A Ghost of What Might Have Been

Applejack and the two reapers that accompanied her were…uncomfortable with the situation, though for two different reasons. The Reapers, a pair of thestrels nicknamed Curse and Dagger were uncomfortable because, while they were “Light Calvary” and rated for indoor combat…they were supposed to be flying around and as such being trapped down below was hardly all that comforting. AppleJack or her part was finding that the enclosed passenger compartment had never been created for someone her…size, though as a blacksmith she could not help but marvel at the construction of the thing.

The two Reapers kept their nervousness to a minimum through a running stream of almost whisper-like banter, Applejack just dealt with it. Mentally she reviewed the honest facts about the situation. Five crew members for a max ten crew ship, and supposedly ten passengers plus cargo; where in the heck was everypony? And for that matter she’d be happier when Rainbow Dash was here, well, she thought with a rueful smile, temporarily forgetting the assignment at hand. She was always happy when RD showed up. Thought’s of the filly’s figure were evaporated however as they saw a shape in the distance, that resolved itself as an open door to one of the passenger compartments.

Applejack nodded to the Reapers, who took a position on either side of the corridor to make sure nothing snuck up on them, AJ slowly stepped inside, having to duck to get in, but able to straighten out once she did so, inside was…well not what she expected from a small passenger ship. It looked like this room had been converted to a workshop of sorts, though it would take an egg-head like Twi’ to figure the mess of formulae out on the chalkboard, and what looked like an alchemist’s set was on the table infront of her, someone’s lost experiment bubbling in a flask, though to Applejack’s curious amusement there seemed to be no fire beneath it.

Abandoning the worksite for something she’d simply have to have Twilight figure out, she began searching for more…reasonable clues. Was the alchemy set the reason everyone had disappeared? And what was it with eggheads and causing localized apocalypses? Twilight had yet to do that, but applejack reasonably thought she might, should Rarity dress her up in one of those fancy dresses again. Another smirk, before she shook her head. Damnation Applejack…she thought to herself,

‘If you keep thinkin’ of fillies instead of the job, someone’s gonna get hurt!’ But she couldn’t help it if this job was currently stinkin’ boring. Exiting the converted workshop she took a piece of chalk from her saddlebag and marked the door with a big ‘X’ to show that it had been cleared. Nodding to the two Reapers, they began to move on towards the stairs that were marked ‘Cargo.’ Vaguely remembering that ships like these had one aft passenger compartment, and then the rest were more towards the back of the ship, through the cargo area.

However; as they approached the cargo door….now things were beginning to get interesting, the hatch was blackened as if burned, the metal twisted and bent, hanging off just one hinge. AJ raised an eyebrow looking to the two Reapers who merely nodded their acknowledgement, former banter ceasing as they adjusted the claws on their hooves, ensuring their grip and tightness.

They crossed the threshold closely, the two thestrels, now in the cavernous cargo hold quickly took flight, hovering within the cargo hold like a pair of bees looking for something to sting. While not inherently magical, the thestrels took out two large globes from their packs, which when activated seemed to hang in the air causing light to be cast in the darkened cargohold…and making Applejack severely wish they had not.

Every other wooden box seemed to have been smashed open…from the inside, puddles of black goo stained and hardened around the boxes, keeping them weirdly from falling apart despite being so completely torn up, there was also a smell in the air…that weird, tang-y smell from deep in the body that you get when you attend a mare’s birthing time. Applejacks nose wrinkled at the smell as she kept the reapers in view, while trying to sweep the area infront of her. More boxes of the same were reported in the upper areas of the cargo bay by the two fliers…they seemed to be concentrated in the middle. However….What AppleJack saw made her stop in her tracks.