Guilt of a Phantom

by Powerdrainer

Pieces Coming Together

Edited by Slayerseba and Halusm

Pieces Coming Together

<<>><<>><<>>

"Well then, best get started," Tucker said, having just stepped out of the carriage bringing him and Technal to the Everfree Forest.

Joining them were four guards. Two pegasi, who also pulled the chariot, a unicorn, and an earth pony.

"I don't expect this to take too long," Tucker informed the guards as they busied themselves setting up a defensive perimeter. "Half an hour should be enough for what we need."

"Understood, sir," the unicorn of the group acknowledged.

"Alright then," Tucker looked around for a moment, laptop under his arm.

Placing the laptop on the seat in the chariot, he flipped open the display, booted up the computer, then connected the device to scan the magical field.

Several minutes passed in relative silence as his laptop worked through its tasks, and the first sets of data were shown on screen.

Humming to himself, Tucker tapped his lower lip with a finger as he scanned the readouts, frowning slightly.

"Anything wrong?" Asked Technal.

"No, nothing wrong," he said. "Just weird," he was silent for a moment as more refined results came in. "I know the field here is supposed to be different, as we saw on that scroll Correct Measurement showed us. But this doesn't look anything like that," he pulled up an image of the said scroll, a picture he had taken shortly before leaving; much to Correct Measurement's continued amazement at his ability to create a flawless copy so quickly. "See," he tapped the screen, comparing the picture to the data now coming in.

"Well, that was expected. The scroll is from fifty years ago, and wasn't from the Everfree Forest to begin with," said Technal.

"True," Tucker agreed, still frowning. "But seeing this, I feel like there is more at play here than we realize."

"Like what?"

"I'm not sure," he sighed out, looking away from the screen. "Let's just leave the scan to run for now. Maybe it will make more sense to me once it is done.

Stepping away from the carriage, he looked out into the dark forest surrounding them, hearing the various barks, growls, and screeches of animals hidden away.

"So what can you tell me about this place?" He asked Technal as she joined him by his side. "Any particular reason why this place is such a wild zone?"

"Not that I know off," she shrugged.

"This place has always been wild," the earth pony guard spoke up. "Despite past efforts to tame it."

"How do you mean?" Tucker asked, turning to the guard.

"There used to be a city here," he revealed. "Nothing as grand as Canterlot, or any of the other major cities we have. Then again, it was over a thousand years ago."

"A city, here?" Tucker blinked, looking around, surprised.

Nodding, the guard continued. "It used to be where the princesses lived; before Nightmare Moon happened. Only their castle now remains. But for a time ponies lived here, safe for the most part, so long as they didn't venture too far outside the city walls. But after Princess Luna fell into corruption, things became far more wild and they needed to abandon the place."

"I… see," Tucker stood silent, then his eyes widened. "Hold on, a city… Didn't Correct Measurement say something about a different city returning to a place where the magical field was also messed up?" He aimed at Technal.

"Yes, she did. The Crystal Empire, I think she said."

"That can't be a coincidence," Tucker said, mind working as he started pacing around, hand holding his chin while looking down.

Stopping, he turned back to the guard. "Do you happen to know what exactly happened to this city?"

"I'm afraid not, sir. Most of what I know I picked up from books as a foal, but anything detailing what happened thereafter is known only now by Princess Celestia."

"Then I should ask her about this, once time allows for it," Tucker said more to himself. "Before that, though. Would it be possible for me to see this place, after this scan is done? I have the feeling the data we could gain there would be invaluable."

The guards looked at one another, a few nods passing between them.

"That should be possible."

"Excellent," Tucker nodded appreciatively, looking back at his laptop. "We might find some answers yet out here."

<<>><<>><<>>

"That is… Yeah, that place has seen better days," Tucker commented as he looked at the ruined castle. "And ponies used to live here?" he looked at the forest surrounding the ancient structure.

"They did," the earth pony guard confirmed. "Because of the natural defenses the terrain provided. It makes it difficult for most creatures to gain access to the castle, easily."

"I can see that. But still…" Shaking his head, he looked back at his laptop, busy working on a new scan.

"No easy way across for us either," Technal commented, looking down the chasm separating them from the other side.

"Apologies for that, miss," one of the pegasi replied. "There was no clear place for us to land."

"Don't worry about it," Technal told them. "We're more than thankful to you stallions for taking us here."

The guards gave a stoic nod, then returned their attention to the forest around them.

"Hmm," Tucker hummed, watching the data displayed on screen during this short interaction; frowning, deep in thought.

"Did you find something?" asked Technal.

"Maybe. But I'm not sure," he typed on the keyboard, and a new window opened, showing the previous scan data. "This distortion of the magical field. It's more pronounced here than it was back at the last place."

"That is good, right? A better reading will allow us to better compensate for it."

"Yes, it would. But this data… I feel like I have seen it somewhere before, but I can't figure out where."

Technal looked at the display, too, trying to make sense of the readings but failed to do so. And after a minute she looked away, turning back to Tucker.

"Maybe you just need to take a break from this. Allow this to settle down a bit, and look at it with fresh eyes."

"Maybe you're right," he sighed, shaking his head as he looked away. "But something about this; I don't know. I feel like I should know what I am looking at, and will feel stupid once I realize what it is."

Turning back to the castle, he stared at nothing in particular.

"And somehow this place might be involved with this as well. But how?"

"We should ask the princesses when we have the chance."

"Yes," Tucker agreed readily, then turned back around and reached inside the chariot, grabbing his backpack. "But I'm not leaving things to chance either."

"What do you mean?"

"Half an hour will give us enough data for the adjustments, but if I want to crack this mystery I need more detailed scans than that."

"You want us to stay here longer?"

Tucker paused his rummaging in his pack, thinking for a moment. "Preferably, yes. But I am no idiot. I can see the dangers of this place, and I don't want to try our luck for something that isn't strictly necessary. But I won't have to," he pulled a device out of his pack.

"What is that?" asked Technal

"This?" Tucker looked at the device, a flat disk about the size of his hand. "This is a device similar to the scanner connected to my laptop, but not as powerful. An early design, but useful for me now. It can scan the field here and store the data on its internal memory, which we can come and collect at a later time. The battery should hold for about twenty hours, which will give us a lot more to work with once we retrieve this thing."

"You can do that?" Technal asked, amazed.

"Sure, why not?" Tucker shrugged. "It's a lot faster doing things the way we did just now, which is important seeing how time is of the essence, but this might come in handy later. And we don't need to risk ourselves by staying here for any longer than we need to."

Looking around, he spotted a suitable location inside a hollow tree to place the scanner.

Turning on the device, three LEDs flashing to indicate its activation, he put the technological marvel in its place and then returned to the chariot.

"Alright, you all know where I put it?" He sought confirmation, and both Technal and the guards gave a nod in answer. "Okay. Then tomorrow we should be able to pick it up and see what weird things are happening here."

And with that done, they waited for the laptop to finish its work, then quickly left the forest while the hidden device did its work.

Many hours passed by without anything of interest happening; until a strange fluctuation in the field was picked up.

The device, unable to react or send a warning of any kind, simply continued to do its job as a pony pushed through the foliage not too far away, then spoke.

"Hello," she said. "Your note said to meet you here. That you knew about me, and the truth of who I am… That I am not cursed…"

Silence.

Silence.

"You know," a different voice came from elsewhere, and the fluctuation became a distortion. "I half expected you not to show up. Glad to see half of me was wrong. But my other half really hopes I'm not making a really big mistake."

The pony gasped.

"Hello, Sweetie Drops. It's time you and I have a frank discussion about secrets kept."

<<>><<>><<>>

With a gasp, Sweetie Drops took an involuntary step back, a tendril of ice going through her veins upon the sight of Danny Manson fading into view, looking down at her with green glowing eyes.

"Well, at least you didn't scream and run," Danny said. "Which is more than I expected. Guess I have your training to thank for that."

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Danny looked past Sweetie Drops and towards the castle.

"There are a lot of crazy things going on around here," he said, stepping past the shocked mare as he looked at the ruined building.

Sighing, he shook his head, looking at Sweetie Drops over his shoulder.

"I know you found the book and notes I left for you. You wouldn't be here otherwise. And it was obvious what you found left an impression because I doubt you would have just been standing there if it hadn't. You need answers. Answers to questions you never had any reason to ask. Heh," he looked up at the stars. "I know what that is like. "

"Wha- what-"

"What indeed," he sighed. "What is going on? What am I talking about? What even am I? That is what you want to say, isn't it?" He looked back at the mare, seeing her eyes flash from left to right, searching for something.

"Don't worry. We're alone… well, as alone as you can get in this forest filled with beasts. And I promise no harm will come to you. I have no reason to hurt you. Hell, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble getting you that book otherwise. Nor would I have revealed myself to you if I didn't think you could be trusted. So, please, ask what you need to ask. I'll answer what I can."

Sweetie Drops looked at the impossible creature before her, a lifetime of training screaming at her to take down this obvious threat and inform the princesses. But then the visions she saw in that book slammed down on those instincts, and her unwavering loyalty wavered long enough for doubt to creep in further and further.

And now, standing before this… This being, something she would normally not hesitate to strike down, she instead did the one thing that would otherwise get her killed.

She gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"What are you?"

"What indeed," Danny frowned. "I'm human. But, only half," he turned fully to the mare, his green glowing eyes flashing a bit brighter as he held up a hand, lighting it up in the same glow.

Sweetie Drops gasped, taking a frightful step back.

"The other half… Well, I think you can guess."

The glow around his hand vanished, and his arm fell back down to his side.

"I'm what is called a Halfa. Half mortal, half ghost. And before you ask, both my parents are still alive."

"That- that is impossible."

"Yet here I am."

Sweetie Drops' mind was a whirl, trying to make sense of everything, but only going in circles instead.

"It is a lot to take in, I know. I've gone through the same thing myself."

Forcing her mind to calm down, Sweetie Drops let her training take over while letting her subconscious deal with this mess for now.

"And who are you?"

"Just someone who knows what it feels like to be an outcast because of someone else's lies," he answered with a sad smile, and Sweetie Drops seemed stunned by his reply. "But enough about me, for now. I'd rather not give away all my secrets on the first date. Instead, let me ask you this. Who are you? Sweetie Drops, agent of S.M.I.L.E.? Or Bon Bon, candy maker and marefriend of Lyra? Or are you not sure who you are, now that you were shown the truth, and the lies you were made to believe your entire life?"

Sweetie Drops faltered, taking a half-step back in reflex.

"I take it you brought the book with you," Danny looked at the saddlebags she wore. "It showed you things that couldn't possibly be, right? Ponies and changelinks working and living together; having foals together. Foals who all had unique traits that you, and those like you, were taught are the result of a curse from Nightmare Moon. But this is all a lie," he looked back at the castle, eyes narrowing. "A terrible, gruesome lie. And right now, you're here to make sense of it all. Hoping that what you saw isn't true, because it would mean you have lived your entire life in shame and disgust because of this lie."

He looked at Sweetie Drops.

"Am I wrong?"

A lump had formed in Sweetie Drops' throat which, despite valiant attempts, she just couldn't swallow.

Only once before in her life did she feel this lost; this conflicted, this scared. The day her parents took her to the hospital to find out what terrible magic had afflicted their daughter, and where she came to meet the specialist. One of many ponies working as a doctor in the many hospitals all over Equestria, looking for and taking in those foals that showed signs of the Nightmare's curse.

It was a truly terrible day that still haunted her to this day. And now… now…

"It can't be true," Sweetie Drops shouted, eyes clenched shut, gritting her teeth. "It can't be. You're just trying to trick me; hurt me. It's what ghosts do!"

Danny sighed deeply, sagging his stance.

"Some of them, yes," he ruefully admitted. "Hell, had my mind toyed with plenty of times, too. So I understand what you're going through. You need the truth you lived to be actually true because saying it was all a lie would mean you have wasted so much of your life. But a lot of time has already been lost, and even more lives as a result of this lie. And right now, you need to make a choice. Believe this is nothing more than a lie; a trick or deceit by some ghost and report back to Celestia. I won't stop you, but it will be difficult to convince others of what you saw. That book can only be read by those it allows for it, and I can assure you Celestia and those working for her will not be able to do so. Or take a chance, and learn your true nature. I can't promise you'll find happiness. Hell, I know you won't. But you will find a sense of peace; understanding. And I can promise you this much," he held out his hand. "If you let me, you will never have to look at yourself in disgust again."

Sweetie Drops gasped out, eyes wide, staring at his outstretched hand.

So Sweetie Drops. What do you choose?"

"I- I," she took a hesitant step forwards, the agent she was screaming at her for walking into an obvious trap. The other life she had lived, however, desperately reached out for this impossible chance. And as she placed a hoof in Danny's hand, she looked up at him with teary eyes.

"Please, call me Bon Bon."

<<>><<>><<>>

Midnight had just passed, yet the sound of furious keystrokes filled the room as Tucker worked with a single-minded focus on his laptop. The world around him faded to nothing as he had reached a near-perfect mind-meld with his machine, working through the data he had collected earlier today, comparing it with the scrolls Correct Measurement had brought detailing the wild spots of the magical field.

The only thing preventing him from reaching true symmetry with his technology was the nagging feeling he got ever since he first saw the scan data back in the Everfree Forest.

Something about it just bothered him. A striking sense of familiarity that hooked its claws into him, and didn't let go. And as he typed away at his keyboard, he continuously went back to the scan, just staring at it for a few minutes, then continued working with an annoyed sigh.

He knew it was something simple. Something so obvious that, in hindsight, he shouldn't even be struggling with this. But despite this, the expected obvious answer kept evading him at every turn; taunting him with the promise of answers, if only he could figure out what this simple solution was.

Sighing, he leaned back, eyes clenched shut and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Are you still unable to figure this out?" Technal asked, floating beside her a freshly brewed pot of coffee.

"Yes and no," Tucker said, grabbing his empty mug and holding it out to be refilled. "I have written a pattern finding program which is now analyzing the scan data and the pictures I took from the scrolls. It should come up with a viable counter for the equipment once it is done, eliminating the problems we've had. So as far as that is concerned, we should be good," he took a careful sip, found the coffee was not scalding hot, then drained half his mug. "Still won't call it solved until it is done, but for now I won't have to worry about it too much."

"Then why don't you seem glad the problem is fixed?"

"Remember what I said back in the forest, about this thing looking familiar somehow?"

"Ah, still haven't figured it out then?"

"Unfortunately not," he displayed the scan data again. "This is the first scan, and this is the one made near that castle. Ignoring the obvious similarities between them, there is something there that just doesn't fit."

"And what about Correct Measurement? Maybe she has found something?"

"Doubt it. She hasn't returned from the library yet."

Correct Measurement, after seeing the incredibly detailed scan, and being informed about the troubles Tucker had with the data, had rushed off to gather several books she believed could be of use.

"Alright," Technal put the mostly full can on the table, "just walk me through this. Maybe by explaining this will you be able to figure out what you're missing."

"Might as well," Tucker sighed. "Right, as you see here there is an obvious distortion in the magical background field. Something that causes the field to… break, I guess you can say. And what this data shows is that the magical field tries to repair this distortion by filling in the damage with more of itself. We have a clear example of this in action in the two scans we made. The distortion was far greater near the castle than it was farther away."

"I can see that, yes," Technal nodded, looking at the data.

"We can tell two things from this. One, the magical field is under constant attack by something which causes it to break as such. If it was a singular event, like throwing a rock in the water, eventually the ripples will smooth out. This is obviously not the case. And two, the magical field gets replenished at a rate fast enough to maintain the status quo between the two. If it wasn't, then eventually the field would be torn down completely by this disruptive force. What bothers me with this… well besides the thing I am missing, this data and scrolls seem to suggest something bigger is at play here."

"What do you mean?"

Tucker leaned back a bit, looking at the ceiling as he thought.

"Tell me, Technal. When you use your magic, do you drain it from the field, or do you produce it yourself?"

"I produce my magic myself. Everypony does. We don't take away from the field unless we specifically target the field. And even then, only a few ponies can do so."

"Miss Technal would be correct with that," Correct Measurement said, making herself known as she returned, holding several books in her saddlebags.

"Ah, Correct Measurement. Did you find anything?" Tucker asked, hopeful.

"Perhaps. I skimmed the books I believed to be of use to us, but a more in-depth reading is required to, potentially, find a solution for your problem."

"Understood," Tucker nodded.

"And if you forgive me, but I overheard you mention something about the magical field being under attack. Could you please enlighten me?"

Tucker agreed and quickly brought her up to speed.

"And as both of you just confirmed, you do not take from the field when you use your magic. You use your own. But that leaves the question. Where does this energy go after you are done with it."

"What do you mean?" Asked Technal.

"Energy can't just disappear. It needs to go somewhere, even when you don't use it anymore. It's all part of the natural cycle. Think of it like the sun. It produces light which is absorbed by the plants, making them grow. Various creatures eat these plants, allowing them to live. Other animals hunt and eat these creatures, and the energy gets passed on over and over again. I think something similar is at play here. You use your magic, which gets carried over to whatever it is you use it on. But then what? The moment you stop using your magic, where does the magic you have spent go?"

"What do you mean? It just stops," said Correct Measurement.

"No," Technal gasped, eyes widening as she looked at the scans. "It gets absorbed by the magical field. That is how it is replenished."

Correct Measurement gasped, eyes widening as well.

"That is what I thought, yes," Tucker nodded. "Which also brings up a different problem."

"Which is?" Technal asked.

"What happens when there is too much magic added to this field? Just like a balloon, overinflate it and it will burst," he played the recorded scan from near the castle. "But we don't have to worry about that as, right here, we can see the magic being destroyed. Maintaining a healthy balance between the two. Like day and night. Or life and-" he suddenly fell silent, eyes widening.

"Tucker?" Technal said, concerned as he seemed to freeze up.

"It can't be," he said, voice low as he leaped into motion, startling both mares as he quickly opened several new files, then compared the displayed information against the scans using his pattern recognition software. He quickly got the results. "... And death…" He whispered as he stared at the spectral scan, and the recognized pattern within the distorted magic.

<<>><<>><<>>

Danny and Bon Bon stood at the edge of the ravine, the latter obviously confused and ill at ease, the former scratching his scalp and sighing.

"I understood the need to destroy it, but still," he held out his scratching hand, an ice blue glow surrounding it, startling Bon Bon.

In a burst of arctic light, a simple bridge froze in place, allowing the two access to the other side.

"Normally I would have flown," Danny said, shrugging. "But that would leave you standing, so here you go."

Bon Bon, gawking at the bridge, slowly shifted her gaze to Danny's outstretched hand.

"It's really not that impressive," he said after noticing her staring.

This made Bon Bon sputter.

"Guess you could say ice is my special talent," Danny shrugged. "Shall we go?"

It took several false starts, and just as many reassurances that nothing bad would happen, but eventually, the two crossed the bridge.

Bon Bon, however, showed clear unease as she stared back at the frozen structure.

"Why… Why could I feel this weird sensation in my hooves when I touched that ice?"

"Hmm?" Danny looked back at her, then at the bridge. "Ah, dang it. Should have thought of that," he shook his head. "Your magic is focused in your hooves, of course, that would get a reaction."

"A reaction. From what?"

"The spectral energy still in there," he gave a nod to the bridge. "Let me guess. You felt a strange tingling sensation."

"Yes. How did you-"

"I felt the same when Twilight carried me using her magic. It's because magic and spectral energy are hostile opposites. Which is something I only found out very recently. Indirect contact makes you feel that," he made a vague gesture towards the bridge. "Direct contact, however… Well, it gets messy."

Bon Bon stood in silence, showing the telltale look of someone who was reconsidering their recent life choices.

"Speaking of messy," Danny partially muttered, raising a blue glowing hand. "Don't want to risk anyone finding this. Least of all Maud." And with a flash of his hand, the bridge broke apart, then the frost was pulled back inside him.

Now Bon Bon knew she had willingly walked into a trap.

"Please follow me," Danny told her, already stepping through the decayed gate.

"And why are we here?" Bon Bon asked, not moving.

"This is where Luna became Nightmare Moon, which led to the creation of this so-called curse, and the downfall of the changelinks. Of course, this is a lie, but even so, there is some truth to it, twisted as it may be. And you're about to learn, and see what I mean by that."

"See?"

"They say Luna was consumed by her jealousy towards her sister, which led to her fall. This is not entirely true. Instead, it was her jealousy that attracted the attention of an entity, which then possessed her, amplified her negative emotions, and leeched off of them to sustain itself."

"WHAT?!" Bon Bon's voice echoed off the walls. "The princess was possessed by a ghost?!"

Danny stopped mid-stride, looking back at Bon Bon. "Honestly, I am not sure. It wasn't a ghost in any definition I know about, but I do know the being this corruption came from was very much alive when it first manifested. A disease born from hate, which he cut out, but at the cost of his own life." He shook his head, then resumed walking. "And he was less than happy when he learned this sin of his not only managed to survive but spread to another as well."

"He wasn't happy? But you said he was-"

Danny looked back at her with green glowing eyes. "Dead? Yes. But you should know by now that being dead does not mean you stop existing."

Bon Bon once again found a lump stuck in her throat and became increasingly more worried about what danger she was walking into.

"There is a lot more to that story, but it will take too long to explain that, and everything else. So for now, what you need to know is this. This corrupting entity was formed from the hate of Fenris, a wolf-like being from a world other than ours. After his death, this entity somehow found its way to this world, latched onto Luna, and became Nightmare Moon. And after that, through actions outside of my control, it then latched onto me."

It took Danny two heartbeats to realize Bon Bon had stopped moving, looking aghast.

"You were corrupted by Nightmare Moon?!"

"I got better," he commented off-handedly. "Nightmare Moon is gone now. Permanently. Though she did leave something behind. Or rather, someone," he revealed as they entered the ruined throne room, and for a moment Danny marveled at the fact the Elder was able to hide the portal.

He still steered away from it all the same. Invisible does not mean intangible, after all.

"Someone," the growing worries were clearly noticeable in Bon Bon's voice.

"Yes," said Danny, looking at the throne.

Following his gaze, Bon Bon nearly tripped over her own legs as she tried to back-paddle as fast she could.

Sitting on the throne, looking down at her with orange glowing eyes, and green iris
was no other than Nightmare Moon herself.

"Her daughter, Eclipse."

<<>><<>><<>>

Hidden under the cover of her blanket, and with a flashlight in her hoof, Apple Bloom looked at the book Danny had left for her in the clubhouse.

She had waited a long, long time, making sure everypony was asleep before she would read whatever it was that Danny wanted her to read.

Admittedly, the title Apple Pie did confuse her. She knew all about apple pies. Her family arguably makes the best apple pies in all of Equestria, yet she also knew Danny wouldn't just give her a cooking book. So she assumed the title was just a cover or something.

Shrugging, she opened the book and flipped through the first pages, finding only blank pages. Confused, she turned to the centerfold, then the last page, finding only blank paper.

"What the hay?" she quietly muttered.

Language, young lady.

Apple Bloom scurried away as the words suddenly appeared on the last page, looking at it with large eyes.

Well then, seeing I have your attention, I'm sure you're wondering what is going on.

Apple Bloom nodded dumbly, then realized the book couldn't see.

Great, cause. Do I have a story to tell?

Or maybe it could.

It aaaallll started way, way, way, way, way, way, waaaay back-

the pages began to rapidly flip back to the start,

-here

Apple Bloom could only stare, dumbfounded.

A blinding light, bright enough to see through closed lids, yet somehow unable to shine through the blanket, came from the pages, and Apple Bloom felt her mind pulled in.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Making yourself at home, I see," Danny commented off-handedly, stance relaxed and hands in pockets.

"Well, technically you could say I am home," Eclipse chuckled, then stood up and descended the throne.

Bon Bon, looking at the human ghost/not ghost, and this Eclipse who looked near identical to Nightmare Moon, despite some noticeable difference, felt her mind shut down. And in that moment, the agent she was took over.

"Hmm?" Eclipse stopped, looking quizzically at the mare whose posture became more and more aggressive. "Is anything wrong?"

Without a word, Bon Bon bolted from the room, leaving the two not-quite ghosts behind.

"Well… that much was expected," Eclipse said simply.

"Honestly, I'm surprised she managed to hold on for this long," Danny shrugged, and the two looked at the passage Bon Bon had run off to.

"So now what?" Eclipse asked.

"Let her cool off a bit. I took out the bridge, so she can't just leave. And I'm sure she realizes this, too. Probably thought this was a trap, and can't say I blame her for it."

"Didn't you say you would let her go if she so wishes; that you wouldn't stop her."

"I did, and I won't. If, after we had a chance to talk, she still feels like this is all a trap or a lie, I will allow her to leave. Regardless of what she says, my double in Ponyville staying with Twilight is a solid alibi they can't just ignore. So if it comes to it, they will hopefully assume I merely took this form to cause confusion. That, with their assumption that a ghost is haunting me, will work in my favor… I think."

"It's still a big risk."

"Story of my life."

"True."

The two stood in silence for a moment, looking down the dark hallway, still hearing the receding clip-clopping of Bon Bon's hooves as she ran away.

"Right, guess I'll keep an eye on her," said Danny, following after Bon Bon.

"And I shall do my part as well," Eclipse nodded, and the two set to work.

<<>><<>><<>>

The thunderous rapport of hooves hitting the floor echoed throughout the empty hallways and bounced off the walls.

Bon Bon, mentally screaming at herself for letting her be swayed by such obvious trickery, sought now for a means to escape.

The dread she felt when that human ghost creature destroyed that bridge should have been enough to snap her out of whatever kind of mental control he had over her. Yet it didn't, and instead, this ghost brought her straight to Nightmare Moon herself. The source of her curse.

And now, unless she found a way to escape and warn the princess, they would get away with whatever it is they are planning.

But at the least, she would make sure she wouldn't become a part of those plans. One way, or the other.

Taking a sharp right and barreling into a partially collapsed hallway, Bon Bon jumped over ancient debris, felt her right back hoof clip something, and she made a hard landing.

Training and instinct took over, and she tucked herself into a ball. Rolling forwards to preserve momentum, she sprung up the moment she regained control and resumed her run while barely losing any speed.

"The exit is that way," Danny said, and Bon Bon nearly tripped over her legs as she saw the impossible ghost fly next to her; looking almost casual as he did so, flying backward in an upright position, one hand in pocket while pointing to her left with the other.

Naturally, she took the first right she could.

"Two right turns," he murmured. "Don't go running in circles," he shouted after her."

Bon Bon ignored him as she continued her escape, soon finding the path ahead splitting. And as it turned out, the left path was blocked by an ancient collapse.

Not wanting to turn back and face whatever it was Danny was exactly, she forced herself to take the right turn, hoping it would lead her away from him.

"Three right turns," Danny scratched the back of his head, watching the mare disappear around the corner as he hung stationary in the air. "Pretty sure that was where the kitchen was. Not a lot of stuff to use, and only one other way out of there, which means…"

A distant pounding on the floor came from the hallway he had come from, and he slowly turned around.

Face flat and both hands in pockets, he watched as Bon Bon came rushing in, then came to a grinding halt until she came to a stop in a seated position before him.

Both looked at one another in silence.

"You thought I was chasing after you, didn't ya?" Danny asked rhetorically.

Bon Bon, shamefaced, merely nodded.

"Aren't you a highly trained agent?"

Another nod.

"Yet all you managed to do was run in a circle. Even after I told you not to do so."

Nod nod.

"... So are you done and feel like talking, or do you want to go for another lap?"

Silence

"I think the royal bedrooms were down the hall," he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "Up the stairs on your left, second hallway on the right, then the final rooms on either side."

More silence.

"Alright," Danny turned serious. "Let me guess. The conflicting uncertainty, me taking out the only way of escape for you, and then meeting who you must've thought was Nightmare Moon obliterated any semblance of coherent thought. And at that moment, Sweetie Drops took over. That sounds about right?"

Hesitantly, Bon Bon nodded.

"Well, can't say I wasn't expecting this," he said, finally lowering himself to the floor. "Look, I understand where you come from, even if I don't know exactly what you've been through. But let me tell you, as easy as it may seem to run away, these things will eventually catch up with you. And right now, they have done just that. The thing is, you were never aware you were running from this, until recently, so I understand the freakout."

He paused for a moment, waiting for Bon Bon to say something. When she didn't, he continued.

"Okay, if you're willing. Let's try this again, shall we? There is still a lot that we need to discuss. More than you can even begin to realize. And there are things I need you to see; to understand. But for that to happen, you first need to understand the thing with this Nightmare Moon look alike."

"How… How is Nightmare Moon even here? With you?" Bon Bon asked with suspicious accusation.

"The short version: my shadow was a simple entity of limited capabilities who took in the residual energy of Nightmare Moon when Luna tried to enter my dreams. He did this to protect me, but it kinda backfired when Nightmare Moon was able to restore herself by stealing my energy through my shadow," he shrugged. "A lot of stuff happened after this, which isn't really important right now, but it did cause my shadow and Nightmare Moon to merge into a new entity. Eclipse is her name. She's the mare you just saw. The daughter of Nightmare Moon and my shade, Shadow."

Bon Bon sat in silence, stunned. Despite the many crazy things she has seen and done during her service, the thing she was just told threw her already strained mind for a loop.

"And that's just the simplified version," Danny shrugged again. "Anyhow. What you need to understand is this. Eclipse is not her mother. She looks like her. And she has some of her memories, blurry as they may be. But she is not some monster hell-bent on world domination."

"Then what is… she?"

"She's my shadow."

Bon Bon blinked.

"This is a conversation that should be continued with Eclipse present as well," said Danny. "I'll be in the throne room. You can stay here and decide if you want to learn the truth, or not. Whichever way you decide, I won't get in your way. But do let me know if you want to leave, then I'll rebuild that bridge ‘cause I don't think you can make that jump," and he walked away into the darkness of the ancient castle. "The choice is yours, Bon Bon. But remember. I did say knowing won't make you happy," and with those final words, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving Bon Bon to make her choice all over again.

A choice that weighed heavily on her burdened mind, and she sat motionless in indecisiveness.

After all, choice has always been the problem.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Surely you can't be serious!" Princess Luna exclaimed, looking at Tucker and his laptop after he explained what he had discovered.

"I, too, feel this is a difficult thing to accept," Princess Celestia added, studying the various graphs and readouts displayed while ignoring the burning of her eyes from being awake this early.

"Yet it fits the data," Tucker countered calmly, but firmly.

"But if true, what does this mean? How could such a thing be?" Princess Luna asked, frowning deeply.

"That I can not answer," Tucker shook his head. "All I set out to do was find out what caused this interference. And I found it," he waved a hand at his laptop. "But why this is, or how. I have no clue."

"There is one worrying detail in this we managed to learn thanks to this discovery, and the scrolls Correct Measurement brought," Technal interjected, and both princesses turned to her. "Once we established the nature of this distortion of the magical field, we were able to determine a pattern in the recorded data."

"Which would be?" Princess Luna demanded.

"This distortion is growing. Increasing in size in correspondence to the growing world population."

"WHAT?!" Princess Luna shouted.

"It's all here, in the scrolls," Technal brought their attention to the aged parchments. "We just didn't know how to read them."

"And that is just the stuff we were able to figure out," Tucker picked up. "Another matter of equal, or perhaps greater importance would be the question of what happens to this energy after?"

"What do you mean?" Princess Celestia asked, puzzled.

"Energy can't just be destroyed. Yet what we see here certainly looks like that is just what is happening. Which means there is still something we're missing. Something that neither those scrolls nor my scans have picked up. At least, that we are aware of. Not to mention, this violent interaction between these two energies is extremely energetic in its own right. So…where does this energy go?"

"And how has this gone unnoticed for so long?" Technal added. "Other than our scrolls and Tucker's scan, there is no indication this destruction is even happening. How, and why?"

"And just as important, how do these ancient cities play a part in it?" Tucker questioned, looking at both princesses. "This distortion is greatest near your old castle. And, as I was told, a similar occurrence can be found near the place where this so-called Crystal Empire was located. But this also demands some questions: how many other wild spots are there? And are there, or were there any large population centers present there at the time?"

Tucker leaned back in his seat, sighing tiredly.

"And, of course. How does this tie in with the ghosts? Where does this spectral energy come from? As far as we know, there are next to no ghosts present in this world. Not counting those who have slipped through from my side in the past. But even if we include those, the amount of spectral energy we see here can't be attributed to them alone. Not to mention the levels are maintaining themselves in response to the magic. Is this done in a similar fashion as the magical field? If so… then where are all the ghosts? If this is unrelated to any ghost presence, then what else is going on?"

He took a moment to rub his tired eyes, wishing he had more coffee.

"So while I have found the reason for the scanner problems, I also found a mystery far greater and worrying. So before anything else, I need to know which other places are out there. Are there any cities there, and what exactly happened in your old castle that made you abandon it? Knowing that might provide me with some clues as to what is going on," and as Tucker looked imploringly at both princesses, Luna turned away, pain obvious in her eyes.

Celestia, while no less shaken, at least managed to hide it better than her sister as she put a comforting wing on her back.

"Very well," she agreed. "But it is a long story."

<<>><<>><<>>

With a force of magic and a strained grunt, one of the many large rocks left from the cave-in was broken apart, then lifted away.

The pony responsible, one of the many guards responsible for this salvage operation, flung the rocks away into a waiting cart, which was then pulled away while another took its place.

Her fellow guards around her were all doing the same. Breaking the rocks, putting them away, then repeating the process as they slowly, but surely excavated the tunnel.

It has been many laborious hours since they started, and it seemed it would take many more to come. But as she tore up another rock, a radiant glow came through the cracks, halting her mid-motion.

"Found something!" She called out, and all work around her came to a stop as the other guards backed away.

Hasty footsteps came from behind her, and one of the human specialists carefully approached holding a strange, flat, glowing device in his hand.

"Getting some strange readings here," Pete mumbled as he read the information displayed on the screen, then looked up at the still magically glowing stone. "Could you please remove those rocks… slowly. And then cease all magic."

"Affirmative," she confirmed, then carefully removed the obstructing rock. Stepping away to make room as a vibrantly glowing crystal fragment was revealed.

"It looks like a part of the large crystal we found," Pete said, then shook his head and returned his attention to his tablet and a gasp escaped him. "These readings are off the charts!"

Tapping away at the screen for a few minutes, he eventually put away his tablet, swallowed, then ever so carefully picked up the fragment.

"This could change everything," he mumbled, a slight sweat covering his forehead. "I- I need to make some scans. Please keep clearing out this rubble. And call for me, or my colleagues immediately if you find any more of these fragments!"

"Understood," the guard nodded as Pete rushed away.

<<>><<>><<>>

Slowly Bon Bon stepped back into the throne room, trying to keep herself as small as possible, still uncertain whether this was all an elaborate trap, or not.

Even then, with not much option available to her, and not wanting to risk scaling the cliff, both down and back up without the proper equipment, at night no less, she knew she had to take a risk.

Of course, her ability to assess risks had proven to be less than reliable as of late, and it all started after that book had done… whatever it was that it did.

And so, with as much fake confidence that she could muster, she looked up, and at the two ghosts in the room. A shiver went down her spine as her eyes met those of Nightma- Of Eclipse, and she had to force herself to keep moving forwards.

Danny, who was talking with Eclipse at the time, partially turned to look at the approaching mare, then quietly finished what he was saying.

Eclipse nodded in response, then the two faced Bon Bon, waiting for her to close the distance.

For a while, nothing was said as Bon Bon tried to keep her conflicting thoughts from showing too much, while Danny and Eclipse patiently waited for her to calm down.

She had questions. A seemingly endless supply of them, and it took Bon Bon a moment to sort herself out enough to prioritize some of them. And while the presence of ghosts here demanded answers, she also realized this was Sweetie Drops doing the asking. And so, with this realized, she instead began with the thing that had started this all.

Reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out the book, she looked at its color-shifting cover, then at Danny.

"This book. What is it? Who is Spring Breeze? And… and how does this relate to me?"

"Those questions aren't easily answered. Mostly because I don't have all the answers," he told her. "But I can tell you this. That book you're holding is called a lifebook. We all have one. Every living, and formerly living being has one. It's the book of our life. All we do. All we hear. All we see, smell, touch, think, and experience is written down in there as it happens. How this is, I do not know. And before you ask. No, you can't just go and pick up any lifebook and read it. These books are aware of who, and what is interacting with them. And unless you're the 'owner' of the book, or in any way closely related to them, the pages will be blank."

He paused for a moment, thinking.

"With a few exceptions to that rule. Sometimes these books decide if the one holding them must know what is written in them, even if they don't know the one it is about. Which is why you were shown what you saw," he looked at the name written on the cover. "Spring Breeze was a pony who lived well over a thousand years ago, as I'm sure you know. She was a mare of mixed heritage. Half pony, half changelink. Like most others living in Yoke. And how this all relates to you… well, I'm certain you already know the answer."

"No," Bon Bon shook her head in denial, dropping the book.

Sighing, Danny stepped closer, then picked up the lifebook.

Opening the book and flipping a few pages, all he saw was blank paper.

"It is a difficult thing to accept, I know," he told her. "But you should know these books do not lie. All they do is tell the story of those who lived it, if you're allowed to know about it."

Bon Bon stood quiet, eyes wavering as she stared at the book, then Danny, then the book again.

"Tell me, did it merely write down its story for you, or did it pull you in and experience it for yourself?" Danny asked, closing the book.

"Wh- what?"

"As I said, these books know who is trying to read them. And they act accordingly to those who are or aren't allowed to do so. Those who are allowed can do so like any other book. But those who need to know… Well, they get quite a bit more involved; drawing you in, and revealing all there is to tell. Every minute detail is laid bare. And I'm sure this happened to you. You didn't just read about Spring Breeze. You saw her life. Lived it. Saw how it all started… And how it ended. Am I wrong?"

Bon Bon didn't answer, but her face spoke volumes.

"I thought as much," said Danny. "You needed to know, even if you yourself didn't know you had to. Showing you what it did because you had not just the need, but the right to know about your true self. All of it. The good, the bad, and the terrible."

Shaking his head, he looked down at the color-changing cover, reading the name on it.

"And there is a lot of terrible history. Some of it is still being written as we speak."

He looked back up at Bon Bon, a tired sigh escaping him as he did so.

"There is a lot you need to know. More than just the questions you currently need to be answered. It's why I placed this book in your basement. To reveal the real truth to you, and force you to ask questions you never needed to ask before. For that, I am sorry. Truly. But I could not, in good conscience, allow you to continue living your life while looking at your reflection in disgust. The lies you were told. The lies everyone has been told. And the one who did the lying. You deserved to know the truth, painful as it is," he sighed deeply. "And so does everyone else."

With a glowing hand, he levitated the book over to the empty throne, placing it down on the vacant seat of misplaced power.

"I can show you the truth. The real truth. And expose the lies you have lived, if you let me. But it will be difficult for you. Even more, than it is now. So before anything else, I need to ask you. Are you willing to continue? Because once you do, there will be no turning back, and everything you think you know will be put into question, and more. So if you rather turn back and pretend this has been nothing more than a bad dream, say so now and I'll let you go."

"Wh- but what… Why would you just leave me like that, after revealing yourself to me? Aren't you worried I will go to the- the princesses?"

"No," he shook his head. "The fact you just faltered on their title shows me the growing doubt you already have. So even if you leave now, I know this will not leave you. You will wonder. You will question. And you will seek for answers. And in time, you may find out what has really been going on. And it will destroy you."

"Then why would you even want me to know?" Bon Bon asked, distressed.

"Because I intend to reveal the truth, regardless of what you may choose. But I am offering you a chance to learn the truth free of any cover-ups and conspiracies, and perhaps, if you're willing, help me help those like you. And I could use all the help I can get."

"What!?"

"Bon Bon," Danny began, voice heavy. "You have merely seen a fraction of the horrors I have witnessed; the atrocities that were committed, all because of the lie you have just become aware of. I was not lying when I told you knowing would not make you happy. It is why I am offering you a chance to walk away now and live your life according to the truth you believe is right. You can even go inform the princesses if you feel this is the right thing to do. I won't stop you. But one day, I will unravel the web of lies that blinds everyone, and expose the crimes committed to the world. And you, too, will be swept away in the storm that will follow. There is no avoiding this, as much as I wished it were different."

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to breathe deeply, then released the air in a long sigh.

"But I hope that you are strong enough to face this uncertainty and to be able to rise above it. Because, if you can, then that will be just that more ponies I can save before the storm hits."

He looked down at Bon Bon, his green glowing eyes filled with sadness, and determination.

"So what will it be?" He held out a hand. "The truth you know, or the truth hidden behind the lies?"

Bon Bon could only stare at the offered appendage, eyes wavering as conflict waged within.

<<>><<>><<>>

"And that is how I became Nightmare Moon, ushered in eternal night, corrupted my closest subordinates, and brought destruction down upon our home," Princess Luna finished, head hanging and eyes closed.

Princess Celestia stood beside her, wing draped over her back in comfort, looking at her sister with a saddened gaze.

"My sister fought me, tried to reason with me, do anything to stop me before things could spiral even further out of control, but in the end, she had to use several powerful artifacts to end my rampage and seal me away in the moon for a thousand years."

Tucker sat quietly, listening to the story with obvious awe and intrigue while his mind worked to connect the dots.

"Afterwards," Princess Celestia picked up, "the surviving ponies and I were left to pick up the pieces. Yet circumstances made this a near impossible task, and in the end, it was decided to abandon the ruins of our city and start anew elsewhere." She looked out through one of the windows. "Which is when we created Canterlot."

A heavy silence settled down over those present, with Luna finding a measure of comfort in her sister's presence. Technal sat quietly next to Tucker, shocked by the things she just learned. Things not taught in any history books. Something that also seemed to weigh heavily on Correct Measurement, who still was unaware of the full extent of her presence here, but starting to connect the pieces.

And then there was Tucker, who had leaned back in his cushion, back pressing against the table on which lay his laptop, a deep frown and pensive look showing on his face.

"And that is how our former home came to ruin," Princess Celestia finished.

"I see," said Tucker, eyes focused on a random spot of the wall as he thought.

"Do you believe this may provide the insight you need to solve this mystery?" Asked Princess Luna.

"I'm not sure," he replied after a heartbeat. "Had there been involvement of ghosts, then things would have been simple… well, simple under the circumstances. But there is little indication that's the case. Though when you first mentioned how you were corrupted, for a moment it seemed like it could have been a possession," he told her, and Luna noticeably stiffened. "But you also show to have a full recollection of everything that happened during this, so that rules that out. At least, any kind of possession I know of. Still, there are some things that bother me."

"Which are?" Princess Celestia asked, frowning ever so slightly.

"These artifacts you used to, eh, stop your sister," he looked at the solar princess. "What are they, exactly? And could they have caused what is now happening at your castle?"

"They are called the Elements of Harmony, and we do not know what they are exactly. They were discovered by chance and turned out to each represent a virtue of friendship. Kindness, laughter, honesty, generosity, loyalty, and magic. My sister and I each wielded three during the time we were those, chosen to wield them, but I was forced to wield all six of them to stop my sister. This also meant that they couldn't be used to their full effect, as they require the bond of friendship between ponies to work. Because of this, they fell dormant after I used them, and it wasn't until a thousand years later that new wielders presented themselves and revived the Elements." Celestia paused, eyes closed for a moment. "And I also should mention I did not use the Elements near our home. During our fight, many blows were traded, and we ended up some distance away as a result." She told him but omitted certain details for her sister's sake.

"So these Elements couldn't have caused this anomaly you say," Tucker scratched at his jaw. "At least, that time. Were they used in, or near this city at any point in time?"

"Yes," Luna confirmed. "Both during the time where we first learned to use them and… And recently, when the new bearers used them to cleanse me from my corruption."

"I see," Tucker hummed. "And what about any of the other places with this distorted magic field? Correct Measurement informed me a place up north has a similar thing going on, and a city called the Crystal Empire used to be there. We're the Elements used there as well?"

Both princesses' eyes widened.

"Yes, they were," Princess Celestia confirmed. "My sister and I used them in our fight against the tyrannical king, Sombra."

Tucker leaned forward. "And what about the other places that were mentioned to me?"

"The Elements were used against a being known as Discord, twice. The first time this happened in what is now known as the Dead Zone, where magic refuses to work as intended. It's believed this was the result of the Elements not being able to fully restore Discord's damage," Princess Celestia explained.

"And the second time?"

"The second time happened in Ponyville, not too long ago," Princess Luna informed him.

"Which, if I remember correctly, is also where the first instance of this interference was reported," said Tucker, standing up from his cushion and starting to pace around. "Surely this can't be a coincidence."

"You think the Elements caused this distortion?" Technal asked, worried.

"I don't know," Tucker replied. "But from what was told just now, they seem to be a connecting factor. But from word of mouth alone I can't say one way or the other. If I were to find an answer, it has to be from studying these Elements myself," he looked at the princesses as he said that.

"This may pose a… problem," Princess Celestia said, then she turned to address both Technal and Correct Measurement. "None of this is to leave this room, especially what we will discuss next. If either of you wishes to leave, you may do so now," she looked down at the two mares with hardened eyes.

"I'm already this involved," Technal replied readily. "There is no way I will stop now."

Princess Celestia nodded, then looked at Correct Measurement. "Before you answer, know that if you choose to stay, you will need to keep a good number of secrets. While your expertise would be most useful to us, we won't force you to be part of these matters if you aren't comfortable in doing so."

Correct Measurement was silent for a moment as she thought.

"This is about ghosts, isn't it Princess?" She looked at Princess Celestia, then at Tucker and his laptop. "While I, at first, had no idea what any of this was about. After Mister Foley's discovery, things started to make a lot more sense to me. The unusual interest in the magical field, talk about strange interference, the way how any requests made by Mister Foley and Miss Technal are fast-tracked by the both of you… the obvious tension among the guards," she looked back at the princess. "Something happened. Very recently, even. Am I correct in my assumption that the quake which spread panic through the city not too long ago is also related to this?"

"You would be correct in this, yes," Princess Celestia confirmed.

Correct Measurement nodded once, closing her eyes. "I see."

"As my sister said, you do not need to be here if you do not feel like it," Princess Luna reminded her.

"Princess," Correct Measurement looked at her. "My brother was in Baltimare," she revealed, eyes hard. "And while he survived the ordeal in a physical sense, he has never been the same afterward. If I walk out now, knowing that I could possibly make a difference, then how could I possibly live with myself? Besides, you said so yourself. My expertise would be invaluable. It has already paid off quite handsomely. So, no. I am not going anywhere."

All present looked at her with mixed emotions, but most prominent were understanding and respect.

"Very well," said Princess Celestia and she and her sister explained what had happened with Discord in Ponyville the day before.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Okay, the first thing that needs to be said: you're not cursed," Danny told Bon Bon. "You need to know that, above all else. Instead, you, and those like you, were born with these abilities, or physical differences because of the lingering changelink genes in your blood."

Bon Bon merely nodded, seated on the floor, mind a whirl.

She still didn't understand why she didn't choose to run, again. She tried reasoning with herself that, obviously, this didn't work the first time. Yet the more she thought about it, the more she found herself realizing that what Danny said sounded too true to be a lie.

A pleasant lie, she first told herself to counter those thoughts. But with the details he shared, the knowledge he possessed; more and more doubt began to chip away at her mental defenses, and she allowed him to tell her everything while, at the same time, this not Nightmare Moon, Eclipse, had vanished without a trace, already putting her tense mind further on edge.

"And secondly, you, and those like you have been lied to by Princess Celestia herself."

"Bwuh?"

Danny sighed, nodding in understanding.

"I know. Princess Celestia, the kind hearted, benevolent ruler would not do such a thing. Guess that's the thing with an immortal among mortals. Whatever they say, if they say it for long enough, everyone else will eventually say the same." He snorted in disgust, shaking his head. "You saw Spring Breeze's life; saw what Celestia did to Yoke and those living there. But what you didn't see is what happened after. The tragedy, the devastation… The horror. Yoke's destruction was the result of a misunderstanding, a terrible mistake. But after that, whenever Celestia saw a changelink she would strike them down without remorse until it became standard practice; spreading lies about what they were, and how they came to be. And when ponies like you were discovered, she used them to hunt down those like them, and later, monsters of any kind under the promise of a cure. Yet in all those centuries, she never delivered, as there is nothing to cure. And you know what is the worst of this?"

He asked, to no reply.

"She knows. She began suspecting she might have been wrong not long after Yoke's destruction, but she continued the lie, and eventually convinced herself it was the truth as she continued her campaign against the changelinks."

"What?!" Bon Bon balked, distraught, unable to believe that. "She would never do such a thing. What proof do you even have for that?"

Danny was silent for a moment, then he held up a hand, palm up.

With a flash of white light, a book materialized in his hand as he pulled it out of his spectral self.

"As I said, we all have a lifebook. Celestia is no different," he told her, looking at the name on the cover, frowning. "And as I told you, we can't read them unless the book either belongs to us or if we are allowed by the one the book belongs to know." He looked at the mare, halting any retort she might have. "And sometimes, they will show us what needs to be told. To reveal the truth that begs to be heard. When I found Celestia's lifebook it decided to show me everything. Or, almost everything. All that was important; what I needed to know to see the truth and the lies."

Bon Bon was quiet, but her eyes were locked on the book held in Danny's grasp.

"And just to prove a point. Celestia's name is not her real name."

"What?!"

"Neither is Luna's."

"WHAT?!"

He turned the book around, showing the cover and, on it, the names printed on it.

"Long ago, Celestia was known as Sunny Skies. A pegasus. And Luna was a unicorn called Starlight."

Bon Bon stared wide-eyed at the book, and the names on it, her mind sputtering in half-formed denials.

"And one other thing you need to know. They both are what they are today because, like me, they are half ghosts."

Danny was sure he heard Bon Bon's mind break in the silence that followed; the mentally abused mare sitting completely still, eyes staring into forever.

Sighing, he put Celeatia's lifebook back into his spectral self, then looked off to his side, and the still invisible portal.

Waving a hand before Bon Bon's face, receiving no response, he opted to sit down on the throne, placing Spring Breeze's lifebook within his spectral form as well, and waited for Bon Bon to process what he just revealed.

"And to think," he said to himself, "the greatest shock is still to come."

Author's Note:

And... we're back.

Welcome back down here at the author's notes. I hope you've enjoyed this long overdue chapter. And you may be wondering how long it will take for the next addition to this story to be released. Next month? Coming December? One year from now?

Well, let me tell you right now, there will be a new chapter next Sunday. Yes, you read that right. One week from now.

But there will only be a chapter for GoaP, and no acompanying chapter for SS. Just so you know.

Also, the next chapters after that are well under way. They still need a good deal of work, so I can't say when those will come, but I don't expect it to be months. But we'll see how it goes.

Also, to those who have missed my last blog. I have also updated all previous chapters in GoaP and SS. This because I realized I made a rather large mistake with some crucial elements in my stories. Things are fixed now, and improved in other places as well. So if you ever thought about going for a re-read, now would be a good time to do so.

Anyhow, with this all said and done, I like to ask you to please report any and all mistakes you did find down in the comments below. Or maybe just leave a comment in general. It would be most appreciated.

Thanks for sticking with me all this time.

~Powerdrainer

Comments

[Raistlin]

It has been a while. Can anyone refresh my memory about the specific chapter where Danny learns about
Spring Breeze, Yoke and the changeling genocide?

[Powerdrainer]

11677992
I got you click here!

[Clopian26]

Whoa finally getting a few answers true bonbon this chapter

[Yoshifu101]

First off I don't know if you've noticed but it's almost been 10 years since you posted the first chapter of GoaP. Happy early 10th anniversary Guilt of a Phantom! Wishing you the very best luck and prosperity…not that you need it. You’ve got this.

[Jarimor]

pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1200623577105600513/mclpx53G_400x400.jpg