Rumors
The trees in Ponyville were only just beginning to lose their leaves, the bright orange standing in contrast to the cloudy grey skies. Bon-Bon was out early, heading to the market for some extra ingredients. She yawned. The past night’s sleep–if you could call it that–had been uneventful, but she’d been on edge ever since yesterday afternoon.
She had spent the whole night tossing and turning in bed. If she ever managed to close her eyes, they would snap back open at the slightest noise. The wind against the window panes, the house creaking as it settled. Even Lyra’s snoring from down the hall.
And speaking of which, Lyra didn’t seem fazed at all. She’d grabbed her lyre this morning and headed out to the park to play, like any other day. Eventually Bon-Bon had left too. It was just a shopping trip, though, it wasn’t like she was just trying to avoid being home alone…
“Bon-Bon! Hey!”
She turned her head at the sound of her name. The glow from Colgate’s horn faded as she finished hanging a cobweb in the window of her dentist’s office, then she trotted over to meet Bon-Bon.
“What’s up?” Colgate said. She glanced back at her work. Paper bats and strings of lights were hung all over the front of the building. “Pretty cool, huh? What do you think?”
“It’s… nice,” Bon-Bon said, frowning. She noticed a few fake skeletons–just regular, anatomically correct ponies, instead of the disturbing creations Lyra insisted on using at their house. It still wasn’t much of an improvement. “Getting the Nightmare Night decorations out a little early, I see.”
“Yep! I mean, last year gave us a tough act to follow. Any idea if Princess Luna’s coming back this year?” Colgate said. “We’ve got to make this the best Nightmare Night ever.”
Bon-Bon twitched at the use of that phrase. “Oh, and… I’m sure it will be.”
“And I still need to get a costume ready, or else I'll just have to wear my work clothes like last time..." Colgate said, rubbing her chin. "You've probably been busy, too. I’m sure you’ll be sending a lot of business my way next month.”
“Huh? Oh. Of course.” Bon-Bon managed a weak smile.
“Hey, it’s just a joke! Lighten up,” Colgate said. “You sure you’re okay? You look exhausted.”
“It’s nothing. Really.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
Bon-Bon hesitated. “You’ll think I’m crazy if I tell you…”
Colgate rolled her eyes. “Have you seen the ponies in this town? You’re about as sane as they get.” Then, almost as an afterthought, “This isn’t something that Lyra did again, is it?”
“No, not this time.” Bon-Bon took a deep breath, and then continued. “Yesterday, I was at home working and… There’s just been… unexplained noises, among other things. Lyra and I both experienced it.”
Colgate glanced back at her decorations. “You mean you’ve got a ghost.”
“I’m not saying it’s that,” Bon-Bon said. “Well… honestly, there’s not much else that makes sense, but... Lyra seems to think so, and for once she may be right.”
“Nah, I believe you,” Colgate said with a shrug.
Bon-Bon blinked at her. “What?”
“Look, I, uh… it’s not something many ponies around here talk about anymore. And… I thought you already knew.” Colgate’s voice had dropped low.
“Knew what?” Bon-Bon frowned.
“About your house.”
There was something about the way Colgate said it that Bon-Bon really didn't like. “It’s just like any other house in town, though, isn’t it? Of course, the kitchen is rather spacious, which is why I–”
Colgate shook her head. “No, it’s about what happened there. You mean you’ve never heard the stories?”
“Stories? What do you mean, ‘stories?’” Bon-Bon said, moving in closer.
“It’s not something ponies talk about very much anymore. Back when it happened, though, I doubt there was a single pony in Equestria who hadn’t heard about it,” Colgate said. “I’m surprised that you and Lyra never knew. Who sold you your house? Didn’t they tell you?”
“Come to think of it…” Bon-Bon said. She tilted her head, trying to remember the exact details. “I suppose we did buy it rather cheap. I always thought it was because the roof had a leak when they sold it to us.”
“Maybe that’s all they said it was. But the truth is, they had a lot of trouble finding ponies to buy that house,” Colgate said. “Ever since that night, ponies tend to avoid 41 Blackberry Lane.”
“Blueberry,” Bon-Bon said, raising an eyebrow.
Colgate stared at her for a moment, not comprehending. “Huh?”
“Our house is at 41 Blueberry Lane. Haven’t you ever been over to visit us before?”
“Oh…” Colgate kicked at some dry leaves awkwardly for a moment, then looked back up at her. “Really?”
“We’ve lived there for a few years now. We’ve never had anything like this happen.”
“Blueberry Lane. Huh,” Colgate said. “Yeah, Blackberry Lane is on the complete other end of town from you, then. I guess that would explain why you’ve never responded to any of my Hearth’s Warming cards.”
“So…” Bon-Bon stared at her.
“Yeah, I’ve never heard about any horrible things happening over on Blueberry Lane.” Colgate was back to her usual cheery self. “Pretty nice part of town, actually.”
“What about the other house?” Bon-Bon asked. “The one over on Blackberry?”
Colgate shuddered. “It’s better if you don’t know. I mean, what happened there? It was just awful.”
“So… I guess the price was cheap because of the leaky roof.”
Colgate nodded. “Probably.”
“We did get it fixed, though.”
“That’s good.” Colgate glanced around. “Well, uh… I’d better get back to decorating. See you later, Bon-Bon.”
Colgate turned and headed back to her work. Bon-Bon continued in the other direction. That had just been uncomfortable. Perhaps it would be best not to tell anypony else what was going on. She hadn’t even wanted to let Colgate know, originally.
A shadow passed overhead. Bon-Bon looked up to see Fluttershy, loaded down with bulging saddlebags.
“Good morning, Fluttershy!” she said.
Fluttershy turned around and hovered in midair. “Why, hello there, Bon–” Then she shrieked. “Bon-Bon? I-I mean…”
“Oh, it’s fine," Bon-Bon said with a friendly smile. “Just saying hello. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“N-no, of course not…” Fluttershy’s eyes darted around, searching for a way to escape. “I’m very busy, I n-need to help the squirrels and chipmunks get ready for winter… Um… Please don’t follow me!”
Bon-Bon stared in confusion as Fluttershy zoomed off, a few acorns falling out of her pack. She didn’t even seem to notice. Normally Fluttershy would be happy to stop and chat for a few minutes. She had known Bon-Bon for years.
Maybe she had just been in a hurry. Fall could be a busy time for a lot of ponies. Or maybe…
Bon-Bon stomped a hoof in frustration. “Lyra…” she muttered under her breath.
She continued through town, just thinking of all the things she would say to her roommate when she got back home. Whatever was going on in their house was nothing to brag about. Certainly not to Fluttershy. That poor pegasus had looked absolutely terrified…
There were only a few other ponies wandering around the market stalls. Bon-Bon made her purchases without stopping to chat with any of the vendors. A few bags of sugar, assorted fruits, flavor extracts. Was she running low on vanilla? She couldn’t remember, but it didn’t hurt to pick up some extra.
Her saddlebags filled up quickly. She would have to make a return trip if she planned on making caramel apples. Maybe she would get around to them this weekend.
Bon-Bon ran through a mental checklist. With what she had, she would at least be good for the rest of the day. If she had to make a return trip tomorrow, that certainly wouldn’t be a problem. She was still getting her work done even if she wasn’t in the house. It was nice to get out of the kitchen anyway. No, it wasn’t a problem at all.
“Hey, Bon-Bon!”
The loud, shrill voices made her cringe for a moment. She forced a smile and turned around. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were staring up at her with wide grins on their faces.
“Hello, girls. Is there anything I can help you with?” she said.
“Is it true?” Scootaloo said, leaning forward.
“Is what true?” Bon-Bon said.
“That there’ve been strange noises in your house at night?” Scootaloo said.
Bon-Bon stared at the fillies in shock. “How do you know about–”
“Things movin’ around the room?” Apple Bloom inched towards her.
“Cold winds out of nowhere?” Sweetie Belle added, pushing her way past the others.
Bon-Bon shook her head. “Girls, I really don’t–”
“Maniacal laughter echoing from inside the walls?”
“A headless pony galloping through the hallways?”
“Your oven transformed into a flamin’ portal to Tartarus?”
“Girls!” Bon-Bon took a step back, her eyes wide with shock. “Where did you ever hear such things?”
“Well, um…” Sweetie Belle exchanged glances with her friends. “Lyra was telling us about what happened yesterday…”
Bon-Bon clicked her tongue. “I should have known Lyra would tell everypony about this. Listen, girls, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I’m not scared!” Scootaloo said. “I think it sounds cool!”
“Well, anyways, none of that is true,” Bon-Bon said. She took a deep breath in to calm down. “Now… run along, do whatever it is you fillies do. I’ve got some important errands to get done.”
The three of them all turned at the same time and trotted off. Before they were out of earshot, Bon-Bon heard Apple Bloom tell the others, “So we don’t have to worry about her candy turnin’ into swarms of bugs, right?”
Bon-Bon shook her head in disbelief. Fillies would believe anything, wouldn’t they? And her suspicions were confirmed. She’d have a few choice words for Lyra when she got home, that was for sure.
The shopping trip had been mostly unnecessary. Bon-Bon was aware of that. With all the orders she had, she would use the extra ingredients eventually, there was no doubt about that, but the cupboards were overstocked as it was.
She didn’t like to admit it to herself, but she had honestly just wanted a few minutes out of the house. Even after Lyra had left this morning, it still felt like there was somepony else there.
It was silly. She realized that. The house was coming into view now as she headed down the street, and it was a perfectly normal thatched-roof cottage like all the others. Haunted houses didn't look like that.
Maybe whatever happened yesterday was the last of it. And Colgate, and Fluttershy, and the fillies would all forget about this story underneath all the other spooky tales going around this month.
She would have a few choice words for Lyra. Going around spreading all those rumors. Who knew how many ponies Lyra must have talked to by now?
And, by the looks of things, she wasn’t finished. Twilight was standing in front of the house with her, and as Bon-Bon got closer, she could pick up the conversation.
“In every single case, it’s always been a combination of overactive imaginations and scientifically explainable phenomena.” Twilight had that oh-so-official tone of voice she used when giving a lecture. “I can assure you that any kind of ‘investigation’ would turn up just that.”
“Really, Twi? You always ruin the fun,” Lyra said, frowning. “Face it. There’s just some things that ponies can’t explain. And we might have something right here.” She pointed a hoof towards the front door.
Bon-Bon slowed down and hung her head as she approached, but Twilight instantly noticed her. “Ah! Now I know you don’t buy into any of this, Bon-Bon. All these stories about ghosts.” She smiled and rolled her eyes.
“Well, I…” Bon-Bon hesitated. “Twilight, you know that I usually hate to agree with Lyra, but–”
“She heard it even before I did!” Lyra cut in. “We both heard it.”
“I have to admit that what happened yesterday was very strange,” Bon-Bon said. “I’ve tried to explain it. Nothing makes sense.”
"What you need is a serious scientific investigation to prove that there is nothing going on in your house," Twilight said.
"What I need is to get all this work done before the end of the month," Bon-Bon said. "I appreciate the concern, Twilight, but I'd prefer to just let it go."
Bon-Bon waved goodbye to Twilight and followed Lyra inside. It had already been chilly out, but stepping into the house was like entering an icebox. She shivered.
“Lyra, would you mind starting a fire?” Bon-Bon asked.
“Already on it.” Lyra set a few logs into the fireplace and pointed her horn down to create a small spark of flame.
Bon-Bon let out a sigh and continued into the kitchen. She set her shopping bags down on the counter, then stopped to rest for a moment. It had to be nearly freezing in here. She could almost see her breath condensing in the air.
She headed back into the living room to stand by the fire until the house warmed up. Lyra was slouched on the sofa, idly plucking the strings of her lyre as it floated by her side.
“So what exactly have you been telling everypony?” Bon-Bon said.
“Huh? About what?” Lyra cocked her head. “Oh, you mean about the ghost! Yeah, I… I guess I might’ve said a few things.”
“About headless ponies and my candy turning into flies?” Bon-Bon said, her eyes narrowing.
Lyra shook her head. “I didn’t say anything about the Headless Horse.”
“You just lied to a very impressionable group of fillies, then?”
“Oh, man, can you imagine how awesome it would be if we actually did see the Headless Horse, though?” Lyra said, her eyes lighting up. “I loved that story when I was their age. So cool!”
“It’s not cool. It’s disturbing,” Bon-Bon said. “I’d like to get through this month without any complications.”
She turned and headed back into the kitchen. With any luck, yesterday’s chaos would all be –
Bon-Bon stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she entered the room. For a moment, she was speechless, then she finally managed to choke some words out. “Lyra... did you do this?”
She heard Lyra slide off the couch onto the floor, then slowly plod over to her side. “Do what? I only just got home, I was in the living room the whole…” Then Lyra noticed it too. “Whoa!”
Every cabinet, drawer, and shelf in the kitchen was open–and completely bare. But the objects weren’t gone. They were stacked, floor to ceiling, in precariously leaning piles scattered all over the room. Every mixing bowl, every spice jar and bag of ingredients. Even the silverware was placed on top.
Lyra shook her head. “You really think I could put together something like this? I wish.”
"Your magic. Maybe you didn't realize it."
Lyra shook her head. "Nah, I'd notice if I did something like this."
Bon-Bon was trying hard to keep her head. She put a hoof to her forehead. “Just… help me get this all put away. I can’t reach all the way up there.”
“What? But he must’ve worked so hard on this…” Lyra stared up at the towers, frowning.
“He?”
“You’re right, it could be a girl ghost…” Lyra sighed. She looked around. “Where’s the camera? Can you at least get my picture next to this stuff?”
Bon-Bon groaned. “I'm trying to use my kitchen. And I can't use it if everything's...” She gestured with her hoof at the chaos.
“Just one picture? Please?”
Bon-Bon sighed. “Fine.”
What had Twilight said? “Scientifically explainable phenomena”? Bon-Bon could have laughed if she wasn't so shaken right now.
It would be a miracle if she made it through the month.
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When they take that picture they are in for a surprise...
Good going so far! Now waiting for the next update!
This could go so many ways, but I'm suspecting it's a set up with the entire town in on it. Twilight just happening to be outside right before a lot of individual objects all somehow stack themselves up on top of each other when Bon Bon's back is turned? The same Twilight who unshelved every single book in Golden Oaks at once in the name of reshelving day? Too much of a coincidence.
Fluttershy is probably legit, though. She can do no wrong to Bon Bon. Aside from that one time she covered Bon Bon in garbage
its good to see lyra caring about the ghost it allways pissed me off when i see a ghost turning on a tv and some random asshole inside the house comes and turn it off.FUCK MAN LET THE GHOST WATCH HIS FUCKING TV SHOW
oh silly lyra
The dialog about the blackberry house was brilliant. After the mistake was cleared up, it just turned so normal, and just felt so natural.
poltergeist with ponies, you know this will get a fav.
I am loving this prequel so far.
However!
If you pull the "it was Pinkie Pie the whole time", or similar...
...it will not end well (no pun intended).
This is turning out pretty cool, cant wait for more
1408998 I never thought of it that way...
Supernatural phenomena?
Brace yourselves. The fire nation is about to attack.
1409228 Prequel?
I have to admit... the bit with Colgate and Black/Blueberry lane had me in stitches.
Who you gonna call? GHOST BUCKERS!!!
...
That can be taken entirely the wrong way...
Awesome.
Unexplained noises from empty floors, sudden & extreme drops in temperature, objects mysteriously moved into precarious "spirit stacks"...Yeah, there is definitely something paranormal at work in their cottage. That, or Pinkie Pie ate 3 dozen marshmallow Peeps in one sitting again.
Nice fakeout with the whole Blackberry Lane/Blueberry Lane thing, by the way. Very funny.
Great story! Colgate has moved up a few notches in my Favorite Pony list because of that scene. Really well done and I'm most eagerly looking forward to seeing what happens next. I'm putting my money down now that it's a girl ghost and she's actually a griffin who died long ago in the house.
1409728
Polterfelia?
1409690 This story could be taken as the prequel of Anthropology, from the same author.
and then bon-bon notesed her address blackberry lane...don don don!
I would so want a picture of me with the impossible stacks of stuff.
Lyra, you crack me up.
1410189 Just because it has Lyra in it? Unless he says it's a prequel I'm thinking it's a stand alone story, completely separate from Anthropology. Unless you have a reason for thinking so?
Oh Colgate, you so silly. That part was hilarious, especially the hearts warming eve thing
God I hope they don't have a television set.
What if they changed the street name to try and gloss over that event in the town records...
The "Dark" tag scares me a little but overall this is quite enjoyable. It would've been a bit more interesting if Twilight hadn't been a, "Scientific inquiry" type pony and instead in a world where magic is real and experienced every day had more been a instant believer and ran off to study and prepare against the undead monsters! Just a little bit with Twilight acting more out of sync would've been good. Anyway though, this has remained VERY solid. Anxious to see more. Thanks so much for sharing.
1409713
Yeah, me too. Nice subversion of the usual dramatic reveal of the house's dark past.
Blueberry Lane was brilliant.
1410595 I didn't mean prequel as in same story arc, just that it seems to be set in the same world with the same characters having a different adventure some time before the events of Anthropology.
1410098 "Uhm, guys? I don't think that's ectoplasm..." "OH GOD!!!"
Blackberries, blueberries, they are pretty similar.
Ah man, even the ghosts are trolls in Equestria. Although this is pretty typical fare for a poltergeist starting up. I wonder what he's winding up for. If it is a he...
Hmm... Ghost, Twilight trolling, Trollestia, or the Spy? I wonder...
ok I just started reading anthropology so maybe this has already been explained this but, in chapter 4 i noticed this sentence "At least there hadn’t been any more incidents with hands. Never mind the ghosts and goblins, that had been a scarier experience than anything Nightmare Night could offer." maybe this is related to the story somehow.
Nevermind. upon closer review this story happened after the nightmare night incident, whereas anthropology happened before/.
1410367
I was going point out that Bon-Bon surely knew her own address and that the only way that she would be mistaken would be if the house address had gotten damaged or smudged or something.... then I remembered in chapter 1
Twilight: Look!
Lyra: This is hot Bon-Bon!
Twilight: Symmetrical dishware stacking! Just like the Fillydelphia mass turbulence of 1947!
Bon-Bon: You're right, nopony would stack dishes like this.
Please write more.
Awesome fakeout, as others have noted. Legit clever there.
images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120805211244/creepypasta/images/e/e3/Mrbones.png BON-BON. MR BONES WELCOMES YOU.
Oh sure, it's all fun and games at first, and then before you know it, Bon-Bon's staring down the face of an eldritch horror trying desperately to rescue Lyra.
I think fluttershy is puting squirrels and chipmunks is bon bons and Lyra ceiling because she can't find anywhere else to put them.
1408993 Word to your mother, good sir.
i.imgur.com/3G9Ei.jpg
1409713
What Colgate doesn't remember is... after what happened there, they switched the street names so Mayor Mare could sell her rental properties at a higher price! Dundundunnnnnnn...
Jason, there is one thing I want to give you right now....
i795.photobucket.com/albums/yy232/tophthetomboy/Transformers%20Gifs/EPICBROFIST.gif
Yes.
blogcdn.com/www.aoltv.com/media/2009/11/south_park_ghost_hunters.jpg
ohh, we got alot of paranormal activity....
1411170 I suddenly want to misquote some old Stan Freberg stuff.
"The story you are about to hear is true. Only the color has been changed to protect the property values."
Seriously, what if it turns out that the development of Blackberry Lane only happened after the event, the location of which was (accidentally or deliberately) misreported? Conspiracy!
"“Your oven transformed into a flamin’ portal to Tartarus?”"
Ghostbusters?
People are saying things, and I did in the last chapter too, that this is a prequel to Anthropology. I actually now think that it's a standalone story, because it's described that this is the Nightmare Night after the one we saw in the show. Remember when Colgate said “Yep! I mean, last year gave us a tough act to follow. Any idea if Princess Luna’s coming back this year?” So it's a different continuity than Anthropology. Nightmare Night 2012 instead of Nightmare Night 2011.
And it turns out that all the baking supplies that the "ghost" put on the floor were poisoned. Everypony in the whole town ate the cookies and sweets and died. Bon-Bon and Lyra were the only survivors. When Canterlot visitors came, they found a dead thin and scraggly Bon-Bon lying on the street with Lyra next to her. FALLOUT!
