Bloody Mareyby A Wise PonyChaptersCMC Monster Summoners!/No Such ThingWhere Is My Child?/To the Library!Everypony Read!/Unfinished BusinessCMC Monster Summoners!/No Such ThingThe orchards of Sweet Apple Acres were usually peaceful, except for Applebuck and Cider Seasons. The wind would rustle through the leaves as the apples blossomed, fruited, and ripened. However, an aged, little clubhouse in one corner of the farm was rarely quiet: Here lay the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Today, however, no sound came from the small treehouse. It was for once, a tranquil afternoon—or so it appeared. "Look out below!" a voice cried from above. A pink parachute careened downward, the cords twisting together and collapsing most of the fabric. Attached to it, three helmeted fillies—a pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony—clung together in fright. At least, the unicorn and the earth pony did; the pegasus was straining at the steering cords. "Come on you guys, help me out here!" Scootaloo's wings flapped like a hummingbird’s, but they did little good to support the weight of all three fillies. "We're gonna crash in the trees!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "No we ain't," Apple Bloom said. "Look!" A sharp wind gusted through the leaves of the orchard below, and the chute suddenly flared open, despite the tangle of the cords. All three breathed a sigh of relief, but then a cross breeze caught them. The fabric folded again, and they plummeted down, down, down, until…CRASH! Amidst the sound of splintering wood, the three ponies smashed through the roof of the clubhouse and bounced off their old sofa. The parachute floated down through the gap as well, and it settled over the three ponies with comical daintiness. "Anything?" Scootaloo asked. “Did we get out Cutie Marks?” "I can't see with this dumb parachute on my head!" Sweetie Belle complained. The three wrestled with the fabric, trying to fling it off, but eventually settled for unsnapping their harnesses and crawled out from under the snarled parachute. All three glanced expectantly at their flanks, but they saw nothing but their normal coats. The Cutie Mark Crusaders heaved a collective sigh of disappointment. "At least we can check that off," Scootaloo said. She picked up a pencil from a shelf and crossed out Parachuting from a list entitled 'How to get our Cutie Marks.' "At least there wasn't any tree sap this time," Sweetie Belle said. "But the roof is demolished." “I'm on it!" Apple Bloom called down from the roof. "Good thing I was keepin' a hammer and some spare wood and nails up here!" She set to work on the wreck; within minutes, the clubhouse looked like new again. "So," Apple Bloom said as she climbed down the ladder. "What's next on the list?" "Bungee jumping!" Scootaloo said gleefully. "And, the best part is we already have the cords! I left them in the balloon before we parachuted down. We just need to get back to where we tethered it and-" "Wait, we were supposed to tie it down?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo groaned. "Do you think it's gone by now?" A glance out the window showed a light purple hot air balloon cheerfully sailing off into the wild blue yonder. "It is." Apple Bloom sat back on her haunches with a sigh. "What're we supposed to tell Twilight when she comes lookin' for it?" "Uh…sorry?" Sweetie Belle suggested. "Maybe we should have asked to borrow it first," Scootaloo said. "Ya know Scootaloo, I don't think we're gonna get our Cutie Marks doin' extreme sports," Apple Bloom said. "I mean, pony cannonballs, zip-lining, parachuting, mountain climbing: None of those worked." "And regular sports didn't work either," Sweetie Belle piped in. "Bowling, scuba diving, roller derby-" "Okay, I get it!" Scootaloo said. "There are more sports I still think we should try, but you're right; those haven't been working." "I've been thinking," Apple Bloom said. "Remember how we found that cocka…cockat…what was it again?" "Cockatrice," Sweetie Belle supplied. "That chicken/snake thing? Sure," Scootaloo said, "but what's that got to do with getting our cutie marks?" "Well, remember how it followed us, almost like Winona follows Applejack?" "I don't think Winona wants to turn your sister into stone," Sweetie Belle said. "No, that's not the point! It came when we called it!" Apple Bloom looked expectantly at her friends. "Don't you get it?" The other two shrugged. "Don't you see? We can call monsters! Maybe that's our talent!" "Wait a minute," Scootaloo said, puzzled. "Didn't we try that at Fluttershy's?" "That was Cutie Mark Crusader Creature Catchers," Sweetie Belle recalled. "Not Cutie Mark Crusader Monster Callers!" "That sounds like we jus’ walk up to their doors to say 'hi'," Apple Bloom pointed out. "It needs to be clear that we're the ones doin’ the calling." "Maybe…orderers?" "Or conjurers?" "How about...summoners?" "Summoners! That's it!" The three fillies raised their voices in unison: "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MONSTER SUMMONERS, YEAH!" They held a pose for a few seconds and blinked. "Um…what do we do now?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We find some monsters to summon, obviously," Scootaloo said. "And how are we going to do that?" The purple-haired filly shuddered suddenly. "We're not going back into the Forest, are we?" The other two shivered as well. "Not after what happened last time," Apple Bloom said. She suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute, did we ever give that book back to Twilight?" "You mean the one about ghosts and ghouls?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I might've returned that last week." "Aw, shucks! There's no way we can ask her to borrow it now! Not after the balloon!" Apple Bloom sighed. "Guess we'll have to try somethin' else." "Well…maybe we can just wait for her to go and find it, and then we can go into the library," Sweetie Belle suggested. "I mean, somepony on the weather squad's sure to notice a purple balloon flying around without anypony in it. So when she leaves, we just go in and ask Spike for the book." "I'm liking this idea!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Alright, then girls. To the library!" The three Crusaders clamored down the ramp from the clubhouse and headed into town. *** "Didn't you just return this book?" Spike asked. "Yeah, but we need it for another project. D'you mind if we just read it here?" Apple Bloom pleaded, wishing the librarian's assistant would hurry. It had been almost dusk by the time a pegasus had come to the library to get Twilight, and then the Crusaders had waited another ten minutes before entering the library. While that ensured the Twilight was gone, it also meant she'd be back sooner. "Well, alright. But I don't think Twilight'll let you check it out again without paying the late fees." The baby dragon climbed up a ladder and retrieved a teal book with brass bindings. "What do you need it for, anyways?" "Crusading stuff," Scootaloo said. "Something awesome this time!" "Well, did you try zip lining?" Spike asked. "Um, yes. It was…interesting…" Sweetie Belle said. "But we really need to get busy on this one." "Alright, but if you need any more ideas, let me know. I've got a whole list of things, from archery to yo-yos." Spike set about tidying the shelves. The Crusaders set the book down and let it fall open to a random page. "How about Orcs?" Apple Bloom suggested. "Orcs," Sweetie Belle read. "Scaly, savage creatures that live underground, eat small animals-" She gulped. "Let's not." She flipped through a few pages. "What about a Yar-a-ma-ya-hoo?" "A yarma-what-now?" Apple Bloom asked. "Let's make sure it's somethin' we all can say." "How about a gremlin?" Scootaloo said, settling on another entry. "These small creatures are said to attach to pegasi mid-flight and try to force them to land by pulling…out…their…feathers…" She cringed as she imagined having individual feathers plucked from her wings. "Okay, not them." "Does it have to be a monster?" Sweetie Belle asked, flipping through the book some more. "Well, maybe not." Apple Bloom thought about this for a minute. "I think that as long as it's something supernatural-like, it should work just fine. Why, what'd you find?" "Bloody Marey," Sweetie Belle read. "A mystical mare who is said to be the ghost of a mother who lost her foal and died of grief. It says that she is still searching for her lost child, and will appear when her name is called three times in front of a darkened mirror." "That's perfect!" Apple Bloom said. "Why, they even tell you how to call her! We can try it, and if it works, we'll get our Cutie Marks for sure! "Hey, Spike," Scootaloo called. "Do you have a mirror anywhere in the library?" "Yeah. Twilight has one in her room." Spike was walking down the stairs with a precariously balanced stack of books. "Can we use it? Please?" Sweetie Belle begged. "It'll just be for a minute." "Uh…okay, I guess." "Thanks Spike!" The three Crusaders raced up the stairs, spinning Spike around. He teetered dangerously for a moment before steadying himself. "Whew, that was close," he breathed in relief. The front door of the library slammed open. Spike jumped, lost his balance, and fell off the stairs, the books landing on top of him. "Oh my goodness! Spike, I'm so sorry!" Twilight hurriedly lifted the books and her assistant back up. "It's just that I'm looking for the Crusaders, and I saw their wagon outside. Are they here?" "Yeah," Spike answered, rubbing his head. "They're upstairs. They needed a mirror for something." "Well, I need to have a talk with them about asking before borrowing things, and returning the things they borrow." Twilight stormed up the stairs, a lecture forming in her head. *** "She's back you guys! We've gotta hurry!" Scootaloo said. She turned the lights out in Twilight's room while Sweetie Belle drew the curtains and Apple Bloom closed the door. "Okay." Apple Bloom stared into the mirror and took a deep breath. "Bloody Marey!" she shouted. "Bloody Marey!" Scootaloo repeated. She and Apple Bloom looked expectantly at their friend. "I don't know…" Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, what if it doesn't work? What if it does work?" "Twilight's here," Apple Bloom said. "Nothin' can happen that she can't handle. Now hurry up and say-" The door opened. "Girls?" Twilight said. She looked very annoyed. Spike peered into the room from around her. "Oh, hi, Twilight,” Apple Bloom greeted. She and the other fillies looked down at the floor. “Sorry 'bout the balloon. We were gonna bring it back, honest." "And how were you going to do that, with it blown halfway across town? You really need to ask before-" Twilight was distracted by the curtains and lights as she and Spike entered the room. "What are you three doing?" "We're being Cutie Mark Crusader Monster Summoners!" Scootaloo said. "Or at least, we would be if one of us wasn't chicken." "I'm not chicken!" Sweetie Belle protested. "I just don't think the story's true!" "What story?" Twilight noticed the open book. "You mean this one?" She levitated it over and read the section. "Mystical mare…searching…called three times…" She gave a small laugh. "Oh, girls, there's no such thing as Bloody Marey." A crack of thunder boomed. The darkness of the room deepened as the door slammed shut. The mirror billowed with deep red smoke, that crept down to the floor. There, the cloud coalesced into a deep crimson mare, her eyes weeping tears of what seemed to be blood. The broken horn atop her head pulsed with an unnaturally dim glow. Everypony in the room stared at the apparition in terror. *** Where Is My Child?/To the Library!"My child!" the spirit wailed. "Where is my child?" Its eyes, closed before, suddenly snapped open, revealing empty black pits. Everypony screamed. The three fillies and the dragon raced for the door. "It's locked!" Sweetie Belle said, hooves rattling on the sealed knob. "Where is my child?" The mare took a step toward them. "This can't be happening, this isn't possible…" Twilight muttered over and over. "Twilight! Snap out of it and help us get the door open!" Spike shouted. Twilight shook her head a few times to clear it and concentrated on unlocking the door. The knob suddenly glowed and the lock clicked open. Spike and the Crusaders wasted no time in flinging the door wide and fleeing down the stairs; to their alarm, the shadows were spreading, seeping around the door jam and across the walls. "Twilight, get out of there!" Spike insisted. "My child! What have you done with her?" The sanguine mare took another step towards Twilight. "I haven't done anything—I don't know anything about your child!" Twilight was backing away now. So far, the spirit was slow. If she could just get through the door… "Where is she?" the ghost howled, and sprang at Twilight. The purple unicorn's horn glowed defensively, but the ghost simply passed through her on its way out the door. A nebulous feeling of ice spread up and down the purple mare's spine, and she shivered, unable to move for a moment—until the ghost shrieked from the library proper, "Are you my child?" "Spike, girls, get out of here!" Twilight galloped out of the room and cast a shield between the four children and the specter. It howled and ran into the magical barrier, slamming its body against it. Wisps of red began seeping through to the other side. "Stop standing there and run!" The Crusaders bolted out the front door, followed closely by Spike. Bloody Marey screamed as they fled. "My child! Where are you?" "Not here!" Twilight said. She gritted her teeth and increased the field's strength. "Your child is not here!" "Not here? Then where? Where?" The unearthly howl that tore from the mare's throat heightened in pitch until Twilight was forced to cover her ears. The screech rose to a crescendo, and then the ghost collapsed in on itself. With the sound of space itself rending, it vanished in an implosion of scarlet wisps. Twilight's jaw dropped. That had been a teleport. Which meant…oh no. She galloped out of the library into the evening air, ears twitching around to seek the sound of the screams that were sure to follow. *** "Come back soon, dearies!" Mrs. Cake called after Derpy and Dinky. The mother and daughter had stopped in for quick muffin before closing. Dinky levitated the blueberry muffin she'd picked in front of her, taking tiny bites. "Thanks Mom," she said with a smile. "Oh, just a muffin for my muffin," Derpy said, nuzzling her daughter. An unnatural tear appeared in front of them as a rip in the universe spewed forth a creature of nightmares. "My child!" it exclaimed, and it reached out for Dinky. Derpy blinked once, her eyes shifting from confusion and shock to complete rage. "Get away from my daughter!" She flared her wings and swept them forward, blowing the apparition backwards. With a screech, the mare leapt back to its feet and charged the mailmare. Derpy stood her ground, bracing for the impact, but it never came. With a tinkling pop, Twilight appeared in front of her, horn glowing as she trapped the creature once more. "I can't hold her for long! Run!" Derpy grabbed her daughter and tossed her onto her back, and flew away as quickly as she could. Twilight watched them go, then turned back to face the spirit. "I know you can understand me. Your child isn't here. You're a ghost, you and they have been de-" The ghost started caving in on itself again. "No! Wait, I'm trying to tell-" The same bloody collapse completed, and Bloody Marey vanished again. "No, no no!" Twilight looked around wildly. "Where did you go now?" *** Sugarcube Corner was dark now; the two foals had already been put to bed, but only Pound Cake was asleep at the moment. Pinkie Pie was still trying to get Pumpkin to close her eyes. "Fall asleep, fall asleep, fall asleep little Pumpkin," she crooned. The foal's eyes were starting to droop. Any second now, any second… The cosmos screamed as a blood red form tore through the fabric of the universe directly over the cradle. "My child!" it cried, reaching out for Pumpkin. Pumpkin looked at the spirit with interest, then horror as she realized the ghost intended to take her. Pinkie gasped and did the only sensible (to her) thing to do. She'd laugh later; right now, this called for an explosive reaction—no ghostie was taking Pumpkin on Pinkie 'Responsibility' Pie's watch! Her Party Cannon suddenly in her hooves, she aimed at the ghost and pressed the trigger. A pie (razzleberry) coated the sanguine mare's head—and the spirit's spun to facePinkie, empty eyes somehow burning with anger. "You!" it screamed. "Uh oh." Pinkie fired again. This time, the cake that flew from the cannon passed through the ghost and splattered on the wall. Pinkie laughed nervously. "Um, hi?" Bloody Marey flew at the party pony, who readied the cannon once more. The ghost would have to be solid to grab her, and when it was- Twilight winked back into existence in front of Pinkie. "Leave my friend alone!" The field formed again. The ghost howled all the louder. Pound Cake woke up with a wail; he and Pumpkin were both crying now. The ghost's howling stopped as it turned towards the foals. Twilight blinked. Was it just her imagination, or did it look…guilty? "You have to listen to me: The reason you can't find your child is-" The ghost was gone again. "Why does it keep doing that?" "Twilight, what was that? It tried to take Pumpkin!" "It was a ghost." "But I thought you said there's no such-" "I know, but obviously there is. We don't have much time. I need to keep after it and stop it from hurting anypony. Can you get our friends and have them meet at the library?" "Okie dokie!" "Good. Once everyone else is there, you come and find me." Twilight teleported away, and Pinkie rushed for the door. She skidded to a stop as Mr. and Mrs. Cake burst through. "Pinkie, is everything alright?" "Sure is, but a mean old ghost tried to take Pumpkin. Don't worry, Twilight scared her off." "What?!" "Can't talk now, have to hurry!" Pinkie bounded out the door. The worried parents approached the crib, where Pumpkin had stopped crying and was now nibbling on some of the pie filling that had fallen in. *** "Apple Bloom, where have you been?" Applejack demanded as the three fillies and a dragon slowed to a stop at the farm's gate. "Oh, howdy, Spike. Why are you four outta breath?" "There's a ghost in the library!" Spike exclaimed, panting. "And it's looking for its foal!" "A ghost? Are you sure this ain't just another of Pinkie and Rainbow's pranks?" "It sure isn't!" Pinkie said as she screeched to a halt in front of them. "I don't know what it is, but my spine is crawling, and my back isn't itchy, so I'd take it seriously. Twilight wants you all to hurry back to the library!" "Isn't the ghost still-" "Nope. Not sure where it is now. Gotta get everyone else!" Pinkie raced off towards Fluttershy's cottage. "Well then, we'd better hurry." Applejack galloped away, the four children close behind. "Come on everypony, to the library!" *** Everypony Read!/Unfinished BusinessTwilight was getting tired. After taking an interest in Pumpkin Cake, the ghost had tried to snatch Ruby Pinch, Sun Glimmer, Tootsie Flute, and a few other fillies, in that order. Each time, the family of the foal in question had delayed the it long enough for Twilight to teleport in and contain it, however briefly. But, all this magical exertion was draining. "Come on, Twilight, think. There must be something here that can tell you where it'll go next…" She hit her head to try and shake her thoughts into order. "First Dinky, then Pumpkin, then Ruby—of course! It's only going after the unicorn fillies!" "Twilight, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie was running towards her. "Pinkie! Is everyone at the library now?" "Yep!" "Good. Grab onto my mane." "Okay Twilight, but why-" The two ponies vanished in a burst of light and reappeared in the library. "Wow!" Pinkie said. "I've never traveled that way before!" "Don't get used to it; we just needed to hurry." Twilight glanced around. All of her friends and the Crusaders were present. "Alright, the ghost is coming for Sweetie Belle." "What?!" Rarity said, shocked. "What on earth do you mean, Twilight?" "The ghost is going after unicorn fillies exclusively," Twilight explained. "Sweetie Belle's the only one that it hasn't had a good look at." "But how are you going to stop this ghost?" "I don't know! Wait…" Twilight concentrated for a moment. A glow surrounded the treehouse. "Okay, that field should stop teleports in and keep back Marey. I can't hold it for long, but it will give us time." "Time to do what, exactly? It's a ghost!" Applejack said. "Yeah! We need to kick this thing in the tail and send it packing!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Oh, um, have you tried asking politely?" Fluttershy asked. "It won't stay in one place long enough to listen!" Twilight told her. "We need to find whatever information is in all these books about Bloody Marey." "Maybe the Princess knows something?" Spike suggested. "Good idea! Give me a second…" Twilight levitated over quill and paper and wrote what was probably the briefest and most concise letter of her life. "Send it, Spike." The dragon took the scroll and set it on fire; The particles streamed out a window and off towards Canterlot. Twilight nodded decisively. "Okay; books, now! Anything about ghosts or obscure history." Heavy tomes flew off the shelves as Twilight sifted through an entire bookcase in the space of a minute. Spike was rolled past the top shelf on a ladder, head at an angle to read the titles as he passed. Pinkie was pulled out select volumes one at a time, gathering them in a pile at the center of the room. Everyone was deep in the hunt for information when a howl from outside froze them mid-motion. The protective field outside the window flashed as something tried to get through. "Oh no! She's here." Twilight stopped looking through books and grabbed the few that looked promising. "No time for more; Everypony, read!" "Bloody Marey: Beverage made from tomatoes and-" "Around 500 AE, ponies in what is now known as Trottingham reported a crimson mare-" "A story told for years in the area: The tale of Bloody Marey, a mother who lost her foal in an unspecified accident-" "Daring Do and the Scarlet Spirit's Sepulchre-" "Agh! There's nothing detailed here!” Twilight tossed another useless book aside. “Why couldn't this have happened at Canterlot Library?" "Um, Twilight?" Spike asked, "I know we're busy and all, but is it just me, or did it just get really…quiet?" Everypony stopped reading and listened. Spike was right: The crashes as the ghost slammed against shield had ceased. "Do you think she's gone?" Sweetie Belle wondered. Pinkie suddenly started jittering. "Oh no! Flop, flutter, twitch!" The door from the basement slammed open, and the crimson mare screamed up the stairs. "My child!" "Everypony, protect Sweetie Belle!" Everyone in the room arrayed themselves between the wraith and the unicorn filly. Twilight's horn flared as she formed a shield yet again; it wavered worryingly before solidifying, but it was far dimmer than any of the previous ones. "This won't hold for long." As if to prove the point, the ghost slammed into the magical barrier. It flared, but dimly; a hairline fracture formed where the mare had hit. "There's gotta be somethin'!" Apple Bloom cried. "A spell, a word, somethin'!" Spike belched loudly; a wisp of green flame curled into a scroll. He snatched it and tore the seal away, unrolling it as quickly as possible. "Twilight, the reply! It's from Princess Luna!" "What's it say, Spike?" Twilight demanded. She gritted her teeth as the ghost smashed against the shield again. The hairline had become a spiderweb. "Stand back." Spike blinked. "Stand back? Stand back from what?" The air near the letter began to expand. Twilight glanced back and saw it, and her eyes widened. "Everypony, get away from the letter! Now!" Several things happened at once: Bloody Marey crashed through the shield; magical fragments falling around the ghost as it shrieked towards Sweetie Bell; Rarity telekinetically snatched her sister away; Spike tossed the letter into the ghost's path and dove back; the air around the message flashed with magical energy; and a sudden burst of light momentarily blinded everyone in the library. When the light had cleared, the Princess of the Moon stood before them, horn aglow; the spectre that had haunted them this night was suspended before her in a magical cage. It was still screeching, struggling to be free. "BE STILL!" The full force of the Royal Canterlot Voice fell upon whatever ears the apparition had. It ceased its struggles, frozen in the face of the wrath of an alicorn. Twilight began babbling. "Princess Luna! I'm so sorry, I'm not sure how it got here, there was an old mare's tale, and a ritual, and I didn't believe it, and-" "Twilight Sparkle, please; calm thyself." Luna gazed into the eyes of her captive. "She means thee no harm." "What? But it's been trying to take foals!" "She does not know any better. All spirits have unfinished business; hers was that she never got to say goodbye." "My child…" the ghost whimpered plaintively. It glanced at Sweetie Belle. "I am sorry, lost soul," Luna soothed. "But she is not yours. Your child is not here." "Where is she?" The ghost began struggling again. "I must find her. I must!" "Thou wast a mare called Mary Belle," Luna said. The spirit stopped thrashing, eyes widening in recognition. "Thy daughter went missing one day. None knew what had happened to her." The room fell completely silent as they listened to what the Princess of the Moon had to say. "Thou could not rest until thou found her," Luna continued. "So you searched the woods, the canyons, all the places that she might be; and everywhere you searched, she was not there." The spirit was totally still now; its eyes were luminous with what might have been tears. "And one day, while thou searched, thou died. An accident crushed thy body; but thy soul could not depart. Thou became bound to thy name, for thou thought that those who knew it would help. But the appearance of a restless spirit, cloaked in the unshed tears that were lost with thy blood, frightened them away. Thy name was twisted, and thou became a subject of nightmares, of darkness. And thou allowed thy magic to fade, to become dormant; to languish in grief, beyond call." "Then magic itself called thy name, and thou hast come. And, in the centuries thou hast been resting, we have learned of your daughter's fate." Luna dissolved the prison; the ponies shied back, but the ghost did not move towards them. She gazed at the princess. "What has become of her?" she whispered. "Follow me," Luna said. "For she is near." *** The path the Princess took led to the Ponyville cemetery. They passed newer tombstones, some of them all too familiar to some of the ponies; to the worn, older markers. Here, kept clean of moss but aged, the dead of the long past lay. Luna found the one she sought and stood by it. "Here." The spirit approached the stone, and read. "Here Lies Rosa Belle. 511 AE-601 AE. Beloved Daughter, Wife, and Mother." The spirit's eyes shone all the more. "She lived…" "She was lost, and found a home. And she searched for you as well when she was old enough." Luna stepped back. "Some say she is searching still." Bloody Marey blinked and lowered her head towards the earth. "Rosa?" she whispered. "Are you there?" At first, there was nothing. Then, a pale, shining head poked out from the ground. "Mama?" The small form climbed from the earth and stood in front of the crimson mare. "Mama, is that you?" "Yes, Rosa. It's me. I finally found you." The scarlet unicorn brought her head down and nuzzled her daughter. Glowing white tears fell from her eyes. They pooled and spread over the blood-red form, washing away the grief, rage and sorrow that had become the spirit's skin, and at last they flowed up and her horn as mended that as well. Mother and daughter turned towards those assembled around them. "Thank you," Mary Belle said. "I am sorry. I frightened you, but you have helped me." "Know peace, faithful mother," Luna said. "Your journey is at an end." "Yes," Mary Belle said with a smile. She looked at her daughter, who smiled back. "Yes, it is." The two ghosts nuzzled again and slowly faded into the air. *** "I still don't get why she showed up," Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, I didn't say her name!" The three fillies were in the library. Twilight and the Princess had been talking for hours, but the excitement of that night still hadn't worn off. "But Twilight did!" Apple Bloom pointed out. "And she's the most magical unicorn we know!" "Well, I guess that makes sense," Scootalo agreed. "But the ghost that appears depends on who says it. Like, if Rainbow Dash had said it, maybe it would have been somepony else's ghost!" "I think that's more to do with the name," Apple Bloom said. "But maybe there are other ghosts who need help, and we could do that!" Sweetie Belle vehemently shook her head. "No, thank you! One ghost trying to get me was enough." "Yeah, about that…why did she come after you twice?" Scootaloo wondered. "I mean, from what Twilight said, she only tried to get every other unicorn filly once, and then just stopped." "Maybe it's because I'm older?" Sweetie Belle shrugged. "Or maybe it's because she liked my mane?" "Or maybe…” Apple Bloom tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Sweetie Belle, do you have anything like a family tree map, somethin' that shows the name of everypony in your family?" "Rarity might know." Sweetie Belle turned towards her elder sibling. "Hey sis! Do we have a family tree map?" "Why, of course we do, Sweetie Belle. In fact, I memorized it when I was your age, and I'm fairly certain I can remember it. But why the sudden interest in our family history?" "Um…" Sweetie Belle turned back to her co-conspirators. "I'm not sure." "We were wonderin'," Apple Bloom picked up, "Do you have any Mary's or Rosa's in yer family?" "I believe we do! Those names were very popular in the past. In fact, I seem to recall that…" Rarity's eyes widened. "Oh my!" "Wow, Sweetie Belle! You're related to a ghost!" Scootaloo teased. "What? No, no, no; that's obviously not true." "But the ghost was after you twice, unlike everypony else," Apple Bloom said. "And you have ponies in your family with those names," Scootaloo continued. "And you're both unicorns." "And you've both got Belle in your name." "And-" "You guys, stop it! I've just been traumatized, and I don't want to think that it was my great-great-grandma or something who did the traumatizing!" "Okay," the other two sighed. Scootaloo perked up suddenly. "Hey, I've got another great idea for a way to earn our Cutie Marks! Now all we need is that balloon again…" "Ahem." The Crusaders looked behind them. Twilight was there, tapping a hoof. "Then again…maybe it can wait," the pegasus filly sighed. *** The End.
CMC Monster Summoners!/No Such ThingThe orchards of Sweet Apple Acres were usually peaceful, except for Applebuck and Cider Seasons. The wind would rustle through the leaves as the apples blossomed, fruited, and ripened. However, an aged, little clubhouse in one corner of the farm was rarely quiet: Here lay the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Today, however, no sound came from the small treehouse. It was for once, a tranquil afternoon—or so it appeared. "Look out below!" a voice cried from above. A pink parachute careened downward, the cords twisting together and collapsing most of the fabric. Attached to it, three helmeted fillies—a pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony—clung together in fright. At least, the unicorn and the earth pony did; the pegasus was straining at the steering cords. "Come on you guys, help me out here!" Scootaloo's wings flapped like a hummingbird’s, but they did little good to support the weight of all three fillies. "We're gonna crash in the trees!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "No we ain't," Apple Bloom said. "Look!" A sharp wind gusted through the leaves of the orchard below, and the chute suddenly flared open, despite the tangle of the cords. All three breathed a sigh of relief, but then a cross breeze caught them. The fabric folded again, and they plummeted down, down, down, until…CRASH! Amidst the sound of splintering wood, the three ponies smashed through the roof of the clubhouse and bounced off their old sofa. The parachute floated down through the gap as well, and it settled over the three ponies with comical daintiness. "Anything?" Scootaloo asked. “Did we get out Cutie Marks?” "I can't see with this dumb parachute on my head!" Sweetie Belle complained. The three wrestled with the fabric, trying to fling it off, but eventually settled for unsnapping their harnesses and crawled out from under the snarled parachute. All three glanced expectantly at their flanks, but they saw nothing but their normal coats. The Cutie Mark Crusaders heaved a collective sigh of disappointment. "At least we can check that off," Scootaloo said. She picked up a pencil from a shelf and crossed out Parachuting from a list entitled 'How to get our Cutie Marks.' "At least there wasn't any tree sap this time," Sweetie Belle said. "But the roof is demolished." “I'm on it!" Apple Bloom called down from the roof. "Good thing I was keepin' a hammer and some spare wood and nails up here!" She set to work on the wreck; within minutes, the clubhouse looked like new again. "So," Apple Bloom said as she climbed down the ladder. "What's next on the list?" "Bungee jumping!" Scootaloo said gleefully. "And, the best part is we already have the cords! I left them in the balloon before we parachuted down. We just need to get back to where we tethered it and-" "Wait, we were supposed to tie it down?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo groaned. "Do you think it's gone by now?" A glance out the window showed a light purple hot air balloon cheerfully sailing off into the wild blue yonder. "It is." Apple Bloom sat back on her haunches with a sigh. "What're we supposed to tell Twilight when she comes lookin' for it?" "Uh…sorry?" Sweetie Belle suggested. "Maybe we should have asked to borrow it first," Scootaloo said. "Ya know Scootaloo, I don't think we're gonna get our Cutie Marks doin' extreme sports," Apple Bloom said. "I mean, pony cannonballs, zip-lining, parachuting, mountain climbing: None of those worked." "And regular sports didn't work either," Sweetie Belle piped in. "Bowling, scuba diving, roller derby-" "Okay, I get it!" Scootaloo said. "There are more sports I still think we should try, but you're right; those haven't been working." "I've been thinking," Apple Bloom said. "Remember how we found that cocka…cockat…what was it again?" "Cockatrice," Sweetie Belle supplied. "That chicken/snake thing? Sure," Scootaloo said, "but what's that got to do with getting our cutie marks?" "Well, remember how it followed us, almost like Winona follows Applejack?" "I don't think Winona wants to turn your sister into stone," Sweetie Belle said. "No, that's not the point! It came when we called it!" Apple Bloom looked expectantly at her friends. "Don't you get it?" The other two shrugged. "Don't you see? We can call monsters! Maybe that's our talent!" "Wait a minute," Scootaloo said, puzzled. "Didn't we try that at Fluttershy's?" "That was Cutie Mark Crusader Creature Catchers," Sweetie Belle recalled. "Not Cutie Mark Crusader Monster Callers!" "That sounds like we jus’ walk up to their doors to say 'hi'," Apple Bloom pointed out. "It needs to be clear that we're the ones doin’ the calling." "Maybe…orderers?" "Or conjurers?" "How about...summoners?" "Summoners! That's it!" The three fillies raised their voices in unison: "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MONSTER SUMMONERS, YEAH!" They held a pose for a few seconds and blinked. "Um…what do we do now?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We find some monsters to summon, obviously," Scootaloo said. "And how are we going to do that?" The purple-haired filly shuddered suddenly. "We're not going back into the Forest, are we?" The other two shivered as well. "Not after what happened last time," Apple Bloom said. She suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute, did we ever give that book back to Twilight?" "You mean the one about ghosts and ghouls?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I might've returned that last week." "Aw, shucks! There's no way we can ask her to borrow it now! Not after the balloon!" Apple Bloom sighed. "Guess we'll have to try somethin' else." "Well…maybe we can just wait for her to go and find it, and then we can go into the library," Sweetie Belle suggested. "I mean, somepony on the weather squad's sure to notice a purple balloon flying around without anypony in it. So when she leaves, we just go in and ask Spike for the book." "I'm liking this idea!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Alright, then girls. To the library!" The three Crusaders clamored down the ramp from the clubhouse and headed into town. *** "Didn't you just return this book?" Spike asked. "Yeah, but we need it for another project. D'you mind if we just read it here?" Apple Bloom pleaded, wishing the librarian's assistant would hurry. It had been almost dusk by the time a pegasus had come to the library to get Twilight, and then the Crusaders had waited another ten minutes before entering the library. While that ensured the Twilight was gone, it also meant she'd be back sooner. "Well, alright. But I don't think Twilight'll let you check it out again without paying the late fees." The baby dragon climbed up a ladder and retrieved a teal book with brass bindings. "What do you need it for, anyways?" "Crusading stuff," Scootaloo said. "Something awesome this time!" "Well, did you try zip lining?" Spike asked. "Um, yes. It was…interesting…" Sweetie Belle said. "But we really need to get busy on this one." "Alright, but if you need any more ideas, let me know. I've got a whole list of things, from archery to yo-yos." Spike set about tidying the shelves. The Crusaders set the book down and let it fall open to a random page. "How about Orcs?" Apple Bloom suggested. "Orcs," Sweetie Belle read. "Scaly, savage creatures that live underground, eat small animals-" She gulped. "Let's not." She flipped through a few pages. "What about a Yar-a-ma-ya-hoo?" "A yarma-what-now?" Apple Bloom asked. "Let's make sure it's somethin' we all can say." "How about a gremlin?" Scootaloo said, settling on another entry. "These small creatures are said to attach to pegasi mid-flight and try to force them to land by pulling…out…their…feathers…" She cringed as she imagined having individual feathers plucked from her wings. "Okay, not them." "Does it have to be a monster?" Sweetie Belle asked, flipping through the book some more. "Well, maybe not." Apple Bloom thought about this for a minute. "I think that as long as it's something supernatural-like, it should work just fine. Why, what'd you find?" "Bloody Marey," Sweetie Belle read. "A mystical mare who is said to be the ghost of a mother who lost her foal and died of grief. It says that she is still searching for her lost child, and will appear when her name is called three times in front of a darkened mirror." "That's perfect!" Apple Bloom said. "Why, they even tell you how to call her! We can try it, and if it works, we'll get our Cutie Marks for sure! "Hey, Spike," Scootaloo called. "Do you have a mirror anywhere in the library?" "Yeah. Twilight has one in her room." Spike was walking down the stairs with a precariously balanced stack of books. "Can we use it? Please?" Sweetie Belle begged. "It'll just be for a minute." "Uh…okay, I guess." "Thanks Spike!" The three Crusaders raced up the stairs, spinning Spike around. He teetered dangerously for a moment before steadying himself. "Whew, that was close," he breathed in relief. The front door of the library slammed open. Spike jumped, lost his balance, and fell off the stairs, the books landing on top of him. "Oh my goodness! Spike, I'm so sorry!" Twilight hurriedly lifted the books and her assistant back up. "It's just that I'm looking for the Crusaders, and I saw their wagon outside. Are they here?" "Yeah," Spike answered, rubbing his head. "They're upstairs. They needed a mirror for something." "Well, I need to have a talk with them about asking before borrowing things, and returning the things they borrow." Twilight stormed up the stairs, a lecture forming in her head. *** "She's back you guys! We've gotta hurry!" Scootaloo said. She turned the lights out in Twilight's room while Sweetie Belle drew the curtains and Apple Bloom closed the door. "Okay." Apple Bloom stared into the mirror and took a deep breath. "Bloody Marey!" she shouted. "Bloody Marey!" Scootaloo repeated. She and Apple Bloom looked expectantly at their friend. "I don't know…" Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, what if it doesn't work? What if it does work?" "Twilight's here," Apple Bloom said. "Nothin' can happen that she can't handle. Now hurry up and say-" The door opened. "Girls?" Twilight said. She looked very annoyed. Spike peered into the room from around her. "Oh, hi, Twilight,” Apple Bloom greeted. She and the other fillies looked down at the floor. “Sorry 'bout the balloon. We were gonna bring it back, honest." "And how were you going to do that, with it blown halfway across town? You really need to ask before-" Twilight was distracted by the curtains and lights as she and Spike entered the room. "What are you three doing?" "We're being Cutie Mark Crusader Monster Summoners!" Scootaloo said. "Or at least, we would be if one of us wasn't chicken." "I'm not chicken!" Sweetie Belle protested. "I just don't think the story's true!" "What story?" Twilight noticed the open book. "You mean this one?" She levitated it over and read the section. "Mystical mare…searching…called three times…" She gave a small laugh. "Oh, girls, there's no such thing as Bloody Marey." A crack of thunder boomed. The darkness of the room deepened as the door slammed shut. The mirror billowed with deep red smoke, that crept down to the floor. There, the cloud coalesced into a deep crimson mare, her eyes weeping tears of what seemed to be blood. The broken horn atop her head pulsed with an unnaturally dim glow. Everypony in the room stared at the apparition in terror. ***
Where Is My Child?/To the Library!"My child!" the spirit wailed. "Where is my child?" Its eyes, closed before, suddenly snapped open, revealing empty black pits. Everypony screamed. The three fillies and the dragon raced for the door. "It's locked!" Sweetie Belle said, hooves rattling on the sealed knob. "Where is my child?" The mare took a step toward them. "This can't be happening, this isn't possible…" Twilight muttered over and over. "Twilight! Snap out of it and help us get the door open!" Spike shouted. Twilight shook her head a few times to clear it and concentrated on unlocking the door. The knob suddenly glowed and the lock clicked open. Spike and the Crusaders wasted no time in flinging the door wide and fleeing down the stairs; to their alarm, the shadows were spreading, seeping around the door jam and across the walls. "Twilight, get out of there!" Spike insisted. "My child! What have you done with her?" The sanguine mare took another step towards Twilight. "I haven't done anything—I don't know anything about your child!" Twilight was backing away now. So far, the spirit was slow. If she could just get through the door… "Where is she?" the ghost howled, and sprang at Twilight. The purple unicorn's horn glowed defensively, but the ghost simply passed through her on its way out the door. A nebulous feeling of ice spread up and down the purple mare's spine, and she shivered, unable to move for a moment—until the ghost shrieked from the library proper, "Are you my child?" "Spike, girls, get out of here!" Twilight galloped out of the room and cast a shield between the four children and the specter. It howled and ran into the magical barrier, slamming its body against it. Wisps of red began seeping through to the other side. "Stop standing there and run!" The Crusaders bolted out the front door, followed closely by Spike. Bloody Marey screamed as they fled. "My child! Where are you?" "Not here!" Twilight said. She gritted her teeth and increased the field's strength. "Your child is not here!" "Not here? Then where? Where?" The unearthly howl that tore from the mare's throat heightened in pitch until Twilight was forced to cover her ears. The screech rose to a crescendo, and then the ghost collapsed in on itself. With the sound of space itself rending, it vanished in an implosion of scarlet wisps. Twilight's jaw dropped. That had been a teleport. Which meant…oh no. She galloped out of the library into the evening air, ears twitching around to seek the sound of the screams that were sure to follow. *** "Come back soon, dearies!" Mrs. Cake called after Derpy and Dinky. The mother and daughter had stopped in for quick muffin before closing. Dinky levitated the blueberry muffin she'd picked in front of her, taking tiny bites. "Thanks Mom," she said with a smile. "Oh, just a muffin for my muffin," Derpy said, nuzzling her daughter. An unnatural tear appeared in front of them as a rip in the universe spewed forth a creature of nightmares. "My child!" it exclaimed, and it reached out for Dinky. Derpy blinked once, her eyes shifting from confusion and shock to complete rage. "Get away from my daughter!" She flared her wings and swept them forward, blowing the apparition backwards. With a screech, the mare leapt back to its feet and charged the mailmare. Derpy stood her ground, bracing for the impact, but it never came. With a tinkling pop, Twilight appeared in front of her, horn glowing as she trapped the creature once more. "I can't hold her for long! Run!" Derpy grabbed her daughter and tossed her onto her back, and flew away as quickly as she could. Twilight watched them go, then turned back to face the spirit. "I know you can understand me. Your child isn't here. You're a ghost, you and they have been de-" The ghost started caving in on itself again. "No! Wait, I'm trying to tell-" The same bloody collapse completed, and Bloody Marey vanished again. "No, no no!" Twilight looked around wildly. "Where did you go now?" *** Sugarcube Corner was dark now; the two foals had already been put to bed, but only Pound Cake was asleep at the moment. Pinkie Pie was still trying to get Pumpkin to close her eyes. "Fall asleep, fall asleep, fall asleep little Pumpkin," she crooned. The foal's eyes were starting to droop. Any second now, any second… The cosmos screamed as a blood red form tore through the fabric of the universe directly over the cradle. "My child!" it cried, reaching out for Pumpkin. Pumpkin looked at the spirit with interest, then horror as she realized the ghost intended to take her. Pinkie gasped and did the only sensible (to her) thing to do. She'd laugh later; right now, this called for an explosive reaction—no ghostie was taking Pumpkin on Pinkie 'Responsibility' Pie's watch! Her Party Cannon suddenly in her hooves, she aimed at the ghost and pressed the trigger. A pie (razzleberry) coated the sanguine mare's head—and the spirit's spun to facePinkie, empty eyes somehow burning with anger. "You!" it screamed. "Uh oh." Pinkie fired again. This time, the cake that flew from the cannon passed through the ghost and splattered on the wall. Pinkie laughed nervously. "Um, hi?" Bloody Marey flew at the party pony, who readied the cannon once more. The ghost would have to be solid to grab her, and when it was- Twilight winked back into existence in front of Pinkie. "Leave my friend alone!" The field formed again. The ghost howled all the louder. Pound Cake woke up with a wail; he and Pumpkin were both crying now. The ghost's howling stopped as it turned towards the foals. Twilight blinked. Was it just her imagination, or did it look…guilty? "You have to listen to me: The reason you can't find your child is-" The ghost was gone again. "Why does it keep doing that?" "Twilight, what was that? It tried to take Pumpkin!" "It was a ghost." "But I thought you said there's no such-" "I know, but obviously there is. We don't have much time. I need to keep after it and stop it from hurting anypony. Can you get our friends and have them meet at the library?" "Okie dokie!" "Good. Once everyone else is there, you come and find me." Twilight teleported away, and Pinkie rushed for the door. She skidded to a stop as Mr. and Mrs. Cake burst through. "Pinkie, is everything alright?" "Sure is, but a mean old ghost tried to take Pumpkin. Don't worry, Twilight scared her off." "What?!" "Can't talk now, have to hurry!" Pinkie bounded out the door. The worried parents approached the crib, where Pumpkin had stopped crying and was now nibbling on some of the pie filling that had fallen in. *** "Apple Bloom, where have you been?" Applejack demanded as the three fillies and a dragon slowed to a stop at the farm's gate. "Oh, howdy, Spike. Why are you four outta breath?" "There's a ghost in the library!" Spike exclaimed, panting. "And it's looking for its foal!" "A ghost? Are you sure this ain't just another of Pinkie and Rainbow's pranks?" "It sure isn't!" Pinkie said as she screeched to a halt in front of them. "I don't know what it is, but my spine is crawling, and my back isn't itchy, so I'd take it seriously. Twilight wants you all to hurry back to the library!" "Isn't the ghost still-" "Nope. Not sure where it is now. Gotta get everyone else!" Pinkie raced off towards Fluttershy's cottage. "Well then, we'd better hurry." Applejack galloped away, the four children close behind. "Come on everypony, to the library!" ***
Everypony Read!/Unfinished BusinessTwilight was getting tired. After taking an interest in Pumpkin Cake, the ghost had tried to snatch Ruby Pinch, Sun Glimmer, Tootsie Flute, and a few other fillies, in that order. Each time, the family of the foal in question had delayed the it long enough for Twilight to teleport in and contain it, however briefly. But, all this magical exertion was draining. "Come on, Twilight, think. There must be something here that can tell you where it'll go next…" She hit her head to try and shake her thoughts into order. "First Dinky, then Pumpkin, then Ruby—of course! It's only going after the unicorn fillies!" "Twilight, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie was running towards her. "Pinkie! Is everyone at the library now?" "Yep!" "Good. Grab onto my mane." "Okay Twilight, but why-" The two ponies vanished in a burst of light and reappeared in the library. "Wow!" Pinkie said. "I've never traveled that way before!" "Don't get used to it; we just needed to hurry." Twilight glanced around. All of her friends and the Crusaders were present. "Alright, the ghost is coming for Sweetie Belle." "What?!" Rarity said, shocked. "What on earth do you mean, Twilight?" "The ghost is going after unicorn fillies exclusively," Twilight explained. "Sweetie Belle's the only one that it hasn't had a good look at." "But how are you going to stop this ghost?" "I don't know! Wait…" Twilight concentrated for a moment. A glow surrounded the treehouse. "Okay, that field should stop teleports in and keep back Marey. I can't hold it for long, but it will give us time." "Time to do what, exactly? It's a ghost!" Applejack said. "Yeah! We need to kick this thing in the tail and send it packing!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Oh, um, have you tried asking politely?" Fluttershy asked. "It won't stay in one place long enough to listen!" Twilight told her. "We need to find whatever information is in all these books about Bloody Marey." "Maybe the Princess knows something?" Spike suggested. "Good idea! Give me a second…" Twilight levitated over quill and paper and wrote what was probably the briefest and most concise letter of her life. "Send it, Spike." The dragon took the scroll and set it on fire; The particles streamed out a window and off towards Canterlot. Twilight nodded decisively. "Okay; books, now! Anything about ghosts or obscure history." Heavy tomes flew off the shelves as Twilight sifted through an entire bookcase in the space of a minute. Spike was rolled past the top shelf on a ladder, head at an angle to read the titles as he passed. Pinkie was pulled out select volumes one at a time, gathering them in a pile at the center of the room. Everyone was deep in the hunt for information when a howl from outside froze them mid-motion. The protective field outside the window flashed as something tried to get through. "Oh no! She's here." Twilight stopped looking through books and grabbed the few that looked promising. "No time for more; Everypony, read!" "Bloody Marey: Beverage made from tomatoes and-" "Around 500 AE, ponies in what is now known as Trottingham reported a crimson mare-" "A story told for years in the area: The tale of Bloody Marey, a mother who lost her foal in an unspecified accident-" "Daring Do and the Scarlet Spirit's Sepulchre-" "Agh! There's nothing detailed here!” Twilight tossed another useless book aside. “Why couldn't this have happened at Canterlot Library?" "Um, Twilight?" Spike asked, "I know we're busy and all, but is it just me, or did it just get really…quiet?" Everypony stopped reading and listened. Spike was right: The crashes as the ghost slammed against shield had ceased. "Do you think she's gone?" Sweetie Belle wondered. Pinkie suddenly started jittering. "Oh no! Flop, flutter, twitch!" The door from the basement slammed open, and the crimson mare screamed up the stairs. "My child!" "Everypony, protect Sweetie Belle!" Everyone in the room arrayed themselves between the wraith and the unicorn filly. Twilight's horn flared as she formed a shield yet again; it wavered worryingly before solidifying, but it was far dimmer than any of the previous ones. "This won't hold for long." As if to prove the point, the ghost slammed into the magical barrier. It flared, but dimly; a hairline fracture formed where the mare had hit. "There's gotta be somethin'!" Apple Bloom cried. "A spell, a word, somethin'!" Spike belched loudly; a wisp of green flame curled into a scroll. He snatched it and tore the seal away, unrolling it as quickly as possible. "Twilight, the reply! It's from Princess Luna!" "What's it say, Spike?" Twilight demanded. She gritted her teeth as the ghost smashed against the shield again. The hairline had become a spiderweb. "Stand back." Spike blinked. "Stand back? Stand back from what?" The air near the letter began to expand. Twilight glanced back and saw it, and her eyes widened. "Everypony, get away from the letter! Now!" Several things happened at once: Bloody Marey crashed through the shield; magical fragments falling around the ghost as it shrieked towards Sweetie Bell; Rarity telekinetically snatched her sister away; Spike tossed the letter into the ghost's path and dove back; the air around the message flashed with magical energy; and a sudden burst of light momentarily blinded everyone in the library. When the light had cleared, the Princess of the Moon stood before them, horn aglow; the spectre that had haunted them this night was suspended before her in a magical cage. It was still screeching, struggling to be free. "BE STILL!" The full force of the Royal Canterlot Voice fell upon whatever ears the apparition had. It ceased its struggles, frozen in the face of the wrath of an alicorn. Twilight began babbling. "Princess Luna! I'm so sorry, I'm not sure how it got here, there was an old mare's tale, and a ritual, and I didn't believe it, and-" "Twilight Sparkle, please; calm thyself." Luna gazed into the eyes of her captive. "She means thee no harm." "What? But it's been trying to take foals!" "She does not know any better. All spirits have unfinished business; hers was that she never got to say goodbye." "My child…" the ghost whimpered plaintively. It glanced at Sweetie Belle. "I am sorry, lost soul," Luna soothed. "But she is not yours. Your child is not here." "Where is she?" The ghost began struggling again. "I must find her. I must!" "Thou wast a mare called Mary Belle," Luna said. The spirit stopped thrashing, eyes widening in recognition. "Thy daughter went missing one day. None knew what had happened to her." The room fell completely silent as they listened to what the Princess of the Moon had to say. "Thou could not rest until thou found her," Luna continued. "So you searched the woods, the canyons, all the places that she might be; and everywhere you searched, she was not there." The spirit was totally still now; its eyes were luminous with what might have been tears. "And one day, while thou searched, thou died. An accident crushed thy body; but thy soul could not depart. Thou became bound to thy name, for thou thought that those who knew it would help. But the appearance of a restless spirit, cloaked in the unshed tears that were lost with thy blood, frightened them away. Thy name was twisted, and thou became a subject of nightmares, of darkness. And thou allowed thy magic to fade, to become dormant; to languish in grief, beyond call." "Then magic itself called thy name, and thou hast come. And, in the centuries thou hast been resting, we have learned of your daughter's fate." Luna dissolved the prison; the ponies shied back, but the ghost did not move towards them. She gazed at the princess. "What has become of her?" she whispered. "Follow me," Luna said. "For she is near." *** The path the Princess took led to the Ponyville cemetery. They passed newer tombstones, some of them all too familiar to some of the ponies; to the worn, older markers. Here, kept clean of moss but aged, the dead of the long past lay. Luna found the one she sought and stood by it. "Here." The spirit approached the stone, and read. "Here Lies Rosa Belle. 511 AE-601 AE. Beloved Daughter, Wife, and Mother." The spirit's eyes shone all the more. "She lived…" "She was lost, and found a home. And she searched for you as well when she was old enough." Luna stepped back. "Some say she is searching still." Bloody Marey blinked and lowered her head towards the earth. "Rosa?" she whispered. "Are you there?" At first, there was nothing. Then, a pale, shining head poked out from the ground. "Mama?" The small form climbed from the earth and stood in front of the crimson mare. "Mama, is that you?" "Yes, Rosa. It's me. I finally found you." The scarlet unicorn brought her head down and nuzzled her daughter. Glowing white tears fell from her eyes. They pooled and spread over the blood-red form, washing away the grief, rage and sorrow that had become the spirit's skin, and at last they flowed up and her horn as mended that as well. Mother and daughter turned towards those assembled around them. "Thank you," Mary Belle said. "I am sorry. I frightened you, but you have helped me." "Know peace, faithful mother," Luna said. "Your journey is at an end." "Yes," Mary Belle said with a smile. She looked at her daughter, who smiled back. "Yes, it is." The two ghosts nuzzled again and slowly faded into the air. *** "I still don't get why she showed up," Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, I didn't say her name!" The three fillies were in the library. Twilight and the Princess had been talking for hours, but the excitement of that night still hadn't worn off. "But Twilight did!" Apple Bloom pointed out. "And she's the most magical unicorn we know!" "Well, I guess that makes sense," Scootalo agreed. "But the ghost that appears depends on who says it. Like, if Rainbow Dash had said it, maybe it would have been somepony else's ghost!" "I think that's more to do with the name," Apple Bloom said. "But maybe there are other ghosts who need help, and we could do that!" Sweetie Belle vehemently shook her head. "No, thank you! One ghost trying to get me was enough." "Yeah, about that…why did she come after you twice?" Scootaloo wondered. "I mean, from what Twilight said, she only tried to get every other unicorn filly once, and then just stopped." "Maybe it's because I'm older?" Sweetie Belle shrugged. "Or maybe it's because she liked my mane?" "Or maybe…” Apple Bloom tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Sweetie Belle, do you have anything like a family tree map, somethin' that shows the name of everypony in your family?" "Rarity might know." Sweetie Belle turned towards her elder sibling. "Hey sis! Do we have a family tree map?" "Why, of course we do, Sweetie Belle. In fact, I memorized it when I was your age, and I'm fairly certain I can remember it. But why the sudden interest in our family history?" "Um…" Sweetie Belle turned back to her co-conspirators. "I'm not sure." "We were wonderin'," Apple Bloom picked up, "Do you have any Mary's or Rosa's in yer family?" "I believe we do! Those names were very popular in the past. In fact, I seem to recall that…" Rarity's eyes widened. "Oh my!" "Wow, Sweetie Belle! You're related to a ghost!" Scootaloo teased. "What? No, no, no; that's obviously not true." "But the ghost was after you twice, unlike everypony else," Apple Bloom said. "And you have ponies in your family with those names," Scootaloo continued. "And you're both unicorns." "And you've both got Belle in your name." "And-" "You guys, stop it! I've just been traumatized, and I don't want to think that it was my great-great-grandma or something who did the traumatizing!" "Okay," the other two sighed. Scootaloo perked up suddenly. "Hey, I've got another great idea for a way to earn our Cutie Marks! Now all we need is that balloon again…" "Ahem." The Crusaders looked behind them. Twilight was there, tapping a hoof. "Then again…maybe it can wait," the pegasus filly sighed. *** The End.
