“It says here that a spirit can become attached to a home, or an object.” Whisper said quietly. The two had gathered their saddlebags from class while everypony was at lunch and snuck out to the Canterlot library. The large building was pristine, each book neatly arranged by a caring librarian so finding the section that would have books about ghosts was rather easy, even if the selection was comparatively small compared to the others. With a pile of books around them, Rose and Whisper sat atop some plush pillows as they read through them. So far they hadn’t found anything specific but then again Rose hadn’t exactly been expecting to find the answer layed out for them like a question on a history assignment would be.

“So it can’t get us then? Good, because I left my glasses at home and all this reading is giving me a headache.” Rose closed the book she had been looking at. It was decently interesting, detailing the authors idea of where Nightmare Moon had come by her dark power. The author went on about his idea of Tartarus and a grand deity that held more power than even Celestia. Though Rose found it interesting she would have sorted the book in the fiction section.

Looking to Whisper she saw the mare give her a confident look. “It won’t come out, and I know how we can banish it, assuming it’s an actual spirit and not a nightmare.” The gray unicorn flipped her mane back and levitated an open book over to Rose. Looking down at the page she saw a depiction of a burning coffin surrounded by numerous cloaked ponies, the only feature visible being their glowing eyes in varying colors. The book suddenly snapped shut and her view was replaced with the happy face of her friend. “We have to burn the corpse, with sea salt, and all three types of pony are present the spirit will leave in peace. Or so it says.”

Rose nodded, letting the words sink in for a moment. “So we just go in and burn the corpse, huh?” The words sounded different coming from her mouth and her ears pricked, a sudden look of confusion on her face. “Wait, you actually want to go in there and… Desecrate a pony’s grave!? Are you insane?” Rose’s wings flared as she stood up, she was so not about to go into a haunted anything just to prove a theory in some old book. It may make Whisper feel better to know the how’s, but it certainly was not going to make anyone feel better if they got killed by some spook.

Whisper’s ears fell back and she shoved the book in her saddlebag. “Well, fine, don’t come, but I’m going to stop it, I won’t be able to sleep now that I know what’s out there.” She watched the Unicorn neaten her pile of reading, glancing around the library before shoving a couple of the other books into her bag. Rose had a feeling those books wouldn’t find their way back to the shelves.

With a sigh of defeat Rose shoved the book she had been reading earlier into her own bag, the dark red looking out of place in the pink and white designer-made bag. “No, fine I’ll go too.” She looked around to make sure no one was looking as she grabbed another book she’d been meaning to look into into. It supposedly went into detail about the dietly Snow Song was talking about, and Rose couldn’t honestly say she wasn’t at least a bit curious about the idea. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, couldn’t live with myself if you died alone in there because a dang nightmare was using it as a nest or something.”

Whisper gave her a small smile and flicked her tail, wordlessly making her way through the shelves to the door. Most libraries in Equestria didn’t have any fancy alarm system to keep their books from being stolen, but of course the famed library in Canterlot would. Rose grinned slightly as Whisper cast a silent spell over them, letting them slip out completely undetected. She wouldn’t openly admit it to anypony, but she was rather impressed by how crafty her friend could be.

“Wow, we were in there a while.” The pegasus mumbled, wrapping her wings around her for warmth as the sun was already along the horizon, it’s warm rays leaving Equestria to make room for the cool of night. “I’m going to assume you want to wait until day to do anything with the creepers?” Her words were hopeful but a silent shake of Whispers head had her fur on end. “You’re not serious?” She trotted to catch up with the unicorn. “You actually, want to do this… tonight?”

Whisper turned to look at her, the purple of her eyes shining with something Rose had never seen before and couldn’t put a name to even if she tried. “Yes, I know exactly where to get the sea salt as my mom is a bit of a chef-y perfectionist, and even if we don’t have an earth pony the spirit will leave regardless. Dunno where it’ll go to but the book said it would leave this world.”

Rose sighed with defeat and the walk through Canterlot became chokingly quiet. Only the sounds of passing ponies chatter and hooves could be heard as the street lamps began to flicker on. Perhaps it was the task ahead but everything had her feathers ruffling. The way the lights flickered, the movement of leaves, or any small unexpected sound had her twitching on edge.

The house Whisper lived in wasn’t too far from the library at all, the large white building sitting neatly amongst the others, looking nearly identical to it’s neighbors. Despite all logic Rose opted to wait outside as the unicorn went in to get the sea salt. Shadows became longer as the sun made it’s way down and the moon shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the city in a brilliant glow that seemed to ease her nerves at least for the time being,

“Just relax, Rose.” She muttered to herself, setting her bag down to pull out a small bracelet. “Almost forgot I had you had this didn’t you?” The bracelet was made of gold, five charms of ruby and sapphire hung from it in a perfectly synced arrangement. Her mother had given her the bracelet when she was just a filly, she remembered that night fondly even though it had started out with her being too afraid to go outside at night despite the inviting bonfire and relatives that were gathered there.

“Why are you afraid?” Her mother asked, draping her purple shawl over Rose’s shoulders. She was such a young filly at the time that the covering dragged along the ground, the decorative coins that hung from it clattering on the rocky ground outside their small home in Hollow Shades. “The night is peaceful and the fire warm, plus your cousins want to share stories with you.”

Rose had snuggled deep into her mother’s shawl, reluctant to answer. Her mother waiting patiently as she looked past the entryway to see her family laughing in the warm glow of the blaze. She really did want to join them, it looked like fun and with her other option being to go to bed… “I’m just afraid that if I go out there… What if a nightmare get’s me? Especially with Nightmare Moon returning soon?” She felt foalish, those stories were just silly tales told by her family to scare the fillies and her cousins all knew that, not letting it bother them in the slightest, but her?

“My little Secret you have nothing to fear,” Her mother comforted, wrapping a lavender hoof around her filly, “I can assure you that you’re plenty safe with me.” Rose pressed herself against her mother’s chest, nuzzling into her thick, dark-burgundy mane. ‘What good is a simple earth pony against a nightmare?’ The young filly thought as she pulled herself away and looked at the sky, checking for any sign of Nightmare Moon or her following nightmares.

“Listen,” Her mother headed inside, Rose following at her hooves. “I’ve been saving this for a special occasion, and though I was waiting until you left for school…” She pulled plain a box off of a dusty shelf, gently wiping the dusty layer off of it with the fluff before her hoof. Carefully she opened the box, revealing to Rose a golden charm bracelet, four gems hanging from the main circle in an alternating pattern of ruby and sapphire. “This is a gift I acquired some time ago from a travelling shaman.” She motioned for Rose to hold out her leg and after the young filly did she gently clasped it around, giving them a chance to admire it on her. “It will protect you from the dark.”

Rose watched the way it twinkled before a sudden feeling of bravery struck her and she nodded to her mother. “I feel better, I think I’m ready to go join my cousins now.”

Rose remembered fondly that night she spent outside, the stories, laughter, and just being under the stars without fear. She clasped the bracelet around her leg, letting the warm feeling of nostalgia creep over her before her breathing steadied out. Just then she heard the door to Whispers house close tightly and she turned to see the mare with a saddlebag that looked more beat up than her usual blue one. “Got everything?” The pegasus whispered, eyeing her friends necklace. Strangely enough it looked very similar to that of the one Snow Song wore, only a bit duller and probably made of cheaper plastic.

“Yeah, got the salt, some lamp oil to make the fire catch, and this old thing.” Whisper motioned to the necklace. “I got it a few years back during a Summer Sun Celebration because I thought it was festive and pretty, but after listening to Snow Song and seeing it in a few of those books… Well I figured it can’t hurt to wear it.”

Rose noded in understanding as she held up her decorated leg, to give Whisper a good look at her bracelet. “I know the feeling. Not sure if an old gypsy trinket will keep me safe, but like you said, it can’t hurt to have it.” The pegasus picked up her saddlebag and tied it across her back.

“Let’s do it then.” Rose could hear the feigned confidence in her friends voice, putting on a similar act as she nodded.

There was no chatter as they walked until the hit the road of the house, where Whisper held out a hoof to stop her from going further on. “We need a better plan.” She whispered so quietly that Rose had to strain to make out the words. “I don’t think just going in there and lighting it on fire is solid, what if it’s not there? What if it attacks us? What if-”

Rose pressed her wing over Whispers mouth, not only because the mare was only making matters worse, but because she thought she heard something rustling in the bushes not far ahead. She was thankful her friend didn’t question her as she scanned the road ahead, only looking away after she was certain it was nothing more than a critter of some sort.

“Sorry,” She sighed in defeat, accepting that she was probably just getting worked up over nothing. “I thought I heard something.” Her eyes swept over the unkept empty street again, just as a precaution before looking back to Whisper. “Listen, I know you’re worried, but we can’t really plan for the unknown can we? Especially with a million ‘what if’s’ that we could spend all night coming up with. We just gotta… Do it, I guess.” ‘and maybe then I’ll have something interesting to tell’ It was only an unspoken afterthought, but she couldn’t help rustling her wings in excitement at being able to tell a tale completely her own with no influence of her favorite authors.

Whisper’s only response was a near inaudible squeak as she lowered her head and quietly continued on toward the house, their hooves near silent with how slow they went. As soon as they got to the edge of it’s land Rose felt a sharp chill run down her spine, she wasn’t sure if it was fear or the way the temperature dropped, but she had to take a minute to gather herself. She looked back to her bracelet, moving her hoof slightly to watch a small shimmer pass along one of it’s sapphires.

Feeling a bit better she looked up to find the spot beside her to be Whisperless. ‘Did she run for it?’ With momentary panic she spun around, searching the empty street behind her before her eyes caught sight of movement via shadow.

In a flash she turned to the light source that was in the doorway to the house, seeing Whisper’s horn being the cause of the light. She stared blankly as she processed the sight of her friend using magic to unlock and open the door, not even waiting for Rose to join her as she headed into the darkness. Flaring her wings she felt pride for the unicorn who was facing her fear and taking a stand to put her mind at ease about the situation. However when she realised the fact that her friend was inside the dangerous house she spread her wings and propelled herself inside after her.

Author's Note

Gonna make this a three parter, stay tuned for the last bit~