Now, please, let us hurry. The less time I spend out in the open like this, the less chance there is for someone to see me and cause a panic," he explained to them, and picked up his speed.

"Hey, wait up!" Sweetie Belle called out to him as she and her friends had to run to keep up with his giant strides. 

"Hey, slow down a bit, will ya!" Apple Bloom called out, and Wind Chill did just that.

"My apologies, Apple Bloom. I failed to realize that you and your friends would have trouble keeping up with me," he said with a slight bow of the head.

"Wait. Did you just do what she told you to?" Scootaloo asked, confused.

"Of course I did. I am indebted to her for my actions against her family. Her wish is my command," he answered in turn, and the fillies' mouths fell open as they finally fully understood what he meant.

"Now, come. We still have some way to go," he told them as he continued his walk back to the portal, albeit at a slower pace. "And a lot of things to do when we get there."


<<>><<>><<>>


The walk from the orchard to the Everfree Forest went without incident. Nopony saw Wind Chill, and no indication of any alarm being set off could be found. 

The Crusaders, following behind the frost giant, looked around both in anxiety and fear. What if they were found out? And, what would they find in the forest? The latter was a question swiftly answered, as, when they entered the shadowy darkness of the forest, they discovered no sound could be heard from any of the animals. No birds chirping. No bees buzzing. Not the sound of a manticore's roar in the distance, nor any of the other sounds one would expect. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath in anticipation for something, a feeling of unease that settled down on the fillies as they followed behind Wind Chill.

"Hmm, it seems the beku terwelu has left a lasting impression on the forest," Wind Chill spoke with a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked as she and her friends huddled close to him.

"No sound!" he stated, "The forest is quiet as to not attract the beku terwelu, even though I have captured it in my ice. It's fear, pure fear of this beast that, even when it can't do anything anymore, its mere presence is enough to make everything stop. But it will work in our favor as well, as no creature would dare come close to this beast."

"Yer sure 'bout that?" Apple Bloom asked nervously as she looked around, expecting any kind of wild animal to jump at her from the bushes.

"Sure, no. But it seems unlikely," he answered.

Silence.

"Is it just me, or is this place even more spooky without the sounds?" Sweetie Belle asked after a quiet moment.

"Yeah, kinda," Scootaloo replied nervously.

"You have been here before?" Wind Chill asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, 'cause our friend Zecora lives here. And fer some... other reasons as well," Apple Bloom told him, still looking around to see if she could find any threats.

"Someone actually lives here? It must be a brave pony indeed," Wind Chill stated with admiration.

"Zecora isn't a pony. She's a zebra," Sweetie clarified for him.

"A zebra you say? How... intriguing. Tell me, are there more species of intelligence on this world?"

"Ehh... Well, there are the griffins," Scootaloo replied.

"Dragons, and tha diamond dogs. Camels too, Ah think," Apple Bloom added.

"Don't forget the changelings!" Sweetie Belle piped up, "Oh, and humans, I guess."

"Humans live here too?" Wind Chill asked in surprise.

"Oh, yeah. In fact, there's one livin' in our village," Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, Da—" Scootaloo began, before a loud growl interrupted her.

"Stay close!" Wind Chill ordered as they stepped out into a clearing, seeing the old castle of the royal sisters, as well as a bridge made of ice, guarded by several timberwolves. 

The fillies moved even closer to Wind Chill, while he lowered himself into a fighting stance, holding the beku terwelu in one hand, and forming a large ice club in the other.

"I am not here to fight! But I will defend myself and these three children should you attack!" he said loudly, glaring at the wolves that had begun surrounding them.

Their response was to growl at him, yet they didn't attack. In fact, as they surrounded them, they also opened a path over to the bridge. Telling them without words to move over and get inside, but not to turn around. The Crusaders didn't understand why the timberwolves acted like this, but Wind Chill understood perfectly. 

"Stay close to me, young ones. They let us go, but only because of the threat I hold. They do not want it back in the forest, and they will do whatever it takes to ensure that."

"O-okay," the three fillies replied in a quiet voice, shuffling backwards over the ice bridge while staring at the wolves with large frightened eyes. 

Wind Chill stayed in front of the fillies, holding his club out in front of him should the wolves decide to attack them when they turned their backs on them. And, together, they slowly made their way over the bridge. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle almost slipping several times on the icy surface, while Apple Bloom had a more solid grip on the cold surface due to her earth pony nature.

The moment they crossed the bridge, Wind Chill slammed his foot on the icy surface, shattering the construct and letting the large chunks of ice fall down into the darkness below. Turning around, he saw the fillies looking between the large drop down and the wolves on the other side with fear.

"Don't worry. They can't follow us, and I can always make a new bridge should one be required. Now, come. Let us go inside and find you the help you seek, Sweetie Belle," he said calmly, guiding the fillies inside while keeping an eye on the wolves across the chasm.

"Ye-yeah, sure," Scootaloo replied quietly, and they followed behind Wind Chill as he stepped inside the old and abandoned castle, gulping audibly as they stepped inside. They followed him through the many dark hallways, until they stepped out into what seemed to be the throne room, illuminated by a red light, with a portal in the center of the room, with several more frost giants standing before it, as well as three more timber wolves. One of them even larger and more menacing looking than the wolves they had already seen. 

The fillies moved behind Wind Chill's legs, peeking past them to see what was happening; watching as all those present turned towards them, the two smaller wolves growling before they were silenced by the larger one. 

Sweetie Belle's eyes then locked on those of the frost giant holding a staff and wearing a robe, and a faint smile showed on the giant's face before she broke the contact and turned to the large wolf standing on two legs.

"Perhaps there should be an exclusion to that order to let no-one through," she said, and the wolf looked at her with confusion.

"Explain?" he barked.

"In a moment. First, I think Wind Chill has something to say. Isn't that right?" she replied as she turned to the frost giant standing in front of the fillies.

"So I do, elder," he answered, and he held up the ice ball that held the beku terwelu. "And I have something to return as well." And as he held up the trapped beast, the two smaller wolves began to growl in rage, while the larger, although tense and obviously angered, nonetheless stayed relatively calm. 

"You've captured the demon!?" he stated, glaring at the frozen ball.

"I have," Wind Chill replied, looking mildly surprised that the wolf spoke, but was quick to connect the pieces as he looked at the elder's staff. "It shall not harm another being on this world ever again."

The wolf only growled in response, and his gaze shifted to the three fillies hiding behind Wind Chill. 

"Them! Why did you bring them with you?"

"You know them?" Wind Chill asked, surprised, as he looked down at the fillies.

"All too well. They venture into the forest time and time again. Always acting, never thinking. Always causing trouble."

For a moment the memory of Sweetie Belle screaming and shooting beams of ectoplasm with her eyes shut crossed Wind Chill's mind, before he shook it off.

"I see."

"Wind Chill. Why did you bring these mortals with you?" a frost giant with an arm made of ice asked as he stepped towards him.

"Frostbite, I brought them with me because of a discovery I made during my hunt for the beku terwelu."

"A discovery? What kind of discovery?"

"Destiny," the elder said sagely, making everyone turn to look at her.

"What?" Frostbite said, confused, but the elder stayed quiet.

"What do you mean?" Frostbite asked her, but she remained silent.

"I think I can answer that," Wind Chill spoke up, "Or, more precisely, maybe she can show it," he continued as he looked down at Sweetie Belle. "Show them!" he told her.

"Wha?" she asked, worried, looking back and forth between him and those standing before the weird hole in the air.

"Show them what you can do," he clarified, but Sweetie Belle only pressed herself closer to her friends, afraid.

"Have no fear, children," the elder spoke up, her voice calming the fillies, "No harm shall come to you. You have my word."

Looking at her, staring into the glowing orbs shining from underneath the cap covering most of her face, Sweetie Belle swallowed loudly. 

Looking back at her friends, her eyes asked them what she should do. But they were at a loss for answers as well. 

Deciding then and there what she should do, she took a deep breath, before letting it out in a trembling sigh.

"O… Okay," she said as she stepped away from Wind Chill, forcing herself not to look up at the large creatures looking down on her.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Alpha demanded.

"I agree. What is going on here?" Frostbite replied.

"Be quiet and let the child do what she needs to do," the elder snapped without taking her gaze off the filly, which unnerved Sweetie Belle a lot. In fact, she was so nervous and afraid, she just wanted to disappear. Which was exactly what she did. She turned invisible, much to the surprise of the frost giants and timberwolves there. 

"What!? What happened?" Frostbite almost shouted, and a squeak of fright came from thin air where Sweetie Belle used to be.

"Do not scare her, or things might get messy here!" the elder replied, still looking at the invisible pony.

"Child, there is more that you can do, isn't there?" she asked her, stepping closer to her, but not so close as to spook the frightened filly.

Y-y-yes," came the stuttering reply.

"Would you be so kind as to show me?"

"Ehh... S-sure?" she said, unsure, before fading back into view.

Taking several breaths to calm herself, she closed her eyes in concentration as she held up a hoof, aiming it at a wall to the side, and she shot a beam of green energy the frost giants knew all too well. 

"What!? What kind of magic is this?" the Alpha barked in surprise.

"Not magic," Frostbite said, amazed. "Spectral energy. Ectoplasm," He looked at the foal that was now hovering in the air with wide eyes. A look mirrored by the other frost giants at his side, as well as the timberwolves. "Is she… a Halfa?"

"Indeed she is," the elder answered as she observed the hovering pony.

"But how?"

"How indeed," she replied cryptically before turning to Wind Chill. "You brought her here because you thought she could learn to control her powers with us, correct?"

"Indeed I did. She is young and has much to learn, experience has shown me that. But I am no teacher, and I can only show her the basics. I believed it would be more useful for her to learn from those more capable than myself," he answered with a slight bow of the head to his elder. 

"What is going on! I demand an answer!" the Alpha growled as he wasn't given any answers to what he was witnessing.

"This child has been given the powers of the dead, fusing living and dead in one body, creating a being known as a Halfa. To my knowledge, there are only three others like her, and all three of them have shown abilities of great power. Some good, some evil," the elder answered, and the wolves looked at the filly with a mixture of anger and fright.

"And how is such a thing possible?" 

"There are several ways, but most remain hidden until they are needed. How it happened for her… Well, would you answer that for us, Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle, already too shaken with what was going on, didn't pick up on the elder knowing her name without her telling it. And, instead, she shrunk in on herself as she felt all their eyes bore into her. 

"...The book," she answered, more frightened than ever.

"Book, what book?" Frostbite asked.

"I don't know. We just found it."

"Don't be afraid, child. They are only curious, nothing more. Although I have to say, they are lacking a bit in tact," she said as she shot a sideways glance at the giants and wolves behind her. 

"Just take a breath, and calm down."

Nodding her head in understanding, she did as she was told, feeling herself calm down as she did so. Her friends also stepped up, taking their places at her sides for moral support, which helped her calm down significantly. And, as she looked up to meet the elder's gaze, she felt a whole lot calmer than when she first came here. 

"Better?" the elder asked, and Sweetie Belle nodded in response.

"Good. Now, please, tell us what happened to you."

"Well… We were in this forest one day, trying to capture and tame a manticore to try and earn our Cutie Marks. But, instead, it started to hunt us. Our friend, Rainbow Dash, came to help us just in time, but the manticore managed to knock her out," Sweetie Belle began, and Apple Bloom continued.

"But then tha manticore started ta act all weird, an' its eyes glowed green. It moved around as if it didn't know how ta walk on four legs, an' it just went away, like that."

"Then, the next day, we went to Twilight's library to find out about ghosts, since we thought it was a ghost that did those things," Scootaloo continued.

"There we found a strange book, with a black cover, and a skull on the front," Sweetie Belle picked back up, "I thought the title said it was called… ehh.. Necomia.. No, Necro.. Necr—"

"Necronomicon," the elder finished for her.

"Yeah, that's it," Sweetie Belle agreed. 

"I see... And what happened next?"

"We... ehh… may have tried to summon a spirit to try and hunt to see if we could earn our Cutie Marks with that. Instead... well... This," Sweetie Belle finished as she held up a hoof, making it glow green.

Letting out a deep sigh, the elder looked at the glowing hoof, "Oh, Necky. What are you up to?" 

"Ehh... Who's Necky?" Sweetie Belle asked as she lowered her hoof, the glow dissipating.

"That would be the book you mentioned. I… have had some dealings with it in the past."

"I have heard of this book as well," Frostbite spoke up, "The book of the dead."

"It is indeed that book, but so much more as well. But this is neither the time nor place to discuss such matters. What we must discuss now is what we should do to help this child. Obviously she lacks the knowledge to properly use her newfound powers. Although I am surprised by the amount of control she is already showing.

"Well, we have been trainin' a lot since she got her powers," Apple Bloom spoke up.

"I see. It shows," the elder complimented.

"Thanks!" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said at the same time.

"But there is still a lot you must learn before you can use your powers to their full potential, Silver Spirit."

"Wait! How do you know that name?" Sweetie Belle asked in shock.

"I have my ways," she answered cryptically, "But you don't need to worry about that right now."

Turning to face both her village leader, as well as the timberwolf Alpha.

"This child needs training, and she shall receive it. Not here, but in our village where we can oversee her progress without the risks that might arise should she continue her training on her own world. Frostbite, you, as well as those you might deem fit, will guide this child. Help her, teach her. And you, Alpha. Like us, you will guard this doorway between worlds. Let nothing through, both ways. With the exception of these three children, and my brother, Wind Chill. Who, it seems, is tied to Apple Bloom through an honor bond.

"What!" Frostbite bellowed, "What did you do!?"

"As the elder said, I am bound to this child. I was forced to possess her brother and sister to wipe their minds after they found the damage done during my battle with the beku terwelu. They were panicking, and in search of their sister, as well as her friends. Had they found her, they might very well have learned of Sweetie Belle's other self. I had no choice. And as our code dictates, I am indebted to those I possessed. But, as they don't remember, nor would they know who I am or what I did, by rule I am bound to the closest blood relative aware of my presence."

For a moment nothing was said as Frostbite glared at Wind chill, face unreadable.

"The code is clear, yes. But how did you let this happen? You were sent to capture and return the beku terwelu, not to end up bound to a mortal by your actions," Frostbite spoke slowly and deliberately, not sure what he should make of this new development, "By our code, you are bound. And you shall watch over this Apple Bloom, until such time comes where you have fulfilled your debt."

"I am aware of this, Frostbite," he answered with a bow of the head, "I have explained as much to her."

"Then it is done," Frostbite sighed, and turned to the Alpha, "Are we agreed with this latest development? To guard the portal, and to allow these four passage when they need it. But to leave any other creature out and in their respective worlds."

"Do we have much of a choice?" the Alpha growled, "We shall do as we are told, but only because there seems to be no other way. And because we know what those three are capable of as they are. There is no knowing what might happen if she loses control of herself. But know this. If we find a way to close this hole, we will do so. No matter if they are on the other side or not."

"Very well. We are agreed," Frostbite confirmed with a sigh, and the Alpha growled a last order to the two wolves in the room, before taking his leave, fading away in the darkness of the hallway. 

"Then, I suppose, it is time for you to join us for your training," Frostbite said as he turned to Sweetie Belle, "Come, there is much we need to discuss. Avalanche, Snow Front, guard this portal, let no other through, save for the children, and Wind Chill."

"Yes, Frostbite," the two frost giants replied, and they retook their positions on the Dead Zone side of the portal. 

"And you, follow me," Frostbite told the fillies who, nervously, followed behind him.


<<>><<>><<>>


They stepped through, and immediately Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom became aware of a few things. 

First, it was cold. Very, very, very cold. 

Second, they sank down in the snow, dropping down until their bellies pressed down on the white substance. 

Did I mention it was very cold? 

Third, as a result of this, they couldn't walk as their legs were immobilized in the snow.

"Ehh, a little help here?" Apple Bloom asked as she struggled to push herself out of her snowy prison. 

"Me too," Sweetie Belle said.

"Me three," Scootaloo added.

Responding to their calls of help after having safely disposed of the beku terwelu, which meant he threw it as far away as he could, Wind Chill scooped up Apple Bloom from the ground, while Frostbite did the same for Scootaloo, while the elder looked at Sweetie Belle, waiting with a knowing smile.

"Hold on, I think I've got this," Sweetie Belle muttered as she ceased her struggle to break free. Closing her eyes and concentrating on the energy she felt inside, she slowly lifted up and out of the snow. "Hey, I've got it," she shouted happily, and looked at her friends, who were each holding on to the shoulder of the giant that had pulled them free.

"You seem to be a quick learner," the elder spoke, "Good, you're going to need to be."

"I- ehhh.. Huh?" Sweetie Belle sputtered as she hovered above the snow, too focused on her concentration to notice what the elder had said. But, as the elder spoke, she lost her focus, and she fell face first in the snow, disappearing in the layer of white save for her rump and hind legs, which stuck out above, legs flailing wildly.

"But perhaps it would be better if we help you for now," The elder spoke bemused, giving a hand signal to Frostbite. Who, in response, picked up Sweetie Belle and carried her, along with Scootaloo, to the village in the distance.


<<>><<>><<>>


"Woow!" a trio of voices called out as they entered the village, looking at everything and everyone, while everyone gave them the same amount of interest.

"Welcome to our village," Frostbite announced proudly, "A village we forged out of the ice ourselves, and where we have 'lived' for many centuries."

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked around wide eyed, taking it all in with eager grins on their muzzles.

"Come brothers, sisters. Let's give our guests a warm welcome," Frostbite said loudly as he placed the two fillies he was carrying on the ground. The snow compact enough after all those centuries walking over it to support them.

Wind Chill followed his example, and placed Apple Bloom on the snowy ground as well. And, as the three fillies looked around in wonder, and a bit of fear, all the frost giants in the village came to surround the trio, looking down at them with curiosity, welcoming smiles, and the occasional greeting.

Looking at all the rough, but friendly faces, Sweetie Belle felt herself begin to mirror their enthusiasm, and a smile spread across her face. "Eh, hi-ha-a-ACHOO!" she tried to return their greeting, only to sneeze from the cold, sending a beam of green energy shooting from her horn. Hitting an overhead snowbridge, making it collapse, and covering several frost giants under a layer of snow and ice. 

"Ehh… Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," she said, horrified, as she saw the giants pull themselves out from under the pile of snow. 

"We can't start soon enough, it would seem," Frostbite remarked as he looked at the damage with a blank face, "Everyone, listen. This child, as you have witnessed, is no ordinary child. She has been bestowed the powers of us ghosts. She is a Halfa," he said, and a ripple went through the crowd, "By wisdom of the elder, she and her friends have been brought here for training in order to control her powers. Which I am sure we can all agree is needed," murmurs of agreement could be heard after he said that, and Sweetie Belle looked down at her hooves in embarrassment.

"And, in light of recent developments, she and her friends will be venturing through the portal opened in the Dead Zone to return home or to come here for her training. But only they and Wind Chill are allowed to cross this bridge between worlds," Frostbite told all of them, and they gave a murmur of understanding.

"Good. Now, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, please follow me. You too, Wind Chill," he told the four of them, and they followed him as he walked to his home, motioning for them to go inside.

"Please, take a seat," Frostbite offered as he, too, sat down on one of the few wooden chairs in his home, "Now, before we start with any training, there are some things I need to know," he said as he looked at Wind Chill, his piercing eyes telling him exactly what was on his mind.


<<>><<>><<>>


The elder walked back to the sanctum. The place all frost giants knew of, but only a very select few had ever seen. Only those wielding the Staff of Light, as well as the village's leader and a very select few outsiders have set foot in the sacred place their village safeguarded and kept hidden.

It was a task given to them oh so long ago. So long in fact, that no one even remembers who it was that gave them this task. But they carried it out nonetheless, knowing what could happen should one of evil intent find out about it. And worse, defile it with their actions.

Walking towards a large ice mountain, cold and barren of any 'life', one would suspect there was nothing there to find. 

They would be wrong. 

The elder moved to an area where the mountain's wall went up almost vertical, and she placed her staff against the cold surface. The jewel in the staff began to glow a bright red, which seeped into the ice wall. 

The ice began to warp and shift, then fade away, revealing a passage deep inside the mountain. 

The elder stepped inside, and the wall sealed itself back up after she had crossed the threshold. Yet, there was no darkness to be found inside the ice cavern, as a warm glow came from the walls, illuminating the way for the elder as she moved to the center of the mountain, and the Ghost Zone's best kept secret. 

There, standing proudly in the center of the mountain, was a massive tree. Its roots dug deep in the ice, tapping into the energy of the Zone, nourishing it, making it grow. 

Its trunk was several meters thick, and the branches spread out far and wide, covering the entire roof in leaves of faint glowing green. 

Walking towards the tree, she placed a hand on the trunk, reaching out with her senses to 'feel' the energy of Tree of Life. 

"Hello, old friend," she spoke in a caring tone, "It's been a while. Last time I was here was when Clockwork and the Necronomicon needed your help. A single seed to plant in a world at chaos. And it worked, it would seem. But interesting things are happening there as we speak, very interesting things indeed. A child endowed with the powers of our kind. A new Halfa. And a destiny still clouded in mystery. Even I can't see what is coming. What do you think, hmm?"

Still holding her hand on the trunk, she could feel a swelling of energy coming from the tree, and she stepped back in surprise with wide eyes as she saw the ice around the roots pulse with energy. The tree sucked up the glowing power around it, and it traveled up over the trunk and towards a single overhead branch. Looking on in awe, the elder saw a single pod grow at the point the energy gathered, watching how a small gemstone formed within the glow. It stayed like that while the glow diminished, but never quite vanished. Instead, it remained as a faint glow, slowly feeding the energy into the new seed, slowly growing it to maturity while two more closed buds sprouted up around the glowing gem. 

"Could it be? Those three children?" she said in shocked amazement, "What destiny awaits them?" 


<<>><<>><<>>


"So, that's the whole story?" Frostbite asked for clarification, earning a nod from Wind Chill, "Very well. I'm still not pleased with what has transpired, but, as I said before, the code is clear, and you are indeed indebted to young Apple Bloom," he sighed, and turned to the fillies sitting impatiently on their stools. 

"Now, as for you, Sweetie Belle. Finding out about you being a Halfa is certainly an unexpected surprise. But we are more than capable of helping you with learning to control your powers. I, myself, have trained a Halfa several years ago. Plus this village houses many capable frost giants who are able to help you as well. But before we start with any of this, I need to ask. How much control do you have over your powers, already?"

"Wait! You've trained another.. ehh… Halfa?" Sweetie Belle said, surprised, and she and her friends, previously slumped down, now sat at rapt attention.

"Indeed I have. A good student, a better friend. It's a shame how fate has treated him. But this is not the time for that. What is, is you telling me what you already know, and we will work onwards from there."

"Ehh…" Sweetie Belle uttered, her mind reeling with the knowledge of there being others out there like her, and that Frostbite had trained one himself. "Well… I can shoot these weird beams from my hooves," she said.

"Ah, yes. A standard ecto beam. More?"

"What's an ecto?" Scootaloo asked before Sweetie Belle could continue.

"It is short for ectoplasm. The energy of all ghosts. But I will explain more about this later. Now, Sweetie Belle, continue," Frostbite told her.

"Right…. I can also turn invisible, more or less. Kinda lose control of it, though. Ehh,"—she tapped her chin with a hoof—"I can also fly, kinda. It's really hard, and it takes a lot of concentration," she told him, and Scootaloo felt a stab of anger and jealousy when her friend said she could fly, "There is this weird thing where I can walk through walls. But it just happens, and I can't control it."

"Hmm, I see. Anything else?" Frostbite hummed.

"Ehh… I don't think so," Sweetie muttered.

"What about yer horn flashing gold earlier today?" Apple Bloom reminded her.

"Oh yeah. There's also that. Not really sure why it did that, though."

"And what about transforming? Do you have an alternative form?" Frostbite asked.

"Ehh, yes. Kinda forgot about that for a moment. But it is really hard to do, and most of the time it just happens. We did figure out something that seems to work, somewhat."

"Hmm. This is both more and less than I expected. You say that you've only had these powers for a few days now?" he asked, and Sweetie Belle nodded, "You are untrained, that much is obvious. Yet, the amount of control you say you have is remarkable for such a short time."

"Ehh.. So, what does that mean?" Apple Bloom asked.

"It means that your friend needs to learn the basics first. You have tried your best with what you knew, and it is to be commended what you have achieved as a result. But for her to fully understand her powers, she will need to get a firmer grasp on who and what she really is. Then, as she learns the basics, we can work on the more advanced forms her powers come in."

"What! There's more?!" Sweetie Belle asked, shocked.

"Oh, yes there is. Much more. But do not worry too much about that. For now, we will work on getting you to the point of being able to control yourself. Then we will work on the more difficult powers. And first off, we will need you to transform," Frostbite said with an eager tone in his voice, more than ready to get started and see what this child was capable of.


<<>><<>><<>>
 

The four Ghost-keteers working in the Ponyville area were back in their rooms, either working on their equipment, or muttering to themselves over half a day wasted due to some pink pony throwing a large party just for them, and inviting half the town for it, which meant they couldn't sneak out. But, as Rolling Stone was checking one of the scanners, somepony knocked on the door, and he and Blue Ice looked up from their work.

"Cover it up," Rolling ordered Blue Ice, who, with a flash of her horn, hid all the equipment from sight.

Opening the door, Rolling Stone was surprised to see one of the guards from the forest team standing outside. But he was quick to act, as he knew that she wouldn't be here without a good reason.

"Flash Lightning, come in," he said, and moved aside to allow the mare to enter.

"Thank you, Sir," she replied, giving a nod to Blue Ice.

"Any news from your neck of the woods?" Ice asked with a grin over her little pun, which faded away when Flash Lightning replied with a stoic, professional expression.

"Actually, I do," she responded, and turned to Rolling Stone, "Sir, Vigilant Shield has picked up a positive hit on the scanner and, if it is to be believed, we have a breach. Charming Prism looked over her results and agreed with Vigilant Shield's conclusion. He sent me here the second it was confirmed."

"They're sure about this?" Rolling Stone asked Flash Lightning with a calm, but serious voice, "No false positive?"

"Affirmative, Sir. Vigilant Shield was the one who detected and tracked the energy signature. She's positive about her findings, and we both know she's the best we have with those tracking devices," Flash Lightning answered.

"Indeed she is," Rolling Stone muttered as he mulled that over little fact. "Okay, return to your post and keep a lookout for any other signs of spectral activity. We will do the same here. If there's a ghost out there in the woods, there sure as Tartarus is one here in town as well. But until we have a confirmed sighting, we can't sound the alarm. We need to make sure it is what we think it is, and not some malfunctioning equipment."

"Sir, yes Sir," Flash Lightning replied with a salute and left the room, leaving Rolling Stone and Blue Ice behind.

"Hmmm," Rolling Stone hummed after the door had closed behind Flash Lightning. "Ice, you're done calibrating those scanners we have, right? If what they picked up on is genuine, then we need to be able to pick something up as well."

"Yes Sir, I've just finished this pair," she answered as she levitated one of the scanners to Rolling. "They should be good to go now that I've rechecked them after last night's supposed false positive. But let me know if anything is wrong, seeing as the other group seemed to have fluctuations with their scans as well."

"Very well," Rolling Stone said with an appreciative nod before turning on the device, seeing the built-in screen light up as it began to scan for ghosts.

"Good, looks like we're up for business," he said, putting the scanner away in his saddlebag. "I'm going to make sure things are up to speed with the rest of our group here, and see if Sound Wave is done with the Ghost Gabber."

"Very well, Sir. You'll know where to find me when you need me," Blue Ice replied, not looking up from her work in calibrating yet another scanner, only for the device to spark and sputter, causing her to curse loudly as she dropped the device in fright. 

Rolling Stone, chuckling slightly under his breath, left the mare to her work and went to the next room to see if everything was progressing 'smoothly' there as well. And, as the door swung shut, Blue Ice let out a long heavy sigh.

"Damn, guess I need to pay up."


<<>><<>><<>>


The ponies back at the campsite in the forest were moving around in a flurry, grabbing their equipment, and preparing for an extensive search of the forest. And if need be, to capture a ghost. They couldn't rush it, of course, and they'd been planning the best course of action for a while now. Long enough for Flash Lightning to return and to relay Rolling Stone's orders. 

They were quick to check their equipment for any possible malfunctions, or other anomalies that could have given them a false positive. And much to the chagrin of Vigilant Shield, they found plenty. Still, she was sure about what she found, and they knew they couldn't just stand down and wait for somepony to modify the scanners. So,with more uncertainty than they started with, they continued their preparations for an extensive search of the forest. 

Finally, after preparing for just about anything they could think of, including wildlife, they began their task of tracking down any sign of spectral activity, no matter how faint. They started at the site where Vigilant Shield first detected the signature, and moved out from there. But, as they scanned the area, they had a hard time pinpointing any spectral sign that they suspected would be there. Vigilant Shield, sure about what she had found earlier in the day, was not going to let up just because the scanners weren't working properly, and she went around searching in even the most unlikely of places. Up a tree, in a bush, under a rock, under another rock, behind the brightly colored ball she found in a hollow tree, and even the ground itself. 

"I'm not so sure about this," Midnight Blossom, an unicorn mare with dark blue coat and a lighter blue mane and tail said after a long time of unsuccessful scanning.

"I'm sure there is something here. I just know it!" Vigilant Shield replied, never looking up from her scanner. 'I will not go to Rolling Stone and tell him it was a false positive. Nor do I want to see that smug grin Ice will undoubtedly have.' she thought as she kept scanning.

"I'm not sure. There is a lot of strange interference that is messing with the signal, and I have no idea what's causing it," Charming Prism spoke up, giving his scanner a shake.

"No! I'm sure of what I found," Vigilant Shield repeated, and she pressed her scanner against the ground for a better reading. Unknowingly doing so at the spot where Shadow moved up and captured Mort. And, with a loud beeping sound, the scanner let it be known that it had detected a relatively strong signature.

"HA! Told you!" Vigilant Shield said triumphantly as she held up her scanner for all to see, "I said I detected something, and here it is, again," she said loud and proud as the device continued to beep. Only for the sound to die down as it no longer detected the signal. "What! No no no no, don't you do this to me. I won those bits, fair and square. Work with me here," she said as she frantically shook the scanner, only to shake out the battery, deactivating the device in the process. "Hayseed."

She looked at her team, seeing them struggling to contain their laughter. Picking up the battery while glaring at them, she inserted it back into the device, bringing it back to life with a beep.

"... Not a word!" she said with a low voice, giving them all a glare for good measure. Which did not help as, first, Midnight Blossom broke out in laughter, which set off the rest of them as well.

'Ugh, this is going to be a long day,' she thought in frustration.


<<>><<>><<>>


Sweetie Belle stood in the center of what seemed to be an arena of sorts. Many frost giants occupied the area at the sides, watching intently and excitedly. Even the elder was present, watching the filly with rapt attention, although she did glance off to the other two ponies standing among the crowd. 

Sweetie Belle looked around nervously with all those eyes centered on her, and she focused her attention on the frost giant, Frostbite, standing in front of her.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, standing on the sidelines along with Wind Chill, looked at their friend, then at all those present with curiosity.

"Say, why are there so many of ya'll here?" Apple Bloom asked as she lost count of the many frost giants around the arena.

"We live in a frozen wasteland, and entertainment is hard to find," Wind Chill answered.

"But Sweetie Belle is here to learn about her powers, right?" Scootaloo asked.

"She is, yes."

"Then what are they all doin' here?" Apple Bloom picked back up, waving a hoof to indicate all of the giants. 

"To be entertained," Wind Chill answered simply, and Apple Bloom's face fell as she gave him a flat look.

"So, they're here ta see her make a mess of things," she stated.

"What! Hey, did you bring her here to learn or to get a laugh out of her!?" Scootaloo asked with irritation, glaring at the giant.

"A bit of option A, and a bit of option B," Wind Chill answered with an awkward grin.

"Well… This should be interestin'," Apple Bloom remarked, and they returned their attention to the snow white filly standing at the center of the arena.

"Okay, Sweetie Belle. There are many things for you to learn, but for you to properly use your powers, you first need to get a firm grasp on your transformation. You have already discovered you can use your powers as you are, but in your other form your powers are more focused, stronger, easier to use. When you learn to control your transformation, your powers will follow suit," Frostbite explained with an authoritative voice.

"Now, I will have to be honest. I do not fully understand the mechanics behind your transformation, as it is something we ghosts, or spirits," he added with a single nod to Sweetie, "do not do. We are in a single form, which we gain after our death. You, however, are something in-between. But I have some knowledge from my dealings with the last Halfa that was here, so I am sure we will be able to figure this part out together.

"Now, I do know that in order for you to transform, you will need to clear your mind, while at the same time focusing on your energy. I'm assuming that you will need to find your focal point, the point of your power's center. The point of origin, if you would. The place where your powers flow from, and where it is stored when you are in your mortal form. Another thing I know that could help is using a mental trigger to help with your transformation. Something that helps you focus on that very task while canceling everything else out."

"Like what?" Sweetie Belle asked, almost hanging on Frostbite's lips for an answer.

"From experience, a phrase of sorts. Something simple, yet effective that will help with focusing your mind. Like my friend used the phrase: 'I'm going ghost!' "

" 'I'm going ghost?' " Sweetie Belle repeated, blinking dumbly.

"Indeed. Simple, maybe even a bit silly, but it did the trick. Eventually he had no need to use it anymore as he learned to control his powers, but he kept using it all the same. Something about it being his catchphrase."

"So, what should I say?" Sweetie Belle wondered out loud.

"That is for you to decide. But for now, let's just focus on clearing your mind first, and I am sure your trigger will come to you."

"So, clear my mind? As in, no thoughts at all?" She asked after letting out a deep breath, forming a cloud of hot air in the frozen environment.

"Indeed, and while you do so, focus on your powers. Find your center, and find your trigger. Once you find these it should become considerably easier to transform and use your powers," Frostbite told her, watching the small cloud fade away.

"Okay," Sweetie Belle said as she took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, creating another cloud, "here goes," and she closed her eyes in concentration while emptying her mind.

Excited murmurs swept through the audience as they looked at her in excitement, but a shush from Frostbite silenced them, and they all watched the filly intently in complete silence. And Apple Bloom and Scootaloo silently rooted for their friend, hoping she would be able to learn how to transform on her own, instead of it just happening.

'Okay, an empty mind….. No thoughts, no memories, no inner voice… Wait! Shoot.. Shut up!... Right?… No thoughts…… No memories…..... Nothing at all….. Nothing..at…all…….'

"Good. Empty your mind, focus on your inner energy, and find your trigger." Frostbite said in a soft voice, guiding the filly towards her transformation.

Sweetie Belle slowly lost herself in the depths of her mind, blocking out everything around her, lost in a sea of emptiness. And, as she found herself adrift in this sea of nothingness, she noticed a faint green glimmer out in the distance. 

She focused on it, and, as there was nothing else for her to see or interact with, it grew larger and brighter. Before long it was glowing with the strength of a flashlight. Then a campfire. A roaring inferno. Then it became as blinding as the sun as she was swept away in a burst of green, engulfing her, empowering her. Transforming her. And, in this one instance, she found her trigger.

Sweetie Belle's eyes snapped open, showing two brightly glowing green pools without any iris or pupil, while a band of energy formed around her midsection.

"I'M SHIFTING SPIRIT!" she shouted, and the band of energy split in half, beginning the transformation from mortal to spirit. 

Energy coursed through her body as she felt the changes happen. She felt her heart slow down, before stopping entirely. Her need to breathe, gone into thin air. She saw her coat bristle and wave as the energy flowed through it, changing the color from a mere white to a gleaming silver, while her mane and tail came to life, billowing in an unfelt breeze like a fog. Her legs, bare at first, were now covered by pitch black boots, materialized from the energy itself as it moved over them. She could almost feel herself hum with power as she completed her transformation, feeling stronger than during the previous times she had transformed, merely through the fact that this time it was truly by her own will that she had changed.

Amazed gasps sounded all around as Sweetie Belle completed her transformation, while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cheered loudly for their friend. 

Sweetie Belle, now Silver Spirit, looked at herself with a victorious smile, then she looked up, seeing all the awestruck faces of the frost giants as they looked at her. 

Even Frostbite, who was used to a few more things than most frost giants, looked down at the silver spirit pony with a look of utter amazement. And, for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

"I DID IT!" Silver Spirit cheered happily as she jumped excitedly on the spot, her mane and tail leaving a blur as they lagged behind a bit with her movement.

"I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it!" she kept cheering, joined by her friends as they bounced on the spot, Scootaloo's wings buzzing happily.

"Indeed you did," Frostbite said in surprise, amazed she was so quick to figure it out, "Indeed you did."


<<>><<>><<>>


"I'M SHIFTING SPIRIT!"

The words were shouted quite loudly, and were carried far on the chill air of the Far Frozen. They echoed around the desolate valley, and penetrated the ice that made up the mountains. There, standing tall and proud, her words reached Tree of Life. And, in a small burst of energy, the small gemstone that was growing in the faint glow of energy grew bigger, sensing the growth in its future wielder, and growing itself as a result. It was not yet done, though, as she wasn't ready for it. She still had a long way to go, just as the other two, who still had yet to begin their growth. But they would, just as those six her daughter planted on their world had seen. 

They would grow, and they would learn. And, when they were ready, so to would these new seeds of life be.


<<>><<>><<>>


"I'm impressed," Frostbite spoke up, looking down at the silver pony, "You were able to find your trigger and transform much faster than I expected."

"Well, I might have practiced a bit back home… With mixed results," Silver Spirit answered, her large smile dropping just a bit as she thought back to her prior training attempts.

"I see. Well, it does make things easier for us, as we can move on to the simpler parts of this training. Tell me. Do you already know how to control and fire an ecto beam?"

"Ehhh… A what?" Silver asked dumbly.

"The beam of energy you shot accidentally when you sneezed earlier," Frostbite explained, and Silver Spirit's eyes lit up in understanding.

"Oh, yeah. I can do that," she replied, and she lifted up a hoof, aiming it at a random spot on the ground, and fired a beam of green energy. 

The snow melted from the blast's heat, and a small boiling puddle of water, which was quick to freeze again, was left behind, steam billowing from it as Silver Spirit looked at her hoof quizzically.

"So, it's... ehh, what did you say it was again?"

"An ecto beam. Or ectoplasm beam in full. Some might call it an ectoplasm discharge, but most just call it an ecto beam," Frostbite explained. "Ectoplasm is the energy that gives you your powers. It is, in essence, the 'lifeblood' of us ghosts, spirits and such."

"Ehh… Okay?" she answered, unsure, "So this stuff is in my blood?"

"Actually. That stuff is your blood. As you are now, you are one of the dead, and as such, you don't have any blood left. Instead, it is replaced by this ectoplasm, which now courses through your veins," Frostbite explained, and Silver Spirit's eyes widened in horror.

"WHAT!?"

"Please, calm down. It is not as bad as you think it is. When you turn back, so does your blood."

"WHAT!?" she repeated, not comforted in the slightest.

"Uhh... Would it be alright if I showed you what I mean?" Frostbite asked, and he received a hesitant nod from Silver.

Kneeling down so he could reach out to her, he grasped the leg she was still holding up in his hand, while he used his ice claw to make a small cut in her leg. And, to her horror, small green droplets of glowing goo flowed out.

"AAAAHHHH!! Get it out! Get it out!" she screamed as she flailed her leg wildly, and accidentally fired a beam of energy from her leg, hitting a snow dune in the distance, blowing it up. The sudden avalanche of snow covered many of the frost giants who were standing nearby, leaving only their heads to poke out of the thick white layer.

"Calm down, young spirit," Frostbite spoke up, holding the filly down while she was freaking out, "Just transform back, and you will see what I mean."

"And how do I do that!?" she demanded in a panic, eyes locked on the glowing green goop that came from the small cut, still trying to shake it off.

"…Ehhh…" Frostbite uttered dumbly, at a loss for an answer.

"Try ta calm down an' do what ya just did, only backwards!" Apple Bloom shouted at her, while she and Scootaloo rushed to their friend, to help Frostbite calm her down.

"Yeah, what she said!" Scootaloo agreed as she grabbed hold of her friends flailing leg, and she now saw the green glowing goop up close herself.

"Eeeuww. What is that?" she said, not thinking about what that might do to her friend, who started to freak out again.

"Yer not helping!" Apple Bloom grunted, "Sweetie Belle, calm down!"

"GHAAAA!!" was the only reply they got from her.

Seeing no easy way to get through to their friend, Apple Bloom then resorted to a more southern method to snap her friend out of her freak out. Which consisted of a hoof to the back of the head.

"OUCH… HEY!" Silver Spirit shouted as she rubbed her head, glaring at her friend with glowing eyes.

"Well sorry," Apple Bloom replied with a roll of her eyes, "but ya were completely freaking out over some green goop."

Silver Spirit's eyes shrunk as soon as she'd said that, and she looked down at her leg to see the glowing green stuff was still there, and she was about to panic again.

"Oh no ya don't!" Apple Bloom stated firmly, shaking her friend out of her pending panic, "Now, calm down and try ta turn back."

"Yeah, just do the same thing again, only different," Scootaloo picked up, getting some strange looks in return, "What?"

"How am I supposed to do the same thing differently?" Silver Spirit asked, puzzled.

"She means that ya should do what ya just did, only this time tryin' ta transform back," Apple Bloom clarified, letting go of her friend.

"Oh, right. I can do that, I think?" Silver Spirit said, her eyes shifting between the green goop coming from the small cut and Apple Bloom.

'Okay, turning back. Sure, I can do that. Probably,' she thought as she, once again, closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind. Which proved to be much more difficult this time, as her mind kept going back to the fact that her blood was turned into green goop. Still, she managed to mostly empty her mind, and push the lingering thoughts about the latest discovery that came with her transformation to the back of her mind just long enough for her to find herself once more in the emptiness where she first found her trigger. Only this time it wasn't as empty as she remembered it being. 

It was as if she was floating in the center of the sun. A green sun, but a sun. 

Blinding green light radiated from everywhere, basking her in the light, while she also knew it was shining directly through her. She didn't know how she knew, just that she did. And the problem now was, how could she turn back? 

Before, the energy was just a faint light before it grew and consumed her. But now, it was everywhere. It was her. How could she turn back from this? How could she let go of it?

'Wait… let it go? Could it be that easy?' she wondered, her voice reverberating all around.

She floated in the center of the green sun, reaching out with her senses, then back into herself. She didn't know how to describe it. It was as if she was both at the center of it all, while also standing on the sidelines, watching through another pair of eyes. It was as if there were two of her, connected, yet separate. One mind, two bodies. 

Silver Spirit reached out to this other self, grabbing hold of her, embracing it. And in a burst of brilliant green, she felt herself along with the energy being pulled inside of her other self. A white unicorn filly with a curly two-toned mane and tail. And as she was absorbed within the other her, she let go of her hold on the energy she felt coming from her, and the green glow died down to the same faint glimmer she remembered seeing from the first time in this void. A glimmer she saw through the non glowing eyes of her normal self.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Frostbite and all the other frost giants watched the filly, seeing her relax more and more as she calmed down. Her eyes closed, and her mind focused inwards. Then, in a burst of white light, a band of energy formed around her midsection, starting the process of her transformation back to a mortal form. 

They all looked at her, showing grins or smiles as they observed Sweetie Belle learn and grow. And Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had trouble containing their excitement as Sweetie Belle opened her eyes again, looking at them, then at herself as she inspected her body.

"HEY! It worked," she said triumphantly, then she looked at her leg, "... Hey, it's not green anymore?" she said, puzzled, as she saw the red droplets of her blood."

"As I said it would be," Frostbite spoke up, "Your transformation is not just one of appearances, but one that changes you completely. Every hair on your body, every cell of your skin, every drop of blood, everything down to the smallest part of your very being transforms. So it is understandable for you to freak out when finding out about such a change when you weren't expecting it."

"So… that happens every time? That green stuff I mean," Sweetie Belle asked as she looked up at him.

"Indeed it does."

"I'm not sure how to feel about that," she muttered.

"I do," Scootaloo almost shouted, "It. Is. AWESOME!"

"Ah have ta agree with her on that one," Apple Bloom replied with a grin, giving a hoofbump to Scootaloo. 

"So, come on. There is more you can do, right?" Scootaloo asked with her excitement in overdrive, looking at both Sweetie Belle and Frostbite.

"HA, yes she can," Frostbite replied with a hearty laugh, "You're lucky to have such good friends, young spirit. Now, if you feel up to it, shall we continue?"

Looking at her friends for an answer, she wasn't surprised to see two very large and eager grins on their muzzles, and she felt them spread to her own as she turned to look at Frostbite.

"Does Celestia raise the sun?" she replied as an answer.

"Ehhh?..," Frostbite uttered dumbly.

"That would be a yes," Apple Bloom answered for him.

"... Wonderful. Then, let's continue."


<<>><<>><<>>


"So, it is your intangibility you say you have the most trouble with," Frostbite said out loud, scratching his chin, "Curious. It should be one of the easier things to control."

"Yeah? How so?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"As all one needs to do is let go of their physical form. Like breathing out, if you will. A feature that should almost come by itself, as it is so closely connected to your spectral energy," Frostbite explained.

"How so?"

"You see. Intangibility comes from a form of energy we call Ainetus," he explained, and he picked up a handful of snow in his ice claw. Then he made his appendage glow with his energy to demonstrate his point, and the snow fell down on the ground, passing cleanly through his hand. "But it has another name as well. One given by the humans, although they don't realize this. They call it Neutrinos, the ghost particles. This energy can move through everything without stopping, and, as it is part of your energy, so can you. The fact that this is something you have difficulties with is strange, and the only thing I can think of that might interfere with this energy would be an equal but opposite energy."

"Other energy? Do ya mean magic?" Apple Bloom spoke up, staring curiously at Frostbite and his still glowing ice claw.

"Magic?" 

"Yeah, like this," Sweetie Belle replied, and, with intense focus, she produced several light green sparks from her horn. 

Most of them winked out of existence after a short moment, a few landed on the snow, but one landed on Frostbite's glowing ice claw. There the magical energy interacted with the energy Frostbite was still channeling in his claw, resulting in a violent reaction.

The energies collided and repelled each other, resulting in a small explosion of energy, knocking Frostbite back a bit, while his ice claw took some serious damage.

All present looked at both the struck frost giant and the unicorn filly with shock and confusion, not understanding what had just happened.

"I… I-I didn't mean to do that!" Sweetie Belle shrieked as she backed away.

"Wow. What was that?" Scootaloo asked, carefully moving towards Frostbite as she looked at the now partially molten claw.

"I would like to know as well," Frostbite spoke up, sounding extremely shaken, "What was it that you just did, those sparks? It was not any spectral energy I know of."

"That is because it isn't spectral energy," The elder said in a calm voice, unfazed by what had happened as she walked towards Sweetie Belle. 

"Like they said, it's magic. An energy other than our own, yet similar all the same. It is what is causing your difficulties with your intangibility. You see, when you turn intangible, your body consists purely of spectral energy for the duration of the intangibility. But your magic is interfering with this, as it doesn't want to change with it."

"Wha… How do you know this?" Sweetie Belle asked, sounding completely confused from both this latest revelation, as well as the way the elder seems to know all these things just like that.

"I see many things, but only those which I need to know," she answered.

"Ehh, wha?" Scootaloo muttered as she scratched the back of her head.

"I know what I need to know, when I need to know it. It is my own special talent, if you will," she explained, "And no, I don't have a Cutie Mark," she quickly added as she saw the spark of wonder in their eyes, and the fillies slumped down disappointed.

"But even if that is true. Then why did I go... eh, intangible just like that several times now back home?" Sweetie asked.

"Hmm…" the elder hummed as she took a good look at her, seeing through the layers of skin and bone, and observing her at the most fundamental level of her being.

"Your magic is set in its own ways, shaped by thousands of generations before you. But yours is still young, and it is adapting to exist alongside your newfound powers. But it isn't a simple matter of flicking a switch, and it will take some time before a balance is found. And until it is, it keeps trying to find a balance between the two, resulting in your intangibility problems. So, until then, it will be difficult for you to use your intangibility. But, I'm sure that as you progress with your training you will find your magic and spectral energy finding a solution for this internal conflict. But it would be wise not to force it, and let it sort itself out. Time, it would seem, is the best training for this problem."

"Elder, what exactly is this magic of theirs?" Frostbite asked, "I have never seen anything like this before."

The elder looked at him, giving a knowing grin as she gave him a single, one word reply full of meaning, but which didn't answer anything for him, "Balance."

"That doesn't answer anything," Frostbite replied, stumped.

"And yet it does," the elder said sagely, "But there are more pressing matters to attend to, and I shall take my leave. Oh, and Frostbite. When the child is done for the day, tell her about the Great One. She should know about his history. I'm sure it will be a learning experience for the both of you," and with that last suggestion, she left to return to the sanctum of the Tree of Life.

"… Who's the Great One?" Sweetie Belle asked after the elder had left.

"The greatest of Halfas. One whose accomplishments saved the lives of many, and a good friend of mine. But also one who has vanished after a terrible tragedy. One that changed the lives of many. But it is not yet the time to talk about this, as we still have several things to do," Frostbite said with a proud, yet sad voice, before returning to his more cheerful demeanor.

"Right," Sweetie Belle said with a confident nod, ready for whatever it was she would have to do next, "I'm ready!"


<<>><<>><<>>


Beams and bolts of green flew around the arena, and the sounds of labored breathing accompanied each blast. Silver Spirit jumped, dodged, and flew in every direction, avoiding Frostbite's attacks, while also shooting ecto beams of her own at him. But it was a lopsided fight, as she felt herself running out of energy with every shot she fired. While Frostbite, who was easily avoiding all of her shots, didn't seem tired in the slightest. 

Jumping up in the air to avoid another shot, Silver Spirit angled herself in such a way that she could push off with her hind legs the moment she hit the ground again. 

Dropping down, and then shooting forwards at the frost giant, Silver let loose a battle cry as she poured every last bit of energy she could spare into this final shot. 

Her front hooves glowed a toxic green, a glow that was mirrored in her eyes, and she shot a twin beam of bright green energy at the giant. 

Frostbite, looking at the approaching spirit with her hooves aglow, saw the sloppily executed attack, and he easily sidestepped the beams of energy. 

Silver Spirit's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the giant move aside with a speed that belied his size, and her final attack, as well as herself, flew cleanly past him. 

The beams of energy shooting past the watching spectators, hitting a pile of snow they used to sit on, blowing it up and covering them under a layer of white. While she, out of energy, bounced off of the ground, before coming to a sliding stop with a mouthful of snow. Then, lying there in a heap, her powers finally ran out and she transformed back to her mortal self.

"SWEETIE BELLE!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shouted as they rushed to their friend, who was already pulling herself up with unsteady legs, spitting out the snow in her mouth.

"Okay, that's all I've got," Sweetie Belle muttered as she sat down, wiping away the sweat on her brow.

"Are ya alright?" Apple Bloom asked, concerned, inspecting her friend for any injuries. 

"Yeah, I think so. Just tired, is all," she replied with a tired smile.

"Tha.. You…. He… Wha… Wow!" Scootaloo stuttered in a daze, too excited to form any coherent words.

"Ah think ya broke her," Apple Bloom said dryly as she looked at her pegasus friend.

"I think he broke me," Sweetie Belle groaned tiredly as she nodded to Frostbite.

"Not likely. You are far more resilient than you think, but you do still have a lot to learn before you can properly use your powers," Frostbite yold her as he approached the trio. "You've shown that you can combine flight and firing your ecto beams, but you have yet to learn how to properly use them. Just going and shooting wildly is not particularly useful, wouldn't you agree?" He said with a kind laugh. "But for now, we call it a day. You should head home soon too, I believe. After all, you have been gone for a while."

"Home? Oh, right, home," Scootaloo said with a sullen, bitter tone, "Hold on," she suddenly piped up, "didn't that other giant say you had to tell us about some great one, or something."

"By the ancestors, you're right," Frostbite answered as he looked down at Scootaloo, then he looked at a distant cave in the village, "Sweetie Belle, are you feeling well enough to come with me?"

"I.. Uh… I think so, yes," she answered as she stood up on wobbly legs, and let loose a large yawn.

"Very well. You and your friends come with me. Wind Chill, stay close behind!" he said, and he set off towards the cavern entrance, followed by the three fillies and the aforementioned frost giant. 

"So… Who is this great one ya'll are talking about?" Apple Bloom asked as they approached the cave.

"As I said earlier. He is a Halfa of great power, and one who used his strength to save many lives. But you should wait until we are inside. It will be easier to explain once we are," Frostbite replied, a serious look on his face.

"O-kay?" Scootaloo said, unsure, and they followed Frostbite inside the frozen cave.

The moment they crossed the threshold the light started to fade, and Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle found themselves surrounded by darkness. Until, suddenly, the cave was illuminated in a cold blue light coming from Frostbite's claw. 

"Another way to use your powers, young one," he spoke in a low voice as he motioned for them to follow. 

"In this cave we recorded the story of the Great One so that his sacrifices would not be forgotten," he began, and he illuminated a part of the wall showing a crudely drawn image of a human with white hair and glowing green hands.

"You see. Long ago there was a cursed king, Pariah Dark. He was power hungry, and went for two items that, together, increased his strength a hundred fold, allowing him to do anything he desired," he began, and illuminated two different drawings close together. A ring and a crown. "The Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire. He used these items to spread his powers over the realm of all ghosts. The Ghost Zone," he then illuminated a drawing of the Ghost Zone from when it was still in one piece, "Only by the combined power of the ancient ghosts were they able to stop him; sealing the evil king away in a sarcophagus in which he would sleep for all eternity, while they took away the ring, making sure that he was unable to use the powers of the combined artifacts to break free."

"Wooow," the three fillies said in amazement.

"But where is the other Halfa in all of this?" Sweetie asked.

"He wouldn't be part of this story until many thousands of years later," Frostbite answered, before continuing, "After the king was sealed away, the ancient ghosts broke apart the Ghost Zone, making sure no one would be able to easily gain access to Pariah's keep. Or so they thought," he said in an ominous tone as he illuminated an image of a human with pale blue skin, red eyes, fangs, a cape, and black hair shaped into two horns. 

"Vlad Plasmius, the first Halfa."

"What? The first?"

"Indeed he is. And, unlike the Great One, he chose the path of evil. He learned of the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire, and sought to claim them for himself. And in doing so, he set free Pariah Dark, unleashing his terror over not only this realm, but the human world as well," Frostbite paused for effect. "He invaded the city where the Great One lived, sealing it off from the outside world, and pulled it inside the Ghost Zone where no one could reach it. And all hope seemed lost, if it wasn't for the Great One," Frostbite said with a proud voice, shining his light over a detailed image of the white haired human wearing a strange metallic suit while fighting with the evil king.

"Danny Phantom, the second Halfa," he said, and Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sucked in a sharp breath as they looked at the image of Danny.

"But… but, isn't that the evil ghost we've heard about? The one that k-killed somepo— someone?" Sweetie Belle asked in shock, looking frightened at the image, and Frostbite let out a tired sigh.

"I see those lies have tainted your world as well."

"Lies?" Scootaloo asked, confused.

"Yes, lies. A vile act that both claimed the life of Danny Phantom's mate, and which put the blame squarely on him," Frostbite said, his voice brimming with anger, his free hand balling into a fist while Wind Chill, quiet up till now, let out an angry growl.

"A lie that everyone believes, even if there were those who claimed otherwise. And now it has even spread to your world. This atrocity knows no bounds, it would seem. At least I can tell you the truth. A small glimmer of hope for the Great One that one day everyone will know of his innocence," Frostbite said with conviction.

"So, let me continue… Ah, yes. Danny Phantom fought the king, using all the strength he had, and almost lost his life in doing so. He held nothing back, and even his enemies came to fight by his side, joined together to fight a common enemy. Ultimately, he won, and the king was once more sealed away and his city returned to its rightful place back on Earth. And, incidentally, this event was also how your two worlds first met."

"Really!?" a trio of voices echoed through the cavern.

"Really. The city was returned back to Earth, but something else came along as well. One of the doorways found in the Ghost Zone, which normally just floats around aimlessly, but was now pulled apart as it was forced into the human's world. It opened the first rip in reality that joined your two worlds, and I'm sure you know what happened after that. So, let's return to the story," Frostbite told them, and the fillies only gave a nod for him to continue, not wanting to interrupt him.

"And so, after he defeated the king and restored the peace, us frost giants created all of this,"—he indicated all the drawings—"to remember the greatness of his actions. And, from that day forth, we name him the Great One, after the greatness of his actions. However, some did not take kindly to him. And after yet another defeat at the hands of Danny Phantom, Vlad Plasmius unleashed his most diabolical of schemes to get rid of him. And, unfortunately, it worked. We do not know all the details, just what we picked up from the other ghosts. But it would seem that Vlad Plasmius sent a ghost of unspeakable evil after them. And in the fight that occurred, the human known as Samantha Manson lost her life," he revealed as he showed the image of Danny Phantom holding Sam's lifeless body in his arms, tears streaming down his face. 

"His world shunned him, called him the terror of his city, already having forgotten all the good he had done. I only saw him one more time after this incident, but never again. He lost faith in himself, and he vanished to get away from it all. Leaving behind his friends and family," he finished, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's quiet sobs echoed through the cave. As well as Scootaloo's less than successful attempts to keep herself from crying, because that was not something cool ponies did.

"So... Who is he, really?" Sweetie Belle asked as she stepped closer to the image of Danny, studying it intently. 

"His name, as a human, is Danny Fenton," Frostbite told them, and another set of gasps sounded through the cave.

"Fenton? As in the Fentons? Tha Fenton family who are world renown ghost hunters?" Apple Bloom asked in shock.

"Yes, yes they are," Frostbite answered, only for their attention to shift to Sweetie Belle as she let out another gasp. 

"Hold on!" she said as she took a step back from the image, looking at it with eyes wide in realization, "I know that suit! It is almost the same as the one my sister is making for mister Danny."

"What? What are you talking about?" Frostbite asked, surprised.

"Danny Manson. The human living in our village," Sweetie Belle answered in return, "My sister is making a suit for him just like it, but with some things different. That letter D is not on it, but other than that…"

"What did you say his name was?" Frostbite asked slowly, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Ehh. Danny Manson," Sweetie Belle answered, sharing a worried glance with her friends, while Frostbite looked up and saw the same look of realization in Wind Chill's eyes.

"Danny Manson? Could it be?" Frostbite wondered.

"He carries her name, and it would seem he is hiding in plain sight," Wind Chill replied.

"Young ones, tell me. What does this Danny Manson look like? Does he have spiky black hair? Is he skinny? Tell me."

"Ehh, well… Yeah. He has black hair," Apple Bloom said, unsure, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"And it is spiky," Scootaloo confirmed, sharing Apple Bloom's feeling. 

"And skinny as well. But he is also funny and kind. He even went into the Everfree Forest to help our sisters and their friends to find us," Sweetie Belle added, before she suddenly realized what they were getting at, which also answered a question she and her friends had that made her into what she is. 

"And in the forest we were attacked by a manticore, until it suddenly stopped its attack, and its eyes started glowing green… Is… Is he.. Is he the Halfa..Is he… Danny Phantom?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked wide eyed at their friend, who was looking at Frostbite. Frostbite, however, didn't notice as he was stuck between hope and fear. Hope that after so long his friend had been found, and fear that all of this was nothing more than a giant coincidence and this human was not the one they believed him to be.
 
"Could it truly be him?" Wind Chill asked, unsure.

"I… I find myself daring to hope," Frostbite answered, before an idea came to mind, "Wind Chill. You are bound to young Apple Bloom, and as such you must accompany her back to her world. While there, see if you can find out if this human is who we hope he is. But, for the favor of the ancestors, do not let yourself be seen. The elder only knows what might happen should they discover you."

"Whoa whoa whoa! What do ya mean he has ta come back with me?" Apple Bloom asked, with worry thick in her tone.

"As the code says, until my debt is paid in full, I must stay close to you so I'm there should you need me," Wind Chill answered, "Did I not already tell you this?"

"No, no ya didn't," Apple Bloom said in a panic.

"My apologies, that was a grave error on my part," Wind Chill said with a curt bow, "But the code is clear, and I must accompany you back to your world. Don't worry, though. I will keep hidden, and no one will see me unless I want them to."

"But where will you stay?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried.

"The forest we journeyed through today will do fine."

"What? NO!" Apple Bloom said with a stomp of her hoof, "Ah don't know what ta make of all of this, but Ah won't let ya stay in the Everfree Forest," she said, and her eyes lit up with an idea, "Ah know. There's an old abandoned barn back home. It should be big enough for ya ta stay in, and it's far enough out of the way for nopony ta notice."

"Such kindness. I find myself indebted even more," Wind Chill said gratefully.

"Please don't," Apple Bloom replied with a groan, looking nervously at the giant. 

"As you wish."

"Oh, what have Ah gotten myself inta?" Apple Bloom murmured.

"I'll say. I'm a spirit, but this is much harder to keep hidden," Sweetie Belle replied, completely serious, and the two of them shared a look of awkwardness.

"How do we always manage ta get inta situations like this?" Apple Bloom asked, holding a hoof against her face.

"I have no idea," Sweetie Belle replied, and they turned to look at Scootaloo, who was busy looking around for something.

"What are you looking for?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Tree sap," she answered simply, "We always end up covered in tree sap at the end of these kinds of things, but I'm not seeing any here."

"Ehh… So?"

"Meaning," she said with a sigh, "this has only just begun."

An uncomfortable silence settled down as Scootaloo's voice echoed away, and they all shared a look of anxiety as they knew she was right.


<<>><<>><<>>
 

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Wind Chill were back in the ancient castle, having just crossed the portal, and getting a figurative slap in the face from the sudden warmth of the forest. 

Frostbite, standing on the other side of the portal, gave the four of them a serious look as they prepared to leave, while the two timberwolves looked at them with suspicion, but didn't react otherwise. 

"Remember this. Should he really be the Great One, do not let him know you know. Don't tell him, don't mention it to him, or let him find out in another way. He vanished all those years ago with ease, and, should he discover he's been found out, he might very well vanish again. Wind Chill. I know you want to find out if it is him just as much as I do, but, for the ancestors mercy, do not do anything rash. We know from our friends that this world does not react well to ghosts, and, if they find out about you, there is no telling what might happen. Stay hidden, but keep an eye out for anything."

"I understand, Frostbite," he replied.

"Good. And you three, I know you're also curious as to whether or not it is truly him but, please, don't do anything rash either. Sweetie Belle, you should focus on your training more than anything else, and Wind Chill will be able to help you with the more basic powers. But should you need any more help, ask him, and he will bring you to us. We are able to help you with any troubles regarding your powers, so don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay," she said with a nod, while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at one another, silently discussing how they could best spy on Danny.

Frostbite, noticing this, and knowing that children often had a habit of not listening, went one step further. 

"Promise me you won't do anything that might scare him off, please?"

Giving a look at one another, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gave a small nod in agreement.

"Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes," they enacted the Pinkie Promise while doing the required motions, while Wind Chill and Frostbite looked down at them in confusion.

"Uhhh… What did you just do?" Frostbite asked.

"A Pinkie Promise. It's the most special of promises, one that ya can't break," Apple Bloom answered.

" 'Cause breaking a promise is the fastest way to lose a friend's trust," Scootaloo picked up.

"And losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend forever," Sweetie Belle finished.

"Foreveeeeerr!" 

"Gha… What was that!" Wind Chill shouted in surprise as they heard the voice echo away.

"Pinkie Pie," the fillies answered simultaneously.

"Wha?" 

"Don't ask. We don't understand it either," Apple Bloom said with a slightly humorous tone.

"Yeah. It's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie," Scootaloo added.

"And knowing her, she's probably still back in Ponyville," Sweetie Belle thought out loud as she rubbed her chin.

"Probably, yeah," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo agreed.

"… You ponies are some strange creatures," Frostbite said, bewildered.

"Nah. It's just her… Mostly," Sweetie Belle said with a laugh, "Don't worry though. She most likely doesn't know anything about any of this happening. She just does that to anyone that talks about her Pinkie Promise."

"... Strange creatures indeed," Frostbite muttered, before shaking his head to clear his thoughts, "Regardless, you should go. It is getting late in this world, as far as I can see…" he began, then looked around to find a reference for the time, and noticed the fading light coming from one of the broken windows placed high above in a wall, "Late indeed. Now go! Wind Chill will stay with you for protection, should it be needed."

"Okay, Frostbite," Apple Bloom said with a smile.

"And thanks, Frostbite," Sweetie Belle  added, before yawning loudly.

"Yeah, thanks," Scootaloo piped up, more at ease with the giant after everything that had happened in the Far Frozen today.

"And a good day to you three as well. Now, go, before your families get worried," he replied with a kind smile. "And Wind Chill, keep them safe," he said to the other frost giant, and they briefly locked eyes. And in that moment, Wind Chill understood the unspoken part of his request.

Keep them safe, both from themselves and what might be out there.

"Of course, Frostbite," he replied, as he and the fillies turned to leave. Walking through the same hallway they came in, and exiting through the large, unhinged double doors leading outside.

Stepping out in the relatively warm evening air, they walked over to where the bridge used to be, only to be stopped by a growl coming from behind them. Turning to look, they were faced with the imposing form of the timberwolf Alpha.

"Do, vi revenis," he growled with an angry tone.
"So, you have returned."

"Yes we have," Wind Chill replied.

"Vi komprenas?" the Alpha barked in surprise.
"You understand?"

"To some extent. My task to watch over the Death Zone requires me to know many languages, so that I can warn those who dare to cross it."

"Neatendite, sed utila."
"Unexpected, but useful."

"So, what is it that you want?" Wind Chill asked, crossing his arms.

 "Ili. Ili nur kaŭzis problemojn en tiu arbaro ekde la unua tago ili eniris ĝin. Nun, kun la blanka kiel sxi estas ... Ni ne volas permesi al ŝi kaŭzi plu mizero," he replied with a bark, nodding at the fillies
"Them. They have only caused trouble in this forest since the first day they entered it. Now, with the white one as she is… We won't allow her to cause any more trouble."

"And they won't. She's been working hard to learn to control her powers, and she won't be any trouble for you, or this forest," Wind Chill replied.

The Alpha made a sound similar to a snort as he crossed his own arms, glaring at the frost giant with a mixture of anger and pity.

"Vi trovos el sufiĉe baldaŭ."
"You will find out soon enough."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Wind Chill answered, and the wolf only gave a grunt in return. Then he looked at the three fillies, who were cowering a bit behind Wind Chill, and he pointed his claw at his eyes, then at the three of them. And even without any words, they knew what he meant.

"It is curious, though. Have you been waiting here all this time just to say this?" Wind Chill asked with a curious tone, and the Alpha shifted around uncomfortably with an annoyed growl.

Wind Chill, having mastered the art of reading alien body languages from his time observing all the creatures found in the Death Zone, knew immediately what the problem was, and he couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh.

"You're stuck! With the bridge gone, you can't get back to the other side," he said with roaring laughter, making the Alpha growl aggressively. 

"Then, allow me to fix this," Wind Chill continued after he regained control over himself, and he stepped towards the last remnants of the former ice bridge. 

Clapping his hands together, he rubbed them as if he was trying to warm himself. But, instead, a cold ice blue glow surrounded his hands, and small flakes of snow fell to the ground. 

Bending down, he placed his hands on the ground, and the cold energy rushed into the warm soil and rock, cooling it down far below freezing, and ice structures started to form. 

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked on in awe with wide eyes and their mouths hanging open as they saw a new bridge made from the purest ice form before them, a cold vapor coming off of it in the relatively warm evening's air. 

Releasing the energy, the glow vanished from around Wind Chill's hands, and he stood back up and stepped away from his latest creation, looking at it with a satisfied nod. 

"There we go, good as new," he said proudly, and he motioned for the Alpha to cross over. 

The Alpha, not one to accept favors from others, but seeing no other way to cross himself, walked past Wind Chill as he stepped on the bridge, giving a growl to the giant as he moved past him. 

Crossing the expanse, not feeling the cold of the ice in the dead wood his body was made of, he vanished into the darkness of the forest. Hidden, but always watching.

"Shall we go, too?" Wind Chill asked, surprising the fillies and making them squeak a bit.

"Yeah… Yeah, let's go," Sweetie Belle said, almost in a daze. Still a bit shaken from the sudden appearance of the large timberwolf, and amazed by what Wind Chill had just done. And she, followed by her friends, crossed the bridge, feeling the cold of the ice through their hooves, making them shake and shiver in response, and they hurried to get to the other side. 

Once there, they quickly began their short journey back home, noticing the many green glowing eyes watching them from, well, everywhere, encouraging them to get out of the forest as fast as they could.

And finally, after what seemed like hours but was only twenty minutes or so, they stepped clear of the suffocation forest. 

"Okay… Ah guess Ah'll take tha big guy with me now," Apple Bloom said, sounding a bit doubtful.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Scootaloo replied.

"Need any help?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"No, Ah think Ah've got this. Ya just go on home before Rarity grounds ya again for being late," Apple Bloom remarked, and Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in alarm as she let out a frightened gasp.

"Oh no! If that happens, I'll be grounded for the rest of my life. Or worse," she said, shocked, images of her posing as a ponequin entering her mind. "I… I've gotta run," she shouted as she took off in a gallop.

"I'm going too. It's getting late and stuff," Scootaloo said with a shrug, and she walked back to the guest house where she lived.

"Well, that just leaves tha two o' us," Apple Bloom said dryly, "Jus' follow me. Ah'll show ya where tha barn is."

"Of course, Apple Bloom. Lead the way," Wind Chill replied, and the two of them headed towards the orchard while Apple Bloom made sure to stay on a path that kept them out of sight.


<<>><<>><<>>


"Damn. This thing is going crazy!" Blue Ice said as she shook her scanner. And by the looks of it, the rest of her team had similar problems. 

"What is wrong with these things?" Sound Wave asked as he turned the device off, then back on.

"How should I know?" Ornate Charm replied irritably, "I'm not the one that calibrated them."

"Oh, shove it," Blue Ice muttered, turning to Rolling Stone for any idea what to do now.

"Sir, your orders?"

"Put them away, they're not working. We go on visual for now, but Ice, you need to get these things working because, right now, we're practically blind."

"Yes Sir," Blue Ice responded.

"It was strange, though," Sound Wave said, "Did you see the same signal I saw on this thing? It was huge, before, of course, things just went crazy."

"Yeah, I saw it too," Ornate responded, "But that can't be right. It has to be a false positive."

"Perhaps," Rolling Stone muttered, "But stay sharp nonetheless. The others had a positive hit, who knows what might lurk in the shadows?" he said as he looked at a dark alley, expecting anything to pop up.

Which actually happened, as he let out a yelp of surprise when a white unicorn filly came rushing out of the darkness and ran clean past them in a hurry.

"Yeah… Somehow I don't think she is a ghost," Ornate Charm chuckled as she watched the filly run away, which set off Sound Wave and Blue Ice in small laughing fits of their own.


<<>><<>><<>>


Apple Bloom, and her not so little companion, were sneaking through the orchard. Taking cover in the shadows cast by the trees in the setting sun, but still visible should one look in their direction. 

They quietly and subtly, or as subtly a lone Crusader and a frost giant out of place could be anyway, made their way to the barn Apple Bloom had mentioned. 

It was a worn out thing, standing alone and abandoned in the field furthest away from the family house and the town. Looking like it would fall apart and collapse any minute now, but refused to give in and stubbornly remained standing despite years old wear and tear.

Looking around to see if anypony was watching, Apple Bloom and Wind Chill rushed over to the old structure. Opening the large double doors, hearing the hinges creak and groan in protest, Apple Bloom let the giant inside, before closing the doors behind them. 

"Okay… It ain't much…" she began hesitantly, looking at the few forgotten and moldy bales of hay, as well as several empty barrels standing here and there.

"It will do fine," Wind Chill said optimistically as he looked around, seeing the possibilities this place provided.

"Okay?... Well, ya shouldn't have ta worry 'bout my brother or sister coming here, seein' that this section of tha orchard ain't supposed ta be bucked fer a little while longer. Plus, they don't really pay much attention ta this barn anyhow."

"Ehh… Bucked?" Wind Chill asked, puzzled.

"Ya know, apple buckin'. Buckin' tha trees ta make tha apples fall out," Apple Bloom answered with a surprised tone, before remembering the place Wind Chill came from.

"Oh, right. No trees where yer from.

"I'm afraid not, no," he answered with a small laugh, careful to keep any hint of the one tree the Far Frozen possessed a secret.

"Well, there's a lot of 'em here," she replied awkwardly.

"I've noticed," Wind Chill deadpanned, and the two shared a flat, somewhat awkward look, before bursting out in laughter.

"Yeah, Ah guess ya have. Okay, well, this is it… Ah hope it's alright?"

"It sure is, Apple Bloom. If only for your kindness in allowing me to stay here," Wind Chill answered, voice thick with appreciation.

"Oh, good. Feel free ta make some changes if ya want. It is kinda stuffy in here," Apple Bloom answered with a relieved sigh and a happy laugh, "But Ah think Ah should go now. Don't want ta get my family all worked up 'bout me not gettin' home on time."

"I understand, and thank you once more," Wind Chill said appreciatively, and Apple Bloom gave him a large smile in return before walking out of the barn and running back home.

Wind Chill, after watching her run away, pushed the door closed, flinching from the awful noise produced by the rusty hinges.

"She means well, but this place is a dump… Okay, what can I do to clean up this place?" he asked himself as he channeled his ice shaping powers in his hands, making them glow with an ice blue color.

"Ah, yes. Of course. Let's start with a bed, maybe a bit of ice on the walls?" he hummed to himself as he set to work, turning the old barn into his own personal igloo on the inside. After all, she had said he could make some changes if he wanted to. Might as well make it a big one.


<<>><<>><<>>


Scootaloo entered her home, or, 'The place that tries to be my home,' she thought as she trudged inside, exhausted from this weird day. 

Immediately after she closed the door behind her, she heard the door leading to the building's private livingroom open and Bellflower stepped out, looking extremely concerned as she let out a sigh of relief as she spotted Scootaloo standing in the building's small lobby.

"Scootaloo, you're back!" she almost shouted as she rushed to embrace the struggling filly, "Where have you been?"

"Let go of me," Scootaloo said with a muffled voice, trying to break free from the grip the earth pony had over her, but Bellflower wouldn't let go that easily.

"I was so worried. I've looked all over town for you, but nopony knew where you or your friends were."

Letting loose a huff and a groan of annoyance, Scootaloo relented and allowed her foster mother to hug her. And, although she would deny it should anypony ever mention it, she returned the hug, albeit just a little bit.

"Pfhu…" Scootaloo huffed out, pushing herself away from Bellflower, "Why would you even care? I'm not your daughter."

Bellflower looked as if she'd been slapped in the face, and Scootaloo's ears fell flat on her head as she looked down at her hooves, kicking the ground slightly as she quietly muttered an apology.

Sighing, Bellflower answered the harsh question.

"No, you're not my daughter. But that doesn't mean I don't care for you as if you were. I know you're still hurting over what happened, and I am trying my best to help you. But I won't be able to do that unless you let me. So, please, where have you been today?"

Scootaloo lowered her head even further in response, knowing she was right, but she didn't want to admit it. She'd known Bellflower all her life, knowing her as a friend of her parents who used to foalsit her from time to time. But this, having her as a mother… It just felt wrong. Still, she also knew Bellflower was trying her hardest to make her feel at home, despite everything. So, with a reluctant sigh, she looked up at the mare sitting before her.

"Fine…" she groaned out in irritation, "Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and I went through a portal and entered the ghost world where we met a bunch of ice ghost thingies," she said without much emotion, and Bellflower's eyes dropped as she let out a saddened sigh.

"If you didn't want to tell me, you could have just said so. But don't make up these weird stories, especially ones with ghosts," she said with a shudder, feeling both disgust and a fleeting sensation of anger that Scootaloo talked about those… things, so casually.

"Bu—"

"No buts missy. Now, go to your room. You're still grounded, and you being away for so long without anypony knowing where you were isn't helping you. So, as a punishment, you will not get any dinner tonight. Am I clear?" Bellflower said with a strict tone, looking down at Scootaloo.

"Yeah, fine," Scootaloo droned, and she turned to walk upstairs, going for her room.

'What am I going to do with her?' Bellflower thought as she watched Scootaloo’s purple tail vanish from sight as the filly moved upstairs.

Scootaloo, however, was not thinking about any of what had just happened. Because, just as she stood before the door to her room and reached out for the door knob to open it, she heard the slow, drawn out creak of a door opening.

Looking down the empty hallway, she saw a door to one of the guestrooms stand open. But as she stood there, watching, she saw nopony come out.

"... Hello?" she said as she stepped away from her door, slowly moving to the open portal several steps away, "Is anypony there?"

Receiving no reply, she poked her head around the corner, looking inside the room to see if there was anypony inside. Which there wasn't, and she felt a small, frightened, shudder go down her spine as she was suddenly aware of the deafening silence.

"H-hello?" she said again as she stepped inside.

A knock from something falling over startled her, and she jumped up in the air in fright, almost knocking her head against the ceiling. But as she landed back on her hooves, she couldn't find anything that could have made the sound. At least, until she saw the locked cabinet to her side open, and she felt another shiver going down her spine.

Gulping audibly, she carefully walked to the cabinet, reaching out with a somewhat trembling hoof, she pushed open the door a bit further. 

"Wow… What's that?" she said, her fright completely forgotten as she looked at the strange device lying on one of the shelves.

It was a metallic construct with two screens. One placed in what seemed to be a hoofhold, while the other was placed a bit further above. Three buttons were placed in-between the two screens, while a grid pattern showed on the upper screen. Two of those strange, whatyamacallit, LAPs?… LIDs?… LEDs?… something like that, lights were placed on top, with what seemed to be a microphone as well. And she saw a speaker on the bottom, below the screen in the hoofhold.

Picking the strange device up between her hooves, she gave it a closer look. Turning it around every which way, she had a strange feeling of wonder and confusion as to what this thing was. But as she turned the device over, she got the answer as to what it was. In the metal casing on the back there were three words engraved. Three seemingly random words that didn't look like much, but Scootaloo's eyes widened a bit as she read them.

Fenton Ghost Gabber.

She would probably never know what a Gabber was, but Ghost? That she did understand. But the first word was what drew her attention the most. 

Fenton. That word, that name, she knew it, everypony knew it. The Fentons were well known all throughout Equestria. They're ghost hunters, as well as the guys who made all those cool ghost hunting devices. Which also meant, she now realized, that this was a ghost hunting apparatus as well. 

"Cool!" she said loudly, and she quickly slammed her mouth shut as she swirled her ears around to hear if she'd been heard. 

Fortunately for her, it would seem she hadn't been heard by the one pony she knew was around. But knowing she shouldn't be here, and fearing the pony this room belonged to might show up at any moment, she quickly made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her, the device still in hoof. 

'Wait until I show this to the girls tomorrow,' she thought with an excited grin, closing her bedroom door behind her before jumping on her bed, eagerly pushing on the device's buttons to find out how it worked.


<<>><<>><<>>


The door closed behind Scootaloo as she fled the room, the Ghost Gabber still in hoof, and silence settled in the now empty room. Empty, save for the two pairs of glowing green eyes that looked at the door Scootaloo had just run through. 

The eyes looked at one another, having an entire conversation within the few seconds they locked gazes, and one pair closed while shaking sadly, telling the other not to do whatever it was they had silently talked about. 

A saddened, feminine sigh came from the other pair of eyes, while the first moved to the open cabinet, closing the door with an invisible hoof.

"Come, it is not yet time," the eyes said with a masculine voice, and the other sadly nodded in agreement. They both faded away, leaving no evidence of them having ever been there.


<<>><<>><<>>


"Now, where in tha hay have ya been!?" came the irritated voice of Applejack mere moments after Apple Bloom had returned home, which she now believed to be a mistake. 

Maybe she could have climbed in through her bedroom window like last time instead, but now she was forced to face the music, this evening provided to her by her sister, who didn't seem to be in a singing mood.

"Ah want answers, missy, now. An' don't try ta lie ta me, Ah know it when ya do!"

"Fine!" Apple Bloom half shouted, and she sucked in a large breath. She would tell the truth, yes. Or, some of it. Still, who would believe her? "Me, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle went through some kind of portal thingy and entered tha ghost world where we met a bunch of frost giant ghosts, who were really nice, and not evil or scary at all. Oh, and one of those frost giants is now indebted ta me, and is following me around an' such," she finished, showing a large, toothy smile at her dumbstruck sister. But the confused look Applejack wore only lasted for a short moment, before it dropped and was replaced by a scowl.

"Ah thought Ah said not ta tell any lies!? So why ya lyin'!?"

'Because, clearly, ya wouldn't believe tha truth.' Apple Bloom thought, but said something else, "Ah dunno," and she mentally facehoofed over her response.

"Ya don't know!" Applejack repeated slowly, anger building with each word.

"Not only are ya lyin', but yer talkin' 'bout those… Things like that. Ah won't have it, not now, not ever. Get ta yer room, NOW!" she said forcefully, pointing a hoof upstairs as she glared at her sister.

"An' Ah don't want ta hear any more ghost nonsense in this house, ever!" she added moments before Apple Bloom slammed the door of her bedroom shut.

Silence.

"What is it with that filly?" she breathed out as she shook her head sadly, "An' why ghosts?"


<<>><<>><<>>


"Sweetie Belle, where have you been?!" Rarity half shouted in a dramatic voice, staring down at her younger sister after she had rushed through the door.

"Ehh... you know. Out playing with my friends," Sweetie Belle answered with an awkward smile, rubbing the back of her neck a bit as she tried to avoid eye contact.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity said sternly, giving a disapproving frown.

"Fine! Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and I went through a portal thingy and went into the ghost world, where we met a bunch of frost giants that were really friendly," Sweetie Belle answered, giving her sister a large toothy smile afterwards.

Rarity, however, seemed almost livid.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that!?"

"Ehhh... We—"

"No, I won't hear it. I don't know what you three have been up to, but I won't believe those ridiculous lies. Go to your room, you're still grounded," Rarity said angrily, and Sweetie Belle walked up the stairs, letting loose a heavy sigh. 

Sure, she knew her sister would not believe her and that she could use the truth as a lie. But it didn't mean she liked Rarity shouting at her like that, especially because she had told the truth. But she couldn't know, not now, not ever. She would consider her a freak, an abomination, a ghost.

No, as ironic as it was that the truth served as the lie, the truth would remain a secret. A secret only her friends knew, and the ghosts she had met. And, if she was lucky enough, it would stay like that. But, thinking back to what Scootaloo had said when they were leaving the frost giant's village: 'This has only just begun.'

"I really hope there is a bucket of tree sap about to fall over me right now," she muttered quietly as she walked up to the second floor.

"What was that!?" Rarity said sternly.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Sweetie Belle replied quickly.

"Good, that's what I thought. And I don't want to hear any more ghost nonsense either."

'Oh sure, there won't be any ghost nonsense. But I can't promise the same about some spirit trouble,' Sweetie Belle thought with a grin as she walked into her bedroom, and her eyes glowed a toxic green as she pushed the door close, the hinges, normally quiet, now creaked ominously just to fit the current mood as a shadow fell over her face, leaving only the glow of her eyes to be seen in her room. 

Until she flicked on the light switch, ruining the moment.


<<>><<>><<>>


A tall, lone figure stood hidden in-between the many rows of apple trees, looking out over the village before him, watching how the lights in the colorful homes faded out as the night progressed and the mortals living there went to bed. 

He took a deep breath. Something he didn't have any need for, yet the crisp and relatively warm night's air helped to soothe his nerves. He was nervous, very nervous. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long, long time. And he had trouble keeping those feelings under control as he scanned the village.

'Could it be true? Does the Great One…. Does Danny Phantom truly live here?'

The wind rustling the leaves provided no answer for his question, and after a brief moment longer he returned to the barn Apple Bloom had allowed him to stay in.

'This world seems peaceful, I can understand why you might choose to come here. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross some day?' he thought as he quietly stepped into the clearing surrounding the barn, 'Someday soon, perhaps? Only time can tell.'

"… Oh, you have no idea!" Clockwork said as he observed the frost giant through the viewing portal; watching as he entered the barn, bending down so he wouldn't hit his head, and closed the doors behind him, "No idea at all."