Silver Spirit, Ghost of Equestria.

by Powerdrainer

Surprise, And A Barn Full of Ice

Saturday, ah, Saturday. The first day of the weekend, and the first day any colt or filly would spent sleeping in, before going around town playing and shouting as if there was no tomorrow. 

Which, considering that school was only two days away, was somewhat true. 

It was also the day for any other pony to stay in bed just a little longer, just because they could. Except, of course, for those that still had things to do. Like the town's local human, Danny Manson. And those with the same or similar occupation as him, who were forced to pull themselves out of bed bright and early to work at any of the many food related establishments. 

After all, on a day off, many decided to just eat out instead of cooking for themselves. 

So, for these unfortunate souls, their freedom was still non-existent, and they were rudely awoken by their alarm clocks, or the bright sunlight their beloved princess had placed squarely in their faces.

Others that didn't have such commitments, however, could spent this day anyway they deemed fit. And this Saturday was no exception. Ponies were walking through the town, chatting happily with each other.

At the same time, a certain mint green mare was singing and dancing through town, while several children ran around doing their own thing. All of them, except five. 

Silver Spoon was staying at home with a massive headache, unable to participate in any planned, or unplanned events. Not that she was planning on doing any of those things. Afterall, it was all far beneath her.

This mindset was shared by the other filly sitting next to her, Diamond Tiara. She, after the weird events yesterday, left with no answer and her father believing that she had only dreamt it all, was now sitting with her only friend in her bedroom. Going through everything she knew had happened, and anything Silver Spoon could remember. Which, unsurprisingly, was not much.

But, as they were trying to figure out what was going on, and which pony was trying to undermine their rightful rule over the school ground, we will go to the other three fillies that are excluded from this Saturday's activities. Mainly, you've guessed it, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.

They certainly had been busy the previous day, especially Sweetie Belle, and time passed by much faster than they thought. So, when they did return home, long past their curfew, there were repercussions for them. 

Of course they'd told the truth about where they were, yes. But, as expected, their sisters, or foster mother in Scootaloo's case, didn't believe something as outlandish as them going through a portal to the ghost world, which was kinda what they were counting on.

So, there she was, our local spirit filly. Sitting in her room, unable to go anywhere without her sister knowing. 

Of course, she could just fly out of her window. But Rarity was checking in on her just to be sure she was not doing anything wrong. So, although she could easily leave, it wouldn't go unnoticed.

Sighing, Sweetie Belle lay on her bed, bored out of her mind, and unable to do anything much without drawing the attention of her sister. 

She wanted to do something, anything, but her sister had specifically forbidden her from doing anything fun. 

Okay, maybe not with those exact words, but it was practically the same. No crusading, no playing outside, no nothing. She was grounded, and Rarity was determined to make sure that it stuck this time.

Sighing again, Sweetie Belle slumped off of her bed, dragging herself to the bedroom door, and pressing her ear against the wood to eavesdrop on anything that might be happening on the other side.

The clopping of hooves approaching and passing by her door resonated through the woodwork, and Sweetie Belle knew her sister had just walked by. And, mere moments later, she could hear her sister walk down the stairs while mumbling a bit to herself, but unable to make out what it was.

Several long seconds passed as she stood there with her ear pressed against the door, when, all of a sudden, a loud voice echoed through the house, and she jerked back in surprise.

"There is no salad. Only Pie!"

"What the hay!?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she looked around, startled, "Pinkie Pie?"

Carefully opening the door, she peeked outside to see what was going on, but she was unable to find anything out of the ordinary.

"Rarity… Is everything alright?" she asked loudly, receiving no reply.

"Hey, sis. What happened?"

Silence.

"Sis?" she said, a bit doubtful as she stepped out of her room, looking around to see if her sister was anywhere to be seen.

"Hello!? Rarity…" she called out again, slowly walking down the stairs, which creaked loudly with her slow, deliberate steps.

"Rarity?"

Looking around the quiet and seemingly empty boutique, Sweetie Belle sat down on the ground.

'Huh, wonder where she went?' she thought, before her eyes lit up with a cunning plan.

"Hey, sis. Is it alright if I go over to hang out with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom?"

Silence.

"So, is that a yes?"

Silence.

"Well, silence is golden. Thanks, Rarity," she chirped happily as she trotted out the front door, beaming a happy smile as she went on her way to her friends.

"It’s gone?… It’s gone! How is it gone?” Sound Wave shouted, almost in a panic as she looked inside the cabinet, unable to find the device she had stored there.

'It should be here. I know it has to be.'

She was feeling a rising sense of panic as she rummaged through the cabinet, almost tipping it over to spill out everything that lay inside. Which wasn’t much. Nothing, in fact. The only thing she’d placed in it was the very device she was now looking for. And it was not in there.

"Where did it go!?" she panicked, starting to search in every likely, and unlikely, place she could think of.

Meanwhile, in a room close to hers, Scootaloo lay on her bed, not allowed to leave her room after having disappeared as she did yesterday. But she didn't care much about that, as she was currently trying to figure out how this strange device she found in that cabinet worked. 

She pressed the few buttons that were on it in no particular order, and several different menus popped up on the lower screen, but she couldn't quite figure it out.

She did figure out, thanks to the name Fenton on the back, that it was some kind of ghost hunting apparatus. But what kind, she didn't know. But it did pose a rather interesting question, now that she thought about it. Why did the pony that rented the room have this device? And did the ponies in the other rooms also have something like this with them?

A sudden shudder went down her spine as she questioned this, and a startling realization began to form in her young mind.

'What if… What if they are… Oh no. I need to warn Sweetie Belle!'

Blurring into motion, she jumped off her bed, grabbing a nearby pack into which she stuffed the device she was toying with. Securing it on her back, she then moved to her window, pushing it open with a hoof.

"Come on wings, don't fail me now," she said, pleading as she climbed out of the window, and looked down at the ground below. It wasn't much of a drop, for a pegasus at least. She knew her bones were strong enough to take the blow without cracking or breaking, but that didn't mean that she wanted to fall down. 

Looking at her wings, she gave a sad sigh as she flapped them weakly. And a sudden stab of anger and jealousy towards her unicorn friend came over her.

'It's just unfair. Why can she fly, without wings, while I can't fly with them?'

But just as soon as those feelings came to her, they vanished like snow under the sun. Only leaving a puddle behind for her to slip in some other time. 

Looking down again, she spread out her wings. She might not be able to fly, yet, but she knew darn well how to glide. 

Taking in a deep breath, narrowing her eyes and a winning grin growing on her muzzle, she jumped out of her window; catching the wind underneath her small wings, and angling herself so that she would traverse a decent distance away from her 'home'.

For a moment, gliding through the air, she closed her eyes, feeling the wind blow through her mane, and all was right for her. She was flying, free, and nopony could stop her, or take this away from her. 

Unfortunately, the ground was not a pony, and all too soon did she feel her hooves come in contact with the hard dirt road.

Coming to a sliding stop, she folded her wings to her sides and looked at the distance she had traveled.

"Awesome, further than last time!" she proclaimed proudly, before slamming her mouth shut and hiding from sight. As, right after she had said that, Bellflower stepped outside, looking up at the open window and huffing in irritation.

'Okay, time to go,' Scootaloo thought as she hurried to get away, not noticing the pink blur shooting by, or that Bellflower suddenly vanished the moment the blur came in contact with the irate mare.

Apple Bloom sat slumped down in the living room, bored out of her mind. After being gone all day without telling where she had gone, although she did her sister didn't believe her, so she was not allowed to go outside, or see her friends.

Still, the fact that she was allowed to come downstairs was somewhat of a blessing, if only a little bit. At least she didn't have to spend the entire day in her small room, but being stuck in the living room, under the watchful eye of her sister, was not much better. But still, at least she could move around in the house, that was something. Not that Applejack would allow her to do much more, though.

Speaking of Applejack... Apple Bloom watched her older sister working in the kitchen, busy making an apple pie for Danny Manson, the human who, maybe, possibly, was the second Halfa, Danny Phantom. And she and her friends were dying, no pun intended, to find out.

Not that that was going to happen now. Besides, they Pinkie promised Frostbite that they wouldn't do anything that could scare him away. And no one breaks a Pinkie promise, or there would be serious consequences. 

And although she had never experienced whatever it was that would happen, Applejack had. She broke a Pinkie promise by using a loophole, and Pinkie, apparently, reacted violently.

A shudder went down her spine at that thought. Pinkie, violent. It was a truly disturbing thought.

She was shaken from her thoughts when a 'ding' came from the kitchen, telling all those that heard it that the oven was heated, and ready to start its work. She then heard her sister walking, most likely to the oven to place the pie inside, when she heard a muffled shout of surprise.

"Applejack?" Apple Bloom called out, before she heard the sound of the oven slamming shut, "Is everything alright?" she asked as she poked her head into the kitchen, seeing the oven with a pie inside and Winona with her mouth wide open in shock, but no Applejack.

"Hey, Winona. Ya know where Applejack is?"

Winona turned towards Apple Bloom, mouth still open, giving a blank stare.

"So, that's a no?"

Silence.

"Oookaayy…" she said, unsure, watching the apple pie in the oven.

She and Winona both let out matching startled yelps when somepony suddenly knocked on the door. And, after taking a moment to compose herself, Apple Bloom moved to answer the door.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle said cheerfully.

"Sweetie Belle? What're ya doing here? Applejack said you and Scootaloo weren't allowed ta go outside either."

"Ooh, right," Sweetie Belle answered with a guilty smile, "But I asked Rarity, and she said it was alright to go."

"Really, Rarity said that?"

"Well, maybe not said. She wasn't even there, in fact, but I asked her, and she didn't respond, so I just assumed that I could go."

"Huh, Ah guess that works," Apple Bloom said, thoughtfully. "Wait, ya said yer sister wasn't there. Where did she go? Isn't she supposed ta be busy with her work?"

"Well, yeah. But she was in the kitchen when suddenly she was gone, just like that. Really weird."

"But that's just like with Applejack just a minute ago. She was in the kitchen one moment, and now she's nowhere ta be found."

"… Weird," Sweetie Belle said in reply, "But doesn't that mean that you can go as well?"

"Ah don't know. Granny Smith is still here, asleep. And Big Mac is out workin' in tha fields…. Actually, yes. Ah think Ah can sneak out," she responded as a devious smirk formed on her face, and the two of them turned to leave when, with buzzing wings, Scootaloo came bursting onto the scene riding on her scooter.

"So there you are!" Scootaloo almost shouted as she came to a grinding halt, kicking up a small dust cloud, which covered her two friends in a layer of dirt.

Coughing and hacking to get the stuff out of their mouths and noses, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glared at their friend accusingly with teary eyes, while Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head with an apologetic smile.

"Scoo- gha- taloo, what tha hay!" Apple Bloom coughed, spitting out the dirt in her mouth.

"Sorry you guys, but I really need to tell Sweetie Belle something," she replied hastily.

"Well, what is it?" Sweetie Belle asked with forced calm, feeling the dirt grinding between her teeth.

"Not here, back at the clubhouse where it's safer," Scootaloo said in a low, conspirative tone, eyes darting from left to right as she scanned the surrounding area.

"Ehh, okay?" Apple Bloom said, unsure, as she and Sweetie Belle shared a glance, before shrugging and following after their orange friend.

"So what's this about?" Apple Bloom piped up as she and Sweetie Belle ran behind their energetic friend, who was dodging and weaving through the many rows of apple trees on her scooter.

"Not here!" Scootaloo replied over her shoulder, and she almost lost her balance and crashed as she suddenly bumped into a large tree root.

"Whoaaa…. I meant to do that!"

"Sure you did," Sweetie Belle said with an eye roll, "And what's in the bag?"

"You'll see," Scootaloo replied vaguely as she increased her speed, disappearing in between the trees, leaving her friends to struggle to keep up.

"What's gotten up her wings?" Apple Bloom asked through heavy breath.

"How should I know," Sweetie Belle replied, panting and struggling to keep up, when suddenly her eyes lit up in realization.

"Oh, duh. I can fly," she said, more to herself than Apple Bloom. And, jumping up in the air, legs turning into an intangible tail, she continued her chase after Scootaloo.

"Show off," Apple Bloom said with a hint of jealousy as she suddenly found herself falling behind, as Sweetie Belle was a lot faster in the air than she was on the ground.

They continued on their way until they broke into the clearing around their clubhouse, seeing Scootaloo waiting impatiently in front of the ramp that led up to the deck.

"What took you so long?" she asked, then she noticed Sweetie Belle hovering in the air and another stab of jealousy took hold of her, "Show off," she said in annoyance, giving the flying unicorn an angry glare.

Sweetie Belle gave a small excited laugh as she landed, her hind legs turning back to normal, as she shot Scootaloo a winning smile.

"Sorry, but it is so much easier to keep up with you like that. Flying is really awesome," she cheered excitedly.

"Yeah, I know," Scootaloo muttered, and Sweetie Belle's smile fell.

"Oh, right. Sorry," she said, apologetic.

"Never mind that!" Apple Bloom piped up, breathing heavily after running at top speed like that, "What was it that ya couldn't tell us back at tha farm?"

"Oh, right. Come inside, you're not going to believe this," Scootaloo responded, shaking her mind clear of the angry thoughts she had towards Sweetie Belle, and her ability to fly. And, instead, ran up the ramp and disappeared inside of their clubhouse.

"What's up with that filly?" Apple Bloom questioned as she looked up at the open door.

"How should I know?" Sweetie Belle responded, "Let's just go and see what it is she wants."

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied with a shrug, and together they climbed up the ramp and entered the tree house. There they saw their orange friend sitting in the center of the small room, pulling something out of the bag she'd been carrying.

"You guys, take a look at this," Scootaloo began as she held up the metal device in her hoof.

"Wow! What is that?" Sweetie Belle said with wide eyes, and, with a beep, the device lit up.

"Wow! What is that? Fear me," an artificial voice said, repeating what she said, with a final addition that took them by surprise.

"What the hay!?" Sweetie Belle said as she looked at the device still in Scootaloo's hoof in confusion, a look shared by her two friends, while Scootaloo dropped the device to the floor in surprise.

"What the hay!? Fear me."

"Scootaloo, what is that thing?" Apple Bloom asked, expecting the device to repeat her as well, but it didn't.

"Hey, it doesn't say what you say," Sweetie Belle remarked.

"Hey, it doesn't say what you say. Fear me."

"It didn't do that when I was working with it back home," Scootaloo said in disbelief, scooting away a bit from the suddenly very strange device.

"Where did you even find that thing?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Where did you even find that thing? I am a ghost, be afraid."

"Wait, what!?" Sweetie Belle cried out.

"Wait, what!? I'll haunt you."

"That's both really creepy, and annoying," Apple Bloom said, poking a hoof at the weird device and flipping it over, revealing the engraved words on the back side of the metal.

"Fenton Ghost Gabber," Sweetie Belle read out loud, and the device reacted once again, but not as it did before as a new, not artificial voice spoke up.

"Fenton Ghost Gabber. You better be afraid, undead spectral entity. This device, made by me, Jack Fenton, is specifically designed to capture any and all speech from you ghosts, and play it in a way that is understandable to us. You may be able to hide, but this nifty device will find you every time you make a sound." Jack Fenton's recorded voice played over the speaker, before the device continued on its programmed setting. "Fear me."

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said slowly, "where did ya get this thing again?"

"I, ehh, found it," she answered hesitantly as she looked at the device.

"Where exactly?" Sweetie Belle asked, seeking clarification.

"Where exactly? I will possess you," the Ghost Gabber piped up, and Sweetie Belle's left eye started to twitch in irritation.

"Ehh," Scootaloo began as she scratched the back of her head.

"WHERE IS IT!?" Sound Wave screamed in a panic, standing above the upturned bed, eyes and ears twitching madly.

A trio of knocks came from the door, and she turned to look at it while letting out a feral growl in irritation.

"WHAT!?"

"... Hey, Wave. Is everything alright in there?" Blue Ice asked from the other side, sounding concerned.

"PERFECT! JUST PERFECT!"

"You sure? You sound a bit… tense," Blue Ice asked after a short moment.

"YES…" Sound Wave snapped, then, forcing herself to calm down and answer through gritted teeth. "Yes, I am just fine. Now leave me alone… Please."

"Ehh… Okay, if you say so. But Rolling Stone wants to plan the next course of action in thirty, you need to be there."

"I KNOW… I know," she answered, and she could hear Blue Ice scurry away from the door.

Taking a deep breath, and then letting it out in an angry huff, steam coming from her nose, she once more observed the carnage that was her room.

"Now, my precious. Where are you?" she said in a manic tone, eye twitching.

"I, eh, found it in one of the rooms those guests are staying in," Scootaloo answered as she finally looked up at her friends. "That's what I needed to tell you. Guys, I think those ponies are ghost hunters."

Silence.

Nopony said anything after that, the bombshell Scootaloo had dropped was too severe to properly process for the moment.

"I know it was them. Who else would be stupid enough to oppose us?" Diamond Tiara snarled as she sat in Silver Spoon's room.

"I don't know," Silver Spoon replied, flinching from the throbbing pain in her skull, and pressing the cold compress firmly against her head.

Diamond Tiara, not normally one to show much compassion towards others, looked at her friend with concern mixed with anger.

"And also that. There is no way I believe a word of what those three Blank Flanks said about you just running into a wall. They did this to you, but our stupid teacher chooses their side. It is obvious they are behind all of this," she continued with her rant, letting out a huff of irritation.

"Uh huh," Silver Spoon agreed, squinting her eyes in pain, though a distinct glare showed through, "So, what's the plan?"

"Isn't it obvious? We expose those losers for what they really are. Nothing but a bunch of stupid, useless, Blank Flanks who are just jealous of us successful ponies. If we do that, no pony will ever choose their side again. And they will never oppose us again either," Diamond Tiara explained as she walked over to the window of Silver Spoon's room, gazing outside with a dark look, seeing the Carousel Boutique in the distance.

"And I know just where to start."

"What!" Apple Bloom shouted, shocked.

"You can't be serious," Sweetie Belle gasped in disbelief as she looked at her pegasus friend.

"You can't be serious. Fear me."

"And can somepony PLEASE shut that thing up!" Sweetie Belle shouted, fed up with the annoying device.

"And can somepony PLEASE shut that thing up! I am your greatest fear."

"Right, hold on," Scootaloo replied as she quickly grabbed the Ghost Gabber and stuffed it back into her bag, then she tossed it in the far corner, hopefully out of hearing distance.

Sweetie Belle let out an annoyed and irritated humph, crossing her front legs over her chest as she glared at the bag with the infuriating object, hoping she wouldn't have to hear that thing repeat her any longer.

"But really. Ya can't be serious, right?" Apple Bloom asked, continuing as if they hadn't been interrupted.

"Well, I don't know," Scootaloo answered with a shrug, "But I found that thing in one of their rooms, and they did travel together. So, I guess, yeah."

"But… But why?" Sweetie Belle asked, and flinched as she expected the infuriating device to repeat her again. But no sound was heard, and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, that's better. But really. Why would there be any ghost hunters all the way out here?"

"I dunno?" Scootaloo replied, shrugging a bit.

"Maybe they found out about ya?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Scootaloo cut in, "They showed up only a day after what happened with Sweetie Belle, and I don't think anypony else knows about it."

"Okay. But then why are they here?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah, why else would there be a group of ghost hunters in Ponyville?" Sweetie Belle added, before her eyes widened in horrified understanding.

"DANNY!" she shouted, and her friends shared the same look of understanding she had.

"But… But we don't even know if he is a ghost, or something," Scootaloo quickly spoke up.

"Maybe they do," Apple Bloom suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Sweetie Belle said slowly.

"What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I don't know. It's just a feeling I've got, but I don't think they know… Then again, do we really know anything about Danny?" Sweetie Belle told them.

"... Well, he's nice," Apple Bloom said after a short moment of silence.

"And he helped when we were in trouble in the forest," Scootaloo added.

"And he doesn't have a Cutie Mark," Apple Bloom said, remembering what Danny had told them after they had tried to capture him to get their human catching Cutie Marks.

"And he also said his special somepony, or something, is dead," Scootaloo continued as she thought back to that day as well.

"And… Anything else?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Well, no. Unless he is tha Halfa Frostbite talked about," Apple Bloom admitted.

"But we don't know that for certain. So, we don't really know anything, do we?" Sweetie Belle asked, and they all looked down at the floor.

Silence. 

"Maybe Wind Chill knows something?" Scootaloo suddenly piped up, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked up at their friend.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Sweetie Belle proclaimed, and she jumped up on all fours.

"Maybe he can tell us something about that thing ya found too," Apple Bloom suggested as she pointed at Scootaloo's bag.

"Hey, yeah. Maybe he can," Scootaloo replied, and she quickly retrieved her bag.

"Just keep that thing away from me," Sweetie Belle said sourly as Scootaloo approached her, and they could hear a muffled, artificial, voice come from the bag.

"Right," Scootaloo said with a nod, and the three of them rushed out of the treehouse, Scootaloo jumping on her scooter, while Sweetie Belle took to the sky once more.

"Jus' follow me," Apple Bloom said as she took point, "Ah know tha fastest way ta get ta his barn."

Giving their agreements, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed their earth pony friend, finding themselves holding back so they wouldn't overtake her, and thus they went on their way to see the frost giant living in the orchard.

Standing in the cover of a side alley, Rolling Stone, Blue Ice and Ornate Charm were waiting for the missing member of their group, much to the noticeable displeasure of Rolling Stone. 

"You did remind her about this meeting didn't you?" he asked Blue Ice, who responded with a confirming nod.

"I did, but she sounded… More than a little tense. I don't know what was happening in that room of hers, but something is going on," she answered. It was then that they heard the pounding of hooves on the ground approaching their alley, and the heavy breathing produced by the pony that came rushing towards them, before coming to a skidding halt, almost tripping over her own legs.

"Smooth," Ornate Charm said, but was quick to shut up after Rolling Stone glared at her.

"Sir. I'm sorry for being late," Sound Wave said with a hasty salute, trying to keep her breathing under control.

"Specialist Sound Wave," Rolling Stone spoke with a slow, deliberate tone, "Mind telling me why you are late? And why you, despite clear instructions to keep a low profile, found it necessary to storm through town like that, and possibly give us away to the locals?"

Sound Wave, already standing at rigid attention the moment her commanding officer spoke, tensed up even more.

"Sir," she began, "My apologies for my behavior, but I lost track of time. I came here as quickly as I could, but in my haste I forgot to keep a low profile."

"And why," Rolling Stone spoke through gritted teeth, "did you lose track of time, when Specialist Blue Ice reminded you about this meetup?"

"Sir," she answered, swallowing a thick lump in her throat, "This morning I wanted to continue my work on the Ghost Gabber. However, it would seem the device has gone missing."

Silence.

"Missing? What do you mean, missing?" Rolling Stone growled, "Are you telling me that you lost a specially designed, expensive piece of ghost hunting equipment, of which we only have a very limited supply to begin with?"

Rolling Stone glared into Sound Wave's eyes, standing almost muzzle to muzzle, and Sound Wave felt herself shrink down from the piercing gaze. Her life flashing before her eyes as she knew that her commander was not one to look kindly on those that either misused royal guard equipment, or, in her case, lost it.

"Y-Yes sir," she answered, her voice faltering a bit.

"How!?" he asked in a growl.

"I... I do not know, Sir. I put the device in a safe place, out of sight and locked away. Plus the door to my room was also locked when I got back. I have not moved the Ghost Gabber since the last time I worked on it, and it should have been there. Instead, despite the fact that all the locks were still in place, the device has vanished," Sound Wave answered, and Blue Ice and Ornate Charm shared a look of confusion with each other.

Rolling Stone stepped away from the steel gray mare, glaring at her for good measure before he turned to the rest of the group.

"Well, it looks like we are now on a search and retrieval mission. We can't have this kind of equipment fall into the wrong hooves. And, Celestia be damned, if somepony finds it and links it to us. Ornate Charm, Blue Ice, go back to the guest house and search the perimeter for the Ghost Gabber. Sound Wave and I will go back to her room, since it seems that she can't do anything on her own, and see what we can find there," Rolling Stone ordered with an angry tone, displeased over the fact that they had lost even more valuable time because of this mishap.

"Sir, permission to speak?" Blue Ice asked.

"Granted," he replied.

"Sound Wave, you said that all the locks were still in place?" Blue Ice asked, and Sound Wave nodded in response, "And did you think about doing a spectral scan of the room?" she queried, and Sound Wave's eyes widened in realization.

"I- I did not," she replied, and Rolling Stone turned back to her, anger burning in his eyes.

"Sir," Blue Ice spoke up, diverting his attention away from the shaken mare, "if what Sound Wave said is true, and with the possibility of spectral activity taking place around here, it is quite possible that any ghost or ghosts have taken notice of us, and are trying to sabotage our operation by taking away the equipment we work with."

"If that is true, it has complicated our mission considerably," Rolling Stone replied, letting out an angry huff, "Okay, we continue as planned. You and Ornate Charm go search the perimeter of the guest house, make sure to scan for spectral activity if you can. Sound Wave and I will do the same in her room."

"Sir, yes sir," Blue Ice, Ornate Charm, and Sound Wave said, giving him a quick salute, then went on their way. Hoping their cover was still intact, while Sound Wave also hoped that her flank wouldn't get chewed out too much. 

She already knew, though, that that was just wishful thinking.

Apple Bloom rushed past the tree line, bursting into the weed covered clearing around the old barn. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle appeared moments later. 

The winged speed demon came to a grinding stop, spraying up dirt while Sweetie Belle dropped down to the ground, hind legs rematerializing.

"Huh, I didn't know about this one," Sweetie Belle remarked as she looked at the old structure.

"Yeah, it's a bit further back in tha orchard. My pa build it, but we haven't used it since…" Apple Bloom replied, only to trail off.

"Since what?" Scootaloo asked, but Apple Bloom didn't answer.

"It's not important. Let's just get Wind Chill, an' find out what he knows."

"Eh... okay," Scootaloo replied, giving her friend a questioning look.

Stepping away from her friends, Apple Bloom approached the barn's doors, moving to pull open one of the double doors, but stopping mid motion as she hesitated. Then, knowing someone was now living in here, she knocked on the door, and waited for a reply, but none came.

"Hey Wind Chill, ya there? It's me, Apple Bloom. And Ah've brought Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo," she called out, giving another knock on the door.

"Maybe he isn't here?" Scootaloo suggested.

"Then where would he go?" Sweetie Belle asked, "He does stand out a bit."

"Maybe he just didn't hear me," Apple Bloom replied, "Hold on, Ah'll look."

Pulling open the door, hiding the inside from her friends' view as they stood to the side, she looked inside, and her body locked up as she stood frozen on the spot, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"What tha hay!" she shouted as she looked inside.

"What is it?" Scootaloo asked.

"Isn't he there?" Sweetie Belle added.

"Oh, he's there alright. An' something else as well," Apple Bloom said, shocked.

"What? What is it?" Scootaloo asked, confused, and Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up while a grin formed on her muzzle.

"Is it Pete, your coltfriend?"

Apple Bloom slowly turned to look at her friend, clearly annoyed.

"You know. The one you mentioned some time ago," Sweetie Belle continued with a large, teasing grin.

"Ooh, right. Pete," Scootaloo piped up, an equally large grin showing on her face, "Well, is he in there? We really want to meet him."

"Ha ha," Apple Bloom droned, annoyed, glaring at her two friends, "You two are SOO funny."

"Well, in our defense. We did say we wouldn't let this go… Sooo," Sweetie Belle replied with a smug grin, "But really. What is in there?"

Still glaring at her friends, Apple Bloom didn't say anything. Instead, she pushed the door all the way open. And, with a low, drawn out creak, the two remaining crusaders were able to see what it was that had stunned their friend.

"What..." Sweetie Belle said, at a loss for words.

"The..." Scootaloo added, equally flabbergasted.

"Hay," Apple Bloom finished for them, and together the three of them looked at the inside of the barn. Or, what was supposed to be the inside of a barn, and certainly not an igloo.

Ice, ice everywhere. Ice on the floor. Ice on the walls. Ice on the ceiling. Ice everywhere. 

Several large columns, made of ice, stood in the center, supporting the roof, which was now much heavier. There was a corner sofa, made of ice, standing in the far back, while a whole dining table, made of ice, stood on the opposite side. A chandelier of, you've guessed it, ice. And, to top it all off. Standing in the far right corner, was a large, king sized bed, made of ice. And, lying on top of it, fast asleep, was Wind Chill. His leg kicking in response to whatever dream he was having, while he was covered under a layer of snow as if it were a blanket.

"Wow!" Scootaloo said in shocked amazement, her breath forming a cloud in the cold air.

"Was it always like this?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking around in wonder.

"No, no it wasn't," Apple Bloom answered, eyes wide in shock.

With a sound akin to a roar mixed with a loud yawn Wind Chill rolled out of his bed, hitting the floor with an "Oomph," and he pushed himself up, a confused, and sleepy look on his face.

Peering around with bleary eyes, it took Wind Chill a moment to figure out where he was, and that he had visitors. 

Finally, his brain registered the fact that he was no longer lying on his bed, and that it would probably be a good idea to wake up. Still, he figured, better ease into it slowly. And as such, Wind Chill clumsily pushed himself upright, swaying on the spot, blinking uncoordinatedly.

"Apple Bloom," he said, before a loud yawn interrupted him, "Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he asked, stepping forward while scratching his head, and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Have you been sleeping the entire time?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I'm afraid so, yes. I am not accustomed to this kind of heat, and it is sapping my strength more than I had originally anticipated," Wind Chill answered as he sat down on the sofa, "But, please, come in," he told the fillies standing at the border between summer and winter, and they, carefully, stepped inside, shivering when the full force of the arctic chill hit them.

"What did ya do ta tha barn?" Apple Bloom asked, sounding shocked as she took it all in.

"I… may have made a few modifications to make it better suited to me," he answered with an awkward smile, "But perhaps I have overdone it a bit?"

"A bit?" Sweetie Belle said, amazed.

"This is awesome," Scootaloo chirped happily as she slid over the slippery surface coating the floor. At least until she lost her hoofing, and her legs slipped out from underneath her. 

Hitting the floor with a thud, she continue her slide, coming to a stop against the opposite wall with her rear pressing against the cold surface. A shiver went up her spine, and she scrambled to get away from the freezing cold that had shot through her flank.

"It isn't too much, is it?" Wind Chill asked worriedly, glancing down at Apple Bloom.

Walking around a bit and looking at all that the frost giant had done to the old barn, Apple Bloom wasn't sure how she felt about this. True, she told him he could make a few changes should it be needed. But this… She wasn't expecting this. And, although she wasn't all that thrilled he did this to the barn her father had built, she had to admit, like Scootaloo said, that it was pretty amazing as well. Besides, she never really knew her father, or mother, so why should she worry all that much about it?

"It's… alright, Ah guess. Wasn't really expecting this, but Ah guess it's fine," Apple Bloom said, sounding unsure. Her mind was telling her that this place is nothing more than an old barn, but her heart was saying that it is so much more as well.

"Never mind, though. We got something we needed ta ask ya," she said, turning to Wind Chill, who was finally waking up and sitting upright on the sofa.

"Then by all means, ask," he replied, "Anything to help you and your friends."

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said as she turned to her friend.

"Right," Scootaloo said as she removed the bag from her back, and grabbed the Fenton Ghost Gabber out of it, "I found this, and we were wondering if you know what it is?"

Wind Chill, seeing the device held in Scootaloo's grasp, sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth, recognizing the device, and knowing what it does.

"Where did you find that?" he asked with a nervous tone, and the device lit up.

"Where did you find that? Fear me!"

"Hey, it repeats him too," Apple Bloom said, scratching her head in confusion.

"And it will do so for any ghost, spirit or other spectral entity," Wind Chill said, and the device repeated him, with the addition of some pointless warning, "So, where did you find this thing?" he asked Scootaloo again, trying to ignore the artificial voice coming from the device.

"Well… It was in the room where one of those guests stays. I live in a guest house, you see. And there are these four ponies that all came in together, and this thing was laying in one of their rooms," Scootaloo answered, making sure to leave out some of the details of her 'find'.

"Ponies staying in your home brought this with them?" Wind Chill asked, for clarification, a nervous edge to his voice.

"Uhh, yes. I think so," Scootaloo answered, unsure, "I think they're ghost hunters."

"And I think you are correct. This device, it is known to us ghosts. A creation of the parents of the Great One himself. And, seeing the modifications made to it, allowing it to be used more efficiently by you ponies, it is safe to assume the Fentons made this for them," Wind Chill spoke, ignoring the "Fear me" the device added to his words.

"Well, it does say Fenton on tha back," Apple Bloom remarked dryly, and Wind Chill turned the device over, seeing the words engraved in the metal casing.

"I see. This is worrying."

"I see. This is worrying. Be afraid, be very afraid!"

"Huhuuhuh," Sweetie Belle shuddered, "Why does it even do that? Adding those things, I mean."

"Huhuuhuh. Why does it even do that? Adding those things, I mean. Are you afraid yet?"

"They added such a feature because of their narrow minded belief that all ghosts are evil," Wind Chill explained with a sullen tone, handing the device back to Scootaloo, "Make sure you hide it, and keep it hidden," he implored the orange filly, "If they truly are hunters of spectral entities, then we need to make sure they don't find us."

"Okay… And how do we do that?" Scootaloo asked, stuffing the Ghost Gabber back in her pack.

"You said you took this from one of their chambers? Well, can you get into the others as well? If so, you might be able to acquire more of their gadgets, making it harder for them to do their work. Thus making things a bit safer for us ghosts," Wind Chill offered, and a sly grin spread across Scootaloo's muzzle.

"Oh, I think I can work something out," Scootaloo said, sharing a devious grin with her friends.

"Somehow that does not reassure me," WInd Chill muttered, wondering if this was such a good idea after all. The words of the Alpha echoing through his mind.

'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.'

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.

'You will find out soon enough.'

The tension was high, and neither Sound Wave and Rolling Stone spoke. She, because she didn't want to make things worse. He, because he had enough trouble containing himself as it was.

How she could have made those mistakes, she didn't know. She didn't know how the Ghost Gabber, which she stored away in what she thought was a relatively safe place, and with her door locked, could just vanish like that. Heck, her room's door was still locked when she came back. And then there was the other thing. She knew she was stressed, quite a lot in fact, over the disappearance of the Gabber, and with good reason. She was always careful with the tech entrusted to her, especially the tech that used sound to operate. It was part of her special talent after all. Her name even alluded to it: Sound Wave. But, after discovering that the Gabber, her Gabber, was missing she might have gone... a bit crazy. But only just a bit. And, as a result, she completely forgot about the most basic of her training. A rookie mistake, and because of it she found herself neck deep in a mountain of manure, and she didn't dare open her mouth, lest she drown in a figurative pile of crap.

Now though, she found herself back in her room, fortunately managing to avoid the guest house's owner, who seemed to have just disappeared. Odd, but she couldn't really worry about that right now. She was far too busy worrying about the orange stallion moving through her room, scanning everything with the scanner Blue Ice had recalibrated once more after last night's fiasco.

She did the same with her own hoof held device, making sure to stay on the other side of the room. And, together, the two of them tried to salvage the situation. And she hoped that, whatever the results, there would be a good explanation for the disappearance of the Ghost Gabber. Although, she also hoped it wouldn't be related to ghosts in any way. There was no way she'd lived through that, no pun intended. A ghost hunter who had her tech taken by a ghost, or ghosts. She'd be a laughing stock among the Ghost-Keteers.

So, already nervous and stressed over the current situation, she was sure she felt her heart stop when her scanner showed a positive hit, right in front of the very cabinet where she had stored the Gabber.

Hearing the beeping sound indicating a positive hit, Rolling Stone turned to look at Sound Wave, seeing her standing rigid on the spot while she looked at her scanner with wide, fearful eyes.

Walking over to her in silence, he quickly scanned the area with his own scanner, receiving the same outcome she had.

Shooting her an angry glare, Rolling Stone stepped towards the cabinet and opened it. They both recoiled in shock at what they found.

"Oh my gosh! You need to come, too!" Pinkie Pie gasped out excitedly, having, somehow, managed to fit perfectly inside the cabinet.

Reaching out with her hooves, she grabbed the two confused ponies, and pulled them inside the cabinet with her, the door slamming shut behind them.

"Wait, did you hear that?" Blue Ice asked Ornate Charm as the sound of something slamming shut reached her ears.

"Hear what?"

"... Nothing. Just thought I heard something," she responded.

"I heard something too!" a new voice piped up, and the two of them looked at the pink mare, who, somehow, had managed to sneak up on them, "It sounded sort of like 'Ghaaa!'."

"Uh… Wha?" Ornate Charm uttered dumbly, while Blue Ice stared blankly at Pinkie.

"You didn't hear it. Huh, oh well," Pinkie said with a shrug, "Anyhow. Gotta run," she added, and shot off in a blur, pulling the two of them with her.

"GHAAAA!" they both shouted as they were pulled along.

"Yeah, just like that!" Pinkie chirped happily.

Diamond Tiara was moving through the streets of Ponyville, heading to Carousel Boutique. 

Normally, Silver Spoon would come with her. But this time it was not possible, due to Silver Spoon's condition. A condition she was in thanks to those three loser Blank Flanks.

How they did it, she didn't know. Nor did she know why everypony, even the teacher, took their side. While, obviously, everypony should have taken theirs; the most important ponies found in Ponyville.

No, she didn't know why. But she was determined to find out.

Looking around to see if anypony saw her, she quickly headed inside the boutique. Opening the door just wide enough to enter, but not enough to hit the bell above, she quietly entered the clothes shop.

'Now. If I were a loser Blank Flank, where would I hide anything I want to keep a secret?' she mused, looking around the seemingly empty building. Quietly moving around, she looked to see if there was anypony that could ruin her well thought out plan. But when she finished inspecting the lower floor, and as she didn't hear anypony above, she was quite pleased to find she was the only one here, and that she didn't have to sneak around the entire time. After all, she might get dust on herself, or some other filth, should she have to do so. A sacrifice she was willing to make, but still something she wanted to avoid.

Now though, she was moving upstairs, not even trying to be quiet as she went from door to door, until she found the room she knew could only belong to a loser Blank Flank.

"Excellent," she said with a sneer, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"Now, what secrets do you hide in here that I can use against you?"

She moved around Sweetie Belle's bedroom, not caring the slightest about being careful as she pulled open drawers, a closet, and everything else that she fancied. Throwing everything out on the floor, she almost literally overturned the room in search of some earth shattering secret she knew had to be here. Something that she and her friends had used, most likely a spell of some sort, to wipe their memory, which also brought her here in the first place. Who but a unicorn could use a memory wipe spell? But, as she made an even bigger mess than what was already found in the room, she groaned in irritation as she was unable to find anything.

"Nothing," she huffed, "there is nothing here."

Looking once more at the mess she had made, her eyes fell on the single bed in the room. Deciding that it was the only place she hadn't yet looked, she stomped over to it, stepping and kicking on as many items as she could.

'It has to be here. I know she is hiding something,' she thought as she lay down on the floor, making a mental note to take a long shower after this, and looked underneath the bed. She let loose a frightened scream as two blue eyes stared back at her, and a pink hoof pulled her under the bed while she grasped at the floor in fright, trying to keep herself from whatever fate lay in store for her. But she was quickly overpowered. And, with almost maniacal laughter coming from under the bed, she was pulled into the place where monsters lay hidden. And, if one were to look right now, they would find no trace of either Diamond Tiara, or the pink monster that had taken her. Except for the tiara that lay discarded under the bed, having fallen off the tiny tyrant's head as she was dragged away.

The front door creaked open, and the sound of multiple sets of hooves clopping on the floor resonated through the lobby. The same ominous creak could be heard as the door closed, and three young ponies faded into view. 

Standing in the lobby of the guest house, looking around to make sure nopony was there to see them, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle hurried up the stairs, quickly entering Scootaloo's room.

"Well, that was easy," Sweetie Belle breathed out.

"A bit too easy, if ya ask me," Apple Bloom replied.

"Yeah…" Scootaloo agreed, "Where is everypony? Bellflower should be here. And, thinking about it, the town was pretty empty too."

"Hey, yeah," Apple Bloom replied as she came to the same realization.

"Strange…" Sweetie Belle mused, holding a pondering hoof against her chin, "Oh well. Makes things easier for us, right?"

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied with a shrug.

"So, where to?" Sweetie Belle asked as she turned to the pegasus in the room.

"This way," Scootaloo instructed after a short moment, holding her door open a bit, and poking her head out to make sure there wasn't anyone who might see them. "It's those rooms over there," she added, pointing to the three other rooms found on their floor.

"I found that thingy in this room over here," Scootaloo told them, pointing a wing at the room closest to her own, "So I guess we should start with one of the other two," she explained, waving her other wing at the two remaining rooms.

"Okay… How are we supposed ta get inside?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well. I thought Sweetie Belle could do that intan- intang-... That walk through walls thingy," she replied with a frown, struggling with the strange word.

"Intangibility," Sweetie Belle corrected her, "And you heard what the elder said. I can't do that, yet."

"Oh, right," Scootaloo muttered, scratching her head, "Well, it's the old-fashioned way, I guess."

"Old-fashion way?' Apple Bloom asked quizzically.

"Wait here," Scootaloo told them, and she headed downstairs, leaving her friends to wait outside the two rooms they need to get into, while they heard a ruckus coming from downstairs.

"What's she doing?" Sweetie Belle asked her remaining friend.

"How should Ah know?" Apple Bloom responded with a shrug.

"Just asking," Sweetie Belle replied with a shrug of her own. But her question was soon answered, when, with the jingle of keys, Scootaloo came back upstairs.

"There we go, the old-fashioned way," Scootaloo proclaimed as she showed the array of keys she held, receiving a flat look from Sweetie Belle, "What?"

"Sooo… You want me to walk through walls, while you've had the keys the entire time!?" Sweetie Belle half asked, half stated in an annoyed tone.

"Ehh… Yes," Scootaloo answered with a sheepish smile, "But only because it's sooo much more awesome."

Sweetie Belle was about to reply to that, when a nudge from her earth pony friend distracted her.

"Just leave it," Apple Bloom told her, while rolling her eyes at Scootaloo, "Also, since when do you have tha keys ta tha rooms?"

"Well… I don't. These are just the spare keys, you know, for emergencies and stuff," Scootaloo answered, shrugging, "And they stay in a small safe, locked away."

"Then how did you get them?" Sweetie Belle asked, puzzled.

"I know the combination," Scootaloo stated simply.

"Does Bellflower know ya know that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Nope," Scootaloo replied with a grin, and she walked over to the door closest to her. "Well, here goes."

Putting the key in the keyhole, and turning it to unlock the door, she swung the door open, allowing them entrance into the room of one of the supposed ghost hunters.

"So, who was it that stays in here?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking around.

"I dunno," Scootaloo said with a shrug, closing the door behind them "Never heard their names. But I know it's that unicorn mare with the dark pink fur and a dark purple mane and tail."

"Hmmm, not really ringing a bell," Apple Bloom said, thinking back.

"I don't think I have seen her either," Sweetie Belle spoke up.

"Meh," Scootaloo said, uncaring, "I don't really know any of them either. The only reason I've seen them is because they stay here… Although…" she said, before trailing off as she remembered that orange stallion talking to her some time ago, and that one word he said.

"Although, what?" Sweetie Belle asked after a moment.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Scootaloo turned to her friends.

"Ehh… Nothing, just zoned out for a moment. So, what are we looking for, exactly?" she said instead, shifting their attention away from her.

A shrug was the only answer she got, and she let out an annoyed sigh as they started their search. 

For several minutes they searched and searched, and, after the 'long and exhausting' search, Scootaloo came to an enlightening realization.

"Okay. I'm bored."

"Huh, what do ya mean?" Apple Bloom queried.

"Yeah. We're sneaking through somepony's room, looking for ghost hunting things," Sweetie Belle added.

"Ghaa, I know. But we've been looking forever," Scootaloo groaned.

"It's only been a few minutes," Apple Bloom stated flatly, rolling her eyes.

"But shouldn't we have found something by now?" Scootaloo continued, ignoring the look her friend gave her.

"After only a few minutes?" Sweetie Belle said questioningly.

"Well, it didn't take this long when I found that Gabber thingy," Scootaloo huffed as she sat down, crossing her front legs over her chest.

"Yeah, about that… How did ya find that thing anyhow?" Apple Bloom asked.

"... Eehhh… Well… It just showed up, sorta," Scootaloo answered, unsure.

Sweetie Belle looked at her in confusion, "What do you mean?" she asked, as she lifted the bed's mattress, looking underneath it for anything that might have been hidden there.

"Yeah. How does somethin' just show up?" Apple Bloom added.

Silence.

"... I don't know. It just did," Scootaloo answered after a moment, "But shouldn't we have found something, anything, by now?"

"Maybe we would have, if you actually searched," Apple Bloom told her impatient friend.

"Fine," Scootaloo sighed.

"Oh, don't be like that," Sweetie Belle said cheerfully, "I'm sure we'll find something."

"Yeah, probably Pinkie Pie, or something," Scootaloo muttered sarcastically as she opened a drawer in a small desk.
 
"BOO!"

"GHAAAA!" Scootaloo yelled, followed moments later by her two friends, as, without any warning, Pinkie Pie's head popped out of the drawer, giving the three of them a large, toothy smile.

"Can't have a party with you three missing!" she chirped, and the drawer next to the one her head came out opened, her legs sticking out of it, wiggling in the air.

"Oh, shoot. I'm stuck," she said with a frown, "Don't go anywhere! I'll be right with ya."

Her head vanished back inside the drawer, while her legs remained sticking out, and the sounds of a saw sawing and a hammer hammering could be heard. Then everything fell silent, and an annoyed humm came from the drawer's depths. Then, making the three fillies jump up in fright, the loud banging of a jackhammer came from within the desk's drawers.

"What tha HAY is going on in there!?" Apple Bloom shouted worriedly.

"It's Pinkie Pie!" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Somehow that doesn't answer anything right now!" Scootaloo shouted over the rapid banging.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the room fell silent once more.

"Okay?... How did that happen?" Pinkie's voice suddenly piped up, coming from deep within the desk's drawer.

"Ehh... Pinkie, is everything alright?" Sweetie Belle asked, unsure, giving a small tap against the drawer.

"Yes, don't worry. I'm just having trouble with the plumbing."

"Plumbing?" Scootaloo said, puzzled, "Weren't you here to get us for a party, or something?"

The sound of a hoof hitting something, most likely a head, came from within the desk, and Pinkie's head poked back up.

"Oh, duh. Of course. That was what I was doing. Okay, here we go!" she shouted exuberantly, and her legs, once stuck, now reached out and pulled the fillies inside the drawer with blurring speed. Both drawers slammed shut, and the room was left empty once more.

The sun was starting to set, and Wind Chill was waiting impatiently inside the frozen barn, wondering when those three children were coming back.

"This is taking too long. Even with their inexperience, they should have been back by now," he muttered, "Unless… Good grief. What if those ghost hunters have gotten a hold of them! I knew it was a bad idea to let them go in there by themselves."

Standing up in a hurry, he rushed to the barn's double doors, swinging them wide open, letting in the relative warm air of the approaching night.

"Hold on you three. I'm coming to help," he stated with conviction as he rushed out of the barn and into the orchard.

'I will need to be careful, though. I mustn't be seen. Luckily the coming darkness will aid me,' he thought to himself as trees blurred past him.

He moved in a blur, a white shadow, rapidly approaching the orchard's edge, before coming to a grinding halt, lingering behind the last line of trees hiding him from sight.

Looking out towards the town not too far from him, he scanned the horizon, watching to see if there was anyone there who might see him. 

Seeing that there was no one to speak of, he took this opportunity and headed into the village with as much speed and stealth he could manage. 

Diving into the shadow of the closest house he could find, he pressed himself against the wall, while also crouching a bit, keeping himself hidden as best as possible.

Hearing the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoing through the empty streets some distance away from him, Wind Chill peeked around the corner, hoping to find out who it was that was moving through the streets, and if he or she would prove to be a problem for him. Then, a realization came to him.

'Footsteps?... But these ponies have hooves… Unless...'

Scanning the street from his hiding place, Wind Chill noticed a tall, thin figure walking through the darkening village. His ghost vision making it possible for him to see through the shadows that obscured the lone human, and he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as he recognized the face of the Great One.

'By the ancestors. It is you!' he thought, when he noticed something was off. The Great One seemed on edge for some reason, as he looked around the dark streets, and seemingly empty houses. Finding no one on the streets, save for himself, as he was using his human eyes instead of his ghost vision. And, as luck would have it, the distance between the two of them seemed large enough for him to escape detection by Danny's ghost sense.

He continued to observe the human revered by his kind, seeing him move faster and faster, clearly nervous about something. And before long, he was moving at an all out sprint, clearly heading towards a planned destination instead of wandering around aimlessly.

Wind Chill stalked the nervous human, staying far enough to keep out of sight and ghost sense range, yet close enough to see everything that was happening. Still, he had to be careful. Should he be seen, either by Danny or any of the ponies living here, there would be severe consequences. And, worst of all. The Great One might be scared away, and back into hiding. 

No, now that the Great One has been found, he had to act carefully. So, moving from shadow to shadow, hiding behind the buildings of the town, Wind Chill quietly observed the human who his entire kind was indebted to.

It didn't take long for Danny to reach his destination, as he was moving as fast as he could without resorting to flying. And, as Wind Chill observed him, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Everywhere he went the buildings were dark and lifeless, and not in a Ghost Zone sort of way. No, this village was quiet, too quiet, and he knew something was about to happen. And seeing Danny's nervous stance, he knew the Great One was involved in this somehow.

'What wickedness has found you now, Great One?' he thought as he saw the human reach out to the door knob of a dark, and seemingly empty place.

The door creaked open, the sound echoing loudly through the empty streets, and Danny stepped inside, the door slowly closing behind him with the same drawn out creak.

Seeing this, and feeling the tension in the air, he feared some wicked foe was about to begin its attack on the Great One. So, moving in closer, but careful not to alert the Great One to his presence just yet, he approached the building in such a way he was able to look through one of the windows, while still keeping a safe distance. Then everything went white as, suddenly, the lights flicked on, and a multitude of voices shouted a loud:

”SURPRISE!”

'What?... What is happening?' Wind Chill wondered as he rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear the spots from his vision.

Looking back inside, he noticed that many ponies of various colors stood inside, cheering and laughing. Then, suddenly, the door slammed open, and he pressed himself against the wall he stood by as a pink blur shot past. Blinking several times, wondering what it was that had just happened, the blur shot by again, the door slamming shut.

“There, now we are ready to get this party started!” a loud and cheerful feminine voice said, and, through the window, Wind Chill saw the Great One standing, with a party hat on his head, a large smile on his confused face.

And, looking further throughout the room, he also noticed three other beings of interest.

'Ugh.. Children,' he thought as he saw Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle standing next to a table filled with various edible goods, ranging from cupcakes, to muffins, to pies, and much, much more. There was even a punch bowl with…

Wind Chill blinked several times in surprised confusion, wondering why there was a baby alligator swimming in the punch.

'These ponies are certainly strange,' he thought as he continued his observation, confident they couldn't see him through the darkness that had settled over the town, and he looked back at Danny again.

'I know of what happened to your mate, Great One. The pain it has caused you. But, as it would seem, you have finally found some peace of mind. Better to keep it that way.'

And with that final thought, Wind Chill retreated back to the orchard, a smile gracing his lips.

Loud music blasted from the speakers, which were bouncing on the spot, while several flashing lights lit the room. Ponies, and a human, were dancing to the music. Or, in some cases, moving around in a spastic attempt to dance. Which, in their own way, was another source of great entertainment. Especially when everypony was watching how Danny was trying to avoid Twilight's flailing legs while also trying to put in a serious effort to murder the art of dance himself.

There was laughter, cheering, drinking, snacking, and music accompanying it all as almost everypony was enjoying themselves. There were, however, several ponies who stood at the sides of the room, looking around uncomfortably as they weren't sure what was going on, or how they even got there. All they knew, was that it had something to do with that crazy pink pony playing pin the tail on the pony, and somehow managing to pin the tail on herself, while her tail ended up on the picture stuck on the wall. Truly, Discord himself couldn't have done it better, as far as foals' games were concerned at least.

Even worse, for them, was the fact they didn't have any opportunity to use their scanners. It was too crowded, and the presence of, what was practically the entire town, ruined such an otherwise perfect opportunity to get close to the human. 

Of course other opportunities presented themselves, and they tried to sneak out to investigate Danny Manson's house. But every time they tried, they were stopped by the same pink monster who had brought them here in the first place; shoving a boat load of cake in their mouths, and steering them towards the dance floor, putting them on the spot in front of everypony.

No, tonight was not a good night for them. And worse, Pinkie Pie wouldn't let them go. Not until they have had fun at least. 

Yes, they were in for a very long night. A night where they were subjected to a seemingly unstoppable force. A force named Pinkie Pie. A force who was now dancing on the table with a baby alligator.

But the problem of having fun was not something Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were troubled with, as they sat underneath the table holding all the cakes, pies, and other delicious treats, of which they grabbed as many of as they could, before pulling them under the table with them, munching audibly and with smiles all around.

And, while she did that, Sweetie Belle also lifted the tablecloth hiding them from view with what little magic she could summon, looking at Danny's attempt to dance along with Twilight.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle, what are you looking at?" Apple Bloom asked, burping loudly afterwards.

"Danny," she answered, and dropped the tablecloth, "Just wondering if he really is a ghost or not," she added with a slightly lowered voice, the music loud enough to mask her speech.

"Meh, who knows," Scootaloo said with shrug as she devoured another cupcake, "Not much sense in worrying about it now, though."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle answered, and she sunk her teeth into an apple fritter herself.

"He does seem happy now though, if what we were told is true," Apple Bloom said as she looked at Danny herself, lifting the obscuring cloth with her tail.

"He does," Scootaloo agreed, when she spotted some ponies in the center of the dance floor, looking around uncomfortably, "Uh-oh."

"What, what is it?" Sweetie Belle asked as she turned to her orange friend.

"Those ponies over there," Scootaloo said while pointing a hoof.

"Who? Those four ponies standin' there on tha dance floor?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah, them. Those are the ponies I was talking about earlier. They are… the ghost hunters," Scootaloo said with a nod, her voice lowered to such a level she could barely be heard over the music.

"Wait. Them?" Sweetie Belle asked, a tone of nervousness entering her voice.

"Yeah," was all Scootaloo said in acknowledgement.

Lowering the tablecloth to the floor, Apple Bloom turned to her friends.

"Well, now we all know who we're dealin' with."

"But shouldn't we be worried they might do something?" Sweetie Belle asked, concerned.

"Nah. Too many ponies here for them ta do anything," Apple Bloom reassured her friend, "So no worries there."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle muttered.

"Meh, don't worry. If they think they can try anything, they have another thing coming. After all, they have us to deal with, the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Scootaloo said with an eager edge to her voice, "Plus, there's that thing you can do," she added as she looked at Sweetie Belle.

"Right. So no worries there," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Agreed, no pony should worry at a party," Pinkie Pie proclaimed, sitting next to them, and the three fillies jumped up in fright, knocking their heads against the table, before crawling out of their hiding spot accompanied by the laughter of the other ponies who stood there.

"Now, PARTY!" Pinkie shouted, overly hyperactive, and she jumped into the crowd, vanishing from sight.

"Well, that just happened," Apple Bloom muttered as she rubbed her head.

"Yeah, what is it with that pony?" Scootaloo asked, when she noticed something tugging at her tail. Looking behind her, and lifting her tail up, she saw the endless gaze of Gummy, Pinkie's pet alligator clamped tightly on her tail. His mindless look giving no answer to her question.

"Never mind," she sighed as she dropped the alligator back to the ground, dragging it along with her, "Let's just go and party."

That was something her friends agreed with, and they mingled into the crowd, approaching Danny while dodging several flailing hooves and feet, and wished him a happy birthday, before showing him and Twilight how it was done.

Many cheers erupted from the crowd as the party went on throughout the night. And, despite everything that had happened, and everything that was going to happen. One thing was crystal clear right now.

They would never get their Cutie Marks in dancing.