Following the map from Chrysalis’ long-outdated history book, our duo arrived at the wrought-iron fence of a long-standing mansion that had taken on the appearance of a haunted house over the years. Some of its windows had been broken, with areas of wood that had obviously been long rotted.

“Hmm, this isn’t quite like the picture in my book, Pippy,” Chrysalis said, comparing the picture of a grand palatial building with what stood before them.

“I told you several times: this book is over a millennia old! Nopony even lives here any-“ Pip paused for a moment as he felt almost certain he had seen something pass by a window on the second floor.

“Chrysalis, did you see that?”

“See what?” she asked, turning to look at him.

“I think somepony actually does live here. Do you think they could be the pony who you said could help me?” Pip said, opening the gate and walking up to the door

“N-no, I don’t think so. I think we should look elsewhere” said the changeling queen, trying to think of excuses to not go in.

“Well let’s at least take a look around. Whats the worst that can happen?”

Chrysalis nervously walked up to the door with Pip, and against her better judgment, entered alongside him.

“Pip, I really think we shouldn’t come in here. I don’t like this feeling.”

“Oh come on, surely you of all ponies wouldn’t be afraid of an old house,” Pip said, patting her on the back as they walked into the middle of the room.

“No…..I’m not afraid of the house. I’m more afraid of-“

The door slammed shut behind them, sealing the pair inside the mansion “G-g-g-ghosts!”

Jumping at first in surprise, Pip walked over to the door and pulled on its handles, finding it mysteriously locked now.

“Don’t be foolish, Chrysalis. Ghosts are just old mares tales…… Chrysalis?”

Looking back at his companion, Pip saw she had fainted on the floor, frothing at the mouth and leaving him effectively alone until she awoke again.

“Great," he grumbled. "Guess it’s up to me to find the key now."

Pip pulled Chrysalis’ unconscious body and leaned it against the door, walking into the next room to begin his exploration. In this room, he found a staircase leading to the second floor, along with a small bookshelf, stocked with worn, unreadable tomes. Looking up the stairs, a small doll rolled down to the middle.

“Hmm…that’s rather strange."

Pip picked up the old doll, its lack of a face letting him know it had been created long ago when Celestia demanded dolls be faceless due to vanity. While historically interesting, it also came across as extremely creepy.

“I get this strange feeling I should go up."

Walking upstairs, Pip entered a dining room with a table in oddly good condition, along with various old paintings. He walked towards an elegant painting of a mare that almost felt as though it was beckoning him. He immediately took a step back as the painting seemed to reach out to him. Rubbing his eyes, Pip looked back at the picture and saw nothing unusual now.

“Sweet Celestia, this house is playing with my mind..."

Hearing a low, deep moan behind him, Pip turned around and yelled in surprise; seeing what he had least expected: a zombie pony! Quickly drawing his sword, he flailed wildly in fear, dismembering the already-fragile zombie.

“A…A zombie!? Those aren’t real!”

Looking down, he kicked lightly at the felled foe to make sure it was indeed real. Pip rushed downstairs to check on Chrysalis, but when he got downstairs she was now missing.

“Chrysalis! Where are you?!”

Pip rushed into the other room, a derelict kitchen. Taking a few steps in, the floor gave way, and Pip plummeted into the basement, being knocked out from the fall

=========
“Ow…..Celestia my head hurts…..”

Pip slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in a small puddle of water. Standing up and checking his surroundings, he found himself to be in a strange sewer-like network of tunnels under the house.

“Chrysalis?!” Pip called, to see if she was within earshot; but instead of his companion, he heard the strange mumble of what sounded like a mare. Following the sound through the tunnels, Pip saw the spark of electricity around a corner, and peeked into the room, finding a pink earth pony

“I’m very much aware of your presence, young colt. Come on in, if you are peaceful.”

Confused, Pip stepped into the room, noticing this pony was wearing what looked like a lab coat with a monocle, her straight pink mane hanging down the back of the coat

“Who are you? Where is Chrysalis?” Pip asked, feeling worried for her

“Chrysalis? I don’t know anypony by that name…unless you mean the sentient arthropod?”

“Sentia-what?” Pip asked, not understanding her

“Oh, my apologies; I was using the scientific terminology. You mean the insect?” the pony said, wiping her monocle with her cloak

“Yes, her! Is she ok?”

“But of course! I wouldn’t hurt the living for science. The unliving are more my area”."

She walked over to a book and began writing in it

“Well, may I see her?” Pip asked, stepping forward and feeling slightly more relaxed

“Sorry, but if you wish to see her, then I would like to ask for your help in some of my studies. It’s not every day I see another living pony, you see.

“I suppose I could help you, Mrs….?"

“Dr. Professor Pinkamena Diane Chrome," she stated professionally. "But just call me Doctor, or Pinkamena, if you like."

“And what would you have me do, Dr. Pinkamena?” Pip asked, intrigued at the idea of helping further science, even if it was for a scientist of the dead.

“You see, I have been working on harnessing the very power of nature, and fusing it with spirits of the dead in order to benefit ponykind. For example, if a spirit infused with the power of earth were to possess a pony, they would in theory gain unimaginable strength and endurance. But as a scientist, I cannot test this theory on myself. This is where you could come in, little colt.”

Pinkamena walked over to Pip and sized him up, writing down his statistics in her journal

“Yes, you will do nicely, Pip. If you wish to see your girlfriend, you must help me with my project. So what will it be?”

“When you put it like that I guess- Wait, Chrysalis isn’t my girlfriend!....But yes, I’ll help you out.”

“Wonderful!” Pinkamena exclaimed, walking over to a metal table and retrieving a syringe with a strange green glow to it.

“All you’ll have to do is let me inject you with this so you can commune with elemental spirits, and then help me gather data.”

“Woah, you didn’t say anything about a needle!” Pip exlcaimed, his fear of needles coming back to him.

“Now, now, don’t you worry, I’m not going to- look over there!” Pinkamena said, pointing her hoof in the opposite direction to catch Pip’s attention, sticking the syringe into his flank and injecting him while he did so.

“Ouch!” Pip yelled, grabbing his flank as she pulled the needle out and rubbing it softly.

“Good, now we just have to wait for it to take effect. Once you feel the spirits communicating with you, I will need you to go with me to the nearby town of Gran Celestia to gather data.”

After only a few minutes, Pip began to notice something very strange in the corner of his eye. Focusing on it, he noticed it appear in the opposite corner now, before finally hopping into his direct vision

“Erm, who are you?” Pip asked the apparition

“Oh my gosh, you can see me?” the ghost squeed excitedly, hopping about. “That makes me so super-duper totally excited!”

Pip rubbed his head, feeling a little woozy from the new ability to talk with ghosts.

“Well, since you can see me, want to be my bestest best friend? Oh, and my name is Sylphie Pie!” the pink ghost pony exclaimed, her mane extra poofy and looking like ghostly cotton candy.

“Woah, calm down Sylphie, is something wrong with you?”

“Nope, this is just my normal self! Though that pony did infuse me with the element of wind, but its super cool! It lets me do this!”

Sylphie made a whirlwind appear in Pinkamena’s laboratory, ruining the obsessive compulsive scientist’s organizational structure.

“Dee Dee, erm, I mean, Pip! Control your spirit! Or else get out of my la-bor-a-tory!” Pinkamena yelled to the two, pronouncing the last word strangely and forcing them out of her lab.

Author's Note

To clarify: Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie are two separate entities in this story. I couldn't think of anypony better to play the roles of necro-scientist, and playful ghost :P

And to fans of the game: forgive me, but this story arc will cover how Pip gets the 4 spirits, in order to keep the story from being way too long x.x