The One and Only One Chapter

The explosion threw crusaders away from the epicenter, except for one missing member: Apple Bloom. A place where Apple Bloom was, now had black smudge with a dark string of smoke lazily rising into the clear morning sky, conducted by silence and sounds of nature. Two remaining fillies recovered quickly from the disaster, raising their hooves to their muzzles in shock, with their eyes agape wide in horror. Scootaloo closed her eyes with both hooves, while Sweetie Belle still stood in initial posture. They have a lot of explaining to do...

***

At first, it was dark, darker than night, but then I felt weightlessness and lack of my senses. Light returned to my vision, drawing out outlines of Ponyville far below, particularly Sweet Apple Acres. I could see two ponies running away for the place that familiar to me, besides it had debris scattered around and smudge with smoke... Hey! It's that place where... Hold on...

What I could remember, we were making a rocket to launch me into space, Scootaloo lit the fuse, giving few seconds countdown and Sweetie Belle removed props supporting rocket. I was sitting inside and ready for launch and then I remember nothing.

Oh, no. I am dead. Literally. So, it means that they have killed me?! And now I am flying spirit over Ponyville. They have to pay for it... Dearly.

It was Scootaloo's idea in first place and Sweetie Belle just did not think about safety. I was all against the idea, my earth pony senses screamed to run, but they just shoved me into 'rocket' and set entire thing off. They chose me because I am 'strong and independent', implying that I could survive out there alone and now, look where they got me, at least they managed to get me blown up into the air to orbit around Ponyville. I think I will spare Sweetie Belle, but still, I have to teach her a lesson.

I descended to the ground, following remaining Cutie Mark Crusaders, feeling no air drag or other physical effects. I kicked apple tree in anger with my... Only to find that I don't have the body, yet I have some invisible shapeless embodiment that cannot interact with anything. A bunch of apples fell from the tree...

In Equestria, apples cannot fall on its own, if they do fall it is rare occurrence roughly one in hundred. Seems strange... I glared at another apple tree and again apples tumbled down on its own.

As a spirit, I don’t have the body, but I can influence the execution of events depending on probabilities, even if they are slim. That's how I can make Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle pay for what they have done to me!

***

I sat at one of the house's chimneys or rather correct to say, hovered, observing Scootaloo chatting with Rainbow Dash. My hearing senses were strong as ever and even better. I could hear everypony around and process every pony's speech separately.

Scootaloo was talking about usual garbage such as how Rainbow Dash is awesome and that she going to practice new scooter tricks involving ramps. This will become her own undoing.

Her scooter had one its wheels loose, having somewhere 10% chance to separate. Ramps itself were quite safe to drive on, besides chances something happening wrong on them are nil. Given that Scootaloo will always correct her course and the probability of happening something bad to her are non-existent since Scootaloo can fix most discrepancies; I am powerless against pony's intervention. But if given that all control of scooter is lost, she would not evade her doom. There goes wheel to our help.

Scootaloo secured her helmet, which will not protect her and started off, buzzing with her wings, leaving clouds of dust behind and angry complaints from ponies nearby, whose complaints will be heard and acted upon. She tensed up to prepare to enter ramp...

Scooter entered ramp preparing to take orange filly into an air and then into hell. Something unforeseen has happened. Front left wheel lost connection with scooter's axis, sending scooter and its unfortunate rider into spinning tumble.

Everything happened in slow motion. Scooter landing and turning into a fountain of sharp splinters, while Scootaloo landed on her back and rolled few times, raising dust and giving unpleasant crunching sounds.

When the dust settled, a breathless ball of orange fur laid on road. Ponies gathered around and called for ambulance carriage.

It is over, my job here is done.

***

Sweetie Belle was in the kitchen of her sister, making a vegetable stew. Unfortunately, my smell sense was not with me and I am thankful, it must have been terrible stench hanged here when Sweetie Belle attempted her hoof at cooking.

She was chopping celery with a huge cleaver in her right hoof, at dangerous proximity to her left hoof. That's easy.

“Sweetie Belle, I think you need to run to a doctor fast! Chop-chop!” I mumbled. Of course, no one could hear me.

Metal impaled into the tender flesh of Sweetie Belle's hoof, a shriek from Sweetie Belle could have destroyed all glassware. She dashed out of Carousel Boutique, leaving the mess behind all over. Rarity will be mad.

***

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon always were a nuisance not only Cutie Mark Crusaders, but countless fillies who haven't got their cutie marks yet. Both of them must be punished for crimes against fellow fillies.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were chilling at their father's mansion. You know what's bad about mansions? They can be haunted. The couple relaxed in lounge sharing gossips about celebrities and royals, asking for trouble right away.

I just could have sent here a guard to catch both redhooved, but I choose to execute them on my own. Let games begin!

For best results, they should be separated. However, looks like she excuses herself for a bathroom break. Silver Spoon, she won't be back, but you'll join her soon. That's the perfect opportunity.

I came up with interesting discovery in the mansion: I can make sounds via metallic inanimate objects. Next phase of the plan is to lure Diamond Tiara into a distant wing of the mansion to prevent any calls for help and we shall see from there on.

The required passage was located on the third floor, connected to the main corridor with staircase at one of its ends. The main corridor was wide enough to fit in two carriages, decorated with large landscape pictures and shields hanging on dark wooden-lined walls.

I made a gong sound from a shield, attracting Diamond Tiara to step up.

“Who's there?..” Asked Diamond Tiara, changing from determination to confusion as she notices nopony around.

Shifting to a higher level, for fun I emulated train whistle in the third floor, turning Diamond Tiara to gallop. Diamond Tiara searched long corridor, only to find an unsettling gaze of disapproval from portraits hanging on walls.

“Hello?” She asked no one particularly, trembling. “Somepony is here?”

She reached the end of the corridor with a statue and stained mosaic glass behind it. Seeing nothing of interest, she turned back where she just came from.

“Diamond Tiara!” I shouted from silver medallion on statue's neck. “You are hereby sentenced to death for crimes against innocent fillies!!”

Diamond Tiara jumped few feet upward, turning around mid-air, towards the statue.

“W-who are you?” She asked, clattering her teeth. “W-what are you t-talking about?!”

“Spirits of past!” I replied, adding evil laugh at the end.

Diamond Tiara ran down the corridor, screaming at top of her lungs. She was heading towards the staircase, which was undesirable for the entire operation. One of the portraits hanging fell in front of her, effectively cutting off her from escape. She tried to run in opposite direction, but statue's head fell off too and rolled towards the scared filly, herding her into a nearby room and locking herself inside, which was conveniently a bathroom.

“This is not happening!” She sobbed, splashing cold water on her face. “Must be too much creme brulee!”

She closed tap, but instead, water gushed in full power, overwhelming drain and pouring out on the floor. Oops, taps must be faulty. Diamond Tiara tried to close the tap, but she left her futile attempts to stop the torrent of water. She tried to unlock the door, but nothing has happened. Filthy Rich should have invested more into the maintenance of locks and plumbing, and other things too...

Diamond Tiara banged on the door in hopes to be heard by somepony else, but the distant wing of the mansion and excellently soundproofed construction prevented any noise reaching the lounge. Water already reached her body and rose further, which increased her knocking and screaming.

“Help!” Diamond Tiara cried, splashing and pulling at door handle in empty attempts to open it. “Anypony can hear me?! Help!”

Just to speed up things, I blew up other taps in bathroom. Water level almost reached the top of the ceiling, leaving less and less air for Diamond Tiara, finally filling it up to the brim.

Soon, last bubbles of air left Diamond Tiara's lungs.

***

Silver Spoon was bored waiting for her friend, she already is done studying statuettes standing in glass showcases, then she switched to reading magazines lying on top of a coffee table, listing through for tenth time and finally ending up looking at fretwork engraved in the ceiling.

A chill blew from the lobby, slightly opening a door with a creak and fetching immediate attention from Silver Spoon.

“Is that you, D.T.?” She turned her head toward the source of noise, only to find no response. “What took you so long?”

No sound followed clause, forcing Silver Spoon to jump off the sofa and proceed towards the lobby, only met by furnished emptiness and ticking of the grandfather clock. She stood in the center of the lobby, exactly under a golden chandelier, weakly swinging in the air.

“Hiiiiiiiii, Silver Spoon!” I said in a thin voice, taking attention from Silver Spoon. She looked at the chandelier in confusion.

“Byeeeeeee, Silver Spoon!” Continuing in the same voice, I dropped the chandelier on her.

As expected, Silver Spoon didn't react in a timely fashion and heavy fixture crushed her, leaving wet indistinguishable mess underneath it.

Done. Sadly, that Scootaloo won't see it, neither Sweetie Belle will value my work.

Suddenly, my vision fades and the world submerges into darkness...

***

Apple Bloom opened her eyes, finding herself at the hospital, surrounded and wired up to blinking and beeping medical machinery. Next to her sat her big sister, Applejack held her at bandaged foreleg, waking up as she felt her younger sister stir.

“Oh, thank you, Celestia!” Smiled Applejack tiredly, it seems that she was crying recently. “I thought that you never will wake up!”

“What happened?” Apple Bloom asked, digesting on the situation.

“You was in a coma for the whole week,” Applejack replied, looks like she has been here all week. “Somepony will be happy to see you again!”

As if it was planned, a door opened, entering two fillies which Apple Bloom recently killed, are healthy and well.

“Apple Bloom!” Both fillies squealed in unison.

“Hey, gals!” Apple Bloom smiled back at them. “Can you tell me what went back there?”

“Oh yes...” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle began their story, often interrupted by Sweetie Belle.

The story was much different than Apple Bloom knew. After fuse was lit, gunpowder used as a propellant, went off in an explosion instead of consistent lifting power. At first, it seemed that everything was lost, but a few seconds later Apple Bloom plopped on smudge spot, apparently thrown up by the explosion. After ten minutes Apple Bloom was transported to Ponyville's hospital with multiple fractures and concussion.

“Oh, and I forgot,” announced Scootaloo. “All three of us are grounded for a year.”

“And that's not all,” upheld Sweetie Belle. “Cutie Mark Crusaders are disbanded!”

Author's Note

EDIT: Edited slightly.

Constructive criticism is always welcome!