//------------------------------// // The Ghostly Bolts // Story: A Ghost of a Nightmare // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// As the train pulled into Ponyville station, the girls, Spike, Luna, Discord, Slimer, and the Ghostbusters got off. The boys looked around the old town as Ray spoke, "Ponyville looks just as lively as ever." "You bet it does." Rainbow stated. "Hey, what's that over there?" Peter asked, as he saw something tall in the spot where Golden Oaks Library was supposed to be. "That's Twilight's castle." Pinkie answered. "Castle?!" the boys and Slimer gasped. "Twilight has a castle now?" Winston asked. "Long story." Twilight answered. "Well, unfortunately we don't have a lot of time. So let's go." Egon said, as they walked through Ponyville. Upon reaching the castle, the boys looked at it in amaze, "So what happened to the library?" Ray asked. "Unfortunately it was destroyed." Twilight sighed. "Destroyed?" Ray gasped. "Oh, no!" Slimer blubbered. "But we did decided to make part of the castle into the new library." Spike explained. "Good thinking. After all, what would anyplace be without a library?" Egon asked. "Chaos." Twilight answered. "And what is wrong with that?" Discord asked, as the girls glared at him, "Just asking." "Before we get to work, I think it's best for the boys if they once again get back in touch with their pony abilities." Luna suggested. "I agree," Twilight nodded, before turning to the four, "I hope you're ready for another round of practice like the first time." "We can dig it." Peter replied. "Then let's get started." Applejack said, as the ponies were ready to help them. And so the practices began, with Twilight, Rarity, and Luna reteaching Ray and Egon how to use their unicorn magic to levitate stuff. Rainbow Dash was helping Peter fly around in the sky, but Fluttershy was mostly teaching him above fluttering around on a safe level. Applejack even brought Winston back to the farm to help her with apple bucking. Discord and Spike were supervising Egon and Ray's training, Pinkie was supervising Winston, and Slimer was supervising Peter's training. After an hour of training, the boys were back up to date with their pony abilities. At the castle, Peter was flying around with Rainbow, "Oh, yeah! I missed flying!" "Looking good, Pete." Rainbow smiled. "I feel in better shape than I was last time." Winston said, as he bucked a nearby tree. Ray and Egon were using their magic to levitate proton packs and compact packs over to the group, "Now that we got our training done, it's time we reeducated you on how to catch ghosts." Egon explained. "Oh, this is so exciting." Discord clapped his paw and talon. "So here's your equipment." Ray levitated some compact packs to the girls and Luna, while Egon levitated a full sized proton pack to Discord. "How does this work?" Discord asked, as he put it on his back. "You'll learn it step by step like the girls did." Winston explained. "Come on, chums. Let's get to work!" Peter ordered. Watching them in a tree was a purple colored crow, whose eyes was gazing at them. It's vision traced back to the Everfree Forest inside the Castle of the Royal Pony sisters. Nightmare moon was watching the scene play out through a viewing screen projecting the crows vision. The dark alicorn watched in interest. "So these are the famous Ghostbusters?" she asked herself, "They must be incredibly strong if they're able to defeat the ghost of Sombra. Nevertheless, I am far superior to him to be intimidated by such foals. But perhaps I should test their worth just to be on the safe side." she concentrated her magic. Suddenly three greenish glowing auras appeared before her taking on the form of the Shadowbolts, only this time, they were also surrounded by a ghostly aura, "Descent, Haze, Nightingale. Welcome back." she greeted them. "So good to be back, mistress." Descent began. "What is your wish, my liege?" Haze inquired. "I want the three of you to go to Ponyville, and see if these four truly are worth as the ponies say they are." Nightmare motioned to the four Ghostbusters on the screen. "As you wish, mistress." Nightingale answered. "But be warned," Nightmare continued, "The girls will also be there along with my goody-good self and Discord. Do not let your guards down for a second when around them. Do I make myself clear?" "Crystal, mistress." Descent answered. "Good. Now go!" she ordered, as the three turned into purple wisps of smoke and flew off through a window. Back in Ponyville, the girls were getting back in touch with handling the Ghostbusters equipment, while Discord and Luna were learning how to use them. Discord aimed his proton gun upward and was using Slimer as target practice, as the little spud was flying around taunting him, "Hold still!" Discord ordered, as he continued to try and hit Slimer. "Neener, neener, neener!" Slimer taunted the master of chaos. "Ooh, this is more difficult than I imagined." Discord grumbled. "Don't worry, you're getting the hand of it." Ray comforted him. "And how're you managing it, Luna?" Winston asked the Princess, who was observing her compact pack on her hoof. "I've truly never used such devices in my life. But I think I am getting the hang of it." she admitted. "Just remember the most important rule about using a proton pack." Egaon began, as Luna finished. "Right. Do not cross the streams." Discord finished, "Or it'll result in total protonic reversal." "Exactly." Egon nodded. "Well, you both do have the ability to use the packs down so far," Peter admitted, "And you both did a lot better on your first try than they did." he motioned to the girls who glared at Peter. "Hey, we weren't that bad!" Rainbow argued. Egon looked to her, and said bluntly, "You practically destroyed the training field at the Crystal empire, and almost crossed the streams with Applejack's beam." "Ok, that was my fault." she admitted sheepishly, as the group laughed. Flying above them were Descent, Nightingale, and Haze, "There they are." Descent said. "Remember our job." Nightingale reminded them. "Right." Haze nodded. "Let's go!" Descent ordered, as they dove in trying to attack them. the group seeing them swoop in to attack looked shocked, "Take cover!" Ray called, as they hit the dirt. They looked up and saw the three enemies perfectly, "Who're they?" Winston asked in shock. "The Shadowbolts!" Rainbow gasped. "The who?" Peter asked in confusion. "The Shadowbolts," Luna began, "When the girls tried to make it to the former castle of my sister and I, I created these illusions to lure Rainbow Dash away from them. But her loyalty to the girls defeated them." "Well, we're not illusions anymore." Haze said. "With our mistress' ghostly magic we are just as real as all of you." Descent explained. "So why're you here?" Fluttershy trembled. "We have orders to deal with you." Nightingale explained. "And we will fulfill our orders." Descent finished. "Attack!" Haze called, as the three flew around and fired ecto beams from the lenses of their goggles. The ponies, Discord, Spike, and Slimer took cover, as Egon called, "Open fire on them!" And so the group started blasting at the three ghostly Shadowbolts with their proton beams. The three flew around avoiding most of the proton blasts, but ended up getting hit by Rainbow Dash, Egon, and Ray. "Oh, yeah, take that!" Rainbow cheered. The three concentrated and fired a combined ecto blast at Rainbow who dodged it, but suddenly saw the three surrounding her in the air, "You really should've taken our offer to join us, Rainbow Dash." Nightingale warned her. "Now, I'm afraid we have to eliminate you." Descent added, as the three were about to attack, only to get blasted by Peter, Luna, and Twilight. "Leave Rainbow Dash alone!" Twilight shouted. The three frowned and attempted to blast her, but Twilight dodged. Peter aimed his compact pack blaster at them, "No one tried to zap a princess!" he blasts at them, knocking them off balance. "My turn!" Luna aimed her own blaster at them giving them a zap as well. "Quickly, the trap!" Egon ordered. Fluttershy reached for a trap and tossed it below the three ghostly Shadowbolts. Before she could open it, Nightingale call, "Retreat!" they turned into their wisp forms and took off. "They got away!" Rainbow groaned. "They'll be back, Rainbow." Twilight noted. "Those three were tricky varmints." Applejack said. "Yeah." Winston agreed. "And if Nightmare's ghost could give them actual form, who knows what else she can do." Rarity said in worry. "I have my hunches." Luna said in equal worry. "This is why we must be prepared for when nighttime comes." Egon warned them. "Right, we should get in some more practice. For tonight we head for the Everfree Forest," Luna said, "It's where it ended first, and it will end there again." the ponies and Spike nodded in agreement. Meanwhile back at the castle remains, the three Shadowbolt ghosts bowed before their mistress, "Our humblest apologies, mistress." Descent pleaded. "We had them under the ropes, but they pulled a fast one on us." Haze explained. Nightmare frowned at them, "I don't want your pitiful excuses! I want those ponies eliminated!" "Yes, mistress. We will not fail you again. We promise." Nightingale promised. Nightmare's eyes squinted at her, "No. You won't." "So should we try again really soon?" Descent wondered. "That won't be necessary. Nighttime will be on it's way shortly. And when that happens, they will come to me. Once they do, then I will put an end to those six and my former good self once and for all!' she let out a laugh, as her three minions joined her in laughing maniacally.