//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19- The Possesion Predicament 
// Story: Sweetie's Mansion 
// by Moon Shooter 
//------------------------------//

Within minutes after Twilight had dropped the photo, the safe room had lost the calmness it had somehow maintained in the hectic mansion. The room's newfound tension had turned the room from a fairly sized safe haven, to a claustrophobic's nightmare. The soft hum that came from each of the walls had gone from tolerable to maddening. Finally, the moods of the mares had gone from optimistic and for the most part, positive, to nervous and stressed.
Twilight hit her head against the humming wall, desperately trying to convince herself that she didn't read what she thought she read. Rainbow flapped her wings, pacing in the air to either side of the safe room, unable to stay in one spot in the air. Applejack had the back of her head up against another wall, her head looking up and her eyes shut. Only Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie continued to read over the text written on the picture that Twilight had dropped. They read it over and over, as though if they kept reading, it would somehow change... of course it didn't.
It took a while before one of the mares decided to speak on the issue of the mention of the God of Chaos' name. It was Fluttershy.
"M-maybe it's a different Discord." She said hopefully.
"Or maybe it's a typo." Pinkie said.
Twilight stopped banging her head up against the wall to turn to the two mares who held the photo. The bags on her eyes were much more evident now, whether out of lack of sleep or pure stress. She opened her mouth to say something... but shook her head and turned back around to face the wall. What could she say at the mention of his name? That they were wrong? That that theory was just about as good as her getting a stallion friend? Though she wished as hard as she could that the two mares could be right, she knew that would be too good to be true.
"Discord..." Applebloom said out loud. It didn't have the exact same stress as the other mares, given she and the other CMC hadn't been touched by the draconequus like the others. After all, during Discord's attack of Ponyville over a year ago, her and her friends had been safe and sound up in Canterlot, while their home was the only place that was really hit hard. Though, it was doubtful that either Sweetie or Spike were listening anyway. They simply stared up into the air in a trance, seemingly engrossed in some train of thought. 
"Wasn't that that snake-dragon guy who you guys stuffed in a stone?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yeah! He's supposed to be a statue in Canterlot!" Rainbow said, dropping out of the air and turning to Twilight. "What the hay is his name doing in this mansion? What? Does Specter have something to do with him?"
"...I don't know." Twilight finally said, turning to the mare. "I'll admit, this is... pretty surprising. And you know that's saying something."
"Maybe the author just stuck his name in there to get more views?" Pinkie suggested.
"Now ain't the time for yer crazy talkin' Pinkie." Applejack said, turning to the mare.
Pinkie took a hold of her stomach. For some reason, a light wave of nausea hit her causing her to go silent for the moment.
"What... why do you think he-" Fluttershy began to ask, turning to Twilight.
"I told you, I don't KNOW!" Twilight snapped. Fluttershy dropped the photo, taking a step away from Twilight. Her ears went down as she bit her lip. Seeing how she'd hurt her friend, Twilight's softness returned to her eyes. "Sorry Fluttershy. You know I didn't mean that, but I really wish I knew..."
"Wha' about that there other photo?" Applejack asked, pointing to one of the two other photos accompanied by the music boxed one. "Maybe there's a connection between th' three of 'em? Figure out wha' Specter, o' th's mansion has ta do with 'em."
"I can't read it." Twilight said.
"Ah think we c'n." Applebloom suggested.
"Well? Go ahead! Tell us what it says!" Rainbow said impatiently.
Wha'? If yer so impatient, wha' don'tcha read it yerself? Applebloom thought.
"You got it Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo said, going over to pick up the photo. The two fillies had to squint to see the incredibly small text on the picture of the journal page. It took a moment before they started to read the different lines on the page. Though no other mare or filly knew it, the page was one that Sweetie had found earlier that night...
"Ah wondered if th' god ah spoke wit' had anything ta do wit' it." Applebloom read.
"I knew we weren't out of the war, but unlike the rest of Equestria, Stabletown, though it has plenty other problems, hasn't experienced any of those kinds of chaotic phenomena."
"Th' god didn't change Stabletown, but of course he wouldn't. We had a deal. He couldn't have broken it... righ'?"
"... it ends there." Scootaloo said.
"Wha' the hay is he talkin' about?" Applebloom asked.
"Not sure... when's the entry dated?" Twilight asked.
"...huh. That can't be right. Says it was dated in... 852." Scootaloo said.
"Hm. I feel like I've heard that date somewhere before..." Twilight said.
"And the deal huh? What kind of deal is he talking about?" Rainbow asked.
"... wait a second... I..." Twilight started. "I think I have an idea." The mare walked over to the photo of the eclipse. She picked it up and stared at it. "... how many eclipses have any of you seen in your lifetime?" she asked the group.
"... none ah reckon." Applejack said.
"When I was a little filly, I remember hearing about them in Cloudsdale's school... but only in my reading classes in old pony tales." Fluttershy added.
"Yeah! My papa used to tell bedtime stories of how the princesses used to create some crazy stuff with those things back on the rock farm." Pinkie confirmed.
"Well... you guys know better than any pony else that some of those pony tales are true, right?" Twilight said. All of the mares looked at each other, knowing she was right. After all, prior to their friendship, Nightmare Moon was just a pony legend. "Those eclipses... wither solar or lunar, they gave the ponies of Equestria... even the world for that matter, magnificent powers. At least the ponies strong enough to control that power anyway, mainly alicorns when there were a bunch of them. The magic they cast across the world could be used to create incredibly powerful spells. Enough to change the face of the earth... or if concentrated, one particular spot."
"So?" Rainbow asked.
"So, think for a second. Specter seems to have the power and knowledge of the undead. Maybe a few ghosts spells. He's almost got both princesses under his control. Two alicorns to do his bidding, not only to control the sun and moon to create the eclipse, but to cast whatever spell he wants." Twilight took a breath. "And finally... a deal with Discord, the dead draconequus-"
"Dead? We didn't kill him!... did we?" Pinkie asked. The thought they might have murdered the draconequus, despite how evil he was made every pony cringe. Even Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow with a strange look.
"Well... yes and no." Twilight said. "By trapping him in stone, we kind of put him in limbo between living and dying. I'm not sure how it works with the princesses, but with immortal beings... or spirit draconquus' like him, they can't die... but they can be put on that border line with the Elements of Harmony. How?... not entirely sure, I'm still researching the Elements, but that's beside the point. Let's just call him dead for now... but what do you do when you have a pony who can make the dead rise into their spirit forms like we've seen tonight?"
"You... really think he plans to use an eclipse to revive Discord?" Fluttershy asked.
"Well... I guess we can ask him when he finally wakes up." Twilight finished. Suddenly, Sweetie was snapped out of her trance.
"Huh?" Sweetie asked, looking at the mare. "What do you mean 'when he wakes up'? Where is he?"
"You didn' see 'im?" Applebloom asked.
"Over there." Scootaloo said, pointing to a corner of the room. Somehow, avoiding Sweetie's notice, there he was. Specter Yield was lying in the corner of the room on his side, facing the wall.
"How did he..." Sweetie asked.
"Well, after you fainted," Rainbow explained. "Rarity and that yellow butler looking guy left, leaving Specter there, lying unconscious."
"R-really?" Sweetie asked.
"Well, he did hit the floor pretty hard." Applebloom replied.
Sweetie stared at the stallion. "He... he tried to marry her."
"What?" Fluttershy asked.
"Oh yeah! I couldn't believe it when I saw it too, but that guy was trying to marry Rarity." Scootaloo explained as Sweetie slowly walked over to Specter. "Probably would have too if Sweetie didn't bust in right on time."
"What kind of sad stallion forces some mare to marry him?" Rainbow asked.
"Specter, that's who." Twilight said.
Sweetie stood over the stallion, and stared at him. Sweetie felt an unbridled rage as she looked at him. She couldn't help but kick the stallion as hard as she could at the center of his back. Once she did however, a few things happened. Initially, she lost her balance, causing her to fall back onto her flank. It wasn't the kick however that caused her to lose balance... but what she felt as she did so. When she kicked, she didn't feel the warmth of a stallion, no quite the opposite. He was cold... freezing actually. It was almost as if... as if...
he did hit the floor pretty hard...
Sweetie looked at him, recalling back to when she saw the stallion back in the church. He was alive and breathing there... but now, he was still, and breathless. Even more, there seemed to be some incredibly bad bruising, barely being hidden behind his mane. Something hit the filly... almost as hard as Specter hit the floor by the force of the ectoplasm flying at his head.
"No... no, no no..." she said as she started crawling back from the stallion.
Fluttershy was the first to come to comfort the filly. "Sweetie? What's wrong?" Fluttershy put her hoof at the back of Sweetie's neck and began to stroke it as means to calm her down. 
"He can't be. He can't..." Sweetie said.
"What's up?" Rainbow asked. At first she went to Sweetie... then she went to examine the body. When she touched it, she was just as shocked as Sweetie. "Holy hay... he was warm when I carried him here... but now he's... he's dead."
"What?" Pinkie asked. Every mare looked at Rainbow, then Specter, then Sweetie, then back at Rainbow.
"Tha... tha' don't make no sense!" Applebloom argued. "He was alive n' everythin' th' last time we saw 'em before Sweetie hit em with that..." it was then, the same realization was struck with the two fillies. Even Spike exited his little daze.
"The goo Sweetie shot from her GCD... could it have hit him hard enough to give him a fatal concussion... oh Celestia Sweetie..." Spike said, going over to the other side of Sweetie, to comfort her in much the same way Fluttershy did.
"Hold up... are you not saying Sweetie killed him-" Scootaloo said. Those three little words were enough to cause the filly to break into a fit of crying. She covered her face with her hooves as tears began rolling down her face.
Great job Scootaloo. Applebloom thought, going over to comfort her friend. Scootaloo immediately followed, guilt evident on her face of causing the filly's most recent mental breakdown.
Sweetie hated Specter for what he'd done. Between sending the ghosts after her and hurting her friends the way he did, she had more than enough reasons for said hatred... the relationship he forced between Rarity and himself however, broke it for the filly. She'd never felt so out of control in her entire life... Sweetie was sure that in her mental anguish and anger, she'd at some point thought of actually killing the stallion. Having it actually happen however... the filly wasn't sure what to think anymore. She wasn't even completely sure why she was crying. Was it that she'd just possibly committed a murder on an actual pony? Or was it the sheer fact that the reality that she wasn't in control of herself was coming crashing down on her. Sweetie wasn't sure... all she knew was that she felt just as weak and defenseless as her first hours traveling around the  mansion... that she not only wasn't in control of what was around her... but her own self.
Time passed, and Sweetie's cries transitioned from loud bawling, to small sobbing hiccups. One by one, each of the mares backed from Sweetie, letting her have some air. Only Spike, Scootaloo and Applebloom remained close as they guided Sweetie to a wall, as she lie there, still covering her face. Scootaloo and Spike stroked Sweetie as she eventually went silent. Spike kissed the top of Sweetie's head as she lie there. Though both Twilight and Applebloom wanted to say something about the sudden act of affection, they knew better than that to ask about it as the filly was still going through what she was.
It was a little while before another mare spoke again in the cold light. "So... since he's dead, are we done?"
"Dashie!" Pinkie said, surprised that Rainbow had brought up Specter's death again so bluntly.
"Seriously! If he's dead, then that means that it's all over right?" Rainbow asked. "I mean, he's the head in all of this, right?"
Twilight shook her head. "No... we're far from done Rainbow. Specter might be dead... but I doubt he's gone."
"Wha' are ya talkin' abou' Twi?" Applejack asked.
"Well, I don't think he was expecting Sweetie to be the one to... you know, but I don't think he was stupid enough to think no pony would try to drop him." Twilight said. "I wouldn't be surprised if when he died, he had some plan to turn into a ghost just like every pony else to escape."
"So... you think he's just someplace else in the mansion?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight nodded, and hung her head. "It's gonna be hay trying to figure out where though..."
"Great... so nothing was accomplished then." Rainbow said.
"Pretty much..." Twilight said.
Pinkie looked over at Sweetie sadly. Even with her face covered, she could see all of the strain of the stress she'd played a large role in applying on the filly's body. She couldn't stand seeing her like this... she knew something had to be done.
"We've got to find Rare first though." Pinkie said. The four mares looked at Pinkie and nodded, knowing that she was right. Sweetie had already gone through so much, mostly in order to rescue her sister. The only way that any mare could help Sweetie at this point was bringing the little filly the white mare, safe and sound.
Twilight walked over to the children who watched Sweetie as she lied there. "Sweetie?" she said as gently as she knew how. The filly didn't respond at first. When Twilight called a second time, the filly peeked her green eyes out from under her hooves.
"I... I'm going to need your ghost capturer." she said. Sweetie looked at Twilight strangely, as though the words were foreign to her. As right as it was, the words didn't sound correct to the filly. Twilight asking for the GCD.
"Twilight... you... you know I can't do that." Sweetie said.
"Why?" Twilight asked softly.
"Because Pink-" Sweetie stopped. She looked over at the pink mare that stood at the center of the room, with a concerned look on her face.
"Pinkie's here and alive. She's not going to hurt any pony if we leave now... it's safe for us... as far as safe ghosts go." Twilight said.
"But..." Sweetie said. She wasn't sure what to say... she wasn't sure why she would say anything really. Here she was, presented with the chance for some pony to relieve her of the burden to capture ghosts... yet she didn't want to take it. Why?
"...Sweetie?" Twilight said. "You don't have to do this anymore. Your safe here... you can let us handle the rest of this."
"N-no..." Sweetie said.
Twilight looked at Sweetie puzzled. "What?"
"N...no. I want to go back out." Sweetie said. "I... want to keep going."
"Sweetie, just give me the GCD."
"Get your own!" Sweetie said angrily.
"Sweetie. I told you, you don't have to-"
"I KNOW I don't have to go out! I know I can stay here! But I don't want to say here! I want to go back out!" Sweetie screamed. Her voice rang in the room, shocking everyone with her outburst.
"Why?"
"R...Rarity. I don't..." Sweetie muttered. She wasn't sure why she wanted to go back out. She knew she wanted to catch her sister, but why she was so intent was even a mystery to the filly.
"Sweetie, just let us-" Twilight started as she reached for the GCD on Sweetie's back. Sweetie dodged the hoof, slipping past her friends and Twilight. As she did, she Rainbow and Pinkie tried to block Sweetie, though the filly managed to dodge past them as well. Finally, Sweetie made it to the door. Before she could open it, Twilight's horn glowed weakly, as the door briefly glowed the same color for a brief second.
Click
Sweetie tried to open the door with no luck. It was locked.
"It won't open Sweetie. The door-"
"Has a magic lock, I know. I read about it." Sweetie said, sourly.
"Sweetie. Just listen-"
"No! You listen!" She turned back around to the mares. "I have to catch her! Not you! Not you! ME! I have to! Let me out of here!" Sweetie yelled. She turned back around onto the door and banged her hooves against the door. Twilight tried to levitate Sweetie away from the door, however her magic was becoming too weak to lift the 30 to 40 pound filly.
"C'mon Sweetie! Quit it!" Rainbow said, confronting the filly. Rainbow grabbed her by the torso to drag her away from the door.
"Don't touch me! Get off!" Sweetie yelled, pushing Rainbow away. Sweetie was actually getting to the point of becoming violent... she was becoming out of control, desperate to leave the room to peruse her sister.
Rainbow, trying to gain control over the filly, wrestled her to the ground. Still being a filly, and one of the weaker ones at that, she was easy to pin down... though it didn't stop her from trying to squirm out of Rainbow's grasp.
"Rainbow! Keep her steady!" Twilight said.
"Stay still Sweetie. We're only trying to help!" Rainbow said as the filly continued to squirm.
Twilight thought, trying to remember the simplest spell she could think of that could possibly help. Something came to her head as her horn began to glow again. This time, Sweetie's body began to faintly glow purple... but there seemed to be no effect. "I need her just a little calmer..." Twilight said.
Fluttershy had an idea of her own in order to assist Twilight. The mare took a deep breath, making sure her throat was clear.
Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head... she sung as soothingly as she could. Though the voice that Fluttershy had now, wasn't nearly as soothing as it should have been, it was still quite a calming voice.
Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed...
Suddenly, Sweetie started to feel a bit calmer as she slowly stopped squirming. As was the intention of singing the song, and Twilight's sleeping spell, Sweetie was getting drowsy.
Drifting off to sleep, the exciting day behind you...
The verses of the song, in which Sweetie usually began singing, sealed the deal, as Sweetie's eyes began to flutter shut. She did her best to resist sleeping, but even the weak magic, or Fluttershy's rougher than normal singing was too much for the filly to handle.
Drifting off to sleep, let the joy of dream land find you... she continued. By now, Sweetie's eyes were shut, and the only  visible motion in her body was the steady rise and fall of her chest. Carefully, Rainbow got off of Sweetie... she didn't try to get back up.
So hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head... Fluttershy kept singing, as though to make sure she wasn't waking up. Rainbow put Sweetie on her back and carried her over to her friends, who simply watched as their friend was laid beside them.
Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed.... Fluttershy finished. Once she was done, Twilight stopped the flow of magic from her horn and sighed. Even the simple spell was beginning to wind her out... and it was still getting worse. Fluttershy rubbed her throat, noting how much harder it was to keep her singing voice that she'd used to communicate with all of her animal friends. No doubt about it, it wasn't just Twilight's talent that was getting weaker, but Fluttershy's and likely Pinkie's as well...
"Poor Sweetie..." Fluttershy whispered.
"Yeah... though a little sleep will hopefully relieve some of her stress..." Twilight said back.
Once Rainbow, the CMC and Spike set Sweetie up in a comfortable looking sleeping position, Spike assisted Rainbow in taking gently taking the GCD and Sweetie's saddlebags off of her back.
"Here you go Twi." Rainbow said, giving the GCD to the mare. Noting how Sweetie had set up the GCD to fit perfectly with her saddlebags, Twilight put the filly's bags on, along with the GCD on her back. It was a tight fit, but enough to allow for Twilight to move without threat of the GCD falling off of her back as she walked.
"Sweetie... she's not going to be asleep for long though." Twilight finally said. "Her nerves won't let her."
"Then we'd better come up with a plan before she wakes up then." Rainbow said. "What have you got?"
"Well, the way I see it, the next course of action is to find out where Rarity might be."
Spike lied down by Sweetie, his head lying on top of hers, beating Applebloom or Scootaloo to it as the three of them cuddled into a mound.
"Well, th' way ah see it, if Specter was tryin' ta marry Rarity, dont'cha think he'd want her close by?" Applejack suggested.
"Yeah! If you find Specter, you'll probably find Rarity!" Pinkie said hopefully.
"But we don't know where Specter is?" Rainbow asked.
As Scootaloo stroked Sweetie, Spike kissed the top of Sweetie's head again. Applebloom glanced at Spike, thinking about saying something. She shut her mouth, realizing that directly after Sweetie's breakdown wasn't the time to feel jealous. Right now, all she could worry about was the mental health of her friend... 
"True... but I've got a good guess of where he might be." Twilight said. "I remember back during the party? I think it was when Pinkie was doing her... song."
Pinkie started humming the tune she'd sung about earlier that night.
"I don't even want to know where you got so many Ping-Pong balls." Rainbow said.
"Anyway, I remember somewhere around that time, before the ambush, Specter invited Rarity back to his study." Twilight continued. "I went with her and hung out there for a bit before Specter kicked me out... and didn't see Rarity since."
"You think that Specter's in there?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight shrugged. "It's the closest likely spot. It wouldn't hurt to check there first."
"Yeah, but ya gotta clear th' way in th' dinnin' hall b'fore ya go." Applejack added, reminding the mares of the blocked exits. The two of them nodded. "Agreed. You and Rainbow are the strongest, so you two can help clear the way. How's your body doing Applejack?"
"It's better." She said. "Still got plenty a healin' ta do... ain't gonna be doin' any long travelin... but ah reckon ah can still help ya clear th' way."
"Alright, once it's clear, you can head back. Rainbow, are you gonna stay with me?"
"You bet Twi." Rainbow said.
"What about you Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.
"I... think I'll stay behind." Fluttershy shyly responded. "I mean, if that's ok."
"Perfectly. Your pretty good with injuries, so you could probably find something to help Applejack heal faster anyway." Twilight said. "And you Pinkie?"
"I think I'll stay too Twi." Pinkie said, trying to give her friend a smile. It was weak, and by the look on her face, Twilight and Rainbow new exactly why with just one look at the filly she'd been forced to torture mentally and physically that night. Rainbow went over to Pinkie.
"Alright Pinkie... just don't beat yourself up over all of this, alright?" Rainbow said.
"I'm... I'm not." Pinkie lied. "I just want to have some time with her when she wakes up is all."
Pinkie smiled in attempt to re-assure her friend. Rainbow smiled back and gave Pinkie a hug. "Alright guys. Let’s get out of here."
Twilight nodded as Applejack got up on all fours. Twilight unlocked the door and the three of them headed out...

***

Barely 10 minutes after their departure, the door opened again as Applejack walked inside. She was somewhat dirty, covered in a thin layer of the ashes of the wood she'd helped the mares move out of the way. She sighed as she went back into her corner.
"She ain't wake up yet?" Applejack asked.
Fluttershy looked at the fillies and dragons huddled up against the wall, then back at Applejack. "Thankfully no. This is the most peaceful I've seen her all night. The longer she's sleeping, the better."
Applejack nodded in agreement. She then looked over at Pinkie, who lied on her back, looking up at the ceiling in a daze. It took a moment for the mare to realize Applejack had come back.
"AJ?" she said, flipping over on her front. "What happened?"
"Well... they're on their way. Headed ta th' study ah reckon..." Applejack looked at the mare. "Uh, Pinkie?"
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Ya didn't... set up no more traps, did ya?"
Pinkie swallowed. She'd been reminded of yet another act she'd committed during her ghost time. "...no. O-only on the ones that led to Sweetie, I think. AJ, you know I-"
Applejack waved a hoof. "Ah don't care. Ah know ya weren't in yer ri' mind. B'sides. Ahm fine now, an' tha's wha' matters now, ri'?"
Pinkie nodded, shakily. She still wouldn't forgive herself for a while, but it was nice to know that she wasn't hated. Applebloom however, looked up questioningly.
"Wha' are y'all talkin' about anyway?" she asked.
"Uh... just some stuff I did when I was a ghost." Pinkie explained.
"Like what?" Spike asked, finally looking away from Sweetie.
"Huh?" Pinkie asked.
"Yeah! Sweetie said something about you and the other mares doing something... and you mentioned something about a carnival? What?"
Pinkie remained silent. She wasn't sure how to say that she'd basically ordered them to kill their best friend. It was easy to  tell that Sweetie hadn't even hinted to what they'd done to her, and likely for good reason. She didn't want them to know...
"W-well, it isn't that important, I guess. Let's just say I... I hurt her a lot tonight. That's all." Pinkie said.
"Why can't you tell us more?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yeah... and Sweetie w's actin' all weird when we tried ta talk ta her 'bout you and... us." Applebloom said. "Pinkie, ya were around th' mansion t'night... where were we? Fainted someplace?"
"Y...yes? Yeah, you were out all night. Specter was keeping you-" Pinkie lied. Scootaloo however, shook her head.
"Nuh uh!" Scootaloo said. "I remember walking around here in some crypt. Applebloom wasn't there but I don't think Specter was keeping us anywhere... and something happened down there. What happened?"
"How would she' know?" Applebloom interrupted, defending Pinkie. "She had 'er own stuff Specter was prob'ly tellin' 'er ta do."
"But she lied." Spike said. "Why Pinkie?"
"I... I..." Pinkie was beginning to tear up.
Everyone's attention was turned from the mare back to Sweetie, who moaned as she was beginning to wake up again. The three children gave the filly some room to get back up on all fours, as she stretched and looked around at everyone. Without a word, she looked at her back and saw that her GCD and saddlebags it was tied to were gone.
"What...who..." Sweetie mumbled.
"Twilight... she took your ghost capturer and your saddlebags." Fluttershy explained.
"What?" Sweetie asked, looking at the mare.
"She headed out with Rainbow to-"
"No..." Sweetie walked over to the door, and put her hoof to it. Though she wanted to go out to peruse the mare, she knew she wouldn't get far, especially without her flashlight. She then put her head to the door.
"I'm sorry Sweetie... but you know it's for the best." Fluttershy said, trying to cheer the filly up. It didn't work as Sweetie gritted her teeth. She wanted to save her sister... but now that chance was taken away from her. Still, the filly couldn't figure out why it made her so angry...
"Sweetie?" Applebloom finally asked. Sweetie didn't turn around.
"What." She said flatly. The filly's change in mood was a little unnerving to the two CMC, and even Spike.
"I... we... ya were gonna tell us wha' happened ta us earlier, ri'?"
Sweetie didn't answer. She simply kept her head up against the door, Applejack's hat slightly falling off as she pressed her forehead to its metal.
"Well, what was it Sweets? Where were we?" Spike asked.
"...the mansion." Sweetie said.
"Well, we know that." Scootaloo said. "I mean, where were we? You found us so you must know-"
"I do know." Sweetie said, turning around. There was coldness in her eyes. Emotionless and dead… it was frightening to be coming from the small filly. "You were trying to kill me."
The words hung in the air for a few minutes as everyone stared at Sweetie. The mares stared at her for how bluntly she'd shared the information, and Applebloom, Scootaloo and Spike looked at her in disbelief.
"...I-I'm sorry, but what?" Spike said.
"Yeah, ah think we musta' mis-"
"No, you didn't Applebloom." Sweetie said coldly. "You tried to cut my throat." she said, pointing at Applebloom. "You tried choking me to death." she said, pointing at Scootaloo, "and you tried to burn me alive!"
"Sweetie, we'd never-"
"You tried to kill me. Keep me from catching any pony. Kept me from catching her. ALL of you... and even better, you laughed while you did it. Great friends you are."
"Sweetie-" Pinkie tried to stop her.
"And you, are the worst of them. If you were a Pinkie who cared about trying to save me, to try and help me, you would have done your little thing and helped rather than sitting in her mind, just watching as I break every bone in my body. Just like now, when you could have said something. Let me go to save her... Some friend you are..."
Silence filled the room once Sweetie was finished. The explainable anger within the filly subsided after a few moments.  It took a moment for the filly to completely regain herself and realize what she'd just said. She looked at the faces of the mares, she'd managed to hurt with her words. Severely reminded of the horror they'd made the filly undergo. Pinkie Pie and the Crusaders especially. Pinkie, unable to hold it in any longer, had tears streaming down her face. The crusaders and Spike looked at Sweetie in disbelief... yet at the same time, from hearing Sweetie, they knew they had no choice to believe the truth they tried to refuse.
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me..." Sweetie said. "Guys?"
"Sweetie... tha'... tha' ain't true... is it?" Applebloom finally said.
Sweetie wanted to say no... yet at this point, she couldn't lie anymore. It'd probably only hurt them even further.
"Sweets... why would we do somethin' like that?" Scootaloo asked. "We... couldn't have..."
"It wasn't your fault." Sweetie said calmly. "Those three ghosts I told you about... they were controlling you. You didn't have any choice." With that, Sweetie began slowly explaining to them the details she'd skipped over pertaining to that night. The ones involving her first encounters with the possessed children, and the different ways they each tried to kill her. She told them about the carnival and finally... the hanging game Pinkie had planned.
"That's why you were so afraid of us when you woke up..." Spike said, looking down.
"I-I wasn't afraid of you!" Sweetie said. "I was afraid of them! Candy, Marbles and Spiffy. Not you."
"But... if we still tried ta kill-" Applebloom said.
"Shut up, ok?" Sweetie said. The three of them looked down to the ground, seeming to be on the verge of tears, much like Pinkie. She began walking over to Applebloom. She gave the filly a hug. "It wasn't you, alright?" Applebloom didn't answer. She simply gave the filly another hug back, as hard as she could.
"But Sweets-" Scootaloo said, not bothering to look up.
"Relax. I said, it wasn't you." Sweetie continued. "You didn't have anything to do with it. The way I see it, you weren't even involved." Sweetie hugged Scootaloo. As Scootaloo hugged her back, as Sweetie felt a tear drop down her back.
"And because of that..." Sweetie said, moving over to the dragon, giving him a hug. "I don't have any reason to be mad at any of you."
Spike didn't give a hug. He simply stood there in a trance as Sweetie hugged him. She gave the dragon one of the longer hugs...
Finally, Sweetie went over to Pinkie, who still had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"And Pinkie... I know we've been through a lot... and I know it's probably silly to keep saying the same thing over and over again..." Sweetie standing in front of the mare. "But you’re not the one to blame, and I'm not mad... but there is something I want you to do."
The teary eyed pink mare looked up at Sweetie... or rather down at her, given her small stature. "I... could I have a smile? Not one of those creepy ghostly ones... but a real smile? The one the real Pinkie would make."
The mare did as she was told, giving a friendly smile to the filly. Not waiting for her to approach her any further, Pinkie quickly went forward, lifted the filly in the air and gave her the biggest bear hug she could.
"Uh, Pinkie?" Sweetie said strained. "I still gotta... breath."
"S-sorry Sweetie." Pinkie said, putting the filly down.
"Well..." Sweetie said, checking her chest to make sure it hadn't caved in from Pinkie's hug. "Now that we've got that out of the way, and there's no negativity anymore... I wanted to ask all of you few questions..."
"Sure Sweets!" Pinkie said. Every mare, filly and dragon in the room gathered into a group in front of Sweetie, ready to listen to whatever she had to say. 
"What's on your mind?" Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie glanced over at the dead Specter, in the corner. She shivered at what she might have done, but pushed the thought out of her head. Now wasn't the time to get emotional again. "I... wanted to ask you a few questions about the mansion... the ghosts... and Specter."

***

Rainbow and Twilight entered the mansion foyer, looking around the massive foyer at the doors. Rainbow, out of curiosity went to the front door out of curiosity to see if it would open. She pushed it... it wouldn't budge.
"I tried that earlier tonight Rainbow. It won't open... some kind of magical lock." Twilight said through Sweetie's flashlight. 
"Well, you’re good at magic, right? You could probably open it, right?" Rainbow asked, looking back at the purple mare.
Twilight shook her head. "No. Two reasons. One, because my magic right now is barely strong enough to open up simple locks. Hay, I thought I was going to black out after that teleportation spell and that lightning bolt." Twilight explained. "Secondly, the lock, unlike the one down by the safe room, requires a specific frequency and flow of magic to be flowed through it. Kind of like a security code. Providing the mansion itself would even let me, I'd need to know that code in order to open it... and the only one who probably knows it is..."
"Specter." Rainbow finished. "You think if we can find him we could get out of here?"
"Provided he's willing to give us the code to begin with." Twilight said.
"That's easy. I'll just beat it out of him." Rainbow said.
"You’re going to beat up a ghost huh?" Twilight said, raising a brow. "Just like you were going to beat up that butler?"
Rainbow shrugged "I could still try. You never know... but even if we couldn't we could just catch him, right? Can't you just put him through that printer thing?" Rainbow asked.
"Actually... yeah, but I don't know if it'll work." Twilight said. "Sweetie's captured and printed out other ghosts, but when I tried to revive them, nothing happened. No matter how much magic I put into them, the photos just kind of... blew up in my face."
"Blew up huh?" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah. The magic just blew back onto me, Applejack, and Fluttershy. One was so big it threw the three of us against the wall." Twilight explained.
"Ouch." Rainbow said. "But... then why did it work on us then?"
"Not sure. I had a theory that the paintings used whatever magic I pumped into turn our cutie marks into new bodies. Something tells me that am not right though." Twilight said.
"Then what do you really think makes it so ponies can get revived?" Rainbow asked.
"I really don't know... but so far, every pony that's been revived has only died just this night. They haven't been dead for much longer than a few hours."
"Then what? You think only ponies that died tonight can get revived?" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah... but if that's true, then we haven't got any chance of getting out of here through that door."
"Why not."
"Because I'm almost sure that tonight... isn't the first time Specter died." Twilight said. "... come on, we're wasting time talking here. We've got to head through that door over there." Twilight pointed over at the door. to the right of the staircase. "If the mansion doesn't mess with us, like it did with me earlier, that should be the way to Specter's study."
"Gotcha Twi."
"I haven't seen any ghosts yet... but I'm almost positive that we're gonna come across some soon. Watch my flank alright?"
"On it."
"Not... too closely though." Twilight joked. "We've got to pay attention to what’s around us too."
"Ha ha." Rainbow said unenthusiastic, rolling her eyes. "Not in your life Twi."
The two of them headed through the door into the next hallway...

***

"Ok, first off... the carnival. What-the-hay was that." Sweetie started.
"You went to a carnival?" Fluttershy asked. "How... was it?"
"A blast." Sweetie said sarcastically. "Everything was burned, ghosts were everywhere, and I was the star of a circus act as I walked across a 60 foot tightrope wearing a lion costume. A hay of a time."
"Sorry. I should have figured it wasn't good." Fluttershy said, looking down.
"Well Pinkie? You seemed to know what was happening. Do you remember a lot of it?"
Pinkie nodded slowly. "Yeah, I remember. I watched you the whole time... or did I read about you, I forget." Pinkie paused, feeling another wave of nausea. "Oh Celestia, what's that author planning..." she said lowly for no pony but herself to hear.
"Ok, so then you probably know what the hay happened in there, right?"
"...kind of." Pinkie said. "It's... kind of hard to remember places where you weren't there... like I remember everything after you snapped me with that camera... up until the ghost Pinkie started trying to snuff me out."
"So... you don't know what happened then?" Sweetie asked.
Pinkie got up, and began to pace. She was trying her very best to remember what it was that gave her that kind of power to manipulate reality into the twisted carnival. She was determined to give the filly some kind of answer. "I... think some pony gave me that power to manipulate the mansion."
"Specter?"
"Maybe. I remember him praising me a lot. His voice was really twisted when he did too." Like it was a whole bunch of ponies instead of just him."
"He just... gave you that kind of power?"
"Yeah... see, the way I remember him saying it... there are different parts of the mansion that can be... manipulated. Changed around, right?"
"It happened to us when we were running from those ghosts." Spike said. "When Sweetie and I fell through that hole in the ceiling and almost got lost in some different part of the hallway."
"But... there's different, super special places in the mansion... like the courtyard, where stuff can be added, taken, and even completely manipulated. There’s a couple spots in the mansion like that..."
"... and?"
"I... just remembered something. It had something to do with Rarity... why can't I remember it clearer..." Pinkie mumbled. "A-anyway, I remember, when Sweetie caught AJ and Fluttershy, that they gathered Rainbow, Rarity, a calidascopy looking Twilight, and me... they said that if you caught too many ghosts, they'd give every pony remaining a piece of the mansion to use... that's why I wanted you to catch Twi and Dashie so much... might have tested it on one pony earlier tonight, but really, I forget." 
"Was that why you wanted me to catch Twilight and Rainbow so badly?" Sweetie asked. "And why you were so... interested in me?"
"No." Pinkie said flatly. "I don't think that's... completely why."
"Really? Then what?" Sweetie asked.
"I... don't remember. Just that some pony I liked made me think to really like you even more. It's like they liked you, so I wanted to like you more. Makes sense?"
"I guess." Sweetie said. Honestly, there were too many 'likes' for Sweetie to really make sense of it.
"Another question..." Sweetie asked. She glanced at Spike who was giving her another dreamy stare... Sweetie was almost caught up into it before looking back at Pinkie. "Can... Specter mentally manipulate ponies? You know, that Mind Dive thing?"
"Mind Dive... yeah, I do remember Specter mentioning that a little while ago. Getting into a pony's head and making them see and do stuff?"
"Yeah. Can he... or maybe Spiffy... or even Rarity do that? Could you do that?"
"I know I couldn't." Pinkie said. "Anything you saw that wasn't real... I think that was all Twilight."
"T-there's no other way that some ghost pony could make them do stuff?"
"Nothing involving magic I don't think. Rare wasn't strong enough... neither was Spiffy or Specter." Pinkie confirmed.
"But... Spike... and I, we..."
"Yer what?" Applejack asked.
It didn't make much sense to the filly. She was sure that she didn't like the dragon... yet since that kiss, he was the only thing besides the safety of Rarity on the filly's mind. She wished there was some other explanation besides the idea that "She was in love with Spike". It didn't make sense any way the filly put it. And even more, she couldn't have a relationship with the dragon... she probably wouldn't even be able to imagine what she'd put Applebloom though with that second kiss at the church. 
Applebloom replied. Sweetie looked at Applebloom, who didn't bother to look back. After learning she'd been nearly puppeted into driving a knife through her friend, Sweetie was sure she'd still 'act' like her friend. She was positive that Applebloom wouldn't get emotional like before over the kiss... but she was sure that Applebloom was still getting torn up inside. Wounds Sweetie would eventually have to figure out how to heal. "They were... just doin some experiment'n."
"Experimenting?" Fluttershy asked.
"Yeah. Relationship experiment'n is all." Applebloom said.
"Uh..." Fluttershy said, unsure of how to react to that.
"Hey Pinkie, I've got another question." Sweetie said, interrupting before they could delve deeper into the subject. "Just one more big one."
"Sure Sweetie. Throw it at me." Pinkie said.
"I wanted to know... you don't know where Rarity is, do you?" Sweetie asked.
Silence took over the room once more.
"...Sweetie, ya know we can't-" Applejack started.
"I-I know. I just wanted to see if Pinkie knew... just for curiosity's sake." Sweetie assured. "I'm not gonna leave. At least... not without my flashlight anyway."
"Well... no, not really Sweetie." Pinkie said. "If I knew, I'd've probably told Dashie and Twi before they left."
"But, you were the closest to Specter! That's how you got that carnival, right?" Sweetie asked. "You have to know something! You have to!"
"C'mon Sweetie." Scootaloo said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "If she doesn't know, she doesn't know. Sorry."
Sweetie bowed her head. "Ok..."
Pinkie felt more guilt stabbing at her as she watched the filly slump down in that depressed manner. She couldn't bear seeing her like this. "... but..." she said.
Sweetie looked up. "But?"
"But... I do know that Rarity was given the same power as me... yeah, in fact, I know she was."
"R-really? Does that mean she'd be somewhere around the courtyard?" Sweetie asked.
Pinkie shook her head. "The courtyard was mine... she was given another place."
"Where?" Sweetie asked.
"I'm not sure... but i do know it was on the other side of the mansion... Opposite of the courtyard you've seen"
Sweetie didn't remember seeing any other ways to that other side. Any hallways leading that way were either blocked off or destroyed by Pinkie.
"But you blocked all of the ways leading that way, right? Does that mean only ghosts can make it over there?"
"I didn't block all of them Sweetie." Pinkie said. "Just like I didn't lock all of the doors. No, they were already there... but there is a way."
"Where?"
Pinkie shrugged. "Not sure... but I know it exists. Meany old Gilda's not a ghost, but I'm sure she had to go over there at some point... there's probably some secret way over there."
"...wait..." Sweetie thought for a second. "Applejack." Sweetie said. "Didn't you say you saw Rarity headed into the kitchen?"
Applejack nodded. "Leas' tha's wha' ah thought ah saw."
"Right... and Pinkie. When we first met when you were a ghost... did you see Rarity too? Outside of the Sugar Cube corner?"
Pinkie thought for a moment. "I didn't see anything that looked like Sugarcube before you went all crazy with Twi's mental mind thingy... but I was looking at you the entire time, so I don't know... wait, you don't think that..."
Sweetie nodded. "Maybe the secret entrance is in the kitchen."
"Hold up Sweetie." Applejack said. "Ah was in tha' kitchen too. Ah didn't see no door to no new part o' th' mansion."
"Maybe there's some special way you need to open it up." Sweetie said. "...somewhere Specter can access easily."
"Sweetie? Do you think you have an idea of where this 'special way' is?" Fluttershy asked.
"It's a guess, but... why not Specter's study? It's private, and somewhere he'd probably visit regularly." Sweetie figured.
"That's genius Sweetie!" Spike said. He went over to hug the filly, who blushed on impact. After a few moments, Sweetie regained herself, and gently pushed Spike off of her. Scootaloo shook her head.
"Bu' Twili' and Rainbow are headed there right now." Applejack said.
"And if they go there... they won't know what to look for." Fluttershy said. "They might leave and just start aimlessly wandering the mansion..."
"...unless we tell them." Sweetie said. Every pony looked at Sweetie.
"Sweetie-"
"Guys, they won't find Rarity or Specter if we don't." Sweetie argued. "They might get in more danger looking for them than actually finding them. The sooner we find them and tell them, the better. We have to, before it's too late.
"...she's right." Pinkie said.
"Pinkie?" Sweetie said, some pony, specifically a mare, agreed with her.
"Yeah! And I wouldn't want something to happen to Rainbow. She might fall in some kind of trap." Scootaloo said. "Sure, she'd probably get out in time, but still..."
"n' th' faster we tell em' th' faster we c'n get Rare, and git outa here." Applebloom said.
"And you Spike?" Sweetie asked.
"Yeah! Totally! Whatever you say Sweetie."
Guess since she's gonna have 'er new 'mate' she might as well take advantage of him... Applebloom thought.
Sweetie however, smiled at the fact that most of her friends were siding with her. At this point, every pony except Fluttershy and Applejack had agreed to the plan.
"Ah don't lik' this idea one bit." Applejack said. "Don't seem too smart let'n more ponies go out... but if it gets us out'a here faster..."
"Exactly." Sweetie said.
"But we need a flashlight. We aren't going anywhere without one." Pinkie said.
"Well... I remember Twilight putting a yellow flashlight over there, in that dresser." Fluttershy said, pointing over to a dresser with a mirror that had a swirling pattern around its frame. Sweetie went over to check it's drawer. She saw the flashlight Twilight had used earlier that night. Accompanied by it, was a small balled up piece of paper, which the filly could vaguely identify small splotches of pink ectoplasm and a piece of charcoal in the shape of a heart. Sweetie assumed that it was no good, so she just took the flashlight without giving it a second thought.
"Ok, we can head out and be back in-"
"Hold up, no pony said anything about you goin' anywhere." Applejack argued.
"Can't Pinkie just go?" Fluttershy asked. "She's a tough mare to get ahold of... you can take care of yourself, right Pinkie?"
Sweetie shook her head, not allowing the mare to answer. "No. Maybe she might if she had her talents, but now they're getting harder and harder to use, right?" Sweetie asked.
Fluttershy touched her throat. She nodded in agreement.
"That means that she's going to need some help right?" Sweetie convinced. "And who better to help her than me and my friends, who've had the most ghost encounters, right?"
Though they both hated to admit it, Sweetie was right. The filly had spent hours in the mansion, somehow dodging and surviving the ghosts that tried to get her.
"An' we ain't gonna let our friend go either, ri' Sweets?" Applebloom asked.
Sweetie nodded. "They've had their share of ghosts too. The more eyes to watch what's around us, the better."
"Alri... so yer all gonna go then?" Applejack asked.
Sweetie nodded.
"Ah suppose ah'll have ta stay here on mah own, ri'?" Applejack asked. "Lik' ah told ya, ah can't really do no long travelin' till ahm completely healed.
"You've got Fluttershy." Scootaloo said. "She's not coming right?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I'm sure I'd just... slow you down. Besides, I still need to see what I can do for Applejack."
"But the readers want to see you walk around the mansion..." Pinkie mumbled, gripping her stomach again. The mare had to stop, before she ended up vomiting. No one noticed.
"Ok. So, Fluttershy and Applejack will wait here, and we'll be back as soon as we can." Sweetie said. "The door's open?"
"Ah guess." Applejack said. "Didn't have ta do nothin' ta open it."
"Be back in a jiff, m'kay?" Pinkie chirped.
"Just be careful ok?" Fluttershy said. With that, Pinkie, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Spike and Sweetie left the room, closing the door behind him.
"...ah got a bad feelin' about all a this."
"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.
"All this separation ain't good... ah just don't seein' it endin' well is all..."

***

The two mares entered the door, and entered yet another dark hallway. The moonlight had difficulty reaching that part of the area, making the only visible light come from the Sweetie's flashlight, carried in Twilight's muzzle. Rainbow kept her eyes peeled behind her and Twilight as they walked. As Rainbow kept feeling the chill down her spine, she couldn't help but feel something was wrong.
"Hey Twi?" Rainbow asked. "Are you getting the feeling your being... watched?"
"I wouldn't be surprised." Twilight said. "Ghosts around here are always looking for a chance to pounce any unsuspecting pony when they're not looking." Twilight looked back at Rainbow, and smirked. "Don't tell me the big, tough, Rainbow Dash is getting scared now."
"No, no, of course not." Rainbow said. "I don't get scared... but I am getting a little... paranoid I guess."
"Around here, that's not a bad thing." Twilight responded. "Paranoia works with you around here. When I had to move around the mansion, I was always expecting some ghost would pop out to scare me... or the mansion would change around on me. Paranoia can be bad sometimes, but here, it just makes you prepared for the worst."
"So you think the worst is gonna happen?" Rainbow asked.
"Dear Celestia I hope not." Twilight said, before stopping. "Wait."
"What's up Twi?"
Twilight had stopped in front of a large metal door. A light residue of orange ectoplasm was vaguely outlined in the shape of an apple. "I remember passing by here a little while back..." she said. "I guess Sweetie must have figured out how to clean it up to get inside."
"You mean you couldn't?" Rainbow asked. "I thought you were supposed to be the brains? How'd Sweetie figure it out when you couldn't"
"Hey, I was a crotchety old mare earlier with half a soul. My head was barely on strait." Twilight argued. "Still... I'm amazed that she figured out how to clear it with the GCD and even find the key that went to the door..."
"What do you think's inside?" Rainbow asked.
"When I first passed by, I was almost positive it was Applejack's hiding spot." Twilight said. "Though between the door being locked and the ectoplasm keeping the doors shut, I didn't find out... Now, I'm not really sure, I just want to peek to see what was inside. Maybe some kind of clue."
"Careful Twi." Rainbow warned. "If AJ was in there, I wouldn't be surprised if this was some kind of trap."
"You’re telling me to be careful?" Twilight asked the mare who spent most of her days doing life threatening air stunts.
Twilight kept one hoof on her GCD as she slowly opened the door. Once it was fully open, she shined her light inside... it was just an oversized tea room. Tea tables and china were all over the room, covered with the same generic white sheet. There were only two things the mares found peculiar about the room... One was the patches of dirt scattered all over the room, and the few seedling trees that were growing out of the ground. The other, was that the room was dimly lit by a sole chandelier at the center of the room.
"Nothing... just some china and some plants." Twilight sighed.
"C'mon, let’s keep going." Rainbow motioned. "This creepy lighting is giving me more chills than the hallway."
"Ok, let’s go." Twilight said, closing the door and continuing to guide Rainbow down the dark hallway.
They walked down the hallway, until Twilight stopped in front of another grand looking door.
"If I'm right, this should be Specter's study."
"You really think he's in there?" Rainbow asked, looking behind her. "I mean, If I were Specter, and I knew that some pony was gonna hunt me down, I'd have a little more protection right?"
"Hm... your right. Then again, the hallway's pretty cold. There's got to be a good number of ghosts somewhere." Twilight figured. "Maybe they're inside?"
Rainbow put her ear to the door. She closed her eyes, to focus on the inside of the room...
"...nothing Twi." Rainbow finally said.
"Nothing? No laughs? No giggling?" Twilight asked.
"No... I thought I heard a crackle, but that's it." Rainbow said.
"Ok, I'm going in. Cover me Rainbow." Twilight said, as she swung the door open. She aimed the GCD nozzle in front of her ready to suck up any ghosts she saw... but none came. Besides the lit fire place that sat in front of two chairs, there was nothing. It was just a normal study with a small library of books, and portraits hung on the walls.
Twilight sighed. "Nothing. No ghost in sight."
"Now what Twi?" Rainbow asked. "Anywhere else you think the guy might be?" 
"... well, maybe the library. I remember him visiting there once." Twilight thought. "It's a little ways away from here though. Maybe we should just explore this hallway a little more before we go."
Rainbow nodded as she headed for the door... when all of a sudden, the door shut on its own. In her surprise, Rainbow's wings erected. "What the hay?!"
The portrait over top the fireplace depicting Specter fell over in front of the fireplace blocking the light, dimming the room significantly, just short of pitch black. The room filled with laughter.
"It's a trap!" Twilight said. "Keep your eyes peeled, they could come from anywhere!"
Twilight backed into Rainbow as their flanks touched. Twilight looked around the room wildly, trying to anticipate where any ghost might try to show up. Seconds of laughing passed before finally-
"Twi! 6 o'clock!" Rainbow said, looking to her left. Twilight looked in the same direction to see a K-9 ghost phase through the wall and jump at her. Both Rainbow and Twilight jumped in either direction as Twilight shined the flashlight on the dog.
Ding!
As Twilight aimed her nozzle at the dog, she began sucking it up.
15, 14, 13, 12... the GCD said. Twilight, unlike Sweetie was unfamiliar with the yank technique. She didn't bother experimenting with it. Even more, the mare didn't have the stress of not knowing wither or not she would hold on long enough. Given she was heavier and likely stronger than Sweetie, the ghost didn't drag her around like the filly.
While the numbers counted down on the GCD, a butler ghost phased through the ceiling and went to grab onto Rainbow, who zoomed into the air, out of the path of the ghost as it went through the floor she was previously standing on. Rainbow wasn't however fast enough to dodge the second ghost as it phased through the wall in front of her and tackled her down to the ground.
"Gah! Twilight!" Rainbow struggled to get free. Unfortunately, the ghost was stronger than even her. "Hel-" Before Rainbow could say another word, the ghost proceeded to stick its hoof into the mare's mouth. She gagged on it, as it laughed, beginning to rip out her spirit and soul.
"Hold on!" Twilight said, wishing there was some way to suck up the ghost faster.
3, 2, 1, 0. Capturing Ghost. the GCD said. The K-9 whimpered as it was sucked into the confines of the GCD.
"Get off of her!" Twilight yelled as she shined her light on the ghost. 
Ding!
Twilight sucked the ghost off of Rainbow as she proceeded to suck it up before it could do anymore damage to Rainbow. Once the ghost was sucked up, the laughter in the room only got louder.
"Twi, you got a plan?" Rainbow asked, coughing and looking around the study nervously.
Twilight thought for a second when she noticed the painting in front of the fireplace. Just as a plethora of ghosts phased through the wall, Twilight aimed the GCD nozzle at the painting, sucking it off of the fireplace it was covering. Light from the fire filled the room. A deafening DING! echoed through the room as any ghost inside disappeared. Both Twilight and Rainbow panted exhaustedly, thankful they'd somehow managed to survive the ambush.
"You ok Rainbow?" Twilight asked.
"I'll live..." Rainbow responded.
"That... that was close." Twilight said.
"Yeah... you’re telling me." Rainbow said. The door clicked. "The doors open. Let's get out of here, before anymore decide to show up."
Twilight nodded as they both exited the room and headed back into the hallway. They both decided to check out the end of the hallway to see if there was anything of interest at the door it ended with.
"...hey Rainbow? Mind if I ask you something?" Twilight asked.
"What?" Rainbow asked.
"Uh... You know Gilda's here, right?"
"...yeah? What about her?" Rainbow asked.
"Well, you two were friends, right?"
"Were friends..." Rainbow emphasized. "Ever since that thing with Fluttershy and Pinkie... I haven't kept with her that much."
"You mean, you haven't seen her since she came and left Ponyville that Fall?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow nodded. "I remember getting a letter or two from her... just the normal, sup, what's going on... hay, I almost thought she wanted to be friends with me again, but I kept reminding her that you guys were a part of the deal... then I lost contact with her... funny."
"What?" Twilight asked.
"I remember... back when I was a ghost and all, she wanted me for some reason. Who knows, maybe she just wanted to be friends with me... the griffon was always a mule's flank hole, but since I was the only pony who ever... y'know, tried to befriend, I guess she got a really jealous when I got a new friend of something."
"You think that's why she was so mean to Fluttershy and Pinkie?" Twilight asked.
"Partially. To be honest, I think another side of her just gets off on that kind of stuff." Rainbow responded.
"So... what? You’re not friends with her? You don't know why she'd be associated with Specter?" Twilight asked.
The two of them finally made it to the door. "I don't have a clue of why some griffon like her wants to have anything to do with Specter..." Rainbow and Twilight looked at each other as they walked through the door, not paying attention to what was in front of them. "...but friends? Ha! Since she hit Sweetie like that, she can forget that. The next time I see that griffon, trust me, I'm gonna deck her right in the-" The two of them looked forward. The room was filled with every kind of ghost, playing some kind of game, wither it be pool, darts or anything else in the game room they'd just walked into. There had to be at least 30 of them. Inside was also Gilda, grinning at the two mares just like every other ghost inside.
"Aw don't mind us Rainy." Gilda said. "Please. You were saying?"
The door shut behind the mares, clicking as it locked.
"Oh hay..." Twilight mumbled as both of the mare's ears went down...

***

The group of ponies entered the dining hall, lit by the moonlight shining through the windows along its side.
"Hey, is that where they went?" Scootaloo asked, pointing to the door with pieces of cleared wood on either side of it.
Sweetie nodded. "Yeah. It leads to the foyer I think."
"C'mon then." Applebloom said. "We gotta try n' catch 'em before they leave tha' study."
Every pony and dragon agreed as they headed started to head through the door.
"Sweetie." Pinkie said. "You got a sec?"
Sweetie, who hung at the back of the group, looked at Pinkie at the front, Twilight's flashlight firmly in her muzzle.
"Y-yeah." Sweetie said. "You guys go on ahead."
"You too Spike." Pinkie added.
"What? Why?" Scootaloo asked, looking at the mare.
"Well, it's just a few things that I think... just they need to know for now. Just wait for us at the fountain for now. Take this." Pinkie said, giving Applebloom the flashlight. Rather than using her muzzle to hold the thing, she fixed it in with the bow on her head, so she wouldn't have to carry it in her muzzle. The flashlight itself was hidden in her mane, however the light shined magnificently through the red hairs.
Sweetie smiled. "That's resourceful." Applebloom gave a weak smile back before heading with Scootaloo into the next area. "What's wrong Pinkie?"
"Yeah. Did you remember something else?" Spike asked.
"Yeah, I think so." Pinkie said. "But first Spike, since your Sweetie's new... dragon friend..."
Sweetie twitched at the mention.
"...you can keep this a secret from the other mares right? I mean, you don't want them to know, right Sweetie?" 
"...Your talking about the cutie mark thing?" Sweetie asked.
Pinkie nodded. "Anyway, when you went to the carnival, and you showed up with those the mare's cutie marks... you weren't you."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean... everything you saw was real... but at the same time, it wasn't." Pinkie said. "Though the mansion did change, it changed into a memory... something Specter... at least I think it was Specter, told me to let you see."
"So?" Spike asked.
"Where you went, your body didn't just go, but your spirit did as well. It was kind of like, you were in the world I created, but your spirit was in some kind of memory. That's what those special places do... they can separate the spirit from the body without killing either. Really, it inverts it, where your body is inside of your spirit instead of the other way around."
"You’re not making sense Pinkie."
"When does Pinkie make sense." Spike mumbled.
"What I'm trying to say is those cutie marks, are in you. They're latched onto your spirit. And anytime you walk around in your spirit instead of your body."
"My body inside of my spirit?"
"At least that's the way Specter explained it to us after Applejack was caught." Pinkie thought for a moment. "Actually, I think she was the first to use one of those special areas. After that, they said that we should stop using them... mostly because now that you had those cutie marks, you could use them in the areas..."
"So... those special areas, I can use my cutie marks in... or at least any time I'm using my spirit for travel?"
"In a walnut shell, yeah." Pinkie chirped.
"And what about Spike?" Sweetie asked. "You said something about him?"
"I did?" Pinkie asked, turning her head to the side.
"Yeah! You said Sweetie and Spike!" Sweetie said annoyed. "Why did you want to talk to him."
"I did want to, didn't I... that's weird." Pinkie said. "I forget."
"What? How did you forget so fast?" Spike asked.
"I don't know, it's like some pony just threw my thoughts out the window." Pinkie said. "But I'd relax. It's fine. If it were that important, I would have remembered right?... Guys?"
The two children's eyes contracted as they stared at Pinkie blankly. Pinkie went to touch them and possibly shake them out of their trance, but she wasn't given the chance. The two of them dodged to either side of the mare, running past her into the foyer. "Hey wait! Sweetie! Spike!"
Applebloom and Scootaloo, who were waiting by the fountain looked up as they saw Sweetie and Spike running into the area. They then ran up the staircase at the center of the two doors, up to the second floor, Pinkie closely following. The two fillies looked at each other in confusion before following the mare.
They all ran through the left door at the top of the staircase. Once they were all through, no pony was focused enough on anything else besides the white filly and purple dragon, to notice that the door had locked on them. Sweetie and Spike ran down the hallway, until finally running into a random door. Any normal pony would have thought it would be a dead end for the children... but Pinkie wasn't naive enough to believe that. 
"NO! WAIT!" Pinkie called as the door shut behind the two children. Upon reaching the door seconds later, the mare opened the door to find a generic bedroom... no Sweetie Belle or Spike to be found. Pinkie had lost the filly... she hit the door in frustration.
Applebloom and Scootaloo rushed up to the guilt struck mare.
"Pinkie! What happened?!" Scootaloo asked.
Before any other words could be exchanged, the hallway filled with laughter.
"Tha' don't sound good." Applebloom said.
Pinkie looked up, and just like both fillies looked to either side of the hallway to find waves of ghosts flying at them. The door to the bedroom shut, trapping the ponies in the hallway to be at the mercy of the ghosts flying at them, one group being led by a yellow ghost mare...

***

"Ok, does this hurt?" Fluttershy asked, pressing a part of Applejack's stomach.
"Nope." Applejack responded.
"How about here?" Fluttershy asked, moving her hoof to a different part of the mare's body. Applejack twitched when she pressed the part.
"Hey, tha' tickles!" Applejack complained. The mare wasn't into tickles, especially if it was coming from another mare. At least not by Fluttershy in any case.
"Sorry." Fluttershy said, moving to a different spot at the socket of one of her hind legs. "How about-"
"Ah!" Applejack hissed. "Yeah. Right there."
"Ok, just hold still for a second." Fluttershy instructed. "This might hurt a little." The yellow pegasus the applied more pressure on Applejack's stomach. The mare clenched her teeth in pain, though she didn't scream, and kept still as Fluttershy had asked. It was barely moments of pressure later that the pain subsided. "Is it better?"
Once Fluttershy got off of Applejack, the mare got up and stretched. "Yeah. What'd ya do?"
"I just figured one of your bones might have been out of place." Fluttershy figured. "I think now you'll be able to move easier."
"Thanks Fluttershah." Applejack smiled.
"No-" Fluttershy said. She stopped, looking horrifically behind Applejack at the other side of the room, at the corner in which Specter lay... or at least he was lying. Now, he was sitting up on his flank, smiling as he looked at the two mares.
"Good morning ladies." he said.
"What the hay... ya were d-"
"Dead? Yes, I find that to be a bit of a problem around here now a days." Specter said. "Did you know that this manor's filled with ghosts? I tell you, what pests."
As Fluttershy hid behind Applejack, the apple bucking mare got into a battle ready position. "Ah don't know wha's goin on around 'ere, but you we got some questions for you."
"Ah, questions, questions. Those are also quite common around here." he grinned. "Especially from a nosy little white filly-"
"Don'tcha dare talk about Sweetie." Applejack said. "Now, you gonna talk, or do I gotta beat th' answers out of ya."
"It's funny, really. Death?" Specter said getting up on his flank. "Every pony I've come across seems to see it as... I'm not sure what to call it, unfamiliarity? They pretend it doesn't exist... at least until it just happens to some pony close to them." Specter went over to one of the mirrored dressers and looked inside. Seeing as there was nothing in there, he closed it back. "But the really funny part, is that your friends... are about to realize how real their deaths are."
"W-what are you talking about?" Fluttershy asked quietly.
"Oh my dear, nothing important." Specter said. "...aside from the fact that while you two are sitting here, touching each other, your friends are either dead, or dying as we speak." he gave the two mares another sickly grin. "And I do believe... you two are next."
Applejack had enough. She leaped at the stallion, and attempted to kick him in the face. Specter dodged to the side of the mare as she turned around to throw a punch. Specter caught it out of the air. As they struggled, Specter gave one final smile to the mare.
"And this, my dear guest... is where the lights go out." Specter said. Before any pony in the room could do anything, Specter's horn glowed. The humming of the walls stopped, and the lights in the room went out. In the darkness, Applejack let go of Specter, standing back from him. She lost him in the pitch black of the room. "Goodbye, Element."
The room filled with laughter. The only other sound that was evident in the room was a small "Eep!" from Fluttershy, as ghosts began swarming the room.

***

Gilda leaned up against the wall of one of the many generic bedrooms of the mansion. She had her eyes closed, catching a few moments of sleep as she waited for one ghost in particular. Now that she had fulfilled her orders, she had nothing to do at the moment. As she leaned against the wall, she only thought of the plan Specter had to capture all of the mares. She didn't really pay much attention... all she knew was that once his plan was all said and done, she'd get the chance to re-ghostify, the two mares that had caught her interest. For now, she just waited for Spiffy to come and tell her if the plan was almost finished.
Gilda opened her eyes, looking out through the window of the bedroom. She saw the front of the mansion, along with the trees that stretched across the landscape. She could vaguely see Ponyville touching the horizon from her vantage point... but then she also saw something else. It glimmered in the moonlight, unlike any star should have. Using her naturally acquired eagle vision, she saw that it was in fact a chariot... and from the golden designs along the sides, it was easy to tell it was a royal chariot. Flying alongside, the griffon could vaguely make out the three tight wearing Wonderbolts. Gilda grinned.
"About time we saw some action." she mumbled getting off of the wall. Gilda was ready to fly out the window to intercept the chariot, before Spiffy phased through the wall.
"Griffon." the butler said.
Gilda sighed, as she got out of her pre-flight position. "What do you want?" she asked annoyed.
Spiffy raised a brow as he floated in front of Gilda, blocking her path to the outside. "I just wanted you to know that we have them. In the tea room."
"Pft. Took you long enough." Gilda said.
"Might I ask where you were going."
Gilda crossed her eagle arms. "I was going to keep those guards from ruining Specter's... whatever." She pointed out the window, in which Spiffy looked. "I wouldn't expect you to see old-"
"I see them." Spiffy said, turning back to the griffon. One side effect of being a ghost was heightened senses after all.
"So what? You want them to just show up and ruin everything? Or do you want me to get at them now." Gilda asked.
Spiffy shook his head. "Two weeks you've been working with us, and you still don't know how Specter runs things." Spiffy sighed. "No. I want you to... down them. Get them out of the air... without them knowing there's anypony trying to kill them."
"Why?" Gilda asked. "Seems kind of pointless if they're gonna find out about us anyway."
"Two reasons, Ms. Gilda." Spiffy said, floating around her. "Number one, think. If one. JUST one, figures out that there are ghosts, or something seriously wrong with this mansion, we'll have the whole Equestian army on Specter's tail. We wouldn't want that, would we?"
"We've got ghosts. You can't beat that." Gilda argued.
"You over-estimate the power of such a small number of ghosts. Two hundred at the most." Spiffy explained. "Who's to say if ponies knew what they were dealing with, that they wouldn't try to create another GCD. We don't need more of Ms. Belle running around."
Gilda rolled her eyes.
"And two... they're Mr. Specter's orders. He doesn't want the threat to be evident until our guests are locked up tight in his little abode."
"I'd take them down before they'd even figure out what was happening." Gilda said. "This seems kind of-"
"Listen to me griffon." Spiffy said harshly. "I... am above you. I might be a pony servant, and friend but only to Specter. But to you? Until you get your ends of the bargain, don't act like you have any power over us. Know your place. You will do as Specter and I say... or would you like to join the same fate as the Elements and their little fillies?"
Gilda squinted angrily. "Get out of my face."
"Do we have an understanding?" he asked, floating away from Gilda.
"...what do you want me to do, Butler?" Gilda asked.
Spiffy floated to the window, and looked out at the incoming guards. "You? Nothing. I do however want you to instruct our Princess Luna to cast some type of spell. One that will keep our guard friends from getting any further by chariot. To make it so they have to walk here."
Spiffy floated back over to the door leading to the exit of the room.
"And you? Where the hay are you headed off to?" Gilda asked.
"I'm... headed off to attend to a little... unfinished business." Spiffy said, giving the griffon a ghostly grin before heading out of the door.

***

Sweetie walked with Spike down the long hallway. She wasn't sure how long she'd been walking, but she didn't mind it. She had Spike, who kept his scaly arm around her, guiding her as they walked closely together. The oddest thing... she didn't have her flashlight, or her GCD, or even her saddlebags to protect herself with. Besides Applejack's had on her head, the filly was completely exposed.
Still though, she had her new dragon friend, Spike to keep her safe, right? Of course she did. He seemed to care enough. It was easily to tell every time he kissed her on her cheek. The kisses felt numb... as though they weren't there. Like they were in a dream... then again, so did everything else around the filly. So dreamlike... maybe that was why she wasn't scared. That made sense... maybe all of this was a dream? Maybe she'd eventually wake up in her bed, Rarity by the side, and they'd both just laugh off the nightmare like sisters should... sisters did that, right?
Sweetie looked over to Spike... he had a blank stare on his face, just like the filly... but even then, he still smiled at the filly. What a good dragon friend he was... if this was a dream, maybe when she woke up, she'd head over to the library again... maybe take out another novel to get a conversation started with the dragon... maybe Applebloom's crush was just a dream, and she could have Spike all to herself without feeling guilty. That sounded right... besides, even if the crush wasn't a dream, Applebloom never tried to make an advance to the dragon anyway. Between the library, and the dragon's constant visit's to Rarity's Boutique, she was sure that she'd have a better chance than her friend...
For a brief moment, Sweetie wondered if it wasn't a dream... then what was she doing? She was being with Spike, that's what. The way he held her made her feel safe. He was a dragon, right? She was sure that was right... that meant that he had fire, and could protect them if any ghosts tried to hurt her. He would protect her right? Of course he would. He was her dragon friend, and she was his filly friend.
Sweetie barely noticed that there were some dogs walking alongside the two of them. They glowed red and were transparent... Sweetie was sure that they were the horrible K-9 ghosts that had tried to kill her earlier that night. For a moment, Sweetie got scared, but she was reminded not to be as Spike held her closer again, and proceeded to kiss her. He was protecting her... it was the only reason Sweetie could process of why the ghost dogs weren't attacking her. He was such a good and protective dragon. The best dragon friend a mare could ask for... did many mares have dragon friends anyway? It seemed kind of weird when Sweetie first heard about the crush from Scootaloo and saw it in Applebloom... but now, it didn't seem to crazy. Now, Sweetie saw even mares like her sister, Rarity, who'd had Spike eating out of the palm of her hooves, as crazy for not seizing the dragon's heart when they had the chance.
Sweetie looked forward to see the glowing figure at the end of the hallway. Was it Spiffy? Yes, she was sure that it was him. Sweetie got scared again, seeing the ghost at the end of the hallway.
Spike is protecting you Sweetie. Spiffy whispered. It's fine... relax...
"Spike is protecting me... I need to relax..." Sweetie mumbled in a mono-toned whisper.
Sweetie, Spike and the two ghost dogs stopped in front of Spiffy. Spike let go of Sweetie as she got scared again, given the dragon who'd been protecting her had just stepped to the side.
He's here Sweetie. You don't have to worry, your safe here. Spiffy whispered. It's fine... relax...
"Spike's still here... everything's fine..." Sweetie mumbled.
Good... good... Spiffy whispered. It's fine... relax... it's fine... relax... the butler continued to whisper as he approached the filly.
Sweetie didn't know what was so out of place here. Everything was fine... Spike was there, the ghosts weren't attacking her... the only thing that seemed kind of weird was the ghost that was opening her mouth and reaching down her throat...