What the Hay!

This chapter is edited by Vates Despero and Rye Bread.

What the Hay!

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The three fillies ran through the streets of Ponyville, excited giggling coming from the three of them.

At first Scootaloo wasn't all that happy with the prospect of spending the remainder of the day inside some stuffy library, but the idea that they might earn their Cutie Marks with this was really exciting. This caused her inner crusader to surge forward, as it did with her two friends, and together they ran towards another adventure, which, hopefully, didn't have them end up covered with tree sap. The fact that they were heading to the library, which was inside a tree, didn't really help there.

They dodged and weaved around and past the ponies in town, making some of them shout out at them as they almost dropped the objects they were carrying. But they didn't notice, too excited to do their thing. This was, however, also unfortunate for the town’s very own human resident, as he came to meet the girls again.

"Hi Danny!" Scootaloo shouted as she ran past him, almost tripping him.

"Sorry Danny," Sweetie Belle said next as she ran behind him, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards onto his rear.

"Bye Danny," Apple Bloom called out to him as she jumped over his legs, kicking up a bit of dust where she landed on the dry dirt path.

Groaning and rubbing his back as he pulled himself back up, Danny Manson shot the three fillies an annoyed look.

"That's the second time those three knocked me on the ground," he muttered as he dusted himself off.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell didn't notice though, as they moved through the streets and alleys, coming closer to their destination, and, perhaps, their destiny.

"Come on you slowpokes," Scootaloo yelled back at her friends as she ran ahead of the group, her wings buzzing to give her just that much more speed.

"Ain't you tha one that didn't wanna go to the library?' Apple Bloom yelled back.

"It's probably the whole racing thing that she has going on right now," Sweetie Belle replied, knowing all too well that her orange friend couldn't let any kind of race go without herself competing in it.

"Nah. Ah think she just wants ta bury her muzzle in all those books," Apple Bloom shouted back with a teasing grin.

"HEY!" Scootaloo yelled back over her shoulder, glaring at her earth pony friend while running at top speed. Which made her miss the fact that she was running head first into the door of the very library they were going to.

With a slam and a crash she flattened against the door, sticking to its surface like a pancake.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle came to a grinding halt behind their friend, struggling to contain their laughter as they saw the flattened pegasus grumbling to herself. And, of course, to make matters even more awkward for the speed demon, it was at this moment that Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville's very own librarian and personal protege of Princess Celestia herself, opened the door to see what all the ruckus was about.

Blinking dumbly as she saw the awkwardly smiling pegasus stuck to the door, Twilight had to take a moment to let the situation sink in. Looking at the two other fillies standing before her, clearly having trouble keeping their composure over their friend’s unfortunate situation. Sighing out while shaking her head slightly, Twilight finally got a grasp on what was going on. The crusaders were at it again, and that often led to massive destruction all around.

"Girls," she began, a hint of suspicion in her voice. "What are you doing?"

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle, who in turn looked at Scootaloo. While the question was simple enough, the answer not so much. In their excitement they forgot to agree on an proper cover story, and they were sure that Twilight wouldn't let them do any "research" on manticores, ghosts, or manticores possessed by ghosts. They were already in enough trouble as it was, and asking Twilight about any of that would not be the best thing to do. That just left one question: what to tell the frowning purple mare who was waiting for an answer?

"Well... ehh. You see," Sweetie Belle started hesitantly, hoping her friends would help her out with this. "We came here to... To..."

"Ta find ah book... for an... assignment for school," Apple Bloom added after a momentary pause.

"Uhum," Twilight hummed as she raised a single eyebrow. "And why is Scootaloo stuck to my door?" she asked, before realizing what it was she said, and using her magic to pry the filly from the woodwork.

"Ehh... Because we—" Scootaloo began, but a look from her friends made her reconsider her words slightly. "I mean, I got a bit too carried away with all of this, and ran here as fast as I could," she said, struggling to keep from visibly shivering. "Seeing that I really wanted to find the book about that thing we needed to do." The struggle to keep a straight face became even more difficult as she could taste something very foul in her mouth, the words she spoke making her wings itch as to tell her that she needed to shut up and get away from this dull place as fast as possible.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were also struggling to keep their composure, but not because they were forced to say something like what their friend was saying. No, they had a difficult time because their friend was making such a poor attempt to sound sincere while saying such a ridiculous thing.

Twilight, too, wasn't convinced. She looked at the three fillies with a flat, deadpanned look, before sighing and shaking her head.

"And what is it that you really want?"

"A book," Sweetie Belle said with a sigh, being truthful about this much.

"Really?" Twilight asked while blinking dumbly a few times. "Why?" She added with suspicion thick in her voice.

"Ta read about manticores." Apple Bloom answered, also truthfully, but not telling the entire truth.

"Why?" Twilight questioned again, beginning to sound like a broken record.

"...Because we want to know why it was behaving so weird," Scootaloo added slowly, choosing her words carefully, lest she give herself and her friends away.

"So, let me see if I get this right. You want to read a book about manticores to find out about certain behavior, and this after you almost got eaten by one last night," Twilight summed up.

"Ehh… Yes," Sweetie Belle answered with a large beaming smile.

Twilight looked at the three with a scrutinizing gaze, trying to read the three fillies like her books. But her skills in reading other ponies were somewhat lacking, and she wasn't all that sure what to make of these three.

"So, a book?" she said again, earning a confirming nod from the three fillies before her. "Just a book? No crazy scheme to earn your cutie marks?" This time the three shook their heads, albeit hesitantly. Noticing this Twilight had to make sure they wouldn't do anything they, or she would come to regret.

"Fine. But you have to promise me you’re not going to do anything that will get you in trouble. Especially after what you three did last night, understood?"

"Yes, Miss Twilight," Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said with nods and innocent smiles, halos hanging above their heads. The perfect image of innocence, and a major warning sign that they were up to no good. Which would probably mean trouble for the neighborhood.

Twilight, however, failed to pick up on this little warning sign, and she allowed the three fillies into her abode. Happy, though their reasons were a bit unclear, she was able to bestow the knowledge found in her library on these three young minds.

Still, she wasn't entirely oblivious as to what these three youngsters were capable of, and she was quick to ensure that they -as well as the town and everypony in it- would remain safe. Well, this time at least.

"Okay you three. Everything you want to know about manticores can be found in these books," she chirped happily, and levitated several books over to the three fillies, who were less than interested in these particular books. But they couldn't just outright say that they were looking for anything about ghosts. So, with fake smiles, they accepted the various books given to them by Twilight, hoping they would get a chance to find a book about what they really wanted to know.

Scootaloo's ears began to twitch, however. And their smiles became just a bit more forced, when Twilight started one of her lectures about manticores, and the danger they posed. Surely this was just a coincidence, right?

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Frantic knocking sounded on the door, and Twilight hurried to see who it was that was trying to bring down her door, for the second time this day. Which prompted a sigh of relief from the three fillies, who had been subjected to one of Twilight's long and boring lectures for almost an hour now. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both shot a dirty look at Sweetie Belle, who smiled sheepishly back at them. None of this had gone as they had planned, as far as you could say they had a plan to begin with.

Their ears twitched however, as they heard the all too familiar voice of Rainbow Dash. Ponyville's very own captain of the weather team, future Wonderbolt, the Element of Loyalty and, of course, the most awesome pony in all of Equestria, if Scootaloo was anypony to say so. Which she was, they agreed on that during the most recent Rainbow Dash fan club meeting.

"Twilight, you have to come, now!" Dash all but shouted. Confusion, excitement and even a bit of anger mixed in her voice. "There is something wrong with the lake! Somepony has been messing with the weather schedule, and everything is frozen. You have to come!"

"What- What do you mean?" Twilight asked confused, not understanding the rambling of her friend.

"No time to explain. Just come on." And with that, Rainbow grabbed hold of Twilight and flew towards the lake, leaving the three young fillies alone in the library.

Looking at the door, not fully realizing what had just happened, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo just sat in their places, blinking dumbly.

"She's gone, isn't she?" Apple Bloom asked after a moment.

"I guess," Sweetie Belle replied after a few short seconds.

"So, we don’t need to read these boring things?" Scootaloo asked, a hint of hope in her voice.

"Ah think so," Apple Bloom said, and she felt her excitement grow.

"We can finally find out about ghosts and such," Sweetie Belle said excitedly, bouncing slightly on the spot.

"And find out how to earn our Cutie Marks," Scootaloo added, wings flapping happily.

The three of them looked at each other, and with a nod they agreed on their next course of action.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, Book Finders. Yay!"

Whooping and cheering they began running around the bookcases, looking for anything that would be of interest. They looked and looked, but anything related to ghosts ended up being either ghost stories for foals, or those strange novels adults liked so much.

"Over here!" Scootaloo shouted excitedly as she held up a book with a scary ghost image on the cover.

"Scoots, that's just a book with ghosts stories," Sweetie Belle said, and Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

"Oh, right. I knew that."

"Just try to look somewhere else. Obviously Twilight doesn't keep those books here," Sweetie Belle told the other two, who nodded in understanding.

Apple Bloom ran to one side of the library, looking through the books there. She didn't find anything that was of any interest to her, but some of the things there might be useful for other crusading attempts, and she kept them in mind for later. She did, however, find a lock of curly pink hair that smelled a lot like cotton candy behind some of the books. Though for the life of her, she couldn't figure out how or why a lock of Pinkie Pie's mane was lying there.

Scootaloo also hadn't much luck. From the various books with ghost stories for sleepovers or camping trips- which appeared to be read thoroughly- to books about cooking, which looked brand new. But nothing about actual ghosts, or how to catch them. There was, however, a spell book lying open on the table, the exposed page showing a spell to turn an apple into an orange. Twilight was probably working with that, so Scootaloo decided to leave that where it was.

Sweetie Belle wasn't doing much better, and she started to think that there wasn't anything here that would help them. She was about to give up and call her friends to figure out what to do next, when a curious green glint caught her attention, leading her to the door to the basement. It was standing slightly ajar, and a sudden urge to go down there came over her. Not understanding it (but not questioning it either) Sweetie opened the door and looked down into the dark basement; Twilight's personal laboratorium.

"Hey girls," she said after a moment, never breaking her gaze into the darkness below, "maybe there’s something down there?"

"It better be," Scootaloo grumbled, "there’s nothing here," as she and Apple Bloom moved next to Sweetie Belle, both of them looking down into the dark room that had Sweetie Belle's undivided attention.

Taking a first hesitant step down, Sweetie Belle began the descent down the flight of stairs, followed mere moments later by her friends. Apple Bloom quickly turned on the lights, bathing the dark, dreary looking blackness below in warm white light. Blinking numbly, Sweetie Belle snapped out of her semi-trance-like state. No longer did the basement look foreboding, and the three of them could see all the scientific equipment standing around, as well as a large bookcase.

"Cooooolll," the three of them cooed at the same time, and together they ran the rest of the way down the stairs to take a better look at everything there.

"What's this?" Scootaloo said excitedly as she held up a vial with some kind of red liquid.

"Ah dunno, but take a look at this here," Apple Bloom replied with the same level of excitement as she ran around a large machine found in the room. "What’d ya’ll think this is?"

"I think it is one of those fancy computer thingies," Sweetie Belle answered as she shot a sideways glance at the device. "It isn't anything made by humans, though," she added knowingly as she observed the machine.

Looking back at the book case, Sweetie Belle found herself drawn towards a strange black covered book. Slowly reaching out to it, she carefully pulled it from the shelf and held it up in her hooves.

Looking at the book she was holding and, turning it around to see the other side of the black covered book, Sweetie Belle flinched when she saw the image of a pony's skull on the cover, but not enough to lose her grip and drop the book.

Swallowing, she took a better look at the image, seeing the skull with glowing green eyes, which seemed to almost stare back at her. There was also a title written below the image that made Sweetie Belle more than a little nervous: Necronomicon.

Gingerly she traced a hoof over the image of the skull, not sure what it was that had drawn her to this book in particular.

Suddenly a shock went through her hoof and through her leg, making her yelp out as she dropped the black covered book, not noticing the flash of green in the skull's eyes, or that the book seemingly opened on its own before it hit the ground.

"Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom called out to her friend as she heard her pained yell.

"Are you alright?" Scootaloo asked, rushing to help her friend.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Sweetie Belle answered as she waved her hoof in the air, a pained expression on her face. "I got shocked by this book here. Must have been some protective spell or something."

"You sure?" Apple Bloom asked as she took a look at her friend’s hoof, trying to find any form of injury.

"Yes, I'm fine. It startled me more than anything."

"Whoa!" Scootaloo said in awe, drawing the attention of her fellow crusaders.

"What is it?" Sweetie Belle asked, seeing the orange pegasus stand over the book she had just dropped.

"Just read this," was all she answered as she scanned the information found on the pages.

At her suggestion, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stepped next to their friend. Looking down on the book that lay open, they could clearly see the many images of spectral beings, and the information detailing them.

"There are many different forms of spectral beings," Apple Bloom read out loud, "Ghosts, specters, spirits and shades ta name a few. Each one of them is unique, and yet they are tha same. Their power comes from tha same source, but changes ta match tha form they chose after their death."

"Whatever the deceased will become, or call themselves, is determined during the choices they've made while alive, as well as the choice they will make at Purgatory," Scootaloo continues, an eager edge to her voice as they finally found what they were looking for. "And, as such, this is both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness."

"Spectral entities have the ability to possess the bodies of mortals," Sweetie Belle picked up, and the three of them shared an excited look when she mentioned the subject of possession. "But should they attempt such a feat on another spectral creature the effects could be catastrophic. The energy of the possessive ghost will try to match the energy of the possessed ghost. This is a very dangerous thing, as it has the known effect of destroying the powers of either one, or both ghosts."

"This is so cool!" Scootaloo squealed excitedly, her wings buzzing in earnest. "Does it also say how to find and capture a ghost?"

"I don't know?" Sweetie Belle said, shrugging.

"Well, why don't we find out," Apple Bloom replied sensibly as she skimmed through the pages. None of them noticed the words shifting and changing as she did so. And it didn't take long before she found something that seemed promising. Something she wasn't even looking for, but was led to regardless.

"Hey, look at this."

"How To Summon A Spirit," Scootaloo read, blinking rapidly as she had trouble absorbing the information found on the pages. Strangely enough, the next time she blinked and opened her eyes the words seemed suddenly much easier to understand. It was as if they had rewritten themselves. But that was just her imagination, right?

Shaking it off, she, as well as her friends, read the description on how to summon their very own spirit.

"Are you girls thinkin’ what Ah'm thinkin’?" Apple Bloom asked her friends with a sideways glance.

"Does it have something to do with apples?" Sweetie Belle asked with a small grin.

"No... Yes... Maybe... It mighta crossed my mind, but that’s not what Ah meant. Ah thought we could try this summonin’ thingy, and call up a spirit or somethin’."

"But what good will that do?" Scootaloo asked annoyed, "I thought we were going for ghosts, not spirits."

"Ah know that. But tha book said they’re the same, more or less."

"I guess," Scootaloo muttered.

"Eh girls, this does seem like it would take some magic to pull off, and I am not even able to lift a broom. This doesn't really seem possible."

"It don't seem all that hard," Apple Bloom said as she read the instructions in the book."

"I think she is just scared," Scootaloo mocked.

"Hey, I'm not scared."

"Yes you are, you chicken."

"I'm not a chicken!" Sweetie Belle shouted.

Scootaloo only replied by making chicken noises and weakly flapping her wings.

****

Meanwhile, inside a damp and gloomy cave.

Pinkie Pie, standing at the edge of the mirror pool, looked at the ceiling with a flat, deadpanned expression. She sighed heavily while rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"You had to do it wrong again, didn't you. This is the second time, the SECOND time you got that joke wrong," she said loudly at the ceiling, glaring daggers at the author as he was typing these very words, while her voice echoed around her.

"I'm warning you mister. I have a massive sugar rush, and I am not afraid to use it."

Confident she had made her point to the author she turned slightly to the side, "And you, proofread FASTER! We don't have all week you know?!"

The author slowly backed away from his keyboard, not wanting to deal with this crazy pony right now. While the proofreader was huddling in the fetal position, slowly rocking back and forth. Acting fast, the author quickly rushes back to the keyboard and changes the scene back to the basement.

****

Back at the basement.

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom sat once more around the book. And, aside from a few muttered remarks about feathery animals that couldn't fly, they managed to stop their bickering and get back to business.

"Okay, so Ah do this," Apple Bloom said as she indicated a set of instructions about how to draw the glyphs necessary for their summoning. "Ah need somethin’ to draw ’em with, though."

"On it!" Scootaloo piped up, before she shot off. Only to return moments later with a set of crayons in her mouth.

"Here you go," she said as she dropped them at Apple Bloom's hooves.

"Thanks," she replied, and happily started working on the markings in the middle of the basement's floor.

"We're going to need some protection I think," Sweetie Belle spoke up as she continued to read the spell. "Why don't you go look to see if there is anything here we could use."

With a nod Scootaloo shot off again, searching high and low in the basement.

"And I will try to do this, I guess," Sweetie Belle muttered unsure.

"All done!" Apple Bloom shouted happily a few moments later as she stepped away from the crude drawings.

"Found some!" Scootaloo piped up next, and carried a lab coat, boots and glasses with her. "We do need to share, though," she added as she pulled the goggles over her eyes, magnifying them tenfold, making it look like she had bug like eyes.

"Ah get tha coat!" Apple Bloom called out, and she hurried to put on the, much too large for her, coat.

"Great," Sweetie muttered as she looked at the set of white lab boots, several sizes too large for her.

Using what little telekinesis she could summon, she pulled the boots onto her legs, sighing as she realized they covered three quarters of her legs, and were several sizes too wide.

"Yeah… This is going to work," she muttered sarcastically, before sighing and joining her two friends at the open book lying before the drawings Apple Bloom made on the floor.

"So, are we going to do this, or what?" Scootaloo said impatiently, more than eager for some action.

"Yeah, yeah. Just hold one one minute," Sweetie said frustrated, not sure how she was roped into doing this.

"Okay, stand back a bit," she told her friends, and a weak light green glow surrounded her horn. A glow that was mimicked by the symbols on the floor, which began to pulse in response to the unicorn filly's struggling attempt at a summoning.

As the lights in the basement began to flicker, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked around with a mixture of expectation and anxiety. A spark shot from Sweetie Belle’s horn, which spiraled randomly through the air, until it landed on the book lying before her. In a flash, toxic green energy shot from the book, hitting Sweetie Belle in the chest, and causing her own magic to spiral out of control.

A bolt of pure green energy blasted off from her horn, bouncing off of the walls, ceiling and floor. The three fillies ran around screaming as they tried to dodge the glowing green orb of destruction, and, to make matters worse, all the various items found in the laboratory hit by the orb were blasted into pieces, or sent flying into the air.

Apple Bloom dodged and weaved to avoid the shower of shattered glass from the broken vials, while Scootaloo dived underneath a table, dodging the green orb headed towards her. Sweetie Belle, however, had the worst luck of the three, as the orb nearly hit her, and shattered a jar filled with gold dust, completely covering the cowering filly, save for her boots thanks to the magical contamination protection spell placed over them, keeping them as clean as ever.

It didn't stop there, though, and the next thing she knew she had run into a case filled with various potions. They rattled around in their racks from the shock, and several spilled over. One in particular, a bright red potion for unknown purposes, fell down on the scared filly, staining her mane with red streaks, and her tail as well, as she turned around to get away from the sticky liquid.

Blinded by fear and gold dust, Sweetie ran around without aim. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, hiding underneath the desk Scootaloo had dove underneath earlier, watched their friend running around helplessly. They also saw the bolt of green energy fly towards her, and they both shouted a disastrous warning to Sweetie Belle.

Stopping in her tracks, Sweetie managed to open one of her eyes, only to see the glowing orb strike her squarely in the chest. And, as 'luck' would have wanted it, she was standing right in the middle of the glowing set of glyphs made by Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle screamed soundlessly as the blow knocked the air out of her lungs, and the glyphs glowed with pure energy. A wave of green engulfed the gold covered filly, obscuring her from her friends’ sight as a swirling vortex formed around her. Sparks of energy shot out from the raging maelstrom, making it impossible for Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to come anywhere near their friend, and they were forced to watch the events play out.

It seemed like hours, but it was only half a minute before the energy started to dissipate, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo could begin to see the outline of their friend through the glow. She was, however, too far off the ground to be standing. It was after several more agonizing seconds that they were able to see their friend was actually hovering in place. And even more seconds until they were able to properly see their friend again.

With a flash the energy vanished, and Sweetie Belle fell to the floor with a thud. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo rushed to their friend, but they froze in place when they saw the changes that had happened to her.

"What happened to her?" Scootaloo yelled in panic.

"Ah don't know!?" Apple Bloom shouted back, both of them watching the transformed filly with fear and shock.

With a low, long groan Sweetie Belle came to. Shaking her head a bit to regain focus, and rubbing her forehead near the base of her horn with a hoof.

"What happened?" she asked in confusion as she struggled to get back up on all fours, but getting no reply from her friends.

"Girls, what happened?" she asked again, and looked up to meet their gazes. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, now concerned as she saw the open mouthed, wide eyed expressions her friends gave her. "Is there something on my face?"

Lifting a hoof to feel her face for any abnormalities Sweetie Belle found out something was wrong, very wrong. No matter how far she reached, she was unable to feel her face. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, however, let out a blood curdling screech when they saw Sweetie's boot covered hoof move cleanly through her head' and stick out on the other side.

Pulling her hoof away as if she'd been shocked, Sweetie Belle looked at her friends with fear evident on her face. Swallowing loudly, she looked around to find anything she could use to see herself.

A flicker of light from the overhead fixture reflecting in the shards of glass covering the ground provided the answer, and Sweetie gazed at herself in the reflective surface of one of the larger pieces.

She screamed. Loudly.

The boots she was wearing, white at first, had turned pitch black. Her gold covered fur had changed color as well, turning into a gleaming silver. And the bright red streaks the potion had left in her mane and tail had turned a deep blue. That, and her mane and tail seemed to be made of a mist, slowly moving as if struck by an unfelt breeze. And the eyes, her eyes, staring back at her. They were a glowing green.

"What happened to me!?" she screeched as she backed away from the strange pony looking back at her in the glass, looking to her friends for answers.

"Ah… Ah don't know!" Apple Bloom said frantically, finally having found her voice again. Scootaloo, however, remained mute. Staring dumbly at her friend, almost unblinkingly.

"I can't be seen like this. Make it go away! MAKE IT GO AWAY!" Sweetie wailed as she lay down on the ground, eyes closed and her front hooves covering her face.

A frightened gasp from Scootaloo and Apple Bloom only added to the dread she felt. Carefully lifting a hoof, she cracked open an eye to see what happened. Or she would have, if she wasn't already looking through her closed lids and hooves covering her eyes.

Another scream sounded through the basement, and Sweetie Belle backed away in fear, knocking several objects from the desk she hit.

Her friends, unable to see the currently invisible filly, were startled by the sudden scream coming from thin air and the accompanying rain of objects.

Finally moving into action, Apple Bloom ran to the book covered with pieces of glass and other broken things which she didn't want to think about right now. They would come up with some explanation for Twilight later, but that was not important right now. Grabbing the book and shaking off the pieces of glass, Apple Bloom shifted through the pages frantically to find an answer.

"Come on, come on. There has to be an answer for this!?"

She saw the words contained in the pages shift before her eyes, but didn't question it any more. A lot of weird things were happening, and this book was the source of it. Whatever kind of magic was causing this, she just hoped there was a counterspell in this book that would help her friend. She didn't stop to see what it was the words shifted into, she just skipped through page after page, hoping to find an answer. But every page she turned to showed the exact same thing. Finally, after having reached the end of the book, Apple Bloom saw no other option than to read what it was the book was trying to show them. With a wavering voice Apple Bloom began reading it out loud, so the others could hear it as well.

There are many different forms of spectral beings. Ghosts, specters, spirits and shades to name a few. Each one of them is unique, and yet they are the same. Their power comes from the same source, but changes to match the form they chose after their death.
Whatever the deceased will become, or call themselves, is determined by the choices they've made while alive, as well as the choice they will make at Purgatory. But sometimes, in rare events, alive and dead mix, creating something truly unique. A Halfa. Over the millennia there have been only three beings that can be called as such. One chose the path of evil, another the path of the hero. And one who wandered, who was born in the dark but found her way into the light.
But the hero was lost to guilt and sorrow, and evil is moving closer to him. The wanderer, still looking for him, will have the help of others, but it might not be enough.
Destiny is a curious thing, and it is not always what you thought it to be. Three has become four, but it may not remain like that.
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle. Your journey has only just begun.
You looked for meaning in your lives, but it is in death that your path shall reveal itself. Sweetie Belle, in time you will know what you are meant to do. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, you will be by her side when that time comes. How things will play out however, depends on how you deal with this now.
Sweetie Belle, either you embrace the gift given to you, learn to use it. Or you run away from it. But destiny will follow you everywhere, and the outcome will depend on your choice.
Darkness is coming, and the hero might not be enough.
Go forth Sweetie Belle, and find your destiny.
Go forth, Silver Spirit.

Silence.

"W-what?" Sweetie Belle stuttered as she sat next to Apple Bloom, scaring the yellow filly as she was still invisible.

Scootaloo also reared back in fright, as she could hear her friend's voice coming from Apple Bloom's side, but not see her. But it was enough to shake her out of her stupor, and she slowly moved towards where the sound of Sweetie's voice came from, holding a hoof stretched out in front of her.

A slight tremble moved through her outstretched leg as she took slow deliberate steps closer to the seemingly empty spot next to Apple Bloom, only to meet resistance as her hoof came in contact with the invisible filly.

"T- This is so weird," Scootaloo said in shock as she retracted her hoof, only to push it back again to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

"Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said with a muffled, annoyed voice, "get your hoof out of my face… Hold on, you could touch me!?" she said loudly as she realized what her friend had just done.

"You touched me, your hoof didn't go through me?"

Scootaloo only looked at her hoof as if she had stepped on something slimy, not sure what to make of it all.

"But we still can't see you," Apple Bloom said, her voice a bit calmer, but still on edge.

As if on cue, Sweetie Belle popped back in existence, surprising both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. The latter stumbling backwards as she tripped over her own legs.

"Never mind," Apple Bloom said in a small voice as she could see her friend once more, as well as the changes she'd gone through.

"But I don't want to be seen like this. What will my big sister say?" Sweetie said, afraid as she carefully glanced back at her reflection in one of the many pieces of glass.

"We'll come up with somethin’. We always do," Apple Bloom said reassuringly, but not believing it herself.

"Y- yeah. It's what friends do, right? Maybe Twilight knows what to do?" Scootaloo added.

Nodding weakly, Sweetie Belle stood up. Walking towards the stairs with her head hung low as if she was heading to the gallows, she mentally prepared herself for whatever Twilight or Rarity might say, and couldn’t bear to think what anypony else would think. Especially Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. She wished this would all just go away, that she could turn back into her normal self.

A flash of silvery white light appeared around her, forming as a glowing band of energy around her midsection. All three fillies gasped out over this new development.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo watched in amazement when the band split in two. One part moved across Sweetie's front, while the other along her back.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing, as, in front of their eyes, Sweetie Belle turned back to normal. White coat, curly two toned pink and purple mane, normal not glowing green eyes, no blue streaks going through her mane. And, weirdest of all, the boots were gone as well.

Sweetie looked at herself with wide eyes, a happy smile slowly forming on her face.

"I'm me again!" she shouted happily while wrapping her front legs around herself in a hug. Only for her to shoot a beam of toxic green energy from her horn, making a scorch mark on the ceiling.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo once more had their mouths unhinged as they saw what had happened. And this time it was Scootaloo that was the first to respond.

"That… Was… So… AWESOME!" she yelled as she jumped up, wings buzzing in excitement. "Do that again."

"How? I don't know how I did that." Sweetie replied, when she suddenly found herself sinking through the floor. "OR THIS!" she added frantically, and her friends rushed to her side and pulled her back up.

"What is happening to me?"

"Silver spirit," Scootaloo muttered, earning herself a questioning glance from her friends.

"What?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"The book, it called you Silver Spirit," Scootaloo said as she looked back at the black book, only to find it was gone.

"Hey, where’d tha book go?" Apple Bloom said puzzled, "Did one of ya’ll move it?"

Both fillies shook their head, indicating they hadn't done so. A low rumble sounded through the room, and all the various objects, broken or otherwise, began to shake and rattle in response, making the three scared ponies back away in fear.

"I don't think I want to be here any longer," Sweetie Belle said frightened.

"Me neither," Scootaloo replied.

"Same here," Apple Bloom confirmed. And together the three of them fled up the stairs, screaming the whole time as the rumbling and shaking intensified. Only leaving behind a set of protective glasses and a lab coat lying in a heap on the ground.

The door slammed shut behind them as a green glow filled the basement. All the various objects moved back to their original places, and those that were broken repaired themselves. And, in the center of it all, a black book with a skull on its cover hovered in the air. The sockets of the skull glowing a bright green. Then, as suddenly as it had started, everything stopped, and the basement was as tidy as ever.

The book however, turned around so that the skull faced the bookcase Sweetie Belle had found it in; hovering in place as if it was waiting for something. Another rumble began to rattle the objects in the basement, and the books began to shake more and more violently as a green glow seemed to shine from behind them.

Suddenly, every last one of the books flew out of the bookcase and started circling in mid air, a green glow connecting everyone of them, as a portal formed in the center of the spinning circle of books. A lone figure stepped out of it, dropping to the ground as he looked around. He wore a cloak with the hood down, and had a beard and glasses, giving him the look of an old monk.

"Oh, here you are," he said to the book, and held out his hand for it to land in. But, barely touching the black book, the Ghost Zone's librarian could feel the residual energy still coming from the book, and with a heavy sigh he looked at the skull on the book's cover. "Oh, Necky. What did you do this time?"

The book answered by opening to the exact center, showing only one word.

"Destiny."

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

Panic.

It was the only thing on their minds, and the only reaction they had to what they were seeing. They had run out of the basement, never looking back, and out of the library, slamming the door shut behind them. But what they saw next made them press their backs against the door, questioning if they might have been better off back in the basement.

Pinkie Pies. Pinkie Pies everywhere. Pinkie Pies bouncing down the street. Pinkie Pies jumping up and down chimneys. Pinkie Pies wreaking havoc all around town.

"Did we do this?" Sweetie Belle squeaked in panic.

"FUN! FUN! FUN!"

"Ah don't know?" Apple Bloom said, equally frightened.

"We need to get out of here!" Scootaloo said, eyes darting left and right as she tried to find an escape route.

"Over there!" she shouted as she made a mad dash for an opening in the herd of pink, soon followed by the other two crusaders.

"We have to do something! This is our fault, isn't it?" Sweetie quietly shouted, not wanting everypony else to hear her.

"How could it be? We never did anything with Pinkie Pie… today," Apple Bloom replied after a moment. "Whoa!" she shouted as a stray Pinkie jumped in front of her, and she was forced to evade the crazy wall of pink. "WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE!"

"FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!"

"THAT'S WHAT I SAID!" Scootaloo yelled back, and she pushed herself a bit more, getting as much speed out of her small legs and wings as she could.

"Wait up!" Sweetie Belle shouted, being the slowest of the three, having neither pegasus nor earth pony speed.

Her struggle to keep up with her friends cost her, and she tripped over her own legs. Falling down on the ground, a bolt of green energy shot from her horn, hitting one of the many Pinkies in the head.

"Fu-nnnn..."

The pony that was hit had a dazed look, and her head wobbled on her neck, before she collapsed on the street, legs splayed wide.

Sweetie Belle screamed over what she had done, and it was only thanks to Apple Bloom coming to help her back up and pull her away that she didn't remain there.

"We have to go back! She could be hurt!" Sweetie wailed as Apple Bloom pulled her away.

"Ah know, but we can't be here right now. Whatever this is, whether it is something we did or not. You don't want them ta find out what happened ta you, right?"

Sweetie Belle didn't answer, her friend’s words echoing through her mind.

'What did happen to me?' she wondered as she was mindlessly pulled along, never stopping for anything or anypony.

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

The door of the tree house slammed shut, and Scootaloo leaned against it, standing on her hind legs, breathing heavily.

In the center of the crusaders’ clubhouse sat Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, just as much out of breath as their pegasus friend.

"What happened?" Scootaloo managed to say, as she slowly slid down the door.

"How should Ah know?" Apple Bloom replied, rushing to one of the windows to peer outside.

"And what was the deal with Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo continued, ignoring Apple Bloom, as she moved over to the scared unicorn filly, poking her with a hoof.

"Stop it, Scootaloo," Sweetie said in a mixture of annoyance, fright, and sadness.

She didn't, and she continued to poke her friend, not believing what had happened back there.

"I SAID STOP IT!" Sweetie Belle yelled, and Scootaloo hurried away from her. But it wasn't her yelling that made her do so. It were her eyes. They were glowing a toxic green.

Swallowing loudly, Scootaloo was unable to avert her gaze, and she was forced to stare into the toxic green glow coming from her friend’s eyes.

Sweetie Belle, angry that her friend kept poking her, could see something had scared her. And it didn't take long for her to find out what it was. Seeing the glow of her eyes reflected in Scootaloo's large, fearful eyes, she knew it came from her, but she didn't want to believe it.

She screamed again as she back peddled away, hitting a wall behind her, and drawing the attention of Apple Bloom, who was watching outside to see if anypony, pink or any other color, was looking for them.

Seeing her friend backed up against the wall, she cocked an eyebrow as she didn't know what all that was about.

"Why did you scream? " she asked.

"My eyes, they're..." Sweetie stuttered in fear

"They're, what? Ah don't see anything weird."

Not believing her friend, Sweetie rushed to the chest at the other side of the clubhouse, digging through the various objects they had used over the course of their crusading, and pulled out one of the hoof held mirrors they had "borrowed" from her sister.

Staring at her reflection, she could see her eyes were their normal, not glowing green, and she let out a sigh of relief. Only for her to drop the mirror as her hoof became intangible, shattering the glass on the ground.

"Go away! GO AWAY!" she screamed as she shook her hoof, trying to shake it off, which only seemed to make it worse. Her leg completely lost shape, and nothing but an intangible trail was left. Twisting and turning in the air as if it was hit by an unfelt breeze, and Sweetie Belle felt herself becoming nauseous from fear.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo could only stare at the strange sight, not sure what they could do to help their friend.

"We need to get help," Sweetie Belle whimpered, tears forming in her eyes as she didn't dare look at her leg, or whatever it had become.

"Jus' calm down," Apple Bloom said, "We'll figure this out."

Shaking her head weakly, Sweetie closed her eyes, and took several calming breaths, slowly regaining control over herself. And, as she did so, her leg returned to normal as well.

"Look," Scootaloo said as she stared at the leg, "it went back to normal again."

Carefully opening a single eye, Sweetie saw her friend was right, and a sigh of relief escaped her mouth. Only for her to fall backwards as both her hind legs turned into an intangible trail, not unlike a tail, and the color of her legs mixed with those of her tail, which had also become a part of this.

Looking at her friends with fear in her eyes, Sweetie could only mutter one word.

"Help!"

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

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were frantically running around their club house, completely at a loss to what they should do. They had messed up, big time, and there wasn't even any tree sap involved. Which, most likely, meant that this was far from over and everything was still going to blow up in their faces.

Scootaloo especially had trouble keeping herself under control, and the rapid, panicked flapping of her wings caused the various papers lying around to blow up in the air, which only added to the chaos.

Apple Bloom, although a bit more down to earth than Scootaloo, was also lost in panic. Looking through the windows in paranoia, afraid that her sister, or somepony else would find out what they had done and come for them.

They had already gotten in trouble when they went manticore hunting, and she was sure she would be grounded for life this time.

And Sweetie Belle, she was cowering in the center of the room, holding her front legs over her head in a shielding manner, sobbing to herself as her hind legs and tail were still transformed, twisting and turning uncontrollably in the storm made by Scootaloo. Still, she was the most calm of them all, surprisingly, considering she was the one that got hit the worst. With a sob she pulled one hoof away from over her eyes and glanced at the mess that was being made. Something had to be done, and it was obvious that her friends wouldn't do it.

Taking several deep breaths to calm herself down, and to steel herself, Sweetie Belle lifted herself up with her front legs. Her hind body lifted up as well, seemingly able to support its weight even without hind legs. This freaked her out again, but she managed to stop herself before she would lose control over herself again, and managed to shake it off, partially.

"Girls!" she said loudly, gaining no reply.

"Girls!" she said louder, but still no response.

Rearing up on her hind legs so she could stomp her front hooves on the ground, Sweetie prepared to shout as loud as she could. But a small detail that had slipped her mind for a split second came rushing back as she realized she didn't have any hind legs anymore, and she screamed out again as she looked down, seeing herself hover in the air.

This did at least draw the attention of her friends, and Apple Bloom turned to look at her, while Scootaloo stopped dead in her tracks. Both of their mouths fell open with sonic rainboom speed.

"Y-y-y-you're flying," Apple Bloom stammered, completely blown away.

"How are you doing that?" Scootaloo asked, sounding almost awed.

"I don't know!? Just get me down!" Sweetie shouted back as she flailed her legs in the air as she tried to maintain her balance.

As if on her command, her legs and tail turned back to normal, and gravity took a hold on her again. Dropping down to the ground with a: "Oomph," Sweetie Belle rubbed her sore flank, muttering several obscenities that would age her sister several years if she heard, but glad she was normal again, as far as this would count as normal.

"What is happening to me?" she quietly muttered as she looked herself over.

Slowly moving over to her friend again, Scootaloo gently pushed a hoof against one of Sweetie's hind legs, feeling they were completely tangible again.

"Silver Spirit." she muttered, earning a confused glance from both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

"What?" Sweetie asked unsure.

"Silver Spirit. The book called you Silver Spirit, didn’t it?" Scootaloo asked, getting a weak nod from Apple Bloom, as she was the one that had read it. "I- I- I think that spell you did made you a spirit."

Silence.

More silence.

"WHAT!?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shouted in disbelief, looking at their friend as if she was crazy.

"Hey, you saw what happened yourself," Scootaloo immediately defended herself. "What happened to Sweetie, and what the book said. Do you have a better idea about what happened?"

"Ah… You… Well, no." Apple Bloom stammered her answer, "But you can't be serious. How could that even happen?"

"Like how we just saw, maybe."

Apple Bloom raised a hoof and started to argue about it, but couldn't think of anything so she stood there with her mouth open and leg raised.

"You've got a point there," she relented.

"Wait, I do?" Scootaloo said surprised, "Huh, that's new."

"But, if you're right. Does that mean that I am d-"—Sweetie swallowed loudly—"dead?"

In a flash of light, a band of energy formed around her midsection. Splitting in two, one half moved forwards, while the other moved backwards. Where the rings of light moved over her, her body transformed. Her white coat became a shining silver, and her mane and tail turned into a silver intangible mist with blue streaks going through them. Her eyes began to glow a toxic green, and her legs were now covered with wide black boots.

"I guess so," Scootaloo answered meekly as she stared wide eyed at Sweetie Belle, unable to close her mouth after she finished talking.

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

Several hours had passed, and Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had gotten somewhat used to the weirdness that was Sweetie Belle's transformation. Not much, though. Enough to not freak out every time her eyes glowed green, or her body became intangible or invisible.

Eventually Sweetie turned back to her normal self, not knowing how it had happened, but glad it did. The three of them had agreed to tell nopony about this, fearing what they would say, and the grounding they would most likely get. Still, there were two problems still to deal with: Where did all those Pinkie Pies come from? Did they do that? Or was it some random, ill timed coincidence? And what about Twilight's basement?

They had to find out, which wasn't all that difficult. They could just ask one of their sisters what had happened, making sure not to give away anything about what they had done. They would have to avoid Twilight, though. She would most likely would want an answer about what had happened to her basement. Simple, if you didn't count the fact that Sweetie Belle's body could do all kinds of crazy things at any random time. Especially shooting that weird glowing green energy from her hooves, which really freaked them out. So, they decided to leave her in their clubhouse, while they would look around town and find out if everything was safe. This way she wouldn't accidentally give herself away and, maybe, figure out how to control this while she was there.

"Okay Sweetie, stay calm," Sweetie Belle told herself, taking several calming breaths. "Whatever this is, you can control it, I hope. Okay, let's see. Hooves normal?" Looking at her hooves, she saw they were their normal white. "Check. Mane and tail normal?... Check. Eyes?" Looking into the hoof held mirror, "Normal. Cutie Mark?... Nope, sigh."

It would seem everything was as it should be, blank flank and all. The question she had now: Would it stay like that, or was it going to change?

It was a double question, and it made her wish for a different answer for the each of them.

But for now, she would settle with remaining normal. It was a wish that wasn't granted, as she was, ever so slowly, sinking through the floor.

"OH, COME ON!" she shouted, and pulled herself back up. Her lower body turned tangible with a pop as she pulled herself free from the wooden floor and fell backwards, hind legs sticking up in the air.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT?" she shouted at her legs, which, in response, turned into an intangible tail, falling limply over her face.

A loud groan could be heard coming from the treehouse.

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

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were heading back to town, neither one of them in a hurry to do so. Walking as slowly as they could, but not slow enough to look guilty, they looked around at some of the destruction caused by the pink tidal wave named Pinkie Pie.

They really hoped they weren't the cause of this, or they would be grounded for life. Not to mention the fact that they would most likely have to clean all of this up.

"Ahbdon't know 'bout you. But Ah really hope we only messed up Sweetie Belle, and not all of Ponyville," Apple Bloom said in a lowered voice.

"Yeah, me too. Although I wish Sweetie was fine too," Scootaloo replied.

"Yeah, me too. What do you think really happened ta her?"

Scootaloo shrugged in response, before answering.

"Beats me. The book called her a spirit or something, I'll just stick with that for now."

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom said unsure as they both approached Ponyville.

"Let's just get this over with!" she added more loudly, walking a bit faster.

"Yeah, sure," Scootaloo said less than thrilled, and followed her friend.

Ponyville was in chaos. Not because there were ponies running around in panic, but because of all the damage done. Windows were broken. Doors were unhinged. Plants were crushed, and the ground littered with hoofprints. The various stalls on the marketplace were scattered and broken, and most of the wares for sale thrown on the ground. Ponies were scurrying through the destruction, already working on fixing and cleaning everything.

"We are in so much trouble!" Scootaloo said in a hushed whisper, and Apple Bloom flinched back a bit.

"Let's jus' find out what happened, okay?" she replied, downtrodden, and looked for somepony to tell them what exactly happened.

Of course they had to find somepony who didn't know all too well what they were capable of, and who wouldn't question everything about where they have been. Somepony who had only just met them. Somepony that, even though certain things they might have done in the short time he'd know them might cause concern, would give them the benefit of the doubt. Somepony that walked on two legs, and wasn't a pony at all.

They knew just who to go to.

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

"This is not helping at all!" Sweetie Belle shouted in frustration as she sat on the floor, her forelegs turned into an intangible trail and waved around in the air.

"Why is this happening?"

For the last thirty or so minutes, since Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had left her alone in their clubhouse, Sweetie had been trying to figure out how to control these strange things happening to her body, with little success. It wasn't all that surprising, as she didn't even know where to start, or what was happening to her in the first place. But it proved to be very, very frustrating. So much so that, without knowing, her eyes glowed a toxic green as she shouted at her legs.

Groaning out in frustration for the umpteenth time, Sweetie Belle let herself fall forwards, faceplanting against the wooden floor. But the hit never came, and Sweetie found her head sticking through and out from underneath the floor.

She didn't groan. She didn't sigh or shout. She just breathed out heavily as she used her hind legs to pull herself back into the treehouse. Falling backwards again as she pulled free, Sweetie just lay there as she stared up at the ceiling, taking notice that she didn't sink through the floor again, and figuring she had turned solid again. If only she knew how to do that herself. Not only would it help her not to draw any suspicion to herself, but it would provide her with some very interesting new possibilities.

She shook her head as that thought crossed her mind. Was she really considering using this thing? What good could possibly come from any of this? Then again. Walking through walls would be rather useful if she was grounded again, so maybe there was some use for this afterall. But she would have to figure out how to use it first.

Sitting back up with a sigh, Sweetie looked at her front hooves again, seeing they were their normal solid selves again.

"Okay. Let's try this again."

Closing her eyes in concentration, she willed her leg, and only her leg, to turn invisible. Opening her eyes after several moments, she looked down, and saw nothing. Her leg, and only her leg, had vanished into thin air. A sense of accomplishment settled down on her, and she couldn't help but feel somewhat excited. If she was able to do this, who knows what she would be able to do in the future. A smile slowly found its way onto her muzzle, and her lower body sunk through the floor.

"OH, COME ON!"

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

Danny Manson was less than happy. His cheerful day had turned sour the moment Pinkie decided to duplicate herself and wreak havoc all around town. And now he was working overtime with Ruby and Grill to clean up the mess all of those Pinkies had made of the cafe. At least he had the good fortune of having his house some distance from the center of town, as such it was spared from the destructive force unleashed. But even then, some damage had occurred, and Danny grumbled under his breath.

Setting tables back upright that were turned over, Ruby shot him a glance, knowing how he felt. Her home was also hit, and she knew that both of them had to continue cleaning up when they got home. Looking over to Grill, she could see him working diligently back in the cafe, cleaning the things in there. Sighing, she wished for any kind of distraction, just to have something to take their minds off of all of this for a moment.

"HEY DANNY!" Apple Bloom shouted, as she and Scootaloo ran over to him.

Ruby gulped as she saw her wish granted, hoping it wouldn't make things worse. Those fillies had a bad habit of making an even bigger mess of things than Pinkie had done.

"Yeah, what's up?" Danny replied as he placed his hands on top of the broom, and resting his head on top of them.

"Do you... Ah mean... We’re wonderin’ what happened here. Why were there so many Pinkie Pies everywhere?" Apple Bloom asked, giving him the most innocent smile she could.

Arching his eyebrow at the almost too-big-to-be-sincere smile, Danny stood straight and shrugged.

"Beats me. I heard something about some pool mirror or something, I'm not really sure. You'd have to ask Twilight about that. She and her friends are in the town hall right now, trying to figure out what to do with all those Pinkies."

Sharing an uneasy glance between each other, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rubbed their heads awkwardly as they looked down at Danny's feet.

"So, Twilight huh?" Scootaloo asked lamely.

"Is there anypony else who might know something?" Apple Bloom asked, looking up at Danny expectantly.

Danny shrugged, "Maybe your sister or her friends? They might know what was going on. Other than that, I have no idea."

Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's ears folded flat on their heads, knowing that if they wanted an answer, they would have to go to the manticore's lair, as it were. They would have to face Twilight. They just hoped she hadn't seen the mess they'd made of her basement.

"Okay, Danny. Thanks Danny." Apple Bloom said with faked cheer, as she and Scootaloo hurried to get away.

"Those two are up to something," Ruby said as she watched the two fillies run away.

"Yeah, I figured as much," Danny replied, "I wonder wha—"

"HEY! You two, stop lollygagging, and get back to work!" Grill said irritated as he stuck his head out of one of the broken windows, glaring at the two of them. Danny and Ruby quickly went back to work, forgetting about those two fillies for the time being.

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

Sweetie Belle was hovering several centimeters above the floor, struggling to keep herself there. It had taken her a lot of effort, but she had pulled it off. She was flying, sort of. And she was determined to hold this out for as long as possible.

"Five minutes and counting," she grunted as she looked at the small clock she had set on the floor beneath herself. "Come on, just a little longer." she muttered, before faltering after another twenty seconds had passed, and she dropped to the floor.

Panting loudly from the effort it took, she pondered what she had managed to do so far. Turning invisible proved to be relatively simple, as long as she concentrated hard enough. But she was too easily distracted, and thus she was unable to remain unseen for very long. Not to mention she would fade in and out of sight at random more than she would like. But she was figuring out how to deal with that, she just needed more time. Intangibility was more difficult, and she had not been able to do this herself. It only happened on its own, and it proved to be very frustrating. Flying was something she didn't first expect, and it went against her very nature as an unicorn. The strain she had to put on herself to do so was tiring, and she didn't know if she would ever be able to pull this one off for any significant amount of time. And, as far as that weird glowing stuff around her hooves and horn went. It wasn't magic, she figured that out soon enough.

After having tried to shoot one of those bolts again through the use of her magic, she found herself unable to do anything more than make her horn spark. And her hooves remained as un-glowing as ever. However, when she sneezed, a bolt of energy shot from her left hoof, leaving a scorch mark on the wall. It was confusing for her, but this time she was able to feel the energy rush through her body, and it most certainly wasn't magic.

After concentrating on her body, she could dimly feel some strange energy within herself. And, after several attempts, she was able to let some of it out in the form of a glow around her horn and hooves. It was a green glow, not unlike the feeble amount of magic she could channel through her horn, so it might be possible to disguise the one as the other. But this strange energy did glow several shades darker than her magic, so she would have to be careful with it.

It would take time, but Sweetie began to believe that she would be able to control this… whatever this was.

There was just one more thing she needed to try though, and she wasn't sure how to do it. Still, better try something, right?

Planting her hooves firmly on the floor, Sweetie concentrated as hard as she could on the energy she felt inside.

"Come on, transform!"

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

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at the closed doors of town hall with dread. They knew that behind these doors were Apple Bloom's sister, as well as Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, multiple Pinkie Pies… and Twilight. They had been sitting in front of the closed double doors for several minutes now, hesitating to proceed.

"You do it," Scootaloo said, arguing over who should be the one to knock.

"No, you do it," Apple Bloom shot back.

"No you."

"Ghraaa... Fine, together," Scootaloo muttered.

"On three?" Apple Bloom asked.

"On three." Scootaloo confirmed.

"One," Scootaloo began, and both of them lifted up their hooves.

"Two," Apple Bloom continued, and they moved their hooves to the door.

"Three."

*Knock*

Silence.

"Well, looks like nopony is here. Let's go," Scootaloo said quickly, already moving away from the door.

Apple Bloom stomped down on her tail, stopping her retreat cold, as she herself kept a pensive look on her face.

"We can't leave now. We need ta find out what happened."

"Yeah, but wh—" Scootaloo started, but she was interrupted by the sound of loud popping, and a purple pink stream of magic flew out of a top window.

"What was that?" they both said together, before, quietly, cracking opening the door so they could peek inside.

Their breath got caught in their throats as they saw a room full of pink. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood to the side of the room, watching over the herd of Pinkies, while Twilight and Spike were on the stage near the back. Spike was slumped over the stool he was sitting on, an empty bag of popcorn lying on his belly. Twilight, however, seemed busy scanning the crowd, looking for something.

"Look what I can do with my hooves," one of the Pinkies said, and she stuck a hoof in her mouth and blew on it. Her other hoof, held up for another Pinkie to see, suddenly seemed to inflate in certain parts, forming what roughly looked like those fingers Danny had on his hands.

Both of the Pinkies were hit with a blast of purple magic, making them inflate like balloons as they flew up in the air. Then, they popped, and a twin trail of purple pink energy shot away and out of the door Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had partially opened.

Screaming as they fell backwards, the doors wide open, they could only stare up as Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked down on them. Neither one of them looked all that thrilled with the two fillies showing up like they had.

Several more pops sounded coming from inside, and five more streams of energy flew away into the air, heading for the Everfree Forest.

"Apple Bloom," Applejack said with a calm, but serious tone.

"Squirt," Dash said, a bit less serious, but still more than enough to make Scootaloo feel uncomfortable.

"Mind telling us what you're doing here?"

"Ehhh… We were just in tha neighborhood, and were wondering where all those Pinkies came from," Apple Bloom answered, a large, apologetic smile on her face.

"Uhu..." Applejack was not believing it, arching an eyebrow.

"It's true," Scootaloo said, sounding almost defensive.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash shared a look with each other, before turning their attention back to the two fillies still lying on the ground before them.

"An' where is Sweetie Belle?" Applejack asked.

"She... eh… She's..." Apple Bloom stammered.

"She.. had to do something else, yeah," Scootaloo answered weakly instead.

"Right, back at our clubhouse. She's right there, perfectly fine. Nothin’ to worry about," Apple Bloom said hastily, eyes darting between Scootaloo and her older sister.

"Sooo," Scootaloo began, trying to steer this interrogation away from them. "Where did all those Pinkies come from?"

"Why, from the mirror pool, of course," Pinkie Pie chirped happily as she stood over Scootaloo, pressing her face into hers, before she was hit by a blast of magic, and popped like a balloon.

"Another one down, just a few more to go," Twilight said, her horn smoking a bit from using that spell so many times.

"What's a mirror pool?" Apple Bloom asked after a moment.

"Nothin’ ya need worry yer pretty head over, little sis," Applejack said, as she and Dash finally helped the two fillies back onto their hooves.

"Sooo, that's it. Some weird pool mirror did this?" Scootaloo asked cautiously hopefully.

"Something like that, yeah," Dash said as she patted her number one fan on the head, "But we're kinda busy here trying to figure out which Pinkie is the real one."

"I am!" Pinkie Pie shouted, before being hit with Twilight's magic.

"Right, like I said. We're kinda busy, so you two better get out of here."

Both of them nodded eagerly, more than glad to leave before they had to confront Twilight.

"Just wait a moment," Twilight said as she stepped out of the door, though keeping an eye on the remaining Pinkies.

The two fillies froze on the spot. They were so close to a clean getaway, and now they were unable to escape.

"Did you two and Sweetie Belle do anything in my lab down in the basement while I was gone?" she asked, giving the two of them a look that made them very nervous.

"Ehh. No, not really," Apple Bloom managed to say, before nudging Scootaloo in the side, urging her to say something.

"We really didn't do anything. Why'd you ask?"

"Because, despite all the damage done by Pinkie Pie, my la-" Twilight paused mid-sentence to shoot another spell at one of the Pinkies. "Because my lab looks cleaner than ever."

"HUH?" both fillies uttered in confusion, before shaking their heads, just going with it.

"Maybe Spike cleaned up or somethin’?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"Yeah, totally," Scootaloo agreed.

"So, if we're no longer needed here…..." Apple Bloom said suggestively.

"Then we're going again, " Scootaloo finished, "Lots of things to do."

And before any of the older mares could answer, the two of them shot off, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

"Them kids are up ta somethin’," Applejack said as she looked at the retreating forms of the two fillies.

"Totally," Dash agreed.

"Indeed, yes indeed," Pinkie Pie said with a fancy voice, a monocle before her eye and a fake mustache on her muzzle.

She vanished in a burst of magic.

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

"COME ON, TRANSFORM!" Sweetie almost shouted as she strained herself to do just that. But all she managed to do was give herself a headache from the strain, and she collapsed in a heap, legs splayed to the sides.

"This is never going to work," she groaned.

"What isn’t?" Apple Bloom asked suddenly, making Sweetie scream out in surprise, turning invisible without thinking.

Turning around to face her friends, Sweetie turned visible again at her own command.

"Cool. You can control it now?" Scootaloo said almost awed.

"Not really. Most of the times it just happens. I can only turn invisible if I concentrate really hard."

"But you can control it?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Kinda, I guess," came the doubtful response from Sweetie.

"Anything else you figured out?' Apple Bloom continued asking.

"Well, this," Sweetie answered, and she lifted her hoof up. Energy began to pour into the outstretched limb, and her hoof began to glow a faint toxic green. Then she shot a small, mostly powerless beam into the wall behind her, which was covered with small burns.

"Cooool," Scootaloo said as she sprinted to the wall, dragging a hoof over the burnt spot.

"I figured out how to fly as well," Sweetie said, dropping a bombshell on her pegasus friend.

Scootaloo, frozen on the spot from those words, slowly turned around to look at her friend. Her face a mixture of awe and jealousy.

"Show me!"

"Okay… Here goes," Sweetie said, and closed her eyes in concentration. For a moment nothing seemed to happen, but then, one by one, her hooves lifted off the floor, and she was levitating in the air several centimeters above the floor.

"THAT. IS. SO. AWESOME!" Scootaloo shouted excitedly, as she ran around Sweetie Belle to look at her from every angle

Dropping down after a moment, Sweetie let out a sigh of relief as she no longer had to strain herself like that. But, she noticed, it had felt easier to do this time.

"That's about it," Sweetie said. "So, found out anything yourselves?"

"Actually, we did," Apple Bloom said after shaking her head, clearing her thoughts enough to reply.

"And?" Sweetie Belle questioned.

"Well, we didn't cause tha whole thing with Pinkie, so we got that going fer us."

"That's kinda nice," Scootaloo said with a relieved sigh, "So we only messed you up."

"Yay," Sweetie said sarcastically, "I'm so thrilled about that."

"I didn't mean it like that," Scootaloo said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Moving on," Apple Bloom cut in between, "It also seems that somepony cleared up the basement after we left, so we don't have ta worry about Twilight neither."

"What?" Sweetie asked, blinking rapidly. "Who?"

"I don't know?" Apple Bloom replied with a shrug.

"Seriously. What the hay is going on?" Sweetie said, frustrated with the lack of answers, and it showed.

Her eyes glowed green, as did her horn. Small sparks flicked off of her horn, leaving tiny burn marks in the wood. Noticing this, Sweetie took several deep calming breaths, and the glow around her horn vanished, leaving only her eyes glowing.

"That’s really... freaky," Apple Bloom said. "Please don't look at me like that."

"I'll try, but I really don't control any of it," Sweetie said, downtrodden, "What if my sister finds out about this when it just starts doing things again?

"Don't worry, it won't," Apple Bloom said reassuringly, patting her troubled friend on the back.

"You sure?"

"Ah am. Hey, tell you what. Why don't we spend tha night right here. We just tell everypony we're having a sleepover, while, instead, Scoots and Ah will help you figure this thing out.”

"Really?" Sweetie said, her ears perking up hopefully.

"O’course, that's what friends are for," Apple Bloom told her.

"Yeah, we will totally stick by your side with this," Scootaloo spoke up, "Besides, maybe we’ll be able to earn our Cutie Marks doing this?"

"Yeah," Sweetie said hopefully, a smile finding its way on her face, "Maybe we will."

"So, you two thinking what Ah'm thinkin’?" Apple Bloom asked, an eager glint showing in her eyes.

"Is it about apples?" Scootaloo asked lamely.

"Well, yeah. That too, but that's not what Ah am talkin’ 'bout. So, are you two thinkin’ what Ah am thinking?"

"Duhu, do you even need to ask?" Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes, and her mouth turned into a grin.

"Sweetie?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Count me in."

"Okay," she said, and all three of them sucked in as much air as they could.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spirit Training. YAY!"

Author's Notes:

Wow, Sweetie Belle is a ghost now. Or spirit, to be more precise. Who would have guessed? Give a thanks to Voltrasin for giving me the idea, and I hope you enjoyed what I have created here.

Now, there is something I would like to ask all of you. We all know the trademark yell of Danny, and I want something similar for Sweetie. That is where you come in. Leave a comment with your idea for a yell for her to use, and vote one the yells posted by others. Some criteria. It has to fit with Sweetie, of course. Also, I want it to be something that is both classic crusader style, but not something that will make it seem like if everything will blow up in her face. Danny's "I'm going ghost!" while simple, also lets you know shit is going down. This is something I want for Sweetie, but, of course, something original.

As I said, post your ideas, and vote on the other ideas posted as well. The best rating posts will be placed in the author's note with a next chapter, and you can decide which will be used by Sweetie Belle as she transforms. And keep it clean and simple, we don't need anything that we know doesn't fit.

Also, let me know about the mistakes I made, and tell me what you liked.

Powerdrainer.

Training Day

View Online

I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.

Training Day.

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

The thought was pure, and the plan was good. The execution however, not so much. No sooner had they completed their trademark yell, than a serious problem presented itself to them. Mainly, they were still grounded. They knew they had to come up with some way to be allowed to do their "sleepover" tonight, and in their clubhouse.

Apple Bloom… Well, her sister would prove to be a problem after what they had done with the manticore, and she knew it was pointless to even ask. But, there might still be a chance, small as it was, if she asked her big brother.

Scootaloo's situation was difficult as well, and it would best be described as a wildcard. Her foster mother, although looking out for her, never sat right with Scootaloo. It wasn't so much over what she was doing, as it was what she was trying to be to Scootaloo. That had never sat right with her, and she often didn't listen to her, just going her own way.

But the most difficult of them all would be Sweetie Belle. There was no way she could go into town, or to her sister for that matter, like this. She would turn invisible at a whim, only for her to turn herself back with an annoyed frown. Not to mention the sinking through the ground, or the sporadic transforming. That would prove to be difficult to keep hidden.

Still, better to solve the two easiest problems first. Then they could focus on the larger problem at hoof.

That is why Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had left Sweetie in the clubhouse for a second time. And the two of them were each heading in their separate ways, hoping against all odds that they were going to be allowed to hold their "sleepover". They had to hurry, though. The sun was already going down, and there would only be a few more hours of light left.

And so, Apple Bloom was galloping as fast as she could to the farmhouse, hoping to find her brother Big Mac while he was returning home after a day of hard work. She left a cloud of dust hanging behind her as she sped over the sun dried path twisting in between the trees, formed over the course of years by ponies walking over it repeatedly.

No matter what, her friend needed her help, and she would make sure she would be there to help her. After all, she's an Apple. And when an Apple says they're going to do something, by Celestia, they’re going to do it.

Trees passed by in a blur, and Apple Bloom's eyes were narrowed in intense focus as she pumped her legs as hard as she could, passing by the trees so fast, that if you blinked you would miss it. She knew this land like the back of her hoof. How could she not, she grew up here. And, using this knowledge, she practically flew back home, using every shortcut she knew.

Slow, heavy hoofsteps reverberated through the area, and Apple Bloom locked her legs in place, grinding to a halt as she recognized the sound as her brother walking. Turning to the sound, she leaped forward, moving as if she'd never stopped at all.

Her eyes widened a bit as she saw a small bush obstructing her path, but she wouldn't let this slow her down. Narrowing her eyes, she jumped as far and high as she could, going over the foliage almost without any problem… almost.

Her tail got caught by a branch, and it brought a sudden stop to her soaring flight.

But her forward momentum couldn't be completely as her tail broke free from the sudden pull, and Apple Bloom found herself tumbling through the air, and over the ground a mere moment later. Coming to a stop right in front of her big brother, she was left looking up at him, lying in a heap with her legs tangled up.

"Hey Big Mac," she said lamely, giving him an awkward smile. "Could you help me?"

"Eeyup," he replied with a small sigh, and helped his younger sister back on her hooves.

"Thanks," she said with a smile, receiving only a nod in response.

Having helped his sister back upright, Big Mac resumed his trudge back to the barn, pulling the large cart full of apples he was hitched to along with him. Apple Bloom, still trying to figure out exactly what to say, ran beside him, needing to go a lot faster than him, as each one of his steps were equal to four of hers.

"Say, big brother," she began, and one of his ears twitched, showing he was listening. "Ah was wondering if Ah was allowed ta have a sleepover at tha treehouse with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?" she asked hopefully, giving her brother a large smile.

"Eenope," Macintosh answered, not even slowing down in his walk.

"Because Ah'm grounded?" she asked as her hopeful expression fell.

"Eeyup."

"But Ah won't even leave tha orchard."

"Eeyup."

"So Ah can go?" she asked, sounding just a bit hopeful after her brother's somewhat confusing answer.

"Eenope."

"Aaw, please?"

"Eenope."

"Pleaaaase?"

"Hhrrm. Eenope," he repeated with an irritated groan.

"Please, please, please?" Apple Bloom almost begged while hugging his right front leg, which didn't seem to slow down Big Mac at all.

"NO!" he said forcefully as he continued to walk, ignoring his little sister still clinging onto his leg.

Apple Bloom frowned as she was rocked back and forth with her brother's walking. She would have to pull out the big guns she now realized. Something so persuasive, her brother wouldn't have any choice, but to let her go. Something she discovered when she was going through his room some time ago, looking for something else entirely that she was going to use during one of her crusades. Something that he would most certainly try to keep hidden from Granny Smith and Applejack. Something she found underneath his mattress.

"Say, big brother," she began innocently, despite the devious smile etched her face. "Did you know that Ah was looking through yer room some time ago?" she asked, and Big Mac looked down at her with an angry glare, telling her that she shouldn't have done that. Apple Bloom, however, knew he couldn't stop her now.

"And you won't believe tha thing I found that day, hidden away under yer mattress."

Macintosh came to a sudden stop, several apples falling from the cart from the jolt. His trademark wheatstalk fell from his mouth, and sweat started to form on his forehead.

"Ah didn't know you were even interested in those. And those images, heck, Ah wonder what Granny Smith would say?"

Big Mac stood there nervously, his eyes shifting around, making sure nopony else was around to hear them.

"So, a sleepover you said?"

Apple Bloom couldn't have a bigger grin even if she tried.

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

Scootaloo was going through her room, picking up the things she thought she needed for her "sleepover". Of course, she also packed her pillow and sleeping bag, just to keep up appearances. What she didn't do, however, was ask permission to do so. Which drew the attention of Bellflower, the pony who took Scootaloo in after her parents passed away.

Standing in the doorway, she looked at the young pegasus filly busy packing all kinds of things. Stepping forwards, she saw Scootaloo's ear twitch in response of her hoof steps, telling her that Scootaloo knew she was there.

"Scootaloo, what are you doing?" she asked with a kind, caring voice, which always made Scootaloo grit her teeth.

"Packing for a sleepover," Scootaloo answered quickly without looking at her, her voice flat, uncaring.

"Scootaloo, dear. You know you can't do that. You're grounded."

Scootaloo only shrugged in response, continuing packing her stuff.

"Scootaloo, please look at me while I talk to you."

Scootaloo didn't listen.

"Scootaloo!"

With a sigh that turned into an annoyed groan, Scootaloo turned around, finally looking at the earth pony standing behind her. Looking at the light blue pony with a lilac mane and tail, Scootaloo only felt resentment, and she didn't make much of an effort to keep it hidden.

"What?" she asked, her voice still flat.

"Scootaloo, although I am glad to see you and your friends spend so much time together, you are still grounded, and you can not just go out like that. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," came the monotone reply, and Scootaloo continued packing her things.

"Young lady! You will listen to what I say, right now!"

"Or, what?” Scootaloo said, pulling her bag on her back. "You're not my mother. You'll never be my mother. I'm going, no matter what you say," Scootaloo said, anger clear in her voice, as she walked past Bellflower.

The door slammed shut behind her, and tears fell down on the ground. A quiet sob sounded in the now too empty room, and Bellflower wiped her eyes with her leg.

"Why won't she open up to me?" she sobbed as she sat down, looking at the framed picture standing on Scootaloo's nightstand. "I'm trying so hard, but all it does is push her further away."

The ponies shown in the photo gave no reply.

"I know she is angry over what happened to you, but it just feels like she is blaming me for it." she said, and she stood up and slowly walked to the photo standing on the night stand. "All I want for her is to be happy, but, ever since you left her, she's just been so sad…. She cries herself to sleep sometimes, you know that?" she sighed sadly, and picked up the photo, looking at the smiling faces of Scootaloo's parents, and the little filly being held by her mother. "Please, watch over her." she whispered as she held the photo of her foalhood friends, knowing that it was a pointless wish.

But her words held the power of a force many do not know about, even if they think they do. Love. She loved the filly dearly, as if she was her own daughter. And her whispered wish carried on the winds, reaching places no living being has ever been.

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

As they had agreed on before leaving the clubhouse, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo met up at Rarity's boutique. They would have to find a way to convince Rarity to allow Sweetie Belle to stay for their "sleepover", which was easier said than done.

Scootaloo, living in town, was obviously the first to get there, and she sat waiting for her friend, hoping she would show up. Her frown and bad mood over Bellflower vanished like snow in the sun as she saw Apple Bloom run over to her, a bag filled with various supplies carried on her back as well.

"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo shouted excitedly, "you made it."

"Yep, so did you," Apple Bloom replied excitedly as the two of them hoof bumped.

"Did you have any trouble leaving?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Meh, you know, the usual," Scootaloo answered vaguely. "You?"

"Ah had some trouble with mah big brother, but Ah managed ta convince him ta let me go," Apple Bloom told her, the devious grin coming back to her face.

"Convince him, how?" Scootaloo asked, curious about what she had done.

"Let's just say Ah told him 'bout a certain something Ah found underneath his mattress. Something he really wouldn't want anypony else ta know about."

"Wait, what? What was it?" Scootaloo said, gawking a bit at her friend as she told her she basically had blackmailed her bigger brother.

"One of those mag-o-zines, or whatever they're called."

"Ehh, what? Why would he hide something like that underneath his mattress? What was it about?" Scootaloo asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Pears," Apple Bloom answered simply.

"Pears?"

"Hhmmhmm." Apple Bloom hummed with a nod.

"I will never be able to look at him the same way again," Sweetie Belle said with muted shock as she faded back into view. Sitting on her rump, eyes wide and staring into forever over this little bit of news.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom screamed out as they reared back, their bags bringing them out of balance, causing them to fall backwards.

Both lying in a heap of the items spilled out of their bags, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom glared at Sweetie Belle, who didn't notice this at all, as she was still too lost in thought over what she had just learned.

"Sweetie, what the hay!" Scootaloo shouted, then flinched as she looked around, hoping nopony had heard her, or seen Sweetie doing what she just did.

Fortunately, it would seem the streets were mostly empty, though she could still see a few ponies walking through the streets. She just hoped none of them saw what happened.

"What are you doing here?" Apple Bloom asked as she pulled herself back up.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, Sweetie looked at Apple Bloom. "You were going through all this trouble for me, I just wanted to do something myself as well."

"But what if somepony sees wh—" Apple Bloom started, but was interrupted by the door of the boutique opening.

"What is all that ruckus?" Rarity asked loudly, looking around with a displeased frown, before spotting the three fillies to her side. Two of them sitting in a pile of various items scattered over the ground, and dirt covering their coats.

"Girls," she said flatly, "what did you do this time?"

"Nothing, miss Rarity," Apple Bloom said, and all three of them gave her a large, innocent smile. And Sweetie Belle's left rear leg turned invisible as well.

Seeing this, Apple Bloom quickly moved to block Rarity's line of sight, making sure she wouldn't be able to see the missing limb.

"Nothing, you say. Then why are all those things lying around, making a complete mess around my home? And, for that matter. Why are you two covered in dirt?"

"We fell," Scootaloo answered simply.

"And our things fell out of our bags as well," Apple Bloom continued, looking out of the corner of her eye to see if Sweetie's leg had come back. Which it hadn't.

"And, do tell, why would you have need of all these things? Aren't you two supposed to be back home, being grounded, just like Sweetie Belle is supposed to be, right now!?" Rarity argued back, not trusting these three fillies, as they have proven to be rather capable of causing a lot of trouble as of late.

"Ehh, for the sleepover we were going to hold back at our tree house," Sweetie said, stepping forwards.

"A sleepover? Oh, no no no no. That is not going to happen," Rarity said, not seeing anything out of the ordinary, and Apple Bloom gave a mental sigh of relief as Sweetie's leg had turned visible again.

"You three are still in a lot of trouble, and I won't allow you to go out like that. And I won't believe either one of you two are allowed to do so either," she said as she turned her attention to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"But Ah am," Apple Bloom countered, "Big Mac told me it was alright." Although it was a struggle to keep the devious grin off of her face.

Blinking several times in surprise, Rarity looked down at the yellow filly, not knowing how to argue against that. So, she just did what she did best when presented with such a dilemma. Focus her attention on another.

"Well then. Be that as it may, I am still sure Scootaloo is not allowed to be out tonight."

"Yeah, that's why I am here right now," Scootaloo said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I beg your pardon?" Rarity said, taken aback.

"They let me go," Scootaloo lied, "telling me to have fun."

"Why, I never. Don't those ponies know how to enforce a punishment. I will have to have a word with both your brother and Miss Bellflower," Rarity said indignantly, looking at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "But I won't be so easy on Sweetie Belle. She is grounded, and she will remain so until I say otherwise," she continued, stomping her hoof on the ground to reinforce her point.

"Sweetie Belle, go to your room! And you two, go home, Now!" Rarity said with an authoritative voice, not taking no for an answer.

Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's ears folded flat against their heads, not knowing what to do now. Sweetie Belle would certainly be found out, and then they would be in real trouble. But, with her back turned to Sweetie Belle, Rarity didn't see her younger sister giving a conspirative wink to her friends, telling them she had a plan.

"Okay Rarity." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said simultaneously, slowly walking away and around the boutique, and out of her sight.

"Good," Rarity huffed with a nod. "Now, Sweetie. Bed, now!"

"Fine!" Sweetie groaned, and slowly dragged herself to her room, carefully hiding her invisible left front hoof, as well as her smirk. The night was still young, and she had a lot of training to do.

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

"So, pears?" Scootaloo asked, sitting hidden underneath a tree close to the boutique with Apple Bloom for some time now.

"Yep, pears."

"Huh. I thought it to be something else."

"What do you mean, something else? What else could a stallion keep hidden underneath his mattress?"

"I dunno," Scootaloo said with a shrug. "Just something else."

Silence.

"Corn, maybe?"

Silence.

"Pfft Hahaha, what?!" Scootaloo said, trying to contain her laughter.

"Ah dunno," Apple Bloom managed to get out through her own giggles.

The sound of a pony struggling made them stop, and turn to look at the boutique. One story up, at the bedroom of Sweetie Belle, the two ponies could see their friend climb out of her window with a complete lack of grace. Stumbling around, and making more noise than any of them would have liked, Sweetie managed to pull herself up and out of the window. Only for her to tip over and fall down.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo didn't waste any time in trying to rush to their friend’s aid, hoping to be able to catch her before she could hit the ground. The feared crash, however, never happened.

Eyes closed in intense concentration, Sweetie Belle hovered in the air half a meter above the ground. Not feeling the crushing pain from hitting the ground, she carefully opened one eye, seeing that she had managed to keep herself from falling. A smile broke out on her face, and she let go of her concentration. Realization only had a split second to settle in, before she hit the ground.

Groaning, she lay with her face firmly planted in the dirt while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were both glad she was alright, and having trouble keeping their laughter down, lest they alert Rarity.

Placing her front hooves firmly next to her head, Sweetie pulled her face free from the ground, which seemed to be stuck to it. Spitting out some of the dirt that she had the misfortune of eating, she scraped off her tongue with a hoof.

"Not a word," she said as she glowered darkly at her friends, seeing the laughter in their eyes.

"Let's just go," she muttered, and the three of them walked out into the gathering night. Sleep, however, was not something they were planning on.

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

"Targets?"

"Check."

"Helmets?"

"Check."

"Midnight snacks?"

"... Check."

"Sweetie?"

"Ready, I guess."

"Check."

"Tree sap removal kit?"

"Check."

"Okay, I guess that's all of it," Apple Bloom said in a pleased tone as she checked off the last thing on the list of preparations. Scootaloo, having called out if everything was there, stood ready with a few simple targets made from straw for Sweetie Belle to shoot at. Which, surprisingly, looked somewhat like a human in design.

A grin showed on Scootaloo's face as they were finally about to see what Sweetie was really capable of. Or, if not that, at least help her find out how to use these weird powers.

Zipping around, Scootaloo placed the targets around the edge of the small clearing around their clubhouse, making sure there was enough distance between the simple straw structures.

"Okay, all set up," she said with buzzing wings, more than ready to get this show on the road.

"Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom turned to her friend, "ready when you are."

"Yeah, show us just how much damage you can do!" Scootaloo almost shouted, bouncing on the spot.

"But I don't want to do any damage. I just want to control this stupid thing, nothing more," Sweetie Belle said, alarmed. Taking a step back.

"We know," Apple Bloom said, placing a leg around her friends neck. "But tha only way ta do that, is by learning how ta use it. Just like Granny Smith taught me how ta use tha stove ta make zap apple jam."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle muttered unsure, holding up a hoof and making it glow.

"So, are you going to shoot something now or what?" Scootaloo asked, somewhat impatiently.

"Yeah, sure. I'll do it," Sweetie Belle answered, and she took her place in the center of the clearing. Her friends standing behind her so they wouldn't be hit, and the both of them watched eagerly as Sweetie Belle held up a hoof, aiming it at one of the straw targets.

A faint toxic green glow surrounded her hoof, which was shaking slightly. "Well, here goes," she said, and a small, weak glowing beam shot from her outstretched limb, and into one of the targets, leaving behind a small burn mark on its torso.

"Wait, that was it?" Scootaloo said disappointed. "Can't you do anything more… more..."

"Devastating," Sweetie Belle finished flatly, remorse showing in her face. "Yes, I think I can. Afterall, I did hit one of those Pinkies with something like this. I'm not sure what happened to her, though. Only that she was lying unmoving on the ground."

"Yeah that," Scootaloo said, completely missing the point Sweetie Belle was trying to make. "Do something like that."

"No!" Sweetie Belle said, shocked. "I will not do something that might get others hurt!"

"She does have a point there." Apple Bloom said, glancing sideways at Scootaloo.

"Ow, come on! I just want to see her shoot something, nothing more. Besides, how else are you going to learn to use these things if you won't even try?"

"She's making a good point as well," Apple Bloom said, turning her attention to Sweetie Belle.

"But, what if I hurt somepony?"

"Duhu. That's what the targets are for," Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes.

"Right, the targets," Sweetie Belle muttered, unsure.

"Ah, pony up Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said cheerfully. "It's just practice after all. There ain't no pony you can hurt, and you'll only learn how ta control this if you try ta use it first."

"Fine," Sweetie Belle said with a sigh, "Fine, just... step back, okay?"

Doing just that, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stood several meters away from Sweetie Belle, watching with rapt interest.

"And don't hold back!" Scootaloo said loudly.

Only breathing in deeply in response, Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, feeling the strange energy deep within herself.

Bringing up a hoof, she channeled the energy into her outstretched limb, holding nothing back. Which, as she didn't know how to properly control all of this, caused her to unleash a massive beam of glowing green, completely vaporizing three targets at once, and burning a path through several of the trees.

She jerked her hoof back in shock from the incredible surge of power, and the destructive beam ceased to be. Her hoof smoked from the tremendous amount of energy it just released, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo sat on their rumps in paralyzing shock, their mouths hanging wide open, and their eyes as large as dinner plates.

Silence.

"Girls?" Sweetie Belle said, uncertain. Looking at her friends with fright.

Silence.

"Girls?"

"Th-that..." Scootaloo muttered weakly.

"Yo- You're... You're a..."

"I’M A FREAK!" Sweetie Belle wailed as she fell flat on the ground, her hooves covering her face while she cried.

"THAT WAS-"

"YOU ARE-"

"AWESOME!"

Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled, and Sweetie Belle looked up at her friends as if they were mad.

"W-what?" Sweetie Belle croaked.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled again, albeit a bit less loud.

"You really think so? You don't think I am a freak?" Sweetie Belle asked as she pushed herself up a bit.

"A freak? Why would we think that," Apple Bloom said with a puzzled tilt of her head.

"Yeah. That was totally awesome. Not as awesome as Rainbow Dash is, but still totally out there," Scootaloo said with a frantic pace, almost jumping on the spot.

"Although..." Apple Bloom began hesitantly as she stepped towards the singed and burned trees, "Ah'm not too happy with this."

Sweetie Belle flinched as she saw the damage done to the apple trees, knowing all too well what these wooden giants meant to her friend and her family.

"Sorry," she muttered as she looked down.

"Don't be," Apple Bloom said reassuringly. "Sure, they’re singed, but they'll live. They’re just as tough as we Apples are, so no worries there."

"But what are we going to tell your brother and sister when they find out?" Scootaloo asked, casting a worried glance at the blackened bark. "There is no way they'll believe this came from us merely crusading."

"Don't worry," Apple Bloom said again, with a wave of her hoof. "These trees were bucked weeks ago. It won't be for some time before either my brother or sister will come back ta check up on them."

"And when they do?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Don't worry, Ah got this."

"If you say so," Scootaloo said doubtful, then she turned back to Sweetie. "So, what's next?"

"Ehhh..." Sweetie Belle managed, only now realizing what it was she'd gotten herself into.

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

"Okay, to fly there are several things you need to know," Scootaloo said like a drill instructor as she slowly moved from left to right, and back again.

"Wind speed, aerodynamics, and powerful flaps of your wings to take..." Scootaloo said with force, before drifting off as she looked at Sweetie Belle, who, along with Apple Bloom gave her a flat look.

"Right, no wings," Scootaloo said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"You don't say," Sweetie Belle said sarcastically.

"Well, I'm out of ideas," Scootaloo said, as she sat down on the ground.

"Great, now what?" Sweetie Belle muttered.

"Well, why don'tcha try what you did all those other times before. That seemed ta work," Apple Bloom said thoughtfully, holding a hoof against her chin.

"But I barely know what I am doing to begin with," Sweetie Belle told her.

"Well, it did work. So why don't we just work from there?"

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom, then at Scootaloo, who only shrugged in response. Sighing, she readied herself, and began to concentrate on the energy she felt inside of her.

"Okay, here goes."

Eyes closed in concentration, Sweetie Belle could feel herself become lighter and lighter. It was a difficult thing for her to do, as it went against her natural instincts. But, ever so slowly, she could feel her hooves lift off the ground, and soon she was levitating several centimeters above the ground.

"You're doing it!" Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.

"Can you go even higher?" Scootaloo asked, urging her on.

"I'm not sure," Sweetie Belle muttered through gritted teeth, intently focusing on just staying in the air. "This is harder than you think."

"How so? You're not even flapping any wings. It seems easier to me," Scootaloo said questioningly, not fully understanding how less work could be more difficult.

"It just is!" Sweetie Belle grunted, "Now be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate."

’Come on, higher, go higher.’ Sweetie Belle thought, focusing on the mental image of herself flying. And, to both the amazement of Apple Bloom, and a bit of jealousy from Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle slowly gained more and more height. And, as her sole focus was on her flying, her body changed to accommodate this wish. Unnoticed her hind legs and tail became translucent and shapeless, moving around in an unfelt breeze as they became an intangible tail. She realized, to her surprise, that somehow her attempt at flight had become a whole lot easier, and it didn't take as much concentration for her to maintain. Feeling a bit more confident, she opened her eyes, looking down to see how high she really was.

Her eyes turned to pinpricks as she saw she was hanging above the trees, and her sudden lapse of focus caused her to drop several meters before she caught herself. It was then that she noticed the change of her legs and tail, as the jolt of her sudden stop caused the tail to whip into her face.

She wanted to freak. She wanted to panic. But there was something holding her back. A realization that made her look at her legs with a renewed sense of confusion. Somehow, for reasons she didn't understand, it would seem that her legs being like this helped her with her flying, and she moved from left to right to see the tail trail behind her.

"Hey girls, look," Sweetie Belle said excitedly. "Somehow this is helping me to fly," she continued as she flew around in a slow circle.

"You go, Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.

"Yeah, what she said," Scootaloo replied, but a hint of jealousy was mixed in with her tone, and her smile was just a bit forced as she watched her friend fly around.

"WOOHOO!" Sweetie Belle shouted excitedly as she flew around, becoming more confident with every second. Her speed picked up, and the distances she flew increased bit by bit. Before long she was circling around her two friends at a dizzying speed.

Which did cause her to spin out of control, and crash head first into one of the trees.

Slowly sliding down the tree with her front legs wrapped around it, she slid down the trunk before falling backwards and onto the ground. Stars filled her vision as she looked up at the night's sky, but a large smile etched her face.

"SWEETIE BELLE!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled as they ran to their downed friend, "Are you okay?"

"Girls..." Sweetie responded in a haze, "I just flew..."

"I JUST FLEW!"

She shouted it loud and proud, jumping up from the ground and hovering in the air, green sparks of magic shooting from her horn in her excitement.

Apple Bloom, too, was excited for her friend, and she was jumping around as if she was trying to catch Sweetie Belle's intangible tail. Scootaloo however, although glad for her friend, also felt jealousy and resentment toward her friend.

'Why can she fly, while I can't?'

Shaking it off, she quickly joined her friends in their small celebration, looking forward to finding out what else Sweetie Belle could do.

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

"Come on, just try it again!" Scootaloo urged on.

"I just did, and I couldn't do it. It's just too hard," Sweetie Belle shot back, sweat on her head from the strain she put herself through.

"Just give her a break, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said, stepping in between the two. "We don't even know what this is ourselves, so how can we expect Sweetie Belle ta do it just like that."

"But she is doing it just like that, see," Scootaloo countered, and pointed a hoof at Sweetie Belle, who was slowly sinking through the ground.

"I'm not even going to say it anymore," Sweetie Belle muttered bitterly as Apple Bloom pulled her back by the front legs, only for her front legs to turn intangible as well, which then extended to Apple Bloom as she was holding her.

"WHAT THE!?" Apple Bloom shouted as she found herself sinking through the ground, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at her with surprise and fright.

"How are you doing that!?" Sweetie shouted.

"Ah don't know. Ah'm only holding on to you!" Apple Bloom replied in panic as she tried to pull herself out of the ground, "Scootaloo, help!"

Rushing to her side, Scootaloo grabbed Apple Bloom around the waist and pulled her out of the ground. And still holding on to Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom dragged the unicorn with her.

Finally free from the ground, Apple Bloom let go of Sweetie Belle, and her legs turned solid again.

Lying on the ground with her legs splayed to the sides, Apple Bloom was panting loudly from the fear she'd just felt.

"What just happened?" Scootaloo asked dumbfounded as she looked at her friends, "Did… How did you do that? I thought Sweetie was the only one that did these weird things."

"Ah don't know," Apple Bloom answered weakly, "Ah only grabbed hold of her, nothing more."

"Wait!" Sweetie Belle shouted, "Does that mean I can share these things with others?" She looked at her friends, fear, curiosity and even some excitement showing on their faces with this possibility.

"Ehhh… Maybe you can try it out?" Scootaloo offered.

"Not on me!" Apple Bloom said immediately, not wanting to go through something like that right now.

"Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked as she held up a hoof, "Maybe it also works with the invisible thingy."

Scootaloo hesitantly held out a hoof of her own, and took Sweetie Belle's offered hoof.

"You sure about this?" Scootaloo asked her friend.

"Nope," Sweetie Belle said with a shake of her head, and a disappearing leg.

"GHAAAA!" Scootaloo yelled out as she saw her own leg turn invisible as well, followed moments later by the rest of her body.

"It works. It really works!" Sweetie Belle shouted excitedly, breaking the hold she had with Scootaloo, making her visible again.

"That was soooo weird!" Scootaloo said with shocked awe, looking at her leg with wide eyes.

"APPLE BLOOM!" came the angry call of none other than Applejack, and the fillies turned to look in the direction the shout came from.

"Uh oh," Apple Bloom muttered.

"What do we do now?" Scootaloo asked. "We can't just stay here like this. We'll be grounded for life."

"We don't have to," Sweetie Belle said with a devious grin, "I think I am starting to like these powers, and they might help us out right now." Her hoof glowed green and she shot a beam of energy into the small lamp they had placed nearby to illuminate the clearing, destroying it.

"Quickly girls, hold on to me!" she said immediately after that.

Scootaloo quickly placed a hoof on Sweetie Belle's back, followed a moment later by a hesitant Apple Bloom.

"Okay, I hope this works," she said, staying quiet as they could hear the angry stomping on the ground as Applejack came closer to them.

Focusing intently on turning invisible, Sweetie Belle's body faded out of view. And, as they were holding on to her, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo saw each other fade out of existence as well.

"Now, let's get out of here," Sweetie Belle muttered.

"But what about all the stuff still here? And the trees?" Scootaloo asked quietly.

"Don't worry," Apple Bloom replied, "it's too dark ta see much. And if she doesn't find us here, big sis will go look someplace else."

"And we will be back in our beds when she does," Scootaloo finished, a grin on her face, which none of them could see.

"Exactly," Apple Bloom said with a nod, not realizing it couldn't be seen. And slowly the three of them moved away from their clubhouse and into the orchard, missing the angry Applejack as they were no longer there to feel her wrath.

Yes, these powers could be very useful indeed.

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

"APPLE BLOOM!" Applejack shouted loudly, closing in on the treehouse her sister and her friends used for their little meetings.

Stepping into the small clearing, she had a hard time seeing anything in the dark. If only she had taken a flashlight with her, instead of angrily storming off when she found out her sister was not in her room as she was supposed to be. She would have a word with her brother as well, seeing he was the one that allowed Apple Bloom to do so.

Stumbling around a bit in the dark, she found the treehouse her sister and her friends were supposed to be in. Walking up the ramp, Applejack stood before the door, listening intently to see if she could hear her sister and her friends. She didn't, and she frowned as she slowly opened the door.

"What the hay! Where are they?" she spoke in the dark building, seeing neither her sister nor her friends.

"Alright missy, Ah know you're here somewhere," she said with narrowed eyes. "Don't think you'll get by me that easily."

Storming off the ramp, Applejack moved back into the orchard, determined to find her sister, who, with the help of her friends, was already climbing through her bedroom window. And Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo moved away into the night, invisible for all.

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

"Ah can't find her anywhere!" Applejack shouted as she practically kicked in the door of the farmhouse.

"Have you checked their treehouse?" Macintosh offered, earning him a glare from his sister.

"You know Ah have. And if it wasn't for you, Ah wouldn't have needed to go out and look for her in tha first place."

"Eeyup," he answered meekly.

"Don't you eeyup me mister. You're in a lot of trouble, just wait for Granny Smith ta wake up."

"Applejack," Apple Bloom said with a fake sleepy voice, standing at the top of the stairs while rubbing an eye. "What's with all the noise?"

Silence.

"Where tha hay did you come from?"

"... My room. Where else?" Apple Bloom answered after a moment, having trouble keeping a straight face.

Applejack could only stare at her younger sister, wondering how in the world she could have missed her the first time she looked in her room.

"Then why did Big Mac say you were out at tha treehouse having a sleepover with your friends?"

"Because Ah asked him if I could. But Sweetie Belle couldn't come, so we called it off," Apple Bloom said, being as truthful as she could so her sister wouldn’t catch on. "Just ask Rarity. She wouldn't let Sweetie Belle go. So Ah just came back and went ta bed."

"Did you know about this?" Applejack asked her brother.

"Eenope."

"Humph. You are still in a lot of trouble. Tha both of ya'll. Apple Bloom, go back ta bed. Ah'll have a word with Rarity in tha morning ta see if you are telling tha truth. As for you," she said as she turned to her brother, "Ah will leave Granny Smith ta decide what ta do with you."

Big Mac gulped loudly, his life flashing before his eyes.

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

Scootaloo didn't bother trying to be quiet, and the moment she was brought home by Sweetie Belle she walked right in through the front door, closing it with a push of her hind leg. Walking up the stairs to her room, she saw the empty rooms in the guesthouse. Another feeling of emptiness that haunted her, as she didn't like living in a house full of empty rooms. She sighed as she dragged herself back to her room, closing the door behind her with a slam, telling her 'mother' that she was back home.

Jumping on her bed, she sighed sadly as she found herself back again in a mostly empty house. This was not where she felt at home. No, home for her was a place with friends and family. Not here.

Looking out of a window in her room, she saw Luna's stars shine in the inky darkness of the night. A last sad sigh escaped her lips before sleep took hold of her, a tear streaming down her face.

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

After having dropped Scootaloo off at her home, Sweetie Belle rushed back to her own. Moving through town unseen, she didn't take long to reach the boutique. But, looking up at her bedroom window, she wondered how she could best get up there.

Of course she then remembered her new ability to fly, and she flew up to her window with almost no problem. Save for a drop in height when she thought she heard somepony, and fell down in fright.

Fortunately, it turned out to only be Opal, Rarity's cat, who didn't seem to see Sweetie Belle.

Flying up again, Sweetie Belle hovered before her bedroom's window. Opening it quietly, as she still didn't know how to turn intangible at will, she moved through her room and into her bed.

It had been a long day, and sleep wasn’t long in coming, but one worrying thought came to her before sleep claimed her.

’What will happen at school tomorrow?’

School Day

View Online

I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.

School Day.

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

Sweetie Belle groaned as she began to wake up. Feeling cold and shivering in response, she thought she kicked off her blanket in her sleep. But, as she tried to grab hold of the warming layer of fabric, she came to several startling conclusions. First, there was no blanket. Second, her mattress was both very cold and very hard. Third, she was not lying in her bed. And fourth, which she figured out as she opened her eyes, she was lying on the kitchen floor, the room below her bedroom.

"Oh come on!" she quietly muttered in irritation, realizing that she, most likely, had sunk through her bed, her bedroom's floor and into the kitchen.

Sighing, she stood up. Her joints popping in response after they had become stiff from a night on the cold floor. Flinching from the sound, she slowly moved to the stairs, heading to her bedroom, hoping she could get a bit more sleep before she would have to go to school. It was a luxury she wasn't allowed.

With a dainty yawn Rarity stepped out of her bedroom, her mane, although still styled, was significantly more wild, a typical case of bed mane. Which meant a whole five hairs were out of place. Truly it was a fashion disaster, and she could not be seen like this outside. Fortunately she was inside, and, instead of panicking over her ruined hairdo, she looked down the stairs, seeing her little sister walking out of the kitchen.

"Why, Sweetie Belle, you're already awake," she said with a slightly tired voice, and she covered her mouth with a hoof as she yawned.

"Ehh. Yeah. Thought I would begin the day early, unfortunately," she said, quietly adding the last part as she now knew she wouldn't be able to go back to bed.

"Why, I've never seen you up this early on a school day. You really must be eager to go, did Cheerilee plan something for class today?"

"Not really. I just woke up early, couldn't sleep," Sweetie Belle said, telling a half truth, grumbling under her breath the entire time.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. But don't worry. The early bird catches the worm, as they say."

"Eeewww," the filly said in disgust, sticking out her tongue.

"Sweetie, dear, it's just an expression. Now go wash yourself up while I make you some breakfast. Then it's off to school for you."

"Yes, sis," Sweetie Belle muttered as she walked up the stairs while her tail turned invisible.

She walked past Rarity, who was still partially asleep, which made her react slowly to the sight of her sister’s backside, sans tail. Blinking several times to clear her vision, and shaking her head as well, Rarity took another look, sure that what she saw couldn't be. And, sure enough, there it was. Sweetie Belle's tail was there, and Rarity was sure she was just imagining things.

'Oh dear, I really need my coffee. I'm still dreaming, it would seem. And what a horrid dream as well,' she thought with a shudder, the horrific idea of her sister walking around without a tail truly a disturbing thought for her.

And meanwhile, in the bathroom, Sweetie Belle was quietly muttering several questionable words she heard her sister say when she thought Sweete Belle wasn't around. The reason for this? As she looked in the mirror, she discovered her eyes had turned invisible, almost making her scream before she caught herself and ruining any plans to sneak in some extra sleep.

She just hoped her day at school would go better.

Somehow, she doubted it.

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

A bit more than an hour had passed, and Rarity was sitting in her work room, trying to find the inspiration she needed for her next order of the day.

Sweetie Belle had just gone to school, and now she had the whole boutique to herself once more. All quiet and calm, with no young filly making a mess of things. It was truly peaceful, and a complete bore.

Nothing happened, and she was unable to find that creative spark that would help her to make the extraordinary even more amazing. Normally this spark of brilliance would come to her in the blink of an eye. But now, as she was staring at the half finished dresses for her various customers, she only felt a drain on her soul, as if she was trying too hard to focus on the wrong thing.

Sighing, she rubbed her head as she looked away from her work for a moment, and her eye fell on the sketches she made when she made the clothes for Danny. His measurements, and preferences were all neatly organized along with the sketches, and she took a moment to look at them a bit better.

It had been a little while since she had last made anything for Danny, who, despite him wearing clothes all the time, didn't seem like he was one of much variety. She squinted her eyes a bit, and she could feel the tell tale signs of an incoming idea. She felt it deep down. Something about Danny, his clothes, they called to her. There was something there, she knew it. Something spoke to her, telling her what she needed to do.

"IDEA~" she said in a loud sing song voice, and she rushed to the rack where she kept all her fabrics.

"Oh, where is it? I'm sure I still have some of that black material here somewhere," she said as she continued her search. While, at the same time, she was already levitating a roll of white fabric to her work table, while a wax crayon was starting to draw the outlines of the different parts she needed for her latest creation.

Danny was going to love it, she just knew it.

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

The playground in front of the school was filled with disgruntled colts and fillies, all of them grouping together with their friends as they talked about various things that didn’t involve school. So too did Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. But their conversation didn't involve any of the usual topics, and they kept their voices low while standing away from the rest of the ponies.

"So, did you have any problems after coming home?" Scootaloo asked her two friends, keeping an eye out for any eavesdroppers.

"Nope," Apple Bloom replied with a guilty grin. "But Big Mac ain’t so lucky."

"I didn’t have much trouble getting home either. Waking up was less fun, though," Sweetie Belle said after her friend.

"How so?" Apple Bloom asked with a slightly worried tone.

"I found myself lying in the kitchen, completely stiff from the cold floor. I think I sunk through my bed and floor, and ended up there while I slept," she grumbled as she told her friends about her morning.

"Well, that might be a problem," Scootaloo mused, but a hint of humor could be heard in her voice.

"It isn't funny, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle said a bit louder than she would have liked, and it drew the attention of the two fillies they really didn't want to deal with.

"Well, of course it isn't funny. Being a Blank Flank is only sad, and it shows that you really aren't good for anything," Diamond Tiara sneered, causing Silver Spoon to chuckle at their expense.

"Hey! Take that back," Apple Bloom shouted, stomping a hoof on the ground.

"And why should I, Blank Flank?" Diamond Tiara said challengingly.

"Yeah. Are you going to tell Miss Cheerilee if we don’t?" Silver Spoon continued, and she gave Diamond a hoof bump as the crusaders were stumbling over their words.

"Losers like you shouldn’t even go to school. You will only fail at this as well," Diamond said mockingly, turning on the spot with her head held high and angled slightly to the side, taking on the pose of an upper class pony who looked down on any other they felt to be inferior.

"Why you—" Scootaloo began, but she was interrupted by the ringing of the school bell, and their teacher calling for them to enter the classroom.

"Humph. Saved by tha bell," Apple Bloom muttered in annoyance as she looked at the two bullies walking away, laughing at them as they did so.

"Are we just going to stand here and do nothing?" Scootaloo grumbled under her breath as she and her friends made their way to their classroom.

"No, of course not. But how can we get back at them without gettin’ in even more trouble?" Apple Bloom asked, and a devious smirk grew on Sweetie Belle's face.

"Girls, don't worry about that. I've got this."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at their friend in puzzlement, but, seeing the green flash in her eyes, they, too, found themselves with a grin to match Sweetie Belle's.

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

Just outside of Ponyville there was a group of four ponies gathered, all of them wearing a saddlebag, each containing a spectral scanner.

"Okay," Rolling Stone said to the group, "You know the drill. Fan out and search the town for any unusual activity, but keep a low profile. Blend in with the crowd and, above all else, if you do find anything that suggests there's a ghost, do not approach it on your own. Inform the rest of us, and together we will contain the situation. We can't have a ghost possessing a citizen due to one of us carelessly acting on our own," he instructed, and all of those present gave a nod of understanding.

"Ice, do you have anything to add?" Rolling Stone asked the ice blue unicorn mare standing next to him.

"Certainly. As you know our scanners have been set to point out anything unusual, but other than controlled tests, we haven't used these devices out in the field. And while it seems unlikely, seeing that the humans made sure to make these things ignore our magic as best they could, the magical background field might still affect the results. It's why we don't use our magic on these things either. So treat any possible readout with suspicion, as it could be a false positive. And should there be anything that seems wrong let me know. That way I will be able to zero in on any potential problem with the scanners, and make sure they work to the best of their ability."

"Very well. You’ve heard the lady. Double check and triple check everything before you raise the alarm, and report any malfunctions."

"Yes sir," came the chorus of acknowledgement, and the group split off into three. Two of them, Sound Wave and Ornate Charm, going their separate ways into town, Blue Ice and Rolling Stone however, remained together.

"Blue Ice," Rolling Stone said to his partner as he began walking to their objective, "You’re with me. We will need to check out that lake Miss Twilight reported. If it is what we think, then there should be a large readout there. The human lives close by as well, if my intel is correct, so we will be able to rule out any connections between the two, if possible."

"Indeed. I just wish the lake wasn’t melted through use of magic. It could very well contaminate the results."

"Well, that’s what you’re here for. You’re the best when it comes to spectral ice. You are able to pick up on any trace energy that might be still there, or rule out it having been done by a ghost."

"Maybe. We've done all our training back on Earth, in controlled situations. Here, though, it might not be so easy. We have been training here as well, but the magic of this world might actually hasten the decay of spectral energy, somehow. I’m not saying it is impossible to find anything, but it is going to be damned difficult to pick up on something this old."

"I know, I know. But still. If anypony can do it, it's you."

"Thank you, I'll try not to fail," Blue Ice said with an appreciative nod.

"Just try your best. We are, despite our training, still new to this. This is the first time we’re actually out in the field, and training is always different compared to the real thing."

"That is most certainly true. Just like back in guard training. ‘Sticks and stones might break my bones’…" she said with a lopsided grin.

"But a sword will kill you faster," Rolling Stone finished with a grin of his own.

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

The class was in session, and Cheerilee was once again diligently busy teaching the foals under her care. And most of them were paying attention, to varying degrees. Diamond Tiara, however, not needing to pay any attention as she knew it all better anyhow, was instead spending the time her teacher had her back turned to them to make some quiet sneers to Sweetie Belle, who was sitting closest to her, accompanied by the quiet giggling of Silver Spoon.

Sweetie Belle however, didn't pay them any mind. She was both busy keeping herself from turning invisible, and brainstorming on how to best use her powers against her tormentors. And because of that, the only thing Diamond saw in response to her crude remarks was a devious grin on Sweetie Belle’s face. Somehow that unnerved her more than anything, but she didn’t show it. And instead, she only increased her nagging, which only made Sweetie Belle’s grin grow even bigger.

Recess was going to be a blast.

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

The sound of the scanner beeping reverberated through the calm, early morning air as Blue Ice searched around the lake for any signs of spectral activity. Rolling stood some distance away, keeping an eye out for any of the residents who might pass by.

They had been at it for the last ten minutes now, and Blue Ice's prediction about the ambient magic causing any possible spectral energy to decay much faster seemed to be accurate. Although, after a moment's thought by the ice blue mare, she reasoned it might also have something to do with the magic used by Twilight when she melted the lake. Still, if there was anything to find, she would find it. If it was still there, of course. Which, as she continued to adjust the settings on the scanner, seemed unlikely.

That didn't stop her though, and she went on with her search for twenty more minutes, but without much luck. Sighing in frustration, she moved towards Rolling Stone, intending to deliver the bad news. However, as she stepped closer to him, her scanner gave a faint beeping noise, indicating it picked up on something. What it was, though, she couldn't say for certain as the signal was far too weak.

"Hey Stone, take a look at this," she said as she held her scanner before him, showing the faint signal displayed on the screen.

"It's not much to go on," he muttered.

"I know. But I picked it up when I stepped away from the lake. I didn't find anything near there, so if there was any, it's long since degraded. But, farther away, there is something. Weak as it may be."

"Which means the signal might get stronger the further away we get." Rolling Stone reasoned.

"It’s possible, yes. Only one way to find out, though."

"Indeed. Lead the way. I’ll keep an eye out for any unwanted visitors."

Nodding in response, Blue Ice walked further away from the lake, holding the scanner firmly in one of her hooves. And with each step she took the signal grew a bit stronger, until it dropped away, and she knew she was aiming in the wrong direction. Standing still, and slowly sweeping the scanner in an arc, she found the signal again, seeing it coming from the direction of a nearby home standing at the edge of town.

"It seems to come from that direction," she said as she headed towards the house, "Isn't that the home of the human?"

"I believe it is. It would seem the Princesses' suspicions of a ghost haunting the human might be true."

"I guess," Blue Ice said, unsure. Stopping on the spot and giving the scanner a shake.

"What is it?"

"Seems like interference," she replied. "Nothing to worry about," she slightly tweaked the scanner's sensitivity. Then she made sure it didn’t cause any more problems.

"There we go," she said to herself as the scanner showed a solid but weak signal again.

As they continued their walk to the nearby home, Blue Ice noticed the signal was slowly growing stronger, but not to the point that would suggest there was a full spectral entity present in the last several days. But the signal she did pick up was warped, unusual, and she didn’t know for sure what to make of it. But they couldn’t get any closer to the home without alerting the owner, which would be something they needed to deal with. So, for now, they would stay back and investigate the surrounding area, staying out of sight of anyone that could blow their cover.

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

Applejack was walking down the road towards Rarity’s boutique, intending to find out if her little sister was telling the truth about last night or not. And even though she was the Element of Honesty, able to see through most lies, there was something that made it impossible for her to see if her sister was telling the truth. Mostly because they lived together, and Apple Bloom had learned through experience how to cover up the truth from her.

It was a fact she wasn’t happy about, because it meant others might be able to do it as well. Mainly her two friends, who were quite often responsible for most of the destruction done around town. And if they could lie to the Element of Honesty and get away with it… Well, it wasn’t a pleasant thought. Who knows what they could be hiding.

She sighed as she moved towards her destination, hoping for her sister’s sake Rarity would confirm her story. She also hoped she would be done quickly with this, as there were still a lot of chores to be done in the orchard, plus that other thing that she’d been planning to do, but that she was unable to get to thanks to the Pinkie invasion. Hopefully today would be less eventful than yesterday.

Walking up to the door of the boutique and stepping through, a bell above the door chimed in response.

"Coming~" Rarity called out in her trademark singsong voice as she descended the stairs.

"Why, Applejack. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?"

"Mornin’ Rarity. Ah came here ta ask ya somethin’, regardin’ yer sister."

"Oh, what did she do this time?" Rarity asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Look. Mah sister was nowhere ta be found last night, ‘til she suddenly showed up, supposedly from ‘er room. Now, Ah know she weren’t there when Ah first looked for ‘er. And, after askin’ Big Mac ‘bout it, he told me Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were havin’ a sleepover at their tree house. But, when Apple Bloom showed up she said she was in ‘er room all the time, and that they didn’t go through with their plans ‘cause you didn’t allow Sweetie Belle ta come with them. So, is this true, about yer sister Ah mean?"

"Actually, it is." Rarity answered.

"Come again?" Applejack replied in honest surprise.

"I can’t say what your sister or Scootaloo were up to, but I didn’t allow Sweetie Belle to go anywhere. She is grounded, just like her two friends were supposed to be."

"Yeah, don’t remind me. Big Mac is in a whole heap of trouble with Granny Smith ‘cause o' this."

****

"An’ when yer done buckin’ tha trees ‘n tha southern part a tha orchard you’ll come here ta start fixin’ up tha old barn. When yer done with that, you’ll start tha preparations fer this year’s winter. An’ when yer done…." Granny Smith ordered her grandchild with a voice full of authority, while Big Mac gulped audibly as his list of chores became longer and longer with each passing moment.

****

"I see. But I stand by what I said. Sweetie Belle didn’t leave the house. Unless, of course, she could somehow fly down from her bedroom window," Rarity said in good humor.

"Hah, not likely no. Okay Rarity, thanks. Ah don’t know what those fillies were up ta last night. But what ya said matched up with what mah sister told me. So Ah guess she’s tellin’ the truth, although Ah still don’t know how Ah missed ‘er like Ah did."

"Those things happen, Applejack dear. Now, if that’s all, I would like to get back to work. I just found some incredible inspiration, and I do not want to waste a moment of it."

"Hah, big order comin’ up?"

"Actually, no," Rarity said in modest confusion, "This is just something that came to me, just like that. And it isn’t even an order, but something I felt like I should do."

"Huh, fancy that. Ah been walkin’ ‘round with a similar feelin’ myself. Ah’m not really sure, but Ah have just had this urge ta make a large apple pie for Danny ever since Ah woke up yesterday. Not really sure why though."

"Well, that’s odd. I am making something for Danny as well," Rarity answered, and the two looked at each other in surprise.

"Well, whaddaya know. Ah guess tha guy made an even bigger impact on us than we thought."

"It would seem so, yes."

"So, what kind of fancy suit are ya makin’ for him?"

"It is... not really a suit. It is another set of those clothes he normally wears, but there was something that inspired me to go in an entirely different direction with it, and with colors I don’t usually work with." Rarity answered.

"Well, now Ah am curious. Mind if Ah take a peek?"

"Not at all, dear. Follow me," Rarity said, and she, followed by Applejack, moved upstairs to Rarity’s workroom.

There, lying on a table due to the lack of a proper ponyquin, or mannequin, lay a set of clothes specifically made for a human. Or Danny in this case. Applejack looked at the clothes, normally not one for any kind of fashion, save for the spare dress for any important event, she did have to say it looked kinda fitting. She didn’t know why, though. Just that it, somehow, seemed right as she observed the white shirt with the black area around the neck and near the end of the sleeves. There was a matching set of pants as well, along with a black belt to finish it all. It did seem right in a way, but it also seemed wrong, as if there was something deep down telling her so. But what?

"Well, what do you think? It is a work in progress, I know, and there are still a lot of rough edges, but give me your honest opinion," Rarity asked as she herself also gave her work a critical look.

"Well. Honestly, Ah don't know. It seems alright, Ah guess. And Ah am certainly no expert. But Ah just have tha feelin’ something is.. Ah don't know… Missin’, Ah guess. Maybe mixed up er somethin’."

"So I am not the only one thinking that," she said with a sigh as she levitated the shirt up, turning it around to look at it from different angles.

"Eh... Ah'm sorry?"

"Oh, don't be. You gave an honest answer where I asked for it. And it was just what I needed, too. I too felt like something was not right, and, seeing that you think so as well proves that this simply will not do," she reassured her friend, and she deposited the shirt back on the table.

"Oh, well then. Glad Ah could help," Applejack said, tipping her hat, "But Ah reckon Ah should go now. Still a lot of work ta be done, and Ah don’t want ta keep ya from yer special project either."

"Thank you Applejack. That’s very considerate of you."

"Don’t mention it. And thank you fer answerin’ mah question. Ah still don’t know what mah little sister was up ta, but at least she didn’t lie ta me about this much. Anyhow, see ya later, Rarity." Applejack replied, giving the other mare a friendly nod before walking out of the room, down the stairs and out of the boutique.

"And a good day to you as well," Rarity called out to her friend as she left, then returned to her work, giving another critical glare at the clothes she’d made for Danny. And, with a sigh, she undid all the work she’d done so far.

"This just will not do. Applejack is right, something is wrong with it, and I will have to start anew." And with that, all the separate, loose pieces fell down on the table while Rarity looked over her sketches once more.

"Now, what is it that I am missing?"

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

The school bell rang, telling all it was recess, and the fillies and colts stuck in the stuffy classroom ran out screaming with their newly gained freedom, even if it was only for a moment. Five fillies however, were not running around playing either a game of hoofball, hide and seek, nor any other of the games their classmates played. No, for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon such activities were far beneath them, and they were mocking any of those that would 'degrade' themselves with such activities. As for Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle... They too were keeping their distance from the rest of the class, making sure they stayed out of sight as much as possible.

"Yer sure about this?" Apple Bloom asked with a hint of concern, keeping an eye on the rest of the class playing, and of course on Diamond Tiara and her ever present shadow, Silver Spoon. Standing in front of Sweetie Belle, keeping her out of the sight of the rest with her body.

"Of course she is," Scootaloo answered for Sweetie Belle, a wicked grin showing on her face, "They have been at us all this time. Now we have the chance to get back at ‘em."

"Yeah, what she said." Sweetie Belle confirmed with a nod, "If I'm going to use these powers, then why not use them to get even with those two?"

"Ah know, Ah know. But Ah don't want ta get in even more trouble than Ah’m already in," Apple Bloom voiced her concern, although she, too, wanted to get back at those two for a change.

"Why are you worrying? Sweetie Belle can turn invisible, right?" Scootaloo pointed out.

"Yeah," the ivory filly agreed while her right hind leg sunk through the ground.

"Yeeah. Ah'm not sure," Apple Bloom deadpanned while Sweetie Belle pulled her leg back out of the ground.

"Don’t worry," Sweetie Belle said with an innocent smile, then it turned devious, "I’ve got this."

"Fine. Just, fer Pete’s sake, be careful."

Silence.

"Ehh, who’s Pete?" Scootaloo asked, confused.

"And what’s he got to do with this?" Sweetie Belle added.

Silence.

"Ya know, Ah don’t really know mahself."

"Then why did you mention this Pete?" Scootaloo asked, even more confused.

"Ah don’t know. Just forget about it, okay."

"Why do you want us to forget about this Pete? Is there something you’re not telling us?" Sweetie Belle asked, a curious glint showing in her eyes.

"There ain’t a Pete, sheesh!" Apple Bloom half shouted in irritation.

"You're denying it a bit much, though. You're sure there isn't any Pete we need to know about?" Scootaloo said with a smirk.

"Yes, Ah'm sure," Apple Bloom groaned as she facehoofed.

"Is he your colt friend?" Sweetie Belle asked suddenly, and Apple Bloom’s leg fell down to the ground while her mouth hung open.

"WHAT!? NO! There ain’t no Pete. Nor is there anypony else," Apple Bloom shouted in self defense, glaring at her two grinning friends.

"Wel—" Sweetie Belle began, but Apple Bloom immediately interrupted her.

"Just go!" she groaned as she pointed a hoof away from them, indicating Sweetie Belle should move away.

"Okaaay~" she answered in a sickly sweet singsong voice as she turned invisible, making Apple Bloom shudder, while Scootaloo had trouble containing her laughter.

"Yer not going ta let this go, are ya?" Apple Bloom muttered as she shot an annoyed look at her remaining friend.

"Neevveeerrrr," Sweetie Belle breathed in her ears, making Apple Bloom yelp, much to the delight of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, who were laughing at their friend’s expense.

"Ah hate you two so much right now," Apple Bloom groaned as she facehoofed once more.

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

"Hey, Sir, look at this," Blue Ice said suddenly as she looked at her scanner.

"What is it?" he asked in response.

"A new contact. Further away, but stronger than what I am picking up here. I believe we have an active one, Sir," she replied, looking off into the distance towards where the signal pointed to.

"You sure about this?"

"Only one way to find out."

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

"Hah, look at those losers. Making a mess of themselves while playing in the dirt like some wild beast," Diamond Tiara said with a condescending tone as she looked around the playground, the place of her rule. Or, at least for as long they were forced to be at school.

"Yeah, and they even think they can do whatever they want," Silver Spoon replied.

"Indeed. Let's remind them who's in charge around here."

Two matching grins of ill intend showed on their faces as they made their way to a lone colt sitting underneath a tree, playing on his hoof held gaming device, a Joyboy. Completely oblivious to the world around him, Button Mash was completing yet another quest to save the princess, only to find she was, once again, in another castle.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" Diamond Tiara asked with fake interest as she stood before the brown colt.

Button, however, didn’t reply as he was busy with the next level of epic proportions.

"I said: What have we here?" Diamond repeated, sounding annoyed.

*Bleep. Boop. Boing Boing. Ting.*

"Hey! She’s talking to you!" Silver Spoon said as she swatted the device out of his hooves.

"MY JOYBOY!" Button Mash shouted as he was forcefully brought back to the harsh reality around him.

"What, this thing?" Diamond Tiara asked, unimpressed as she picked up the device, looking at it as if it was nothing more than a piece of trash.

"Yeah. Give it back!" he said as he reached for his gaming device.

"And why should I?"

"Yeah. Why should she?"

"Because I need to go to the castle of Annon to collect the pieces of the Pie Force in order to bring back the blue Broshi which will enable me to activate the seven Hal-i-os which will open a magic portal to a team stuck in a fortress where I will be able to get the Hat of Eternity," he replied in one breath, sounding completely serious as well.

"What. A. Loser." Diamond Tiara stated as she looked at Button with a look of disgust, and she threw the Joyboy away over her shoulder.

"MY JOYBOY!" Button shouted.

"OUCH!" Sweetie Belle yelped as the Joyboy hit her in her invisible face.

"Wha… Who said that, show yourself!" Diamond Tiara commanded as she turned on the spot, looking in the direction she heard the sound come from, not realizing she was looking through Sweetie Belle, who was standing a mere half a meter away, staring into her eyes with an angry frown.

Looking down, Sweetie Belle saw the Joyboy laying at her hoof. Huffing in annoyance, which made the ears of Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and Button Mash perk up, she lifted up a hoof, intending to firmly shove Tiara away and give her quite a scare with it. As, from her point of view, there was nopony there. However, fate, destiny, or just random chance intervened, and her hoof turned intangible just before she hit Diamond Tiara.

Sweetie Belle felt a sucking sensation on her leg, as she, with surprising force, was pulled inside Diamond Tiara's body, possessing her.

"What?!" Sweetie Belle said through Diamond Tiara's mouth, staring out of her eyes with shock and confusion.

"Tiara, is everything alright?" Silver Spoon asked her friend.

"Huh, wha?" Sweetie Belle replied as she turned to look at Silver Spoon, who recoiled a bit as she saw Diamond Tiara's eyes.

"What happened to your eyes?" she asked sounding alarmed.

"Can I have my Joyboy back, please?" Button Mash interjected, cutting any reply short. He too was curious as to what was going on, but not enough to stick around with these bullies. And instead, he just wanted to continue his game.

"Ehh, sure," Sweetie Belle answered as she picked up the device, and Silver Spoon's lower jaw fell down as she saw her friend give it back to the colt. Button Mash, too, was looking at the filly with confusion, but he didn't care as much as Silver did. And instead, he grabbed the device in his mouth and ran away, continuing his game someplace else.

'Okay Sweetie Belle, what happened? Why are you in Diamond Tiara's body?' she thought in a panic, and she quickly moved away and towards her friends, hoping they would be able to help her figure this out.

"HEY! Wait up!" Silver Spoon called out to Diamond Tiara as she suddenly ran away, not seeming to care about appearances as the wild movement made a mess of her mane and dirt began to stick to her hooves.

"What is going on with you? Why are your eyes green like that? And what is up with your voice?" she asked in a suspicious tone as she caught up with her friend, following her to the side of the school, mostly out of sight of the playground. And standing there, watching everything, were Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who both had a look of confusion plastered on their faces as they saw both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon run towards them. The first with glowing green eyes.

"Hey girls, I need your help!" Sweetie Belle said as she moved out of sight of the rest of the playground, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shared a look of bewilderment over the fact that Diamond Tiara of all ponies would ask them for help.

"YOU!" Silver Spoon shouted in an undignified manner, "You’re hanging out with them!?"

"No I'm not!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both said in stereo.

"Girls, it's me!" Diamond Tiara said with Sweetie Belle's voice, and the other three fillies blinked several times in confusion.

Then Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, looking deeply into the glowing green of Diamond Tiara's eyes. Her eyes snapped open with almost impossible speed when realization kicked in, but she was unable to believe what her mind was telling her.

"Sweetie Belle?" she said with a low voice, and Scootaloo looked at the pink filly with shock.

"Are you dumb? That is Diamond Tiara, not your stupid friend," Silver Spoon said harshly, glaring at the dumb pony.

"Oh, shut up!" Sweetie Belle said as she glared at Silver Spoon, who looked as if she was hit in the gut.

"Wha…?" she managed as she gave a hurt look at her friend.

"Girls," Sweetie Belle said, turning back to her friends, "Help. I somehow got inside of Diamond Tiara, but I don't know how to ge—" she was cut off when a pale white glow surrounded Diamond Tiara's body, and Sweetie Belle seemed to almost pour out of her, manifesting before Silver Spoon while in her spirit form.

Silence.

Deafening silence.

Silver Spoon's eyes shrunk to pinpricks as she saw the shining silver pony before her.

"Ehh… Don't panic," Silver Spirit said as she held up a hoof.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

Screaming at the top of her lungs Silver Spoon ran away in a blind dash, crashing head first into the side of the school, knocking herself out.

"Wha…?" Diamond Tiara muttered as she shook her head, dazed from the possession, when she heard her friend scream. Turning around, she came eye to eye with Silver Spirit, and her eyes, too, shrunk to pinpricks.

"Ehhh… Boo?"

Another scream, and, somehow, a similar fate as Diamond Tiara ran away, and tripped over the legs of her downed friend. Causing her to tumble forwards, and coming to a stop at the hooves of her teacher, Miss Cheerilee, who gazed at the filly with an expression of concern.

"Diamond Tiara! What happened!?" she asked, almost in a rush, and the rest of the fillies and colts moved closer to see what was happening.

Not able to so much as mutter a word, Diamond Tiara only raised a shaking hoof, pointing towards the four fillies next to the school. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, her friend Silver Spoon, who was still unconscious, and Sweetie Belle. All the while those of them that were able to do so looked at Cheerilee with expressions of innocence and confusion.

"GIRLS! What happened?" Cheerilee shouted as she rushed to Silver Spoon, seeing what was wrong and if she was alright.

"Ah dunno," Apple Bloom replied with a shrug.

"Yeah. Sweetie Belle and I were just here talking to each other when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon showed up," Scootaloo continued.

"And suddenly Silver Spoon started ta scream fer no reason, running head first inta the school and knocking herself out." Apple Bloom picked up again, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Then Diamond Tiara screamed and ran away, tripping over her friend." Scootaloo finished.

"That’s not true." Diamond Tiara managed with a shaky voice, "I saw somepony else there with you. Somepony that did that to Silver Spoon."

"We're the only ones here," Sweetie Belle spoke up, pointing behind herself and her friends, "See."

"Yeah. And Silver Spi- ehh Spoon ran into the building by herself," Scootaloo added, almost slipping over the similarity in names.

"And why would she do that, or scream like that for that matter?" Cheerilee asked sternly, not sure whether they were lying or not.

"Ah dunno," Apple Bloom answered with a shrug, "We were just here, mindin’ our own business when they showed up, and did that."

"That's not true!" Diamond Tiara shouted again, "I didn't just show up. I... I…." she began, before falling silent.

"Diamond, what is it?" Cheerilee asked with worry.

"I don't remember how I got there," Diamond said with a shaky voice, "They must have done something to me," she continued with a shrill, angry voice while pointing a hoof at the three fillies.

"Girls?" Cheerilee said sternly as she looked at the three fillies.

"Ah didn't do anything," Apple Bloom said honestly.

"Neither did I," Scootaloo confirmed.

"I don't know what happened either," Sweetie Belle said as honest as she could, as she really didn't know how it had happened.

"LIES!" Tiara shouted, and Cheerilee looked back at the troubled filly, only for all of them to turn to Silver Spoon when she came to with a groan.

Immediately focusing her attention on the downed filly, Cheerilee slowly helped her back up in a sitting position, looking Silver Spoon over again now that she was conscious.

"Silver Spoon, are you alright? How many hooves am I holding up?"

Groaning a bit, and carefully rubbing her head, Silver Spoon turned to look at her teacher, winching when she turned her head too fast.

"Ehh, th- three?" she mumbled while her eyes blinked uncoordinatedly.

Cheerilee looked at the single hoof she was holding up with a worried frown, then back to Silver Spoon.

"You are definitely not alright," she said as she carefully helped the gray filly back to her hooves, "Come, into the school with you. The rest of you as well," she said as she turned to the rest of the foals, resulting in a loud groan from all of them.

"No buts. I don’t know what happened here, but I will find out. Until then, all of you, back inside."

"Aahhhh," all of them groaned again as they moved back inside, with Diamond Tiara, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon last to enter. Guided back inside by Cheerilee, who was giving a worried look at the gray filly under her care as she still seemed extremely disoriented, hoping Silver Spoon didn't have a concussion.

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

A few minutes earlier

Blue Ice and Rolling Stone were moving down one of the lesser used paths running around Ponyville, moving towards their target while staying out of sight as much as possible. Blue Ice, walking on three legs while holding the scanner in front of her, led the way, stopping every now and then to scan around and see where the signal she’d picked up on was the strongest. This went on for close to ten minutes, and with every step she took the signal increased a bit. Although there did seem to be some interference, despite her earlier attempts to counter this. This could either suggest a false positive, or perhaps a faulty device.

If it was the latter, it would be a serious problem. But having received training from some of the best, she was certain she could fix any issue with the device if needed. Even then, she both hoped that it was a false positive and hoped that it wasn't. If it wasn’t it meant her calibrations weren't flawed, but it was a cold comfort as it would also mean there was truly a ghost in their world. If it was, well, Vigilant Shield would make sure to remind her about it, constantly.

After only a little while longer, she and Rolling Stone came upon a singular building standing close to the edge of town, several foals were playing outside while an earth pony mare watched over them.

"Hmm, it seems the signal comes from over at the school," she said with a chill in her voice.

"I hope you’re wrong," Rolling Stone muttered as he scanned the crowd from a distance.

"Unfortunately, it would seem I’m not," she replied as she checked her scanner again.

A loud scream could be heard coming from the school followed moments later by another, and Blue Ice’s scanner beeped as it picked up on a much stronger signal.

Both of them snapped their heads towards where the scream came from, seeing the mare, as well as all the children move towards a more obscured part of the building.

Rolling Stone’s eyes met those of Blue Ice, and they gave an unspoken acknowledgement of the situation. Moving fast but unseen, they closed the distance between themselves and the school. Not yet charging in head first as they didn’t have a confirmed sighting, and it could just as easily be something else entirely. Foals had a tendency to do the strangest things after all.

Diving into the cover of a nearby bush, they watched as the mare ordered the foals back inside, before leading a small group of fillies back herself while holding on to a unsteady looking silvery gray filly.

"She’s not looking so well," Blue Ice commented as she observed the gray filly.

"No, but is it because what I hope isn't the case?" Rolling Stone replied.

Humming in shared agreement, Blue Ice held up her scanner, pointing it at the silvery gray filly as the rest of the foals moved back inside, leaving only her and her teacher outside as they were moving at a much slower pace.

An irritated humm came from Blue Ice as she gave a slap against the scanner, earning herself a glare from Rolling.

"Those things aren't cheap you know," he scolded.

"I know, Sir. But I am getting some mixed results. I can't say if it is from any spectral activity, or something else around us, but I am picking up on something. And it would seem it is coming from around that filly. But it is weak, and, just as back at the lake, the energy I picked up on is dissipating quickly."

"Hmmm. We better keep an eye on this one, make sure nothing strange is going on around her," Rolling Stone commented.

"Afraid she might be a target?"

"I don’t know."

"And we need to find out for sure," Blue Ice stated as she knew this was not a suggestion.

"Indeed. But first we focus most of our attention on the human. It is entirely possible this is completely unrelated, and she was just bullied by some foal, or another. But for now we continue our search elsewhere, unless you manage to pick up on the signal again, it is safe to assume that whatever was here it is most likely gone now. We will continue elsewhere, and regroup with the rest of the team at the appointed time."

"Yes Sir. I will need to make some more adjustments to the scanners it seems, because right now they are almost as useless as a paperweight," Blue Ice replied with a muttered curse under her breath towards the uncooperative scanner.

"Very well. But for now we continue as planned."

"Yes Sir," she replied, and then both of them continued with their investigation for any possible source of spectral energy.

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

"Silver Spoon, how are you doing now?" Cheerilee asked after she had helped the filly back into the class, looking her over once more while placing a bag of ice on her head.

"A little b-better," she answered with a pained voice, wincing as she carefully rubbed the lump on her head.

"Good, that's good. Now tell me, what happened?" Cheerilee said with a relieved sigh, but worry remained evident in her voice.

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom however, looked at one another with worry, not knowing how they could possibly explain any of what happened just now.

"I… I... I don't know?" Silver Spoon answered after a moment, looking at her teacher in confusion as she tried to remember what had happened.

"Huh?!" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle uttered in disbelief, sharing a confused look with each other before turning their attention back to Silver Spoon.

"What do you mean, you don't remember?" Cheerilee asked.

Pushing the bag of ice back to the sore spot after it slipped away, Silver Spoon looked down at the ground, wracking her brain to remember any part of what happened.

"I... I just don't know. I can't remember."

"It's all their fault!" Diamond Tiara screeched, pointing a hoof at Sweetie Belle and her friends, "They did this!"

"That is quite enough out of you, young lady," Cheerilee said sternly, looking down on the shouting filly.

"Bu-... But."

"No buts. You can't just start accusing ponies of doing things when you can't prove they did it. Now, can you prove they are responsible for what happened to Silver Spoon?"

"I… She… Bu-... No," she grumpled in defeat.

"Then don't make any claims you can't prove, " Cheerilee finished with a disapproving glare, making Diamond Tiara look down at the ground, a venomous glare on her face which was meant for those three fillies she knew were responsible for all of this.

"Now Silver Spoon, is there anything you can remember, anything at all?"

"No, nothing," she answered.

"Oh dear," Cheerilee said as she returned to all fours, "Okay. Class, you can leave early today as I will take Silver Spoon to the doctor."

Cheers sounded all throughout the classroom at this news, and Cheerilee had to suppress a knowing smile. But her concern for Silver Spoon made her mood turn serious again in mere seconds.

Helping Silver Spoon back on her hooves, ice bag still on her head, she helped the filly move to the door.

"Okay everypony, class dismissed," she said, and with the speed of a hurricane the classroom was empty, only a few loose pieces of paper remained, drifting lazily through the air as they fell to the ground.

"They never put that much enthusiasm into their schoolwork," Cheerilee said with a sigh, before closing the door and taking Silver Spoon with her.

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

Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle didn't waste any time getting back to their clubhouse, all three of them glad they'd gotten away with what had happened, but also wondering what had actually happened, and how?

Running past the blackened trees and up the ramp, they slammed the door shut behind them, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looking at Sweetie Belle, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, how did you do that?" Scootaloo asked her unicorn friend.

"Do what?" Sweetie asked.

"How did you do that, with Diamond Tiara?" Scootaloo clarified.

"Yeah, Ah wanna know too," Apple Bloom piped up.

"I don't know. All I wanted to do was push her while she couldn't see me. Then my leg became all untouchable and such, and when I touched her I was just pulled in, or something."

"Then how did ya transform?" Apple Bloom asked, wondering why her friend came out of Tiara in her spirit form.

"I dunno," Sweetie Belle replied with a shrug.

"Weeeird," Scootaloo said.

"Ah’ll say," Apple Bloom agreed with a nod, making her ribbon bounce in response.

"Can… Can you do it again?" Scootaloo asked with a unusually eager tone.

"What? No! I don't even know how I did it the first time," Sweetie Belle replied.

"You said yer leg became untouchable when it happened, maybe that’s how it works?" Apple Bloom offered.

"Yeah, like that is going to help. I don't even know how to do that," Sweetie Belleresponded with a groan, dragging a hoof down her face.

"Well, try again," Apple Bloom suggested.

"Yeah. You want to learn how to control this, don’t ya?" Scootaloo added.

"Fine," Sweetie Belle replied with a groan and a roll of the eyes, "So, where do I start?"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at one another, blinking dumbly as they didn't know how to answer that.

"Ehhh, just try somethin’?" Apple Bloom offered weakly.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle deadpanned, giving the earth pony a flat look.

"What if..." Scootaloo began, only to drift off in thought.

"Yes?" Sweetie said, snapping her out of it.

"Right. What if it is reversed cloudshaping?"

"Huh?" came the confused reply from both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"Just think about it. We pegasi walk on clouds, which you can’t normally touch. We use our magic to make the clouds solid underneath ourselves. But, what if with you it is the opposite? Instead of making things solid underneath your hooves, you make your hooves unsolid."

"Ah don't think that's a word," Apple Bloom told her, earning an annoyed glare in return. Sweetie Belle however, was deep in thought, thinking over what her friend had just told her.

"You know, it sounds just crazy enough for it to work," she answered, looking at Scootaloo with an eager glint in her eyes. "Okay, teach me about cloudshaping, maybe that is the answer."

Scootaloo's ears perked up, while an eager grin showed on her muzzle. A look that was copied by her friends. If this worked, then things might get very interesting, very soon.

Or not, whatever came first.

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

"Okay. For a pegasus to touch the clouds there are a few things they need to know. First off, learn to control your magic," Scootaloo explained to her two friends, and Sweetie Belle was almost leaning forward, eager to learn as much as she could and figure out how to use her power. "Otherwise it will be as impossible to walk on clouds as it is to walk on water. It is mostly a part of our instinct, but we do need to learn how to control it as we grow up. Secondly, once you can control your magic, you must get into the right mindset. The cloud responds to your magic, and your magic responds to your mind. If you think the cloud isn't solid, it will not hold you up as your magic will not make the cloud solid. And third, tread lightly. Don’t go stomping around like you’re in a stampede, or you will punch clean through the cloud."

"So, assuming that this is similar to what I want to do, I need to, what? Clear my mind and believe that I’m like a cloud or something?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I guess," Scootaloo replied with a shrug.

"It won’t hurt ta try," Apple Bloom suggested, "Just try it, an’ see what happens."

Nervously biting her lower lip, Sweetie Belle thought this over once more.

"...Okay," she said with a nervous, but determined sigh, "Stand back."

Doing just that, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo moved to the side of their clubhouse while Sweetie Belle remained in the center.

Legs spread a bit for stability, she closed her eyes while beginning to think about herself being a cloud.

'Okay, I'm a cloud. Drifting lazily through the sky. Nothing can touch me. I'm untouchable… I'm big and fluffy, a white cotton candy… Wait, what? Focus! Where was I? Oh yeah. I'm a cloud…'

"Ya think this is gonna work?" Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo in a whisper, never taking her eyes off of her friend.

"How should I know?" Scootaloo questioned.

Silence.

"Ah dunno," Apple Bloom answered awkwardly.

"Just be quiet and loo-.. Wait, was her mane always like that?" Scootaloo argued back, but her attention was drawn away when she spotted Sweetie Belle's mane.

"Wow. It’s all wavy, just like tha princesses’," Apple Bloom said, amazed.

'…I’m a cloud… No, I’m not. I’m a spirit. A spirit that can disappear and fly. I’m a spirit. I’m a spirit…'

"Look!" Apple Bloom said in a whispered shout.

"I am!" Scootaloo said back, and the two of them watched as, ever so slowly, their friend began to sink through the floor, with all her hooves this time.

"Do ya think she's figured it out?" Apple Bloom asked.

'I'm a spirit. I'm a spirit… I am Silver Spirit!'

A flash of light came from Sweetie Belle, and a band of white energy appeared around her midsection. Splitting in half, one half moved forwards, while the other moved backwards. And the part of her body that went through the band of white energy transformed. Her white fur warped and waved as it became a bright gleaming silver. Her mane and tail, moving around as if struck by an unfelt breeze, became an intangible fog, billowing around. Her legs, bare when she stepped into the clubhouse, were now covered with long black boots which were several sizes too wide. A pale glow began to surround her body, and her descent through the floor was reversed as Sweetie began to levitate off of the ground.

"I think so," Scootaloo said in awe and amazement, trying not to blink lest she miss something.

"Did it work?" Sweetie Belle asked, her eyes still closed.

"Uuhhhh…"

"Girls?" she said, and carefully opened her eyes. They shot open the rest of the way a moment later.

"Wha… What happened?" she said in a slightly panicked tone as she saw herself levitate off of the ground, and she began to tilt forwards, falling towards the floor.

Crossing her front legs before her face in reflex, Sweetie Belle found another surprise. Mainly, the boots covering them, and the silver fur she saw on her legs not covered by the boots. Time to ask, or worry, about this she didn't have as she noticed the floor coming closer and closer, and she braced herself for the impact… which didn’t come.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were both sitting frozen in place with their mouths hanging open when they saw Sweetie Belle, fully transformed, fall through the floor, moving cleanly through it. And only a surprised: "WHAT!?" from outside snapped them out of it.

Running outside, they saw their friend hovering just below the tree house, looking from it, to herself, nothing but confusion showing on her face.

Turning to look at her friends, Sweetie Belle was only able to utter a single, questioning word.

"Girls?"

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

A light shone in her eyes, and Silver Spoon flinched from the brightness as she was sitting on an examination table. The doctor, an earth pony stallion with a light brown coat and a curly orange mane and tail was the one examining her.

"Hmmhmm," Hippocrates hummed as he looked over the filly, "And you are unable to remember anything that happened shortly before you hit your head you said?"

"Uhuh," Silver Spoon replied as she tried to look away from the offensive light.

Turning off the small light he was holding, the doctor turned to both the mare and the stallion standing in the room behind him.

"And, how is she?" Tarnished Silver, Silver Spoon's father, asked.

"Nothing too serious, fortunately," Hippocrates answered, "A lump and some headache seems to be the worst of it, and she doesn't seem to have a concussion. Although it would seem that the blow to her head caused localized amnesia concerning the last several minutes prior to her hitting her head. It is doubtful if those moments will come back, but only time can tell."

"But she is otherwise alright?" Cheerilee asked.

"She is, although I advise keeping her home, and avoiding any strenuous tasks for some time. She will also have a serious headache for some time to come, but the swelling will be gone in no time thanks to my assistant’s spell," Hippocrates told the two ponies, and both of them let out a relieved sigh.

"Oh thank goodness," Cheerilee said, relieved.

"So, can I go home now?" Silver Spoon asked, both annoyed that she was still here, and hurting from the painful throb in her head. That light from just now, and the adults talking so loud wasn’t helping either.

Looking at the doctor, Tarnished Silver got a nod of approval.

"Of course sweetie, we can go home right now," he told her.

"Don’t call me that," Silver Spoon quietly muttered through gritted teeth.

"Call you what?" her father asked.

"Sweetie. That is not my name," she grumbled bitterly.

Blinking dumbly, her father looked at his daughter in confusion, while Cheerilee sighed tiredly as she shook her head

"I do apologize for the trouble caused. I have no idea what happened, but I am glad she is alright."

"Of course you are," Tarnished snarled to her, making Cheerilee flinch back. "My daughter was hurt under your watch, so of course you are glad she is alright. If she wasn't then the blame would be on you."

Cheerilee looked at the stallion with shock and hurt, while Hippocrates was slowly backing out of the room.

"Mister Silver, I assure you that I did everything in my power to help your daughter, and to find out what happened."

"And look what good that did. She was knocked out, has a serious headache and some memory loss because of it, and you have no idea who is responsible for this."

"It were the Crusaders, I just know it," Silver Spoon muttered, crossing her front legs in anger.

"Who now?" Tarnished asked.

"Three students of mine. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle," Cheerilee answered, a cross look on her face over how this stallion had just spoken to her. "They were present when I found your daughter."

"Then you should focus your attention on them. If they were there when Silver was attacked, then clearly they are responsible!"

Irritation settled in, and Cheerilee looked at the stallion with an composed, yet angry look.

"Now mister Tarnished Silver. I do not take kindly to being talked to like that! Yes, those fillies were there when I found your daughter, but that doesn’t prove anything. In fact, they claim that your daughter was scared of something, what I do not know, and in her panic she ran away and hit her head."

"Huh, like—" Tarnished started, but he was cut off by Cheerilee.

"Silence! Now, whether this is true, or not, I do not know. But accusing me or those fillies of something without any proof to support those claims is not going to help, nor do I respect such actions. Also, I understand that you are concerned about your daughter’s well being, but taking this out on me is something I will not tolerate. And unless you have anything useful to say, or want to apologize to me, I do not want to hear another word out of your mouth. Furthermore, your behavior is a bad influence on your daughter, as I can see clear similarities between how you just talked to me and how your daughter behaves towards my other students. You want to take care of your daughter, that's fine. But for the love of Celestia, put some effort into it! Because what you are doing now clearly shows a severe lack of social skill, and it is a bad example for your daughter," -Cheerilee paused for a heartbeat- "I am going home now, as I have had enough of your bad attitude, and I will see Silver Spoon back in class when she had time to recover, unless there is a problem with her health. AM I clear? Yes, good," Cheerilee ranted, leaving no room for any argument. And with a pleased smile, she turned around and left the room, leaving behind the two Silvers, both of their mouths hanging open. Tarnished Silver because nopony had ever talked to him like that before, and Silver Spoon because she had never heard anypony, least of all her teacher, talk to her father like that.

Silence.

Father and daughter shared a shocked look, not knowing what to say or do, and an uncomfortable silence settled in. Only for it to be broken by doctor Hippocrates, who, as he backed out of the room earlier, had accidentally walked into a storage closet.

"Is it safe to come out?" he asked, carefully peeking around the door.

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

"Girls?" Sweetie Belle said as she hovered in the air, her silver fur gleaming in the light that shone through the foliage above. "Did that just happen?" she asked, and her friends both nodded dumbly as they looked up at their friend.

"I just moved through the floor?" she asked, and she received another nod in confirmation.

"And I just transformed?"

Nod, nod.

"And I am flying here, in my spirit form?"

Nod, nod, nod.

Silence.

"Awesome," Sweetie said dumbly, too overwhelmed with what had happened.

"Awesome? AWESOME!? IT IS SUPER MEGA EPIC COOL AWESOME!!" Scootaloo shouted excitedly, wings buzzing wildly as she jumped up and down. An action that was mirrored by Apple Bloom.

"You think so?"

"Are ya crazy!?" Apple Bloom shouted in response, "Of course it is."

"Yeah! Now, what can you do like this?" Scootaloo asked eagerly.

"Can ya try that body control thingy?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"Oh yeah, that was awesome. The way you controlled Diamond Tiara, and how Silver Spoon crashed into the wall. Can you do that thingy again?" Scootaloo agreed with enthusiasm.

"Ehh, maybe? But who should I control?" Sweetie Belle asked, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at one another, eyes narrowing as they did so.

"Not it!" they both shouted at the same time. "You do it!" they countered at once, blinking dumbly, "No, you! Nuh uh, you… "

Sweetie sighed as she let her front legs hang down limply, staring at her friends with a flat look as they continued their pointless argument. Deciding to choose for them, she shot forward, hoping this would actually work, and that she wouldn’t simply knock out one of her friends. Silver Spoon was one thing, her friends were another.

'I’m a cloud that is also a spirit…' she thought as she flew forwards, hoping that this was the key to doing what she was trying to do.

"No, you-OOMPH…" Scootaloo said when Sweetie Belle slammed into her, knocking the air out of her.

"Okay. That didn’t work," Sweetie Belle muttered as she rubbed her head, while Scootaloo lay in a heap with her hind legs sticking up in the air.

In a bright flash of light Sweetie Belle turned back to normal, leaving her staring at her normal white furred legs as she stood back up.

Scootaloo, grumbling under her breath, also pulled herself back up, while Apple Bloom walked over to the two, a slight grin showing on her face.

"Well, that’s a bust," Sweetie Belle sighed as she kicked the dirt, "Guess I haven’t figured it out after all."

"But we are gettin’ close, Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied encouragingly.

"I guess, yeah," Sweetie Belle muttered.

"So we just keep on tryin’. We will figure this out, just you wait an’ see."

"Yeah, what she said," Scootaloo groaned, shaking the dirt out of her mane.

"Heh, so we’re sticking with the spirit training, huh?" Sweetie Belle said with a small grin.

"Well, duh. We’re tha Cutie Mark Crusaders. And when we say we’re doing somethin’, we’re doing it."

"Exactly," Scootaloo agreed with more enthusiasm, giving her friends a winning smile. A smile that soon spread to both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "After all, we’re in this together," Scootaloo said as she held a hoof out in front of her.

"Uh huh. We’ve got yer back," Apple Bloom agreed, and she placed a hoof against Scootaloo’s.

"And I've got yours, always," Sweetie Belle finished, and she placed her hoof against those of her friends.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SPIRIT TRAINERS, YAY!!"

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

"Alright team, report," Rolling Stone ordered when he and his team regrouped on the outskirts of town, staying out of sight of the residents in town.

"Sir," Ornate Charm spoke up, and Rolling turned to the dark pink unicorn mare with dark purple mane and tail. "I have gone through the center area of the town and picked up trace amounts of spectral energy. However, the readings were marred with some form of interference and there is the possibility of a false positive. As such I was unable to find anything definitive that would suggest spectral activity in town."

"I see. And you Sound Wave?" Rolling asked the steel gray pegasus mare with black mane and tail.

"Sir. I am not that experienced with the scanner, as you know, but I too detected trace amounts of spectral energy around the marketplace. But, as Ornate Charm indicated, it could very well be a false positive. I believe that it would be wise to use the Fenton Ghost Gabber to pick up any possible ghost communication, should there be any. If the scans are accurate, and there is a ghost around here then there should also be the possibility of us picking up on its speech."

"Good point," Rolling muttered, "Do it, but keep your scanner close while you’re doing that. And speaking of those scanners. It would seem we are all dealing with the possibility of false positives. Blue Ice, when we get back to the guest house I want you to take another look at those scanners, and make the required adjustments to them to make sure we won't have any false positives in the future."

"Yes Sir," Blue Ice replied with nod.

"Good. Further more, taking into account the possibility of a false positive, we might have a new target to keep an eye on. A filly by the name of Silver Spoon, if the namelist we took from the school is correct. She was present where Blue Ice detected a large amount of spectral activity. Might be nothing, but we need to make sure. As for the human. Until we have a chance to enter his house without running the risk of him catching us, we will have to keep our distance. I will send a letter to the Princess about this matter. Maybe she knows something to lure him away for a while without arousing suspicion. But until then, keep your distance and keep your eyes open."

"Yes Sir," a trio of voices replied, and Rolling Stone gave a curt nod with a faint grin in response.

"Good, now disperse. We will regroup again back at the guest house. Keep a low profile and don’t return all at once. Meeting out in the open like this is one thing, but we need to keep up appearances."

"Yes Sir," they repeated once more, and all four of them moved in separate directions, blending in with the rest of the ponies in town.

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

Sweetie Belle returned home after the day’s unexpected training session. Dragging herself forth, tired but satisfied.

She might not have been able to ‘take over’ her friends like she did with Diamond Tiara, and how she did so in the first place was still a mystery to her, but she did manage to make some progress with her transformation. Not much, but she was able to change her form a couple of times, only for her to turn back a few moments later. The longest that she had managed since her first unexpected transformation was a full seven minutes. It wasn't much, but it was progress, and she felt a sense of pride and accomplishment from it. She was starting to accept and appreciate these powers, even if they were misbehaving more often than not.

Still, with each moment that she worked on figuring out how they worked, she found it became easier to keep them under control. Her body hadn't turned invisible on its own for the entire walk home, nor did she sink through the ground. But she thought that last one was more luck than anything else.

Opening the door of her sister's home, she sighed as she heard the ring of the small bell hanging above the door, and the sound of her sister's hooves clopping on the floor above greeted her as Rarity came down to see who it was that had entered her boutique.

"Why Sweetie Belle, where have you been?" Rarity asked concerned as she saw her younger sister stand in the doorway, looking absolutely exhausted. "And what did you do?"

"Oh… Eh. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and I were at our clubhouse… ehh… trying to earn our Cutie Marks," Sweetie Bellr answered, giving a slightly forced smile to her sister as she told her a partial lie.

"And why were you at your clubhouse? School has only just finished for the day, so you shouldn’t have been able to be there," Rarity said, giving her sister a questioning glare.

"Oh, Miss Cheerilee dismissed the class early, so that’s why my friends and I were there."

"Wait, what!? Why did Cheerilee do that?"

"Ehhh… You see, the thing is… Silver Spoon ran headfirst into the side of the school for some reason, and I don’t know why, and she knocked herself out. So Miss Cheerilee took her to the doctor," Sweetie Belle said in one breath, giving her sister the biggest smile she could after she finished.

Rarity, knowing that that smile usually meant something else was going on gave her sister a flat look, staring at her until the smile began to falter and fall.

"And what did really happen?"

"Well, that. Silver Spoon got scared of something, and I do not know what, and she ran into the school, just as I said. I'm telling the truth, honest," she said, 'But maybe not the entire truth,' she added in her thoughts.

Blinking several times in confusion, Rarity looked at her younger sister, seeing no evidence of her lying to her. Maybe she was really telling the truth, or maybe she was just getting better at lying… She didn't particularly like the second possibility. Still, she gave Sweetie Belle the benefit of the doubt, as she knew her younger sister would never do something that would bring harm to others… intentionally.

"My goodness, is Silver Spoon alright?" she asked, and Sweetie Belle gave a shrug in response.

"I don’t know. My friends and I were gone the moment Miss Cheerilee said we could go."

"Of course you were." Rarity sighed. "Okay, fine. Now, come inside and close the door. I will make something to eat, and you can tell me what happened to Silver Spoon while I do so," she told her sister as she turned and moved to the kitchen, followed a moment later by a less than eager Sweetie Belle.

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

It was late in the day, and Scootaloo finally returned home. After helping Sweetie Belle figure out more about how her powers worked, which still needed a lot of improvement, she had spent the remainder of the time just going back and forth on her scooter, practicing some more of her own stunts.

Now, though, she had to go home. Or the place that acted as it.

She sighed as she stepped inside, but she didn’t bother being quiet as she closed the door with a push of her hind leg. Walking up the stairs to her room, she noticed several of the rooms in her mother's guest house were occupied.

"Great, visitors," she muttered as she walked past one of the closed doors before walking into her own room, closing the door behind her. But as her door closed, the one she walked past opened. A dull orange earth pony poked his head outside, scanning the hallway as he held a scanning device of sorts in his hoof, wondering what could have set it off.

"Hmmm. Maybe some more calibrations are needed," he muttered, and moved back into his room, closing the door behind him.

Looking at the hoof held scanner as it gave a readout of minute amounts of spectral energy coming from a source not too far away. Almost as if it passed by the door mere seconds ago. But when he looked there was nothing. The amount of energy shown was also barely noticeable, and Rolling Stone figured it was merely a false reading from faulty calibration.

"Anything sir?" Blue Ice asked, sitting in the room she shared with her commanding officer, working on another scanning device used to find ghosts.

"No, nothing. Just a machine error. See if you can fix it, we don't need anything going wrong with our equipment while we continue our investigation."

"Yes sir," she answered, picking up the device with her magic, bringing it closer to her. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good. Meanwhile, I'll go and see how things are progressing with the others."

Blue Ice gave a nod in confirmation, and returned to the work at hoof, making some slight adjustments to the scanner’s sensitivity.

Rolling Stone moved through the door and closed it behind him, walking over to the room occupied by Sound Wave. Giving three knocks on the closed door he waited for the mare to open the door.

"Si-.. ehh. Rolling, come in," Sound Wave said as she opened the door and saw the First Lieutenant standing before her, looking behind him to see if anypony noticed her partial slip when she instinctively wanted to call him Sir.

Stepping inside, Rolling Stone looked at the small table in the room, covered with various gadgets made by the Fenton Corporation.

"What's the status on the Ghost Gabber?" he asked after Sound Wave had closed the door.

"Coming along, Sir. Still, some work is needed. The device is mostly in working order, but I never had the chance to properly fine tune it. I’m not really sure why, but it seems it is incorrectly picking up on any conversations between ponies. Perhaps it's a similar issue as with the scanners, but I don't really understand what could cause it. I'm adjusting the devices now, and limiting their sensitivity seems to solve the problem. It is just a matter of a little more calibrating, but I'm sure it'll be done before long. But its range will be limited as a result. Still, shouldn't be much of a problem," Sound Wave explained.

"Hmmm. Well, it’s better than nothing," Rolling Stone replied.

"Indeed. But I'm afraid it won't be done tomorrow. I need to find the right balance between limiting the sensitivity, and efficiency. It is a bit of a tenuous task, and despite my knowledge and experience with this device, I'm not much of an expert when it comes to the internal workings. Even then, considering the problems we have experienced already, It does seem to be a bit of a design flaw."

"It would seem so… I will make sure I mention this to the Princess when I send her our first report, she should be able to make this problem known to the Fenton Corporation. They need to send us replacement units, and find out what is causing these problems in the first place.

"That would be useful, yes. But for now I will have to make do with this thing," Sound Wave agreed with a nod.

"Then I will leave you to it," Rolling Stone said, and he turned to the door.

"Yes Sir," Sound Wave acknowledged, and she let him out.

Closing the door behind him, she returned to her work the moment he was gone while Rolling Stone went on his way to the other member of his team: Ornate Charm. But as he moved to her room, he also walked past a closed door belonging to the previously mentioned daughter of Miss Bellflower, and he stopped near the door to listen. The sound of a child sobbing could be heard, and he was conflicted on what to do next. He should just walk away and focus on the task at hoof, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. So, with a flash of green in his eyes, he knocked on the door, and he heard the pony in the room sigh, stepping down from something, maybe the bed, and walking over to the door.

"Yeah, what do yo-… Oh, you're not… her," Scootaloo said, looking up at the dull orange earth pony.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but I heard some sounds, and I was wondering if everything is alright?" he asked, and he received an angry glare in response.

"I wasn’t crying!" Scootaloo half shouted in her own defense.

"I never said you were," Rolling countered calmly.

Silence.

"Oh, right. Still, I didn’t do that. What is it to you anyhow?" Scootaloo muttered with a slight blush, glaring holes into the floor.

"I was just wondering if everything is alright, Miss. So, is everything alright?"

"Yes, fine. Now leave me alone," Scootaloo snarled, and she turned around to walk back into her room.

Sighing, Rolling Stone knew he should just turn away. Instead, his eyes flashed green again, and he blocked the door from closing, not knowing why he was doing what he did.

"You don’t seem fine to me, Miss," Rolling said, looking around the room.

It was not your standard filly’s room, with the walls covered with posters of the Wonderbolts, as well as what seemed to be hoof made posters of Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty. There was a single bed in the room, with a nightstand next to it. A framed photo stood on top of it, and Rolling Stone's eyes lingered on the image shown.

Two adult ponies, pegasi, with the mare holding a young filly. All three of them smiling as their moment was captured on film, frozen in time.

"Is there something I could help you with?" he continued after a moment.

"Yeah, get out of my room!" Scootaloo said coldly, glaring at the stallion, before turning sharply, not looking at the intruder.

"Very well," he sighed, and left the filly to herself, "I’m sorry for troubling you," he added, and another flash of green showed in his eyes, "Mayfly."

Scootaloo's ears perked up, and she turned around with blurring speed.

"What did you call me?" she demanded angrily, a shocked expression on her face. But Rolling Stone had already closed the door, moving to the other room down the hallway and never heard her, nor was he aware of the last word he said. Scootaloo however, could only stare at the door with wavering eyes, not sure if she'd imagined it or not.

'Tha-… That's what my father used to call me,' she thought, and tears started to form in her eyes as she turned to look at the photo standing on her nightstand.

'Dad…'

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

It was late at night on Earth, and all was quiet. The cities were asleep, covered by the glowing domes of the ghost shields that protected them. It was a relatively calm night, with not much trouble having occurred during the day. This however, was about to change. Yet, no one would notice.

A ripple moved through the layers of reality, distorting everything in its path. Yet it somehow managed to miss the major cities as it continued on its way, moving towards a quiet part of the world that was mostly untouched by human hands.

The distortion converged here, warping and shifting as a hole in reality started to form. However fate, chance, destiny, or an unlucky roll in a cosmic game of Dungeons and Dragons caused a ghost portal to form on the exact same spot the tear was forming, and the two collided and merged together. The tear was pulled inside the portal and brought towards a frozen wasteland with no life there at all. A village bustling with activity was present in the distance, yet those existing there didn’t seem to notice the distortion in the distance from their village.

Two creatures however, did notice the opening hole. One an ice blue rabbit, which hopped towards the growing and shimmering hole no larger than a standard ghost portal. The other, a frost giant, looked at both the rabbit and the tear with suspicion and a rising sense of fear. The rabbit though, looked through the hole in the layers of reality, and it was greeted by a blast of warm air. Curious, it moved through the rift, trading the snow covered lands for a relatively warm stone floor, leaving behind the frost giant who was running as fast as he could towards the village.

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

Deep inside the Everfree forest stood the ancient and mostly forgotten castle of the royal sisters. It lay in ruin, with the windows shattered, floors broken, and walls collapsed. Yet it remained standing. A testimony to good construction, or to the spell still holding everything together.

Sparks burst into life in the darkness, illuminating the dark place with flashes. The sound of a vacuum being sucked in reverse echoed through the empty room, amplified by the connected hallways as a tear started to form in the air no larger than the size of one's fist, but it grew in size at an alarming pace, and soon a hole came into existence leading to a frozen wasteland.

Moments later, an ice blue rabbit hopped through.

Sniffing the air and scratching itself behind the ear with a hind leg, the animal took the time to look around. Not finding anything of interest it moved further into the castle, and, in time, it would find its way outside. Hopping over the old and rotten bridge and into the forest, unaware of the two eyes watching its every move as it stopped, sniffed around, and continued its curious trek through the forest.

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

"FROSTBITE!" the frost giant who had witnessed the tear forming shouted as he ran into the village, gaining the attention of the village's leader.

"Wind Chill, what is it? Did something happen?"

"Frostbite, we have a serious problem," Wind Chill said in alarm, and Frostbite's posture shifted from a relaxed stance to a more rigid one.

"What happened?"

"A portal unlike any I have ever seen before has opened in the Death Zone. I fear it leads not to the human world but to this other world the humans deal with."

"WHAT! How did this happen? No portal can open in our lands, it is impossible."

"I know, but it has happened nonetheless."

"Oh, this is bad. If the other ghosts hear of this there will be no containing them. We must place guards near it, make sure nothing gets through," Frostbite ordered.

"I’m afraid it is already too late," Wind Chill said with an icy tone.

"What?"

"A beku terwelu went through."

Silence.

A look of fear showed on Frostbite's face, and he turned to look towards the Death Zone, barely able to see the shimmering hole Wind Chill spoke of.

"Good grief. Whatever deity it is those creatures believe in, I hope it protects them from this evil," Frostbite spoke with a rumbling voice as he looked at the villagers around him. All of them listening in, and waiting for his orders.

"You, Avalanche, Snow Front! Wind Chill will lead you to this portal, and the two of you will guard it with everything you’ve got, while Wind Chill will go through and find this wretched beast. Nothing else may slip through, from either side. Keep their world safe, they're ill prepared for us ghosts, and they will be even easier prey than the humans were.

"Yes Frostbite!" the three frost giants chorused, and they quickly moved to the Death Zone.

"I just hope it is not already too late," Frostbite said to himself, looking once again at the distant portal.

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

The manticore moved quietly through the forest, stalking his prey. An ice blue rabbit.

Never before had he seen something like this, and he was eager to try out the flesh of this animal.

He was careful, more so than usual as he moved slowly, creeping closer to his prey. It certainly seemed like an easy kill, but that’s what he thought of those three ponies some nights before, and look how that turned out. No, he was more careful after that, nor was he going to play with his food as much as he did with those ponies.

Closer and closer he got, close enough to catch the scent of the animal. A chilly scent that sent a shiver down his spine and made him stop for a moment. But not wanting to let such easy prey get away, he continued, closing the distance.

His large form towered over the rabbit, and the light of the moon shining through the trees cast his shadow over the rabbit, making it turn as it noticed something was standing behind it.

The manticore roared to signal he was about to strike, but he was stopped mid pounce when he noticed something very strange happening with his prey.

A look of anger mixed with malicious intent appeared on the face of the rabbit, and a warping glow covered its body. It doubled, tripled, quadrupled in size, while its appearance became wilder and wilder.

Then it roared back, stretching its mouth open to an impossible width and showing many, oh so many, razor sharp teeth.

It attacked without mercy, and all the other animals around fled the scene as the dark forest filled with the pained screams of a manticore dying violently, and the crunching of bones as the rabbit ate.

Help for this creature had already come too late.

Discovery and Understanding

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I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.

Discovery and Understanding.

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

"Clockwork!" sounded Sam's voice as she flew back into the time hall, holding a black book in her hands.

"Sam, you have what I asked for?" he asked, still looking at the swirling vortex of the viewing portal.

"Yes, and it has been a pain taking it with me. It keeps shocking me every few minutes," Sam muttered darkly, feeling the urge to simply blast the book with some of her own ectoplasm.

"Why am I not surprised," Clockwork said flatly as he finally turned around, looking at the book Sam was holding.

Making it hover before him, he looked at the skull found on the front of the cover. His red eyes boring into the skull's own glowing green eyes.

"So, care to explain yourself, Necky?"

The book didn't answer, nor did it do anything else. It just hovered on the spot, held aloft in the grip of Clockwork's power.

"Ehh… Clockwork? It's just a book. Maybe you should just open it," Sam said, confused.

"Sam. There are still a lot of things you don't know, this is one of them. Now be quiet, I am trying to have a conversation here," Clockwork said with a frown as he looked at the book, "So, Necky. Mind telling me why you did it?"

Silence.

"I could always erase you from history and undo everything you did."

The skull's eyes glowed a bright green, and the book opened. Its pages turning rapidly as if struck by a fierce wind, and it lay open before Clockwork at the centerfold.

It would be unwise to do so, Clockwork.

"And would you mind telling me why?"

You already know the answer, Clockwork.
We all have our part to play, even if we don't know the rules. I did what I did, because it was my part in this chess game. I kept you in the dark, just like you did with Sam. And for the same reason. Should you have known, you might have done things differently. I don't make the rules, and neither do you. But we can bend them from time to time. I bent my rules, just like you did yours. What you do next, however, will be up to you. But the dice have been thrown, and my choice has been put to motion. Will you cheat, and wipe her off the board? Or will you accept this new player into the game, and try to work with it? We all have a choice to make, and this is mine. She is mine. Silver Spirit might just make the difference all our worlds need. Or she might not. Destiny is a curious thing, but the choices we make will determine how it will play out.

"That may be, but you still upset the balance, and secrets have been revealed that should have been kept hidden. Plus, one pony being a Halfa is already difficult enough. What will happen when she heeds the calling?" Clockwork said angrily, shifting through his various forms much faster because of it.

Destiny.

And with that, the book closed with a snap and vanished in a burst of green energy.

Silence.

"... So… What do we do now?" Sam asked quietly after a moment, keeping a bit of a distance between herself and Clockwork.

"We wipe the board clean and start again with this new development. I can't undo this change without undoing everything done by the Necronomicon, even though I wish I could. Instead, I can at least change the outcome of one event," Clockwork said as he turned back to the viewing portal and lifted his cane.

"Some secrets are not yet meant to be found out."

And through use of his powers over time, he changed the event where Twilight found out about Danny's secret. But as he studied the new possibilities with this newly created timeline, he discovered certain other 'players' as well. And more secrets not yet ready to be found out. And he knew there was still a lot of work left to be done, especially concerning those two close to the orange filly, Scootaloo.

And, as he watched the present and future with a frown, he started to form a new plan on how to best use this new development in Danny's best interest, as well as for all those involved with future events.

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

Your Highness.
As stated by protocol, I hereby send you the first report of our investigation of the Ponyville area.
After arriving in the village by train, my team split up into two main groups to increase our search effectiveness. One group resides in the nearby forest, White Tail Woods. The other, led by me, is currently residing in Ponyville's guest house.
After our first preliminary search for the suspected spectral activity that was reported in the area we were unable to get a conclusive answer as to whether there is a ghost or not. Mainly due to interference from an unknown source. We have yet to receive a report from the team out in the forest, but it is expected that they are having similar difficulties with their equipment.
And while we have used these devices during training exercises on both worlds, malfunctions like we are experiencing now have not occured before. A conclusive answer for this, we do not have as of yet. Though field modifications to limit the devices' sensitivity does seem to help to a limited degree.
As of now, we can't say with certainty that the possible signals we detected are a confirmed hit, or a false positive due to these problems.
For now we feel confident we are able to continue the investigation, despite these setbacks. But it would be wise to make this matter known to the Fenton Corporation so they can investigate this problem, and find a potential solution.
Furthermore; Investigation around the lake which was reported frozen by your student, Miss Twilight Sparkle, resulted in no detectable evidence of any spectral activity. Which, as Specialist Blue Ice confirmed, is most likely the result of the ambient magic deteriorating any spectral residue, along with your student using a spell to melt the ice.
However, further investigation farther away from the lake resulted in us finding a trace amount of spectral energy. It could very well be a false positive, as I mentioned, but it led us to the home of the town's human resident, Danny Manson. However, we were unable to investigate thoroughly around his home because, remote as it might be from the rest of the town, it still lies within sight, and he or others could have seen us should we have tried to enter the residence.
We need to get a thorough look both outside and inside his home, but currently we are unable to complete this task due to the risk of being found out. And although we could set up a distraction, it would most likely put our undercover operation at risk, should somepony look the wrong way at the wrong time.
That said, there might be another target of interest as one of the readings lead us to a filly that seemed to give off small amounts of spectral energy. But this too could be, and most likely is, a false positive. Either way, this filly, Silver Spoon, will be under close observation until we know for sure our equipment works as it should and we can rule her out as a possible source of spectral activity.
We do not know for certain if there truly is a ghost lurking around in this town, and the evidence is not much to go by. But we will continue our search until we know for certain, and should any new evidence be found we will report it immediately.
First lieutenant, Rolling Stone.

Celestia received the letter last night before the moon rose, arriving by express mail in the hooves of a wall eyed, but cheerful and happy gray pegasus mare.

She had reread it several times now and, as she was seated in her personal chambers, exhaled a tired sigh.

She knew not to expect too much, but with a matter as serious as this one, she had hoped there would have been some answer as to what was been going on in Ponyville.

Still, it did give her something to work with. She would take First Lieutenant Stone's advice to heart and inform the Fenton Corporation about the issues with their devices. It hopefully was just a mistake made as they modified these devices for use by her ponies, nothing more. But it now proved to be a significant problem for the ponies sent to investigate. Still, she knew how to help them out with another problem of theirs, and she used her magic to materialize a scroll, quill and inkwell.

My precious student, Twilight.
I write to you to bring to your attention a matter of great importance you need to be aware of, as I no longer feel like I can keep you in the dark on these matters. I must ask you to stop reading this aloud, and to keep the contents of this letter to yourself.
For some time now, my sister has been detecting a severe disturbance coming from Danny Manson, the human living in Ponyville. It only happens at night when he sleeps, and it has shown to be increasing in both strength and severity. And despite numerous attempts, Luna has been unable to stop this disturbance, nor has she been able to dive into Danny's dreams.
Two nights ago however, something changed, for the worse. I will not go into details but we, my sister and I, fear that a ghost has managed to penetrate our defenses, and is now actively haunting Danny Manson. How this could have happened, we do not know. There was however, an attempted ghost breach at the tear facility involving Danny the day he came to our world, which also inflicted massive damage to the scanning room found there. It is believed the ghost was stopped before anything worse could happen, and we managed to keep the population in general from finding out, in order to avoid any panic and chaos.
However, given the common factor between the incident at the tear facility, and the disturbance found by my sister, we fear the ghost in question was not stopped, and found a way out of the compound and into our world. I don't need to explain to you what this means.
I also know that by this point you will most likely be having a panic attack, so please, calm down. Take a deep breath and continue with this letter.
We do not think Danny is actively aware of what is happening, but we cannot know for certain. There is a team of investigators, the Ghost-keteers, currently seeking out any sign of spectral creatures in the Ponyville area. They are aware of the probability that the spectral activity is centered around Danny, and they will need to investigate around his home for any signs. But remembering something my sister and I noticed the first time we met him, I believe it would be for the best if he isn't aware of this happening.
I understand you have had some interaction with him before, and I hope the two of you will have a blooming friendship. And, if I may be so bold, I would appreciate it if you invited him with you on your next visit to Canterlot. It would be a good thing for him to put some distance between himself and this supposed ghost, and it would be a wonderful opportunity to get to know him a bit better. I, for one, would very much like the chance to meet him personally again, and hopefully get to know him a bit better as well.
I understand this is asking a lot of you, and I will understand if you decline. I cannot in good conscience force you to do something you do not want to do. But, if you happen to feel like this is a perfect way to get to know him a bit better, you are more than welcome to bring him along. I most certainly look forward to your next visit.
And to end this letter on a lighter note, your mother said hello.
Your mentor and friend, Celestia.

After reading it through again to make sure she didn't make any mistakes, both with her spelling and with the contents of what it was she was telling Twilight, she sent the letter on its way, most likely waking Spike up as it was still early in the morning, and she had yet to raise the sun.

Looking out the window of her personal chamber, Celestia saw the moon beginning its descent. At least Luna was still able to perform her duty, even though she was still shaken from her experience, and hadn't attempted to reach out to Danny in any way.

Sighing, Celestia stood up, preparing to bring forth a new day.

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

Wind Chill stepped through the ominous portal, and found himself inside an old and abandoned room. Looking around, he noticed the slowly rising sun coming from the broken windows, which was troubling. At night most creatures would be asleep, but during the day… Should any come in contact with the beku terwelu the panic caused would only increase the danger.

Its cute and fluffy appearance only a deception to lure its prey closer to it, and when they get close it shows its true form. But should a panic break out around it, things would become even worse.

Wind Chill shuddered at the thought of what could happen, and he knew he had to hurry. So without wasting any more time, he looked around to find any trace of this beast. Using his experience and sharp senses, he quickly found what he was looking for. Tiny droplets of water leading away from the portal and towards one of the many hallways. Knowing that the ground froze at the touch of a beku terwelu, he knew the creature had left this trail. Following the droplets of water through the ruined building he found himself in, he would soon make his way out of what proved to be an old castle. Maybe not as old as himself, but still old all the same.

Seeing that the trail led him to an old and flimsy bridge, he realized there was no chance of him walking over the rotten wood without it collapsing, and the gift of flight was not something his kind had. But that didn't mean he was stuck there, oh no. Grabbing the support ropes of the bridge in his hands, he channeled his ice shaping power into it, freezing the ropes and the wood that they held up. Before long, a brightly gleaming bridge made from the purest of ice hung above the chasm. Larger and stronger than the old flimsy rope bridge that hung there before, with cold vapor coming off of it as it was heated in the early morning sun.

Walking over it to the other side, he was quick to resume his mission to track down this most vile of creatures. And as he stepped into the forest surrounding the old castle, he took note of the eerie quiet, knowing that this was not a good sign.

"It was here, I can feel it," he grumbled in a dark tone, looking around to see if he could find any damage.

Stepping through a tall bush he came upon a scene that made his frozen blood run even colder.

A carcass. Lying in a pool of blood, its flesh stripped clean, and its bones crushed and splintered. He knew all too well what had caused this, and he swore under his breath.

Seeing another trail leading away from the slaughtered beast, he increased his pace to catch up with this demon. He would not allow another creature to be harmed by this foul thing.

He hoped.

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

Sweetie Belle woke up with a loud yawn, blinking dumbly as she tried to wake up while her body was more set on staying asleep. Looking around she saw, with a small sense of pride, that she was still lying in her bed, within her room. That was a major improvement compared with yesterday.

Forcing herself out of her bed and onto the floor, she stretched herself out with an unlady like groan. Giving herself a once over, she noticed that none of her limbs, or other parts of her body, were either invisible, intangible, or both.

'Huh. Guess that whole thing with thinking I'm a cloud really worked after all,' she thought, and yawned again.

Forcing herself into motion, she made her way to the bathroom, intending to freshen up a bit before breakfast. But as she approached the aforementioned room, she saw the door was locked, indicating her sister was already using it.

Sighing, she turned around and prepared to go to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. And, regardless of what her sister said, she did know how to cook. After all, a sandwich is supposed to be burnt, right? But as she was walking to the stairs she passed by her sister's atelier, she noticed the door was still partially open, and glancing inside she saw a rather odd, but interesting looking suit lying on the table.

Stepping inside, she walked over to the clothes placed neatly in order on the wooden surface. Jumping on a stool for better height; she stood with her hind legs on the stool, while placing her front hooves on the table, giving herself the needed height to see what it was Rarity had placed there.

It was mostly black, which was odd as it was a color her sister rarely used. But there was white in it as well, which was another color that, although less so than black, still was not used much. It consisted of one of those shurts, or whatever they were called, along with a matching pair of pants. Both of them were black, with white parts at the end of the shurt's sleeves, as well as at the bottom of the pants’ legs. The neck area was also white, and a white belt was found next to the clothes.

Sweetie Belle blinked several times as she took it all in. This was something her sister had never made before, and she had a hard time figuring out why she had made something like this now. She was so transfixed with what she was seeing that she didn't even notice her sister walking in the room, and only after Rarity cleared her throat did she notice her sister was standing behind her.

"Hey, sis. What are you making?" she asked, giving Rarity a curious look.

"I'm afraid I don't know myself," Rarity answered with a sigh as she stepped up next to her younger sister, looking at the suit she had been working on for some time now.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion, "You're making it, shouldn't you know what it is?"

"Yes, and I know what it is, but I simply don't know where to take it, so to speak. It just doesn't want to work with me. It simply doesn't speak to me. I had this marvelous idea, a burst of inspiration that made me make this. But now, after having tried several times, I don't know what to do with it. It simply doesn't feel right, like there is something missing, and I'm too blind to see it," she answered with another sigh, "I guess my muse decided to leave me halfway through this little project of mine. So it is just sitting here, gathering dust while I try to figure out what I am doing wrong."

"Maybe it's the colors?" Sweetie offered.

"That's what I thought, but I keep going back to this color scheme. Why, I simply don't know. It is just this thought, this idea in the back of my mind," she sighed. "Oh well, no need for you to worry about it. Now, freshen yourself up while I make some breakfast. Then it is off to school for you," Rarity told her sister, giving her a gentle nudge to the bathroom.

"Okay, sis," Sweetie Belle replied cheerful, and she rushed to the now free bathroom, tripping over her legs, and tumbling head first into the bathtub, somehow managing to turn on the faucet at the coldest setting, which just so happen to be placed directly above her head.

"GHAAAA!" she yelled as the freezing cold water splashed in her face, desperately trying to scramble to her hooves and away from the horrible cold. But her downright spastic attempts to do so only made things worse, and by the time she was finally able to pull herself out of the tub she was soaking wet and shivering.

"O-o-ok-k-ay. Tha-a-at wi-i-ill be eno-oug-h," she managed through clattering teeth, and she hurried to grab a towel, somehow managing to pull every single piece of clean linen out of the nearby cabinet, covering herself in a heap of fabric. All the while, Rarity watched from the open door, hoof firmly placed against her face.

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

The sun rose higher and higher, spreading its warm, life giving light over the world. Yet most of that light failed to penetrate the thick foliage of the Everfree Forest, causing the dense forest to be as dark and foreboding as it always had been. A perfect place for the many dangerous creatures that lurked there. A place where only the most dangerous, confident, or foolish of beings would dare to enter as danger lay around every turn. But as dangerous as the animals that lived in the forest were, none of them could be seen nor heard. Not because they lay in wait to ambush prey, but because they were scared. Scared of the unholy abomination that had entered their home, and was methodically slaughtering any that would try to claim it as their kill.

No sound could be heard. Not the sound of birds singing, the sound of manticores roaring, or even the sound of the forest itself. All was quiet, all was scared. All that is, except the wooden wolves of the forest. A duo of timberwolves were stalking the seemingly harmless blue rabbit, seeing it move around, yet they remained undetected.

They were on edge. They had been for a while now. First there was the confirmation that the dark one was living near the forest, and they stood at attention should he ever bring forth its evil. Which he hadn't done… yet.

They didn't know what his plan was, but they were keeping a close eye on him. But now it would seem another evil had found its way into the world, and they were forced to split their focus between the dark one and this new entity.

They didn't know what it was, but they recognized its energy as their own. The energy of the dead, a wandering soul. Yet it didn't seem to be on the same level, intellectually, as they were, and most of its actions seemed to be made purely on instinct. But they knew better than most that what they saw was not always how things were. After all, just like their own form, appearance can be deceiving.

Their target moved again, and they followed, making sure not to lose sight of it, and to warn off any animal that might tread too near. For they are the protectors of the forest, the guardians of life. It is their task, their curse, a punishment for their crimes against life. They were the wandering wolves. They were the Kadzait.

*Snap*

Their heads snapped towards a bush some distance away when they heard the sound. It was faint, but loud enough for them to hear. It would seem another animal was coming too close to this threat, and they had to act accordingly to steer it away.

They looked at one another, and the faintest of nods was passed between them as a silent agreement was made. One of the wolves split off, moving silently towards the bush to see what it was that was approaching, and to scare it off. Yet before he could approach the bush to fulfill his duty, a loud roar tore through the air. And with a mighty heave, a beast with white fur and a cold aura radiating off it jumped out of the foliage, baring its teeth as it rushed towards the blue rabbit.

They didn't know what was going on. They didn't know what this beast was. And in the confusion they failed to notice the similarity between their energy and the white giant's. All they were able to observe in the split second everything went down, was the giant roaring and rushing toward the rabbit which, in turn, transformed into the terror that had the forest in its grip.

They didn't know what was going on, only that they had to act. So, with a loud bark, they both rushed towards the white giant. One tackled it to the ground, while the other took up position between the giant and the blue rabbit. Taking on an aggressive stance, it growled and roared at the beast. And it would appear the blue beast wasn't as stupid as it looked, for it saw it was outnumbered and turned back into its deceptive form and fled.

"NO!" the white giant shouted as he pushed away from the ground, pulling himself and the wolf on his back up.

"Begone," he roared as he grabbed the wolf from his back and tossed it into the bush he came from, "I don't have time for this, I need to stop this threat," he said more to himself than the wolves as he rushed after the rabbit, trying to catch back up with it.

And as he vanished into the darkness of the forest, the wolves regrouped, sharing a startled look of realization.

The giant, it too shared their energy. Yet it was a different form all the same. An energy more similar to that of the rabbit than theirs, yet it was the tell tale sign of death all the same.

"Kio okazas, frato?" one of the wolves asked in confusion.
"What is going on, brother?"

"Mi ne scias, sed la arbaro ne plu estas en ekvilibro. Ni devas informi la Alfa," the other responded.
"I do not know, but the forest is no longer in balance. We need to inform the Alpha."

They gave one last look at the place the giant had run off to before they turned and ran back to their pack. Something has disrupted the balance, and it would seem it was getting worse.

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

Rolling Stone, Blue Ice, Sound Wave and Ornate Charm came out of their rooms, ready to start the next day of investigations. They had planned everything out the previous day, and they were ready to pick up where they had left off. And hopefully the improvements to their equipment would prove to be effective. But as they walked out of the guest house, they came upon an unexpected sight.

A large cart with bright colors, horns, flags and what seemed to be an oven. And standing in front of it all was the pink pony they knew as Pinkie Pie, the bearer of the Element of Laughter.

"GHAAAA!" she gasped out, "There you are!"

"Ehh, who?" Sound Wave asked.

"Why, all of you of course," Pinkie Pie said cheerfully, and she gave the cart a slight kick.

Music started to play as she danced and jumped around with a large, toothy smile.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. A fine welcome to you," she sang as she placed a party hat on all four their heads, while they looked at the pink mare as if she was crazy. Which, as she started to move around on two legs while playing a drum, they were sure she was.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. I say how do you do?" They never saw it coming, but when it happened it was already too late. And with ringing ears, they tried to figure out how she was able to pass a trumpet cleanly through all their heads while blowing it.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. I say, hip hip hooray! Welcome, welcome, welcome to Ponyville todaaaaay," she finished as she slid towards them, front legs raised in a cheer.

"Wait for it!" she said, and the ding of a timer went off. With a small explosion streamers and confetti blew out of the pipes attached to the cart, while a cake shot out of the oven, coming to a perfect stop in-between the hooves Pinkie was holding up.

"Tadaaa~" she announced proudly as she held the cake up to the four ponies, already cut and ready to eat.

"O-kay?" Blue Ice said as she, and the rest of her team, had a plate with the cake shoved into their hooves.

"Try it. I made it myself," Pinkie chirped joyfully, bouncing on the spot, unable to stand still with her usual boundless enthusiasm.

The four shared a look of bewilderment as they also observed the blatantly effervescent mare. They had heard of her, of course. Her actions, along with those of the other Elements were well known among the guards, as well as her colorful behavior. But experiencing it first hoof was something else entirely, and they were unsure how to best respond to it. So like everyone else that first experienced the pink party pony's particularly perplexing personal welcome parade, they stood there staring dumbly, mumbling a bit as their brains tried to catch up with the situation.

Fortunately they were trained to keep a clear mind in difficult situations, so they were able to snap out of their stupor relatively quickly. Still, in the few seconds it took their brains to reboot, Pinkie Pie's smile drooped off her face as she took it as a sign of rejection. But the mare was more resilient than that, and she would get through to them just like she had done with Cranky Doodle Donkey. So with a determined nod, her smile returned, even bigger than before.

"Soooo. A tough crowd it would seem. Don't worry, I have just the thing that you need," she said, and she shot off in a blur.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Blue Ice said as they saw the slowly fading pink outlines the mare had left behind.

"So do I," Rolling Stone replied.

"Mhe twho, buht phis cake pfis amafing," Ornate Charm said with a full mouth, earning herself stares from her three teammates. "What!?" she said with a shrug, swallowing her mouthful "You should try it."

Looking at one another, they shrugged in silent agreement.

"Meh, might as well," Rolling Stone muttered, and he took a bite of the cake he was still holding.

His eyes, as well as Blue Ice and Sound Wave's widened as the flavor assaulted their taste buds, and for a second time in short succession they were speechless.

"You've got to give it to her," Ornate Charm said while smacking her lips, "She might be crazy, that mare knows how to bake a cake."

The other three hummed their agreement.

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

The two timberwolves ran through the forest as fast as they could, not stopping for anything. And in no time they had arrived back at the heart of their pack's territory, and they made haste to their Alpha.

The other wolves present looked up as the duo rushed in, but none of them tried to stop them. They knew they were out in the forest to track the latest threat. And they knew that, if they came back in such a hurry, something was wrong, very wrong.

The two ran inside the cave the Alpha called home, and came to a sudden stop within the cavernous space.

"Kial vi estas ĉi tie? Kio okazis?" the rumbling voice of the Alpha echoed through the cave.
"Why are you here? What happened?"

"Alfa, nova evoluo okazis, kaj la ekvilibro estis interrompita eĉ pli," one of the wolves answered.
"Alpha, a new development has occurred, and the balance has been upset even more."

"Kion vi signifas?" the Alpha asked.
"What do you mean?"

"Ni spuris la bluan demono, kiel ordigita. Sed io alia montris supren kiel ni faris tiom," the wolf answered.
"We tracked the blue demon, as ordered. But something else showed up as we did so."

"Io granda. Io mortinta, kiel ni estas," the other finished.
"Something big. Something dead, like us."

"KIO!?" the Alpha barked, and the two wolves' ears fell flat.
"WHAT!?"

"Ni ne scias kio ĝi estas, aŭ de kie ĝi devenas. Sed estas evidente, la bilanco estis perturbitaj pli severe, ol oni origine opiniis," one of the wolves spoke up.
"We do not know what it was, or where it came from. But it is obvious the balance has been disturbed more severely than we originally thought."

"Ankaŭ. Ĝi ŝajnus la nova estaĵo ankaŭ estis ĉasante la blua demono. Ili povus esti rilatigitaj?" the other added.
"Also. It would seem this new entity was also hunting the blue demon. Could they be related?"

The Alpha was silent for a long time as he thought over what he was told. A decision had to be made, but this new information proved they were not the only ones out there that needed to be thought of.

"Vi du, spuros kie tiu nova ento devenis! Eble ni povas trovi iujn respondojn je la fonto. Mi sendos alian grupon por trovi kaj sekvi la blua demono, tiel kiel tiu alia interloper vi jam rakontis al mi pri. Se tio estas vera, kaj tie estas alia animo, kiu trovis vojon al tiu ĉi mondo tiam pli povis, kaj volis, sekvi. Tio estas fakto ni scias tro bone. Ni ne povas lasi ke tio okazas, ne plu!" the Alpha ordered.
"You two, track down where this new entity came from! Maybe we can find some answers at the source. I will send another group to find and follow the blue demon, as well as this other interloper you've told me about. If it is true, and there is another soul that has found a way to this world then more could, and will follow. This is a fact we know all too well. We can not let that happen, not again!"

"Jes, Alfa," they answered in unison, and they hurried to carry out their new orders.
"Yes, Alpha."

And as they left the Alpha wolf alone in his cave, he thought back to a time so very long ago.

"Post ĉiu. Ni, ankaŭ, iam trovis nian vojon en tiu ĉi mondo. Ne per elekto, sed ankoraŭ, ĉi tie ni estas ĉiuj la sama," he muttered to himself.
"After all. We, too, once found our way into this world. Not by choice, but still, here we are all the same."

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

Wind Chill had been running through the forest for many hours now, panting hard despite the fact he didn't need to breathe.

He wasn't used to the warmth he experienced on this world after all, and the exertion he pushed himself through only added to his discomfort. Still, he didn't stop as he knew that if he faltered for even a single moment many lives could be lost. So with eyes burning in determination, he continued on his search for the beku terwelu. Unfortunately, his encounter with those strange wooden creatures had scared the beast away, and he had been unsuccessful in tracking it down again. It could be anywhere, hidden in the vastness of this forest, and he feared someone else would find it before he did. Or worse, it would find them.

With a low grunt, he forced himself to go even faster, not wanting to let the fate that had befallen that creature whose bones he had found to strike some other unfortunate soul. But as he was pushing through a dense bush somewhere in the middle of the forest, the beku terwelu was jumping out past the treeline, feeling the warming rays of the midday sun hitting its face while it turned to the sound of a ringing bell near a small building some distance away. And as it moved to see what it was, it noticed several small ponies rush out of the building.

A twisted grin crept across its face, as it would seem it had found another source of food.

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

The school bell rang, and the foals trapped within rushed outside, more than eager to leave behind the stuffy and boring classroom they'd been stuck in for hours.

Four ponies however, were not as quick to run out of the room, screaming and hollering as they reclaimed their freedom.

First there was Diamond Tiara, grumbling under her breath as she slowly walked away, alone now that Silver Spoon was at home. All because of those three fillies, she knew, but couldn't prove it, yet.

And second, there were the three aforementioned fillies, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. They were quicker to leave, but still didn't all out run towards the freedom that awaited them outside. Instead, they kept close together as they quickly moved away from the school and the town, heading towards their clubhouse so they could continue their training for Sweetie Belle.

"Are you ready to try that transformation again?" Scootaloo asked after they were far enough away from the school.

"Yes!" Sweetie Belle said with determination, feeling particularly lucky today.

"Ya remember what ya did last time ya managed ta transform?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yes… Kinda… Not really," Sweetie Belle answered with an awkward smile, and a golden flash came from her horn, causing all three of them to trip over their legs as it took them by surprise.

"What was that!?" Apple Bloom said loudly as she untangled her limbs, looking at her friend's horn.

"I don't know," Sweetie Belle answered as she prodded the pointy appendage with a hoof, "It has never done that before."

"Was it your magic?" Scootaloo asked.

"No. My magic is a light green, remember," she answered.

"Oh yeah, like that other weird glowing stuff you can do," Scootaloo replied as she stood back up.

"Maybe it's just some other power of yers?" Apple Bloom suggested as she, too, climbed back to her hooves.

"I guess," Sweetie Belle said with a shrug.

"Let's just go back ta our clubhouse. We'll figure it out back there," Apple Bloom said, and she broke out in a gallop as she sped away.

"Hey! Wait for us!" Scootaloo shouted as she took off, chasing after her friend.

Sweetie Belle, however, looked around for a moment, feeling a strange chill go down her spine.

'I don't know. I've got a bad feeling for some reason.' she thought before shaking it off and following her friends towards the apple orchard, not noticing the pink filly following them. Nor did any of them notice the blue rabbit following after them as well.

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

"We're never going to get any work done, are we?" Blue Ice muttered in annoyance as she and the rest of her team were, in ways they couldn't explain, somehow 'captured' by the pink menace known locally as Pinkie Pie, and were now subjected to continuous 'fun' provided by the aforementioned mare to properly welcome them to Ponyville.

"Well, you've got to give her credit," Ornate Charm replied as they watched Pinkie Pie ride on an unicycle while juggling cupcakes and singing at the same time, "She does know how to put on a show."

"Yes. But while she's at it, we're stuck here. She won't give up easily, we know that much," Sound Wave mentioned with a snicker when one of the cupcakes fell on Pinkie's head.

"That's all nice and such. But I have a thirty bit bet going with Vigilant Shield about who will find the 'objective' first," Blue Ice replied in a mutter, but a smile managed to break through as she watched the pink pony do her thing.

"Just give her what she wants, she has earned that much," Rolling commanded with a humorous grin, the antics of Pinkie Pie getting to him.

"I guess she did," Blue Ice answered with a faint grin of her own, seeing Pinkie jump off the unicycle and land on her hind legs, standing tall and proud while breathing heavily, front legs held wide.

"Tadaaa~" Pinkie Pie announced proudly, waiting for a response from her audience with a large smile.

Sound Wave and Rolling Stone gave a hearty laugh at Pinkie's antics, while Blue Ice and Ornate Charm gave a more reserved chuckle. Giving a quick round of applause by stomping their hooves on the ground, and a quartet of happy smiles on their faces was just the response Pinkie had been hoping for, and she soaked it all up with an ever growing smile splitting her face in half.

"That was great, miss, really," Sound Wave commented, "And we thank you for this warm welcome. But we should be going now. Still a lot of town to… ehh.. explore."

"Ahh, shush," Pinkie said with a wave of her hoof, "Just call me Pinkie, everypony else does."

"Okay, Pinkie," Rolling answered, "Thank you. It certainly was memorable."

"YAY!" Pinkie shouted excitedly while clapping her hooves together, "Now we're the bestest of friends."

"Ehh, sure?" Ornate Charm said, unsure.

"Woohoo!" Pinkie shouted as she bounced on the spot, sporting one of her biggest smiles as she had befriended not one, not two, but four ponies at once.

"Oh, oh. I am sooo excited, I feel like singing!" Pinkie chirped happily, and music started to play.

"Oh, come on," Blue Ice muttered as they were roped in to a song and dance number.

"Well, she's something alright," Sound Wave said in response.

"I'll say," Rolling Stone agreed.

"We're never going to get anything done, are we?" Ornate Charm asked. But she never got a reply, as they all were taken by the Music of Harmony, and they, along with all the ponies around, were singing loud and proud, dancing along with the music provided by the happy pink mare's magical harmony.

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

They ran through the forest without missing a beat, following the scent they captured during their encounter with the white giant. They'd been at it for several hours now, as it would seem the giant had traversed a great distance going nowhere and even in circles, confusing the Kadzait for a moment. But now they had found it, the place the scent originated from, and they should have know it was this place of all places.

The castle of the royal sisters.

It used to be a place of prosperity and peace. A place that grew with the passing of time, forming a large city where many ponies thrived and flourished. Now, only a ruin of the castle remained. They were already there before that happened, and they witnessed the destruction themselves during the time of their greatest failure.

They are the Kadzait, the wandering wolves. A name earned during their time alive, a name soaked in the blood of innocents. Innocents killed by them, forever cursing them. They were banished to this world, forever cast out of the eternal hunting grounds, forced to roam these woods like they'd done on their own world, Firosina. Now though, they wouldn't make the same mistakes they'd made when they were among the living, the elder one wouldn't allow it. He, and that book he carried.

So here they were. Immortal souls trapped inside bodies made from the dead. It was an ironic turn of events, cursed to a form of immortality. The very thing they sought to obtain, yet a twisted mocker put on them as a curse for their sins. And as such, they were unable to die as they were tied to this world. And to make sure they understood the damage they had done to the balance of their own world, they were placed in charge of maintaining the balance of this forest. Which is why they were less than happy to stand before the ancient castle the scent had led them to.

They both growled as they stood there, remembering.

There was another who was also responsible for their curse. One who had lost himself due to their actions. And the one who had slain them as the darkness of Fenrir had consumed him. He was able to break free, eventually, but at the cost of his own life. And the dark one, it lived. A parasite roaming between worlds, seeking out anyone it could latch on to.

And it found one. Right here, right in this very castle.

Princess Luna drew the attention of Fenrir, her jealousy towards her sister the bait. It took hold of her, corrupted her mind, and changed both of them in the process. It shifted its form to match that of the princess of ponies, becoming the one now known as Nightmare Moon.

They should have stopped it. They should have stopped her. But they failed. They failed to fulfill their purpose, and, ultimately, it was Princess Celestia who stopped the corruption of Fenrir using the fruits of the Tree of Life.

But Fenrir, or, Nightmare Moon, hadn't gone away. It was merely relocated. Banished to the moon, looking down at the world below. And they looked up, every night of every year that passed since the day the Nightmare was banishment and the city fell into ruin.

They walked around the edge of the ravine surrounding the castle, heading towards the bridge they knew to be there. And they found it, just not how they remembered it.

A bridge made from the purest of ice crossed the expanse, cold vapor rising off of it as it was warmed by the light of the sun. Yet it didn't show any sign of melting, indicating this was more than just simple ice. One of the wolves reached out with his paw, touching the frozen surface, and he could feel the energy contained within the frozen construct.

Sharing a glance with his pack brother, they crossed the bridge, entering the castle, and continuing their search within the walls of the forsaken fortress. Sensing the undead energy hanging in the air.

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

Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were inside their clubhouse, the latter of which were arguing with each other over which of Sweetie Belle's powers they should work on. Sweetie Belle, of course, had no say in any of this. But she was talking just as loud, trying to get her voice in on this. Yet, loud as they may have been, their voices were still somewhat muffled for the pink filly standing outside, staying low on the outside deck below the window.

'What are they talking about?' she thought, pressing her ear closer to the wall, but with little success, as she didn't want to get too close to the dirty building, lest she soil her mane and coat.

"Fine, we try that first!" Apple Bloom's voice suddenly sounded loud and clear to her, and Diamond Tiara realised that she must have stepped closer to the window.

"Okay, Sweetie Belle. Ready?" Apple Bloom asked, getting a nod in return, which Diamond Tiara didn't see. What she did see was a sudden flash of golden light shining through the window.

"Hey, it did it again," she heard Scootaloo saying, and she was debating with herself on peeking through the window to see what they were up to, but she didn't want to get caught before she was sure what they were doing. But she never had a chance to make a choice as she felt somepony tapping her on her hind leg.

Fearing she was discovered, she turned around, only to see a blue bunny standing behind her.

"Huh?" she uttered, puzzled, as she looked at the cute blue thing, while it hopped closer to her as it sniffed the air.

"What do you want?" she said annoyed, glaring at the bunny as she shoved it away from her, causing it to fall over the edge of the deck, and hit the ground with a thud.

Huffing in irritation over the distraction, she turned her attention back to the fillies inside the ugly building they called a clubhouse. And, again, she was debating whether or not she should risk peeking inside to see what was going on, only to feel somepony tapping her leg again, and her eyes narrowed into a glare as she turned to look at who it was. And she had a good idea it was that weird bunny again. But as she turned to look, her eyes widened in fear and horror as what she saw was not the same fluffy animal from before. Instead there stood a beast, five times the bunny's size, with ragged, wild fur. A manic look on its face, and a pale glow around it. Then it opened its mouth, showing many sharp teeth.

At this sight her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks, and she screamed as she backed away, falling off the deck herself.

"What was that?" Sweetie Belle said as the three of them looked at the window.

"Maybe it was a moth," Scootaloo offered, and her two friends looked at her with a flat look, "What?" she asked with a shrug of her wings.

"Riiight."—Apple Bloom rolled her eyes—"Moths aside, don't ya think we should see who it was that screamed?" she asked.

"Right," Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreed with a nod, and the three of them rushed out of their clubhouse, looking down to see who it was that had screamed.

"Wait, is that Diamond Tiara?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Who cares about that. What the hay is that thing?!" Scootaloo replied as they stared at a blue beast, which looked somewhat like an oversized bunny, but with much wilder hair, sharp claws, sharper teeth, a menacing look on its face and, oh, there was a glow surrounding its body similar to the one around Sweetie Belle when she was a spirit.

"Ah don't know, but it seems interested in Diamond Tiara," Apple Bloom remarked as they looked down at the two beings.

Diamond Tiara, momentarily dazed from the fall, pushed herself up with a hoof, while rubbing her head with another. Shaking her head, she looked up and saw the blue monstrosity moving towards her, drooling, its mouth open and exposing many sharp teeth. The sight of it caused her to scream again.

"Ooh. So it was Diamond Tiara we heard," Scootaloo said in a moment of enlightenment, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave their friend an annoyed look.

"You need to get your priorities straight," Sweetie Belle told her orange friend with a shake of her head.

"What? She's always mean to us. So she's scared by some weird bunny or something. It's probably some animal Fluttershy found in the Everfree Forest, no problem," Scootaloo said in a calm, logical voice. Something that was completely shattered the moment Tiara screamed again as the bunny lunged towards her.

"Ah think it's doing a bit more than scarin' her," Apple Bloom said in shock.

"Oh, yeah," Scootaloo said with an awkward shrug.

"We have to help her, don't we?" Sweetie Belle groaned out.

"We? I'm not getting anywhere near that thing," Scootaloo replied as she pointed a hoof at the animal.

"Yeah, Ah'm not all that keen ta get close ta this bunny myself either," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Then what do we do?" Sweetie Belle asked in a slight panic as they continued watching the spectacle.

"Well. It's just a thought but, aren't you a spirit?" Scootaloo said with a smirk.

"Yeah, so wha-… Oh no, no no no no. What if she sees me, like yesterday?" Sweetie Belle countered, holding both front hooves in front of her in a shielding manner as she conveyed her disapproval.

"Just scare her like you did back then. Besides, you were in your other form when it happened. Why not do it again?" Scootaloo argued back.

"But wha—" Sweetie Belle began, but she was interrupted by Apple Bloom.

"Look, either ya do this now, or it won't be necessary at all," she said as she pointed at Diamond Tiara lying on the ground, having tripped over one of the many tree roots.

"Oh, pony feathers," Sweetie Belle swore, knowing what had to be done.

"Okay, I hope this works," she said as she braced herself, focusing on the energy she felt inside. "Come on, come on. Transform," she muttered through clenched teeth, and a weak, flickering flash surrounded her.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle. You can do it," her friends cheered her on.

'Come on, come on. I'm a spirit, a spirit! So transform, come on!'

With a bright flash of light, a glowing white band formed around her midsection. Splitting in half, one part moved forwards, while the other moved back. Her white coat turned a gleaming silver, while her two-toned mane and tail turned into an intangible fog with two deep blue streaks running through it. Her eyes began to glow, while her formerly bare legs were now covered by pitch black boots several sizes too wide.

"Did it work?" Sweetie Bee asked, eyes still closed in concentration.

"Wow… Yeah, yeah it did," Scootaloo replied awed.

"Really!?" Sweetie Belle said in disbelief, and opened her eyes to see for herself. A victorious smile broke out on her face the moment she saw her silver, boot covered, leg. "I really did it!" she shouted happily.

"Not ta burst yer bubble," Apple Bloom cut in, "but focus!"

"Oh, right," Sweetie Belle, or, well, Silver Spirit said with a sheepish smile, and she jumped down from the deck, coming to a stop half a meter above the ground, right behind the blue rabbit beast... thing.

Tapping the blue creature on the back, Silver Spirit crossed her legs as she watched it turn around.

"Hey, didn't anypony teach you it isn't nice to scare others like that?" she said, trying to sound serious and authoritative, but only managing to sound insecure as she was trying to maintain her balance in her hovering position.

The bunny turned around, seemingly in slow motion, and eventually their eyes met, while Diamond Tiara was peeking from underneath one of the legs that she held over her head in a futile attempt to shield herself from the beast. And, at the sight of the silver pony hovering in the air, whose hind legs were missing and a waving tail could be seen in their place, she screamed again, loudly.

The blue beast, Silver Spirit, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo all flinched from the sound, while Diamond Tiara turned and ran away from the two creatures.

Unfortunately for Diamond Tiara, she was not paying attention to where she was going, and slammed head first into a tree.

Sliding down the trunk with her legs splayed wide, she lay unconscious on the ground.

"Well, that just happened," Scootaloo said, not sure whether she should laugh or not.

Looking at the downed filly, then back at each other, both Silver Spirit and the blue oversized bunny blinked in confusion before remembering what it was they were doing.

"So, ehh… You better behave, okay," Silver Spirit said as she pressed her hoof against the blue animal's snout, and it reared back while wiggling its nose, sneezing a bit, before its eyes refocused back on the filly, a growl escaping its mouth.

"Uh oh," she muttered with a small voice, gazing into the gaping maw of the less than friendly bunny.

"SWEETIE BELLE, GET OUTTA THERE!" Apple Bloom shouted to her friend, and she did just that.

Bolting away blindly, screaming, she slammed into a tree, slid down the trunk and fell onto her back, seeing miniaturized versions of Scootaloo fly around her head.

"We should help 'er, right?" Apple Bloom said flatly, after her hoof had a close encounter with her face.

"I guess so," Scootaloo replied, and the two of them jumped down off the deck, landing in front of their downed friend.

"Now hold it right there, mister," Apple Bloom said with a strong voice.

"Yeah. You're not going to hurt our friend," Scootaloo said with a threatening voice, snapping her wings out to look bigger.

The bunny only gave them a flat look, and then roared defiantly at them, blowing their manes back from the force.

"Eep," they both managed as they suddenly found that their less than properly thought out rescue was lacking in the rescue department, and they slowly backed away as the beast moved in towards them.

"Duck!" Silver Spirit shouted, and they reacted without thinking. Diving down to the ground, seeing a green beam shoot overhead, hitting the beast squarely in the chest, sending it flying backwards into a tree where it slid down the trunk, its fur singed.

"Well, that seems to be the theme of the day," Scootaloo muttered as she saw the beast drop to the ground, where it stood back up and shot a death glare at the filly responsible for its unplanned flight.

"Ehh, girls," Silver Spirit said as she stepped up between her prone friends, "This is not going so well."

"Well, what do we do now?" Scootaloo asked as she stood back up, looking defiant, and definitely not frightened, at the beast as it moved towards them, picking up speed with every step.

"JUMP!" Apple Bloom shouted, and the three of them jumped out of the path of the berserking blue bunny.

Silver Spirit, the first to recover, hovered up in the air, her tail twisting madly in a subconscious display of her anxiety.

Reaching into to the energy she felt inside, she poured a decent amount into her hooves, making them glow green.

"Please stay down this time," she said desperately as she shot a twin beam at the beast. One missed completely, scorching a tree behind the beast. The other hitting it in the side while it jumped out of the way.

"Hayseed!" she said as she flew backwards, shivering from the frightening glare the beast shot at her.

"Well, I'm out of ideas," she told her friends as she landed next to Diamond Tiara.

"Ah've got nothin' either," Apple Bloom replied frantically, looking around to find anything that could help them.

"Why don't we give it Diamond Tiara while we run away?" Scootaloo suggested, and her two friends looked at her as if she'd gone mad.

"What?" she said with a shrug, only to shout as she dodged a swipe of the beast's claw at the last second.

"GRAAAAAWWW!"

They all flinched from the loud roar, even the blue beast, except for Diamond Tiara of course, seeing she was still unconscious.

Looking around in fear and anxiety, the three fillies huddled together, while the beast looked around in anger, growling and hissing in response.

The ground started to shake in tune to the heavy hooffalls they heard, and with a mighty heave, a snow white giant jumped out of the shadows surrounding them, landing on the ground with a crash in-between the beast and the fillies.

"Mortals, run," Wind Chill ordered as he took a defensive stance in front of them, glaring at the beku terwelu. "I will deal with this abomination!"

Staring at the white giant, the three fillies were too stunned to move, let alone to acknowledge the command given to them by this strange giant. And instead, they stood unmoving on the spot. An ideal target for the beku terwelu, and Wind Chill knew it.

"MOVE, NOW!" he roared, and the beku terwelu surged into motion.

Lashing out with a claw, Wind Chill connected with the beast's jaw, sending it flying through the air with a pained yelp before it bounced off of the ground, coming to a rolling stop.

Picking itself up, its menacing look contorted into a glare of pure evil and malice. Giving a roar of its own, it ran towards Wind Chill, baring its fangs and claws.

Not impressed with this display of supposed power, Wind Chill sidestepped and the beku terwelu ran cleanly past him, and right towards the three fillies still standing there.

"NO!" Wind Chill yelled, as he channeled his ice powers into his claw, intending to send a ball of ice hurtling towards the beku terwelu. But, in a flash of green ectoplasm, his eyes widened as he witnessed the impossible. A mortal, this mortal, a silver pony only a few winters old, using the powers of the dead.

He was confused and amazed, but he didn't have the time to figure out this new mystery, as, right now, his attention was needed to deal with the threat at hand. So, shooting a wondering glance at the silver filly, he turned to face the beku terwelu once more, his claw glowing an ice blue as a large ice club formed in his grasp.

"Wow," Scootaloo said in amazement as they watched the giant use magic like they had never seen before.

"How did he do that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"And what is he," Silver Spirit added.

"I don't know. But that thing he did with the club was awesome!" Scootaloo said enthusiastically.

"Maybe, but Ah don't think we should stay here," Apple Bloom mentioned.

"Then what about Diamond Tiara? I'm not carrying her," Silver Spirit said, gently kicking the downed filly in the side, who then groaned in response as she came to.

"There ya go. Problem solved," Scootaloo chimed in helpfully.

Groaning as she slowly came to, Diamond Tiara rubbed her head as she looked up, and her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks at what she saw. The blue beast fighting with an even larger white beast. And standing next to her was a silver filly with a pale glow around her, a mane and tail made of a fog moving in an unfelt breeze, while her eyes were a glowing green.

Diamond Tiara's eyes met those of Silver Spirit, and she felt her breath get caught in her throat.

"Ehh… Boo," Silver Spirit said dumbly, and Diamond Tiara screamed as she scrambled away, running into the same tree that she had ran into earlier, knocking herself out again.

"You have got to be kidding me," Scootaloo said in disbelief as they looked at the pink filly, "Why does this keep happening?"

"Ah don't know," Apple Bloom said with a shrug, paying more attention to the fight still going on.

"Well, as much as I hate to say it, we do need to help her. We can't leave her here, or she might get hurt… more," Silver Spirit said with a sour look.

"But what will you do then?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Help that big guy over there… I hope," she answered as she held up a hoof, a green glow surrounding it. "Well, here goes," she continued as she flew off while aiming her outstretched limb.

"Yaargh!" Wind Chill yelled, and he swung his club at the beku terwelu, missing it and hitting the ground instead. "You're not getting away this time, you beast," he roared as he lifted the ice club, and prepared for another attack.

Anticipating this, the beku terwelu readied itself, intending to counter the attack with one of its own. But instead of either one of them attacking, a silver filly flew over, screaming loudly while shooting blindly, hitting several trees and the ground, but missing her mark completely. But it did provide a distraction, which Wind Chill seized.

With the beku terwelu looking at the filly shooting at everything and nothing, he slammed his club on top of it with a mighty heave, flattening it underneath the bulky weight.

The club cracked from the force, and as it fell apart in his claw, it revealed an unconscious blue bunny lying in a small crater, out for the count.

Channeling his powers into both fists, he then shot a beam of icy energy at the beku terwelu, imprisoning it in a large ball of ice from which it could not easily escape.

And now, with this threat dealt with, he could now focus on the other problem at hand. Meaning the wildly screaming child who continued to fire beam after beam of ectoplasm.

"Control yourself, child. You are causing more trouble than you're solving," he said as moved his head out of the way of a wild shot.

"Graaaaaaaa!" Silver Spirit yelled, not hearing the giant as she kept shooting energy from her hooves.

"Ugh, children," Wind Chill muttered with a roll of his eyes, as he stepped closer to the filly.

"I said, control yourself!" he said loudly, making Silver Spirit yelp as he finally got through to her. And with a pained grunt, she fell to the ground as she lost her focus.

"Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shouted as they ran to their friend, taking up a defensive stance before her.

"Stay away you.. you… Whatever you are," Scootaloo said in a poor attempt to sound threatening.

"Yeah. Yer not hurtin' our friend."

" 'Hurting her'? Why would I hurt her?" Wind Chill asked in confusion.

"... Eh, because you attacked that thing," Apple Bloom said as she pointed a hoof at the trapped blue bunny.

"True, but so did you, did you not," Wind Chill answered calmly.

"Actually, Sweetie Belle did," Scootaloo muttered.

"Ah, yes, your ghost friend. I must say, I wasn't expecting to find another ghost on this world," he replied, and the three fillies looked up at him with confusion plastered on their faces.

"Ghost? I'm not a ghost," Silver said, "I'm a spirit, sorta."

"Oh, my apologies. I was unaware you referred to yourself as such."

"But what do you mean with not expecting to find another ghost here. Are there others?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Beside me and the beku terwelu," he said as he nodded his head to the trapped animal, "No, not that I know off. But my friends are close by, guarding the breach in the Death Zone."

"WHAT!?" all three fillies shouted, "You're a ghost?"

"Yes, I am. But why is this confusing to you?" he asked Silver in surprise, "As a spirit you should be well aware of this."

"Well, actually... I don't really know all th—" she started, when she was interrupted by a flash of light, and a white band of energy formed around her midsection, beginning the process of turning her back to Sweetie Belle.

"By Frostbite's claw!" Wind Chill shouted as he reared back in shock.

"Ehh… You didn't see that, right?" Sweetie Belle said with a nervous smile.

"You.. You're a Halfa!?"

"A what now?" Apple Bloom asked, her head cocked to the side in puzzlement.

"But how? This was not foretold. A fourth Halfa, could it be?" he said to himself, looking at Sweetie Belle in amazement and curiosity. "Tell me young one, how long have you been a Halfa?"

"Ehh, if by that you mean a spirit, a few days now… Why?"

Taking a moment to calm down from the initial shock, Wind Chill took the time to properly observe the filly. And after considering what he saw and knew, he came to a simple conclusion.

"You do not know how to control your powers, do you?"

"Wait, what? Yes I do!" Sweetie Belle said, sounding offended, right up until her left front leg turned intangible, making her fall down.

"Oof. Okay, maybe not."

Wind Chill didn't say anything else after that. Instead, he looked off in the direction of the castle containing the portal, feeling the energy of his world, faint and distorted as it was.

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance, young one. I have some experience with those like you. But not here, please, follow me."

"Wait! What about Diamond Tiara?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"What does jewelry have to do with this?" Wind Chill asked, confused.

"No, Diamond Tiara," she clarified as she moved to the pink filly still lying unconscious on the ground.

"She's named after a crowny thing?" he asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

"Uhh, yeah. So?" Apple Bloom replied.

"I have heard many strange names, but that one has to be the strangest."

"Really? Then what do you call yourself?" Sweetie Belle asked as she gave Diamond Tiara a small kick in the side, receiving no response.

"Oh my. Please forgive me for not introducing myself properly, it completely slipped my mind after discovering you to be a Halfa. My name is Wind Chill, a frost giant of the Far Frozen and overseer of the Death Zone."

"Wow, that's a mouthful," Apple Bloom replied, "Well, mah name's Apple Bloom."

"And I'm Scootaloo, the most awesome pony you will ever see. Except, maybe Rainbow Dash."

"And I'm Sweetie Belle, nice to meet you."

"Curious names indeed," Wind Chill muttered, "And what about the pink one, this Diamond Tiara?" he queried, looking at Sweetie Belle.

"She's out cold," she replied, giving the filly in question another kick in the side. "Has a nasty bump on the head too."

"Won't keep her from talking when she wakes up," Scootaloo spoke up, walking over to the downed filly. "There is no way she won't be talking about this."

"Yeah. That might be a problem," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Then what are we going to do now? What if ponies find out about me?" Sweetie Belle asked in a panic.

"Ah, they don't know, save for your two friends?" Wind Chill asked.

"Yeah. They were there when I… Changed."

"Curious… Very curious," he replied as he stared off in the distance, "And I take it you want to keep your... change, a secret?"

"Yes," Sweetie Sweetie said with a nod.

"Hmm, let me see," he hummed as he knelt down next to Diamond Tiara. Raising his hand, it started to glow an ice blue.

"What are you doing?" Scootaloo asked suspiciously as she looked at the glowing appendage.

"Mending the damage done," he answered as he placed a single finger on the large bump on Tiara's head. The blue glow seeped into the swollen tissue, cooling it down and causing the swelling to diminished until nothing could be seen.

"There, her injuries are healed, but her mind is not something I can alter in her current state. However, seeing she is unconscious, it might be possible for her to believe she had dreamed everything, should she awaken in her own bed,"

"Would that even work?" Apple Bloom said, unsure, "Seems like a long shot to me."

"It is, but it is the only thing that might work. At least, until you learn to control your Possessive Suggestion," he directed to Sweetie Belle, who looked back mystified.

"My what now?"

"Later. First you should take care of this one… You can do that, right?"

"Ehh, I can turn myself invisible, other ponies as well. Would that help?"

"It will. It will keep you hidden as you return her home."

"Hold on. Why should we even do this in the first place?" Scootaloo asked, "She has always been mean to us, why not get a little payback."

"Ehh…" Sweetie Belle uttered, sharing a look with Apple Bloom.

"It would be unwise to do so," Wind Chill spoke up, "No one should ever seek vengeance, as it will only lower yourself to the level of those you seek vengeance on."

"Huh?" Scootaloo uttered, not understanding.

"By bullying a bully, you will become a bully yourself. Instead, show that you stand above such things, and you will find that this is a much more rewarding way to get back at her," Wind Chill clarified.

"Ehh…?"

"Don't be a bully," he said in a flat tone.

"Ooohh… Not even a little bit?" Scootaloo asked. Another flat look was the only response she got.

"Okay, so we won't do anything to her," Sweetie Belle said, "But we do need to get her home. Any ideas?"

"I shall carry her for a while, but I will not be able to carry her into the town I saw earlier. Not without starting a panic, by my reckoning. I can not turn invisible, as it is not the way of my kind. We use our appearance to blend in with our environment, and I stand out more than I like in this colorful world. You must get her home quickly, and safely. Then come back here, should you wish to learn more about your powers."

"Really! You can teach me about my powers?" Sweetie Belle said excitedly, green sparks of her magic shooting from her horn.

"Control yourself," he said as he saw the green sparks, mistaking them for ectoplasm, "And, yes. To some extent. But I know someone much more suited should you want to master your abilities. Now, let's go. There is still a lot we need to do," he told them, and he grabbed the filly with one hand, and the frozen bunny with the other, channeling extra ice energy in the frozen prison to keep it contained.

"Lead the way," he instructed, and Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle ran ahead, excited grins showing on their muzzle. But Wind Chill stayed behind a bit, watching the fillies go. Paying especially close attention to the Halfa.

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

They crept into the large chamber, two thrones standing on the far side, with two large banners hanging behind them. One was made with golden, red, and yellow fabrics, a symbol of the sun proudly displayed on it. The other was made with dark blue, purple and silver, showing the image of the moon.

But this was not what they were interested in, as they sniffed the air. A low growl escaped them as they slowly approached the hole in reality, seeing snow covered terrain on the other side. Snow, ice, and the forms of two white giants. They knew now where the white giant they encountered in the forest came from, and they knew not to act too quickly.

The giants had not yet detected them, it would seem, so the two wolves stayed back, not giving themselves away to this potential threat.

"Iru alporti la Alfa. Mi atendos ĉi tie," one of the wolves spoke, and the other replied with a quick growl before running off.
"Go get the Alpha. I'll wait here."

"Ĉi tiu problemo estas eĉ pli granda ol ni pensis."
"This problem is even bigger than we thought."

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

They ran past the many rows of trees, speeding past them in a blur of orange and red. They had heard the roar from afar, and they knew it meant trouble. What it was that had produced the sound they didn't know, but they did know it came from the direction where the crusaders had their clubhouse. Fearing for their safety, Big Mac and Applejack ran as fast as they could, not stopping for anything. After all, with the crusaders there were several possibilities.

One: Some dangerous animal had followed them, and was now attacking them. A troubling idea, as the only creatures that would do such a thing lived in the Everfree Forest.

Two: They lured a dangerous animal from the Everfree Forest for some reason or another to earn their Cutie Marks. Also a dangerous proposition, as they, Celestia only knew how, always managed to do things no filly should be able to do.

Three: None of the above, and some dangerous beast had found its way into the orchard on its own, and had run into the fillies by chance.

Of course, neither Applejack or Bic Mac knew for sure if the fillies were even there. But they could be found there more often than not, and it was only logical to assume they were there now as well.

Running at top speed, both of them jumped into the clearing where the treehouse could be found, and their mouths fell open in shock as they saw the damage. Burned and blackened trees, upturned soil, and large footprints in the ground, joined with many hoofprints.

"Wh- What tha hay happened here?" Applejack said in shock, "Where are tha girls?"

"Ah have no idea," Bic Mac replied in a shocked tone as he, too, took in the damage. "But we better find 'em."

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

"This is not going not work," Scootaloo muttered quietly. She, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were currently moving through town, invisible, with Diamond Tiara hanging over Apple Bloom's back, while she and Scootaloo held on to Sweetie Belle as she was making them invisible.

"It has ta, fer all our sakes." Apple Bloom grunted her reply, "Ugh, she's heavier than she looks,"

"Can you be quiet? This is harder than it looks," Sweetie Belle complained, straining herself to keep the cover up.

"Sorry." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said in reply, and the three of them continued with their attempt to get Tiara home before she woke up.

"Look, all I want is to talk, and I'm not leaving until you do!" they heard somepony shout. But, looking around, they couldn't see anypony that could have been responsible for it.

"What was that?" Scootaloo asked.

"Don't know, don't care," Sweetie Belle grunted, "Now, come on. I can't hold this forever."

"Right, coming," her friends replied, and they continued on their quest to the home of the dreaded Diamond Tiara.

"Just one question," Apple Bloom piped up, "How do we get inside?"

They all stopped on the spot, Sweetie Belle groaning in irritation.

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

'Could it be, another Halfa?' Wind Chill thought as he quietly moved through the rows of apple trees. 'Is history repeating itself? Another mortal child infused with the energy of the dead?' he pondered as he approached the small clearing with the wooden house built in a tree, 'If so, why? How? And why such a creature as her? Frostbite needs to know about this. Things like this just aren't a coincidence, and I know there is more to this than I can see.'

Stepping closer to the area where he had his fight with the beku terwelu he noticed two other, larger, ponies near the wooden house.

He was quick to hide in-between the apple trees, watching the orange and red ponies frantically moving around as they observed the damage of his battle with the beku terwelu. And as he looked around, he had to agree that his tactics might have been a bit crude, and destructive. Although, considering the way the child used her powers, and seeing the many scorched trees, he did have to face facts. She really had no idea how to use her powers. Understandably so, considering she said she had only had them for a few days. But, seeing the damage undoubtedly done by her, she was one of great strength, just like... Him. But, be that as it may, it would not fix the problem at hand.

'This might be problematic.' he thought, seeing the two ponies run away, most likely in search of the three young ones.

Sighing, he knew what he needed to do. Didn't mean he had to like it. He, like all other ghosts, could influence the minds of mortals through possession. They could take full control of them, or make small mental nudges to get them to make decisions they wouldn't otherwise make. Or, in this case, suppress a certain memory. He didn't like the idea of doing this, but seeing the damage and the way the ponies acted, as well as Sweetie Belle's desire to keep her true self hidden, they needed to be stopped.

Sighing again, he followed the two ponies, quickly catching up to them.

"Forgive me for what I am about to do," he said sadly, catching the ponies' attention, "But do know,"—he possessed the wide eyed orange pony—"when the truth does come out," he spoke through her mouth, before jumping into the tall red pony, "I will be forever in your debt,"

Jumping out of the tall red pony's body, he quickly rushed back into hiding, noticing a strange buzzing sensation all throughout his body as he watched the two shake off the effects of their possession and look around in confusion.

"Say, Big Mac. Do you know why we're out here?" the orange pony asked.

"Eehh… E-nope," he answered. And, with a shrug, they walked back to their home.

"Because such a transgression as this is not something easily forgiven," Wind Chill finished quietly, deeply ashamed as he watched the two walk away.

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

"So, here we are," Apple Bloom stated as they looked at their next objective.

"I guess," Scootaloo said, annoyed.

"So, now what?" Sweetie Belle asked with a strained voice, having trouble keeping herself, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara invisible.

"Well, Ah guess we need ta get inside there," Apple Bloom answered as they observed the house where Diamond Tiara lived.

"So, knock on the door?" Scootaloo proposed, which earned her a couple of flat looks, which were too invisible for her to see.

"Yeeeah, how 'bout no," Apple Bloom replied flatly, "Are ya sure ya can't do the thingy where ya walk through walls?" she asked Sweetie Belle.

"No, I can't," she replied, "What I'm doing now is difficult enough, and I barely know how to do this," she finished, her voice strained.

"Look, up there," Scootaloo suddenly piped up, pointing at what she saw.

"Look where?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Where I'm pointing, of course," Scootaloo replied.

"... Ya do know we can't see you, right?" Apple Bloom said in a deadpanned voice.

"Oh, eh he he he. I knew that," Scootaloo said awkwardly.

"Of course you did. So, what are we looking for?" Sweetie Belle groaned out, struggling to maintain their cover.

"Up there, that open window," Scootaloo replied, and they all looked up to see she was right.

Up on the second floor a window was open wide, the curtains hanging in front of it billowing outside a bit in the gentle breeze that blew through the village. But, as they looked at the possible point of entry, a problem became apparent.

"Ya do know Ah can't fly, right?" Apple Bloom said, "And neither can you… Sorry."

"I know…" Scootaloo muttered as she kicked the dirt, "But Sweetie Belle can. She can fly up with Diamond Tiara, and put her back in her room, no problem."

"Easy for you to say," Sweetie Belle muttered in reply before sighing, "But I guess you're right."

"I am? Ehh... Of course I am. What else did you expect?"

"Suurre," Sweetie Belle said with a roll of her eyes. "But first we need to find some cover. If I am going to do this, you will need to let go of me, which will make you visible again," she explained, and her friends gave a nod in agreement.

"So… Is that a yes, or what?" Sweetie Belle asked, not able to see their reply.

"Ehh, yes," Apple Bloom answered.

"Right," Scootaloo agreed.

"Over there will do," Apple Bloom said as she gently pulled her friends along, "in those bushes there."

"Alright, just hurry up," Sweetie Belle said, the strain becoming too much for her.

Moving into the protective cover of the foliage, Sweetie Belle released the cloak of invisibility she had placed over all of them with a relieved sigh and a deep breath.

Scootaloo, now visible again, patted herself as she looked herself over, checking if everything was still as it was supposed to be. While Apple Bloom unceremoniously dropped Diamond Tiara to the ground, stretching her back as she relieved it from all that dead weight.

"So, are you ready?" Scootaloo asked Sweetie, more than ready to get this thing over with.

"Just… Just give me a moment," Sweetie Belle answered tiredly, "That took a lot out of me, you know."

"Well, we don't got all day," Apple Bloom remarked as she looked at the pink filly lying on the ground, seeing her leg twitch.

"Great, just great," Sweetie Belle muttered, "Why are we doing this again?"

"So that, hopefully, Diamond Tiara will believe everything was a dream, and you won't get found out. Also, there is that white ice guy thingy that said he could help you with your powers," Scootaloo said in a single breath, giving a winning smile afterwards.

"Oh yeah, that " Sweetie Belle groaned. "Okay, help me with her," she instructed her friends, who helped to place Diamond Tiara on Sweetie Belle's back. "Now, keep a look out for anypony while I drop her off."

"Aren't ya worried somepony might see ya when ya fly up?" Apple Bloom asked, concerned.

"Then I guess I better not get seen," Sweetie Belle answered as she levitated up in the air, her hind legs turning into an intangible tail. "Hng. She's heavier than she looks. There is no way I'm going to be able to make myself invisible and fly up. Take a look around and tell me when the coast is clear. "

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gave a nod in confirmation, and they, in their own style, stealthily snuck out of the bush, making more noise than Sweetie would have liked.

"Girls, can I go?" she asked after a moment, not having heard from her two friends.

"Wait for it, wait for it... GO!" Scootaloo quietly shouted, and Sweetie Belle moved into action.

Breaking through the leaves covering her and the filly on her back, Sweetie flew up with all the speed she could muster. Which wasn't very much. Already tired and weighed down considerably by the cargo on her back, which she also needed to keep balanced on herself making it even more difficult for her, she flew up about as fast as Tank, Rainbow Dash's pet tortoise, could walk.

"She's not going very fast," Scootaloo said as she watched her friend, not even bothering to keep her voice down as the streets were mostly empty at the moment.

"Hey, have you carried Diamond Tiara? She's a whole lot heavier than ya'd think," Apple Bloom replied.

"Well, she does have rocks for brains. Maybe that's the reason," Scootaloo joked, and a burst of laughter escaped Apple Bloom.

"Ah guess so," she agreed, and the two of them watched as Sweetie Belle finally reached the open window and flew inside.

"So far so good," Apple Bloom muttered as she looked around to see if anypony had seen their spirit friend.

"Yeah… Let's just hope it stays that way."

"Hmhmmm," Apple Bloom hummed in agreement as she gave a nod of her head, her red ribbon bouncing along with the movement.

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

Flying through the open window, Sweetie Belle entered the house. Landing on the floor, she let out a relieved sigh, thankful that she had made it. Now however, she faced the problem of finding Diamond Tiara's room. But as she looked around, she couldn't believe her luck. It would seem that she was already in the fiend's lair. Or, at least, that's what she believed it to be; given the filly sized bed, the many posters and images of tiaras, most of them showing the image of one or the other of the princesses and their signature crowns, and a cluttered desk with the school books she knew all too well. Also pink, a lot of it.

"Well, that was easy," she said as she moved to the bed, "Now, how am I going to do this?"

She stood by the side of the bed for a moment as she thought about the best way to get Diamond Tiara off her back and onto the bed. Deciding the best way would be to simply fly up and drop her down, she did just that.

Levitating up until she hovered in the air a hoof length away from the soft mattress, she positioned herself above it and let Diamond Tiara slide off of her back. Hitting the mattress with a muted *Pomf*, Diamond Tiara began to stir.

This was the moment when Sweetie Belle began to panic, and she rushed to turn invisible. But, for reasons she didn't quite understand, she instead transformed back into her spirit form.

Diamond Tiara, groaning like a zombie, came to and looked up, seeing a silver pony without any hindlegs hovering above her, and her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks.

"Ehh, boo," Silver Spirit said awkwardly, and Diamond Tiara, scrambling to get away from the scary pony, got her hooves caught in the blanket she was lying on top of, causing her to fall off the bed and land on her head.

Seeing her lying in a heap, unmoving, Silver Spirit dropped down on the floor, looking Diamond Tiara over to make sure she was alright.

"Unconscious, again? Wow, she's going to have a massive headache when she wakes up… again. Just hope she thinks it was all a dream," she muttered as she moved to the window, turning invisible as she jumped out and flew back to the bush her friends were waiting in.

"Okay, done. Let's go now," she said, still invisible, scaring her friends as they didn't know she was there until she spoke to them.

Placing a hoof on each one of them, they, too, turned invisible. And while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo walked back to the orchard, Silver flew above them, holding on to her friends as they pulled her along.

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

Filthy Rich walked upstairs to his daughter's room, having heard a loud thud coming from there. He didn't know what could have made the sound as he was sure his daughter was not home yet. But, then again, he had also been away for some time, so she could have easily gotten home without him noticing.

So, as he stepped inside his daughter's bedroom, he was only mildly surprised to see Diamond tiara, seemingly fallen out of bed and partially covered with her blanket.

Walking over to her prone form, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he saw her lie there.

"Really, Diamond?" he said as he picked her up, and she started to stir in his hold, "Ah, there you are," he added as she opened her eyes, "Now, I know school might be boring, but going to bed in the middle of the day? It can't be that bad," he chuckled as he put her back on her hooves, and Tiara looked around frantically, confused as to why she was in her room.

"Wha?… What happened? How did I get here? What happened to those monsters?" she asked in a scared voice, making her father's face shift from humorous to concerned.

"Monsters?" he repeated, "Diamond, did you have a nightmare?"

"No, I saw them," she said, in a quiet whisper, grabbing hold of her father, "That blue beast. And that giant. There was also a silver pony flying without wings, scaring me everytime," she sobbed, and her father held her close in a comforting embrace.

"Dear, dear. You just had a bad dream. You were here, lying beside your bed. There are no monsters here, see," he told her, and Diamond Tiara looked around in confusion.

"But.. I was sure…" she muttered.

"It was just a bad dream, nothing more," Filthy Rich told her again, and Diamond Tiara finally started to relax, if only a bit.

"See, there is nothing you need to be afraid of," he continued, and she finally let go of him, looking more confused than anything.

"Are you alright now?" he asked.

"I… Yes, I am," she answered after a short moment.

"Splendid. Now, let's get something to eat, hmm. I'm sure you're hungry."

"I... Yes, I'm coming, father," she replied as she looked out of the open window, her eyes narrowing as she looked towards Sweet Apple Acres. "I'll be there in a moment."

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

"Ah, I see you have returned," Wind Chill proclaimed happily as the three fillies returned to their clubhouse.

"Yeah, why did we do that again?" Scootaloo muttered behind her hoof, directing her question to her friends while she kept a suspicious eye on the frost giant.

"Because he can help me with my powers," Sweetie Belle replied excitedly.

"Hmm, I see you do not yet trust me," Wind Chill said, looking at Scootaloo, "Understandably so, considering the circumstances of how we met. But don't be afraid, I do not wish you any harm or ill will."

"Yeah. I'll still keep my eyes on you, mister," Scootaloo replied.

"And you have the right to do so."

"Yeah, okay. So, can we get started?" Sweetie Belle, having turned back to her mortal self during the walk here, asked as she bounced on the spot excitedly, small sparks of magic shooting from her horn.

"HAH, excited to get started I see," Wind Chill said with a laugh, then turned serious, "But I am afraid we won't be able to do anything here," he told them, and indicated the damage all around.

"Oh, yeah. Big brother an' big sis won't be happy 'bout this," Apple Bloom said nervously.

"A big brother and sister? They wouldn't happen to be an orange pony and a rather larger red pony, would they?" Wind Chill asked, worried.

"Yeah, that's them. Ya know them?" Apple Bloom asked.

"In a way, yes," Wind Chill answered with regret, "They discovered the damage here, and reacted as one would suspect. I was forced to possess them to suppress their memory of all of this."

"You did what!?" Apple Bloom shouted, clearly quite upset.

"Do know I did not take pleasure in that act. I only did it to keep them from raising an alarm, and to keep your friend's other half a secret."

"But... But, you…" Apple Bloom stuttered, stuck between anger over his actions and understanding of why he did it.

"I understand how you feel, I do not take pride in my actions either. Do know that, if or when the truth about your friend comes to light, so too will my actions. What I was forced to do is regrettable, but necessary. And, as dictated by the code of my kind, I am indebted to them.

"You're what?" Scootaloo asked, not understanding.

"To put it simply, I'm their servant for as long as they deem necessary. But seeing that they don't remember any of this, my servitute goes to you, Apple Bloom. As their closest blood relative with knowledge of my existence, I am in your debt, until such time comes that my debt is paid in full."

"Say wha?" Apple Bloom said as her mind broke, her mouth hanging wide open.

"Did you just get a giant ghost servant?" Sweetie Belle asked in disbelief, but Apple Bloom didn't reply as she was still frozen on the spot.

"But I suppose we should get started on your powers, correct?" Wind Chill directed to Sweetie Belle, also snapping Apple Bloom out of her stupor.

"Ehh… Wait... Wat?..."

"Your powers," Wind Chill stated simply.

Sweetie Belle blinked several times in confusion as her mind tried to catch up with what was happening, before her eyes lit up, and her excitement returned at rainboom speeds.

"Oh yeah, my powers! So, what are we going to do first?"

"First, we need to go someplace else," Wind Chill answered as he motioned for them to follow him.

"What? Why? Where are we going?" Sweetie Belle asked as she followed the giant, her friends lagging behind a bit.

Scootaloo because she didn't fully trust the white giant. Apple Bloom because she was still dumbfounded by what he had just told her.

"Someplace where you can learn to control your powers without worrying about anyone finding out about what you are," he answered cryptically.

"And where is that?" Scootaloo asked with suspicion.

"Home."

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

Avalanche and Snow Front were standing on either side of the hole in the fabric of reality, ice clubs in hand, and ever vigilant. They observed the frozen white plain of the Death Zone, keeping an eye out for any entities that might try to slip through.

The fact that a beku terwelu had already gone through was troubling enough, but the idea that more might try was even worse. That, and the thought of any of the myriad of other spectral entities that lurked in this forsaken plain discovering the breach.

But they also knew that, no matter the danger that lay before them, there was also the chance of danger approaching from behind them, through the portal. And as such they weren't surprised when they heard growling coming from the other side of the rift.

Turning around with a speed that belied their size, they leveled their clubs, ready for anything that awaited them. Yet, even though they stood on guard and were expecting just about anything, they were caught by surprise when they were tackled by a pair of wooden wolves.

Avalanche and Snow Front were struggling to break free from the hold these creatures had over them, and they channeled their ice energy throughout their entire bodies, freezing the claws of the wooden wolves, which jumped off of them the second the ice started to build.

Getting back on their feet, Avalanche and Snow Front grabbed their clubs as they prepared themselves for another attack. But instead of attacking them again, the wolves stepped to the side, making way for an even larger, more menacing looking wolf. It, too, was made of wood. Branches and logs of dead trees, shaped in such a way that it resembled a bipedal, wolf-like creature with strong, thick arms ending in razor sharp claws.

It was big. It was menacing. And it was a form they recognized. And for a moment Avalanche and Snow Front were not sure what to do.

They were attacked, yes. And their training dictated that they needed to subdue the threat as fast as possible. But there, standing before them was a creature that resembled the wolves of the ethereal plain. And they had a peaceful understanding with those wolves. Yet, were they the same as the creature now standing before them?

The large bipedal wolf slowly shifted his gaze between the two frost giants, his claws flexing as he stood there.

"Vi, vi respondecas por tiu ŝanĝo en la ekvilibro?" the large wolf growled.
"You, you are responsible for this change in the balance?"

Sharing a look of realization between one another, Avalanche and Snow Front lowered their clubs, but not entirely.

"You speak the language, but we do not understand," Avalanche replied, hoping the wolf could understand him.

"Do, vi povas parolo. Tamen vortoj ne savos vin ĉi tien," the wolf said with a huff.
"So, you speak. Yet words will not save you here."

"We must inform Frostbite of this. We should gather the elder as well, she's able to understand," Snow Front said to Avalanche, neither of them taking their eyes off the wooden wolves.

"Agreed," Avalanche said, "You go get them, I'll stay here and try to keep things under control."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I speak a bit of Firos, but not much. Still might be worth something."

"Very well," Snow Front said as he backed away, making haste for the village.

"Haltigu lin!" the large wolf barked.
"Stop him!"

"Atendu!" Avalanche said, struggling with the strange word.
"Wait!"

"Ni... ne volas... lukti," he continued, hoping he wasn't messing up his attempt to talk to the wolves.
"We... not want... fight."

"Vi diris ke vi ne volas batali, tamen vi interrompi la ekvilibron kun tio truo."
"You say you don't want to fight, yet you disrupt the balance with this hole." the large wolf growled, followed a moment later by the two at his sides.

"Ne komprenis... Bonvolu... atenda Elder," Avalanche struggled.
"Don't understood… Please... waiting to Elder."

"Atenda Elder?" the wolf repeated, confused, before noticing a village in the distance.
"Waiting to Elder?"

"Atendu Elder, mi supozas," he muttered as he observed the frozen village.
"Wait for Elder, I presume."

Avalanche looked at the large wolf with the most sincere expression he could muster, hoping to get through to the wolf, as he didn't know many other words he could use. Fortunately, it would seem the message had gotten through, and the large wolf backed away a bit, followed by his two companions, and they took positions in front of the portal, their glowing green eyes glaring at Avalanche, unblinking.

"Ni atendu, cxar nun!"
"We wait, for now!"

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

Snow Front returned quickly, followed by the village's leader, Frostbite, and a much older frost giant, the elder.

She wore a robe which covered most of her body, with a cap covering her head and most of the face, leaving only the mouth visible along with the glow of her orange eyes that pierced through the shade falling over her face. A staff was held in her hand, made of two rods twisted around each other in a spiral, constructed from the purest of ice, the dim glow of arctic energy emanating from within. The bottom of the staff was tapered off, while the top was much wider, and contained a glowing gemstone which shone a vibrant red.

Few outsiders knew of this staff, and those that did knew little of it. But for the frost giants it was another story. The Staff of Light. A powerful artifact passed down from elder to elder when they felt the time had come to do so. Mostly when they decided they needed a long vacation for, say, the next five thousand years or so.

Whoever held it was blessed with the gift of illumination. To see that which lies hidden in the dark. To see the truth in any lie, and any lie in the truth. To see life in death, and death in life. The vision of truth. But only if it was for them to see.

It also worked rather well as a translator when needed, which is why the elder had taken it with her.

The three of them joined Avalanche at the portal, coming face to face with the three wooden wolves and, most importantly, the one that seemed to be their leader.

"Elder, if you would?" Frostbite asked as he stepped aside for her.

Stepping forwards, she moved towards the wolves, showing no sign of fear when the two smaller wolves growled at her, only for them to be silenced by their leader, who looked at the elder and her staff with interest.

The elder placed her staff in front of her on the stone floor of the ancient castle, and around the point where it touched the ground froze immediately.

Speaking several ancient words that had been all but forgotten, the red gemstone started to glow even brighter, basking all present in its glow.

"Can you understand me?" she asked, looking at the large wolf.

"I can. Better question would be, can you understand me?" he growled, not expecting her to understand.

"I, in fact, can understand you just fine," she answered, surprising the wolves as they heard her speak fluently in their language.

"You speak our language?" he asked in surprise.

"Only a bit. But my staff makes it possible for us to talk without any hindrance," she explained, "Now, please, tell me why you found it necessary to attack my brothers in bond?"

"You have disturbed the balance, allowed evil to enter this world, and are guarding the very entrance from which this was all possible. We attacked to stop this transgression, and stop it we shall, regardless of what you may say or do," he growled aggressively.

"You believe us to have opened this portal? Although I must say it is flattering to think of us to be able to perform such a feat, I must inform you that we are not able to do so, and this portal opening was only a matter of chance. We did not open it, nor do we control it. We are merely guarding it because a creature of great terror went through, and we wanted to make sure such a thing wouldn't happen again. One of my brothers, a frost giant by the name of Wind Chill, went through in pursuit of this beast, to bring it back before any damage could be done by it."

The wolves looked at one another after she had told them that, not sure if she told the truth or not. And, thanks to the powers of the staff, the elder could see the doubt in their eyes, as well as something else.

"I see that you doubt my words, believe them to be false. But rest assured, my staff only allows the truth to be told, and lies and deceit to be burned down. What I say is the truth, nothing more, nothing less, Kadzait.

"You know?" the large wolf asked, shocked.

"I do now. I can see it, in all of you. The banished, the cursed. Those who caused great pain and sorrow, drenched in the blood of the innocent, cursed to roam the realm of the living trapped in a body of the dead. You are not alive, so you can't die, but neither are you dead. In life you killed and destroyed, and now you spend this cursed existence protecting and healing. The guardians of the woods, shaped by the very woods themselves. You seek answers, truth, a way out, a way to end your cursed existence. This I can see, and more, but not the answer which you seek. It lies hidden, not ready to be found. And it shall remain that way until you and he are both ready."

"Stand down!" he ordered the two wolves at his side, sounding more shaken than he had in centuries. "You know, all of it?"

"Indeed I do."

At a loss for words, the wolf looked at the staff, then at the elder, finding no deceit in her words. Looking farther, past the portal and into the frozen world that lies beyond he felt the strange need to step through, but he knew he could not. That world was not for him to enter, nor would he ever be allowed to do so, unless the curse was broken. Looking back at the portal that connected these two worlds, he knew what needed to be done.

"These two, they encountered both this evil you spoke of, as well as your brother. When they return, close this hole and never return."

"I am sorry, but we can not," she answered, and the wolf growled in response. "Allow me to clarify. As I said, we did not open this portal, so we do not have the ability to close it. In fact, if it had behaved as a normal portal to begin with, it would have closed on its own by now. But we do know this portal is anything but normal. It opened in the Death Zone, which on its own is impossible. But it doesn't appear to be made by spectral energy, like any of the other portals that connect this world with yet another. Instead, it resembles the rips in reality that connect your world with the humans'. The most logical conclusion to be made is that these two kinds of reality rips merged, joining into one. Their shared energy seems to keep it open much longer than either one would be able to alone. How much longer, we are unable to predict, perhaps even indefinitely. And, as such, we guard it to make sure nothing gets through that would pose a danger to your world."

"Then, that is it?!" the wolf growled angrily, "We let this transgression go unchecked, allow it to continue its existence?"

"If we must, yes. You want to maintain the balance of the woods; of the world, but you seem to have failed to recognize the change your world has already gone through. The balance has already shifted, and, just maybe, this portal is the key, or at least part of the key, to restoring the balance."

"WHAT!? What do you mean?"

"Portals have been opening all around your world, allowing creatures of another world to come and go, just as the creatures of this world can move to theirs. They have forged an alliance, created on the fear of a single threat. Can you guess what?"

"The dark one," he muttered, and the two wolves by his side growled lightly in response.

"Ahh, yes, I see. The dark one. But he is only part of the problem, and the solution as well. Just as this portal might be part of the solution. So, will you risk the chance of upsetting the balance even more, or will you guard it, maintain it, protect it?"

"The answer should be obvious to you," he replied with a sigh, "You two, until I say otherwise, guard this... portal. Let nothing through, one way or the other."

"Yes, Alpha!" they responded, and took a place on either side of the portal, mirroring Avalanche and Snow Front's position on the other side.

"Perhaps there should be an exclusion to that order to let no one through," The elder spoke as she looked down one of the dark hallways, seeing the approaching forms, and she took great interest in one of them.

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

Some time earlier

"What? Why? Where are we going?" Sweetie Belle asked as she followed the giant, her friends lagging behind a bit.

Scootaloo because she didn't fully trust the white giant. Apple Bloom because she was still dumbfounded by what he had just told her.

"Someplace where you can learn to control your powers without worrying about anyone finding out about what you are," he answered cryptically.

"And where is that?" Scootaloo asked with suspicion.

"Home."

"An' where is that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"It is a bit of a walk from here, but not too far. But it would be wise to stay close to me, as I did see many dangers during my search for the beku terwelu."

"Dangers? What kind of dangers?" Scootaloo asked with a nervous tone.

"The many creatures found in the forest close to your village," he answered, and the three fillies stopped in their tracks.

"Wait! You live in the Everfree Forest?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking at the frost giant with surprise.

"That's what you call the forest?" he asked, getting a nod from the three of them, "I see. And to answer your question, no. My kind does not live in this forest, but the... doorway to my village lies within the depths of the forest. So, if you would be so kind as to follow me, we will be able to get there all the sooner."

"Why? Are we in a hurry?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Perhaps?" he answered cryptically, "You, Sweetie Belle, are a curious creature. A Halfa, found in this world no less. Something like that, a change such as yours, does not happen without reason. There is someone in my village who can shed some light on your unique situation, and others who can help with your powers. A task I am ill suited for, as I am not a teacher. Now, please, let us hurry. The less time I spend out in the open like this, the less chance there is for someone to see me and cause a panic," he explained to them, and picked up his speed.

"Hey, wait up!" Sweetie Belle called out to him as she and her friends had to run to keep up with his giant strides.

"Hey, slow down a bit, will ya!" Apple Bloom called out, and Wind Chill did just that.

"My apologies, Apple Bloom. I failed to realize that you and your friends would have trouble keeping up with me," he said with a slight bow of the head.

"Wait. Did you just do what she told you to?" Scootaloo asked, confused.

"Of course I did. I am indebted to her for my actions against her family. Her wish is my command," he answered in turn, and the fillies' mouths fell open as they finally fully understood what he meant.

"Now, come. We still have some way to go," he told them as he continued his walk back to the portal, albeit at a slower pace. "And a lot of things to do when we get there."

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

The walk from the orchard to the Everfree Forest went without incident. Nopony saw Wind Chill, and no indication of any alarm being set off could be found.

The Crusaders, following behind the frost giant, looked around both in anxiety and fear. What if they were found out? And, what would they find in the forest? The latter was a question swiftly answered, as, when they entered the shadowy darkness of the forest, they discovered no sound could be heard from any of the animals. No birds chirping. No bees buzzing. Not the sound of a manticore's roar in the distance, nor any of the other sounds one would expect. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath in anticipation for something, a feeling of unease that settled down on the fillies as they followed behind Wind Chill.

"Hmm, it seems the beku terwelu has left a lasting impression on the forest," Wind Chill spoke with a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked as she and her friends huddled close to him.

"No sound!" he stated, "The forest is quiet as to not attract the beku terwelu, even though I have captured it in my ice. It's fear, pure fear of this beast that, even when it can't do anything anymore, its mere presence is enough to make everything stop. But it will work in our favor as well, as no creature would dare come close to this beast."

"Yer sure 'bout that?" Apple Bloom asked nervously as she looked around, expecting any kind of wild animal to jump at her from the bushes.

"Sure, no. But it seems unlikely," he answered.

Silence.

"Is it just me, or is this place even more spooky without the sounds?" Sweetie Belle asked after a quiet moment.

"Yeah, kinda," Scootaloo replied nervously.

"You have been here before?" Wind Chill asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, 'cause our friend Zecora lives here. And fer some... other reasons as well," Apple Bloom told him, still looking around to see if she could find any threats.

"Someone actually lives here? It must be a brave pony indeed," Wind Chill stated with admiration.

"Zecora isn't a pony. She's a zebra," Sweetie clarified for him.

"A zebra you say? How... intriguing. Tell me, are there more species of intelligence on this world?"

"Ehh... Well, there are the griffins," Scootaloo replied.

"Dragons, and tha diamond dogs. Camels too, Ah think," Apple Bloom added.

"Don't forget the changelings!" Sweetie Belle piped up, "Oh, and humans, I guess."

"Humans live here too?" Wind Chill asked in surprise.

"Oh, yeah. In fact, there's one livin' in our village," Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, Da—" Scootaloo began, before a loud growl interrupted her.

"Stay close!" Wind Chill ordered as they stepped out into a clearing, seeing the old castle of the royal sisters, as well as a bridge made of ice, guarded by several timberwolves.

The fillies moved even closer to Wind Chill, while he lowered himself into a fighting stance, holding the beku terwelu in one hand, and forming a large ice club in the other.

"I am not here to fight! But I will defend myself and these three children should you attack!" he said loudly, glaring at the wolves that had begun surrounding them.

Their response was to growl at him, yet they didn't attack. In fact, as they surrounded them, they also opened a path over to the bridge. Telling them without words to move over and get inside, but not to turn around. The Crusaders didn't understand why the timberwolves acted like this, but Wind Chill understood perfectly.

"Stay close to me, young ones. They let us go, but only because of the threat I hold. They do not want it back in the forest, and they will do whatever it takes to ensure that."

"O-okay," the three fillies replied in a quiet voice, shuffling backwards over the ice bridge while staring at the wolves with large frightened eyes.

Wind Chill stayed in front of the fillies, holding his club out in front of him should the wolves decide to attack them when they turned their backs on them. And, together, they slowly made their way over the bridge. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle almost slipping several times on the icy surface, while Apple Bloom had a more solid grip on the cold surface due to her earth pony nature.

The moment they crossed the bridge, Wind Chill slammed his foot on the icy surface, shattering the construct and letting the large chunks of ice fall down into the darkness below. Turning around, he saw the fillies looking between the large drop down and the wolves on the other side with fear.

"Don't worry. They can't follow us, and I can always make a new bridge should one be required. Now, come. Let us go inside and find you the help you seek, Sweetie Belle," he said calmly, guiding the fillies inside while keeping an eye on the wolves across the chasm.

"Ye-yeah, sure," Scootaloo replied quietly, and they followed behind Wind Chill as he stepped inside the old and abandoned castle, gulping audibly as they stepped inside. They followed him through the many dark hallways, until they stepped out into what seemed to be the throne room, illuminated by a red light, with a portal in the center of the room, with several more frost giants standing before it, as well as three more timber wolves. One of them even larger and more menacing looking than the wolves they had already seen.

The fillies moved behind Wind Chill's legs, peeking past them to see what was happening; watching as all those present turned towards them, the two smaller wolves growling before they were silenced by the larger one.

Sweetie Belle's eyes then locked on those of the frost giant holding a staff and wearing a robe, and a faint smile showed on the giant's face before she broke the contact and turned to the large wolf standing on two legs.

"Perhaps there should be an exclusion to that order to let no-one through," she said, and the wolf looked at her with confusion.

"Explain?" he barked.

"In a moment. First, I think Wind Chill has something to say. Isn't that right?" she replied as she turned to the frost giant standing in front of the fillies.

"So I do, elder," he answered, and he held up the ice ball that held the beku terwelu. "And I have something to return as well." And as he held up the trapped beast, the two smaller wolves began to growl in rage, while the larger, although tense and obviously angered, nonetheless stayed relatively calm.

"You've captured the demon!?" he stated, glaring at the frozen ball.

"I have," Wind Chill replied, looking mildly surprised that the wolf spoke, but was quick to connect the pieces as he looked at the elder's staff. "It shall not harm another being on this world ever again."

The wolf only growled in response, and his gaze shifted to the three fillies hiding behind Wind Chill.

"Them! Why did you bring them with you?"

"You know them?" Wind Chill asked, surprised, as he looked down at the fillies.

"All too well. They venture into the forest time and time again. Always acting, never thinking. Always causing trouble."

For a moment the memory of Sweetie Belle screaming and shooting beams of ectoplasm with her eyes shut crossed Wind Chill's mind, before he shook it off.

"I see."

"Wind Chill. Why did you bring these mortals with you?" a frost giant with an arm made of ice asked as he stepped towards him.

"Frostbite, I brought them with me because of a discovery I made during my hunt for the beku terwelu."

"A discovery? What kind of discovery?"

"Destiny," the elder said sagely, making everyone turn to look at her.

"What?" Frostbite said, confused, but the elder stayed quiet.

"What do you mean?" Frostbite asked her, but she remained silent.

"I think I can answer that," Wind Chill spoke up, "Or, more precisely, maybe she can show it," he continued as he looked down at Sweetie Belle. "Show them!" he told her.

"Wha?" she asked, worried, looking back and forth between him and those standing before the weird hole in the air.

"Show them what you can do," he clarified, but Sweetie Belle only pressed herself closer to her friends, afraid.

"Have no fear, children," the elder spoke up, her voice calming the fillies, "No harm shall come to you. You have my word."

Looking at her, staring into the glowing orbs shining from underneath the cap covering most of her face, Sweetie Belle swallowed loudly.

Looking back at her friends, her eyes asked them what she should do. But they were at a loss for answers as well.

Deciding then and there what she should do, she took a deep breath, before letting it out in a trembling sigh.

"O… Okay," she said as she stepped away from Wind Chill, forcing herself not to look up at the large creatures looking down on her.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Alpha demanded.

"I agree. What is going on here?" Frostbite replied.

"Be quiet and let the child do what she needs to do," the elder snapped without taking her gaze off the filly, which unnerved Sweetie Belle a lot. In fact, she was so nervous and afraid, she just wanted to disappear. Which was exactly what she did. She turned invisible, much to the surprise of the frost giants and timberwolves there.

"What!? What happened?" Frostbite almost shouted, and a squeak of fright came from thin air where Sweetie Belle used to be.

"Do not scare her, or things might get messy here!" the elder replied, still looking at the invisible pony.

"Child, there is more that you can do, isn't there?" she asked her, stepping closer to her, but not so close as to spook the frightened filly.

Y-y-yes," came the stuttering reply.

"Would you be so kind as to show me?"

"Ehh... S-sure?" she said, unsure, before fading back into view.

Taking several breaths to calm herself, she closed her eyes in concentration as she held up a hoof, aiming it at a wall to the side, and she shot a beam of green energy the frost giants knew all too well.

"What!? What kind of magic is this?" the Alpha barked in surprise.

"Not magic," Frostbite said, amazed. "Spectral energy. Ectoplasm," He looked at the foal that was now hovering in the air with wide eyes. A look mirrored by the other frost giants at his side, as well as the timberwolves. "Is she… a Halfa?"

"Indeed she is," the elder answered as she observed the hovering pony.

"But how?"

"How indeed," she replied cryptically before turning to Wind Chill. "You brought her here because you thought she could learn to control her powers with us, correct?"

"Indeed I did. She is young and has much to learn, experience has shown me that. But I am no teacher, and I can only show her the basics. I believed it would be more useful for her to learn from those more capable than myself," he answered with a slight bow of the head to his elder.

"What is going on! I demand an answer!" the Alpha growled as he wasn't given any answers to what he was witnessing.

"This child has been given the powers of the dead, fusing living and dead in one body, creating a being known as a Halfa. To my knowledge, there are only three others like her, and all three of them have shown abilities of great power. Some good, some evil," the elder answered, and the wolves looked at the filly with a mixture of anger and fright.

"And how is such a thing possible?"

"There are several ways, but most remain hidden until they are needed. How it happened for her… Well, would you answer that for us, Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle, already too shaken with what was going on, didn't pick up on the elder knowing her name without her telling it. And, instead, she shrunk in on herself as she felt all their eyes bore into her.

"...The book," she answered, more frightened than ever.

"Book, what book?" Frostbite asked.

"I don't know. We just found it."

"Don't be afraid, child. They are only curious, nothing more. Although I have to say, they are lacking a bit in tact," she said as she shot a sideways glance at the giants and wolves behind her.

"Just take a breath, and calm down."

Nodding her head in understanding, she did as she was told, feeling herself calm down as she did so. Her friends also stepped up, taking their places at her sides for moral support, which helped her calm down significantly. And, as she looked up to meet the elder's gaze, she felt a whole lot calmer than when she first came here.

"Better?" the elder asked, and Sweetie Belle nodded in response.

"Good. Now, please, tell us what happened to you."

"Well… We were in this forest one day, trying to capture and tame a manticore to try and earn our Cutie Marks. But, instead, it started to hunt us. Our friend, Rainbow Dash, came to help us just in time, but the manticore managed to knock her out," Sweetie Belle began, and Apple Bloom continued.

"But then tha manticore started ta act all weird, an' its eyes glowed green. It moved around as if it didn't know how ta walk on four legs, an' it just went away, like that."

"Then, the next day, we went to Twilight's library to find out about ghosts, since we thought it was a ghost that did those things," Scootaloo continued.

"There we found a strange book, with a black cover, and a skull on the front," Sweetie Belle picked back up, "I thought the title said it was called… ehh.. Necomia.. No, Necro.. Necr—"

"Necronomicon," the elder finished for her.

"Yeah, that's it," Sweetie Belle agreed.

"I see... And what happened next?"

"We... ehh… may have tried to summon a spirit to try and hunt to see if we could earn our Cutie Marks with that. Instead... well... This," Sweetie Belle finished as she held up a hoof, making it glow green.

Letting out a deep sigh, the elder looked at the glowing hoof, "Oh, Necky. What are you up to?"

"Ehh... Who's Necky?" Sweetie Belle asked as she lowered her hoof, the glow dissipating.

"That would be the book you mentioned. I… have had some dealings with it in the past."

"I have heard of this book as well," Frostbite spoke up, "The book of the dead."

"It is indeed that book, but so much more as well. But this is neither the time nor place to discuss such matters. What we must discuss now is what we should do to help this child. Obviously she lacks the knowledge to properly use her newfound powers. Although I am surprised by the amount of control she is already showing.

"Well, we have been trainin' a lot since she got her powers," Apple Bloom spoke up.

"I see. It shows," the elder complimented.

"Thanks!" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said at the same time.

"But there is still a lot you must learn before you can use your powers to their full potential, Silver Spirit."

"Wait! How do you know that name?" Sweetie Belle asked in shock.

"I have my ways," she answered cryptically, "But you don't need to worry about that right now."

Turning to face both her village leader, as well as the timberwolf Alpha.

"This child needs training, and she shall receive it. Not here, but in our village where we can oversee her progress without the risks that might arise should she continue her training on her own world. Frostbite, you, as well as those you might deem fit, will guide this child. Help her, teach her. And you, Alpha. Like us, you will guard this doorway between worlds. Let nothing through, both ways. With the exception of these three children, and my brother, Wind Chill. Who, it seems, is tied to Apple Bloom through an honor bond.

"What!" Frostbite bellowed, "What did you do!?"

"As the elder said, I am bound to this child. I was forced to possess her brother and sister to wipe their minds after they found the damage done during my battle with the beku terwelu. They were panicking, and in search of their sister, as well as her friends. Had they found her, they might very well have learned of Sweetie Belle's other self. I had no choice. And as our code dictates, I am indebted to those I possessed. But, as they don't remember, nor would they know who I am or what I did, by rule I am bound to the closest blood relative aware of my presence."

For a moment nothing was said as Frostbite glared at Wind chill, face unreadable.

"The code is clear, yes. But how did you let this happen? You were sent to capture and return the beku terwelu, not to end up bound to a mortal by your actions," Frostbite spoke slowly and deliberately, not sure what he should make of this new development, "By our code, you are bound. And you shall watch over this Apple Bloom, until such time comes where you have fulfilled your debt."

"I am aware of this, Frostbite," he answered with a bow of the head, "I have explained as much to her."

"Then it is done," Frostbite sighed, and turned to the Alpha, "Are we agreed with this latest development? To guard the portal, and to allow these four passage when they need it. But to leave any other creature out and in their respective worlds."

"Do we have much of a choice?" the Alpha growled, "We shall do as we are told, but only because there seems to be no other way. And because we know what those three are capable of as they are. There is no knowing what might happen if she loses control of herself. But know this. If we find a way to close this hole, we will do so. No matter if they are on the other side or not."

"Very well. We are agreed," Frostbite confirmed with a sigh, and the Alpha growled a last order to the two wolves in the room, before taking his leave, fading away in the darkness of the hallway.

"Then, I suppose, it is time for you to join us for your training," Frostbite said as he turned to Sweetie Belle, "Come, there is much we need to discuss. Avalanche, Snow Front, guard this portal, let no other through, save for the children, and Wind Chill."

"Yes, Frostbite," the two frost giants replied, and they retook their positions on the Dead Zone side of the portal.

"And you, follow me," Frostbite told the fillies who, nervously, followed behind him.

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

They stepped through, and immediately Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom became aware of a few things.

First, it was cold. Very, very, very cold.

Second, they sank down in the snow, dropping down until their bellies pressed down on the white substance.

Did I mention it was very cold?

Third, as a result of this, they couldn't walk as their legs were immobilized in the snow.

"Ehh, a little help here?" Apple Bloom asked as she struggled to push herself out of her snowy prison.

"Me too," Sweetie Belle said.

"Me three," Scootaloo added.

Responding to their calls of help after having safely disposed of the beku terwelu, which meant he threw it as far away as he could, Wind Chill scooped up Apple Bloom from the ground, while Frostbite did the same for Scootaloo, while the elder looked at Sweetie Belle, waiting with a knowing smile.

"Hold on, I think I've got this," Sweetie Belle muttered as she ceased her struggle to break free. Closing her eyes and concentrating on the energy she felt inside, she slowly lifted up and out of the snow. "Hey, I've got it," she shouted happily, and looked at her friends, who were each holding on to the shoulder of the giant that had pulled them free.

"You seem to be a quick learner," the elder spoke, "Good, you're going to need to be."

"I- ehhh.. Huh?" Sweetie Belle sputtered as she hovered above the snow, too focused on her concentration to notice what the elder had said. But, as the elder spoke, she lost her focus, and she fell face first in the snow, disappearing in the layer of white save for her rump and hind legs, which stuck out above, legs flailing wildly.

"But perhaps it would be better if we help you for now," The elder spoke bemused, giving a hand signal to Frostbite. Who, in response, picked up Sweetie Belle and carried her, along with Scootaloo, to the village in the distance.

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

"Woow!" a trio of voices called out as they entered the village, looking at everything and everyone, while everyone gave them the same amount of interest.

"Welcome to our village," Frostbite announced proudly, "A village we forged out of the ice ourselves, and where we have 'lived' for many centuries."

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked around wide eyed, taking it all in with eager grins on their muzzles.

"Come brothers, sisters. Let's give our guests a warm welcome," Frostbite said loudly as he placed the two fillies he was carrying on the ground. The snow compact enough after all those centuries walking over it to support them.

Wind Chill followed his example, and placed Apple Bloom on the snowy ground as well. And, as the three fillies looked around in wonder, and a bit of fear, all the frost giants in the village came to surround the trio, looking down at them with curiosity, welcoming smiles, and the occasional greeting.

Looking at all the rough, but friendly faces, Sweetie Belle felt herself begin to mirror their enthusiasm, and a smile spread across her face. "Eh, hi-ha-a-ACHOO!" she tried to return their greeting, only to sneeze from the cold, sending a beam of green energy shooting from her horn. Hitting an overhead snowbridge, making it collapse, and covering several frost giants under a layer of snow and ice.

"Ehh… Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," she said, horrified, as she saw the giants pull themselves out from under the pile of snow.

"We can't start soon enough, it would seem," Frostbite remarked as he looked at the damage with a blank face, "Everyone, listen. This child, as you have witnessed, is no ordinary child. She has been bestowed the powers of us ghosts. She is a Halfa," he said, and a ripple went through the crowd, "By wisdom of the elder, she and her friends have been brought here for training in order to control her powers. Which I am sure we can all agree is needed," murmurs of agreement could be heard after he said that, and Sweetie Belle looked down at her hooves in embarrassment.

"And, in light of recent developments, she and her friends will be venturing through the portal opened in the Dead Zone to return home or to come here for her training. But only they and Wind Chill are allowed to cross this bridge between worlds," Frostbite told all of them, and they gave a murmur of understanding.

"Good. Now, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, please follow me. You too, Wind Chill," he told the four of them, and they followed him as he walked to his home, motioning for them to go inside.

"Please, take a seat," Frostbite offered as he, too, sat down on one of the few wooden chairs in his home, "Now, before we start with any training, there are some things I need to know," he said as he looked at Wind Chill, his piercing eyes telling him exactly what was on his mind.

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

The elder walked back to the sanctum. The place all frost giants knew of, but only a very select few had ever seen. Only those wielding the Staff of Light, as well as the village's leader and a very select few outsiders have set foot in the sacred place their village safeguarded and kept hidden.

It was a task given to them oh so long ago. So long in fact, that no one even remembers who it was that gave them this task. But they carried it out nonetheless, knowing what could happen should one of evil intent find out about it. And worse, defile it with their actions.

Walking towards a large ice mountain, cold and barren of any 'life', one would suspect there was nothing there to find.

They would be wrong.

The elder moved to an area where the mountain's wall went up almost vertical, and she placed her staff against the cold surface. The jewel in the staff began to glow a bright red, which seeped into the ice wall.

The ice began to warp and shift, then fade away, revealing a passage deep inside the mountain.

The elder stepped inside, and the wall sealed itself back up after she had crossed the threshold. Yet, there was no darkness to be found inside the ice cavern, as a warm glow came from the walls, illuminating the way for the elder as she moved to the center of the mountain, and the Ghost Zone's best kept secret.

There, standing proudly in the center of the mountain, was a massive tree. Its roots dug deep in the ice, tapping into the energy of the Zone, nourishing it, making it grow.

Its trunk was several meters thick, and the branches spread out far and wide, covering the entire roof in leaves of faint glowing green.

Walking towards the tree, she placed a hand on the trunk, reaching out with her senses to 'feel' the energy of Tree of Life.

"Hello, old friend," she spoke in a caring tone, "It's been a while. Last time I was here was when Clockwork and the Necronomicon needed your help. A single seed to plant in a world at chaos. And it worked, it would seem. But interesting things are happening there as we speak, very interesting things indeed. A child endowed with the powers of our kind. A new Halfa. And a destiny still clouded in mystery. Even I can't see what is coming. What do you think, hmm?"

Still holding her hand on the trunk, she could feel a swelling of energy coming from the tree, and she stepped back in surprise with wide eyes as she saw the ice around the roots pulse with energy. The tree sucked up the glowing power around it, and it traveled up over the trunk and towards a single overhead branch. Looking on in awe, the elder saw a single pod grow at the point the energy gathered, watching how a small gemstone formed within the glow. It stayed like that while the glow diminished, but never quite vanished. Instead, it remained as a faint glow, slowly feeding the energy into the new seed, slowly growing it to maturity while two more closed buds sprouted up around the glowing gem.

"Could it be? Those three children?" she said in shocked amazement, "What destiny awaits them?"

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

"So, that's the whole story?" Frostbite asked for clarification, earning a nod from Wind Chill, "Very well. I'm still not pleased with what has transpired, but, as I said before, the code is clear, and you are indeed indebted to young Apple Bloom," he sighed, and turned to the fillies sitting impatiently on their stools.

"Now, as for you, Sweetie Belle. Finding out about you being a Halfa is certainly an unexpected surprise. But we are more than capable of helping you with learning to control your powers. I, myself, have trained a Halfa several years ago. Plus this village houses many capable frost giants who are able to help you as well. But before we start with any of this, I need to ask. How much control do you have over your powers, already?"

"Wait! You've trained another.. ehh… Halfa?" Sweetie Belle said, surprised, and she and her friends, previously slumped down, now sat at rapt attention.

"Indeed I have. A good student, a better friend. It's a shame how fate has treated him. But this is not the time for that. What is, is you telling me what you already know, and we will work onwards from there."

"Ehh…" Sweetie Belle uttered, her mind reeling with the knowledge of there being others out there like her, and that Frostbite had trained one himself. "Well… I can shoot these weird beams from my hooves," she said.

"Ah, yes. A standard ecto beam. More?"

"What's an ecto?" Scootaloo asked before Sweetie Belle could continue.

"It is short for ectoplasm. The energy of all ghosts. But I will explain more about this later. Now, Sweetie Belle, continue," Frostbite told her.

"Right…. I can also turn invisible, more or less. Kinda lose control of it, though. Ehh,"—she tapped her chin with a hoof—"I can also fly, kinda. It's really hard, and it takes a lot of concentration," she told him, and Scootaloo felt a stab of anger and jealousy when her friend said she could fly, "There is this weird thing where I can walk through walls. But it just happens, and I can't control it."

"Hmm, I see. Anything else?" Frostbite hummed.

"Ehh… I don't think so," Sweetie muttered.

"What about yer horn flashing gold earlier today?" Apple Bloom reminded her.

"Oh yeah. There's also that. Not really sure why it did that, though."

"And what about transforming? Do you have an alternative form?" Frostbite asked.

"Ehh, yes. Kinda forgot about that for a moment. But it is really hard to do, and most of the time it just happens. We did figure out something that seems to work, somewhat."

"Hmm. This is both more and less than I expected. You say that you've only had these powers for a few days now?" he asked, and Sweetie Belle nodded, "You are untrained, that much is obvious. Yet, the amount of control you say you have is remarkable for such a short time."

"Ehh.. So, what does that mean?" Apple Bloom asked.

"It means that your friend needs to learn the basics first. You have tried your best with what you knew, and it is to be commended what you have achieved as a result. But for her to fully understand her powers, she will need to get a firmer grasp on who and what she really is. Then, as she learns the basics, we can work on the more advanced forms her powers come in."

"What! There's more?!" Sweetie Belle asked, shocked.

"Oh, yes there is. Much more. But do not worry too much about that. For now, we will work on getting you to the point of being able to control yourself. Then we will work on the more difficult powers. And first off, we will need you to transform," Frostbite said with an eager tone in his voice, more than ready to get started and see what this child was capable of.

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

The four Ghost-keteers working in the Ponyville area were back in their rooms, either working on their equipment, or muttering to themselves over half a day wasted due to some pink pony throwing a large party just for them, and inviting half the town for it, which meant they couldn't sneak out. But, as Rolling Stone was checking one of the scanners, somepony knocked on the door, and he and Blue Ice looked up from their work.

"Cover it up," Rolling ordered Blue Ice, who, with a flash of her horn, hid all the equipment from sight.

Opening the door, Rolling Stone was surprised to see one of the guards from the forest team standing outside. But he was quick to act, as he knew that she wouldn't be here without a good reason.

"Flash Lightning, come in," he said, and moved aside to allow the mare to enter.

"Thank you, Sir," she replied, giving a nod to Blue Ice.

"Any news from your neck of the woods?" Ice asked with a grin over her little pun, which faded away when Flash Lightning replied with a stoic, professional expression.

"Actually, I do," she responded, and turned to Rolling Stone, "Sir, Vigilant Shield has picked up a positive hit on the scanner and, if it is to be believed, we have a breach. Charming Prism looked over her results and agreed with Vigilant Shield's conclusion. He sent me here the second it was confirmed."

"They're sure about this?" Rolling Stone asked Flash Lightning with a calm, but serious voice, "No false positive?"

"Affirmative, Sir. Vigilant Shield was the one who detected and tracked the energy signature. She's positive about her findings, and we both know she's the best we have with those tracking devices," Flash Lightning answered.

"Indeed she is," Rolling Stone muttered as he mulled that over little fact. "Okay, return to your post and keep a lookout for any other signs of spectral activity. We will do the same here. If there's a ghost out there in the woods, there sure as Tartarus is one here in town as well. But until we have a confirmed sighting, we can't sound the alarm. We need to make sure it is what we think it is, and not some malfunctioning equipment."

"Sir, yes Sir," Flash Lightning replied with a salute and left the room, leaving Rolling Stone and Blue Ice behind.

"Hmmm," Rolling Stone hummed after the door had closed behind Flash Lightning. "Ice, you're done calibrating those scanners we have, right? If what they picked up on is genuine, then we need to be able to pick something up as well."

"Yes Sir, I've just finished this pair," she answered as she levitated one of the scanners to Rolling. "They should be good to go now that I've rechecked them after last night's supposed false positive. But let me know if anything is wrong, seeing as the other group seemed to have fluctuations with their scans as well."

"Very well," Rolling Stone said with an appreciative nod before turning on the device, seeing the built-in screen light up as it began to scan for ghosts.

"Good, looks like we're up for business," he said, putting the scanner away in his saddlebag. "I'm going to make sure things are up to speed with the rest of our group here, and see if Sound Wave is done with the Ghost Gabber."

"Very well, Sir. You'll know where to find me when you need me," Blue Ice replied, not looking up from her work in calibrating yet another scanner, only for the device to spark and sputter, causing her to curse loudly as she dropped the device in fright.

Rolling Stone, chuckling slightly under his breath, left the mare to her work and went to the next room to see if everything was progressing 'smoothly' there as well. And, as the door swung shut, Blue Ice let out a long heavy sigh.

"Damn, guess I need to pay up."

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

The ponies back at the campsite in the forest were moving around in a flurry, grabbing their equipment, and preparing for an extensive search of the forest. And if need be, to capture a ghost. They couldn't rush it, of course, and they'd been planning the best course of action for a while now. Long enough for Flash Lightning to return and to relay Rolling Stone's orders.

They were quick to check their equipment for any possible malfunctions, or other anomalies that could have given them a false positive. And much to the chagrin of Vigilant Shield, they found plenty. Still, she was sure about what she found, and they knew they couldn't just stand down and wait for somepony to modify the scanners. So,with more uncertainty than they started with, they continued their preparations for an extensive search of the forest.

Finally, after preparing for just about anything they could think of, including wildlife, they began their task of tracking down any sign of spectral activity, no matter how faint. They started at the site where Vigilant Shield first detected the signature, and moved out from there. But, as they scanned the area, they had a hard time pinpointing any spectral sign that they suspected would be there. Vigilant Shield, sure about what she had found earlier in the day, was not going to let up just because the scanners weren't working properly, and she went around searching in even the most unlikely of places. Up a tree, in a bush, under a rock, under another rock, behind the brightly colored ball she found in a hollow tree, and even the ground itself.

"I'm not so sure about this," Midnight Blossom, an unicorn mare with dark blue coat and a lighter blue mane and tail said after a long time of unsuccessful scanning.

"I'm sure there is something here. I just know it!" Vigilant Shield replied, never looking up from her scanner. 'I will not go to Rolling Stone and tell him it was a false positive. Nor do I want to see that smug grin Ice will undoubtedly have.' she thought as she kept scanning.

"I'm not sure. There is a lot of strange interference that is messing with the signal, and I have no idea what's causing it," Charming Prism spoke up, giving his scanner a shake.

"No! I'm sure of what I found," Vigilant Shield repeated, and she pressed her scanner against the ground for a better reading. Unknowingly doing so at the spot where Shadow moved up and captured Mort. And, with a loud beeping sound, the scanner let it be known that it had detected a relatively strong signature.

"HA! Told you!" Vigilant Shield said triumphantly as she held up her scanner for all to see, "I said I detected something, and here it is, again," she said loud and proud as the device continued to beep. Only for the sound to die down as it no longer detected the signal. "What! No no no no, don't you do this to me. I won those bits, fair and square. Work with me here," she said as she frantically shook the scanner, only to shake out the battery, deactivating the device in the process. "Hayseed."

She looked at her team, seeing them struggling to contain their laughter. Picking up the battery while glaring at them, she inserted it back into the device, bringing it back to life with a beep.

"... Not a word!" she said with a low voice, giving them all a glare for good measure. Which did not help as, first, Midnight Blossom broke out in laughter, which set off the rest of them as well.

'Ugh, this is going to be a long day,' she thought in frustration.

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

Sweetie Belle stood in the center of what seemed to be an arena of sorts. Many frost giants occupied the area at the sides, watching intently and excitedly. Even the elder was present, watching the filly with rapt attention, although she did glance off to the other two ponies standing among the crowd.

Sweetie Belle looked around nervously with all those eyes centered on her, and she focused her attention on the frost giant, Frostbite, standing in front of her.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, standing on the sidelines along with Wind Chill, looked at their friend, then at all those present with curiosity.

"Say, why are there so many of ya'll here?" Apple Bloom asked as she lost count of the many frost giants around the arena.

"We live in a frozen wasteland, and entertainment is hard to find," Wind Chill answered.

"But Sweetie Belle is here to learn about her powers, right?" Scootaloo asked.

"She is, yes."

"Then what are they all doin' here?" Apple Bloom picked back up, waving a hoof to indicate all of the giants.

"To be entertained," Wind Chill answered simply, and Apple Bloom's face fell as she gave him a flat look.

"So, they're here ta see her make a mess of things," she stated.

"What! Hey, did you bring her here to learn or to get a laugh out of her!?" Scootaloo asked with irritation, glaring at the giant.

"A bit of option A, and a bit of option B," Wind Chill answered with an awkward grin.

"Well… This should be interestin'," Apple Bloom remarked, and they returned their attention to the snow white filly standing at the center of the arena.

"Okay, Sweetie Belle. There are many things for you to learn, but for you to properly use your powers, you first need to get a firm grasp on your transformation. You have already discovered you can use your powers as you are, but in your other form your powers are more focused, stronger, easier to use. When you learn to control your transformation, your powers will follow suit," Frostbite explained with an authoritative voice.

"Now, I will have to be honest. I do not fully understand the mechanics behind your transformation, as it is something we ghosts, or spirits," he added with a single nod to Sweetie, "do not do. We are in a single form, which we gain after our death. You, however, are something in-between. But I have some knowledge from my dealings with the last Halfa that was here, so I am sure we will be able to figure this part out together.

"Now, I do know that in order for you to transform, you will need to clear your mind, while at the same time focusing on your energy. I'm assuming that you will need to find your focal point, the point of your power's center. The point of origin, if you would. The place where your powers flow from, and where it is stored when you are in your mortal form. Another thing I know that could help is using a mental trigger to help with your transformation. Something that helps you focus on that very task while canceling everything else out."

"Like what?" Sweetie Belle asked, almost hanging on Frostbite's lips for an answer.

"From experience, a phrase of sorts. Something simple, yet effective that will help with focusing your mind. Like my friend used the phrase: 'I'm going ghost!' "

" 'I'm going ghost?' " Sweetie Belle repeated, blinking dumbly.

"Indeed. Simple, maybe even a bit silly, but it did the trick. Eventually he had no need to use it anymore as he learned to control his powers, but he kept using it all the same. Something about it being his catchphrase."

"So, what should I say?" Sweetie Belle wondered out loud.

"That is for you to decide. But for now, let's just focus on clearing your mind first, and I am sure your trigger will come to you."

"So, clear my mind? As in, no thoughts at all?" She asked after letting out a deep breath, forming a cloud of hot air in the frozen environment.

"Indeed, and while you do so, focus on your powers. Find your center, and find your trigger. Once you find these it should become considerably easier to transform and use your powers," Frostbite told her, watching the small cloud fade away.

"Okay," Sweetie Belle said as she took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, creating another cloud, "here goes," and she closed her eyes in concentration while emptying her mind.

Excited murmurs swept through the audience as they looked at her in excitement, but a shush from Frostbite silenced them, and they all watched the filly intently in complete silence. And Apple Bloom and Scootaloo silently rooted for their friend, hoping she would be able to learn how to transform on her own, instead of it just happening.

'Okay, an empty mind….. No thoughts, no memories, no inner voice… Wait! Shoot.. Shut up!... Right?… No thoughts…… No memories…..... Nothing at all….. Nothing..at…all…….'

"Good. Empty your mind, focus on your inner energy, and find your trigger." Frostbite said in a soft voice, guiding the filly towards her transformation.

Sweetie Belle slowly lost herself in the depths of her mind, blocking out everything around her, lost in a sea of emptiness. And, as she found herself adrift in this sea of nothingness, she noticed a faint green glimmer out in the distance.

She focused on it, and, as there was nothing else for her to see or interact with, it grew larger and brighter. Before long it was glowing with the strength of a flashlight. Then a campfire. A roaring inferno. Then it became as blinding as the sun as she was swept away in a burst of green, engulfing her, empowering her. Transforming her. And, in this one instance, she found her trigger.

Sweetie Belle's eyes snapped open, showing two brightly glowing green pools without any iris or pupil, while a band of energy formed around her midsection.

"I'M SHIFTING SPIRIT!" she shouted, and the band of energy split in half, beginning the transformation from mortal to spirit.

Energy coursed through her body as she felt the changes happen. She felt her heart slow down, before stopping entirely. Her need to breathe, gone into thin air. She saw her coat bristle and wave as the energy flowed through it, changing the color from a mere white to a gleaming silver, while her mane and tail came to life, billowing in an unfelt breeze like a fog. Her legs, bare at first, were now covered by pitch black boots, materialized from the energy itself as it moved over them. She could almost feel herself hum with power as she completed her transformation, feeling stronger than during the previous times she had transformed, merely through the fact that this time it was truly by her own will that she had changed.

Amazed gasps sounded all around as Sweetie Belle completed her transformation, while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cheered loudly for their friend.

Sweetie Belle, now Silver Spirit, looked at herself with a victorious smile, then she looked up, seeing all the awestruck faces of the frost giants as they looked at her.

Even Frostbite, who was used to a few more things than most frost giants, looked down at the silver spirit pony with a look of utter amazement. And, for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

"I DID IT!" Silver Spirit cheered happily as she jumped excitedly on the spot, her mane and tail leaving a blur as they lagged behind a bit with her movement.

"I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it!" she kept cheering, joined by her friends as they bounced on the spot, Scootaloo's wings buzzing happily.

"Indeed you did," Frostbite said in surprise, amazed she was so quick to figure it out, "Indeed you did."

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

"I'M SHIFTING SPIRIT!"

The words were shouted quite loudly, and were carried far on the chill air of the Far Frozen. They echoed around the desolate valley, and penetrated the ice that made up the mountains. There, standing tall and proud, her words reached Tree of Life. And, in a small burst of energy, the small gemstone that was growing in the faint glow of energy grew bigger, sensing the growth in its future wielder, and growing itself as a result. It was not yet done, though, as she wasn't ready for it. She still had a long way to go, just as the other two, who still had yet to begin their growth. But they would, just as those six her daughter planted on their world had seen.

They would grow, and they would learn. And, when they were ready, so to would these new seeds of life be.

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

"I'm impressed," Frostbite spoke up, looking down at the silver pony, "You were able to find your trigger and transform much faster than I expected."

"Well, I might have practiced a bit back home… With mixed results," Silver Spirit answered, her large smile dropping just a bit as she thought back to her prior training attempts.

"I see. Well, it does make things easier for us, as we can move on to the simpler parts of this training. Tell me. Do you already know how to control and fire an ecto beam?"

"Ehhh… A what?" Silver asked dumbly.

"The beam of energy you shot accidentally when you sneezed earlier," Frostbite explained, and Silver Spirit's eyes lit up in understanding.

"Oh, yeah. I can do that," she replied, and she lifted up a hoof, aiming it at a random spot on the ground, and fired a beam of green energy.

The snow melted from the blast's heat, and a small boiling puddle of water, which was quick to freeze again, was left behind, steam billowing from it as Silver Spirit looked at her hoof quizzically.

"So, it's... ehh, what did you say it was again?"

"An ecto beam. Or ectoplasm beam in full. Some might call it an ectoplasm discharge, but most just call it an ecto beam," Frostbite explained. "Ectoplasm is the energy that gives you your powers. It is, in essence, the 'lifeblood' of us ghosts, spirits and such."

"Ehh… Okay?" she answered, unsure, "So this stuff is in my blood?"

"Actually. That stuff is your blood. As you are now, you are one of the dead, and as such, you don't have any blood left. Instead, it is replaced by this ectoplasm, which now courses through your veins," Frostbite explained, and Silver Spirit's eyes widened in horror.

"WHAT!?"

"Please, calm down. It is not as bad as you think it is. When you turn back, so does your blood."

"WHAT!?" she repeated, not comforted in the slightest.

"Uhh... Would it be alright if I showed you what I mean?" Frostbite asked, and he received a hesitant nod from Silver.

Kneeling down so he could reach out to her, he grasped the leg she was still holding up in his hand, while he used his ice claw to make a small cut in her leg. And, to her horror, small green droplets of glowing goo flowed out.

"AAAAHHHH!! Get it out! Get it out!" she screamed as she flailed her leg wildly, and accidentally fired a beam of energy from her leg, hitting a snow dune in the distance, blowing it up. The sudden avalanche of snow covered many of the frost giants who were standing nearby, leaving only their heads to poke out of the thick white layer.

"Calm down, young spirit," Frostbite spoke up, holding the filly down while she was freaking out, "Just transform back, and you will see what I mean."

"And how do I do that!?" she demanded in a panic, eyes locked on the glowing green goop that came from the small cut, still trying to shake it off.

"…Ehhh…" Frostbite uttered dumbly, at a loss for an answer.

"Try ta calm down an' do what ya just did, only backwards!" Apple Bloom shouted at her, while she and Scootaloo rushed to their friend, to help Frostbite calm her down.

"Yeah, what she said!" Scootaloo agreed as she grabbed hold of her friends flailing leg, and she now saw the green glowing goop up close herself.

"Eeeuww. What is that?" she said, not thinking about what that might do to her friend, who started to freak out again.

"Yer not helping!" Apple Bloom grunted, "Sweetie Belle, calm down!"

"GHAAAA!!" was the only reply they got from her.

Seeing no easy way to get through to their friend, Apple Bloom then resorted to a more southern method to snap her friend out of her freak out. Which consisted of a hoof to the back of the head.

"OUCH… HEY!" Silver Spirit shouted as she rubbed her head, glaring at her friend with glowing eyes.

"Well sorry," Apple Bloom replied with a roll of her eyes, "but ya were completely freaking out over some green goop."

Silver Spirit's eyes shrunk as soon as she'd said that, and she looked down at her leg to see the glowing green stuff was still there, and she was about to panic again.

"Oh no ya don't!" Apple Bloom stated firmly, shaking her friend out of her pending panic, "Now, calm down and try ta turn back."

"Yeah, just do the same thing again, only different," Scootaloo picked up, getting some strange looks in return, "What?"

"How am I supposed to do the same thing differently?" Silver Spirit asked, puzzled.

"She means that ya should do what ya just did, only this time tryin' ta transform back," Apple Bloom clarified, letting go of her friend.

"Oh, right. I can do that, I think?" Silver Spirit said, her eyes shifting between the green goop coming from the small cut and Apple Bloom.

'Okay, turning back. Sure, I can do that. Probably,' she thought as she, once again, closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind. Which proved to be much more difficult this time, as her mind kept going back to the fact that her blood was turned into green goop. Still, she managed to mostly empty her mind, and push the lingering thoughts about the latest discovery that came with her transformation to the back of her mind just long enough for her to find herself once more in the emptiness where she first found her trigger. Only this time it wasn't as empty as she remembered it being.

It was as if she was floating in the center of the sun. A green sun, but a sun.

Blinding green light radiated from everywhere, basking her in the light, while she also knew it was shining directly through her. She didn't know how she knew, just that she did. And the problem now was, how could she turn back?

Before, the energy was just a faint light before it grew and consumed her. But now, it was everywhere. It was her. How could she turn back from this? How could she let go of it?

'Wait… let it go? Could it be that easy?' she wondered, her voice reverberating all around.

She floated in the center of the green sun, reaching out with her senses, then back into herself. She didn't know how to describe it. It was as if she was both at the center of it all, while also standing on the sidelines, watching through another pair of eyes. It was as if there were two of her, connected, yet separate. One mind, two bodies.

Silver Spirit reached out to this other self, grabbing hold of her, embracing it. And in a burst of brilliant green, she felt herself along with the energy being pulled inside of her other self. A white unicorn filly with a curly two-toned mane and tail. And as she was absorbed within the other her, she let go of her hold on the energy she felt coming from her, and the green glow died down to the same faint glimmer she remembered seeing from the first time in this void. A glimmer she saw through the non glowing eyes of her normal self.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Frostbite and all the other frost giants watched the filly, seeing her relax more and more as she calmed down. Her eyes closed, and her mind focused inwards. Then, in a burst of white light, a band of energy formed around her midsection, starting the process of her transformation back to a mortal form.

They all looked at her, showing grins or smiles as they observed Sweetie Belle learn and grow. And Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had trouble containing their excitement as Sweetie Belle opened her eyes again, looking at them, then at herself as she inspected her body.

"HEY! It worked," she said triumphantly, then she looked at her leg, "... Hey, it's not green anymore?" she said, puzzled, as she saw the red droplets of her blood."

"As I said it would be," Frostbite spoke up, "Your transformation is not just one of appearances, but one that changes you completely. Every hair on your body, every cell of your skin, every drop of blood, everything down to the smallest part of your very being transforms. So it is understandable for you to freak out when finding out about such a change when you weren't expecting it."

"So… that happens every time? That green stuff I mean," Sweetie Belle asked as she looked up at him.

"Indeed it does."

"I'm not sure how to feel about that," she muttered.

"I do," Scootaloo almost shouted, "It. Is. AWESOME!"

"Ah have ta agree with her on that one," Apple Bloom replied with a grin, giving a hoofbump to Scootaloo.

"So, come on. There is more you can do, right?" Scootaloo asked with her excitement in overdrive, looking at both Sweetie Belle and Frostbite.

"HA, yes she can," Frostbite replied with a hearty laugh, "You're lucky to have such good friends, young spirit. Now, if you feel up to it, shall we continue?"

Looking at her friends for an answer, she wasn't surprised to see two very large and eager grins on their muzzles, and she felt them spread to her own as she turned to look at Frostbite.

"Does Celestia raise the sun?" she replied as an answer.

"Ehhh?..," Frostbite uttered dumbly.

"That would be a yes," Apple Bloom answered for him.

"... Wonderful. Then, let's continue."

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

"So, it is your intangibility you say you have the most trouble with," Frostbite said out loud, scratching his chin, "Curious. It should be one of the easier things to control."

"Yeah? How so?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"As all one needs to do is let go of their physical form. Like breathing out, if you will. A feature that should almost come by itself, as it is so closely connected to your spectral energy," Frostbite explained.

"How so?"

"You see. Intangibility comes from a form of energy we call Ainetus," he explained, and he picked up a handful of snow in his ice claw. Then he made his appendage glow with his energy to demonstrate his point, and the snow fell down on the ground, passing cleanly through his hand. "But it has another name as well. One given by the humans, although they don't realize this. They call it Neutrinos, the ghost particles. This energy can move through everything without stopping, and, as it is part of your energy, so can you. The fact that this is something you have difficulties with is strange, and the only thing I can think of that might interfere with this energy would be an equal but opposite energy."

"Other energy? Do ya mean magic?" Apple Bloom spoke up, staring curiously at Frostbite and his still glowing ice claw.

"Magic?"

"Yeah, like this," Sweetie Belle replied, and, with intense focus, she produced several light green sparks from her horn.

Most of them winked out of existence after a short moment, a few landed on the snow, but one landed on Frostbite's glowing ice claw. There the magical energy interacted with the energy Frostbite was still channeling in his claw, resulting in a violent reaction.

The energies collided and repelled each other, resulting in a small explosion of energy, knocking Frostbite back a bit, while his ice claw took some serious damage.

All present looked at both the struck frost giant and the unicorn filly with shock and confusion, not understanding what had just happened.

"I… I-I didn't mean to do that!" Sweetie Belle shrieked as she backed away.

"Wow. What was that?" Scootaloo asked, carefully moving towards Frostbite as she looked at the now partially molten claw.

"I would like to know as well," Frostbite spoke up, sounding extremely shaken, "What was it that you just did, those sparks? It was not any spectral energy I know of."

"That is because it isn't spectral energy," The elder said in a calm voice, unfazed by what had happened as she walked towards Sweetie Belle.

"Like they said, it's magic. An energy other than our own, yet similar all the same. It is what is causing your difficulties with your intangibility. You see, when you turn intangible, your body consists purely of spectral energy for the duration of the intangibility. But your magic is interfering with this, as it doesn't want to change with it."

"Wha… How do you know this?" Sweetie Belle asked, sounding completely confused from both this latest revelation, as well as the way the elder seems to know all these things just like that.

"I see many things, but only those which I need to know," she answered.

"Ehh, wha?" Scootaloo muttered as she scratched the back of her head.

"I know what I need to know, when I need to know it. It is my own special talent, if you will," she explained, "And no, I don't have a Cutie Mark," she quickly added as she saw the spark of wonder in their eyes, and the fillies slumped down disappointed.

"But even if that is true. Then why did I go... eh, intangible just like that several times now back home?" Sweetie asked.

"Hmm…" the elder hummed as she took a good look at her, seeing through the layers of skin and bone, and observing her at the most fundamental level of her being.

"Your magic is set in its own ways, shaped by thousands of generations before you. But yours is still young, and it is adapting to exist alongside your newfound powers. But it isn't a simple matter of flicking a switch, and it will take some time before a balance is found. And until it is, it keeps trying to find a balance between the two, resulting in your intangibility problems. So, until then, it will be difficult for you to use your intangibility. But, I'm sure that as you progress with your training you will find your magic and spectral energy finding a solution for this internal conflict. But it would be wise not to force it, and let it sort itself out. Time, it would seem, is the best training for this problem."

"Elder, what exactly is this magic of theirs?" Frostbite asked, "I have never seen anything like this before."

The elder looked at him, giving a knowing grin as she gave him a single, one word reply full of meaning, but which didn't answer anything for him, "Balance."

"That doesn't answer anything," Frostbite replied, stumped.

"And yet it does," the elder said sagely, "But there are more pressing matters to attend to, and I shall take my leave. Oh, and Frostbite. When the child is done for the day, tell her about the Great One. She should know about his history. I'm sure it will be a learning experience for the both of you," and with that last suggestion, she left to return to the sanctum of the Tree of Life.

"… Who's the Great One?" Sweetie Belle asked after the elder had left.

"The greatest of Halfas. One whose accomplishments saved the lives of many, and a good friend of mine. But also one who has vanished after a terrible tragedy. One that changed the lives of many. But it is not yet the time to talk about this, as we still have several things to do," Frostbite said with a proud, yet sad voice, before returning to his more cheerful demeanor.

"Right," Sweetie Belle said with a confident nod, ready for whatever it was she would have to do next, "I'm ready!"

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

Beams and bolts of green flew around the arena, and the sounds of labored breathing accompanied each blast. Silver Spirit jumped, dodged, and flew in every direction, avoiding Frostbite's attacks, while also shooting ecto beams of her own at him. But it was a lopsided fight, as she felt herself running out of energy with every shot she fired. While Frostbite, who was easily avoiding all of her shots, didn't seem tired in the slightest.

Jumping up in the air to avoid another shot, Silver Spirit angled herself in such a way that she could push off with her hind legs the moment she hit the ground again.

Dropping down, and then shooting forwards at the frost giant, Silver let loose a battle cry as she poured every last bit of energy she could spare into this final shot.

Her front hooves glowed a toxic green, a glow that was mirrored in her eyes, and she shot a twin beam of bright green energy at the giant.

Frostbite, looking at the approaching spirit with her hooves aglow, saw the sloppily executed attack, and he easily sidestepped the beams of energy.

Silver Spirit's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the giant move aside with a speed that belied his size, and her final attack, as well as herself, flew cleanly past him.

The beams of energy shooting past the watching spectators, hitting a pile of snow they used to sit on, blowing it up and covering them under a layer of white. While she, out of energy, bounced off of the ground, before coming to a sliding stop with a mouthful of snow. Then, lying there in a heap, her powers finally ran out and she transformed back to her mortal self.

"SWEETIE BELLE!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shouted as they rushed to their friend, who was already pulling herself up with unsteady legs, spitting out the snow in her mouth.

"Okay, that's all I've got," Sweetie Belle muttered as she sat down, wiping away the sweat on her brow.

"Are ya alright?" Apple Bloom asked, concerned, inspecting her friend for any injuries.

"Yeah, I think so. Just tired, is all," she replied with a tired smile.

"Tha.. You…. He… Wha… Wow!" Scootaloo stuttered in a daze, too excited to form any coherent words.

"Ah think ya broke her," Apple Bloom said dryly as she looked at her pegasus friend.

"I think he broke me," Sweetie Belle groaned tiredly as she nodded to Frostbite.

"Not likely. You are far more resilient than you think, but you do still have a lot to learn before you can properly use your powers," Frostbite yold her as he approached the trio. "You've shown that you can combine flight and firing your ecto beams, but you have yet to learn how to properly use them. Just going and shooting wildly is not particularly useful, wouldn't you agree?" He said with a kind laugh. "But for now, we call it a day. You should head home soon too, I believe. After all, you have been gone for a while."

"Home? Oh, right, home," Scootaloo said with a sullen, bitter tone, "Hold on," she suddenly piped up, "didn't that other giant say you had to tell us about some great one, or something."

"By the ancestors, you're right," Frostbite answered as he looked down at Scootaloo, then he looked at a distant cave in the village, "Sweetie Belle, are you feeling well enough to come with me?"

"I.. Uh… I think so, yes," she answered as she stood up on wobbly legs, and let loose a large yawn.

"Very well. You and your friends come with me. Wind Chill, stay close behind!" he said, and he set off towards the cavern entrance, followed by the three fillies and the aforementioned frost giant.

"So… Who is this great one ya'll are talking about?" Apple Bloom asked as they approached the cave.

"As I said earlier. He is a Halfa of great power, and one who used his strength to save many lives. But you should wait until we are inside. It will be easier to explain once we are," Frostbite replied, a serious look on his face.

"O-kay?" Scootaloo said, unsure, and they followed Frostbite inside the frozen cave.

The moment they crossed the threshold the light started to fade, and Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle found themselves surrounded by darkness. Until, suddenly, the cave was illuminated in a cold blue light coming from Frostbite's claw.

"Another way to use your powers, young one," he spoke in a low voice as he motioned for them to follow.

"In this cave we recorded the story of the Great One so that his sacrifices would not be forgotten," he began, and he illuminated a part of the wall showing a crudely drawn image of a human with white hair and glowing green hands.

"You see. Long ago there was a cursed king, Pariah Dark. He was power hungry, and went for two items that, together, increased his strength a hundred fold, allowing him to do anything he desired," he began, and illuminated two different drawings close together. A ring and a crown. "The Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire. He used these items to spread his powers over the realm of all ghosts. The Ghost Zone," he then illuminated a drawing of the Ghost Zone from when it was still in one piece, "Only by the combined power of the ancient ghosts were they able to stop him; sealing the evil king away in a sarcophagus in which he would sleep for all eternity, while they took away the ring, making sure that he was unable to use the powers of the combined artifacts to break free."

"Wooow," the three fillies said in amazement.

"But where is the other Halfa in all of this?" Sweetie asked.

"He wouldn't be part of this story until many thousands of years later," Frostbite answered, before continuing, "After the king was sealed away, the ancient ghosts broke apart the Ghost Zone, making sure no one would be able to easily gain access to Pariah's keep. Or so they thought," he said in an ominous tone as he illuminated an image of a human with pale blue skin, red eyes, fangs, a cape, and black hair shaped into two horns.

"Vlad Plasmius, the first Halfa."

"What? The first?"

"Indeed he is. And, unlike the Great One, he chose the path of evil. He learned of the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire, and sought to claim them for himself. And in doing so, he set free Pariah Dark, unleashing his terror over not only this realm, but the human world as well," Frostbite paused for effect. "He invaded the city where the Great One lived, sealing it off from the outside world, and pulled it inside the Ghost Zone where no one could reach it. And all hope seemed lost, if it wasn't for the Great One," Frostbite said with a proud voice, shining his light over a detailed image of the white haired human wearing a strange metallic suit while fighting with the evil king.

"Danny Phantom, the second Halfa," he said, and Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sucked in a sharp breath as they looked at the image of Danny.

"But… but, isn't that the evil ghost we've heard about? The one that k-killed somepo— someone?" Sweetie Belle asked in shock, looking frightened at the image, and Frostbite let out a tired sigh.

"I see those lies have tainted your world as well."

"Lies?" Scootaloo asked, confused.

"Yes, lies. A vile act that both claimed the life of Danny Phantom's mate, and which put the blame squarely on him," Frostbite said, his voice brimming with anger, his free hand balling into a fist while Wind Chill, quiet up till now, let out an angry growl.

"A lie that everyone believes, even if there were those who claimed otherwise. And now it has even spread to your world. This atrocity knows no bounds, it would seem. At least I can tell you the truth. A small glimmer of hope for the Great One that one day everyone will know of his innocence," Frostbite said with conviction.

"So, let me continue… Ah, yes. Danny Phantom fought the king, using all the strength he had, and almost lost his life in doing so. He held nothing back, and even his enemies came to fight by his side, joined together to fight a common enemy. Ultimately, he won, and the king was once more sealed away and his city returned to its rightful place back on Earth. And, incidentally, this event was also how your two worlds first met."

"Really!?" a trio of voices echoed through the cavern.

"Really. The city was returned back to Earth, but something else came along as well. One of the doorways found in the Ghost Zone, which normally just floats around aimlessly, but was now pulled apart as it was forced into the human's world. It opened the first rip in reality that joined your two worlds, and I'm sure you know what happened after that. So, let's return to the story," Frostbite told them, and the fillies only gave a nod for him to continue, not wanting to interrupt him.

"And so, after he defeated the king and restored the peace, us frost giants created all of this,"—he indicated all the drawings—"to remember the greatness of his actions. And, from that day forth, we name him the Great One, after the greatness of his actions. However, some did not take kindly to him. And after yet another defeat at the hands of Danny Phantom, Vlad Plasmius unleashed his most diabolical of schemes to get rid of him. And, unfortunately, it worked. We do not know all the details, just what we picked up from the other ghosts. But it would seem that Vlad Plasmius sent a ghost of unspeakable evil after them. And in the fight that occurred, the human known as Samantha Manson lost her life," he revealed as he showed the image of Danny Phantom holding Sam's lifeless body in his arms, tears streaming down his face.

"His world shunned him, called him the terror of his city, already having forgotten all the good he had done. I only saw him one more time after this incident, but never again. He lost faith in himself, and he vanished to get away from it all. Leaving behind his friends and family," he finished, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's quiet sobs echoed through the cave. As well as Scootaloo's less than successful attempts to keep herself from crying, because that was not something cool ponies did.

"So... Who is he, really?" Sweetie Belle asked as she stepped closer to the image of Danny, studying it intently.

"His name, as a human, is Danny Fenton," Frostbite told them, and another set of gasps sounded through the cave.

"Fenton? As in the Fentons? Tha Fenton family who are world renown ghost hunters?" Apple Bloom asked in shock.

"Yes, yes they are," Frostbite answered, only for their attention to shift to Sweetie Belle as she let out another gasp.

"Hold on!" she said as she took a step back from the image, looking at it with eyes wide in realization, "I know that suit! It is almost the same as the one my sister is making for mister Danny."

"What? What are you talking about?" Frostbite asked, surprised.

"Danny Manson. The human living in our village," Sweetie Belle answered in return, "My sister is making a suit for him just like it, but with some things different. That letter D is not on it, but other than that…"

"What did you say his name was?" Frostbite asked slowly, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Ehh. Danny Manson," Sweetie Belle answered, sharing a worried glance with her friends, while Frostbite looked up and saw the same look of realization in Wind Chill's eyes.

"Danny Manson? Could it be?" Frostbite wondered.

"He carries her name, and it would seem he is hiding in plain sight," Wind Chill replied.

"Young ones, tell me. What does this Danny Manson look like? Does he have spiky black hair? Is he skinny? Tell me."

"Ehh, well… Yeah. He has black hair," Apple Bloom said, unsure, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"And it is spiky," Scootaloo confirmed, sharing Apple Bloom's feeling.

"And skinny as well. But he is also funny and kind. He even went into the Everfree Forest to help our sisters and their friends to find us," Sweetie Belle added, before she suddenly realized what they were getting at, which also answered a question she and her friends had that made her into what she is.

"And in the forest we were attacked by a manticore, until it suddenly stopped its attack, and its eyes started glowing green… Is… Is he.. Is he the Halfa..Is he… Danny Phantom?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked wide eyed at their friend, who was looking at Frostbite. Frostbite, however, didn't notice as he was stuck between hope and fear. Hope that after so long his friend had been found, and fear that all of this was nothing more than a giant coincidence and this human was not the one they believed him to be.

"Could it truly be him?" Wind Chill asked, unsure.

"I… I find myself daring to hope," Frostbite answered, before an idea came to mind, "Wind Chill. You are bound to young Apple Bloom, and as such you must accompany her back to her world. While there, see if you can find out if this human is who we hope he is. But, for the favor of the ancestors, do not let yourself be seen. The elder only knows what might happen should they discover you."

"Whoa whoa whoa! What do ya mean he has ta come back with me?" Apple Bloom asked, with worry thick in her tone.

"As the code says, until my debt is paid in full, I must stay close to you so I'm there should you need me," Wind Chill answered, "Did I not already tell you this?"

"No, no ya didn't," Apple Bloom said in a panic.

"My apologies, that was a grave error on my part," Wind Chill said with a curt bow, "But the code is clear, and I must accompany you back to your world. Don't worry, though. I will keep hidden, and no one will see me unless I want them to."

"But where will you stay?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried.

"The forest we journeyed through today will do fine."

"What? NO!" Apple Bloom said with a stomp of her hoof, "Ah don't know what ta make of all of this, but Ah won't let ya stay in the Everfree Forest," she said, and her eyes lit up with an idea, "Ah know. There's an old abandoned barn back home. It should be big enough for ya ta stay in, and it's far enough out of the way for nopony ta notice."

"Such kindness. I find myself indebted even more," Wind Chill said gratefully.

"Please don't," Apple Bloom replied with a groan, looking nervously at the giant.

"As you wish."

"Oh, what have Ah gotten myself inta?" Apple Bloom murmured.

"I'll say. I'm a spirit, but this is much harder to keep hidden," Sweetie Belle replied, completely serious, and the two of them shared a look of awkwardness.

"How do we always manage ta get inta situations like this?" Apple Bloom asked, holding a hoof against her face.

"I have no idea," Sweetie Belle replied, and they turned to look at Scootaloo, who was busy looking around for something.

"What are you looking for?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Tree sap," she answered simply, "We always end up covered in tree sap at the end of these kinds of things, but I'm not seeing any here."

"Ehh… So?"

"Meaning," she said with a sigh, "this has only just begun."

An uncomfortable silence settled down as Scootaloo's voice echoed away, and they all shared a look of anxiety as they knew she was right.

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

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Wind Chill were back in the ancient castle, having just crossed the portal, and getting a figurative slap in the face from the sudden warmth of the forest.

Frostbite, standing on the other side of the portal, gave the four of them a serious look as they prepared to leave, while the two timberwolves looked at them with suspicion, but didn't react otherwise.

"Remember this. Should he really be the Great One, do not let him know you know. Don't tell him, don't mention it to him, or let him find out in another way. He vanished all those years ago with ease, and, should he discover he's been found out, he might very well vanish again. Wind Chill. I know you want to find out if it is him just as much as I do, but, for the ancestors mercy, do not do anything rash. We know from our friends that this world does not react well to ghosts, and, if they find out about you, there is no telling what might happen. Stay hidden, but keep an eye out for anything."

"I understand, Frostbite," he replied.

"Good. And you three, I know you're also curious as to whether or not it is truly him but, please, don't do anything rash either. Sweetie Belle, you should focus on your training more than anything else, and Wind Chill will be able to help you with the more basic powers. But should you need any more help, ask him, and he will bring you to us. We are able to help you with any troubles regarding your powers, so don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay," she said with a nod, while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at one another, silently discussing how they could best spy on Danny.

Frostbite, noticing this, and knowing that children often had a habit of not listening, went one step further.

"Promise me you won't do anything that might scare him off, please?"

Giving a look at one another, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gave a small nod in agreement.

"Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes," they enacted the Pinkie Promise while doing the required motions, while Wind Chill and Frostbite looked down at them in confusion.

"Uhhh… What did you just do?" Frostbite asked.

"A Pinkie Promise. It's the most special of promises, one that ya can't break," Apple Bloom answered.

" 'Cause breaking a promise is the fastest way to lose a friend's trust," Scootaloo picked up.

"And losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend forever," Sweetie Belle finished.

"Foreveeeeerr!"

"Gha… What was that!" Wind Chill shouted in surprise as they heard the voice echo away.

"Pinkie Pie," the fillies answered simultaneously.

"Wha?"

"Don't ask. We don't understand it either," Apple Bloom said with a slightly humorous tone.

"Yeah. It's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie," Scootaloo added.

"And knowing her, she's probably still back in Ponyville," Sweetie Belle thought out loud as she rubbed her chin.

"Probably, yeah," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo agreed.

"… You ponies are some strange creatures," Frostbite said, bewildered.

"Nah. It's just her… Mostly," Sweetie Belle said with a laugh, "Don't worry though. She most likely doesn't know anything about any of this happening. She just does that to anyone that talks about her Pinkie Promise."

"... Strange creatures indeed," Frostbite muttered, before shaking his head to clear his thoughts, "Regardless, you should go. It is getting late in this world, as far as I can see…" he began, then looked around to find a reference for the time, and noticed the fading light coming from one of the broken windows placed high above in a wall, "Late indeed. Now go! Wind Chill will stay with you for protection, should it be needed."

"Okay, Frostbite," Apple Bloom said with a smile.

"And thanks, Frostbite," Sweetie Belle added, before yawning loudly.

"Yeah, thanks," Scootaloo piped up, more at ease with the giant after everything that had happened in the Far Frozen today.

"And a good day to you three as well. Now, go, before your families get worried," he replied with a kind smile. "And Wind Chill, keep them safe," he said to the other frost giant, and they briefly locked eyes. And in that moment, Wind Chill understood the unspoken part of his request.

Keep them safe, both from themselves and what might be out there.

"Of course, Frostbite," he replied, as he and the fillies turned to leave. Walking through the same hallway they came in, and exiting through the large, unhinged double doors leading outside.

Stepping out in the relatively warm evening air, they walked over to where the bridge used to be, only to be stopped by a growl coming from behind them. Turning to look, they were faced with the imposing form of the timberwolf Alpha.

"Do, vi revenis," he growled with an angry tone.
"So, you have returned."

"Yes we have," Wind Chill replied.

"Vi komprenas?" the Alpha barked in surprise.
"You understand?"

"To some extent. My task to watch over the Death Zone requires me to know many languages, so that I can warn those who dare to cross it."

"Neatendite, sed utila."
"Unexpected, but useful."

"So, what is it that you want?" Wind Chill asked, crossing his arms.

"Ili. Ili nur kaŭzis problemojn en tiu arbaro ekde la unua tago ili eniris ĝin. Nun, kun la blanka kiel sxi estas ... Ni ne volas permesi al ŝi kaŭzi plu mizero," he replied with a bark, nodding at the fillies
"Them. They have only caused trouble in this forest since the first day they entered it. Now, with the white one as she is… We won't allow her to cause any more trouble."

"And they won't. She's been working hard to learn to control her powers, and she won't be any trouble for you, or this forest," Wind Chill replied.

The Alpha made a sound similar to a snort as he crossed his own arms, glaring at the frost giant with a mixture of anger and pity.

"Vi trovos el sufiĉe baldaŭ."
"You will find out soon enough."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Wind Chill answered, and the wolf only gave a grunt in return. Then he looked at the three fillies, who were cowering a bit behind Wind Chill, and he pointed his claw at his eyes, then at the three of them. And even without any words, they knew what he meant.

"It is curious, though. Have you been waiting here all this time just to say this?" Wind Chill asked with a curious tone, and the Alpha shifted around uncomfortably with an annoyed growl.

Wind Chill, having mastered the art of reading alien body languages from his time observing all the creatures found in the Death Zone, knew immediately what the problem was, and he couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh.

"You're stuck! With the bridge gone, you can't get back to the other side," he said with roaring laughter, making the Alpha growl aggressively.

"Then, allow me to fix this," Wind Chill continued after he regained control over himself, and he stepped towards the last remnants of the former ice bridge.

Clapping his hands together, he rubbed them as if he was trying to warm himself. But, instead, a cold ice blue glow surrounded his hands, and small flakes of snow fell to the ground.

Bending down, he placed his hands on the ground, and the cold energy rushed into the warm soil and rock, cooling it down far below freezing, and ice structures started to form.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked on in awe with wide eyes and their mouths hanging open as they saw a new bridge made from the purest ice form before them, a cold vapor coming off of it in the relatively warm evening's air.

Releasing the energy, the glow vanished from around Wind Chill's hands, and he stood back up and stepped away from his latest creation, looking at it with a satisfied nod.

"There we go, good as new," he said proudly, and he motioned for the Alpha to cross over.

The Alpha, not one to accept favors from others, but seeing no other way to cross himself, walked past Wind Chill as he stepped on the bridge, giving a growl to the giant as he moved past him.

Crossing the expanse, not feeling the cold of the ice in the dead wood his body was made of, he vanished into the darkness of the forest. Hidden, but always watching.

"Shall we go, too?" Wind Chill asked, surprising the fillies and making them squeak a bit.

"Yeah… Yeah, let's go," Sweetie Belle said, almost in a daze. Still a bit shaken from the sudden appearance of the large timberwolf, and amazed by what Wind Chill had just done. And she, followed by her friends, crossed the bridge, feeling the cold of the ice through their hooves, making them shake and shiver in response, and they hurried to get to the other side.

Once there, they quickly began their short journey back home, noticing the many green glowing eyes watching them from, well, everywhere, encouraging them to get out of the forest as fast as they could.

And finally, after what seemed like hours but was only twenty minutes or so, they stepped clear of the suffocation forest.

"Okay… Ah guess Ah'll take tha big guy with me now," Apple Bloom said, sounding a bit doubtful.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Scootaloo replied.

"Need any help?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"No, Ah think Ah've got this. Ya just go on home before Rarity grounds ya again for being late," Apple Bloom remarked, and Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in alarm as she let out a frightened gasp.

"Oh no! If that happens, I'll be grounded for the rest of my life. Or worse," she said, shocked, images of her posing as a ponequin entering her mind. "I… I've gotta run," she shouted as she took off in a gallop.

"I'm going too. It's getting late and stuff," Scootaloo said with a shrug, and she walked back to the guest house where she lived.

"Well, that just leaves tha two o' us," Apple Bloom said dryly, "Jus' follow me. Ah'll show ya where tha barn is."

"Of course, Apple Bloom. Lead the way," Wind Chill replied, and the two of them headed towards the orchard while Apple Bloom made sure to stay on a path that kept them out of sight.

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

"Damn. This thing is going crazy!" Blue Ice said as she shook her scanner. And by the looks of it, the rest of her team had similar problems.

"What is wrong with these things?" Sound Wave asked as he turned the device off, then back on.

"How should I know?" Ornate Charm replied irritably, "I'm not the one that calibrated them."

"Oh, shove it," Blue Ice muttered, turning to Rolling Stone for any idea what to do now.

"Sir, your orders?"

"Put them away, they're not working. We go on visual for now, but Ice, you need to get these things working because, right now, we're practically blind."

"Yes Sir," Blue Ice responded.

"It was strange, though," Sound Wave said, "Did you see the same signal I saw on this thing? It was huge, before, of course, things just went crazy."

"Yeah, I saw it too," Ornate responded, "But that can't be right. It has to be a false positive."

"Perhaps," Rolling Stone muttered, "But stay sharp nonetheless. The others had a positive hit, who knows what might lurk in the shadows?" he said as he looked at a dark alley, expecting anything to pop up.

Which actually happened, as he let out a yelp of surprise when a white unicorn filly came rushing out of the darkness and ran clean past them in a hurry.

"Yeah… Somehow I don't think she is a ghost," Ornate Charm chuckled as she watched the filly run away, which set off Sound Wave and Blue Ice in small laughing fits of their own.

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

Apple Bloom, and her not so little companion, were sneaking through the orchard. Taking cover in the shadows cast by the trees in the setting sun, but still visible should one look in their direction.

They quietly and subtly, or as subtly a lone Crusader and a frost giant out of place could be anyway, made their way to the barn Apple Bloom had mentioned.

It was a worn out thing, standing alone and abandoned in the field furthest away from the family house and the town. Looking like it would fall apart and collapse any minute now, but refused to give in and stubbornly remained standing despite years old wear and tear.

Looking around to see if anypony was watching, Apple Bloom and Wind Chill rushed over to the old structure. Opening the large double doors, hearing the hinges creak and groan in protest, Apple Bloom let the giant inside, before closing the doors behind them.

"Okay… It ain't much…" she began hesitantly, looking at the few forgotten and moldy bales of hay, as well as several empty barrels standing here and there.

"It will do fine," Wind Chill said optimistically as he looked around, seeing the possibilities this place provided.

"Okay?... Well, ya shouldn't have ta worry 'bout my brother or sister coming here, seein' that this section of tha orchard ain't supposed ta be bucked fer a little while longer. Plus, they don't really pay much attention ta this barn anyhow."

"Ehh… Bucked?" Wind Chill asked, puzzled.

"Ya know, apple buckin'. Buckin' tha trees ta make tha apples fall out," Apple Bloom answered with a surprised tone, before remembering the place Wind Chill came from.

"Oh, right. No trees where yer from.

"I'm afraid not, no," he answered with a small laugh, careful to keep any hint of the one tree the Far Frozen possessed a secret.

"Well, there's a lot of 'em here," she replied awkwardly.

"I've noticed," Wind Chill deadpanned, and the two shared a flat, somewhat awkward look, before bursting out in laughter.

"Yeah, Ah guess ya have. Okay, well, this is it… Ah hope it's alright?"

"It sure is, Apple Bloom. If only for your kindness in allowing me to stay here," Wind Chill answered, voice thick with appreciation.

"Oh, good. Feel free ta make some changes if ya want. It is kinda stuffy in here," Apple Bloom answered with a relieved sigh and a happy laugh, "But Ah think Ah should go now. Don't want ta get my family all worked up 'bout me not gettin' home on time."

"I understand, and thank you once more," Wind Chill said appreciatively, and Apple Bloom gave him a large smile in return before walking out of the barn and running back home.

Wind Chill, after watching her run away, pushed the door closed, flinching from the awful noise produced by the rusty hinges.

"She means well, but this place is a dump… Okay, what can I do to clean up this place?" he asked himself as he channeled his ice shaping powers in his hands, making them glow with an ice blue color.

"Ah, yes. Of course. Let's start with a bed, maybe a bit of ice on the walls?" he hummed to himself as he set to work, turning the old barn into his own personal igloo on the inside. After all, she had said he could make some changes if he wanted to. Might as well make it a big one.

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

Scootaloo entered her home, or, 'The place that tries to be my home,' she thought as she trudged inside, exhausted from this weird day.

Immediately after she closed the door behind her, she heard the door leading to the building's private livingroom open and Bellflower stepped out, looking extremely concerned as she let out a sigh of relief as she spotted Scootaloo standing in the building's small lobby.

"Scootaloo, you're back!" she almost shouted as she rushed to embrace the struggling filly, "Where have you been?"

"Let go of me," Scootaloo said with a muffled voice, trying to break free from the grip the earth pony had over her, but Bellflower wouldn't let go that easily.

"I was so worried. I've looked all over town for you, but nopony knew where you or your friends were."

Letting loose a huff and a groan of annoyance, Scootaloo relented and allowed her foster mother to hug her. And, although she would deny it should anypony ever mention it, she returned the hug, albeit just a little bit.

"Pfhu…" Scootaloo huffed out, pushing herself away from Bellflower, "Why would you even care? I'm not your daughter."

Bellflower looked as if she'd been slapped in the face, and Scootaloo's ears fell flat on her head as she looked down at her hooves, kicking the ground slightly as she quietly muttered an apology.

Sighing, Bellflower answered the harsh question.

"No, you're not my daughter. But that doesn't mean I don't care for you as if you were. I know you're still hurting over what happened, and I am trying my best to help you. But I won't be able to do that unless you let me. So, please, where have you been today?"

Scootaloo lowered her head even further in response, knowing she was right, but she didn't want to admit it. She'd known Bellflower all her life, knowing her as a friend of her parents who used to foalsit her from time to time. But this, having her as a mother… It just felt wrong. Still, she also knew Bellflower was trying her hardest to make her feel at home, despite everything. So, with a reluctant sigh, she looked up at the mare sitting before her.

"Fine…" she groaned out in irritation, "Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and I went through a portal and entered the ghost world where we met a bunch of ice ghost thingies," she said without much emotion, and Bellflower's eyes dropped as she let out a saddened sigh.

"If you didn't want to tell me, you could have just said so. But don't make up these weird stories, especially ones with ghosts," she said with a shudder, feeling both disgust and a fleeting sensation of anger that Scootaloo talked about those… things, so casually.

"Bu—"

"No buts missy. Now, go to your room. You're still grounded, and you being away for so long without anypony knowing where you were isn't helping you. So, as a punishment, you will not get any dinner tonight. Am I clear?" Bellflower said with a strict tone, looking down at Scootaloo.

"Yeah, fine," Scootaloo droned, and she turned to walk upstairs, going for her room.

'What am I going to do with her?' Bellflower thought as she watched Scootaloo’s purple tail vanish from sight as the filly moved upstairs.

Scootaloo, however, was not thinking about any of what had just happened. Because, just as she stood before the door to her room and reached out for the door knob to open it, she heard the slow, drawn out creak of a door opening.

Looking down the empty hallway, she saw a door to one of the guestrooms stand open. But as she stood there, watching, she saw nopony come out.

"... Hello?" she said as she stepped away from her door, slowly moving to the open portal several steps away, "Is anypony there?"

Receiving no reply, she poked her head around the corner, looking inside the room to see if there was anypony inside. Which there wasn't, and she felt a small, frightened, shudder go down her spine as she was suddenly aware of the deafening silence.

"H-hello?" she said again as she stepped inside.

A knock from something falling over startled her, and she jumped up in the air in fright, almost knocking her head against the ceiling. But as she landed back on her hooves, she couldn't find anything that could have made the sound. At least, until she saw the locked cabinet to her side open, and she felt another shiver going down her spine.

Gulping audibly, she carefully walked to the cabinet, reaching out with a somewhat trembling hoof, she pushed open the door a bit further.

"Wow… What's that?" she said, her fright completely forgotten as she looked at the strange device lying on one of the shelves.

It was a metallic construct with two screens. One placed in what seemed to be a hoofhold, while the other was placed a bit further above. Three buttons were placed in-between the two screens, while a grid pattern showed on the upper screen. Two of those strange, whatyamacallit, LAPs?… LIDs?… LEDs?… something like that, lights were placed on top, with what seemed to be a microphone as well. And she saw a speaker on the bottom, below the screen in the hoofhold.

Picking the strange device up between her hooves, she gave it a closer look. Turning it around every which way, she had a strange feeling of wonder and confusion as to what this thing was. But as she turned the device over, she got the answer as to what it was. In the metal casing on the back there were three words engraved. Three seemingly random words that didn't look like much, but Scootaloo's eyes widened a bit as she read them.

Fenton Ghost Gabber.

She would probably never know what a Gabber was, but Ghost? That she did understand. But the first word was what drew her attention the most.

Fenton. That word, that name, she knew it, everypony knew it. The Fentons were well known all throughout Equestria. They're ghost hunters, as well as the guys who made all those cool ghost hunting devices. Which also meant, she now realized, that this was a ghost hunting apparatus as well.

"Cool!" she said loudly, and she quickly slammed her mouth shut as she swirled her ears around to hear if she'd been heard.

Fortunately for her, it would seem she hadn't been heard by the one pony she knew was around. But knowing she shouldn't be here, and fearing the pony this room belonged to might show up at any moment, she quickly made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her, the device still in hoof.

'Wait until I show this to the girls tomorrow,' she thought with an excited grin, closing her bedroom door behind her before jumping on her bed, eagerly pushing on the device's buttons to find out how it worked.

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

The door closed behind Scootaloo as she fled the room, the Ghost Gabber still in hoof, and silence settled in the now empty room. Empty, save for the two pairs of glowing green eyes that looked at the door Scootaloo had just run through.

The eyes looked at one another, having an entire conversation within the few seconds they locked gazes, and one pair closed while shaking sadly, telling the other not to do whatever it was they had silently talked about.

A saddened, feminine sigh came from the other pair of eyes, while the first moved to the open cabinet, closing the door with an invisible hoof.

"Come, it is not yet time," the eyes said with a masculine voice, and the other sadly nodded in agreement. They both faded away, leaving no evidence of them having ever been there.

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

"Now, where in tha hay have ya been!?" came the irritated voice of Applejack mere moments after Apple Bloom had returned home, which she now believed to be a mistake.

Maybe she could have climbed in through her bedroom window like last time instead, but now she was forced to face the music, this evening provided to her by her sister, who didn't seem to be in a singing mood.

"Ah want answers, missy, now. An' don't try ta lie ta me, Ah know it when ya do!"

"Fine!" Apple Bloom half shouted, and she sucked in a large breath. She would tell the truth, yes. Or, some of it. Still, who would believe her? "Me, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle went through some kind of portal thingy and entered tha ghost world where we met a bunch of frost giant ghosts, who were really nice, and not evil or scary at all. Oh, and one of those frost giants is now indebted ta me, and is following me around an' such," she finished, showing a large, toothy smile at her dumbstruck sister. But the confused look Applejack wore only lasted for a short moment, before it dropped and was replaced by a scowl.

"Ah thought Ah said not ta tell any lies!? So why ya lyin'!?"

'Because, clearly, ya wouldn't believe tha truth.' Apple Bloom thought, but said something else, "Ah dunno," and she mentally facehoofed over her response.

"Ya don't know!" Applejack repeated slowly, anger building with each word.

"Not only are ya lyin', but yer talkin' 'bout those… Things like that. Ah won't have it, not now, not ever. Get ta yer room, NOW!" she said forcefully, pointing a hoof upstairs as she glared at her sister.

"An' Ah don't want ta hear any more ghost nonsense in this house, ever!" she added moments before Apple Bloom slammed the door of her bedroom shut.

Silence.

"What is it with that filly?" she breathed out as she shook her head sadly, "An' why ghosts?"

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

"Sweetie Belle, where have you been?!" Rarity half shouted in a dramatic voice, staring down at her younger sister after she had rushed through the door.

"Ehh... you know. Out playing with my friends," Sweetie Belle answered with an awkward smile, rubbing the back of her neck a bit as she tried to avoid eye contact.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity said sternly, giving a disapproving frown.

"Fine! Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and I went through a portal thingy and went into the ghost world, where we met a bunch of frost giants that were really friendly," Sweetie Belle answered, giving her sister a large toothy smile afterwards.

Rarity, however, seemed almost livid.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that!?"

"Ehhh... We—"

"No, I won't hear it. I don't know what you three have been up to, but I won't believe those ridiculous lies. Go to your room, you're still grounded," Rarity said angrily, and Sweetie Belle walked up the stairs, letting loose a heavy sigh.

Sure, she knew her sister would not believe her and that she could use the truth as a lie. But it didn't mean she liked Rarity shouting at her like that, especially because she had told the truth. But she couldn't know, not now, not ever. She would consider her a freak, an abomination, a ghost.

No, as ironic as it was that the truth served as the lie, the truth would remain a secret. A secret only her friends knew, and the ghosts she had met. And, if she was lucky enough, it would stay like that. But, thinking back to what Scootaloo had said when they were leaving the frost giant's village: 'This has only just begun.'

"I really hope there is a bucket of tree sap about to fall over me right now," she muttered quietly as she walked up to the second floor.

"What was that!?" Rarity said sternly.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Sweetie Belle replied quickly.

"Good, that's what I thought. And I don't want to hear any more ghost nonsense either."

'Oh sure, there won't be any ghost nonsense. But I can't promise the same about some spirit trouble,' Sweetie Belle thought with a grin as she walked into her bedroom, and her eyes glowed a toxic green as she pushed the door close, the hinges, normally quiet, now creaked ominously just to fit the current mood as a shadow fell over her face, leaving only the glow of her eyes to be seen in her room.

Until she flicked on the light switch, ruining the moment.

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

A tall, lone figure stood hidden in-between the many rows of apple trees, looking out over the village before him, watching how the lights in the colorful homes faded out as the night progressed and the mortals living there went to bed.

He took a deep breath. Something he didn't have any need for, yet the crisp and relatively warm night's air helped to soothe his nerves. He was nervous, very nervous. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long, long time. And he had trouble keeping those feelings under control as he scanned the village.

'Could it be true? Does the Great One…. Does Danny Phantom truly live here?'

The wind rustling the leaves provided no answer for his question, and after a brief moment longer he returned to the barn Apple Bloom had allowed him to stay in.

'This world seems peaceful, I can understand why you might choose to come here. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross some day?' he thought as he quietly stepped into the clearing surrounding the barn, 'Someday soon, perhaps? Only time can tell.'

"… Oh, you have no idea!" Clockwork said as he observed the frost giant through the viewing portal; watching as he entered the barn, bending down so he wouldn't hit his head, and closed the doors behind him, "No idea at all."

Surprise, And A Barn Full of Ice

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I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.

Surprise, And A Barn Full of Ice.

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

Saturday, ah, Saturday. The first day of the weekend, and the first day any colt or filly would spent sleeping in, before going around town playing and shouting as if there was no tomorrow.

Which, considering that school was only two days away, was somewhat true.

It was also the day for any other pony to stay in bed just a little longer, just because they could. Except, of course, for those that still had things to do. Like the town's local human, Danny Manson. And those with the same or similar occupation as him, who were forced to pull themselves out of bed bright and early to work at any of the many food related establishments.

After all, on a day off, many decided to just eat out instead of cooking for themselves.

So, for these unfortunate souls, their freedom was still non-existent, and they were rudely awoken by their alarm clocks, or the bright sunlight their beloved princess had placed squarely in their faces.

Others that didn't have such commitments, however, could spent this day anyway they deemed fit. And this Saturday was no exception. Ponies were walking through the town, chatting happily with each other.

At the same time, a certain mint green mare was singing and dancing through town, while several children ran around doing their own thing. All of them, except five.

Silver Spoon was staying at home with a massive headache, unable to participate in any planned, or unplanned events. Not that she was planning on doing any of those things. Afterall, it was all far beneath her.

This mindset was shared by the other filly sitting next to her, Diamond Tiara. She, after the weird events yesterday, left with no answer and her father believing that she had only dreamt it all, was now sitting with her only friend in her bedroom. Going through everything she knew had happened, and anything Silver Spoon could remember. Which, unsurprisingly, was not much.

But, as they were trying to figure out what was going on, and which pony was trying to undermine their rightful rule over the school ground, we will go to the other three fillies that are excluded from this Saturday's activities. Mainly, you've guessed it, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.

They certainly had been busy the previous day, especially Sweetie Belle, and time passed by much faster than they thought. So, when they did return home, long past their curfew, there were repercussions for them.

Of course they'd told the truth about where they were, yes. But, as expected, their sisters, or foster mother in Scootaloo's case, didn't believe something as outlandish as them going through a portal to the ghost world, which was kinda what they were counting on.

So, there she was, our local spirit filly. Sitting in her room, unable to go anywhere without her sister knowing.

Of course, she could just fly out of her window. But Rarity was checking in on her just to be sure she was not doing anything wrong. So, although she could easily leave, it wouldn't go unnoticed.

Sighing, Sweetie Belle lay on her bed, bored out of her mind, and unable to do anything much without drawing the attention of her sister.

She wanted to do something, anything, but her sister had specifically forbidden her from doing anything fun.

Okay, maybe not with those exact words, but it was practically the same. No crusading, no playing outside, no nothing. She was grounded, and Rarity was determined to make sure that it stuck this time.

Sighing again, Sweetie Belle slumped off of her bed, dragging herself to the bedroom door, and pressing her ear against the wood to eavesdrop on anything that might be happening on the other side.

The clopping of hooves approaching and passing by her door resonated through the woodwork, and Sweetie Belle knew her sister had just walked by. And, mere moments later, she could hear her sister walk down the stairs while mumbling a bit to herself, but unable to make out what it was.

Several long seconds passed as she stood there with her ear pressed against the door, when, all of a sudden, a loud voice echoed through the house, and she jerked back in surprise.

"There is no salad. Only Pie!"

"What the hay!?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she looked around, startled, "Pinkie Pie?"

Carefully opening the door, she peeked outside to see what was going on, but she was unable to find anything out of the ordinary.

"Rarity… Is everything alright?" she asked loudly, receiving no reply.

"Hey, sis. What happened?"

Silence.

"Sis?" she said, a bit doubtful as she stepped out of her room, looking around to see if her sister was anywhere to be seen.

"Hello!? Rarity…" she called out again, slowly walking down the stairs, which creaked loudly with her slow, deliberate steps.

"Rarity?"

Looking around the quiet and seemingly empty boutique, Sweetie Belle sat down on the ground.

'Huh, wonder where she went?' she thought, before her eyes lit up with a cunning plan.

"Hey, sis. Is it alright if I go over to hang out with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom?"

Silence.

"So, is that a yes?"

Silence.

"Well, silence is golden. Thanks, Rarity," she chirped happily as she trotted out the front door, beaming a happy smile as she went on her way to her friends.

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

"It’s gone?… It’s gone! How is it gone?” Sound Wave shouted, almost in a panic as she looked inside the cabinet, unable to find the device she had stored there.

'It should be here. I know it has to be.'

She was feeling a rising sense of panic as she rummaged through the cabinet, almost tipping it over to spill out everything that lay inside. Which wasn’t much. Nothing, in fact. The only thing she’d placed in it was the very device she was now looking for. And it was not in there.

"Where did it go!?" she panicked, starting to search in every likely, and unlikely, place she could think of.

Meanwhile, in a room close to hers, Scootaloo lay on her bed, not allowed to leave her room after having disappeared as she did yesterday. But she didn't care much about that, as she was currently trying to figure out how this strange device she found in that cabinet worked.

She pressed the few buttons that were on it in no particular order, and several different menus popped up on the lower screen, but she couldn't quite figure it out.

She did figure out, thanks to the name Fenton on the back, that it was some kind of ghost hunting apparatus. But what kind, she didn't know. But it did pose a rather interesting question, now that she thought about it. Why did the pony that rented the room have this device? And did the ponies in the other rooms also have something like this with them?

A sudden shudder went down her spine as she questioned this, and a startling realization began to form in her young mind.

'What if… What if they are… Oh no. I need to warn Sweetie Belle!'

Blurring into motion, she jumped off her bed, grabbing a nearby pack into which she stuffed the device she was toying with. Securing it on her back, she then moved to her window, pushing it open with a hoof.

"Come on wings, don't fail me now," she said, pleading as she climbed out of the window, and looked down at the ground below. It wasn't much of a drop, for a pegasus at least. She knew her bones were strong enough to take the blow without cracking or breaking, but that didn't mean that she wanted to fall down.

Looking at her wings, she gave a sad sigh as she flapped them weakly. And a sudden stab of anger and jealousy towards her unicorn friend came over her.

'It's just unfair. Why can she fly, without wings, while I can't fly with them?'

But just as soon as those feelings came to her, they vanished like snow under the sun. Only leaving a puddle behind for her to slip in some other time.

Looking down again, she spread out her wings. She might not be able to fly, yet, but she knew darn well how to glide.

Taking in a deep breath, narrowing her eyes and a winning grin growing on her muzzle, she jumped out of her window; catching the wind underneath her small wings, and angling herself so that she would traverse a decent distance away from her 'home'.

For a moment, gliding through the air, she closed her eyes, feeling the wind blow through her mane, and all was right for her. She was flying, free, and nopony could stop her, or take this away from her.

Unfortunately, the ground was not a pony, and all too soon did she feel her hooves come in contact with the hard dirt road.

Coming to a sliding stop, she folded her wings to her sides and looked at the distance she had traveled.

"Awesome, further than last time!" she proclaimed proudly, before slamming her mouth shut and hiding from sight. As, right after she had said that, Bellflower stepped outside, looking up at the open window and huffing in irritation.

'Okay, time to go,' Scootaloo thought as she hurried to get away, not noticing the pink blur shooting by, or that Bellflower suddenly vanished the moment the blur came in contact with the irate mare.

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

Apple Bloom sat slumped down in the living room, bored out of her mind. After being gone all day without telling where she had gone, although she did her sister didn't believe her, so she was not allowed to go outside, or see her friends.

Still, the fact that she was allowed to come downstairs was somewhat of a blessing, if only a little bit. At least she didn't have to spend the entire day in her small room, but being stuck in the living room, under the watchful eye of her sister, was not much better. But still, at least she could move around in the house, that was something. Not that Applejack would allow her to do much more, though.

Speaking of Applejack... Apple Bloom watched her older sister working in the kitchen, busy making an apple pie for Danny Manson, the human who, maybe, possibly, was the second Halfa, Danny Phantom. And she and her friends were dying, no pun intended, to find out.

Not that that was going to happen now. Besides, they Pinkie promised Frostbite that they wouldn't do anything that could scare him away. And no one breaks a Pinkie promise, or there would be serious consequences.

And although she had never experienced whatever it was that would happen, Applejack had. She broke a Pinkie promise by using a loophole, and Pinkie, apparently, reacted violently.

A shudder went down her spine at that thought. Pinkie, violent. It was a truly disturbing thought.

She was shaken from her thoughts when a 'ding' came from the kitchen, telling all those that heard it that the oven was heated, and ready to start its work. She then heard her sister walking, most likely to the oven to place the pie inside, when she heard a muffled shout of surprise.

"Applejack?" Apple Bloom called out, before she heard the sound of the oven slamming shut, "Is everything alright?" she asked as she poked her head into the kitchen, seeing the oven with a pie inside and Winona with her mouth wide open in shock, but no Applejack.

"Hey, Winona. Ya know where Applejack is?"

Winona turned towards Apple Bloom, mouth still open, giving a blank stare.

"So, that's a no?"

Silence.

"Oookaayy…" she said, unsure, watching the apple pie in the oven.

She and Winona both let out matching startled yelps when somepony suddenly knocked on the door. And, after taking a moment to compose herself, Apple Bloom moved to answer the door.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle said cheerfully.

"Sweetie Belle? What're ya doing here? Applejack said you and Scootaloo weren't allowed ta go outside either."

"Ooh, right," Sweetie Belle answered with a guilty smile, "But I asked Rarity, and she said it was alright to go."

"Really, Rarity said that?"

"Well, maybe not said. She wasn't even there, in fact, but I asked her, and she didn't respond, so I just assumed that I could go."

"Huh, Ah guess that works," Apple Bloom said, thoughtfully. "Wait, ya said yer sister wasn't there. Where did she go? Isn't she supposed ta be busy with her work?"

"Well, yeah. But she was in the kitchen when suddenly she was gone, just like that. Really weird."

"But that's just like with Applejack just a minute ago. She was in the kitchen one moment, and now she's nowhere ta be found."

"… Weird," Sweetie Belle said in reply, "But doesn't that mean that you can go as well?"

"Ah don't know. Granny Smith is still here, asleep. And Big Mac is out workin' in tha fields…. Actually, yes. Ah think Ah can sneak out," she responded as a devious smirk formed on her face, and the two of them turned to leave when, with buzzing wings, Scootaloo came bursting onto the scene riding on her scooter.

"So there you are!" Scootaloo almost shouted as she came to a grinding halt, kicking up a small dust cloud, which covered her two friends in a layer of dirt.

Coughing and hacking to get the stuff out of their mouths and noses, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glared at their friend accusingly with teary eyes, while Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head with an apologetic smile.

"Scoo- gha- taloo, what tha hay!" Apple Bloom coughed, spitting out the dirt in her mouth.

"Sorry you guys, but I really need to tell Sweetie Belle something," she replied hastily.

"Well, what is it?" Sweetie Belle asked with forced calm, feeling the dirt grinding between her teeth.

"Not here, back at the clubhouse where it's safer," Scootaloo said in a low, conspirative tone, eyes darting from left to right as she scanned the surrounding area.

"Ehh, okay?" Apple Bloom said, unsure, as she and Sweetie Belle shared a glance, before shrugging and following after their orange friend.

"So what's this about?" Apple Bloom piped up as she and Sweetie Belle ran behind their energetic friend, who was dodging and weaving through the many rows of apple trees on her scooter.

"Not here!" Scootaloo replied over her shoulder, and she almost lost her balance and crashed as she suddenly bumped into a large tree root.

"Whoaaa…. I meant to do that!"

"Sure you did," Sweetie Belle said with an eye roll, "And what's in the bag?"

"You'll see," Scootaloo replied vaguely as she increased her speed, disappearing in between the trees, leaving her friends to struggle to keep up.

"What's gotten up her wings?" Apple Bloom asked through heavy breath.

"How should I know," Sweetie Belle replied, panting and struggling to keep up, when suddenly her eyes lit up in realization.

"Oh, duh. I can fly," she said, more to herself than Apple Bloom. And, jumping up in the air, legs turning into an intangible tail, she continued her chase after Scootaloo.

"Show off," Apple Bloom said with a hint of jealousy as she suddenly found herself falling behind, as Sweetie Belle was a lot faster in the air than she was on the ground.

They continued on their way until they broke into the clearing around their clubhouse, seeing Scootaloo waiting impatiently in front of the ramp that led up to the deck.

"What took you so long?" she asked, then she noticed Sweetie Belle hovering in the air and another stab of jealousy took hold of her, "Show off," she said in annoyance, giving the flying unicorn an angry glare.

Sweetie Belle gave a small excited laugh as she landed, her hind legs turning back to normal, as she shot Scootaloo a winning smile.

"Sorry, but it is so much easier to keep up with you like that. Flying is really awesome," she cheered excitedly.

"Yeah, I know," Scootaloo muttered, and Sweetie Belle's smile fell.

"Oh, right. Sorry," she said, apologetic.

"Never mind that!" Apple Bloom piped up, breathing heavily after running at top speed like that, "What was it that ya couldn't tell us back at tha farm?"

"Oh, right. Come inside, you're not going to believe this," Scootaloo responded, shaking her mind clear of the angry thoughts she had towards Sweetie Belle, and her ability to fly. And, instead, ran up the ramp and disappeared inside of their clubhouse.

"What's up with that filly?" Apple Bloom questioned as she looked up at the open door.

"How should I know?" Sweetie Belle responded, "Let's just go and see what it is she wants."

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied with a shrug, and together they climbed up the ramp and entered the tree house. There they saw their orange friend sitting in the center of the small room, pulling something out of the bag she'd been carrying.

"You guys, take a look at this," Scootaloo began as she held up the metal device in her hoof.

"Wow! What is that?" Sweetie Belle said with wide eyes, and, with a beep, the device lit up.

"Wow! What is that? Fear me," an artificial voice said, repeating what she said, with a final addition that took them by surprise.

"What the hay!?" Sweetie Belle said as she looked at the device still in Scootaloo's hoof in confusion, a look shared by her two friends, while Scootaloo dropped the device to the floor in surprise.

*Clang*

"What the hay!? Fear me."

"Scootaloo, what is that thing?" Apple Bloom asked, expecting the device to repeat her as well, but it didn't.

"Hey, it doesn't say what you say," Sweetie Belle remarked.

"Hey, it doesn't say what you say. Fear me."

"It didn't do that when I was working with it back home," Scootaloo said in disbelief, scooting away a bit from the suddenly very strange device.

"Where did you even find that thing?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Where did you even find that thing? I am a ghost, be afraid."

"Wait, what!?" Sweetie Belle cried out.

"Wait, what!? I'll haunt you."

"That's both really creepy, and annoying," Apple Bloom said, poking a hoof at the weird device and flipping it over, revealing the engraved words on the back side of the metal.

"Fenton Ghost Gabber," Sweetie Belle read out loud, and the device reacted once again, but not as it did before as a new, not artificial voice spoke up.

"Fenton Ghost Gabber. You better be afraid, undead spectral entity. This device, made by me, Jack Fenton, is specifically designed to capture any and all speech from you ghosts, and play it in a way that is understandable to us. You may be able to hide, but this nifty device will find you every time you make a sound." Jack Fenton's recorded voice played over the speaker, before the device continued on its programmed setting. "Fear me."

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said slowly, "where did ya get this thing again?"

"I, ehh, found it," she answered hesitantly as she looked at the device.

"Where exactly?" Sweetie Belle asked, seeking clarification.

"Where exactly? I will possess you," the Ghost Gabber piped up, and Sweetie Belle's left eye started to twitch in irritation.

"Ehh," Scootaloo began as she scratched the back of her head.

****

"WHERE IS IT!?" Sound Wave screamed in a panic, standing above the upturned bed, eyes and ears twitching madly.

A trio of knocks came from the door, and she turned to look at it while letting out a feral growl in irritation.

"WHAT!?"

"... Hey, Wave. Is everything alright in there?" Blue Ice asked from the other side, sounding concerned.

"PERFECT! JUST PERFECT!"

"You sure? You sound a bit… tense," Blue Ice asked after a short moment.

"YES…" Sound Wave snapped, then, forcing herself to calm down and answer through gritted teeth. "Yes, I am just fine. Now leave me alone… Please."

"Ehh… Okay, if you say so. But Rolling Stone wants to plan the next course of action in thirty, you need to be there."

"I KNOW… I know," she answered, and she could hear Blue Ice scurry away from the door.

Taking a deep breath, and then letting it out in an angry huff, steam coming from her nose, she once more observed the carnage that was her room.

"Now, my precious. Where are you?" she said in a manic tone, eye twitching.

****

"I, eh, found it in one of the rooms those guests are staying in," Scootaloo answered as she finally looked up at her friends. "That's what I needed to tell you. Guys, I think those ponies are ghost hunters."

Silence.

Nopony said anything after that, the bombshell Scootaloo had dropped was too severe to properly process for the moment.

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

"I know it was them. Who else would be stupid enough to oppose us?" Diamond Tiara snarled as she sat in Silver Spoon's room.

"I don't know," Silver Spoon replied, flinching from the throbbing pain in her skull, and pressing the cold compress firmly against her head.

Diamond Tiara, not normally one to show much compassion towards others, looked at her friend with concern mixed with anger.

"And also that. There is no way I believe a word of what those three Blank Flanks said about you just running into a wall. They did this to you, but our stupid teacher chooses their side. It is obvious they are behind all of this," she continued with her rant, letting out a huff of irritation.

"Uh huh," Silver Spoon agreed, squinting her eyes in pain, though a distinct glare showed through, "So, what's the plan?"

"Isn't it obvious? We expose those losers for what they really are. Nothing but a bunch of stupid, useless, Blank Flanks who are just jealous of us successful ponies. If we do that, no pony will ever choose their side again. And they will never oppose us again either," Diamond Tiara explained as she walked over to the window of Silver Spoon's room, gazing outside with a dark look, seeing the Carousel Boutique in the distance.

"And I know just where to start."

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

"What!" Apple Bloom shouted, shocked.

"You can't be serious," Sweetie Belle gasped in disbelief as she looked at her pegasus friend.

"You can't be serious. Fear me."

"And can somepony PLEASE shut that thing up!" Sweetie Belle shouted, fed up with the annoying device.

"And can somepony PLEASE shut that thing up! I am your greatest fear."

"Right, hold on," Scootaloo replied as she quickly grabbed the Ghost Gabber and stuffed it back into her bag, then she tossed it in the far corner, hopefully out of hearing distance.

Sweetie Belle let out an annoyed and irritated humph, crossing her front legs over her chest as she glared at the bag with the infuriating object, hoping she wouldn't have to hear that thing repeat her any longer.

"But really. Ya can't be serious, right?" Apple Bloom asked, continuing as if they hadn't been interrupted.

"Well, I don't know," Scootaloo answered with a shrug, "But I found that thing in one of their rooms, and they did travel together. So, I guess, yeah."

"But… But why?" Sweetie Belle asked, and flinched as she expected the infuriating device to repeat her again. But no sound was heard, and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, that's better. But really. Why would there be any ghost hunters all the way out here?"

"I dunno?" Scootaloo replied, shrugging a bit.

"Maybe they found out about ya?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Scootaloo cut in, "They showed up only a day after what happened with Sweetie Belle, and I don't think anypony else knows about it."

"Okay. But then why are they here?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah, why else would there be a group of ghost hunters in Ponyville?" Sweetie Belle added, before her eyes widened in horrified understanding.

"DANNY!" she shouted, and her friends shared the same look of understanding she had.

"But… But we don't even know if he is a ghost, or something," Scootaloo quickly spoke up.

"Maybe they do," Apple Bloom suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Sweetie Belle said slowly.

"What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I don't know. It's just a feeling I've got, but I don't think they know… Then again, do we really know anything about Danny?" Sweetie Belle told them.

"... Well, he's nice," Apple Bloom said after a short moment of silence.

"And he helped when we were in trouble in the forest," Scootaloo added.

"And he doesn't have a Cutie Mark," Apple Bloom said, remembering what Danny had told them after they had tried to capture him to get their human catching Cutie Marks.

"And he also said his special somepony, or something, is dead," Scootaloo continued as she thought back to that day as well.

"And… Anything else?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Well, no. Unless he is tha Halfa Frostbite talked about," Apple Bloom admitted.

"But we don't know that for certain. So, we don't really know anything, do we?" Sweetie Belle asked, and they all looked down at the floor.

Silence.

"Maybe Wind Chill knows something?" Scootaloo suddenly piped up, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked up at their friend.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Sweetie Belle proclaimed, and she jumped up on all fours.

"Maybe he can tell us something about that thing ya found too," Apple Bloom suggested as she pointed at Scootaloo's bag.

"Hey, yeah. Maybe he can," Scootaloo replied, and she quickly retrieved her bag.

"Just keep that thing away from me," Sweetie Belle said sourly as Scootaloo approached her, and they could hear a muffled, artificial, voice come from the bag.

"Right," Scootaloo said with a nod, and the three of them rushed out of the treehouse, Scootaloo jumping on her scooter, while Sweetie Belle took to the sky once more.

"Jus' follow me," Apple Bloom said as she took point, "Ah know tha fastest way ta get ta his barn."

Giving their agreements, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed their earth pony friend, finding themselves holding back so they wouldn't overtake her, and thus they went on their way to see the frost giant living in the orchard.

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

Standing in the cover of a side alley, Rolling Stone, Blue Ice and Ornate Charm were waiting for the missing member of their group, much to the noticeable displeasure of Rolling Stone.

"You did remind her about this meeting didn't you?" he asked Blue Ice, who responded with a confirming nod.

"I did, but she sounded… More than a little tense. I don't know what was happening in that room of hers, but something is going on," she answered. It was then that they heard the pounding of hooves on the ground approaching their alley, and the heavy breathing produced by the pony that came rushing towards them, before coming to a skidding halt, almost tripping over her own legs.

"Smooth," Ornate Charm said, but was quick to shut up after Rolling Stone glared at her.

"Sir. I'm sorry for being late," Sound Wave said with a hasty salute, trying to keep her breathing under control.

"Specialist Sound Wave," Rolling Stone spoke with a slow, deliberate tone, "Mind telling me why you are late? And why you, despite clear instructions to keep a low profile, found it necessary to storm through town like that, and possibly give us away to the locals?"

Sound Wave, already standing at rigid attention the moment her commanding officer spoke, tensed up even more.

"Sir," she began, "My apologies for my behavior, but I lost track of time. I came here as quickly as I could, but in my haste I forgot to keep a low profile."

"And why," Rolling Stone spoke through gritted teeth, "did you lose track of time, when Specialist Blue Ice reminded you about this meetup?"

"Sir," she answered, swallowing a thick lump in her throat, "This morning I wanted to continue my work on the Ghost Gabber. However, it would seem the device has gone missing."

Silence.

"Missing? What do you mean, missing?" Rolling Stone growled, "Are you telling me that you lost a specially designed, expensive piece of ghost hunting equipment, of which we only have a very limited supply to begin with?"

Rolling Stone glared into Sound Wave's eyes, standing almost muzzle to muzzle, and Sound Wave felt herself shrink down from the piercing gaze. Her life flashing before her eyes as she knew that her commander was not one to look kindly on those that either misused royal guard equipment, or, in her case, lost it.

"Y-Yes sir," she answered, her voice faltering a bit.

"How!?" he asked in a growl.

"I... I do not know, Sir. I put the device in a safe place, out of sight and locked away. Plus the door to my room was also locked when I got back. I have not moved the Ghost Gabber since the last time I worked on it, and it should have been there. Instead, despite the fact that all the locks were still in place, the device has vanished," Sound Wave answered, and Blue Ice and Ornate Charm shared a look of confusion with each other.

Rolling Stone stepped away from the steel gray mare, glaring at her for good measure before he turned to the rest of the group.

"Well, it looks like we are now on a search and retrieval mission. We can't have this kind of equipment fall into the wrong hooves. And, Celestia be damned, if somepony finds it and links it to us. Ornate Charm, Blue Ice, go back to the guest house and search the perimeter for the Ghost Gabber. Sound Wave and I will go back to her room, since it seems that she can't do anything on her own, and see what we can find there," Rolling Stone ordered with an angry tone, displeased over the fact that they had lost even more valuable time because of this mishap.

"Sir, permission to speak?" Blue Ice asked.

"Granted," he replied.

"Sound Wave, you said that all the locks were still in place?" Blue Ice asked, and Sound Wave nodded in response, "And did you think about doing a spectral scan of the room?" she queried, and Sound Wave's eyes widened in realization.

"I- I did not," she replied, and Rolling Stone turned back to her, anger burning in his eyes.

"Sir," Blue Ice spoke up, diverting his attention away from the shaken mare, "if what Sound Wave said is true, and with the possibility of spectral activity taking place around here, it is quite possible that any ghost or ghosts have taken notice of us, and are trying to sabotage our operation by taking away the equipment we work with."

"If that is true, it has complicated our mission considerably," Rolling Stone replied, letting out an angry huff, "Okay, we continue as planned. You and Ornate Charm go search the perimeter of the guest house, make sure to scan for spectral activity if you can. Sound Wave and I will do the same in her room."

"Sir, yes sir," Blue Ice, Ornate Charm, and Sound Wave said, giving him a quick salute, then went on their way. Hoping their cover was still intact, while Sound Wave also hoped that her flank wouldn't get chewed out too much.

She already knew, though, that that was just wishful thinking.

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

Apple Bloom rushed past the tree line, bursting into the weed covered clearing around the old barn. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle appeared moments later.

The winged speed demon came to a grinding stop, spraying up dirt while Sweetie Belle dropped down to the ground, hind legs rematerializing.

"Huh, I didn't know about this one," Sweetie Belle remarked as she looked at the old structure.

"Yeah, it's a bit further back in tha orchard. My pa build it, but we haven't used it since…" Apple Bloom replied, only to trail off.

"Since what?" Scootaloo asked, but Apple Bloom didn't answer.

"It's not important. Let's just get Wind Chill, an' find out what he knows."

"Eh... okay," Scootaloo replied, giving her friend a questioning look.

Stepping away from her friends, Apple Bloom approached the barn's doors, moving to pull open one of the double doors, but stopping mid motion as she hesitated. Then, knowing someone was now living in here, she knocked on the door, and waited for a reply, but none came.

"Hey Wind Chill, ya there? It's me, Apple Bloom. And Ah've brought Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo," she called out, giving another knock on the door.

"Maybe he isn't here?" Scootaloo suggested.

"Then where would he go?" Sweetie Belle asked, "He does stand out a bit."

"Maybe he just didn't hear me," Apple Bloom replied, "Hold on, Ah'll look."

Pulling open the door, hiding the inside from her friends' view as they stood to the side, she looked inside, and her body locked up as she stood frozen on the spot, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"What tha hay!" she shouted as she looked inside.

"What is it?" Scootaloo asked.

"Isn't he there?" Sweetie Belle added.

"Oh, he's there alright. An' something else as well," Apple Bloom said, shocked.

"What? What is it?" Scootaloo asked, confused, and Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up while a grin formed on her muzzle.

"Is it Pete, your coltfriend?"

Apple Bloom slowly turned to look at her friend, clearly annoyed.

"You know. The one you mentioned some time ago," Sweetie Belle continued with a large, teasing grin.

"Ooh, right. Pete," Scootaloo piped up, an equally large grin showing on her face, "Well, is he in there? We really want to meet him."

"Ha ha," Apple Bloom droned, annoyed, glaring at her two friends, "You two are SOO funny."

"Well, in our defense. We did say we wouldn't let this go… Sooo," Sweetie Belle replied with a smug grin, "But really. What is in there?"

Still glaring at her friends, Apple Bloom didn't say anything. Instead, she pushed the door all the way open. And, with a low, drawn out creak, the two remaining crusaders were able to see what it was that had stunned their friend.

"What..." Sweetie Belle said, at a loss for words.

"The..." Scootaloo added, equally flabbergasted.

"Hay," Apple Bloom finished for them, and together the three of them looked at the inside of the barn. Or, what was supposed to be the inside of a barn, and certainly not an igloo.

Ice, ice everywhere. Ice on the floor. Ice on the walls. Ice on the ceiling. Ice everywhere.

Several large columns, made of ice, stood in the center, supporting the roof, which was now much heavier. There was a corner sofa, made of ice, standing in the far back, while a whole dining table, made of ice, stood on the opposite side. A chandelier of, you've guessed it, ice. And, to top it all off. Standing in the far right corner, was a large, king sized bed, made of ice. And, lying on top of it, fast asleep, was Wind Chill. His leg kicking in response to whatever dream he was having, while he was covered under a layer of snow as if it were a blanket.

"Wow!" Scootaloo said in shocked amazement, her breath forming a cloud in the cold air.

"Was it always like this?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking around in wonder.

"No, no it wasn't," Apple Bloom answered, eyes wide in shock.

With a sound akin to a roar mixed with a loud yawn Wind Chill rolled out of his bed, hitting the floor with an "Oomph," and he pushed himself up, a confused, and sleepy look on his face.

Peering around with bleary eyes, it took Wind Chill a moment to figure out where he was, and that he had visitors.

Finally, his brain registered the fact that he was no longer lying on his bed, and that it would probably be a good idea to wake up. Still, he figured, better ease into it slowly. And as such, Wind Chill clumsily pushed himself upright, swaying on the spot, blinking uncoordinatedly.

"Apple Bloom," he said, before a loud yawn interrupted him, "Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he asked, stepping forward while scratching his head, and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Have you been sleeping the entire time?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I'm afraid so, yes. I am not accustomed to this kind of heat, and it is sapping my strength more than I had originally anticipated," Wind Chill answered as he sat down on the sofa, "But, please, come in," he told the fillies standing at the border between summer and winter, and they, carefully, stepped inside, shivering when the full force of the arctic chill hit them.

"What did ya do ta tha barn?" Apple Bloom asked, sounding shocked as she took it all in.

"I… may have made a few modifications to make it better suited to me," he answered with an awkward smile, "But perhaps I have overdone it a bit?"

"A bit?" Sweetie Belle said, amazed.

"This is awesome," Scootaloo chirped happily as she slid over the slippery surface coating the floor. At least until she lost her hoofing, and her legs slipped out from underneath her.

Hitting the floor with a thud, she continue her slide, coming to a stop against the opposite wall with her rear pressing against the cold surface. A shiver went up her spine, and she scrambled to get away from the freezing cold that had shot through her flank.

"It isn't too much, is it?" Wind Chill asked worriedly, glancing down at Apple Bloom.

Walking around a bit and looking at all that the frost giant had done to the old barn, Apple Bloom wasn't sure how she felt about this. True, she told him he could make a few changes should it be needed. But this… She wasn't expecting this. And, although she wasn't all that thrilled he did this to the barn her father had built, she had to admit, like Scootaloo said, that it was pretty amazing as well. Besides, she never really knew her father, or mother, so why should she worry all that much about it?

"It's… alright, Ah guess. Wasn't really expecting this, but Ah guess it's fine," Apple Bloom said, sounding unsure. Her mind was telling her that this place is nothing more than an old barn, but her heart was saying that it is so much more as well.

"Never mind, though. We got something we needed ta ask ya," she said, turning to Wind Chill, who was finally waking up and sitting upright on the sofa.

"Then by all means, ask," he replied, "Anything to help you and your friends."

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said as she turned to her friend.

"Right," Scootaloo said as she removed the bag from her back, and grabbed the Fenton Ghost Gabber out of it, "I found this, and we were wondering if you know what it is?"

Wind Chill, seeing the device held in Scootaloo's grasp, sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth, recognizing the device, and knowing what it does.

"Where did you find that?" he asked with a nervous tone, and the device lit up.

"Where did you find that? Fear me!"

"Hey, it repeats him too," Apple Bloom said, scratching her head in confusion.

"And it will do so for any ghost, spirit or other spectral entity," Wind Chill said, and the device repeated him, with the addition of some pointless warning, "So, where did you find this thing?" he asked Scootaloo again, trying to ignore the artificial voice coming from the device.

"Well… It was in the room where one of those guests stays. I live in a guest house, you see. And there are these four ponies that all came in together, and this thing was laying in one of their rooms," Scootaloo answered, making sure to leave out some of the details of her 'find'.

"Ponies staying in your home brought this with them?" Wind Chill asked, for clarification, a nervous edge to his voice.

"Uhh, yes. I think so," Scootaloo answered, unsure, "I think they're ghost hunters."

"And I think you are correct. This device, it is known to us ghosts. A creation of the parents of the Great One himself. And, seeing the modifications made to it, allowing it to be used more efficiently by you ponies, it is safe to assume the Fentons made this for them," Wind Chill spoke, ignoring the "Fear me" the device added to his words.

"Well, it does say Fenton on tha back," Apple Bloom remarked dryly, and Wind Chill turned the device over, seeing the words engraved in the metal casing.

"I see. This is worrying."

"I see. This is worrying. Be afraid, be very afraid!"

"Huhuuhuh," Sweetie Belle shuddered, "Why does it even do that? Adding those things, I mean."

"Huhuuhuh. Why does it even do that? Adding those things, I mean. Are you afraid yet?"

"They added such a feature because of their narrow minded belief that all ghosts are evil," Wind Chill explained with a sullen tone, handing the device back to Scootaloo, "Make sure you hide it, and keep it hidden," he implored the orange filly, "If they truly are hunters of spectral entities, then we need to make sure they don't find us."

"Okay… And how do we do that?" Scootaloo asked, stuffing the Ghost Gabber back in her pack.

"You said you took this from one of their chambers? Well, can you get into the others as well? If so, you might be able to acquire more of their gadgets, making it harder for them to do their work. Thus making things a bit safer for us ghosts," Wind Chill offered, and a sly grin spread across Scootaloo's muzzle.

"Oh, I think I can work something out," Scootaloo said, sharing a devious grin with her friends.

"Somehow that does not reassure me," WInd Chill muttered, wondering if this was such a good idea after all. The words of the Alpha echoing through his mind.

'They have only caused trouble in this forest since the first day they entered it. Now, with the white one as she is… We won't allow her to cause any more trouble.'

'And they won't. She's been working hard to learn to control her powers, and she won't be any trouble for you, or this forest.'

The Alpha made a sound similar to a snort as he crossed his own arms, glaring at the frost giant with a mixture of anger and pity.

'You will find out soon enough.'

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

The tension was high, and neither Sound Wave and Rolling Stone spoke. She, because she didn't want to make things worse. He, because he had enough trouble containing himself as it was.

How she could have made those mistakes, she didn't know. She didn't know how the Ghost Gabber, which she stored away in what she thought was a relatively safe place, and with her door locked, could just vanish like that. Heck, her room's door was still locked when she came back. And then there was the other thing. She knew she was stressed, quite a lot in fact, over the disappearance of the Gabber, and with good reason. She was always careful with the tech entrusted to her, especially the tech that used sound to operate. It was part of her special talent after all. Her name even alluded to it: Sound Wave. But, after discovering that the Gabber, her Gabber, was missing she might have gone... a bit crazy. But only just a bit. And, as a result, she completely forgot about the most basic of her training. A rookie mistake, and because of it she found herself neck deep in a mountain of manure, and she didn't dare open her mouth, lest she drown in a figurative pile of crap.

Now though, she found herself back in her room, fortunately managing to avoid the guest house's owner, who seemed to have just disappeared. Odd, but she couldn't really worry about that right now. She was far too busy worrying about the orange stallion moving through her room, scanning everything with the scanner Blue Ice had recalibrated once more after last night's fiasco.

She did the same with her own hoof held device, making sure to stay on the other side of the room. And, together, the two of them tried to salvage the situation. And she hoped that, whatever the results, there would be a good explanation for the disappearance of the Ghost Gabber. Although, she also hoped it wouldn't be related to ghosts in any way. There was no way she'd lived through that, no pun intended. A ghost hunter who had her tech taken by a ghost, or ghosts. She'd be a laughing stock among the Ghost-Keteers.

So, already nervous and stressed over the current situation, she was sure she felt her heart stop when her scanner showed a positive hit, right in front of the very cabinet where she had stored the Gabber.

Hearing the beeping sound indicating a positive hit, Rolling Stone turned to look at Sound Wave, seeing her standing rigid on the spot while she looked at her scanner with wide, fearful eyes.

Walking over to her in silence, he quickly scanned the area with his own scanner, receiving the same outcome she had.

Shooting her an angry glare, Rolling Stone stepped towards the cabinet and opened it. They both recoiled in shock at what they found.

"Oh my gosh! You need to come, too!" Pinkie Pie gasped out excitedly, having, somehow, managed to fit perfectly inside the cabinet.

Reaching out with her hooves, she grabbed the two confused ponies, and pulled them inside the cabinet with her, the door slamming shut behind them.

****

"Wait, did you hear that?" Blue Ice asked Ornate Charm as the sound of something slamming shut reached her ears.

"Hear what?"

"... Nothing. Just thought I heard something," she responded.

"I heard something too!" a new voice piped up, and the two of them looked at the pink mare, who, somehow, had managed to sneak up on them, "It sounded sort of like 'Ghaaa!'."

"Uh… Wha?" Ornate Charm uttered dumbly, while Blue Ice stared blankly at Pinkie.

"You didn't hear it. Huh, oh well," Pinkie said with a shrug, "Anyhow. Gotta run," she added, and shot off in a blur, pulling the two of them with her.

"GHAAAA!" they both shouted as they were pulled along.

"Yeah, just like that!" Pinkie chirped happily.

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

Diamond Tiara was moving through the streets of Ponyville, heading to Carousel Boutique.

Normally, Silver Spoon would come with her. But this time it was not possible, due to Silver Spoon's condition. A condition she was in thanks to those three loser Blank Flanks.

How they did it, she didn't know. Nor did she know why everypony, even the teacher, took their side. While, obviously, everypony should have taken theirs; the most important ponies found in Ponyville.

No, she didn't know why. But she was determined to find out.

Looking around to see if anypony saw her, she quickly headed inside the boutique. Opening the door just wide enough to enter, but not enough to hit the bell above, she quietly entered the clothes shop.

'Now. If I were a loser Blank Flank, where would I hide anything I want to keep a secret?' she mused, looking around the seemingly empty building. Quietly moving around, she looked to see if there was anypony that could ruin her well thought out plan. But when she finished inspecting the lower floor, and as she didn't hear anypony above, she was quite pleased to find she was the only one here, and that she didn't have to sneak around the entire time. After all, she might get dust on herself, or some other filth, should she have to do so. A sacrifice she was willing to make, but still something she wanted to avoid.

Now though, she was moving upstairs, not even trying to be quiet as she went from door to door, until she found the room she knew could only belong to a loser Blank Flank.

"Excellent," she said with a sneer, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"Now, what secrets do you hide in here that I can use against you?"

She moved around Sweetie Belle's bedroom, not caring the slightest about being careful as she pulled open drawers, a closet, and everything else that she fancied. Throwing everything out on the floor, she almost literally overturned the room in search of some earth shattering secret she knew had to be here. Something that she and her friends had used, most likely a spell of some sort, to wipe their memory, which also brought her here in the first place. Who but a unicorn could use a memory wipe spell? But, as she made an even bigger mess than what was already found in the room, she groaned in irritation as she was unable to find anything.

"Nothing," she huffed, "there is nothing here."

Looking once more at the mess she had made, her eyes fell on the single bed in the room. Deciding that it was the only place she hadn't yet looked, she stomped over to it, stepping and kicking on as many items as she could.

'It has to be here. I know she is hiding something,' she thought as she lay down on the floor, making a mental note to take a long shower after this, and looked underneath the bed. She let loose a frightened scream as two blue eyes stared back at her, and a pink hoof pulled her under the bed while she grasped at the floor in fright, trying to keep herself from whatever fate lay in store for her. But she was quickly overpowered. And, with almost maniacal laughter coming from under the bed, she was pulled into the place where monsters lay hidden. And, if one were to look right now, they would find no trace of either Diamond Tiara, or the pink monster that had taken her. Except for the tiara that lay discarded under the bed, having fallen off the tiny tyrant's head as she was dragged away.

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

The front door creaked open, and the sound of multiple sets of hooves clopping on the floor resonated through the lobby. The same ominous creak could be heard as the door closed, and three young ponies faded into view.

Standing in the lobby of the guest house, looking around to make sure nopony was there to see them, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle hurried up the stairs, quickly entering Scootaloo's room.

"Well, that was easy," Sweetie Belle breathed out.

"A bit too easy, if ya ask me," Apple Bloom replied.

"Yeah…" Scootaloo agreed, "Where is everypony? Bellflower should be here. And, thinking about it, the town was pretty empty too."

"Hey, yeah," Apple Bloom replied as she came to the same realization.

"Strange…" Sweetie Belle mused, holding a pondering hoof against her chin, "Oh well. Makes things easier for us, right?"

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied with a shrug.

"So, where to?" Sweetie Belle asked as she turned to the pegasus in the room.

"This way," Scootaloo instructed after a short moment, holding her door open a bit, and poking her head out to make sure there wasn't anyone who might see them. "It's those rooms over there," she added, pointing to the three other rooms found on their floor.

"I found that thingy in this room over here," Scootaloo told them, pointing a wing at the room closest to her own, "So I guess we should start with one of the other two," she explained, waving her other wing at the two remaining rooms.

"Okay… How are we supposed ta get inside?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well. I thought Sweetie Belle could do that intan- intang-... That walk through walls thingy," she replied with a frown, struggling with the strange word.

"Intangibility," Sweetie Belle corrected her, "And you heard what the elder said. I can't do that, yet."

"Oh, right," Scootaloo muttered, scratching her head, "Well, it's the old-fashioned way, I guess."

"Old-fashion way?' Apple Bloom asked quizzically.

"Wait here," Scootaloo told them, and she headed downstairs, leaving her friends to wait outside the two rooms they need to get into, while they heard a ruckus coming from downstairs.

"What's she doing?" Sweetie Belle asked her remaining friend.

"How should Ah know?" Apple Bloom responded with a shrug.

"Just asking," Sweetie Belle replied with a shrug of her own. But her question was soon answered, when, with the jingle of keys, Scootaloo came back upstairs.

"There we go, the old-fashioned way," Scootaloo proclaimed as she showed the array of keys she held, receiving a flat look from Sweetie Belle, "What?"

"Sooo… You want me to walk through walls, while you've had the keys the entire time!?" Sweetie Belle half asked, half stated in an annoyed tone.

"Ehh… Yes," Scootaloo answered with a sheepish smile, "But only because it's sooo much more awesome."

Sweetie Belle was about to reply to that, when a nudge from her earth pony friend distracted her.

"Just leave it," Apple Bloom told her, while rolling her eyes at Scootaloo, "Also, since when do you have tha keys ta tha rooms?"

"Well… I don't. These are just the spare keys, you know, for emergencies and stuff," Scootaloo answered, shrugging, "And they stay in a small safe, locked away."

"Then how did you get them?" Sweetie Belle asked, puzzled.

"I know the combination," Scootaloo stated simply.

"Does Bellflower know ya know that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Nope," Scootaloo replied with a grin, and she walked over to the door closest to her. "Well, here goes."

Putting the key in the keyhole, and turning it to unlock the door, she swung the door open, allowing them entrance into the room of one of the supposed ghost hunters.

"So, who was it that stays in here?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking around.

"I dunno," Scootaloo said with a shrug, closing the door behind them "Never heard their names. But I know it's that unicorn mare with the dark pink fur and a dark purple mane and tail."

"Hmmm, not really ringing a bell," Apple Bloom said, thinking back.

"I don't think I have seen her either," Sweetie Belle spoke up.

"Meh," Scootaloo said, uncaring, "I don't really know any of them either. The only reason I've seen them is because they stay here… Although…" she said, before trailing off as she remembered that orange stallion talking to her some time ago, and that one word he said.

"Although, what?" Sweetie Belle asked after a moment.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Scootaloo turned to her friends.

"Ehh… Nothing, just zoned out for a moment. So, what are we looking for, exactly?" she said instead, shifting their attention away from her.

A shrug was the only answer she got, and she let out an annoyed sigh as they started their search.

For several minutes they searched and searched, and, after the 'long and exhausting' search, Scootaloo came to an enlightening realization.

"Okay. I'm bored."

"Huh, what do ya mean?" Apple Bloom queried.

"Yeah. We're sneaking through somepony's room, looking for ghost hunting things," Sweetie Belle added.

"Ghaa, I know. But we've been looking forever," Scootaloo groaned.

"It's only been a few minutes," Apple Bloom stated flatly, rolling her eyes.

"But shouldn't we have found something by now?" Scootaloo continued, ignoring the look her friend gave her.

"After only a few minutes?" Sweetie Belle said questioningly.

"Well, it didn't take this long when I found that Gabber thingy," Scootaloo huffed as she sat down, crossing her front legs over her chest.

"Yeah, about that… How did ya find that thing anyhow?" Apple Bloom asked.

"... Eehhh… Well… It just showed up, sorta," Scootaloo answered, unsure.

Sweetie Belle looked at her in confusion, "What do you mean?" she asked, as she lifted the bed's mattress, looking underneath it for anything that might have been hidden there.

"Yeah. How does somethin' just show up?" Apple Bloom added.

Silence.

"... I don't know. It just did," Scootaloo answered after a moment, "But shouldn't we have found something, anything, by now?"

"Maybe we would have, if you actually searched," Apple Bloom told her impatient friend.

"Fine," Scootaloo sighed.

"Oh, don't be like that," Sweetie Belle said cheerfully, "I'm sure we'll find something."

"Yeah, probably Pinkie Pie, or something," Scootaloo muttered sarcastically as she opened a drawer in a small desk.

"BOO!"

"GHAAAA!" Scootaloo yelled, followed moments later by her two friends, as, without any warning, Pinkie Pie's head popped out of the drawer, giving the three of them a large, toothy smile.

"Can't have a party with you three missing!" she chirped, and the drawer next to the one her head came out opened, her legs sticking out of it, wiggling in the air.

"Oh, shoot. I'm stuck," she said with a frown, "Don't go anywhere! I'll be right with ya."

Her head vanished back inside the drawer, while her legs remained sticking out, and the sounds of a saw sawing and a hammer hammering could be heard. Then everything fell silent, and an annoyed humm came from the drawer's depths. Then, making the three fillies jump up in fright, the loud banging of a jackhammer came from within the desk's drawers.

"What tha HAY is going on in there!?" Apple Bloom shouted worriedly.

"It's Pinkie Pie!" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Somehow that doesn't answer anything right now!" Scootaloo shouted over the rapid banging.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the room fell silent once more.

"Okay?... How did that happen?" Pinkie's voice suddenly piped up, coming from deep within the desk's drawer.

"Ehh... Pinkie, is everything alright?" Sweetie Belle asked, unsure, giving a small tap against the drawer.

"Yes, don't worry. I'm just having trouble with the plumbing."

"Plumbing?" Scootaloo said, puzzled, "Weren't you here to get us for a party, or something?"

The sound of a hoof hitting something, most likely a head, came from within the desk, and Pinkie's head poked back up.

"Oh, duh. Of course. That was what I was doing. Okay, here we go!" she shouted exuberantly, and her legs, once stuck, now reached out and pulled the fillies inside the drawer with blurring speed. Both drawers slammed shut, and the room was left empty once more.

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

The sun was starting to set, and Wind Chill was waiting impatiently inside the frozen barn, wondering when those three children were coming back.

"This is taking too long. Even with their inexperience, they should have been back by now," he muttered, "Unless… Good grief. What if those ghost hunters have gotten a hold of them! I knew it was a bad idea to let them go in there by themselves."

Standing up in a hurry, he rushed to the barn's double doors, swinging them wide open, letting in the relative warm air of the approaching night.

"Hold on you three. I'm coming to help," he stated with conviction as he rushed out of the barn and into the orchard.

'I will need to be careful, though. I mustn't be seen. Luckily the coming darkness will aid me,' he thought to himself as trees blurred past him.

He moved in a blur, a white shadow, rapidly approaching the orchard's edge, before coming to a grinding halt, lingering behind the last line of trees hiding him from sight.

Looking out towards the town not too far from him, he scanned the horizon, watching to see if there was anyone there who might see him.

Seeing that there was no one to speak of, he took this opportunity and headed into the village with as much speed and stealth he could manage.

Diving into the shadow of the closest house he could find, he pressed himself against the wall, while also crouching a bit, keeping himself hidden as best as possible.

Hearing the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoing through the empty streets some distance away from him, Wind Chill peeked around the corner, hoping to find out who it was that was moving through the streets, and if he or she would prove to be a problem for him. Then, a realization came to him.

'Footsteps?... But these ponies have hooves… Unless...'

Scanning the street from his hiding place, Wind Chill noticed a tall, thin figure walking through the darkening village. His ghost vision making it possible for him to see through the shadows that obscured the lone human, and he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as he recognized the face of the Great One.

'By the ancestors. It is you!' he thought, when he noticed something was off. The Great One seemed on edge for some reason, as he looked around the dark streets, and seemingly empty houses. Finding no one on the streets, save for himself, as he was using his human eyes instead of his ghost vision. And, as luck would have it, the distance between the two of them seemed large enough for him to escape detection by Danny's ghost sense.

He continued to observe the human revered by his kind, seeing him move faster and faster, clearly nervous about something. And before long, he was moving at an all out sprint, clearly heading towards a planned destination instead of wandering around aimlessly.

Wind Chill stalked the nervous human, staying far enough to keep out of sight and ghost sense range, yet close enough to see everything that was happening. Still, he had to be careful. Should he be seen, either by Danny or any of the ponies living here, there would be severe consequences. And, worst of all. The Great One might be scared away, and back into hiding.

No, now that the Great One has been found, he had to act carefully. So, moving from shadow to shadow, hiding behind the buildings of the town, Wind Chill quietly observed the human who his entire kind was indebted to.

It didn't take long for Danny to reach his destination, as he was moving as fast as he could without resorting to flying. And, as Wind Chill observed him, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Everywhere he went the buildings were dark and lifeless, and not in a Ghost Zone sort of way. No, this village was quiet, too quiet, and he knew something was about to happen. And seeing Danny's nervous stance, he knew the Great One was involved in this somehow.

'What wickedness has found you now, Great One?' he thought as he saw the human reach out to the door knob of a dark, and seemingly empty place.

The door creaked open, the sound echoing loudly through the empty streets, and Danny stepped inside, the door slowly closing behind him with the same drawn out creak.

Seeing this, and feeling the tension in the air, he feared some wicked foe was about to begin its attack on the Great One. So, moving in closer, but careful not to alert the Great One to his presence just yet, he approached the building in such a way he was able to look through one of the windows, while still keeping a safe distance. Then everything went white as, suddenly, the lights flicked on, and a multitude of voices shouted a loud:

”SURPRISE!”

'What?... What is happening?' Wind Chill wondered as he rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear the spots from his vision.

Looking back inside, he noticed that many ponies of various colors stood inside, cheering and laughing. Then, suddenly, the door slammed open, and he pressed himself against the wall he stood by as a pink blur shot past. Blinking several times, wondering what it was that had just happened, the blur shot by again, the door slamming shut.

“There, now we are ready to get this party started!” a loud and cheerful feminine voice said, and, through the window, Wind Chill saw the Great One standing, with a party hat on his head, a large smile on his confused face.

And, looking further throughout the room, he also noticed three other beings of interest.

'Ugh.. Children,' he thought as he saw Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle standing next to a table filled with various edible goods, ranging from cupcakes, to muffins, to pies, and much, much more. There was even a punch bowl with…

Wind Chill blinked several times in surprised confusion, wondering why there was a baby alligator swimming in the punch.

'These ponies are certainly strange,' he thought as he continued his observation, confident they couldn't see him through the darkness that had settled over the town, and he looked back at Danny again.

'I know of what happened to your mate, Great One. The pain it has caused you. But, as it would seem, you have finally found some peace of mind. Better to keep it that way.'

And with that final thought, Wind Chill retreated back to the orchard, a smile gracing his lips.

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

Loud music blasted from the speakers, which were bouncing on the spot, while several flashing lights lit the room. Ponies, and a human, were dancing to the music. Or, in some cases, moving around in a spastic attempt to dance. Which, in their own way, was another source of great entertainment. Especially when everypony was watching how Danny was trying to avoid Twilight's flailing legs while also trying to put in a serious effort to murder the art of dance himself.

There was laughter, cheering, drinking, snacking, and music accompanying it all as almost everypony was enjoying themselves. There were, however, several ponies who stood at the sides of the room, looking around uncomfortably as they weren't sure what was going on, or how they even got there. All they knew, was that it had something to do with that crazy pink pony playing pin the tail on the pony, and somehow managing to pin the tail on herself, while her tail ended up on the picture stuck on the wall. Truly, Discord himself couldn't have done it better, as far as foals' games were concerned at least.

Even worse, for them, was the fact they didn't have any opportunity to use their scanners. It was too crowded, and the presence of, what was practically the entire town, ruined such an otherwise perfect opportunity to get close to the human.

Of course other opportunities presented themselves, and they tried to sneak out to investigate Danny Manson's house. But every time they tried, they were stopped by the same pink monster who had brought them here in the first place; shoving a boat load of cake in their mouths, and steering them towards the dance floor, putting them on the spot in front of everypony.

No, tonight was not a good night for them. And worse, Pinkie Pie wouldn't let them go. Not until they have had fun at least.

Yes, they were in for a very long night. A night where they were subjected to a seemingly unstoppable force. A force named Pinkie Pie. A force who was now dancing on the table with a baby alligator.

But the problem of having fun was not something Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were troubled with, as they sat underneath the table holding all the cakes, pies, and other delicious treats, of which they grabbed as many of as they could, before pulling them under the table with them, munching audibly and with smiles all around.

And, while she did that, Sweetie Belle also lifted the tablecloth hiding them from view with what little magic she could summon, looking at Danny's attempt to dance along with Twilight.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle, what are you looking at?" Apple Bloom asked, burping loudly afterwards.

"Danny," she answered, and dropped the tablecloth, "Just wondering if he really is a ghost or not," she added with a slightly lowered voice, the music loud enough to mask her speech.

"Meh, who knows," Scootaloo said with shrug as she devoured another cupcake, "Not much sense in worrying about it now, though."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle answered, and she sunk her teeth into an apple fritter herself.

"He does seem happy now though, if what we were told is true," Apple Bloom said as she looked at Danny herself, lifting the obscuring cloth with her tail.

"He does," Scootaloo agreed, when she spotted some ponies in the center of the dance floor, looking around uncomfortably, "Uh-oh."

"What, what is it?" Sweetie Belle asked as she turned to her orange friend.

"Those ponies over there," Scootaloo said while pointing a hoof.

"Who? Those four ponies standin' there on tha dance floor?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah, them. Those are the ponies I was talking about earlier. They are… the ghost hunters," Scootaloo said with a nod, her voice lowered to such a level she could barely be heard over the music.

"Wait. Them?" Sweetie Belle asked, a tone of nervousness entering her voice.

"Yeah," was all Scootaloo said in acknowledgement.

Lowering the tablecloth to the floor, Apple Bloom turned to her friends.

"Well, now we all know who we're dealin' with."

"But shouldn't we be worried they might do something?" Sweetie Belle asked, concerned.

"Nah. Too many ponies here for them ta do anything," Apple Bloom reassured her friend, "So no worries there."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle muttered.

"Meh, don't worry. If they think they can try anything, they have another thing coming. After all, they have us to deal with, the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Scootaloo said with an eager edge to her voice, "Plus, there's that thing you can do," she added as she looked at Sweetie Belle.

"Right. So no worries there," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Agreed, no pony should worry at a party," Pinkie Pie proclaimed, sitting next to them, and the three fillies jumped up in fright, knocking their heads against the table, before crawling out of their hiding spot accompanied by the laughter of the other ponies who stood there.

"Now, PARTY!" Pinkie shouted, overly hyperactive, and she jumped into the crowd, vanishing from sight.

"Well, that just happened," Apple Bloom muttered as she rubbed her head.

"Yeah, what is it with that pony?" Scootaloo asked, when she noticed something tugging at her tail. Looking behind her, and lifting her tail up, she saw the endless gaze of Gummy, Pinkie's pet alligator clamped tightly on her tail. His mindless look giving no answer to her question.

"Never mind," she sighed as she dropped the alligator back to the ground, dragging it along with her, "Let's just go and party."

That was something her friends agreed with, and they mingled into the crowd, approaching Danny while dodging several flailing hooves and feet, and wished him a happy birthday, before showing him and Twilight how it was done.

Many cheers erupted from the crowd as the party went on throughout the night. And, despite everything that had happened, and everything that was going to happen. One thing was crystal clear right now.

They would never get their Cutie Marks in dancing.

Spirit Trouble. Part 1

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I want to thank Vates Despero for proofreading and editing this chapter.

Spirit Trouble

Part 1.

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

It hung in the darkness, suspended in the glow of its own power. The green aura surrounding the black book illuminating the many books found around it, while it lay open at the centerfold, words appearing as if they were written by an invisible pen. Words that were written before, but with a meaning behind them that was missed by those who read it. A meaning that would slowly reveal itself to them. To her.

There are many different forms of spectral beings. Ghosts, specters, spirits and shades to name a few. Each one of them is unique, and yet they are the same. Their power comes from the same source, but changes to match the form they choose after their deaths.
Whatever the deceased will become, or call themselves, is determined by the choices they've made while alive, as well as the choice they will make in Purgatory. But sometimes, in rare events, life and death mix, creating something truly unique. A Halfa. Over the millennia there have been only three beings that could be called as such. One chose the path of evil, another the path of the hero. And one who wandered, who was born in the darkness but found her way into the light.
But the hero was lost to guilt and sorrow, and evil is moving ever closer to him. The wanderer, still looking for him, will have the help of others, but it might not be enough.
Destiny is a curious thing, and it is not always what you thought it would be. Three has become four, but it may not remain like that.
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle. Your journey has only just begun.
You looked for meaning in your lives, but it is in death that your path shall reveal itself. Sweetie Belle, in time you will know what you are meant to do. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, you will be by her side when that time comes. How things will play out, however, depends on how you deal with this now.
Sweetie Belle, either you embrace the gift given to you, and learn to use it. Or you run away from it. But destiny will follow you everywhere, and the outcome will depend on your choice.

The pages bristled as the words vanished, and for a moment the book just hung suspended in the air, nothing happening, until a few final words were written on the empty pages.

Choice….
A choice is about to be made… Now, I wonder. How will you deal with the consequences, Silver Spirit?

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

It was late at night, or early in the morning, depending on how you looked at it, and Sweetie Belle dragged herself back to her bedroom. She, along with the rest of her friends, and basically everypony in town for that matter, had just attended a birthday party for Danny, the town's very own human.

Now though, she was partied out. And she, along with her older sister, Rarity, had just returned home; both of them heading to their rooms without much conversation.

Sweetie Belle felt as if her hooves each weighed a ton as she dragged herself upstairs, looking forward to her warm, comfortable, soft bed. Sighing tiredly as she came to a stop in front of her bedroom door, she lifted a hoof with tremendous effort, and opened the obstruction, hearing her sister close her own door behind her at the same time.

She trudged inside, sluggishly looking around as she fumbled to find the light switch. With a 'click', the light turned on, and she instinctively flinched and closed her eyes in response. Shaking her head, and cracking open her eyes, she looked longingly at her bed. However, what she saw instead made her eyes shoot open, her weariness banished in an instant.

Her room, maybe a bit messy before, was now a disaster zone. And she was fairly sure she wasn't the cause of it… this time.

"What… What happened here?" she wondered out loud, only to be silenced by the sound of her sister's shrill voice.

"Sweetie Belle, go to bed and be quiet!"

Sweetie Belle looked in the direction of Rarity's bedroom, quietly muttering under her breath as she closed her door, before turning her attention back to disaster that she used to know as her bedroom.

'What happened here? she thought, repeating herself.

She slowly moved around her room, taking in all the carnage. Books, toys, school work, what few clothes she owned, and everything else that was hers lay scattered around the floor, with drawers pulled out of their respective places, and a few things were even broken or crushed.

'What happened here?' she wondered again, 'Was… was it those ghost hunters?' a shudder moving down her spine.

Gulping, she rushed to the windows, closing the curtains with a quick pull with her mouth. Looking around nervously, she practically flew to her bed from where she stood, trying to bury herself under her blanket to hide herself. However, she tripped over her own legs, and dragged the constricting cover down to the ground with her as she instinctively grabbed onto it. She poked her head up with an annoyed frown, looking back at her hind legs, giving them a kick to free herself, when she spotted something. She froze where she lay, as she stared at the object lying under her bed. It was something that wasn't hers. Something that shouldn't be there. Something she recognized. Something she knew who it belonged to.

"Diamond Tiara," Sweetie Belle growled, eyes glowing a toxic green.

"SWEETIE BELLE. GO TO BED!"

"Oh, right. Sorry, sis."

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

Metallic legs tapped against the wall, as the spy drone climbed the vertical structure. Its camera eyes adjusting to the darkness, and it observed its surroundings through the green filter that was called night vision. It, along with its fellow drones, were sent out into the ponies' world to search for any and all spectral energy. Their master hoping that they would find the one that had long held his interest. But they found many signatures, and they split up to pursue these many leads. Some flew north, and all contact with them had been lost. While some remained back in the city this unit first deployed from. And others, like it, flew towards a small village found in the valley close to the city on the mountain.

And even then, they split up into
even smaller groups. Some followed the alluring call of the energy signature coming from a lone house at the edge of town, while others ventured into a dark, dense forest. Others moved towards a collection of trees, planted in neat rows, all of them bearing fruit.

But this unit, however, followed yet another energy signature. A signature that was familiar, yet strange all the same. A signature that could only belong to one type of being, but which was wild and unstable. An unknown. An unknown that led him towards the sleeping filly.

The tapping on the wall ceased as the drone came to a stop. Its camera eyes focused on the sleeping form of the white unicorn with a curly, two tone mane. Its camera's focusing as its sensors picked up on the all too familiar, energy of the dead.

Silence fell as it watched her. Observed her. Studied her.

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

The sun was beginning to shine its warming light down on Ponyville, and the birds began to sing their pleasant songs, filling the crisp clean air, giving the promise of a wonderful, productive day.

Unless, of course, you just happened to be a certain spirit, curled up under a warm blanket, hidden in the darkness provided by the obscuring curtains in front of the windows.

Sweetie Belle groaned as she slowly looked up, her pillow balanced on her head, and her mane sticking out every which way. Smacking her lips a few times, she looked around, unable to see anything.

Now, normally one would turn on the light to see, and get blinded as a result since they are not yet used to the blinding power contained within those flimsy balls of glass. Sweetie Belle, however, she… Well, she did the same. Or she would have, if she hadn't gotten her legs tangled up in her sheets, causing her to drop down to the floor.

She grumbled under her breath, and her eyes glowed green in frustration, when she made a shocking discovery. Suddenly, as if by magic, she was able to see as though her room was brightly lit, albeit with the colors more faded, dull even. She looked around with an expression of surprise plastered across her face, the fact that she could see in the dark with her spirit powers having gone unnoticed by her before, but now she couldn't ignore it.

"Well, that's going to be useful," she groaned, pulling herself back up while looking around her trashed room, the memories of last night returning to her, and she frowned at the silver tiara placed on her desk.

"Hmmm," she hummed as she shook herself free from the constricting hold her blanket had over her, and she slowly paced around her room, taking in the damage, knowing that she would have to clean it up.

Grumbling, she returned her attention to the tiara, and a grin began to form on her muzzle.

It fell not long after, as she realized she still had to clean her room, and that she better get started.

From what she could tell, Rarity was still asleep. Why she had woken up as early as she did, she didn't know, but she took the chance it presented to her to mend the damage so obviously caused by Diamond Tiara, before she herself got in trouble for it with Rarity.

She sighed as she set to work, tip hoofing to remain as quiet as she could, while planning ahead on how she was going to get back at the school's bully.

'Obviously, my powers are going to be a part of it. But I need to get better control over them,' she mused, a green glint drawing her attention, seeing the light coming from her eyes reflecting off the jewels set in the tiara.

'Well, Crusaders. It looks like we're gonna go spirit training again.'

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

The day was starting for the four ghost hunting ponies out in Whitetail Woods, and they were already up and about to continue their work. Or, lack there of, as none of them had found anything noteworthy after Vigilant Shield's find. And with the possibility of their equipment not working properly, much to Vigilant Shield's chagrin, they were back at square one. Not that they were that far along to begin with, but it was a downer all the same. Therefore, motivation was hard to find.

Their investigation in the forest had borne some fruit, though, as they did find some transient hits here and there. But, after investigating those leads, they had to conclude that they were dead ends, no pun intended. So, unable to find anything conclusive, and with Vigilant Shield developing an almost unhealthy obsession in her attempts to relocate the spectral signature she first discovered, they had to agree, though Vigilant Shield did so only begrudgingly, that whatever it was she picked up on was long gone.

Charming Prism did relayed his team's finding to Rolling Stone, and vice versa. Sifting through the possible leads, and discussing new courses of action, they were given a new assignment.

After comparing their notes and findings, it became apparent that Rolling Stone's team was finding more and more possible leads, whereas Charming's team was not. And, through discussions and level headed thinking, their most logical conclusion was that the possible ghost Vigilant detected had just ventured out in the woods, before being scared off by her. And, taking into account the strange readings found in Ponyville, and the lack of any further findings in the woods, they concluded that the spectral entity they were looking for was most likely hiding in or near the village.

It was a long shot, but it was the best they had, for now. Rolling Stone and his team were planning on making a sweep of Danny Manson's house, as he was scheduled to be in Canterlot for the day, giving them ample opportunity to finally make a detailed scan of the human's immediate surroundings.

Of course, this also left Charming Prism's team with little to do, as their chosen location proved to be a cold spot, with little to no activity at all. Which resulted in another problem. Obviously, they first planned to join their fellow hunters in Ponyville. But, a group of that size would draw unwanted attention, and not only of the undead kind. Then there was the problem of scaring away the possible threat, sending it to some other village or city.

So, after having discussed this with Rolling Stone, it was decided that, in the interest of not scaring off any ghosts which might result in the haunting of some innocent soul, they were to return to Canterlot, and help out with the experts coming in from the Fenton Corporation.

Therefore, they got up bright and early, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and began to tear down their camp, putting their equipment back in whatever pack they came in. Which proved to be a more difficult task than initially thought, as their things didn't seem to fit inside the bags the same way as they came out. But finally, they were done and set to move to the train station, along with the cover story of a camping trip, should anypony ask.

Still, they couldn't help but feel that they had wasted their time, and the mood was a bit tense. Vigilant Shield, still sure about her find, but without any way to prove it as a result of this unusual interference, grumbled to herself. She knew she could clean up the signal with some more precise calibration, which she tried... a lot. But with no success, much to her chagrin. Especially when she was told Blue Ice was making good progress with her own set of scanners.

But she, along with the three other ponies in this team did as they were told to do, and she just hoped Blue Ice, second after her when it came to scanner expertise, wouldn't mess up. Still, she did get her bits, as part of the bet. So she had that going for her, which was nice.

Charming Prism, their assigned leader, looked around the broken down camp, making sure nothing was forgotten, as he stowed away the last of his equipment.

"Okay everypony" he called out when he saw that all of them were done. "Time to make one last sweep of the area. Make sure we haven't forgotten anything. Nothing too fancy, since if anything big was missing we'd know. Just make sure that this little 'camping trip' actually looks like one, and nothing remains that shouldn't remain."

"Yeah, yeah. We know the drill," Flash Lightning replied, and he set to work, followed a moment later by Vigilant Shield and Midnight Blossom.

Rolling his eyes over Flash Lightning's answer, Charming Prism joined them. And together they made sure nothing that could reveal that they were there for ghost hunting remained.

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

The day had well and truly started, and Sweetie Belle was finally finished with the reconstruction of her room, after a certain pink earth pony filly had decided that she was gonna wreck it.

Sighing tiredly, she looked around her cleaned room, feeling proud and satisfied with the result, when her sister called to her from the floor below, informing her that breakfast was ready.

Heeding the call, Sweetie Bellr opened the door, and moved down to the kitchen, partially lost in thought.

'Right, Rarity,' she mused as she saw her sister sitting at the dinner table, 'I'm pretty sure I'm still grounded, despite last night's party,' she pondered as she jumped up on one of the stools, and Rarity placed a plate with a sandwich in front of her, as well as a glass of orange juice. 'I doubt I can just walk out through the front door like that right now… Oh, wait. Invisibility, duhu,' she mentally face hooved, while taking a bite out of her sandwich, 'Still, I'm sure she would notice. Unless, of course, she's busy with her work...' Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up when a plan formed in her mind.

She wolfed down her sandwich like a starved pony, and downed her drink with large, audible gulps, much to the apparent horror of her older sister.

Swallowing the last of her food, Sweetie Belle burped loudly, making Rarity shudder, before scolding her.

"Sweetie Belle. That is no way for a lady to behave."

"Huh. Guess I'm not a lady, then," she said, pretending to be deep in thought as she rubbed her chin.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course you are."

"I am? Why?"

"Why, because I know you are," Rarity said with a proud voice, brushing her luxuriously curled mane out of her eyes, "I've certainly tried my hardest to see to it."

Sweetie Belle thought about that for a moment, "So, because you say so," and Rarity's expression fell flat.

"That's not what I said at a—" she tried to counter, but Sweetie Belle had other thoughts.

"So, I'm a lady because you say so," Sweetie Belle said slowly, looking at the crumbs on her plate, "But what if I don't want to be a lady?"

"What do you mean, dear? Of course you want to be."

"... Shouldn't it be my choice what I want to be?" she asked, looking up at Rarity, who found herself without a reply, "What if I want to be a farmer working in the mud, like Apple Bloom? Or be a stunt pony, like Scootaloo wants to be. Or, or…" she trailed off, remembering something a book told her.

'Either you embrace the gift given to you, learn to use it. Or you run away from it. But destiny will follow you everywhere, and the outcome will all depend on your choice.'

"... Or whatever I chose to be?" she concluded, looking up to meet her sister's wide, open eyes.

"Or something like that," Sweetie Belle said after a moment of silence, blinking a few times, "Oh well, thanks for breakfast, Rarity," she concluded as she jumped off of her stool, leaving the kitchen.

"... Sweetie…" Rarity said, surprised and shocked over her younger sister's sudden insightfulness, hearing the clopping of her hooves as she walked back up the stairs.

'Well, that was something. Where did that come from?' Sweetie Belle wondered as she set hoof on the second floor, looking at Rarity's atelier, 'I'll figure that out later… maybe. Right now, let's see what I can do to keep her busy.

Slowly and quietly she moved to the closed door, making sure she wouldn't give away she was going to her sister's atelier.

Carefully she opened the door, slipped inside, and closed the door until just a crack remained. Looking around, she saw many of her sister's new creations proudly displayed on the ponequins. Large, bold, and flashy creations that somehow managed to remain elegant, with as many colors as the rainbow, brought to life in a way only Rarity could, greeted her.

Light sparkled off of the many jewels sewn into the designs, reflecting in her own eyes as she looked at the wonders of fabric with amazement.

Yes, they were a sight to behold, but they weren't what she was looking for. As beautiful as they might be, they were now distracting her from her goal. A creation of her sister's that was anything but those dresses. Instead of the bright reds or blues, or any of the other colors that caught her attention, she was looking for something a bit more… dreary.

There, she saw the neatly folded bundle of black and white lying on a shelf, placed out of her reach. 'Or so Rarity thinks,' Sweetie Belle thought as she hovered up in the air, moving towards the shelf and grabbing the clothes. She then flew towards the empty table where she first saw this suit two days ago, splaying them out before her as she lowered herself to the ground.

Humming to herself, she studied the black and white suit, 'How did Rarity even come up with this? It looks so much like his ghost suit… if he really is Danny Phantom, that is.' she took a better look at the suit, the black shirt and pants, as well as the white belt and boots. 'But how do I keep her busy for the day, while I go to my friends?' she looked around the room as she thought, trying to find something that could help, 'She said she didn't know what to do with it. Maybe I can help her with that?' a smile grew on her face at the thought, and she moved to the storage closet in the back of the room.

Looking through the various things kept there, from rolls of fabric, to scissors, thread and needles, dyes, and even a box of chocolates Rarity believed her younger sister didn't know about, Sweetie Belle found what she was looking for.

Humming a happy tune, she reached out for a small bottle of white dye with her mouth, before she thought better of it.

Looking at the bottle with a determined gaze, nodding her head, she firmly planted her hooves on the floor, eyes narrowing in concentration.

A faint, light green aura flickered around the tip of her horn as she bared her teeth, focusing her magic on the small bottle. A slight growl escaped her as she jerked her head back and forth in an attempt to pull the bottle with her, but to no avail.

Grinding her hooves into the carpet, her eyes narrowed even further, and teeth grinded together as she forced out as much of her magic as she could. Her eyes glowed green in intense focus. Her horn sparked and pulsed. The faint magical aura suddenly bursting with energy as it encompassed her entire horn, and the bottle began to shake and rattle, followed moments later by the other bottles of dye.

Sweetie Belle's eyes shot open as she lost control of her magic, flinching from a sudden stabbing sensation in her brain, noticing something was very, very wrong.

The bottles shook and rattled as if they were possessed, moving around on the shelves, growing louder and more violently with each passing second.

"Sweetie Belle, what is going on?" Rarity called up, and Sweetie Belle heard her hoofsteps on the stairs.

Sweetie Belle listened in horror, 'Oh no no no. What is happening?' and she instinctively turned invisible in panic.

Nothing could be seen where she first was. She had vanished into thin air. Nothing of her remained in sight. Nothing, except a glowing green horn, pulsing with a mixed glow of light and dark green. A glow that continued to intensify and grow, and the bottles, jumping on their spot, were no longer able to withstand the force exerted on them, and they exploded in a burst of green, and the various colors they contained.

Sweetie Belle, looking on in horror, felt the dyes splatter all over her, showing her invisible form with various colorful splotches.

Falling to her rump, her power died down, and she faded back into view, right as the door opened, and Rarity stepped in. Who shrieked a split second later as she saw the damage.

"Sweetie Belle. What happened!?" Rarity said, horrified.

"It's not what it looks like," Sweetie Belle replied, holding up her red and blue hoof in a defensive manner, "Ehh… There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this?"

"For all of this…" Rarity said in disbelief, looking at her dresses, now with a mismatched color scheme. "... This," and the floor, now painful to look at. "... This," and the ceiling and walls, one wall with a distinct unicorn silhouette splattered across it. "... This," and the table, with Danny's gift lying on top of it, "... This disaster," she finally finished, staring down at her younger sister angrily.

Looking at her sister, Sweetie Bellr shrunk down into herself, "Eh hehehe… Or maybe not."

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, slowly, forcing herself to remain calm, "Go to your room. Now!"

Looking at her sister with large, apologetic eyes, her gaze slowly moved throughout the room, seeing the mess she'd made.

It was everywhere she looked, including her own fur. Slowly her gaze shifted back to Rarity, who was almost fuming, despite her best efforts to keep her composure.

"I'm sor—"

Rarity cut her off when she finally snapped, "SWEETIE BELLE. GO TO YOUR ROOM. NOW!" and Sweetie Belle scampered away, leaving behind a multicolored blur with her outline.

Rarity looked around with anger, disappointment, and tears brimming in her eyes, hearing the door of Sweetie Belle's room slam shut. Everywhere she looked, her hard work, ruined. The dresses she had worked so hard on, putting her heart and soul in each and everyone of them. She would have to redo them all. Not to mention the mess Sweetie Belle had made of the room itself, or the tracks she left as she hurried away. Red, blue and green hoof marks showed the path of her retreat, all the way to her room.

Huffing in irritation, Rarity then turned to the supply closet, taking in the damage. Obviously, the dyes were gone. And, taken with them, were all the spare rolls of fabric, no longer a single color. Closing her eyes to spare herself from the rest of the massacre, she turned away, taking in the room once more.

Her heart stopped when she saw what was lying on the table, only for it to start pumping twice as fast to make up for the lost time.

Slowly she moved to the table, denying what she was seeing, but unable to avert her gaze.

Silence fell, and she stood frozen on the spot as she saw the black and white suit she'd made for Danny. Still unfinished, now completely ruined.

Her horn sparked to life, and she levitated the suit in front of her as if Danny was wearing it, showing her all the dimensions, and the mess Sweetie Belle had made.

Fortunately, it would seem the worst of the mess managed to avoid her gift, but a large white splotch had stained the chest area, permanently ruining it…

'Although...' she mused, rotating the suit in various angles, eyes widening a bit, 'Could it be? Is that what was missing?'

She rushed to her drawing board, suit in tow, and brushed aside the designs for the dresses she knew she had to remake, but not paying them any attention right now.

Using her magic, she pulled a single sheet of paper from her desk's drawer, placing it on the board, flattening it.

Studying the design, and shifting her gaze to the splotch now on display on the chest area, she grabbed a pencil, and began to work. Minutes passed by as she went through idea after idea, none of them measuring up to her standards, and all of them rejected.

Letting out a huff in frustration, she took a step back and looked around the room once again.

'Well, it would seem I have my work cut out for me, she thought as she looked at the mess, the colors smeared around already starting to dry, and a sigh escaped her lips, 'Better not put this off any longer,' and she walked out of the room, placing the suit on the table, and returning several minutes later with a bucket filled with water and soap, a brush, while wearing a hazmat suit, glaring at the mess through the protective helmet.

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

A few moments earlier

Sweetie Belle scampered to her room, slamming the door shut behind her the moment she was inside, leaving many colorful spots and smears in her wake.

Sitting down with a saddened sigh, she looked at one of her legs, finding it dyed in a dark shade of blue.

"Well, that could have gone better," she muttered as she set her hoof down, "What happened? My magic isn't strong enough to do that," she continued as she stood up, moving to the desk in her room, "Was it my spirit power? The elder said my magic and ectoplasm were interfering with one another."

Grabbing her hoof held mirror from the desk, she looked at her own reflection, blinking dumbly as she saw herself, "Great, just great," and then the mirror phased through her hoof, falling on the floor, but not shattering, fortunately.

However, the mirror wasn't the only thing to phase through her, as she noticed the dyes staining her fur also fell to the ground.

"What the hay?!" she proclaimed as she jumped away from the sudden mess on the floor, "Did…" she gasped, "did that stuff just drop off of me, like going through me?" she wasn't sure, and she stood there, staring at the splotch of dye for several minutes, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened, both in Rarity's atelier, and just now. But the sound of her sister walking out of her work chamber brought her attention back to the here and now.

'Right, focus,' she reminded herself, and turned towards her window, 'I meant to keep Rarity busy, and I guess I succeeded. So, let's get out of here.' She opened the window with a push of her hoof, looking down at the street below, watching the ponies of Ponyville move about. It was still early, but not so much now that they were all sleeping on their day off.

"Well, there sure are a lot of ponies already up and about," she observed as she looked around, "Better not get seen, then," and she dropped down, out of sight.

Quickly grabbing the tiara from her desk, she turned invisible, and flew out of the window, sparing a moment to glance through the window of the atelier, seeing her sister busy cleaning up the mess she'd made, while in full protective gear. A pang of regret hitting her.

'Sorry, sis,' she mentally said, as she flew away towards Scootaloo's home.

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

Diamond Tiara was not happy, far from it. 'All I wanted to do was find some dirt to hold against that stupid Blank Flank, and break some of her things when I did so. But, thanks to that crazy pony, I was unable to complete my noble mission. Even worse. Now I also lost my tiara, and I know it has to be in that loser's room. THAT will not do,' she thought as she paced around her room, stomping her hooves, 'To know that my tiara is lying in that room, the room of a loser Blank Flank is truly disgusting.' she shuddered in disgust, 'The wondrous greatness of my tiara tainted by the ick from the filly that soiled that room.'

'I will need to get it back, of course. But how?' she wondered, looking outside through her window, 'Everypony is already awake right now, so there is no way I can just go back to the boutique and retrieve my tiara.' she knew she would be seen, and she would have to explain why she was there. That was something she wanted to avoid. Not just because she didn't want to answer anything that could turn negative for her, but she didn't want to be seen in a place where she lived.

'The only reason I would ever go to that place at all, would be to get a new dress.' she thought as she looked at the Carousel Boutique in the distance. But, not interested in interacting with Rarity either, and not wanting to run the risk of running into Sweetie Belle, she knew she couldn't go there. So, as this problem presented itself to her, she now faced yet another. Mainly, the lack of a tiara resting on her head. That would be difficult to explain as well. Especially if that Blank Flank had found her tiara, and would use it against her in some dumb way only a loser like her, or her friends, could come up with.

'That is, if she found it. Knowing her, she probably didn't even notice the mess in her room. That dumb pony.' Tiara chuckled over that, before sighing in annoyance, 'But I will need to find a way to get my tiara back, one way, or another. Maybe Silver Spoon can help?' she mused, and a devious grin began to form on her muzzle.

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

Scootaloo kicked and turned in her bed, trying desperately to return to the sweet embrace of sleep, and the awesome dream she was having about flying alongside Rainbow Dash. But she was rudely awoken when, all of a sudden, Sweetie Belle appeared out of nowhere, and blasted her out of the air.

Now though, as she was trying to return to that dream, sans Sweetie Belle, she was kept awake by a consistent, annoying tapping against her window. And, with a final groan of defeat, she rolled out of her bed and dragged herself over to the window to see who or what was making all that noise.

Pulling open the curtains, and being blinded by the sun's light as a result, she opened her window, and looked outside, seeing nopony there. Growling in irritation, she closed the window with a dark, sleepy look on her face- "Hi, Scootaloo," -when Sweetie Belle's voice suddenly came out of nowhere, making her yelp and jump in the air in fright, seeing her curtains rustle when an invisible body moved past them.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," Sweetie Belle said apologetically as she faded back into view, giving her friend a sheepish smile.

"Sweetie Belle, what are you doing here?" Scootaloo begun, when her tone dropped to a whisper, "Aren't you worried about those ghost hunters staying here?"

"Not really," Sweetie Belle answered, "I just saw them out in town when I flew over here, so no worries there."

"Okay. So what brings you here?" Scootaloo asked, yawning.

"This," she replied, and she showed her friend the tiara she'd found.

"Wait, is that…"

"I think so," Sweetie Belle confirmed the unfinished question, "I found it in my room, which was completely trashed."

"What!? You don't think that—"

"I do," Sweetie Belle said dead serious, cutting her friend off once more. "And I want to get back at her. But, I need to get a better grip on my powers," and she flinched a bit as she remembered what had happened with the dyes.

"Okay," Scootaloo replied, excitedly. No longer feeling sleepy. "What're we going to do?"

"Get Apple Bloom and we'll figure something out from there."

"So, we're not going to Wind Chill?" Scootaloo asked as she scratched her head, ruffling her mane into an even bigger mess than it already was.

"I'm not sure he would agree to it. Remember what he told you about getting even with Diamond Tiara?"

Scootaloo's eyes lit up as she recalled just that, "Oh, right. So, just wing it?" and she flapped a single wing in emphasis.

Nodding her head, Sweetie Belle held out a hoof to Scootaloo, "Pretty much, yes. Now, grab on, and I'll fly us out of here."

Looking at the hoof offered to her, Scootaloo bit her lower lip as she felt yet another pang of jealousy. But she fought it down, and she grabbed hold of her friend's extended limb. And the moment she did, she saw herself, along with Sweetie Belle, turn invisible, before she suddenly felt the strange sensation of lifting off of the ground without using her wings.

"This is so weird!" Scootaloo said, and Sweetie Belle giggled in agreement, before the two of them flew out of the open window, the curtains moving as they flew past.

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

Apple Bloom was pacing through her room, biting her lower lip as she was lost in thought.

Discovering just what Wind Chill had done to the barn her father had built weighed down on her more than she'd like to admit.

'But why?' she thought as she stopped on the spot. 'Why do I even care? It's not like I knew them, at all… kinda.'

Sighing, she looked longingly out of her bedroom window, unable to go outside. She was still grounded, as were her friends, she knew. And although her brother and sister were lenient about last night's festivities, she was still stuck in her room as part of her punishment.

Sighing, she walked to her window for the umpteenth time that morning, having been up and ready since the crack of dawn, and staring absentmindedly out over the many rows of apple trees. It was a wondrous sight for her, something that would never get old. The lush green leaves, and the ripe red and green apples. The sweet aroma coming off of them, filling the air all around. The strong trees themselves, standing tall and proud. The glowing green eyes staring at her from the other side of the glass….

'Wait! What!?'

With a yelp, Apple Bloom fell backwards, forelegs flailing in the air as she landed on her rump with a THUD. "What tha hay!" she exclaimed, staring at the glowing green orbs, seeing the amusement in them, while she heard two sets of laughter.

"Sweetie Belle?" she said, unsure, seeing the eyes nod, "Oh, ha ha. Very funny," she said, grumbling, getting back on her hooves and opening the window.

"Well, sorry. But we couldn't let such an opportunity go to waste," came the disembodied voice of Sweetie Belle.

"We?" Apple Bloom asked, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo faded back into view, "Ah, right."

Scootaloo dropped down to the floor, doing her best to contain her laughter as she faced her earth pony friend, "Pfhhh. You should've seen the look on your face," and she proceeded to imitate said look, much to the amusement of Sweetie Belle, and the annoyance of Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom, ignoring the faces Scootaloo made, turned to Sweetie Belle instead, "Right. So, what brings you two here?"

"This," Sweetie said, showing her the tiara she was holding, "I found this in my room last night, which was completely trashed."

"Is that…"

"Yes, yes it is," Scootaloo answered, an aggressive tone in her voice, "And now we're going to help Sweetie Belle get back at Diamond Tiara."

"And how're we gonna do that?" Apple Bloom asked, and Scootaloo started to reply, only to fall silent as she didn't have an answer.

"I don't know," Sweetie Belle answered for her, shrugging, "But it might be better to figure out how my powers work, before we try anything. Considering the thing that happened this morning."

"Wait, what happened?" Apple Bloom asked, her and Scootaloo's ears perking up in curiosity.

"I… I'm not sure. I tried to use my magic, to lift up a small bottle of my sister's dyes, when something strange happened," Sweetie Belle answered, finally dropping down on the ground herself.

"Strange, how?" Apple Bloom queried.

"Strange, as in a sudden burst of, I think both magic and ectoplasm, which blew everything up…"

Silence.

"... Really?" Scootaloo asked, sounding amazed.

"Really," Sweetie Belle confirmed, nodding her head, "The elder did say my magic was interfering with my ectoplasm, so, I don't know, maybe it works both ways and that was my ectoplasm interfering with my magic, or something?"

"Maybe Wind Chill knows," Apple Bloom offered.

"Maybe," Sweetie Belle replied.

"Well, come on then," Apple Bloom started enthusiastically, "let's get going," and she headed for the open window, before noticing her friends didn't follow.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, seeing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo share an uneasy glance.

"Well, you see," Sweetie Belle started, "The thing is... We kinda wanted to get back at Diamond Tiara, but… remember what Wind Chill said to Scootaloo about that?" she asked, and Apple Bloom nodded in confirmation, "Well, I kinda want to avoid that right now, so let's just do this on our own, for now. Okay?"

"Uh… okay?" Apple Bloom replied, shrugging, "So, where do we start?" she asked, receiving a shrug in response.

"We're just going to wing it," Scootaloo answered, flapping a single wing

Apple Bloom stood silent for a moment as she processed that, "... Meh, that'll work, Ah guess," before shrugging and going along with the plan.

"Great," Sweetie Belle proclaimed happily, "So, ready to go?" she asked, receiving two confirming nods from her friends, "Kay, here we go," and she floated up, grabbed her friends by a foreleg, turned invisible, and flew out through the window; hearing the bell of the town's clock ring, signaling it was nine o'clock.

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

"Diamond, how wonderful to see you again," Tarnished Silver said as Diamond Tiara was let in the house by the maid, noticing something off with the filly.

"Good day, mister Silver," Diamond Tiara said with an honest smile reserved only for those ponies she'd deemed worthy, "Can I see Silver Spoon?"

"Of course, dear. Of course. She'll be glad to see her friend again. And, if you don't mind me asking. What happened to your tiara? You did seem overly fond of it."

Diamond Tiara's face tensed for a moment, the corners of her mouth dipping just a bit, before she replaced it with a fake smile, "Oh, it is getting cleaned right now. It was supposed to be done by now but, well, you know. Good help is hard to find."

"Indeed it is," Tarnished Silver agreed with a nod.

"But I don't want to take up any more of your time. So I'll go see Silver Spoon now, okay?"

"Of course, go right ahead. She's in her room, resting. She still has a bad headache, but I'm sure seeing her friend will make her feel much better."

"Oh, I'm sure it will," Diamond Tiara replied, turning away so he couldn't see her face, a shadow falling over her eyes, "I'm sure it will."

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

"So, you're up for some revenge on those losers?"

"Does Celestia raise the sun?"

"Excellent," Diamond Tiara proclaimed, rubbing her hooves together.

Silver Spoon, despite what her father had just said, was doing anything but resting. She, after having laid in bed for a couple of days now, was feeling almost as good as new, save for a dull, irritating ache still going through her head every now and then. Otherwise, she was fully up and about. Ready to get back at those who were responsible for her 'accident'. So, after Diamond Tiara had explained her plan to her, she was more than ready to get even.

"Good. Now, here's what we're going to do."

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

Sweetie Belle, after having placed Diamond Tiara's tiara inside their clubhouse, paced around the tree, murmuring to herself, while her friends were busy gathering various objects from their questionable collection of crusading supplies. Now though, they had other plans for them.

Sweetie Belle's explanation of what had happened earlier that morning had inspired Scootaloo, (no surprise there), to set up a shooting gallery for her to try and recreate whatever it was she'd done in the boutique.

Sighing, Sweetie Belle looked at the small set-up her friends had made, not sure if she should be happy with it.

'Okay, I know they are trying to help, and such. But whatever it was that happened, it did kind of hurt. I'm not sure I want to retry that.' But she didn't say that out loud, and Scootaloo zipped up and down the ramp, placing everything she could find, and which they didn't need anymore, in a row on the ground. The ground which was still damaged and torn up from the fight Wind Chill had with the beku terwelu.

Looking around to assess the damage done around here, in such a short time as well, Sweetie Belle began to second guess the plan to retry her accident around here.

'Surely the trees are blackened enough? And aren't there enough craters in the ground?' she wondered, but she knew that any objection wouldn't be heard, and that the sooner she tried this, the sooner it would be over. Besides, it was mostly her idea to continue her spirit training, without any help from Wind Chill or Frostbite. 'But I do wonder who is in charge of this?' she pondered, seeing her friends running up and down the ramp. Scootaloo with a rather large grin.

A feeling of nervousness settled down in her gut as she looked at the row of various items no longer of any use to them. Like the hoof held mirror, which she accidentally broke a few days ago, standing upright, with the handle stuck in the ground. Or a couple of flower pots, a torn parachute, that one ring to rule them all, a broken bow with a single arrow, a straight jacket, which taught them the hard way that they were no escape artists, and resulted in a very, very awkward meeting with their sisters. And several other items they had no use for, save target practice, as it would turn out.

"Okay, that's it," Scootaloo called out as she placed a kegelcizer among the row of other objects, "Let's see what you can do," and she quickly retreated to a safe distance, behind Sweetie Belle, standing next to Apple Bloom.

"Ya sure this is a good idea?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly, as she looked around the damaged area.

"Sure," Scootaloo answered confidently, "What's the worst that can happen?"

"... Ah'm not even going ta respond ta that," Apple Bloom said, shaking her head a bit.

"Uhh… You just did," Scootaloo told her.

"You know what Ah mean," Apple Bloom replied, rolling her eyes, "Anyhow. Ya ready, Sweetie Belle?"

Looking at the various items placed in front of her, Sweetie Belle nodded weakly, "I guess," and she began to struggle to light up her horn with her magic, managing to produce a faint, light green glow at the tip of her horn.

Her hooves dug into the upturned soil, bracing herself as she lowered her stance, forcing herself to give as much as she could, and a few stray sparks shot from her horn.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself even further, trying to get some result, and her eyes began to glow a faint green.

"Come on, Sweetie Bell. You can do it!" Apple Bloom cheered her on, while Scootaloo gave a few encouraging shouts of excitement as she saw her friend's horn suddenly become enveloped by a mixture of light and dark green light.

Sweetie Belle, however, didn't hear them. Eyes glowing green, showing no pupil, and a stab of pain going through her brain, she found herself losing control once more, and a massive burst of energy shot from her horn, hitting the various objects, and destroying several of them, while she herself was flung backwards from the force, crashing into her friends, horn smoking and sparking with both shades of energy.

"Ooww," Apple Bloom groaned, "What happened?" she asked as she pushed herself back up, seeing Scootaloo do the same.

"I don't know?" Scootaloo replied, "Ask Sweetie Belle," and the two of them turned to their spirit friend, only to see her still lying on the ground, holding her head in her hooves and moaning in pain, while her hind legs had turned into an intangible tail, twitching in response to the stabs that shot through her brain.

"Sweetie Belle!" they both shouted, and hurried to help their friend upright.

However, when Apple Bloom reached out for her friend, she found herself grasping through her. A problem that Scootaloo didn't seem to have.

Looking at her hoof in disbelief, then at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom looked at both her friends in confusion, and concern for Sweetie Belle. Yet, one thing did stick out to her, something that didn't make any sense, "What tha… How're you able ta touch her?" she asked, trying to grab hold of her struggling friend once more, and getting the same result as her hoof passed cleanly through her, "Seriously, how are ya touching her!?" she asked, shocked and confused, looking at her orange friend with wide eyes.

"How should I know? And shouldn't we worry about Sweetie Belle right now?" Scootaloo replied, holding her downed friend in her legs.

Apple Bloom nodded, a guilty look on her face, "Right, but what should we do?" she asked, "Ah mean, Ah can't touch her," she stated, and reached out a hoof to prove this point, only to be met with resistance, "Or maybe Ah can?... What's going on?"

"No idea," came the pained response from Sweetie Belle, "But I am not doing that again," and she, slowly, pushed herself back upright, hind legs turning back to normal, and she stood unsteadily on her legs as she carefully rubbed her horn, a lone spark of light green energy shooting from it.

"Sweetie Belle!" came the relieved shout from her friends, causing her to flinch from the sudden assault on her ears, "Are ya alright?" Apple Bloom asked.

Carefully prodding her horn, while still standing on three slightly shaking legs, "I- I guess," she carefully nodded her head, setting her hoof down on the ground, "But I think I have done enough training for today..." Another spark shot from her horn, dark green this time, and her right hind hoof faded through the ground, "or the entire week," she added, pulling her hoof back up, looking at it doubtfully.

"Ya sure yer alright?" Apple Bloom asked, not really convinced her friend was a hundred percent after what had happened, "Ya did get blasted pretty bad jus' now."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle replied, trying to sound confident but feeling herself shaking from the inside, painful stabs still going through her brain. "More or less."

"Meh, good enough for me," Scootaloo quipped, "So, what should we do now?"

Apple Bloom, still looking at her unicorn friend with concern, came up with the answer, "Well, we still need ta figure out what those ponies staying at yer place are up ta, and get some of their ghost thingies away from 'em."

"Oh yeah," Scootaloo said in realization, "I kinda forgot about that."

"So, back to town then?" Sweetie Belle queried, rubbing a hoof over her left eye.

"Unless you want to continue with this?" Scootaloo replied, waving a hoof over the area, and the still smoldering remains of the objects Sweetie Belle had hit. Seeing that, unsurprisingly, that weird ring was still intact.

"NO!" Sweetie Belle practically shouted, before continuing in a normal tone of voice, hoof still held over her eye, "No, I do not. Let's just go back to town and see what those ponies are up to."

"Okay," Apple Bloom replied, shrugging, and she and Scootaloo started to walk away. Sweetie Belle, however, rubbed her eye one more time, trying to get rid of an annoying itch, before dropping her hoof and following her friends. None of them noticed her left eye was glowing a toxic green, whereas her right eye was not.

And, something else they didn't notice was the ring, still lying on the ground, when an eagle swooped in, grabbed the golden object with a strange script on its side in his beak, and flew off to Mount Hodor, never to be seen again.

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

"So, where are we going?" Silver Spoon asked as she followed Diamond Tiara out of Ponyville, and towards Sweet Apple Acres.

"To those stupid Blank Flanks' dumb treehouse. I followed them some time ago," Diamond Tiara said, before adding in a murmur that Silver Spoon didn't hear, "I think."

"But how will that help us get back your tiara? Or get back at those idiots?"

"Because we need to keep them busy, so we can get my tiara back without any of those losers accidentally walking in on us. Besides, they think they can get away with opposing us, and hurting you. So maybe it is time to remind them who's really in charge," Diamond Tiara said coldly, an evil grin on her muzzle, "So, we're going to tear down that pile of firewood. And while they are busy sifting through what remains, we'll go and get my tiara back. That will show them who they're dealing with."

"Yeah," Silver Spoon agreed, anger burning in her eyes, "We'll teach them not to mess with us."

"That's the spirit," Diamond Tiara agreed, when her ears perked up as she heard multiple hoofsteps on the path ahead. And, not wanting to be seen by anypony so they could deny ever being near the orchard should anypony ask, they quickly jumped in a nearby bush to hide. Much to their mutual annoyance, as their perfectly combed and styled manes and tails got disheveled and all tangled up.

'Oh well,' Diamond Tiara thought, 'We all need to make sacrifices. We, our manes,' and she watched the three fillies who had invoked her wrath walk by. And they, their stupid tree house.'

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

Together they walked back to Ponyville, Apple Bloom in the back, Scootaloo in front. And Sweetie Belle, with her eyes normal as far as anypony could tell, walked in the middle. A suggestion of Apple Bloom, so she could keep an eye on her friend.

After all, after what had just happened, things might just get worse. It was something they all knew well, as, in their quest to earn their Cutie Marks, they had experienced such things over and over again. Though nothing that involved ghosts, or spirits, until recently.

Sweetie Belle, as well, was unsure about what happened, and what it would mean for her in the future. Her powers, until today, never caused her any pain. At least not directly. Sure, she may have landed, or, well, crashed in her attempts to master her flying ability. But that was pain coming from the unfortunate close encounter with good old terra firma. Now though… Her powers may turn out to be more trouble than she first believed them to be. And, speaking of spirit trouble. She still felt an irritating stab in her brain every now and then.

Still, she ignored it as she looked into the distance at the town they were slowly walking to. Huffing a bit, she came to a stop, looking around to see if anypony else was there, other than her friends. But her sudden stop took Apple Bloom by surprise who bumped into her rear, but, fortunately, not toppled them over.

"Hey, what gives?" Apple Bloom called out, taking a step away from her friend, while Scootaloo turned to see what was happening.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Sweetie Belle replied, ignoring another stab going through her brain, "I just thought… Maybe I could fly us back to town. You know, since it's much faster, and we could spot those ponies from the air.

"Ya sure?" Apple Bloom asked, while Scootaloo responded with an eager, "Okay."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Sweetie Belle responded, nodding at her earth pony friend, "I think I got the flying thing figured out. After all, I did show up at your place with Scootaloo with me."

"Okay… If yer sure," Apple Bloom replied hesitantly, and Sweetie Belle levitated up as she held out her front hooves for them to hold on to. Scootaloo, eager to experience the thrill of flight again, grabbed hold of one of the offered hooves as if her life depended on it. Apple Bloom, a bit more hesitant, reached out for the other.

With a flash of green in her eyes, Sweetie Belle flew up with her friends, while also turning invisible. Then, turning towards the town, she began her flight.

All seemed well, for maybe a quarter of a second, when yet another stab shot through Sweetie Belle's brain, and the three of them suddenly found themselves veering off course, fading back into view, and heading straight towards a small group of tall pine trees.

Pine trees covered with tree sap.

Lots and lots of tree sap.

"Uh, Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom called out fearful, "Mind headin' some other way?"

"I… I can't control it!" Sweetie Belle shouted, terrified.

"Move left! Move left!" Scootaloo shouted, while three sets of eyes grew wide in horror as the trees came closer and closer still. Then, with a loud thud, the three of them found themselves in a real sticky situation.

There they hung, covered in tree sap, attached to the tree that produced it. Apple Bloom, with her mane sticking to her face, hung upside down at the end of a branch with her hind legs, while her right foreleg was firmly stuck to her side. Her left leg, fortunately, was still free, and hung uselessly down, while a large glob of the sticky substance slowly seeped down the limb, collecting at the tip of her hoof in a sticky ball, before falling down.

Scootaloo was stuck to the trunk of the tree with her legs splayed wide as if she was hugging it, completely covered by the sticky substance, immobilizing her while she looked around with her right, and only unstuck, eye. Her tail, whipped up in the crash, was now tangled and glued to her mane, which itself was clinging to one side of her face. And all she could do was watch Sweetie Belle, seeing her head stuck in a hole in the tree.

Said filly's front legs pushed against the trunk to free herself, while her hind legs kicked feebly in the air, searching for leverage. And all the while, more and more tree sap slowly seeped over her, trapping her in her precarious position.

"Scootaloo, can ya move?" Apple Bloom asked, her only free leg useless as it would immediately stick to anything it touched.

"No, you?" came the muffled response, as Scootaloo couldn't fully open her mouth with it firmly pressed against the tree's trunk.

"No," Apple Bloom replied, then turned to her other friend, "Sweetie Belle?"

"Mmmpff, mphf mmff."

"I think that means no," Scootaloo muttered, before staring up in horror as she noticed a large glob of the sticky substance moving for her face.

"Great," Apple Bloom said, her tone of voice making it clear that it was anything but, "So, now what?"

Her answer came in the form of a flash of green light, as Sweetie Belle blasted herself free by channeling her ectoplasm through her horn. A small explosion, along with the distinct smell of burnt wood and splinters assaulted both her and Scootaloo, neither of whom were in any position to dodge the charred projectiles.

"Well, that worked," Sweetie Belle said, tilting her head to the side, and knocking splinters and dust out of her ear, all of which promptly stuck to her lower body, which was coated with tree sap. Then, looking down at her trapped and sticky friends, she lowered herself in reach of Apple Bloom, "Hold on, you guys. I'll get you out of there."

"Pfurry!" came Scootaloo's muffled cry, half her face and mouth now covered by tree sap.

Nodding her head, Sweetie Belle assessed the situation. Apple Bloom seemed to be in the least difficult situation. Upside down, and covered by sap, yes. But otherwise fine. Scootaloo, however, needed immediate help as the sap was slowly covering her face and nose. So, wasting no time, Sweetie Belle rushed to the imperiled pegasus, grabbing her by the sides, and flying backwards, pulling with all her might to free her friend.

A wet schliking sound came from the thoroughly coated filly as she was pulled away, mid section first, with her legs and head still sticking to the tree. Large, thick strands of the sap stretched between her and the tree. Then, with another pull, her head and legs pulled free, and the two of them were launched away a bit from the sudden force.

"You okay?" Sweetie Belle asked her friend, who now hung underneath her, held in her hooves, and firmly attached to said hooves thanks to the tree sap gluing them together.

"Yeah… Kinda… Not really," Scootaloo replied, spitting several times to clear her mouth, "Let's just get Apple Bloom."

"Kay," Sweetie Belle replied as she flew over to the stuck earth pony. "Just hang in there."

"Like Ah've got a choice," Apple Bloom deadpanned.

"Right, sorry," Sweetie Belle said, smiling awkwardly as she got in position, "Scootaloo, grab ahold of Apple Bloom. I'll pull her free."

"You've got it," Scootaloo responded, and grabbed Apple Bloom's only free hoof. "Now, pull!"

Sweetie Belle flew back slow and steady, slowly applying force so she wouldn't accidentally pull herself free from Scootaloo and drop both of them. But the more she tried, the more it became clear that freeing Apple Bloom would not be as easy as it was with Scootaloo.

The more force she applied, the more the branch she was stuck to began to bend, moving with her.

"Pull harder!" Apple Bloom shouted, "Harder!"

"You heard what she said," Scootaloo called out, "Harder!" and Sweetie Belle did just that.

She applied more and more force, pulling her friends, as well as the branch with her. But something had to give, and it wasn't the tree branch.

Finally at its limit, it didn't budge any more, while tension kept building.

Sweetie Belle, straining herself with all she had, felt her strength waver, and knew they were doomed a split second before everything went terribly wrong.

With a mighty whiplash, the branch flung them away with enough force to break the hold the tree sap had over Apple Bloom.

All three of them were flung towards Ponyville, screaming as they went, drawing unwanted attention as they tumbled through the air.

Sweetie Belle, acting in pure reflex, turned invisible. And, because she was still stuck to Scootaloo, who herself was still stuck to Apple Bloom, they, too, faded from view with her.

Invisible, they soared, heading straight for the cafe where they celebrated Danny's birthday the night before.

Seeing this, Sweetie Belle acted immediately, not feeling any desire to smash against the wall.

Eyes glowing, she tried to fly up and over the building. But another sudden stabbing pain shooting through her mind broke her concentration, and they flew straight and true at the wall, only to phase cleanly through it. But, once inside, they turned solid again, and they bounced off of everything found inside. The tables, chairs, walls, floor, bar, glass cabinet, and everything else that had the misfortune to be in their ballistic path, leaving behind a trail of destruction and tree sap.

Finally the trio came to a stop by slamming into the ceiling, hanging limply in thick strands of the sticky stuff. Except for Scootaloo, who had managed to end up hanging from a ceiling fan, slowly circling around without control.

"Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said weakly.

"Yeah," came the equally weak reply.

"Let's not do that again."

"Yeah," Scootaloo murmured in agreement, starting to get a bit dizzy.

They hung there, limply, for a little while longer. When, with the sound of a lock being unlocked, the cafe's front door opened. And, standing in the open portal, was the slack-jawed owner, Quick Grill.

"Ehh… Hi," Sweetie Belle said awkwardly, giving the stallion a sheepish smile as he stood frozen on the spot.

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

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were still sitting in the bush, unmoving, their mouths open wide, their jaws having fallen through the ground itself from the mere shock of what they had just witnessed.

Minutes passed by, with the only sound coming from the wind, and the tumbleweed that bounced by their hiding spot. But eventually, Silver Spoon managed to pick up her jaw, and she slowly turned to Diamond Tiara.

In a small voice she said: "Maybe I should go back to bed, after all. Because I think I am seeing things."

"Uh-huh," came the dumb response from Diamond Tiara, who was having a hard time processing what she had just seen.

"I mean, there is no way that… that… that that loser did that, right? There is no way!"

"Uh-huh."

Silence

"... What the hay is going on?" Silver Spoon eventually said, looking towards the village the crusaders had shot off to, "How did she—" she began, stuttering, when Diamond Tiara cut her off, having finally found her voice.

"I… I don't know. They- She's a loser Blank Flank who can't do anything… She can't do anything." she said in a low voice, more to herself, unable to believe what she saw Sweetie Belle do, "She.. We.. they…" she mumbled, her mind short circuiting again.

"Should… Should we follow them?" Silver Spoon proposed, receiving a weak nod from her friend. And together they stumbled out of their hiding place, desperately wanting to make sense of things as they made their way back to town, not speaking another word.

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

A few moment earlier

Quick Grill hummed to himself as he walked to his fine establishment, ready to start the day and provide food for the masses.

Of course, today being a Sunday, he would open up later than during the rest of the week. This was to give his hard working employees who worked the weekend shift some extra time to drag themselves out of bed.

He would have liked it if he could take some time off every now and then, but it was hard to find somepony who could prepare the many dishes on the menu as well as he did, and who he trusted enough to be in charge of the eatery he worked so hard to build.

So, unlike his employees, he couldn't afford the luxury to just stay in bed and doze off for hours on end. Although, there were those days where he wished he could. And today would prove to be just such a day.

It started with with a familiar, and quite terrifying scream. Easily recognizable as being from three particular fillies. And widely known to be a signal of one disaster, or another. He, like many other ponies, heard the loud, fearful scream coming from overhead, which was odd, but not impossible, knowing those three. What was strange, however, was that nopony was able to find them, despite the loud and clear cry for help.

The second sign he got that trouble was lurking just around the corner, or behind the door of his cafe in this case, was the sudden and loud crashing noises coming from within.

He visibly flinched each time he heard glass breaking, or wood snapping. Or when the loud thumps came from the walls, and the distinct sound of tables falling over. And let's not forget the cacophony when, by his educated guess, the glass cabinet fell over.

He rushed over to his prized cafe, fearing the worst. But as he came to a screeching stop in front of the door, he found himself unable to bring himself to actually open the door. For a moment he stood there, hoof reaching out for the door knob, his leg trembling in fright for what he might find.

Muffled voices came from inside, and they finally snapped him out of his stupor.

Grabbing the key hanging around his neck, he unlocked the door, and swung it open. He immediately wished he hadn't

Everywhere he looked he saw destruction. Tables and stools lay scattered across the floor, up turned and even broken in some cases. The glass cabinet in the back, in which he kept all the drinking glasses, had tipped over, shattering everything inside, and spilling the broken contents out on the floor like a glimmering pool of crystalline blood. Looking further, he noticed a suspicious trail of some sticky goop staining the walls, floor, ceiling and, and, Sweet Celestia! Even his grill!

"Ehh… Hi."

A guilty voice drew his attention, and slowly, reluctant to look at those he knew were responsible, he turned his head to the source of the voice.

Seeing the terror of Ponyville hanging from the ceiling, and in one case the ceiling fan, lazily circling around, all he could do was stare, mouth hanging open, unable to move.

Ruby joined the scene a moment later.

No sound came from her either.

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

Ruby rushed through town, heading for Danny's.

She knew he was going to Canterlot today with Twilight Sparkle, which she had picked up on during the party. And, knowing this, she took no pleasure in what she had to do now.

After arriving at the cafe, intending on working half a shift as she was covering for one of her colleagues and friend, she could only stare in shock at the carnage brought down on the place.

How those three had managed, she just couldn't figure out, nor did she want to know. The less she knew, the better. But, still, Danny would have to be informed about what had happened, even though she didn't even know herself what had occurred.

'I'm sorry, Danny. But I'm about to ruin your day,' she thought, also hoping he hadn't already left. But, as it would seem, she was in luck and found her biped coworker. Except the situation he found himself in left her speechless for a second time that day, in very short succession.

Danny Manson, held upside down within the magical grasp of Twilight Sparkle, looking around in annoyance with his arms crossed.

"Danny?" she said, confused, as she came to a stop, looking at the upside down floating human.

"Hey, Ruby. How's it hanging?" he joked, and Twilight cut her magic, rolling her eyes.

Landing on his face, Danny let out a groan as he pulled himself up, glaring for a moment at the coy looking purple pony, before turning to his colleague.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I've been hit worse," he told her, "So, what brings you here? If my groggy memory serves me well, and I'm not sure it does, then shouldn't you have half a shift back at the cafe today?" he asked, and Ruby let out an annoyed sigh.

"Yes, unfortunately," she groaned.

"Is something wrong?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, unfortunately," Ruby groaned again, "And Danny needs to come with me," she told the both of them, before adding a quick, "Sorry," to Danny.

"What, why?" Danny asked, and Ruby noticed Twilight's eye starting to twitch.

"Just… Just come with me. You'll see," Ruby sighed out, hoof pressed against her face.

"Ehh, can it wait? You know I have the day off today, and I did have plans," he told her, giving a nod to Twilight standing by his side.

"I doubt it will take all that long, but you really should come," Ruby told him again, urgently.

"Ehh, I guess?" he muttered, and turned to Twilight.

"Just go," the aforementioned mare said, with a strained tone, "The train will not arrive for another ten minutes and thirty-five seconds, so there is still a little bit of time. I will go ahead and buy you a ticket, while you do… whatever. Okay?"

'Wait. She actually knows when… No, just leave it. You have enough to worry about right now,' Ruby thought, sighing quietly.

"Okay!" Danny replied gratefully, "Thanks, Twilight. You're the best," and he hurried away with Ruby, heading towards the cafe. Leaving behind Twilight, with a forced smile and twitching eye.

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

"Okay, what's the trouble?" Danny's voice resonated through the door, making the fillies' ears perk up in response.

"Just… Just see for yourself," they heard Quick Grill mutter, sharing an uneasy look with one another.

"Sweetie Belle, maybe we should go now," Apple Bloom said nervously, struggling a bit within her sticky bonds.

"I- I can't get out of this stuff," Sweetie Belle replied, also struggling to escape the sap's diabolical clutches. But they stopped moving as they heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming to a stop in front of the door. Except for Scootaloo, who was still slowly circling around on the ceiling fan.

The door slowly opened with a drawn-out creak, revealing the tall form of Danny Manson, who looked inside with wide, surprised eyes, frozen on the spot.

"Hi, Danny" Sweetie Belle said sheepishly, giving a small wave with her right front leg, which was the least constricted.

Danny, unable to comprehend what he was seeing, could only blink dumbly at the sight.

Slowly backing away, he turned around, and looked down at Ruby who stood a few steps away from him.

"... I see," he muttered dumbly.

"I know," she nodded, sighing, "We all know."

"So… now what?" he asked after a short pause, scratching the back of his head.

"I'll tell you 'what'," Quick Grill muttered darkly, "You get those, those… demons down from there, while I go and find their families; let them deal with them," and he stomped away, glaring daggers at the ground, while muttering to himself.

"Well, okay, I guess," Danny muttered, looking at the distant clock tower for the time.

"Why don't you get started with them," Ruby told him, nodding her head at the building, indicating the fillies still hanging from the ceiling, "And I'll coordinate them on the cleanup," she told him, now giving a single nod to the few part time workers standing near them.

Sighing, Danny shrugged his shoulders, giving a faint nod in acknowledgement, and stepped back inside.

"Well, better get this over with," he muttered irritably, seeing the fillies giving him a guilty and ashamed look, as he stepped towards the closest of the three.

"Alright, Scootaloo. Let's get you down from there," he said, grabbing one of the many strands of, whatever it was, intending to break her free from it. However, as he took hold of the dark amber string, he found his hand stuck tight to the stuff.

"What the?! What is this stuff?"

"Tree sap," Scootaloo answered, annoyed, "Lots and lots of tree sap."

Grunting, before sighing again, Danny looked around to see if anyone was watching him, including Scootaloo and her two friends.

Noticing he was within Apple Bloom's field of view, he turned to put his back to her, keeping his hands out of sight.

'Okay, let's get this over with,' he thought, and turned his hand intangible, freeing himself from the sticky hold the tree sap had over him.

A sudden flash of golden light took him by surprise, and he turned around to see Sweetie Belle look in surprise at her horn.

"What was that?" he asked, and she looked at Danny.

"Ehh, I don't know?" she answered, and Danny gave her an intense stare, "Ehh… Maybe it was the sun reflecting off of something," she said, glancing away at the various shards of glass, some of them reflecting the light of the sun shining through the windows.

"Hmm, alright," Danny muttered, turning back to Scootaloo, making sure none could see what he was about to do.

Placing a hand on Scootaloo's back, he pushed down to give the impression that he was applying force to break her free, while, instead, he used his other hand to make the strands of tree sap intangible, taking care to make sure he only turned those intangible.

One by one, he 'broke' the strands that trapped Scootaloo, freeing her.

"Go stand in that corner, and be quiet," he said, probably sounding a bit more angry than he intended, as moved to Apple Bloom. He turned to look at a nearby window, however, when he heard a noise. But seeing nothing, he shrugged and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Scootaloo, giving a faint nod, scurried away, and Danny focused his attention on the yellow filly, repeating the same process with her as he did with Scootaloo, keeping a close eye on anyone that might see him, or what he was doing. Still, even if no one saw exactly what he did, it did drew some attention. Mainly, from Scootaloo, who knew all too well just how sticky that tree sap could be.

"Hey. How did you get rid of that stuff so easily?" she asked, noticing the surprising lack of sap stuck in both her and Apple Bloom's fur.

"I have my ways," Danny answered vaguely, and motioned for Apple Bloom to join her friend while he focused on the remaining filly hanging from the ceiling, "And now to deal with you," he muttered, when a loud scream came from outside, at the back of the cafe. "What the… What is going on out there?" he asked.

"Hold on, I'll look," one of the part time ponies said from outside.

"What the hell is going on around here today?" he muttered to himself as he placed his hand on the young unicorn filly's back, and he felt her tensing up. As, unbeknownst to him, Sweetie Belle suffered through another stab through her brain.

Not knowing any of this, Danny continued with his efforts to free the filly, removing the strands of sap while pushing her down. And, as the last of the strands 'broke', Sweetie Belle dropped to the ground, one of her hooves phasing through the floor, causing her to trip and get a close up look of the woodwork. And, much to the surprise of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, a puff of cold air escaped Danny's mouth.

Danny stared at the small cloud of cold air with large, shocked eyes. Shooting a worried glance at the two remaining fillies, worried they might have seen something, he saw they were looking outside, watching the ponies working there.

Quietly sighing, glad they hadn't seen anything, and not sure what or who could have set off his ghost sense, nor wanting to find out, he focused his attention on Sweetie Belle, who was picking herself up.

"Are you alright?" he asked, kneeling down to help her up.

"Yeah, sure," she answered, shaking her head and glancing at her friends.

"Good. Now, you three stay here," he told them as he stepped back outside, Seeing Ruby assigning some of the part-time workers to the various clean up tasks, "Hey, Ruby!" he called out to her, "I got those three down, and they're waiting inside."

"What, you got them down already?" she said, surprised, before shaking her head to clear her thoughts, and looking back at Danny, "Okay, well, that makes things a bit easier, I guess. Just need to wait for Grill to come back with those three's families."

"Need any more help in the mean time?" Danny asked.

"That won't be necessary," a gruff voice cut in, and Quick Grill returned to the scene, alone.

"Grill?" Ruby asked, confused, "Didn't you go and get their families?"

Sighing, Quick Grill dragged a hoof over his face, muttering a bit to himself before giving a sideways look at the trio peeking around the corner of the door. "Just… I can't believe I am about to say this but… Just let them go."

"What!?" all present shouted, giving him various strange and confused looks.

"Grill, are you sure?" Ruby asked hesitantly, taking a step towards him.

"As strange as it sounds. Yes. They're lucky, don't know why, but they are," he muttered, before turning to Danny, "Now, you, don't you have a train to catch?"

"Uh, yeah, right. I do," Danny replied, looking at the town's clock to see what time it was.

"Then get going, and don't worry about work tomorrow. It's going to take a while to get this place back in shape," he told him, and Danny hurried away.

"Have fun," Ruby called after him, showing a small smile, which fell a moment later "I know I will," she added sarcastically.

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

Several minutes earlier.

Quick Grill was moving through town, muttering angrily to himself while a dark cloud hung over his head.

Figuratively speaking, of course. It was far too early for Rainbow Dash to be out pranking.

'Of all the things those three have done, this has to be THE worst thing ever!' stopping for a moment, he looked around where he was going, and let loose an angry grunt as he headed for Carousel Boutique. 'Now I'm forced to close the place to clean up their mess.' He harrumphed. 'This has been going on for far too long. No, I'll tell those sisters of theirs exactly what's on my mind about th—'

His train of thought was suddenly interrupted as he felt his mind go blank, a thick fog settling over his conscious mind, and he froze on the spot. Ponies walked past him, paying him no mind as they went on with their day.

However, if Quick Grill hadn't been looking down they might have seen his eyes glowing a bright green. Or, if they listened carefully enough, they could have heard him quietly mumble to himself, before shaking his head, looking around in confusion while blinking dumbly, then turn around and head back to the cafe.

Shaking his head several times on his way back as if to clear his thoughts, a confused frown showed on his face.

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

Several minutes earlier, again.

"Okay, what's the trouble?" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon heard the human, whose name they hadn't bothered to learn as he was far too unimportant, say as they peeked at the scene unfolding near the town's cafe. Hiding in the shadow of one of the many alleys, quietly watching while trying to figure out what had just happened, both here and with Sweetie Belle's sudden flight.

A gruff voice answered the human's question, coming from a pony neither of them knew, "Just… Just see for yourself," he said, and the human gave him a wary look, before hesitantly moving for the door.

A long, drawn out creak could be heard even from where they were, and, for a split second, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were able to see Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle hanging in thick strands of some kind of amber goop. But this didn't really provide any answers for them. Instead, it only raised more questions.

How did they get in there, while they were shooting away towards town? They didn't see any holes in the windows or walls. Although, on closer inspection, there were several broken windows here and there, but nothing large enough for the ponies to have gone through.

"What the hay is going on?" Silver Spoon asked in a whisper.

"How should I know?" Diamond Tiara shot back, a hint of venom in her voice. She, after having seen what happened with those three losers, and, more specifically, what Sweetie Belle did, was in a state of mental conflict.

Those ponies, all three of them, are useless Blank Flanks. No good for anything, and it showed. Or, better, it didn't show, as they didn't have any Cutie Marks.

So, knowing this, and having long before established her superiority over them, she was shocked beyond words over the fact that Sweetie Belle was able to do what she just did.

How did a loser Blank Flank such as her do that? It had to be magic, of course. But she didn't see her horn glow, nor had she ever seen Sweetie Belle use magic in any form. So how was this loser able to do such a thing? To perform such… such… 'Such amazing magic,' she forced herself to admit, grimacing as she felt like throwing up.

"I can't see anything from here," Silver Spoon muttered, "Let's find a better spot to watch from."

"Fine," Diamond Tiara agreed with a bitter tone, a foul taste in her mouth, "Let's find out what those losers are up to."

Together they moved out of the alley, and hurried to the shadowy side of the cafe.

Looking around to find any place where they could look inside the place, Silver Spoon spotted a window nearby, though too high to see through. However, as luck would have it, sort of, there was a dumpster standing directly under it.

"Hey, over here!" she said as she motioned at the foul object, and Diamond Tiara shot a disgusted look her way.

"No way. There is no way I am touching that filthy thing."

"I'm not happy about it either," Silver Spoon shot back, "but it is the only way for us to see inside," and she jumped on top of the dumpster, standing on her hind legs and resting her front legs on the windowsill, peeking inside.

Muttering several swears under her breath, Diamond Tiara reluctantly joined her friend, making a mental note to take a long, hot shower afterwards to get all the filth out of her coat.

"Now what are they doing?" she sneered as she looked inside, seeing the human freeing Scootaloo from whatever it was they were trapped in.

"Hey, how does he do that?" Silver Spoon asked as they noticed the strands of amber stuff just let go of the orange pegasus without any effort.

Diamond Tiara, about to reply, was cut off when they were surprised by a sudden, and bright golden flash coming from Sweetie Belle's horn.

Taken by surprise, and rearing back in shock, the two stumbled on the spot, before falling over, somehow managing to open the dumpster's lid, and falling into the trash contained inside.

"GHAA!" Diamond Tiara screeched, right when the lid fell back in place, muting her scream.

The two of them, heads poking up from the filth found inside the dumpster, were covered from head to hoof in stuff neither of them wanted to pay close attention to.

A rotten banana peel slid sickly off of Diamond Tiara's head, not able to live up to the charm of her tiara, and she shuddered as she flicked away the sickening trash, making haste to clamber out of the dumpster, with Silver Spoon following close behind.

"GHAAAA!" Diamond Tiara yelled, "I hate those stupid Blank Flanks!"

"Hey. Is anypony in here?" they heard a mare ask, and they noticed a pony's shadow approaching. Not wanting to be found out, they had to hurry to get away. However, as it would happen, there was no quick exit, and the only place they could hide was the very dumpster they had just crawled out of.

"Oh no. No no no no no," Diamond Tiara said aghast, "There is no way I am going back in there."

Silver Spoon looked at her friend, the dumpster, the approaching shadow, and back, "So you want to get caught?" she asked nervously.

"I… No, but I am not going back i—" she was cut off when the mare called out again, and they noticed she was about to turn the corner and spot them, "Buck," Diamond Tiara swore, and, more than reluctant, she climbed back into the filth found in the dumpster, whining as she did so.

Silver Spoon joined her a split second later, and they closed the lid over themselves.

"Hello?" the mare called out as she turned the corner, looking for anypony there, "Is anypony here?"

Silence.

"Huh? Guess not," she said to herself, and returned to the chaos in front.

A moment passed after she walked away, before the lid covering the dumpster was forced open, and two fillies, completely covered in trash, dragged themselves out of it, panting for air and shuddering in disgust.

"I'll get them for this!" Diamond Tiara growled, desperately trying to keep the foul taste of the trash that hung from her lips out of her mouth.

"Huhuhh…" Silver Spoon shuddered, "I need a shower, fast." And Diamond Tiara saw no reason to object. Quickly scraping off whatever filth they could, they made haste to return home and get a shower. Though they did make sure to stay out of sight, so nopony would see them as they were, and ruin their reputation.

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

The undercover quartet were waiting at the train station, looking around to make sure no one, dead or alive, had followed them.

A ticket was put in each of their bags, courtesy of Vigilant Shield, who paid for the tickets with her winnings from the bet with Blue Ice. Something she wasn't all that happy with, as she stood grumbling to herself. However, this stopped as she noticed a pony of interest standing on the platform, knowing all too well who she was.

"I'm telling you," she heard Flash Lightning complain quietly, "I feel like we've done nothing at all."

"I know what you mean," Midnight Blossom agreed, "We went in, did some scans, and now we're already leaving because we didn't find anything." Vigilant Shield grunted.

"Stow it," Charming Prism responded. "Yes, we haven't done much since we came here. And yes, we're going back now. But if that is how it is, then so be it. Just be glad we didn't find anything conclusive, save from some intermittent readings every now and then. No, the guys in town will continue with their search, while we return to Canterlot and help out the rest of the guys there," he told them, when Vigilant Shield called him.

"Hey, Charming, look," she said, motioning towards the purple unicorn standing on the platform some distance away from them, joined shortly thereafter by the human they were originally sent to observe, "Perhaps we can still do something useful after all."

"Good call," he replied, signaling for the rest of the team to stay back while observing the human and pony in turns. And, when the train arrived, they made sure they boarded the same carriage as Twilight and Danny, taking seats several places away from them, but close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation, while Vigilant Shield carefully used her scanner, picking up no reading from Danny at all as the train rocked into motion.

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

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were back at Diamond Tiara's mansion. With her father away for work, and the maid on a break, they had no trouble getting to the shower undetected. And after having washed up, and having used a whole bottle of shampoo each, they had retreated back to Tiara's bedroom, discussing their options and planning a new approach to take down the Crusaders.

However, they had run into a snag. Mainly, this strange magic Sweetie Belle had used.

"Seriously, how did she do that?" Silver Spoon asked, frowning over her glasses, with a fluffy white towel wrapped around her damp mane.

"It has to be magic," Diamond Tiara replied, a pink towel wrapped around her mane as well, "I'm sure of it. It has to be how they managed to get away with hurting you."

"You think?"

"Yes, it has to be," Diamond Tiara sneered as she stood up, starting to pace around her room, "It all makes sense now."

"It does?"

"Yes. Think about it," Diamond Tiara said as she stopped on the spot, "She and her friends must have found a spell or something that allows them to terrorize us, as they know we are better than them, and they are unwilling to accept that. But, seeing that they are such losers, she is unable to control it. Just as you would expect of an useless Blank Flank."

"I suppose."

"Yes. But now we know. And now we can use it against them," Diamond Tiara proclaimed victoriously.

"How?" Silver Spoon asked, and Diamond Tiara found herself freezing up, unable to come up with a reply.

"Oh, horse apples."

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

The crusaders ran through Ponyville, putting as much distance between them and the cafe as possible, unable to believe their luck and not wanting to push it. The three of them hurried inside a distant alley, hiding in the shadows cast by the walls as they looked around the corner, hoping Quick Grill hadn't changed his mind and came back for them.

Fortunately, it would seem their luck was still holding out... Or was it?

"Okay, is it just me, or was that jus' too easy and lucky ta be anything but?" Apple Bloom asked, a pensive look on her face.

"It kinda was, wasn't it?" Sweetie Belle confirmed with a small nod, "Why did Quick Grill suddenly let us go like that? He was rather angry, with good reason. So him just letting us go like that is kinda weird."

"Who cares?" Scootaloo interjected, "He did, and we're free to go. Just be glad nopony saw us- you, when your powers went all weird and stuff."

"Ah guess yer right about that," Apple Bloom agreed, "But still, it's weird."

"So? Everything has been weird ever since Sweetie Belle got zapped by that weird book. It's kinda expected for things to be weird."

Sweetie Belle raised a hoof, mouth opening in reply, but no sound came out as she found herself without a response. Instead, she just stood there, hoof raised and mouth open.

Sagging her stance, hoof dropping down, she settled for a shrug, "She kinda has a point there, doesn't she?"

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied, shrugging herself as she looked out of the alley, and towards the distant home of Danny Manson, seeing four ponies slipping inside. Four ponies who, as she had learned the previous night, were the suspected ghost hunters staying in the guest house.

"Hey, you guys seein' that?"

"Seeing what?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Those ghost hunting ponies," Apple Bloom replied.

"Yeah, what about them?" Scootaloo asked, scratching her head as she missed what her earth pony friend had seen.

"They jus' went inside Danny's house."

"Wait, what!?" Scootaloo says, "You're sure?"

"Uhm hmm," Apple Bloom hummed, nodding her head, "Ah jus' saw 'em go in there myself."

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" Sweetie Belle spoke up, "Let's find out what they're doing, and why they're in Danny's house," and she hurried away, followed closely by her friends.

"Ya think they know about Danny, about him being, ya know?" Apple Bloom said, taking care not to be heard by anypony other than her friends.

"Don't know," Scootaloo replied, "but we're going to find out."

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle replied, "Cutie Mark Crusaders, spy ponies!"

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, spy ponies!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo repeated, using their trademark yell, but keeping the volume down so their targets wouldn't hear them.

Rushing to the front of Danny's home, they flattened themselves against the wall. Their ears perked up as they heard the muted voices coming from inside, and they slowly, carefully, poked their heads up, looking inside through the window they were hiding underneath.

"Alright everypony, you know what to do," A dull orange earth pony said in a lowered voice, "Scan everything, but leave no evidence of us being here. If you find anything that is locked, don't force it open. Don't knock anything over. And, for Celestia's sake, don't make any sounds that might give us away!" the pony ordered, and his three cohorts nodded in confirmation.

"Well, that's them alright," Apple Bloom whispered, lowering herself out of sight.

"Yeah. And did you see those thingies in their hooves?" Scootaloo mentioned, dropping down as well.

"Yes, yes I did," Sweetie Belle confirmed, a frown on her face, and her eyes aglow.

"Sir! I'm picking up something." Sweetie Belle heard an unicorn mare with an ice blue coat say, and saw her looking down at a beeping device in her hoof as she slowly turned towards the window where Sweetie Belle and her friends were hiding.

"Uh oh," Sweetie Belle muttered.

"Uh oh?" Apple Bloom repeated, worried. "Please don't say: uh oh."

"Too late for that," Sweetie Belle said in alarm, "HIDE!"

She and her friends raced away from their poorly concealed hiding spot, rounding the corner of Danny's house to find a new place to hide in the backyard. But despite the few plants and flowers in the small garden, there wasn't any place big enough for three fillies to hide.

Looking around in a panic, Sweetie Belle realized that she was running out of options. Either they could run away as fast as they could and hope they could reach some tree or house further away before they came around the corner, or she could hide herself and her friends with her invisibility.

She had to make a choice, she just hoped it would be the right one. "Quick, hold on!" she said, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom quickly reached out a hoof to grab hold of her.

The moment they made contact, Sweetie Belle faded out of view, turning herself, and her friends invisible. Which proved to be a poor choice, as, immediately, the remaining Ghost-Keteers' scanners lit up, showing a positive hit.

"Outside, now!" the girls heard the orange stallion order, and the four ponies rushed out, scanners in hoof, quickly making their way to the area behind the house, and out of sight of the town.

"Alright, you ghost creep," the steel grey pegasus mare says, "Where are you?" and she, along with the rest of her team, swept the area with their scanners. And, standing as close to an invisible spirit as they were, their scanners had no trouble picking up on Sweetie Belle's unique spectral signature.

All eyes locked on the invisible filly, seeing through her and looking at her at the same time.

"Sir. We got a live one," the ice blue mare said.

"Uh oh," Sweetie Belle said with a low voice, too quiet for the ghost hunters to hear, absolutely terrified.

"Uhh… That's not the only one, Ice," the dark pink unicorn mare said as she looked at her scanner, shaking it a bit as she had trouble believing the reading she was getting, "I'm picking up two more signatures, right on the edge of this thing's reach."

"Wait! What?" Scootaloo quietly said.

"Other signatures?" Apple Bloom muttered, eyes shifting around.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Sweetie Belle said.

"Make sure they're an actual hit, and not a false positive," the earth pony stallion ordered as he looked at the screen of his own scanner with one eye, while keeping the other on the spot where, unbeknownst to him, three fillies huddled together in fear.

Suddenly, without warning, Sweetie Belle's horn flashed with a golden light. And, despite her being invisible, the flash was not.

The four ponies' heads snapped towards the source of the light, seeing nothing, but knowing what they had seen. And, as their training told them, courtesy of Jack Fenton, any kind of spectral discharge was bad, and the source should be put down, permanently.

Of course they had no idea what was really going on, or that they were facing three scared foals, so they moved in aggressively, while the dark pink unicorn mare pulled out a metallic white and green thermos out of her saddle bags.

But as they moved in to deal with the 'threat', they were too focused on the invisible entity they surrounded, and forgot about the two other signals picked up by their scanners. Two signals that were closing in. Two entities who, unlike those four ponies, knew exactly what was going on, and who were involved. So, wasting no time, they surged into motion. Invisible, of course. They still needed to remain hidden, unfortunately.

It was not how they would have wanted it, but he was quite clear about what should be, what could be, and what must never be allowed to pass.

They didn't like it, but he made them understand. And knowing that they must remain hidden, for now, meant that they could only observe, and maybe push and prod a mind or two to help out those three youngsters. But, when they saw what was happening, how the foals were trapped by the ghost hunters, and with Sweetie Belle too frightened to even attempt to fly away with her friends, they knew they couldn't stay on the sidelines, observing.

Splitting up, one of the entities circled around the group of ponies, while the other closed in on the orange earth pony. The same pony he had possessed some time ago to guide the conversation with Scootaloo. Now, though, possession was the last thing on his ghostly mind. Instead, he came up on his side, looking at the invisible foals with a frown, and delivered a firm punch in the earth pony's side.

Rolling Stone, hit without warning, unable to see his attacker, stumbled to the side as he grunted.

The other ponies, hearing him grunt in pain, turned to look at him. "There's more of them! Stay on your guard!" he ordered as he picked himself up, glaring at the empty air next to him. And, in the momentary confusion, the other entity acted. Closing in on the three fillies, she gently placed a hoof on Sweetie Belle's back, making the frightened filly gasp.

"Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom said, worried while Scootaloo squeaked.

"Run!" a warm and caring voice spoke next to Sweetie Belle's ear, and all three fillies gasped. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle in fright. Scootaloo, however, in recognition. Recognition from memories she could barely remember, "Run!" the voice spoke again, and, despite being frightened and not knowing what was going on, Sweetie Belle took the voice's advice, quickly taking a firm hold on her friends and flying away.

"No, wait!" Scootaloo protested, but Sweetie Belle ignored her as she flew away to safety, not looking back or slowing down for anything, leaving Scootaloo to look back uncertainly at the group of four agitated ponies who were looking around in confusion and suspicion.

"Mom?" she said in a whisper to herself, watching the ponies use those scanner things, before making a hasty retreat as they had drawn the attention of a couple of ponies.

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

Rolling Stone, Blue Ice, Sound Wave, and Ornate Charm fled back into the alley they came from, looking back at the home of Danny Manson, a worried frown showing on their faces.

"This is bad," Blue Ice muttered, "Really bad."

"But… But this can't be. Can it?" Sound Wave says, "Three ghosts… How?"

"Ice is right," Rolling Stone muttered darkly, "This is bad. We came here on the suspicion there might be one ghost that managed to slip through our defences. Now though it's obvious those defences have failed. We must inform the princesses, this has become a matter of national security. One ghost slipping through is bad enough. But three… More?" he finished with an ominous tone, the severity of the situation not lost on the others.

"This is going to get a whole lot worse, isn't it?" Ornate Charm asked worriedly.

"Not if we can help it!" Blue Ice stated, "After all, it's our duty, not only as royal guards, but as Ghost-Keteers to keep our fellow ponies safe from those undead creeps."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Rolling Stone nodded, "We were sent here to find out if there was a ghost, or not. Now we know. And it is our task to find them, contain them, learn how they got here and, most importantly, keep everypony safe, including the human."

"Yes, Sir. You can count on us," Ornate Charm replied, while Sound Wave and Blue Ice nodded with determination.

"Good," Rolling Stone said. "Because right now, we're the only ones standing between the safety of our fellow ponies, and these ghosts. They may have gotten the drop on us this time, but it won't happen again. Now we know they are here, so we can prepare. Besides, they already made a crucial mistake."

"Which is?" Ornate Charm asks.

"They didn't take us out when they had the chance. A mistake we will not make with them. Am I right!?"

"Sir, yes, Sir!"

"Humhmm. Damn right I am. Now, let's go ghost hunting."

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

Sweetie Belle flew straight to their clubhouse, lowering her friends and then herself to the floor of the wooden building, all of them nervous and on edge.

Acting on nothing more than reflex, Apple Bloom hurried to close the door, while Sweetie Belle carefully peeked through one of the windows, making sure those ghost hunters hadn't somehow followed them.

Scootaloo, however, sat silently on the floor. Eyes wide, and unaware of her friends' actions.

"Do ya think they followed us?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly, standing on her hind legs as she pressed her back against the door.

"I… I don't think so," Sweetie Belle replied, "Scootaloo?" she asked, but received no answer.

"Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom said, dropping down to all fours and moving to her friend, "Is everything alright?"

"... Voice…" she mumbled, more to herself than in response to her friend.

"What was that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"That voice," Scootaloo repeated, speaking more clearly, but still staring into forever.

"Hey, yeah. What was up with that voice?" Sweetie Belle spoke up, Scootaloo reminding her about that strange fact, "Who was that. And was it a ghost?"

"Ah don't know," Apple Bloom replied, shrugging, "How should Ah know if it was a ghost, or who it was?"

Shrugging in turn, Sweetie Belle said, "I dunno. Just aski—" when Scootaloo interrupted her by saying, "Mom," in a lowered voice.

"Wait? What?" Apple Bloom responded.

"That voice…. It was my mom," Scootaloo said in disbelief, still not looking at her friends, staring unblinkingly at the wall.

"What!?" both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said, almost shouting, "Ya can't be serious," Apple Bloom says, "Yer parents are d—"

"What!?" Scootaloo shot back, jumping up on all fours, "Dead!? Of course they are. They've been dead for years now. Just like your parents," she said angrily, and Apple Bloom flinched inwards as she looked down, tears brimming around her eyes.

"Hey!" Sweetie Belle spoke up, shooting an angry glare at Scootaloo, who paid her no mind. However, she did suddenly deflate as she sighed out explosively, sitting back down, "But why should that matter? Them being dead, I mean. After all, you're half a spirit," she motioned to Sweetie Belle, "And Danny might be a ghost. Why shouldn't it be possible for my mom and dad to be ghosts, too?"

"But… if it really was her, then why didn't she reveal herself ta us? Ta you?" Apple Bloom asked, wiping her eyes with a leg.

"Ghost hunters," Sweetie Belle muttered, and her friends looked at her.

"Oh, right. That makes sense," Apple Bloom admitted, kicking the floor with a hoof.

"Still, even if it is her, that's not our biggest problem," Sweetie Belle continued, troubled. "Those ponies know something is out there now, not just me, or maybe Danny. But whoever it was that helped us."

"Yeah," Apple Bloom sighed, "That is going ta be a problem."

"Maybe Wind Chill can help?" Scootaloo offered, "And maybe he knows something about my mom?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at one another, a silent conversation passing between the two. "Couldn't hurt ta ask," Apple Bloom said.

"Anything is better than going back into town where those guys are," Sweetie Belle agreed.

"Well, let's go then you guys," Scootaloo responded impatiently, suddenly bursting with energy as she sped out of the tree house.

"She really wants to know, doesn't she?" Sweetie Belle said after a moment of silence, looking out of the open door.

"Wouldn't ya?" Apple Bloom replied.

"Wouldn't you?" she returned the question, receiving no reply as the two of them finally followed their friend. And they, in turn, were followed by a small metal insect which paid close attention to Sweetie Belle.

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

Darkness surrounded all, and only a sporadic beam of light managed to penetrate the otherwise perfect blackness of the shadows cast by the trees.

Various sounds echoed past the tree trunks, belonging to the many animals that called this place their home. Animals which one wouldn't want to encounter anywhere outside of the forest. Or in it, for that matter. Yet here they were, fear unknown to these small metallic constructs as they homed in on the spectral signature coming from deep within the woods.

Wings buzzed, their sound lost in the forest's music as the drones closed in on their targets. They didn't know what to expect. Mainly because it wasn't part of their programming to do so. They just obeyed, no questions asked. And obey they did.

As instructed by their orders, they sought out any and all ectoplasmic signatures. And after having detected several all around, they came here, into the dark wood known as the Everfree Forest.

Not that they could care much for its name. Mainly as that, also, wasn't part of their programming. Nor did they have any use for names.

They divided everything into sectors, and searched any likely sector with mechanical precision. And now, zigzagging past trees and bushes, dodging tree branches and avoiding the stray bird here and there, they came upon a small clearing near a short cliff face, a large cave entrance found within the rock.

Several creatures moved about the area, sniffing the air, or growling at one another as they went on their way. These creatures, wooden wolves according to the scans, were the source of the ectoplasm detected.

Wings buzzed as they moved in closer. The small group of drones splitting up to scan the wooden constructs from various angles, trying to determine where these creatures and their ectoplasm came from.

But had the drones any proper intelligence, instead of preprogrammed responses, they might not have been blind to the obvious. But as they were, they did not realize that these wolves were more than their simple sensors could detect.

These wolves, having roamed the forest for many millennia, were some of the most skilled hunters one could encounter. And they also knew what belonged, and what didn't.

They swiveled their heads as they picked up on the buzzing of metallic wings, determining the location of whatever it was that produced the sound in mere seconds, lowering themselves in a pouncing stance as they studied the strange apparatus, ready for anything.

Their sudden shift in behavior didn't go unnoticed though, and mere moments later a large, bipedal wooden wolf stepped out of the cave. Sniffing the air, and glaring unblinkingly with his glowing green eyes at one of the drones hanging in the air, picking up a foul, dark scent coming from the metallic insects.

"Mortigu ilin!" he ordered, and the wolves around him surged into motion.
"Kill them!"

Using their powerful hind legs, the timberwolves launched themselves up, and towards the small constructs hovering around them. The drones however, programmed to avoid any detection and conflict, burst into motion as they fled; the wolves hunting them down as they did, easily keeping up with the small metal insects.

The drones split up, trying to increase their chances of successfully delivering the gathered data. However, although the wolves were used to hunting as a pack, they were just as comfortable hunting as lone wolves. Each wolf chose their own prey, not telling, but instinctively knowing who took who, and continued their chase.

One wolf, seeing his chance, jumped up against the side of a tree, before launching himself towards the small machine.

No matter how much it dodged and weaved. No matter how fast it tried to fly away, the little machine still fell prey to the wolf's skill, as it vanished inside the wolf's open jaw. Wherein it recorded the unique experience of being crushed by strong wooden teeth, before shutting down, permanently.

Spitting out the crushed and mangled metal pieces, the wolf growled one last time before returning to the rest of his pack, who had all taken down their own prey. They each gave a low growl to their packmates in confirmation, nothing else needed to be said.

Their Alpha, still standing outside, sniffed the air to make sure no dark stench remained, then gave a nod of approval before heading back inside the cave. But no rest could be found for him, nor his pack, he knew.

'Kio nova mallumo havas trovis lia vojon en niajn arbaro? Unue tiu portalo, tiam tiuj infanoj, nun ĉi. La malnova unu pravas. La likvido havas estintaj perturbitaj. Nun, mi scivolas, kion alian la estonteco havas en vendejo por ni? Ni ĉiuj.'

'What new darkness has found its way into our forest? First that portal, then those children. Now this. The old one is right. The balance has been disturbed. Now I wonder, what else the future has in store for us? All of us.'

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

Wind Chill sat on his bed in the barn, restless. After last night's discovery, he found sleep to be quite elusive. Not that he really needed to sleep as much as a mortal, but within the warmth of this non frozen world his energy was drained faster than he would have liked.

But now, even as his energy was waning, and the soft, cold mattress of his snowy bed called seductively to him, he found it impossible to submit to the gentle embrace of dreamless slumber. The knowledge that the Great One was living in the town near him was just too great for him to just ignore like that. He knew he had to inform Frostbite, but he also knew he couldn't just leave.

He was honor bound to young Apple Bloom, and she could call on him at any time. And as his kind's rule dictated, he needed to be there if she did.

Still, whatever might come to pass in the near future, and when he got the chance to inform Frostbite, as well as all the other frost giants about the Great One, there was one thing he knew for sure.

"We should prepare ourselves. Change is coming," he said sagely as he stood up, moving to the double door to push it ajar and look outside, "Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But someday soon. I can feel it," and the door slammed open, hitting him in the face.

"Oh my gosh!" Sweetie Belle cried out, shocked, as she and her friends looked up at the giant, "I'm so sorry!"

"Ah told ya ya should knock," Apple Bloom scolded her, rolling her eyes.

"Right…," Sweetie Belle muttered to herself, then looked back up at the frost giant, "But are you alright?" she asked.

Groaning and rubbing the lump forming on his head, Wind Chill looked down at the trio, feeling his cold, unbeating heart melt as two pairs of large, remorseful eyes looked up at him. However, he also took notice of the third pair, which looked at him expectantly, and with a hint of sadness behind them.

"Yes, I am fine," he replied, stepping aside, "But please, come in. I have a feeling you wanted something from me, am I right?"

"Yes," Apple Bloom replied with a nod, as she and her friends entered the cold of the barn.

"Several things, actually," Sweetie Belle clarified, glancing at Scootaloo for a moment, which did not go unnoticed by Wind Chill.

"Then, please, tell me. I am here to help, after all," he says as he motioned for them to take a seat on the corner sofa.

Looking at the frosty seating with a wary glance, Apple Bloom quickly answered for herself and her friends, "We'll stand. But thanks."

"Very well," Wind Chill replied as he gently clapped his hands together, "Now, what troubles you three?"

Scootaloo was quick to jump in, opening her mouth to ask the question burning in her mind, but she was beaten to the punch by Sweetie Belle, "You know those ghost hunters we mentioned last time? Well, they kinda found out about me being a spirit."

"WHAT!?" Wind Chill roared, "HOW!?"

"Well, they don't really know it's me. They didn't see me either," she answered, looking down as she rubbed one leg against the other, "But they used a weird scanning thingy to find me."

"By the ancestors. This is bad!" Wind Chill muttered, hand partially covering his mouth.

"They also surrounded us, while Sweetie was keepin' us invisible," Apple Bloom continues, "And one of them grabbed a thermos out of her saddle bags… Not really sure why, though."

"This thermos was most likely a ghost capture and containment unit. A creation of the Great One's parents," Wind Chill replied, deep in thought, "Why a thermos, though, I do not know. But, more importantly... Young spirit, how did you manage to escape? Were you forced to use your powers against them? Do others know as well?"

"Actually… No," Sweetie Belle replied, shooting another glance towards Scootaloo, "That would be another reason that we came here. You see, those ponies said they, uhh, picked up another signal, or something. And another ghost actually came to help us."

"What!" Wind Chill said, almost breathless, a glimmer of hope in his voice, "Was it the Great One? Has he returned after so long?"

"Well, we don't think so, actually," Apple Bloom begun, "We actually think it was-"

"MY MOM!" Scootaloo shouted, no longer having the patience to wait.

"Your… mom?" Wind Chill repeated slowly, not fully understanding, "Why would she…. Oh... I see."

"Yeah…" Scootaloo muttered sadly, looking down, "But I know what I heard!" she continued, head snapping back up, "I know it was my mom who told us to run. I just know it."

"But how could that be?" Apple Bloom asked her orange friend in disbelief, but with a hint of hope mixed in.

"Well, Sweetie Belle is a spirit!" Scootaloo almost shouted accusingly, pointing a hoof at the aforementioned filly. "So why shouldn't my parents be able to be a ghost?!"

"But is it even possible?" Apple Bloom asked, more trying to convince herself.

"It certainly is," Wind Chill spoke up, and all three fillies looked back at him, seeing him deep in thought.

'Change is coming, indeed. If what they claim is true...'

"It would seem there is even more going on than we thought," Wind Chill continued after a moment.

"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked, before rubbing her forehead, feeling another stab going through her mind.

"What do I mean? Several things, actually. But I'm having trouble putting the pieces together. But there is good news as well. Last night, I saw this Danny Manson you told us about. And I am excited, no, delighted to say that he truly is the Great One," he told them, a large smile brightening his features, and shocked gasps came from the fillies.

"Are you sure!? Is it really him?" Sweetie Belle asked, amazed.

"Indeed he is. His face is one I could never forget. But, this also brings us bad news. If those ghost hunters also find out about him, there is no knowing what might happen. Although we can be sure the Great One will disappear again. And now with them knowing about you, even though they haven't seen you, this situation will become increasingly more difficult for him."

Sweetie Belle looked down at the floor after he told them that, knowing that because of her carelessness, Danny might now get into trouble.

"I guess I should have come to you after all, instead of going back into town with my powers all messed up," she muttered sadly, and her friends also looked down in shared guilt as they were partially responsible as well.

"How do you mean?" Wind Chill asked, puzzled, when he picked up on a faint buzzing noise coming from near the wall to his right.

"Well, you see," Sweetie Belle begins, "This morning I was trying to use my ma—" she says, when Wind Chill cuts her off.

"Hold your tongue!" he cried with a thunderous voice, making the fillies flinch in fright, thinking they had done something to set him off. Wind Chill, however, took large steps towards the far wall, having spotted the metallic drone attached to the frozen surface, and grabbed it with lightning fast reflexes.

He felt a tiny pop in his closed hand, telling him that the object was crushed. Opening his hand with a feeling of foreboding, he looked down at the crushed metal and various small wires.

"No!"

"Wind Chill, is everything alright?" Apple Bloom asks, taking a hesitant step towards him.

"No!" he answered, "As it would seem this situation grows more complex by the minute," he told them, lowering himself to show them the contents in his hand.

"What is that?" Scootaloo asked, looking in confusion at the tiny crushed device alongside her friends.

"This, this is an instrument of the Dark One, Vlad Plasmius," he answered, a hint of anger in his voice. "If this is here, then he must have found out about Danny Phantom… We must alert Frostbite immediately," he says, and, with a spark of dark green shooting from her horn, Sweetie Belle found all four of her legs sinking through the floor, "And you need more training as well. The ancestors know you will have need of it."

Wind Chill fell quiet after that, staring out into forever with a dark look on his face, while Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shared a worried look with Sweetie Belle as they pulled her out of the floor.

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said with a worried tone, "Ya were right."

"About what?"

Their eyes met, "This has only jus' begun," and they all knew she was right.

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

Your highness.
I send you this report ahead of schedule because my team and I have made a worrying discovery.
Earlier today, around ten sixteen, we picked up a spectral signature near the residence of Danny Manson. And this time it was not a false positive. Furthermore, and even more concerning, is that not only did we confirm this signature, but two more as well.
I fear I must confirm our worst case scenario. There are ghosts in Equestria, and they have already lashed out towards us. Or, me, to be more precise. Fortunately not with any ectoplasmic discharges, but limited physical force. I did not sustain any injuries, nor did my team. However, I do not believe the intent was to hurt us at that time. We were close to capturing the ghost we first detected, when these other entities showed up.
Unfortunately we have no idea what they look like, as they were all invisible to us. But, seeing their reaction, we believe it was only an effort to help one of their own.
Noble in their own way, but we can only fear for what's to come.
We were afraid that one ghost might have breached our defenses, but now we know there are three, and possibly more.
Fortunately, no civilian has found out about what has happened. Although we now know for certain there are spectral entities in and around Ponyville, they do seem to be holding back, almost as if they are waiting for something. Therefore, my team and I will redouble our efforts to find and subdue the threat. But, as it stands now, we do believe it is best to continue to keep our actions on the down low, lest we start a panic.
Furthermore, as you were informed in our last report. The team sent to investigate Whitetail Woods is currently en route back to Canterlot to help with the transport and construction of Miss Technal's project. You might be inclined to send them back in light of recent discoveries. But my team and I believe we will be able to deal with this current situation as it is, and that their expertise could be of more help to the ponies and humans working on the ghost containment system. We all know we're going to need it sooner, rather than later.
Right now though, we have pulled back to reorganize, and prepare for anything these ghosts might hurl at us. But, as I told my team, these ghosts have already made one crucial mistake. Mainly, they didn't take us out when they had the chance. And now we are coming for them.
Should we learn more, we will inform you immediately.
First Lieutenant, Rolling Stone.

Spirit Trouble. Part 2

View Online

Edits done (partially) by Vates Despero, and Cynatas Scribbler.
And a special thanks to AnonymousMaterials for allowing me the use of his character, Mort.

Spirit Trouble.

Part 2.

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

Small black hooves crushed the leaves littering the ground in rapid succession as the being they belonged to ran as fast as she could through the thick foliage of the forest. Labored breaths escaped her mouth, her energy fading, and she was forced to slow down, or succumb to fatigue and hunger.

Her stomach rumbled loudly, and a holed hoof rubbed over the green chitinous plating covering her abdomen.

"So hungry," she hissed, trying to pick up on the strange waiver of emotions she had felt some time ago.

Leaves crunching underneath her hooves, she slowly moved deeper into the forest. Unaware of the glowing green eyes observing her every move.

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

Snow crunched underneath their hooves as Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom stepped through the portal; followed shortly thereafter by Wind Chill. The two timberwolves guarding the Everfree side gave a quick growl as they came, but remained otherwise silent.

"Wind Chill?" Avalanche, one of the two frost giants guarding the portal from within the Zone, said as Wind Chill entered the chilly embrace of the Far Frozen, "What brings you here, and with the three young ones?"

"Avalanche, Snow Front. I bring troubling news of which Frostbite must be made aware, while the young spirit is in need of additional training," his statement was punctuated by Sweetie Belle's front legs phasing through the snow covered ground.

"Indeed," Snow Front muttered. "And what news do you bring that worries you so?"

Wind Chill looked at the distant village, a worried frown on his face, "The Dark One."

Avalanche and Snow Front shot each other alarmed looks at Wind Chill's mention of the evil Vlad Plasmius, "What of him?" Avalanche asked, a noticeable chill in his voice.

"What I fear is something I should discuss with Frostbite, in private," he answered, glancing back at the timberwolves standing stoically on the other side. Yet he knew they were listening.

"I see," Snow Front replied after a short moment, "Then make haste, and inform Frostbite of what you know."

Nodding, Wind Chill scooped up Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, placing them on his shoulders before moving for the village; Sweetie Belle flying behind him. "Stay vigilant, my brothers," Wind Chill called out to them. "And hope that I am wrong."

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

"Are you sure?" Frostbite asked, concern heavy in his voice as he looked out of one of the windows found in his home, watching the young spirit, Sweetie Belle, sparring with one of the teachers.

"I am," Wind Chill confirmed. "I crushed one of his machines myself." He showed the broken pieces of the destroyed drone he carried with him.

Turning away from the window, Frostbite looked at the pieces now placed on a table. A crushed metallic shell, meant to protect the more delicate circuitry inside, and several small wires which used to connect the various components all lay in a broken heap beyond repair.

Bending down a bit, Frostbite studied the drone in greater detail, using the tip of one of his frozen fingers to shift the pieces.

Grunting in anger, he stood back up and faced Wind Chill.

"This is indeed one of Vlad's constructs, there is no doubt about it," he said, before blasting the broken pieces, completely destroying them until nothing remained, "This is worrying. Very worrying. If he has these drones scouting in the young ones' world, he must know the Great One is out there. He wouldn't risk such a thing for any other reason."

"Then what should we do? If he knows, it stands to reason he will come for Danny Phantom. Or, more likely, he will send others to do it for him. If that happens…"

"Then chaos will come to the young ones' world, and Danny's life will be disrupted once more," Frostbite finished. "We can't let that happen."

"Nor can we allow him to learn of young Sweetie Belle," Wind Chill added.

"Indeed," Frostbite mused as he stroked his beard.

They were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door, and Scootaloo stepped inside; ears hanging low, and heavy questions unasked showing in her eyes.

"Scootaloo," Frostbite said, "What brings you here?"

"... My mom…" Scootaloo answered with a small voice, looking down.

"Your mother?" Frostbite repeated, seeking clarification.

Nodding her head, Scootaloo looked up at him, "Yeah. Back in Ponyville, Sweetie, Apple Bloom, and me got into some trouble with those ghost hunters who are looking for Danny," she said. Frostbite's eyes widened as he turned to look at Wind Chill, who gave him an awkward, apologetic look.

"Ehh… I might have forgotten to mention some other developments," he spoke up, scratching the back of his head while smiling sheepishly.

"We'll discuss this later," Frostbite muttered, then turned back to Scootaloo, "My apologies. Please continue."

"Uhh… Right. Like I said, we got in some trouble with those ghost hunters, when my mom came to help us, and, well…" Scootaloo muttered, scratching one leg with the other, unable to find the words.

"Your mother came to help when you were in need? An admirable act, but I fail to see why this troubles you so," Frostbite said, trying to put the pieces together.

"The reason for her being troubled by this, would be because her mother has passed away," Wind Chill spoke up, surprising Frostbite.

"She, what? But then..."

"That would mean there are more ghosts on the young ones' world than we originally thought there to be," Wind Chill finished.

"But how did we not know about this sooner. Surely, if more ghosts exist on this world, we would have heard stories about this. At the very least there would have been rumors," Frostbite argues.

"But what about my mother?!" Scootaloo said loudly, cutting in between the two giants.

"Your mother is exactly where she needs to be," a sage like voice answered, and the three beings turned towards The Elder, who had somehow managed to enter the room without being noticed.

"Huh?" Scootaloo said, head cocked in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked, before her eyes widened in realization, "Do you know where my mother is?"

"No, child. I do not," The Elder answered, extinguishing the small ember of hope Scootaloo had.

"Oh…" she mumbled as her head dropped down.

"Elder, what is all of this about?" asked Frostbite.

The Elder didn't reply immediately. Instead, she looked off to the side, seemingly looking towards the wall. For her, however, it was a different story.

Looking through the many layers of existence, seeing the truths, and the lies. Everything she could see, that she was allowed to see. As well as the shadow covering the path of Destiny of those around her. Obscuring everything even from her. A path still unwalked, waiting for those meant to walk it to take the first step.

"Just another complication in a growing list, it would seem," she eventually answered, "Nothing you need to worry about right now, though."

"Then, forgive me for asking, but why are you here?" Frostbite inquired.

"Her," The Elder answered, pointing a finger at Scootaloo.

"Me?" Scootaloo said, surprised, looking up at the hood covered face of the female frost giant; whose glowing orange eyes stared down at her.

"Yes, Scootaloo. I saw that you are burdened by heavy questions, and I believe I am able to answer some of them. Or, in the very least, point you in the right direction to find some answers."

"You can?" Scootaloo replied, ears perked up.

"Come," was The Elder's only reply as she motioned for Scootaloo to follow, and together they left Frostbite and Wind Chill behind. The two frost giants stared at one another, trying to figure out what that was all about.

For a moment The Elder just walked, followed closely by Scootaloo, who was impatiently waiting for an answer. Yet, nothing actually happened, and Scootaloo's hope slowly faded when The Elder came to a stop to watch Sweetie Belle's progress.

"She's quite the talented filly, isn't she?" The Elder finally spoke up, surprising Scootaloo.

"Uhh… I guess?" she replied, unsure, looking at Sweetie Belle herself; seeing the transformed pony disappear and fly, before blasting ectoplasm at the other guy.

"Yes…" The Elder said, pausing for a moment as she observed, "But still such a long way to go. So many questions left to be answered. Questions she doesn't even know she has, yet."

"What's any of this got to do with my parents?" Scootaloo asked impatiently, her voice betraying her building frustration.

The Elder didn't answer immediately. Instead, she shifted her gaze towards Apple Bloom, seeing her standing on the sideline of the sparring ground as she watched her friend train with the frost giant.

Humming slightly, "So many questions, indeed. But some don't want to find the answer, too afraid of what they might find."

Grumbling, Scootaloo turned tail as she walked away, deciding that The Elder wasn't going to answer her at all.

"And then there is you, Scootaloo," The Elder said, causing Scootaloo to halt in her tracks. "You, too, have questions. Important questions," she continued, and the filly turned to look at The Elder, "But you are asking the wrong ones."

"I- wha?"

"You believe the one who helped you was your mother. And because of that, you want to seek her out. But do you even know where to begin?" The Elder asked, looking at Scootaloo with her glowing orange eyes.

"Well, yeah. I guess. I mean… I think she's a ghost, so shouldn't that mean I can find her here? My dad too?" Scootaloo answered, unsure.

Sighing, The Elder lowered herself so she wouldn't tower as much over the young pony, "And that is the first mistake you've made, child," she said, and Scootaloo looked at her in confusion, "You believe you heard your mother, but did you actually see her?" she asked, and, hesitantly, Scootaloo shook her head, "So is it not possible that the one you heard was someone else?" Scootaloo stared at The Elder for several seconds, before shaking her head again. This time with determination.

"No! I know it was her. I just do."

"Good," The Elder replied, "Uncertainty often leads to nowhere, as it causes us to continue to ask ourselves the wrong questions. Now that we know it was your mother for certain, there is something else you must ask yourself."

"What's that?" Scootaloo asked, eagerly.

"Why did she come back now?"

"Huh?"

"Think, child. Is it not strange for her to suddenly come back to the world of living so shortly after your friend became a spirit?"

"... Wha… You mean she came back because Sweetie Belle became a spirit?"

"I do not know, for I am not the one meant to reveal these answers," The Elder replied, rising once again to her full height.

"Then, who? Who can answer these questions?"

"That is for you to find out. You, and your friends, together," The Elder replied, looking into the distance at the border separating the Far Frozen from the rest of the Ghost Zone. "But I do know that the answers cannot be found here."

"Huh… Then where do I go?"

"The path already lies before you, Scootaloo. You just need to take the first step," The Elder answered in a vague, enigmatic manner, before walking away. Leaving behind a rather confused filly, who dropped down to her haunches as she tried to make sense of what she had just been told.

A scream followed soon thereafter. The cold of the snow and ice making her jump up.

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

Sitting in a dimly lit room, were two young ponies. The curtains were pulled shut, and the door was closed tight as they discussed their latest plan. A plan to bring down those stupid Blank Flanks down into the dirt where they belonged, and return that what was lost—Diamond Tiara's tiara.

"So, how are we going to get in there without anypony noticing?" Silver Spoon asked, wondering how they would get into Sweetie Belle's room.

"Simple. We just have to get rid of that pony who thinks she is so special, with her dresses and such. Then, when it's clear, we slip into that loser's room and get back my tiara. Maybe break a few things while we're at it," Diamond Tiara explained.

"Okay. And how are we going to stop them from using that weird magic against us again?"

"I… I'm not sure," Diamond Tiara huffed in annoyance, "But we'll figure it out. Surely, the two of us, being far better than those Blank Flanks, are capable of coming up with something to deal with them. For now though, this will at least get me back my tiara."

Nodding in understanding, Silver Spoon stood back up, stretched a leg, and moved towards the window. Pulling away the curtain to peek outside, she stared into the distance in roughly the direction of Carousel Boutique.

"Well, looks like now would be the best time to do it."

"How can you tell?" Diamond Tiara asked flatly.

"Everything is quiet," Silver Spoon answered with a lopsided grin, "Since when is everything quiet with those three around?"

Diamond Tiara looked at her friend for a moment, before the same grin grew on her muzzle, "Never. Which means they are not here."

"So, are we going to do this, or what?" Silver Spoon asked, smirking.

"Oh, it's on," Diamond Tiara replied, a shadow falling over her eyes.

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

Rolling Stone and his team of three were once more out and about the town of Ponyville to scan for any spectral activity, doing everything they could to track down the spectral signatures they had recently encountered.

For now though, the civilians were still unaware of anything sinister transpiring in their fair town, so they had to maintain their cover, lest they start a panic.

Moving around the alleys, or mingling with the crowds to pick up on any rumors that might suggest ghost activity, they moved through town, ever vigilant.

"Honesty, Lyra. I can't believe you did that," they heard somepony say, and they noticed a beige earth pony shoot an annoyed look, laced with embarrassment, towards the mint green unicorn walking by her side.

"What? What did I do?" Lyra asked, confused, as the two of them walked through town. Followed from a distance by Sound Wave with her Ghost Gabber.

"Do you even need to ask?" the beige mare replied, receiving a nod from her horned companion.

Sighing, she facehoofed for a moment, "Alright, in order. First there is that strange, and quite frankly disturbing obsession you have with those hands, a—" she began, when her friend interrupted her.

"Hey, I'm not that one dimensional," Lyra said, annoyed, earning a flat look from the beige mare. "I like feet too."

The force with which her friend's hoof met her face could be felt by everypony in a half mile radius of the impact, and Sound Wave flinched visibly, before quickly retreating to a safer distance.

"Second, that 'list' you are constantly carrying around," she could faintly hear the beige mare continue. "Third, those 'visits' you make to the cafe to just 'order' something to eat every time Danny is working." Now that caught her attention.

"So?" the mint green mare asked, shrugging, "I've been doing that for a while now. Why bother bringing it up now?"

"Why? Because, of all the things you have done, what you did last night was just, just…."

"Last night?"

'Last night?' Sound Wave mused, thinking back. Faintly recalling something involving the unicorn mare at Danny's party.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Shaking your tail around while trying to dance on two legs," the beige mare continued, and suddenly Sound Wave knew exactly what it was these two were talking about, a blush staining her cheeks.

[img]https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8374033152/h5D09CA27/[/img]

Silence settled down between the two, and the only sound came from the group of crickets sitting on Fluttershy's head and back as she walked by.

"PFHAAAHAHAHA!" Lyra burst out in laughter. "That's what's gotten you all worked up?"

"Of course it is!" her friend replied, ashamed.

Lyra chuckled a little while longer, before turning to her friend, her muzzle almost touching her companion's, indicating that they were most likely in a relationship with one another. "Oh, but I thought you liked it when I shake my tail around like that?" she said in a husky voice, eyes half-lidded, and her friend sputtered as she stepped away, face burning bright red.

'Yeah, definitely a couple.'

"B-but that was different," the mare sputtered.

"Different? Different how?" Lyra asked, amused.

"You know what I mean," she replied, and Lyra looked to the side as she recalled last night's festivities, a grin forming on her face.

"Oh, that," Lyra said with a chuckle.

"Yes, that. Honestly, what were you doing?"

"Partying," came her honest answer, "Cutting loose. Something you should try sometimes."

A roll of the eyes was all the answer Lyra got from her beige companion, when, without warning, two earth pony fillies came running by. Knocking over Lyra's friend without so much as an apology, before running around a corner, disappearing from sight.

'Hmm, what was that about?' Sound Wave wondered as she watched the two fillies head towards Carousel Boutique, 'And wasn't that the filly involved with the incident some days ago back at the school?'

"Whoa! Are you alright?" Lyra asked, concerned, as she helped her marefriend back on her hooves.

"Yes, I am. But what is up with those two?" she replied, dusting herself off as she shot a glare after the two fillies.

Lyra shrugged in answer, before a grin returned to her muzzle, "So, about cutting loose…"

A throaty groan of frustration reached Sound Wave as she silently moved away.

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

Spike was fast asleep, nested warmly in his basket. Dreams of a certain white unicorn, along with the largest diamonds he'd ever seen, filled his mind as he slumbered. Dreams that came to an abrupt end when, in a strange turn of events, Rarity married the largest diamond, named Tom.

Screaming in horror, Spike woke up to the tell-tale feeling of a magical burst in his gut, signaling the arrival of a message.

A loud belch escaped him as a burst of magical green fire spewed out of his mouth, a letter materializing in front of him.

Scratching his lower back, he watched with lazy eyes as the rolled up paper fell to the ground, bounced once, and rolled for half a meter before coming to a stop.

"Sheesh," he slurred, "What's a guy gotta do to get some sleep? It's barely past noon." Sighing, he stepped out of his basket, only to get stuck as something held him tight. Looking back, he saw the part of his body that was ensnared in his blanket; his groggy mind still trying to move into second gear as he observed the problem with half lidded eyes, the full map of his anatomy slowly coming back to him.

[img][url=https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8220516352/h6559D783/][u]https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8220516352/h6559D783/[/u][/url][/img]

Shaking his head, he pulled himself out of his bed and picked up the letter, seeing it was addressed to him.

Raising an eyebrow, he unfurled the scroll, reading it. His eyes widened with each sentence. And, before long, he rushed out of the library.

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

"Hey, Scootaloo," said Apple Bloom, "Where've ya been? Ya missed Sweetie Belle fightin' that giant."

"Well… She did most of the fighting," Sweetie Belle muttered, rubbing a sore spot on her leg.

"Yeah… I know," Scootaloo replied vaguely, not really paying attention.

"Is everythaing alright?" Apple Bloom asked, looking at her friend with an expression of concern.

"Yeah… I think," she replied, but not really answering anything as she was more lost in thought.

"Hellooohoo~" Sweetie Belle called out, waving her hoof in front of Scootaloo's face, trying to snap her out of whatever thought she was stuck in, "Equestria to Scootaloo."

Blinking a couple of times, Scootaloo focused on the silver hoof wagging in front of her; her eyes following it to the filly it belonged to.

"... Eh… Wait, does that still work here? We're not in Equestria anymore," Sweetie Belle mused, looking at Apple Bloom for her thoughts on the matter. But all she got in reply was a shrug, and their attention returned to their orange friend.

"... Ehh?" she said, before shrugging herself.

"Anyhow, movin' on," Apple Bloom spoke up. "Mind telling us what's got ya all zoned out on us?"

Giving a kick against the snow, knocking away a small piece of ice, Scootaloo looked down with a slightly irritated frown, "Have you forgotten why we came here?" she asked, looking up at her earth pony friend with a hint of anger.

Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in realization, "Your parents!" they said simultaneously.

"I completely forgot about that," Sweetie Belle confessed with a guilty tone, looking at the ground, "Being busy figuring out how to control my powers and all."

"You forgot!?" Scootaloo said, angry, "You forgot!? Sure, why not. We're only talking about my parents who came back from the dead. What's the big deal?"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Sweetie Belle called out.

"Yeah, she was havin' trouble with her powers," said Apple Bloom, defending her unicorn friend.

"So what?" Scootaloo huffed, "There's always something with those powers."

"That ain't fair, either," Apple Bloom replied, frowning.

"You know what isn't fair? It isn't fair that we were all there when my mom helped us, but you two are more concerned about Sweetie Belle's powers than looking for her," she snapped at her friends, "And you"—she pointed at Apple Bloom—"of all ponies should know what it's like. Your parents are dead, too. Aren't you the least bit curious to find out if they are around here as well?"

"Ah- ehh," Apple Bloom muttered, looking away as she kicked the snow.

Snorting in annoyance, Scootaloo turned her back to them, "I see… Well, I don't care about those stupid powers. I'm going to look for my mom and dad!" and before Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle could say, or do anything, Scootaloo ran away, angry tears brimming in her eyes as she sped out of the frost giants' village.

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

Out in the distance, on top of one of the many icy hills, stood The Elder. Looking down on the village she called home, she watched young Scootaloo run away, clearly distressed.

Her friends, standing dumbfounded for several moments, hurried after her, trying to catch up with the orange filly, who had managed to gain quite some distance between herself and them.

"Hmmm… Another seed has been planted," she mused, her glowing orange eyes observing all, "Now, I wonder. What might grow from it?"

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

Rarity was hard at work, wearing her hazmat suit, as she aggressively scrubbed at the many dye stains Sweetie Belle had left behind.

An unlady like growl left her when yet another stubborn stain refused to vanish beneath the many strokes of her brush, yet she refused to give up.

More and more effort went into getting her room clean, and heat began to build up in the stuffy suit from her efforts. Drops of sweat began to run down her face, while her mane, placed carefully inside the suit when she put it on, turned scruffy. This went unnoticed by her as all her focus was placed on a particularly stubborn red spot on the wall, as well as on all the other spots, scars, and marks covering her once pristine atelier.

This changed though, when, without any ceremony, Spike came rushing in, out of breath, a letter in his claw.

"Spike?" Rarity spoke up, fogging up the visor of her hazmat suit, and she quickly removed it.

It was at this exact moment she started to notice something was off. And, after a quick glance at the mirror in the room's corner, she could see the damage all that hard work had done to her appearance.

Seeing her reflection, mane messy and sweat covering her face, her pupils shrunk to pinpricks before she shrieked in horror. In a blur, she ran to the bathroom, leaving Spike spinning on the spot.

As he finally came to a stop, eyes still spinning for a moment, he shook his head to refocus, and searched for the pristine white mare of his dreams. What he found, however, was a messy room, with no Rarity in sight. The sound of running water drew his attention to the bathroom, and he quickly made his way to the closed door, knocking on the wood.

"Eh, Rarity. Are you in there?"

"Just a moment," came the mare's hasty reply, and the clanging of various small jars could be heard coming from the other side.

"Oh, you can take all the time you need, Rarity," Spike replied with a dreamy voice, just the sound of her voice enough to make his heart flutter.

"Oh, but Spike, dear. If you don't mind me asking through the door like this... Why are you here? Didn't you go to Canterlot with Twilight?"

"Huh? Oh, no. Twilight went with Danny, and the-" he started to answer, when he was abruptly interrupted by the bathroom door swinging open.

"What? Twilight and Danny went to Canterlot together? As in, just the two of them? Together?" Rarity asked excitedly, her head sticking out of the open door with a towel wrapped around her mane.

"Uhh… Yeah?"

"Ooh, how marvelous," she cooed in glee over this bit of gossip, "I already suspected there was something was between those two, and now they are out to Canterlot, just the two of them. Aahh~" she swooned, "Just imagine what those two might be doing right now, bringing them closer together as a result?"

*****

Meanwhile, sitting in the royal library, Danny found himself back in school as Twilight decided to lecture him about something called the Elements of Harmony. Which, apparently, also included Twilight's personal story from when she first came to Ponyville.

"—Of course I was not at all interested in mingling with the crowd, but the Princess tasked me with overseeing the preparations for the coming Summer Sun Celebration, so some interaction was unavoidable. And that is how I first got to meet Applejack, when—"

*****

"... Yeah," Spike said slowly.

"Oh, but what do you have there, dear?" Rarity asked, finally noticing the scroll in Spike's claw.

"Huh, wha?" he stammered, having completely forgotten about the letter, "Oh, right. It's a letter Twilight sent me just a moment ago. Kinda important, too," he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head as he handed the letter over to Rarity, who took it in her magic.

For a moment she stood silent as she read the message her dearest friend had sent, only for her eyes to widen as she neared the end. And as the last line was read, a look of urgency showed on her face. Not wasting any time, she scooped Spike up and placed him on her back, much to his joy, and rushed away; the door of the boutique slamming shut before her towel landed on the ground.

A few seconds ticked by with nothing happening, then Rarity returned, only to shout at Sweetie Belle for her to stay in her room as she was still in a lot of trouble for what she had done. Then the door slammed shut once again, only for two young ponies to sneak inside after they were sure Rarity wouldn't come back again.

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

Small orange hooves raced across the snowy ground as their owner ran as fast as she could, wings buzzing rapidly in an attempt to keep herself from sinking into the frozen fluff.

Where she was going, she didn't know. All she knew was that she needed answers, and she wasn't going to find them back where she came from. So, with no clear destination in mind, no help from her friends, and generally no idea what she was going to do, she just ran. She ran, and ran, before coming up to a dead end.

Coming to a stop, digging a small trench in the snow and ice, Scootaloo looked up at the massive wall of ice which seemed to rise up without end. Clearly this wasn't the way to go, but, looking around, she couldn't find any other path, save for the way she had come. Not wanting to turn back until she had found some answers, -or, better yet, her parents- she glared up at the immovable wall of ice, wishing she could just fly up and over it. Just as Sweetie Belle was able to do, with her powers.

Another spark of anger ignited in her chest as she looked at her own useless wings, and she found herself wishing it was her who got those powers, if only so she could fly herself. Not finding any answers in the feathers of her wings, Scootaloo looked back up again, and noticed something different.

High above, the wall of ice seemed to give way to something else. A spot of green, too far away to make out any details, but still clearly there.

'Is it a way out of this place?' she wondered.

Looking around for any way to get up there to find out, her gaze fell on a rough path carved into the ice. A path which, even to her untrained eye, looked like it hadn't been used for many years. Not that it mattered to her if it was used recently, or not. But all the same, it looked… treacherous. 'But,' she thought, 'Would Rainbow Dash let something looking treacherous stop her?'

The answer was all too clear, and taking a few hesitantly brave steps, she began the climb up.

The moment she touched the ice the rough path was made from, a violent shiver went down her spine. The ice was much, much colder than the snow and ice found in the village. Almost as if it was older, wilder than anything she had felt before.

Shrugging it off, she continued on her way, not wanting to give up just because the ice was a bit colder. Eyes steeled with determination, she took the next step, and the next. Slowly progressing up, heading towards the strange spot of green.

Each step she took brought her closer to her goal. Each step carefully placed so she wouldn't slip. Each step hinting at the danger facing her should she fall. Each slow step passing without incident, until she was halfway up.

A patch of ice gave way, cracks racing deep throughout its structure. Pieces broke off, and fell down, bringing down even more chunks with them. And before she knew what happened, the ground vanished from underneath her hooves.

A loud scream echoed off of the walls as she fell to her doom.

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

Two pairs of eyes scanned the seemingly empty building as they snuck inside.

Positive there was nopony there to catch them, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon quietly moved deeper in, careful not to make any sound.

"Do you think there is still anypony in here?" Silver Spoon asked, feeling rather nervous. Sure, they had done several things to the Crusaders, but never before had they broken into somepony's home.

"Of course there isn't," Diamond Tiara answered confidently, no longer trying to stay quiet, "You saw that dressmaker leave yourself. And we both know that that loser Blank Flank isn't here, seeing that everything is calm. So, let's just get my tiara and get this over with," she continued with a grimace, looking as if she had stepped in something unpleasant. She walked up the stairs, heading towards a closed door which, to no surprise to her whatsoever, had colorful hoofprints leading to it.

"Too easy," she remarked, snorting at the mess, knowing who was responsible, "Let's go," she called out to her friend, and they entered the room, unaware that their stealthy break in hadn't gone as stealthily as they thought. As, spying on them through the windows, Sound Wave kept a close eye on them; ghost scanner in hoof. A scanner which showed strong spectral activity.

Because of this, she chose not to interfere with the fillies' obvious crime in favor of getting a proper scan of them. She may be a guard, but she was also a ghost hunter. And in favor of keeping the masses safe from any undead activity, she ignored the fillies illegal incursion; a worried frown on her face as the results of her scanner came up. Results which worried her to no end, as the spectral activity seemed to increase. Especially close to the gray filly, Silver Spoon, who unbeknownst to all, stood nearest to the spot where Sweetie Belle's powers had manifested themselves again, indicated by the large blot of dye on the floor.

Of course, seeing the readings on her scanner, which seemed to point towards the young gray filly, Sound Wave came to a shocking, and seemingly impossible, realization.

'This… This can't be,' she thought as she looked at the young pony, 'Is.. is she…?' her shocked mind struggled as she saw Diamond Tiara kick over a few things, clearly angered. Focusing her attention back on Silver Spoon, she slowly backed away from the building, 'I need to alert Rolling Stone.'

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

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle hurried after Scootaloo, trying to catch up with her. Following her was easy enough though, as her hoofprints were clearly visible in the snow. Yet the snow also proved to be a hindrance, as Apple Bloom kept sinking deep into the white pack of frozen water.

Sweetie Belle, still in her spirit form, flew above it, and didn't face such problems. But she was forced to stop every now and then to pull her friend out of the white whenever she got stuck.

"Seriously, how did she not get stuck?" Apple Bloom asked, annoyed, as Sweetie Belle had to help free her yet again.

"I don't know," Sweetie Belle replied, "Maybe because she's a pegasus? You know, she's always been light on her hooves."

Apple Bloom took a second to think about that, and in that time Sweetie Belle pulled her out of the snow.

"Ah guess that makes sense," she replied, kicking off some snow that had stuck to her leg, "But where did she run off ta?"

"Only one way to find out," Sweetie Belle answered, nodding to the hoofprints.

Suddenly, the wind made way for a fearful scream, and the two of them snapped their heads towards a tall mountain range, eyes wide.

"SCOOTALOO!" they shouted.

No longer wasting any time, Sweetie Belle grabbed Apple Bloom and flew off towards the source of the scream. Yet despite the situation, Apple Bloom still found herself with a hint of irritation.

"Ya know, ya could have done that from the start, right!?"

Ignoring it in favor of staying airborne, Sweetie Belle flew towards the icy mountains, seeing Scootaloo's tracks heading inside what looked like a large cave. Darting inside, she dropped Apple Bloom to the ground before landing herself.

"Scootaloo! Where are you!" she called, her voice echoing off of the walls.

"UP HERE!" Scootaloo yelled her answer, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked up to find their friend hanging on for dear life.

"SCOOTALOO!" they shouted in shock at the sight of their pal's perilously precarious position.

Hanging high above, holding on to a jagged piece of ice sticking out from the side of the wall, was Scootaloo. Hindlegs dangling above the vertical drop without support, wings buzzing like crazy in an attempt to generate enough lift to get back to safety. But to no avail.

"HELP!" Scootaloo shouted as, to her rising fear, the ice which she was holding on to began to shift, cracks starting to form within its crystalline structure.

The frightening sound of cracking ice grew louder and louder, and Scootaloo felt the ice grow weaker by the second. She also noticed she was slowly dropping as the ice lost its strength. Then, with a loud snap, the ice broke, and the young pegasus found herself in a sudden free fall once more.

Acting on nothing more than reflex, Sweetie Belle flew up, fast. Intercepting her friend halfway in her fall, and catching her. Yet a looming shadow fell over them, which grew bigger and bigger at an alarming rate.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" Apple Bloom yelled as she saw the giant slab of ice plummeting towards them, "NOW!"

Taking the advice to heart, Sweetie Belle dropped down, Scootaloo holding on to her tightly. Yet gravity proved to have a greater pull on the heavy chunk of frost than it had on the inexperienced spirit, and the distance between them diminished faster than she was able to fly away from it.

Apple Bloom looked up with eyes wide in horror, knowing that her friends couldn't get away in time, and she herself was unable to help. It took a split second longer for her to realize her own precarious position, but it was already too late by the time it occurred to her to move from the spot she was standing.

Looking down, and seeing the fear in her friend's eyes; feeling the tightening grip her other friend had on her, and sensing the crushing weight of the ice falling towards them, Sweetie Belle found herself acting on nothing more than blind panic.

Her eyes began to glow a heavy green. Not just the irises, but the whole eye. She sped up enough to reach her grounded friend just before the frozen rock did, and grabbed hold of one of Apple Bloom's legs.

The ice slammed into the ground a split second later with earth shattering force.

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

"It wasn't there!" Diamond Tiara screeched, "Why wasn't my tiara there!?"

She had been going on like that for more than ten minutes after they had returned to Silver Spoon's place, much to the gray filly's displeasure, as her lingering headache suddenly came back with a vengeance.

"Maybe she hid it somewhere?" she offered.

"Of course she did," Diamond Tiara sneered, "She must have realized who's tiara it was, and gotten jealous because she doesn't have one herself."

"Are you sure?" Silver Spoon asked, unsure. A sliver of doubt about her friend began to form deep within as Diamond Tiara seemed to care more about her tiara than the ever growing headache she had.

"Of course I'm sure. Since when have I ever not been sure?"

Silver Spoon was about to reply, when Diamond Tiara cut her off to continue with her rant, "She hid it, I know she did. But were? Not in her room, that much is obvious, seeing we looked everywhere."

"Then where do you think she keeps it?"

"How should I know? I'm not a loser Blank Flank like her. Thinking like her means lowering myself to her level, and we both know that is impossible."

Silver Spoon frowned at this. Yes, she too picked on the Crusaders. Called them all sorts of things, and made fun of them for trying to earn their Cutie Marks. And yet, there was something that didn't sit right with her. Something she began to notice some time after she'd gotten home from the doctor. Something small, a feeling deep within. Faint at first, but growing ever so slowly. What it was she didn't know, nor did she understand it. And at first she just ignored it as she continued her normal routine with her friend. But now, especially after having been in Sweetie Belle's room, this strange feeling seemed to have gotten stronger. Not by much, but enough to cause her to pause and wonder if what she was doing was the right thing.

"Maybe... Maybe if we stop being so hard on them Sweetie Belle will give you back your tiara?" she offered, unsure, confused over the words that came out of her mouth.

Diamond Tiara, too, was confused by what her friend had just said. And she looked at her as if she had seen a ghost.

"What!?" she exclaimed, her voice clearly conveying her disgust at her friend's suggestion, "Why would we do that? Be nice to them? You’re not going soft on me are you, Silver Spoon?"

Silver Spoon didn't answer. Instead she looked down to the ground as her headache became worse, making her flinch visibly.

"I think I need to lay down a bit," she said, and Diamond Tiara showed a rare look of genuine concern, "I'm not feeling too well. Maybe we can continue this tomorrow?"

"... Sure," Diamond Tiara answered, backing out of the room as she gave her friend a strange look. "You'll need it," she added with a sour tone. "Suggesting being nice to those losers," she finished as she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah…" Silver Spoon muttered as she climbed onto her bed, "Losers?"

As she drifted off, her mind mulled over one final question: Who were the real losers here?

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

"What!? You can't be serious!"

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but the scanner's result was clear," Sound Wave assured her commander. "Blue Ice calibrated the scanners to filter out all interference, and the results all point to the same thing."

"You do realize that if what you are saying is true, we're facing a situation more complicated and dangerous than anything we have faced before. With the only possible exception being the changeling invasion," Rolling Stone replied gruffly.

"I know. Believe me, I know," Sound Wave answered. "But the scans were clear… There might have been a mistake, I know. But the scan's readout was clear. There was a lot of spectral activity centered around this filly. Even some coming off of her, as if she was emitting it herself. It was faint, but clearly there."

"So, you're saying..."

"Sir… I think she might be a ghost in disguise."

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

A howling wind pierced the otherwise tomb like silence, blowing the fresh, powdery snow away in large, billowing clouds. A similar cloud of frozen powder slowly descended, both on the ground and the slab of ice which had blown it away. A slab of ice which now lay in its own shallow crater, with fissures running through, and away from it.

Cracks littered the ground, and even continued up on the wall it had fallen from, causing small chunks of ice to fall down every so often.

A strained, muffled grunt came from within the ice. A moment later Sweetie Belle pulled herself and her friends out of their icy tomb. Dropping her friends to the ground, joining them a moment later as her powers gave out, the three of them lay unmoving, save for the terrified tremors that coursed through their bodies.

Minutes ticked by in terrified silence, none of the fillies having the strength to move, even with the cold that slowly crept up their bodies, numbing their flanks.

Eventually their breathing returned to normal, and their bodies stopped shaking. The numbing cold that was hard at work freezing their rear ends also began to register in full, and the three slowly, clumsily, got back to their hooves.

"Scootaloo…" Apple Bloom said after a while, "What were ya doin' up there?"

Looking down at the ground, Scootaloo muttered a reply as she kicked a small piece of ice away.

"What?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I was looking for my parents," she replied slightly louder, though still in a whisper.

"Up there?" Apple Bloom replied, confused. "Why?"

"Hey, what's that?" Sweetie Belle asked as she noticed the green glow coming from above. "Is that where you were going?" she asked her orange friend, seeing her nod as she stared up as well. "Then let us help you. It's the least we can do."

"Really?"Scootaloo asked, surprised.

"Of course," Sweetie Belle replied, "Just because we had a bit of a fight doesn't mean we're not friends anymore."

"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed. "We're Tha Cutie Mark Crusaders. We stick together no matter what. We'll find yer parents, together. You'll see."

A bright smile broke out on Scootaloo's face as she saw her friends' confident smiles, yet one question remained. "But how do we get up there? The path collapsed," she pointed out.

Rolling her eyes, Sweetie Belle trotted up, "Easy," she said, lifting off of the ground.

Another pang of jealousy shot through Scootaloo.

"I'll fly us up there," Sweetie Belle said with confidence, before realizing her limited strength when it came to carrying somepony up. "Uh, one at a time, though."

This seemed to be agreeable to her friends, and, slowly, Sweetie Belle flew up with Scootaloo. Once the orange pegasus was dropped off on the ground above, she returned for the earth pony Crusader.

And as she flew back down, Scootaloo took the time to look down at her friend as she moved through the air. A displeased frown on her features as she ruffled her small, useless wings.

'Why can't I do that? she thought, '…. I wish I had spirit powers, too.'

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

"Woow" three pairs of voices piped up as Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle observed the strange expanse before them. Dark green, endless, with chunks of land floating throughout it.

Nothing about it made any sense, and the three ponies stood frozen on the spot, trying to wrap their minds around what they were seeing.

"Ya know…" Apple Bloom begun, "This kinda reminds me of that time we tried ta get our pottery Cutie Marks."

"... It kinda does, doesn't it?" Sweetie Belle agreed.

"Yeah. There's stuff floating everywhere," Scootaloo added.

"Welp, where should we go now?" Apple Bloom asked, already getting used to the weirdness of the Ghost Zone. Which, after all the strange things they had gone through already, wasn't all that weird.

"I dunno," Sweetie Belle answered with a shrug, "Pick a rock, I suppose."

"Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied, "Hey, Scoots. Whadda ya think?"

Narrowing her eyes, the filly in question scanned the many possibilities they had among the free floating chunks of land filling the green expanse, trying to figure out where would be best to start.

Many different options presented themselves, yet none of the mostly lifeless rocks seemed to be of any interest to her. But then, out in the distance, on one of the larger chunks of land, she saw several green flashes.

"Hey, what's that?" she said, pointing her hoof at her discovery.

"Huh?" was all Apple Bloom said on observing the glowing lights.

"Hold on," Sweetie Belle said as she held up a hoof, an orb of ectoplasm glowing in its crook, "It looks just like this stuff."

Looking at the glowing orb created by their friend, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had to agree about the similarities.

"Well, I guess that's where we go," Scootaloo said, "Maybe it's a signal, or something?" She began to walk towards the light, only to be stopped when her hoof met nothing but empty air.

Looking down, she stared into the green void which surrounded the frozen land she stood on. Blinking several times, she took a large step back, sighing.

"Looks like you'll have to carry us again," she said to Sweetie Belle, who groaned in annoyance as she observed the distance between them and the nearest piece of land.

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

"Okay, so everypony has read Twilight's letter?" Rarity asked as she, Spike, and the rest of the Elements, save Twilight, had gathered in Golden Oaks Library.

"Of course we did!" Rainbow Dash said brashly, hovering in the air, "Some bad guy is causing trouble, and we need to kick his sorry flank to the other side of Equestria. So, what are we waiting for?"

"Rainbow Dash," said Rarity, her tone similar to that when she would scold her younger sister when she had caused some kind of trouble again, "If you had read the letter, you would have known that, although there is the possibility of a serious situation, not much is known about what is happening. At least, Twilight doesn't seem to know anything more than what she has told us."

"Which isn't a whole lot," Applejack cut in.

"Indeed," Rarity agreed. "But we also know Twilight wouldn't send such a message unless she believed it to be absolutely necessary."

"So, what are we going to do then?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Just wait here till something blows up, or something?" And at that exact moment Pinkie Pie set off her party cannon, scaring Fluttershy.

"Oh, I know. Let's throw a party!" the hyperactive pink sugar rush proclaimed with an eager smile.

"Ah don't think that's tha best thaing ta do right now, Sugarcube," Applejack replied with a small smile.

"Aaaww," Pinkie moaned in disappointment.

"Girls, please," Rarity called out, drawing everypony's, and dragon's, attention back to her. "Perhaps it would be wisest to gather the Elements, and head over to Canterlot. That way, should we be required to use the Elements, we will have them with us, while also being present when any new information becomes available."

"That sounds like a mighty fine plan there, Rarity," Applejack agreed. "But what 'bout Sweetie Belle? We don't know how long we're going ta have ta stay away, and she'll need somepony ta look after her."

"I know," Rarity answered, her voice tense. "After all, she's still in a lot of trouble," she said, thinking back to the mess still in her atelier. "... Applejack, dear," she began, when a hearty chuckle from the farm mare cut her short.

"Sure, Rares. She can stay on tha farm while we're gone. Ah'm sure Big Mac can handle her fer that long."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Rarity said, humorously, recalling the mess her younger sister had made just that morning.

"Yeah, she an' Bloom can be a real hoof full. Especially if Scootaloo is with them."

"Don't we all know it?" Rarity answered, receiving multiple acknowledgements from the ponies and dragon around her.

Turning to the display case holding the Elements, Rarity used her magic to levitate them out, and towards herself and her friends. "Alright, we all take our respective Elements," she then turned to Spike, "And why don't you hold Twilight's?"

"Sure thing, Rarity," he answered dreamily as he took hold of Twilight's tiara, and Pinkie Pie suddenly snorted in laughter.

"Does this mean you're the new Twilight now, Spike?" she giggled.

Blinking dumbly, Spike turned to look at the pink pony as he processed what it was she had said. Then a memory about a certain draconequus resurfaced, and he couldn't help but snort as well.

"You know what, maybe I am," he stated boldly, placing the tiara on his head. Everypony burst out laughing, which doubled as the tiara slid off of his head, and hung lopsided on one of his spines.

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

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle ran over the barren rock towards the source of the strange green flashes, hoping to find some answers as to what they were.

Scootaloo, however, wanted to find out where her parents were more than anything. She hoped that she could find some clue as to their whereabouts up ahead.

Sweetie Belle had also transformed back into her mortal self after transporting her friends from one rock to the other, one at a time, and felt that her powers were severely depleted at the moment.

The drop in energy also showed, as she struggled to keep pace with her friends, who ran ahead of her, with Scootaloo leading.

"Come on!" she shouted, looking back as she ran. "It's over here."

"Ah'm coming!" Apple Bloom shouted back.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle wheezed. "Coming."

Their run continued for several more minutes, until they entered a rough area, with rocks of various sizes littering the ground. Scootaloo, running ahead, came to a screeching stop, much to the surprise of Apple Bloom, who noticed too late. And despite her best efforts, she crashed into her pegasus friend.

Sweetie Belle, however, already out of energy and lagging behind her friends, saw what happened and came to a gradual stop before she came anywhere near the two downed, tangled up ponies.

"Having trouble?" she asked in light humor, earning herself two annoyed groans as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo tried to untangle their legs.

"Very funny," Apple Bloom muttered as she and Scootaloo got back to their hooves.

Carefully, the three continued on their quest to find the cause of the green flashes. They clambered over the loose rocks and boulders, almost tripping here and there when something shifted, until they reached the edge of the floating island they were on. Peeking over the side, the three fillies looked down. Several murmurs of amazement coming from them as they observed what was happening.

Two beings, locked in combat. One, an armor clad human, standing on a flying board of some kind; the other, a large metal behemoth with glowing green eyes and weapons coming out of his body.

"Wow! Who is that?" Scootaloo asked, amazed as she saw the human dodge the other entity's attacks with an air of grace, ease, and even a hint of aggression.

"And what is that?" Apple Bloom wondered, staring at the metal being.

"Skulker," a hooded figure standing between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle answered.

"And why are they fighti-" Sweetie Belle began, only to fall silent. A silence that also took hold of her two friends. And slowly, reluctantly, they turned to look at who it was that was standing with them.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

All three fillies screamed at the sight of the dark, cloaked pony. A bone white horn sticking out from underneath the hood covering his head, while a scythe floated by his side in a pale white glow. His eyes were glowing red pinpricks piercing the shadows obscuring his face, while, to the fillies' growing horror, two wings lay folded at his sides.

Wings without any feathers, flesh, or skin. Only bones.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

They screamed once more as they backed away, the cloaked individual rearing back in fright at the sudden assault on his nonexistent ears. It soon lost its balance, and fell to the ground. The blow dislodged its head, and an ever grinning skull rolled out from underneath the cloak, its piercing red eyes staring at the three frightened fillies.

"Ehh… Please don't scream," the skull asked, while its body stumbled around in search of its lost head.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

"WHAT IS THAT THAING!?" Apple Bloom cried in fright, backing away to cower behind Sweetie Belle.

"HOW IS IT TALKING!?" shouted Sweetie Belle.

"SHOOT IT, SWEETIE BELLE!" Scootaloo yelled, mirroring Apple Bloom.

"Don't shoot!" the skull said, alarmed, raising its front hooves in a vain attempt to shield the empty space where its head usually sat.

"GHAAAAA!" Sweetie Belle shouted as she blindly fired several green beams at the talking skull, which bounced around as it tried to dodge the poorly aimed blasts of ectoplasm.

Apple Bloom, completely freaked out by what she was seeing, backed away even further. At least until she suddenly bumped into something. Something that strangely felt like legs. Very tall legs… Very thin legs.

Shuddering, she slowly turned her head to see what was behind her. Her pupils shrunk to pinpricks as she saw the tall, dark cloaked figure standing behind her. Skeletal hands poking out of its sleeves, with a scythe held in one of them. The other, however, steadied the human they saw before, now slumped over its shoulder.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

Her scream grabbed the attention of Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and the skull. The former two feeling their blood run cold at the sight of another creature similar to the first.

The tall being gazed down at the fillies with piercing red eyes, slowly walking around the trio as it kept its gaze on them.

Apple Bloom pressed closer to Sweetie Belle, while Scootaloo swallowed a dry lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. The being's scythe tapped on the ground with each step he took, while Sweetie Belle stared at him with fearful eyes.

The being moved to a sizable rock near them, and Scootaloo's wings fluttered nervously. The being deposited the unconscious human on the ground without effort, and Sweetie Belle braced herself for what was to come. The being turned to them, tightened its hold on its scythe, and promptly sat down on the rock.

"Aren't you going to say anything!?" the skull groaned, sounding irritated.

The being simply shifted its gaze to the skull, tilting its head slightly.

"Are you going to hurt us?" Scootaloo asked with false bravado. "Because if you're going to, Sweetie Belle here will use her spirit powers on you."

The being's red eyes widened, and Sweetie Belle braced herself. Apple Bloom whimpered in fear, and the skull sighed while rolling its eyes. Scootaloo gritted her teeth, the fillies' image was reflected off of the unconscious human's visor, and the being's piercing red eyes bore into them.

"You try it, and someone's going to get hurt," the being answered in a serious, male voice, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo pressed together in fear.

"Oh yeah," Sweetie Belle stammered, "and who's that?"

"Me, of course," the being answered simply.

"What!?" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shouted together, their surprise breaking through their fear. "Are you kidding me?" Scootaloo added.

"Don't try any tricks, you hear me, " Sweetie Belle said, holding up a shaky, glowing green hoof. "Where are we, and who are you?"

The being's red eyes widened once more, and he stared at the fillies with an intense gaze. Sweetie Belle felt a shudder go down her spine, Scootaloo's wings twitched in nervousness, and Apple Bloom 'eeped' in fright.

"You've got some nerve, filly. It's only polite to introduce yourself before asking a question to someone you've just met."

"Ehh….?" Sweetie Belle stammered, sharing a seriously confused look with her friends. "O-kay," she began, slowly, "I'm Swee—"

"If you must know. My name is Eddie, and I am the reaper of the human world. I'm as old as time itself. Gemini."

"Is this guy serious!?" Apple Bloom shouted, irritated. No longer afraid of the clearly kooky individual.

"You’d like to know where you are. But your constant shouting leaves me disinclined to accommodate your curiosity, except that you are trespassing in a realm where you do not yet belong. Besides, I think it's pretty obvious where you are, seeing all the ghosts that inhabit this realm," Eddie told them.

"So, this is the ghost world?" Scootaloo asked.

"Ah thought they only lived in that frozen village?" Apple Bloom added.

Eddie's red eyes widened as stared intently at the trio, and the skull sighed in frustration.

"OH WILL YOU JUST STOP DOING THAT!" the skull shouted.

"What?" Eddie replied in a casual tone. "Haven't you ever heard of a running gag, Mort?"

"Eddie," Mort said in a flat voice, "do you ever take anything seriously?"

"Yes, my work," Eddie replied. "Which is why we are here now." Standing up, he proceeded to scoop up Mort's head, and place it back on his spine. Then the two of them turned to the three fillies, who huddled together as the two skeletons looked at them. "Now, what to do with you three?" Eddie wondered aloud.

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

"Where are they!?" Wind Chill asked in panic. "Where are the children?"

"Have you looked everywhere in the village?" Frostbite replied, worried.

"Of course I have."

"Then why have they not shown up?"

"Because they are no longer here," a calm, wise voice replied, and The Elder approached the two frost giants with a slow gait.

"They're no longer here?" Frostbite repeated questioningly. "Then where did they go?"

"Did they return through the portal?" Wind Chill queried.

"No, they did not."

"Then, whe-..." Frostbite asked, when his eyes widened in horror. "Don't tell me that..."

"Indeed they did," The Elder confirmed.

"We must gather all frost giants and search for the young ones at once," he bellowed. "The Ghost Zone isn't a safe place for them."

"You shall do no such thing!" The Elder stated as she blocked Frostbite's path with her staff.

"What!? But, Elder. Surely you can't mean to leave them to their fate out in the Zone?" Wind Chill asked, staring at The Elder in disbelief.

"No, I do not. But neither shall you interfere with what needs to be done."

"Interfere? With what?" Frostbite asked.

"They follow the path which lays before them, while we walk a different. Our paths cross, and even join together from time to time. But they still have their own Destiny. One which we can not, must not, interfere with," she explained. "But fear not. They are safe. The soul's shepherds for both their world and the human world, are with them."

"The reapers?" Wind Chill and Frostbite said in unison.

"Yes," she answered, looking away into the distance. "You best return to the young ones' world, Wind Chill. For now, that's the best place to be for you. They will return… in time," she mused sagely. "Hmm… There is more to this than even I can see. Much, much more," she muttered, more to herself, leaving Wind Chill and Frostbite with more questions than they had answers.

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

Small, black hooves crunched on the leaves littering the ground in rapid succession as the being they belonged to ran as fast as she could through the thick foliage of the forest. Labored breaths escaped her mouth as her energy wanned due to fatigue and hunger. But slowing down was not an option, as the timberwolves chased after her, and she could feel their green eyes boring into her with their haunting glow.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed with a distinct echo, as if there were two voices speaking at once. She then gave a high pitched yelp as she almost tripped over a tree's root. "MOM!" she called out, all the while knowing she wouldn't be able to come.

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

"So... you're tha Pale Pony?" Apple Bloom asked, weirded out, but no longer afraid of the two skeletons. Who, after some proper introductions by Mort, turned out to be quite kind… Although Eddie was a strange one. Serious one moment, weird the next.

"That's one of the many names given to me throughout the ages, yes," Mort answered.

"And you're the same, ehhh… thing like he is?" Scootaloo asked Eddie, who gave a single nod in answer.

"Yes, although I'm not referred to as a pony. Grim Reaper is the most commonly given name the humans have for me."

"And you collect souls?" Sweetie Belle asked, unsure.

"Oh, no no no no," Mort replied hastily, shaking his head. "No, we do not collect souls. What we do is guide the souls of those who have passed away, and help them move on."

"Yes," Eddie agreed. "And where Mort takes care of all ponies, I am responsible for the souls of the humans."

This piqued Scootaloo's interest. But before she could speak up, Apple Bloom beat her to the punch.

"You help them cross over? To where?"

"It differs from soul to soul," Mort explained. "When someone dies, their soul enters a plane of existence referred to as Purgatory."

"Purgatory?" Sweetie Belle repeated.

"Yes," Mort nodded. "It's a plane of uncertainty. Existence between life and death, but neither. And only by making a choice is one able to leave this plane."

"They can return there once a year if they feel like the choice they've made was wrong, or for whatever other reason might make sense to them," Eddie added.

"What kind of choice do they have to make?" Scootaloo queried.

"Whether they wish to move on to eternity, or to remain behind, and continue their lives as a ghost, or other spectral entity," Eddie answered.

"Then, it is possible they are here?" Scootaloo asked, hopeful.

"Who is?" Mort asked, suspicious.

"My mom and dad!" Scootaloo exclaimed eagerly, as she looked around the green void, as if expecting her parents to be standing right behind her.

There it was, and Mort closed his eyes, while Eddie muttered a worried: "Oh, dear."

"What?" Apple Bloom said, noticing the shift in their behavior.

"Scootaloo," Mort began with a hesitant tone, "your parents aren't here, in the Ghost Zone." The moment he said that, Scootaloo's hope shattered into thousands of pieces, which clearly showed in her eyes.

"What?" she said, hurt.

"Scoot Blaze and Sky Rider," Mort said softly. "Those are their names. I know. I met them. I reaped them. I helped them cross over…" he looked up at Scootaloo, seeing tears starting to form in her eyes. "They chose to move on."

"NO!" Scootaloo yelled, shaking her head to clear away the tears which she refused to admit were there. "You're lying!" she said accusingly, angry. "I know what I heard. I know that voice, of the one who helped us. It was my mom who helped my friends and me, I just know it! My pare—" she suddenly stopped when Eddie placed his hand on top of her head. And, despite the clearly comforting gesture, the feeling of a skeletal hand caused her to shiver.

"Mort didn't say this to upset you, Scootaloo. He only did this so you wouldn't waste your time looking for them here."

"But I know what I heard," Scootaloo whimpered.

"If there is one thing I've learned throughout the ages, is that mortals tend to seek comfort in the tiniest things. Even going so far as to convince themselves of a certain fact, while they don't have anything to prove it," he told the troubled filly, who looked up at him in confusion. "You think you heard your mother's voice. And maybe this is true. But are you sure about this? Or are you hoping it to be true; holding on to this tiny sliver of hope against all odds?"

"I, ehh…"

Standing up, Eddie took a step back from Scootaloo, looking down at her. "Rushing into something because you think you know something is a foolish thing to do. I know. Many of the souls I have guided came to me by rushing into things."

"Ehh... Rushing into things is kinda what we do," Sweetie Belle said, sheepishly, while Apple Bloom rubbed the back of her head as she confirmed this as well.

"Yes, I know," Mort said, flatly. "I've run into you three several times."

"You have?" Apple Bloom said, surprised. A look which was mirrored by her friends, and even Eddie.

"Yes. Most recently during your attempt to earn a manticore taming Cutie Mark," he answered, and the memory of the manticore which almost killed them resurfaced in the fillies' minds.

"Hold on a minute," Eddie said, seriously. "You mean these three have gotten themselves in a situation where they managed to attract your attention, multiple times?"

"You have no idea," Mort replied, when a groan brought their attention to the human who was starting to regain consciousness.

"We'll have to cut this short," Eddie said as he turned to the armor clad human. "Time to return you home," he muttered as he picked her back up.

"Wha…?" came a groggy reply in a warped voice, before Eddie phased a skeletal finger through the human's helmet, knocking her out again.

"Mort," —Eddie gave a small nod— "girls, I'll be taking my leave," he said, a chipper tone in his voice. "Time to return this lost soul to her home." Lifting the human over his shoulder, he walked away, heading towards the edge of the floating piece of land they stood on. But, as he stepped over the edge, he simply vanished into thin air, taking the human with him.

"I suppose I'll have to take you back home as well," Mort said after a moment.

"But, wait," Scootaloo piped up. "What about my parents? Aren't they here? I mean… Maybe… They could-"

"No, Scootaloo. They are not here. I'm sorry. But if it is any conci—" Mort told her, when he stopped mid sentence and stared out into the distance.

"Ehh… Mort?" Apple Bloom said hesitantly, waving her hoof in front of him.

"Sorry," he said as his attention returned to the three fillies before him. "But I have to cut this short as well. Come with me, and stay close by my side. I will guide you back to your world."

"Huh, wha? What happened?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Mort looked up and into the distance again, a saddened look in his eyes. "Somepony is nearing the end of her life," he explained in a grim voice. "Now, come on. I'll drop you off near your village."

Together the four of them walked to the edge of the floating island. Mort with a task to fulfill. Apple Bloom with answers to questions she didn't dare ask. Sweetie Belle with new knowledge about the ghosts, and their world. Or, Ghost Zone, as they preferred. And Scootaloo left with the answers she wasn't looking for, and crushed hope as a result.

A saddened sigh escaped her lips as she looked back behind her one last time before the four of them vanished into thin air. One last look, which would be burned into her memory.

For out in the distance, standing on a rock, were two figures.

Their glowing green eyes reflecting in Scootaloo's wide eyes.

Then, everything vanished.

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

Near the edge of Ponyville, under the cover of several trees, and close to the Everfree Forest, four beings suddenly materialized in a burst of green light.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle looked around in confusion as they tried to figure out where they were, while Mort stood by their side, making sure no one, pony or otherwise, had seen them.

Normally he would remain hidden from view as he passed between the layers of reality separating the Ghost Zone and the mortal realm. But this time, due to his passengers, any mortal around would be able to witness what had just transpired.

"Okay… Your town is over there," Mort said, pointing a bony hoof towards Ponyville. "I need to go this way," he added, indicating the Everfree Forest, "so, eh... Bye," and with that, he vanished, leaving the three fillies behind.

"Well… That just happened," Apple Bloom said, bewildered.

"So, what do we do now?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Go home, Ah guess. We're still grounded, after all. But maybe they ain't noticed we were gone," Apple Bloom suggested.

"I guess," Sweetie Belle replied, shrugging, and she and Apple Bloom headed back to their homes. Only to stop after a couple of steps as they noticed Scootaloo wasn't moving.

"Hey, Scootaloo. Aren't you going home?" Sweetie Belle asked her friend.

"I saw them!" she said, barely audible.

"Huh?"

"I saw them!" Scootaloo repeated, a bit louder.

"You, what?" Sweetie Belle queried.

"I saw them!" Scootaloo repeated once more.

"Ya saw who?" Apple Bloom asked, curious.

Slowly Scootaloo turned her head to look at her friends, eyes wide. "I saw them! My parents. Just before we left that weird place."

"WHAT!?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle chorused.

"Are you sure? You heard what that Eddie guy said," Sweetie Belle said.

"I know…" Scootaloo muttered as she turned her head to look at the Everfree Forest, "what I saw." She frowned deeply. "But why did they say they weren't there?"

"... Maybe it wasn't them?" Apple Bloom suggested, "Ah mean, m—"

"Yes, it was them!" Scootaloo interrupted. "So why did they say they weren't there?" she asked again.

"Maybe they just didn't know?" Sweetie Belle offered, and Scootaloo gave a snort in reply.

"I don't know," she said, moving for the forest, "but I'm going to find out."

"Hey, where're you going!?" Apple Bloom asked.

"To find Mort," Scootaloo called back. "And get some real answers," and she ran into the forest.

Apple Bloom shared a worried look with Sweetie Belle, before they, too, ran into the forest, once more chasing after their friend.

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

While their friends made ready to depart for Canterlot, Rarity and Applejack still had to take care of some business. Mainly, two of the three Crusaders, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

Of course Apple Bloom was already taken care of, seeing that Big Mac and Granny Smith would watch over her... and make sure that her punishment would stick. Sweetie Belle, however, was a different story since Rarity was the only adult around back home. So it was agreed that she would stay over at the orchard with Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith.

Of course this wasn't supposed to be a friendly sleepover either, but, as Applejack said: "Don't ya worry, Rarity. Mah brother'll be able ta keep those two youngsters in check… mostly. An' if all else fails, a harsh talkin' ta by Granny Smith should do tha trick."

Of course this also meant that Sweetie Belle had to be brought to Sweet Apple Acres, because should she simply be told to go there herself, who knew where else she would stop on the way? Therefore, Applejack and Rarity now found themselves in Carousel Boutique.

"Woohee," Applejack said as she saw the colorful mess. "What in tarnation happened here?"

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity sighed, reminded of the mess she still had to clean up, and which would have dried up completely by the time she returned. "She was playing around with my dyes." she said as she stomped towards Sweetie Belle's room, irritated.

"Sweetie Belle, come out, now!" she said loudly to the closed door, but received no reply whatsoever.

"Sweetie Belle," she said warningly, but still silence was all she got.

"Swee—" she began, only to stop as she noticed the door stood slightly ajar. And, with a push of her hoof, the door swung open. The mess she saw in the otherwise unoccupied room was all that greeted her.

"SWEETIE BELLE! You are in more trouble than you can possibly imagine!"

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

Deep in the Everfree Forest, in pursuit of her orange pegasus friend, Sweetie Belle felt a sudden chill go down her spine.

"What was that?" she asked out loud.

"What was what?" Apple Bloom asked, running by her side.

"... Nothing. Never mind that," she replied after a moment, shaking off the ominous, foreboding feeling. "Let's just catch up with Scootaloo."

"’Kay," Apple Bloom replied, following the trail Scootaloo had left behind in search of Mort, who proved to be difficult to find.

A loud, fillyish scream made them halt in their tracks; heads turning towards the general area the primal cry for help came from.

"Was that Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked, unsure.

"No, that was a different voice," Apple Bloom replied, and then her eyes widened. "Maybe it's tha pony Mort said was gonna die?"

"You think?" Sweetie Belle said with a gasp.

"Ah don't know. Maybe?" Apple Bloom shrugged as she replied.

"Shouldn't we help?"

"An' what about Scootaloo?"

"Knowing her, she'd go looking for whoever screamed. Probably to get bragging rights if she saves a pony, or to impress Rainbow Dash," Sweetie Belle responded.

"...True," and with that, the two of them hurried towards the source of the scream. Searching for who it was that needed help, and what was causing her distress.

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

"Where did that filly get to?" Rarity fumed, stomping down the stairs.

"Uhh, Rarity. Maybe ya need ta calm down a bit," Applejack suggested. "Ah mean, sure, things look bad. But maybe Sweetie Belle has a good reason fer all of this?"

"A good reason? Applejack, what reason could she possibly have for making a complete mess of her room, and leaving the house despite being grounded?"

"Ehh…" Applejack stammered, a hoof half raised, which she slowly set down as she failed to come up with an answer.

"And what if it was Apple Bloom who had done this back at your home?"

"...Then Ah reckon Ah'd be right mad at her," Applejack admitted.

"Exactly," Rarity stomped a hoof, nodding once. "Now, let's find that filly so I can teach her some proper manners."

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

They were expecting many things.

But not this.

They thought that, maybe, it was a manticore who had cornered its prey. Or a hydra wandering through the forest in search of a meal before returning to its bog. Perhaps a dragon whose sleep was disturbed. Maybe a cocaktrice was causing a ruckus... or Angel, Fluttershy's rabbit. But, as they had just discovered, it was a trio of timberwolves closing in on their prey.

So far things didn't seem all that much out of the ordinary. Scary forest. Dangerous creatures who could gobble you up in a single bite. And then there was the prey cornered by the wolves, which proved to be something they weren't expecting. A young changeling filly, with her back pressed against a wide tree.

She had a teal mane tied up in a ponytail, with a sea green ribbon on the side, next to her crooked horn. A small black crown tipped with blue orbs sat on top of her head.

Apple Bloom glanced at Sweetie Belle in confusion and nervousness at the unusually bizarre situation. Then, the two of them shared a look with Scootaloo, who they found sitting on the small incline of terrain, hidden under a dense bush after having thought it would be a good place to spy on whatever was going on themselves. Neither of them knowing what to make of the situation, or what they should do.

On one hoof, they should help the filly in need. But, on the other hoof, they didn't know what would happen if they did. Their sisters and friends all made it abundantly clear to stay far away from changelings, should they ever come across one. And they did come across one, right here, and were unable to turn away.

"Whadda we do?" Apple Bloom said in a whisper, not wanting to draw any attention to their hideout.

"Shouldn't we help her?" Sweetie Belle said, uncertain.

"But she's a changeling!" Scootaloo pointed out. "Didn't everyone tell us not to get near those?"

"But we cain't jus' walk away from this either, can we?" replied Apple Bloom. "Ah mean. What if she was a pony like us, we'd help her then wouldn't we?"

"... She doesn't look all that evil," Sweetie Belle muttered.

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked.

"I mean that she doesn't look like an evil witch, with a hideous body, Tartarus bent on destroying all of Equestria like Rarity said about that changeling queen, whatshername?"

"Ah guess…" Apple Bloom replied, unsure as the three of them stared at the scene unfolding. "So, what should we do?"

Before anyone could respond, one of the timberwolves jumped at the changeling, and the filly screamed in fright; green sparks of weakened magic flickering off of her horn, while her wings buzzed frantically in a desperate attempt to escape, but to no avail.

"She can't fly!" observed Scootaloo.

"She can't use magic!" Apple Bloom noted.

"She needs our help!" Sweetie Belle proclaimed.

The three looked at one another, and shared a determined nod.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, CHANGELING RESCUERS. GHAAAAAAAAA!!!" they yelled as they rushed down, taking the timberwolves by surprise, and startling the already terrified changeling; who yelped in fright, pressing herself even harder against the tree.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Apple Bloom shouted as she ran to one of the wolves, planting her front hooves in the dirt and swinging her hind quarters around, delivering a bone crushing blow with her rear hooves against the wolf's wooden jaw, splintering it.

"PICK ON SOMEPONY YOUR OWN SIZE!" Scootaloo yelled, slamming into the side of the second wolf, knocking it over.

"AND BY THAT, SHE DOESN'T MEAN US!" Sweetie Belle screamed, firing a bolt of glowing green destruction from her horn, shattering one of the legs right out from under the final wolf.

The three quickly formed up in front of the terrified changeling, shielding her while securing their stances.

"Ha!" Scootaloo huffed victoriously, "They didn't stand a chance," and the wolves got back on their paws; the damage done by their attacks regrowing in seconds. "... ehhh…. or not," Scootaloo added meekly.

Growling menacingly, the wooden trio slowly moved towards the four fillies; eyes glowing with anger. Their Alpha's order was clear in their minds: 'Stop the interloper, and kill her.' But the attack of these ponies had to be answered in kind.

They moved in closer and closer, eyes glowing whilst feral growls rose up from the back of their throats.

Apple Bloom lowered herself in a fighting stance, while Scootaloo stepped closer to the changeling, shielding her to the best of her abilities. Sweetie Belle, however, stepped forward defiantly; staring into their glowing green eyes, a strange sensation coming over her.

"Don't worry," Scootaloo told the black filly. "We won't let them hurt you."

"Yeah," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Uh-huh," hummed Sweetie Belle, and the changeling stared at them in shock and surprise. A strange mixture of emotional energy coming off of the three ponies who were risking their lives for her.

Yet, despite the bravado of their words, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle could feel their own anxiety rise with each step the wolves took towards them. Especially Sweetie Belle, who felt herself grow increasingly strained. Her eyes flickered green as the wolves stepped even closer, and the feeling grew, trying to get out.

Then, finally, with a growl, the wolves launched themselves towards the four fragile fillies.

Apple Bloom watched with widening eyes as the wolves came closer and closer, swallowing loudly as she prepared for the fight to come.

Scootaloo spread out her wings as far as she could, glaring daggers at the timberwolves as she mentally pumped herself up.

The changeling, already terrified, screamed out, calling once again for her mother.

And Sweetie Belle stumbled on the spot, shaking her head as a strange sensation overwhelmed her. Opening her eyes to look up at the wolves, she saw an open maw move in for the kill, and she acted on the most basic of fear induced instincts.

She screamed.

"AAAHHHHHH! LEAVE US ALONE!"

The wolves flinched as if they'd been kicked, and dropped to the ground on unsteady legs; shaking their heads as if they were trying to shake something loose.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and the changeling, too, were affected by whatever it was that had happened, and they dropped to their knees as a result; a flicker of green in all of their eyes.

The wolves were the first to recover, and they looked up with a growl. Only to fall silent at what they saw, who they saw standing behind the three ponies and one changeling. Glowing red eyes piercing into their glowing green, his scythe gleaming in the stray beams of light penetrating the canopy overhead. They slowly backed away, the reaper's message clear.

Shaking her head, Sweetie Belle looked up. Only to be surprised to find the wolves were gone, leaving her, her friends, and the changeling standing there, free to go.

"Ugh…" Scootaloo groaned. "What happened? Where did the timberwolves go?"

"Ah don't know?" Apple Bloom groaned in reply. "Sweetie Belle?"

"I didn't do anything," she answered, looking down guilty. "All I did was scream."

"... Well, whatever," Scootaloo remarked. "They're gone." She turned to look at the changeling they had set out to rescue. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, receiving no reply. "Hello?" she said, nudging the prone form laying on the ground.

"Looks like she's unconscious," Apple Bloom observed.

"You think?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking down at the black filly herself.

"Must be from exhaustion, or somethin'?" Apple Bloom thought out loud.

"Makes sense," Sweetie Belle admitted. "Now what?"

"Well, we can't leave her here," Scootaloo pointed out.

"Obviously."

"So, what do we do with her? We cain't bring her ta Ponyville. You know how they feel about changelings. Who knows what'll happen if we show up with her?" said Apple Bloom.

"Good point," Scootaloo replied.

"Maybe Wind Chill can help?" Sweetie Belle offered, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo's eyes lit up.

"Hey, yeah. He can totally help."

"Then we jus' need ta get her back to tha orchard without anypony seein' us," Apple Bloom said with a hinting tone, looking at Sweetie Belle, who let out a groan as she knew who would have to do that.

"Fine, but hurry it up. I'm still tired from carrying you two back in that ghost world," Sweetie Belle replied, sighing, as her two friends helped to place the changeling on her back. She was, however, surprised to find that, despite her size, the changeling weighed less than one would think.

Together the three of them walked to the edge of the forest, before Sweetie Belle used her powers to fade from view. And, together, they walked back to Sweet Apple Acres. Unsure what this unexpected visitor would bring them.

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

Rarity stomped down the streets of Ponyville, Applejack following along with Bellflower.

They had just been over at Bellflower's guesthouse to see if Sweetie Belle was there, only for them, and Bellflower, to discover that Scootaloo was not in her room either. Thoroughly angered, Rarity and Bellflower were now looking for the troublesome fillies, while trying to come up with new, creative ways to make sure their punishment would stick.

Of course, seeing that both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were nowhere to be found, the next logical step was to see if Apple Bloom was still where she was supposed to be. Something Applejack wanted to believe, but doubt crept its way into her mind.

"Ah… Ah'm sure she's still in her room, Ah tell ya," she said, more to convince herself than her friends.

"We'll find out soon enough," Rarity muttered. "Either she is, and Sweetie Belle is there with her and Scootaloo. Or she isn't, and..."

"She is. Ah'm sure of it," Applejack stated once more, the three of them entering Sweet Apple Acres.

"We'll see," Rarity muttered, stomping ahead, "But I'll make sure Sweetie Belle knows that I ruined a perfectly good hooficure because of her."

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

"We're in so much trouble!" Scootaloo said, concerned, as she and her friends watched Rarity, Bellflower, and Applejack walk past them and towards the farmhouse.

"I don't think trouble even begins to describe it," Sweetie Belle muttered sourly, keeping herself, her friends, and the changeling invisible.

"You're in trouble?" Apple Bloom said, worried. "When Applejack finds out Ah'm not in mah room, she'll ground me till Ah'm as old as Granny Smith, an' make me do all tha dirty chores, an' that's just fer starters."

"You think that's bad," Sweetie Belle replied, "Rarity will make me work as a model for years to come." She shuddered, continuing their slow journey to the barn where Wind Chill resided.

"Maybe Ah can still get home in time, an' come up with a good cover story?" Apple Bloom offered weakly.

"How?" Scootaloo argued. "They're closer to the farm house than we are. And even if you managed to beat them there, you'd still need to stay hidden, and manage to get into your room, all without them noticing. Face it, we're all screwed."

"Yeah, we're screwed," Sweetie Belle muttered in agreement. "... Let's just get to Wind Chill first, then we'll figure out how to deal with this."

A nervous silence settled down over the trio as they made their way through the many tall trees, only the gentle breeze rustling through the lush green leaves producing any sound.

"Say…" Apple Bloom spoke up after a moment. "Didn't we leave Wind Chill back in tha Far Frozen?" They all came to a stop, a throaty groan coming from Sweetie Belle.

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

"Now, you'll see that she's right here in..." Applejack said to her friends, opening the door to Apple Bloom's bedroom, only to fall silent as nopony was inside.

"APPLE BLOOM!"

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

A shudder went down Apple Bloom's spine as her ears swiveled towards the farmhouse, Applejack's voice clearly audible even here at their clubhouse.

"Ah'm dead," Apple Bloom said with dread. It was a thought shared by her friends, who knew they faced a similar situation upon returning to their homes.

"Well, at least things can't get any worse," Scootaloo mentioned weakly, taunting the well known cosmic force which always shows up to ruin one's day when such words are uttered. "Might as well make the most of the time we have left before they find us."

"I guess," Sweetie Belle agreed. "So, what do we do with her?" she asked, redirecting their attention to the unconscious changeling lying on the floor.

"Ah don't know, is she hurt?" Apple Bloom replied, nudging the prone form.

"She doesn't look like it," Scootaloo replied.

"Well, that's good, I guess," Sweetie Belle said.

"So, uhh…. Now what?"

The three ponies shared a look of uncertainty, unable to come up with any ideas that could be of any help to them, or the changeling, in this situation.

Unfortunately for them, the well known cosmic force which Scootaloo challenged mere moments ago came knocking on the door, disguised as Applejack, Rarity, and Bellflower.

"YOU THREE GET DOWN HERE, RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Applejack's enraged bellow came through the walls, freezing the trio on the spot as they looked at each other with fearful eyes.

"They're here!" Scootaloo moaned.

"They're angry," Sweetie Belle muttered, while Apple Bloom's blood ran cold with a horrible realization.

"Tha ground is still all tore up, and tha trees are still scorched," she said, on the brink of hyperventilating.

They looked at each other once more, realizing just how much trouble they were in. Then they heard the distinct sound of hooves clopping on the wooden ramp leading up, and their eyes locked on the changeling.

"We're dead," Apple Bloom said. The others saw no reason to argue with this.

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

Voices around her. Voices filled with confusion, wonder, concern, fear, and compassion.

Voices filled with emotion.

The young changeling could feel herself lying on a hard wooden surface, felt the shadow covering her form, and she knew she was inside. Of course this wasn't hard to deduce, given that she was already awake when they brought her in. Yet she chose to play possum in favor of avoiding a fight. She knew what these ponies thought of her kind, what they did. Her mother made sure she'd known before letting her leave the hive. And she didn't want to waste the sparse amount of energy she still had trying to fight off multiple opponents.

But that was not the only reason she'd chosen to play dead.

They'd helped her. These ponies had actually helped her.

Why?

Her mother told her that ponies never helped changelings. Their history was filled with proof of this fact. And yet, they did. And, most confusing to her, they seemed to care about her. Genuine concern, and it radiated off of them.

But there was also fear coming from them. Fear of being found out by their elders, she easily deduced. Clearly these three put themselves in a whole lot of trouble, and she could feel every single emotion coming from them.

Emotions she could feed upon.

True she, like most other changelings, prefered the more potent, better 'tasting' positive emotions. Love being the most powerful of them. Yet, her extreme hunger, and the chance of this being her only chance to eat in a long time to come made her ignore the usual bitter taste the more negative emotions produced. Still, the concern they felt for her did prove enough to mask the negative taste sufficiently for her to enjoy the rather sizable meal she had, and she could slowly feel her strength coming back to her.

However, with a furious shout, and an accompanying spike of fear, the arrival of these young ponies' elders made itself known.

The fear washed over her like a wave, drowning out any other emotions, and nearly making her gag from the terrible taste. But she managed to maintain her cover, like any properly trained changeling should, and the ponies around her never noticed a thing.

She then heard the trio of fillies around her stand up and move towards the door, muttering in a lowered voice about what to do, and how to explain why there was a changeling with them. Not that she cared about that, as she now had a window of opportunity to escape. They had their backs turned to her and she didn't waste any time.

Her eyes shot open, her slit like pupils dilating in the shadowy interior of the treehouse. Quickly looking around, she scanned for any exit not leading her near any of the ponies.

There, a window. It would be a tight fit, but it should work. Taking a quick moment to check on the ponies who had brought her here, she saw they were still debating what to do, while somepony pounded on the door, almost as if he or she was trying to kick it in. Seeing the large numbers of them, and only the one of her, she knew she couldn't just crash through the window and run for it. Despite the meal she had gotten from those fillies' emotions, she was still weak, and nowhere near strong enough to fly for any extended duration. So, stealth was the key.

She slowly got up, and quietly made for the window. Or at least she would have, if it wasn't for one tiny detail she had overlooked. She had been lying down for so long, two of her legs had gone numb, causing her to collapse back on the ground with a loud clattering thud.

She heard an "Uh-oh." and, turning to the source, her eyes met those of her rescuers.

"APPLE BLOOM! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

Their eyes shifted between each other and the closed door, each trying to figure out how to get out of this unfolding disaster. When a sudden swell of concern brought her attention to the white unicorn filly.

"Hide!" she said, urgently.

She blinked, not understanding what this pony was doing.

"Hide!" Sweetie Belle urged her once again.

Not understanding why this pony was trying to help her, but deciding that it was a good idea nonetheless, she scrambled with her two good legs to pull herself behind some of the worn out furniture. She managed to hide from view just in time as the door suddenly slammed open, revealing three very angry mares. Their emotions swiftly began to make her gag once again, and she quickly stuffed a hoof in her mouth to stifle the nausea.

"SWEETIE BELLE!"

"APPLE BLOOM!"

"SCOOTALOO!"

"""YOU THREE ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!"""

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

Several long tense minutes ticked by as she sat in hiding, not sure whether it was safe for her to leave yet. Although worrying about that was not the only thing keeping her busy. The other thing, and something quite confusing to her, was what this Sweetie Belle had just done for her.

'Why did she help me?' she thought, peeking out of hiding in the now empty room; the door standing slightly ajar. 'Didn't mom say all ponies were heartless, and wouldn't help us even if we asked?' Slowly she stood up, her legs no longer numb. 'Then why did she tell me to hide? And why did they help me back in the forest?'

The more she thought about it, the less sense it made. Ponies never cared about changelings, with the Solar Tyrant setting the standard. She drove them to this state of endless hunger and barbarism, which made them more and more desperate with each passing year. Both these facts were proven not too long ago, when her mother was out of options and she was forced to lead a desperate attempt to steal the emotions they hungered for; only to be crushed by those mares who followed the Solar Tyrant.

Of course she didn't know what those ponies looked like, but she knew their names. And if she ever got the chance to face them… well, she didn't know what she'd do, but it would be bad… ish.

'Oh, who am I kidding. I don't have the energy for that. I don't even have enough strength to fly very far.' She sighed, only to lift her head in surprise as she noticed a strange emotion coming from near her. Intrigued, she sought out the source and was surprised to find a silver tiara.

Picking it up, she carefully sampled the energies coming from it.

"Ugh… narcissism," she muttered. "What pretentious schmuck does this belong to?"

Still, food is food, and she was not going to be picky. Draining the inanimate object of the energies its owner had infused it with, probably over many, many years, she could feel her strength, as well as her confidence, grow.

Now, with the issue of her hunger momentarily dealt with, she could finally get out of this place and continue her search for any food to bring home. After all, they needed it. Her mother needed it. Ever since the failed attempt to 'harvest' enough food for the entire Hive, and the poisonous wave of emotion she and her soldiers were blasted with, they were growing weaker and weaker. Leaving only her and a few other changelings in less than rough shape, and placing the burden of bringing in any food on their backs.

Yet, as she placed the tiara back where she found it, she couldn't help but pause and wonder about the motives of the ponies who had helped her.

Again, why did they do that? They didn't have any reason to do this, they had nothing to gain. So, why?

Torn between her responsibility to find food, even if it was just scraps, for her hive and figuring out why those ponies helped her, she was unable to make any decision at all. So she stood staring at her reflection in the jewels mounted inside the tiara for more than an hour.

'Mom said no pony would ever help us. But they did. And if they did, would others do so as well?' she thought, slowly turning her head to look outside. '... Maybe...?'

Uncertain, she slowly pushed open the door and stepped outside.

"I… I need to know, I need to find out… If they can help us," she muttered to herself.

'Mom, please hold on,' she thought, her plea reaching far and wide.

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

"... An' you'll stay in here 'till puberty is over!" Applejack shouted angrily as she shoved Apple Bloom back in her room, "An' Ah don't wanna hear a single peep outta ya, missy. Ah don't know what you and yer friends did ta tha orchard, and tha trees, but Ah'll find out," and with that said, she slammed the door shut.

Apple Bloom, wincing as she stood back up, her flank a burning red after Applejack's punishment, slowly moved to her bed.

"It's not fair," she whined as she collapsed onto the soft mattress. "Ah didn't even make that mess."

Meanwhile, over at Carousel Boutique, Rarity was shouting furiously while Sweetie Belle stared in disbelief at the mess in her room. Of course Rarity didn't believe her when she said she didn't do it, and now she was forced to clean up everything. Everything, including the dye stains.

Rarity on the other hoof, after having called in a favor with a friend to keep watch over Sweetie Belle, and then bring her over to Sweet Apple Acres so Granny Smith and Big Macintosh could watch over her, left to meet back up with her friends and head on up to Canterlot.

"It's not fair," Sweetie Belle whined. "I didn't even make most of this mess."

Meanwhile, over at Bellflower's guesthouse, the eponymous mare was absolutely livid. A rare sight for the young pegasus Bellflower's anger was aimed at, and she tried to hide behind her mane in a similar fashion to Fluttershy. But her wild, spiky hairdo provided little to no cover from the four legged force of nature before her.

"... And stealing the spare keys as well. And don't pretend like you don't know anything about it, missy! I found them lying in your room. Now go to bed, and I don't want to hear from you for the rest of the day."

Flinching as if she'd been hit, Scootaloo turned to the stairs and headed up, sulking as she did so. Once she entered her room, she could feel Bellflower's eyes bore into the back of her head as she had followed her up to make sure she did as she was told.

The door closed behind her, and with a click, Bellflower locked it for good measure.

Moving to the window, Scootaloo sighed out as she slumped down; her head resting on the windowsill.

"It's no fair," she breathed out, "How did I get in this mess?"

Meanwhile, over at Wind Chill's barn, the frost giant paced around, a hand rubbing the top of his head in worry.

"... At least they returned safely. I just hope they are alright. Meeting a reaper, and living afterwards is not something that is supposed to happen," he mused as he opened the barn's door, peering outside, "Still, they did manage to get themselves in a rather large mess."

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

Far out to the edge of Equestria's border, moving beyond the habitable, fertile land, and entering a desolate wasteland where dead, dried up trees reigned supreme, there was a city. A large city. A proud city. A changeling city.

Deep below the cracked soil, underneath a rough, dark brown hill, lay The Hive. A name which distilled pride in any changeling who heard it. Their greatest triumph. Their legacy. A city for the ages, to last long after they were gone.

Sadly, it would seem such times were rapidly approaching onto them.

In part the name of their city was responsible for this, albeit a little bit. The main reason for their problems were the ponies, and the reputation they forced onto them.

Changelings. Abominable creations who live together in a hive, and suck the very life out of you should they ever get their hooves on you.

The ponies know very little about the changelings, and what they do know is twisted into a amalgamation of the changelings worst qualities, traits, and legends.

The very notion of 'the hive' for one. All context about their city had been stripped away over the passage of the years, and fear created the image of mindless drones crawling over the walls and ceilings of deep carved tunnels, bringing food to their queen as she lay more and more eggs to hatch new drones.

It disgusted the changelings, but they let them keep their theories and judgements. The more the ponies feared them, the less likely it was they would come for them. They didn't want the ponies to find their proud city. They didn't want the ponies to learn those mindless drones were all fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, nieces, and more. They didn't want the ponies to learn, because they themselves didn't forget. They couldn't forget. Not what had happened so long ago, back when they called out for help. When they cried for help. Even begged for it.

But mostly, they didn't wanted the ponies to find their proud city, because there wasn't any pride left to find.

They were a proud race once, long ago. Now, families fought each other for the smallest scraps of food. Love.

It was something a changeling could not produce on its own. At least, not in the way any other might know it.

Contrary to most of the ponies belief, changelings are capable of feeling every emotion a "normal" being is capable of feeling. But their unique physiology made them immune to the emotional energies they themselves produce. This, so they wouldn't accidentally drain any emotion from those around them. Though they wished they could.

The Hive. Once a proud city, now as hostile and barren as the ground above. Barren, with only the faintest of life to be found.

Deep within the city's heart lay the once shining pride of the The Hive: the Queen's castle. Within its halls were those who had not succumbed to the hunger, or the poisonous wave of emotions at Canterlot, and were now wandering the city, taking care of those in need.

Sitting slumped to one side on her throne, sat Queen Chrysalis. She had taken the brunt of the blast, and therefore had suffered the most damage from it. Yet she refused to give in, to allow this illness to claim victory over her. Not while so many of her subjects were suffering like this. They needed someling to look up at. Someling who could tell them everything was going to be alright, even if it would be a lie. A lie she had no right to tell, given her current state.

The Queen would not give in to the hunger and illness that had drained her of all energy; nor did she want to, despite the fact that she was so weak her daughter had to fulfill the tasks she, the Queen no longer could. For what seemed like the millionth time, Chrysalis once more wished the King was still alive. However, he had died long ago, having given up his meager meals to ensure their daughter's survival.

A parents love for one's child. Sadly, his love was something they could never use.

Chrysalis sat slumped on her throne, eyes closed, and mouth slightly ajar while her breath came out in shallow gasps. Her body weak, her mind fragile. Yet she pressed on, and she listened in on the shared mind her kind were all connected to. If only to 'be there' for those leaving this world for a better place.

Then, a voice. A voice she knew like no other, speaking to her through their shared link.

"Mom, please hold on."

Chrysalis eyes slowly opened, the words of her daughter giving her a small spark of strength.

"Erlea," she rasped, wishing her child to be here, with her, "Please… be careful."

"I will, mom." Erlea whispered as she spied through the window of the earth pony filly, "I will."

The Enemy of My Enemy...

View Online

Edits done by Vates Despero and Clayton the hunter.
And a special thanks to AnonymousMaterials for allowing me the use of his character, Mort.

The Enemy of My Enemy...

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

A trio of timberwolves raced through the thick foliage of the Everfree Forest.

Something had happened. Something they had not expected. Something which shook them to their very core. Something the Alpha needed to know.

Moving in a blur, they reached the small clearing their pack called home; entering their Alpha's cave.

"Alpha!" they barked, their tone of voice making it clear something was wrong.

"Kio estas? Kio okazis? Ĉu la interloper eskapo?"

"What is it? What happened? Did the interloper escape?"

"Jes," one of the wolves admitted shamefully. "Tra la enmiksiĝo de tiujn tri."

"Yes. Through the interference of those three."

The Alpha growled as he caught on to the underlying tone, and realized which three ponies they were referring to.

"Vi permesis ilin helpi la interloper ellasilo!?" the Alpha barked, wooden teeth bared, and the three wolves flinched back.

"You allowed them to help the interloper escape!?"

"Ne, ni faris ne," one of the wolves replied.

""No, we did not."

"Do, diru al mi. Se vi faris ne permesus ilin eskapi, tiam kial vi diranta min ke ili faris ĝuste tion!?" the Alpha said with a hissing growl, eyes narrowing.

"Then, tell me. If you didn't allow them to escape, then why are you telling me that they have done just that!?"

"Tie estis animon rikoltanto," all three wolves said simultaneously, and their Alpha froze on the spot.

"There was a soul reaper."

"Kion!? La poneojn' animon rikoltanto detenis vin?" the Alpha said disbelieving.

"What!? The ponies' reaper stopped you?"

"Ne la poneojn' rikoltanto," they replied, hesitant. Still having trouble believing it themselves.

"Not the ponies' reaper."

"Tiam, kiu!? Kies rikoltanto estis ĝi!?"

"Then, who!? Whose reaper was it!?"

"... La Malluma Onia."

"... The Dark One's."

An eerie silence filled the cave, none of the wolves daring to move.

"La morto... de la Mallumo Unu?" the Alpha muttered to himself, an angry growl rumbling in the back of his throat.

"The death... of the Dark One?"

His head snapped back up, eyes aglow, a dangerous growl escaping him, "Trovu la Mallumo Unu! Venigu li al mi, NUN!"

"Find the Dark One! Bring him to me, NOW!"

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

A couple of hours later.

Two beings were standing on a lone hill, their black cloaks blending in seamlessly with the dark of night, making them all but impossible to see, save for their glowing red eyes.

"So, you brought her home?" Mort asked Eddie as they gazed out over a massive apple orchard.

"I did," Eddie confirmed. "You?"

"I dropped those three off near the edge of their village. There was a soul I had to reap, so I was short on time."

"I see," Eddie mused, both of them watching a silhouette moving through the trees, the faint green glow of the individual's eyes having attracted their attention.

"... Who was it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"An elderly mare, Chocolate Swirl... I'd had my eye on her for a while now. Poor health."

Eddie hummed softly, stroking his imaginary beard. "So you were not near those fillies after you dropped them off?"

"No, why?"

"... Nothing… Just a strange feeling I have, " Eddie answered after a second. The colleagues observing the silhouette hovering up, and moving towards one of the many windows of the farm house below. "Like there is..."

"Like there is, what?"

"... I'm not sure," Eddie admitted, looking at the glow of his eyes in the reflection on his scythe. "Just… a feeling."

"I… see."

"No, you do not. Nor do I, and that is what worries me." Eddie sighed. "... We should go. No need to break our skulls over this, and there are souls to reap."

Giving a hesitant nod in agreement, Mort left Eddie's side; looking at him through the corner of his non existent eyes, before fading from view. Eddie, however, remained standing on the hill for just a moment longer.

"... Just a feeling..." he muttered to himself, and then he, too, faded from view.

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

'I will, mom. I will.'

Insectoid wings buzzed faintly as Erlea hovered before the window of the earth pony filly who had, along with her friends, protected her from the timberwolves.

Peeking inside with her luminescent green eyes, she saw the filly she had heard called Apple Bloom lying on her bed; back turned to the window, asleep.

This was cause for relief for Erlea, as she was afraid the sound her wings made would have drawn Apple Bloom's attention. However, there were others to be wary about, as she could sense two others within this home. There was one, she could tell, close by. Just a couple of rooms away, so she knew she had to be careful, lest she be detected.

Humming softly to herself, a noticeable echo to her voice as if two voices were speaking together, she lit her horn with the faintest amount of magic, unlocking the window and opening it, allowing her entry.

Sneaking inside with cat-like grace, not making a sound as her hooves touched the floor; only for the wood to creak as her weight settled down onto it. Her eyes fearfully darted down, and then back up at the shifting form on the bed.

"... but sisss…. ah donwanna go ta schoo..." Apple Bloom slurred, before falling asleep again. Erlea gave a mental sigh of relief.

'This is a really stupid idea.'

Tip hoofing towards the sleeping filly, Erlea stood just a hoof's length away from Apple Bloom, when the filly rolled over. Her legs lashed out and flailed around in a grabbing motion as if she was looking for something.

Erlea found herself in too close a proximity, and without enough time to react, as she was suddenly caught in the surprisingly strong hold of the sleeping filly. The young earth pony pulled the intruder closer to herself, mumbling in her sleep while snuggling the flustered changeling.

Erlea, with wide eyes and a burning green blush on her cheeks, tried to wiggle out of Apple Bloom's hold, only for the earth pony's grip to tighten, locking her in place and sealing her fate.

Silence.

'Oh, son of a diamond dog.'

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

Dawn approached, and the crow of a rooster brought Apple Bloom out of her slumber.

She was faintly aware that something was off; a weight near her. But her still drowsy mind shrugged this off as she smacked her mouth a couple of times, eyes fluttering as they tried to focus in the early morning light.

Suddenly, there was movement, and Apple Bloom became aware once more of the weight next to her. The next thing she noticed was something held tight in her forelegs. And lastly, she realized she was looking into the luminescent, embarrassed, and somewhat irritated eyes of a changeling.

"AA—"

Apple Bloom jumped up in fear, just beginning to scream, when Erlea lodged a hoof in the pony's mouth, stifling any sounds that might otherwise draw unwanted attention.

"Finally, you're awake," she said with clear annoyance. "I've been waiting forever to get out of your hold," she complained. Apple Bloom's eyes widened in fear of the creature before her, and of what it might do to her. Her fear didn't go unnoticed, of course.

"I know you're afraid," Erlea said, trying to sound gentle, but only managing to heighten Apple Bloom's feeling of fright, sending a cold shiver of disgust down Erlea's spine. "Okay, how about this? You promise not to scream, shout, yell, or do anything else to draw attention to us, and I will remove my hoof. Deal?"

"Hmph pfhh hmmm," Apple Bloom mumbled, covering Erlea's hoof in a layer of drool.

Disgusted, Erlea shot Apple Bloom a glare. "Just nod!"

Nodding, Apple Bloom agreed with Erlea's proposal.

"Good," she said as she removed her hoof, wiping it clean on the blanket. "Now-" she started, only to be interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

"Hey, Bloom. You alright?" the sleepy voice of the eldest Apple sibling came through the door, and both Erlea and Apple Bloom looked at the door in fright. More so as they noticed the knob turning, and the door starting to open.

Erlea shot Apple Bloom a glare, telling her without words to fix this, or else.

True, the 'or else' part was mostly empty 'words'. But Apple Bloom didn't know that, and she quickly jumped into motion. Poking her head through the gap and using a leg to keep the door from fully opening; hiding her bed, and the changeling on it, from view. Apple Bloom gave her brother the most honest, sheepish, and nervous smile she could, causing the stallion to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yer not doing anything ya shouldn't be, are ya?"

"Who, me?" Apple Bloom asked innocently. "What would give you that idea?"

Giving her a flat stare, Macintosh sighed. "Apple Bloom. What're ya hiding?"

"Nothing, really!" Apple Bloom replied, a frantic edge to her voice as she attempted to close the door, only for her older brother to stop her with a hoof.

"Apple Bloom!"

"Oh, are you for real!?" a double voice piped up, irritated, and Macintosh's eyes widened as the door began to glow green, swung open, and revealed a changeling standing behind his youngest sister.

He didn’t have much time to react as he suddenly found himself entranced by the hypnotic glow coming from the changeling's eyes; mirrored by the glow coming from her horn.

"You will leave us alone and forget I was ever here," Erlea spoke with a commanding voice, and Macintosh nodded, eyes unfocused and blank, before he slowly moved away, the door closing after him.

"WHAT THA HAY DID YOU JUST DO TA MAH BROTHER!" Apple Bloom shouted, glaring at the bug.

Shaking her head while wobbling on unsteady legs, Erlea glowered at Apple Bloom. "I did what you couldn't. Get rid of him. Gha..." she grunted as she almost lost her hoofing, before managing to steady her stance. "He's fine, if that's what you're worried about. I barely have enough strength left after that, so he won't be under my mind control for much longer."

"What tha… How did Ah end up here?" Macintosh's voice drifted in through the window.

"See."

Apple Bloom glared at the changeling, not sure whether she should buck out a couple of teeth, or run away. For now, she decided to keep some distance between herself and the bug, and see what she wanted.

"Why're you here?" she asked, eyes narrowed, slowly moving in a half circle around the changeling, looking for any weak spots should they be necessary. "What do ya want?"

Erlea, not impressed in the least by Apple Bloom's poor attempt at 'observing her prey', merely fluttered her wings, filling the room with an insectoid buzzing for a moment, before locking her eyes with the pony's.

"You and your friends. You helped me."

"Yeah, so what of it?"

Blinking, Erlea cocked her head in puzzlement. "Why?"

Taken aback, Apple Bloom stopped in her tracks, staring at Erlea in silent confusion.

"Why what? Why did we help you?" Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, why did you help me?" Erlea asked again. "You ponies never help changelings, ever. Not even when we asked for it, back… then," Erlea's eyes fell as she whispered the last part.

"Back when?" Apple Bloom asked, and Erlea's eyes shot back up, locking with Apple Bloom's a second time, fangs bared.

"Like you would care. You ponies never seem to give two bucks about us changelings," Erlea replied with venomously, and Apple Bloom visibly recoiled. "Yet you and your friends helped me. WHY!?" Her form suddenly seemed to dominate the room, and Apple Bloom shrunk down under her intense stare, gulping.

"Because ya needed help," Apple Bloom answered with a squeak, and Erlea looked as if she'd been kicked in the gut, before hissing in anger.

"Don't lie, pony. Ponies don't help changelings. I know you and your friends must have a reason for helping me. Maybe you three found out I'm the queen's daughter, and wanted to hold me for ransom!?"

"You're tha queen's daughter…? Doesn't that make ya a princess?" Apple Bloom said, glancing at Erlea's wings, before shifting her focus to the jagged horn currently letting out glowing green sparks.

"Don't pretend you didn't know! What other reason would you have to help me!?" Erlea snorted. "It's not like you would know what it’s like to be looked down on by others just because of what you are."

"Actually..." Apple Bloom spoke up, "Ah do." Erlea hissed in disbelief. "No, really. Ah do…. Kinda." Erlea snorted, but backed down, slightly, allowing Apple Bloom to continue. "There're these two bullies who keep making fun of me and mah friends because we ain't found our Cutie Marks yet. They think they're better than us, and keep tellin' us we're losers and such."

"Really," Erlea said flatly. "Bullies? That's the best you can do? And what's so important about these flank marks you ponies are so obsessed with anyway?"

"Hey, a Cutie Mark is very important!" Apple Bloom shot back defensively.

"Pfhu... More important than food?" Erlea asked bitterly, and Apple Bloom looked at her in confusion. "That's what I've been trying to find, while you and your friends were busy finding these flank marks."

"What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked and Erlea, much to her surprise, felt a genuine feeling of concern coming from the pony.

"Like you don't know. I know how you ponies think. How you care more about each other, and are more concerned about this stupid image on your butt," —Apple Bloom gasped — "yet my kind is wasting away from hunger, and you ponies never helped us, no matter how many times we've asked you for help." Erlea hissed angrily. "Calling us monsters and such... " She dropped to the floor, her legs giving out, and a tired sob escaped her. "You ponies never cared about us… So why did you help me?"

Surprised by the changeling's sudden change in demeanor, Apple Bloom was uncertain how to react. Yet unable to just ignore her, she hesitantly stepped forward; placing a hoof on Erlea's withers.

"We helped ya because ya needed help," she said honestly, and Erlea froze, unable to sense anything that would suggest she was lying. Looking up, her luminescent eyes met Apple Bloom's.

"... You're serious?" she said in a half whisper.

"Of course Ah am," Apple Bloom replied, frowning. "And ya won't have ta look fer food anymore either. We've got a whole orchard full of apples. We won't miss a few."

Erlea looked at Apple Bloom as if she had just grown a second head, unable to comprehend what she had just heard.

"Whu…?"

"Although Ah don't know just how many apples ya'd need," Apple Bloom pondered, holding a hoof to her chin. "Ah mean, one or two trees should be fine, but any more might be tough."

"Wha…?"

"Maybe three, depending..." Apple Bloom continued, deep in thought.

"Wha…?" Erlea shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Eh… Thanks, I guess. But apples are not going to help."

"Huh, why not?" Apple Bloom said, shocked, snapped out of her thoughts. "You said ya needed food, right?"

"Yes."

"So, apples are food."

"Not to a changeling," Erlea answered. "We can eat them, but they won't sustain us."

"Then what do ya eat?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Emotions," Erlea answered truthfully. "The positive ones, preferably."

"Whu…?"

"You know: happiness, compassion, love."

"Wha…?"

"Negative emotions can work, but they taste horrible."

"Wha…?" Apple Bloom shook her head to clear her thoughts. "So ya can't eat any normal food?"

"Oh, we can eat 'normal' food. It just won't sustain us."

"... That's really, really weird."

"Not to me," Erlea replied, when a loud rumble came from her stomach, and she placed a hoof over her belly, blushing fiercely. "I guess I used more energy controlling your brother than I thought."

A few moments of silence ticked by, then Apple Bloom snorted in laughter while Erlea stared at her in embarrassment. Yet Apple Bloom, unknowingly, did provide her with a fresh surge of positive emotional energy, and Erlea was quick to consume as much as she could.

"Well, Ah guess we better find ya something ta eat then," Apple Bloom said, before suddenly realizing something. "Wait, how does tha whole emotion eating thing even work?"

"Actually," Erlea said, "you already gave me some."

"Ah did?"

"Yes, when you laughed just now." Erlea sighed. "But it is hardly enough. Not for me. And certainly not enough for anyling else."

"Well, that's no good," Apple Bloom said, frowning. "... Eh… Is there any way ya can, Ah dunno, eat more emotions from me or something?"

Erlea looked at the pony in complete disbelief. Never before had she heard of a pony offering her emotions for food like this. Well, except for those stories of long ago. Still, shocked by the pony's offer, she gave herself a mental slap, forcing her to snap out of her stupor.

"Uuhh… There is a way, I suppose. But, uhh..."

"But, what?" Apple Bloom asked.

"It is kind of tiring. For you, I mean."

"Well… Ah don’t have many chores ta do, ‘cept going ta school today. So being tired ain't really that big of a deal," said Apple Bloom.

"... You ponies are weird," Erlea said, giving Apple Bloom an odd look.

"Nah, that's Pinkie Pie's thing," Apple Bloom answered with a slight smirk. Erlea, however, flinched upon hearing that name, but managed to hide it from Apple Bloom.

'She knows one of them! This could be of use… maybe?'

"Riiight," she said, drawing Apple Bloom's attention back to her. With a sudden gleam in her own eyes, she continued.

"As I said, there is a way for me to get more emotional energy, but it’s tiring for you. You still want to do this?"

"Uhh… Is it gonna hurt?"

"Only if you struggle. So…?"

"... Ah guess," Apple Bloom said, a hint of hesitance in her voice. "What do Ah need ta do?"

"Just... hold out your leg."

"Umm… Okay?" Apple Bloom said, stretching her leg out before her. "Like this?"

"Yes, perfect!" Erlea proclaimed.

"Shoot, Ah don’t even know yer name!" Apple Bloom suddenly realized. "Ah kinda think Ah should know that, at least."

"It's Erlea," Erlea answered before lunging forward; sinking her fangs into Apple Bloom's leg.

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

"Wow. You look rough," Scootaloo said, gazing at her earth pony friend with concern.

The school day had only just begun, and everypony was gathering on the playground, waiting for the dreaded moment where Miss Cheerilee would ring the bell and they would be forced to endure yet another day of boring learning. But Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle knew this wasn't the worst part of the day. Not by a long shot. After all, they were still in a whole lot of trouble, and they knew school was just the easy part.

Although, for Apple Bloom the day did prove to be more interesting than others. Not counting all their crusading mishaps, or Sweetie Belle being a spirit. No, waking up with a changeling by her side and then having it suck her emotions straight out of her, through her leg no less, was definitely out of the norm, and darn tiring as well.

Not that she could complain, much. Erlea did warn her this would happen. But to say she wasn't expecting it to be this bad would have been no small understatement.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom groaned. "Ah feel like it too."

"Did Applejack do this? Was it Big Mac, or Granny Smith?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried.

"Nah," Apple Bloom yawned. "Erlea."

"Who!?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle asked, glancing first at each other, then at Apple Bloom.

"Right..." Apple Bloom yawned again, loudly. Glancing around with tired eyes, making sure they weren't being spied upon, she beckoned her friends to come closer. "She was that changeling from tha other day."

"WHAT!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shouted, drawing attention from several of their classmates.

"Shh… Keep it down, will ya?" Apple Bloom said.

"But the changeling!?" Sweetie Belle protested. "Isn't she supposed to be dangerous or something?"

"Eh... girls..." Apple Bloom said, trying to cut them off.

"Yeah," Scootaloo agreed. "I mean, sure, we kinda saved her life and everything. But everypony keeps saying how dangerous they are!"

"Girls!" Apple Bloom tried again, louder, only to be interrupted by a rustling coming from the bush near their position.

"Figures," came Erlea's voice, drifting from within the foliage and two luminescent eyes, barely visible, glowed between the leaves.

"Apple Bloom!?" Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah… She's here."

"You're all the same," the bush muttered.

"Oh..." Scootaloo chuckled nervously.

"I take it she heard us?" said Sweetie Belle.

"You think?" came the voice, leaves rustling.

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom were glancing between themselves nervously, when a new voice cut in, drawing their attention to a pernicious pair of earth ponies.

"What are you three losers planning this time!?" came Diamond Tiara's biting voice. Silver Spoon stood behind her, looking down. "Going to cause more trouble, as usual, Blank Flanks!?" Diamond Tiara stuck her nose in the air, circling Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle with an air of superiority; grimacing at the sight of them.

"What do you want, Diamond Tiara?" Scootaloo sneered, scowling at the obnoxious pony.

"Oh, it's not about what I want," Diamond Tiara replied, holding a hoof against her chest, feigning surprise, before a scowl replaced her fake innocent look. "It's about what you three want!" she hissed. "I know you're the ones causing all this trouble Silver Spoon and I are having. And I know you are planning something else, just because you three are jealous of how popular I am, and what losers you three really are." Her eyes shifted to Sweetie Belle. "And no amount of fancy magic will ever change that."

"What're you even talking about?" Apple Bloom said, trying to sound serious, but a massive yawn ruined it. Diamond Tiara, however, saw this as an act of defiance towards her.

"Oh, am I boring you!?" she snarled. "Well, you better sleep with one eye open from now on, ‘cause I'll be watching you. I know you're up to something. I know you're hiding something. I will know what it is, and I will find a way to knock you back down into the mud where you belong." And with that she turned around sharply and marched away. Silver Spoon shot the three fillies a hesitant, almost apologetic, glance before following behind her friend.

"... Is it just me, or did she seem meaner than usual?" Apple Bloom asked, rubbing her eyes to make sure she was awake, and not having a nightmare.

"It's not you," Scootaloo confirmed.

"And what did she mean with that whole fancy magic thing?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried.

"Is she always this… distasteful?" the bush asked; a gagging sound soon following.

"Ehh… Depends on if it's a good day, or a bad day," Apple Bloom answered.

"And which one is it now?"

"Honestly..." Scootaloo said.

"It's starting to look like a bad day," Sweetie Belle finished. "A really, really bad day."

Their conversation was cut short when, with a cheerful clang, Cheerilee rang the school bell, forcing the fillies to leave their new 'friend' alone as they entered the school. The door closing behind them after Cheerilee was sure everypony was present, all as Erlea's luminescent eyes watched on from the depths of her bush.

"... Maybe they do know what it is like after all."

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

Moving through the bushes, taking care to stay out of sight, Erlea circled around the school and snuck towards the window of the building's only classroom. Dropping below the windowsill and perking up her ears, she listened in on the class in session; picking up on several different emotions. Most of them, though, radiated boredom.

Still, a chance like this to gain some intel on the ponies' educational system was an opportunity she just couldn't pass up.

However what the ponies seemed to regard as important knowledge to bestow on their young was anything but interesting, and seemingly unimportant, to Erlea who soon found herself nodding off.

What Apple Bloom had said a couple hours prior suddenly made a lot more sense to her.

Deciding that these teachings were of no importance to her or her kind, she instead focused on the many emotions she could feel. Paying close attention to five sets of particular potency. The first three she recognized as coming from Apple Bloom and her two friends. The other two originated from those spiteful ponies they encountered just a moment ago.

'What were their names again?' Erlea thought. 'Diamond Spoon? Tiara Silver? Meh... it's not important,' she decided, but she was interested in something else surrounding those two. 'Her attention isn't even remotely on the lesson,' she thought as she focused on the pony who talked down to Apple Bloom and her friends. 'There is only a feeling of… of… huh, whaddya know. Jealousy. And a whole lot of anger,' A wave of sudden dizziness swept over her when she switched her focus to the silent one.

'Wh… What was that?' She shook her head to focus. 'Her emotions are all over the place. I can't make any sense of it!?' A shudder went down her spine as she pushed the alien sensation away from her; a sudden cold feeling squeezing the very core of her being. 'Who is that pony?! And what the buck is going on with her?!'

"Apple Bloom," the teacher's voice suddenly cut through the air. "Wake up!" Which was swiftly followed by the sound of somepony falling, and a chorus of laughter. Yet, besides her friends and their teacher, one other pony didn't laugh, and Erlea once more focused on the gray filly, daring to peek over the windowsill to get a better look at her.

"Something weird is going on," she said to herself, quickly ducking into cover when several heads turned to the window she was hiding below.

Not wanting to take any more chances, Erlea quietly snuck away. Staying out of sight while keeping an eye on the school.

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

The bell rung, and the school's door practically exploded as a tidal wave of young ponies came rushing out.

Cheers of joy and reclaimed freedom filled the air, with many of the colts and fillies running to the nearby field for a quick game of hoofball. It was a sight that was strange and alien to the young changeling, observing it all from the safety of her original bush.

She wasn't entirely sure why she was even there, and yet, she found it impossible to leave and continue her search for a new food source to bring back to the hive. Although she was still curious about what the strange waves of energy she felt in the forest could be, and was more than eager to investigating further, the sudden appearance and rescue by those three ponies; not to mention what she had sensed from that gray filly, made this a difficult task.

She needed answers, and the best way to get them was from those ponies. Those three who, against everything she knew, helped her.

She continued to observe through narrowed eyes as she spotted Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo leaving the school. Followed closely, in a rather poor attempt at stealth, by the distasteful pink earth pony... her gray cohort lagging behind.

"Hmmm," she hummed, wings fluttering slightly. "How can I use them to my advantage?" Focusing on the wellspring of foul emotions, her eyes suddenly widened in recognition. 'That feeling. This narcissism….' She then noticed the image of a tiara displayed on the pink filly's flank, and a devious smirk found its way across her face. 'So, it's her,' she thought as she quietly snuck away, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

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

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were standing in front of their school, looking with wary eyes at the two ponies waiting for them.

First there was Bellflower, who was waiting to take Scootaloo back home; not trusting her to keep to her curfew on her own. The same held true for the large red stallion waiting for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. The latter forced to stay with her bow-wearing friend since their older sisters had gone to Canterlot for some kind of important business.

True, she was supposed to have been brought over to Sweet Apple Acres last night. But cleaning the mess she mostly didn't cause took longer than expected, and Rarity's friend, who was watching over her, allowed her to stay at the Boutique for the night, arranging for her to be picked up by Apple Bloom's brother the following day after school instead.

And thus, as it was said, so it was done. With a bummed out: "Bye," from Scootaloo, they parted ways. Scootaloo heading back into town under Bellflower's watchful eye, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sulked towards the apple orchard with Big Mac trudging behind them; stalk of wheat in his mouth.

"This blows," Apple Bloom muttered, though not making any effort to hide it from her brother.

"I know," Sweetie Belle concurred. "... At least we are together, though."

"Not that it'll do us much good," Apple Bloom sighed, looking at her brother through the corner of her eye. "Ah doubt Big Mac would let us do any crusading," she said, before adding under her breath: "Or spirit training."

"Eeyup," Macintosh Apple said, confirming what Apple Bloom had said. Or at least the part he had heard anyway.

Sweetie Belle let loose a throaty groan, kicking away a small pebble.

"Now yall stop complaining. Ya brought this onto yerselves," Macintosh told them, before ushering them back into motion. "Now, you two better behave. Yall are already in enough trouble as is, no need ta make it worse fer yerselves."

"Fine." Apple Bloom sulked as she and Sweetie Belle moved down the path towards the farmhouse. Yet, unbeknownst to the morose duo or their reluctant keeper, they were watched by a pair of light blue eyes; the silver tiara perched on her head glimmering in a stray beam of light that managed to penetrate the bush she was hiding in.

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

Deep down, within the walls of the Hive's castle, Chrysalis strained herself to remain standing. However, in her current state, slumped in her throne was about all she could manage. Yet she kept forcing herself, not wanting her already troubled subjects to descend into complete pandemonium should their queen succumb to her illness.

She had to be there for them; a small awareness in the back of their minds. Faint, like so many others, but still present in their rapidly dwindling hive mind. Whispering comforting lies to them, telling them everything would be alright.

Yet there was one more reason for Chrysalis to push herself far beyond her own limits. Erlea. She told her to be careful, wished for her to be safe, but she knew that danger would be ever present for her daughter. It was this, and the knowledge that it was her daughter instead of herself out there, doing what she should be doing, and the fact that the condition she, as well as most of her subjects, were in was the result of their failed last resort option.

If only the ponies had helped them when they had asked for it so long ago.

Now, weakened to the point she couldn't even sit upright and forced to lean against her throne just to keep herself from falling over, the only thing she could do to aid her daughter was listen in on her connection to their shared minds. And, should things go wrong, maybe, hopefully, one of the few remaining fit changelings would be able to save her.

But she was weak, and her already strained mind had trouble reaching out to her daughter. She wouldn't let this stop her, of course. And with the sparsest amount of energy she could muster, she reached out once more. But a sudden stabbing in her mind resulted in her losing her weak focus, causing the connection to shift; transcending their mortal realm as it connected with something else through the Everfree portal, and accidentally shared the misery she and all the other changelings felt.

With a weak grunt of intense struggle, Chrysalis forced her mind to focus once more, reaching out to her daughter; unaware of what had happened in the few moments her illness took hold of her.

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

It stood unsteadily on its legs, shaking its head, ears folded flat. Hooves stomped down into the snow as it steadied itself; an aura of freezing cold radiating off of its body as it looked up, and towards the area the sickening feeling came from.

Something had called them. Something that was in distress.

It moved. They moved. The ground starting to tremble from the force of their hooves.

They were coming.

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

Avalanche and Snow Front stood beside the portal leading to the ponies' world, scanning the frozen lands for anything that might try to sneak past them. They wouldn't allow anything or anyone to enter this world, such was the duty given to them. A duty which they carried out to the full extend of their abilities. A task which, somehow, they failed.

The first clue they got to indicate this was the sudden reaction of the timberwolves guarding the other side, jumping up and growling to themselves while sniffing the air. The second clue they found was a faint trail in the snow, as if something had dug a tunnel underneath their feet, which had now collapsed.

Shooting each other a worried glance, they knew trouble was approaching. The most likely candidate, one which was able to dig its way through the snow as such a manner, would be a Beku Terwelu.

Communicating without words, and only the faintest of nods, Avalanche was about to return to their village and report the bad news.

However, before even a single step was taken, the ground began to tremble, and Avalanche, Snow Front, and the two timberwolves all froze in their tracks.

It was a low rumble at first, gradually intensifying as the source of this disturbance drew near. A large cloud of powdery snow being kicked up was clearly visible in the distance, and the two frost giants braced themselves for what was to come.

The rumbling grew louder and louder, the ground shaking in turn. A small avalanche fell from a distant mountain side, and the rapid pounding of hooves become audible.

They knew what it was; what they were, yet they couldn't believe it. Never before had they witnessed these creatures move in such massive numbers this close to the village. Something had disturbed them, and it became clear to them that the portal was what they were drawn to.

A loud whiny echoed through the air, followed moments later many more. And in what could be best described as a blizzard, a massive herd of ice-blue horses ran for the hole in reality; too many for either frost giant to stop and they, as well as the timberwolves, jumped out of their path.

A massive cold front followed in the equines' wake, freezing everything in their path, leaving the two timberwolves frozen solid in their shocked stances.

These equines' manes and tails, made of nothing but frozen vapor, trailed behind them as they ran; ice forming on the stone floor of the abandoned castle wherever their hooves fell.

Another whinny came from the horse leading the herd, and the entire herd followed its lead; running through the hallways, freezing everything they passed until they found an exit, and entered the sun-basked courtyard of the abandoned castle, before taking off into the sky.

"By the ancestors," Avalanche breathed, looking up and breaking through the thin layer of snow and ice covering him. "What's to become of the young ones' world!?"

Brace Yourselves!

View Online

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.

Winter Is Coming

View Online

This chapter is edited by Slayerseba, Clayton the Hunter, and Clawder.

Winter is Coming.

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

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Erlea were sitting closely pressed together, looking at the massive wolf with trepidation as Fenris sat down a slight distance away.

'Not far away enough for us to react, should he do something,' Erlea thought, wings fluttering in nervousness.

Looking to both of her sides, she could see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looking warily at the massive wolf. Although, on second glance, Sweetie Belle also seemed to be somewhat disoriented; nauseated even, as she shook her head and took deep, calming breaths.

Fenris took a long, loud sniff of the air which drew Erlea’s attention back to the wolf, taking notice as he regarded Sweetie Belle with wariness. It confused her, but not enough to question it. Besides, there were more important things to deal with.

"Speak," Fenris barked.

Flinching as if hit in the face, Erlea took a quick breath before answering.

"My kind is dying, victim of poisonous emotions. Only a sparse few, myself included, were spared from this illness; but most are dying… or have already died," she took a deep, shuddering breath; eyes closed, unwilling to give in to the emotions trying to take hold over her. "We've sought every likely place in our world for a cure, but none have been found. At least, until I encountered these two," —Apple Bloom gave a nervous wave with her hoof— "claiming that maybe a cure could be found in this ghost world."

"Ghost Zone," Sweetie Belle corrected with a squeak, having regained some composure.

"Yeah, whatever," Erlea shot back, irritated over the interruption. "Anyhow, we met with this frost giant Elder, who told us you had a cure and then gave us this weird map that somehow brought us here."

Erlea fell silent after she had told the stripped down version of the situation she was in, looking at the wolf with fearful, but demanding eyes.

"I hold no cure of any kind," Fenris rumbled with a booming voice, eyes narrowing slightly as he bent down towards them, "Nor did I ever hear of such a cure as you are seeking."

"But- but tha Elder-" Apple Bloom tried to protest, but her voice died down as Fenris turned to look at her, fear rooting her on the spot.

"Ugh… I don't feel so-" Sweetie Belle slurred, before dropping to the ground, unconscious.

"Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom cried in alarm, rushing to her friend, "Sweetie Belle, what’s wrong?" she asked, voice thick with worry as she placed a hoof on her friend's back, feeling the unicorn tremble severely.

"What is going on?" Erlea demanded, stepping closer to the unconscious pony and poking her in the side with a hoof.

But when she touched her, there was a shock, as if she was struck by lightning; and Erlea pulled back her hoof with a cry and a hiss.

"What was that? what’s goin’ on?" Apple Bloom cried, afraid.

"She's… foul," Erlea shot back, shuddering as a sick sensation came over her.

"Huh!? Wha’s that even mean?" Apple Bloom shouted.

Fenris, intrigued and concerned by this sudden development, stepped closer to the unconscious pony, nostrils flaring.

"She has taken in too much fear," he said slowly. "Gorging on it without pause, allowing it to build up without any time for it to digest."

"Eh? What are ya talkin’ bout?" Apple Bloom almost yelled, "That doesn't make a lick a sense."

Erlea's eyes suddenly widened, slowly stepping closer to Sweetie Belle.

"It can't be, can it?" she muttered, her horn starting to glow.

"What are ya doin’?" Apple Bloom demanded to know.

"Quiet," Erlea hissed, slowly moving her horn from left to right and back, scanning Sweetie Belle. A sharp gasp escaped her a moment later.

"You see it too?" Fenris growled, exhaling loudly.

"Bu- but it can't be. Ponies are unable to consume emotions like this."

"What are ya’ll talkin’ about," Apple Bloom shouted, "Cain't ya just help her?"

"Help her!? I don't even know what she is," Erlea argued back with slight hysteria.

"Well, we cain't just do nothin’," Apple Bloom shot back, fearing for her friend's well being.

"Move," Fenris barked, forcefully shoving Apple Bloom aside, "You're only making things worse."

"Wha-?" Apple Bloom squeaked, but a harsh glare from the wolf cut her off.

Looking down at the unconscious, twitching filly, Fenris bent down until he was practically on top of her; inhaling deeply, before spitting something foul to the side.

"She is unaware?" he asked the two fillies standing behind him, not looking back.

"Unaware ah what?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Unaware that she has been feeding on negative emotions," Erlea answered, frowning deeply at the impossibility of it all, "Like a changeling… but, not like a changeling."

Fenris slowly stood back up. "There is a severe build up of fear. It is sucked up by her like a sponge. Too much for her to deal with."

"Bu-... How’s that even possible?" Apple Bloom muttered. "Sweetie Belle ain’t ah changelin, she’s ah pony."

"And a… spirit," Erlea muttered, not liking to admit to that fact.

"But that doesn't explain why-"

"Silence!" Fenris barked, eyes glowing. "Figure out why this is happening later. Right now, though…" he trailed off slightly, unsheathing his claws.

"WHATTAR YA DOIN’!?" Apple Bloom cried in alarm. Sweetie Belle shuddered horribly in response.

"The same thing that both saved and damned me," he growled, then, before either Apple Bloom or Erlea could act, plunged his claw into Sweetie Belle.

A loud scream rose up from the lifeless rock

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

Scootaloo had just managed to climb and 'fly' her way out of the Far Frozen, and set hoof in the Ghost Zone once more; trading the snow and ice for barren rock and dirt.

A sudden shudder ran up her spine and she stopped to look out into the distance, eyes unfocused. Then she snapped back into it and shook her head to focus.

"What was that?" she wondered, taking a moment to ponder over this question, then deciding it was probably not important.

Looking around for a moment, unsure where she was supposed to go, she took a random direction and just went for it, muttering to herself all the while over how the Elder was wrong about Bellflower.

For a while, she just walked without direction, jumping behind a rock to hide herself whenever some kind of apparition would fly by.

After a short walk over the barren rock she had stepped on after leaving the Far Frozen, she found herself at the edge of the land. Looking down into the dark green abyss below, she kicked down a stray rock, watching it fall and fall until she was no longer able to see it.

Swallowing her nervousness, she looked up and into the distance, seeing another landmass too far away to jump. Looking at her wings for a moment, flexing them as she did, she looked back at the land, giving a single, resolute nod.

She took several steps back, braced herself, then took a running start; yelling as she stepped off the edge, jumping as far and as high as she could.

Legs stretched out and wings buzzing like a hummingbird, Scootaloo soared majestically through the air… for a whole three seconds. The second she jumped off the land and had put some distance between it and herself, gravity suddenly dropped away. Now, with her wings buzzing like crazy, but no gravity to orientate herself with, Scootaloo suddenly found herself tumbling uncontrollably through the air; flailing her legs in response, worsening her situation while she yelled incoherently and overshot the landmass she was aiming for.

"Whooaahhh… Somepony, help!" she shouted, her world a twisting blur.

A hand reached out for her.

"You called for help?" a strict, but friendly sounding voice asked, and Scootaloo felt someone grab her by the barrel, halting her uncontrolled spinning. If only her eyes would do the same.

"Th- guh… Thanks," she wheezed, eyes rotating in their sockets, making it impossible for her to focus on, let alone see who had helped her. Of course, remembering exactly where she was, and still feeling the clear impression of a hand on her back, she suddenly stiffened. And, as her vision slowly cleared, she found herself staring right into the red glowing eyes of a human… ghost.

Her pupils shrunk as she realized he was still holding onto her, making it impossible to escape. And although she knew not all ghosts were bad, she didn't know this ghost, or what he was planning on doing next.

"Are you alright?" the adult male asked, smiling kindly, which put Scootaloo a bit at ease.

"Ehh… I guess… Thanks."

"Oh, it's no problem," the ghost answered, "But might I know what a young mortal such as yourself is doing in a place like this?"

She took a few second before answering, using that time to give the ghost a once over.

He had blue skin, as far as she could tell, as the only part of his body uncovered was his face. He had a large, lightning bolt scar running down the left side of his face, bisecting his eye. He wore a large, dark purple cape, which extended into a hood which covered his head. Underneath it, he wore a purple suit several shades lighter than his cape. He had a broad chest and shoulders, which were disproportionate to his surprisingly thin midsection. Although the relatively large clock embedded in his chest distracted from really noticing such difference in proportions; and it was because of this strange, mechanized part of his body she almost failed to notice the staff he carried with him.

"I, ehh… I'm looking for something," she answered, still staring.

The ghost chuckled. "Well, we have a lot of something here in the Ghost Zone. Maybe you could be more specific?"

Scootaloo blinked, realizing she was staring at the ticking clock in the ghost's chest and tore her gaze away.

"I'm, uhh… I'm looking for my… parents" she squeaked the last word in a barely audible whisper.

"I'm sorry," the ghost answered understandingly, apparently having heard what she said despite Scootaloo's attempt to be quieter in voice than Fluttershy. "It is never easy to lose someone close to you," he told her, blinked, then realized he was still holding onto the filly. "My apologies, allow me to put you down first." And true to his word, he flew down to the land mass Scootaloo had overshot.

"Thanks, uhhh…"

"My name is Clockwork," he introduced himself with a curt nod.

"I'm Scootaloo," Scootaloo said.

"Now, Scootaloo. Why is it you're looking for your parents out here of all places?"

"I, uhh…" she kicked away some dirt. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, looking at her hooves. "You see, there are these, uh… ghost hunters back where I'm from—" Clockwork found himself tense up, then relaxed before Scootaloo noticed "And, well, maybe, possibly, not saying I did, but let's say I did take this weird device thingy from out of their room. And let's say that with this device I was able to hear my parents talk to me. So, not saying I have this device or anything, but I thought, seeing my parents are… You know, maybe they're here."

Clockwork frowned slightly. 'If only you knew the truth, child. I could tell you everything right here, right now,' he shook those thoughts away. 'Now is not the time,' and he returned his attention to Scootaloo.

"A device that allows you to hear the voices of ghosts?" he repeated, making sure to put a curious tone to his voice, "That seems rather… unnecessary. After all, we're talking with each other just fine, aren't we?"

Scootaloo raised a hoof and began to argue, but found herself without words. Slowly closing her mouth and putting down her hoof, she sighed out.

"True," then she recalled what happened the first time she showed the strange device to her friends and what it did when Sweetie Belle spoke. "But it did react to my friend, even though she was sitting next to me and talking. This device repeated everything she said… and added some weird threat or something after it."

"It reacted to your friend?"

Scootaloo tensed up, then sighed out begrudgingly, frowning. "Something like that," she muttered darkly, remembering again they had come over to the Ghost Zone without her. Even worse, they took a changeling with them instead of her, "You know what, it's not important."

"It sounds important to me," Clockwork replied calmly.

"It's nothing. Forget it," Scootaloo shot back, not feeling like talking about it.

"Very well," Clockwork replied.

Scootaloo harrumphed, looking around for a while as she tried to figure out where to go next.

"You don't happen to be lost, are you?" Clockwork asked, trying again to start a conversation.

"No," Scootaloo denied strongly. "I just don't know where to go."

"I see," Clockwork mused, suppressing a slight chuckle.

For a while nothing was said while Scootaloo looked around with stubborn denial written all over her face, trying to figure out where she should go. At the same time, Clockwork slowly lowered himself to hover calmly next to the young filly; having morphed back into his child self.

"So," he said with a much younger voice, "Where do you go now?"

"GHAAAA!" Scootaloo yelled, falling backwards, "Wha- What happened to you!?" she cried, pointing a hoof at the suddenly young ghost.

"Oh, this? I merely regressed in age."

"Whu?"

"I became young again," he replied, a bit more flatly than he would have liked.

"Wha- But, how?"

"It's… a long story," he told her, "But it is related to my abilities as a Timekeeper.”

"What's a Timekeeper?" Scootaloo asked, genuinely interested.

"I watch over, maintain, and protect time itself."

"YOU CAN CONTROL TIME!?" Scootaloo shouted energetically.

"I didn't say that," Clockwork chuckled. "But yes."

"That's so awesome!" she crowed. "Does that mean you can also travel through time?"

"Indeed it does," Clockwork confirmed, and he transformed into his elderly form. "Ah, and there we go again," he mused, looking at his wrinkled hand for a moment.

"That's sooo weird. Awesome, but weird."

"You do get used to it after a while," he replied, then slowly flew up again. "But moving back to my question. Where do you go now?"

"I, uhh… I don't know," Scootaloo admitted begrudgingly, yet gears were slowly turning in her mind.

"Well, do you know where it is you came from? It is hardly safe for any mortal in the Ghost Zone, so it would be better if you returned to your home."

"Say, mister," she started slowly, still debating whether or not this plan was a good idea or not. She then remembered again why she was there and, more importantly, what the Elder had told her a little while ago. A new surge of anger came over her and with it resolute determination. "Could you send me back in time?!"

Clockwork was silent for a moment, showing both shock and surprise. Internally, however, he was smiling deviously.

'Just as planned.'

"And why would you want to do such a thing?" he asked, concern filling his voice.

"To stop my parents from leaving," Scootaloo answered firmly.

Clockwork looked down on the filly with a studious gaze. 'Sometimes children need to be taught the hard way.'

"I think something can be arranged. Please, follow me to the Hall of Time, and I'll send you on your way."

"You will!?" Scootaloo shouted in disbelief, then a winning smile grew on her face as she hurried after the age regressed to his adult form, ghost.

'Don't worry mom, dad. I'll save you!... And she will not replace you ever again!'

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

A loud scream echoed off the lifeless rock, turning into an anguished wail the longer it went on.

Sweetie Belle, lying on the ground with Fenris' claw dug deep in her side, was the source of the scream.

The moment Fenris' claw sunk into her, she had snapped out of unconsciousness, awoken by a terrible pain. Yet it wasn't the claw that caused her distress. In fact, if it wasn't for the explicit other thing she could feel, she wouldn't have felt anything.

There was no blood, no wounds in her flesh, and even the fur on her body remained untouched as Fenris' claw was surrounded by a green glow where it cut into her. What she did feel, however, was a horrible sensation of something being cut, ripped, and torn off of her.

Fenris pulled back his claw, taking with him a thick haze of darkness; clinging to his claw and flowing out of the green glowing 'puncture wounds' his claw had left behind and were slowly closing.

The moment the 'wounds' had closed up, Sweetie Belle promptly passed out again. Fenris growled bitterly as he flung the dark haze off his claw, then got rid of it all with a swing of green glowing claws.

"Wh- What was that?" Apple Bloom squeaked frightened, looking at her friend, then at the last remaining, dissipating haze of darkness.

"Fear has build up in her. Too much for her to deal with all at once. I cut out some of it," Fenris answered with a low rumble.

"You cut fear out of her?" Erlea gasped. "How?"

Fenris looked down at the unconscious pony, his paw clenching slightly as he recalled how he gained this ability.

"Unimportant," he barked. "I listened to what you wanted to say, and do not have this cure you seek. Now, take your friend and leave."

"No!" Erlea yelled back defiantly, stomping a hoof on the ground. "You have a cure for my kind—" Fenris retorted with a growl, but before he could get another sound in Erlea cut him off; a fire burning in her eyes "—And don't give me this crap about not knowing what I'm talking about. I just saw you use it on her!" She all but yelled, pointing a hoof towards Sweetie Belle. "You cut out this buildup of fear, then you can do the same with hate!"

The last of her voice echoed away and now the group found themselves grabbed by a tense silence. Apple Bloom, having slowly edged her way over to her friend again, slowly shifted her gaze between Erlea and Fenris as the changeling and wolf were looking at one another with hardened, unblinking eyes.

"Hate?" Fenris finally spoke, his voice subdued.

"Yes, hate!" Erlea stated.

Fenris sighed out loudly, closing his eyes while turning away; a paw grasping at his chest.

"So, is this how fate has seen it to punish me?" he spoke quietly, looking off in the distance.

"What was that?" Erlea demanded, feeling a smidge of confidence from the wolf's display of submission; being the first to look away.

Fenris returned his gaze back to the tiny insectoid. "A question that will go without answer," he replied, lowering his paw back to his side. "But another question that must be asked shall be answered. How did your kind get infected with hate?"

This took Erlea by surprise, and she faltered a bit before she answered: "It is a long story…" Then her eyes hardened again, "Why, what is it to you?"

"Depending on the answer, I might see fit to help you, or to cut you down," he replied lowly, bending down towards Erlea, reminding her exactly who it was that ruled this barren land.

Trembling slightly, Erlea nodded and began telling the story of how her mother, and her kin sought to, and succeeded to take over the ponies' capital city, and to drain everypony there from their love to feed upon.

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

A freezing wind blew through the air, chilling the warm air as a massive herd of Saldēti Zirgi ran through the sky. Their silent gallop went unheard as they progressed to the barren lands locally known as the badlands, moving towards those who had called out to them.

The air around them grew colder and colder still, and the path they had traveled was marked by ice and snow. Even the foliage far below on the ground was unable to escape the sudden blast of arctic air, leaving the trees, flowers and other plants all frozen solid; some of the leaves and flower petals breaking apart.

Yet the greens of the grass and plant life was thinning the further they moved, until they crossed some invisible boundary, and the only sign of any life were the husks of long-dead trees somehow still managing to remain standing in the sun dried, cracked ground.

All of this froze over in a flash as the creatures of ice flew past, never stopping.

They were called.

They would answer.

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

"... And that is how my kind became poisoned with hate," Erlea finished, head hanging down while she bitterly spat out the conclusion of her tale. All the while, Fenris listened with seeming indifference; his face completely neutral.

Apple Bloom however, having heard some of it when Erlea yelled at her and Sweetie Belle back in the clubhouse, and after experiencing quite a bit of the invasion herself as well, still couldn't help but look at the clearly angry and depressed changeling with sorrow; maybe even a bit of guilt.

With a slurred groan, Sweetie Belle began to stir. First a few leg twitches, then she slowly lifted her head; blinking blearily and uncoordinatedly, clearly confused.

"Wha- what happened?" she mumbled.

"Ya passed out," Apple Bloom answered, "Somethin’ about havin’ consumed too much fear."

"Whu?" Sweetie Belle mumbled unintelligibly.

"Leave her be for now," Fenris rumbled. "Allow her to regain her senses before adding another burden upon her."

This did make sense to Apple Bloom, and she didn't say anything else as Sweetie Belle slowly stumbled back on her hooves. Yet the surprisingly caring tone of Fenris’ voice caught her interest, and she gave the wolf a studious look, frowning slightly.

"What?" the wolf barked upon seeing this, the caring tone he had shown gone.

"Nothin’," Apple Bloom answered quickly, looking away.

Huffing in irritation, Fenris turned back to Erlea, who stood still, waiting for a reply.

"So," she said boldly. "Are you going to help?"

Fenris returned his attention to her, not saying anything as he thought for a moment.

"No," he finally answered.

"WHAT!?" Erlea yelled with shock and anger, fangs baring. "Now you listen to me, you oversized mutt. You have something my kind needs and you will help us NOW!" Sparks were shooting from her horn in response to her anger and her eyes shone with a faint glow, as her entire stance shifted to that of a predator, ready to pounce on a prey. Something Fenris did not take kindly to.

"YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO!?" he roared, pouncing on the changeling; knocking her on her back and leaving her helpless. She stared up at the giant wolf with fear, but unwilling to give in, for she was so close to finding a possible solution to her kind's sickness.

"YES!" she shouted back with as much force as she could muster, forcing her body to remain still despite the severe shivers coursing through her. "AND I'M NOT BACKING DOWN FROM YOU, OR ANYONE ELSE. AND IF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO HELP, YOU MIGHT AS WELL KILL ME NOW SEEING HOW YOU'RE CONDEMNING ALL THE OTHERS TO THE SAME FATE!" Tears were now forming in her eyes, yet she refused to look away, her anger and despair burning into Fenris.

For a split second, Fenris saw himself in the young insectoid. Remembering the corruption of the Kadzite that had spread over his world like an infection and his unwillingness to back down against such a threat, only succumbing to the hate, blinded by it until it consumed him, too. To kill, or be killed, but doing everything in his power to stop this 'disease' until he couldn't even tell the difference between right and wrong. Except, she wished to die. A wish no one should want said out loud because of him; his decision.

He slowly backed away from Erlea, allowing her to return to her hooves. Which she did, slowly. Never letting him out of her sight.

"What's going on?" Sweetie Belle asked with a slight slur, not understanding what was happening. No one answered, though.

"Death is not something one should wish for," Fenris spoke up with a surprisingly soft voice. "Especially one so young."

"Then help us!" Erlea demanded, but Fenris shook his head.

"The fate that has befallen your kin is truly tragic, but I can't help you. Too much blood already stains my claws. Besides, I wouldn't be able to cure your kin. I'm only able to cut out a small portion of negativity, but nothing more."

"Then why won't you do that!?" Erlea shouted. "Something is better than nothing at all."

"It wouldn't cure them, only prolong their suffering."

"You don't know that!"

Fenris grimaced as doubt gnawed at him, then he forced it down, eyes hardening and jaw set.

"Why’re ya doin’ that?" Apple Bloom asked, looking at Fenris with a puzzled frown. "Lookin’ all guilty and such, then pretend not ta care."

"Really, guys. What's going on?" Sweetie Belle asked again, and went unanswered once more as Apple Bloom kept staring intently at Fenris.

Fenris stared right back at her with a neutral expression, not saying a thing.

"Yep, just like that," Apple Bloom noted.

"What are you getting at?" Erlea asked, sounding somewhat irritated at her.

"I think he does want to help, but won’t admit to it," Apple Bloom answered after only a small pause. "Just like he helped Sweetie Belle when she collapsed-"

"Seriously, what the hay is going on!?" Sweetie Belle demanded urgently.

"-but actin’ all uncarin’ afterwards," Apple Bloom continued as if she wasn't interrupted.

Fenris growled at her in answer, showing teeth. Yet despite this, Apple Bloom remained calm; looking up at him without flinching.

"It hardly seems like he want's to help," Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"Nah," Apple Bloom shook her head, "He's just all bark and no bite."

Having heard enough, Fenris lunged at Apple Bloom, swinging a massive claw at her.

Sweetie Belle shrieked out, while Erlea tensed in shock and horror. Apple Bloom, however, kept staring at the wolf with determination, unmoving.

Long seconds ticked by as Fenris stood panting heavily, frozen in his stance, arm still outstretched.

Erlea gave a faint gasp and Sweetie Belle hesitantly cracked open an eye to see what had become of her friend.

Apple Bloom, sitting perfectly still, looked Fenris dead in the eyes; never glancing at the razor sharp claw which had stopped a hair's width from her head.

"See," Apple Bloom said with a broken voice, failing to hide her own fear completely. Yet she didn't allow this to stop herself from pushing on. "He didn't hurt me."

Both Sweetie Belle and Erlea looked at the daring pony with wide eyes; as well as absolute terror by Sweetie Belle, who was sitting almost directly next to her.

Fenris, also taken aback, took a deep breath; looking at Apple Bloom with a new perspective.

"You do not fear me?" He asked, sounding surprised, shocked, disbelieving.

"Not sah much as ya fear yaself," Apple Bloom said back, voice still wavering a bit.

"Fear… myself," Fenris muttered, sounding conflicted.

Slowly, deliberately, he pulled back his claw; resheathing it, never taking his eyes off the little pony.

"Mmhmm," Apple Bloom nodded, her ribbon bouncing in response. "That's why ya don’t wanna to help, ain't ya? You're afraid."

"What do you mean?" Erlea asked, genuinely curious.

"He says he don't want ta help, but he just helped Sweetie Belle. He says we should leave, even attacks us ta do so, but never puts through, ‘cause he don't really want ta hurt us. He just wants us ta leave cause he's afraid. Not of us, but himself."

"He doesn't seem afraid," Sweetie Belle murmured, warily glancing at Fenris.

"I'm not sensing any fear coming from him either," Erlea argued.

"He just manages to hide it well," Apple Bloom countered, giving Fenris a critical once over. "Like, really well. But Ah can tell."

"How?"

The three fillies looked up in surprise at the Wolf, seeing him look down at Apple Bloom.

"How can you tell?" He asked, voice subdued.

"How?" Apple Bloom repeated, thinking about it for a moment. "Mah big sistah," she answered firmly, giving a single nod.

"Applejack?" Sweetie Belle said, confused.

"Yeah," Apple Bloom confirmed.

"But she's been afraid of plenty of things," Sweetie Belle argued.

"Yup. But she's also too stubborn ta admit it. Her pride does that," Apple Bloom explained, grinning coyly. "Doesn't help she's tha Element of Honesty. Makes it hard ta lie about it. But still, she does manage ta hide it well. Not well enough for me ta not recognize it when Ah see it. Both with her, and with ya," she answered Fenris. "Ya’re afraid and too stubborn ta admit it."

"I guess that does make sense," Sweetie Belle murmured.

Fenris slightly tilted his head, his posture relaxing marginally as he took a moment to study the young pony. He then released a long, heavy sigh; eyes downcast.

"You are right in that I am afraid," he admitted with a low voice. “But it isn't stubbornness that makes me unwilling to help," he added vaguely.

"Why would you be afraid of yourself?" Erlea asked somewhat condescending.

Fenris glanced her way, eyes boring into the young changeling who quickly retreated back into herself. Then Fenris sighed out.

"I suppose this is fate," he murmured. "You shared your story. It would only be fair if I did the same," he told Erlea.

"Your story?" Apple Bloom asked, feeling as if they were on the cusp of something big.

"Sit," Fenris barked, "and listen. Maybe then you will understand."

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

The timberwolves ran into their Alpha's cave, having returned with haste after discovering their brethren guarding the portal were frozen solid. The ice giants had also shown to hold knowledge about the entities responsible for this, as well as the imbalance they sensed.

Something had come through, of this they were certain. And it showed just how incompetent these ice giants were, having allowed yet another incident to occur.

Balance had to be maintained, and if the giants wouldn't see to it, then they themselves will.

"Alfa, ni alportu novaĵojn." The wolves barked as they entered his lair.
"Alpha, we bring news."

"Parolu," he barked.
"Speak."

"Nia brethren—" they began, bringing forth the still frozen remains of the two wolves who guarded the portal "—Estis atakitaj. Io venis tra la portalo kaj eniris tiun mondon."
"Our brethren were attacked. Something came through the portal and entered this world."

The Alpha snarled, which rapidly grew into a bestial roar, as his anger rose.

"Kolektu la pack!" He commanded, "Ni ne staras mallaboreme plu. Ili havis sian ŝancon, sed nun similas ke ili ne povas fidi subteni la ekvilibron."
"Gather the pack! We will not stand by idly any longer. They had their chance, but now it seems they cannot be trusted maintaining the balance."

"Jes, Alfa," they barked, leaving to carry out the order, leaving the large, imposing wooden wolf to his rising ire.
"Yes, Alpha,"

The Alpha tightened his paw with such force, the wood started to creak and splinter.

For too long they had been plagued by that curse, placed upon them by an unknown entity wielding a book.

For too long had they been starving, unable to eat.

For too long had they craved even a single drop of water, yet unable to drink any even though it was found all around them in abundance.

For too long they wished for it to end.

For too long they had been unable to die.

It was a bitter, harsh irony they didn't even realize the full extent of until after the first several centuries.

Before, they were bloodthirsty creatures, bound together by a shared insanity, driven to the same goal. Eternity. Immortality. To break the cycle of their very existence.

Well, they've got it and it proved to be the last thing they wanted.

Old, far too old, dying souls trapped in bodies of death and decay. Unable to pass on. Unable for their bodies to wither and die. Each branch that would snap, each twig that would bend out of shape, they would all grow back. A curse they couldn't escape, held in place by the very world they resided on; the forest they 'lived' in.

A curse, they hoped, could be lifted if they carried out the task forced on them: Maintain the balance you once sought to upset.

This task, this goal, it was what drove them all. No longer did they sought Immortality. Now all they craved was salvation. Salvation from eternity.

They would protect the balance of this world and they would hunt down all who dared to upset it.

Yes, the giants would pay for their transgression.

The portal. The ponies traversing through it. The whelp that reeked of death. And now this. No, his patience was at its end; had been for a long time now. They would no longer stand by idly and allow this transgression to continue. They would end it all and no one would be able to stop them.

Not even Fenrir himself.

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

Loud, panicked gasps escaped Wind Chill as he made his way to the exit of the Far Frozen; having not yet found a trace of the youngsters who he accompanied back to his village, nor did he find out where Scootaloo had gone to, despite her being as close by as she was.

Wind Chill stopped to look around, his eyes scanning the almost entirely white surroundings, wondering just how he managed to lose sight of someone brightly orange in a place like this.

"By the ancestors," he murmured, finally looking up and towards the border of his frozen home, "I had hoped to stop you before you could head out to certain danger," he said to no one. "Ancients, what should I do? I can't just leave her to venture out alone in the Zone, but I have a duty to protect young Apple Bloom. And if the elder spoke true, then she and her friends are in far greater danger than Scootaloo."

He quickly ascended the steep cliff-wall by use of his claws and impressive strength, wasting no time at all.

Stepping out of the frozen realm and into the warmer region of the Ghost Zone, Wind Chill once again scanned his surroundings in hopes of spotting Scootaloo.

Unable to find her, and knowing time was of the essence, he forcibly turned towards where he knew he had to go: The Dark Zone.

"Forgive me, young one. All I can do is promise to come look for you after saving your friends," he muttered a shamed apology as he ran away, hoping that despite the odds she would remain unharmed.

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

"Wooow," Scootaloo awed as she stepped inside of the massive chamber; watching in amazement at a massive pendulum as it swung slowly from side to side, the sound of her hooves clopping on the ancient stone oddly muted. "What is this place?" She asked, slowly shifting her gaze, seeing the many arched doorways leading to places unknown.

"This is the Hall of Time," Clockwork answered. "Here, I, and my associates work together to safeguard, and maintain time."

"There are others?" Scootaloo asked excitedly.

"Yes," Clockwork answered vaguely. "But they are currently occupied and cannot be disturbed."

"Oh, okay," Scootaloo answered dejectedly, but only for a moment as she perked up mere seconds later as she focused on her goal. "So, how do I, eh, we travel back in time?" She asked, almost demandingly.

"Right this way," Clockwork replied and smoothly glided away, leading Scootaloo through one of the many arched doorways, and into a room with a large swirling green vortex in its center.

"What's that!?" Scootaloo yelped with excitement, the green glow glinting in her eyes.

"This—" Clockwork said as he slowly circled around the vortex "—is a viewing portal. It allows me to see anywhere in time. The past, present, or future. It even allows me to see things that could have been. And, if used correctly, it also allows one passage into the moment of time shown in the vortex."

"That is soooo awesome," Scootaloo awed, eyes wide with excitement.

Clockwork chuckled, "It is, isn't it?"

"How does it work?"

"Allow me to show you," Clockwork replied and brought up his staff.

A pulse of energy came from the rod, and the vortex shuddered as if struck. Wilder and wilder it moved, but only around the edges as the center seemed to slow down; smoothing out. Then an image appeared, and Scootaloo gasped out as she found herself watching herself. Her younger, four year old self.

"Th- That's me," she uttered, dumbfounded.

"So it is," Clockwork confirmed.

"This is just too weird," Scootaloo murmured, prodding at the edges of the viewing portal with a hoof; passing cleanly through it.

"It can be confusing, seeing your own past in such a way," Clockwork said reassuringly, slowly moving towards Scootaloo. "But, just seeing it is not what you want, isn't it?"

"I, uhh-" Scootaloo shook her head as she tore her gaze away from her past self. "No," she confirmed. "You said you could send me back there—" she pointed with a hoof "—so I could stop my parents from going away."

"I did say I could send you back, yes," Clockwork nodded. "And I'm not one to lie," he added with a half lie. "Please, wait here for a moment," he told her, and flew off somewhere.

As indicated, only a moment passed before he returned, carrying with him a strange looking medallion.

"Here, you must wear this," he instructed as he gave the medallion to the orange filly.

"What's it for?" Scootaloo asked, puzzled.

"It will allow you to move through time without being rejected," Clockwork explained.

"What does that mean?"

"Without this medallion, you cannot travel back to the time you wish to visit. Although there are several ways one might go back, time always finds out and returns those out of place back to where they originate from. As long as you wear this, time does not notice you and you are able to move freely. Remove the medallion and you will find yourself back where you started."

"So… Don't take it off then?" Scootaloo sought clarification, unable to fully wrap her mind around Clockwork's explanation.

"Yes," Clockwork answered somewhat flatly, and Scootaloo slipped the medallion around her neck.

"So, now what?" She asked, excitement noticeable.

"Now, we step through," Clockwork told her, and vanished in the maelstrom of the viewing portal.

Scootaloo, eyes wide, swallowed loudly. Then, with a leap of faith, she followed after the helpful ghost.

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

The sounds of numerous objects falling over, breaking and clattering on the ground flowed out of the hut found deep within the Everfree Forest. A low, defeated groan followed moments thereafter.

Inside sat Zecora, surrounded by a battlefield of broken and damaged furniture, masks, jars, flasks, and an overturned cauldron; spilling its contents all over the floor in a large, sticky puddle.

The source of this absolute devastation, the small, green, glowing pup which was barking happily as it lay on what remained of Zecora's bed; chewing on the wooden spoon the mare had used to stir her latest concoction.

"That is it, I give up. Even a feral hydra is less destructive than this pup," the mare droned, exhausted.

The pup's eyes perked up, soon followed by his head as he looked around with large eyes; sniffing the air.

Zecora froze, not even daring to breath as the pup slowly jumped off her bed.

For several long seconds, the pup stood still, ears twitching every now and then. Then his head snapped towards the door, and a faint growl escaped him. This worried Zecora immensely.

Some time passed in silence, save for the few erratic growls the pup gave. Then, to Zecora's surprise and relief, the pup ran through the door, leaving her alone.

She held her breath, making sure the clearly demonic dog had left before she even dared to twitch.

"Is it over, is it done?" she wondered, only to be frightened by a bark coming from behind her. Turning around with a yelp, Zecora found herself face to face with the pup.

Before she could even think about reacting, however, the pup reared up and gave her a long, slobbering lick all over the muzzle before phasing through the door once more. "No, this isn't something easily won," she finished with dismay, slobber dripping down on the floor.

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

Deep down, in the heart of the Hive, Chrysalis was slipping in and out of consciousness. The strain on both her body and mind having drained what little strength she had left.

Her body was extremely thin and her wings had lost their gleam; now dull and brittle while her eyes had sunken low.

She was now too weak to do anything more than taking the faintest of breaths and trying to listen in on the hive mind, which had become extremely difficult.

The strain on her mind suddenly increased and if she had been capable of it, Chrysalis would have cried out in shock.

There was a new entity within the mind. An entity just as intricate and expanding as their own. Yet it was completely alien at the same time.

Chrysalis tried, the creator knew she did. But she could no longer focus her mind. No longer was she able to even acknowledge her own thoughts as she slipped away once again; unconsciousness claiming her once more.

The alien entity, however, was completely aware of what happened. And it was with a loud whiny that the Saldēti Zirgi increased their pace, the land beneath them freezing as a massive snowfront followed closely behind them.

They were called.

They would answer.

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

"So ya cut out this corruption ta save your brothers, tha rest of your kind, even your entire world. But in doing so, killin’ yahself as well?" Apple Bloom gasped. "No wonder ya're afraid of yahself. Ah would be too."

"That's horrible," said Sweetie Belle. "Being taken over by a corruption like that," then something clicked. "Hey, didn't something like that happen to Princess Luna, too?"

"What are you talking about?" Fenris demanded with a bark, a nervous edge to his voice.

"Princess Luna," Sweetie Belle answered. "She is one of our princesses."

"Yeah," Apple Bloom nodded enthusiastically. "She is tha pony who controls tha moon and stars."

"The moon," Fenris repeated slowly with a lowered voice; beginning to feel uneasy.

"Mmhmm," Apple Bloom nodded. "And her sistah, princess Celestia controls tha sun… Kinda like ya and your brothers," she added in murmur, a hoof pressed against her chin.

"Hey, yeah," Sweetie Belle agreed, pausing a moment to think about the strange similarities.

"So, ya see. Princess Luna became jealous of her sistah 'cause everypony always played an worked during tha day, but slept when she brought forth tha night," Apple Bloom continued. "Eventually, her jealousy changed her, corrupted her. Calling herself Nightmare Moon an such," she explained, missing the noticeable flinch from Erlea, or the narrowing of Fenris' eyes.

"Yeah, she was really scary when she came back from the moon," Sweetie Belle said, thinking back. "But now she is really nice."

"Mmhmm," Apple Bloom agreed with a nod.

"You mean to tell me that one of your leaders, one who embodies the moon, corrupted and changed?" Fenris asked with noticeable demand.

"Eh, yeah," Apple Bloom replied.

"What kind of change occurred?"

"Well, her fur turned all black," Sweetie Belle answered. "And she got those really scary fangs."

"An her eyes became all slitted," Apple Bloom added. "An she wanted ta bring eternal night, too."

Fenris was quiet for some time, then his attention snapped back to the two ponies, "When did this change occur… And how is it she is… nice now?"

"Well, it happened some over a thousand years ago," Apple Bloom pondered, thinking back to what her sister had said after she returned home that night.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle agreed. "And princess Celestia then banished her to the moon."

"But she came back, an then, Ah dunno, took princess Celestia away or somethin'… What did she do with tha princess?" Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle, who shrugged in answer.

"I don't know," she said, then turned back to Fenris. "But our sisters, Rarity and Applejack, and their friends Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle went after Nightmare Moon and confronted her in the ancient castle of the Royal Sisters."

"There they found tha Elements of Harmony," Apple Bloom said excitedly. "An with its awesome power they blasted tha corruption right out tha princess Luna."

"They removed the corruption?" Fenris asked, unable to hide his amazement. Both fillies nodded enthusiastically.

For a moment Fenris looked away, amazed. Fear, however, quickly replaced it as the full ramifications of what these children had said clicked into focus.

Fur becoming black. Fangs. Eternal night…

He knew he removed his corruption. Cut it out with his own claws. But he never knew what became of this parasite of his own making after they severed. Now, though, he feared he finally learned the answer.

"It found a new host," he murmured, a feeling of intense shame crashing down on him.

"GHAAA!" Erlea suddenly cried out, holding her head in her hooves as she collapsed to the ground.

""ERLEA!"" Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cried out as they rushed to the downed changeling. Fenris, however, merely glanced down at her, a deeply troubled frown etched on his face.

"Erlea, what's wrong?!" Apple Bloom cried out.

"The voices. The hive," Erlea said with a struggle, writhing on the ground, eyes pressed shut in pain.

"What's happening to her?" Sweetie Belle asked urgently.

"How should Ah know?" Apple Bloom shouted back.

"Well, we have to do something!" Sweetie Belle argued, both fillies 'dancing' around Erlea, unsure what to do.

"GHAA!" Erlea cried out again, "The Hive, everyling… Ghnn. They're under attack."

""WHAT!?"" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cried out, shocked.

"But, how do you know that?" Sweetie Belle wanted to know, not understanding.

"Her mind is linked with the others of her kind," Fenris spoke up, slowly moving closer to the trio; a pensive frown etching his features.

"Well, then we need ta help them," Apple Bloom said urgently. "If what Erlea said is true, an they are already weakened by this illness then they will need all tha help they can get."

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle shouted her agreement, "I might not know what the hay is going on, and I still have many questions myself. But if Erlea's friends are in trouble, then we have to do something."

Despite the cries for help and fear crippling her, Erlea still looked up at the two ponies through lidded eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I agree," Fenris rumbled, then he looked up and towards where the trio had came from. "And from her reaction, I don't think there is much time to lose." He then looked back down at the three fillies. "You came here for a cure, one I'm not sure I can provide. But I can't shake off the feeling of responsibility for what happened to your princess. I will aid you in any way I can," he told them, lowering to all fours. "Grab your belongings—" he mentioned to the Infi-map "—and get on. It will be safe for you three with me."

All three fillies looked up at the wolf with absolute surprise, yet it only lasted a few seconds for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"You've got it," Sweetie Belle said as she hurried to retrieve the map, while Apple Bloom scooped up Erlea and used her natural earth pony strength to lift the stunned changeling onto Fenris' back.
Then she climbing up herself, followed a moment later by Sweetie Belle.

"Hold on!" Fenris barked, and took a running start with frightening speed before jumping clear off his barren land.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both had to grab hold of Fenris' black fur so they wouldn't fall off, yet Erlea herself was still shaken from the sudden and crippling cry coming over the hive mind, and was unable to do much more than lie there as numerous voices all overlapped into unintelligible shouting.

Not wanting her to fall off, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both held onto her with one hoof, while holding on tightly themselves with the other as Fenris jumped from one mass of land to the other with mind boggling speed; never stopping nor paying any heed to whatever ghost they crossed. Until one of these ghosts, a massive white blur, called out Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's names. Unleashing a bestial roar seconds later as it gave pursuit.

"Wait, was that Wind Chill?" Apple Bloom shouted, trying to look back without upsetting her balance and falling off.

"I'm not sure… I guess?" Sweetie Belle replied, hesitantly.

"Hey, Fenris!" Apple Bloom shouted. "Can you slow down for a bit?"

Fenris gave her a sideways glance, huffed, then did as he was asked; making sure the large, white furred ghost these ponies seemed to know was in his peripheral, knowing all too well the meaning behind the challenging roar.

"RELEASE THE YOUNG ONES AT ONCE!" Wind Chill bellowed as he caught up, fangs baring, ready to attack.

"WAIT!" Apple Bloom shouted. "He ain't hurting us or anything. He's helping!"

Wind Chill faltered for a moment, completely taken by surprise, falling behind once again.

"What!?" he uttered after a moment, having caught up for a second time.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle shouted back at him. "Erlea's friends are in trouble, and he's taking us back so we can help."

Wind Chill could only stare in bewilderment, unable to comprehend what he was just told. Of all the possibilities he thought of; everything the youngsters could encounter, everything that could happen to them, this was not one of those things. Never in his wildest imagination would he suspect them to be sent into the Dark Zone by the Elder, nor for them to remain unharmed. Even more shocking, he recognized the ghost they were now riding on, and the implications figuratively chilled him to the bone.

Fenrir, the dark wolf.

"By the ancestors," he murmured as his eyes locked with those of Fenrir, a chill going down his spine, [/size=14]"Just what are these children capable of?"

"Heart, courage and kindness," the wolf barked in answer, having heard him. "They can see the good, whereas others can only see the bad… or the worse." He then took a whiff of the air and adjusted his path, following after the fillies' scent.

Wind Chill was silent, looking at the wolf with distrust.

"Don't worry, Wind Chill," Apple Bloom called out to him. "He ain't a bad guy."

"If that's true, then what happened to your friend?" He asked, looking at Erlea.

"Her mind is linked with the rest of her kind," Sweetie Bell replied. "And I guess they're all calling for help."

"Whatever it is," Apple Bloom picked up, "It clearly hurt her."

"So now we're hurrying back to help them."

"You… ponies don't… make… any….. sense," Erlea grunted softly, slowly growing accustomed to the distorted cries assaulting her mind. "You don't even know what is going on."

"Doesn't matter," Apple Bloom replied confidently. "We'll find out when we get there."

"Where exactly is 'there'?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

".... Eehhh," Apple Bloom uttered, then showed an awkward smile.

"Idiots," Erlea muttered, clenching her eyes shut and breathing deeply. "Go to the Badlands, the Hive is hidden there," she revealed, taking a huge risk. She just hoped that these strange ponies would owe up to their words… Somehow.

"The Badlands!?" Apple Bloom gasped, "But nothing lives there."

"Just like we want you to think," Erela droned. That way, no one will accidentally stumble upon us."

"I guess that makes sense," Sweetie Belle said.

"Okay, Fenris! Let's get out of here, and to the Badlands!"

"Fenris?" Wind Chill repeated, confused, but didn't receive any reply as the wolf picked up speed; heading towards the Far Frozen.

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

Loud, aggressive growling and barking filled the ancient room as the timberwolves circled around the portal; the Alpha standing before it while declaring a challenge which required no translation.

"By the Ancestors, what do we do?" Avalanche asked nervously as he and Snow Front backed away a bit, ice clubs in hand and at the ready. "This large a number, just the two of us would easily be overwhelmed."

"They haven't attacked yet, brother. This might merely be a display of strength in response to what has recently happened."

"Regardless, Frostbite needs to be warned," Avalanche replied, eyes locked on the dimensional hole and the wolves on the other side.

"Are you sure you'll be able to deal with the situation on your own?"

"For now, if nothing changes," Avalanche answered, tightening his hold over his club. "Go, warn Frostbite and the others. And do make haste."

Nodding, Snow Front turned and shot off; moving for the village with all the speed he could call upon.

Glancing behind him, Avalanche steeled his nerves. He then returned his attention to the wolves, their barking and growling increased.

"Ancestors, may you watch over me. And if the call for violence must be answered, guide my hand in the fight to come."

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

"There! Over there!" Apple Bloom cried out as she pointed her hoof towards the icy entrance of the Far Frozen; shouting in fright a moment later as she lost her balance, only to be pulled back in place by Erlea, who had regained most of her composure by now.

"Ugh, back into the cold… at least I'm still wearing that saddle you've borrowed me," she muttered, annoyed, wishing she hadn't lost her scarf and hat when they were forcefully pulled along by the Infi-map.

"Don't worry," Apple Bloom reassured. "We won't be there for long."

Fenris, making true to her words, entered the cavernous entrance in a blur. Noticing the sudden drop, but going too fast to slow down in time, he instead used it to his advantage.

Jumping to the far wall, he twisted around until his paws touched the frozen surface. Using his powerful legs, he then launched himself, and the fillies with him, down to the compact snow and ice floor below.

All three fillies screamed as they plummeted, but Fenris readjusted his angle and landed with a heavy thud; his muscular legs absorbing the blow. Wind Chill dropped down next to him, an angry scowl aimed at the wolf.

"You mustn't be so careless with the young ones," he scolded, not making much of an impression on Fenris who, instead, wasted little time and surged back into motion.

Wind Chill huffed out in irritation, glaring at the wolf in distrust as he followed after Fenris.

One after another they exited the icy cave, and entered the frozen land stretching out before them. The both of them came to a sudden, but gradual stop, showing clear signs of unease.

"What's wrong?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Wh-hy did we s-st-st-achoo!" Erlea sneezed, rubbing her hooves for warmth.

"Something is wrong," Wind Chill answered, eyes narrowed as he scanned the area. "I can sense a disturbance."

"Yeah…" Sweetie Belle murmured, almost trancelike, a shiver traveling down her spine.

"Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom nudged her friend, snapping the unicorn out of it after a moment's delay.

Shaking her head, Sweetie Belle looked at her friend, confused and worried. "I don't know… Something doesn't feel right."

Fenris looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Doesn't feel right? Whadda you mean?"

"I don-"

"Less talking, and more getting the Horsefly out of here!" Erlea complained.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at her in confusion over the strange swear word, but they had to agree that now was not the best place and time to figure Sweetie Belle's strange feelings out.

"Right," both fillies nodded, then Apple Bloom pointed a hoof towards where the portal was. "The way home is over there."

"I'm afraid it won't be as easy as you think it to be, young Apple Bloom," Wind Chill replied grimly, looking towards the distance portal; his height allowing to see much further.

"Ehh… Is something wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked, worried.

Fenris drew in a deep breath, holding it for a while. "Fateful events such as this often cause trouble," he exhaled slowly, the scent of the timberwolves lingering on his senses. "I already had my suspicions, but now I can no longer believe you finding and convincing me to help was mere coincidence." He turned his head to look at the trio riding his back. "You three should get off," he told them, then looked back into the distance. "This confrontation is not meant for you."

Looking at one another in nervousness over the warning words and troubled tone of voice, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Erlea slowly slid down Fenris' back, and dropped into the snow; joined by some quiet swearing by Erlea, who didn't have the strength to use her wings and stay aloft above the bone chilling layer of white.

"What's going on?" Apple Bloom asked, looking at Fenris with large eyes.

"I have yet to discover that myself," Fenris murmured, then moved for the distant portal; not knowing what to expect.

"You stay here," Wind Chill told them with grim determination. "You should stay as far away from this as possible."

"Bu-" Apple Bloom began to protest, but was cut off by the giant.

"Listen to me, Apple Bloom. It is my duty to protect you, as well as your friends. Allowing you to go anywhere near this would be the exact opposite. So, please. Do as I ask of you and stay here. I will come get you when it is safe."

Apple Bloom looked up at Wind Chill, considering arguing for them to go with him. But as she looked into his glowing eyes, she knew he wouldn't back down.

"Fine," she replied with a sigh, sitting down in the snow; sending a shiver up her spine.

"Thank you," Wind Chill replied.

Not wasting another moment, he quickly set off after Fenris, leaving the three fillies near the tunnel which led out of the Far Frozen.

"I wonder what that's all about?" Sweetie Belle asked after a short moment of silence.

"How would Ah know?" Apple Bloom replied, and the two of them turned to Erlea, only to find she was no longer with them.

Looking around, they spotted the changeling slowly moving after Fenris and Wind Chill; using the large tracks they've made in the snow to keep herself from sinking away in the layer of white.

"Hey, where are you going?" Apple Bloom called out after her.

"Back to the Hive!" Erlea shot back, flinching numerous times from the cold. "I've got no time to waste here with you. You want to sit here and do nothing? Fine, but don't expect me to do the same."

"Who said we were going to sit here and do nothing?" Sweetie Belle asked, hovering next to Erlea, her hind legs transformed into an intangible tail.

Erlea flinched as she was taken by surprise by the logic defying pony, but was able to mask it as a reaction to the cold numbing her hooves. Not looking at her, she stubbornly continued on her way, while Sweetie Belle continued to hover beside her, and Apple Bloom plowed through the snow behind her.

"Yeah,” Apple Bloom agreed, quickly catching up.

"You did just agree to stay here," Erlea pointed out flatly, still staring dead ahead, not slowing down one bit.

"Well, Ah'm also supposed ta be back at tha orchard. But here Ah am," she countered with a cheeky grin.

"Besides, we said we would help you—" Sweetie Belle grabbed Erlea around the barrel and lifted her up above the snow "—and that is exactly what we're going to do."

"Yeah,” Apple Bloom agreed. "Now, let's go and see what this is all about." And with that, she sped off. Jumping from one massive print to the next with energetic jumps, while Sweetie Belle followed after her, holding firmly onto Erlea.

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

Several minutes ago.

The Alpha growled as he stood before the portal.

They knew to where it led. A sensation they recognized even if they had never experienced it.

The realm of the dead. The place they were banished from by the curse that bound them to the forest they had called home for all those centuries. A curse placed upon them by him. The entity that forced this doomed existence upon them, as well as the warning to do as he commanded, and the threat of repercussions if they didn't.

But now, he wondered just how much of that was true.

They stayed in the forest, only venturing out if their involuntary task demanded it. But then, this portal opened; creatures not belonging there coming through; a pony with powers and abilities not hers by birth appearing; the Dark One.

Truly, they had failed at their task. They had failed, because he had allowed this to continue for so long.

Not any more.

Still, there was one thing that gave him pause: Nothing had happened to them.

There were no repercussions to their failure, other than the anger they felt themselves.

And now, standing before the unnatural hole in reality, the Alpha flexed his wooden claws and stepped through; defiance and hate burned in his eyes as he left the world he was bound to, and entered the realm he was banished from.

He stood still for several long seconds, waiting, expecting something to happen; anything. But nothing did, and he knew now the full extent of the lies they were led to believe for so long.

Lies they would no longer obey.

"Atako!" he barked.
"Attack!"

With terrifying growls and barks, the wolves crossed over.

"Nun ni devas krei vian propran ekvilibron!" The Alpha growled through teeth.
"Now we shall create our own balance!"

Of course they wouldn't go unhindered; as Snow Front had warned the village and he, Frostbite, the Elder, and many other giants stood in wait; preparing for anything with claws and clubs of ice at the ready.

Stepping forward, the gem in her staff aglow, the Elder shone its light over all present.

"I can understand you are angry," she said, voice neutral. "But you should not have come here."

"And allow this transgression to continue?" The Alpha snarled, then huffed. "No matter, we're done playing to the rules and wishes of others. Now we-" he proclaimed loudly, only to be cut off by a loud, spine chilling howl.

The Alpha's eyes widened, mirrored by the rest of the wolves as recognition dawned upon them. And, as everyone gathered turned to the source of the sound, for less than a split second, the Alpha saw him. The creature that cursed him and his pack, hovering above a solitary hill. Then he was gone, and all their attention was claimed by the massive, black, scar-covered wolf slowly, deliberately stepping into their midst.

"So, fate has seen it fit for us to face each other again," Fenris spoke in a low rumble, his massive muscles flexing as he stood up to his full height; only two-thirds the size of a frost giant, but still towering over the Alpha.

The wolves could only stare in shock and silence at the catalyst of their damnation.

There were consequences, and they were looking at him now.

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

A couple minutes ago, and slightly to the right.

A portal opened just above the snow, and two individuals came through. One, a small, orange pegasus, the other an age shifting ghost.

Scootaloo looked around with a saddened gaze, not yet recognizing where they were.

"Where are we?" She asked, a clearly noticeable tone of sadness in her voice.

"The Far Frozen, near the village of the frost giants," Clockwork replied, scanning the area himself. "I thought it best to drop you off here," he gave a nod towards a trio of fillies to their right, moving away from them. "Your friends are over there. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."

"I, ehh… Yeah," Scootaloo muttered, looking down. Then, as if a switch was flipped, she looked up, sadness seemingly gone, replaced by steeled resolve. "Yeah, I do."

"Then go, child," Clockwork told her. "There is no better time than the present."

Nodding, Scootaloo quickly ran after her friends, using her wings to the best of her ability to keep from sinking too deep in the snow while Clockwork looked after her with a small, sad smile.

"It’s these kinds of lessons that are always the hardest. Both on the heart and the mind. But, in the end, you'll become stronger because of it, Scootaloo. I'm certain that your parents would say so, too." He sighed out after that, gingerly tracing his fingertips over the scar on his face, and he turned his attention to the unfolding conflict just behind a distant hill.

Nodding to himself, he flew towards the hill, following it up until he hovered some feet above it, looking at the mass gathered further below; his eyes locking with the Alpha timberwolf.

He turned invisible a moment later, having done what needed to be done.

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

"Hey, you guys! Wait up!" Scootaloo called out after her friends, who came to a sudden stop upon hearing her; looking back with confusion showing on their faces, as well as annoyance from Erlea over yet another unwanted interruption

"Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle said, confused. "What are you doing here? ...Wait, how did you even get here?"

"Yeah, Ah thought ya were grounded," Apple Bloom commented.

"You mean like you are?" the orange pegasus replied flatly, cocking an eyebrow.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other. ""Touché,"" they said in tandem.

"Oh, will you just hurry up already!" Erlea shouted. "I'm moving faster on my own like this."

"Right," Sweetie Belle replied apologetic, resuming her flight towards the portal.

"What's going on?" Scootaloo asked, quickly following after Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

"It's a long story," Apple Bloom answered, "But tha short version is: Erlea's friends and family are in trouble. Like really, really in trouble. Well, even more in trouble than when we came here tryin’ ta find a way ta fix tha first problem, when somethin’ else happened. So, Ah guess they are in double trouble." The apple filly shook her head to focus "Short story shorter, we're going ta help Erlea with whatever tha Hay is going on back at her home."

"Wait, her home?!" Scootaloo balked. "You mean the changeling home?"

"That's what Ah said," Apple Bloom nodded, then jumped over an icy rock. "Also, how did ya get here?" Apple Bloom asked, almost as an afterthought.

"I want to know, too," Sweetie Belle piped up, glancing behind her.

"It's also a long story," Scootaloo told them.

"And the short version?" Sweetie Belle presses on.

"Let's just say that I've seen life from a different perspective," she answered, leaving her friends confused.

"We'll get back to ya on that one," Apple Bloom told her. " Right now, we've got more important things to deal with."

"Right," Scootaloo nodded, thinking back to all Clockwork had shown. Then another realization dwelled on her. Something that demanded an answer. "And what about the changelings back at the orchard?"

Apple Bloom nearly tripped while Sweetie Belle almost dropped Erlea.

"How do ya know about Abella and Devora?" Apple Bloom demanded.

"Forget that!" Sweetie Belle piped up, worried. "Did they also collapse like Erlea did?"

"Most likely. And, knowing them, they are also returning to the Hive as fast as they can."

"They are!?" Apple Bloom cried, alarmed.

"Of course they would," Erlea snapped.

"But if they aren't there pretending to be Sweetie Belle and Ah, Big Mac, Applejack, and Granny Smith will find out we're gone!"

"So you want them to cover your back while our home, family, and friends are in danger!?" Erlea lashed out, venom in her voice.

Apple Bloom flinched back, falling behind just a bit as Erlea's word struck deep.

"So they'll ground us more," Scootaloo spoke up. "Big deal. Helping out a friend is more important."

Again, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at their friend with absolute confusion. A look mirrored by Erlea as well.

Noticing this, Scootaloo merely shrugged it off. "It's a long story," she said. "Now, where do we need to go?"

"Back ta tha portal," Apple Bloom answered. "Although it won't be as easy as that."

"Why not?"

"Because of that!" Sweetie Belle gasped out in shock and trepidation, finally able to see what troubled Wind Chill and Fenris after she (and Erlea) rounded a snow dune obscuring the portal from sight.

"Oh," was all both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were able to say.

Frost giants were engaged in fierce battle against timberwolves, with Fenris in their midst. Yet the giants seemed to be more on the defensive, while most of the timberwolves focused their hits on Fenris.

"Well, that ain't good," Apple Bloom noted dryly.

"What the hay is going on?" Scootaloo said.

"I've been asking that same question several times myself as well," Sweetie Belle replied, slightly miffed. "... I'm still waiting for an answer."

"Who cares," Erlea grumbled, arms crossed. "Let's just get out of here."

"We'll need to go through them to get to the portal," Sweetie Belle noted, worried as she bit her lower lip.

"Couldn't you turn invisible, or something?" Erlea reminded her.

"Oh yeah, I totally can do that," Sweetie Belle replied energetically.

"But what about us?" Scootaloo asked, "Can you make us invisible while flying? If not, the snow will give us away."

"Shoot, didn't think of that," Sweetie Belle huffed. "I'm not sure I can… Besides…" she said, then fell silent as she looked back at the chaos further on.

"Just, what?" Apple Bloom asked her.

"... I don't know. There is just… There is this weird feeling I got. It doesn't feel right."

Erlea frowned in irritation, yet her eyes glanced up at the hovering unicorn; using her senses to reach out.

"Fear," she said monotonously.

"Huh?" Sweetie Belle looked down at the changeling. Apple Bloom gasped.

"Ya're feeding on their fear, ain't ya?!" Apple Bloom almost cried out, looking at her friend in worry.

"I, whu?"

"You feed on fear," Erlea sighed out. "Gorging on it, actually. No wonder you took in too much before, if this is how you go on about it."

"Wait… What?!"

"What are you talking about?" Scootaloo wanted to know, clearly lost, much like Sweetie Belle.

"It's a long-" Apple Bloom replied, but was cut off by a very irritated Erlea.

"OH, WILL YOU JUST CUT IT OUT ALREADY AND GET MOVING!"

"Right, sorry," Apple Bloom replied meekly.

"Okay, ehh. Just hold on to me, I guess," Sweetie Belle told them, unsure, lowering herself enough for her friends to touch her as she first transformed and then turned all of them invisible.

"Well, this will keep us from being seen," Scootaloo commented, “But what about flying over there?"

"Just. Hold. On!" Sweetie Belle grunted as she channeled her energy, pushing it further than she had done before, spreading out her glowing aura to encompass all four of them.

Slowly but surely, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo could feel the frozen ground drop away as they were gradually pulled up in the air.

"This. Is. So. Awesome!" Scootaloo squealed.

"Ya're really getting better at this spirit thang, Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom cheered her friend on.

Erlea, not saying a word, couldn't help but feel impressed as well.

"Stop. Talking." Sweetie Belle grunted, "Need. To. Focus."

""Sorry,"" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both replied simultaneously.

Grunting from the strain, Sweetie Belle slowly began moving towards the distant portal; feeling a strange nauseating feeling build up in the pit of her stomach the closer she came to the chaotic battle. Something Erlea couldn't help but notice.

'Like a changeling… but, not like a changeling.'

The sound of roaring, barking and howling grew louder and louder, and all fillies, sans Sweetie Belle (who had her eyes almost shut in concentration and strain) watched as the frost giants used large clubs of ice to swat down any of the timberwolves coming too close, while also bringing large ice shields up to bear to fend of any attack the wolves attempted on them.

Yet the giants as well as the timberwolves seemed more focused on Fenris, who was on the defensive as timberwolves aggressively circled around him, while he himself was engaged in a face off with the Alpha.

'Huh,' Erlea thought, eyeing the timberwolves. 'They're the ones who are afraid.'

Sweetie Belle grunted, straining herself, and Erlea could feel herself slip slightly as Sweetie Belle's strength was failing.

"Wait… Dont let g-" she began, only to be cut off as Sweetie Belle turned back to her mortal self; invisibility failing, and dropping out of the sky.

All four fillies screamed out as they plummeted.

The Elder, not being fooled by Sweetie Belle's invisibility thanks to her sight, found herself standing where she shouldn't, and quickly stepped to the side as the four bodies dropped in the snow one at a time, leaving surprisingly accurate pony and changeling shaped holes.

The chaotic clash froze to a standstill over this new, unexpected turn of events, leaving all parties standing in confusion as they watched the four fillies slowly pull themselves out of their frosty burrows.

"Well, shoot," Apple Bloom muttered. "That didn't go as planned."

"I- I- I- I hat- te-te you-u-u," Erlea managed through clattering teeth.

"Oh, shove it," Scootaloo groaned, falling back down as the snow gave way, forcing her to climb back up again. This time with a heap of snow covering her head.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" Frostbite roared out. "Why are the young ones here!?" He demanded, quickly finding Wind Chill, who looked at the four with shock and horror plastered on his face.

"Why are you here?" Wind Chill asked with worry. "Didn't I tell you to stay back?" Yet he was not granted an answer as the Alpha's growling reaction cut in.

"What new trickery is this?!" The rest of the timberwolves reacted with increased aggression.

Fenris growled lowly as he looked down on the Alpha, fingers flexing, triggering another hostile reaction from the timberwolves.

'More fear,' Erlea realized, eyes shifting towards Sweetie Belle who seemed to be struggling.

"Please, don't make any hasty decisions," the Elder tried to reason, already knowing the outcome regardless. In fact, she was counting on it.

"Wind Chill! Explain how you allowed the young ones to put themselves in such danger!" Frostbite roared.

Any reply Wind Chill gave was cut short as one of his fellow frost giants roared threateningly, slamming her club in the snow, dangerously close to one of the snapping wolves.

The wolf backed off with a yelp.

"Make it stop," Sweetie Belle squeaked, eyes clenched shut and breathing heavily.

"Don't think you are able to walk away unscaved," the Alpha barked at Fenris, "You will pay for what you have done to us!"

Fenris stood impassively, yet leering at the wolf before him, trying to deduce the fate that befell him after their last encounter. His seeming disinterest only angered the Alpha more and more, as well as something else. Something he ignored with all his being.

"Fear," Fenris snorted. "That's all there is. Overwhelming fear."

"Please, make it stop," Sweetie Belle pressed her hooves against her head, clearly in pain.

"Sweetie Belle, is everything alright?" Apple Bloom asked, worried.

"What the HAY is going on!?" Scootaloo demanded to know, looking at the mess they found themselves in, as well at her friend with worry.

'Fear,' Erlea thought with rising anxiety as she looked at Sweetie Belle, feeling something building. 'Worry, anxiety, concern, anger… hate. All negative emotions. She's… She's feeding on them all.'

"Young ones, please leave this place at once. It is not safe for you here," Wind Chill told them urgently, clearly worried and afraid for their well being.

"You dare to call me afraid!?" The Alpha barked, deeply offended and enraged, "I'll show you the true meaning of fear. KADZITE, ATTACK!"

With a chorus of barks and howls the timberwolves lunged at Fenris and the frost giants, no longer holding back as the Frost giants responded in kind. Roaring to the fullest of their ability, the giants charged ahead, meeting the timberwolves head-on.

Clubs swung, shields raised, claws swiped, and jaws bit. Splinters flew through the air, along with chunks of ice, tufts of white fur, and even globs of green glowing ectoplasmic blood as both groups clashed.

At the same time, Fenris found himself being attacked from multiple angles as the Alpha, as well as five other wolves jumped on him, biting down into his flesh, hanging on to him to drag him down.

Fenris growled through grating teeth, dropping back to all fours and shook himself, flinging off three of the six wolves. The remaining three wolves, including the Alpha, bit down harder, drawing green glowing blood, while using their claws to cut deep gashes into his already deeply scarred body.

Fenris howled in pain, allowing it to fuel his anger as he grabbed one of the wolves with one of his massive paws, squeezing down on its wooden body until it broke apart in splinters.

The Alpha released his hold over Fenris, only to jump up and land on the black wolf's back, biting down on the nape of his neck while sinking his claws into his shoulders.

Once more, Fenris howled out in pain as several more wolves jumped him while his defense was down.

"Just. Stop. It!" Sweetie Belle grunted, almost a growl. Erlea found herself backing off from her, fear evident on her face. Fear, she knew, which would only increase whatever it was that was building within the ivory unicorn.

Frostbite roared as he dashed towards one of his fallen comrades, acting like a beast possessed as he swatted away the two wolves who had pinned down his bond sister.

"Child, is everything alright?" Wind Chill asked, concerned, finally noticing the distressed and pained look Sweetie Belle showed.

"Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom repeated, gently nudging her friend in the side.

"I really don't think we should stay here!" Scootaloo said in a high pitch, which quickly turned into a scream as the timberwolf she saw approaching jumped for her, maw wide open.

"I SAID, STOP!"

Sweetie Belle screamed, a strange echo to her voice. A pressure wave blasted off her, slamming into everyone there, knocking them back while Sweetie Belle's eyes were glowing heavily. A glow which was mirrored in the eyes of everyone, including her friends and Erlea, with the only exception being the Elder who looked at the filly as she tapped into her dormant power; while Sweetie Belle herself slowly shifted her gaze around, seeing everyone standing in trance with large eyes, fully aglow with spectral light.

"And so a siren discovers her potential," the Elder spoke solemnly, tightening the grip on her staff as a wave of light shone from it, basking everyone in its light, snapping them out of their trance-like state while Sweetie Belle slumped down into the snow.

An eerie silence settled down over the battlefield, punctuated by the howl of the frozen wind as everyone looked first at themselves, then around to figure out what had just happened.

"Elder?" Frostbite turned to her, "What just happened?"

Looking down at the filly lying in the snow, the Elder spoke: "She did."

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

"Ughh… what happened?" Sweetie Belle asked, groaning as she pushed herself back up and out of the snowy hole; shaking her head to clear the strange, fuzzy tingling she felt in her horn, going all the way down into her skull where it tapped into her brain.

"Why don't you tell me?" she heard the Elder ask, and Sweetie Belle blinked as she looked up; surprised to see not only the Elder, but just about everyone else as well staring at her with surprise, confusion, shock, or downright fear. "What is it you think that happened?"

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Sweetie Belle asked, slinking down her hole to hide away from all the eyes locked onto her.

"I'm sure that you already know the answer, deep down," the Elder pressed on, looking intently at the young pony. Sweetie Belle, however, could only look up in confusion.

"I do?" She asked, blinked and then frowned. "But I didn't do anything… except telling them to stop. Then..." She promptly fell silent, first frowning, then her eyes widened as the calling of another memory drew her attention.

"Then you saw everyone did as you said," the Elder finished the unspoken part.

"But… how?"

"Because of what you are, child," the Elder replied sagely.

"A… spirit?"

"In essence, yes. But being a spirit is merely the form of your spectral self. Deep down, your core being is that of a siren."

"A SIREN!?" Sweetie Belle shrieked out, falling back into her hole.

"But, that's impossible," Apple Bloom shouted her disbelief. "Wind Chill said Sirens were foul, evil creatures. Sweetie Belle ain't that."

"Oh, did he now?" The Elder said with a hint of disappointment, glancing back at the mentioned giant who shifted nervously on the spot. "Being a siren doesn't make one evil," she explained. "But due to their inherent need for negative emotions, they often find themselves drawn to more nefarious ways than most others. Which would also explain your adverse reaction to such a buildup of negativity. Your good-hearted nature clashes with this opposite," she blinked as she fell silent for a moment. "Something that seems to be a recurring factor with you; with your magic being at odds with your spectral energy as well."

"Bu- but what does that mean… For me, I mean?" Sweetie Belle squeaked, frightened.

"For now, not much. This burst of power you have shown also drained most of this negative build-up. This will allow you the time needed to learn to control your presenting abilities."

"But, how?" Sweetie Belle asked, not sure she wanted to.

"Again, you already know the answer to that question. Isn't that right, Apple Bloom?" She asked, and the earth pony filly gasped out.

"Erlea!" she exclaimed. "She can control minds too. Ain't that what Sweetie Belle did, too?"

"Indeed it is," the Elder confirmed with a slow nod. "Which means your task of helping her is all the more urgent."

"Yea- hey! Where did she go?" Apple Bloom shouted as she realized Erlea was no longer with them.

"She left shortly after I freed all your minds. In quite a hurry too, that one, " the Elder told them, standing back up to full height. "Which, considering the circumstances her kind is dealing with, that is not much of a surprise."

"Then we must go as well!" Apple Bloom said confidently.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo agreed, having been silent until now.

"But… can she really help… with this?" Sweetie Belle asked, unsure.

"Of course she can!" Apple Bloom answered, reaching down to grab and then pull her friend out of her snowy hole. "But first we need ta help her, like we promised."

Sweetie Belle looked at her friend with doubt. Closing her eyes and breathing in deeply before slowly exhaling, her breath coming out in a long stream of condensation in the frigid air, she looked at her friend again, giving a single, determined nod.

"Hey, Fenris," Apple Bloom called out. "Ya comi-" only to be silenced when the Alpha roared his frustration.

"Enough of this nonsense," he fumed, "We've allowed this transgression to continue for far too long. And now you are in league with the Dark One as well. I knew you couldn't be trusted," he flexed his wooden claws. "Repercussions or not, none of you shall be allowed to pass through the hole," he threatened, backed up by the rest of his pack as they blocked the path through the portal.

Fenris growled warningly, many of the wounds inflicted on him during the short but intense skirmish already healing.

The frost giants all raised their weapons and shields, baring fangs in response to the wolves' hostility.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked around nervously, not seeing an easy way out of this mess.

"You know, I prefer the path of nonviolence and diplomacy when dealing with troublesome adversaries," the Elder calmly stated as she gracefully stepped forwards, closing the distance between herself and the Alpha. "But you," she looked intently at the Alpha with glowing eyes. "You are just too full of yourself." And in a sudden blur of motion, she slammed the broad top part of her staff on the Alpha's head. "Especially considering the crimes you and your pack committed," she finished as the Alpha slumped down into the snow. The timberwolves all released howls and bark of fury as they lunged for the Elder.

The Elder didn't flinch, however, as she firmly planted her staff in the snow; a vibrant red glow bursting from the gem infused in the ice which made up the staff, halting all the timberwolves in their tracks.

"Now, watch the truth of your own hypocrisy!" She declared, and all the wolves fell down in the snow, unconscious. "Children," she glanced at the three fillies. "Go and help your friend. Fenris," she stared intently at the black wolf, no further words needed as he gave a slight nod. "Wind Chill," she concluded as she aimed her attention towards her bond brother. "Aid them in whatever way you can."

"Elder… But, what is the meaning of all this?"

"Now is not the time for answers," she replied. "Now, go. Many lives are at stake."

"You heard her, let's go!" Scootaloo declared, and shot off to the best of her abilities; still hindered by the difficult to thread snow.

"Count me in!" Apple Bloom replied in answer, quick to follow.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle said after a slight moment of hesitation.

Fenris, too, followed after them, glancing at the Elder with equal measures of wariness and respect, then stepped through the portal and set paw in the mortal realm for the first time since his demise.

Wind Chill lagged behind, not liking his questions going unanswered. But, eventually, he joined the fillies and Fenris in the mortal realm; his honor bond impossible to ignore.

"Elder," Frostbite stepped forwards as Wind Chill left them. "By the Ancestors, what happened? Is young Sweetie Belle truly what you claim her to be; a siren?"

"She is," she confirmed. "And so much more." She sighed out as she turned to look at the village leader. "She is still young, inexperienced, and not used to the rapid changes her life is going through. Yet she made the choice to embark on the journey. A choice which will not only shape herself, but those around her, and even her world, as well as the humans'. Yet with each choice there are consequences. This goes doubly for one who embodies choice."

"You don't mean…?"

"I do. Sweetie Belle is the forced Embodiment of choice. And as is the case with all of us Embodiments, she holds great power. But at the price of an equal, negative trait to balance the scale. She holds the trait of choice, but also the ability to take this away from others."

"By controlling their minds and taking away any free thoughts and ideas," Frostbite realized, shocked.

"Exactly. Which is why she must be trained in the use of this ability, lest she loses control like this again… or worse, succumbs to the underlying desire to use it."

"But what if she can't control this ability?"

"For everyone’s sake, we must hope she does."

Frostbite was silent for several long seconds, worry clearly visible on his rough face. "Elder, I do dread to ask. But why was the fallen here, too?"

"To restore an imbalance, and accept his own failings," she told him, then returned her attention back to the wolves. "For now, though, we should return them to the other side as well. Hopefully, when they wake, they have learned a thing or two."

"I…" Frostbite sighed out. "Very well," and he motioned for his fellow giants to help move the wooden wolves. "And what about you?" he asked the Elder.

"I? I need to go see an old acquaintance," she replied. "There are some questions even I can't see the answers to. Answers, I know, he has," and without another word, the Elder made way for the cave through which one could enter and exit the Far Frozen.

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

"So, where do we go to?" Scootaloo asked after she, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Fenris, and Wind Chill had stepped out of the ancient castle, and found themselves standing in the late mid-day sun. Its light providing a warmth which took Fenris by surprise, while it also blinded him the moment he stepped outside and looked up in wonder, and amazement.

Apple Bloom, patting him on the leg, unable to reach much higher, looked at her friend with a frown.

"I dunno. Erlea did sah they lived in tha Badlands, but tha place is almost a day travel from here."

"Not to mention, it's huge," Sweetie Belle commented.

"Well, there has to be some way to figure out where to go to?" Scootaloo asked, looking pensively.

"There is," Fenris rumbled, shaking his head and clearing his vision. "Your friend's scent is still thick in the air. It won't be an issue tracking her down."

"And we might still be able to catch up with her if we hurry," Wind Chill interjected, looking at the black wolf with distrust. Noticing this, Fenris releases an annoyed bark, telling the giant to back off, which did nothing to ease Wind Chill's worries and made him leer at the wolf all the more noticeable.

Forcing himself to ignore the persistent stare, Fenris dropped down to all fours. "Climb on," he told the three fillies. "We'll be able to move faster this way."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle did as he told them without question, but Scootaloo hesitated a bit, not sure what the story was with the giant wolf her friends seemed to know.

Wind Chill, too, looked at the two fillies as they took place on Fenris' back; noticable disdain showing on his face.

"Come on, Scootaloo. Climb on," Apple Bloom told her friend, patting a spot behind her, making Fenris roll his back as he glanced at her over his shoulder. "Sorry," Apple Bloom replied apologetically, smiling sheepishly.

Blinking, then shrugging, Scootaloo did as was told and joined her friends, taking her spot behind Apple Bloom who herself was seated behind Sweetie Belle.

"Ya better hang on," Apple Bloom told her pegasi friend as Fenris stuck his nose up to get a lock on Erlea's scent. " 'Cause he's even faster than he looks."

No sooner had she said that and Fenris lowered his head, his target found. He shot off in a surprising burst of speed which made the fillies cry out isn surprise, and a whoop of joy from Scootaloo directly after.

Wind Chill quickly gave chase, growling under his breath from Fenris sudden departure. However, his annoyance soon shifted to irritation towards himself as his bipedal frame made it an near impossible task to keep up with the much faster wolf now that he was running without restraint.

Trees flashed by in a blur as Fenris aimed towards the source of the scent trail with slightly narrowed eyes. Had his situation been any different, however, he would have stopped to take a moment to revel in this forest beauty; fill his dead lungs with the myriad of smells and just listen to the voice of the forest. A place which reminded him of the still wild forests back where he came from.

But finding the time to revel in past notions was something he didn't have, nor did he allow himself such luxuries and, instead he weaved past any trees blocking his path with ease; showing that, deep down, despite his former role and sin, he was first, and foremost, a wolf. A creature of the forest. Something Wind Chill clearly wasn't, as, in his struggling attempt to keep up, numerous branches swatted his face, and tree roots continued their seemingly deliberate attempt to trip him. Yet despite his growing number of blunders, as well as leaves and twigs sticking out of his fur in just about every place, he refused to allow the distance between himself, and the young ones to grow too large, no matter what obstacle in his path.

Faster and faster they seemed to go and Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all pressed themselves flat on Fenris' back so they wouldn't fall off. Yet, as they clung on to the big, black wolf, all three of them looked on in silent awe and amazement as they moved faster than they had ever done before. Something which both exhilarated and irritated Scootaloo.

In what seemed like no time at all, Fenris broke free from the Forest, stepping out in the unobstructed light of the sun as it dropped near the horizon, painting the sky with red, orange and yellow.

This time, Fenris did slow down a notch as he looked at the magnificent display with wonder and sorrow, silently wondering about the fate of his brothers.

The loud huffing and panting of Wind Chill as he finally managed to catch up snapped him out of it, and Fenris huffed in annoyance.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked around for a bit to get a sense of where they were, seeing Fenris had exited the forest someplace other than the edge near Ponyville, and none of them recognized the area they were now.

"Hey!" Sweetie Belle suddenly piped up, jumping up to her hooves as she pointed into the distance. "There she is."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo popped up behind her, both looking towards where their friend was pointing.

Out in the distance, with a shadow stretching far behind her due to the continuously lowering angle of the sun, was Erlea; running away from them with as much speed as she could.

"Why is she running if she can fly?" Scootaloo wondered.

"Maybe she doesn't have enough energy?" Apple Bloom thought aloud.

"That's not important right now," Sweetie Belle reminded them as she jumped off of Fenris' back, transforming in her spirit half and flew off before she hit the ground.

"Hey, wait up!" She called out towards Erlea, who froze upon hearing her, glanced back, then ran away even faster.

Not fast enough, as she soon discovered as Sweetie Belle quickly caught up and blocked her path.

"Stay away from me!" Erlea hissed, her tongue snaking out in response, making Sweetie Belle rear back to put some distance between herself and the flailing organ.

"Why? Weren't we supposed to help?" The hovering spirit asked, confused.

"Help! You? All you ponies seem to be able to do is cause one problem after the other," Erlea screeched. "And you!" —she pointed a trembling, accusing hoof at Sweetie Belle— "I don't know what you are, but I don't want you to get anywhere near the Hive."

"Hey, that's not fair," Apple Bloom called out in offense as she and Scootaloo, riding on Fenris' back, drew near, having heard what Erlea had said. "We're just trying to help. It ain't our fault things just keep happening."

"Yeah," Scootaloo agreed. "It just happens."

"It just happens?" Erlea repeated with clear disbelief and sarcasm. "Are all of you ponies insane? Do you honestly think that any of this—" she motioned to Sweetie Belle, still hovering above the ground and hind legs turned into an intangible tail, then Fenris and finally Wind Chill "—or any of that impossible insanity in that ghost world is normal? That it just happens to anyone?" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle glanced at one another. "NO!" Erlea screeched, answering for them. "None of this is normal. You aren't normal. And I don't want any of you near the Hive," she hissed, tongue flailing once more.

"You done yet?" Sweetie Belle asked, voice flat, as was her stare as she looked down at the black filly.

"What!?"

"We know it ain't normal," Apple Bloom answered matter of factly. "Doesn't mean it didn't just happen."

"Besides, with all the crazy things that have happened in and around Ponyville the last several years, ghosts and spirits aren't all that weird."

"Yeah," Apple Bloom nodded her agreement.

"Time travel, however, is a whole different story," Scootaloo added, scratching the top of her head and messing up her mane even more than its usual wind blown mess.

"Ye- wait, what?" Sweetie Belle faltered, she, Erlea, and Apple Bloom looking at the orange pegasus, bewildered.

"It's a long story," Scootaloo answered, shrugging.

"Insane! All of you are insane!" Erlea shouted, feeling like pulling out her mane.

"Nah, we ain't," Apple Bloom countered. "Screwy is, though."

"I thought she was just crazy? You know, barking and such," said Scootaloo.

"She's doing better, though," Sweetie Belle told them. "... I think," she then shrugged.

"Do you even listen to yourselves?!" Erlea shouted, bringing the attention back to herself.

"Of course we do. And to you as well," Sweetie Belle answered. "And you said you needed help, and we promised to help you."

"And that is exactly what we're going to do. Crazy or not."

"Oh, it's crazy," Scootaloo replied nonchalantly. "There really isn't any other way of calling it, but crazy."

"You ponies just won't stop!" Erlea complained. "Why?"

"It's how we do things," all three of them answered simultaneously, same minded.

"So, mind showing us where we need to go?" Apple Bloom answered, showing a winning smile.

Erlea looked at the yellow earth pony, then the pegasus before slowly shifting her gaze to Sweetie Belle, still hovering next to her. Then she finally settled her gaze on Wind Chill and Fenris.

'How is it that with all the crazy creatures in this world, I end up with the craziest of them all?'

A sudden cry over the hivemind made her gasp and snap her head towards the source of the distress.

"No!" she cried out in alarm, running towards the call for help, all things forgotten.

"No?" Apple Bloom repeated, somewhat offended as they watched Erlea hurry away.

"Was it something we said?" Scootaloo wondered.

"I don't think she was talking to us," Sweetie Belle murmured, shaking her head to get rid of the sudden dizzying sensation that rushed over her just a moment ago. "... Something really frightened her."

"It did? … How do ya know?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I… I don't know?" Sweetie Belle admitted, looking down with a frown as she tried to figure it all out herself, but finding no answers.

"Is it because you're a siren, like the Elder said?" Scootaloo suggested, all of them turning to look at Wind Chill for answers.

"It is possible that, now your true nature has surfaced, you are more susceptible to the emotional state of others; able to derive their true feelings merely by being close to them," he answered with a heavy frown. "Although my knowledge on such matters is limited at best."

"Oh," Sweetie Belle sighed.

"We'll figure it out," Apple Bloom said confidently. "For now, though, we've got some changelings who need helpin'!"

"Yeah!" Scootaloo cheered.

Sighing again, then nodding, Sweetie Belle willed her frown away; replacing it with a somewhat forced smile.

"Then we better get going."

"Now you're talking!" said Apple Bloom. "Let's go!"

Fenris, who had been quietly observing and sensing all that happened around him, slowly turned towards where Erlea had ran off to, a noticeable tension in his movement.

"It will not be as easy as you three make it out to be," he said with a rumbling voice. "There is something else. Something dangerous, and very old."

"The Saldēti Zirgi," Wind Chill gasped out, only now noticing the chilling sensation associated with these creatures. "No, it can't be."

"You mean those salad things they said went through the portal?" Apple Bloom asked with worry.

"Wait, some kind of ghost salad is causing trouble?" Scootaloo asked, more than a little confused.

"Saldēti Zirgi" Sweetie Belle corrected. "And I don't think they are a salad of any kind," she told them, feeling a bone chilling shiver go down her spine as she, too, sensed something as well. A sudden and bright flash of golden light bursting from her horn followed moments later.

"Wait, what was that?" she asked, dropping to the ground as she looked up at her horn in worry.

"Didn't that happen a few times before?" Apple Bloom said.

"Perhaps it is your ghost sense," Wind Chill suggested, stepping towards the filly. "A warning signal whenever spectral entities you're not aware of are nearby."

"It is?" Sweetie Belle asked, lightly prodding her horn, then sighed out as her hoof dropped down. "These spirit powers become more and more confusing with each day." She sighed again, loudly, then shook her head and jumped back on her hooves. "I'll figure that out later. Right now, we're wasting time. Erlea needs our help, and we promised to help her."

"Yeah, and when we make a promise, we keep it, " Apple Bloom replied encouragingly.

"Well, most of the time," Scootaloo added, which earned her the flat stares of her friends. "What?" She shrugged. "It's true."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both looked at one another, then shrugged themselves, having to admit that much.

"Okay, Crusaders. Wind Chill, Fenris. There are some changelings that need our help, and with Celestia as our witness, we're going to help them!" Apple Bloom exclaimed loud and proud, standing tall and strong on Fenris' back, pointing a hoof towards the horizon where Erlea had run off to.

"You three do realize we could have been there already?" Fenris asked flatly, even somewhat irritated.

Apple Bloom's hoof dropped down, and she, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all looked at Fenris, then each other.

"""Oh, right.""" They all said, smiling sheepishly.

"Well, let's go then, Ah guess." Apple Bloom said with clear embarrassment.

Rolling his eyes, Fenris surged into motion, followed a moment later by Wind Chill, who didn't have as much trouble keeping up now they were no longer in the forest, and Sweetie Belle who flew alongside the large wolf.

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

It didn't take them long to catch back up with Erlea. Mostly because they found the young changeling standing completely motionless, staring with wide eyes at the distant landscape as it glistened in the last light of the setting sun; the light refracting off the mirroring surface of the snow and ice, stretching out for as far as they could see.

"What happened here?" Apple Bloom asked wearily, slowly jumping off of Fenris' back and moving to Erlea's side. "Did tha weather team make ah mistake?"

"No weather team I know of works here," Scootaloo answered, stepping next to Apple Bloom.

"But, then, what happened here?" Sweetie Belle questioned, dropping to the ground on Erlea's free side.

"It was the Saldēti Zirgi," Wind Chill answered with grim realization. "This clearly is their doing."

"And what exactly are these things?" Erlea asked mutely, yet with noticeable venom in her voice.

Wind Chill looked down at her, sighed, then looked back up towards the frozen landscape.

"They are ancient creatures, ancestors of the equines found on the human world called horses," Wind Chill answered, causing Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo to gasp out as they spun to look up at the giant. Erlea, however, remained completely still. "These entities once lived during a time when snow and ice dominated their world, and where it was a struggle to just survive. Because of this, the Saldēti Zirgi developed a strong herding instinct. Safety and strength in numbers. This became even stronger upon their demise as the cold claimed them. Their souls, although simple in mind, continue to roam the frozen plains, seeking out others of their kind to protect, but doing terrible damage merely through their presence as the arctic grasp that claimed them also became part of them; spreading snow and ice wherever they went."

"You mean something like Windigoes?" Sweetie Belle belle piped up.

"Windigoes?" Wind Chill questioned.

"Mmhmm," Sweetie Belle nodded. "Long ago, back when the three different pony races were divided, a terrible blizzard claimed the land, growing worse and worse with each passing day, forcing the ponies to leave their homes to find a new place to live. But the snow and ice followed them wherever they went."

"It turned out it were the Windigoes that caused the blizzard," Scootaloo continued. "They were drawn to the hate and distrust between the separate tribes, freezing the land and making it impossible for them to grow food, or anything."

"Only after things seemed worst did three ponies of tha different tribes become friends. And through their friendship they were able ta banish the Windigoes," Apple Bloom finished.

Wind Chill blinked, confused.

"That sounds… unlikely," he told them. "Saldēti Zirgi aren't drawn to negative emotion, nor are they scared by any positive. If these Windigoes are the same creatures as the Saldēti Zirgi, then something else must have happened during your ancestors' time. This, however, is not the time to figure such things out. The Saldēti Zirgi are here. That much is certain, and the longer they remain, the more damage they will cause. We must act quick, before it is too late. Especially considering the condition Erlea claims her kind to be in, and their poor resistance against cold," Wind Chill told them with rumbling voice as he started to march for the frozen land, stepping over the four fillies as he went.

"You better brace yourselves, young ones. The Saldēti Zirgi are here. And with them, winter has come."

Be Careful What You Wish For

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This chapter is edited by Slayerseba, Clayton the Hunter, Halusm, and Clawder.

Be Careful What You Wish For.

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

"This is the Hall of Time," Clockwork answered. "Here, I, and my associates work together to safeguard, and maintain time."

"There are others?" Scootaloo asked excitedly.

"Yes," Clockwork answered vaguely. "But they are currently occupied and cannot be disturbed."

"Right this way," Clockwork replied and smoothly glided away, leading Scootaloo through one of the many arched doorways, and into a room with a large swirling green vortex in its center.

"What's that!?" Scootaloo yelped with excitement, the green glow glinting in her eyes.

"That is soooo awesome," Scootaloo awed, eyes wide with excitement.

Clockwork chuckled, "It is, isn't it?"

"How does it work?"

"Allow me to show you," Clockwork replied and brought up his staff.

"Th- That's me," she uttered, dumbfounded.

"So it is," Clockwork confirmed.

"This is just too weird," Scootaloo murmured, prodding at the edges of the viewing portal with a hoof; passing cleanly through it.

"It can be confusing, seeing your own past in such a way," Clockwork said reassuringly, slowly moving towards Scootaloo. "But, just seeing it is not what you want, isn't it?"

"I did say I could send you back, yes," Clockwork nodded. "And I'm not one to lie," he added with a half lie. "Please, wait here for a moment," he told her, and flew off somewhere.

As indicated, only a moment passed before he returned, carrying with him a strange looking medallion.

"Here, you must wear this," he instructed as he gave the medallion to the orange filly.

"What's it for?" Scootaloo asked, puzzled.

"It will allow you to move through time without being rejected," Clockwork explained.

"What does that mean?"

"So… Don't take it off then?" Scootaloo sought clarification, unable to fully wrap her mind around Clockwork's explanation.

"Yes," Clockwork answered somewhat flatly, and Scootaloo slipped the medallion around her neck.

"So, now what?" She asked, excitement noticeable.

"Now, we step through," Clockwork told her, and vanished in the maelstrom of the viewing portal.

Scootaloo, eyes wide, swallowed loudly. Then, with a leap of faith, she followed after the helpful ghost.
ether to safeguard, and maintain time."

"There are others?" Scootaloo asked excitedly.

"Yes," Clockwork answered vaguely. "But they are currently occupied and cannot be disturbed."

"Oh, okay," Scootaloo answered dejectedly, but only for a moment as she perked up mere seconds later as she focused on her goal, "So, how do I...err, we travel back in time?" She asked almost demandingly.

"Right this way," Clockwork replied and smoothly glided away, leading Scootaloo through one of the many arched doorways, and into a room with a large swirling green vortex in its center.

"What's that!?" Scootaloo yelped with excitement, the green glow glinting in her eyes.

"That is soooo awesome," Scootaloo awed, eyes wide with excitement.

Clockwork chuckled, "It is, isn't it?"

"How does it work?"

"Allow me to show you," Clockwork replied and brought up his staff.

A pulse of energy came from the rod and the vortex shuddered as if struck. Wilder and wilder it moved, but only around the edges as the center seemed to slow down; smoothing out. Then an image appeared and Scootaloo gasped out as she found herself watching herself. Her younger, four year old self.

"Th- That's me," she uttered, dumbfounded.

"So it is," Clockwork confirmed.

"This is just too weird," Scootaloo murmured, prodding at the edges of the viewing portal with a hoof; passing cleanly through it.

"It can be confusing, seeing your own past in such a way," Clockwork said reassuringly, slowly moving towards Scootaloo, "But, just seeing it is not what you want, is it?"

"I, uhh-" Scootaloo shook her head as she tore her gaze away from her past self, "No," she confirmed, "You said you could send me back there—" she pointed with a hoof "—so I could stop my parents from going away."

"I did say I could send you back, yes," Clockwork nodded, "And I'm not one to lie," he added with a half lie, "Please, wait here for a moment," he told her and flew off somewhere.

As indicated, only a moment passed before he returned, carrying with him a strange looking medallion.

"Here, you must wear this," he instructed as he gave the medallion to the orange filly.

"What's it for?" Scootaloo asked, puzzled.

"It will allow you to move through time without being rejected." Clockwork explained.

"What does that mean?"

"So… Don't take it off then?" Scootaloo sought clarification, unable to fully wrap her mind around Clockwork's explanation.

"Yes," Clockwork answered somewhat flatly and Scootaloo slipped the medallion around her neck.

"So, now what?" She asked, excitement noticeable.

"Now, we step through," Clockwork told her and vanished in the maelstrom of the viewing portal.

Scootaloo, eyes wide, swallowed loudly. Then, with a leap of faith, she followed after the helpful ghost.

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

It was a warm and sunny day, with scarcely a cloud to stain the clear blue sky. This was mainly because most clouds could be found beneath Scootaloo and Clockwork; the two of them standing, (or hovering in Clockwork's case,) at the edge of Cloudsdale, home of the pegasi.

The two of them remained where they were for several minutes as Scootaloo looked around in confusion.

"I thought we were going back in time? This doesn't seem any different from what I remember last time I was in Cloudsdale."

"Well, we did only go back a few years in your young life. Not enough time had passed between then and now for any significant changes to occur," Clockwork explained, his voice much younger as he had regressed back to his juvenile self.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense… What you just said," she added after a moment. "Not that changing thing you're doing. That's just weird," Scootaloo murmured, scratching her head as she watched the bustling city before her, seeing multiple pegasi fly over them, yet unresponsive to the ghost hovering next to her.

"How come they aren't reacting to you?"

"I'm invisible to them," Clockwork explained.

Scootaloo blinked, confused. "But I can see you," she pointed out.

"So you can," Clockwork replied vaguely.

"Ehh…" Scootaloo uttered, trying to figure this thing out.

"It's the medallion," Clockwork told her. "It is connected to my staff in ways too complicated to explain in just a few words. But, simply put, while I am invisible to any and all, as long as you wear this medallion, you are able to see me. This, however, does not mean they can't hear me. And you are still very much visible to others. And seeing a pony talking to what seems to be nothing but empty space does draw attention to you," he pointed out, nodding towards a couple of teenage colts standing on a low hanging cloud near them; pointing towards Scootaloo and making various gestures while laughing.

"Oh, right," Scootaloo murmured, trying to hide away.

"Pay them no mind, child. Let's just go and find your parents."

"My parents!" Scootaloo perked up, eyes wide. "They're here?!"

"Why wouldn't they? This is your past. Things that you know have happened, haven't yet had the chance to transpire."

Scootaloo's eyes widened significantly, and she quickly jerked her head around to scan her surroundings.

"But… where are they?"

Clockwork couldn't suppress his eyeroll, slightly shaking his head as he turned into an elderly man.

"Home, most likely," Clockwork answered logically. "Taking care of their daughter."

"Oh, right," Scootaloo piped up with enthusiasm, which died quickly as she found herself lost once again. "Eeehhh… which is where, exactly?"

Clockwork cocked an eyebrow, but had anticipated this question. So, without much delay, he turned towards a place to their right, slowly gliding away.

"Follow me," he told her. "And stay close. Out here, where there are little to no ponies it's easy for us to talk openly. When we enter more crowded places, we do need to keep our voices down, or be silent all together. Oh," —he stopped in mid-air— "and one more thing. And this is important. Don't interact with anyone you shouldn't. Don't even bump into anyone. The slightest change to a seemingly unimportant event could change everything. Both for the good, or the worse," his voice held the unmistakable tone of authority and warning. A voice of absolute seriousness which made Scootaloo instinctively nod in response as she looked up at Clockwork with large eyes.

"Good. Now, let's go."

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

Clockwork, now an adult again, and Scootaloo were hiding within the relative emptiness of an alley as they observed the cloud apartments, while numerous pegasi who chose not to fly, walked past the two of them without really noticing them.

"Is this… it?" Scootaloo asked, voice slightly lowered.

"It would appear so, yes," Clockwork replied, the two looking up and down the tall structure made of nothing, but clouds, yet looking as solid, and firm as the ground below. Made with decorative columns which seemed to find their inspiration from ancient Greek civilisation, and more modern day designs typical to pegasus engineering.

The numerous apartments that were stacked on top of each other, although similar in appearance to the ground bound ponies' designs, were more flexible. There were large open areas for the pegasi to fly through while at the same time not compromising the overall structural integrity, whereas other portions showed dense cloud formations, on which they had placed large amounts of dirt in order to grow their own small park for the residents to sit and relax, and for foals to play.

"I know of this place," Scootaloo spoke up. "It's the Nimbostratus complex. Most of the ponies here work at the cloud factory."

"So, did your parents?" Clockwork asked, looking down at her.

"I think," Scootaloo murmured, kicking the cloud she stood on, dislodging a small puff of fluff. "I mean, they said mom worked at the thunder lab."

"And your father?" Clockwork asked.

"... I'm not sure," Scootaloo admitted, looking down.

"Then how about we find out?" Clockwork suggested, "Can you fly?"

Shamefaced, Scootaloo looked down and shook her head.

"I see," Clockwork hummed, then held out a hand, "Hold on to me," he told her.

Scootaloo looked at the offered hand with confusion for several long seconds, then realization kicked in and she firmly placed her left hoof in Clockwork's hand, who held it tightly.

"Now, to make sure we aren't seen," he said and allowed his invisibility to spread out, and fade the filly from sight.

Now both invisible, Clockwork flew up, pulling Scootaloo with him. Unseen by any of the pegasi, the two of them moved for the apartments, following the structure up to the tenth floor, where Clockwork brought the both of them to a gradual stop near the park build within the clouds.

"Ah, there we are," Clockwork mused as he observed the foals playing with a ball on, or flying slightly above the lush green grass. While a bit further back, several adults, lying within the shade of some small trees, watched their children play.

"Are they here?" Scootaloo asked with barely contained excitement and eagerness; head jerking around from left to right as she searched for her parents.

"One would think so," Clockwork replied. "Look there, near those bushes on the far right," he instructed and Scootaloo did as she was told. She released a short gasp the moment she saw who was there.

Sitting before the foliage, looking up with a wistful expression, sat Scootaloo. The young filly watched the flying foals with awe and excitement while her small wings flexed instinctively.

Scootaloo, the older, time traveling Scootaloo that is, looked at her younger self with amazement, smiling uncontrollably. However, her smile soon fell as she noticed something.

"Hold on, why is she, I mean I, eh, me… My younger self sitting all alone?"

Clockwork suppressed a slight chuckle over Scootaloo's expected confusion. "Maybe we will find the answer if we keep looking," he told her, then changed back into a child.

Not having any reply to that, Scootaloo remained silent as they continued watching. They didn't have to wait long, though. Merely a minute had passed when the ball the foals were playing with bounced its way over to Scootaloo.

Seeing this, the young filly perked up as she jumped to her hooves, wings buzzing like a hummingbird yet failing to generate any lift as she ran for the ball.

One of the older foals, a filly who seemed to be six or seven years old, snorted as she dropped down in front of the ball, kicking it away while showing a mocking grin over Scootaloo's attempt to fly.

Scootaloo came to a sudden stop mid-run, looking at the taller pony with sadness and hurt, ears drooping down as she slowly backed off.

"Only pegasi that can fly are allowed to play here," the older filly sneered, making Scootaloo flinch as if she was kicked in the gut.

"Excuse me!?" A angry mare cried out, and a teal pony came stomping in, wings flaring and eyes burning, "What was it you just said to my daughter!?" She demanded to know, her tone making it clear this was not really a question but more a chance to take back what had been said.

"Mom," the older Scootaloo whispered as she looked at her mother with wide, slightly teary eyes.

The filly the mother's anger was aimed at flinched back, ears folded flat as she looked up at the older pony.

"Well?!" The mare demanded, eyes narrowing.

The filly lowered her head and looked away as she muttered an intelligible answer.

Not pleased with such a half-hearted response, Scootaloo's mother gave the filly a piece of her mind. Yet before she could even start putting the child in its place, a new, angry voice cut her off and she turned towards the source of it: the filly's angry mother.

"Storm," Scootaloo's mother said with clear disdain.

"Blaze," Storm replied with biting venom. "You mind telling me what you're doing with my daughter?"

"What you clearly haven't. Teaching her some manners," Blaze snapped back.

"Excuse me?!" Storm seethed with a slightly shrill voice. "What gives you the right? You! Maybe you should focus on your own foal. Although, seeing just how good a job you did with her, maybe you shouldn't even be allowed to do that."

"And what exactly do you mean with that?"

"Ha, as if you don't know. That failure of a pegasus who can't even hover yet, let alone fl-" Storm said with mocking laugh, only to be silenced by a sudden punch to the muzzle, and a small stream of blood that followed as a direct result, as she dropped to the ground.

"No way," the older Scootaloo gasped as she saw her mother floor the horrible mare with a single punch.

"The protective nature of a parent can make you act in rather drastic ways," Clockwork told her as they kept watching.

The moment Storm hit the ground her daughter cried out as she rushed to her mother's side. At the same time, all sounds of cheerful laughter and conversation had vanished, replaced by dead silence as all ponies, children and adult were watching at Blaze with wide eyes and shock.

Blaze, however only exhaled loudly through her nose as she turned to regard the other ponies around her.

"Anypony else who thinks it is funny to make fun of my daughter?" She asked with no nonsense tone of voice. Silence was the answer. "Thought so," she snipped, then looked down at her daughter with a genuine smile. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

Scootaloo nodded slowly, looking up at her mother with awe in her eyes.

"That's my filly. Now, let's go. We don't want to make aunty Bellflower wait for us now, do we?" This time Scootaloo shook her head, earning a chuckle of her mother as the two of them walked back to their home; watched by all other ponies, save for Storm, who was still out for the count.

"Aunty?" Future Scootaloo repeated, confused.

"You don't remember her being called as such?" Clockwork asked.

"No," Scootaloo shook her head. "Or my mom doing… that"

"And your father, what do you remember about him?" Clockwork queried.

"I- umm…"

"Hmmm," Clockwork hummed knowingly. "Then, perhaps we should find out."

Still invisible, the two quietly followed after Scootaloo's past self and mother; watching as the child climbed with juvenile clumsiness on her mother's back, then how Blaze flew up towards one of the open areas where she mixed with all the other pegasi who traversed the air, momentarily losing them in the sea of color. Clockwork, however, didn't seem too worried and went on his way almost as if he knew where they were going.

Scootaloo, still replaying in her mind what she had just seen, didn't notice their retreat. Instead, by the time she caught back up, she found Clockwork had brought them safely and undetected to one of the many apartments; Scootaloo's past self and mother gently landing on the cloud floor before their home's door. A door which swung open a moment later as a stallion carrying full saddlebags stepped out; a large smile growing on his face upon the sight of Blaze and her daughter.

"Scoot!" the Stallion called out in greeting, walking over to the mare and nuzzling her, "And Scootaloo," he shifted his attention to the filly on Scoot Blaze's back; the filly giggling happily as she grabbed her father by the muzzle, pressing her much smaller muzzle against his. The orange of her coat a near perfect match to her father's color.

"Daddy," she squealed, making both her parents laugh.

"Sky," Blaze said to the Stallion, rubbing her neck against his in affectionate greeting.

"So, how are my two favorite fillies doing?" He asked, grinning cheekily. Scoot Blaze gave him a firm but playful nudge in the side, grinning as well. A grin which turned sour as she recalled what had just happened back in the park.

"Summer Storm and her daughter showed up," she told him. "It went about as well as you would expect."

Sky frowned, worried and somewhat angry, "Anything I should know about?"

Blaze shrugged. "Nothing much. Oh, but I did knock Storm out."

Sky blinked, taken aback. "You did what?"

"I knocked her out," Scoot confirmed proudly.

Sky looked at his wife with wide eyes, then exhaled loudly while shaking his head, yet he couldn't suppress the faint grin he didn't really try to hide.

"You're something else, you know that."

"It's why you love me," she replied with a loving smirk.

"That, and that amazing flank of yours," he replied slyly.

"Sky, not in front of Scootaloo!" Blaze said in shock.

Sky laughed lightly, "It's not like she will remember, love," he chuckled some more as he saw his daughter's oblivious face.

Future Scootaloo, however, had to keep herself from gagging, knowing she wouldn't be able to forget this. Clockwork, on the other hand, sported a knowing grin, laughing in thought.

Shaking it off, Blaze gave her husband one more firm shove. "So, packed everything?"

"Just about," he replied as he opened one of the bags, showing the contents. "Brush, toothpaste, some other things that might be needed and, of course, Mister Zoomy," Sky said with some dramatic flair as he pulled out a plush Wonderbolt. "All a filly would need to sleep over at her honorary aunt while we take care of business in Baltimare," he told Scoot while their daughter reached out with wanting hooves towards Mister Zoomy.

"Wait, what!?" Scootaloo yelled, forcing Clockwork to slap a hand over her muzzle. Luckily, the sudden outburst seemed to have gone unnoticed by the parents.

"Do you still need anything?" Sky asked, partially closing the door.

"Nah, I'm good. After all, don't I have a stallion who goes after my every whim?"

"I don't know. Do you?" Sky replied with mock accusation, cocking an eyebrow. Scoot laughed lightheartedly as she nuzzled him on the cheek.

Closing the door, Sky and Scoot walked towards the edge of their level, taking a moment to look at the city.

Turning back to her daughter, Scoot told the filly on her back to hold on tightly. Then, made sure her daughter wouldn't fall off, she and Sky spread their wings and stepped off the edge.

As they calmly glided away, Scootaloo and Clockwork remained behind; Scootaloo looking questioningly at the shrinking forms of her parents.

"That… was not really what I was expecting," she murmured.

"How so?" Clockwork asked. "To me it seemed like two ponies who loved each other, and their daughter dearly. Your mother's actions surely made this all too clear."

"Yeah, I know. It's just…" she trailed off, falling silent.

"You weren't sure what to expect," Clockwork finished for her.

"Well, no," Scootaloo admitted begrudgingly, looking down at her hooves.

"Tell me, exactly what do you remember of your parents?" Clockwork asked.

Scootaloo fidgeted on the spot for a while, looking down and kicking the cloud every now and then. Then, after some time had passed, she begrudgingly admitted: "Not much. Just some small things, like my dad calling me Mayfly."

"Then I must ask. If you can't remember them all that... well, then why are you so determined to stop them?"

"Because they are my parents!" Scootaloo shot back, anger burning in her eyes. "And I'll do anything to get them back!"

"To get them back, you say," Clockwork repeated, humming to himself as his gaze shifted back to where the filly's parents had flown off. "Well, then. Then I believe we need to catch up with them," he told Scootaloo, who gave a single, resolute nod; stepping towards the edge of the cloud floor.

However, still holding on to Clockwork so he could share in his invisibility, she came to a sudden stop as Clockwork remained hovering where he was.

"Hey, what gives?" Scootaloo demanded, looking back at the ghost.

"I know a faster route," he replied, grinning faintly. "Just follow after me," he instructed, and after making sure nopony would be there to see, he used his cane to open a passage through time, not unlike the vortex the two had stepped through before, but smaller.

Shrugging, Scootaloo didn't think too much about it, and the two quickly entered the passage; closing it behind them just in time for the flock of pegasi to miss it as they flew past.

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

Clockwork and Scootaloo exited the passage, and Scootaloo looked around excitedly for any sign for her parents. Much to her surprise, however, what she saw was the same place they had just left.

Puzzled, she looked up at Clockwork, seeing him look around with a strangely confident smirk.

"Hey, what happened?" She asked. "I thought we were going after my parents?"

"Oh, don't worry. We will. But we're making a small detour first. There is something you must see before any decision is made to change the past."

"What, why?" Scootaloo said heatedly, frowning. "What do I need to see?"

"You'll see," Clockwork replied vaguely, then frowned as he noticed he was still holding Scootaloo's hoof. "But it would be better for you to walk unhindered for this," and he let go of the filly.

"Huh, why?" Scootaloo asked, confused. However, before she could even think about getting an answer to her question, she became aware of something else entirely. "What the…" she gasped as she held up her hoof, seeing nothing but air. "Am I still invisible?"

"You are," Clockwork answered. "Through the same process that allows you to see me while wearing that medallion, I can also use it to channel my abilities to those who wear it. But this is taxing and it's easier for me to channel my energy directly through body contact. Now, however, you need to be able to move around without me holding you back," he explained, a subtle hint of strain present in his voice.

"But… why?" Scootaloo questioned, not understanding any of this. "Won't I be able to just walk around without being noticed as I am a pegasus like everypony else?"

"Normally, yes," Clockwork told her, then the door of Scootaloo's former home swung open, and the most unexpected of ponies walked out; Scootaloo herself, carrying a partially full saddlebag, "But now there are two of you. You, and the pony you could have been had life played out different for you," he explained, while Scootaloo looked at her exact mirror image with wide eyes, and mouth hanging open as her other self walked past, oblivious.

"Scootaloo," a starting to become familiar voice called out after the filly shortly after she'd walked outside, halting her in her tracks as she looked back, sighing exasperatedly.

"Mom," Scootaloo almost groaned.

Stepping outside, Scoot Blaze looked at her daughter with a kind, if not somewhat apologetic smile. "Do you need any help getting to school, dear?"

This time Scootaloo did groan, dragging a hoof down her face. "No, mom. I'm not four anymore. I got this."

"Are you sure? I mean, it wouldn't be any trouble, and-"

"Mom!" Scootaloo shouted, stopping her mother mid-sentence. "I said I got this."

"I know you do, but it really wouldn't be a bother to your father and I if you need our help," Scoot Blaze pressed on, smiling sadly.

Unable to help herself, scootaloo groaned in irritation, loudly while she stomped off to the edge of the floor, wings spreading.

"I. Said. I. Got. This!" She stated firmly, jumped off and glided away, losing altitude rapidly.

Scoot Blaze remained behind, ears folded flat and biting her lower lip as she slowly moved to where her daughter had stood just a moment ago; looking down at her filly with a saddened gaze as Scootaloo landed on the clouds below and continued walking; unable to fly on her own power.

"I know you got this," she said softly. "that isn't what worries me. What does, is who got you when you need it?"

"Mom," Scootaloo murmured sadly.

Ears perking up, Scoot Blaze looked around in surprise. "Hello, is anypony there?" She asked, receiving no answer, "Hello?" She tried again, looking around for anypony hiding. Not hearing anything else, and unable to find anyone near her, she shrugged and decided it probably was some pony flying nearby. The early morning commute of young colts and fillies, as well as numerous adults who took their young to school did make it a logical conclusion.

Not thinking about it any longer, she sighed out and slowly walked back inside; preparing for her own responsibilities as a working mare at the cloud factory.

Quietly following behind, Scootaloo and Clockwork entered the home; Scootaloo looking around in something akin to awe as she looked at everything that could have been, what she never had, and what she would have when they stopped her parents from going to that city.

"How did it go, honey?" Scootaloo's father asked as he stepped out of an adjacent room, towel draped over his neck and mane still damp.

Sighing sadly, Scoot Blaze shook her head. "Just as well as the last time," she replied. "She's… taking it hard."

"It doesn't surprise me," Sky answered, closing the distance between them and laying a wing on Scoot Blaze's back. "All other foals her age can already fly. It must be difficult for her being the only one in her class who can't."

"But why?" Scoot Blaze stated firmly, "There is no reason she shouldn't be able to fly. You know what the doctor said. Her wings are in perfect working order, developing properly as she grows. She has the strength, Celestia knows she does. Our daughter is the strongest filly I know. And I'm not just saying that because she is our daughter."

"I know, I know," Sky told her, gently rubbing her back with his wing. "And you shouldn't worry so much," he nuzzled her behind the ear. "She may not be able to fly now, but tomorrow is another day. And when she does take to the sky, she will outfly everypony in Cloudsdale."

"Heh, confident much?" Scoot Blaze chuckled, nuzzling her husband in return.

"Of course I am," he replied cheekily, grinning. "I know her mother."

"Oh, do you now?" Scoot Blaze chuckled.

"Sure. She's a bit rough around the edges—" she jabbed him in the side, making him laugh in sputter "—but one of the strongest, most capable fliers out there."

"Hmm," Scoot Blaze hummed as she crossed her neck with his. "And if she takes after her father as much as I think she does, then they are going to have their hooves full when she finally flies."

"See, no worries there," Sky said. "Just let her do her thing and we do ours. And somewhere in the middle we figure things out. Together."

Scoot laughed light heartedly, pulling away from him as she shook her head in amusement. "How do you always do that?"

"Do what?" he asked with fake innocence.

"That," she poked him in the chest. "Always managing to make me feel better when I'm down."

"Oh, that," he said with a hint of exaggeration, grinning coyly. "Simple. It's because you love me."

Scoot Blaze couldn't stop her eyes from rolling over his cheesy answer, yet her genuine smile betrayed her true feelings. Chuckling, she closed the distance and pressed her lips against his, sharing a brief but passionate kiss.

"I suppose I do," she answered hotly, eyes half lidded. "You know. I still have forty minutes before I have to clock in…"

"Oh, any ideas on how to fill that time?" Sky asked with suggestive undertone.

Giggling, Scoot Blaze wrapped her arms around his neck, gracing his lips with hers. "Oh, I think I can come up with some-" The rest of her sentence quickly faded away as Scootaloo and Clockwork rapidly left the building; phasing through the door while Scootaloo tried, and failed not to gag.

"Well, I do think we may have seen a bit more than we should have," Clockwork said to no one in particular, blushing himself, which fortunately only Scootaloo was able to see as they were still invisible to the world around them.

"Yuck!" Scootaloo gagged. "I can't ever unhear that," she grasped and pulled at her ears. "Why are adults always so sappy!?"

"That is an answer you will learn yourself soon enough," Clockwork answered readily, clearing his throat. "But more importantly, I think we should leave this place—" The voices of Scootaloo's parents could suddenly be heard through a partially open window, clearly enjoying themselves and each other "—Now!" And he quickly opened another doorway, hastily moving through, with Scootaloo following after him without delay.

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

The two of them exited the portal; Scootaloo staring at some uninteresting part of cloud with unblinking gaze, Clockwork quickly closing the passage behind them as he morphed into his elderly form.

Clearing his throat, he joined Scootaloo, taking a moment to appreciate the shapeless forms of the clouds.

"So… maybe we should cont-"

"Ghaaaa!" Scootaloo gakked, grasping at her ears. "Why?"

"Yes… we may have overstayed our welcome there a bit," Clockwork answered, embarrassed. A feeling he hadn't felt in centuries.

"No, why!?" She said demandingly. "Why did you take me there!?"

"Ah, yes. Ahem… I took you to this timeline to see what could have been; to see what you don't have… and what you would never have should this be your reality," Clockwork explained after a short stammer.

"What I would never have?" Scootaloo repeated, confused, looking at the hovering ghost.

"Indeed," he answered most serious, pointing a finger down towards a distant group of ponies. "Observe."

Scootaloo looked at him with some level of doubt, the previous visit etched in her mind. Still, eventually she turned to look, only to gasp out quietly as she finally saw where they were and what they were looking at.

The two of them had exited the passage on a lone, high orbit cloud; mostly out of sight from any prying eyes, which allowed Clockwork to drop Scootaloo's invisibility and thus the strain to maintain her cloak. Scootaloo, however, didn't really take notice of this as she was too enraptured by what she was watching: Herself at flight school.

"So. Awesome!" She squealed, eyes wide.

"Is it?" Clockwork asked.

"Of course it is!" Scootaloo countered without delay. "I'm in flight school, learning how to be even more awesome—" her wings buzzed in excitement "—Heck, I- eh, she… my other self probably is already at the top of the class. Maybe even teaching the other ponies. Rainbow Dash certainly has to notice my awesomeness in this timeline thingy."

"Is that so?" Clockwork questioned, his voice betraying just how much he already knew.

"Of course it is!" Scootaloo shot back once more. "Just you see!"

Clockwork thought about calling her out, but thought better of it. Some lessons are better learned the hard way, disappointing and depressing as it may be.

Down below, at the cloud field the fillies and colts had all lined up in two rows; their instructor, a strict looking mare blew a whistle that hung from her neck and the first two in line jumped off the edge and took to the sky; flying through a course of hoops.

The whistle blew again, filling the air with its shrill call and the next two ponies flew up. The third and fourth followed soon after, with the rest not far behind.

Scanning the crowd, Scootaloo frowned when she finally spotted herself standing in the back of line.

"Why am I all the way in the back," she asked herself, puzzled. "... And why are the other ponies making fun of me… her?"

"You do remember what your parents said just a moment ago?" Clockwork asked, drawing her attention back to him.

"Yeah, but didn't we travel through time again?"

"No, child. We did not. This is the same day as when we were just a moment before," Clockwork told her, and Scootaloo's eyes widened in horror as her head snapped back to her other self, now standing at the edge of the clouds; the only one left standing.

"Bwahahahah," from the distance she heard a sleazy looking colt laugh, pointing a hoof at the filly who looked carefully over the edge while weakly flapping her wings, "Look at that loser. Still doesn't know how to fly."

His words caused several other ponies to snicker and laugh mockingly, pointing hooves at the filly who quickly shrunk into herself.

"Scootaloser! Scootaloser! Scootaloser! Scootaloser! Scootaloser!" the bullies started to chant, soon joined by more and more of the foals while tears brimmed in the corner of Scootaloo's eyes.

A loud and long shrill whistle shut them all up, and the burning glare of their flight instructor made them all drop several feet, yet the damage had already been done. Before anypony could stop her, Scootaloo turned tail, running away as fast as she could to hide away.

"Bu-" Scootaloo (the one observing the events) muttered dumbly, unable to process what she had just witnessed, "Why- Why is everyone so mean to me?"

"The awful truth of any child's nature. You either fit in, or you are being ridiculed for being different."

"But, that's horrible," Scootaloo said infuriated. "Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and I would never do such a thing."

"True. You three wouldn't. But you know others who would, don't you?"

Scootaloo was silent for several seconds, then her eyes narrowed. "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon."

"Tell me, do they make fun of others for just being themselves?"

"All the time," Scootaloo answered with a stomp of her hoof.

"And how would you usually deal with them?"

"Simple," Scootaloo said. "We just beat them at their own game… Although, lately we also have been causing all kinds of spirit problems for them," she hummed, thinking back how Silver Spoon had run into the school's wall after seeing Sweetie Belle in her spirit form.

"And her, this timeline's Scootaloo. What about her? How do you think she would deal with them?"

"Easy. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and I will come up with so-" she suddenly fell silent as a crushing realization sunk in. "... In this timeline," she began, choosing her words carefully. "Do I know Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?"

"No, you do not," Clockwork answered without humor. "Why do you think that is?"

"I- Yo-... Bu-...."

"Where was it that you met? When did you meet? Why were you there? What happened for you to be there?" Clockwork asked, all questions striking Scootaloo like a wild lightning bolt. "And, more importantly, would you change meeting them? Would you give up someone so important to you to gain back another? Would you sacrifice all the memories you have for a blank sheet? Would you give up everything you know and love in your own time to live a new life without any one of them in this other possibility?"

"What!?" Scootaloo yelled, looking up at clockwork with large, angry, teary eyes. "NEVER!"

"Yet this is exactly what you asked of me to help you do."

"Nuh uh," Scootaloo shook her head defiantly.

"And yet you did," Clockwork countered calmly. "Tell me, and be honest. Not just to me, but to yourself as well. If your parents were still alive, would you have lived in Ponyville where you would have met your friends with whom you have experienced so much?"

Scootaloo didn't answer, but the glimmer in her eyes showed she understood exactly where Clockwork was going with this.

Clockwork sighed out, morphing into his juvenile form as he lowered himself to eye level. "Child, I'm not saying all of this to hurt you. But the truth of the matter is as simple as it is awful. You are here because your parents aren't. Everything you have done up to this point is the result of what happened back then," he said with caring tone, but Scootaloo still held a glare of defiance within her tear brimmed eyes and he knew they had to make one more stop; make her see, and make her choose an impossible choice.

"Come with me, Scootaloo," he said as he turned around, opening a passage through time. "It's time to finish this… but not end it."

Scootaloo remained behind, stubbornly refusing to budge as she glared daggers at the empty spot where Clockwork was just a moment ago, and at the swirling hole in reality through which he vanished.

She sat and waited, and waited, and waited. Until she couldn't take it anymore and jumped through the passage with a cry of anger.

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

With a cry, Scootaloo made a hard landing on firm ground. It had taken her by surprise, expecting to find herself in Cloudsdale once more, yet she poorly hid her frustration over the sudden change of scenery as she looked around with a deep frown, spotting Clockwork hovering just a few steps away from where she had landed.

Not saying a word, she stomped over to his side; not allowing him even a glance as she stubbornly kept staring forwards.

"Why are we in Ponyville?" She asked with a strained, calm voice; recognizing the well traveled streets of her village.

"For you to make a choice," Clockwork told her, his voice heavy and full of remorse.

The sound of a door opening drew their attention, and Scootaloo finally noticed where she was, exactly. Standing in the shadow of an alley opposite of Bellflower's guest house; giving them a perfect view of the front door as four ponies came out. Scootaloo's mother, father, Bellflower, and Scootaloo's four year old self, riding on Bellflower's back.

"What is this?" Scootaloo asked, shocked; recognizing the scene deep down.

"Your chance to make a choice," Clockwork said with business like voice, void of all emotions. "Step out of the shadows and change the course of history. You will live the life you think you always wanted, but at the cost of everything you have now; or stay behind, watch as the door closes shut and your parents are moving away from you once again, but keep everything you have and care about. Choose, Scootaloo. Your parents, a life in Cloudsdale, and many unknowns; or your friends, your adventures, your memories, all precious moments that have shaped you into the pony you are today. Choose but do it quick. Time is running out."

Scootaloo looked at the group of ponies with horror, eyes shifting to her parents, Bellflower, her younger self, Clockwork, the general direction of Carousel Boutique and Sweet Apple Acres and back.

She knew what she wanted, had known it for as long as she could remember. A loving home, her parents to love and support her, friends to hang out and go on crazy adventures with. She knew what she wanted, but… did she really? Only now, with the possibilities laid out before her did her resolute conviction shatter. She didn't have her parents, nor their love and support, but she had her friends, and adventures wilder than she could have ever imagined. But she could have her parents and a loving home. But would she have friends?

Remembering what she had seen it seemed unlikely. What pegasus would want to befriend somepony who couldn't keep up. Down here, she was one of the quickest ponies around. Up there, she would only slow everypony down. No, she would have her parents, but no friends. No pony to play with, or go on adventures like those she has experienced with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

But would that be so bad? She could have her mom and dad. Maybe she could convince them to move to Ponyville and then she could meet Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle all over again. Yes, it would be the best of both worlds, wouldn't it?

Then another realization kicked her in the gut. She wouldn't even know about Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. There would be no reason for her to even suggest moving to Ponyville, or any other place for that matter. She would, most likely, never, ever meet the two greatest friends any pony could wish to have. She, they… they would never become the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

There would be no pony for her to go on adventures with. No pony to help her find her talent, and to help find theirs.

No pony to give her life meaning.

No pony to give meaning to her Cutie Mark.

No pony, but her parents.

Squeaking out a broken gasp, Scootaloo watched as her parents flew up, waved their goodbyes to Bellflower and their daughter and slowly shrunk away on the blue sky, on their way to Baltimare.

"I'm sorry," Clockwork said softly, only receiving a broken sob in answer as Scootaloo's legs went weak and she fell to her haunches.

Sensing the need for silence, Clockwork slowly moved away from the broken filly, watching her sob quietly, head hung low and tears falling to the ground.

After fifteen minutes, Scootaloo seemed to calm down a bit; taking deep, calming breaths.

"I won't say you made the right choice," Clockwork said carefully. "As there never was one to begin with. No matter what you chose, it would've come at a heavy price."

Scootaloo remained silent, unmoving.

Clockwork looked down at the filly, worry frowning his face as he struggled to find a balance between saying what needed to be said and not overstepping a delicate boundary.

"I used to be where you are now," he said, sighing out as he closed his eyes. "Forced to make choices with no good answer, losing pon-... those close to me as a result." Scootaloo didn't say or do anything, but a slight twitch of her ear showed she was listening.

"For a long time, a very long time I was angry. Angry with those who put me in that position, while denying my own involvement in those events. Then my anger turned to myself as I could no longer deny the choices I made. Then I tried to reason, to twist and turn the events in ways that would lessen my guilt; to shift the blame to others. Of course, this only allowed me a moment of peace, but the guilt and knowledge of my actions came back to drag me down," he sighed out, then placed a hand on Scootaloo's back.

"Eventually, though, I learned to accept my part in those events. Something you will be able to do as well, in time."

Several long seconds ticked by and it didn't seemed Scootaloo was going to reply or even move for that matter. But then, slowly, she sobbed out a sigh, kicking away some of the dirt she was sitting in.

"Will I really?" she asked, voice uncharacteristically soft and breaking around the edges.

"Eventually, yes," Clockwork answered. "But the pain will never go away. It will fade, becoming easier to live with, but there will always be that part, that empty spot no one is able to fill. And sometimes this hollow ache makes it impossible for us to see what is right in front of us the entire time; to see exactly what was given to us when something else was taken."

This time Scootaloo did look at Clockwork, slightly tilting her head until she could just see him with one eye; vision still partially obscured by her mane.

"What do you mean?" she croaked, her one visible eye red and puffy.

"Why don't I show you," he answered, and rose his cane; channeling energy into it.

The world around them sped up, ponies walking past in a blur as they went through their daily activities, only to retreat back home as night moved in, only to pass in seconds as day returned, only for the cycle to repeat twice more. Then, on the fourth day Clockwork allowed time to resume normally again; the moment he did, Scootaloo heard a heart torn cry of anguish, the voice easily recognizable as that of her younger self.

Shocked, she looked at Clockwork who offered his hand to her.

Unsure, she shakily placed a hoof in his hand; feeling his fingers close around her hoof as they both turned invisible.

Together they moved to the guest house, the sounds of crying growing louder and louder with every step Scootaloo took, and a heavy weight began to form in the pit of her stomach. Only the calm guiding of Clockwork made it possible for her to place one hoof after the other as she inched her way over to the last place she wanted to be right now.

Eventually, they made it and fear was radiating off Scootaloo; her body shivering.

"Don't worry," Clockwork reassured her. "You have been in denial for so long, that you fear what you already know deep down. But if you allow yourself to overcome this hurdle... to rise above it... you will see that, in a way, you always had what you wanted. It just wasn't the way you imagined it."

Confused and with her worries only worsened, Scootaloo swallowed thickly, then reared up and looked through the window inside Bellflower's own living quarters. What she saw made her gasp out.

Bellflower held Scootaloo in tight embrace, the both of them crying over the horrible loss they've suffered, even though Scootaloo was too young to understand, and Bellflower did her best to remain strong as she had tried to explain. She had failed, unable to cope with the knife through her heart, and both ponies cried in shared grief; finding comfort with each other.

"It's alright. It's alright," Bellflower said again and again, gently rubbing the filly's back. "I promise I will take care of you. I promise."

Scootaloo couldn't stop her tears from surfacing again as she watched through the window, wanting to push away and never look back, but found herself unable to do so as minutes ticked by; an incredible ache burning in her chest. A pain of grief, loss and guilt. Guilt towards the mare who had taken care of her as if she was her own daughter, yet who she had treated so poorly because she wasn't her real mother.

The mare who washed her, fed her, brought her to school, gave her a place to sleep and did so much more. A mare who wasn't her mother, but did everything in her power to fill that role; to give her all the love and care any pony would need. And she treated that mare with nothing but hate grown from misplaced anger.

This realization twisted Scootaloo's heart until she couldn't take it any more and forcefully pulled herself away; freeing her leg from Clockwork's grasp and running away with tears streaming from her eyes as she faded back into view; startling several ponies with her sudden appearance.

'Denial is always the first hurdle to overcome,' Clockwork thought as he watched Scootaloo run away, gradually moving after her. 'But you can't lose yourself to your anger either, child. Fortunately, I know just who can help you with that.'

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

It took Clockwork the better part of an hour to follow after Scootaloo and allowing her the time to process everything she had seen and experienced these last several hours. Now though, he sensed the time was right, and he slowly lowered himself next to the filly who was sitting on the old, weather worn, and rotten deck of an old tree house found within the apple orchard.

"What do you want?" Scootaloo snapped bitterly, not looking up.

"To help," he answered simply, but truthfully.

"Yeah, some help you've been," Scootaloo sneered. "You said you would help me get my parents back, but instead you did… this."

"Actually, I promised to help you stop your parents. Which I did. But you chose not to go through with it."

Scootaloo hissed venomously.

Clockwork sighed out and did something he hadn't done in centuries; he allowed his tail to resolidify back into his legs and then sat down next to Scootaloo; his legs dangling off the deck.

"You're angry. I understand. Who wouldn't be after what you've seen and done. And I'm sorry for the part I played in this. But know I did this for a good reason." Scootaloo shot him a sideways glance, then glared angrily to the ground again.

"I'm an orphan, too," Clockwork revealed. "But unlike you, I never knew my parents. I was told they found me lying wrapped up in a blanket in front of the orphanage's door. Of course they didn't tell me this until I was old enough to understand… Didn't mean I did. I had questions, lots of them. Why, how, who? Yet they went unanswered for the longest of times, until I became what I am today. You see, I used my abilities to look back into my own past, to find out who my parents were, why they left me… You know what I learned?" He asked. Scootaloo shook her head after several tense seconds.

"I learned that, sometimes, it is better to be left wondering instead of learning the ugly truth." This time, Scootaloo looked at him fully, confused. "But, at the same time, I also found closure, as dissatisfactory as it might have been. No longer did that past had a hold over me, nor should it have a hold over you. As lost, scared, confused and angry as you feel now, you also know what your life is; who shaped it. And although you may not have everything you thought you desired, you gained so much more in return."

"Yeah, right," Scootaloo scoffed, looking down once again.

"You don't have to believe me," Clockwork hummed. "Just yourself."

The sound of wings flapping made Scootaloo's ears twitch, and a weight suddenly settled down next to her, making the old wood creak and groan as it settled.

Looking to her side, Scootaloo blinked in confusion as she stared at an familiarly colored orange leg. Following it up, she felt her mouth fall open as a pair of recognizable purple eyes looked down on her; partially obscured by a wild mess of spiky, purple mane, and a knowing grin to complement the tomboyish complexion of Scootaloo.

"Hey, Squirt," she laughed. "Some old geezer told me I needed some help."

Scootaloo could only look up in awed bewilderment at her older self, almost forgetting to breath as her mouth hung open.

"So, that's what that looks like," Scootaloo said, grinning.

"But you- I- he- whu?!?"

"Try closing your mouth first," Scootaloo suggested to her younger self. "It makes talking a bit easier."

Snapping her mouth shut and shaking her head to speed up the reboot of her brain, Scootaloo was finally able to properly pronounce the one question more prominent on her mind than anything else: "WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON!?"

"Well, what does it look like?" Scootaloo asked in turn, shrugging.

Stunned into silence, Scootaloo slowly blinked, then turned to look at the ghost still sitting on her other side; now turned into an elderly human.

"That's right," Scootaloo laughed. "That's the old geezer who brought me here."

"You do know this old geezer can hear you loud and clear?"

"Of course, that's why I'm not calling you an old fart, like I usually do," Scootaloo replied nonchalantly, brushing her hoof against her chest and seeing her smug grin in the reflection.

"Funny," Clockwork deadpanned. "You certainly grew up to be…"

"One hundred and twenty percent of pure awesomeness," Scootaloo finished for him.

"I was going to say something more along the lines of you being confident to a fault, but, sure. That works too."

Still taken aback, Scootaloo shifted her attention back to her older self. "Bu- you… Why are you… I, I mean you… Ghaaa—" she clutched her head from the sudden headache she got "—Why are you here?" she asked.

"For the same reason my future self was brought here when I was sitting where you are now," she answered seriously, all traces of humor gone. Spreading a wing, she placed it on her younger self's back, pulling her in close to the side. "You see, back when I was in your place, I was more than angry. You know what I'm talking about, cause I know you're feelin it right now. The things you saw. The things you did… or didn't do. It was hard for me, back then. Just as it will be hard for you. But you shouldn't feel bad, Squirt. Yes, the choice we made was bad, but at the same time it was the right thing to do."

"But what about my parents?" Scootaloo droned quietly, frowning sadly.

"They're gone," Scootaloo answered, making her younger self tense up as she looked up at her with wide, disbelieving eyes as she had said it so casually. "Doesn't mean they're gone gone."

"Huh?"

Rolling her eyes, she tapped her younger self on the head with the tip of her wing.

"Think, Scoot. What brought you into the Ghost Zone in the first place? What was it that made you go out there all alone, only for you to bump into the one ghost who could help you change something as big as this?"

Blinking, Scootaloo thought back. Then, as if a light bulb went off, her eyes light up. "That weird device… It spoke to me… They spoke to me."

"There we go," Scootaloo smiled. "Been focusing on the wrong things too much, haven't you. Ha, I remember when I was like that."

"But, does that mean your… our parents are coming back… as ghosts?"

"Sorry, Squirt. Can't tell ya," Scootaloo replied, holding up a hoof to silence any protest Scootaloo was about to begin. "Not that I don't want to tell you, but I can't. My future self didn't tell me either and neither will you when you're sitting where I am now."

"But, why?"

"Don't worry. It will all make sense someday. What I can tell you, is that you shouldn't blame yourself for what has happened. What happened to mom and dad was horrible," she continued, looking down to the ground with a frown, "but it wasn't your fault. Remember that," she said, tapping Scootaloo on the head with her wing with each word. "It. Wasn't. Your. Fault."

"... And what about…" Scootaloo began, but couldn't finish her question.

"Bellflower," Scootaloo finished for her, sighing. "Not gonna lie to you, we were bad. She did all she could to make sure we had everything we could ever need. Sure, it wasn't always perfect, but she tried her hardest. Something any good parent would do."

"But, she isn't my mom," Scootaloo argued weakly.

"Isn't she?" came the simple, yet difficult to counter reply. "I know you don't know this, because, like me, you never asked about this. But she is more than an honorable aunt, as you heard our father say a while back. Mom, dad, and Bellflower go back a long, long time."

"What do you mean? How long?"

"Ask her when you get back. The answer will surprise you. And, while you're at it, maybe throw in an apology… We both know she deserves at least that much," Scootaloo told her younger self, who hung her head down in shame.

"Hey, chin up, me. It won't be easy and there is still the whole 'being grounded' thing you got going. And let me tell you, when you get back home, it isn't going to be any easier. Neither will it be for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. But it will all be worth it."

"It will?" Scootaloo asked, hopefully.

"Sure it will. I'm talking from personal experience," she laughed as she pulled away her wing and stood up, looking down on her past self with a confident smile. "Now, here's what you're going to do. Clockwork here is going to take you back to where you need to be, and you go back to being your awesome self, and not this moping 'can't do' attitude of a pony. We're better than that. So, go back, be awesome and help your friends."

"Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle? Why, what's wrong?"

"Not just them. Don't forget Erlea, as well as Abella and Devora," Scootaloo reminded, blinked, then slapped a hoof against her head. "Shoot, forgot. You aren't friends, yet." Shrugging, she looked up at Clockwork. "Let's just forget I let that slip."

"Did you really?"Clockwork asked, smirking. "Or did you merely repeat what your future self did back then?"

"Ehh… A bit of both, really. " she replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head.

"Wait!" Scootaloo called out. "I'm going to be friends with Erlea… And who are Abora and Devela?"

"Abella and Devora," Scootaloo corrected. "They're the changelings you had a run in with at Sweet Apple Acres. Andright now, they are in a real mess."

"Right now?!"

"Well, not right now right now," Scootaloo answered. "Right now, it's still going to be a few years before any of that mess happens. But when you return to your own time, then it will be right now. Just not now, you know?"

"I know I have a headache." Scootaloo groaned, holding her head in both hooves.

"Yeah, I remember that one. It still doesn't make much sense, and this time I'm the one who said it," she stood there with wide eyes, trying to connect the pieces all over again. "... Aaand now I have a headache too… again."

"Does this time travel thing ever get easy?"

"Don't ask me, Squirt. I'm still trying to figure that one out."

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Scootaloo turned her focus on Clockwork. "Well, I've done everything I think I should. Unless there is something else...?"

Chuckling, Clockwork shook his head. "No, I do believe that should be all," he said and raised his staff, opening a passage through time. "Here you go. This portal shall take you back to your own time, a mere second after you left, so no one will notice your sudden disappearance."

Shrugging, Scootaloo moved towards the opening in the sky. "Not that it matters much. I could simply say what happened and everypony would believe me. Weirder things have happened."

"Like what?" Scootaloo asked, only for her older self to flash her a knowing grin.

"Oh, you'll find out eventually. Don't worry about that. " And then, with a powerful flap of her wings, Scootaloo flew up and passed through the portal, vanishing from their shared timeline.

Closing the passage, Clockwork then turned to the filly standing next to him. "Ready to go back?" He asked, his legs fading into an intangible tail as he slowly rose up.

Looking at the spot her older self had been only a moment ago, Scootaloo took a deep breath, closed her eyes and sighed out.

Looking back at Clockwork, she gave a single, resolute nod, knowing what she had to do now, even if she didn't fully understand it… yet.

With a flash, a new passage was opened and both individuals moved through; the portal closing behind them a second later.