My Little Psyche: Journey of the Soulby PsycheChaptersPrologueChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FivePrologue“I agree, Ginger Snap,” I said as I picked up a brick of chocolate with my magic, broke off a piece and started chewing on it. “Building a house out of confectionery delights does sound quite lovely...”—nom, nom, nom—“...but it just isn't all that practical, now, is it?” The light brown mare scoffed at that. “Practical, shmactical! It's the dream of it that matters! The fact that I wanted something and went after it!” “Indeed...” I muttered dully, picking up a stray gumdrop off the ground and eating that as well. “Stop eating my house!” “It's not a house anymore,” I clarified, indicating the sugary rubble at our hooves. “Shouldn't let it go to waste now, should I?” “You should be calling an ambulance, or saving my life, or... something!” Ginger hollered shrilly. “Won't do you any good, I'm afraid.” “And why in Celestia's name not!?” “Because you're already dead,” I replied coolly, pointing out a ruffled light brown hoof sticking out of the pile, spotted here and there with bright pink frosting. It was true. Earlier, Ginger Snap had been alive and well. She had been working on her life-sized gingerbread house for weeks now at the edge of town—all by herself. As she put it, it was her “dream.” She poured her heart and soul into the task of making it a reality. But, as fate would have it, one of her graham cracker walls wasn't quite as sturdy as she presumed it to be and it...snapped. Subsequently, the whole thing came down on her, crushing her bones like cinnamon sticks and turning her organs to jelly. “Hah! N-Not yet, I'm not! I'm just having an out-of-body experience! Yes! That's all! Now get me out of there and call an ambulance already! You're wasting precious time!” Stage One: Denial. “I don't think you want me pulling you out of there. That fruitcake ceiling you had looked pretty...solid. Probably very messy.” The color drained from her face as the truth began to sink in. “B-But I can't be dead! I haven't finished my house yet!” Then something in her mind clicked into place and she looked at me as if noticing I was there for the very first time. “You! You could have stopped this! I-I saw you in town just a little while ago! You bumped into me just outside Sugarcube Corner and...asked me what all the sweets were for!” Stage Two: Anger. What she said was true. I bumped into her at Sugarcube Corner because I knew that was where she would be. Because I knew she was going to die soon. You see, the fact is, I'm a Reaper. And as such, when ponies die, it's my job to ferry their souls to the afterlife. Each time I'm assigned a pony, I learn their name, what they look like, and roughly what time they are going to expire. I never know exactly when, where, or how they will die—probably to keep things interesting, but from that moment on, I'm drawn to them, leading me to them like a magnet in their final moments, up until finally—kaput. She was so angry now there were tears forming in her eyes. “If you already knew, why did you ask me about the sweets then!? Were you taunting me!? Was that it!?” She was sobbing now. “W-Why didn't you warn me!? I-I could have still been alive now if you had just told me—” “I can't do that,” I answered firmly. “If it wasn't your time, I would have saved you. But if it's your time, it's your time... That's it.” “P-Please... Please....” she begged, kneeling down before me, resting her head at my hooves, tears flowing freely down her face. Stage Three: Bargaining. “If you could just...give me one more chance! At least let me say goodbye to my family first! PLEASE!” I shook my head. “I'm sorry...but I can't. If I did so, it would throw everything off balance. People would live longer than they were meant to. Things that weren't supposed to happen would happen. And the dead would never move on.” “Doesn't sound that bad to me!” “Trust me. It would be.” Stage Four: Depression. Ginger sighed and slumped to the ground completely. Her light brown fur turned gray. Her form became translucent and gave off a slight ethereal glow. “I shoulda known something about you was off the moment I saw you. Looking all creepy in your cloak and all...” “Cloak?” I asked, blinking. I looked down at myself. Oh right... the cloak. Sometimes I'd forget I was wearing it. All Reapers wore cloaks while on the job. Never understood why though. Seemed counterproductive to the whole “keeping our true nature a secret” and all that. Not that I was very good at that to begin with. “...The reason I asked you about the sweets before was because...I wanted to keep you happy in your final moments...” She looked up at me then, her crying quieting down a bit. “W-What...?” “I honestly didn't know your house was gonna fall on you. I didn't even know you were building a house. I was just thinking the sweets were for a special occasion, so I figured I'd ask you about them so you'd be focusing on that if...when...” She just stared at me silently. “I'm sorry,” I apologized, hanging my head. “It was a stupid idea... I should have just...kept my distance til it was over.” She stood up again. Even as I stared at my hooves, I could feel her eyes on me, studying me closely. “You...were trying to keep me happy? Even though you knew I'd die anyway?” “Especially since I knew you were gonna die anyway... I-I mean, I would have been nice to you, anyway! Even if you weren't gonna die, but—” I looked up and immediately bit my tongue. She was actually...smiling at me! “I...didn't think you actually cared,” she said. “Well...You're still a pony, aren't you? Dying doesn't change that. Your feelings still matter, don't they?” Stage Five: Acceptance. She bowed her head for a moment, then looked up at me again. “Thank you. It sucks that I have to die now and all, but since I apparently had to, I'm glad I have you to... Uhh... What do you do again?” “Huh? Oh! Right.” I summoned my scythe and tapped it on the ground twice. A bright light emerged from the side of us, weaving into itself to form a sprawling mansion made of graham crackers, gumdrops, chocolate, fruitcake, jelly, cinnamon, and much much more. Ginger Snap's eyes widened in awe as she took in the sight of it all. “Is...Is that...?” “Your house? Finished beyond all practicality? It could be. Why don't you go check it out for yourself?” She looked back at me then, a little unsure now. “What about you?” “Oh, me? No, I can't go with you. Death never takes a holiday and all that crap.” “Wow. Your life must suck.” “Ehh...It pays off in the end. Now, go. And try not to gets squished again.” I teased. She gave me a good-natured scowling before turning back towards the light, taking one last deep breath before charging straight for it. When she reached the front door, the light brightened tenfold then vanished without a trace, taking her with it. I sighed thoughtfully, turning my gaze back to the rubble of her previous residence—and to the hoof sticking out of it. I walked over to it and sniffed it. “Hmm...” I looked left, looked right, then wiped off a bit of the frosting before tasting it. “Mmm, strawberry!” And with that, I trotted off to town, wondering what I should do now that I finally had some free time. Catch a movie, perhaps? Chapter OneI've been around for many, many years. I have seen the first Hearth's Warming Eve. I have seen Discord's first rise to power. I have seen the banishment of Nightmare Moon. And I have seen the founding of Ponyville, the town in which I currently reside. However, although I've seen ponies come and go, from generation to generation, I've mostly kept to myself all of this time. The closest I ever get to actually knowing them personally is when I'm reaping their immortal souls from their fragile. Perhaps it because all memory and record of me is wiped clean every few years, to keep them from finding out what I am or why I never seem to get older. Or perhaps it's simply because I have poor social skills. “Hey, Lady! Your mane is reeaaally pretty!” a young colt in a propeller beanie exclaimed as he gleefully trotted up to me, with whom I assumed to be his mother in tow. “Aww, thank you little one!” “Uhh...You got a little bit of frosting on your face though...” “Hmm?” I wiped my muzzle with my hoof. “Is that better?” The young colt nodded. “Yep! What were eating anyway? Cupcakes? Pinkie Pie makes the best cupcakes!” “Nope. It was a house. A gingerbread house. A life-sized gingerbread house,” I said, clarifying myself with every sentence. The colt gasped. “A life-sized gingerbread house!? You live in a gingerbread house!?” “Nope. Just a friend of mine. Well, technically she doesn't live there anymore. She's dead now.” The colt's smile dropped. “...Dead?” he whimpered. “Yep. Flattened like a pancake.” The colt stared at me for a moment, his lower lip trembling before he finally burst into tears. Wailing quite horrendously, in fact. The colt's mother shot me a venomous look before dragging her child away from me as quickly as possible, his cries gradually fading away until they were both out of sight. Hmm... Perhaps I really do have poor social skills. The point of the matter was that even though I mostly kept to myself, I could still remember pony's faces well enough to tell when somepony was new in town. And the one I saw just inside Ponyville Theater was no exception. He was a unicorn—san marino blue with a long brown mane draped around his face and a matching brown tail. His bright green eyes were full of life as he beamed at me from behind the ticket booth. “Hello and welcome to Ponyville Theater! How may I help you this fine day?” “Err yes, um... One ticket to see Hocus Ponyocus, please?” “Ahh excellent choice! That'll be 3 bits, miss!” I gave him the money and in turn he gave me my ticket. His smile dropped a little as he looked at me. “You...seeing it alone?” “Hmm?” “Oh, not that there's anything wrong with that, of course! It's just...more fun to see movies with your friends, you know? Experience the good and the bad together—laugh at the silly parts together—” Friends, huh? I suppose the closest thing I had to one of those was Respite, the Reaper of Cloudsdale. Reapers mostly stayed within the confines of wherever they're assigned to though, in case they're needed for something. “Is that what you do?” I asked. “Well...yeah! All the time!” “Must be nice.” "Aptal, aptal Ölüm oynamak için geliyor?" “I'm sorry...what?” “I didn't say anything.” "Buraya, Ölüm! Buraya!" It was true. His muzzle wasn't moving at all. “But you do hear that, don't you?” “Uhhhh, no?” "Hahahahaha!" I turned my attention toward the entrance of one of the screening rooms to see an amorphous white entity just floating there, smiling at me. "Gel ve oyna, Ölüm!" the spirit chimed merrily before dissolving into the nearest door. “Uhh...you okay, miss? You look like you've just seen a—” “Thanks for the ticket! Gotta go!” I quickly interjected before galloping after the wayward ghost at top speed. “Enjoy the movie!” the theater attendant called after me as I slammed through the doors into the screening room. “Alright. Where are ya?” I grumbled, conjuring my cloak and my scythe. While it's a Reaper's prime directive to ferry souls to the afterlife, sometimes we are...less than successful. Sometimes spirits manage to give us the slip or leave the afterlife through some back door or summoning ritual. "Buraya, Ölüm!" It never looks good to the Boss when souls go astray... “Where are you!?” I hollered, my voice filling the confines of the screening room. Everything went black as the lights dimmed, and the movie began to play. Almost as soon as silver screen illuminated the room, I spotted the ghost moving across the screen, laughing at me. I grimaced at that and lit up the room with my magic. I was shocked by the sight of the ghost swooping down towards me, his arms outstretched with a big grin on his face. "Benimle oyna! Benimle oynaaa!" I rolled out of the way and swiped at the ghost with my scythe, but instead of hitting home, it merely grazed along his smoky form. The ghost shrieked in response nevertheless and dissolved into the nearest wall. I could hear it sobbing as it drifted further and further away. Strangely enough, I felt a twinge of guilt just then. I mean, I was just doing my job—sending the lost spirit to the afterlife, but something about how the it was behaving felt very...off to me. I had to track it down before it got too far. I burst through the door back to the lobby to see that the blue unicorn stallion from before was no longer behind the ticket booth, but was instead levitating a bouquet of flowers to mare I did recognize—by name as well as appearance. Her name was Cathode, and she a unicorn with a yellow coat, red-blue-green eyes, TV color bars for a mane, and TV static for a tail. A TV antennae also protruded from her head where her horn would be. I supposed the reason I remembered her so well was because of how distinguishable she was from everypony else. Despite my curiosity, I never asked about it. Or anything for that matter. I returned my attention back to the bouquet of flowers Higgins was giving her, then to the looks they both had. Bright eyes tender yet so full of life, a gentle rosy red blushing through their respective coats. Love. I could feel a fluttering sensation deep within my chest. Was I ever in love...? I thought back on the centuries, the millennia—but not once could I find a time where I was. A cold emptiness replaced the fluttering in my chest. My job and, well, aversion to other ponies made it difficult to connect with anypony well enough to develop such an attachment. Still— “Oh! Didn't like the movie?” I snapped out of my reverie to find Higgins and Cathode staring at me. “Or are you looking for the restroom?” Higgins asked me. “Uh...n-no, I...” Cathode approached me, giving me a concerned look. “Um, are you okay? You're looking a little...flustered.” “Cool costume, by the way!” Higgins added. “Where you wearing that when you got here?” “And that scythe...” Cathode noted. “It isn't real, is it?” Flustered? Costume? Scythe...? That's right! I'm on a job right now! I can't let that bothersome spirit get away! I immediately pushed the strange, confusing thoughts I was having away and focused on the task at hand. “Uh, yes. It is real. You two wouldn't have, by chance, seen any ghostly apparitions wandering around, have you?” There was a moment of silence as the two of them just stared at me, muzzles slightly agape. “Just wondering,” I quickly added, remembering I should try to make things at least somewhat subtle. Looking down at myself, I had a feeling I had already failed in that regard... “Ohhhh, you mean Turkish Casper?” Higgins asked gleefully. “Who...?” Cathode and I asked in response. “Turkish Casper!” He turned to Cathode. “You know! The ghost that's been haunting the theater since forever?” Cathode raised an eyebrow in response. “Higgy...I think I would have known if there's a ghost that's been around here forever.” “Yeah, me too!” I replied sharply. “Uh...I mean...wouldn't it be obvious?” Higgins shrugged. “If you really wanna know, he went that way,” he said, pointing toward the other end of the lobby—to a hallway that abruptly turned right after a certain point. “That's also where the restrooms are, in case ya have to...you know.” “Right. Thanks.” I started making my way to the lobby. “Wait!” “What?” I asked, turning back to look at them. “There's an arcade down there, too. We were planning on hanging out there later. You're more than welcome to stop by and play some games with us, if you want.” It took me a moment to process his request. “...Play?” Cathode nodded in agreement. “Yeah! Come on, it'd be fun!” I felt genuinely taken aback by their offer. “Fun...” Then I remembered what I was really there for and any thoughts I had about having fun quickly left the forefront of my mind. “Sorry. I'm busy.” Before I entered the hallway, I hesitated and said, “...Maybe I'll...stop by some other time.” Higgins and Cathode smiled and response. “We'll be here,” she said. With that, I nodded to them curtly and made my way down the hall. How peculiar, I thought to myself as I turned the corner. First I find a lost soul that's apparently been here forever. One that acts rather odd, no less. Then I see Cathode and Higgins and get these strange feelings in my chest... Then they offer to hang out with me and I find myself unable to completely shut them down. Was the theater messing with my mind somehow? ...Or was something else going on with me? I put such ponderings aside and noticed what looked like a scythe receding into the stallions' restroom. WHAT!? Reapers weren't supposed to be working outside of their jurisdiction! Did they know I've been having trouble lately and sent somepony to replace me!? In a panic, I rushed into the restroom after them. “YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO—...That's not a... Uhh... You're not a...” Words failed me. Before my eyes was not a reaper, but an unfamiliar white unicorn in a black cap that possessed...a scythe for tail. A scythe for a tail! “Um, w-what? How...?” I stammered, unable to take my eyes off of it. How was this even possible!? Was he born with it!? Was one of his parents a Reaper!? I couldn't recall a situation in which a Reaper had a child! Did it just grow out of him one day!? Did he hook it onto his plot somehow!? How was this possible!? How!? How!? How!?— The stallion cleared his throat, drawing my attention to the wildly confused and slightly agitated look on his face. “Can I help you?” I gave his scythe tail a suspicious and distrustful glance before returning my gaze back to him. “Nnnnnno.” “Okayyy then? In that case, would you mind leaving the room? Stallions only. And unless I'm mistaken, you're no stallion.” “Right... I'm not. Sorry...” I slowly backed out of the room, my eyes never leaving his tail until the restroom door swung shut in front of me. For a few seconds I just stood there, staring at the door, reflecting on what I just saw. A scythe...for a tail... I wonder if the Boss knows anything about that. The Boss... I sighed. Once again, I got distracted from my prime objective. The ghost. Hopefully, it's still around somewhere. I had only made it a few steps further down the hall when a butterfly fluttered across my field of vision. Now, normally, butterflies are just butterflies. But for Reapers, sometimes they acted as a means of receiving messages from the Boss—usually those being the names of the next souls we're supposed to reap. “Hello?” I asked hesitantly. “Hello, darlin',” a voice befitting a classy southern belle drawled softly from the butterfly. “How are you doin'?” “...Fine, I guess.” “Fine? Oh, sugar—How I beg to differ! From what I can tell, you've been slippin' up lately. More than usual, anyhow. Havin' a ghost floatin' around right under yer very nose without so much as realizin' it! My, my! How embarrassin' fer you!” “Isn't it your job to make sure I do know about this sort of thing?” I asked, feeling a bit irritated despite my standing. “Well—” “No, you know what? I don't care!” I said, feeling the irritation boil over into full-on anger. “Now, if you don't mind, I've got a job to do! You do want the job done, don't you?” “But, of course, darlin'! I'm just worried, is all! You've been actin' a bit...different lately, and I'm afraid it's gettin' in the way of yer work.” Different...? I thought to myself. So it isn't just the theater? I've been acting like this? “I've gotta go,” I said, passing the butterfly in the direction of the arcade. “Good luuuck,” the Boss called after me in a sing-song tone. As I approached the arcade, I could see the flashing multicolored lights and hear the beeps, chimes, boops of the machines inside. When I poked my head inside, I became aware of another sound—the laughter of Turkish Casper. He just jumping from machine to machine—fiddling with the controls and popping through the screens. He looked more alive than... well... most alive people I knew. I looked at my scythe and back at the ghost before taking a step into the room. Immediately, the ghost noticed me and shrunk back in fear. “Turkish Casper?” The ghost shrunk back even more at the sound of its name, trembling with fear. “I'm not gonna hurt you,” I said, cautiously taking another step closer. “I just wanna send you to—or back to—the afterlife. That's all.” The ghost shook his head vigorously, wisps of himself flying off his head in vapors as he does so. “Oh, come on! It can't be that bad!” I said, rolling my eyes. “Hiçbir fikrin yok!” “Well then...” “Ben sadece oynamak ve eğlenmek istiyorum ! Bu kadar!” He looked even more sad now than before... “You know, I can just make you go,” I said, half-heartedly brandishing my scythe at him. “But... I honestly have no information as to who you really are or where you came from. So technically... Unless the Boss finds something on you, I really don't have to bother with you if I don't want to. I guess... I don't know. I've never really had this sort of thing happen before...” The ghost's face seemed to lighten up a little. “E-Eğer doğruyu söylüyor musunuz?” I blinked. “Uh... Sure. Whatever.” Turkish Casper cried out in glee and made what I assumed was an attempt to give me a hug. Unfortunately, all he could do is pass right through me and give me a slight chill. “Alright, alright,” I sighed, smiling a little despite myself. “You can go around haunting this place for now. But if you start causing too much trouble, or if either the Boss or I track down who you really are, you're out of here. Understood?” He nodded, grinning happily. “Benimle oyna?” He asked, pointing to a game of Pac-Mare. “Ehh... Why not? I've got some time to kill. Can't stay long though. Need to have a talk with my Boss after this.” Turkish Casper nodded as I approached the machine. “Uhh... You wouldn't happen to have any bits aren't that mist, would you?” I asked sheepishly. Author's Note Thanks to the cool dudes at Mystery Brony Theater 4000 (aka MBT4K) for giving me permission to use their OCs in this story! If you have a second, go check 'em out! Pretty please? Thanks, you're so sweet! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjB8ea3AjEZB94OWzWXTRw Chapter TwoI can't tell you where I come from. I've forgotten that a long time ago. But I can tell you where the Boss says I come from. She says that a long, long time ago—before Princess Celestia was even a twinkle in her father's eyes—all ponies were immortal and pure of heart. But such purity was not meant to last. Now, remember how I just made the distinction between “where I come from” and “where the Boss says I come from?” Well, here's one of the reasons why: At this point, she likes to change the story. Sometimes she says it was an all-powerful and malevolent force from beyond the stars that corrupted ponykind. Other times she says it was ponykind itself that did itself in, becoming prideful in its immortality, leading itself to darkness out of boredom, misplaced curiosity, and self-inflicted insanity. Regardless of the reason she gives, however, the end result is always the same: The First Alicorns—apparently there were quite a few back in the day—created Death, using so much magic that most of them died in the process. Why “Death” you might ask? Why—to punish the wicked and relieve the innocent, of course. Also, now that these ponies had an expiration date stamped across their foreheads, they quickly had to learn to appreciate life, while they still had it. This plan wasn't foolproof, however. (Imagine that!) Certain ponies exploited this new concept, using it to find new and creative ways to express their depraved desires. Not to mention the slew of lost souls that starting popping up all over the place, bringing their own special little brand of chaos into the mix. Even with all of their power, the remaining First Alicorns couldn't even begin to manage it all. And so they appointed us, the Reapers, to do their dirty work for them. Here, again, the story changes: Either we were just ordinary ponies that the First Alicorns trusted to get the job done right and bestowed special powers, like immortality—the very thing that maybe, possibly started this whole mess in the first place. Or, we were created by them from scratch. Again, doesn't add up. How can you not handle ghosties yourselves, yet make ponies that can? And if you were truly near omnipotent, how can you mess Death up in the first place? Or better yet, not make something better? Or prevent ponykind from frickin' flippin' their shit in the first place! Were you just lazy? But I digress. Eventually their plan did sorta, kinda work out and now Equestria as we know it is a generally peaceful place to live. Not saying there weren't a few hiccups along the way, but that's a story for another time. Why am I telling you all of this now, you might be asking? Because the Boss is repeating the same story to me for about the millionth time now—and if I have to suffer though it, so do you. “Psyche, darlin', are you even listenin' to me?” she asks. “Every word,” I reply, trying in vain to keep the irritation out of my voice. “What has gotten into you lately?” I take a moment to think about this, then say, “Back at the theater you mentioned that I've been acting strange lately. What did you mean?” She answers with a coy grin. “Well, beyond the whole lettin'-a-ghost-roam-free thing, you've been a lot more careless with keepin' yer true nature a secret—what with roamin' around Ponyville in broad daylight with yer cloak 'n scythe 'n all, not to mention the...sympathy you've been developin' for these...mortals.” “Right... About all of that... Have you been spying on me?” The grin drops from the Boss's face. “Psyche, darlin'. It's my job to keep an eye on y'all. You know that. Now tell me, sugah... Do you remember the last time a Reaper failed to follow the rules?” I took a second to think about it. “...No?” “Well, that's because they don't exist anymore. If they fail in their duty as Reaper, they pose a threat to not only us, but to Life and Death as we know it. So we erase all record of them from existence. Except for, of course, my own personal recollection of them.” Her expression turned very grave then. “You don't wanna be erased now...do ya, Psyche?” I imagine what it would be like—being erased. It sounds like a death for Reapers, in a way. I've seen so many souls react so differently when faced with death. Some would beg for their lives with tears in their eyes. While others accepted their fate with a smile on their face. I never really thought of what I would do if I were in their place. I have to admit, I found the prospect quite fascinating to say the least. The Boss raises an eyebrow at me, as if my internal monologue is plainly written across my face. To be fair, it probably is. “Of course you don't...” she coos, studying my face closely with her big blue eyes as she approaches me. “We are so few as it is. If we lose even one, we're that much closer to bringin' ourselves to extinction. And then what?” She sighs, shaking her head somberly, her honey-colored curls bouncing from side to side as she does so. “We need to stick together, for the greater good. Which is why I'm givin' you a chance to redeem yourself, Psyche dear.” “'Redeem myself'?” I echo dully. “Yes... You see, I have reasons to suspect that a certain zebra mare by the name of Zecora has stumbled upon an ancient book of necromancy within the Everfree Forest. I need you to retrieve it for me. As you know, the Everfree Forest does not abide by the natural laws of Life and Death. Your Reaper powers will not work there. As for the zebra, the book may have revealed our existence to her, if she was not aware of us to begin with. As such, you will have to rely on subtlety and aversion to retrieve said book and make it out...relatively unscathed. Do this, and my faith in you shall be restored.” * * * * * As I was leaving the Reapers' Domain, I was stopped by one of my fellow Reapers, Prism Limit, a green pegasus stallion that presided over Cloudsdale—as he swooped down out nowhere and landed in front of me. “Hey, Psyche!” he said, greeting me with a crooked smile. “Heard you did something to piss off the Boss! What'd ya do!?” “Hello, Prism. Yes, I did indeed upset the Boss. Apparently I have been for awhile now.” “Aaaaand...?” he asked, waving his hoof for more details. “And she's sending me on an errand to retrieve something for her. So I either I do as she says, or I get...erased.” Prism's smile dropped a little as he trotted out of the way to walk beside me. “Erased? But...she can't really do that, can she?” “She's our Boss, Prism. She can do whatever she wants.” “Well...it just doesn't seem right, is all.” Despite complying to the Boss's demands, I couldn't help but agree with him. Smiling softly, I said, “Careful, Prism. Keep talking like that and you'll be next on her list.” Prism's eye dropped to the floor as he stopped in his tracks. I stopped for a moment as well, eying him curiously. When he refused to acknowledge me, I hesitantly starting making my way out of the Domain again when he called out, “Hey, Psyche!” I stopped and turned to him once more. His usual happy-go-lucky smile was nowhere to be seen. I had never seen him as serious as he was right then... “If and when you retrieve whatever it is you're looking for, you should go to the Castle of Two Sisters. Instead of coming right back here, I mean...” “Hm? Why would I ever do that?” “Because I asked you to? Trust me. It's important. You remember where the Castle is, right?” I nodded. “Of course I do.” “So you will be there?” I sighed. “Yes, Prism. I'll be there.” Prism's smile returned to him. “Great! See you there!” “Indeed...” And with that, I left through a portal at the entrance of the Domain and ended up back in the world of the living, in Ponyville. I turned in the direction of the Everfree Forest, spying the dark trees lining the horizon. I looked up at the skies above those trees and saw clouds moving of their own volition—without pegasi to guide them. ...Free. But freedom was dangerous, was it not? Rules were put in place for a reason. In a world without rules, I was vulnerable. In a world without rules, my mistakes would go on unchecked until I became lesser and lesser. Until, finally, I became unfit enough to be...erased from existence. But what if that's not true? a voice inside my head responded. What if that's just what you were lead to believe? The Boss is just a pony after all, is she not? No more or less than you? And what of other ponies? the voice continued. Like Higgins and Cathode? They are free, are they not? At least, free from the laws that bind you. Do they seem worse off for it? My thoughts flashed back to the theater. To the light in Cathode's eyes, to the smile on Higgins' face. “Perhaps...I should look into this matter further,” I said aloud to nobody but myself, making my way towards the Forest. “Maybe I'll come out of this with more than just a book in my hooves. Maybe...I'll never come out at all. Huh. Imagine that.” I said with a grin on my face. When I reached the threshold of the Forest, I glanced back in the direction of Ponyville one last time, before taking a deep breath, turning back towards the trees, and plunging into the darkness just beyond. As my eyes adjusted, I immediately spotted something white and fluffy in a nearby bush. Curious, I moved closer to inspect it. The sound of my hooves rustling against the ground caught its attention, for it popped out into the open, revealing itself to be a rabbit. The two of us stared at each other for a moment before it tilted its head at me, its little nose sniffing the air, as if it was just as curious about me as I was about it. “Angel...?” a meek voice called out from behind me. “Angel? Where did you run off to, you naughty rabbit?” I turned my head in the voice's direction and found its source. Now this pony, I definitely recognized... Chapter ThreeFriendship. Many Equestrians would have you believe that Friendship is the strongest magic there is. And occasionally seeing the current wielders of the Elements of Harmony in action, I could see why. But the “strongest magic there is?” I beg to differ. Even the Elements of Harmony would not be able to stave off Death forever. No matter how kind, loyal, honest, or generous you are—no matter how much laughter you have in your life or how much magical talent you possess, Death comes to everypony eventually. But...this is not to say such things have no value. In fact, such things are what make Life so special in the first place—something the First Alicorns were trying to teach us so long ago when they created Death in the first place. Something I've been beginning to understand more and more as of late. And right before my eyes stood the embodiment of one of those oh-so-precious Elements that make Life so special: Fluttershy. The Element of Kindness. When she first became aware of my presence, she shrunk back a little, letting out a small squeak of surprise, and perhaps terror, at the sight of me. I made sure I wasn't in my cloak or wielding my scythe before engaging her in conversation. “Hello.” She hid her face behind her flowing pink mane, uttering a rather meek acknowledgment in return. “Do not be afraid, Fluttershy. I mean you no harm.” She took a couple steps back in response. Yes, Psyche. Bring up the topic of harming her. That'll make her less afraid of you! “Maybe I should just go...” I turned away from her to find that Angel, the bunny I had spotted in the bush, had come out into the open and was eying me carefully. “Oh, Angel! There you are!” Fluttershy exclaimed, forgetting her previous shyness as she walked right up beside me. “I've been looking all over for you, you silly rabbit!” The bunny continued to stare at me awkwardly. “I think he likes you!” Fluttershy informed me, smiling brightly before quickly looking away. “I-I... Um... I'm sorry... I don't believe we've met before... Do you live here? In the forest?” I let out a sigh of relief. Good. I didn't completely scare her off. “No. I'm from Ponyville. I just...keep to myself a lot, that's all.” “Then what are you doing all the way out here? The forest is pretty dangerous, you know...” I raised an eyebrow at how ironic such a statement was. Especially directed towards a Reaper of all ponies. “I know. But I must find Zecora. It's very important.” Shit! Goddamnit, Psyche! Why can't you just keep your big muzzle shut! “Zecora?” Fluttershy asked. “I know where she is. I can bring you there. I mean, if you want...” “Oh, no! That won't be necessary! But uh...would you mind pointing me in her general direction? It's been some time since I've been in these woods...” “Oh...Um...” She pointed her hoof straight and slightly to the right. “Her hut is about seven minutes that way. If she's not there, she's probably out gathering materials for her potions...” “Right... Thank you.” I immediately started making my way to Zecora's hut. “Are... Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?” I saw a shadow move out from beyond the trees. It was the lost soul of pony who had died out here. It's form was in a great state of decay. It's innards were out, dragging along the ground. Its face was mostly skull, its fur a mess of dirt and dry blood, missing in patches here and there. The exposed dead skin was incredibly pale and peeling. As it slowly turned to face me, I immediately averted my gaze. “Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked me, her voice sounding closer this time. She couldn't see the spectre. Good. Spirits usually wouldn't bother you unless they knew you could perceive them. As long as I pretended I couldn't see it, it just might leave us alone. The fact that the Forest was nullifying most of my power might have helped as well—helped me seem like just an ordinary pony to it. I lifted my head and it was right in front of me, it's black empty sockets seeming to take in every last inch of me. I reacted by not reacting at all. I merely looked past it, passively moving my gaze around it as if observing the trees instead. “Honestly...I'm not feeling that confident in my ability to find the place on my own. Perhaps you should accompany me after all. If you're still willing, that is...” “Oh yes! I'd love to help! Plus I'd feel much better knowing you got there safely. Like I said, the forest can be quite dangerous. At least, to somepony who isn't familiar with it. What about you, Angel? Would you like to visit Zecora, too?” The bunny hopped onto Fluttershy's back, its front legs folded across its chest as it continued to watch me carefully. Honestly, I found its gaze more unsettling than the ghost's. Speaking of which, when I turned back in its general direction, it was gone. “Alrighty then! Let's go!” Fluttershy softly exclaimed, leading the way. Great. But how am I going to get away with stealing the book from Zecora with Fluttershy around? I wondered. Oh well... Guess I'll figure that out when we get there. And with that, I followed her deeper and deeper into the woods, leaving the safety of Ponyville farther and farther behind me with every step I took. Whatever would come of this little adventure, it was sure to prove quite interesting. Quite interesting, indeed... * * * * * As we ventured further and further into the Everfree Forest, I took notice of just how different it was from Ponyville. Everything here was dark, dreary, wild. While everything there was bright, colorful, and orderly. I did not, however, consider the forest to be any way malevolent, despite what we've been told. A set of hooves slowly drifted amongst the leaves in the trees, dripping a black sludge that fizzled away before touching the ground. I didn't dare focus on who they belonged to. But as I was saying, I did not consider the forest to be malevolent. It was merely following a set of rules outside our own. Sure, your life was at a greater risk of being snuffed out than it would have been if you were in the comfort of your own home, but we all die someday, right? Well, not me, perhaps. But you? Yes, you for sure. But this does not mean you should give up or live in fear. If anything, it should encourage you to live your life while you can, since it can leave you at any second, no matter what you do. Take the pony leading me, for example. She didn't not fear the woods or what may lie within it. Today, on her way home, she could be eaten by a chimera or fall into a particularly sadistic patch of poison joke, but that's not stopping her from living her life the way she wants to live it, helping animals. And Reapers too, apparently. “Fluttershy?” I asked, walking up beside her. “Hm?” “What do you see...when you look at this forest?” “Oh, um... Well... I see grass and trees. Green and healthy. Beautiful animals you can't find anywhere else. Rays of sunlight shining through the leaves...” “Sounds quite lovely. Not quite as lovely as what most other people would see.” “That's just because they won't give it a chance. There's beauty everywhere. Even where we least expect there to be.” She gave me a soft smile, and black ooze trickled down onto her face. A pony's face, upside down with bloodshot eyes and a missing jaw came into view above her, staring down at her with a cold, unblinking look. “Well, perhaps not everywhere...” I replied. The ghost's milky white pupils snapped in my direction and I dropped my gaze. “Is something wrong?” “No! I'm just...not used to these woods. That's all. Are we almost there?” “Yes. It's just over there. See?” I slowly looked up to her, sighing with relief when I saw the ghost had disappeared. She gave me another little smile and nodded ahead of us. I looked and through a thin layer of trees I saw that we were indeed very close to Zecora's hut. “Good. I was beginning to think—” BOOM! Something hit me hard from above, knocking me off my hooves and onto the ground. Fluttershy gasped in horror. “Are you okay!?” “SSSSSAAAAAVVVVEEEE USSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” I felt myself lift off the ground and turn to face both the jaw-less ghost and the first ghost I had encountered with its guts spilling out. They had been joined by the ghost of a foal who had been burnt to a crisp. How did their deaths happen? I wondered. “What's going on!?” I heard Fluttershy cry out from below. I couldn't let her know what was happening. If I did, it would only draw attention to her. “SSSSSAAAAAVVVVEEEE USSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” “I can't,” I grumbled through gritted teeth. The ghosts howled in response and hurled me into a nearby tree. I felt a very unpleasant pressure grip my body on impact, and I realized...I was in pain! I couldn't even remember the last time I was in pain! It was so strange and wonderful and...the absolute worst thing I had ever felt! I could hear Fluttershy scream and run over to me. “Oh no! Are you okay!?” “Run!” I shouted, gasping as another wave of pain shot through me. “Get out of here!” The ghosts lifted me into the air and slammed me down onto the ground again. Air I previously didn't think I needed forced its way out of my lungs, and my vision started to darken around the edges. But I was still able to see Fluttershy running away from here as fast as she could, Angel gripping tightly to her back. He was still looking at me as they disappeared from view. Good... May your death be more peaceful than mine, little pony... “SSSSSAAAAAVVVVEEEE USSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” I struggled to look up at the ghosts. “I...I'm sorry you're suffering. B-But there's nothing I can do here. If you could just...follow me to the edge of the forest—” Again they lifted me off the ground and slammed me down. This time the pain actually lessened and the darkness grew more pronounced. I smiled. I wondered what I'd look like as a ghost. I wondered if I'd still have the sense to venture out of the woods and be found by another Reaper, or if I would wonder aimlessly through the trees, waiting for somepony to take notice of me. Again the ground left me and returned to me once more. This time I felt no pain and the last bit of light left my vision entirely. But even then, one last image entered my thoughts: Higgins and Cathode. So full of love... So full of life... Although I was no longer able to feel it, I knew I was crying. Lucky them... “Though Death you are, dead you'll not be... Your journey is not over, so awaken...Psyche...” I opened my eyes and the light returned. But I was no longer where I had been. Instead I was in an enclosed space. Bottles of various colors were strung up on the ceiling and settled on shelves. Masked lined the walls, watching as a zebra mare worked in front of a bubbling cauldron. “Psyche!” I heard a familiar voice gasp. Fluttershy was beside me with Angel. She must have learned my name while I was out. Which only meant... “For your life, Fluttershy did fear. But worry not—ghosts here will not appear.” Zecora handed both of us a wooden cup filled with some sort of liquid I couldn't recognize. “Drink this to regain your strength. The reason you're here, we shall discuss at length...” Chapter FourSo many strange things have happened to me lately. I really don't know how to feel about any of it. And whenever I try to remember if things like this have happened before—I mean, I've been around for quite a long time. Surely I've run across these sort of things before—everything just seems...wrong. Things are missing. They don't make sense. Have I really not taken the time to reflect before? Or can I no longer remember things because the memories are no longer there? “Well, that's because they don't exist anymore,” the Boss had told me. “If they fail in their duty as Reaper, they pose a threat to not only us, but to Life and Death as we know it. So we erase all record of them from existence. Except for, of course, my own personal recollection of them. “You don't wanna be erased now...do ya, Psyche?” I thought back to when the lost souls of the Forest nearly killed me. At first I was okay with dying. But then... “Psyche, are you even listening to me?” Zecora asked, bringing my attention back to her. “Saving your life wasn't mere fortuity.” I stared at her blankly. “...What?” I was standing in her hollowed out tree home. I noticed a nervous-looking Fluttershy beside her and wondered how much Zecora had told her about what she saw. “I knew you were coming for the tome,” the zebra mare explained. “The one without which you can never go home. It's forbidden secrets fill my mind—of life and death, you and your kind.” She appeared to pull the book out of thin air. It was a heavy-looking, leather-bound tome with a pony's skull on the front. It seemed to have a presence all on its own—like it knew where it was and who it was with. Zecora extended it out to me, and I reached out my magic to take it from her. “It is yours to do with what you will. Our fate is in your hooves—for good or for ill.” “Wait...what? Your fate is in my hooves? What's that supposed to mean?” Zecora lowered her head. “It appears I have said more than I should. I must clear my memories of this for good. Fluttershy, you must drink as well. To keep Psyche safe, what you've seen and heard, you can never, ever tell.” “B-But...I wound never...” Fluttershy stuttered. “I don't even know what I saw!” She turned her big blue eyes to me. “Are you okay, Psyche? “I'm fine. I think. That's never...happened to me before. I can see again. And I can feel again,” I said, tapping my hooves on the ground. “That's good. I guess.” “You just...lifted into the air and started getting thrown around! I was so scared! I thought you were going to die!” “You want me to...live?” Fluttershy looked confused. “O-Of course I do!” “No one's ever been that concerned about me before. Then again, no one's had to.” “What are you talking about? Aren't your friends concerned about you?” “I... I don't have any friends, Fluttershy.” The yellow pegasus gasped and covered her muzzle with her hooves. “No friends!? Oh, how sad!” I looked down at the ground, unsure of how to respond. “C-Can I be your friend?” I looked back up at her. She was smiling now, her face half-hidden behind her mane. “I—” “That enough—from both of you,” Zecora said quietly. There seemed to be a sadness in her eyes as she looked at me. “Fluttershy, the brew.” Fluttershy gingerly took the cup in her hooves. “What will this do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Like I've said, it will make you forget—prevent you from doing something you'll regret.” Fluttershy turned her gaze to me, as if silently pleading for my help. “Do it,” I told her softly. “It's for the best. Just...thank you. For caring about me.” She looked like she was about to drink from the cup, but then, before I could realize what was going on, she charged at me, wrapping her hooves around me tight. “Promise you'll come to my hut sometime, okay!? I can introduce you to the animals! And my other friends! They'll love you! I know they will!” “I...” I gently pushed her away and made my way to the door. Without looking back at her or Zecora, I said, “Thanks again. But I really must go. Take care of yourselves. Both of you.” As soon as I made my way outside, I took off in a full gallop. I just had to get as far away from there as possible. I was glad that Fluttershy and Zecora cared. I really was. But being around them...just being around anyone—it felt like I was putting them in danger. No one lives long when Death is around. Perhaps that was why I never bothered befriending ponies before. Things get too complicated that way. You second-guess your job. You show favoritism. You expose them to ghosts that could kill them. Your boss questions your integrity... I stopped galloping, took a deep breath, closed my eyes... Perhaps its best that I just forget all of this too. Higgins. Cathode. Turkish Casper. Fluttershy. Zecora. I allowed myself to think about each of them for just a few seconds more, before I pushed all of them down into the dark depths of my mind, replacing the warmth I felt with cold indifference. I turned my attention to the direction of the Castle of Two Sisters. Prism Limit had wanted me to meet him there before returning to the Boss. Why? For a moment, I considered forgetting about that too. After all, the only I stayed in the Forest, the longer I was in danger. But I felt the book...staring at me. I floated it out in front of me with my magic and the feeling intensified. I felt my neck being craned into the direction of the Castle. Then I felt one of my hooves move out in front of me, taking a step towards it. Then another. Then another. * * * * * Before I knew it, I was there. It had been a long time since I last walked its halls. It was back before Luna's exile to the moon. Such a shame that was... I remember Princess Celestia ordering the Reapers to stay far away from her sister before their confrontation. She knew the Nightmares were draining her life force as they took her over completely and that her name may be whispered to one us. But she, of course, had no authority over my kind. And you know what? We ALL heard her name. “Luna Luna Luna...” We had all gathered around in the shadows, watching as the sisters fought. But in the end, Princess Luna's life was spared when Princess Celestia sent her to the moon. Not only could the Reapers not reach the moon on their own, but its power kept her life force stable. When Nightmare Moon returned, Princess Luna was dying again and we all heard her name in our ears. “Luna Luna Luna...” Again, we watched her closely. But again, she cheated death as the Elements of Harmony freed her of the Nightmares. Needless to say, the Boss wasn't too happy about that. “Psyche?” I realized the Reaper of Cloudsdale was standing right in front of me. “What are you doing? Are you okay?” The book slipped out of my magical grip and fell to the floor. I could suddenly feel my legs again. Well that was odd... “Oh! You brought the book! Excellent!” Prism scooped the book up in his hooves and hovered a few feet in the air with his wings. “Come on! This way!” “W-Where are we going?” I asked, still unsure as to why exactly Prism had asked me to come here. “I'll explain once we find the others.” “Others...?” * * * * * There are 30 Reapers total, including me and the Boss. Some only preside over certain settlements, while others preside over whole regions of Equestria. When a pony dies beyond Equestrian lines or within the Everfree Forest, we cannot send their souls to the afterlife—not unless their soul find its way to where our powers can be of use. Before me were five of those 30 Reapers, all leaving their assigned territories behind to meet up here, in this rundown castle, in a forest in which they were essentially powerless. But why? “We're going to overthrow the Boss,” Prism answered plainly. Hearing the words “overthrow” and “Boss” in the same sentence was so ludicrous to me that it took me a second or two to fully comprehend the concept of it. “W-What!?!?” “Our range of power in Equestria is receding,” Threnody, the Reaper of Baltimare explained. “Whatever force nullifies our magic within the Everfree Forest and beyond Equestrian borders is extending its reach, little by little every day!” “The Boss refuses to acknowledge this to anyone,” Segue of Vanhoover chimed in. “But we found it out without her help, when we found ourselves weakened within the borders of our territories.” “She thinks with this book she can fix it somehow,” Prism explained, indicating the Tome of Necromancy in her hooves. “Not only that. She wants to extend our reach across the entire world.” “Well... Is that necessarily a bad thing?” I asked, thinking of the lost souls that nearly killed me in the woods. “If she makes it so we can reap souls anywhere, then that means we'd all have to cover more ground, collect souls more frequently, and that's not even including the lost souls that are already flying around everywhere for the ages in which we couldn't reap them at all. “She thinks she can make a decision like this on her own, without taking our own feelings into consideration. We're just pawns to her, doing her dirty work while she sits up in her Domain. Doesn't that seem unfair to you?” “Well... I guess... But... Isn't reaping souls what we're supposed to do? I mean, you know what happens when they're left to wander...” “Not all souls that wander are 'lost.' In fact, many of the ones we've observed would rather just be left alone. They're fine with staying here in Equestria.” “But what about the ones that want to leave? Or the ones that are too dangerous to let stay?” “Psyche... We've been doing this job for longer than we can remember. And as far as we're concerned, we never asked for this kind of responsibility. Don't we deserve a rest, too? Don't we deserve to live a normal life like everyone else? “These souls that want to move on have forever to come to terms with staying. They can even learn to enjoy it. As for the dangerous ones, there are dangerous living ponies, too. Yet we don't have to do anything about them. Hell, we're not even supposed to interfere with the living, according to the Boss. So why should it matter?” I wasn't sure what to think just then. All of these Reapers could be erased for something like this. Hell, I could be erased just for being here. I really wasn't sure what to do... “Psyche, don't you wanna know what it's like to live like a normal pony? To make friends with them?” Despite previously trying to forget them, I couldn't help but think about Higgins, Cathode, Zecora, and Fluttershy once more. If I helped in overthrowing the Boss, I could live alongside them. I could live... But then I thought of the three ghosts in the forest. They were so mangled, so desperate to be free of a torment I couldn't possibly comprehend. Should I really be responsible for handling such matters? Prism approached me slowly, his emerald gaze bearing down on me as I stood before him in silence. “So, Psyche? What will you choose?” Chapter FiveMy job never really left me with much choice. You go find a departed soul, or one about to depart, and sent them to the afterlife. There was no bargaining, no favors, no letting them escape their fate. And once it’s done, you wait until you have to do it all over again. I had always believed we were doing Equestria a service in ferrying the dead away. And then there are the rogue Reapers like Prism Limit, who believe that our job doesn’t really matter—that we are all slaves to it. And with everything that’s happened lately, I can’t say I completely disagree with him. As for his idea that we could live normal lives like everypony else, I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. How different would things be for me, really? And would I be any...good at it? I felt my attention being pulled in the direction of the book in Prism’s hooves. “If I don’t return that book to the Boss—” “She’s not our ‘boss,’ Psyche.” “Y-You know what I mean...” “I’m sorry, Psyche. But we can’t let her get her hooves on this book. If you choose to help us, you can stay here. We’ll keep you safe until we make our move. But once you join us, you’ll have to see it through to the end, understood?” “But...I-I need some time to think. This isn’t some small thing you’re asking of me, Prism! Maybe things do need to change, but is taking...Her down and abandoning our life’s work really the best way of going about it?” “There’s no other way, Psyche! You’re either with us...or you’re against us!” I had no idea what to do. What was the right thing to do here!?!? The book… The book might have answers! I mean, if it held the means to both turn the entire world into Reaper territory and take down the head Reaper herself, maybe it held a third option amongst its pages! One that could benefit everypony! “I’m sorry, Prism…” I reached out with my magic, encircling the book in a bluish glow before pulling it forcibly from his grasp. Shock covered his face and before I knew it I was surrounded by Reapers. “Nocturne! Now!” Prism shouted. A song escaped the reaper mare’s lips, and I felt my limbs grow heavy—my vision blurring. “Segue, the book!” I heard Prism’s voice echo in the distance. N-No! My magic latched onto the book with greater force and the book started emitting a glow of its own. A deep green light weaved its way around my magic. A voiceless whisper filled my head with the words: You feel so lost and confused, don’t you little one? Here. Let Us show you truth you may not even know you seek... And with that, the book’s magic eclipsed my own. It found its way around my horn and filling my vision with its light. Everything fell away and when the light faded, I saw I was in the foyer of the Reaper’s domain. But something about it was off. And by that I mean I was looking at myself just a few feet away, speaking with a tall white unicorn stallion with teal streaks in his mane and tail. “You don’t have to do this, Eros,” the other me pleaded. “Let’s just...leave Equestria! Just the two of us! Our powers down extend beyond the borders! She’ll never find us!” “Psyche, my love...I can’t do that. You know I can’t. The Boss is right. We have an obligation as Reapers of Equestria. Just not in the way she sees it. I have to convince her. And I have to do it on my own.” I approached the two slowly. They didn’t seem to notice me at all. Looking myself over, I noticed the white and teal streaks in my mane were gone. Was there a time when I didn’t have them? And then I turned my attention to the stallion. I had called him Eros, the pony the Boss had erased. But I thought she said she had erased all trace of him but her memories. And...And did he just call me “my love”...? “But why?” my reflection asked. “Let me come with you! We can convince her together!” “She told me to come alone. I’m going to respect her wishes and do just that. If we both go, it’ll only give a bad impression before I say what I have to say. And if things go poorly…” He looked away for a moment. “I don’t want you to be caught in the middle of it. Understood?” “No.” Eros smiled a little. “That’s fine. Just...stay here for me, okay? I should be back before too long.” I sighed. “Alright.” “Hey...I love you.” “I love you, too.” And with that, he gave me a small peck on the cheek before proceeding further into the confines of the palace. Everything changed once more. And now I was at the center of the domain, where I had spoken to the Boss earlier. Only now here she was, speaking with Eros. “Do you even begin to understand what it is you’ve done?” she asked, her voice cold and biting. “I do. I’ve allowed the deceased to stay with their loved ones, if they so wish it. And many of them do. Is that wrong?” “Yes! It is! All departed souls are to be ferried to the afterlife! All of them! If we start letting some ponies slip through the cracks, word will get out and eventually every pony will think they can get away with staying! Not to mention the threat to our own safety, if the wrong people learned of our existence! We cannot allow that!” “What is it about the afterlife that makes it so important anyway? Why does everypony have to face it someday?” “Because that’s what the First Alicorns wanted when they made Death! If you allow there to be no consequences, Death becomes meaningless! And before you know it, ponykind goes right back to being the dark, diseased monster of a thing it once was! The First Ones’ sacrifice would have been all for nothing!” “Perhaps that would be somewhat true, but not all ponies would turn into monsters in those circumstances. We didn’t. It was why we were chosen in the first place, remember?” The Boss closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, Eros… But that is not a risk I’m willing to take.” A blinding light erupted from her horn and Eros’s body started flaking away into nothingness. “N-NO!” he cried out. “PLEASE!” “EROS!” The other me crashed through the door and froze at what she saw. The Boss’s gaze slowly turned to her as she continued to attack Eros. “NO!” Eros pleaded. “DON’T YOU HURT HER!” The other me seemed to snap back to reality at the sound of Eros’s voice and charged forth, pushing him out of the way of the Boss’s spell with one of her own. The Boss dismissed her spell and just sat there, looking down at them both, her face devoid of expression. The other Psyche clamored over to Eros, who had collapsed onto the floor, still slowly turning into dust. I could hear myself weeping as she lightly nudged him with her muzzle. “E-Eros…” “I’m sorry, my love… But I tried my best…” I heard him whisper to her. “It looks like I have to go now. I’m sorry…” “P-Please don’t go… We can fix this… I know we can!” “No, Psyche… I’m afraid in this case, we can’t. Trust me, I don’t want to go. I really don’t… But... Psyche, listen to me. Don’t let this end you. You have so much to live for. You can still make a difference. I know you can… Just—” And before he could even finish what he was saying, he was gone. Just like that. For what seemed like forever, there was only silence. And then...slowly...the other me got to her hooves and turned to face the Boss, a murderous glint in her eyes as she stared her down. “I...I’m going to kill you…” A few speckles of dust, all that remained of Eros, floated down atop her mane, causing it to change colors, bringing about the white and teal streaks I’ve had for as long as I could remember. “N-No,” the Boss replied, her voice shaking a little. “I’m afraid you won’t. We’ve already lost one of our own today… I don’t intend for us to lose another one. I’m sorry, Psyche. I know you loved him. But this was for the greater good. I know one day, you’ll understand. But for now—” The other Psyche shot a ray of energy at the Boss, who deflected it easily and returned the favor with one of her own. The other Psyche was flung into the air and hit the floor hard, the force of the blow knocking her unconscious. “From this day forward,” the Boss continued, “No one shall remember the Reaper Eros, but me. And as for all of the souls he’s let wander free, those will be ferried away immediately. We will leave this little mess behind us and continue to carry out the will of the First Ones. Forever...and always.” And with that, the vision faded into nothingness and I was no longer in the Reaper’s domain or the Castle of Two Sisters, but in Ponyville, the book resting at my hooves. As I looked down at it, I reflected on what it had just shown me. Eros...was a real pony. He was erased by the Boss. And...I knew him. I loved him. But... that was a long time ago. As I witnessed the events that transpired, I realized that the Psyche I saw felt like a stranger to me. Somepony other than who I was now. Whether that was because of the memory wipe or something more, I couldn’t quite say. But one thing was for certain. I had found my third option. Eros believed we could allow some souls to stay while still reaping others. If such a thing was allowed to happen, the Reapers would be allowed greater freedom while still being Reapers. I had to confront the Boss about this. If I could succeed where Eros failed, I could stop this civil war amongst our kind before it ever truly began. And I failed, well… I’m pretty much just a ghost anyway, aren’t I? Author's Note It took me FOREVER to update this story but here it is! The next chapter will mark the conclusion of this story arc! Afterwards, this story will take off in a new direction! Hope you enjoyed!
Prologue“I agree, Ginger Snap,” I said as I picked up a brick of chocolate with my magic, broke off a piece and started chewing on it. “Building a house out of confectionery delights does sound quite lovely...”—nom, nom, nom—“...but it just isn't all that practical, now, is it?” The light brown mare scoffed at that. “Practical, shmactical! It's the dream of it that matters! The fact that I wanted something and went after it!” “Indeed...” I muttered dully, picking up a stray gumdrop off the ground and eating that as well. “Stop eating my house!” “It's not a house anymore,” I clarified, indicating the sugary rubble at our hooves. “Shouldn't let it go to waste now, should I?” “You should be calling an ambulance, or saving my life, or... something!” Ginger hollered shrilly. “Won't do you any good, I'm afraid.” “And why in Celestia's name not!?” “Because you're already dead,” I replied coolly, pointing out a ruffled light brown hoof sticking out of the pile, spotted here and there with bright pink frosting. It was true. Earlier, Ginger Snap had been alive and well. She had been working on her life-sized gingerbread house for weeks now at the edge of town—all by herself. As she put it, it was her “dream.” She poured her heart and soul into the task of making it a reality. But, as fate would have it, one of her graham cracker walls wasn't quite as sturdy as she presumed it to be and it...snapped. Subsequently, the whole thing came down on her, crushing her bones like cinnamon sticks and turning her organs to jelly. “Hah! N-Not yet, I'm not! I'm just having an out-of-body experience! Yes! That's all! Now get me out of there and call an ambulance already! You're wasting precious time!” Stage One: Denial. “I don't think you want me pulling you out of there. That fruitcake ceiling you had looked pretty...solid. Probably very messy.” The color drained from her face as the truth began to sink in. “B-But I can't be dead! I haven't finished my house yet!” Then something in her mind clicked into place and she looked at me as if noticing I was there for the very first time. “You! You could have stopped this! I-I saw you in town just a little while ago! You bumped into me just outside Sugarcube Corner and...asked me what all the sweets were for!” Stage Two: Anger. What she said was true. I bumped into her at Sugarcube Corner because I knew that was where she would be. Because I knew she was going to die soon. You see, the fact is, I'm a Reaper. And as such, when ponies die, it's my job to ferry their souls to the afterlife. Each time I'm assigned a pony, I learn their name, what they look like, and roughly what time they are going to expire. I never know exactly when, where, or how they will die—probably to keep things interesting, but from that moment on, I'm drawn to them, leading me to them like a magnet in their final moments, up until finally—kaput. She was so angry now there were tears forming in her eyes. “If you already knew, why did you ask me about the sweets then!? Were you taunting me!? Was that it!?” She was sobbing now. “W-Why didn't you warn me!? I-I could have still been alive now if you had just told me—” “I can't do that,” I answered firmly. “If it wasn't your time, I would have saved you. But if it's your time, it's your time... That's it.” “P-Please... Please....” she begged, kneeling down before me, resting her head at my hooves, tears flowing freely down her face. Stage Three: Bargaining. “If you could just...give me one more chance! At least let me say goodbye to my family first! PLEASE!” I shook my head. “I'm sorry...but I can't. If I did so, it would throw everything off balance. People would live longer than they were meant to. Things that weren't supposed to happen would happen. And the dead would never move on.” “Doesn't sound that bad to me!” “Trust me. It would be.” Stage Four: Depression. Ginger sighed and slumped to the ground completely. Her light brown fur turned gray. Her form became translucent and gave off a slight ethereal glow. “I shoulda known something about you was off the moment I saw you. Looking all creepy in your cloak and all...” “Cloak?” I asked, blinking. I looked down at myself. Oh right... the cloak. Sometimes I'd forget I was wearing it. All Reapers wore cloaks while on the job. Never understood why though. Seemed counterproductive to the whole “keeping our true nature a secret” and all that. Not that I was very good at that to begin with. “...The reason I asked you about the sweets before was because...I wanted to keep you happy in your final moments...” She looked up at me then, her crying quieting down a bit. “W-What...?” “I honestly didn't know your house was gonna fall on you. I didn't even know you were building a house. I was just thinking the sweets were for a special occasion, so I figured I'd ask you about them so you'd be focusing on that if...when...” She just stared at me silently. “I'm sorry,” I apologized, hanging my head. “It was a stupid idea... I should have just...kept my distance til it was over.” She stood up again. Even as I stared at my hooves, I could feel her eyes on me, studying me closely. “You...were trying to keep me happy? Even though you knew I'd die anyway?” “Especially since I knew you were gonna die anyway... I-I mean, I would have been nice to you, anyway! Even if you weren't gonna die, but—” I looked up and immediately bit my tongue. She was actually...smiling at me! “I...didn't think you actually cared,” she said. “Well...You're still a pony, aren't you? Dying doesn't change that. Your feelings still matter, don't they?” Stage Five: Acceptance. She bowed her head for a moment, then looked up at me again. “Thank you. It sucks that I have to die now and all, but since I apparently had to, I'm glad I have you to... Uhh... What do you do again?” “Huh? Oh! Right.” I summoned my scythe and tapped it on the ground twice. A bright light emerged from the side of us, weaving into itself to form a sprawling mansion made of graham crackers, gumdrops, chocolate, fruitcake, jelly, cinnamon, and much much more. Ginger Snap's eyes widened in awe as she took in the sight of it all. “Is...Is that...?” “Your house? Finished beyond all practicality? It could be. Why don't you go check it out for yourself?” She looked back at me then, a little unsure now. “What about you?” “Oh, me? No, I can't go with you. Death never takes a holiday and all that crap.” “Wow. Your life must suck.” “Ehh...It pays off in the end. Now, go. And try not to gets squished again.” I teased. She gave me a good-natured scowling before turning back towards the light, taking one last deep breath before charging straight for it. When she reached the front door, the light brightened tenfold then vanished without a trace, taking her with it. I sighed thoughtfully, turning my gaze back to the rubble of her previous residence—and to the hoof sticking out of it. I walked over to it and sniffed it. “Hmm...” I looked left, looked right, then wiped off a bit of the frosting before tasting it. “Mmm, strawberry!” And with that, I trotted off to town, wondering what I should do now that I finally had some free time. Catch a movie, perhaps?
Chapter OneI've been around for many, many years. I have seen the first Hearth's Warming Eve. I have seen Discord's first rise to power. I have seen the banishment of Nightmare Moon. And I have seen the founding of Ponyville, the town in which I currently reside. However, although I've seen ponies come and go, from generation to generation, I've mostly kept to myself all of this time. The closest I ever get to actually knowing them personally is when I'm reaping their immortal souls from their fragile. Perhaps it because all memory and record of me is wiped clean every few years, to keep them from finding out what I am or why I never seem to get older. Or perhaps it's simply because I have poor social skills. “Hey, Lady! Your mane is reeaaally pretty!” a young colt in a propeller beanie exclaimed as he gleefully trotted up to me, with whom I assumed to be his mother in tow. “Aww, thank you little one!” “Uhh...You got a little bit of frosting on your face though...” “Hmm?” I wiped my muzzle with my hoof. “Is that better?” The young colt nodded. “Yep! What were eating anyway? Cupcakes? Pinkie Pie makes the best cupcakes!” “Nope. It was a house. A gingerbread house. A life-sized gingerbread house,” I said, clarifying myself with every sentence. The colt gasped. “A life-sized gingerbread house!? You live in a gingerbread house!?” “Nope. Just a friend of mine. Well, technically she doesn't live there anymore. She's dead now.” The colt's smile dropped. “...Dead?” he whimpered. “Yep. Flattened like a pancake.” The colt stared at me for a moment, his lower lip trembling before he finally burst into tears. Wailing quite horrendously, in fact. The colt's mother shot me a venomous look before dragging her child away from me as quickly as possible, his cries gradually fading away until they were both out of sight. Hmm... Perhaps I really do have poor social skills. The point of the matter was that even though I mostly kept to myself, I could still remember pony's faces well enough to tell when somepony was new in town. And the one I saw just inside Ponyville Theater was no exception. He was a unicorn—san marino blue with a long brown mane draped around his face and a matching brown tail. His bright green eyes were full of life as he beamed at me from behind the ticket booth. “Hello and welcome to Ponyville Theater! How may I help you this fine day?” “Err yes, um... One ticket to see Hocus Ponyocus, please?” “Ahh excellent choice! That'll be 3 bits, miss!” I gave him the money and in turn he gave me my ticket. His smile dropped a little as he looked at me. “You...seeing it alone?” “Hmm?” “Oh, not that there's anything wrong with that, of course! It's just...more fun to see movies with your friends, you know? Experience the good and the bad together—laugh at the silly parts together—” Friends, huh? I suppose the closest thing I had to one of those was Respite, the Reaper of Cloudsdale. Reapers mostly stayed within the confines of wherever they're assigned to though, in case they're needed for something. “Is that what you do?” I asked. “Well...yeah! All the time!” “Must be nice.” "Aptal, aptal Ölüm oynamak için geliyor?" “I'm sorry...what?” “I didn't say anything.” "Buraya, Ölüm! Buraya!" It was true. His muzzle wasn't moving at all. “But you do hear that, don't you?” “Uhhhh, no?” "Hahahahaha!" I turned my attention toward the entrance of one of the screening rooms to see an amorphous white entity just floating there, smiling at me. "Gel ve oyna, Ölüm!" the spirit chimed merrily before dissolving into the nearest door. “Uhh...you okay, miss? You look like you've just seen a—” “Thanks for the ticket! Gotta go!” I quickly interjected before galloping after the wayward ghost at top speed. “Enjoy the movie!” the theater attendant called after me as I slammed through the doors into the screening room. “Alright. Where are ya?” I grumbled, conjuring my cloak and my scythe. While it's a Reaper's prime directive to ferry souls to the afterlife, sometimes we are...less than successful. Sometimes spirits manage to give us the slip or leave the afterlife through some back door or summoning ritual. "Buraya, Ölüm!" It never looks good to the Boss when souls go astray... “Where are you!?” I hollered, my voice filling the confines of the screening room. Everything went black as the lights dimmed, and the movie began to play. Almost as soon as silver screen illuminated the room, I spotted the ghost moving across the screen, laughing at me. I grimaced at that and lit up the room with my magic. I was shocked by the sight of the ghost swooping down towards me, his arms outstretched with a big grin on his face. "Benimle oyna! Benimle oynaaa!" I rolled out of the way and swiped at the ghost with my scythe, but instead of hitting home, it merely grazed along his smoky form. The ghost shrieked in response nevertheless and dissolved into the nearest wall. I could hear it sobbing as it drifted further and further away. Strangely enough, I felt a twinge of guilt just then. I mean, I was just doing my job—sending the lost spirit to the afterlife, but something about how the it was behaving felt very...off to me. I had to track it down before it got too far. I burst through the door back to the lobby to see that the blue unicorn stallion from before was no longer behind the ticket booth, but was instead levitating a bouquet of flowers to mare I did recognize—by name as well as appearance. Her name was Cathode, and she a unicorn with a yellow coat, red-blue-green eyes, TV color bars for a mane, and TV static for a tail. A TV antennae also protruded from her head where her horn would be. I supposed the reason I remembered her so well was because of how distinguishable she was from everypony else. Despite my curiosity, I never asked about it. Or anything for that matter. I returned my attention back to the bouquet of flowers Higgins was giving her, then to the looks they both had. Bright eyes tender yet so full of life, a gentle rosy red blushing through their respective coats. Love. I could feel a fluttering sensation deep within my chest. Was I ever in love...? I thought back on the centuries, the millennia—but not once could I find a time where I was. A cold emptiness replaced the fluttering in my chest. My job and, well, aversion to other ponies made it difficult to connect with anypony well enough to develop such an attachment. Still— “Oh! Didn't like the movie?” I snapped out of my reverie to find Higgins and Cathode staring at me. “Or are you looking for the restroom?” Higgins asked me. “Uh...n-no, I...” Cathode approached me, giving me a concerned look. “Um, are you okay? You're looking a little...flustered.” “Cool costume, by the way!” Higgins added. “Where you wearing that when you got here?” “And that scythe...” Cathode noted. “It isn't real, is it?” Flustered? Costume? Scythe...? That's right! I'm on a job right now! I can't let that bothersome spirit get away! I immediately pushed the strange, confusing thoughts I was having away and focused on the task at hand. “Uh, yes. It is real. You two wouldn't have, by chance, seen any ghostly apparitions wandering around, have you?” There was a moment of silence as the two of them just stared at me, muzzles slightly agape. “Just wondering,” I quickly added, remembering I should try to make things at least somewhat subtle. Looking down at myself, I had a feeling I had already failed in that regard... “Ohhhh, you mean Turkish Casper?” Higgins asked gleefully. “Who...?” Cathode and I asked in response. “Turkish Casper!” He turned to Cathode. “You know! The ghost that's been haunting the theater since forever?” Cathode raised an eyebrow in response. “Higgy...I think I would have known if there's a ghost that's been around here forever.” “Yeah, me too!” I replied sharply. “Uh...I mean...wouldn't it be obvious?” Higgins shrugged. “If you really wanna know, he went that way,” he said, pointing toward the other end of the lobby—to a hallway that abruptly turned right after a certain point. “That's also where the restrooms are, in case ya have to...you know.” “Right. Thanks.” I started making my way to the lobby. “Wait!” “What?” I asked, turning back to look at them. “There's an arcade down there, too. We were planning on hanging out there later. You're more than welcome to stop by and play some games with us, if you want.” It took me a moment to process his request. “...Play?” Cathode nodded in agreement. “Yeah! Come on, it'd be fun!” I felt genuinely taken aback by their offer. “Fun...” Then I remembered what I was really there for and any thoughts I had about having fun quickly left the forefront of my mind. “Sorry. I'm busy.” Before I entered the hallway, I hesitated and said, “...Maybe I'll...stop by some other time.” Higgins and Cathode smiled and response. “We'll be here,” she said. With that, I nodded to them curtly and made my way down the hall. How peculiar, I thought to myself as I turned the corner. First I find a lost soul that's apparently been here forever. One that acts rather odd, no less. Then I see Cathode and Higgins and get these strange feelings in my chest... Then they offer to hang out with me and I find myself unable to completely shut them down. Was the theater messing with my mind somehow? ...Or was something else going on with me? I put such ponderings aside and noticed what looked like a scythe receding into the stallions' restroom. WHAT!? Reapers weren't supposed to be working outside of their jurisdiction! Did they know I've been having trouble lately and sent somepony to replace me!? In a panic, I rushed into the restroom after them. “YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO—...That's not a... Uhh... You're not a...” Words failed me. Before my eyes was not a reaper, but an unfamiliar white unicorn in a black cap that possessed...a scythe for tail. A scythe for a tail! “Um, w-what? How...?” I stammered, unable to take my eyes off of it. How was this even possible!? Was he born with it!? Was one of his parents a Reaper!? I couldn't recall a situation in which a Reaper had a child! Did it just grow out of him one day!? Did he hook it onto his plot somehow!? How was this possible!? How!? How!? How!?— The stallion cleared his throat, drawing my attention to the wildly confused and slightly agitated look on his face. “Can I help you?” I gave his scythe tail a suspicious and distrustful glance before returning my gaze back to him. “Nnnnnno.” “Okayyy then? In that case, would you mind leaving the room? Stallions only. And unless I'm mistaken, you're no stallion.” “Right... I'm not. Sorry...” I slowly backed out of the room, my eyes never leaving his tail until the restroom door swung shut in front of me. For a few seconds I just stood there, staring at the door, reflecting on what I just saw. A scythe...for a tail... I wonder if the Boss knows anything about that. The Boss... I sighed. Once again, I got distracted from my prime objective. The ghost. Hopefully, it's still around somewhere. I had only made it a few steps further down the hall when a butterfly fluttered across my field of vision. Now, normally, butterflies are just butterflies. But for Reapers, sometimes they acted as a means of receiving messages from the Boss—usually those being the names of the next souls we're supposed to reap. “Hello?” I asked hesitantly. “Hello, darlin',” a voice befitting a classy southern belle drawled softly from the butterfly. “How are you doin'?” “...Fine, I guess.” “Fine? Oh, sugar—How I beg to differ! From what I can tell, you've been slippin' up lately. More than usual, anyhow. Havin' a ghost floatin' around right under yer very nose without so much as realizin' it! My, my! How embarrassin' fer you!” “Isn't it your job to make sure I do know about this sort of thing?” I asked, feeling a bit irritated despite my standing. “Well—” “No, you know what? I don't care!” I said, feeling the irritation boil over into full-on anger. “Now, if you don't mind, I've got a job to do! You do want the job done, don't you?” “But, of course, darlin'! I'm just worried, is all! You've been actin' a bit...different lately, and I'm afraid it's gettin' in the way of yer work.” Different...? I thought to myself. So it isn't just the theater? I've been acting like this? “I've gotta go,” I said, passing the butterfly in the direction of the arcade. “Good luuuck,” the Boss called after me in a sing-song tone. As I approached the arcade, I could see the flashing multicolored lights and hear the beeps, chimes, boops of the machines inside. When I poked my head inside, I became aware of another sound—the laughter of Turkish Casper. He just jumping from machine to machine—fiddling with the controls and popping through the screens. He looked more alive than... well... most alive people I knew. I looked at my scythe and back at the ghost before taking a step into the room. Immediately, the ghost noticed me and shrunk back in fear. “Turkish Casper?” The ghost shrunk back even more at the sound of its name, trembling with fear. “I'm not gonna hurt you,” I said, cautiously taking another step closer. “I just wanna send you to—or back to—the afterlife. That's all.” The ghost shook his head vigorously, wisps of himself flying off his head in vapors as he does so. “Oh, come on! It can't be that bad!” I said, rolling my eyes. “Hiçbir fikrin yok!” “Well then...” “Ben sadece oynamak ve eğlenmek istiyorum ! Bu kadar!” He looked even more sad now than before... “You know, I can just make you go,” I said, half-heartedly brandishing my scythe at him. “But... I honestly have no information as to who you really are or where you came from. So technically... Unless the Boss finds something on you, I really don't have to bother with you if I don't want to. I guess... I don't know. I've never really had this sort of thing happen before...” The ghost's face seemed to lighten up a little. “E-Eğer doğruyu söylüyor musunuz?” I blinked. “Uh... Sure. Whatever.” Turkish Casper cried out in glee and made what I assumed was an attempt to give me a hug. Unfortunately, all he could do is pass right through me and give me a slight chill. “Alright, alright,” I sighed, smiling a little despite myself. “You can go around haunting this place for now. But if you start causing too much trouble, or if either the Boss or I track down who you really are, you're out of here. Understood?” He nodded, grinning happily. “Benimle oyna?” He asked, pointing to a game of Pac-Mare. “Ehh... Why not? I've got some time to kill. Can't stay long though. Need to have a talk with my Boss after this.” Turkish Casper nodded as I approached the machine. “Uhh... You wouldn't happen to have any bits aren't that mist, would you?” I asked sheepishly. Author's Note Thanks to the cool dudes at Mystery Brony Theater 4000 (aka MBT4K) for giving me permission to use their OCs in this story! If you have a second, go check 'em out! Pretty please? Thanks, you're so sweet! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjB8ea3AjEZB94OWzWXTRw
Chapter TwoI can't tell you where I come from. I've forgotten that a long time ago. But I can tell you where the Boss says I come from. She says that a long, long time ago—before Princess Celestia was even a twinkle in her father's eyes—all ponies were immortal and pure of heart. But such purity was not meant to last. Now, remember how I just made the distinction between “where I come from” and “where the Boss says I come from?” Well, here's one of the reasons why: At this point, she likes to change the story. Sometimes she says it was an all-powerful and malevolent force from beyond the stars that corrupted ponykind. Other times she says it was ponykind itself that did itself in, becoming prideful in its immortality, leading itself to darkness out of boredom, misplaced curiosity, and self-inflicted insanity. Regardless of the reason she gives, however, the end result is always the same: The First Alicorns—apparently there were quite a few back in the day—created Death, using so much magic that most of them died in the process. Why “Death” you might ask? Why—to punish the wicked and relieve the innocent, of course. Also, now that these ponies had an expiration date stamped across their foreheads, they quickly had to learn to appreciate life, while they still had it. This plan wasn't foolproof, however. (Imagine that!) Certain ponies exploited this new concept, using it to find new and creative ways to express their depraved desires. Not to mention the slew of lost souls that starting popping up all over the place, bringing their own special little brand of chaos into the mix. Even with all of their power, the remaining First Alicorns couldn't even begin to manage it all. And so they appointed us, the Reapers, to do their dirty work for them. Here, again, the story changes: Either we were just ordinary ponies that the First Alicorns trusted to get the job done right and bestowed special powers, like immortality—the very thing that maybe, possibly started this whole mess in the first place. Or, we were created by them from scratch. Again, doesn't add up. How can you not handle ghosties yourselves, yet make ponies that can? And if you were truly near omnipotent, how can you mess Death up in the first place? Or better yet, not make something better? Or prevent ponykind from frickin' flippin' their shit in the first place! Were you just lazy? But I digress. Eventually their plan did sorta, kinda work out and now Equestria as we know it is a generally peaceful place to live. Not saying there weren't a few hiccups along the way, but that's a story for another time. Why am I telling you all of this now, you might be asking? Because the Boss is repeating the same story to me for about the millionth time now—and if I have to suffer though it, so do you. “Psyche, darlin', are you even listenin' to me?” she asks. “Every word,” I reply, trying in vain to keep the irritation out of my voice. “What has gotten into you lately?” I take a moment to think about this, then say, “Back at the theater you mentioned that I've been acting strange lately. What did you mean?” She answers with a coy grin. “Well, beyond the whole lettin'-a-ghost-roam-free thing, you've been a lot more careless with keepin' yer true nature a secret—what with roamin' around Ponyville in broad daylight with yer cloak 'n scythe 'n all, not to mention the...sympathy you've been developin' for these...mortals.” “Right... About all of that... Have you been spying on me?” The grin drops from the Boss's face. “Psyche, darlin'. It's my job to keep an eye on y'all. You know that. Now tell me, sugah... Do you remember the last time a Reaper failed to follow the rules?” I took a second to think about it. “...No?” “Well, that's because they don't exist anymore. If they fail in their duty as Reaper, they pose a threat to not only us, but to Life and Death as we know it. So we erase all record of them from existence. Except for, of course, my own personal recollection of them.” Her expression turned very grave then. “You don't wanna be erased now...do ya, Psyche?” I imagine what it would be like—being erased. It sounds like a death for Reapers, in a way. I've seen so many souls react so differently when faced with death. Some would beg for their lives with tears in their eyes. While others accepted their fate with a smile on their face. I never really thought of what I would do if I were in their place. I have to admit, I found the prospect quite fascinating to say the least. The Boss raises an eyebrow at me, as if my internal monologue is plainly written across my face. To be fair, it probably is. “Of course you don't...” she coos, studying my face closely with her big blue eyes as she approaches me. “We are so few as it is. If we lose even one, we're that much closer to bringin' ourselves to extinction. And then what?” She sighs, shaking her head somberly, her honey-colored curls bouncing from side to side as she does so. “We need to stick together, for the greater good. Which is why I'm givin' you a chance to redeem yourself, Psyche dear.” “'Redeem myself'?” I echo dully. “Yes... You see, I have reasons to suspect that a certain zebra mare by the name of Zecora has stumbled upon an ancient book of necromancy within the Everfree Forest. I need you to retrieve it for me. As you know, the Everfree Forest does not abide by the natural laws of Life and Death. Your Reaper powers will not work there. As for the zebra, the book may have revealed our existence to her, if she was not aware of us to begin with. As such, you will have to rely on subtlety and aversion to retrieve said book and make it out...relatively unscathed. Do this, and my faith in you shall be restored.” * * * * * As I was leaving the Reapers' Domain, I was stopped by one of my fellow Reapers, Prism Limit, a green pegasus stallion that presided over Cloudsdale—as he swooped down out nowhere and landed in front of me. “Hey, Psyche!” he said, greeting me with a crooked smile. “Heard you did something to piss off the Boss! What'd ya do!?” “Hello, Prism. Yes, I did indeed upset the Boss. Apparently I have been for awhile now.” “Aaaaand...?” he asked, waving his hoof for more details. “And she's sending me on an errand to retrieve something for her. So I either I do as she says, or I get...erased.” Prism's smile dropped a little as he trotted out of the way to walk beside me. “Erased? But...she can't really do that, can she?” “She's our Boss, Prism. She can do whatever she wants.” “Well...it just doesn't seem right, is all.” Despite complying to the Boss's demands, I couldn't help but agree with him. Smiling softly, I said, “Careful, Prism. Keep talking like that and you'll be next on her list.” Prism's eye dropped to the floor as he stopped in his tracks. I stopped for a moment as well, eying him curiously. When he refused to acknowledge me, I hesitantly starting making my way out of the Domain again when he called out, “Hey, Psyche!” I stopped and turned to him once more. His usual happy-go-lucky smile was nowhere to be seen. I had never seen him as serious as he was right then... “If and when you retrieve whatever it is you're looking for, you should go to the Castle of Two Sisters. Instead of coming right back here, I mean...” “Hm? Why would I ever do that?” “Because I asked you to? Trust me. It's important. You remember where the Castle is, right?” I nodded. “Of course I do.” “So you will be there?” I sighed. “Yes, Prism. I'll be there.” Prism's smile returned to him. “Great! See you there!” “Indeed...” And with that, I left through a portal at the entrance of the Domain and ended up back in the world of the living, in Ponyville. I turned in the direction of the Everfree Forest, spying the dark trees lining the horizon. I looked up at the skies above those trees and saw clouds moving of their own volition—without pegasi to guide them. ...Free. But freedom was dangerous, was it not? Rules were put in place for a reason. In a world without rules, I was vulnerable. In a world without rules, my mistakes would go on unchecked until I became lesser and lesser. Until, finally, I became unfit enough to be...erased from existence. But what if that's not true? a voice inside my head responded. What if that's just what you were lead to believe? The Boss is just a pony after all, is she not? No more or less than you? And what of other ponies? the voice continued. Like Higgins and Cathode? They are free, are they not? At least, free from the laws that bind you. Do they seem worse off for it? My thoughts flashed back to the theater. To the light in Cathode's eyes, to the smile on Higgins' face. “Perhaps...I should look into this matter further,” I said aloud to nobody but myself, making my way towards the Forest. “Maybe I'll come out of this with more than just a book in my hooves. Maybe...I'll never come out at all. Huh. Imagine that.” I said with a grin on my face. When I reached the threshold of the Forest, I glanced back in the direction of Ponyville one last time, before taking a deep breath, turning back towards the trees, and plunging into the darkness just beyond. As my eyes adjusted, I immediately spotted something white and fluffy in a nearby bush. Curious, I moved closer to inspect it. The sound of my hooves rustling against the ground caught its attention, for it popped out into the open, revealing itself to be a rabbit. The two of us stared at each other for a moment before it tilted its head at me, its little nose sniffing the air, as if it was just as curious about me as I was about it. “Angel...?” a meek voice called out from behind me. “Angel? Where did you run off to, you naughty rabbit?” I turned my head in the voice's direction and found its source. Now this pony, I definitely recognized...
Chapter ThreeFriendship. Many Equestrians would have you believe that Friendship is the strongest magic there is. And occasionally seeing the current wielders of the Elements of Harmony in action, I could see why. But the “strongest magic there is?” I beg to differ. Even the Elements of Harmony would not be able to stave off Death forever. No matter how kind, loyal, honest, or generous you are—no matter how much laughter you have in your life or how much magical talent you possess, Death comes to everypony eventually. But...this is not to say such things have no value. In fact, such things are what make Life so special in the first place—something the First Alicorns were trying to teach us so long ago when they created Death in the first place. Something I've been beginning to understand more and more as of late. And right before my eyes stood the embodiment of one of those oh-so-precious Elements that make Life so special: Fluttershy. The Element of Kindness. When she first became aware of my presence, she shrunk back a little, letting out a small squeak of surprise, and perhaps terror, at the sight of me. I made sure I wasn't in my cloak or wielding my scythe before engaging her in conversation. “Hello.” She hid her face behind her flowing pink mane, uttering a rather meek acknowledgment in return. “Do not be afraid, Fluttershy. I mean you no harm.” She took a couple steps back in response. Yes, Psyche. Bring up the topic of harming her. That'll make her less afraid of you! “Maybe I should just go...” I turned away from her to find that Angel, the bunny I had spotted in the bush, had come out into the open and was eying me carefully. “Oh, Angel! There you are!” Fluttershy exclaimed, forgetting her previous shyness as she walked right up beside me. “I've been looking all over for you, you silly rabbit!” The bunny continued to stare at me awkwardly. “I think he likes you!” Fluttershy informed me, smiling brightly before quickly looking away. “I-I... Um... I'm sorry... I don't believe we've met before... Do you live here? In the forest?” I let out a sigh of relief. Good. I didn't completely scare her off. “No. I'm from Ponyville. I just...keep to myself a lot, that's all.” “Then what are you doing all the way out here? The forest is pretty dangerous, you know...” I raised an eyebrow at how ironic such a statement was. Especially directed towards a Reaper of all ponies. “I know. But I must find Zecora. It's very important.” Shit! Goddamnit, Psyche! Why can't you just keep your big muzzle shut! “Zecora?” Fluttershy asked. “I know where she is. I can bring you there. I mean, if you want...” “Oh, no! That won't be necessary! But uh...would you mind pointing me in her general direction? It's been some time since I've been in these woods...” “Oh...Um...” She pointed her hoof straight and slightly to the right. “Her hut is about seven minutes that way. If she's not there, she's probably out gathering materials for her potions...” “Right... Thank you.” I immediately started making my way to Zecora's hut. “Are... Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?” I saw a shadow move out from beyond the trees. It was the lost soul of pony who had died out here. It's form was in a great state of decay. It's innards were out, dragging along the ground. Its face was mostly skull, its fur a mess of dirt and dry blood, missing in patches here and there. The exposed dead skin was incredibly pale and peeling. As it slowly turned to face me, I immediately averted my gaze. “Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked me, her voice sounding closer this time. She couldn't see the spectre. Good. Spirits usually wouldn't bother you unless they knew you could perceive them. As long as I pretended I couldn't see it, it just might leave us alone. The fact that the Forest was nullifying most of my power might have helped as well—helped me seem like just an ordinary pony to it. I lifted my head and it was right in front of me, it's black empty sockets seeming to take in every last inch of me. I reacted by not reacting at all. I merely looked past it, passively moving my gaze around it as if observing the trees instead. “Honestly...I'm not feeling that confident in my ability to find the place on my own. Perhaps you should accompany me after all. If you're still willing, that is...” “Oh yes! I'd love to help! Plus I'd feel much better knowing you got there safely. Like I said, the forest can be quite dangerous. At least, to somepony who isn't familiar with it. What about you, Angel? Would you like to visit Zecora, too?” The bunny hopped onto Fluttershy's back, its front legs folded across its chest as it continued to watch me carefully. Honestly, I found its gaze more unsettling than the ghost's. Speaking of which, when I turned back in its general direction, it was gone. “Alrighty then! Let's go!” Fluttershy softly exclaimed, leading the way. Great. But how am I going to get away with stealing the book from Zecora with Fluttershy around? I wondered. Oh well... Guess I'll figure that out when we get there. And with that, I followed her deeper and deeper into the woods, leaving the safety of Ponyville farther and farther behind me with every step I took. Whatever would come of this little adventure, it was sure to prove quite interesting. Quite interesting, indeed... * * * * * As we ventured further and further into the Everfree Forest, I took notice of just how different it was from Ponyville. Everything here was dark, dreary, wild. While everything there was bright, colorful, and orderly. I did not, however, consider the forest to be any way malevolent, despite what we've been told. A set of hooves slowly drifted amongst the leaves in the trees, dripping a black sludge that fizzled away before touching the ground. I didn't dare focus on who they belonged to. But as I was saying, I did not consider the forest to be malevolent. It was merely following a set of rules outside our own. Sure, your life was at a greater risk of being snuffed out than it would have been if you were in the comfort of your own home, but we all die someday, right? Well, not me, perhaps. But you? Yes, you for sure. But this does not mean you should give up or live in fear. If anything, it should encourage you to live your life while you can, since it can leave you at any second, no matter what you do. Take the pony leading me, for example. She didn't not fear the woods or what may lie within it. Today, on her way home, she could be eaten by a chimera or fall into a particularly sadistic patch of poison joke, but that's not stopping her from living her life the way she wants to live it, helping animals. And Reapers too, apparently. “Fluttershy?” I asked, walking up beside her. “Hm?” “What do you see...when you look at this forest?” “Oh, um... Well... I see grass and trees. Green and healthy. Beautiful animals you can't find anywhere else. Rays of sunlight shining through the leaves...” “Sounds quite lovely. Not quite as lovely as what most other people would see.” “That's just because they won't give it a chance. There's beauty everywhere. Even where we least expect there to be.” She gave me a soft smile, and black ooze trickled down onto her face. A pony's face, upside down with bloodshot eyes and a missing jaw came into view above her, staring down at her with a cold, unblinking look. “Well, perhaps not everywhere...” I replied. The ghost's milky white pupils snapped in my direction and I dropped my gaze. “Is something wrong?” “No! I'm just...not used to these woods. That's all. Are we almost there?” “Yes. It's just over there. See?” I slowly looked up to her, sighing with relief when I saw the ghost had disappeared. She gave me another little smile and nodded ahead of us. I looked and through a thin layer of trees I saw that we were indeed very close to Zecora's hut. “Good. I was beginning to think—” BOOM! Something hit me hard from above, knocking me off my hooves and onto the ground. Fluttershy gasped in horror. “Are you okay!?” “SSSSSAAAAAVVVVEEEE USSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” I felt myself lift off the ground and turn to face both the jaw-less ghost and the first ghost I had encountered with its guts spilling out. They had been joined by the ghost of a foal who had been burnt to a crisp. How did their deaths happen? I wondered. “What's going on!?” I heard Fluttershy cry out from below. I couldn't let her know what was happening. If I did, it would only draw attention to her. “SSSSSAAAAAVVVVEEEE USSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” “I can't,” I grumbled through gritted teeth. The ghosts howled in response and hurled me into a nearby tree. I felt a very unpleasant pressure grip my body on impact, and I realized...I was in pain! I couldn't even remember the last time I was in pain! It was so strange and wonderful and...the absolute worst thing I had ever felt! I could hear Fluttershy scream and run over to me. “Oh no! Are you okay!?” “Run!” I shouted, gasping as another wave of pain shot through me. “Get out of here!” The ghosts lifted me into the air and slammed me down onto the ground again. Air I previously didn't think I needed forced its way out of my lungs, and my vision started to darken around the edges. But I was still able to see Fluttershy running away from here as fast as she could, Angel gripping tightly to her back. He was still looking at me as they disappeared from view. Good... May your death be more peaceful than mine, little pony... “SSSSSAAAAAVVVVEEEE USSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” I struggled to look up at the ghosts. “I...I'm sorry you're suffering. B-But there's nothing I can do here. If you could just...follow me to the edge of the forest—” Again they lifted me off the ground and slammed me down. This time the pain actually lessened and the darkness grew more pronounced. I smiled. I wondered what I'd look like as a ghost. I wondered if I'd still have the sense to venture out of the woods and be found by another Reaper, or if I would wonder aimlessly through the trees, waiting for somepony to take notice of me. Again the ground left me and returned to me once more. This time I felt no pain and the last bit of light left my vision entirely. But even then, one last image entered my thoughts: Higgins and Cathode. So full of love... So full of life... Although I was no longer able to feel it, I knew I was crying. Lucky them... “Though Death you are, dead you'll not be... Your journey is not over, so awaken...Psyche...” I opened my eyes and the light returned. But I was no longer where I had been. Instead I was in an enclosed space. Bottles of various colors were strung up on the ceiling and settled on shelves. Masked lined the walls, watching as a zebra mare worked in front of a bubbling cauldron. “Psyche!” I heard a familiar voice gasp. Fluttershy was beside me with Angel. She must have learned my name while I was out. Which only meant... “For your life, Fluttershy did fear. But worry not—ghosts here will not appear.” Zecora handed both of us a wooden cup filled with some sort of liquid I couldn't recognize. “Drink this to regain your strength. The reason you're here, we shall discuss at length...”
Chapter FourSo many strange things have happened to me lately. I really don't know how to feel about any of it. And whenever I try to remember if things like this have happened before—I mean, I've been around for quite a long time. Surely I've run across these sort of things before—everything just seems...wrong. Things are missing. They don't make sense. Have I really not taken the time to reflect before? Or can I no longer remember things because the memories are no longer there? “Well, that's because they don't exist anymore,” the Boss had told me. “If they fail in their duty as Reaper, they pose a threat to not only us, but to Life and Death as we know it. So we erase all record of them from existence. Except for, of course, my own personal recollection of them. “You don't wanna be erased now...do ya, Psyche?” I thought back to when the lost souls of the Forest nearly killed me. At first I was okay with dying. But then... “Psyche, are you even listening to me?” Zecora asked, bringing my attention back to her. “Saving your life wasn't mere fortuity.” I stared at her blankly. “...What?” I was standing in her hollowed out tree home. I noticed a nervous-looking Fluttershy beside her and wondered how much Zecora had told her about what she saw. “I knew you were coming for the tome,” the zebra mare explained. “The one without which you can never go home. It's forbidden secrets fill my mind—of life and death, you and your kind.” She appeared to pull the book out of thin air. It was a heavy-looking, leather-bound tome with a pony's skull on the front. It seemed to have a presence all on its own—like it knew where it was and who it was with. Zecora extended it out to me, and I reached out my magic to take it from her. “It is yours to do with what you will. Our fate is in your hooves—for good or for ill.” “Wait...what? Your fate is in my hooves? What's that supposed to mean?” Zecora lowered her head. “It appears I have said more than I should. I must clear my memories of this for good. Fluttershy, you must drink as well. To keep Psyche safe, what you've seen and heard, you can never, ever tell.” “B-But...I wound never...” Fluttershy stuttered. “I don't even know what I saw!” She turned her big blue eyes to me. “Are you okay, Psyche? “I'm fine. I think. That's never...happened to me before. I can see again. And I can feel again,” I said, tapping my hooves on the ground. “That's good. I guess.” “You just...lifted into the air and started getting thrown around! I was so scared! I thought you were going to die!” “You want me to...live?” Fluttershy looked confused. “O-Of course I do!” “No one's ever been that concerned about me before. Then again, no one's had to.” “What are you talking about? Aren't your friends concerned about you?” “I... I don't have any friends, Fluttershy.” The yellow pegasus gasped and covered her muzzle with her hooves. “No friends!? Oh, how sad!” I looked down at the ground, unsure of how to respond. “C-Can I be your friend?” I looked back up at her. She was smiling now, her face half-hidden behind her mane. “I—” “That enough—from both of you,” Zecora said quietly. There seemed to be a sadness in her eyes as she looked at me. “Fluttershy, the brew.” Fluttershy gingerly took the cup in her hooves. “What will this do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Like I've said, it will make you forget—prevent you from doing something you'll regret.” Fluttershy turned her gaze to me, as if silently pleading for my help. “Do it,” I told her softly. “It's for the best. Just...thank you. For caring about me.” She looked like she was about to drink from the cup, but then, before I could realize what was going on, she charged at me, wrapping her hooves around me tight. “Promise you'll come to my hut sometime, okay!? I can introduce you to the animals! And my other friends! They'll love you! I know they will!” “I...” I gently pushed her away and made my way to the door. Without looking back at her or Zecora, I said, “Thanks again. But I really must go. Take care of yourselves. Both of you.” As soon as I made my way outside, I took off in a full gallop. I just had to get as far away from there as possible. I was glad that Fluttershy and Zecora cared. I really was. But being around them...just being around anyone—it felt like I was putting them in danger. No one lives long when Death is around. Perhaps that was why I never bothered befriending ponies before. Things get too complicated that way. You second-guess your job. You show favoritism. You expose them to ghosts that could kill them. Your boss questions your integrity... I stopped galloping, took a deep breath, closed my eyes... Perhaps its best that I just forget all of this too. Higgins. Cathode. Turkish Casper. Fluttershy. Zecora. I allowed myself to think about each of them for just a few seconds more, before I pushed all of them down into the dark depths of my mind, replacing the warmth I felt with cold indifference. I turned my attention to the direction of the Castle of Two Sisters. Prism Limit had wanted me to meet him there before returning to the Boss. Why? For a moment, I considered forgetting about that too. After all, the only I stayed in the Forest, the longer I was in danger. But I felt the book...staring at me. I floated it out in front of me with my magic and the feeling intensified. I felt my neck being craned into the direction of the Castle. Then I felt one of my hooves move out in front of me, taking a step towards it. Then another. Then another. * * * * * Before I knew it, I was there. It had been a long time since I last walked its halls. It was back before Luna's exile to the moon. Such a shame that was... I remember Princess Celestia ordering the Reapers to stay far away from her sister before their confrontation. She knew the Nightmares were draining her life force as they took her over completely and that her name may be whispered to one us. But she, of course, had no authority over my kind. And you know what? We ALL heard her name. “Luna Luna Luna...” We had all gathered around in the shadows, watching as the sisters fought. But in the end, Princess Luna's life was spared when Princess Celestia sent her to the moon. Not only could the Reapers not reach the moon on their own, but its power kept her life force stable. When Nightmare Moon returned, Princess Luna was dying again and we all heard her name in our ears. “Luna Luna Luna...” Again, we watched her closely. But again, she cheated death as the Elements of Harmony freed her of the Nightmares. Needless to say, the Boss wasn't too happy about that. “Psyche?” I realized the Reaper of Cloudsdale was standing right in front of me. “What are you doing? Are you okay?” The book slipped out of my magical grip and fell to the floor. I could suddenly feel my legs again. Well that was odd... “Oh! You brought the book! Excellent!” Prism scooped the book up in his hooves and hovered a few feet in the air with his wings. “Come on! This way!” “W-Where are we going?” I asked, still unsure as to why exactly Prism had asked me to come here. “I'll explain once we find the others.” “Others...?” * * * * * There are 30 Reapers total, including me and the Boss. Some only preside over certain settlements, while others preside over whole regions of Equestria. When a pony dies beyond Equestrian lines or within the Everfree Forest, we cannot send their souls to the afterlife—not unless their soul find its way to where our powers can be of use. Before me were five of those 30 Reapers, all leaving their assigned territories behind to meet up here, in this rundown castle, in a forest in which they were essentially powerless. But why? “We're going to overthrow the Boss,” Prism answered plainly. Hearing the words “overthrow” and “Boss” in the same sentence was so ludicrous to me that it took me a second or two to fully comprehend the concept of it. “W-What!?!?” “Our range of power in Equestria is receding,” Threnody, the Reaper of Baltimare explained. “Whatever force nullifies our magic within the Everfree Forest and beyond Equestrian borders is extending its reach, little by little every day!” “The Boss refuses to acknowledge this to anyone,” Segue of Vanhoover chimed in. “But we found it out without her help, when we found ourselves weakened within the borders of our territories.” “She thinks with this book she can fix it somehow,” Prism explained, indicating the Tome of Necromancy in her hooves. “Not only that. She wants to extend our reach across the entire world.” “Well... Is that necessarily a bad thing?” I asked, thinking of the lost souls that nearly killed me in the woods. “If she makes it so we can reap souls anywhere, then that means we'd all have to cover more ground, collect souls more frequently, and that's not even including the lost souls that are already flying around everywhere for the ages in which we couldn't reap them at all. “She thinks she can make a decision like this on her own, without taking our own feelings into consideration. We're just pawns to her, doing her dirty work while she sits up in her Domain. Doesn't that seem unfair to you?” “Well... I guess... But... Isn't reaping souls what we're supposed to do? I mean, you know what happens when they're left to wander...” “Not all souls that wander are 'lost.' In fact, many of the ones we've observed would rather just be left alone. They're fine with staying here in Equestria.” “But what about the ones that want to leave? Or the ones that are too dangerous to let stay?” “Psyche... We've been doing this job for longer than we can remember. And as far as we're concerned, we never asked for this kind of responsibility. Don't we deserve a rest, too? Don't we deserve to live a normal life like everyone else? “These souls that want to move on have forever to come to terms with staying. They can even learn to enjoy it. As for the dangerous ones, there are dangerous living ponies, too. Yet we don't have to do anything about them. Hell, we're not even supposed to interfere with the living, according to the Boss. So why should it matter?” I wasn't sure what to think just then. All of these Reapers could be erased for something like this. Hell, I could be erased just for being here. I really wasn't sure what to do... “Psyche, don't you wanna know what it's like to live like a normal pony? To make friends with them?” Despite previously trying to forget them, I couldn't help but think about Higgins, Cathode, Zecora, and Fluttershy once more. If I helped in overthrowing the Boss, I could live alongside them. I could live... But then I thought of the three ghosts in the forest. They were so mangled, so desperate to be free of a torment I couldn't possibly comprehend. Should I really be responsible for handling such matters? Prism approached me slowly, his emerald gaze bearing down on me as I stood before him in silence. “So, Psyche? What will you choose?”
Chapter FiveMy job never really left me with much choice. You go find a departed soul, or one about to depart, and sent them to the afterlife. There was no bargaining, no favors, no letting them escape their fate. And once it’s done, you wait until you have to do it all over again. I had always believed we were doing Equestria a service in ferrying the dead away. And then there are the rogue Reapers like Prism Limit, who believe that our job doesn’t really matter—that we are all slaves to it. And with everything that’s happened lately, I can’t say I completely disagree with him. As for his idea that we could live normal lives like everypony else, I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. How different would things be for me, really? And would I be any...good at it? I felt my attention being pulled in the direction of the book in Prism’s hooves. “If I don’t return that book to the Boss—” “She’s not our ‘boss,’ Psyche.” “Y-You know what I mean...” “I’m sorry, Psyche. But we can’t let her get her hooves on this book. If you choose to help us, you can stay here. We’ll keep you safe until we make our move. But once you join us, you’ll have to see it through to the end, understood?” “But...I-I need some time to think. This isn’t some small thing you’re asking of me, Prism! Maybe things do need to change, but is taking...Her down and abandoning our life’s work really the best way of going about it?” “There’s no other way, Psyche! You’re either with us...or you’re against us!” I had no idea what to do. What was the right thing to do here!?!? The book… The book might have answers! I mean, if it held the means to both turn the entire world into Reaper territory and take down the head Reaper herself, maybe it held a third option amongst its pages! One that could benefit everypony! “I’m sorry, Prism…” I reached out with my magic, encircling the book in a bluish glow before pulling it forcibly from his grasp. Shock covered his face and before I knew it I was surrounded by Reapers. “Nocturne! Now!” Prism shouted. A song escaped the reaper mare’s lips, and I felt my limbs grow heavy—my vision blurring. “Segue, the book!” I heard Prism’s voice echo in the distance. N-No! My magic latched onto the book with greater force and the book started emitting a glow of its own. A deep green light weaved its way around my magic. A voiceless whisper filled my head with the words: You feel so lost and confused, don’t you little one? Here. Let Us show you truth you may not even know you seek... And with that, the book’s magic eclipsed my own. It found its way around my horn and filling my vision with its light. Everything fell away and when the light faded, I saw I was in the foyer of the Reaper’s domain. But something about it was off. And by that I mean I was looking at myself just a few feet away, speaking with a tall white unicorn stallion with teal streaks in his mane and tail. “You don’t have to do this, Eros,” the other me pleaded. “Let’s just...leave Equestria! Just the two of us! Our powers down extend beyond the borders! She’ll never find us!” “Psyche, my love...I can’t do that. You know I can’t. The Boss is right. We have an obligation as Reapers of Equestria. Just not in the way she sees it. I have to convince her. And I have to do it on my own.” I approached the two slowly. They didn’t seem to notice me at all. Looking myself over, I noticed the white and teal streaks in my mane were gone. Was there a time when I didn’t have them? And then I turned my attention to the stallion. I had called him Eros, the pony the Boss had erased. But I thought she said she had erased all trace of him but her memories. And...And did he just call me “my love”...? “But why?” my reflection asked. “Let me come with you! We can convince her together!” “She told me to come alone. I’m going to respect her wishes and do just that. If we both go, it’ll only give a bad impression before I say what I have to say. And if things go poorly…” He looked away for a moment. “I don’t want you to be caught in the middle of it. Understood?” “No.” Eros smiled a little. “That’s fine. Just...stay here for me, okay? I should be back before too long.” I sighed. “Alright.” “Hey...I love you.” “I love you, too.” And with that, he gave me a small peck on the cheek before proceeding further into the confines of the palace. Everything changed once more. And now I was at the center of the domain, where I had spoken to the Boss earlier. Only now here she was, speaking with Eros. “Do you even begin to understand what it is you’ve done?” she asked, her voice cold and biting. “I do. I’ve allowed the deceased to stay with their loved ones, if they so wish it. And many of them do. Is that wrong?” “Yes! It is! All departed souls are to be ferried to the afterlife! All of them! If we start letting some ponies slip through the cracks, word will get out and eventually every pony will think they can get away with staying! Not to mention the threat to our own safety, if the wrong people learned of our existence! We cannot allow that!” “What is it about the afterlife that makes it so important anyway? Why does everypony have to face it someday?” “Because that’s what the First Alicorns wanted when they made Death! If you allow there to be no consequences, Death becomes meaningless! And before you know it, ponykind goes right back to being the dark, diseased monster of a thing it once was! The First Ones’ sacrifice would have been all for nothing!” “Perhaps that would be somewhat true, but not all ponies would turn into monsters in those circumstances. We didn’t. It was why we were chosen in the first place, remember?” The Boss closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, Eros… But that is not a risk I’m willing to take.” A blinding light erupted from her horn and Eros’s body started flaking away into nothingness. “N-NO!” he cried out. “PLEASE!” “EROS!” The other me crashed through the door and froze at what she saw. The Boss’s gaze slowly turned to her as she continued to attack Eros. “NO!” Eros pleaded. “DON’T YOU HURT HER!” The other me seemed to snap back to reality at the sound of Eros’s voice and charged forth, pushing him out of the way of the Boss’s spell with one of her own. The Boss dismissed her spell and just sat there, looking down at them both, her face devoid of expression. The other Psyche clamored over to Eros, who had collapsed onto the floor, still slowly turning into dust. I could hear myself weeping as she lightly nudged him with her muzzle. “E-Eros…” “I’m sorry, my love… But I tried my best…” I heard him whisper to her. “It looks like I have to go now. I’m sorry…” “P-Please don’t go… We can fix this… I know we can!” “No, Psyche… I’m afraid in this case, we can’t. Trust me, I don’t want to go. I really don’t… But... Psyche, listen to me. Don’t let this end you. You have so much to live for. You can still make a difference. I know you can… Just—” And before he could even finish what he was saying, he was gone. Just like that. For what seemed like forever, there was only silence. And then...slowly...the other me got to her hooves and turned to face the Boss, a murderous glint in her eyes as she stared her down. “I...I’m going to kill you…” A few speckles of dust, all that remained of Eros, floated down atop her mane, causing it to change colors, bringing about the white and teal streaks I’ve had for as long as I could remember. “N-No,” the Boss replied, her voice shaking a little. “I’m afraid you won’t. We’ve already lost one of our own today… I don’t intend for us to lose another one. I’m sorry, Psyche. I know you loved him. But this was for the greater good. I know one day, you’ll understand. But for now—” The other Psyche shot a ray of energy at the Boss, who deflected it easily and returned the favor with one of her own. The other Psyche was flung into the air and hit the floor hard, the force of the blow knocking her unconscious. “From this day forward,” the Boss continued, “No one shall remember the Reaper Eros, but me. And as for all of the souls he’s let wander free, those will be ferried away immediately. We will leave this little mess behind us and continue to carry out the will of the First Ones. Forever...and always.” And with that, the vision faded into nothingness and I was no longer in the Reaper’s domain or the Castle of Two Sisters, but in Ponyville, the book resting at my hooves. As I looked down at it, I reflected on what it had just shown me. Eros...was a real pony. He was erased by the Boss. And...I knew him. I loved him. But... that was a long time ago. As I witnessed the events that transpired, I realized that the Psyche I saw felt like a stranger to me. Somepony other than who I was now. Whether that was because of the memory wipe or something more, I couldn’t quite say. But one thing was for certain. I had found my third option. Eros believed we could allow some souls to stay while still reaping others. If such a thing was allowed to happen, the Reapers would be allowed greater freedom while still being Reapers. I had to confront the Boss about this. If I could succeed where Eros failed, I could stop this civil war amongst our kind before it ever truly began. And I failed, well… I’m pretty much just a ghost anyway, aren’t I? Author's Note It took me FOREVER to update this story but here it is! The next chapter will mark the conclusion of this story arc! Afterwards, this story will take off in a new direction! Hope you enjoyed!
