//------------------------------//
// Welcome to Panicville 
// Story: Shudderbones: The Necromancer of Flame Geyser Swamp 
// by SkelePone 
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Shudderbones had been jolted awake from his noonday nap by the sounds of hammers and drills. Grumbling to nopony in particular, the unicorn levitated his cloak towards himself, becoming en-wrapped in it's comfortable folds.

Stomping down the stairs, Shudderbones let out a hoarse shout to the noisemakers down below.

"Oye! Someponies are TRYING to SLEEP! Sweet Celestia, I know you skeletons don't have brains, but you could at least..."

Shudderbones' words were ripped from his muzzle as he gaped in wonder at his newly remodeled foyer. The chandelier had been reattached to the ceiling, gleaming as it shot golden light across the hall. The wooden floors had been rebuffed, swept, and mopped. The old moth-bitten carpet had been replaced by a large red rug, which Shudderbones recognized as the rug from the Apple's farmhouse. And on that rug were two very dirty but very happy Earth ponies.

Applejack smiled broadly and Big MacIntosh beamed. Behind them, a klutzy Numbskull stood, a mop bucket upturned over her head like a battle helmet.

Shudderbones gazed about, taking in the room he hadn't seen in such glory since before... before the fire. Tears in his eyes, Shudderbones ran up to Big MacIntosh, squeezing him in a tight hug. That hug was short-lasting, because Shudderbones swept up Applejack in a twirling hug, ending with a maniacal cackle and a swift kiss full on the lips. He placed the stunned mare down, as he ran about the room, shouting for Numbskull.

"Numbskull! Look! It's the old banners! The stairs no longer look like they'll collapse!" He gasped as he saw the greatest of the entire restoration. "Numbskull... it's the family portrait..."

The painting depicted an elderly grey stallion, a pale, beautiful mare with a black mane, and a dark grey stallion with a purple mane. Sitting between the three beaming adults were a pair of foals, a happy pale filly and a familiar-looking sullen grey colt. Shudderbones reached a hoof up, brushing it against the old frame.

"Grandpa Fossil. My father, Dry Bones. My mother, White As Bones. My sister, Tibia. She was my older sister. They had been hoping for another filly, who they could call Fibula. But... there was the fire..." Shudderbones did not cry. Any tears he had shed over his lost family had been shed long ago. Instead, he smiled. The first honest smile he had had since before the tragedy so long ago. 

"Thank you, Sir MacIntosh. Thank you, Miss Applejack." He bowed low, letting his cape fall to the floor. With an honest smile, he looked... nice. The furrowed brows he had wielded now complimented his mane, helping to keep his grey coat from appearing too dark. The hair around his fetlocks revealed handsome stark-white hooves. He appeared brighter. Even his cutie mark, an ankh, seemed to glow with a new, hopeful light. Big MacIntosh smiled broadly and Applejack blushed, still fanning herself with her hat after the rather personal encounter with the overjoyed Shudderbones.

He twirled about, taking in the beautiful sights. He felt good.

"Let's go to town."

-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Applejack, Big MacIntosh, and a cloaked Shudderbones stepped into the bright, festive Sugar Cube Corner. A certain pink mare bounced about, organizing cupcakes by color, size, and flavor (which involved eating quite a few of them).

"Uhhh... Pinkie Pie? Pinkie?" Applejack tried getting her attention. But the mare was too encompassed with her task that she failed to notice.

"Aw forget it. We'll go visit Twilight, then. I was hopin' we coulda grabbed a bite ta eat first."

They left a busied Pinkie to her... I guess you could say it was work, but one would assume otherwise. The way to the castle was a short one, and, along the way, they happened to bump into Rarity, who had just finished grocery shopping. She held her bags aloft via magical levitation while she fussed over Shudderbones' cloak.

"Honestly, darling, it's like you're not even TRYING to look fabulous! And with a mane and such luminous eyes like that, I'm sure you could very well be Equestria's next-"

"Gee thanks, Rarity. But I personally think Shudderbones looks fine. Maybe he wants to keep his old cloak." Applejack interrupted. Shudderbones shot her a thanking look as he turned to smile apologetically to Rarity. The unicorn mare huffed in disappointment, but trotted off anyways, not bothering to ask the mystery stallion's vocation or where he had come from. The trio continued on their way up to the castle, where a rather grouchy Spike was sweeping the door frame.

"Hey, A.J. Hey, Big Mac. Hey, pony I don't know."

Applejack and Big Mac nodded in acknowledgement as Shudderbones bent low to greet the baby dragon.

"My name is Shudderbones. It's a pleasure to meet you..."
"Spike."
"Spike! Fitting name for a dragon."
"Scootch over. I need to sweep there."

Shudderbones scrunched his nose as Spike pushed him aside, sweeping away.

"C'mon, Bonesy, Twilight's in the throne room!" Applejack called. 

Bonesy? Shudderbones questioned himself.

He left the dragon to his chores as he stepped into the most beautiful room he had ever seen.

Six thrones (and one smaller one) arranged around a holographic map of Equestria. Above the map, there were tree roots, with glowing orbs dangling from them. Big Mac stood next to a throne adorned with a symbol of three apples, as Applejack sat there. Next to her throne was the tallest of them, adorned by purple and white stars. On that throne sat the Alicorn princess Shudderbones had met the night before. She gaped at the Midnight Stallion, who merely regarded her as he admired and critiqued the accuracy of the map.

"The Flame Geyser Swamp extends a bit further South, and the Bones Graveyard isn't in the DIRECT center. Also, it appears that you are missing the Bones Manor, which SHOULD be directly beside the Graveyard."

Twilight said nothing. Applejack looked from Twilight to the occupied Shudderbones. She wore a look of confusion.

"Uhhhh do y'all know each other already?"
"Oh, my sweet dear Applejack, everypony knows who Princess Twilight Sparkle is."
"Ah meant, does she already know YOU?"

"He's the midnight stallion." Twilight muttered. Shudderbones looked up, this time he wore the look of confusion. Applejack looked incredulous.

"'Scuse me?"
"He came to my castle last night, asking for directions. He left, not even bothering to tell me his name. He... well, to be honest, he had intrigued me. But that's probably because he talked to me like I wasn't a Princess, like I was anypony else. And I appreciated that."
Applejack's face from looking incredulous to looking scandalous when she had heard 'intrigued'. Nopony but Big MacIntosh seemed to notice, but he said nothing of it, as per usual.

"So who are you, midnight stallion, what do you do? Why haven't I seen you around Ponyville in the daytime?"

"I, your Majesty, am Shudderbones. The Necromancer of Flame Geyser Swamp. And I stay out of the daylight for fear of causing panic and of being harassed by the public for my choice of vocation."

Twilight let out a shriek: "The NECROMANCER?"
"Now, wait here, Twilight, he ain't as bad as ya think-"

Spike ran in, wielding his broom like a sword. And as expected, that was when things went downhill rapidly. Thanks, Spike.

"What? Necromancer? Where?"

Twilight pointed a hoof at Shudderbones. She shook from horn to tail. Applejack had never seen her look so scared. But Applejack's attention was taken away from the cowering Princess of Friendship by a yelp. Spike had whapped Shudderbones up the side of the head with the broom, and Shudderbones had accidentally shot a retaliatory spell into the dragon's belly. He now laid on the floor, passed out, as Shudderbones' cloak slipped off, revealing the glowing white ankh on his flank. Applejack was about to ask Twilight and Shudderbones to calm down when he suddenly bolted out the door.

Seconds later, Applejack, Big MacIntosh, and a still cowering Twilight heard the screams of ponies outside. The two Apples glared at the Princess before running off to try save their friend from what most certainly was an angry mob.