A Change in the Wind

by Silent Whisper

A Problem, A Dream, A Question

A jangle of keys and a quiet, polite click announced the arrival of one changeling and one unicorn to the apartment. Misty sighed and tried to scuff off as much murky water on the hallway carpet as she could before entering. “Honestly, you couldn’t have gotten an apartment on the first or second floor, could you? No, it had to be the fifth floor. I swear to the freaking thunderstorms above, this has got to be the only building in San Fran-freaking-siscolt that has a broken elevator! It’s pretty absurd when you think about it. Sounds like a set-up. Somepony either has it out for you or thinks you need more exercise. Possibly both.”

Ghost giggled and closed the door behind her friend. “Yes, I bet it’s karma for eating all the junk food that a single mare living on her own can talk herself into buying.” She put away her keys and flipped on the lights, revealing a cozy little apartment. In one corner was a heap of blankets and cushions, arranged into a nest. Taped to the pillow nest was a sheet of paper that had “I do what I want” scrawled across it in messy hoofwriting.

Across the room were some chairs scattered haphazardly around a table. On the table was a pile of dishes, and an embarrassingly large collection of dirty mugs. Ghost made a mental note to clean those when she got the chance, and was thankful that Misty didn’t complain about the mess.

Piles of books littered the apartment. The titles varied from steamy romance novels to older classics and everything in between. Ghost read everything she could get her hooves on, and it showed. She hoped she had something that Misty liked reading.

A window at the end of the room let in natural light, and the windowsill supported two cacti. In one corner of the room was a kitchen area, with countertops, a microwave, a stove and oven, and a refrigerator that Ghost made a mental note to clean out. A door led to a tiny bathroom. The apartment was small, crowded, but cozy, and Ghost was proud that she had such a nice place to live.

Misty sighed and flopped on the pillow nest, wincing and pulling a book out from under herself. It was titled 10 Fun Things to do with Beans. She grinned and tossed it onto the nearest stack. “So, Ghostie, you wanted to hear what’s been going on in my life?” Ghost nodded, and snatched a pillow from the pile to hug.

“Alright, so there was this ring of changelings that were spying on the Princess in Ponyville, okay? They were renegades, and didn't magically change into sparkly moose bugs. So they still worked for Chrysalis, and were waiting for the right moment to take over again, right? I was working with the Royal Guard to infiltrate them, but we didn’t get close enough in time. One of them got away, escaped before we could apprehend them. Rumor has it, they’re here in San Fransiscolt.” Misty smiled tiredly at Ghost, who nodded attentively.

“Here’s the catch though. This isn’t the first time this has happened, and the guard is tired of dealing with this, so they’re launching their own investigation into the matter. I’m on my own in this, but that’s okay. So long as I catch that son-of-a-muffin, I’ll be fine, and I’ll have my job back. Good news, though. I’m on their trail.” She shrugged and rolled over to sprawl on her back. “So, what’s up with you, Ghostie?”

Ghost blushed and hugged her pillow tighter. “Well, not too much. I’ve been taking a few classes, and have been working at the cafe for quite a while. Oh, and I adopted some plants!” She points at a few cacti sitting on her shelf. “Say hello to Anthony and Anaconda.” Misty waved obligingly at the plants. The plants, of course, did not wave back.

Misty grabbed one of the blankets and threw it over herself. “Hey, if it’s alright with you, I’m gonna crash. This bug has had a long day, and I bet you gotta get up early tomorrow.”

Ghost nodded and flopped on the pillow in front of her friend. “Sleep well, Misty.” The changeling’s response was an unintelligible half-awake murmur, and Ghost smiled as she drifted off into dreamland.

---

The door was locked. Somehow, Ghost knew this, even as she raced over to grab the handle. The window was locked too. She had tried to break it open, but everything just bounced off. This was a problem, because the fire had spread over her bed and was slowly making its way around her.

Where was Misty? Ghost vaguely remembered her being there, but no matter how hard she looked, her friend was not to be found. The heat was unbearable, and the smoke made her cough. She fiddled with the sink in her bathroom, but no water came out to quench the flames. In desperation, she spat at the closest smouldering book, but it did nothing.

She screamed. “Help me, somepony! Help, I’m trapped!” She screamed for what felt like hours. “Somepony, please, my room is on fire and I need help!” Her voice grew hoarse, and the flames burned closer. Nopony came, nopony found her. “Please, save me, I don’t want to die!” The floor started to smoulder, the cheap carpet smoked, the walls were singed an ashy grey.

Nopony came to help her, and Ghost cried in alarm as the flames licked at her hooves. Her heart pounded in her ears, blood rushing to her head. She was going to die here. Nopony was coming. She wondered, what would they find of her in the morning. Would she be just ashes? Who would come looking? Would anypony notice that she was gone?

Who would remember her?

---

Ghost woke up in a cold sweat. Where was she? Oh, right, she was lying on the floor. Misty took her nest-bed, which she was fine with. Misty was her guest, after all. Ghost stared at her peacefully sleeping friend. Good, she didn’t cry out in her sleep. She sniffled. That was a terrifying dream, for many reasons.

She stood up and pulled her pillow closer to Misty, then settled back down. A few stray tears made their way down her cheeks. At least she knew one pony who would remember her, if she ever was lost for good. Closing her eyes, Ghost relaxed to the sound of her friend’s even breathing, and drifted back to sleep peacefully.

Comments

[Wind of the Skies]

She stood up and pulled her pillow closer to Misty, then settled back down. A few stray tears made their way down her cheeks. At least she knew one pony who would remember her, if she ever was lost for good. Closing her eyes, Misty relaxed to the sound of her friend’s even breathing, and drifted back to sleep peacefully.

I'm confused about this bit, did you mean Ghost relaxed to the sound of her friend's even breathing?