Peppers Please
Pinkie coughed as she entered the small shed that was kept in the west fields of Sweet Apple Acres, as did Sunset as she did. The two swallowed hard, feeling the moisture leaving their mouths quickly as the hot tin roof was only amplified by the three blazing fires that were kept going. Applejack, Big Macintosh, and Fluttershy all looked at them as they showed up. Applejack took a sip of the water she had with her. "Take a seat in the circle. Aunt Pepper should be here soon."
Sunset and Pinkie sat awkwardly before Pinkie rolled away, making room for Twilight to silently, invisibly, float in between them. Curiosity had gotten the better of the studious mare, so even though she knew this was all about banishing her, Twilight had to come and observe how exactly it was to be done. Of course, the words of Pinkie and Sunset about the impossibility of simple peppers and heat doing it helped her confidence.
.
Sunset blinked a few times, the intense heat causing her eyes to water. "So, what brings you out here Fluttershy? It's a little early, don't you think?"
Fluttershy moved her sunglasses slightly so that they kept out more of the glaring light. "It’s okay. Aunt Pepper says that having more family here makes her treatments stronger, so she wasn't about to miss out on me, not while Apple Bloom and Granny Smith are gone."
"I honestly wish they were here. No matter how friendly it tried acting, that thing could possess ponies, and that... that just ain't right."
Twilight put her head down at the stinging words from Applejack, even though she knew in her heart, she was right. Sunset restrained her hoof from reaching out, knowing that they shouldn't let the others know that Twilight was there. To see her immediately be brought down like that though only made Sunset's resolve that this would fail brighter.
The next time the doors opened though, most of them stopped thinking about whatever it was they were doing. All but Pinkie though, as she had a tolerance to spice and heat that nopony else knew, so the dried ghost pepper powder that wafted into the room with the new mare didn't do a thing to her while the others gagged and became even more teary eyed. The leather clad, black mare looked around the room and scowled. "Why is there a hole in my circle?"
Pinkie beamed at her. "It's for the ghost silly!"
Pepper's scowl deepened as she stepped forward. "I'm sorry, but that isn't funny."
“Don’t worry, we can still put our hooves together if we need to.” Sunset put a hoof around Pinkie's neck, having to stretch to do so. “See?”
Applejack bit into her cheek. "I suggest you leave it at that Aunt. Pinkie can be rather... silly, at times, and changing her mind during those moments can be rather hard."
Pepper looked at the two mares in front of her before slowly nodding. "I suppose it will have to do if they are that stubborn. I don’t want to waste any of the good spices discussing this further. Now, can anyone tell me what this is?" She reached into her jacket and pulled out a thin, dried, black pepper.
Pinkie jumped up to her back hooves. "Yummy!" Pinkie immediately lowered herself from the old crone’s withering gaze..
"This, is a dried ghost pepper. When spread into the room as I did when I first entered, and now," she stomped on a bag after laying it down and the dusty debris filled the room with more of the agonizing flakes, "it burns spirits, because it is that spicy. This on the other hand," she said as she pulled out what looked like a water balloon, "is filled with the juices of ten of these ghosts peppers, and will incinerate any ghoul."
Sunset lazily lifted a hoof up. "And what backing do you have to believe all of this?"
Pepper smirked for a few moments. "You don't get the title of professional from trying fifty times and never succeeding. You get it for succeeding to rid the world of fifty soul siphoning freaks. Now, may I move on, or do you have any more dumb questions?"
Sunset resisted scowling as she looked at Twilight, who merely shrugged. While she could feel a slight discomfort within her, she merely assumed it was empathy for her friends. Pepper though, caught the glance and began to frown. While it may have been because she had proven the mare wrong in her doubt, it had still been toward that empty space. That space that the pink one had so eagerly declared as, ‘for the ghost’.
Pepper brought a hoof covered in black dust to her face and inhaled briefly, enjoying the cleansing fire that ran through her senses and stung at her eyes. And then, she blew. The cloud of concentrated dust flew across the table, and the room became deathly silent. Pinkie mimed eating it while a bead of cold sweat ran down Sunset's brow. Twilight simply leaned forward, ever curious about the thing that was supposed to be her destruction.
And then, all chaos broke loose.
Twilight's essence felt like a billion bees had started stinging it as she lost control, releasing a burst of ice and frost as she howled. Pepper smiled as the ghoul showed itself, but she didn't dare launch the finisher yet. Instead, she threw powder into one of the fires, and it flared, causing the room to grow even hotter, halting the frost that was coming off of the enraged spirit.
Twilight spun a cocoon of ice around herself, trying her best to still control the magic. The more she tried to control it though, the weaker it came out as she felt the heat and spice run through her core and her instincts begged to freeze all that was in sight. She couldn't, no, wouldn't, not when it could potentially kill so many of her friends.
Cracks in the ice kept appearing, but all Pepper did was wait. She knew the creature would grow tired and weak from the refined pepper, and then would collapse. The juice was meant only for the kill, or as a last resort. Of course, she was so good, that the only time she had ever had to use it like that, was against-
"Fe fi fo fum, I smell the scent of a peppered one!"
Ghost Pepper stood still at the shout. A shout that must have come from just outside. But how? How did no one else see it? Has it grown powerful enough to be intangible? She shook her thoughts clear, though she could not do the same with her fear. She wasn't about to let that stop her from running out into the yard to face the abomination.. Looking up though, she simply couldn't believe it. "How are you still alive?"
The large, white giant started to laugh. Its form shook and undulated as it was seemingly entirely made up of some sort of liquid. It stood twice the height of the barn, and its laugh shook the window panes. "You thought a silo of peppers would kill a beast made of milk? You are as silly as you ever were!"
Pepper stood still as her hooves trembled beneath her. "Begone you! I have no quarrel with a creature such as yourself, not this time."
The giant shook his head. "That is where you are wrong. You attack one I hold very dear, and if you do not run, I shall do what I should have done before, instead of pretending to die, because if you do not give her up, you will stop amusing me."
The coldness of the last words almost caused her heart to stop, and the thought of destroying the wraith left her mind. One last, booming laugh filled the air as the mare ran into the woods. After another ten minutes, the giant disappeared. By then though, Sunset, Twilight, and the rest, were outside, and got to watch as Trixie floated to the ground.
Twilight weakly hovered over and tried picking Trixie up before deciding that simply snuggling the kitsune was enough for tonight. "Why did you help me?"
Trixie smiled slightly and tried to stand up, before promptly collapsing back down. "I... I haven't had a long term friend before... and you don't deserve to go that way. Besides, Trixie had fought her once before, and she knows those burns. She couldn't let that happen." She waited a moment or two, looking into those tear filled, purple eyes, before turning away. "Even to you."
Not even Trixie was going to fight the hug that Twilight soon wrapped around her friend, and nopony noticed as a blue star and wand appeared on the far side of Twilight's cloak, before stitching itself to black once more.
======+++++======
Pepper stomped through the outskirts of the orchard, tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe that her one failure would find her again. What made it even worse was that this time, she had even been humiliated in front of her family. They now could see she wasn't a perfect ghost exterminator, wasn't something everypony else could be proud of. No, stop thinking like that. Farmer is not the only job allowed in-What in Equestria is that?
She turned to the odd bipedal creature that was standing in the road. In one of its appendages was a long staff of sorts while it wore what looked oddly like church garments. And all it did, was stare at Pepper.
"I suggest you leave. This is Apple family property, and we do not accept monsters."
The thing laughed slightly before beginning to walk towards her. "You hunted a creature I call my kitten tonight. I do not approve of such an act."
Pepper scowled slightly. "I hunted an abomination of nature tonight. Nothing more, nothing less."
The thing nodded as it made its way closer and closer. "You even continue to insult her in my presence, Your list of sins continues to grow."
Pepper reached into her cloak, grabbing the ball of pepper juice. "I have no sins on me. My soul is clean."
The tall creature was only a few yards away now, a small rosary on his coat beginning to smoke. "As this is Equestria, I will respect Celestia and give you the chance to apologize. Now, apologi-"
Splash.
The priest smirked as juice ran down his front, and then, the clothes and the creature were gone. For only a moment, Pepper had thought she had won, until a presence appeared. She couldn't see it, but she could feel an immense pressure over her as it gazed upon her very soul. It stopped all noise, and her vision was beginning to blur. Finally, Pepper turned around, only to face...
Cthulhu.
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Bwuahaha all praise to the dark one
This might cause some problems down the line between Applejack and Sunset when the Elements of Harmony are needed again. Someone's friends might not get along with their other friends, but profiling and murder are going too far. Applejack wouldn't even know about Twilight if not for her apologizing for something she did to help Sunset!
All I can do is keep laughing at Pepper's incompetence
or their friends
Not all spirits that stay are evil no matter what preachers, pastors and mindless Bible-thumpers will tell you! Keep after them though and you could very well end up seeing what they are capable of
6163374 Well, to be fair, that wasn't to help Sunset. Twilight possessed Big Mac out of want for
HAM!PIE!As for problems, I do recognize that I need to be careful, but... we'll see.
Smooth, pepper real smooth.
I wonder if will see more of Cthulu?
On second thought maybe suggesting that is a bad idea.
6163382 NO! NEED more Cthulu
Hell. Yeah.
6163386 Couldn't we make other references to Lovecraft mythos? Aren't there any other characters besides Cthulu we can use?
6163406 That most people would recognize? Maybe not.
6163406
6163429 ...Aorta is right, as Cthulu is all I know of Lovecraftian, and even then, you guys have opened my eyes to SO much. Kind of.
6163381 For some reason I thought it was to help Sunset escape the meal that would not end. But Twilight is a pretty hungry spirit.
6163436 Just google Lovecraft wiki that should set you off to a nice start.
sh... th.... SHE TRIED TO EXCERSIZE A ELDER GOD WITH HOLY WATER?
Bring Pepper back!
She could have so much character development!
Have her come back as a ghost herself!
6163574 no she tried to excersize Cthulhu with ghost pepper juice.
Poor Pepper, she did not deserve that, even if she is a bit close-minded.
Buahahahahahaha yes more Pepper only as Twis guard by order of the great Cthulu.
I don't really understand... One thing is Pepper alone try to exorcise Twaith, but if I did not understand bad the chapter, Fluttershy and the other stayed with her and did no try to do anything? They know that Pepper tried to exorcise Twaith?
6164032 AJ has no love for Twaith, Flutters isn't about to stand against her sister for a ghost she is still trying to get to know, and Sunset and Pinkie doubted the ability for Twilight to be exorcised.
6164407 So... Sunset and Pinkie are not sure if it could work, but still they risk Twaith to be exorcised? And then what?
Where did the whole exterminator thing come from?
*ding* one more soul. Let that be the fate of all who exterminate on nothing but superstition and premonition. For they are the scum of the earth. Lest your actions take you down a darker road.
Pepper quesadilla.
So pepper is Twilight's one weakness? Interesting.
TAKE IT!
I NEED TO SEE MOAR!!!!!!!!
6164510 and the apple family is branded as traitors to the crown and lose there lands.
6164639 A comment. Also, it was hinted that they might be doing something like that during Greetings.
WELL FUCK YOU TOO APPLESMACKfucking jerk what did twilight do to you
6165497 Possessed her brother and is an unholy abomination of death and ice?
6165505 who apologised for doing that and hs done nothing evil so far apart from that thing last chapter that she tried to suppress but fighting instinct is hard
6165543 It is, but AJ can be prone to panic with things she doesn't understand, and her only interactions is her finding out she possessed ponies and... that's it. She decided to protect her family instead of take a risk...unlike Pinkie, Sunset, or Twilight in this chapter.
6165548 dont give a crap all i see is prejudice what next pitchforks and torches out side golden oaks i hope sunset lays into AJ for this or celestia does
6165560 ...Or it was me trying to do a comment, have an interesting chapter, and work on the fact that AJ should/would fear Twilight, but now has seen how much ponies rally around her? You guys are honestly askign a lot from me with wanting me to take this ABSOLUTELY seriously.
6165568 oh dont get me wrong i like the comedy but you got to see it from the the readers point here is this wraith who has
had her power sealed
befriended sunset
made kids icy-poles
tried to assist against NMM
vs
Posses big mac to eat PIE
and AJ just straight up tries to kill her NO just no
also flutters grow a spine
To quote TCS Alucard. YOU DONE GOOFED
What if Twiath gets a cold?
6165679
Dude, who are you?
You just listed off five things that are true about Twilight, but only one of those five things — possessing Mac — is something that Applejack could possibly have known about. Because three of them happened in Canterlot, and the fourth happened when AJ was nowhere around and literally nobody is talking about it, so no, AJ has done nothing wrong here. Unless you think it's wrong for her to be concerned about the well-being of her family.
That aside....
Pepper will probably be fine, for a given definition of the word; she's too interesting to not be seen again. And really, she's lucky that Trixie stepped in when she did, because if anything had happened to Twilight, I guarantee that Sunset would have wrecked her, and then wrecked her couch for good measure.
Never mind that while she might be a professional, she's not an expert; really, she's just irresponsible. You don't blow ghost pepper dust into the air in a confined space; at more than 1,000,000 Scoville units and over 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce, actually breathing in the dust could potentially cause severe burns to the esophagus, sinuses or even the lungs, and she's treating it like it's candy. She's not an exorcist; she's a menace.
And at the end of it all, they now have the chance to explain to Applejack that the possession was all done for pie, because it looked amazing and possession was literally the only way that Twilight would ever get to taste it. Everything will work out, and the only real change will be Twilight's new insatiable pursuit of spicy foods because of the rush. And then we get to read all about her life as a pepper junkie, and how she only needs "one more tiny bit, and then it's cold turkey!"
6165478 You forgot that Applejack is a element of harmony, they can't touch her or her family. Not to say that the Apple Family have also Ponyville and Appleloosa, if they take it, Celestia could find herself with a revolution and lands without knowing what to do.
6166562 well personaly i hope old pepper has fun with cuthulu i wont be missing her
6165568
Just remember that often times, it's best to just go with what YOU want to do. Not what your audience desires from you, because they don't necessarily know what they want until they have it.
You bucked up
Now I know why they call it ghost pepper! Also, Cthulu. Someone's been naughty if he shows up to scold you.
I'm having trouble reconciling my mental image of the person I was thinking of as St. Francis (staff, rosary, monk habit, affinity for animals, likely to appear to people) as being Cthulu.
6169582 Did I just make a Saint 20% cooler?
In all seriousness, I was making him a cross between a priest (the rosary), a character from a great series that has a shit adaptation, the spook (robes and staff), and the kitten thing is from how he treated Twaith from when they first met.
Nothing more needs to be said.
Typical Excorcists
Bloody hell Pepper is a complete moron, you'd think it'd be basic, common knowledge that there are exceptions to what is normal, not to mention you just do not want to try to kill off one without even letting it speak, you never know what friends they might have, like Cthulu for instance.
6169594 I once read an older book that described April Fool's pranks, and one of them was baking lots of pastries and filling some with cream and some with cotton balls, and making them look indistinguishable.
I feel like I bit into a pastry and got a mouth full of cotton balls. Not what I was expecting, I was very confused for a little bit, but I think now we can all laugh about it together.
I'm curious as to what the great character with the terrible adaptation is.
Ooookay, holy shit that ending