... ‘Okay, this whole getting knocked out thing is starting to get old.’ was the first thing I thought upon waking. Under me I could feel something soft as well as the tell tale sounds of hooves striking the stone floor.
“Say all ya want AJ, you’re still ah kitty kicker.” Apple Bloom’s voice was off to my right and to my left sompony started to laugh.
To my left was Scootaloo, trying to stifle her laughter with her hoof, “Applejack the kicker of kittens.” after she finished, the little pegasus bursted out laughing along with Apple Bloom.
“Now I said quit it.” Applejack stated loudly and slamming her hoof down, “I didn’ mean tah hit him, he ran right into my hoof while I was walkin. An I don’ want you sayin nothin ta anypony about this, especially Fluttershy.”
“Yes Applejack.” they both stated while I stood on Applejack’s back and stretched.
Applejack had to of felt me moving around, “Looks like Scruffy’s finally awake.”
As if she had teleported, Apple Bloom appeared to my right, leaning on Applejack with her fore legs, “Ya doin' alright little kitty?” she said as she started to pet me with her hoof.
“Applejack did kick you pretty hard.” Scootaloo appeared to my left, constantly moving her head and looking me over, “Are his eyes glowing?”
‘What!?’
“What?” both of the Apples asked as I cut off any power I could going to my eyes. Scootaloo though was looking around at the walls with a confused look on her face.
“Did anypony else hear that?” she asked looking over to Apple Bloom.
‘... Hello?’ I said in my head to see if it was me the little pegasus had heard.
“Hear what?” Apple Bloom asked while Scootaloo either didn’t hear me or completely ignored me. With it apparent that they couldn’t hear me I began to ponder what had just happened while they continued talking.
“So you did hear it!” the pegasus said before looking to Applejack, “Did you hear that voice?”
“I didn’t hear anything secpt you two talkin ta Scruffy.” the farmer answered before she started walking again, “We gots ta get movin again. The others won’t find themselves.”
That brought me out of my thoughts, ‘Wait, what happened to the others?’
“Right...” Apple Bloom stated as she slowly followed her sister. Since it was obvious that I wasn’t going to be answered I went back to trying to figure out how Scootaloo had heard me.
‘She had just talked about my eyes glowing, could that be it?’ I thought as Scootaloo moved over to my right with Apple Bloom, ‘Quick test then.’
My eyes locked with the back of AJ’s head and I started to feel the black magic working, ‘Stop.’ it was a simple command. Spoke loud enough in my head that she would of responded if she heard it.
Instead she kept walking like nothing had happened. Pulling back on the power made my eyes return to normal, ‘Well that's not it.’ I thought as I looked over at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.
“You said you heard it though.” Scootaloo said in a hushed voice.
“I was askin what ya had heard, not saying I heard somethin.” Apple Bloom shot a look at Applejack, “We don’ have time to be lookin for ghosts right now. We gotta find Spike, Sweetie, and Rarity.”
“You think I was lying?” Scootaloo asked accusingly with narrowed eyes.
“No!” Apple Bloom said a bit to loud, but Applejack didn’t seem to notice... or she was listening just like I was. Apple Bloom shot her big sister another look before continuing, “What I’m sayin is we’ll look for what caused it when we find th’ others. Okay?”
Scootaloo let out a sigh as her mad expression fell, “Ya, okay...” she hung her head sadly. This was something I could help with.
I jumped down from Applejack’s back making the farm pony stop. Before she could say anything though I stopped in front of Scootaloo and gave her my usual daw inspiring routine. Cute face, big eyes, make sure no magic is flowing into my eyes, and the smallest meow I could muster.
“Ah.” the two little fillies stated as Scootaloo started to pet me.
Next I did what came naturally and started to purr while moving against her fore legs. She smiled down at me while Applejack spoke up, “Looks like Scruffy wants ta ride on your back fer a bit.”
“That true Scruffy?” Scoots asked and I gave her another meow. She stretched out her wing and lowered herself to the ground. A few seconds later I was on her back and we were once again moving down the hallway.
After a few seconds of the only noise being the sound of their hooves striking the floor as they walked Apple Bloom spoke up in her usual hushed tone, “What was it you said before ya heard the voice? Somethin bout Scruffy’s eyes?”
By her hesitation Scootaloo had either forgotten about it already or was hesitant to say anything, “I... I thought I saw them glowing...”
As plain as day, anyone could spot that Apple Bloom didn’t believe her friend. I wasn’t about to let my powers break up a friendship, so I did what any sensible person would do. When Apple Bloom looked back at me I sent a small bit of powers to my eyes.
She looked back to Scootaloo and opened her mouth to say something. Immediately her mouth shut and she turned to look at me again, but she was too late. My eyes were no longer glowing as I was no longer supplying them magic. As a consolation prize though, I twisted my head and gave her a cute little meow.
Her eyes narrowed in confusion and her mouth was slightly moving, like she was trying to come up with words to say but couldn’t find them. After a few more moments she stopped and used her hoofs to wipe her eyes.
“You saw it didn’t you?” Scootaloo asked as Apple Bloom caught back up with us.
She was still staring at me with that confused look, “I... I don’t know what I saw, but somethin’s up with Scruffy.”
Scootaloo brought one of her hoofs up to her chin as they turned and continued following Applejack, “Could he be possessed? This place is supposed to be haunted, and when Rarity came back and told us what happened she said it sounded like he was fighting something.”
As the two little fillies were talking I noticed another pony making their way towards us from the end of the corridor. It was another mare dressed in a maids outfit, ‘They said something about fixing this place up. Is she part of the helping staff?’
“Ya then Spike ran off to look fer him and Sweetie and Rarity fell into one of the traps an now we got three ponies to find." the maid was getting closer and no one was paying her any attention, "We’ll have Twilight check ‘em out when we get back.” Apple Bloom said as the hairs on the back of my neck began to rise.
'Oh crud.' it had become increasingly obvious that I was the only one to notice the maid trotting towards us. Applejack and her were on a collision course and I had no idea what touching a ghost would lead to. Quickly I jumped up onto Scootaloo’s head and started to hiss at the specter.
“Scruffy, what’s gotten into you?” Apple Bloom asked as Applejack stopped to look.
“Jus wait a minute. Rares said he did that jus before she passed out.” the farm pony said as she started trying to following my line of sight.
The specter had stopped and looked up at me with it’s half closed eyes. Then it’s expression changed from being half asleep to fully enraged. It’s eyes narrowed and turned black. Applejack was slowly backing up because she couldn’t see it and I almost envied her for that.
I felt in my mind for my magic and found I had quite a bit, ‘If it comes down to it, I think I could take it.’ it’s mouth opened to reveal nothing but razor sharp teeth, ‘Nope, never mind, not happening.’
Slowly it worked it’s mouth up and down, “Get... out...” a window behind it flew open, letting in a powerful gust of wind.
“Run!” Applejack stated as she and the girls turned tail and ran. I turned and watched from Scootaloo’s head as the spirit faded from existence, looking like she had when I first saw her.
‘And here I thought the weird part of the night was over and done with.’ I let out a sigh, trying my best to ignore the loud screaming in my ears, ‘Stupid murphy and his stupid law.’