A Ghost And A Roach

by Delta 727


Chapter 5: We Want Answers

"If I have to ride that train one more time, I ain't gonna be happy."

After another very long train ride from Ponyville to Canterlot, Ghost was starting to become very irritated with constantly being dragged around from place to place. Twilight tried to cheer him up a bit as they headed for the royal castle.

"I'm hoping this is the last one until we can find you a place to stay," Twilight replied. "Oh, and, um." She paused.

"Aaaand?" Roach asked.

"Could you," she cast them a sideways glance as they walked, "Try to cooperate with the Princesses? I still don't know what's going on, but I think it's something really bad. It has to be for her to be so urgent in meeting-"

"Two random aliens from another planet?" Roach interrupted.

"Well," Twilight shrugged, "Yeah."

"I think we can handle that." Roach nudged Ghost in the arm. "Can't we, Ghost?" He didn't respond. "Aww, c'mon. They gave us back our weapons, didn't they?"

"Only until we get back to the castle," Twilight added. "They're going to need to take them again when we do." Ghost grunted, and Roach just shrugged.

"How about this?" Roach continued. "When we get there, I'll do all the talking. You just sit tight and be good while I handle it. Sound good?"

"Roach," Ghost started, "If there's anything I don't trust you to do, it's negotiate with the king and queen-"

"Princesses," Twilight corrected.

"Of some strange planet, and keep us out of trouble while you do it. I'm not even sure if we're gonna be talking at all, and if we are, it'll be me talking. Keep your trap shut, and hopefully no one'll get hurt. You read me?" Before anyone had time to take another step, Roach was right in front of Ghost, holding him where he was with a hand on Ghost's shoulder. "What are you-"

"Stop." Roach cut him off. "Before we do this, I need to get something straight. We're dead, Ghost. There's no more chain of command, and you're not my superior anymore. We're in this together, and we're getting out of this together. You read me?"

This was the first time Ghost didn't slap Roach's hand away. Instead, he paused, then said, "Loud and clear."

Roach patted him on the shoulder, then stepped to the side so Twilight could take the lead. She wished she had something she could add, so she didn't feel like she was pushed to the sidelines, so she just kept walking as the two soldiers followed. After a few more minutes of silence, she decided to break the ice.

"So are you guys brothers or something?" Both of the soldiers stopped dead.

"What?" They both said at the same time.

Twilight turned to face them, and tilted her head. "Did I say something bad?"

Ghost started to speak, but Roach spoke first. "In a way, yeah." Ghost turned to look at him, but didn't say anything. "Brothers in arms, as we called it back home." Roach turned his body to show Twilight his shoulder. On it was the S.A.S. patch. "See this patch? It stands for the Special Air Service, the branch of military Ghost and I are from. Anyone wearing this patch is our brother on the battlefield." He sighed, turning his arm away. "Haven't really thought about all our brothers and sisters who're still alive. Or what they told our families-"

Ghost cut him off with a hand to the chest. "Alright, Roach, that's enough. We're dead, and that's that." This time, he went right past Twilight, up the street, and went left around the corner.

"Um, the castle is the other way!" Twilight called after him. Ghost reappeared from around the corner, crossed the street, and disappeared again.

"We should get after him," Roach said, "Before someone gets in his way."

Twilight sighed. "The Princesses are gonna have a hay-day with you two." With Twilight in the lead, they went after Ghost and headed for the castle.

---

There was a knock on the door of Princess Celestia's study.

"Please come in," the Princess answered.

As she did, the door opened, and Twilight stepped in first. She was shortly followed by the two soldiers, one with his guard, but not his weapon, up.

"I brought them as you asked, Princess." Twilight bowed her head. Then, she looked up and scanned the room, only to find that there was something, or somepony, missing. "Where's Princess Luna?"

"I asked for her to leave us to speak alone, Twilight," the Princess replied. "As I am asking you to do the same."

"Huh?" Twilight tilted her head.

"I would like to speak to these two alone. There is much we need to discuss that I don't want anypony else to hear yet. It's," Princess Celestia paused. "Personal."

"Personal?" Twilight echoed. The Princess nodded. Reluctantly, but without argument, Twilight exited the study, closing the door behind her. "Make yourselves comfortable, you two."

"I'm fine where I am." Ghost crossed his arms. Roach just shrugged and walked over to a bookcase, leaning on the frame with one elbow.

"Fair enough." Princess Celestia nodded.

Ghost spoke up again. "So what's the reason behind you pulling us aside?"

"As I told Twilight, I needed to speak with you in a place where no pony would eavesdrop. You two've been causing quite a stir in Ponyville, and word has been spreading of your arrival."

"I'm sure we're bloody famous by now," Ghost went on. "But I'm sure you didn't need us alone to tell us we're causing problems. What's the big idea here?"

Princess Celestia sighed. "I'm afraid I haven't told you the whole-"

"You're hiding something from us," Roach said. "Not too thrilled about that. Care to enlighten us?"

"I will," Princess Celestia assured them, "Just as long as you swear what's been said here won't leave this room."

"Can't promise that," Roach said. Princess Celestia shot him a slightly surprised look. Roach just shrugged.

"Then I'll be careful with what I say. I'll start from the beginning." The Princess cleared her throat, placing a hoof against it. "My name is-"

"Princess Sun Dial," Roach finished. "We know."

"Celestia," Ghost corrected him.

"I was close."

"Anyways," Princess Celestia cut in, "Yes, my name is Princess Celestia. My sister, Princess Luna, would usually be here, but I've asked her to let me speak to you alone."

"So you're lying to your sister too?" Roach asked.

Princess Celestia looked down at the floor. "Well, yes. But it's for the greater good."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ghost said. "Now before you get into the whole thing about what you've swept under the rug, I'd like to get a few things out in the open."

"Aww, c'mon, Ghost," Roach leaned off the bookcase. "You've done nothing but ask questions ever since we got here. Let the lady talk."

"I'll let her talk," Ghost said, "Just as soon as I get some good answers." He looked back to the Princess. "Now,

Princess Celestia was a little phased, but she shook her head and straightened up. "I don't think I'd mind answering a few questions."

"Glad to hear it," Ghost said. "When we first got here, your purple friend told us we were a 'threat to national security', but instead of locking us up, you took us out to lunch. Why?"

"Well," Princess Celestia started, "That's part of the reason I brought you here. Part of what I've been hiding is that you're not a threat at all. We have strange creatures showing up in Equestria all the time without raising the alarm. I hope this doesn't sound offensive, but you two aren't much of a threat compared to what we've had."

"You'd be surprised, sister," Roach murmured to himself.

"Alright," Ghost tilted his head forward slightly. "So why let two strange, if not dangerous, creatures walk around with weapons and all?"

"I needed to stall for time," Princess Celestia replied. "I didn't want to raise your suspicion, and I was sure you wouldn't hurt anypony."

"Yeah?" Ghost asked. "How do you know that?"

Princess Celestia's eyes met Ghost's. "Because if you wanted to hurt anypony, Twilight wouldn't be around, now would she?"

"So you put her in harm's way on a hunch?" Roach asked.

"Twilight was never in any danger," Princess Celestia reassured him. "She knows how to handle herself. I was even told that you saved her life. Why would she be in any danger?"

"Good point," Ghost said. "I'll give you that one. So what were you stalling for?"

Princess Celestia's eyes moved back and forth between the two soldiers. "That was for me. I needed some time to plan out what I was going to say to you two, and how I'd say it."

"Say what?" Ghost asked.

"I'll get around to that," Princess Celestia said. "Anything else?"

"I got something," Roach said. "How come everyone around here has weird tattoos?"

Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Tattoos?"

Ghost rolled his eyes, both at Roach and the Princess. "Yours is a sun, for example?"

"Oh!" Princess Celestia perked up. "You mean Cutie Marks."

Roach chuckled, and Ghost face palmed. Again.

Princess Celestia paused, then went on. "Cutie Marks represent a special characteristic or talent of a pony. When they discover what that is, the mark appears to show it. It's a big milestone in a pony's life. In fact, I gave Twilight her's myself."

"I wish I had one of those," Roach said, nothing but humor in his voice.

"I could help you get one, if you like," Princess Celestia offered. That sent Roach into a fit of laughter.

"You're hilarious, you know that!?" Roach said through his laughing.

"I, um," Princess Celestia paused. "I'm sorry?"

Ghost didn't say another word until Roach stopped laughing and stood up, collecting himself.

"Alright," Roach pretended to rub a tear from his eye. "I think I got that out of my system."

"I'm glad to hear it," Princess Celestia said. "Any more questions?"

Ghost looked at Roach, who shook his head. "That's all. Pleasure doing business with you." Ghost turned and headed for the door, but Princess Celestia stopped him.

"Wait!" she yelled, holding out a hoof. Ghost immediately stopped, looking back at the Princess, one hand on the doorknob. "I'm afraid there is something I need to tell you two that you may not like to hear."

"Princess," Ghost started, not letting go of the knob. "There's been a lot of things I didn't want to hear that I have already. There's nothing you can tell me that'll make it worse." Ghost opened the door.

"I wish that were true," Princess Celestia replied. "Because I'm afraid I'm the one who brought you to Equis."