64 vs. The Underground

by Jman9877

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ghost POV

I read happily as I felt myself jitter in excitement for my upcoming mission. I would learn how to feed like a real Changeling would! It was so exciting I felt like I was going to burst at any moment, but the only thing that would make it a bit better is if 64 was there to see me off.

We had this little agreement where we would never say goodbye, but sometimes I really wish he could see me go on my own adventures. Even though he wasn’t a pony or a Changeling, I felt as if he was the closest thing to any kind of family I had. He saved me from Clovercloud’s Hive, kept Princess Celestia from hurting me when he brought me back to Canterlot, and then gave me a new way I could help other ponies.

When he first brought me back I felt as if he was trying to repay me for saving him when we met, but after time passed I felt as if he took me under his “wing”, teaching me so many things I thought I would never ever learn in my life!

“Young Ghost, Princess Celestia has summoned you to the Throne Room. She requests you at your earliest convenience.” An attendant said, sticking his head into the door of the room.

“Oh, yeah I’ll be there right now.” I said, closing the manila folder which held all of the information about Changelings 64 was able to gather. I hopped off of the bed I was lying on and shook myself a bit, fluttering my wings in nervousness.

The job 64 had described to me sounded very serious, as Crystal Dust was often used in magical hexes and malicious potions. If the trade continued to go through into Equestria, a lot of bad things could happen to innocent ponies.

Before I was able to exit the room, another attendant blocked my path, but I was delighted to see that it was Blusa who was going to check up on me.

“Blusa! I haven’t seen you in a month!” I said happily as I went to hug her, with her gladly returning the hug.

My horn lit up as I signaled I was ready to use telepathy to communicate with her, as her horn glowed as well.

“Oh my goodness Ghost! Did you molt in your time away? You look so much bigger!” She piped, making me blush.

“Oh no, I haven’t molted since 2 months ago. It might just be because 64 fed me last night. What about you? Has the throat been any better?” I asked concerned, as she rubbed it with one of her hooves.

“Oh Ghost, you already know what my answer will be. I’m afraid my voice might never come back, which is a shame regarding my cutie mark…”
I looked to her flank and saw the microphone with 5 little stars surrounding it, telling anypony who saw it that she was able to magically enhance her voice. Apparently she had been a successful singer in Las Pegasus before she was kidnapped and taken to Tuvalu.

“I’m sorry I brought it up Blusa, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” I said looking down, as Blusa gave me a warm smile and patted me on the head, making me purr affectionately.

“Don’t worry about that Ghost. I actually came to talk to you about why Princess Celestia called you., 64 has gone to Ponyville already, I was just wondering why you didn’t go with him.”

“Oh! Celestia is giving me a job overseas! I’m so excited!” I buzzed, jumping up and down happily.

Blusa’s face suddenly went into a shocked expression as if I had told her something wrong.

“I’m sorry Ghost, but did you just say you were going to go overseas? As in leave Equestria?!” She said with worried voice.

“Yeah! I’m gonna learn how to be a real Changeling and feed off of other bad ponies. Then I have to find where a gang of Diamond Dogs are selling magical Dust and then 64 will come and then capture them! It’s going to be really hard, but I’m ready for it!”

Blusa stood there for a few moments before I saw her put on a smile, but I could tell she wanted to say something to me.

“Well, I just hope you stay safe Ghost. It would be terrible if something were to happen to you, but I know that you always find your way out of all sorts of situations. I hope you come back safe.” Blusa said as she patted me on the head once again before she turned around and left the room in a hurry, making me wonder where she was going.

I shrugged and continued off to the Throne Room, the butterflies of nervousness once again fluttering through my stomach. It would only be a quick hour chariot ride to Baltimare, then a day’s boat travel to Ethaxial, a Griffin Territory.

Griffins were often very brash and rude, so I needed to make sure to remember this while making contact with the Diamond Dogs. I needed to impersonate any one of their contacts, meaning had to observe any and all business regarding the magical Dust, and eventually that will lead me straight towards the culprits. Once I found them 64 would come in and make the arrests, and it would be smooth sailing.

“I hope I show 64 that I’m not just a little Changeling…” I whispered, realizing that I was standing in front of Throne Room doors. I pushed them open with magic, and saw both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sitting in their respective thrones, each giving me serious gazes. I approached the two and bowed down, knowing that although I was loyal to 64, I was still one of their subjects.

“Rise Young Ghost, the time for your departure has arrived, and we must not waste any time in getting you overseas. Do you understand what you must do once you are hooves down in Ethaxial?” Princess Celestia asked, to which I nodded.

“Yes your majesty, I understand completely. I will do my best.” I said politely, rising up and adjusting my saddlebag, containing 64’s Clovercloud file, a Daring Doo book, a notepad, and a charm only to be used in emergencies which would allow me to contact Celestia.

“You seem under equipped; wouldn’t you pack a bit more essential items such as a sleeping bag or maybe a few extra bits?” Princess Luna asked as I shook my head no.

“I haven’t the need for warmth, so sleeping in outdoor areas won’t have much effect on me, and as for bits…” I said, using magic to open a back pocket of my saddlebag and take out a small pouch, showing it to the Princesses.
“That hardly looks like it contains the amount of bits which you will need for your adventure, allow us to—“

“No need Princess, look.”

I undid the small string on the end of the pouch and opened the pouch, revealing a Rose Ruby in all its shimmering glory. Princess Celestia remembered what kind of species I was going to deal with on my adventure and nodded.

“I also have a lot of little gems in other pockets, perfect for bribing and bartering my way to get close to the Diamond Dogs. I feel as if I am perfectly equipped Princess.”

The Princesses nodded at each other, as Princess Luna walked forward to Ghost.

“Very well, come with me. The chariot awaits us in the center of the Canterlot Hedge maze.” Luna said, as I followed out of the Throne Room and outside of the Palace. As we walked I noticed the frightened gazes of many passerby’s, seeing my “grotesque” appearance compared to their pompous, high and mighty looks.

I briefly considered changing my form, but I decided against it. I wanted to win them over by showing them I wasn’t a monster, so they were just going to have to see the real me.

We reached the Hedge Maze and began to traverse its leafy walls, making left and right turns at different intervals. When we reached the center of the maze, I took a second to appreciate all of the statues which were decorating the small field.

One stood out to me the most however. 64’s statue where he defeated Super Nova was standing there proudly, her snarling face yelling at 64’s cocky grin while she was pinned on top of him. I almost didn’t believe 64’s story until I came to see the statue with him, but when we got there I almost couldn’t believe it.

He knelt by the statue for a long time without saying anything, and I could swear that I saw some tears start to form in his eyes. After we had observed the statue 64 went on this long speech about what he went through before I met him, and how that no matter how hard the difficulties in front of you seem, there will be a rainbow to guide you in the end.

I still don’t get what he meant by that, but I feel that maybe when I was a bit older I would figure out what it meant.

The Chariot waiting for me had 2 Pegasi attached, both standing at attention due to Princess Luna’s presences. She turned to me before I got onto the Chariot, a worried look in her eyes.

“Young Ghost, although I am aware of your skills in combat, I urge you to avoid as much unneeded confrontation as you can. If you can learn something by simply eavesdropping then please do so, don’t put yourself in immediate danger by asking the questions yourself.” She said, kneeling down and nuzzling my cheek.

I nodded and saluted to her, “Don’t worry Princess, I’ll do my very best!” I said, hopping onto the Chariot. I stamped my hoof twice onto the floor as the Pegasi received the signal, taking off and soaring to the sky towards Balitmare.

“I’ll do my best, I’ll make you proud 64.”

64 POV

The ride was coming to an end, and I could see Ponyville in the distance. It was only about a 10 minute trip, but I wanted to get out of this damn Chariot. I had asked if I could jump from the Chariot like I had done before, but the Pegasi were very strict about wanting to make a peaceful entrance, and not making the citizens of Ponyville frantic.

I guess that kind of made sense, but I didn’t like being up in the air for too long. It’s because I like to have an immediate choice in what goes on around me, but while being dragged through the air by these 4 Pegasi I felt pretty vulnerable. All I could do was look at the approaching city as we began to make our descent.

Even from here I could see the ponies in the town looking up towards the Royal Chariot, excited for whoever was going to be visiting their quaint town. They were probably going to be a bit shocked at what was really coming to town, but I paid it no mind, I had something to do.

The Chariot eventually hit the ground and the ponies were able to see me, some becoming scared at my strange appearance, and some going as far to scream and run away. Others stood there in curiosity, and some actually recognized me from 6 months earlier.

A Blonde maned and grey coated mare was the first to point out this fact.

“Hey! Aren’t you that thing that fought that fiery pony a few months ago?” She asked, walking up to the chariots and putting her hooves up onto the side, standing on her rear hooves to get a better look at me.

“Yeah, that was me. But right now I gotta find Twilight Sparkle, do you have any idea where I could find her?” I asked, as the mare brought her hoof to her chin. Her eyes lit up as a happy grin donned her face.

“Oh yea! She was over at the Carousel Boutique with a few of her friends! You could check there!”

I nodded to her and said my thanks as I stepped off of the Chariot, ponies surround me stepping out of the way so I could get to the Carousel Boutique. Luckily I knew what building she was talking about, because I only knew one building in town that resembled a Carousel in anyway.

Luckily the crowd of ponies that were watching me eventually dispersed as I walked away, not really caring and proceeding with their normal business.

I heard a loud ringing noise and turned to the Clock Tower, seeing it ring as the time struck 12:30. Memories of events past started to bubble their way to the surface, the smallest tinge of blue invading my vision. I shook my head to try and clear it, but they still kept coming to the fore front of my mind.

The ringing got more intense in my head as I felt myself becoming a bit dizzy, having to kneel down onto one knee to try and catch my breath.

“Fuck, I do not want to have an episode in a public area…” I muttered as I will myself to stand up and keep walking, the noise still permeating in my head. I could see the Carousel Boutique in the distance, next to a few other shops which sold miscellaneous items.

When I approached the door I suddenly remembered something before knocking, and reached into my small satchel pocket. I pulled out something I owed Rarity, but luckily never got rid of.

With that I pulled the hood of my black Cloak over my head, going onto all fours to not surprise them too much when somepony opened the door. I knock twice and waited, hearing the quick pitter-patter of hooves on wood as they approached the door.

Light blue magic enveloped the door as it was opened by a small filly, the same one who almost caught me sneaking in her so long ago.

“Hello, how can I help you?” She asked.

“Is Ms. Twilight Sparkle here at the moment? I have something I need to give to her.” I said, pulling out the envelope with my hand before putting it in my mouth, making it look like how an earth pony would grab it.

“Yeah, she’s in here with Rarity putting the final touches onto her dress for tomorrow night! Want me to call her for you?” The little filly asked as I shook my head no.

“No I can get her, can you just point the way?”

The filly stepped aside and pointed into one of the backrooms of the boutique, covered by a curtain. I made my way through the room and saw that the chest I had broken into 6 months ago was now locked with a magical padlock, needing both a combination and a magical signature.

I chuckled a bit, knowing that I could still break into the chest very easily. I moved aside the curtain and saw a sight that I had to struggle to not laugh at. Rarity was pulling and tugging with all her might to tighten a corset around Twilight’s abdomen, whereas Twilight looked as if her eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets.

Upon seeing me Rarity gasped, in turn releasing Twilight’s corset from her teeth, sending the both of them flying in opposite directions. I let out a quick snort of laughter, unable to hold it in much longer.

After composing herself as best as she could, Rarity stood up and tried to make an attempt of swinging her hair attractively. Unfortunately for her, her hair looked absolutely horrendous, so any effect it would have on a stallion was immediately deadened.

“Umm, excuse me, I am in the middle of helping somepony prepare themselves for a very important event tomorrow night, so I’m afraid I must ask you to sit in the waiting area of the Boutique. I promise that I will be with you once I am done with this mare.” Rarity said, trying to turn me away in the most polite way possible.

“Oh, yes of course. But I’m afraid I have something for your client. Ms. Twilight Sparkle?” I asked, still disguised.

“Huh? Something for me?” Twilight asked, still a bit a dazed from her crash.

“Yes. From Princess Celestia herself. I believe you will be needing these for entry into the event you will be attending tomorrow?”
I stood up and held out the tickets with my hand, scaring the hooves off of the mares in front of me. Twilight’s fight or flight reaction apparently was fight because upon seeing me she immediately sent a small bolt of magic at me, forcing me to duck to the ground and pull my hood down, waving my hands in the air.

“Woah! Woah! It’s me! 64! Twilight it’s just me!” I said, not wanting to get hit by a bolt of one odf the strongest magic users in Equestria.

Twilight’s eyes suddenly lit up as she realized her mistake, the magic in her horn fading.

“Oh my gosh! 64?! What in Celestia’s name gave you the idea to scare us like that?!” Twilight yelled at me, as I grinned stupidly and rubbed the back of my neck.

“I thought it would be too much to simply walk up to the door and tell that little filly over there what I was, so I got by her using my Cloak. I thought you would remember the guy who help the Elements of Harmony defeat Super Nova 6 months ago.” I said crossing my arms at that last part, as Twilight gave me a sheepish grin.

“Well when you just suddenly stand straight up like that it sorta startles anypony who suddnely sees your height! And what are you doing with those tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala? Princess Celestia was supposed to send those through Spike!” Twilight said angrily as she began to remember what happened 5 months prior.

----------------5 MONTHS AGO----------------

I stood with my Cloak over my prone by Princess Luna, as we both had smug grins adorning our faces. In front of Princess Luna was a large jar slowly being filled to the brim in bits, as the vegetable cart next to me was slowly being empty of the various food products inside of it. I had decided to bring my idea to Luna’s attention when I had thought it up, and due to her still slight anger at her sister she instantly jumped onto the idea.

It was only a plus that Twilight Sparkle was coming to visit today for her monthly visit.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ALL DOING TO PRINCESS CELESTIA!?” She yelled, trying to cover Princess Celestia who was being pelted with various food, ranging from tomatoes to eggplants. She was locked into a Pillory stand, and a small ring was placed on her horn which negated all magical powers she could use. A ball gag was wrapped around her neck and mouth, preventing all sounds from leaving Celestia's mouth.

Twilight was now in the crossfire as ponies from Ponyville to Dodge Junction stood in the Canterlot Palace Courtyard and threw the vegetables mercilessly, this being the most “lenient” form of punishment we could perform without any suspicious towards me.

Ponies were buying the various foods at 2 bits a throw, and we were quickly running out of stock. This event was advertised across Equestria, and we even got Shining Armor to get the guards to turn a blind eye to this little stunt.

“PRINCESS LUNA YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM!” Twilight said as I stepped backwards and blended into the shadows, not wanting to let Twilight see and recognize me. She was wiping away the various pieces of food that were now staining her coat and yelling frantically to Luna, who was having trouble keeping in her boom laughter.

“Twilight, you must simply let these ponies enjoy themselves for a short while. Look at all of these bits we are going to be donating to the Canterlot Hospital, they will simply be ecstatic!” Luna said nonchalantly, as if her sister just didn’t get slugged by an apricot.

Twilight turned around to yell at the crowds, who simply turned on her as they began pelting her with the foods as well. I felt slightly bad about allowing this to happen, so I stepped out and stood next to Luna, pulling down my hood slightly so Twilight could see my face.

“64?! WHAT IN EQUESTRIA IS GOING ON?”

“Payback.”

-------------FLASHBACK OVER-------------

“Ah… Good times…” I muttered, both me and Twilight remembering the embarrassing event for Celestia. That event continued for 3 days, making it one of the most financially profitable moments in farming history. The total amount of bits earned for Canterlot Hospital that day was about 2000 bits, meaning there was about 1000 pieces of food thrown at Princess Celestia in those 3 days.

“Can you please forget about that? That incident made Princess Celestia a total laughing stock!” Twilight said as her face reddened. I simply laughed and handed the tickets to her as she snatched them out of my hands, glowering at me.

“There are 7 tickets in there from Princess Celestia, for you, your friends, and Spike. I’m gonna be there as well, and that brings me to my second reason for being here,” I said, turning to Rarity who had come back after her scare, and was now listening to me and Twilight, ” I’m gonna need a better suit…”

Rarity’s eyes light up like a candle as she realized what that meant, a large smile splitting her face in two.

“OHH! I NEED TO GET MY MEASURING TAPE!” Rarity yelled running upstairs, as Twilight yelled after her.

“Rarity! What about my… dress…” Twilight muttered at the end, once again turning back to me and glowering.

I shrugged my shoulders and waited for Rarity to come back with her tape, wondering what a suit on someone of my stature would look like. I had seen plenty of ponies wearing suits to simply walk around in Canterlot, but they were all quadruped, so they wore clothes much differently than I did.

Rarity came running back in as she held her tape in her magical grip, quickly running in front of me and using her magic to hold me still. I suddenly saw another flash of blue and felt the tingling sensation of an episode at the back of my head, as I yelled out suddenly.

“PLEASE! Ahem, Rarity… can you please… umm… let me go… I can stand still…” I said through clenched teeth as she let me go, allowing me to crumple back onto my hands and knees.

I could feel the two mare’s gazes burrow at the back of my head, each of them wondering why I just acted the way I did.

“Why 64, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” Rarity asked me, oblivious to my condition.

“Yea, just a little… Look, I can stand perfectly still… just let me take off this damn Cloak.” I said, untying it from my neck and tossing it to the side, revealing a black longsleeve I had underneath.

“Well Rarity, if you are so occupied with our visitor here, I’ll leave you to your business. I wanted to have a word with Sweetie Belle regarding her magic tutoring.” Twilight said walking out of the room with the tickets, making sure to hold onto them for tomorrow night.

“Very well Twilight, be sure to come back tomorrow to let me do your makeup for the Gala!”

Rarity turned back to me as I spread my arms out wide, allowing her to get all of the measurements she needed.

“Oh 64, you are going to look simply dashing tomorrow night. Might I ask who you are attending with?” She asked me, trying to make small talk.

“I’m not going to be going with anyone. I’m gonna be working as security for the Gala all night. I’m not gonna have time for any mare.” I said sarcastically as Rarity chuckled.

“Oh I do suppose you’re right… besides, I’m not exactly sure how you will be able to dance with a mare with your height. Maybe if the mare would stand on her hind legs?”

“Maybe.”

Comments

[Mexican Brony 101]

Maybe...

[thewookie1]

When they say to get close with the one you love, I doubt that meant becoming a ghost-like being in said loved one's mind.

A suit for 64, or better known as 8^2

The power he has seems akin to the Ring in Lord of the Rings, while the powers seem similar to that of magic crossed with Sith force powers.

I wouldn't mind learning who Vi was, after all she was the first student thus she would have had a name. Also is her name technically Version 1 thus V1 therefore looking like Vi? Which also begs to question if Vi truly is the 1st student seeing as a pony's soul would have had to been pulled out of it's body and place inside in order to accomplish that. Or is it a replica of sorts? If the first, then what did they do with the body? Put another soul inside? Maybe as a test to help Celestia bring back someone from the dead or near-death.

My mind is spinning at the moment with thoughts

[Blackmouth00]

Really? Public humiliation is a fitting payback for torture, infanticide, and unethical experimintation? If it were me I would of put her decapitated head on a pike. Oh well.

[Jman9877]

3779690 You think 64's finished? Oh hell no that was scratching the surface.

[Blackmouth00]

Let me guess he's going to steal her sweet roll. (Skyrim joke) 3781551

[stormscorpion]

3781718
more like her cake

[Jman9877]

3781718 Yea I got it.

[Oubliette]

I swear if you kill ghost or turn him evil…

[Stupid_man455]

“There are 7 tickets in there from Princess Celestia, for you, your friends, and Spike."

this always gets me laughing