//------------------------------// // GHOST!! // Story: Snow and Wind // by Princess OtakuGeek //------------------------------// The winds howled and kicked up a storm amongst mountain peaks. Nestled up against a certain peak was a collection of small buildings with a much larger building pressed closer to the mountain. As the storm raged, however, the smaller buildings began to be ripped from their places as easily as a filly would pick flowers. It was only a matter of time before the larger building was ripped from its own place. And the moment it did, thirty or so equine forms flooded from the remains, all carrying saddlebags filled with what they could carry. It was chaos on a scale that would make Discord himself grin. And amidst the chaos at some point was a panicked green and pink mare who was hunting through the crowd for someone. ❄✴❄✴❄✴❄ Sweetie Belle stared up at the half gone building and gulped nervously. Even in the beginning light of sunset, the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters was...intimidating, to say the least. "Remind me why we're here again." She said as she followed her much bolder friends. "Because we are the Cutiemark Crusaders Ghost Hunters!" Scootaloo answered. "Yeah! An what better place is there ta look fer ghosts than the castle?" Applebloom added enthusiastically. "Mah Granny Smith always tells me stories 'bout the Pony of Shadows, that little piece of dark magic that didn't go with her when she was banished." "Wait, so we aren't just looking for a ghost, but we're also looking for DARK MAGIC?!" Sweetie asked in alarm. Applebloom just shrugged. "Well, it can't be that dangerous if mah sister and her friends could spend the night in here." "Applejack and the others are full grown ponies!" Sweetie Belle retorted. "Also Rarity told me there were all sorts of booby-traps and that they were all totally freaked out!" "I'm pretty sure Rainbow Dash wasn't scared at all," Scootaloo interjected. "But haven't they been coming here to clean the castle lately?" "That's true," Applebloom said. "So Ah'm pretty sure its safe, so long as we watch our step." Sweetie Belle looked up at the shadowed ruins and a shiver ran down her spine. "Still...I'm not sure if its safe to go in." She said uncertainly. "If yer too scared ta go in, Y'all could stay out here and wait for us." Applebloom offered. Sweetie Belle stiffened as an even bigger shiver traveled around her body. Then she glanced behind her to the deep, dark, dangerous Everfree forest. As scary as the castle was, the forest wasn't any better. Everyone, young and old, knew that the forest was filled with animal and plant life not seen anywhere else in the world. And not all of it was benign. Already, Sweetie Belle swore she could see glowing eyes amongst the foliage. Sweetie Belle ripped her eyes from the forest and ran towards the already retreating forms of her friends. "H-hey girls! Wait up!!" She called out. As he joined up with friends, however, they all missed the ethereal form that emerged from the forest and flew into the castle. ❄✴❄✴❄✴❄ "Rarity's right." Sweetie Belle said softly as she gazed up at the tapestries around them. "These tapestries are beautiful." While she did admire the wall art, she spoke mostly to distract herself from the thought that she was in an ancient, booby-trapped, possibly haunted by Nightmare Moon's magic, castle. 'Well, at least I'm not outside waiting for a timberwolf or something similar to attack.' She thought. "Yer right Sweetie," Applebloom commented. "They are rather nice, ain't they." Scootaloo however scoffed. "Tapestries, smapestries we came here to find the Pony of Shadows so let's get going, Crusaders!" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle nodded, though Sweetie's was more hesitant then Applebloom's. "So, how are we findin' tha' Pony of Shadows?" Applebloom asked their pegasus friend. "We stick together and keep an eye out for anything ghostly," Scootaloo said confidently. "And if we find this ghost, how do we catch it?" Sweetie asked. Scootaloo paused with a thoughtful look on her face. "Huh...you know, I actually have no idea." Sweetie Belle's jaw dropped. "You mean to say we came all the way out here to catch some sort of evil ghost, and we have NO WAY TO CATCH IT?!?!" "Ah brought some rope." Applebloom offered helpfully. "What the heck is ROPE going to do?!?!" Sweetie demanded, her panic beginning to skyrocket. Applebloom only shrugged, unfazed by the outburst. "Dunno, but mah sister always pack some rope and it ends up being useful." "Your sister is a skilled rodeo pony who knows her way around a rope!" Sweetie Belle pointed out. "Also, the rope's not going to do ANYTHING to a ghost!!!" "What about a vacuum?" Scootaloo suggested. "Why a vacuum? That's jus' silly." Applebloom said. "Nuh-uh. You know that movie with those ponies who catch ghosts? They use these things that suck ghosts into boxes just like a vacuum." Scootaloo said a little proudly. Sweetie Belle facehoofed. "Even if that isn't a completely ridiculous idea, we don't have a vacuum and I doubt that we could find one in the Everfree forest." She said, finding the entire argument was calming her nerves a little. Scootaloo, however, frowned at the 'ridiculous' comment and almost retorted if Applebloom hadn't suddenly stepped between them. "Alright you two, stop it." She commanded. "We should've planned a bit more, but bickering over this won't change anythin'. It's like Granny always says, 'nothin' ever gets done if yer fussin' and bickerin', so buck up and get over yerselves'. And besides, haven't we already figured out that our special talent ain't arguing?" Sweetie giggled a little at that. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry Scoots." She apologized. "It's just that it's already creepy in here looking for a ghost and it doesn't help that we don't have a plan for when we do find a ghost. Friends?" She held out her hoof as she finished. Scootaloo smiled and took the offered hoof. "Friends." She said in reply. "And you're right, we could've prepared better. It's just this was the only Crusading idea we had. But if you're so scared in here, why didn't you stay out?" Sweetie Belle gave the two a deadpan look. "Gee, let me look at my options." She began a little sarcastically. "Either I stay outside in the Everfree all by myself or I go inside with my friends." A grin spread across her face. "Tough choice there Scoots." Scootaloo laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." For a moment they stood there in the evening light savoring this moment. Then as they began to trot away and continue their search, Applebloom suddenly shivered. "Hoo Nelly, do y'all feel that chill?" Applebloom as she sat down and wrapped her forelegs around herself. "Whew jus' sorta came suddenly." "It hasn't been too long since Winter Wrap-up, so maybe there still a few cool breezes around." Sweetie Belle suggested. Then she noticed the pale blank looks on her friends faces as they stared at the space behind her. Sweetie had suspicions about why they were looking like that and she didn't like it one bit. "There's something right behind me, isn't there?" She asked a little nervously. Neither of her friends said anything. Instead, Applebloom raised a hoof and pointed behind her. Slowly but surely, Sweetie Belle turned. Right behind her and floating off the ground was what looked to be a pony. If a pony only had a front half made of white and blue mist that shone and had solid white glowing eyes that are. For a moment they stared at each other. Then in a completely reasonable reaction, the Cutiemark Crusaders screamed. ❄✴❄✴❄✴❄ The CMC hadn't been seen since before sunset and none of the fillies had come home. Plus with it getting dark, Applejack, Rarity and Scootaloo's parents were understandably concerned. To say the least. So it shouldn't come to anyone's surprise that they'd all formed a small search party at Sweet Apple Acres to look for the three fillies. But just when Applejack opened the door so they could begin, all the ponies present (Apple family, Scoots family, Rarity and the rest of the Mane Six) were very surprised when Applejack was nearly bowled over by three blurs, that were quickly identified as the fillies in question, that rushed in and clamped onto their respective family members in fright.