Silver Spirit, Ghost of Equestria.

by Powerdrainer

Brace Yourselves!

Edits done by Gigas, Clayton the Hunter, Inkblot_von_Pie_III, and Vates Despero.

Brace Yourselves!

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

Small paws struck the forest ground in rapid succession as the small puppy ran from tree to tree, barking happily as he filled his deceased lungs with the many smells of the forest.

He'd been at it for a while now, ever since he found his way into the forest. Never stopping, always chasing the promise of an even better tree to mark, which soon led him deeper and deeper into the untamed wilderness of the Everfree Forest.

However, even in his excitement to find the promised tree, he couldn't forget what had brought him here; who he was looking for. And so, as he sniffed his way through the forest, he came to an abrupt stop when he caught a whiff of something he hadn't smelled for several years.

His ears perked up, and he turned his attention towards the source of the faint trace. A small waggle of his tail came next, before he took off in a sprint, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

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

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were hard at work in the farmhouse, having been given several chores to complete as punishment. The ever-vigilant Granny Smith kept close watch over them... with her eyes closed... snoring loudly in her rocking chair.

With the fillies safely occupied, Big Mac was hard at work in the fields covering for Applejack's absence, which was something he had gotten used to over the past few years, ever since his sister had become the Element of Honesty.

He didn't mind, much. He loved working out in the fields, and one or two chores more or less wasn't going to slow him down. However, with Applejack's extended absence on 'official Element' business, those few extra chores soon piled up, and now he found himself swamped with more chores than he knew how to deal with in the limited time available. Thus he was more than happy to share part of his ever growing to-do list with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to teach them the error of their ways.

Of course, knowing his youngest sibling, those few chores she had now would soon multiply to an even greater number. Most likely when she and Sweetie Belle came up with some harebrained scheme to use their chores in an effort to earn their Cutie Marks.

Though that hopefully wouldn't happen this time. Their chores were chosen specifically because they were either easy, or just plain dirty to do.

Still, with those fillies, no one could know what might happen. Big Mac doubted those youngsters even knew what they were doing half of the time. In fact, considering the damage they caused to the trees near their clubhouse, the thought of them trying for their Cutie Marks while cleaning the farmhouse seemed more and more like an accident waiting to happen.

Shaking those thoughts away, he turned to look at the distant building he called home while shifting the wheat stalk from one corner of his mouth to the other.

'No,' he told himself, 'Bloom may cause all kinds of trouble, but she would never do anything that would damage our home.' His thoughts then returned to the scorched and blackened trees surrounding the treehouse. '… Maybe Ah should check up on her, just ta be sure,' he thought as he proceeded to unhitch the cart he was pulling, half filled with apples, and quickly make his way back home.

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

Erlea moved through the foliage surrounding the building with practiced ease, though her pink coat did little to help her blend in with the greens and browns, not to mention how the gleaming silver tiara resting on top of her head made her even more noticeable. 'Still,' she thought, 'it's less conspicuous than a changeling moving about.' But that was cold comfort and those thoughts did little to quench her feelings of unease.

Not because she was sneaking around this apple orchard, owned by ponies. Nay, it was not even the form she had chosen to use as a disguise, although she really wasn't a fan of the pony she now resembled. No, her unease came from the conversation she had had with Apple Bloom earlier that morning.

She had met a pony who was not only not afraid of a changeling, but also offering to help. Even going as far as allowing her to feed directly on her emotions through her bite. This was unheard of, and it left Erlea's mind in turmoil.

'I don't know what's going on with these ponies, but I will find out,' she told herself, sneaking closer and closer to the rustic home, only to be caught off guard by Apple Bloom's brother who was rapidly approaching the farm house.

Much to Erlea's distress she was in neither the appropriate position, nor the proper disguise to hide from view, and much to her rising anxiety, the stallion slowed down as his gaze settled on her.

Looking around in a panic, trying to find any way out of this situation, Erlea found herself running out of options as the large form of the red stallion came closer and closer; his shadow soon covering her smaller form.

'Oh, dung beetles.'

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

"It ain't fair," Apple Bloom whined quietly as she dragged the mop across the floor. "It's not like Ah burned those trees."

"Yeah… sorry about that," Sweetie Belle muttered as she dragged a bucket of filthy water to the sink to replace it. "Then again… I thought you said 'I got it'. What exactly did you plan on doing?"

Apple Bloom opened her mouth to answer, only to fall silent when she couldn't come up with anything.

"Well?" Sweetie Belle asked, a single eyebrow raised.

"... Uhhh..."

"You don't have a clue, do you?"

"Not a single one," Apple Bloom answered dryly, flashing her friend a beaming, if not a bit awkward, smile.

Sighing, Sweetie Belle pushed herself up against the kitchen counter, pulling the bucket up with her mouth, before pouring the murky water down the drain.

"Say, why don't ya use yer magic ta do that?" Apple Bloom asked.

Sweetie Belle gave her friend a flat stare. "You know I can barely lift a broom. There’s no way I can lift a full bucket."

"Oh… An' what about, you know..." Apple Bloom looked around to make sure no one was listening in, before leaning towards Sweetie Belle and whispering behind a hoof, "Your spirit powers?"

"What!?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, before dropping down on all fours, voice lowering to match Apple Bloom's. "You can't be serious, right? I have enough trouble controlling those powers as is… Besides, I don't even know if I can use my spirit powers for something like that."

"Well, ya won't know unless ya try."

Sweetie Belle blinked several times, considering what Apple Bloom had said, eyes shifting between the still half full bucket and Apple Bloom, who was giving her a rather large encouraging smile.

"Fine," she relented with a sigh.

Sweetie Belle moved over to Granny Smith and nudged her in the side to make sure she was, indeed, fast asleep.

Satisfied that she was, and wouldn't wake up anytime soon, Sweetie Belle returned to her previous position, secured her stance, and stared at the bucket with a mix of determination and uncertainty; her horn igniting in a dark green aura.

"Well, here goes..." she muttered and did... something.

Having little experience with the art of levitation using her magic, and even less when it came to her spirit powers, she did the only thing she could come up with: combine the two, and use what 'knowledge' she had about her magical abilities as she tried to use her spectral abilities.

Taking several deep breaths, she felt the faint sensation of her energy interacting with the object before her. Eyes hardening, she gritted her teeth as she mentally grabbed hold of the bucket, physically straining to lift it.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle. You can do it!" Apple Bloom cheered her on with a lowered voice so she wouldn't accidentally wake her grandmother.

"I'm... trying," Sweetie Belle grunted, her horn glowing a dark green as sparks shot off of it.

With teeth grinding together in concentration, Sweetie Belle forced even more of her strange new energy to flow; a faint, wavering aura beginning to emerge around the target of her focus.

With a small gasp, Apple Bloom watched as the bucket began to wobble, before moving half an inch; the water sloshing inside.

Having noticed this development herself, Sweetie Belle took several deep breaths, before pushing herself to her limit, causing the bucket to wobble and shake more and more. Then, to both the fillies' surprise, the door opened, and Big Mac trudged inside.

With a startled gasp, Sweetie Belle lost her focus. In a burst of toxic green, the bucket launched itself up with blurring speed and slammed into the ceiling before tumbling down, upside down and coming to a stop firmly planted atop Big Macintosh's head.

Dirty water dripped down his face and mane, his wheat stalk sagging from the corner of his mouth as he stood frozen on the spot, trying to process what had just happened, and how it was possible for those two to make such a mess while doing something as simple as cleaning the house.

"Oh no!" Apple Bloom cried. "Big brother, you alright?!" she asked, rushing to her brother's side.

Holding up a large hoof to shush her down, Macintosh slowly removed his newly acquired hard hat, eyes closed, and sighed loudly with a muttered, "Ah don't even want ta know…" He then proceeded to climb the stairs as he told them: "Ah'm gonna wash up. Meanwhile, yer friend wants a word with ya." He paused for a moment, before adding, "Keep it short… yer still in a lot of trouble." He continued up, shaking his head, before vanishing in the bathroom.

"Wait… Friend?" Apple Bloom asked, blinking in confusion.

"Is Scootaloo here?" Sweetie Belle mused, wincing as she rubbed her slightly smoking horn, 'Ugh… I'm not doing that again.'

"Guess again," a familiar, and rather obnoxious, voice came from the open door. Both fillies turned to see the one pony they'd never thought to see here… at least not voluntarily.

"Diamond Tiara!?" Sweetie Belle half shouted.

"What in tarnation are ya doin' here?" Apple Bloom glared.

Looking around with half interest, taking notice of the still sleeping Granny Smith, 'Diamond Tiara' gave the two fillies a bemused look.

"Just trying out my acting skills," she answered, eyes flashing green. "Your brother certainly fell for it."

"Erlea?" Apple Bloom said, surprised.

"The one and only," Erlea confirmed, smirking.

"What are you doing here?" Sweetie Belle asked, stepping up beside Apple Bloom.

Erlea's slightly smug smirk fell. "You two… Three if that orange one was here."

"Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle corrected.

"Yeah, her," Erlea said dismissively. "You ponies helped me, when no other of your kind would do so… I want to know why."

"Maybe ya just haven’t met tha right kind of ponies before?" said Apple Bloom.

Erlea's mind flashed back to all the stories she and the other nymphs were told growing up, and an irritated glare grew on her face.

"... I don't think so," she said flatly.

"Well," Sweetie Belle chimed in, sharing a look with Apple Bloom, before turning back to Erlea. "We helped because you were in trouble."

"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed. "And we'll help anypony… ling who's in trouble. What kind of ponies would we be if we didn't?"

Erlea stared at the two with a blank look, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"... Although... Maybe not Diamond Tiara, or Silver Spoon. They're mean," Sweetie Belle added, a pondering hoof pressed against her chin.

"Mmhmm," Apple Bloom hummed her agreement.

"Unless, of course, they really, really, really need our help… maybe?" Sweetie Belle added in a mutter.

"Eehh… Ah guess, maybe?" Apple Bloom begrudgingly agreed. "If they really need it." The two of them then returned their attention to the disguised changeling in the room.

Silence.

"... You. Ponies. Are. Weird!" Erlea stated, staring at the two fillies with large, deeply confused eyes.

"Yup," Apple Bloom said cheerfully, "an' we like it like that."

The sound of the bathroom door opening drew their attention, prompting them to turn and see Big Mac come lumbering down the stairs, shooting the three fillies a wary glance; especially the unicorn of the group, who he had a strong suspicion was responsible for his surprise shower just a moment ago.

"Ya asked 'em what ya needed ta ask?" he aimed at 'Diamond Tiara' with a slight frown, having heard enough about her from his little sister and her friends to know that they were not on friendly terms with one another.

"... I'm not sure," Erlea answered, trying to figure out the fillies who'd saved her life.

"Well, sorry ta hear it, but these two still have a lot of chores ta do. Ah suggest you three finish talkin' 'bout it at school tomorrow."

"Yeah… School. Sure," Erlea answered, unfocused, as she turned to leave.

"An' you two," Big Mac continued as he turned to the troublesome duo. "Back ta work."

"Yes, big brother," Apple Bloom replied in a monotone.

"Okay, Big Mac," Sweetie Belle droned, and the both of them picked up where they left off; Apple Bloom grabbing the mop, while Sweetie Belle retrieved the bucket lying on its side nearby.

"An' no more lollygaggin'," Big Macintosh added, before exiting the house, closing the door behind him with a click.

"Huh, wha?!" Granny Smith shouted, startled awake by the faint noise. Looking around, she saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle still hard at work, and in no apparent trouble.

Smiling faintly, she settled back into her rocking chair, knowing that those two wouldn't be able to cause any funny business under her watchful eye.

She fell asleep ten seconds later.

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

"Alright team, report!" Rolling Stone ordered as he and his team gathered back at the guesthouse, comparing notes.

"I've made another sweep around Manson's residence, as ordered," Blue Ice started. "I found several traces of spectral activity around the house, similar to the ones we've detected before. However, the energies found were faint. Nothing new, just some old signatures."

"Hmm… If all the signs there are old, then where are they now?" Rolling Stone spoke his thoughts, then turned to Sound Wave. "Did you find anything?"

"I'm not sure," she answered. "I've kept a close eye on the filly, Silver Spoon. Followed her throughout her day to day activities, but the data my scans showed were… confusing."

"How so?" Blue Ice asked. "Are the scanner's calibrations off?"

"No, I don't think so," Sound Wave replied with a frustrated head shake. "What was strange was that I found several strange, faint energy signatures on her when I made a scan while she was in school, inconclusive on whether these energies were spectral in origin."

"Say what?!" Ornate Charm said loudly, before dropping her tone of voice to a more reasonable level. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said," Sound Wave shot back. "Whatever I picked up, the scanner couldn't tell for certain whether it was spectral in origin or not. It was almost as if the scanner was trying to lock on to several different sources at once, both inside and outside the school."

"But if it was spectral, you should have gotten a clear reading," Blue Ice replied.

"I know. I did last time I scanned Silver Spoon back in Carousel Boutique. I got one of the strongest readings I've had here."

"Let's not forget what happened back at Manson's residence. There was no question about what happened there," said Ornate Charm.

"And now this," Rolling Stone picked up. "We know for a fact there are several ghosts active in the area. We also know that Sound Wave picked up strong spectral activity once around this filly. But now, just after Danny Manson’s disappearance at the train station, we get conflicting reports not just on this filly but also on our scans around Danny’s house!”

"Sir, what in Celestia's good grace is going on in this town?" Ornate Charm asked.

"I wish I knew," Rolling Stone replied. "All I can say for certain is that we have a missing human who might, or might not be haunted. We’re also dealing with a filly who might or might not be a ghost in disguise. Put that together with the encounter we had back at Manson's place…" He sighed loudly. "Whatever is going on, we need to get to the bottom of this, quick. Focus your attention on Silver Spoon for the time being. We need to find proof that she’s either a ghost, or is being possessed. I hope that neither is the case, but we can't ignore the evidence. Also, before Danny Manson returns, we’ll have to arrange a more thorough scan of his home; try to find any reason why he might be the center of the previous activity." His squad gave a nod in understanding.

"Furthermore-" he continued, only to be cut off by a loud, high pitched scream. Faint at first, but growing louder and louder by the second.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

"... What the hay was that?" Blue Ice asked, all of them hearing the sudden commotion coming from outside.

"Don't know," Rolling Stone replied with haste, "but we're not going to sit here on our flanks and let this pass. Move out, and find out what just happened!" he ordered, and the four of them hurried outside. They were joined by Bellflower, who had heard the scream as well and rushed out to discover what had happened.

As the agents left in haste, they failed to notice that, in one of the many rooms of the guesthouse, was a lone pegasus filly with her face pressed against the glass of the locked window, trying to make sense of whatever it was that had just happened.

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

Erlea was pacing around, hidden from view between several of the large trees, biting her lip as she kept thinking about what those two had said.

'They said they'd help anyone in trouble. But how much of that is true? No pony has ever helped us changelings. Not since…' she shook her head, 'No, that was centuries ago.' Erlea then stopped on the spot before moving towards the nearby bush that hid the farm house from view, and she pushed away several branches to create a hole to see through.

'But they did help. And they said they would help anyone in need…' The young changeling released the branches, allowing them to snap back into place as she stepped away. 'Maybe they…' she thought, uncertain. 'But even if they could, they're still stuck in there. And there is no way they could just leave,' she pondered, before an idea came to her. An idea crazy enough that it might just work. Even so, the thought caused her to sigh wearily. "They're not going to like this," she muttered.

Closing her eyes, she reached out through the hive mind, searching. She knew others were out there, searching for food like she was. Those among her kind who were still healthy; unaffected by the poisonous wave of emotional energy during the Canterlot invasion. There weren’t many, and almost all of them were children or teenagers. Those she was trying to contact were no different.

'Abella, Devora!' she called out, gaining the attention of her two best friends she grew up with; knowing her mother would be listening in on them as well… if she was still able.

'Erlea?' replied the feminine voice of Abella.

'Yes, it's me,' she answered. 'You there too, Devora?'

'Yeah,' Devora replied, also with a feminine tone of voice. 'What is it, Erlea? Have you found a source of food?'

'... Maybe?'

'Maybe?' Abella repeated. 'What do you mean by that?'

'It means I'm not sure,' Erlea clarified. 'I've encountered… something unusual. Maybe... they can help us?'

'They?' Abella questioned suspiciously.

'It's a long story. But I'm going to need your help. How soon do you think you can get to where I am?'

'And where exactly are you?' Devora asked.

'... I'll share my memories with you… it should explain some things… And raise even more questions. Just get here as soon as you can!' she told them, before allowing some of her memories to flow into the hive mind; allowing anyling to see what she had experienced, and several gasps coming from various points of the hive mind assaulted her mind.

'You're kidding, right!?' Abella shouted.

'She has to be. Because the only reason I can come up with why she would need our help is if she wanted us t—'

'I'm not joking! And, yes. That is what I need your help with.' Two more gasps reverberated over the hive mind. 'Now, please. Come here,' she finished before tuning out the shared mind, blocking off any protests her friends might make.

Despite it all, she was surprised she didn't get a response from her mother, which made her deeply concerned. However, back within the Hive's palace, her mother had seen her thoughts as well; and Crysalis couldn't help but tense up at what she saw.

'Those three fillies… I know them,' she thought and memories of her time masquerading as Princess Cadance resurfaced. Particularly, the memories of the wedding itself. When three young fillies walked with a bounce down the path towards the altar, each with a basket in their mouths, filled with rose petals to cover the ground for her to walk on. 'Those three… they saved my daughter?'

'Devora, Abella,' her weak voice reached the two young changelings, and their heated argument came to a sudden stop. 'Please do what my daughter has asked of you… There might be more going on here than we know. And, please, keep her safe.'

' 'Yes, my Queen,' ' they said in unison. Then their voices faded in the shared mind as both changelings abandoned the leads they were following, and set out for the village of Ponyville.

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

'Yep, totally coming back to bite me in the ass,' Dani thought sourly, hovering invisible above the village. Looking down on the crowd that gathered, surrounding the pony who had been screaming like a little filly. The fact that this pony was not a little filly, but a full grown, heavily muscular stallion significantly increasing the weirdness of it all.

"Bulk Biceps?" one of the ponies said, approaching the terrified stallion. "What is going on?"

'Seriously, that's his name?' Dani wondered, confused. 'Did they name him after he bulked up or something?'

Raising a trembling hoof, Bulk Biceps pointed back where he had come from, everypony's heads turning towards where he was pointing.

"O-o-out t-there," he spoke with a fear induced stutter.

'Oh, come on. All I did was fly into you. Why are you so afraid?' Dani humphed, arms crossed.

"Out there, what?" another pony asked, his coat a dull orange and his mane and tail stone grey.

"A g-g-g-GHOST!" Bulk Biceps stammered, before shrieking again.

The reaction of the crowd was instantaneous. Horrified gasps came from many, and several mares, standing near a flower stand, fainted on the spot. Mothers pulled their foals towards them, while everyone looked around in fear.

"Are you sure you saw a ghost?" a mare with ice-blue fur asked, and Bulk Biceps nodded his head fervently.

Now several other ponies were screaming in terror, running for their homes and barricading the doors and windows.

'Oh for the love of...' Dani facepalmed, sighed, and shook her head. 'Can this get any worse?' Her eyes then caught sight of something that made her unbeating heart skip a beat. A faint glimmer of polished metal, sticking partially out of the skeptical blue mare's saddlebags. Something she knew she had seen before, and she risked turning intangible and dropping down to get a better look.

Looking around quickly to make sure she hadn't been detected in any way, she quickly phased her head through the saddlebags, and her suspicions were confirmed.

Rearing back in shocked realization, she slammed a hand over her mouth to prevent a gasp from escaping.

Rapidly flying up, she looked down at the pony with wide, worried eyes; this problem had just become much, much bigger than she thought possible, for what she found in the mare's bags was nothing less than a genuine Fenton Ghost Scanner.

'She's a ghost hunter!' she thought before noticing the mare regrouping with three others, and Dani quickly connected the pieces. 'They're the team I heard about back in Canterlot.'

Worry settled down over her, much like the fear that had descended upon the ponies of the village. She had found the ghost hunters, and the village now knew that a ghost was active in the area. 'I'll need to be careful. I can't let them find me,' she thought, before hurrying away, flying towards the edge of the village. Yet as she did so, she missed the four ponies looking up at the area she'd just left; a scanner held tight in the hoof of the ice blue mare.

Meanwhile, sitting behind the glass of Pinkie Pie's bedroom window, Gummy watched the events play out. Eyes open, unblinking, watching. Watching endlessly as the ghost hunters quietly moved away from the crowd. Watching the young Halfa as she flew near where he sat.

His eyes narrowed slightly, then he blinked.

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

"A ghost!?" Scootaloo breathed, her window fogging over. "Did he mean Sweetie Belle?" Worry gnawed at her, and she jumped away from the window, pacing around her room. "I need to warn her. They might be on to her. But how? How do I get out of here?" She glared at the locked door and window, knowing from repeated attempts that they wouldn't budge. Not even the glass, which Bellflower had gotten enchanted to make almost impossible to break.

Moving back to the window, having thought of no way out of her prison, all Scootaloo was able to do was stare outside, watching the mass of ponies hurrying for their homes; looking around in fright.

"If only they knew…" she muttered. "Not all ghosts are bad."

Her words were lost to the glass, fogging over once more as large purple eyes stared wistfully outside. Wishing, once more, that she had powers like Sweetie Belle so she could escape this place.

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

"Thanks for coming as fast as you did," Erlea said gratefully, looking at her two friends. Abella, half a head taller, with a dark red mane and tail, and bright yellow eyes. And Devora, only slightly shorter than Erlea, with an ocean blue mane and tail which complimented her teal eyes.

"Sure, but... Erlea?" Devora answered, she and Abella looking at the pink earth pony before them.

"... What's with the tiara?" Abella asked.

"Tiara?" Erlea asked, before remembering that she was still in disguise. "Oh, right," she said before transforming in a burst of green fire, "long story."

"What? Are you running for pony Princess now?" Abella asked with a snicker.

"She's going about it all wrong," Devora replied, grinning herself. "She doesn't have either wings or a horn." She turned to Erlea. "Didn't you know? Pony Princesses have both wings and a horn."

Erlea gave them a flat stare.

"Well, it's not like she hasn’t made transformation mistakes before," Abella reminded them. "Remember that time when she tried to mimic a zebra?"

"Do I?" Devora snorted. "Instead of stripes, she somehow managed to cover herself with spots… Purple spots!" The two changelings then burst out laughing.

"... Funny," Erlea said flatly. "But must I remind you that we are currently in pony territory, and you're not keeping a particularly low profile."

Abella and Devora both placed a hoof over their mouths to stifle their laughing, but it still took several minutes before they were able to stop completely.

Finally, when they had calmed down, Erlea began to explain her plan. "... And please try to pay attention," she groaned as the two of them started to giggle again, having passed a silent joke between themselves over the hive mind. "And that time wasn't my fault," Erlea added, having picked up what the two had said. "Now, listen, here's what I need your help with."

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

'Alright… Where do I start?' Dani asked herself, hovering a couple of meters above the ground, slowly looking around to familiarize herself with the village. 'Let's see. If I was Danny, which I am... sorta. And I ran away after someone close to me had died, and moved to a different world, where would I live?' She turned towards the center of town. 'No, too crowded. I'd want to have some breathing room.' Taking an interest in a building more to the edge of the village, Dani felt a slight grin form on her lips. 'I'd go someplace far enough away from others to still have my privacy, but not so far that it would draw attention.'

Confident with her deduction, Dani made her way towards the small home with a thatched roof.

'Danny, if you're here, please don't freak out.'

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

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had retreated back into Diamond Tiara's bedroom, door locked and windows closed, as they started to scheme out their plan to thwart the Crusaders in their growing reign of terror. They knew those Blank Flanks were up to no good. They knew those losers were already planning something to continue to undermine her superiority. And by they, Diamond Tiara naturally meant only herself.

Silver Spoon was a great friend. The best she'd ever had. But Diamond Tiara knew she had always been the brains of the group. Especially seeing just how her friend was behaving ever since her 'accident'. And seeing how those losers were responsible for this, she knew it was only a matter of time before they came for her.

"Alright," Diamond Tiara spoke up with a biting voice, pacing around. "As we both know, it is only a matter of time before those three losers will come for us again. I don't know why they are suddenly trying to defy us like this, but whatever has gotten into those empty brains of theirs to make them think doing so is a good idea, we’ll make sure to put them back in their places once and for all."

"So, what are you planning?" Silver Spoon asked with a hint of trepidation.

Coming to a sudden stop, Diamond Tiara looked off in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres, glaring as if she could see through the wall itself. "We’re going to find out exactly what they are planning. And I’m sure it somehow involves this freakish magic Sweetie Belle has gotten her grubby little hooves on."

Silver Spoon took notice of Diamond Tiara's use of Sweetie Belle's name, instead of her usual insults like Blank Flank or idiot.

"It's something we should have seen coming. Sure, that poor excuse for a unicorn has always been bad with her magic, but even she will figure out how to properly use it one day or another," Diamond Tiara sneered. "Now, it seems as though that day is finally upon us," she said with a dramatic undertone. "Which leaves us with only two options. To stand tall against this rising threat, or cower in fear. And I refuse to cower before Sweetie Belle!"

'Again,' Silver Spoon thought. 'She used Sweetie Belle's name… And why did she only mention her, instead of all three of them?'

"So, we go and spy on them?" she asked, trying to sound eager like she always had when they would go pick on the Crusaders in the past, yet she couldn't hide the sickening feeling from either herself or Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara, however, misinterpreted the source of Silver Spoon's slightly nauseated look.

"I know, I don't like it any more than you do. Hiding in bushes, moving through the dirt." The memory of their unexpected, unwanted dumpster dive resurfaced, and she shuddered. "But sacrifices must be made. So, are you with me?" she asked, looking at her friend with a grin that was anything but friendly.

'Am I?' Silver Spoon asked herself, looking down at the floor for a moment, then looking back up at her friend. "... I think so," she said, trying to hide her uncertainty.

"Then let's go," Diamond Tiara proclaimed. "We've got some Blank Flanks to track down."

... Yeah… Let's go,' Silver Spoon thought, knowing that, whatever it was they did, her heart wouldn't be in it.

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

Half an hour later.

"I'm telling you, this is a really bad idea!" Devora complained for the hundredth time, shifting uncomfortably on the spot as Erlea used her magic to tie a red ribbon in her friend's currently red mane.

"I'm not so sure about this either," Abella agreed, prodding her curly two toned mane before inspecting her white coat. "Sure, posing as a pony isn't that big of a deal, but what you're planning is-"

"-Insane!" Devora finished, pushing her friend away before using her own magic to tie the ribbon in place. "And yet, here we are," she sighed.

"Look. I know this is asking a lot. Believe me. But there is something weird about these three ponies, and I want to know what, and why. But I can't do that while they are locked up in there with those grown ups watching them!"

"Yeah, yeah. We get it," Devora replied. "Get in, trade places, let you 'investigate' these supposedly helpful ponies…"

"While we're forced to do their dirty work," Abella finished with a groan.

"... Remind me," Devora said, looking at the unicorn filly beside her, "why are we doing this again?"

"Because you're my friends, and I asked nicely," Erlea answered with a sickening sweet voice. "And also because I shared some of the emotions I drained from one of those ponies with you… And, oh yeah. My mom is the Queen."

"... You know. I really hate you sometimes," Devora said flatly. "Fine," she sighed, rolling her eyes, "we'll do it."

"At least it's better than crawling through the muck," Abella replied sourly. "Ugh, why did those ponies even live in a swamp?"

"They're weird," Erlea replied dryly. "Now, come on. You've got the form right, but you still need to change your voice."

"Only one way to copy those," Abella commented.

"Yeah. We need to hear the originals," Devora explained the obvious; only saying it for the sake of saying it.

"Just follow me," Erlea said, transforming back into Diamond Tiara. "The stallion isn’t around at the moment, and the grandmother is sleeping, so this shouldn't be too difficult."

"Wait… If that's the case… Then why do you need us?" Devora asked, glaring suspiciously at her friend.

"You know why. To cover things up in case this isn't as easy as I make it sound."

"She's got a point," Abella pointed out. "... Mainly because she always seems to manage to get into some kind of trouble."

"I know," Devora replied. "It's why her mom asked us to keep her safe."

"She did what?" Erlea asked, surprised.

"And still she's surprised," Devora chuckled before shaking her head. "Let's just go and get this over with, alright?" she said before moving past Erlea and heading towards the farmhouse, followed closely by Abella with Erlea following a moment later, muttering to herself in irritation.

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

"So… That's them, huh?" Devora asked.

She and her friends were peering through one of the windows, watching Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle as they worked in the living room.

"Yes," Erlea confirmed. "The earth pony's name is Apple Bloom, the unicorn is called Sweetie Belle. Now, you wait here and I'll try to get them to come out."

"Just hurry, alright?" Devora asked. "The sooner we can get this over with, the better."

Nodding, Erlea pushed away from the window and headed for the front door, knocking on it.

"This is a really stupid idea," Devora complained in a lowered voice, but not low enough so Erlea wouldn't hear it.

"I know, I know," Abella responded. "But let's just see where this will take us."

"Quiet!" Erlea hissed back at them, then the door opened to show a surprised Apple Bloom.

"Diamond Tiara?" she said in surprise, blinked, then her eyes narrowed as she studied the pony before her. "Erlea?"

"Yes, it's me," Erlea answered. "Look, can we talk?"

"Uh... Ah'm not sure?" Apple Bloom answered, looking back into the farmhouse, seeing Sweetie Belle staring at her, broom held in her mouth. And further back, watching them with her eyes closed, was Granny Smith.

"It won't take long. In fact, it might even help you."

"Really?" Apple Bloom replied, surprised.

"Yes. Now, can the two of you please come outside for a moment… I've got someling I want you to meet."

"Some... ling?" Sweetie Belle spoke up, joining Apple Bloom. "Are there more changelings around here?"

"Look, just come with me, and you'll see."

"Ah thought ya wanted ta talk with us?" Apple Bloom argued.

"I do," Erlea sighed, a pink hoof pressed against her face. "Look, just come with me. This will go a lot faster if we don't argue about this."

"That doesn't sound all that reassuring to me," Sweetie Belle said, looking at the disguised changeling with worry.

"Yeah, they're real helpful," an unknown voice spoke up, coming from around the side of the house, and two very familiar ponies walked into view.

""WHAT THE HAY!?"" both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shouted as they saw themselves walk towards them.

Rolling her eyes with an exasperated sigh, Erlea shot her friends a look, before addressing the unspoken question.

"Well, this is one way of doing things," she commented with another sigh. "Ponies, meet my friends Abella and Devora," she introduced the two transformed changelings with an annoyed, monotone voice. "They're here to replace you."

"Replace us for what?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously.

"Oh, you know, the usual," the fake Apple Bloom spoke up. "Take over your life, blend in with your family and friends, and drain them all of their love and other emotions we find tasty," Devora said with a fanged grin, before her features tensed in a grimace. "Just like we changelings do, right?"

"I-I-uhh..." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stammered, unsure how to respond to that.

"Don't mind her," Sweetie Belle's mirror image said, "it's just all those stories you ponies have spread about us that makes her react like that."

"Stories we've spread?" Sweetie Belle repeated, looking at herself in confusion.

"That's not important right now!" Erlea cut in before Abella could reply. "We're wasting time. And the longer we stay out in the open like this, the more chance we have of being seen."

"Right," Devora replied with a nod and turned to Apple Bloom.

"Umm… Why are ya lookin' at me like that?" Apple Bloom asked, worried.

"Umm… Why are ya lookin' at me like that?" Devora repeated with Apple Bloom's exact voice.

"What the hay?! How’d you do that?" Sweetie Belle shouted with equal parts worry and fascination.

"The same way I’m using your voice," Abella answered in Sweetie Belle's voice.

"Great, we're all set," Erlea said, turning to the two disturbed ponies. "Now, I don't know about you two, but I would take this chance while you still can," she said.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shared a nervous look with one another, before hesitantly accepting Erlea's offer.

"Okay. Abella, Devora, you know what to do," she said as her two friends headed inside the farmhouse; Devora grumbling as she picked up the broom from the ground with her mouth, cursing the fact that she had to pose as the pony without a horn.

Abella, however, didn't have such a problem, and in the guise of Sweetie Belle, she used her magic to levitate up a dustpan, grinning slyly at her friend.

"Umm," Sweetie Belle spoke up, "I can't use my magic like that yet… or any other way either…" Abella's grin fell, to be replaced by a look of disbelief, and then an irritated glare at Devora who snorted at her friend's karmic comeuppance.

"You're kidding, right?" Abella asked, to which Sweetie Belle simply shook her head.

"You've got to be kidding," Abella muttered, dragging a hoof down her face. "Of all the unicorns I could imitate, I get the one who can't do magic."

"Hey!" Sweetie Belle shouted, offended.

"We don't have time for this," Erlea groaned. "We need to talk, now. And somewhere private... " She looked around the unfamiliar terrain before asking, "Apple Bloom, is there a place around here where we can talk… without being interrupted?"

"Well, there's tha clubhouse," she suggested.

"You mean the place where I found this tiara?"

"Oh, right. Diamond Tiara's tiara," Sweetie Belle said, looking at Apple Bloom. "I forgot we still had that thing."

"Me too," she admitted, "Ah wonder how Diamond Tiara would react ta that, with her tiara still missing?"

"It doesn't matter!" Erlea complained. "Let's just go to this clubhouse of yours and get this over with," that said the three of them began walking towards the Crusaders' hideout, unaware of the two pairs of wide, disbelieving eyes watching their every move.

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

Ten minutes earlier.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had made their way over to Sweet Apple Acres without much hindrance, although Silver Spoon was hesitant to go through with the latest plan Diamond Tiara's superior mind had come up with, much to her friend's irritation and growing suspicion. Even so, they were now hiding among the many trees and small foliage covering the ground, having approached the flimsy (and absolutely unfit for one of such high standing as Diamond Tiara) house those losers called home, fully intent on spying upon those very losers to see what they were up to.

What they weren't expecting to see, however, was Diamond Tiara herself; she was pushing herself up with her hind legs to peek through one of the farmhouse's many windows. On top of that, standing beside her were Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

Silver Spoon looked at her friend by her side with wide, disbelieving eyes, before slowly shifting her gaze back to the identical pink filly over by the house.

Diamond Tiara, too, could only stare in shock, confusion, and even a hint of rapidly growing anger. Whoever this imposter was, they dared to mimic her good looks? And even going so far as to…

Diamond Tiara's eyes widened even further upon spotting her tiara perched on top of the imposter's head, and her anger grew to new heights.

"What the hay!? Who is that?" Silver Spoon asked, unable to look away from the impossible sight.

"I don't know!" Diamond Tiara fumed, struggling to keep her voice down. "But that fake is wearing my tiara!"

They then saw the fake Diamond Tiara walk around the corner, approaching the front door, and the two of them quickly moved to keep her in their sight.

The faint sound of a hoof knocking on the door reached them, and for a moment they wondered why the fake even bothered, seeing that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were already with her.

They were only just able to keep themselves from crying out in shock and surprise when another Apple Bloom opened the door.

"WHAT THE HAY!?" Silver Spoon said loudly, quickly clamping her mouth shut with two hooves while Diamond Tiara was left at a complete loss for words.

Then a second Sweetie Belle stepped forward, joining the second Apple Bloom, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked at one another with wide eyes, before returning their attention to the unbelievable scene, when yet another plot twist revealed itself.

""WHAT THE HAY!?"" they heard the second Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shout as they saw their doubles walk around the corner.

"What the hay is going on?!" Silver Spoon said, voice quavering a bit. No longer trying to keep her voice down. Thankfully those they were spying on didn't seem to hear them; being too busy with what was going on around them.

"I… I…" was all Diamond Tiara was able to say, stuttering, unable to form any coherent thoughts as she saw that one of her worst nightmares had become a reality: Two Apple Blooms and two Sweetie Belles. Only a second Scootaloo could make this horror complete, yet this unexpected development was already enough to make her mind shut down.

"Diamond Tiara?" Silver Spoon said, nudging her friend in the side, receiving no response.

Turning her attention once more back to the impossible scene, she, and she assumed Diamond Tiara as well, since she was still staring unmoving at what was happening, saw the first Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle trade places with their mirror images.

"Diamond?" Silver Spoon tried again after seeing the second Diamond Tiara walk away with the second Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Still unable to get any response from her friend, Silver Spoon was left with a bit of a dilemma.

Either she could stay with her friend, and hope she snapped out of her frozen state. Or she could continue doing what they had come here to do, spy on the Crusaders, even though she wasn't willing to do so at first. But having seen what she had just saw, she knew she had to. She had to know what was going on. So, with great reluctance, she stood up, and quietly followed after the three ponies who moved for the trees, leaving behind Diamond Tiara, frozen and mute.

'Just what is going on around here?' Silver Spoon thought as she gave one last glance back at her friend, before pushing through a bush and following after the three ponies. 'And why do I have the feeling this is going to get even weirder?'

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

She stood in front of the quaint looking building, arms crossed over her chest and invisible to all.

"Huh… Not bad," she hummed. "Not exactly my taste, but not bad at all. If this is where you live Danny, I can see why you chose this place."

Unhooking her arms, she crossed the short distance to the home's front door before phasing through the solid wood.

'Hmmm,' she mentally hummed as she quietly hovered from one room to another. 'Nobody's home,' she concluded as she moved back to the front door. "That's disappointing," she spoke up, no longer feeling the need to keep her thoughts to herself. "Still. Probably a good thing. If Danny was here he would have picked up on me the moment I came close to him."

Sighing, she scratched her head, looking around.

"It doesn't really look like he lives here," she murmured, once more moving through the house. However, this time she took the time to inspect the details of each and every room. "Although," she halted in the bedroom, "two beds pushed together to make one big one…"

Looking around some more in the room, she pulled open a wardrobe to take a look at its contents.

"What the!?" she said, pulling out a long sleeved shirt. It was newly made, but its design was still clearly recognizable.

"...Danny."

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

"You guys are seeing what I'm seeing, right?" Sound Wave asked the other members of her team, each peeking through one of the two windows placed in the bedroom; seeing one of those shirts the human wore unfold and float in the air.

"I am," Blue Ice murmured her reply, "and I don't like it, at all."

"Quiet, you two!" Rolling Stone ordered. "Ornate, you and I are going in. Sneak up on this entity, and try to capture it. Blue Ice, Sound Wave, watch our backs. Keep an eye out for any new developments while we're moving in. And make sure any locals stay as far away as possible."

""Sir!"" Blue Ice and Sound Wave confirmed his order with a resolute nod.

"Ornate, on me," he said, and with that the two of them stealthily moved for the front door, finding it locked. A quick spell from Ornate Charm fixed this issue and she opened the door with deliberate slowness, to avoid making any sounds. Once a large enough gap had opened, Rolling Stone and Ornate Charm slipped inside, the door quietly closing behind them.

"Any changes?" Sound Wave asked Blue Ice, having watched her two team members move inside while making sure none of the villagers were coming up on them.

"Not that I can see," Blue Ice murmured, irritated. "This damned ghost is still invisible… But it's still going around the bedroom."

"Is it still messing with the clothes?"

"No," Blue Ice answered, before adding with a surprised tone, "but it did fold up and put away that shirt."

"It did what now?"

"It folded up the shirt and put it back where it came from. And now… I don't know. It's going through Danny's nightstand."

"What is this ghost doing?" Sound Wave wondered, taking a chance to peek through the window.

"I don't know. But it's almost as if it's looking for something."

"You think it's trying to figure out where its victim went?"

"Maybe?" Blue Ice replied. "But I think we're about to find out," she said, watching as the bedroom door slowly opened. "The others are about to enter the scene."

The two of them watched as, slowly, the door opened further and further. From the look of it, they hadn't yet alerted the ghost to their presence, and Ornate Charm began to move in. However, a slight squeak came from one of the hinges and Ornate Charm froze on the spot, eyes wide while behind her Rolling Stone swore under his breath.

A feminine gasp and loud ruckus followed a split second later as the nightstand fell over, spilling what few items it contained over the floor. The blanket on the bed was pulled off in the blink of an eye, almost as if someone jumped over it and accidentally pulled the fabric with them in their escape. And finally, a faint frost stain formed on the unoccupied window, signifying the path the ghost used to escape.

"TEAM!" Rolling Stone bellowed, "follow and capture that ghost!"

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

"Okay?" Apple Bloom said warily as the door of the clubhouse closed behind her. "Why are we here?"

"You're here, because…" Erlea sighed deeply. "Because I need help. And maybe you can help me… Us."

"Help you?" Sweetie Belle said, stepping closer to the changeling. "With what?"

Erlea growled softly in frustration, kicking a hoof against the floor. "Undoubtedly you've heard about the invasion of Canterlot some time ago," she begun, when Sweetie Belle spoke up.

"Know about it?! We were there!"

"You, wha?" Erlea replied dumbly, taken by surprise.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom confirmed, "We were flower fillies during Princess Cadance's weddin'."

"Only the first time it wasn't Princess Cadance at all, but a changeling Queen, whatshername?" Sweetie Belle said, wondering.

"Chrysalis," Erlea answered flatly.

"Yeah, that's her," Sweetie Belle replied. "I should've known. My sis Rarity told me all ab—" she continued, when a sudden hoof jammed in her mouth cut her off. The source: Apple Bloom, who shot her a nervous glance, before her eyes shifted to the disguised changeling in the room.

Erlea stood frozen on the spot, eyes wide, before slowly narrowing into slits aimed at Sweetie Belle.

"Your sister, Rarity?" she said slowly, deliberately.

"Eheheh…" Apple Bloom chuckled nervously, pulling her hoof free from Sweetie Belle's mouth, who gave her friend and Erlea a confused look. "Sweetie Belle… She's tha Queen's daughter."

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened upon learning this, and she looked at Erlea, who was still glaring at her, with rising anxiety.

"So…" Erlea begun, "you're the sister of one of them?" Then her attention shifted to Apple Bloom, looking at the filly with a studious gaze, before looking out one of the few windows at all the apple trees outside. "... Apples…" she murmured, before her eyes widened a fraction, before returning to the earth pony in the room.

"I should've known."

"... Known, what?" Apple Bloom said with a slight squeak.

"Your sister is the one called Applejack."

"You know my sister!?" Apple Bloom said loudly, surprised, before realizing she had just confirmed Erlea's suspicion.

"And now I also know you're nothing more than liars," Erlea hissed. "Saying you would help anyone, yet doing nothing to help my kind when they needed it most."

"But… But they were attacking the city," Sweetie Belle squeaked in fright.

"Only because you forced us to do so!" Erlea shouted, eyes glowing an angry green as she dropped her disguise. "For centuries you ponies have forced us into hiding! Condemned us to lurking in the shadows and feeding on nothing more than scraps, to fight ourselves over nothing more than who would get a next meal, never giving us a chance for a better future just because of what we are," she seethed before the two cowering fillies.

"Well, we'd had enough. No longer were we willing to waste away like that. We'd tried talking. We'd tried pleading, even begging. Yet every time we did so, your 'precious pony Princess' just ignored our voices," she shouted, tears starting to form as years of pent up frustrations came rushing out.

"No longer did we want to live like that, to see our loved ones waste away, and our children die before they are even born. So, yeah, we attacked your stupid city. But you ponies have been destroying us changelings for so much longer than any of us have lived… It's the only thing I've ever known… And then you three helped me. You two, the sisters of those damned Elements who tried to stop my mother, who was doing nothing more than gathering food for those starving back home."

"But they didn't stop her," Sweetie Belle squeaked, and Erlea's burning eyes locked on to her.

"Oh, no. They didn't," she growled, "instead it was the Princess of Love who did so. Using the very essence we feed on to do so!" A hoof slammed onto the wooden floor with a thunderous crack. "Do you know what that’s like, to get defeated by the very thing you need to live!? It's like being defeated by a pie to the face! Oh, but that wasn't the only thing your 'lovable Princess' did. Oh no, that wouldn't have been enough. It was love she used. But it was a love that was combined with a shared hatred for us changelings. And when they were hit, when my mother and those who joined her were consumed by the energy they sought, they couldn't help themselves but feed off it. Only for the poison of hate to invade them. And now! Now almost all of my kind are sick and dying. Including my mother!" Erlea was fully in tears now, yet she refused to look away from the two ponies her fury was aimed at.

Sweetie Belle gasped, "Your mother is dying!?" and Erlea finally looked away, eyes closed.

Her eyes snapped opened in shock, however, as she suddenly felt two pairs of hooves wrap around her, and she found herself enveloped in a comforting hug by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"Wha..?" she uttered in confusion.

"We're sorry," Sweetie Belle told her. "We didn't know."

Apple Bloom didn't say anything, but Erlea could feel a tremendous sadness coming from her as her hug tightened just a bit more.

Then, there was something else... It was a bizarre mixture of emotions ranging from sadness and confusion, to disbelief, shock, anger, and so much more, something that took Erlea by surprise as much as when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pulled her into this hug. It wasn't, however, the wide range of emotions she was sensing that surprised her. No, what surprised her so was the fact that they weren't coming from either Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom. Instead, they came from just outside the tree house. Right next to the small window closest to the door.

Using her magic, the door swung open, and a startled gasp came from outside, drawing the attention of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who pulled away from Erlea slightly, looking out of the open door and seeing a very nervous Silver Spoon.

"Silver Spoon!?" Sweetie Belle shouted, surprised, shocked, and even a bit scared considering the rather difficult to explain position she was in, holding a changeling in a hug with Apple Bloom. She and Apple Bloom looked at the gray filly with large, fearful eyes over what she would do next.

"I… I won't tell anypony," she muttered in a low voice, before slowly walking away.

"Whu..?" Apple Bloom fumbled, looking at the retreating filly with confusion plastered all over her face and mirrored by Sweetie Belle, who looked at Apple Bloom for answers.

"Wha..." Sweetie Belle stammered, before her mind caught up, and she detached herself from Erlea. "Wait!" she shouted after Silver Spoon, who came to an abrupt stop halfway down the ramp.

"Don't worry," Silver Spoon said before Sweetie Belle could continue, never turning to look at the filly behind her, "I really won't tell anypony about this."

"But, why not?" Sweetie Belle asked, confused. "You and Diamond Tiara would never have hesitated to use something like this against us before," she continued, a noticeable layer of suspicion in her voice.

"Diamond Tiara isn't here right now," Silver Spoon replied hesitantly, before finally glancing behind her. "And I'm not sure I want to be like that anymore."

"You don't?" Sweetie Belle replied, taken aback, blinking several times. Then the other part of what Silver Spoon had said registered. "Wait… If Diamond Tiara isn't here. Then why are you? And for that matter," she asked as she looked around the trees surrounding the tree house, "where is Diamond Tiara? You two are always together."

****

Deep in the shadows of the trees near the farmhouse, hidden from sight behind some low standing foliage, stood Diamond Tiara. Still frozen in place, stuck in the nightmare of the realization that there were two Apple Blooms and two Sweetie Belles.

A slight breeze swept through the leaves of the trees, filling the otherwise quiet air with a pleasant rustling. A couple of birds chirped, sitting on one of the branches near the frozen filly, a few twigs held in their beaks. Finally confident that it was safe they flew down, landing on top of the tiny tyrant’s head, and started building their nest.

****

"She's… busy," Silver Spoon answered after a moment of awkward silence.

"And ya really mean it when ya said ya weren't gonna tell anypony about… well, all of this?" Apple Bloom asked, standing next to Sweetie Belle and pointing a hoof towards Erlea.

"I do," Silver Spoon replied, seeing the changeling standing behind Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looking at her with a strange, studious gaze.

"Why?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"... I don't know," she answered after a moment. "It just doesn't… feel right telling others, I suppose… she sighed sadly, "I... I should go." Silver Spoon hurried away before anyone else could say or do anything, quickly heading back to Diamond Tiara to get her out of there before she could regain her wits and rediscover what had so scattered them in the first place.

And as she hurried away, despite the mixture of emotions she felt over having spied upon Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle; despite everything she felt when she heard what the changeling had said, the faintest of smiles managed to find its way onto her lips as she felt a faint feeling of pride. Pride from knowing that, for the first time in her life, she had been nice to somepony else, and didn't expect anything for it in return.

For the first time ever, she felt like she was a better pony. A better pony than Diamond Tiara.

She decided she didn't want that feeling to go away.

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

With his nose planted firmly on the ground, inhaling deeply as he followed a scent he had been seeking for many years, the small pup soon found himself standing in front of an old, hollowed out tree. There was a door and windows built into the side, and several strange looking masks and jars, filled with odd-smelling liquids, were placed all around the tree's trunk. Their purpose was unknown to the pup, nor did his mind dwell on this particular topic.

What did catch his interest was the smell he followed; traces of it were coming from within the hut, mixed with and hidden by fresher, and much stronger, scents which caused him to sneeze.

Shaking his head, ears flopping, and scratching an itch behind his right ear, he eagerly approached the strange tree; knowing it had already been claimed by another, he ignored the need to mark it as his own.

Sniffing at the door with his nose pressed against the wood near the bottom, where the many smells drifted from underneath the slight crack, he sneezed for a second time. Barking lightly, he took a step back, before jumping for the door and phasing cleanly through it.

Many strange things awaited him inside the tree. There were more of those masks, hanging from the walls. More of those strange bottles filled with strange smelling fluids standing on multiple shelves. Even a large black cauldron standing in the center of the room, with a roaring fire underneath; a blue bubbling concoction held within. Standing next to it, staring at him with large, wide eyes, was a strange creature covered in bizarre black and white stripes; multiple golden bands looped around her neck, and… and… and a large wooden stick! A large wooden stick which she slowly moved around as she fully turned to face him.

His eyes widened upon spotting this most marvelous of toys, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"This can not be, this eerie glow of green," the creature spoke. "Yet here it stands, a denizen of the world unseen."

He didn't know what she was talking about, nor did he really care. His attention was completely absorbed by that glorious wooden stick. Then, in a motion meant to place the stick on a table, but which he saw as an invitation to play fetch, he jumped up and ran for it. Tongue lolling out, mouth wide open, and the black and white creature's eyes widened in fear and misunderstanding.

A loud yell came from the hollow tree, echoing through the forest, shortly followed by the cacophony of barking and objects falling over.

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

"That was weird," Apple Bloom said, giving voice to her thoughts after Silver Spoon had disappeared.

"I’ll say," Sweetie Belle agreed. "She was actually… kinda nice, I guess."

"She meant it," Erlea said. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at one another in surprise before turning to the changeling, looking at her with confusion written on their faces.

"What!?" Erlea shot at them, backing away a bit. "I couldn't sense any negativity coming from her. Nothing that would indicate she was telling a lie."

"You can do that?" Sweetie Belle asked, amazed.

"Uhh, yeah?" Erlea answered, though her tone was lacking in confidence.

"Hold on. If that's true, then why didn't ya believe me tha first time Ah said we helped ya just because ya needed help?" Apple Bloom asked, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Well…" Erlea muttered, looking away, her muzzle scrunched up.

"Well?" Apple Bloom pressed on.

"Ugh! Fine," Erlea relented, kicking at the wooden deck with a holey hoof. "I can sense such things… but I'm not really good at it."

"Oh, okay," Apple Bloom replied simply, much to Erlea's confusion.

"What? That's it? Just, 'okay'?"

"Sure?" Apple Bloom said, shrugging. "Why wouldn't it be? After all, we've all got something we aren't good at. Right, Sweetie Belle?"

"Right," Sweetie Belle replied with a nod.

Erlea wanted to object to this, yet was unable to come up with any way to refute their casual acceptance, and was thus left standing with her mouth open and a hoof in the air. Lowering her hoof, and closing her mouth; a thin smile growing on her lips, she chuckled slightly and nodded her head.

"But still… You're sure Silver Spoon was telling the truth?" Sweetie Belle queried.

"Yes, I do think so."

"Good enough fer me," Apple Bloom responded. "So… Now what?"

"Wait! You're trusting me that much already?" Erlea asked, shocked.

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle, a silent conversation happening between the two through mere eye contact, before they both turned to Erlea.

"Sure," Sweetie Belle answered. "You need our help. And you… or your friends anyway, helped us."

"And what kinda ponies would we be if'n we didn't help ya? Or trust a friend?"

"Friend?!" Erlea repeated the word, shocked.

"Sure!" Apple Bloom said happily. "Ah mean, ya can be a bit scary with those fangs an' all—" she rubbed her leg where Erlea had latched herself to drain some of her emotional energy "—but you seem nice enough."

"Mmmhmm," Sweetie Belle hummed, "and a friend of Apple Bloom's is a friend of mine."

"....... You're some of the weirdest ponies I've ever met."

"Thanks," Sweetie Belle replied with a toothy smile.

"... Weirdos," Erlea muttered, slowly shaking her head.

"Okay, now that we got all of that sorted out... How're we gonna help Erlea?" Apple Bloom piped up, bringing the topic back on track.

"Well," Sweetie Belle mused, rubbing a hoof thoughtfully under her chin, "we did try once for our Cutie Marks in medicine. Maybe we can try something we did back then?"

"Ehh… Ah'm not so sure," Apple Bloom replied. "Not only didn't we get our Cutie Marks, but we never even tried anything that was about poisonin' through emotions… or whatever."

"You're wasting your time," Erlea muttered sourly. "If you ponies had a cure, we would've found it by now. We've tried everything, searched in every nation: from the griffins to the zebras, dragons and even diamond dogs. One even tried this hooman world, or whatever they're called. We haven't heard from him since." She released a weary sigh. "All we can do is try to find something to eat, get our strength up and fight through this illness, because no living creature has ever even bothered to help us changelings, let alone cure us."

"Living?" Apple Bloom repeated, looking at Sweetie Belle with rapidly widening eyes.

"You don't think…"

"Ah do."

"But isn't this supposed to stay a secret?"

"Only from ponies who would… Ah don't know… Hunt ya, or something?"

"Hunt you?" Erlea repeated in confusion. "What are you two talking about?"

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle looking back. No words were exchanged, but both knew what they had to do; what they had to try. Turning to the changeling beside them, a glint of something Erlea couldn't quite place showing in their eyes, Sweetie Belle spoke to her.

"There’s something you should know…. Just don't freak out, okay?"

Blinking, Erlea looked at the ivory unicorn in absolute confusion. "... Freak out about what?"

"Just say okay, okay?" Apple Bloom urged her on.

"Umm—" she blinked "—okay?"

A sudden flash of white light blinded her, and she shielded her eyes with a hoof.

"Just… don't freak out," Sweetie Belle repeated and, slowly, Erlea lowered her hoof; followed moments later by the rapid descent of her lower jaw.

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

The scenery moved, but she didn't.

The ground moved beneath her, but her legs didn't.

She continued to stare forward, but backwards she went.

The world didn't make sense anymore.

Up is down. Left is right. In is out. And where there were once three pesky ponies, now there were five, possibly six. Two Apple Blooms, and two Sweetie Belles…. Which could only mean there were now also two Scootaloos.

She shuddered, the world seeming to move backwards while she didn't. Her hooves leaving drag marks on the dirt path, and an ever increasing sense of pain became noticeable to her as she felt someone pull on her tail.

"Wha… What's going on?" Diamond Tiara asked, dazed, confused, lost.

The pulling stopped, much to her subconscious relief, and Silver Spoon stepped into view.

"Are you alright?" she asked, looking at her friend, taking in her disheveled mane and tail, the latter more her fault than anything else. Not to mention the mess Diamond's coat had become after having been dragged through the dirt halfway to Ponyville. "You've been out of it for a while."

"I… huh?" Diamond Tiara said dumbly, then her mind finally caught up with events and she jumped up, grabbing Silver Spoon by the face as she stared at her with the most sincere urgency.

"You saw them too, didn't you? Those… others."

"Others?" Silver Spoon said, giving her friend a puzzled look.

"Yes. There was another me, and another of those loser Blank Flanks, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle… And maybe even an extra Scootaloo." Diamond Tiara started to hyperventilate. "Oh, this is bad. This is really, really bad. They must have found a way to duplicate themselves, just like that idiot, Pinkie Pie. And not just that, they even made a double of me! That could mean only one thing... They mean to replace me with that fake, while doing unspeakable things to me."

"... What!?" Silver Spoon said, appalled, stepping back from the madmare. "Are you sure you're alright? I never saw any duplicate, of anypony. And you just… I don't know, spaced out after walking into that tree."

"What? What are you talking about? What tree?" Diamond Tiara demanded with a crazed look in her eyes. "There was never any tree! And I know you saw… them..." The crazed filly's eyes shrunk into pinpricks. "They've already gotten to you!" she screeched, backing away from the 'imposter' Silver Spoon.

"Diamond, just what are you talking about?" Silver Spoon asked, worried, stepping closer to her, but Diamond Tiara just screamed and ran away.

"Oh, hayseed," Silver Spoon swore, readjusting her glasses, before hurrying after her friend; hoping she could catch up before things could get any more out of hoof.

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

Dani flew with speed, managing to gain some distance on the ghost hunters before they had a chance to follow her.

'Damn it, that was stupid!' she mentally scolded herself, heading away from Danny's home, the village, and hopefully the hunters. 'I knew they were there, so why did I let my guard down?' Glancing over her shoulder, she could see the four ghost hunting ponies running after her; only able to track her through the scanner they were using.

'I need to hide from them, but where? With those scanners they can follow my energy signature wherever I go.' Dani sped up even more, zigzagging to try and throw them off, even phasing through a tree or two, before aiming for what seemed to be an orchard.

'Not really the best place to hide,' she thought, quickly scanning the area around her for a better place to, hopefully, lose the ghost hunters. She quickly spotted a dense forest not too far away, and was readjusting her flight path for it, when the sound of someone screaming caught her attention, and she slowed down marginally to see a pink filly run past her.

'What's going on with her?' she wondered, before realizing the brief moment of curiosity had allowed the hunters to catch up.

"Ornate, cover the child!" Rolling Stone barked as he and the rest of his team closed the distance between them and Dani.

"The reading is getting stronger," Blue Ice called out, holding a scanner in her hoof.

"She must have seen something!" Sound Wave shouted, looking around the area.

"Two sightings in one day by two different ponies. Things are escalating!" Rolling Stone responded, watching as Ornate Charm tried to stop the panicking filly.

"Where is this entity?" Blue Ice swept her scanner around, following the spectral trail Dani left behind.

'How are they even able to detect me? Didn't Tucker program those things to ignore Danny and me?' Dani panicked, hurriedly looking around. 'I need to find a place to hide, now!' It was at that moment that she caught sight of a gray filly rushing into the scene, before coming to an abrupt halt as she saw the ghost hunters, quickly jumping behind a bush to hide.

'Would their magic cause any problems for me?'

Dani wondered, before deciding she didn't have time to figure it out, and just had to take a chance. So, with a dash of speed, she closed the distance and overshadowed the filly.

Silver Spoon's eyes glowed a toxic green as the possession took hold and, under Dani's control, she shook her head, and quickly turned tail, hurrying away while also tripping over her own legs several times as Dani had no idea how to control four legs at the same time.

Yet there was something else as well. A resistance, trying to force her out of the pony, and she had to grit her teeth for the possession to hold while she tried to escape the ghost hunters.

"I've got a hit!" Blue Ice called out, her scanner aimed directly towards the bush where Silver Spoon had been hiding. "This way."

"Ornate, look after the foal. Everypony else, follow Blue Ice."

Confirming nods were send his way, and three of the four hunters hurried after the spectral signal Blue Ice had locked on to, seeing, just a bit further in the distance, a gray filly rushing away from them.

"Sir," Sound Wave began.

"I see it," Rolling replied. "Damn it. She's the source of the signature?"

"It certainly looks like it!" Blue Ice replied with a tone of disbelief.

"Then there is only one thing left for us to do. Capture that child."

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

"WHAT THE HAY!?" Erlea shouted, jumping back from Sweetie Belle, eyes wide.

Before her, where once was an ivory unicorn filly, now stood... no, hovered a gleaming silver pony. Her mane and tail seemingly made of mist, undulating in an unfelt breeze, with several deep blue streaks running through both. Over-sized, pitch black boots covered most of her legs, while her eyes glowed a toxic green.

"WHAT THE HAY!?" Erlea shouted once again.

Dropping to the floor, Sweetie Belle awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck while looking away. "Maybe I should explain a thing or two," she chuckled nervously, looking back to Erlea to see her dumbly nod her head; eyes still as wide as ever.

"You see… I'm a-"

"She's a spirit with tha powers of tha dead!" Apple Bloom exclaimed loudly, rearing up on her hind legs and flailing her front legs wildly in the air. When silence was all that met her, she looked down to see one startled and confused changeling and one severely annoyed spirit filly.

Dropping down, she laughed nervously while rubbing the back of her leg. "Sorry, Ah kinda got carried away there."

Sweetie Belle stared at her flatly before turning to Erlea with a sigh. "Yeah, what she said," she told her with a vague hoof gesture.

Silence.

"Ehehe… You see, we kinda found this weird book, and we might have tried using one of the spells in it to try and summon a ghost."

Silence.

"Instead I got turned into… this," Sweetie Belle finished awkwardly.

Silence.

A yellow hoof waved past Erlea's eyes, receiving not even a blink in response.

"Ah think ya broke her," Apple Bloom told Sweetie Belle, who only sighed in response.

"Well, at least she didn't freak out."

"This ain't really helpin' either," Apple Bloom remarked, nudging the frozen changeling in the side.

"WHAT THE HAY!" Erlea shouted.

"Oh, hey. There we go!" Apple Bloom said with a small cheer.

"You… You," Erlea stammered as she pointed a hoof at Sweetie Belle. "What the hay are you!? Ponies can not transform like that!"

"We just told ya," Apple Bloom answered, "She's a spirit. And she can do all kinds of awesome stuff, like flyin' and turnin' invisible."

Silence.

"An' she can shoot these weird beams of energy outta her hooves, an—" Apple Bloom was cut off by a black boot pressed against her muzzle.

"I think she gets the idea," Sweetie Belle told her, before lowering her hoof and turning her attention back to Erlea. "Yeah. Like Apple Bloom said, I can do all kinds of… weird things. Still getting used to it, though. But I thought that, since you said no one living had ever found a way to cure this thing, maybe we could try finding someone who isn't alive anymore."

"... Is this some kind of joke?" Erlea asked, a nervous edge to her voice. "This has to be a joke! Ghosts and spirits do not exist!"

"Actually, they kinda do," Sweetie Bell countered.

"Yeah. Ah've got a frost giant ghost livin' in one of tha barns out in tha orchard," Apple Bloom said. "Wait, can ya call it livin' when he ain't alive?" she wondered aloud, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"There is no such thing as ghosts!" Erlea shouted, scrambling away from the two ponies, looking at Sweetie Belle with large, fearful eyes. "You're just trying to trick me. You're just like all the others!" she exclaimed as she scrambled away, taking flight back to the farmhouse to get her friends. Yet before she could even get halfway there, Sweetie Belle appeared out of nowhere right in front of her, grabbing her tightly around the body with all four hooves.

"Sorry," she said apologetically, "but we're really not lying, and we can prove it."

"Let me go you freak!"

"No!" Sweetie Belle stated simply, mentally flinching from the slur Erlea had thrown, but knowing she was just panicking. Instead, she held on to the changeling tightly, and flew towards the barn where Wind Chill stayed. Apple Bloom following her on the ground.

"We really want to help you!" she told the struggling bug in her grasp. "Please, just trust us."

"Let go of me!" Erlea demanded, struggling all the more. "Nnngh… Where are you taking me?"

"To see a friend," was all Sweetie Belle said in answer, angling down towards the barn, seeing Apple Bloom already waiting for them.

Apple Bloom, who hadn't been slowed down by a struggling changeling, was able to reach the barn well before her friend where she watched Sweetie Belle and a struggling Erlea headed towards her, a worried frown on her face as they came in both too steep and too fast.

She visibly flinched when the not so dynamic duo crashed into the ground right in front of her.

"Ya still need ta work on yer landing there, Sweetie Belle," she said with a hint of humor.

"Ha ha," Sweetie Belle replied humorlessly, her head poking out from underneath Erlea's tail.

Snorting, Apple Bloom turned around and hammered a hoof against the door. "Wind Chill, are ya there?"

Erlea shook her head to regain focus before scrambling back to her hooves, not wanting to be anywhere near… whatever it was those two crazy ponies were trying to do. However, a long, low groan coming from behind the double doors made her stop mid-motion; her head unwillingly turning towards the doors as something pushed them open.

A cold vapor came billowing out of the barn, rolling over her and chilling her to the core. Heavy footsteps vibrating through the ground signified something large was stepping out; Erlea’s head slowly tilted up as a large silhouette began to form in the barn's cavernous entrance, obscured by the cold vapor, save for two bright glowing eyes which stared down on them.

Erlea shuddered at the sight of this hulking beast, and flinched as it suddenly lurched forwards; bending down to their level and revealing a large, white fur-covered face and a mouth filled with sharp teeth.

"Apple Bloom," Wind Chill roared happily, "how glad am I to see you and your friends made it back from the Ghost Zone safe and in one piece…" His eyes then locked on Erlea. "Hold on… where is the orange one?"

****

"Must. Get. Out. Of. Here!" Scootaloo groaned, struggling to force open the door. The door knob in her mouth, legs planted against the frame, and wings buzzing frantically for additional force. However, instead of the door yielding to her attempts to break out, the doorknob broke free and she shot backwards, slamming against the wall beside her bed where she slowly slid down with a groan, stars dancing before her eyes.

****

"Scootaloo had ta stay home," Apple Bloom answered the frost giant. "This is Erlea, a new friend. An', well, she needs our help."

"Is she now?" Wind Chill spoke, curious, turning his attention to the insectoid pony, seeing her shrink into herself as she stared back at him with large, frightened eyes. "And you told her about what you are," he aimed at Sweetie Belle, "as well as me?"

"Well… yeah," Sweetie Belle replied with hesitation, starting to second guess her choice.

"And you're sure she's to be trusted?" Wind Chill asked with a most serious tone, his eyes burning into Erlea's, making her gulp in response.

Sweetie Belle shared a look with Apple Bloom, a tense nervousness clearly noticeable between the two of them.

"... She helped us," Apple Bloom pointed out after a few moments.

"And we promised to help her," Sweetie Belle said more to herself, looking down at the ground. Then her head shot up, eyes locking with Wind Chill, "Yes, I trust her," she said with confidence, and Erlea stared at the gleaming silvery pony with unbelieving eyes.

"So do Ah!" Apple Bloom stepped forwards.

"Hmmm…" Wind Chill hummed, "Very well. A friend of yours is a friend of mine," --Erlea released a breath she didn't even knew she was holding-- "Now, tell me. What was it about needing help?"

"Ya see," Apple Bloom began, "Erlea is a changeling. She feeds off emotions… somehow? Bu-"

"Hold on!" Wind Chill interrupted her, "Feeds off emotions?" and the look of bewilderment he had morphed into one of worry and suspicion, "You mean like a siren?" the glare he gave Erlea made her freeze up all over again.

"A what now?" Sweetie Belle asked, puzzled.

"A siren," Wind Chill replied in a low voice. "Foul creatures who uses songs of power to influence the minds of their victims to drain them of their emotional energies; the negative energie most preferable, sparking conflict and disarray between those affected. Sometimes even worse."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gasped, their heads snapping towards Erlea, who herself tried her hardest to turn invisible. Yet, despite her camouflaging ability, this was one thing she couldn't do.

"Tell me, young ones. Has she used any forms of mental control over you?"

"No," Sweetie Belle answered quickly.

"N-" Apple Bloom started to form the word, only to fall silent, "... She did control my brother's mind fer a bit, after he found out about her bein' in my room."

A low growl escaped Wind Chill as he pushed Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle aside, staring down at the young changeling with a glare intense enough to probably melt steel beams. Whether or not this could actually happen is still up for debate between conspiracy theorists around the world. As for Erlea, the intense gaze burning down on her made her shrink into herself as far as she possibly could, fear radiating off of her.

A dizzying sensation came over Sweetie Belle, and she slowly shook her head while holding her forehead with a hoof; a shiver going down her spine from a sudden chill in her core. Yet this went unnoticed by Apple Bloom who was unable to see her friend due to Wind Chill standing between them.

And Wind Chill, his eyes firmly locked on Erlea, also didn't see what happened. Nor did Erlea, whose attention was firmly focused on the towering beast looking down onto her.

"Is this true, did you influence the mind of young Apple Bloom's brother?!" Wind Chill said with a rumbling voice.

Erlea, voice lost in fright, faintly nodded her head.

"And did you feed on the emotional energy from him, or anyone else?"

She didn't speak or nod, too frightened to do anything. Yet, as he asked his question, she couldn't help the slight shift of her eyes to look at Apple Bloom.

Seeing this, and having a good idea why, Wind Chill rose up to his full height, growling, energy radiating off of him. Yet before he could do anything else to strike down the one who had tainted the mind of Apple Bloom's brother, and leeched off of Apple Bloom, two bolts of green impacted the ground near his feet, forcing him to step away from Erlea.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shouted as they came rushing in from the trees; their bodies suddenly consumed by flickering green fire, before Abella and Devora jumped in to stand before their friend, shielding her.

"What is this!?" Wind Chill roared, staring at the shapeshifters who had just jumped before him.

"You're not hurting the Princess!" Devora hissed, wings flaring, horn aglow.

"You'll need to go through us first!" Abella warned him.

"You guys…" Sweetie Belle slurred a bit, wobbly on her legs.

"There are more of these sirens!?" Wind Chill growled, pushing away Apple Bloom.

"What the hay is a siren?" Devora glowered, teeth showing.

"STOOOOOPPP!!!" Apple Bloom yelled at the top of her lungs, drawing everyone's attention to her.

"Stop, all of ya!" Apple Bloom ordered them, looking up at Wind Chill with a scowl, "What are you doin'?" she asked, "We came here ta ask you fer help, not ta scare Erlea half ta death." Abella and Devora hissed in response.

"Young Apple Bloom. A siren is a most dangerous creature. Especially once they have feeded from one's negative emotions." Wind Chill reasoned, and Apple Bloom frown deepened.

"She didn't feed offa any negative emotions," she told the giant, turning to look at the still cowering changeling hiding behind her friends, "Did ya? You only took some of tha positive emotions, ‘cause ya don't like tha bad ones on account of them tastin' bad, right?"

"She... wha?" Wind Chill uttered dumbly, blinking.

"An' she ain't a siren… Ah think?" she turned to the trio of changelings, "Yer not sirens, right?"

"I don't even know what that is," Devora spat, "Nor what is going on here. But I do know that all of this," she indicated around with a hoof, "was a giant mistake."

"And what happened with your unicorn friend, huh?" Abella shot towards Apple Bloom. "Running off to get some help to deal with those 'dangerous' changelings?"

"Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom said, "She's right…" she fell silent as she saw Sweetie Belle wobbling on her legs, a sickly look on her face, "hey, is everythang alright, Sweetie Belle?"

Abella and Devora looked at the gleaming silver filly with confusion while Apple Bloom slowly stepped closer, placing a hoof on Sweetie Belle's withers.

"Not really," Sweetie Belle muttered, before a flash of light emitted from her body, and she transformed back to her mortal self.

"WHAT THE HAY!!" Abella and Devora shouted, and even Erlea gave voice to her surprise; looking with wide eyes at the transformation despite having seen it once before.

"Ugh…" Sweetie Belle groaned, shaking her head.

"Are you alright, young spirit?" Wind Chill asked, worried.

"Yeah… I think I am," Sweetie Belle murmured, "Just dizzy, that's all. Not sure why though… Maybe my powers were acting up, or something?"

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT!?" Abella demanded, pointing a hoof at Sweetie Belle, "AND WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU!? AND WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON AROUND HERE!?"

Her voice brought the attention back to the changelings, and Wind Chill straightened himself once more, frowning as he studied the three creatures in more detail.

"In order," Apple Bloom replied, "That was Sweetie Belle transformin' back inta her unicorn self… Not sure why though," she shot her friend a worried look, "He's Wind Chill. A frost giant from tha Far Frozen, over in tha Ghost Zone. Ya know, tha world of the dead. An' as fer what's goin' on… Ah'm still tryin' ta figure that out myself."

"Apple Bloom. Do you think it wise to reveal all of this to these… What did you say they were again?"

"They're changelings," she answered. "And they're not a threat."

"Unlike you, pony!" Devoa sneered, "We took a chance and trusted you, and look what happened! It's a good thing we could sense the princess' distress so we could come and save her."

"Hey, that ain't fair," Apple Bloom shot back, "We did try ta help ya. In fact, we’re still tryin' ta help, it’s just that me and Sweetie Belle never expected Wind Chill ta act like this…" she then looked up at the frost giant, "Why'd ya do that anyway?"

"It is my duty," he answered, "I'm honor-bound to you, remember? Which means, until such times come where I have fulfilled my debt to you and your kin, I am in your service. Either to help, or protect." he informed her. "When you told me about this... changeling's ability to feed off emotions, I came to the understanding she was a siren. And as instructed by the rules of my kind, and dictated by the bond, I must keep you safe from such a threat by any means necessary."

"So… ya were protectin' me?" Apple Bloom said, slightly bewildered.

"Indeed I was… and still am, should this be needed," he told her.

"You know," Sweetie Belle said, her voice still a bit weak as she shook off the last bits of dizziness. "This whole honor-bound thing is getting more and more complicated."

"Tell me about it," Apple Bloom muttered her agreement. "Look," she told Wind Chill, "just don't hurt… or scare 'em ta death," she pointed at the trio of shapeshifters, "We're tryin' ta help them, and this is really, really not helpin'."

"My sincerest apologies, young Apple Bloom. If you and your friend believe them to be trusted, then so shall I," he replied, yet kept a close eye on the changelings just to be sure.

"Well, Ah'm glad we got that sorted out," Apple Bloom gave a sigh of relief, then turned to Abella, Devora, and Erlea. "Any chance we can try this again?" she asked with an awkward smile, hoof reaching out for them.

"And why should we trust you, pony?" Devora spat. "All you've done is lie to us. You say you want to help, yet you unleashed this beast upon the Princess. She said she couldn't do magic," -she pointed towards Sweetie Belle,- "and we all saw what she just did. And then there are those ridiculous claims about a ghost world." she humphed in disbelief.

"You want us to trust you, then you better start telling the truth," Abella sneered.

"That's what we are trying to do," Sweetie Belle replied, which earned her the heated glares of Abella and Devora.

"Yet you lied about not being able to use magic, forcing me to do your chores without, while you have shown to have mastered transformation magic," Abella shot back angrily.

"Actually… I didn't lie," Sweetie Belle mumbled, head held low as she was shouted at.

"Lies! That's all you ponies do. Lying," Devora shot back.

"Ugh!" Apple Bloom groaned, sighing, "Fine. Ya want tha truth, we'll tell ya. Just, not out here," and she motioned for the open barn, "Just come inside… if that's alright with you, Wind Chill?"

"Of course. This is still your family's property."

"But it's also yer home right now," Apple Bloom argued.

"Then allow me to invite you inside," Wind Chill replied, pushing the door further open, and allowing the changelings a first real glance at what lay inside.

"Is that… ice?" Erlea asked, finally having found her voice.

"It sure is!" Apple Bloom replied cheerfully.

"And you want us to go in there?" Abella asked, voice full of distrust and suspicion.

"Well, yeah."

A hiss came from Devora, "And then what, watch us freeze to death?"

"Huh?"

"Don't pretend to be stupid. You know exactly what you're saying; what the cold does to us." Devora sneered.

"... We do?" Apple Bloom said surprised, blinking and looking towards Sweetie Belle who shrugged in response.

"We don't really know anything about changelings… other than what our older sisters have said," Sweetie Belle spoke up, "So, what does the cold do to you?"

"Don't pretend you do-" Abella begun, only to be stopped by a hoof from Erlea.

"She really doesn't know. I can't detect any deceit coming from her."

"Your ability to tell a lie from truth isn't really the best either," Abella told her friend.

"True, but I know this much," Erlea said with a soft voice, looking down at her hooves with a deep frown on her face. Sighing, she looked up at her friends, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and the frost giant towering over them. "I don't know what is going on. I don't know what the meaning of all of this is. But at the very least we can hear them out," she told her friends, and a smile grew on the faces of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "Just not in there!" she finished, looking at the billowing cloud of cold air rolling out of the barn. "There’s a reason you don't see any insects during the winter."

"Oh, yeah," Apple Bloom said, hoof pressed against her chin as she looked up in thought. "Why is that?"

"They often freeze to death when exposed to freezing temperatures," Wind Chill answered, much to the shock of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"Really!?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shouted, looking at the changelings with wide eyes.

"Really," Erlea answered flatly.

"Well, that's no good," Apple Bloom replied, hastily closing the barn doors, "We already got a ghost an' a spirit here, no need ta add to that."

"What is it with this ridiculous talk about ghosts and such," Devora asked, still not at ease, and still shielding Erlea with her body.

"... Maybe we should start from the beginning," Sweetie Belle suggested, earning a nod from Apple Bloom and a confirming grunt from Wind Chill.

"Sounds like a plan ta me," Apple Bloom commented, and chose to sit down where she stood, "Now, let's see. It all started back when Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, an' Ah were tryin' ta earn our Cutie Marks in manticore tamin'. An—"

"WAIT!" Sweetie Belle shouted, and all eyes turned to her, "I just realized. If you two are here," she looked at Devora and Abella, "then who is back at the farm house?"

****

Silence was all one could hear; not the chirping of birds, or the rustling of the leaves on the trees, nor the gentle creaking of Granny Smith's rocking chair gave their voices to the otherwise warm home. The reason: the hard, narrowed, aged eyes of Granny Smith as she looked down on the mess before her.

A filthy wet mop and bucket with dark, soapy water lay discarded on the floor; the bucket tipped over, discarding the contents over the floor in a large puddle. Furniture lay knocked down as well; a trail leading towards an open door.

"APPLE BLOOM! SWEETIE BELLE!"

****

Their ears twitched as the loud, aged voice reached them. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked back in fear, knowing they were in trouble. And even Erlea, Devora, and Abelle shared in this look, even though they knew they weren't in trouble. But the voice carried the a weight of anger and disappointment even they couldn't just ignore.

"Oh no," Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"Why does this always happen ta us?" Apple Bloom asked sourly.

"What do we do now?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried.

"Ah… Ah don't know?"

The pounding of hooves on the sun dried soil grew stronger and stronger, and they all looked towards the source; taking notice of the hoof prints left behind by Abella and Devora, leading right to them.

""Oh, dungbeetle!"" Abella and Devora swore as they followed the trail back to themselves.

"Now what?" Abella asked, readying herself to flee. But before any answer could be given, an angry red stallion came rushing in from the trees.

"Big Mac," Apple Bloom said, lowering herself as she saw her older brother, who came to a screeching stop upon seeing Wind Chill, eyes wide in shock, before his protective instinct went into overdrive as he saw his sister and Sweetie Belle standing near this thing. It was then that he also took notice of the trio of changelings, and he burst into motion with a speed which would leave Rainbow Dash gawking.

"Oh no," Sweetie Belle breathed, looking at the unfolding scene with large, helpless eyes.

"Big Brother, stop!" Apple Bloom yelled, hoping to stop the inevitable.

"We need to get out of here!" Devora yelled, with Abella already in the air and Wind Chill bracing himself. Yet Erlea had other plans.

"STOP!" she commanded, stepping in front of Macintosh with her horn and eyes aglow, bringing the stallion to a sudden stop a second time that day as a green hue shone in his eyes as well, "You didn't see anything. You didn't hear anything. Nothing has happened! You will return to the task you were doing, and forget everything that has transpired!"

It was then that Granny Smith came 'rushing' in on the scene. But before she could say or do anything, her eyes were also tinted with a green hue.

Wind Chill, seeing this, surged into motion, intending to stop the shapeshifter. However, a hoof from Apple Bloom pressing against his leg stopped him, and he looked down at the young pony with a questioning gaze. Yet Apple Bloom's eyes were not focused on him. Instead, they were firmly locked on Erlea. And despite Apple Bloom stopping Wind Chill from acting on what was happening, she didn't seem happy with what Erlea was doing.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FAMILY!?" Apple Bloom demanded, looking at her brother and grandmother, standing lifelessly on the spot.

"The same thing I did this morning." Erlea replied with a snapping voice, "Now, go. Forget everything," she commanded Big Mac, "And you, go back to sleep." she commanded Granny Smith; the both of them nodding. Big Mac turned around and walked away, while Granny Smith took her command quite literally, and fell asleep where she was standing; head tilted back and snoring lightly.

Silence.

"... Seriously?" Erlea deadpanned, pressing a hoof against her face, "Seriously!?"

"Erlea," Abella said, dropping down next to her, "Why did you do that; waste all that energy on them?"

"... I don't know," Erlea answered, shaking off the tiring effect from spending such an amount of energy at once before turning to look at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle; the latter looking at her with large eyes, never before seen what she had just done, "But I think they deserve at least a chance to explain themselves."

"Why?" Devora asked.

"I don't know…" Erlea looked down. "They… they called me their friend." Despite what she had just done, this answer caused Apple Bloom to smile broadly, mirrored by Sweetie Belle. "And they promised to help us. I say we should at least give them a chance."

"If you're sure," Abelle said with hesitance, but staying close to her friend.

"I don't like this!" Devora clearly stated, glaring at the ponies and frost giant. "At all!"

Nodding, Erlea's gaze shifted to the slightly snoring mare standing just beyond the tree line, prompting an exasperated sigh. "Someling needs to get her home before she wakes up… And keep up appearances those two," -she nodded towards Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom- "are still there."

"And what, leave you alone with those three?" Devora argued, "No chance."

"I agree," Abella said, "When we came here you were frozen on the spot, unable to defend yourself. What if that happens again?"

"It won't," Erlea replied heatedly, an embarrassed blush staining her cheeks. "They just took me by surprise."

"Uhuh," Devora replied, unimpressed, "I'm not buying it."

"Me neither," Abella concurred.

"Ugh. I could make it an order," Erlea groaned.

"And I could ignore this order," Devora replied nonchalantly.

"As could I!" Abella added, much to Erlea's growing frustration as she shot back her own argument, to which her friends gave voice to a counter argument. All the while Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Wind Chill looked at the trio, as well as the still sleeping Granny Smith.

"... They do remember we’re still here, right?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Ah don't know," Apple Bloom answered.

"You youngsters sure are a curious bunch," Wind Chill said as he looked at the arguing trio with confusion and intrigue.

"You wouldn't dare!" Erlea half shouted, which Devora answered with a deadpan look. "Oh, who am I kidding. You would."

"Ha!" Abella stated with a hoof pointed at Erlea.

"... This is gonna take a while, ain't it?" Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle.

"Ghaaa! You take that back!" Abella gasped out, before jumping at Erlea.

"Yeah…" Sweetie Belle replied, slowly, "I certainly looks like it."

In a flash of green, Devora transformed into what appeared to be a purple spotted white pony, sticking out her tongue to Erlea, who took offense to this if her reaction was any indication.

"... My bet is on the one who just transformed," Wind Chill spoke up, earning the baffled looks of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "What?" he said, shrugging. "If we're waiting for them to finish, we might as well make it entertaining."

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle, before their gazes locked on the increasingly confusing… whatever it was those three were doing, their minds going over what Wind Chill had said.

"... Ah'm goin' fer Devora too," Apple Bloom said finally.

"No way! Erlea is totally going to win this." Sweetie Belle shot back.

"Oh yeah!?"

"Yeah!"

"Wanna bet?" Apple Bloom said with a competitive glare in her eyes.

"You're on," Sweetie Belle grinned, both spitting in their hooves before slamming them together.

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

She ran as fast as she could, not slowing down, not looking back. She knew they were there. She knew they were coming for her. She knew. They had already gotten too close. They had already taken her friend. She knew they were coming, it was only a matter of time.

She could hear them come; hooves pounding on the ground close behind her. She had to get away.

'Damn, she's faster than I thought!' Ornate Charm thought as she ran after Diamond Tiara, hoping no pony would see her as it would be difficult to explain why she was running after a terrified, screaming filly. Which, seeing she was now heading for the village, would be near impossible. So with a weary sigh, she charged her horn, 'Sorry kid,' and she captured Diamond Tiara in the glow of her magic, then put her to sleep with a spell.

Coming to a stop, Diamond Tiara hovering before her, Ornate Charm harrumphed as she looked at the filly, "This spell isn't going to hold for long," she said to nopony in particular, "Better get out of sight before anypony sees me."

Placing Diamond Tiara securely on her back, she hurried away, confident that she managed to keep her actions hidden from the public.

Yet six pairs of eyes were watching; watching unblinkingly as Ornate Charm galloped away.

"She's panicking," one said without voice, yet a clear feminine presence was behind them.

"You think?" another replied in a sarcastic male presence, also without voice, rolling his eyes.

"She was merely making an observation. No need to be like that." a third voiceless male voice spoke up.

"What has happened is obvious," a fourth began, also with a male presence behind the words. "What needs to happen is still uncertain."

"You don't intend to interfere?" the fifth mute, yet female voice replied. "You know the rules."

"And if it kept to those rules, we wouldn't have been here," the fourth voice answered. "And as much as you like to preach about those rules, we all know; we agreed on it even that they needed to be broken. Both back then, and quite possibly now."

"He's right," the sixth voice finally gave soundless voice to his thoughts, "if actions are required, we shouldn't hesitate to do so. We all know what is coming. We have seen it, are still seeing it. No matter the path, this will happen. We can't change this destiny, but we can change the path towards it."

"And how do you intend on doing this?" the second silent voice asked, scratching his head with a carrot before crossing his arms. "We've already pushed the Touched towards the Fallen. Even this half ghost human living in this village is there, solidifying yet another aspect of his Destiny."

"Not entirely," The first mute voice countered. "He's gone," she pointed a white paw towards the direction Silver Spoon ran off to. "But she is here."

"The conflicted!" the second voice said in realization.

"Yes," The sixth nodded his head slowly, flight goggles shifting slightly. "And living up to her Embodiment, seeing she's both here and in Canterlot."

"Her powers are growing," the fourth observed, light reflecting off of his purple reptile eyes. "As is expected. Although, it took longer than I thought it would."

"With the conflict that arose upon her creation, did you believe anything less would have happened?" the fifth asked.

"No, but I hoped it would have happened faster," the fourth answered.

"You know hoping for something is pointless for beings like us; seeing everything, as is our task?" the second asked with condescension.

"Sometimes hope is all that remains. We of all beings should know this," the fourth countered with calm logic, making the second roll his eyes in irritation.

"But we're wasting time," the third cut in, rustling his feathers "If we're going to act, we should do so now."

Confirming nods were given, even by the second, albeit with resistance.

"But first we need to make sure intervention is needed," the fifth told them, using a paw to readjust the red collar around her neck.

Another round of nods was given.

"Then we agree," the fourth stated, looking at those by his side; seeing the confirmation in the eyes of their chosen forms.

"Good," he finished, and they all blinked.

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

"Hey kid," a distant, warped voice called out. "Kid, wake up!"

With a groan most often released by those who don't want to wake up, Diamond Tiara slowly forced open her eyes; just a sliver, seeing the blurry image of her muzzle lying in tall grass, but unable to fully comprehend it.

Another groan, and she forced her head up, blinking uncoordinatedly as she slowly looked around.

"Come on, kid," the now much clearer voice said, and she lazily rubbed a hoof over her eyes, yawned, then finally looked around with more clarity of mind.

"Wait, where am I?" Diamond Tiara asked, noticing she was lying in the grass near Whitetail woods, a small walk away from the village.

"There we are," the unknown voice said, and Diamond Tiara turned to see a mare unknown to her standing behind her.

"GHA!" Diamond screeched, rearing back and falling on her back as she lost her balance. "Who are you!?" she demanded, pointing a hoof at the mare as she slowly pushed herself back upright, "And how did I get here? And where is Silver-" the memories returned as if struck by lightning, "-Spoon." Her eyes shrunk to pinpricks as she began to hyperventilate, head snapping from left to right as she frantically scanned her surroundings.

"Wow, relax kid. You're safe. Don't know what you were running from back there," Ornate Charm said as she gave a single nod towards the apple orchard in the distance, "but it certainly spooked you." she said with emphasis on the word 'spooked', hoping to draw out a reaction and confirm her suspicion.

Diamond Tiara looked at the mare, a frown growing on her face.

'Who is she?' she wondered, deepening her frown. '... First those loser Blank Flanks somehow managed to double themselves… and ME! Then Silver Spoon gets switched with that fake. And now this pony shows up out of nowhere…' her frown dropped as realization set in, 'She must be one of them…'

"You alright kid?" Ornate Charm asked as Diamond Tiara started to back away from her, fear evident on her face.

"Sure," Diamond Tiara replied hastily, "Nothing wrong," as she backed away further and further.

Cocking an eyebrow, Ornate Charm stepped closer to the retreating filly. "You don't seem like it, did something happen? Did you see something?" she pressed on.

"Who," an owl hooted. They both looked to the forest on their side, seeing an owl sitting on one of the many branches.

"Who."

"An owl?" Ornate Charm said, puzzled, "Isn't it still too early for them to be out already?"

Pondering this question for a second longer she decided it wasn't worth her time and shrugged, turning back to Diamond Tiara, only to see she was slowly sneaking away from her.

"Hey, kid. Wait up!" she called out, making Diamond Tiara eep in fright, before she bolted, "HEY!"

Ornate Charm shouted after her, running after the filly, "WHOO!" only to be stopped by the owl as it flew in front of her, blocking her path and hiding the retreating pony from her sight, save for a couple of glimpses Ornate could see past the flapping of the owl's wings.

"Hey, get out of my way!" she shouted at the animal.

"Who."

"You, go away."

"Who."

"You, darn it."

"Who."

"What are you, stu-" it took a moment, but then a hoof found its way to her face with a loud 'THUD'.

"I'm an idiot."

"Who."

"Oh shut up."

"Who."

A loud, irritated groan reverberated over the field.

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

"She went this way!" one of the ponies chasing after her shouted to another.

"I got it," came a reply.

'Damn it,' Dani thought, seeing through the gray filly's eyes as she was both running away from the hunters as well as trying to keep her legs from tangling up, 'Why did I even think possessing this pony was a good idea?'

With a wobbly gallop Dani found herself quickly losing the distance between herself and her pursuers.

'Ugh, I need to find a place to hide!' she told herself, scanning her surroundings, noticing some of the foliage provided some moderate coverage for the small pony she'd possessed, 'It'll have to do,' and so she jumped into the leaves and branches, feeling several twigs getting stuck in the pony's tail, and several long strands of hair were pulled free as they got stuck.

'Yikes, sorry kid,' Dani thought, wincing as she looked behind her and released her possessive grasp over the filly. With a sudden force, Dani found herself forced out of the filly's body the moment she let go, only now noticing just how much effort it took her to overshadow the child.

'Wow, what was that?' she wondered, before realizing who was zeroing in on her, 'Never mind that. I need to get out of here,' and, while invisible, she phased out of the foliage and sped away, hoping the ghost hunters' scanners would take notice of this and steer them away from the filly left behind in the bushes, while she would fly away as fast as she could, leaving her pursuers far behind.

"Sir," Blue Ice called out, coming to a stop, a pensive look on her face as she studied her scanner, "I've got a new development!"

"What is it?" Rolling Stone replied with a gruff voice as he was forced to slow down.

"Another contact, heading in the opposite direction we're going."

"What!?" Sound Wave shouted, quickly grabbing her own scanner and confirming what Blue Ice had just said, "What in Tartarus is going on?"

"There is still the other signal we've locked on first," Rolling Stone told them as he studied his own scanner, also noticing the speed the new contact was moving away with, "Damn it. Sound Wave, follow this new contact. You're faster than Blue Ice and I," Sound Wave nodded in confirmation, and quickly took to the sky in pursuit of the new target, "Ice, with me," Rolling Stone ordered, "The other contact is still there."

Nodding, the two of them quickly followed their scanners, moving towards the bush Dani had steered Silver Spoon into.

"It's here," Blue Ice muttered, yet the longer she looked at her scanner, the more confused she'd became, "Sir, take a look at this. The signal is fading," she informed him, tilting her scanner to allow him to see the screen.

"Uugh," came a dizzy groan, and the two hunters' attention was drawn to the gray filly lumbering out of the foliage on unsteady legs, "What happened?" Silver Spoon asked, rubbing her head. "Where am I?" She looked around in confusion, not noticing the two adults standing some distance away behind her. "... Wait… How did I get here?" she asked herself, blinking in surprise and confusion as she finally realized where she was.

Quickly but quietly moving away from the filly, Rolling Stone and Blue Ice watched her carefully without alerting her.

"She seems… confused," Blue Ice said, cocking an eyebrow.

"You heard what she said," Rolling Stone muttered, "And you just said the signal we've followed was fading."

"You think she was possessed, instead of being a ghost like Sound Wave thought her to be?"

"Look at your scanner," Rolling Stone told her as he looked down at his own, "There is almost no spectral signature coming off of her. And what we are picking up on is fading rapidly," he slowly put away his scanner as he looked at the filly with a troubled glare, "She's an innocent factor, manipulated by one of those rotten entities," he told her as the both of them watched Silver Spoon slowly walk back to the village.

"Then the signal we saw move away from us-"

"Is the real threat, Rolling Stone finished with a bitter tone, "It must've used this child to draw our attention away from itself. And now, with only Sound Wave chasing it, and the abilities these ghosts are known to have, there is a good chance for this entity to escape."

"Then… we've been played for fools by this ghost," Blue Ice shot furious, no longer keeping her voice down now that Silver Spoon was out of earshot.

"Yes," Rolling Stone said flatly, voice devoid of any emotions, "It seems like we have."

"Now what?"

"... Now we hope Sound Wave gets lucky and manages to catch this ghost on her own. As for us, let's move back to Ornate Charm. Maybe she has some better news for us."

"Don't count on it," an irritated voice answered, and Rolling Stone and Blue Ice turned to see the fourth member of their team walk up to them.

"Ornate," Rolling Stone said, "Explain yourself."

"Sir," Ornate Charm replied, "I managed to calm down Diamond Tiara using a sleeping spell, and took her to a more secure spot. However, whatever it was that traumatized her made it impossible for me to learn anything useful. In fact, she managed to run away from me during… a moment of distraction." she informed them, looking away in embarrassment.

"A moment of distraction?" Blue Ice repeated, "What does that mean?"

"Let's just say there was an unforeseen presence."

"Who."

Ornate Charm's eyes widened, and her head snapped towards a most familiar owl sitting on a branch.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she groaned.

"Who."

"What is going on?" Rolling Stone asked Ornate Charm.

"It’s a long story," Ornate Charm sighed.

"Does it have something to do with this owl?" Blue Ice asked.

"Who."

Ornate Cham ground her teeth together before answering, "Yes, it does."

"Who."

"OH WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" she finally snapped, much to the surprise of Rolling Stone and Blue Ice, who quickly took a few steps back from her.

"Who."

"GHAAA!" she yelled, and Rolling Stone and Blue Ice had to stop her from drawing her blaster.

"Well, aren't you a hot head," the third voice said without sound.

"And whose fault would that be?" the first voiceless voice replied with a small chuckle, having climbed up the tree and was now sitting next to the third, watching the two ghost hunters calm down Ornate Charm. "At least we didn't have to interfere with these events."

"Not here, at least," the third voice replied.

The two of them continued to watch a little longer.

"We should go," the first voice said finally, "There is still much to be done, and we can't focus all our attention on just these three mortals."

"Agreed," the third voice said, and the both of them left. The first voice by dropping down the tree and landing perfectly on all four paws, the third by spreading his wings and flying away.

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

Shouting, objects breaking, and happy barking all came from the hut deep in the Everfree Forest.

It started innocently enough, but the longer it took Zecora to capture and calm the green, glowing pup, the more damage it caused with his playful demeanor.

Apparently it saw her every action as an invitation to play, and play he did.

Barking, jumping, running along the walls, and even on the ceiling on one occasion, Zecora's usually collected and calm persona was put to the test. Her frazzled mohawk and slightly bared teeth being a good indicator.

"Now listen here, you energetic pup. Stop this madness and act like a grown-up."

The puppy came to a sudden stop and turned to look at Zecora. He then scratched behind his ear, barked, ran up to Zecora and licked her squarely over her muzzle.

Barking happily, he continued his game of cat and mouse. Or puppy and small, striped equine.

Zecora, taken aback by this sudden, and unwanted display of affection, scrunched her muzzle while wiping off the saliva with a hoof, flicking it away.

"Zecora, calm yourself, anger is not the way," the sound of a mask crashing onto the ground and cracking in half pulled her attention to the puppy who then poked his head out from underneath the old, and emotionally important piece of Zecora's homeland. "But right now, my sight is locked on my prey!" she finished with anger, grabbing the club she used to fend off timberwolves.

The puppy barked happily when she picked up the large stick, and the chase began a new, but not in the way Zecora thought it to be.

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

"Wait, I'm confused," Sweetie Belle said.

"Me too," Apple Bloom agreed, "Who won?"

"I have absolutely no idea," Wind Chill replied, the three of them looking at the trio of changelings who, suddenly, were the best of friends again.

"So, we agree on this?" Erlea asked her friends, who nodded in response.

"If you think this will work, then yes. But only because we trust you, not those ponies," Abella told her.

"Ditto," Devora nodded.

Sighing in relief, Erlea then turned her attention to the two ponies and one frost giant, staring at them in confusion.

"What?" she asked, making Abella and Devora turn to look at the as well.

"Weren't y'all just fighting?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah, and now we're not." Devora replied. "So?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at one another, then glanced up at Wind Chill, who shrugged in response.

"It's just… We thought there would be somep— ling who would win," Sweetie Belle spoke up, confused.

"Win?" Abella repeated, not understanding what she meant.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom replied, scratching her head, "It's just, tha way y'all were acting ta each other, we kinda thought one of ya would best the others… somehow."

"Why would we do that?" Abella asked, genuinely surprised, "If we have a disagreement, we solve it. Not trying to best another while we could also work together."

"There are already so few of us, we can't permit it to let something get between us," Devora shot at them.

A look of growing realization grew on the faces of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and even Wind Chill.

"I guess that makes sense," Sweetie Belle murmured, poking the dirt with a hoof.

"So, uhh. Ya agreed on somethin'?" Apple Bloom asked, steering the conversation away from them.

"... Yes," Erlea said after a moment, "We will hear you out. Here, in the open. And where we will not freeze our wings off. Then, if what you say seems beneficial to us, Abella and Devora will reassume your forms and pretend to be you while you will make true to your words."

"That seems reasonable," Apple Bloom mused. "Sweetie Belle?"

"I'm fine with it," she shrugged. "Wind Chill?"

The frost giant nodded his agreement, and promptly sat down; his actions mirrored by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle a second later, followed by Erlea, Abella, and Devora thereafter.

"Well, where to start?" Sweetie Belle asked in general.

"You can begin by telling us what magic you used back then," Abella told her, frowning, "And why you lied about not being able to use magic to begin with."

"Wow, that's quite the story," Apple Bloom breathed out. "You better get comfortable, cause this is going to take a while."

Nodding, Sweetie Belle took over, "It all started several days ago, when my friends and I found this weird black book."

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

It certainly took a while, as they were told, but neither Erlea, nor Abella or Devora could have prepared themselves for the story told to them. And by the time Sweetie Belle finished her tale, with Apple Bloom adding her side of the story from time to time, the three changelings found their lower jaws touching the dirt. Especially after the small demonstration given by Sweetie Belle in regards to her abilities.

Needless to say, they had a hard time believing everything told to them.

"So, umm… That about sums it up," Sweetie Belle finished lamely, rubbing the back of her head with a black booted hoof.

All three changelings slowly turned their heads to one another, silently confirming they all had heard the same thing. Still didn't mean they immediately believed the claims of those ponies.

"WHAT!?" Erlea finally found her voice after she had closed her mouth with a hoof.

"You can't be serious!" Devora told them.

"There is no way that is true!" Abella threw her opinion in.

"The young ones are telling the truth," Wind Chill countered, "An unbelievable tale, true. But the truth nonetheless."

All three changelings once more shared the same confused, shocked, and even disturbed look.

"Now, with the young ones having shared their story, isn't it only fair to tell us what you need help with?"

"Ye- Yeah," Erlea stumbled, "Just, hold on a bit," unsure about her words for a moment, she turned to her two friends, "Can... You know," she made a vague hoof gesture.

Nodding in silence, Abella and Devora gave the two ponies and frost giant one last wary glance before transforming back into Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Heading back to the farmhouse, making sure to take the still sleeping Granny Smith with them.

"Lucky granny is such a heavy sleeper," Apple Bloom said as she saw her double carry her off. Sweetie Belle only nodded in answer.

"... This is going to come back to bite me in the flank, isn't it?" Erlea muttered as she rethought her decision. Sighing, she turned back to the ponies and frost giant, "Okay… About this help I need."

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

"Damn it," Dani swore, flying away from the hunters as fast as she could, 'Why did I let my guard down like that?'

She knew she had to be careful; her mission depended on her remaining unseen. But here she was, flying as fast as she could trying to escape. True, she could use her powers against the mare, yet one semi botched up possession with that filly was enough overshadowing for her for one day. And attacking the pony was completely out of the question. Thus she had only one real option. Run. Or fly, as it was.

Glancing back, she saw the pegasus from the ghost hunting team hot on her tail.

'I need to go faster,' she told herself, already straining herself to go as fast as she could, 'Why am I not going faster?' she asked herself, 'I know I am faster than this, but I just can't go any faster,' she made a sharp turn, trying to throw off the hunter. But the scanner held in her hoof showed Sound Wave exactly where she went, and she turned just as sharply.

'Damn it,' Dani repeated, gritting her teeth, 'It's almost as if I lost half… my strength,' the realization felt like a slap to the face.

She knew, had always known, but didn't realize it until now. A ghost can duplicate itself, but not its power. Instead, it is shared between each duplicate. Even when a duplicate duplicates itself, the power still remains the same between each and every other duplicate. One double has half the power. Two doubles a third each. Four a quarter. She couldn't give more than fifty percent, because that was all she had.

'DAMN IT!' she roared in her mind, 'I need to get out of here, NOW!' yet it was a losing battle, and she could feel the hunter draw nearer; seeing the mare out of the edge of her senses as she reached with a hoof for a very familiar looking cylindrical object.

'Oh no,' Dani thought, her fate seemingly sealed.

The sound of a spinning propeller grabbed her attention, and her invisible eyes widened upon seeing a most peculiar sight. A large tortoise, flying towards the mare with a propeller attached to its shell helicopter style; a lazy smile on the creature's face.

"What the hay!" Sound Wave shouted her surprise, straining her wings to reverse her momentum so she wouldn't crash into the misplaced animal.

'Thanks, big guy,' Dani silently said, giving a half relieved smile as she used this chance to escape.

"You are most welcome."

"What the hay is this supposed to mean!?' Sound Wave shouted confused and irritated, "Why is there a tortoise equipped with flight gear?"

The tortoise lazily raised his head up, looking at the frazzled mare with lazy, but kind eyes; a tired smile growing on his face.

All Sound Wave could do was stare at the animal, completely baffled, scanner and the ghost forgotten. Her eyes were locked on the flying reptile, slowly shifting to the side as he flew away; legs bungling lazily underneath his shell.

"... What the hay just happened?" she asked, but never received an answer.

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

'What you seek is rare, and difficult to find,' Wind Chill's voice rang through her mind, wide purple eyes staring at yet another impossible sight, 'I myself don't have the knowledge as to where you can find what you seek, However-' There is always a however, she contemplated, and was trying to figure out exactly how they had managed to get her here… in this form, '- The Elder might have the answers you seek.'

'The Elder?' she had asked, noticing Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sharing a knowing glance with each other.

'Hey, yeah. She always seems to know everything,' Sweetie Belle had said.

'But how're we supposed ta get her here?' Apple Bloom wondered aloud. 'It’s too cold fer Erlea ta go over there, and Ah doubt tha timberwolves would let her pass even if it weren't.'

'What about Scootaloo?' Sweetie Belle said suddenly, looking at Erlea.

'What about her?' she recalled asking, already knowing she wouldn't like the answer.

'You can transform into her, right? The timberwolves were told not to hurt her, so maybe you can trick them into thinking you're her.'

It was a crazy plan, yet Erlea couldn't find a reason why it wouldn't work.

'A plan crazy enough to work,' she told herself yet again, ruffling her orange wings, while her spiky purple mane swept around in the cold wind blowing in through the impossible hole hanging in mid-air in the center of the ancient throne room.

'But would changin' inta Scootaloo also protect her from tha cold?' Apple Bloom had asked.

No, was the answer. Or at least, not as well as they would be protected by their fur.

Apparently, magically acquired fur usually meant for disguises doesn't shield one as well from the cold. And thus, much to her ever increasing embarrassment, she now found herself covered in Apple Bloom's winter boots, scarf, ear warmers, and even her saddle.

"This better be worth it," she groaned, but failing in hiding the wonder and amazement in her voice upon seeing a portal leading to the Far Frozen.

"There is something wrong," Wind Chill told them, glancing warily at the timberwolves standing guard near the hole in the air; frozen on the spot.

"Yeah… What happened ta them?" Apple Bloom asked, worried.

"... Something bad," Wind Chill answered with worry, sensing the arctic energy radiating off of the frozen wolves. "We’d better hurry."

Nodding, Erlea, along with Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle stepped through the portal, followed immediately by Wind Chill.

"Avalanche, Snow Front," Wind Chill greeted, yet his tone was most serious, seeing the two guarding giants look around warily, weapons in hand, "What happened here?"

"Wind Chill. Thank the ancestors you're here," Avalanche replied with a hint of drama.

"It was the Saldēti Zirgi," Snow Front half shouted. "They broke through.”

"WHAT!?" Wind Chill roared, causing a small avalanche to fall from a nearby hill.

"Ehh... What's a Salade Ziri?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"A Saldēti Zirgi," Snow Front corrected, looking down at the three fillies, frowning deeply. "They are-"

"Creatures of snow and ice, freezing everything wherever they go," The Elder finished for him while slowly moving up on the scene, her orange eyes shining from underneath the darkening hood, studying the fillies intently.

"Elder," Snow Front said, surprised, "What are you doing here? It isn't safe, you should-"

"Be right here," she finished once more, shooting Snow Front a serious glare. "And I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Yes, Elder," Snow Front replied, ashamed.

"Good," she stated, and returned her attention to the curious development involving the newest arrival in the Far Frozen. "Now, I must say I did not see this coming… immediately. And it is quite a clever ruse, trying to trick the wolves like that," she added with a chuckle, looking down at the disguised Erlea. "But it would not have worked. Their sense of smell is capable of sniffing right through your disguise," Erlea's eyes widened in shock, and the Elder laughed lightly. "So, are you not lucky the timberwolves were frozen solid, Erlea?"

"Wha... You know who I am!?" Erlea shouted, much to Snow Front and Avalanche's surprise.

"Oh, I do young shapeshifter. I do. Just as I know your new friends brought you here because you need help. And help we shall give you. But we will not add to it," she added, looking at the three frost giants. "What happened here is of no concern to them." She then turned to Wind Chill. "I shall look after the young ones. You should meet up with Frostbite. He needs to talk with you."

"And what about-"

"You don't need to worry about young Apple Bloom, or her friends. Honor bound or not, they will be safe," she told him, then turned around. 'For now,' she added in thought, seeing the path before them.

"Go see Frostbite. He'll explain matters to you. The children and I have other business to discuss."

Wind Chill, unable to come up with a reply, stood awkwardly on the spot for several long seconds, watching the elder walk away.

Apple Bloom looked at him with large, questioning eyes, mirrored by Sweetie Belle. Erlea, however, was busy looking around with wonder and confusion, unable to properly grasp the situation she was in.

Sighing, Wind Chill dropped the arm with which he reached out; not even knowing he did so until his muscles relaxed.

"Very well," he muttered, looking at his brethren frost giants before returning to the village.

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

Snow crunched underneath them with every step as they moved to the village. Three of them did so without much delay, yet one was lagging.

Erlea, unable to believe everything that had happened was actually happening, and the situation she had suddenly found herself in. Just this morning she took a chance in trusting Apple Bloom. Now she stood on the frozen landscape of the realm of the dead. Her head moved from side to side, trying to take it all in, despite the repetitive scenery of snow and ice.

"It's quite something, isn't it?" the Elder asked her, slowing down a bit as she looked down at the pegasus changeling.

"I... Ehh. I've seen snow before," Erlea said evasively while looking away, much to the Elder's amusement as she chuckled.

"I'm sure you have. And I'm sure you will do so many times more," she said lightly, then fell silent for a moment before resuming talking, her tone more serious and dark. "But it may not be for all, if we do not act soon."

"... What do you mean?" Erlea asked warily, taking a half step back as she looked up at the Elder with suspicion.

"Child, I know why you are here, what you seek, and what is at stake. A terrible illness has claimed most of your kind, and you are here in the hope to find a cure."

Erlea, feeling as if she'd been struck, took several frightened steps back from the towering giant; eyes full of shock and fear.

"How do you know that?" Erlea gasped, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, several steps ahead, stopped to turn to look.

"I have seen it," the Elder answered truthfully. "Or, to be more precise. I am still seeing it, looking at you."

"What?" Erlea replied, taking another step back.

"There is no need to be frightened," the Elder told her, eyes momentarily flashing towards Sweetie Belle, who seemed to shake off a bit of dizziness. "I will explain what I can, but perhaps we should first move someplace warmer."

"Don't worry," Apple Bloom said encouragingly. "She ain't gonna hurt ya or nothin'."

"Thank you, child," the Elder said warmly. "Now, Erlea. If you would follow me and your… acquaintances, I'm sure we can answer all questions you will undoubtedly have as soon as possible."

"..." Unable to give voice to her answer, she merely nodded her head.

"Acquaintances?" Apple Bloom repeated, confused as the Elder and Erlea walked past her and Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle could only shrug in response, then the two of them became more aware of the cold creeping up their hooves and quickly followed after the Elder and Erlea.

"Do you know what she meant by that?" Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle. "Tha acquaintances thing, Ah mean."

"It means someone you know, but don't have a close relationship with," Sweetie Belle answered.

"... Why would tha Elder refer ta us like that?"

"... Maybe…?"

"Maybe, what?"

"Maybe because Erlea doesn't see us as friends?"

"Huh? Why not?"

"Well, you did hear what she said about us ponies. And you said she's the Queen's daughter, who our sisters fought against…"

"... Oh yeah," Apple Bloom sulked, then a fire ignited within. "Then we just gotta try harder ta become friends, right!?"

"Right," Sweetie Belle confirmed with a firm nod. Further ahead, walking with a slow pace so the three fillies could keep up, the Elder smiled proudly.

For a while, nothing more was said as the group moved through the snowy streets. Erlea, still shaken by what the Elder had told her, and just how much she seemed to know without even telling her anything, kept her eyes firmly locked on the giant; the occasional glimpse slipped through whenever they moved past other frost giants or buildings seemingly carved out of the ice itself.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, already familiarized with the village, smiled happily at the other giants, waving to them from time to time.

The gesture was returned in kind by the rough looking but peaceful villagers, yet the two ponies soon looked around in surprise when they seemed to leave the village, walking further and further until no ice home could be seen unless they looked back.

"Ehh… Elder. Where are we going?" Sweetie Belle asked, hovering slightly above the thickening snow so she wouldn't sink away like Apple Bloom and Erlea, whose legs were now almost completely lost in the blanket of white.

"To where I prefer to reside. Although I do enjoy the village, and appreciate the camaraderie between my fellow frost giants, I prefer a place where I can be more to myself."

"Oh… Why?" Sweetie Belle asked with curious innocence.

"I see many things," The Elder told them. "Sometimes too many, and I get overwhelmed. Whenever I join my brethrens in the village, I can not help but see."

"So… Ya live outside tha village so ya won't see everything?" Apple Bloom asked while struggling to keep herself from sinking even deeper. Sweetie Belle was quick to help her, holding out a hoof, and pulling her friend out of the snow, sharing in her levitation as she moved to Erlea to pull her free as well.

"Indeed," the Elder confirmed, "... We're here," she told them, and pointed at a simple looking home at the side of a tall ice mountain.

"Please, come inside. There is much to discuss, and even more to do."

Nodding, Sweetie Belle flew through the door that was held open by the Elder, Apple Bloom and Erlea held in her grasp.

"How are you even doing this!?" Erlea half shouted in shock as she failed to understand how Sweetie was flying without using any wings.

"I already told you," Sweetie Belle said, "I'm a spirit."

"That doesn't answer anything!" Erlea shouted.

"It kinda does," Apple Bloom countered before the three of them disappeared inside.

For a moment the Elder just looked after them, chuckling lightly, "Ah, the joys of youth. How I miss those days." She then followed the fillies inside, but not before looking at the tall mountain on which her home was crafted.

'They are still growing, old friend. But one day, I'm sure, those seeds will grow into something great.'

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

"Come. On!" Scootaloo strained against the window, having long since given up on forcing open the door. "Stupid spell," she groaned as she kicked against the frame.

Sighing, she wistfully looked out of the window onto the street below, recalling just what had happened when that stallion came screaming into town.

"I need to warn Sweetie Belle," she groaned, dragging herself back to her bed. Despite that, halfway across her room, she remembered something, and turned to her nightstand instead.

Pulling open the drawer, she revealed the device she 'borrowed' out of the room of those ghost hunters.

Staring at it for a moment, she then grabbed the device out of the drawer and jumped on her bed; lying on her back, holding the device above her head.

"How does this thing even work?" she muttered, pressing some of the buttons at random.

"-re we sneaking around like this?" A voice came from the device's speaker, and Scootaloo reared back up with rapt attention.

"I know, I don't like it either," the same monotone voice said in answer, yet, deep down, Scootaloo knew it was someone else talking. Although, she didn't even know who was talking… or why the device was talking at all.

"But she's our daughter, shouldn't we be allowed to see her?" Scootaloo froze on the spot over this.

"Daughter?" she repeated under her breath. Somewhere, buried deep down, she knew these voices were somehow talking about her.

Yet, as she breathed out the word, the voices fell silent; a sudden rattle and knock came from her door before it slowly swung open, and all Scootaloo could do was stare with wide eyes. A slight tremor went down her spine as she looked at the now wide open door.

"Mom, dad?" she whispered, slowly dropping down her bed without looking away from the door; the device lay forgotten on her bed, partially covered by the tangled blanket.

Slowly Scootaloo moved towards the door, her hairs standing on end, and a sudden drop in temperature came over her the closer she got. Gulping loudly, she inched her way closer and closer, before finally looking past the corners to see if there was anypony standing in the hallway, but finding no one.

"Is anypony out there?" she asked nervously, but receiving no reply.

She yelped and shot up in the air when a sound came from behind her; a burst of static coming from the device lying on her bed.

"Hello?" she asked with a quaver in her voice.

"... We're so proud of you… Little Mayfly."

The device fell silent while Scootaloo stared with wide, shocked eyes.

Minutes ticked by with nothing else happening, and, eventually, Scootaloo slowly moved towards her bed, staring at the device.

"A- are you still there?" she asked, hoping against hope that they were.

Silence.

"Please be there."

Silence.

No answer came, and the tiny spark of hope she'd felt started to fade. Sighing mournfully, she gingerly picked up the device, no longer seeing it as a collection of over-complicated technological whatchamacallit. Instead, it was now a connection. Some kind of link to her parents. She knew it was them. Knew it deep down. If only she knew how this device worked.

"Maybe Wind Chill knows?" she wondered, and suddenly remembered everything that had happened in town.

Eyes widening once more, this time in realization, she looked at the open door, then back at the device she held in her hoof. Knowing now what happened just then and why, she carefully placed the device back in the drawer of her nightstand.

"Thanks," she said quietly, hoping for a moment the device would start speaking again.

It never did.

With a dissapointed sigh, she rushed out of her room and towards Sweet Apple Acres.

<<>><<>><<>>/

"Now, I am sure you must have a lot of que-"

"How do you know who I am?! How do you know I am a shapeshifter?! How do you know my kind is sick?! How do you-"

The Elder knew Erlea would have many questions, yet even with her ability to see more than most, she hadn't expected the sudden assault of questions suddenly thrown at her and she looked down at the young changeling, quite perplexed.

"AND WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON!?" Erlea finally finished, panting, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at her, impressed at how long she’d gone on.

"Very well then," The Elder began, shifting slightly to make herself more comfortable on her seat. "Let me start from the beginning. As you undoubtedly have already picked up, I am the Elder. A title which I assume is self-explanatory. Now, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have already explained quite a few things to you; about Sweetie Belle being a spirit, as well as a mortal at the same time. They also told you how they were brought here when it was discovered Sweetie Belle was a spirit, and how she received training in how to control her newfound powers," she stated calmly, much to Erlea's growing impatience as this was not what she wanted to hear.

"This land you're now standing on is called the Far Frozen. Again, self-explanatory. As for me, and how I know about you, and those connected to you, that is not something quickly explained." She sighed, increasing the grip she had over her staff. "You see this, the staff I carry with me?" she asked Erlea, as well as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, "This is how I see what I do. My gift. My curse. It is not something I can give away, with only a very few exceptions. There are others who carry the title of Elder; they can use this staff's power, to some extent. However, it was I who was chosen to represent this Embodiment of Truth."

The air grew thick with tension, with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle listening intently. All the while, Erlea, also enraptured by this sudden reveal of a curse, was still trying to figure out how this was going to help her.

"Truth's power allows me to see what I see, to know what I know, to hear what I hear. But only if it is for me to do so. This is how I knew about you; what you are, what you seek. I saw, because it was up to me to put you on the right path."

"So… there is a cure?" Erlea asked, hopefully.

"There is… But obtaining it will not be easy."

"I don't care! If there is a way to help my fellow changelings, I will do whatever it takes!" she shouted with pride, jumping up, wings extended.

"We’ll help too!" Apple Bloom joined in.

"Count me in as well," Sweetie Belle agreed.

"An' Ah’m sure Wind Chill will help as well," Apple Bloom added thoughtfully.

"No, he will not," The Elder told her, and the ponies looked up at her, confused. "This is not his Destiny to partake in. Only you three must take on this challenge."

"Uhhh…" Apple Bloom uttered.

"We'll do it!" Erlea answered for them, eyes burning with conviction. "Whatever it takes."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle briefly shared a moment of confusion, then they too showed the same look of determination as Erlea.

"Very well," the Elder said, standing up and walking over to a shelf on the wall; a locked, decorated box stood on it. "You will need to venture out into the Ghost Zone. Deep into the Ghost Zone, towards a place not many dare to go, save for the very brave or stupid."

"Well, I'm not stupid," Erlea stated.

"Good, because you will have need of your mind as much as you will rely on your other abilities in the trials ahead of you," The Elder told her, returning to her seat with the box in her hand.

"So, where exactly do we need to go?" Sweetie Belle asked, unnerved over what the Elder had just said.

"The other ghosts call it the Dark Zone. A place warped even more than what you saw in the Ghost Zone. Out there, there are many dangers. And I can not stress enough just how careful you three must be when going there. Go to only where you need to go, no place else. Understood?" she told them, the weight behind her words pressing down on the three fillies who slowly nodded their heads.

"Good. When you arrive, there is someone you must face. A ghost older than your princesses. A ghost of incredible power. An ancient evil, responsible for unspeakable acts of carnage... Fenrir," she revealed his name. A name that was tied to more lives than she could see at once. A name that was grabbed by an ancient curse.

"That doesn't sound all that safe," Apple Bloom said, ears drooping.

"How are we supposed to deal with someone like that?" Sweetie Belle asked, half in panic by the prospect of coming to face such a being. Even Erlea seemed to hesitate when told who they would be facing.

"It isn't safe. Not in the slightest. Yet, I know you three can do what others believe to be impossible, if only you work together, to forge new bonds and heal old ones. It won't be easy. It will take a lot of effort on all your behalves, but, if you succeed, you will save more than just the changelings."

"More?" Sweetie Belle asked, surprised, "Who else needs healing?"

The Elder looked up and towards the portal out in the Dead Zone; staring at a wall from the fillies point of view, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"So, so many."

"... Okay…?" Erlea uttered, "So... how do we even get to this Dark Zone?"

Blinking, the Elder looked down at her, then at the box she was still holding.

"With this," she said, lowering the box to the floor and opening it so the fillies could look inside.

The moment the lid opened, a radiant light shone out, lighting up the room.

""What... is that?"" Erlea, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle said simultaneously, eyes wide as a rolled up scroll slowly levitated up in the air.

"This, children, is the Infi-map. A map of the entire Ghost Zone, and everything connected to it. It shows you where to go and how to get there. Sometimes it even takes you where you need to be, instead of where you want to go. With this-” she unrolled the map; every landmass, closed door, and portal found within the Ghost Zone revealed itself to their widening eyes, “-you will go where you need to be."

"Wow!" All three of them said together, eyes roving around the detailed images of everything found in the ghost realm.

"But… How does this map thingy take us ta tha Dark Zone an' that Fenrir guy?" Apple Bloom asked, poking the map with a hoof.

The moment she finished speaking, the Infi-map flashed and a dotted outline went from their current location all the way over the edge of the map, only for more new locations to be revealed. Not stopping there, the power of the Infi-map grabbed hold of Apple Bloom's hoof, which froze in place when the map came to life, and pulled her with it.

Sweetie Belle, acting out of reflex, grabbed hold of her friend, only to find herself suddenly stuck to Apple Bloom. Reacting in panic, she flailed wildly with her free hoof, and grabbed hold of Erlea.

"Good luck, children," the Elder said. Yet before any of them could answer, let alone react, the Infi-map shot off, taking the three of them with it in a blur and screams.

"May Destiny guide you on your path."

Her eyes then shifted back to where the portal was located, a small sigh escaping her.

"Now to take care of your friend," and so she slowly made her way back to town.

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

Fast spinning wheels bounced off of the path, the cart they were attached to spending more time in the air than on the ground. And Scootaloo's wings, buzzing rapidly, propelled her to even greater speeds towards the apple orchard.

One of the wheels got caught in another bump in the road and Scootaloo and her scooter were sent flying with a sideways spin, which she was only just able to correct; she made a rough, rocking landing before straightening out and resuming her course.

Of course, had she paid more attention, she wouldn't have made such a sloppy execution of her impromptu stunt jump, but her mind was going over everything that had happened in those short few hours since she returned from school.

First, of course, the scene caused by that stallion as he came screaming into town. However, something much more important happened. It was something she knew she should tell her friends. Something, she hoped, Sweetie Belle could help her with using her spirit powers.

Her parents were there, talking to her through that weird device.

So, with eyes narrowed in concentration despite not paying attention to the road before her, she rocketed her way to the orchard, narrowly avoiding many ponies as they hurriedly jumped out of her path and shouted after her as she sped past them.

Of course, as many would know when driving a vehicle at speed, one should always focus on the road before you. Thus, more focused on her thoughts than on the fence surrounding the orchard, Scootaloo came to a sudden stop, launching her up and over the fence into the overhead branches of the nearest tree.

"Pony feathers," she swore, twisting around to untangle herself before jumping down with multiple twigs and leaves sticking out of her mane.

Looking back at her scooter and then to the farm house up ahead, she gave a grunt and resumed her course on hoof before breaking out in a gallop, reaching the farm house in seconds.

Coming to a grinding stop before the door, she almost burst inside before recalling she, as well as her friends, were still in trouble. And her suddenly showing up like that would not be easily explained without increasing the trouble she was in already…. Until, of course, Bellflower would find she had gotten out of her room.

So, rethinking her plan of just barging in, Scootaloo instead turned around the corner and looked through the window; she saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle at work inside the house while Granny Smith appeared to be fast asleep in her rocking chair.

Tapping a hoof against the glass to draw her friends' attention, she hurriedly waved them over when they finally took notice of her.

****

"Isn't that Erlea?" Abella asked, surprised. "She's back already?"

"Then why didn't she contact us through the hive mind?" Devora wondered, making Abella shrug.

"I guess we better see what she wants," Abella suggested.

****

"Come on, hurry it up!" Scootaloo muttered, fervently motioning for them to hurry. Sighing exasperatedly when they finally snuck outside to meet with her.

"Finally," she complained, then she turned more serious. "You guys are not going to believe what just happened!" she told them, a weird smile on her face.

"Uhhh… I assume you're going to tell us now?" Abella said, unsure, while Devora looked at Scootaloo in suspicion, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Right," Scootaloo answered the faux Sweetie Belle. Then her smile dropped slightly as, firstly, she would have to tell her friend the news about the recent developments in town. "First off, you might want to be careful when you go back in town, Sweetie Belle. There was this stallion screaming and going on about ghosts and such… it put the ponies on edge," she said, gave a moment to let this news sink in, and was about to reveal the other, much more important development regarding her parents when Devora and Abella's eyes widened in shock.

"Uh-oh," Abella gasped.

"You're the original," Devora groaned. "Great…Just great."

Scootaloo, taken by surprise by what her friends had just said, stood silently with her mouth open, caught mid-sentence.

"... What? Original?" she finally said, blinking, then looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, both of them shifting on the spot.

Abella and Devora looked at one another, while silently debating what to do, didn't answer her.

"Girls, what’s going on?" Scootaloo asked, looking at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom with a puzzled expression.

"Ugh," Devora groaned, hoof against her face, "I thought they said she was stuck in her room, or something."

"Obviously she got out," Abella pointed out.

"Who said what? Who got out of where?" Scootaloo asked them, growing more and more confused. "Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, what’s going on with you two?" she asked them, stepping a bit closer to Apple Bloom.

"So what are we going to do with her?" Devora asked.

"Do what with me?" Scootaloo asked, becoming nervous.

"I don't know," Abella shrugged, "Erlea seemed to trust those two," she pointed in the general direction Erlea, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle went. "Maybe we can trust her?"

Scootaloo, slowly putting the pieces together, backed away from the two.

"You're not Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom."

"And now she's figured it out," Devora groaned, rolling her eyes, and her body was consumed in green flames. "And just how are you doing?" she asked sarcastically to the wide eyed pegasus. She could only stare in shock however, as in the blink of an eye she was tackled to the ground with Scootaloo standing on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FRIENDS!?" she demanded, glaring down at the changeling.

"Nothing," Devora replied, stunned, yet not surprised by Scootaloo's reaction.

"Liar!" Scootaloo seethed, only for her to be pulled away from Devora as Abella, still disguised as Sweetie Belle, used her magic to free her friend.

"Calm down, will you!?" Abella told the enraged pegasus.

"NOT UNTIL YOU TWO TELL ME WHAT YOU DID TO MY FRIENDS!" Scootaloo yelled back at her. "GHNN… I knew that other changeling was trouble," she grunted through her clenched teeth, struggling in Abella's magical hold.

"Will you please calm down? Then maybe we can explain what's going on," Abella asked her, trying to remain calm despite what Scootaloo had just said about Erlea.

"I don't need an explanation. I already know you did something to my friends, and you're going to tell me what, RIGHT NOW!"

"Ugh, you ponies are all the same," Devora grunted, sharply turning around and marching back to the farmhouse. "I'm done wasting my time with you. Abella, you do what you want with her," in a burst of green fire she reassumed Apple Bloom's form, "Ah've got more important thaing ta do," and she vanished back inside. Unseen by Scootaloo, she picked up a feather duster to continue with her more important task, muttering all the while about ‘those ponies’ in general.

"Let. Go. Of. Me!" Scootaloo struggled to break Abella's hold, glaring at the changeling disguised as Sweetie Belle. Abella could only sigh and shake her head, agreeing with Devora.

"You ponies really are all the same," she said tiredly, slowly lowering Scootaloo, but not relinquishing her hold. "You don't even give us a chance to talk. You just yell and assume the worst at the first sight of us." She sighed tiredly once again, finally releasing Scootaloo. "Your friends took Erlea to some ghost world, or whatever it was they called it. They think they ca-"

"WHAT!" Scootaloo cut her off. "There is no way that's true! That would mean Sweetie Belle-" Her eyes narrowed into slits. "She wouldn't just reveal her secret to you like that. You must have done something to her and Apple Bloom."

"And here we go again," Abella droned, rolling her eyes, "Fine, whatever. Yes, we captured them and made them reveal their secrets to us. There, happy now?" she bit out, not even trying to sound friendly to the orange pegasus.

"I KNEW IT!" Scootaloo shouted, pointing an accusing hoof.

"Yeah, sure," Abella said uncaring, "Now, if you excuse me. I've got work to do. Posing as this pony and such," and so she walked past Scootaloo without care, moving back inside the farmhouse and grabbing a broom in her mouth, muttering about the lack of magical control Sweetie Belle has.

"What!?" Scootaloo said dumbfounded, not understanding why they just walked away like that without capturing her as well. Yet, as she looked back inside the Apples' home, seeing those two imposters imitate her friends, she forgot about the strangeness of them leaving her, and instead quickly ran for Wind Chill's barn.

"Oh, I'm not going to let them get away with this," she told herself as she ran past the many rows of apple trees. "But, if they’re here, then Wind Chill was unable to stop them as well," she suddenly realized to her shock, then quickly steered towards her scooter, which was still rammed into the fence.

"I'm not going to let them get away with this," she stated when she reached her scooter, pulling it free from the fence, "but I'm going to need help." She steered her cart towards the Everfree Forest. "And I know just where to get all the help I would need…. without revealing I snuck out of my room." With buzzing wings and a rocking cart she sped off to the ancient castle of the royal sisters, hoping the frost giants would come to her and her friends' aid.

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

They knew something was wrong.

Something had entered the forest. Something that didn't belong. They could feel it, the freezing chill this presence brought with it.

The wolves knew the balance had once more been disrupted, and were certain about the source.

With speed they ran through the foliage of the forest, reaching the ancient castle within moments; coming to a stop just before the tree line and lowering themselves to the ground as they slowly crept towards their target with focused eyes and searching the air for any scent of the new intruders.

The chill they could sense from this new disturbance only grew stronger and stronger the closer they came, making several of the timberwolves growl lowly as they approached the ice bridge Wind Chill had grown. They realized the fact their brethren standing guard by the portal not showed themselves was an even greater cause for concern.

It was a concern soon made reality, as when they made their way into the throne room, they saw the two wolves on guard frozen solid on the spot.

Multiple growls escaped the wolves, filling the chamber with echos of their rage; Avalanche and Snow Front's attention was drawn to the pack of wolves that had snuck up behind them.

"Oh, Ancestors," Snow Front said, he and Avalanche looking at the wolves, then at the frozen pair. "What else can go wrong?"

His answer came with the sound of something crashing into a pair of wolves standing in the back of the pack, as well as the lone shout of Scootaloo as she tumbled to the air before crashing into the frozen pair of timberwolves. All four wolves fell apart into loose sticks and branches while Scootaloo groaned, dazed and lying on the floor in a heap.

"Uuhh.." she slurred, "Who placed that forest inside of here?"

"Young one, are you injured?" Avalanche asked worried, stepping through the shimmering hole to help her back on her hooves.

"Yeah…" she mumbled, shook her head, and remembered why she came here again. "Wait, no! Changelings took my friends, and I need your help to save them!" she told them urgently, not noticing the wolves behind her looking at her with confusion and irritation for breaking apart several of their pack.

"Changelings... took your friends?" Snow Front repeated, confused. "I'm not sure what you mean. I saw your friends pass through here, with you, not too long ago.

"Yes," Avalanche confirmed, "But the Elder also said the orange one with them was a shapeshifter."

"WHAT!?" Scootaloo shouted.

"It's true," the Elder said as she slowly approached them; her eyes looked past Scootaloo and at the pack of wolves staring at all of them in anger.

Her staff's gem began to glow a deep red, covering them all in its light.

"What happened here to your brethren was an unfortunate result of an unexpected turn of events. Do know that it will be dealt with, and the imbalance these entities have caused will be corrected. Now, please, take care of your wounded while we deal with this problem."

"The Alpha will hear of this," the pack leader barked while others gathered the pieces of their frozen brethren, the other two having already rebuilt themselves.

"Of that I have no doubt," the Elder replied, then the light of her staff died down and the wolves retreated, barking and growling all the while.

"This is not going to blow over easily," Snow Front said.

"No, it is not. The Alpha will see this as an act of aggression and act accordingly," the Elder answered.

"Then what do we do about this?" Avalanche asked, worried.

The Elder slightly tilted her head, then shifted it towards where the Infi-map took Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Erlea, "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Avalanche repeated, disbelieving.

"Nothing," the Elder stated once more, then changed topic and turned to Scootaloo. "It is true that your friends came through here recently, with Erlea who had disguised herself to look like you in order to fool the timberwolves to allow her passage through the portal."

"But... Why would they do that?" Scootaloo asked, angrily, "Why wouldn’t they tell me, or take me with them?"

The Elder knelt down so she wouldn't tower as much over Scootaloo, her orange eyes glowing through the shadow covering her face as she looked at the filly.

"Oh, I'm sure they would have, had you been with them. But, as fate would have it, your journey takes you along a different path… For now.”

"... What?" Scootaloo said, head tilted slightly and an eyebrow cocked in confusion.

"Come with me," the Elder told her, standing back up, "and I will explain." She began the walk back to the village. Scootaloo, hesitant for a moment, just stared at the Elder as she walked away, not sure she would like what she had to say. But eventually she followed the giant, wings fluttering nervously.

"... Where are we going?" Scootaloo asked after a moment, frowning over the fact her friends had gone somewhere without her, even though she was still stuck in her room at the time.

"To the village. There is someone else who wants some answers as well."

"Someone else? Who?" the Elder didn't answer, and merely smiled.

****

"For the last time, Wind Chill. I do not know why the Elder has sent you to me." Frostbite told Wind Chill, rubbing the top of his head.

"But she did send me to you. Surely there must have been a reason for her doing so."

"... Didn't you say you brought the children with you?"

Silence.

****

"Someone who I might have misguided for a bit," the Elder finally answered, having seen Scootaloo's frown just a moment ago. "But that isn't important right now. What does interest me is how you feel."

"Huh?" Scootaloo uttered, confused.

"You did seem rather… annoyed your friends came here without you. With a changeling no less."

"I guess," Scootaloo muttered, looking away.

The Elder didn't press further, sensing the need for silence. Together they walked to the village, Scootaloo deep in thought.

"... I'm not really... annoyed with them coming here without me. I think," Scootaloo muttered quietly after a couple of minutes.

"Oh," the Elder replied, patiently waiting for the young pegasus to continue.

"It's just that…" she fell silent, looking down as they walked.

"Just, what?" the Elder asked gently, urging her on.

Scootaloo sighed tiredly, coming to a sudden stop and kicking away some of the snow.

"Something happened today. Something... unbelievable. And, I guess, I wanted to tell them about it… Trying to find... them. Instead, all I found were two changelings who had replaced my friends. Replaced them, just like…" she said with a resentful tone, before falling silent.

The Elder, looking down at Scootaloo, could see a great storm of emotional conflict within the child; she could see it even without her sight.

"Replaced them, you say," the Elder hummed softly, tilting her head. "You're angry, aren't you?"

"I... No… I mean…" she stuttered, looking at everything but the Elder.

"There is no shame in being angry," the Elder told her, and Scootaloo seemed to deflate slightly before rustling her feathers and looking up at the giant with glaring eyes.

"Okay, yeah. I'm angry."

"But who is it that you are angry with? Your friends?"

"What? No!" Scootaloo countered, taken aback.

"Then the changelings perhaps?"

Scootaloo was quick to reply, but before the words could leave her mouth, she fell silent; mouth closing slowly.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, shuffling on the spot.

"How so? Didn't you say they replaced your friends?"

"Well, yeah," Scootaloo murmured, not looking up. "But they’re still here. Alive." she whispered the last part, yet the Elder knew all she needed to know.

"You lost someone close to you. Someone dear."

"... My parents," Scootaloo mumbled, ears drooping.

"And then someone replaced them," the Elder continued, zeroing in on the true problem.

"SHE'LL NEVER REPLACE THEM! Scootaloo yelled, her voice triggering a small avalanche some distance away, and drawing the attention of the frost giants who could hear her echoing voice.

A howling wind blowed past them, cutting through the tense silence that settled down immediately after Scootaloo's outburst.

"She?" the Elder asked.

"No one. It isn't important," Scootaloo grunted, glaring down at the snow.

"It certainly seems like it is," the Elder said, lowering herself to a knee. "In fact, I would say this is one of the more important things that has happened, and is still happening in your young life."

"She's not important!" Scootaloo stated with a hoof stomp. "And she never will be."

"Oh, child." the Elder said softly, "The gift Bellflower has given you is far greater than you realize."

"Yeah, rig-... Hold on?" Scootaloo murmured, "You know her name?" she asked with a biting tone.

"I do," the Elder confirmed, and Scootaloo looked at her with suspicion and accusation.

"You're just like the others," Scootaloo yelled, pointing a hoof. "Saying I should be happy with her, with what she's done for me! Well I'm not. In fact, I'd wish she'd never gotten in my life in the first place!"

"Child, you-"

"NO, I don't want to hear it!" Scootaloo shouted, taking a step back from the Elder, eyes burning with anger. "Any of it," and she turned around and ran away. "I'll find my friends myself, without your help!"

Sighing, the Elder stood back up. "I do so dislike events such as this," she said as she watched the filly plow through the snow, wings buzzing in an attempt to generate enough lift to keep her from sinking too deeply into the layer of white. "Lying, pushing, saying things they don't want to hear just to guide them into the right direction. It just doesn't feel right, wouldn't you agree, Wind Chill?" she asked the giant standing behind her.

"Elder… What have you done?"

Closing her eyes and lowering her head, a tired sigh escaped her. "One of the most difficult things anyone can do. Letting go of the children and allowing them to seek their own path. Watching them make mistakes along the way, but unable to help them get back on their hooves. It is the only way for anyone to grow, but some injuries they will sustain will not be healed so easily."

"Injuries!?" Wind Chill shouted in alarm. "Where are the young ones? What is going to happen to them?"

"That is for them to find out," the Elder simply stated, her eyes then finally locked on Wind Chill. "As for the young ones who accompanied you into the Far Frozen," she then looked up, seeing past the walls of ice and snow of their domain. "They went in search of a cure for Erlea's kind, a journey which will make them face great dangers, and shocking revelations."

"ELDER!" Wind Chill said urgently, grabbing hold of her by the arms and staring into her eyes with worry. "Where are they!?"

Pulling herself free, she released another tired sigh. "The Dark Zone."

The alarm, shock, and fear in Wind Chill's eyes were immense. "WHAT!" he roared, but didn't waste any more time in questioning the Elder. Instead, he ran for the path that would lead him to the Ghost Zone. And from there, he would make his way to the Dark Zone.

He had a duty to perform. A bond of honor that guided him. And even if it wasn't for his commitment to young Apple Bloom, no one in their right mind would allow three children to venture out into a place as dangerous as that. No, he would find them, protect them, and bring them home safely. Then he would confront the Elder, and hope she would have a good reason for doing what she had done.

"Some injuries sustained will not be healed so easily," the Elder said, watching after Wind Chill. "Yet, sometimes, the only way to heal a wound is to open it up," she then turned to the village, and began a slow walk home; feeling the need to be alone, to not see the path lying in front of everyone.

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

"AAAAAHHHHH!!"

A trio of voices cut through the dark green void as Apple Bloom, Erlea, and Sweetie Belle were pulled further and further into the depths of the Ghost Zone, held in the Infi-map's grasp as it brought them to where they needed to be.

Floating masses of land, all different in size and shape, passed by them in a blur. Their screams even drawing the attention of multiple ghosts, yet they were unable to get a good look at them as they sped by in the blink of an eye.

Before long, the dark green swirls and stains that made up the background of the Ghost Zone made way to even darker colors of dark, almost black, blues and purples; seemingly draining the light of everything within it.

Ghastly entities prowling the lands floating within this realm of the Zone watched the blurring streak with scarred or blinded eyes, numerous injuries scattered over their bodies.

Screams, growls, and unholy sounds no being should be able to produce were aimed at the fillies as they passed through the Dark Zone, fear clawing at their core, as they were sent deeper and deeper into the dark.

"WHERE IS THIS THING TAKING US!?" Erlea screeched, trying to break free but failing continuously.

"HOW WOULD I KNOW?" Sweetie Belle yelled back, squeamishly.

"LOOK!" Apple Bloom shouted, and all eyes locked onto a small piece of land right ahead of them, "AH THINK WE'RE GOIN' THERE!"

True to her words, the land came closer and closer. And before long, they were right on top of it; coming to a sudden, unexpected stop.

The map released its hold on them, and the trio fell to the ground with a collective 'oomph', with a final insult to injury as the map, rolled up and dormant, fell on top of Apple Bloom's head.

"OW! Hey!" she shouted, muttering as she rubbed her head.

"Where are we?" Erlea asked, no longer disguised as Scootaloo, her disguise having dropped shortly after she was pulled along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"No idea," Sweetie Belle replied. "But I don't like it here," she said quietly, seeing the dead, gray land they were standing on; multiple deep gashes cut through the land and rocks scattered around, all leading towards a single cave.

"Is this where we're supposed ta find this ancient evil ghost?" Apple Bloom said, worried.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone out here," Sweetie Belle replied as she carefully observed their surroundings.

"Other than the growling coming from that cave over there," Erlea pointed out with a scared, high pitched voice. And the moment she had said that, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle also became aware of the low growl rumbling out of the dark cave.

"H-Hello, is anypony out there?" Sweetie Belle squeaked, she and Apple Bloom pressing closer together while Erlea took an involuntary step backwards.

"GHRRR… Pony?" a deep, low voice came from beyond the cave's shadowy entrance. All of the fillies, including Erlea, pressed together in fear.

Slow, heavy footsteps could be heard. The weight behind them hinting that someone large was approaching.

With fearful eyes, the three of them watched the cave's entrance, seeing two glowing green eyes materialize from deep within, coming closer with each heavy step.

Another deep growl rumbled out of the cave, and the creatures silhouette started to become visible to the fillies: a gargantuan beast walking on all fours, with claws as large as their bodies.

The beast opened its mouth, and razor sharp teeth gleamed in the faint light that managed to reach this dead land. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Erlea all yelped in fright upon the sight of this, and the creature audibly smelled the air.

"Fearrrr…" he then stepped out of the cave's shadow, finally revealing his form to the trio as he reared back and stood on two muscular hind legs.

The fillies’ eyes followed the beast up as he stood, their pupils shrinking upon the sight of the giant wolf. His fur was darker than pitch black, with numerous scars criss-crossing throughout it. His eyes were a dark glowing green and he had broad, muscular arms, which led to an even more broad, muscular torso. Long, sharp claws on his front paws were clearly what was responsible for the gashes found all around in the rocks.

He smelled the air again, lowering himself towards the three fillies.

"Fear. It radiates off of you," he growled.

"EEP!" Apple Bloom squeaked as the wolf's face slowly moved closer to her and her friends, sniffing.

"A-a-a-are you F-Fenrir?" Sweetie Belle managed to ask.

"Fenrir!?" the wolf repeated, looking away for a bit, before his eyes locked back on the fillies, growling loudly as he pressed even closer. "How do you know that name!?"

Shrinking down as much as they could, the wolf practically on top of them at this point, all Sweetie Belle could do was squeak in answer.

"Y-You're the a-ancient evil who holds the cure for my kind?" Erlea said, trying to sound brave but failing miserably.

"Evil?" The wolf growled, slowly circling around the trio. "Evil," he repeated, stopping in place and staring out in the distance.

"Some would say I am, others would just call me a monster," he said with a rumbling voice as he turned back to the fillies, letting his rancid breath roll over them.

"Ain't that tha same thing?" Apple Bloom said without thought, and panic and fear grew on the faces of all three fillies as they realized what she had said.

She didn't mean it like that," Sweetie Belle quickly said in a high pitched voice, yet the wolf ignored her as he stared at the bow wearing pony.

"Those who are evil aren't necessarily monsters. And those who are monsters aren't necessarily evil," he said, then, much to their surprise, he backed off.

"Leave this land, mortals. I do not know how you got here, nor do I care," he growled at them as he moved back to his cave. "But I do not have what you seek, nor am I interested in helping."

"Wha-... HEY!" Erlea shouted, forgetting about her fear and breaking away from the two ponies, "I did not come all this way for nothing! You have something I need, and I'm not leaving without it," she stated, eyes burning.

"LEAVE!" the wolf roared, pouncing down on Erlea and stopping mere centimeters before her, claws at the ready and fangs baring.

Erlea, being suddenly targeted by the wolf, shrieked as she stood frozen on the spot; her mane blowing back from the force of the wolf's breath.

Breathing deeply, and trying to ignore the wolf's rancid breath, Erlea stood her ground; glaring into the beast's eyes.

"No!" she stated, fighting her very instincts which were screaming at her to run away, "My kind is dying, and they are counting on me to find a way to cure them," she spoke back, insecure at first, but growing more and more confident as she spoke. "I don't care what it takes, or what I must do, but I will find a way to help them. That’s why I am here, and I'm not leaving!"

"Ghrrrrrr...'" the wolf roared, smelling Erlea. "You smell of fear, yet pride makes you defy me," his gaze shifted to Apple Bloom. "Fear is all I can sense from you," he then looked at Sweetie Belle. "But you," he growled lowly, stepping over Erlea, who released a nervous breath she didn't even knew she was holding while the wolf moved for Sweetie Belle. "You are different. Fear is strong within you. Stronger than both of them combined. Yet, there is something else... Something very… familiar."

Sweetie Belle stared at the wolf as it stood a mere half meter away from her and Apple Bloom, the two of them still holding on to one another. Then, without warning, the wolf lunged forwards with an open mouth.

Screaming, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle closed their eyes in fright. But, moving with instincts unknown to her, Sweetie Belle raised both front legs to her side; hooves aglow.

Thunk

Silence.

"... Are... Are we still alive?" Apple Bloom squeaked, not daring to look.

The sound of teeth scraping across something assaulted their ears, followed by a faint gasp from Erlea.

With reluctance, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pried open their eyes. Only for them to shoot open all the way as they saw what happened; what was surrounding them.

"Sweetie Belle…?" Apple Bloom said, awed. "How tha heck are ya doin' that?"

"... I... don't know," she replied, looking just as surprised as her friend and Erlea.

With glowing hooves spread out to either side, a glowing dome surrounded her friend and herself, shielding them from the wolf's attack.

Intrigued, the wolf stared at the glowing green dome, sensing a change coming.

With a flicker, the glowing shield failed and collapsed, exposing the two fillies to the dangers outside once more. With fear evident in their eyes, they looked up at the wolf who had just attacked them, expecting the worst. Yet, as they waited for him to attack once again, all he did was stare at them; thinking.

Slowly turning his head to Erlea, he loudly blew air from his nose.

"You seek a cure, for which I do not know. Yet you're here for a reason. One which you barely understand yourselves." He stood back up to his full height, staring down at the fillies. "I am Fenris, shepherd of the night. I shall listen to what you have to say."

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

Out in the forest, down in the ravine besides the ancient castle, grew a tree made of the purest of crystals. Five branches reaching outwards, showing signs of the fruit they once bore. The trunk itself, standing tall and firm with a star-shaped hole in its center, once filled with its heart.

Its power was dwindling slowly, yet it still possessed enough strength to carry out its duty.

It could sense the fruits it once bore, growing strong with those they touched. But there was something else as well. A presence it knew. A presence it hadn't sensed since the day she gave life to the seed from which it grew.

She was calling. Her mother was calling, and she would answer.

A faint glow radiated off of the tree, flowing down into her roots as, slowly, they started to grow.

Her own children had grown over the centuries. Now it was time for her baby sisters to do the same.

The seeds of Life and the seeds of Harmony… They will shine radiant over the worlds.

Author's Note:

If you've spotted any mistakes, let me know so I can fix them.

~Powerdrainer.

Comments

[Crepusculo]

Awesome chapter. Poor Zecora, guess she, Danny and Val will have something to bond over. Can't wait for more.

[RandomPerson65]

So the Mane Six's pets are some kind of ancient order or ghost or something? That's pretty cool.

[ponylover2]

awesome chapter. next chapter

[Powerdrainer]

7042554 Yeah. I'm no longer looking for a shout. But thanks for the suggestion.

[wantless]

could you please say when guilt of a phatom will be updated

[Powerdrainer]

7044014 I hope soon, but it all depends on my editors. It has been slow going for far too long, but yesterday there has been some activity again. But, unfortunately, I can't give a specific date.

[ponylover2]

7044132 please add more chapters

[Powerdrainer]

7211595 In due time.

[ponylover2]

7212426 ok but please hurry

[shapeshiftingpedro]

7212426 Dude, I'm sorry to say that the last three boxes of the Features box are just there for showing stories that were previously featured, and have now updated. They aren't actual 'Featured' boxes. Notice how it constantly shows up in one of them whenever you add a chapter?

According to Knighty, the story can only be featured once. It might be able to be featured for a long time, but only once will it ever show up in those top 7 boxes.

[Powerdrainer]

7341273

But, if what you say is true, then I still have a chance to get in the top seven boxes, seeing as that has not yet happened.

[Powerdrainer]

7212476 Just letting you know, I have finally resumed working on the next chapter of Silver Spirit.

[ponylover2]

7455811 awesome can't wait

[ArcaneVisions]

Scootaloo was a but this chapter. Maybe her lesson will do her some good.

[SpyketheRAWRCat]

Holy cannoli, man, this chapter went everywhere

[sillers]

Quick questio. Could you add like a snipet in the author note that this chaper happens durring this chapter in the main story ? Or that the next chapters are between these chapters ?

[Powerdrainer]

10906756
all these chapters are running parallel with the main story with very few exceptions, like the chapter with Scootaloo traveling through time to save her parents.